Friendly advice to the gentlemen-planters of the East and West Indies In three parts. I. A brief treatise of the most principal fruits and herbs that grow in the East & West Indies; giving an account of their respective vertues both for food and physick, and what planet and sign they are under. Together with some directions for the preservation of health and life in those hot climates. II. The complaints of the negro-slaves against the hard usages and barbarous cruelties inflicted upon them. III. A discourse in way of dialogue, between an Ethiopean or negro-slave, and a Christian that was his master in America. By Philotheos Physiologus.

Some brief Directions for the Pre∣servation of Health, and Life in hot Climates.

IT is a very common conceit amongst the Europeans, that of late are come to Inhabit in Plantations of America, that by the Nature of the

Climate or by reason of the unusual Heats, People there are not so long-liv'd as in the more cold Northren parts of the World; and for this they appeal to Experience; Do not we see (say they) how men are cut off by Diseases in the prime of their Years, and very few attain to old Age? Whence 'tis a common Proverb amongst them, Soon Ripe, Soon Rotten, as if this were the very Nature of the Climate; but this is all Mistake; they blame the Climate, when themselves are only to blame: 'Tis their own Intemperance, not that of the Heavens, which shortens their days: The wise and merciful God hath ordered so providentially all parts of this habitable World, that his Creature [Man] may thereon live comfortably, if he please: 'Twas the Error of the Antients when they divided the Earthly Globe into five Zones, to imagine two of them un∣inhabitable, one of which they called the Frigid Zone, through excessive Cold, and the other Torrid Zone,

through extreamity of Heat. But Experience has confuted their guessing Philosophy, and shews us, that both these are commodious enough to dwell in, if Discretion and Sobriety be used; Is one Region cold? God has given its Inhabitants strong Constitutions, great Stomachs, gross suitable Food, and Furze wherewith to defend them. Is another very hot? Here are refresh∣ing Briezes constantly imployed by Nature, to fan and divert them, rare delicate Fruits, easie of Digestion, to supply all the necessities of Nature, and support them in Strength and Health. But such is the Perversity of men, that being depraved by custom, they pursue and take quite contrary measures to those that Nature dictates, and in the hottest Climates gorge themselves with the grossest Foods, various Dishes of Flesh, Fish and Fowls, whereof they daily eat to Gluttony, and the strongest Liquors, as Madera Wines, Brandy and Punch; so that where they need the least, finest and

lightest Meats and Drinks, they cloy and oppress Nature with the grossest and strongest; And is it any wonder that they are then afflicted with Dis∣eases, or cut off by immature Deaths? If a man will turn the top of his Candle downwards, and extinguish it by ex∣cess of Tallow, how unjustly does such an one blame the Winds for putting out its light?

The sweet Influences of the Coele∣stials, and especially the heat of Hea∣ven's bright Eye (the Sun) does in hot Countries prepare all sorts of Ve∣getations and Fruits, so as that they become more wholsom and proper for the Body, than in colder Regions, thereby pointing out which is the most natural food in such Climates; of which the Natives (though by us esteemed Barbarous) are so wise as to take notice; for they in most hot Countries do more incline to eat Herbs and Fruits (though not so much as they ought, nor do they prepare many of them so well as they should) yet

thereby, and by being strangers to Riot and Intemperance, they retain an undisturbed Health to very great Ages; So in the East-Indies, where the food is chiefly Herbs, Fruits and Grains, and their Drink only Water, to meet with Persons of One Hundred Years of Age, is common; nay, it is credibly reported, that some of those called Brachmans, who do wholly abstain from eating either Flesh or Fish do lengthen out their days to One Hundred and Twenty, and One Hundred and Fifty Years: And in Guinea, tho' it be a very hot Country, and generally the Constitution of the Air accounted very unwholsom, yet you shall see the Ethiopians frequently live One Hundred and Twenty Years in great strength and vigour. By all which it is plain, that the fault is neither in the Soil, nor the Climate, but it is Intemperance both in Quantity and Quality, is the main cause of the grievous Distempers and short Lives of our English that travel into hot Countries, and also of the

Weakness and untimely Death of so many of their Children. For Prodi∣gious in the Excess they commit, such as cannot rationally be imagined of any that had not a mind willfully to destroy themselves: for to omit their Extravagances in ordinary Diet, the vast Quantities of Flesh and Fish which they unnecessarily devour, I have heard it credibly related and affirmed, That there has been the Quantity of One Thousand or One Thousand Two Hundred Bottles of Wine, Madera and Claret, consumed at one Feast, made by a common Plantes of Barbadoes; and that the like Superfluity (as if they would vye for Luxury with the old Romans, in the declining Age of their Empire) is not infrequent in that and other Western Plantations.

Now let all the World judge, if men will thus seek Death in the Errors of their Lives, how is the Country to be complained of? He that takes his share of three or four such Treats, will have little reason to accuse the heat of

the Weather for casting him into a Feaver. If our English, and others, that travel to and live in those Westenr, Eastern or Southern Regions would be but so obedient to Nature, and kind to themselves as to observe a proper Order and right Method of Living, they would not only live long, but healthy. And for their furtherance and benefit therein (I mean, such as have not absolutely forsworn hearken∣ing to any Remonstrances of Reason, nor betrothed themselves to Madness and ruinating Debauchery) I shall here add a few general Rules or Di∣rections for the Preservation of Health, very necessary to be regarded by all such as live in Hot Climates.

1. Flesh ought not to be eaten at all, or very sparingly; for Flesh in hot Countries is nothing so firm, good and wholsom as in cold (though the eating thereof may well be spared in both) but on the other side, Herbs, Roots and most Fruits are abundantly

more excellent for Food in hot Cli∣mates than in Cold; The same is to be understood by Fish, as experience has taught the Natives of all such places, who therefore do more incline to eat Herbs, Fruits and Vegetations; and for want of this Prudence, have not many of our Northern People after a full Meal of Flesh or Fish in those hot parts, been suddenly surprized with various cruel Diseases, as Feavers, Fluxes, and the like.

2. Full and Liberal Eating of any sort of Food, proves of more danger∣ous consequence to Health, especially if the Foods be gross, fat and succulent, because the natural and central Heat is by the great Power of the Coelestial Influences continually exhaled, and so becomes more external, which does in a degree debilitate the Digestive Facul∣ty; for which cause a mans Stomach and Appetite is rarely so sharp and strong as in cold Countries.

3. Great Drinking, especially of strong exhilerating Liquors, as Wine, Brandy, or other Spirits, is very per∣nicious; for all such Drinks, if not cautiuosly used, and well allay'd with Water, proves of fatal consequence, and wounds Nature to the very heart, as daily Experience does testifie, and doth sooner destroy Health than in cold Countries, though bad in both. I know this is contrary to the Vulgar Notions, but it is agreeable to Truth, Experience and Reason; only People, by a vitious Inclination, had a mind to debauch themselves with strong Li∣quors, and the Devil, to humor them, suggested that such Liquors (forsooth!) were necessary, and most to be used in hot Countries; and so they got a colour for their Excess, and continue the Maxime and now plead, They must be Drunk if they mean to be Healthy, &c. But Nature, as well as Christianity, will read them another Lesson; for in hot Climates, the natural or central

Heat being not so strong, by reason of the forcible Influences of the Sun, powerfully exhaling the Radical Moi∣sture, opening the Pores, and too vio∣lently evaporating the Spirits, the Stomach and Digestive Faculty thereby become weak, and the inclination to drinking is encreased; for which rea∣son many desire hot spirituous Drinks, finding a present Refreshment; for such Liquors do powerfully awaken the internal or central Spirits by Simile, which makes the Drinkers quick, lively and brisk, during the time of their operation, which is but for a Moment, but afterwards they find themselves heavy, dull and in∣disposed, their Stomach more feeble, cold and raw than before, which in∣clines them to take t'other Dram; and still, the more the worse, till Nature be debilitated to the utmost Extremity. The same operation have all Wines and other Drinks, if Temperance be wanting, but not so violently as the former; therefore in all hot Climates

there ought to be double the care and temperance, as in cold, both in Meats, Drinks and Exercises; of which, the Natives of hot Countries may be our Examples; for they do, for the most part live temperately, their Drink Water, or Wine allay'd with Water; their Food mean, or more simple and innocent than ours, whereby they are better preserved in Health; the Con∣stitutions of all People in hot Climates being not so able to bear or endure great Meals and superfluous Drinking of strong Liquors, as in cold. There∣fore most of those that in such places accustom themselves to the frequent use of those strong spirituous fiery Drinks, and the common course of gorman∣dizing on Flesh and Fish, become very obnoxious to the Dry Belly-Ake, or Griping of the Guts, Dropsies and the Gout. For all such Foods and Drinks too violently stir up and consume the natural Heat and Moisture, whereby the digestive Faculty of the Stomach is rendred uncapable to concoct or

make any perfect seperation, whereby the body grows oppressed with a Mass of Crudities and noxious Iuices, that sometimes fall into the Joynts, infee∣bling and tormenting them; and this is the original of that Rich Evil, call'd, The Gout. In other Complexions these and the like Disorders prey upon the sollid parts, and waste the Flesh, taking away natural strength and vigour; so that such Persons pine and languish under such a load of daily in∣gested Aliment; for nothing is more usual in Nature, than for Extreams to generate or occasion each other, and these you call Consumptions. In others, for want of Heat and Moisture the Excrement in the Bowels, is con∣tracted into so hard a substance, that it cannot freely pass; and this is that which the learned call, The Illiacal Passion, and the Vulgar, The Plague in the Guts, for which most cruel Dis∣ease there is scarce a Doctor that hath yet found out a certain Remedy.

Now in these our Western Planta∣tions

all these tormenting Diseases are much encreased by the frequent Tip∣pling of that pernicious Drink called Punch, the Nature and effects of which I have herein before hinted, but more fully demonstrated in my Treatise, entituled, The Country-Man's Companion, pag. 110.

In some other Constitutions the central Heat and Humor Radicalis be∣ing wasted by such unfit Meats and Drinks so received, is turn'd into a flux of Humors, both windy and watery, which swells the lower parts of the body; and this is the generation of your Dropsies.

But as the Lord our bountiful Crea∣tor is always good, and his Hand-maid (Nature) an indulgent Mother; so they have, as it were, chalked out the means of preventing these Evils, and prescribed proper Diet and Drinks in every Country and Climate to its In∣habitants, by the natural Productions of each respective Region, would men be so wise to follow those Dictates;

for all hot Climates, (as is before intimated) do furnish their In∣habitants with wonderful variety and plenty of brave noble, and most fra∣grant Herbs, Fruits, Roots and Grains, and most pure Water, far exceeding those of cold Countries, both in Quan∣tity and Quality; for in those hot Re∣gions, Heaven's bright Lamp, that central Fire of the Universe, the SVN, has greater power, strength and vertue to fit and prepare all things for our use; and if our English, and others, would be so prudent as to accustom themselves to those harmless natural simple Food and moderate Drinks, then the fore-mentioned Distempers would hardly be known amongst them.

4. They ought likewise to have re∣gard to the proper Times of their ea∣ting, or Meals, that is to say, to eat about Eight or Nine a Clock in the Morning, and then again at Four or Five 'ith Afternoon; for the common

time of Dinner about Twelve or One, is neither Rational nor Natural, be∣cause the Sun is then near the Meridi∣an, and doth then so powerfully draw forth, exhale, and weaken the Natu∣ral and Centeral heat of the Stomach, that it indisposes the whole Body, more than at any other time of the day, so that then Nature is not so well able to perform her Kitchin-work in the Stomach, by a perfect Concoction or Separation of the Meats and Drinks, and so all the Senses are dulled, and the Intellect stupified, and not a few seeds of diseases are thereby sown through∣out the Body. Besides the long Morn∣ings Work or Exercise, has by that time pretty much wearied, dulled, or eva∣porated the brisk lively Spirits, which are alwayes the main supports of Con∣coction and Digestion, and so Nature is still rendred the more uncapable of doing her work with ease. But in the Morning, after Nocturnal Repose has recovered the wasted Spirits, and made them Brisk, Airy, and full of

Life, the digestive faculty is fortified, and rendred able to digest the same quantity of Food, with much more ease and safety. The same is to be understood in the Afternoon, or to∣wards Night, for then the heat of the day being over, and the Body becomes Cool, Airy, and full of Life, and be∣ing a sufficient time before sleep, as at Four or Five a Clock, such Suppers will not Incommode Nature, nor hin∣der Rest, as late eating is apt to do, especially in hot Countries, and still the more in maturer Age, or such as begin to be striken in years, to whom such Meals are most injuri∣ous.

5. Such as have due regard to their Health and Strength, ought for the reasons aforesaid to Rest from Elea∣ven a Clock till Two in the Afternoon, which will wonderfully recover their Spirits, and render them much better able to go through with their Labour with a lively Vigour, and to do more 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

preparation of each of them; toge∣ther with the Nature and Operation of various drinks, as most sorts of Wine, Ale, Beer, Syder, each spoken to di∣stinctly by themselves, &c.

8. They ought to avoid the frequent eating and drinking of all Foods or Li∣quors in which the Sweet Quality is too highly predominant; for sweet Foods are of far more dangerous con∣sequence as to Health, than most Peo∣ple imagin; for all Sweet things when fermented in the Stomach do turn to the highest Sowerness, viz. into a keen sharpness, which does not only spoil the digestive faculty, but infects the Blood with a Mangie, Scorbutick Hu∣mour, causing stoppages in all the ex∣ternal parts, whence proceed Indispo∣sitions, and akeing Loyns, and feeble Joynts. For the same cause it is, that such as eat much Sugar or sweet food, are extreamly troubled with rotten de∣cay'd Teeth and Gumes; for those dullified foods cause such a sour acid

Quality as generates putrifaction, which centers on the Teeth and between the Gumes, and so destroys them: And it were far better and more healthy for People, if they would accustom them∣seves to Foods and Drinks in which the Bitter and Sower Qualities were more predominant, especially in hot Climates where most sorts of Fruits are sweet∣ish, for the Root of all Motion, Open∣ing and Cleansing, consists in the Bit∣ter Quality; for which reason the Sophys or Wise-men, both of the Sou∣thern and Eastern Countries have taught the People to moderate all or most of their foods with Herbs and Fruits that are of a Bitterish Quality, which does wonderfully support Nature and pre∣serve Health, whereby they attain to very great Ages, as we noted before of those in Guinea, and the same may be observed elsewhere; for those Patriarchs whose Longevity we find Recorded, did all of them live in very hot Coun∣tries: But their Temperance support∣ed Nature, and so it will (in a propor∣tionable

degree) all that practice it. And therefore if these Rules of Health be seriously regarded and followed, those causeless scandals on the Climate, the Heat, &c. of these happy Western, Southern and Eastern Regions (not in∣ferior for Health or Pleasantness (if rightly understood) to any in the World) will cease, and the English Traders or Inhabitants may there ex∣tend their lives in Comfort to as good an old Age, as they would have pro∣mised themselves in their Native Coun∣try: But without Discretion and Tem∣perance in Diet, Drinks, Exercises and Affections of the mind, Diseases will certainly attend us, wherever we re∣side; and an immature Death be apt to seize us: There is no Region so happy, no Elevation of the Pole so temperate, no Air so salubrious, as to keep People in Health whether they will or no, and those that obstinately violate Nature, and wilfully persue courses absolutely destructive, may justly be rank't amongst the number of

Self-Murtherers; for it matters not much whether a man kill himself all at once, or by repeated Acts and degrees, only the latter seems less excuseable, since it has not the pretext of a sudden Temp∣tation or Passion, but seems a more de∣liberate design of destroying both his Body and Soul, against all Cautions and Arguments from time to time of∣fered to him, both by Reason and Expe∣rience to the contrary: Those there∣fore that would avoid the Brand of be∣ing Felo's-de-se, let them before it be too late abandon Riot and Excess, and embrace Temperance and Sobriety, so shall they have Health of Body and Strength of mind, and length of dayes here, and a blissful Eternity hereafter.