Boil first your water with your herbs. Those she likes best, are, Angelica, Balm, Borage, and a little Rosemary (not half so much as of any of the rest) a handful of all together, to two or 3 Gallons of water. After about half an hours boiling, let the water run through a strainer (to sever the herbs from it) into Woodden or earthen vessels, and let it cool and settle. To three parts of the clear, put one or more of honey, and boil it till it bear an Egge, leaving as broad as a shilling out of the water, skiming it very well. Then power it out into vessels, as before; and next day, when it is almost quite cold, power it into a Sack-cask, wherein you have first put a little fresh Ale-yest, about two spoonfuls to ten Gallons. Hang it in a bag with a little sliced Ginger, but almost a Porengerfull of Cloves. Cover the bung lightly, till it have done working; then stop it up close. You may tap and draw it a year or two after. It is excellent good.
MY LADY MORICE HER SISTER MAKES HER'S THUS:
Dissolve your honey in the water till it bear an Egge higher or lower, according to the strength you will have it of. Then put into it some Sea-wormwood and a little Rosemary, and a little Sage; about too good handfuls of all together, to ten Gallons. When it hath boiled enough to take the vertue of the herbs, skim them out, and strew a handful or two of fine Wheat-flower upon the boyling Liquor.
This will draw all the dregs to it, and swim at the top, so that you may skim all off together. And this she holdeth the best way of clarifying the Liquor, and making it look pale. Then pour it into vessels as above to cool. Let it stand three days; then Tun it up into a Sack cask without yest or Spice, and keep it stopped till it work. Then let it be open, till it have done working, filling it up still with other honey-drink. Then stop it up close for a year or two. You may at first stop it so, that the strong working may throw out the stopple, and yet keep it close, till it work strongly. She saith, that such a small proportion of wormwood giveth it a fine quick tast, and a pale colour with an eye of green. The wormwood must not be so much, as to discern any the least bitterness in the taste; but that the composition of it with the honey may give a quickness. The Rosemary and Sage must be a great deal less then the Wormwood. Sometimes she stoppeth it up close as soon as she hath Tunned it, and lets it remain so for three moneths. Then pierce it and draw it into bottles, which stop well, and tie down the stoppels. This will keep so a long time. She useth this way most. It makes the Mead drink exceeding quick and pleasant. When you pierce the Cask, it will flie out with exceeding force, and be ready to throw out the stopper and spigot.
TO MAKE WHITE MEATH
Take Rosemary, Thyme, Sweet-bryar, Penyroyal, Bayes, of each one handful; steep them 24 hours in a bowl of fair cold water covered close; next day boil them very well in another water, till the colour be very high; then take another water, and boil the same herbs in it, till it look green; and so boil them in several waters, till they do but just change the colour of the water. The first waters are thrown away. The last water must stand 24 hours with the herbs in it. The Liquor being strained from them, you must put in as much fine honey till it will bear an Egge; you must work and labour the honey with the Liquor a whole day, till the honey be consumed; then let it stand a night a clearing. In the morning put your Liquor a boiling for a quarter of an hour, with the whites and shells of six Eggs. So strain it through a bag, and let it stand a day a cooling; so Tun it up, and put into the vessel in a Linnen bag, Cloves, Mace, Cinamon and Nutmegs bruised altogether. If you will have it to drink presently, take the whites of two or three Eggs, of barm a spoonful, and as much of Wheaten-flower. Then let it work before you stop it, afterwards stop it well with Clay and Salt. A quart of Honey to a Gallon of liquor, and so proportionably for these Herbs.
SIR WILLIAM PASTON'S MEATHE
Take ten Gallons of Spring-water, and put therein ten Pints of the best honey. Let this boil half an hour, and scum it very well; then put in one handful of Rosemary, and as much of Bay-leaves; with a little Limon-peel. Boil this half an hour longer, then take it off the fire, and put it into a clean Tub; and when it is cool, work it up with yest, as you do Beer. When it is wrought, put it into your vessel, and stop it very close. Within three days you may Bottle it, and in ten days after it will be fit to drink.
ANOTHER PLEASANT MEATHE OF SIR WILLIAM PASTON'S