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BRead made of pure wheat floure, well boulted frō all bran, sufficiently leauened, and finely moulded & baked, comforteth and strengtheneth the hart, maketh a man fat, and preserueth health. It must not be aboue two or three dayes old, at most, for then it waxeth hard to be cōcocted. Howbeit neuerthelesse,
the pith of new hot bread infused into wine, and smelt vnto, doth much good to the spirits, and greatly exhilarateth the heart.
Beere which is made of good malt, well brew∣ed, not too new, nor too stale, nourisheth the body, causeth a good colour, and quickly pas∣seth out of the body. In summer it auayleth a man much, and is no lesse wholesome to our constitutions then wine. Besides the nutritiue faculty, which it hath by the malt, it receiueth likewise a certaine propertie of medicine by the hop.
Ale made of barley malt and good water doth make a man strong: but now a daies few brewers do brew it as they ought, for they add slimie and heauie baggage vnto it, thinking thereby to please tossepots, & to encrease the vigour of it.
Good ale ought to be fresh and cleere of colour. It must not be tilted, for then the best qualitie is spent: It must neyther looke mud∣die, nor yet carie a taile with it.
The most pretious and wholesome ordina∣rie drink as well for them that be in health, as for sicke and impotent persons is made after this maner:
Take halfe a pound of barley, foure mea∣sures of water, halfe an ounce of Licoras, and two drachmes of the seede of Violets, two drachmes of parsley seed, three ounces of red Roses, an ounce & a halfe of Hysop & Sage, three ounces of figges and raisins well pickt: Seeth them all together in an earthen vessell, so long till they decrease two fingers breadth by seething: then put the pot in cold water, and straine the ingredients through a cloth.
Let them take a quart of fayre water, and put thereto fiue or sixe spoonefulles of good Aqua composita, a small quantitie of sugar, and a branch of Rosemarie: Let them be bru∣ed well out of one pot into another, and then their drink is ready.
They must gather the toppes of heath, whereof the vsuall brushes are made, and dry them, and keepe them from moulding. Then they may at all times brue a cheap drink for themselues therewith. Which kinde of drink is very wholesome as well for the liuer, as the spleene; but much the more pleasaunt, if they put a little licoras vnto it. There is ano∣ther sort of drink, of water and vineger pro∣portionably mingled together, which in sum∣mer they may vse.
Put a handfull or two of oatemeale, or else of ground malt, into the barrell of beere or ale, stirre the same well together, and so make it reuiue a-fresh. Or else, if you please, bury your drink vnder ground, in the earth, for the space of foure and twentie houres.
This is performed, if you burie your beere or ale being filled into pots, in a shadie place somewhat deepe in the ground.
Meath is made of honey and water boyled
both together. This kinde of drink is good for them, which enioy their health; but very hurt∣full for them, who are afflicted with the stran∣gurie or colick. Braggot doth farre surpasse it in wholesomenesse.
Meatheglin is made of honey, water, and hearbes. If it be stale, it is passing good.
Wine moderatly drunk refresheth the heart and the spirits, tempereth the humours, in∣gendreth good bloud, breaketh fleagme, con∣serueth nature, and maketh it merie.
White wine, drunk in the morning fasting, cleanseth the lunges. Being taken with red O∣nions brused, it pearceth quickly into the blad der, and breaketh the stone. But if this kinde of wine be drunk with a ful stomack it doth more hurt then good, and causeth the meate to des∣cend, before it be fully concocted.
Rhenish wine of all other is the most excel∣lent, for it scoureth the reines of the back, cla∣rifieth the spirits, prouoketh vrine, and driueth away the headache, specially if it doth pro∣ceede from the heate of the stomack.
These kindes of wines are only for maried folkes, because they strengthen the back.
Sack doth make men fat and foggie, and therefore not to be taken of young men. Be∣ing drunk before meales it prouoketh ap∣petite, and comforteth the spirits maruel∣lously.
Vintners, I confesse, in these dayes are wont to iuggle and sophistically to abuse wines, namely, Alligant, Muscadell, and browne Bastard, but you shall perceiue theyr deceite by this meanes; take a few drops of the wine, and powre them vpon a
hot plate of yron, and the wine being resol∣ued, the honey will remaine and thicken. If you suspect your wine to be mingled with wa∣ter, you shall discerne the same by putting a peare into it: for if the peare swimme vpon the face of the wine, and sinke not to the bot∣tome, then it is perfect and vnmingled, but if it sinke to the bottome, water without doubt is added vnto it.
At euery vintage, draw almost the fourth part, out of the hogshead, and then rowle it vpon his lee, & after fill it vp with the best new wine of the same kinde, that you can get. Your caske ought to be bound with yron hoopes, and kept alwaies full.
Put a peece of cheese into the vessell, and presently a wonderfull effect will follow.
Milke purgeth superfluous humours in the belly, and nourisheth the body: but soure things must not in any case be presently taken
after it. Also, for feare it should cōgeale in the stomacke, put a litle sugar, salt, or honey into it, and so stirre them together. It agreeth well with cholericke persones, but not with the flegmatick.
Milk often vsed, of them that are not wont to laboure, causeth headach, and dimnesse of sight: it annoyeth the teeth. Which discom∣modities may be corrected by adding rice & sugar vnto it.
Womans milk is wholesomest and purest, because it is a restoratiue medicine for the braine and the consumption. Next vnto it, goates milk is best.
Creame with strawberies and sugar taken of hot cholerick persons will not much hurt.
Sower whay is a temperate drink, which mundifieth the lunges, purgeth bloud, and a∣layeth the heat of the liuer.
That kinde of meat is best, which ingen∣dreth good bloud, and is easie to be digested, as mutton, beefe, lambe, pigges, capons, chick∣ens, partridges, woodcockes, young pigeons, thrushes, and such like.
Venison, duckes, geese, together with the kidneyes, liuers, & entrailes of birdes do breed cruditie in the stomack, and fluxes.
Maister Plat, whose authoritie not only in this, but in all other matters I greatly allow of, counselleth huswiues to make a strong brine, so as the water be ouerglutted with salt; and being scalding hot, to perboyle their mutton, veale, venison, foule, or such like, and then to hang them vp in a conuenient place. With this vsage they wil last a sufficient space, with∣out any bad or ouersaltish tast. Some haue holpen tainted venison, by lapping the same in a course thin cloth, couering it first with salt, & then burying it a yard deepe in the ground,
twelue or twentie houres space. Others doe couer their foule in wheat.
Young mutton boyled and eaten with o∣pening and cordiall hearbs is the most nouri∣shing meate of all, and hurteth none, but only flegmatick persons, and those which are trou∣bled with the dropsie.
Young beefe bredde vp in fruitfull pasture, & otherwhiles wrought at plow, being pow∣dred with salt foure and twentie houres, and exquisitely sodden is naturall meat for men of strong constitutions; it nourisheth exceeding∣ly, and stoppeth the fluxe of yellow choler. Howbeit Martlemas beefe (so commonly cal∣led) is not laudable, for it ingendreth melan∣cholike diseases, and the stone.
Veale young and tender sodden with young pullets, or capons, and smallage, is very nutritiue and wholesome for all seasons, ages, and constitutions.
The leane of a young fat hogge, eaten mo∣derately with spices and hot things, doth sur∣passe all manner of meate, except veale, for nourishment: it keepeth the paunch slipperie, and prouoketh vrine: but it hurteth them that bee subiect to the gout and Sciatica, and an∣noyeth old men and idle persons. A young Pig is restoratiue, if it be flayed and made in a ielly. To be short, bacon may be eaten with other flesh to prouoke appetite, and to breake flegme coagulated and thickned in the sto∣macke.
The hinder part of a young Kid roasted is a meate soone digested, and therefore very wholesome for sick and weake folkes. It is more fit for young and hot constitutions, thē for old men or flegmatick persons.
Young fallow deere, very well chafed, hangd vp vntill it be tender, and in rosting being throughly basted with oyle, or well larded, is very good for them, that be troubled with the rheume or palsie. Yet notwithstanding it hur∣teth leane folkes and old men, it disposeth the body to agues, and causeth fearefull dreames.
Some say that venison being eaten in the morning prolongeth life; but eaten at night it bringeth sodaine death. The hornes of deere being long and slender are remedies a∣gainst poysoned potions: & so are the bones, that grow in their hearts.
Hare and Conies flesh perboyled, and then rosted with sweet hearbes, cloues, and other spices, consumeth all corrupt humours and fleagme in the stomack, and maketh a man to looke amiably, according to the prouerb: He hath deuoured a Hare. But it is vnwholesome for lazie and melancholick men.
A fat Capon is more nutritiue then any other kinde of foule. It increaseth venerie, and healpeth the weaknesse of the braine. But vn∣lesse a man after the eating of it, vse extraor∣dinarie exercise, it will do him more hurt thē good. As for chickens they are fitter to be eaten of sick men, then of them that be in health.
You must follow Maister Plats aduise, name∣ly, to take the blond of beastes, whereof the butchers make no great reconing, & boyle it, with some store of branne amongst it (per∣haps graines wil suffice, but branne is best) vn∣till it come to the shape of a bloud pudding, and therewith feede your foule so fat as you please. You may feede turkies with brused ac∣ornes, and they will prosper exceedingly.
Pigeons plump and fat boyled in sweet flesh broth with coriander & vineger, or with sower cheries & plummes, do purge the reines, heale the palsey proceeding of a cold cause, and are very good in cold weather for old persons, & stomackes full of fleagme.
A young fat goose farsed with sweet hearbs and spices doth competently nourish. Not∣withstanding, tēder folkes must not eate ther∣of:
for it filleth the body with superfluous hu∣mours, and causeth the feauer to follow.
Young duckes stifled with borage smoke, & being eaten in cold weather, strengthen the voyce, and increase naturall seede.
Young henne Partridges eaten with vine∣ger doe heale all manner of fluxes, and dry vp bad humours in the belly.
Quailes eaten with coriander seede and vineger doe help melancholick men.
Woodcockes and Snites are somewhat lightly digested. Yet hurtfull for cholerick and melancholick men.
These birdes if they be hanged by the neckes fiue daies with waightes at their feete, & after∣wards eaten with good sauce, doe greatly nou∣rish and profit them, which haue hot bellies.
Larkes and sparrowes are maruellous good for them, that be diseased of the colick.
New henne egges poched doe ingen∣der good bloud, extend the winde pipes, and stoppe bloud spitting. If the white of them being rosted be strayned, there will pro∣ceede a kinde of oyle, which being applyed to the eyes will heale their griefes.
A fresh Carpe salted for the space of sixe houres, and then fried in oyle and besprinkled with vineger in which spices haue boyled, in all mens censure is thought to be the whole∣somest kinde of fish. It may not be kept long, except it bee wel couered with bay, mirtle, or cedar leaues.
Salmon and trouts well sodden in water and vineger, and eaten with sowre sauce doe help hot liuers and burning agues.
Barbles rosted vpon a gridiron or boyled in vineger are very wholesome. If any man drink the wine, wherein one of them hath beene strangled to death, hee shall euer after despise all manner of wines. Which conclu sion were fit to bee put in tryall by some of our notorious swil-bowles.
Riuer sturgeons sodden in water and vine∣ger & eaten with fennell, do coole the bloud, and prouoke lecherie.
Cuttles seasoned with oyle and pepper doe prouoke appetite, and nourish much.
Riuer Lampreyes choked with nutmegs and cloues, and fryed with bread, oyle, and spices, is a princely dish and doth very, much good.
Femall tenches baked with garlick, or boyled with onions, oyle, and raisins may be eaten of youth, and cholerick men.
Pikes boyled with water, oyle, and sweet hearbes will firmely nourish.
Eeles taken in spring time, and rosted in a leafe of paper with oyle, coriander seede, and parsley, doe breake fleagme in the stomack.
Riuer Perches will prouoke appetite to them, that be sick of the hot ague.
Oisters rosted on the imbers, and then ta∣ken with oyle, pepper, and the iuice of Oren∣ges, prouoke appetite and lecherie. They must not bee eaten in those monethes, which in pronouncing wante the letter R.
Cra-fish rosted in the imbers, and eaten with vineger and pepper purge the reines, and help them, that be sick of the consumption or Ptisick.
Oisters, as Maister Plat sayeth, may be pre∣serued good a long time, if they be barrelled
vp, and some of the brackish water, where they are taken, powred amongst them. Or else you may pile them vp in finall roundelets with the hollow partes of the shelles vpward, casting salt amongst them at euery lay which they make. You may keepe lobsters, shrimpes, and such like fish, if you wrappe them souerally in sweet and course ragges first moystened in strong brine, and then you must burie these clothes, and couer them in some coole and moyst place with sand.
Salt consumeth all putrified humours, and causeth meate to keepe sweet and sound the longer.
The number of saltes are infinit, as, niter is a salt, allome is a salt, suger is a salt, salicor is a salt, copperas is a salt, vitriol is a salt, tartar is a salt, and diuerse other, which to rehearse were bootlesse at this time.
That salt hearb is named Salic••re, where∣of the fayrest glasses be made. If it be boyled, and with a little meale made into paste, and thē fryed in butter, it will (being eaten) expell out of the body all kinde of wormes.
Sugar mitigareth and openeth obstructi∣ons. It purgeth fleagme, helpeth the reines, and comforteth the belly.
Vineger made of the best wine, a yeere old, with Roses steeped in it, represseth choler, and closeth weak gummes.
Mustard is very good to purge the braine. It must be taken only in cold weather.
All oyles, except the oyles of nuttes and o∣liues, doe loose the belly.
Oyle oliue fatneth the liuer, and augmen∣teth the substaunce thereof.
Rice sodden with milke and sugar qualifieth wonderfully the heate of the stomake, increa∣seth genitall seede, and stoppeth the fluxe of the belly.
Pease being well dressed with butter and salt are very wholesome. For they prouoke appetite, they take away the cough, and mun∣difie the lunges.
Beanes well sodden, and eaten with annise seede or commine seede doe fatten the bo∣dy, and cleanse the reines of the back.
Cinnamon corroborateth all the powers of the body, restoreth them that bee decayed, purgeth the head, and succoureth the cough.
Cloues taken moderatly, when the stomack aboundeth with fleagme in cold weather, and with moist meates, doe strengthen the bo∣dy, stay vomits & fluxes, & correct a stinking breath.
Pepper not full of wrinckles, vsed in cold weather and with moyst meates, breaketh winde, heateth the sinewes, and strengtheneth the stomack.
Ginger sharpneth the sight, and prouoketh slothfull husbands.
New saffron well coloured vsed in cold seasons comforteth the heart, and driueth a∣way drunkennesse.
Parsneeps and carrets, if they be spiced with annise seede, or Cinnamon, and eaten with peniroyall, doe increase seede, and breake the stone in the reines.
Cane Tobacco well dryed, and taken in a sil∣uer pipe, fasting in the morning, cureth the megrim, the tooth ache, obstructions procee∣ding of cold, and helpeth the fits of the mo∣ther.
After meales it doth much hurt, for it infecteth the braine and the liuer.
Borage is a cordiall hearb. It purgeth bloud, maketh the hart merrie, and strengtheneth the bowelles.
Cabbages moderatly eaten do mollifie the belly, and are very nutritiue. Some say that they haue a speciall vertue against drunken∣nesse.
Radish rootes doe cleere the voyce, pro∣uoke, vrine, and comfort the liuer.
Cucumbers are of a cold temperature, and fit to be eaten only of cholerick persons.
They are only fit to be eaten of fleagmatick folkes. They clarifie the voyce, extend the winde pipes, & prouoke vrine and menstruall issue.
The best sallet is made of peniroyall, parsley, lettice, and endiue. For it openeth the obstruction of the liuer, and keepeth the head in good plight.
White figges pared, and then eaten with o∣reges, pomegranats, or seasoned in vineger, in spring time doe nourish more then any fruite, breake the stone in the reines, and quench thirst.
They are very nutritiue, yet notwithstan∣ding they putrifie the reines and the bladder.
Sebastian prunes doe loose the belly, and quench choler.
Red garden straweberries purified in wine, and then eaten with good store of sugar doe asswage choler, coole the liuer, and prouoke appetite.
Almonds and nuttes are very nutritiue, and do increase grossenesse▪ they multiply sperme, and prouoke sleepe. But I would not wish any to eate them, that are short winded, or trou∣bled with headaches.
Old and ripe Apples roasted, baked, stew∣ed, or powdered with sugar & annise seede, do recreate the heart, open the winde pipes, and appease the cough.
Ripe peares eaten after meate, and powde∣red with sugar, cause appetite and fatten the body. And if you drink a cup of old wine af∣ter them, they will doe you much good.
Weightie Orenges are very good for them that bee melancholick, and keepe back the rheume.
Plummes and damsons doe qualifie bloud, and represse cholerick humours.