The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight OpenedDigby, Kenelm
History
The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened
Digby, Kenelm
Cooking -- Early works to 1800; Digby, Kenelm, Sir, 1603-1665; Liquors; Wine and wine making -- Early works to 1800
Take two handfuls of Dock (_alias_ wild Carrot) a reasonable burthen of
Saxifrage, Wild-sage, Blew-button, Scabious, Bettony, Agrimony,
Wild-marjoram, of each a reasonable burthen; Wild-thyme a Peck, Roots and
all. All these are to be gathered in the fields, between the two Lady days
in Harvest. The Garden-herbs are these; Bay-leaves, and Rosemary, of each
two handfuls; a Sieveful of Avens, and as much Violet-leaves: A handful of
Sage; three handfuls of Sweet-Marjoram, Three Roots of young Borrage,
leaves and all, that hath not born seed; Two handfuls of Parsley-roots, and
all that hath not born Seed. Two Roots of Elecampane that have not seeded:
Two handfuls of Fennel that hath not seeded: A peck of Thyme; wash and pick
all your herbs from filth and grass: Then put your field herbs first into
the bottom of a clean Furnace, and lay all your Garden-herbs thereon; then
fill your Furnace with clean water, letting your herbs seeth, till they be
so tender, that you may easily slip off the skin of your Field-herbs, and
that you may break the roots of your Garden-herbs between your Fingers.
Then lade forth your Liquor, and set it a cooling. Then fill your Furnace
again with clear water to these Herbs, and let them boil a quarter of an
hour. Then put it to your first Liquor, filling the Furnace, until you have
sufficient to fill your Tun. Then as your Liquor begins to cool, and is
almost cold, set your servants to temper Honey and wax in it, Combs and
all, and let them temper it well together, breaking the Combes very small;
let their hands and nails be very clean; and when you have tempered it very
well together, cleanse it through a cleansing sieve into another clean
vessel; The more Honey you have in your Liquor, the stronger it will be.
Therefore to know, when it is strong enough, take two New-laid eggs, when
you begin to cleanse, and put them in whole into the bottome of your
cleansed Liquor; And if it be strong enough, it will cause the Egge to
ascend upward, and to be on the top as broad as sixpence; if they do not
swim on the top; put more.
THE COUNTESS OF BULLINGBROOK'S WHITE METHEGLIN
Take eight Gallons of Conduit-water, and boil it very well; then put as
much Honey in it, as will bear an Egge, and stir it well together. Then set
it upon the fire, and put in the whites of four Eggs to clarifie it; And as
the scum riseth, take it off clean: Then put in a pretty quantity of
Rosemary, and let it boil, till it tasteth a little of it: Then with a
scummer take out the Rosemary, as fast as you can, and let it boil half a
quarter of an hour; put it into earthen pans to cool; next morning put it
into a barrel, and put into it a little barm, and an Ounce of Ginger
scraped and sliced; And let it stand a Month or six Weeks. Then bottle it
up close; you must be sure not to let it stand at all in Brass.
MR. WEBBES MEATH
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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