Thus was the Hydromel made that I gave the Queen, which was exceedingly liked by everybody.
SEVERAL WAYS OF MAKING METHEGLIN
Take such quantity as you judge convenient of Spring, or pure rain water, and make it boil well half an hour. Then pour it out into a Woodden fat, and let it settle 74 hours. Then power off the clear, leaving the sediment in the bottome. Let such water be the Liquor for all the several Honey-drinks, you will make.
1. Warm sixteen Gallons of this water (lukewarm) and put two Gallons of Honey to it, in a half tub or other fit Woodden vessel. Lave it very well with a clean arm, or woodden battle-door for two or three hours, dissolving the honey very well in the water. Let it stand thus two or three days in wood, laving it thrice a day, a pretty while each time. Then put it back into your Copper and boil it gently, till you have scummed away all the foulness that will rise; and clarifie it with whites of Eggs: Then put into it a little handful of cleansed and sliced white Ginger, and a little mace; when they have boiled enough, put in a few Cloves bruised, and a stick of Cinamon, and a little Limmon-peel, and after a walm or two, pour the Liquor into a woodden half tub, with the spices in it. Cover it close with a Cloth and blanquet, and let it stand so two days. Then let the liquor run through a bolter, to sever the spice, stopping before any settlings come. Then pour this clear liquor into pottle-bottles of glass, not filling them by a fingers breadth or more. Stop them close with Cork tied in, and set them in a cool place for 6, 7 or 8 weeks.
2. In fourty Gallons of the first boiled and settled water, boil five handfuls of sweet-bryar tops, as much of Cowslip-flowers, as much of Primrose-flowers, as much of Rosemary-flowers, as much of Sage-flowers, as many of Borage-flowers, as many of Bugloss-flowers; two handfuls of the tops of Betony, four handfuls of Agrimony, and as many of Scabious, one handful of Thyme, as much of Sweet-marjoram, and two ounces of Mustard-seed bruised. When this hath boiled so long, that you judge the water hath drawn out all the vertue of the Herbs (which may be in half an hour) pour out all into a vatte to cool and settle. Scum away the herbs, and pour the clear from the sediment, and to every four gallons of liquor (luke-warm) put one gallon of honey, and lave it to dissolve the honey, letting it stand two or three days, laving it well thrice every day. Then boil it till it will bear an Egge high, then clarifie it with whites and shells of Eggs, and pour it into a vatte to cool, which it will do in a days space or better. Whilst it is yet luke-warm, put Ale-yest to it, (no more then is necessary) to make it work, and then tun it into a Rundlet of a fit Size, that hath been seasoned with Sack; and hang in it a boulter bag containing half a pound of white Ginger cleansed and sliced, three ounces of Cloves and as much of Cinamon bruised, as much Coriander seed prepared, and as much Elder-flowers. As it purgeth and consumeth by running over the bung, put in fresh honey-liquor warmed, that you keep or make on purpose for that end. When the working is even almost at an end, stop it up close with clay and sand, and have great care to keep it always close stopped. After a year draw in into pottle Glass-bottles stopped with ground stoppels of glass, and keep them in a cool place, till they are ready to drink, if they as yet be not so.
Have a care, that never any Liquor stay in Copper longer then whilst it is to boil.
3. In 20 Gallons of the first boiled and settled water, boil six handfuls of Sweet-bryar-leaves, as many of Cowslip flowers, as many of Primrose-flowers, and as many of Rosemary-flowers; and half a handful of Wild thyme, during the space of a quarter or half an hour. Then take the clear, and dissolve in it a sixth part of honey, doing as above for the boiling and clarifying it. But boil it not to bear an Egge, but onely till it be well scummed and clarified. Then pour it into a woodden Tub, and Tun it with Ale-yest, when it is in due temper of coolness, as you would do Ale-wort; and let it work (close covered) sufficiently. Then Tun it up into a seasoned firkin, and put into it a tost of white-bread spread with quick Mustard, and hang it in a boulter bag containing loosly some Ginger, Cloves and Cinamon bruised, and a little Limon-peel and Elder-flowers, with a Pebble-stone at the bottome, to make it sink towards the bottom, and fastned by a string coming out of the bung to hinder it from falling quite to the bottome. Stop the bung very close, and after six weeks or two moneths draw it into bottles.
4. In 20 Gallons of boiled and settled water, boil a quarter of an hour ten handfuls of sweet bryar-leaves, and as many of Cowslips. Then let it cool and settle in wood, and take the clear; and to every four Gallons of Liquor, put one of honey, dissolving it as the others formerly set down. Boil it, till no more scum rise, and that a fourth part be consumed. Then clarifie it with whites of Eggs and their shells, and make it work with yest. After sufficient working Tun it up, hanging it in a bag with Ginger, Cloves, Cinamon and Limon-peel. Stop it very close, and after two or three moneths, draw it into bottles.
MY LADY MORICES MEATH