and high, put to it four handfuls of Sweet-bryar-leaves, as much of
Eye-bright: two handfuls of Rosemary, as much of Sweet-Marjoram, and one of
Broad-thyme. Let them boil a quarter of an hour (He letteth them boil no
longer, to preserve the colour of the Metheglin pale) then scum away the
herbs, scuming also the water clear. Then lade out the water, (letting it
run through a Ranch-Sieve) into a wide open vessel, or large Vat to cool,
leaving the settlement and dregs. (He often leaves out the Eye-bright and
Thyme, when he provideth chiefly for the pure tast; though the Eye-bright
hurts it but little.) When it is blood-warm, put the honey to it, about one
part, to four of water; but because this doth not determine the proportions
exactly (for some honey will make it stronger then other) you must do that
by bearing up an Egge. But first, lave and scoop your mixture exceedingly,
(at least an hour) that the honey be not onely perfectly dissolved, but
uniformly mixed throughout the water. Then take out some of it in a great
Woodden bowl or pail, and put a good number, (ten or twelve) New-laid-eggs
into it, and as round ones as may be; For long ones will deceive you in the
swiming; and stale ones, being lighter then new, will emerge out of the
Liquor, the breadth of a sixpence, when new ones will not a groats-breadth.
Therefore you take many, that you make a medium of their several emergings;
unless you be certain, that they which you use, are immediately then laid
and very round. The rule is, that a Groats-breadth (or rather but a
threepence) of the Egg-shel must Swim above the Liquor; which then put
again into your Copper to boil. It will be some while, before it boil,
(peradventure a goodquarter of an hour) but all that while scum will rise,
which skim away still as it riseth; and it should be clear scummed by then
it boileth: which as soon as it doth, turn up an hour Glass, and let it
boil well a good hour. A good quarter before the hour is out, put to it a
pound of White-Ginger beaten exceedingly small and searsed (which will
sever all the skins and course parts from the fine) which having boiled a
quarter of an hour, so to make up the whole hour of boiling, pour out the