THe preseruation of the sight doth cō ­sist, partly in good order of diet, part­ly in vse of medi­cines.

Concerning diet: Diet some thinges hurt­ful are to be eschu­ed, & some things comfortable to the sight are to be vsed: wherefore they, which may chose their habitations, in this respect, may make election of aire cleare, declining to Aire moderate heate & drynesse: cold & moyst aire, & thicke, misty, and rayny weather is hurtfull: it is best therefore to abide in drie places, frō moory, marish, & watrish groūds & specially to provide, that the site of the dwelling be not betweene the wet places and the sun: southerne windes do hurt the Windes. Dust Smoke. Meates. sight: so do low roomes: places full of dust and smoakie are noysome.

Meates are best which are easie to bee digested, & which doe not stay long in the [Page 2] stomacke: amongest such a young henne is greatly commended: so is Partridge and Pheasant, Rasis praiseth the young starue, & the quaile: so doe all writers the Doue both tame and wyld, but chiefly the wyld Doue, which (as Zoar writeth) hath espe­ciall vertue against the weakenesse of the sight, which commeth by defect of spirites, and the rather, if the same be sod with rape rootes, and turnep rootes: for it is accorded by all writers, that the turnep hath greate facultie to doe good to the eies, and to pre­serue the sight. Grosse and slimy meates, and all water-foule are dispraised. Of small birdes, the martin, the swallow, the iay and pie, the witwall, the specht are noted very hurtfull to the sight: and albeit these birds are seldome, or not at all vsed of the bet­ter sort, yet common people happyly may be compelled to eate them. No fish is ac­compted good: yet some fishes, which doe Fish. skoure in grauely places, being sauery sod­den with white wine, fenel, eiebright, sage, persl [...]e, &c. may at some times be eaten: & so a little fault-fish moderately taken doth no great harme. Flesh sodden with senell, Prepara­tion of meates. eiebright, mintes, sage, &c. is reputed best; [Page 3] next are roasted meates, flesh fryed with Intrals. butter or oyle is to bee reiected, thentrals, and feete of beasts are not so good, nor the braines for the most part, yet the braine Braines. of an hare, of a cony, and of pigeons are said to quicken the sight.

Milke and all thinges made thereof are Milke. found by experience to induce dimnesse of sight: reare rosted, reare sodden, or po­ched egges are holesome, especially eaten Egges. with the powder of eiebright, fryed egges and hard are blamed.

Of sauces, veriuice, viniger of wine, and Sauces. the iuice of limonds, are accompted best; Pomgranats, not so good.

Of spices, cinnamon is commended by Spices. Avicenna, as speciall good for the webbe of the eie, and for dimnesse of the sight: so is saffron; ginger, both inwardly taken, and outwardly applyed, doth singularly cleare the sight: cloues, mace, and nutmegs, and all three kindes of peppers, may bee vsed. Suger is convenient to condite things, but Suger. Honie. Oile Butter. honie is better: no oile is good, saue pile oliue called sallet oile, and that is better thē butter.

Albeit few raw hearbes in common vse Raw herbs. [Page 4] for sallets are commended, except fenell, eie-bright, young sage, terragone, which are very good: yet these are to be avoided as most hurtfull, namely lettis, coleworts, cabbages, beets, spinage, purslane, buddes of dill, garlike, chibbols, onions, skalli­ons, &c. Capers may be eaten: Oliues not so good: radish rootes, persnep rootes, are Capers. Oliues Rootes. greatly dispraised: carrot rootes, the buds of asperage may bee eaten, but the turnup or rape roote, and the navew roote are a­boue The Rape & Turnep. all other noted for excellencie to preserue the sight, and to that purpose ma­ny doe preserue with sugar these rootes, & eate them as sucket.

The most kindes of fruits are hurtfull to the sight: yet peares and the better kindes Fruites. Peares. Apples. of apples, may bee eaten with the powder of eiebright, or with fenell seeds thinly in­crusted with fine sugar: figs are very good, not only for the sight, but also to open, Figges. scoure, and to clense the brest, liuer, sto­macke and kidneies: so are raisons, which Raisons. haue a speciall propertie to strengthen the liuer: nuts are very evil, for that they do fill Nuts. the head: the walnut more tollerable then the hasell nut, chestnuts are very windie, [Page 5] better friendes for Venus, then for the eies: dates are not commended, nor mulberies. Dates Confects.

Cōfectes made with fine sugar & thinly incrusted about with turnep seedes, & na­vew seeds, fenil seeds, anise seeds almonds, pine aple kernels, ginger, cinamon, the powder of eiebright, &c. are reputed as very good meanes to continue the sight: likewise in the preservation of the sight, a­mongst other things, such drinkes, as are in common vse and accustomed, are to be al­lowed: Drinkes. therfore he that hath vsed to drink beer, may not forsake the same & so of ale. Beere.

And in this respect it is not amis at meat to drinke wine, for them which haue been Wine. accustomed to the same: although wine in some affectes of the eies is forbidden, yet to preserue the sighte, wine is not inconve­nient, for the vapours of wine are drying, cleare abstersiue, & so do consume and ex­tenuate grosse and thick humours, so it bee moderately takē. In this place I do great­ly commend their counsels, which do pre­pare medicinable drinkes with eiebright, Medicinal drinkes. & other thinges comfortable for the sight, to be vsed in the morning, and at meates, if the pacient can well endure so to drinke [Page 6] the same: our authors herein are very inge­nious, some addressing drinkes vvith one thing, and some with another.

The simplest and most vvritten of, is Drinke made with ciebright. vvith the herbe called of the Arabians Adhill, in Latine Euphragia, in English Eiebright, of vvhose miraculous vertues in preservation of the sight: Arnoldus de villa Arnoldus de villa noua. noua hath vvritten in these vvordes: Eie-bright is good any vvay taken, either with meat, drinke or medicine, greene and dry, The praise of eie-bright for the sight. against all impediments of the sight, wher­by the clearenes of the same may be obscu­red. And hee vvriteth thus of vvine made vvith eiebright, vvhich hee calleth Uinum Eiebright VVine. euphragiatum This vvine (saith he) is made by putting the herbe in the muste or newe vvine, vntill the same wine become cleare to be dronke. By the vse of this wine, olde mens sightes are made young, it taketh a­way the impedimentes of the sight in all men, of all ages, especially in fat men, and such, which do abound with phlegme.

One (saith he) which was blind, and did see nothing in long time, by vsing this wine one yeare, vvas restored to his fight. The herbe is hot and drie, and hath by proper­tie [Page 7] of substance, to remove affectes of the sight. And so the powder of the herbe ta­ken Eiebright taken in an egge. in an egge, or dronken in wine, doth vvonderfully performe the same. And there are yet aliue (saith he) vvitnesses of good credite, vvhich haue made proofe heereof in themselues, vvhich could not reade vvithout spectacles, by vse heereof haue recovered their sight to reade small letters. And so Arnoldus concludeth, that nothing to doe good to the sight, is to bee compared with wine made with eiebrright. If the wine be too strong, hee counselleth to alay the same vvith fenell water, and to that intention, you may also adde sugar.

In countries vvhich for their common drinkes do vse wine and water, they alway do mingle things for the sight in wine, and not in water: for wine in truth is a fitter li­quor to receiue the qualities and to carie the same to the eies, then water: vvhich thinges they do put in the muste, and so let it stand, vntill the wine be ripe, and ready Eiebrigh may bee vsed in beere, in ale, or meade. to be dronken, and so doe vse it.

Notvvithstanding in other countries vvhich haue other vsuall drinkes, the same things may be put in their common drinks. [Page 8] So some haue put them in ale, some in beere, and some in meade, and no doubt but all these meanes are very good accor­ding to the vsage and disposition of the partie. So even in this our countrie, they which either by vse or by constitution of body, may wel beare the drinking of wine, may well compound the same with things good for the sight: others of hot complexi­ons and drie, not greatly accustomed to wine, may of ale, beere, and meade make such drinkes, because in the North coun­tries, ale and beere are the vsuall and com­mon drinkes, and in some places, meade al­so is much vsed: therefore in mine opinion it is convenient for most men, to make these drinkes with ale, beere, and meade, rather then with wine: and meade assured­ly is a very convenient thinge for them which can well away with hony.

Touching the direction of those which How eie-bright wine may be vsed haue bin accustomed to drinke wine, I do nothing doubt, but that they may with­out offence beare such drinks for the sight, compounded with wine, to take a draught in the morning, especially if they alay the same with the distilled water of fenell, ac­cording [Page 9] to Arnoldus counsell. And for this purpose, choyse may bee made of verie good white wine, and the thinges may be mingled in the countries where the wine doth growe, notwithstanding in that our The vse of eiebright ale, and of eiebright beere. most vsed drinke with meat is ale, or beere, these are very convenient to receiue these thinges for the sight, and absolutely better then wine, if yee like to drinke the same with meate: as our authors doe counsell. Which ale I thinke better to be made with Ale made with grout. grout according to the olde order of brew­ing. And so the thinges for the sight may be sodden in the grout, or other way put How to make eie-bright ale and beere. in the drinke, when it is newly clensed, & put into the vessell in vvhich sit is tunned to be kept, that in the working of the drink in the vessell, the vertues and qualities of the thinges may bee drawen and receiued into the same. VVhen these thinges are Eiebright meade. compounded in meade, then the same are sodden with the honie, in such order as o­ther herbes are sodden, when they make methegline.

I thinke it best to begin with the sim­plest order to compound ale or beere to ech mans best liking with eiebright onely, [Page 10] taking to every gallon of the drink a great handfull of the herbe, and bind it togither, The quan­titie of eie-bright to the drinke or put it in raw and thinne tinsell of silke, and so tie the same by a string to the tap of the vessell, that the herbe may hang in the middest of the drinke, not too low in the grownd, neither to high in the barme, be­ing put into the drinke vvhen it is nevvlie clensed: let all vvorke togither vntill the drinke be cleare and ripe, to bee dronken according to the common vse, and then ye may drinke of it at pleasure in the morning fasting, and at meate also if you will, and can vvell like thereof; and most men may like to drinke it, because this herbe doeth yeelde no vngratefull taste, but rather with a pleasant sapour doth commende the drinke. It were not amisse to avoide windines, to every handfull of the herbe, to adde two drammes of fenell seeds, well Fenell seedes. dusted, and a little bruised. As I do put this for more proportion to beginne vvith-all, that the stomacke be not at the first offen­ded with the strangenes: So after a time, yee may increase the quantitie, and put to every gallon of the drinke, tvvo handfuls of the herbe, vvherein yee may best be di­rected [Page 11] by the taste, that the herbe shall yeelde into the drinke. In the winter sea­son Spices may be added. yee may also adde some spices, as gin­ger, vvhole mace, a few cloues, nutmegs, cinnamon, and make as it were bragget ale: vvhich drinke besides that it doth pre­serue and cleere the sight, will also helpe digestion, clense and cut phlegme, and breake winde.

I can witnes, that many by this simple The effect confirmed by exam­ples. composition of eiebright and fenell seeds, haue found great good for their sight, not onelie to continue in good estate, but also that some haue found remedie against the dimnes & other impediments, growing in their sight. In truth once I met an old man in Shropshire called M. Hoorde, aboue the age of 84. yeares, who had at that time per­fit sight, and did read small letters very wel without spectacles: he tolde me that about the age of 40. yeares, finding his sighte to decay, he did vse eiebright in ale for his drinke and did also eare the powder there­of in an egge three daies in a weeke, be­ing so taught of his father, who by the like order continued his sight in good integrity to a very long age. I haue heard the same [Page 12] confirmed by many old mē. Rowland Sher­looke an Irish man, Phisition to Queene Marie, did affirme for trueth, that a Bi­shop in Ireland perceiuing his sight to wax dimme, about his age of fifty yeares, by the vse of eiebright takē in powder in an egge, did liue to the age of 80 yeares, with good integrity of sight.

VVe do reade of many prinkes to pre­serue Drinkes more com­pounded for the sight. the sight, compounded not of eie-bright onely, but many moe thinges ad­ded: so some put to it sage, some veruaine some celendine, and fenell seedes, anise feeds, & the forenamed spices: others ele­campane rootes, iris, galengale & cubebs, and in truth all these are greatly commen­ded to preserue the sight, and may very aptly be put in drinkes for the sight: not­withstanding, for that we are now to deli­ver a drinke for the sight, which may bee pleasing, and allowed with meates, mine opinion is, that the same ought to be made as simple as may be. For if Gallen in his 6. booke de sanitate tuenda, doth preferre the composition of the medicine termed dia­trio [...] The most compound not al­waies best. p [...]periō, which hath fewest simples be­cause (as he writeth) that is soonest & with [Page 13] lesse trouble to nature digested: surely the drinkes for the sight, which are compoun­ded of fewest thinges, are most to bee commēded, especially when we meane to vse the same with meate, as all our authors do coūsel vs. Wherfore, for my part at this time, I will onely advise to haue for vse, ei­ther wine, or ale, or beere, according to ech mans best liking, made as is before prescribed with eiebright and fenell seeds, & to drinke of the same in the morning, or if it so like with meate, as other drinke.

It is holden better to drinke oft & small Drinke of­ten & smal draughts. draughts at meate, then seldome & great draughts; for so meate and drinke will bet­ter mingle, and the meat wil lesse swimme Not best to begin the meale with drinke. in the stomake, which giueth cause of ma­ny vapors to the head. It is affirmed not good to begin the meale with drinke, but to eate somewhat before you drinke.

When you drinke wine, if you meane to When to mingle wa­ter with wine alay the same with water, it is best to min­gle to the wine fenell water, or eiebright water, & Montagnana doth councell to do the same some reasonable time before you doe drinke, and not presently vvhen you drinke, as commonly men doe.

[Page 14] Bread in our intention is to bee made of fine flower of chosen wheat, alwaie leue­ned Breade. and salted somewhat more, then com­mon bread, well wrought, throughly ba­ked, not new nor old, of about a day or two daies old. Vnlevened bread is not accōp­ted good: and the bread is better, if fenell Past with fenil seeds. seedes be wrought with the past; to which purpose some do cause cakes to be made of some portion of the dowe, in vvhich they knead the powder of fenell seedes, and the powder of eiebright, and doe eate them in the morning, and after drink the eiebright drinke, and make that a breakfast.

As generally in the preservation of Evacuatiō. health: so especially to continue the sight, it is convenient that the body bee obedi­ent, and doe his office for evacuation ac­cordingly: and if nature herein be slack, it may bee procured with brothes made of loose herbes, as mallowes, violet leaues, mercury, groūdsell, great raisons the stones taken out, damaske prunes and currantes; and if neede be of more medicinall things, surely the same must be gentle: for as strōg medicines, vvhich make agitation of hu­mors are not good to bee vsed for this in­tention: [Page 15] so gentle medicines taken in due time, doe great good to the sight: which I doe leaue to the appointment and directi­on of a learned Phisition. Of all manner of evacuation, these which are done by vo­miting are most hurtfull: so are fluxes of blood by the nose. And as belkes doe ease the stomacke, so much belking giueth oc­casion that fumes doe arise to the fore-part of the head, wherby the sight may be har­med.

Nothing is more hurtfull to health then Fulnesse hurtfull. fulnes. And he that will continue his sight good, must bee carefull of over plentifull feeding, and therefore must end his meales with appetite: and never lay gorge vppon gorge, but so feede, that the former meate may bee concocted, before hee doe eate againe. It is best to make light suppers, & Vse of Ve­nus▪ somewhat timely. As modest vse of Ue­nus perfourmed in the feare of God in due time, when the meate in the stomacke is digested, and nature is desirous to be dis­burdened, is to be allowed: so immoderate and vnseasonable vse thereof, doth of all thinges most hurt the sight and soonest in­duce sleepe and watching. blindnes: over much watching is not [Page 16] good: very long sleepes are more hurtfull the meane sleepes of about vij. houres, are best: ye, better to abridge the sleepe & to inlarge watching, then contrariwise; sleepe taken in the night is best, as most naturall, when externall aire doth not distract na­tures motion, and all externall things con­curre to helpe sleepe, therefore the moe houres a man doth borrow of the day for sleepe, the worser. It is not good especially to this our purpose, to sleepe immediatly after meate: for tvvo houres at the least ought to be put between meate & sleep. Best to begin sleepe vpon the right side, & then to turne on the left side: to sleepe vp­right vpon the backe is naught generally: to turne vppon the face vvorser for the The moon shi [...]e hur [...] ­fu [...] [...]o the sight. sight. Care must bee had that you sleepe not in a chamber, or any place in vvhich the moone doth shine.

Exercises are needfull: the same best, af­ter Exercises. the bellie hath done his office, that the excrements are avoided: otherwise by ex­ercise vapours are stirred, and doe ascend VVriting after meat more plentifully to the head. All exercises must be done fasting, and none after meat. And I wish you might after meat forbeare [Page 17] writing by the space of three houres: but if your course of life and calling will not so permit you, you may herein follow Mon­tagnaua his counsell, to write either stan­ding vpright, or a little leaning and resting your head vpon your right or left cheeke: in no case to write bovving your selfe for­ward, & holding downe the head. When opportunity and time will serue, frictions Frictions. with a rough linnen cloth are verie good, which are to be performed thus: first to rub the feete, the legges, then the thighes, the hips, the buttockes, ascending to the shoulders and necke vvith sof [...]e and long rubbings, even vntil the partes begin to wax red. Amongst orders to remooue the weaknes of the sight, Auicenna vvriteth that the combing of the heade is not of Combing hte heade. least force, which ought to be done every morning fasting backwardes against the haire, for it draweth the vapours out of the head, & remooveth them from the sight.

Mirth, ioy, & pleasantnes of the minde is good: a little anger doth not hu [...]: i [...] ­moderat Affictiōs of the minde. sorow, fearfulnes, & al vehement affectiōs are forbiddēin al affectes, but in this our case chiefly as most hurtful to the sight.