SIR JOHN ARUNDEL’S WHITE MEATH

Take three Gallons of Honey, and twelve Gallons of water:  mix the honey and water very well together, till the honey is dissolved; so let it stand twelve hours.  Then put in a New-laid-egg; if the Liquor beareth the Egg, that you see the breadth of a groat upon the Egg dry, you may set it over the fire:  if it doth not bear the Egg, then you must adde a quart or three pints more to the rest; and then set it over the fire, and let it boil gently, till you have skimed it very clean, and clarified it, as you would do Suggar, with the whites of three New-laid-eggs.  When it is thus made clear from all scum, let it boil a full hour or more, till the fourth part of it is wasted; then take it off the fire; and let it stand till the next day.  Then put it into a vessel.  When it hath been in the barrel five or six days, make a white tost, and dip it into new yeast, and put the tost into the barrel, and let it work.  When it hath done working, stop it up very close.  This keep three quarters of a year.  You may drink it within half a year, if you please.  You may adde in the boiling, of what herbs you like the taste, or what is Physical.

TO MAKE METHEGLIN

Take eight Gallons of water, and set it over a clear fire in a Kettle; and when it is warm, put into it sixteen pounds of very good honey; stir it well together, till it be all mixed; and when it boileth, take off the scum, and put in two large Nutmegs cut into quarters, and so let it boil at least an hour.  Then take it off, and put into it two good handfuls of grinded Malt, and with a white staff keep beating it together, till it be almost cold; then strain it through a hair sieve into a tub, and put to it a wine pint of Ale-yest, and stir it very well together; and when it is cold, you may, if you please, Tun it up presently in a vessel fit for it, or else let it stand, and work a day:  And when it hath done working in your vessel, stop it up very close.  It will be three weeks or a month, before it will be ready to drink.

TO MAKE WHITE MEATH

Take six Gallons of water, and put in six quarts of honey, stirring it till the honey be throughly melted; then set it over the fire, and when it is ready to boil, skim it very clean.  Then put in a quarter of ounce of Mace, so much Ginger, half an ounce of Nutmegs, Sweet-marjoram, Broad-thyme, and Sweet-bryar, of altogether a handful; and boil them well therein; Then set it by, till it be through cold, and then Barrel it up, and keep it till it be ripe.

TO MAKE A MEATH GOOD FOR THE LIVER AND LUNGS