Section 35

Wine called Metheglin. The drink inPannonia, Poland and England is more pleafant and wholefome then many wines are • it is made of twenty pound of good honey, and of water one hundred and twenty pound, skimming it till all comesto eighty pound, which be- ing cold and tunned up into a wine veffel, put in leaven of bread fix ounces, or as much as will ferve to make it work, and purifie it felf, and withal put into a bag, that hangs and may be put into the liquor, and not touch the bottom , of Cinna- mon, granes of Paradife, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves two dram?, one haed full of El- der flowers : let them ftand in a wine Cellar all the Winter, in Summer let them fourty dayes in the Sun, till they tafte like wine, and the unpleafant rafle of the honey be gone. But it will be more pleafant if you add a third part of wine.
Chap. XXII. How vineger may be made divers wayesyand of what.
AFter wine it follows to fpeak of vineger : Firft, how our forefathers made it ; then how of late years, that it may be made extreamfowre, which is not on- ly good for a family, but is neceffary for many Arts. Alfo there are fome Countries where wine, and to vineger is (citcc. Therefore in thofc places divers men have n- fed their wits to make it : wherefore to begin, we fay that
Vineger may be made of the Fig-tree. Out of Columella ; A green fig tnuft be taken very betimes, and alfo if it have rain- ed, and the figs fall to the earth beaten down with fhowres, gather thofe figs and put them up in Hogs-heads or Amphora , and let them ferment there; then when it grows fharp, and hath fent out fome liquor, what vineger there is drain it out di- ligently, and pour it into a fweet pitched veffel. This yields the beft fharp vineger, and it will never grow mufty or hoary, if it be not fet in too moift a place. Some to make more quantity, mingle water with the figs, and then they adde to them the ripeft new tigs, and they let them confume in that liquor, until it tall fharp c- nough like vineger, then they firain all through rufhy baskets, or withie bags • and they boil this vineger till they have taken off all the froth, ard filth from it. Then they adde feme terrefied fait, and that hinders worms and other vermine to breed in it. Cajjiantts makes it thus : Put into a veffel old fig?, terrefied Barley ,and the internal parts of Citrons. Stir it often and diligently, and when they are pu- trified and foaked, firain them out, and ufe them, stfuleiu!, They make vineger of figs, wet upon the Trees, and caft into water to putrifie, Diofcorides, The liquor of figs fieeped grows fharp as vineger, and is ufed for it. There is made alfo
Vineger of Dates.
To Date wine we fpeak of, fome adde water, and receive it again ; and they do this three, four, five or fix times, and at laft it grows fowre. From the fame, Plinj teach- eth to make
Vineger of honey.
Yon mufl wafh your honey veffel?, or hives in water , with thi? decoflion is made the rr.o'l wholefcme vineger. pJladim teacheth the way to make
V ineget
Of increafwg of Hou/hold-fluffe.
151
Vineger of Pears.
wild Pears are fuch as are (harp and ripe , are kept three dayes in 2 heap, then they are put into a veflel, and fountain or river water is put to them, the vrffel is left covered thirty dayes, then as much vineger as is taken out. tor ulc,io much water is put in to repair it. fajfiantu makes
Vineger of Peaches.
Putfoft delicate Peaches into a veflel, and aade parched Bsrley to them, let them putrifie tor one day, then ttrain them out, and ule it. We may trom C affiants* nuke
Vineger without wine*
If you boil Gypfum and Tea-water, and then mingle it with River water, and ufeic being drained. Bat if you will
Turn wine i»to vineger, and contrarily vineger into wine, C^wahatb it. Htpun Beet rootsbruilVd into wine, ir will be vineger when thrre hours are over. But it he would rcttore it again as it was, he puts in Cabbage roots. So auo
To make the fame.
We may do it another way and quickly : Caft into wine, Salt, Pepper and fowre leaven, ming'e ihetn and they wi.l foon imke it vineger. But to do v nrre quick- lv quench in it often a red hoi brick or piece of ftcel ; alfo provi e for that uuripc Medlars, Cornel?, Mulbcnics andP.ums. Bui Sotto* fhews to make
Sharp Vineger of new wine* Dry the mother of wine of grapes at the Sun, and put them into new wine, adding t ft w fowre grapes thereto and it will make fharp vineger that will be for ufe after feven daves or put in pellitory of Spain and it will be fharp. Moreover, it you boil a fourth or fifth part of vineger at t he fire, & put that to the reft,and fei all eight days in the Sun, yon fhiil have moit fharp and plcafant wine. The roots or old grafs , anci R;ifins, and the leaves of a wild Pear tree bruited, and the root r.f the bramble, andwhevof milk, burnt Acorns, Prunes rotted, and the decoctions of Chiches, and pot-fheards red hot, all of thele put feverally into vineger, will make it tart. Apuletui teacheth
To double the quantity of vineger- Take a good meafure of Vineger, about a Metreta, and to that adde one Mareta of Sea water boiie'd to half, mingle 1 hem and let them afide in a vtff:l. Some tteep Barley, and ftrait it, and of that juice they mingle one Metreta, and they Itir them together, and thev c«tt in torrefied ialt when it is yet hot, a good quantity, then they cover the vtflel, and let it tiand eight dayes. But I ufe to make it thus,
Vtnegcr of c/ttfters of grapes prejfed forth. After the Vintage, we calt in the clutters when the wine is prcfled forth into a woo- den veffcl, and we pour upon them a quantity of water, and it wilt be vineger when a week is over. Moreover wea* the tcndieU from Vines, and bruile them, and put water to them, and it will be vineger. Alfo thus,
/// wine is turned to vineger. When the bunches cf grape* are prcfled forth, lay thern between two wooden bowls,not very chick toge.her, let them grow hot for four days ; then pour on them fo much naughty wine as may cover them, let them a one 24 hours, then ttrain them into another wooden bowl, and after fo many hours, put them into another bow),and do fo til it be turned into moft (harp white vinegerjand if you would rmke more of the lame duffers, pour on upon them feme fharp vineger, and let them a- lone till they be extrearrrfharp and fowre, then rake that out and pour ro mil wine, and dots you did. Ltftly pre£ thofe clutters out in a prefs, and you (hall recover 83 great quantity as of the wine that was tpent,
CHAP,
\<>i Natural Magigk. "Bgo^ ^
Chap. XXIII. How the defetts of wine may be managed and refiered,
OUr forefathers found out many remedies to preferve Wine, and in our dayes we have taken no lefs pains. For wine is eafily corrupted) and takes to it felf many flrange qualities. Taxamtu faith, wine either grows fowreor dead a- bouttheSolftices, and when the feven ftars fet, or when the dog ftar caufeth heat, and when his extream cold, -or hot, or rainy, or windv, or when it thunders. We fhall fhew remedies for all thefe ; Firft, we (hall lay down out of Afrwantu,\\\z figns to know wines that will laft, or will corrupt. When you have put your wine into a veflel, after fome time change the veffel, and look well on the Lees, for thence fhall you know what the wine is, proving it by fmellingto it, whether it corrupt, or weevils breed in it, thefe are fignsit pmrifies. Others take wine out of the middle of the veflel, they heat it, and when it is cold they taflc of it, and they judge of the wine by the favour, feme by the fmell of the cover ; aftrong tafte is the beti fi£n,a watry theworft, fharpnefsof duration, weaknefsof corrupting. The (igns muft be taken at the times to be feared,wc mentioned. But to come to the re- medies, we fhall (hew how
To mend weak^ wine.
The wine will be weak, when it begins to breath forth that force of heat ; fot when the foul of it is breathed forth, the wine grows immediately fowre: vineger is thecarcaffeof wine. Then we may prefently prevent it by adding aqua- vita to it, for by t ha> it may put on anew foul : the mcafurc will be the fourth part of a pound for a veflel. Another remedy will be
That wine may not grow hot. In the cummer Solftice wine grows hot by the hot weather, and is fpoiled: then put quick-Giver into a glafs-viol well ftopt, and hang it in the middle of the veflel, and thecoldnefsof it will keep the wine from heating. The quantity is two pound for great veflels ; for When the air is hot, the external heat draws forth the inward heat, and when that is gone, it is fpoiled.- We
'That wine may not exhale ufe this'remedy. The veffel being full, we pour oy le upon ir, and cover it, for oyle keeps the ipirits from evaporating, which I fee is now ufed for all liquors that they may not be perverted. Wines fometimesare troubled : But
To clear wines,
Fronto bids us do thus. Caft three whites of egges into a large earthen difli tad beat them, that they may froth j put fome white fait to them, that they may be exceed- ing white, and pour them into a veflel full of w>ne , for fait and the white of an egge will make all thick liquors clear, but as many Dolia or fuch meafures as there are in the veffel, fo many whites of eggesmuft you have, to be mingled again with fo many ounces of fait, but youmuft llir the mixture with a ftick, and in four dayes it will grow clear. Alto ic is done
That wines may not corrupt.
I laid that fait keeps all things from corrupting : wherefore for every Dolium, pow- der one ounce of Alleme, and put it into the wine veflel with the wine, for it will keep it from corrupting. The fame is done if you put in one ounce of common fait, or half one, half the other: Alfo brimfton« hinders putrefaction. Wherefore if you (hall adde to eight ounces of Alleme or of
Salt, f ur ounces of brimftone, youfhail do well. TheAntients were wont to peierve wine, by adding Salt or fea-water to it, and it would continue along time. C*/*w*/kieacheththus, whenthewinds are quiet you muft take water out of the deepfea : when it is very calm, and boyl it to thirds, adding to it, if you pleafe, feme fpices. There are many ordinary things, but we let them pafs*
Chap. XXIV. How Ojl may be made of divers things,
IT is an excellent thing to fhew the diverfity of ways to make Oyl. That if Olives (hould ever be fcarce, yet we might know how to draw Oyl from ma- ny kinds of fruits and feeds. And ibme of thefe ways that came from the Antients, yet onely tbc beft and fuch as are our inventions. Wherefore to begin , We fay- that
Oyl may be made of Rieintu, call'd Cicinum.
Diofeorides makes it thus. Let ripe Ricini as many as you pleafe, wither in the hot Sun, and be laid upon hurdles: let them be fo long in the Sun, till the out- ward fliell break and fall off. Take the flefti of them and bruife it in a morter di- ligently , then puc it into a Caldron glazed with Tin that is full of water : put fire under and boil them , and when they have yielded their inbred juyce , take the veflel from the fire, and with a (hell skim off the Oyl on the top, and keep it. But in Egypt where the cuftom of it is more common : for they cleanfe the Ricini and put them into a Mill , and being well grownd , they prefs them in a prefs through a basker. Pliny faith, They muft be boiled in water , and the Oyl that fwims on the top muft be taken off. But in Egypt where there is plenty of it, without fire, and water fprinkled with Salt , it is ill for to eat , but good for Candles. But we collected them in September , for then is the time to gather them, with it parts from a prickly cover and a coat that holds the feed in it ; it is eafily cleanfed in a hot Caldron .- The weight of Oyl is half as much as the feed, bat it muft be twice knocked, and twice preffed. Talladm (hews how
Oyl of Maftick^u made,
gather many Grains of the Maftick-tree, and let them lye in a heap for a day and a night : Then put a basket full of thofc Berries into any veflel , and pouring hot water thereto, tread them and prefs them forth. Then from that hu- mour that runs forth of them, the Oyl of Maftickthat fwims on the top is poured off. But remember left the cold might hold it there , to pour hot water often on. For thus we fee it made with us, and all the Country of Surrcmum: alfo, fo h made
Oyl of Turpentine,
as Damageron teacheth. The fruit of Turpentine is grownd in a Mill, as the Olives are, and is preffed out, andfoit fends forth Oyl. The kernels fcrve to feed hogs and to burn. Likcwife
Oyl of Bays,
Boil Bay-berries in water , the fhels yield a certain fat , it is forced out by cru- ftiing them in the hands , then gather the Oyl into horns. TaUadttu almoft as Dwfeorides , in January boil many Bay-berries , that are ripe and full, in hot water, and when they have boy'ld long , the watry oyl that fwims on the top that comes
Z from
154- Natural Magick. Hoofo.
from them3you (hall gently pour off into veffels,driving it eafily with feathers. The Indians make as it is faid
Oyl ofSefamen,
It is made as we faid before, it fends forth excellent Oyl abundantly. There is made
Oyl of the Plane-Tree,
Plinj For want fometimcs they are forced to make Oyl for candles, of the Plane- tree berries foaked in water and fait , bat it is very little as I proved. Pliny faith the Indians make
Oyl of Chef nut s,
which I think very difficult, for but a little will come from them , as you flaall find if you try. He faid alfo, That Gallia Ofalpina made
Oyl oj Acorns of the Oa\ to ferve for lights • but we can make very little. Alf© the Ancients ufed to make
0)1 of trallnmsy
that they preffed from the Wallnuts, unfavoury and of aheavytafte: for if there be any rottcnnefs is the kernel , the whole manner is fpoil'd. Now Gallia Cifalpina makes it for to eat, and for lights alfo. For lights, by parting the naughty Nuts from the found ; but the beft ferves for to eat at fecond courfes. Thefe therefore are to eat, and thofc for lights, they bum cleer, and there is nothing that yields more Oyl. For it turns almoft all to Oyl, for one pound of cleanfedNuts will yield almoft ten ounces of Oyl. Now follows
Oyl of fweet sAlmonds,
Oyloffweet Almonds is beft for food, andof bitter, for Phyfick, andof old it was made with great diligence. Viofcorides {hews the way how half a bufliei of bitter Nats cleanfed and dried , are pounded in a morter with a wooden petfle into lumps , then a fextariusof feething water is poured on , and when for half ao hour the moiftureis drunk in, they are beaten more violently then before ; then is ic preffed between boards, and what flicks to the fingers is collected with fhells. The Nuts being preffed again , a Hemina of water is fprinkled on them , and when they have drank that up, they do as before ; every bufhel yields an Hemina. With us it is commonly drawn out the fame way. Thefe are the Oylsofthe Antieots. Now we (hall proceed with our Oyls : Next follows
Oyl of fmallNttts.
They yield abundance of fweet fented excellent Oyl , which all may ufe alfo for meats : one pound of the cleanfed Nuts will yield eight ounces of Oyl , which for- mer times were ignorant of.
Oyl of Piflaches
ferve for Meat and Phyficks. Out of
Pine \irneh Oyl u made They are cull'd, and the naughty ones ferve for lights ; but the Oyl that comes from the beft, is for to ear, and for Phyfick • very much is cxtra&ed. I fa w it at Ravenna.
But
Oyl of Beech,
the beft of all is preffed out in abundance , for meats and for lights. It borne very cleer, and taftcs as fweet Almonds > and the whole Nut almoft goes into Oyl,