Chocolate: or, An Indian Drinke | Page 8

strugled a while, their force lessens by degrees, till at last they are both much weaker, than when they began to wrestle. And Aristotle was also of this opinion in his fourth Booke of the Nature of Beasts, cap. 3. Where he sayes, that every Agent suffers with the patient; as that which cuts, is made dul by the thing it cuts; that which warmes, cooles it selfe; and that which thrusts, or forceth forward, is in some sort driven bake it selfe.
From whence I gather, that it is better to use Chocolate, after it hath beene made some time, a Moneth at the least. I believe this time to be necessary, for breaking the contrary qualities of the severall Ingredients, and to bring the Drinke to a moderate temper. For, as it alwayes falls out at the first, that every contrary will have its predominancy, and will worke his owne effects, Nature not liking well to be heated and cooled, at the same time. And this is the cause why Gallen in his twelfth Booke of Method, doth advise not to use Philonium, till after a yeare, or, at the least, six moneths; because it is a composition made of Opium (which is cold in the fourth degree) and of Pepper, and other Ingredients, which are hot in the third degree. This Theorum, and Doctrine, is made good by the practise, which some have made, of whom I have asked, what Chocolate did best agree with them? and they have affirmed, that the best is that which hath beene made some moneths: and that the new doth hurt by loosening the Stomack; And, in my opinion, the reason of it is, that the unctuous or fat parts, are not altogether corrected, by the earthy parts of the Cacao. And this I shall thus prove; for, as I shall declare hereafter, if you make the Chocolate boyle, when you drinke it, the boyling of it divides that fat and oyly part; and that makes a relaxation in the Stomacke in the old Chocolate, as well as if it were new.
So that I conclude in this second point, that the Chocolaticall Confection is not so cold as the Cacao, nor so hot as the rest of the Ingredients; but there results from the action and re-action of these Ingredients, a moderate temper which may be good, both for the cold and hot stomacks, being taken moderately, as shall be declared hereafter; and it having beene made a moneth at the least; as is already proved. And so I know not why any many having made experience of this Confection (which is composed, as it ought to be, for every particular) should speake ill of it. Besides, where it is so much used, the most, if not all, as well in the Indies, as in Spain, finde, it agreeth well with them. He of Merchena had no ground in saying, that it did cause Opilations. For, if it were so, the Liver being obstructed, it would extenuate its subject; and by experience, we see to the contrary, that it makes fat; the reason whereof I shall shew hereafter. And this shall suffice for the second Point.

The third Point.
Having treated in the first poynt, of the definition of Chocolate, the quality of the Cacao, and of the other Ingredients; and in the second Point, of the Complexion, which results from the mixture of them; There remaines now in the third poynt, to shew the way how to mingle them: And first I will bring the best Receipt, and the most to the purpose, that I could find out; although it be true which I have said, that one Receipt cannot be given, which shall be proper for all; that is to be understood of those, who are sick; for those that are strong, and in health, this may serve: and for the other (as I have said in the conclusion of the first Poynt) every one may make choyse of the Ingredients, as they may be usefull, to this, or that part of his body.
The Receipt is this.
To every 100. Cacaos, you must put two cods of the[G] long red Pepper, of which I have spoken before, and are called in the Indian Tongue, Chilparlagua; and in stead of those of the Indies, you may take those of Spaine which are broadest, & least hot. One handfull of Annis-seed Orejuelas, which are otherwise called Pinacaxlidos: and two of the flowers, called Mechasuchil, if the Belly be bound. But in stead of this, in Spaine, we put in six Roses of Alexandria beat to Powder: One Cod of Campeche, or Logwood: Two Drams of Cinamon; Almons, and Hasle-Nuts, of each one Dozen: Of white Sugar, halfe a pound: of Achiote enough to give it