IN this treatyse that is clypped gouernall of helth. What is to be sayd with crystes helpe of some thynges y t longe to bodely helth had & to be kepte or to bodyly helth lost & to bere couered & is departed in .viii. chapytres y t is to say. ¶In the fyrste chapytre of the profyte of good gouernall of helth. ¶In the seconde chapytre what is fyrst on morowe to be done. ¶In the .iii. chapytre of bodyly exercyse y t is to say besynes & his profyte. In the fourth chapytre of spyces of exercyse. ¶In the fyfthe chapytre how a man sholde behaue hym in mete etynge. ¶In the syxth chapytre how a man sholde be haue hym in drynkynge of his drynkes. ¶In the seuenth chapytre what sholde be done after mete. ¶In the .viii. chapytre of the noyse of euyll gouernaunce.
[Page]IT nedeth hym that wyll haue longe lyfe to knowe the craft of holsom gouernaunce. And so for to kepe contynuelly the helthe of his body / for elles he may not come to his naturall ende / but he shall dye or his kyndly tyme come / and therfore thus sayth Galyē the connynge. ¶He sayth of holsome gouernaunce is meruaylous / for it maketh a ma to lyue tyll he be olde and without sykenes in the last of his olde aege. Therfore the same Galyen after that he knewe the craft of holsome gouernaunce / came neuer in to no sykenesse but selde / that was into a fymerā that is to say a sharpe feuer & that was for trauayll in vysytynge of his frendes / aboute the comyn profyte / for thus he sayth / ¶I take god to recorde & his aūgelles assygned to kepe me that who that wylfully and besyly wyll studye in y e treatyse of holsom gouernaūce & wyll kepe all hole y e doctryne therof he shall neuer dye but on & vpon kyndly deth whiche deth is swete & softe without grete payne as the same Galyen wytnesse the in the dyfference of feuerys. But vnderstonde y t holsom gouernaūce may not duely kepe that moost nedes be occupyed wyl hym or nyll hym and may not whan hym nedeth leue of for thy it nedeth hym that he haue that nedeth hym to his lyfe without trauayll and pencyfull and in all thynges that he be of free condycyon. And ferthermore it is to wete that .viii. thynges at the leest ben nede full in holsome gouernaylle of the whiche the fyrste is a dyscrete chose of thoo thynges that shall be eeten or dronken. ¶The seconde is welfull bodyly exercyse to foore meete and that tyll the swetynge begynne / of namely tyll his wynde chaunge fro sloughe to swetenesse. ¶The thyrde is well profytable and welle nedefull [Page] that all that shall be eten be wele and small chewed. ¶The fourth is that thou ete whyle thou hast talent to ete. The .v. is y t thou speke on morow tyll y u wake by thyne owne wyll / for as Arystotle sayth not only in metes & drynkes be we nourysshed and fostred but also in slepe. ¶The .vi. is y t thou take no mete & drynke in sorowe ne in care but in Ioye as moche as y u may The .vii. is that thou haue ne holde no colde in wynter ne in somer after blode letynge. The .viii. is that thou vse saffron in thy mete / for it quyckeneth kyndly hete and comforteth thy dysgestyon and taryeth thyne olde aege and bryngeth in gladnes & letteth thyne humors fro rotynge and dryenge.
IT is in storyes of our elders y t on a tyme a myghty kynge brought togyder thre of the beste leches that myght be / of Ynde / of Mede / and of Grece. and he commaūded them that eche of them sholde study to assygne y e beste medycyne whiche yf a man wolde vse sholde profyte hym to helpe of body & hym sholde nede none other medycyne. Truly the leche of Grece assygned and sayd that euery day a man to take .ii. his mouth full of hote water / sholde make a man soo hole that hym sholde nede none other medycyne. And the leche of Mede assygned and sayd that it sholde profyte moche euery day fastynge to take gromel sede / & I say sayd Arystotle y t he that slepeth so moche that he hath no heuynesse in his wombe of mete y t he toke to fore hȳ dare not drede of ony grete sykenes ne of y e gout Also who that eteth euery day erly seuen dragmes y t is to saye .xxi. peny weyghte of swete reysyns he dare not drede of flewmy sykenes & his mynde shalbe amē ded and his vnderstondynge shall be slere / and who y t [Page] vseth in the tyme accordynge to his complexyon may be sure & drede not of the feuer quarteyne. ¶Also who that etethe nottes & fygges w t a fewe leues of rewe y t day shall no venym hym noye. It was axed of Galyē what medycyne were moost profytable & he answered abstynence. And cōstantyne sayth in his boke y t hyght vyaryk y t who so wyll kepe his cōtynuell helth kepe his stomak so y t whan hym nedeth mete leue it not ne take nomore therof than hym nedeth / & the same vnderstō de of drynke / also in holsom gouernaūce sleeth / wrath grete thought / heuynes / angre & suche other. ¶For al ghostly accydentes y t is to say sodeyne fallynge in to a mānes mynde outaken Ioye alonly drye & that moysteth netheles some heteth as wrath / for thy wrath profyteth to flewmatyk men and it harmeth cleryk men. Moreouer it is to wete y t in lente season / y t is to say in veer & in the begynnynge of somer chyldren be well at ease after the lykenes of tempred qualytes but other aeges ben well at ease in contraryous tymes as olde men in somer & yonge men in wynter / also in holsome gouernaūce kepe this rule yf thou wylte be hole & soū de / flee heuy charges be not wroth / soupe not to late / & fle vnder mele slepe wake after mete and eschew & spare strong drynkes & namely of wyne: hyde not thy pysse / nor constrayne the not to syege / kepe well these thre thynges / gladnes in mynde / trauayle in mesure / & rule of mete / and drynke as thou wolde / ete boldly in wȳ ter / and in veer scarsly / and in somer mesure wel thy metes / and flee namely fruytes of auguste. Arystotle wrytynge to greate Alexandre and sayd syth to man is a bretyll body me semethe I sholde wryte vnto the some profytable thynge of lechecrafte yf thou wylte he [Page] sayd besyly beholde the ensample of holsom gouernaū ce and lyue after this precyous ordre of dyet ye shall nede no leche out take accydentes of batayll / & suche other / what is fyrst on morowe to be done
AFter that a man hath well and peasybly fulfylled his slepe loke he ryse & clothe hymselfe with good cloth and swete yf he haue them / then he owethe to walke a lytell euenly to stretche out his lymmes & kembe his heed for why kembynge draweth out y e vapours y t come fro the stomak to y e heed in tyme of slepe / & therwith loke that ye be besye to put out y e superfluytes of y e body insyegynge pyssynge coughyng and spyttynge / then loke he wasshe his handes & his face in somer with colde water / & in wynter with hote water. Then loke he praye & prayse his lorde after his doctryne of his lawe / & vysyte the poore in god / then yf he lyke hym he sholde studye or rede dyspute or talke and wyse mennes coūceyll saynge besyly here & in mesure be mery & flee vtterly wrath & sorowe in asmoche as he may / & vse hymselfe mesurably to trauayle as walkynge or rydynge & in clene hyghe places fro myre & marros / for this profyteth moche for it breketh wynde in a mannes body & strengeth & lengeth his lymmes & comforteth the hete of the stomack and strengeth his Ioyntes / and melteth euyll humours.
¶Of the body exercyse and of his profyte.
WE owen vnto know by actours of lechecrafte that tho that shall lyue fayre and well in holsom gouernaunce / ought to haue euyn and tē pered exercyse to fore mete / for that gyueth to all the body tempered hete euyn and not passynge / whiche sholde a mannes exercyse be / a phecysyen dyscryueth [Page] thus. Exercyse is a wylfull meuynge by whiche a mannes wynde is made grete & oft it nedeth y t this trauayl be wylfull / & not stressed by nede but that he be all fre and werke after his owne wyll. And therfore laboure of carpenters & plowmen masones maryners & suche other is none exercyse of lechecrafte / for it hath not properly wylfull meuynge / marchauntes truely burgeys cloysterers & suche other walkynge well & longe / but it is not properly exercyse of lechecrafte. But whanne a man walketh frely of his owne wyll / & soo swyftly tyll he begynne to faynt & his wynde chaūge / then anone he sholde reste / for yf he meuyd ony ferther / it sholde be payne & fayntnesse / & suche exercyse is cleped tempred for therby growe many godes to mānes body fyrst for therby is y e kyndly hete strēgthed & eche & so ben other four vertues y t is to say / vertu drawynge / vertu defyenge / vertu witholdynge / and vertu out puttynge and so ben there .v. bodely wyttes / y t is to say / herynge / seynge / smellynge / tastynge / & felynge / & so bē ther thre myndly vertues / y t is to say / maginityf dyscretyf & memoratyf. And though erroure happed in all these werkynges of lechecrafte so it were not to notable & exercyse were as sholde be sholde neuer mannes body nede other medecyne / for exercyse fulfylleth y e defautes of al other / for they be not mery y e drede blodelettȳge & such other / but by exercyse may be heled netheles .ij. thȳges ben nedefull to euery well exercysed y t is to say y t he be not to full ne to empy to full then wolde the humours louse and so were grete drede of the lyuer or som feuer or sodeyne dethe for thy in suche a case loke that there be longe dyscrete abstynence so that he be not to empty for than sholde his body he feble out of mesure and at [Page] the laste for feblenes it must nedys lose / therfore who that is to empty it nedeth y t he labour not tyll he be more & better releued. ¶Truly auctours sayen y t exercyse is one of the hyghest & noblest thȳge y t may be done of to mannes body & full nedefull it is in gouernall of helth & lengthynge of lyfe for why exercyse fulfylleth the medecynes of blodes & bathynges and suche other thynges / & therin is no drede nor bytternes ne exspenses / but therin is pure recreacyon of body & of soule so it be done in clene places / and than sholde men shewe themselfe to the clene ayer & delyte in seynge ferre & nere. water & londe / heuen & erth / grene & falowe ¶And in all these he sholde prayse and worshyp our lorde god ¶Fulgens dyscryuyth exercyse in a full manere thus sayenge exercyse is true kepynge of mannes lyfe and prycke of kynde slepynge & the fylth of foule colour & tendynge of slothes hete & wastynge of superfluytes & saddynge of lymmes & sleynge of sykenesses & dryuynge awaye of vyces medycyne of langores wȳnynge of tyme & dette of youth & Ioye of olde or age & helpe of helth enemye of ydelnes and dystroyenge of all euyll. ¶But amonge all other thynges it is to wyte that exercyse mesureth mesurably heteth a mannes blode & dryeth it. And therfore mesurable flumatyke men sholde vse it & rest coleth a man & moysteth hym & that is good for coleryke men for thy he alone draweth hȳselfe from exercyse y t wolde fayne fayle Ioye and felycyte in this lyf. Galyen sayth y t grete purgacyons & vomytes sholde not be taken but selden & for grete nede for why ¶Who so wyll eche moneth ones or twyes gretly purge hymselfe he shall bryng his body to many euyl vses for he shall engēdre therī many noyous humours for [Page] why eche day exercyse is fulled full to kepe a mannes helth for who y t eteth or drynketh moche / maye not be hole but yf he wyll sōwhat slepe & swynke. Then these thynges y t be sayd it sheweth y t mesured exercyse hath many profytes for it / styreth y e kyndly hete & openeth the poores / & louseth colde and thycke tough humours And whan they ben loused bereth them out at the poores & maketh a mānes ioyntes slypper & lyght & it cō forteth all the membres of a mannes body. Wherfore noyous humours ben more holsomly pourged & mesured by exercyse than by laxatyues or vomytees / for nother of them may be without empeyrement of kynde / and ryght as due kepynge of kyndly exercyse is nedefull / so other whyle is reste. For why reste in asmoch as it is contrary to exercyse / some is bodyly / some is ghostlye / of whiche eche eyther yf it be mesured after that kynde wolde it is heleful both to the body and soule / and yf it be not so it is contrarye. ¶For why yf reste be to moche it engēdreth nouryssheth and multypleth euyll humours and encreaseth moche corrupcyon. For why whan water restethe to moche it stȳketh / so Iron and eche metall rusteth whan it resteth.
¶The spyces of exercyse.
SPyces of exercyse ben there well many as there ben dyuerse states of persones / some ben strō ge and some be feble / some ryche and some poore / and some prelates at the large and some subgectes and enclosed & sōtyme weder is fayre & clere & sōtyme not soo but derke & rayne / & therfore it nedeth to haue spyces of exercyse for why y e best spyce & y e fyrst is to walk tofore mete in hyghe places and clene. Another spyce is to [Page] ryde & that is for ryche men / but grete prelates muste haue other maner of exercyse for why in chambre shal be a grete corde knytted in the ende & hanged vp / and take that corde with both hondes and stonde vpryght soo that thou touche not the erthe and stonde a good whyle then rynne as moche as thou mayste heder and theder with that corde and other whyle skyppe / and yf this please the not / haue a stone of .xxx.li. weyght or there aboute and yf thou wylte haue helth therin ofte bere that stone fro that one syde of the house to that other syde / or a longe whyle holde vp that stone or thou let it downe or bere it aboute thy necke / or bythene thyn hōdes / and so of other maners tyll thou faynt or thus holde a staffe in thy honde & lette another take it from the yf he may with euen draught / or thus close a peny in thyne honde and lete an other take it yf he maye or thus holde thy breth as longe as thou mayst and then puffe it out as herde as thou mayst doo. ¶And this maner of exercyse is full prouffytable to put out noyous superfluytees / for why many superfluytees in slepe ben witholdē therfore yf thou haue none other maner of exercyse holdynge of brethe helpeth it moche. ¶Yet there ben other maners of exercyse for yonge men that ben lusty as to renne / to wrastle / to lepe / too caste the stone / and so of other playes / also tempred fresshely companynge with a yonge broune woman is good in wynter / and with a yonge whyte womā is gode in somer & is also good and helpynge in gouernyng of helth to boby but not to soule / excepte to them than that mowen haue it by goddes lawes so netheles that there be so moche tyme bytwene y t he fele hȳself eased & lyghtned in his body and that he ete the better and [Page] slepe the better. But therwith vnderstonde that asmoche as helpeth tempred compaynyenge soo moche noyeth dystempred companyenge and namely to moche for it coleth hym wasteth hym & febleth hym. For why mannes kynde is made of y e beste blode and best defyed that hastely may torne in to mannes lymmes. And for why whan a man casteth out that noble humours to moche he is hugely dyosclored and his body moche febled more then he lete four sythes soo moche blode oute of his body / also who that moche deleth or companyeth flesshly with a woman lyghtly catcheth the palsey with more euyll.
¶How a man sholde behaue hym in etynge.
WHan a man hathe welle exercysed hym as it is sayd tofore / rest a whyle after and whan a lytell fresshe whete brede well baked and somdele soured then drynke a draught of good clere wyne or other good sauery drynke then rest a whyle after & study in some wyse meanes thē haue som solace & myrth w t thy frendes & with other honest cōpany. Then ayēst euyn take thy mete and supper moost sauourly but yf thy custome be there agaynst. But generall rule of all fysyke and leches / is that thyn houre of etynge be whā y u arte kȳdly hūgry / & tofore ye hūgre ete not / but yf it be a lytel messe of good werme mete to prouoke thȳ appetyte with & whan thou hast appetyte let not / for as a fecysyon sayth the stomak out of vse to suffer hunger fulfylleth y e body of roten humours. And then wyl a mānes body wex noughty humours / bycause y t the colere is drawē to y e mouh of stomak / so y t aftward whā he wolde ete he may not. Ferthermore it is to wytte y t [Page] no man sholde ete but he knewe certaynly his stomacke voyde of that thynge that he ete to fore / & that shall a man knowe by desyre that he hath to ete / & by plente of spyttynge comynge vp to his mouthe. For who y t eteth without desyre of his mete shall fynde the kyndely hete of his stomacke colde / & he that eteth with desyre he shall fynde kyndely his stomacke gyue vp a smel and sauoure lyke ensence / by these & suche other sholde be vnderstonde of theym that haue mete ordeyned at theyr owne wyll / and who that wyll not ete whan som euer that he myghte haue mete for they ben not bounden to the lawes of this crafte dyatory as to the qualytees of the metes / vnderstonde that thylke mete whiche that moost gouerneth thyn helthe sholde not be passynge in ony qualyte / for why / metes that ben to hote brenne the blode as peper / garlyk / onyons / cresses / sauge / myntes percely / and suche other / and tho metes that ben to colde fresen the blode / as letuse / pursylam / gourdes & suche other. And yf thy metes ben to watry then they rote the blode / as ben melons / cocumbres / & yf thy metes ben to drye it throweth out thyne vytayle vertues & yf thy metes ben to fatte they lette thy dysgestyon and yf thy metes ben to swete they stope y t and make the constypute & costyffe & thy metes ben bytter they nourysshe the not. And yf thy metes be to salte they brenne noye & breke thy stomak and yf thy metes ben to soure they make y e sone olde. For thy none of these metes moche & contynuelly vse is good to helth of mannes body but only that mete is good y t is tēpored & lacketh to mykelnesse as bē these good metes for helth of mānes body & holsō lābe or yonge kyddes soukȳg calues hēnes capōs chekȳs ꝑtryches plouers [Page] fesaūtes smale byrdes of y e felde and of the wode but not of the water. And whan the season cometh yō ge rabottes & pygges feet ben good & other extremytees as groyē and eres & scaled fysshe of clene rennynge water Rere eyren or egges. Also borage oxe tonges whete brede well bake & wellauyned & somdele salted of y t that is one day olde or tweyne & of other that ben not to moche passynge in ony qualyte & yf we drede excesse of ony qualyte amende it by the contrary therof an insample yf y u be seke of euyll and toughe metes vse therfore sharpe metes & shorte as a lytell of harde chese scraped small and of lytell quantyte / & also a pere or two or thre of the moost best fruyte to thy complexion & nature. Sothly salte metes soure and bytter may be amēded with swete apples swete metes ben amended with swete hony and good olde wyne & so of all other and yf thou wylte ete frute ete them fast cheryse / grapes and almondes and after mete a fewe peres quynces and nottes a fewe whyle they ben grene and walnottes ben best but let y e skynne be clene pycked away fro the mete. Also the complexyon of a man sholde be loked to as yf he tempred kepe hym so with lyke metes and drynkes and yf it be dystempred by his contrarye brynge it lytell and lytle ayen to tempre and for why to sangweyn men dystempred gyue malyncolyous metes and to malyncolyous men sangweyn metes & to flewmatyk men / colered metes / for euery euyl complexion may be brought to tempre. But yf necessaryes of lyuelode let it. And knowe whā y u wylte & note it for a souerayne notabylyte / who y t eteth ofte mylk & fysshe ofte katche therof a lepre or a whyte scabbe. Also oft to vse hye coloured wyne & mylke togyd brīgeth [Page] a man to both lepre and scabbe / here none suffyseth of qualyte of metes as to the quantyte / vnderstond that thy mete ne thy drynke sholde be no more / but as thy kyndly helthe myghte ouercom it elles / thy body shall wast & thy vertues vexe feble. And for the quantyte of metes drynkes may not certenly be spewed loke how thou felyst it hath done the moost good and suche quā tyte vse. ¶Ferdermore vnderstonde that no man sholde ete anone after his exercyse ne anone after he were bathed / but fyrste rest hym a whyle so that he hungre & thenne whan he wyll ete yf he be a ryche man set tofore hym many meetes of whiche y t one is better than that other For a fecysyon sayth it shal better saue hym & beter nourysshe hym & skyll why for mete y t is taken with delyte the stomacke hugely coueyteth hastely katcheth longe holdeth & well defyeth & that mete that is best defyeth is moost nourysshynge for mannes body. Truly other mete y t is not defyed is taken with fulsō nes & defyeth not well / for why a man desyre more moton thē a capon y e moton shall rather be eten & so of all other metes. But there y t is moche dystaunce in qualyte of metes we may not doo thus & also beware y t it be none erraunt appetyte as in women y t ben with chylde & though it otherwhyle be ye shall it not alway be denyed. Ferthermore as Galyen sayth y t at one mele mē sholde not ete dyuers metes & therfore at morowe ete but brede alone & at euen flesshe alone for whan two dyuers metes ben take at one male of thē come two euylles one in eyther by it selfe a nother in them both togyder in themselfe for then one trauayleth to torne in to grete and heuy humours and that other in to subtyll and lyght in them both for if subtyll mete go before it [Page] is fyrst defyed and goeth forth and draweth with hȳ the grete metes vndefyed and yf the grete metes goo fyrste to fore than the subtyll mete is not medefyed & may not for the grete go forth & so it wexeth corrupte And whiche of these maners euer it be alway it is euyll but more euyll it is that the subtyll folowe the grete for the chaufynge / and chaungynge in to kynde of raunes may be holpen / but the chaungynge in to corrupcyon neuer or selden and of wonder harde is holpen. ¶And therto accordeth Galyen a fycysyon & other doctours but neuertheles peraduenture a contraryous custome longe vsed may do awaye the corrupcyon. ¶Also wete well that vertue of defyenge is ofte broken whan rawe mete is put on halfe soden for thone rawnes sheueth out the other & so the halfe soden is corrupte. Moreouer that no man ete so moche y t the stomak be euyed therwith ne that his appetyte cease. But who y t vseth grete exercyse and to moche & selde and therwith eteth vnruly and contyneth it he shall dye by sodeyn dethe or shall fele wycked syknes ye thoughe his mete were ryght good for by cause his degestyon is corrupte therfore kepe well thy stomak from to moche mete & drynke. And it so myshap ony tyme anone with water and oyle of suche other spue it out anone / and than slepe and yf thou may not slepe walke softely vp and downe and .xxiiii. houres ete not after / ne drynke not than ete a lytell with a draught of good clene wyne so the wyne be not to grete ne of hyghe colour & on the thyrde daye haue some exercyse & be bathed than ete a lytell after & after slepe & thou may than vse this electuare dyatryon as sayth a fycysyon. Two cause be of sykenesses y t is dyuerse metes & longe syttȳge & moche etȳge of dyuerse [Page] metes for of them ben gendred dyuers humours some good & some euyll longe syttynge for then the mete y t is fyrste take is defyed or the laste begynne to defye and so that is defyed draweth with hym to y e lyuer y t is vndefyed and so these two ben cause of grete sykenesses. Also as olde wyse men saynge / māshold neuer ete his fyll at one mele in takynge dyuers metes for as a wyseman sayth no thynge is worse than to multeply metes & so to sytte longe therat for thy he sayth y t men in olde tyme were satysfyed at morowe w t brede alone & therw t they sayd resonably the more mete sholde be towarde euyn / but the custome were contrary for a uycenne sayth y t hole men sholde better ete at ayenst nyght then on morowe for the kyndly hete is closed w tin thē & gadereth about y e bowelles / netheles flewmatyk mē ete not to cold for they nede but lytel exercise to meue her kȳdly hete whiche mo weete by the morow But now the moost vsage is here agayne & amonge many men it is foūde more holsō to ete by day then by nyght & parauenture y t is skyll of custome And therfore thus sayth a wyse man short souper & lyght souper is seldē greuous grete soupers noyen as leches teche we rede it ofte openly also as a uycenne sayth bytwene two etynges .xi. houres to be is ꝓfytable & so ete thryes in two dayes as to daye twyes and to morowe but ones and so to contynue forth so y t yf errour fall in twyes etynge / and soo agayn warde for that one must be amē ded by that other sythe it is harde to lyue without errour in moreouer vnderstonde that men that haue good vnderstondynge / etynge for they wolde lyue but they that gone by flesshelynes wolde lyue for to ete & ontrary to nature. ¶And wytte thou wel that too a [Page] coleryk mannes stomacke whan the vertue is stronge and grete hete greate metes ben good. As be of porke grete venyson & grete bestly fysshes rough & grete brede salte mete flesshe halfe soden & grete myghty coloured wyne / & yf y e hete of the stomacke be feble & yf he haue but lytell exercyse y e metes aforsayd wolde moch noye hym-but to suche a stomacke gyue subtyll metes as chekens & small fysshes of stony rennȳge water. rere egges brede well baken & well soured small wyne & of clene & oryent colour not depe & suche other. ¶But these metes sholde be corrupte of an hote stomacke / & yf the vertu dygestyffe be in y e mene tyme of dyetyng as capons hennes partryches & suche other. Also and gouernaūce of helth fle all cessyuous metes & namely these but yf it be for a medycyne / fle also al frutes and all herbes y t ben not good as these namely / cole wortes & letuse for they make malȳcolyous blode Galyē sayth y t my fader euer forbad me y t I sholde ete no newe frutes & grene yf I wolde be without sykenesse / & whyle he lyued so dyd I & was also w tout sykenesse / & whan he was deed I ete frutes & caught y e feuers / & after y t I caught connynge to kepe myselfe I kepte me from frutes. And I had nomore y e feuers / but yf it were a lytel sharp. feuer called offymera / & all my frendes y t kepte my doctryne / kepte thē frō frutes & had theyr helth / Arnolde a grete clerke sayth thus. In lente lōge vsage of stoppȳge metes / as fysshe & pese potage therfor it is profytable fyrst to ete porrey of pesen / for this is a war that wyse men hath cōmended / & thus it is made / do pesen in fayre water all nyght & in the same water boyle them on the morowe a good whyle & then clense thē and kepe the clensyng and whanne mete tyme cometh [Page] do therto a lytell wyne pouder of spyknard a lytell saffron & clene small salte & then boyle it on a walme / & so ete it for it openeth & clenseth well the capytall veynes of y e lyuer & y e wayes ofte of y e vryne / & kepeth fro the stone & grauelles namely yf y e forsayd pesyn be soden in the forsayd water with persely.
¶How a man sholde behaue hym in his drynke.
THe lesse ye drynke at mete y e better it is euer so it be mesurably taken / for a man sholde not at mete drynke moche lest it make mete to swȳme in his stomak / wherfore mē sholde drȳke a lytell / so y t the mete be well medled & tēpred togyder. And then lette it be a longe whyle or y u drynke ayen / & thā drynke a grete draught at ones ne drynke not to moche after y e fyrste morcell in no maner of wyse / but drynke ofte a lytell & a lytel of smal clene wyne best accordynge to helth & gouernȳge of thy cōplexyon & nature / & for helth of body is clene & small claret wyne not to newe ne to myghty so it be wel & proporsyonly tempered with y e quantyte of clene water. More ouer no man be so hardy to drynke fastynge colde water / nor after y t he hath accompanyed with a woman nor after grete trauayle nor after exercyse tyll he haue fyrste rested hym / nor by nyght namely yf he haue gloue tofore / for why longe slepe and fast slepynge is cure therto.
¶What shall be done after mete.
AFter whanne thou haste ete thou sholdest stonde or walke a lytell softely vp and downe tyll thy mete goo downe to the botom of the stomacke and thenne slepe a lytell yf that thou be vsed therto bothe y e day and the nyght namely slepe fyrst on thy ryght syde for that is kyndly for thy dygestyon shall be better for [Page] thēn lyeth thy lyuer vnder thy stomack / as fyre vnder a caudron. And after thy fyrste slepe torne on thy lefte syde y t thy ryght syde may be rested of thy longe lyeng theron. And whan thou hast layen theron a good whyle & slepte turne ayen on thy ryghte syde & there slepe all nyght forth / & loke y t thou lye not to streyght ne to croked with thy legges but in a meane bytwene streyght & croked. And in no wyse lye not vpryght / for thē wyll the superfluytes abyde within the & turne to wycked & greuous euylles contrary to helth. Also to ly grouelynge on the wombe is good / so y t thy brethe be not greuyd therw t & y e heuyer & the gretter thy mete be & the more thou haste taken therof / euer the lenger thy nyght slepe be & euer the subtyler y t thy mete be and y e lesse thou haue euer the lesse sholde thy slepe be. For slepe is full helpy to olde men for it maketh them moyst and therfore sayth Galyen whan he was olde he ete letuses with spyces for he wolde slepe the better. More ouer slepe is full helpy to the dygestyon of thy metes but not anone after that thou hast eten for thou myghtest be strangled. Also wytte thou that yf a man byfore auauntyssyed of his body / moche slepe then is not gode for hym for it wyll waste his moystenes / and of one thynge beware that to longe slepe or to shorte febleth a mannes body and breketh it. And after thou hast etē take no latuaryes nor other hote thynges for they turne thy mete to corrupcyon nor anone after thou haste ete renne not nor ryde not to faste for then euery strē ge meuynge thynge turneth thy mete to corrupcyon / also y e vertu dygestyffe is nourysshed thrugh rest also after mete & tofore asmoch as y u mayst sle wrath sorow & pēcyfulnesse & ryght as tofore me exercyses bē good [Page] so after mete they noye & rest is best. Moreouer Aueroys sayth ryght as colde water caste in a potte boylynge letteth y e boylynge for a tyme / so to drynke after mete namely sone letteth y e dygestyon & maketh it to cease for a tyme / & therfore it is not good after mete to drynke moche tyll the mete be defyed / but after mete to suffre thrust somwhat is good. And yf y u wylte easely voyde thy stomacke stande after thy souper tyll y u be wery or walke a thousande paces & wytte thou y t glotery & whan thy mete defyeth not well what euer y e case be bathynge ne blode lettynge ne exercyse ben not good but rest slepe abstynence & dyatryon pypyon. Exercyse is not good for therby sholde thycke rawe humours be lole & then therof the lymmes sholde be nourysshed & y t were euyll / for why in suche exercyse y e kyndly hete is not comforted but more febled & straūglyd for y e rawe humours are dyssolued for ryght as water quencheth fyre so rawe humours quencheth kyndly helth.
¶Of noyes of euyll gouernaunce.
THere bē many y t only not vse euyl gouernaūce ī metes & drȳkes but also maȳtene it / & as they seyen bē well at ease & well defyen & they scorne leches & otherwyse men that vse good gouernaunce for they byleue y t they sholde be excused of theyr errour by ther lōge custome for why custome is a ful strēgth in kepȳg of mānes body. And y e sayd Galyē thus custome is better defyed / wherfor thus sayth Auyceē euyll mete vsed is better thē good mete not vsed y e cōtrary of all these sayth Cōstantyne as it semeth thus glad they not y t vse euyll mete though they be not now hurte aft they shall not so escape / herte mē may say y e custom accordeth w t kȳde or if it accorde it shal be holdē & if it accorde not & [Page] be not roted it shall be caste away but not sodenly but lytell & lytell. ¶For thy though it seme thē y t good gouernaylle of custome that they ben well by reason of custome / vertue / strength or aege. ¶Nethelesse her vertues wastynge pryuely & so euery day they ordeyn thē to lepre or to sodeyn dethe. As they y t longe tyme vse befe olde salted or bestly fysshes or rawe flesshe or they that slepe to lytell / or exercyse to moche after mete or out of mesure cold or hote and so of many other truly of suche it may be sayd. But yf they leue of / they shall not a sterte the broke of deth.