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
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
It dulls the spright it dimmes the sight It robs a woman of her right Of Vomites CHAP. 8. What is a vomite A Vomite is the expulsion of bad humours contayned in the stomack vpwards It is accounted the wholesomest kinde of Phisick for that which a purgation leaueth behind it a vomite doth root out VVhich are the best vomites Take of the seeds of Dill Attripplex and Radish three drachmes of Fountaine water one pound and a halfe seeth them all together till there remaine one pound straine it and vse it hot Or else make you a vomite after this manner take three drachmes of the rind of a Walnut slice them and steepe them one whole night in a draught of white wine and drinke the wine in the morning a little before dinner VVhat if the vomites worke not If they work not within an houre after you haue taken any of them sup a little of the sirupe of Oximel and put your left middle finger in your mouth and you shall be holpen VVhat shall I doe if I vomite too much If you vomite too much rub wash your feet with hot and sweet water and if it cease not for all this apply a gourd to the mouth of the stomack Sometimes without any Phisick at all one shall fall to a customarie vomiting And then it proceedes eyther of the colde complexion of the stomacke or of hot complexion If of colde complexion you may helpe it by making a bagge of Wormewood dry Mints and Maioram of each a like one handfull of Nutmegs Cloues and Galingall halfe a drachme of each one Let all of them be dried and powdred and put betwixt two linnen cloathes with Cotton interposed and basted And then let them be applied vpon the stomack Or else you may apply the said hearbes alone dried on a hote Tilestone and put betwixt two linnen cloathes vpon the stomacke Let them fortifie their stomackes with the sirupe of Mints or of Wormewood or eate Lozenges called Diagalanga If vomiting proceedes of hote complexion you may cure it by a playster applied to the stomacke of oyle of Roses Wormewood Mints and Barly flower with the white of an Egge Some in such a case take the water of Purselane in their drinke to quench their thirst Of Common sicknesses CHAP. 9. Shew me how to cure such common sicknesses as daily annoy our bodies ALL sicknesses whatsoeuer spring out of the head distempered and there-hence they arise in one of the foure humours which by the distemperature of the head become likewise distempered so that all sicknesses abound eyther of the bloud depraued or of choler infected or of flegme coagulated or of melancholy empoysoned Or perhaps they spring by the mixt corruption of two or more of these humours Wherefore it behoueth vs to be wise in the very beginning of our sicknesses and to preuent their theeuish intrusion Aboue all vomites or purgations I see none comparable to Stibium or Antimonie prepared which I dare boldly commend as a most soueraine and cheape remedy for agues dropsies fluxes and distillations vnto the poorer sort The taking whereof I wish to be onely three graines infused for a whole night in a glasse of Sack with a little Suger or cleare Ale and to be drunke vp the next morning As for rich men let them fee the Physitian least that noble trade decay for want of maintenance according to that olde saying Stipends doe nourish Artes. The Seminaries of diseases after this manner rooted out by Antimonie Let euery particular griefe be suited thereafter for agues let them coole the liuer with Ptisans Endiue or Succorie waters For the stone let them take Goates bloud dried into powder in a hote Ouen or otherwise as they please within their pottage or liquour seeing that the hardest Adamant is dissolued with this kinde of bloud why may not the stone in mans bodie be likewise bruised therewith For the Gout let them exercise if they can or else â—e let bloud very often in the place affected or let them reserue Horse-leaches for that purpose I might here commend diuers locall medicines as oyles of Roses of Mirtilles of Cammomill or wilde Mallowes of Turpentine or such like I might aduise them to lay emplaisters on the goutie ioynts made of Mellilote of vnguentum Populeum of the flowers of Cammomill of red Roses with Beane flowre I might wish them to apply the Colewort leafe and then to stop the fluxe with that precious and admired salue commonly called Paracelsus his stiptick playster which I haue found by experience to heale any wound whether it be olde or greene sooner in one weeke then any other in a moneth by reason of the binding drying and strengthening vertue which it hath being likewise able to stop the concourse or falling of humours into the sore This salue I praise aboue all others as that which breeds none but good flesh and as Apothecaries say it wilâ— keepe forty yeares without putrifying But indeed because all sicknesses proceed from the braine it were fit to purge the superfluous moisture thereof once a moneth either with a drachme of Pilles Imperiall or of Pillulae sine quibus or of Pillulae Cochiae From the braine they flow into the musckles of the backe and from thence they descend into the feet which is termed Podagra or to the hucklebone which is called Sciatica or else from the backe into the hands and then it is called Chiragra For a preseruatiue against the plague let them now and then take Pillulae communes or the aboue said Antimony which is also good against poison drunke whereby they may note that whatsoeuer helpes the one helpes the other The fift Section Of infirmities and Death CHAP. 1. What be the causes of hot infirmities THE causes of hot infirmities be sixe The first are the motions of the minde as loue anger feare and such like The second the motions of the body as immoderate carnall copulation vehement labours strayning hard riding The third long standing or sitting in the sunne or by the fire The fourth cause of infirmities is the vse of hote things as meates drinkes and medicines vntimely vsed The fift closing or stopping of the pores which happeneth by immoderate annointing bathing or otherwise thickning the skinne so that the holes whereby the sweat and fumes doe passe out be stopped The sixt putrifaction of humours by distemperature of meats and long watchings What be the causes of colde infirmities The causes of cold infirmities be eight the first is the cold aire the second is too much repletion the third is want of good meate the fourth is the vse of cold things the fift is too much quietnesse the sixt is opening of the pores the seauenth is oppilation in the veines or arteries the eight is vnseasonable exercise VVhat is the chiefest cause of death The chiefest and vnauoidable cause of our deathes is the contrarietie of the Elements whereof our bodies be compounded For the qualitie which is predominant ouer
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
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
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