than whyther it be red watrye or blacke Moreouer it may not be forgotten to aduertyse the Phisition of the dyet vsed by the pacient aswell afore the syckenesse as in the tyme of the sychenesse his age the strength of his body his exercyse and place where he lengest abode in his youth whether it were hye or lowe watry or dry hotte or colde This I trust shall be suffycient to instruct a physition he that desyreth to knowe more particularly hereof let hym rede the bokes of Hypocrates Galene Cornelyus Celsus Actuarius Paulus and dyuers other late wrytters for this lytell treatyse may not receyue it ¶ The preceptis of the auncient physition Dyocles vnto kynge Antigonus Cap. 10. VVe will nowe diuide the bodye of man into foure partes the heed boulke called in latin thorax which conteyneth the brest the sydes the stomake and entrayles The bely called in latyn venter conteyneth the panche the bowels Also the bladder called in latin vesica in the whiche name is also conteyned the cundites by the which vryne passeth Whan any disease approcheth to the heed these tokens do commonly precede swymmyng in the hced heed ache heuines of the browes sounding in the eares pryckynges in the temple the eyes in the mornynge do water or waxe dymme the smellynge is dulle the gummes do smelle WhaÌ„ thou felest suche tokens forthwith pourge the heed with somwath not with vehement medecines but takinge I sope or Organum the croppes of them boyle with whyte or claret wyne half a pynte therwith gargarise your mouth fastyng vntil the fleume be purged oute of your heed this is the easyest medicine in discrasies of the heed It is also very holsome to gargaryse the mouth and brest with hony water wherinto mustarde is put myngled but fyrste the heed must be rubbed with a warme clothe that the fleum maye easyly come out of the heed And yf these tokens be neglected these maner of syckenesses do folowe sone after blared eyes and humour lettinge the sight cleftes in the eares swel lynges in the necke full of matter called the kinges euyll corruption of the brayne poses or reumes heuynesse of the heed and tooth ache WhaÌ„ the boulke is like to suffer any sickenes it is perceiued by these tokens all the body is in a sweatte the bulke most specially the tonge wa xeth thicke the spettyll is eyther salt or bitter or cholerycke the sides and shoulders do ake without any occasyon the pacient gapeth often also there dothe happen moche wakynge suffocations or lacke of breth thirst after slepe the mynd is vexed with heuinesse also the brest and armes are verye coulde and the handes do trembele Against these thyges this remedy may be prouided After a moderate soupper assaye to vomite without any medycine vomyte is also profytable whiche meate dothe folowe He that in such wyse wyll vomite let hym eat hastyly small radysshe rootes townkersis rokat synuy or purslane and drynke after it a greate quantitie of warme water and prouoke hym sesfe to vomyte He that setteth lyttell by the sayde tokeÌ„s let hym feare these sycknesses folowing the pleuresie the syckenes of the lunges melancolye or madnes sharpe feuers the fransye the letargie inflamation with yexinge If any syckenesse be towarde the bealy they maye be espied by these tokens the bealye is fyrste wrapped together and in it selfe is troubled all meates and drinkes do seeme bytter in tast he feleth heuynesse in hys knees a styffenes in hys loynes a wearynesse in all hys body without any occasioÌ„ a slepynesse in his legges with a lyttell feuer whan thou feleste these tokens mollyfie the bealy not wyth medicyne but wyth good order of diete for it is best and most sure to vse those thynges wherof lyghtly may ensue none annoyaÌ„ce in the number of them are betes boyled in water of hony garlike sodden malowes sorel mercury and all thynges condite in hony Al these do erpel the ordure of the bely but if any of the sayd signes dothe more and more increase the lyquour wherein the sede of Carthamus callid also Cnicus is boyled is a plesaÌ„t and sure medicine small colewortes boyled in a good quaÌ„titie of water the licour therof in measure â–ª ii pintes sauyng the thirde parte of a pint wyth honâ— and salt beyng drunken shall profite moch Cicer and the pulse called in laâ—â—o ernum in englishe I suppose chittes â–ª in water drunk fasting hath the same essect To them which set littel by the said tokens these diseases do sodeÌ„ly happen Fluxe of the bealy bluddy fluxe slyppernes of the bowels peynes in the guttes ach in huckle bones the feuer terciane the gowte the apoplexie or palsey in the lymmes hemoroides aking of ioyntes Whan the bladder is towarde any sickenes it is perceyued by these tokeÌ„s fulnesse felt after lytel meat brekyng winde downwarde and vpwarde palenesse of colour in al the body heuy or troublous sleapes the vrine pale and passynge forth peynefully swellynges about the coddes priuy members WhaÌ„ these tokens appeare thaÌ„ is it expedient to hauy remedy of odoriferous thinges whyche do expell vrine whyche shall be done without any peryll with the rotes of fenell and persely stieped one or two dayes in good whyte wyne and to drinke therof fastinge euery mornyng thre ounces and two draÌ„mes wyth the water of wylde carettes or clycampane whyche of these is next at hande euery of theÌ„ haue lyke effect Also water wherin the peasyn called in latyne Ciceres are stieped beynge drunke wyth wyne is lyke coÌ„modiouse he that neglecteth the sayde tokeÌ„s let him loke for these syckenesses fo lowynge the dropsy the greatnes of the splene griefe in the lyuer the stone ache of the backe or peynes in the raynes the difficultie of vrine fulnes of the bely In al these thinges that we haue spokeÌ„ of we shal gyue to childâ—eÌ„ most easy medi cines to meÌ„ those which be stroÌ„ger in workyng This diete of Diocles althought at this time it semeth not moste pleasaunt nor accordynge to the practise nowe vsed yet beynge tempred with that which I haue before remeÌ„bred some thyng maye be founde in it which beinge experienced maye be as commodious for the helth of mans body as that diete which is more curyous or pleasaunt ¶ Of them in wose stomakes meat is corrupted Cap. 11. THey in whom customably meat is corrupted let them afore that they eat any meat assaye to vomite drynkynge swete wine absteine from meat that ingender botches inflaÌ„mations fumous ructuations or vapours and take suche as noryshe good iuyce chose them out which do molyfy the bely at sondry tymes take them It is also good to take temperatly that which lowseth the bely as the medicyne called picra and to absteyne from suche thinges wherby yll iuyre is gathered do ingender syckenesses harde to be cured or neuer as goutes boneache peynes of the raynes c. ¶ Of the vertue of meates Cap. 12. HE that
begynneth the .viii. daye of February 〈◊〉 coÌ„tinueth vntyll the .viii. day of May. In semmer the inward heat is but lytel the stomake doth not digest so strongely nor quykly as in wynter wherfore in that season eatyng often and a lyttell at ones is moste conuenient And Damascenus saythe that fastynge in sommer drieth the body maketh the colour salowe ingendreth melancoly and hurteth the syght also boyled meate breade steped in whyte brothe with sâ—dden lettyse or cykorie are than good to be vsed also varietie in meates but not at oone meale potages made with colde herbes drynke in more abundance wyne alayde with water to hotte complexions moche to colde natures lasse In this season bloudde increaseth and towarde the ende therof choler And therfore they which be colde of nature and moyste are than beste at case hotte natures and dry waâ—ste More ouer chyldren and very yonge men in the begynnyng of sommer are holest old folke in the latter end and in haruestâ— somer beginneth the .viii. daye of May coÌ„tinueth vntyll the .viii. day of August Autumne beginneth the .viii. day of August endeth the .viii. day of Nouember that seson of the yere is variable the aire changeable by occasyoÌ„ wherof happen sondry siknessis blod decreaseth melancoly abundeth wherfore al suÌ„mer frutes wold thaÌ„ be eschewed forasmoch as they make yll iuyce and windes in the body In this tyme meate wolde be more abundant than in somer but somwhat drier drink must be lasse in quantitie but lasse myxte with water This tyme is daungerous to all ages al natures and all countrays but the natures hote and moyste be leste indamaged ☞ Diete concerning sondry tymes of the yere wrytten by the olde phisition Dâ—ocles to kyng Antigonus FRom the .xii. daye of December at the whiche tyme the day is at the shortest vntyl the nynthe day of Marche which do conteyne lxxxx dayes reumes and moystures do increase than meates and drynkes naturally very hotte wolde be moderately vsed also to drynke abundantly wyne without alaye or with lyttell water and to vse lyberally the companye of a woman is not vnholsome to the body ¶ FRom the nynth daye of Marche at whiche tyme is eaquinoctium vernuÌ„ vnto the. xxv day of Aprill swete fleume and bloudde do increase therfore vse than thynges hauynge moche iuyce and sharpe exercise the bodye dilygently than may ye vse safely the company of a woman ¶ From the xxv day of Apryll to the .xiiii. daye of June Choler increaseth than vse all thynges that are swete and doo make the bealy soluble forbeare carnall company with women ¶ From the .xiiii. day of June at whiche tyme the day is at the leÌ„gest vnto the .xii. day of September dothe melancoly reigne forbeare lechery or vse it moderately ¶ From the .xii. daye of September vnto the xvii daye of October doo abounde fleume and thynne humours than wolde all flures and distillations be prohibited than all sharpe meates and drynkes and of good iuyce are to be vsed and lechery eschewed ¶ Frome the .xvii. daye of October to the .xii. daye of December increaseth grosse fleume vse therfore all bytter meates sweete wynes fatte meate and moche exercise ⧠Of ages Cap. 25. CHyldren wold be nourysheth with meates and drynkes whiche are moderately hote and moyste not withstandynge Galene dothe prohibite them the vse of wyne bycause it moysteth and heateth to moche the bodye and fylleth the heedes of them whiche are hotte and moyste with vapours Also he permitteth them in hotte wether to drynke clere water of the fountayne ¶ A chylde growynge faste in his members towarde a man soo that he semeth well fedde in the bodye is than to be feared of fulnes of humours and if it be perceyued that he is replete than muste be withdrawen and minished some parte of that nutriment and accordynge vnto his age some euacuation wold be deuised other while by exercyse walkynge vp and downe fastynge and before that they eate any meate lette them exercise them selfes with theyr own labors and do theyr own accustomed busynes and eate the meates wherunto they be moste vsed so that it be suche that may not hurte theym And this nede they not to knowe of phisitions but by experience and diligent serche by theyr stoole theyr norices shall perceyue what dygesteth well and what doth not ¶ But yf it appere that by excessiue feedynge the bealy of the chyld is fuller and greater than it was wonte to be and that whiche passeth by the bealy is corrupted or his sweate stynketh these thynges knowen if they eate stronge meates gyue them not one kynde of meate but dyuers that the noueltie of the meate may helpe that they may go more easily to the stole For if any haue an vnreasonable appetite he is sooner recouered yf he be pourged by a boyle or impostume comen forthe and broken before that the meate be corrupted and after that let hym eate fyne meates and beynge ones hole retourne by lyttell and lyttell to his olde custome ¶ Yonge men excedyng the age of .xiiii. yeres shal eate meates more grosse of substance colder and moyster also salades of colde herbes and to drynke seldome wyne except it be alayd with water All be it all these thynges muste be tempred accordyng to their complexions exercyse and quietnesse in lyuynge wherof ye shall reede in theyr proper places hereafter ¶ Dide men in whom natural heate strength semeth to decay shuld vse alway meates which are of qualitie hotte and moyst and ther with all easy to be digested and absteyne vtterly from al meates drinkes whiche wyll ingender thicke iuyce and slymy semblably from wyne whiche is thicke swete and darke redde wynes and rather vse them whiche wyll make thyn humors and wyll purge well the bloudde by vryne therfore whyte or yelowe wynes and perchaunce frenche clarette wynes are for them very com mendable Also wyne prepared with pure hony clarified wherin rootes of persely or fenelle be steped specially yf they suspecte any thynge of the stoone or goute â–ª And yf they more desyre to clense theyr raynes and bladder than is it good to vse small white wine as racked renishe wine or other like to it and sommetyme to stepe ouer nyght therin a persely roote slyt and somwhat bruysed and a lyttell lykorice Fynally let them beware of all meates that wyll stoppe the poores and make obstructions or oppilations that is to saye with clammy matter stoppe the places where the naturall humours are wroughte and digested the whyche meates I haue before sette in a table But if it chaunce theym to eate any suche meate in abundance lette them take shortely suche thynges as do resyste opilations or resolue theym As white pepper bruised and myxte with theyr meates or drynke garlyke also or onyons yf they abhorre them not Alway remembre that aged men shuld eate often and but lyttell at euery tyme
for it fareth by theym as it dothe by a lampe whiche is almooste extincte whiche by powrynge in of oyle lyttell and lyttell is longe kept bournynge and with moche oyle poured in at ones it is cleane put out Also they must forbeare all thynges whiche doo ingender melancolye wherof ye shall rede in the table before and breadde cleane without leuen is to theym vnholsome Moderation in diet hauyng respecte to the strength or weakenes of the person Cap. 26. NOwe here it must be consydered that all though I haue writen a generall diet for euery age yet netheles it must be remembred that some chyldren and yong men eyther by debilite of nature or by some accydentall cause as syckenes or moch study happen to gather humours fleumatike or melancoly in the places of digestioÌ„ so that coÌ„coction or digestion is as weake in them as in those which are aged Semblably some olde men fynde nature so beneficyall vnto them that theyr stomakes and lyuers are more stronge to digeste than the sayde yonge men some perchaunce haue moche choler remaynynge in theym In these cases the sayde yonge men muste vse the diete of olde menne or nygh vnto it vntyl the discrasy be remoued hauynge alwaye respecte to theyr vniuersall complexions as they whiche are naturally cholerike to vse hotte thynges in a more temperance than they whiche be fleumaticke or melancolye by nature The same obseruation shall be to olde menne sauynge that age of his owne propertye is colde and drye therfore the olde man that is cholerycke shall haue more regarde to moysture in meates than the yonge man beyng of the same complexion Foresene alwaye that where nature is offended or greued she is curyd by that whiche is contrarye to that whiche offendeth or greueth as colde by heate heate by colde drythe by moysture moysture by drythe In that wherby nature shulde be nourished in a hole and temperate bodye thynges muste be taken whiche are lyke to the mans nature in qualitie and degre As where one hath his body in a good temper thynges of the same temperance dothe nourysshe hym But where he is oute of temper in heate cold moysture or dryth temperate meates or drynkes nothyng do profyt hym for beynge out of the meane and perfyte temperature nature requyreth to be therto reduced by contraries remembrynge not only that contraries are remedye vnto theyr contraries but also in euery contrary consideration be hadde of the proporcion in quantitie ⧠Tymes in day concernynge meales Cap. 27. BEsydes the tymes of the yere and ages there be also other tymes of eatynge and drynkynge to be remembred as the sondry tymes in the daye whiche we call meales whiche are in noumber and dystaunce accordynge to the temperature of the countrey and person As where the countrey is colde and the persone lusty and of a strong nature there may â—â—o meales be vsed or the lasse distance of tyme betwene them Contrarywise in contrary countrays and personages the cause is afore rehersed where I haue spoken of the diet of the times of the yere not withstaÌ„dyng here must be also consideratioÌ„ of exercise and reste which do augmente or apeireth the naturall disposition of bodyes as shall be more declared herafter in the chapiter of exercise But concernyng the general vsage of couÌ„treys admittyng the bodies to be in ê‘fit state of helth I suppose that in England yong men vntyll they come to the age of .xl. yeres may wel eate thre meales in one daye as at breakefaste dyner supper so that betwene breakefast and dyner be the space of foure houres at the leaste betwene dyner and supper .vi. houres and the breakefast lasse thaÌ„ the dyner and the dyner moderate that is to say lasse than saciete or fulnes of bealy and the drynke thervnto measurable accordynge to the dryenesse or moystnesse of the meate For moch abundance of drynk at meale drowned the meate eaten and not onely letteth conuenient concoction in the stomake but also causeth it to passe faster than nature requyreth and therfore ingendreth moche fleume and consequently reumes crudenes in the vaynes debilitie and slyppernesse of the stomake contynuall fluxe and many other inconueniences to the body and membres But to retourne to meales I thynke breakefastes necessary in this realme as well for the causes before rehersed as also forasmoche as choler beyng feruent in the stomake sendeth vp fumosities vnto the brayn and causeth heed ache and somtyme becometh aduste and smouldreth in the stomake whereby happeneth peryllous sycknes and sommetyme sodayn deth yf the heate inclosed in the stomake haue nat other conuenient matter to worke on this dayly experience proueth and natural reson confirmeth Therfore men and womeÌ„ not aged hauing their stomakes cleane without putrified matter slepyng moderately and sondely in the nyght and felynge them selfe lyghte in the mornynge and swete breathed lette them on goddes name breake theyr faste Coleryke men with grosse meate men of other complexions with lyghter meate fore sene that they labour somewhat before semblably their dyner and supper as I haue before written so that they sleape not incontinent after theyr meales And here I wyll not recite the sentences of authors whiche had neuer experience of englysshe mens natures or of the iuste temperature of this realme of Englande onely this counsell of Hipocrates shall be sufficient We ought to graunt somewhat to tyme to age and to custome not withstandynge where great werynesse or drythe greued the body there oughte the dyner to be the lesse and the longer distance betwene dyner and supper alsoo moche reste excepte a lyttell softe walkyng that by an vpryght mouyng the meate beyng styred may descende This is alway to be remembred that where one feleth hym selfe full and greued with his dyner or the sauoure of his meate by erurtation asceÌ„deth or that his stomake is weke by late syckenesse or moche study than is it most conuenient to absteyne from supper and rather prouoke hym selfe to sleape moche than to eate or drynke any thynge Also to drynke betweene meales is not laudable excepte very great thirst constrayneth for it interrupteth the office of the stomake in concoction and causeth the meate to passe faster than it shulde do and the drynke beinge colde it rebuketh naturall hete that is workyng and the meate remaynyng rawe it corrupteth dygestyon and makyth crudenesse in the vaynes wherfore he that is thyrsty let hym consyder the occasyoÌ„ If it be of salt fleume let him walke fayre and softely and onely wasshe his mouthe and his throote with barley water or small ale or lye downe and sleape a lyttell and so the thyrste wyll passe away or at the leaste be well asswaged If it happen by extreme heate of the ayre or by pure choler or eatynge of hot spices lette hym drynke a lyttell iulep made with cleane water and sugar or a lyttell small biere or ale so that he drynke not a great glutte but in a lyttell
moste abounde in the pacyent As coler maketh the grauell more redde fleume maketh it more whyte Also some men do suppose that red grauell is ingendred in the raynes white grauell in the bladder More ouer who so euer vseth ingurgitation of ale or bicre his breathe shall be more lothesome than the breathes of them whiche do take the excesse of wyne for the wyne by the reason of his heate is soner digesteth and doth leue behynde hym fewer dregges As for Cyder may not be good in any condicion consyderynge as I say that all fruytes do ingenderyll humours do coole to moch naturall heate but to them whiche haue abundaunce of reddecholer moderately vsed it somewhat profiteth in mytigation of excessiue heate But who that wyll dyly gently marke in the countrays where syder is vsed for a comon drynke the men and women haue the colour of their vysage palled the skynne of theyr vysage ryueled although that they be yong Whay yf it be lefte of the butter brynge well ordred and not drunke vntylle it haue a thycke curde of mylke ouer it lyke to a hatte is a ryght temperate drinke forasmoch as by the vnâ—tuositie of the butter wherof the whay retayneth some portion it is bothe mayste and nouryshynge and clenseth the breste and by the subtylnesse of it selfe it desceÌ„deth sone from the stomacke and is shortly digested Also by reson of the affinitie which it hath with mylke it is conuertible into bloudde and fleshe specially in those persones whiche do inhabite the northe partes in whom natural heate is conglutinate and therfore is of more puissaunce and vertue in the office of concoction Also custome frome chylhoode dothe eleuate the power of meates and drynkes in theyr disposition not withstandynge that the foure humours sangume choler fleume and melancoly must also be consydered as it shall apperâ— in dyuers places hereafter ⧠Of Hony Cap. 22. HOnye as well in meate as in drinke 〈◊〉 of incomparable efficacy for it not only clenseth altereth and nourysheth but also it longe tyme preserueth that vncorrupted whiche is put into it In so moch as Pliniâ— sayth Suche is the nature of hony that it suffred not the bodyes to putrifie And he affirmeth that he did see an Hippocentaure whiche is a beaste halfe man halfe horse brought in honye to Claudius the emperour out of Egypte to Rome And he telleth also of one Pollio Romulus who was aboue a hundred yeres olde of whome Augustus the emperour demaunded by what meanes he lyued so longe and retayned styl the vygoure or lyuelynesse of body and mynd Pollio answered that he dyd it inward with meade whiche is drynke made with hony and water outward with oyle Which sayeng agreeth with the sentence of Democritus the greatte philosopher who beynge demaunded howe a man moughte lyue longe in helthe he aunswered If he wette hym within with hony without with oyle The same philosopher whan he was a huÌ„dred yeres olde and nyne prolonged his lyfe certayne daies with the euaporation of hony as Aristoxenus writeth Of this excellent matter moste wonderfully wrought and gathered by the lytel bee as wel of the pure dewe of heuen as of the most subtyl humour of swete and vertuous herbes floures be made likors coÌ„modious to mankind as meade metheglyn oxymel Meade whiche is made with one parte of hony and foure tymes so moche of pure water and boyled vntyll no skymme do remayne is moch commended of Galene drunke in sommer for preseruynge of â—elthe The same author alwaye commendeth the vsynge of hony eyther rawe eaten with fine breade somwhat leuened or sodden and receyued as drinke Also meade perfectly made clenseth the breste and lunges causeth a man to spyt easily and to pysse abundantly and purgeth the bealy moderately Metheglyn whiche is moste vsed in wales by reason of hotte herbes boyled with hony is hotter than meade and more comforteth a colde stomake if it be perfectely made and not newe or very stale Oximell is where to one parte of vineger is put double so moche of hony foure tymes as moche of water and that beynge boyled vnto the thyrde parte and cleane skymmed with a fether is vsed to be taken where in the stomacke is moche fleume or matter vndygested so that it be not redde choler Loke the vse therof in Alexandro Tralliano Many other good qualities of honye I omytte to wryte of vntyll some other occasyon shal happen to remember them particularly where they shall sâ—me to be profytable ⧠Sugar Cap. 23. OF sugar I do fynde none ancient author of grekes or latynes to wryte by name but onely Paulus Aegineta who saythe in this wyse after that he hath treated of hony Moreouer sugar whiche they calle hony that is brought to vs from Arabia callid felix is not so swete as our hony but is equalle in vertue and doth not anoy the stomake nor causeth thyrste These be the wordes of Paulus It is nowe in dayely experience that sugar is a thynge verye temperate and nouryshynge and where there is choler in the stomake or that the stomake abhorreth hony it may be vsed for hony in al thynges wherin hony is requyred to be ⧠Of tyme. Cap. 24. IN the consyderation of tyme for takynge of meates and drynkes it is to be remembred that in wynter meates ought to be taken in great abundance and of a more grosse substance than in sommer forasmoch as the exterior aire whiche compasseth the body beynge colde causeth the heate to withdrawe into the inner partes where being inclosed and contracte togither in the stomake entrayles it is of more force to boyle digest that which is receiued into it Also meates rosted ar thaÌ„ better than sodden and fleshe fishe powdred is thaÌ„ better than in sommer Herbes be not than commendable specially raw neither fruites except quynces rosted or baked drynk shuld be than taken in lyttel quaÌ„titie Moreouer wines shall nede no water or very litell and that to coleryke persons redde wynes and they whiche be thicke swete may be than moste surely taken of theym whiche haue none oppilations or the stone Alway remember that in wynter fleume increaseth by reason of rayne and moystnesse of that season also the length of nyghtes and moche reste And therfore in that tyme cholerike persons are best at ease semblably are yonge men but to olde men wynter is ennemye It begynneth the .viii. day of Nouember endureth vntyll the .viii. day of February The spryng tyme doth participate the fyrste parte with wynter the latter parte with sommer Wherfore yf the fyrste parte be colde than shall the diete be accordynge to wynter If the ende be hotte than shall the diete be of sommer If â—otâ—e partes be temperate than shulde there be also a temperannce in diete alwaye consyderyng that fleume yet remayneth bloud than 〈…〉 râ—aseth meate wold be lasse in quantitie than 〈…〉 ynter and drynke somwhat more Sprynge tyme