requireth long
beating) then boil it three or four hours in Spring water. To a possnet
full of two or three quarts of water put about half a Porrenger full of
Oat-meal, before it is beaten; for after beating it appeareth more. To this
quantity put as much Smallage as you buy for a peny, which maketh it strong
of the Herb, and very green. Chop the smallage exceeding small, and put it
in a good half hour before you are to take your possnet from the fire. You
are to season your Gruel with a little salt, at the due time; and you may
put in a little Nutmeg and Mace to it. When you have taken it from the
fire, put into it a good proportion of butter, which stir well, to
incorporate with the Gruel, when it is melted.

ABOUT WATER GRUEL

When you set to the fire a big pot of Oat-meal, (which must be but once
cut, that is, every corn cut once a two) and water, to make water-gruel;
Let it boil long, till it be almost boiled enough, then make it rise in a
great ebullition, in great galloping waves, and skim of all the top, that
riseth; which may be a third part of the whole, and is the Cream, and hath
no gross-visible Oat-meal in it. Boil that a while longer by it self, with
a little Mace and Nutmeg, and season it with Salt. When it is enough, take
it off, and put Sugar, Butter, and a little Red rose-water to it, and an
Egg with a little White-wine, if you like it, and would have it more
nourishing. This is by much better, then the part which remaineth below
with the body of the Oat-meal. Yet that will make good Water-gruel for the
servants.

If you boil it more leisurely you must skim off the Cream, as it riseth in
boiling; else it will quickly sink down again to the rest of the gross
Oat-meal. And thus you may have a finer Cream then with hasty boiling.

AN EXCELLENT AND WHOLESOME WATER-GRUEL WITH WOOD-SORREL AND CURRANTS

Into a Possnet of two quarts of water, besides the due proportion of beaten
Oat-meal, put two handfuls of Wood-sorrel a little-chopped and bruised, and
a good quantity of picked and washed currants, tyed loosly in a thin stuff
bag (as a bolter cloth). Boil these very well together, seasoning the
Composition in due time, with Salt, Nutmeg, Mace, or what else you please,
as Rosemary &c. when it is sufficiently boiled, strain the Oat-meal, and
press out all the juyce and humidity of the Currants and Herbs, throwing
away the insipid husks; and season it with Sugar and Butter; and to each
Porrenger-ful two