THO' I have no other Design, in respect of Brew­ers, then only to save them a great deal of Pains, and no small part of their daily Charge, and towards the rest of Mankind, but an honest and most charitable Intention of Ad­vertizing them what may con­duce, both to the Health of their Bodies, Tranquility of their Minds, and Advantage of their Estates; yet I am not so Ignorant of the [Page 2] Worlds common usage, as not to expect, that offering to Disswade from certain inveteral (but mis­chievous) Customs, I am like to meet with no less than Hate or Reproach, or at least Scorn and Contempt, from the greatest part of those, whose welfare I would gladly promote. How­ever, as the Conscience of my own Innocence, and certain Experi­ence and Knowledge of the Truth, of what I Recommend will be a sufficient Buckler against all the Darts of Envy, Ingratitude, Noise and Folly: So I do not Despair, but this small Treatise may have the happiness to meet with some few, so little wedded to Tradition and their own Humours, as to be willing to hearken to the Dictates of Wisdom, Reason, and Nature, wherever they meet them, or though communicated in an homely manner, by a very weak and imperfect Instrument. Me­thinks [Page 3] there should scarce be any man that hath ever enter­tained his Thoughts for one half hour, in a serious Consideration of his own Structure, and how and by what Natural means he doth subsist in this World, but must have taken notice, that as the Substance of our Bodies suf­fers a daily Expence, Decay, or Wasting, as well by the action of our own innate (or inbread heat) prespiration of Spirits, and the more pure parts of the Humours thorow the pores of the Skin, im­pressions of the Ambient Air, as by the common and more gross Evacuations; so there is required a daily supply of Nourishment to repair and make good whatsoever is thus spent of the Store which is provided to support and preserve the Microcosm.

To this End, as outwardly the All-wise and most Bountiful Crea­tor has prepared variety of excel­lent [Page 4] Foods and Liquors; so inward­ly he has both given us Reason, Wisdom, and Knowledge (if we will hearken to and exert it) to distinguish which of them are at all times best and most requisite for us; as also fixed the Members and Organs of our Bodies, in their several places and offices, to be as­sisting and subservient to each o­ther, in order to the effecting of this admirable Work.

Of these the Stomach is the first and principal Agent, which as it were a Kitchin, serves to dress and prepare all Meats that are brought into it, and by its Concocting Fa­culty reduses them into a white milky Substance, which is called Chyle, which passing thence throughout the lower Orifice of the Stomach into the Intrails, ha­ving there but a slow passage (by reason of many turnings and wind­ings, by which the Guts are mu­tually inclosed and united to the [Page 5] Mesentery) it is further digested and seperated, and the purer part by the Mesoraick Veins (called the Hands of the Liver) is thorough the Veins (from the Office called Vena Porta) carried into the hol­low parts of the Liver, whereby a higher and more elaborate Conco­ction is turned into that admirable Balsamick Liquor, called Blood.

This Blood passes from thence into the Vena Cava, or great hollow Vein, whose Trunk divides it self into two large Branches, the one tending downwards to carry blood to the lower parts; the other up­wards, and mounteth even to the Throat, dividing again by the way into other Branches, one of which fasteneth it self to the right Ven­tricle of the Heart, by which the blood is brought thither from the Liver, where being yet higher e­laborated and inriched, 'tis trans­muted or carried over to the left Ventricle, where the Arteries takes [Page 6] their original, which contains the Vital Blood and Spirits, whose Of­fice it is to enliven and exercise the Faculties of the Body.

By other Branches it ariseth in­to the Brain, where the Animal Spirits are made, being the Seat of Phansie, Reason, Judgment, and Memory (which noble Faculties by those Spirits are exercised) as also of all Sense and Motion; for from the Brain are all the Nerves (or Sinews) divided into all the parts, which cause a voluntary Motion in the Body, by which it walks, stands, lyes down, labours, rises, or useth any other Exercise, according to the Dictates of the Will, which cannot be done with­out the ministry of the Nerves.

Thus you see the whole oeco­nomy of Nature, how, what is received at the Mouth is turned into Chyle by the Stomach, that Chyle into Blood by the Liver. Of the purer parts of the Blood [Page 7] are made Vital Spirits by the Heart, and Animal Spirits by the Brain, all which being thorow the Veins and Arteries (like so many Channels or Conduict Pipes) con­veyed to the principal Member, and from thence by abundance of smaller Vessels into every part of the Body, Growth and Vigour at least, a continual and suitable Supply ought to be thereby com­municated to the whole.

But if what is taken into the Body, that is, our Meats and Drinks, be either improper in quality, or too great in quantity, it does in ei­ther case disturb this curious oeco­nomy, and frustrate Natures In­tentions and Operations; for as unwholsom Meats and Drinks must needs give an unwholsom Nourish­ment (the Effects always precipi­tating quality consentaneous to its Causes) and every thing delighteth to produce its Simile's, so if the Errors be only in quantity (which [Page 8] tho' too frequent, yet rarely hap­pens without the other) the Con­sequence is still worse, Excess in Eating and Drinking laying the Foundations of almost all Diseases; for scarce could the Starry Influ­ences, Injuries of Insalubrious Air, various Seasons of the Year, and the like External Accidents, have pow­er to beget Diseases, unless the Bo­dy were predisposed to receive their Effects by ill Humours, is the Result of Indigestions, and original­ly caused from the Faculties of the Stomach being abased and perver­ted; for when the Stomach is nautiated with disagreable Food or Drink, or over-charged with Excess, it cannot conceal and turn such Matters into good Chyle (but not being able to contain it long) thorow ill Crude, as it is into the Intrails, which being also oppres­sed, cannot so speedily conveigh thorow them the indigested load, but it receiveth there an imperfect [Page 9] alteration, and so is by the Veins of the Mesentery drawn away to the Liver, which being likewise indisposed at the receipt of such unprepared Matter, is as unable to convert the unequal Mass into good Blood, but thrusts it out into the larger Veins, mixed and infect­ed with evil Humours, and from thence to the Heart the Seat of Life, (which like a Lamp almost drown'd with Oyl) is even stifled and overcome; thence also it is carried to the Brain (the Fountain of Sense and Motion) which be­ing clouded with Vapors and su­perfluous Humours, its Faculties are interrupted, the brisk and a­ctive Phansie clogged and dulled, Reason mudled, and Judgment vi­tiated, and all the admirable Store­house of Memory oppressed and confounded; from these nobler Parts and larger Vessels, it is throghout the small ones spread all over the Body, every part taking [Page 10] its unhappy share, and by reason of the want of its due Concoction in the principal Members, cannot give due Nourishment to those parts remote; but by these Errors often repeated, the Harmony of Nature is every where disturbed, and the whole Body made a Ma­gazin of corrupt Humours, which (like home-bred Traitors in a Ci­ty) are continually ready to let in fierce and cruel Diseases upon the least External Attack, or (if that be wanting) will from their own Malignity (as Domestick Rebelli­ons and Insurrections are caused in ill govern'd States) creates Distur­bances within, endangering the Peace both of Body and Mind, and even threatning Subversion to the Throne of Life. By what has been said, it appears of what vast Importance, due Consideration, and Caution in our Meats and Drinks is, not only for the Secu­ring Health of Body, Prevention [Page 11] of Diseases, but also in order to the obtaining Serenity of Mind and Calm Affections, and the impro­ving all our Intellectual Faculties, 'tis an old Rule, The Passions of the Mind follow the Temperatement of the Body; for such Diet as you use, such will be your Blood; and as your Blood is pure, or impure, such will be your Spirits, Natural, Vital, and Animal, and conse­quently all Functions and Opera­tions of Body and Mind shall suitably be altered. Take a man never so modest, just and peace­ble, let him over-charge himself with strong Liquor, what a strange Metamorphize, altogether incredible, did not the lamentable frequency convince us, shall it make, as if some Body had stoln away the Man, and left a Beast, or rather a Devil in his shape; so do we not daily fee, that those who addict themselves to Gluttony (tho' not so soon, yet in time as [Page 12] certainly as the other) lose their Parts, and of sharp, witty, judici­ous Persons, become Fools and stupid Sots: But of the Inconve­niences of improper Foods, and Excess even in the most Innocent, I have even at large Treated in o­ther of my Writings; not omit­ting, as occasionally, to say some­thing thereof here; but the main Scope of this present Treatise shall relate to Drink, and some parti­cular Foods, that may be proper for such as are afflicted with the Stone and Gravel, and also the Sorts they ought to forbear (not so much to shew the odiousness of that Swinish sin, Drunkenness, nor in admonishing those who think themselves, and are by others numbred amongst the most sober, that even they are guilty of great Excess in the quantity of Liquor, as well as in the quality, which through ill Customs they swallow down beyond the necessity of Na­ture) [Page 13] but especially to take notice of the ill quality of those Liquors that are used by most People, a­rising from their undue Prepara­tions, and to shew both the Rea­sons how and why the same do breed Diseases in Human Bodies; as also to offer Remedies whereby the same may be prevented, and Drink truly refreshing, exhilera­ted, and friendly to Nature, made and accommodated to General Use.

The first step towards the Ge­neration of the Stone and Gravel, as also the Gout, Consumption, and various other Diseases of the like Nature, is the frequent drink­ing of strong, hot, sharp, intoxi­cating stale Liquors, and fiery pre­pared Drinks, as Beer high boyl­ed with Hops, Brandy, Rum, old Wines, especially Claret and Whitewine, which for the most part tend towards a Spirit, (viz.) Heat and Sharpness, becoming its [Page 14] predominating quality, all such Drinks do, in such Constitutions by Simile, contract and generate in the Passages and Ureters a hard gretty Substance, and of a mixt Saturnine Martial Nature, which is the first principle and beginning of the Disease called the Stone, and all its Symptoms and Attendances. Nor is that the only Evil thereby occasioned in the Human Nature, for such Liquors do too violently stir up and evaporate the pure es­sential Spirits, and as it were burn up the sweet Oyl or Humour Ra­dicallis, the Balsom of Life, where­by the Blood becomes Infected with a sharp hot quality, and its free Circulation is obstructed, which Causes unnatural or burden­som heat in all the External Parts, and lays the Seeds of various Di­stempers, according to the Nature of each Constitution, Country, and Clymate, as Consumptions, Palsies, Fevers, Gout, Stone, and the like.

[Page 15]Secondly, It is also to be noted and considered, the boyling of Hops two, three, or four hours in Beer, is a thing of a pernicious Conse­quence, tho' it be unadvised, and ignorantly practised, they falsly i­magine that there Drink will be­come the better thereby, whereas indeed they do by that Error, in a great measure, evaporate or suf­focate the pure Spirits, which are the Preservers of the sweet friend­ly Balsamick Body, in all things whence the amiable, meek, or mild opening quality do exist, which whilst any thing remain intire or unviolated, is the Moderater and Qualifier, or the harsh, bitter, a­stringent Nature; therefore Hops and Beer so boyled do prove very injurious to several Constitutions; for after Drink is thus prepared, the predominant quality in it is, hot, fulsom, strong, and bitter, and of a restringent Nature and Operation, prejudicial to Health, [Page 16] especially to all such persons, who by their Constitutions are subject or inclinable unto the Stone or Gravel.

Thirdly, It is further to be considered, That the boyling of Wort, or any Spirituous Liquor that is drawn or extracted from things, whose Body is opened by Firmentation, as Mault is in a very high degree, does not only destroy and evaporate the fine, thin, subtle Spirits and Quality, which are only capable of Pene­tration, but it does, as it were, fix or stagnate the whole, by which it becomes of a grosser, fuller, or stronger taste in the Mouth, which through Use, Custom, and Igno­rance is esteemed a Vertue or Strength; but the contrary is to be understood; for thereby it be­comes of a heavier Operation, lies longer in the Stomach, sending gross Fumes and Vapours, into the Crown, and Seldom fails to [Page 17] obstruct the Passages, because it hath lost great part of those fine penetrating properties, which is ea­sily demonstrated to your Senses; (viz.) Unboyled Wort hath a fine pleasant sweetness in taste, and it is of an opening, cleansing quali­ty and operation; and then taste or drink some of the same Wort boyled with or without Hops, and you will find that this last hath not only lost its pleasant taste and sweetness, but also its opening penetrating Virtues, by which it becomes of another Nature and Operation; which Fermentation does in some degree help, but it cannot regain those fine, thin, pe­netrating Virtues and Spirits, that it hath lost in the boyling, the fierce heat of the fire, being an utter Enemy to all spirituous Drinks, Liquors, or Cordials. It is also to be noted, that unboyled Beer or Ale do generally drink smaller in the Mouth then that [Page 18] which is boyled, because its spiri­tuous, sweet qualities are not so much destroyed, suffocated, or stagnated by the fiery heat of the fire, as the other, but it most na­turally warms the Stomach, and not so subject to send Fumes into the Head, and runs quicker thorow the Body, purges more powerfully by Urine, which are naturally Testimonies of its Vir­tues, and that the better Parts are preserved in the preparation. Also it is further to be considered, That all sorts of Drinks made without fire, altho' with raw, crude Fruits, Apples, Grapes, and the like, as Wine, Syder, and ma­ny other sorts, are not only more spirituous and brisker in operati­on, but also more cleansing and penetrating, if order and tempe­rance be observed. But note that all sorts of fermented Drinks are much better and greater preser­vers of Health when new, then old [Page 19] or stale, for Age does naturally consume and turn the mild, soft, sweet, opening, healing Virtues, into a hard, keen property; for this cause all stale Beer, old Wine, and Sider, are far hotter in ope­ration than new, and consequent­ly more prejudicial to Health, espe­cially to all such as are naturally subject to the Stone, Gravel, Gout, or Consumption, for it over-heats the Blood, and consumes the Radi­cal Moisture; not but that the new Wine, Syder, Beer or Ale, are endued with as great a quantity of Spirits as the old, as is manifest in Distillation: But so long as the mild, sweet, opening Virtues re­main intire, strong, and powerful, this harsh fire, keen or sharp Spi­rit, is thereby moderated, qualifi­ed, or allayed by the sweet Imbra­ces of those friendly Virtues; which friendly quality, Age turns into heat, sharpness, and keneness, as is most clearly manifested in the [Page 20] firmenting of all sweet Bodies, which no Art can cure or bring back, it being easie by the help of the fiery Art to destroy all the mild, opening, friendly Proper­ties of each thing, and turn or transmute them into their Origi­nal, viz. into a hot, strong Spi­rit, but when this is done, there is no further Progress to be made, for it then stands in its original Qualities, and will admit of no cure; therefore it is easie to de­stroy, but hard to make alive, especially in all Fire Operations; and remember this, that whenso­ever any violence is offered to a­ny thing, more especially to things that has passed thorough firmenta­tion, that the best and friendly Virtues do first suffer Injury, or Prejudice, which every one ought to understand, first in themselves, and secondly in all other things, more especially in all Preparati­ons by Fire; therefore such as [Page 21] would drink Beer or Ale more wholsom, may, unless they be too old to learn, and too obstinate to be taught, observe the Rules fol­lowing, which will make your Drink wholsomer, and save you both trouble and charge; and if neither Profit nor Regard to Health can wean you from the slavery of silly old Custom, your Understandings are certainly mi­serable already, and no wonder if your Bodies prove so in a little time.

First, Make your Water or Li­quor neer boyling hot, then put just so much into your Mash­tub as will wet your Mault, stir it, and let it stand half an hour, which will dispose the Mault the better to give forth its Virtues and Sweetness into the Liquor; then add your whole quantity of Water or Liquor to your Mault that you purpose to put up the first time, then let it stand one [Page 22] hour and a half, but if you would have your first Wort very strong then two hours, if the Season be not hot; then put what a quan­tity of Hops you think conveni­ent into your Receiver, and let your Wort run to them, and af­ter your Hops have infused an hour and half in your Wort, then strain it off in your Coolers; you have done with your first Wort. Then put upon your Mault your second Liquor near the same Heat as the first, rather cooler if any difference; but this must stand on your Mault but one hour at most; then take what quantity you please of fresh Hops and put into your Receiver as be­fore, and let your second Wort run to them; then take both se­cond Wort and Hops together, and put up into your Copper, there let them infuse till your Wort is near boyling, but not boyl; then strain this also into your Coo­lers, [Page 23] which you have done with also. Now if you would inlarge your quantity, which is not pro­per, which in its due place I shall demonstrate, then put up what quantity you think convenient of cold Water, and let it stand, not more then half an hour, and then run it off to some fresh Hops, and then put this third Wort, and also Hops, into the Copper, as you did the second, and let the Hops infuse till they are near boyling, then strain it off into your Coo­lers, and you have done; but you must remember that your Liquor or Water do not boyl, for boyling of Water does irritate and evaporate the subtle fine pene­trating Spirits, whence the more friendly, mild, opening qualities do exist, which do make such Water or Liquor more harsh, hard and fixed, which do render it not so capable to draw forth or extract the sweet virtues of the [Page 24] Mault; for boyling of Water does open its Body, and sets the Spirit on the wing; for this cause all Water that hath been boyled be­comes of a colder, harsher, and harder nature then that which hath never been fired, and there­fore it will not prepare any Foods and Drinks so natural, not to that advantage as that which hath not been boyled. And that you may be convinced of this Truth, boyl a quantity of good River water, and put it into a good clear Vessel, and let it stand a while, and then take a like quantity and put into another Vessel, and let that stand the same time as the other, and you will find the boyled Water to stink, and never be sweet again; but your Water which remains intire, not touched with the Fire, will also stink, or rather firment, but then it will be sweet and good as for any use as before; the Rea­son thereof is this, for the Fire [Page 25] doth force forth and evaporate the essential Spirits and good preser­ving Virtues, which do render of a dead, dull, phlegmatick, gross Nature and Operation, as we have more largely Discoursed in our Way to Health.

Secondly, It is a general Cu­stom to put up hot Liquor a third time on your Mault, or rather Grains, and to let it stand an hour or more, which makes a ve­ry ill sort of Drink; for the first and second Liquors have extracted or drawn forth all the brisk, live­ly, sweet qualities of the Mault, so that this third hot Liquor hath no­thing to work on, or draw forth, but only a gross Substance, stink­ing, harsh, bitter, or keen quality, void of all the seminal or sweet Virtues. Now if there be any good­ness left in the Mault or Grains, it is weak and fainty, and the gross, fulsom, Martial, Saturnine Pro­perties are strong, and have ob­tained [Page 26] the Ascendant, and there­fore they do in a moment swallow up the fading Virtue, and trans­mute it into its own Property; for these fiery qualities do, with open Jaws, devour the friendly Virtues, and turn them into their own Nature, (viz.) into a fiery keen quality, a meer Caput mor­tuum Phlegm; for all things when they have attained their highest degree, limit, or perfection, do by degrees, as it were, go backwards, and sink towards their Original or Root whence they proceeded.

Thirdly, By what hath been said it appears, and ought to be considered. That the same Beer that is made of the third putting up of the Liquor on the Mault or Grains, is generally pernicious to Health: for as is mentioned be­fore, the first and second Liquors, have before drawn forth all or most of the good, sweet, friendly Virtues, and there remains nothing [Page 27] but a dull, heavy, gross Phlegm of a tart, sour Nature, which in­corporates with the Liquor, and is of a very unpleasing taste; and small, and then the common Cu­stom is to take this third Wort, (indeed not fit for Hoggs-wash) and boyl it stoutly with the Dregs of the Hops which hath been boy­led several hours before in the first and second Wort, which still doth more increase the Mischief; for the boyling of Hops totally suffo­cates, evaporates, and destroys all the volatile Spirits and soft friend­ly Virtues, and there does nothing remain in them after such boyling, but an harsh, bitter, astringent, sour Property, which such small Wort in the boyling draws forth.

For this cause most small Beer, especially that which is made after Ale or strong Beer, is injurious to Health, and the common drink­ing thereof does generate various Diseases, but more especially the [Page 28] Scurvy in the Blood; therefore all that do regard their Health, ought to forbear drinking such ill prepa­red Liquors. The best Small, or Table Beer, is to be made by ad­ding a large proportion of Liquor to your Mault (according as you would have it) and then mix the first and second Wort equally to­gether, for the Reasons before men­tioned, for all Preparations were intended to open the crude Body by firmentation, or some other way, which do not only awaken, and set the fine Spirits and friend­ly Virtues on the wing, but also in some degree excite the harsh, [...]it­ter, sour, astringent Properties, but still the balsamick Virtues are most volatile, and readiest to give forth themselves, when commu­nicated to a proper Minstrim, as appears not only in the Art of Brewing, but also in common Chymistry the Spirits and good Properties gives forth themselves, [Page 29] and runs off first, and afterwards the bitter, astringent, four, harsh ones follows.

Fourthly, The quantity of Hops for Beer, if you propose to keep it half a year, or a year, ought to be six or seven pound to eight Bushels of Mault, and so propor­tionable; but for Beer or Ale that is to be spent presently, two, three, or four to eight Bushels will suffice. Also note, That all sorts of Beer or Ale are best new, and much more agreeable to Nature, as I have men­tioned before; for the longer any firmented Drinks are kept, the more they tend towards harshness, keneness, and sharpness, and the Saturnine, Martial Properties are thereby advanced, and the mild, friendly qualities debilitated, for which reason all stale Beer does heat the Body, and much more disorder it then new.

Fifthly, Another thing is in a most special manner to be noted, [Page 30] (viz) That your Vessels in which you cool your Wort, ought to be well cleansed; and also your Mash­tub (viz.) washed well with cold water, which is better than hot; for boyling water does, as it were, fright or drive back into the wood a certain, four, fulsom quality that the former Wort left behind, and which the wood of the Coo­lers had suckt in; for the humidi­ty or sweet quality that the wood receives from the Wort, do pre­sently turn very sharp, four, and keen, especially in hot Seasons of the Year, so that when the fresh, new, sweet Wort comes into such Coolers, it does most eagerly and powerfully attract and draw forth that lurking keen, sharp, sour quality that the wood had received and retained, which will occasion the whole to become of a sharp quality, which is called (Pricks,) but hardly perceivable to the Pa­late; but when it is firmented, this [Page 31] evil quality gets the Ascendent o­ver the whole, which is the prin­cipal occasion why Brewers Ale in hot Seasons will not keep above four, five, or six days, or there a­bouts. Now the best way to pre­vent this Evil is, that your Coolers are still washed well in cold water, wherein some bitter Herbs or Seeds are infused 24 hours, as Worm­wood gathered and dried, as we have taught in our Way to Health; and after they are well cleansed with this bitter water, then expose your Vessels to the open Air as much as possible you can, for nothing swee­tens and cleanseth so much as Air; also avoid putting your Vessels in­to Cellars, or any close Places where the Air hath not its free influences. The like is to be done in the clean­sing your Tun in which you work your Drink in. The like is to be understood in Ovens; for if you bake spicy Foods, as Pies, and the like, and afterwards heat the Oven [Page 32] for small Bread, such Bread will be tinged, and smell strong of the former things, that is, if the Oven be heat presently; but if the Oven stands open two or three days, in which time those spicy qualities will evaporate; for the Spirits of things are so quick, powerful, and subtile, that they penetrate even the hardest of Bodies, which neither fire nor water can presently extin­guish, but they remain as it were intire and fixed, until a sutable sub­ject matter be offered, into which, as by Simile, they retreat, and therewith readily incorporate, and therefore remember your Friend the Air; and to prevent this and many other Inconveniences, expose your Vessels to its free Influences; for no Element hath so great pow­er to cleanse, sweeten, and to give true Life to every thing, according to the nature of each, as Air; and where it has its free Circulation and Influence, it destroys all Pu­trification, [Page 33] Vermine, and evil Scents. But because brewing is become a Trade, and such must brew three or four days in a week, therefore they have not sufficient time to expose their Vessels to this clean­sing Element, as Houswives, and others, that brew only for their own private Families, it will there­fore be convenient for them to Copper, Lead, or Tin their Coolers over, as also the Mash-tub or Tun they firment or work there drink in, but Copper and Tin is best, which will in a great degree pre­vent the souring or pricking of their Ale in Summer, and their Beer will have the same advantage, for the sweet Spirits cannot so ea­sily penetrate those hard Metaline Bodies, nor will so great a quanti­ty of Humidity enter, and that which does will not become sharp, nor sour, as in wood, having no such subject matter to work on.

It is also to be noted, That your [Page 34] Wort ought to stand very thin or shallow in your Coolers, for that will preserve it from fretting and growing sharp or keen, if the other Circumstances before-mentioned be observed. Moreover, your Wort ought to be, as it were, quite cold, before it be put together to work [...] for if it be set together too hot, it will firment so violently, and in a moments time irritate and awa­ken the hot, sharp, fiery Spirit, which should not be stirred up, which spends and destroys the pure fine Spirit and sweet Body, and consequently cause your Beer or Ale to grow stale to fast. Nor ought you when your Beer or Ale is in the Tun, to beat your Yest or Balm into it, as the Custom of some Brewers is, especially in and about London, which is very preju­dicial to Health, and ought to be restrained by some Law; for this beating of the Yest into the drink does so mix, and as it were incor­porate [Page 35] them together, and flatten or suffocate the fine penetrating Virtues, that in its firmentation the gross excrementitious Matter cannot seperate from the finer Parts, by which means it does re­tain a strong, gross, and fulsom sweetness, which too many igno­rant People admire, and count good and nourishing; but in truth such Liquors fail not to fur, foul, and obstruct the Stomach and Passages, sending dark dulling Fumes and Vapors into the Head, and also ge­nerate an hard, gritty quality in People subject to the Stone and Gravel: Also such Drinks are of evil consequence to Women who are of tender Natures, and weaker Spirits and Heats than Men, there­fore let them refrain the same, if they have any respect to their own and their Childrens Healths.

The usual Course in brewing, is to let your Drink work in the Tun till it begins to fall or firment more [Page 36] gently, and then to Tun it up in­to your Casks, which new motion and agitation puts the Drink upon a fresh firmentation, and causes it oftentimes to work again as fierce and eagerly as it did at first, or more, which is apt to make it fret or spend it self, for much or fierce working makes all Drinks to grow keen and stale, sooner then when its firmentation is moderate. It will indeed in such Case become fine somewhat sooner, because the volatile Spirits and sweet Body is wasted, or rather turned into sharpness by the two long and fierce firmentation. Therefore, those that have a mind to avoid this Inconveniency, ought to Tun or put up their Drink young, as the Brewers calls it, that is, before it hath firmented too much, (viz.) so soon as your Drink works you ought to Tun it into the Barrels or Vessels, and you need not doubt but it will work sufficiently; nay, [Page 37] you may when your Wort is thorough cold, mix your Yest well with your Wort, and put it into your Vessels presently, and it will do extraordinary well.

Now if any think that so short a time of Infusion as I have prescri­bed will not get out the Virtue and Goodness of the Hops without boyling of them stoutly, I answer, That all the mild, friendly virtues of Hops lyes as it were outward and ready, which with the least violence are drawn forth, as ap­pears by that delicate Scent and O­dor which they cast abroad; nay, so free and tender they are, that if they be not close ram'd or stuffed into Baggs, the very Air shall steal away most of their Excellen­cy, and if so, what will the fierce heat and violent boyling do, which every considerate wise man ought to consider.

Now as to the Nature of Hops, there is in them a most excellent [Page 38] glance or friendly opening quality, more especially if they were dried in the Sun, which is to be prefer­red before the Host or Kill; for the spirituous parts of this Plant is so nice, that it cannot indure any vio­lent heat without prejudice to its fine Virtues, and you might almost as rationally make your Hay that way, which if you should be so dull as not to perceive your folly, I doubt not but your bruit Beasts would upbraid you of indiscretion, and teach you the difference. Hops naturally purges powerfully by Urine, if prepared and used with understanding, so that they are un­justly charged to breed the Stone; for, on the contrary, they are a special Remedy against it, if order­dered with judgment, and as they ought to be; but as every thing consists of Contraries, they may and do occasion the Stone, and o­ther Diseases by accident; but it is only when they are abused, and af­ter [Page 39] their good Virtues are drawn off or evaporated by the force of fire, as boyling, and the like, which is done in a trice; for no Herbs that have been dried as they ought, will endure the fire or boyling without manifest prejudice to the best Virtues; but it is a gentle In­fusion that will naturally, and with­out violence to Nature extract or draw forth all that is desired in Hops, or any other dried or pre­pared Herbs; but 'tis true, it will not rouze nor infect your Liquor with their original harsh, bitter, sulsom, keen, hot Properties, which too many, for want of distinguish­ing the Principles of Nature, call Virtue and Strength; indeed Strength and Fierceness it is, but far from Virtue in respect of Hu­man Bodies, nothing scarce being more inimical and injurious there­unto, which evil Properties in e­very thing are the more drawn forth and increased by over much [Page 40] boyling, especially in Herbs and Vegitations which have been alrea­dy firmented and digested by the Influences of the Sun and Ele­ments, whereby the gross phlemy Parts are opened, and the Spirits set upon the wing ready to come forth upon any gentle Summons.

But the swinging Objection is yet behind; You undertake (cries the professed Brewers, and the good Dames) to teach us to brew, yet have out the principal Verb; you say the Liquor, before it be put to the Mault, must only be mode­rately hot, not boyled: Well, sup­pose we should yield to this, still you forget to tell us, how long it ought to be boyled after 'tis drawn off the Mault: Sure you would not have us brew without boyl­ing at all, and make raw Ale and Beer, and take 12 or 16 s. per Barrel only for a little Water be­witcht, the Rincings of a parcel of Mault and a few Hops in a [Page 41] little warm Water, with a small doze of Yest to make it bubble in the Barrel, is like to make excel­lent humming Liquor. You com­plain of our Ale not keeping a­bove a week; Is it possible (if unboyled) it should keep at all? Nay, can Absurdity call it Beer or Ale? He is like to have Custo­mers, who should write over his Sign, Here's Beer and Ale to be sold that never was boyled. When the great Fault that all the World finds with the Common Brewers Drink, is, that they do not boyl it half enough; and yet they boyl it double the time as most House­wives do. But if you could make good your words, That good Ale and Beer might be made without boyling away a great quantity of what they put up, the Company of Brewers might well afford you Five hundred pounds a year for the Invention; for they could save almost as much as their Excise comes to.

[Page 40] Answer. This I confess is the common Leiry, but it affects me no more than the buzzing of Flies about my Nose in Autumn. The Objection consists of several Parts, I will endeavour to answer them in order.

First, As to the boyling of Wort after drawn from the Mault, I do aver that it is not only unnecessa­ry, but mischievous, for the Rea­sons before mentioned, and also by what follows. 'Tis not boyl­ing, but a due firmentation that makes excellent generous Liquor. Wine and Sider are not boyled (at least not commonly) yet few Peo­ple scruples, or think them ever the worse: What's the Reason? because they will say, the Grapes and Apples have passed through as much digestion as they ought, or need to have, by the ripening In­fluences of the Sun and Elements. Well then, and what's the matter but ripe Barly, which has not on­ly [Page 41] received a far higher digestion by the same Sun and Elements, and will thereby remain good and sound several years, which the best Grapes and Apples will not conti­nue good a tenth part of the time; and though it be harder and more tenatious in its kind, has yet un­dergone a second by its being made into Mault, and a third af­terwards by our way of Infusion in water, fitted to a due warmth to extract its spirituous Virtues and sweet Body, should need a fourth of boyling so long as you talk of. Is Water (seeing it is o­riginally designed by God, and his Hand-maid Nature, the common Drink for all Creatures) of such an ill nature or quality, that it re­quires so much boyling? No cer­tainly; for boyl a Gallon of Wa­ter to three quarts, and let the re­mainder stand eight or ten days, and you'l find all its brisk plea­santness (before to any accustom­ed [Page 44] or undepraved pallat as relish­ing as any Liquor whatsoever) wholly lost, so that you, or any Beast, will nautiate to drink it. The Reasons why we heat Water in brewing to such a competent degree, is not so much to correct its Rawness, as they falsly call it, as to qualifie it to open and draw forth and imbibe the good virtues of the Mault, and so likewise of the Hops, which being once effect­ed, all our pains in boyling is su­perfluous, and not only so, but de­trimental too; for henceforwards, if you proceed in your boyling, you do but raise and induce those fierce bitter Spirits in each thing or ingredient, which tho' fitly planted in them by Nature, for their own particular Conversation, were yet never intended for the use of Man, as being injurious to his own Nature when unduly se­perated from the friendly qualities or light of Nature. If then nei­ther [Page 45] the Water, nor the Mault, nor the Hops require this tedious boyling, why is it practised? Or rather is it not a demonstration, that the same is detrimental; since in all Nature's ways unnecessaries are hurtful, and over-doing there (as well as in Morals) is a badge of Vice. You talk of Rawness, 'tis but raw that is indigested (Ar­gument) but the Drink I recom­mend is not such, since it has pas­sed through all the digestions and firmentations that it ought to do; and if People will not be willing to give 12 or 16 s. per Barrel for wholsom Drink, as for unwhol­som, I can neither help nor hinder it, any more than perswade an ig­norant Irish-man to quit his stink­ing Butter (of as many Colours as the Rain-bow) for wholsom, sweet English Butter, which he counts hath no taste in it; all this is but the effects of Custom. But add further, That this unboyled Drink [Page 44] will not keep; I answer (bet­ter for all good Intents) then your parboiled Geare. The best way to prove a thing feasible is to do it: Now I have more than once made excellent Beer that never boiled, and yet has kept good, in your sense, a Twelve-month, and he that keeps any longer, has kept it six Months too long. As for what is intended for long Sea Voyages, 'tis a particular business, and so the boyling of it with Hops a great while may, together with exces­sive salt meats, notably help the Seamen to the Scurvey, and yet both the one and the other might easily be avoided. But still you urge, the only Fault all the world finds with Brewers of common Ale and Beer, that 'tis not boyled half enough, yet, and with as much Judgment, as once an honest Tub­man, whose Imployment was to carry Beer and Ale from Brew­houses to his Masters, whom I im­ployed [Page 47] to carry my Ale, who would needs be tasting: Ay marry Master, quoth he, this is good Ale indeed, a man may taste this is well boyled; if Brewers would but boyl theirs so, we should not have such filthy unwholsom Drink in every Ale­house; whilst all the while the Ale he drank never boyled one wallop. But if I could make my words good, the Brewers might give me Five hundred pounds per Annum, and get mony by the bargain. I have made good my words, but I dare not undertake to rectifie at once all the debauched Palats and depraved Judgments throughout the Kingdom. If abundance of People will love fulsom Ale, with Yest thwackt into it, to make it as they think strong and mighty, or the rueful Juices of parboyl'd Hops, and will Court the Stone, the Scurvey, the Consumption, and the like, to make work for the Sexton and the Flanel Weavers, I [Page 48] can no more help it then the Self­murther of above 40000 a year, by the use of that Alamode Li­quor, Brandy. And as for a Pen­sion from the Brewers, I am as far from seeking it, or (bless God) from needing it, as (I fear) they will be from following my well intended advice; for it is no new thing for men, over whom Custom and Tradition hath got the Ascen­dant, to act not only against Rea­son, but even contrary to their own true Interest to. Much more I could say, but I think this enough for such a Vulgar Objection.

Here give me leave to tell you, that there are a great number of brave Herbs and Vegitations that will do the business in brewing, as well as Hops, and for many Con­stitutions much better; for 'tis Cu­stom more than their real Virtues that renders Hops of general Use and Esteem; they are an excellent Herb, and would be much better, [Page 49] if they were or could be dried in the Sun. Some other Herbs I shall here mention, fit to be made use of in Drinks.

Peny Royal and Balm are noble Herbs, and of excellent use in Beer or Ale; they naturally raise and cheer the drooping Spirits, and o­pen and cleanse the Passages after a friendly way, and with a mild Operation. And also they add great strength and fragrancy, and makes brave, well tasted Drink, good to prevent and cure all, or most of those Diseases which the wise Ancients have appropriated that Herb unto. The like is to be understood of Mint, Tansie, Worm­wood, Broom, Cardias, Centuary, Eye-bright, Betony, Sage, Dande­lion, and good Hay; also ma­ny others, according to their Na­tures and Qualities, and for those Diseases to which they are respe­ctively appropriated. But note, that all and every of these Herbs [Page 50] ought to be gathered in their pro­per Seasons, and dry and preserved as we have given Directions in our Way to Health; for you ought not to use any Herb or Vegitation in Beer or Ale whilst they are green, except there be a necessity.

Secondly, When you infuse in your Beer or Ale Wormwood, Broom, Tansey, Cardis, or any other Herb that exceeds in bitterness, you ought not to let them lye in your Wort above half an hour, or if you put in a good quantity, a quarter of an hour will be enough; for in all such bitter Herbs the Martial and Saturnine harsh Properties are near at hand, and the warw Wort will quickly stir up and awaken their harsh, bitter, strong, astrin­gent qualities, which will present­ly devour, suffocate, and destroy the fine spirituous Virtues and o­pening cleansing Properties; and then such Drinks becomes of an hard, harsh, constringent Nature, [Page 51] and are apt to obstruct the Sto­mach, and send Fumes into the Head, heating the body and blood too violently; therefore all, or most Infusions of Herbs, made af­ter this common way, more espe­cially of bitter Herbs, are naughty and injurious to Health. As for Example; They put a quantity of Wormwood, or some other bitter Herb, into their Beer or Ale, at or after it hath done working, and there let it lye infusing (or rather rotting) two, three, four, five, or six Weeks, and in Ale-houses so many Months, until the Cask be out, whereby all the good, open­ing, penetrating, brisk Spirits, and fine Virtues of such Herbs are to­tally destroyed, and instead there­of the Drink impregnated with their contraries, (viz.) with the harsh, bitter, churlish, inimical Properties, especially when such Infusions are made of Wormwood; for this reason common Wormwood [Page 52] Beer and Ale does not only hurt, but by degrees weaken the natu­ral heat of the Stomach, but sends dulling Fumes and Vapors into the Head, and does prejudice the Eyes. 'Tis certain, Infusion of Herbs, if due order be observed, is the best and most profitablest way yet found out to obtain their Virtues, both for common Use and Physick, far beyond Waters and Spirits drawn from them by Distillation, for thereby a burn­ing, fierce, brimstony Spirit is ex­tracted, void of all the mild, cleansing, opening Qualities or mild Virtues, which in firmenta­tion are turned into a Degree of Anasidity, which fits it, and ren­ders it capable of Separation. As for Example, Take Sugar (which is the most balsamick and highest sweet of any thing in the World) firmentation will in a little time turn the whole sweet Body into a sour, or a degree of sharpness, then [Page 53] distil it, and you shall have a hot, burning Spirit, and for every pound of Sugar you will have near a pound of Spirit. Here you see the whole, sweet, pleasant Body is turned into a fierce, strong, burn­ing Spirit, which has its uses in Physick, but otherwise pernicious if commonly drunk, as too many do. The very same is to be un­derstood in the firmenting and di­stilling of any sorts of Herbs; as in the Spirit of Scurvy-Grass, so much of late cried up for its won­derful Virtues against the Scurvy, when in truth there is nothing in it; for if you take Scurvy-Grass, and infuse it in Brandy, or any o­ther Minstrum, for a certain time, till it firments to such a degree, and then draw it off, or distil it, and instead then of obtaining the friendly, mild, cleansing Virtues, and middle qualities, you have a strong, fiery, brimstony Spirit, which is not so good as rectified [Page 54] Spirit of Wine, and it hath no man­ner of force to cure or prevent the Scurvy in the Blood, for in good earnest, the frequent use of such Spirits do heat the Blood, obstruct the Stomach, and increase Scorbu­tick Diseases. The greatest Virtues it hath, it being put into Ale, Beer, or Wine, in a Morning fasting, it quickens the Stomach, as Spirits do, and seems to purge by Urine, as most mixed Drinks do, especial­ly when Spirits are mixed with o­ther Liquors, but it is the order and Time, and the Liquor it is put into, that is the principal point why it purges by Urine, being generally drunk in a Morning fast­ing, when the Stomach is free from Food, and the Passages least obstructed, then a Glass or two of any sort of Liquor or Drink will quickly run thorough a man, and purge much more by Urine, then at any other time of the day. And I do affirm, That if any one [Page 55] take Brandy, or other good Spi­rits, and in a Morning fasting, drop sixty or seventy drops into a Glass of Ale, and fast two or three hours after it, and it shall purge by U­rine, and also quicken the Sto­mach, and have as good Effects on the Scurvy as the best distilled Scurvy-Grass, let it either be drawn off with Brandy, or of its self. And also the Mornings draught the good Dame teaches her Hus­band to drink, (viz.) Ale and Brandy mixed together, which will prove as beneficial. The like is to be understood of other things cal­led Medicines, if once the Multi­tude cries them up, tho' they be never so heterogene and improper, they must do wonders, but leav­ing them to their own Humours, I shall proceed to teach you seve­ral good Drinks against the Stone and Gravel, and other Diseases.

The best Drinks to prevent the Generation, and Cure the Stone [Page 56] and Gravel, are such Drinks which God and his Handmaid Nature have prepared to our hands, and is ready every where to be had (viz.) good River water; for the Stone and Gravel is hardly known in those Countreys where the Natives common Drink is Water, for that of all others is the most friendly, mild, and cleansing: But on the contrary, all firmented spirituous Drinks, let them be as wisely handled as they can, nevertheless they heat the Blood, and a little time does naturally cause them to tend towards heat, sharpness and keneness, which Qualities are great Enemies to the Human Nature, and breaks the Harmony of the Humours, especially in such that are apt in Constitution to generate Gravel or the Stone; also such Drinks causes the Distempers cal­led Heart-burnings, Fevers, and unnatural Heats throughout the whole Body; therefore such as [Page 57] have a mind to preserve their Healths, and be friends to their own Natures, let them follow these Directions, viz.