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-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
weakly Ricketty and Leprous thaâ— not to gratifie a wanton Desire It is the common Opinion that Currants are Cooling therefore both the Learned and your common Nurses advise that they should be boyled in Water-Gruel for sick People and then Bsâ—ter'd and Sugar'd which makes it not only very hot but strong enough for an Healthy â—low-man whereby it overcomes weak Stomachs they always forgeting what ought always to be remembred viz. Tha weak Hâ—ats must have proportionable Foods or else Nature will come by the worst of it And as for Currants being to â—ing 't is absolutely false like most of the rest of the grounds they go upon for all Fruits in which the Sweet Quality does carry the upper Dominion are hot iâ— operation and if it were not so such things would not affoâ—d the greatest Spirits and also the most in qâ—antity when the Distiller takes them in hand Also their Heat will hereby appear if you put such things into Beer Ale Wine nay Water it self it will make such Liquor to ferment and render it much stronger than before for if you put Sugar into Strâ—ng Beer a less quantity will make a Man drunk than that which hath none in it Let a person eat a Pint of 〈…〉 that is only â—ater and 〈◊〉 with a little Selt Buâ—ter and Bread in it and at another time a Pint made with Cuâ—rarts Sugar Butter and Bâ—â—ad as the â—sâ—al way is and let him observe whiâ—h is hardest of Concoction and hottest of Operation and also which he is lightsomest after he shall certainly fiâ—d by Expeâ—ience that the Plain Gruel is not only coolest but easiest of Digestion and he most Airy and pleasant after it The truth is it Men would but give themselâ—es the leisure to try and observe things they could not be such strangers to the Method of Well-living and to the knowledg of Nature who is the Hand-maid of God For the Reasons afoâ—esaid you may undoubtedly â—onclude Currants are not only hot but may also learn that they are of a Nausâ—ous Quality and if much eaten or frequently mixed with Food they breed thick gross Juices in the Body and infect the Blood with a sharp salt itching Quality or scorbutick Humour whence proceed general Weaknesses in the Joynts and Limbs and unnatural Heats in the external parts causing a lumpish Indisposition both of Body and Mind Therefore we advise all that have any regard to their Healths to refrain all such hurtful things and content themselves as their innocent lusty Fore Fathers did with the Growth of our own Country which will abundantly furnish our Tables and contribute whatsoever is needfull for the maintenance of Health and Strength but especially we caution Children Young People and such as are Sickly from the use of them they being most hurtful to weak Natures CHAP. XIV Of Spices their Nature and Operation ALL sorts of Spices that come from the East or West-Indies are in nature and operation hot and dry and therefore not agreeable to our Northren Conâ—â—itutions nor by any means fit to be mixed with our common Food for they too violently heat the Blood and destroy the pure thin refreshing Vapours and Spirits and awaken the central Heat which ought by no means to be stirred up for it presently sets Nature into an unequal Motion making all the external parts in a flame There is a vast difference between the Regions and Climates both in respect of Câ—elestial Influences and by the Nature of Soil and Constitution of Air whence those Spices come and ours that it amounts to almost a perfect Opposition and what is Poyson but a violent Antipathy or Contrariety in Nature And if the Natives of those Countries will so cautiously mix or use them how sparingly ought we to meddle with them But our English have such an itching desire after Novelties and every Ioan is so proud to be of my Lady Fiddâ—e-Faddles Humour and long for things Far-fetcht and Dear-bought that if we had ten times as many more brought over as we have there be those amongst us would cry up the excellent Vertues of them tho' there is scarce any one thing so much destroys and hurts our Health both of Body and Mind as the eating and drinking Foreign Ingredients with and amongst our common Food and how absurdly are those things mixt together whose Vertues and Vices are as contrary to each other as the Climates are different What agreement or affinity is there between our Fruits Grains Herbs and Seeds and those that come from the East and Wâ—st-Indies not so much as between the Complexion of a Fat-nosed Lubber-lip'd Blackamore or swarthy Bantameâ— with a Head like a Sugar loaf and our most Florid Beauties In particular what likeness or correspondence is there between Cloves Mace Nutmegs Cinamon Ginger or Pomento and the Flower of Wheat or any other Grain or with Apples Milk Buâ—ter Herbs or Flesh Verily there is no simile between them and the foolish Painter that to a Mans Head added a Stags Neek and a Fishes Body did not Limn a more deformed Monster than those prepare a monstrous unwholsom Diet for either the well or sick who jumble together Ingredients so heterogenious and as it were diametrically opposite The compounding of these Forreign Ingrediâ—â—ts with our Domestick Prâ—ductions that chiefly destroys the Health of our People and not so much the Compositionâ— of our own Growth though there are too often very improper Mixtâ—res of them also but those however are not pernicious to that degree as the others are For Example Is not Sâ—gar the occasion of such great Quantities of Gâ—osâ—râ—ies and many other Fruits are gathered and eaten whilst they are immature and have no more goodness nor vertue in them than the Leaves or Sticks of the same Trees Also what abundance of the like unripe Fruits are Presâ—rv'd as the call it though more properly they might say Destâ—â—y'd and when yov have been at all that pains and charge pray tell me what they are really good for unless to please Children and Fools and indulge wanton Liquorish Palates who yet for the most part pay dear enough for those Vanities by losing all Appetite to wholsom Food and bringing upon themselves variety of Diseases and then the Wizard of a Doctor must be sent for to Redress those Mischiefs which the Mother's Fondness occasionâ—d but then he goes so awkwardly to work that instead of Remidying he Encreases the Distempers and at last the puling Young Heir or the most beloved Girl dyes and then Father and Mother weep and wring their handâ— and are ready to be distracted And indeed they have more cause of Grief than they commonly think of for Thousands of Parents by their foolish Indulgence in giving their Children rich costly improper Food become accessary to the shortning of their Lives Many of our Gentlewomen who look upon themselves to be Saints do yet make no Conscience of spoiling those good Creatures and hopeful Fruits which the Providence of
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-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
making them is thus Take Wheat-Flower Eggs Milk and Water of each a convenient quantity mix there-with a little Salt and beat them well together put this Batter into a Bag boyl it sufficiently in a good quantity of Water with your Pot-lid off and a quick clear Fire and let it boyl without intermission till 't is enough and then sâ—ice it and butter it with good Butter This is a good sort of Puddens for such as admire theâ— which 〈…〉 〈…〉 baked before the hot furious Fumes are evaporated and dispersed it will the most of any Food generate Windy Diseases which you may prevent by letting it lie in the Dish or on your Trensher a while and these sulpherous Vapours will separate and fly away in a Rapid Motion And in truth a little use and custom will render this sort of Pudden or any others more friendly to the Stomach and in all respects wholsomer and freer from Windiness if eaten quite Cold which is for certain more commendable than any other way I cannot perhaps by words make People either belive it or be sensible of it Cuâ—tom and the false Prophet â—râ—dition hath so blinded the Eye of Mankind so that nothing but Experience will be able to convince them And if none will try nor follow the Rules of Râ—asen I shall yet be well satisfied in that I have done my Duty therefore let none be offended at or despiâ—e the simplicity of what I recommend For all the Wayes of God and his Hand-Maid Nature are plain and familiar and all needful Furniture both for the Body and Mind are every where ready at hand cheap and obvious But the Evil one hath taught subtil Devices and men have found out many Inventions equally chargeable and pernicious CHAP. X. Of Eggs their Nature and the best way of dressing and eating of them EGgs are an excellent sort of Food each of them compleatly containing all the true Properties and seminal Vertues of that Creature whence they proceeded therefore are one of the best sorts of things that is eaten being of a fat oyly quality but very friendly and innocent in operation if well prepared affording a strong substantial clean Nourishment easie of Concoction and such as breed good Blood but then they must not be eaten after the common way of dressing that is to say 〈◊〉 and after eaten with Butter for Eggs I told you before are of an oyly fâ—t Nature especially the Yolks and being eaten with Butter whilst the sulpherous heat of the Fire remains in them that turns the Butter to a kind of a gross Oyl which does not only tye or hold captive the sierce Atomes of the Fire so that they cannnot seperate and fly away but the melted Butter does dull and flatten the brisk spirituous part of the Egg and makes it gross and heavy of Concoction as also cloys the Stomach and for this cause many cannot eat hot buttered Eggs without having their Stomachâ— much offended and so many do not love nor eat Eggs on this very score but are insensible of the true cause thereof But these very Persons shall love them and find them very agreeable when prepared properly as I have often known Therefore I shall here briefly set down several Methods of preparing of Eggs both proper and natural and very agreeable to most Stomachs both of strong and of weakly or consâ—mptive People 1. Boil Eggs rere or soft then break the Shells and put them into a Plate or Pottinger and let them stand till they are but Blood-worm then eat them only with Bread and Salt or such whose Stomachs are strong and 〈◊〉 are great lovers of Eggs may eat them with Bread and Butter but the Butter not melted but spread upon Bread 2. You may boyl them pretty hard peel the Shells off and when cold eat them with Bread Vineger and Salt 3. Poaching or boiling them unshelled in Water is a commendable way being eaten with Salt and Bread or Bread Salt and Vineger 4. Take a Pint of Water and one large spoonful of Wheat Flâ—wer made into Batter with Water when your Water is boiling hot break one Egg into this Batter and beat it together and just as the Water is ready to boil stir in your Batter a little while until it be again ready to boil then take it off and it will be of a sufficient thickness put thereunto a little Bread and Salt and a small quantity of good Butter stirring of it about that the Butter may not turn to an Oyl then â—â—t it stand till Blood-warm and eat it This is a brave clean Food easie of Digestion breeds good Blood and a firm Nourishment with brisk Spiâ—â—ts Lastly Eggs are very wholsom raw supp'd off in a Morning and Bread eaten after them for they clear the Stomach and free the Passages from Obstructions and make the Eaters thereof lively and long breath'd if frequently eaten But let all People remember that they do never eat Eggs boyled in the Shells whilst they are hot for they often then prove pernicious to Health CHAP. XI Of Pyes how they ought to be made APple and Pear-Pyes are a good wholsom healthy Food provided such Fruit be thorow ripe and no improper Ingredients added as too frequently People of late do both amongst the Apples and in the Crâ—sâ— for most put a great deal of Butter into the Crust and such Dough or Crust having no Ferâ—ent viz. Leaven or Yeast to make iâ—lâ—ght thereby becomes of a close â—eaâ—y â—â—bâ—tance and the Butter makes it still more heavy close and ponderous and being baked in the close strong sulpherous heats of Ovens they yet become more unwholsom hence â—ye-crust does load the Stomach and disagrees with many and those that find it best are more beholding to use which has familiariz'd it to their Bodies Besides most that have wherewithal do put too great quantities of Sugar amongst their Apples and Pears whereby it becomes more like a Medicine than Food therefore such Pyes if a man makes a Meal of them will not give his Stomach that satisfaction as all proper Foods will and also the eating of much Sugar in our Food does extraordinarily foul the Stomach and fur the Passages is injurious to the natural Heat and breeds bad Blood and fills the Body full of the Scurvey taking off the edge of Appetite and generates evil Nourishment for this cause most People and especially Children and Women who eat much Sugar and Spices in their Victuals are so â—uling and affâ—icted with a number of Diseases for much sweetness in Food is as dangerous and proves as great an evil to Health as the bitter â—our or astringnt Qualities do when they shall â—â—ceed in any Food and far more because sweetness is more inticing to most sorts of People especially to Children and Youth whereas the other Quality is not so but the contrary and no Person need so strongly to arm himself against those Intemperances that his natural Inclinations do not lead to
God sends into the World for the real use and benefit of Mankind whilst they turn them into Wantonness and waste and pervert them before ever they come to Maturity to quite contrary ends than that for which the great and good Câ—eâ—tor designâ—d them for he intended them to supply humane Necessities they abuse them to Extravangance and Riot â—â—d â—iquorishness He gave them Vertues to add Health and Strength to such as should in their due season eat them but they by seizing upon them with an unnatural and untimely Violence the same thing to Vegetablâ—s as Muâ—der or Killing is to Animals and using them absurdly and preposterously make them the occasions of Diseases and Destruction and yet how many Pounds do some Women trisâ—le away in a year upon these harmful Vanities and Superfluities yea and think themselves rare Housewives too for this Prodigality and are at Pains or Cost to bring up their Daughters to these Baneful Mysteries of Preserving Conserving c. All which besides a most impetinent Waste of their Husbands Money and spoil of Gods good Creatures tend likewise to the destruction of their own Health and that of their Children for no sooner have they by Gluttony or eating of too great Quantities of Flesh Fish or other Rich Fâ—ods or overâ—strong Liquors brought â—â—emselves out of order but away they run or send Iillian the Chamber-maid who has already spoil'd her Teeth with Sweet-meats and Kisses to the Closet for some Conserves Preseâ—ves or other Confectionary-Ware and if that will not do as alas how should such sower abortive things only Embalm'd with nauseous Sugar do any good then fetch the Bottle of Black-Cherry-Brandy the Glass of Aqua Mirabilis and after that take a Dose of Plague-Water and she is no Body that has not a Room furnish'd plentifully with these pernicious confused Slip stops and Extravagancies But tell me my good Dames what have you to say for these Curiâ—sities What Benesit what Advantage do you receive by them Are you more Sound Healthy or Strong than the Honest poor Country-Woman that has none of them Are you more free from suddain Qualms or settled Distempers Have you better Appetites than they Have you more Pleasure in eating your Larks and Pheasants your dainty Biâ—s with Rich Poinant Sawces and delicious costly Wines than they have in a Mess of good Milk or a lusty piece of Brâ—ad and Châ—ese and a Cup of Nutbrown-Ale of their own Brewing Are your Sleeps more sound on your Down Beds double fortified with Curtains of Silk and Sarcenet than theirs on their wholsom Sâ—raw-Couches open to the Air that whistles in between the wooden Windows Are you more free from Colds with your â—lannel Shifts and your Man-like Drawers and your Quilted Wastcoats and Pettiâ—oats so many as makes you shew as big about the Haunches as a Dutch-Woman and would half set up a Long-Lane Broâ—er Are you I say with all this Furniture free from catching Cold any more than the Rosie-Complexion'd Lass that courts the sweet kisses of the Air in her Smock Sleeves and trips over the Dewy-Plains in a Winters â—rosly Mâ—râ—ing with but a brace of Linsey-Woolsey Coats that are not long enough to conceal the shape of her Well-Proportioned Lâ—gg Or are your Children born more Lusty or more free from Disâ—ases as the Kings-Evil Leprâ—sies Rickets Ioynt-Aches and other Distempers Or are they better Complexâ—on'd or straiâ—er-Limb'd or handsomer Shap'd or in any kind more active sprightly or vigorours than theirs Alas none of all this the Advantages lie all on the other side Whilst you are continually complaining and sighing they are merrily Singing Whilst you are weak and lose your natural Complexions and have no Appâ—tite and can scarce relish the rarest Dainâ—ies and your Sleeps are restless and Distempers are continually either actually seizing on you or at least threatning you so that you are always forced to keep a Doctor or two in Pension for your Life-Guard They are strong and lusty and look as fresh as a May-Morning and have Stomachs as sharp as a Scyth and all their Meat seems Nâ—ctar and their Drink Ambrosia and their Sleeps are sweet as Mariners after a Tempest their Breath as fragrant as Honey-Suckles they never so much heard of half the Diseases that you groan under and look upon Doctors as only Bawbles for Gentlefolks and find an Oatmeat Cawdle or a Cardus Posset better Physick than any the Apothâ—caries Shop affords their Children are in all respects lustier founder healthier more active and strong of better Complexions and compleater Proportions for the generality than yours And why then will you still so indulge a Sottish Fond Humour and wanton Paâ—ate seeing it is so destructive to your Well-being and that of your Dear Posterity But waving this not unseasonable Digression and to return to Spice It must be acknowledged that God made nothing in vain Cloves Mace Nutmegs Cinamon Pepper Ginger and Pomento or Iamaica Pepper are brave noble Fruits and smell as it were of Paradise and the great and good Creator is as much to be admired in them as any other Vegetations for though they are not so useful for common Food yet they have their excellent uses Their chief Vertues reside in their most pleasant Scent which is very refreshing and chearing to the Spirits also they are endued with a warming Quality very profitable in Physical Operations especially for some sort of Melancholy and Phlegmatick Complexions The same is to be understood in Brandy and other distilled Spirits which often prove profitable being taken when there is just occasion in a Physical way but of fatal consequence to such as accustom themselves to the drinking of it at every turn for then it quickly wounds the Healtâ— by destroying the natural Heat the like is to be understood of all Extreams in Drinks and Food which are disharmonious in their parts Therefore it is no ways safe to mix unequal Fruits with those that are equal for then the Harmony of the whole will be violated As to use our familiar Example Take the Flower of Wheat Milk and Water mix them and heat them to a Pap these three things are equal and agreeable in their peculiar parts each with other and make a brave wholsom Food either for young or old on which alone you may live healthy and contentedly for divers years but if you mix with them Sugar and Spice or either of them then the company of this Stranger puts them out of Tune and breaks the Consort so that if any one should be confined to this last sort but for one Month or two their Palates and Stomachs will grow weary and loath it And so it is with Cakes in which eight or ten Ingredients are mixed how long could those that love them best eat them and not be weary Not sixteen days together But take Flower and Water and make Cakes thereof and on them you may live several years and never be tired In like manner Flesh Bread
things that sweet Quality is impotent the same become fierce wrathful and harsh if in Animals they are ravenous and cruel as Bears Lyons Tygars Butchers Souldiers Wolves Dogs Crocadiles Pikes Cormorants Sharks Vultures and many others both on Earth and in the Air and Water of monstrous Shapes and hideous Forms if in Vegetables as Herbs and Fruits they are strong rank poysonous and much more in Minerals Nevertheless if this sweet and so much desirable Quality shall be too strong so as it were totally to captivate all the other Qualities as happens in Sugar and many other Fruits then its good and amiable Vertues are turned eâ—il for such are all extreams of whatsoever kind in Nature and of bad consequence if it be noâ— properly mixed or incorporated and eaten with other things or by it self very sparingly for many times the best things prove as prejudicial to health as those of less value nay more harmful to Health because they are more inticing Thus the too frequent mixing of Sugar with our common Foods and Drinks obstrâ—cts the course of Nature heats the Blood till it becomes thick and putrified whence proceed Stoppages of the Nerves hindring the Passages of the Spirits so that they become heavy dull and impure because the Blood cannot freely circulate and these Evils do in an especial manner take place amongst Children Women and Young People who chiefly maintain the Confectioners and are the great Devourers of Sweet-meats Few there be that are sensible or indeed so long as they live intemperately can be sensible of the mischiefs of improper Mixtures and as it must be confessed that Sugar in its own nature is one of the best Vegetables so it must be affirmed that as it iâ—an Exâ—ream or a thing unequal in its Parts and Qualifications so whatsoever Foods and Drinks 't is mixed withal it inclines them to its own Nature viz. to Inequality if care and wisdom be not useâ— and therefore is not to be used with eâ—â—able Fruits and Grains as Wheat and the like nor with Milk nor several sorts of Gruâ—ls and Pottâ—ges for they are all endued with sufficiency of this Balsamick or Sweet Quality already Besides the art that is used to make the Juice or thin Liquor of the Sugâ—r-Canes into Sugar does so alter and change it from its simple Original that it becomes of another Nature and Operation as is manifest from the different Tastes of the one and the other for the Juice of râ—pe Sugar-Canes has a most delicate fine simple and as one may say innocent sweetness leaving Behind in the Mouth no strong Taste or ill Relish but every way perfect and without offence to Nature and a man may without weariness eat more thereof than he can of Sugar especially of fine Sugar but on the contrary Sugar after the first 2 or 3 Mouâ—hfuls doth not only leave bâ—hind it aâ—n usâ—ous strong Taste or Hugâ— but also quickly tires the eaters thereof And as the mixing of Sugar with the before-mâ—nâ—ionâ—d bâ—â—ign Grains and Fruits is improper so â—â—kewise is it in vain to add the same to Martâ—al â—atuâ—nine and unripe Fruits that are harsh sour and bitter for unripe Fruâ—â—s can no more be made propâ—r by mixing mature Fruits with tâ—em tâ—an Brandy can be made wholsom Drink by mixing Sugar or Sweets with it This you may perceive in the case of stale harsh Beer you may mix Sugar with it viz. such a quantity as will allay and hide the roughness and hardness of the Beer as to the Pallate and make it go down some-what pleasantly but when it comes into the Stomach Natures Laboratory â—here she makes separation then tâ—â—â— â—aturnine and Martial harshness will again appear in its own Form and heâ—t the whole Body and generate the Gravâ—l or Sâ—one if it find suitable matter The same is to be understood in Foods what Stomâ—ch will be satisfied after a whole Meal only of Goosebery-Tarts made of young green Gooseberries made pallatable with Sugar and so of all other things that are either unripe or unequal in their parts and the reason is at hand viz. because two Extreams though never so cunningly joyned cannot produce a thing of a middle Nature or equal Operation and agreeable to Nature But here perhaps some will object If these good things Sugar Spanish Fruits c. most not be eaten wherefore were they made To which I answer The Creator made all things for his own Honour and Glory and made Man in his own Image and endued him with divine and humane Wisdom by which he might be able to chuse unto himself the better part but this Eye of the understanding he hath â—â—ut out by suffering himself to be preâ—â—pitated into all Evil Suâ—erfluity and Intemperance but the All-wise Creator did never command mankind to encrease and make vast Quantities viz. a thousand times as much more as is needful of any sort of eatable or drinkable things and then oblige them to swallow them down their Throats for fear forsooth they should be spilt or be counted useless as if there could be any greater Spoil than that which spoils both the thing and the receiver or as if it were not better to let a thing remain seemingly useless than to abuse it to my own Destruction the truth is the original of most superfluous and pernicious Inventions and also of such a prodigious encrease of Sugars Spanish Fruits Wines and Spices have chiefly sprang from the hellish Root of COVETOUSNESS being promoted for the sake of Gain and to raise great Estates and to live a rich easie superfluous Life and not for any private or publick good and as their ends were bad so the effects prove no better Some also will say We have need of them and why should we debar our selves of those things And thus if there were an hundred Toys and needless Novelties brought into England more than there is they would quickly find footing and the People would quickly have as much need of them as they have of Tobacco Braâ—dy Sugar Spices c. And that we have no real deed of any of these things is undeniable since our Fore-Fathers lived not only as well but much better too that is were stronger luâ—â—ier longer-liv'd and freer from Diseases before the use of such things than their Posterity are since nay many Discases which we now-a-days groan under were not then known But yet for all this it must be acknowledged as I said before that Sugaâ— is a brave noble Fruit and has its uses but chiefly as Wine it ought to be taken and used as a Cordial or in a Physical way and not at every turn to be mixed with our common Food and Drinks as most do at this day it being oâ—e of the richest Juices in the world and therefore the fitter for Cordials when Natuâ—e wants such Recruits but the too common use thereof is of evâ—l consequence particularly all sweetned Drinks and Foods do much forward the generation of
for its natural Vertues are burnt up and totally destroyed in the preparation It s loveâ—y White and Yellow Câ—lour which proceed from Venus and Sol are turned into a Saturnine Blaâ—k and its sweet Spirituous Taste into a nausâ—ous fuâ—soâ—e Bitter with a smâ—ll unpleasant And therefore the Drinkers thereof are forced to drink it very hot to hide the ungrateful Taste whereas Heat destroys the pleasant Taste of proper and Natural Drinks And for this reason Coffee is dull on the Palate and Stomach very apt to obstâ—uct the â—assages and â—inder Digestiâ—n and ought not to be drunk but in the way of Medicine for there is as much and more reason for any Person to burn Wood Herbs or â—rains to Ashes and then take those Ashes and infuse them in hot Water and when 't is settled or clear to drink it â—or such sorts of â—rinks are â—ediciâ—es proper for several Diseases but by no means to be drank as common Drinks In a word Coffee is the Drunkards Settle-brain the â—oolâ— Pâ—ss-Time who admireâ— it for being the Production of Asia and is ravisht with delight when he hears the Berries grow in the Desarts of Arabia but would not give a farthing for an Hogshead of it if it were to be had on Hampstead-Heath or Banstead-Downs 't is the Sawce for News the Busie-mans Recreation and the Idle mans Business The Lazy Prattlers colourable pretence to spend his Money and more pretious Minutes vainly and whilst he is censuring his Superiors and New-vampâ—ing the Government his Wife wants Shoes and his Children cry for Bread But since the Indiscretion of the Age has rendred Sipping and Tippling almost necessary to Bargains and Business and that men especially in Cities and great Towns many times cannot so conveniently transact their Negotiations nor discourse their private Affairs as in such places where there is Liquor sold a Dish of Coffee now and then to be drank by an healthy Person will not hurt him nor make any variation the quantity is so small but drinking of it frequently and smoking Tobacco therewith is injurious to Health yet strong sound Bodies may drink or eat improper things for continual custom will thereby render them less hurtful especially if they be but small quantities at a time However the best and surest way for every one is to let such Forreign Curiosities alone and to take such Meats and Drinks only as are proper in Quality and therewith not to over-charge Nature in Quantity CHAP. XXVII Of Tea its Nature and Operation TEA is another Forregn Drink the use whereof hath not been long known in Englaâ—d the best that can be said of it is That 't is a pretty innocent harmless Liquor it hath an opening Quality and purgeth by Vriâ—e but not so much as many of our own Counâ—ry-Herbâ— and its great esteem is not from the more than ordinary Vertues that it is endued withal but chiefly for Novelty-sake and because 't is Oâ—tlandâ—sh and dear and far-fetcht and therefore admired by the Multitude of ignorant People who always have the greatest esteem for those things they know not The truth is our Herb called Dandelion that is in English Lyons Tooth because of the similitude of its Leaf being gathered according to our Directions in The Way to Health c. and infused in boyling hot Water about half an hour and then the Liquor poured from the Herbs and sweetned with fine White Sugar is a far better Drink than Tea though the latter costs sixteen or twenty Shillings a Pound whereas the former may plentifully be had by most people for gathering and is of far more use and vertue for it cleanseth the Stomach and powerfully purg th by Vrine its natural Taste is a moderate Bitter which being allay'd by Sugar becomes as grateful if not more than the best Tea There are several other of our common Herbs that will perform the like which I shall not trouble the Reader with in this place only this I must tell you that Sage Penâ—y-Royal Mint Mother of Thime and Garden Thâ—me being gathered and dryed in their proper Seasons and preserv'd in Baggs will make more suitable Drinks for our Constitutions and answer the end of Nature's wants to a greater advantage than Tea CHAP. XXIII Of Herbs and Sillads both boyled and Raw. THere are various sâ—rts of Herbs and fragrant 〈◊〉 that are endued with most excellent Vertues many of which are so ravishing and sublime that with the favour of a Metaphor they may be called The good Food of Angels and therefore they were the only Food for Man in the beginning when he remained in his Angelical state for till he defaced the Image of God wherein he was created every green Herb and Seed was his Meat and should have been to this day if he had continued in that heavenly Condition he was created in and to but so soon as he suffered his Desires to wander after Vanity then immediately the original Wrath got mastery and the divine Moderator became weak and impotent whence arose that desire after Blood and Flâ—sh in which that outward Life stands and has birth from that strong might of Wrath for the original of all Life stands in Poyson therefore when Man entâ—ed into the Wrathful Nature and unâ—qual â—peration of the original Forms which does cause such greedy Inclinations not only to eat Flâ—sh aâ—d 〈◊〉 but also to Fighting Killing and Oppâ—â—ssâ—oâ—s both of those of his own kind and all the inferior Graduates for according to what Principle and Quality doth carry the upper dominion in man's heart whether Love or Angâ—r such Food Drinks Exercises and all other things he desiers Nature being always best gratified with that which has the nearest affinity to its self whence it appears that mens coveting Flesh and Blood is a true sign and testimony of their miserable Fall and that they live under the power of the dark fierce Wrath. But I have discoursed more of this in my general Treatise entituled The Way to Health long Life and Happiness As also I have there shewed at large the excellency of Herbs Grains and Seeds for Food whereunto I refer the Reader and shall here only tell you in particular how to make the best and wholsomest Salads which if practised may much conduce towards the Praservation of your Bodies in Health 1. Take Spinnage Parsâ—ey Sorrel Lettice and a few Onions then add Oyl Viâ—gar and Salt a good quantity of each to make it of an high Taste and Relish but let the Salt a little predominate or exceed both the other Ingredients and eat nothing with it but Bread which is sufficient and will be much more grateful to the alate than if you eat Bread and Buâ—ter or Breaâ— and Cheese or Bread and Meat though all those things may be admitted when you season your Sallad only with Salt and Vinegar but it is not proper to eat Butter Cheese or Flesh with such things or Sallads wherein Oyl is mixed there being