IT hathe pleased god, that in our tyme sycknesses shuld aryse, whiche were to our forefathers (as it maye be wel coniectured) vnknowen. In the yere of Christ. 1493. or there about, this foule and most greuous disease began to spredde among the people, not in Fraunce, but fyrste at Naples in the frēchemens hoste, wherof it toke his name (which kept warre vnder the frenche kynge Charles) before hit appered in any other place. By whiche occasion the frenche men puttynge from them this abhorred name, calle it not the frenche pockes, but the euyll of Naples, reckenynge it to theyr rebuke, if this pestilent disease shulde be named the frenche pockes. Not withstandynge the cō ­sente of all nations hathe obteyned, and we also in this boke wylle calle it the frenche pockes, not for any enuye that we beare to so noble and gentyll a nation, but bycause we fere, that all men shuld not vnderstand, if we gaue it any other name.

[Page] ¶At the fyrste rysynge therof some men supersticiously named it meuyn syckenes, of the name (I know not) of what saynt. some accompted it to come of Iob scabbe, whom this syckenes (I thynke) hath broughte in to the numbre of sayntes. Some iuged it to be the infirmitie, wherwith the monke E­uager was greued, throughe immoderate colde and ea [...]ynge of rawe meates, whan he was in deserte. And therfore he also was sought from ferre countreyes, with great resorte of men, offeryng gyftes habundant­ly at his chappelle, whiche is in Vestrike. And bycause the name of sayncte. Euager was not knowen amonge the common peo­ple of Almayne, they called it Fyacres sic­kenes for Euagers: Not enquerynge what the lyues of these were, but onely beleued that these coulde helpe them. Suche opini­ons hadde the people, and thus they dydde ryse: There was ymages offered and han­ged before saynt Roche, and his olde sores were newe remembred, whiche thynge if it were done of a godly mynde, I doo not re­proue, but if it were done, that those might get auātage that were the inuēters therof. I meruayle that disceyte shulde haue place in so great discomforte and sorow, and in so [Page 2] myserable distruction of mankynde.

¶But the diuines did interpretate this to be the wrathe of god, and to be his punys­shement for our euylle lyuynge. And so dyd openly preache, as thoughe they, admytted into that hye counsaylle of god, had there lerned, that men neuer lyued worse, or as who sayth in that golden worlde of Augu­stus and Tiberius, whan Christe was here on erthe, moste myscheuous diseases dydde not begynne: or as who sayth, that nature hath no power to brynge in newe diseases, whiche in all other thynges maketh greatte chaunges: or as who saythe, that within shorte tyme in our dayes (bycause menne be nowe of good lyuyng) the remedy of Gua­iacum is founde for this sickenes. So well these thynges do agree, whiche these mens myndes, that declare god (as they thynke) do preache vnto vs. Than began the phisi­tions busynesse, whiche serched not what shuld take away this disease, but what was the cause therof, for they myght not abyde the syght of it, moche more they abstayned from touchynge. For whan it fyrste began, it was of suche fylthynes, that a man wold scarsely thynke this sickenesse, that nowe reygneth, to be of that kynde. They were [Page] vyles, sharpe, and standynge out, hauynge the [...] and quantite of acornes, from whiche came so soule humours, and so gre [...] [...], thei who so euer ones smelled it, [...]h [...]ught hym selfe to [...] e [...]ect. The colour of [...] was derke grene, and the [...]ght therof was more greuous vnto the [...] the peyne it selfe: and yet their [...] were as thoughe they hadde lyen in [...].

¶This disease, not longe after his begyn­ [...] [...] into Garm [...]nia, where it hath wondred more largely than in any other place [...] whiche thynge I do ascribe vnto our intemperaunce.

¶Ther whiche than toke counsayle of the [...], prophecied, that euyll not to endure a [...]o [...]e .vii. yeres, wherin they were discey­ued, if they ment of this disease and all the i [...]el that cometh therof. But if they mēt it of the forsaid most fylthye kynde, whiche co­meth of hym selfe, and not onely of infectiō but through the corruption of the ayre, or the ordinaunce of god: than were they not dysceyued. For it taryed not longe aboue the .vii. yere. But the infyrmytie, that came after, whiche remayneth yet, is nothynge so fylthy. For the sores at sometymes ben [Page 3] lytell, not so hye nor so hard. And somtyme there is a certayne brode crepynge scabbe, for his venym entreth deper, and bryngeth forth more diseases.

¶It is thoughte this kynde nowe adaye [...] to growe in no person, but throughe infec­tion by defylynge of hym selfe, which thing especially happeneth by co [...]ulation. For if appereth manifestly, that yonge chyldren, olde men, and other, whiche are not gyuen to the bodily luste, ben very seldome enfec­ted therwith. And the more that man is gyuen to wantonnesse, the sooner he is infec­ted. And as they lyue, that ben taken ther­with, so other it shortely leauethe them, or longe holdeth them, or vtterly consumeth them. For it is very easy vnto the Italyans and Spanyardes, and so such as lyue soberly, but through our surfetynge and intem­perate lyuyng, it dothe longe contyn [...]e with vs, and greuousely doth vexe and chafe vs.

THe phisitions haue not yet certeynly diffined the secrete causes of this di­sease, although they haue long & peinfully with greatte variete serched therfore, [Page] But in this thynge all do agre, which is ve­ry euydent, that throughe some vnholsome blastes of the aire, which were at that time, the lakes, fountaynes, flodes, and also the sees were corrupted, and therof the erthe to receyue poyson, The pastures to be enfected, venemus vapours to come downe from the ayre, which lyuing creatures (in draw­ynge the brethe) receyued. For this disease was founde in other bestes lyke as in men. The astrologers fetch the cause of this in­firmytie from the sterres, sayenge, that it procedethe of the coniunctions of Saturne and Mars, whiche was not longe before, and of .ii. eclipses of the sonne: and they do affirme, that by these sygnes they myghte perceyue many coleryke, and fleumatike in­firmities to folowe, whiche shuld long continue, and slowly departe, as Elyphancia, lepre, tetters, and all yll kynde of scabbes and boiles, and what so euer euylles defor­methe and vnfasshionethe the body, as the gout, palsey, sciatica, ioynt ache, and other lyke dangers. And that these thinges shuld chaunce rather in the north parte by reason of this sy [...]ne Aquarius, wherin fel the first ecclypse: And in the west part by reason of this sygne Piscis, in the whiche fell the last eclyps. But the phisitions affirme this sick­nes [Page 4] to come of yl and habundant humours [...] as of coler blacke advst yelowe, and fleume salt or advst, and that of one of these alone, or of certayne, or els of al these myngled, whose sharpnes strekinge to the outwarde partes of the body, burneth and dryeth the skyn, and fylleth it ful of scabbes, but that which cometh of rawe heuy and grosse hu­mours, they saye is driuen into the ioyntes, and causeth great peine in them, and to arise knobbes and swellynges, & knottes to ge­ther, and the skyn to ryuell. And moreouer the heed to ake, wherby the beautie of the body is clene altered & gone. Some breuely concludyng say, that this infirmitie cometh of corrupt, burnt, and enfect blod. And all these thinges were in doubtful disputatiō, y^e nature ther of not yet knowen, but now it is knowē, they be also approued. for in myne opynion this sicknes is no other thinge, but a postumation & rotting of vnpure blod: the which after it begynneth to drye, turnethe into swellyng and hard knobbes, the which thinge procedeth of the lyuer corrupte.

¶To knowe more of the nature or qualy­tyes of this infyrmytie shulde be very tedi­ous and harde to iudge. For we se in our tyme, what dyuers concertations, and o­pinyons haue benne to boldely dysputed: [Page] and what peyne the phisitions haue taken therin, sens the begynnynge therof. The phisitions of Garmanie, for the space of .ii, yeres medled with suche disputation, and yet whanne I was but a boye, they vnder­toke to heale me: but what profit cam ther­of, the ende hath shewed, not withstandinge they were bold to medle with strange dreg­ges and spices, and to myngle and mynister many thynges, whiche they shulde not haue mynystred. And I remembre, they forbode me to eate peasen. For in some places there growe certayne wormes in them with win­ges, of the which hoggefleshe was thought to be infected, bycause that beaste specially was diseased eyther with this, or els with an other not moche vnlyke vnto this.

THe peynes of this dysease alredy rehersed are in maner no peines to y^e grefes that folowe therof: for this dysease tournethe it selfe in to great inconueniēce and peine: In so [Page 5] moch that al maner of syckenes, hauyng or causing any peyne in mās ioyntes, semeth to be cōteyned therin. For fyrst there is sharpe ache in the ioyntes, and yet nothynge appe­reth: afterwardes the gatherynge to gether of humours causethe the membres to swel, but after that suche vyle matter is waxed harde, than a man shall fele the vehemente peynes therof. This is the fyrste commyng therof. For it semeth to edifye and fortyfie a castell, there to reste a longe season, and thens to disperse and caste into euery parte of the bodye all maner of ache and peynes. And the longer the sayde swellynges tarye fro rottynge and rypynge, the more peyns shall the pacient suffer. And aboue all other peynes of this infirmitie, this is the violen­test, and that troubleth man mooste. I my selfe had suche a lyttell knobbe, and swel­lyng aboue my left hele in the inner side, the whiche after it was indurate and harde, by the space of .vii. yere, coude by noo power of oyntementes, or any maner lappynges and cheryshynges be made softe, or caused to putrifie and rotte, but contynued flylle lyke a boone, vntylle that by the helpe of Guaiacum it vanysshed away by littell and lyttell. This thing as touchyng women re­steth [Page] in their secret places, hauynge in those places litel prety sores ful of venemus poi­son, being very dāgerous for those y^t vnknowingly medle with them. The which sick­nes gotē by such enfected womē, is so moch the more vehement and greuous, how moch they be inwardely poluted and corrupted. By this the senowes (at somme tymes) do slacke and waxe harde again, at somtyme they shrinke, and some time the sicknes tur­neth it self into the gout, or into the palsey, or into apoplexi, & infecteth many one with lepre. For it is thought, that these infirmi­ties be very neighbours one to a other. And that for many reasons, whiche are cōmen to bothe euylles. They that be taken with pockes, often tim [...]s becom lepres, and oftē times through the sharpnes of theyr peynes they shake and queuer as men in a feuer.

¶After all this there buddeth out and ap­pere smalle holes and sores, whiche tourne them self into cankers and phistuls, or con­tinual sores: and the more they putrifie, the more they diminishe the bone. And whā the bones be putrified and corrupt, the pacient throughe long continuance of sicknes, wax­eth leane, for the fleshe consumeth awaye, and there remayneth but onely the skyn to [Page 9] couer the bones withall: and through this many a one chāseth to be thisiques, the whi­che inwardly be full of corruption. Beside all this, out of this infirmitie flowethe an other, whiche some men do calle cacesia, the whiche fylleth a mans fleshe & also his skyn full of water: Somme haue sores in theyr bladder, and often tymes many mens ly­uer & stomake is vtterly consumed by this infirmitie. And in this thinge theyr opinion is fals, that saye that the gatheryng to ge­ther of humours and swellynges wrinkels and knottes come not of the nature of this infirmite, but that it chanceth onely to those that haue benne rubbed and anoynted with ointmētes made with quick siluer. I am sure the moste parte of the phisitions of Almain be of this opinion, but yet they haue ben dis­ceyued in this sicknes, as they be in many o­ther. For I knowe it for a suretie, there be some, that haue hadde these infirmities and sycknesses, which were neuer noynted with quicke syluer, as I haue had experience in my father Vlriche de Hoten.

[Page] VVhan the phisitions were thus amased, the surgions came forwarde in the same errour, and putte to theyr handes: and fyrste they be­ganne to bourne the sores with hote yrons. But for as moche as it was an infinite labour, to touche them all, they wente aboute to ad­uoyde them by oyntementes, but dyuerse menne vsed dyuers oyntementes, and all in vayne, except he added quicke siluer therto. they bete for this vse the pouders of mirre, of mastique, of ceruse, of bayberyes, of a­lam, bolly armenie, cinaber, of veermelon, of corall, of burned salte, of rustye brasse, of leddrosses, of rust of yron, of Rosen, of Turpentyne, and of al maner of best oyles, oyle of bey, oile of pure roses and terebin­thium, oyle of gyneper, of great effect, oyle of spyke, swynes grece, fatte of oxe feete, and butter made specially in may, talowe of gootes and hartes, virgins honye, pou­der of rede wormes dryed in to dust, or consumed with oyle and beaten, camfere, euforbium, and castory: and with .ii. or .iii. of these foresaid thniges myngled to gether they a­uoynted the sicke mans ioyntes, his armes, [Page 7] his thyes, his backe bone, his necke bone, with other places of his body. Somme a­noynted them ones a day, some twyes, som thryes, some foure tymes. The pacyente was shutte in a stufe, kept with contynuall and feruente hete, some .xx. and some .xxx. hole dayes: And some were layd in a bedde within the stewe, and anoynted, and couered with manye clothes, and were compelled to sweate. Parte of them at the seconde a­noyntynge beganne to saynt meruaylously. But yet the oyntment was of such strength & effect, that what so euer disease was in the hyer part of the body, it drewe into the sto­make, and from thens vp into the brayne, & thens the disease auoyded both by the nose and the mouthe, that dyd put the pacient to such peyne, that except they toke good hede, theyr teth fell out, all theyr throtes, theyr longes, theyr roffes of the mouthes, were full of sores, theyr iawes dyd swell, their teethe were leused, and contynually there auoyded the moste stynkyng skome and ma­ter, that coude be, and what so euer it rāne vpon, by and by it was polluted and infec­ted, wherby theyr lyppes so touched, gathered sores, and within forthe theyr chekes were greuously peined. Al the place, where [Page] they were, dyd stink. Which maner of curing was so peinful, that many had leuer dy thā so to be esed. How be it scantly the hūdreth persō was eased, but shortly after fel down again: so that his ese dured very few days. wherby men may esteme, what I suffered in this dysease, that proued this maner of cu­ring a .xi. tymes, with great ieopardy and peryll, wrastling with this euyll .ix. yeres. And yet in the mene time taking what so e­uer thing was thought to withstand and re­siste it. For we vsed bathes & herbes lapped about them, and drinkes and coresies. And for this we had arsnicke, inke, calcantum, verdegres, or aqua fortis, which wrought in vs so bytter pein, that they might be iud­ged very desirous of life, that had not leuer dy thā so to prolong theyr lyfe. but tho cu­rings were most bytter & peineful, whiche were made with ointmentes. And was also so moch the more dāgerous bicause the mi­nisters of it knewe not the operation ther­of. For the surgions only dyd not vse it, but euery bolde felowe went about playing the phisition, gyuynge to all maner of men one ointment, eyther as he had sene it ministred to other, or as he had suffered it hym selfe. And so they heled all men with one medy­cine, [Page 8] as the prouerbe saythe, One shoo for both fete. If ought happened amys to the sike, for lack of good counsel, they wyst not what to do or say. And these men tormēters were suffred to practise on al persons what they wold while the phisitiō [...] were done as in an vniuersall errour and ignorance. And so with out order or rule, with tormente of heate and sweat plētie, al were cured after one facion, without regard of tyme, habyt, or complection. Nother these ignorante a­noynters had not so moch knowledge, as with laxes to take away the mater, whiche caused the euyl, or to diete them, or appoint any diuersite of meate, but at lēgth the matter must come to this poynt, that they shuld lose theyr tethe, for they were losed, theyr mouth was all in a sore, and through cold­nes of the stomake and fylthy stenche, they lost appetite. And all thoughe their thyrste was intollerable, yet founde they no kynde of drinke to helpe the stomake: Many were so light in their brayne, that they coude not stand: & some were brought into a madnes: and not onely theyr handes trēdled & shoke therwith, but also their fete and all the bo­dy: som mumbled in theyr spekyng as longe as they lyued, and cowde haue no remedy. [Page] And many I haue sene die in the myddel of their curynge. And one I knowe dyd so his cure, that in one daye he kylled, iii. hushand menne, throughe immoderate heate whiche they suffred paciently, shutte within an hote stewe, trustynge that they shulde the sooner obteygne theyr helthe, tyll throughe vehe­mente [...]eate theyr hartes fayled them, and perceyued not them selfe to die, and so were wretchedly strangled. Other I sawe dye, whan theyr throtes were swollen in the in­trie, that first the fylthy mater, where they shulde haue auoyded in spyityng, coud fynd no way out, and at length theyr breth was lyke wise stopped: and an other sort, whan they coude not pysse: very fewe there were, that gat theyr helth, & they passed through these ieopardies, these bitter peines, & euils.

AS often as I was anoyn­ted, to kepe these euylles from my mouthe, that cu­stomably came, I vsed only alam, whiche I kepte in my mouthe, rollynge it frome [Page 9] one syde to an other, vntyll it melted. And whan I went aboute to wrappe vp my so­res, and comfort my membres, I vsed these herbes, absinthio, camomilla, hyssoppe, pu­legio, arthemisia, sage, and other such boy­led in wyne and water.

¶And ones for my sores I made an oynt­ment by the counsel of Eytelvolfe, of alam, verdigr [...]se, purist hony, and vinegre by e­quall portions.

¶And afterwarde I lerned [...]f a souldiour in Italy an other oyntmente, made of lyme and water, after this maner. I put wel wa­ter or ryuer water into a newe potte, neuer seasoned before with any lycour, and sod it therin: and whan it boyled feruently, I powred it vppon vnsleyt lyme (that is it, that no water hath touched) in a bason or a clene vessell of wodde, before not occupied with any lycour. And whan the lyme was dyssolued, and after a lyttel reste laye in the botom: I toke awaye the skome that swom aboue, and mouynge not the lyme, powred out the clereste water, and kepte that for my pourpose, whan I wolde occupie it: I toke a sponge or a lynnen clothe, and dep­ped hit in the water, somme tyme rolled, as I moughte, and often tymes warmed [Page] and moysted my sores therwith, washynge and wypynge awaye all the fylthynesse. Thanne I toke a peece of cloth so moysted, and lapte it about my sores. And with this water my peynes were eased, and the swel­lynge swaged, the soores were clensed, and the heate and enflamations dryuen awaye, whiche thynge is to be meruaylled at, se­ynge the nature of lyme other wyse is to kendle. I founde nothynge lyke this: And me thoughte I was well holpen therwith, and had auoyded the distruction, that was at hande. In so cruel assautes of this disease I vsed also cassia, if I wolde be laxatyue, and dyd often tymes sweat, & let go bloode drawen oute with gourdes. And whanne I was in Italy monysshed, that to eate in the mornynge the quantite of a walnutte of ra­sins terebinthia, shuld be of great efficacitie to amende the fa [...]tes of the bloode, what maner of thynge it is I knowe not, and to make the bely lanke, and helpe the stomak, whiche bothe thynges I founde trewe, I vsed the same. They sayde also, that it dyd helpe no lyttell thynge the synowes, and strengthed the ioyntes and membres. And by this meanes and abstinence of meate and drynke, and good dyete, I auoyded many [Page 10] thynges, whiche moughte haue vtterly dy­stroyed me in so longe & iniurious seson, for the mooste parte wandrynge abrode in the world, and through pouertie dryuen to mo­che aduersite, neuer at rest and quietnes, but alwayes veyed and troubled. And haue so preserued my selfe, that all thoughe my legges were eaten with so many depe and greuous soores, yet was there not one sy­newe hurte, nor one bone perysshed. And if at any tyme the disease toke my face, no euylle happened in my mouthe and tongue, so that the inwarde partee were preserued. For I voyded awaye those thynges, that myghte hurte my stomake, and with a rare helpe defended my lyghtes and lounges: and by these helpes I moughte suffer and dryue forthe this dysease, but clerely putte hit awaye I conde not: whiche thynge was the easynge of peyne, and not the cuttynge away of the cause of peyne, the differrynge of euyll, and not the takynge away therof.

A better remedy came of Guaiacus, ye of that onely came helthe, whiche I do intend nowe to dis­cribe

IF we ought to giue thankes vpwarde vnto god, bothe for good and euylle: howe moche are we bounde for the gyfte of Guaiacum: ye howe moche doth the glad­nes and ioye of his benygnite towarde vs, passe the sorowe and pein of that infirmitie? The vse of this wod was brought to vs out of an ylonde namyd Spagnola, this ilonde is in the west nigh to the contrey of Amerik, set in that place where the length of Ame­rike, stretchynge into the northe, doth ende: and was founde of late dayes amonge the newe landes, whiche were vnknowen by the olde tyme. All the inhabytauntes of that ylonde somtyme be diseased with the french pockes, lykewyse as we be with the mesels, and small pockes. Nor they haue no other remedy for it but this.

¶A certayne noble man of Spayne, being tresaurour in that prouince, was grenously troubled with that infyrmitie: And after the people of that lande hadde taught hym [Page 11] that medycine, he broughte the maner and vse therof into Spayn, shewyng of what power and vertue it was in those partes. The phisitions wold not alowe it, perceyuynge that theyr profite wolde decaye therby, not withstanding at length they toke in hand to cure with the same wod, but with suche ar­rogancie, attributyng so moch to theyr preceptes and order, that except they were obserued, they affirmed this woode shulde be spent in vayn. Which thing I meruayle they coude perswade to any man, and make hym beleue it, seinge it is playnly knowen, that in that ylande were neuer phisitions. And yet hath this wood Guaiacum always ben there vsed. But in this cure what besines is mete for the phisition, I wyll here after de­clare. Now I wyl speke of the thyng inten­ded. They haue gyuen it this name Guaia­cum. For so the Spaniardes wryte it with latyne letters, folowynge theyr owne ma­ner of founde, whiche worde the people of that ylande pronounce with open mouthe Huiacum.

¶And Paulus Ritius shewed me at the cy­tie of August, that he harde saye of a Spa­nyarde, whiche had ben in that yland, that the fyrste syllable Gua, of this name, was [Page] not pronounced of the Spagnolenses with G, but that his owne tonge dydde require it so to be wryten. And they of that Ilande founde it with, V, puffed out, as though it were Huiacum, a worde of .iii. syllables with theym, and not Guaiacum. We maye gyue vnto it some excellent name, callynge it lignum vite, as Philo the phisition called his dregges the handes of god: and this daye the phisitions with grea [...]te boste calle their cōfections manus Christi, apostolicū, gratia dei, Antido [...]um, Paulium, and many other such superstitious names. They say it groweth lyke an ashe with vs in height, & is sounde, bryngyng forth a nutte moche lyke a chesse nutte, his tymbre is oyle and fatte, in colour lyke boxe, but somwhat blackishe. And they iudge that the best, that hath most blacke: but that whiche is lyke to boxe, differeth from that, whiche is blacke. For this is within, and thother without: or to speke more playnely, the blacke is as hit were the harte and marowe. The wodde is meruaylous heuy, for the leest pece of hit, caste into the water, synketh streyght to the botom. There is no wodde so harde, as it. For it is so harde, that it wyl not cleue: no­ther hyther to haue we sene any, that was [Page 12] chyned. And they that sell it saye, it wyl in no wise yane or chap. Whan it bourneth and flameth, it maketh a swete odour: and there foloweth fro it, whan it burneth, a gomme, which we yet knowe not, for what purpose it serueth: This gomme is somwat blacke, & shortly after it is fallen away, it is verye hard. The barke is not so thyck, but is meruaylous hard. Whiche tokens well marked, I thynke he that shal counterfete this wod, can not deceyue the byer. For be it, a manne may be deceyued in the colour, howe is hit possible all these thinges to be in one, a fat­nes, smellynge, somewhat lyke rosen, suche weyght as no wodde hath beside? Than the gōme that cōmeth from it, whan it flameth? suche hardnes that may scantly be cut? And the lest pece cast into the water wil not swim aboue? And the tast ones knowen wyll ne­uer suffre a man to erre, whiche as it is to al men vnplesant, so it is to me ye very ple­sant. They say it contynueth not after it be sodden, but paullethe, in the sommer after iii. dayes, and in the wynter somewhat la­ter. And therfore we muste chose the fat­test and weightiest therof. For that whiche is olde, is lyght and leane. Vpon this de­scription lette the phisitions, if hit please [Page] them, drawe out the causes of suche efficacitie by theyr longe disputation, as for me I more rcioyce, that it is, than I serche what maner of thynge it is. Howe be it I graunt theym worthy of moche thanke, that shall first shew vnto vs the nature therof through out knowen: But nowe there be some, that wey and esteme the strengthe and vertue of this tre by these knowen markes, as though they had suffred it in all poyntes. whiche thynge is done, as me semeth, very hastyly and tymely, thynkynge that the cause and reason of suche efficacie and power oughte to be serched for in this tre, after his nature and vse is knowen, lyke wyse as it is done generally in all other medicines. But nowe of his vse, and how it ought to be prepared vnto medicine.

IT is ordred after this maner. The wod must fyrst be made as small as maye be, whiche thynge somme do, at a torne, and thanne without any more ado, they laye the shauynges [Page 13] a water, and somme doo fyrste broyse or stampe theym in a morter, soo moche that they brynge them into pouder and duste, to thyntente they maye the sooner be throughe soked, and theyr strength sodden out. But I wote not, whether that make any mater, I haue sene some, that haue cut it fyrst with a sawe, and thanne raped the peses with a rape, and haue taken and putte theym in­to water. Howe so euer it be, whether it be tourned, raped, or beaten to duste, they soke a day and a nyght one pounde weytght in eyght of water, taken eyther of a welle or of a ryuer, or as I dyd, of a pyt, than they sethe it in a newe glased pot, and clene wasshed, with a softe fyre of coles, by the space of fyxe houres, and more, vntyll hit come to the one halfe, with great hede ta­kynge and diligence, leeste hit runne ouer through moche heate. For that which ouer runneth loseth (they say) moch of his ver­tue, and is of lesse power. And therfore it may not be sodden in the flame, but it requi­reth fewe cooles, and a potte not fylled almoste by the .iii. parte. The skome that flo­weth aboue, they taken away to anoynt the sores with: for we knowe it to haue moche power to drye. After it is thus sodden, they [Page] streyne it, & powre it in to a glasse. And than they put to the grondes eyght pound water and sethe it agayne (as before) as it were a seconde messhynge. This thynner they gyue them to drinke with theyr meate: the fyrste is dronke in the stede of a medicyne. And this is all to gether, that delyuerethe vs from so great and greuous disease, this decoction is it. This is the chiefe poynt and anker of our helth. And it hath so lytel nede of any other thynge, that it wyll not abyde any maner mixture, or mynglynge, as I wyll shortly after declare. Somme wolde, that lyght water and clere shuld be gotten for this purpose. Some admytte all maner swete water indifferently, bycause in sething what so euer it be, it is purified. All wolde that good diligence and hede shoulde be ta­ken in tyme of sething, that it rūne not ouer, or boyle to fast, and they byd that the pot be close stopped, that nothynge brethe out: but whā the skom is perceiued to ryse, it must be softely opened, and the skomme taken out, and so couered agayne. They putte this de­cortion (whan it is streyned) into a glasse, onely bycause it shulde be sene, and bycause a glasse of all vessels is purest and clennest. The colour of this decoction is some what [Page 14] lyke muddye water, whan it is some what troubled. Wete lynnen in it, and it wexeth grene of a meruaylous shewe. The relesse therof at the fyrste tastynge, is some what soure, but to hym that vsethe it, by lyttell and lyttel it waxeth pleasant. The phisity­ons were so bolde, as to put, to a pounde of this .iiii. vnces of hony. Whiche thynge, as I do not improue, so do I denye it to be ne­cessarye. And I wolde nothynge shoulde be added vnto suche a thynge, beinge of suche power, where as it nedeth not. For what nedeth a man there to bestowe his labour, where as no nede is: And to say the trouth, the relesse of Guaiacum is not so grenous, that it requireth to be tempred with hony. Yea were it not for my maysters the phisy­tions all men wolde be contented therwith. Howe be it what nedeth me to name phisy­tions, whan I speke onely but of tryflers? For they that be counnynge and experte, as is O moste noble prynce, Stromer thy phisition (and throughe frendshyppe myne also) and thy other phisition Coppus, suche I saye, vnderstode and knewe, howe hit is not conueniente, eyther to meddle it with vnknowen thynges, and myngle theym, or elles to adde oughte vnto those thyn­ges, [Page] whiche as yet are not perceyued to lacke oughte. The whiche thynge as hit chaunced vs to haue communycatyon of this woode Guaiacum, at the citie of Au­gust, whan many had auysed me to commyt my selfe to this maner to cure: and I, for newnes of the thynge wolde here none of them: Stromer spekynge after this maner of this wodde with great grauitie of wor­des sayde, that he feared leest the helthsom and excellent power of Guaiacum shoulde be diffamed through the superfluous addi­tions of vnlerned phisitions: whiche thyng if hit were not done, nothynge coul [...]e be founde better agaynste this sycknes. And with his wordes caused me streight without any taryenge to caste my selfe hedlynge into this experience of Guaiacum. And therfore I wold this, now ones spokē shuld be generally vnderstande, that as often as I shall conplaine in this smal treatise of phisitions, all men shulde thynke me to meane theym, that haue no erudition nor experience, and that boste them selfe amongest the common people, of the title and name of their doctorshyp, which they bought that knewe nother greke nor latyn, and yet no science requireth more erudicion or knowledge of the tonges [Page 15] than phisike, the whiche beynge mooste ig­norant, do lyghtly abuse the symple people of Germaynie, seynge there is no doubte made of his lernyng, that is ones garnyshed with the name of Mayster doctour. But why haue I vsed in this thyng so many wordes? Veryly to make my cause good with the, excellent prince, and to defend my selfe agaynst them, that by this occasion mought accuse me, as one that spake wordes more snappyshe than besemed me. Whiche thynge whan somme of the lawyers and diuines dyd of late, agaynste whose lernynge they sayde I inueyed without good maner, whan I dydde snybbe but onely the vnlerned, and them whiche were soore gre [...]ed and were bytter ennemyes vnto suche good lernynge, they caused many a good manne to thynke, that I was agaynst them, and yet was that thynge far from my maners, and also the purpose, wherin I than was occupied. whi­che thynge seing I perceyue your excellent­nes to knowe wel ynough, I wyl leue these runne agate anoynters, and theuyshe phisi­tions, and also these vntaughte doctours, and come vnto Guaiacum, the which in me dicine must thus be vsed.

THe pacient must be kepte in a close chambre, without ayre or wynde, where fyre muste be nourysshed contynually: or els he must be in a stewe, after the maner of Almain, whiche shall not nede alwayes to be kepte hotte, but must be close, and defended from ayre, that noo ayre blowe vppon hym for the tyme of this curation, he muste also be­ware of colde. Therfore if he be cured in wynter, or in Autumne, he must loke, that he haue fyre in his chaumber, erely in the mornynge specyally before daye: for than is the colde fernente, he must cause the clef­tes of the wyndowes, if any be, to be stop­ped with playster, or other lyke matter, and vpon the chaumbre doore must he hang car­pettes, or other lyke thynges, within and without, that no colde or ayre entre into the chaumbre, or come out. whan he is thus or­dered, his meate must be dimynisshed. First the fourthe parte of that he was wonte to take, and than the thyrde parte, and short­ly after the one halfe, that he maye lerne to [Page 16] beare hunger: and his wyne muste be well watered: thanne muste he take a purgation, other with regarde that hit be suche a one as shall be thought sufficient to cutte away the cause, or take awaye the matter, that norisheth the disease, other such a one with­oute any regarde at all, as maye emptye the hoole bealye. For that thynge, as I perceyue, onely is requyred, whiche thynge done, thanne maye ye ther vppon begynne this worke after this maner. The decoc­tion whiche was fyrst sodden, and is stron­gest, must be ministred vnto hym twise adaymy [...]ke warme, a gobblet or cyat ones in the mornyng at .v. of the clocke, or there about, and again at nyght, at .vii. of the clocke, we call a ciates, a cuppe that wyl receyue half a pound, wherof we may gather, seing .viii. pounde of water is required to the sethynge of one pounde of wodde, and the one halfe therof muste be consumed in the sethynge, that so there muste .iiii. pound remayne, and muste drynke therof twyse a daye, that the decoction of one pounde of Guaiacum is suffyciente for the foure dayes. For hit is nowe a cōmen maner with phisitiōs, to measure theyr lycoures by weyghte, and they haue cleane caste vppe the names of measu­res. [Page] It must be dronke at one draught with out any breth takynge.

¶After he hath dronke, let hym rest more than .iiii. houres, and let hym the fyrste .ii. be couered, that by the helpe of heate this medicine maye be dygested abrode into the membres, and the pacient maye sweate out that that noyeth. whiche thyng to do howe profitable it is, I wyll declare whan place cometh. And it shall not hurte, if he be close couered one hole houre before he drynke, that he maye be hotte.

¶Some wyll not in any wyse he shuld rise from his bedde in fiue houres after he hath taken his ciates of drynke.

¶He must take his meate in the myddaye, and not before, and than as lyttell as maye be, for this medicine aboue all thynges re­quireth an emptye bealy. And therfore he muste eate, not to fyll his emptynes, but to beare vppe the lyfe, not to gether strength, but to kepe hym selfe frō feinting. Nother is there any ieoperdy to be feared. For Gua­iacum hath great strength in it selfe both to refresshe, and also to comforte, not suche as be full, but onely those that are empty. Ye they saye, that none faylleth, eate he ne­uer so lyttell, so that he drynke faythfully [Page 17] this decoction. In the meane tyme, he shall not be anoynted in the out syde, excepte he haue soores or swellynges. And for this there is a whyte oyntment made of Cer [...]s­sa, rose, oyle of rosis, with camphire, whi­che is layde on with a lynnen clothe. Some anoynt them onely with the skom of Guaia­cum, or els drye it into pouder, and caste it vppon theym. And besydes this skomme, there is nothynge of this decoction occupied in the out parte. Some be healed in shorte tyme, and some in longe. The moste parte in .xxx. dayes. They commaunde hym to be pourged agayne the .xv. daye. For this reason I thynke, bycause, as Alexander A­phrodicius thynketh, they that hungre and receyue not theyr meate as they were wont to do, falle awaye, and gather a certayne sharpe matter and eger, so that such matter muste be auoyded, that the body of the [...]ike may be emptie. This decoction shall not be dronken that mornynge, whan he receiueth his purgation: but at nyght lette hym take it agayne, and after that day, he maye eaie more largely. And agayne the .xxx. daye more lyberally: how be it this more liberal­ly, and that more largely must be very lyt­tell, as I shall shewe you in the next chapi­ter [Page] But some, leste any impedime [...]t shoulde be to lette the operation of this medycine, haue kepte one order of eatynge equallye throughe out the .xxx. days: and truly the stronglyer a man abideth to hunger, the bet­ter and more quyckely he shall be healed.

And althoughe the desyre of eatyng growe dayly more and more, yet must he remem­bre to absteyne, comfortyng hym selfe with the suretie of helth, if he so do. For the bo­dye beyng so wasted and emptied, not onely with hungre, but also with sweat, ye beinge longe tyme as a deed bodye throughe the greuousnes of this euyll, shall hyghe faste to the appetite of meate and drynke.

¶Whan this cure is comme to an ende, so that the sicke is almoste redy to goo abrode. he muste than take agayne some medicine to purge hym with, but so that after that pur­gation, he may drinke agayne as he dydde before .iiii. or fixe dayes space, wherwith they make vp the hole cure. Some wyl not that he shulde go out of the chambre, where he lyeth, before he be through hoole. Some thynke .xxx. dayes suffyciente to kepe his chambre: and that he may than go forthe. But yet warely by lyttell and lyttelle, and not streyght into the open ayre: but fyrste [Page 18] he must walke in the same house, from chambre to chaumbre, and than to some neygh­bours house, not ferre of: vntyl he be vsed to suffer the ayre. For there maye be no so­deyne chaunge, but muste vse hym selfe to all thynges by lyttell and lyttell. And that whiche remayneth of the syckenesse they say wyll lyghtely be hoole, after he ones stere abrode. And that to be trew I haue proued in my selfe. For whan the .xxx. days were passed, the soores of my legges were not yet closed, and therfore I kepte .x. dayes more. And whan those .x. days were gone, yet was not I hoole. Wherfore, ferynge the colde, bycause wynter than beganne. I in­tended to kepe in other .x. dayes: but I was compelled by the phisitions counsell to goo abrode, and put it in auenture, which thing happed not amysse. Howe be it the soores that I had than, were not depe in the fleshe, or swollen outworde: But onely in the hier parte of the skynne, and lacked nothynge els but [...]kynne to couer them with, whiche they had scantly the .xl. daye after I wente out. And I that tyme, in very sharpe wyn­ter, made my iourneye frome Vindele into Frannce. The causes of this slowe hea­lyng I dyd coniect this to be. The phisition [Page] suffred me to eate more mete (as I after perceyued) than I shulde haue done, and also he sodde my drynke thynner than he ought. For I occupied not fully .v. pounde of this wodde, where as other occupie .viii. and some .x. wherin my phisition was deceyued. For he, seinge my body weke of nature, and moreouer exten [...]ated & consumed with the longe continuance of this grefe, thoughte that a lyttell thynge was sufficient to driue away the disease, and for that cause fedde me the largelyer, fearynge soore leeste my strength shulde fayle me, which was double errour. For so moche as he oughte not to haue loked what my body was thanne, but what maner body it was wonte to be, and agayn the nature of this medicine is suche, that it wyl suffer none to faynt for lacke of strengthe. Wherfore be they neuer so weke, they ought not therfore to ministre the lesse, but rather somwhat the more. For it dothe nothyng sodenly, but werketh helth by litel & litel. And therfore I alow best that decoction, that was longeste at the fyre, and is comme to a lyttell of moche wode: so that I wolde counsaylle them, to the intente hit mought be the stronger, to sethe hit often tymes to the thyrde parte.

[Page 19] ¶And if any wolde be lose belyed, that is wonte to be bounde, they wyll hym to take the ponder of Guaiacum soddē in the wa­ter, and to drynke halfe an vnce therof in the mornynge. And if that helpe not at the fyrste, to go thervnto agayne. But this framed not with me, noo nat whanne I toke it agayne.

THere is yet moche a doo for the orderynge of a man, as thouchynge his dyet. Some thynke beste to eate nothyng but breade, whiche Galenꝰ calleth the cleannest fedynge with, a fewe rasyns, whiche breadde they gyue to the weyght of .iiii. vnces, withoute salte or other sauce. And they thynke best to absteyne generally from all maner meate, excepte it be a lyttell brothe made with a chekyn: whiche they are contented he [...]uppe or eate with his bread moysted therin ones a day. For at nyght they gyue nothynge but a fewe rasins, and an vnce of breadde.

Other wyll that he haue halfe a chekyn, if [Page] it be yet yonge and tender: but if it be any thynge growen, they thynke a quarter y­ [...]onghe, which muste be sodden in clene wa­ter. Whervnto they put nother salte, nother other sauce, but somme put a lyttell suger therto. Of breadde they gyue .iiii. vnces at nyghte, as before, a fewe rasins, with an vnce of breadde. But as longe as he is vn­der cure, he muste take hede, that he neuer so moche as tast salte. They allowne white breade, made of wheate, well bulted, whi­che made for the nones, they season with suger. Whiche thynge is not euyll. There be som that adde to his fedyng (not so moch in the place of meate as of medicine) a lyttell borage, other of the leaues onely, or (if there be any) of the flowers, which he shal eate sodden in water alone, or with his che­kyn. And this is the order of fedynge that some do kepe continually, some thynke .xv. dayes sufficient for this dyete, and thā they wyll his hunger to be eased: and the .xx. day they gyue hym meate twyse. But lette them take hede, that folowe that. For truly this medicine require the, that the pacient be made as thynne with hunger as maye be possible. Howe be hit somme chaunce to be throughe healed within .xv. dayes, and yet [Page 20] that not withstandynge they put to a fewe dayes more therto. They drynk vnto theyr meate of that seconde decoction not war­med but colde. And this is all the fare, for hyderto none durst passe this measure. Not withstandynge I dispyse not the phisitions, that dispute of the daungers, that maye chaunce to drye and hotte bodyes, if they be dryuen to this strayte dyete, bryngynge for them Galen and also Hipocras, whiche seme in many places to be agaynst this ex­quisite dyete in fedynge. But of these that vsed Guaiacum, I sawe as yet none in ieo­perdye, and I gather at this tyme precep­tes and monitions out of experiēce, and not doctrine out of bokes. And also I my selfe am of drye and hotte complexion, and yet this hūger brought me nother into a p [...]ike nor etyke, whiche thyng they seme to feare.

¶For as moche as it is thought wysedome to pronyde for all thynges, I wyll that if any man feare hym selfe, that he gette phi­sitions to kepe hym, and that this is suffy­ciently spoken of this thynge. I wyll nowe go forwarde with other thynges.

¶In the tyme of this cure, the pacyent muste forbeare al busynes, and cutte away. [...]ll sadde thoughtes, and rest from al care. [Page] And therfore they commaunde reste and quietnes from consultations, and also stu­dyes: so that the mynde may vtterly be free from all motions & workinges, and gyue him selfe holly to ydelnes & rest, losed from al trouble and care, which thinge muste be vnderstand of all maner of men, but mooste specially of them, that be naturally melan­coly: They muste also beware of angre: for that as Galene sayth, kendleth chefely the coleryke mater. And more ouer we must take hede, that nothynge happen in that tyme, that may moue vs to heuynesse.

Let the sicke person here syngers and myn­strelles, and gyue hym selfe to sportes, pa­stymes, and musyke, and some tyme delyte hym selfe with mery talkynge. But to com­pany with woman, howe moche he muste eschewe that. I wyl shewe hereafter. I toke great pleasure in redynge & makynge mery thynges. And the phisitions spake agaynste hit, and not without a cause, seinge they be­leued it to be labour and busynes vnto me: but I toke it not as my studye, but as a pa­styme, and for my recreation. But yet wold I nat this to be to other for an example.

¶Nowe some begynne to waxe very hun­gry after the syxte day: but I felt no grefe [Page 21] before the .x. daye. And in this case this is the onely comforte, not to se other eate, nor to see meate, nor to smel the sauour therof. Neuer the lesse whan any perceyuethe hym selfe to faynt, and wexe feble for lacke of meate, I wolde not that he shulde by and by receyue meate or straunge confection, to comforte and brynge agayne his strengthe, but to refreshe his spirites with odours and plesaunte smelles: for euen with the sauour and smell of suche odours Galenus thyn­keth the spirite and lyfe to be nouryshed and comforted. Yet in this thynge as regarde muste be had, what euery mans complexion requireth, leste lyke thynges be ministred to them, that be drye and hotte, and vnto them that be moyste and colde, or thynges of one qualitie be minystred vnto them all, that be of bothe extremes.

¶As I do more alow through out the thinges, that growe amonge vs, as famyliar & nygh to our nature, so by the example of Democritꝰ, who with the vapour of hote breade made his spirite euen than departing to tarye hole .iii. dayes, thynke I that we shulde helpe theym that faynte other with that breed, or els with a rosted oynion hold to the mouthe? For I playnly knowe, that [Page] in an oynyon was sometyme suche vertue and power. Whiche thynge is also proued to be done with the odour of wyne. For therwith Philip the phisition dydde recouer Alexander, as we may se in Quintus Cur­tius. And by the traditions of the olde phi­sitions we se his power and vertue in this purpose preferred aboue al. But by al mea­nes we muste nourysshe the spirite with the swete sauours and smelles: for so moch as that is the lyfe, and aboue all thynge the odour of olde swete wyne is praysed in this thynge. Next is the smelle of hony, specy­ally rose hony, also of appuls, of the whi­che thynge Stromer neuer ceassethe to mo­nysshe me, affermynge that he knowethe, howe stronge, and howe helpyng they be in this thing. Of these som prefer orenges: o­ther prefer cotonia mala. Vyneger is also praised, but specially vineger made with roses: and mustarde is wel alowed. For these thynges, saye they, do refreshe the wyttes, and susteyne the strengthes. As for cyna­mom, nutmegges, styrack, citrous, saf­fron, a giloflower, muske, camphire, and suche costly ware, I leue to deinte felowes, But cumm [...], an [...]sse, coryander, lauan­der, amarake, roses, mynte, rue, rosemary, [Page 22] violettes, sage, castorye, with other gro­wynge amonges [...] vs, none of the phisitions that haue any iudgement, improuethe, but they affirme these to be good for this pur­pose. And I oftentymes do vse such helpes to the greatte comforte of my helthe. The sycke man may also vse rubbynges, so that they be softely done, by all the tyme of his sayde lyinge: whiche as they are for other thynges profitable, so I beleue they wolde not hurte in this thynge. Lette his heed be rubbed with a warme clothe, and combed with an yuory combe.

FVrthermore this medycine wyll abyde nothynge to be putte to hit. Where at the phisitions be commenly a­stonyed: whiche wolde we shulde haue none other me­dicines in price, but suche as receyue theyr power frō the .iii. partes of the world, which think that they shuld lose al theyr auctorite, excepte they ioyned to gether for vs in their poticarye compositions, Indie, Aethiope, [Page] Arabie, and the Garamantes, that dwelle in the extreme parte of the worlde. For what wyll they allowe, that is not deere and costly? And I beseche god, that theyr counsell be neuer harde nor obeyed in the vsynge of this wodde Guaiacum. And that Stromer maye be in this thynge as a pro­phete, and in my iudgement a trewe. For he feareth, and that very wysely, leest they at length wyll put theyr handes thervnto.

Therfore lette al men beleue me, that haue proued this medicine, that it is sufficient to heale this disease: and that of it selfe with­out any other thynge. But as I sayde, a purgation in the begynnynge, and agayn a lyt­tell the .xv. day, and than in the laste ende, Whiche thynge I wold haue done with somone thynge, not with any medicine made of many thynges. For I verely beleue, that the phisitions loke than to theyr owne pro­fyte and lucre, and not for the helth of men, whan they saye, they must serche, what ta­keth away the cause of this infyrmytie, as thoughe this wodde dyd it not. And very­ly this is euident, there is no other cause to vse suche purgations, but to clense the bely, and agayne with abstinence and hunger to drawe out and emptye the holle body. But [Page 23] what saye ye therto: In that rude countrey where this Guaiacum groweth, are no phi­sitions, no straunge nor ferfetched wayes nor rules of phisike. But perchaunce menne vse there some herbe or rote to purge with, and all do vse one thynge, not to take away the grefe, but that whan the bely is emptied Guaiacum may the better worke. wherfore in this, my coumsel is, that ye tourment not your belye with thynges costely prepared, and speciallye to auoyde the compositions made of many thynges.

¶In this mynde I stycke surely, that I wolde suffre nothyng to be poured into me, but onely cassia by it selfe, and yet they offe­red me gladly many thynges, And I was also wont before to poure in not onely Reubarbarum but other thynges also more barbarous than Reubarbarum, but my counsel came to a very good ende. whiche counselle if any wyll folowe, he hathe an exaumple, commaundement he hath none. For we tea­che not these thynges being our selfe taught of other, but we monyshe you, that whiche we haue proued, whiche thynge I wold all shulde remembre, that I teache nothynge here rasshely, but that whiche I haue ler­ned by myne owne experience and proue, I [Page] delyuer vnto other. And if I hadde lerned ought els, it shulde not be kepte close: but nowe seinge by diligent serche and studious labour I haue founde oute the power and vertue of Guaiacū, whiche if I do not well perceyue, it is a faute. But if I haue lerned it, as it is in dede: I do not greatly couet rewarde ne la [...]de, I wyl shew you al the hole faythfully. For that hath this medicine de­serued of me, excepte I wolde be vnthank­full for soo great benefites. And therfore seynge many well lykynge men of nature are corrupted through the diuersitie of me­dicines, yea and some of them vtterly dy­stroyed, my sentence is, that nothynge shall be added to helpe this medicine, for this wod of it selfe is sufficient to plucke vp this dysease by the rootes. If any thyng be put vnto if, specyally of these thynges, that are inwardely receyued, this medicine takethe no helpe therof, but rather is corrupted and lette from his workynge. This thynge muste be added thervnto, that they, which drynke of this Guaiacum, of whatte soo euer state they be, in this sycknes haue soo lytel nede of bathes, that they be vtterly for bede by them that be experte, to washe soo moche as theyr heed, as longe as they shall [Page 24] be in this cure, and are permytted very sel­dome to washe theyr handes, but neuer with colde water.

BVt now I knowe, that some suspectethe me to be of this minde, that I wold no phisition to be vsed in this cure, which thyng is far other wise. For my mynde is, that somme, that is wel ler­ned and wyse, shoulde be gotten, whiche is not bolde ne lyberall in pourynge in of po­tycarye ware. His custody and also his or­der, if he haue lerned the vse of the admyni­stratyon of Guaiac [...]m, I wolde the sycke personne should vse. And these myscheuous busy felowes, whiche are soo gladde to of­fer to vs this straunge waare, and medyci­nes, if any be broughte frome the heedes of Nilus, of whiche, the more they coste, the more they make of thē, auāsyng them aboue the mone, these I saye I wolde haue driuen away, and in no wyse to se the sycke, no not [Page] throughe a latis. I haue proued this thinge euen so to be as Asclepiades iudged, which thought all maner drenches vnfrendely to the stomake. And Celsus also saythe, that medicines for the moste parte hurte the sto­make, ye and moreouer that happened to me, that the same authore shewed before shulde happen, that medicines receyued into the body, whan they had ben kept in the lo­wer partis, were driuen back again into the heed, and caused great peyne, whiche thing lette all remembre that wyll entre into this cure, that they cōmyt not them selfe rasshly to suche tourmenters, not onely bycause the nature of this woode is not yet well kno­wen, but also bycause it is theyr maner ne­uer to knowledge ignorance, but always to commaunde somewhat, to ministre and giue some what, vnto whom a man shall at noo tyme shewe his water, howe well and hel­thfull soo euer he be, but they wyll make theyr bylle to the potticaries, recipe, recipe, take, take, sayinge, that outher they suspect some sycknes to be begon, outher els that, the which is nowe at hand, must be preuen­ted or it come, excepte thou swallowe this (saye they) or drynke that, thou haste the axes. O my scheuous men, if they maye be [Page 25] called men, and worthye to be hated of all the worlde. But what so euer they be, they haue ben bolde to take vppon theym many thynges of late about the administration of Guaiacum, trustynge in them selfe, vnto that worke, the sellers therof helpynge them forwarde through some conuention & bargayn made betwene them I beleue. For whā they sawe, that by meanes of this rude vile, and contemptible medicine there shulde be hereafter no nede of theyr disceptations. For I knowe some that wolde withstande soo fauorable and good a thynge, and yet durst not. And of the other syde, whan the marchantes feared, leest they shoulde selle but lytel, if the phisitions allowed it not, for no man wolde lyghtly go vnto a medicyne, that came from so strange a place, and was ministred so farre from the commen maner of medicines: than they agreed betwyxte them, I beleue, that this shulde be spredde amonges the commen people, that the phi­sitions labour was necessarye in this cure: So that they sellynge a remedye approued of the phisitions, moughte gette as they were wont, and the phisitions in the meane tyme shuld lose nothyng of theyr stipendes, seynge that they were called vnto this cure.

[Page] ¶I knowe certayne phisitions of a better [...]orte, that wente into Spayne in the empe­rours name, and in the name of a bysshoppe here, only to enquere & serch for this thyng. And these, whan they were taught of them that lerned and knewe the thynge in Spag­nola, tolde nothynge in maner other wyse than our experience hath: but that they ad­ded of theyr own braynes, what medicines, vpon what dayes, with what obseruations ought to be receyued, and by a mathemati­call dyete, howe they shulde behaue theym selfe in eatynge and drynkyng, which thing I beleue, they dydde of noo euylle mynde, but after theyr maner and supersticiousnes, vsed of seme good phisitions, whiche are so desyrous to helpe the sycke, and are soo tender towarde them, that sometyme they do more than they shuld. Their good min­des I do allowe, but yet I thynke it daun­gerous, to agree vnto all men in all thyn­ges. But to retourne agayn to these yl mynded phisitiōs. I thynke they be agreed with the marchantes, that they may be admytted into parte of the lucre and gaynes. For I my selfe dyd se a certayne phisition, if we vouchsafe to calle a rude and an vnlerned asse by this name, who with many wordes [Page 26] dyspraysed this wodde Guaiacum, as a vayne thynge, and nothynge worthe: but that the marchauntes fained it to do these thynges. But shortely after this lewde dis­preiser was called vnto the cure of a certain ryche man, and shortely after to an other: And whan the man beganne to smelle the golde, and sawe greatte gaynes to comme throughe the multitude of suche sycke men, he began fyrste to be more gentylle, and to diminishe his cruelnes and malyce more and more, and within a whyle preised this wod, and greatly auanced it, and sayd: Nowe at the last, I my selfe haue proued the meruaylous power and vertue of this wodde. Nay naye asse, but nowe thou haste founde thyne aduantage therin.

¶And after this maner this medicine se­meth to come into theyr canons, lykewyse as all other medicines haue done, whiche thynge if it be done by the auctoritie of the wyse, experte, and lerned phisitions, I im­proue it not: Howe be it my mynde gyuethe me, and I verely beleue, that they can not do it as yet: And agayne I thynke hit not very necessarye. For eyther in Spagnola, where are no phisitions, somewhat is lac­kynge vnto this medicine, or elles it oughte [Page] here lykewyse to be ministred without such supersticiousnes and formalities. May there any man be so lyght of beleue, as to thynke that the phisitions can handel this busynesse more counnyngly, than they whiche knewe it by experience in them selfe, consyderynge howe that Guaiacum hath not continued so longe with vs, that they might in that space haue serched and lerned his nature. And to speke in fewe wordes, men do yet meruayle at the thynge, and is not as yet come vnto perfyte knowlege. Therfore canne it not be vnder theyr canons in this shorte tyme, or any cause of his operation shewed.

¶Lette this therfore stycke fast in al mens myndes, that they thynke this symple diete sufficient to cure and heale them, which we teache by experience, in our selfe. Let them be seene and looked vppon, of the sober and lerned phisitions: but lette them leaue the dregges and spices of this other sorte. Let them bede farewell for euer and a daye to these that goo aboute to restore vs from diseases with theyr disputations. These are they, whiche, as I sayde, allowe nothynge that is vile and of smalle price, and whiche thynke that I telle fables, whan I say that I haue driuen away the axes mo than eight [Page 27] tymes by drynkynge of myn owne water, by and by at the begynnynge: and with noo other medicine. And that I haue seene men in Saxonie, whiche haue quenched all ma­ner diseases with drynkynge hotte buttred beere. And agayne they wyl not beleue me, that there is a seruant of my faders, which with .iii. certayne herbes sodden in wyne, hath healed a mannes brayne panne broken to peces: and many sore and euyll woundes hath he heled with a few herbes of our own growynge, sodden in wyne or water, and that within .x. or .xii. dayes, without any feare of feuer. But this they thynke a vyle medicine, sayinge it is not done after theyr canons. And the same thynge do they iudge of Guaiacum, whose nature and power, howe clerelye they vnderstande, and what maner wordes they vse to haue of hit, we may perceyue by the answere of a certayne noble phisition, not nowe yonge, that he shulde begynne to practise, but of extreme age, that it is very lykely he fealethe A [...]i­cen, Mesuen, and other authors of phisike, as well as his owne nayles. This phisition whan I was wrytinge these thynges, and takyng my iourney from Frankeford, wher he was wrytyng of his recipe, was asked of [Page] a certayne frende of myn, what he thought of Guaiacum, I haue not sene it, sayde he, but what so euer it be, the weyght, the co­lour, the sauour, must be consydered in quā ­tite and qualyte. Than sayd I, his weighte is very heuy, and synketh in the water, how lyttell so euer the cuttynge be: and hathe the same colour almoste that is in boxe, and it smelleth fayntely, somewhat of rosen: doeste thou knowe nowe by this, what the nature and power of Guaiacum is? Than he thynkyng to face me downe with wor­des, chattered I wotte not whatte, out of Arystotels predicamentes. Than sayde I, It may be, good fader, seinge the disease is newe, and this a newe medicine, that the holle matter is yet vnknowen vnto you.

Thou arte deceyued sayde he, it is no newe disease, seinge Plini wryteth therof. Than I, beynge desyrous to knowe, what he knewe in Plini, that I knew not, asked him, what name Plini gaue vnto this dysease? Mentagran sayde he, quia vexar mentem, that is to say, bycause hit vexith a mannes mynde. Than sayde I, why and do not other infirmities and sycknes than tourmēt and vexe a mans mynde? or doth not fren­syes, madnes, the fallynge euyll, and other [Page 28] ra [...]ysshynges of the wyttes this thing more than the frenche pockes? As he was inter­pretynge I can not telle what: good olde man, quod I, lerne agaynste an other tyme to aunswere more wysely, and speciallye in suche thinges as apertaigne to mans helth. For if ye hadde redde Plinie, ye wolde not saye Mentagram to come a mente, but a mento. For in the chynne that disease fyrste began, whiche thynge declareth it to be an other syckenes than the frenche pockes.

And who coude forbere to rebuke this mis­cheuous madde asse heed? But let vs passe ouer these rascall phisitions, of the whiche we se a great parte ryche in wordes, but in the knowlege of thynges verye poore, and lette vs retourne to our purpose, wherof this is the pythe, that phisitions shal be ta­ken in this cure, not as ministers of medy­cines or healers, but as kepers. And these to be, as I haue ofte sayde, chosen, wyse, and well lerned, and mooste experte, and suche as hadde leuer be wyse by them selfe, than erre with the cōmon sorte. And suche as if they coude heale a sycke man with ea­tynge beanes, wolde not seke for any costly and especially straunge medicines.

VVhan they, whiche I tolde you went into Spayne, to know the vse of Guaiacū, enquered, whether chyl­dren and great aged persōs moughte be hospen. with this remedy. For seynge they were weake, it was in deut, where they coud abyde this [...] diete: answer was made by them that had bē in that ylonde, that they neuer sawe chyl­dren by this remedy delyuered from sycke­nes: But the menne of that ylonde shewed them, that chyldren were wonte so to be cu­red, and women lykewyse without any dif­ference, and olde men also very often.

Whervpon I remebre the notable sayenge of Hipocras, that olde men may well away with fastynge, but men in stronge and sted­faste age scantly, yonge men moche wors, and chyldren worste of all, speciallye they that are of a forwarde and quycke mynde. Howe be it Galenus wyl not old men there to be vnderstande men of the laste caste.

[Page 29] ¶Furdermore it is wel knowen, that they that are of a sanguine qualite of body, may abyde hunger better and longer than the colerike. For in the sanguine the humours that nourysshe the bod [...] are more abundant and plenteous, the heate is temperate and lesse burnynge: for it is myngled with moysture to make hit slacker, but in these other, all thynges are thynne and drye, and nedy of humours. Nowe who doubteth, but they that be fleumatike may beste abyde hunger, seinge they haue more moysture than theym nedeth. Whiche thynges marked and per­ [...]eyued, none that wyll take this matter in hande can lacke counsaylle, in what age or complexion so euer it be, but he shall knowe howe to diminyshe the meate, and howe to enlarge it, and agayne howe to brynge in strayte fastynge, and howe to lose it. No­ther that onely, but also howe moche or howe lyttell of Guaiacum oughte to be spende. Howe be it in this thynge I thynke ly [...]tell regarde to be taken, bycause this de­coction, as I haue before tolde, is not suche as healeth by violence, or hastely bryngeth helthe, but suche as bryngethe forthe his effecte slowly, and by lyttel and lyttel, and in a maner can not be perceyued, so that I [Page] thynke hit not to be feared, whether hit be ministred to an olde manne, a chylde, or a mayden, leest there be to moche gyuen, soo that no man passe to farre the mesure, whi­che I haue appoynted. Therfore ye se, that I commaunde no more to be gyuen to the fatte, than the leane. And also Celsus [...]aith, there is moche diuersite betwyxte a stronge bodye and a fatte, and agayne betwyxte a thynne bodye and a weake. For they that be thynne haue moche blode, and they that be fuller haue more fleshe. Whiche thynge ofte tymes deceyueth the phisitions, as I tolde you it happened in me, whyle they iu­ged a sklender body to be weake, and a fat body and great to be stronge and myghtye. This one thynge I thynke beste to shewe you of in the waye, that my father beyng almost, lx. yere olde, was holpen with this Guaiacum, obseruynge and kepynge this diete straytely, and yet suffred no great grefe: and in the meane tyme counsayl­led with no phisition, noo he sawe not ones a phisition, but onely vsed my prescriptions.

FVrthermore I wote it wel, that men wyl aske me, whi­ther the vse and effecte of Guaiacum be euery where lyke. And also seynge it is a gery straunge thynge, whe­ther it be as conuenyent for the Germayns as the Spanyardes, and for those that liue soberly, as for these that lyue otherwyse.

For as it semeth no doubte in other medici­nes, but that there ought a regarde to be taken, of the nature of the place, soo lykewyse ought there, as it semeth, about the admy­nystration hereof. For as the season of the yere muste be marked, soo lyke wyse muste the plage of the skye be consydered, and that for many causes, and specially bycause we may abyde hunger otherwise in a thycke ayre, than in a thynne. But the resydue of these thynges, I leaue to the phisitions, to be more diligently discussed of them. That that I haue lerned, and as moch as semeth to apperteyne to the Germaynes, I wyl o­pen vnto all men.

¶They of Spayne thynke, this medycine [Page] ought to be lyke wyse ministred in al places for this disease, seinge it hath nothynge, but that that al men maye vse euery where indifferently, and also hathe ben proued among the people of .v. diuerse nations. Fyrste hit came frome Spagnola into Spayne, and than other nations about them sought what profite wolde come therof. And whan they vnderstode, that many had vsed it sprospe­rously, the Ricilians receyued it. Frō thens it came into Italie: and shortely after we of Germanie haue lerned the power therof by experience. And of late we harde saye, that by the helpe of this wodde, many be cured in France. Whiche thynge seinge it is so, and seinge we lyue vnder that ayre, whiche is not so moch subiecte vnto syckenessis, as the contrey of Spayne and Italy are, through the subtylnes of the aire, and therfore nede lesse to feare those yuels, whiche may other wyse chaunce, as the feuers, stytches, and suche other: And agayne seynge we haue stronge bodyes, that maye wel awaye with labours, hunger, and thurste. And also the myndes of the Germaynes, for the mooste parte, are meryly set, what shulde cause vs to thynke, but that our region and men be very apte vnto this medicine? Whiche thing [Page 31] Paulus Ricius, a phisition of pure iugement and hygh erudition, approuethe, and more ouer affirmeth, that he knowethe by playne experience, that no nation is more apte vnto this dyete. But if we had not sene some re­stored vnto helthe throughe the helpe of Guaiacum, and nowe shuld begyn to proue hit: we oughte not beleue, that god were so moche sette agaynste vs, that he wolde ey­ther kepe this helthfull medicine from vs, or defraude vs of the vertue therof, seynge it was brought frō Spagnola into Spaine, and had the same vertue there, whiche hit hadde at home: excepte a man wylle saye, that Guaiacum disdayneth to be caryed vn­to vs, his nature fyrste not chaunged, or whan it commeth to the Germaynes, that than it suffreth that great and myghtye po­wer and strength of his, to be taken from hym, and no where els. And it is playnely knowen, that with vs his helpe is very present, and peraduenture more presente than els where. And our men, as they be moche gyuen to surfetynge, so can they, if nede re­quire, abyde very longe and strongely both hunger and thurste. And more ouer as our bodyes abunde with heate, so are they very strong. For after the iudgement of Aristot­tle, [Page] they that inhabyte cold countreys, haue moche naturall hete in them, and they that haue moche heate, for the moste part are of great strengthe. And bycause the Almayns vse moche eatynge and drinkyng, Ricius the phisition was demaunded of late, what he thought, whether it were best to remyt somwhat vnto them in this cure of this sklēder and thyn dyete, and he sayd: No by sayncte mary, not thus moche, but rather handle them the strayter, lette these greatte belyes vsed in eatynge and drynkynge, be dryuen to a moche thynner dyete than these thynne and leane Italians. And he shewed me hym selfe, that he hadde punysshed with hunger one of these fatte felowes .x. dayes lenger than he ought to haue done, bicause he wold haue nothynge remayne that myght let the operation of Guaiacum.

¶This thynge and suche other I do glad­ly reherse by Ricius, and doo make often mention of Stromer, that such as shal rede this boke may vnderstād, whom I cal good and right philitions, and howe vnworthy I th [...]ke these commen tormenters of men of the dignite of this title and name. And that straunge countreyes may knowe, that Germaynie hathe some good and excellent phi­sitions. [Page 32] And that I delyte as moche in the lernynge and amitie of them, that be good and well lerned, as I hate these vnlerned and foolehardy felowes, whiche after they be for theyr moneye ones made doctours, streyght professe, that they can reuyue the deed, and restore lyfe to theym that are bu­ryed. But I wyll retourne vnto these .ii. whiche be of an other sorte, of the whiche two Stromer, whan I asked hym the laste yere a medicine to pounge me with, sayde, Do not vexe thy stomake with medicines in this age of thynne, in whiche nature is able of her selfe to do all thynges moche better. For as he is very scarse in pourynge in of medicines, so bryngeth he all sycke people vnto a verye strayte rule of dyet. Wherfore whan he had taken in hande to cure one in the cytie of August after these wayes, and he sayd, that he [...]eared, leste he coude not absteyne hym selfe from women: Seinge than (sayde he) thou haste decreed to dye, thou hast no nede of my helpe, and so forsoke him and lefte hym to his intemperauncie.

¶Of this sorte there are two phisitions moo, of excellent name: wherof the one is thy phisition, mooste noble prynce, named Gregory Loppus, whiche hath holpen me [Page] no lyttell thynge in the wrytynge hereof, the other continuethe in the archebysshoppe of Colyns courte, called Iames Ebelly, a man of so great auctoritie, that foure yere afore, that he was made the commen phisi­tion, all phisitions were they neuer so coun­nynge, gaue place vnto hym. The other was hadde in great honour of all the chiefe lerned men of Papia, where this study flo­ryssheth, as well for the knowlege in phi­sike as for other good lernynge, whiche he had ioyned vnto phisik. But this is no place to reken vppe the excellent lerned men, but my purpose is to wryte myne experience of Guaiacum. And therfore in this place I repete this to conclude with, that I verylye thynke, that this wodde wyll helpe al ma­ner of men, where so euer they be become, brought vp, or continue.

IT semeth for somme causes that folowe, that it is better to proue this cure in sommer than in wynter. Fyrst bicause (as Galen saythe) the moy­sture in sommer increasethe [Page 33] and runneth in all the body, and dothe goo and comme: and therfore the pestilente hu­mours maye lyghty be seperated from the good, and they maye be expelled and banysshed: and these that be holsome & good kept. Secondely bycause all diseases in wynter do fasten theyr rotes deper, and take surer holde, and in sommer contrarye wyse, the humours be styll mouynge, and the body is apte vnto all chaunges. But these consyde­rations apperteyne generally vnto all dise­ses: But as concernynge this our cure of Guaiacum, for as moche as a great parte of hit stondethe in dyete and sufferaunce of great hunger, therfore it is most expediente to beginne in sommer. In that season a man may better away with this dyete thanne in wynter, whan men are very hungry. For if the body, beynge hotte and boylynge of it selfe, as it is in sommer, shoulde moreouer be loded with meate, hit wolde lyghtely be dissolued into diseases. But in the wynter if woll not soo, for so moche, as hipocrates saythe, that in wynter a mannes bodye in­wardly aboundeth with naturall heate, and outwardly lacketh it, for so moche [...]as than it auoydethe and fleeth from the sharpnesse of the cold, wherwith the body outwardly [Page] is compassed, into the inwarde parties, as vnto a stronge holde and castell: and there closeth it selfe vppe: But contrary wyse in sommer the same naturall heate in mannes body foloweth, as Aristotle thynkethe, the nature of the ayre, and therfore puttethe forthe it selfe, and fleeth out to the extreme partes of the bodye. But so it is, that the very nature and propretie of this medicine is, to reduce into the body, and bryng home agayne suche naturall heate as is loste.

And therfore this it semethe vnconueniente to go in hande with, or pu [...]e in experience this cure in the winter. For thā it is thought daungerous, whan the hete of the outward partes is drawen vnto the inwarde partes, fe [...]te the outwarde lymmes be forsaken and fe [...]te emp [...]ye of theyr strengthe and power, specyally in them that be colde of nature, whiche other wyse in the wynter lose theyr heate, and haue theyr bodys slayn through the violence of colde, and be lyke vnto deed folke.

¶But here maye we not passe ouer that, whiche Coppus admonyssheth, sayinge, Guaiacum moueth a manne to sweate, ca­s [...]ynge out the euyll humours, that be noy­ [...]ull to the body: Therfore sayth he, the [Page 34] sommer is moste apte for this cure, whan the humours are more subtylle, and the skyn thynner. And in the wynter the wayes and poores, by the whiche the sweate shuld haue his course, and be expelled, are stop­ped, and the humours gathered to gether, and clodded. But on the other syde for soo moche as in this cure doone by Guaiacum, the sycke are greued with nothynge more, than with thurste, it is thought, that the syck maye worse absteyne from drynke in somer than in wynter. Wherfore in Spayne, and where the heate is vehement, they durst not hytherto proue this experiment in the som­mer. Furthermore in wynter (after the mynd of Alexander Aphrodisius) there in­gendreth on a man throughe moche eatynge (For than haue men moche better appetite thanne in other seasons) an humour called pituita, that is fleume, which thyng mought be auoyded, if this cure were than in hande, in whiche, great abstinence must be obserued and kepte. These thynges we haue spoken as touchynge the tymes of feruente heate and feruent colde, and nowe we wyll speke of the other two seasons that be betwyxte bothe, of the whiche two. Autumne semeth the worste of both. For than is there great [Page] abundaunce of all maner syckenes, and the humours wa [...]e worse and worse, bycause this tyme of the yere is vnegall and with­out order, alwayes chaungynge and incon­stant, brynging in many kyndes of diseases. For as Celsus affyrmeth, Autumne killeth many a one.

¶Furthermore the french pockes are very noyful to the synowes, and the sayd author teacheth, that wynter and Autumne be not mete nor apt tymes vnto medicines, for the resolution of the synowes. But these are the reasons of them that dispute generally and speake not onely of the vse of Guaiacū. Wherfore this I thynke, that sommer (at the lefte wayes in Almayne) maye be beste taken: but that is that part of sommer, that begynneth whanne vere endeth, as in May, for than there is not here soo moche heate, but the sycke maye well abyde and suffer thyrst: And in wynter the cold is very fer­uente, and lykewyse in vere and Autumpne the colde is sharper, thanne the sycke maye abyde in this cure. For it is one of the chiefe poyntes for hym that is restored by Guaiacum, with all diligence to eschewe colde.

And as for suche incommodities, as maye happen in the sommer, to the intente they [Page 35] maye the lesse be feared, I haue spoken of before, and shal repete them agayne, whan place shal be. And neuertheles at this tyme I do affirme, that this drynke of Guaiacū doth meruaylously stere vp the naturall po­wer and strengthe, and hathe power and myght to quicken and to make lusty the bo­dye, whiche for lacke of naturall heate is weake and consumed: Whiche thynges if they were not as I haue sayde, and had not Hipocrates in a certayne place, if I well re­membre me, sayde: that Vere and Autūne are the moste aptest tyme [...] to lett [...] blod and minister medicines, veryly the counsayll of Celsus shuld than haue sem [...]d beste, whiche sayth: Vere is the holsomest tyme to go to phisike, and next vnto that wynter, and that is very daungerous, and Autumne mooste daungerous of al.

ANd maye I not boldely affirme, this medicine to be gyuen vs [...] god, se­ynge hit neuer helpeth, excepte a mā [Page] be gyuen to holynes of lyfe? Verily where as we be brought into the fauour of god by two vertues specially, that is by the chastite of body, and abstinence of meate and drink, as the lawes of chrysten people beare re­corde, let hym be [...]ure excepte he bynde him selfe straytly in these bondes, he shall nat onely come vnto this medicine in vayne, but shall go forwardes also in the same with no lytell danger. In so moch that it is playnly knowen, that he shall dye without remedy, that vseth any woman before the .xl. daye after the cure is begonne, either bycause the body so emtyed, is not able to suffer the in­iurie of that acte, or elles bycause god wyll not that any man shulde vse suche his great benefyte vnpurely. And therfore amonges al them that proued this wod in Almayne, it hapned one felowe to dye, & that through this faute, as they that were present affir­med by theyr othes.

¶And nexte vnto this the vse of wyne is knowen moste pestilent, and muste be auoy­ded in this cure. For it loseth the ioyntes of the body, and hurteth the sinowes. And for as moche as it hath vehement power to en­ter into the lymmes, and shake al the body, it is thought, that this decoction of Guaia­cum [Page 36] shal not profyte in his body, that vseth wyne, but shall rather put hym in ieoperdy and feare of death, whanne these thynges Guaiacum and wyne, whiche are most con­trary, mete and come to gether. Therfore some there be, that monysshethe to absteyne from wyne an hoole moneth after the time of this cure is paste for so moch as this medicine kepeth his course of workynge many dayes after it is dronken. And therfore lest any thynge shulde stoppe or let it, they take away the vse of wyne, and he that fleethe the voluptuous pleasure of the body, muste take hede, that he gyue no place to glotonie. For the olde prouerbe witnesseth, that hun­ger neuer begetteth adultery. And agayne it is sayd, that Venus waxeth cold without bread and wyne. Aelian [...]s wrytethe, that Zaleucus the lawyere of Locrense, forbede sycke men wyne vnder peyue of dethe, with out the phisitions coūsel. But be it the nature of Guaiacum might suffer this voluptuous act, and dyd not abhorre wyne, yet doth the phisitions bokes with ful mouth make mentiō, that they are very hurtful & greuous vnto that body, whiche is take with this sick­nes, and principally for the ioyntes. Wher­fore Celsus reporteth, that there were some [Page] that were vexed with ache in theyr limmes, whiche throughe one yeres abstinence from wyne and women haue benne safe all theyr lyfe. And the same Celsus concludeth, that suche as are borne chaste, or be gelded, or chyldren, or euer they fal to womans com­pany, and lykewyse women, excepte theym that haue their flowers stopped, are seldom tempted with this disease. And Alexander in his problemes sayth, that suche as drinke water onely, are quycker in all senses than other. For wyne stoppeth the wayes of the mynde, and dulleth the senses. And Cicero sayth, that for so moche as wyne profyteth the sycke but selde, and hurteth very often, it is moche better not to gyue it, than vnder the hope of doubtfull helth to runne into o­pen ieoperbie. And Venus, in what so euer state a man be, coldeth the bely, and dryeth it, if Aristotle be true. For in such coupling, the naturall heate departeth, and throughe the euaporation that than is made, drynes is caused and ingendred.

¶Lo sobernes and chastite two holy ordy­nances of lyfe, be the principal obseruation in this thynge, the highest precept, the chief poynt of helih, whiche diligently kepte, noo ieoperdye can ryse. For be it they tarye the [Page 37] medicine or vtterly stoppe and lette hit, yet they put not a man in ieoperdye of his lyfe, whan they be neglected.

AMonges al the thinges that muste be auoyded, somme men do meruail, why salte is forbydden to be vsed for the space of this dyete, consyde­rynge there is other ty­mes nothyng more hol­some for mannes bodye: and they say, that they can not perceyue, howe any hurt shuld comme therof in this disease. The whiche commeth all to geter of the corruption and putryfaction of the bloudde, seynge onely salte mooste of all thynges preseruethe and defendeth frome bothe these. And more ouer the nature of salte is to make faste and drye vppe, to bynde and clense: whiche propretie were thoughte mooste metest and ne­cessary to be ministred, to plucke vppe this disease by the rotes. Fyrste bycause the bo­dye infected with the pockes, is loosed and [Page] shaken: secondly bycause the humours pro­cede and flowe out from one matter. Thirdly, whiche is the chiefe poynte of al, bycause the corrupt and infecte blo [...]de is yet within the bodye vnpourged. For this syckenesse is no other thynge, than a certayne order & state of the body changed through the trou­ble of the bloode: Euen as it hapeneth in a [...]ytie, whan a sedicion & partakynge entreth into a commen welthe, and the cōmen peo­ple be moued in theyr myndes: than are all thynges scattered abrode without order, and moued out of theyr places, nothynge hangeth to gether, nothynge standethe, no­thynge abydeth, no quietnes, no peace, but all full of trouble, vnto the which chaunge of the body, motion of membres, and tha­kynge of ioyntes, with all suche troubles, there muste come some sadde and wyse fa­ther, a man of hygh auctoritie in the comen welth: for his godlynes and good deser­uynges towarde all men (who as Virgyll sayth) maye gouerne and rule with wordes theyr hartes, and quiete theyr stomakes. So in lyke maner is it in salte, whiche as I sayde, through fastynge, driynge, byndyng, and purgynge, dothe put to quietnes thyn­ges, that are moued, doth vnite and knytte [Page 38] thynges that are broken, doth bynd to ge­ther thynges that are plucked aparte, doth make caulme and quiete thynges, that are troubled: and bryngeth quietnes and saue­garde vnto all thynges: yea how greatte a thynge and howe necessary thoughte Plinie salte to be, sayinge without salte a mans life can not indure? And therfore say they, how can that hurte in this syckenes, which in o­ther diseases conserueth all thynges? And for as moche as in this cure we muste take hede, that no corrupt humours be abundāt, and salte resolueth and clenseth all fylthye moistnes, and also kepeth down and restray neth the flowynge of the body: it is thougt we shulde be more plentuous of salte herein than elles where. Notwithstandynge these reasons, we muste haue an other consyder a­tion herein. And fyrste of alle as moche as appertaynethe vnto his dysease, howe the sycke muste forbeare salte meates, not alle maner, but onely suche as are very sharpe. Lette it be asked of the phisitions, whiche haue long before tyme prosecuted that mat­ter to the vttermost, for this tyme, seynge the medicine of Guaiacum is specyally in­treated of, we may say, that though all phi­sitions knowe the vse of salte, excepte hit be [Page] very lyttell, to be noyous and hurtefull in all other passions of the synowes, and in su­che diseases as sprynge of corrupte bloude, and of yelowe and blacke colour, or salte fleume, for so moche as with his tartshes, it narpeneth coler, and burneth the bloudde, and with his natiue drynes causeth the hu­mours and nutriment of the body to dry vp, and by that meanes distroyeth all thynges, that shulde helpe vnto helthe. Yet neuer the lesse about the administration of Guaiacum they forbede vtterly all maner vse of salte: for the same consyderation they fordede all sharpe thynges, and moreouer all thynges penetratine: and amonges these, spices, and wyne. For so moche as all suche throughe theyr sharpenes and persynge power, do o­pen all poores and entreyes, and goo depe: whiche violence runnyng through the body, Guaiacum can haue no place to worke. If these reasōs do not satisfie those mens min­des, I wyl say vnto them, as the philoso­phers say of the stone Magnes, if it be anointed with garlyke, it draweth not yron to it, so lyke wise Guaiacū hath a certayne secret vertue, and can not tell whither it be as yet knowen, to abhorre specially the vse of salt, and whiche power is loste if salt ones come [Page 39] vnto it. And this haue we spoken of the for bearynge of salte in this cure. Nowe wylle we speke of the sklender fedynge and hun­ger, wherwith the body muste be weakened and made leane, whervpon al the matter of this dieth hangeth.

ALthoughe we spake before of the smale and thynne fe­dynge, that the sycke muste vse, and howe his meat must be diminished, & he brought to hunger, yet we thynke it very necessary to warne you ones agayne of the same thynge, in this place, not onely bi­cause this medicine requireth a voyde and an emptye body, frome all maner fulnes, but also bycause I wolde declare, that in olde tyme there was a lyke maner to cure the sike. And we may also rede in Diodoro, that the Egiptians dydde heale theyr sycke other with fastynge or els with vomyt. For they affirme, as he recyteth, that sycknesses are ingendred specially of the superfluitie of meate. And therfore they thoughte that [Page] waye of curynge to make moste vnto helth, that tuketh awaye the fyrste causes of the disease. Let not therfore these dronkerdes, these interpretate felowes, gyuen to surfe­tynge, be greued with this dyete, which as Persius sayth, delyteth only in delitious fedynge, and may lyue scantely halfe a daye without meate: whose bealy as the prophet saythe, is their god, and all theyr mynde and lyfe is nothynge but fedynge. Let such felowes, as I sayde, cesse theyr grudginge agaynst this dyete, seyng that therby so ex­cellent and so good a thyng is obteyned, and so great an euyll is auoyded with so lyttell labour. And let them not than in this thyng speake of the great ieoperdye, whiche maye comme of weakenes, throughe longe absti­nence: as who saith, that he may faint, that [...]ateth after this maner. For Plini saythe, that none dyethe for lacke of meate before the .vii. day: and may continue vntyl the .xi. day. And al be it he writeth, that in his time there was a woman in Germani, which ly­ued sometyme full twenty dayes withoute meate: and sometyme .xxx. And that he sawe a man, whiche contynued .vii. wekes without meate, drynkyng euery second day onely water. Plini also sayth, that he kno­weth [Page 40] for a suretie, that the Scythians ha­uynge certayne herbes in their mouthes, a­byde hūgre & thirste somtyme .xii. days. And some also say, that the christen philosopher Amonius, neuer eate but only tosted bread, whiche thinge if any man greatly meruayle at, lette hym remembre, that this is also wrytten in the storyes, that certayne of the mages lyued ones by meale and herbes on­ly. A [...]d that Diodore writeth, that the olde Egiptians meate was herbes and rootes.

And Hesiod [...] monysheth, saying, we shuld lyne & eate Malus & asphodelo. And Pla­to writynge of the lawes maketh mention, that Epimenides was contented sometyme so to lyue. If any man wyl set these thingis before his eies, & cōsider thē, thā shal he perceiue, that we lyue very deinteously in this diete, and do take in a maner more than ne­deth. But if it were a very harde thynge to absteyne so from meate, what is he that lo­ueth him self so lytel, but he wold to get his helthe, suffre this griefe? or that hadde not leuer suffre .xxx. dayes hunger, than to be sycke as longe as he lyueth? or had nat le­uer passe ouer so many dayes with stronger hunger, that he may lyue the resydue of his lyfe holle and sounde of bodye, than to a­noyde [Page] this lyttell griefe, and to be turmen­ted all the dayes of his lyfe with intollera­ble sorowes, and to haue runnynge frome hym stynkynge and fylthy matter? I haue tolde you, that this is no new maner of cu­rynge: for alwayes the best phisitions haue commaunded abstinence to the sycke. Of the whiche nombre is Asclepiades, who, as Celsus sayth, writeth, that the mooste so­ner aygne remedy agaynste the feuer is, as he hath proued it, to diminisshe the strength of the patient with moche watche and absti­nence, in so moche that at the fyrste begyn­nynge of the syckens, they shulde not soomoche as wasshe theyr mouthe.

¶Abstinence, sayth Eusebius, both kepeth the bodyly helth, and the shamefastenes of minde. Wh [...]rby it appereth, that lyttell and temperate feding is profytable to the flesh and the soule, as wytnessethe Timotheus, whiche beyng on a seson with Plato at sup­per, hauynge before hym such meate as he was wonte to haue, tourned towarde his frendes and sayd: They that Plato recey­ueth to super, shal be wel at ease long after, meanynge that after moche eatynge of dy­uers and aboundant costly dysshes, deynte­ously dressed, there folowed euyll and rawe [Page 41] digestion, and greatte grefe of the stomake. Wherfore afterwarde whan it chanced him to mete with Plato, he sayde vnto hym: Ye Plato do ete this day rather for to morowe than for the tyme present.

¶And in Lucian Gallus the cocke Pitha­gory iugeth it a great benefit of god giuen to Micyllus, bycause he coude alway with hunger auoyd al feuers. And for that cause was without such dysease. Nowe what shal we saye to that, whiche as sayncte Hierome wrytethe, that certayne dyseased with the ioint ache and the goute, after theyr goodes were gone, and were from them, and were broughte to poore fare and symple meate, they dydde recouer theyr helthe? For they (sayth saynt Hierome) toke no thought nor care for theyr houshold, and the habūdance of meate and drynke, which do breke both the body and the soule. And anone after he sayth: There is nothynge that dullethe a mannes mynde so moche as a ful bealy: ry­synge and tournynge hyther and thyther, blowynge out wynde with balkynge fysting and fartynge.

¶This story may be a lernynge vnto ma­ny men, whiche is redde of a certayne great belyed and fatte abbot. As he was caryed [Page] vnto certayne bathes, it fortuned hym to mete with a gentylman, who asked him whither he was goynge? the abbotte made him answere and sayd, that he must go vnto the bathes. Why (quod the gentylman) are ye sicke? Nay (quod the abbot) I am not sicke, but I haue no appetite vnto my meate. I go therfore now vnto the bathes to get againe myne appetite, whiche I dydde of late lose: for they are holsom therfore. Veryly (quod the gentylman) In this thynge I can be a better phisition vnto you. And toke the ab­botte with hym, and put hym into a depe and da [...]ke dongeon, where he fedde hym certayne dayes hungerly: and than at laste he asked hym, whether he had an appetite to hie meate? Ye mary (quod the abbotte) I sayth (quod the gentylman) than is it reson that thou gyne me a rewarde for my medi­cine, and made hym pay two hundred crownes, and sente hym awaye in good helthe, with suche an appetite, that he coude haue eaten bothe beanes and lekes, where as be­fore he refused all maner meate, were it ne­uer soo deyntie: and so was he well orde­red, seynge he soughte not meate with hun­ger, but hunger with meate. But peraduen­ture we haue spoken more than ynoughe of [Page 42] this thynge, therfore let vs go vnto other matters: But first I must tell you (to make an ende of this chapiter) that Guaiacum requyrethe not a bealy that is replenysshed with varyetie of meates, or troubled with wynde in the inwarde partes, but purified and clensed from al rawnes and grosnes of humours.

ANd this scarsenes of meate canne not only be borne, but also m [...]ye easely be borne, and that throughe the ver­tue of Guaiacum: whiche after that the body is ones brought downe, doth both preserue the life, and also causeth that the fycke shall not nede to eate any thynge at all. Therfore dydde I not without a cause gyue warnynge, that the sycke shuld absteyne from meate as mo­che as may be. And if he way feble or faint, he maye not be holpen with meate, but with the swete sauours, which I speke of, as moche as is possible, put to his mouthe, and specially with hote breadde. But if any fele [Page] hym selfe to be wasted and redy to slyde a­waye throughe weakenes. Whiche thynge howe it shulde chaunce in any manne, I can not telle: for in me there happened no suche thyng at all, that I neded any maner helpe: Than I wolde counsayle hym to vse these thynges, which Plinie thynketh easeth hunger, and quenchethe thyrste, whan they be very lyttell tasted of, that is butter and ly­keresse, reclisse likoresse. Drels in this thing we muste folowe Celsus, which sayth thus: This one thynge muste alwayes be obser­ued, that the phisition be often tymes cau­sed [...] sytte by the pacient, to consyder what strength he is of, and to cause hym as longe as he hath any strength to wrastle and fight with hunger. And if he begynne to doubt of his weakenes, to helpe hym with meate.

Excepte any had leuer folowe that, whiche Gellsius sayth, that Erastrat dydde write, that the Scythians, whan they for somme cause muste nedes suffer hunger, do thruste together theyr bely and bind it round about very straitly with brode swadlynge bondes, thynkyng that by suche pressynge to gether of theyr bealy, hunger may be putte away, or the easelyer borne. For seing, as he saith, hunger commeth of emptines, and is caused [Page 43] of the voydnes and holownesse of the in­trayles, and of the bealy, than whanne the bealy is gyrded in harde, so that the empti­nes is filled, and the holownes ioyned, there can be no hunger where as these thynges be not, and vtterlye forbearynge of meate, may lightly be born. But why say I, vitterly for bearyng of meate, whiche can not be in this cure? I may well calle it hunger, what so euer it be, that any abydeth. For it maye be suffred well aud easely, thoughe a man take nothynge in the worlde to helpe it. But vnto these deynteous sycke persones what thynge can be lyght? whiche can not onely suffer no hunger, but also not to haue a sto­make vnto meate, they thynke it intollera­ble. For the whiche if at any tyme they be sycke, we mought praye god, that they ne­uer recouer, consyderynge they esteme hit a greatte grefe to bye helth with a lyttel suf­ferynge.

¶Of these maner persons if I speke some what largely, I do it after myn accustomed maner, specially whan I perceyue many of my countrey men the Almaynes, to er [...]e in this behalfe

BVt I beseche almyghty god, that this nation maye ones knowe it selfe. Whiche thing I do not desyre so moch, by­cause it is vncomely, that the people that rulethe all the worlde, shoulde so lyue, as for that, that suche intemperancie and ryotte is an occasi­on to vs of great euyls, and also to be greatly dispised. If other people shoulde eate and drynge as moche as they coud, they thinke they shulde passe the lawe of nature: but whan we cromme in so moche, that we can not beare it, we loke after laude and prayse. What meneth these strynes and contentions of our valyant drynk [...]rs? Whanne he that drynketh is receyued with triumphe, whan it is glorye to ouercome in drynkynge, and no shame to be dronke and cast it vp agayn. O count [...]ry, O empire. As for the Poloni­ans, or if there be any other that passeth vs in dronkennes, I regard them not, but this nation I say ought to remembre them selfe, and haue regarde to theyr dignitie: excepte it seme, that other nations are comen vnder [Page 44] this empere, not for the reuerence and opi­nion, whiche they hadde of our noble fore­faders, but to dispise and mocke vs. Verily it muste nedes be, that they were far other men, that had such honour giuen vnto them, than we be, that are thus dispised. Is there so moche as a chyld in Italy, that knoweth vs by any other name, than by the name of dronkerdes? Seynge thanne that other straunge nations doo speke sooner of our vice than of our humanitie or vertue: shal we not chaunge our lyuinge? Shal we not fere to lose this honour to our great rebuke and shame? Or shall we not thynke, that hit is more shame to vs to lose the title and pro­fyte of the empire, that hath benne a glorye to receyue, whan it was offered vnto vs?

Or that sober men and reasonable wylle be content to be vnder the rule and dominiō of a dronke and barbarous nation, beynge without all good humanite. But if hit can nat happen into the braynes of our men to vnderstand theyr own shame, yet at the lest lette them knowe theyr owne dystruction. And if we set so lyttell by the loste of oure glorye and the rebuke and shame of our vo­luptuous mynde, that we wyll not leue for that, our vnthryfty lyuynge: lette vs at the [Page] leste wyse haue soo moche wytte, as to care for our bodely helth, whiche must nedes be troubled and brought to nought in such fe­stynges, surfetynges, and drynkynges: a­bout the whiche, as the satirike poete sayth, leapethe and skyppeth in greatte compa­nyes of al kindes of deseses. But Germani hath loste his wytte and vnderstandynge, and hath forgotten it selfe, nat all Germa­nie, but many in Germanie. These be they that drawe theyr dyners vnto soupper, and theyr suppers in to farre nyghte. These be they, which throughe theyr mysorder, haue caused a straunge poete, but yet not an ylle poete, for he semeth to hate yl men, to write to the greatte selaunder of this countreye, sayinge: Bacchus sytteth at the deyse, and Appollo is caste out of all company. For al the lyfe there is nothynge els but drinking, that is, they set more by drynkynge than by wysedome. Howe be it these drongerdes, that erre throughe madnes and lyghtnes, mought lyghtly be dispised: but these that with theyr deynteous fare, and nyce and wanton apparell cast them selfe heedlonge into the mydmayne see of voluptuousnesse and pleasures. These I say, be worthy to by hated of all the worlde. These be they, [Page 45] that lye vpon theyr pyllowes of downe he­ped together, that consume what soo euer may be gotten by land or see, not to susteine theyr lyfe, but to delyght theyr swete mou­thes, that muste weare the fyneste lynnen, that muste be robed in purple, that reioyse, to be wrapped in softe myes skynnes, not so moche to kepe them from colde, as for de­licacie and wantonnes. These be they, that may not touche commen clothe, whose skyn can not suffer but the finest and softest thing that maye be gotten: that take theyr counsel in quaffynge, and in theyr counsels quaffe, that meddle with no sadde matters, but lede all theyr lyfe in feastynges.

¶These thinges ar not vsed (I say ageyn) throughe al Germanie, but specially, which thynge is to our gret shame and rebuke, a­monge the chiefe and the nobles of Ger­manie: whiche pamperde vp dayly with all maner deyntie fare, exercisyng dyners and suppers meate for popes, in them they ban­kette, in them they brynge one to an other, and therin haue suche pleasure, that they had leuer dye, than to be plucked from hit. They haue none other care, but to fylle the bealy: by whom Salust if he had suspected such bestes euer to come in Germanie, might [Page] well haue spoken this his sayenge. Many men gyuen to fedynge and slepynge, haue passed euen as straungers theyr holle lyfe, without knowlege and lernynge. But let a man caste with hym selfe what opinions the Romaynes [...]ad in these dayes of the people of Germanie: and thanne sette before his eies, what a monster, and howe hateful this cherysshynge of our throtes, that we nowe vse, had ben then? In the whiche whanne we haue spente a great part of our lyfe, and haue receiued thens those thinges that must nedes solowe that kynde of lyfe, that is in­numerable kyndes of diseases: than do not we cōfesse nor knowlege our faut, but do accuse god of crueltie. And thoughe hit be we our selfe, that gette and bye with great cost and expenses the sedes of all our syckenes, and norysshe with all oute harte our owne mischiefe and distruction, cherysshynge out euyls with the lost of our holle patrimonie, yet whan we be ones downe, and sette vppe with quosshens and pyllowes heped rounde about vs, not able to moue hande nor fote, than we blame nature, and saye, we maye thanke god of all our euyls and peynes.

For no glottons doo otherwyse, than they dydde, whiche Iunenall spekethe of, whi­che [Page 46] beleue, that god in his fume and wrath doth caste these diseases vpon theyr bodies: and therfore calle them the gonne stoones and weapons of god. But wolde to god we wold returne to our oten porage, and be couered as we were in tyme paste, with wollē garmentes, so made that euery lymme and parte of vs mought be sene, & to waxe wery of this sylke, and hate these garmentes soo ful of plaites. For what other thynges are all these, but fyrst the wastyng of our patri­mony, and than the purchasyng and incresse of all euylles and diseases? Verily our a [...] cetours, beynge verye nyggardes in this thynges, dydde greatte actes and excellent thynges with hyghe glorye. But whan dyd we, that to fulfyll our plesant affection re­ceyue venom in the stede of meate, any thing worthye the honour and glorye of Germa­nie? It was farre better for vs to be called and counted barbarous, whan our lyuynge was homely and rude, than nowe to haue in this ryottous lyfe, and this shame, the laude and prayse of wyttes and good lernynge.

¶What wolde great Charles say nowe, if he came agayn to vs, and saw our princis in theyr vtter garmentes of sylke: seynge that he hym selfe wore a shert of habergyn? Or [Page] what wolde one of the Othons saye, which stretched out and enlarged theyr vertue and valyantnes in duste and durte: whan oure men anoynte them selfe with straunge and costly bawmes?

¶There is a notable execration of Chry­syppus agaynste them, that vse oyntmentes voluptuously to the pleasure of other. The deuyll take these delycate felowes, saythe he, that haue sclaundered so good a thynge, the people that were wanton and gyuen to pleasure vsed it in tymes paste. But it was neuer thought, that the Germayns shulde euer come to this poynte, to smell of oyntementes and bawmes. And nowe we cal for pomāders, muskeballes, damaskepo [...]ders, and all maner sauers as thynges necessary to our lyfe, and thynke it great honour to vs to smell of suche straunge sauours. No­ther is it women onely that are in this faut, but men, specially princis and priestes.

¶Solon forbade oyntmentes to be sold in [...] cite of Grece: And the Lacedemones ex­pelled them from theyr citie, sayinge, that they corrupted and marred theyr oyle.

¶And Lic [...]rgus toke away from the same Lacedemons bankettynge, feastynge, and [...]ostely dyners. And Socrates (as [...]eno­phon [Page 47] saythe) dydde greuously rebuke suche ryottes abundance.

¶Trewely the old Germayns mynded no such voluptuous plesures, and they thought it a very straunge thynge, to lyue any thing wantonly or nycely. I haue harde some old men say, that whan they were yonge men, it was a suspecte thynge to weare a gowne, whan we now a dayes do honour and wor­shyppe purpull. And therfore we may well crye, O corrupted and wretched worlde.

They were couered with the skynnes of wylde beastes, and laye in theyr feldes vn­der the skye, and were made stronger with contynuall labour, where we that be wan­tonly and nycely clothed, and take our pleasure vnder our gaye gylted houses, be throughe all kyndes of ryotte and voluptu­ous pastimes vtterly weaked, and of all manly strengthes depriued. And maye any man thynke, that this maner of lyuyng can lightly haue an ende, seyng the chefe & principall example therof cometh fro them spe­cially, that be called prestes? What they be in dede god knoweth, & they only, to whom it hath pleased god to gyue trewer eyes to se with. These do not vse al maner pompes and excesses in thynges appertaynyng vnto [Page] the seruice of god, but euerye one of theym must swym at home in his house in al maner of costly and deynteous dyshes and cuppes, and they calle eatynge and drynkynge ly­uynge, or if they do not so call it, yet very­ly they so esteme it. And therfore seyng they do soo, other menne thynke they maye doo the same.

¶And this the laudable and naturalle cu­stome and fascion of Germanie is banyshed. For we be so farre gone, that we excede all other nations, be they neuer so euyll, in su­che abundaunce and voluptuous pleasures. It had more becommed vs to haue dryuen these thynges out from the myddes of vs, and as Diogenes dydde to the Tartis and fyne manchettes, soo to haue sayde to this straunge ryottous maner, O gueste go and gette the hens quickely. Ye the examples of strange nations ought ones to haue taught vs. And seynge to bankette and surfet most largely is nowe adaye counted moste kyng­ly, why do we not here the answere of Me­nedemus the philosopher, whiche he made to Antigonus, askyng him whither he shuld go to a daynteous and costely feste or not? Haue in mynde (sayde he) that thou arte a kynges sonne. Antisthenes, to a certayne [Page 48] persone praysynge delicious fare, sayde, I wolde our ennemies fared delycately. The wordes also of saint Paule ought to be writen in our harte, sayinge: Meates are gy­uen to the bealy, and the bealy to meates, but god shall make an ende of bothe. The same Paule whan he condempned the wor­kes of the fleshe, amonges whiche he nom­bred excesse of drynkynge and eatynge, he addethe to these wordes, Of the whiche thynges I nowe warne you, lyke as I haue before tymes warned you, that they, whi­che commytte suche thynges, shall not be the inheritours of the kyngedome of god.

But they nowe do the same thynges, which ought to be our gides into the kyngdome of god, priestes, chanons, bysshoppes, and prelates, in so moche, that it is nowe come into a prouerbe through out all Germanie, Let hym be made a man of the churche, that loueth to lyue pleasantly, as thoughe suche a lyfe were metest for them.

¶The frugalitie of my grandefather Lau­rence Hutten, whiche is worthy to be writ­ten, ought to moue vs vnto moche glorye, who allthough he were ryche, and moche occupied in greatte matters of our princis, both in warre and peace, yet wolde he ne­uer [Page] admytte into his house pepper, saffron, gynger, nor suche other straung spyces, nor vsed garmentes but only of our owne wol, al thoughe there were sometyme precious vestures gyuen vnto hym for the well doing of his busynes. And he dydde not onely this hym selfe, but also amonges his equalles he rebuked gretly the fascions & maners of men, sayinge. We seke euer straunge thyn­ges, as though we had not growynge with vs, wherwith our meate may be made deli­cate. If we wyll please and delite our taste, or as though the great price of our garmentes dyd increase the qualities of the mynde. But I wyll ceasse to speake more of this man, leest I shulde seme to couet myn owne glory. If I had fyrst told you this one thing me thynketh it is not so goodly a thynge to be borne of this my stocke and familye, in the whiche be somme causes besydes this, wherof I maye glorye, as to be borne his neuewe, that thus hath lyued. Our prede­cessours, and suche as I my selfe haue sene olde men, whan I was but a chylde, whan they dyd kepe in theyr meate, drinke, and clothynge such temperance, they were of good lykynge of body, and through great labour were hardned agaynst hunger and thurste, [Page 51] heate and colde, where as we at the fyrste frost, sheuer and shrinke together both hand and fote: and as sone as wynter begynneth, we be treble [...]urred, and be shut vp in oure hot houses, out of the which we go not vn­tyl mydsommer, whan the sonne and heate bourneth and parcheth all thynges. And as I saye, where as nowe scantly the .x. per­son of the noble men can be founde in Ger­mania, but he hath eyther the gowte in his fete, or in his handes, or is greued with the dropsye, sciatica, or lepry, or is tourmented with this frenche euyll, whiche bry [...]gethe these greattest euyls with hym.

¶But at the last let vs retourne and enter into that lyfe, whiche is metest for this na­tion and empire of Germanie, and which e­uen they, whom I tolde you lyued wanton­ly, can be wel contented to here praysed. For I thinke there is not one of these, that gyue them selfe to such delycate & ryottous lyfe, but he hateth the same in other, except he be so blynded through intemperancie, that he loueth these vnthryf [...]ie manered Sardana­pales, and Heliogabalos, or doth hate the persimonia of many, which be of the contrary facion. Truly vertue semeth very amia­ [...]le euen to them that dothe lyttell folowe [Page] or regarde it.

¶It was an olde meate of Catos, porage made with chese and egges. And Plini re­hersethe, that gruelle made with otemelle grootes was ones the meate of the verye and true Germaynes, as it is yet of many vnto this day. But we fede vppon straunge and beyonde see victualles, thynkynge that we haue so moche nede of them, that eue­rye house holder hathe decreed to sell these thynges, that growe with vs, to bye the other with: whiche one thynge hathe enry­ched the Fucher [...]: whiche in the meane sea­son, that we thus nouryshe our bodies, haue all the money, and lyke wyse all the excel­lent goodly places in Almayn. For they be­inge the ministers of our voluptuous ly­uyng, are so incresed, that there is no prince in Almayne able to compare with theym in ryches. So farre be we gone, and so lyttell perceyue we, what thynges Germanye de­noureth and consumeth. Wherfore I thinke that he was of excellent wysedome (if any suche was) that feared in tymes paste, leste suche voluptuous and delycate lyfe shoulde entre into Germanie: wherof (as euery m [...] may playnely see) spryngeth so moche pesti­lence, and so many diseases: and ageyn per­ceyued, [Page 52] that they shulde lyue quietly, that coulde be contented to lacke such pleasures and delyciousnes. For they that dresse oure herbes, and line with them (as there be some trewe Germaynes yet remaynynge) they are of good helth and bodily lykynge, but they that be spice fyngered, and belche sy­namom, and smell all of clo [...]es, and haue all theyr pleasure in goodly araye, these be they, that are subiectes to al kyndes of dis­eases and euylles. Howe properly therfore dydde the Satirike Poete calle the gowte Ryche? For it medleth not with them that are poore, and drynke no wyne, but hit is a companion for ryche men, dronkerdes, sur­fetours, and delycate lyuers, whiche (as the same poete sayth) to gette swete morselles, leue no place vnserched.

¶And soo, thoughe this countreye brynge forthe that that is necessary for the lyfe, yet as though nature had vtterly forsakē them, they ron vnto straunge thynges, fetchynge theyr garmentes theyr meates and medici­nes from Hercules pyllers, from the ilonde of Taprobana, from the ryuer of Ganges, and from places farther of than these, euen almoste from the heed of Nilus.

¶The wrache of god lyghte on these deed [Page] mēs heedes, that fyrst receyued these euyls into Germanie. For they haue done a thing vnworthy for the grauite of the Germains. Truely they, oure forefathers, were none suche, the whiche preferred the labours and peines of Hercules aboue the fleshly lustes, obone the delycate meatis and softe beddes of Sardanapalus. But O lorde Chyrste, howe delycate, howe holsomme fedynge is breadde made of rye or whete, and gruelle made of millio, oriza, ptisana, and otemele porage? Adde thervnto so many kyndes of herbes, and so many dyuers garden spyces, as anyse, coryandre, cynomum, fenell, mu­sterde, neppe, oynions, lekes, garlyke, and specially if we wyll beleue Plinie, persley hath a singular good grace, to season mea­tes with. And for drynke we haue ale and biere. And for the ryche men there is wyne, whiche is the pure and cleane drynke of the erthe, as Appollonius iudgeth: so that it be vsed scarsly, whether it growe in France, or vpon the bankes of Rhenus. We haue also of our owne beestes fleshe bothe tame and wylde, whiche are not of vnpleasante taste. We haue fruites of trees, not to be dispised, howe ryche is Germanie, howe plenteous of all meates, howe abundantly dothe hi [...] [Page 43] minister all thynges necessarye for the lyfe of man? Wherfore my chiefe desyre & vowe is, that they neuer lacke the gowte, nor the frenche pockes, that can not lyue withoute pepper: And I pray god, they may ones be brought to extreme hunger, whiche nowe serche in all places, not for meate to lyue with, but for delycates and deintees, wher­with they may stere vp their swete mouthes and prouoke theyr appetites. Howe iustely dyd Galenus enuie helth to suche felowes, whan he forbode all phisitions from the cu­ringe of dronkerdes, and of theym that are gyuen to the bely? If such at any time were sycke, for they by and by (sayth he) through intemperate lyuynge hepe vppe again grosse and vndygested humours, soo that they be clensed and purged in vayne.

¶The necessitie of nature is lyghtly con­tented, sayth Hierom. Colde may be expel­led with course clothyng, and hungre with lyttell meate.

¶Whan Anaxerses the kynge of Perse was brought to that necessitie, that he eate drye fygges and barly breade, than he be­holdynge his fortune, and suche a greatte chaunge, sayde: O what pleasure is this, that my regall abundaunce kepte me from? [Page] By the which example we may knowe, that they onely lyue in knowlege of theyr owne lyfe, that lyue scarsely and soberly: And on the other syde, they that be gyuen to the no­rysshynge of theyr bodyes, and the pouring in of al thinges, be as men erryng in darke­nes, and perceyue not theyr owne lyfe, soo farre are they from the lyfe of pleasure.

Howe be it within short space, whan they be ones fallen into diseases, than they begynne to fele and perceyue, what lyfe they haue chosen, and what is the reward of the same. For as Persius sayth, whan the harde, and stony go [...]te, the braunches of their olde sur­setynge, hath broken theyr ioyntes: than they mourne, that they haue passed theyr dayes so grossely, and consumed theyr lyfe so fylthely, and be so sorye to late of theyr lyfe to comme.

¶Do we than doubte, what is the cause of all the syckenes, that the Germayns haue? seing we may yet remembre, that this pesti­lence and mischefe of the bodye dydde enter with that ranke and riottons lyfe. For here we do nowe so gyue our selfes to whores & pleasures, that we seme to stryue with other straunge people for the maystry of fylthye lyuynge, as menne do in games for the best [Page 54] wager. And for this purpose we haue cer­tayne ministers very experte. The [...]e gette and conueye vnto vs from the fardeste par­tes of the worlde prouocations of glotony. These brynge in from farre, with meruay­lous delyght, both to eate, to drynke, & also to clothe our selfes with. Wherin seinge they haue longe and many dayes contynued, to theyr owne (as I sayde) great aduantage, they haue made some so delicious, that whā they be here in Almayne, they muste drinke wyne of Corse, they muste haue meates out from Italie, and contrary wyse, whan they be at Rome, they vse wine of Rhene, or that whiche Neccarius bryngeth forthe. O per­uersed custome of lyuynge. O my scheieffe, worthy to be hated of all men, euen so m [...] ­che the more that they be byshoppes, whi­che doo these thynges, and are the rynge leaders thervnto. Suche maner of persons I beleue do desyre of god, as Aristotle wri­tethe of Philoxenus, to haue the neckes of cranes.

¶Aristophanes reproueth the tables of the Syracusanes, and the voluptuous aboun­dance of the Sibarites. If at that tyme he blamed suche thynges, what wolde he saye, if he nowe lyued, and sawe our banketing? [Page] feastynge, our quaffynge and drynkynge? Therfore as many as coueyte vertue and knowledge, lette them take hede and har­ken to Pythagoras, whiche saythe: that a man, that ryseth not aboue man, can not ta [...]t or atteyne any hygh thyng, that is to say, as longe as a man lyueth vnchastely and dys­solutely, be shall neuer do any great thinge with wytte or mynde. The mooste holsom­mest fedynge for man (sayth Plinie) is one maner meate, the heapyng of dyuers tastes is pestiferous, and sawces are worse than that. ¶Persins well perceyued these thin­ges whanne he thus spake in greatte mode. Thou woldest haue lyttie ioyntes, & a hole body in age. Ye but the full dysshes, and the fatte denteous, wyll not suffer the goddes nor Iupiter to graunt thervnto.

¶And Cicero bringeth in Cato saying: that a libidinous and intemperate youth, maketh age very feble. And he aduyseth and coun­saileth vs to eate and drink so moch as may susteine the bodily strength, & not oppresse it, thynkynge that nothing can be so vnfrendly vnto the mynde of man, whiche he callethe an heuenly reward and gyft, as voluptuousnes is. Nor as longe as luste and pleasure bereth rule, Temperance can haue no place: [Page 55] Neither vertue may beare any stroke, where luste and pleasure reigneth. And therfore he iudgeth, that we ought to gyue great than­kes vnto age, whiche causethe that we lyste not to do that thynge, whiche we ought not. For voluptuousnes, sayth he, beinge an en­nemye vnto reason, stoppeth and letteth all good counsell, and blyndeth the eyes of the mynd, aud medleth nothyng at al with ver­tue. And therfore he thinketh, that olde men are happy, whiche whan they lacke feastes, full dyshes, and the cuppes ofte walkynge, they lacke also dronkennes, rawnes of sto­make, and be not combred nor vexed with dreames, whiche maner of thynges, accom­pany them that are gyuen to suche wanton­nes. For Hierom sayth, that diseses come of to moche eatynge.

¶There is a prety ieste, of a certeyne phi­sition of this countrey, whiche hadde a syke man in cure, that hadde runnynge legges, and that not withstandynge was gyuen to bankettynge and drynkynge myghtyly, and yet complayned that his medicines preuay­led not, And that his soores ranne faster, than they dydde at the begynnynge: Truly sayde the phisition, they wolde ceasse ro [...]n­nynge out, if thou woldest cesse powryng in.

[Page] ¶Galenus affirmeth, that the great chuf­fes, whose lyfe and occupation is fedynge, maye neither liue longe nor be helthful, and theyr myndes be so wrapped with ouer moche bloude and fatnes, euen as it were with myer, that they haue no maner heuenly me­ditation, but do alwayes thynke vppon ea­tynge, drynkynge, fartynge, and shytyng.

¶The olde Romaynes called that fedynge necessarie, that was slender and sparyng.

¶And amonge the grekes litell meate was moche commended by the writing of many.

¶The Essees, whiche were a certayn sorte of philosophers among the olde Iewes, are lauded of Iosephus, bicause they had tour­ned theyr dayely abstinence into a custome, and an other nature. The same Ioseph prey seth the continencie of the Phariseis. He that wolde ones haue had vs distroyed, I thinke hath desyred, that this custome of lyuynge myghte enter amonge vs. And therfore se­ynge Marcus Cato (as hit is written in Plinie) dyd take great care and feare, leste the Grekes shulde inuade Italy, with their wanton and voluptuous lyuynge: whiche of our forefathers hath prouided, that none of these spycis and sylkes shulde be solde in Germania? farewell pepper, farewell saf­fron, [Page 56] farewel sylke. Or if there be any vse therof amonge other nations, I praye god that this nation neuer knowe it, or se it. And Christe sende our countey men this mynde, that they may call home agayne the fruga­lite of theyr elders, and facion them selfes to theyr honest sparynge.

¶With what stoute stomake doth Anachar­sis bost the order of his lyuynge? Vnto me (sayth he) hunger is a swete morselle, the grounde is my bed, a cloke of Scithia (that is a beastes skyn) is my garmente.

¶Sober Demosthenes draue dronkē Aes­chines out of the citie. Socrates hatyng the tauerne haunters, and such as haue al theyr delyte and pleasure in theyr throtes, sayde: Many men lyue to the intente to eate and drynke, but I eate and drynke to lyue. O, very wyse man, and worthy soo to be taken by Apollos commendation.

¶And this sayenge of a greke poete is to good to be forgotten: Thou thy selfe must rule the bridell of thy bely.

¶What saye you? Whatte maner felowe thynke you Epicurus was? Whom all the world persecuteth, as a felowe of pleasure, whiche put the hyghest felicitie in pleasure? Truely what so euer it be, that he made soo [Page] moche of, he ment in the onely vse of breade and water, and dyd moch commend slender liuynge, and suche as may quickely be got­ten. And writinge vnto a certayne frende of his, he saythe: Sende me a lyttell che [...]e of Cithridi, that I maye, whanne I woll, fare somwhat more deynteously.

¶Anaxagoras sayde, He that eatethe sa­uourly, nedeth but lytel meate. Porphirius wylleth the mynde to be clensed and purged with abstinence. And Philostrate wrytethe, that Porus, the kynge of Inde, was exce­dynge strong and mighty, not withstanding he neuer fedde but vpon breade and water. Masinissa lyued .lxxxx. yere without any maner delicate fedynge. And Mithridates, kyng of Ponte, which kept warres with the Romaynes .xl. yeres, vsed to eate his meate standynge, so farre he was from our facion, that he wolde not sytte downe on a softe quoysshen.

¶Titus Li [...]i [...]s writing of Annybal, [...]aith, He measured his mete and drynke after the nede of nature, and no [...] after pleasure. He had not the tymes of watchyng and sleping distincted by the daye and the nyghte, but whan his besynes myghte spare hym, than toke he his rest, and yet not suche as is cau­sed [Page 53] with a softe bed and silence.

¶And amonges the laudes of Augustus Cesar, this is the chiefe, that he was con­tent with lyttell meate and drynke. But we hadde leuer order our lyfe after the facion and maners of glottons and pleasaunte fe­lowes, lyuynge contrarye vnto nature, to the destruction both of body and soule, than to the preseruation of theym bothe to sette before vs these examples of lyfe, soo noble and soo helthfull. And I praye you, the Turkes and other, that are not of this our religion, wyll they euer desyre to become christen men, whan they se [...] vs thus to lyue? But I truste that oure nation wyll ones at laste beware and waxe wyse agayne, beyng taught with our owne harme,

¶Nowe agayne vnto our pourpose. And for so moche as I haue spoken of abstinence and sklender fare, I wyll shewe whatte I thynke of hym, that ordereth hym selfe after this dyete, whether he maye be restored, whiche some men do thynke, euen without the drynkynge of Guaiacum.

OF them that be good oughte to be none euyl opinion, nei­ther suspition: but trewely these comen phisitiōs be sore gre [...]ed, that this medycyne can do so moche, and that it alone can do it, euen without theyr medling. They fume very sore, that so many in euery place be sodeinly holpen, of whom they trusted to haue had a perpetuall stipend and continuall lucre. Wherfore they stryue verye styffely, fearynge leste in tyme to comme it shall take away the truste that men haue in theym. They haue spoken of late certayne trifelynge and vayne wordes, which if they spake as they though, muste be ascrybed to theyr ignorance: but if they spake it of en­uie, than vnto theyr mischeuous mind. They say, that a syke man may be recouered only by this dyete and order of lyfe, whiche is prescribed in this cure of Guaiacū, thoughe he neuer drinke of this docoction of Guaia­cum, nother receyue any other medicine.

And I my selfe haue sene theym, that haue promysed, that they wolde sethe the sha­uinges [Page 58] of Iuniper, and of oke, or asshe, or pine tree, or al these together, and they dou­ted not, but that they wold with these helpe men of suche dyseases as well as with this decoction of Guaiacum. Where vnto (all thoughe I suspecte their malicious intente) yet I pray god sende them as good fortune as they wolde wysshe. For what coude be a greater commoditie vnto this nation, then to haue such a remedy growyng in our own woddes, which must els be fet from so far? But I greatly feare, leste they go in vayne about this theyr rashe promise, both bicause I thynke this to be a greuouser disease then may be put away with hunger, withoute a­ny other medicine ministered, speciall after it hath fastned his rootes depely, as for the most part it is wont to do. And also if these trees, whiche I spake of, coude do any su­che thinge, theyr vertue and power I thinke shulde not haue gone so longe vnkowen, se­inge they growe here amonge vs. Neuer the lesse I am contente, they make a profe. For what other thynge hath a phisition to do, but dayly to fynde out somwhat, and to knowe by experyence, and to serche what wyl helpe euery griefe and syckenes? But this thynge I wolde all shulde be admonis­shed [Page] to beleue, wherof I spake before, that the helpe of frugalitie and scarsenes, as hit is great in other diseases, soo it is, and that specially, in the frenche pockes, but yet not so great that it may amende the bloude that is infected and corrupted thorughe the ve­ [...]oum of this disease, without suche medy­cines, as haue theyr power and strength to do it. As by example. If two kepte warre together, and the one of them obteyned of me, that I shulde not helpe his aduersarye: veryly I may impute vnto hym, that I hurt hym not, but that I haue holpe hym, I may in no wyse. And lykewyse the absteynynge from meate and drinke, as it dothe not take awaye the disease, so doth it not noryshe. As one myght say, that he nother bound a per­sone whā he myght, nother losed hym whan he myght not.

¶I haue shewed you, that many haue bene restored to theyr helth from the gowte and ioynt ache, whan they brought them selfe to a more sklender and a sobrer diet, and ab [...]steined from wyne and women: but I neuer thought so of the frenche pockes, and the maladies that folowe therof. For that en­treth so depe, that it can not lyghtly be pl [...]c­ked vp, and spredeth soo brode, that it can [Page 59] not with a lyttell thynge be brought to ge­ther, but it so infecteth the hole bodye, on which it ones catcheth holde, that it can not be taken from any part alone, but whan it is driuen out from the hole, as at one brayd or plucke. Beleue me, that haue proued many thynges herin to my great hurte, if any man mought haue auoyded this euyll with sobre and scarse lyuynge, I had auoyded it long sins. For by the space of .iii. hole yeres I kept my body as low & as leane as coude be, in so moche that in that space I felte no grefe of my disese, but yet I was not cleane ryd from it. Neuer the lesse goo to ye noble promysers, sethe ye asshe, make ye redye Iuniper and pyne tree, and take boxe to, if it please yo [...], and horne beame, and plane tree, and ye shall gette ryghte great thanke of all men, if throughe your dylygence we may haue here at home, that we muste elles seke soo farre of. Ye and ye shall do moche more for vs, than the Fuchers shuld, though they made pepper or cynamum to growe in this countreye. And soo gladly as I wolde receyue this thing at your hand, if ye wolde euer gyue it forthe: so before ye gyue it, I wyll not beleue, that there is any such thing in you, no I wyll not so moche as hope for [Page] it, seynge I haue gaped soo often tymes in vayne lokynge for those golden hylles.

AL the tyme of this cure the bealy auoydeth very lyttell and harde, and that with moche ado, and that is not onely bycause he eateth litel but also bycause the nature of this medicine is to dry and byndeth. How be it I haue harde saye, that this thing hap­neth nat to euery man a lyke. For some say that anone after the begynnynge they were lose belyed, and some were so contynually: Wherof I dyd meruayle. For in these .xl. dayes it neuer wente from me so moche as ones, but as it was compellyd. For in this diete it maye be kepte to the .v. or .vi. daye, without any ieoperdy: And than in the mor­nynge the shauyng of this Guaiacum soden in water, muste be dronken to the mounte­naunce of halfe an vnce. And if it moue not at the fyrst, it must be geuen agayne the next day, and so the thyrd day, and if it help not so, ye must than poure in clisters vnderneth, [Page 60] or suppositories prepared for the nones. For the bely muste nedes be losed. And if a man wyll lose hym selfe by drynkynge or eatyng Cassia, I thynke he doth not moche amysse, so that this be done but ones, and that mor­nynge lette hym not drynke Guaiacum: I wolde not that he shulde be eased with vo­mites: for they make the bodye colde: and (as Plini sayth) they be euyll for the eyes, and specially for the tethe. There be many thynges in this cure, that stoppe the bealy. Fyrst bycause the body is emptied in the be­gynnynge with a pourgation, and than by­cause there is lyttel meate receyued. But as this place is closed and shut from eiections, so is there somewhat in the meane season, other by sweatynge, throughe the strength of Guaiacum, that expelleth thynges hurt­full and superfluous, or els in the vrine, the whiche is more moyste than that cometh of the meate. And one thynge is greatly com­fortable, that in the tyme of this cure there chaunceth no swellynge, nor there are noo peynfull throwes or aches felt, nor the tast cometh not bytter, nor there rysethe no lo­thynge of meate, nor vaporous breathe not lyghtly ascendynge from the stomake to the heed, as in other diseses. And that the paciēt [Page] is purged, it is easely perceyued by making of water: nor to the intente that shoulde be doone, none other prouocation shoulde be soughte. Nowe wyll I speke a lyttelle of sweatynge.

IF the pacient can not sweate, somme thynke, that meanes shulde be sought to prouoke hym therto. And therfore they caste on hym many clo­thes, and lette hym lye thre or foure houres couered hot. And thoughe this amonge all thynges that we suffre, be one the hardeste: yet I felte euen to the ve­ry feyntyng, that so chaunceth no fayllyng, all they that were cured with me, indured it moste greuously, and they sayde, that this was the hardest thynge in all this cure

But if I myght laufully say my minde here in (all mooste I dare not shewe that that I haue lerned) I wolde no man shuld be pro­uoked to sweate, saue that the pacient shall as the thynge requyrethe, kepe his bedde [Page 61] thre or foure houres, and passe not, and let hym be couered, but not with ouer manye clothes, nor to lye ouer stylle and stere not: but in any wyse let hym not be putte to mo­che vexation.

¶And I thynke verily, that as wel in this cure as in other, the phisitions of my coun­trey do many thynges fondly, whiche ought not to be done. For as this medicine of hit selfe causeth one to sweate, euen so hit wyll not abyde compulsion. Wherof this maye be a dewe proue, that I perceyued my selfe no sooner to sweate, whanne I was couered with thre or foure furres, than whan I had to wrye me but one couerlede. But this I wold ye shuld vnderstande, that the pacient muste nedes sweate, and if it wyll not come naturally, than it must be prouoked meanly. For I allowe nothynge that is forced. And I warne you, that ye eschew those, that are wont to toste the bodyes at the fyre, or that wold haue the stewes ouer hotte. For suche hea [...]is distroye the bodies, and drye vp the humours that nouryshe the strengthes.

And where I sayd swette must be prouoked meanely, or easily, it must be thus taken: that if one be wryed with the clothes of one bed, so that the loode of the clothes greue hym [Page] not or erke hym: I suppose through the operation of Guaiacum, he shal sweate inough.

BVt nowe I suppose, hit is hygh tyme to declare, howe the effecte of this medycyne may be perceiued and vnderstande, and whan the pacien­tes begynne to mende, and whether this curynge be sodaine and swyft, or late and slowe. Wherin, as I vse in all o­ther, I wyll open to you those thynges, that I my selfe haue both sene and knowen: but this I warne you of before, that if it haue chaunced other wyse to any manne, thanne I wryte, that he laye not the blame in me.

¶I haue lerned, that Guaiacum helpethe by lyttell and lytell, and not sodaynly, and gothe forwarde fayre and easely, and not violently. For it is so far from the trouthe, to thynke that it helpeth one sodaynely, that somtymes, from the first daye to the .xxv. the disease cometh so sharpe, and the peyne and [Page 62] ache so augmenteth, and the soores soo en­large, that a man wold thynke hym selfe in worse case durynge these days, than euer he was before: either bycause thā the disease is rooted vp and drawē from the inner partis, and the rootynge vp is peynful, or els that the alteration, whiche than is caused in the disposition of the body, breakyng out with a great violence and shaking, putteth a man to greuous peyne. For vndoubtedly this me dicine draweth out this myscheuous disease by the rootis, and that dothe it vnto somme forth with after they begyn to take it, and to some other it tarieth a longer tyme: but it doth so to no man before the .vii. day, and to many (as it dyd to me) after the .xx. day, if it tarye longer er hit worke this effecte, than the defaute is other whyle in the paci­entis, whan they wyll vse excesse in feding. In me (as I sayde afore) the fa [...]te was in sythynge of Guaiacum, for by reason that the phisitions in preparynge therof, made it smaller than they shulde haue done, I was the longer er it wrought on me. And I haue harde phisitions say, that accordynge to the complexiō of the bodies it worketh soner & slowlyer. And this is sure & certayne, whi­che thyng Stromer ofte affirmed vnto me, [Page] that if they, the whose wyt is more subtyle, and are ryghte attentiuely gyuen vnto study, happe to falle sycke, theyr diseases shall be more vehemente and longer continue. And many thynke, that it skylleth greattely, as well in this disease, as other, in what placis of the body the syckenes shuld chaunce, for the ryghte part is more healeable than the left. Bycause, saythe Alexander, by larger exercyse the matter is stopped, and made more apte to heale. Also they say, it is more harder to heale the vttermost partis, bicause they be farre of from the body, it is longer they can be nouryshed and fedde. And there it is to be taken hed, whether the grefe doth ascende or discend. Celsus sayth, that what so euer grefe goth downeward, is the more curable. And agayne. All grefe, which pro­cedeth vpwarde, is worse for the medycyne to come vnto. And that suche diseases, that chaunce in our secrete partys, as they are moste plentefull and sharpe, by reason of in­flamation (whervnto those partes are spe­cially subiectes) so are they forth with and soonest healed. Whiche as in all other medi­cines they maye be moued, so for the newe vse brought vppe of Guaiacum, I wote not whether it be alway so or no. But this lette [Page 63] euery man take hede of, that where so euer the grefe be, and with what soo euer kynde of the pockes they be peyned, that they pre­pare well Guaiacum, and after they haue dronke so long therof that it be spredde and ronne into the veynes: thanne ye maye be sure theyr ache lyttell and lytel goth away. And otherwhyle the ache commeth agayne, and is more sharpe and peynefull: and goth away agayne. For after it ones begynneth to swage, and than waxeth soore and peyn­full, it endurethe not longe. And they that haue soores, shall haue the flesshe eaten a­way about the soores of a greate breadthe. And that is a token, they begynne to heale. For vnto me it chāced, as it neuer did afore, that about the .xxv. daye my legges were eaten so bare, that ye myghte haue sene the bone the breadth of a mannes nayle, whi­che thynge putte me in great feare: but with out any difficultie, within a fewe daies after the fleshe grewe and was restored agayne. And by this I perceyue well, that the na­ture of this medicine is to purifie and clense the soores vnderneth and vnder the fleshe, to proue and shewe fyrste the vertue therof. Hytherto haue I sene fewe or none, whose soores were cleane healed, that were kepte [Page] close tyl they healed. And therfore I haue hard many expert therin say, that thā Guaiacum maketh an ende of his operatiō, whan the pacient returneth to his meate, and in e­uery thynge taketh agayne his olde custome of ly [...]inge. I tolde you before, that it was necessary for me to kepe in, tyll the .xl. daye. Al thynges wel pondered, I perceyue, that this medicine requyrethe a longe season to worke perfectly. For the nature of this me­dicine is not to breake, or plucke awaye the bloud, but by lyttel and lyttel to amend and purifie it (in whiche bloud beinge corrupte, resteth all the force and strength of this dy­sease) and to expel and diuide fro the body the hurtful humours, that are norysshmen­tes of this disease, from some in theyr vrine and sweatynges, and from other somme in their sieges. And whan of this disease a man begynneth to waxe whole, than the fyrst o­peration of Guaiacum is to make a man to sweate, and secondly by the passages of the vrine it purgeth, by which menes it fetcheth out & voydeth marueylous foule fylthynes. And than the handes and feete waxe mer­uaylous colde, in so moche that they seme to haue no heate in them at all. Wherof physi­tions saye this is the cause, that than this [Page 64] medicine draweth the heate from the vtter partes to the inner, the whiche inward par­ties after they be warmed and made hotte, than the heate spredeth it selfe in to the out­warde parties. For this, without any doubt is proued, that theyr lymmes, that be heled with Guaiacum be moste hotte. And .vi. or vii. wynters nexte folowynge, my legges and fete wolde be so colde, that I coude ne­uer gette them warme inoughe, thoughe I wrapped them in neuer soo many clothes, nowe they waxe so warme, that with a ve­ry thyn hose or suche lyke garment, I put a way the colde. These thynges thus vnder­stand and knowen, we muste comme to this poynte, that is, to knowe the operation of Guaiacum, and agaynste what sycknesses it helpeth.

THe mooste principall and the chieffest effect of Guaiacum is to hele the frenche pockes cleane, pluckyng them vppe by the rootes, but specially whan a man hath ben disea­sed [Page] with them of alonge tyme. For I haue sene them, that many a day laye soore pey­ned with the pockes, sooner and better re­stored vnto theyr helth, than they, on whom the scabbes beganne newly to appere. Not that on those, newelye diseased any thynge shoulde be lefte vnhealed, but that the cu­rynge goothe forwarde more hardely, and the disease stycketh faster and is more gre­uousely plucked out. For Guaiacum doth resolue & distroy meruailously swellinges, getherynges to gether of yll matters, hardnesses, bumpes, and knobbes. Fluxions or runnynges it vtterly taketh awaye, eyther consuminge or tournynge the same an other waye. It causeth the soores to impostume withoute any maner of grefe. And if any thynge lye hydde within, it rooteth it oute. And soo of some (as hit dydde to me) hit maketh the bones bare, of some it shewethe the synowes, and breaketh the veynes, or eateth moste depelye in, and it healeth these partyes that be infected with this disease, and with suche stynche and fylthinesse, that the sauoure canne not be abyden.

And therfore the phisitions saye, that the vertue of this medicine is to heate, to drye, and to amende the fautes ol the bloude and [Page 65] of the lyuer: but it worketh all these thyn­ges with suche a temperaunce, that indiffe­rently, whether the cause be hotte or colde it easethe the pacientes. Wherfore with the drynes therof it restreyneth the flyde, de­stroyenge the hurtfull humours that flowe oute, orelles plucketh vp by the rootes the cause of theyr begynnynge, and restorethe agayne the good disposition of the body. It dothe extenuate fleme, and the poores or passages of the vryne, that chaunce manye tymes by perunctions to be shutte, and al­so other in this disease hit openethe, ye and prouoketh & compelleth the vryne to make and haue way. For the whiche skylle some thynke it helpeth them that haue the stone, and that it compelleth the stones to issue out of the bladder. I haue experyence, that hit greately mynisheth blacke coler. And ther­fore it maketh a man more gladsome, and quencheth anger. Vndoubtedly hit hathe a a greater vertue agaynst melancolye. And hit taketh away runnynges and droppyn­ges, and it lyghtneth his heuynes, by hea­tynge (as it may be thought) the brayne. It is sayde, that hit amendeth soores, whiche were before yll healed, howe soo euer they come, and cuttethe agayne the scarres. It [Page] amendeth the leannes, whiche hath longe contynued in the body. And therfore whan this cure is done, mē waxe very fat al their lyfe after. They saye it hath a meruaylous vertue ageynst the stynkyng of the mouth, & doth amende the griefe of the brethe, whi­che also cometh through the faute of anoyntynge. It helpeth the inwarde parties, and specially the stomacke, the which it holle re­neweth, and maketh the brokynge as good as euer it was before. His effect is excellēt for the membres that be fallen awaye and diminished, it increaseth theym and fyllethe them vp, it stretcheth forth the sinowes that are shro [...]ke, and those that be lose it fastneth and maketh stronge. It is also proued, that suche parties as throughe this disease be made deed and without felyng, are agayne quickened and brought to theyr olde felyng and lustynesse. I sayde before, that as tou­chynge the bealy it varyed. For some it dyd bynde, and some it made laxe tyl they were wery. And agayne, somme it dyd bynde in the begynnynge, and afterwarde hit losed theym, and made them lanke belyed. And that the verye shauynges broken as smalle as coude be, to the mountenaunce of halfe an vnce, was gyuen in drynke to prouoke [Page 66] a siege. I haue also sayde, that the measure therof is not gyuen after the proportion of his strength, that receyueth it. For hit ma­keth not one weaker whan it is mynistred. And now this one thyng I affirme, that if it be .iiii. tymes sodden, yet is not all the ver­tue gone out. Wherin I do not beleue other men, but I my selfe haue proued it. Howe be it I deny not, but the fyrst broth is moch stronger. Somme there are, that stedfastly beleue, that it is very good for fistules and cankers, and for the parties that be eaten with cankers. Certayne it is, it helpeth them that fetche theyr wynde with peyne, and can not breth, if that faulte come throughe this sickenes, or throughe anoyntyng.

¶And for as moche as I haue shewed be­fore what euyls come with this sickenes, it were but labour in vayne to repete them, whiche all it taketh awaye, distroyeth, and vanquyssheth, as I before tolde: and that (if they be olde) very lyghtly. And in lyke maner it helpeth the gowte. For I my selfe haue sene two restored to helth, which were [...]ore vexed in their fete: but yet the physy­tions saye, that it helpeth onely those that haue gotten the gowte through colde, whi­che thynge I leue to them to complayne of. [Page] It is also an helthfull remedy for the pal­sey, and especially whan it is new and late­ly begonne. For than it quencheth and dry­ueth it away: whiche thynge I doo wryte vppon the reporte of faythfulle and sadde men, that haue knowlege therof. For as for me, I dyd neuer hytherto se any that was so delyuered.

¶Ricius tolde of a leper, the which though he were not cleane delyuered by this medi­cine, yet was he made moch better and clea­ner, and suche a man as men myght suffer his company: so that Ricius iudgeth, that this medicine is able to hyde and stoppe le­prosie, though it can not take it clene away. But if this cure were vsed ones agayne or often, than he beleued, that the great hurte of that disease shulde be put of for a longe tyme. And more ouer he hadde great hope, that if this syckenes were thus preuented in the beginninge, it myghte vtterly be pur­ged and clensed, and the syke restored. And for as moche as this medicine hath vertue to drye vppe, some go aboute to minister hit for the water betwexte the flesshe and the skynne, whiche is called the dropsie, the ende wherof we loke for. It is well kno­wen to be profitable agaynste the fallynge [Page 67] euyll, as the phisitions saye, if the dysease be of a colde kynde. I haue sene theym that were inwardely dyseased and greued with manye other syckenesses, that were of an euyll and corrupted stomacke, and coulde but badly digeste, and whan they wolde re­couer them selfes from theyr long feblenes and sycklynes, and repayre agayne theyr strengthe and helth, haue prepared theym selfes vnto this cure, the phisitions not ad­uysynge them the contrary. And Ricius ap­proueth the same in many. For so moche as he knewe (as he sayde) that a hoole man, or but lyttell acrased, myghte come vnto this cure without any hurt: and he dyd perfect­ly beleue, that the good lykynge of the bo­dye was kepte, preserued, defended, and confirmed therwith. Let hit nowe contente you, to haue harde spoken these thynges of the helpes of Guaiacum, of the whiche if any man wyll aske me the causes, I wyll sende hym to the phisitions that be experte. For as for me, I professe no suche thynge. Neyther yet dydde I begynne this boke, to thentent that I wolde by and by gyue a re­son of these thynges that I wolde wryte, but this thynge I promysed, what so euer I founde of Guaiacum, and perceyued by ex­perience, [Page] other in my selfe, or in other, and what so euer I had eyther sene or harde of other, that wolde I faythfully and trewely putte in wrytynge, leauynge an occasion to many after me, to declare the thyng as it is worthye. And nowe that all menne maye knowe, what Guaiacum hath done in me, I wyll shewe in what partes of my body, and after what fascion I was diseased.

BY this one chaunce hit is knowen, that we ought not to dispeire in any bodily dis­ease, though we be brought neuer soo nere to deathes dore. For howe many were we, after the phisitions had gyuen vs vppe, that were restored to helthe through the so­deyne and (as a man wold say) the heuenly helpe of Guaiacum?

¶I knowe one, my very sure frende, whi­che whan he sawe me so bytterly vexed with this siknes, that for pein I could nother rest by nyght, nother eate by day, aduysed me to kylle my selfe, seinge there coulde no reme­dy [Page 68] be founde, and my dody semed to droppe away in fylthy matter, to my great peyne and sorowe, and noo hope at all of recoue­rye, sayinge to me, it becommethe the to be delyuered frome this euyll, whether hit wyll or not. But he hadde forgotten, that we were christians, and remembred to wel, that we were frendes and louers. For hit is our parte to be holde all thynges in them that wytnessed in tymes past, whom we now calle martyrs, vnto the worlde, our sauiour Christe manfully sufferynge for his sake great tourmente; and peynes. Howe be hit if any thynge maye cause a man to longe for dethe, truely it is the tourment of this sick­nes. For I vtterly deny, that euer the fa­ther of Licinius Cecine, suffered any suche [...]orowe or peyne, whan he slewe hym selfe with the iuise of Papa [...]ers, Or that euer any other, whiche dyd lyke wyse, felte so in­ [...]ollerable euyls, as this syckenes causeth. For this pestilence besydes al his vexatiōs and tourmentes (which passe farre al other) onely with his fowlenes and lothelynes is able to make one wery of his lyfe.

¶Whan Speusippus the philosopher was ones plucked and drawen with the palsey, that he dispeyred to escape, and then mette [Page] with Diogenes, and bad hym well to fare and good helthe: Diogenes (they say) an­swered, sayinge: And thou lykewyse fare­well in no meanes, seinge thou art suche one and canst be content to lyue.

¶The same Diogenes, that was wonte to be so styffe a philosofer, what trow ye wold he haue sayd, if he had beholde and sene me, whan I was lykewyse vexed, as they that hadde the palsey, and besydes that was so lothe some both in syght and sauour, that al were greued with me, and some dydde hate me? And yet I dyd lyue and had some hope, although I had ben oftentimes deluded and mocked through the great promyses of the phisitions. And lest any man shulde thynke that my disease was eyther lyght, or in one parte onely, I wyl shewe in what takyng I was. Fyrst I coulde doo nothynge with my lefte foote, for there had this euyl dwelled viii. yeres and more, and in the mydlegge, where the shyn is couered with flesshe very thynne, there were sores inflamed through the inflamation of the fleshe, rottyng with great ache and bournynge, and as soone as one waxed hoole, an other brake vppe. For there were many, here some and there some, whiche coulde by no helpe of the phisitions [Page 69] be brought to gether in one. Ouer them was a knobbe soo harde, that a man wolde haue thought it a bone, and in that was exceding peyne and ache, beatyng and pryckyng without ceassynge. There was also verye nyghe to the ryght ancle aboue, a certayne swel­lynge and gatheryng, which was also hard lyke a bone, and was the oldest of all, wher­in remayned the remenantes of this pesty­lence fresshe and newe rysen.

¶Whan the phisition went about this with yron, with fyre, with hotte yrons, or with any other instrumēt, they profited nothinge: somtyme it was swollen very vehemently, with great peyne and akynge, somtyme hit aswaged and was gentyller. And it greued me lesse whan my foote was holde towarde the fyre, and yet wold it not suffre to be co­uered with moche geare: it ranne soo that a man wolde haue thoughte hit wolde neuer haue ben stopped. And as often as I wolde reste or stonde vppon my foote, my peyne was intollerable: than vpwarde the calfe and the knee were meruayllous colde, and as thynges deed. The thyghe was cleane worne away and consumed to extreme lea­nes, and the skynne was so thyn, that there semed nothynge els lefte to couer the boone [Page] with. Moreouer the ioyntes were so louse, that longe tyme I had moche adoo to stande hilone, and to be shorte: the one of my but­tockes was but a thynge wethered awaye. In my lefte shulder there was suche peyne, that I coulde not lyfte vppe myn arme: the extreme partes of my shulders were weke and woxen verye styffe: in the myddes of the brawne of myn arme there was a swel­lynge as moche as an egge, and as for the reste of myn arme euen to the verye hande, was cleane worne away. And on the ryght syde a lyttell vnder the lowest rybbe, there had I a sore, whiche was not in dede peyn­full, but it boyled out certayne fowle and stynkynge matter, and issued very fylthyly after the maner of a fystule with a narowe mouth outewarde, and inwarde it was of a large holownes. And aboue hym there was also an other as thoughe a bone hadde bene bredde there vpon a rybbe. And to conclude I dyd playnly feele a streme and issue come downe behynde from the toppe of my heed vnto all these. And where it began the leeste touche in the world made my heed to worke as though the brayne panne had ben broken, nother myghte my face be tourned backe­warde, but as it was tourned with the hole [Page 70] bodye. This one thynge yet wolle I not passe, wherfrom if Guaiacum had delyue­red me, and done nothynge elles, yet oughte I to haue lauded and preysed his vertue greatly, and that is noone slepe, whiche I coueted so deedly, and was soo moche gy­uen thervnto, that almooste in .vi. yeres space there scaped not one daye, whan the phisitions cryed oute vppon me, sayinge: that was the cause of all my diseases, and yet I coulde not refrayne my selfe frome it. But nowe is that gone so far from me, that I trowe if I shuld enforce my selfe to slepe in the day tyme, I coulde not. With all these, and so great euyls all though I was so maystred, that al men dispeyred my helth: yet my good angel (I beleue) wylled me to tary and loke for somwhat. And lo through the helpe of Guaiacum I am bolde nowe to lyue, and to drawe brethe agayne. Whiche mynde god gyue to all good men, that they neuer ceasse to hope and truste. As for me I repent my selfe in nothynge, and i [...] by any meanes longe lyfe myght be graunted vnto me, I haue greatte hope that I shulde lyue hoole, sounde, and lusty. And of this disese, and of the remedy of Guaiacum, I haue wrytten these thynges, that cam to my mind [Page] [...]ery faythfully, truely, and as my lernyng wolde suffre me, and here wold I make an ende, if I thought it not necessary to admo­nysshe them, that shall rede these thynges, howe after this cure, the sycke muste be or­dered, as touchynge the order and maner of theyr lyuynge, which thynge I wyll per­forme and that breuely

I Gaue warnynge before, that after this cure is paste, and the pacient is departed owte of the cloyster of this medy­cyne, wherin he was close kept, he must vse consequent­ly in his lyuing a certayne diet and order by the space of .iii. or at the lest .ii. hole monthes. And nowe that we be come to the very pro­pre place to entreate of the same thynge, I say that it is so necessary to be done, that who so euer hath recouered his helthe, ex­cept he afterwardes take good hede, dily­gently obseruynge many thynges, and lyue for a space vnder a certayne rule, as though [Page 71] he were yet shut vp: I say playnly that his helth shall not longe endure. And therfore thre monethes are appoynted vnto suche as were eyther greattely consumed and lowe brought in theyr syckenes, and hadde many issues, and auoyded moche, or els were sore hurt in theyr synowes and lymmes, or be so weakened in their body, that a lyttell tyme can not be sufficient to gether vp perfitely theyr cromes agayne. And on the other side, they that be stronge and not so farre gone, nor broken, vnto suche .ii. monethes, after their settyng out ar inough as it is thought. [...]ut by cause I wolde prouyde surely for them that wyll folowe me, I wyll aduyse them to obserue and kepe this prescrypte very longe, and to begynne with, they shall absteyne them selfes longe tyme frome the fl [...]shely acte: Bycause they that be recoue­red through Guaiacum, haue theyr bodyes very tender and vtterly weake as yet, as thoughe they had bene lately newe borne? And therfore if they shoulde haue the com­pany of woman, wherby the newe gotten strength is weake and grene, and not yet ry­ped: it wolde by and by dissolue and destroy the strengthe and myghtis of all the mem­bres for euer. And for as moche as the vse [Page] of carnall copulation bryngeth into perylle not one membre by hym selfe but al the hole bodye at one choppe: What other thynge maye we saye, he pretendeth, that medleth carnally with women (being so febled) than wyllyngly to slee hym selfe, or at the leste spedily to distroy his naturall strength, and playnly caste his helthe away.

¶And if some be forbodden the companye of women, whiche be neuer the lesse of good lykynge in body, and haue no disease at all: Howe moche ought they to auoyde and flee it, that thus haue lost theyr helth & myght, and must labour al that they can to repayre the same agayne? And if before .xiiii. yere of age none is stronge inough vnto that act, bycause his strength is not full furnyshed to putte so ieoperdous a thynge in experience: How thā ought be to beware and take hede, that is thus nowe borne agayne, and hathe so yonge and tender a body, that he offer not hym selfe to be rashely plucked and torne before he haue receyued his strength, and is well hardned therin.

¶The nexte poynte here vnto is this, that thoughe they shall haue a gredye and sharpe appetite to meate, beinge emptied with con­tinuall hunger, yet they muste resyste the [Page 72] same, and as moche as maye be to behaue them selfe very soberly and scarsely in their fedynge. And therfore they muste fyrst vse verye lyttell meate, and afterwarde some what more, goinge forth by lyttell and lit­tell, soo that there maye be a good space e [...] that they come to theyr olde custome of ea­tynge, exercysynge them selfe softely, be­gynnynge no newe thynge hastely or soden­ly, vtterly absteinyuge fro al wynes except it be fyrste delayed with moche water, and be also of hit selfe smalle and of good sa­uour and clere, and yet so, very moderatly. Let hym also, that is cured, be well fensed agaynst the violence of the ayer, and speci­ally in those tymes, that be greuous with colde wynde and rayne, orels let hym goo forth abrode verye seldome. He maye take meate twyse a day, but at euentyde very ly­tell, and all that tyme he maye neuer fo­lowe his appetite, but muste auoyde fulnes, as the greattest euyll, that can be. He muste also aboue all thynges forbeare fyshe, and feade vpon yonge and tender flesshe, suche as is of lyghte dygestion, and nourysshethe purely, whiche they be ye maye knowe by the phisitions teachynges. And these thyn­ges must haue place, in the sayde two or .iii. [Page] monethes, for other thynges whiche shall be further obserued, maye be lerned more playnly in the thynges folowyng. For nowe I wyll aduyse and monyshe with fewe wor­des, not onely theym that are recouered by Guaiacum, but other as well from what so euer disease they be delyuered, if they tender theyr good helthe and wellfare, and desyre to be longe in prosperitie, whatte thynges they shall folowe. And here it is chiefely to be noted (howe be it al doth nowe knowe it) that this one thynge is hit that maketh this sycknes to be verye greuous, bycause there is great difficultie in dyetynge. For whan this disease is ouercome, it is not one onely that must be obserued in the order of our lyuynge, but many thynges: and dyuerse must be rekened vppon. In so moche as what so euer thynges there be, whether they be with or agaynst all the diseases, whiche I sayde before folowed this syckenes, he that is re­couered, must set them before hym, endeuo­rynge him selfe with al diligence to obteyne them, that make with hym, and to anoyde them that be ageynst him. Wherfore he must be alwayes very careful in his lyuyng, that al thyng maye be done ordinatly. Not with standynge if this medicine haue saued any, [Page 73] there is for theym great comforte, bycause they that are expert therof, plainly thynke, that after the pacientes haue ones receyued theyr helth, & the time of obseruation, which foloweth this cure be past, nothinge that is not contrary to theyr olde maner of lyuyng can putte them in any daunger, soo that they vsed not before to lyue without order vtter­ly. For that same order shal serue hym, that is thus restored, as shall serue theym, that neuer had the sycknes. Wherfore they thinke it not so moche to be regarded, what a man eateth, as howe moche he eateth: And ther­fore no kynde of meate to be forborne, no choise of meate to be hadde, concernynge the qualitie of fedynge, nothynge to be ca­red fore, but that whiche is knowen to ap­perteygne to the commen conseruation of helthe, and to the vniuersall auoydynge of all maladies and diseases. Wherin that that Celsus teacheth, perchance shall not be the leest, whiche is, that euerye man take hede, leste whyle his bodye is in prosperitie, the aydes and succour ageynst aduersite be con­sumed and wasted.

¶Helth is preserued (as the same Celsus sayth) by dyet, by medicines, by oyntynges, by frictions and rubbynges, by baynes, by [Page] exercyse, by caryage aboute, by clere and pleasant readynge: whiche thynges howe they ought to be considered fully and holle, I leaue you to aske of hym. Here wylle I breuely touche a fewe thynges, and suche as apperteyne to dyete. This I thynke they muste fede pleasauntely and moderately, and take suche meates and drynkes as be of lyghtest dygestion. For as Poule saythe, The chiefest poynt of education is, that the meate be suche as wyll lyhgtly dygeste and nourysshe well, not slowe in digestynge, nor clammye, nor plentuous in superfluities: and the drynke to be smalle wyne, whyte, pure, and a lyttell delayde with water.

And Celsus saythe, Se your meate be not fatty, clammy, nor wyndy. And by his coū ­sell ye muste absteyne in all suche dyseases from all maner salte meates, sharpe, sowre, and bytter. For the same reason I thynke, wherof I made mention before. And Paule saythe, In eatynge, the greatteste faute is satietie and fulnes. For all thoughe the bely digeste well, yet the veynes to moche reple­nysshed, labour soore, they swelle, they breake, they be stopped and fylled with wynde, and playne it is, that the worst dys­eases of all comme of sacie [...]ie. He thynketh [Page 74] this onely to be auoyded, that no man fylle him selfe. And I iudge the same but not on­ly, for I wolde more ouer nothynge to be dressed deintuously, nothynge to be [...]auced curiously, and that many dysshes of dyuerse kyndes be not sette before vs, nother wyll (as these ryche menne vse) sixe, or .vii. or sometyme .x. messes at one soupper to be broughte in. For a manne wolde not beleue, howe moche these thynges hurte, not onely the stomacke, but also the holle digestion.

And therfore I wil repete again this thing, whiche is spoken of the same authore: Va­rietie of meates is greattely to be auoyded, specially whan contrarye operations and vertues be in them. For whan they be soo thruste in, they resist digestion, and the same thinketh Galene, and Auicene, and as ma­ny as be of pure iudgement in phisicke.

¶Cato (as Tully wryteth) commandeth so moche meate and drynke to be receyued, as may refresshe the strength and power of the body, and not oppresse it. Wherfore by the counsell of Xenophon, we muste make for the most parte a small dyner, that there may be a place for the supper.

¶Playnly this disease is of that sorte, that Galenus thynketh to come of fulnes, whi­che [Page] thynge is thus to be vnderstande, not that I thynke all that lyueth in surfetynge, streight waye to be cast into the french poc­kes (all thoughe suche shall not escape dys­eases, no not most greuous) but if any haue ben vexed before with them, and than hea­led, eate and drynke intemperately, he must nedes fal agayne into theym. And therfore the meate that is receyued, let it nother be dyuerse nor moche, that the stomake be not loded, and dygestion letted. And agayne let it be (as I monysshed) easye in dygestynge. Plinie sayth, all maner sharpe meates, all that is to moche, and all that is hastely re­ceyued be harde in workynge, and harder in somer than in wynter, and harder in age than in youthe.

¶It is wryten in Tully, he that medleth not with exquysite meates, looded tables, and often cuppes, shal not be combred with dronkennes, rawnes of stomacke, or drea­mes. But for as moch as whan this cure is done, we muste prouyde, howe the bodye, that hath hytherto benne emptyed and made leane, may be brought ageyn vnto his olde state, therfore peraduenture those meates muste be vsed, that increace and fyll the body, not with noyfull humours, but suche [Page 75] as Celsus reherseth in the .iii. chapter of the fyrste boke.

¶Plinie also sayth, The bodies growe and increace with sweate and fatte meates, and with drynke, they diminisshe and go downe with drye, leane, and colde meates & thurst. But this muste be wysely vnderstande, for those thynges, whiche I haue often before monysshed. But seinge Galenus warnethe vs in all thynges to take hede to the bealy, For what so euer, sayth he, is corrupted, in that it is a cause of rot vnto al the body, and so of diseases, I thynke it best to take those drynkes and meates, as Celsus teachethe, which do both noryshe & make the bely soft.

¶But if any, through the dyuelles prouo­cation fyll hym selfe, and lode his stomake with meate, more than it is able to beare: if he lyste to seke helpe by slepe, let him here Plinie, saying, To dygest in slepe, it maketh more for the corpulentes than the strengthe of the body. And therfore the phisytions wolde haue the great fat wrastlers to make theyr digestion by walkynge. But if he had leauer ease hym selfe by vomyt, as many do counsell, and Paule specially teacheth, for throughe vomytes many euyls oftentymes haue ben stopped, and withstande, lette him [Page] rede his doctrine, shewynge howe one maye lyghtly vomyt. And if nother of these be regarded, or to late proued, than peraduen­ture he muste go to phisike, whervnto if the sycke be compelled, I can gyue hym none other commaundement, but euen the same, whiche I haue oftentymes spoken, that he commytte hym self [...] to a sober and lerned phisition, or to a well experte, rather than to one that is of high exquisite lernynge, and to hym that powreth in no medicines, but of very constrainte, ye and those medicines that be symple and not compowned and mingled with many thynges, and as moche as maye be ministreth the thynges of our owne coun­trey growyng, and not thynges farre fette. And if suche a phisition counsell you to take a laske, than see ye remembre that whiche Paule teacheth: whiche is that ye do it not ofte, lefte through often prouokyng, nature forgette the office of clensing of the body of her owne motion.

¶As concernynge meates, whiche be hol­some, and whiche vnholsomme, and howe euery kynde of meates helpeth or hurteth, excepte a man declare it to the vttermost, it were better speake nothynge therof: And therfore I wolde haue the authors redde, [Page 76] as Celsus, whiche entreateth shortly of the kyndes of meates. And Paulus which handleth at large in .xxiiii. chapters the natu­res and vertues of meates: or els Galenus whiche by hym selfe is sufficient for al, pre­termyttynge nothynge in the bokes of nou­rysshementes. And so wolde I nowe haue made an ende of feadynge, if there had not chaunced to come to my mynd certaine thin­ges worthy to be noted. And fyrste I wyll admonysshe you of egges. There is noo meate (sayth Plini) lyke egges that nouris­sheth in syckenes, and lyethe not heuy, and that is in stede of wyne and meate bothe.

And Auicene affirmeth, that the yolkes of egges of a henne, of a partrige, or of a phe­saunte do passe all meates for theym that haue theyr bloude diminished or their harte faynted. Alexander Aphrodisius thynkethe that it conteyneth in it selfe the qualites of all the elementes, and to conclude there is in an egge a certayne shewe of the worlde, Bothe bycause it is made of the foure ele­mentes, and agayne bycause it is gathered rounde in spere fascion, And hathe a lyuely power. Egges fryed manye doo forbydde: amonge the whiche are Paulus and Gale­nus. And dothe not alowe the foode of her­bes. [Page] And many other do forbyd the same, at thoughe Marcus Cato praiseth brassicam aboue the mone. He that eateth dayly his fylle of ptisana, his nutrimente Galenus thynketh can by none other meates be hyn­dred. And the same thynge wolde I saye (sayth he) by beanes: if they fylled not with wynde. Of the vse of milke both in meates and also in medicines, Paule dothe entreate verye goodly. Alexander saythe, mylke is lyghte in digestynge, and nouryssheth well. For that may lyghtly go into bloudde, that is made of bloudde, and in a maner hit is bloud made whyte.

¶Of manye thynges I haue shewed you a few, but yet he that desireth to haue helth, ought, saythe Paule, to knowe howe great power wyne hathe. And the same saythe, if wyne frete any man, he muste drynke colde water. And the nexte daye drynke the iuise of wormewode, and walke vpon it, he must rubbe his body and wasshe it, and than re­fresshe hym selfe with lyttell meate. Wynes that were lately must, and also wynes that be to olde, must be auoyded, sayth Galenus. For these heate to moche, and the other no­thynge at all. That fedynge sayth Paule, that kepeth a man bare and sklender, is mo­che [Page 78] surer for the helth, thanne that whiche maketh one fat. But for as moche as lyttell meate gyueth nother strength nor stedynes vnto the bodye, therfore he after addethe sayinge. Suche meates as are of a meane nature, are the chiefe nourysshementes of all. For they ingender bloudde of a meane substaunce. And as suche are mooste meteste and conuenyent for our bodyes, soo be they that brynge forth yll humours most noyful, and therfore muste they alwayes be auo [...] ­ded. This saythe Paule. And he teachethe more ouer, that rye breadde nourysshethe more than all other, and that weaten bread is of harde dygestyon and wyndy, and that barly breade is of lyttell strengthe. He that wyll knowe the vttermooste of fedynge, let hym rede this Paule and Galenus as I sayde. we in this countrey neuer vsed annointynges, in Italy they haue vsed them, but nowe they be al mooste leste. And Galene commendethe rubbynges of the body aboue all thynges, inculcatynge oftentymes and many thynges therof, and specially in his bokes of preseruynge helthe. And the same doth Asclepiades hyghly auance, and Hipo­crates also very greatly, whose saying this is, whiche was after hym repeted of many. [Page] Throughe rubbynge, if it be vehement, the body is made harde, if it be softe and easye, the body is made softe, if it be moche, it di­minisheth, if it be meane, it fylleth.

¶In our days that high lerned man Erasmus Roterodamus, vsynge thus dayly and specially in the mornynge at his vprysynge, thinketh therby that he preserueth his helth, the weakenes of his body (whiche is verye great) not withstandynge. And hathe war­ned me diligently, that aboue all other thin­ges I and all other studentes shulde vse the same. I folowe the counsell of my frende, and fynde ease therin. Some [...]orbidde was­shynges and all maner bathes, and they say, that they be vnholsom for all such as be re­couered from this disease. I thynke bycause they mollifie the sinowes, and lose them, and therfore they wyll not that water shoulde touch thē, & yet they do not (sauing for that) improue sweatynges. water hurteth the sy­nowes though it be warme sayth Alexāder, not bycause it is warme, but bycause hit is moyst. Paule commending warme washyng sayth thus: It taketh away werynes, it sha­keth downe fulnes, it heateth, it mitigateth, it mollifieth, it disperseth, it prouoketh slepe, and maketh all the body fatte. And is very [Page 79] commodious and agreable both to man and woman yonge and olde, so sayth Paule. Not withstandynge the Italianes nowe a dayes washe not but very seldome, wherof I doo not meruayll, seinge in tymes past they vsed it dayly as wrytynge testifieth, and also the tokens of the bates remaynynge at Rome, whiche were buylded lyke vnto cities.

¶In exercises Galene teacheth, that me­sure muste be kepte and obserued, sayinge, Immoderatnes I reproue euery where. He lykewyse sayth, As exercise before meate is the chiefest thynge to preserue hel [...]h, so is al maner motion after meate most noyful. For the meate is scatered out of the bely before it be digested, and therfore gadreth manye grosse & rawe humours in the veines, wher­of al maner diseses are wonte to be ingen­dred. Paule auyseth vs, so longe to exercise our selfe, vntyll the body begynne to swel & waxereed, our motions strong, equal, and easye, and the swette seme to be myxed with vapour: than fyrste to reste, whanne any of these begynne to chaunge. They monysshe also to gyue reste and quietnesse vnto that membre, whiche was lately restored to hel­the. And Hipocrates sayth: The remedye of the foote is reste. Wherof Alexāder ga­thereth [Page] that, that which is heled again must nedes haue rest. For motion (sayth he) cau­seth flowynges of the superfluous matter, whiche maye reyse and styre vp inflamatiō. The worst thynge that can be to hym that hath akynge knees, is to ryde, sayth Celsus. He also thynketh it not good for theym that be gowty. The old men exercised them selfe also in voyce, that they moughte synge and also rede more [...]lerely.

¶I sayd I wold entreate of these thynges, as occasyon gaue, not moche regardynge any order, but as euery thyng, worthy to be noted, shuld com to mynd. And therfore let no man loke for any greatte thynge here, if there be any that wolde knowe, I haue she­wed in what authors what thynges he shall fynde. But [...]oo here commeth an other to mynde, he that wyll preserue his helth, must take hede (saythe Galene) to .ii. thynges specially, one is, that the meate be agreinge and mete for hym: an other is, that there folowe good brookynge, and clensynge of those superfl [...]ities, that are lefte of the meate. It is recyted by Paule, that the olde men thought it was sufficient to defende and preser [...]e helth, if the burden of the bely and bladder were dayly vnloded well and with­out [Page 80] faulte, accordynge to the portion of the meate and drinke receyued. Galene as con­cernynge the vse of Venus, hathe lefte no­thynge vntouched, affirmynge that acte to be an ennemy vnto the helthe of all theym that are drye of complexion, and specially of them that are also colde. For Venus (sayth he) is vnhurtefull onely vnto theym that be hote and moyste, and be aboundante of sede. And ageyne he saythe: They that haue theyr bodies well tempered and with­out fault, ought not vtterly to absteyn from Venus, as they that be cold and dry ought. Also Paule sayth, drye copulations hurteth all men, and mooste of all if colde be ioyned to dryeth, soo that they onely, whiche be hote and moyste, may vse it without ieoper­dye. As labours are profytable vnto helth, so are also copulations if they be vsed with mesure. This one thyng ought al to knowe, that all they that haue had the frenche poc­kes ought with great care, for loue of their sinowes to auoyde carnal copulation. Paule indgeth it well doone to exercyse chyldren, that through the labour of body and mynd, they maye be brydeled and restrayned from the violence of bodyly pleasure. Hipocrates compareth that act vnto the falling sycknes. [Page] Alexander Magnus was wont to say, that copulation and slepe were two the greattest tokens of mortalite.

¶The holsomes also of the ayre muste be loked vppon, which is a good post of helth. That ayre, sayth Paule, whiche is infected with euyll vapours, puffynge out pestilente blastes, or is nygh vnto a synke or draught, or is mu [...]ty, or is kepte in a valey, compas­sed roūd about with hilles, hurteth al ages. And the best ayre is most holsome. For vn­to a temper at body a seperate aire [...] profy­table, sayth he, and a distempred is for hym that hath a contrary temperature. Sycknes is nothyng els, sayth Galene, sauyng a motion without nature. Than he saythe: The phisitions vnderstande hym to be hole, all whose membres be accordynge to the cour [...] of nature: and contrary wyse thanne to be sycke, if any parte go out frome his nature. It is forbydden by the doctrine of the phi­sitions, that no man drynke streyghte vppon chafynge. They saye also, that all sodayne chaunges are daungerous. This is also admytted for trouthe, that contynuall idelnes is most contrary to good helth. And contrary wyse, Meane exercyse is great aide and succour. Galen sayth, depe reste of the body [Page 81] is the greattest euyll that can be for the pre­seruyng of the helth, as moderate labour is the greatteste good. As perteynyng to slepe, whan it ought to be taken and howe moche Paule teacheth abundantly, and also what commodities folowe, whan it is well taken in tyme. With noone slepe there is none that holdeth. For suche as be of a sad nature, or be troubld with thought and care, the phi­sitions ingeth very good to cal for som ma­ner pastimes and mirth, to fynde out by som meanes, wherby the harte maye be chered, and the sadnes of mynde eased. Pensyfenes sayth Paule, must be dryuen away with the swetenes of soundes.

¶He that is in good helthe (sayth Celsus) and at his owne libertie, nedeth to care no­ther for medicines nor oyntmentes. Whiche thynge as I do allowe, and wolde not them that be of good lykyng and helth to be boūd greatly to any maner rule of lyuynge: soo thynke I it nedefull for them, that haue ben sycke, or haue syckely bodyes, or do folowe suche kynde of lyuynge, that they canne not wel defend the bodyly helth, to haue a rule of lyuyng, to order them selfe by. For Ga­lene monysheth, that a lawe and rule of ly­uynge is in no wyse superfluous. For diete, [Page] sayth he, is a verye medicine.

¶These thynges that I haue here wryten, moste noble prince, I repute mooste profy­table to this pourpose, both by myne owne and others experience, and also by the tea­chynge of theym that were hyghly lerned. The whiche thynges I haue wrytten vnto your excellence, not bycause ye shulde youre selfe make a profe of them (from the nede wherof I beseche our sauiour Christ to saue and kepe your magnificence) but that they maye be redy, if any of your courte chaunce to haue nede of them. And of suche thynges as I haue wryten, ye shall vse the iugement of Stromer, as I sayde before. For your other phisition Gregory Coppus hath sene those thynges alredy, and dyd helpe me in some of them, but that was incidently, whan from him I sped me to Moguncia, for busi­nes that I had there. But if it had so fortu­ned that I myghte haue ben in your courte with him (For than ye were away in Germanye) I shuld haue intreated more warely of all these thynges, and sette forth my booke more perfectly. But how so euer it be now, I praye your excellence to take hit welle i [...] worthe. And I presente hit vnto you for a gyfte and token of this newe yere, whiche [Page 82] I praye god may be lucky and prosperous vnto you, And as fortunate as your owne harte wyll desyre, without disdayne or en­uye of any persone. Thus I commende me vnto you, mooste noble, mooste worthye, most benigne, and excellent prelate, whom almyghty god long kepe in good helthe and pro­speritie. Amen. Wry­ten at Moguncia with myn own hande.