( *24 ) 
Honey is a natural Soap, attenuating, ape- 
ritive, Ioofening, cleafifing, laxative, and 
ftimulating, of great Efteem before the Ufe 
of Sugar, and in feveral Cafes exceeds it 
far, as for a Pe&oral, Diuretic, &c. and 
neither heats, dries, nor conftringes till after 
Fermentation, for before that it is void of 
Spirit ; for the Sun's Heat on that Juice of 
the Plant, produces not that whilft it re- 
mains in the Vegetable. But we muft con- 
fider thefe three Liquors as they are af- 
ter Fermentation, as alfo the other Made 
Wines. All thefe three are made with Ho- 
ney and Water, and fome Aromaticks, as 
Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmegs, Cloves, &c . 
and fermented with Yeft after boiling; the 
laft is only Honey and Water boiled and 
barrelled clofe up without Fermentation. 
Thefe are the chief Drink of Ru/Jia, Muf- 
covy, Lithuania , and Tartary , and feveral 
good Houfewives in Britain prepare and 
keep them yearly. Fermented Mead hav- 
ing the effential Oil and Salts of the Flow- 
ers from which it is gathered, broken, mixed 
with the Water, and reduced to fubtile, vo- 
latile Spirit, becomes of the Nature of Wine 
when it is kept to a right Age, /. c* till it 
c be 
