were given thee and above all consider that thou art made in the Image of God and in thee is truly contained the Properties of all Elements therefore thou art obliged to imitate thy Creator and so to conduct thy ways that thou mayst attract the benign Influences of the Coelestials and Terrestrials and the favourable Irradiations of the superior and inferior Worlds and on the other side not to awaken the Dragon that is always lurking about the Golden Fruit in the fairâ— Garden of the internal Hesperides nor irritate the Original Poysons nor raise Combustions within by falling into Disorders without but managing all things in Temperance and Simplicity and hearkening to the Voice of Wisdom and the Dictates of Reason and Nature thou shalt transact the days of thy Pilgrimage here in Peace and Tranquility and be prepared for the fruition of more compleat and undisturbed as well as endless Felicity Observing the tedious methods of some unskilful Chyrurgeons together with their improper Compositions and unnatural Applycations which do not only Ruin and Vndo many poor necessitous People but to the losing of their Limbs and sometimes their Lives too therefore I think it no worthless Service to recommend unto the World especially to the poor the use of the following Remedies which are not only cheap and easily Come-at-able but certain in their Opperation far beyond any things hitherto known or published viz. An Excellent POULTICE WHich does Cure Burns Scalded-Limbs Boyls Fellons Tumers proceeding either from Choller Phlegm or Melancholly Also Cures all Inflaâ—ations Contusions or Bruizes either with or without a Wound Vlcers old Wounds or running Sores also an excellent Remedy against all sorts and kinds of the Gout and Inflamations of the Eyes let them proceed from what cause soever By asswaging the swelled part and easeth the torturing Pains thereof as it were in a moments time also it is admirable against sore Breasts and bites of Dogs or any other hurt of what kind or nature soever it be Take one quart of good Water viz. River Spring or Rain-Water the last being the best and as much small or ground Oatmeale as will make it thick fit for a Poultice unto which add two ounces of good Sugar and a handful of â—andelion cut small then put it over â—he Fire in an open convenient Vessel keep it stirring all the time till it be â—eady to Boyl or boyling hot theâ—â— it is done Another Take one quart of Water and as much good well baked Household-Bread as will make it thick then add three ounces of beaten Raisins of the Sun and one ounce of Sugar and a glass of good new Ale stir all your Ingedients together and make it boyling hot over a clear quick Fire and then it is done Another Take one quart of good Ale three ounces of Raisins of the Sun beaten two ounces of good Sugar with some Mallow Leaves cut them small put them over the fire till boyling hot or ready to boyl then it is done Another Take one quart of Water as much Bread as will make it thick fit for a Poultice five ounces of Raisins of the Sun and one ounce of Coriander-seâ—â— beaten with a glass of Ale make 〈◊〉 boyling hot and then it is done Another Take one quart of Water as much Bread as will make it thick two Ounces of Sugar and a Glass of good Sack or other Wine make it boyling hot and then it is done Apply the forementioned Remedies to the part grieved viz. Spread your Poultice indifferent thick on a Linnen Cloth that will cover the wholâ— part somewhat warmer then Milk from the Cow but not so hot as is usual for all extreams prove prejudicial to Wounds Sores and Bâ—uises except it be on some particular occations These Poultices you must apply every hour or every two hours at least in the day and three or four times in the Night if your Hurt or Wound be dangerous If not twelve or fourteen times in the Day and Night may do viz. When your Poultice has lain on one hour or an hour and a half or two at the most put it away off your Cloth and put fresh on and so keep a constant repetition of it for 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 or ten days if occasion be but it will heal and cure most of the forementioned Evils much sooner if you observe this method but remember to wash your Wounds or Sores between whiles with Sugar and Water and sometimes with fresh Butter and Water beaten together to keep it clean and plyaâ—t These are noble Poultices and all the Ingredients do cast a friendly aspect to each other being of a cleansing mild Balsamick Nature and Opperation and therefore they do by their active penetrating Power strengthen and raise up the dismayed Oyl or wounded Spirits by meliorating and asswaging the irritated or awakened fierce poysonous Humors by which this doth as far exceed the common and usual methods and practices of Chyrurgeons and other Practitioners as that light doth darkness But here I shall meet with a swinging objection viz. Why do you leave out of your Poultices the great lâ—gredieâ—t viz. the fulsoâ— Grease of Swine and other Fat 's which all skilled in the Art of curing have for the most part advised and for no other reason as I know then that their Poultices should not offend the Patient by sticking to the Sore or wounded part for their long lying on the grieved part if there were not some Fat 's or Oyles the Poultices would occasion them to become haâ—d and stiff and so stick to the Sore which we prevent by our often repetition for the Spirituous Vertues and Qualities of Fat 's are so hid and lockt up in the oyly Body that Nature cannot separate nor draw forth their fine sweet Spâ—rituous Vertues to that degree as she can from Vegetations as all Men skilled in Nature and Chymistry do know they being of a heavy dull flat Nature and Operation very offensive to the tender Spirits and Blood by which they impede and hinder the Cure therefore those Poultices wherein Fat 's are mixed the fine Spirits and Vertues thereof do not so easily nor powerfully penetrate the Wound as rich Vegetations whose Spirits and lively Vertues are as it were on the Wing and therefore Poultices aptly compounded thereof their Vertues do in a moments time peâ—etrate to the Center and incorporate with their similes by which they strengthen and raise up the wounded Spirits and at the same time do qualify the fierce raging Poysons more especially if our method be observed and â—o effect the Cure not only in a shorter time but much safer and with greater ease to the Patient For by this Phylosophiâ—al Operation of repeating 〈…〉 doth migâ—tily advance and forward the Cure Anâ— Note that every fresh Application of this Homogenial-â—oultice to the grieved part do add nâ—w and fresh Supplies of Vertue for in all Operations of this Naturâ— the fine healing spirituous Qualities thereof
That CHAP. II. The Nature of Milk and the best ways of Preparing and Cooking it MILK in its own Nature is of a brave mild friendly nature and operation for in this sublime Liquor or rather Nectar the Qualities of Nature seems to stand in Equality and therefore it may justly be called Concord or a thing which God and his Hand-Maid Nature hath befriended with all the good Vertues of the Animal Kingdom having no manifest Quality that does too violently predominate but is as well in its inward Nature as its outward Colour the Emblem of Innocence deriving that aimable and pleasant Candor from a Gleaâ—â— of the divine Light and therefore 't is said The Holy Land did flow with Milk and Honey T is certainly an incomparable Food and being joyned or mixt with Bread or the Flower of Wheat hath the first place of all Victuals and is a Foundation to all good Nourishment there being so great an agreement in Nature between the Flower of Wheat and Milk that when they are incorporated together there is hardly any Food of equal Excellency or that will gratifie Nature to that degree for it does not only afford a brave friendly Nourishment but also of a strong firm Substance standing nearest the Centre of VNITY whence is derived all Perfection of any sort of Food except Bread and for this cause it is so much desired by Children and the Young Ones of most other Creatures How Milk ought to be eaten as it is entire The best way for weak sickly Consumptive People to eat Milk Raw as they call it or not altered is after this manner Take a Pint or what quantity you please of New-Milk from the Cow let it stand open to the Air two hours and then skim the thick or creamy my substance off the top thereof and put it by but the rest of the thin Milk that remains eat with well bak'd Bread but remember you neither Toast your Bread nor warm your Milk except the season be cold and then you may warm your Milk as hot as your Blood but do not then toast your Bread for it does it much harm or if you please you may eat Bisquet with your Milk but be sure you do not eat too great aquantity at once and sometimes it will do well to mix a little Water with your Milk and then you may sweeten it with good White Sugar if you make this your whole Food you may eat thereof three times a day for 't is a brave sort of Diet and will gallantly support Nature and recover lost Strength but then you ought to continue it for 6 8 or 12 Months or else you cannot prove it for Diseases that have been several Months or Years a generating and have crept on by degrees cannot be recovered in a Moment as some vainly and ignorantly imagin but will require the like Graduation in the Cure An excellent way of preparing Milk with Wheat-Flower Take two thirds of new-Milk after it has stood six or seven hours from the time 't is milkt and add thâ—reto one third part of River or spring-Spring-Water set it on a quick clear fire then take some good Wheat-Flower and temper it with either Milk or Water into a Batter and when you see your Milk ready to boyl but before it does actually boyl put in your thickning and stir it a litttle while and when it is again just ready to boyl take it off and add Bread and Salt to it as much as you please and remember to let it stand in the Dish or Platter you put it out into a while to cool but do not lade it with your Spoon as the manner is but let it cool of it self without any such Motion which will make it much sweeter than it will do when it is cooled with a Spoon A good Spoonful of Flower is sufficient to thicken a full Pint of Milk and Water and so proportionably but you may make it either thicker or thinner as you like it but it is best about the thickness of ordinary Milk-Pottage and will eat sweetest and be easiest of Concoction This sort of Food affords a Nourishment of a firm Substance does neither bind nor loosen the Body but keeps it in good order and breeds good Blood and fine Spirits whence brisk and lively Dispositions proceed this way of Preparation being much more friendly to Nature than the common way of Boyling and the continual eating thereof will have better success and never tire or cloy the Stomach Another good way of ordering Milk Take two thirds of Milk and one of Water add what quantity of Oaâ—meal you please or as you would have it in thickness but inclining to thin is best set it in your Sawce-pan on a fire that is quick and clear and when it begins to rise or make a shew of boyling take it off and brew it in two Vessels or Juggs for that purpose eight or ten times to and fro which will cause the fine Flower of the Oatmeal to give it self forth and incorporate with the Milk then put it again into your Sawce-pan and set it on the Fire and as soon as it is again ready to boyl up take it off and let it stand a little if you would have it fine for the Husky or Branny part of the Oatmeal will sink to the bottom then add Bread and Salt and let it stand in your Platter or Pottinger till it be Blood-warm without causing any Motion to cool it This is an excellent sort of Pottage very friendly and agreeable to weak Natures affording a good firm Nourishment and easie of Concoction But if you are not satisfied that this will afford sufficient Nourishment then you may between whiles both in this Pottage and also in the before-mentioned Flower'd Milk when you are minded to regale your self with a Rich Dish add one New-laid Egg to a Pint or a Pint and half after this manner viz. when your Milk and Water is ready to boyl have your Thickning ready with the Egg or â—ggs beaten in it and put it in as aforesaid So when you would add Eggs to Milk-Pottage first put your Milk and Water into your Sawce-pan then take one spoonful of good Oatmeal newly make or grown'd and beat it up with your Egg or Eggs with either a little Water or Milk and when it is ready to boyl stir it in as you did in Flower'd-Milk and then you will have no occasion to brew it as aforesaid This is also a brave substantial friendly Food and the Composition agreeable there being no variation made by the Ingredients but they imbrace and incorporate themselves mutually as one entire Body However in all the aforesaid Milk-Meats you ought to add some well baked Bread and a little Salt but do not by any means put Sugar in any of these Pottages for Sugar is apt to obstruct the Stomach hinder Concoction fur the Passages and dull the edge of the Appetite it also heats the Blood and causeth
as otherwise And this I hope may be a sufficient demonstration to the good Dame and provident Housewife that the boyling of Milk entire or by it self is not proper espâ—â—ially for weak Consumptive Persons or Children but that it is much better for Health and to prevent Windy Diseases and breed good Blood and Nourishment to eat it raw or altered with Flower as above directed And if Women were so wise and kind to themselves and their Children as to eat such Foods as are proper both in Quality and Quantity properly mixt and duely prepared and to give their Children no other we should quickly have a healthier Generation and not be so strangely afflicted with such variety of torturing Diseases nor have such great Numbers snatcht away with immature Deaths And for their benefit herein if they are not too follish to learn and too froward to be taught I will here add A very excellent healthy Food for all sorts of Ages but more especially for Children and sickly People Take a quart of good Water two full Spoonfuls of Wheat Flower and two or three Eggs beat the Eggs and Flower together with some Water and when the Water is ready to boyl but before it quite boyl stir in your batter or thickning and keep stirring it till it be ready to boyl by which time it will be sufficiently thick then take it off and add to it only Salt and Bread and let it stand and cool without your help till it become about as warm as Milk from the Cow and so eat it If you wnat Eggs you may instead thereof add Butâ—er after the Water and Flower is so prepared with Bread and Salt but Eggs are best This is a curious clean sweet Food affords a brave sound Nourishment opens all the Passages breeds good Blood and pure brisk Spirits is pleasant unto the Palate grateful to the Stomach and easie of Concoction the common use thereof sweetens the Blood and all the Humours prevents Windy Distempers and griping pains both of the Stomach and Bowels having no manifest Quality that does too violently predominate all the Ingredients bearing a simile with each other so that it may justly challenge the first place of all Spoon-Meats or Pap and is the next Food to Breast-Milk for Children and indeed often-times much better by reason of the many Diseases and improper Foods many Women are subject to or use 'T is also a special Diet for Consumpâ—ive â—eople if they will keep constant to it for one half year or a twelve Month eating nothing else and drinking every day two or three glasses of clear well brew'd Ale with gentle Exercise and sweet clean hard Beds and moderate Clothing But remember that you do not add any other Ingredients to this sort of Food as Sugar Spices Fruits or the like for then it will become of another nature and operation and that for the worse as I have demonstrated in the Chapter of Mixtures of Foods in my Book intituled The way to Health long Life and Happiness c. It is further to be noted that this sort of Spoon-meat and also all others ought to be made rather thin than thick for in such Foods the Liquid Element ought to predominate whether it be Milk or Water else the pure spirituous parts being in a degree suffocated they will become dull on the Palate and heavy on the Stomach therefore all Pottages and Spoon-meats that are made thin and quick prepared are sweeter and brisker on the Palate and easier of Digestion as being more spirituous than those that are thick and long a doing And as all Foods that are properly mixt and a due order observed in the Preparation will have no manifest Taste or strong Hugo as all others have but on the contrary will yield a pleasant friendly Taste and Smell most grateful so you may observe of all Meats and Drinks whose Taste and Smell are innocent and fine they never cause any loathing in Nature because there is no manifest Quality that does too violently predominate but all the Properties or Tastes seem to be united or stand in equal weight and measure for where any doth bear sway it will quickly awaken its Likeness whence Discord and an unequal motion ariseth and thence a loathing follows for in Sickness all such Meats and Drinks as were the original of the Disease the very sight and smell thereof is offensive and for that reason English People eating much Flesh and strong Drink in Health do for the most part perfectly loath and abominate such things in Sickness desiring Water and more simple Foods wherein wise Nature indicates and points out the proper Diet in such cases if Men would but hearken unto her CHAP. IV. Of Flesh Broths IF sick languishing People must eat Flesh which in my opinion is nothing so proper to recover lost Health and Strength as more simple innocent Foods for several Reasons As 1st Because it is that which most both Young and Old at all other times make their chief Food and consequently from thence their Distempers mostly proceed 2dly 'T is of a gross Phlegmatick nature and operation of a moist oily Quality therefore harder of Concoction than many other sorts of Food whereby it generates gross Humours and thick Blood 3dly The Beasts are often distempered sometimes for want of care and skill in their Keepers at other times by hot Weather and much driving they are surfeited and yet killed before they have recovered those Disorders 4thly By being killed in improper Seasons viz. in the declining part of the year as August September and October at which time the central heat in all things decays and the Flesh of all Beasts becomes more gross their fat soft greasy and full of Phlegm and corrupt Juices and therefore Flesh will not take Salt nor keep so well then as at other times and also 't is then their time of Generation and Uncleanness which renders it still more dangerous and pernicious However the common eating of almost all sorts of Flesh both clean and unclean hath gotten such a dominion in Man that all that I can say is little likely to abate those furious Inclinations therefore if the Sick will still follow Custom aud gratifie his Humour and must needs have his Flesh-Pots and Flesh-Broths we shall give some directions for the best ordering thereof which is done after this manner VIZ. Let your Flesh be fresh killed and otherways good whether Fowls Beef or Mutton First make your Water boyl then have your Flesh ready to put in and encrease your Fire that it may not lie long in the Water before it boyls again and let your Pot or Vessel be large that it may hold a sufficient quantity of Water that the flesh may swim freely and when it boyls take your Pot-lid off that the sulpherous fiery Fumes may pass freely away and the Air have its free Influences upon it for that Element is the true Life of the Spirit and by having plenty of
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
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