the phisitions can handle this busynesse more counnyngly than they whiche knewe it by experience in them selfe consyderynge howe that Guaiacum hath not contynued so longe with vs that they might in that space haue serched and lerned his nature And to speke in fewe wordes men do yet meruayle at the thynge is nat as yet come vnto perfyte knowlege Therfore canne hit not be vnder theyr canons in this shorte tyme or any cause of his operation shewed ¶ Lette this therfore stycke fast in all mens myndes that they thynke this symple dyete sufficient to cure and heale them which we teache by experience in our selfe Let them be seene and looked vppon of the sober and lerned phisitions but lette them leaue the dregges and spices of this other sorte Let them bede farewell for euer and adaye to these that go about to restore vs from diseases with theyr disputations These are they whiche as I sayde allowe nothynge that is vile and of smalle price and whiche thynke that I telle fables whan I say that I haue driuen away the axes mo than eight tymes by drynkynge of myn owne water by and by at the begynnynge and with no other medicine And that I haue sene men in Saxonie whiche haue quenched al maner diseases with drynkynge hotte buttred beere And agayne they wyl not beleue me that there is a seruant of my faders which with .iii. certayne herbes sodden in wyne hath healed a mannes brayne panne broken to peces and many sore and euyl woundes hath he heled with a few herbis of our own growynge sodden in wyne or water and that within .x. or .xii. dayes withoute any feare of feuer But this they thynke a vile medicine sayinge it is not done after theyr canons And the same thynge do they iudge of Guaiacum whose nature and power howe clerely they vnderstonde and what maner wordes they vse to haue of hit we may perceyue by the answere of a certaine noble phisition not nowe yonge that he shulde begynne to practise but of extreme age that it is very lykely he fealeth Auicen Mesuen and other authors of phisike as well as his owne nayles This phisition whan I was wrytinge these thynges and takyng my iourney from Frankeford wher he was wrytynge his recipe was asked of a certayne frende of myn what he thought of Guaiacum I haue not sene it sayd he but what so euer it be the weyght the colour the sauour must be consydered in quaÌ„tite and qualite Than sayde I his weighte is very heuy and synketh in the water how lyttell so euer the cuttynge be and hathe the same colour almoste that is in boxe and it smelleth fayntely somewhat of rosen doest thou knowe nowe by this what the nature and power of Guaiacum is Than he thynkynge to face me downe with wordes chattered I wotâ—e not whatte out of Aristotels predicamentes Than sayde I It may be good fader seinge the disease is newe and this a newe medicine that the holle matter is yet vnknowen vnto you Thou arte deceyued sayde he it is no newe disease seinge Plini wryteth therof Than I beynge desyrous to knowe what he knewe in Plini that I knew not asked him what name Plinie gaue vnto this disease Mentagram sayde he quÃa vexat mentem that is to say bycause hit vexith a mannes mynde Than sayde I why and do not other infirmities and sycknes than tourmeÌ„t and vexe a mans mynde or doth not frensyes madnes the fallynge euyll and other rauysshynges of the wyttes this thing more than the frenche pockes As he was interpretynge I can nat telle what good olde man quod I lerne agaynste an other tyme to answere more wysely and specially in suche thynges as apertaigne to mans helth For if ye had redde Plinie ye wolde not saye Mentagram to come a mente but a mento For in the chynne that disease fyrste began whiche thynge declareth it to be an other syckenes than the frenche pockes And who coude forbere to rebuke this mischeuous madde asse heed But let vs passe ouer these raskall phisitions of the whiche we se a great parte ryche in wordes but in the knowlege of thynges very poore and lette vs retourne to our purpose whereof this is the pythe that phisitions shall be taken in this cure not as ministers of medicins or healers but as kepers And these to be as I haue ofte sayde chosen wise and well lerned and mooste experte and suche as hadde leuer be wyse by them selfe than erre with the comon sorte And suche as if they coude heale a â—ycke man with eatynge beanes wolde not seke for any costly and especially strange medicines ¶ Whether concernynge this cure there oughte any regarde to be takyn of thage of the sexe or the qualitie of bodyes Capitulo .xij. VVhan they which I tolde you went into Spayne to know the vse of GuaiacuÌ„ enquered whether chyldren gret aged persons moughte be holpen with this remedy For seyng they were weake it was in dout where they coude abyde this diete answer was made by them that had beÌ„ in that ylonde that they neuer sawe chyldreÌ„ by this remedye delyuered from syckenes But the men of that ylonde shewed them that chyldren were wont so to be cured and women lykewyse wiâ—hout any difference and olde men also verye often Whervpon I remembred the notable saieng of Hipocras that olde men may wel away with fastynge but men in stronge and stedfaste age scantly yonge men moche wors and chyldren worste of all speciallye they that are of a forwarde and quicke mynde Howe be it Galenus wyl not old men there to be vnderstonde men of the laste caste ¶ Furdermore it is well knowen that they that are of a sanguine qualite of body may abyde hunger better and longer than the colerike For in the sanguine the humoures that nourysshe the body are more abundant and plenteous the hete is temperate and lesse burnynge for it is myngsed with moysture to make hit slacker but in these other all thynges are thynne and drye and nedy of humours Nowe who doubteth but they that be fleumatike may best abyde hunger seinge they haue more moysture than them nedeth Whiche thynges marked and parceyued none that wyll take this matter in hande can lacke counsell in what age or complexion so euer it be but he shall knowe howe to diminysshe the meate and howe to enlarge it and agayne howe to brynge in strayte fastynge and howe to lose it Nother that onely but also howe moche or howe lyttell of Guaiacum oughte to be spende Howe be it in this thynge I thynke lyttell regarde to be taken bycause this decoction to apperteyne to the Germayns I wyll open vnto all men ¶ They of Spayne thynke this medycine ought to be like wyse ministred in all places for this disease seinge it hath nothinge but that that al men may vse euery where indifferently and also hath ben proued amonge the people of .v. diuerse nations Fyrste it
peyne it selfe aâ—d yet their peynes were as thoughe they hadde lyen in the fyre ¶ This disease not longe after his begynnyng entred into Germania where it hath wandred more largely than in any other place whiche thynge I do ascribe vnto our intemperaunce ¶ They whiche than toke counsayle of the sterres prophisied that euyl not to endure aboue .vij. yeres wherin they were disceyued if they ment of this disease and all the iuel that cometh therof but if they meÌ„t it of the forsaid most fylthye kynde whiche cometh of hym selfe not only of enfection but through the corruption of the ayre or the ordinance of god than were they not disceyued For it taryed nat longe aboue the .vii. yere But the infyrmitie that came after whiche remayneth yet is nothynge so fylthye For the sores at som tymes beth lytel not so hye nor so hard And somtyme there is a certayne brode crepynge scabbe for his benym entreth deper and bryngeth forth more diseases ¶ It is thought this kynde nowe adayes to growe in any person but through infection by defilynge of hym selfe which thing especially happeneth by copulation For it appereth manifestly that yonge chyldren olde men and other whiche are not gyuen to the bodily lust beth very seldome enfected therwith And the more that man is gyuen to wantonnesse the sooner he is infected And as they lyue that beth taken therwith so other it shortely leaueth them or longe holdeth them or vtterly consumeth them For it is very easy vnto the Italians and Spanyardes and to suâ—he as liue soberly but through our surfetynge and intemperate lyuynge hit dothe longe contynue with vs and greuousely dothe vexe and chafe vs. ¶ The causes of this disease Capitu. ij THe phisitions haue not yet certenly diffined the secret causes of this disease although they haue long peynfully w t great variete serched therfore but in this thing al do agre which is very euident that through som vnholsom blastes of the ayre which were at y â— time the lakes fouÌ„taines flodes also the sees were corrupted And therof the erth to receiue poison The pastures to be enfected venemê° vapors to come down froÌ„ the ayre which liuinge creatures in drawyng the breth receyued For this disese was fouÌ„d in other bestes like as iÌ„ meÌ„ The astrologers fetch y e cause of this iÌ„firmite from the sterres saying y t it ê“cedeth of y e coÌ„iuÌ„ctions of Saturn Mars which was not long before of .ii. eclipsis of the son they do affirm y t by thâ—se signes they might perceyue many colerik fleumatike infirmities to folowe which shuld long continue slowly depart as ElyphaÌ„cia lepre tetters al yl kynd of scabbes boils and what so euer euils deformeth vnfasshioneth the body as the gout palsey sciatica ioynt ache other lyke daÌ„gers And that these thinges shuld chaÌ„ce rather in the north part by reson of this signe Aquarius wherin fel the fyrst ecclypse And in the west part by reason of this sygne Piscis in the whiche felle the last eclyps But the phisitions affirme this syckenes to come of yll and habundant humours as of coler blacke advst yelowe and fleume salt or advst and that of one of these alone or of certayn or els of al these mingled whose sharpnes streking out to the outward partes of the body burneth and dryeth the skynne and fylleth it ful of scabbes but that whiche cometh of rawe heuye and grosse humours they say is driuen into the ioyntes and causeth greatte peine in them and to arise knobbes swellinges knottes to gether and the skynne to ryuell And moreouer the heed to ake wherby y e beauty of the body is clene altered gone Some breuely coÌ„cluding say that this infirmite cometh of corrupt burnt enfect blode And al these thynges were in doubtful disputatioÌ„ y e nature therof not yet knowen but now it is knoweÌ„ they be also apê“ued for in myn opinioÌ„ this sicknes is no other thing but a postumatioÌ„ rotting of vnpure blode the whiche after it beginneth to drie it turneth into swelling hard knobbes the which thinge ê“cedeth of the lyuer corrupt ¶ To knowe more of the nature or qualities of this infirmitie shulde be very tedious hard to iuge For we se in our time what diuers concertatioÌ„s opinioÌ„s haue beÌ„ to boldly disputed and what peyne the phisitions haue taken therin sens the begynnynge therof The phisitions of Germaynie for the space of ij yeres meddled with suche disputation and yet whan I was but a chylde they vndertoke to heale me but what profite cam therof the ende hath shewed not withstondynge they were bolde to medle with straÌ„ge dregges and spices and to myngle and minystre many thynges whiche they shulde not haue ministred And I remembre they forbode me to eate peasen For in some places there grow certeyn wormes in theÌ„ with wynges of the whiche hoggeflesshe was thought to be inâ—ected bicause that best specially was deceasâ—ed either with this or els with an other nat moche vnlyke vnto this ¶ Into what disese the french pockes are tourned Ca. iii. THe peynes of this dysease all redye rehersed are estemed in maner as no peines for this disease tourneth it selfe into great inconuenieÌ„ce and peyne that naturally it hath of hym selfe In so moche that all maner of syckenes hauynge or causynge any peyne in mannes ioyntes semeth to be conteyned therin For fyrst there is sharpe ache in the ioyntes and yet nothynge appereth afterwardes the gatheryng to gether of humours causeth the membres to swell but after that suche vyle matter is waxed harde that a man shall fele the vehemente peynes therof This is the fyrste commyng therof For it semeth to edifye and fortifye a castelle there to rest a longe season and thens to disperse and caste into euery part of the bodye all maner of ache and peynes And the longer the sayde swellynges tarye fro rottyngeâ— and rypynge the more peyne shall the pacient suffer And aboue all other peynes of this infyrmitie this is the violeÌ„test and that troubleth man moste I my selfe had suche a lyttell knobbe and swelling aboue my left hele in the inner syde the whiche after it was indurate and harde by the space of .vij. yere coude by no power of oyntementes or any maner lappynges and cherysshynges be made softe or caused to putrifie and rotte but contynued stylle lyke a boone vntylle that by the helpe of Guaiacum it vanysshed away by lyttel and lytel This thing as touching womeÌ„ resteth iÌ„ their secret places hauing in those places litle prety sores ful of venomê° poison being very daÌ„gerous for those y t vnknowingly medle with theÌ„ The which sicknes gotteÌ„ by such infected womeÌ„ is so moch the more vehemeÌ„t greuous how moch they be inwardly poluted and corrupted By this the senowes at somme tymes do slacke wax hard again at somtime they shrinke some time the sicknes turneth
his tymbre is oyle and fatte in colour like boxe but somwhat blackyshe And they iudge that the best that hath most blacke but that whiche is lyke to boxe differeth from that whiche is blacke For this is with in and thother without or to speake more playnely the blacke is as hit were the harte and marowe The wodde is meruaylous heuy for the leest pece of hit caste into the water synkethe streyghte to the botome There is no wodde so harde as it For hit is so harde that hit wyll not cleue nother hitherto haue we sene any that was chyned And they that selle it say it wyll in no wyse yane or chappe Whan hit bourneth and flameth hit maketh a swete â—dour and there foloweth fro hit whan it burneth a goÌ„me whiche we yet knowe not for what purpose it serueth This goÌ„me is somwhat black shortly after it is falleÌ„ away it is verye harde The barke is not so thick but is meruaylous hard which tokens wel marked I thynk he that shal couÌ„terfete this woode can not deceyue the byer For be it a man may be deceyued in the coloure howe is hit possible all these thinges to be in one a fatnes smellinge somewhat like rosen suche weyght as no wodde hath beside Than the goÌ„me that cometh from it whaÌ„ it flameth such hardnes that may scaÌ„tly be cut And the lest pece cast into the water wyl nat swym aboue And the tast ones knoweÌ„ wyl neuer suffer a maÌ„ to erre which as it is to al men vnplesant so is it to me ye very plesant They say it coÌ„tinueth not after it be sodden but paulleth in the sommer after .iij. dayes in the wynter somewhat later And therfore we must chose the fattest and weyghtiest therof For that which is olde is lyght and leane Vpon this description lette the phisitions if hit please them drawe out the causes of suche efficacite by theyr longe disputations as for me I more reioyce that it is than I serche what maner of thynge it is Howe be it I graunt them worthy of moche thanke that shall first shew vnto vs the nature therof through out knowen But nowe there be some that wey and esteme the strengthe and vertue of this tre bi these knowen maâ—kes as though they had suffred it in all poyntesâ— whiche thynge is done as me semeth very hastily and tymely thynkynge that the cause and reason of suche efficacie and power oughte to be serched for in this tre after his nature and vse is knowen lykewyse as it is done generally in all other medicines But nowe of his vse and how it ought to be prepared vnto medicine ¶ Of the orderynge of Gâ—aiacum in medicine cap. vii IT is orderered after this maner The wod must first be made as smalle as maye be whiche thynge some do at a torne and than without any more ado they lay the shauynges a water And som do fyrst broile or stampe them in a morter so moche that they brynge them into pouder and duste â—o thintent they maye the sooner be throughe soked and theyr strength sodden out But I wote not whether that make any mater I haue sene some that haue cut it fyrst with a sawe and than raped the peeces with a rape and haue taken and putte them into water Howe so euer it be whether it be tourned raped or beaten to duste they soke a day and a nyght one pounde weyght in eyght of water taken eyther of a well or of a ryuer or as I dyd of a pyt than they sethe it in a newe glased pot and clene wasâ—hed with a softe fyre of coles by the space of sixe houres and more vntyll it come to the one halfe with great hede takynge and diligence leefte hit runne ouer through moche heate For that whiche ouer runneth loseth they say moche of his vertue and is of lesse power And therfore it may not be soddeÌ„ in the flame but it requireth fewe coles and a potte not fylled all moste by the .iij. parte The skome that floweth aboue they taken away to anoynt the sores with for we knowe it to haue moche power to drye After it is thus sodden they streyn it powre it in to a glasse And than they put to the grondes eyght pound water and sethe it agayne as before as it were a seconde messhynge This thynner they gyue them to drynke with their meate the fyrste is dronke in the stede of a medicine And this is all to gether that delyuerethe vs from so great and greuous disease this decoâ—tion is it This is the chiefe poynt and anker of our helth And it hath so lytel nede of any other thynge that it wyll not abyde any maner mixture or mynglynge as I wyll shortly after declare Somme wolde that lyght water and clere shulde be gotten for this purpose Some admytte all maner swete water indifferently bycause in sething what so euer it be it is purified All wold that good diligence and hede shulde be taken in time of sething that it ruÌ„ne nat ouer or boyle to fast they byd that the potte be close stopped that nothynge brethe out but whaÌ„ the skom is perceiued to ryse it must be softely opened and the skomme taken out and so couered agayne They putte this decoction whan it is strayned into a glasse onely bycause it shulde be sene and bycause a glasse of al vessels is purest and clennest The colour of this decoction is somewhat lyke muddye water whan hit is somewhat troubled Wete lynnen in it and it wexeth grene of a meruaylous shewe The relesse therof at the fyrste tastynge is some what soure but to hym that vseth hit by lyttell and lyttel it waxeth pleasant The phisitions were so bolde as to put to a pounde of this .iiij. vnces of hony Whiche thynge as I do not improue so do I denye it to be necessarie And I wolde nothynge shulde be added vnto suche a thynge beinge of suche power where as it nedeth not For what nedeth a man there to bestowe his labour where as no nede is And to say the trouth the relesse of Guaiacum is not so greuous that it requireth to be tempred with hony Yea were it not for my maysters the phisytions all men wolde be contented therwith Howe be it what nedeth me to name phisytions whan I speke onely but of tryflers For they that be connnynge and expiert as is O moste noble prince Stromer thy phisition and throughe frendeshyppe myne also and thy other phisition Coppus suche I saye vnderstode and knewe howe hit is not conuenyente eyther to meddle it with vnknowen thynges and myngle theym or elles to adde oughte vnto these thynges whiche as yet are not perceyued to lacke oughte The whiche thynge as hit chaunced vs to haue communycacyon of this woode Guaiacum at the citie of August whan many had auysed me to commyt my selfe to this maner to cure and I for newnes of the thynge wolde here
be often tymes caused to sytte by the patient to consyder what â—â—rengthe he is of and to cause hym as loÌ„ge as he hath any streÌ„gth to wrastle and fight with hunger And if he begynne to doubte of his weakenes to helpe hym with meate Excepte any had leuer folowe that whiche Gellius sayth that Erastrate dydde write that the Scythians whan they for somme cause muste nedes suffer hunger do thruste together their bely and binde it round about very straitly with brode â—wadlyng bondes thynkyng that by suche pressynge to gether of theyr bealy hunger may be putte away or the easelyer borne For seing as he saith hunger cometh of emptynes and is caused of the voydnes and holownesse of the intrayles and of the bealy than whan the bealy is gyrde in harde so that the emptynes is fylled the holownes ioyned there can be no hunger where as these thynges be not and vtterlye forbearynge of meate may lightly be born But why say I vtterly forbearynge of meate whiche can not be in this cure I may wel calle it honger what so euer it be that any abydeth For it maye be suffred well and easely though a manne take nothynge in the worlde to helpe it But vnto these deynteous sycke persones what thynge can be lyght whiche can not onely suffer no hunger but also not to haue a stomake vnto meate they thynke it intollerable For the whiche if at any tyme they be sycke we mought praye god that they neuer recouer consyderynge they esteme hit a greatte grefe to bye helthe with a lyttell sufferynge ¶ Of these maner persones if I speke some what largely I do it after myn accustomed maner specially whan I perceyue many of my countrey men the Almaynes to erre in this behalfe ¶ The prayse of temperaunce in spite of ryotte Capit. xix BVt I beseche almyghty god that this nation maye ones knowe it selfe Whiche thyng I do not desyre so moche bicause it is vncomely that the people that rulethe all the worlde shulde so lyue as for that that suche intemperancie and ryotte is an occasyon to vs of great euyls and also to be greatly dispised If other people shulde eate and drynke as moche as they coude they thinke they shulde passe the lawe of nature but whan we cromme in so moche that we can nat beare it we loke after laude and prayse What meneth these stryues and contentions of our valyant drynkers Whanne he that drynketh is receyued with triumphe whan it is glorye to ouercome in drynkynge and no shame to be dronke and cast it vp agayn O countray o empire As for the PoloniaÌ„s or if there be any other that passethe vs in dronkennes I regarde them not but this nation I say ought to remembre them selfe and haue regarde to theyr dignitie excepte it seme that other nations are comen vnder this emâ—ire not for the reuerence and opinion whiche they hadde of our noble forefaders but to dispise and mocke vs. Verily it muste nedes be that they were far other men that had such honour gyuen vnto them than we be that are thus dispised Is there so moche as a chylde in Italy that knoweth vs by any other name than by the name of dronkerdes Seinge that thanne other straÌ„ge nations do speake sooner of our vice than of our humanitie or vertue shall â—e not chaunge our lyuinge Shal we not fere to lose this honour to our great rebuke and shame Or shall we not thynke that it is more shame to vs to lose the tytle and profyte of the empire that hath ben a glorye to receyue whan it was offered vnto vs Or that sober men and reasonable wylle be content to be vnder the rule and dominioÌ„ of a dronken and barbarous nation beinge withoute all good humanite But if hit can nat happen into the braynes of our men to vnderstonde theyr own shame yet at the leâ—t lette them knowe theyr owne distruction And if we set so lyttell by the losse of oure glorye and the rebuke and shame of our voluptuous mynde that we wyll not leue for that our vnthryfty lyuynge lâ—tte vs at the leste wyse haue so moche wytte as to care for our bodely helth whiche must nedes be troubled and brought to naught in suche festynges surfetynges and drinkynges about the whiche as the satirike poete sayth leapethe and skyppeth in greatte companies of al kindes of diseses But Germanie hathe loste his wytte and vnderstondynge and hath forgotten it selfe not all Germanie but many in Germanie These be they that drawe their dyners vnto soupper and theyr suppers in to farre nyghte These be they whiche through theyr mysorder haue caused a straunge poete but yet nat an ylle poete for he semeth to hate yl men to write to the greatte sclaunder of this countreye sayinge Bacchus sytteth at the deyse And Appollo is caste out of all company For al the lyfe there is nothynge els but drinkyng that is they set more by drynkynge than by wysedome Howe be it these dronkerdes that erre throughe madnes and lyghtnes mought lyghtly be dispised but these that with theyr deynteous fare and nyce and wanton apparell cast them selfe heedlonge into the mydmayne see of voluptuousnesse and pleasures These I saye be worthy to be hated of all the worlde These be they that lye vpon theyr pyllowes of downe heped to gether that consume what so euer may be gotten by lande or see not to susteyn theyr lyfe but to delyght their swete â—outhes that muste weare the fyneste lynnen that muste be robed in purple that reioyse to be wrapped in softe myes skynnes not so moche to kepe them from colde as for delicacie and wantonnes These be they that may not touche commen clothe whose skyn can nat suffer but the fynest and softest thing that may be gotten that take theyr counsel in quaffynge and in theyr counsels quaffe that meddle with no sadde matters but lede all theyr lyfe in feastynges ¶ These thinges ar not vsed I say ageyn through all Germanie but specially which thynge is to our great shame and rebuke amonge the chiefe and the nobles of Germanie whiche pamperde vp dayly with all maner deyntie fare exercisynge dyners and suppers meate for popes in them they bankette in them they brynge one to an other and therin haue suche pleasure that they had leuer dye than to be plucked from hit They haue none other care but to fylle the bealy by whom Salust if he had suspected such bestes euer to com in Germanie might well haue spoken this his sayenge Many men gyuen to fedynge and slepynge haue passed euen as straungers theyr holle lyfe without knowlege and lernynge But let a man caste with hym selfe what opinion the Romaynes had in these dayes of the people of Germanie and thanne sette before his eies what a monster and howe haâ—eful this cherysshynge of our throtes that we nowe vse had bene than In the whiche whanne we haue spente a great parâ— of our lyfe
growynge with vs wherwith our meate may be made delicaâ—e If we wyll please and delite our taste or as though the great price of our garmentes dyd increase the qualities of the mynde But I wyll ceasse to speake more of this man leest I shulde seme to couet myn owne glory If I had fyrst told you this one thing me thynketh it is not so goodly a thynge to be borne of this my stocke and familye in the whiche be somme causes besydes this wherof I maye glorie as to be borne his neuewe that thus hath lyued Our predecessours and suche as I my selfe haue sene olde men whan I was but a chylde whan they dyd kepe in their mete drynke and clothyng suche temperance they were of good lykynge of body and through great labour were hardned agaynst hunger and thurste heate and colde where as we at the fyrste frost sheuer and shrinke together both hand fote as sone as wynter beginneth we be treble furred and be shut vp in our hot houses out of the which we go not vntyl mydsommer whan the sonne heate bourneth and parcheth all thynges And as I saye where as nowe scantly the .x. person of the noble men can be founde in Germania but he hathe eyther the gowte in his fete or in his handes or is greued with the dropsye sciatica or lepry or is tourmented with this frenche euyll whiche bryngeth these greattest euyls with hym ¶ But at the last let vs retorne enter into that lyfe whiche is metest for this nation empire of Germanie and which euen they whome I tolde you lyued wantonly can be well contented to here praised For I thinke there is not one of these that gyue them selfe to suche delycate ryottous lyfe but he hateth the same in other excepte he be so blynded through inteÌ„perancie that he loueth these vnthryftie manered Sardanapales and Heliogabalos or dothe hate the persimonia of many whiche be of the contrary facion Truly vertue semeth very amiable euen to them that dothe lyttell folowe or regarde hit ¶ It was an olde meate of Catos poradge made with chese and egges And Plinie rehersethe that gruelle made with otemelle grootes was ones the meate of the verye and true Germaynes as it is yet of many vnto this daye But we fede vppon straunge and beyonde see victuals thynkynge that we haue so moche nede of them that euerye house holder hathe decreed to selle these thynges that growe with vs to bye the other with whiche one thynge hathe enryched the Fuchers whiche in the meane season that we thus nouryshe our bodies haue all the money and lyke wyse all the excellent goodly places in Almayne For they beinge the ministers of our voluptuous lyuing are so increased that there is no prince in Almayne able to compare with them in ryches So farre be we gone and so lyttell perceyue we what thynges Germanie deuoureth and consumeth Wherfore I thynke that he was of excellent wysedome if any suche was that feared in tymes passed leste suche voluptuous and delycate lyfe shulde enter into Germanie wherof as euery maÌ„ may playnly see spryngeth so moche pestylence and so many diseases and ageyn perceyued that they shulde lyue quietly that coulde be contented to lacke suche pleasures and delyciousnes For they that dresse oure herbes lyue with them as there be some trewe Germaynes yet remaynynge they are of good helth and bodily lykynge but they that be spyce fyngered and belche synamom and smelle all of cloues and haue all theyr pleasure in goodly araye these be they that are subiectes to all kyndes of diseases and euyls Howe properly therfore dydde the Satirike Poete calle the gowte Ryche For it medleth not with them that are poore and drynke no wyne but hit is a companion for ryche men dronkerdes surfetours and delycate lyuers which as the same poete sayth to gette swete morsels leue no place vnserched ¶ And so thoughe this countreye brynge forth that that is necessarye for the lyfe yet as though nature had vtterly forsakeÌ„ them they ron vnto straÌ„ge thinges fetchyng their garmeÌ„tes theyr meatis medicines froÌ„ Hercules pyllers from the ilonde of Taprobana from the ryuer of Ganges and frome places farther of than these euen almooste from the heed of Nilus ¶ The wrathe of god lyghte on these deed mens heedes y e fyrst receyued these euyls in to Germanie For they haue done a thynge vnworthy for the grauite of the Germains Truely they oure forefathers were none suche the which preferred the labours and peins of Hercules aboue the flesshely lustes aboue the delycate meatis and softe beddes of Sardanapalus But O lorde Chryste howe delycate howe holsomme fedynge is breadde made of rye or whete and gruelle made of millio oriza ptisana and otemele porage Adde thervnto so many kyndes of herbes and so many dyuers garden spyces as anyse coryandre cynomum fenell musterde neppe oynions lekes garlyke and specially if we wyll beleue Plinie persley hath a singular good grace to season meates with And for drynke we haue ale and biere And for the ryche men there is wyne whiche is the pure and cleane drynke of the erthe as Appollonius iudgeth so that it be vsed scarsly whether it grewe in France or vpon the bankes of Rhenus We haue also of our owne beestes flesshe bothe tame and wylde whiche are not of vnpleasant taste We haue fruites of trees not to be dispised howe ryche is Germanie howe plenteous of all meates howe abundantly dothe hit ministre all thynges necessary for the lyfe of man Wherfore my chiefe desyre vowe is that they neuer lacke the gowte nor the frenche pockes that can nat lyue without pepper And I pray god they may ones be brought to extreme hunger whiche nowe serche in all places not for meate to lyue with but for delycates and deintees wherwith they may stere vp their swete mouthes and prouoke theyr appetites Howe iustely dyd Galenus enuie helth to suche felowes whaÌ„ he forbode al phisitioÌ„s from the curing of dronkerdes of them that are gyuen to the bealy If such at any tyme were sycke for they by and by sayth he throughe intemperate lyuynge hepe vppe agayne grosâ—e and vndigested humours so that they be clensed and purged in vayne ¶ The necessite of nature is lyghtly contented sayth Hierom. Colde may be expelled with course clothynge and hunger with lytell meate ¶ Whan Anaxerses the kynge of Perse was brought to that necessite that he eate drye fygges and barly breade than he beholdynge his fortune and suche a greatte chaunge sayde O what pleasure is this that my regall abundaunce kepte me from By the whiche example we may know that they onely lyue in knowlege of theyr owne lyfe that lyue scarsely and soberly And on the other syde they that be gyuen to the norysshynge of theyr bodyes and the pouryng in of all thinges be as men erryng in darkenes and perceyue not theyr owne lyfe so
farre are they from the lyfe of pleasure Howe be it within short space whan they be ones fallen into diseases than they begynne to fele and perceyue what lyfe they haue chosen and what is the reward of the same For as Persius sayth whan the harde and stony goute the braunches of their olde surfetynge hath broken their ioyntes than they mourne that they haue passed theyr dayes so grossely and consumed theyr lyfe so fylthely and be so sorye to late of theyr lyfe to comme ¶ Do we than doubte what is the cause of all the syckenes that the Germayne haue seing we may yet remembre that this pestilence and mischiefe of the bodye dyd enter with that ranke and riottous lyfe For here we do nowe so gyue our selfes to whores pleasures that we seme to stryue with other straunge people for the maystry of fylthye lyuynge as menne do in games for the beste wager And for this purpose we haue certayne ministers very experte These gette and conueye vnto vs from the fardest partes of the worlde prouocations of glotony These brynge in from farre with meruaylous delyght both to eate to drynk also to clothe our selfes with Wherin seing they haue longe and many dayes contynued to theyr owne as I sayde great aduantage they haue made some so delicious that whā they be here in Almayne they muste drynke wyne of Corse they must haue meates out from Italie and contrary wyse whan they be at Rome they vse wyne of Rhene or that whiche Neccarius bryngeth forthe O peruersed custome of lyuynge O myschieffe worthy to be hated of all men euen so moche the more that they be bysshoppes whiche do these thynges and are the rynge leaders thervnto Suche maner of persons I beleue do desyre of god as Aristotle writethe of Philoxenus to haue the neckes of cranes ¶ Aristophanes reproueth the tables of the Syracusanes and the voluptuous aboundāce of the Sibarites If at that time he blamed suche thinges what wolde he say if he nowe lyued aud sawe our bankettynge and feastynge our quaffynge and drynkynge Therfore as many as coueyte vertue and knowledge lette them take hede and harken to Pythagoras whiche saythe that a man that ryseth aboue man can nat tast or atteyne any hygh thynge that is to say as longe as a man lyueth vnchastely and dissolutely he shall neuer do any great thynge with wytte or mynde The moste holsomest fedynge for man sayth Plinie is one maner meate the heapynge of dyuers tastes is pestiferous and sawces are worse than that ¶ Persius well perceyued these thynges whan he thus spake in great mode Thou woldest haue lyttie ioyntes and a hole bodye in age Ye but the full dysshes and the fatte denteous wyll not suffer the goddes nor Iupiter to graunt thervnto ¶ And Cicero bryngeth in Cato saying that a libidinous and intemperate youthe maketh age very feble And he aduyseth and counsayleth vs to eate drink so moch as may susteyne the bodyly strength not oppresse it thynkyng that nothing can be so vnfrendely vnto the mynde of man whiche he callethe an heuenly reward and gyft as voluptuousnes is Nor as longe as luste and pleasure bereth rule Temperance can haue no place Neither vertue may beare any stroke where luste and pleasure reigneth And therfore he iudgeth that we ought to gyue great thankes vnto age whiche causeth that we lyste not to do that thynge whiche we ought not For voluptuousnes sayth he beinge an ennemye vnto reason stoppeth and letteth all good counsel and blyndeth the eyes of the mynde and medleth nothyng at all with vertue And therfore he thinketh that olde men are happy whiche whan they lacke feastes full dysshes and the cuppes ofte walkynge they lacke also dronkennes rawnes of stomacke and be not combred nor vexed with dreames whiche maner of thynges accompany them that are gyuen to suche wantonnes For Hierom sayth that diseses come of to moche eatynge ¶ There is a prety ieste of a certeyne phisition of this countrey whiche hadde a syke man in cure that hadde rounnynge legges and that not withstandynge was gyuen to bank ettynge and drynkynge myghtily and yet complayned that his medicines preuayled not And that his soores ranne faster than they dydde at the begynnynge Truly sayde the phisition they wolde ceasse rounnynge out if thou woldest cesse powrynge in ¶ Galenus affirmeth that the great chuffes whose lyfe and occupation is fedynge may neither lyue longe nor be helthfull and theyr myndes be so wrapped with ouer moche bloude and fatnes euen as it were with myer that they haue no maner heuenly meditation but do alwayes thynke vppon eatynge drinkyng fartynge and shytynge ¶ The olde Romaynes called that fedyng◠necessarie that was slender and sparynge ¶ And amonge the grekes litell meate was moche commended by the writinge of many ¶ The Effees which were a certayn sorte of philosophers among the olde Iewes are landed of Iosephus bycause they had tourned their dayly abstinence into a custome an nother nature The same Ioseph preyseth the continēcie of the Phariseis He that wolde ones haue hadde vs distroyed I thynke hath desyred that this custome of liuyng might enter amonge vs. And therfore seinge Marcus Cato as hit is wrytten in Plinie dyd take great care and feare leeste the Grekes shulde inuade Italie with their wanton and voluptuous lyuynge whiche of our forefathers hath prouided that none of these spycis and sylkes shulde be solde in Germania farewell pepper farewell saffron farewell sylke Or if there be any vse therof amonge other nations I pray god that this nation neuer knowe it or se it And Christe sende our countrey men this mynde that they may call home agayne the frugalite of their elders facion them selfes to their honest sparynge ¶ With what stout stomacke doth Anacharsis bost the order of his lyuynge Vnto me saythe he hunger is a swete morsell the grounde is my bed a cloke of Scithia that is a beastes skynne is my garmente Sober Demosthenes draue dronken Aeschines out of the citie Socrates hatyng the tauerne haunters and such as haue al theyr delyte and pleasure in theyr throtes sayd Many men lyue to the intente to eate and drinke but I eate and drynke to lyue O very wyse man and worthy so to be taken by Apollos commendation ¶ And this sayenge of a greke poete is to good to be forgotten Thou thy selfe must rule the brydell of thy bely ¶ What saye you Whatte maner fellowe thynke you Epicurus was Whom all the world persecuteth as a felowe of pleasure whiche put the hyghest felicitie in pleasure Truely what so euer it be that he made so moche of he ment in the only vse of brede and water dyd moche commende slender liuynge and suche as may quickely be gotten And writinge vnto a certayne frende of his he sayth Sende me a lyttel chese of Cithridi that I may whan I woll fare somwhat more deynteously ¶ Anaxagoras sayde He that eateth sauourly nedeth