Small Meath of eight or nine parts of water to one of honey, will be very good, though it never work, but be barrell’d up as soon as it is cold, and stopped close:  and after two or three months drunk from the barrel without botteling.  This is good for Meals.

TO MAKE WHITE MEATH

Take to every three Gallons of water, one Gallon of honey and set the water over the fire, and let the honey melt, before the water be too hot; then put in a New-laid-egg, and feel with your hand; if it comes half way the water, it is strong enough; Then put into it these Herbs, Thyme, Sweet-marjoram, Winter-savoury, Sweet-bryar, and Bay-leaves, in all a good great handful; which a proportion for ten Gallons; Then with a quick-fire boil it very fast half an hour, and no longer; and then take it from the fire, and let it cool in two or three woodden vessels; and let it stand without stirring twenty four hours.  Then softly drain it out, leaving all the dregs behind.  Put the clear into your vessel; and if you like any spice, take Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Mace and Cloves, and bruise them a little, and put them in a bag, and let them hang in your vessel.  Before you put your Meath into the vessel, try if it will bear an Egg as broad as a peny; if it do, then it is very well; and if it be made with the best White-honey, it usually is just so.  But if it should prove too strong, that it bears the Egge broader; then boil a little more honey and water very small, and put to it, when it is cold:  and then put it into the vessel.  It is best to be made at Michaelmas, and not drunk of till Lent.

TO MAKE SMALL WHITE MEATH

Take of the best white honey six quarts; of Springwater sixteen Gallons; set it on a gentle fire at first, tell it is melted, and clean skimmed; then make it boil apace, until the third part be consumed.  Then take it from the fire, and put it in a cooler, and when it is cold, Tun it up, and let it stand eight months, before you drink it.  When you take it from the fire, slice in three Orris-roots, and let it remain in the Liquor, when you Tun it up.

A RECEIPT TO MAKE METHEGLIN

Take four Gallons of water, two quarts of Honey, two ounces of Ginger, one ounce of Nutmegs, a good handful of Rose-mary tops, and as much of Bay-leaves, two ounces of dried Orange-peel.  Boil all these till it be so strong as will bear an Egg, and not sink; when it is milk warm, work it up with barm, during twenty four hours, and then barrel it up.  And after three months you may bottle it up at your pleasure.

As you desire a greater quantity of the drink, you must augment the ingredients, according to the proportions above recited.

TO MAKE METHEGLIN

Take four Gallons of water and one of Honey; boil and skim it:  then put into it, Liverwort, Harts-tongue, Wild-carrot, and Yarrow, a little Rosemary and Bays, one Parsly-root, and a Fennel-root; let them boil an hour altogether.  You may, if you please, hang a little bag of spice in it.  When it is cold, put a little barm to it, and let it work like Beer.  The roots must be scraped, and the Pith taken out.