Vinetum Britannicum, or, A treatise of cider and such other wines and drinks that are extracted from all manner of fruits growing in this kingdom together with the method of propogating all sorts of vinous fruit-trees, and a description of the new-invented ingenio, or mill, for the more expeditious and better making of cider : and also, the right method of making metheglin and birch-wine : with copper-plates / by J.W., gent.

SECT. III. Of the Medicinal Vertues of Fruits, and Drinks made of them.

It is not to be expected that I should here give you an exact account of the effects these Fruits and Wines have on humane bodies, it more becoming a Gradu∣ate in the Medicinal Science. But to abate what any may enviously object against the salubrity of them, and to encourage our Country-men in the use of them, I shall here give you what have been generally ob∣served to be the vertues of several of our Country Fruits and Wines.

As to Gardens and Orchards themselves, * 1.1 they have been esteem'd the purest of hu∣mane pleasures, and the greatest refresh∣ments of the Spirits of man: for the ex∣ercises of planting, grafting, pruning, and walking in them, very much tendeth to

Salubrity, as also doth the wholesome Airs found in them, which have been experi∣enced not onely to cure several Distem∣pers incident to our nature, but to tend towards the prolongation of life.

The Fruits of the Earth, and especially * 1.2 of Trees, were the first Food ordained for man to eat, and by eating of which (be∣fore flesh became his meat) he lived to a far greater age, than since any have been observed to have lived. And of all the Fruits our Northern parts produce, there's none more edible, nor more wholesome, than Apples; which by the various prepa∣rations of the Cook, are become a part of our Table-entertainment almost through∣out the year, and are esteem'd to be very temperate and nourishing.

They relax the Belly, which is a very good property in them; but the sweet more than the sharp.

They help Concoction, eaten after meat with a little Bread: you may be confident that an Apple eaten after supper, depres∣seth all offensive vapours that otherwise would offend the Head, and hinder sleep.

Apples rosted, scalded, or otherwise pre∣pared, according to the skill of the Ope∣ratour, are good in many hot Diseases, a∣gainst

Melancholy, and the Pleurisie; the decoction of them also with the Pulp thin∣ly mixt, cures the painful Strangury or dif∣ficulty of Ʋrine, and Running of the Reins; and edulcorated with Sugar, is good to abate a tedious Cold.

But Cider is much to be preferr'd, it * 1.3 being the more pure and active part sepa∣rated from the impure and feculent; and without all peradventure, is the most wholesome Drink that is made in Europe for our ordinary use, as before is observed.

For its specifick Vertues, there is not any Drink more effectual against the Scur∣vie. It is also prevalent against the Stone, and by its mundifying quality, is good against the Diseases of the Spleen, and is esteem'd excellent against Melancholy.

Pears are neer of a nature with Apples, * 1.4 and are of as great use in the Kitchin and Conservatory: they nourish more, espe∣cially the Warden, which baked, and well sweetned with Sugar, is held to be one of the best Restoratives to a Consumptive man.

The Wine made of them is more full of * 1.5 Spirit than that of the Apple, and esteem'd a greater Cordial.

The uses and vertues of Grapes and * 1.6

their Wine, are so generally known, that it's needless to mention them.

Although Quinces yield no Vinous * 1.7 Juice pleasant to the Palate, yet are they not to be rejected in our Plantation or Vineyard, for their excellencie in the Kitchin and in the Conservatory.

These Fruits, any ways preserved or prepared, are an excellent stringent and corroborating Medicine.

The Cherry is a most innocent Fruit, and * 1.8 rarely hurts any, unless eaten in too great a quantity.

The Wine made of them is a very pleasant and proper Wine for the Summer-season, cooling, strengthning, and stirring up a good appetite to Meat.

Plums are useful in the Kitchin, and * 1.9 many sorts of them excellent to preserve.

Eaten raw, are cooling, and hurt not, unless in too great a quantity.

The Wine of them being well purified, is near in vertue to Cherry-wine.

Our English Currans are sharp, but very * 1.10 cooling, astringent, and corroborating, and very wholesome, eaten raw: eating too many of these, is not to be feared, they wearying the mouth before they satiate the stomach.

The wine that is made of them is one of the most pleasant and wholesome Wines made in this Isle; its specifick Vertues are not yet vulgarly known, but questionless excellent against the Scurvie.

Gooseberries are cooling, and open the * 1.11 Belly; the like vertue may be expected from its Wine. There is no Fruit more innocent than this, rarely injuring any by the over-eating of them.

They are for a long season useful in the Kitchin, few Families being ignorant of their worth.

After several other Summer-fruits are * 1.12 past, Rasberries come in use for a fine coo∣ling repast; their Wine being one of the pleasantest Liquors that can be obtained, and the most proper for the Autumnal season, before Cider is become palatable.

Strawberries are a pleasant cooling Fruit, * 1.13 and the distill'd Water of them excellent against the Stone, Gravel, or Strangury.

Aprecocks and Peaches are not so com∣mendable * 1.14 in this cold Climate for their Me∣dicinal Vertues, as they are for their plea∣sant taste, and excellencie in the Kitchin and Conservatory.

Unripe Mulberries crude or dried, are * 1.15 of an astringent quality; but if through

ripe, they relax. The Juice of this Fruit is Anti-scorbutical, and therefore used to wash the mouths of such that are affected with that Disease.

Figs, Walnuts, Filberds, Medlars, &c. * 1.16 are not within the limits of this discourse, therefore I need not trouble the Reader with any thing of them.

Metheglin, as it is in strength, so it is * 1.17 in vertue, warming, animating, and mun∣disying; restoring lost Appetite, openeth the Stomach, softneth the Belly; is good against the Consumption of the Lungs, and all Coughs and Colds; against Quartan Agues, and all Diseases of the Brain, as Epilepsies, Apoplexies, &c. it cureth the Yellow Jaun∣dies: and there is no better Drink against the severe pain of the Gravel in the Reins, or Stone in the Bladder; neither is there any Liquor more conducing to Long Life than this and Cider, as the many Drinkers thereof can witness.

The Vertues of the Liquor or Blood of * 1.18 the Birch-tree have not long been discover∣ed, we being beholding to the learned Van Helmont for it; who in his Treatise of the Disease of the Stone, hath very much applauded its vertues against the affects of that Disease, calling the natural

Liquor that flows from the wounded Branches of that Tree, the meer Balsam of the Disease of the Stone. Ale brewed therewith, as well as the Wine that is made of it, wonderfully operates on that Disease.

Also Birch-wine is a great opener, and reputed to be a powerful Curer of the Ptisick.

Chocolate is a very great Restorative, * 1.19 comforting and cherishing the inward parts, and reviving natural strength, and hath a wonderful effect upon Consumptive and antient people, being drank hot in a mor∣ning.

The Vertues of Thea are very much ap∣plauded, * 1.20 throughout the Countries where it is so much drank, against all affects of the Head, and obstructions in the Stomach, of the Spleen and the Reins.

It drieth up all vapours that offend the Head, and annoy the Sight.

It digesteth any thing that lieth heavy on the Stomach, and restoreth lost Appe∣tite.

In brief, it is confidently affirmed throughout the vast Regions where it is plentifully drank, that the drinkers of this Liquor are never troubled with the Stone or Gout.

The Vertues hereof are more largely discoursed of in the several Histories of those parts where it is propagated, and in a Paper printed by Mr. Thomas Garway in Exchange-alley neer the Royal Exchange in London, the principal Promoter and Dis∣perser of this Leaf and Liquor.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Gardens and Or∣chards.
• * 1.2

  Of Apples and Cider.
• * 1.3

  Of Cider▪
• * 1.4

  Of Pears,
• * 1.5

  Of Perry.
• * 1.6

  Of Grapes.
• * 1.7

  Of Quinces.
• * 1.8

  Of Cherries.
• * 1.9

  Of Plums.
• * 1.10

  Of Currans.
• * 1.11

  Of Goose∣berries.
• * 1.12

  Of Rasber∣ries.
• * 1.13

  Of Straw∣berries.
• * 1.14

  Of Apre∣cocks and Peaches.
• * 1.15

  Of Mul∣berries.
• * 1.16

  Of other Fruits.
• * 1.17

  Of Methe∣glin.
• * 1.18

  Of Birch-wine.
• * 1.19

  Of Choco∣late.
• * 1.20

  Of Thea.