Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
If you would like to write a summary for this topic, email phil [at] gyford [dot] com
“Chocolate: or, An Indian Drinke”
London, 1652
http://jducoeur.org/justin/chocolate.txt
by Capt. John Wadsworth
“Apparently, a translation of a book by Melchor de Lara, ‘Physitian General for the Kingdome of Spaine,’ 1631.”
Wadsworth writes: “Concerning this Receipt [recipe] I shall first say, This shooe will not fit every foote […]”
What is “purle”?
“forth to Harpers to drink a draught of purle”
Feb. 19, 1660
From the SOED:
purl /p:l/ n.3 obs. exc. Hist.M17. [Origin unkn.] Orig., an infusion of wormwood or other bitter herbs in ale or beer. Later, hot beer mixed with gin and sometimes also with ginger and sugar.
David, here’s a link to a (near to) facsimile version of the text on the Project Gutenberg site - this does away with the irritating “extra things” between brackets in the version you linked to… And is just more pleasant to browse through…
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21271/21271-h/21271-h.htm
CHOCOLATE:
OR,
An Indian Drinke.
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.
LONDON,
Printed by J. G. for Iohn Dakins, dwelling
neare the Vine Taverne in Holborne,
where this Tract, together with the
Chocolate it selfe, may be had at
reasonable rates. 1652
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