them both together Of Fire CHAP. 3. VVhat is fire FIre is an element hot and dry which dissolueth the malicious vapours of the aire stirreth vp naturall heat in mans body and expelleth cold What kinde of fire is best That fire is best which is made of dry and sweet wood For wet and greene wood is discommodious and so are all coales except chark-coales because they make the head heauie and dry vp naturall moysture Turfes likewise are very dangerous because they stop the windpipes and make the skinne yellow In Germany they vse Stoues which questionlesse cannot but dull the spirits and offend the purer faculties There may be a kinde of fewell made of the cinders of coales or olde burnt sea-coale or stone-coale incorporated with Sawiers dust and Cow-dung which being formed in balls and dried in the winde will burne very cleare Are not sweatings and hot-houses wholesome No because they exhaust the good humours together with the bad But in Spring time they may be vsed against the itch and small Pockes The second Section concerning foode Of bread and drinke CHAP. 1. VVhat is the vse of bread BRead made of pure wheat flowre well boulted from all branne and finely moulded and baked comforteth strengtheneth the heart maketh a man fat and preserueth health It must not be aboue two or three dayes olde at most for then it waxeth hard to be concocted Aboue all things it is fit that it be firmented with sower leauen for certainely this leauening though it puffe vp the paste yet notwithstanding it maketh the bread light and sauourie which otherwise would be heauie and very hard to be digested As for raw corne and vnprepared it is noisome vnto the strongest labourer euen vnto the stoutest mower Let men therefore take heed how they eate it eyther of wantonnesse or of appetite What is Rie Bread Rie bread well sifted not made of entire meale and new-baked is in Sommer time highly commended specially in the beginning of meate for it keepeth the belly loose and for this cause it is so vsed at the tables of Princes it must not be eaten but in small quantity rather for diet and health sake then to satisfie hunger VVhat is barley Bread The auncient Romanes vtterly forbad the vse thereof for it makes men cowardly and fearefull by reason that it doth not nourish but weaken the body yet notwithstanding some Phisitians were of opinion that it helps them that be diseased of the gout by force of a cleansing faculty which it hath How is wheaten bread and pastery to be vsed in Phisicke Bisket crust or tosted bread being eaten dry with a fasting stomack staieth stoppeth and drieth all distillations Rheumes and humours fallen or gathered in any part of the body some say that it causeth far people to be leane but certainly experience teacheth that it be taken after all other meat it drieth a moyst body and hindreth fatnesse and all diseases exceeding from moysture because it keepeth the meate from being too suddainly and quickly conueied into all the parts of the body Toasted bread steept in white wine with Cinamon Hony or Suger prouokes a good appetite and a liuely spirit vnto a man which is naturally sluggish drowsie or weake and for pastrie it is rather gluttonous than healthie not easie to digest fitter to be taken at the end of meales to preuent the Gout or the Dropsie VVhat is the vse of Beere Beere which is made of good Malt well brewed not too new nor too stale nourisheth the body causeth a good colour and quickly passeth out of the body In Sommer it auaileth a man much and is no lesse wholesome to our constitutions then wine Besides the nutritiue faculty which it hath by the malt it receiueth likewise a certaine property of medicine by the Hop What is the vse of Ale Ale made of barley malt and good water doth make a man strong but now a daies few Brewers doe brew it as they ought for they adde slimie and heauie baggage vnto it thinking thereby to please tosse-pots and to encrease the vigour of it How shall I discerne good Ale from bad Good Ale ought to be fresh and cleare of colour It must not be tilted for then the best quality is spent It must neither looke muddie nor yet carrie a taile with it Shew me a wholesome diet drinke The most precious and wholesome ordinarie drinke as well for them that be in health as for sicke and impotent persons is made after this manner Take halfe a pound of barley foure measures of water halfe an ounce of Licoras and two drachmes of the seede of Violets two drachmes of Parsley seed three ounces of red Roses an ounce and a halfe of Hysopand Sage three ounces of figges and raisins well pickt Seeth them all together in an earthen vessel so long till they decrease two fingers breadth by seething then put the potte in cold water straine the ingredients through a cloth Shew me a speedy drincke for trauellers when they want Beere or Ale at their Inne Let them take a quart of fayre water and put thereto fiue or sixe spoonfuls of good wine vinegar or of Aqua Composita a small quantitie of Sugar and some Borrage or a branch of Rosemary Let them be brued well out of one pot into another and then their drincke is ready What shall poore men drincke when Malt is extreame deere They must gather the toppes of Heath whereof the vsuall brushes are made and dry them and keepe them from moulding Then they may at all times brue a cheape drincke for themselues therewith Which kinde of drinke is very wholesome as well for the Liuer as the Spleene but much the more pleasant if they put a little Licoras vnto it There is another sort of drinke of Water and Vineger proportionably mingled together which in Summer they may vse How shall I helpe Beere or Ale which begin to be sowre or dead Put a handfull or two of Oatmeale or else of ground Malt into the barrell of Beere or Ale stirie the same well together and so make it reuiue a fresh Or else if you please bury your drinke vnder the ground in the earth for the space of foure and twenty houres Or else put into the vessell the rootes of Iroes Bay berries Organy or Isop Teach me a way to make beere or Ale to become stale within two or three dayes This is performed if you bury your Beere or Ale being filled into pots in a shady place somewhat deepe in the ground What is Meath Meath is made of honey and water boyled both together This kind of drinke is good for them which enioy their health but very hurtfull for them who are afflicted with the strangury or colick Braggot doth farre surpasse it in wholsomnesse What is Meatheglin Meatheglin is made of honey water and hearbs If it be staile it is passing good Of Wine CHAP. 2. What is the property of wine VVIne temperately taken refresheth
Sebastian Prunes will make the belly soluble Why then will men be so headie as to take their owne destruction seeing that they may liue in health without Phisick-helpe Who are apt to take Purgatians and who not They are apt to take Purgations who are strong of constitutions and who are willing And againe they are vnapt for Purgations which are either too fat or too leane Likewise children old persons women with child and healthfull folkes are not to be purged What humours are fittest to be purged Those humours which molest the body and offend eyther in quality or quantity If choler happen to offend you it is conuenient that you purge the same if flegme trouble you then by medicine it must be vndermined if melancholy doth abound it is expedient that you fetch it out What must I doe before purging Before you purge you must attenuate the slimy humours open the pores through which the purgation is caried and extract the whayish humours by some milde sirupe Moreouer you must diligently marke the place where you are agrieued namely whether of the headache or else sicke in the stomack liuer kidneyes or the belly and then whether by reason of flegme choler or melancholy Which being knowne according to the humour and place you must mingle sirups fit for the part affected with waters of the same nature that the humour may be afore-hand concocted but in such wise that the measure of the water may double the measure of the sirupe and that the measures of both exceed not foure ounces How many things are to be considered in purgations Eight things First the quality of the purgation Secondly the time of the yeare Thirdly the climate of the Country Fourthly the age of the patient Fiftly his custome Sixtly the disease Seauenthly the strength of the sicke Eightly the place of the Moone Shew mee the best and safest purgation for flegme Take one drachme of Turbith foure drachmes of vinegar and Suger make them into powder and vse it in the morning with hot water But eate not till three houres be expired For Choler Take two drachmes of good Rheubarbe beaten into powder and incorporate the same with fiue ounces of hot water wherein Damask Prunes haue beene sodden and vse it hot in the morning Or else take halfe an ounce of Cassia fistula a drachme of Rheubarbe and infuse them in water of Endiue with an ounce of the sirupe of Limonds The next morning mingle all these with three ounces of Ptisan or Whay and drinke this infusion warme Others of the poorer sort purge themselues onely with halfe an ounce of Diaprunis laxanice mixt with Succory water and drunke warme or else with halfe an ounce of Electuarium de succo Rosarum and three ounces of the decoction of French Prunes For melancholy Take three drachmes of the leaues of Scene two drachmes of Cinamon and Ginger one drachme of Suger and seeth them in Goates milke womans milke whay or in some other like thing It is also good to annoint the side of the spleene with vnguentum Dialthaeae Or else with the oyle of Lillies oyle of Dill Hennes grease and the marrow of an Oxe Shew me how I may mundifie bloud Take two drachmes of Tyme and Scene one drachme of Myrobolane one drachme of Rheubarbe white Turbith and Ginger two drachmes of Suger let them be done all into pouder and giuen in water wherein Fennell or Annise seed haue beene boyled What shall I doe if the Purgation will not worke If after the taking of a Purgation the bellie be not loosed that inconuenience happeneth chiefly for these causes either through the nature of the sicke or for the slendernesse of the Purgation or because nature conuerteth her endeauour into vrine or else by reason that the belly was before hand too hard bound which by a glyster might be holpen When therefore the belly after the Purgation is not soluble it procureth grieuous maladie in the body But if a man taketh a small quantitie of Mastick lightly pounded and ministred in warme water he shall be cured of that infirmitie Likewise it much auayleth presently to eate an apple Seeing that glisters be very commodious shew me a way to make some Take hony sodden till it be thick and mingle the same with wheaten meale then adde a little freshbutter and make your glister into a long forme Which done dip it in oyle and vse it Or else take halfe an ounce of the roots of Succory and Licoras two drachmes of Endiue one handfull of Mallowes one drachme of the seed of Succory and Fennell two drachmes of Fennigreeke halfe a handfull of the flowers of Cammomel seeth them and then a most wholesome glister is made What if the purgation doth euacuate too much You must infuse three drachmes of the pouder of Mastick in the iuice of Quinces and drinke it or else eate a Quince alone Or else anoint the mouth of the stomack or the vpper part of the belly with this precious oyntment following viz. with oyle of Roses and Quinces of each an ounce with oyle of Mastick halfe an ounce mingle these with the powder of Corall and Waxe and vse it to stop the fluxe whether it be sodaine or humourall or dissenteriall What is the vse of Tobacco Cane Tobacco well dried and taken in a cleane Pipe fasting in a moist morning during the Spring or Autumne cureth the megrim the toothache obstructions proceeding of cold and helpeth the fits of the Mother After meales it doth much hurt for it infecteth the braine and the liuer as appeares in our Anatomies when their bodies are opened we finde their kidneyes yea and hearts quite wasted For as all other things which God gaue for our necessities are superfluously employed apparell meates drinkes and such like so this Indian weede whose proper vse is to purge the body of thin water which we call distillations or slender rheumes and that in medicine manner in moist weather I say Tobacco is mightily abused by the Diuels temptations turned to Bacchanalian beastly custome to serue Tosse-pots in stead of salt meates caueare and other enducements or drawers on of drinks Sometimes our swaggering cast-awayes take it after the example of Politicians to temporize and dally away the time that they might rest in their counterfeit traunce when they want matter of discourse vntill after a thorough perambulation of their barren wits they haue coyned some strange accident or aunswere worthie the rehearsall among their boone companions Then after long houghing halking and hacking Mobile colluerint liquido cùm plasmate guttur Hauing their throates well washt with dreggish drugges They recount tales of Robin Hood of Donzel del Phoebo c. as I haue else-where written in my Preface to my first Circle of the Spirit of Detraction To conclude the abuse of this forraine hearbe I wish the Reader to ruminate and repeare ouer these moderne rythmes Tobacco that outlandish weed Doth spend the braine and spoile the seed
set Now is the proper time to take Physick either by Pilles or Gargarismes for the head by vomites purgations or electuaries for the stomack or by glisters for the bowels or by bloud-letting for the Pleurisie or by sweats for the itch In October This moneth hath great affinitie with March so that whatsoeuer is good in the one is good in the other Arme your body soundly with pleasant wines or spiced drinks against the ensuing Winter Arme your minde with study for now this temperate time inuites thee to read without impediments either of violent colde or of violent heat In Nouember In this season the humor of Bloud decreaseth and black melancholy endeuours to domineere in our bodies which varies like the time Let thy body be well cloathed for feare of the nipping weather Now you may aduenture to eate salt meates powdred Beefe and Mustard In the morning it auailes much to eate a hote loafe buttred and seasoned with Suger and Cinamon which also serues as an excellent receipt to preuent the cough Now you may safely drinke a pipe of Tobacco fasting if you feare theumes In December In this colde Moneth imitate the Spanish Diet. In the morning breake your fast with a bit of Marnelad or Sucket with a draught of Aqua vitae Vse Pepper in your meats And what other spice you please for the seasoning of your Cates. Now you must eate more and drinke the lesse Eate roasted Apples or Wardens to close vp the mouth of your stomack after meales Or else now and then drinke off a Cup of good Claret wine with a roasted Apple in it For the body being benummed and as it were made senselesse with frost and shauing windes had need to be refreshed and cherished with such comfortable allurements For this cause it fell out by discreet tradition that the twelue dayes were allowed vs to feast in that our bodies might enioy the fruit of our trauaile that a forced sanguine complexion by reason of such cheerefull prouocations might downe waigh the naturall melancholick power But for all this let vs not forget our Christian duties in spending wastfully that which might benefit vs a farre longer terme like vnto swinish Epicures whose thoughts intend on their present prouender of whom Saint Paul wrote Edamus Bibamus ludamus cras moriemur Let vs eate drinke and play for to morrow we shall die And as another of late verified Dulcia dum fas est fugitiuae gaudia vitae Carpe volubilibus labitur annus equis Of medicines and meanes to prolong Life CHAP. 3. Shew me certaine remedies to prolong life TO liue for euer and to become immortall here on earth is a thing impossible but to prolong a mans life free from sicknesses and to keepe the humours of the body in a temperate state I verily beleeue it may be done first by Gods permission by obseruing a good dyet and sometimes by vsing of some Treacle Methridate or such like in the Spring time and Autumne Shew me a Syrup against hot diseases and to preserue health For the preseruing of a mans health free from hot diseases vse this sirup fasting take of cleere fountaine water two quarts put into it the roots of Smallage Borrage Buglosse Endiue and Parsley of each three ounces of good Tobacco leafe halfe a pound seeth them with a soft fire vntill they come to one quart and then put vnto them two pound of Suger and mingle it with a pint of good white wine vinegar and if you please to adde some iuyce of Lemonds thereto it will proue a rare help against grosse choler flegme it will scoure and open obstructions and opilations about the Spleene liuer and raines Shew me preseruatiues against cold diseases Doctor Steuens water is an excellent preseruatiue to prolong life and against cold diseases and is made after this manner take a gallon of gascoigne wine then take ginger gallingall Cammomill Sinnamon nutmegs graines cloues mace anise-seede carraway-seed of each of them a drachme then take sage mints red roses tyme pellitory of the wall wild marioram rosemary penny-mountaine otherwise wilde tyme cammomill Lauender of euery of them one handfull then bruise the spices small bruise the hearbs and put all into the wine and let it stand twelue houres stirring it diuers times then distill it in a limbeck and keepe the first pint of the water for that is the best and then will come a second water which is not so good as the first The vertues of this water are these it comforteth the spirits it preserueth the youth of man it helpeth old gouts the toothach the palsie and all diseases proceeding of cold it causeth barren women to conceiue it cureth the cold dropsie the stone in the bladder and the raines of the backe it healeth the canker comforteth the stomacke and prolongeth a mans life Take but a spoonfull of it once in seauen dayes for it is very hot in operation Doctor Steuens who vsed this water liued one hundred yeares wanting two The sublimated wine of M. Gallus Physitian to the Emperour Charles the fift of that name is most admirable for the vse thereof caused him to liue sixscore and nine yeares without any disease which I thinke to be better then Doctor Steuens water it is made in this sort Take of Cubebs Cinnamon Cloues Mace Ginger Nutmegs Galingall three ounces of Rubarbe halfe an ounce of Angelica two drachmes of Mastick foure drachmes and of Sage one pound and two ounces steepe these in two pound and sixe ounces of Aqua vitae which was sixe times distilled then distill them altogether This wine comforteth the braine and memory expelleth Melancholy breaketh the stone prouoketh appetite reuiueth weake spirits and causeth a man to waxe young and lustie It may be taken twise euery weeke and not aboue one spoonfull at each time and that but in a cup of drinke fasting Of Mirth CHAP. 4. What is the principall naturall meanes to prolong life MIrth which is a motion of the minde whereby it taketh delight and stayeth it selfe in that good which is offered vnto it What are the effects of Mirth Mirth enlargeth the heart and disperseth much naturall heat with the bloud of which it sendeth a good portion to the face especially if the mirth be so great that it stirreth a man to laughter Mirth I say maketh the forehead smooth and cleere causeth the eyes to glister and the cheekes to become ruddy Wherefore did God giue affections vnto men God afforded Mirth and such like vnto men that thereby they might be induced to seeke after his diuine Maiestie in whom alone they should finde all mirth and comfort What mirth doe the common people loue best Ignorant men doe delight in corporall and outward things which moue their bodily senses As in beholding of faire women pleasant Gardens rich attires or else in eating or drinking What mirth doe wise men like Wise men receiue pleasure by contemplation which is proper to the minde
and spirit This Aristotle approued when as hee placed the end and soueraigne Good in contemplation Shew me a way to make the heart merry You must vse to carrie about you a sweet Pomander and to haue alwayes in your Chamber some good perfumes Or you may wash your face and hands with sweet waters for nothing in the world can so exhilarate and purifie the spirits as good odours Of daily Diet. CHAP. 5. Declare vnto me a daily Diet whereby I may liue in health and not trouble my selfe in Physicke I Will first of all in the morning when you are about to rise vp stretch your selfe strongly for thereby the animall heat is somewhat forced into the outward parts the memory is quickned and the body is strengthened Secondarily rub and chafe your body with the palmes of your hands or with a course linnen cloath the breast back and belly gently but the armes thighes and legs roughly till they seeme ruddy and warme 3. Euacuate your selfe 4. Put on your apparell which in the Sommer time must be for the most part silke or buffe made of Buckes skinne for it resisteth vermine and contagious ayres in Winter your vpper garment must be of Cotton or Frizeadow 5. When you haue apparrelled your selfe handsomly combe your head softly and easily with an Iuorie combe for nothing recreateth the memory more 6. Pick and rub your teeth and because I would not haue you to bestow much cost in making dentrifrices for them I will aduertise you by foure rules of importance how to keepe your teeth white and vncorrupt and also to haue a sweet breath First wash well your mouth when you haue eaten your meat secondly sleepe with your mouth somewhat open Thirdly spet out in the morning that which like the scum of a pot is gathered together that night in the throat then take a linnen cloath and rub your teeth well within and without to take away the fumosity of the meat and yellownesse of the teeth For it is that which putrifieth them and infecteth the breath But least perhaps your teeth become loose and filthy I will shew you a water farre better than pouders which shall fasten them scoure the mouth make sound the gummes and cause the flesh to grow againe if it were fallen away Take halfe a glassefull of vinegar and as much of the water of the Mastick tree if it may easily be got of Rosemary Mirh Mastick bole Armoniack Dragons hearbe roach Allome of each of them an ounce of fine Cinnamon halfe an ounce of Fountaine water three glasse fuls mingle all well together and let it boile with a small fire adding to it halfe a pound of hony and taking away the scum then put in a little Benguine and when it hath sodden a quarter of an houre take it from the fire and keep it in a cleane bottle and wash your teeth therewithall as well before meate as after if you holde some of it in your mouth a little while it doth much good to the head and sweetneth the breath I take this water to be better then a thousand of their dentifrices 7. Wash your face eies eares and hands with Fountaine water I haue knowne diuers Students which vsed to bath their eyes onely in Well water twise a day whereby they preserued their eye-sight free from all passions and bloud-sheds and sharpned their memories meruailously You may sometimes bath your eies in Rose water Fennel water or Eye-bright water if you please but I know for certainty that you need not as long as you vse good Fountaine water Moreouer least you by olde age or some other meanes doe waxe dimme of sight I will declare vnto you the best and safest remedy which I know and this it is take of the distilled waters of Verueine Bettony and Fennell one ounce and a halfe then take one ounce of white wine one drachme of Tutia if you may easily come by it two drachmes of Sugarcandy one drachme of Aloes Epaticke two drachmes of womans milke and one scruple of Camphire beat those to powder which are to be beaten and infuse them together for foure and twenty houres and then straine them and so vse it when you list Or if you abhorre Artificiall meanes to cleare your sight suggested by the spirit of incredulity that a Decipe might be inserted in stead of a Recipe hold fast on natures documents and follow these plaine rules to preuent sore eyes First keepe your belly alwaies soluble Secondly abstaine from winde dust smoake fire sorrow watching from eating of Mustard Beanes Onions Garlick Leekes and grosse meates from wine bibbing or strong drink and reading of small printed letters Thirdly sleepe not after meales presently Fourthly vse to regard greene or yellow colours Fiftly holde not downe your head too much Sixtly touch them not with your hands specially vnwasht Lastly keepe your feete cleane and dry 8 When you haue finished these say your morning prayers and desire God to blesse you to preserue you from all dangers and to direct you in all your actions For the feare of God as it is written is the beginning of wisedome and without his protection whatsoeuer you take in hand shall fall to ruine Therefore see that you be mindfull of him and remember that to that intent you were borne to wit to set forth his glory and most holy name 9 Goe about your businesse circumspectly and endeauour to banish all cares and cogitations which are the onely baites of wickednesse Defraud no man of his right for what measure you giue vnto your neighbour that measure shal you receiue And finally imprint this saying deeply in your mind A man is but a Steward of his owne goods whereof God one day will demaund an account 10 Eate three meales a day vntill you come to the age of 40 yeares as your breakfast dinner and supper yet that betweene breakfast and dinner there be the space of foure houres and betwixt dinner and supper seauen houres the breakfast must be lesse then the dinner and the dinner somewhat lesse then supper In the beginning of meales eate such meates as wil make the belly soluble and let grosse meates be the last Content your selfe with one kinde of meat for diuersities hurt the body by reason that meates are not all of one quality Some are easily digested others againe are heauy and will lie a long time vpon the stomack Also the eating of sundry sorts of meate require often pots of drinke which hinder concoction like as wee see often putting of water into the meat-pot to hinder it from seething Our stomack is our bodies kitchin which being distempered how can we liue in temperate order drink not aboue foure times and that moderately at each meale least the belly-god hale you at length captiue into his prison house of gurmundise where you shall be afflicted with as many diseases as you haue deuoured dishes of sundry sorts The cups whereof you drinke should be of siluer gold or siluer and guilt or Venice glasse or of Chinaes mould and those without couers that the breath may not be restrained within Labour not either your minde or body presently after meales rather sit a while and discourse of some pleasant matters when you haue ended your confabulations wash your face and mouth with colde waters then goe to your chamber and make cleane your teeth with your tooth-picker which should be either of Iuory siluer or gold Watch not too long after supper but depart within two houres to bed But if necessity compell you to watch longer then ordinarie then be sure to augment your sleepe the next morning that you may recompence Nature which otherwise through your watching would not a little be empaired 12 Put off your cloathes in Winter by the fire side and cause your bed to be heated with a warming pan vnlesse your pretence be to harden your members and to apply your selfe vnto militarie discipline This outward heating doth wonderfully comfort the inward heat it helpeth concoction and consumeth moisture 13 Remember before you rest to chew downe a dozen graines of Mastick either alone or in the conserues of Roses for it will preserue your body from bad humours 14 Pray feruently to God before you sleepe to inspire you with his grace to defend you from all perils and subtilties of wicked fiends and from their spirituall temptations and to prosper you in all your affaires and then lay aside your cares and businesse as well publick as priuate for that night in so doing you shall sleepe more quietly 15 Make water at least once and cast it out but in the morning make water in an vrinall that by looking on it you may gesse somewhat of the state of your body by noting the quantity and colour sleepe first on your right side with your mouth open and let your night cap be somwhat thick quilted haue a hole in the top through which the vapour may goe out 16 In the morning remember your affaires and if you be troubled with rheumes as soone as you haue risen vse diatrion piperion Pellitory of Spaine Tobacco snuft vp into the nostrils or eate white Pepper now and then and you shall be holpen FINIS Gentle Reader for Chap. 8. in Page 54. put Chap. 9. And Chap. 9. in Page 56. make it Chap. 10. and so adieu
diseases at sea is the iuyce of â—emons At my being in Hungarie I saw the fiery Feauer a disease infectious in that Country cured onely by salt niter prepared with sulphur and giuen in water as drinke to the patient a thing very strange that fire should quench fire Shew me particularly how the Aire may be corrected for the recouerie of sicke folkes according to the diuersities of places times and seasons Art may moderate all this by accommodating the Aire in respect of the sick For if it be in Sommer that the Aire be too hot and sultrie as the vulgar say and that the patient is affected with some ague or with some other burning disease hee must be placed in some lower roome or some coole chamber where the heat of the Sunne comes not so forcibly In Winter time let fire correct the raw and cold aire specially for them that be afflicted with cold sicknesses For such a close warme roome must be prepared secured from winds where a good fire may be made Aduise me how I should build mee an house for pleasure health and profit First you must choose out a fine soile which hath water and wood annexed vnto it and forecast in your minde whether the prospect too and fro be decent and pleasant to the eye For I am of this opinion that if the eye be not satisfied the minde cannot be pleased if the minde be not pleased nature doth abhorre and if nature doth abhorre death at last must consequently follow Next you must marke whether the ayre which compasseth the situation of your house be of a pure substance and that shortly after the Sunne is vp groweth warme and contrarily groweth cold after the Sunne is set Thirdly you must make your foundation vpon a grauell ground mixt with clay vpon a hill or a hils side Fourthly looke that your windowes be Northward or Eastward Lastly when your house is finished you must prepare a Garden replenished with sundry kindes of hearbs and flowers wherein you may recreate and solace your selfe at times conuenient Doth the nature of places alter the quality of the Aire Yea doubtlesse Either by reason of marshes as I said before which commonly are corrupted with rotten vapours and exhalations or else of Churchyards subiect likewise to the same mutations we see by experience that the aire which compasseth vs about doth change his temperature As also when it becomes eyther excessiuely hot or colde dry or moist we doe finde our selues in much trauell and alteration Doth the nature of the time of the yeare alter the Ayre The like mutations doth the aire inferre vnto vs in the foure seasons of the yeare according to the course of the Sunne for in the Spring time the Aire is neerer vnto his owne nature to wiâ— reasonably hot and moist in Sommer further heated by the Sunne it becomes hot and dry in Haruest colde and dry in Winter colde and moist And not onely the Sunne in the foure seasons of the yeare brings such alterations in the aire but likewise the Moone in her foure quarters causeth foure differences for the first seauenth day from the new Moone vntill the next seauenth day is like the Spring time being hot and moist The second seauenth day vntill the full of the Moone is like Sommer The third day the Moone decreasing is correspondent vnto the Autumne And the fourth and last quarter is like the Winter Euen so againe the morning is hot moist like the Spring time noone is compared to Sommer the Euening to Autumne and the night to the Winter What sicknesses doth the Aire cause The aire causeth sicknesses according to the variety of the climate In colde Countries I meane from the fiftieth degree to the Pole Northward or Southward few sicknesses abound except they happen through excesse or distemperature of diet or vnwholesomnesse of the aire as aboue written In hot Countries specially betweene the both Tropickes the aire is more intemperate and pestilent Here-hence spring plagues Callenturaes and Lues Venerea insomuch as a certaine Writer affirmeth by experience that an Europaean can hardly liue in Aethiopia or vnder the Equinoctiall line aboue fiue yeares whereas on the contrary wee heare that men liue in Swethland in the North parts of Ireland and in other colde places where the aire is pure and Notherly till they attaine to a hundred or sixe score yeares Of Water CHAP. 2. What is water WAter is an Element colde and moyst and doth not nourish but helpe digestion How many kindes of waters be there To discerne good waters from bad you must learne that there be foure differences of waters namely Raine water Riuer water fountaine water and stange water By Raine water I meane all that falls from the Region of the aire vpon the earth in forme of water And this is either sweet when if falls without a storme or else troublesome when it falls with stormes and tempests Is not Snow water as good as Raine water Snow waters albeit they be counted among those waters which are light as hauing beene sublimed purified and as it were distilled yet notwithstanding they be not so good For they ingender feauers and morphewes What is the nature of fountaine water Fountaine water is the best water for preseruation of health But you must obserue of what side it springs for if it comes from the East it excels the rest as well in moisture and thinnesse of substance as in pleasant smel and it doth moderately comfort the spirits Contrariwise those fountaines which spring out of rockes towards the North and which haue the Sunne backward are of a hard digestion and nothing so pure as the other Whether water being drunke doth nourish And whether the same be wholesome for sicke persons Surely water cannot nourish because of it selfe it is of no substance to fortifie or encrease the vitall faculties For which cause the wisest Phisitians aduised men to drinke it honied which they called Oximell Hodromel or with wine or with suger or with white wine vinegar Being drunke alone it neuer quencheth the drowth nor heat of the lungs but rather hindereth the spetting vp of phlegme Yet notwithstanding at meales in Sommer time it may be drunke of hot complexioned people rather to helpe digestion then to nourish the body How shall I know good water By the clearenesse of it That water is best which runneth from an higher to a lower ground and that water which runneth vpon clay is better clarified then that which goeth vpon the stone VVhen is water wholesomest In Sommer time it is most wholesome yet notwithstanding seldome to be drunke But if at any time you be compelled to drinke it see first that you seeth your water gently for by seething the grosse substance of it is taken away How shall I reuiue waters that begin to putrifie This is performed by the addition of some small proportion of the oyle of Sulphur or else of Aqua vitae well rectified incorporating
the heart and the spirits tempereth the humours ingendereth good bloud breaketh flegme conserueth nature and maketh it mery as the Princely Prophet speakes wine reioyceth the heart of man Being moderately drunk it forceth the soule to partake with the body so that both of them together being full of animall spirits might ioyne in one pleasing sound for the glorifying of their Soueraigne Benefactor VVhat is the vse of white wine White wine drunk in the moring fasting cleanseth the lungs Being taken with red Onions bruised it pearceth quickly into the bladder and breaketh the stone But if this kind of wine be drunk with a full stomack it doth more hurt then good and causeth the â—eat to descend before it be fully concocted VVhat is the vse of Rhenish wine Rhenish wine of all other is the most excellent for it scoureth the raines of the back clarifieth the spirits prouoketh vrine driueth away the headache specially if it doth proceede from the heat of the stomack VVhat is the vse of Mascadell Malmesie and browne Bastard These kinds of wines are only for married folkes because they strengthen the back yet I wish them to be very chary in the drinking thereof least their often vse fill the raines and seede vessels with vnnaturall accidentall windy puft or as the Logicians speak with aduenticious heat which in time will grow to a number of inconueniences VVhat is the vse of Sack Sack doth make men fatte and foggy and therefore not to be taken of young men Being drunke before meales it prouoketh appetite comforteth the spirits marueilously and concocteth raw humours How shall I know whether hony or water be mingled with wine Vintners I confesse in these daies are wont to iuggle and sophistically to abuse wine namely Alligant Muscadell and browne Bastard but you shall perceiue their deceit by this meanes take a few drops of the wine and powre them vpon a hot plate of yron and the wine being resolued the hony will remaine and thicken If you suspect your wine to be mingled with water you shall discerne the same by putting a Peare into it for if the Peare swim vpon the face of the wine and sink not to the bottome then it is perfect and vnmingled but if it sinke to the bottome water without doubt is added vnto it Shew me a way to keepe Claret wine or any other wine good nine or ten yeares At euery vintage draw almost the fourth part out of the hogshead and then rowle it vpon his lee and after fill it vp with the best new wine of the same kinde that you can get Your caske ought to be bound with yron hoopes and kept alwayes full How might I helpe wine that reboyleth Put a piece of cheese into the vessel presently a wonderfull effect will follow Or else put a bunch of Peniroyall Organy or Calamint about the hole at which the new wine coÌ„meth forth but if your wine be new you will haue it quickly purged you must put halfe a pint of vinegar in euery 15 quarts of new wine Shew me how to seperate water from wine Doctour Liebault a learned Phisitian of Fraunce saith that if it come to passe that wine haue water in it and that we finde it to be so to seperate then this water from this wine you must put into the vessell of wine melted Allom and after stopping the mouth of the said vessell with a spunge drenched in oyle to turne the mouth of the vessell so stopped downward and so the water onely will come forth or else cause a vessell of Iuy wood to be made and put therein such quantity of wine as it will be able to hold the water will come forth presently and the wine will abide pure neat Some do vse presently to change the wine so watered and to draw it out into another vessell and then to put a pint a halfe of salt to euery fifteene quarts of wine others doe boyle the wine vpon the fire so long vntill the third part be consumed and the rest they vse three or foure yeares after Shew me a way how a man may drinke much wine and yet not be drunke To drinke great store of wine and not to be drunke you must eate of the rosted lungs of a Goat or otherwise eate sixe or seauen bitter Almonds fasting or otherwise eate raw Coleworts before you drinke and you shall not become drunk How many sorts of Drunkards are there So many men so many mindes The soule being once depraued and depriued for want of grace of her vniforme and melodious harmony becommeth tainted with diuers and discording affections insomuch that in their very drinking they shew of what base alloy they are composed Some kind of Drunkards we see laughing out of all measure others we see weeping Some are dumbe some talkatiue Some hop and daunce some on the contrary lie still as if they were without feeling One more watchfull then the rest drinks more then twentie deseruing well the garland of Bacchus Another sleepes and wallowes like a filthy Hogge One flatters another fights In briefe one is Lion drunk another Sow drunk One apish drunk another Parrot drunk How to make them which are drunk sober You must make them eate Coleworts and some manner of confections made of brine or else drink great draughts of vinegar Shew me a way how to make Tossepots and drunkards to hate wine Cause a Drunkard to drinke with white wine the blossomes of Rie gathered at such time as the Rie blossometh or else take three or foure Eeles aliue and let them lie in wine till they die and afterward cause this wine to be drunken off by such as are giuen to be drunk or else take a greene Frog which is ordinarily found in fresh springs and let the same lie in wine till she die otherwise marke diligently where the Owle haunteth that so you may get some of her egs frie them and giue them the drunken gallant to eate But in vaine labours the Phisitian to cure the bodies intemperance while the soule sleepes in sinne while the reasonable faculties lie troaden and trampled vnder these worldly pleasures Awake then thou sensuall man and shoote inwardly into the lightsome cause of health which is no other then sobrietie fashioned after the spirituall image of the Trinitie But if thy nature be so sterne if thy soules aduantage be no solide reason in thy iudgement to conuert thy brutish liuing yet let examples of the bodies griefes terrifie thy lustfull thoughts from such vaine dregs Looke but on the countenance of a drunkard and is not he disfigured Doth not his nose seeme rotten withered or worme-eaten Doth not his breath stinck his tongue falter Is not his body crazed subiect to gouts and dropsies It is written of olde Father Ennius that by emptying of bottels he got the gout and many other dolours As Mounsieur du Chesne out of Celius Rhodiginus translated these verses into French Le bon
pere Ennius seicha tant les bouteilles Qu'il fut geine de goutte et douleurs nompareilles More would I inueigh against the Lapithes of our age had not I of late taxed them in my first Circle of the Spirit of Detraction Shew me a way to make olde wine to be new out of hand Take bitter Almonds and Melilot of each an ounce of Licorice three ounces of the flowers of Alexander as much of Aloes perepatick two ounces bray them all and tye them together in a linnen cloath and so sinke them in the wine At what time are VVine and Beere readie to turne and change About the middest of Iune when the Sun enters into the Tropicke of Cancer and somwhat before the Dogge dayes begin wine and Beere are apt to become eager and corrupt and likewise when the Southerne winde blowes whether it be in Sommer time or Winter when it is great raine lightning thunder or earthquakes then are wine and Beere subiect to turne Shew me how to keepe wine and Beere without turning Aboue all things haue a speciall regard that you lay your vessels in vaulted sellers and then cast into your said vessels either Roach Allome done into powder or the ashes of Oaken wood or beaten Pepper or else put into your vessels so corrupted a good quantity of Cowes milke somewhat salted or if none of these serue draw the drinke into an other vessell that is sweet and vntainted vsing a composition of the foresaid remedies intermingling it foure or fiue times a day for the space of a sennight Is wine hurtfull to sicke folkes Hypocrates writeth that to giue wine or milke to them that be sicke of agues or head-aches is to giue them poyson yet neuerthelesse it doth agree with some kind of diseases as for example it is permitted to them that be troubled with dropsies with ill dispositions of the body and with the rawnesse and weaknesse of the stomack to be briefe wine is an excellent restoratiue for olde age which of it selfe is a great and troublesome sicknesse and for this cause some Phisitians aduised olde men to drinke wine in the middest of Sommer I meane to vse Bacchus for their Phisitian twenty dayes before and twenty dayes after the dogge dayes to the end that in the heat and siccity of that fierie starre their lungs should be ouerflowne but howsoeuer wine reuiueth feeble spirits and maketh the heart light specially of an olde man according to the Italian saying A vecchio infunde lolio ne la lampada quasi estincta Vnto an olde man it infuseth oyle in his decayed lampe Of diet drinks as well for them that be sicke as in health CHAP. 3. Shew me how to correct the malicious vapours of wines FOr the correction of medicinable wine you must put and infuse Burrage Buglos and Pimpernell in your wine for the space of foure and twenty houres before you drink of it Some vse to temper the force of wine by putting a toste in it Some take the leaues of Isop wel powned made fast in a fine cloath and put into new wine against the diseases of the lungs shortnesse of the breath and the cough which they call Isop wine some take dry Roses Anise and hony together with one pound of the leaues and seed of Betony one pound of Fenell seede and a little Saffron these ingredients they put in twenty quarts of new wine and after foure moneths are past they change the wine into a new vessell this kinde of wine is very expedient to be drunk for the clearing of the eye-sight for Pleurisies and for the coroborating of the stomack Others make wine of Wormewood for the paine of the stomack and liuer and for the wormes of the guts which wine is made after this manner eight drams of Worme-wood stamp them and straine them and so cast them into three pints of wine Shew me how to make Ipocras and wine of Scene Common Ipocras is made after this manner take nine pound of the best white wine or Claret that you can get an ounce and a halfe of Cinamon one pound of Suger three drams of Ginger and two scruples of Nutmegs beat all these somewhat grosly then let them soake three daies in the said wine and afterward straine it and vse it for the heating and comforting of a colde and a weake stomack but if you feare sicknesse prepare wine of Scene after this manner take an ounce of the leaues of Scene well mundified halfe a dram of Cinamon seeth them in a quart of white wine with a soft fire till it come to a pint afterwards put a little Suger vnto it and in three daies after it hath beene steeped and so continuing you may straine it and vse it by taking of three spoonfuls in the morning and three spoonfuls when you goe to bed vntill your body be sufficiently purged Shew mee a diet drinke against Melancholie Take two ounces of the leaues of Scene of Fumitory greene Hops and Borrage of each a pound seeth them to the third part in faire water with a soft fire or else till two gallons come to one gallon straine them and sweeten them with Suger or hony and after a sennight you may drink thereof euery morning a draught fasting and so before supper one houre Shew me a diet drinke against the consumption Take two gallons of small Ale halfe a pound of blancht Almonds a quarter of a pound of Annise seeds three or foure stickes of Licoras sliced or bruised one pound of Red Roses Isop and Parsley bruise and straine what is to be bruised and strained after you haue let them boile to one gallon and when it is ready adde vnto it a quart of Malmesie and drinke thereof morning and euening two houres before you eate this drinke preserueth a man from the cough makes a man of a strong constitution and cureth the consumption Of Cider and Perry CHAP. 4. What is Cyder MOnsieur Libault in his third booke of his mayson rustique writeth that Cyder most commonly is sowre yet notwithstanding whether it were made such by reason of the sowernesse of the Apples or become such by reason of the space of time in as much as it is very watry and somewhat earthie as also very subtile and pearcing and yet therewithall somewhat astringent and corroboratiue becommeth singular good to coole a hot liuer and stomack to temper the heate of boyling and collerick blood to stay collerick and adust vomiting to asswage thirst to cut and make thinne grosse and slimy humours whether hot or colde but chiefely the hot Such drinke falleth out to be very good and conuenient and to serue well in place of wine for such as haue any ague for such are subiect to a hot liuer and hot bloud for such as are scabbed or itchy for such are rheumatick vpon occasion of hot humours and it needeth not that it should be tempered with water VVhat is the vse of Perry Perry is a sweet kind
them that be in health Pigeons plump and fat boiled in sweet flesh-broth with coriander vineger or with sower cheries and plums do purge the raines heale the palsie proceeding of a colde cause and are very good in colde weather for olde persons and stomackes full of flegme A young fat Goose farsed with sweet hearbs and spices doth competently nourish Notwithstanding tender folkes must not eate thereof for it filleth the body with superfluous humours and causeth the feauer to follow Young Ducks stifled with Borage smoke and being eaten in cold weather strengthen the voice and encrease naturall seed Young hen Partridges eaten with vineger doe heale all manner of fluxes and dry vp bad humours in the belly Quailes eaten with coriander seed and vineger doe helpe melancholick men Woodcocks and Snites are somewhat lightly digested Yet hurtfull for collerick and melancholick men Swans Turkies Peacocks Hearnes and Cranes if they be hanged by the necks fiue daies with waights at their feet afterwards eaten with good sauce do greatly nourish and profit them which haue hote bellies Larkes and Sparrowes are meruailous good for them that be diseased of the collick Shew mee a way to fatten great Fowle in most short time You must follow Master Plats aduise namely to take the bloud of beasts whereof the Butchers make no great reckoning and boyle it with some store of branne amongst it perhaps graines will suffice but branne is best vntill it come to the shape of a bloud-pudding and therewith feede your fowle so fat as you please You may feede Turkies with bruised Acornes and they will prosper exceedingly Of Fish CHAP. 6. Shew me how to feed fishes in Ponds IN the fourth booke of the maison rustique lately translated out of French into English by Master Surphlet I finde these meanes for the preseruing of Fish-ponds layd downe It will be good sometimes to cast in some sorts of small fishes the bowels and entrailes of great fish crackt walnuts fresh cheese lumps of white bread certaine fruits chopt small all sorts of salt fish and such other like victuall and sometimes it will be good to cast vpon the pooles and ponds the fresh leaues of Parsley for those leaues doe reioyce and refresh the fishes that are sicke Sith it is most certaine that the fishes abiding in the sea or streames and running riuers haue greater store of victuall than those which are shut vp in pooles and ponds for such as haue their full scope of liberty in the sea and streames doe alwayes meet with one reliefe or other brought vnto them by the course of the water besides the small fishes which are the food and sustenance of the greater but the other shut vp and inclosed in safegard cannot goe forth a hunting after any pray What is the best fish A fresh Carpe salted for the space of sixe houres and then fried in oyle and besprinkled with vinegar in which spices haue boyled in all mens censure is thought to be the wholesomest kind of fish It may not be kept long except it be well couered with bay mirtle or Cedar leaues Salmon and Trouts well sodden in water and vinegar and eaten with sowre sauce doe helpe hot liuers and burning agâ—es Barbles rosted vpon a gridiron or broyled in vineger are very wholesome If any man drinke the wine wherein one of them hath beene strangled to death he shall euer after despise all manner of wines Which conclusion were fit to be put in tryall by some of our notorious swil-boules Riuer sturgeons sodden in water and vineger and eaten with fennell doe coole the bloud and prouoke lecherie Cuttles seasoned with oyle and pepper do prouoke appetite and nourish much Riuer Lampreyes choked with Nutmegs and Cloues and fryed with bread oyle and spices is a Princely dish and doth very much good Female Tenches baked with Garlick or boyled with Onions oyle and Raisins may be eaten of vouth and collerick men Pikes boyled with water oyle and sweet hearbs will firmely nourish Eeles taken in Spring time and rosted in a leafe of paper with oyle Coriander seed and Parsley doe breake flegme in the stomacke Riuer Perches will prouoke appetite to them that be sicke of the hot ague Oysters rosted on the imbers and then taken with oyle pepper and the iuyce of Orenges prouoke appetite and lechery They must not be eaten in those moneth which in pronouncing want the letter R. Cra fish rosted in the imbers and eaten with vineger and pepper purge the reines and helpe them that be sicke of the consumption or Ptisick Shew me a way to keepe Oysters Lobsters and such like sweet and good for some few daies Oysters as maister Plat saith may be preserued good a long time if they be barrelled vp and some of the brackishwater where they are taken powred amongst them Or else you may pile them vp in small roundlets with the hollow parts of the shels vpward casting salt amongst them at euery lay which they make You may keepe Lobsters Shrimps and such like fish If you wrap them seuerally in sweet and course rags first moistned in strong brine and then you must bury these cloathes and couer them in some coole and moyst place with sand Of Milke Butter Cheese and Egges CHAP. 7. What is the vse of milke THere be many kindes of milke according to the diuersities of the nature of liuing things The milke of kine and sheepe is the most butterish and nourishing next vnto it goates milke is chiefe sauing womans milke with which there is no comparison as being the most agreeable to the Sympathy of our natures and proper to dry and melancholick persons yea and a remedy against the consumption There be three sundry substances which lie hidden within the nature of milke euen as they doe within all other naturall things whatsoeuer they be namely a sulphureous substance which is the butter conceiuing a flame much differing from that whayish or mercuriall part which is the thin milke next it conceiues cheese which represents the salt and lastly the thinne milke being the remainder of both being made into pottage with Rice and Suger it encreaseth the generatiue seede and strengtheneth the body Buttermilke in which Fumitorie haue beene steeped and drunke in the Sommer time or rather in the Spring time is an excellent remedy against all diseases exceeding of coller and melancholy yet notwithstanding with this caueat that after the taking of it you doe neither eate any other thing nor sleepe within three houres after To conclude it must not in any case be taken of them which are subiect to feauers head-aches or fluxes according to that vulgar saying Dare lac aut vinum febricitantibus capite dolentibus est dare venenum What is the vse of butter Butter whether it be fresh or salt purgeth mildely and helpeth the roughnesse of the throat fresh butter being taken fasting with a little Suger hindreth the ingendring of the stone and cureth the shortnesse of breath
stomack Red vrine betokeneth heat Thicke vrine and like to puddle sheweth sicknesse or excessiue labour If white or red grauell appeare in the bottome of your vrinall it threatneth the stone in the raines In briefe blacke or greene coloured vrine declareth death most commonly to ensue Of Fasting CHAP. 3. Is moderate fasting good MOderate fasting as to omit a dinner or a supper once a weeke is wonderfull commodious for them that are not cholericke or melancholicke but full of raw humours This Anthony the Emperour knew very well when he accustomed to drinke nought saue one cup full of wine with a little pepper after he had surfetted Of the commodities of Fasting I haue written more largely in my second booke of the Golden Groue and now of late in my first Circle of The Spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted Shew me a way to preserue my life if perhaps I be constrained to straggle in Deserts Take Licoras or Tobacco now and then chew it and you shall satisfie both thirst and hunger or else mixe some suet with one pound of Violets and you shall preserue your life thereby ten dayes Or to conclude take a peece of allome roule it in your mouth when you waxe hungry By this meanes you may liue as some write a whole fortnight without sustenance Of Venerie CHAP. 4. What is the vse of Venery MOderate Venerie is very expedient for preseruation of health It openeth the pores maketh the body light exhilerateth the heart and wit and mitigateth anger fury When is the best vse of carnall copulation It is best to vse carnal copulation in Winter and in Spring time when nature is desirous without the help of Arts dregs and at night when the stomacke is full and the body somewhat warme that sleepe immediately after it may lenifie the lassitude caused through the action therof In Sommer in Iune and Iuly when the spettle thickens on the ground it cannot be good VVhat be the inconueniences of immoderate Venerie Immoderate venerie weakeneth strength hurts the braine extinguisheth radicall moysture and hastneth on old age and death Sperme or seede of generation is the onely comforter of nature which wilfully shed or lost harmeth a man more then if hee should bleed forty times as much Teach me how wiuelesse batchelers and husbandlesse maides should driue away their vncleane dreaming of venery at nights First they must refraine from wine and venerous imaginations and not vse to lye in soft down beds Secondly they must addict themselues to read the Bible and morall Philosophy Thirdly they must exercise often their bodies Lastly if none of these preuaile let them vse the seed of Agnus castus in English Parke seed and they shall feele a strange effect to follow Of Bathes CHAP. 5. What is the vse of Bathes COld and naturall bathes are greatly expedient for men subiect to rheumes dropsies and gouts Neither can I easily expresse in words how much good cold bathes doe bring vnto them that vse them howbeit with this caueat I commend bathes to wit that no man distempered through Venery Gluttony watching fasting or through violent exercise presume to enter into them Is bathing of the head wholsome You shall finde it wonderfull expedient if you bath your head foure times in the yeare and that with hot lee made of ashes After which you must cause one presently to poure two or three gallons of cold fountaine water vpon your head Then let your head be dryed with cold towels Which sodaine pouring downe of cold water although it doth mightily terrifie you yet neuertheles it is very good for therby the naturall heate is stirred within the body baldnesse is kept backe and the memory is quickned In like manner washing of hands often doth much auaile the eye-sight How shall a man bathe himselfe in Winter time when waters be frozen In Winter time this kinde of artificiall bathing is very expedient and wholsome Take two pound of Turpentine foure ounces of the iuyce of Wormwood and wild mallowes one ounce of fresh butter one drachme of saffron mingle them and seeth them a pretty while and being hot wet foure linnen clothes in it and therewith bath your selfe Or els make a bath after this manner take of Fumitory and Enula Campana leaues Sage Fetherfue Rosemary Wormwood of each a handfull or two seeth them in a sufficient quantity of water till they be soft and put as much as a walnut of Allome and a little brimstone in powder and therewith bath the places of your body affected He that vseth these bathes in times conuenient shall liue healthfully for by them superfluous excrements are extracted in sweat Of Excrements and Bloud-letting CHAP. 6. VVhat be Excrements OF excrements some be necessary and some superfluous those be necessarie which spring of superfluous bloud and that notwithstanding can nourish when nourishment failes as seede sperme milke and fat Those be superfluous which doe not proceed from bloud nor can nourish but rather separated from the bloud as not able to nourish and these are either moist or earthy moist as black melancholy sweat vrine matter of the nose spettle c Earthy or dry excrements as nailes cornes and such like Aristotle reckoneth the marrow in the bodie the marrow among the excrements 2 Libr. de generat animal cap. 6. But I take it to be a nourishment because the bones are nourished by it euen as the body is nourished by bloud What thinke you of bloud-letting Bloud is the very essence of life which diminished the spirits must consequently be dissolued In consideration whereof I counsell them that vse any moderate exercise not in any case to be let bloud least that corrupt water succeede in the place of the pure bloud But if they abound with bloud or their bloud be putrified and burnt if other medicines auaile not this law of mine must needes be infringed Shew mee a way to discerne the effects of bloud-letting If the bloud which is let out appeare red of colour and white water flow with it then the body is sound if bubbling bloud issue the stomack is diseased if greene the heart is grieued Of Purgations CHAP. 7. What is the vse of Purgations PVrgations as sometime they be very necessarie so often taking of them is most dangerous He that vseth exquisite Purgations and especially electuaries soluble shall quickly waxe old and gray-headed All Purgations a few simples onely excepted haue poysoned effects Besides nature aboue measure is compelled by Purgations and the vitall powers are diminished In respect of which reasons let euery man take heede of those butchering Surgeons and bloud-sucking Empiricks who rogueing vp and downe Countries doe murther many Innocents vnder pretext of Phisick Hee that obserueth a good dyet and moderately exerciseth his body needeth no Phisick Moist and delicate viandes eaten in the beginning of meales doe sufficiently loose the belly Sweet wines performe the very same Also the leaues of Scene sodden in water with
and so on the contrary Of monethly Dyet CHAP. 2. Shew me how to order my body in euery particular Moneth In Ianuary IN this Moneth mans inward parts become replenished with more heate then at any other time The reason is because our bodies being in health receiue into them more aboundance of food whereby they are strengthened and comforted in their constitutions and principall powers So that wee may aduenture to eate grosser meats as baked Venison of barren Does gelt Buckes gelt Goats Brawne Beefe and such like in this moneth then in any other Moneth for that our naturall heare in warmer weather is dispersed and so digestion hindered now fasting is very hurtfull But spiced drinkes and wines are highly commended Beware of Physicke and chiefly of bloudletting In February Because this season is very raw and watrish keepe your neck and feet warme and imitate the Dutch who vse to weare furred collers as a soueraigne remedie against the colde Ayre Towards the latter end of this moneth it will not be amisse to eate now and then I meane in the beginning of meales those meates which are of a laxatiue substance as a pared pippin or a few stewed prunes and raisins It is good now and then to drinke a a cup of good Meath or white wine some vse to breake their fast with the pith of white bread bespread with honey for the purifying of their breast and bladder All kinde of Physicke is dangerous in this Moneth excepting pilles to purge the head which now seemes more heauy then at other seasons In March In this moneth it is good to eate cleansing things for our bodyes hauing beene glutted with diuersities of meats in the winter cannot but breake out into some outward part by itch biles pockes issues plagues morphew iaundise greene sicknesse or such like or else inwardly by impostumes feuers catarres c. Wherefore let vs vse pottage made of leekes Alisander Peniroyall and Betony and aboue all things let vs beware of salt fish And for our Physicke let vs content our selues with bathes eyther naturall or artificiall or with sweat naturall or artificiall The naturall sweat if it be not excessiue or violent in the opening of the pores will cleanse the bloud make light the spirits dissolue thicke and raw humours and asswage the dropsie the Scuruy and all such sicknesses as proceed of lazinesse The artificiall sweat will cure the itch and mundifie the skinne In a word now is the best time to remoue the rootes of diseases and to preuent their further stealth In Aprill Now with the warme weather our bloud beginnes to heat and waxe rancke And therfore it is expedient to eate meat of a light digestion and sallets to coole our bloud Salt meates are very hurtfull specially for them which doe not trauell by reason that the bloud becomes tainted with them and will quickly engender the itch If there be vrgent need a man may in this Moneth purge or be let bloud But for bloud letting I could wish these rules to be first practised first that the body be made soluble secondly that it be done in the morning before any exercise or commotion of the humours thirdly that the certainty of the veine be regarded fourthly that the quantity be considered according to the Patients complexion and age not vnder fourteene nor aboue fiue and fiftie fiftly that he obserue a very sparing vary dyet for three dayes after whereby pure and good bloud may succeed in the corrupteds place In May. As this Moneth is the most moderate season of the yeare free from extremities hot or cold so that we seeme to liue in terâ floridâ so ought we chiefly now to obserue measure and moderation in our dyet for our bloud being luke-warme may easily be ouertaken with any excesse through that sodaine alteration which Philosophers terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before meat Exercise is most expedient To drinke Wormewood wine is accounted very healthfull and so to drinke soure whay clarified with Sage and Parsley is an excellent dyet drinke for hot Cholericke stomackes Some vse in this Moneth to breake their fast with old Cheese or Parmizan grated with Suger and Sage as a restoratiue for weake spirits Now Horse-leaches may be applyed to our feet or to such parts of the body where we suspect the concourse of moist humors In Iune Early rising profiteth much in this warme time for which cause good husbands doe fetch a long vagari through the pleasant fields to prouoke appetite which otherwise with lazinesse would be corrupted with satietie and sultry loathsomnesse A little meat will serue but we may drinke the more freely so that it be not strong and recompence nature this way for the easier digestion of our meates For euen as the heate of the Sunne breedes chaps clefts and dust in the ground so likewise would it ingender burnt choler as dry soot in a chimney in our sparing bodies Cheries by reason of their piercing vertue are thought commodious to appease thirst Sallets performe the very same To bath in cold water is esteemed a soueraine remedy against all outward griefes or tumours proceeding from heat In Iuly Now arriues the Sommers Solstice which with the fiery Dogge turnes the moisture of our bodies into parched exhalations which we commonly call cholerick symptomes And therefore shunne roast or broyled meates Shunne salt meates Bacon and strong Beefe Spare not to drinke Ptizans Endiue or Succory waters which coole the liuer Now you may boldly sleepe in the after noone so that it be not presently after dinner and not aboue an houre Beware of bloud-letting Physick and venerous acts When you are emptie bath your selfe in colde water for that recreates the animall powers In August In this moneth begin to withdraw your custome from drinking by little and little conuerting the same to a temperate least the vnseasonable Accidents which awayte vpon this moneth doe seaze on thy moist body and so bestow a gift which will not easily be clawed off a tyrannous ague tertian or quartane Beware of fruit specially Apples or Peares which now are wont to tempt want on bodies Beware of them yee nice Maydes whose God is your longing will least yee meet with the greene sicknesse by eating such greene fruit Beware of Eeles and of all fish that are taken in Ponds or in muddy places Some vse to annoint their bodies with this precious oyle to preuent the theeuish intrusion of diseases in this threatning season Take oyle Oliue and incorporate it with the iuyce of Sage Smallage Angelica Rose-water and Rue In September Some accustome themselues to drinke a draught of Goates milke luke-warme in the morning to encrease radicall moisture while this moneth continueth But in any case take heed of excesse least the fruit and drinke which thou tookest so liberally in the Sommer doe worke some treason against thy carelesse body in the Autumne In any case beware of the nights colde Walke as little as thou canst after Sunne