her abhominable coÌ„uersacioÌ„ would then saye that many bought the dregges or lyes for the name and glorie of y e wyne vndoubtedly it wer a thyng muche to bee meruailed at if we shuâ—d escape hurt yeldyng to y e bodye all suche pleasures as nature either desireth or is able to beare yea to take no harme where for our businesse we should so striue with her desires as we would differre the vse of veraie necessarye pleasures when nature required theim or then to avoyd dauÌ„ger when as Plato saieth we should as oft as appetite incensed or moued vs vtterly yelde to all kynde of lustes Neither maye it by any reason bee that desires and lustes of nature whiche out of kynde dooe breake out of the mynde into the bodye forcyng thesame to obeye folowe her lustes shall so clene retourne but that thei shall leaue behynd in y e same veray greuous great incoÌ„modities of her foÌ„de vayne feble pleasures It is in no wyse coÌ„uenieÌ„t to prouoke and stiere y e body to pleasure through the desire of y e mynde For it is against nature y e pleasure should froÌ„ thens procede For likewyse as y e ticklyng of y e armepittes do not mynister to the herte cause of hertie nor earnest laughyng but displeasaunt like to a crampe whiche causeth a manne to seeme to laugh when he doeth not So whatsoeuer pleasures the bodye stired and troubled receiueth of the mynde they bee like hardes soone set on fyre and soone out troublyng the nature and coÌ„trarie therto Wherfore whensoeuer any notable or dentie dishe shalbe set before vs to bee eaten we ought rather to seke glorye by absteinyng then by eatyng remeÌ„bryng y t as the philosophier Simonides saied it neuer repented hym that he helde his peace but ofte that he spake so leat it not repent vs at any tyme y t we haue refused eatyng neither y t we haue drouÌ„ke water in y e stede of strong wyne but rather on the coÌ„trarye parte not onely nature ought not to bee enforced to these thynges but also if any thyng be set before vs y t she desyreth it shalbe rather coÌ„uenient for vse exercyse oftentymes to call backe and tourne her from her appetites to light thynges such as she is vsed w t. For if we shal breake y e law saith the Thehane although not rightly let vs breake it to rule gouerne But leat vs mende that saiyng and saie If we shall nedes desire glorye leat vs desire it for y e loue of health by abstynence froÌ„ suche delycacies Yet there is a greate noumbre in whom nygardenesse and gluttonye bee ioyned together that in their owne houses can restrayne their appetites and bee lordes ouer theim but when thei are at others tables laye their handes about theim on euery syde their tethe ceasse not gryndyng as long as the belye will holde euen as thei dooe that come to the sackyng of a towne in tyme of warre snatchyng and ryflyng as though no more suche praies should chaunce But their rewarde is at hande soone after their bodies weaxe vnlusty their heddes heauye dull the nexte daie thei faill not of cruditie of stomake Crates therfore thynkyng that sedicions tyrannyes grewe in coÌ„meÌ„ wealthes through deÌ„tie meates and superfluitee by a mery woorde gaue this taunte vnto a certain manne Syrha ê™ he make no sedition in the commen wealthe by enlargyng thy disshes wheÌ„ litle meate wil serue But let euery manne dispose and enioyne hym selfe to a competent rate not vtterly contempnyng cresses oliues and other commeÌ„ fare and in steede thereof fall to delicate made meates deyntie fysshes and costelye disshes and so through surfaityng reyse w tin his bodye sedition trouble and a flixe For y e comen meates cause y e appetite shal not desire more theÌ„ serueth nature But the cunning of those that bee deuysers and dressers of dyuersytee of meates their subtyll dyshes their swete sauces alwayes dooe sette forwarde and encrease the lymytes of appetyte and corrupte the vertue and holsomnesse of the meate But yet I can not see how it hangeth together that we should abhorre and haue in disdain women that seke to haue the loue of menne with drynkes and charmes when we hyre Cookes pastelers and suche others to corrupte our meates with their confectyons I had almoste forgotte my selfe and called it Sorceries and Juglynges Therfore that Arcesilaus sayth soÌ„what bitterly againste aduoutecers and lecherous persones It forceth not whether the acte bee dooen naturallye or unnaturally Yet it agreeth well with that wherof we now speake For what difference is there to bee playne betwene these twoo whether ye moue and stiere intemperaunce to sensualitee with plaies and gestes or prouoke the taste with swete odours and deintyes so that alwayes we should nede clawynge and rubbing as scabbed membres dooe But an other season perchaunce we will speake ayenst sensualitee and set foorth how honest a thing of it selfe temperaunce is oure purpose nowe is to treate of the diuersite and greatnesse of sâ—nsuall pleasures We bee not hindred nor dooe we lose so many matters so many hopes so many iourneys so many exercises through disseases as we dooe pleasures And therfore is it not expedieÌ„t for hym y t moste seketh for pleasure to neglecte the healthe of his bodie Many there bee in deede to whom sycknesse is none impedimeÌ„t but y t they maye applie their studye ne to others but that they maye bee in y e warres ne to some but that they may dooe their duetye in the commen weale but the bodyly pleasure is suche that in sickenesse no manne can haue the veray fruicion therof Yet the delectacioÌ„s that come therof beyng of their veray nature shorte bee not pure but veray much mixed and enterlarded with hurtes maye bee compared to a litle faire wether or sonne shinyng that happeneth in y e middest of a greate tempest or storme And verely Venus beareth no rule when the bely is glutted but rather when the bely is quiet and at rest For the ende and perfection of loue is pleasure as it is of meat drinke And pleasure receiueth no lesse coÌ„moditee of health of the bodye then sea gulles take of the calmenesse of the wether y t suffreth theim to lay their egges and to hatche forthe their birdes Prodicus sayed veraye feately that the fyre was the best sawce And so maye a manne saye veray truly that health is y e moste heaueÌ„ly and mooste pleasaunte sawce of all For if a manne bee sycke or haue eaten to muche or haue an euyll stomacke meates though they bee sodde rosted or broyled bee neither sauerie ne pleasaunt But if he bee in perfecte healthe and haue a good and pure appetyte there is nothyng that commeth amisse euery thyng is swete touthsome holsome and such as he wyll be desyreeus to haue a snatche at
But as Demades saied of the Atheniense that they would begynne warre euer oute of season and that they woulde neuer make anye decree to haue peace but in mournyng weedes sorowyng the losse of theyr meÌ„ne so we neuer remember moderate and meane fare but when we lye bournyng in the feuer as hootte as coles and bee dryuen to our Poticarie ware and sloubber-sawces And yet when we bee fallen in to theim it is to bee woondered howe we can cloke and couer our foly leaning ouer muche to fame and opynion as the common sort of people dooeth that tourne the faulte sometime to the alteration of the ayre somtime to the vnholsomenesse of the countrye or to ouer muche laboure because it shoulde not bee knowen that superfluitee and immoderate eatyng and drynkyng was y e cause thereof But euen as Lysimachus beeynge emonge the barbarous Scithyans for lacke of drynke constrayned to yelde hym selfe to his enemies after he hadde receiued a syppe of coulde water to quenche hys thirst withall saied good lord howe greate felicitee haue I forsakeÌ„ and put away for a short pleasure eueÌ„ so ought we in our syckenesse to call to remembraunce that for a draught of water taken out of due tyme or by goyng to y e bayne out of seasoÌ„ and by quaffyng for good felowship we haue forgon many pleasures of y e same thynges a greate many notable businesses haue remayned vndone and besydes we haue loste not a fewe mery pastimes and pleasaunt exercises For the continuall thynkyng theron shall cause sorowe to byte vs by the stomake leaue in y â— memorie sâ—che a scarre and marke that we shalbe the more chare and circumspecte when we bee hole to chose and obserue good dyet For then the body beeyng restored to healthe will not breade veraie greate lustes and appetites suche as cannot bee brydeled and restrained nor straunge nor suche as caÌ„not bee subdued but it shalbee requysite if any suche gredie appetyte happen to breake out and to leape at suche thynges as it coueteth that we bee of valiauÌ„t and bolde courage to resiste For y e appetite can dooe nothyng but wepe and sobbe for a while like a childe and afterward by and by dooth holde her peace when the meate is out of sight and will neither complayne nor bee angrie but on the contrary parte rather beeyng clene and lustie and not heauie nor fulsom endureth till the next daye As Timotheus after he had fared meanely and sobrely at supper with Plato in the vniuersite saied y t those whiche vsed to suppe with Plato wer the better in healthe the next daye after for that supper The reporte gooeth also that Alexander after he had reiected oute of his seruyce hys cookes and bely mynistres vsed to saie that he had reteyned better in their place that is stirryng of the bodye erely in the mornyng before daye and puttyng it to laboure to make his dyner fauerye and small fare at dyner to make his supper pleasaunt and touthesome And yet I knowe it right often to chaunce that laboure heate and colde dooe caste a manne in a feuer but as the sauour of floures of theim selfe not verie strong beeyng myngled with oyle haue a more vehement sente in like maner dooeth abundaunce of humours before gathered make apte and dispose the bodye to receiue suche disseases as procede of the externall causes aforesaid If exteriour causes fynde the bodye emptie the bloodde pure and subtill and the spirites clene there is no daunger of theim they bee easyly and soone dispeched but if the bodye bee full and replete w t humoures theÌ„ as mudde maketh the water fowle wheÌ„ it is stiered so it infecteth all partes and bryngeth theim in case that thei caÌ„not bee easely cured Therfore we must take hede that we dooe not as shipmen dooe who for gredynes to carye muche in their shippe dooe cause it to take in waters and bee constreyned by ladyng it out to labour still at the pumpe So we ouerladyng and chargyng the stomack bee forced to pourge and emptie it with purgacions and clysters But it shalbe requysite to preserue it prest and light that if so bee it fortune to bee ouerwhelmed it maye for the lightnes ryse vp and appere as a corke dooeth in the water And we must bee charie and circumspecte at the first in any wise wheÌ„ sickenesse is towarde and felte For not all disseases steale on a manne sodenlye without warnyng but thei haue messagers postes that renne before and declare their comyng as cruditee of stomacke slougth and dulnes of bodye Heuynesse of the bodye saieth Hippocrates and werynesse growyng without cause bee tokens that sickenesse is at hande and the cause thereof semeth to bee by reason of aboundauÌ„ce of humoures and the puffyng out swellyng the grossenesse of the spirites that hang on the synowes And yet there bee some that when the bodye selfe in a maner striueth and woulde bee fayn layed at rest wyll forthwith into the baynes fall to drynkyng and furnyshyng the bodye with vytayles euen as though a long assaulte and obsession shoulde folowe and as though thei feared least the feuer should take theim ere they had dyned Other agayn muche estemyng theim selfes folowe not this trade but while they bee ashamed to coÌ„fesse ouermuche eatyng and crudite of the stomake to kepe theimselfes all daie in their clothes will forthwith their compaignioÌ„s to practise feactes and put of their clothes to dooe as they dooe that bee in perfecte healthe Many there bee whom in defense of their intemperaunce and delycacie hope pricketh and persuadeth that forsakyng their beddes they maye boldelye retourne to their pristinate dyet to taste a heare of the mad doggue that hathe byten theim euen as though thei might expell wyne w t wyne surfet w t surfet Against this hope Cato his remedye must bee vsed Hope saieth he maketh those thynges y t bee greate lytle and those that bee litle it maketh nothyng And it shalbe also necessarye to remembre y t it is better to absteyne froÌ„ eatyng wheÌ„ a maÌ„ne nedeth it not to be at rest then to eate afterward to bee drawen allured to y â— baynes to eatyng and drynkyng there to synke down to bee in ieoperdie For if there bee any daunger he maye fortunâ— to haue his parte therof if he bee not wyse haue not preuented the matier and absteyned from it If there bee no daunger yet shall it bee no hurte to haue rectifâ—ed and purâ—fied the bodye But that childishe person that feareth to disclose to his freÌ„des seruauntes that his sickenesse came of ingurgytacion and superfluâ—tee that foole that for shame will not at the begynnyng confesse crudite of stomacke shal shortely after maugre his tethe bee coÌ„pelled w t shame to declare y t he hathe a flixe a feuer or frettyng grypyng
¶ The preceptes of the excellent clerke graue philosopher Plutarche for the preseruacion of good Healthe ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni 1543. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ To the right honorable lorde the lorde Audeley of Walden lorde ChauÌ„cellour of EnglaÌ„de Ihon Hales hartely wisheth moste prosperous healthe with encrease of honour THe custome to geue newe yeres giftes grounded vpon beneuolence coÌ„firmed by y e consent of people calleth and willeth yea rather commaundeth me right honorable lorde at this tyme to reÌ„dre vnto your honour my duetie whiche my good will is redye veraie desirous to obserue not myndyng y e breache of a custome that hath a foundacion so charitable a continuauÌ„ce so laudaâ—le â–ª and an ende so honest and profitable Musyng therefore in what thyng bothe for this tyme gratefull and herafter fruitefull I might chiefly declare thesame no thing in my minde could bee wisshed nothyng coulde bee deuised nothyng coulde bee prouided so requisite so meete so necessary for your good lordeship who is continually occupied either in y e high affaires of y e coÌ„men wealth or in hearyng determinyng causes of controuersie causyng peace y e most coumfortable nourissher of people to reigne euery where as some brief thyng to aduertise your goodnesse of the preseruacion of your health how ye maye long to Goddes pleasure coÌ„tinue in your vocacion how ye maye maâ—â—â—eres execute your office accordyng to the godly zeale and loue y t ye beare to iustice whiche ye haue and do dayly declare and expresse to the worlde And syth it hath pleased almyghtie God and the kynges moste gracious maiestie to constitute and depute you in the chiefest authorite and office vnder his highnes in this realme to bee to his maiestie in y e stede and lieu that Aaron was to Moyses the chiefe mynister of God ouer the childreÌ„ of Israel whiche is to be his graces mouth to vtter to vs his moste humble subiectes y t his highnes shal receiue of God to be to y t comeÌ„ lawes of this hys realme a lifely equytee hauiÌ„g power by your coÌ„scieÌ„ce to ordeine remedy wher it hath prouided none to mytigate thesame where it shal seme to be rigorous we ought daily not onely to geue prayse thaÌ„kes to his most excellent goodnes for thesame but we bee also bound to studie deuyse to our power howe so iuste and vertuous an offycer maye longe continue emong vs. For as they that beare good wyll and loue to the comen wealth mooste reioyse and be glad wheÌ„ iustyce and the lawes be iustly executed and mynistred and hertely desire that they may be so maynteyned and kepte as pyllers withoute the whiche no publique weale can staÌ„de no nor any lytle famyly caÌ„ endure So ought they to be ioyfull when the rulers and mynisters therof bee in healthe prosperitee hable to execute thesame and besydes to studye and endeuour how they maye so coÌ„tynue For as a woman that hathe no hed nor gouernour is lytle hable to gouerne and rule her seruauÌ„tes if thei be froward so can iustice lawe litle do in a comen wealthe where people be euill disposed yf those lacke y t shuld supporte maynteyne and put theim in execucion On thother parte they that bee in autorite office as they bee bounde not to bee remyfâ—e and negligente in executyng their dutie so ought they not ouermuch vexe molest wery and consume their bodies but so preserue their healthe as they maye longeserue God and their prynce in their vocacion And as Iethro seeyng Moyses ouermuche troubled in hearyng the peoples suites and causes saied It is not well dooen thus to consume and waste your selfe So maye 〈◊〉 bee iustly saied to suche as bee in authoritee and office hauyng their mynde so fixed to the expedicion of causes that they regarde not their healthe Ye dooe not well thus to cosume your selfes For as in a campe or army no souldiour maye departe without licence and pasporte of his Capitayne but must so vse hym selfe whyle he is there as he maye bee at all times ready and hable to serue at commaundement so ought euery christen man to lead his life in this world not to seke or laboure to bee out of it not to shorten his daies but to tary vnto such tyme as he shall haue licence and pasporte of the Lorde almighty and not in the meane season to make his bodye feble and weake that he shall not bee hable to do that he is elected and called vnto Plato saieth that Aesculapius who for his excelleÌ„t knowlage in phisyk is called God therof would not that suche as professed y t facultie and scyence should enterprise or take in hand to cure suche as wer of nature subiecte to disseases or had gotten siknesse willingly by inteÌ„peraunce although they wer neuer so ryche The one because they engendred begate chyldren lyke theim selfes that is feble weake syckely not hable to serue in the common wealthe And the other for y t they wyllingly vnhabled theim selfes to serue therin and yet besides consumed that others lacked who wer both hable wylling But men somtyme wyllingly must bryng their bodies out of temper sonest of all suche as bee great rulers and Counsailours who for y e safete of the hoole coÌ„men wealth be enforced vpon presente occasion to prouide present remedye to dooe thinges out of hand which without great daunger will not tarye time whom neither Aesculapius nor any man that hath reason would to bee without redresse For the whiche cause many excellent clerkes aswell in other sciences as in phisycke haue deuised how to restore suche meÌ„ne to their pristyne state and health of body emong others the exellent clerke graue Philosopher Plutarchus Chaeronensis bothe Scholemaister and Counsailour vnto the most vertuously disposed Emperoure of all Gentiles â—raâ—anus in a booke entytled Preceptes to pÌ„serue good health wherein not like a botcher with poticarye ware but naturally he teacheth those that bee in authoritee office in the publike weale and suche as bee geueÌ„ to the studye of good letters howe to preserue maynteine their healthe And because it is not onely his but also all other learned wyse mennes opinion y t there is none so great enemie to health as surfaicting distemperaunce wherby more men hath dooe daylye dye then by y â— sweord or plague he firste teacheth how the appetite and sensuall lustes of the bodye maye bee restrained and brydeled that they shall not procure and cause intemperaunce then if it chaunce a manne to fall therin how he shall come out again afterward being in health what diet he shall kepe what exercises he shall vse to preserue and kepe the same Whiche I haue translated into our Englishe tongue dooe preseÌ„t vnto â—our honorable lordship for a newe yeres gyfte most hartely desiring praiyng God the father almighty that his most godly minyster the Kynges most
in y e belly MeÌ„ne take it for a great shame to bee a houngred but they maye well thynke it a greater reproche if any go to y e baynes with a rawe stomake ouerladen or puffed out with meate eueâ— as they should bryng to y e sea an olde rotteÌ„ shyp y t leaketh Vereli in like maner as some Maryners bee ashamed to kepe the shore in a great tempest but after not able to brooke the seas bee with more shame cast on lande criyng out and vomityng so those that perceyue theyr bodye disposed to sickenesse whyle they thynke it a reproche to kepe their bed or to forbeare meate for a daye are afterwarde to theyr greate shame constreined to kepe it many dayes whylest they bee pourged rubbed emplaistred enointed whyle they muste bee at all coÌ„maundementes of the PhisicyaÌ„s while they desire to drinke wyne or colde water beyng compelled in the meane season partely for feare not onely to saye but also to dooe many thinges bothe contrarye to reason and also vncomlye But it shalbee requisyte to enstructe and warne those that beeyng drouned in sensualite bee not lordes of their selfes but disposed and geuen to affectes lustes bee rapte hedlong into the same how the greatest parte of pleasures delectacions comen of the bodye selfe and as the Lacedemonians when they gaue their cookes vineagre and salte wylled theim to seke out other sawce in the meate it selfe so the best sawce for any kynde of meate is to bee receiued into a lusty whole and clene bodye for a thynge maye bee swete and deintye of it selfe withoute confectyons It is made after this sorte pleasaunte yf it bee receiued into a bodye that hath delyte and pleasure thereto that liueth accordyng vnto nature But on the contrary parte if they chaunce to come into a body that hathe no phansie therunto beeyng crude and euil disposed they lose their relyse and vertue Therfore this is not to bee pondered wehther the fishe bee newe or the breade fyne and pure whether the bayne bee warme but a manne must consyder in what case he hym selfe is whether his stomacke standeth ayenste it or whether he bee out of quiet whether his bodye bee corrupted or throughlye distempered whiche thing if he dooe not this shall folowe y t as yf a sorte of reuellers and drouÌ„kardes come into a place wheâ—e people bee mournyng and sorowful they shal cause no pleasure nor mirthe but rather make theim to crye out so yf Venus meates baines wynes bee myngled in a bodye that is euell dysposed and vnnaturally affected they brede and make no pleasure but the humours whiche as yet bee not perfectely corrupted they stiere and trouble and more and more prouoke phleugme cholere Moreouer there is no delectacyon in theim greately to bee estemed neither the pleasure of the fruicioÌ„ of theim doth aunswer to the expectation Therfore the precise diet obserued to the vttermust poincte bothe maketh the bodye fearfull and subiecte to perilles and breaketh the strength and courage of the mynde whyle it refuseth all busynesse whyle yt dare not bee occupyed neither in pleasure nor in laboure whyle it hathe in suspiction the doynge of euery thyng lest it shoulde hurte and gooeth aboute nothyng courageously and boldely But y e body must bee ordered as the shypmen dooe their sayles in a calme weather who neither take theim in nor vtterly strike theim down nor suffer their sheates to bee lose theim selfes beyng neglygent or slouthfull when they thyncke a storme toward So it is conuenient to take hede to make the body lighte prest wheÌ„ we looke not for crudite flixe burnyng or dulnesse which thinges bee messagers tokeÌ„s y t the feuer is at hand yet some ther be y t when thei perceiue theÌ„ selfes alredy distempered doo scacely then fall to good diet But rather before sykenesse come we ought to preuent prouide for it as shipmeÌ„ do agaynst a teÌ„pest wheÌ„ thei se the northeÌ„ wynd doth sheuer wherle the toppe of the water of the seas Forverely it is a thing repugnauÌ„t to al reason a very fondnes diligeÌ„tly to obserue marke the alteration of the wetherby criyng of crowes the crowing of cockes the hogges towsyng the straw about their eres as though thei wer mad as Democritus was woÌ„t to say and not to note and perceiue the motioÌ„s stormes of the body and other prognosticatioÌ„s of diseases to be ignorauÌ„t in y e tokens wherby ye shal perceiue a tempest towarde in youre selfe Wherfore it shalbe requisite and expedient to obserue and note the body not only in his meates and exercises whether it be offended or dooe grudge at theÌ„ more theÌ„ he was wont or whether it bee more thirsty or desyrous of meat theÌ„ it vsed to bee but also ye must mark if ye slepe not souÌ„dly if ye be troubled or vexed therin if ye make many slepes It shalbe also well dooen to note y e absurdites of dremes For if ye haue any foule or vnacustomed visioÌ„s it betokeneth y t the body is replenished w t grosse humours or the spirites vitall of the body bee distempered wythin By the affections and dispositioÌ„s of the mynde a manne maye also gather whether y e body be disposed to a dysease For ofteÌ„ tymes it happeneth that a manne shalbe sad and pensife without iust cause and bee putte sodenly in feare Some bee also mad angrie and wilbe offeÌ„ded and displeased quickely Other wilbe sad wepe and mourne for a trifle and this happeneth as ofte as euell vapoures sower and grosse exhalacioÌ„s dooe stoppe or occupie the cyrcuites of the mynde Wherefore those persons to whoÌ„ suche thynges dooe chauÌ„ce must coÌ„sider and remember that yf y e occasion procede not of the mynde it must come of the body whiche requireth to be kept more temperate abated It shall dooe good also that a manne hauyng his freÌ„des disseased dooe aske y e cause therof not to theÌ„teÌ„t to chattre sophistically nothyng to y t purpose of deÌ„sitees incideÌ„cies and coÌ„mutacions and suche like folishe termes and to shewe and osteÌ„te how cuÌ„nyng and well seen he is in doctours names but wheÌ„ he shall not negligeÌ„tly heare this light and commen thynges y t is of surfaictyng emptines werynes dreames he ought chiefly to enquire what dyet he kepte when he fell into the feuer and afterwarde to saie as Plato was wont to saie seyng other mennes faultes that I herafter bee not in y t case Thus of his frendes sickenes and euilles it is requisite y t a manne prouide for hymself and take hede and remember that he come not to the like that he like wise kepte in his bedde haue not cause to prayse and desire y t moste precious iewell of health But wheÌ„ an other is sicke he will note with hymself what a iewell it is to bee in health and bee diligent that hauyng that treasure he preserue
it well regarde it and fauour it It shall not bee vnprofitable also if we remember by our selfes what our dyet is for if it shall chaunce that we shalbe at drinkyng or feastyng or at great labours and other intemperate busynesse the body in the meane season not suspectyng ne felyng any dissease yet it shalbe best for vs of our owne myndes to take hede and preuent that after venereall actes or werines we kepe y â— body in quiet and rest that after surfaictyng and quaffyng we drynke water And specially if we haue eateÌ„ meates heauy of digestioÌ„ as of flesshe or other meates of diuerse sortes theÌ„ it shalbe requisite to eate littell and to leaue nothyng superfluous in y e bodye For as these thynges of theim selfes are the cause of many disseases so thei brede mater geue strength to other And therfore it is notably saied y t to eate without saturite to bee lusty to labour to conserue naturall seede bee thynges moste holsome For verily immoderat coÌ„gressioÌ„ w t women because it pulleth out chiefly y t strength whereby the meate is digested bredeth verie muche suê‘fluitie therefore leat vs repete our communicacion settyng euery thyng in his place order first leat vs talke of suche exercises as bee meete for those y t bee geuen to y e studie of good lettres But as he whiche saied y t it was nothyng nedefull to wryte vnto theim y t dwell by y e sea costes any medicines for the touthe ache did in y t woordes teache theim to vse saltwater so maye a manne saie we ought not to prescribe to studentes preceptes of exercisyng their bodyes forasmuche as the daily vse of disputacions if it bee vsed by mouth is a maruelous exercise and profitable not onely for y e health but also to y e streÌ„gth of the body I meane not suche strength as wrastlers haue nor y t retcheth y e skynne froÌ„ y e fleshe or dooeth make a scurfe on it stoppeth it w tout as masons do a wal of a house but suche as dooeth in the liuely vitall partes whiche vital partes we maie moste aptely call ours geue and encrease an inwarde strength and a perfecte lustynesse And to proue that the breathe muche encreaseth the streÌ„gth of the body the masters teachers of wrastlers dooe declare coÌ„mauÌ„dyng theim to rubbe one another to bee alwaies pattyng iently beatyng y e skynne to preserue y e partes of the bodye w t enoyntyng continual handlyng And for asmuche as y â— voice is a mouyng and stirryng of the breath whiche worketh not lightly nor on the outsyde but in the inwarde partes at y e veraie founteyn encreasyng heate makyng the bloodde subtile pure pourgyng the veynes openyng the sinewes it suffereth not y e superfluous humours to weaxe grosse nor to congele whiche like dregges remayn in y e place where the meate is receiued and digested Therefore they must endeuour chiefly to vse make theimselfes famylyar w t this kynd of exercise contynually disputyng talkyng readyng or repetiÌ„g if thei suspect their body to be any thyng wery or weake For what ê“porcion ridyng on horsbacke or in a wagoÌ„ or like beyng caried hath to y e violent labour of wrastlyng rennyng suche like stroÌ„g exercises thesame ê“portioÌ„ coÌ„parisoÌ„ hath readyng w t a lowde voice to disputacion For readyng doeth as it wer in the wagon of an other maÌ„s talke ieÌ„tly moue vs after a quiet sorte coÌ„ueigheth carieth our voice But disputacion hath annexed vnto it straynyng of the voice a kind of enforcemeÌ„t wheÌ„ y e labour of y e mynde w t y e labour of y e bodye bee clapsed together Howbeit we must refrayne froÌ„ to lowde noyse brallyng clamour For vnmeasurable straynyng violeÌ„ce of y e breath do induce and cause craÌ„pes rupturs But wheÌ„ your repeticioÌ„s disputacioÌ„s be ended before ye walke it shalbe coÌ„uenieÌ„t to vse warme ieÌ„tle soft smoth fricacioÌ„s or rubbiÌ„g w t oyle to make softe y e fleashe so faire to wipe it as y e skyn fleashe beyng opened y e inwarde humours maye haue the more free course to come out and y t the spirite maie in due proporcion ientely sprede abrode into thextreme partes of the body Leat this bee your proporcion y t ye vse it so long tyll ye perceiue your body pleasaunte lustie Whosoeuer after this sorte quieteth recreateth the motion or trouble growen within and y e intencioÌ„ streinyng of y t breaeth shal neither fele griefe ne heauynesse of suê‘fluitee And although the time will not serue or his busynesse will not suffer hym to vse walkyng yet ther shalbe no dauÌ„ger for nature self hath corrected and emended y t belonged to her Neither let to do this while ye be on shipbourd or beyng in y t coÌ„meÌ„ ynne no nor although euery maÌ„ laugh at you Veryly where it is no dyshonestie to eate there it is no shame to walke â–ª but rather it is more dyshonestye to feare shipmeÌ„ horsekepers hostelers tapsters mocking you not because ye play at y e sphere wherlegyg or tables or dooe not exercise to fyght with your own shadow but because in youre exercyse ye dooe dyspute teache demauÌ„d questions learne or exercise the memorie wherfore Socrates vsed to say that he y t would leape nedeth a large roome to exercise hym self but he y t would occupy hym selfe in singing or speakynge euery place woulde serue bothe to stande sitte One thing also in that must bee forseen that knowyng our selfes to haue surfaicted or to haue exercised y e body ouer muche with woman or y t we bee wery we bee not to vehement of spirite nor crye out ouer loude whiche is a coÌ„men practise emong lawiers schoolemen criyng out and exclaming more theÌ„ nedeth some for glorye and ambicyon and some hired to bee at a barre or at coÌ„men disputacions Our frende Niger professyng sophistrye in Galatia by chaunce had swalowed in the backe bone of a fyshe In the meane season while an other Sophiste being a strauÌ„ger had begoonne to exercise his feate Niger fearing to be preuented by hym to bee defrauded of his glory and praise if he should gâ—â—â— place the bone sticking styll in his throte he beganne also to crye out But the place beginniÌ„g to â—wâ—ll and to bee harde and he not hable to abyde the paine was forced to bee launced and cut to bee serched veray depe with an instrument of yron y e boâ—e was tâ—ken out but y e wound being made veray daungerous renning dispeched y e man of his lyfe Some man will remembre this an other tyme wheÌ„ he seeth cause But it is rather ambityon and y e parte of a youÌ„g foole then a thiÌ„g healthfull to vse cold baines after labour of the body for the euyll
Potecaries call grana Cnidia and Samonie an houge quantitee of suche lyke thynges that can so lytle pourge nature y t thei them selfes haue more nede to bee pourged Wherfore it shal be best to kepe the body by moderate sobre dyet in suche case concernynge emptinesse and replecions that it shall not nede of it And if it shalbe requisite at any tyme to renewe the state of the bodye then vse a vomyte wythout medicines and without tormente suche as maye nothyng trouble you For in like maner as clothes washed in a bucke and scoured with ashes and salt peter be more freted and wasted then when thei bee washed in fayre water so vomytes that bee forced with medicynes do more hurt corrupt and consume the body When a man is bound there is no better medicyne theÌ„ to vse suche meates that wyll easely moue and styrre and gentlye lose the bellye Whereof wheÌ„ ye haue familiar experience the vse therof is wythout griefe If it wyl not bee losed with those meates ye muste drynke water many dayes or kepe abstinence and afterwarde receiue a clister rather then any medicines because thei bothe trouble and corrupte the body And yet the commen people verie gredyly lightly desire theim but for none other purpose then harlottes vse sorcery to make aborsions and to destroye that thei haue in their woÌ„bes to theÌ„tent thei maie quickely fall ayen to lechery but leat vs passe these thynges Those y t bee to muche diligent and prescribe to theim selfes abstinence fastâ—ng at certain tymes dooe not well For thei wheÌ„ nature nedethe not dooe teache it to nede scarcitee of meate and by vse maketh abatement and minisshyng of meate necessarie whiche ought to bee geuen in tyme. It is better to adde suche correccions frely when nede shalbe then to vse prescribed tymes But when ye fele not nor suspecte any dissease toward you it shalbe requysite to prepare so for all the other rate and order of your diet that vpoÌ„ occasion geuen it maie easily and for the profite of the bodye suffer noueltie and bee obediente not to serue and to bee bounde to that trade of liuyng so taught and vsed that it must of necessite bee reduced vnto certeyn tymes quaÌ„titees and courses For that is neither sure nor easy nor good maner and it appereth rather to bee the life of an oyster that gapeth at certayne tydes or of a stocke rather then of a manne For thei that so tye theimselfes at all tymes to one trade in meates abstynences exercises or reste dooe bryng theim selfes to a vaine and vile life phantasticall that no manne vsethe clene contrarye to amytie glorie and ciuilytee And that I saied I commended not Veryly good healthe is not made nor ordeyned to bee idle and at rest whiche bee the twoo greatest mischiefes that bee annexed w e sickenesse And there is no difference betwene hym that preserueth the syght of his eies by that meanes that he maye see nothyng and his voice that yt maye not speake and betwene hym that thynketh that good health cannot bee preserued but by not vsyng and not exercisyng thesame And although he fare well yet he nothyng the more profiteth hymself to dooe dyuers thynges y t belong to humanite ientlenes Theâ—fore we maie not thynke that idlenes is holsome for it destroieth y t wherfore health is desired And it is not true that thei fare better y t liue in quiete For Xenocrates that liued in moste quyet fared no better then PhocioÌ„ who was still occupied nor Theophrastus better then Demetrius And the fleyng of administracion of thynges and ambicion nothyng auailed Epicure or his Epicurians to that state of the bodye that thei so muche commended But the naturall habite state of the body must bee preserued by other meanes so that in all kyndes of liuyng we ought to remeÌ„bre that there is in the bodye of man one place for sickenesse an other for health And yet those y t haue to dooe in matters of y e coÌ„men wealth I saied must bee otherwyse admonyshed then Plato vsed to teache his scholars Departyng out of the schole he vsed to saie to theim Take hede my children that ye bestowe this idle time in some honest thyng But we wyll exhorte suche as haue to dooe in the commen wealthe to exercyse theim selfes in honest and necessary laboures and that they stiere not y e bodye for light meane maters Many troublyng them selfes for euery matier watchyng takyng iourneyes rydyng vp and down fal into sickenesse wheÌ„in y e meane season thei do nothyng profitatable or for thaduauncement of a coÌ„men wealth but lye in awayte to hurte do enuye hate others and hunte for a lytle vayne vnprofitable glorie That that Democritus saied agreeth chieflye agaiÌ„st theim if I be not deceiued If y e body should sue his tenauÌ„t the mynde it could not bee auoyded but he should be found giltie for euill vsyng his offyce PerchauÌ„ce Theophrastus saied true wheÌ„ by a metaphore he saied that y e mynde gaue the body a great rewarde and fyne to admytte hym to be his tenaunt For verily the body receiueth more hurte then y e mynde not vsyng his lorde as is conuenient nor regardyng hym as he ought For as ofte as the mynde is occupyed in his affeccicions laboures and cares he fauoureth not the body I meruaill therfore what Jason ment when he saied the lawe must be broken in trifles to thentent that iustice maye be executed in greate matiers We will vpoÌ„ a good grouÌ„d warne hym y t is a minister in the commeÌ„ wealth to be remisse and quyet to take his ease when he hath but trifles to dooe to coumforte recreat hym self in theim yf he wyll haue his bodye hable to suffer paynes in notable and harde matiers not sicke dull or weake to hynder hym but as it were healed and renewed in an ydlenesse and reste whilest he wer on shipbourde so that when the mynde shall call hym againe to his necessarie affayres he maie folowe his trade as the colt vsed to sucke renneth with the dame Wherfore wheÌ„ they may for their busynesse leat theim couÌ„forte and cherishe theim selfes leat theim defraude the body neither of slepe neither of meate nor of suche ease and recreacion as is meane betwene pleasure and payne and doeth not obserue prescripte time For as burnyng â—roÌ„ wasteth beyng quenched in water after it is dryuen out and beaten together with vehemeÌ„t laboure so is the body of maÌ„ne consumed by alteracioÌ„s sometyme ouercharged laden w t busynesse another while drouned ouerwhelmed in pleasures and when after beeyng made dissolute and feble through bodelye pleasure and drynkyng wyne it is forced to come to hear causes or to exercyse some lyke funccion whiche requireth sore laboure effectuall diligence and earneste studie Heraclitus beynge syck of the dropsie willed his phisician to tourne the shoure
into drieth a greate manye go cleane oute of the ryghte waye who after thei haue been long occupyed tossed and tourmoiled in labours werinesse when they haue kept the body long wythout meat and slepe then chiefely go about and geue theim selfes to make the body weake and feble with wantonnesse and pleasures And by and by vppon the same dooe eftsons put it to asmuch payne as it is able to beare For nature desyreth not suche patching and botching of the body but the folysh mynde rather beyng inteÌ„perate and vnnaturall For in lyke maner as shypmen and maryners wheÌ„ thei come to the lande geue them selfes to pleasures and wantonesse and theruppon incontinently bee called to the sea again to their former painful labours so the minde sequystred from businesse is rapt w t pleasurs immediatly vpon the same returneth to his accustomed labours wil not suffer nature to haue y t she hath mooste nede of y â— is quyetnes reast but euer ofte chaunging from contrary to contrarye doothe trouble it and bringeth her out of her owne state and course Those that haue wytte wyl not apply theyr bodies to pleasure wheÌ„ it is weried Thei do not desyre it no thei remembre no such thyng because the wyt is geuen to honest busynesse and y e part of the mynde y t should desyre pleasur is ouer whelmed and occupyed with other desyres Truly that whyche Epaminondas sayed meryly when an honest man died in the tyme of the warres betwen the Thebans and a towne in Boeotiâ— called Leuctrum good lord what lesure had thys man to dye at thys tyme in thys greate busynesse it maye bee trulye sayed of hym that ' is occupyed in matters of the common wealth or in studye of good learnynge what tyme hath thys man to bee balkyng to bee drouÌ„ken or to playe the wanton Yet when they haue tyme to couÌ„forte refreshe and recreat the body let them beware and eschew both laboures vnprofytable and chefly pleasures not necessarie as enemyes to nature For I heard Tiberius Caesar ones saye y t he was a very lobcoke that after he passed y e age of .lx. yeres dyd desyre a physician to fele his hande But it was somewhat arrogantlye spoken Neuerthelesse I thynke thys to bee true that it is requisite that a manne be not ignoraunte in hys owne pulses euery man hath a diuersitee therin yet nomanne ought to bee ignoraunte in hys owne temperature how hotte how drye hys bodye is neither what thynges dooe it good or hurte For he lacketh the knowlage of hym selfe a blynde and brute mynde dwelleth in that bodye y t must learne these thiÌ„ges of a Phisician whether he bee more in healthe in somer then in wynter and whether he maye vse thynges y t bee moist easlyer then drye and whether he haue a dull or fast beating pulse To knowe these thinges it is not onely profitable but also easy because we bee dailye in experyence therw t bee parties therto But in the diuersytee of meates drinkes it is more requisyte to knowe what is good what is euill and to bee expert in those that bee freÌ„des to the stomacke rather then enemies to knowe what furthereth digestion then what is pleasaunt and delicate to the mouthe To demaunde of a Physician what is easy to bee digested and what is harde what prouoketh a laxe what byndeth is asmuche shame as to aske what is swete what is bittur what is soure what is sharpe Ye shall see some that wyll checke and correct their cookes subtilly discerninge yf there bee to muche swetenesse salte or tartnesse in their meate And yet they know not what thing if it be receiued into y â— body is light vnnoysome or profytable wherof this foloweth y t their pottage is seldome euell seasoned yet tempering and seasoning theim selfe veray euyll out of course they cause y e PhysiciaÌ„s daily to haue muche businesse And suche mouthed meÌ„ take not their pottage to bee best when it is moste delicate but they put therto many thiÌ„ges that bee sharpe yet into the body they poure iÌ„ many pleasures y t fill prouoke it to vomite partly because they knowe not partly for y t they dooe not rememeÌ„bre y e nature hath ioined w t thinges y â— bee holsom profitable suche pleasur as is w tout hurte stil endureth This also maketh to y â— purpose to remeÌ„bre what bee frendly apte for the body and what otherwise to know in sodain affeccioÌ„s y â— doo daily hourely chauÌ„ce other circumstauÌ„ces how tapply to euery thiÌ„g his ê“pre peculiar diet For y e scrupulosite frowardnes of y e coÌ„meÌ„ people y t find theimselfes greued with alteracion of the palme of y â— hande and who by other displeasaunt tokens growing of lacke of slepe and swimmyng in the hed gather and coniecte that y e bodye within is corrupted and infected is not to bee feared nor regarded of studeÌ„tes or suche as bee occupyed in affayres of the commen wealthe to whom we speake But they must auoyde an other more vehemente doubte in learnyng wherby it happeneth that they be forced not to fauour or spare the body nor to regard it oftentimes when it is almost dooen still constraining it to make mortall war with immortal thinges earthly conflictes w t heueÌ„ly matiers But at lengthe it chauÌ„ceth to theim as it did to the camele whom his felowe the oxe desired to ease hym of his burden to helpe him being weryed to beare it the camele refused it well saied the oxe it will not bee long but thou shalt bothe carie me and all my burden The oxe was a south sayer for beeyng ded the camele was compelled to do it in dede Euen so it hapeneth to the mynde who deniyng for a while to geue y e body being werired tyme to bee recreated and refreshed not long after falling into a feuer or into hed ache is compelled to be sycke and to be payned with the body leauing bokes dysputacions and all other exercises of learning Wherfore Plato did geue a good lesson that we should neither exercyse the bodye without the mynde nor the mind without the bodye but that we should indyfferently preserue the body as maried to the mynd specially when it attendeth on the minde and maketh it selfe partaker of the laboures thereof then shoulde we agayne bestowe on it care and solicitude geuyng to it for rewarde that noble and desyred health thinking y â— of al thinges that procede from the mynde no gyft more excellent maye be geuen to the body then that it may be without all impedimente and hynderaunce eyther to the knowledge of vertue or to y e profyte of speaking and doyng * ⎠* â—aucus a â—yng phyâ—an â—lacuê° not â—ll affected â—ward phiâ—ophie The offiâ— parte of â— philosophâ— â—he praise â— commeÌ„â—ioÌ„ of phiâ—e â—hilosophie â—tural and â—isik be anâ—red either â— other