This handbill -- which can be seen in the British Museum -- dates back
to the 1650s, and was produced by the first coffee shop in London, in
St. Michael's Alley, Cornhill.
It is a simple innocent thing, composed into a drink, by being dryed in
an Oven, and ground to Powder, and boiled up with Spring water, and
about half a pint of it to be drunk, fasting an hour before and not
Eating an hour after, and to be taken as hot as possibly can be endured;
the which will never fetch the skin off the mouth, or raise any
Blisters, by reason of that Heat.
The Turks drink at meals and other times, is usually Water, and their
Dyet consists much of Fruit, the Crudities whereof are very much
corrected by this Drink.
The quality of this Drink is cold and Dry; and though it be a Dryer, yet it neither heats, nor inflames more than hot Posset.
It forcloseth the Orifice of the Stomack, and fortifies the heat with-
[missing text] its very good to help digestion, and therefore of great
use to be [missing text] bout 3 or 4 a Clock afternoon, as well as in
the morning.
The Vertue of the COFFEE Drink.
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