Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	blood_n	great_a	vein_n	1,434	5	9.4641	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05367	Hygiasticon: Or, The right course of preserving life and health unto extream old age together with soundnesse and integritie of the senses, judgement, and memorie. Written in Latine by Leonardus Lessius, and now done into English.; Hygiasticon. English	Lessius, Leonardus, 1554-1623.; Cornaro, Luigi, 1475-1566. Discorsi della vita sobria. English.; Herbert, George, 1593-1633.; Ferrar, Nicholas, 1592-1637, attributed name.; Sheppard, Thomas, attributed name.; Landi, Ortensio, ca. 1512-ca. 1553. Esser miglior la vita parca della splendida & sontuosa. English.	1634 (1634)	STC 15520; ESTC S113348	68,762	319

is necessarie or they would have every one to make use of Touching this matter we have a very pertinent example in the life of Pachomius faithfully written 1200. yeares ago as it is extant in Surius 14. Maii. Where it is mentioned that this Pachomius in his monasteries and especially in those that younger persons lived in would have beside bread salt some sod or rost meat set before all the Monks to the intent that albeit the most of them were so abstemious that they contented themselves onely with bread salt or some green fruit yet they might have it in their free choice and libertie either to eat thereof or to forbear And so if either for mortification sake or the better sitting of themselves for devotion they should abstain they might exercise a greater vertue since it is a more difficult thing to abstain when meat is set before us and by its presence doth provoke the appetite then when it is removed out of our sight More to this purpose may be read in Iacob de Paz. Tom. 2. l. 2. de Mortif ext hom cap. 5. Nor will it any thing at all abate from the probabilitie of this opinion to say that in this allowance of varietie abundance there was a direct intention of giving some kinde of refreshment to Nature Inasmuch as the refreshment which the Institutours Founders of these Societies meant consisteth not in this that the true and right measure at temperance should at any time be notably exceeded but that there might be now and then an opportunitie of delight ministred through the different and gratefull favour of sundrie kindes of meats yet so alwayes as this delight should be kept bounded within the limits of temperance and the appetite never fully satisfied For whatsoever exceeds this measure is to be accounted vice be it upon what occasion it will whether of Marriage Dedication of Churches or any other solemne Feast whatsoever Now that is alwayes excesse which proves more in quantitie then the stomack can perfectly digest without leaving any ●rudities at all behinde CHAP. III. Seven Rules for the finding out of the right Measure 9 NOw to finde out this right Measure we shall make use of these Rules and observations following The first Rule is If thou dost usually take so much food at meals as thou art thereby made unfit for the duties and offices belonging to the Minde such as are Prayer Meditation Studies of learning and the like it is then evident that thou dost exceed the measure which thou oughtest to hold For both Nature and Reason exact that the Vegetati●● part in a man that is that wherein the growth and conservation of the bodie consisteth should be so ordered and cherished as that there should arise no offence or damage thereby to the Animall and Reasonable parts of the soul in as much as the Vegetative part is ordained to the service of these other and therefore ought to be of furtherance and help and no wayes of hinderance unto them in their severall functions and operations Whenever therefore there is so much food taken in upon accoūt of the Vegetative part as proves of any remarkable offence or hinderance to the operations of the superiour faculties to wit of the Senses the Imagination the Understāding or the Memorie then it is a signe that the fitting measure in this kinde is exceeded Now this impediment and offence proceeds from the abundance of vapours that are chiefly sent up into the head out of the stomack which as experience demonstrates would be but sparingly sent up if this measure were not exceeded For they who follow a sober course of life are as apt and ready to all services and employments of the minde after their meals as before as our Authour whom we have annexed to this present Treatise doth oft times testifie and my self and divers others of our Societie do dayly make proof of Nay those holy Fathers of old who eat onely once a day did it so sparingly as they were no whit at all thereby hindered in their performances of the functions belonging to the minde How much more easily then may it be effected by them who divide the quantitie and twice a day use moderate refection 10. I said before that those vapours and f●mes which cloud and overshadow the clearenesse of the Brain are chiefly caused by the meat taken down into the st●mack Chiefly I say in regard that however this be the principall yet it is not the onely cause For these vapours proceed not onely from the meat immediately before taken which begins to boyl and concoct but also from the abundance of bloud and other humours which are in the Liver the Splene and the Veins which together with the meat fall on seething as it were and send up great abundance of these kinde of sooty fumes But a sober diet doth by little and little diminish this abundance of humours and abates this ill moysture and reduceth them to their due proportions both in quantitie and qualitie so that they do no more upon eating send up these kinde of fumes For when Nature doth perfectly govern all the humours of the bodie by the ministerie of the vegetative faculties she doth so order and dispense all things as neither any diseases arise in the bodie nor any impediment follows to the superiour offices and duties of the soul. Nor matters it at all that many men addicted to sobrietie are accustomed to sleep a while after dinner inasmuch as they do it to the intent that their vigour and the spirits which have been spent and wasted by any labour either of minde or bodie might be refreshed and restored by the means of sleep For sleep serves to both these ends And then besides that sleep of theirs is very short and such as they could easily forbear but when by wearinesse and custome they are enclined thereunto Some of them indeed sleep a good while but those use to abate as much of their nights rest as they take out thus in the day dividing as it were into two parts the rest and sleep that is due to their bodies But indeed generally it is more agreeable to health to forbear all sleep after meat at noon according to the commonly received opinion of Physicians II. The second Rule is If so be thou take so much meat and drink as thou afterwards findest a certain kinde of dulnesse heavinesse and slothfull wearinesse whereas before thou wast quick and lightsome it is a signe that thou hast exceeded the fitting measure except this come to passe through present sicknesse or the reliques of some former disease For meat and drink ought to refresh the strength and powers of the bodie and to make them more cheerfull and no wayes to burden or oppresse them They therefore who finde their constitution to be such as they feel oppression after their meals ought to make abatement of their dayly allowance having first used good and

bloud there cannot be made good nourishment in the bodie but of necessitie the whole temper of the bodie is corrupted and so becomes subject to diseases For the third concoction which is made in the small pores of the bodie where the bloud is assimilated to every part which it is to nourish and lastly disposed to the receiving of the form thereof cannot mend the second By this means the temper of the bodie through these Crudities is by little and little altered and marred and made subject to many inconveniences Again the cruditie of the Chylus is a cause that the veins through the whole bodie are replenished with impure and foule bloud and such as is mingled with many evill humours which in tract of time do by little and little putrifie and at last upon occasion of Labour Heat Cold Windes and the like are set on fire breaking out into great and perilous diseases whereby an innumerable companie of men do perish even in the flower of their age These inconveniences a sober course of Diet prevents by taking away the Crudities which are the cause of all For when there is no more taken in then the stomack can well concoct and afterwards sufficient space of time is allowed thereunto Crudities cannot arise but the Chylus is made good and agreeable to Nature And from good Chylus good bloud is bred And from good bloud there followeth good nourishment and good temper in and throughout the whole bodie By this means also the putrefaction of the humours in the veins is avoyded as likewise obstructions in the inward parts and those superfluous excrements which do so often vex and molest the head and inward parts and joynts of the bodie So that a good constitution of the bodie and health is hereby preserved For they consist in these two things to wit in the due proportion and symmetrie of the humours both in respect of their quantitie and qualitie and in a certain spongie kinde of disposition throughout the whole bodie having no let nor impediment by obstructions so that the spirits and bloud have their free passage and recourse through all parts Nor doth Sobrietie onely prevent the Cruditie of humours and the evill consequences arising thereupon but it doth also consume the superfluous humours and that much more safely and effectually then bodily exercise doth as the famous Doctour Viringus doth learnedly shew in his 5. Book concerning Fasting chap. 3 4 5. For Labour doth confusedly stirre the bodie and alwayes exerciseth some parts more then other and most commonly onely some few parts alone and that oft times with a great perturbation in the humours with much heat and hazard of sicknesse especially of Feavers Pleurisies and severall kindes of Distillations upon sundry parts which breed much grief and pain But Abstinence peirceth farre more inwardly even unto the very entralls and to all the joynts and knittings in the bodie and doth with ease and equalitie make a generall evacuation For it extenuates that which is overthickened it opens that which is closed it consumes those things that are superfluous it unlocks the passages of the spirtis and makes the spirits themselves the more cleare and that without disturbance of the humours without fluxes and pains without heating the bodie and without hazard of diseases without expense of time or losse and neglect of better employments Notwithstanding it must needs be granted That Exercise if it be used in due time and do not exceed measure is very profitable and to many necessarie Yet ordinarily to such as leade temperate and sober lives and follow their studies being much given to the employments of the minde there is no great need of long walks or other long-continued exercises whereby much time is wasted and lost but it is sufficient if onely for the space of a quarter or half an houre before meals they use to swing or to tosse a Barre Stoole or some such like heavy thing or taking in each hand a weight of 2 or 3 pounds they strike and swing their arms about them the one after the other as if they fought with a shadow These are Exercises which many grave and worthy men even Cardinalls themselves do use and that not undecently in their Chambers And there is no other which I know that doth more stirre all the muscles of the breast and of the back nor more rid the joynts of superfluous humours then these forenamed Exercises do CHAP. VI. Of two other Commodities which it brings to the Bodie 33. THe second Commoditie is That a sober Diet doth not onely preserve from those diseases which are bred by crudities and inward corruptions of the humours but it doth also arm and fortifie against outward causes For they who have their bodies free and untainted and the humours well tempered are not so easily hurt by Heat Cold Labour and the like inconveniences as other men are who are full of ill humours and if at any time they be prejudiced by these outward inconveniences they are much sooner and easilyer cured The self same comes to passe in wounds bruises puttings out of joynt and breaking of bones in regard that there is either no flux at all of ill humours or at least very little to that part that is affected Now the flux of humours doth very much hinder the cure and causeth pain and inflammations Our Authour doth confirm this by a notable proof in himself num 11. Furthermore a sober Diet doth arm and fortifie against the Plague for the venime thereof is much better resisted if the bodie be cleare free Whereupon Socrates by his Frugalitie and Temperance brought to passe that he himself was never sick of the Plague which oft times greatly wasted the citie of Athens where he lived as Laertius writeth libro 2. de vitis Philosophorum 34 The third Commoditie of a sober Diet is That although it do not cure such diseases as are incurable in their own nature yet it doth so much mitigate and allay them as they are easily born and do not much hinder the functions of the minde This is seen by daily experience for many there be who have ulcers in their Lungs hardnesse of the Liver or Splene the Stone in the reins or in the bladder old drie Itches and inveterate distempers in their Bowells swellings in the Guts waterish Ruptures divers other kindes of Burstnesses who yet notwithstanding by the help of good Diet onely prolong their lives a great while and are alwayes cheerfull and expedite to the affairs and businesses of the minde For as these diseases are very much exasperated by over-eating so that they do very much afflict Nature and in a short space overthrow it so by a sober course of life they are maruellously allayed and mitigated insomuch as very little inconvenience is felt by them nor do they much shorten the ordinarie race of mens lives CHAP. VII That it makes men to live long and

which looks what and how much is proportionable for the conservation of the Bodie and the performance of the duties and services belonging to the Minde 59. Now there is a double Reason why the Appetite becomes a deceitfull Measurer in this kinde The first is Because the Appetite doth not onely desire that which is nece●sarie to the conservation of the Bodie but also that which may serve for the use of Procreation For the appetite of eating and drinking is both in men and beasts ordained to both these ends to wit to the conservation of the Individuall and to the propagation of the whole Kinde And therefore Reason chargeth them who desire to live chastly and not to be molested by the sting of Lust that they should not obey their Appetite to the full but give it satisfaction onely to the half that is onely asmuch as is needfull for the sustenance of the Bodie which thing if they carefully observe there will be little store of Seed bred in their Bodies and very few incitements to Lust. For Seed is bred of that superfluitie of the nourishment which was more then requisite for the sustentation of the bodie So that where there is no more sustenance taken in then is sufficient for the nourishment of the bodie there remains either nothing at all or very little to be distributed for the increase of Seed 60. The other cause why the Appetite is deceitfull is Because it oftentimes longs after more then is any way proportionable to either of these fore-mentioned ends that is to say more then is fitting either for the nourishment of the Bodie or for the matter of Propagation And that is caused either through the ill disposition of the stomack as it comes to passe in that ravening kinde of appetite which is called Dogs-hunger Ox-hunger and when the Melancholick Humour is soaked into the tunicles of the stomack or else by reason of the condiments and Lickorish cooking of the meats themselves which by their varietie and new relishes do go on continually provoking the Appetite and stirring up Gluttonie In which regard this varietie and curious dressing of meats is as Physicians teach especially to be eschewed by all them that are followers of Sobrietie and Chastitie and in very truth by all those who have care of their health concerning which thing we have discoursed more largely before By all this it appeares That there is farre greater vertue and power for the quenching of Lust in Sobrietie and Abstinence then in other corporall mortifications such as are hair-cloths whippings lying upon the ground and bodily labours for these do onely afflict the bodie outwardly and but rase the skin as it were but come not at all to the ground of the evil which lies hidden within But Abstinence plucks up the cause of all by the roots in the inward veins reducing the naturall temper to a just mediocritie This remedie then is to be used by all those who are vexed with this disease 61. And thus much touching the benefits and singular fruits of Sobrietie all which might well be confirmed by the testimonies of the ancient holy Fathers but for brevities sake I omit them contenting my self with one passage onely out of S. Chrysostome who in his first Homily concerning Fasting writes thus Fasting is asmuch as lies in us an imitation of the Angels a contemning of things present a school of prayer a nourishing of the soul a bridle of the mouth an abatement of concupiscence as they that use to fast do well know and prove in themselves It mollifies rage it appeaseth anger it calms the tempests of Nature it excites reason it cleares the minde it disburdens the flesh it chaseth away night-pollutions it frees from head-ach and it breeds cleare and well-coloured visages By fasting a man gets composed behaviour free utterance of his tongue right apprehensions of his minde c. See him likewise in his first Homilie on Genesis And agreeabl● to this we finde many things in S. Basil in his Oration concerning Fasting In Ambrose in his book of Elias and Fasting and in Cyprian in his Oration concerning Fasting and in many others CHAP. XIII That a Sober Diet is not of any grief or trouble and that Intemperance bringeth many great and grievous maladies 62. BUt some will object that this straitnesse of Diet is troublesome in regard it leaves a man alwayes tormented as it were with hunger and therefore it were better to die sooner then to prolong a wretched life by such a painfull medicine accordingly as it was once said by a certain diseased person whose Thigh was to be cut off that The preservation of life would be too deer bought at the price of so much pain To which I answer At first indeed this sparenesse of Diet is somewhat troublesome in regard of the contrarie usage formerly and also in regard of the enlargement of the stomack but by little and little that trouble is removed For we must not suddenly passe from a great quantitie to a small but every day by degrees subtracting a little till we come to the just measure as F●ippocrates doth oftentimes warn for by this means the stomack is contracted by little and little without any great trouble and the greedinesse which was formerly felt is taken way Now when the stomack comes to be contracted to the right measure that it ought there is no more trouble remaining by means of a Sober Diet inasmuch as that small quantitie doth justly agree and answer the capacitie and strength of the stomack In proof whereof we see that it is very grievous to most men to forbear their usuall Break-fast at the beginning of Lent but by little and little that offence is diminished and divers do in the end finde such benefit by Abstinence as that they choose willingly ever after to forbear Break-fast The self same do many prove in forbearing of Suppers And in like manner after that men have a while forced themselves they finde no pain in abstaining from divers kindes of meats to which their appetites did formerly leade them with great violence It is therefore altogether ●ntrue which is commonly objected That a sober Diet doth torment a man with continuall hunger 63. Secondly I answer Suppose there were some trouble in such kinde of diet and that it should d●re long which yet in truth is not so yet ought we to consider the many profits and benefits which it brings in recompence of this small trouble to wit That a sober Diet expells diseases preserves the bodie agil healthfull pure and clean from noysomnesse and filthinesse causeth long life breeds quiet sleep makes ordinarie fare equall in sweetnesse to the greatest dainties and moreover keeps the Senses sound and the Memorie fresh and addes perspica●iti● to the Wit and clearenesse and aptnesse for the receiving of divine Illuminations And further quiets the Passions drives away Wrath and Melancholie and breaks the furie of Lust In