Sir Thomas Gower’s Metheglin for Health
First boil the water and scum it; Then to 12 Gallons put 6 handfuls of Sweet-bryar-leaves, of Sweet-marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme, of each one a handful: Flowers of Marigold, Borrage, Bugloss, Sage, each two handfuls. Boil all together very gently, till a third waste. To eight Gallons of this put two Gallons of pure honey, and boil them till the Liquor bear an Egge, the breadth of threepence or a Groat, together with such spices as you like (bruised, but not beaten) an ounce of all is sufficient.
You must observe carefully. 1. Before you set the Liquor to boil, to cause a lusty Servant (his Arms well washed) to mix the honey and water together, labouring it with his hands at least an hour without intermission. 2. That when it begins to boil fast, you take away part of the fire, so as it may boil slowly, and the scum and dross go all to one side, the other remaining clear. When you take it off, let none of the liquor go away with the dross. 3. When you take it from the fire, let it settle well, before it be tunned into the vessel, wherein you mean to keep it: and when it comes near the bottom, let it be taken carefully from the sediment, with a thin Dish, so as nothing be put into the vessel, but what is clear. 4. Stop it very close (when it is set in the place, where it must remain) cover it with a cloth, upon which some handfuls of Bay-salt and Salpeter is laid, and over that lay clay, and a Turf. 5. Put into it, when you stop it, some New-laid-eggs in number proportionable to the bigness of the vessel, Shell’s unbroken. Six Eggs to about sixteen Gallons. The whole Egg-shell and all will be entirely consumed.
Source: The Closet Of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened, K. Digby
Filed under Remedy | Tags: borage, bugless, digby, egg, gower, honey, leaves, marigold, marjoram, metheglin, rosemary, sage, salt, saltpetre, sweet briar, thume | Comment (0)To Prevent Horses being Teased by Flies
Boil three or four handfuls of walnut leaves in a gallon of water, and before the horse goes out in the morning, bathe with it.
Source: Valuable Receipts, J.M. Prescott
Cure for a Cough or Cold
An intelligent farmer has observed, that the best remedy he ever tried in his family for a cough or cold, was a decoction of the leaves of the pine-tree, sweetened with loaf sugar, to be freely drank warm when going to bed at night, and cold throughout the day.
Source: Valuable Receipts, J.M. Prescott