By the wise and Moderate use whereof, Health is preserved, Sicknesse Diverted, and Cured, especially the Plague of the Guts; vulgarly called The New Disease ; Fluxes, Consumptions, & Coughs of the Lungs, with sundry other desperate Diseases. By it also, Conception is Caused, the Birth Hastened and facilitated, Beauty Gain’d and continued. Written Originally in Spanish , by Antonio Colmenero of Ledesma , Doctor in Physicke, and faithfully rendred in the English , By Capt. James Wadsworth

But I shall not assume to enumerate all the vertues of this Confection: for that were Impossible, every day producing New and Admirable effects in such as drinke it: I shall rather referre to the Testimony of those Noble Personages who are known constantly to use and receive constant and manifold benefits by it, having hereby no other Aime then the Generall good of this Common-wealth (whereof I am a Faithfull Member) and to be esteemed (as really I am) Gentlemen, Your Affectionate Friend to love

Doctors lay by your Irksome Books And all ye Petty-Fogging Rookes Leave Quacking ; and Enucleate The vertues of our Chocolate . Let th’ Universall Medicine (Made up of Dead-mens Bones and Skin ,) Be henceforth Illegitimate , And yeild to Soveraigne-Chocolate . Let Bawdy-Baths be us’d no more; Nor Smoaky-Stoves but by the whore Of Babilon : since Happy-Fate Hath Blessed us with Chocolate . Let old Punctæus Greaze his shooes With his Mock-Balsome : and Abuse No more the World: But Meditate The Exc

I Doctor Melchor de Lara Physitian Generall for the Kingdom of Spaine , at the command of Don John de Velasco , and Asebedo , Vicar Generall of Madrid , have seene this Treatise of Chocolate , composed by Antonio Colmenero of Ledesma ; which is very learned, and curious, and therefore it ought to be Licensed for the Presse; it containing nothing contrary to good manners; and cannot but be very pleasing to those, who are affected to Chocolate . In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my Name, in

I John de Mena , Physitian to his Majesty, and one of the Counsell Generall of the Inquisition, have seene this Treatise of Chocolate (composed by Doctor Antonio Colmenero of Ledesma ) by command of the Supreame Royall Court of Justice : which containeth nothing contrary to good Manners, and the Subject if very learnedly handled, and with great Iudgement; and no doubt, but it will give much pleasure and content to all those, who are affected to Chocolate ; and therefore may be printed: And in co

The number is so great of those, who, in these times, drinke Chocolate , that not only in the Indies , where this kind of Drink hath its originall; but it is also much used in Spain , Italy and Flanders , and particularly at the Cour. And many doe speake diversly of it, according to the benefit, or hurt, they receive from it: Some saying, that it is stopping: Others, and those the greater part, that it makes one fat: Others, that the use of it strengthens the stomacke: Others, that it heates, an

Concerning the first Point, I say, that Chocolate is a name of the Indians ; which in our vulgar Castilian, we may call a certaine Confection , in which (among the Ingredients) the principall Basis , and Foundation, is the Cacao ; of whose Nature and Quality it is necessary first to treat: And therefore I say, according to the common received opinion, that it is cold, and dry, à prædominio ; that is to say, that though it be true, that every Simple containes in it the Qualities of the foure Elem

As concerning the second point, I say, as I have said before, that though it be true, that the Cacao is mingled with all these Ingredients, which are hot; yet there is to be a greater quantity of Cacao , then of all the rest of the Ingredients, which serve to temper the coldnesse of the Cacao : Just as when we seek, of two Medicines of contrary qualities, to compound one, which shall be of a moderate temper: In the same manner doth result the same action and re-action of the cold parts of the Ca

There is another way, which is a shorter and quicker way of making it, for men of businesse, who cannot stay long about it; and it is more wholsome; and it is that, which I use. That is, first to set some water to warm; and while it warms, you throw a Tablet, or some Chocolate , scraped, and mingled with sugar, into a little Cup; and when the water is hot, you powre the water to the Chocolate , and then dissolve it with the Molinet; and then without taking off the scum, drink it as is before dir

There remaines to be handled in the last Point, of the Quantity, which is to be drunke: at what Time; and by what persons: because if it be drunk beyond measure, not onely of Chocolate , but of all other drinkes, or meates, though of themselves they are good and wholsome, they may be hurtfull. And if any finde it Opilative, it comes by the too much use of it; as when one drinkes over much Wine, in stead of comforting, and warming himselfe, he breeds, and nourisheth cold diseases; because Nature

If you please to take it in milke, to a quart, three ounces of Chocolate will be sufficient: Scrape your Chocolate very fine, put it into your milke when it boiles, work it very well with the Spanish Instrument called Molenillo between your hands: which Instrument must be of wood, with a round knob made very round, and cut ragged, that as you turne it in your hands, the milke may froth and dissolve the Chocolate the better: then set the milke on the fire againe, untill it be ready to boyle: havi

Set a Pot of Conduit Water over the fire untill it boiles, then to every person that is to drink, put an ounce of Chocolate , with as much Sugar into another Pot; wherein you must poure a pint of the said boiling Water, and therein mingle the Chocolate and the Sugar, with the instrument called El Molinillo , untill it be thoroughly incorporated: which done, poure in as many halfe pints of the said Water as there be ounces of Chocolate , and if you please, you may put in one or two yelks of fresh

In general, spelling and punctuation are as found. Changes have been made as follows:...