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
Water the flesh is cleansed from its gross Impurities which the best of Flesh is subject to likewise you ought to keep a brisk clear Fire that there be no intermission in the boyling which would deaden or flatten the spirituous parts so that the Meat will become dull and of an heavy operation and grosser nourishment nor ought you to let it boyl too long for Flesh over-prepared is of an heavy dull nature and ungrateful to the Palate and Stomach All Broths made of Flesh ought to be thin brisk and full of Spirits which render them easie of Concoction and breed thin pure Blood Many People imagine Flesh not only the most Nourishing but also the Substantialst Food but this must be numbered amongst Vulgar Errors it is indeed endued with abundance of gross Phlegmaticâ— and corrupt Juices and therefore those that make it their chief Victuals are most obnoxious to gross Scorbutiâ— Humours in their Blood whence proceed very impure Spirits and bur-thensome unactive Dispositions whicâ— by degrees occasion and increase man Diseases for all Flesh is of a moiâ— Phlegmy Nature subject to Putrifactiâ—on and therefore such as make iâ— their common Food are forc'd to driâ—â— much either with or after it or 〈◊〉 least they accustom themselves so 〈◊〉 do which much increases the aforesaid Inconveniences and Distempers But on the contrary many sorts oâ— Fruits Grains Herbs and Seeds are for the most part endued with a far morâ— firm dry and cleaner Nourishment free from Corruption and yieldiâ—â— more sublime Spirits And there as much difference between Them aâ—â— Flesh as there is between Grass and Corâ— for true it is Grass generates morâ— Humours viz. flesh and fat and in shorter time in all Cattel but then sucâ— flesh is more soft greasie phlegmaticâ— and subject to Putrifaction than that which is fed with Hay and Corn. For this cause the Flesh of all Beasts is much better in Winter than in Summer and also all Grains and Fruits when the Sun and Elements have dryed up and exhaled the gross cold phlegmy parts are thereby made substantial warming and full of brisk lively Spirits and will keep good several years without the help of Art for the gross Humidity being purged away their own innate Salt and spirituous Vertues preserve them but Flesh cannot be kept without Salt nor with it but for a little season So that most Men as well the ignorant as the learned are deceived when they fancy Fâ—esh to be a more substantial warming Food than Fruits Grains Milk Herbs c. for Experience will tell us that Bread Buâ—ter Cheese Flower'd Milk and Water Raw Herbs in their Seasons made into Salads mixt with Oyl Salt and Vinegar and the like are not only cleaner Foods but more substantial affording a more chearing and warming Nourishment and all that have ever lived on them for any competent time do find themselves not so subject to Coldness and Qualms at their Stomachs as those that frequertly eat Flesh for all sorts of Foods that are in their own Nature clean dry and free from gross phlegmatick Juices will not only keep longer from Purifaction without the Body but they afford a cleaner and more solid Nourishment in the Body warming chearing exhilirating and encreasing the Spirits whence proceeds an healthy vigorous Constitution of Body strong and active Limbs good Stomach and free Digestion for always the more you imitate Nature in the Choice and Preparation of Food the more useful it will be to you For many Distempers especially that general one The Wind which few that out-live Youth are free from are chefly caused through bad Preparations and improper Mixtures or excess in Quantity or Quality of Food which Defects are not to be remedied without great Wisdom and Temperance But those that have not the knowledge and measure of their own Natures and Complexions nor have seriously considered the intrinsick Qualities of what they eat oâ— drink 't is no wonder if their Thoughts or Imaginations are wrong for blind men will stumble so that what they think is best and most profitable for the Health of their Bodies and Minds Proves the contrary An Example we have in Peoples eating of Food hot from the Fire or out of the Pot or Oven they cry out The Meat will grow cold and be spoil'd and there is little or no vertue in it if the fiery heat be gâ—ne Others are for Boyling their Food and Pottages very much untill they become unpleasant for Sight Taste and Smell and grow thick gross and dull Others there be that think themselves brave Doctors or Cooks when they mix ten or twenty rich things together crying The more and the Richer the better as if they were to make Mithridate in their Bellies All which and many other the like preposterous Conceits and unnatural Ways serve only to wound their Healths still more and more as first to Contract and afterwards to Continue and Encrease great numbers of Diseases CHHP. V. Of Flumery its nature and operation FLumery is the ancient Gruel the Brittains used to eat and the use of it is still continued amongst the Welch it is made after this manner Take two or three spoonfuls of Oatmeal more of less and put into it a convenient quantity of Water and let it stand until it begin to be sowrish thâ—â— taâ—e this Water and Oatmeal and put it into a Vessel stirring it and make it boyling hot with a quick Fire and when it begins to rise brew it to and fro with your Ladle to keep it from boyling this do about five or six Minutâ—s and thâ—n take it off the Fire for it is prepared to the highest degree The Brâ—â—â—ains and those that now eat this 〈◊〉 of Gruel had and have various â—â—ys of eating it viz. to mix Alâ— amâ—â—gst it and so eat it with Bread oâ—hers Milk Cream and the like which Mixtures are not much amiss but in my judgment those that have regard to their Healths Strength and brisk lively Dispositions or such as eat it to open cleanse and help the digestive Faculty and to remove offensive Matter from the Stomach ought to eat this sort of sower Gruel only with Bread for thereby it more powerfully removes the Obstructions of the Breast helps the natural Heat strengthens the Stomach cools thâ— whole Body openeth the Passages and makes the Body lightsome and airy This is a most commendable Gruel to be eaten for a Breakfast in all hot Seasons and Clymates for the sowerness or the fermentation doth so aptly fit it to the Stomach and has as it were digested all tough or slimy matter so that it becomes easily separated and so passes away more quick and free leaving no Dregs behing it that doth either fur or obstruct 〈◊〉 Passages which most sweet foods are 〈◊〉 to especially when any shall exceed in Quantity I commend this sort of Gruel to all weak Stomach't People and to such whose Breast and Passages are fur'd and obstructed by sweet tough
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
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
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
and boyled all to pieces for you must boyl your Flesh till it fall off the Bones that all the goodness and virtue may diffuse it self into the Broth and be sure you boyl it in but little Water that it may be the Heartier and keep your Vessel or Pot close cover'd that the Virtue may not evaporate but your Broth may be thick and good and strong for you want Strength poor Creature and Nourishment and this will cherish you bravely together with a Rich Cordial of Alchermes that I 'll send you But forget not to keep your self warm with a Flannel Shirt and a Wastcoat Doublet Coat and Campaign a Gown over all lin'd and a quilted Stomacher for your Breast and have a care of Cold a Nights but bathe your tender Nerves in a Down or soft Feather-Bed and get a quilted Cap and a Napkin over it for your Head and draw your Curtains before your Windows and round your Bed and there lie as long as you can so Sleep is a great Refresher and Nourisher And against you rise let there be a Rouzing Fire in your Chamber and a Quart of New-Milk boyl'd above half away with Snails in it and well sweetned with Sugar and then three or four hours after take a Mess as much as you can get down of the aforesaid Cock or Jelly-Broth with good Spice in it and after that you may eat a good Chicken or some other nourishing Flesh tenderly boyled and when you have done take a good piece of fat toasted Cheese for Concoction and wash all down with three or four Glasses of Racy Canary or stout Old Malago wherein there is steeâ—ed a Quantity of Raisons of the Son stoned and a lettle Saffron to cheer the Heart but if you do not so well like Snails then take only Milk hot from the Cow or Strokings and sweeâ—ten it with Sugar or Sugar of Roses And be sure continue this course constantly and though you are now weak as Water and have no more Spirits than a Dishâ—â— clout you shall shortly be as strong as Sampson and as lusty as Hercules who they say got fifty Children in one Night Probatum est This is the sum and substance of many a learned Lerry and passes with the Crowd for most Orthodox Doctor Croft though in truth the whole is altogether Ignorant Tattle contrary to Nature Reason and Experience But lest I should seem like those I oppose to assert things without Proof or Demonstration I desire the Reader would with me impartially consider the unproperness and contrariety of these Prescriptions to the end intended First In their Naturâ— and Composition and Next in respect of the undue Preparaâ—iâ—ns 1. When Nature languishes and is already weak and decayâ—d then they cry You must tak Nâ—urishâ—ng things when â—tis probable most times that the first occasion of the Disease was 〈◊〉 and upâ—rstâ—â—ty in Meats and Drinks that did over charge Nature with two much Nouâ—ishâ—â—â—nt But howâ—ver 〈…〉 be what it will Natuâ—e is noâ— weâ—k and indisposed the 〈◊〉 dull'd the Stomachâ—s Natural 〈◊〉 and digestive Faculty decay'd so that they cannot bear either with great Quantity nor Foods that are of a strong Quality which ought in the first place to be considered for Overchaâ—ging either in Quantity or Quality is generally very prejudicial to those that are in Competent Health but much more to such as are Sick This being a most certain Aphorism That Nature ought at all times to be stronger than the Food and not the Food too strong for Nature as in these cases is general but very absurdly practised for if there be not a proportionable agreement between the Food and the Stomach in vain do you expect Relief but rather thereby Nature is yet further oppressed and her whole Concord and Tranquility disordered and destroyed For when-ever the Natural Heat is weak and impotent the Food ought to be suitable And to do otherwise is just as if in very cold Weather when your Fire is almost quite out and not above a Spark or two left upon the Hearth you should cry out Throw 〈◊〉 an huge â—imber-Log or bring a Bâ—shâ—â— or two of largâ— round Coles for 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 best Fewel â—hat can be to make 〈…〉 Fire which is very true but yet in this case instead of encreasing your Fire it will by its weight and unsuitableness quite put it out whereas if you had fed it at first with a little Small-Cole Shavings or Chips you might have nursed it up into a competent Flame and then and not before it would be able to deal with your Coles and your Timber and turn them into Aliments for its self The Application is easie Nothing does more hurt the Health than Disproportion and to heap together Superfâ—uity of Meats and Drinks beyond the Power of the Digestive Faculty especially when they are made strong and fulsom by bad Preparations and this respect the usual Prescriptions to Consumptive Persons are very much to be blamed For 2. Broths and Pottages made with any kind of Flesh be it what it will where 't is boyled in small Quantities of Water and the Vessel or â—ot kept close cover'd and boyled so long till it becomes soft and a meer Mash so that it falls from the Bones such Broths I say will become thick and of a blackish colour or a stronâ— unpleasing scent or smell and of a fulsom nauseating taste hard of Concoction and apt to cloy the Stomach for the much or over-boyling of any sort of Food especially Flâ—sh which is of its own Nature thâ— grossest of all Food and most subject to Putrifaction does destroy all the good Virtues and so much the more speedily and certainly when it shall be boyled in small Quantities of Water and the Vessel kept cover'd for thereby the pure volatile Spirit is suffocated and then presently the sweet Oyl of such Food turns strong and â—our for want of the egress and regress of the Air which is the true Life and Preserver of the essential Spirit as the Spirit is the Life and Preserver of the sweet Body in every thing and in whatsoever the Spirit suffers violence the Balsaâ—ick Body and Oyl is turned into a strong fulsom substance as is manifested by all fermented Liquors which if exposed to the open Air the Spirits will evaporate and then the sweetness thereof turns sower and becomes of an heavy dull Nature and Operation But in the preparation oâ— aâ— gross phlegmy Bodies especially Flesh the Vessel being open and having good Water with the free Influences of the Air keeps the Spirits living till such Bodies be digested and the Spirits set at liberty and then such thing is said to be enough or rightly prepared For if such Preparations or Digestions be afterwards continued the spirituous parts and brisk lively Tinctures become either suffocated or evaporated let the thing be of what Nature it will as is manifest in all Preparations especially in making of Hay for there when once the
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
but the greatest danger of his being misled or overcome is by those Intemperances that are most agreeable to his temper for by such Evils he is overcome as it were insensibly For sweetness is an inticing Quality and though in it self the best yet proves of dangerous consequence where it exceeds in Food in which too much Sugar is mixed for indeed every sort of proper Food has sufficient quantity of Sugar I mean sweetness in its self to moderate the other Qualities viz. the bitter sour and astringent so that when People mix such quantities of Sugar in their common Food they destroy the Equality and Harmony of that thing so that it becomes an extream and causes the like disharmony in the Elements of the Body for the best Quality in Nature is as great an evil when it too violently predominates if not greater than those we least esteem of as the Bitter Sour or Astringent for these last carry their corrector with them as having no inticing property But these things are seldom consulted either by the Learned or by good House-Wives but they go on in the Road and every day encrease hurtful Extravagances perswading themselves that the more cost they bestow the more rich things they jumble together the better and more nourishing their Food must be and more nourshing indeed it is but of Diseases and evil Juices whereas plain course cheap simple Foods are much more friâ—ndly to Nature and consequently more strengthning and restorative And therefore in former Ages when Sugar Spanish Fruits Spices Sweet-Meats and the like were not known in these Northen Climates People were not oâ—ly healthier but stronger larger and bigger bon'd than of late Years since the frequent eating and mixing those forreign Ingredients with our more natural Food whiâ—h have and do daily prove of fatal consequence to the Healths of many that immoderately use them The best Pyes whether of Apples or Pears are made thus Take good Wheat Flower make it into a Paste with a little Leaven or Yeast as you do Bread with warm Water or Milk and Water but no warmer than your Blood let your Apples and Pears be full ripe and you need not mix any other Ingredients with them except you please to put a few of our own Country Seeds either Carraway or Fennâ—l-Seâ—ds which are very good and agreeable to most Stomachs The best fashion to make these Pyes in is that of Pasties which in some Countries they call Ovâ—rstaps for Crust or Paste that is made after this manner will not stand or be raised according to the common custom And indeed if this wholsom Food were in shion and that esteem which it deserves People need not be at that charge with their Daughters to learn them to Râ—isâ— Paste which invention was more for State and Pride than Health This last sort of Apple and Pear-Pyes are the best most natural and agreeable of all others for they afford a Nourishment of a fine clean substance open Obstructions of the Brest cleanse the Passages and gently open the Belly and you may eat of it every day without any kind of weariness during the time such Fruits are in their full strength and vertue I wish the Nice-Cockered Palated Citizens would but try the difference for one year and then many of them would hate that Ignorance and Vanity whereby they have contracted Diseases on themselves and entailed them on their Posterity which have no Remedy if they shall continue stubborn and walk down Hill to Destruction in the Path of blind Tradition for no Medicines have power to cure the Distempers that are contrcted by improper Preparations Mixtures and Superfiuity if the smae be still continued This is evident from daily Experience for do we not find every succeeding Generation more infirm and diseased than the former 2. In the baking your Pyes the Oâ—â—u ought to stand open or at least the Ovenlid not so close but that some Air may pass for this Element is the true Life of the Spirit therefore all Preparations in which the Air has its free circulation the Tincture and pure spirituous Vertues are preserv'd from Suffocation and thereby the true natural Colour Smell and Taste preserv'd without violation which other-wise cannot be done to that advantage 3. When your Pyes are sufficiently baked draw them and cut holes in the top of each that the sulpherous Atomes and fiery vapours may the better pass away and separate themselves which will make such Pies sweet and less windy and much more wholsome 4. You ought neither to eat them hot nor put Butter into them as the custom of some is for that does but waste your Butter and render your Pyes less wholsom than otherwise they would be But if you let them stand as aforesaid till they are through cold you may eat freely of them for they are a brave wholsom food Also ripe Apples raw are veâ—â— good being eaten alone or with Bread not as a common food but sometimes between whiles for they clear anâ— open Obstructions of the Stomach anâ— gently loosen the Belly the same 〈◊〉 most other Fruits as Apricocks Pâ—ches Plumbs of all sorts Gooseâ—â—rrâ— Currants and the like if eaten moderately on clean well-prepared Stomachs not after Dinner or in Wantonness on full Paunches as is the custom of Gluttons and such as are 〈◊〉 much strangers to Nature as to Temâ—rance As for Pies made of â—iesh with Fruits Spices and Butter in the Crust they are utter Enemies to the Stomach and the natural Heat thereof they dull the edge of the Palate stop and cloy the Orifice of the Stomach obstruct and fur the Passages breed evil Juices bad Blood and consequently impure Spirits causing heavy lumpish Dispositions to attend all those that frequently eat such improper Food and this so much the more if eaten Piping-hot as the common way is And rather than the Veâ—ison-Pasty shall want store of poysonous sulpherous Steams my Lady will have it put into the Oven three of four days one after another that it may forsooth come to the Table Râ—eking-hot whereas if her Madamship had but any Acquaintance with Dame Nature or the Princess Reason or plain Grammer Experience they would all tell her That though her fine Pasty with as many Towers o' th' top on 't as a fortifi'd City presaging danger or destruction to those that shall attaque it be at best but an untoward unnatural kind of Food yet 't were much better Cold than Hot at first much more after the greasie Cruâ—st and stifled Flesh has so often been Parboyled in the furious Steams of a close sulpherous Oven The cause of which I have oft told you already and fear I must do so again before you will understand and so regard it as to abandon your old silly mischievous Customs but the Reason is this The pure volatile Spirits and sweet Balsamick Vertues of all things are in a great measure destroy'd by the sierce Saturnine and Martial Fires and for
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
but little affinity in the Radix of Oyl and Butter or Cheese and the natural Heat of the â—tomach doth not â—ike that Food in which there are several sorts of fat things intermixed of disagreeing Natures besides â—at is always heavy of digestion Another sort of good Sallade 2. Take Lettice Spinnage-Topâ— Penny-Royal Sorrâ—l a few Onâ—ons and Persâ—â—y and season it as before mentioned with Oyl Salt and Vinegar Another 3. Take Letticâ— Sorrel Pepper-Grass Spinnage Tops of Mint and Onions and season'd as before Another 4. Take Spinnage Lettice Tarragan and Parsâ—â—y with some Leaves of Balm Or Sorrel Tarragan Spinnage Letticee Onions and Parsley Or Tops of Penny-Royal Mint Lettice Spinnage Sorrel and Parsle Or Lettice Sâ—innage Onions Penny-Royal Balm and Sorâ—el Or Sage Lettice Spinnage Sorrel Oniâ—ns and Parsley and seasoned as before Anoâ—her 5. Take Sage Penny-Royal Mint Balm a few Lettice and some Sorrel and season it with Oyl Salt and Vinegar as is before mentioned This is a brave noble warming Sallad as indeed they all are but this in a more especial manner Another 6. Take Lettice Sorrel Endife Celery Spinnage and Onions seasoned as before Another 7. Take young green Buds of Colwoâ—ts or young Colow â—s or Colwort-Plants or a hollow Câ—lworty Cabbage with some Onions This is a good Sallad seasonâ—d in the same manner Some there be that will make Sallads of hard Cabbage but they are but very indifferent ones Nor do I know any way of Preparation that can make an hard white Cabbage wholsome Many People admire it for its whiteness but though the pure White colour in some things is of excellent Vertues it is not so in this because it is not natural for it to be so but it comes to pass by Accident that is because the friendly Element the Air hath not its free Circulation and Influence in and through it which causeth it to be so white whereas its natural genuine Colour is Green And therefore if you please to observe it all white hard Cabbages are more fulsome and of a stronger nature and operation either raw or boyled than your open hollow greenish Cabbages and harder of Concoction and the Liquor in which they are boyled is more nauseous and will sooner putrifie and stink than that in which Coâ—worts are boyled Therefore young green Colworts and Cabbage-Colwots are the wholsomest more cleansing and easier of Concoction Another warming chearing Sallad 8. Take the green fresh Leaves of Colworts or Cabbage Plants Lâ—ttice Sorrel and Parsley Tarragan Neâ—tle-Tops Penny-Royal and Mint let the quantity of each be according to your Palate being season'd with Oyl Salt and Viâ—egar it is a brave warming or exhilirating Sallade if seasoned to the highest degree Sallads for the Winter Take Colwort-Plants Sorrel Lettice Endife Celery Parsley Old Onionâ—s which are far better to be cut and eaten with Sallads in the Winter than Young and season them well with Salt Oyl Venegr This is of a warming chearing Nature and gives briskness to the Spirits opening and keeping the Passages from obstructions and furring which in Winter they are most subject unto for then Nature having as it were lockt up all her Gates the central heat is driven more inward which causeth great Appetite of hard strong fat and succulent Foods and strong Drinks which where Discretion Order and Temperance are wanting sows the Seeds and lays the Foundation for Diseases that commonly manifest themselves in the Summer following which the common and frequent eating of Herbs and Sallads in the Winter will in a great measure prevent And though Herbs have not so much Life and Vigour nor are so much opening and cleansing in the Winter as in the Spring yet all such Herbs as do grow and continue fresh and green do also retain their true natural Vertues and Qualities and being eaten in Sallads and season'd as they ought have in a degree the same operation as at other seasons of the year This few People do understand or consider but cry out Herbs in Winter Who will or can eat them then they are cold and very hurtful And this foolish false Doctrine they receive by Tradition from one to another without any experience or tryal whereas a Sallad well seasoned and ordered in December or Ianuary if the season prove open and mild is as chearing and being eaten only with good well made Bread will warm the Stomach as much as two or three Glasses of Wine and is for more pleasant and natural â—or there is a greater excellency in all green Herbs in the Winter than most imagine especially for old People and such as are subject to Stoppages or shortness of Breath who instead of Onions may use a clove of Garlick in their Sallads which is one of the best ways of eating it and it will bravely open chear and warm the Stomach Or you may make it thus Take Lâ—ttice Spinnage Endiff Celery and cut half an head of Garlick amongst it and then season it well with Oyl Vinegar and Salt This is a brave warming Sallet and very wholsom Of the most proper times for eating of Sallads Sallads are not improper to be eaten at all Times and Seasons of the Year but more especially from the beginning of February to the middle or last of Iune for then they are more brisk lively and powerful then at other seasons and better able to Cleanse Purge open Obstructions sweeten and purifie the Blood and make pure fine Spirits for the frequent eating of Herbs do prevent that pernicious and almost general Disease the SCURVEY and all windy Humors that does offend the Stomach Then again from the middle of September till December and indeed all the Winter if the Weather be mild and open all green Herbs are wellcome to the Stomach and very wholâ—om because most People do then live 〈◊〉 hard strong substantial Food and 〈◊〉 that can get them on hot strong spiâ—iâ—uous Drinks which are apt to disorder Nature if Temperance and some Cleansing Foods be not eaten between whiles In the Spring Nettle-tops Spinnage Corn-Sallet the young Buds of Cabbage and Colworts that grow on Stalks and others of the like Nature being boiled for though when you eat Herbs alone as Food you ought not to boyl them yet when you use them only as Sawce or a Coâ—rective to Flesh-Meats you may boyl such of them as are proper make a good Sawce for such as eat Flesh they loosen the Belly help Concoction and consequently open Obstructions which the long Winter may have occasion'd but later in the Spring as April May or Iune there are several other excellent Herbs as Lettice Soweed Spinnage Parsley Mint-Tops Penny-Royal Borrage Endiffe Succory Beets White and Red and many others in Gardens besides divers that grow common in the Fields as the Red-Dock Dandelion Comfory and the like which being boyled in plenty of good River or Spring Water with a brisk Fire and one of Wood prepares any Food best and the lid or cover of
the healing nourishing Vertues which will not endure any violent Heat or unequal Motion To make Garlick or Onion Pottage Take Water and Oatmeal stir it together and when it is ready to boyl bruise as much Gaâ—lick as you please to make it either strong or weak put this bruised Garlick into your boyling hot Gruel and brew it to and fro with your Ladle that it may not boyl for five or six Minutes then take it off and let it stand a little then add Butter Salt and Bread and eat it as warm as your Blood T is a brave warming cleansing and opening Gruel nothing so strong and nauseous as that which is boyled for this way you do extract the finer and purer parts of the Garlick and leaves the strong nauseous Qualities behind but on the contrary much boyling or boyling according to custom does destroy the good opening cleansing Vertues and awaken the Evil. CHAP. XXX The best way to make Diet-Drink with Herbs Grains Seeds c. or the proper method of â—nfusion of Herbs in Beer Ale or other Drinks THe best proper and most natural way to make all sorts of Herb-Drinks is thus First gather your Herbs in their proper times and seasons as we have taught in our â—ay to Health c. Then dry them in the Sun and put them into close Paper-Baggs and when you would use them take such a quantity as you think fit and put them into a Linnen Bag and hang the same in your Bear or Ale when it is a working or fermenting for two three four five six seven or eight hours and then take it out But if you would make Wormwood-Drink then you ought not to let it lie so long for of that 3 or 4 hours will be sufficient And thus if your Herbs be rightly gathered and ordered as aâ—foresaid all their good pure and Balsamick Vertues will as easily and readily give themselves forth into the Beer Ale Wine or other Liquor whatever it be as the pure sweet spirituous Quality in Mault does into the warm Liquor when you Brew which is performed in one hour to admiration But as in this Example if after you have put in your Mault you should let the Water or Liquor remain six eight or ten hours before you draw it off then the pure sweet spirituous Quality will become suffocated and such over long continuance thereof will awake or irritate the phlegmy gross nauseous Properties which would as it were totally destroy all the good Virtues as every one that can but Brew a peck of Mault may know by experience So the very same is to be understood in infusing any sort of well prepared Herbs for in such dryed fermented Bodies or things the purer Vertues do stand as it were external and when they are put or infused in any proper Menstruum or Liquor they give themselves forth first with all readiness because the Essential Vertues of every thing consists in the volatile Spirit and balsamick or sweet Body which is an hidden flying Vertue whence the true Colour Smell and Taste do proceed And therefore great care ought to be taken in all Preparations that this benign Vertue be neither evaporated nor suffocated for then the thing will presently tend to Putrefaction and become a Nauseate and loathing to Nature The Learned are Men of Tongues and so they may talk at their pleasure but I do assure all the humble Enquirers after Wisdom's Footsteps That the long lying or Infusion of any sorts of Dry or Grâ—en Heâ—bs does destroy their good Properties as a Candle by being held downwards is extinguisht by that which before fed it and also do irritate the gross fulsom Qualities thereof as is plain by the ill Tastes and Smells of all such Drinks more especially if it be Wormwoâ—d for then they become harsh strong bitter and very ungrateful to Nature and no less unwholsom For the common Wormwood-â—â—ink that is sold in Alâ—-Houses is of a string bitter hot fuisom Naturâ— and Operation and the frequent drinking thereof does wound and destroy the natural Heat and by degrees spoil Digestion so that the Drinkers thereof cannot be well without Morning-Draughts of their nauseous Purtâ— such fort of Drink especially if any shall drink much of it being of kin to Spirits and Brandy those that are once much used to them cannot without great difficulty leave them The long lying of Wormwood in the Drink does totally destroy the subtle Spirits and pure fragrant Vertues awakens the strong bitter poysonous Quality which not only checks and debilitates the natural Heat but heats the Blood making it thick and gross causing the Spirits to become heavy and dull and sends up stupifying fames to the Brain which falling upon the Optick Nerves do oft times extreamly prejudice the Eye sight but if Wormâ—ood rightly gathered and preserved be infused but for two or three hours when your Drink is working and then taken out you will have all its good Qualities and a most delightful odoriferous Drink and unattended with any of those ill consequences if you love it very strong of the Wormwood then add a greater quantity and not infuse it longer as is usual with some Another way of making Wormwood-Ale or Beer Take what quantity you please more or less as you would have your Liquor strong or weak of the Herb infuse it for half an hour in your boyling hot Wort then strain it out and put your Wort a cooling the very same way as I have taught in The way to Health of Brewing and infusing Hops which does far exceed all the common ways for goodness and vertue Wormwood-Drinks thus prepared either this or the former way are brave noble Liquors gentle warming helpful to Concoction they fine the Blood send no gross Fumes to the head and therefore hurt not the Eyes as the common sort generally does The same Method ought to be follow'd in making all sorts of Drinks in which any strong bitter Herbs are infused and whereas the usual way of making such Drinks does not only render them unpleasant but destroys all the Medicinable Vertues of the Herbs This new Method which we recommend makes them pleasant and grateful to both Palate and Stomach and moreover preserves all the Physical vertues for most bitter Herbs do naturally and powerfully open Obstructions if they be wisely ordered but otherwise they prove pernicious for every thing has two â—aâ—dles and Fire that is good to warm you will also buâ—n you â—f you do not mannage it with Discretion CHAP. XXXI Of Salt its Nature and Operation ALL common Salt is of an high sharp penetrating fierce hot wrathful Nature and Operation an unseparated Body wherein the poysonous fierce Original Fumes or Qualities of Saturn and Mars are predominant and therefore 't is unequal in its Operation except it be allay'd or moderated by some other thing whose Nature is more equal The Sea or Saâ—-Water is as it were the Original or Fountain of the Essential Salts