The English house-vvife Containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. As her skill in physicke, surgery, cookery, extraction of oyles, banqueting-stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preseruing of all sorts of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth, and dying, the knowledge of dayries, office of malting, of oates, their excellent vses in a family, of brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to an houshold. A worke generally approued, and now the fourth time much augmented, purged and made most profitable and necessary for all men, and the generall good of this kingdome. By G.M.

Markham, Gervase, 1568?-1637.

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CHAP. 8. Of the Office of the Brew-house, and the Bake house, and the necessary things belonging to the same.

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Of making perry or cider.

As for the making of Perry and Cider, which are drinkes much vsed in the West parts, and other Coun∣tries well stored with fruit in this Kingdome; you shall know that your perry is made of peares onely, and your Cider of Apples; and for the manner of making there∣of, it is done after one fashion, that is to say, after your Peares and Apples are well pickt from the stalkes, rottennesse, and all manner of other filth, you shall put them in the presse-mill which is made with a mil-stone running round in a circle, vnder which you shall crush your peares or apples, and then straining them through a bagge of haire-cloth, tunne vp the same (after it hath bene a little setled) into Hogs-heads, Barrels, and other close vessels.

Now after you haue prest all, you shall saue that which is within the haire cloth bagge, and putting it in∣to seuerall vessels, put a pretty quantity of water there∣unto, and after it hath stood a day or two, and hath beene well stirred together, presse it ouer also againe, for this will make a small perry or cider, and must be Page 249 spent first. Now of your best sider that which you make of your summer or sweete fruit, you shall call summer or sweete cider or perty, and that you shall spend first also; and that which you make of the winter and hard fruit, you shall call winter and sowre cider, or perry; and that you may spend last, for it will indure the lon∣gest.

Thus after our English House-wife is experienc't in the brewing of these seuerall drinkes,* shee shall then looke into her Bake-house, and to the making of all sorts of bread, either for Maisters, seruants, or hinds, and to the ordering and compounding of the meale for each seuerall vse.

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