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
any sort of Grain viz. Rye Oats or Barlâ—y and you will find it a brave wholsome hearty Bread and every way more profitable to Nature than such as are made in the usual manner Note also that the putting of Salt into Bread is injurious for Salt is an unseparated body in which the Original Qualities do too violently predominate being of a keen tart hot Nature and Operation and therefore if it be joyned with any Body or thing that is not subject to Putrifaction or full of Phlegmy gross Humours then it presently preys on the good Vertues and essential Spirits For this cause Salt does cause all forts of Bread to corrupt for in it it finds no manifest matter of Putrifaction to work on and therefore seizes the good Vertues and by its keen fierce hot property destroys and corrupts it Therefore such Bread as is intended to be kept a considerable time no Salt is wont to be put into it as Biskets that are carried to Sea and the like But for such as make Flesh most of their Food Salt is an excellent Ingredient and for some other sorts of Food that is for present eating For Salt naturally sharpens 〈◊〉 Appetite begets good Digestâ—â—n being gratefull to the Stomach and resisting Putrifaction provided it be not used in too great a Quantity for then it spoils all or when it hath lain in any Flesh or Fish too long by which the good Vertues are Evaporated or Distempered for then such Flesh and Fish proves very Injurious to the Health and corrupts the Blood as is most manifest by such as feed on such over-kept salt Meats at Sea for they are at the very next door to Putrifaction And as Salt is endued with the firce Original fire so on the other side it hath a most powerful lively spirituous Quality but the firce harsh fires do predominate Therefore 't is fit to eat Salt with all fresh Flesh or to have the Flesh salted three or four weeks before you eat it but Bacon of all other is best when longer salted and smoak't Likewise many Innocent Foods will admit of Salt but then they must be eaten presently as Pottages Salads and the like so likewise in Butter and Cheese Salt preserves them a considerable time By the way I would have the House-wife take notice that Bread or Cakes baked on Stoâ—es in Chimnies or at the Ovens Mouth will be much whiter than if the same were baked in an Oven close stopt up for the former having the free Influences of the Air the pure Spirits are thereby kept living and their pleasant white colour does not only shew its clean Innocent Nature but it proceeds from and is a true Gleam of Light arising from the Tincture and Volatile Spirits which are destroyed when the heat is intollerable and the egress and regress of that Friendly Element the Air obstructed And therefore Bread baked in close stopt Ovens is of a duller dusky Colour more Saturnine and Martial according to the degree of Heat and time of standing in the Oven The good House-Wife may also remember that Bread is not of so strong a substance and nourishment as Flower when it is mixed with Water or Milk for that potent glewy tough substance that naturally Flower is endewed with is lost and destroyed in Bread by the intolerable heat of Ovens and some other Circumstances that belong to the making of Bread therefore it will not thicken either Water Milk or any other liquid Body nor be so strong tough and glewy and therefore all such Foods as are made with Flower are more strong and substantial than Bread mixed with such things Also â—lower so eaten is white innocent soft to the Touch of the Palate though otherwise it is a brave food proper to be eaten with Flesh Butter Cheese Herbs and many other things in so much that for its frequent and excellent use it is not undeservedly called and accounted The Staff of Life CHAP. VII Of Butter its Nature aud how besâ— to be Eaten BVtter consists of the fat or Oyly parts of Milk and is a brave wholsome Ingredient to be eaten moderately with Bread For few and indeed scarce any of the other ways of eating and using it are proper or so agreeable to Nature and that my asserting this may not startle the Reader I shall give him my Reason for it which is this Because Butter having already in the making of it passed through due Fermentation the Spirituous properties thereof are thereby unbounded or set at liberty and become Volatile the truth whereof you may perceive by this Experiment If Butter be but exposed four or five days to the open common Air it will lose a great part of its pure smell and taste but much more if it be committed to the Fire therefore all melted Butter and such Foods wherein Butter is mixt that are baked or fiyed are not profitable for Health but become heavy of Concoction and strong upon the Pallate and the common eating thereof doth generate evil Juices thick Blood and dull heavy Spirits whence proceeds scorbutick Humours and various Diseases in the Blood But Butter in its own Nature is an excellent thing and very profitable if mixed with proper Food as Bread Herbs Roots and the like but if not properly mixt and eaten then it Oyls and Furs the Vessels of the Stomach and Passages hinders Digestion and generates evil Juices and many Diseases The best Butter for the Stomach is that which is made from the beginning of May to the last of Iuly or middle of August or there-abouts for then Grass is in its full strength and Vertue Yet what is then potted or firkin'd up for Winter will have somewhat a stronger taste by reasoâ— of the length of time and heat of Weather but still it is much finer and more wholsom and free from phlegm and easier of Concoction than that which is made of Rowings or Leather-Math as they call it though this latter sort is oft times much sweeter to the Pallate at first eating but it quickly cloyes by Greasing the Stomach for it is endued with much gross phlegmy matter like the Grass at that season For Hay made thereof is of little strength or Vertue as all Husband-men do know And as to Buâ—ter you may try it thus melt a like quantity of the Summer and After-Math Butter in two several Vessels and let it stand a while you will find the latter throw off and afford more Phlegm a great deal than the former But as this is made near the Winter so it is new and that is the cause why it seems some-what sweeter to the Touch of the Pallate though the former be much better and wholsomer and will go further All Butter ought to be well seasoned with Saâ—t for that quickens and makes all fat Bodies brisk and easier of Concoction For Butter otherwise is but a dull heavy body and ought by all People to be eaten sparingly but more especially by those that
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
Ingredients they do not only suffocate evaporate and destroy the pure thin suâ—tle spirituous parts but it thereby becomes of a thick gross tough substance and consequently harder of Concoction so that the Natural heat cannot so easily separate and digest it as other clearer finer Drinks as Ale Cyder Wine and Water and the like For this cause it is not good for such as live at ease and eat fat rich compounded strong Food for it naturally heats the Blood and makes it thick generates heavy dull Spirits whence proceeds hot unpleasant Dispositions for it being unequal begets the like Inequality both in Body and Spirits so that the common use of it lays Foundations for Diseases more especially in Cholerick and Sanguine Complexions and all Children and Young People CHAP. XXVI Of Coffee its Nature and Operation COFFEE is a new Liquor invented by the Turks and Heathens for being by their Alchoran or Law prohiâ—â—ted all Wine they wanted something to spend their time in and be a Companion to their Tobacco of which in late years they take great Quantities and therefore gratified their Appetites with this Liquor which in few years is grown into much Esteem and Practice amongst the English more because it is a New far-fetcht drink than for its Vertue though it must be acknowledged to be one of the most Innocent and harmless drinks that is used in Publick Houses and brings the least Inconveniency to the Drinkers thereof only it wastes precious time and occasions many discourses which were better let alone This sort of drink ought not to be used but in a Physical way by such as are troubled with Fumes and Dâ—lling Vapours that fly up into the Head and thereby stupifie the Senses also it is profitable for such as have brought upon themselves such distempers by too large drinking of Wine and strong Drink or by Weariness Labour or Fasting and for such as are troubled with the Head-Ach But for others that are well and not troubled with any of the aforesaid Inconveniences they ought not to addict themselves to the frequent sipping of this Black Broth though there is not so much mischief to be apprehended from it as from strong spirituous drinks Yet it is not without its Inconveniencies For Nature does not effect any kind of Inequality Now Coffee is a Saturnine and Martial dâ—ink it derives it sooty Colour and nausâ—ous Taste from Saturn and its Bitterness from Mars For the Iovial Solar and Venereal Propâ—rties are destroyed in the preparation or making it into â—owder that is to say the â—ure subtlâ— or Volatile Spirits and Oyly Balsamick Vertues are suffocated consumed or evaporated by the harsh Fire by which it becomes fixt in the properties of Saturn and Mars and for that cause prevents Funes from flying up into the Crown or at least it sends none For all things in which the pure flying Spirits sweet Oyly Vertues and Natural Coloâ—r are destroyed by Preparations are of a dull heavy Nature and Operation and of no good Smell Colour not Taste Therefore this Liquor dulls the Appetite and if frequently drank obstructs the Stomach and generates evil Juices One of the chiefest Reasons why the Turks at first invented and made Coffee a common Drink was to allay the Fumes and stupifying Poysonous Vapours caused by the common eating of Opium which ill custom most of them art subject unto Now Opium is apt to disorder the Eaters thereof by awakning the Natural Spirits and then stupifying and besetting them even as the superfluous drinking of our Wine and strong Drinâ—s does For those Mahumetans being forbidden the Intoxicating Iuice of the Vine had an itching desire to disorder their Brains some other way so fond is dâ—praved Humane Nature to make it self mad as we see by the Indians when once they have tasted Rum or Brandy how passionately they will beg for more crying A little more and then to sâ—ep so at last they found out this way to Debauch themselves with eating of Opium whose Poyson by custom and frequent use they have rendred easie and familiar to them as also they and most of our People have done Tobacco whose predominant Quality does likewise stand in the same poysonous Root But to allay the stupifying fumes and Vapours which Opium and Tobacco send up into the Head they frequently drink Coffee for the Invention of this Liquor was not for any pleasure as most other Drinks have been as Wine Ale Beer Cyder and many others which do not only exhilerate the Spirits but are of a most pleasant Taste whereas Coffee altogether on the contrary is very distateful to the Palate Would Men but be so kind and Friendly to themselves as to observe the Rules of Temperance and Cleanness a very little Coffee would serve though it hath it uses in a Physical way as is before mentioned and no otherwise it being an improper and unequal drink therefore not good for Common use or at every turn daily or two or three times a day as now a days many Thousands amongst us especially in London and great Towns do It is further to be noted that several of our own Grains will make not only as good Coffee but in every particular like this sort both in Smell Colour and Operation if it have the same preparation for the species of Coffee before it is prepared is of a white Flowery substance as our Grains are and if you take Wheat Barley Ryâ— or Oats and prepare it in every respec◠〈…〉 Coffee it will have a like Taste 〈◊〉 â—mell Colour and Operation for there will only remain or lie hid in a Saturnine Powder the fixed Salt which no fire can destroy and this too will stop or repress â—umes and vapours as well as the other but whoever uses either of them frequently and wantonly the Physical Vertues thereof to Him or Her will cease and have little or no effect and therefore were it palpable that men in general are set upon Conceits and wedded to Humours and Custoâ—s and mad after things new and Forreign it would be a wonder to see such swarms of People so fond of this nauseous exotick Liquor which always carries its own Brand along with it do but consider its Taste Colour and Smell and compare the same with proper and agreeable drinks as Water Al Beer Cyâ—er and the like how vast is the difference Has not Water that uâ—iversal Mother of all Drinks a pleasant friendly mild or meekly Taste and to underbauched Palates the most grateful of all Liquors of a clear Whitish Colour and Aiery Smell and agreeable to all Creatures because the four Qualties there stand and have their Operatiâ—◠〈…〉 Equality Is not Ale pleasant sweet brisk spirituous or Baâ—samick Taste its coloâ—r Solar and Iovial with a comfortable smell The same is to be understood of all other proper Drinks whereof the moderate use does â—hear and refresh the Spirits and maintain Health and Strength But Câ—ffeâ— has none of these inviting properties