In this tretyse that is cleped Gouernayle of helthe: What is to be sayd wyth crystis helpe of so­me thynges that longen to bodily helthe / hadde and to be kept or to bodily helthe. lost and to be recouered / and is departed in viij. chapytures / that is to saye In the fyrste chapytre of the profytte of goode Gouernayle of helth / In the ij. chapytre what is first on morow to be don̄ / In the iij. chapitre of bodyly excersyce / that is to saye, besynes & his profyte / In the fourth chapytre of spyces of excersice / In the fyfthe chapiytre how amā [...]holde haue hym in mete. in etyng his metes. In the vj. chapitre how a man shold haue hym in drynkyng of his drynkes / In the vij. chapytre what sholde be done after mete / In the viij chapytre of the noyse of euyll gouernaunce

IT nedyth hym that woll haue longe lyst to knowe the crafte of holsome go­uerneyle. And so for to kepe contynuelly the helthe of his body / for els he maye not com to [Page] his naturell ende / but he shall dye or his kyndeli tyme come. and therfore thus sayeth Ga­lyē the connynge. He sayth of holsome gouer­naūce is meruelous / for it maketh a man to lyue tylle he be olde. and wythoute sikenes in to the laste of his elde and age: Therfore the same Galyen after that he knewe the crafte of holsome gouernaumce. came neuer into no sikenes [...] but seelde / that was in to a fymeram that is to saye a sharpe feuer. and that was for trauayll in vysityng of his frendys. aboute the comyn profyte. for thus he sayth / I take god to recorde and his angels assygned to kepe me / that who that wylfully and besily wyl studye in the treatyse of holsom gouernaūce & woll kepe alhole the doctryne therof. he shal neuer dye but on and vpon kyndly deth / whiche deth is swete and softe wythoute grete payn as the same Galyen wytnesseth in the dyffe­rence of feuerys / But vnderstonde that holsome gouernaūce may no man duely kepe that most nedys be occupyed wyl hym or nyl hym and may not when hym nedeth leue of. for thy [Page] it nedeth hym that he haue that nedeth hym to his lyf wythoute trauayle and pencyfull / and in alle thyngys that he be of fre condycyon / Ferthermore it is to wete. that viij. thynges at the leste ben nedefull in holsome gouernayle / of whiche the fyrste is a dyscrete chors of thoo thynges that shall be eten or dronken / The seconde is wylfull bodyli exersice to fore mete. and that tyl the swetyng begynne or namely tyll his wynde chaūge fro sloughe to swyftnes / The thirde is well profytable and wel nedeful that all that shall be etyn be wele and smale chewed / The fourth is that thou e­te while thou hast talent to ete. the v. is that thou slepe on morow tyl thou wake be thyne owne wyll / For as arystotle sayth not only in metys and drynkys be we noryshed and fostred. but also in slepe / The vj. is that thou take no mete and drynk in sorow ne in care but in Joye as moche as thou maye: The vij. is that thou haue ne holde no colde in wynter ne in somer after bloodletynge. The viij. is that thou vse saffron in thy mete / for it quy [...] ­neth [Page] kyndely hete and comforteth thy dygesty on & taryeth thyne elde or age and bryngeth in gladnes. and letteth thyne humors fro ro­tynge and driynge

IT is in storyes of our elders that on a tyme a myghty kyng brought to gyder thre of the best leches that myght be of Inde of Mede and of Grece / and he cōmaunded hem that eche of theym sholde studye to assygne the beste medycyne / whiche yf a man wolde vse sholde profyte hym to helpe of bodye and hym sholde nede none other medycyn / Truly the leche of Grece assygned and sayd that euery daye a man to take twys his mou­the full of hote water / sholde make a man soo hole that hym sholde nede none other medycyn and the leche of Mede assygned and sayd that it sholde profyte moche euery daye fastynge to tak gromel seyd: And I saye sayd arystotle y ^• he that that slepeth so moche that he haue noo heuynes in his wombe of mete that he tok to fore hym. dare not drede of any grete sikenes ne of the goute / Also who that eteth euery daye [Page] erly vij. dragmes that is to saye xxj. p [...]ny weyght of swete reisyns he dare not dride of flewmy sikenes and his mynde shalbe amen­ded / and his vnderstondyng shall be clere / and who that vseth it in tyme accordynge to his complexion maye be sure and drede not of the Feuer quarteyn / Also [...]ho that et [...]th nottes and fyges wyth a fewe leues of Yewe that daye shall no venym hym noye: It was ax­ed of Galien what medicyn were meoste­profytable. and he ansuerd abstynence / And constantyne seyth in his book that hight vyatyk that who so well kepe his contynuell hel­the. kepe his stomak / soo that when hym nede the mete leue it not ne take no mere therof than hym nedeth / and the same vnderstond of drynke / also in holsom gouernaūce [...]le wrath grete thought heuynes. angre and suche other For all ghostly accydentes that ys to saye sodeyn fallyng in to a mannys mynde outal [...] Ioye alonly dryen and that moysteth. nethe­les some hetyn as wrath / for thy wrath profy­teth to flewmatyk men / and hit harmeth coleryk [Page] men: Morouer it ys to wete that in sente season that is to saye in veer & in the begynnyng of somer children ben wele atte ease af­ter the liknes of tempred qualitees. but other ages ben wele at ease in contraryous tymes as olde men in somer and yonge men in wynter / also in holsom gouernaūce kepe thys reule yf thou wolt be hoole & soūde / flee heuy charges be not wooth. soupe not to late. and fle vnder mele slepe. wake after mete and eschew & spare stronge drynkes and namely of wyne. hold not thy pysse ne constrayn the not to siege ke­pe well these thre thynges. gladnes in mynde traueyll in mesure. and reule of mete & dryn­ke as moche as thou wold ete boldly in wyn­ter & in veer skarsly / and in somer mesure welthy metes and flee nameli frutes of auguste arystotle wrytyng to gret Alexādre sayd syth man is a b [...]tyl body me semeth I shold wryte to the some profytable thynge of lechecrafte yf thou wolte he sayd besily behold th [...]nsample of holsom gouernaūce and lyue after thys precy­ous ordre of dyet / ye shall nede no leche oute [Page] take accydentes of batayll and suche other:

AFter that a man hath wele and p [...]afi­ble fulfylled his slepe loke he ryse & cloth hym self wyth goode clothe & swete yf he haue them / then he oweth to walk a lytil euenli to stretche oute his lymmes & kembe his hed for whi kēbyng draweth out the vapours y ^e comyn from the stomake to the [...]xd in tyme of slepe. and therwyth loke that ye be besie to put oute the superfluytees of the body. in siegyng pyssyng koughyng and spy [...]tyng. then loke he wesshe his handes & his face in somer wyth colde water and in wynter wyth hoote water Then loke he praye and preyse his lorde after the doctryne of his lawe and vysite the por [...] in god. then yf it lyke hym he sholde studye or rede dyspute or talke and wyse mēnys [...]oūceyl and seyēg besily here / and in mesure be mery & flee vtterly wrath and sorow in as moche as he maye / and vse hym selfe mesurable trauayl as walkyng or ridyng and in clene hihe pla­ces fro myer and marrys / for this profyteth [Page] moche / for it breketh wynde in a mānys body and strenghyth & lyghteth his lymmes and comforteth the heete of the stomak and stren­gyth his ioyntes / and melteth euil humors

WE owen to knowe by auctors of leche crafte / that thoo that shall lyue fayr & wele in holsom gouernaūce. owen to haue eu­yn and tempered exersice to fore mete. for that yeueth to all the body tempered hete euyn and not passyng / whiche sholde a mānys exersice be / a fycysion discreuyth thus: Exersice is a wylfull meuyng by whiche a mannys wyn­de is made grete. and ofte it nedeth that thys traueyll be wylful / aud not stressyd by nede / but that he be all fre and worche after his oune wyll / And therfore labour of carpenters & plowmen masons maryners and suche other is none exercyse of lechecrafte / for it hath not propely wylfull meuyng / Marchaūtes treuly burgeys cloysterers & suche other walkynge wele and longe / but it ys not properly exercyse of lechecraft / But whan a man walketh freli [Page] of his oune wyll / and so swyftly tyl he begyn to feynt and his wynde chaunge / then anone he shold sitte and reste / for yf he meuyd eny furder / hit sholde be payn and feyntes / and suche exercyse is cleped tempred / for therby grouen many goodes to mānys body. Fyrst for ther by is the kyndely hete strenghyd & eched and so ben other iiij. vertues that is to saye. vertu drawynge vertue defiynge vertue wythholdyng and vertue oute puttyng / And so ben there v. bodily wyttes. that is to saye / herynge seeng smellyng tastyng and felynge / and so ben there iij. myndely vertues / that ys to saye Imagynatyf dyscretyfe and memoratyfe.

And though errour happed in all these wor­chynges of lechecrafte so it were not to notable. and exercyse were as shold be. sholde neuer or seelde mānys body nede other medicyne / for exerecyse fulfyleth the defautes of all other / For thy be they mery that dreden bloodletyng and other doutefull medycyns / but by exercy­se they mowen be heled & sanyd / Metheles ij. thynges ben nedefull to euery well exercysed [Page] that is to saye / that he be not to full ne to em­ [...]y / to full then wolde the humours lose and so were gret drede of the lyuer or some feuer or sodeyne deth / for thy in suche a caas loke therbe longe dyscrete abstynence so that he be not to empty / for then sholde his body be feble out [...] of mesure / and at the last for febelnes it most nedys lose. Therfor who that is to empty it nedeth that he labour not tyll he be more and better releued / Truly aucturs sayen that ex­ercyse is one of the hihest and nobelest thyng that maye be done of to mānys body and full nedefull it is in gouernayll of helth and leng thyng of lyfe for why exercyse fulfylleth the medycynes of bloodes and bathynges and suche other thynges / and therin is no drede nor bytternes ne exspences / but therin is pure re­creacyon of body & of soule soo it be don̄ in clene places / and then sholde men shew hem selfe to the clene eyer and delyte in seeng ferre & nere. water & lande heuen and erthe grene and falow / And in all thyse he sholde prayse and worship our lord god. Fulgens dyscryueth [Page] exercyse in a full faye maner thus seyeng / exercyse is true kepyng of mānys lyf and pricke of kynde slepynge / and the fylthe of foule colour and trendyng of slothes hete and was­tyng of superfluytes / and saddynge of lym­mes and sleeng of siknesses / and dryuynge a waye of vyces medycyne of langores / wyn­nyng of tyme / and dette of youthe / and Ioye of elde of age / and helpe of helth / enmye of idelnes. and dystroyeng of all euyll: But emōg all other thynges it is to wete that exercyse mesured meserably heteth a mānys bloode and dryeth it / And therfore mesurable fleumatyk men shold vse it / and reste coleth a man and moysteth hym / and that is goode for coleryk men / for thy he alone draweth hym selfe from exercyse that wolde fayn fayle Iope and feli­cyte / in thys lyf: Galyen sayth that grete pu [...] gacyons and vomytes shold not be takē bu [...]selden and for grete nede for why / Who soe woll eche moneth ones or twyes gretly purge hym self he shall brynge his body to man [...] euyll vses / for he shall engendre therin man [...] [Page] noyous humors / For why eche daye exercyse is ful nedefull to kepe a mānys helth / for who that eteth or drynketh moche maye not be hole but yf he woll somwhat slepe and swynke. Thenne theise thynges that be sayd it shew­eth that mesured exercyse hath many profy­tes for it styreth the kyndly hete and openeth the poores / and losith colde / and thyck towgh humours / And whenne they ben losed bereth hem oute at the poores / and maketh a mānys ioyntes slypper & lyghte / and it comforteth all the membres of a mānys body: Wherfor noi [...]us humors ben more holsomly purged and mesured by exercyse then by laxatyues or vo­mytees / for nother of them maye be wythout empeyremēt of kynde / and ryght as due kepynge of kyndely exercyse is nedefull / soo other while ys reste: For why rest in as moche as it is contrary to exercyse / some ys bodily some is ghostly / of whiche eche either yf it be mesu­red after that kynde wolde it is heleful bothe to the body & soule / and yf it be not soo it is cō trary: For whi yf rest be to moche it gendreth [Page] norysheth and multyplyeth euyll humors ād encreaseth moche corupcyon / For why when water resteth to moche it stynketh. soo iron & eche metall rustyth when it restyth:

SPyces of exercyse ben ther wel many as ther be dyuerse statys of persones some be stronge and some be feble som ryche & some pore some prelates and at the large and some subgettes & enclosed. And somtime weder is fayr & clere / and somtyme not so but derke & reyn / And therfor it nedeth to ha­ue spyces of exercyse / for whithe beste spyce & the fyrste ys to walke to fore mete in hihe pla­ces & clene / Another spyce is to ryde and y ^• is for ryche men / but grete prelates moste ha­ue other maners of exercyse / for whi in chambre shall be a grete c [...]rde knytted in the ende & hanged vp. and take that corde wyth both hā ­des and stonde vpryght soo that thou touche not the erche and stonde a goode while / thēne runne as moche as thou mayst heder & theder wyth that corde / and otherwhile skyppe / and [Page] yf this please the not / [...]ane a stone of xxx. li. weyghte or theraboute and yf thou wolt haue helthe therin ofte bere that ston fro that on side of that house to that other side or a longe whyle holde vp that ston or thou let it doun or bere it a bonte thy necke or bytwene thy han­des / and so of other maners tyl thou feynt or thus holde a staffe in thy [...]hand and lete a no­ther take hit from the yf he maye wyth euyn draughte / or thus close a peny in thyn hand & lete a nother take it yf he maye or thus holde thy breth as longe as thou maist and thenne puffe it oute as hard as thou maist do / And this maner of exercyse is full profytable to put oute noyos superfluytees / for why many superfluytees in slepe ben wythholden therfore yf thou haue non other maner of exercyse holdyng of breth helpeth it moche / ¶Yet ther ben other maners of exercyse for yonge men that ben lusty as to renne to wrastle to lepe to caste the stone / and so of other playes also tempred fleshly companyng wyth a yōg broun woman is goode in wynter / and wyth [Page] a yonge white woman ys goode in somer is also goode & helpyng in gouernyng of helthe to body but not to soule / excepte to hem then that mowen haue it by goddes lawes so ne­theles that thee be so moche tym bytwene that he fele hym selse eased & lyghtened in his body and that he ete the better & slepe the better: But therwyth vnderstonde that as moche as hel­pyth tempred companyenge [...] so moche noyeth dystempred cōpanyēg / and namely to moche for it coleth him wasteth hym & filleth him For why mānys kynde is made of the beste bloode & beste defyed / that hastely maye torne into mānys lymmes: And for whi whenne a mā casteth oute that noble humors to mo­che he is hugely dyscolored and his body mo­che febled more then he lete foure sithes so moche bloode oute of his body / also who that moche deleth or cōpanyeth fbesly wyth a woman lyghtly kacheth y ^e palsey wyth more euyll:

WHen a man hath welle exercysed him as it is seyd to fore. rest awhile after [Page] and then a lityl freshe whete brede wele baked and somdel soured. then drynk adraught of goode clere wyne or other goode sauery drynke: then rest a while after and studie in som wyse meanes then haue som solace & myrthes wyth thy frende and wyth other honest cōpa­ny / Then ayenst euyn take thy mete & supper moost sauorly but yf thy costome be there age yn: But a generalle rule of all fysik & leches is that thyne houre of etyng be when thou art kyndly hunryg / and to fore thyn hunger ete not / but yf it be a lityll messe of goode & clene warme mete / to prouoke thyn appetyte wyth & when thou hast appetyte let not / for as a fycysion seyth the stomak oute of vse to suffre hunger. fulfylleth the body of roten humors And then woll a mānys body wexe full of noughty humors / by cause that the colere ys drawen to the mouth of the stomak / so that afterwarde when he wold ete he may not: Ferthermore it ys to wyte that no man sholde ete but he knew certaynly his stomak voyde of that thyng that he ete tofore. and that shall a [Page] man knowe by desire that he hath to ete / and by plēte of spyttyng comyng vp to his mouthe. For whi who that eteth wythoute desire his mete shall fynd the kyndly hete of his stomak colde / and he that eteth wyth desire he shal fynde the kyndely hete of stomake gyue vp a smell & sauoure like encense / but thise & shu­che other shold be vnderstōde of hem that haue mete ordeyned at her own wyll / & who y ^• that not ete when he maye haue it for they ben not bounden to the lawes of this crafteli dyatore as to the qualytees of thi metes. vnderstōde that thilke mete whiche that most gouerneth thyn helthe shold not be passyng in any qualite: for whi the metes that ben to hote brēne [...] the blood / as peper ga [...]lek oynyōs cresses sa [...] ge myntes persile & suche other. and tho metes that ben to [...]ld fresyn the blood. as letuse pursilā gourdes & suche other / And yf thi metes ben to watry then they [...] thi blood / as be melons & cōcombres. and yf thy metes ben to drye it throwith oute thyn vytayll vertues & yf thy metes bē to fatte they let thi dygestiō [Page] and yf thi metes ben to swete. they stoppē the and makē the constypat & costyff. and thi metes ben bitter they vtterly noryshen the not: And if thy metes be to salte they brēnen noyē & breken thy stomak / and yf thy metes ben to soure they maken the sone olde: For thy non of thise metes moche & contynuelly vsed is good to helthe of mannys body / but only that mete is goode that is tempored and wantyth to mykilnesse / as ben thyse good metes for helthe of mānys body & holsom / lambe of on yere yonge kyddes soukyng calues hēnys capons chekyns pertryches ploueres fesaūtes smale byrdes of the feeld & of the woode / but not of the water / And when the season comyth yōge rabettes. and pygges feete ben goode & other extremytees as groyē & eres and scaled fyshe of clene rennyng water. Yere eyren or eggis Also borage langdebuff whete bred well ba­ke & / well leuyned and somdele saltyd of that that is one daye olde or tweyn / and of other that ben not to moche passyng in eny qualyte and yf we dredē excesse of any qualite amend [Page] it by the contrary therof. an ensample. yf thou be seke of euyll & toughe metes vse therfore sharpe metes & shorte / as a lityll of harde chese skraped small. and of lityll quantyte / and al­so a pere or two or thre of the most best frute to thy complexion & nature: Sothly salte me­tes soure & bytter may be amēded wyth swete appuls / swete metes bē amended with swete hony & good olde wyne / and so of all other. & yf thou wolte ete frute ete hem fast as cherise grapes & almondes / and after mete a few pe­res quynces & nottes / a few while they bē grene and walnottes ben best. but let the skyn be clene pyked away fro the mete: Also the complexion of a man shold be loked to as yf he be tempred kepe hym soo wyth lyke metis and drynkys / and yf it be dystempered by his contrare bryng it lityll & lytil ayē to tempre / & f [...]r whi to sangweyn men dystempred gyue ma­lincoliouse metes. and to malencolyouse men sangueyen metes / and to flewmatyk men co­leryk metes / for euery euyl complexion maye be brought to temprure / but if necessaryes of [Page] lyuebode let it: And know when thou wol [...]e and note it for a souerayye notabylite / who y ^• etyth ofte mylke & fyshe / ofte katchen therof a lepre or a white skabbe. Also ofte to vse wyne as grete & hihe myghty or hihe coloured and mylke to gyder bryngeth a man to both lepre & skab. here none suffysyth of qualyte of metes / as to the quantyte vnderstonde that thy mete ne thy drynke sholde be no more but as thi kyndely helthe myght ouercom it elles thy body shall waste and thi vertues wexe feble And for the quātyte of metes drynkes maye not certenly be shewed loke how thou felyst it hath don̄ the most good and suche quantyte vse. Furdermore vnderstonde that no man sholde ete anone after his exercyse ne anon after he were bathed / but fryste rest hym a while so that he hungre / and thenne when he woll ete yf he be a ryche mā sette tofore hym many metes / of whiche that one is better thā that other For a fycysion seyth it shall better saue hym & better noryshe hym and skyll whi: for mete that is taken wyth delyte the stomak hugely [Page] coueteth hastely kacheth / lōg holdyth / and we [...]defyeth. and that mete that is beste defyed is moste noryshyng for mānys body / Truly o­ther mete that is not defyed. is taken wyth fulsomnes and defyeth not well / for whi yf a man desyre more moton then a capon the mo­ton shall rather be eten / and so of all other metes. But there that is moche dystaūce in qualyte of metys we mowen not doo thus / and also bewar that it be none erraūt appetyte a [...] in wymmen that ben wyth childe / and though [...] otherwhile be / yet shall it not alwaye be de­nyed: Furthermore as galyen sayeth that at one mele men sholden not ete dyuerse metes [...] therfore at morow ete but bred alone / and at euyn fleshe alone / for when two dyuerse mete: ben take at one mele. of hem comyn two euy­les / one in eyther by it sylfe. a nother in hem [...] the togyder in hemselfe / for then one traueyleth to torne in to grete & heuy humoures and that other into [...] & in hem [...] the [...] mete [...] before it is [...] goyth fourth & draweth wyth hym the [...] [Page] mete vndefyed, and yf the grete mete goo fyrste tofore then the subtyll mete ys not defyed and maye not for the grete goo forth. and so it wexyth corupte / And whiche of thise ma­ners euer it be / alwaye it is euyll / but more euyll it is that the subtyll folowe the gret / for the / chaufyng & chaūgyng into kynde of raunes maye be holpen / but the chaūgyng into corupcyon neuer or selden and of wonder harde is holpen: And therto accordeth Galyen a ficysion & other olde doctours. but [...] perauenture a contraryous costume longe v­sed may doo awaye the corrupc̄on. Also wete well that vertue of defyynge is ofte brokyn when rawe mete is putte on halfe soden for the toon rawnes showueth out the other / and so the half sodyn is corupte: Moreouer that no man ete so moche that the stomak be heuy­ed therwyth ne that his appetyte cease / But how that vsith grete exercyse & to moche and selde and therwyth eteth vnruly & conty [...]eth it he shall dye by sodeyn, deth or shall fele wyc­ked likenes. ye though his mete were ryghte [Page] goode for by cause his dygestyon is corrupte therfore kepe well thi stomak from to moche mete & drynke / And it so myshap any tyme anoon wyth water & oyle or suche other spue it oute anon and then slepe / and yf thou maye not slepe walk softely vp & downe. and xxiiij. houres ete not after ne drynke not / then ete a lytill wyth a draught of good clene wyne. so the wyne be not to gret ne of hihe colour. and on the thyrday haue some exercyse and be ba­thed / then ete a lytyll after / and after slepe & thou maye then vse this electuare dyatryon as sayth a fycysion. Two causes ben of sikenesses / that is dyuerse metes & long syttynge and moche etyng of dyuerse metes. for of hem ben gendred dyuers humours some goode & som euyll: long sittyng for then the mete that is fyrste take is defyed er the last begynne to defye, and so y ^t is defyed draweth wyth hym to the lyuer that is vndefyed / and so thise two ben cause of grete sikenesses: Also as old wyse men sayen man sholde neuer ete his fylle at one mele in takyng dyuerse metes / for as [Page] a uycenne sayth no thynge is worse than to multyple metes and so to sytte long therat / for thi he sayth that men in olde tyme werē satysfyed at morow wyth bred alone and at e­uyn wyth fleshe allone / And therwyth they sayden resonably the more mete shold betowarde euyn / but the costume were contrary / for a eyrēne seyth that hoole men sholde better ete at [...]yenste nyght then no morow / for the kyndel [...] [...] is closed wythin them and gadreth about the bowelles. Netheles flewmatyk mē ete not to colde for they neden but lytill exercyse to meue her kindeli hete whiche mowe ete by the morowe ¶ / But now the mooste vsage is herr ageyn and among / many mē it is foūde more holsome to ete by daye then by nyght / and perauenture that is skyll of costu­me / And therfor thus sayth a wyseman short so [...]per & light soper is selden greuous. gret so­pers noyē as leches techē we rede it ofte opēli also as a uycēne seyth bytwene two etynges [...]. houres to be is profytable / and so ete thries [...] two days / as to daye twyes & to morow [Page] but ones and so to contynue forth / so that yf errour fall in twyes etyng / and so agēyward for that one most be amended by that other sith it is harde to leue wythoute errour: moreouer vnderstonde that men that haue goode vnderstondyng. etyn for they wolde lyue. but they that goon by fleshelynes wolden lyue for to ete and contrary to nature / And wyte thou well that to a coleryk mānys stomak when y ^• vertue is stronge / and gret hete grete metes ben good / as be off porke gret venyson̄ & g [...]te bestly fyshes roughe and grete bred salte mete fleshe half sodyn & grete myghty coloured wyne / and yf the hete of the stomak be feble and if he haue but lityll exercyse the metes aforsayd wolde moche noye hym but to suche a stoma [...] gyue subtyl metes as chekyns & smale fyshes of stony rennyng water / Yere egges bred welle baken and well soured smalle wyne and of clene & oryēt coloure not depe & suche other But thise metes sh [...]en be corrupte of ā [...] stomak. And yf the vertue dygestyff be in y ^• meane tyme of dyetyng / as capones [...] [Page] pertryches and suche other: Also in gouernaū ce of helthe / fle all excessyuous metes and na­mely these but yf it be for a medycyne / fle also all frutes and also herbes that ben not goode as thise namely. cole wortes & letuys for they makē malyncolyouse blood. galyē sayth y ^t my fader euer forbad me y ^t I shold ete no new frutes & grene yf I wolde be wythoute sekenes for he hym selfe did and was euer wythouten sikenesses / and while he lyued so dyd I & was also wythouten sikenes / and when he was ded I eete frutes & caught the feueres / and after that I caughte connyng to kepe my silfe I kepte me from frutes & I had nomore the fe­ue [...]s / but yf it were a lytyll sharpe feuere called offymera. and all my frendes that kepten my doctryne / kept hem from frutes & haddē her helth. Arnolde a grete / clerke sayth thus / In is lēte longe vsag of stoppyng metes as fyshe & pese potage. therfor it is profytable first to ete porcey of peses for this is a water that wyse men hath cōmended. and thus it is made / doo pesyn in fayr water all nyghte & in the same [Page] water boyle them on morow a / goode while and thenne clense them and kepe the clensyng and whan mete tyme comyth doo therto a lityl wyne a lityll powder of spyknarde a lityll sa­fron̄ & clene smale white salte and than boyle it on a walme. and so ete / for it openeth & clensith well the capytalle veynes of the lyuer & the weyes ofte of the vryne / and kepeth fro y ^• stone & grauelles namely yf the forsayd pes [...]n̄ be soden in the forsaid water wyth persily How a man sholde haue hym in his drynke.

THe lesse ye drynk at mete the better it is enre so it be mesurably taken. for a man sholde not at mete drynke moche lest it make mete to swymme in his stomak: forthy men shold drynk a lityll. so that the mete be well medeled & tempred togyder / And then lete alō ge while bytwene or thou drynke ayen. and than drynke a grete draught at ones ne drynke not to moche aftyr the firste morsell in no maner of wyse / but drynke ofte a lityll & a lit­yll if smalle clene wyne best accordynge to helthe & gouernynge of thy complexion and [Page] nature. and for helthe of body is clene and smalle claret wyne not to new ne to myghty so it be well and proporcyonli tempred wyth the quantyte of clene water / Moreouer no mā be so hardy to drynk fastyng cold water / ne after that he hath accompanyed wyth a woman ne after gret trauayle ne after excersice tyll he haue fyrst rested hym. ne by nyght namely yf he haue do gloue tofore. for whi longe slepe & fast skpyng is cure therto.

AFter when thou hast ete thou sholdest stō de or walke a lityll softly vp & down̄ tyl toy mete goo downe to the botom of thy sto­thak and then slepe a lityll yf thou be vsed therin both daye & nyght namly slepe fyrst on thy syght side for that is kyndely for thy dygestiō rhall be better / for then lieth thy lyuer vnder thi stomak / as fyre vnder a caudren: And after thi fyrst slepe turne on thy lifte syde that thy ryght side maye be r [...]sted of thy longe lygyng theron / And whan thou hast layen theron a good while and slept turne ayen on thi ryght [Page] side and ther slepe all nyght forth / and loke y ^• thou lye not to streight ne to croked wyth thi legges but in a meane bytwene streight & croked. And in no wyse lie not vpryght / for thē woll the superfluyte [...]s abyde wythin the and turne to wyeked & greuous euylles contrarye to helthe / Also to lye grouelyng on the wom­be is good / so that thy breth be not greued ther wyth & the heuyer / and the gretter thi mete be & the more thou hast taken therof / euer the lēger sholde thi nyght slepe be: and euer y ^• subtiler y ^t thi mete be & y ^e lesse thou haue euer y ^e lesse shold thy slepe be. For slepe is full helpy to olde mē for it maketh them moyst & therfor sayth galyē when he was olde he ete letuses wyth spyses for he wolde slepe the better / Morouer slepe is full helpy to the dygestyō of thi metes but not anone after that thou hast euen / for thou myghtist be strangled ¶Also wete thou that yf a man before auyntisshid of his body / moche slepe then is not good for hym for it woll waste his moystnes / and of one thing beware that to longe slepe or to shorte febleth a mānys bo­dy and breketh it / And after thou hast eten [Page] take no letuaryes ne other hote thynges. for they tournen thi mete to corrupcōn / ne a none after thou hast ete rēne not ne ride not to fast for then euery stronge meuyng thyng turneth thi mete to corrupcyon / and also the vertue dygestyf is norys hed thurgh rest. also after mete & tofore mete as moche as thou mayst flee wrath sorow & pencyfulnesse. and right as to fore mete exercyses bē good / so after mete they noyē and rest is best / Morouer aueroys seyth ryght as colde water caste in apotte boylyng letteth the boyling for a tyme. so to drynke after mete namely sone letteth the dygestyon & maketh it to cease for a tyme / and therfore yt is not good after mete to drynk moche tyll y ^e mete be defyed. but after mete to suffre thurst somwhat is good: And yf thou wolt easely voyde thi stomak stonde aftur thi souper tylle thou be wery or walke a thousand paces / and wrte thou that glotery and when thi mete defyeth not well what euer the caas be / bathynge ne bloode lettynge ne exercyse ben not good. but rest slepe abstynence & diatryon pypion [Page] Exercyse is not good for therby sholde thikke rawe humoures be loose and then therof the lymes sholden be noryshed / and that were euyll For why in suche exercyse the kyndly hete is not comforted / but more febled & straunglyd for the rawe humours arn̄ dyssolued / for ryghte as water quencheth fyre. so rawe humo­res quenche the kynde helthe:

THere ben many that ōly not vsen euyl gouernaūce in metes & drynkes but also strongely mayntene it / & as they seyen ben well at ease & wele defyen. and they scorne leches & other wyse men that vsen goode gouernaūce / for they byleue that they shōld be excused of their errour by her longe custume For whi custume is a full strentgh in ke­pyng of mānys body / And that sayd galyen thus custume is better defyed. wherfore thus sayeth Anyceen euyll mete vsed ys better thē good mete not vsed. the contrare of all theyse seyth Constantyne as yt semeth thue / glade they not that vsen euyll mete though they be [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] not now hurte after they shall not so escape / Herto men mowen thus sey that custume ac­cordeth wyth kynde or nay / yf it accorde yt shal be holdē. and yf it acordeth not & be not roted it shall be caste away / but not sodenly but lytyll a lityl: For thi though it seme hem that haue good gouernaylle of custume. that they been wese by reason of custume vertue strengthe or age / Nethelesse her vertues wasten preueli and so euery day they ordeyne hem to lepre or to sodeyn deth: As they that longe tyme vsen beefe olde saltyd or bestely fyshes or rawe flesshe / or they that slepe to lityl / or exercisen tomoche after mete. or oute of mesu [...] colde or hote & so of many other / truly of such [...] may be sayd But yf they leue of: they shall not asterte the stroke of deth.