skim it well, and put in the whites of six Eggs beaten, to clarifie it:  Then strain it into some woodden vessels; and when it is almost cold, put some Ale-barm into it.  And when it worketh well, Tun it into some well seasoned vessel, where neither Ale nor Beer hath been, for marring the colour of it.  When it hath done working, if you like it, Take a quantity of Cloves, Nutmegs, Mace, Cinnamon, Ginger, or any of these that you like best, and bruise them, and put them in a boulter bag, and hang it in the vessel.  Put not too much of the Spice, because many do not like the taste of much Spice.  If you make it at Michaelmas, you may tap it at Christmas:  but if you keep it longer, it will be the better.  It will look pure, and drink with as much spirit as can be, and very pleasant.

TO MAKE WHITE METHEGLIN

Take Sweet-marjoram, Sweet-bryar-buds, Violet-leaves, Strawberry-leaves, of each one handful, and a good handful of Violet flowers (the dubble ones are the best) broad Thyme, Borrage, Agrimony, of each half a handful, and two or three branches of Rosemary, The seeds of Carvi, Coriander, and Fennel, of each two spoonfuls, and three or four blades of large-mace.  Boil all these in eight Gallons of running-water, three quarters of an hour.  Then strain it, and when it is but blood-warm, put in as much of the best honey, as will make the Liquor bear an Egg the breadth of six pence above the water.  Then boil it again as long as any scum will rise.  Then set it abroad a cooling; and when it is almost cold, put in half a pint of good Ale-barm; and when it hath wrought, till you perceive the barm to fall, then Tun it, and let it work in the barrel, till the barm leaveth rising, filling it up every day with some of the same Liquor.  When you stop it up, put in a bag with one Nutmeg sliced, a little whole Cloves and Mace, a stick of Cinnamon broken in pieces, and a grain of good Musk.  You may make this a little before Michaelmas, and it will be fit to drink at Lent.

This is Sir Edward Bainton’s Receipt, Which my Lord of Portland (who gave it me) saith, was the best he ever drunk.

TO MAKE A SMALL METHEGLIN

Take four Gallons of water, and set it over the fire.  Put into it, when it is warm, eight pounds of honey; as the scum riseth, take it clean off.  When it is clear, put into it three Nutmegs quartered; three or four Races of Ginger sliced; Then let it boil a whole hour, Then take it off the fire, and put to it two handfuls of ground Malt; stir it about with a round stick, till it be as cold as wort, when you put yest to it.  Then strain it out into a pot or Tub, that hath a spiggot and faucet, and put to it a pint of very good Ale-yest; so let it work for two days; Then cover it close for about four or five days, and so draw it out into bottles.  It will be ready to drink within three weeks.

TO MAKE MEATH