De morbo Gallico·

¶what tyme is beste to take herevnto. Capi∣lo .xiiii. (Book 14)

IT semethe for somme causes that folowe, that it is better to proue this cure in sommer than in wynter. Fyrst bicause (as Galene sayth) the moi∣sture in sommer increasethe and runneth in all the body, and dothe goo and comme: and therfore the pestilent hu∣mours maye lyghtly be seperated from the good, and they may be expelled and banys∣shed: and these that be holsome & good kept. Secondely bycause all diseases in wynter do fasten their rotes deper and take surer holde / and in sommer contrarye wyse, the humours be styll mouynge, and the body is apte vnto all chaunges. But these conside∣rations appertayne generally vnto al dise∣ses: But as concernynge this our cure of Guaiacum, for as moche as a great parte of hit stondethe in dyete and sufferaunce of great honger, therfore it is moste expedient to begynne in sommer. In that season a mā may better awaye with this dyete thanne in wynter, whan men are very hungry. For if the body, beynge hotte and boylynge of it selfe / as it is in sommer, shulde moreouer be loded with meate / hit wolde lyghtely be dissolued into diseases. But in the wynter it

woll not so•• / for so moche, as Hipocrates saythe / that in wynter a mannes bodye in∣wardly aboundeth with naturall heate, and outwardly lacketh it, for so moche as than in auoydeth and fleeth from the sharpenes of the cold, wherwith the body outwardly is compassed / into the inwarde partes, as vnto a stronge holde and castell: and there closeth it selfe vppe: but contrary wyse in sommer the same naturall heate in mannes body foloweth, as Aristotle thynkethe, the nature of the ayre, and therfore puttethe forthe it selfe, and fleeth out to the extreme partes of the bodye. But so i•• is, that the very nature and propretie of this medicine is / to reduce into the body, and bryng home agayne suche naturall heate as is loste. And therfore this it semeth vnconueniente to go in hande with, or putte in experience this cure in the winter. For thā is it thought daungerous, whan the hete of the outward partes is drawen vnto the inwarde partes, le••te the outwarde lymmes be forsaken and lefte emptie of their strengthe and power / specially in them that be colde of nature, whiche otherwyse in the wynter lose theyr heate, and haue their bodyes slayn through the violence of colde, and be lyke vnto deed

folke.

¶But here maye we not passe ouer that, whiche Coppus admonysshethe, sayinge, Guaiacum moueth a manne to sweatte, ca∣stynge out the euyll humours, that be noy∣full to the body: Therfore saythe he, the sommer is moste apte for this cure / whan the humoures are more subtylle / and the skyn thynner. And in the wynter the wayes and poores, by the whiche the sweate shuld haue his course, and be expelled: are stop∣ped, and the humours gathered to gether, and clodded. But on the other syde for so moche as in this cure done by Guaiacum, the sycke are greued with nothynge more, than with thurste it is thought, that the syck may worse absteyne from drynke in somer than in wynter. wherfore in Spayne, and where the heate is vehement, they durst not hytherto proue this experyment in the som∣mer. Furthermore in wynter (after the mynd of Alexander Aphrodisius) there in∣gendreth on man through moche eatynge. (For than haue men moche better appetite thanne in other seasons) an humour called pituita, that is fle••me, which thyng mought be auoyded, if this cure were than in hande: in whiche, great abstinence must be obserued

and kepte. These thynges we haue spoken as touchynge the tymes of feruente heate and feruent colde, and nowe we wyll speke of the other two seasons that be betwyxte bothe, of the whiche two, Autumne semeth the worste of bothe. For than is there great abundance of all maner syckenes, and the humours waxe worse and worse, bycause this tyme of the yere is vnegall and with∣out order, alwayes chaungynge and incon∣stant / bryngyng in many kyndes of diseses. For as Celsus affirmeth, Autumne kylleth many a one.

¶Furthermore the french pockes are very noyfull to the synowes, and the sayd author teacheth, that wynter and Autumpne be not mete nor apt tymes vnto medicines / for the resolution of the synowes. But these are the reasons of them that dispute generally and speake not onely of the vse of Guaiacū. Wherfore this I thynke, that sommer (at the lefte wayes in Asmayne) may be beste taken: but that is that parte of sommer / that begynneth whanne vere endeth, as in Maye, for than there is not here so moche heate, but the sycke maye well abyde and suffer thyrste: And in wynter the colde is very feruent, and lykewyse in vere and Au∣tumne

the colde is sharper, than the sycke may abyde in this cure. For it is one of the chiefe poyntes for hym that is restored by Guaiacum, with all diligence to eschewe colde. And as for suche incommodities / as maye happen in the sommer, to the intente they may the lesse be feared, I haue spoken of before, and shall repete them agayne, whan place shall be. And neuer the lesse at this tyme I do affirme, that this drynke of Guaiacum dothe meruaylously stere vp the naturalle power and strengthe, and hath power and myghte to quycken and to make lusty the body / whiche for lacke of natural heate is weake and consumed: Which thin∣ges if they were not as I haue sayde, and had not Hipocrates in a certayne place / if I well remembre me, sayde: that Vere and Autūne are the most aptest times to let blod and minister medicines: verily the counsell of Celsus shuld than haue semed best, whi∣che saythe: that Vere is the holso∣mest tyme to go to phisike / & next vnto that wyn∣ter, and that is ve¦ry dangerous, & Autumn mooste daungerous of all.