subs. (old).—Hot ale, spiced, sweetened, and mixed with the pulp of roasted apples.
c. 1189. The King and Miller of Mansfield (PERCY, Reliques, iii. 184). A cupp of LAMBS-WOOL they dranke unto him then.
1590. PEELE, The Old Wives Tale, iv. 6. Lay a crab in the fire to rost for LAMBES-WOOLL.
1593. NASHE, Strange Newes, in Works [GROSART], ii. 198. Before I vnbowell the leane Carcase of thy book any further, Ile drinke one cup of lambswool.
1606. DEKKER, Newes from Hell [GROSART (1886), ii. 124]. One of those big fellows that stand like Gyants (at Lords gates) hauing bellies bumbasted with ale in LAMBS-WOOL.
1607. T. TOMKIS, Lingua, or the Five Senses [DODSLEY, Old Plays (1874). ix. 424]. LAMBS-WOOL, the meekest meat in the world; ’twill let any man fleece it.
1621. BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy (ed. 1892), ii. 297. I find more that commend use of apples … (LAMB’S-WOOL some call it).
1633. T. JOHNSON, Gerard’s Herbal, p. 1460. The pulpe of the rosted apples, in number foure or five, according to the greatnesse of the apples (especially the pomewater), mixed in a wine quart of faire water, laboured together untill it come to be as apples and ale, which we call LAMBES-WOOLL.
c. 1674. HERRICK, Poems, p. 376, ‘Twelfe Night, or King and Queene.’
| Next crowne the bowle full | |
| With gentle LAMBS-WOOLL, | |
| Adde sugar, and nutmeg, and ginger. |
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. LAMB’S WOOL, roasted apples and ale.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.
1731. COFFEY, The Devil to Pay, Sc. 1. Job. Stay! now I think on’t, here’s Sixpence for you, get Ale and Apples, stretch and puff thyself up with LAMB’S WOOLL, rejoice and revel thyself.
1766. GOLDSMITH, The Vicar of Wakefield, xi. Our honest neighbour’s goose and dumplings were fine, and the LAMB’S-WOOL … was excellent.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1822. SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel, viii. The ale, or, to speak technically, the LAMB’S WOOL, was fitted for drinking.
1883. Notes and Queries, 6, S. VIII. p. 482. The wassail-bowl (as Horsfield states) was compounded of ale, sugar, nutmeg, and roasted apples, the latter called LAMB’S-WOOL. The wassail-bowl is placed on a small round table, and each person present is furnished with a silver spoon to stir.
