[Sca-cooks] Butter

[jenne at fiedlerfamily.net]

OED quote:
1718 QUINCY Dispens. III. xi. 476 Butyrum Majale, May Butter. This is made
by melting fresh Butter that has been made up without any Salt, in the
Sun; which is to be repeated until it grows of a whitish Colour. This is a
very trifling Medicine, and of no use but as any simple Unguent, or plain
Lard may be.

May-butter
   a. Unsalted butter preserved in the month of May and sometimes used
medicinally (see quots. 1615, 1718).
?a1425 (1373) J. LELAMOUR tr. Macer Herbal f. 20v, Fry ham with may buttyr
and a litell alym. a1500 in G. Henslow Med. Wks. 14th Cent. (1899) 127
Medle hem with may~botere..made as {th}e melke come{th} fro the cow{ygh}e.
1584 T. COGAN Hauen of Health cxcvi. 158 Yet would I wish that such as
haue children to bring vp, would not be without May Butter in their
houses. 1614 G. MARKHAM Cheape & Good Husb. I. lx. 37 Take the leaues of
wilde Nepe..and beating them in a mortar with May-Butter, apply it. 1615
G. MARKHAM Eng. House-wife II. iv. 113 If during the month of May before
you salt your butter you saue a lumpe thereof and put it into a vessell,
and so set it into the sunne the space of that moneth, you shall finde it
exceeding..medicinable for wounds. 1660

-- 
-- Jenne Heise / Jadwiga Zajaczkowa
jenne at fiedlerfamily.net