A new book Entitled the Government of Health, wherein is uttered many notable Rules for man's preservation, with sundry simples and other matters, no less fruitful than profitable: colect out of many approved authors. Reduced into the form of a Dialogue, for the better understanding of thunlearned. Whereunto is added a sufferain Regiment against the pestilence.  
By William Bulleyn.  
¶ Imprinted at London by john Day, dwelling over Aldersgate beneath saint Martin's. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.   


QVE TANT IE PVYS  
T. H.  To the right worshipful Sir Thomas Hilton, Knight, Baron of Hilton, and Captain of the King and queens majesties castle of Tinmouth. William Bulleyn, wisheth increase of worship and health.  
QVINTUS Curcius, the famous writer of the great Battles that King Alexander, the son of Phillippe of Macedon, had against the most noble, and rich King of the Medes and Persians, called Darius (right worshipful sir) declareth that when one Philippe the Physician unto the said King Alexander, and his most trusty subject. By sudden chance, the king fell sore sick, to the great heaviness of all his royal army, at which time with all speed, this physician did prepare a medicine, most excellent for his sovereign Lord, whom he so dearly loved, to this end, that the great virtue thereof might prevent his present sickness, & imenint danger: but malicious spite, that wretched enemy which never sleepeth but watcheth ever, to bring virtue and good fame to destruction's Immediately before this gentle Philip did present himself unto the king with his medicine: Letters were sent to king Alexander containing, that the said Philip wa● corrupted so with money from king Darius, that he had 〈◊〉 most deadly poison and uncurable venom into Alexander's medicine. The king perusing the letters, kept them secret until he had drunk his medicine, and immediately he took his physician by the hand, and delivered him the letters, that he might read them having in him so great confidence, that he did in no manner of case mistrust him. The cause why I have alleged this most worthy prince king Alexander, & his excellent physician Philip, is to declare the great trust in the one, & the fidelity in the other, not forgetting the shameless conditions of the flattering Parisites, which ever wrlketh with two faces in one hood, bearing fire in the one hand, and water in the other: sowers of discord, reapers of mischief: which be always enemies unto the disciples of Philippe, whose venomous stings can not hurt them, which ever have in store the precious jewel of patience, and arm themselves to do good to every good man, for the preservation of their lives, by the true rules of the government of health, which here I am so bold to present unto your worship. For where as there lacketh government in a common wealth, the people do eftsoons fall into ruin. The ships that lacketh good governance, oftentimes be cast away upon sands and rocks. And therefore there is nothing under heaven, that hath life, but if it lack good government it will quickly fall into utter decay. For like as the creature of all things, have form the bodies of all men into the goodliest shapes of every living thing that ever was, or ever shallbe: Even so he hath ordained for man: herbs, fruits, roots, seeds, plants, gums, oils, precious stones, beasts, fowls, fishes, for the preservation of health, to be moderately used with discretion, which preserveth the body in good estate, without whose virtues the bodies can not live, for they be the noryshers of life. But misusing or abusing them, bringeth to the body many diseases, as rumes, catores, dropsies, impostumes, gouts, flixes, opelations, vertigos, blindness, ruptures, fransies, with many moonoysome diseases, which cometh thorough the corruption of meats and ill air. For what availeth riches, honours, costly buildings, fair apparel, with all the pomp of this world, and to be honoured of the people, and in the mean time to be eaten with worms in the breast or in the belly, consumed with agues, tormented with gouts, soreness, boneache. etc. Well I think, an hole Codrus is better than a sick Midas. 
Codrus. Midas.  And seeing that to possess health is better than to govern gold, in so much that health maketh men more happier, stronger and quieter than all manner of riches, lacking health: as example. Great princes, noble men, men of great substance, when they be wrapped & enclosed with many & sundry sicknesses, and in daily dangers of death, in their extreme pains and passions, they do more greatly coveit one drop of health than a whole tun of gold, crying out for the help and counseile of the physician. Whom jesus Sirack, 
Cap. 38.  in his godly book did counsel allwyse men to honour, and whom the almghtie God, did create and ordain for the infirmity of mankind, and also medicine for his help, and that no wise man should despise them. Therefore yet again (right worthy Knight) I shall most humbly desire you, to except the good will of him, which wisheth the years of your prosperous life & health, 
Nestor. Galen. Arganton.  to be equal to Nestor, Arganton, and Galen. Whose lives were long, healthful and happy. And thus wishing the daily increase of your worship, with continual health, to god's pleasure: who ever be your guide and governor, Amen. Your worships always to command.  
William Bulleyn.   


cursed be Bacchus, the father of drunkenness,  
Founder of lothelie lust and lechery,  
Thy servants twain, be intemperance & idleness  
Which gentle diet and soberness do defy,  
but soberness, doth live, when gluttony doth die.  
Though banquets doth abound, eyes for to please,  
overcharging the stomach, bringeth small ease.   

THe abundance of wine, and lust of meat,  
Feasting in the day, and riot in the night,  
Inflameth the body with unnatural heat.  
Corrupteth the blood, and abateth the sight,  
The sinews will relax, the Artears have no might  
Apoploxia and Vertigo, will never fro the start,  
Until the vital blood, be killed in the heart.   

O Happy is poverty, with good governance,  
Which of fine food hath no great plenty,  
Nature is sufficed, with things suffisance  
But poisoned, with floods of superfluity,  
Consider your food, in the time of poverty,  
Example to Diogmes, sitting in his ton,  
Was well pleased, with reflextion of the sun.   

Beasts and fowls, of nature ravenous,  
Infieldes and forests, seek their adventure,  
Upon their preys devouring most odious,  
Consuming by gluttony, many a creature,  
Yet each of them, according to their nature.  
Can purge their Crudity, with casting venomous  
Man through repletion, is in danger perilous.   

Man's nature doth weken, as this world doth waste  
As things engendered, corrupting by time,  
Your life is present, but death maketh haste,  
Festinate by surfeit, I tell you in rhyme,  
Example to the epicures, rotten into slime,  
As gods word and storis, the truth to tell,  
That unsatiat gluttons shall fast in hell.   

TRuly to wise men, this is the chief medicine,  
Moderate diet, with temperate travel,  
good air in sweet fields, when the son doth shine,  
flying stinging mists, that the life will expel,  
Digestion of stomach, they shall feel full well.  
And to shake of anger and passions of the mind,  
Thus quietness of conscience the happy man shall find   

We know each one, and see by experience,  
That men shall waste and physic fade,  
What is man? when he is in most excellence,  
●one fallen to dust, and sleepeth still in shed,  
●lowers, leaves, & fruits, groweth in summer most glad,  
●ut from their branches, as it is daily seen,  
●re beaten down with wind when they are fresh & green   

Son moan & stars, with heavenly influence,  
The earth doth garnish with flowers fresh of hue,  
The trees spring, with fruit of their benevolence,  
●e rain nourisheth, the sweet fields with silver drops new  
●●e lelie, read rose, and flowers pale & blue.  
korue and cattelle and every thing temporal,  
●e not these gods giftts? for these our lives mortal   

But to know these creatures is a gift most excellent  
Complexions hot or cold, moist or dry,  
And to whate nature they be convenient.  
Hypocrates and Gallene, in their time did try.  
Dioscorides and Avicen, with Plini would not lie.  
Aristotle the philosopher in learning most excellent  
So be many men now in this life present.   

TO them I bend my knee with dew reverence,  
As one unworthy their footsteps for to kiss,  
jacking no good will confessing my negligence,  
Though many will judge, my intent amiss.  
Pouring water in the sea, where aye plenty is.  
But of your worship to whom I present this gift,  
Except it better than nothing to make a simple shift.   

I pray you read this government short I will it make  
Between one called john, & Humphrey the wise,  
When you are at leisure in your hand it take.  
Though it lack eloquence, yet do it not despise,  
I will assite no author, which have written lies.  
And still will submit myself unto the learned judge  
And force not of the ignorant which at my traue● grudge   
Esse cupis sanus sit tibi parca manus,  
Pone gule metus, etas ut sit tibi longa.  
FINIS.   

To the gentle Reader.  
HEre I do present unto thee (gentle Reader) a simple Govern meant of health, beseeching thee most heartily for to except it as an argument of my good will, as one unfayendly that greatly do covit the good ●ate and happy health of mankind. Which by daily casualtis, surfaites & 〈◊〉: do decay, and fall into many gre●●●us & painful sicknesses. For which cause although perhaps I can not in 〈◊〉 points answer to thy request, in ●●is little regiment: yet I shall desire ●ee to except me among the fellowship of the butchers, which do help to ●●paire things that fall into ruin or decay. Even so be the pratiscio●ers of ●●isicke, no makers of men, but when ●●en do decay through sickness, ●●●en the counsel of the Physician, and 〈◊〉 virtue of medicine, is not to be re●●sed, but most lovingly to be embraced as a chief friend in the time of a ●●uersitie, if thou readest this little hoo●● and observe it, I trust it will pay much as it doth promise. And because I am a young man I would 〈◊〉 presume to take such a matter in 〈◊〉 although the words be few, but 〈◊〉 consiliat and gather things together which of myself I have practised and also read and noted in the works Hypocrates, Galen, Avicen, Plinii, H●lyabas, Wenzoar, Rasis, Dioscorid Leonhardus Fucchius, 
☞  Conradus Gesnerus. etc. And thus I leave the to the company of this my little book, wishing thee health, and all them that shall read it. ⸫  
William Bulleyn.   

❧ The contents of this book of the government of health.  

THe Epistle. Verses in Meter against surfeiting, commending moderate diet.  
Verses in the praise of the book.  
A preface to the Reader. Of the Epi●urs life. Fo. i.  
●●eliogabalus court fit for Epicures. Fo. ibid.  
●aly gods plagued. Fo. two.  
●utes of inordinate banquets. Fol. eod  
●arietie of opinions, fo. iii  
〈◊〉 objection against physic. fol. eod.  
●●od, author of phi. fo. eo  
●●od ordained herbs for ●●elth of men. fol. eod  
●●he praise of phi. fo. iiii.  
●diffinition of phi. fo. v  
●●ndry sects of phisiti●ns. fo. vi.  
Physic divided into v. parts. fol. seven  
The description of the. 4 complexions. fo. ix  
The description of the. 4 Elements. fol. x  
Creatures compound of more elements than one. fo. eo  
Elements fel●e and not seen. fo. xi  
The. 4. complexions divided into. 4. quarters of the year. fo. eod  
Metals and medicines be known. fol. xii  
The bringing up of children. fo. xi●i●  
Best time to provide for age. fol. xv  
The description of the. 4 humours. fol. xvi  
Men hot, but women's tongues hotter. fo. nineteen  
All things bringeth their apparel with him, man only except. fo. eod  
A definition of members. fo. xx  
Muskels and glandens flesh. fo. eod  
A part, called by the name of the whole. fo. xxi  
What anatomy is. fo. eo  
Four things conside read in the body of man. fol. eod  
Of opening the veins, and blood letting. fo. xxiii  
Against dropsy. fo. xxiiii  
Helping the Eme. fo. eo.  
Thernia excellent treacle. fol. eod  
Capers good. fo. xxv  
Miracle helpeth when physic faileth. fo. eod  
Time for all things fo. 27  
Of blood letting. fo. 28.  
Usurpation. fo. xxviii  
Morning best to let blood fol. eod  
Of meats and medicine fo. eod  
Best time to purge. fol. 3●  
Vomits and their profits. fo. eo●  
Custom in vomiting evil. fol. eo●  
Of bathings and their properties. fo. eo●  
Discommodities by common hot houses. fo. xxx●  
Afore bathing use goo●● ointments. fol. eo●  
Perilous to bathe upon a● empty stomach. fo. eo●  
Of sneezing. fo. ●o●  
Of suppositers. fol. eo●  
Boxing good for the body. fo. eo●  
Of glisters. fol. eo●  
Manipracticioners. fo. 3●  
Beasts and birds use pruning. etc. fol. eo●  
Hot water unwholesome fol. xxxi●  
Frication wholesome. fo. e●●  
Combing the head. fo. eo  
Cutting of here and paring nails. fo. eod  
Consideration to be had in eating. fo. eod  
A cause why the soul departeth from the body. fo. 34.  
To eat both flesh and fish together hurteth the phlegmatic. fol. eod  
diverse sorts of meats corrupteth the body. fo. 35  
Good diet prolongeth life. fol. eod  
What meats doth cause good blood. fol. 36  
To go to bed with empty stomach hurts. fo. eo  
An order in dieting. fo. 37  
An order for them that the sick. foe 38  
Of syrups and drinks. fol. eod  
〈◊〉 the complexion is, so 〈◊〉 desireth. fol. 39  
Moderate walk after meat profiteth. fo. eod  
To help digestion by divers ways. fol. xl.  
A note which be the most holesomest airs to dwell in. fo. xli  
What airs corrupteth the blood. fol. eod  
Corrupt air bringeth sundry diseases. fo. xlii  
Fervent prayer unto god doth mitigate his wrath fo. eod  
Sweet airs to be made in time of sickness. fo. eo  
What sitation is best for an house. fol. 43  
Pleasant people. fo. eod  
Moderate exercise a sovereign thing. fol. 44  
What profit cometh by exercise. fo. eod  
Use maketh labour easy. fol. eod  
Idleness the mother of mischief. fo. 45  
Of exercise before meat. fol. eod  
Of sleep and waking. fo. 46  
To sleep after dinner hurteth. fo. eod  
To sleep on the right side best. fo. 47  
Lodging to be kept clean. fol. eod  
To sleep in fields is hurtful. fo. 48  
The cause of the stone. fo. eod  
Remedies for the stone. fol. eod  
Of urines with the colours thereof, and the judgements. fol. 49  
Contents in urine be the chief things to know diseases by. fo. 50  
Of stoles and the judgement of the colours thereof. fo. eod  
Of doctor diet, quiet, & meriman. fo. 51  
Better to lack riches them to want quietness and mirth. fo. eod  
Many apt similitudes for the same. fol. eod  
Poor men's pleasure. fo. 52  
The torments of the mind. fo. eod  
Thought killeth many fol. eod  
Ire is a grievous passion Fol. 5●  
Devils incarnate. fol. eod  
A good face in a glass fo. eod  
Better to be spited the pitied in some case. fo. e●●  
The virtues of worm wooed. fol. 5●  
The property of Annsede. fo. eo●  
The virtue of mouse-eare fo. 5●  
Of chikwede. fo. eo●  
The properties of sorrel. fo. eod  
The properties of plantain. fo. 57  
Of camomel and his property. fo. 58  
Of sage and his property fol. eod  
Of Polipodio and his property. fol. 59  
Of horehound and his properties. fol. eod  
Of veruen and his properties. fol. 60  
Of Rew or herb grace. fol. eod  
The properties of Burnet. fol 61  
The properties of Dandelion. fol. eod  
Of spinach. fol. 62  
Of cucumbers. fo. eod  
Garlic and his property. fol. 63  
Of oynions. fol. eod  
●●ettyse and his property fol. 64  
Mints and their properties. fol. 65  
fennel and his properties. fol. 66  
Isope and his operation. fol. eod  
Sention and his operaration. fol. eod  
Percelye and his operation. fol. 68  
Mugwort and his property. fol. eod  
Of Cabbage. Fo. ibid.  
Philopendula and his operation. fo. eod  
Agremoni and his operation. fol. eod  
Of Dragon. fol. eod  
The virtue of violets. fo. e  
Of the white lily and his operation. fol. 70  
centaury and of his virtue. fol. eod  
Rosemary & of his. fo. eo  
pennyroyal and his operation. fol. eod  
Of Mustard and his operation. fol. eod  
The veru of buglas. fo. eo  
The ver. of Basil. fol. eod  
Roses and his vert. fo. 73  
savoury and his ver. fo. eo  
Time and his ver. fol. 74  
parsley, saxifrage, and their operations. fo. eod  
Lyverworte and his operation. fo. eod  
Bitonye and of his virtue. fol. eod  
Betes and his virtue. fo. 75  
Maydenheere and his virtue. fo. eod  
Melilot & his vert. fo. 76  
Peas and beans, and their operation. fol. eod  
Of hutles & tars. fo. eo  
Lekes and their properties. fol. 77  
Of radish and other roots. fol. eod  
Herbs engendereth melancholy. fol. eod  
Good things to digest choler. fo. eod  
To purge choler. fol. eod  
To digest fleum, fo. eod  
To purge phlegm. fo. e●d  
To purge melancholy. fo. eod  
To provoke urine. fo. eo  
Confortes for the brains to smell on. Fo. ibid.  
Things good to stop the flux. Fo. ibid.  
Good things to provoke sneezing. Fo. ibi.  
Good things to comfort the heart. Fo. 18.  
figs and dates. Fo. ibi  
Of Pears. Fo. ibid.  
The friars pear. Fo. ibi  
Of apples. Fo. ibi  
A medicine for the small pocks. Fo. ibi  
Of peaches. Fo. ibi  
Of quinces. Fo. ibid.  
Of Chyries. Fo. 83  
Of Grapes. Fo. ibid.  
Sweet prunes laxative. Fo. 84  
Of Barbaries and Med●ers. Fol. eodem  
Of Capers. Fol. eodem  
Of Beef. Fo. 85.  
Remedy for the flix. Fol. ibi  
How to help Digestion. Fo. ibid.  
A medicine for the eyes. Eo. 87  
Pork and his operation. Fo. 87  
The description of swine Fo. ibi  
Beasts have no reason. Fo. ibid.  
Buddynges of Swine. Fol. 88  
A plaster for. s. Anthony's fire. Fo. ibid.  
Of Rams, weathers, and lambs. Fo. ibid.  
Of Red and Falowe dears flesh. Fo. 89  
Of hares and conies, and their properties. Fo. 91  
A medicine for bloody eyes. Fo. ibid.  
Of Cocks, hens, and capons. Fo. ibi  
Of Geese. Fo. 92  
The properties of great Fowls. Fo. ibid.  
Of the flesh of Ducks. Fol. 94  
Of Pigeons and Doves. Fo. ibidem  
Of the flesh of Peacocks. Fo. 95  
Roasted Pigeons. Fo. ibid.  
Of the flesh of Cranes. Fo. ibid.  
O● swans flesh. Fo. 9,  
Of Herons, Bitters, or shovels. Fo. eod  
Of Partridges, pheasants, and quails. etc. Fo. eo  
The properties of small birds. Fo. 98  
The operation of fishes. fol. eod  
The best feeding for fish. fol. 99  
Sun labour after eating fish hurterh. fol. 100  
Fat fish gross. fol. eod  
The election of fish. fo. eo  
Cravises and crabs. fo. eo  
Of oil. fol. 101  
Of Water. fol. 102  
What kind of water is best. fol. eod  
Of Vinegar. fol. 103  
Of common salt. fo. eod  
Of honey. fo. 104  
Bees example to us. fo. 105  
Of milk. fo. 106  
Milk not good for full stomachs. fol. eod  
Of Butter and Cheese. fo. 107  
Of Eggs. fo. 108  
Of Wine. fol. 109  
Heat of excess in drinking. fo. eod  
Of beer and ale. fo. 1ST  
Bread of all sorts. fo. 11●  
Of Rysse. fol. 1ST  
Of Almonds. fo. eo●  
Of Walnuts. fol. 11●.  
Of phylberdes fo. eo●  
Of Nutmegs. fo. eo●  
Of Cloves, galingale, an● Pepper. fo. eo●  
A practice. fo. 1ST  
Of Calamus. fo. eo●  
Of treacle. fo. 12●  
Of Mithridate. fo. 1ST  
Of Safron. Fo. 1ST  
A regiment of the pesti●lence. fo. 12●  
Good air. fo. eo●  
None sleep. Fo. eo●  
Of sleep. Fo. eo●  
Exercise. Foyes eo●  
Of mirth. Fo. 12●  
Signs of the pestilence Fo. eo●  
Mithridate androm●●chi. Fo. eo●   
FINIS.   
¶ john. 
OF all pleasures & pastimes my think there is none like unto good cheer, 
The epicure desireth too live all together in belly cheer.  wh●t should man do but pass a way the time with ●ood fellows and make merry, saying ●e have but a time to live, cast away ●re, wherefore is meat and bellies ordained but the one to serve the other▪ ●e flesh that we daily increase is our ●wn. Abstinence & fasting, is a mighty ●●emy and nothing pleasant to me, ●d be used of very few that love thē●lues, but only of beggars, and coue●us sparers, which do spare much ●d spend little.  ¶ Humphrey. 
Know well your goodly expense of time, I wis it is no marvel, although you make ●ur belly your God: and boast of 〈◊〉 You see that all lusty revilers, & ●ntinuall banquet makers, come to great estimation, as example to Varius Haelyogabalus, which was daily fed with many hundredth fishes and fowls, and was accompanied with many brothels, bawds, harlots, and gluttons, and thus it doth appear by your abhorring virtue, that of right you might have cleamed a great office in Haeliogabalus court, 
Heliogabalus court ●it for belly gods.  if you had been in those days, but you have an infinite number of your conversation in these days, the more pity.  ¶ john. 
What good sir, I require not you● counsel, I pray you be your owns carver, and give me leave to serve my fantasy. I will not charge you, you ar● very ancient and grave, and I ar● but young, we be no matchis.  ¶ Humphrey. 
GOod counsel is a treasure 〈◊〉 wise men, but a very trifle to● fool, if thou hadst seen those things which I have seen, I know, thou wouldst not be such a man, nor thus spend thy tyme.  ¶ john. 
What haste thou seen, that I have not seen?  ¶ Humphrey. 
I Have seen many notable and grievous plagues, which have fallen upon greddy gluttons, as ●asting their substance, 
The just reward of belly gods.  disfor●ing their bodies, shorting their pleasant days, and in this point ●o conclude with thee, where as ●lotony remaineth, from thence 〈◊〉 moderate diat banished: and ●ose bellies that follow the lust ●f the eyes (in meats) in youth, ●all lack the health of all their bodies, in age if they live so long.  john. 
My think thou canst give good counsel, thou seemest to be seen in ph●●sicke. I pray thee is it so great hurt 〈◊〉 delight in plenty of banquets?  ¶ Humphrey. 
SIr, 
The fruits of inordinate banquets.  if it will please you to be somewhat attentive, I will te● you. It is the very grain whero● cometh stinking vomettes, save faces, dropsies, vertigo, palseis obstructions, blindness, flixes, applexis, cators and rheums. etc.  ¶ john. 
IS it true that you have said to me?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Would to God daily ex●perience did not try i● I do perfectly know it. An● once thou shalt be a witness ther● of, if thou come to age.  ¶ john. 
THen I beseech thee gentle fren● Humphrey, declare to me, why the● is such division among physicians?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THou seest, 
Variety of opinions among men.  among the Theologians there is much variety, ●nd yet but one troth. Discords ●e soon known of Musicians, ●nd the Physicians be not ignorant of the general natures of ●inges. No division is although 〈◊〉 do so appear: for regents, place, ●ge, time, and the present state of ●ans nature must be observed, not the old rules in all points. ●or man's nature is sore altered ●nd changed, into a viler sort ●an it was wont to be.  ¶ john. 
●Ome do report that men of great estimation, 
Anobie●tion against physic.  say: what needeth physic, ●is but an invention only for money, ●e see (say they) who liveth so well, as ●ey which never knew physic, and ●euill as these pothecary men?  ¶ Humphrey. 
MAny men be more rich the● wise, & more esteemed, for titles of their honours & worships, then for any other virtue or cunning, such men in some points be more ingratifull to natural remedies than dogs: which can elect or choose their vomiting grass, or birds, which ca● chose gravel or stones for their casting. But to conclude with the● in this matter. 
God the author of physic.  Plini the great● clerk, have a thousand reasons to prove them foolish that will object against Physic. 
The inestimable goodness of god ordained herbs for the healh of man.  And th● author of all things did well fors● and know, what was good fo● man's nature, when he stretchi● out so large a compass round abou● the earth with the noble planette● and signs, and their courses, in●fluences and heavenvly qualities and garnished the earth wit● fruits, herbs, flowers, leaves grains, oils, gums, stones, for man's comfort and help, and ordained the physician for to help man. Thus the almighty have done saith Solomon. 
Solomon  And in recompense, God hath not appointed the physicians to be railed upon, 
Eccle. 36.  or despised, but honoured & rewarded: yea, esteemed of princes. And seeing good nature and wise men be on my side: I force not of other men's fantasies, with whom neither good wisdom, nor good nature is guide.  ¶ john. 
Why is phiscke of such great authority? or hath it been in estimation among old fathers? May that be proved of thy part?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Yes that I can.  ¶ john. 
IF thou canst bring in any reueren● fathers that loved physic: I will no● despise, but greatly esteem it, & desire counseile in demanding of a few que●stions. 
The praise & exelencie of physic.   ¶ Humphrey. 
Physic hath been in so high an estimation, that the gentiles did all consent, it came from the immortal gods. 
Moses.  The hebrews did well know it, as Moses in the most ancient book, called Genesis primo, doth describe the work of the almighty God: 
Adam.  of herbs, fruits, and plants, that Adam might teach the virtues of them to his children. 
jesus Sirack. cap. xxxviii.  jesus Sirack which was endued with the spirit of god, have left a laud behind him greatly commending Physic amongst the divines of the hebrews. 
Diodoro. Test. ovid. Metamor  Mercuri amongst the Egyptians, ovid doth greatly commend Apollo, the inventor of herbs, when they were almost out of ●emory, he revived their verteses, and taught their nature to ●hers that followed him. After ●at came in Aesculapius, which ●d many most excellent cures. ●nd chiron, 
Chiron centaurus.  the instructor of Achil whose name can never die as ●●ge as the herb centauri, grows upon the earth, which is ●led after his name. 
Podalirius  Podalirius & ●echaon, 
Machaon.  were two brethren in 〈◊〉 time of the battle of Troy, ●●iche were excellent physicians, ●●d be greatly commended of Ho●●re, who was more excellent than ●●ppocrates, 
Hypocrates.  in the isle of Coose: ●ose works will never die, for brought in physic, and digest it into fair books, for man's ●at health. 
galenus.  Then came Gallene, 〈◊〉 unknown to all wise and ●●ned physicians. I could rehearse many moo, but this sha● suffice to prove physic to be 〈◊〉 great authority among old● fathers.  ¶ john. 
I Pray thee friend Humphrey, what physic: I would be glad to learn some of thy knowledge, for thou hast good order in talking, & seem to be g●ded of authority. Therefore I am so that I have contended with thee: I pr● that be not angry, with my former tal●  ¶ Humfrey. 
HIppocrates in his book of wi●des or blasts, 
Hypocrates in lib. defla.  saith that physic or medicine, is but a putting the body which it lacketh, or 〈◊〉 king from the body things 〈◊〉 perfluous. 
A definition of physic.  And although o● life be short, yet the art of 〈◊〉 sick is long, because great n● bres of things be in it, and 〈◊〉 quireth much study, labour a● ●actise, 
Hypocrates in primo  and first of all, it requi●th much contemplation or know ●dge, in studying good books, ●hich is called Theoricha. 
Aphoris.  Second● the very effect of contempla●on or study, 
Theoricha.  is practica or activa, which is doing of the things, at learning have taught as sparing, amending, or preserving, the bodies of men, women and children. etc.  ¶ john. 
It seemeth to be a goodly science.  ¶ Humphrey. 
Herodotu saith: 
Herodotus  they greatly err that call it a science, for is an excellent art in doing of no●●ble things. And science is but 〈◊〉 know things. There is also this excellent art sundry sects 〈◊〉 physicians, 
Emperici  some be called Em●●rici, who suppose that only ex●●rience doth suffice, and so by use and experience do take i● hand to heal diseases, not knowing the cause of the said diseas● or sickness. 
Philinus  Philinus was one 〈◊〉 that sect at the first beginning Than followed Serapion, 
serapion.  & after that the Apolonis. 
Apolonii.  And then cam● Glaucius Menadotus Sextus. etc. Another kind of physicians, be called Methodici, 
Methodici.  which neither observe time, place, age, state, no● condition: & think them things of small profit, but only the● respect is to their disease: the● love not long study in physic and are greatly deceived, because they would build without foundation: and have the fruits before they have planted the trees These men's cures be but b● chance medley. One Sirus bega● this, 
Asclepiades.  which received certain rules of Asclepiades. The chief ●este sect of Physicians called Dogmatici. 
Dogmatici.  These be the wise mē●hiche set not the cart before ●e horse, nor the roots of the ●ees upward. They do prudently consider the change of ●ans nature, the dwelling place, ●e alteration of the air, the time 〈◊〉 the year, the custom of people, the manners of diseases, the ●shion of men's diet. And this ●ey will prous by true arguments and reasons, and will be ●ry careful for their patientes. ●he disciples of those men, be the ●st scholars, therefore I counsel ●ee John to love well Hippocrates ●e prince of Physicians, 
Hypocrates.  which ●gan the best manner to give ru●s to all the lovers of physic. ●f this writeth Galen, much laving Hypocrates & his followers, ●d in these days Leonhardus Futchius, Matheolus. etc.  ¶ john. 
seeing thou hast spooken of sundry parts of Physicians, I pray thee what parts be there of physic?  ¶ Humphrey. 
TRuly there be five things to be noted in physic, 
Galen de elemen. de temp. de facul.  as. v. principal parts, as Galen saith: in lib. de Elementis. The first is to consider the nature of man's body. 
Physic divided into five parts.  The second is, to keep the body in health, and to defend it from sickness and infirmities. The third is, to know all the causes, rules, and sedes, whereof the sickness doth grow. The iiii is Crises or judgement of the disease of things present, past & to come. The fifth is the best and most excellent, for it showeth the manner of healing, dieting, fashion, order, & way to help the sick body, & preserve the same, as long as man doth remain in the state of life.  ¶ john. 
THou hast spoken of the parts of physic, what is the form manner or distribution thereof?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is distributed in three forms one is natural, 
Gal. lib. 3. de temp. cap. 4.  another unnatural, the iii against nature. The first is, by those things whereof the body is compact, constituted or made, as Galen saith: in his iii book of his Tempramentis. Cap. 4. The second is called not natural, as meats or things to preserve the body in health, they be not called unnatural, because they be against the body, but because the rash ●akynge, or glotonus using of ●hem, may bring many things ●o the utter destruction of the body. The third, be things against nature, which doth corrupt the body or poison nature, whereof Galen writeth. 
Gall. in lib. 2. The rap. metho.   ¶ john. 
Now thou hast taught me short rules of the parts & forms physical, I pray the show me some pretty rules of the complexions of men, and that I may aptly know them with their properties, elements, temperaments and humours.  ¶ Humphrey. 
Upon my lute some time, to recreate myself, I join with my simple armonie, many plain verses. Among all other one small song of the four complexions, wilt thou hear it take that chair and sit down and I will teach thee my song  ¶ john. 
I thank thee.  ¶ Humphrey. 
The bodies where heat & moister dwell,  
Be sanguen folks as Galen tell,  
With visage fair & cheeks rose ruddy:  
The sleeps is much, 
The description of the sa● guene pe●●sons.  & dreams be bloody.  
Pulls great and full, with digestion fine,  
pleasantly concocting, flesh and wine,  
Excrements abundant, with anger short,  
laughing very much and finding sport,  
Drine gross, with colour read:  
Pleasant folks at board and bead.  
Where cold with moistur prevaileth much  
phlegmatic folks be always such,  
Fatness, 
The description of the sle● matilde persons.  softness here plain and right,  
Narrow veins and collar whit.  
Dull of wit, no heart to bold,  
Pules very slow, digestion cold.  
Sleeping over much, urine gross & pale,  
Spittle whit & thick, thus ends the tale.  
collar is hoot, and dry as fire,  
●enis of limbs and puffed with ire.  
Costisse belles, with little sleep,  
Dreams of fire, 
The description of the choleric.  or wounds deep.  
Sallow coloured, or tawny read,  
Feeding on salt meats, & crusts of bread,  
Voice sharp, and quickens of wit,  
Urine yellow and saltness of spit.  
Pulses swift, and very strong,  
Cruel countenance, not anger long.  
melancholy is cold, and very dry.  
As here in rhyme his signs will try,  
Hear plain, 
The description of Melancholy.  and very thine,  
A lean wretch, with hardness of skin.  
Collar whitlie, or like to lead,  
Much watthe, and dreams of dread,  
And stiff in foolish fantasy,  
Digestion slow, and long angry.  
Fearful of mind, with watery spittle,  
Seldom laughing, and pulls little.  
Urine watery, and very thine,  
The cold earth, to him is kin.  ¶ john. 
THis is a good song, and I will learn it, for though it seem not very pleasant, yet I perceive it is profitable. Now thou hast spoken of the singes of the four complexions, I pray the teach me shortly, how to know the elements.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THey be the four beginners unmingled and untempored, 
Hypocrates de Element. Auic. in cauteca.  from whose mixtures every corporal thing hath his substance.  ¶ john. 
What be the parts? I pray the tell me▪  ¶ Humphrey. 
Four, the one is earth the heaviest matter & grossest, 
The description of the four Elements.  which is cold and dry, and melancholy. And the other is water, which is lighter & most subtle than the earth, & of nature is cold, moist, and phlegmatic. 
Galen. in li. 8. decr.  Then is air more purer and lighter than water, and if it be not altered with any other strange cause, it is hot and moist and sanguen: Then fire is most light, pure and clear, a clarifier and a cleanser of all the other elements, when they are corrupted, and is of his own nature hoot, dry, and choleric. And of these four Elements, both man, beast, fish, foul, herb, stone, metal, have their proper working, not of one of the Elements alone, but of all: some more and some less, according to their natures.  
Hypocrates saith: 
Hypocrates in lib. de na.  after the soul is gone from the body, the body doth return to the first matter whereof it was made: And to conclude, all things that be made upon earth, shall return unto the earth again in tyme.  ¶ john. 
Why might not men, beasts, fish, or foul, herb, or tree, be of one element aswell as of four? I pray you tell me.  ¶ Humphrey. 
No, for Aristotel saith: Deus et natura nihil agunt frustra. God & nature hath done nothing in vain. 
stirs com●●ded ●ore e●eutes 〈◊〉 one.  And if any thing upon the earth sensible were of one element: no sickness could hurt it, nor disease corrupt it, but every thing living upon the earth, seeing it hath had beginning, it must needs have ending, to whom these four complexions doth belong, if they do greatly abound or disminish, or withdraw their virtues with quantities or qualities.  ¶ john. 
MAy a man see any of the Elements.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THe thing which men do see, be none of the four Elements: not earth, but earthy, not water but watery, not air, but airy, not fire, but fiery. But the things which man do feel, 
Elen felt & seen.  be the four Elements, as earth, air, fire, & water. And these be the uttermost simples of complexions, diversly & specially, alone of themselves, or mingled with other, taking sundry and divers effects, manners, conditions, forms & qualities, both in man and beast, and every living thing, sensible and insensible.  ¶ john. 
What is the complexions of the four quarters of the year, and names of the signs?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THe spring time when blood doth increase: 
Hippocr. in lib. de Natura humana.  Summer when read collar doth rule: harvest when collar adust, or melancholy doth reign. Winter when phlegm doth abound in full strength. 
Winter. Spring. Summer Harvest.  It is called winter from the xii day of December, unto the tenth day of March. This season is cold & moist, it is called spring time, from the xii day of March, and endeth about the xii day of june. Summer beginneth about the xii day of june, and endeth about the xii day of September. Autumn or harvest, beginneth about the xiii day of September, and endeth about the xi day of December. Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces, be winter signs. Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, be signs for the springe. Cancer, Leo, and virgo, beo the signs for Summer. Libra, Scorpio, and Sagitari, be the signs for Harvest. And the sun goeth through all these xii signs in xii. months. And the Moon goeth xii times through each of the foresaid signs once in the year, and do take sundry effects in man, beats, and fruits, in the said signs: hot or cold, moist or dry.  ¶ john. 
What be the complexions of medicines?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THose things that overcometh and govern the body, as purgations, expulcives. etc. These be called medicines, 
Auic. in pri. can.  and those things that nourisheth and augmenteth the body, be called meats. For the complexions of meats & medicines, be known by their tastes, as coldness, hootnes, 
Meats and medicine be known by tasting  moistness, Dryness, bitterness, saltness, sweetness, fatness, sharpness, stiptic, and clammy. And because thy request is, to have prescribed unto thee, but only a little government of health: I will show unto thee another of my little songs in plain metre, how thou shalt know meats and medicines, by their tastes.  ¶ john. 
THat is my chief desire, I will bear thee, say on.  ¶ Humphrey. 
Cold quencheth the collars pride,  
Moist humecteth, 
Cold. Moist. Salt.  that which is dried,  
The flowing moister, be proof I try,  
Is wasted of humours, hot and dry,  
The subtle food, that is piercing quick,  
The clammy meats, maketh it thick,  
Bitter things, cleanse and wypith oft,  
And expelslem, and maketh soft.  
Salt drieth, and resolveth fleme tough,  
Fat nourisheth, and make subtle enough.  
stiptic or rough taste on the tongue,  
Bindeth and confouteth appetite long.  
Sweet things in cleansing, is very good  
●t desolueth much, & nourisheth blood.  
These things well used, nature wilplease  
But abusing them beastly, bringeth disease.  ¶ john. 
●N good faith, me think thou sayest 〈◊〉 well, for there apere perfect reasons in ●hese thy pretty rules. Now thou hast declared unto me, the signs of complexions of men: with the way and ●pte knowledge of meats by their astes, I would fain learn, shortly ●he tempramentis and complexions of mankind.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THere was never no discrete, nor wise physician, that either feared God or pitied mankind, or loved his own honesty: would take in hand either to prescribe diet, or to minister medicine to any body, before be well did consider, and wisely weigh with himself, the temprament, mixture or complexion of mankind. first whether he were hoot or cold, moist or dry, fat or lean, or indifferent between them both.  
Tempored by health, or distempored by sickness, 
Auic. in pri. tract. cantico. Gal. lib. 1. cap. 2. li. 2. cap. 3. li. 4 cap. ulti. Sim. med.  as the extremities of hootnes, coldness, moistness, and dryness. Therefore john, these things may not be forgotten, you must note also the four ages of mankind, & first the tender state of children, which beginneth at the birth, and so continueth until fifteen years next after their said birth: Their tempramentes or complexions, be hoot and moist, very like unto the seed whereof they be proceeded, than next unto childhood or innocent age. Youth which is the second part of life, beginneth to seigne, his temprament or complexion hath rather more fiery ●eate, then perfit natural heat, and this second age, continueth or ten years, 
Gal. lib. 5. Aphor. comen. 9  as Galen saith: ●ell, in this two first states of yfe, let all natural fathers & mo●ers bring up their youth, set GOD before their eyes, 
An earnest brief exhortation for the bringing up of youth.  for they ●aue no small charge committed ●nto them, that must give acompte to God, how they have brought up their children: & they 〈◊〉 in these years do spare correction, truly be grievous enemies unto their children, and at last shallbe recompensed with shame, when they shall see misfortune and wretchedness, fall upon the fruits of their own seeds. For men have small profit of their corn, which be choked & overcome with thistles, bryeres, and brakes, which were not weeded in time, much less of their children, which have received neither correction nor honest learning in due season. If the keepers of gardens be careful over their late sown sedes, & tender herbs, which are in danger to be destroyed of every frost: What should good fathers & mothers do for their children, whose tender and youthful years be carried away, & overcomed of every foolish fantasy, and it is no me●●uayle. But this shall suffice for the wise, and smally profit the fools, but to my matter which I took in hand, I will return unto the third age of mankind, which is called the lusty state of ●yfe, and beginneth at xxv years and continueth unto, xxxv. This age is hoot and drie, and very choleric, 
Galen. in lib. Simp.  as Galene saith: This part of life is subject, to many burning and extreme fevers, & ●oote ulcers: therefore it is necessary to know this temprament or complexion, which is called choleric, as plainly may appear by age, strength, diet, urine. etc. This is the best time for mankind to travel in, with godly exercise in science, art, and profitable traveles in his vocation, putting in practice, the virtues which he hath learned in youth, for this is the summer part of life, wherein all goodly fruits 〈◊〉 flourish in every good ocupation▪ This is the very harvest, 
The best time to provide for age.  to ga● the precious corn, and fruit 〈◊〉 their labours against the cold storms & cloudy days of their aged winter, wherein the body shallbe weak, and the eyes sight decay, and the hands trimble and therefore it is not comely 〈◊〉 see the state of age, without rest which in the time of youth, di● honestly travel. For there is 〈◊〉 grace given to many creature● unreasonable, both beasts and fowls, to make provision before hand, what is then to be required of men reasonable, as followeth in these verses.  

THe bird in time her nest can make,  
The Bee will build his house full 〈◊〉  
The Crane with stone in foot will wake,  
The Coney will carve under the mine,  
The Squirel in trees her nuts can keep,  
Against cold winter to feed and sleep,  
And should not man well foresee,  
In youth to know his old degree.   
THen from xxxv or few years following, the lusty branches of youth, begin to abate his pleasant leaves, flowers and fruit by little & little will decay, raw ●humers, cramps, dropsies, quaterns, melancholy, will then draw near. The riots, surfittes, sore labours, bearing of extreme burdens, wrestlings, acts venerus with the abuse of youth, will then spring forth, to the detriment of age nad sudden decay of life, in especial of drunkards.  ¶ john. 
What be the places of blend, collar, phlegm, and Melancholy? Natural or unnatural. Thou haste not made a particular distinction of their proper places, but generally thou hast spoken well in thy song.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THere are also other discirptions of the four humours, very necessary to be known, and their places where as they dwell within the body, & first of blood, as Galen saith: in his first book of effected places, blood (saith he) that is in the pulsis, doth greatly differ from the blood of the veins, for the blood of the pulsis is thinner, yeallower and hotter, and this blood, may be called the governor of life. The spring & fountain of the blood general is in the liver, 
〈…〉.  which serveth every vain of blood, & this blood in colour is very read. phlegm. is white, and is engendered in the stomach, and at length by the virtue of natural heat, pure fleaine is turned into blood. There be also watery, slimy glassy, gross, salt, sour, thick, hard, binding, and extreme cold fleames, which in deed be unnatural, that be engendered thorough surphets, coldness or idleness, bringing to the body many noisome diseases. There is also collar, which is yellow, whose place in the body is the gall, which cometh of the cleansing or puryfying of blood: and this collar is clear, hot and dry, and the comforter of decoction. Grene collar, or collar mingled with phlegm, be unnatural, melancholy natural, in the spleen is nothing but the sex degrees, or heavy residentes of the blood, the natural melancholy is known by his blackness, the unnatural cometh of the burning of collar, and is lighter & hotter, brown of colour, sour of taste, and putteth the body in great danger: as madness, black gaunders, continual fevers, and sudden deadly diseases. Therefore my friend john, remember this short description of humours, as the words of Galen & Avicen, say. 
Avicen. in li. can.   ¶ john. 
Thus I have heard thy several placing of the four complexions of blood, Choler, phlegm, and Melancholy, and is there any distinct hootnes, coldness, moistness, and dryness, in any other creature besides man: tell me.  ¶ Humphrey. 
NOt only in man, but in beasts, fish, foul, serpents, trees, herbs, mettles. And every thing sensible and insensible, according to their natures, & be equally mingled or tempered togeter, which is called mean temperance, or else exceedeth in degrees, which is called intemperance, hot and moist, may be compounded together, so may cold and dry, hot and dry, cold and moist, 
Galen. in lib. 4. de tempor.  example. A choleric man, hot & dry: a phlegmatic man, cold & moist. etc. Of herbs, as hisope and rue, hot and dry, purssen and coucumbers, cold & moist. etc. But tempramentes or complexions of men, beasts, and trees, be some hotter, some colder, according to their natures. As a lion is hooter than a choleric man: pepper is hotter than cloves. And though there be degrees in more hotness or more coldness, yet they are called but hot or cold, as men after labour or travel, they will say they are hoot, but the fire which people warm them at, is hotter. Also there be things repugnant to tempramentes, as moist and dryness together, heat and coldness together, as fire to be cold, or the water of his own nature to be hot, which water peraccidence of the fire is made hot: and fire quenched by the water. And every thing exceeding greatly with distemperance or wanting temperance or complexion, do eftsoons come to an end, as men by extreme sicknesses, surphets or wounds, or finally age, lacking natural virtue. Of heat and moistness of trees and herbs, from whom juice and sap is withdrawn, these things of necessity must needs die, 
Galen. in lib. 4. de tempor.  and come to corruption, as Galen and Aristotel sayeth.  ¶ john. 
Whether be men or women of coldex complexion? 
Arist. de Gene.   ¶ Humphrey. 
AVicen saith: 
Avicen.  like as men be hot & dry, so be women cold and moist.  ¶ john. 
YEa but Lucian saith: they be perilous hot of their tongues and full of venom: though I am no physician, yet can I make a dissciption of that member, for I am oftentimes stinged with it, 
Whether this be true let the married judge.  I would to God they had been wormed when they were young, but when they are old, they are passed all cure, but the best medicine that I have, is a gentle herb called rue, which I am never without great store.  ¶ Humphrey. 
Mankind was borne naked to this end, 
every thing bringing his apparel with him saving man.  that he might cloth himself with other creatures: which he brought not in to this world with him, as cloth, leather, harness made of iron, for his defence, because he is the chief creature. But horses of nature have hard ho●es, lions sharp teeth, purpintyns sharp pricks which is their continual and natural armour, as things ever prepared to debate & strife &, by no art can scant be tamed. The Rose as pleasantly as she doth appear, 
Muskels and glandens flesh  and as sweetly as she doth smell, spring not further without a great number of sharp pricks. Therefore it is tolerable for men to bear with them whom nature hath sealed and marked for his own. With that humour most choleric, digress from this thy communication, and let us talk of things more profitable, for in dead this is pleasant to no man.  ¶ john. 
seeing thou wilt not describe me thi● particular members, of which w● have spoken, I would be glad to know the parts of mankind, with a short● description of his members.  ¶ Humphrey. 
MEmbers be simple and also compound, the simples be ten in number, the cartilages, the gristles, the bones, veins, & sinews arteries, pannicles, ligaments, cords, and the skin. Members compounded, 
A definition of members  be those that be joined and builded together of simple members as the hands, face, feet, liver, & heart, and so compounded members, be made of simple. Some of the compounded members be called principals: as the heart from whence the arteries springs, the brain, from whence the sinews springs, the liver which is the well of the blood, from whence the veins do spring, & the stones of generation from whence the seed of life do spring: but those compounded members that be principal. Be all the other members except the simple as the nose, the ears, the eyes, the face, the neck, the arms and legs, & the brains and chief substance of our flesh, be compounded members of sinews, 
Muskels and glandens flesh  & covered with panackles, which be of a sinew nature, but that sinews give feeling to all the whole body: even as the arteries giveth spiritual blood from the heart to every member. The whole body is covered with films and skins. Out the head springeth hard matter issuing from the places called the pores, to purge vapours & smoke from the brain, which ascendeth out of the stomach into the head, and is cleansed through Pia matter, called the tender covering of the brain or spirits animal. And therefore as some parts of the body being divided in sunder, be each like unto the other, and yet called by the name of the whole, as for example. When the bones be broken in sunder, or the flesh cut in to divers pieces, or the blood poured into sundry vessels. 
A part is called by the name of the whole and not the whole by the part.  A piece of flesh is still called flesh, a fragment of a bone, is called a bone, and a drop of blood is called blood: Even so an hand, arm vain, or such like unseparate parts being divided into pieces or called by the name of pieces, & not by the name of the whole part (as is before.) But my friend john, to make a large description of Anatomy, it were to long for ●e, but shortly I will say some thing. And first of the definition thereof is, when the body of a dead man or woman, is cut & opened & the members divided, or for them want of dead bodies to read good books as Galen, 
What annothomie is.  Avicen. etc. And it behoveth them that cutteth a dead corpse, 
Four things considered in the body of man.  to note four things. First the nutramentall members, as the liver with the veins: the second is, the members spiritual, as the heart with the artiries, the third is the animal members, 
Example.  as the head, brains, & sinews. The fourth & last, be exerementes of the body, as arms, legs, skin, here. etc. Of these said members, with the bones, is all the body compounded. And like as every tree and herb, have their roots in the earth, & their branches springeth upward, even so the roots of mankind, have the beginning in the brain, and the senewe and branches groweth downward: in the which brain, dwelleth the virtues of imagination, fantasy, memory. etc. And these animal virtues, be placed as it were heavenly above all the members, communicating their heavenly influences, down unto the heart, as to a prince, or chief reuler within the body, which giveth life to every part thereof. Thou shalt consider, that the heart was the first that received life from the spirits, and shallbe the last that shall die. Note also, that as, there be noble senses given to the body, as seeing, hearing smelling tasting, feeling: even so nature hath four principal virtues. First Attractive, the second Retentive, the third digestive, the fourth Expulsive. Attractive is that by the which every part of the body draweth the food of life, and serveth the virtue digestive, and the Retentive do hold the meat until it be ready to be altered & changed. digestive do alter, & maketh the food like unto the thing the it nourisheth, as phlegm, blood. etc. Expulsive do separate them from the other, the good from the bad. Thou oughtest also most chief to learn the knowledge of the veins, and for what sickness, they must be opened, and what medicines, either in sirops or pills thou must use. And first mark this figure of the Anatomy here present before thee, with the heavenly signs, because I have not painted at large the several parts of the said Anatomy.  
Against Leprosy & deafness. Let blood the two veins behind the eartes, and use the said pills or else pillule Aurea Nicholai or Arabice, or confectio Hameth minor.  
Against replexion or to much blood, or blood in the eyes, flowing in the head, open the temple veins called Arteries, for they be ever beating. And use too purge with pillule Artritice, Nicholai or pulvis ad epithema Hepatis.  
Against Squinance, stopping the throat, and stopping of the breath: Let blood the veins under the tongue. And for this use Philoniummaiꝰ Necholai. & Gargarisms, pillule Bechie, and oxymel Simplex.  
Veins called Originales, open not without great counsel of a learned Physician, or cunning Chirurgeon. They be in the neck, and have a great course of blood, that governeth the head, & the whole body.  
Against short wind, and evil blood, aproching to the heart, and spitting blood. Open the vain called Cordiaca, or heart vain, in the arm. Use things to extenuate, as Aromaticum, Chariophillatum Mesue, serapium ex Absin●hii in cold time, serapium Boraginis ●●hote time, and pillule stomochis.  
Against palsy, yellow jaundice, burning heats, & apostimations of the liver. Open the liver vain upon the right arm. Take Serapium ex endive. Diamargariton frigid● Auicenni.  
Against dropsy, 
Dropsy.  open the vain between the belly & the branch, the right side against the said dropsy. And the left side against the passions of the milt, but be not rash, unless ye have the counsel of one well seen in the Annothomie. Use pillule Heir cum Agarico.  
Against the stopping the secret terms or fluxions of women, 
Helping the Emorodes.  or helping the Emorodes and purging fores. Open the vain called Sophane under the ankle. 
Theriaca is an excellent treacle.  Theriaca Andromachi. Pillule Mastichine, Petri de Ebano.  
Within .xx hours after one is infected with the pestilence coming suddenly. Open the vain between the wrist of the foot, & the great to. Use Serapi●● Cichorii, and Pillule pestilentialis Ruffi.  
Against stinking breath. Open the vain between the lip and the chin. Use for this Catharicum imperialie. Nicho. Alexandri.  
Against the toothache. Open the vain in the roof of the mouth. And first purge with pillule Choci Rasis, or with pills of mastic.  
Against quartens, 
Use to eat Capers, and take Pillule Jude Haly or pilluled●. lapide Lazule.  tertions, & pains of the leftside. Open the spleen vain, commonly called the low vain, with a wide cut, & not deep: For chirurgeons nisely pricking or opening vains, with little Scarisfa●●●ons, doth let out good pure blood, and still retain, gross, cold, and dry earthly matter, to the great hurt of their pacientes. And albeit, many more veins might hear be spoken of: and their utilities, yet this shall well suffice by God's grace to keep all people in health, that upon just cause, have these veins opened. Except old men, women with child, and children under xiiii. years of age, or men after divers agues. For blood letting, will then engender perilous palsies, as very excellent physicians have well declared. And after one be infected with the pestilence xxiiii. hours, before he have received medicine, 
Miracle helpeth, but no medicen in this case.  or blood letting, miracle helpeth him, but truly no medicine have virtue to do it.  ¶ john. 
THis same figure although it appeareth in many books. Yet very few do understand it in all points, such be the secret works of nature. And where as thou hast well spoken of some veins, & apt medicens for the body: I would fain see the true form and shape of the bones.  ¶ Humphrey. 
OH john, it were a long time to declare the singular members with the compounds, as Galen do in his book of the parts and bones. It requireth only one work, but I have taken in hand to teach the but a Government of health: Not withstanding at thy request, I will show unto the a proportion of the bones, no less true, than new, which is the very timber, or posts, whereupon our frail flesh is builded, beginning in our mother's wombs, and ending in earth the mother of all things. And as the noble Prince Avicen affirmeth, the number of all the bones, be CC.xliiii. beside Sisamina, & Os Laude.  
 ¶ john. 
THou haste spoken of the opening of veins, and medicines convenient to cleanse the blood, with the figure of bones, but thou hast not spoken of convenient time when to let blood, nor of the state or adge of them whose veins should be opened. Therefore I would be glad to learn not only time of blood letting, but also, of purging the belly vomits, bathings: ne●inges, and rubbing of the body. etc.  ¶ Humphrey. 
EVery thing haithe his time convenient & must be done with sobber discretion, 
Time for allthings  and not with rash ignorancy, which killethe an infinite number. Therefore the cause must be known and the time observed, as Galen writeth in the commentary of the Afforismes, 
Hipp. in. 1. Affor. 3.  of Hippocrites, many bodies be extinguished by sudden death in whom is extreme fullness, or abundance. For abundance 〈◊〉 blood or any other humer saith A●ristotle, 
Aristo. in pri. prob. 56.  is the cause of many sickenessis, and those men that useth much gluttony in winter shallbe apt to receive many diseases in the spring time. 
avice. in 2. pri. doc. 2. Cap. 6.  Therefore when the body have extreme heat, fullness of veins, flushing with sudden redness in the face, gross and read urine, and such burning heat in the night that let the sleep. etc.: than it is time to evacuate the body, with some purgation, blood letting, or abstinence as the strength & adge of the patient will serve. For many diseases, he helped by discrete blood letting, as Plurice●, hoot fevers. 
Galen. in lib. de ●lobothomia.  Frenyces, repletion, or surphytes taken with overmuch eating or drinking, as Galen saith, The letting of blood dryethe up the superfluous moister of the belly, helpeth memory, purgeth the bladder quieteth the brain, warmeth the marry, openeth the organs of herring, helpeth digestion inducith sleep, etc. 
Rasi. in 4. alman. cap. 14.  Unto this agreeth Rasis, saying it helpeth greatly against leprosies squinancis. Appoplexis, pestilencis. etc. But old men, children or women with child, ought not to be let blood, nor also those people that dwell in cold regions may not be let blood, because the blood is the chief warmer of nature: the people that dwell in hoot regions, if they be let blood, it will dry there bodies, for blood is the chief moister of nature. Therefore, is the heat of summer, and the coldness of winter, forbidden to open veins, or let blood, except for a stripe, or sudden chance, 
Rasi in 4. alimen. Ca 14.  as Rasis saith th● spring of the year is the chief time t● let blood in the right arm, or right foot, 
the middle vain.  in the vain called Median● Which vain must be opened as● well at other times in the beginning of sicknesses, as hot fevers, & pleurices, etc. As basilica should be opened in the middle or toward th'end of a sickness. Purgations ought to be ministered with great discretion, and not rashly to be taken, for every trifle as thou haste hard me speak of blood letting. So observe the self same rules in purgation, as time, person, 
Hip. in. 3. ●ri. doct. 〈◊〉. cap.  quality, or quantity. For Hypocrates saith, without doubt it is needful to purge the superfluity of the body. As if blood do abound to take things to purge blood. If steam be superfluous, then take things to cleanse his superfluity. If collar be to ardent hot, use things to extinguish, If melancholy be to extreme then taste things to bring him into a mean. 
Usurpation in medicine be evil.  And not to purge one humer with the medicines of an other, but to take them in dew ●rder and aptness. For the said humers as Valarius cordus, Mesue, and Nicholas, teacheth the manner of making of the most excellent purgations with their quantities. And as in blood letting sleep must be avoided for viii. or xii. 
In the morning is best to let blood, evil toward night.  ●oures after them: so when your ●urgations be taken, air is to ●e avoided and to be kept close ●or two. or three days or more, as the ●alice of the disease, or power of he purgations be, and the coun●yll of Rasis must be followed. 
Rasi in 4. alman. ca 15.  Which saith oftentimes to take ●urgations or laxative medicens doth make the body weak, and apt to the fever ethicke, and specialye in very lean or weak persons they that be very fat have small gutes and veins, purgations be very noisome unto them But strong bodies having large vessels, may sustain purgations without any hurt, but strong purgations, either in pills or potions, if they any thing do exceed be very hurtful: therefore, the doces or quantities, may not exceed. And also they must be made as pleasant as art can do them, unless they offend the stomach. 
Meats & medicens ●●eith not except pills before supper.  Hypocrates giveth counsel that men should not mingle medicines with meat, but to take them three or four hours before meat, or else so long after. Unless they be pills called Antecibum, which may be taken at the beginning o● supper, or else Pilli chochi, a little before sleep, two hours after supper. 
Time to purge.  The best time of purgations is in the spring time, as the doctors doth affirm: the apt days & signs are commonly known in the English Almanacs, calculated into english? As in the writings of master Leonarde Digges, 
Digges Kenningham.  & of William Kennyngham, a learned student both in Astronomy and Physic, with many mon good men that taketh pains to profit the common wealth. There is another manner of purging of the body by vomit, 
Vomits and there profits.  for it cleanseth from the midrife upward, if they have large breasts, and be choleric persons. It is good against dropsies and leprosies, & better in summer than in winter, 
Hip. Sentin. 4. Aphoris.  as Hypocrates saith: and wholesomer one hour before supper then at any other time, and not to be used as a custom: 
Custom to vomit weakeneth the stomach.  for the custom of of vomittes hurteth greatly the head and eyes, and make the stomach so feeble, that it will scant bear any meats or drinks, but eftsoons cast them up again. They which have narrow throats and breasts, and long necks, vomits be neither apt nor good for them. 
Avicen. in. 4. pri. cap. 13.  And Avicen sayeth: that vomits aught to be twice in the month for the conservation of health, but that which is more doth hurt the body. 
Of baths and there propertes.  There is an other kind of the cleansing of the body by sweeting, as with hoot drinks, warm clothes, perfumes made of Olibalun brimstone, niter. etc. There is also baths and sweetinge in hoot houses for the pocks, scurf, scabs, hemorrhoids, piles, which hoot houses hath the virtue of helping the said diseases. 
The discommodity of common hot houses.  But if any that be of an whole temperate complexion do sweet in dry hoot houses, it doth them much harm: as hindering their eye ●ightes, decaying their teeth, hur●ing memory. The best bathing ●s in a great vessel, or a little close place with the evapuration of divers sweat herbs well sodden ●n water, which have virtue to ●pen the poors softly, letting out feeble and gross vapers, which ●ieth between the skin and the ●●eshe. 
To use oyntementes after bathings is good.  This kind of bathinge is good in the time of Pestilence, or fever quartein: in the end of the ●athes, it is good to anoint the ●ody with some sweet oil, to mo●ifie and make soft the sinews. And thus to conclude of bathing, ●t is very wholesome, so that it be not done upon an empty stomach, 
To bathe upon an empty stomalie is perilous.  palseis may come there by, or to take sudden cold after it, there followeth an other purgation, called sneezing or sternutation which is beneficial for the body if it be used upon an empty stomach. 
Of sneezing  Twice or thrice in a morning with a leaf of Bittony, put into thy nose, it helpeth memory, good against oppilation, stopping, & obstructions: Suspositers be good for weak people or children, 
Of suppositers.  made with Hieria Picr● & honey, made in the length of a finger: 
Soringe doth much good to the body.  scarifying or boxing, as Galen saith: applied unto the extreme parts, as the legs, and the arms, doth great help unto the body, in drawing watery humour away from the body, but boxing is not good for the breast, applied thereto in hot fevers, is dangerous. 
I will speak more of Glisters in my book of healthful medicines  Glisters made according to art, be good for them which be to weak to take pur●ations. The manner of the said Clysters, because they be not here 〈◊〉 be spoken of at large, I intend ●y God's grace to set forth in my ●ext book of healthful medicines. Purgations venerus, 
Many practitioners of acts venerus.  there be 〈◊〉 many practitioners thereof, ●hat I need to write no rules: ●ut this, that effection, lust, & fantasy, have banished chastity, tē●raunce, and honesty.  ¶ john. 
●Laine people in the country, as carters thresshers, ditchers, colliers, & bowmen, use seldom times to wash ●eir hands, as appeareth by their filthy ●s, & as very few times comb their ●ads, as it is seen by floxe, neites, ●ese, feathers, straw, and such like, ●hich hangeth in their ●eares. Whe●er is washing or combing things to decorate or garnish the body, or 〈…〉 bring health to the same?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THou seest that the dear, 
●es●es & birds, use frictious and pruning themselves  horse, or cow, will use friction or rubbing themselves against trees both for their ease and health. Birds and hawks, after their bathing will prune & rouse themselves upon their branches and perkes, 
The profit which cometh in washing, the hands with cold water.  and all for health. What should man do, which is reasonable but to keep himself clean, & often to wash the hands, which is a thing most comfortable to cool the heat of the liver, if it b● done often, the hands be also the instruments to the mouth and eyes, with many other things commonly to serve the body. To was● the hands in cold water is very wholesome for the stomach and liver, but to wash with hot wate● engendereth rumes, 
Hot water is unwholesome to wash hands in  worms and corruption, in the stomach, because it pulleth away natural heat unto the warmed place, which is washed. 
Frication is wholesome for the body.  Frication or rubbing the body, is good to be done a mornings after the purgation of the belly with warm clothes, from the head to the breast, then to the belly, from the belly to the thighs, legs, & so forth. So that it be done downward, it is good. And in dry folks to be rubbed with the oil of camomile. 
Coming the head  Coming of the head is good a mornings, and doth comfort memory, it is evil at night and open the pores. 
cutting of hear & paring of nails be comely for men  The cutting of the here, and the paring of the nails, clean keeping of the ears, and teeth, be not only things comely and honest, but also wholesome rules of Physic for to be superfluous things of thexcrements.  ¶ john. 
THe chief thing that I had thought to have demanded, and the very mark that I would have the to shoot at, is to tell me some thing of dieting myself with meat & drink, in health and sickness.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THere is to be considered in eating and drinking, 
A consideration to he had in eating & drinking  the time of hunger or custom, the place of eating and drinking, wheit be cold or hoot, also the time of the year, whether it be Winter or Summer: Also the age or complexion of the eater, and whether he be hole or sick: also the things which be eaten, whether they be fish or flesh, fruits or herbs. Note also the complexions and tempramentes of the said meats, hoot or cold, dry or moist, and most chief, mark the quantity & so forth. And like as lamps doth consume the oil, which is put unto them, for the preservation of the light, although it cannot continue for ever: so is the natural heat which is with in us preserved by humidity & moistness of blood and phlegm, whose chief engenderer be good meats and drinks. As Avicen saith deethica. When natural heat is quenched in the body, then of necessity, the soul must depart from the body. For the workman can not work when his instrument is gone. 
A cause why the soul departeth from the body.  So the spirits of life, can have no exercise in the body when there is no natural heat to work upon. Without meat saith Galen: it is not possible for any man to live, either whole or sick, and thus to conclude, no vital thing liveth with out refection and sustenance, whether it be animal reasonable, or animale sensible, without reason or any vital thing in sensible, both man, beast fish, and worm, tree, or herb. All these things be newtrified with the influence or substance of the four Elements or any of them.  ¶ john. 
Well Humphrey thou knowest well my complexion & disorder of my diat, what remedy for me? that have lived like a riyotter.  ¶ Humphrey. 
I Know it well thou art phlegmatic, 
To eat both fish & flesh together hurteh the flematick  and therefore it is long or thy meat is digested. When thou dost eat fish and flesh together, it doth corrupt in thy stomach and stink, even so doth hard cheese and cold fruits. And old powdered meats, and raw herbs engender evil humers, so the diversity of quality, and quantity of divers meats, doth bring much pain to the stomach, and doth engender many diseasses, as thou mast read in the first book of Galen: 
Galen.  iwementis membrorum. c four And the Prince himself saith in three pri. 
Hypocrites.  doc. two. Ca seven. Saing nothing is more hurt full then divers meats to be joined together. For while as the last is receiving, the first begin to digest. And when the table is garnished with divers meats, some roasted, some fried & baken, some warm, some cold, some fish, some flesh, with sundry fruits and salletes of divers herbs to please thine eye, remember with thyself that the sight of them all is better, 
To feed of divers sorts of meats corrupteth the body.  than the feeding of them all. Consider with thyself thou art a man and no beast, therefore be temparet in thy feeding and remember the wise words of Solomon. Be not greedy saith he in every eating, 
Eccl. 37.  and be not hasty upon all meats. For excess of meats, bringeth sickness, and gluttony cometh at the last into an unmeasurable heat. Through surphite have many one perished, 
A good diet prolongeth life.  but he that diateth himself temperately prolongeth his life. Therefore gross fish, lambs flesh, the in meats of beasts, raw herbs, pigs brains, and all slimy meats, be evil for thee: but late suppers is worst of all: But specially if they be long, for it causeth painful nights to follow. But Galen saith in his book De ethimia the meats which be without all blame, be those which be between subtle and gross. Good bread of clean wheat, flesh of capons or hens, pheasants and patriches, pigeons, and turtle doves, black birds, and small field birds, roasted veal, or boiled motton: 
What kinds of meats doth cause good blood.  These do engender good blood saith Galen. Note also that any other meat that thou dost eat at supper, although it seem repugnant to aflegmatike stomach, if thou sleep well after it, and feel no pain, thou mayest use it as a meat necessary. And when thou canst not sleep well, if the default came through meat, mark that meat or drink, although it appear pleasant, refuse it as an enemi. And whereas thou hast used evil diet as a custom in abusing time, quantity & quality, be little, and little, bring thyself into good order & to time, both for thy brekfastes, dinner and supper. Provided alway to eat good things, but not many things. For like as repletion or abundance of meat is an enemy unto the body, and the soul, and bringeth sudden death: 
What hurt cometh of an empty stomach when ye go to bed  even so is emptiness a shorter of time, aweker of the brain, a hinderer of memory an increaser of wind, collar, and melancholy. And oftentimes to many, bringeth sudden death also except nature have some thing to work upon, as I did tell the before: use some light things at breckfast of perfit digestion within iiii. hours after that receive thy dinner, observing the good order of diet, drinking wine or beer oftentimes, & little attons, 
A order of dieting  eschewing great draughts of drink, which is used amongst beasts, and mingle thy meat with mirth, which is ever the best dish, at the board, & be thankful to God. And so leave with an appetite, passing the time wyslie between dinner & supper, with exercise, labour, study or pastime, unto th'end of vi. hours and then begin thy supper, provided that it be shorter than thy dinner, eating thy meat be little and little: for greedy and sudden eating is hurtful to nature, as Galen saith in his diatory, 
Galen me trite.  Note also, that thou mayst eat more meat in winter then in so●er, because thy natural heat is enclosed with thy body in winter, but universally spread in so●er. Also choleric men may as lightly digest beef, baken, venison. etc. With asmuch speed and little hurt as the phlegmatic man may eat, rabbit, cheken & partridge, 
The melancholy.  etc. But the melancholy man through the coldness of the stomach have not that strength in the stomach as he have promptness in will, to eat things warm and moist be good for him. 
The sanguine.  The sanguine man is not so swift in this digestion, as the hoot choleric man is. But notwithstanding, he hath good digestion through the humidity & warmness of blood, and coveteth to eat sweet things, which greatly agment that blood: therefore sharp saucis made with vinegar, onnions, & barbaries be wholesome. Purslen, sorrel, small fishes that fedith upon the stones in fair running waters, cucombers and pure frech wine partly delayed ●ith water, be good for the said sanguine men: to keep them frō●uch increase of flesh.  ¶ john. 
THou hast showed unto me, a very discrete and wholesome order of diet particular to myself, and partly to o●her complexions: but what rule or pre●y Government is for sick folks?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THey that be suddenly vexed with sharp sicknesses, 
An order for the di●tinge of such as be sick of sharp fevers.  must ●aue thin dietes, with water ●ruell, thine mutton or chickens ●ottage without any fat or thickness, violet leaves, endive leaves, ●nd such like cooling herbs, & ●t their drinks be made of Te●ntes, thus do to them that have ●ote harp sicknesses, occasioned of choler. And also cold sips of endive, violets, sugar, ●ater, and vinegar, sodden together be very wholesome. But if sicknesses be long of continuance, their diet must be the thicker, & their meats made the stronger, specially if their diseases be cold: with the flesh of cocks, capons, temperate wine, stewed broth, with wholesome herbs, as bugloss, borage, basel, parsley, and fyncle roots, with some maces, daits, damask prunes, raisins of the sun, 
Of siroppes and drinks  and such like. Siropes of Isope and siterion, provided that they neither take meat nor medicine immediately before or soon after their fits. Possitale with clarified herbs, excepted, which they may take, for their comfort, according to the estate of their disease, for such as be sick, must have meat, contrary to their complexion. For they that be cold, must have hot meat, and medicines. And they that be dry, must have moist things. But they that be hoot must have cold things, for the ardent heat of the fire is quenched with the moistness of the water, & so the quantity of one quality, overcometh the quality of an other. And in deed, physic saith, the bodies that be hoot, must be fed with things like, as they that be moist, with moist things to preserve their moistness. They that be hoot, with hoot things to preserve their heat, and such like. But when they do exceed in heat, cold, moist or dry, then let the qualities of moistness, be tempered with ●rienes, 
As the complexion is so man requireth.  & the coldness with warmness. For like as man delighteth in things of like, as the choleric man, choleric things, even so do beasts, & fruits, as the Coloquintida, which is bitter, delighteth in bitter ground. Hot spices delighteth to grow in hot ground, and every fruit and herb doth delight in the thing that is of likes even so doth man in his food. But in all things let him beware of distemperance, surfites or repletion, rear suppers & drunkenness.  ¶ john. 
But if a man feeleth great grief after meats or drinks, what way is there then for to help him?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Use walking up and down, 
The. iii. doctrine, The. seven. chap. Moderate walk after meat profiteth.  and perhaps that will digest, as Avicen saith: And Ras●● sayeth, to walk a hundredth paces after meat, is wholesome, for it comforteth digestion, provoketh urine, and giveth one power and strength of stomach 〈◊〉 eat his supper. But the counsel of Galene, 
Galen. in, 6. de accedenti & morbo. 1. cap.  must here be observed. Which saith: there is no ●eate but it will corrupt or ●inke, if the body be cast into a sudden heat, by strong travel ●ne after meat, which corruption of digestion, is the mother ●f all diseases, and the beginner ●f all infirmities, 
avice. in 13. theo. 3. tract. 3. cap.  as Avicen re●orteth: And if you see this will ●ot help to digest your ingor●ed full stomach, then provoke ourself to sleep lying upon our right side, leaning toward our breast and belly, laying your ●arine hand upon your breast, as ●uerois saith: 
To help digestion by divers ways.  the power of disge●ion is made strong when a man sle●eth. For natural heat that is drawn inwardly with warmness, or ●eat hath power to digest. But sleep ease you not, provoke vo●mit or fast it out, and this is th● counsel of many learned men For it is no marvel although many meats corrupteth one man, 
Hipo. in secondo prim. doc. 3. ca 6 Hec signa declar●nt.  which be of sundry and d●●uers workings in the stomach, liver, & veins, for the qualities doth hinder nature as much as the quantities. And take heed, these signs and evil tokens, be not found in you. The pains of all your members with idleness & weariness, to go or move your body. Sudden great blushing or readnes in your face, veins swelled and puffed up, read uryve, and gross skin, extended or stretched out with fullness, like a blown bladder & full pulses, small desire to meat, ill rest and grief in sleep, seeming in sleep to bear some intolerable burden, or dreaming to be speechless, these be the evil and dangerous tokens of repletion. And of this I give you warning, for it hath slain as many by abundance, as hunger hath killed through scarcity.  ¶ john. 
I Have heard say that wholesome air is a great comfort to man's nature, but corrupt air doth much harm. I shall require you therefore to tell me of the good and the bad air, that I may learn to use the good, & refuse the bad.  ¶ Humphrey. 
GAlen in lib. de Sectis. sayeth: A wise physician ought to know the natures of men, of waters, of air, of regions and dwellings, generally, particularly to thyself, being a natural English man of birth and education: this land is very temporat. How be it, our dwellings in this land, be variable as fens, marisses, woods, heythes, valleys, plains, and rocky places, and near the sea side. 
Note which be the most holsomst airs to dwell in.  But the said Galen giveth counsel in his regiment of health, saying: a good air which is pure and wholesome is that, which is not troubled in standing waters, pools. Therefore maris grounds & places, where hemp & flax, is rotten, & dead carrions be cast, or multitudes of people dwelling to together, or houses environed with standing waters, wherinto jakes or sinks, have issues, or wallowing of swine, 
what airs corrupteth the blood.  or carrion unbruied or foul houses, or such like places be dangerous, corrupteth the blood, which is worse than enfection of meat, for the prince saith, that all places of concavetes, as fellers, voltes, holes of minerals where mettles be digged, or houses, or walls, joined together, where as the sun with reflection beateth in with sudden heat, whose absence bringeth cold. This air is distempered, but pleasant clear air, sweet gardens, goodly hills, in days temperate when one may see far of. 
Corrupt air bringeth sundry diseases.  These be good also, there be certain stars called infortunates, in their exaltation, whose influence bringeth corruption to creatures, rot & pestilence to men & beasts, poisoning waters, & killing of fish, blasting of fruit in trees, and corn in the ●ields, infecting men with divers disease's, fevers, palses, dropsis, ●ranses, falling sicknesses, and eprosis. 
Fervent prayer unto God, doth mitigate h●● wrath.  Against the said influences ●l christian men must pray to god 〈◊〉 be their defence, for they be gods instruments to punisheth earth. Example, we have of mortal pestilence, horrible fevers, and sweating sickness, and of late a general fever, that this land is often greatly plagued withal. Then one must make a fire in every chymnay within thy house, 
Sweet air to be made in the time of sickness  and burn sweet perfumes to purge this foul air, and now in conclusion to answer thy question, for the health of dwelling. Avicen saith: to dwell upon hills is cold. And in valleys comprised with hills, is hot. Upon a hill side against the north, is cold & dry. Toward the west, gross, & moist, very subtle towards the East. And clear and warm towards the South. And Rasis saith: in his first book Afforien. A man dwelling near the Sea side, or great waters, can not live long, nor can not be without weakness of members, or blindness, but the best● building of a house, 
Situation best for a house.  is upon a dry ground, and a hill towards the west side, and south west. doors, and windows open towards the east, and north east, having near unto the said house, sweet springs of running waters. From stony or chaukye ground, which is both pleasant and profitable to the house. For Hypocrates saith in his book of air and water: the second chapter. Cities & towns, which is placed toward the east, be more surer, than the towns builded towards the north, for temperate air or wind, and sicknesses be les. And in the said book, Avicen greatly commendeth pleasant rivers running towards the rising of the sun, the dwellers in such places sayeth he, 
Pleasant people.  be fair and well favoured: smooth skinned, clear & sharp voices, and thus to conclude with thee, this shall suffice at this time, what and where, good & pleasant dwelling is. Note also, that thou must observe air in sickness, as thou must do meat in sickness, cold sicknessis, warm air, dry sicknessis, moist air, and so in the contraries to them that be sick, and they that be hole, air of like quality is most wholesome, they that have long sickeness is, change of air is a great help, both in fevers, dropsies, falling sicknesses and rumes.  ¶ john. 
I Have found very much disquietness in my body, when my servants and labouring family, have found ease, & yet we are partakers of one air.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THe cause why thy labouring servants in the field at plough, 
moderate exercise a soverall thing.  pastures, or wood, have such good health, is exercise and labour, & thy disquietness cometh partly of Idleness, and lack of travel, which moderately used, is a thing most soveraint to nature.  ¶ john. 
I pray that tell me some thing of exercise.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THe well learned man Fulgentius, 
Fulgen. in lib. 2.  saith: that exercise is afile and chaufer of the heat natural, which chasseth away sleep, 
What profit cometh by exercise.  and consumeth superfluous strength. Of the natural virtues, redeaming of time, enemy unto Idleness, dew unto young men, joy of old men, and to say the truth: he which doth abstain from exercise shall lack the joys of health, & quietness, both of body & mind. And Galen saith: in his regiment of health, if we will keep perfect health, We must begin of laborrs and moderate travel and then to our meat and drink, and so for the to sleep, & this is the cause why haukers, shooters, hunters, and plowmen, and gardeners, etc. have so good digestion and strength of body. Who be stronger armed men than Smiths, because of the exercise of there arms: stronger boddyed, than carpenters, which lifteth great blocks, and masons which beareth great stones, not only in there youth, but such men will take marvelous traveles in age which to Idle people seemeth very painful, 
Use meeketh labour esy.  but unto themselves that travel no pain but pleasure, because of custom. These people can digest gross meats, eating them with much pleasure, and sleeping soundly after them, whereas the idle multitudes in Cities & noble men's houses, great numbers for lack of exercise doth abhor meats of light digestion and dantye dishes, mary in dead they may be very profitable to physicians. But if travel be one of the best preserver of health, so is Idleness the destroyer of life, 
Apho.  as Auerdis writeth, and Hypocrates saying every contrary is removed and helped by his contrary, as health helpeth sickness, exercise putteth away Idleness, 
idleness the mother of all mischief  etc. But every ●ight moving or soft walking may not be called an exercise ●s Galen saith, therefore tennis, ●ansinge, running, wrestling ●idinge upon great horses, ordained, aswell for the state of ●ennes health, as for pleasure, whereunto it is now converted, rather to the hurt of many than the profit of few, exercise doth occupy every part of the body, quicken the spirits, purge the excrenentes' boythe by the reins, and gutes, therefore it must be used before meat, 
Exercise before meat.  for if strong exercise be used inmediatlie after meat, it conveyeth corruption to each part of the body, because the meat is not digested, but when thou seste thy water, After meat appeareth some what citiene or yellow than mayst thou begin exercise, for digestion is then well. But sick folks, leene persons, young children, women with child may not much travel. The exercise of dice, cards, fight, drinking, knavish raling, of bauderye, and such like: rather may be called an exercise of devils, then of men. And thus to conclude with Solomon, quam pretiosus sit sanitas thesa●●●s.  ¶ john. 
AFter painful labour and exercise, or disquietness of the mind, there was never thing that have done me so much comfort as sleep have done.  ¶ Humphrey. 
AVicen saith, 
Avicen in can. Of sleep and waking.  that sleep is the rest and quietness of the powers of the soul, of movings and of sensis, without the which man can not live. And truly sleep is nothing else but an Image or brother to death, 
Tulli. in lib. de seen.  as tuli saith. And if by imagination thou hidest perseve sleeping & waking weighed in the balance together, there thou should see them equal in weight, 
Arist. in lib. de so.  for Aristotle saith that man do sleep as much as he do wake. But this is to be considereth in sleep, that natural heat is drawn inwardly and digestion made perfit, the spirits quieted and all the body comforted, if the true order of sleep be observed in six points. First a quiat mind without the which either there is no sleep, or else dreadful dreams, turmentinge the sprittes. Secondly the time of sleep, which is the night, or time of most quyat silence, for the day sleeps be not good, most chiefly soon after dinner, except to sick persons or young Children, in there times convenient. thirdly, the manner of sleep, 
sleep after dinner not helhtful.  that is to eschew the lying on the back, which bringeth many grenous passions, and killeth the sleper with sodden death. To lie upon the left side is very evil in the first sleep, but tolerable in the second, but the most surest way to make the digestion perfit, is to lie upon the right side, with one of the hands upon the breast fourth sleep have the quantety which must be mean, 
sleep on the right side is best.  for superfluous sleep maketh the spirits gross and dull, and decayeth memory, six or eight hours will suffice nature. For like asmuch watch drieth the body, and is perilous for falling sickness, 
Gal. sen. 1. terap. ca 6.  & blindness: even so to much sleep is as perilous, for extremes be ever ill. fifthly in the time of cold fevers, the patient must not sleep until the trembling fit be paste, for then the hot fit that followeth will be extremer than any other fit, and hard to help, note furthermore that those bodies that be full of hot inflammations sleep not well, therefore thy must use things to extenuat and to make cold, as Tizantes and cold Siruppes, or gentle purging from the belly and liver, or finally to have the median vain opened according to time, state, and age. Sixtly the chamber must be considered that it be clean, sweet comely, clothes fit for the time of the year, & the age of the people and to keep the head warm, is very wholesome, for in sleep natural heat is drawn into the body for the brain of nature is cold and moist. 
Thy lodging must be kept clean.  Windows in the south part of the chamber, be not good, it is best for them which have cold rheums, dropses, etc. To lie in close lofts, and for dry bodies to lie in lieu chambers, & in the time of the Pestilence, often chyfte chambers is healthful, dying upon the ground in gardens, 
Note that sleapeers in fields in harvest shallbe in dannger of quartens in winter.  under trees, or near unto stinking pryvies be hurtful to the body, and this shall suffice for thine instruction of sleep, provided that thou dust not long betayne thine urine. For fear of the stone, and pain in thy ●aynes.  ¶ john. 
THere is nothing which I more fear then the slone, for my father was sore vexed therewith, what shall ● mark in mine urine.  ¶ Humphrey. 
AMong all mortal diseases, the stone is the greatest, a pre●enter of time, a deformer of man, and the chief wekener of the bo●y, and a grievous enemy to the ●ommon wealth. How many noble men and worshipful personages hath it slain in this realm: 
The cause of the stone  many one, which comet● of hot wines, spices, long ban● quettes, repletions, fullness, costi●nes, warm keeping of the back salt meats. etc. The remedy whereof is in all points contrary to these causes, 
remedies for the stone  small wines, temperate beer, or ale, no spices, but hol● some herbs, as time, percilly faxifrage. etc. Light meals, mo● chief the supper, no baken, no● rostid thing, but only sodde● meats, and often times to rela●● the belly with Cassia fistula, new drawn from the Cane, with sugar and to eschew salt meats and not to keepeth the back warm the stone is often found in young children, which cometh of th● parents, and oftentimes in old folk. Which stones be engengendred as I have said: besides milk, fruits, herbs, saltfyshe, & flesh, hard cheese. etc. Now mark well this lesson following, for thine urine.  ¶ john. 
THat shall I gladly, read but softly and I will write thy words.  ¶ Humphrey. 
FIrst in urine four things Mark  
Thus said Actuarii the good clerk, 
Four things noted in urines.   
●uller regentes and contents therein.  
Substance gross, thick or thine.  
● fair light, an urinal puer,  
Then of thy sight, thou shalt be sure.  
●uller of bright gold or guilt, 
Golden urine.   
●s health of liver, heart and milt.  
●ead as cherry, 
Read urine.  or safron dry,  
excess of meat in him I spy.  
●uller green, or like dark read wine,  
●r resembling the liver of a swine. 
Grene urine.   
●s adustion with fiery heat  
●urning the liver and stinking sweat  
●addy colour or black as ink, 
Colour like lead.   
●eath draweth near as I do think.  
except the terms which women have,  
Or purging black collar, which many do save  
Culler grey as horn, 
〈…〉  or clear as water,  
Is lack of digestion saith mine author.  
urine like flesh broth is very good, 
〈…〉 like 〈◊〉 be ●●●h.   
Beginneth digestion and nourish blood.  
Subcitrine and yellow be urines next best,  
Bread and flesh will well digest.  
The urine that is white and thick, 
〈◊〉 ●●●ite & 〈◊〉 v●in ●●●ite & 〈◊〉 urine. 〈◊〉 ●●we 〈◊〉.   
Is ever Called phlegmatic.  
Melancholy water is white and thin,  
The red and gross is Sanguine.  
Yellow and thine, springe from the gall,  
Wherein holler ruleth all.  
The swelling liver and brains bloody,  
Causes Circled thick with colour ruddy.  
But when Circles be thine and red, 
●●●esar 〈◊〉 no●●●   
Choler grave the right side of the head.  
If leaden Circles swim on the brink,  
It is falling sickness as I do think.  
When Oil in urine doth apeer, 
〈…〉 in 〈…〉.   
Resolutio pinguis draweth near.  
When Oil apeere in fevers hot,  
Dissoluinge the body, 
〈◊〉 negotiousnesses ter 〈◊〉 ●●●rcit. 〈◊〉 ●●●ravel 〈◊〉 ●●●n.  causeth ablote.  
But of Periotides, thou fellst no pains,  
This Oil Pronogstick, consuming reins.  
The gravel red declareth for ever,  
In dry backyd men double tertian fever.  
When golden gravel appeareth alone,  
It hurt the rains but is no stone.  
When gravel is of colour white,  
Stone in the bladder worketh spite.  
Contents like small thrides or hairs,  
Through heat & dryness the body weers. 
Contents in urine be the chief things to know diseases.   
Consumtion, scab, small sport & lust,  
Is when many hairs be mingled with dust.  
In the bottom of veins, or vessels great,  
●ieth stopping matter like bran of wheat.  
Wherein contents are, like scales of fish  
As appeareth in the chamber dish.  
These signify fevers, and ethics old,  
Or skabs, which the bladder do enfold.  
White froth swyming, cometh of wind,  
The yellow froth, is of jaunders kind.  
Thus of urines I do conclude,  
With words of truth, but metre rude.  
¶ Here is also a little of the signs of the excrements of the belly.  
Our filthy dung, and fex most vile,  
The dregs of nature's food, 
Many colours in one stole be evil.   
When they be divers coullerid made  
The singnes be never good.  
If the siege be like unto the meat,  
New drawn into the maw, 
singns of Crudite & wind.   
Or fleeting with flem or burbles great.  
The body is windy and raw.  
The yellow doth from choler cum, 
Choleric signs.   
The green is burnt adust,  
The black and leady, 
Signs deadly.  be deadly signs,  
That flesh will turn to dust.  
The excrement that is in the jacks cast, 
Oil excrements signify consumsion except the cause be of fat meats.   
If it have oil or fat,  
Consuption of body than begin,  
The chiefest sign is that.  
The prive soft well compact,  
Made in the acusiomed time,  
Is ever good and the hard is ill,  
And thus I end my rhyme. 
Stools soft and hard.   ¶ john. 
once I fell into a great sickness, and hitherto I am scant recovered of it, the surfeit was so great, but cousaill was given me, that I should not stay myself upon the opinion of any one physician, but rather upon three, than said I: to retain three at once, requiquireth great charge, for those men to whom lives be committed, ought liberal rewards to be given. Then said my friend, they are good gentlemen and no great takers. What be their names said I? he answered saying: The first was called doctor diet, 
Diet. Quiet. Meximan  the second doctor quiet, the third doctor merry man. I did write their names, but yet I could not speak with them.  ¶ Humphrey. 
HEtherunto I have said something that shall well suffice for the to know doctor diat, as for quiet, and merry man, they lie in no physicians hands, to give, but only in Gods. 
It were better to lack riches, than to want quietness & mirth.  For small it helpeth to any man, to have honour, riches, fame, cunning. etc. And in the mean time, to want quietness, and mirth, which be the chief friends. Tendrist nuryshes, wholesomest physicians, most pleasant musicians, & friendliest companions, to nature, pleasant birds singing in the branches, be more happier than ravening Cormerantes, and greedy hawks, which with pains inchaseth their prais. The quiet lambs be ever happier in their kind, then the greedy ravining foxes, wolves and lions, 
Many apt similitudes or mettophers.  which never cese, vexing themselves, to kill living things for their food. The poor oyster, lurking under the rock, or sand, which is never removed of strong ebbs nor floods, is farther from travel & continual pains, than the horrible whale, most fearful to fishes. The low shrubs, or bushes growing near to the ground, be ever in more safeguard than the lusty high flourishing trees, spread with pleasant branches, which be subject to every strong wind. The poor boots in harbour, be in less peril than the fikle rich ships, tossed up & down on the cruel floods. What shall I say: but this, that the miserable ragged beggar called Irus, was more happier in his poverty with quietness & mirth, than was the glotonus beast, & monstruous man king Sardanapalus, with all his golden glory court of ruffians, & Curticens with Cam to an end most shameful. Diogenes, I warrant you was not inferor to Alexander, in the state of Happiness, and have left as great a fame behind him, saving that Alexander, was a more cruel murderer than Diogenes a chaste liver. 
The pleasure of poor men.  In deed the poor silly shepherd, doth pleasantly pipe with his sheep, when mighty princes do fight among their subjects, & break many sleeps in golden beds, when bakers in bags, & brewers in bottles, do snort upon hard straw, fearing no sudden mishap. The great pains and secret grieves that disquieted minds, do daily sustain, be not much unlike unto the infernal torments, 
The turments of the mind  that the wicked do feel: Physic unto an extreme troubled mind (say what they list:) helpeth as little, as to apply a plaster to the breast, or head, of a dead body, to revocate the spirits of life or soul again. The sickness of the body must have medicine, the passions of the mind, must have good counsel. What pleasure hath a condemned man in music, or a dead man in physic? 
Through thought many are killed.  Nothing at all God knoweth. Oh how many men have been cast away by thought, and most for loss of estimation, and some of other affections of the mind, as inordinate love, or coveting things that they can not get, 
Ire is a grievous passion.  or obtaining those things that they can not keep, or ire of other men's prosperity or. good hap. 
Tul. in tuscum. li. 3 ovid. in lib. 2. metha.  As Tully sayeth: ovid, as fine in Poetry, as Apelles was in painting, describeth this vile passion of Ire, with a pale face, lean body, skouling look, gnasshing teeth, venom tongue, choleric stomach, tongue full of poison, ●ngratefull, seldom smiling, ●ut at mischief, outwardly appearing as it were quiet, inwardly the serpent gnaweth, fret ●eth & devoureth. etc. These men be evils incarnate, 
devils incarnate.  beginning hell in his life, most enemies to them ●lues, & if they did behold them ●lues in a glass in the time of ●eir tempests, 
A good face in a glass.  should nottheir ●untenaunces, be more fearful to themselves then their Ire, hurtful to others? yes, and perhaps make them staring made, in seeing such a devils image, therefore let wise men be of this mind. first to think that they would have no man be Ireful against them or disdain them, even so let them do to others. Secondly let them think, 
●eter to be spited then pitied in some casis.  it is better to be spited, then pitied, for every prosperus felicity, hath his enemy waiting upon him. The fool hateth the wise. The wise man, pitieth the fool: well covit rather to be spited then pitied, the wrech envieth the worthy man, and so forth: Only except adversity, & extreme misery, all prosperus men have enemies, let this suffice, & consider what Galen saith, 
Galen. de regem sani libr. 1.  that immoderate I reful motions, cast the body into a choleric heat, whereof cometh fevers, and all hot diseases dangerous to the body, 
In comen. 32 septi. problem.  of this writeth Petrus de eba●o. The passion of the mind called dread or fear, is when the blood and spirits be drawn inwardly, and maketh the outward parts pale & trimblinge ●o this, by sides pitiful experiens, Haliabas, Galen, and Aristotel do wit●es the same. 
Hali. in. 5 theo. ca ultimo. Ga. 1. qui. de acc. & morbo. c. 6. Ari. 10. proble.  The suddayn passion of joy, or gladness, is clean contrary to fear. For the heart tendeth fourth the spiritual blood, chyche in weak persons, the art can never recover again ●ut death incontinent, as Galen ●yth, and as we may see by ex●erience: As in the meeting of ●en, and there wives, Childrē●nd there parents, which either ●y prison, or banishment, were ●ythoute all hope, ever to see each ●ther, and in joy of meeting the delating, & spreading of the heart blood, have cast the body into swoninge. And thus my friend john I do conclude upon certain affections of the mind, wishing doctor diat, quiat & merry man to help thee, when thou shalt need. For mirth is beloved of musicians, 
Hudson.  pleasant birds & fishes as the Dolphin. What is mirth honestly used? an image of heaven. A great lordship to a poor man, and preserver of nature, & Solomon saith. 
Eccl. c. 30  Non est oblectatio super cordis gaudium, etc. And yet I say.  
THe Ireful man is ever a thall,  
The joyful mind is happest of al.  
Zele burn like flames of fiere,  
When honest mirth, have his desire.  
Love well mirth but wrath despise:  
This is the counsel of all the wise.  ¶ john. 
I Would very fain know the natures of sorten simples, and first what is worm wood.  ¶ Humphrey. 
A Common known herb it is of divers kinds as Ponticum. Romanum, etc. It is hot in the first, & dry in the second degree, and it is very bitter, and being ●ried, keepeth clothes from wor●es and moths, and the syrup ●hereof, 
The virtues of wormwood.  eaten before wine, preserveth men from drunkenness, ●f it be sodden in vinegar it will ●elpe the sores that bredes in the ●ares, being laid warm upon ●t, is good to be drunk against Appoplexia, & Opthalmia. Which is 〈◊〉 sickness of the eye, is greatly ●elped with the wormwood, 
Auic. li. 2. Sim. 2.  if it ●e stamped & made lukewarm ●yth rose-water, and laid upon ●he eye, and covered with a clean wyked walnut shell, the syrup helseth the bloody flux, it doth ●elp a cold stomach if it be drunk ten days together, every morning two spoonful of the syrup, is good against the dropsy, every day drunk, two ounces fasting, and thus saith Avicen, figs, cockle, wormwood, nitur, stamped together, and made in a plaster, is good against the disease of the splen, and also killeth worms in the belly, used in the foresaid manner, one dram of the powder may be drunk at once in wine, it haveth many moo godly virtues.  ¶ john. 
What is that propeties of Anes seeds.  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is much like unto fenel sede, and is called Roman fenel, that is warm and sweet, and hot in the second, 
Gal. de sim.  and dry in the third degree, the new sedes is the best. It engendereth vital seed, openeth the stopping of the reins and matrixe, being drunk with Tysantes, or clean temperate vine.  ¶ john. 
What thinkest thou of mouse ear?  ¶ Humphrey. 
AN herb commonly known, cold and moist in the first ●egre, as Galen saith, the decoction of this herb sodden in wa●er with sugar, is good against ●he falling sickness, being often ●imes drunk, & put a leaf thereof ●nto the nose it will provoke sternutation, or nesinge which wonderfully doth cleanse the vains.  ¶ john. 
〈◊〉 would fain know what is Chyken ●ede?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Almost every ignorant woman doth know this herb, but their be of it divers kinds, they be very good to keep wounds from impostumations, 
The operation of chiekin wede.  stamped, and applied unto them, and draweth corruption out of wounds, and sodden with vinegar, doth drove phlegm out of the head, if it be often warm put into the mouth and spit it out again. In this same manner it helpeth the teeth, and sudden in wine and so drunk, it will cleanse the reigns of the back.  ¶ john. 
What is sorrel, might I know of the and the property thereof?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THy Coke doth right well know it, 
The properties of sorrel.  and all they that make green sauce, but the description I leave to Dioscorides, and Leonard futchius, not only in this herb, but in all other, and to tell tell thee the virtue I will, it is cold and dry in the second degree, it also stoppeth: it is like on dive in property, because it over cometh choler, and is much commended, it helpeth the yellow jaundice, if it be drunk with small wine or ale, and also quencheth burning fevers: to eat of the leaves every morning, in a pestilence time is most wholesome, it they be eaten fasting. This herb doth Dioscorides, Galen, and Avicen, greatly commend, besides the great learned men of this tyme.  ¶ john. 
What is Planten, or Waybrede?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THe greater Planten is the better, 
The properties of plantain  it hath seven great veins, it is cold & dry, the seed of it, drunk with read wine, stoppeth the bloody flux: the roots sodden and drunk in wine, stoppeth the bloody flux: the roots and leaves being sodden with sweat water, and with Sugar or borage water, and given to him that hath an Ague, either tertian or quartain, two hours afore his fit: prove this, for thus have I helped many, it is very comfortable for children that have great Flixes & Agues and is a friend unto the liver, this herb is greatly praised of the Doctors.  ¶ john. 
What is Camomile, and the operation thereof?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THis herb is very hot, it is drunk against cold winds, and raw matter being in the guts, the Egyptians did suppose it would help all cold Agues, and did consecrate it to the sun, 
To what purpose camomile serveth.  as Galen saith: Also if it be tempered and strained into white wine, and drunk of women, having the child dead within the body, it will cause present deliverance, it doth mightily cleanse the bladder, and is excellent to be sodden in water to wash the feet: the oil is precious as is declared hereafter.  ¶ john. 
Hops be well beloved of the beer brewers, how do the Physicians say to them?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THere be which doth cool, be called Lupilum, those that we have be hot and dry, 
Fucchi.  bitter, sour, hot, saith old herbals. And ●ucchius saith: they cleanse phlegm & choler, and the water between the skin and flesh, the sirupes will cleanse gross raw phlegm from the guts, and is good against obstructions sodden. If the juice be dropped in the ear, it taketh the stink away of rotten sores, the roots will help the liver and spleen, being sodden, and drunk: the beer is very good for phlegmatic men.  ¶ john. 
What is Sage, for that I love well?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THere be two kinds of sage: 
A wonderful gift given to Sage.  they be herbs of health, and therefore they be called Saluia, this herb is hot & dry, & provoketh urine, cleanseth the matrix, stoppeth the blood in a wound. If it be put in a pig, it drieth the humours, that would engender phlegm, it is good against the palsy: oftentimes eaten, or sodden in wine, it will help & cleanse itch, scabs, and filth from the pudent and secret members. Aetius doth greatly commend this herb, and the excellent regiment of Salern, where it sayeth Cur moritur homo, cui saluia crescit in horto, enquiring why men do die that have Sage growing in gardens. But truely, 
An. in. 3. 1 cap. sing.  neither Physic, herb, nor running, can make man immortal: but assuredly Sage is wholesome for old folks, to be put in to their meats, for it cleanseth phlegm from the sinews, which phlegm will relax the sinews: The wine of Sage drunk upon an empty stomach, is wholesome for phlegmatic persons, or them which have the falling sickness or dropsy.  ¶ john. 
What is Pilopodie, that groweth upon the Oak tree?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IF this herb be sodden with Beets and Malowes, 
Of polopodie.  in the broth of a hen, and drunk, it will lose the belly, and cleanse phlegm: the root of this herb being dry, and beaten into fine powder, and drawn into the nose thrills, helpeth a disease called Polipus.  ¶ john. 
I Have heard talk of Hoorhounde, I would fain hear of his working.  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is a herb hot and dry, if it be sodden with fair water, 
What de ●eases hor ●●●und●●●peth.  sugar or honey, and strain it, this drink doth cleanse the stomach from stinking phlegm, it is an excellent herb for women, to cleanse their month terms, the water of this, is good to help them which have a moist rheum falling from the head, upon the lungs, being often drunk: but it is hurtful to the bladder and reins, the syrup thereof doth cleanse the kings evil: and also put into the ears, doth greatly comfort the hearing if the ears be troubled: and stamped with honey, and applied into the eyes, it cleanseth the sight.  john. 
What is Verben?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is called the holy herb, 
Of verb● & his properties.  it drieth and bindeth, if it be sodden with vinegar, it helpeth a disease called saint Anthony's fire, oftentimes washing the pained place, the leaves of Verben and Roses, and fresh swines grease stamped together, will cease pain and grief in every wound, and will keep wounds from corruption: it is good for people, that have the tercian, or quartain Agues. And thus sayeth Dioscorides: 
Dioscorides.  moreover, he sayeth, the weight of a Dram of this herb, with three half pennies weight of Olibbulom, and put in nine ounces of old wine, tempered together, and drunk forty days of this quantity fasting, it will help a disease, called the kings evil, or pain in the throat.  ¶ john. 
What is rue, or herb Grace?  ¶ Humphrey. 
I Tell thee, this herb is very hot and bitter, and doth burn because of his hotness in the third degree: if a little of this rue be stamped, and sodden with wine, and drunk, it is an excellent medicine, against poison and pestilence, with roses, and vinegar, and rue stamped together, 
Rue good against poison.  and put in forred cloth or biggen, applied unto the temples of the head or forehead, do cease grievous pains in the head. And in like maver it healeth the bitings of serpents or dogs, stamped with vinegar: many nice people cannot abide it, crying fie, it stinks: The seed of this herb beaten in powder, & put in fresh clarified butter, & pitch melted together, is good for them to drink ●hat are bruised.  ¶ john. 
What is burnet.  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is of the nature of five finger, 
The properties of Gurnet.  dry and binding, and not moist, as many saith: stamp it & put it to the eyes, doth take away the dropping and pricking, and doth heal wounds, and is good to drink for the tercian Ague.  ¶ john. 
What is Dandilion?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is temperate, 
The virtues of Dandelion  cold and dry: with Roses and vinegar, tempered together, it helpeth the head in hot diseases. The sowthistle called Soncus, hath the same virtue, and so hath Succory: if they be sodden, they lose the belly, and quencheth heat which burneth in the stomach, and defendeth the head from hot smoking vapours, and purgeth yellow chouller, and rebateth venerous and fleshly heat, and is good to be sodden and drunk in hot burning Agues, though this herb be commonly known, and counted of many as a vile weed, yet it is reported of Dioscorides, to be an excellent herb.  ¶ john. 
What is Spynnage?  ¶ Humphrey. 
AN herb much used in meat, cold and moist, in the first degree, it mollifieth and maketh soft the belly, it is good for them that be hot and dry, and ill for phlegmatic men.  ¶ john. 
What is Cucumbers?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THey be truly in the second degree, very moist and cold: The seeds be good to be given in hot sicknesses: the powder of the said seeds, 
For what purposes concomber serveth.  drunk in clean wine, is good against divers passions of the heart: this fruit will cause one to make water well the root dried in powder thereof drunken in water and honey, provoketh vomit: if they be moderately eaten, they bring good blood, tempered with honey, and anoint the eyes, that helpeth a disease called Epinictidas, 
Epinictidas.  which troubleth men with strange sights in the nights: the best of this fruit is, which beareth the best seeds the savour of that is not wholesome: melons, citrons, pampans, and this kind of pepons or great apples be much used in England, and is more common, then profitable, because they use to eat them raw. English men being borne in a tempered region, inclining to cold, may not without hurt eat raw herbs, roots and fruits plentiful, as many men, which be borne far in the south parts of the world, which be most hot of stomach, therefore let them eat these fruits boiled or baken with honey and pepper, and fencle seeds or such like, there be an other hot kind of bitter cucombers, which do purge.  ¶ john. 
What is Garlic.  ¶ Humphrey. 
Garlic is very hot and dry in the fourth degree: 
The properties of Garlic & his operation.  it troubles the stomach, it is hurtful to the eyes & head, it increaseth drie●ies, but it will provoke urine, & is good to be laid upon the biting of a snake, or edder, it is good for the emeroides applied to the sore place, being first stamped, if it be sodden, the stink is taken from it, but the virtue remaineth to be eaten against the coughs, & pains in the lungs, it cutteth and consumeth corrupt phlegm, and bringeth sleep. It is not good for hot men, nor women with child, or Norces, giving milk to children: but Galen calleth it the common people's treacle, if sanguine men do eat much of it, it will make them to have read faces, but it is a special remedy against poison.  ¶ john. 
What is Onions?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THey do make thin the blood, 
The diversity of Onions & their properties.  and bring sleep, they be not good for choleric men, the long onion is more behementer then the ●ounde, and the read more than ●he white, the dry more than the green, and the raw more than the sodden, or preserved in salt although they cause sleep, very painful and troublous hot in the third degree, and warm in ●he stomach, cleanseth the stomach, and bringeth good colour to the face, and helpeth the green sickness, provoketh urine, opened the emoroides. If they ●e sodden in vinegar, and laid ●arme to them: peel of the rind ●nd cut it at both the ends, ●nd cast it into fair warm wa●er, and let it lie an hour or two, ●nd then slice it, this takes away ●e veament sharpness of it. Rew, ●alte, honey, & one onion stamped to ●ether, is a goodly plaster to lay upon the biting of a dog: leeks purgeth the blood in march, and paineth the heed, and be not greatly praised, for their i● juice Adoge saith, Dioscorides, the head being anointed with the juice thereof keepeth hear from falling: thereiss much variety of this onion amongst writers saith Plini, but this shall suffice  ¶ john. 
What is Lettise.  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT doth mightylye increase milk in women's breasts, 
The properties of Lettise.  and therefore is called lettisse, as Martial saith, first shallbe given to the virtue and power to increase milk in the breasts every hour● lettuce is an herb cold and mois● and is comfortable for a hot stomach, bringeth sleep, mollifieth the belly: the drier it be eat the better it is, I mean if it be not much washed in water, adding clean salad Oil, Sugar, and vinegar to it, it abateth carnal lust: and much use of it, dulleth the sight, the seed is precious against hot diseases drunk with tisans: There is an herb called Rocked gentle, which partly smelleth like a Fox, which is very hot, an increaser of seed, which herb must always be eaten with Lettuce. The root there of sodden in water, will draw broken bones, and will help the cough in young children.  ¶ john. 
What he Mints?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Mints be of two kinds, 
The properties of mints.  garden and wild Mints, they be hot unto the third: & doth dry in the second degree. Garden Mints is best: the powder of this with the juice of Pomgarnites, stoppeth vomits, helpeth sighing, cleanseth hot choler. Three branches of this sodden with wine, doth help repletion drunk fasting. This juice tempered with good treacle, & eaten of children a mornings, will kill worms, and stamped with salt, apply it to that biting of a dog, it will heal it: It is wholesome sod with windy meats, and sodden in posset al● with fennel, it helpeth colic, it increaseth vital seed. It is not best for choleric complexions, but good for phlegmatic, and indifferent for melancholy: and it will stop blood, stamped and applied to the place. The juice of Mints is best to mengle in medicine against poison: the pounder of Mints is good in pottage flesh, sodden with oxymel, it cleanseth phlegm.  ¶ john. 
What is Sention?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is of a mixed temprament, it cooleth and partly cleanseth if it be chopped and sodden in water, and drink it with your pottage, it will heal the grief of the stomach, & purge it from hot choler: his down with saffron & cold water, stamped & put in the eyes, it will dry the running drops, & stamped plaster wise, it helpeth many grievous wounds.  ¶ john. 
What is Porcelain?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Cold in the third, 
The operation of Purslein  and moist in the second, if it be stamped with steped Barley, it maketh a goodly plaster to cool the head, eyes, and liver, in agues burning heat. To eat of it, stoppeth Flixes, and quencheth burning choler, and extingwysh venerus lust, and greatly helpeth the reins and bladder, and will kill round worms in the belly, and comfort the matrix against much phlegm: And the juice is good to drink in hot Fevers, it may be preserved with salt, & then it is very good with roasted meats. Plini sayeth: it is supposed to make the sight blunt and weak, further he saith: that in Spain a great noble man, whom he did know, did hang this Porcelain root in a thread commonly about his neck, which was much troubled, of a long sickness and was healed.  ¶ john. 
What is Mugwort.  ¶ Humphrey. 
MVgworte and Fetherfoy, 
The operation of Mugwort.  & Tansey, be very hot and dry in the second degree: Mugwort, sporge and oil of Almonds, tempered plaster wise, and applied cold to the sick pained stomach, will bring health. It is good in baths saith Galen: it is wholesome for women, it cleanseth & warmeth and comfort, and breaketh the stone. Plini saith: it is good against serpents, and wholesome for traveling men, if they carry it, it comforteth them from worms. Tansey doth mightily cast worms from children, drunk with wine: A cold plaster stamped & laid upon the belly of a woman whose child is dead within her, it will separate the dead child from the living mother, causing her to niese with Betony leaves.  ¶ john. 
THere is an herb commonly used to the great relief of many called Cabage, is it so good as it is reported of?  ¶ Humphrey. 
CAbage is of two properties, 
The operation of Cabage.  of binding the belly, and making laxative: the juice of Cabbages lightly boiled in fresh beef broth, is laxative, but the substance of this herb is hard of digestion, but if it be twice sodden, the broth of it will also bind the belly, if it be tempered with alum. This herb hath virtue to cleanse a new read Leprosy, laid upon the sore place in the manner of a plaster. 
Aristo. 3. perproble Auecen. 2 can. Rasis. 3. ●lman.  But to conclude of this herb, the broth of it hath virtue to preserve from drunkenness, as Aristotle, Rasis, and Avicen, doth report, eaten before drinking time.  ¶ john. 
What is Philopendula?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is an herb hot and dry, 
Of philopendula.  if it be sodden in white wine & drunk, it drieth up windy places in the guts, & cleanseth the rains in the back and bladder.  ¶ john. 
What is Agremonie?  
DIoscorides saith: 
The operation of Agremonie.  that if this herb with swines grease be stamped together, and laid upon an old rotten sore being hot, it hath virtue to heal it: the seed of this herb drunk with wine, is good against the biting of Serpents, stopping of the liver, and bloody flux.  john. 
SOme men say that the herb Dragon is of great virtue.  Humphrey. 
THe juice of it saith Dioscorides: 
The virtue of dragon.  dropped into the eye, doth cleanse it, and giveth much might unto the eyes of them which have dark sights, the water of this herb hath virtue against the pestilence. If it be drunk blood warm, with venis treacle, the savour of this herb is hurtful to a woman newly conceived with child. Plenij saith, that who so beareth this herb upon them, no venomous Serpent will do them harm. This herb is hot and dry.  Ihon. 
THere is a very sweet flower, called a violet, is it so profitable, as it is pleasant?  Humphrey. 
SImeon Sethi reporteth, 
The virtue of Violet  that it doth help against hot inflammations of the guts, head and stomach, if the cause be of burning choler. Either the water syrup, or concern of the said violets, either eaten or drunk, in the time of any hot passion. But undoubtedly, it offendeth the heart, because of the coldness, the savour of the flowers be pleasant, the oil that is made of this herb, have virtue to bring quiet sleeps to them which have grievous hot pain in the head.  Ihon. 
What is the virtue of the pleasant white Lily?  Humfray. 
DIoscorides saith, that the Oil of Lilies doth mollify the Sinews and the mouth of the Matrixe, 
Of white lily & of his operation.  the juse of Lilies, vinegar and Honey, sodden in a brazen Vessel, doth make an ointment to heal both new and old wounds. If the root be roasted and stamped with Roses, it maketh a healing plaster against burning of fire: the same rote roasted, hath virtue to break a Pestilence sore, applied hot unto the sore place, & is dry in the first degree. The oil of water Lilies be moist, sovereign against all hot diseases, to anoint the ardent places, and doth reconcile quiet sleep, if the forehead be anointed therewith.  john. 
IN the time of the pestilence, my wife maketh me a medicine, of an herb called Centauri, doth she well or not?  Humphrey. 
PLini saith: 
Of the virtue of Centaurye.  that the Syrup of this herb drunk with a little vinegar and salt, doth cleanse the body: The leaves and flowers, be of great virtue, to be sodden & drunk against all raw humours of gross sieume, watery or windy: it doth cleanse, cruent, or bloody matter within the bodies of men or women. The powder of this herb is good in pessaries, for women, causing the dead child to depart from the mother, and is wholesome against the pestilence, in the time of winter, and is hot and dry.  john. 
We beautify and make pleasant our windows with Rosemary, using it for small other purposes.  Humphrey. 
ROsemary is an herb of great virtue, 
Of rosemary.  hot and dry, sodden in wine, and drunk before meat, it doth heal the kings evil, or pains in the throat, as Dioscorides and Galen sayeth: the savour of it doth comfort the brain and heart: the flowers of Rosemary is an excellent cordial called Anthos.  Ihon. 
IS pulial royal, an herb of any value, or a weed of contemption?  Humphrey. 
IT is an herb of much virtue and profit: 
The operation of Puliall royal.  hot and dry in the third degree. Diascorides saith, if this herb be sodden with honey and Aloes and drunk, it will cleanse the liver, and purge the blood: most chief it helpeth the lungs. Simeon Sethi saith, if women drink it with white wine It will provoke and cleanse the terms menstrual, and is a very wholesome pot herb.  Ihon. 
What sayst thou unto Muslarde.  Humphrey. 
PLinius doth greatly lawd it, 
The operation of Muster  saying, that there is nothing, that doth pierce more swiftlier into the brain than it doth. honey, vinegar, and mustard, tempered together is an excellent gargarisma to purge the head, teeth, and throat. Mustard is good, against all the diseases of the stomach or lungs, wind, ●leume, and rawness of the guts, and conduceth meat into the body: provoketh urine, helpeth the ●alsye, waisteth the quartain, ●rieth up moist rumes: applied plaster wise unto the head. honey and mustard helpeth the cough, and is good for them that have ●he falling sickness, notwithstanding the common use of mustard is an enemy to the eye. Many more virtues have I read of mustard, but the occasion of ●ime hath unhappily prevened, not only my large description 〈◊〉 this: but also in many other ●mples, which hereafter, I intend largely to write upon if, it please God to permit me.  john. 
They say that Buglos is very wholesome.  Humphrey. 
IT is an herb most temperate between hot and cold, 
The virtues of ●uglos.  of an excellent virtue, a comforter of that heart, a purger of Melancholy, a quieter of the Frenzy, a purger of the urine, wholesome to be dronko in wine, but most effectual in sit 〈◊〉. Dioscorides and Galen, do't greatly commend this herb, & that doth daily experience well prove.  john. 
What is thy mind of sweet basel▪  Humphrey. 
THis herb is warm in the sconde degree, 
The virtues of ●asell.  having the virtue of moistues, and if it be soddy in wine with Spicenarde, & drunk it is good against dropsyes, winds, phlegm, coldness of the heart, hardness of the stomach, the savour of basil, doth comfort the brain, and heart, the use of this herb in meats, doth decay the sight.  Ihon. 
The plain people of the country will say, that those flowers which be pleasant in smelling, be oftentimes unwholesome in working, the rose is pleasant in sense, what is it in virtue?  Humfray. 
IT hath an odour most pleasant & hath virtue to coal and bind. 
The virtue of Roses.  The water is good to make Manus Christ, & many other goodly cordials, Roses and vinegar applied unto the forehead, do bring sleep: conserve of Roses, have virtue to quench burning choler, and to stay the rage of a a hoot fever, oil of Roses, Vinegar, and the white of an egg, beaten together, doth not only quench sacra igms, but also bring a mad man into quietness, if his forehead be well anointed therewith, after the receipt of Pills of chochis, in the time of the pestilence, there is nothing more comfortable than the savour of Roses.  ¶ john. 
What sayst thou of savoury.  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT is hot and dry in the third degree, 
The virtue of savoury.  if the green herb be sodden in water or white wine and drunk, these be his virtues to make the liver soft, to cleanse dropsies, could choughes, cleanseth women's diseases, and separateth the dead child from the mother, as Diascorides and Galen▪ saith, also Germander is not much unlike the virtue of this herb.  john. 
But for troubling of you, I would be glad to know your mind of Time, and a few of other herbs.  Humphrey. 
IT is vehament of heat with dryness in the third degree. 
The virtue of time.  Diascorides saith, if it be drunk with vinegar and salt, it purgeth phlegm, sodden with honey or meide, it hath virtue to cleanse the lungs, breast, matrix, rains and bladder, & killeth worms.  john. 
What saist thou of Parsley and Saxifrage?  Humphrey. 
THey have virtue to break the stone, Parsley is hot in the second degree, and dry in the midst of the third. 
The virtue of Persly & saxifrage  The seed drunk with white wine, provoketh the menstrual terms, as Diascorides saith: also smallage hath the like virtue.  ¶ john. 
What is thy judgement of liverwort?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IT hath virtue to cleanse and cool. 
The virtue of liverwort.  Dioscorides saith, it doth heal the wounds of the liver, and quencheth the extreme heat thereof, tempered with honey and eaten, doth help a disease called regius morbus, and pains of the throat and lungs.  john. 
What is betony.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THey be of divers kinds Leonardus futchius doth call the sweet Gillivers by the names 
The virtue of Betony.  of Bettonye, but the one seemeth to talk of that, which is commonly known of the people, called the land betony, which hath the virtue to kill worms within the belly, and helpeth the quarteine, cleanseth the matrixe, and hath the virtue to heal the body within. If it be bruised, it is of great effect, if it be sodden with worm wood in white wine, to purge phlegm, and is hot in the first degree, dri in the second.  ¶ john. 
I Have hard small commendations of Beets.  Humphrey. 
THey be of two kinds, and be both praise worthy, 
The virtue of Betes.  Simeon Sethi, writeth that they be hot and dry in the third degree, the white Beete is the best, they have virtue to cleause, as niter hath but hath evil juse, the juice of this herb with honey applied into the nose, do purge the head, it is a wholesome herb in pottage, if it be well sodden, or else it is noisome to thee Stomach. If it be parboiled and eaten with Vinegar, it is good against the stopping of the liver. notwithstanding the juice of this herb, do stop the belly, being simply taken.  john. 
What is Maiden hear?  Humphrey. 
IT is an herb between hoot and dry, 
The virtue of maiden hear  if it be sodden in wine, it breaketh the stone, it cleanseth the Matrixe, bringeth down the seconds, as Diascorides and Galen saith, the best doth grow upon hard rocks.  Ihon. 
What is Mellil●t?  Humphrey. 
IT hath virtue to ripe, 
The ver▪ of melilot  and is more hotter than cold, melilot, flex seed, Rose leaves, Camphor and woman's milk tempered together, doth make a goodly medicine against the hot inflammation of the eyes. If this herb be drunk with wine, it doth molifye the hardness of the stomach and liver, the most excellent plaster against the pains of the splen, doth Mesue describe, which is made of Mellilotte.  Ihon. 
BE pease and Beans, any thing beneficial to nature?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Beans be more groaser and fuller of wind then pease be, 
Thoperation of pease and Beans.  & maketh evil matter, except they be well sodden and buttered, and so eaten, with the whitest & sweetest Onions that may be gotten. Because they be hard of digestion: how be it, they do make fat, and partly cleanse, yet they are not to be compared with tender white peasen well sodden and buttered, or else made in pottage with garden mints and gross pepper, which have virtue to cleanse the rains of thee, 
But Hu●tels and stairss be Melancholy.  back and bledder. Liutelles' be of the same virtue. Barley being clean hulled and sodden with milk clean water & sugar, maketh a very comfortable & wholesome pottage, for hot choleric persons or young people. And of this is 〈◊〉 ●che used in the North parts of England, and is called bog ●ele.  john. 
What be the virtues of the leeks & roots of radish, Turnips, Par●neps, Rapes or Naves?  Humphrey. 
Leeks be evil, 
Leeks & and their properties.  engender painful sleep: but eaten with honey, than they purge blood, but roots eaten raw, breadeth ill ●uice, therefore being first sodden, and the water cast away, 
Of the virtues of radish with other roots.  & then sodden with fat mutton, or tender fat beef, these roots nourisheth much. Rapes, & Naves, be windy: Turnips, causeth one to spit easily that have corrupt stomachs, but maketh raw juice. carets do expulse wind: Radish roots provoketh urine, but be very evil for phlegmatic persons, having grief in their bones or joints, and must be eaten, in the beginning of the meal, as Galen saith, 
Galen de alimen.  but many do use them in th'end of meals, & find ease as sir Thomas Eliot that worthy knight and learned man reporteth in his good book called the castle of health. And thus I do conclude of those herbs and roots that I have written upon. 
Herbs in gendereth melancholy.  admonishing thee, that herbs pulls, and roots be all windy, engenderers of melancholy, & in gross of the blood, eccept lettuce, bourage, & purslen. Therefore the gross binding together & seething of herbs in broths & pottage, be more wholesomer than the fine chopping of them. Thus john I have declared unto thee, 〈◊〉 virtues of certain herbs, which if thou wilt follow, and ●serue my rules in them, I doubt 〈◊〉, but thou shalt receive much ●rofyt thereby. I would have al● taught the some pretty ways or Distillation of Waters, but ●n prevented therein, 
Vulstadius.  and I am ●ad thereof. Forasmuch as thou ●alt see very shortly, 
Thesaurus Euono mij.  booth The●●urus Eu●nomi and Vlstadius ●hich be excellent learned men in 〈◊〉 that Science, wherein I am sure you wilt much delight. For I ensure thee, the like books never were setforth in our mother tongue, with the lively fashion of the furnasses, and also of the Stillatories.  ¶ john. 
what will digest and purge choler, phlegm, and Melancholy, provoke ernutation, and stop Flixes, tell me?  ¶ Humphrey. 


Things to digest choler. 

ENdsue,  
Purslein,  
Poppy,  
sorrel,  
Mercury,  
Lyverwort  
Whey,  
Tesantes,  
Tarmeryndes  
The four cold seeds of gourds and Cucumbers.  
Sanders,  
Buttermilk, or the milk which cometh of the pressing of the cheese.    
Topurge choler. 

MAanna. 6. orammes.  
Rhubarb ii drams or iii but put into in fusion from .v. to vii  
Pills of aloe  
Wild hops,  
Syrup of wormwood.  
Syrrupe of s●mitory.  
Diaprunes.    
The disgester of phlegm. 

PVulyall,  
Mints,  
Betony,  
Egrymony,  
Mugwort,  
honey,  
Pepper,  
Hysoppe,  
Pimpernel,  
jeniper berri●  
Neppe.  
Finkel,  
parsley roots,  
Smallage.    
Purgers●● phlegm 

A Garick infused from ii to .v. drams  
Sticaus,  
The myrabolanes of all the kinds.  
polypody of the oak.  
Centory.  
Horhound,  
Maiden here.    
●ood ●●rgers Melancholy. 

ELeberus  
Niger.  
Capers,  
Lapis Lazule.  
Seen of Alexander.  
Borage,  
Hearts tongue,  
Honey sodden in sweet wine  
Savoury,  
Time,  
Trosses of cappers, of Coloquintida, and of wormwood.    
Good things to provoke drine. 

PEruye,  
Time,  
Saxifrage,  
Cassa fistula.  
Rams  
Radix,  
The flesh of an hare,  
pills of Tyribenthen.  
Maiden hear  
The beris of the Eglentyn.  
Bromseede.    
Comforters for the brain to smell upon 

ROses,  
violets,  
jellovers, in summer, but in winter Cloves  
Spike,  
Musk.  
Amber gresle.    
Things good to stoup flire 

Sinaber called dragons blood.  
Sloes or there decoction.  
cinnamon.  
Boolearmoniak.  
Red wine.  
Planton.  
Olibanum.  
Hard eggs.  
Hard cheese scraped in red wine and drink.    
Things good to provoke starnutation or freezing. 

Belony le●● primrose ro●● moderately●●sed.  
Eleborus al● and Ginge●●    
Good comfortters for the heart 

Muscke.  
Ambergre●● Rosis, Per● Maces.  
Diamuschicis diambra.  
The floure● Rosemary 〈◊〉 Nutmeg spikenard.  
Galanga.      john. 
WHat be the virtue of Dates Figs.  Humphrey. 
SEraphio saith, 
Of figs and dates  that the Da●● which be preserved with su●● ●ee good. The crude raw Date ●othe calify the body, and doth convert quickly into choler, it is not good for the hedes of the hot people, 
Races in. 3 alman. Halia in. 5 Theori. Ra. Moses.  ill for the throat and stoppeth the liver, and maketh the ●eeth rotten, but if they be clean ●illed and the inward rind taken away, they do greatly norrishe, & restore, being sodden in stewed ●rothe they be of divers kinds 〈◊〉 quantity and quality, but generally hoot & moist in the se●ond degree. 
Hi. 2. can. c. ccviii.  Figs as Hippocra●es sayeth, the best be white the se●ond be red, the third be black, the wipest be the best & amongst all ●rutes doth most nourish, prouo●eth sweat, because it doth purge superfluity of humers through skin, it doth engender louse, they ●e hot in the first degree, and the ●ew figes be moist in the second, the seeds and the skin of the Fyg, be not greatly commended: Figs and Almonds, eaten of a fasting stomach, be veri wholesome to make the way of good digestion, but best if they be eaten with nuts. Figs and herb grace, stamped together, be very wholesome to be eaten against the pestilence: Roasted Figs beaten together, and hot applied upon the pestilence sore, doth draw, mollify, & make ripe the sore. And to the lungs, 
Galen de Alimen.  liver, & stomach, figs be very comfortable, as Galen saith.  ¶ john. 
What be Pears?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THey be of divers kinds heavier than apples, 
The operation of Pears.  not good until they be very ripe, unless they be tenderly roasted or baken, and eaten after meals.  
there is a kind of pears, growing in the City of Norwich, called the black friars pear, 
Black friars pear.  very delicious and pleasant, and no less profitable unto a hoot stomach, as I hard it reported by a right worshipful Physician of the same City, called doctor Manfeilde, which said he thought those Pears without all comparison, were the best that grew in any place of England.  john. 
What sayst thou of apples.  ¶ Humphrey. 
APples be very cold & winedy, 
The operation of Apples.  hard to digest ingenderers of evil blood, hurtful to phlegmatic people: good to choleric stomachs, if they be through ripe, but best if they be roasted or baken, and eaten with gross pepper to bedward, they be of many kinds, as the Costard, the green coat, the pippin, the queen apple, & so forth: The distilled water of apples, Camphor, vinegar, & milk, is a good medicine to anoint the faces of children that have the small pocks: when the said pocks be ripe, to keep their faces from ears: provided that the said children have given them in their milk, saffron or Mithridate, 
A medycin for the small pocks.  to expel the venom and keep them from the air, during the said sickness.  Ihon. 
What be Pechis?  Humphrey. 
THe leaves he hot, for if thei● be stamped in plaisterwyse and applied unto the belly, 
The operation of Peache●  they kill worms: The fruit is cold, & very good to the stomach, they be good to be eaten of them that have stinking breathes of hot causes: eaten of an empty stomach which is Galens counsel, which saith if they be eaten after meat, they do corrupt both in them selves and the meats lately eaten: and they be bynders of the belly. But Quinces be most comfortable after meat, for they do enclose the stomach, and letteth vapers to ascend into the brain, and stoppeth vometes: They be wholesome for sick folks that be swelled in the bodies. Eaten with the gross powders of Gallanga, Spickanarde, Callamus, and Ginger, and may be eaten before meat of the said sick pacientes, as well as after meat But much use of them, be not so profitable as delectable, to the ●aters of them.  ¶ john. 
What be Quinces?  Humphrey. 
IF thy stomach be very hot or moist, 
The operation of Quinces.  or thy belly laxative than Quinces be good to be eaten before meat, being roasted or eaten cold, and in this case the tarter be the better, and pomegranates be of the same virtue, as Isaac saith: 
Isaac in. perticu. die.  but eaten after meat they do enclose the stomach, and moist the belly, they ought not to be used in common meats the custom of them hurteth the sinews, but in the way of medicine they be excellent, and the cores being taken out and preserved in honey, or kept their musse lege. Then they may long continue to the use of roasting or baking, for they be perilous to the stomach eaten raw. But preserved they do mightily prevail against drouckennesse, they be cold in the first degree, and dry in the beginning of the second.  ¶ john. 
What be Cherris?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THe tart cherries undubtedly be more holesomer than the sweet, 
The operation of Cherries.  and eaten before meat, do mollify the belly, prepare digestion, and they be most excellent against hot burning choler, they be good also after meat, and be of many kinds, as black, red, & pale. The red cherry partly tart, 
Galen de alimen. Ra. lib. 23 cap.  is best. Galen and Rasis, greatly commend this fruit. In the country of Kent be growing great plenty of this fruit. So are there in a town near unto Norwich called Ketreinham, this fruit is cold & moist in the first degree.  ¶ john. 
What be the virtue of Grapes, Rasins, Prunes, Barberies, Oranges, and Meddlers?  ¶ Humphrey. 
HIppocrates saith: 
The goodness of Grapes.  that the white Grapes be better than the black, and wholesomer when they are two or three days gathered from the vine, then presently pulled from it: 
Galen de alimen. 2. Rasis in. 4. alman. 20 cap.  And if they be sweet, they be partly nutrative, and warm the body. And unto this agreeth Galen and Rasis, seemeth to commend sweet grapes above Daites, saying: although they be not so warm, yet they do not stop the body, or make oppilation as Daites do. They be wholesome to be eaten before meat, even as nuts be good after fish. Toward the south, and southeast parts of the world, there be many growing in divers regions, whereof the wines be made. The farther from us, the hotter wine: There be very good grapes growing here in England in many places, as partly I have seen at Blaxhall in Suffolk, 
Blaxhall in suffolk  where sometime I was near kinsman unto the chiefest house of that town. Raisins of the sun be very wholesome, and comfort digestion, but the stones & rinds would be refused, & then they be good for the spleen & liver. So be aligantes, Rasis doth much commend them, 
Sweet Prunes be laxative but tart prunes be binding.  but undoubtedly the small rasins be hurtful to the spleen. Prunes or damasins have virtue to relax the belly, if they be sweet & ripe, but they do nourish very little, but quench choler. Grapes, rasyns & Prunes, Plums, & Sloes, if they be sour, be all bineders of the belly, and so is the barbary called oxiacantha and Oranges, 
Oxiacantha. called the Barbery.  except the said oranges be condited with sugar, and then they be good coolers against hot choler, whose rinds he hot & dry of nature. The fruit called the meddler, 
Mespila. called the Meddler.  is used for medicine and not for meat, and must be taken before meat provoketh urine, & of nature is styptic.  ¶ john. 
What be Capers and Olives?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Fresh Capers he hot & dry in the second degree, 
The operation of Capers.  and eaten before meats do greatly comfort digestion, and be the best things for the spleen, or to cleanse melancholy that can be taken. preserved Olives in salt eaten at the beginning of meals, do greatli fortify the stomach and relaxeth the belly, cleanseth the liver and ●●e hot and dry in the second degree.  ¶ john. 
I Beseech the show the opinion of the natures of some kind of flesh, and first of the properties of Beef.  Humphrey. 
I Will not undertake to show mine opinion: to thy request, but I will declare the minds, of some wise and learned men: and first of Simeon Sethi, 
Simeon Sethi.  which saith, that the flesh of Oxen that be young, done much nourish & make them strong that be fed with them, but it bringeth melancholy, and Melancholius diseases, it is cold and dry of nature, and hard to digest, except it be of choleric persons: but being tenderlly sodden, it nourisheth Much beef customably eaten of idle persons, and nice folks that labour not, bringeth many diseases, 
Ra●in lib. 2 cap. 3.  as Rasis saith. And Avicen saith that the flesh of Oxen or Kine, 
Avicen in 2. lib. pri. cap. 15.  be very gross, ingendringe ill juice in the body. Whereof oftentimes come to scabs, cankers, biles, but unto hot strong, choleric stomachs it is tolerable, and may be used as we have the daily experience thereof. 
flux.  The broth wherein beife hath been sodden, is good to be supped half a pint every morning against the flux of the belly, and running forth of yellow choler. If the said broth be tempered with salt: Mustard, vinegar or garlic etc. Be commonly used for the sauces to digest beef withal, 
digestion  for the said sauces do not only help digestion, but also defendefendeth the body from sundry inconveniences, and divers si●kne●ises, as dropsies, quartens, leproses, 
A medicine for the eyes.  and such like. The gall of an Ox or a cow, distilled in the month of june, and kept in a close glass, doth help to cleanse the eyes from spots, if you put 〈◊〉 drop of this water with a feather into thy eyes, when ye go to bed. The milt of a Bul dried, & the powder thereof drunk with red wine, will stop the bloody flux. Light powdered young Beef, is better than either fresh or much powdered. In specially those cattle that be fed in fair and dry Pastures, and not in stinking fens.  
The great learned man Gesnerus, in his discriptyon of Beasts, 
Conradus Gesnerus.  doth write moor of the virtues of bulls, oxen, kine and calves, than any other hath done. And thus to conclude, the flesh of the male beasts, is more better than the female, and the gelded beasts be more commodious to nature, than any of them. And the young flesh more commendable than th'old, for it is more moist, and a friend to the blood, 
Hali. in. 5 The. ca 4.  as Haliabas saith, Roasted flesh, doth nourish the body much, for it is warm and moist. Baken meats be very dry: Clean boiled meats, with wholesome herbs and fruits, be excellent to comfort the body, if they be nutramental flesh. calves flesh do greatly nourrish and make good blood.  Ihon. 
THou haste said well of Beef, but what goodness may be reported ●f Pork, I think very little or nothing.  Humfray. 
THere be many goodly commodities in the flesh of bores. ●elded swine and pigs, for ●hey be good for man's nature.  Ihon. 
FOr man's nature? that is maruel● For how can those be good for manues nature, 
The description of swine.  which be so vile of their own nature. There soul feeding 〈◊〉 most stinking filth and carrion. The ●oysome wallo wing in the mire and ●urt, the eating of their own pigs, and oftentimes pulling children out 〈◊〉 the Cradle, for there dinners, if the ●ood wife be not at home. Who is a●le to behold such noisome spirits, ●r hell hounds: did not almighty God command the jews to eat none of them? and the Machomites at this ●aye, will kill that man that eateth of their flesh, why should we then com●end them? for they are most vile.  Humphrey. 
ALl the ancient and wisest physicians that ever were in this world, 
●●oriba Corona  did all consent, that of all flesh, the flesh of young gelded swine, partly saulted or powdered, was ever a meat of the best nourishing moister, and colder than other flesh, 
Isacke Galen in sec. comp Cap. two.  for Isaac saith, it is a flesh very moist, except it be the flesh of lambs, as Galen reporteth. Yet it is not good to every complexion, nor every age, but unto youth and middle age. Whereas thou haste spoken against the vile nature of swine, calling them unreasonable, thou dost use more words than wit● for theridamas is no beast, 
Beasts have no reason.  that may be called reasonable? but man only. And whereas God did prohibit the jews to eat swine's flesh? it was a figure to abstain from unclean things: which I leave to thee Theologians. The Mahumites abhor swine's flesh, because there drunken false prophet, and Psewdo Apostle was ●orne and rent in pieces with wine, being drunken & fallen in the mire. So the one must give credence to time, and to learned Physicians. The blood of swine ●othe nourish much, 
Pudding of swine.  as it is ●eene in puddings, made with ●reate Otmeale, sweet suet, & ●●nnel, or Anne's sedes. pigs ●e very moist, therefore Sage▪ Pepper and Salt, do dry up ●●e superfluous humours of ●hem, when they be roasted. They ●e not wholesome to be eaten before ●hey be three weeks old. 
of swine.  The ●ipes and guts be holesomer, ●nd doth nourish better than any ●ther beasts guts, or in meats. Bacon is very hard of digestion, and much discommended, and is hurtful. Only unto a hot choleric labouring body, the flesh of a Boor, is more wholesomer than the flesh of any sow▪ The brains of a Boar, and his stones, or any part of them stamped together, & laid warm upon a pestilence sore, in the manner of a plaster, 
A plaster.  it will break it incontinent. Swine's grease is very cold, and good to anoint burning hot places of the body, or a disease called sancte Anthony's fire, and thus much have I spoken of swine.  ¶ john. 
I Pray you tell me of the flesh of th● Rams, weathers, and Lambs and how profitable they are to man● nature.  Humphrey. 
SImeon Sethi saith, lambs flesh is partly warm, 
Simeon Sethi.  but superfluous moist, and evil for phlegmatic persons, and doth much harm to the●● that have the 〈◊〉, bonache, or a disease called Epiolus, which is 〈◊〉 of phlegm like glass. Therefore if lambs flesh were sodden; as it is roasted, it would bring many diseases unto the body, without it were sodden with wine, & some hot grosseries, herbs, or boots. When a weather is two years old, which is fed upon a good ground, the flesh thereof, shallbe temperate and nourish much. 
Hip. in. 〈◊〉 pri. doc. cap. 1●.  Hypocrates saith, that the lamb of a year old, doth norrishe much. Galen seemeth not greatly to commend Motton▪ but that which is tender, sweet and not old, is very profitable, as experience and custom, doth daily teach us. The dung Tallow and will be very profitable in Medicines, as Plinii saith: And Conradus Gesnerus, de animalibus, 
De ali. lib tertio. 3.  and Galen in his third book, de alimentis,  john. 
What is the flesh of Goats or kids.  ¶ Humphrey 
THey be beasts very hurtful unto young trees & plants, but Simeon Sethi saith, that kid● flesh is of easy digestion, in health and sickness, they be very good meat. They be dry of nature. 
in ter. xii. doc. sec●. Capi. seven.  Hipocrates saith. It behoveth that the conceruers and keepers of health, do study that his meat be such, as the fleshy of kids, young calves, that be sucking, and Lambs of o●● year old. For they be good for them that be sick, 
Hali in quincte theori. Capit. 2.  or have eue●● complexions. Haliabas doth say, that the flesh of Kids do engender good blood, and is not so phlegmatic, watery, and moist, as the flesh of Lambs. They remain Kids for six months, and afterward cometh into a greaser, and hotter nature, and be called Goats. The flesh of them that be gelded.. ias wholesome to eat, the l●●ngs of them eaten before a man do ●●inke, doth defend him that day from drunkenness, as I have red in the reports of learned men. But the flesh of the old 〈◊〉 or male goats be ill, and in●ender the Agues or fevers, I●●he urine of goats be stilled in May with sorrel, 
A good ●medicen.  the water distilled is not hurtful nor noy●ō, but whomsoever use to drink thereof two drams morn and evening, it will preserve him from the pestilence. The milk of Goats I will describe in the place of milk.  john. 
What is the fleshes of Read and fallow Deare?  Humphrey. 
MOre pleasant to some, th● profitable to many, as appeareth once a year in the cor●●● fields, 
Hippo. Simeon Sethi.  the more it is to be lamented. Hypocrates and Simeon Sethi, do plainly affirm th● flesh of them to engender evil juice, and Melancholy cold diseases and quarteins, the flesh of winter dear, 
Ras●. ala. Cap. 3.  do less hurt the body, then that which is eaten in Summer. For in Winter man's digestion is more stronger, and the inward parts of the body warmer, and may easerlye consume groose meats, then in Summer, as we see by experience. In cold weather & frosts healful people, be most hungriest. The lungs of a dear sodden in barley water, and taken fourth and stamped with penedice and Honey of equal quantity to the said lungs, and eaten a mornings, doth greatly help old coughs, and dryness in the lungs.  
There be many goodly virtues of their horns, bones, blood and tallow.  Ihon. 
What is the properties of Hares and Coney's flesh? 
avi. in. ●. Can. cap. ●46.   Humphrey. 
AVisen sayeth, the flesh, of Hares, 
avi. in. 2. Can. cap. 46.  be hoot and dry● ingenderers of Melancholy not praised in Physic for me 〈◊〉 but rather for medicine. For indeed, if a Hare be dried in the month of March in an Oven or furneyse, and beaten into powder, and kept close, & drunk a mornings in Bear, Ale, or white Wine: it will break the stone in the bledder, if the patient be not old. If children's gums be anointed with the brains of an Hare, their teeth will easily come forth and grow. The gall of an Hare mingled with clean honey, 
A medicen for bloudi eyes.  doth cleanse watery eyes, or red bloody eyes. The flesh of Hares must be tenderly roasted, and well larded and spiced, because of the grossness, but it is better sodden. The flesh of Coneys are better than hare's flesh, & easier of digestion. But rabbits be wholesomer. And thus to conclude of Coneys, experience teacheth us, that they are good, they be could and dry of nature, and small mention is made of them, among the ancient physicians, 
Galen in. iii. de ali. Capi. ●.  as Galen saith. I need not to speak very long of every kind of beasts as some of the beasts that be in Hiberia like little Hares which be called Coneys.  john. 
If the old and ignorant men of Connyes, which were seen in the nature of many other beasts, that had dwelt in divers places places of England then should have known them right well: And perhaps received of them as small pleasure, as many husband men have found profit by them in their Corne. Now thou haste well satisfied me of the fo●r footed beasts, which commonly English men seedeth upon. Now I pray thee tell me, some of the virtues of souls and first of Cocks, Capones and Hens.  Humphrey. 
CHickens of Hens, saith Auenzoar, 
Auenz. lib. pri.  is most commended, and most laudable of any flesh, & nourrisheth good blood It is light of digestion, and doth comfort the appetite, cock ● chickens, be better than hens, the capon is better than the cock, ●●● do augment good blood and feed, 
Rasis in lib. 4. Afforis.  as Rasis reporteth, and experience proveth in men, both ●●ole and sick. An old Cock which is well beaten after his ●ethers be pulled of until he be ●●ll bloody, and then cut of his ●ead and draw him, and seethe ●im in a close pot with fair ●ater, and white wine, Fenyll boots, Burrage roots, Violet, ●lanten, Succory, and Buglos ●aues, Dates, Prunes, great Raisins, Mates, and Sugar, & ●ut in the marrow of a Calf, and ●anders. This is a most excellent broth to them that be sick, ●●eake, or consumed. The brains ●●hennes, capons or chickens, be wholesome to eat, to comfort the ●raine and memory. And thus to conclude these foresaid fowls, 〈◊〉 better for idle folks that labour. not, then for them that use exercise or travel, to whom gross meats are more profitable.  ¶ john. 
What is the properties of Gese?  Humphrey. 
Wild guise and tame, their flesh be veri gross and hard of digestion, 
Avicen. in 2. Cano. Cap. 46.  Avicen saith▪ The flesh of great fowls and of gese, be slow and hard of digestion: for their humidity, they do bread fevers quickly, but their gooslynges or young gese, being fat, are good and much commended in meats. And Galen saith that the flesh of fowls be better than the flesh of beasts. 
Galen in lib. 3. de alimen.   
But undoubtedly goose, mallard peacock, 
Of great fowls.  swain, and every foul having a long neck, be all har● of digestion, and of no good complexions. But if geese be well ro●ted and stopped with salt, sage, ●epper, and onions, they will not ●urte the eaters thereof. There be great gese in Scotland, which bredeth upon a place called the Basse. There be also Bernacles, which have a strange genera●ion as Ges●erus saith: 
Gesnerus.  and as the people of the north parts of scotland knoweth, & because 〈◊〉 should seem incredible to many I will give none occasion to any, ●ither to mock or to marvel. And thus I give warning to ●hem which love their health, 〈◊〉 have these foresaid fowls somewhat powdered or stopped with ●alte, all the night, before they be roasted.  john. 
I pray the tell me of the flesh of Ducks?  ¶ Humphrey. 
THey be the hottest of all domestical, or yard fowls, and unclean of feeding: notwithstanding, though it be hard of digestion and marvelous hot, yet it doth greatly norrishe the body and maketh it fat. 
Hip. in 2. can. ca 46  Hippocrate saith: they that be fed in puddles & foul places, be hurtful: but they that be fed in houses, pens or coops, 
Isaac. in. uni. ca 16.  be neutrative, but yet gross, as Isaac saith.  Ihon. 
What he Pigeons, Turtles or Doves?  Humphrey. 
THe flesh of Turtles be marvelous good, and equal to to the best as Avicen saith: 
Avicen. in can. de ca  They be best when they be young and wholesome for phlegmatic people. Simeon Sethi saith: the house dove is hotter than the field dove, and doth engender gross blood. The common eating of them is ill for choleric persons with read faces, for fear of Leprosy: therefore cut of the feet, wings, and head, of your Pigeons or Doves, for their blood, is that which is ●o venomous: they be best in the spring time, and harvest. And Isaac saith, 
Isaac. in lib. dicta: Cap. 16.  because they are so ●yghtly converted into choler. They did command in the old ●ime, that they should be eaten with sharp Vinegar, Porcelain, Cucumbers, or Sitron. Roosted Pigeons be best. 
Roasted pigeons be best.  The blood that cometh out of the right wing, dropped into ones ●ye, doth mightily help the eye, if it swelleth or prieketh. And thus much have I spoken of Pigeons, or Doves.  Ihon. 
What is the flesh of Peacoches?  Humphrey. 
SImeon Sethi saith: it is a raw flesh, and hard of digestion, unless it be very fat. But if it b● fat, it helpeth the Pleurisy. Haliabas saith: 
Hali. in. 5. Retho. cap. 23.  that both swans Cranes, Peacocks, and any great fowls, must after they b● killed, be hanged up by the necks two or three days, with a stoon● weighing at their feet, as the weather will serve, and then dressed and eaten. Provided that good wine be drunken after them.  john. 
What is the flesh of Cranes?  Humphrey. 
SImeon Sethi saith: 
Simeon Sethi.  their flesh is hot and dry, the young be good, but the old increaseth melancholy, they do engender seed of generation, and being tenderly roasted, doth help to clear the voice, and cleanse the pipe of the lungs.  ¶ john. 
What is Swan?  ¶ Humphrey. 
EVery gross foul is choleric, hard of digestion: the Signetes be better than the old swans, if their Galantines be ●ell made, it helpeth to digest ●heir flesh.  ¶ john. 
●Hat is the flesh of Herons, Bytters, and Shovellers?  Humphrey. 
THese fowls be fishers, and be very raw, and phlegmatic, like unto the meat whereof ●hey are fed: the young be best, and aught to be eaten with pepper, Synnamon, Sugar, and ●inger, & to drink wine after thou ●or good digestion: And thus do for all water fowls.  ¶ john. 
What be partridges, Pheasants quails, Larks, Sparrows, Plover, and bla● Eirdes?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Partridges doth bind she belly, 
Avicen.  and doth norryshe milch● The Cocks be better than t● Hen birds, 
Rasis in. 3. alm. c. 10.  they do dry ●ffeume and corruption in the sto●macke. Feesantes, is the best o● all flesh for his sweetness, is equa● unto the Capon or partridge, b● he is somewhat drier. 
Ra. in lib. 4. affo.  And Ra● sayeth: Feasantes flesh is goo● for the that have the fever Ethik● for it is not only a meat, but medicine, and doth cleanse corrup humers it the stomach. Quail altough they be eaten of man● yet they are not to be comende for they do engender aguwes, be evil for the falling sicknesses For as Conciliatur saith: of al● fowls that be used for meats it is the worst. 
Diosco.  Dioscorides saith: that Larks roasted, be wholesome to be eaten of them that be troubled with the colic. Black birds taken in the time of frost, be wholesome and good of digestion: 
The properties of small birds.  The dung of Black birds tempered with vinegar, and applied to any place that have the black Morphewe, or black Leprosy, often times anointed with a sponge doth help them. The flesh of Plovers doth engender melancholy. Sparrows be hoot, & provoketh venus or lust: 
Plinii. lib two. Cap. 36.  Plinii doth describe their properties: ●he brains be the best part of ●hem. Woodcocks be of good digestion and temperate to feed upon. All small birds of the field, ●s Robin read breast, Lynettes, Finches, red Sparrows, Gold wings, and such like, if they be fat, they be marvelous good, and doth greatly comfort nature, either roasted or boiled, and thus do I conclude with the of birds.  ¶ john. 
I Heartily thank thee, gentle master Humphrey: for thy pains taking in these thy rules unto me, concerning the proper use of beasts, and fowls, in meats. I would be glad to know the virtues of some fishes?  ¶ Humphrey. 
IN many Islands of this world, near adjacent unto the occiente seas, the people live there, most chief by fish, and be right strong and sound people of complexion, as Aristotel saith: 
Aristo in proble.  Consuetudo est tamquam altra natura. Custom is like unto another nature, but because I speak of fish, I will divide them in three parts. First of the fishes of the sea, secondly the fish of fresh running rivers, 
Of sea Eishe.  thirdly of the fishes in poles & standing waters. The Sea hath many gross and fat fishes, which be noisome to the stomach, but the smalller kind of fishes that feed about rocks & clear stony places, be more drier and less of moistness, than the fresh water fish, & doth engenderles phlegm and wind, by the reason of their salt feeding as Galen saith: 
Galen d●tuen,  they be the best fishes that feed in the pure sea: and chiefest of all fishes for the ●se of mankind. 
Hali. in quin, the● Capit. 25.  But Haliabas saith: new fish lately taken, is ●olde and moist, and phlegmatic, but lest of all the Sea fish. fish that swimmeth in fresh ●leare Rivers, or stoony places, where as the water is sweat, ●eynge fishes that bear scales, he marvelous good.  
If they feed near unto places where much filth is daily cast out, there the fish be very corrupt and unwholesome, as the said Haliabas saith: Fish that feedeth in fens, marisces, ditches, and moddie pools, be very unwholesome, and do corrupt the blood, they be gross & slimy, corrupt & windy. But those fishes that be fed in fair ponds, wherein two running waters may ensue, 
Best feeding for fish.  and where as sweat herbs, roots, weeds, that groweth about the banks, doth feed the fish: those fish be wholesome. Galen saieth● fish that is white skalled, hard. As perches, Cheviens, Ruffs, carps, Breimes, roaches, trouts etc. be all good. But unskaled fishes, as Eales, Tenches, Lampreis, and such like, be dangerous, unless they be well baken or roasted, and eaten with pepper, ginger, & vinegar: And note this, 
To labour sone after theating of fish, is hurtful. Galen.  that it is not wholesome traveling, or labouring, immediately after the eating of fish, for it doth greatly corrupt the stomach, and as Galen saith: the nourryshementes of flesh is better than the nourrismentes of fish: And thus much generally I have spoken of fish.  Ihon. 
ANd thus it seemeth by thy words that great fish that be devourers in sea, 
Oil far, fish be groose food.  as Seal and Purpose, and such like, be unwholesome, and that the smaller fishes, as Codlinges, Whitinge, Places, Smeltes, Buttes, Solles, pike Perche, Breime, Roche, carp, and such as feedeth in clean stony waters: thou saist they be wholesome, Eales, Lampreis, and other muddy fishes, ●hou dost not greatly commend.  
There be some kinds of fish soft and hard, which be the best?  ¶ Humphrey. 
If fish be soft, the eldest fish is the be best: 
The electium of fish.  If fish be hard the youngest is best, for it is either soft or hard. Of hard fish take the smallest, of soft fish take the greatest: Provided that your fish be not very slimy, and thus sayeth Avicen in his book of fishes. 
Avicen cap. de piscibus.   Ihon. 
I pray the tell me some thing of shell fishes?  Humphrey. 
Cravises and Crabs, be very good fishes, 
Crevices and crabs  the meat of them doth help the lungs, but they be hurtful for the bladder, yet they will engender seed. If Crabs of the fresh water be sodden in pure green Oil olive: this Oil dropped into the ear luke warm, doth heal hot burning obstructions, and stopping matter that hindereth the hearing. As for lempetes, Cockles, 
Galen in libra de a limento.  Scallapes as Galen saith: they be hard of digestion, muskels & oysters would be well boiled roasted, or baken with onions, wine, butter, sugar, ginger, & pepper, or else they be very windy & phlegmatic. Choleric, stomaches may well digest raw oysters, but they have cast many one away.  Ihon. 
What is the virtue of Oil?  Humphrey. 
Green oil of olives, is the mother of all oils, which doth draw into her own nature the virtues of herbs, buds, flowers, fruits, and roots. Sweet salad oil is wholesome to digest cold herbs, and salads, tempered with sharp Vinegar and Sugar. 
Auerdies cometh oil in quinto de ovis.  New Oil doth moist, and warm the stomach, but old Oil, corrupteth the stomach, & cleaveth to the lungs, and maheth one horse. Oil of Roses & sharp vinegar, tempered together, is good to anoint the fore heads of them that be troubled with extreme heat or frenzy, so that Blugose be sodden in their posset ale, or else drink the syrups of Endive, or Buglos.  
There be many goodly virtues in compounded oils, both to calife and make hot: And also to cool the body when it is extreme hoot, as the great learned man john Mesua, hath decribed in his Antidorarii.  Ihon. 
Wilt thou be so good as to tell me the properties of water?  ¶ Humphrey. 
Water is one of the four elements, 
Galli. 3. de vic. in. avi. li. 1. fen. 2.  more lighter than earth, heavier than fire and air. But this water which is here amongst us in Rivers, Pondes, springs, 
What kind of waters is best.  floods, and seas: be no pure waters, for they be mingled with sundry airs, corruptions, grossness, and saltness: notwithstanding in all our meats and drinks water is used, & amongst all living creatures can not be forborn, both man, beast, fish, foul, 
avice. lib 1. fen. 3. de dispositionibus aquarum.  herb, and grass. And as Avicen saith, the clay water is pure, for clay cleanseth the water, and is better than water that runneth over gravel, or stones, so that it be pure clay, void of corruption. Also waters running toward the east, be pure, coming out of hard stony rocks, and a Pint of that water is lighter than a pint of the standing water of wells, or pools. The lighter the water, the better it is. Also waters that is put in wine. etc. ought first to be sodden or it be occupied cold, and so the fire doth cleanse it from corruption. Standing waters and water running near unto cities and towns, or marish ground, woods, & fens be ever full of corruption, because there is so much filth in them of carrions & rotten dung. etc. The higher it water doth faule, than the water is. Ice and snow waters be verygrose, and be hurtful to the bodies of men and Beasts. To drink cold water is evil, for it will stop the body, and engender melancholy. Salt water helpeth a man from scabs, iche, and moist humours, it killeth louse, and wasteth blood between the skin and the flesh, but it is most hurtful to the stomach, but the vapour and smoke of it is good for them that have the dropsy.  ¶ john. 
What is Vinegar?  Humphrey. 
Vinegar is cold and dry, 
The properties of Vinegar.  and is hurtful for them that be melancholy, but when it is drunk, or poured upon a outward wound stoppeth the blood It also killeth hot apostumations of erisipilus, it is an enemi to the sinews. Vinegar & brimstone sodden together, is good for the Gout, to wash it withal. vinegar tempered with oil olive, or oil of Roses, and sudden with unwashed will, helpeth a disease called Soda in the head, applied warm unto the place, it doth help hot diseases in the head called Soda, it is good in sauce for all warm and moist men. Vinegar with clean clarified honey penidies and fair water sodden together, doth greatly help the pains in the throat, or lungs, or stopping the wind, & quencheth hot diseases. And sharp vinegar mingled with salt, and put upon the biting of a dog, doth heal it: and against poison it is excellent, chief to drink a little thereof against the pestilence in a morning.  ¶ john. 
What virtue hath our common salt?  Humphrey. 
RAsis saith, 
Rasis in. 3. alman. Capit. 17.  salt is hot and dry, Dioscorides saith, salt hath virtue to stop, to scour, and mundify, and of that mind is Oribasius, 
The virtue of fault  saying: salt is compounded of matter abstersive and stiptik, which ●atters be both binding and drying moist humours, and is good to powder fat flesh, both beef and pork, and other fat meat: for it hath virtue to dry up superfluous humours, as water & blood. etc. But it is not good for lean bodies, or hot complexcioned people, for the much use of it maketh the body choleric, appear aged, and to be angry. The very use of it is only to season meats, but not to be meat. Much good salt is made here in England, as at ●itch, Hollond in Lincholnshire and in the Shiles near unto new ●astell.  Ihon. 
What is honey, or the virtue thereof?  Humphrey. 
AVerrois sayeth, 
Auerrois in. 5.  honey is hoa● and dry in the second degree, and doth cleanse very much, and is a medicinable mea● most chiefliest for old men and women. For it doth warm them & convert them into good blood. 
Simeon Sethi.  I● is not good for choleric persons because of the heat and dryness. They do greatly err that say honey is hot and moist: but if it be clarified from his wax and dross and kept in a close vessel, there is nothing that is liquid upon the earth that remaineth longer. And this precious jewel honey, hath ever been more praised above sugar, for it will conserve & keep any fruit, herb, rote, or any other thing that is put into it an exceeding long time. marvelous is the work of God in honey, being a heavenly dew, that falleth upon flowers and leaves as Auicen ●aieth, 
Auen in. 2. Cano. Cap. 504.  and is neither the juice of ●eaues nor fruit, but only the ●eauenlye dew. Whereunto the Sees cometh in due time, and ●ather the said honey, and lay it ●p in store in their curious built houses, whereas they dwell together in most goodly order. 
god hath ordained the Sees to be an example unto us, both for love & working in the common wealth. Virgilius  O Sees bees, how happier are you more than many wretched men, chyche dwelleth never together 〈◊〉 unity and peace, but in con●nuall discord, and disquietness ●s Virgil sayeth. En quo discor●a cives produxerit miseros. Behold what discord wretched Citizens have brought forth. But now to make an end of ●e most excellent virtues of ●onye, it is good in the meats 〈◊〉 them which be phlegmatic. honey newly taken out of their combs, be partly laxative, but clarified honey doth bind and dry up fleum, and keepeth the bodies of flegnatike and old persons from corruption. The best honey is gathered in the springe time, the second in summer, but that which is gathered in winter, is ill & hurtful. One part of honey, and some part of water sodden together until the sroth be all scomde of, and when it is cold kept in a close stone pot, 
Galen de tuen, sani Libra. 4.  this drink saith Galen is wholesome for summer, cleanseth the lungs, & preserveth the body in health. oxymel simplex and compositum be made with honey, and so be many more things which be of great virtue. Sugar which is called Mel can, honey of the reed, being clean, & not full of gross panel, doth cleanse, and is not so hot as Bee's honey, and doth agree with the stomachs of choleric persons. 
Haliabas in. 5. theo. Capi. 27.  Haliabas saith it moveth not the stomach to dryness, and that the clean white sugar not adulbrated, doth nourish more than honey. Of Rose-water, Pearls, & sugar is made a goodly comforter for the heart, called Manus Christi.  Ihon. 
What is the property of milk?  Humphrey. 
SImeon Sethi saith that milk is of three parts: 
Simeon Sethi.  whey, curds, and cream. Whey is wholesome to drink, in Summer, specially of choleric persons, it cleanseth the body. Milk of fat beasts doth nourish more than the lean beasts, and the milk of young beasts is better than of the old. And the new milk is holesomer than that which hath stand in the air, 
Rasis in. 3 alman. Capit. 15.  as Rasis sayeth. And also those beasts that feedeth in dry Pastures amongst sweet Herbs, grass, and flowers having convenient Water their milk is very good. Milk in the beginning of Summer is very wholesome. 
Milk not good for foul stomachs  In winter it is unwholesome for phlegmatic persons, or them which have corrupt and foul stomachs. Fo● if the milk be sour, it dooet engender the stone in the reins or bladder. cows milk is th● thickest milk, and unctius or full of butter. But the best milk that helpeth against Consumptions, 
Hip. in. li de air. et aqua.  is woman's milk. The next is goats milk, which goats milk rather nourisheth to much, if it be taken commonely.  
sheeps milk is not very pleasant to the stomach. And note this, that milk is not wholesome to them which have pains in the Head or teeth. But the people that be brought up with milk, be fair coloured, and healthful bodies.  
Isaac sayeth, if Honey and a little salt be sodden in the milk ●hen it is wholesome, and is not windy nor flegmatycke.  
If mynts, borage leaves, rosemary flowers, honey suckles, and a little Sugar be laid in 〈◊〉 Basone, and covered with a ●ayre linen cloth, and milk he said Basin full through he cloth, and let it stand all ●yghte. This is pleasant to drink in the morning upon ●n empty stomach, two hours before any other meat, it cleanseth the rage of hot burning Chollere, 
Galen de alimen.  and thus I leave o● milk.  Ihon. 
What is butter?  Humphrey. 
BVtter is hot and moist fresh butter is used in many medicines. 
The operation of butter & Cheese.  New made butte● meanly salted, is good wit bread, flesh, and fish, it helpeth the lungs, and purgeth th● dryness of the throat, and helpeth coughs most chieflyest if 〈◊〉 be mingled with honey or sugar. It is good for young children when their teeth doth grow o● ache. Buttermilk if ye crummy new white bread into it, an● sup it of, there is no milk nourisheth so much, goats milk excepted. Cheese if it be new it is indifferently well commended, but hard salt Cheese doth dry the body, and engendereth ●he Stone, 
Isaac in. 5 doc. ca 15. Avicen in secun. capitulo. cxxviii.  as Isaac and Auicene saith, and many other doctors mooe do discommend it then praise it. When pots or stones ●ee broken, if hard Cheese be steeped in water and made soft, and ground upon a Painters Stone, it will join the broken Pots or Stones together again. By this I gather, that Cheese will engender the Stone before any other meats. Therefore Cheese should be made in Summer when the cream is not taken from the milk. And Bittony, Saxifrage, and Parcelye, ●hopped together, be wholesome to be mingled amongst the curds, and thus I conclude with Halia●as, that old cheese is unwholesome.  ¶ john. 
What be Eggs.  Humphrey. 
GAlen sayeth in his book of Simples, that Eggs is n● part of the fowls, but a portion of the thing from whence it came. Simeon Sethi writing of the diversity of Eggs, sayeth, the first properties is 〈◊〉 their substance, and the second is in their time, either new laid or old. The third is in the manner of their roasting, potching, or seething. New laid Eggs of Hens potched and supped, upon an empty Stomach, doth cleanse the Lungs and the reins of the back. Hard Eggs be greatly discommended, unless it be to stop flixes, but it were better to seath Eggs hard in vinegar, and then undoubtedly it will dry up the flyx of the beallye. Fried Eggs be very hurtful for Choleric people, and them which have the Stone. Ducks and Geese Eggs be gross and noisome, but partridge, Feasauntes, and hens eggs, engendereth good blood.  john. 
What is the property of wine.  Humphrey. 
HIpocrates saith of a customable thing cometh less hurt, 
Hipp. in two. aphori  where of I gather, that they that drink wine customably with measure, it doth profit them much, and maketh good digestion. But those people that use to drink wine seldom times, be distemperated. White wine if it be clear, 
Avero in 6. colig. Rasis in libra, 26. ●on. ca 1.  it is wholesome to be drunk before meat, for it pierceth quickly to the bladder: but if it be drunk upon a full stomach, it will rather make oppilation and stopping of the meserates, because it doth swiftly drive food down, before nature hath of himself digested it. And the nature of white Wine is of least warmness. The second Wine is pure Claret, of a clear hyacinth, or yellow colour. This wine doth greatly nourryshe and warm the body, and is a wholesome wine with meat, and is good for phlegmatic folk, but very unwholesome for young children, or them which have hot livers, or pains in their head, occasioned of hot vapours, or smokes, for it is like unto fire, & flax. The third is black, or deep read wine, which is thick, a stopper of the belly, a corrupter of the blood, a breader of the stone, hurtful to old men, and profitable to few men, except they have the flux. And for the election of wine saith Avicen: that wine is best that is between new and old, 
avicen in 3. prim. 2. doc. ca 8.  clear, declining somewhat to read of good odour, neither sharp nor sweet, but equal between two, for it hath virtue not only to make humours temperate, warm, & moist, but also to expel evil matter, which corrupted the stomach and blood. In summer it ought to be delayed with pure clear water, as Aristotle saith in his problems. And note this, that in driyeres, wines be best and most wholesome, but in watery years, the grapes be corrupted, which wine doth bring to the body many evil diseases, as dropsies, tympanes, flixes, rheums, winds and such like, as Galen sayeth. And thus to conclude of wine, 
Galen in. reg. a●●.  almighty god did ordain it for the great comfort of mankind, to be taken moderately, but to be drunken with excess, 
The heat of excess in drinking.  it is a poison most venomous, it relaxeth the sinews, bringeth palsy, falling sickness in cold persons, hot fevers, fransies, fighting, lechery, and a consuming of the liver, to chollerycke persons. And generally there is no credence to be given to drunkards, although they be mighty men. It maketh men like unto monsters, with continaunces, like unto burning cools: It dishonoureth noble men, and beggereth poor men: and generally killeth as many as be slain in cruel battles, the more it is to be lamented.  ¶ john. 
What is Beer or Ale?  ¶ Humphrey. 
ALe doth engender gross humours in the body, but if it be made of good barley malt, and of wholesome water, and very well sodden, and stand five or two days, until it be clear. It is very wholesome, especially for hot chollerycke folks, having hot burning fevers. But if ale be very sweet and not well sodden in the brewing, it bring thin flamation of wind and choler in to the belly: If it be very sour, it fretteth and nepeth the guts, & is evil for the eyes. To them that be very phlegmatic, ale is very gross, but to temperate bodies it increaseth blood: It is partly laxative, and provoketh urine. Clean brewed Bear if it be not very strong, brewed with good hops, doth cleanse the body from corruption, & is very wholesome for the liver, it is an usual or common drink in most places of England, which in dead is hurt & made worse with many rotten hops, or hops dried like dust which cometh from beyond the sea. But although there cometh many good hops from thence, yet it is known that the goodly stills, & fruitful grounds of england, do bring forth to man's use, as good hops as groweth in any place of this world, as by proof I know in many places of the country of Suffolk: Where as they brew their bear with the hops that groweth upon their own grounds: And thus to conclude of ale and beer, they have no such virtue nor goodness as wine have, and the surphetes which be taken of them, through drunkenness: be worse than the surphetes taken of wine.  
Know this that to drink ale or beer of an empty stomach moderately hurteth not, but doth good. 
Avicen. ●●ter tra. two. capitu. 8. Avero in comen. Rasis in. 4. alman. Capitu. ●.  But if one be fasting hungry or empty and drink much wine, it will hurt the sinews, & bringeth cramp, sharp agues, & palseis, as Avicen, Auerois and Rasis saith.  ¶ john. 
What is bread?  Humphrey. 
THe best Bread is made of clean sweet wheat which groweth in clay ground, and maketh but little burn when it is ground, light leavened, meanly salted, and the bread to be baken in an oven not extremely hot, for burning of the bread, nor les than mean hot, for causing the bread to be heavy and raw, the lighter the bread is, & the more full of holes, it is the wholesomer, as Auerrois and Rasis saith. 
Auerrois in quint. Col.  And also bread must neither be eaten new baken, nor very staile or old, for th'one causeth dryness thirst & smoking into the head, 
Rasis in. 30. Alman cap. 3.  troubling the brains and eyes through the heat thereof: The other drieth the body and bringeth melancholy, humers, hurting memory. The best bread is that which is of a day old, and the loves or manchets, may neither be great nor little, but mean, for the fire in small loves drieth up the moistness or virtue of the bread, and in great loves it leaveth rawenes and grossness. 
Galen. 1. aliment. Cap. 2.  Read Galen in the properties of bread: Sodden bread, which be called symnels or cracknelles, be very unwholesome, and hurteth many one: Rye bread is windy and hurtful to many, therefore it should be well salted & baken with Annis sedes, and commonly crusts of bread be very dri & burneth, they do engender melancholy humers. Therefore in great men's houses the bread is chipped and largeli pared and ordynarely is made in brews, and sauce for dogs, which will help to feed a great number of poor people, but that many be more affectionate to dogs than men: Barley bread do cleanse, cool and make the body lean.  john. 
What is Rise.  Humphrey. 
THere be many opinions in the virtue thereof, but I shall stay myself with the judgement of Avicen: 
avi. in. 2. Can. cap. 500 lxxviii.  Rise saith he, is hot & dry & hath virtue to stop the belly, it doth nourish much, if it be sodden with milk, but it ought to be steeped in water a whole night before: if blanched Almonds be stamped and with Rose water strained into them, and sodden with cows milk, it is very nutramentall.  john. 
What be Almonds?  Humphrey. 
THe bitter Almonds be hotter than the sweet Almonds. Dry Almonds be hurtful, the milk of moist Almonds, where in burning steel is quenched, stoppeth the flux: To eat Almonds before meat, preserveth against drinkenes. 
Of walnuts.  Walnuts be wholesome when they be new, to be eaten after fish, for they hinder engendering of phlegm. Simeon Sethi saith they are hot in the first, and dry in the second degree, not wholesome before meat, 
Plinii in Liber. 22. Capitu, 8.  Plinii speaking of Metridatis the great king that Pompius, found of his own hand writing, that two nuts & two figs, and twenty rue leaves stamped together with a little sail, and eaten fasting, doth defend a mam both from poison and pestilence that day. Philberdes and haste nuts, 
Of Philbardes'.  be hard of digestion, ill before meat, hurtful to the head and lungs, if they be roasted and eaten with a little pepper, they will help the running and distillation of rumes. chestnuts if they be roasted & eaten with a little honey fasting, 
Of chestnuts.  they help the cough, if they be eaten raw, although they greatly nourryshe the boedy, yet they be hurtful for the spleen and filleth the bellyful of wind. Nutmegs be very good for cold persons, 
Of nutmegs.  comforteth the sight & memory, 
Avicen Capit. de nuce,  as Avicen saith but without doubt Nutmegs doth combust or burn sangwin men, and dry their blood: and thus much have I spoken shortly of Nuts.  john. 
What be Cloves, Galangell, and Pepper?  Humphrey. 
THey be hot and dry, and as Rasis saith: 
Rasis in li. 4. acho  doth comfort cold stomachs: and make sweat breath, and is good in the meats of them that hath ill digestion▪ Black pepper is hotter than long pepper, & doth mightily warm the body, the grosser it is eaten, with fish or fruit, the better it provoketh urine, it is hot and dry, 
Isaac in parti diebus.  in the fourth degree, therefore they do err that say pepper is hot in the mouth and cold in the stomach. Although pepper be good to them that use it well, yet unto artificial women that have more beastliness than beauty and cannot be content with their natural complexions, but would fain be fair: they eat pepper, dried corn, and drink vinegar, with such like baggage, to dry up their blood, 
A practice  and this is the very cause that a great number though not all, fall into weakness, green sickness, stinking breathes, and oftentimes sudden death.  Ihon. 
What is sweet Callamus odoratus?  Humphrey. 
AN excellent sweet root and profitable for men, if the pothecaries keep it not until it be rotten, it is hot and dry in the beginning to the mids of the second degree, it hath poor to cleanse, to dry, to waste all winds with in the body without hurt. Galen doth greatly commend the savour of it. They that drink of this root sodden in wine, shall have remedy of the white morphew, and recover good collars. And this have I proved, it helpeth cramps & sickenessis in the sinews, being drunk in wine, sodden with sage, it helpeth the spleen, the liver and reins, and will cleanse the secret terms of women, and agmenteth natural seed.  Ihon. 
What is Ginger?  Humphrey. 
IT is hoot in the third degree, 
Auerrois in. 5. coll.  and moist in th'end of the first if it be uncollered. White and not rotten it is very good, most chief if it be conserved. And green as Mesua saith: 
Mesua in 4. distin.  it maketh warm a cold stomach, and consumeth winds, helpeth evil digestion, and maketh meat go easily down into the stomach.  john. 
What is Setwall?  Humphrey. 
Hot and dry in the second degree, and is good, the powder thereof to be drunk is most of effect against the pestilence except: Methredatum: It is good against poison, wind choleric and cold passions of the hearts, and doth restrain vometes. The weight of eight grains doth suffice to be drunk in ale or wine upon an empty stomach.  ¶ john. 
What is Cinnamon?  Humphrey. 
DIoscorides doth say: there be many kinds of Cinnamon, but generally their virtue is this to help dropsies, winds or stopping of the liver, and is hot & dry in the third degree. Ihon. What is Cassia fistula, Seneca, and rhubarb?  Humphrey. 
CAssia fistula, if the Caane be heavy & the cassia within black and shining that is good cassia, if this be drawn new out of the caane half an ounce or more at one time, & mingled with sugar, and eaten of a fasting stomach in the morning it hath power to purge choler, to cleanse the rains of the back it will frete and consume the stone, it purgeth very easily, and is pleasant in taking, & may be taken of children, week women, and sick men, in the time of their fevers, the access of their fits, 
Of rhubarb and his operation.  eccepted. rhubarb do purge yellow collar by himself, two or three drams may be taken or a little more, so that there be a dram of spicanarde or cinnamon, put unto it. In summer to drink it with whey. In winter with white wine: but the clean yellow rhubarb sliced, and put into infution all the night with whey, white wine, or Endive water, and strain it in the morning, doth greatly purge the blood and liver, three or four drams with spicanarde a dram or more. Seen Alexandria, if it be sodden in the broth of a cock or a hen doth purge the blood and melancholy, very gently and comfort the heart. One ounce of the clean small leaves of seen without codes or stalks, half a quarter of one ounce of ginger, twelve cloves, finkle seed two drams, or else two drams of cinnamon tartar, half a dram, beaten all together in powder: These do purge the head mightily to be taken before supper, the weight of one dram in a little white wine.  ¶ john. 
I would be glad to learn the virtue of Aloes?  Humphrey. 
THere be two kinds of aloes, one is named Succotrina, which is like a liver, clear, brittle bitter, collered between read and yellow, this is best for medicines 〈◊〉 little of this being tempered with Rose water, being put unto the eyes, helpeth the dropping & watery eyes. Also it is put in many excellent medicines laxative, as safron, myrrh, aloes, mingled together. In the form of pills, is the most excellent medicine against the pestilence, as it is written in this book following. Honey and aloes mingled together, do take away the marks of stripes and also doth mundify sores and ulcers, it doth cleanse the abundance of choler, & phlegm from the stomach. It is not good to be taken in winter, 
avicen in li. de sim.  for Avicen doth forbid it, but in the springe time, or harvest the powder thereof. The weight of a french crown mingled with the water of honey or mead, and so drunk in the morning it doth cleanse both choler and phlegm. 
Aloes cabalin.  There is an other gross aloes which is good for horse tempored with ale; and ministered aswell to other great beasts as horses, the weight of half Anounce, and thus much have I said of Aloes, but if aloes be clean washed, it is the wholesomer, many unwashed Aloes will cause emeroydes.  john. 
IS the Safron that grow in England as good as that, that come from the other side of the Sea?  Humphrey. 
Our English honey, & Safron is better than any that cometh from aniother strange or foreign land. But to thy question of Safron, it have virtue, either in bread or pottage, to make the heart glad, it warm the body, it preserveth from dronknes, drunk in ale or wine provoketh acts venerus, inducith sleep, 
Pillule ●●uffe.  purgeth urine. Myrrh a loes & saffron, maketh an excellent pill against that pestilens, two penny waght of safron powder roosted with the yolk of an egg very hard, and the said yoke beaten in powder, twelve grains drink a mornings is good against the pestilence, Safron, planten, & juiry sodden. The dicoction drink helpeth the yellow jaundices, it is dry in the first degree & have virtue to restrain.  john. 
We plain men in that country dwell far from great Cities, our wives and children be often sick, & at death's door, we can not tell what shift to make we have no acquaintance with y● a apothicaris, commonly we send for aquamtitie or mamsey what so ever out diseases be, these be our common medicine or else we send for a box of triakle, & when these medicines fail us we cause a great posset to be made, and drink up the drink: thinkest thou these medicines be not good?  ¶ Humphrey 
FOr lack of medicine God helpeth the people oftentimes by miracle, or else a great number of men should pearish. But because the almighty God hath covered the whole face of the earth with many precious simples, whereof rich compossions be made. Therefore be nether so rude nor barbarous to think these medicines good that thou hast rehearsed, for all diseases, although not hurtful to some: but because many do receive more mischief than medicine in counterfeit treacles. I shall rehearse unto thee what Valerius Cordus and other, doth write upon the virtue of the precious treacle called Metridatum.  john. 
I Would be glad to hear of that precious treacle, and his virtues.  ¶ Humphrey. 
THis excellent treacle Mithridate is next in quality and virtue to Theriaca & do differ but little, but only Theriacha is a little hotter and stronger against venom of Snakes, edders, and serpents. It helpeth all pains of the head of men or women if it come of cold, most chief of melancholy and fear. It helpeth megreme, falling sickness, and all pains of the forehead, dropping of eyes. It helpeth tothe-ach, pains of the mouth, cheeks, if it be put in manner of a plaster, or else anoint the pained place. It helpeth pains of the throat called Squinance, and also cough, appoplextia, and passion of the lungs, and many grievous collars and pains within the body, drunk with the decoction of the flowers of pomgranetes or planten it helpeth and stoppeth flixes in the Ilias & long gutes winds or colic. The extension or cramps be helped very much with this Metridatum drunken with stilled waters. Palses, sickenessis in the midriff, the liverrayns & bledder, be cleansed thereby, it provoketh the menstrual terms in women being drunk with posset ale. If Isope or iermander be sodden in the said ale it is excellent against the pestilence, or poison. If it be drunk but a little quantity thereof, according to the disease, strength or adge of the person. It is very good against the stone, or for women which have a new disease peraccidentes called the green sickness, there is nothing better against the biting of a mad dog then to drink of this, and to anoint the wound. If it be given in drink to any sick body a little before the access or coming of the cold fits of cotidians, tercians or quartens, so that it be drunk with wine temperately warmed, 
Of the exsilent treacle called Mithridate.  this Mithridate is a medicine of no small price, Democrates hath a godly composition of it, an other excellent composition is of Cleopatra as Galen writeth. An other and the most excellent is the dyscryption of Andromachus physician unto king Nero, but the chief father of this act, was king Methridatus the noble king of Ponthus after whose name it is called.  Ihon. 
In deed this is an excellent medicine, but I pray thee where shall I buy it▪  Humphrey. 
THe blind (fellow john) do eat many affy, & the plain meaning man is oft deceived. There is no trust in some of the Apothecaries, for although the usurpation of quid pro quo is tolerable, for their Succidanes yet to abuse their simples or compounds, it is not only theft to rob simple men: but also murder to kill the hurtless.  john. 
OF late time we have been so afflicted with sundry sicknesses and strange diseases that in many places we could get no physicians to help us, and when men be suddenly sick CC. miles from London, Cambridge or Oxford, it is to late for the patient to send for help, being infected with the pestilence. I pray the tell me some good regiment for me and my family, if it please God that it may take place.  Humphrey. 
I Shallbe glad forasmuch as thou hast taken pains to hear me all this while, to teach thee a pretty regiment for the pestilence.  john. 
Read it fair and softly, and I will take my yenne and write it.  ¶ Humphrey. 
CErtainly the occasion of this most fearful sickness cometh many ways: 
Oiffinici●̄ epidimi● Gall.  as the change of the air from a good unto an evil quality, taking his venomous effect of the vital spirits, which incontinent with all speed, corrupteth the spiritual blood. And suddenly (as it were) an unmerciful fire, it quickly consumeth the whole body even to death, unless the wholesome medicine do prevent and come to the heart, before the pestilent humour. And because it is a very strong sickness, it is requisite to have a strong curing medicine. For weak things will not prevail against so strong a matter. Therefore I pray you note these six sayings, as air, diet, sleep, or watch, quietness or trouble, 
Good air  and finally medicine. First walk not in stinking mists, nor by corrupt marris ground, nor in extreme hot wether, but in fair clear air upon high ground in sweet fields or gardens, having fire in your chamber, with sweet perfumes, of that smoke of Olibanium, or Beniamen Frankincense, being cold wether. And in hot wether, Roses, willow branches sprinkled with vinegar, and often shifting the chamber is wholesome, fleeing the South wind. Secondly, diat, moderate eating meat of good digestion, as all that have pure white flesh, both of beasts & fowls, good bread of wheat, partly leavened. Eat no raw herbs, 
Young lettuce  Pursten, Lettuce, young Lettuce, or sorrel, except with vinegar. Drink of clear thine wine, not changed and use oft times vineiger with your meats, and mingle not fish and flesh together in your stomach, & to drink a tisant of barley water, rose water, & sorrel water, between meals is good, eight spoonfuls at ones.  
Thirdly, 
Noon sleep.  beware you sleep not at none it bringeth many sicknesses, & giveth place to the pestilence, and abateth memory. For as the marigold is spread by the day, and closed by the night: even so is man of nature disposed, although through custom otherwise altered unto great damage and hurt of body. 
sleep.  Eight hours sleep, sufficeth well to nature, but every complexion hath his proper qualities, to sleep upon the right side is best, evil upon the left, and worse upon the back. 
Exercise.  Fourthly, use moderate exercise and labour for the evacuation of the excrements, as swift going up hills, stretching forth arms and legs, 
De●uēda sanitate. Gall.  lifting weights, not very ponderous, forby labour the first and second digestion is made perfect, and the body strengthened, & this is a mighty defence, against the pestilence, and many more infirmities, whereas through idleness be engendered all diseases both of the soul, and body, where of man is compounded & made. Fifthlye, 
Mirth.  above all earthly things, mirth is most excellent and the best companion of life, putter away of all diseases: the contrary in plague time bringeth on the pestilence, through painful melancolike: which maketh the body heavy and earthly. Company Music, honest gaming, or any other virtues exercise doth help against heaviness of mind. Sixtly medicine, the party being changed in nature and condition, trembling or burning, vomiting with extreme pain in the day, 
Designis destilenci●●lis.  cold in the night, and strange imaginations. etc. Apt to sleep, when these signs do appear, give him medicine before xii hours, or else it will be his death. Take therefore withal speed, sorrel, one handful stamped with rue, Enulacampana, Orange rinds, Sitron seeds: the great thistle roots, Geneper berries, walnuts clean piked, of each one ounce, stamp them all together, then take pure sharp vinegar, a quarter of a pint, as much ●uglosse water, as much white wine, and temper your said receipt with these licoures. Then put in two ounces of pure Mithridate andromachi, 
Mithridate andromachi.  which is an excellent treacle, and two drams weight of the powder of pure Bole armein, mingle them all together in a very close vessel, and give the patient a spoonful or more next his heart, and eftsoons asmuch more, & let them that take this sleep not during twenty hours: or else take pure treacle and set well mingled in posset ale made with white wine, wherein sorrel have boiled a good draft, and let an expert Chirurgeon let the patient blood upon the middle vain called Mediana, 
Mediana Basilica.  or the heart vain: Basilica a good quantity according to the strength and age of the patient, except women with child, and children. For the retaining the said blood, would all turn to venom and incurable poison: And note this, that blood be let upon the same side that that sore doth appear. If any appear for many causes, & sleep not viii hours after, & use this most excellent pillen often times. 
Pillule Pestilencialis. Ruffi.  Take pure aloes epatik & myrrh, well washed in clean water, or rose-water, of each two drams, and one dram of the powder of Saffron, mingled with little of sweet wine, and tempered in a very small vessel upon that coals, until it be partly thick, or else incorporate all together in a mortar, them rol them up in small round pills, use to swallow half a dram of these pills two times a week in that pestilence time a mornings iii hours before meat. another medicen, tormentil gentian setwell of each one dram, spicenarde drams ii nastick drams three, bull armen drams, viii. give two drams to that patiented or any that fear the plague in the water of Skabeas, or Cardus Benedictus, then drink the broth of a chicken, or pure wine, to ripe the sore, roast a great onion, take out the core, put in treacle, and warm apply it to the place three or four times renewed warm. And oil Olive, black soap, sour leaven, Lily roots, of each like quantity boiled together, put in the joys of Rew, and make a plaster, this will break the said sore, Capons grese, yolks of eggs, swine's grease, barley flower, linsede in powder, encorporated together, will make a good heling plaster. Emplastrum diachilon, magnum discriptione filii Zacharia doth resolve: and quence the hot ulcer. But in the time of the plague trust not urines.   

¶ Again to the gentle Reader.  
THe swift (runner in his race, gentle Reader) in a stobby or rocky ground is in danger eftsoons to stumble or faule, where as the goer fair and softly in the smooth path is safe. Even so, because I have had no conference with others, nor long time of premeditation in study, but with speed have conciliated this small entitled Government of health, it can not be, but many things have miss in the print, as in folio iii the xviii line, read sigh for fight, i●. fol. lx. the second page xi line, read Olibanum for Olibulom: and in the end of the Epistle to the reader, there is imprinted Wenzoar, for Auenzoer, & in fol. lxvi. line xu leave out because. And thus to conclude, I will by God's grace join another book, called the Healthful medicines unto this Government, and at the next impression such amends shallbe made, that both silable and sentence shallbe diligently kept in true order to thy contentation, God willing, who ever keep the in health. The first of March, the year of our salvation. 1558.  
William Bulleyn.