Peel and cut eight or ten large onions into halves and put them in the bottom of a stewpan with one-fourth pound of butter, put one pound of slices of lean ham on the top of them, then eight pounds of leg of beef and veal, also cut into slices. Place the stewpan over a quick fire and fry the contents, keeping the onions at the bottom. When the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a light brown glaze, prick the meat with a fork, remove the stewpan from the fire, deaden it with ashes, place the stewpan again over it and let it stand for half an hour longer, stirring twice during-that time. Pour into the stewpan ten quarts of water, add three turnips, two carrots, two blades of mace, and a large bunch of sweet herbs. When boiling move the stewpan to the side of the fire, season the contents with pepper and salt and keep it simmering gently for two hours, skimming off the fat and adding a little cold water now and then to keep it the same quantity. Skim the liquor, thicken it with roux diluted with hot water, and pass it through a fine hair-sieve into a basin. It is then ready for use.