220 The Honey-Makers 



to its thickness. If it must be drunk presently, it must be 

 made thin as water ; if it must be set up to keep, boyl it 

 longer, till it be thick as a julep.. It is spiced at pleasure, 

 with Ginger, Saffron, Gallia, Moschata, Lignum aloes, &c. 

 It is made also another way : of honey one pound, water 

 eight pounds, leaven three ounces ; put all in a wooden 

 vessel, leaving three or four fingers empty that it may work 

 the better : when it hath done working, stop the vessel and 

 let it be well hoopt, and after three months it will be fit to 

 drink." 



Really tempting is the following beverage, which Moffett 

 calls the hydromel of ^ginata. 



"Take the juice of bruised quinces five pounds, fountain 

 water sexterii, boyl them till they grow soft, take them from 

 the fire, let them cool, then strain them and crush out the 

 Quinces and cast them away ; add to this water half honey, 

 boyl it, scum it, till an eighth part be consumed : Some 

 make it of sweet apples or pears the same way." 



The hydromel of the Muscovites was a malted liquor, 

 and was thus made : — 



" Take of the decoction with hops twelve pounds, puri- 

 fied honey scummed, pound and half, toasted bread strowed 

 with flour of malt, one piece, put all into a wooden vessel 

 well covered, and place it near a stool, take away the froth 

 that riseth, twice a day, with a wooden skimmer that hath 

 holes in it ; after ten dales set it up in your cellar, after 

 fourteen dales drink it : They make it the same way in 

 summer with fair water, and made this way they drink it 

 in winter, and when they desire to be drunk. In Russ 

 and English they call it Mede." 



The English had a malted hydromel of their own which 

 Moffett highly commends. "Lately," he says, "the Eng- 

 lish found out a new composition of Hydromel, (they call 

 it Varii) and serves better for ships than any Wine. 



