in their affections impatient soone angrie and soone pleased ingenious in invention but proude bold impudent vanters scorners crastie vindictiues quarrelous rash and vndescreete vnfit to beare charge eithe in state or warre as vnable to indure heate hunger travell watching and other incommodities of warre their sleepe is short and troubled They should keepe themselues out of the sunne in an aire cold and humide vsing cold refreshing meates as by the forenamed herbs fruites cold or sodden barly prunes melons cucumbers and to sause their meat either boyld or rosted with â—he juce of grenads oranges and cytrons â—r verjus they ought to eate much and â—ften to vse little wine moderate exerâ—ise eshewing the excesse of Venus anger â—r wrath and all deepe meditation Of Melancholicks The predominant humours in the body giveth still the name to the complexion â—o they in whom through their cold and dry temperature melancholie aboundeth are called melancholicks such are of a body cold dry rude without haire having straite veines and arteres the colour is browne or blackish the countenance sad or trist Among all the complexions that are intemperate there is none to be preferred to the melancholick provyding it conteine it selfe within the tearmes of health for of all men the melancholicks are fittest to carrie charge the sanguineans are given to their pleasure The bilious having their head full of quick silver they lack judgement and deliberation The pituitous are so lumpish that they care for nothing but to haue their back at the fire and the bellie at the table so melancholicks are of all most fit First because they doe their bussinesse with due deliberation Secondly because they are quyet and not babblers or talkatiues doing their affaires without dinne 3. because solitarie and retired so that their spirits not being distracted they may thinke on their affaires the better taking greater pleasure in the profound meditation of serious businesse than in idle toyes 4. Because they seeme sad in companie not taking pleasure in gaming laughing fooling or in idle spending of the time and yet they liue verie contented when they are where they may recreat their spirits not having any thing affords them greater contentment than to moderate their meditations and to be imployed in serious matters it is agreable to all men in authoritie to haue a graue countenance and somewhat severe 5. Because they are fearefull when they see any danger not willing rashlie either to hazard their lyfe honour or estate so they interprise nothing lightly 6. Because constant in their opinions words and deads for having past any thing thorow the alembick of reason they cannot bee brangled 7. Because slow to wrath as also to be appeased except it be those who hath beene first bilious and now are melancholicks they will haue some shorte fittes smelling of their former disposition 8. Because they are commonlie good husbands and doth not spend their goods idlely 9. Because they are couragious respecting their honour aboue all things They should flee the aire that is grosse and thick choising the subtile and cleare shunning also meates that are viscuous windie grosse melancholick and of hard digestion choosing the flesh of Veilles muttons kiddes capons partridges and of young beastes rejecting the old vsing boylled meate often with burrage buglosse endiue cichorie but no cabbage beattes neippes oynions sybouse and no bitter or sharpe byting herbs as also no beanes and pease their drink should bee white wine or cleare fyne beare moderat exercise and pleasant games long watching is noysome sound sleeping wholesome their belly still should bee keeped open Of Flegmaticks Flegmaticks are of colour white or grayish their face bowden or swelled in some kynd the body growne soft cold to the touch without haire the veines and arteres straite the haire white the spirit lumpish and stupide so they are slowe sweere heavy cowards sluggish sleepie subject to destillations vomiting or spiting of flegme colick hydropsie and other sicknesse proceeding from flegme They must make choyse of hote dry things which may correct their intemperate complexion as the aire hote and dry such lyke meats of the same qualities their bread of good flower well hardned mixed with a little salt and annise their flesh rather rost than boyld being of easie digestion and few excrements as capons pigeons partridgs young conies and kiddes and birdes of the field fleeing these of the river as also swyne flesh lambe flesh and Veilles with all boyld meate all fish all sort of milk Herbs hote as sauge menth marjoline hysope thym rosmarie and the like are to bee vsed but cold as lattuces and pourpie to bee refused they should combe well their head in the morning rubbing it with their necke striving to purge the head of a 〈…〉 the excrements too long sleepe is naughâ— for them and alwayes while they sleepe looke they keepe the head and feet warme The change of dyet according to the age It is a thing most sure that although man should doe all that is required for the keeping of his temperament naturall yet hee cannot stay alwayes in one estate without alteration hee is first by nature hote and humide yet with tyme the heate and naturall moyst is so diminished that in end hee becommeth cold and dry so that by processe of tyme the body of it selfe doth change The Physitians looking to the most sensible changes hath divided the lyfe of man in fiue parts infancie bairnly age youth middle age and olde age The infancie is hote and humide of complexion but the humiditie surpasseth the heate and keepeth it so in subjection that it can not kyth it continueth from the birth to the fourteenth yeere Bairnely age or adolescencie is also hote and humide but the heate in it beginneth to appeare so the voice in male children becommeth austere and grosser all the passages of the body are inlarged in women the pappes hardneth and groweth greater and they begin to haue their naturall flowrs It is from 14 to 25 which is the terme and end of grouth Youth is hote and dry full of fire agilitie and force it is the flower of the age and is from 25 to 35 in it cholere or bile doth reigne as in the former blood Midde age followeth which keeping the middes betweene the extremities is the most temperate of all in it the force beginneth to declyne but it is recompensed by the gifts of the mynde which are in greater measure than before as discretion wisedome and judgement lasting from 35 to 49 And old age beginning there containeth all the rest of the life vntill the end It is the most cold and dry tyme of the life by reason of the destruction of the naturall moist by the inbred heate abounding neverthelesse in humide pituitous excrements hence their eyes are still watring their nose dripping and their mouth being full of water they are still spitting The division of ages must not alwayes bee taken from the tyme for some sooner
humours our blood and our members for by that it furnisheth matter and nouriture to our spirits it passeth so quickly through the body that it printeth presently the qualities wherewith it is indued in the parts of the same and therefore there is nothing able to change more shortly the body than it so that from the constitution of the aire the good or evill disposition of the spirits humors and members almost doe depend we should therefore haue a speciall respect of the same For to vnderstand the goodnesse of the aire wee would not only consider the first qualities of it whereof two are actiue to wit heate and cold and two passiue humiditie and drynesse but also the second qualities taken from the substance as grosse or subtile pure or mistie cleare or dark wee may adde to these the qualities that flow from the state of it as constancie and mutabilitie equalitie and inequalitie A good air then hath no excesse in the qualities that is neither too hote nor cold moist nor dry if it exceede this measure it is better to decline to drouth than to waknesse for drouth is still more wholesome than raine It is also of a mediocre substance betweene grosse and subtile being pure and neate cleare and light constant and equall such an aire reviues the spirits purifieth the blood procureth appetite helpeth the digestion banisheth the excrements foorth of the body in good tyme coloureth the face rejoyceth the heart quickneth the senses sharpneth the wit and fortifieth the members so that all the actions of the body animals vitals and naturals are made better by it A suddaine change in the aire is evill but especially if it changeth from great humiditie and waknesse to great heate or cold for the raine having filled the body with humores the following heate doth putrifie them or the cold hindring their exhalation doth procure their corruption A contaminate aire with filthy exhalations arysing from standing waters dead carcases middings gutters closets and the filth of the streets all which if any where are to bee found heere which argueth a great oversight of the magistrats bringeth a great hurt to the inhabitants and a great good to the Physitians Apothecaries and bel-man corrupteth the spirits and humors and engedereth often a deadly contagion or pest High places as hilles are fittest for the morning-walke because the sun beating on them first doth dry vp the vapours thereof but low wallyes in midowes and about fountaines are most proper for the evening If Gallants the health and well-fare of your body and the care of the felicitie eternall of your soule doth not worke in thee a detest irreconcilable of drinking this tyme which would be spent in wholesome walkes and holy conferences let shame deterre you For what I pray you is a drunken man hee is one that hath let goe himselfe from the hold and stay of reason and lyeth open to the mercie of all tentations no lust but finds him disarmed and fencelesse and with the least assault entereth every man seeth him as Cham saw his father the first of this sinne an vncovered man and though his garment bee on yet hee is vncovered the secreetest partes of his soule lying in the nakedest manner visible all his passions come out all his vanities and these shamefuller humours which discretion clotheth his body becommeth at last like a myrie way where the spirits are clogged and can not passe hee is a blind man with eyes and creeple with legges Tobacco serues to aire him after a washing and is his only breath in a word hee is a man to morrow-morning but is now what yee will make him And should our gallants bee drunke the chiefe burthen of whose braine is the carriage of their body and setting of their face in a good frame which they performe the better because they are not distracted with other meditations whose outside when yee haue seene you haue looked through them yet they are something more than the shape of a man for they haue length bredth and colour their pick-tooth beareth a great part of their discourse so doth their body the vpper parts whereof are as starcht as their linnen they are never serious but with the Tayler when they are in conspiracie for the next device they are furnished with jests as some wanderer with sermons some three for all congregations one especially against the Scholler whom these ignorant ruffians know by no other definition but sillie fellow in black they haue stayed in the world as cyphers to fill vp the number and when they are gone there lacketh none and there is an end Canon 10. When the stomack is lightned of the burden of meate about three or foure houres after supper goe to rest and sleepe and because a great part of our life is spended in sleeping and lying wee shall make a little digression for its cause Of Sleepe Sleepe giveth rest to the facultie animall and vigour to the naturall for when the spirits animales are dissipate by labour then sleepe seaseth on vs through the meanes of the naturall heate which in the digestion of the meate sends vp vapours to the head the which being condensed and turned in a grosser substance by the coldnesse of the braine doth stoppe incontinent the passages of the spirits whereby the body is moved Sleepe ought to be quyet profound and of moderate length for sleepe troubled with dreames or so light that little sturre doth awake or hinder it is not good long sleepe is worst of all for it hindereth the evacuation of the excrements gathereth abundance of superfluities maketh the head and the whole body heavie and drowsie the spirits dull senses stupide and the members lazie Sleepe should bee continued while the digestion bee absolved which in some is sooner in others latter neverthelesse it is commonly ended in six seven or eight houres when the digestion is perfite then the belly doth the duetie the water is golden coloured the stomack is not bended with wind nor troubled with evill smelling rifts the body is nimble and quicke Choleriks should sleepe more than phlegmaticks that their body by sleepe may be made moist bairnes and old men theu young men or of middle age the one to hinder thee to fast dissipation of their fluxile and humide body through the open pores the other for the helping of his digestion after great varietie and much meate sleepe should be longer than at other tymes as also after heavie labour and long travell In your lying the head shoulders and the vpper part of the body should bee higher than the rest that the meate regorge not to the mouth of the stomack It is not good to ly on the back for by that posture the neires are made too apte to the making of gravell or stones the veine caue and the great arterie which doe leane on the loines made warme sends vp many vapors to the head and the excrements of the head that should bee evacuate by the
nose and the mouth falleth downe the back it will doe no harmâ— to ly sometimes on the bellie for helping the digestion if the eyes bee not sorâ— or weake The first sleepe should be on the right side that your meate may goe downe to the ground of the stomack that the liver lying as it were vnder it may serue for a chouffer to it to helpe the concoction then turne to the left sidâ— that the vapors gathered in the stomack may exhale and in end returne to the right side that the digestion being made the chile may bee the more easilie send to the liver and so distribute through the whole bodie The members the time of sleepe should not bee straight but some thing drawne in for the rest of all the muscules consists in a moderate contraction It is not good to sleepe with an emptie stomack or after any heavie or sore worke for the bodie is thereby dryed and becommeth leane And because procreation is a thing most necessarie for the preserving of mankynde I cannot passe by heere but I must speake of it seing things remarkable in it Of Generation Nature carefull of the owne conservation so it perish not hath given vnto everie creature for this end a certaine desire of eternitie the which not being able to bee attained to in the person of singulare things it doth obtaine it by propagation Therefore the elements are preserved by the mutuall change of one in an other the mettalles by addition or opposition the living creatures by generation The generation of living creatures is by the seede of both male and female vnited in the matrix of the female fostered and made fertile in some kynd by the good disposition of the same so that for procreation there is required the seede of both at one tyme ejaculat or soone after A matrix of a moderate temper neither too hote nor too cold too moist nor too dry As also a convenient tyme of copulation the which is after the three concoctions are ended and this tyme is about the latter end of the second sleepe so that thereafter the body be refreshed by a little slumber and that for the reparation of the spirits dissipate The immoderate vse of this naturall exercise doth weaken the body and hinder all generation and the inordinate doth procreate weake and vnable birth by reason of the seede which is not eneugh fined or elaborate this appeareth clearely in the remarke of Burges and Countrey-mens bairnes the one to wit the burges being begotten in the fore-night while the father his spirits was lifted vp and moved to such worke by the vse of strong wine spyceries and other hote meate being weakly The other to wit the Countrey-mans child being of a strong constitution while as the father wearyed by his dayly labour doth delay his dallying till the morning â—t vbi aliquamdiu indulsit Veneri vxor ne ingrata videretur ait Deus benedicat relliquijs Now as the CREATOR did finish his worke after mans creation so heere I at mans generation beseeching thee my Lord and my GOD who made all things perfect in the beginning and man the most perfect of all casting all vnder his feete to teach him his perfection by creation and his dignitie by high vocation that hee may cary himselfe conforme to the one perfitly shunning all base deboshing of that divine impression of the Majestie supreme And for the other thankefully in serving thee his Lord with all whereof thou made him Lord and honouring thee in the ordinate taking and moderate vsing of all these thy creatures AMEN A PARTICVLARE REGIMENT ACCORDING TO THE COMPLEXION AGE AND REASON NOT having thought it sufficient for the preserving of health to haue spoken in generall least any thing should seeme deficient I haue particularized some generals diversified according to the varietie of the temperature age and season and first of the temperature Of temperature or complexion in generall Complexion is a proportion of the first foure elementarie qualities made fit for the naturall functions the which is either temperate or intemperate A temperature temperate is a harmonie of the foure first elementarie qualities justly mixed for the perfect acting of all the functions of the body An intemperate is where there is alway some qualitie or other surpassing the rest of the which there bee eight sortes foure simple where onlie one qualitie exceeds the rest as heate or cold and foure composed where there bee two qualities excessiues as heate and drynesse cold and waknesse together These are either naturail as when they hinder not manifestly the actions of the bodie or vitious when as they exceed so that they hinder the same A temperate complexion should bee keeped by the lyke and the intemperate corrected by the contrare as the hote by cold the dry by moist Of sanguineans From the varietie of the complexions floweth the varietie of humours for the temperament makes humours lyke to the selfe so if it bee verie temperate it produceth perfect temperate blood and so it subjects all the rest of the humours to the same if the complexion be hote and humide it filleth the body with blood too hote and humide so being hote and dry it bredeth bile cold and wake phlegme and when it is cold and dry melancholie A temperate sanguinean bodie is of a â—ediocre grosnesse moderate in heate and â—umiditie neither too hard nor yet too soft â—f good colour mixed of red and white â—he haire some-what yallow and curling â—ll the members proportionable the spiâ—it is gentle judgement good manners â—weete disposition merry carriage modest â—ill free and liberall so that they are braue â—n person discreete wise peaceable honest â—overs of knowledge courteous gratious â—ffectioners of dames mirth pastime and good cheere and because they keepe as 〈◊〉 were the middes betweene the exâ—reames they are not readily sicke Sanguineans then of a temperate complexion should flee all excesse in any thing and every thing that is of an excessiue qualitie Sanguineans intemperate are fleshy rud 〈…〉 ie have great veines arteries of difficile respiration the body is heavy and often weary with little labour the spirit simple given rather to sottish follies than to serious affaires they are subject to many diseases proceeding from the inflammation of the blood as fevers flegmones fluxe of blood and such like they should keepe a verie straite dyet vse cold and dry things for the correcting the intemperancie of the body as in their broth sicorie surocks lactuces and the like drinking of water aile or beere little wyne moderate exercise much sleepe hurteth to preveene diseases phlebotomie is expedient Of Cholericks Cholericks hath a leane body thin and hoarie dry and hard the veines and arters great the colour yallow pale or brown the haire red or blackish the spirit quick subtile hastie the judgment light variable the cariage inconstant the courage martiall so they be nimble in body prompt in spirit hastie in all their actions vehement
Chickins are more delicate than they The Brissell-fowles are heavy and hard to digest wherefore in France they are both larded and spyced The Gouse aboundeth in superfluous excrements is of harder digestion than other sowles except the wings The Duckes and all other water â—oules is humide viscuous flegmatick excrementitious and of adure digestion wherefore they are not so wholesome as these of the land Amongst the birds of the field the Partridge beares the bell being of easie digestion and causing good blood and the younger are better than the elder Next the Partridge is the phesane almost of the same qualities that it is the Quallies are not lesse praised except in the countries where there is abundance of hellebore whereon they commonly feade they are best in harvest The Doues are hote of nature they set the blood on fire and readily of Venus games moues a desire vnfitte for these who readily doe fall into a fever The Pigeons are better than the doues the doues are best in the spring for they eate much corne The Coushins flesh is hard to digest yet it is not evill in the winter if it bee suffered to hang a while so that it may become tender The Turd or Cuzell is delicious ingendring good blood but some thing hard to digest Martiall extolleth it highly in these wordes Inter aeves Turdus si quis me judice certet Inter quadrupedes gloria prima lepus Pluvers mearls turturelles are not to bee rejected for the former laudable qualities which are to bee found in them Of Egges and Milke The egges of hennes and phasanes excels the egges of other beasts gouse egges are worst of all except swynes egges New laide are better than old and sodden than fryed and rosted than sodden and potched than rosted the soft than the hard Milke hath three diverse substances a serious or watrie whereof is the whey a thicke and grosse whereof is the cheese and a fatte and creamie whereof is the butter but of our Edinburgh milke where the two parte is water and the third part milke there would bee little cheese and no butter Milke if the stomack bee cleane the body whole and no other meate mixed with it nourisheth much otherwayes it corrupteth easily and quickly Yew milke hath more of the grosse thicke substance whereof the cheese is made then of the other and by this means it is nourishing but heavie to the stomack Asses milke is of contrare consistance kyne milke is thicker and fatter then yew milke and so fitter to make butter it is nourishing and makes an open bellie Goate milke is neither too thicke nor too thinne neither over fatte nor over leane and so it keepeth the middle betuixt extremities neverthelesse it should not bee vsed either without suggar or hony water or salt least it lapper in the stomack Womens milke is fittest for bairnes or hectickes because of the resemblance of nature New milked milke is best because milk changeth quickly Sodden milke nourisheth more than raw but it is binding because thicker Milke of fatte and lustie beasts is better than of leane and hungred Fresh butter is a little hote with time it becommeth hotter it is not verie nourishing but it softeneth and louseth the bellie it is good for the lights and breast Cheese is not to bee much vsed for it ingendereth grosse humors breedeth obstructions binds the bellie and is hard to digest the new is better then the old the soft then the hard and that which is made of vnrained milke is better than of rained Over viscous cheese as also over brittle is not good mediocritie is best cheese without any evill or strong taste is better than other Newe softe and sweete cheese is of a colde and humide temper but the old hard salt cheese is hote and dry too great vse of it ingenders the stone in the neares This curious sifting of the nature of cheese and improbation of the great vse of it will seeme first ridiculous and then odious to the mourish men of Kyle and Galloway the quintessence of whose meat that is milke is cheese the which the goodman hath keeped for his owne mouth as a desert being neverthelesse at breakfast supper and dinner the first last and only dish and for the Lairds or the wyse blacke men the Ministers when they come abrode the bairnes contented with froth crap-whey or lapperd milke I thinke that if the bodies of these bodies were chymicallie dissolved the princips to wit sal sulphur and mercurius should savour of cheese milke and yet they are as daft as if they were made of Wine and Wastels which they often speake of as the rarest dainties they either saw or hard of Of Fish Fish are of complexion cold and humide for being still in the water they must needs keepe the nature of the water the â—ouritute they giue is more light slubâ—rie and sooner dissipate than the reparation which is made by the vse of the beasts of the land The fish that are of a solide and firme substance are most nourishing and wholesome because lesse flegmatick for this cause sea-fish because fiâ—mer are better than fresh-water-fish amongst the fishes of the sea these that vseth about rockes are best Amongst the fresh water fishes these that haunt the rivers are better than these that haunt the stancks or loches and fish of a running river and craggie with clearâ— water is to bee preferred to them that are taken in a dead running poole or in a troubled muddie water Fish as milk would bee eaten when the stomack is cleane of filthie humours and they would not bee mixed with other meate least they corrupt as quickly they will The drowners of meale with malt to whom the bone of a herring or a threed of salt beefe will serue to bee kitchin to a quarte of ale sayes that fish should swimme I answere in water but if thou take more of aile beere or wyne or any other strong drink then serues to wash it downe it will come aboue the broth and so not boile well I will not insist in the particulare enumeration least it should reduce the Lector to a tedious calculation the generalls may suffice if they be well remarked It may be thought a praeposterous order this to put the flesh before the kaill but heere I keepe ordinem dignitatis non methodum sanitatis Of herbs fit for eating Herbes in regarde of other meate are of little nurishment yet they serue some for cooling others for heating being prepared in broth sallads sauce or other wayes Amongst the herbs that are commonly vsed the lactuce is the first beeing of more wholesome sappe than all the rest it cooleth the body procureth sleepe and hindereth dreames The garden Cicorie is of the same qualities but it is not so pleasant to the tast nor of such good sappe The Souroke is good for eating because of the sowrnesse it quencheth thirst procureth appetite and mitigateth the heate of the stomack and
liver Purpie cooleth much quencheth thirst holdeth downe Venus tempereth the teeth being out of stile by the vse of soure things Kaill ingendereth evill blood troubleth the stomack and the sight and moveth strange dreames Spinards â—ouseth the belly and moisteth the body but they are windie Bourrage and buglosse purifieth the blood and keepeth the belly open their â—â—owrs are good in a sallad for to refresh the spirits and rejoyce the heart Artichocks heateth the blood and provoketh Venus to battell they are good for the stomack and giveth appetite Cresson is of qualitie hote and dry provoketh vrine and is eaten ordinarly raw in sallads Menth fortifieth the stomack and helpeth the appetite Cerefole and Finkle is good for the sight augmenteth the seede and ingendereth milk to Nurses Parsley is agreeable to the stomack and profitable to the neares because it is diuretick Sauge helpeth appetite and digesteth crudities out of the stomack Hysope purgeth the lights from the flegme by the subtilitie of it thyme doth the same Rayfords taken after meate helpeth digestion but before meate they lift vp the meate in the stomack Neeps are windie of little nurishment and engendreth wormes in little bairnes little are better than the great they should bee eaten with pepper Carrets are worse than they Sybouse Onyons Leeks are agreable to pituitous and flegmatick persons but noysome to cholerians and to these who are subject to a sore head But I think wee haue eaten long enengh without a drink let vs now goe to it Of drinke in generall Drink as I think and so thinks the drunkard is no lesse worthie of consideration for the health than meate There bee sundrie sorts of drinke vsed among vs. as wine ale and beere for no man drinketh water with his will Drinke should bee answerable in proportion to our meate for if wee drinke more than serves to syne downe the meat and mixe it there downe the meat will swimme aboue and so shall not digest drink may bee taken more larglie with dry solide meat than with liquid humide They who haue a hote liver and a weake head subject to distillations should abstaine from strong drinke chiefly after their meat but these whose liver is temperate and head strong may take a lick of the best quale Deus creavit after their fruite quia post crudum merum It is not good to drink with a naked stomack for presently it runneth through the body to the nerues whom it debilitateth and maketh the body the more subject to cold diseases as the goute paralyse trembling and such like It is also troublesome to the digestion to drinke betweene mealles for it hindereth the same as water in a pot stayeth the boyling of it because while the concoction is making in the stomack the mouth of it is closed hence is it that men much subject to companionry and so to extraordinary drinking findeth their meate still rowing vp and downe some for their ease are forced to cast it It is not good to drink when bed-time draweth neere for readily it moveth the theume to fall downe except it were of water after too much wine eiat supper or before and that to hinder distillations It followeth to speake in particulare of drink and first of wine as best Of Wine Wine is verie profitable for the vse of man it stirreth vp the naturall heate and fortifyeth it and so procureth the appetite helpeth the digestion ingenders good blood purifies the troubled openeth the passages giues good colour cleanseth the braine sharpeneth the witte makes the spirits subtile and rejoyceth the heart of man as sayeth the Psalmist if so be it be taken moderatly Wine is of fiue fold difference the first is taken from the colour so it is either whyte or red yallow or tannie and black the second from the taste as it is either sweet sowre or of any austere taste the third of the smell being of a sweet heavie or no smell the fourth from the consistance being either subtile or grosse the fifth from the age as it is old or new Of all wine the red and thicke wine is meetest for the ingendring of blood next blackish grosse and sweet wine to them succeeds whyte and thick or grosse wine in substance and austere in taste last of all whyte thin small wine Wine as it is agreeable to phlegmaticks so it is hurtfull to bilious hote natures over old and too new wine should be eshewed the one because too hote the other because no heate at all The second drink is beere which as it nourisheth more so is of a grosser substance and harder digestion than the wine if it bee but new made or troubled it causeth obstructions and swellings it troubleth the head moveth the colick gravell and difficultie of pissing specially if it bee byting if it bee too old and very sharpe it hurts the stomack and nerves and ingenders evill blood wherefore it is best that is well sodden purified and cleare and of a middle age Of Water Although that water bee the most simple sorte of drink and the most common yet because of least worth it is put behinde Galen proues good water by three senses by the sight being cleare and cleane by the mouth that hath no strange taste and so not bitter nor sowre nor salt but almost without taste by the nose that it hath no smell adding thereto that it must be light in the bellie suddainly changed that is soone hote soone cold and that it doth not passe through sulphureous mynes or suchlyke There bee fiue sorts of water to wit of raine fountaine river well and stank Raine water although according to the weight it bee lightest yet it is not the best being made of the vapours which doeth proceed from the earth whereof some be of the rivers others of loches stanks gutters standing waters and of the sea as also of the exhalations of pestilent places and of dead bodies Fountaine water is best of all next river water last Well water the worst of all is stank water river water is the better it stand till it settle fountaine water the better it looke to the East and Well water that the Well bee not too often covered but that it get the aire sometimes Canon 6. After meate abstaine from all vehement motion or exercise all curious disputs or carefull meditations discoursing of some good purpose procuring laughter joy and mirth whereby the spirit may be revived and the digestion helped If the great men of the country knew what good these sort of discourses did for the health of the body and the recreating of the spirit they would with greater avidity drink in in their young and tender yeares letters for the better fashioning of their manners and forming of their minde And also cary a greater respect to Schollers then they doe and not studie only to be well versed in Arcadia for the intertaining of Ladies or in the rowting of the tolbuith for commoning with Lawers
forborne so a childe by oft looking to his gâ—yed Nourse will become so in end having imprinted by long custome a habitude in the muscels moving the eye towards the nose which are stronger than the opposite muscles such-like bairnes by oft vse of the left hand becommeth more perfite of it than of the right Of the Nurse There is no milke so proper for the child as the mothers being accustomed in his mothers belly to feede on it while it was as yet blood and now turned by the pappes into milk but when the mother can not being either sickly or weake or lacking milk sufficient or pappes competent Let them make choise of a Nurse with these conditions following first that she be of a temperate complexion not subject to diseases of good colour and proportion of body neither too fat nor too leane but proper and handsome with pappes of mediocre consistance that is neither too little nor too bigge nor long and hanging neither over soft or hard with the ends long eneugh that the child bee not troubled in gripping â—hem with the brest large and great Secondly let her bee in the flower of her age that is betweene 25 and 35 one younger aboundeth in superfluous excrements and older is too dry by lack of the naturall moist and heate dayly decressing Thirdly see shee be diligent lustie merry sober chast meeke not sluggish nor sadde no gluttoun nor delicate of her mouth no drunkard or vncleane not cholerick or envyous but gentle and courteous for the child doth not follow so much the nature of any except the parents as the Nurses Fourthly that shee bee not of a long tyme delyvered for when they passe two moneth without causing suck their pappes nature becommeth forgetfull to furnish them matter for milk Fiftly that she be not with child otherwise the best part of the blood will bee imployed for the intertaining the child in her belly Sixtly that her last birth be a man child because her blood is purer and the excrements are fewer and so the milk must bee better Seventhly that she hath beene brought to bed at the tyme for they who are before the tyme are commonly sickly or infirme Eightly that their milk bee of an mediocre substance betweene grosse and subtile thick and cleare of colour white of tast sweete in smell pleasant and in sufficient quantitie The Nurse should vse much nourishing meate except shee abound in milke and of easie digestion as wheate bread of two dayes the flesh of vealles kiddes fowles and birds of the field pearches trouts solles pykes and soft rosted egges flying all spyceries all sowre or bitter things and mustard Fruites are not good except prune-damase and â—igges nor wine or strong drink neither the companie of man First because dallying with Venus troubleth the blood and consequently the milke secondly because it diminisheth the quantitie of the milke by turning the course of the blood downe-ward from the breast to the matrix thirdly because it giveth the milk an evill smell by the corruption of its qualities and lastly because it lifteth the Nurses apron and putteth a kidde in her kilting Milke is deficient to the Nurse either from lacke of meat great care too much griefe and paine or from any in disposition of the whole body or of the pappes only if lacke of victualls cause it cause help her dishes both in quantitie and qualitie if care griefe or paine cause banish them Goates pappes or yewes boyled with their owne milke haue a peculiar facultie for restoring of the milke lost as also wheate bread baken with kynes milke decoctions made with the leaves and seede of greene finkle or of anise and milk The Nurse should haue care to keepe the chylde in a place of temperate aire shunning the Sunne the night raine and all sort of intemperate season The quantitie of the milke is to bee taken from the age complexion and the desire the child hath to sucke The first moneth lesse by reason of his inabiltie to digest much afis better for him so hee that is of a complexion humide sooner than hee who is drye also one that is wholesome than he who is infirme and sicklye Diseases also according to their diverse nature will change the terme causing waine him sooner or later such-like the season for in Summer it is not good to waine him for to give him solide meate in place of his milke which are not so easily digested in like manner the region for in a countrie verie cold hee may bee wained in the midst of summer in a very hot in the hart of winter Also the sexe for the males may bee sooner wained than the femals because they haue their teeth sooner and haue greater heate and force to digest their meate Hee should bee wained by little and little by giving more seldome the pape and ofter of other meate And if hee bee not willing to quyte it you must cause rubbe the head of it with wormewood or Aloes or any bitter thing Being wained Veilles mutton capons henns partridges and birds of the field are fittest for them boyled meate is better than rosted soft egges are never evill so prunes boyled with suggar they must abstaine from oynions leekes sybouse garliâ— mustard salt meat or spyced olde cheefe baken meat Their drinke should bee small aile or watter no wayes wyne because it easily hurts their braine and nerves being as yet weake and tender as also addes heat to heat whereby their naturall moysture or humiditie is dryed vp The child should sleepe much because he is of a moyst complexion and sleepe moisteneth more by hindering the dissipation of his naturall humide substance hee should ly on his back till his members bee strong and hee beginne to vse stronger meat than milk and easie rocking is best for by it the naturall heat retires the selfe within and the spirits become drowsie but a toylsome catching tosseth the milk to and fro in the stomack hindereth the disgestion troubleth the spirits and braine So soone as he awakes in the morning you must haue a care that his bodie bee made cleane from all the excrements by the seidge below and by purging the head aboue at the nose washing his mouth eares and eyes and combing of his head both for the lightning of the same and making of the haire pleasant and faire And having attained to the age of five yeares send him to the Schoole where hee may with the elements of knowledge bee informed in the rudiments of pietie that is taught to know loue feare and serve his GOD The neglect of this makes them first disobedient to their parents next shameleslie debosht thirdly spectacles of miserie through their tragicall end or objects of pitie having nothing to spend our thriftie yea rather theifie parents now a dayes stryving per fas nefas by hooke and crook to bigge a hedge of earth about their children either they liue within this hedge a firie divell or a
whose belly is become like the Britones who because of his wives insolencie that would needs mount her tyme about and of his owne big belly did apprehend he was with child I would have such greasie barrells for their healths sake to take a quarter of an houres course betweene the Castle-hill and Arthurs seate twise in the morning comming thereafter if they bee hungrie to their dinner made vp of an halfe pennie loaâ—e two egges and a cuppe of small Beere and after meate for digestions cause returning to their walke going to bedde without supper if this pyning of the panch doeth not make them light I will haue no money for my medicinall receipt Let these whose God is their bellie and guide is their taste for they inquire still to Iohn Good-Ales house and who are no lesse nose-wise than a browsters Sowe in smelling a dish of goode meate a farre off Diminish both of the quantitie and qualitie of their dishes and imparte of the superplus to their needy brother who is come of Adam according to the flesh aswell as they and may bee of ABRAHAM according to grace Christians by profession and who knoweth but Sanctes by election Did the Master preferre thee over his house and goods for the satisfying of thine inordinarie appetite and thy childrens only or to giue the bread of the children to dogges or horse as our great men doe rather than to the poore and shall not thou expect yea when the Master commeth get the reward of the vnjust steward amend or looke for it The supper must bee longer than the dinner if the body bee not subject to distillations because the tyme is longer betweene supper and dinner than betweene dinner and supper meate should bee well chawed or if it bee lett over for evill chawed meate troubleth the stomack hence it is that they who hath many teeth liue long because they chaw well their meate light liquide and meate easie of digestion should be taken before grosse meate and hard of digestion neverthelesse when the stomack is louse and verïe hungrie you may doe the contrarie It is expedient that every one should keepe a certaine houre for taking of meate and this houre should bee when the stomack requires refreshment the former ingestion being digested and the stomack emptie this rule is evill keeped by our morning drinke which sometime makes drunke and so not fitte for dinner our foure houres pennie that often buyeth a pynt of wyne-seck I had it never so cheape our collation after supper made in a three pynt tubbe I can not call it a dish of wyne milk suggar and some spyces I would content mee with it all the day long This much in generall followeth in particulare to speake of meate and first of bread Of Bread Bread keepeth the first ranke amongst all other meate as the ground of others for all other meate though never so good are without it vnpleasant yea vnwholsome The best bread is that which is made of wheate good wheate is grosse full thick weightie firme of collour yallow cleane and that hath great quantitie of flower Bread made of pure flower well boulted nourisheth much in litle quantitie but it is of slow digestion Bread made of the bran or clattes nourisheth little and filleth the body with excrements and because the bran hath an detersile facultie it goeth quickly throgh Bread made of both nourisheth well and keepeth an open belly Ry bread is black heavie engendring melancholious blood more proper for rusticks than burgesses Barley bread is very dry of little nourishment and louseth the belly beare meale is better mixed with ry meale that the viscuositie of the one may be corrected by the brtitlenesse of the other As for oate bread it is more vsed amongst vs than the goodnesse of it doth require Bread vnleavened nourisheth much but it engendereth grosse blood it is of an evill digestion breedeth obstructions and louseth the belly Evill wrought bread is viscuous of evil digestion as also that which is made of grumly or troubled watter when it hath not gotten eneugh of the fire it is heavy and of hard digestion that which is hardned in the oven is better than that which is hardned on the ashes Hote bread by reason of the viscositie is hard to digest procureth an inflation in the stomack obstruction in liver and other parts within the body Old bread of three or foure dayes losseth all the taste becommeth dry and withered evill to digest of slow passage bindeth the belly and engendreth a melancholious blood The crust of bread breeds bile fit only for these whose stomack is moist and humid Tairtes flammes pyes and all other sort of baken meate are more to the satisfying of the tast than for health of the body for they are heavie in the stomack and burdeneth it and stoppeth easily the passages of the veines in the liver Of Flesh. Beasts according to the varietie of their kynd age manner of living constitution of body and of the place where they feade are different in the temperature and vertue of their flesh The flesh of fatte beasts is better than that of leane and of libbed than vnlibbed because they are fatter and not so hote except it bee for these who hath beene in the battell where the vppermost gote the worst where stricking at their nighbour with over great force and too good will hath hurt themselues with their owne speare for such some say that a kynd of vnlibbed beastes are good yea the stones themselues The flesh of young beasts because tender moist soft and easie to digest and of great nourishment is better than that of old beastes which is dry hard of litie meate and hard to digest The wild beastes that keepe the hilles are dry and haue fewer excrements and leanner then others Galen preferreth the flesh of porks of a midde age to other beasts because it draweth neere to mans flesh than others doe and also because it nourisheth well and breedeth good blood but because it is viscuous it is hard to digest to these that hath the stomack moist and humide Moreover as experience hath taught the great vse of this flesh causeth leprosie hence it was forbidden to the Iewes because they were subject to this maladie Beefe nouisheth much but it engendereth a grosse melancholick blood young beefe is better than old Harts flesh is of a difficile digestion and as the beefe ingendereth grosse blood The goates flesh is better than the bucks and the kiddes than the goates Lambs flesh is better than Yewes and Wedders than Lambs because as nourishing and not so humide and slubbrye the Rammes is the worst of all Old haires flesh causeth melancholious blood young haires is better and more pleasant the Coney is better than either of them Of Fowles Amongst the Fowles that are about the house the Hen and Capons keepeth the first rank they engender a blood of a mediocre substance because they are neither too hote nor too cold