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
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
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
Water the flesh is cleansed from its gross Impurities which the best of Flesh is subject to likewise you ought to keep a brisk clear Fire that there be no intermission in the boyling which would deaden or flatten the spirituous parts so that the Meat will become dull and of an heavy operation and grosser nourishment nor ought you to let it boyl too long for Flesh over-prepared is of an heavy dull nature and ungrateful to the Palate and Stomach All Broths made of Flesh ought to be thin brisk and full of Spirits which render them easie of Concoction and breed thin pure Blood Many People imagine Flesh not only the most Nourishing but also the Substantialst Food but this must be numbered amongst Vulgar Errors it is indeed endued with abundance of gross Phlegmaticâ— and corrupt Juices and therefore those that make it their chief Victuals are most obnoxious to gross Scorbutiâ— Humours in their Blood whence proceed very impure Spirits and bur-thensome unactive Dispositions whicâ— by degrees occasion and increase man Diseases for all Flesh is of a moiâ— Phlegmy Nature subject to Putrifactiâ—on and therefore such as make iâ— their common Food are forc'd to driâ—â— much either with or after it or 〈◊〉 least they accustom themselves so 〈◊〉 do which much increases the aforesaid Inconveniences and Distempers But on the contrary many sorts oâ— Fruits Grains Herbs and Seeds are for the most part endued with a far morâ— firm dry and cleaner Nourishment free from Corruption and yieldiâ—â— more sublime Spirits And there as much difference between Them aâ—â— Flesh as there is between Grass and Corâ— for true it is Grass generates morâ— Humours viz. flesh and fat and in shorter time in all Cattel but then sucâ— flesh is more soft greasie phlegmaticâ— and subject to Putrifaction than that which is fed with Hay and Corn. For this cause the Flesh of all Beasts is much better in Winter than in Summer and also all Grains and Fruits when the Sun and Elements have dryed up and exhaled the gross cold phlegmy parts are thereby made substantial warming and full of brisk lively Spirits and will keep good several years without the help of Art for the gross Humidity being purged away their own innate Salt and spirituous Vertues preserve them but Flesh cannot be kept without Salt nor with it but for a little season So that most Men as well the ignorant as the learned are deceived when they fancy Fâ—esh to be a more substantial warming Food than Fruits Grains Milk Herbs c. for Experience will tell us that Bread Buâ—ter Cheese Flower'd Milk and Water Raw Herbs in their Seasons made into Salads mixt with Oyl Salt and Vinegar and the like are not only cleaner Foods but more substantial affording a more chearing and warming Nourishment and all that have ever lived on them for any competent time do find themselves not so subject to Coldness and Qualms at their Stomachs as those that frequertly eat Flesh for all sorts of Foods that are in their own Nature clean dry and free from gross phlegmatick Juices will not only keep longer from Purifaction without the Body but they afford a cleaner and more solid Nourishment in the Body warming chearing exhilirating and encreasing the Spirits whence proceeds an healthy vigorous Constitution of Body strong and active Limbs good Stomach and free Digestion for always the more you imitate Nature in the Choice and Preparation of Food the more useful it will be to you For many Distempers especially that general one The Wind which few that out-live Youth are free from are chefly caused through bad Preparations and improper Mixtures or excess in Quantity or Quality of Food which Defects are not to be remedied without great Wisdom and Temperance But those that have not the knowledge and measure of their own Natures and Complexions nor have seriously considered the intrinsick Qualities of what they eat oâ— drink 't is no wonder if their Thoughts or Imaginations are wrong for blind men will stumble so that what they think is best and most profitable for the Health of their Bodies and Minds Proves the contrary An Example we have in Peoples eating of Food hot from the Fire or out of the Pot or Oven they cry out The Meat will grow cold and be spoil'd and there is little or no vertue in it if the fiery heat be gâ—ne Others are for Boyling their Food and Pottages very much untill they become unpleasant for Sight Taste and Smell and grow thick gross and dull Others there be that think themselves brave Doctors or Cooks when they mix ten or twenty rich things together crying The more and the Richer the better as if they were to make Mithridate in their Bellies All which and many other the like preposterous Conceits and unnatural Ways serve only to wound their Healths still more and more as first to Contract and afterwards to Continue and Encrease great numbers of Diseases CHHP. V. Of Flumery its nature and operation FLumery is the ancient Gruel the Brittains used to eat and the use of it is still continued amongst the Welch it is made after this manner Take two or three spoonfuls of Oatmeal more of less and put into it a convenient quantity of Water and let it stand until it begin to be sowrish thâ—â— taâ—e this Water and Oatmeal and put it into a Vessel stirring it and make it boyling hot with a quick Fire and when it begins to rise brew it to and fro with your Ladle to keep it from boyling this do about five or six Minutâ—s and thâ—n take it off the Fire for it is prepared to the highest degree The Brâ—â—â—ains and those that now eat this 〈◊〉 of Gruel had and have various â—â—ys of eating it viz. to mix Alâ— amâ—â—gst it and so eat it with Bread oâ—hers Milk Cream and the like which Mixtures are not much amiss but in my judgment those that have regard to their Healths Strength and brisk lively Dispositions or such as eat it to open cleanse and help the digestive Faculty and to remove offensive Matter from the Stomach ought to eat this sort of sower Gruel only with Bread for thereby it more powerfully removes the Obstructions of the Breast helps the natural Heat strengthens the Stomach cools thâ— whole Body openeth the Passages and makes the Body lightsome and airy This is a most commendable Gruel to be eaten for a Breakfast in all hot Seasons and Clymates for the sowerness or the fermentation doth so aptly fit it to the Stomach and has as it were digested all tough or slimy matter so that it becomes easily separated and so passes away more quick and free leaving no Dregs behing it that doth either fur or obstruct 〈◊〉 Passages which most sweet foods are 〈◊〉 to especially when any shall exceed in Quantity I commend this sort of Gruel to all weak Stomach't People and to such whose Breast and Passages are fur'd and obstructed by sweet tough
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
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
the Gout and other Obstructions and Diseases in the Body which simâ—le innocent Foods will prevent if Temperance be at any â—ate observed but if Sugaâ— be now and then a little used in Milk-Meats and Pottages for old People it will prove grateful and benefical for of all sorts of People sweetned Foods are best for the aged and are least hurtful to them Touching Sugar-Candy and Pan-Sugar I shall first discribe to you how it is made and then shall the more easily make it appear how improperly it is used commonly amongst us Sugar-Candy is made thus First it is boyled as high as other Sugars then they take this Syrup out of the Pans and put it into an earthen Pot and set it in an hot Stove there to stand eight or ten days in which time the fierceness of the sulpherous heat does Candy or coagulate it into an hard tough substance and then you take it out from the Syrup and put this Candy or the hard lumps into the Stove again but made two or three degrees hotter where it must remain ten or twelve days longer and then it is done There are two sorts of it White and Brown but they are both of one Nature and Operation and the chief use that is made of either besides spoiling of Childrens Teeth is to several sorts of People as a Medicine when they are troubled with Coughs Colds and inward Stoppages of the Breast Now Sugar-Candy as to its Nature and Operation is the same in the Radix as Sugar from whence it is produced only it is nothing so good nor of so cleansing and opening a Quality as Common-Sugar though the contrary is generally believed but any Man that wears Eyes in his Head may from the before cited method of its preparation easily perceive my Opinion to be true for by that tedious unnatural preparation and being made stronger of the Lime that thereby it may more easily harden and coagulate This Candid Sugar must needs become of an hotter Nature and tougher Substance than the common Sugar and consequently not so wholsom especially for those People that are troubled with Colds or Stoppages for being by that way of preparing dryed hardened and brought into an hard glewy tough Substance of a slimy ropy Nature when it comes to dissolve it naturally heats and stops the Passages instead of opening them causing Drought c. there being nothing more contrary and burdensom to Nature in such cases than this very thing which is given almost as an universal Medicine to both Young and Old and therefore ought by all wise People to be abandon'd for all things in which the Sweet Quality is extream in which respect Sugar is chief do dull the Palate clog and obstruct the Stomaeh stop the Passages destroy Concoction spoil the natural Heat making it weak and feeble heats the Blood and renders it thick whence proceed dull and impure Spirits Therefore all such things ought to be avoided by â—ound and healthy People but much more by such as are already obstructed except they intend to encrease their Maladies which is often done by such improper means it being a custom too general when any such Disorder is on People to make most of their Foods and Drinks sweet that forsooth they may Rot away the Cold as they call it never considering the evil Consequences of such things which are as far from any Property to help such Infirmities as I 〈◊〉 is from Darkness and only 〈◊〉 Blindness and â—olly have been and are the original of all such Customs and Inventions for in truth such as find themselves invaded with such Distempers the best Food is thin brisk Gruds and Pottages made in the manner we have taught before in the Chapter of Gruâ—ls c. also good Raw Salads with Bread and Oyl but Oyl sparingly likewise Bread and Butter and all sorts of lean Food that are light of Digestion And for Drinks Toast and Water Water and Rhenish Wine or Water and White-Wine two parts Water and one Wine or clear small Ale with moderate Clothing and Exercise in open airy places which will gradually cleanse the Passages open all Obstructions and sâ—on remove those Evils It is further to be noted That all sorts of sweet Fruits as Raisins Figgs and the like being frequently eaten by such People as are subject to Stoppages and Colds does encrease those Distempers by heating the Blood and weakning the digestive faculty and natural Heat and generating evil Iuices except such Fruits are eaten sparingly and with Bread which with such Fruits is to be preferred before any other things mixt or eaten with them whatsoever Likewise there are various sorts of Drinks made by boiling Fruits in Beer Ale Wine and the like with various sorts of Herbs Roots Seeds and Druggs of disagreeing Natures and stoutly sweetned with Sugar or Honey such Liquors for the most part prove of very evil consequence to Health For no sweet Fruits ought to be boyled neither for Food nor Physick for boyling does naturally evaporate and destroy the pleasing friendly opening Qualites and sends packing the purer Spirits as appears both by the Fruits after they are so boyled and also the Liquor that they are boyled in and the nauseous unpleasing Taste which remains in both which is the Reason that all that use this way of Preparation are forced to sweeten such Drinks with Sugar or Honey or else they will not be drinkable but if you take any of the before-mentioned Fruits raw and bruise or stone them and then infuse them in any of the said Liquors especially in common Water it will become sweet and pleasant and far more opening and cleansing and every way wholsomer The same advantage you have when you infuse Herbs properly gathered dryed and preserved and also Seeds Drugs and Roots and all such Drinks will have a pleasant Taste and be welcome to the Stomach but if the same be boyled it will be altogether the contrary as having lost their essential Vertues by the Violence of Fire for the pure volatile Spirits in all sweet lucious Fruits are not only very powerful but stand as it were external and on the surface and therefore will not endure the fierce motion of the Fire as Flesh and several sorts of Martial and Saturnine Fruits Grains and Seeds will for in them the pure sweet vertues and spirits are as it were lockt up under the harsh Forms and earthly Properties of the Original Poysons and therefore cannot be brought out to manifestation but only by the heat of the external â—ire These things ought to be consider'd and understood in all Preparations both in Food and Physick or else there will be but sorry Diet and worse Medicines As for Coughs Colds and Stopâ—ages for which People commonly use Sugar-Candy and Pan-Sugar the same are generally procured by Ill-living and Intemperance in Meaâ—s Drinks Exercises and Habits and also by eating and drinking too much in quantity and things of a contrary quality or improperly
the Vessel taken off as soon as they begin to boyl till they are quite boyled which will be in a very little time and then Butter melted with Water into a thick substnace being put to them and some Salt and then eaten with Bread or Bread and Flesh makes a brave wholsom Food Touching the Nature of all Green Pulses and that the frequent eating of them does generate crude windy Humours and thick gross Blood and are the occasion of several Diseases see our before-cited Treatise viz. The Way to Health long Life and Happiness c. How to supply the want of Oyl in Sallets where Persons do not love it or cannot have it For seasoning all sorts of green Sallads I have mentioned Oyl as a principal Ingredient and deservedly for nothing is more excellent for that purpose it being called Sallet-Oyl from that very use But whereas some People for want of use or by I know not what secret Antipathy do not love Oyl and others many times cannot procure it especially here in England I shall here acquaint them how they may furnish themselves to supply the want of it You must know then that Butter is our English Oyl the nearest thing we have in affinity to the Nature of Oyl and designed no doubt by Nature to serve our turn instead of it for no Country yields all things and yet such is the gracious Providence of God that every Region affords all things necessary to the Inhabitants if therefore you melt good Butter thick and pour it upon your Sallad it will relish and suit with it excellently well and serve very conveniently instead of Oyl being so like it amongst the Herbs both in shew and Taste that an ordinary lover of Oyl will not doubt but he has it and he that does not love Oâ—l may be sure he has it not and both enjoy upon the matter as much Vertue for Nourishment and Wholsomeness as if they had eat the purest Salad-Oyl that is brought from beyond the Seas A curious Secret not commonly practised and which I am confident many People will have reason to thank me for CHAP. XXIX The best way to make Herb Pottage not only in the Spring but also at all times of the Year TAke Elder-buds Nettle tops Clivers and Watercresses or Smallage and what quantity of Water you please preportionable to your quantity of Herbs add Oatmeal according as you would have it in thickness and when your Water and Oatmeal is just ready to boyl put your Herbs into it cut or uncut as you like best and then when it is again ready to boyl take a Ladle and lade it so that you keep it from boyling and when you have done thus near half a quarter of an hour take it off the Fire and let it stand a little while then you may either eat it with the Herbs or strain it adding a little Butter Salt and Bread the best way will be not to eat it till it is somewhat cooled and not past as hot as Milk from the Cow and you are to remember not to let it boyl at all This is a brave wholsom cleansing sort of Pottege far beyond what is commonly made Another sort of Herb-Pottage Take Water and Oatmeal make it boyling hot on a quick Fire then take Spinnage Corn-sallet Tops of Penny-Royal and Mint cut them and put a good Quantity into it let it stand on the Fire till it be ready to boyl and then lade it to and fro five or six Minuits then take it off and let it stand a while that the Oatmeal may sink to the bottom then strain it adding Butter Salt and Bread and when it is about Blood warm Eat it This is a gallant sublime Pottage pleasant to the Palate and Stomach cleansing the Passages by opening Obstructions it also chears and comforts the Spirits breeds good Blood and makes the whole body lightsom The same method you ought to follow in making all sorts of Gruels and Herb-Pottages be the Herbs of what Nature they will for the boyling of Herbs not only in Pottage but for any other use of Food was not invented by wise Seers into the Arcana of Nature for it does as it were totally destroy the pure volatile Spirits and balsamick Vertues as also the strong warming Properties thereof For this cause Raw Herbs are much better affording a firmer Nourishment better Blood and purer Spirits and feel more warming in the Stomach than boyled nor are they so apt to loosen the Bowels But if any shall make boyled Herbs their Food though they prepare them by dressing them with Butter and the like they will prove phlegmatick cold and windy with other evil Properties and not afford half so good a Nourishment as if they were Raw nor are Raw Herbs more Windy than boyled as some People not for want of Ignorance suppose but rather the contrary for the common eating of Raw Herbs does naturally resist all crude windy matter and gross Juices by assisting the natural Heat and helping Concoction they give Life to the Stomach by opening the Mouth of the Appetite and sharpen it as appears by such as have dull flat Appetites for when such shall come to a good Salleâ— it does as it were create or revive a Stomach and good Taste whereas before they could relish nothing Also they help to digest and carry off all heavy fat or gross Food and make it less hurtful insomuch that some have been thereby cured of windy Phlegmatick Humours that offended the Stomach and consequently sent Fumes up to the Head causing it to ake Therefore this was the way the wise healthy long-lived Antients prepared their Herbs who made them one of their principal Foods but now-aâ— days People do scarce eat them but as Sawce And as boyling of Herbs does destroy the purer Vertues and firmer Substance of them so that they become phlegmy cold and windy The same is to be understood in all sorts of Herb-Pottage whether for Food or Physick for boyling any sorts of Herbs does in a Moments time either suffocate or evaporate the volatile Spirits of them and then all the sweet pleasant opening cleansing Vertues are gone and they become like Beer Ale or Wine that has lost its pure Spirits which is further evidenced by that strong nauseous or fulsom Taste ill Smell and dull Colour all such boyled Pottages have so that very few care for eating them unless they are forced to it as they are to Physick that is against their Stomachs For the pure sweet pleasant Taste and lively briskness of all things resides in the power of the Spirits which all Housewives and Preparers of Food ought to consider and understand as also the degrees of the Fire the quantity of Water and that the Water be in sufficient quantity and that the Air have its free circulation and to give it true time or else none can prepare any kind of Food without prejudice for in the sweet and spirituous Properties stand
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
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
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
is the same Essential and pure Sâ—lt in these as in Grains or rather greater but the gross phlegmatick Body overcomes it and as soon as the Sensitive Life is destroyed the good Vertues are in a moments time dissipated and tend to corruption and though it be salâ—ed yet the Salt doth not nor hath any power to extinguish or purge forth this gross Body of Corruption but the Spirituous parts of the Salt do incorporate and joyn with the Essential parts of the Flesh and captivate the gross body for a season that it cannot proceed to putrifaction but in length of time viz two three four five six seven or eight months the gross body continuing so powerful and the more pure parts or Essensial Salts both in the Flesh and Salt do by degrees waste suffocate or evaporate and then the Original fierce Poysonous forms of Saturn and Mars grow strong and powerful and with a greedy hunger quickly destroy all the remaining good Vertues and then all falls into Corruption from which there is no recovery And indeed so powerful in Flesh and Fish is the gross Phlegmy Corruptive part that there is no way found that can continue it very long from Putrifaction the best course to preserve it sweet sound and wholsome is to dry Fish very well and the same may be done with Flesh but with more difficulty and this is far the healthiest way But I know no reason why People should be so fond of this sort of morose Food or sustain any such difficulty to preserve it so extraordinary long since the Lord our Bountiful Creator has in a superabundant manner supplied and furnisht us with varieties of brave noble friendly and most fragrant sorts of sound healthy Foods easily providable and which may in all particulars gratifie all the ends and necessities of Nature To conclude this matter Salt moderately used especially with Flesh Fish Butter and Cheese does prove of excellent use and benefit for it naturally warms cheers comforts and settles weak or disordered Stomachs prevents bâ—lching vomitings and other Inconveniâ—nâ—ies oâ— tâ—at Natâ—re but if 〈◊〉 be immoderaâ—ely used or eaten then it hath the contrary operations And in many Countries where Salt is scarce People liâ—e very healtâ—y without it to great Ages For as he that drinks all Water will never want any other Drink so Custom makes every thing not only a second Nature but causes great sâ—eming Wants to be where there is no real or natural cause for it and so Salt is very unpleasant to such as have never or very seldom eat any But some may say How can fat Foods or things be eaten without Salt 'T is true if you have accustomed your self to eat plenty of Salt with such Foods then your Palate and Stomach will not without trouble and some reluctancy receive them without Salt but if you had never eaten any Salt with them then you would have counted them much sweeter without though all fat Foods that proceed from Beasts do really want Salt by reason of the abundance of gross humidity but all fâ—t or Unctious things that proceed from the Vegetable Kingdom do not need any Salt they being so sweet and clean in their Radiâ—â—s that if you incorporate Salt with them unlâ—ss it be just when you eat them iâ— will destroy their natural Vertues which does further shew the purity and excellency of the one and the evil or grossness of the other And this let all men know and that of a truth That there are no Iuices Oyls Fat 's or any thing of that nature whicâ— depraved Man makes Food of that aâ—e so rich clean simple wholsome and grateful to Nature as the Oyls Fat 's c. of Grains and other things that proceed from the Vegetative Kingdom What production of Animals is for Food fit to be rankt in equal esteem with the Oyl either of Olives or Nuts The former is enricht with such an essential Salt in it self as can for several years preserve it sounâ— and good whereas the Animal Fat is so gross and corrupt that it will presently turn to Putrefaction if you have not the assistance of the grand Pillar of Salt the fierce original or unseparated Body Is Flesh to be valued equal to Bread which is deservedly entiâ—ulâ—d The Staff of Life and under which we are taught by our Lord to comprehend all things necessary to our subsistence here below in that Petition Give us this dâ—yâ—oâ—r daâ—ly Bâ—ead Is Flesh I say â—hicâ— is gross humidâ— subject to putreâ—action in the higâ—est degree always attended with dying Groans and dolorous Cryes Rage Violence aâ—d Oppression and in it self boâ—h not healthy and also unpleasant to the Palate and Senses if once enlightned and not debauched by custom fit to be compâ—â—ed with Bread a brave noble fâ—â—m innocent substantial healthy Food and proper for Angelical Me Nay the Fruits that proceed from the Animal Kingdom viz. Milk the most noble and useful of them all cannot we use and dignifie with the most delicious Juices that flow from the Vegetative Regions as the various sorts of excellent Wines Cyder Ale Bâ—er c. which if temperately used supply the wants of Man and gratifie Nature to the highest and by their owâ— iâ—nate alt preserve their own Bodies without being beholding to the grand original Pillar of Salt What have you in your Animal â—ore that can match the vast varâ—eties of noble fragrant Herbs Seeds Grains and Fruits whose Number is beyond any humane Capacity to counâ— The one smells sweet and fills the Air with most pleaâ—ant odoriferous Scents ravishing the Senses of man and serving â—im both for Food and Physick Vse and â—e sure whereas the other stinks and fiâ—ls the Earâ—h with Ordure and sends up Fumes alike unpleasant and unhealtâ—y and by no Art can long be preserved from Putrefaction and Rotâ—enness And as in these so in many other respects the Vegetative Productioâ—s so far transcend the Animal as to Food that whether you respect Innoceâ—cy or Wâ—olsomness Dâ—light or Cleanliness there is no comparison to be made between them CHAP. XXXII Of the Scurvey and its Generation THe SCURVEY is of late Years become an Epidemical or almost generâ—l Disease amongst English people the principal Causes of which are Intemperance and want of care in some of the following particulars 1. By eating too much in quantity beyond the power of the digestive Faculty so thaâ— the natural heat cannot make any perfect separation whence Crudities and noxious Juices are generated which do replenish the Joynts and Members and not only cause the Blood to be thick but infect it with a sharp keen fretting Quality which discolours the Flesh and Skin and makes the Limbs and Members ake with pain 2. The frequent eating of Foods that are of a contrary Quality to the Constitution which do secretly wound the pure Spirits and put Nature out of her natural way 3. Improper Preparations of Food which do render them burthensom to Nature generating