holsome for him and best agreing to his nature For this is a generall rule and precepte in phisicke Similia similibus nutriuntur that is as muche to saie as thinges that are like are nourished by their like And therfore hote meates are good to nourish hote complexions colde meates are good for colde complexions drie for drie likewise and moiste meates good for moist complexions The seconde thing which was saied ought to be obserued in receiuing foode was to take hede how much is receiued at one meale Whosoeuer therfore entendeth to preserue him selfe in health let him take hede that he dooe not vse to eate vsque ad sacietatem that is as longe as he hath any appetite or vntil he be stuffed ful for excesse of meates doth ouercharge nature suffocating quenching naturall heate so that some disease immediatly insueth obserue therfore in any case to bee contente with so moche meate as wil suffice nature thin king it sufficient to haue hunger slaked although the appetite be not fullie satisfied This is a precepte moste worthy to be obserued of them that would prolong health whiche thing is confirmed by a notable sentence of the moste auncient famous and excellent phisition Hypocrates whiche is worthie to be borne in minde of all men And it is this in latin Sanitatis studium est non satiari cibis ▪ that is to saie The meanes to preserue health is to eschue sacietie gluttonie of meates and drinkes Thirdly there ought to be an order obserued in eating of meates for albeit that it is moste holsome for all complexions to eate of one kinde of meate only at one meale for so nature is able to make more perfecte digestion thereof yet because the greatest sorte of menne specially if thei be wealthie dooe commonlie vse to eate of sundrie meates at one meale I thought it worthie of obseruacion that there bee not a preposterous order vsed in eatyng of diuerse meates for so diuersitie of meates might inferre greater daunger Obserue therefore to eate cōpitentely of one meate onely at one meale and let it bee soche as will well agrée to your cōplexion and soche as you haue béen accustomed vnto If any refuse to obserue this receipte let them for the eschewinge of greater daunger obserue and take hede that in diuersitée of meates they vse to eate soche thinges as be easie of digestiō before meates that be of harde digestiō and let them eate moiste meates before drie meates and mollifiyng meates before binding and restrictiue meates For if this order be obserued there will lesse hurte insue Last of all it is not to be neglected at what times meates drinkes are to be receiued into the stomack For foode receiued out of due time doth rather hurte then nourishe for the knowledge whereof there are fiue thinges to be considered The age the time of yere the complexion the countrie and the custome As for example a childe or a young man vntill he be past .xx. yeares of age in wynter or springtime being Cholerick or Sanguine of complexion dwelling in a colde region and hauing vsed to eate often soche a one ought to féede often But contrariwise a manne that is past .xxx. yeares of age in Summer and haruest time being flegmatike or Melancolike of complexiō dwelling in a hote region and accustomed to eate but seldome soche a one ought to féede seldome Also these aforesaied respectes being seuerally considered dooe partely declare the times of eating For a childe may eate more oftener then anye other age A cholerick complexion oftener thē any other complexiō Likewise in winter a man that is in health may eate oftener then in Sommer And so forthe is to be vnderstanded of the reste And the contrary of the contraries But note generally that it is good for the preseruation of health if those whiche bee in health doe not vse to eate meate before that the meate whiche they did eate last before be digested hauīg exercised their bodies with some pastime or labour and then as sone as hūger and appetite prouoke them let them eate competently I thinke it be moste holsome for theim that leade a quiet and idle life excepte they bée cholerick of complexion to bée content with twoo meales in one daye that is dinner and supper And let there be vij or viij howers betwene meales and let them eschue by all meanes possible drinking or banquetting betwene meales But soche as vse daily great bodely laboure or that exercise themselfes moch in any pastime or trauaile or that be of a choeerick complexion soche persones sins the coldnes of our countrie also custome doe permitte it They may safely vse to eate three meales a daie that is breakefast dynner and supper so that there bee fiue or sixe howres betwene either of them But let them obserue that their chief labour and exercise be before meate for labour or exercise after meates is very hurtfull to the body for because it maketh aboundaunce of crude and rawe humours in the vaines and conduites of the body ¶ The .iii. Chapiter ¶ Of diuersities of meates IT is moste certainly confirmed by the autoritie of aūcient phisicions and proued also by daily experience that humours ar bredde in mannes bodie as the iuyce of the meate that he receiueth is apte to make And therfore there ought no litle regarde to be had what kinde of foode is to bee vsed For as meates of good iuyse doe engender good bloud preserue health so cōtrariwise soch meates as breade ill iuyse do engendre vicious and corrupt humours and doe cause diuerse and many perilous diseases Note therefore that of meates some be easie of digestion and some harde of digestion And of either of them some bee of good iuyce and some of euil iuyce Also some meates be apte to breede melancholie some fleme and some choler Of whiche it would require long time to make particuler rehersal I will only in the chapters following brieflye declare whiche meates are accoumpted to make good iuyce whiche make euil iuyce whiche are in a meane betwene them bothe ¶ The .iiii. Chapiter ⧠Of meates makyng good iuyce THese meates followinge are easie of digestion and are wōte to make good iuyce in a haile body that is to say partriches Fesantes Chickens Capons Hennes Small byrdes that vse to be vpon moūtaines newe laide egges reare or potched younge porke veale newe milke freshe fishe that be in grauellie and stonie riuers To these may be added bread made of the flower of good wheate being well leauened sufficiently salted well baken in an ouen being twoo or three daies olde And also pure wyne These with many other thinges which for breuitie I leaue out if they be taken in meane quantitie in due order time they engēder good bloud and nourishe the bodie quickely ¶ The .v. Chapiter ⧠Of meates engendring corrupt humours
requisite as if you doe pourge when bloodletting is onely necessarie then is the disease aided against nature wherby greater dauÌ„ger of death dooeth ensue then would haue dooen if nature had been let a lone But to conclude briefly note that in all diseases the duetie of the Phisicion is to vse the contrarie remedie to the disease that healthe maie bee restored as to take awaie that whiche is superfluous to adde to that whiche lacketh to soften hardnesse and to rarifie grossenes and contrariwise alwaies endeuouryng to recouer the naturall state of the member diseased Likewise in hollowe vlcers and woundes to cause fâ—leshe to growe and to set in again bones that are out of ioynt and soche other like alwaies addyng subtractyng or amondyng that whiche is wantyng haboundyng or out of his dewe forme and place ¶ The. xii Chapiter ⧠What thynges the Phisicion ought to knowe before be attempte the cure of any disease I Haue declared sufficieÌ„tly in the former Chapiter how that it is the propertie of nature onely to striue and fight againste diseases And how that the PhisicioÌ„ is but the minister and seruaunt of nature either to adde soche thynges to her as she maie vse to destroie the disease withall or els by pluckyng cleane awaie the greatesse parte of that matter whiche causeth and maintaineth the sicknes And therefore it is mete and necessarie for the PhisicioÌ„ before he minister any thyng to learne and searche out perfectly the cause of the disease in whiche if he be ignoraunte it is more by good fortune then by cunnyng that he cureth any disease For how is it possible to help nature w t that that she hath nede of excepte it bee firste knowen what she needeth whiche none can knowe excepte the cause of the disease be manifeste to hym so that he maie minister thinges directly contrary to the cause of the disease And therefore I can not but lamente the ignoraunce of the common people that are perswaded that one medicin is sufficient for one disease not consideryng that one disease maie come of sondrie causes And therefore it necessarilie requireth diuerse medicines As for example weakenesse of the stomacke that it cannot digest well or that it hath no good appetite is one disease whiche neuerthelesse may bee caused a dosen sundrie wayes therefore the cure of it can not be alwayes with one medicine but rather in eche cause with a sundry medicine As if weakenes of the stomake come of a colde disteÌ„pure of it selfe only then it must be made hote bosome meanes If heate causeth the weakenes then it must be cooled Likewyse you must moisten drines and drie moisture But if the weakenes be caused of some humour that doth abounde whiche hath flowed into the stomake or hathe been there engendred then must that superfluous humour be pourged out either by vomite or purgation with a meke medicine As if it be fleme with a medicine that expelleth fleme if choler be abounding there then must it be soche a medicine as pourgeth choler And likewyse for Melancholie a mete purgatioÌ„ must be vsed to drawe out the humour But if the imbecillitie of the stomake be caused by a distilation and rewme that falleth out of the head into it then is the cure to be wrought in the head and not at all in the stomake And likewyse if distempure of the liuer or splene dooe weaken the stomake the cure consisteth in healing those members and not in ministring any thing for the stomake for it wilbe well as sone as they are cured Thus it is declared at large in one example the diuersitie of causes in one disease that thereby all men might likewyse consider that euery disease in eche member of the bodie may and doth likewyse come of diuerse causes against which causes if the medicines be not directly ministred it auaileth nothinge but rather hurteth Therefore let no man thinke it sufficient for the Phisicion if he knowe that a man hath soche a disease as the ague the Colicke the Flixe or soch other like that then he may straightwaye if he be conning minister a medicine mete for it No not so but he must first searche by al meanes possible the verie cause of the disease which the ignorauÌ„t people haue long time been persuaded that a cunning Phisition may doe in all diseases by the onely fighte and inspection of the vrine But alas thei are craftely bewitched or couetously blinded For to come to the knowlege of the cause of some inward disease the vrine profiteth nothing And in moste inwarde diseases of the bodie there ought as good regard to be had to the pulse and to the disposicions and state of the brain of the sicke as there should be of the vrin Also the egestions sweate spettle and other excremeÌ„tes ar not to be neclected in so moche as at some time thei do declare the cause of the disease and the state thereof when the vrine sheweth nothyng at all As for exaÌ„ple In a pleurisie or in an inflamacion of the lunges or in a squinancie or soche like There is more to be knowen by spittle then by Vrine likewise in a laxe or in a bloodie flixe or in a Colike or Iliacke there is more certaintie of iudgemente to bee geuen by egestion or ordure then is by vrine whiche thinges those that bee not altogether addicte so their own fantasie maie quickly by good reason be perswaded to credite For Vrine is nothyng els but the watrie and whaishe parte of the blood for it is strained from blood in the Liuer and sucked from thense into the raines from whens it distilleth doune into the bladder and so passeth forthe Since therefore vrine is the excremente that is separate from blood there is good cause why it should shewe the estate of the liuer and of blood in all partes of the bodie And also it can well declare the estate of soche members as it passeth by as of the raines the blader and soche like But certainlie in other diseases that bee out of the vaines and be distaunt froÌ„ the places by which the vrin passeth there is no certain iudgemente to bee geuen by the vrine vnlesse the vehemencie of the disease hath infected the blood or liuer after some sort Neuerthelesse soche is the ignoraunce of the common people that thei thinke him worthie of no estimacioÌ„ in Phisick whiche can not at the first sight of the vrin although it hath been caried .xx. miles tell whether it be a mannes water or a womaÌ„nes and how the disease greueth the paciente better then hymself also whether he shall liue or die what disease so euer it be whiche thinges vndoubtedly in diuerse diseases are impossible to be tolde by the onely sight of the vrine And therefore it is thought méete for hym that will minister Phisick duely and rightfullie First to se the pacient and to talke with hym or her
if it be naturall it is leste in quaÌ„titie of all humours And it is to bee noted that nature hath appoincted a member in mannes bodie commonlie called the Splene or Milt whiche draweth froÌ„ the blood this blacke and yearthlie humoure leste if it should flowe with the bloode in the vaines it would make the colour of the whole bodie blacke as it chaunceth in the blacke Iaundise wherin Melancholie floweth all ouer the bodie with blood in the vaines The splene therfore is ordained by nature to drawe awaie the dregges and thicke residence of the blood The vse and propertie of the Melancholie in mannes body is to nourishe the Splene and to helpe the accioÌ„s and operacions of the stomack for it causeth the stomack to comprehende well in it self meates that are receiued and to retein and kepe them vntill thei be fully digested The colour of natural Melancholie is blacke like yearth it is cold and drie in operacion and sowre in taste These ar the qualities and quantities whiche are naturallie conteined in the humours of mannes bodie But if it so chaunce that any of these humours doe alter by any meanes in quaÌ„titie colour substance taste or place then thei cause sicknes little or moche accordyng to the excesse or decrease or malignaunt qualities of the humors declining froÌ„ his natural state which for breuitie I let passe ¶ The .vii. Chapiter ¶ Of the complexions of mannes bodie THe auncient Phisicions doe saie that a coÌ„plexion or temperament is nothyng els but a mixture of the fower elementes that is Fire Aire Water and Yearth and thei make .ix. sondrie kindes of complexions one that is temperate and eight that be not temperate whereof fower be simple that is hote or colde or moiste or drie And .iiij. bee compounde that is hote and moiste or colde and moiste hote and drie or cold and drie But soche men as write accordyng to the capacitie or vnderstandyng of the reader thei do sate that a complexion is a mixture of the fower humours in maÌ„nes bodie that is Blood Flegme Choler and MelaÌ„cholie And thei make but fower sondrie complexions according to the nomber of those humoures whiche doctrine of theirs although it be farre inferiour to the other yet it is not vnprofitable but worthie to bée marked of all menne for thereby thei maie haue cause to consider that somme humoure doth abounde more in some one manne then in an other whereby the qualities and disposicions of diuers men are altered It is necessarie therefore for hym that would knowe of what complexion hym selfe or anye other persone is to obserue and marke as well the inward qualities and disposicions of the minde as also the outwarde signes of the body accordinge to the preceptes here nexte insuyng The bodye wherin bloud or ayer hath dominion and preheminenâ— doth abounde on heate and moisture and it is counted Sanguine of complexion it may be knowen by these signes Mirth iesting familiaritie delight in pastimes Liberalitie and fréenes of harte Simplicitie and meane witte Seldome angrie Pulse great and swifte and full Fleshines of members without fat Prones to carnall luste Largenes and fulnes of the vaines arreries Aboundaunce of ordure and vrine swette without euill sauoure Aptnes to bleding at the nose and flures of bloud and diseases thereof Colour of the face and bodie ruddie mixed with whyte and redde Often dreaminges of bloud and redd thinges without feare Desire of wyne good digestion Vrine reddishe and often grosse Reddishe heare in great abuÌ„daunce The bodie wherin fleâ—â—e or water hath preheminence doth abounde in colde and moisture and it is called â—hâ—eginatike of complexioÌ„ whiche maye be knoweÌ„ by these signes Forgetfulnes Dulnes of witte sense in learning Slouthfulnesse and hoaâ—inesse in mouinge Ouermuche stepines Colours of the face bodye white sallow pale or leady Much fatnes without sound fleshe The pulse small slowe seldome softe Reumatike full of spittle swete white and thicke Much moistor comming out at the nose and mouthe DigestioÌ„ slowe and weake Appetite of soure sharpe meates Smothe shynne without hears Cowardlines feare Vrine whitish pale thin Swette whitish vnsauery Dreames of waters snow rain c. Whitish hears Delighte in hote things hurt ensuing cold things Vaines smal little apering The bodie wherin Choâ—er or Fire hath dominioÌ„ doeth abound in heate and drines and is named Cholerike of complexion and it maie be knowen by these signes Rashenes in all thinges quicke witte Subtilitie prodigalitie Irefulnesse boldenesse and hardinesse Desire of reuengement sharpelie Hearines and roughnes Drines and leanesse of the bodie Heare redde Aburne and curled Coloure of the eyes and face yelowe like the iaundise The pulse great swifte and harde The vrine like fine golde in colour or like fire Impatiente with hunger or thirste Drynes of the tunge and roughnes Little filthe in the nose and little spittle Sone very angrie and sone appeased Watching very longe and often Dreaminges of battaill murder fire bloudshed Delight in colde thinges Quicke and strong of digestion Swifte and light of bodie â–ª Often â—nawyng in the mouthe of the stomacke and costiuenes in middellage The bodie wherin Melancholie or yearth hath dominioÌ„ doth abounde in coldnesse and drinesse and is named melancholie of complexion it may be knowen by these signes Grauitie and simplicitie Euill disposition so that often thei kill themselues Enuie couetousnes nigardnesse fearfulnesse sorowe weping â–ª kepiÌ„g secret coÌ„sâ—â— solitarie wittie constant in opinion Slowe to anger Harde to please after anger Leanesse and roughnesse of the whole bodie Blacknesse or sâ—artnesse of the face and skinne Heare blacke and plain Pulse slowe little and harde Vrine subcâ—â—ine grenish or 〈…〉 bright and 〈…〉 swearing Oftentimes blacke 〈…〉 dreames of death grauce and soche like Content with small sleping Impatiente of cold By these signes and qualities before rehersed eche man may learne to know of what complexion he is of if he wil diligently coÌ„sider the same And note that it shalbe sufficient to iudge his coÌ„plexioÌ„ to be according with y â— humour to which for the moste part his qualities and outwarde signes be agreing and inclining Although all the properties prescribed to the humour doe not agree with him For the disposition of the mynde and also the state of the bodie are oftentimes altered and chaunged from their naturall course sometime to better and some time to worse according to the good or euill education of the partie As among â—â—anie this one example doth declare whiche is written of auncient and credible Historiographiers There was sometime in Grece a man which was named Zopirus who by beholding of a mans face could knowe his complexion and iudge his condicions This man beholding Socrates an excellent Philosopher iudged him to be prodigall and vnchast Whiche iudgement wheÌ„ Socrates familiar frendes had heard thei lawghed Zopirus to scorne because they knewe Socrates to bee moste centinent and
whether it be Then to feele the pulse to obserue well the state thereof nexte to viewe diligentlie the excrementes not onely the vrine but also the ordure spitell and sweate Laste of all to haue respect to the place where grief is and to consider the accidentes that rise therof not omitting to knowe the former diete and trade of life of the sicke These thynges then beyng diligentlie and seuerallie marked the Phisicion maie more certainly learn the cause of the disease the strength therof and to what ende it will come then he could by seyng the vrine onelie And by that meanes he maie minister amete medicine for it whereby the sicke shall sone finde ease and hymself great good fame Otherwise he might by his error and ignoraunce tormēt the sicke worse and bring perill of death to his vtter reproche Thus haue I partlie declared what thynges ought to bee knowen of the Phisiciō that thereby he might with drawe and take awaie the fonde and folishe opinion that a great nomber of the countrie dooe credite to be true that is that the sight of the vrine is sufficiente inough for a cūning Phisicion to know the disease of the sick and the cause therof and to minister apte medicine for it ¶ The .xiii. Chapiter ⧠Of the vse and commodities of pourging and bloudletting MOte that if the bodie of man doe abounde with humours whiche are ready to oppresse nature then whether ther be sicknes in the body present by meanes of them or if there be but daūger of sicknes those humours must bee euacuate out of the bodie either by bloudletting or by pourging or by vomite swetting or bathes or by some other kinde of euacuation But I wil speake here onely of euacuation by bloudletting and pourging And first of bloudletting There be diuerse thinges to be cōsidered before bloudletting The age of the patient the complexion the time of the yeare the region the custome the strengthe the vehemencie of the disease The age must be considered because children vnder 14. yeares of age and old folke may not be let bloud without great necessitie require it The complexion is to be noted because a hote complexiō hath large vaines and aboūdeth with much bloud And therfore they may forbeare a good deale of bloud But coole complexions haue narrowe vaines and little bloude and therfore their euacuation must bee small The time of the yeare must bee marked that the weather be not to hote nor to colde And therfore the springtime is moste apte time for bloud letting because it is temperate The region and countrée is rehersed because it is to be noted that if the regiō be very hote or very colde it is not good to let bloud a temperate region is meatest for it Custome is not to be neglected for thereby we may know that they that haue ben accustomed to blede may better suffer bloud letting thē those that neuer were letten bloud The strengthe of the persone must be regarded for if there be great weakenes it is very daūgerous to let bloud at all except extreme necessitée compelleth Also the vehemēcie of the disease is worthie to bee marked for if it be a vehement disease you must let bloud streight if the former circumstaunces doe suffer it These thinges considered if thei wil permitte bloud letting and if it bee in a necessarie cause it shalbe good and expedient to knowe in what signe the moone is for you must take hede that she be not in the signe that gouerneth that member wherein you entende to open the vaine and also forsee that she be in soche a signe as is good to let bloud in which the table in the ende of this booke wyll teache you The vses and commodities of bloudletting are as foloweth First this is a general rule that bloudletting is a very good and moste conuenient remedy for all diseases that bee engendred of aboundaunce flowing or eruption of bloud as be chiefly the feuers called Synochi Also the phrenesie squinancie pleurisi peripneumony opthalmie against al inflammations and impostumations engendred of bloud in the lyuer the splene the raynes the wombe the share the armeholes the armes the legges to conclude in al inward or outwarde partes wheresoeuer the inflamation bee bloudletting is good for it whether it be nowe present or that ther be daunger that it will shortely engender Also bloudletting is good in feuers whether they be continual or intermittent if so bee the obstructions and stoppinges of the vaines be caused of immoderate repletion of humours And note that bloudletting dothe emptie and enuacuate from the bodie all humours alike as wel good as bad And therefore it is chiefly to bee vsed when there is to great an aboundaunce in the bodie of bloud other humours whiche do straine and stuffe the vaines that there is a great daunger and ieoperdie and breaking of some vaine or bruysing out of some flure of bloud or of choking and ertinguish natural heate And therfore in soche cases you must let bloud with all spede although sicknes be not already present For by lettinge bloud in due season the superfluous fulnes of y ◠vaines is brought into a meane state againe the paines that came of fulnes and stretching of the vessels bee eased The heauines that was felt in the bodie is taken awaye and the bodie is lightened and made more quicke and nimble to doe all soche actions as nature hath ordained it to doe Also it causeth natural heat to haue a larger scope and a free passage by opening and emptiyng the straightwayes passages of the vaines and arteries Last of all if it be done in time it preuenteth diseases into the whiche the bodie was ready to haue fallen Many more commodities might here be rehersed of bloudletting whiche is done when it ought and as it oughte to be done but to conclude omitting all other note for a generall rule that bloud letting is good against all kinde of diseases whiche be caused and engendred of bloud not onely when the diseases ar present but also it is good letting bloud to preuente any soche diseases if they be forséen or feared alwayes obseruinge that there be none of these impedimētes aforesaid whiche prohibite and forbidde bloud letting except it be in great necessitie and extremitie for then as the prouerbe is Necessitas non habet legē that is necessitie hath no lawe Here woulde I leaue of to speake of bloudletting but that there commeth to my mynde the common opinion of the ignorante people which dooe certainly beleue that if any persone be let bloud one yeare he muste bee lette bloud likewyse euery yeare or els he is in I can not tell howe great daunger whiche fonde opinion of theirs whereof soeuer it sprong at the firste is no more like to be true then I should saie when a man hath a great wounde by chaunce in any part of
through their transgression thei were driuen out of the pleasaunt Paradise and cast forthe into this vale of miserie the yearth them selues and their posteritée being cursed for their offence yet it tooke soche effecte that all mankinde whiche haue been since that tyme vntill this daie haue proceded of them and their posteritee beyng ingendred by the coniunction of their pareÌ„tes Soche was the wonderfull prouidence of God omnipotent from the beginning that all liuing creatures should contain in theim selues soche seede as doeth suffice to engender their like in their kinde that thereby the frailtee and mortalitee of eche kinde of liuyng creates might by succession bee preserued from vtter decaie and remain from age to age continually increasing by many hundred yeres to the settyng for the of Goddes glorie whiche thyng as dooeth plainlie appere in euery kind of creature so it maie sufficiently and moste manifestly be perceiued by consideryng the state of mankind Whose life although for the moste part after Noes â—lood it hath not exceaded an hundred yeares in one particular man yet none can denie but at this day beyng aboue fiue thousande yeares froÌ„ the beginning of the worlde the nomber of men is so infinite proceaded of the two former persones our first parentes that they be as the fanâ—e of the sea or as the starres of the heauen innumecrable The body therefore of eche mankynde the twoo former persones onely excepted is ingeÌ„dred of the sead of his pareÌ„tes in his mothers wombe eche parte of the body being their fourmed and fashioned by diuine nature receiuing no norishement of bloud vntill y e full time of birth But after that the infant is borne into the worlde as long as it is tender And weake it is fedde and nourished with milke and when strengthe is increased then meates are ministred to it of sondry substaunce harder of digestion Wherin if a due order and moderate measure be kept and certain other necessary circumstaunces obserued which both reason and arte prescribeth as shalbe hereafter declared then the bodie continueth alwayes vnto the last age in safetie and health moreouer eche member kepeth his naturall estate and is both able and readie to doe soche functioÌ„s and busines as nature hath ordained them to doe As the stomack to haue a good appetite and to digest and alter meates well the lyuer to engender good bloud the raynes to seperate vrine from the bloud soche like excepting alwayes some externall and violent outward cause whiche may hinder their operation as a wynde a fal or soche like of whiche I entende not to speake further in this place ¶ The .ii. Chapter ¶ what thinges be requisite for him to knowe whiche would kepe his body in health THe preseruatioÌ„ of health doth chiefly consiste in knowledge of the body and in due moderate vse of sustinaunce ministred to thesame Of the first part I will chiefly intreate in this booke First it is requisite to come to y e knowledge of our bodies by vnderstanding wherof they are compacte and made Secondarily it is good and nedefull to knowe the differences of the partes of the bodie Thirdly their offices and powers are to be considered Fourthly the diuersitie of humains Last of all the complexions of the bodies are to be diligently marked which thinges duely and exactely considered noted A mete diet may sone bée serched out whiche if it be obserued there is no doubte but helthe may be preserued and sicknes eschued so long as nature is able to sustaine the body which thing Galen the Prince of all Phisitions declared in him self who although by nature he had a weake body which was subiect to many diseases in his youth yet he coÌ„fesseth him selfe that after eightene yeares of age being theÌ„ somewhat skilful in phisicke he so preserued his body that from those yeares vntill the time of his death which many reporte to be about the huÌ„dred yere of his age he was neuer vexed with any sicknes except it were with a seuer called Ephemera whiche lasteth but one daye that also he could easely haue auoyded if he had not more regarded at sometime to pleasure his frende with his arte then to obserue in al pointes the exacte preseruation of his health But peraduenture some wil alledge for this one example whiche is by hearsaye that they haue seen and dooe knowe diuerse Phisitions whiche be often subiect to sundrie diseases as wel as other sorts of men And therfore this litle perswadeth them that any arte maye preserue a man loÌ„g in health to whom I answer that there is great difference betwene those that study phisicke only to get a liuing thereby and them that searche out the knowlege therof to guide their liues according to the doctrine of it Of this last sorte of Phisitions was Galen who thought it a great reproche bothe to the science and to himselfe if this prouerbe might truly haue béen verified of him Aliorum est medicus ipse vlceribus statens that is to saye he is Phisition to other himself being full of byles sores Of thesame sorte also many other famous Phisitions haue béen and at this present be whiche men of indifferent vpright iudgement doe and may easelye perceiue But of the first sorte if there haue ben any or by chaunce at this present be I thinke they are an example to discredite this noble scieÌ„ce only to those that be ignoraunt rude and vnlearned who for that cause are enemies of this arte And therfore it is a true prouerbe Scientia non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem that is none is enemy to anye knowledge or science but he that is ignoraunt in it if any that bee vnlearned doe take occasion to despise phisike as a vaine thing takyng example at the life of the first sorte of phisitioÌ„s aforenamed I thinke I may safely iudge that they do it of an obstinate stubburnes or of a cancred hatred or els of wilfull blindnes like as the vile Renobites and Papistes at this preseÌ„t daie do seke meanes to discredite credite preachers as muche as they can by scrupulous serching and examininge of their liuing which somtime they finde to disagree from their doctrine God geue them grace to repente in time that they laye no soche stumbling blockes in weiklinges wayes Nowe I will leaue theÌ„ and returne againe to my purpose declaring in order the thinges requisite to be vnderstanded for the knowledge of our bodies as is aforesaied ¶ The. iii. Chapiter ⧠wherof mans body is compacte FIrst it is to be noted that ther are foure Elementes that is fyre ayre water and earthe which elementes haue in theÌ„ contrarie qualities one to an other that is heate colde drienes and moisture And the yearth is the loweste and heauiest element and it is colde and drie by nature Next the earth is the water beyng colde and moist The aire is
thristie But Socrates said vnto them Zopirus hath nothing erred in his iudgement for certainly I had been of soche qualities as he iudgeth me to be of if I had not by Philosophie subdued nature Hereby it is euident that naturall dispositions of men may be altered And that is the cause why all the qualities and signes prescribed before in any of the complexions be not found to agree to euery particular mā of that cōplexiō wherfore it is sufficient if the most of thē doe agree with him The commodities that ensue the knowledge of a mannes owne complexion are many notable for thereby a man may learne to eschue the euill dispositions that he is naturally inclined vnto he may also make coniecture what trade of life is moste metest for him Moreouer he shall sone learne thereby what diet is profitable to preserue him in health and what is cōtrary to his nature Besides these also he may learne thereby to knowe what diseases he is subiecte vnto moste and so he may the better preuent them As for example if a man by the signes and qualities prescribed knowe him selfe to be of a colericke cumplexiō thereby he should haue iust occasion to bridle his naturall affections and endeuour to eschue rashenes prodigalitie hastines and soche like Also thereby he may knowe that he is apte to learning or to be a Lawier or to be a Capitaine or to doe any handie woorke wherein quickenes of witte sleighte or subtiltie doth consiste without any great laboure Also thereby he may learne y ◠often drinking of hote wynes or eating of hote spices be noysome to him Aboūdaunce of swete meates honie garlicke and onions may be but seldome vsed of him He may learne also that his stomacke is so good of digestiō that almoste no groose meate can hurte him Moreouer thereby he may learne to know that he is apte to fall into certian agues yelowe iaundies phrenesies vomitinges and soche like cholerique diseases which if he will eschue he must forbeare the thinges before rehersed specially in Sōmer and thē also he must learne of much labour and trauaile of burning heate of the Sunne and of great anger and soch like thinges that inflame choler The like commodities are to be searched out in other complexions whiche diligent obseruation you may easely finde wherin if they be able to enstructe the Phisicion he may with more safetie and spede cure their diseases ⸫ Finis primi libi◠The seconde booke treateth of diet and foode meete and necessarie for the bodie of man And of suche herbes as a gardaine ought to be furnished withall whiche be nedefull in healthe and sicknes ¶ The first Chapiter ⧠why man hath nede of nourishement THe naturall heate whiche God hath ordained to be in mans body from the tyme of his generation vntill he departe out of this worlde doth continually waste and consume the substaunce of the members and therfore the whole bodie would sone bee wasted and consumed vnlesse the like substaūce to that whiche is euaporate and spredde were daily engēdred in the body Therfore nature hath engendred euen from the birth an appetite desire of meates drinkes in eche mā of whiche meates and drinkes receiued into the stomacke the same nature by alteration and digestion of them maketh suche substaunce as eche member hath lost that the body may long endure in good estate This is the marueilous workyng of God and nature for the preseruatiō of mankinde for we nede not to be taught of any bodie to eate drinke or breath but immediatly after our generation we haue those faculties and appetites engraffed in vs whereby we can do them without a teacher With meate when it is digested and altered is restored the drie sounde substaunce that is wasted in the members with drinke is restored the moister substaūce of the bodie that is cōsumed And so they are both reserued in their former state By breathing and by mouing of the pulses the ayre and the firie substaūce of the bodie is nourished and refreshed ¶ The seconde Chapiter ⧠Of the commodities and discommodities of meates and drinkes THe foode whiche is receiued into the stomacke by the mouthe is there boyled by naturalheate and the iuice therof is sucked and drawen to the lyuer by certaine vaines called Meseraicae where it is purified and the best of it is turned altered into bloud by the vertue of the liuer and from thence that bloud is sente in vaines into all partes of the bodie with which bloud eche member is nourished and restored and by the operation of nature euery member hath bloud turned dailie into soche substaunce as the member is whereby so muche is restored to that member as naturall heate before hath wasted and consumed Soch be the commodities of meates and drinkes if they be good and easie to digeste being taken in sufficient quantitie good order and due time But if these circumstaunces be not obserued ther is scarcely any thing so pernicious to a mā For so they be of great force to engender greuous sicnesses by engendring euill vitious humours These circumstaunces therfore aforenamed are diligently to be cōsidered and obserued of soche as desire to kepe their bodies in health First what they eate or drinke Secondly howe moch Thirdli after what sorte And last of all at what time For the first part there ought hede to be taken that the meates and drinkes whiche are to bee receiued into the stomacke be good and holsome for the body And therfore they must bee soche as will cause good iuyse engender good bloud and soche as the stomacke is well able to digeste For some stomack is more able of nature to digeste harde meates then many other But note that the beste and moste holsome meates ought to haue these properties They must breed good iuyce they must be light and easie of digestion and thei must be of a thinne substaunce for soche doe breede good humours in short time without any obstructions and stoppinges of the vaines and conduictes of the bodie As for those meates that are of contrarie qualities to them aforesaid they are hurtfull and noysome to the bodie For soche meates as be of euil iuyce doe engender naughtie and corrupte humours in the bodye Soche as be harde of digestiō doe debilitate and make wearie nature ouercharging the alteratiue vertue of the stomack Soche as be of a grosse substaūce doe breade obstructions and opilations stopping the vessels that bee about the liuer whereby for lacke of frée passage of bloud and other humours perilous feuers and many other daungerous diseases be engendred Moreouer it is to be noted in this part whiche teached to obserue what you eate or drinke that the temperature of meates is to be marked and learned For as long as a man is in health soche meates as are of like temperature to him selfe are moste
his body wherby he loseth moch bloud after it is healed he must nedes haue the like wouÌ„de again the next yeare to auoyde as moche bloud or els he is in daunger of great sickenes or of deathe Whiche opinion if I did affirme it to be true although it bee moste false yet I might vse the like reason and autoritee to defende it that the common people vse for theirs for they can saye nothing if they be asked why they thinke so but that they haue hearde manye saye soo Therefore I would wishe that no man should credite any longer this foolishe opinion being moste false onle she can shewe good reason for it whiche I am sure no manne can dooe Mary this I thinke that like as bloud letting is not good against al diseases so also it is not good in all persones but onely in those that will be content to vse afterwarde a moderate and conuenient diet Those therefore that doe abounde with bloude wilbe let bloud to preserue themselfes from the daunger of any disease that is like shortly to ensue and moleste them They must longtime after be contente to vse a moderate and conuenient diet for those whiche be vntemperate gluttonous in meates or great drinkers and wyne bibbers they do not only receiue no commoditie at all by bloud lotting but also often times they catche more hurte by it then they should haue hadde without it for in three or foure dayes space after they fill stuffe them selues with more rawe iuyces and humours by meanes of vnmeasurable diet then thei had before and often times thei dye through conuulcion And therefore note that there is soche force vertue in moderate diete to eschue decline diseases that without the obseruatioÌ„ of it bloud-letting is to no purpose And therefore if the commoÌ„ saiyng of the people be true in any body that they must be let bloud often if thei be ones let bloud it is onely true in soche as kepe an immoderate diet streight after bloud letting and therfore I counsaile all men to beware of excesse in eating and drinking after bloud lettyng Also note y t after bloud letting none ought to walke apace or to runne or to vse any vehement exercise but let him be quiet and reste him self vntill his spirites berefreshed and quieted againe Note also that none ought to slepe immediatly after bloudletting but let him kepe himselfe quiet watche auoydyng all contention and exercise of bodie and mynde About twoo houres after bloud letting there may a little foode be taken but let it be soche as wil make good iuice and nourishe a pace within .iiij. howers after bloud letting or somewhat afore it may be permitted to the patient to slepe so that it be prouided for and taken hede of that he turne him not vpon the arme where the vain was opened nor that he doe not loosen the bande and so lette the bloud flowe out again Afterward lette him vse a straight and sparing diet daily encreasing it by little and little vntill you be come to your accustomed diet And note that the morning is the metest tyme for blood lettyng when euery digestioÌ„ is perfectly finished and the superfluities and excrementes of eche of them auoided out whiche must be foreseen that thei bee so Or at the leaste in a time of necessitie the next apt time to let bloud is when the stomake is somwhat emptie that is sixe or eight houres after meate Thus moche for bloudletting Nowe for pourging whose vse and coÌ„modities I promised to declare It is to be noted that euery kinde of purgation hath that secrete vertue and propertie in it self that when it is receiued in a mans body and is prouoked to exercise the vertue that it hath by naturall heate labouring to digeste it then it draweth vnto it soche humour as it hath power and vertue to pourge And therfore a pourgation is an euacuatioÌ„ of vitious corrupt humours whiche trouble and moleste the bodie but not of all corrupte humours alike For eche pourging medicine doth draw vnto it one peculier propre humour that is either fleme or choler or melancholie or waterie humours And therefore those that be perfectly in health ought not to take a purgation since they doe not abounde with corrupt humours wherefore in those when the medicine findeth no soch superfluous humours as it hath vertue to drawe it consumeth and wasteth the bloud and the fleshe And for that cause hole folkes are not pourged by pourgations but rather consumed wasted for it is manifest hereby that pourgations be very perillous to them that bée in perfect health whiche thinge is testified also of Hippocrates in the .xxxvij. Aphorisme of his seconde booke where he saieth after this sorte Qui corpore bene se habent hos purgare periculosum est that is it is daungerous pourging of those that be in perfect health Also be cause eche pourging medicine hath vertue to drawe one peculier humour there is good hede to be takeÌ„ that soche a medicine bee ministred as hathe vertue to drawe the humour abounding and no other or els instede of moch good which it would do if it were conueniently ministred it may contrariwyse doe moche hurte According to the saiyng of Hipocrates in the last Aphorisme of his firste booke in this maner Si qua lia oportet purgari purgentur confert facile feruut sicontra difficulter that is if soche thinges be pourged as ought to be it profiteth and may easely be suffered but if it be contrariwyse it hurteth and may scarsely be borne wherefore ther ought diligent hede to be takeÌ„ in the receiuing of a purgation that it be ministred by a skilfull Phisicion that hathe certainly founde out what humour it is that haboundeth But alas the greatest noumber of the common people doe holde an opinion that if they may haue a medicine for a little money whiche wil prouoke them often to the stoole what humour soeuer it pourgeth out they are safe enough howebeit I would wishe theÌ„ hereafter alwayes to haue in minde this saiyng of the moste excellent Phisicion Hipocrates in the xxiij Aphorisme of the first booke Deiectionas non multitudine sunt estimande sed fi talia deijciantur qualia conueniunt that is egestions are not to be estemed for their great quantitie but if soche humours be pourged out as ought to be that is soch vitious and corrupt humours as doe abounde and be superfluous in mannes body There be diuerse thinges to be coÌ„sidered of a Phisition before he minister â—purgation as the qualitie of the humour the strengthe of the sicke the age the time of the yeare the disease The qualitie of the humoure is to be considered that he may knowe what kinde of humour is to be euacuate and pourged out for it must be onely that which troubleth the bodie with superfluous abouÌ„daunce thereof As if fleme doe
abeunde and trouble the bodie he must minister a medicen whiche purgeth fleme and so likewise for other humours abounding The minister of medicen ought to haue respecte to the strengthe of the sicke for if he be very weak and feble there oughte no purgation to be ministred vnto him because all purgations doe weaken nanure and diminishe strengthe and the stronger they be the more they weiken Let all men therfore beware of vehemēt and strong purgatiōs lest they put their life in hasarde and daunger By the age of the patient the Phisicion is put in minde that children and old men ought not to receiue purgations except great necessitie require it The tyme of the yeare is not to be neglected for there be sometimes of the yeare wherein purgations ought not to bee ministred as in Somer specially the Dogge daies as they are commonly called during the time that the Sunne is in Leo for then is nature burnt vp made weake y ◠she is not able to suffer the force violēce of a purgation but the Spring time is moste apte for purgations because it is temperate Last of al y e Phisicion ought diligently to beholde and contemplate the disease that he knowing what kind of disease it is may the better finde out of what humour it is caused As for example if the Phisicion perceiue the disease to be a tertian feuer straightway he knoweth that it is caused of aboundaunce of choler and therefore he must minister a medicine to pourge choler so foorth in other diseases Note that it there be none of the impedimentes aboue named a purgation is good to bee ministred to all soche as haue aboundaunce of euill iuyce or corrupt humours in y ◠bodie for it draweth out the humours that dothe moleste and thereby restoreth the bodie to his naturall estate again But if a purgation be rashely ministred either to one that nedeth it not or at an vnmete time or that it be soch a medicine as draweth not out the humour whiche then aboundeth or if the medicine bee vehement and very strong it will surely put the pacient in daunger of his life These thinges therfore ought to be well taken hede of by al men lest they catche great hurte when they hope for some profite But if a purgation bee ministred discretely to hym that hath nede of it in due time by an apte medicine whiche is able to drawe out the abounding humour in sufficient quantitie then dooeth the medicine singulare commodities to the bodie for it euacuateth and emptieth out al the causes of diseases and sicknesses either present or to come being engendred of any superfluous or corrupt humour as bee feuers tertians quartains quotidians fluxes caused of rawe humours or sharp choler Dropsies Goutes Palsies Litargies and diuerse other Note that before a purgatiō be ministred ther ought a medicine to be taken whiche shoulde prepare the body make it apt to purge and therfore it is called a preparatiue it is geuen for two caused either to deuide extenuate and make theim grosse and clammy humours that they may be redie to Aowe out whē the medicine draweth them or els it is geuen to open vnstoppe the cōduites and vessels of the body by which y e purgation must drawe the superfluous humour to it And this is that whiche Hipocrates doth counsail in the first Aphorisme of his secōd booke where he saith Corpora cum quisque purgare voluerit oportet fluuia facere that is when any man wil pourge the body he must make it flowing by opening vnopening the vessels The moste mete time to receiue a purgation is the morning for then are all the digestions perfectly finished and the stomake is without meate there is heede to be taken in what signe the Moone is before a purgation be ministred for some signes ar good for it and some are euill whiche are declared in the table before so that if any man desire to knowe a mete time for to pourge there he may learne it A purgation must be taken hote for so it offendeth the stomack lesse and it wil worke the soner Those that be apte to vomite and are offended with the smell of the purgation let thē stoppe their nosethrilles or smell some odoriferous thing in taking of it As soone as it is taken it is good to smell to a toste of browne bread dipped in vineger applie warme clothes to the stomake and to washe the mouthe straighte after it is taken with odoriferous wyne or to chewe sweete pleasaunt things to take away the horrible taste of y ◠medicine by this meanes vomiting shalbe eschewed For i. houres space after the purgation is taken let the pacient sit still and keepe himselfe the quiet and without sleepe that the strengthe of the medicine may passe to all partes of the body if the purgation worke slowely lette him walke vp and downe a good pace if he can When it worketh in any case there must be hede taken that the pacient doe not slepe for so the operation of the medicine woulde be stopped Also in the time of pourging immoderate heate and colde are to bee eschued and therefore a very great fier and the colde and open aire are bothe hurtfull for the bodie must be kept in a temperate heate After that the purgation is taken except the stomake be very weake it is beste not to eate any thing lest the operation of the medicine should be hindred After that the purgaciō hath doen working the pacient must be nourished with a meane quantitie of some broth that will breede good iuice and be easely digested and after by little and little returne to his accustomed diet Thus haue I as briefly as I coulde declared the commodities of bloud letting and pourging being wel and duely ministred and vsed and the discōmodities that will ensue of thē both if they be at any time misused wishing al men as they tender their healthe and life to beware of those ignoraūt persones that vse to open but one kinde of vaine for al diseases occupie but one kinde of purgation against all humours not considering at all the time the strengthe and age of the patient nor the cause of the disease nor any other of the circumstaunces afore named but let theim seke for the counsaile and aide of one that is skilfull in phisike and circūspectt in his doinges Who can consider what neede they haue and what is moste mete to be ministred vnto theim ⸫ Here followeth a Table whiche teacheth to knowe in what signe the Moone is for euer FYrst you must know what is Prime or golden number and with it you must woorke after this sorte seeke in the calender the daie of the moneth and beginne at the nomber right against it and tell so many dounwarde as you haue daies in your minde then marke that noumber you finde there And seke