SUBSECT. 2. Dyet rectified in quantity.

Man alone, saith Cardan, eates and drinks without appetite, and useth all his pleasure without necessity, animæ vitio, and thence come many inconveniences unto him. For there is no meat whatsoever, though otherwise wholesome and good, but if unseasonably taken, or immoderately used, more then the stomack can well beare, it will ingender cruditie, and do much harme.

Therefore Crato adviseth his patient to eat but twice a day, and that at his set meales, by no means to eat without an appetite, or upon a full stomack, and to put seven houres difference betwixt dinner and supper. Which rule if we did observe in our Colledges, it would be much better for our healths: But custome that tyrant so prevailes, that contrary to all good order and rules of Physick, we scarce admit of five.

If after seven houres tarrying he shall have no stomack, let him defer his meal, or eat very little at his ordinary time of repast. This very counsell was given by Prosper Calenus to Cardinall Cæsius, labouring of this disease; and Platerus prescribes it to a patient of his, to be most severely kept. Guianerius admits of three meals a day, but Montanus consil.23. pro Ab. Italo, ties him precisely to two. And as he must not eat overmuch, so he may not absolutely fast; for as Celsus contends lib.1. Iacchinus 15. in 9. Rhasis, repletion and inanition may both do harm in two contrary extreams.

Moreover, that which he doth eat, must be well chewed, and not hastily gobled, for that causeth crudity and winde; and by all means to eat no more than he can well digest. Some think (saith Trincavelius lib.11. cap.29. de curand. part. hum.) the more they eat the more they nourish themselves: eat and live, as the proverb is, not knowing that onely repaires man which is well concocted, not that which is devoured.

Melancholy men most part have good appetites, but ill digestion, and for that cause they must be sure to rise with an appetite: and that which Socrates and Disarius the Physicians in Macrobius so much require, S. Hierome injoynes Rusticus, to eat and drink no more than will satisfie hunger and thirst.

Lessius the Jesuite holds 12. 13. or 14. ounces, or in our Northern countries 16. at most, (for all students, weaklings, and such as lead an idle sedentary life) of meat, bread, &c. a fit proportion for a whole day, and as much or little more of drink. Nothing pesters the body and minde sooner than to be still fed, to eat and ingurgitate beyond all measure, as many do.

By overmuch eating and continuall feasts they stifle nature, and choke up themselves; which, had they lived coursly, or like galliey-slaves been tyed to an oare, might have haply prolonged many fair years.

A great inconvenience comes by variety of dishes, which causeth the precedent distemperature, than which (saith Avicenna) nothing is worse; to feed on diversity of meats, or overmuch, Sertorius-like in lucem cænare, and as commonly they do in Muscovie and Island, to prolong their meals all day long, or all night.

Our Northern countries offend especially in this, and we in this Iland (ampliter viventes in prandiis & cœnis, as Polydore notes) are most liberall feeders, but to our own hurt. Persicos odi puer apparatus: Excess of meat breedeth sickness, and gluttony causeth cholerick diseases: by surfeiting many perish, but he that dieteth himself prolongeth his life, Ecclus.37.29,30.

We account it a great glory for a man to have his table daily furnished with variety of meats: but hear the Physician, he puls thee by the ear as thou sittest, and telleth thee, that nothing can be more noxious to thy health, than such variety & plenty.

Temperance is a bridle of gold, and he that can use it aright, ego non summis viris comparo, sed simillimum Deo judico, is liker a God than a man: For as it will transform a beast a man again, so will it make a man a God.

To preserve thine honour, health, and to avoid therefore all those inflations, torments, obstructions, crudities, and diseases that come by a full diet, the best way is to feed sparingly of one or two dishes at most, to have ventrem bene moratum, as Seneca calls it, to chose one of many, and to feed on that alone, as Crato adviseth his Patient.

The same counsell Prosper Calenus gives to Cardinall Cæsius, to use a moderate and simple diet: and though his table be jovially furnished by reason of his state & guests, yet for his own part to single out some one savoury dish and feed on it.

The same is inculcated by Crato consil.9. l.2. to a noble personage affected with this grievance, he would have his highnes to dine or sup alone, without all his honorable attendance & courtly company, with a private friend or so, a dish or two, a cup of Rhenish wine &c.

Montanus consil.24. for a noble Matron injoyns her one dish, & by no means to drink betwixt meals. The like consil.229. or not to eat till he be an hungry, which rule Berengarius did most strictly observe, as Hilbertus Cenomecensis Episc. writes in his life.

—cui non fuit unquam Ante sitim potus, nec cibus ante famem,

and which all temperate men do constantly keep. It is a frequent solemnity still used with us, when friends meet to go to the ale-house or tavern, they are not sociable otherwise: and if they visit one anothers houses, they must both eat and drink. I reprehend it not moderately used, but to some men nothing can be more offensive; they had better, I speak it with Saint Ambrose, pour so much water in their shooes.