Of Meade, a common drink - by German Doctor of the Physick Christoph Wirsung.

Transcribed below are the chapters of mead and honey drinks from Christoph Wirsung's Im Artzney Buch from 1654 (first edition 1568). The original book is in German so I choose to work with the later English text, which is available from the restricted section of Early English Books Online.

The 7. Of Meade, a common drink.
The Hony water and the Meade are not onely invented for their vertue, but also for necessity, chiefly in such Countries where no Wine groweth, or may not be used. And it is very true, that this drink is more wholesome then sulphured Wine; for although the Mead be hot by nature, yet it is tempered with moisture, wherefore it cannot overheat nor overdry one. And albeit that this Mead may be made according to the fashion of every Countrey, diversly; yet neverthelesse is this the commonest manner, viz. that one take 8. quarts of water unto one quart of hony, and so let it seeth by a gentle fire, scumming it so long until it begin to be clear.
    It is also here to be noted, that how much longer you think to keep the Mead, so much the longer are you to seeth the same. When it is cold, then put it into a vessel, and let it be three fingers empty, to the end it may work. If so be that you desire to have the same stronger and more forcible, then hang these spices following in it, viz, Ginger, Cinamom, Cloves, Galangal, Nutmegs, and such like, and that in weight, as we shall write thereafter, of the aromatical wines. Some do take also Saffron unto it not only for the colour, but also for his vertue, and for that it yeeldeth a good flavour to the Mead. When it hath spurged or wrought, then is the same to be letten lie stopped the space of three moneths. But in case you desire to use it presently, then seeth the same not long, and expect not her working, but drink it freely as soon as it is cold, and then the next day make new again. In Liefeland they have in some places a custome, that they hoope their vessels with Iron, and so bury the Mead under the earth, and this will be stronger then any wine, but we will permit such countries to keep their customes. If you desire to make quickly a good Mead, then take a good Nutmeg, and one ounce of Cinamom cut small, and pour thereon three quarts of water, then let the third part seeth away, and then put unto it half a pound of clarified hony, this being done, let it seeth again together, until that there remain about a good quart.
    In old time was this Mead following to be made; take hony combs, wash the same well with luke-warm water, and afterwards let it seeth well. But if it be not sweet enough, then put more hony unto it, and scum it well; afterwards put thereto prepared Coriander half a pound, Sage and Hops, of each one handful, let a third part seeth away, and so keep it in a firre fat, at last hang Valerian, Cinamom, Cloves, Nutmegs, and, Mace therein.
    Another sort: take as much scummed hony as you please, put in same into a clean leaded pot, and pour as much water unto it as you please, then take Sugar and Marjoram (according as you desire it to be strong). And if you will put any Cinamom unto it, that is also not amisse, then let it seeth together, and skum it well. If so be that you desire to have it brown, then take 2. or 3. spoonfuls of hony, and let the same seeth well, and stir it well about until that it be strong, as soon as you take it from the fire, then pour presently water upon it, it will boyle together, and then pour the rest unto it, strain out the herbs, and then keep it in a cellar.
    The common vertues of these Meads be, that they quench thirst. It is also good for all cold diseases of the braines, of the backbone, of the sinews, and for all other diseases, for which wine is hurtful, by his penetrating vertue and force it cleanseth and openeth the breast, it taketh away the cold dry cough, it cleanseth the Kidneys, the reines, the conduits of urine, and the bladder, of all cold slimy matter whereof the gravel and the stone doth grow and it expelleth also all hurtful matter out of the guts, wherefore the same is to be used in all diseases of the braines, as in the giddinesse, in the falling sicknesse, and in lamenesse which is caused thereby. In like manner it is very good for them that be Plagued with the Cramp, and the hot Podagra.


The 6. Of Melicraton.
This do we call in English Wine Meade, whereof the ancient Physitians do make two sorts, for the one they took two parts of sowr Wine, and one part of Hony. When this is waxen old, then it is nourishing; when it is meetly old, then it is very requisite for the stomach and the belly, and it expelleth also urine: but after meat it is not very wholsome to be drunken. If one will use the same quickly, then must these two things be boyled together. Other do take six parts of Must, and let the same be hot, then do they pour a quart of Hony unto it, and when it hath boyled a while, then do they preserve the same. This Melicraton is beforetime much more usual then now adaies, and especially with the Romans, which called the same Vinum Muscum.

The 3. Hony water. Hydromel.
Honey water or our course Meade do the Grecians call Hydromel, and the Latinists Aquam Mulsam; this water is to be used for many things, and expecially in Physick for two kind of things: the first, if one will loose the belly of procure vomit, then temper the same with two parts of old rain water, and one part of Hony, and so let it stand in the Sun. This Hony water is to be tempered with oyl if the cause require it, and being luke-warm used for vomiting: the other Hony water is to be sodden and used also for many kinds of things, as we in this book have in many places declared.

The 24. Hydromel. Hony water how to make and use the same.
It is before oftentimes mentioned, and therefore it very worthy for to describe here how to make it : The ancient Physitians took rain water and Honey decocted there with, scumming it well, and using it for a common drink, in the stead of water or wine, like as also it standeth discovered in many places of this Book ; now it is for the most part made with Well-water and Honey. In fine, Hydromel is no other thing but our commmon mead without any addition : of other sorts of mead is spoken hereafter in the eight part.

From Im Artzney Buch by Christoph Wirsung. first edition 1568.

In 1618 translated into Dutch as Medicyn Boeck by the doctor Carolus Dattum.

And in 1654 translated into English by Jacob Mosan, Germane, Doctor in the same faculty (the  Fourth and last edition) as The General Practise of Physick containing all inward and outward parts of the body, with all the accidents and infirmities that are incident unto them, even from the crown of the heat to the sole of the foot. Compiled and written by the most famous and learned Doctor Christopher Wirtzung, in the Germane tongue, and now translated into English, in divers places corrected, and with many additions, illustrated and augmented.