Of the complexion of Man. Cap. 2.

COmplexion is a combynation of two dy­uers qualities of the foure elementes in one body, as hotte & drye of the Fyre: hote and moyste of the Ayre, colde and moyste of the Water, colde and drye of the Erth. But although all these complexions be assembled in euery body of man and woman, yet the body taketh his denomination of those qualities, which abounde in hym, more thanne in the other, as hereafter inseweth,

¶ The body, where heate and moysture haue soueraintie, is called Sanguine, wherin the aire hath preeminence, and it is perceyued and kno­wen by these sygnes, whiche do folowe,

San­guine

• Carnosite or fleshynesse.
• The vaynes and arteries large.
• Heare plentie and redde
• The visage whyte and ruddy.
• Sleape moche.
• Dreames of blouddy thynges or thynges pleasaunt.
• Pulse great and full.
• Digestyon perfecte.
• Angry shortly.
• Siege, vryne, & sweate abundant.
• Fallynge shortly into bledynge.
• The vrine redde and grosse.

[Page] ¶ Where colde with moysture preuayleth, that body is called Fleumatike, wherin water hath preeminence, and is perceyued by these sygnes.

Fleuma­tike.

• Fatnes, quauyng and softe.
• Vaynes narow.
• Heare moche and playne.
• Colour whyte.
• Sleape superfluous.
• Dremes of thynges watry or of fysshe.
• Slownes.
• Dulnes in lernynge.
• Cowardyse.
• Busle slowe and lyttell.
• Dygestyon weake.
• Spyttell whyte, abundaunt, and thycke.
• Vrine grosse, white and pale.

¶ Colerike is hote and drie, in whom the fyre hath preeminence, and is discerned by these sy­gnes folowynge.

Chole­rike

• Leanes of body.
• Costyfenesse.
• Heare blacke or dark aburn curlyd.
• Visage and skyn redde as fyre, or salowe.
• Hotte thynges noyfull to hym.
• Lyttell sleape.
• Dremes of fyre, fighting or angre.
• Wytte sharpe and quycke.
• Hardy and fyghtynge.
• Pulse swyfte and stronge.
• Vrine hygh coloured & clere.
• Voyce sharpe.

[Page 3] ¶ Melancolyke is colde and drye, ouer whome the erthe hathe dominion, and is perceyued by these sygnes.

Melan­colyke.

• Leannesse with hardnes of skynne.
• Heare playne and thynne.
• Colour duskyshe, or whyte with [...]nnesse.
• [...]e watche
• [...]es fearefull.
• [...] in opinyons.
• Digestion slowe and yll.
• Tymerous and fearefull.
• Anger longe and frettynge.
• Pulse lyttell.
• Seldome laughynge.
• Vrine watry and thynne.

BEsides the sayde complexions of all the hole bodye, there be in the particular membres, complexions, wherin yf there be any distemperaunce, it bryngeth syckenesse or griefe into the member. Wherfore to knowe the distemperature, these signes folowynge wold be consydered. Foresene, that it be remembred, that some distemperatures be symple and somme be compounde. They whiche be symple, be in sim­ple qualities, as in heate, colde, moyste, or drye. They whiche be compounde, are in compound or myxt qualyties: as heate and moysture, heate and drythe: colde and moyste, colde and drye. But nowe fyrste we wyll speake of the symple complexions, of euery principal member, begyn­nynge at the brayne.

The brayne exce­ding in heate hath,

• The hedde and vysage ve­ry redde and hotte.
• The heare growynge faste blacke and courlyd.
• The vaynes in the eyen apparant.
• Superfluoꝰ matter in the nosethryls, eien, & eares.
• The heed annoyed with hotte meates, drynkes, and sauours.
• Slepe shorte & not sounde.

The brayne exce­ding in colde hath,

• Moche superfluite run­nynge oute of the nose, mouthe, eares and eyen.
• Heare strayght & fine gro­wing slowly, & flaxen.
• The headde disposyd by small occasyon to poses and murres.
• It is soone annoyed with colde.
• It is colde in touchynge.
• Vaynes of the eyen not seene.
• Sleapy somwhat.

Moyst in excesse hath,

• Heares playne.
• Seldome or neuer balde.
• Wytte dulle.
• Moche superfluities.
• Slepe moche and depe.

The brayn drie hath

• No suꝑfluites runnyng.
• Wyttes good and redy.
• Watchefull.
• Heares blacke hard and fast growynge.
• Balde shortly.

Of quantitie. Cap. 1.

THE QVANTITIE of meate must be proporcioned after the substaunce and qualitie thereof, and accordyng to the complexion of hym that eateth Fyrst it ought to be remēbred, that meates hotte and moyste, whiche are qualities of the bloudde, are soone tourned into bloudde, and therfore moche nou­rysheth the body. Some meates do nourish but [Page] lyttell, hauynge lyttell conformitie with bloude in theyr qualities. Of them, whiche do neryshe, some are more grosse, some lyghter in digession. The grosse meate ingendreth grosse bloude, but where it is wel concoct in the slomake, and well digested, it maketh the flesshe more firme, and the officiall membres more stronge, thanne fyne metes. wherfore of men, which vse moch labour or exercise, also of them, which haue very cho­lerike stomakes, hore in England, grosse meates may be eaten in a great quantitie: and in a cholerike stomake biefe is better digested than a chy­kens legge, forasmoche as in a ho [...]fe stomacke fyne meates be shortely aduste and corrupted. Contrarywyse in a colde or fleumatike stomake grosse meate abydeth longe vndigested, and ma­keth putrifyed matter, lyght meates therfore be to suche a stomacke more apte and conuenient. The temperate bodye is best nourysshed with a lyttell quantitie of grosse meates: but of tempe­cate meates in substance and qualitie, they may safely eate a good quantitie. Foresene alwaye, that they eate without gourmandyse, or leaue with some appetite. And here it wold be remem­bred, that the cholerike stomake, doth not desyre so moch as he may digeste, the melancholye sto­make may not digeste so moche as he desyreth: for colde maketh appetyte, but naturall heate concocteth or boyleth. Not withstandynge vn­naturall or supernaturall heate distroyeth appe­tyte, and corrupteth digestion, as it appereth in feuers. Moreouer fruytes and herbes, specially rawe, wolde be eaten in a smalle quantitie, all though the persone be very cholerike, forasmoch [Page 17] as they do ingender thynne watry bloudde, apt to receyue putrifaction, whiche althoughe it be not shortely perceyued of hym that vseth it, at length they fele it by sondry diseases, which are longe in comynge, and shortly sleeth, or be hard­ly escaped. Fynallye excesse of meates, is to be abhorred. For as it is sayde in the booke called Ecclesiasticus, In moch meate shall be sycknes, Ecclesiasti co. 37. and inordinate appetite shall approche vnto choler. Semblably the quantitie of drynk wold be moderated, that it excede not, nor be equalle vnto the quantitie of meate, specially wine, whi­che moderately taken, aydeth nature, and com­forteth her, and as the sayde author of Ecclesi­asticus Eccl. 31. sayth, wyne is a reioycynge to the soule and body. And Theognes saythe in Galenes Galen. de tuenda sa. warke, A large draught of wyne is ylle. A mo­derate draught is not onely not ylle, but also cō modious or profitable.

☞ Of qualitie of meates. Cap. 2.

QValitie is in the complexion, that is to saye, it is the state thereof, as Hotte or cold, moyste or drye. Also some meates be in wynter colde in acte, and in vertue hotte. And it wolde be consydered, that euery cō plexion temperate & vntemperate, is cōserued in his state, by that which is lyke therto in fourme and degree. But that whiche excedeth moche in dystemperaunce, must be reduced to his tempe­raunce, by that whiche is contrarye to hym in fourme or qualitie, but lyke in degre moderatly vsed. By fourme is vnderstande grossenes, fyne­nesse, [Page] thyckenesse, or thyckenesse, by degree, as the fyrste, the seconde, the thyrde, the fourth, in heate c [...]de, moysture, or drythe.

☞ Of Custome. Cap. 3.

CVstome in feedynge is not to be contem­ned, or lyttell regarded: for those meates, to the whiche a ma [...]e hath ben of longe tyme accustomed, though they be not of substāce commendable, yet do they somtyme lasse harme [...] than better metes, whervnto a man is not vsed. Also the meates and drynkes, whiche do moche del [...]te hym that eateth, or to be preferred before that, whiche is better, but more vnsauery. But if the custome be soo perniciouse, that it nedes [...] must be lefte, than wolde it be withdrawen by lyttell and lyttell in tyme of helthe, and not of lyckenesse. For yf it shoulde be withdrawen in tyme of syckenesse, Nature shulde susteyne tre­ble de [...]runent, fyrst by the grefe induced by syck­nesse, seconde by receyuynge of medicines, third­ly by forbearyng the thyng, wherin she delyteth.

☞ Of the temperature of meates to be receyued. Cap 4.

TO kere the body in good temper: to them whose naturall cōplexion is moyste, ought to be gyuen meates that be moste in ver­tue or power. Contrarywise to them, whose na­turalle complexion is drye? oughte to be gyuen meates drye in vertue or power. To bodyes vn­temperate, suche meates or drinkes are to be gy­uen, [Page 18] whiche be in power contrary to the distem­perance, but the degrees are alway to be consy­dered, as well of the temperance of the body, as of the meates. For where the meates do moche excede in degree the temperature of the bodye, they anoye the body in causyng distemperance, As hotte wynes, pepper, garlyke, onyons, & salt, be noyfull to them, which be cholerike, bycause they be in the hyghest degre of heate and drieth, aboue the iuste temperance of mannes bodye in that cōplexion. And yet be they oftentymes hol­some to them, whiche be fleumatike. Contrary wyse, colde water, colde herbes, and cold fruites moderately vsed, be holsom to choleryke bodies, by puttyng awaye the heate, excedyng the natu­rall temperature: and to theym, whiche be fleu­matyke, they be vnholsome, and do brynge into them distemperance of colde and moyste.

❧ What distemperance hapneth by the excesse of sondry qualities in meates and drynkes. Cap. 5.

Meates.

• Colde, do congele and mortifye.
• Moyste, do putrifie and hasten age.
• Drye, sucketh vp naturall moysture.
• Clāmy, stoppeth the issue of vapors and vrine, and ingendreth toughe fleume and grauell.
• Fatte and oyly, swymmeth longe in the stomake, and bryngeth in loth­somnesse.
• Bytter, doth not nouryshe.
• Salte, do frette moche the stomake.
• [Page] Harrys she, lyke the taste of wylde fruytes, do constipa [...]e, and restrayn. Swete, chauffeth the bloudde, and causeth opilations or stoppynges of the pores and cundytes of the body. Sower cooleth nature, and haste­neth age.

❧ What commoditie happeneth by the moderate vse of the sayd qualities of meates and drynkes. Cap. 6.

Meates

• Colde asswageth the bournynge of choler.
• Moyste, humecteth that whiche is dryed.
• Drye, consumeth superfluouse moy­sture
• Clammye, thycketh that, whiche is subtyll and percynge.
• Bytter clenseth and wypeth of, al­so mollifieth and expelleth fleume.
• Salt, relenteth fleume clammy, and dryeth it.
• Fatte and vnctuouse, nourysheth, and maketh soluble.
• Stiptike or roughe on the toungue vyndeth and comforteth appetite.
• Sweete dothe clense, dissolue, and nouryshe.

☞ Of fruites. Cap. 7.

FOrasmoche as before that tyllage of corne was inuented, and that deuouryng of flesh and fyshe was of mankynde vsed, men vn­doubtedly lyued by fruites, & Nature was therwith contented & satisfied: but by chaunge of the diete of our progenitours, there is caused to be in our bodies such alteration from the na­ture, whiche was in men at the begynnyng, that nowe all fruites generally are noyfulle to man, and do ingender ylle humours, and be oftetymes the cause of putrified feuers, yf they be moche and contynually eaten. Not withstandynge vn­to them, whiche haue aboundaunce of choler, they be somtyme cōuenient, to represse the flame whiche procedeth of choler. And somme fruytes whiche be styptike, or byndynge in taste, eaten before meales, do bynde the bealy, but eaten af­ter meales, they be rather laxatiue. Nowe shall it not be vnexpedient, to wryte of some fruites particularly, declarynge theyr noyefull quali­ties in appayrynge of Nature, and howe they may be vsed with leste detriment.

☞ Herbes vsed in potage or to eate. Capitulo. 8.

GEnerally al herbes rawe, and not sodden, do ingender cold and watry iuyce, yf they be eaten customably, or in abundance: all be it some herbes are more comestyble, & doo lasse harme vnto nature, and moderatelye vsed, maketh inetely good bloudde.

☞ Rape rotes and Nauews. Cap. 9.

THe iuyce made by them, is very grosse: & therfore beyng moch eaten, if they be not perfytely concocte in the stomake, they do make crude or rawe iuyce in the vaynes. Also yf they be not well boyled, they cause wyndes, and annoye the stomake, & make somtyme frettyn­ges: If they be well boyled fyrste in cleane wa­ter, and that beinge caste away, the second tyme with fatte fleshe, they nourys she moche, and do neyther lowse nor bynde the bely. But Nauews do not nouryshe so moche as rapes, but they be euen as wyndy.

☞ Spices growyng out of this realme vsed in meate or drynke. Cap. 10,

❧ Of breade. Cap. 11.

Breade of fyne floure of wheate, hauynge no [...]uyn, is slewe of digestion, and maketh [...] [...]nours, but it nouryssheth moche: yf it be l [...]yned, it dygesteth sooner: breade [...]ynge moche branne, fylleth the bealye with excrementes, and nouryssheth lyttell or nothyng, but shortely descendeth from the stomacke: The [Page 29] meane betwene bothe, suffyciently leuyned, well moulded, and moderately baken, is the most hol some to euery age. The greatest loues do norishe moste faste, for as moch as the fyre hath not ex­hausted the moysture of theym. Hotte breadde, moche eaten, maketh fulnesse and thyrste, and slowely passeth. Barley bread clenseth the body, and doth not nouryshe so moche as wheate, and maketh colde iuyce in the body.

☞ Of flesshe. Capi. 12.

BEfe of Englande to Englyshemen, whi­che are in helthe, bryngeth stronge nourys­shynge, but it maketh grosse bloudde, and ingendreth melancoly: but being of yonge oxen, not excedynge the age of foure yeares, to them, which haue cholerike stomakes, it is more conuenient, thanne chykens, and other lyke fine meates.

❧ The partes and members of byr­des and beastes, Cap. 13.

THe wynges braunes and necke of geese, capons, hennes, fesaunt, partryche, and small byrdes beyng fa [...]te, are better than the legges in dygestyon, & lyghter in nou­ryshyng, of wyldfoule and pygeons beyng fatte the legges are better than the wynges: the brau­nes of ducke, teale, and wygeon excepte, whiche is better to dygeste than the tesydewe.

❧ Of fysshe generally. Cap. 14.

THe best fyshe after the opinion of Galen, is that, whiche swymmeth in the pure see, and is tossed and lyfte vp with windes and sourges. The more calme that the water is, the warse is the fyshe, they which are in muddy waters, do make moche fleume and ordure, ta­ken in fennes and dyches be warste, beinge in freshe ryuers and swyfte, be somtyme commen­dable: albeit generally, all kyndes of fyshe ma­keth more thynner bloudde, than flesshe, so that it doth not moche nouryshe, and it doth sooner passe out by vapours: to a hotte cholerike sto­make, or in feuers, somtyme they be holsome, [Page 33] beynge newe, freshe, and not very harde in sub­stance or slimy, harde fyshe is hard of digestion, but the nourishement therof is more fyrme, than that, whiche is softe: those whiche haue muche grosse humours in them, are best powdred.

❧ Of butter. Cap. 15.

BVtter is also nourysshynge, and profiteth to them, whiche haue humours superflu­ous, in the breste or lunge, and lacketh ry­pyng & clensynge of them: specyally if it be eaten with sugar or hony. If it be well salted, it heateth and elenseth the more.

❧ Of Chese. Cap. 16.

CHese by the hole sentence of all auncyent wryters, letteth digestion, and is enemye vnto the stomacke. Also it ingendreth yll humours, & bredeth the stone. The chese whiche dothe leste harme, is softe chese, reasonably salted, whiche somme men do suppose, nou­rysheth moche.

☞ Of Egges. Cap. 17

EGges of fesantes, hennes, and partriches, be of all other meates most agreable vnto nature, specially yf they be newe layde: yf they be reere, they do clense the throte and the breaste. If they be harde, they be slowe in di­gestion: but beynge ones digested, they do nou­ryshe moche. Mean betwene rere and hard, they dygeste conueniently, and nouryshe quyckely. Egges well poched, ar better thā rosted. If they be fryed harde, they be of yll nouryshement, & do make stynkyng fuines in the stomake, & do cor­rupt other meates with whom they be mingled. They be moste holsome, whan they be poched, [Page] and most vnholsome, whan they be fryed. Dios­corides sayth, If they be souped warme, before any other meate, they do heale the griefes of the bladder, and raynes, made with grauelle: alsoo forenesse of the chekes, and throte, and spytting of bloudde: and they be good agaynst eatarres, or styllynge out of the heed, into the stomake.

❧ Of drinkes, and fyrste of Wa­ter Capit. 18.

VNdoubtedly water hath preemynence a­boue all other lycours, not onely bycause it is an element, that is to say, a pure matter, wherof all other lycours haue theyr original substance: but also forasmoch, as it was the very naturall and fyrst drynke, to all maner of creatures. wherfore the fayeng of Pindarus the poete, was euer welle allowed, which sayth, water is beste. And one thyng is to be well con­sydered that from the creation of the world, vntyll the vniuersalle deluge or floudde, durynge whiche tyme, men lyued eyght or nyne hundred yeres, there was none other drink vsed nor kno­wen, but water. Also the true folowers of Py­thagoras doctrine, dranke onely water, and yet lyued longe: as Apollonius, and other: and in the serchynge out of secrete and misticall thyn­ges, their wyttes excelled. More ouer, we haue sene men and women of great age, and stronge of body, whiche neuer, or very seldome, dranke other drynke, than pure water: As by example, in Cornewall, although that the countray be in a very colde quarter, whiche prouethe, that yf menne from their infancye, were accustomed to [Page 34] none other drynke but to water onely, mode­rately vsed it shulde be sufficient to kepe natu­rall moysture, and to cause the meate that is ea­ten to perce and descende vnto the places of di­gestion, which are the purposes that drynke ser­ueth fore. But nowe to the qualities of water, after the sentence of auncient philosophers and phisitions, The rayne water, after the opinion of the most men, yf it be receyued pure & cleane, is moste subtyll and penetratyue, of any other waters: the nexte is that, whiche yssueth out of a sprynge in the easte, and passeth swyftely, a­monge great stones or rockes: the thyrde is of a cleane ryuer, which rennethe on great harde sto­nes or pebles. There be dyuers meanes to trye out, whiche is the beste water, for that which is lyghtest in poyse or weyght is beste. Alsoo that, wherof commeth leste skymme or frothe, whan it doth boyle. Also that, whiche wyll soonest be hote. More ouer deape lynnen clothes into sun­drye waters, and after laye them to drye, & that whiche is soonest drye, the water wherin it was depid is moste subtylle. After a greate surfette, colde water drunken is a generall remedy. Hip­pocrates affyrmeth, that in sharpe and feruent diseases, none other remedy is to be requyred, than water. And Galene wylle not, that chyl­derne shulde be lette from drynkynge of water: De ratiōe uictus in mor. acu­tis li. 3. but that whan they fele them selues very hotte, after meales, and do desyre to drynke water, specially of a cleane fountayn, they shuld be suf­fred. Also Hippocrates sayth, In suche syknes where as thou fearest, lest the heed shuld be vehemently greued, or the minde peryshed there must [Page] thou gyue eyther water, or whyte wyne alayed with moche water. Not withstandynge there be in water causes of dyuers diseases, as of swellynge of the splene, and the lyuer, it also flytteth and swymmeth, and it is long or it perceth, in as moche, as it is colde and slowe in decor­tion, it loseth not the bealy, nor prouoketh vrine. Also in this it is vicyous, that of his proper na­ture, it maketh none ordure. Fynally, alway re­specte muste be hadde to the persone, that dryn­keth it, for to yonge men, and them, that be hot of complexion, it doth lasse harme, and somtyme it profyteth: but to them that are feble, olde, fleu matyke, or melancoly, is not conuenient.

❧ Of Wyne. Cap. 19.

PLato, the wysest of all phylosophers, doth affirme, that wyne moderatly drunke, no­rysheth and cōforteth, as well all the body, as the spirites of man. And therfore, god dyde ordeyne it for mankynde, as a remedy a­gaynste the incommodities of aege: that thereby they shulde seme to retourne vnto youth, & for­gette heuynes. Vndoubtedly wyne heateth and moysteth the body, which qualities chiefly con­serueth nature. And Galene of all wynes, com­mendeth that, which is yelowe and clere, saing, That it is the hotest, and whyte wyne lest hote. And the colour meane betwene bothe, of semblable temperature. The yelowe wyne, whiche is the proper colour of very hotte wynes, to olde men doth brynge these cōmodites Fyrste it hea­teth al theyr membres, also it purgeth by vryne, [Page 35] the watry substaunce of the bloudde. Moreouer the wynes, whiche be pale or yelowe, and full of substance, they do increase bloudde, & nouryshe the body, but for the more parte olde men haue nede of suche wynes, whiche do prouoke vrine: for as moch as in them do abounde watrye ex­crementes, or superfluities. And they whiche do tary longe in the bealy, be not apt for aged men. Blacke or depe redde wynes and thicke, do bind and congele that which they do fynde in the bo­dye, and although some of them do not longe a­byde in the bealy, yet they moue not vrine, but rather withdraweth: but yet they do harme to olde men, for as moche as they do stoppe the eū ­dites of the splene, the lyuer, & the raynes. Alsoo grosse wynes be best for them, whiche desyre to be fatte, but it maketh oppilations: olde wyne and clere is better for them, that be fleumatike. Galene also prohibiteth chyldern to drynke any Lib. 1. de tuenda sa­nitate. wyne, forasmoch as they be of an hot and moist temperature, and soo is wyne: and therfore it heateth and moysteth to moch theyr bodyes, and fylleth theyr heedes with vapours. More ouer, he wolde, that yonge men shoulde drynke lyttell wyne, for it shall make them prone to fury, and to lechery: and that parte of the soule, whych is called rationable, it shall make troublous and dull [...]: not withstandynge, yet it is sommetyme profytable to mitigate or expell ordure, made of coler or melancolye. Also it profyteth agaynste drythe, whiche hapneth in the substance of the bodye, eyther by to moche labour, or by the pro­pre temperature of age: for wyne moysteth and nourysheth that, whiche is to drye, also mytiga­teth [Page] and dissolueth the sharpenes of cholet, and purgeth it also by vrine and sweate: Finally (as Theognes sayth Moch drynkynge of wyne is yll, but moderate drynkyng of wyne is not only not yll, but also commodious and profitable, whiche sentence is confyrmed by Jesus Syrac, in the boke named Ecclesiasticus, sayeng, wyne moderatly drunke, reioyseth bothe the body and Eccle. 3 [...]. soule. wherfore to cōclude this chapyter, There is neyther meate nor drynke, in the vse wherof ought to be a more discrete moderation, than in wyne, consyderynge that beynge good & drunke in due tyme and mesure, it not onely conserueth naturall and radicall moysture, wherby lyfe in­ [...]ureth, but also it helpeth the pryneypall mem­bers, whiche belonge to digestyon, to do they [...] office: On the other parte, beynge yll or corrupt or taken out of order and measure, it doth con­trarye to all the premysses, besydes that it transformeth a man or womā, makyng them beastly. More of the qualities of wyne, shall be touched hereafter in the order of dyete.

❧ Of Mylke. Cap. 20.

MIlke is comparte of three substaunces, creame, whey, and cruddes. The moste excellent mylke is of a womā The milke of a cowe is thyekest, the mylke of a cantlle is moste subtyll, the mylke of a goote is betwene cowe mylke, and camelle mylke. Ewes mylke is betwene cowe mylke and asses mylke. Alsoo the mylke of beastes, fedyng in large pastures, and oute of fennes and marsshes, is better than of [Page 36] them, whiche be fedde in lyttell closes, or in wa­try groundes. In springe tyme mylke is mooste subtyll, and milke of yong beastes, is holsomer, than of olde. To chylderne, olde menne, and to them, whiche be oppressed with melancolye, or haue the fleshe consumed with a feuer ethike, mylke is conuenient. And generally to all them, which do not fele the mylke ryse in theyr stomo­kes, after that they haue eaten it: and in those persones, it dothe easyly pourge that, whiche is in the bealy superfluous. And afterwarde it en­treth into the vaynes, and bryngeth good nou­ryshement. Who so euer hath an appetit to eate or drynke mylke, to the entente that it shall not aryse or abrayde in the stomake, lette hym put in to a vessel, out of the whiche he wyll receyue it, a fewe leaues of myntes, sugar, or pure honye. And in to that vessel cause the best to be milked, and so drynke it warme from the vdder: or els lette hym do as Paulus Aegineta teacheth, that is to say, boyle fyrst the mylke with an easy fier, and sethe it after with a hotter fire, and skimme it cleane, and with a spunge deaped in cold wa­ter, take that cleane away, whiche wold be bur­ned to the vessell, than put to the mylke salt and Oribasius de confectione ciborum. li. 3. sugar, and stere it often. More ouer mylke taken to pōurge melancolye, wolde be drunke in the mornyng abundantly newe mylked, as is before wrytten. And he that drynketh, shulde absteyne from meate, and exercise, vntyll the mylke be di­gested, and haue somwhat pourged the bealy. For with labour it becommeth sowre: and ther­fore it requyreth reste and watche, or to walke very softely. Finally, where men and women [Page] be vsed from their chyldhode, for the more part, to mylke, and do eate none or lyttell other meat, but mylke and butter, they appere to be of good complexion and facion of body, and not so mo­che vexed with sickenesse, as they whiche drinke wyne or ale: not withstandynge moche vse of mylke in men sanguyne or choleryke, dothe in­gender the stone.

❧ Of ale, biere, cyder, and whay.

I Can neyther here nor rede, that ale is made and vsed for a commen drynke in any other coūtray than England, Scotland, Ireland and Poyle. The latine worde Cereuitia, is in­different as well to ale as biere, and the onely difference betwene them is, that biere hath hop­pes sodden in it, ale ought to haue none. If the corne be good, the water holsom and cleane, and the ale or biere well and perfytely brewed and clensed, and by the space of .vi. dayes or more, settled and defecate, it muste nedes be a necessa­ry and conuenient drynke, as well in syckenesse as in helth: consyderyng that barley corne, wher of it is made, is commended, and vsed in medi­cine, in all partes of the worlde: and accompted to be of a syngular efficacy, in reducyng the bo­dy into good temper, specyally which is in a di­stemperature of heate. For what auncient phi­sition is there, that in his workes commendeth not ptysane, which is none other than pure barley, brayed in a morter, and sodden in water, the same thynge is smalle and clene ale or biere, sa­uynge that perchaunce, the drienge of the malte [Page 37] is cause of more drythe to be in the ale, than in ptysane. And the hoppes in biere maketh it col­der in operation. But to say as I thynke, I suppose, that neyther ale nor biere is to be cōpared to wyne, consyderynge, that in theym do lacke the heate and moysture, whiche is in wyne. For that beynge moderately vsed, is most lyke to the naturall heate and moysture of mannes bodye. And also the lykour of ale and biere, beyng more grosse, do ingender more grosse vapours, and corrupte humours, thanne wyne dothe, beynge drunke in lyke excesse of quantitie.

¶ And one thynge is to be noted, whiche was lately wel marked, of a man of excellent lerning, beinge vexed with the syknes of the stone. That in them, which do alway vse to drink ale or bere the stone & grauel ingendred in them, is white of colour: And in them, whiche do vse to drynke wyne for the moste parte, the stones and gra­uell, whiche be ingendreth in them, be redde of colour. Not withstandyng commonly the colour of the stone foloweth the humour, whiche dothe moste abounde in the pacyent. As coler maketh the grauell more redde, fleume maketh it more whyte. Also some men do suppose, that red gra­uell is ingendred in the raynes: white grauell in the bladder. More ouer, who so euer vseth in­gurgitation of ale or bicre, his breathe shall be more lothesome, than the breathes of them, whi­che do take the excesse of wyne: for the wyne, by the reason of his heate, is soner digesteth, and doth leue behynde hym, fewer dregges. As for Cyder, may not be good in any condicion, consy­derynge (as I say) that all fruytes do ingenderyll [Page] humours, & do coole to moch naturall heate: but to them, whiche haue abundaunce of reddecholer, moderately vsed, it somewhat profiteth in mytigation of excessiue heate. But who that wyll dyly gently marke in the countrays, where syder is vsed for a comon drynke, the men and women haue the colour of their vysage palled, & the skynne of theyr vysage ryueled, although that they be yong. Whay yf it be lefte of the butter, brynge well ordred, and not drunke, vntylle it haue a thycke curde of mylke ouer it lyke to a hatte, is a ryght temperate drinke: forasmoch as by the vn [...]tuositie of the butter, wherof the whay retayneth some portion, it is bothe mayste and nouryshynge, and clenseth the breste: and by the subtylnesse of it selfe, it descēdeth sone from the stomacke, and is shortly digested. Also by re­son of the affinitie, which it hath with mylke, it is conuertible into bloudde and fleshe, specially in those persones, whiche do inhabite the northe partes, in whom natural heate is conglutinate, and therfore is of more puissaunce and vertue in the office of concoction. Also custome frome chylhoode dothe eleuate the power of meates and drynkes in theyr disposition, not withstan­dynge that the foure humours, sangume, choler, fleume, and melancoly, must also be consydered as it shall apper [...] in dyuers places hereafter,

❧ Of Hony. Cap. 22.

HOnye as well in meate as in drinke [...] of incomparable efficacy, for it not only clenseth, altereth, and nourysheth, but also it [Page 38] longe tyme preserueth that vncorrupted, whiche is put into it. In so moch as Plini [...] sayth, Su­che is the nature of hony, that it suffred not the bodyes to putrifie. And he affirmeth, that he did Pli. li. 22. see an Hippocentaure (whiche is a beaste halfe man, halfe horse) brought in honye to Claudius the emperour out of Egypte, to Rome. And he telleth also of one Pollio Romulus, who was aboue a hundred yeres olde, of whome Augu­stus the emperour demaunded, by what meanes he lyued so longe, and retayned styl the vygoure or lyuelynesse of body and mynd, Pollio answe­red, that he dyd it inward with meade (whiche is drynke made with hony and water) outward with oyle. Which sayeng agreeth with the sen­tence of Democritus, the greatte philosopher: who beynge demaunded, howe a man moughte lyue longe in helthe, he aunswered, If he wette hym within with hony, without with oyle The same philosopher, whan he was a hūdred yeres olde and nyne, prolonged his lyfe certayne daies with the euaporation of hony, as Aristoxenus writeth. Of this excellent matter, moste won­derfully wrought and gathered by the lytel bee, as wel of the pure dewe of heuen, as of the most subtyl humour of swete and vertuous herbes & floures, be made likors cōmodious to mankind, as meade, metheglyn, & oxymel. Meade whiche is made with one parte of hony, and foure ty­mes so moche of pure water, and boyled vntyll no skymme do remayne, is moch commended of Galene, drunke in sommer, for preseruynge of Galen. de tuend. san. lib. 4. [...]elthe. The same author alwaye commendeth the vsynge of hony, eyther rawe eaten with fine [Page] breade somwhat leuened, or sodden, and recey­ued as drinke. Also meade perfectly made, clen­seth the breste and lunges, causeth a man to spyt easily, and to pysse abundantly, and purgeth the bealy moderately. Metheglyn, whiche is moste vsed in wales, by reason of hotte herbes boyled with hony, is hotter than meade, and more com­forteth a colde stomake, if it be perfectely made, and not newe or very stale. Oximell is, where to one parte of vineger is put double so moche of hony, foure tymes as moche of water, and that beynge boyled vnto the thyrde parte, and cleane skymmed with a fether, is vsed to be taken, where in the stomacke is moche fleume or mat­ter vndygested, so that it be not redde choler, Loke the vse therof in Alexandro Tralliano. Many other good qualities of honye, I omytte to wryte of, vntyll some other occasyon shal happen, to remember them particularly, where they shall s [...]me to be profytable.

❧ Sugar. Cap. 23.

OF sugar, I do fynde none ancient author of grekes or latynes, to wryte by name, but onely Paulus Aegineta, who saythe in this wyse, after that he hath treated of hony, Moreouer sugar, whiche they calle hony, that is brought to vs from Arabia, callid felix, is not so swete as our hony, but is equalle in vertue, and doth not anoy the stomake, nor causeth thyrste. These be the wordes of Paulus. It is nowe in dayely experience, that sugar is a thynge verye temperate and nouryshynge, and where there [Page 39] is choler in the stomake, or that the stomake ab­horreth hony, it may be vsed for hony in al thynges, wherin hony is requyred to be.

❧ Of tyme. Cap. 24.

IN the consyderation of tyme, for takynge of meates and drynkes, it is to be remembred, that in wynter meates ought to be taken in great abundance, and of a more grosse substance than in sommer, forasmoch as the exterior aire, whiche compasseth the body beynge colde, cau­seth the heate to withdrawe into the inner par­tes, where being inclosed, and contracte togither in the stomake & entrayles, it is of more force to boyle & digest that, which is receiued into it. Al­so meates rosted, ar thā better than sodden, and fleshe & fishe powdred, is thā better than in sommer. Herbes be not than commendable, specially raw, neither fruites, except quynces rosted or baked, drynk shuld be than taken in lyttel quātitie. Moreouer wines shall nede no water, or very li­tell, and that to coleryke persons: redde wynes, and they, whiche be thicke & swete, may be than moste surely taken of theym, whiche haue none oppilations, or the stone. Alway remember, that in wynter fleume increaseth by reason of rayne and moystnesse of that season, also the length of nyghtes and moche reste. And therfore in that tyme cholerike persons, are best at ease, sembla­bly Gal. in cō ment. in a­pho. 2. li. 3. are yonge men, but to olde men wynter is ennemye. It begynneth the .viii. day of Nouember, & endureth vntyll the .viii. day of February.

The spryng tyme doth participate the fyrste [Page] parte with wynter, the latter parte, with som­mer. Wherfore yf the fyrste parte be colde, than Hipocrat. [...] humana. shall the diete be accordynge to wynter. If the ende be hotte, than shall the diete be of sommer. If [...]ot [...]e partes be temperate, than shulde there be also a temperannce in diete: alwaye consyde­ryng, that fleume yet remayneth, & bloud than [...]r [...]aseth meate wold be lasse in quantitie than [...]ynter, and drynke somwhat more. Sprynge tyme begynneth the .viii. daye of Fe­bruary, [...] cōtinueth vntyll the .viii. day of May.

In semmer the inward heat is but lytel, & the stomake doth not digest so strongely nor quyk­ly Gal. [...] in [...]. [...]. lib [...]. as in wynter, wherfore in that season, eatyng often, and a lyttell at ones, is moste conuenient. And Damascenus saythe, that fastynge in som­mer drieth the body, maketh the colour salowe, ingendreth melancoly, and hurteth the syght. al­so boyled meate, breade steped in whyte brothe, Hipocra­tes de [...] ­moribus. with s [...]dden lettyse, or cykorie, are than good to be vsed also varietie in meates, but not at oone meale, potages made with colde herbes, drynke in more abundance, wyne alayde with water, to hotte complexions moche, to colde natures lasse. In this season bloudde increaseth, and towarde the ende therof, choler. And therfore they, which Galen in cōment. in aphor. be colde of nature and moyste, are than beste at case, hotte natures and dry wa [...]ste. More ouer, chyldren, and very yonge men in the begynnyng of sommer, are holest, old folke in the latter end and in haruest [...] somer beginneth the .viii. daye of May, & cōtinueth vntyll the .viii. day of August.

Autumne beginneth the .viii. day of August, & endeth the .viii. day of Nouember, that seson of [Page 40] the yere is variable, & the aire changeable, by occasyō wherof, happen sondry siknessis, & blod decreaseth, & melancoly abundeth: wherfore al sū ­mer frutes wold thā be eschewed, forasmoch as they make yll iuyce and windes in the body. In this tyme meate wolde be more abundant than in somer, but somwhat drier: drink must be lasse in quantitie, but lasse myxte with water. This tyme is daungerous to all ages, al natures, and all countrays, but the natures hote and moyste, be leste indamaged.

❧ Of ages. Cap. 25.

CHyldren wold be nourysheth with meates Gal. de tu. san. li. 1. Chyldern. and drynkes, whiche are moderately hote and moyste, not withstandynge Galene dothe prohibite them the vse of wyne, by­cause it moysteth and heateth to moche the bo­dye, and fylleth the heedes of them, whiche are hotte and moyste, with vapours. Also he permitteth them in hotte wether to drynke clere water of the fountayne.

¶ A chylde growynge faste in his members to­warde a man, soo that he semeth well fedde in the bodye, is than to be feared of fulnes of hu­mours, Oribasins de virtute simpli. li. 1. and if it be perceyued, that he is replete, than muste be withdrawen and minished some parte of that nutriment, and accordynge vnto his age, some euacuation wold be deuised, other while by exercyse, walkynge vp and downe fa­stynge, [Page 41] and before that they eate any meate, lette them exercise them selfes with theyr own labors and do theyr own accustomed busynes, and eate the meates wherunto they be moste vsed, so that it be suche, that may not hurte theym. And this nede they not to knowe of phisitions, but by ex­perience and diligent serche by theyr stoole, theyr norices shall perceyue what dygesteth well, and what doth not.

¶ But yf it appere, that by excessiue feedynge the bealy of the chyld is fuller and greater than it was wonte to be, and that whiche passeth by the bealy, is corrupted, or his sweate stynketh, these thynges knowen, if they eate stronge mea­tes, gyue them not one kynde of meate, but dy­uers, that the noueltie of the meate may helpe, that they may go more easily to the stole. For if any haue an vnreasonable appetite, he is sooner recouered, yf he be pourged by a boyle or impo­stume comen forthe and broken, before that the meate be corrupted: and after that let hym eate fyne meates, and beynge ones hole, retourne by lyttell and lyttell to his olde custome.

¶ Yonge men, excedyng the age of .xiiii. yeres, Yong men shal eate meates more grosse of substance, colder and moyster: also salades of colde herbes, and to drynke seldome wyne, except it be alayd with water. All be it all these thynges muste be tem­pred, accordyng to their complexions, & exercyse and quietnesse in lyuynge, wherof ye shall reede in theyr proper places hereafter.

¶ Dide men, in whom natural heate & strength Olde men semeth to decay, shuld vse alway meates, which are of qualitie hotte and moyst, and ther with all [Page] easy to be digested, and absteyne vtterly from al meates & drinkes, whiche wyll ingender thicke iuyce and slymy, semblably from wyne, whiche is thicke, swete, and darke redde wynes, and ra­ther vse them, whiche wyll make thyn humors, and wyll purge well the bloudde by vryne: ther­fore whyte or yelowe wynes, and perchaunce frenche clarette wynes, are for them very com, Paulus E­g [...]eta. li. 1. cap. 23. mendable. Also wyne prepared with pure hony clarified, wherin rootes of persely or fenelle be steped, specially yf they suspecte any thynge of the stoone, or goute▪ And yf they more desyre to clense theyr raynes and bladder: than is it good to vse small white wine, as racked renishe wine, or other like to it. and sommetyme to stepe ouer nyght therin a persely roote slyt, and somwhat bruysed, and a lyttell lykorice. Fynally, let them beware of all meates, that wyll stoppe the poo­res, and make obstructions or oppilations, that Opilatiōs what they are. is to saye, with clammy matter stoppe the pla­ces, where the naturall humours are wroughte and digested, the whyche meates I haue before sette in a table. But if it chaunce theym, to eate any suche meate in abundance, lette them take shortely suche thynges, as do resyste opilations, or resolue theym. As white pepper, bruised and myxte with theyr meates or drynke: garlyke also or onyons, yf they abhorre them not. Alway re­membre, that aged men shuld eate often, and but lyttell at euery tyme, for it fareth by theym, as it dothe by a lampe, whiche is almooste extincte, whiche by powrynge in of oyle lyttell and lyt­tell, is longe kept bournynge: and with moche oyle poured in at ones, it is cleane put out. Also [Page 42] they must forbeare all thynges, whiche doo in­gender melancolye, wherof ye shall rede in the table before: and breadde cleane without leuen, is to theym vnholsome.

Moderation in diet, hauyng respecte to the strength or weakenes of the person. Cap. 26.

NOwe here it must be consydered, that all though I haue writen a generall diet for euery age, yet netheles it must be remem­bred, that some chyldren and yong men, eyther by debilite of nature, or by some accyden­tall cause, as syckenes, or moch study, happen to gather humours fleumatike or melancoly in the places of digestiō, so that cōcoction or digestion is as weake in them as in those, which are aged Semblably some olde men fynde nature so be­neficyall vnto them, that theyr stomakes and ly­uers are more stronge to digeste, than the sayde yonge men, some perchaunce haue moche choler remaynynge in theym. In these cases the sayde yonge men muste vse the diete of olde menne, or nygh vnto it, vntyl the discrasy be remoued, ha­uynge alwaye respecte to theyr vniuersall com­plexions, as they, whiche are naturally chole­rike, to vse hotte thynges in a more temperance than they, whiche be fleumaticke, or melanco­lye by nature. The same obseruation shall be to Hipocrat. aphor. Galen. in comment. olde menne, sauynge that age, of his owne pro­pertye is colde and drye, therfore the olde man, that is cholerycke, shall haue more regarde to moysture in meates, than the yonge man beyng [Page] of the same complexion. Foresene alwaye, that where nature is offended or greued, she is curyd by that, whiche is contrarye to that, whiche of­fendeth or greueth, as colde by heate, heate by colde, drythe by moysture, moysture by drythe. In that wherby nature shulde be nourished in a hole and temperate bodye, thynges muste be ta­ken, whiche are lyke to the mans nature in qua­litie and degre. As where one hath his body in a good temper, thynges of the same temperance dothe nourysshe hym. But where he is oute of temper, in heate, cold, moysture, or dryth, tempe­rate meates or drynkes, nothyng do profyt hym, for beynge out of the meane and perfyte tempe­rature, nature requyreth to be therto reduced by contraries, remembrynge not only, that contra­ries are remedye vnto theyr contraries, but also in euery contrary, consideration be hadde of the proporcion in quantitie.

❧ Tymes in day concernynge meales. Cap. 27.

BEsydes the tymes of the yere, and ages, there be also other tymes of eatynge and drynkynge to be remembred, as the sondry tymes in the daye, whiche we call meales, whi­che are in noumber and dystaunce, accordynge to the temperature of the countrey and person: As where the countrey is colde, and the persone lusty, and of a strong nature, there may [...]o meales be vsed, or the lasse distance of tyme betwene them. Contrarywise in contrary countrays and personages, the cause is afore rehersed, where I [Page 43] haue spoken of the diet of the times of the yere, not withstādyng here must be also consideratiō of exercise and reste, which do augmente or apeireth the naturall disposition of bodyes, as shall be more declared herafter in the chapiter of ex­ercise. But concernyng the general vsage of coū treys, & admittyng the bodies to be in ꝑfit state of helth. I suppose that in England yong men, vntyll they come to the age of .xl. yeres, may wel eate thre meales in one daye, as at breakefaste, dyner, & supper, so that betwene breakefast and dyner, be the space of foure houres at the leaste, betwene dyner and supper .vi. houres, and the breakefast lasse thā the dyner, and the dyner moderate, that is to say, lasse than saciete or fulnes of bealy, and the drynke thervnto measurable, accordynge to the dryenesse or moystnesse of the meate. For moch abundance of drynk at meale, drowned the meate eaten, and not onely letteth conuenient concoction in the stomake, but also causeth it to passe faster than nature requyreth, and therfore ingendreth moche fleume, and con­sequently reumes, & crudenes in the vaynes, de­bilitie and slyppernesse of the stomake, conty­nuall fluxe, and many other inconueniences to the body and membres. But to retourne to mea­les, I thynke breakefastes necessary in this re­alme, as well for the causes before rehersed, as Brekefast. also forasmoche as choler, beyng feruent in the stomake, sendeth vp fumosities vnto the brayn, and causeth heed ache, and somtyme becometh aduste, and smouldreth in the stomake, whereby happeneth peryllous sycknes, and sommetyme sodayn deth, yf the heate inclosed in the stomake [Page] haue nat other conuenient matter to worke on: this dayly experience proueth, and natural reson confirmeth. Therfore men and womē not aged, hauing their stomakes cleane without putrified matter, slepyng moderately and sondely in the nyght, and felynge them selfe lyghte in the mor­nynge, and swete breathed, lette them on god­des name breake theyr faste: Coleryke men with grosse meate, men of other complexions with lyghter meate, fore sene, that they labour some­what before: semblably their dyner and supper, as I haue before written, so that they sleape not incontinent after theyr meales. And here I wyll not recite the sentences of authors, whiche had neuer experience of englysshe mens natures, or of the iuste temperature of this realme of En­glande, onely this counsell of Hipocrates shall Hipocrat. aphor. 13. lib. 1. Galen. de tuend. san. be sufficient. We ought to graunt somewhat to tyme, to age, and to custome: not withstandynge where great werynesse or drythe, greued the body, there oughte the dyner to be the lesse, and the longer distance betwene dyner and supper. alsoo moche reste, excepte a lyttell softe walkyng, that by an vpryght mouyng, the meate beyng styred, may descende. This is alway to be remembred, that where one feleth hym selfe full, and greued with his dyner, or the sauoure of his meate by erurtation ascēdeth or that his stomake is weke by late syckenesse or moche study, than is it most conuenient, to absteyne from supper, and rather prouoke hym selfe to sleape moche, than to eate or drynke any thynge. Also to drynke betweene meales, is not laudable, excepte very great thirst constrayneth, for it interrupteth the office of the [Page 44] stomake in concoction, and causeth the meate to passe faster than it shulde do, and the drynke be­inge colde, it rebuketh naturall hete, that is wor­kyng, and the meate remaynyng rawe, it corru­pteth dygestyon, and makyth crudenesse in the vaynes, wherfore he that is thyrsty, let hym con­syder the occasyō. If it be of salt fleume, let him walke fayre and softely, and onely wasshe his mouthe, and his throote with barley water, or small ale, or lye downe and sleape a lyttell, and so the thyrste wyll passe away, or at the leaste be well asswaged. If it happen by extreme heate of the ayre, or by pure choler, or eatynge of hot spi­ces, lette hym drynke a lyttell iulep made with cleane water and sugar, or a lyttell small biere or ale, so that he drynke not a great glutte, but in a lyttell quantitie, let it styll downe softly into his stomake, as he sytteth, and than let hym not moue sodeynly. If the thyrste be in the euenyng, by eatynge to moche, and drynkynge of wyne, than after the opinion of the beste lerned phisi­tions, and as I my selfe haue often experienced, the best remedy is, yf there be no feuer, to drinke a good draught of colde water, immediatly, or els yf it be not peynefull for hym to vomyte, to prouoke hym therto with a lyttel warme water, and after to washe his mouth with vineger and water, and so to sleape longe and soundly, yf he can. And yf in the mornyng he fele any fumosi­ties rysyng, than to drynke iulep of violettes, or for lacke therof, a good draught of very small ale or biere somewhat warmed, without eatyng any thynge after it.

❧ Of dyuersitie of meates eaten wherby helthe is appaired. Cap. 28.

NOw let this be a generall rule, that son­dry meates, beynge dyuers in substance and qualitie, eaten at one meale, is the greatest ennemy to helth, that may be, and that whiche ingendreth most siknesses, for some mea­tes beyng grosse, and harde to dygeste, some fine & easy to dygest, do requyre diuers operations of nature, and diuers temperatures of the sto­make, that is to say, moch heate and temperate heate, whiche may not be togyther at one tyme. Therfore whan the fyne meate is suffycientlye boyled in the stomake, the grosse meate is rawe, so both iuyces, thone good and petfite, the other grosse and crude, at one tyme dygested, and sent into the veynes and body, nedes muste helth de­caye, and sycknesses be ingendred. Lykewyse in diuers meates being diuers qualities, as where some are hotte and moyst, some cold and moyst, some hote and drye, some colde and drie, accor­dynge ther vnto shall the iuyce be dyuers, which they make in the body. And lyke as betwene the sayd qualities is contrarietie, so therby shall be in the body an vnequall temperature, forasmoch as it is not possible for man to esteme so iuste a proporcyon of the qualities of that, whiche he receyueth, that the one shall not excede the other in quantitie. wherfore of the sayd vnequall mix­ture, nedes must ensue corruption, & consequētly syknesse. And theofore to a hole man, it were better, to fede at one meale competently on very [Page 45] grosse meate only, so that it be swete, and his nature do not abhorre it, than on diuers fyne mea­tes, of sondry substance and qualities. I haue knowen and sene olde men, and olde women, whiche eatyng only befe, baken, chese, or curdes, haue continued in good helthe, whome I haue prouyd, that whan they haue eaten sondry fyne meates at one meale, haue sone after felte them selfe greued with frettinges and hed ache, and after that they haue ben hole agayne, there hath ben gyuen to theym one kynde of lyght meate, they haue done as well therwith, as they were wont to do with grosse meates, whan they eate it alone, whiche proueth to be true that whiche I haue rehersed. And it is good reason, for after the generall opinion of philosophers and phisi­tions, the nature of mankynde is beste contente with thynges most symple and vnmixte, all thinges tendynge to vnitie, wherin is the onely per­fection. Also it is a generall rule of phisyke, that where a syckenes may be cured with symples, that is to say, with one onely thyng, that is me­dieinable, there shulde the phisition gyue no cō ­pounde medicyne myxte with many thynges.

These thynges consydered, it maye seme to all men, that haue reson, what abuse is here in this realme in the contynuall gourmandyse & dayely fedynge on sondry meates, at one meale, the spi­rite of gluttony, triumphynge amonge vs is his gloryouse charyot, callyd welfare, dryuynge vs afore hym, as his prysoners, into his dūgcon of Glutony. surfet, where we are tur [...]edted with catarres, feuers, goutes, pleuresies, freitynge of the gut­tes, & many other sycknesses, and fynally cruelly [Page] put to death by them, oftentymes in youth, or in the moste pleasaunt tyme of our lyfe, when we wold most gladly lyue. For the remedy wherof, howe many tymes haue there ben dyuised ordy­naunces and actes of counsayle, althoughe per­chaunce bodyly helthe was not the chyefe occa­syon therof, but rather prouision ageynst vayne and sumptuous expenses of the meane people. For the nobilitie was exempted and had libertie to abyde styll in the dongeon, yf they wolde, and to lyue lasse whyle than other men: But whan, where, and howe longe were the sayd good de­nyses put in due execution, for all that thereof shuld succede double profite, that is to say, helth of body, and increse of substance, by eschewyng of superfluous expenses in sondry dyshes? Alas how longe wyll men fantasye lawes and good ordynaunces, and neuer determyne them. Fan­tasy procedeth of wytte, dete, mination of wise­dome, wytte is in the deuysyng and speakynge, but wysedome is in the performance, whiche re­steth ouely in execution. Here I had almost for­gotten, that my purpose was to wryte of the or­der of diete, and not of lawes, but the feruente loue that I haue to the publyque weale of my countray, constrayned me to digresse somewhat from my matter: but nowe wyll I procede forth to wryte of order, whiche in takynge of meates and drynkes, is not the leste parte of diete.

Of order in receiuynge of meate and drynke. Cap. 29.

HErbes as welle sodden, as vnsodden, al­so fruytes, whiche do mollyfye and louse the bealy, oughte to be eaten before any [Page 46] other meate, excepte that sommetyme for the re­pressynge of fumosities, rysynge in the heed by moch drynkyng of wyne, rawe lettyse, or a colde appull, or the iuyce of orenges or lymons maye be taken after meales in a lyttel quātitie. More ouer all brothes, mylke, rere egges, and meates, whiche are purposely taken to make the bealye soluble, wolde be fyrste eaten. All fruites and o­ther meates, that are styptike or byndyng, wold be eaten laste after all other. Fruites confectio­nate specially with hony, ar not to be eaten with other meates. But here is it to be dylygentelye noted, that where the stomacke is coleryke and strong, grosse meates wold be fyrst eaten; where the stomacke is colde or weake, there wold fyne meates be fyrste eaten: for in a hot stomake, fine meates are bourned, whyle the grosse meate is digesting. Contrary wise in a colde stomake, the lyttel heate is suffocate with grosse meate, & the fyne meate lefte rawe, for lacke of concoction, where if the fyne meat be fyrst taken moderatly, it stereth vp and comforteth naturall heate, and maketh it more able to concoct grosse meates, yf they be eatē afterward: so that it be but in small quantitie. not withstandyng, as I late affirmed, one maner of meate is moste sure to euery com­plerion. foresene that it be alway most comonly in conformitie of qualities, with the person that eateth. Moreouer take hede, that slipper meates be not first eaten, lest it drawe with it to hastily other meates, or they be digested, nor that stiptik or restraining meatis, be taken at the begynning as quynces, peares, and medlars, leste they may let other meates, that they descende not into the [Page] bottom of the stomake, where they shulde be di­gested, not withstāding the cōfection made with the iuyce of quynces, callid Dacitonites, taken two houres afore dyner, or supper, is commēded of Galene, and other, for restoryng appetite, and making good concoction. Also cōcernyng drynke at meales, it wolde not be afore, that somwhat were eten. And at the begynnyng the drink wold be strongest, & so toward the end more smal, if it be ale or bere, & if it be wine more & more alaide with water. And after the better opinion of phi­sicions, the drink wold rather be mixte with the meate by sondry lytle draughtes, than with one great draught at thend of the meale, for the mixture tempreth wel the meate without anoyance, a great draught with moch drink, drowneth the meate, rebuketh natural hete, that than worketh in concoction, & with his weight driueth downe the meate to hastily. Hot wines and swete, or cō fectioned with spices, or very strong ale or bere, ar not conuenient at meales, for the meate is by them rather corrupted, thā digested, & they make hot and stinking vapors ascende vp to the bray­nes. All be it yf the stomake be very wyndy, or so colde and feble, that it can not concoct suche a quantitie of meat, as is requyred to the suffy­cyent nourishement of the body of hym that ea­teth, or hath eaten raw herbes or frutes, where by he feleth som anoyance, than may he drynke last incontynent after his meale, a lyttell quanti­tie of secke, or good aqua vite in smal ale: but yf he haue moche choler in his stomake or a heed full of vapours, it were moch better, that he dyd neyther drynke the one, nor the other, but rather [Page 47] eate a lyttell colyander sede prepared, or a pece of a quince rosted, or in marmelade, and after reste, to amende the lacke of nature with slepe, moderate exercise, and playsters prouyded for comfortynge of the stomake. And here wyll I leaue to wryte any more of the diete in eatyng & drinkyng, sauynge that I wold, that the reders shuld haue in remembraunce these two counsay­les. Fyrst, that to an hole man, to precise a rule is not conuenient in diete: & that the diseases, whi­che do happen by to moche abstinence, are wars to be cured, than they whiche come by replecion. Cor. Ccl. li. l. cap. 1. And as Cornelius Celsus sayth, A man that is hole and wel at ease, and is at his liberte, ought not to bynde hym selfe to rules, or nede a phisi­tion: but yet where the stomake is feble, as is of Idē, ca. 2. the more parte of citesyns, and wel nigh al they that be studious in lernyng or weighty affayres, there ought to be more circumspection, that the meate may be such, as that eyther in qualitie or quantitie, nature beynge but feble, but not rebu­ked, or to moche oppressed.

☞ Of sleape and watche. Cap 30.

THe commoditie of moderate slepe, appe­reth by this, that naturall heate, whiche is occupied about the matter, wherof pro­cedeth nouryshement, is comforted in the places of dygestion, and so digestion is made better, or more perfite by slepe, the body fatter, the mynde more quiete and clere. the humours temperate: and by moche watche all thynges happen cōtra­rye. The moderacyon of sleape muste be measu­red [Page] by helthe and syckenesse, by age, by tyme, by emptynesse or fulnesse of the body, and by natu­rall complexions. Fyrste to a hole man, hauynge no devilitie of nature, and digestynge perfytely the meate that eateth, a lyttell sleape is suffi­cient: but to them, which haue weake stomakes, and do digeste slowely, it requireth, that sleape be moche lengar. semblable temperance is requi­red in youth and age, wynter and sommer. The body beinge full of yll humours, very lytel slepe is sufficient, except the humors be crude or raw, for than is slepe necessary, which digesteth them better, than labour. Semblably, where the body is longe empty, by longe sycknesse or abstinence, slepe comforteth nature, as well in the principal membres, as in all the other. Also regarde muste be hadde to the complexion, for they that ar hot and do eate lyttell, and digeste quickely, a lyttell sleape serueth, specyally to choleryke persones, for in them moche slepe augmenteth heate, more than is necessary, whereby hote fumes and infla­mations are often ingendred, and somtyme the naturall choler is aduste or putryfied, as experi­ence teacheth. Fleumatike persons at naturallly inclyned to sleape: and bycause they ingender moche humours, they requyre more sleape than sanguine or cholerike. Persons hauyng naturall melancoly, not procedynge of choler aduste, do requyre very moche sleape, whiche in them com­forteth the powers animal, vitall, and naturall, which ye may find writē in the tables preceding Sleape wolde be taken not immediatelye after meales, and before that the meate is dyscended from the mouthe of the stomake. For thereby is [Page 48] ingendred paynes and noyse in the bely, and di­gestion corrupted, and the slepe by yll vapours, ascendyng, made vnquiete and troublous. More ouer immoderate slepe maketh the body apt vn­to palseys, apoplexis, fallynge sycknes, reumes, & impostumes. Also it maketh the wyttes dull, and the body slowe and vnapte to honeste exer­cise. Scmblably immoderate watche drieth to moch the body, and doth debilytate the powers animall, letteth digestion, and maketh the bodye apte to consumptions. Wherfore in these two thynges, as well as all other, a diligent tempe­rance is to be vsed the moderation is best conie­cted for it is harde perfytely to knowe it) by the sensible lyghtnes of all the body, specially of the brayne, the browes, and the eyes, the passage downe of the meate from the stomake, the wyll to make vrine, and to go to the stoole. Contrary wise, heuines in the body and eyes, and sauor of the mete before eaten, signifieth that the slepe was not sufficient. They that ar hole must slepe first on the right side, bycause the meate may approche to the lyuer, whiche is to the stomake, as fyre vnder the potte, and by hym is digested. To them, whiche haue feble digestion, it is good to slepe prostrate on their bealyes, or to haue theyr bare hand on theyr stomakes. Lyeng vpright on the backe, is to be vtterly abhorred.

The commoditie of exercise, and the tyme whan it shulde be vsed. Cap. 31.

EVery menynge is not an exercise, but only that which is vehemēt, the end wherof, is alteration of the breath or wynd of a man [Page] Of exercyse do procede two cōmodities, euacu­ation of excremētes, and also good habite of the body. for exercyse beyng a vehemēt motion, ther of nedes muste ensue hardnesse of the members, wherby labour shal the lesse greue, and the body be the more stronge to labour. also therof com­meth augmentation of heate, wherby hapneth the more attraction of thynges to be dygested, also more quycke alteration, and better nourys­shynge More ouer, that al and syngular partes of the body, be therewith somwhat humected. wherby it hapneth, that thinges harde be molli­fyed moyst thynges are extenuate, and the pores of the body ar more opened. And by the violence of the breath or wynd, the pores are clensed, and the fylthe in the body naturally expelled. This thing is so necessary to the preseruatiō of helth, that without it, no man may be longe withoute sycknesse, whiche is affyrmed by Lornelius Lel­sus, Cor. Cel. lib. 1. sayeng, that sluggyshnes dulleth the bodye, labour doth strength it, the fyrst bryngeth the in cōmodities of age shortly, the last maketh a man longe tyme lusty. Not withstandynge in exercyse ought to be foure thinges diligently considered, that is to say, the tyme, the thynges precedyng, the qualitie and the quantitie of exercyse.

Fyrst as concernyng the tyme conuenient for exercise, that it be not whan there is in the sto­make or bowels, great quātitie of meate not suffycyently dygested, or of humours crude or raw, lesse therby peryll mought insue by conueyance of them into all the membres, before those metes Galen. de tuend. san. lib. 1. or humours be concocte or boyled suffyeyently. Galen sayth, that the tyme moste conuenient for [Page 49] exercise is, whan bothe the fyrst & seconde dige­styon is complete, as well in the stomake, as in the vaynes, & that the tyme approcheth to eate [...]. For yf ye do exercyse sooner or later, ye shall eyther fyll the body with crude humours, or elles augment yelowe choler. The knowledge of this tyme is perceyued by the colour of the vrine, for that which resēbleth vnto clere water betokeneth, that the iuyce, whiche cometh from the stomake, is crude in the vaynes: that whiche is well colouryd; not to hygh or base, betokeneth that the second digestion is nowe perfyte: where the colour is very hygh or redde, it sygh [...]fyet [...] that the concoction is more thanne suffycyent. Wherfore whan the vryne appereth in a temperate colour, not redde nor pale, but as it were gylt, than shulde exercise haue his begynnyng.

❧ Of fricasies or rubbynges pre­cedynge exercise. Cap. 32.

AS touchynge thynges procedynge exer­cise, for asmoch as it is to be feared, leste by vehement exercise any of the excremē Galenus. Paulus. Oribasius, Actius. tes of the bealy or bladder, shulde hastely be re­ceyued into the habyte of the body, by the vyo­lence of heate, kendled by exercyse: also lest [...] thynge, whiche is hole, be by heuyness [...] [...] [...]tes, or vyolent motion, broken or [...] out of his place, or that the excrementes, by violence of the breathe, shulde stoppe the po [...]res or [...] ­dytes of the bodye, it shall be necessarye lyttell and lyttell, by chafynge the body, fyrste to molli­fye the partes consolydate, and to ex [...]te or [Page] make thynne the humours, and to lowse and o­pen the poores, and than shall ensue to hym that exerciseth, no peryll of obstruction or rupture. And to brynge that to passe, it shall be expedient, after that the body is clensed, to rubbe the body with a course lynnen clothe, fyrst softely and ea­silye, and after to increase more and more, to a harde and swyfte rubbynge, vntyll the flesshe do swelle, and be somwhat ruddy, and that not only downe ryght, but also ouerthwart & round Some do vse fricasies in this forme, in the mornynge, after that they haue ben at the stole, with theyr shirte sleues or bare hande, if theyr flesh be tended, they do fyrst softely, and afterwarde fa­ster, rubbe theyr breste, and sydes downewarde, and ouerthwarte, not touchyng their stomacke or bealy, and after cause their seruāt semblably to rubbe ouerthwart their shoulders, and backe, begynnyng at their neckbone, and not touchyng the raynes of their backe, excepte they doo fele there moche colde and wynde, and afterwarde their legges frō the knees to the ancle: laste their armes from the elbowe to the hand wreste. And in this forme of fricasy I my selfe haue founded an excellent commoditie. Old men, or they, whi­che be very drye in their bodyes, yf they put to some swete oyles, as Yrinum, Nardiū, Chame­melinum, or other lyke, myxte with a lytel swete oyle of rooses, I suppose they do wel. I wyl not here speake of oyntementes vsed in ode tyme a­monge the Romaynes and Grekes, in frie [...] or rubbynges. For I suppose, that they were neuer here vsed. and in the sayde places, they be also left, onelesse it be in palsies, or apoplexies, [Page 50] or agaynst the rigour, which hapneth in feuers, onely. I wyll remember the sayeng of Hipocra­tes, Fricasye hathe power to lowse, to bynde, to increase flesshe, and to mynysshe hit. For harde fryeasies doo bynde or consolidate, softe rubbynge doth lowse or mollyfye, moche dothe mynyshe fleshe, meane rubbynge dothe augment or increase it. He that wyll knowe more aboun­dantly herof, lette hym rede the boke of Galene of the preseruation of helth, callyd in latyne Detuenda sanitate, translated most truely and elo­quentely, out of Greke into latine, by doctour Linacre, late phisition of moste worthy memory to our soueraygne lorde kynge Henry the eight. The same mattier is written more briefely of Paulus Aegineta, Oribasius, Aetius and some other late wryters, but vnto Galene not to be compared.

¶ The diuersities of exercises. Cap. 33.

THe qualitie of exercise, is the dyuersytie therof, forasmoche as therin be many dif­ferences in mouynge, and also some exer­cise moueth more one parte of the body, some another. In difference of mouynge, some is slowe or softe, some is swyfte or faste: some is stronge or violent, some be myxte with strength & swiftnesse. Stronge or violent exercyses be these, del­uyng (specially in tough clay and heuy) bearyng or susteynynge of heuy burdeynes, clymmyng or walkynge agaynst a stiepe vpright hyll: holding a rope, & clymmyng vp therby, hangyng by the handes on any thynge, aboue a mannes reache, [Page] that his fete touche not the grounde: standynge and holdynge vppe, or spreadynge the armes, with the handes faste closed, and abydynge soo a longe tyme. Also to holde the armes stedfaste, causynge an other man, to assay, to pulle theym out, and not withstandynge he kepeth his arme stedfaste, inforcynge thervnto the synewes and muscles. wrastlynge also with the armes and legges, yf the persones be equall in strengthe, it dothe exercise the one and the other: yf the one be stronger, than is it to the weaker a more vyolent exercise. All these kyndes of exercises, and o­ther lyke them, do augmente strengthe, and ther­fore they serue onely for yonge men, whiche be inclyned, or be apte to the warres. Swyfte ex­ercise without violence is, runnynge, playenge with weapons, tenyse, or throwynge of the balle, trottyng a space of ground forwarde and backewarde, goynge on the toes, and holdynge vppe the handes. Also styrrynge vp and downe his armes, without plummettes. Vehement ex­ercise is compounde of vyolent exercise, and swyfte, whan they are ioyned togyther at oone tyme, as daunsynge of galyardes, throwynge of the balle, and rounnynge after it: footeballe playe may be in the number therof, throwynge of the longe darte, and contynuynge it many ty­mes, ronnynge in harneys, and other lyke.

The moderate exercyse is longe walkynge or goyng a iourneye. The partes of the body haue sondry exercises appropryed vnto them, as run­nynge and goynge is the mooste proper for the legges. Mouynge of the armes vp and downe, of stretchynge theym oute, and playenge with [Page 51] weapons, serueth most for the armes and shul­ders, stoupynge and rysynge oftentyme, or lyf­tynge great weightes, takynge vp plummettes or other lyke poyses on the endes of staues, and in lyke wyse, lyftyng vp in euery hande a speare or mortspyke by the endes, specyallye crossynge the handes, and to laye theym downe agayne in theyr places, these do exercyse the backe and loi­nes. Of the bulke and lunges the proper exer­cyse is meuynge of the breathe in syngynge or cryenge. The entrayles, whiche be vndernethe the myddreffe, be exercysed by blowynge, eyther by constraynte, or playenge on Shaulmes, or Sackbottes, or other lyke instrumentes, why­che doo requyre moche wynde. The Musc [...] ­les are best exercysed with holdynge the breath in, a longe tyme, soo that he whiche dothe ex­ercyse, hath welle dygested his meate, and is not troubled with moche wynde in his bodye. Fynally lowde redynge, counterfayte battayle, tenyse, or throwynge the balle, runnynge, wal­kynge, Celsus. 1. adde to shotyng, whiche in myn opinion excede all the other, do exercyse the body commodiousely. Alwaye remember, that the ende of vi­olent exercyse, is difficultye in fetchynge of the brethe. Of moderate exercyse, alteratiō of breth onely, or the begynnynge of sweate. More ouer in wynter, runnynge, and wrastlynge, is conue­nient. In sommer wrastlynge a lyttell, but not runnynge. In very cold wether, moche walking, in hotte wether, reste is more expedyent. They whiche seme to haue moyste bodyes, and lyue in ydelnesse, they haue nede of vyolent exercyse [...] They which at leane and choleryke, must walk [Page] softly, and exercise them selfes very temperatly. The plummettes, callyd of Galen Alteres, whi­che are nowe moche vsed with great men, being of equall weight, and accordyng to the strength of hym, that exerciseth, are very good to be vsed fastynge, a lyttell before brekefaste or dyner, hol­dynge in euery hand one plummet, and lyftynge theym on hyghe, and bryngynge theym downe with moche vyolence, and so he maye make the exercise vyolent, or moderate, after the poyse of the plummettes, heuyer or lyghter, and with moche or lyttell labourynge with theym.

☞ Of Gestation, that is to say, where one is caried, and is of an other thynge meued, and not of hym selfe. Cap. 34.

THere is also an other kynde of exercyse, which is called Gestation, and is myxte with mouynge and rest. For as moch as Paul. [...]. Actius. the body, syttyng or lyeng, semeth to rest, and not withstandyng it is meued by that, whi­che beareth it, as lyenge in a bedde, hauynge by cordes or chaynes, or in a cradell, syttinge in a chaire, which is caried on mens shulders with staues, as was the vse of the aūcient Romayns or syttynge in a boote or barge, which is rowed, rydynge on a horse, whiche aumbleth very easi­lye, or goth a very softe pace. The bedde, cradel, and chayre caried, serueth for theym, that are in longe and continuall syckenesse, or be lately re­couered of a feuer Also them, whiche haue the frenesye or letarge, or haue a lyghte terciane fe­uer, [Page 52] or a cotidiane. This exercise swetely asswa­geth troubles of the mynd, and prouoketh slepe, as it appereth in chylderne, whiche are rocked. Also it is conuenient for them, whiche haue the palsey, the stoone, or the goute. Gestation in a charyotte or wagon hath in it a shakynge of the body, but some vehement, and some more softe, the softe serueth in dyseases of the heade, and where any matter runneth downe into the sto­make and entrayles. But the vehement shaking is to be vsed in the griefes of the breste and sto­macke. Also in swellyng of the body and legges in dropsies, palseys, mygrimes, and scotomies, whiche is an imagination of darkenesse, beynge retōutned, at the ende of his iourneye, he muste sytte vp, and be easily moued. I haue knowen, sayth Aetius, many persons in suche wyse cu­red without any other helpe. Nauigation or ro­wynge nigh to the lande, in a clame water, is expediēt for them that haue dropsies, lepries, pal­sepes, called of the vulgar people, takynges, and fransies. To be caried on a rough water, it is a vyolent exercise, & induceth sondry affections of the mynde, somtyme feare, somtyme hope, nowe coward harte, nowe hardinesse, one whyle pleasure, an nother whyle dyspleasure. These exerci­ses, yf they be well tempered, they maye put out of the body, all longe durynge syckenesses. For that whiche is myxte with reste and menynge, yf any thynge elles maye, it moste excellently causeth the body to be well nourysshed. Celsus, Celsus. 2. doth prohybite gestation, where the body feleth peyne, & in the begynnyng of feuers, but whan they ceasse, he aloweth it.

[Page] Rydynge moderately, and without gryefe, it dothe corroborate the spyrite and bodye aboue other exercyses, specyally the stomake, it clenseth the sences, and maketh theym more quycke: all be it to the breste it is very noyfull. It oughte to be remembred, that as well this, as all other kyndes of exercyse, wold be vsed in a hole coun­treye, and where the ayre is pure and vncorrup­ted. Foresene, that he that woll exercyse, do go fyrste to the stoole, for the causes rehersed in the laste chapiter.

❧ Of vociferation. Cap. 35.

THe chiefe exercyse of the brest and instru­mentes of the voyce, is vociferacion, whiche is synging, redyng, or crienge, wherof is the propertie, that it purgeth naturall heate, and maketh it also subtyll and stable, and ma­keth the membres of the body substancyall and stronge, resystynge diseases. This exercyse wold be vsed, of persones shorte wynded, and theym, whiche can not fetche theyr brethe, but holdyng their necke streight vpright. Also of them, whose fleshe is consumed, speciallye about the breaste and shoulders. also which haue had apostume [...] broken in theyr breastes: moreouer of them that are hoorse by the moche moysture. and to them, whiche haue quartene feuers, it is conuenient, it louseth the humour, that stycketh in the brest, and dryeth vp the moystenesse of the stomacke, whiche properly the course of the quartayne is wont to brynge with hym, it also profiteth them whiche haue feble stomakes, or do vomyte con­tynually, [Page 53] or do breake vp sowrenesse out of the stomake. It is good also for grefes of the heed. He that intendeth to attempt this exercise, after that he hath ben at the stoole, and softly rubbed the lower partes, and washed his handes. Lette hym speake with as base a voyce as he can, and walkynge, begynne to synge lowder & lowder, but styll in a base voyce, and to take no hede of sweete tunes or armonye. For that nothynge dothe profyte vnto helthe of the body, but to in­force hym selfe to synge greatte, for therby mo­che ayre drawen in by fetchyng of breath, thru­styth forth the breast and stomacke, and openeth and inlargeth the poores. By hygh crienge and lowde readynge, are expellyd superfluouse hu­mours. Therfore me [...]e and women, hauynge theyr bodyes feeble, and theyr flesshe lowse, and not fyrme, muste reade oftentymes lowde, and in a baase voyce, extendynde oute the wynde pype, and other passages of the breathe.

But notwithstandyng, this exercyse is not vsed alway, and of all persons. For they in whome is abundance of humours corrupted, or be moche diseased with crudite in the stomak and vaines, those doo I counsayle, to abstayne from the ex­ercyse of the voyce, leste moche corrupteth iuyce or vapours, may therby be into all the body dy­strybuted. And here I conclude to speake of ex­ercyse, whiche of them, that desyre, to remayne longe in helth, is most diligently, & as I mought say, moste scrupulousely to be obserued.

❧ Of replecion. Cap. 1.

REPLECION IS A superfluous abundance of humours in the body: and that is in two maner of wyse, that is to say in quā ­titie, & in qualitie. In quan­titie, as where al the foure humours are more in abū ­daunce, that be equalle in proporcion to the body, that conteyneth theym, or where one humour moche excedeth the rem­naunt in quantitie. In qualytie, as where the bloudde or other humour, is hotter, or colder, thycker or thynner, that is conuenient vnto the body. Fyrste where all the humours, beynge su­perfluousely increased, fylleth and extendeth the receptories of the body, as the stomake, the vay­nes, and bowels, and is most properly callid ful­nesse, in greke Plethora, in latine Plenitudo.

The other is where the body is infarced, eyther with choler, yelowe or blacke, or with fleume, or with watry humours, and is properly callyd in greke, Cacochymia, in latin Viciosus succus, in englysh it may be callid corrupt iuyce. I wyl not here write, the subtyl and abundant definitions and descriptions of Galen in his bokes de Ple­nitudine, and in his commentaries vppon the [Page 54] aphorssmes of hipocrates. For it shall here suf­fyse, to shewe the operations of replecion good or yll, rymyttynge them, whiche be curious, and desyre a more ample declaration, to the most ex­cellent warkes of Galene, where he may be sa­tisfied, Li. [...]. aph. yf he be not determyned to repougne a­gaynst reason. Hipocrates saythe, where meate Apho. 15. Vbi cibus praeter na turā plus igestus est hic morbū facit. Galen. in cōmē. lo­praedicto. is receyued moche aboue nature, that makethe syckenesse. Galene declarynge that place sayth, More meate than accordeth with natures mea­sure, is named replecion. And afterwarde he ex­poundeth that worde aboue nature, to signifie to moch and superfluously as who sayth, where the meate is superfluously taken, it maketh sik­nesse. For meate but a lytell excedynge tempe­rance, may not forthwith make syckenesse, but maye yet kepe the bodye within the latitude or boundes of helthe, for the meat that shall make syckenes, must not a lyttell excede the exquisite measure. The incommoditie, whiche hapneth therby is, that moystnesse is to moche extended. and naturall heate is debilitate. Also naturalle heate resolueth somewhat of the superfluouse meate and drynke. And of that, whiche is resol­ued of meate vndigested, procedeth fumosytie grosse and vndygested, whiche ascendynge vp into the heed, and touchynge the ryme, wherin the brayne is wrapped, causeth heed ache, trem­blyng of the membres, duskyshnes of the syght, and many other sycknesses: also by the sharpnes therof, it prycketh and annoyeth the synewes, whiche make sensibilitie, the rootes of whome, ar in the brayn, and from thense passeth through all the body. Fynally, the sayd fumositie, ingen­dred [Page] of repletion, percynge the innermost parte of the sayd synewes, callyd sensible, it greuously annoyeth the power animall, there consystynge, by the occasion wherof, vnderstandynge and re­son, as to the vse of theym, are let and troubled. And also the tongue, whiche is reasons exposy­tour, is depryued of his office, as it appereth in them, which are drunke, and them, whiche haue greuous paynes in their heed, procedyng of re­plecion. Sygnes of replecion be these, losse of appetyte, delite in nothynge, slouthfulnesse, dul­nesse of the wytte, and sences, more sleape, than Oribasius Euporistō lib. [...]. was accustomed to be, crampes in the body, ster tynge or saltion of the membres, fulnesse of the vaynes, and thyckenes of the pulsis, horrour or shrouelynge of the body myxte with heate. The remedyes are abstynence, and all euacuations, whereof I wylle make mencyon in the nexte Chapyter.

☞ Of euacuacion. Cap. 2.

THe meates and drynkes receyued into the bodye, if the stomake and lyuer do their naturall office, be altered by con­coction and digestion, in such wyse that the beste parte therof goth to the nouryshment of the bo­dy: the warste, beinge separate by the membres officiall, from the residue, are made excrementes in sondry fourmes, and substaunces, whiche ar [...] lyke in qualitie to the naturall humour, whiche than raygneth moste in the bodye. These excre­mentes Excremen­tes. be none other, but matter superfluous, and vnsauery, whiche by naturall powers may [Page 55] not be conuerted into fleshe, but remaynynge in the body corrupt the membres, and therfore na­ture abhorrynge theym, desyreth to haue theym expelleth. These excrementes be thre in number, ordure, vrine, humour superfluouse. More ouer Ordure. there be two sortes of ordure, that is to say, one digested, whiche passeth by siege, the other vn­dygested, Dygestyd. whiche is expelled by vomyte. where I saye dygested, I meane, that it is passed the sto­make, and tourned into an nother fygure. Lyke wyse I calle that vndigested, whiche styll retay­neth the fygure of meate. Vrine is the watrye Vrine substaunce of the bloudde, lyke as whaye is of mylke, whiche out of the meate that is altered and concocte or boyled in the stomacke, is stray­ned in the vaynes called Mesaraice, which pro­cedeth from the holowe parte of the lyuer, and sente by the raynes into the bladder, passethe by the Instrumente, the whiche is ordeyned as welle to that purpose, as for Generation.

Humour superfluouse is in thre sortes, eyther Humour su­perfluous. myxte with any of the foure humours, called naturall, or els it is gathered into the brayne, or it is betwene the skynne and the fleshe, or lyeth a­monge the synewes, Muscules or ioyntes. Of humours some are more grosse and colde, some are subtyll and hotte, and are called vapour [...]. Now for to expelle the sayd excrementes, are .ix. sondry kyndes of euacuation, that is to saye, abstynence, vomyte, purgation by siege, lettynge of bloudde, scarifienge callyd cuppynge, sweating, prouocation of vrine, spyttynge, bledyng at the nose, or by hemorrodes: And in women, their na­turall purgations. Of these euacuations I wy [...] [Page] briefely declare, with the cōmodities, whiche by the discrets vse of theym do happen vnto the bodye.

☞ Of abstinence. Cap. 3.

ABstinence is a forbearynge to receyue a­ny meate or drynke. For if it be but in part, it is than called rather temperance than abstinence. It ought to be vsed onely after replecion, as the proper remedye therfore. And than if it be moderate, it consumeth superflui­ties, Cel. lib. [...]. Hipocrat. apho. li. 7. and in consumynge them, it clarifieth the humoures, maketh the body fayre coloured, and not onely kepeth out syckenesse, but also where sychenesse is entred, nothynge more helpeth, yf it be vsed in season. To them, whiche haue verye moyste bodyes, hunger is ryghte expediente, for Considera­tions in ab­stinence. it maketh theyin more drye, not withstandynge there ought to be consyderations, in the meate before eaten, in the age of the persone, in the tyme of the yere, and in custome. Fyrste in the meate before eaten, yf it be moche in excesse or very grosse, or not moche excedynge, or lyghte of digestyon, and accordynge therto, wolde absty­nence more or lasse be proporcioned. Concernyng age, Hipocrates saythe, olde men may susteyne Apho. li. 1. fastynge easilye: nexte vnto them, men of myd­dell age, yonge men maye wars beare it, chyl­derne warst of all, specially they that be lustye, not withandynge, here Galene correcteth Hipo­crates, sayenge, that he shuld haue excepted men Galen. in cōment. very olde, who, as experience declareth, muste eate often and lyttell. As touchynge tyme, it must be remembred, that in wynter and sprynge [Page 56] tyme, the stomakes be naturally veeye hotte, and sleape is longe, and therfore in that tyme meates wolde be more abundaunt, & all though moch be eaten, it wyll be sooner digested. wher­fore abstinence woide not be than so moche as in sommer, all be it to absteyne moche in som­mer, excepte it be after replecion. Damascene sayth, it dryeth the body, it maketh the colour Damasee­nus apho. salowe, it ingendreth melancoly, and hurteth the syghte. More ouer, custome maye not be forgot­ten, for they, whiche are vsed from chyldhode, to eate sondry meales in the daye, wolde rather be reduced to fewer meales, and lyttelle meate, than to be compelled to abstaynevtterly, to the intent, that nature, whiche is made by custome, be not rebuked, and the power digestyue therby debilitate. And note well, that by to moche ab­stinence, the moysture of the body is withdrawē and consequentely the body dryeth, and waxeth leane: naturall heate, by withdrawynge of moi­sture, is to moche intended, and not findyng hu­mour to warke in, tourneth his vyolence to the radicall or substantiall moysture of the bodye. and exhaustyng that humour, bryngeth the body into a consumption. wherfore Hipocrates saith, Apho. li. [...] that to scarse and exquisite an order in meate and drynke, is for the more parte more daunge­rouse than that, which is more abundant. Con­trarywyse moderation in abstinence, accordyng to the sayde consyderatyons, is to helthe a sure bulwarke.

❧ Of Vomite. Cap. 4.

THe meate or drynke superfluous, or cor­rupted in the stomake, is best expellyd by vomyte, if it be not very greuous to him whiche is diseased. Also the moderate Aetius. li. 1 vse of it, pourgeth fleume, lighteth the heed, causeth that the excesse of meates or drynkes, shall not anoy or brynge syckenesse. Moreouer it amē deth the affectis of the raynes, bladder, and the fundement. It also helpeth agaynst lepries, can­kers, goutes, dropsies, and also diuers sicknesses procedyng of the stomake. For-yf any grefs hapneth of the heade, vomyte is than vncommody­ous. It is better in winter, than in sommer. Also good for them, whiche are replete, or very cho­leryke, yf tkey haue not well dygested. but it is yll for theym, that be leane, or haue weake sto­makes. And therfore where one feleth bytter vapours rysynge out of his stomacke, with griefe and weyghtynesse, in the ouer partes of his bo­dye, lette hym roome forthwith to this remedye. It is also good for him that is hart burned, and harh moche spyttell, or his stomacke wambleth, and for hym that remeueth into sondrye places. Yet I coumsaye sayth Celsus, hym that wyll be Cels. lib. 1. in helthe, and wold not be to soone aged, that he vse not this dayly. And I my selfe haue [...] men, whiche dayly vsynge it haue brought ther­by theyr stomakes into such custome, that what so euer they dyd eete, they coulde not longe re­tayne it, wherby they shorten theyr lyues. wher­fore it wolde not be vsed, but onely where great surfet, or abundaunce of fleume do requyre it. [Page 57] He that wyll vomyte after meate, lette hym drynke sondry drynkes myxte togyther, and last of all, warme water: or yf that be to easy, lette hym myxt therwith salte or hony. If he wyl vo­myte fastynge, lette hym drinke water and hony sodden togyther, or ysope with it, or eate of a radyshe roote, and drynke warme water vppon it. also water wherin radyshe is boyled, and af­terward prouoke hym selfe to it, Them that wil haue more vyolent pourgations, I remytte to phisitions lerned. But yet I do eftsones warne them, that therin they be circumspecte, and doo not moch vse it. More ouer in vomites, the mat­ter brought forthe, wolde be consydered, accor­dynge to the rules of Hipocrates, in his seconde Hipocrat. praesag. 2. cap. 7. boke of pronostications, that is to saye, yf it be myxt with fleume & choler, it is most profitable if it be not in very great quantitie, nor thycke, the lasse myxture it hath, the warse is it. If it be greene, lyke to leeke blaades, thynne or blacke, it is to be iudged ylle. If it haue all coloures, it is extreme peryllous. If it be leady coloured, and sauoureth horribly, it signifieth a short abo­licion, or dissolution of nature. For as Galene affirmeth there in his comment, suche maner of vomite declareth corruption with extinctinge of nature. Also euery putrifyed and stynckynge sa­uour in vomyte is yll. These thynges be ryghte Galen. de locis. affectis. lib. 1. necessary, to be loked for, where one dothe vo­myte without any difficultie: but to inforce one to vomite, whiche can not, is very odious, and to be abhorred.

[Page] wels, griefe in the raynes of the backe or huckle bone, ventosities in the bealy, inflamation or ex­ulceration in the guttes or bladder. It is a con­uenient and sure medicine, and lefte hurte dothe ensue of it. The makynge and ordrynge therof, I wyl omytte to wryte in this place, partly that I wolde not, that phisitions shuld to moch note in me presumption, partely that another place may be more apte to that purpose.

☞ The particular commodities of euery purgacion. Cap. 6.

IN potions, electuaries, and pylles oughte to be moche more obseruation, than in clysters or suppositories, forasmoch as these do enter no further than into the gutte, where the ordure lyeth, and by that place onely, bringeth forth the matter, whiche causeth disease. But the other entrynge in that way, that meates and drynkes do, cometh into the stomacke, and there is boy­led, and sente into the places of digestyon, and afterwarde is myxte with the iuyce, wherof the substance of the body is made, and expellynge the aduersarye humours, sommewhat thereof doubtelesse remayneth in the bodye. Wherfore menne haue neede to beware, what medicynes they receyue, that in them be noo venenosytie, malyce or corruption, lest for the expellynge of a superfluous humor, which perchance good diet, or some brothes made of good herbes, or the said euacuation, with suppositorie or clister, mought brynge forthe at leysure. by desyrynge of to ha­stye remedye, they receyue in medicine that whi­che [Page 59] shal ingender a venemous humour, and vn­euitable destruction vnto all the body. And ther­fore happye is he, whiche in syckenesse fyndeth a dyscrete and welle lerned phisition, and soo trewe a potycarye, that hath alwaye drowges vncorrupted, and whome the physition maye surely truste, to dispence his thinges trewely. But nowe to retourne to the sayde fourme of pourgation, I wylle nowe sette forthe somme counsayles, concernynge that mattier, whiche I haue collected out of the chiefe authours of phisycke. Bodies hotte and moyste, maye easy­ly susteyne pourgation by the stoole. They whi­che be leane or thynne, hauynge the members tender, may take harme by purgations. To men that are cholerike, and theym that eate lyttelle, pourgations are greuouse. In yonge chylderne and olde menne, it is daungerouse to lowse mo­che the bealye. To theym that are not wonte to it, pourgation is noyfulle. He that lyueth in a good order of diete needeth neyther pourgati­on nor vomyte. After that the pourgation hathe wroughte, thyrstnes and sounde slepe be sygnes that the bodye is sufficiently pourged. By day­ly takynge of medicynes, nature is corrupted. whan ye wyll purge any thynge make fyrste the matter flowynge & soluble. Medicyne to pourge Hipocrat aphor. oughe not to be myngled with meate, but to be taken foure houres at the leste before meales, or thre houres after meales, excepte certayne easy pylles made to clense and comforte the stomake, whiche wolde be taken at the begynnynge of supper, or after supper a lyttell before that one goeth to bed, makynge a lyghte supper or none. [Page] After purgation taken, the pacyent shulde reste, & not walke, vntyll the medicyne hath wrought, nor eate or dryncke in the meane space. These thynges haue I remembred, bycause I haue knowen ryght good phisitions, to haue forgot­ten, to instructe therof their paciētes. Now wyll I sette forthe the table of suche thynges, whi­che of theyr propertie do digest or pourge super­fluous humours particularly, whiche I haue gathered out of the bookes of Dioscorides, Ga­lene, Paulus Egineta, Oribasius, and Aetius, and other late wryters, not withstandynge, I haue not writen all, for as moche as there be di­uers thynges, whervnto we haue not yet foun­den any names in englyshe.

• ¶ Endyue.
• Lettyse.
• Cykorye.
• Scabiose.
• Maydenheare.
• Malowes.
• Mercury.
• The iuyce of pome [...] garnades.
• Pourselane.
• Popy.
• Berberies.
• Roses.
• Violettes the lefe and flowre.
• Sorell.
• Lyuerworte.
• Sorell de boyse.
• Whay clarifyed.
• The great foure colde sedes, that is to say, of gourdes, cucumbers, melones, and citruls.
• Psilium,
• Vyneger.
• Saunders.
• Barley water.
• Prunes.
• Tamaryndes.

• Wylde hoppes.
• [Page 60] Wormewode
• Centorie.
• Fumytorie.
• Whay of butter.
• Violettes.
• Mercury.
• Juycs of Roses
• Prunes.
• Eupatorye.
• Tamarindes, halfe an ounce in a decoction.
• Manna .vi. drammes at the leaste, and so to xxv. in the brothe of a henne or capon.
• Rebarbarū by it selfe frome two drammes, vnto foure, infused or stiped in lycour, frome iiii. drāmes vnto .viii.

• ¶ Fenell,
• Persely, the rootes
• Smallage.
• Capers.
• Lawrell.
• Synuy.
• Puly.
• Maioram.
• Penyroyall.
• Wylde parsnyp sede.
• Mynt.
• Pympepnell.
• Horemynt.
• Gladen.
• Agrymonye.
• Calamynt.
• Nep.
• Betayne.
• Sauge.
• Radyshe.
• Mugworte.
• Junyper.
• Hysope.
• Pyony.
• Baulme.
• Honye.
• Gynger.
• Squilla.
• Aristolochia.
• Cynamome.
• Pepper.
• Cumyne.

• ¶ Centorie.
• Nettyll.
• Agrimonye.
• Alder.
• Polypodiū of the oke.
• Myrabolani kebuli, infused frome halfe an ounce to an ounce, [Page] and two drammes. In substance, frome twoo drammes to halfe an ounce.
• Agaricus, frō a drāme to two drammes, in­fused from .ii. drāmes to fyue.
• Yreos.
• Maydenheare.
• Sticados.

• ¶ The brothe of cole­wortes, lyght boyled.
• Baulme mynte.
• Sticados.
• Tyme.
• Seene, boyled in white wine, or in the broth of a henne.
• Lased sauery.
• Exthimus.
• Vnwrought sylke.
• Organum.
• Calamynt.
• Borage.
• Hartis tunge.
• Quyckbeme.
• Maydenheare.
• Wythwynde.
• Pulyall mountayne.
• Hony.
• Sugar.

¶ Melancoly for the thynnesse and subtylnesse of the humour, nedeth no digestiue.

¶ They whiche wyll take sharper purgations, or compounde with dyuers thynges, lette theym take the counsayle of an honest and perfyte phi­sytion, and not aduenture to myxte thynges to­gyther, without knowynge the temperaunce of them in degrees, and that he canne proporcion theym to the bodye, that shall receyue theym in symples, as they be wrytten. And so he maye vse theym without peryll, agaynste the humours, whervnto they serue.

☞ Lettynge of bloudde. Cap. 6.

THe parte of Euacuation by lettynge of bloudde, is incisyon or cuttynge of the vayne, wherby the bloud, whiche is cause of syckenesse or griefe to the hole bodye, or any partycular parte therof, doth moste aptly passe. The commodities wherof, beyng in a moderate Arnold [...] de uillano [...] ua. quantitie, and in a due tyme taken, be these that folowe, it clarifieth the wyt, and maketh good memorye, it clenseth the bladder, it dryeth the brayne, it warmeth the marowe, beynge in the bones, it openeth the hearyng, it stoppeth teares or droppynges of the eyen, it taketh awaye loth­somnesse, and confirmeth the stomake, it nouri­sheth that, whiche is proper to nature, and the contrarye expelleth. It is thought, that therby lyfe is prolonged, and the matter makyng syck­nesse shortely consumed. Wherfore lettynge of Oribasi [...] in medicine comp [...] dio. bloudde is not onely expedient for theym, which are fulle of bloudde, or haue aboundaunce of strengthe, but also for theym, in whome, with­oute plenitude, callyd fulnesse, inflammations begynne to be in theyr bodyes, or by some oute­warde strooke, the bloudde beynge gathered within, by collection therof, doo feele griefe or disease. Also where there is moche peyne felte, or debylitie of some member, wherof is suppo­sed to be ingendred some greuous disease. More ouer they, whiche vse excesse of meates and drynkes, may be cured by lettynge of bloudde. But those, whiche be temperate, kepynge good diete, be holpen without lettynge of blode: as by fricasies, vsynge of bathes, exercise, walkynge, [Page] and rydynge moderately. Alsoo vnctions with oyles and oyntementes, called Diaphoretice, whiche by euaporation, do shortly euacuate the fulnesse. All be it, yf the fulnesse be of melancoly bloudde, than alway nedes muste be lettynge of bloudde. Abundaunce of melancoly bloudde is knowen by these sygnes. There is felte in the entrayles, or within the boulke of a man or wo­man, a weyghtynes with tension or thrustynge outwarde and all that parte, whiche is aboue the nauel, is more heuy, than it was wont to be. Also moche vrine and fatty, the residence or bo­ [...]ome, thycke, troublous, and fatte, sommetyme blacke poushes or boyles, with inflamation and moche peyne. These muste be shortly let bloude, and the melancoly humour also purged by siege They, whyche haue crude or rawe humoures, muste be warely lette bloudde, before that syck­nesse ingender, but hauyng the feuer, in no wise. Concernynge lettynge of blonde, these thynges Aetius. li. 3 folowynge, wolde be had in continuall remem­brance, and be afore thought on. In abundance of the bloudde, the qualitie and quantitie, the greatnesse of the sycknes, and yf it be presente, or loked for. also the diet precedyng, the age and strength of the person, the naturall fourme of his body, the tyme of the yere, the region or coū ­trey, the present state of the ayre, the disvse of accustomed exercyse, the ceassynge of euacuations vsed before. In qualitie consyder, of what hu­mour the fulnes procedeth. In quantitie the a­bundance of that, whiche is to be pourged. In syckenesse, if it be dangerous or tollerable: if the sycknesse be present, it requyreth the more dily­gence: [Page 62] if it be loked for, it may be the better pro­porcioned. Cor. Cel­sus. lib. 2. In diete, the custome in earynge and drinkyng, must be specially noted. In yonge men and women, lettynge of bloudde wolde be more lyberall. In olde menne and yonge chylderne, it wolde be scarser: stronge men maye susteyne ble­dynge, they whiche are feble, may not endure it: Large bodies haue greatter vesselles, than they, which be litle. leane mē haue more blod, corporat men haue more fleshe. The time of the yere must be specially marked. For in the begynnynge of Oriba. s [...] ­Arnold. deuilla noua de flobo­thomia. Io. Dama­scenus in arte medi. springe tyme, it is beste lettynge of bloudde, as Oribasius saythe, and so dothe contynue, after the opinion of Arnolde, vnto the eyght calendes of June. Aetius affirmeth, that in wynter, or in a colde countrey, or where the person is of a ve­ry colde nature, the vaynes shuld not be opened. And Damascene sayth, They whiche in youthe haue vse to be moche lette bloudde, after they be thre score yeres old, their nature waxeth cold, and naturall heate is in them suffocate, specially if they were of a colde complexion. but that is to be vnderstande, where they that are in helth, are often let bloude. For in the lapse from helth, and in dyuers diseases, wherein, the bloudde is corrupted, or where it ingendreth impostumes, or resorteth to any place, where it ought not to be, or passeth by any other cundyte, than nature hath ordeyned, or where it is furyouse or infla­med, or by any other meanes bredethe greuouse diseases, in all these cases it ought to be practy­sed, ye sometyme in aged persones, women with childe, and yong infantes. For in extreme neces­sitie, it were better experience some remedy, than [Page] to do nothynge. All other thynges concernynge this matter, pertayne to the part curatyue, whi­che treateth of healynge of sycknesse, whereof I wyll not nowe speake, but remytte the reders to the counsayle of discrete phisitions.

❧ Of scarifienge called boxinge or cuppynge. Cap. 7.

FOr as moche as it is not conuenient, to be lette bloude often tymes in the yere, bicause moch of the vital spirite passeth forth with [...]alenus the bloudde, whiche beynge exhauste, the bodye waxeth colde, and naturall operations become [...]. li. 3 the more feble, I therfore do counsayle (saythe Galene) that the base partes of the body, as the legges, be scarified, whiche is the moste sure re­medy, as well in conceruynge heithe as in repai­rynge therof, beynge decayed. For it cureth the eyen beynge anoyed with longe distillations. It profyteth also to the heed, and ouer parte of the body, agaynst sondry diseases. In what member the bloudde is gathered, the body beynge fyrste purged by scarification, the grefe may be cured. Also Oribasius affirmeth the same, and also ad­deth Oribasius sin medici­ [...] cōpen. therto, that it helpeth squynances, or quin­ces in the throte, and dissolueth the constipati­ons or stoppynges made of all places, if the pla­ces be scarified: not withstandynge applicacion of boxes about the stomake, in hot feuers, where reason is troubled, are to be eschued, for feare of suffocatiō. Likewise put to the heed vndiscrete­ly, Aetius. it hurteth bothe the heed & the eies. The late authors do affirme, that scarifieng is in the stede [Page 63] of lettynge bloudde, where for age, debilitie, or tyme of the yere, or other lyke consyderation, a man maye not susteyne bloudde lettinge, and it bryngeth forth the thynne bloud, whiche is next to the skyn.

☞ Of bloude suckers or leaches. Cap. 8.

THere is also an other fourme of euacua­tion by wormes, founde in waters callyd bloude suckers or leaches, whiche beinge put vnto the body or member, do draw out blode. And their drawynge is more conuenient for ful­nesse of bloudde than scarifyenge is, forasmoche as they fetche bloud more deper, and is more of the substance of bloud, yet the opinion of some men is, that they do drawe no bloude but that, which is corrupted, and not proporcionable vn­to our body. And therfore in griefes, which hap­pen betwene the skynne and the flesshe of blode corrupted, these are more conuenient than scari­fienge. But before that they be putte vnto any Oribasius in medici­nae cōpen. parte of the body, they muste be fyrste kepte all one day before, gyuyng vnto them a lyttel blode in freshe flesshe. And than putte theym in cleane water, somwhat warme, and with a spounge wype awaye the slyme, whiche is about theym, and than laye a lyttell bloudde on the place gre­ued, and putte theym thanne to it, and laye on theym a spounge, than whan they be fulle, they may falle away. or yf pe wyll sooner haue them of, put a horse heare betweene theyr mouthes, and the place, and drawe them awaye, or putte to theyr mouthes salte or ashes, or vyneger, and [...]

[Page] heate them, and disturbeth reason, where the bo­dyes be hote afore, where natural heate is feble, the heate may not be dispersed vnto the extreme partes, and than dothe the extreme membres, that is to saye, whiche are farre from the harte, remayne colde and tremblynge. Of this affecti­on commeth sometyme feuers, sometyme apo­plexies, or priuation of sencis, tremblynge, pal­seys, madnesse, fransies, deformitie of vysage: and that warse is, outragious swearynge, blas­phemye, desyre of vengeance, losse of charitie, a­initie, credence, also forgetfulnesse of benefytte precedynge, and of obedience, duytie, and reue­rence. There also do succede contencion, charge­able suite, vnquietnes of mynde, lacke of appe­tite, lacke of slepe, feble digestion, scorne, dys­dayne, and hatred of other, with peryll of lo­synge of all good reputation. These incōmodi­ties of Ire, perfitely had in remembraunce, and at the fyrst motion therof one of them thoughts on, may happen to brynge in his felowes, and therby the flame may be quenched. or lette hym that is angry, euen at the fyrste consyder one of these thynges, that lyke as he is a man, so is al­so the other, with whome he is angry, and ther­fore it is as lefulle for the other to be angrye, as vnto hym, and if he so be, than shall that anger be to him displesant, and stere him more to be angry wherby it appereth, that Ire is to him loth­some. If the other be pactent, than let hym ab­horre that thyng in him selfe, the lacke wherof, in the other contenteth hym, and asswageth his malice. More ouer, let hym before, that occasion of Ire dothe happen, accustome hym selfe to [Page 65] beholde, and marke well theym that be angry, with the successe of that anger, and ruminate is in his mynde, a good space after. And in that tyme, let hym remember, howe Christ, the some of god and God, who (as he hym selfe sayde) mought haue had of god his father, yf he wolde haue asked theym, legions of aungels, to haue defended him, ye with lasse thā a winke moughs haue slayne all his aduersaries, yet he not with­standyng, rebuked, scorned, falsely accused, pluc­ked hyther and thyder, stryped, bounden with halters, whipped, spytte on, buffettes, crowned with sharpe thorne, laded with a heuye piece of tymber, his owne proper tourmente, halyd, and vryuen forthe lyke a calfe to the slaughter hous, eftesoones beaten and ouerthrowen, retched, forthewith ropes, armes and legges layde on the Crosse, and there vnto with longe yron nay­les throughe the handes and feete nayled, with manye strookes of hammers, with many pryc­kynges, or euer the nayles moughte perce by his tender and most blessed fleshe and synewes, quyte throughe the harde tymber, vppe to the heedes of the nayles, and all this beynge done for the offence of mankynde, and not his: yet with the men, which dyd it, his moste vnkynde countreymen, his most vnnaturall kynnesmenne whome he fyrste made of nothynge, preserued by myracles, delyuered from perylles, and cured of dyscases, in all his vexation and trouble, he was neuer seene or perceyued angry. If one wyl say, that anger is naturall, let hyn: also consyder that in Chrystes manhode, were all naturalle pomers. If he wyll saye, that Ire is token of [Page] courage, and in Chryste it lacked not, whome bothe angels and deuyls trembled and feared. The premysses often reuolued, and borne in the mynde, I wyll not say, shall vtterly extincte all motions of wrathe, which is not possyble, but it shall, whan it kyndleth lightly, represse it, and let that it shall not growe into flame. And in spea­kynge here of wrath, I do not meane that, whi­che good men haue agaynste vyces: or wyse and discrete gouernours and maysters, agaynste the defautes or negligences of theyr subiectes of seruauntes, vsed in rebukyng them, or moderately punysshyng them. For that is not properly yre, but rather to be callyd displeasure, and is that wherof god speaketh, by his prophete Dauyd sayeng. Be you angry & do not sinne. And that Psal. 4. Genes. 35. Exod. 32. Leuit. 10 Marc. 11. maner of anger, hath ben in dyuers holy menne, prophetes, and other. And it appered in Chryste whan he draue out them, which made their markette in the holy tēple of god, where there ought to be nothyng but prayer. And in lyke wise whā he rebuked the hypocrites But yf none of these thinges may come so shortly to his remēbraūce, that is meued with anger, at the lest lette hym thynke on the lesson, that Apollodorus the phy­losopher taught to the Emperoure Octauian, that before he speake or do any thynge in anger he do recite in order, al the letters of the A, B, C, & remoue somwhat out of the place, that he is in, and seke occasyon to be otherwyse occupied. This shal for this tyme suffyse, for the remedies of Ire. And he that wyl know more of this matter, let hym reade in my warke, called the Gouernour, where I therof do write more abūdantly.

❧ Of dolour or heuinesse of mynde. Capitulo. 12.

THere is no thynge more ennemy to lyfe, then sorowe, callyd also heuenesse, for it exhausteth bothe naturall heate and moy­sture of the body, and dothe extenuate or make the body leane, dulleth the wit, and darkneth the spirites, letteth the vse and iugement of reason, and oppressed memorie. And Salomon saythe, Pro. 17. 25. Ecclesiast [...] 25. 33. that sorowe dryeth vp the bones. And also lyke as the mothe in the garmente, and the wourme in the tree, soo dothe heuynesse annoye the harte of a man. Also in the boke called Ecclesiasticus, Sorowe hathe kylled manye, and in it selfe is founde no commoditie. Also by heuynesse dethe is hastened, it hydeth vertue or strengthe, and heuynesse of harte boweth downe the necke.

This is so puissaunt an ennemye to nature and bodyly helthe, that to resyste the malyce and vi­olence therof, are requyred remedies, as well of the holsome counsayles founde in holy scripture & in the bokes of morall doctrine. As also of certayne herbes, fruytes, and spyces, hauynge the propertye to expelle melancalyke humours, and to comforte and kepe lyuely the spirites, whiche haue theyr proper habitation in the hart of mā, and moderate nouryshyng of the naturall heate and humour, callyd radical, which is the base or foundation, whervppon the lyfe of manne stan­deth, and that faylyng, lyfe falleth in ruyne, and the body is dissolued. Nowe fyrste I wylle de­clare some remedyes agaynste sorowfulnesse of harte, concernynge necessary counsayle.

[Page] Somtyme this affecte hapneth of Ingrati­tude, eyther wherfore benefyte, or specialle loue employed, one receyueth damage, or is abando­ned in his necessite, or is deceiued of hym, whom he trusted, or fyndeth hym, of whome he hathe great expectation, forgetfull or neglygent in his commoditie, or perceyueth the persone, whome of longe tyme he hath loued, to be estraunged from hym, or to haue one of later acquayntance in more estimation. This affection nyppeth the harte, ye of moste wyse men, for they loue moste hartily, not prouoked by carnalle affection, but rather by good opinion, ingendred by similitude of honest studies, and vertuous maners of long tyme mutually experienced. And it is not onely vnto man greuous, but also vnto god most dis­pleasant and odiouse, as it is aboundantly de­clared in scripture. wherfore the persone, which feleth hym selfe touched with this affecte, before that it growe into a passion, and waxeth a syck­nesse, lette hym calle to remembraunce these ar­tycles folowynge, or at the leste wayes somme of theym, For eueryche of theym maye case hym, thoughe perchance they can not forthwith perfitely cure hym.

¶ Consyder, that the corruption of mans na­ture is not so moche declared in any thynge, as Counsailes agaynst in­gratitude. in Ingratytude, whereby a man is made warse, than dyuers brute beastes. The lyttell ante or emote helpeth vp his felowe, whome he seeth o­uerthrowen with burdeyn, or by other occasyon. Also whan olyphantes do passe ouer any greate Appianus in uaria hi storia. water, the greattest and moste puissant of them deuyde them selues, and settynge the weakest in [Page 67] the myddell, parte go before, tryeng the depnesse and perylles, parte come after, succourynge the weakest or leaste, with theyr longe noses, whan they see them in daūger. The same beastes haue ben seene not onely brynge men out of desertes, whiche haue loste theyr wayes, but also reuenge the dyspleasures doone to them, the which gaue them meate, as one that slewe hym, whych had commytted aduoutrye with his maysters wyfe. The terrible Lyons and Panthers, haue bene sene in theyr maner, to render thankes to theyr benefactours, ye and to obiecte their owne bo­dies and lyues for theyr defence. The same we maye dayely beholde in oure owne dogges.

Than in whom thou fyndest the detestable vice of Ingratytude, reputynge hym amonge the warste sorte of creatures, thynke not that thou haste loste a frende, but thynke that thou art [...] delyuered frome a monster of nature, that de­uoured thy loue, and that thou arte nowe at lybertye, and haste wonne experyence to chese the a better. But yf this maye not suffyse, than Seneca de benefi. 7. eftesoones consyder, that yf thou loke welle on thy selfe, perchaunce thou mayst fynde the faute wherof thou complaynest, within thyne owne bosomme. Calle to thy remembraunce, yf thou haste alwaye rendred vnto euery man condygne thankes or benefytte, of whome thou hast kynd­nesse receyued, or yf thou hast alway remembred euery one of them, that haue done to the any cō ­moditie or pleasure. Thou shalt well perceyue, that what thyng thou receyuedst in chyldehode, thou forgattest, or dyddest lyttell esteeme, whan thou camest to the state of a man, And what [Page] thou dyddest remember in youthe, in age, thou dydded lyttell thynke on: thy nouryces pappe, her rockynges, her watchynges, thou hast not al waye remembred, or equally recompensed. Thy scoole maysters studye, his labour, his dilygence in a lyke degree, thou haste not requyted. what greatter frendes haste thou had, of whome thou couldest receyue any greatter benefites, than thy nourysshyng and preseruynge of thy lyfe, in thy moste feblenesse, or thyne erudicion, wherby thy nature was made more excellent. Remembrynge this leaue to be angry or sorowful, for so cōmon a vyce: yet yf it cesse not to greue the, comferre the ingratitude that doth vere the, with that in­gratitude, which was shewed by the Israelytes whome god chase for his owne people, deliuered from seruage, shewed for theym wonders, pre­serued them fourty yeres in desert, destroied for them kynges, gaue to them the countrey, which flowed mylke and hony, defended them agaynst all outwarde hostylitie, sent vnto them suche a­bundance of ryches, that syluer was in Hieru­salem, as stones in the strete, had his tabernacle, and afterwarde his moste holye temple amonge them, whiche he dyd dayely vysite with his dy­uyne maiestie, made theyr kynges to reigne glo­riousely, and spake with their prephetes fami­lyarly, and corrected their errours moste gentil­ly: and yet for all this, they, imbracyng the pay­nyms ydolatrie, they lefte soo gracyous and lo­uynge a lorde, and lyuynge god, and to his great despite, gaue diuine honours, to calfes of brasse, and other monstruouse ymages, and at the laste put to moste cruell deth, the onely sonne of god, [Page 68] that hadde done so moche for them.

And yf we chrysten men, doo loke well on our selues, reuoluynge the incomparable benefite, whiche we haue receyued by Christes passyon, and consyder the circumstance of his mooste ex­cellent pacience, and moste feruent loue toward vs, with our forgetfulnes, and they dayly breche of our promyse, whiche we made at oure bap­tysme, conferryng our mutuall vnkyndnes ther­vnto, there shall appere no ingratitude, that shulde offende vs. Fynally for a conclusyon, be­holde well aboute the, and thou shalte all daye fynde the chylderne ingrate to theyr parentes, and wyues to theyr husbandes. And wylte thou looke that thy benefyte, or vayne expectation, shuld make the more fre from ingratitude of thy frende, whome chaunce hath sente the, than na­ture may the parentes towarde theyr chyldern, or the coniunction of bodyes by lefull maryage, take vnkyndnesse from the wyues toward their husbandes. This vyce therfore of Ingratitude, beinge so common a chaunce, make no worldlye frendeshyp so preciouse, that lyfe or helthe ther­fore shulde be spent or consumed. I haue ben the lenger in this place, bycause I haue had in this griefe sufficient experience.

¶ If death of chylderne be cause of thy heuy­nesse, Death of chyldren. call to thy remembrance some chyldern (of whome there is no lyttell nomber) whose lyues eyther for vncorrigyble vyces, or infortunate chaunces, haue bene more greuouse vnto theyr parentes, thanne the deathe of thy chylderne ought to be vnto the [...] consyderynge that death is the discharger of all gryefes, and myseries, [Page] and to theym that dye well, the fyrste entrie into lyfe euerlastynge.

¶ The losse of goodes or authoritie do greene none but fooles, which do not marke dyligently, Losse of goodes. that lyke as neyther the one nor the other dothe alwaye happen to them that are worthye, so we haue in dayely experience, that they fall frome hym sodeynely, who in increasynge or kepynge them semeth moste busy.

¶ Oftentymes the repulse frome promotion is Lacke of promotion. cause of discomforte, but than consyder, why­ther in the opinion of good men, thou art demed worthy to haue suche aduan̄cement, or in thyne owne expectatiō & fantasy. If good men so inge the, thanke thou god of that felicitie, and laugh at the blyndnesse of theym, that soo haue refu­sed the. If it procede of thyne owne folye, ab­horre all arrogance, and inforce thy self to be ad uanced in mennes estimation, before thou canst fynde thy selfe worthy in thy proper opinion.

¶ All other chaunces of fortune esteme as noo Chaunces of fortune. thynge, and that longe before they doo happen. The ofte recordynge of myserye, prepareth the mynde to fele lesse aduersitie. And the contempt of fortune is sure quietnesse and mooste perfyte felycitie.

¶ This nowe shall suffyse concernynge reme­dies of morall phylosophie. Nowe wyll I write somewhat touchynge the counsayle of physyke, as in relieuynge the bodye, whiche eyther by the sayde occasyons, or by the humoure of melan­colye is brought out of temper.

¶ The fyrste counsayle is, that durynge the tyme of that passyon, eschewe to be angrye, stu­dyouse, [Page 69] or solitarye, and reioyce the with mei [...] ­dye, or els be alwaye in suche company, as beste maye contente the.

Auoyde all thynges that be noyouse in syght, smellynge and herynge, and imbrace all thynge that is delectable.

Flee darkenesse, moche watche, and busynesse of mynde, moche companieng with women, the vse of thynges very hotte and drye: often pur­gations, immoderate exercyse, thyrst, moche ab­stinence, drye wyndes and colde.

Absteyn from dayly eatyng of moch old blefe or old mutton, hard chese, hare flesh, bores flesh, venyson, saltefyshe, coolewortes, beanes, and peason, very course breadde, greate fysshes of the see, as thurlepole, porpyse, and sturgeon, and other of lyke natures, wyne redde and thycke, meates beynge very salte or sowre, olde, burned, or fryed, garlyke, onyons, and lekes.

Vse meates whiche are temperatelye hotte, and therwith somewhat moyste, boyled rather than rosted, lyght of dygestyon, and ingendryng bloudde clere and fyne. As mylke hotte from the vdder, or at the leste newe mylked, ruen chese, swete almondes, the yelkes of rere egges, lyttell byrdes of the bushes, chyckens, and hennes. wyne whyte or clarette, cleere and feagraunte. Swete sauours in wynter hot, in sommer colde, in the meane tyme temperate.

• ¶ Bourage the floure or leafe.
• Buglosse.
• Baulmynte.
• Elycampane.
• Cloues.
• Cardamomu [...].
• Rosemary.
• [Page] Lignum aloes.
• Muske.
• Ambergryse.
• Saffron.
• The bone of the harte of a redde diere.
• Myntes.
• The rynde of Citron.
• Been.
• Cububes.
• Basyle.

• Violettes.
• Perles.
• Corall.
• The vnicornes horne.
• Olde appulles whiche be good.
• Roses.
• Saunders.
• The olyphantes tothe.
• Water lylies.
• Coriander prepared.

• Jacinet.
• Saphire.
• Emerauldes.
• Myrabolanes, called kebuly.
• Buglosse.
• Golde, syluer.

❧ The dominion of sondry com­plexions. Cap. 13.

IT semeth to me not inconuenient, that I do declare as well the counsayles of ancient & approued authors, as also myne owne opi­nion gathered by dilygent markynge in dayely experience, concernynge as well the necessarye diet of euery complexion, aege and declinatiō of helthe, as also the meane to resyste discrasies of the body, before syckenesse be therin confyrmed, leauynge the resydue vnto the substancyall ler­nynge and circumspecte practyse of good phy­sitions, whiche shall the more easilye cure theyr pacientes, yf theyr pacientes do not dysdayne to beare awaye and folow my counsayle. And first it ought to be consydered, that none of the foure complexions, haue sooly suche dominion in one man or womans body, that no parte of any o­ther complexion is therwith myxte. For whan we call a man sanguine, choleryke, fleumatyke, or melancoly, we doo not meane, that he hathe bloude onely without any of the other humors, or choler withoute bloudde, or fleume withoute bloudde or melancolye, or melancolye withoute bloudde or coler. And therfore the man, whiche [Page] is sanguine, the more that he draweth into age, wherby naturall moysture decayed, the more is he coleryke, by reason, that heate, surmoun­tynge moysture, nedes muste remayne heate and drythe. semblably, the colerycke man, the more that he waxeth into age, the more naturall heate in hym is abated, and drythe surmountynge na­turall moysture, he becommeth melancolyke: but some sanguine man hathe in the proporcion of temperatures, a greatter myxture with choler, than an other hath. Lykewyse the cholerycke or fleumatyke man with the humour of sanguyne or melancolye. And therfore late practysers of physyke are wonte to call men, accordyng to the myxture of theyr complexions, as sanguyne co­lerike, fleumatike sanguine. &c. Moreouer, be­syde the naturalle complexions, whiche man re­ceyueth in his generation, the humours, wherof the same complexions do consyste, beynge aug­mēted superfluously in the body or members by any of the sayde thynges called not naturall, e­uery of them do semblably augment the complexion, whiche is proper vnto hym, and bryngeth vnequall temperature vnto the bodye. And for these causes, the sanguine or fleumatike man or woman, felynge and discrasye by choler hapned to them by the sayde thynges, callyd not natu­rall, they shall vse the diete described hereafter to hym, whiche is naturally coleryke. Sembla­blye the coleryke or melancolyke manne or wo­man, hauynge any dyscreasye by fleume, to vse the diete of hym, whiche is naturallye fleuma­tyke, alwaye remembrynge, that sanguyne and fleumatyke men haue more respecte vnto dryth, [Page 71] choleryke and melancalyke vnto moysture, and that alway as the accedentall complexion decay eth, to resorte by lyttell and lyttell to the dyete, pertaynynge to his naturall complexion.

☞ The tymes appropried to euery natu­rall humour. Cap. 14.

BVt fyrst it must be consydered, that where the foure humours, be alway in man, and in some man cōmonly one humour is more abundant than an other naturallye, that is to say, from his generation. The sayde humoures haue also peculyar tymes assygned to euery one of them, wherin eche of them is in his moste po­wer and force, as after ensueth, after the descri­ption of Soranus. Soranus Ephesius

¶ Fleume hath most puissance in wynter, from the .viii. Idus of Nouember, vnto the .viii. J­dus of February, whereby are ingendred Ca­tarres or reumes, the vuula, the cough, and the stytche. This humour is parte in the heed, parte in the stomacke. It hathe dominion frome the thyrde houre of nyght vutyll the nyneth houre of the same nyght.

¶ Bloudde increaseth in spryng tyme from the viii. Idus of Februarye, vnto the .viii. Idus of Maye, whereof are ingendred feuers, and sweete humours, whiche doo shortely putrifye, the power of this humour is aboute the harte, and hath dominion from the .ix. houre of nyght vntyll the .iii. houre of the mornynge.

¶ Redde choler hathe power in sommer frome the .viii. Idus of May, vntyll the .viii. Idus of [Page] Auguste / wherby are ingendred hote and sharpe feuers / this humour is specially in the lyuer / and hath dominion from the thyrde houre of daye vntyll the .ix. houre of the same daye.

Yelow choler, wherof is ingendreth the fleume of the stomake / is nouryshed in Autumne, which begynneth the .viii. Idus of Auguste / and du­reth vnto the .viii. Idus of Nouember / and ma­keth shakyng feuers and sharpe, the blacke cho­ler than increaseth / and than foloweth thycknes of the blode in the vaynes. Blacke choler or me­lancoly moste rayneth in the splene / and it ray­neth from the .ix. houre of daye vntyll the thyrde houre of nyght.

☞ Diete of them, whiche are of san­guine complexion. Cap. 15.

FOr asmoche as in sanguine menne bloudde moste raygneth / whiche is soone corrupted, it shall be necessary for them whiche are of that complexion / to be circumspecte in eatynge meate / that shortely wyll receyue putrifaction / as the more parte of fruites / specyally not being perfitely rype. also meates that be of yl iuyce / as fleshe of beastes to olde / or to yonge / vdders of beastes / braynes excepte of capons and chykens marowe of the backebone / moche vse of onyons lekes / garlyke / moche vse of olde fygges / moche vse of rawe herbes / and all thyng wherin is ex­cesse of hete / colde / or moysture / meates that be stale / fyshes of the fennes or muddy waters / and to moche slepe / as experyence sheweth.

¶ Dyete of choleryke persons. Ca. 16.

TO them which be cholerike / beyng in these naturalle temperature / and hauynge not from theyr youth vsed the contrary / grosse meates moderately taken / be more conue­nient / than the meates that be fyne, and better shall they dygeste a piece of good biefe / than a chyckens legge. Choler of his propertye rather burnynge than well dygestynge meates of lyght substance / not withstandynge some gentylmen whiche be nycely brought vp in theyr infancy / may not so well susteyne that diet as poore men beyng the more parte vsed to grosse meates. wherfore theyr diet muste be in a temperance / as yonge biefe / olde veale / mutton / and venyson [Page] powdred, yonge geese, and suche lyke, cōseruyng their complexion with meates lyke there vnto in qualitie and degree, accordynge to the counsayle of Hipocrates. And as he perceyueth choler to abounde, so to interlace meates, whiche be colde in a moderate quantitie, and to alay theyr wyne more or lasse with water, eschewynge hotte spi­ces, hotte wynes, and excessyue labour, wherby the body maye be moche chaufed. Also he maye eate oftener in the day, than any other: foresene, that there be suche distance betwene his meales as the meate before eaten be fully dygested, whiche in some persone is more, in some lasse, accor­dynge to the heate and strength of his stomake, notynge alwaye, that the colerike persone dige­steth more meate than his appetite desyreth, the melancolyke persone desyreth by false appetite more than his stomacke maye dygeste. And to a cholerike persone, it is ryght daungerous, to vse longe abstynence: for choler, fyndynge nothyng in the stomacke to concocte, it fareth than, as where a lyttell potage or mylke, beynge in a ves­sell ouer a great fyre, it is burned to the vesselle, and vnsauery fumes and vapours do issue oute therof. Lykewyse in a cholerike stomake, by ab­stinence, these inconueniences doo happen, hu­mours adust, consumynge of naturall moysture, fumosities and stynkynge vapours, ascendynge vp to the heed, wherof is ingendred, duskynge of the eyes, heed aches, hot and thynne reumes, after euerye lyttell surfette, and many other in­conueniences. wherfore besyde the oppinion of beste lerned men, myne owne peynefull expery­ence, also moueth me, to exhorte them, whche be [Page 73] of this complexion, to eschewe moche abstinēce. And although they be studyous, and vse lyttell exercyse, yet in the mornynge to eate somewhat in lyttell quantitie, and not to study immediatly, but fyrst to sytte a whyle, and after to stande or walke softely, whiche vsynge these two yeres, I and also other, that haue longe knowen me, haue perceyued in my bodye a great alteration, that is to say, frome ylle astate to better. Alway remember, that yf any other humour do aboūde in the choleryke persone, as fleume, or melanco­lye, than vntyll that humour be expelled, the di­ete must be correctiue of that humour, and ther­fore more hotte and fyne, than the natural dyete before rehersed: but yet there wolde be alwaye respecte hadde to the naturall complexion, some tyme sufferyng the person to eate or drinke that, whiche nature workynge, he feruently desyreth.

❧ Diete of fleumatike persons Capitulo. 17.

IT is to be remembred, that pure fleume is properly colde and moyste, and lacketh taste. Salte fleume is myxt with choler, and ther­fore hath not in hym so moch colde nor humidi­tie, as pure fleume hath: and therfore it requy­reth a temperance in thynges hote & drye, wher­by fleume is digested or expulsed To fleumatike persons all meates are noyfull, whiche are very colde, vyscous or slymy, fatte or sone putrifyed, eatynge moche and often, specially meates in­gendrynge fleume, whiche be remembred in the table precedynge. All thynges be ggod, whiche [Page] are hote and drye, also meates and drinkes whi­che be sowre: onyons also, and garlyke, mode­rately vsed, be very commendable, in pure fleme not myxte with choler, moche vsyng of salt, spe­cially dryed. Pepper grosse beaten, and eaten with meate, oughte to be with all fleumatycke persons familyar, also gynger is ryght conueni­ent, but not to be so frequently vsed as pepper, for as moche as the nature of pepper is, that be­ynge eaten, it passeth through the body, heatyng and comfortynge the stomake, not entrynge into the vaynes, or anoyeng the lyuer, whiche vertue is not in gynger. Gynger condite, the whiche we do call grene gynger, specyallye candyd with su­gar, yf it may be gotten, and also Mirabolanes, called kebuli condyte in India, be most excellent remedies agaynst fleume, also the herbes which are remembred afore in the table of digestyues of fleume, and the rootes of persely, fenel, yreos, Elycampane, and carettes be very commenda­ble. Exercyse twyse in a day, the stomacke beyng almoste empty, so that sweate begyn to appere, is very expedient, clensynge of the body from all fylthynes, with rubbynge and wypynge, often­tymes with washynge, specyally the heed and partis there about moderate sweatynge in hote bathes or stufes be to this complexion necessarie specially whan they haue eaten and drunken ex­cessyuely. The heed and fete to be kepte frome colde and to dwell hygh and farre from mores and marshes, is a rule ryghte necessary, also to abstayne from eatynge herbes and rootes not boyled, and generally from all meates, whiche wyll not be easyly dygested.

¶ The dyuysion of melancoly, and the diete of persons melancolyke. Cap. 18.

MElancoly is of two sortes, the one is cal­lyd naturall, whiche is onely colde and dry, the other is called adust or bourned. Naturall melancoly is (as Galene saith) the residence or dregges of the bloudde: & there­fore is colder and thicker than the bloude. Me­lancoly aduste is in foure kyndes, eyther it is of naturall melancolye aduste, or of the more pure parte of the bloude aduste, or of choler aduste, or of salte fleume aduste. But of all other that melancoly is warst, whiche is ingendred of cho­ler: fynally all aduste melancolye annoyeth the wytte and iugement of man. for whan that hu­mour is hette, it maketh men madde, and whan it is extincte, it maketh men fooles, forgetfulle, and dull. The naturall melancolye kepte in his Ex Marci­lio ficino, de uita sa­na. temperance, profyteth moche to true iugemente of the wytte, but yet yf it be to thycke, it darke­neth the spirites, maketh one timorous, and the wytte dulle. If it be myxte with fleume, it mor­tifieth the bloudde with to moche colde, where­fore it may not be so lyttell, that the bloude and spirites in theyr feruentnesse, but as it were vn­brydelyd, whereof do happen vnstablenesse of wytte and slypper remembraunce: nor yet so mo­che, that by the weight therof (for it is heuy, ap­prochynge nygh to the erthe) that we seme to be alwaye in sleape, and nede a spurre to prycke vs forwarde. Wherefore it is ryghte expedient, to kepe that humour as thynne as nature wyll suffer it, and not to haue to moche of it.

[Page] But nowe to the diete perteynynge to theym, whome this humour annoyeth. The knowlege that melancoly reygneth, is oftentymes heuy­nesse of mynde, or feare without cause, slepinesse in the membres, many crampes without reple­cyon or emptynesse, sodayne furye, sodayne in­contynencye of the tongue, moche solycytude of lyght thynges, with palynesse of the vysage, and fearefull dreames of terryble visyons, dreaming of darkenesse, depe pyttes, or death of frendes or acquayntaunce, & of all thynge that is black. The meates conuenient are they, which be tem­peratly in heate, but specially they that be moyst meates sone dygested, and they rather boyled thanne rosted, temperately myxte with spyces, mylke hot from the vdder, or late mylked, is ve­ry conuenient for that complexion, swete almon­des blaunched, and almond mylke, the yelkes of rere egges, and fynallye all thynges, whiche in­gender pure bloudde, and all that is wryten in the chapyter of age. All these be yll for theym, wyne thycke or troublous, specyally red wyne, meates harde, dry, very salte, or soure, bourned meate, fryed meate, moche biefe, hares fleshe, beanes, roket, colewortes, mustard, radyshe, gar­lyke, except there be moche wynde in the body, for than is it very holsome, onyons leekes, fynally all thynges whiche heateth to moche, keleth to moche, or dryeth to moche, also wrathe, feare, compassyon, sorowe, moche studye or care, moch ydelnesse or reste: all thynge that is greuous to see, to smelle or to heare, but most specyally dar­kenesse. Moreouer moche dryenge of the body, eyther with longe watche, or with moche care [Page 75] and tossynge of the mynde, or with moch leche­rye, or moche eatynge and drynkyng of thynges that be hote and drye, or immoderate euacation, labour, abstinence, thyrst, goyng in the ayre vn­temperately hotte, colde or drye, all these thyn­ges do anoy them that be greued with any me­lancoly. It is to be dylygentely consydered, that where melancolye happeneth of choler adduste, there meates whiche be hotte in warkyng, wold be wysely tempred, and drynkynge of hotte wy­nes wolde be eschewed: semblable cautele wold be in sauours. Not withstandynge moderate vse of small wynes, clere and well verdured, is herein very commendable, the humour thereby beynge clarifyed, and the spyrytes clensed, but the abuse or excesse thereof dothe as moche da­mage. Also it is ryghte expedyente, to put into wyne or ale, a gadde of syluer or golde, glowing hotte oute of the fyre, to tempre hotte meates with roses, vyolettes, saunders, rose water, bourage, buglosse, baulme called in latyne Me­lyssa, or the water of all thre drunken with good wyne, whyte or clarette, or made in a Julep with sugar, is wonderfull holsome, chewyng of lykoryse, or raysons of coraunce is ryght expedyent, but mooste of all other thynges, myrthe, good compauye, gladnesse, moderate exercyse, with moderate feedynge. And thus I leaue to speake of dyetes, aptely belongyng to the foure complexions.

☞ Of lassitude. Cap. 2.

LAssitude is a disposition toward sycknes, wherin a man feleth a soorenesse, a swel­lynge, or an inflammation. Sorenesse hap­neth of humours sharpe and gnawyng, as [Page] after great exercise and labours which lassitude hapneth to them, whose bodyes are fulle of ylle iuyce, & excrementes. Also after cruditie in them which ar not exercised, or do abyde longe in the A [...] heate of the sonne. It may also be in the bodye, wherin is good wyce, yf he be fatigate with im­moderate exercise. In them, whiche do feele this lassitude, the skyn appereth thycke and rough, & there is felte a griefe somtyme in the skyn onely, [...]. [...]tyme also in the fleshe, as it were of a soore. The cure therof, is by moch and pleasaunt rub­bynge, with sweete oyles, whiche haue not the vertue to restrayne or close, and that with many handes, and afterwarde to exercyse moderately, and to be bayned in water swete and temperate in heate. also thā must be gyuen meates of good iuyce, potage but seld, wyne is not to be forbodden: for vnto wyne, vneth any thyng may be cō ­pared, that so [...]ell dygesteth crude humours: It also prouoketh sweate & vrine, and maketh one to slepe sundly. But yf this lassitude do abyde the nyght and day folowyng, or waxeth more & more, than yf the pacyent be of good strengthe and yonge, and hath abundaūce of bloude, lette hym be lette bloude, or prouoke the hemoroides or piles to blede, yf they do appere. But yf it procede of the malyce of any humour, without abū dance of bloude, than resorte to purgations apte for the humour that greueth. The tokens wher­of, shall appere as well by the colour of the skyn and diete precedyng, as by vrine, ordure, sweate, thyrste, and appetyte, as it is rehersed before in the complexions. If the yll bloudde be lyttell in quantitie, and the crude humours aboundant, [Page 78] than shall he not be lette bloude, nor vehemently pourged, neyther, shal exercyse or moue hymselfe nor be bayned, for all exercyse caryeth humours throughout all the body, & stoppeth the powers. Wherfore these maner of persons shuld be kept in reste, and such meates drynkes and medicyns shuld be gyuen to them, which should attenuate or dissolue the grossenes of the humours, with­out notable heate, as oximell, barley water, and mulse, yf the pacyent abhorre not hony. And for as, moch as in the sayd persons, comonly there is abundance of wynde about theyr stomakes, therfore pepper specially longe pepper or whyte is very conuenient to be vsed, and the medicine before wrytten, callyd Diaspoliticum, whan the humours are dissolued, than it is good to drinke whyte wyne, or small clarette wyne moderately.

Lassitude extensiue. Ca. 3.

VVan one thynketh, that he dothe feele a swellyng or bollynge of the body, where in dede there doth not appere in syght or touchynge any swellynge, that is callyd Lassi­tude extensiue, yf it hapneth without exercise or vehement mouyng. This doth happen of exces­siue multitude of humours, which do extend the muscules or fyllettes. In this no sorenesse is felt but only an heuynes with extension or thrustyng out of the body. And bycause that there is abun­dance of bloude in the body, beste remedye is to be letten bloude about the elbowe or ancle, after to be pourged, than to vse softe frycasyes with oyles afore rehersed, afterward moche reste and temperate bathes, and meates lackynge sharpe­nes, and beynge abstersyue.

¶ Lassytude with the feelynge of infa­mation. Cap. 4.

IF without any mouynge, the muscles and flesh ryse vp in the body, as it swelled with great paynes & excedynge heate, than sone after foloweth most hotest feuers, except it be preuented by lettynge of bloud, and that in a­bundance, and almoste to sownynge, but it were Actius. more sure to be lette bloud twyse in one day, the fyrst tyme without sownynge, at the nexte tyme sownynge is not to be feared. If the grefe be in t [...] necke or heed, the bloud muste be lette of the bayne called Cephalea, or the shulder vayne. If it be in the bulke or vppermost part of the body than must the vayne be cut, which is callyd Ba­silica, or the innermost vayne. If all the body be greued thā cut the veyn, which is named Medi­ana, or the myddel veyn. If a feuer remayne af­ter bloud lettyng, than order hym, with the dicte of them that haue feuers, whiche ye shall fynde wryten hereafter. If no feuer remayne, thanne vse moderate fricasies, and lyttell eatynge, and that of meates hauynge good iuce, increasynge by lyttell and lyttell to the naturall dyet.

¶ Dyete of them that are redy to fall into syckenesse. Cap. 5.

NOwe retourne eftesones to speake of di­ete, it is to be remembred, that they, whi­che are redy to fall into diseases, they are prepared thervnto, eyther by replecyon of superfluous humours, or els by eruditie or malyce of humours, which are in them. As tou­chyng the fyrst, the generall dyete must be such, [Page 79] as therby the humours maye be attenuate, and by conuenient euacuatiō, brought to a moderate quantitie. As for the seconde muste be corrected with meates and drynkes of contrary qualities, hauyng alway respecte to the age of the person, tyme of the yere, place of habitation, and moste specially the vniuersal complexion, for choler of­fendyng in an old man, in winter tyme, in a cold countrey, or the person beynge of his naturall complexion fleumatike or melancoly, wolde not be so habundantly expulsed or subdued, as yf it be in one yonge and lusty, in the hote sommer, in the coūtrais, where the sonne feruently burneth or the persone of his proper nature is very cole­ryke. And in lyke wyse contrary. wherfore euery man, knowynge his owne naturall complexion, with the qualitie of the humour that offendeth, let hym make temperan̄ce his chiefe coke, and remembrynge that which I haue before declared, ordeyne to hym selfe such diete, as may reforme the offence with none or lyttell annoyance, to his vniuersall complexion. And yf he can so do, he shal happily escape, not only dyuers syckenesses but also the most pernitious daūger, procedyng of corrupted drowges or spices, wherof some couetous poticaries do make medicines, maugre the heedes of good and well lerned physicyons.

¶ Syckenes moste commune to particular tymes of the yere and ages. Ca. 6.

ALthough I do not intēde to write of the cure of egritudes or syckenesses confyr­med, as well bycause it moughte be re­puted in me a great presumption, as also foras­moche [Page] as it were very peryllous to dinulgate that noble science, to cōmune people, not lerned in lyberall sciences and philosophie, whiche be requyred to be suffyciently in a phisition. And more ouer, many bokes of Hipocrates and Ga­lene ought to be radde, before that one do take vpon hym the generall cure of mens bodies: yet not withstandyng, I truste I may without any note of arrogance write, what diseases do most commonly happen in sondry tymes of the yere & ages of men and women, with some signifyca­tions, wherby the discrasie or distemperature of the body is perceyued, to the intent that the phi­sition beinge farre of, maye be truely informed / consideryng that vrines farre caryed, doo often deceyue them / and lyke wyse lacke of the syghte of the pacyent / and inquisition of thinges which do precede or folowe the syckenesse. And with this I truste none honest and charytable phisi­tion wylle be offended / but rather gyue to me thankes for my dyligence / in the aduaunrynge of theyr estimation, which by lacke of perfite in­struction hath ben appayred.

¶ The generall sygnifications and tokens of syckenes. Cap. 7.

IF the bodye be hotter, colder, moyster, drier, leaner, fuller, the colour more pale, or swarte, the eyes more holowe, than is accustomed to be it sygnifieth that the body is disposed to syk­nes, or alredy sycke.

The brayne sycke.

• Rauynge.
• Forgetfulnesse.
• Fantasye.
• Humours commyng from the roufe of the mouth, the eyes, the nose, or the eares.
• Watche.
• Sleape.

The harte sycke.

• Difficultie of breathe.
• Tremblynge of the harte.
• Beatynge of the pulse.
• Feuers. Colde.
• Diutrsite of colours.
• Griefe about the harte.

The lyuer sycke.

• Lacke or abūdaūce of humours.
• The fourme of the body alteted.
• Palenes.
• Concoction.
• Digestion.
• Alteration of excrementes accu­stomed.
• Peyne in the place of the lyuer.
• Swellynge.
• Difficultie of breath.

The stomacke sycke.

• Concoction, slowe or quycke.
• Appetite of moyste or drye, dull or quycke.
• Separatiō of excremētes moist or harde with theyr colours.
• Yexynge.
• Belkynge.
• Vometynge with peyne and difficultie of brethe.
• Vryne moche or lyttel with the colour and substaunce to redde or to pale, to thicke or to thynne

The breaste.

• Difficultie of breathe.
• Cowgh.
• Spyttynge.
• Peyne in the breaste.

¶ This haue I writen, not to gyue iudgemen [...] thereby, but onely for the pacyent to haue in a redynesse, to the intent, that what so euer he fe­leth or perceyueth in euery of the sayde thynges thereof to instructe his phisition, whervnto he maye adapt his counsayle and remedyes.

¶ Of vrynes. Cap. viii.

FOrasmoch as nowe a dayes the most com­mune iudgement in syckenesse is by vrines, whiche being farre caried or moche meued, or standyng longe after that it is made, the fourme thereof is so altered, that the phisytion shall not perfytely perceyue the naturall colour, nor contentes, although it be neuer so wel chau­fed at the fyre, as Actuarius and other greatte lerned men do affirme. I wyll therfore somwhat speake of vrines, not soo moche as a physition knoweth, but as moche as is necessarieto euery man for to perceyue the place and cause of his griefe, whereby he maye the better instructe the Physition.

¶ Fyrste in vrine, foure thynges are to be con­sydered, that is to say, the substance, the colour, the regions or partes of the vrine, and the con­tentes or thynges therin conteined.

Also forasmoch as in the body of man be foure qualities, heate, colde, moysture, and dryth, two of them heat and cold, are causes of the colour, dryth and moysture are causes of the substance.

Moreouer in vryne, beinge in a vessell apt ther vnto be sene, are thre regiōs. The lowest region in the bottome of the vrynall, conteynynge the space of two fyngers or lytell more. The myddel region, from whens the lowest ended vnto the cerkele. The hyghest region is the cerkle.

The hyghnesse of the colour sygnifyeth heate, the place, blacke, or grene, sygnifyeth coulde.

Also the grossenes or thyckenesse of the vryne sygnifieth moysture, the clerenes or thynnes, sy­gnifieth drithe.

The substance of the vrine. Cap. ix.

AT the first pissyng, all vrines well nigh do appere thyn, as longe as they abide warme, for naturall heate, duryng the tyme that it preuaileth, suffreth not that the ly­cour, which is the substance of the vrine, to con­ [...]le or be thycke for any occasion: but after that heate is gone, some vrines shortly, some a lōger time after, waxe thyck, lyke wise somtime, some a [...]pissed thicker, & after waxe clere, some remain stylle as they were made, some be metely thycke, as they were troubled, some very thick & grosse. Thoi that waxe clere, sone do gather that, which is thick into the bottome of the vrinal, some re­mayn troubled, the grossenes not withstandynge gathered in the bottome. Sēblably the diuersitie of thyn or subtyl vrines, must be perceiued, that is to saye, that some are very subtyll, as water, some lasse subtyll, some in a meane betwene thycke and thynne.

¶ Of thynges conteyned in the vrine, some doo discende downe to the bottome, & be callyd in a greke worde Hypostasis, in englysshe some calle it the groūdes, some the resydēce, which yf it be whyte, lyght, risynge vp frō the bottome of the vrinall, lyke a peare, it signifieth helth, if it be of any other fygure or colour, it betokeneth some a noyance. If lyke thynges be sene in the myddell of the vrynall, they be called sublations, if they approche vnto the hyghest region of the vrine, they be named cloudes, in latin Nebule. The groūdes or residēces not perfite, some is lyke lit [...]e [...]le redde vetches, & is callyd in latyn Orobea, some is like to brāne of wheat gron̄de, & seuered [Page 83] from the meale, and is callyd branny residēce, in latin Furfurea, some be like vnto plates, hauing bredth and length wythout thycknes, & may be named platy residēce, in latine Laminea, some is lyke to meale, wheate, or barley, and may be na­med mealy residence, in latyn Sunilacea.

¶ There is also seene in the vrine like to white heares, some lengar, some shorter, sōtune lyke to ragges somwhat red, there is also sene in the vp permoste parte of the vrine, sometime a fome or froth somtyme belles or bobles. sometyme there swymmeth in the vrine a thing like a copwebbe otherwhile ther is about the cerkle, as it were the rētyng of clothe, sōtyme there is in the vrine lyke motes of the sonne, sōtyme lyke the matter of a sore, otherwhyle lyke the sede of a man also grauelle or sande. And in these thynges maye be dyuers colours, some whyte, some red, some be­twene bothe, some yelow, some graye, and some blacke. All this muste be diligently marked, and therof separatly to aduertise the Phisitiō, vnto whome I referre the iudgement of the syckenes, for the cause afore rehersed, and for as moche as the iudgement of them is very subtyll.

Sēblably of ordure, whyther it be very thyn or very thicke: what other matter yssueth out with it, what colour it is of the sauour very great, litell or none, yf it were easyly expulsed, or peynefully, how oft or how seldom. Moreouer of sweat, what colour it is of, & of what sauour yf in tasting it be salt, sowre, bitter, or vnsauery.

Also the vomite, yf it be of one colour or ma­ny, yf it do smell horrybly, of what humour it had most habundaunce, yf it were fastynge, or [Page] after meales, yf it were peynefull or easy.

Likewise spettil, whether it be thicke or thin or mixt with bloude or matter corrupt, accordin­gly of the humour issuinge out at the nose, & yf that be bloude, than whyther it be red, watrye or blacke.

Moreouer, it may not be forgotten, to aduer­tyse the Phisition of the dyet vsed by the paci­ent, aswell afore the syckenesse, as in the tyme of the sychenesse, his age, the strength of his body, his exercyse, and place, where he lengest abode in his youth, whether it were hye or lowe, watry or dry, hotte or colde.

This I trust shall be suffycient, to instruct a physition, he that desyreth to knowe more parti­cularly hereof, let hym rede the bokes of Hypo­crates, Galene, Cornelyus Celsus, Actuarius, Paulus, and dyuers other late wrytters, for this lytell treatyse may not receyue it.

¶ The preceptis of the auncient physition Dyocles vnto kynge Antigonus. Cap. 10.

VVe will nowe diuide the bodye of man into foure partes, the heed, boulke, cal­led in latin thorax, which conteyneth the brest, the sydes, the stomake, and entray­les. The bely, called in latyn venter, conteyneth the panche & the bowels. Also the bladder, called in latin vesica, in the whiche name is also con­teyned the cundites, by the which vryne passeth. Whan any disease approcheth to the heed, these tokens do commonly precede, swymmyng in the hced, heed ache, heuines of the browes, sounding in the eares, pryckynges in the temple, the eyes [Page 84] in the mornynge do water, or waxe dymme, the smellynge is dulle, the gummes do smelle. Whā thou felest suche tokens forthwith pourge the heed with somwath, not with vehement medeci­nes, but takinge I sope or Organum, & the crop­pes of them boyle with whyte or claret wyne half a pynte, & therwith gargarise your mouth fastyng, vntil the fleume be purged oute of your heed, this is the easyest medicine in discrasies of the heed. It is also very holsome to gargaryse the mouth and brest with hony water, wherinto mustarde is put & myngled, but fyrste the heed must be rubbed with a warme clothe, that the fleum maye easyly come out of the heed. And yf these tokens be neglected, these maner of sycke­nesses do folowe sone after, blared eyes, and hu­mour lettinge the sight, cleftes in the eares, swel lynges in the necke full of matter, called the kin­ges euyll, corruption of the brayne, poses, or reu­mes, heuynesse of the heed, and tooth ache.

Whā the boulke is like to suffer any sickenes it is perceiued by these tokens, all the body is in a sweatte, the bulke most specially, the tonge wa xeth thicke, the spettyll is eyther salt or bitter, or cholerycke, the sides and shoulders do ake with­out any occasyon, the pacient gapeth often, also there dothe happen moche wakynge, suffocati­ons or lacke of breth, thirst after slepe, the mynd is vexed with heuinesse, also the brest and armes are verye coulde, and the handes do trembele.

Against these thyges this remedy may be proui­ded. After a moderate soupper, assaye to vo­mite without any medycine, vomyte is also pro­fytable, whiche meate dothe folowe: He that in [Page] such wyse wyll vomite, let hym eat hastyly small radysshe rootes, townkersis, rokat, synuy, or purslane, and drynke after it a greate quantitie of warme water, and prouoke hym sesfe to vo­myte. He that setteth lyttell by the sayde to­kēs, let hym feare these sycknesses folowing, the pleuresie, the syckenes of the lunges, melancolye or madnes, sharpe feuers, the fransye, the letar­gie, inflamation with yexinge.

If any syckenesse be towarde the bealy, they maye be espied by these tokens, the bealye is fyrste wrapped together, and in it selfe is trou­bled, all meates and drinkes do seeme bytter in tast, he feleth heuynesse in hys knees, a styffenes in hys loynes, a wearynesse in all hys body wit­hout any occasiō, a slepynesse in his legges, with a lyttell feuer, whan thou feleste these tokens, mollyfie the bealy, not wyth medicyne, but wyth good order of diete, for it is best and most sure, to vse those thynges, wherof lyghtly may ensue none annoyāce, in the number of them are betes boyled in water of hony garlike sodden, ma­lowes, sorel, mercury, and all thynges condite in hony. Al these do erpel the ordure of the bely: but if any of the sayd signes dothe more and more increase, the lyquour, wherein the sede of Car­thamus, callid also Cnicus, is boyled, is a plesāt and sure medicine, small colewortes boyled in a good quātitie of water, the licour therof in mea­sure▪ ii pintes, sauyng the thirde parte of a pint, wyth hon [...] and salt beyng drunken, shall profite moch. Cicer, and the pulse called in la [...]o ernum, in englishe I suppose chittes▪ in water drunk fasting, hath the same essect. To them, which set [Page 85] littel by the said tokens, these diseases do sodēly happen, Fluxe of the bealy, bluddy fluxe, slyp­pernes of the bowels, peynes in the guttes, ach in huckle bones the feuer terciane, the gowte, the apoplexie or palsey in the lymmes, hemoroides, aking of ioyntes.

Whan the bladder is towarde any sickenes, it is perceyued by these tokēs, fulnesse felt after lytel meat, brekyng winde downwarde and vp­warde, palenesse of colour in al the body, heuy or troublous sleapes, the vrine pale, and passynge forth peynefully, swellynges about the coddes & priuy members. Whā these tokens appeare, thā is it expedient to hauy remedy of odoriferous thinges, whyche do expell vrine, whyche shall be done without any peryll with the rotes of fenell and persely stieped one or two dayes in good whyte wyne and to drinke therof fastinge euery mornyng thre ounces and two drāmes, wyth the water of wylde carettes, or clycampane, whyche of these is next at hande, euery of thē haue lyke effect. Also water, wherin the peasyn called in latyne Ciceres, are stieped, beynge drunke wyth wyne, is lyke cōmodiouse: he that neglecteth the sayde tokēs, let him loke for these syckenesses fo lowynge, the dropsy, the greatnes of the splene, griefe in the lyuer, the stone, ache of the backe, or peynes in the raynes, the difficultie of vrine, ful­nes of the bely. In al these thinges that we haue spokē of, we shal gyue to child [...]ē most easy medi cines, to mē those, which be strōger in workyng.

This diete of Diocles, althought at this time it semeth not moste pleasaunt, nor accordynge to the practise nowe vsed, yet beynge tempred with [Page] that, which I haue before remēbred, some thyng maye be founde in it, which beinge experienced, maye be as commodious for the helth of mans body, as that diete, which is more curyous or pleasaunt.

¶ Of them in wose stomakes meat is corrupted. Cap. 11.

THey in whom customably meat is corrupted, let them afore that they eat any meat assaye to vomite, drynkynge swete wine, absteine from meat, that ingender botches inflāmations, fumous ructuations or vapours, and take suche as noryshe good iuyce, & chose them out, which do molyfy the bely, & at sondry tymes take them. It is also good to take tem­peratly that which lowseth the bely, as the me­dicyne called picra, and to absteyne from suche thinges, wherby yll iuyre is gathered, & do in­gender syckenesses, harde to be cured or neuer, as goutes, boneache, peynes of the raynes &c.

¶ Of the vertue of meates. Cap. 12.

HE that is studious about the cōseruation of healthe, he nedeth to knowe the vertue ribasius [...] medici [...] fimp. 1. of meates. The meat whiche hath vertue to extenuate, or make humours subtylle, it openeth the poores, and bryngeth forthe that whych is faste in the fleshe, it maketh that whi­che is clammye, subtylle, & doeth extenuate, or relent that which is fatte, it bringeth forthe that which abideth long in the bealy, but that which is eaten, is a superfluitie watry & coleryke, and at length maketh melancolike bloud. Wherfore [Page 86] moche vsinge of them is prohibited, specially to them, that are colerike, & only serueth for them that ar replete with fleume, crude or vndigested humours, clammi or fatte. The diete of fattinge thinges, dothe nourish aboundantly, so that the stomake & lyuer do digest well: meate of good iuice, maketh good bloud, but yet it stoppeth the lyuer & splene. These do they, whiche make fat humours onely, as the poulse callid Lenticula, & they that are slimy like malowes, some do make fat humors, & be also slimy, as fishes with hard shelles. Finally the diete, whiche doth extenuate & make leane, is more sure for kepyng of helth, than that, whiche fatteth moch. Norishing mea­tes wold be therfor moderateli vsed, whan a mā perceyueth hym selfe to haue nede therof, it may be most sureli vsed of them that be exercised temporately, & can slepe whan they lust. They that can not slepe by reasō of exercise, lette theim es­chewe fattinge meates, lette none ydelle persone attempte to vse theim. In the preseruation of helth, sluggardy is the greattest mischiefe. Lyke as the temperate mouing is good, so is the meat which betwene thycke & thynne, is to mannes helth most cōuenient, which ingendreth bloude, according to the competent cōstitution of mans body, & therfore is it to be chifly vsed. Meate of yll iuyce is alway noiful, wherfor it ought to be eschewed. Likewise the varietie of meates is to be obserued diligently, for it is a great thinge to couple wel togither thinges of cōtrarie vertues. for yf they be not well digested, that whiche is receyued, may brynge displeasure.

¶ A diete preseruatiue in the tyme of pestilenee. Capitulo. xiii.

THe bodies most apte to be infected, are specially sanguine, next colerike than fleuma­tike laste melancolyke, for in them the hu­mour beyng colde and drie. is moste vnapt to receyue putrifaction, hauynge also strayte passages, by the whyche venim must passe. The lar [...]inus cinus. diete cōuenient for that tyme is to abstein from meres inflaming and opening the pores also frō the heat of the sōne, from to moch heate of fire, or garmenus, from very hot herbes, and moche vse of tart thinges, except onions and cikory, or radishe with vineger for they do resist agaynste venim, from wine very furnishe, exercise inconti­nent after meales, frō swetting, from all thing is that wyll cause oppilations and putrifaction, frō thinges hot and moist, where moisture hath the dominion in degree, specially being not suffi­ciently boiled: also from milke, except it be in a littel quātite, and that with a litel sugar. Frutis and herbes cold and dry, and ther wyth soure or somwhat bitter, are not prohibited. If ye eate figges, grapes, or swete cheries, eate after them of an orenge wyth salt. If ye eate thinges colde and moyst, as cucūbers, melones, fyshe soft and freshe, or damsyns, eate by and by after some fe­nell, and orenge wyth salt, drinkinge therwyth a draughte of good wyne. Beware of musherons, moch purslane, gourdis, and all other thynges, whych wyll sone putrifie: not wythstandynge, I wyll not forbyd eatynge of lettyse, wyth a fewe myntes, or myxt wyth cynamom. All thynges sowre ar cōmended, as wel in diete cōseruatiue, [Page 87] as in that whyche is curatiue or healeth, excepte where there is straytnesse of the breste, or weakenes of the stomack, than oughte they to be tem, pred wyth sugar salt, almond milke, cynamom, pepper, fenell, saffron, egges / and some thynge that is fatte or vnctuous. Capers ar good to be vsed wyth vineger. Chese very fatte and salt / is not commended / no more is colewortes / or any kynde of pulse / excepte chittes: greate peason / rapes / nor spynache is good. Also there be for­boden rokat and mustard / moche wyne and eg­ges / excepte they be eaten wyth sorell sauce / vy­neger / or iuyce of orenges: persely and also par­snepes be good. newe wynes be noyfull / let the meate be somewhat more than drinke. but yet susteyn not to moche hunger nor thyrst. beware of lechery / of a clowdy wether and close / eschew moche resorte or thronge of people / wyndes com mynge from fēnes or mores / from slepe at none: vse with your meate this poulder / sāders redde / halfe an ounce / cynamom thre drammes and a halfe / saffron halfe a dramme. After your meate / eate a lyttell of coriander sede / welle prepared. In the mornynge / at a temperate fyre kembe your herd backwarde / clense your body and heed of all superfluities: vse also moderate fri­casies / wyth swete perfumes / and odours / washe oftentimes your face and handes with pure vy­neger mixt with rosewater. In cold wether mixt it with myntes / baulme / rue / or myrtes / and some tyme cloues. In hotte sommer wyth roses or vio lettes. Aboue all thynges vse to take white wine good / white vyneger rosette / water of roses / in e­qual porciōs / put ther vnto a littell seruale / or of [Page] the rynde of a citron, and drynke therof a lyttell and oftentymes washe therwith your handes and visage.

Medicynes preseruatyue agaynste the pesti­lence, whiche be alwaye most ready, are these, a fygge with rue, and a wall nutte eaten fastyng, also triakle, or mithridate, to old men a dramme weyghte, to yonge men halfe a dramme, or a scruple dissolued in vineger and rose water, or in water of tormentyll, seabiose or balme, yf the plage be in sommer: yf it be in wynter, put to the waters some whyte wyne. Also the pylles called comonly. Pillule Rasis, but in dede they were inuented by Rufus are very excellent, specially yf the al [...], whiche i [...] it, be washed, and thervn­to added a lyttell Bolus armenus, & terra sigil­lata. And yf the person be of hotte completion, a quantitie of sorell sede, and red corall, this confectioned with syrope of citrons, in colde com­plexions or to old men with wine, vse them eue­ry thyrde daye one pille at a tyme, thre houres or foure afore dyner or supper. If ye take triakle or Mithridate, absteyne from meate at the leaste syx houres after. A pece of the [...] of setuall, borne in the mouth preserueth, from infection. In lykewyse doth sorell chewed fastyng, and the iuyce sucked downe. To poore men, Marsilius was wont to grue a toste of bread steped in vi­neger, with a piece of an onyon or rewe. Al thyn­ges whiche be cordiall, that is to saye, which do in any wyse comforte the barte, do resyste pesti­lence, vehement anger, or heuinesse, be very per­niciouse. Other more exquisite and costly preser­uatyues, I purposely passe ouer, whiche Mar­silius, [Page 88] and othre phisitions, do wryte of abun­dantly, for as moche as I desyre to be in this warke compendiouse. One thynge I hadde al­moste forgotten, that there is no better preserua­tyue, than to flee frome the place corrupted, be­tyme and farre of, and to let none approche you, that hath made theyr abode, where the plage is feruent. More ouer receyue not into your house any stuffe, that commeth out of a house, wherin any person hath ben infected. For it hath bene sene, that such stuffe lyenge in a cofer shutte by the space of two yeres, after that the coffer hath ben opened, they whiche haue stande nygh to it, haue ben infected, and sone after haue died. But there I alwaye excepte the powre of god, which is wonderfull, and also mercifull, aboue mans reason or coūsell, preseruyng or strykyng whom, whan, and where it shall lyke his maiestie, to whom be glorye and prayse euerlastynge. Amen.

¶ Thus make I an ende of this treatise, de­syrynge them that shall take profyte therby, to defende it agaynste enuyous dysdayn, on whom I haue set the aduēture for the loue that I bare to my countrey: requyrynge all honest phisitions to remember, that the intent to my labour was that men and women redynge this warke, and obseruynge the counsayles therin, shulde adapte therby their bodyes, to receyue more sure reme­dye by the medicines prepared by good phisiti­ons in daūgerous sykenesses, they kepyng good dyet, and infourmynge dilygently the same phi­sitions, of the maner of theyr affectes, passyōs, and sensyble tokens. And so shall the noble and most necessarye science of phisicke, with the mi­nisters [Page] therof / escape the sclaunder / whyche they [...] of longe tyme susteyned / and accordynge to the precepte of the wyse man / be worthely ho­noured / for asmoche as the hyghest god dyd create the phisition / for mans necessitie. And of the earth created medicine / and the wyse man shall not abhorre it. Thus fare ye well gentyl reders / and forget me not wyth your good reporte / and praye to God that I be neuer wars occupyed.