A note from history
Despite his death sentence, Prelati managed to escape execution, when his release was secured by an aristocrat seduced by his utterly believable but completely overworked ramblings of “Barron” and his power. He was even given a position, until his pride and confidence in his protector got the better of him. Recaptured, he was eventually put to death.
From hiding, one of the worst offenders told the King a tale of how he too had been a victim of the perversions of his cousin, from the time of their childhood together. With the help of the man who would eventually marry de Rais’ twelve year old daughter, he was given back his liberty, and lived a full life.
After his execution, de Rais’ body was interred at the church of his choosing, and the site of his demise became a holy shrine, dedicated to of all things, expectant mothers. There is no sound figure for how many children he murdered, but from his own mouth came his motives, and they were the very substance of atrocity. The few lands that the baron had managed to keep from selling to feed his lusts were eventually divided.
Every one of his castles is now a ruin.
Hippocras, a recipe
With questionable water sources, and wine cultivated largely with wild fermentation, the choices of beverage in Medieval France were few. We did, however, have a marvelous spice trade, at least, for those who could afford it. Merchants came west from Asia, and suddenly spices were vogue — the “healthful” way to drink one’s self into a more righteous oblivion.
Tools:
- mortar and pestle
- pot
- sieve or cheesecloth
- pitcher
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces fresh cinnamon
- 1 ounce ginger
- 1 ounce grains of paradise, ossame, or Guinea pepper
- 1/2 ounce of nutmeg
- 1/2 ounce galingale
- 1/2 ounce cardamom
- 1 ounce cloves
- sugar
- Wine of your choosing (Typically, it would be a mixture of reds, watered down as much as by half, or a mixture of red an white. You will need one quart of liquid for every quarter ounce of the powder you will mix.)
Instructions:
- Grind all of the kernels or seeds in a mortar and pestle
- Add the other spices and continue to grind until a fine powder is achieved. Then add the sugar and grind again.
- This powder can then be stored or used immediately.
- Add 1/4 ounce to a quart of wine, and boil for a few minutes only
- Allow the wine to cool and then pour into your serving pitcher through a sieve or cheesecloth.
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