at so every man may make
choise of that, which shal be most agreeable to his disposition. I
have not seene any, who hath written any thing, concerning this
drinke; but onely a Physitian of _Marchena_, who (as it seemes) writ
onely by Relation; holding an opinion, that the _Chocolate_ is
stopping, because that _Cacao_ (the principall Ingredient of which it
is made) is cold, and dry. But because this onely reason, may not have
power to keepe some from the use of it, who are troubled with
Opilations; I thinke fit to defend this _Confection_, with
Philosophicall Reasons, against any whosoever will condemne this
Drinke, which is so wholesome, and so good, knowing how to make the
Paste in that manner, that it may be agreeable to divers dispositions,
in the moderate drinking of it. And so, with all possible brevity,
shall distinguish and divide this Treatise into foure poynts, or
Heads. In the first place I shall declare, what _Chocolate_ is; and
what are the Qualities of _Cacao_, and the other Ingredients of this
_Confection_; where I shall treate of the Receipt set downe by the
aforesaid Author of _Marchena_, and declare my opinion concerning the
same. The second point shall treate of the Quality, which resulteth
out of the mixture of these Simples, which are put into it. In the
third place the manner of Compounding; and how many wayes they use to
drink it in the _Indies_. In the fourth, and last place I shall treat
of the Quantity; and how it ought to be taken; at what time; and by
what persons.

_The first Point._

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, _a praedominio_; that is to
say, that though it be true, that every Simple containes in it the
Qualities of the foure Elements, in the action, and re-action, which
it hath in it, yet there results another distinct quality, which we
call Complexion.

This Quality or Complexion, which ariseth of this Mixture, is not
alwayes one, and the same; neither hath it the effect in all the
mixtures, but they may be varied nine wayes; four _Simple_, from
whence one onely quality doth abound; and foure _Compounded_, from
whence two Sy