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1. CORN BREAD STUFING: Melt 8 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy skillet, add the chopped onions and cook over moderate heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they color lightly.
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2. Scrape them into a large mixing bowl. Add the sausage to the skillet, now set over medium heat, and break the meat up with a fork as it cooks. When the meat is lightly browned, transfer it to a sieve set over a small bowl and let the fat drain through.
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3. Meanwhile, again in the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and, when the foam subsides, add the turkey liver.Brown it over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then chop it coarsely and combine with the onions in the bowl.
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4. Add the drained sausage meat, cornbread crumbs, salt, a few grindings of black pepper, the thyme and parsley. With a large spoon, gently stir the ingredients together, then moisten the stuffing with the Madeira or sherry and cream. Taste for seasoning.
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5. TURKEY: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the turkey under cold running water and dry it thoroughly inside and out with paper towels. Rub the inside of the turkey with the salt and a few grin dings of pepper, and fill the body and breast cavities loosely with the stuffing, closing the openings with skewers or sewing them with thread.
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6. Truss the bird securely. With a pastry brush or paper towel, brush the outside of the turkey with a few tablespoons of the melted butter and sprinkle it with salt.
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7. Place the bird on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and scatter the onions around it in the bottom of the pan. Roast the turkey uncovered in the middle of the oven for about 2 hours, basting it every 15 minutes or so with the rest of the melted butter and with the drippings that accumulate in the pan.
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8. To test for doneness pierce the thigh of the bird with the tip of a small, sharp knife. The juice should spurt out a clear yellow; if it is slightly pink, roast the bird for another 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a heated platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
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9. GRAVY: While the turkey is resting, make the gravy. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan and stir the flour into the pan. When the flour is thoroughly absorbed, add the cup of water or stock.
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10. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk and incorporating into the liquid the brown sediment on the bottom and sides of the pan. When the sauce is quite thick, beat in the cream.
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11. If you prefer the gravy thinner, add a little more cream. Taste for seasoning and pour into a heated gravy boat. The gravy may be strained if you like.
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12. NOTE: A domestic turkey may be stuffed and roasted in the same fashion as a wild turkey but may take 15 minutes or so longer to roast. Use the same test for doneness. as described above.
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