Three prose versions of the Secreta Secretorum / edited with an introduction and notes by Robert Steele and a glossary by T. Henderson

Of two Pryncipall thyngis [folio 78L] that helth kepyth. Capitulum Lxijm.

[folio 69]

tO Kepe Helth of Body two thynges Benne Pryncipaly necessary, The Fryste Is that a man vse mettis and drynkis couenables and acordynge to his nature or kynde and to his complexcioun, as in tyme and in houre and in seyson and as atte his costome. For as ypocras Sayth, "costome is the seconde nature or kynde." The seconde thynge is, that a man hym Purge in due tyme of superfluytez and humours corruptes, and ther-for he is to wyt that aftyr the iiije humores, the [the the, MS.] complexcion dyuersyn and varien; for Sum men bene sanguynes, otheris Fleumatikes, the thyrde colerike, the fourth Malencolike. In the maner dyuersyth nature of mettes aftyr hote and colde, moisty and dry, and therfor while that complexcioun holdyth hym in estate, and gothe not away out of euynnesse and ryght mesure, a man is hoole of body; and therfor a man sholde vse mettis accordynge to his complexcioun, but whan the complexcioun Passyth mesure, ther hit be-howyth to vse mettes contraries to remeue or brynge the complexcion to euenesse and mesure: And most be done eisili, by litill and by litill, that the kynde ne be not y-greuyd, for the kynde hatyth Sudayn̄ eschaunge. Ensampyl y shal you telle that ye may the bettyr Hit vndyrstonde. The colerike is hote and dry, the fleumatike is moisti and colde, and therfor euerye ethre couenable may vse mettis of oo maner of kynde, while that noone humoure ne synnyth in ham by excesse. But whan the humours Passyth ryght mesure by diet discordeynet, or by kynde of tyme or of̘ regioune, they sholde vse contrary dyetis to redresse the excesse and the sorfete. The colerike sholde vse colde diet and moisti, and the Fleumatik hote diet and dry. I-lyke maner dyuersite of diet shold kepedyn̄ be in the dyuersite of age, and of tyme and of region and of custumes. Anothyr manere of diet couena [folio 78bL] bill is to yonge men and anothyr to olde men; to yonge men gret diet and moisti, to holde men suttill diet and hote. In veer, diet in tempure, In heruste, hote mettis and moisti, In wyntyr, gret diet hote and drye, In somyr, suttill diet, colde and moysty. In the region of the Northe, grete diet and hote; In the region of the South, suttill diete and temporate. Thay that bene wonnyd moche to

trauaill, sholde vse grete diet, and stronge to defie; Thay that bene wonnyd moche to reste, Sotyll diet is beste, and lyght to defye. More-ouer hit Is to witte, that thay men wyche haue the complexcion hote and stronge, and haue throgh al the body the ouertures large, that clerkys callyth Pores, sholde vse grete mettis, and in grete quantite. But thay men wych haue the body more scarry, and the ouertures streyte, shulde vse Sotille diet and in lytill quantite, ffor larges ouertures tokenyth the kyndely hette to be of grete vertue, and therfore hit askyth gret diet and grete sustenaunce; Streyte ouertures tokenyth the contrary, and therfor he askyth diet contrary. Suche-like dyuersite may a man fynde in dyuerses stomakis, ffor to tham that haue the stomake hote and stronge, hit is beste to vse grete diet and stronge, for suche a stomake is like a grete fyre that hath Powere to braunte grete shydis and stokkis. But whan the stomake is colde and febill, the diet sholde be Suttill and lyght, ffor Suche a stomake is likenyd to the litill fire, that may brande bur flex or stree. And hit is to witte, that in tymes hit is foundyn̄ that al the body of man is hote, and noȝth for than the stomake is colde. The tokenys of a good stomake ben lyghtnesse of body, good appetite to mette, clernysse of vndyrstondynge. The tokenys of a bade stomake bene heyuynesse of body, Slewthe, the face dyscolourid, heuynesse of eyen, ventuosite and swollynge [folio 69b] of the wombe, Defaute of appetite, [folio 79L] or luste to ette oftymes, and Sudaynly to Strech the armys and al the body.