amending or preseruing the bodies of men women and children c. Ioh. It seemeth to be a goodly science Hum. Herodotus sayeth they greatly erre that call it a Science for it is an excellent Art in doing of notable things And science is but to know thinges There is also in this excelleÌ„t art sundry sectes of phisicions some be called Emperici who suppose that only experience doeth suffise and so by vse and experience dooe take in hande to heale diseases not knowing the cause of the said disease or sickenes Philinus was one of that secte at the first beginning Then folowed Serapion and after that the Apolonis And then came Glaucius Menadotus Sextus c. Another kinde of phisicions be called Methodici which neither obserue tyme place age state nor condition think them things of smal profit but onely their respect is to their disease they loue not loÌ„g study in phisick are greatly deceyued because they would build without foundation and haue the fruits before they haue planted the trées These mens cures bee but by chaunce medly One Sirus began this which receyued certaine rules of Asclepiades The chiefe and best sect of Phisitions called Dogmatici These be the wise men which set not the cart before the horse nor the rootes of the trées vpward They doe prudently consider the chaunge of mans nature the dwelling place the alteration of the aire the time of the yeare the custome of people the maners of diseases the fashions of mens diet And this they will proue by true arguments and reasons and will bee verie carefull for their patientes· The disciples of those men be the best scholers therefore I counsell thee Iohn to loue wel Hippocrates the prince of Phisicions which began the best maner to giue rules to al the louers of phisicke Of this writeth Galen much lauding Hippocrates and his followers and in these daies Leonhardus Futchius Matheolus c. Ioh. Seeing thou hast spoken of sundrie partes of Phisitions I pray thee what partes be there of phisicke Hum. Truly there be fiue thinges to be noted in phisicke as fiue principall parts as Galen saith in lib. de Elementis The first is to consider the nature of mans bodie The second is to kéepe the bodie in health and to defend it from sickenes and infirmities The third is to know all the causes rules and seedes whereof the sicknes doth grow The .iiii is Crises or iudgemeÌ„t of the disease of thinges present past and to come The fifth is the best and most excelleÌ„t for it sheweth the maner of healing dieting fashion order and way to helpe the sicke bodie and preserue the same as long as man doth remaine in the state of life Ioh. Thou hast spoken of the partes of phisicke what is the forme maner or distribution thereof Hum. It is distributed in 3. formes one is natural another vnnatural the iii. against nature The first is by those things whereof the body is compact constituted or made as Galen saith in his .iii. booke of his Temperamentis Cap. 4. The second is called not natural as meates or things to preserue the bodie 〈◊〉 health they be not called vnnaturall because they be against the bodie but because the 〈◊〉 taking or glotonous vsing of theÌ„ may bring many thinges to the vtter destruction of the bodie The third bee things against nature which doth corrupt the bodie or poâ—â—on nature wherof Galen writeth Ioh. Now thou hast taught me short rules of the partes and formes phisicall I pray thee shewe me some pretie rules of the complections of men and that I may aptly knowe them with their properties elements temperaments and humours Hum. Upon my Lute some time to recreate my selfe I ioine with my simple harmonie many plaine verses Among all other one small song of the foure complections wilt thou heare it take that chaire and sit downe and I I will teach thee my song Ioh. I thanke thee Humfrey The bodies where heat and moysture dwel Be sanguine folkes as Galen tell With visage faire and cheekes rose ruddy The sleepes is much dreames be bluddy Pulse great and full with digestion fine Pleasantly concocting flesh and wine Excrements aboundant with anger short Laughing very much and finding sport Vrine grosse with colour red Pleasant folkes at boord and bed Where cold with moisture preuaileth much Flegmatike folks be alwaies such Fatnes softnes haire plaine and right Narrow veines and colour white Dull of wit no heart too bold Pulse very sloâ— disgestion cold Sleeping ouer much vrine grosse and pale Spittle white and thicke thus ends the tale Choler is hot and drie as fire Leannesse of lims and puffed with ire Costiue bellies with lite sleepe Dreames of fier or wounds deepe Sallowe coloured or tawâ—ie red Feeding on salt meats and crustes of bread Voice sharpe and quickenes of wit Vrine yellow and saltnes of spit Pulses swift and verie strong Cruell countenance not anger long Melancholy is cold and very drie As here in rime the signes will trie Haire plaine and verie thin A leane wretch with hardnes of skin Colour whitelie or like to lead Much watch and dreames of dread And stiffe in folish fantasie Disgestion slowe and long angrie Fearefull of minde with watrie spitle Seldome laughing and pulse little Vrine waterie and verie thin The colde earth to him is kin Ioh. This is a good song and I will learne it for though it seeme not verie pleasant yet I perceiue it is profitable Now thou hast spoken of the signes of the .4 complections I praie thee teach mee shortly howe to knowe the elements Hum. They be the foure beginners vnmingled and vntempered from whose mixtures euerie corporall thing hath his substance Ioh. What be the partes I pray thee tel me Hum. Foure the one is earth the heauiest matter and grossest which is colde drie and melancholy And the other is water which is lighter and more subtil then the earth and of nature is cold moist and fleugmeticke Then is ayre more purer and lighter then water and if it bée not altered with any other straunge cause it is hot and moist and sanguine Then fier is most light pure and cleare a clarifier and a clenser of al the other elementes when they are corrupted and is of his owne nature hote drie and cholericke And of these foure Elements both man beast fishes foule hearbe stone mettall haue their proper working not of one of the Elementes alone but of all some more and some lesse according to their natures Hippocrates saieth after the soule is gone from the bodie the body doeth returne to the first matter whereof it was made And to conclude all things that be made vpon earth shall returne vnto the earth againe in tyme. Ioh. What might not men beasts fish or foule hearbe or tree bee of one element aswell
shallbe weake and the eies sight decay and the handes tremble and therefore it is not comely to sée the state of age without rest which in the time of youth did honestly trauell For there is a grace giuen to many creatures vnreasonable both beastes and foules to make prouision before hande what is then to be required of men reasonable as foloweth in these verses THe Bird in time her nest can make The Bee will build his hâ—use full fine The Crane with stone in foot wil wake The Conie will carue vnder the myne The Squirel in trees her nuts can keepe Against colde winter to feed and sleepe And should not a man well foresee In youth to know his old degree Then from .xxxv. or few yeres folowing the lusty braunches of youth begin to abate his pleasant leaues flowers and fruit by litle and litle wil decay raw humors crampes dropses quaterns melancholy will then draw neer The riots surfets sore labours bearing of extreame burdens wrestling actes venerous with the abuse of youth wil then spring forth to the detriment of age and sodaine decay of life in especiall of drunkardes Ioh. What be the places of bloud Choler Fleugme Melancoly naturall or vnnatrual Thou hast not made a particular distinction of their proper places but generally thou hast spoken well in thy song Hum. There are also other descriptions of the foure humors very necessarie to bee knowen and their places whereas they dwell within the body and first of bloud as Galen saieth in his first booke of effected places bloud saieth he that is in the pulses doeth greatly differ from the bloud of the veines for the bloud of the pulses is thinner yelower and hotter and this bloud may bée called the gouernor of life The spring and fountaine of the bloud generall is in the liuer which serueth euery veine of bloud and this bloud in colour is verie redde Fleugme is white is ingendred in the stomacke and at length by the vertue of naturall heate pure fleame is turned into bloud There be also watrie slimy glassie grosse salt sower thicke hard binding and extreme cold fleames which in dede be vnnaturall that bée engendred thorowe surfets coldnes or idlenes bringing to the body many noisome deseases There is also choler which is yelowe whose place in the body is the gall which commeth of the clensing or purifying of bloud and this choler is cleare hote and drie and the comforter of decoction Greene choler or choler myngled with fleugme be vnnaturall melancholie naturall in the Splene is nothing but the sixe degrées or heauie residents of the bloud the naturall melancholie is knowen by his blackenesse the vnnaturall commeth of the burning of choler and is lighter and hoter browne of colour sower of taste and putteth the bodie in great daunger as madnesse blacke ianders continuall feuers and sodaine deadly diseases Therefore my friend Iohn remember this short description of humours as the wordes of Galen and Auicen say Iohn Thus I haue heard thy seuerall placing of the foure complections of bloud Choler Fleugme and Melancholie and is there anie distinct hotenesse coldnesse moystnesse and drinesse in anie other creature besides man tell me Hum. Not onely in man but in beastes fish foule serpents trées hearbes mettals and euerie thing sensible and insensible according to their natures and bee equally mingled or tempered togither which is called meane temperance or else exceedeth in degrées which is called intemperance hote and moist may be compounded together so may colde and drie hote and drie colde and moist example A cholericke man hote and drie a fleugmatike man colde and moyst c. Of hearbes as Hysope and Rew hot and drie Purslen and Cowcumbers cold and moist c. But temperaments or complections of men beasts and trées be some hoter some colder according to their natures As a Lion is hoter than a cholericke man Pepper is hotter than Cloues And though there be degrées in more hotnesse or more coldnesse yet they are called but hote or cold as men after labour or trauell they will say they are hot but the fire which people warme them at is hotter Also there bee things repugnant to temperaments as moyste and drynesse together heate and coldenesse together as fyre to bee colde or the water of his owne nature to bee hote which water peraccidence of the fire is made hote and fire quenched by the water And euerie thing exceeding greatly with distemperaunce or wanting temperaunce or complexion do eftsoones come to an end as man by extreme sicknesses surfets or woundes or finally age lacking naturall vertue Of heate and moistnes of trees and hearbes from whom iuice and sap is withdrawen these things of necessitie must needes die and come to corruption as Galen and Aristotle saie Ioh. Whether be men or women of colder complexion Hum. Auicen saieth like as men be hot and drie so be women colde and moist Ioh. Yea but Lucian saieth they be perillous hot of their tongues full of venim though I am no phisicion yet can I make a description of that member for I am oftentimes stinged with it I would to God they had beene wormed when they were young but when they are olde they are past all cure but the best medicine that I haue it is a gentle herbe called Rewe of which I am neuer without great store Hum. Mankinde was borne naked to this ende that hee might cloathe himselfe with other creatures which hee brought not into this world with him as cloath leather harnesse made of iron for his defence because he is the chiefe creature But horses of nature haue hard hooffes Lions sharpe téeth Porpentines sharpe prickes which is their continuall and naturall armour as thinges euer prepared to debate and strife and by no Art can scant bee tamed The Rose as pleasauntly as shee doeth appeare and as swéetely as shee doeth smell spring not further without a greate number of sharpe prickes Therefore it is tollerable for men to beare with them whom nature hath sealed and marked for his owne With that humour most cholericke digresse from this thy communication and let vs talke of thinges more profitable for in déede this is pleasant to no man Ioh. Seeing thou wilt not describe me these particular members of which wee haue spoken I would bee glad to know the partes of mankinde with a short description of his members Hum. Members be simple and also compound the simples be ten in number the cartillages the gristles the bones veynes and synewes arteries pannicles lygaments cordes and the skinne Members compounded bee those that be ioyned and builded together of simple members as the handes face feete lyuer and heart and so compounded members be made of simple Some of the compounded members be called principalles as the heart from whence the arteries springs the braine from whence the sinewes springes the liuer which is the well of the bloud from
fried and baked some warme some colde some fish some flesh with sundrie fruites and sallets of diuerse hearbes to please thine eye remember with thy self that the sight of them all is better than the feeding of them all Consider with thy selfe thou art a man and no beast therefore bee temperate in thy féeding and remember the wise woordes of Salomon Bee not gréedie sayeth hée in euerie eating and bée not hastie vppon all meates for excesse of meates bringeth sickenesse and gluttonie commeth at the last into an vnmeasurable heate Through surfet haue manie a one perished but hee that dieteth himselfe temperately prolongeth his life Therefore grosse fish lambs flesh the in-meates of beastes rawe hearbes pigges braines and all slimie meates bee euill for thee but late suppers is woorst of all and specially if they bee long for it causeth painfull nights to follow But Galen sayeth in his Booke De ethimia the meates which bee without all blame bée those which bee betwéene subtill and grosse Good bread of cleane wheat flesh of capons or hennes phesants and partriches pigeons and turtle doues blacke birdes and small fielde birdes rosted veale or boyled mutton These doe engender good bloud sayeth Galen Note also that any other meate that thou doest eate at supper although it séeme repugnant to a fleugmaticke stomacke if thou sleepe well after it and féele no paine thou mayest vse it as a meate necessarie And when thou canst not sleepe well if the default came through meate marke that meate or drinke although it appeare pleasant refuse it as an enemie And whereas thou hast vsed euill diet as a custome in abusing time quantitie and qualitie by little and little bring thy selfe into good order and to time both for thy breakfasts dinner and supper Prouided alway to eate good things but not many things For like as repletion or abundaunce of meate is an enemie to the bodie and the soule and bringeth sodaine death euen so is emptinesse a shortner of time a weakner of the braine a hinderer of memory an increaser of wind choler melancholy And oftentimes to many bringeth sudden death also except nature haue some thing to worke vpon as I did tell thée before vse some light things at breakfast of perfite digestion within foure houres after that receiue thy dinner obseruing the good order of diet drinking wine or béere oftentimes and little at once eschewing great draughts of drinke which is vsed among beasts and mingle thy meate with mirth which is euer the best dish at the boord and be thankefull to God And so leaue with an appetite passing y e time wiselie betwéene dinner and supper with exercise labour study or pastime vnto the ende of sixe houres and then begin thy supper prouided that it bee shorter than thy dinner eating thy meate by little and little for gréedie and sudden eating is hurtfull to nature as Galen sayth in his Diatorie Note also that thou maist eate more meat in Winter than in Summer because thy naturall heate is enclosed with thy bodie in Winter but vniuersally spread in Summer Also cholericke men may as lightly digest béefe bacon veneson c. With as much spéede and litle hurt as the fleugmatike man may eate rabit chicken and partridge c. But the melancholie man through the coldnesse of the stomacke hath not that strength in the stomacke as hee hath promtpnes in wil to eat things warm and moyst be good for him The sanguine man is not so swift in this digestion as the hote cholericke man is But notwithstanding he hath good digestion through the humiditie and warmnes of bloud and coueteth to eat swéete things which greatly augment the bloud therfore sharpe sauces made with vinegar onions and barbaries bée wholesome Purslen sorrell small fishes that féede vppon the stones in fayre running waters cowcumbers and pure French wine partly delayed with water bee good for the saide sanguine men to kéepe them from much encrease of flesh Ioh. Thou hast shewed vnto me a very discrete and wholsome order of diet particular to my selfe and partly to other complexions but what rule or prety Gouernment is for sicke folks Hum. They that be sodainlie vexed with sharpe sicknesses must haue thin diets with water gruell thin mutton or chicken pottage without any fat or thicknes violet leaues endiue leaues and such like cooling hearbes and let their drinkes be made of Tezantes thus doe to them that haue hot sharpe sickenesses occasioned of choler And also colde siroppes of endiue violets sugar water and vinegar sodden together bee verie wholesome But if sickenesses bee long of continuance their diet must bee the thicker and their meates made the stronger specially if their diseases be cold with the flesh of cocks capons temperate wine stewed broath with wholsome hearbs as buglos borrage basill parcely and finkle rootes with some maces dates damaske prunes reisins of the sunne and such like Sirops of Isope and citeron prouided that they neyther take meate nor medicine immediately before or soone after their fittes posset ale with clarified hearbes excepted which they may take for their comfort according to the estate of their disease for such as be sicke must haue meate contrarie to their complexion For they that be colde must haue hote meate and medicines And they that be drie must haue moyst thinges But they that bée hote must haue colde thinges for the ardent heate of the fire is quenched with the moystnesse of the water and so the quantitie of one qualitie ouercommeth the qualitie of an other And in deede Phisicke sayeth the bodies that bee hote must be fed with things like as they that be moist with moyst things to preserue their moistnes They that be hote with hot things to preserue their heate and such like But when they doe exceede in heate cold moist or drie then let the qualities of moistnes be tempered with drienes and the coldnes with warmnes For like as man delighteth in things of like as the cholericke man cholericke things euen so do beasts and fruites as the Colloquintida which is bitter delighteth in bitter ground Hote spices delight to grow in hot ground and euery fruit and hearbe doth delite in the thing that is of like euen so doth man in his foode But in al things let him beware of distemperaunce surfites or repletion reare suppers and drunkennesse Ioh. But if a man feele great griefe after meates or drinkes what way is there then for to helpe him Hum. Use walking vp and down and perhappes that will disgeste as Auicen saieth And Rasis sayeth to walke a hundreth paces after meate is holsome for it comforteth disgestion prouoketh vryne and giueth one power and strength of stomacke to eate his supper But the counsaile of Galen must here be obserued Which saieth there is no meate but it will corrupt or stinke if the bodie be cast into a sodain heate by
strong trauel soone after meate which coruption of disgestion is the mother of all diseases and the beginner of all infirmities as Auicen reporteth And if you see this will not helpe to disgest your ingorged full stomake then prouoke your selfe to sleepe lying vppon your right side leauing toward your breast and belly laying your warme hand vpon your breast as Auerois saith the power of disgestion is made strong when a man sléepeth For naturall heat that is drawen inwardly with warmnes or heat hath power to digest But if sleepe ease you not prouoke vomit or fast it out and this is the counsell of many learned men For it is no meruaile although many meates corrupt one man which be of sundrie and diuers workinges in the stomake liuer and veine for the qualities doe hinder nature as much as the quantities And take heed these signes and euill tokens be not found in youth The paines of all your members with idlenes and wearines to go or moue your bodie Sodayne great blushing or rednesse in your face veines swelled and puffed vp red vryne and grosse skinne exteÌ„ded or stretched out with fulnes like a blowen bladder and ful pulses small desire to meat il rest griefe in sléepe séeming in sléep to beare some intollerable burden or dreaming to be spéechlesse these be the euill dangerous tokens of replection And of this I giue you warning for it hath slaine as manie by aboundance as hunger hath killed through scarcitie Ioh. I haue heard say that holsome aire is a great comfort to mans nature but corrupt ayre doth much harme I shall require you therefore to tell me of the good and the bad aire that I may learne to vse the good and refuse the bad Hum. Galen in lib. de Sectis saieth A wise phisicion ought to know the natures of men of waters of aire of regions and dwellings generally particularly to thy self being a naturall English man of birth and education this land is very temperat Howbeit our dwellinges in this land be variable as fennes marishes woods heithes valleis playnes and rockie places and neare the sea side But the said Galen geueth counsell in his regiment of health saying a good aire which is pure and holsome is that which is not troubled in standing water pooles Therefore marish grounds and places where hempe and flax is rotten dead carrions be cast or multitudes of people dwelling together or houses enuironed with standing waters whereinto iakes or sinks haue issues or wallowing of swine or carion vnburied or foule houses or such like places be dangerous corrupteth the bloud which is worse than infection of meate for the prince saith that al places of coÌ„cauets as sellers vaults holes of minerals where mettels be digged or houses or wals ioined togither where as the sun with reflexioÌ„ beateth in w c sodain heat whose absence bringeth cold this aire is distempered but pleasant clear aire swéete gardens goodly hilles in dayes temperat when one may sée far off These be good also there be certaine stars called infortunates in their exaltation whose influence bringeth corruption to creatures rot and pestileÌ„ce to man and beasts poisoning waters and killing of fish blasting of fruite in trées and corne in the fields infecting men with diuers diseases feuers palsies dropsies fransies falling sicknesses and leprosies Against the said influences al christian men must pray to God to be their defence for they be Gods instrumeÌ„ts to punish the earth Example we haue of mortall pestilence horrible feuers and sweating sicknes and of late a generall feuer that this land is often greatly plaged withall Then one must make a fire in euerie chimney within the house and burne swéete perfumes to purge this foule aire and now in conclusion to answere thy question for the health of dwelling Auicen saith to dwell vpon hils is cold And in vallies comprised with hilles is hote Upon a hill side against the north is cold and drie Towarde the west grose and moist verie subtill towardes the East And cleare and warme towards the South And Rasis saieth in his first booke Afforien A man dwelling néere the Sea side or great waters can not liue long nor cannot be without weaknes of members or blindnes but the best building of a house is vpon a drie ground and a hill towardes the west side and southwest dores and windowes open towards the east and north east hauing neere vnto the said house sweet springs of ruÌ„ning waters from stonie or chaulkie ground which is both pleasaunt and profitable to the house For Hippocrates saieth in his booke of Aire and Water the second chapter cities and townes which are placed toward the east be more sure then the townes builded towardes the north for temperat aire or winde and sicknesses be lesse And in the said book Auicen greatly commendeth pleasant riuers running towards the rising of the sunne the dwellers in such places sayeth he be fayre and well fauored smothe skinned cleare and sharpe voyces and thus to conclude with thée this shal suffise at this time what and where good and pleasant dwelling is Note also that thou must obserue aire in sicknes as thou must do meate in sicknes colde sicknesses warme aire drie sicknesses moist aire and so in the contraries to them that be sick and they that be hole aire of like qualitie is moist holsom they that haue long sicknesses chaunge of aire is a great helpe both in feuers dropsies falling sicknesses and rheumes Ioh. I haue found verie much disquietnes in my body when my sâ—ruants and labouring familie haue found case and yet wee are partakers of one aire Hum. The cause why thy labouring seruants in the fielde at plough pastures or woodde haue such good health is exercise labour and thy disquietnes commeth partly of idlenes and lack of trauell which moderatly vsed is a thing most soueraign to nature Ioh. I pray thee tel me some thing of exercise Hum. The well learned man Fulgentius saith that exercise is a file and chaufer of the heate naturall which chaseth away sléepe and consumeth superfluous strength Of the naturall vertues redeeming of time enemie vnto Idlenes due vnto yong men ioy of old men and to say the truth he which doth abstein from exercise shall lack the ioyes of health and quietnesse both of body and minde And Galen saieth in his regiment of health if wee will keepe perfite health wee must begin at labour and moderate trauell and then to our meate and drinke and so foorth to sléepe and this is the cause why hawkers shooters hunters and plowmen gardeners c. haue so good disgestion and strength of bodie Who be stronger armed men than Smithes because of the exercise of their armes stronger bodied than carpenters which lift great blockes and masons which doe beare great stones not onely in their youth but such men will take maruellous trauels in age which
hearbe is hote and dry and prouoketh vrine clenseth the matrix stoppeth the bloud in a wound If it be put in a pigge it dryeth the humours that would engender fleugme it is good against the paulsie oftentimes eaten or sodden in wine it will helpe and clense itch scabs and filth from the pudent and secret members Aetius doeth greatly commend this hearbe and the excellent regiment of Salern where it saith Cur moritur homo cui saluia crescit in horto enquiring why men doe die that haue Sage growing in gardens But truely neither Phisicke hearbe nor cunning can make man immortall but assuredly Sage is holsome for old folkes to be put into their meates for it clenseth fleugme from the sinews which fleugme will relax the sinewes The wine of sage drunke vpon an emptie stomake is holesome for fleugmaticke persons or them which haue the falling sicknes or dropsie Ioh. What is Polopodie that groweth vpon the Oke tree Hum. If this hearbe bee sodden with Beetes and Mallowes in the broth of a henne and drunke it will loose the belly and clense fleugme the roote of this hearbe beeing drie and beaten into fine powder and drawen into the nostrilles helpeth a disease called Polipus Ioh. I haue hearde talke of Hoorehound I would faine heare of his working Hum. It is a hearbe hote and drie if it be sodden with faire water suger or hony and streine it this drinke doeth clense the stomake from stinking fleugme it is an excellent hearbe for women to clense their moneth tearmes the water of this is good to helpe them which haue a moist rewme falling from the head vpon the lunges beeing often drunke but it is hurtefull to the bladder and reines the sirope thereof doeth clense the kings euil and also put into the eares doeth greatly comforte the hearing if the eares be troubled and stamped with hony and applied into the eies it clenseth the sight Ioh. What is Verben Hum. It is called the holy hearbe it dryeth and bindeth if it bee sodden with vineger it helpeth a disease called saint Anthonies fier oftentimes waâ—hing the pained place the leaues of Uerben and Roses and fresh swines grease stamped togither will seace paine and griefe in euery wounde and will keepe woundes from corruption it is good for people that haue the tertian or quartaine Agues and thus saith Dioscorides moreouer he saith the weight of a dram of this hearb with three halpenies weight of Olibbulom and put in nine ounces of olde wine tempered togither and drunke fortie daies of this quantity fasting it wil helpe a disease called the kings euill or paine in the throate Ioh. What is Rew or hearbe Grace Hum. I tell thee this hearbe is verie hote and bitter and doth burne because of his hotenes in the third degree if a littie of this Rew be stamped and sodden with wine and drunke it is an excellent medicine against poyson and pestilence with Roses and vineger and Rew stamped togither and put in forred cloth or biggen applied vnto the temples of the head or forehead doe cease grieuous paines itn the head And in like maner it healedh the bitings of serpentes or dogs stamped with vineger many nice people cannot abide it crying fie it stinkes The seede of this hearbe beaten in powder and put in fresh clarified butter and pitch melted togither is good for them to drinke that are brused Ioh. What is burnet Hum. It is of the nuture of fiue finger drie and binding and not moist as many saith stampe it and put it to the eies doeth take away the dropping and pricking and doth heale woundes and is good to drinke for the tercian Ague Ioh. What is Dandilion Hum. It is trmperate colde and drie with Roses and vineger tempered togither it helpeth the head in hote diseases The sowthistle called Soncus hath the same vertue and so hath Suckery if they be sodden they lose the belly and quencheth heat which burneth in the stomake and defendeth the heade from hote smoking vapours and purgeth yellow choller and rebateth venerous aâ—d fleshly heat and is good to be sodden and drunke in hoate burning Agues though this hearbe be commonly knowen and counted of many as a vile weede yet it is reported of Dioscorides to be an excellent hearbe Ioh. What is Spynnage Hum. An hearbe much vsed in meate colde and moist in the first degree it mollifieth and maketh softe the belly it is good for them that be hote and drie and ill for fleugmatike men Ioh. What is Cucumbers Hum. They be truely in the seconde degree very moist and colde The seedes be good to be giuen in hote sickenesses the powder of the said seedes drunke in cleane wine is good against diuers passions of the heart this fruit wil cause one to make water well the roote dried in powder therof drunken in water and hony prouoketh vomite if they be moderately eaten they bring good blood tempered with hony and annointe the eies that helpeth a disease called Epinictidas which troubleth men with strange sightes in the nightes the best of this fruit is which beareth the best seedes the sauour of that is not holsome mellons citrons pompons and this kinde of pepons or great apples be much vsed in England and are more common than profitable because they vse to eate them raw English men being borne in a temperate region inclining to colde may not without hurt eate rawe herbs rootes and frutes plentifull as many men which be borne far in the South partes of the world which bee most hote of stomacke therefore let them eate these fruites boiled or baked with hony and pepper and fennell seedes or such like there be an other hote kind of bitter cucumers which do purge Ioh. What is garlike Hum. Garlike is very hote and drie in the fourth degree it troubleth the stomacke it is hurtfull to the eies and head it encreaseth drienesse but it will prouoke vrine and is good to be laied vppon the biting of a snake or adder it is good for the emeroids applied to the sore place being first stamped if it be sodden the stinke is taken from it but the vertue remaineth to be eaten against the coughes and paines in the lungs it cutteth and consumeth corrupt fleugme and bringeth sleepe It is not good for hote men nor women with childe or nurces giuing milke to children but Galen calleth it the common peoples treacle if sanguine men do eate much of it it will make them to haue red faces but it is a speciall remedy against poison Ioh. What is onions Hum. They doe make thin the blood and bring sleepe they be not good for chollericke men the long onion is more vehementer than the round and the red more than the white the drie more than the greene and the rawe more vehementer than the sodden or preserued in salt although they doe cause steepe very painefull and
troublous hoate in the third degree and warme in the stomacke clenseth the stomacke and bringeth good colour vnto the face and helpeth the greene sickenesse prouoketh vrine openeth the emeroides If they bee sodden in vineger and laide warme to them peele off the rinde and cutte it at both the endes and cast it into a faire warme water and let it lie an houre or two and then slice it this taketh away the vehement sharpenesse of of it Rew Salt Hony and one onion stamped together is a goodly plaister to lay vppon the biting of a dogge leekes doe purge the blood in March and paine the head and be not greatly praised for their ill iuyce A doge saieth Dioscorides the head being annoynted with the iuyce thereof keepeth haire from falling there is much varietie of this onion amongest writers saieth Plinie but this shall suffise Iohn What is Lettice Humfrey It doth mightily encrease milke in womens breasts and therefore is called Lettice as Martiall saieth first shall be giuen to the vertue and power to encrease milke in the breastes euery houre Lettice is a hearb colde and moist and is comfortable for a hote stomacke bringeth sleepe mollifieth the belly the drier it be eaten the better it is I meane if it be not much washed in water adding thereunto some cleane Salleâ— Oyle Sugar and Uineger it abateth carnall lust and much vse of it dulleth the sight the seede of it is very precious There is an hearbe called Rocked gentle which partely smelleth like a Foxe the which is very hote an encreaser of seede which hearb must alwayes be eaten with Lettis The roote thereof sodden in water will drawe broken bones and will helpe the cough in yoong children Iohn What be mintes Humfrey Mintes be of two kindes garden and wilde mintes they be hote vnto the third and doe drie in the second degree Garden mint is best the poulder of this with the iuice of Pomegranates stoppeth vomites helpeth sighing cleanseth hote choller Three branches of this sodden with wine doeth helpe repletion drunke fasting This iuice tempered with good triacle and eaten of children in mornings will kill wormes and stamped with salt applie it to the biting of a dogge and it will heale it It is wholesome sodden with windy meates and sodden in posset ale with fennell it helpeth the collicke it encreaseth vitall seede It is not best for chollericke complexions but good for fleugmatike and indifferent for melancholy and it will stoppe blood stamped and applied to the place The iuyce of mintes is best to mingle in medicine against poison the poulder of Mintes is good in pottage to helpe disgestion and to make sweete breath Iohn What is fennell Humfrey It hath power to warme in the third degree and drie and maketh sweete the breath the seede eaten oftentimes vpon an empty stomacke doeth helpe the eie sight the rootes cleane washed be very wholesome in pottage and are good in tisants the greene or redde tufts growing vpon the stalkes sodden in wine pottage or ale helpeth the bladder the reines and breaketh the stone encreaseth milke in womens breastes and seede of generation It is good for to vse Endiue or such like with it because it is very hote and good in Barbars baâ—hs washing water and with balme sauerie It is good to wash ones feete to bedward the sirrope is very wholsome it helpeth a fleugmatike stomacke Iohn What is Hisope Hum. An hearb commonly knowen growing in gardens and hote in the third degree it hath vertues to make humors thinne and warme sodden with figges rew and hony in cleane water and drunk it greatly helpeth the sickenesse in the lungs olde cough and rotten humours dropping vpon the lungs sodden with erius and graines of paradise called the Cardamon it mightily purgeth and bringeth good colour Figges salt Nitrum and Isope stamped together and applied to the splene helpeth it much and taketh away the water that runnes between the skinne and the flesh sodden with Oximel it cleanseth fleugme Iohn What is Sention Hum. It is of a mixt temperament it cooleth and partly clenseth if it be chopped and sodden in water and drinke it with your pottage it will heale the griefe of the stomacke and purge it from hote choller his downe with saffron and colde water stamped and put in the eies it will dry the running droppes and stamped plaister wise it helpeth many greeuous woundes Ioh. What is Pursleine Hum. Colde in the third and moist in the second if it be stamped with steeped barly it maketh a goodly plaister to coole the head eies and liuer in agues burning heate To eate of it stoppeth flixes and quencheth burning choller and extinguish venerous lust and greatly helpeth the reines and bladder and will kill round wormes in the belly and comfort the matrixe against much fleugme And the iuice is good to drinke in hote feuers it may be preserued with salt and then it is very good with rosted meates Plinie saieth it is supposed to make the sight blunt and weake further hee saieth that in Spaine a great noble man whome hee did knowe did hang this pursleine roote in a threede commonly about his necke which was much troubled of a long sicknesse and was healed Ioh. What is mugwort Hum. Mugwoort and fetherfoy and tansey be very hote and drie in the second degree Muggewoorte Spurge and the oyle of Almondes tempered plaisier-wise and applied colde vnto the sicke pained stomacke will bring health It is good in baths saieth Galen it is wholsome for women it cleanseth and warmeth and comforteth and breaketh the stone Plinie saieth It is good against serpents and wholesome for trauailing men if they carry it it comforteth them from wormes Tansey doeth mightily cast woormes from children drunke with wine A colde plaister stamped and laied vppon the belly of a woman whose childe is dead within her it will separate the dead childe from the liuing mother causing her to neese with betony leaues Iohn There is an hearbe commonly vsed to the great reliefe of very many called Cabbage is it so good as it is reported of Humfrey Cabage is of two properties of binding the belly and making laxatiue the iuyce of cabages lightly boiled in fresh beefe broth is laxatiue but the substance of this hearb is hard of disgestion but if it be twise sodden the broth of it will also binde the belly if it be tempered with allum This herb hath vertue to cleanse a new red leprosie laid on the sore place in the maner of a plaister But to conclude of this hearbe the broth of it hath vertue to preserue from drunkenes as Aristotle Rasis and Auicen do report eaten before drinking time Ioh. What is Philopendula Hum. It is an hearbe hot and drie if it be sodden in white wine drunk It drieth vp windy places in the guttes and clenseth the raines in the backe and bladder Ioh. What is Agremonie Hum.
the fresh water bee sodden in pure greene oile oliue this oile dropped into the eare luke warme doeth heale hote burning obstructions and stopping matter that hindereth the hearing As for lempetes cockles scallaps as Galen saieth they bee hard of disgestion muscles and oisters would bee well boyled rosted or baked with onions wine butter sugar ginger and pepper or else they bee verie windie and fleugmatike Chollericke stomackes may well disgest raw oisters but they haue cast many a one away Iohn What is the vertue of oile Hum. Greene oile of oliues is the mother of all oiles which doeth drawe into her owne nature the vertues of hearbs buddes floures fruites and rootes Sweete sallet oile is wholsome to disgest cold hearbs and sallets tempered with sharpe vineger and sugar New oile doth moyst and warme the stomacke but olde oile corrupteth the stomacke and cleaueth to the lungs and maketh one hoarse Oile of roses and sharpe vineger tempered together is good to annoint the foreheades of them that are troubled wyth extreme heate or fransie so that Buglos be sodden in their posset ale or else drinke the sirops of Endiue or Buglosse There be many goodly vertues in compounded oiles both to callisie and make hote And also to coole the body when it is extreame hote as the great learned man Iohn Meiua hath described in his Antidotarii Iohn Wilt thou be so good as to tel me the properties of water Hum. Water is one of the foure elementes more lighter than earth heauier than fire and aire But this water the which is heere amongest vs in Riuers pondes springs flouds and seas be no pure waters for they be mingled with sundry aires corruptions grosenesse and saltnes notwithstanding in all our meats and drinkes water is vsed and amongest all liuing creatures can not be sorborne both man beast fish foule hearb and grasse And as Auicen saieth the clay water is pure for clay cleanseth the water and is better than water that runneth ouer grauell or stones so that it bee pure clay voyde of corruption Also waters running toward the east be pure comming out of hard stony rockes and a pinte of that water is lighter than a pint of the standing water of welles or pooles The lighter the water the better it is Also waters that are put in wine c. ought first to bee sodden ere it be occupied colde and so the fire doth cleanse it from corruption Standing waters and water running neare vnto cities and towns or marish ground woods and fennes bee euer full of corruption because there is so much filth in them of carrions and rotten dung c. Ice and snowe waters be very grose and bee hurtefull to the bodies of men and beasts To drinke colde water is euill for it will stoppe the body and engender melancholy Salt water helpeth a man from scabbes itch and moist humours it killeth lice and wasteth bloud betweene the skinne and the flesh but it is most hurtful to the stomacke but the vapour and smoake of it is good for them that haue the dropsie Ioh. What is Vineger Hum. Uineger is colde and drie and is hurtfull for them that be melancholy but when it is drunke or poured vpon an outward wound stoppeth the bloud it also killeth hot apostumations of erisipilus it is an enemie to the sinewes Uineger and brimstone sodden together is good for the Gout to wash it withall Uineger tempered with oyle Oliue or oyle of Roses and sodden with vnwashed woll helpeth a disease called Soda in the head applied warme vnto the place it doth helpe hot diseases in the head called Soda it is good in sauce for all warme and moist men Uineger with cleane clarified hony penidies and faire water sodden together doth greatly helpe the paine in the throte or lunges or stopping of the winde and quencheth hot diseases And sharpe vinegar mingled with salt and put vpon the biting of a dog doth heale it and against poyson it is excellent chiefly to drinke a little thereof against the pestilence in a morning Iohn What vertue hath our common salt Hum. Rasis saith salt is hot and drie Dioscorides saith salt hath vertu to stop to scour and mundifie and of that mind is Oribasius saying salt is compounded of matter abâ—â—ersiue and stiptik which matters be both binding and driyng moist humours and is good to powder fatte flesh both biefe and porke and other fatte meate for it hath vertue to drie vp superfluous humours as water and bloud c. But it is not good for leane bodies or hot complexioned people for the much vse of it maketh the body cholericke appeare aged and to be angry The verie vse of it is onely to season meates but not to be meate Much good salt is made here in England as at Witch Hallond in Lincolneshire and in the Shires neere vnto Newcastel Ioh. What is honie or the vertue thereof Hum. Auerrois sayeth honie is hot and drie in the second degree and dooeth cleanse verie much and is a medicinable meat most chiefliest for olde men and women For it doth warme them and conuert them into good bloud It is not good for cholericke persons because of the heat and drinesse They do greatly erre that say hony is hot and moist but if it be clarified from the wax and drosse and kept in a close vessel there is nothing that is liquid vpon the earth that remaineth longer And this precious iewel hony hath beene euermore praysed aboue suger for it will conserue and keepe any frute herb rote or any other thing that is put into it an exceeding long time Marueilous is the worke of God in honie being a heauenly dewe that falleth vppon flowers and leaues as Auicen saith is neither the iuice of leaues nor fruit but onely the heauenlie dewe Wherevnto the Bees come in due time and doe gather the said hony and lay it vp in store in their curious builded houses whereas they dwell together in most goodly order O Bees bees how much happier are you then any wretched man which dwelleth neuer together in vnitie and peace but in continuall discord and disquietnesse as Virgil saith En quo discordia ciues produxerit miserosê Behold what discord wretched citizens haue brought foorth But now to make an end of the most excellent vertues of hony it is good in the meates of them which be fleugmaticke Hony newly taken out of their combes bee partely laxatiue but clarified hony doth binde and dry vp fleugme and keepeth the bodies of fleugmaticke and olde persons from corruption The best hony is gathered in the Spring time the second in Summer but that which is gathered in Winter is ill and hurtfull One part of hony and some part of water sodden together vntill the froth bee all scummed off and when it is colde kept in a close stone pot this drinke saith Galen is wholesome for Summer cleanseth
ought to bee twise in the Moneth for the conseruation of health but that which is more doeth hurt the bodie There is another kinde of the clensing of the body by sweating as with hot drinkes warme clothes perfumes made of Olibalum brimstone niter c. There is also bathes and sweating in hot houses for the pockes scurffe scabbes hemerodes piles which hot houses haue the vertue of helping the saide diseases But if any that be of an whole temperate complexion do sweate in drie hot houses it doth them much harme as hyndring their eyesights decaying their teeth hurting memory The best bathing is in a great vessel or a litle close place with the euapuration of diuers sweete hearbes wel sodden in water which haue vertue to open the poores softly letting out feeble and grosse vapors which lieth betwene the skinne and the flesh This kinde of bathing is good in the time of pestilence or feuer quarten in the end of the bathes it is good to anoint the body with some swéete oyle to molifie and make soft the sinewes And thus to conclude of bathing it is verie holsome so that it be not doone vppon an emptie stomacke palsies may come thereby or to take sodaine colde after it there foloweth an other purgation called neesing or sternutacion which is beneficial for the bodie if it be vsed vpon an empty stomacke Twyse or thrise in a morning with a leafe of Bittony put into thy nose it helpeth memory good against opilation stopping and obstructions Suppositers be good for weake people or children made with Hieria Picra and hony made in the length of a finger Scarifiyng or boxing as Galen saith applied vnto the extreme partes as the legges and the armes doth great helpe vnto the body in drawing watery humour away from the body but boxing is not good for the brest applied thereto in hote feuers is daungerous Glisters made according to arte be good for them whieh be too weake to take purgation The maner of the said glisters because they be not here to be spoken of at large I entend by Gods grace to set forth in my next book of helthful medicins Purgations venerous there be so many practicioners thereof that I neede to write no rules but this that affection lust and fantasie haue banished chastitie temperance and honestie Ioh. Plaine people in the countrie as carters threshers ditchers colliers and plowmen vse seldome times to wash their hands as appeareth by their filthynes and as verie few times combe their heads as it is seene by floxe nittes grease fethers strawe and such like which hangeth in their haires Whether is washing or combing things to decorate or garnish the body or els to bring health to the same Hum. Thou séest that the deere horse or cowe will vse friction or rubbing them selues against trees both for their ease and health Birdes and haukes after their bathing will prune and rowse them selues vpon their braunches and perkes and all for health What should man do which is reasonable but to kéepe himself cleane and often to wash the handes which is a thing most comfortable to coole the heate of the liuer if it bee done often the handes be also the instrumentes to the mouth eies with many other thinges commonly to serue the bodie To wash the handes in cold water is very holsome for the stomake and lyuer but to wash with hot water engendreth rheumes wormes and corruption in the stomacke because it pulleth away naturall heate vnto the warmed place which is washed Frication or rubbing the bodie is good to be done in mornings after the purgation of the belly with warme clothes from the head to the brest then to the belly from the belly to the thighes legges and so forth So that it be done downwarde it is good And in drie folkes to be rubbed with the oyle of camomill Kembing of the head is good in mornings and doth comfort memorie it is euil at night and openeth the pores The cutting of the haire and the paring of the nailes cleane keepeing of the eares and teeth be not only thinges comely and honest but also holsome rules of Phisicke for to be superfluous things of the excrements Ioh. The chiefe thing that I had thought to haue demanded the very marke that I would haue thee to shote at is to tell me some thing of dieting my selfe with meate and drinke in health and sickenesse Hum. There is to be considered in eating the time of hunger or custome the place of eating and drinking whether it be colde or hote also the time of the yéere whether it bee Winter or Summer also the age or complexion of the eater and whether he bee whole or sicke also the things which be eaten whether they be fish or flesh fruits or herbes Note also the complections and temperaments of the said meates hot or colde drie or moyst and most chiefly marke the quantitie and so forth And like as lampes doe consume the oyle which is put vnto them for the preseruation of the light although it cannot continue for euer so is the naturall heate which is within vs preserued by humiditie and moystnesse of bloud and fleugme whose chief engenderer be good meates drinkes As Auicen saith de ethica When naturall heate is quenched in the bodie then of necessitie the soule must depart from the bodie For the workman can not worke when his instrument is gone So the spirits of life can haue no exercise in the body when there is no naturall heate to worke vpon Without meate saith Galen it is not possible for any man to liue either whole or sicke and thus to conclude no vital thing liueth without refection and sustenaunce whether it be animall reasonable or animall sensible without reason or any vital thing insensible both man beast fish and worme trée or hearb All these things be newtrified with the influence or substaunce of the foure Elementes or any of them Ioh. Well Humfrey thou knowest my complexion and disorder of my diet what remedy for me that haue liued like a riotter Hum. I know it well thou arte flegmatike and therefore it is long yer thy meate be disgested When thou dost eate fish and flesh together it doth corrupt in thy stomack and stink euen so doth hard cheese and cold fruits And olde poudred meates and raw hearbes ingender euil humors so the diuersity of quality quantity of diuers meats doth bring much paine to the stomack doth engender many diseases as thou maist reade in the first booke of Galen Inuementis membrorum cap. iiij And the Prince himselfe sayeth in 3. prim doct 2. cap. 7. Saying nothing is more hurtfull than diuerse meates to be ioyned together For while as the last is receyuing the first beginneth to digest And when the table is garnished with diuerse meates some rosted some
Dioscorides saieth that if this hearbe with swynes greace be stamped together laied vpon an olde rotten sore being hot it hath vertue to heale it the seed of this hearbe drunke with wine is good against the beeing of Serpentes stopping of the liuer and bloudy flix Ioh. Some say that the hearbe dragon is of great vertue Hum. The iuice of it saith Dioscorides dropped into the eie doth clense it and giueth much might vnto the eies of them which haue darke sightes the water of this hearbe hath vertue against the pestilence If it be drunke blood warm with Uenice triacle the sauor of this hearbe is hurtfull to a woman newly conceyued with child Plinie saith that who so beareth this hearbe vpon them no venemous serpent will doe them harme This hearbe is hot and drie Ioh. There is a very sweete flower called a Violet is it so profitable as it is pleasant Hum. Simeon Sethi reporteth that it doth helpe against hote inflamations of the guts head and stomacke if the cause be of burning choler Either the water sirop or conserue of the said Uiolets either eaten or drunke in the time of any hot passion But vndoubttedly it offendeth the heart because of the coldnesse the sauour of the flowers be pleasant the oile that is made of this hearbe hath vertue to bring quiet sléepes to them which haue grieuous hot paine in the head Ioh. What is the vertu of the pleasant white lillie Hum. Dioscorides saith that the oyle of Lillies doeth mollifie the Synewes and the mouth of the matrixe the iuice of Lillies Uineger and Honie sodden in a brasen vessell doeth make an oyntment to heale both new and olde wounds If the roote bée rosted and stamped with roses it maketh a healing plaister agaynst burning of fire the same roote rosted hath vertue to breake a pestilent sore applyed hote vnto the sore place and is drie in the first degrée The Oyle of water Lillies bee moyst sufferent agaynst all hote diseases to annoint the ardent places and doth reconcile quiet sleepe if the forehead be anointed therwith Ioh. In the time of the pestilence my wife maketh me a medicin of an hearb called Centauri doth she well or not Hum. Plini saieth that the sirop of this hearbe drunke with a little vineger and salt doeth cleanse the bodie the leaues and flowers be of great vertue to be sodden and drunke against al raw humors of grosse fleugme watry or windy it doth clense â—ruent or bloody matter within the bodies of men or women The powder of this hearbe is good in pessaries for women causing the dead childe to depart from the mother and is wholsome against the pestilence in the time of winter and is hote and drie Ioh. Wee beautifie and make pleasant our windowes with Rosemarie vsing it for small other purposes Hum. Rosemarie is an hearbe of great vertue hote and drie sodden in Wine and drunken before meate it doeth heale the kings euill or paines in the throate as Dioscorides and Galen sayth the sauour of it doth comfort the braine and heart the flowers of Rosemarie is an excellent cordiall called Anthos Ioh. Is Puliol royal an hearb of any value or a weed of contemption Hum. It is an hearbe of much vertue and profite hote and drie in the thirde degrée Dioscorides saith if this hearbe be sodden with honie Aloes and drunke it will cleanse the liuer and purge the bloud most chiefly it helpeth the lungs Simeon Sethi saith if women drinke it with white wine it will prouoke and cleanse the termes menstrual and is a very wholesome pot hearbe Ioh. What saist thou vnto mustard Hum. Plinius doth greatly laud it saying that there is nothing that doth pearse more swiftlier into the braine than it doth Honie vineger and mustard tempered together is an excellent Gargarisma to purge the heade téeth and throate Mustarde is good against all the diseases of the stomacke or lunges winde fleugme or rawnes of the guts and conduceth meate into the bodie prouoketh vrine helpeth the palsie wasteth the quartane dryeth vp moist rheumes applied plaister wise vnto the head Honie and Mustard helpeth the cough and is good for them that haue the falling sickenesse notwithstanding the common vse of Mustard is an enemie to the eye Many more vertues haue I read of Mustard but the occasion of time hath vnhappily preuented not onely my large discription in this but also in many other simples which hereafter I intend largely to write vpoÌ„ it if it please God to permit me Ioh. They say that Buglos is verie wholesome Hum. It is an hearbe most temperate betwéene hote and colde of an excellent vertue a comforter of the heart a purger of melancholy a quieter of the frenzie a purger of the vrine holsome to be drunk in wine but most effectual in sirup Dioscorides and Galen doth greatly commend this hearb and that doth dayly experience well proue Iohn What is thy minde of sweete Basill Hum. This hearbe is warme in the second degree hauing the vertue of moystnesse and if it be sodden in wine with Spicknard and drunke it is good agaynst dropsies windes fleugme coldnesse of the heart hardnesse of the stomacke the sauour of Basill doeth comfort the braine and heart the vse of this hearbe in meates doeth decay the sight Ioh. The plaine people of the countrey will say that those flowers which bee pleasant in smelling bee oftentimes vnwholsom in working the rose is pleasant in sense what is it in vertue Hum. It hath an odour most pleasant and hath vertue to coole and bind The water is good to make Manus Christi and many other goodly cordials Roses and vineger applied vnto the forehead doe bring sléepe conserue of Roses haue vertue to quench burning choler and to stay the rage of a hote feuer Oyle of Roses Uineger and the white of an egge beaten together doth not onely quench sacra ignis but also bring a madde man into quietnesse if his foreheade bee well annoynted therewith after the recept of Pilles of Chochi in the time of the Pestilence there is nothing more comfortable than the sauour of roses Ioh. What saiest thou of Sauerie Hum. It is hote and drie in the third degrée if the gréene hearbe bee sodden in water or white wine and drunke these be his vertues to make the liuer sort to cleanse dropsies colde coughes cleanseth womens diseases and separateth the dead child from the mother as Dioscorides Galen saith Also Germander is not much vnlike the vertue of this hearbe Ioh. But for troubling of you I would be glad to know your minde of Time and of a few other hearbes Hum. It is vehement of heat with drinesse in the third degrée Dioscorides saith if it be drunk with vineger and salt it purgeth fleugme sodden with hony or meide it hath vertue to cleanse the lunges breast matrix reynes and bladder and killeth
The common eating of them is ill for chollericke persons with red faces for feare of Leprosie therefore cut off the feete wings and head of your Pigions or Doues for their bloud is that which is so venemous they be best in the spring time and haruest And Isack saith because they are so lyghtly conuerted into choller they did commaunde in the old time that they should be eaten with sharp Uineger Pâ—rslein Coucombers or Sitron Roosted Pigions be best The bloud that commeth out of the right wing dropped into ones eye doth mightely help the eie if it swelleth or pricketh And thus much haue I spoken of Pigions or Doues Ioh. What is the flesh of Pecockes Hum. Simon Sithy saieth it is raw flesh and hard of disgestion vnles it be verie fat But if it be fatte it helpeth the plurisie Haliabas saith that both swans Cranes Pecockes 〈◊〉 any great foules must after they be killed be hanged vp by the necks two or three daies with a stone weying at their feete as the weather will serue and then dressed and eaten Prouided that good Wine bee drunken after them Iohn What is the flesh of cranes Humfrey Simeon Sethi saieth their flesh is hote and drie the young are good but the olde doeth encrease melancholy they doe ingender seede of generation and being tenderly rosted doth help to cleare the voice and cleanse the pipe of the lungs Iohn What is swanne Hum. Euery grose fowle is chollericke hard of disgestion the signets bee better than the old swans if their galantines be well made it helpeth to disgest their flesh Iohn What is the flesh of herons bittors and shouellers Humfrey These fowles bee fishers and be very rawe and fleugmaticke like vnto the meate whereof they are fedde the young be best and ought to bee eaten with pepper synnamom sugar and ginger and drinke wine after them for good digestion and thus do for al water foules Iohn What bee partriches fesants quailes larkes sparrowes plouer and blacke birds Hum. Partriches doth binde the belly and doth nourish much The cockes be better than the hen birds they doe drie vp fleugme and corruption in the stomacke a fesant is the best of all flesh for his sweetenes is equall vnto the capon or partrich but he is somewhat drier And Rasis saieth fesants flesh is good for them that haue the feuer ethike for it is not only a meate but a medicine and doeth cleanse corrupt humors in the stomacke Quailes although they be eaten of many yet they are not to bee commended for they do ingender agues and bee euill for the falling sickenesse For as Conciliatur saieth of all foules that bee vsed for meates it is the worst Dioscorides saith that larkes rosted bee wholesome to bee eaten of them that bee troubled with the chollicke Blacke birds taken in the time of frost be wholesome and good of disgestion the dung of blacke birdes tempered with vineger and applied vnto any place that hath the blacke morphew or blacke leprosie ofttimes anointed with a spunge helps them The flesh of plouers ingenders melancholy sparrowes be hote and prouoketh lust Plinie doth describe their properties the braines be the best parte of them Woodcockes be of good disgestion and temperate to feede vpon All small birdes of the field as Robbin redbreâ—â— Liâ—ettes Finches red Sparrowes Gold wâ—nges and such like if they be fat they be maruellous good and doe greatly comfort nature either rosted or boiled and thus do I conclude with thee of birdes Ioh I Hartely thanke thee gentle maister Humfrey for thy paines taking in these thy rules vnto me concerning the proper vse of beastes and foules in meates I would be glad to know the vertues of some fishes Hum. In many Ilandes of this worlde nere adiacent vnto the Oâ—ient seas the people liue there most chiefly by fishes and be right strong and sound people of complexion as Aristotle saieth Consuetudo est tanquam altera natura Custome is like vnto another nature but because I speake of fish I will diuide them in thre partes First of the fishes of the sea secondly the fish of fresh running riuers thirdly of the fishes in pooles and standing waters The Sea hath many grose and fatte fishes which be noysome to the stomacke but the smaller kind of fiâ—â—es that feede about rockes and cleare stony places be more drier and lesse of moistnes then the fresh water fishes and doth engender lesse flegme and wind by the reason of their salt feeding as Galen saith they be the best fishes that feede in the pure Sea and chiefest of all fishes for the vse of mankinde But Haliabas saieth new fishes lately taken are colde and moist and flegmaticke but least of all the sea fish Fishes that swimme in fresh cleare Riuers or stony places where as the water is sweete being fishes that beare scales bee meruailous good If they feede neare vnto places where much filth is daily cast out there the fish is verie corrupt and vnholsome as the said Haliabas saieth Fishes that do feede in fennes marishes diches muddy pooles be very vnholsome and do corrupt the bloud they be grosse and slymy corrupt and windie But those fishes that be fed in faire ponds wherein two running waters may insue wheras sweet herbs roots weeds that growe about the bankes doth feed the fishes those fishes be holsom Galen saieth Fish that is white scaled hard as pearches cheuens ruffes carpes breames roches troutes c. be all good But vnscaled fishes as eeles tenches lampries and such like be dangerous vnlesse they be well baked or rosted and eaten with pepper ginger and vineger And note this that it is not wholesome trauelling or labouring immediately after the eating of fish for it doeth greatly corrupt the stomacke and as Galen saieth the nourishments of flesh is better than the nourishments of fish And thus much generally I haue spoken of fish Iohn And thus it seemeth by thy words that great fish that bee deuourers in sea as Seale and Porpois such like bee vnwholesome and that the smaller fishes as codlings whitings plaices smeltes buttes solles pike pearch breame roch carpe and such as doe feede in cleane stonie waters thou sayest they be wholesome Eeles lampries and other muddy fishes thou doest not greatly commend There be some kinds of fish soft and hard which be the best Humfrey If fish be soft the eldest fish is the best If fish be hard the yongest is best for it is either soft or hard Of hard fish take the smallest of softe fish take the greatest prouided that your fish be not very slimy thus saith Auicen in his booke of fishes Iohn I pray thee tel me some thing of shell fishes Hum. Crauises and crabbes be very good fishes the meate of them doth helpe the lungs but they be hurtfull for the bladder yet they will ingender seede If crabbes of
mightie men It maketh men like to monsters with countinaunces like vnto burning coales It dishonoureth noble men and beggereth poore men and generally killeth as many as be slaine in cruell battelles the more it is to be lamented Ioh. What is beere or ale Hum. Ale doth engendre grosse humors in the body but if it be made of good barly mualt and of wholsone water and verie well sodden and stand fiue or sixe daies vntill it be cleare It is verie wholesome especially for hot cholericke folkes hauing hote burning feuers But if Ale bee very sweete and not well sodden in the brewing it bringeth inflammation of winde and choller into the belly If it be very sower it fretteth and nippeth the guts and is euill for the eies To them that be verie flegmaticke ale is verie grosse but to temperat bodies it encreaseth bloud It is partely laxatiue and prouoketh vrine Cleane brewed beere if it be not very strong brewed with good hops clenseth the body from corruption and is very wholsome for the liuer it is an vsuall or common drinke in most places of England which indeede is hurt and made worse with many rotten hops or hoppes dried like dust which commeth from beyond the sea But although there commeth manie good hoppes from thence yet it is knowen that the goodly stilles and fruitfull grounds of England do bring forth to mans vse as good hops as groweth in any place of this world as by proofe I know in many places of the countrey of Suffolke Whereas they brewe their beere with the hoppes that groweth vpon their owne grounds And thus to conclude of ale and beere they haue no such vertue nor goodnes as wyne hath and the sur fetes which be taken of them through drunkennes be worse then the surfetes taken of wyne Knowe this that to drinke ale or beere of an empty stomacke moderatly hurteth not but dooeth good But if one be fasting hungry or empty and drinke much wine it will hurt the sinewes and bringeth crampe sharpe agues and palsies as Auicen Auerois and Rasis saie Ioh. What is bread Hum. The best Bread is made of cleane sweete wheate which groweth in claie ground and maketh but little branne when it is ground light leauened meanely salted and the bread to be baked in an ouen not extremely hot for burning of the bread nor les then meane hâ—t for causing the bread to be heauie and rawe the lighter the bread is and the more full of holes it is the wholsomer as Auerrois and Rasis saieth And also bread must neither be eaten new baked nor verie stale or old for the one causeth drinesse thirst and smoking into the head troubling the braines and eies through the heate thereof The other drieth the body and bringeth melancholy humours hurting memory The best bread is that which is of a day olde and the loues or manchets may neither be great nor little but meane for the fier in small loues drieth vp the moistnes or vertue of the bread and in great loues it leaueth rawnesse and grosnesse Reade Galen in the properties of bread Sodden bread which be called simnels or cracknelles bee verie vnwholsome and hurteth many one Rie bread is windy and hurtfull to manie therefore it shoulde be well salted and baked with Annis seedes and commonly crustes of bread be verie drie and burneth they doe engender melancholy humours Therefore in great mens houses the bread is chipped and largelye pared and ordynarily is made in brewesse and sosse for dogges which will helpe to feede a great number of poore people but that many be more affectionate to dogges then men Barly bread doth clense coole and make the body leane Ioh. What is rise Hum. There be many opinions in the vertue thereof but I shall stay my selfe with the iudgement of Auicen Rise saith he is hot and drie and hath vertue to stop the belly it doth nourish much if it bee sodden with milke but it ought to be steeped in water a whole night before if blanched Almondes be stamped and with Rosewater streined into them and sodden with cowes milke it is verie nutrimentall Ioh. What be almondes Hum. The bitter Almondes be hotter then the sweete Almondes Drie Almondes be hurtfull the milke of moist Almonds wherein burning steele is quenched stoppeth the flix To eate almondes before meate preserueth against drunkenes Walnuts be wholsome when they be new to bee eaten after fish for they hinder engendring of fleugme Simeon Sethi saith they are hote in the first and drie in the second degree not wholsome before meate Plinie speaking of Metridatis the great king that Pompius found of his owne hand writing that two nuttes and two figges and twenty rewe leaues stamped together with a little salt and eaten fasting doth defend a man both from poison and pestilence that daie Filberdes and hazle nuttes be hard of disgestion ill before meate hurtfull to the head and lunges if they be rosted and eaten with a little pepper they will helpe the running and distillation of rumes Chesnuttes if they bee rosted and eaten with a little hony fasting they helpe the cough if they be eaten raw although they greatly nourrish the brdy yet they be hurtfull for the splene and fill the belly full of winde Nutmegges be very good for colde persons comforteth the sight and memory as Auicen saieth but without doubt Nutmegges doe combust or burne sanguine men and drie vp their bloud and thus much haue I spoken shortly of the vertue of nuttes Ioh. What be cloues galangell and Pepper Hum. They be hote and drie and as Rasis saieth doe comfort colde stomackes and make sweete breath and is good in the meates of them that haue ill disgestion Blacke pepper is hoter then long pepper and doth mightily warme the bodie the grosser it is eaten with fish or frute the better it prouoketh vrine it is hot and drie in the fourth degree therefore they doe erre that saie pepper is hot in the mouth and colde in the stomacke Although pepper be good to them that vse it well yet vnto artificiall women that haue more beastlines then beuty and cannot be content with their natural complexions but would faine be fayre they eate pepper dried corne and drinke vineger with such like bagage to drie vp their bloud and this is the verie cause that a great number though not all fall into weakenes greene sickenesse slinking breathes and oftentimes sodaine death Iohn What is sweete Callamus odoratus Hum. An excellent sweete roote and profitable for men if the poticaries keepe it not vntill it bee rotten it is hote and drie in the beginning to the mides of the second degree it hath power to clense to dry to waste al winds within the body without hurt Galen doth greatly commend the sauour of it They that drinke of this roote sodden in wine shall haue remedie of the white morphew and recouer
of saffron mingled with a little swéete wine tempered in a very small vessell vpon the coles vntill it be partlie thicke or els incorporate altogither in a morter then roll them vp in small round pils vse to swallow half a dram of these pils two times a wéeke in the pestileÌ„ce time a mornings thrée hours before meate Another medicine tormentill gentian setwell of each one dram spikenarde drams 2. nasticke drams 3. bole armin drams 8. giue 2. drams to the patient or any that feare the plague in the water of Scabeas or Carduus Benedictus then drinke the broath of a chicken or pure wine to ripe the sore rost a great onion take out the core put in triacle and warme apply it to the place thrée or four times renued warme and oyle Oliue blacke sope sowre leauen lillie rootes of each like quantitie boyled together put in the inice of Rew and make a plaister this will breake the said sore Capons grease yolkes of egs swines grease barlie floure inséede in powder incorporated together wil make a good healing playster Emplastrum diachilon magnum descriptione filij Zacharia doth resolue and quench the hot vlcer But in the time of the plague trust not vrines FINIS The Epilogue HEre I haue presented vnto thee gentle reader a simple Gouernment of health beseeching thee most heartily for to accept it as an argument of my good will as one vnfeynedly that greatly doe couet the good estate and happie health of mankinde which by dayly casualties surfets and age do decay and fall into many grieuous and painfull sicknesses For which cause although perhaps I cannot in all points answer to thy request in this little Regiment yet I shall desire thee to accept mee among the fellowship of the botchers which do helpe to repaire things that fall into ruine or decay Euen so bee the practitioners of phisicke no makers of men but when men doe decay through sicknesse then the counsell of the Phisition and the vertue of medicin is not to bee refused but most louingly to bee embraced as a chiefe friend in the time of aduersitie if thou readest this little booke and obserue it I trust it will pay as much as it doth promise And because I am a yong man I would not presume to take such a matter in hand although the wordes bee fewe but did consiliate and gather things together which of my selfe I haue practised and also read and noted in the workes of Hippocrates Galen Auicen Plinie Haliabas Auenzoer Rasis Dioscorides Leonhardus Futchius Conradus Gesnerus c. And thus I leaue thee to the companie of this my little booke wishing thee health and all them that shall reade it William Bullein Codrus Mydas Cap. 3â— Nestor Galen Arganton The Epicure desireth to liue altogither in bellie cheere Haeliogabalus court fit for belly gods The iust ceward of belly gods The fruites of inordinate banquets Uarietie of opinions among men An obiection against physicke God the authour of physicke The inestimable goodnes of God ordained hearbes for the health of man Salomon Eccle. 36. The praise and excellencie of phisicke Moises Adam Iesus Sirack cap. 38. Diodoro Test. Ouid. Meramor Chiron centaurus Podalirius Machaon Hippocrates Gallenuâ— Hippocrates in lib. de fla A definicion of physicke Hippocrates in primo Aphoris Theoricha Herodot Emperic Philinus Serapion Apolonii Methodici Asclepiades Dogmatici Hippocrates Galen de elemen de temp de facul Phisicke deuided into fiue partes Gal. lib â— de temp cap 4. Gal. in lib. 2 The 〈◊〉 methâ— The description of sanguine persons The description of the fleugmatike persons The description of the cholericks The description of Melancholie Hippocrates de Element Auic in cauteca The description of the .iiii. Elements Galen in li. 8. 〈◊〉 Hippocrates in lib. de na Ereaturs are compounded of more elements then one Elements felt and not seene Hippocrat in lib. de Natura humana Winter Spring Summer Haruest Auic in pâ—â— can Meates and medicine be knowne bâ—â—asting Colde Moist Salt Auic in pri â—ract â—antico Gal. lib. 1. cap. 2. lib. 2. cap. 3. lib. 4. cap. vlt. Sim. Med. Gal. lib. 5. Aphor. commen 9. An earnest briefe exhortation for the bringing vp of youth Galen in lib. Simp. The best time to prouide for age The foure humours naturall and vnnaturall are described Auicen in lib. can Galen in lib. 4. de tempor Galen in lib. 4. de tempor Arist. de Gene. Auicen Whether this be true let the married iudge Euery thing bringing his apparell with him sauing man A definition of members A part is called by the name of the whole and not the whole by the part What Annothomie is Foure things considered in the bodie of man Example Dropsy Helping the Emorodes Thereaca is an excellent triacle Use to eat Caâ—ers and take Pillule Iude Haly oâ— pillule de lapide Lazule Miracle helpeth but no medicine in this case Time for all things Hippo. in â— Affor 3. Aristot. in pri prob 56. Auic in 2. pri doct 2. cap. 6. Galen in lib. de flobothomia Rasis in 4. alman cap. 14. Rasis in 4. allmen cap. 14. The middle â—eyâ—e Hip. in 3. pri doct 2. cap. Vsurpation in medicine is euill In the morning is best to let bloud euill toward night Rasis in 4. alman cap. 15. Meates and medicines greeth not except pilsâ— before supper Time to purge Digges Kenningham Vomits and their profits Hip. Sent. in 4. Aphoris Custome of vomit weakneth the stomacke Auicen in 4. Pri. cap. 13. Of bathes and their properties The discommoditie of common hote houses To vse oyntments after bathings is good To bathe vpon an empty stomacke is perilous Of neesing Of suppositers Boxing doth much good to the bodye I will speake more of Glisters in my booke of healthful medicines Many practitioners of actes venerous Beasts and birdes vse frictions and â—â—nning them selues The profit which coÌ„meth in washing the handes with cold water Hot water is holsome to wash hands in Frication is holsom for the body Combing the head Cutting of haire and paring of nayles be comly for men A consideration to be had in eating and drinking A cause why the soule departeth from the body To eate both fish and flesh together hurteth the flegmatick Galen Hippocrates To féede of diuerse sorts of meats corrupteth the bodie Eccle. 27. A good diet prolongeth life What kinde of meates doe cause good blood What hurt commeth of an emptie stomacke when ye go to bed An order of dieting Galen me trite The Melancholie The Sanguine An order for the dieting of such as bee sicke of sharpe feners Of syrops and drinkes As the complexion is so man requireth The .iii. doctrine The .vii. chap. Moderat walk after meat â—rofiteth Galen in 6. de accedenti morbo i. cap. Auice in 13 theo 3. tract 3. cap. To helpe disgestion by diuers waies Hipo. in secundo Prim. doc 3. ca. 6 Haec signa declarant Note which
forth Only except aduersitie and extreme misery all prosperous men haue enemies let this suffice and consider what Galen saith that immoderat ireful motions cast the bodie into a cholericke heate wherof commeth feuers and all hot diseases dangerous to the bodie of this writeth Petrus de ebano The passion of the mind called dreade or feare is when the bloud and sprites be drawen inwardly and maketh the outward partes pale and trembling to this be sides pitiful experience Haliabas Galen and Aristotle do witnes the same The suddayne passion of ioy or gladnes is cleane contrary to feare For the hearte sendeth fourth the spirituall bloud which in weake persons the heart can neuer recouer againe but death incontinent as Galen saith and as we may see by experience As in the meeting of men and their wiues Children and their parentes which either by prison or banishment were without all hope euer to sée each other and in ioy of meeting the delating and spreding of the heart bloud haue cast the bodie into sowning And thus my frend Iohn I do conclude vpon certein effections of the mind wishing doctor Diet Quiet and Merie man to helpe when thou shalt néede For mirth is beloued of musicions plesant birdes and fishes as the dolphins What is mirth honestly vsed an image of heauen A great lordship to a poore man preseruer of nature Salomon saith Non est oblectatio super cordis gaudiuÌ„ c. yet I say The irefull man is euer a thrall The ioyfull minde is happiest of all Zeale burne like flames of fire When honest mirth hath his desire Loue well mirth but wrath despise This is the counsell of all the wise Ioh. I would verie faine know the natures of sorts of simples first what is worme wood Hum. A common knowne hearbe it is of diuerse kinds as Ponticum Romanum c. It is hot in the first and drie in the second degrée and it is verie bitter and being dried kéepeth clothes from wormes and mothes and the sirop thereof eaten before wine preserueth men from drunkennesse if it bee sodden in vineger it will helpe the sores that bréedes in the eares being laid warme vpon it is good to be drunke agaynst Appoplexia and Opthalmia Which is a sicknes of the eye is greatly helped with the wormwood if it be stamped and made luke warme with rosewater and laid vpon the eie and couered with a cleane pyked walnut shell the syrop helpeth the bloodie flixe it doeth helpe a colde stomacke if it be drunke ten dayes togither euerie morning two spoonefull of the syrop is good against the dropsie euerie day drunke two ounces fasting and thus saith Auicen figges cocle wormwood nitre stamped togither made in a plaister is good against the disease of the splene and also killeth wormes in the bellie vsed in the foresayde maner one dram of the powder may bee drunke at once in wine it hath manie mo goodly vertues Iohn What is the properties of Annis seedes Hum. It is much like vnto fennell séede and is called Roman fennel that is warme and swéete and hote in the second and drie in the third degrée the new séedes are the best It ingendereth vitall séede openeth the stopping of the reines and matrix being drunke with Tysants or cleane temperate wine Iohn What thinkest thou of Mouseare Hum. An hearb commonly knowne colde and moist in the first degrée as Galen saith the decoction of this hearb soddeÌ„ in water w t suger is good against the falling sickenes beeing oftentimes drunke and put a lease thereof into the nose it will prouoke sternutation or neesing which wonderfully doeth clense the veines Ioh. I woulde faine knowe what is Chiken weede Hum. Almost euery ignorant wontan doth know this hearbe but there bee of diuers kindes they be very good to keepe woundes from impostumations stamped and applied vnto them and draweth corruption out of woundes and sodden with vineger doth draw fleugme out of the head if it bee often warme put into the mouth and spit it out againe In this same maner it helpeth the teeth and sodden in wine and so drunke it will clense the reignes of the backe Ioh. What is Sorrell might I know of thee and the property thereof Hum. Thy Cooke doeth right well knowe it and all they that make greene sauce but the description I leaue to Dioscorides and Leonard Futchius not only in this hearbe but in all other and to tell thee the vertue I will it is colde and drie in the seconde degree it also stoppeth it is like endiue in propertie because it ouercommeth choller and is much commended it helpeth the yellow iaundies if it bee drunke with small wine or ale also quencheth burning feuers to eate of the laaues euery morning in a pestilence time is most holesome if they bee eaten fasting This hearbe doth Dioscorides Galen and Auicen greatly commende besides the great learned men of this time Ioh. What is Planten or Waybreed Hum. The greater Planter is the better it hath seuen great veines it is colde and drie the seede of it drunke with reade wine stoppeth the bloudy flix the rootes sodden and drunke in wine stoppeth the bloudy flix the rootes and leaues beeing sodden with sweete water and with suger or borage water and giuen to him that hath an ague either tertian or quartaine two howres before his fit proue this for thus haue I helped many it is very comfortable for children that haue great flixes agues and is a friend vnto the liuer this hearbe is greatly praised of the Doctours Ioh. What is Camomill and the operation thereof Hum. This hearbe is very hoat it is drunke against colde windes and rawe matter being in the guttes the Egyptians did suppose it would helpe all colde Agues and did consecrate it to the sunne â—s Galen saith Also if it bee tempered and streined into white wine and drunke of wâ—men hauing the childe dead within the body it will cause present deliuerance it doeth mightely clense the bladder and is excellent to be sodden in water to wash the feete the oile is precious as is declared hereafter Ioh. Hoppes be welbeloued of the beere brewers how doe the Phisicions say to them Hum. There bee which doth coole be called Lupilum those that wee haue be hote and drie bitter sower hote saieth olde herbals And Fucchius saith they clense fleugme and choller and the water betweene the skinne and flesh the sirupes will clense grosse rawe fleugme from the guttes and is good against obstructions sodden If the iuice be dropped in the eare it taketh the stinke away of rotten sores the roots wil helpe the liuer and spleene beeing sodden and drunke the beere is very good for fleugmaticke men Io. What is Sage for that I loue wel Hum. There be two kindes of sage they be hearbes of health and therefore they be called Saluia this
kids flesh is of easie digestion in health and sicknesse they be verie good meate They bée drie of nature Hippocrates saith It behoneth that the conseruers and kéepers of health doe studie that his meate bee such as the flesh of kids yong calues that bee sucking and lambs of one yeare olde For they bée good for them that be siâ—ke or haue euill complexions Haliabas doeth say that the flesh of Kiddes doe engender good bloud and is not so fleugmaticke waterie and moyst as the flesh of Lambes They remaine Kiddes for sixe Moneths and afterwarde come into a grosser and hotter nature and be called Goates The flesh of them that be geldâ—d is wholsome to eate the lungs of them eaten before a man doe drinke doeth defende him that day from drunkennesse as I haue read in the reportes of learned men But the flesh of the olde hée or male Goates bée ill and ingender the Agues or Feuers If the vrine of Goates be distilled in May with Sorrell the water distilled is not hurtfull nor noysome but whom soeuer vse to drinke thereof two drammes morning and euening it will preserue him from the pestilence The milke of Goates I will describe in the place of milke Ioh. What is the flesh of red and fallow Deere Hum. More pleasant to some than profitable to many as appeareth once a yeare in the corne fieldes the more it is to be lamented Hipocrates and Simeon Sethi doe plainely affyrme the flesh of them to engender euil iuise and Melancholie colde diseases and quartaines the fleshe of Winter Déere doe lesse hurt the bodie than that which is eaten in Summer For in Winter mans digestion is more stronger and the inwarde partes of the bodie warmer and may easilier consume grosse meates than in Summer as we see by experience In colde weather and frostes healthfull people bée most hungriest The lungs of a Déere sodden in Barlie water and taken forth and stamped with Penedice and Honnie of equall quantitie to the sayde lunges and eaten in morninges doeth greatlye helpe olde coughes and drynesse in the lunges There bee many goodly vertues of their hornes bones bloud and tallowe Ioh. What is the properties of hares and conies flesh Hum. Auicen saieth the flesh of Hares bée hote and drie ingenderers of Melancholie not praysed in Physicke for meate but rather for medicine For in déede if a hare be dried in the Moneth of March in an Ouen or Furnace and beaten into powder and kept close drunken in mornings in Beare Ale or white Wine it will breake the stone in the bladder if the paciente be not olde If childrens gummes be annointed with the braines of an Hare their teeth will easily come forth and grow The gall of an Hare mingled with cleane hony doth cleanse waterie eies or redde bloudie eies The flesh of Hares must be tenderly rosted and well larded and spiced because of the grosnesse but it is better sodden The flesh of Conies are better than hares flesh and easier of disgestion But rabbets be holsomer And thus to conclude of Conneis experience teacheth vs that they are good they be colde and drie of nature and small â—â—â—tion is made of them among the ancient phisitions as Galen saith I need not to speake long of euerie kind of beasts as some of the beastes that be in Hiberia like little Hares which be called conies Ioh. If the olde and ignorant men of Connyes which were seene in the nature of manie other beastes that had dwelte in diuers places of England they should haue knowen them right wel and perhaps receiued of them as small pleasure as many husband men haue found profite by them in their Corne. Now thou hast well satisfied me of the foure footed beasts which commonlie English men fedeth vpon Now I pray thee tell mee some of the vertues of foules and first of Cockes Capons and Hennes Hum. Chickens of Hennes saieth Auenzoar is most commended and most laudable of any flesh and nourisheth good bloud It is light of disgestion and doeth comfort the appetite cocke chickens be better then the hennes the capon is better than the Cocke they doe augment good bloud and seede as Rafis reporteth and experience proueth in men both whole and sicke An old Cocke which is well beaten after his fethers be pulled off vntill he be all bloudy and then cut off his head and draw him and seethe him in a close potte with fayre water and whyte wine Fenill rootes Burrage rootes Violet Planten Succory and Buglos leaues Dates Prunes great Raysins Maces and suger and put in the marow of a Calfe and sanders This is a most excellent broth to them that be sicke weake or consumed The braines of hennes capons or chickins be holsome to eate to comfort the braine and memory And thus to conclude these foresaide foules be better for idle folkes that labour not then for them that vse exercise or trauel to whome grosse meates are more profitable Iohn What are the properties of Geese Hum. Wild geese and tame their flesh be verie grosse and hard of digestion as Auicen saieth The flesh of great foules and of geese be slowe and hard of disgestion for their humiditie they do breade feuers quickly but their goslings or yong geese being fatte are good and much commended in meates And Galen saieth that the flesh of foules be better then the flesh of beastes Of great foule But vndoubtedly goose malard pecocke swanne and euerie foule haueing a long necke be all hard of disgestion and of no good complexions But if geese be well rosted and stopped with salte sage pepper and onions they will not hurt the eaters thereof There be great geese in Scotland which breedeth vpon place called the Basse There be also Bernacles which haue a strange generation as Gesnerus saith and as the people of the North partes of Scotland knoweth and bicause it should seeme incredible to manie I will giue no occasion to any either to mocke or to meruaile And thus I giue warning to them which loue their health to haue these foresaid foules somwhat poudred or stopped with salte all the night before they be rosted Ioh. I pray thee tel me of the flesh of Duckes Hum. They be the hotest of all domistical or yard foules and vncleane of feeding notwithstanding though it be â—ard of disgestion and maruelous hot yet it doth greatly norrish the bodie and maketh it fatte Hipocrates saith they that be fedde in puddels and foule places be hâ—rtfull but they that be fedde in houses pennes or coopes be nutratiue but yet grose as Isack saith Ioh. What be Pigions Turtles or Doues Hum. The flesh of Turtles be meruailous good and equall to the best as Auicen saith They be best when they be yong and holsome for flegmaticke people Simeon Sithy saith the house doue is hoter then the field doue and doth engender grose bloud