AN EXCELLENT WHITE MEATHE

Take one Gallon of Honey, and four of water; Boil and scum them till there rise no more scum; then put in your Spice a little bruised, which is most of Cinnamon, a little Ginger, a little Mace, and a very little Cloves.  Boil it with the Spice in it, till it bear an Egge.  Then take it from the fire, and let it Cool in a Woodden vessel, till it be but lukewarm; which this quantity will be in four or five or six hours.  Then put into it a hot tost of White-bread, spread over on both sides, pretty thick with fresh barm; that will make it presently work.  Let it work twelve hours, close covered with Cloves.  Then Tun it into a Runlet wherein Sack hath been, that is somewhat too big for that quantity of Liquor; for example, that it fill it not by a Gallon; You may then put a little Limon-pill in with it.  After it hath remained in the vessel a week or ten days, draw it into Bottles.  You may begin to drink it after two or three Months:  But it will be better after a year.  It will be very spritely and quick and pleasant and pure white.

A RECEIPT TO MAKE A TUN OF METHEGLIN

Take two handfuls of Dock (alias wild Carrot) a reasonable burthen of Saxifrage, Wild-sage, Blew-button, Scabious, Bettony, Agrimony, Wild-marjoram, of each a reasonable burthen; Wild-thyme a Peck, Roots and all.  All these are to be gathered in the fields, between the two Lady days in Harvest.  The Garden-herbs are these; Bay-leaves, and Rosemary, of each two handfuls; a Sieveful of Avens, and as much Violet-leaves:  A handful of Sage; three handfuls of Sweet-Marjoram, Three Roots of young Borrage, leaves and all, that hath not born seed; Two handfuls of Parsley-roots, and all that hath not born Seed.  Two Roots of Elecampane that have not seeded:  Two handfuls of Fennel that hath not seeded:  A peck of Thyme; wash and pick all your herbs from filth and grass:  Then put your field herbs first into the bottom of a clean Furnace, and lay all your Garden-herbs thereon; then fill your Furnace with clean water, letting your herbs seeth, till they be so tender, that you may easily slip off the skin of your Field-herbs, and that you may break the roots of your Garden-herbs between your Fingers.  Then lade forth your Liquor, and set it a cooling.  Then fill your Furnace again with clear water to these Herbs, and let them boil a quarter of an hour.  Then put it to your first Liquor, filling the Furnace, until you have sufficient to fill your Tun.  Then as your Liquor begins to cool, and is almost cold, set your servants to temper Honey and wax in it, Combs and all, and let them temper it well together, breaking the Combes very small; let their hands and nails be very clean; and when you have tempered it very well together, cleanse it through a cleansing sieve into another clean vessel; The more Honey you have in your Liquor, the stronger it will be.  Therefore to know, when it is strong enough, take two New-laid eggs, when you begin to cleanse, and put them in whole into the bottome of your cleansed Liquor; And if it be strong enough, it will cause the Egge to ascend upward, and to be on the top as broad as sixpence; if they do not swim on the top; put more.