406 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
“He hath found an old bottle, I cannot say where, 
He hath bound it with skill to the back of a chair, 
Full of mild ale so balmy, and sugar so brown, 
And he’ll trap them by dozens, Pll bet you a crown.” 
As to “Mum” or “Hum,” writes Harrison (1600) in 
his History of England, “there is a kind of swish swash 
made also in Essex, and divers other places, with honeycomb 
and water, which homely country wives putting some pepper 
among, and a little other spice, call “‘ mead.” Very good in 
mine opinion for such as love to be loose-bodied at large, or a 
little eased of the cough; otherwise it differeth as much from 
the true metheglin as chalk from cheese. Truly it is nothing 
else but the washings of the combs when the honey is wrung out, 
and one of the best things that I know belonging thereto is that 
they spend but little labour and less cost in making of the same, 
and therefore no great loss if it were never occupied.” Hum 
was so named, most probably, from its: causing a buzzing, 
or humming, in the head. 
** Lord, what should I ail ! 
What a cold I have over my stomach; would I had some Hum!” 
Fietcuer (The Wildgoose Chase). 
In the thirteenth century a certain mixture of Honey and 
water was used for applying to ‘‘a stynkynge wounde, to be 
washed with, that is honey and water sodden together with 
mirre.”’ 
When England was Roman Catholic, a superior mead was 
brewed from pure new honey, beekeeping being then a profitable 
business owing to the demand for the beeswax wherewith candles 
might be manufactured for the religionists ; honey was therefore 
plentiful, and could be readily had for making the best liquor. 
Then came the Reformation, bringing discouragement and 
depression to the apiary; and beer from barley was in vogue, 
the mead being superseded. But the cottage mead is to-day 
just what it was when Wamba the son of Witless had it for his 
supper. For making superior ‘‘ white mead”: To every gallon 
of water put a pint of the best Honey, and half a pound of loaf 
sugar, stir in the whites of eggs—three or four to the gallon,— 
beat to a froth, and boil it as long as any scum arises; when 
it is cold, work it with yeast, and to each gallon put the juice 
and peel of a large lemon ; stop it up when it has done working, 
