against griping pains of the Bowels helps Concoction disburthening the Stomoch of superfluous Juces and cleanseth the vessels which are generally stopt and furred by Intemperance either in Meats or Drinks for all Gruels and Pottages do naturally prevent fumes and vapours by carrying the offending windy matter into the Bowels causing it to pass away with case its proper way neither shall those whether Young or Old that often eat this Gruel be subject to shortness of Breath or other ill habits of the Stomach and Breast and if Children do eat frequently of it in quantities it will prevent those evil sharp windy Juces that falls into their Joynts which do cause the Disease called the Rickets it hath also a powerful opperation against the Scurvy and Dropsie by opening the obstructions of the Liver and Spleen begets appetite it cheers and comforts the Spirits it is in every respect friendly to Nature and assists her in all her Opperations for as most distempers are contracted by excess and Inordinate living so on the other side nothing hath so much power not only to prevent Diseases but also to throw them off when they have invaded Nature neither can the best of of Medicines prove Effectual when disorders and the same intemperance in Meats Drinks Beds and Exercises are continued that was the original of the Diseases it is also very profitable to Woman in Child-Bed the frequent use thereof would prevent those feavorish indispositions vapours windy fuming Humors that most are subject to in that conditions which is for the most part occasioned by their ill conduct and by their hot thick compounded Spoon-Meats but I do not call them hâ—â— from the firy heat they are tenged with in their preparation which also is injurious to Nature if not cool before it be taken into the Body it being a contrary heat both to the natural heat of the food and Stomach too but from the innate heat the ingrediences of those Spoon-meats are endued with also those Gruels are very profitable for all Children especially those that suck for many Womens Milk is defective besides Milk naturally furs the passages and stomach and often heats the Blood whence Feavers and indispositions proceeds which generally is attributed to the breeding of Teeth but many are mistaken now this Gruel does cool and cleanse all the passages and refresh the Spirit and thin the Blood. Of moyst Airs WHen the Fountains of water in the upper Chambers of Nature are stirred or awakened by the motions of the Elements and Celestial Configurations all things presently become dewy or fill'd with humidity for heat and moisture naturally opens all Bodies exerting their inward qualities and makes them defusive whether they be Good or Evil and renders them capable to mixt or incorporate with the Air for so great is the power and efficacy of this Element of Water that all or most productions are attributed thereunto as that whereby they are Generated Nourished and increased so that it seems a prime natural cause of all things that grow in the Earth and when it obtains the Goverment or Dominion over the other Elements it opens the Gates of nature then all properties do breathe or send forth their innate qualities intermingling with the Air of that place which if it happens to be low morish fenny Ground near Lakes Ponds Jakes Close Towns or great Citties as London where various sorts of Filth and Uncleanness are heaped up then the Air is fill'd with foul fulsome vapours of pernicious qualities but on the other side when the Air is humid if the Ground be dry or amongst Gardens Corn Fields open Heaths Running Rivers or where Springs trickle down from the Breasts of a rising Plain or Hills where Hedges and Trees do not stand too thick all such places do naturally exhale pleasant and fragrant Smells which Impregnating the Air renders it both delightful and wholsome Hence it appears that Water is the great Menstrum of the World the opener of all bodies and the aawakener of Qualities making all things penetrable whence Motion vegetation doth arise so that when Water and Air are incorporated the latter is rarified and it becomes more penetrating moystening digesting and cooling for when the sweet dews of Heaven are withheld all things are lockt up in the hot harsh astringent Chamber which threatens all things with death the Air becoming Sultry and Sulpherous which consumes the radical moisture in all Creatures and so renders them not only more unfit for Labour or Exercise but also more subject to Diseases then in moyst Seasons making them droughty hot and feavorish by stopping up the pores which frets all the inwards parts both of Men and Beasts and parches up the Earth but where Water and Air do kindly embrace or inbibe each other that place or Climate gains a brisk spiritous refreshing property that it sucks in on all parts of the Body for the pure natural and Animal Spirits in man are not altogether a terrene thing or Body nourrished only by gross Alement received through the Organs by the Concoction of Meats and Drinks only but draw in a more refined nourishment like spunges at every pore of the Body from the thin vapours that encompass and penetrate it on all sides for the Air being plentifully endued with a salnitral vertue does furnish and refresh Nature with a curious brisk Airy Spirit and for that reason Rain Water being Impregnated with a greater quantity of that Good vertue does naturally advance Vegetations beyond all other sorts enriching the Earth and making it hollow or Plumplike a ferment or leven whereas other Waters bind and close-up the Pores thereof but still the moyst Air of Woods are not commendable as to health because such places do naturally attract Humidity and retain it so as it became thick hot and sulpherous because the Sun Wind c. has not free passage to refine it but all Airs by or near Springs or running-running-Water are more commendable in the Summer then in the Winter and wonderfully refreshes the natural Spirits and therefore Imployments or Exercises near unto or on the Waters are both pleasant and healthful so that its a very vain Apprehension in many People so much to fear the dwelling near Rivers tho possibly the same may not agree with all Constitutions And as moyst Airs are most wholsome and healthful in hot Seasons of the Year The like is to be understood of our Homogenial Water-Gruel and other Pottages tho the contrary is practised by most Gruels and Pottages being mostly eaten in Winter but they are far more agreeable in Summer or hot Seasons for our Winters are for the most part cold and moyst which does naturally drive the heat more central which does strengthen the Stomach and digestive faculty that Nature can the better dispose and digest stronger fatter harder drier Foods and Drinks then in Summer or hot Weather besides Airs then are cold humid and dewy which do powerfully penetrate the Body and the
Meats and Drinks ought not to be taken together that are of a contrary Nature in themselves or disagreeable to any Mans particular Constitution because such Foods do secretly yet powerfully wound simple Nature with many Diseases and Infirmities before she is aware or can arm her self against their Assaults but let them be simple in their kind agreeable to the Complection and as near as may be equal in their parts which will breed good Blood and pure brisk Spirits and they always make the Body Lightsome and Agile 9. Forbear the frequent eating of Flesh and Fish without distinction and regard had to the Season and to their Cleanness or Unclaenness at that time and to the manner of their being killed after they are taken whether it be a Wound which may cause the free Evacuation of the original Properties of Saturn and Mars which is seldom done especially in Fish and Fowles but the same are for the most part Suffocated or Strangled or Die themselves whereby the pure Spirits and sweet Vertues by the Agony the poor Creatures are at the departure of their dear Lives are fixt or overcome for the orginal Venoms in which al Life consists are then so terribly agitated that they immediately suffocate and swallow up the pure Spirits and sweet Oyle if there be not a Wound made whereby those raging Poysons may freely pass away in the vehicle of the Blood for this reason experience shews that all Flesh as of Fowles or Fish or the like that are Strangled will not eat so Sweet and Pleasent as others that have a Wound made and Bleed plentifully but will have a stronger and grosser Taste and Smell nor will it breed so good Blood or Nourishment as the other but the best of them is much inferior to that of Vegatations which are more easily and more friendly obtained 10. Let your ordinary Drinks be mild and friendly to Nature neither Strong Stale Hard or Sour nor yet too new nor such as most of the small or nine Shilling Beer is that is Brewed in London viz. that runs off those Grains that the strong Ale and Beer has drawn forth all the sweet Qualities and good Vertues and there remains only a Sharp Sour Astringent Stinking Quality behind which the hot Water or Liquour extracts and then to give it a Taste they Boyle it Lustily with the Hops that have been boyled several hours in the strong Beer which have drawn forth all wholsome qualities and there are no better Vertues Extracted from them then the Water or Liquor did from the Graines and tho they do put some Ale amongst this small Beer to help it or to hide the ill Taste or Qualities but when such Drinks come into the Stomach those Sharp Sour Stinking Properties cannot be hid from Nature nor their pernicious opperations the frequent use of such Drinks do hurt the Blood and Generate the Scurvy and many other Diseases that are breed by improper and unnatural Drinks especially taken in too great quanties for it not only heats the Blood when strong but it keeps it as it were in a continual firment precipitating People into Feavors Dropsies Griping pangs of the Bowels and it also contracts the Vessels of the Stomach and Passages dulling the Appetite by weakening the Natural heat as woofull experience doth daily testifie to the great ruin of the Body Soul Estate and Reputation and many times Starving a Wife and poor innocent Children Of all Drinks Water hath the first place even as Bread of Foods the Creator of all beeings having endued this Element with many secret and admirable Vertues it being pure and clean in its own Nature and the chiefe thing by which all Exterial things are Purified Purged and Cleansed and tho Weak as Water be a vulgar Proverb yet I must tell you that Water is more strong sublime then most imagin for it contains a most Ravishing and Excellent Spirituous Balsamick Vertue whence proceeds that pure sweet refreshing quality whereby it hath power by its innate Vertue to digest and purifie all sorts of Foods Likewise in Preparations it is so innocent and friendly that it dissipates the gross flegmatick Bodies and preserves and keeps living the more essential spiritous parts it is not only the most plentiful and truly pleasant of all Drinks but supplies with its friendly Moysture and relieves Thirst beyond all other Liquors or Juces it is simple and endued with such equallity that it insinuates its Virtues into all parts of the Body in an insensible way it makes no noise nor causes any Tumults in the Brain nor awakens any Inequallity in the Body but imparts its meek Life as it were in Silence and may deserve the Name of Concord a thing that God and his Hand-Maid Nature have befriended with all the united Vertues both in the Vegitable and Animal Kingdoms it being the Radix of all moist Nourishment which mixt or incorporated with any kind of Juces renders them fit and profitable for Mankind The best and most agreeable sorts of Water for common use and Drinking are Rain River and Spring but especially the two first because they are not only impregnated with the sweet Influences of the Celestials and airry motions of the Elements but their running through and upon the Surface of the Earth does thereby draw forth a saline Vertue of a mild opening Quality which renders it more Homogenial then Pump-Water or such as stand without motion and altho it be our custom to drink Beer Ale Wine and other strong Liquors yet it would be very beneficial and Profitable to most People to accustom themselves to the drinking of a Pint or half a Pint at Night a little before going to Bed and likewise in the Morning it is good to cool wash and refresh Nature it is also good for some Complexions to drink after Meals especially for those that are subject to Fumes and Vapours if Bread be tosted hard and put into it letting it stand a quarter of an hour and then drunk off there being no sort of Drink made by Art so friendly and capable to digest and cleanse the Passages from Obstructions as Water and I am confident if People use themselves every Morning to drink half a Pint a Pint or a Quart of good Water such as each Person shall find most agreeable because Waters have various opperations on several Constitutions they would find as much Benefit if not more then by going to the various Wells so much cried up for their Vertues 11. Bad Air does further and increase all Distempers for that being an Element which we continually Suck and Feed on when it is corrupt conveys unwho some fumes into the Body impairs the Longs those Bellows of Life and infects the whole Mass of Blood therefore proper and good Airs are of great benefit to Health I say Proper as well as Good for every sort of Air tho in its self good is not healthfull for some People because there is as great a
variety Air as there is in Complexions and what is profitable for one is not so for an other and to find out this Secret there is no better way then for such as want agreable Air to Travel out of one place into an other by which they may be capable to find out that which is most sutable for them for as in the best Airs some People Languish under various Diseases for want of a change so in the worst of Airs many are very Healthful and perhaps better then they would be in finer or thinner Airs as many that Live in the thick Sulpherous steems of London are very Healthy and Live to great Ages And as every bad Air is not prejudicial to all Persons so on the other side all good Airs are not profitable to some sorts of Constitutions but change of Airs to most People proves beneficial And therefore Travelling is very Healthful and good especially for some People whose qualifying Properties and Spirits of Nature are unequal but this not being known many remove out of one Air into an other in vain or to their Prejudice 12. Forget not to use proper Exercises in open Airy places which will prevent many Diseases and Weaknesses especially in Fat Corpulent Phlegmatick Persons that are for the most part troubled with Coughs and Stoppages of their Breasts and Lungs Let such walk as much as they can by running Rivers two or three hours Morning and Night for the Air by such running Water is more penetrating discipating and digesting all superfluities then elsewhere nor are there any Persons more Strong Healthly or of better Stomachs then those whose Imployments are near Flowing Streams especially if the Banks and Ground adjacent be dry and somewhat elevated as in many places it is Let the fattest Punchenelloes but use to exercise themselves as aforesaid and eat clean Foods with middle Ale or Bear and once or twice a day drink a good draft of Water especially Morning and Night and it will in a little time level their Mountainous Paunches and waste all superfluous offending matter so great is the power of clean simple natural Meats Drinks Exercises and Airs 13. When you eat any sorts of strong Fat Foods as Bread and Cheese Bread and Butter Pudden Pancake or any solid Foods especially Flesh remember that you eat Herbs with them simply without either Salt Vinegar or Oyl only wash them viz. Parsly Sorrel Spinage Sage Corn-Salet the Leaves of young Colworts you may mix two or three sorts together or any one of them they mightily cleanse and help Concoction warm the Stomach and cheer the Spirits much better then if you put Oyl Salt and Vineger to them a little custom will render them pleasant and delightful Of which clean simple Foods we come now to Discourse of more particularly and since those that are Liquid commonly call'd Spoon-meats are chiefly to be regarded I shall here set down such of them as are most proper for the Spring-Season viz. in the Months March April and May of all Liquid Clensing Foods or Spoon-meats Water-Gruel deservedly claims the first place and is without doubt the best of all others either simple or compounded with any particular Herb or Herbs at this time or season it hath the most powerful Opperation because the Sun now increases in Strength and Power and endues all things not only with a brisk lively Motion but great Vertue and Life The Winter is the Rest or Sabbath of the Earth in which time she recovers Strenght and Vertue because she does then as it were cease from all her Labours and the Vegetative Quality stands as it were still This is manifested by the goodness and great increase of all Herbs Fruits and Grains being all filled with a brisk lively Spirit and Vertue therefore in the first Spring and Rising of the Sun every thing rejoyceth and becomes very Fragrant by Vertue of the sweet Influences of this Celestial Body and the Power of the Earth so that at this time all things seems to strive with a most lively motion to manifest its most inward Vertue this is the time for most People to eat Herbs both Boyl'd and Raw Salats and Pottages made thereof such Food at the rising of the Sun are endued with a brisk lively Vertue and Strength and of an opening and clensing Nature Purging the Blood and are good against all the Obstructions which the Intemperances of the Winter have occasioned Diseases being easier cured at this time then any other especially if Temperance and Sobriety be observed Of plain Water-Gruel PLain Water-Gruel is in its own Nature of a sweet mild and friendly Opperation and as Bread hath the first place of all dry Food and may justly be called Concord being befriended with all the good Vertues of the Vegetable Kingdom so this fine thin Gruel is the King of all Spoon-meats and the Queen of Pottages for it gratifies Nature beyond all others being most equal in its parts it stands nearest the Unity for this cause the frequent or daily Eating or Drinking of it will not weary nor tire Nature 't is both Food and Physick Nourishes and withal opens and cleanseth and serves both for Victuals and Liquor for you may either Eat or Drink it and at the same time that it satisfies your Hunger it allays your Thirst you may for need with Bread make a good Meal of it or you may Drink it before or after Meals without Bread or with after or before any sort of Foods whatsoever it has a universal tendency for let your Food be Sweet or Sour or Salt or Bitter Plain Gruel shall be agreeable to each of them being of an allaying softning dissolving and digesting Quality and that Complection is rare either in Young or Old that it does not agree with and tho it be of a moyst Nature yet it is not at all Phlegmatick but the contrary it being easie of Digestion opens Obstructions expells and hinders Fumes from flying into the Head it powerfully begets Appetite makes the Blood thin causing a free Circulation and thereby Cheers and Comforts the Spirits 'T is the best Spoon-Meat Women can Drink when they Ly-in for it breeds curious Milk keeps the Body Cold and free from Feavors and Vapours which other compounded Hetrogeneous Spoon-meats do occasion it is likewise admirable for Young Sucking Children for it Washes and Cleanseth the Passages which many sorts of Milk and sweet Spoon-meats do Fur and Obstruct and prevents Windiness the great Torture of the tender Age by opening the all Salliports of Nature that the airy matter may pass away freely in their right Channels In a Word nothing can be more friendly if it be made as followeth Take Water as you please for quantity make it boiling hot then have ready some ground Oatmeal which first temper with a little cold Water and then put it into your Vessel stir it about and let it stand on the Fire till it rises up or begins to boyl then keep