I say of five parts of the earth those two which lye about the Poles within the circle Articus and Antarticus through extremity of cold are inhabitable as of old time hath beene thought howbeit now certaine Ilands are discovered within the circle Articke and found to be inhabited The third and greatest part which lyeth in the middes betweene the two Tropickes by reason of the continuall course of the Sunne over it and the direct casting of the Sunne beames upon it named Torrida Zona as burned or parched with overmuch heat hath likewise beene thought inhabitable yet now found otherwise considering the greatest part of Africk well inhabited and no small portion of Asia with sundry Ilands adjoyning doe lye within this compasse yet by the judgement of Orontius a man very expert in Cosmography right under the Equinoctiall is most temperate and pleasant habitation for so he sayth Torrida inprimis quanquam assidua Solis irradiatione arescere videatur sub ipso tamen aequatore faelicissima aâ—ris temperatura câ—teras omnes antecellit The other two parts onely of which the one lyeth Northward betweene the circle Articke and the Tropicke of Canâ—er the other Southward betweene the circle Antartick and the Tropicke of Capâ—icorne are counted temperate and habitable regions because they are tempered with heate on the South-side and cold on the Northside Howbeit these parts also about the middest of them are most temperate For toward their utmost bounds they are distempered with heate or cold according to the Zones next adjoyned Now in the temperate Zone Northward lyeth our countrey of Brittaine After Appianus England within the eight Clime called Dia Ripheon and Scotland in the ninth called Dia Darvas or after Orontius whose judgement I rather allow England in the ninth Clyme and Scotland in the eleventh for the old division of the earth according to the latitude into seven Climates Orontius utterly rejecteth and thinketh the famous universitie and City of Paris in France to be placed about the end of the eight Clime because the latitude of the earth or elevation of the pole Articke for both are one in effect is there 48 degrees and 40 minutes The same reason doe I make for England because the pole Articke is exalted at London 51 degrees and 46 minutes and at Oxford 51 degrees and 50 minutes that therefore England should bee the ninth Clime because the distance of parallels from the Equator is after Orontius in the ninth Clinie all one with our elevation England then lyeth in the temperate Zone Northward and the ninth Climate having on the South-East side France on the North-East Norwey on the South-West Spaine on the West Ireland on the North Scotland Now concerning the temperature of the ayre in England whether it bee in a meane or doe exceed the meane in heat cold dryth or moysture shall best bee perceived by comparison of other countries Hippocrates in the end of his third booke of Prenotions setteth downe three Countries for example of temperate or untemperate aire in heate or cold that is Libya Delos and Scythia Libya or Affricke as over hot Scythia or Tartaria as over cold and the Iland Delos of Greece as meane temperate betwixt both The like comparison is made of Aristotle in the 7. booke and 7. Chapter of his Politikes Those nations saith he which inhabite cold countries are couragious but they have little wit and cunning Wherefore they live in more libertie and hardly receive good governance of the weale publike neither can they well rule their borderers And such as dwell in Asia excell in wit and art but they want audacitie for which cause they live in subjection to others But the Graecians as they have a Countrey in a meane betweene both so have they both qualities For they are both valiant and witty Whereby it commeth to passe that they live at liberty and have good government and such a state as may rule all other Hereunto I will adde the judgement of Galen that famous Physitian written in the second booke de San. tu and 7. Chapter which may be as an interpretation of Hippocrates and Aristotle The best temperature of body saith hee is as a rule of Polycletus such as in our situation being very temperate you may see many But in France Scythia Egypt or Arabia a man may not so much as dreame of any like And of our Countrey which hath no small latitude that part which lieth in the middest is most temperate as the Countrey of Hippocrates for that there VVinter Summer hath a meane temperature and at the Spring and fall of the leafe much better So that Greece by the judgment of these men is most temperate and France distempered with cold by the opinion of Galen And if France exceed the meane in cold then is not England in a perfect temperature but more declining to cold because it is three degrees and ten minutes farther North comparing Oxford and Paris together in the elevation of the Pole Artick Howbeit Iulius Caesar in the fift book of his commentaries thinketh the ayre to bee more temperate in Britaine in those places where he was than in France and the cold lesser And Polidorus Virgilius in his Chronicle of England seemeth to bee of the same minde The countrey saith he is at all times of the yeare most temperate and no extremitie of weather so that diseases be rare and therefore lesse use of Physick than elsewhere And many men all abroad doe live a hundred and ten years and some a hundred and twenty yet he thinketh the aire for the most part to be cloudy and rainy which also is confirmed by Cornelius Tacitus in the life of Iulius Agricola saying The ayre of Brittain is foule with often stormes and clouds without extremitie of cold But to reconcile these sayings of ancient authors I thinke that England may bee called temperate in heate in respect of Spaine and temperate in cold in respect of Norwey yet to be reckoned cold notwithstanding moist because it declineth from the mids of the temperate Zone Northward And this is the cause why Englishmen doe eate more and digest faster than the inhabitants of hotter countries videlicet the coldnesse of aire enclosing our bodies about And therefore wee provide that our tables may be more plentifully furnished oftentimes than theirs of other nations Which provision though it proceed chiefly of that plenty which our country yeeldeth is yet notwithstanding noted by forraine nations as of Hadrianus Barlandus in a dialogue between the Inholder and the traveller saying in this manner Ego curavero ut Anglice hoc est opulentissime pariter ac lautissime discumbant Thus much touching the situation temperature of EnglaÌ„d Now concerning the order of the booke Hippocrates in the sixt booke of his Epidemies setteth downe this sentence Labor Cibus Potio Somnus Venus omnia mediocriâ— as a short summe or forme of a mans whole life touching diet By the which words
for a Pot-hearbe among others and is sometime eaten being first boiled in water and then fried with Oyle and Butter and after that seasoned with Salt and Vinegar or Verjuice yet the often eating of it is disallowed by Matth. Quia vomitiones movet ventriculi intestinorum tâ—rmina facit alui 〈…〉 excitatabile CHAP. 85. Of Spinage SPinage not mentioned in Galen is colde and moist in the first degree being used in brothes or pottage it maketh the belly soluble and easeth paines of the backe and openeth the breast and strengtheneth the stomack CHAP. 86. Of Orage ORage is moist in the second degree and cold in the first being used in pottage it doth both loose the belly ease the pain of the bladder The seed of Orage is a vehement purger as Matt. writeth Noviego Pharmocopolam quendam saith hee qui ad ructicos purgandos Atriplicis tantum semen exhibebat Quod iis non sine molestia magna abunde aluum ciebat atque etiam simul crebros provocabat vomitus CHAP. 87. Of Beets BEtes are cold in the first degree and moist in the second they be abstersive and looseth the belly But much eaten they annoy the stomacke yet are they right good against obstructions or stopping of the liver and doe greatly helpe the splene CHAP. 88. Of Violets VIolets the flowers are cold in the first degree and moist in the second Of them is made Conserva in this manner Take the flowers of Violets and pick them cleane from the stalke and cut off all that which is greene Punne them small and put to them double the weight of Sugar to the weight of Violet Flowers But to all other Flowers put three parts of Sugar to the weight of the Flowers incorporate well together the Violets and Sugar and keepe it in a glasse or Gallipot it will last one yeare it is very good to bee used of such as have hot Stomacks or hot Livers Also it cooleth the head and procureth sleepe it tempereth the heart all other parts of the body The leaves may be boiled in a broth with other cooling hearbs as Endive Succory Orage Beets Sorrell Strawberry Lettuce For so they make the belly soluble avoid choller and doe bring the parts inflamed to good temper CHAP. 89. Of Sorrell SOrrell is cold in the third degree and drie in the second the leaves being sodden do loose the belly In a time of Pestilence if one being fasting do chew some of the leaves and suck downe some of the juice it marvellously preserveth from infection as a new practiser called Guainerius doth write and I my selfe have proved in my houshold saith Master Eliot in his Castell of health Which practice proveth that greene sawce is not onely good to procure appetite but also wholsome otherwise against contagion The seeds thereof brayed and drunk with wine and water are very wholesome against the Collicke and fretting of the Guts it stoppeth the laske and helpeth the stomack annoyed with repletion If any bee grieved with heate of the stomacke or inflammation of the Liver they may easily make a good Conserva for the purpose in this manner Take the leaves of Sorrell wash them cleane and shake off the water or else tary untill the water be dried cleane then beaâ— them small in a marble Morter if you have it if not in some other and to every ounce of Sorrell put three ounces of Sugar and incorporate them well together putting in the Sugar by little and little then put it in a glasse or Gallipot and stop it close and so keepe it for one yeare After the same manner you may make conserva of any hearbe CHAP. 90. Of Rose ROse is cold in the first degree and drie in the second somewhat binding especially the white Rose but the red is lesse cold and more drie and binding as for the damask and musk rose is hot moyst withall Beside the beauty and fragrant savour of Roses which is very comfortable to all the senses of Rose leaves is made a conserva passing good to be used of Students not onely to coole but also to comfort the principall parts of the body namely the head heart stomack liver spleen reynes it may bee made thus Take the buds of red Rose somewhat before they bee ready to spread cut the red part of the leaves from the white then take the red leaves and beate them very small in a stone Morter with a pestell of wood or otherwise as you may conveniently and to every ounce of Roses put three ounces of Sugar in the beating after the leaves be smal and beat all together untill they be perfectly incorporated then put it in a glasse or Gallipot stop it close and set it in the Sunne for a season for so teacheth Iacobus Weckerus in all Conserves It my bee kept for a yeare or two Of Rose leaves likewise may be made a water of like operation to the conserva and may be drunk as other distilled waters either of it selfe with Sugar or mixed with wine The red Rose water pure without any other thing mingled is most commended for wholesomnesse but the damaske Rose water is sweetest of smell And the best way to distill Roses or any other flower or hearbe after Matth. is in a Stillatory of glasse set over a pot of boyling water which they call Balneum Mariae for those waters which be distilled in Lead or Brasse receive some smatch of the mettall and be not so wholesome for mens bodies But our common manner of distilling in England is in Lead or Tynne and so we draw very good waters which keep their strength for a yeare or two and if any list to draw a very sweet washing water he may draw it as followeth Take the buds of red Roses Spike flowers and Carnation Gilophers or others but most of the Roses let them dry a day and a night put to them an ounce of Cloves grosse beaten and so distill them after that Sunne the water certaine dayes close stopped and if you will yet make it more sweet take of Musk and Civet of each a graine or more tie it in a fine linneÌ„ cloth by a thred so that it may soke in the wares so let it stand in the Sun for a time Or else you may make a very sweet water thus Take of Cipresse roots of Calamus aromaticus of Aâ—â—is of Cloves of Storax Calamite of Benjamin of each a quarter of an ounce make them in powder and when you will distill your Roses fill your Still with Rose Leaves and a few Spike Flowers and upon the topp strow some of your Powders and so distill them These Rose-Cakes will bee very sweet to lay among clothes And if you list you may hang Muske and Civet in it and Sunne it as I have said before for twenty or thirty dayes and if you will not be at cost upon Spices
for students The best Apples that wee have in England are Pepins Costards Duseannes Darlings and such other They that will not eat Apples may yet eat Apple tarts which be very wholsome for cholericke stomackes if they be well made Who so will preserve apples long must lay them in honey so that one touch not another CHAP. 103. Of Peares PEares are much of the nature of Apples and of the same temperature that is to say cold and moist in the first degree The difference of Peares must be discerned by the taste even as of Apples For some are sweet some soure some both some drier some more moist c. But they are heavier of digestion than apples And all manner of fruit generally fill the bloud with water which boyleth up in the body as new wine doth in the vessell and so prepareth and causeth the bloud to putrifie and consequently bringeth in sicknesse So Peares eaten raw make waterish and corrupt bloud and beside that they ingender winde and so cause the Cholicke And therefore if any be so greedie of them that needes they will eat raw Peares it shall bee good to drinke after them a draught of old wine of good savour as sacke or Canary wine And this is the reason as I thinke of that saying which is commonly used that peares without wine are poison that is to say hurtfull to mans nature as it is sayd in Scho Sal. Adde pyâ—o potum sine vino sunt pyra virus But if they be rosted baken or stewed they are not unwholesome And eaten after meat being rype and well gathered they doe restraine and knit up the stomacke and fortifie digestion which also is approved by Schola Sal. Cum coquis antidotum pyra sunt sed â—ruda venenum Cruda gravant stomachum relevant pyra cocta gravatum But to avoid all inconvenience that may grow by eating of Pears Apples and other fruits Cordus giveth a very good caveat in this manner Vt pyra non noceant extra mundentur intra Mox immerge sali projice deinde foras The great peares which Virgil nameth Gravia volema in English peare-wardens may be longest preserved and have chiefely the foresaid vertues As for other sorts of peares though they be more pleasant in taste yet they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Galen speaketh that is to say Summer fruits CHAP. 104. Of Peaches PEaches be cold in the first degree and moist in the second Dios saith that ripe peaches be wholsome both for the stomacke and belly But they should bee eaten before meales as Galen sheweth and not after meat as our manner is in England for beeing eaten after meat they swim above and both corrupt themselves and also the other meats But eaten before they mollifie the belly and provoke appetite and qualifie the distemperature of choler in the stomacke And after Peaches we should drink wine to helpe the coldnesse of them as it is in Scho. Sal. Persica cum musto vobis datur ordine iusto But for such as can rule themselves and refrain their appetite according to reason it is best of all to forgoe both apples peares and peaches together with other things which ingender melancholy and are unwholesome for sicke folkes and are briefely contained in these verses following taken out of Scho. Sal. Persica poma pyra lac caseus caro salsa Et caro cervina leporina bovina caprina Atra haec bile nocent suntque infirmis inimica CHAP 10. Of Plummes PLummes are cold and moist in the second degree Though there be diverse sorts of Plummes both of the garden and field and of sundry colours yet the Damasins are counted most wholesome and beeing eaten before meats they coole a hot stomacke and soften the belly as it is in Schola Sal. Frigida sunt laxant multum prosunt tibi pruna The Damasin Plummes are woont to be dried and preserved as figges and are called in English Prunes Howbeit the Latine word Prunum signifieth any kind of plumme yea Sloes and Bullase which grow wild Our Damasins in England be so small and so soure that they will make no good Prunes But our Prunes are brought from beyond the sea The best are called Damaske Prunes because they grow in a citie of Syria called Damascus as Galen noteth and are brought out of Syria to Venice and from thence to other parts of Europe The next in vertue to Damaske prunes be Spanish prunes They are used divers waies in Physicke as in Syrrups electuaries Conserves to loose the belly and to avoid choler But for meats though they nourish little they be chiefely used in Tarts or stewed in water or in wine and so if they be eaten before meales they dispose a man to the stoole I say before meals because we are wont to eat them after meales And some as I have knowne being costive and using them after meales purposely to make them soluble have missed of their purpose Which errour may bee holpen by eating them before meat For so saith Math. speaking of Prunes stewed Primis mensis devorata praeter id quod esui placent commodissimè aluum citant Whose judgement I my self following having a cholerick stomacke and a costive belly was woont sometime to breake my fast with a dish of prunes stewed contrary to the use of other men who commonly eat them last I have written the more of Prunes because it is so coÌ„mon a dish at Oxford As for Sloes and Bullase they are more meet for swine than men CHAP. 106. Of Cherries CHeries be cold and moist in the first degree they be divers in tast and commonly of two colors either blacke or red The red Cheries if they be soure or sharp be more wholesome And if they be eaten fresh and newly gathered fasting or at the beginning of dinner their nature is to scoure the stomacke and to provoke appetite as saith Arnoldus upon Sch. Sal. whose authority I alledge because peradventure it may seem strange to some that I prescribe them to be eaten before dinner whereas our common use is to eat them after dinner The vertues of Cheries are briefely set downe in the same Chapter as followeth Si Cerasum comedas tibi confert grandia dona Expurgat stomachum nucleus lapidem tibi tollit Hinc melior toto corpore sanguis inest That is to say Cheries purge the stomacke and the kernels of the cherry stones eaten drie or made milk breaketh the stone in the reines or bladder and that which no fruit in a manner else doth the substance or meat of Cherries engendereth very good bloud and comforteth and fitteth the body But yet let no student be too bold hereupon to take any surfet of Cheries as I have knowne some do but alwaies to remember that golden lesson of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if you would eat Cherries or plummes
iuice and nourisheth excellently CHAP. 176. The Preface to Fish THus much of flesh Now concerning fish which is no small part of our sustenance in this Realme of England And that flesh might be more plentifull and better cheap two dayes in the weeke that is Friday and Saturday are specially appointed to fish and now of late yeares by the providence of our prudent princesse Elizabeth the Wednesday also is in a manner restrained to the same order not for any religion or holinesse supposed to be in the eating of fish rather then of flesh but only for a civill policy as I have said That as God hath created both for mans use so both being used or refrained at certaine seasons might by that entercourse be more abundant And no doubt if all daies appointed for that purpose were duely observed but that flesh and fish would be much more plentifull and beare lesse price then they doe For accounting the Lent season and all fasting dayes in the yeare together with Wednesday Friday and Saturday you shal see that one halfe of the yeare is ordeyned to eat fish in But here I must crave a pardon of the divines that they will give mee leave to utter mine opinion touching abstinence from meates I confesse that meat maketh us not acceptable to God and that there is nothing uncleane of it selfe and that every creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it bee received with thanksgiving yet this much I will say that if a man would refraine from such meats as do most nourish and cherish his body which indeed is the exercise of fasting he should rather forgoe the eating of flesh than fish because as Cornelius Celsus saith Plus alimenti est in carne quam in ullo alio cibo which thing peradventure was the occasion why people were prohibited in time past to eat flesh or any thing els having affinity with flesh upon the fasting daies Which order as it is thought being first established by Gregory the great bishop of Rome was afterwâ—â—d superstitiously abused But now that superstition is abandoned among us and all men doe know that whatsoever goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which commeth forth me thinke for orders sake all people should be obedient to good lawes and bee aswell contented to forbeare flesh upon the dayes appointed as to use it at their pleasure at other seasons But such is the selfewill of some and voluptuousnesse of many in this our owne licentious time that without any reasonable cause or sufficient authority onely to satisfie their fleshly lust they will eat flesh at all times and seasons yea some in contempt of all good order and as it were despising all kinds of fish as though God had not created fish for our food as well as flesh wilfully misorder themselves in this behalfe But this kind of people had need to saile to the Island Antycyra according to the old proverbe to have their melancholy strongly purged least in processe of time they become starke mad But the reformation hereof I referre to the godly magistrates and returne to my purpose And this generally I say of fish that if it bee compared to flesh it is of lesse nourishment than flesh and the nourishment thereof is full of flegmatike superfluities cold and moyst And of fish generally I say that sea fish is of better nourishment then fresh water fish of the same sort because it is not so superfluously moist by reason of the saltwater which dryeth and purifieth Yet I grant that fresh water fish is sooner digested than sea fish and therfore better for sicke folks because of their feeble digestion And again of sea fish that is best which swimmeth in a pure sea and is tossed and hoysed with windes and surges And therfore the fish that is taken in the North sea which is more surging and tempestuous and swift in ebbing and flowing is better than the fish that is taken in the dead or south sea Wherefore the fish that is taken about this our country of Britaine must needes bee very wholesome And true it is as Doctor Boord witnesseth in his Dietary who was a great traveller that no nation under the sunne is better served with all manner of fish both of the sea and the fresh water than Britaine And as I have said of sea fish so I say of fresh water fish that to bee best which is bred in the deepe waters running swiftly toward the north stonie in the bottome cleane from weeds whereunto runneth no filth nor ordure comming from townes or cities For that which is taken in muddy waters in standing pooles in fennes motes and ditches maketh much flegme and ordure And here occasion is offered to speake somewhat of the old English proverbe touching the choise of fish which is That yong flesh and old fish doth men best feed How it is verified in flesh I have declared before Now concerning fish I say that old fish is not alwayes the best for if fish be of a firme and hard substance then it is better yong than old as a young Pike or a young Perch is better than an old But if it be of a soft and open substance theâ— the elder is the better as an old Eele is wholsomer than a young as some say which my interpretation is approved in Sco Sal. Si pisces molles sunt magno corpore tâ—lles Si pisces duri pâ—rvi sunt plus valitâ—ri But now what sorts of fishes bee most wholesome for mans body may well appeare by the verses following where are reckoned ten sorts as principall in the preservation of health Lucius perca saxanlis albiâ—a â—encha Sonus plagitia cum carpa galbio truta CHAP. 177. Of the Pike OF which tenne sorts the first is a Pyke which is called the king and Tyrant of other fishes because he not only devoureth fishes of other kinds but also of his owne kinde as it is in the verse following Lucius est piscis rex atque tyrannus aquarum The Pickerell or Pyke is of firme and hard substance yet giveth cleane and pure nourishment The dressing as well of this fish as of all others I referre to the art of Cookery The second is a Perch so called by the figure Antiphrasis quia nulli piscium parcit but woundeth other fishes with his sharpe sinnes The Perch is likewise of hard and fast substance and therefore is of more pure nourishment The third is a sea fish called a Sole whose commendation Arnoldus uttereth in these words Est inter pisceâ— marinos saluberrimus The fourth is a Whiting which for wholesomenesse is well entertained in the court of England and is now become an old Courtier The fifth is a Tench which is commonly called the Physitian of other fishes because when they are hurt they are healed by touching of the Tench and as he is medicinable to
be refused Drinke in Winter should bee stronger yet taken in little quantity because of the moistnesse of the time Hip. briefely setteth downe the dyet of all foure seasons of the yeare Aestate Autumno cibi copiam ferant difficillime Hyeme facillimâ— Vere minus This much concerning times of the yeare CHAP. 210. Of the times of the day COncerning times of the day usuall to eate and drinke which wee call meales they are divers in divers Countries But here in England commonly three that is Breakefast Dinner and Supper which I shall speake of in order as they bee proposed if first I give forth that notable Caveat which is in Schola Salerni alwayes to be observed before we take any sustenance So that it is as it were a preparative to meate Tu nunquam comedas stomachum ni nâ—veris esse Purgatum vacuumque cibo quem sumpseris ante Ex desiderio id poteris cognoscere certo Haec sunt signa tibi subtilis in ore 〈◊〉 In which verses two things are chiefely to bee noted First if the stomacke bee oppressed with ill humours that we eate nothing untill they bee avoided And whether or no there bee corrupt humours in the stomacke it is to be knowne Enidoribus ructibus as Galen teacheth and such ill humours as bee in the stomacke may best bee avoided vomitione ac ventris solutione as Galen sheweth And for the one practise that is by vomit what ease it worketh to a cholericke stomacke I my selfe have prooved these many yeares following therein the counsell of Galen where hee alloweth the advise of ancient Phisitians touching vomit to be used once or twise every moneth not fasting but after meate yea and such things eaten before as bee acres abstersoriae But I use it commonly at the Spring or fall of the leafe and no oftner except great occasion offered because often vomiting weakeneth the stomacke and filleth the head with vapours And how vomit may most easily bee procured I have shewed before where I spake of Olives The second thing to bee noted in the verses aforesaid is that wee eate not againe untill the meate eaten before bee first concocted and avoyded out of the stomacke for otherwise the one will let the concoction of the other and breed great crudity in the body which is the originall of the most part of diseases Now to know when the stomacke is voyde of the meat before eaten the chiefest token is hunger which if it be a true hunger riseth by contraction of the veynes proceeding from the mouth of the stomack for want of meate for so Leonhartus Fuchsiâ—â— teacheth in these words Vera fames a penuriae sensu 〈◊〉 quum venae ex ipso ventriculo veluti emulgentes sugentesque trahunt Also an other signe of emptinesse of the stomack is shewed in the last verse to bee slender dyet before going For when appetite followeth upon small sustenance taken before it is a plaine token that digestion is ended These things being observed and exercise used according to the order set down upon the word labour I say with Master Eliot that worthy and worshipfull Knight that in England men and women untill they come to the age of forty yeares may well eate three meales in one day as breakefast dinner and supper so that betweene breakfast and dinner bee the space of 4. houres at the least for 4. houres is the due time assigned to the stomack for the first concoction And betweene dinner and supper six houres and the breakefast lesse than the dinner and the dinner moderate that is to say lesse then satiety or fullnesse of belly and the drinke thereunto measurable according to the drynesse or moystnesse of the meate But touching breakefasts whether or no they are to be used it may bee some question because they are not mentioned in Galen and other antient authors of Physicke neither are they appointed by order of the Vniversities but onely two meales of the day spoken of which bee dinner and supper But to this question the answer of Hippocrates may suffice Quibus etiam semel ne an bis plus minusâ—e gradatimpraebere cibum conveniat spectandum Dandum vero aliquid tempori regioni aetati consuetudini And doubtlesse the temperature of this our Country of England is such as I have shewed in my Preface that our stomacks for the more part are hotter by reason of the coldnesse of the Clime and therefore may digest better and naturally require more meate and sooner than other nations that inhabite hotter Countryes wherefore I thinke it good for Englishmen not to be long fasting if their stomackes be cleane and empty least that happen to them which Galen speaketh of That the stomacke for want of meate draw unto it corrupt humours wherby hapneth head-ach and many perillous diseases for true is that saying of the phâ—sicians Diutius tolerare â—amem ventriculum malis complet hu moribus But if the stomacke bee uncleane it is better to refraine than eat for true is that saying of Hip. Impura corpora quo plus nutriveris eo magis laeseris But when the stomacke is cleansed after the manner before mentioned then may you eate safely And for breakfast as I thinke those meates be most convenient especially for students which be of light digestion as Milk Butter Egges and such like Howbeit herein appetite and custome beare great sway as they doe in every part of dyet And if nothing else be to bee had I thinke it better to take a little bread and drinke that the stomacke may have somewhat to worke upon than to be altogether fasting untill noon Yet I know there is great difference among men in this respect and some may better bide without meat than others may which Hip. notably setteth forth Iejunium senes non decrepiti ferunt facillime secundum hos qui constantem aetatem agunt minus adolescentes minime omnium pueri at que inter eos maxime qui acriore sunt vividiore ingenio praediti Children then and young men untill they come to the age of 35. may not be long fasting without inconvenience Men of middle age that is from 35. to 49. yeares may better beare it for so constans aetas is to bee taken in Hip. and Galen as Fuchsius sheweth Old men being not decrepit that is to say from 50 to 70. yeares may best of all abide fasting but after seventy yeares they are to be dieted as children Nam bis pueri senes as the old proverbe is But some doubt may be made what the word Ieiunium should signifie in Hip. whether or no it be to be taken as the Divines use it that is for abstinence from flesh taking but one meale a day and in the morning and evening instead of breakefast and supper to use bread and drinke which kinde of fasting is some punishment to the Body and subdueth the
fettered with gowts racked with fevers pierced thorow with plurifies strangled with Squinances and finally cruelly put to death many times in youth or in the flower of their age when they would most gladly live But herein I speake against mine owne profit and the commodity of all them that professe Physicke Nam intemperantia medicorum nutrix But for my part I had rather be without sucke than that any man through his intemperate feeding should have cause to fee mee or feed me and to that end I have with my great travell written this whole booke Wherefore I advise all men not to linger the time long in eating and drinking superfluously but to have alwayes in minde that golden verse Esse decet vivas vivere non ut edas Man feeds to live and liveth not to feed Yet a reasonable time to eat in is necessary for to eat over-greedily and to snatch up our meat hastily is hurtfull and hindereth concoction and to chew our meat well and to swallow it downe leasurely is a great furtherance to the well digesting of the same And indeed it is the very end and purpose why the teeth were ordained For as there be three concoctions the first in the Stomacke the second in the Liver the third in every part of the body So there bee three places of preparation the mouth to prepare the meat for the stomacke the veines called Miseraicae to prepare for the Liver and the uttermost veines of every member to prepare for nourishment of the parts themselves Wherefore a dinner while must needs be had And to sit a while after dinner is not unwholsome according to that old English saying After dinner sit a while and after supper walke a mile Yet in Schol. Sa. it is counted wholsome Surgere post epulas that is to stirre or walke a little after meat that thereby the meat may descend to the bottome of the stomacke Both may be done conveniently for it is no good manner to rise up from the table eating or to rise up by and by after meat is out of the mouth CHAP. 212. Of Supper ABout foure houres or six after that we have dyned the time is convenient for Supper which in the Vniversities is about five of the clock in the afternoon But in the country abroad they use to sup at six and in poore mens houses when leisure will serve The dyet most wholsome to be used at Supper is set down in Schola Salerni Coenato parum and againe in this manner Ex magna caena stomacho fit maxima paena Vt sis nocte levis sit tibi caena brevis So that in both places wee are counsailed to make a light Supper because much meat eaten at night grieveth the stomack and letteth naturall rest wherefore of good policy as I thinke was it provided at Oxford that upon festivall dayes when as they fared sumptuously at dinner yet at supper they should have little more than ordinary commons But here riseth a great question whether a man should eate more at dinner or at supper Conciliator a famous Physitian is of that minde that more meate should bee eaten at dinner than at supper because the heat of rhe day joyned to the naturall heate of the body may digest more and for that nature in the night season hath enough to do to digest the superfluities of meat eaten before and should not therefore be letted with much meat taken in the evening Leonhartus Fuchsius contrariwise proveth that the Supper for the most part should bee greater than the dinner because the coldnesse of the night and sleepe doe greatly helpe concoction and the time from Supper to Breakfast or Dinner is much longer than betweene dinner and supper But this question may easily bee determined and these great Clerks reconciled after this manner They that be lusty and strong of nature and travell much may eat more at Supper than at Dinner because in them there is no need of digestion of superfluities but onely to strengthen their bodies which may best bee done in the night time when the senses are at rest But they that be diseased or aged or troubled with rheumes as the most part of students bee and others also Qui sedentariam vitam agâ—â—t these I say should eat little at Supper because nature in the night following should not bee hindered in the concoction of raw and superfluous humours Quos somnus maxime conficit benigâ—â—s reddit And to these men the verses aforesaid oâ— Scho. Sal. must bee applyed And for as much as the whole booke of Scho. Sal. was written specially for English men as appeareth by the Preface it shall be hurtfull for none to follow the said precepts considering that there is not any one more annoyance to the health of mens bodies in this Realme of England than distillations from the head commonly called rheumes the occasion whereof some impute to much drinking of Beere but I thinke that the great moisture of the aire of thâ—s Realme for wee have pluviâ—m neâ—ulosum coelum as Iulius Agricola saith and the continuall gouâ—mandize and daily feeding on sundry meats at one meale is the very cause why English men be so rheumaticke above other nations for repletion breedeth crudity and of crudity proceed rheumes and of rheumes Gowts Dropsies Palsies and other innumerable maladies Wherefore it behoveth every man that would live in health to feed moderatly whether it bee at Dinner or Supper and moderate feeding is according to the strength of the stomacke to take more or lesse so it be without griefe For as Hippocrates writeth where meat is received much above measure that maketh sicknesse Yet because it is hard alwayes to hold the meane and divers occasions may make a man to forget himselfe at meat if he misse the marke and shoot over at Dinner yet let him withdraw his hand and hit the marke at Supper Wherefore let Students avoid that Epicurisme which is too too much used in England and especially of Merchants to make great Suppers and to sit eating and talking for the space of three or foure houres Yea and after Supper for feare lest they bee not full gorged to have a delicate banquet with abundance of Wine not leaving nor scant rising excepts it bee for necessities untill it bee time to goe to bedâ—â— no noâ— then neither oftentimes but so continuing in â—arowsing and quaffing untill mid-night or after except they happen to fall a sleepe at the boord or to fall downe under the boord But 〈◊〉 Students remember that summum bonum is in virtute non in voluptate 〈…〉 remaineth in Schola Salerni concerning Supper which is this Vt vites paenam de potibus incipe caenâ—m Which is not so to bee taken as the words doe seeme to import that one ought to beginne his Supper or meale with drinke though I have knowne some to use that order drinking a draught of