Part 57 (1/2)

On Rising, Diet, and Going to Bed.

(FROM

Sir John Harington's 'Schoole of Salerne,'

2nd part.

The Preservation of Health, or a Dyet for the Healthfull Man, 1624, p. 358.)

Also to prosecute our former purpose, [a] when you arise in the morning, to auoyd all superfluities, as well by vrine as by the belly, which doe at the least euery day. Auoid also from the nostrils and the lungs all filthy matter, as wel by clensing, as by spittle, and [b] clense the face, head, and whole body; & loue you to be cleane and wel apparelled, for from our cradles let vs abhor vncleannes, which neither nature or reason can endure. Whe{n} you haue done these things, remember to [c]

powre foorth your prayers vnto G.o.d with a cleare voice, that the day may be happy and prosperous vnto you, that G.o.d may direct your actions to the glory of his name, the profit of your country, & the conseruation of your bodies. Then [d] walke ye gently, and [e] what excrements soeuer do slip down to the inferiour parts, being excited by [* Page 42.] naturall heate, the excretion thereof shall the better succeed.

[Sidenotes: [a] On rising, empty your bladder and belly, nose and lungs.

[b] Cleanse your whole body.

[c] Say your Prayers.

[d] Walk gently, [e] go to stool.]

As for your businesses, whether they be publike or priuate, let them be done with a certaine honesty; then afterwards let your hunting iourneyes bee performed; [a] apply your selues to studie and serious businesse the houres of the fore-noone, and so likewise in the after-noone, till twoor three houres before supper: [b] alwaies in your hands vse eyther Corall or yellow Amber, or a Chalcedonium, or a sweet Pommander, or some like precious stone to be worne [c] in a ring vpon the little finger of the left hand: haue in your rings eyther a Smaragd, a Saphire, or a Draconites, which you shall beare for an ornament: for in stones, as also in hearbes, there is great efficacie and vertue, but they are not altogether perceived by vs: [d] hold sometime in your mouth eyther a Hyacinth, or a Crystall, or a Granat, or pure Gold, or Siluer, or else sometimes pure Sugar-candy. For _Aristotle_ doth affirme, and so doth Albertus Magnus, that a Smaragd worne about the necke, is good against the Falling-sicknes: for [e] surely the vertue of an hearbe is great, but much more the vertue of a precious [* Page 43.] stone, which is very likely that they are endued with occult and hidden vertues.

[Sidenotes: [a] Work in the forenoon. [b] Always wear a precious stone [c] in a ring; [d] hold a crystal in your mouth; [e] for the virtue of precious stones is great.]

[a] Feede onely twice a day, when yee are at mans age: neuerthelesse to those that are subiect to choller, it is lawfull to feede often: beginne alwayes your dinner and supper with the more liquid meates, sometimes with drinkes. [b] In the time betweene dinner and supper, abstain altogether from cups, vnlesse necessitie or custome doe require the same: notwithstanding the same custome being so vitious, must be by little and little changed.

[c] I would not that you should obserue a certaine houre, either for dinners or suppers, as I haue sufficiently told you before, lest that daily custome should be altered into nature: and after this intermission of this custome of nature, hurt may follow; for custome doth imitate nature, and that which is accustomable, the very same thing is now become naturall.

[Sidenotes: [a] Eat only twice a day. [b] Don't drink between dinner and supper. [c] Don't have one fixed hour for your meals.]

Take your meate in the hotte time of Summer in cold places, but [a] in the Winter let there bee a bright fire, and take it in hotte places, your parlors or Chambers being first purged and ayred with suffumigations, which I would not haue you to [* Page 44.] enter before the suffumigation bee plainely extinct, lest you draw the fume by reason of the odour.

And seeing one and the same order of diet doth not promiscuously agree with all men, take your meate in order, as is before said, and [b]

sometimes also intermit the vse of meats for a whole day together, because through hunger, the faults of the stomacke which haue beene taken eyther by much drinking or surfetting, or by any other meanes, may be depelled and remoued.

By this meanes also your bodies shall be better accustomed to endure and suffer hunger and fasting, eyther in iourneyes or wars. [c] Let your suppers bee more larger then your dinners, vnlesse nightly diseases or some distilations doe afflict you.

[Sidenotes: [a] In Winter eat in hot well-aired places. [b] Fast for a day now and then. [c] Eat more at supper than dinner.]

[a] After meat taken, neither labour in body nor mind must be vsed, and wash the face and mouth with cold water, clense the teeth either with Iuory, or a Harts horne, or some picker of pure siluer or gold.

After your banquets, [b] pa.s.se an houre or two in pleasant talkes, or walke yee very gently and soberly, [c] neither vse much watchings long in the night, but the s.p.a.ce of two howres goe to your bed; but if honest [* Page 45.] businesse doe require you to watch, then sleepe afterwards so much the longer, that your sleepe may well recompence your former watchings. [d] Before that you go to your bed, [e] gently smooth down your head, armes, and shoulders, the back and all the body, with a gentle and soft rubbing, vnlesse you meane to do it in the morning to mooue distribution, whose time is best to be done in the morning.

[Sidenotes: [a] After meals, wash your face, and clean your teeth, [b] chat and walk soberly. [c] Don't sit up late. [d] Before bed, [e] rub your body gently.]