or Phlegmy matter There is also another way of making this Gruel used chiefly among the wanton Gentry viz. they take Water and Oatmeâ—l as is before mentioned and let it stand a day more or less as they think fit then they pour off that Water and put on fresh some will do this four five six seven eight or nine times one after another letting each Water remain on the Oatmeal a certain time then they take it and boyl it up and mix it with Milk Cream and the like But this way is nothing so brisk lightsome and lively as the former for Oatmeal hath passed through in its Preparation a certain fermentation or digestion by which the gross body in the Oats is opened and the more internal or central Vertues become thereby volatile so that it readily gives forth its vertue when it is committed to the great Menstrum viz. Water even as Malt doth though not to that degree because the digestion or fermentation is not so high but being washed with several Waâ—â—r it becomes thereby stupid and destitute of all its good Qualities nay the very Air will exhale and draw forth the more spirituous parts of all Flower if exposed to it though the Grain have never passed through any fermentation or digestion as the Flower of Wheat which is the strongest and of the best substance of any others for this cause Flower that hath been grown'd five or six Weeks or more though it be kept close in Sacks will not make so sweet nor so moist pleasant Bread as that which is newly grown'd therefore all Bread in London does eat drier and harsher than Bread in the Country that is made two or three days after the Wheat is grown'd for so soon as any Grain is bruised or broken into a powdery substance the essential Spirits become thereby as it were violated and liable to evaporation for they are so subtle quick and penetrating that nothing can hold or continue them but of necessity they either evaporate or become suffocated if inclosed by any thing Therefore all Gruels ought to be made with new grownâ—d Oatmeal and Bread with new-grown'd Flower but this way does not please neither is it so profitable for those that make a Trade of selling Meal for Meal new grown'd will not so freely separate from the Branny substance nor yield so much Flower but lying a while after it is grown'd makes a kind of Distillation or giving way that the branny parts as is said before are easier to be separated and the â—lowry parts seem â—iner to the Nice Daâ—es but the Bread made of such Meal is nothing so good and balsamick or at least not so opening nor cleansing besides or Flower in a little time will from its own Body generate Worms which comes to pass by reason of the Essential Spirits and pure volatile Salt is wounded suffocated or evaporated but all sorts of Grain kept intire and not violated will remain sound and good a long time and if the essential Spirits and sweet Vertues of any thing or Creature could be preserved intire from evaporation or suffocation then that thing would continue sound and good forever for the true Life pleasure delight and joy of all Bodies does consist in the essential Spirits and balsamick Vertues therefore no Vegetable Animal or Mineral can be preserved any longer than the Spirit remains intire and unviolated This we would have all Men consider especially Physitians and Preparers of Food and we must needs say he that invented this last way of making Flummery was no Philosopher his Eyes were too dim to behold the true Spirit and Life of things CHAP. VI. Of the several sorts of Bread and which is best especially for sickly People ONE of the best sorts of Bread for sickly People is made of Wheat Flower the course or husky Bran dressed out but not fine dressed for then it will be dry and husâ—y apt to obstruct the Stomach for the inward skin or Branny parts of Wheat do contain the moist Quality which is opening and easie of Digestion and in the fine floâ—ery parts does consist the Nutrimentive Property therefore they do best together and ought not to be too curiously separated as some nice People will do who know no more of the Nature of things than an Horse and observe less Also it is to be noted that Leaven'â— Bread is to be preferred before that which is made of Yeast for Leaven was a Philosophical Invention that Sower quality therein being much more agreeable to the ferment of the Stomach than Yeast and easier of Digestion and more cleansing So it opens the Vessels and Encreases the Appetite and a little use will make it familiar and pleasant to the Eater But Yeast has a contrary Nature and operation it being a meer frothy fume or nauseous Excrement which Nature throws off and spews out as her Enemy and when it is mixt with any thing it endues it not only with an ill Taste which you will quickly perceive if you are not accustomed to it but also is apt to send fumes into the Head and to foul the Stomach and therefore nothing so profitable and wholesom as well made Leavened Bread which may more manifestly appear by most of the Ale in London for that not being sufficiently wrought and cleansed from this Yeasty matter it is not only thick but its Taste gross and unpleasant sending dulling fumes into the Head fouls the Blood destroys the Appetite and generates evil Juices in the Body Leaven'd Bread is best when made after this manner Take what quantity of Flower you please make an hole in the midst of it then break your Leaven in and take so much Water made as warm as your Blood as will wet half your Flower mix the Leâ—ven and Flower well together then cover it with the Remaining Flower close this do at Night and the next Morning the whole Lump will be well fermented or Leaven'd then add so much warm Water but remember it be no hotter than the Blood as will suffice and knead it up very stiff and firm until it be smooth and pliable but the more pains you take in kneading it the better and smoother the Bread will cut and eat much softer and pleasanter in the Mouth and be easier of digestion and when you have well kneaded it let it lie warm by some fire about two hours until your Oven be ready then make it into small Loaves as you think convenient and let them be Baked with the Ovens mouth not close stopt that the Air may have more or less Egress and Regress but the better way is to make it into thin Cakes like Oat-Cakes and bake them on a Stone which many in the North of England use for that purpose making a Wood Fire under it This sort of Bread is sweeter of a more innocent Taste and far easier of Concoction than any Bread bak'd the common way in Ovens After the same manner you may make Cakes of
are weakly CHAP. VIII Of Cheese CHeese is an hard tough strong Food very nourishing and substantial and excellent for healthy working People for being eaten with good store of Bread it endues those that commonly feed thereon with clean sound Bodies and brisk lively Spirits able to endure Labour and Travel if good Drink be not wanting And this so far beyond those that make Flesh their Food that experience teaches us that no Men are able to hold out in hard Labour with those that eat good Wheaten-Bread and Fat Cheese that is one or two Years old for both sorts are good according to the Country they come from and as the Cheese is in thickness or the contrary 't is true Bread and Cheese does not breed so much Nourishment as Flesh but it is clean and of a stronger firmer substance digesting and relishing Drink to better advantage than the best Flesâ— in the World can And suppose four Men were only to eat Bread and gooâ— Cheese intermixt now and then with Flower'dâ— Milk Milk-â—ottage Water-Gruel and Raw Salads season'd with Vinegar Salt and good Oâ—l and for their Drink good sound well prepar'd Beer or Ale not over-strong And a like Number of Men seeming of equal Limbs and Strength were to live on variety of Flesh with Brâ—ad and the same Liquor and let both Companies be kept to the same hard Labour In one half years time the former by virtue of their plain simple Food will be able to out-do the latter and tire them to Admiration and the Reason hereof I taught you before viz. because Flesh is gross and full of Phlegmatick Juices which load the Body with superfluous Humours but Bread Cheese Pottages and Herbs are clean and free from such Impurities and consequently breed better Nourishment fine Blood pure brisk sparkling Spirits which give great strength and vertue to the Body Nevertheless Cheese in its own Nature is somewhat hard of Concoction Where good strong natural Heats are it proves a great strengthener to the Stomach and all the Vessels thereof but all weak People ought to eat Cheese sparingly viz. a litâ—le Cheese and a great quâ—ntity of Bread so that the Cheese may serve only to relish it for as Cheese is a pleasing Food to the Palate so it is grateful to most dull flat Stomachs if it be eaten sparingly and with discretion and will comfort chear and strengthen them What we said of Bâ—tter may be repeated of Cheese That the best is that which is made from the beginning of May to about the beginng of August for after that season the Sun which is the central Heat and vivifying Power of all things declines with winged speed and all Vegitations by sympathy do the same CHAP. IX Of the best sort of Puddens and the contrary THis is a great sort of Food in England we are famous for it abroad and there is no Nation besides that I know or have heard of that practises it so much and if we were not altogether so fond of them especially as they are commonly made 't were no matter for such Puddens as are enricht with various sorts of Spanish Fruits and Indian Spices are for the most part very hurtful to Health because the variety of improper Ingredients does destroy most of the good genuine Vertues of our own Country-simples so that such things cannot properly be called Food 'T is true all sorts of Spanish Fruits so long as they remain intire and in their own simple Nature and for proper uses are brave rich things but if any sort of â—aisins be alter'd by being mixed with several things and then boyled the true natural Vertues are hurt and they are rendred next door to Putrifaction for the Sun and Elements had before already prepared them to the highest degree and whatever else is done by way of Preparation proves injurious to them In Puddens it is usual to mix Flower Eggs Milk Raisins or Currants and sometimes both Spice Suet the Fat or Marrow of Flesh and several other things whereas in truth any two of those things would far better have supplied Nature with true and proper Nourishment and if any healthy Person should be confined to such Puddens but for one week he would be tired and perfectly loath them whereas he may well live many years upon â—lower and Milk or Eggs and Bread or Raisins and Bread but when all these c. are jumbled together they make a confused Portion There is another sort of Pudden called Bread-Puddens which are a sick fainty Food for nothing can be good and proper if twice prepared if the first Preparation be to the highest degree as it is in Bread also to put some things prepared as Bread with things unprepared as Fâ—ower Eggs Spices and the like is not only improper but unnatural to the Stomach Therefore such Foods ought not to be eaten by any that love theiâ— Health and Strength For common sense may suggest what a strange disorderly jumble and Mishmash so many contrary Ingredients must needs make when boyled together in the Stomach and what Heterogenious kind of Juices or Nourishment the same wil produce â—oâ— Experiment be pleased to take Fâ—ower Fat Spices Eggs â—urrants and Raisins put them altogether in any Vessel and then take Flower and Milk and put into another Pot or Vessel or Eggs and Flowers or Fruit and Flower or Spice and Flower or Bread and Milk and let both Pots stand two or three days then observe both and smell and taste of the one and the other and you will certainly find that the simplest and where the fewest Ingredients are will smell and taste better and be less offensive than that wherein they all are mixt for the first will stink corrupt â—â—d putrifie much sooner than the simple things will But this is nothing How many things more besides these confused Puddens do men eat at the same Meal cram down into their Paunches viz. various sorts of Flesh Fish Butter Olives Capers Herbs Roots Mustard Tarts Raw Fruits Cheese c. which when rightly consider'd cannot but appear a strange Composition and odd Mess of Stuff able to corrupt the strongest and best of Stomachs only Custom does make them some-what more friendly and easier for Nature to bear than otherwise they would be for do but put all the before-mention'd Dishes of one extravagant Meal altogether in a lump into a Pot or if that be too little into a Caldron or Furnance and mix them all together Hicklede-Pickledy and let them lie a day or two so and ferment and then smell to the heap and if you do not conclude that the common use of such Dinners or Suppers is Natures Destruction and the Parent and Nurse of a multitude of strange and complicated Diseases you are fitter to eat out of a Trough with Swine in a Stye than to be consulted with about Diet for Health But since 't will be difficult wholly to wean People from their beloved Puddens the best way of
and Herbs harmonive and a man may eat of them every day but mixt Spanish Fruits Spices and the like with fat Flesh and Butter and prepare them as well as you can you shall not eat them every day for one Month without loathing and weariness the very same is to be understood of all other Foods and Drinks and if People would not prefer Custom and what is cried up by the Multitude before the simple innocent ways of Nature it would be casie for every one to chuse and understand what is most proper and agreeable to the Stomach For if they would set Gustom aside then most would be led to Meats and Drinks that are natural and proper by meer instinct as most of the inferiour Creatures are except some unclean Savages as Swine Bears Lyons and the like And in truth the greater part of Beasts have more understanding in Meats and Drinks than many Men for Man crys What were those things made for As if God intended that all right or wrong must be cram'd into his Paunch and that there could be no other use for them but for him to devour them as if to be Ornaments to the Universe to set forth the Power and the Wisdom of God in the making and feeding and preserving so many innumerable Creatures and invite Man thereby to praise magnifie and adore his Maker were not more Noble ends than to eat them to his own Prejudice But so greatly precipitated is he into Wrath Violâ—nce and Oppression that he is not willing any thing should escape his luxurious Throat though the use of it be to the destruction both of his Body and Mind For the source of all Evils to Man hath been his suffering his Imaginations and unclean Desires to wander after those things that are neither needful nor any way benificial for faslly imagining that all things were made meerly for his use he entred with the power of his free depraved Will with a rapid Motion into all Beastiality and so deprived himself of the divine Vision which he was made in and for and not to live in the Power of the dark Magick and Brutality to domineer and rend and tear each other to pieces far worse than the Savages of the Desart For Man was created in the Image of God and ordained to live under the Government of the divine Principle and if he had continu'd under its dominion then every sort of innocent Food would have satisfied him according to that Commission Every green Herb and Tree bringing forth Fruit shall be to thee for Meat Nor was he clothed with the Skins of Beasts before his Transgression and they are still the Spoils and Reliques of Violence for he was made Naked that is in Innocency and his Clothing himself with the Excrements of Beasts does truly intimate his depraved state especially when he becomes proud thereof than which there cannot be a greater Vanity in the World CHAP. XV. Of Oyl and its Nature AMongst all Fruits or other things eatable brought from beyond Seas OYL is one of the best being of a brave nourishing clean Nature mild and friendly to most Constitutions far exceeding Butter or the Fat of â—lesh and that it agrees not with some is for want of use when they are Young 't is endued with Equality and Concord as being distilled by Nature's choicest Limbeck and It would be much for the Health of our English People if they did eat more of it and less Fruits and Spices though we have no necessity for either but since our Desires do so itch after Novelties it were much more commendable for us to chuse those things that have the nearest affinity with our Natures and of all sorts of fat things Oyl is the most innocent as proceeding from the cleanest Radix and being the product of Vegetation and therefore is very proper and agreeable to humane Nature being joyn'd unto and eaten with Hâ—rbs and Fruits they having the nearest aâ—finity in their Basis or Original and therefore Gyl being eaten with Bread or Herbs is to an undepraved Palate not only more delightful and to the Stomach easier of Concoction affording a finer and cleaner Nourishment better Blood and purer Spirits than either fat of Flesh or Butter though the last of them is very wholsom Cream and Butter being our Oyl and eaten with proper or cleaner things as Bread Herbs and the like does make a proper Mixture and consequently good Food The Reason why Oyl is with greatest commendation eaten with Herbs and Bread is because all Mixtures of Food are most agreeable to the Human Nature that bear the nearest affinity in their Basis and as Oyl is the true fat of Vegetables so it suits and agrees better with them than with any sort of Flesh or other Food proceeding from Flesh but with Fish it is very good and wholsom especially Salâ—-fish for by its Balsamick Quality it allayes the â—ierce keen Property of the Salt and sweetens the lean Body of the Fish And for these Purposes it is far better than Butter But it is to be noted That Oyl ought not to come near the heat of the Fire for that will presently destroy the purer parts and vertues thereof and then it will become strong and fulsom the same is to be understood if it be mixed with any Foods whilst hot which ought always to be pretty cool before you mix your Oyl Therefore To sted Brend and Oyl though frequently used is not so good as cold bâ—ked Brâ—ad and Oyl than which there is scarce a better Breakfast or Supper for it cleanseth the Passages is easie of Concoction breeds good Blood and fine Spirits whence proceeds any airy lightsom Disposition and good habit both of Body and Mind However those that accustom themselves to the frequent eating thereof ought to remember their best Friend Tem erance that is to eat it sparingly and not in too great Quantities Olives or the Fruit whence Oyl proceeds are nothing so good as the Oyl it self for being gathered unripe oâ— immature and put into a Pickle made for that purpose to keep them sound they are apt especially if frequently eaten to obstruct the Stomach and Passages The best way is to eat them with store of good Bread now and then between whiles but most that are eaten in England are taken on full Stomachs in Superfluity and Wantonness so that it would be no loss to is to be without them CHAP. XVI Of Honey its Nature and Operation with some Notes on the Practice of Chymistry THe Antients have attributed some hundreds of Medicinal Vertues to Honey but in my opinion it will hardly perform half that which is said of it yet to give it its due it must be acknowledged to be a brave Noble and friendly thing to Nature of which some is better some worse according to the Nature of the Herbs and Flowers out of which this King of Flies extracts it for cause some Honey is of a more unpleasing Taste
proceeds from and consists in the benign and friendly Quality which the Fire dissipates and destroys and as long as it remains so long the pure Smell and sweet pleasant Taste of that thing continues but in the hot sulpherous fierce original Fires the evil Smells and nauseous Tastes which most of the vulgar things called Medicines are subject unto do consist There is a certain Maxime though ☞ little understood or regarded That all Preparations either in Food or Physick that do not conserve the Essential Vertues of those things pretended to be prepared that is the pure volatile Spirits and sweet Body whence the true Colour pure Smell and delightful Taste and all other good Qualiâ—ies both Medicinal and Nutrimental do arise and proceed such Food and Mediâ—ines can never answer the ends of Nature being weak nausâ—â—ous improper and deprived of those very Vertues whiâ—h should do the business for which they were administred The truth of what is here deliver'd may be confirmed from daily Experience for do not all Vegetations quickly putrifie and rot when there is any Violence offered to the subtle Spiâ—its and sweet Qualities whether it be by improper Preparations or other Accidents proceeding from the Elements Therefore there is required greater Understanding and skill in preparing Medicines than most are either endued with or imagine for the amiable healing Quality in all things is of a very subtle tender Nature and the pure Nutrimental and Medicinal Vertues lie as it were hid or captivated in the crude Phlegmy Body both in Vegâ—tables Animals and Minerals and when the Artist would make a Medicine thereof he must either by the help of the Coelestial Fire and Elements or by the common Fire or some proper Menstruums digest and open the gross Saturnire and harsh Martial Body which in all things does in some degree captivate the Essential Vertues and Paradisical Properties but so delicate is the friendy Nature that it will not endure any kind of Violence without great Prejudice for being by opening its Poyson the crude Body set at liberty and becomes volatile if such Preparations be continued any longer than the proper point of time the Essential Vertues being already upon the Wing will presently fly away and if the friendly Element the Air have not its free Circulation then they become suffocated for the Air is the Life of the true and living Spirit in all things Is not this clear and manifest in Herbage as Hay which Husbandmen preserve for their Cattel and in Corn if it stand after it is full Ripe or when cut if it lie too long in the open Air will not the pure Essential Vertues depart and evaporate and then do not all such things lose their natural Colour pure mell and pleasant Taste and so become of no use nor true veâ—â—ue either for Food or Physick The very same comes to pass in all Housewifery and Prepa ations if it be under-prepared it is gross heavy and full of flatulent â—uiâ—es if over then its pure Vertues become evaporated and it will afford no good nor firm Nouâ—ishment but is of a â—â—ull Taste a Duskie or else Martial Colour For Example Bread whose predominant Quality stands in the Ventrial and Iâ—vial Natuâ—e and therefore of a pure White but the â—aturnine and Martial heats of the Orâ—â— where the friendly Element the Air hath not its free egress and regress it becomes of a Duskish Brown or Yellowish Colour and a rough harsh Taste whereas if the Preparation were proper it would be white smooth soft and of a sweeter Taste and easier of Digestion From what hath been said it appears not to be an easie matter in Physical Preparations and Separatiâ—ns to preserve the friendly healing Properties compleat and intire and yet at the same time open digest and destroy the gross Phlegmatick Body since the former is so apt to be violated if great Prudence be not used And if once this benigne Quality be wounded such Foods or Medicines become fulsome fierce and nauseous to Nature far worse and of more dangerous consequence than they were whilst they remain'd crude as being hotter and more fierce because the Moderator is gone so that it would prove much safer if the diseased took the crude Herbs c. for then they would have the innate Vertues as well as the Vice but after the common Preparations which most Physitians and Apothecaries use you must be contented with a meer Nauseate or Loathsome Medicine in which the pure Essential Vertues are all or for the most part destroyed for all Vegetations and other things in which the Properties and Qualities of Nature are unequal either by Nature or rendred so by Artless Art will be strong and of a fulsome Taste dull and heavy on the Palate and Stomach c. And whatsoever is said here of the improper Preparation of Vegetables and the Evils that come thereby will in a more especial manner take place in the Spagyrical or Chymical Art when it drives into the Mineral Kingdom for all or most of the benigne Vertues or good Properties of Minerals are lockt up and captivated in the harsh Poysons and gross crude Bodies of Saturn and Mars and their Birth and Generation is in the deep Bowels of the Saturnine cold Earth where the Sun and Elements have not so free Influences and Circulation through them as they have on all Vegetations and Fruits therefore they are far more harsh hard and poysonous than those things that grow in the open Elements neither are they in any degree so friendly and familiar to our Natures as Herbs Fruits Grains and Seeds therefore Mineral Medicines are of much more dangerous and fatal consequence than the others if they be not prepared as they ought to be that is so as that the good Vertues be not destroy'd for in Vegetable Preparations there does at best remain only a dull gross flatulent Body which indeed has no power to cure nor very much to hurt But nothing is more dangerous and poysonous than ill prepared Medicines of Minerals Therefore in Siâ—kness I had rather fall into the hands of an unskilful Gallenist than of a rash and ignorant Chymist the last being much more to be dreaded than the former though both are bad And it is common with some that think themselves great in the Chymical Art to take Antimony and other Minerals and prepare them and make Medicines which are tenfold worse than when it was in its natural crude Body as appears by its fierce poysonous operation for before its Preparation a man might take forty sixty or an hundred Grains without any manifest prejudice but when it has passed the strong sulpherous Fires and Calcinings of the Chymists then ten or twelve Grains will do the business that is purge and vomit as if it would rend and tear Nature to pieces and if any should take but half the quantity that might safely have been taken whilst it remained crude in all its parts it would prove an
infallible Cure for all Diseases by putting a period to Life Whereby iâ—undeniably appears that the Chymist has not as many falsly boast by his Art digested or meliorated the terrible fierce Wrath and strong Poysons of Saturn and Mars and preserved the blessed and most aimable Properties of Venus Iupiter and Sol which last endue all things in which they carry the upper Dominion with a gentle mild friendly Nature and Operation but on the contrary they render the poysonous Qualities more violent and intense and the benign Properties in most Mineral Preparations are destroyed suffocated and wounded by their fierce and improper Fires and for want of Understanding in the time so that the venomous Wrath becomes tenfold more fierce than it was before and the chiefest matter they can boast of is That with much Art and Industry they have destroyed the good healing balsamick Vertues and so enraged the poysonous Wrathful Nature that a less quantity will do their business But let them know that all the Healing and Medicinal Properties reâ—de in the friendly Principle and in whatsoever Food or Medicine the amiable Vertue or balsamick Oyl is wounded that thing thenceforth becomes abominable so far from deserving the Name of an Help or Remedy that it is a meer Nauseat to Nature It is further to be noted that all Medicines that are fierce wrathful poysonous and unequal in which the benign Properties are impotent and the fierce original dark Powers so predominate that ten twenty or thirty Grains or a few Drops will affright Nature and put her into an Agonious fit as for the most part destructive to the Well-being and Health both of the Body and Mind for they do incorporate with their Similes and excite the lurking Poysons in the Body and put a further Dismayment on the weak Oyl and pure Vertues the strengthning of which would be the right Cure And it is a very great chance if any such rough churlish Medicines do any Cure but altogether the contrary 'T is true many perhaps may recover after such Physick but that is no Argument of their excellency or safety If a Physitian should have at any time three hundred Patients one might safely pass ones words That if not one of them took any of his Medicines yet two hundred and fifty of them would recover and ye should the Physitian in this case have the glory of Curing them all when in truth they owe the benefit solely to the Mercy of God and goodness of his Handmaid Nature It is also to be considered That there are some Chymical Preparations as Powders and the like that have no Purgative or Vomiting Quality nor any other manifest way of working or altering of Nature being no more sensibly felt than a crum of Bread after it is in the Belly And these have been and are much cry'd up for the wonders they do And in truth they are much to be preferr'd before the former uncorrected Poysons which rend and tear the Body to pieces for these perhaps do not hurt and what do they do I am not able to say but most certain it is that as many as happen to be well after the taking them do attribute their Cure to these silent Medicines However this I will be bold to tell you That in Chymical and especially Mineral Preparations it is a very difficult point and I think more than any mortal man can certainly undertake to perform To correct allay and destroy the Venoms of Saturn and Mars and at the same time preserve the more amiable and friendly Vertues which are in their own Nature so very subtle tender and fine that every little Inconveniency or Violence wounds them and the difficulty is hereby further encreased for that in what Medicine soever the original Fires of Saturn and Mars are destroyed or wholly annihillated the benign Properties can no longer subsist For where there is no Fire there is no Light for the Fire is the Father of the Light and all Life and Moveability stands in the Poysonous Root therefore the Artist must not annihillate those poysonous Principles in Nature for they are the very Original of every Life but his work is to correct them that the benign Principle and healing Quality may arise and tincture or shine through them that so their Strife may cease and all the Properties incorporate and embrace each other and so attain the Vnity and then such a Medicine will have power and vertue to tune the Discords of Nature into an Harmony and allay the irritated Poysons in the Body and so awaken and strengthen the dismay'd Oyl and fading Vertues and so the Cure will be soon effected Thus it appears that to take a crude poysonous Mineral or Vegetable and open its gross Body and correct the Venoms and awaken the good Balsamick Vertues that so they may predominate and tinge the whole is one of the highest and most difficult Points in the Spagyrical Science But on the contrary 't is no great matter to make a Devil being half made already that is 't is easie to make a thing worse but hard to render it better for its Vertues cannot appear till the Poysons be moderated which must be done by the Artists helping hand which to do requires as great Understanding as to obtain that wonderful Thing so much talk't of but rarely if at all known or understood viz. The Grand Elixir or Philosophers Stone whereas indeed neither this nor the other can be attained by any humane Study Learning or Industry but only by the divine Bounty and favourable Mercy of the God of Peace and true Love But however it often comes to pass that though the Medicines be not prepared in Nature's own way nor so as to them narurally pâ—ofitable and Homogeneal yet nevertheless the Prayers of the Administer and the Faith of the Receiver may and do often work Wonders for Faith is abâ—e to remove Mountains Therefore many Medicines though in themselves impâ—oper have wrought great Cures so great is the Power of Zeal and Faith and sincere calling on the Name of the Lord which is the only Universâ—l and Infallible Medicine and surest Port of Safety CHAP. XVII Of Sugar and Sugar-Candy their Nature and Operation SUgar is of late Years become of almost universal use with all that have where with to procure it which proves of evil Consequence to most of them especially Women and Children who are the chief eaters thereof 't is in truth an excellent and rich Fruit being indued with the King of all Tastes for Sweetness is the best and richest Quality in Nâ—ture being the moderator and qualifier of the Bitter Sour Astringâ—nâ— or Salâ—ish Quality both in Animals Vegetables and Minerals and from this amiable Quality doth arise all beauâ—iouâ— Colours Smells and Tastes in Meats and Drinks and other things the House or Cabinet of the pure volatile and essential Spirits the appeaser and qualifier of the fierce â—rathful Saturnine and Martial Fires therefore in whatsoever
in the Sweet Body therefore ought not to be frequently drank in times of Health its Vertues being too great for common use for that which is extraordinary good in season may prove of ill consequence when used unseasonably for the common use thereof dulls the edge of the Appetite weaknes the natural Heat of the Stomach and spoils the Concoction and for that reason a very little will satisfie those that drink much of this Cordial Liquor besides it replenishes the whole Body with superfluous Humours and evil Juices for all sorts of Wine are Extreams especially Sack and though it eâ—ceed in the best Property of Nature yet the frequent use of such high graduated Drinks may prove as prejudicial to the Health and Strength both of the Body and Spirits as things of meaner Vertuâ—s nay much more harmful for all Extreams or things in which any Property of Nature is too highly advanced ought to be taken very sparingly and as Physick rather than Food 'T is a dangerous Error to imagin as most People do That the sweeter and richer Drinks and Foods are whether simple or compound so much the better or stronger Nourishment they shall â—fford Whereas the clean contrary is true for nothing can maintain the Body and Spirits in good Health and Tranquility but such Meats and Drinks as are simple and nearest the Equality For Drinks wherein the Spirit is predominant if not taken very seldom and sparingly are apt to destroy the action of the Stomach and to incorporate with their similes viz. with the pure natural Spirits and balsamick Vertues in the Body causing them to burn too violently so that an evaporation or suffocation of them follows therefore although whilst such spirituous Drinks are in operation all the Spirits of him that hath drank are in an hot Rage or Tumult and he forgets all Sorrow Modesty and Temperance and by the awakening an unequal Motion of the Spirit skips like a Wild Asses Colt and Sings and Rants and becomes brisk and Jolley and in his own floating Imagination as Great as a KING yet when a little Sleep has quell'd this Tumult and dissolv'd these Fumes you shall find the poor Creature with much fewer Spirits and less Oyl in his vital Lamp than he had before the Merry Carrouze and he is weak and faint and feavâ—rish and goes trembling and looks as dejected as a conquer'd City which shews what Spoil and Waste what Havâ—ck and Desolation the strong spirituous Liquor has made upon his natural Spirits and this is a sure Demonstration which all tâ—ue Topers cannot but subscribe to and confirm from their own wretched Experience Moreover all Rich sweet Wines and Cordial Liquors if frequently drank though not the degree of disturbing the Brain do yet heat the Blood and put it into a kind of disorderly ferment and set the Gate of Venus open and makes Men too Effemenate and Women too Sâ—lacious being not at all agreeable to our Northen Constitutions therefore if healthy People will drink Wine they ought to allay it with Water and then it makes a Drink more equal and more wholesom viz. two thirds Water and one Wine And for such as are weak sick and fainty if they would have stronger Cordials than our own Country affords let them drink some Wine which is the choicest of Cordials and higher graduated in Nature than any other Liquor that can be made by Art but if Men and Women addict themselves in health to guzzle down the Richest Wines daily as many Thousands do now a days what must they have for Cordials in their Sickness for their Bodies being so habituated to Wine that will have no operation to help them Shall they take Brandy and Rectified Spirit of Wine Alas this too they have already made their common Drink and Wine is long since become too cold for their destroy'd Stomachs even when they are in the best Health they are capable of and Bâ—andy Rum and Vsquebath are scarce able to furnish out so much warmth and activity to the natural Heat as to digest a small Dinner Now when such People come to be sick and to be sure long they cannot continue well what Cordial shall be prescribed for them I believe the learnedst Doctor in Europe cannot tell unless he should make them swallow two or three Ladles full of scalding Lead boyling Pitch or flaming Brimstone They are at the end of Nature and therefore cannot arrive any higher for those that drink strong Ale and Beer in Childhood their Nature shall require Wine in their Middle Years and Brandy in Old Age for Nature as it grows old becomes weaker and colder and so requires more hot spirituous Drinks and therefore Wine and such strong Liquors are drank with most advantage by the Aged And if Children and Young People be used commonly to drink Water which will be most for their Healths then Small or middle Beer or Ale will be as cordial to them and warm and comfort them as much in their middle Age as Wine will that drank strong Ale or Beer in Youth And to speak truth no sort of Drink does maintain the Spirits and natural Heat in such vigour and strength as mean Liquors viz. such as are of the middle Nature or nearest the Temperature viz. good Water or well-brew'd Ale or Beer of a middling strength or Wine allay'd with Water as aforesaid But now most are grown to that degree of Blindness Excess and Folly that nothing will give their â—oracious Desires and greedy â—aunches satisfaction but such Drinks as are strong hot and unequal in their Parts which indeed is like themselves for ever since man hath suffered his desiers to enter into Discord he cannot but desire such disagreeing meats and drinks for every Like desires its Likeness and is its highest Joy Inequality begets Discord and Concords Peace Therefore all plain simple Meats and Drinks are for certain of the greatest strength and vertue and the only maintainers and continuers of Healâ—h and long Life And English People have need of no other or better Drinks and Cordials than may be made of our own Seeds Grains and Fruits as Ale Beer and Cyder which may be made to what degree of strength and goodness you please and being well prepared are far more agreeable to the Constitutious of English People than the Liquors that come from other Counties But all thick strong Ale and harsh bitter or stale strong Beer is very injurious to the Health as also Double Beer which is now a fashion but never invented by Philosophers The common drinking of such Drinks does strike at the very Sinews of Health being much worse than Wine especiaâ—ly than Wine and Water which is 〈◊〉 commendable clean healthy Drink that begâ—ts Appâ—tite cleanseth the Stomach Purgethâ—y Vrine and is endued with many excellent Faculties and if it were the Growth of our own Country I would commend the use of it to my Country-men but being a dear Drink and therefore not Come-at-able by
Brewing Ale or Beer and when it is at the degree of coolness as is usual for Wort when set a working then put a convenient quantity of Yeast of Barm to it and let it work observing the very same Method as is done in working and tunning up Beer and Ale and when it hath done working stop it close up This will be a brave full-bodied wholesom Cyder keep very well and drink pleasant and mellow for this heating and fermentation does digest that crude phlegmy Quality which makes Cyder drink lean and sharp from which also it often gets a sour Quality But if you would have your Cyder to keep long or draw as Beer and Ale does and not grow flat for a Month two or three then when you have heat your Juice or Liquor as aforesaid so that it begins to be hot put in what quantity of good Hops you think fit and let them infuse a full half hour but let it not boyl and then strain it as you do Wort and put it into your Coolers and when cool set it a working as before directed But therein observe two things 1. That you do not let it stand too thick in your Coolers 2. Nor put it in to working before it be sufficiently cold for if either of those Accidents happen it will cause the irritation or awakening of the Saturnal and Martial Poysons which will destroy the Balsamick Vertues or Sâ—eet Quality by causing it to ferment too fiercely which is calâ—ed Frâ—â—ting and causeth all sorts of Drink to grow hard and stale in a short time This last sort of Cyder will not only drink pleasant with a good Body but will also keep a long time and draw or â—run good as long as Beer or Ale and not flatten as is usual for Cyder so that you will not be obliged to the trouble of Bottling it which for Families and the common use of an House is tedious and chargeable and not so wholesom as I have demonstrated in my Way to health in the chapter of Beer and Ale Note that you may Boyl your Cyder either small or strong and use the same Order as common Brewers do in making of Beer and Ale and some People of late years do manage their Cyder accordingly but in my opinion it is not so good as that which is made either without boyling or heating at all or that which is only heat without boyling as is before mentioned Not but that which is boyled may be made very good and to drink full and satisfactory to the Stomach but still the former is to be preferred before it No sort of Cyder ought to be kept above One Year iâ— thâ— Drinkers thereof regard their healths though it may be kept several years in Bottles and drink pleasing to the Palate of many People especially such as have dull flat crasie cold Stomachs but as I have told you already no stale Drinks whether Wine Cyder Beer or Ale are so homogeneal and profitable to Nature as those that are Newer provided they be first sufficiently fermented for the longer any fermented Liquors are kept after they have obtain'd to proper ripeness and clearness the harder keener and sharper they grow and therefore are not so agreeable and friendly to Nature as milder fatter or full-bodied Drinks for every thing being come to its mature Age does by degrees tend towards the centre and decline for there is no standing still in the operations of Nature Thus in all Drinks the keeping them a proper time after they are made does digest a gross phlegmy Quality which would make it drink fulsom or nauseous to the Palate and Stomach which a little Age consumes even as it comes to pass in all Herbage as Hay which when new cut down is sweet and faintish in comparison of what it will be when it has lain half a year or more in the Rick or Mow but if such Hay lie too long viz. three four or seven years then it becomes dry harsh and of less Vertue and Substance and in no respect so good as in its proper time So when fermented Drinks have reached to a proper degree of Age or digestion of the more unpleasing and phlegmatick Juices then if it be continued much longer it goes as fast backwards towards its Original and the sweet Body or Balsamick Vertues are by degrees wasted and as it were eaten up by the fierce hungers and eager properties of the dark original Forms viz. of the Saturnine and Martial Natures which are greedy devourers of the amiable sweet Balsamick Body for the harsh astringent bitter fierce Qualities of Nature are always and in every thing the first and the last Are not your curious delicate well-tasted Apples in the beginning of their generating or whilst they are young and green harsh astringent bitter sour and very unpleasing both to the Palate and Stomach affording a Juice or Nourishment altogether as ungrateful to Nature But through the sweet Influences of the Coelestials and Elements the Solar Ioviaâ— and Venerial Qualities are awakened and strengthned to that degree that by their benigne Particles they moderate allay and qualify both the astringent bitter and sour harsh Properties so that each of them does with an hearty and corteous friendliness incorporate and imbrace each other whence does proceed that lovely pleasant Taste Smell and Colour which being once become full ripe if they be kept much longer they will decay and fall into Putrifaction and neither be pleasant nor wholesom and just so it is with the Liquor that comes from them after its kind if it be kept too old or stale it proves injurious to Health being of a hot tart keen Nature and Operation which heats the Blood irritates the pure Spirits causing weariness and hot Iâ—dispositions to possess the whole Body and generating various Diseases according to the Nature of each Constitution and Complexion it being Igâ—orance Vanity and Custom that have and do make so many 〈◊〉 and use such over-stale Liquors not that ever any found any real benefit thereby for 't is a never-failing truth That all sorts of Drinks are best whilst the pâ—re volaâ—ile Spirits are strong aâ—d the balsamick Body potent and that the same is not only the wholsomest of all others but the most pleasant too to the Palate and Stomach and in every respect more agreeable to the needs and operations of Nature CHAP. XXV Of Mum its Nature and Operation MUM is a brave Balsamick Liquor very wholsome for Melancholy Phlegmatick Complexion'd People if they observe the Rules of Temperance viz. To drink it sparingly as also for those whose Food is dry hard and lean as course Bread ordinary Cheese Flower'd Milk Herbs and lean Potâ—ages But this sort of Drink 〈◊〉 another Species or Property viz. It is of an hot strong Nature It dulls the Appetite sends fumes into the Head and is nothing so good healthy and wholsome as clear well brew'd Ale for being much being much boyled with the Martial
in each particular thing whence does proceed the brisk sharpness and distinguishing matter in all Tastes and in what Creature or other thing this essential Salt is strong and powerful that Creature is brisk lively of good Complex on strong Appetite and perfect Palate if in Vegetablâ—s then such Herbâ— Seeds Grams or Fruits are vigorous and of good Colour Smell and Taste This is that Salt which the Wise Man saith savours all things and not that Pillar of Salt that Lots Wife was precipitated into which was the strong Original Properties where each form has its Operation in strife and inequality where there is nothing but sharpness rending teaâ—ing bitterness and a Poysonous fierce Operation of which the câ—mmon Salt is a true figure therefore it must be moderated with some mild or meeker Body to render it fit for humane use Hence if in any sort of Food there be too great a quantity of Salt the same is very apt to heat the whole Body and consume the Radical Moisture causing drought and uneasiness and filling the Body full of Wind it also heats and frets the Blood with an Itâ—hy or Mangie humour and indeed common Salt destroys all sorts of Inanimate Foods as Herbs Seeds Fruitâ— or Grains if the same be not presently eaten for it preys upon the Spirituous parts and by its fierce hunger destroys the whole for there is no sort of Food can be long preserved but only by its 〈◊〉 Salt as appears by intermixing Salt with Bread For that Bread into which you put Salt will sooner decay than that which has none therefore Bread that is proviâ—ed for the Sea where it must be kept very long is always made without Salt And all Bâ—kers and House-wives Bread would be be much better if they put none in it being nothing but custom that makes Mens Palates expect or desire Salt in their Bread and the less Salt any shall eat the less they will covet it for the mixing of common Salt with sundry sorts of Vegetable 〈◊〉 does hide or Eâ—lipse the fragrancy and pleasant Taste of the Essential Salt that it cannot be felt by the Palate for as this innaâ—e Salt is the preserver and keeper of each thing from Putrefaction not only in Inanimate things but also in all Animals and therefore a very little of our common Saâ—â— will serve such as feed on Vegâ—tatives for the less Salt is put into those things the milder cooler pleasanter and easier they are of digestion For much Salâ— in Food makes them not only hard of Concoction but heats and dries the Body and by simily stirs up and awakens the Central Heat thereby endangering Health Yet still our common Salt is a brave Noble thing and of mighty use as the World goes for those that eat Flesh and Fish for it contains several Qualities especially two viz. One strong fieâ—ce hot Poysonous Another sweet friendly pleasant sharp and lively but the first exceeds and therefore all sorts of Flesh and Fish that do lie or are kept long after salted do prove pernicious to such as eat them for by length of time the corrupt parts of such Flesh does with a greedy hunger eat up and destroy both the pure brisk sweet Spiriâ—uous particles of the Salt and also of the Flesh and then such Flesh or Fish cannot be call'd back or recovered by a fresh salting or any other Art to its former state and the reason is because in such corrupt Flesh there is no simile for the second salting to Incorporate withal therefore it will proceed to Putrifaction in deâ—iance of all Art For this cause all Flesh and Fish that has been loâ—g salted is Injurions to Health for it dries heats and frets the Body and Blood and is one great cause of the SCURVEY It also spoils and loosens the Teeth and eats away the Gums But â—â—ill Salt is very proper and wholsom to be eaten with fresh Flesh and Fish and some sorts of Flesh as Bâ—ef may be salted two three or four weeks and if smoaked it will continue good longer and therefore the order used in Bacon is very Proper for Salt where it is moderate in food doth quicken the Appetite and makes the Stomach brisk and lively especially for those who by some disorders or Intemperances have wounded their Health and hurt the Essential Salts which makes the Palate dull and the Stomach flat and unrelishing and then People cry My Stomach goes against both Food and Drinks more especially they are averse to all such Meats or Drinks as are compounded or made by Art But others as for Example fair Water they can best take it being more simple The like is to be understood of Foods but there is hardly any Food so simple in all particulars as Water indeed Bread is a brave mild simple friendly Food but the mixtures in making and the manner of common Baking does alter the case and make it nothing so simple as Water therefore Water in all states both Health and Sickness is pleasant and delightful to the Palate Stomach and all the Senses For it is observable that if you eat sweet things Water is grateful after them or any other Foods of extream Tastes but other compounded or fermented Drinks are not which does commend Water to be the cleanest and compleatest drink of all others and that People may and can drink it with delight in Sickness and when the Essential Saits have lost their savour and also shews that the disease did not proceed from any of its Qualities for when such Loathing and Distempers proceed from Meats or Drinks as most commonly it does then the Stomach and Palate do perfectly abominate all such things Thus in all or most sicknesses People chuse Water before Beer Ale Cyder or Wine and for Foods had rather eat Bread Fruits and the like than Flesh Butter Cheese Puddens c. and most had rather eat Fish than Flesh the reason is because in Health they seldom eat Fish and so the Disease did not proceed from thence Likewise Salt is a brave addition to Butter and Cheese to preserve and keep it from putrifaction for a convenient season but all sorts of Vegetations are highly to be esteemed for that they have in themselves the Essential Salt sufficient to preserve them a long time from falling into corruption but that which is most to be admired is Oyl which tho' it be of an unctious fat Nature is yet so pure and void of offensive matter that it may be kept good several years nor can the best salting preserve Butter half so long Here you are to understand that all sorts of Food that quickly tend and turn to putrifaction are not to be counted so good as those that by their innate Vertue and Essentâ—al Salt will continue good a considerable time as all sorts of Grains Wheâ—t Barley Rye Peasâ— Beans Fruits c. since they are far more strong firm and spirituous than any sort of Flesh or Fish Not but that there
ferment separative and digestive Faculties of the Stomach than any of the sharp Juices last mentioned for in this Milk as is said before there is a real ferment and separative Quality arises and proceeds out of its own body and from the Animal Spirits therein contain'd which hath much agreement with the Stomach and above half the Work is done to Natures hand And before People do envigh against this innocent simple Food they should consider that the Stomach and natural Heat cannot make any separation or digestion of any Food before there is a sowring or fermentation This is most manifest in all Chymical Operations and Preparations the spirituous parts will not separate from the gross body until such Menstrums are fermented and become somewhat keen or sower but then it must not be too keen or sharp for the the Spirit will suffer and receive hurt the same in some degree is to be observed in all sowred Food it most not be too keen or sharp for then it will heat the Blood and irritate the original or sleeping Poysons in the Body but when this Sower Quality is moderate in any thing or properly mixed it s a gleam of the life and the true delight of the Spirit it opposeth the fierceness of the Biâ—ter and Aâ—â—ringent Properties and quickens and enlivens the Sweet and is the quickning Power in every thing all things are heavy dull and flat when this Quality is impotent CHAP. III. Of Water-Gruel ANother thing very proper for weak Consumptive Natures is Water-Gruel and that is best which is made after this manner viz. Take a quart of River or Spring-Water add to it one spoonful and an half of good Oatmeal newly made or grown'd being stirred well together set it on a clear Fire when it is rising or just ready to boyl take it off and brew it out of one thing into another and so back again as you do Butter'd Ale then set it on the fire again till it be ready to boyl but before it do so take it off and let it stand a while in the Swacepan that the course Husks of the Oatmeal may sink to the bottom and then putting it out add Bread and Salt or if you please Bread Salt and Butter stirring it about well until your Butter be melted that it may not turn to Oyl and then let it stand without any further stirring till it be but Blood-warm for much stirring or motion to cool it does oft-times offer some violence to the pure Spirits for all Gruels Pottages and Milk-Mâ—ats if they are let stand after they are prepared and put into the Dish or Platter do naturally as it were skin over which does retain and keep in the pure Bâ—lsamick Vâ—rtues but will not confine the fierce furious Fires of Saturn and Mars which being Aliens to the good Vertues of such Food will not continue in it any longer than forced by the continual heat of the Fire wherefore of their own accord they hastily fly away Besides it is to be noted that continual Motion in all Liquid Bodies destroys and causes to evaporate the essential Spirits and good Vertues thereof An Example of this we have in that Milk Women carry about two or three Miles in their Pails shaking and measuring of it out by degrees causing thereby as it were a continual Motion which makes the Volatile Spirits to evaporate and then presently the sweet Body and oyly Quality is thereby wounded and the Milk becomes thin and Wheyish and it will not afford half the quantity of Cream as Milk will do that is set to cream as soon as 't is milk't for that skinny substance that all Milk covers it self with does keep in the pure essential Spirits whereby the sweet Oyly Body is preserved in its full Vertue and Strength for the Volatile Spirit is the true Life of the Balsamick Bâ—dy and the Oyly Body or sweet Quality in all things is the House or Habitation of the Volatile Spirits therefore if one be destroy'd the other cannot subsist but immediately dyeth Likewise all violent Heat and Cold doth the same for which cause in cold frosty Weather the like quantity of Cream will noâ— make above two thirds of the Butter as it will do in warm moderate Seasons and it will be much longer 〈◊〉 coming The like in some degree is to be understood when the Season is extream hot for hot weather too vâ—olently evaporates the volatile Spirits and causes the sweet Body to sower as the cold condenses the spirituous parts whereby they become less volatile which hinders separation so that the oyly fat Quality in the Milk cannot rise to the top in such quantity as in warm moderate Seasons For this cause all Dairy-Women ought to have such Milk-Houses as are Warm in the Winter and Cold in the Summer for in cold Weather most Women are forced to let their Milk stand a long time viz. several days or else they will have a very small quantity of Cream which long standing of Milk to get the more Cream does awaken the original Fires viz. the astringent and bitter Qualities for which reason most of the Butter made in the Winter has a kind of sower bitter Taste which does not proceed from the Hay or Grass as some suppose but from the long standing of the Milk as aforesaid For Butter made in Winter if the Milk stand no longer than in Summer will be very good and sweet And if the Hay had any such nature to cause a sower bitter Taste how comes it to pase that the Flesh of all Beasts fatted in the Stall in the Winter with Hay is not only more firm but also far sweeter and fuller of brisk lively Spirits than in Summer and therefore will take Salt much better and afford a firmer Nourishment and also continue sound and good much longer Note also That Boyl'd Milk is nothing so good as either raw or scalded for the boyling it does not only fix it and thereby render it more stopping and harder of Concoction but also the violent Motion of boyling does as it were totally destroy the volatile spirit so that if boyled never so little it will not afterwards afford any Cream but only a thin skin for the volatile Spirit is so pure and subtle that it will not endure any harsh or violent Motion and so soon as that delicate Spirit is wounded the sweet Quality of faâ— Oyl loosing its Power and Vertue passeth away in an invisible vapour orâ—fume â—nsensible to the Preparers and this is the true cause why boyled Milk will not cream whereas if you take Milk and scald it but it must be done to a point not too hot and then take it off the Fire and let it stand in the same Vessel and there will arise a brave thick clouted Cream which way many use in the West parts of England and therewith make very good Butter but if you let your Milk be too hot it will not cream to such advantage
making them is thus Take Wheat-Flower Eggs Milk and Water of each a convenient quantity mix there-with a little Salt and beat them well together put this Batter into a Bag boyl it sufficiently in a good quantity of Water with your Pot-lid off and a quick clear Fire and let it boyl without intermission till 't is enough and then sâ—ice it and butter it with good Butter This is a good sort of Puddens for such as admire theâ— which 〈…〉 〈…〉 baked before the hot furious Fumes are evaporated and dispersed it will the most of any Food generate Windy Diseases which you may prevent by letting it lie in the Dish or on your Trensher a while and these sulpherous Vapours will separate and fly away in a Rapid Motion And in truth a little use and custom will render this sort of Pudden or any others more friendly to the Stomach and in all respects wholsomer and freer from Windiness if eaten quite Cold which is for certain more commendable than any other way I cannot perhaps by words make People either belive it or be sensible of it Cuâ—tom and the false Prophet â—râ—dition hath so blinded the Eye of Mankind so that nothing but Experience will be able to convince them And if none will try nor follow the Rules of Râ—asen I shall yet be well satisfied in that I have done my Duty therefore let none be offended at or despiâ—e the simplicity of what I recommend For all the Wayes of God and his Hand-Maid Nature are plain and familiar and all needful Furniture both for the Body and Mind are every where ready at hand cheap and obvious But the Evil one hath taught subtil Devices and men have found out many Inventions equally chargeable and pernicious CHAP. X. Of Eggs their Nature and the best way of dressing and eating of them EGgs are an excellent sort of Food each of them compleatly containing all the true Properties and seminal Vertues of that Creature whence they proceeded therefore are one of the best sorts of things that is eaten being of a fat oyly quality but very friendly and innocent in operation if well prepared affording a strong substantial clean Nourishment easie of Concoction and such as breed good Blood but then they must not be eaten after the common way of dressing that is to say 〈◊〉 and after eaten with Butter for Eggs I told you before are of an oyly fâ—t Nature especially the Yolks and being eaten with Butter whilst the sulpherous heat of the Fire remains in them that turns the Butter to a kind of a gross Oyl which does not only tye or hold captive the sierce Atomes of the Fire so that they cannnot seperate and fly away but the melted Butter does dull and flatten the brisk spirituous part of the Egg and makes it gross and heavy of Concoction as also cloys the Stomach and for this cause many cannot eat hot buttered Eggs without having their Stomachâ— much offended and so many do not love nor eat Eggs on this very score but are insensible of the true cause thereof But these very Persons shall love them and find them very agreeable when prepared properly as I have often known Therefore I shall here briefly set down several Methods of preparing of Eggs both proper and natural and very agreeable to most Stomachs both of strong and of weakly or consâ—mptive People 1. Boil Eggs rere or soft then break the Shells and put them into a Plate or Pottinger and let them stand till they are but Blood-worm then eat them only with Bread and Salt or such whose Stomachs are strong and 〈◊〉 are great lovers of Eggs may eat them with Bread and Butter but the Butter not melted but spread upon Bread 2. You may boyl them pretty hard peel the Shells off and when cold eat them with Bread Vineger and Salt 3. Poaching or boiling them unshelled in Water is a commendable way being eaten with Salt and Bread or Bread Salt and Vineger 4. Take a Pint of Water and one large spoonful of Wheat Flâ—wer made into Batter with Water when your Water is boiling hot break one Egg into this Batter and beat it together and just as the Water is ready to boil stir in your Batter a little while until it be again ready to boil then take it off and it will be of a sufficient thickness put thereunto a little Bread and Salt and a small quantity of good Butter stirring of it about that the Butter may not turn to an Oyl then â—â—t it stand till Blood-warm and eat it This is a brave clean Food easie of Digestion breeds good Blood and a firm Nourishment with brisk Spiâ—â—ts Lastly Eggs are very wholsom raw supp'd off in a Morning and Bread eaten after them for they clear the Stomach and free the Passages from Obstructions and make the Eaters thereof lively and long breath'd if frequently eaten But let all People remember that they do never eat Eggs boyled in the Shells whilst they are hot for they often then prove pernicious to Health CHAP. XI Of Pyes how they ought to be made APple and Pear-Pyes are a good wholsom healthy Food provided such Fruit be thorow ripe and no improper Ingredients added as too frequently People of late do both amongst the Apples and in the Crâ—sâ— for most put a great deal of Butter into the Crust and such Dough or Crust having no Ferâ—ent viz. Leaven or Yeast to make iâ—lâ—ght thereby becomes of a close â—eaâ—y â—â—bâ—tance and the Butter makes it still more heavy close and ponderous and being baked in the close strong sulpherous heats of Ovens they yet become more unwholsom hence â—ye-crust does load the Stomach and disagrees with many and those that find it best are more beholding to use which has familiariz'd it to their Bodies Besides most that have wherewithal do put too great quantities of Sugar amongst their Apples and Pears whereby it becomes more like a Medicine than Food therefore such Pyes if a man makes a Meal of them will not give his Stomach that satisfaction as all proper Foods will and also the eating of much Sugar in our Food does extraordinarily foul the Stomach and fur the Passages is injurious to the natural Heat and breeds bad Blood and fills the Body full of the Scurvey taking off the edge of Appetite and generates evil Nourishment for this cause most People and especially Children and Women who eat much Sugar and Spices in their Victuals are so â—uling and affâ—icted with a number of Diseases for much sweetness in Food is as dangerous and proves as great an evil to Health as the bitter â—our or astringnt Qualities do when they shall â—â—ceed in any Food and far more because sweetness is more inticing to most sorts of People especially to Children and Youth whereas the other Quality is not so but the contrary and no Person need so strongly to arm himself against those Intemperances that his natural Inclinations do not lead to
but the greatest danger of his being misled or overcome is by those Intemperances that are most agreeable to his temper for by such Evils he is overcome as it were insensibly For sweetness is an inticing Quality and though in it self the best yet proves of dangerous consequence where it exceeds in Food in which too much Sugar is mixed for indeed every sort of proper Food has sufficient quantity of Sugar I mean sweetness in its self to moderate the other Qualities viz. the bitter sour and astringent so that when People mix such quantities of Sugar in their common Food they destroy the Equality and Harmony of that thing so that it becomes an extream and causes the like disharmony in the Elements of the Body for the best Quality in Nature is as great an evil when it too violently predominates if not greater than those we least esteem of as the Bitter Sour or Astringent for these last carry their corrector with them as having no inticing property But these things are seldom consulted either by the Learned or by good House-Wives but they go on in the Road and every day encrease hurtful Extravagances perswading themselves that the more cost they bestow the more rich things they jumble together the better and more nourishing their Food must be and more nourshing indeed it is but of Diseases and evil Juices whereas plain course cheap simple Foods are much more friâ—ndly to Nature and consequently more strengthning and restorative And therefore in former Ages when Sugar Spanish Fruits Spices Sweet-Meats and the like were not known in these Northen Climates People were not oâ—ly healthier but stronger larger and bigger bon'd than of late Years since the frequent eating and mixing those forreign Ingredients with our more natural Food whiâ—h have and do daily prove of fatal consequence to the Healths of many that immoderately use them The best Pyes whether of Apples or Pears are made thus Take good Wheat Flower make it into a Paste with a little Leaven or Yeast as you do Bread with warm Water or Milk and Water but no warmer than your Blood let your Apples and Pears be full ripe and you need not mix any other Ingredients with them except you please to put a few of our own Country Seeds either Carraway or Fennâ—l-Seâ—ds which are very good and agreeable to most Stomachs The best fashion to make these Pyes in is that of Pasties which in some Countries they call Ovâ—rstaps for Crust or Paste that is made after this manner will not stand or be raised according to the common custom And indeed if this wholsom Food were in shion and that esteem which it deserves People need not be at that charge with their Daughters to learn them to Râ—isâ— Paste which invention was more for State and Pride than Health This last sort of Apple and Pear-Pyes are the best most natural and agreeable of all others for they afford a Nourishment of a fine clean substance open Obstructions of the Brest cleanse the Passages and gently open the Belly and you may eat of it every day without any kind of weariness during the time such Fruits are in their full strength and vertue I wish the Nice-Cockered Palated Citizens would but try the difference for one year and then many of them would hate that Ignorance and Vanity whereby they have contracted Diseases on themselves and entailed them on their Posterity which have no Remedy if they shall continue stubborn and walk down Hill to Destruction in the Path of blind Tradition for no Medicines have power to cure the Distempers that are contrcted by improper Preparations Mixtures and Superfiuity if the smae be still continued This is evident from daily Experience for do we not find every succeeding Generation more infirm and diseased than the former 2. In the baking your Pyes the Oâ—â—u ought to stand open or at least the Ovenlid not so close but that some Air may pass for this Element is the true Life of the Spirit therefore all Preparations in which the Air has its free circulation the Tincture and pure spirituous Vertues are preserv'd from Suffocation and thereby the true natural Colour Smell and Taste preserv'd without violation which other-wise cannot be done to that advantage 3. When your Pyes are sufficiently baked draw them and cut holes in the top of each that the sulpherous Atomes and fiery vapours may the better pass away and separate themselves which will make such Pies sweet and less windy and much more wholsome 4. You ought neither to eat them hot nor put Butter into them as the custom of some is for that does but waste your Butter and render your Pyes less wholsom than otherwise they would be But if you let them stand as aforesaid till they are through cold you may eat freely of them for they are a brave wholsom food Also ripe Apples raw are veâ—â— good being eaten alone or with Bread not as a common food but sometimes between whiles for they clear anâ— open Obstructions of the Stomach anâ— gently loosen the Belly the same 〈◊〉 most other Fruits as Apricocks Pâ—ches Plumbs of all sorts Gooseâ—â—rrâ— Currants and the like if eaten moderately on clean well-prepared Stomachs not after Dinner or in Wantonness on full Paunches as is the custom of Gluttons and such as are 〈◊〉 much strangers to Nature as to Temâ—rance As for Pies made of â—iesh with Fruits Spices and Butter in the Crust they are utter Enemies to the Stomach and the natural Heat thereof they dull the edge of the Palate stop and cloy the Orifice of the Stomach obstruct and fur the Passages breed evil Juices bad Blood and consequently impure Spirits causing heavy lumpish Dispositions to attend all those that frequently eat such improper Food and this so much the more if eaten Piping-hot as the common way is And rather than the Veâ—ison-Pasty shall want store of poysonous sulpherous Steams my Lady will have it put into the Oven three of four days one after another that it may forsooth come to the Table Râ—eking-hot whereas if her Madamship had but any Acquaintance with Dame Nature or the Princess Reason or plain Grammer Experience they would all tell her That though her fine Pasty with as many Towers o' th' top on 't as a fortifi'd City presaging danger or destruction to those that shall attaque it be at best but an untoward unnatural kind of Food yet 't were much better Cold than Hot at first much more after the greasie Cruâ—st and stifled Flesh has so often been Parboyled in the furious Steams of a close sulpherous Oven The cause of which I have oft told you already and fear I must do so again before you will understand and so regard it as to abandon your old silly mischievous Customs but the Reason is this The pure volatile Spirits and sweet Balsamick Vertues of all things are in a great measure destroy'd by the sierce Saturnine and Martial Fires and for
the middle or meaner sort of People I shall forbear to speak any thing more of its Vertues only I advise the Physitians and Apothecaries to use and prefer Wine especially right Rich Racy Canaâ—y as their best and general Cordial in times of Disorder and Sickness and do commend all People in general to that brave mild friendly Drink viz. Ale made and brew'd according to our Directions in the Book entituled The Way to Health Long Life and Happiness c. there also you will find an account of the Vertues and Vices of Beer and common Ale and which is most agreeable to Nature and best to preserve Health CHAP. XX. Of Sherry SHERRY by many here in England call'd Bristol-Milk is a fine Cordial Wine as good for common drinking as Canaâ—y but nothing so Rich being mixt with Waâ—er it begets Appetite helps concoction cleanseth the Passages and purges more by Vrine than Canary neither is it so apt to weaken the Natural Heat nor lead the Lovers thereof into Consumptions but as it is a strong Wine and heady discretion and Temperance ought to regulate the use of it for being too frequently drank or in too great Quantity it may prove of ill consequence To which purpose most of those Observations we have made upon Canary may also conveniently be referr'd unto this sort of Wine And though I am forced to use Repetitions sometimes for the Readers sake I take no delight therein for my Own CHAP. XXI Of White-Wine WHite-Wine is a brave clean brisk Drink if moderately taken it begets Appetite and purgeth by Vrine yet it contains two Qualities that are not friendly to nature especially if frequently drank viz. Heat and a keen Sharpness whereby if Temperance be wanting in the Drinkers thereof it will quickly kindle and irritate the central Fires of Mars and Saturn which will not only indispose the Body and Spirits by putting them into an unnatural flame but in some Complexions generates an hard gritty matter or substance both in the Reins and Bladder Therefore this as well as the other Wines ought to be well allay'd with Water which will bravely moderate cool and sweeten the hot sharp Properties thereof and bring them near the Equality and then viz. 〈◊〉 thâ—s sort of Wine is thus allay'd Two thirds of Water to one of Wine it is one of the best Stomach-drinks that I know for it powerfully helps Concoction washes and cleanses all the Passages and Vessels and â—egets Appettite and gallantly purges by Vrine But if too frequently drank alone as the custom of most is then it heats the Blood and fumes into the Head and after a little custom of drinking is so far from being a Whet as our Tavern-haunters to excuse their Morning-Debauches call it that it dulls the edge of Appetite and hinders Concoction and breeds the Stone or Gravel by its sharpness and heat and yet at the same time purges powerfully by Urine by reason of its pure thin spirituous and Balsamick Vertues but notwithstanding that Torrent of Urine it leaves behind it an hot harsh or gretty Substance which in some Natures or Complexions doth generate an hard stoney substance and indeed all sorts of Drinks or Foods in which either hear or sharpness doth predominate are not proper nor Healthy to be frequently drank or eaten for all such things do by degrees awaken and strengthen their like Properties in the Body stealing on them as it were insensibly till such matter hath gotten strength then presently they put Nature into an unequal Motion for which cause all Old Wines which some so much love and commend are injurious for the longer any Wines are kept after they are fit to drink the clearer sharper brisker and hotter they become for length of time does as it were digest or waste the sweet Balsamick Vertues by which they become more sharp harder and nearer to the strong original Spirit Therefore all Old Wines and Stale Drinks do more heat the Body and sooner irritate and awake the natural Heat than New it being a grand Error for any to imagine that New Wine or Ale is not so good or wholsome or does not afford so proper a Nourishment as Old Wine and Stale Beer for indeed the former is far to be preferr'd before the latter for the milder sweet and friendly any Drink is the more true Nourishment it affords both to the Body and the Spirit and the Reason why such Liquors do not so soon and so much heat the Body and irritate the Spirits is because New Mild or Sweet Liquor contains more of the balsamick Body which does qualifie and as it were captivate the fierce original Spirit so that it can hardly be tasted or perceived Not but that in all New or Balsamick Drinks whether Wine or Ale there is contained a far greater quantity of Spirits than in Old Wine or stale Beer for the more gentle and the sweeter any Liquor is the more Spirits it contains as all that are versed in Distillations well know for such as make Spirits of Mault-Drink do always distil Ale not stale Beer And so in boyling strong sweet Wort it shall waste more in quantity in one hour than small Wort will in three And wherefore is this Only because the strong sweet Wort has a greater Body mild friendly and Balsamick containing a larger quantity of pure Spirits that will not endure the Violence of Boyling without Evaporation Likewise the older any sort of Drink is the leaner it becomes for as the sweetness digests by length of time so the original hot fierce Spirits seem not only to be more in quantity but stronger too but it is not so only the sweet pure Body or friendly Quality is weakned or digested by long keeping which was the Allayer or Moderator of this hot Spirit for a quart of New Ale contains more Spirit than a quart of stale Beer that was originally of like strength and sweetness the same is to be understood of New and Old Wine and other Drinks For which Reasons we conclude New Wine is far more wholsome healthy and agreeable to Nature than Old And Ale when well-brew'd and according to the Rules set down in our Way to Hâ—alth c. is to be preferred before much boyled or stale Beer and so of other Drinks especially by all such People as are subject to the Stone or Gravel who must observe to drink mild gentle friendly Liquors that are neither sharp keen nor hot in operation as middle Ale Water and Wine and Water The same Rule they ought to follow in their Food for some sort of Victuals are altogether as apt to generate the Stone and Gravel as any sorts of Drinks if not more Therefore all such Foods and Drinks as are of a middle Nature and nearest the Simpâ—icity are always safest as to Health and for preventing all kinds of Diseases CHAP. XXII Of Rhenish-Wine its Nature and Operation THis sort of Wine is a kin to White-Wine but more
substance a brave noble Juice an excellent Cleanser of the Stomach whereby it begets Appetite and helps Concoction Nevertheless it is endued with an hot sharp Quality which when the same is too plentifully drank heats the whole Body and is apt to precipitate the Drinkers thereof into Feavers and as for such as by their Complexions are any thing subject to the Stone it will help forward the generation thereof for though this Wine doth naturally purge by Vrine yet there is in it an hot or harsh Quality that heats the Blood and congeals the Humours with a Saturnine or gretty Substance for all sorts of Drinks and Foods in which the hot sharp Quality does predominate are friends to the generation of the Stone and Gravel But as every thing has in it a latent Poyson and yet carries always above it its own Antidote if wisely handled so if this sort of Wine be discreetly mixed with Water and drank only with Food or when Nature require then it will prove one of the best sorts of Drink not only to beget Appetite help Concoction and cleanse the Stomach but also prevent the generation of the Stone and Gravel for this Drink does Purge by Vrine as much if not more than any other The truth is all sorts of Wine drank in Health ought to be allay'd with Water or otherwise taken very sparingly for there must be a sympathetical agreement between the Meats or Drinks and Nature both in number weight and measure or as near as may be or else the Tranquility and Health of the Body and Mind cannot be continued but such as are ill or faintish may drink now and then a Glass of intire to great advantage of their Health being the best of Cordiaâ—s if used with discretion As for Old Hock a sort of Rhenish of which some will now and then boast that it is twenty or thirty years old I will only say that then it has been kept seventeen or twenty five years too long The keeping of Wine to that Age was only to gratifie Conceit Vanity Ostentation and a drunken Humour and to offer the greater Violence to Nature for how improper all such very stale supernatural Wines are we have mentioned in the last Chapter And if People would be but so kind to themselves to observe the Distempers of their Bodies and what feaverish Heats they labour under after the drinking of such stale Liquors they would certainly for the future forbear them CHAP. XXIII Of Claret its Nature and Operation CLARET is a good Stomach-Wine of a brisk chearing Operation the moderate use thereof helps Concoction and begets Appetite but it purgeth not so much by Urine as White-Wine being of a rough or harsher Nature but of the two more agreeable to English-men's Stomachs if healthy strong People drink frequently of this Wine 't is apt to make them fat phlegmatick especially such as therewith use little Exercise as Gentlemen Citizens and the like for no Creature Man or Beast will be fat except they be given up to Idleness and Superfluity 't is true some People and some Beasts will with the same Meats and Drinks be more full and fleshier than others but not fat Others that use Exercises and but ordinary Food seem to be fat but for the most part the same is a Distemper as watry dropsical Humors which in some puff up the â—embers and swell the Body but the chief reason Claret-Wine makes Gentlemen Citizens and the like fat is for want of Exercise and by its agreeableness with the Stomach which sharpens the Appetite and opens the Vessels by its rough harsh quality whereby they are inticed to eat great quantities of fat rich Foods and so passing their time without due labour they become over-grown with Fat like cram'd Capons their beloved Dish or Swine in a Stye Yet it must be acknowledgeded that Claret is the best of Wines for those that eat abundance of fat Flesh and succulent Foods for by its rough keen quality it digests and separates such oyly Foods as many of our English Epicures too frequenâ—ly gormandize which milder sweeter Liquors cannot do as Canary Ale or the like for this cause many that eat such fat Foods and Sawces made with Butter do so mâ—ch desire brisk spirituous Drinks finding that such Liquors do best digest them But yet they are to know that the frequent use of such Drinks will weaken the natural Heat so that by degrees the Appetite of such People grows dull and the Vessells of the Stomach are contracted and then their Stomachs will desire still more and greater quanties and to drink them oftner till at length Health is utterly subverted and Nature debilitated for I cannot say it too oft the frequent use of all spirituous strong Liquors being unequal in their parts do in a little time beget the like Inequality in the Elements of the Body and instead of preserving Health destroy it for there cannot be a better thing than a glass of Claret or a dram of Brandy or the like now and then when People have eat too much in Quantity or Foods too fat or gross in Quality but I know no necessity for those Spurs and Helps except to such as lead idle gluttonous Lives but for others who feed on plain simple Foods and middle Drinks and use proper Exercises and keep within the â—ounds of Moderation they shall have no need to drink a glass of Claret before Dinner as a Preparative nor a dram of Brandy after for a Restorative of their natural heat to help it concoct their simple natural Foods for such innocent natural Diet will maintain the natural Heat in great Vigour especially if the friendship and advice of Temperance be observed but if Temperance be wanting then the necessity which men do thereby bring upon themselves by drinking of Claret does sufficiently revenge it self upon their Bodies as well as Purses for it heats the Blood sends Fumes up into the Crown destroys the vigour of the Natural Heat awakens the central Fires makes the Stomach by its continual use flat and dull by which means Drinkers of this Wine can fast long neither can they eat heartily with Appetite except they do fast a considerable time which gives a further occasion to a phlegmy Fatness which many of its common Drinkers are subject unto for those Persons that are of the Phlegmatick-Melancholly Phlegmatick-Sanguine or Phlegmatick-Chollerick Complexion if once they get the habit of drinking this sort of Wine though they do not well love it yet their Nature will seem to require it so that if their Purse be but strong enough they must have a Glass or two or three before Dinner to clear their Stomachs of that gross slimy matter which their Over-Nights Dâ—bauches or superfluous Evening Draughts have occasion'd and left behind and four or five Glasses at Dinner as a spur to force it down and five or six more after Dinner with a File of Pipes oâ— Tobaâ—co to help Concoction This
the healing nourishing Vertues which will not endure any violent Heat or unequal Motion To make Garlick or Onion Pottage Take Water and Oatmeal stir it together and when it is ready to boyl bruise as much Gaâ—lick as you please to make it either strong or weak put this bruised Garlick into your boyling hot Gruel and brew it to and fro with your Ladle that it may not boyl for five or six Minutes then take it off and let it stand a little then add Butter Salt and Bread and eat it as warm as your Blood T is a brave warming cleansing and opening Gruel nothing so strong and nauseous as that which is boyled for this way you do extract the finer and purer parts of the Garlick and leaves the strong nauseous Qualities behind but on the contrary much boyling or boyling according to custom does destroy the good opening cleansing Vertues and awaken the Evil. CHAP. XXX The best way to make Diet-Drink with Herbs Grains Seeds c. or the proper method of â—nfusion of Herbs in Beer Ale or other Drinks THe best proper and most natural way to make all sorts of Herb-Drinks is thus First gather your Herbs in their proper times and seasons as we have taught in our â—ay to Health c. Then dry them in the Sun and put them into close Paper-Baggs and when you would use them take such a quantity as you think fit and put them into a Linnen Bag and hang the same in your Bear or Ale when it is a working or fermenting for two three four five six seven or eight hours and then take it out But if you would make Wormwood-Drink then you ought not to let it lie so long for of that 3 or 4 hours will be sufficient And thus if your Herbs be rightly gathered and ordered as aâ—foresaid all their good pure and Balsamick Vertues will as easily and readily give themselves forth into the Beer Ale Wine or other Liquor whatever it be as the pure sweet spirituous Quality in Mault does into the warm Liquor when you Brew which is performed in one hour to admiration But as in this Example if after you have put in your Mault you should let the Water or Liquor remain six eight or ten hours before you draw it off then the pure sweet spirituous Quality will become suffocated and such over long continuance thereof will awake or irritate the phlegmy gross nauseous Properties which would as it were totally destroy all the good Virtues as every one that can but Brew a peck of Mault may know by experience So the very same is to be understood in infusing any sort of well prepared Herbs for in such dryed fermented Bodies or things the purer Vertues do stand as it were external and when they are put or infused in any proper Menstruum or Liquor they give themselves forth first with all readiness because the Essential Vertues of every thing consists in the volatile Spirit and balsamick or sweet Body which is an hidden flying Vertue whence the true Colour Smell and Taste do proceed And therefore great care ought to be taken in all Preparations that this benign Vertue be neither evaporated nor suffocated for then the thing will presently tend to Putrefaction and become a Nauseate and loathing to Nature The Learned are Men of Tongues and so they may talk at their pleasure but I do assure all the humble Enquirers after Wisdom's Footsteps That the long lying or Infusion of any sorts of Dry or Grâ—en Heâ—bs does destroy their good Properties as a Candle by being held downwards is extinguisht by that which before fed it and also do irritate the gross fulsom Qualities thereof as is plain by the ill Tastes and Smells of all such Drinks more especially if it be Wormwoâ—d for then they become harsh strong bitter and very ungrateful to Nature and no less unwholsom For the common Wormwood-â—â—ink that is sold in Alâ—-Houses is of a string bitter hot fuisom Naturâ— and Operation and the frequent drinking thereof does wound and destroy the natural Heat and by degrees spoil Digestion so that the Drinkers thereof cannot be well without Morning-Draughts of their nauseous Purtâ— such fort of Drink especially if any shall drink much of it being of kin to Spirits and Brandy those that are once much used to them cannot without great difficulty leave them The long lying of Wormwood in the Drink does totally destroy the subtle Spirits and pure fragrant Vertues awakens the strong bitter poysonous Quality which not only checks and debilitates the natural Heat but heats the Blood making it thick and gross causing the Spirits to become heavy and dull and sends up stupifying fames to the Brain which falling upon the Optick Nerves do oft times extreamly prejudice the Eye sight but if Wormâ—ood rightly gathered and preserved be infused but for two or three hours when your Drink is working and then taken out you will have all its good Qualities and a most delightful odoriferous Drink and unattended with any of those ill consequences if you love it very strong of the Wormwood then add a greater quantity and not infuse it longer as is usual with some Another way of making Wormwood-Ale or Beer Take what quantity you please more or less as you would have your Liquor strong or weak of the Herb infuse it for half an hour in your boyling hot Wort then strain it out and put your Wort a cooling the very same way as I have taught in The way to Health of Brewing and infusing Hops which does far exceed all the common ways for goodness and vertue Wormwood-Drinks thus prepared either this or the former way are brave noble Liquors gentle warming helpful to Concoction they fine the Blood send no gross Fumes to the head and therefore hurt not the Eyes as the common sort generally does The same Method ought to be follow'd in making all sorts of Drinks in which any strong bitter Herbs are infused and whereas the usual way of making such Drinks does not only render them unpleasant but destroys all the Medicinable Vertues of the Herbs This new Method which we recommend makes them pleasant and grateful to both Palate and Stomach and moreover preserves all the Physical vertues for most bitter Herbs do naturally and powerfully open Obstructions if they be wisely ordered but otherwise they prove pernicious for every thing has two â—aâ—dles and Fire that is good to warm you will also buâ—n you â—f you do not mannage it with Discretion CHAP. XXXI Of Salt its Nature and Operation ALL common Salt is of an high sharp penetrating fierce hot wrathful Nature and Operation an unseparated Body wherein the poysonous fierce Original Fumes or Qualities of Saturn and Mars are predominant and therefore 't is unequal in its Operation except it be allay'd or moderated by some other thing whose Nature is more equal The Sea or Saâ—-Water is as it were the Original or Fountain of the Essential Salts
evil Nourishment bad Blood and iâ— pure Spirits 4. The frequent eating of moist phlegmatick Food which naturally dull stupifie and drown the Senses and makes the Sweet Oyl burn dim which causes Indisposition and unpleasant Humors 5. The common eating of Flesh without diâ—â—inction or regard had to the season of the Year healthfulness or unhealthfulness of the Creatures which do as it were corrupt the very Radix of Nature from whom proceed various Diseases as Pthycks Stoppages of the Breast Phlegm and Phlegmatick Humors which makes the Spirits dull and impure whence do arise heavy lumpish Dispositions with ravenous fierce Inclinations and cruel Passions which cause many of them to use such evil Words demonstraâ—ing that the dark center of Wrath is awakened and does predominate for all evil Words are generated from the fierce wrathful or devilish Nature This every one ought to consider as in those two common Passions when the poysonous and fierce fury of Saturn and Mars is stirred up are not most then apt to belch forth vain wicked and helâ—ish Speeches as Swearing Cursing and not only impiously prophaning the holy Name of God but even challenging and as it were daring his Tremendous Majesty whose Wrath is a consuming Fire to damn and confound them and calling their fellow Creatures Dogs Whelps Sons of Whores Devils and a hundred of the like evil Names Now consider O Man from what Root such Word do take their Birth And so on the contrary do not all good Men and otâ—eâ—s when pleased or in good Humours breathe forth amâ—cable loving Words or Discouâ—ses there being more either good or evil in words than most imagin for they declare what Kingdom has the upper dominion in them nor is it unobservable that the word Scurvey denotes well and evil Affection of Mind and a cross way-ward peevish ill conditioned Dâ—sposition as well as a disordered habit of Body and not without cause since they both proceed from the same occasion or radical cause of mans precipiâ—ating himself into the dark Abâ—sse or Cruelty preying upon and devouring his fellow Creatures 6. The much eating of Flesh and Fish does generate in some Complexions cloded Blood King's-Evil Plurisies Scabs Leprosiâ—s and many other mangie Diseases or Dropsies heaviness of the Spirit and in some it causeth Feavers Swellings of the Members also the Gout Stone and many other unnatural Diâ—â—empers which at last having reduced the Body into a general discrasie or unnatural Ferment terminates in the Scurvey as so many stinking Puddles into one Common-Shore for indeed the Scurvey is a Complication of several Diseases and Disorders as appears by the various and very different Symptoms appearing on such as are afflicted therewith 7. By eating most sorts of Food whilst the fiery Heat is in it not suffering the sulpherous Vapours and â—erce Fumes to seperate after 't is prepared which causes a Scorbutick Itch to possess the Blood and swells the Body with winâ—y Humors 8. By eating too often that is before the former Meal be concocted which does not only dull and indispose the whole Body but also it generates Crudiâ—ies and evil Juices which cause Stoppages and shortness oâ— Breath 9. By drinking too much in Quantity of rich Cordial-dâ—ink which irritates and awakens the cenâ—ral Spirits and by degrees destroys the digestive Faculty and natural Heat and hurts the Blood 10. The drinking small Beer that is brewed after Ale and strong Beer which is nothing but the washing of the Grains viz. a sour nauseous Quality nothing breeds worse Blood than the frequent drinking of such Liquor 11. The drinking of Ale not well fermented or such as has the Barm or Yest beaten into it as is usual for Brewers to do in London to make it seem strong sweet and full in the Mouth such Drinâ—â— is very offensive to Nature it generates Phlegm 〈◊〉 thâ— Stomach dulls the edge of the Appetitâ— furs the Passages sends dulling Fumes and Vapours into the Head and breeds bad Blood likewise new small Beer and Ale is pernicious 12. By drinking stale strong Beer which is boyled a long time with Hops this sort of Drink is pernicious it heats the Blood swells the whole Body generates in some Complexions a hard gretty substance in the Reins and Bladder 13. By drinking various sorts of Wine when need and nature doth not require it which do irritate the Spirits heat the Blood destroy the Appetite and indisposes the whole Body 14. By accustoming themselves to close Houses warm Clothings soft Feather-Beds and lying long in Bed which does soften and weaken Nature that she becomes impotent and hinders the free circulation of the Blood 15. Idleness and want of proper Exercise in open airy places destroys the Health and weakens the whole Body 16. By visiting the Shades of Venus too often and forcing Nature beyond her Inclinations and Power which does corrupt her in the very Radix and this is frequently done by â—â—imulating Nature with gluttonous Provocations high compounded Foods and rich Cordial Drinks viz. such as need no Teeth to chew them nor Stomach to digest them that being done already in the Preparation 17 By Carking Cares and Perturbations of Mind Passions of Love and Hatred Superstition Envy and the like These are some of the Intemperances that have destroy'd the Health bâ—th of the Body and Mind even in the very Radix and indeed when I consider the various Disorders that Mankind daily commits I cannot admire at the great number of cruel Diseases they are afflicted with but rather I am apt sometimes to wonder that there are any that escape or that so many do out-live Childhood but it must be said That through the custom of ill usage and disorders great numbers do croud through many Inconveniences as in the most fatal 〈◊〉 some escape Rules and Directions for suâ—h as are Wise and Well minded and would prevent the Scurvey and other Diseases 1. MEats and Drinks ought not to be taken â—hat are too strong for Nature but rather she ought always to be stronger than the Food and so the Stomach and the Natural Heat will be able to digest and make perfect Separation whence will be generated good Blood and pure brisk Spirits and they always make the Body light lightsâ—me and agile 2. Meats or Drinks ought not to be taken that are of a contrary Nature or Quality to the Constitution but such as are simple in their kind agreeable to the â—omplexion and as near as may be equal in theâ—r parts which will breed good â—lood and encrease the Spirits and keep the Passages free from Obstructions and give strength to all the members of the Body 3. Neither ought any to eat to Dullness for if healthy People feel themselves oppressed after Meals they ought to make abatement in the quantity Do not most People before eatting and drinking find themselves quiâ—k brisk and lightsom provided they have not either by over-labour or fasting too long evaporated or wasted their Spirits
and boyled all to pieces for you must boyl your Flesh till it fall off the Bones that all the goodness and virtue may diffuse it self into the Broth and be sure you boyl it in but little Water that it may be the Heartier and keep your Vessel or Pot close cover'd that the Virtue may not evaporate but your Broth may be thick and good and strong for you want Strength poor Creature and Nourishment and this will cherish you bravely together with a Rich Cordial of Alchermes that I 'll send you But forget not to keep your self warm with a Flannel Shirt and a Wastcoat Doublet Coat and Campaign a Gown over all lin'd and a quilted Stomacher for your Breast and have a care of Cold a Nights but bathe your tender Nerves in a Down or soft Feather-Bed and get a quilted Cap and a Napkin over it for your Head and draw your Curtains before your Windows and round your Bed and there lie as long as you can so Sleep is a great Refresher and Nourisher And against you rise let there be a Rouzing Fire in your Chamber and a Quart of New-Milk boyl'd above half away with Snails in it and well sweetned with Sugar and then three or four hours after take a Mess as much as you can get down of the aforesaid Cock or Jelly-Broth with good Spice in it and after that you may eat a good Chicken or some other nourishing Flesh tenderly boyled and when you have done take a good piece of fat toasted Cheese for Concoction and wash all down with three or four Glasses of Racy Canary or stout Old Malago wherein there is steeâ—ed a Quantity of Raisons of the Son stoned and a lettle Saffron to cheer the Heart but if you do not so well like Snails then take only Milk hot from the Cow or Strokings and sweeâ—ten it with Sugar or Sugar of Roses And be sure continue this course constantly and though you are now weak as Water and have no more Spirits than a Dishâ—â— clout you shall shortly be as strong as Sampson and as lusty as Hercules who they say got fifty Children in one Night Probatum est This is the sum and substance of many a learned Lerry and passes with the Crowd for most Orthodox Doctor Croft though in truth the whole is altogether Ignorant Tattle contrary to Nature Reason and Experience But lest I should seem like those I oppose to assert things without Proof or Demonstration I desire the Reader would with me impartially consider the unproperness and contrariety of these Prescriptions to the end intended First In their Naturâ— and Composition and Next in respect of the undue Preparaâ—iâ—ns 1. When Nature languishes and is already weak and decayâ—d then they cry You must tak Nâ—urishâ—ng things when â—tis probable most times that the first occasion of the Disease was 〈◊〉 and upâ—rstâ—â—ty in Meats and Drinks that did over charge Nature with two much Nouâ—ishâ—â—â—nt But howâ—ver 〈…〉 be what it will Natuâ—e is noâ— weâ—k and indisposed the 〈◊〉 dull'd the Stomachâ—s Natural 〈◊〉 and digestive Faculty decay'd so that they cannot bear either with great Quantity nor Foods that are of a strong Quality which ought in the first place to be considered for Overchaâ—ging either in Quantity or Quality is generally very prejudicial to those that are in Competent Health but much more to such as are Sick This being a most certain Aphorism That Nature ought at all times to be stronger than the Food and not the Food too strong for Nature as in these cases is general but very absurdly practised for if there be not a proportionable agreement between the Food and the Stomach in vain do you expect Relief but rather thereby Nature is yet further oppressed and her whole Concord and Tranquility disordered and destroyed For when-ever the Natural Heat is weak and impotent the Food ought to be suitable And to do otherwise is just as if in very cold Weather when your Fire is almost quite out and not above a Spark or two left upon the Hearth you should cry out Throw 〈◊〉 an huge â—imber-Log or bring a Bâ—shâ—â— or two of largâ— round Coles for 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 best Fewel â—hat can be to make 〈…〉 Fire which is very true but yet in this case instead of encreasing your Fire it will by its weight and unsuitableness quite put it out whereas if you had fed it at first with a little Small-Cole Shavings or Chips you might have nursed it up into a competent Flame and then and not before it would be able to deal with your Coles and your Timber and turn them into Aliments for its self The Application is easie Nothing does more hurt the Health than Disproportion and to heap together Superfâ—uity of Meats and Drinks beyond the Power of the Digestive Faculty especially when they are made strong and fulsom by bad Preparations and this respect the usual Prescriptions to Consumptive Persons are very much to be blamed For 2. Broths and Pottages made with any kind of Flesh be it what it will where 't is boyled in small Quantities of Water and the Vessel or â—ot kept close cover'd and boyled so long till it becomes soft and a meer Mash so that it falls from the Bones such Broths I say will become thick and of a blackish colour or a stronâ— unpleasing scent or smell and of a fulsom nauseating taste hard of Concoction and apt to cloy the Stomach for the much or over-boyling of any sort of Food especially Flâ—sh which is of its own Nature thâ— grossest of all Food and most subject to Putrifaction does destroy all the good Virtues and so much the more speedily and certainly when it shall be boyled in small Quantities of Water and the Vessel kept cover'd for thereby the pure volatile Spirit is suffocated and then presently the sweet Oyl of such Food turns strong and â—our for want of the egress and regress of the Air which is the true Life and Preserver of the essential Spirit as the Spirit is the Life and Preserver of the sweet Body in every thing and in whatsoever the Spirit suffers violence the Balsaâ—ick Body and Oyl is turned into a strong fulsom substance as is manifested by all fermented Liquors which if exposed to the open Air the Spirits will evaporate and then the sweetness thereof turns sower and becomes of an heavy dull Nature and Operation But in the preparation oâ— aâ— gross phlegmy Bodies especially Flesh the Vessel being open and having good Water with the free Influences of the Air keeps the Spirits living till such Bodies be digested and the Spirits set at liberty and then such thing is said to be enough or rightly prepared For if such Preparations or Digestions be afterwards continued the spirituous parts and brisk lively Tinctures become either suffocated or evaporated let the thing be of what Nature it will as is manifest in all Preparations especially in making of Hay for there when once the
gross phlegmatick Body of the Grass is sufficiently digested or exhaled by the virtue and power of the Sun and Elements if the Hay be afterwards continued open abroad the Sun and Air would quickly exhale and destroy the essential Virtues and good Properties also the very same is to be understood in the Preparation of all sorts of Food Furthermore if the Vessel in which your Food is prepared be close covered whilst it is boyling such Food is thereby made yet worse for then those â—â—ery sulphurous Fumes and Vapours which are raised by the Fire and would freely pass away as you see in a mighty continual Reek or Steem if the Vessel were uncovered are stopt and forced back into the Meat and being of a fiery sharp Nature and full of gross Humidity by this Reprâ—cussion or Conâ—inement they become gradually more intense and raging because of the want of the free Influence of the Air and so sinking down again upon the Meat do wound the pure volatile Spirits and not only destroy the natural Colour Smell and Taste but also make the Food Lumpish close heavy dull and gross on the Palate hard of Digestion in the Stomach generating thick Blood and unwholsom Nourishment from whence proceed dull Indispositions and noxious Fumes flying up into the Head For all Cooks and Hâ—usewives ought to note and understand that the digestive Faculty and true Virtue of all Food does consist in the pure spirituous parts and if any violence be offered or done unto them in the Preparation â—hen such Food becomes dull and as it were half dead of Taste for the Fumes or Vapours which Pots and Vessel surrounded with the heat of the Fire do send forth are of a poysonous pernicious Nature and contrary to the genuine heat of the Food as you may perceive if you take up any sort of Food when boyled and presently whilst it is hot cover it close which will force those fiery sharp Fumes back and cause them to re-enter the Food which will thereby presently become Pall'd and lose its natural briskness of Taste Smell and Colour because the pure Spirits are suffocated and so such Foods will not only be heavy and have a dull gross Taste and Smell but shall be unpleasing both to the Pallate and Stomach and harder of Concoction Therefore nothing is more unnatural than for People to eat or drink any kind of Food whilst those fiery Steams and Fumes are in it especially such as are weakly Consumptive People for they Swell the Body and generate Wind in abundance send Fumes and Vapours into the Heâ—d infect the â—hole Mass of Blood with hot sharp Itching Scorbutick Humors And indeed no sort of Food or Liquors ought to be eaten or drank hotter than the Blood in cold Weather but in hot Seasons most sorts are best cold which a little use will make very easie and familiar to every one let their Stomachs be never so much depraved by Custom as I have more at large demonstrated in my Way to Health long Life Happiness c. What hath been said of thick strong over-prepared Pottagâ—s and Broths made of Flesh the very same ill effects have all or most Iellies for by their improper Mixtures and over preparing they became loathsome and Nauseates to Nature even as sick as the languishing Patient that takes them And the like also may be understood of Snails and Milk boyled till it becomes of a Iellous substance and then lustily sweetned with Sugar or Sugar of Roses which is ten times worse than common Sugar being burthensom to the sick Patients Pallate and Stomach very heavy and hard of Concoction and therefore the use thereof does generally prove of evil Consequence for undoubtedly if Heaâ—thy People should confine themselves to such tâ—â—ngs they would in a little time bring Disorders upon them and how profitable they can be then to the sick and weak or rather how very destructive they must needs prove may easily be judged But here some will say Many have been known to recover by or after the eating and drinking of such things To which I Answer That it can never be proved but is absurd to Reason that they recover'd By such things but that some may have recovered After them may be true for tho' I know them to be improper and dangerous yet I do not say they are Mortal to all that take them and if an hundred People be at one time sick of the same Disease if they had neither Dâ—ctor's Advice nor Physick there would no doubt many of them recover but amongst the Ignorant when any one happens to escape they attribute the Glory to the Doctor and his Iâ—â—scriptions never considering the Divine Hand of the Lord nor the secret working Power of his Hand maid â—atuâ—e but cry with open Mouth Such or such a Doctor cured me or eâ—se I had been iâ— my 〈◊〉 Or such a Pottage or â—ehy is a rarâ— thiâ—g it cured me when all hopes of Life were past when in truth neither the Doctor 's Prattle nor the Nauseous Slip-slop contributed any more to the Cure than the Chattering of a Magpye or the Roe of a Red Herring But if the People will be cheated let â—â—em only give me leave to whisper a litter better Advice to the Sons and Daughters of Wisdom who will be so thankful to Truth so obedient to Reason and so kind to Themsâ—lves as to hearken unto it And that is thus When any Person shall find him or her self indisposed their Stomacks to grow weak with a general Disorder through the whole Body and a decay of Strength then first of all they ought to look back and consider what manner or course of Life they have drove as to Temperâ—nce or Intâ—mpeâ—ance in Meats or Drinks and that both in respect of the Quantity and Qualiâ—y as also their Exâ—rcises and all other Extreams they have inured themselves unto which none can so well know or be able to judge of as themselves and likewise â—o consider the Air he hath lived in where the Disease was bred And by this Reflection if it be impartial serious and considerate every man will be enabled to guess much more rightly at the Cause and Nature of his Distemper than any Docter can by the supposed Magick of the Vrinal Thumbing the uncertain Pulse or any other of their Whimsical Oracles Having well considered the past Causes that gave Birth to his present Distemperature he ought then gradually to Altâ—r for the better the whole course of his Life not only in the Nature and Quality of Meats and Drinks but in their Quantity as also his Exercises and the Air as far as the condition of his Life will admit thereof For if the same Intemperances bad Airs and ill regulated Exercises which were the first original of the Disease or rather Worse as most do make it by such strong and fulsom Preparations and contrary Mixtures under the Notion of Helps and Remedies as aforesaid be continued
Sweet and Astringent Properties being of a cooling refreshing nature and operation it makes an excellent temperature giving a most pleasant Taste to all sorts of Food causing them easily to ferment and digest so that they become as well the most pleasant as the wholsomest of Foods being a quick lively powerful Quality the true Habitation and delight of the pure Spirit but if this Quality be too weak in any Creature then they are dull sottish and heavy if in Foods unpleasant and apt to cloy both Stomach and Palate but when it is too highly elevated it engenders Sadness or Melancholy causing a stink or Putrifaction and Rankness in all Animals ane Vegetables The SWEET Quality opposes the other three being an amiable blessed and pleasant Property comforting and refreshing every thing 't is an Asswager of Wrath and Fierceness a Calmer of Storms and Tempests and gives all things their pleasant and friendly Look affords the pure spirituous fragrant Taste in Vegetables whose fair yellow white and ruddy Colours do all from hence proceed 't is a Glimps of the divine Ray a Qualification of Love and Mercy the sweet Solace and Ioy of every created being and when it is temperate and moderate in any thing bearing a gentle sway over the Martial and Saturnine Properties then such Creatures are Sanguine of Friendly Dispositions and Temperatures of tractable humane Inclinations and all Meats and Drinks in which it does a little predominate are endued with Concord and Equality as Bread Milk mild Ale Beer well Brew'd and fermented Cyder Wine sufficiently allay'd with Water c. such Foods and Drinks do by consent administer a proportionable Nourishment by equal Portions to all parts of the Body for this good Quality does sweeten and allay the bitter hot Fires of Mars and opens all the doors of the Melancholy Astringent Chambers of Saturn by its friendly Influences But still this amiable Property doth contain a fierce wrathful Poyson which is the Root and very Center of every Beeing for if there were no harsh nor fierce wrathful Fire there could neither be any Light or Love and when this lurking Poyson is too violently kindled in the bitter Quality in the Element of Water then it engendereth many Disorders as botchy Sâ—es and Leprosics which quickly corrupt the Flesh but if it be kindled by the heats of Mars then it infecteth the Element of Air and occasions a suddain and spreading Plague that corrupts all in a moment So when this Quality shall too violently bear sway in Foods and Drinks they thereby become heavy and dull apt to clog both the Appetite and the Stomach hot in operation making the Blood thick and sharp and consequently the Spirits impure the Senses stupified the Understanding clouded the Joynts loaded with pernicious Juices c. By all which it appears that whensoever any one of the four Qualities before-mentioned does too violently predominate or is inflamed it presently kindles or awakens the hot bitter astringent Poysons whether it be in Animals or Vegitables so that the central Fires which lay hid or captivated in the sweet Oyl begin to burn fierce and appear in their own Form Most People that enjoy Riches and Plenty may know this by their daily experience as when they have drank freely of Wine or strong Drink doth it not first too violently burn up and waste the sweet Oyl and pure volatile Spirits It s either by Evaporation or Suffocation and thence follows excessive Heat so that all the Body burns with a burthensom and unnatural Flame whereas before the intemperate drinking of such unequal Liquors all the Body and Members were cool brisk and full of Life and Pleasure yet the same fierce wrathful central Fires were then as strong and powerful only they lay hid or captivated in the sweet Oyl and pure spirituous parts which is the Moderator of those central Fires but when by Inequality or disorder that sweet Oyl or Humor Radicalis is wounded then these original Poysons appear and manifest themselves in their fierce Forms and Natures which so long as the good Vertues were strong they could not do for these four Qualities are set in opposition to each other that thereby the fierceness of each may be temper'd and mitigated that so all Creatures Animals Minerals and Vegetables might be brought to a fit temperature by the embracing and incorporating of the said Qualities each with other for the sweet Quality opposeth and moderateth the fierce Elevation of the Bitter Astringent and Sour and maketh an Harmony resulting from them all and the sour Quality opposeth the fierceness of the bitter sweet and astringent being their cooling and refreshing Life So again the saltish or astringent Quality makes an excellent Temperature in the bâ—tter sweet and sour as the bitter Quality opposing the excess of the other three reduces them to Equality making them more pâ—easant and gentle in their operation Therefore all sorts of Food and Drinks in which any one of those Qualities are too highly exalted become unequal and the predominate quality presently incorporates with its 〈◊〉 in the Body and thereby discompose it destroying the Health and Harmony of the parts But on the other side all mean simple Meats and Drinks in which the Properties are near equality and have no manifest Taste that does too violently predominate do by Sympathy embrace and incorporate with their Likenesses in the Body equally distributing proper Nourishment to all parts and Members which makes the whole Lightsome full of Joy and Pleasure if this were understood a little practice of Temperance would make many loath themselves for their Disorders and their continual affronting of Nature causing her to lose that simple innocent Way wherein she delights to walk to Health and Felicity CHAP. XIX Of Drinks and particularly of Canary I Now proceed to speak of the most usual Drinks at this day used amongst us especially such as are esteemed most Cordial and prescribed many times in a kind of Physical way for Diet or in order to the preventing or remidying of Diseases and because the Richest of our Drinks is Canary I shall begin with that CANARY commonly call'd Sack is a brave noble Juice or Cordial one of the most excellent Drinks in the World far transcending any Cordials prepared by the Apothecaries or any Juice which the best of Flesh affords the same being enriched with the choicest Vertues of Nature being too rich for common Drink but nothing more cherishing and reviving if taken on special occasions when Nature doth require a Recruit and indeed the intent of those that first brought it into England was for no other use And therefore the first Ingrossers and Buyers thereof were Apothecaries who sold it again to their Patients in small quantities as by the Advice of Physitians which then was of good use for the comforting and chearing sick weak decayâ—d People it being endued with a brave Balsamick Body yielding abundance of pure subtle Spirits its predominant Quality stands