of their lyfe Wherfore the saying of the wise man Salomon is trulye on them verified mo dye sayth he by surfet and inteÌ„perance then dothe by battell and outward bostilitie For the reformacion wherof and to restraine their prompte disposicion from suche beastlie nature and wantoÌ„ appetire I haue gathered of the moste principall writers of phisicke this compendious extract wherin are conteyned certein obseruacions and preceptes very necessary and profitable to the proloÌ„ging of lyfe which beyng well obserued put in due execution and discretelye ordred doth conserue and keepe oure lyfe longe in health wythout the whythe all pleasures be paynful ryches vnprofitable yet fewe consider this the more pitie it is but thys omittyng I haue proceded in this place wyth ouer farre circumstaunce and also wyth somewhat to much libertie of wordes more then in a preface is requisite for that it greueth me that meÌ„ns myndes be taken prisoners and subdued to glotonie and intemperance And nowe wyll I come to my matter purposed and fyrst enterpryse begon whych excepte I be muche deceyued shall mâ—nister to the diligent readers both commoditie and profite †⸫ ☜ ¶ The heat in our bodies which is called vitall because as longe as it endureth the body is liuyng and quicke and all the powers thereof which be three in number naturall vitall animall do performe their operacions is noryshed and sed wyth moystnes by the superfluous increase or diminucion wherof ouer or vnder his naturall assignment the lyfe runneth on hasard the body is dissoluid death immediately foloweth which many men haue in extreme hate and most fearfully abhorre The fyrst Chapter THat same quicke and liuelye power in our bodyes which is called lyfe supported by naturall heat and moysture liueth and dwelleth in the body whiche two so together are conglutinate or knyt that the one can not be seperate froÌ„ the other the humiditie or moystnes is a very noryce to this naturall heat whych by power digestiue for her sustentacion receyueth of her noryce suche inyce as is coÌ„formable to her appetite These two qualities be the materiall causes of oure liuinge For a more playne declaracion whereof I wyll vse a familier example daylye represented before our eyes As the lyghte and bryghtenesse of the lampe cometh of the oyle and the weke semblably this vitall power comenly called lyfe procedeth of natural heate moysture and when the oyle is consumed and wasted the lyght of the lampe is extinguyshed and quenched also when there is to muche excesse or abundaunce therof beynge wateryshe or corrupte the lyght is in dauÌ„ger to be drowned Lykewise it fareth by the encrease and diminucioÌ„ of humiditie in our bodies For if moysture be wantyng or superfluous if it be more or lesse then is conuenient to the naturall proporcioÌ„ and temperature of the body it doth shortly debilitate make feble and weake naturall heate whyche so weakned in short continuaunce is clene extinct and so the bodye is dissolued and lyfe distroyed MorieÌ„di necessitas obduas causas Ob humoris resolutionem cuinullis modis resisti potest Ob humoris pâ—trefactiout de qua quomodo vitari potest est nobis hoc loco explicandum Yf for lacke of moystnes naturall heate be destroyed the bodye dyeth by resolucion or consumpcion Yf the naturall heate be drowned by superfluouse moysture or elles by moysture viciate and vnnaturall the bodie dyeth by suffocacion putrefaction or corrupcioÌ„ Thys suffocacion commeth vnto the bodie when anye of the foure humors which euery man is composed and made of doth exceade their proportion that nature hath limited or elles when any of them be putrified and rotten speciallye when there is eyther great abundaunce of flewme in the bodie or elles when it doth approche to putrefaction or rottennes wherof is the feuer quotidiane ingendred wherefore pituita is so called as some men thynke quia petit vitam Thys necessary therfore and coÌ„ueniente forme or discipline of lyuyng whych to the prolongacion of mannes life is requisite and profitable doth as well instructe vs how to be vigilant and circuÌ„spect least naturall moysture in our bobodies be not lyghtlye consumed and wasted as also to auoyde the daunger of death whych cometh by putrefaction of humors And that euerye man may wyselye and discretelye order these preceptes to the prolongacion of hys lyfe with long continuaunce of health it is expedient and necessarie that euery man knowe the natural habite and disposition of hys owne bodie For if the body be hotte and drye and the conduites thereof open and hys humors subtile or thinne then he must vse those thinges whych do resyst consumption or wastyng for because his body lacking natural moysture is lightlye thereunto disposed And to satisfie the desyre of such whych per adueÌ„ture by these general wordes hotte and drie do not yet perceyue what I meane therby here for the playne vnderstandyng thereof it shal be declared by sensible tokens Such as haue bodies hote dry their poreâ— which be litle holes in the skyn dispersed thorow out all the body be great and open wherfore the skyn in feelyng is rough the vulgare people ignoraunte of letters do cal such as be of that disposition or naturall habite goose skynned Also their vaines be so litle that by the outward seÌ„ses they can not wel be perceyued And a coÌ„trary dispositioÌ„ hath coÌ„trary totokens as a smoth or soft skynne large and ample vaynes and such as be of thys constitucion muste vse such thynges whych specially do resyst putrefaction and corrupcion of y e humors which shalbe declared hereafter But such persons which by aptitude of theyr nature be geuen only to studious meditacion whych wyth vigilant and coÌ„stant study abandon al pleasures and gyue them selues wholely to the exercise of the wyt These most of all other haue nede to be prouident wyse and circuÌ„specte in these thynges for asmuch as their bodies be disposed as wel to consuÌ„ption and wastyng of humiditie as to putrefaction by to much abundaunce and excesse of humors To the euidente profe whereof it is to be noted that their brayne alwaye declineth to drynes and hornes by reason of the continuall mocion of the wyrte whych is alwaye occupyed and the phantasye alwayes conceiuyng thinges and committynge them to memorye and also because the bodies of these menne be alwayes in reste and idlenesse for lacke of competent exercise thei be full of flewme melancholye Wherfore the fyrst cause doth threten consumpcion of humiditie the later putrefactioÌ„ of humors therfore they must vse thynges which resyst the one as well as the other of the which hereafter in place coÌ„uenient shal be spoken abuÌ„dantly ⧠Howe it is necessarie to the prolongation of lyfe to haue equall and iuste portion of naturall heate and moysture called radicall For if inequalitie be thereof the bodie shortly dyeth The second chapter IN ministringe of oyle to a lampe euery man is circumspect for they perceiue well if they
say mans lyfe by degrees of seuen yeres to be in daunger of death or misfortune The tenth Chapter FOr asmuche as shortnes of tyme and busines otherwise taketh from me labour and studye requisite to the exacte and perfite finyshyng of thys my purpose and enterpryse begone wherby I am constrained to leaue many thynges vnspoken concernyng certeyne preceptes of Astronomie by the healpe whereof Astronomers promyse preseruation of health and coÌ„tinuance of the same which thyngs omitted I purpose onlye to remember their opinion whych affirme ourelyfe euermore at seuen yeres ende to be in daunger of death or misfortune which yeres the Astronomers call Auuos câ—â—nactericos they are called also An â—â— scaâ—arâ—s â—tadatii or dectetorii whiche they proue to be by this reasoÌ„ Foreseyng that all the Planettes do raigne by order of successioÌ„ and course Euerye houre of the daye semblablie they raygne in order euery day in the weeke also euery planet in order geueth influence and constellacion for the space of a moneth to the chylde conceiued in the wombe and brought forth vy generation Whereby wyse Astrologers castyng the daye and hour of the chyldes natiuitye do indge hys naturall inclinacion and to what thynges he is of nature aptlye dysposed And consequentlye they saye that euerye planet in order for a yeres space geueth influence and constellacion vnto mans lyfe For a more euident declaracion whereof it is to be noted that Saturne the hyghest planet in the fyrste moneth after the chylde is conceyued hathe supremitie and chiefe rule ouer the chylde lying in the wombe not hauyng perfecte shape of manne or woman and so by discention vnto the loweste In the seueÌ„th moneth Luna hath rule and gouernaunce and so after the chylde is borne and broughte forthe by ascention agayne 〈◊〉 fyrste yeare of the childes age the Moone hath soueraigntie and geueth her influence In the second Mercuri in the thirde Uenus in the fourth Sol in the fifte Mars in the syxt Jupiter in the seuenth Saturne so in order returnyng agayne that suche course there is in all mans lyfe whych causeth in oure bodies euerye seuen yeare a greate alteracion and chaunge Wherefore euerye seuen yeare is thought daungerous and ieoperdous for the causes before mencioned For this cause by y e aduertisemeÌ„t of auncient writers at euery seuen yeres ende we shulde consult with phisicions wyse and well learned to knowe how to escape the daunger then imminent For by certeine remedyes Ptolomeus affirmeth that the manaces and threatnings of the planettes may be repressed Also he affirmeth that mans lyfe maye be prolonged by vertue and power of certeine Images made of precious stones or other metal if they be made at time oportunate and conuenient accordinge to the raygne of the planettes as Philostâ—atus telleth of a manne named Appolonius whych by the vertue of seuen rynges whyche he made geuyng euery one of them a name accordyng to the names of the planettes and vsinge dayly to put the ringes on hys fingers as the planettes raygned in the dayes of the weeke lyâ—ed an hundred yeres reteinyng styll the yong and goodlye bewtie of the visage the liuelye power and quicke vigoure of the mynde and strength of the bodye Albeit I let pas to wryte of suche astrologicall Images for because such witchcraft and sorcerye is superstitious and deuyllishe vnlawfull by the lawes of god and man Wherefore all trust and confidence taken from suche detestable practise these medicines only maye be lawefully vsed to dryue awaye the in commodities of age whych on the earthe God hathe created for mannes necessitie A confutation of the exoniouse opinion of certayne philosophers whyche thought phisycke to be of such efficacie and power to make the body immortal wyth the causes of bodely deathe and the necessitie thereof The eleuenth Chapter THere were in tyme paste certeine philosophers whyche supposed that by suche craft and other lyke as is before hearted the bodi of maÌ„ might be made immortal Whych opinion to be folyshe peruerse and erronions it may sone appeare to al them whiche wyll eyther folowe daylye experience or natural reason to leaue of that I shuld firste haue named and that is the most true and substanciall reason verelye the determinate sentence of almyghtie god Albeit not only philosophers but also phisicions by ouermuche affiaunce and trust had in their science supposed that this thyng myghte be brought to passe against whose presumption arrogancie the noble phisicion Auicene the chiefe of the Arabians in forme folowyng replieth sayenge The science of phisytke doth not make a manim mortall nor doth not defend surely out bodies from outward hurtefull thynges no nor can not assure euery man to lyfe to the last terme and daye of his lyfe But of two thynges it maketh vs sure that is from putrefaction and corruption and also defendeth that naturall moysture be not lyghtly dissolued or consumed Wherfore that cruel Lady of destenie named Aâ—ropos whom we call comenlye death assayleth and pursueth oure bodyes to destroye and kyll them by two sundry maner of wayes Whereof the fyrste is called resolution or consumption of natural moysture whyche in continuaunce and precesse of tyme muste of necessitie be consumed and wasted and can by no phisycke be auoyded And all the preceptes whych here be gathered together if thei be discretelye vsed and put in due execution serue speciallye for thys purpose that it bee not lyghtlye as in floryshyng youthe or chylde age consumed or wasted but be deferred to olde age as longe as nature wyll permitte and suffer The latter cause by the whyche death assayleth the bodie is called putrefaction or corruption of naturall humiditie whyche maye be easelye auoyded if man be circumspecte in vsyng the counsels before wrytten and to keepe the bodye in safety and health From the daunger hereof dothe belonge the diligent consideration and ryghte vse of those thynges whych be called in phisicke not natural whyche be syxe in number Ayre meate and drinke sleepe and watche mouing and reste emptines and repletion and affectes of the mynde Of the vse whereof is some thyng spoken in master Eliots Castell and ther fore here omitted But nowe to returne to this necessitye of our dying to the which by force and constraynt we are driuen and commeth by thys reason Naturall heate in oure bodies by continuaunce and processe of time is a necessatie cause of her owne de struction For if it shulde alwayes continue in our bodies then shuld we liue but the thyng is contrary for at the lengthe it dothe consume and wast her owne matter wherof she is made that is naturall moysture For a more euidente and playne declaration whereof it is to be considered that lyke as the lyght of the lampe dothe by continuaunce of tyme consume the oyle which is cause of the lyght and so is at length extingwyshed Lykewyse it fareth by naturall heate in our bodies and the more it aprocheth to age the more it becometh drier wherby heat is diminyshed which diminution of naturall heat is caused of two thynges the one is ouermuch drynes in al the meÌ„bers the other is lacke of moysture whych of necessitie immediately after causeth death to come and the body to be dissolued This I thynke sufficient to the confutacion of the opinion before remembred One thynge I had almoste forgotten whych althoughe it be but a faynyng of the poetes yet it is necessarye to the amplifiyng of our purpose and doth conteine in it thynges delectable worthye knowledge The poets fayne there to be iii. fatall Ladies or Ladies of destinye in whose wyll it standeth to prolonge and shorten mans lyfe and they be called of the Latines Parce because as I suppose they fauour no manne The fyrste named Clotho is fayned to holde a rocke or distafe in her hande The second named Lachesis to plucke forthe the threede and the thyrde called Athropâ—s to plucke asunder and breake the same whereby they vnderstand that the fyrste of these Ladyes hathe power of oure lyfe at the begynnyng of it and the seconde ladye to stretche forth and draw along mannes lyfe the third ladye at her pleasure and when she wyll to shorten it so as it runne not hys full course An Epiloge or briefe rehearsall of the prâ—misses THys is sufficiente for the declaracion of those thynges which be necessary and expediente to be knowen to the preseruation of the health and longe continuaunce of the same whych specialye doth consyst in reducing naturall heate and moysture to an equall and iust temperature in makyng digestion good and perfite in rectifieng of bloud viciate or corrupt in consideracion to be hadde concerning a mansion or dwelling place in ordinarie dyet to be obserued in preparing necessarye remedies agaynst inordinate watching finallye in the power and strength of that whych beyng extracte out of hearbes and other metalles is called a quine essence which being studiousely read and put in due execution I trust shall be to the readers both commodious and profitable oâ— whom I praye â—hat my small and symple â—aboâ—â—es heceâ—â— bestowed at vacant tyme from other lettes and busines maye be fauorably accepted and hereafter when I shall perceiue where â—â—her my lytle power or poore â—â—beuoure maye better accomplyshe the thyng for theyr commoditie ther shall no laboure let me from doyng of it Thus fare ye well gentle Readers FINIS Uiue vale Lector si quid scis rectius istis Candidus imperti si non scis viere gratus Imprinted at London by Robert Stough ten dwellynge wythin Ludgate at the sygne of the Bishoppes Myter Ingeniâ—â— memoria Juditiâ— â–ª Experientia Longa vi ta ad scientie cognitionem necessaria Gen. xvi M. ficiâ—â— lib. i de stud â–ª ca â–ª tuâ—nd ca â–ª tercio â–ª Celius auti-lecti lib. xvi Corn. Celsus lib. x. Prou. xv Libr. â— cap. vii Hesiodus 〈◊〉 2. â—â—gou caâ— emeâ—on Rayses li bro. iii al mansoris Diatetici
to liue long in health for asmuche as the ayer whych is accordyng to the diuersitie of places good or euyll is speciall cause of long lyfe or short Wherfore of all other thinges ayer is chiefly to be obserued because it dothe both inclose vs and also enter into our bodies specially the most noble member the herte For thys cause wee must chose a dwelling place wher the ayre is pure and clere and flie farre from those places where the ayre is euyl stynking and corrupt and corruption of the ayre is eyther impured vnto influences of sundrye starres or elles to greate standynge waters which neuer be refreshed or elles to carion lyinge longe aboue the grounde or els to a greate multitude of people in smal rome liuyng vnclenly or sluttishely Marcilius Ficinus remembreth two thynges whiche moste of all are to be obserued in election of places Neuer thinke saith he y t you can lyue longe in those places where either fruite can not be kept longe from rottennes and corrupcion or elles where men as you maye see be but of shorte time and continuaunce of life And these places be beste whych be hygh wher the ayer is subtile and pure not moyst nor colde Lowe places in valeyes or among fennes and maryshe groundes be worse The same author saythe in the place before alledged that it is vnholesome to vse dungynge of the ground as plowmen be accustomed to do to theâ—tent the grounde may be more batryll and fertyle and also vnholesome for the inhabitaunies to make standyng waters in pastures for beastes to drynke of For in suche places all thynges be sone corrupted wherfore sayth he I can not alowe or approue their iudgement whyche dyd fynde faute wyth Hesiode the greke poete for that he in his bokede re rustica dyd purposelye passe ouer these two thynges before remembred for he very wysely dyd more regarde the holesomnes of the ayer then the rankenes of the grounde But to returne to the election of places most conueniente for habitacioÌ„ Hygh places on mounteines and hylles be beste whyche haue theyr situacion agaynst the east or the north and it is to be kept in remeÌ„braunce as some men thinke necessarye that all the dores and wyndowes of the house be situate either against the east or the north For thys cause as I thynke the windes that come from thence be more laudable then the other two â–ª be In bryngynge holesome ayer and in prolongynge of lyfe by expulsyng of euyll vapoures But if wee bee of necessitie compelled to dwell in those places whyche bee lowe watrye and vnclenly Marcilius doth aduertise vs to vse hot and swete fragrant sauoures and to temper our meates with saunders cinamome and safron also to vse moderate and competent exercise of the bodie and not to suffer extreme colde but ofte syttynge in such wether by a fyre syde How wyue is necessary to the prolon gation of life by reason it helpeth digeâ—â—ion and conforteth natur al heate also the incommodities whyche procede of dronkennes The syxte Chapter PLato the wisest of all philophers dothe affirme y t wyne moderatelye drunke norysheth and conforteth as well the bodye as the spirites of manne and therfore god did ordeine it for maÌ„kind as a necessari remedy against the incoÌ„modities of age that therby thei shuld seme to returne vnto youth forget heuines for by his qualities whiche be heate moysture nature is chieflye conserued Also Galene saith that wyne is of good norishmeÌ„t for the bodye and doth preserue health that ther is no other kyndes of meat or drinke that doth so much coÌ„forte natural heate so helpeth digestion The profite that coÌ„meth by moderate drinkyng of wyne is that it dothe clarifye the thicke and troublesom bloud it doth clense opeÌ„ the passages and pores of the bodye and specially the vaines it doth take awaye stopping of the liuer it doth expell froÌ„ the hert darke fumositie which doth ingeÌ„der heauines so row it causeth a man to forget all care maketh him mery ioyful Wherefore it is holesome for all ages for all times and al regions so that it be taken moderately and as he y t drynketh it hath ben accustumed to it if he drynke no more then his nature may wel sustayn beare Albeit concernynge ages touchyng the regimente of wyne Aâ—icene sayeth to geue chyldren wyne to drynke is as one wolde lay fyre to fyre made of dry wood but he sayth that one may geue an olde man as much wyne to drinke as he can beare wythout detrimeÌ„t or hurte Olde folkes are cold and wyne heateth theyr spirites are heauye and wyne maketh them lyght and cleare and comenly old folkes slepe yll but wyne maketh them to sleepe well Also Rayses sayeth wyne vniuersally doth comforte the stomacke and the liuer and it causeth the meates to passe downe easely it doth quycken the corporall myght and wyt But ouer much ingurgitacion of wyne wyne drunke superfluouse doth hurte the liuer the brayne and the senewes it doth ingeÌ„der crampes palseies apaplexies oftentimes dayly experience teacheth sodayne death Drunkennes is ingendred of a grosse and thycke fume which ascending vp to the brayne dothe there couer the places where reason and memorie lyeth no otherwyse then the clouds do couer the lyght of the sunne where by all the senses as wel internall as external be so troubled that they can not execute theyr offices and dueties appoynted of nature the inconueniences whych come by drunkeÌ„nes be these that folowe The fyrste is corruption of the liuers complexion for it resolueth the heate therof wherby the lyuer loseth hys naturall generation of bloud in place of blud ingeÌ„dreth a watrishnes causeth y e dropsye The second is corruption of the braynes coÌ„plection It doeth dispose a hote braine to a woodnes fransie the cold to the falling euyl forgetfulnes and palsey The. iii. is weaknes of senewes and disseases therof as the crampe palseis goute dropsies Whych thynges well considered and kepte in remeÌ„braunce shuld excepte I be muche deceiued refraine something their prompt disposition from such waÌ„ton appetites But trulye there is no man knowyng the dueties beloÌ„ging to an honest heâ—t but wyl sorowfully bewayle piteously lament the folyshe peruersitie of many which by their negligeÌ„t dissolute liuing wylfully coÌ„mit their bo dies to be tormented w t greuous and painful sickenesses the dolour wherof if by counsell practise of physycke at the fyrste brunt be not apeased pacified for whych the art of phisycke is rated accused put in blame And thus the pacientes transpose and laye away the faute whych in them selfe is culpable Unto the imbecillitie or feblenes of the arte But if effectuall report were made vnto suche by the informatioÌ„ of honeste approued phisitions how suche disseases by their negligence procured can not easely be expel'ed onles the original occasions therof be somthyng diminyshed so by