it well regarde it and fauour it It shall not bee vnprofitable also if we remember by our selfes what our dyet is for if it shall chaunce that we shalbe at drinkyng or feastyng or at great labours and other intemperate busynesse the body in the meane season not suspectyng ne felyng any dissease yet it shalbe best for vs of our owne myndes to take hede and preuent that after venereall actes or werines we kepe y â— body in quiet and rest that after surfaictyng and quaffyng we drynke water And specially if we haue eateÌ„ meates heauy of digestioÌ„ as of flesshe or other meates of diuerse sortes theÌ„ it shalbe requisite to eate littell and to leaue nothyng superfluous in y e bodye For as these thynges of theim selfes are the cause of many disseases so thei brede mater geue strength to other And therfore it is notably saied y t to eate without saturite to bee lusty to labour to conserue naturall seede bee thynges moste holsome For verily immoderat coÌ„gressioÌ„ w t women because it pulleth out chiefly y t strength whereby the meate is digested bredeth verie muche suê‘fluitie therefore leat vs repete our communicacion settyng euery thyng in his place order first leat vs talke of suche exercises as bee meete for those y t bee geuen to y e studie of good lettres But as he whiche saied y t it was nothyng nedefull to wryte vnto theim y t dwell by y e sea costes any medicines for the touthe ache did in y t woordes teache theim to vse saltwater so maye a manne saie we ought not to prescribe to studentes preceptes of exercisyng their bodyes forasmuche as the daily vse of disputacions if it bee vsed by mouth is a maruelous exercise and profitable not onely for y e health but also to y e streÌ„gth of the body I meane not suche strength as wrastlers haue nor y t retcheth y e skynne froÌ„ y e fleshe or dooeth make a scurfe on it stoppeth it w tout as masons do a wal of a house but suche as dooeth in the liuely vitall partes whiche vital partes we maie moste aptely call ours geue and encrease an inwarde strength and a perfecte lustynesse And to proue that the breathe muche encreaseth the streÌ„gth of the body the masters teachers of wrastlers dooe declare coÌ„mauÌ„dyng theim to rubbe one another to bee alwaies pattyng iently beatyng y e skynne to preserue y e partes of the bodye w t enoyntyng continual handlyng And for asmuche as y â— voice is a mouyng and stirryng of the breath whiche worketh not lightly nor on the outsyde but in the inwarde partes at y e veraie founteyn encreasyng heate makyng the bloodde subtile pure pourgyng the veynes openyng the sinewes it suffereth not y e superfluous humours to weaxe grosse nor to congele whiche like dregges remayn in y e place where the meate is receiued and digested Therefore they must endeuour chiefly to vse make theimselfes famylyar w t this kynd of exercise contynually disputyng talkyng readyng or repetiÌ„g if thei suspect their body to be any thyng wery or weake For what ê“porcion ridyng on horsbacke or in a wagoÌ„ or like beyng caried hath to y e violent labour of wrastlyng rennyng suche like stroÌ„g exercises thesame ê“portioÌ„ coÌ„parisoÌ„ hath readyng w t a lowde voice to disputacion For readyng doeth as it wer in the wagon of an other maÌ„s talke ieÌ„tly moue vs after a quiet sorte coÌ„ueigheth carieth our voice But disputacion hath annexed vnto it straynyng of the voice a kind of enforcemeÌ„t wheÌ„ y e labour of y e mynde w t y e labour of y e bodye bee clapsed together Howbeit we must refrayne froÌ„ to lowde noyse brallyng clamour For vnmeasurable straynyng violeÌ„ce of y e breath do induce and cause craÌ„pes rupturs But wheÌ„ your repeticioÌ„s disputacioÌ„s be ended before ye walke it shalbe coÌ„uenieÌ„t to vse warme ieÌ„tle soft smoth fricacioÌ„s or rubbiÌ„g w t oyle to make softe y e fleashe so faire to wipe it as y e skyn fleashe beyng opened y e inwarde humours maye haue the more free course to come out and y t the spirite maie in due proporcion ientely sprede abrode into thextreme partes of the body Leat this bee your proporcion y t ye vse it so long tyll ye perceiue your body pleasaunte lustie Whosoeuer after this sorte quieteth recreateth the motion or trouble growen within and y e intencioÌ„ streinyng of y t breaeth shal neither fele griefe ne heauynesse of suê‘fluitee And although the time will not serue or his busynesse will not suffer hym to vse walkyng yet ther shalbe no dauÌ„ger for nature self hath corrected and emended y t belonged to her Neither let to do this while ye be on shipbourd or beyng in y t coÌ„meÌ„ ynne no nor although euery maÌ„ laugh at you Veryly where it is no dyshonestie to eate there it is no shame to walke â–ª but rather it is more dyshonestye to feare shipmeÌ„ horsekepers hostelers tapsters mocking you not because ye play at y e sphere wherlegyg or tables or dooe not exercise to fyght with your own shadow but because in youre exercyse ye dooe dyspute teache demauÌ„d questions learne or exercise the memorie wherfore Socrates vsed to say that he y t would leape nedeth a large roome to exercise hym self but he y t would occupy hym selfe in singing or speakynge euery place woulde serue bothe to stande sitte One thing also in that must bee forseen that knowyng our selfes to haue surfaicted or to haue exercised y e body ouer muche with woman or y t we bee wery we bee not to vehement of spirite nor crye out ouer loude whiche is a coÌ„men practise emong lawiers schoolemen criyng out and exclaming more theÌ„ nedeth some for glorye and ambicyon and some hired to bee at a barre or at coÌ„men disputacions Our frende Niger professyng sophistrye in Galatia by chaunce had swalowed in the backe bone of a fyshe In the meane season while an other Sophiste being a strauÌ„ger had begoonne to exercise his feate Niger fearing to be preuented by hym to bee defrauded of his glory and praise if he should gâ—â—â— place the bone sticking styll in his throte he beganne also to crye out But the place beginniÌ„g to â—wâ—ll and to bee harde and he not hable to abyde the paine was forced to bee launced and cut to bee serched veray depe with an instrument of yron y e boâ—e was tâ—ken out but y e wound being made veray daungerous renning dispeched y e man of his lyfe Some man will remembre this an other tyme wheÌ„ he seeth cause But it is rather ambityon and y e parte of a youÌ„g foole then a thiÌ„g healthfull to vse cold baines after labour of the body for the euyll
But as Demades saied of the Atheniense that they would begynne warre euer oute of season and that they woulde neuer make anye decree to haue peace but in mournyng weedes sorowyng the losse of theyr meÌ„ne so we neuer remember moderate and meane fare but when we lye bournyng in the feuer as hootte as coles and bee dryuen to our Poticarie ware and sloubber-sawces And yet when we bee fallen in to theim it is to bee woondered howe we can cloke and couer our foly leaning ouer muche to fame and opynion as the common sort of people dooeth that tourne the faulte sometime to the alteration of the ayre somtime to the vnholsomenesse of the countrye or to ouer muche laboure because it shoulde not bee knowen that superfluitee and immoderate eatyng and drynkyng was y e cause thereof But euen as Lysimachus beeynge emonge the barbarous Scithyans for lacke of drynke constrayned to yelde hym selfe to his enemies after he hadde receiued a syppe of coulde water to quenche hys thirst withall saied good lord howe greate felicitee haue I forsakeÌ„ and put away for a short pleasure eueÌ„ so ought we in our syckenesse to call to remembraunce that for a draught of water taken out of due tyme or by goyng to y e bayne out of seasoÌ„ and by quaffyng for good felowship we haue forgon many pleasures of y e same thynges a greate many notable businesses haue remayned vndone and besydes we haue loste not a fewe mery pastimes and pleasaunt exercises For the continuall thynkyng theron shall cause sorowe to byte vs by the stomake leaue in y â— memorie sâ—che a scarre and marke that we shalbe the more chare and circumspecte when we bee hole to chose and obserue good dyet For then the body beeyng restored to healthe will not breade veraie greate lustes and appetites suche as cannot bee brydeled and restrained nor straunge nor suche as caÌ„not bee subdued but it shalbee requysite if any suche gredie appetyte happen to breake out and to leape at suche thynges as it coueteth that we bee of valiauÌ„t and bolde courage to resiste For y e appetite can dooe nothyng but wepe and sobbe for a while like a childe and afterward by and by dooth holde her peace when the meate is out of sight and will neither complayne nor bee angrie but on the contrary parte rather beeyng clene and lustie and not heauie nor fulsom endureth till the next daye As Timotheus after he had fared meanely and sobrely at supper with Plato in the vniuersite saied y t those whiche vsed to suppe with Plato wer the better in healthe the next daye after for that supper The reporte gooeth also that Alexander after he had reiected oute of his seruyce hys cookes and bely mynistres vsed to saie that he had reteyned better in their place that is stirryng of the bodye erely in the mornyng before daye and puttyng it to laboure to make his dyner fauerye and small fare at dyner to make his supper pleasaunt and touthesome And yet I knowe it right often to chaunce that laboure heate and colde dooe caste a manne in a feuer but as the sauour of floures of theim selfe not verie strong beeyng myngled with oyle haue a more vehement sente in like maner dooeth abundaunce of humours before gathered make apte and dispose the bodye to receiue suche disseases as procede of the externall causes aforesaid If exteriour causes fynde the bodye emptie the bloodde pure and subtill and the spirites clene there is no daunger of theim they bee easyly and soone dispeched but if the bodye bee full and replete w t humoures theÌ„ as mudde maketh the water fowle wheÌ„ it is stiered so it infecteth all partes and bryngeth theim in case that thei caÌ„not bee easely cured Therfore we must take hede that we dooe not as shipmen dooe who for gredynes to carye muche in their shippe dooe cause it to take in waters and bee constreyned by ladyng it out to labour still at the pumpe So we ouerladyng and chargyng the stomack bee forced to pourge and emptie it with purgacions and clysters But it shalbe requysite to preserue it prest and light that if so bee it fortune to bee ouerwhelmed it maye for the lightnes ryse vp and appere as a corke dooeth in the water And we must bee charie and circumspecte at the first in any wise wheÌ„ sickenesse is towarde and felte For not all disseases steale on a manne sodenlye without warnyng but thei haue messagers postes that renne before and declare their comyng as cruditee of stomacke slougth and dulnes of bodye Heuynesse of the bodye saieth Hippocrates and werynesse growyng without cause bee tokens that sickenesse is at hande and the cause thereof semeth to bee by reason of aboundauÌ„ce of humoures and the puffyng out swellyng the grossenesse of the spirites that hang on the synowes And yet there bee some that when the bodye selfe in a maner striueth and woulde bee fayn layed at rest wyll forthwith into the baynes fall to drynkyng and furnyshyng the bodye with vytayles euen as though a long assaulte and obsession shoulde folowe and as though thei feared least the feuer should take theim ere they had dyned Other agayn muche estemyng theim selfes folowe not this trade but while they bee ashamed to coÌ„fesse ouermuche eatyng and crudite of the stomake to kepe theimselfes all daie in their clothes will forthwith their compaignioÌ„s to practise feactes and put of their clothes to dooe as they dooe that bee in perfecte healthe Many there bee whom in defense of their intemperaunce and delycacie hope pricketh and persuadeth that forsakyng their beddes they maye boldelye retourne to their pristinate dyet to taste a heare of the mad doggue that hathe byten theim euen as though thei might expell wyne w t wyne surfet w t surfet Against this hope Cato his remedye must bee vsed Hope saieth he maketh those thynges y t bee greate lytle and those that bee litle it maketh nothyng And it shalbe also necessarye to remembre y t it is better to absteyne froÌ„ eatyng wheÌ„ a maÌ„ne nedeth it not to be at rest then to eate afterward to bee drawen allured to y â— baynes to eatyng and drynkyng there to synke down to bee in ieoperdie For if there bee any daunger he maye fortunâ— to haue his parte therof if he bee not wyse haue not preuented the matier and absteyned from it If there bee no daunger yet shall it bee no hurte to haue rectifâ—ed and purâ—fied the bodye But that childishe person that feareth to disclose to his freÌ„des seruauntes that his sickenesse came of ingurgytacion and superfluâ—tee that foole that for shame will not at the begynnyng confesse crudite of stomacke shal shortely after maugre his tethe bee coÌ„pelled w t shame to declare y t he hathe a flixe a feuer or frettyng grypyng
in y e belly MeÌ„ne take it for a great shame to bee a houngred but they maye well thynke it a greater reproche if any go to y e baynes with a rawe stomake ouerladen or puffed out with meate eueâ— as they should bryng to y e sea an olde rotteÌ„ shyp y t leaketh Vereli in like maner as some Maryners bee ashamed to kepe the shore in a great tempest but after not able to brooke the seas bee with more shame cast on lande criyng out and vomityng so those that perceyue theyr bodye disposed to sickenesse whyle they thynke it a reproche to kepe their bed or to forbeare meate for a daye are afterwarde to theyr greate shame constreined to kepe it many dayes whylest they bee pourged rubbed emplaistred enointed whyle they muste bee at all coÌ„maundementes of the PhisicyaÌ„s while they desire to drinke wyne or colde water beyng compelled in the meane season partely for feare not onely to saye but also to dooe many thinges bothe contrarye to reason and also vncomlye But it shalbee requisyte to enstructe and warne those that beeyng drouned in sensualite bee not lordes of their selfes but disposed and geuen to affectes lustes bee rapte hedlong into the same how the greatest parte of pleasures delectacions comen of the bodye selfe and as the Lacedemonians when they gaue their cookes vineagre and salte wylled theim to seke out other sawce in the meate it selfe so the best sawce for any kynde of meate is to bee receiued into a lusty whole and clene bodye for a thynge maye bee swete and deintye of it selfe withoute confectyons It is made after this sorte pleasaunte yf it bee receiued into a bodye that hath delyte and pleasure thereto that liueth accordyng vnto nature But on the contrary parte if they chaunce to come into a body that hathe no phansie therunto beeyng crude and euil disposed they lose their relyse and vertue Therfore this is not to bee pondered wehther the fishe bee newe or the breade fyne and pure whether the bayne bee warme but a manne must consyder in what case he hym selfe is whether his stomacke standeth ayenste it or whether he bee out of quiet whether his bodye bee corrupted or throughlye distempered whiche thing if he dooe not this shall folowe y t as yf a sorte of reuellers and drouÌ„kardes come into a place wheâ—e people bee mournyng and sorowful they shal cause no pleasure nor mirthe but rather make theim to crye out so yf Venus meates baines wynes bee myngled in a bodye that is euell dysposed and vnnaturally affected they brede and make no pleasure but the humours whiche as yet bee not perfectely corrupted they stiere and trouble and more and more prouoke phleugme cholere Moreouer there is no delectacyon in theim greately to bee estemed neither the pleasure of the fruicioÌ„ of theim doth aunswer to the expectation Therfore the precise diet obserued to the vttermust poincte bothe maketh the bodye fearfull and subiecte to perilles and breaketh the strength and courage of the mynde whyle it refuseth all busynesse whyle yt dare not bee occupyed neither in pleasure nor in laboure whyle it hathe in suspiction the doynge of euery thyng lest it shoulde hurte and gooeth aboute nothyng courageously and boldely But y e body must bee ordered as the shypmen dooe their sayles in a calme weather who neither take theim in nor vtterly strike theim down nor suffer their sheates to bee lose theim selfes beyng neglygent or slouthfull when they thyncke a storme toward So it is conuenient to take hede to make the body lighte prest wheÌ„ we looke not for crudite flixe burnyng or dulnesse which thinges bee messagers tokeÌ„s y t the feuer is at hand yet some ther be y t when thei perceiue theÌ„ selfes alredy distempered doo scacely then fall to good diet But rather before sykenesse come we ought to preuent prouide for it as shipmeÌ„ do agaynst a teÌ„pest wheÌ„ thei se the northeÌ„ wynd doth sheuer wherle the toppe of the water of the seas Forverely it is a thing repugnauÌ„t to al reason a very fondnes diligeÌ„tly to obserue marke the alteration of the wetherby criyng of crowes the crowing of cockes the hogges towsyng the straw about their eres as though thei wer mad as Democritus was woÌ„t to say and not to note and perceiue the motioÌ„s stormes of the body and other prognosticatioÌ„s of diseases to be ignorauÌ„t in y e tokens wherby ye shal perceiue a tempest towarde in youre selfe Wherfore it shalbe requisite and expedient to obserue and note the body not only in his meates and exercises whether it be offended or dooe grudge at theÌ„ more theÌ„ he was wont or whether it bee more thirsty or desyrous of meat theÌ„ it vsed to bee but also ye must mark if ye slepe not souÌ„dly if ye be troubled or vexed therin if ye make many slepes It shalbe also well dooen to note y e absurdites of dremes For if ye haue any foule or vnacustomed visioÌ„s it betokeneth y t the body is replenished w t grosse humours or the spirites vitall of the body bee distempered wythin By the affections and dispositioÌ„s of the mynde a manne maye also gather whether y e body be disposed to a dysease For ofteÌ„ tymes it happeneth that a manne shalbe sad and pensife without iust cause and bee putte sodenly in feare Some bee also mad angrie and wilbe offeÌ„ded and displeased quickely Other wilbe sad wepe and mourne for a trifle and this happeneth as ofte as euell vapoures sower and grosse exhalacioÌ„s dooe stoppe or occupie the cyrcuites of the mynde Wherefore those persons to whoÌ„ suche thynges dooe chauÌ„ce must coÌ„sider and remember that yf y e occasion procede not of the mynde it must come of the body whiche requireth to be kept more temperate abated It shall dooe good also that a manne hauyng his freÌ„des disseased dooe aske y e cause therof not to theÌ„teÌ„t to chattre sophistically nothyng to y t purpose of deÌ„sitees incideÌ„cies and coÌ„mutacions and suche like folishe termes and to shewe and osteÌ„te how cuÌ„nyng and well seen he is in doctours names but wheÌ„ he shall not negligeÌ„tly heare this light and commen thynges y t is of surfaictyng emptines werynes dreames he ought chiefly to enquire what dyet he kepte when he fell into the feuer and afterwarde to saie as Plato was wont to saie seyng other mennes faultes that I herafter bee not in y t case Thus of his frendes sickenes and euilles it is requisite y t a manne prouide for hymself and take hede and remember that he come not to the like that he like wise kepte in his bedde haue not cause to prayse and desire y t moste precious iewell of health But wheÌ„ an other is sicke he will note with hymself what a iewell it is to bee in health and bee diligent that hauyng that treasure he preserue
spent at dice other games But he y t is a student loueth learnyng yf he shall haue occasion to suppe late wyll looke on a Mappe or a booke or playe at the lute striuyng fyghtyng with the bely and by dyligentlye callyng the mynde from meate and tournyng it to studye will wyth learnyng soone shake of his appetite For if the rude Scythian be not ashamed in y e myddest of his drynkyng oftentymes to drawe his bowe and when it is vubent to syng by this meanes kepyng hym selfe from drouÌ„keÌ„nesse shall a Greke feare to bee mocked that with letters and hys bookes doeth by lytle and lytle shake of importune and the vnrulye appetites The younge menne of whom the famouse Poete Menander in hys comedies treateth whom whyle they wer banquettyng an olde Bawde thought to trappe in a snare with bryngyng in dyuers fayre and gorgeous harlottes did caste downe their heddes and fell to their delycates not so hardy as ones to caste their iyes on theim But those that loue good learnyng haue many honeste and pleasaunte wayes to withdrawe and pluck backe the mynde if they caÌ„ by none other meanes restreigne the gredye and beastely appetite when it seeth meate And where those y e bee teachers of feactes dooe crye out the masters of games dooe ofte inculke into their scholars that dysputyng of learnynge at meales corrupteth the sustenaunce and causeth heauynesse of the hedde It is not alwayes to bee feared but when we goo aboute to defyne weightie matters or to dispute for the victorye who shall beare the bell The brayne of a Phenix is veraye pleasaunt and delicate yet it is saied that it causeth the hedde ache Disputacion at meate as it is no pleasaunte susteinaunce so it bredeth veraye muche ache and heauynesse of hedde Thus saye they But if they wyll not suffer vs at meales to demaunde or oppose dispute or reade any other thyng then that shall delite and helpe pleasure and if they reken that to be a parte of honestie and profite we will geue theim warnyng that they trouble not ne molest vs leat theim piycke theim from vs teache it their felowes and scholars Whom while thei discourage from good lettres and vse to spende their lyfe in mockyng and rayllyng they make like to the pyllers of their schoole grosse in bodye and dul in witte like a stone as Aristo veray featly saied And yet theself same men beyng counsailled and perswaded by PhysiciaÌ„s dooe alwaies coÌ„maunde not to gooe to bed immediatly after supper But suffer a pause to bee betwene supper and gooyng to bed not heaping together y e meate troubling and oppressing the spirites leste thei ouerlaye concoction y e meate being rawe and boilyng in y e stomacke as they be woont that entende after supper to moue y â— bodie who dooe it not with renning nor with extreme but with softe ientle exercise as walking or moderate dauncing euen so oughte we to thinke y t the mind after supster must not bee troubled neither with businesse nor with cares nor with subtyll contentions whiche commenly growe into an ambicious conflicte tumulte but there bee many questions of the nature of thiÌ„ges whiche as they bee not weighty so be they probable many narracions also that concerne good maners wherin some thing is worthye to bee consydered and weighed void from all contention and stryfe and yet mixed with suche pleasures as maye coumforte and delite the mynde And some there bee that for pleasure haue called such exercises in questyons of historyes of Poetes the secound course of studentes learned menne There bee narracions besyde that bee easye and wherin is no tediousnesse there bee also fables To heare of y e conceiptes of y e lute or other iÌ„strumeÌ„t it is more easy theÌ„ to heare y e harpe or shalme gooing There is also a ê“porcioÌ„ of time herin to be regarded y t is wheÌ„ by the softe ientle setteling of the meate y e digestion is temperat suche as we would haue But forasmucheas Aristotle is of this opinion y t he thynketh walkyng after supper doth stiere the heate slepe incoÌ„tineÌ„tly doth suffocate thesame other thinke the contrary that digestioÌ„ is furthered with quiet and y t it is hindered with mocion some folowiÌ„g Aristoteles mind dooe walke immediatly after supper other incliniÌ„g to thother parte do rest Mine opinion is that ye folowe a peculiar waye made of both y t may couÌ„fort the bodye after supper and kepe it not vexing the mynde nor yet suffring it to bee idle but as before is saied ientely mouing the spirites and making theim more pure fyne by tellyng or hearing some pleasauÌ„t and mery coÌ„ceipte that neither may frette the minde nor cast it in dumpes Ye shall besides not practise vomites nor laxes or losyng of y e bely made with medicines excepte great necessytee requireth because they bee euell coumfortes solaces of surfaicting And yet the coÌ„men sorte of people vse it who to thenteÌ„t to pourge euacuate their bodyes dooe purposely fyll y e bely and ayen dooe pourge emptie the body to fyll it booth ayenst nature no lesse in y e meane seasoÌ„ troubled with replecion then with emptinesse yea rather by all meanes auoydyng repletion as a lette to delicacie prepare and make redy emptines as a place and space for pleasures It is euidently knowen that eyther of those thynges troublyng and shrinkyng the body hurteth the same Vomite hath a peculiar mischefe in y t it increaseth and nourisheth insacyabilitee and is neuer satysfied There cometh of it vehemente hounger and troublesome as it wer flouddes at diuers tymes whyche by violence pulleth a maÌ„ne to meate being alwaye tormented not by reason of appetite desiryng meate conuenient but by the inflaÌ„macions and exulcerations of medicines playstres By reason wherof of when they haue pleasures the same are nothing pleasauÌ„t ne profitable but y e partyes haue much trouble in the fruicion of theÌ„ and besyde the retchynges and violeÌ„t coÌ„mocions of the pores and spirites dooe impresse leaue behinde theim certain remaines that will not tary and looke for a purgation but so redounde and flowe into all the body as the fylth dothe in a shyp when the pumpe is ful whyche hathe nede rather of castyng out then to haue more lode laied on And the coÌ„motions that throughe medycines bee made in the botome of the bellye dooe corrupt and make moyst the partes subiecte thereunto encrease more superfluitee then they bring oute And therefore euen as one beeyng dyspleased wyth the multitude and greate compaignie of Grekes dwelling in a cytee dooth banyshe theÌ„ replenysh the same wyth Arabians and Scythes beyng strauÌ„gers so many beyng out of y e way wheÌ„ thei haue emptied their bodies of those thinges that it was vsed with and superfluitees thei put therein straungers as for exaumple y e graines whiche the