De morbo Gallico·

¶The prayse of temperaunce in spite of ryotte. Capit. xix. (Book 19)

BVt I beseche almyghty god / that this nation maye ones knowe it selfe. Whiche thyng I do not desyre so moche, bi∣cause it is vncomely, that the people that rulethe all the worlde, shulde so lyue, as for that, that suche intemperancie and ryotte is an occasy∣on to vs of great euyls, and also to be great¦ly dispised. If other people shulde eate and drynke as moche as they coude, they thinke they shulde passe the lawe of nature: but whan we cromme in so moche / that we can nat beare it, we loke after laude and prayse. What meneth these stryues and contentions of our valyant drynkers? Whanne he that

drynketh is receyued with triumphe, whan it is glorye to ouercome in drynkynge, and no shame to be dronke and cast it vp agayn. O countray, o empire. As for the Poloniās, or if there be any other that passethe vs in dronkennes, I regarde them not, but this nation I say ought to remembre them selfe, and haue regarde to theyr dignitie: excepte it seme, that other nations are comen vnder this em••ire, not for the reuerence and opi∣nion, whiche they hadde of our noble fore∣faders, but to dispise and mocke vs. Verily it muste nedes be, that they were far other men / that had such honour gyuen vnto them than we be, that are thus dispised. Is there so moche as a chylde in Italy, that knoweth vs by any other name, than by the name of dronkerdes? Seinge that thanne other strāge nations do speake sooner of our vice than of our humanitie or vertue: shall ••e not chaunge our lyuinge? Shal we not fere to lose this honour to our great rebuke and shame? Or shall we not thynke / that it is more shame to vs to lose the tytle and pro∣fyte of the empire, that hath ben a glorye to receyue, whan it was offered vnto vs? Or that sober men and reasonable wylle be content to be vnder the rule and dominiō

of a dronken and barbarous nation, beinge withoute all good humanite. But if hit can nat happen into the braynes of our men to vnderstonde theyr own shame, yet at the le••t lette them knowe theyr owne distruction. And if we set so lyttell by the losse of oure glorye, and the rebuke and shame of our vo¦luptuous mynde, that we wyll not leue for that our vnthryfty lyuynge: l••tte vs at the leste wyse haue so moche wytte as to care for our bodely helth, whiche must nedes be troubled and brought to naught in suche fe∣stynges, surfetynges, and drinkynges: a∣bout the whiche, as the satirike poete sayth, leapethe and skyppeth in greatte compa∣nies of al kindes of diseses. But Germanie hathe loste his wytte and vnderstondynge, and hath forgotten it selfe, not all Germa∣nie, but many in Germanie. These be they that drawe their dyners vnto soupper, and theyr suppers in to farre nyghte. These be they, whiche through theyr mysorder, haue caused a straunge poete, but yet nat an ylle poete / for he semeth to hate yl men, to write to the greatte sclaunder of this countreye / sayinge: Bacchus sytteth at the deyse, And Appollo is caste out of all company. For al the lyfe there is nothynge els but drinkyng,

that is, they set more by drynkynge than by wysedome. Howe be it these dronkerdes / that erre throughe madnes and lyghtnes, mought lyghtly be dispised: but these that with theyr deynteous fare, and nyce and wanton apparell cast them selfe heedlonge into the mydmayne see of voluptuousnesse and pleasures. These I saye, be worthy to be hated of all the worlde. These be they, that lye vpon theyr pyllowes of downe he∣ped to gether, that consume what so euer may be gotten by lande or see, not to susteyn theyr lyfe, but to delyght their swete ••ou∣thes, that muste weare the fyneste lynnen, that muste be robed in purple, that reioyse, to be wrapped in softe myes skynnes, not so moche to kepe them from colde, as for de∣licacie and wantonnes. These be they, that may not touche commen clothe, whose skyn can nat suffer but the fynest and softest thing that may be gotten: that take theyr counsel in quaffynge and in theyr counsels quaffe, that meddle with no sadde matters, but lede all theyr lyfe in feastynges.

¶These thinges ar not vsed (I say ageyn) through all Germanie / but specially, which thynge is to our great shame and rebuke, a∣monge the chiefe and the nobles of Ger∣manie:

whiche pamperde vp dayly with all maner deyntie fare, exercisynge dyners and suppers meate for popes, in them they ban∣kette, in them they brynge one to an other, and therin haue suche pleasure / that they had leuer dye, than to be plucked from hit. They haue none other care, but to fylle the bealy: by whom Salust if he had suspected such bestes euer to com in Germanie, might well haue spoken this his sayenge: Many men gyuen to fedynge and slepynge, haue passed euen as straungers theyr holle lyfe, without knowlege and lernynge. But let a man caste with hym selfe what opinion the Romaynes had in these dayes of the people of Germanie: and thanne sette before his eies, what a monster, and howe ha••eful this cherysshynge of our throtes, that we nowe vse, had bene than? In the whiche whanne we haue spente a great par•• of our lyfe, and haue receiued thens those thinges that must nedes folowe that kynde of lyfe, that is in∣numerable kyndes of diseases: than do not we cōfess•• nor knowlege our fant, but do ac¦cuse god of crueltie. And thoughe hit be we our selfe, that gette and bye with great cost and expenses the sedes of all our syckenes / and norysshe with all oure harte our owne

mischiefe and distruction / cherysshynge our euyls with the lost of our holle patrimonie: yet whan we be ones downe / and sette vppe with quosshens and pyllowes heped rounde aboute vs, not able to moue hand nor fote: than we blame nature, and saye, we maye thanke god of all our euyls and peynes. For no glottons do otherwyse, than they dydde, whiche Iuuenall speaketh of, whi∣che beleue, that god in his fume and wrathe dothe cast these diseases vpon theyr bodies: and therfore calle them the gonne stoones and weapons of god. But wolde to god we wold returne to our oten porage, and be co∣uered as we were in tyme paste, with wollē garmentes, so made that euery lymme and part of vs mought be sene, & to waxe wery of this sylke, & hate these garmentes so full of playtes. For what other thynges are all these, but fyrste the wastynge of our patri∣monie, and than the purchasyng and incresse of all euylles and diseases? Verily our an∣cetours / beynge verye nyggardes in this thynges, dydde great actes and excellent thynges with hyghe glorye. But whan dyd we, that to fulfyll our pleasant affection re∣ceyue venom in the stede of meate / any thing worthye the honour and glorye of Germa∣nie?

It was farre better for vs to be called and counted barbarous, whan our lyuynge was homely and rude, than nowe to haue in this ryottous lyfe, and this shame / the laude and prayse of wyttes and good lernynge.

¶What wolde great Charles say nowe, if he came agayn to vs, and saw our princis in theyr vtter garmentes of sylke: seinge that he hym selfe wore a shert of habergyn? Or what wolde one of the Othons say, whiche stretched out and enlarged theyr vertue and valyantnes in duste and durte•• whan oure men anoynte them selfe with straunge and costly bawmes?

¶There is a notable execration of Chry∣syppus agaynst them, that vse oyntmentes voluptuously to the pleasure of other. The deuyll take these delycate felowes, saythe he, that haue sclaundered so good a thyng: the people that were wanton and gyuen to pleasure vsed it in tymes paste. But it was neuer thought / that the Germayns shulde euer come to this poynt, to smell of oynt∣mentes and bawmes. And nowe we cal for pomāders, muskeballes, dam••ske pouders, and all maner sauers / as thynges necessary to our lyfe: and thynke it greate honour to vs to smelle of suche strange sauours. No∣ther

is hit women only that are in this faut, but men, specially princis and priestes.

¶Solon forbade oyntmentes to be solde in a cite of Grece: And the Lacedemones ex∣pelled them from theyr citie, sayinge: that they corrupted and marred theyr oyle.

¶And Lycurgus toke away from the same Lacedemones bankettynge, feastynge, and costely dyners. And Socrates (as Xeno∣phon saythe) dydde grenously rebuke suche ryottous abundance.

¶Truely the olde Germayns mynded no such voluptuous plesures, and they thought it a very straunge thynge / to lyue any thing wantonly or nycely. I haue hard some olde men say / that whan they were yonge men, it was a suspecte thynge to weare a gowne: whan we now a dayes do honour and wor∣shyppe purpull. And therfore we may well crye, O corrupted and wretched worlde. They were couered with the skynnes of wylde beastes, and laye in their feldes vn∣der the skye / and were made stronger with contynnall labour, where we that be wan∣tonly and nycely clothed, and take our ple∣sure vnder oure gaye gylted houses, be through all kyndes of ryotte and voluptu∣ous pastymes vtterly weaked, and of all

manly strēgthes depriued. And may any mā thynk, that this maner of lyuing can lightly haue an ende, seing the chiefe & principal exā¦ple therof cometh fro them specially, that be called prestes? What they be in dede god knoweth, and they onely / to whom it hath pleased god to gyue trewer eyes to se with. These do not vse al maner pompes and ex∣cesses in thinges appertainyng vnto the ser∣uice of god, but euerye one of them muste swymme at home in his house in all maner of costly and deynteous dyshes and cuppes, and they calle eatynge and drynkynge ly∣uynge: or if they do not so call it, yet veri∣ly they so esteme it. And therfore seing they do soo, other menne thynke they maye doo the same.

¶And this the laudable and naturalle cu∣stome and fascion of Germanie is banisshed. For we be so farre gone, that we excede all other nations, be they neuer so euyll, in su∣che abundaunce and voluptuous pleasures. It had more becommed vs to haue dryuen these thynges out from the myddes of vs, and as Diogenes dydde to the Tartis and fyne manchettis / so to haue sayde to this straunge ryottous maner: O gueste go and gette the hens quickely. Ye the examples of

straunge nations ought ones to haue taught vs. And seinge to bankette and surfet most largely is nowe adaye counted moste kyng∣ly, why do we not here the answere of Me∣nedemus the philosopher, whiche he made to Antigonus, askyng hym whither he shuld go to a deynteous and costely f••ste or not? Haue in mynde (sayde he) that thou arte a kynges sonne. And Antisthenes, to a certain persone praysynge delicious fare, sayde: I wolde our ennemies fared delycately. The wordes also of saynt Paule ought to be wri¦ten in our hartes, sayinge: Meates are gy∣uen to the bealy, and the bealy to meates: but god shall make an ende of bothe. The same Paule whan he condempned the wor∣kes of the flesshe, amonges whi••he he nom∣bred excesse of drynkynge and eatynge, he addethe to these wordes: Of the whiche thynges I nowe warne you, lyke as I haue before tymes warned you, that they, whi∣che commytte suche thynges / shall nat be the inheritours of the kyngedome of god. But they nowe do the same thynges, whiche ought to be our gides into the kyngdome of god / priestes, chanons, bysshoppes, and prelates, in so moche, that it is nowe come into a prouerbe through out all Germanie:

Let hym be made a man of the churche / that loueth to lyue pleasantly, as though suche a lyfe were meteste for them.

¶ The frugalitie of my grandefather Lau¦re••ce Hutten / whiche is worthy to be wryt∣ten, ought to moue vs vnto moche glorye, who all though he were ryche / and moche oc••upied in greatte matters of oure princis, both in warre and peace: yet wolde he ne∣uer admytte into his house pepper, saffron, gynger, nor suche other strange spyces, nor vsed garmentes but only of our owne woll, al thoughe there were sometyme precious vestures gyuen vnto hym for the well doing of ••is busynes. And he dydde not only this hym selfe, but also amonges his equalles he rebuked gretly the fascions & maners of men, sayinge: We seke euer straunge thyn∣ges / as though we had not growynge with vs, wherwith our meate may be made deli∣ca••e. If we wyll please and delite our taste, or as though the great price of our garmen¦tes dyd increase the qualities of the mynde. But I wyll ceasse to speake more of this man, leest I shulde seme to couet myn owne glory. If I had fyrst told you this one thing me thynketh it is not so goodly a thynge to be borne of this my stocke and familye, in

the whiche be somme causes besydes this, wherof I maye glorie, as to be borne his neuewe, that thus hath lyued. Our prede∣cessours, and suche as I my selfe haue sene olde men, whan I was but a chylde / whan they dyd kepe, in their mete, drynke / and clo¦thyng suche temperance, they were of good lykynge of body, and through great labour were hardned agaynst hunger and thurste, heate and colde, where as we at the fyrste frost, sheuer and shrinke together both hand & fote: & as sone as wynter beginneth we be treble furred, and be shut vp in our hot hou∣ses, out of the which we go not vntyl myd∣sommer / whan the sonne & heate bourneth and parcheth all thynges. And as I saye, where as nowe scantly the .x. person of the noble men can be founde in Germania, but he hathe eyther the gowte in his fete, or in his handes, or is greued with the dropsye, sciatica, or lepry, or is tourmented with this frenche euyll, whiche bryngeth these great∣test euyls with hym.

¶But at the last let vs retorne & enter into that lyfe, whiche is metest for this nation & empire of Germanie, and which euen they, whome I tolde you lyued wantonly, can be well contented to here praised. For I thinke there is not one of these, that gyue them

selfe to suche delycate & ryottous lyfe, but he hateth the same in other, excepte he be so blynded through intēperancie, that he loueth these vnthryftie manered Sardanapales, and Heliogabalos, or dothe hate the persi∣monia of many, whiche be of the contra∣ry facion. Truly vertue semeth very amia∣ble euen to them that dothe lyttell folowe or regarde hit.

¶ It was an olde meate of Catos, poradge made with chese and egges. And Plinie re∣hersethe, that gruelle made with otemelle grootes was ones the meate of the verye and true Germaynes, as it is yet of many vnto this daye. But we fede vppon straunge and beyonde see victuals, thynkynge that we haue so moche nede of them, that eue∣rye house holder hathe decreed to selle these thynges, that growe with vs, to bye the other with: whiche one thynge hathe enry∣ched the Fuchers: whiche in the meane sea∣son, that we thus nouryshe our bodies, haue all the money, and lyke wyse all the excel∣lent goodly places in Almayne. For they be¦inge the ministers of our voluptuous ly∣uing, are so increased, that there is no prince in Almayne able to compare with them in ryches. So farre be we gone, and so lyttell

perceyue we, what thynges Germanie de∣uoureth and consumeth. Wherfore I thynke that he was of excellent wysedome (if any suche was) that feared in tymes passed, leste suche voluptuous and delycate lyfe shulde enter into Germanie: wherof (as euery mā may playnly see) spryngeth so moche pesty∣lence, and so many diseases: and ageyn per∣ceyued, that they shulde lyue quietly / that coulde be contented to lacke suche pleasures and delyciousnes. For they that dresse oure herbes, & lyue with them (as there be some trewe Germaynes yet remaynynge) they are of good helth and bodily lykynge: but they that be spyce fyngered, and belche sy∣namom, and smelle all of cloues, and haue all theyr pleasure in goodly araye, these be they, that are subiectes to all kyndes of dis∣eases and euyls. Howe properly therfore dydde the Satirike Poete calle the gowte Ryche? For it medleth not with them that are poore, and drynke no wyne, but hit is a companion for ryche men, dronkerdes, sur∣fetours and delycate lyuers: which (as the same poete sayth) to gette swete morsels, leue no place vnserched.

¶And so, thoughe this countreye brynge forth that that is necessarye for the lyfe, yet

as though nature had vtterly forsakē them, they ron vnto strāge thinges, fetchyng their garmētes, theyr meatis & medicines frō Her¦cules pyllers, from the ilonde of Taproba∣na, from the ryuer of Ganges, and frome places farther of than these, euen almooste from the heed of Nilus.

¶The wrathe of god lyghte on these deed mens heedes, y^e fyrst receyued these euyls in to Germanie. For they haue done a thynge vnworthy for the grauite of the Germains Truely they, oure forefathers, were none suche: the which preferred the labours and peins of Hercules aboue the flesshely lustes, aboue the delycate meatis and softe beddes of Sardanapalus. But O lorde Chryste, howe delycate, howe holsomme fedynge is breadde made of rye or whete, and gruelle made of millio, oriza, ptisana, and otemele porage? Adde thervnto so many kyndes of herbes, and so many dyuers garden spyces, as anyse, coryandre, cynomum, fenell, mu∣sterde, neppe, oynions, lekes, garlyke, and specially if we wyll beleue Plinie, persley hath a singular good grace, to season mea∣tes with. And for drynke we haue ale and biere. And for the ryche men there is wyne, whiche is the pure and cleane drynke of the

erthe, as Appollonius iudgeth: so that it be vsed scarsly, whether it grewe in France, or vpon the bankes of Rhenus. We haue also of our owne beestes flesshe bothe tame and wylde, whiche are not of vnpleasant taste. We haue fruites of trees, not to be dispised, howe ryche is Germanie, howe plenteous of all meates, howe abundantly dothe hit ministre all thynges necessary for the lyfe of man? Wherfore my chiefe desyre & vowe is, that they neuer lacke the gowte, nor the frenche pockes: that can nat lyue without pepper: And I pray god / they may ones be brought to extreme hunger, whiche nowe serche in all places, not for meate to lyue with: but for delycates and deintees, wher∣with they may stere vp their swete mouthes and prouoke theyr appetites. Howe iustely dyd Galenus enuie helth to suche felowes, whā he forbode al phisitiōs from the curing of dronkerdes, & of them that are gyuen to the bealy? If such at any tyme were sycke, for they by and by (sayth he) throughe in∣temperate lyuynge hepe vppe agayne gros••e and vndigested humours, so that they be clensed and purged in vayne.

¶The necessite of nature is lyghtly con∣tented, sayth Hierom. Colde may be expel∣led

with course clothynge, and hunger with lytell meate.

¶ Whan Anaxerses the kynge of Perse was brought to that necessite, that he eate drye fygges and barly breade, than he be∣holdynge his fortune, and suche a greatte chaunge, sayde: O what pleasure is this / that my regall abundaunce kepte me from? By the whiche example we may know, that they onely lyue in knowlege of theyr owne lyfe that lyue scarsely and soberly: And on the other syde, they that be gyuen to the no∣rysshynge of theyr bodyes, and the pouryng in of all thinges, be as men erryng in darke¦nes, and perceyue not theyr owne lyfe, so farre are they from the lyfe of pleasure. Howe be it within short space, whan they be ones fallen into diseases, than they begynne to fele and perceyue, what lyfe they haue chosen, and what is the reward of the same. For as Persius sayth, whan the harde and stony goute, the braunches of their olde sur∣fetynge, hath broken their ioyntes: than they mourne, that they haue passed theyr dayes so grossely, and consumed theyr lyfe so fylthely, and be so sorye to late of theyr lyfe to comme.

¶Do we than doubte, what is the cause of

all the syckenes, that the Germayne haue? seing we may yet remembre, that this pesti∣lence and mischiefe of the bodye dyd enter with that ranke and riottous lyfe. For here we do nowe so gyue our selfes to whores & pleasures, that we seme to stryue with other straunge people for the maystry of fylthye lyuynge, as menne do in games for the beste wager. And for this purpose we haue cer∣tayne ministers very experte. These gette and conueye vnto vs from the fardest par∣tes of the worlde prouocations of glotony. These brynge in from farre, with meruay∣lous delyght / both to eate, to drynk / & also to clothe our selfes with. Wherin seing they haue longe and many dayes contynued, to theyr owne (as I sayde) great aduantage: they haue made some so delicious, that whā they be here in Almayne, they muste drynke wyne of Corse, they must haue meates out from Italie: and contrary wyse, whan they be at Rome, they vse wyne of Rhene, or that whiche Neccarius bryngeth forthe. O per∣uersed custome of lyuynge. O myschieffe / worthy to be hated of all men: euen so mo∣che the more that they be bysshoppes / whi∣che do these thynges, and are the rynge leaders thervnto. Suche maner of persons

I beleue do desyre of god / as Aristotle wri∣tethe of Philoxenus, to haue the neckes of cranes.

¶Aristophanes reproueth the tables of the Syracusanes, and the voluptuous aboun∣dāce of the Sibarites. If at that time he bla¦med suche thinges, what wolde he say, if he nowe lyued / aud sawe our bankettynge and feastynge, our quaffynge and drynkynge? Therfore as many as coueyte vertue and knowledge, lette them take hede and har∣ken to Pythagoras, whiche saythe: that a man, that ryseth aboue man, can nat tast or atteyne any hygh thynge, that is to say, as longe as a man lyueth vnchastely and dis∣solutely, he shall neuer do any great thynge with wytte or mynde. The moste holsomest fedynge for man (sayth Plinie) is one ma∣ner meate, the heapynge of dyuers tastes is pestiferous, and sawces are worse than that.

¶Persius well perceyued these thynges whan he thus spake in great mode: Thou woldest haue lyttie ioyntes, and a hole bodye in age. Ye but the full dysshes, and the fatte denteous, wyll not suffer the goddes nor Iupiter to graunt thervnto.

¶And Cicero bryngeth in Cato saying: that a libidinous and intemperate youthe, maketh

age very feble. And he aduyseth and coun∣sayleth vs to eate & drink so moch as may su¦steyne the bodyly strength, & not oppresse it, thynkyng that nothing can be so vnfrendely vnto the mynde of man, whiche he callethe an heuenly reward and gyft, as voluptuous∣nes is. Nor as longe as luste and pleasure bereth rule, Temperance can haue no place: Neither vertue may beare any stroke, where luste and pleasure reigneth. And therfore he iudgeth, that we ought to gyue great than∣kes vnto age, whiche causeth that we lyste not to do that thynge, whiche we ought not. For voluptuousnes, sayth he, beinge an en∣nemye vnto reason, stoppeth and letteth all good counsel, and blyndeth the eyes of the mynde, and medleth nothyng at all with ver¦tue. And therfore he thinketh, that olde men are happy, whiche whan they lacke feastes, full dysshes, and the cuppes ofte walkynge, they lacke also dronkennes, rawnes of sto∣macke, and be not combred nor vexed with dreames, whiche maner of thynges, accom∣pany them that are gyuen to suche wanton∣nes. For Hierom sayth, that diseses come of to moche eatynge.

¶There is a prety ieste, of a certeyne phi∣sition of this countrey, whiche hadde a syke

man in cure, that hadde rounnynge legges, and that not withstandynge was gyuen to bank ettynge and drynkynge myghtily, and yet complayned that his medicines preuay∣led not, And that his soores ranne faster, than they dydde at the begynnynge: Truly sayde the phisition, they wolde ceasse roun∣nynge out, if thou woldest cesse powrynge in.

¶Galenus affirmeth, that the great chuf∣fes, whose lyfe and occupation is fedynge, may neither lyue longe nor be helthfull, and theyr myndes be so wrapped with ouer mo∣che bloude and fatnes, euen as it were with myer, that they haue no maner heuenly me∣ditation, but do alwayes thynke vppon ea∣tynge, drinkyng, fartynge, and shytynge.

¶The olde Romaynes called that fedyng•• necessarie, that was slender and sparynge.

¶And amonge the grekes litell meate was moche commended by the writinge of many.

¶The Effees, which were a certayn sorte of philosophers among the olde Iewes, are landed of Iosephus, bycause they had tour∣ned their dayly abstinence into a custome, & an nother nature. The same Ioseph prey¦seth the continēcie of the Phariseis. He that wolde ones haue hadde vs distroyed, I thynke hath desyred / that this custome of li∣uyng

might enter amonge vs. And therfore seinge Marcus Cato (as hit is wrytten in Plinie) dyd take great care and feare, leeste the Grekes shulde inuade Italie, with their wanton and voluptuous lyuynge: whiche of our forefathers hath prouided / that none of these spycis and sylkes shulde be solde in Germania? farewell pepper, farewell saf∣fron, farewell sylke. Or if there be any vse therof amonge other nations, I pray god that this nation neuer knowe it, or se it. And Christe sende our countrey men this mynde, that they may call home agayne the fruga∣lite of their elders, & facion them selfes to their honest sparynge.

¶With what stout stomacke doth Anachar¦sis bost the order of his lyuynge? Vnto me (saythe he) hunger is a swete morsell / the grounde is my bed / a cloke of Scithia (that is a beastes skynne) is my garmente. Sober Demosthenes draue dronken Aes∣chines out of the citie. Socrates hatyng the tauerne haunters, and such as haue al theyr delyte and pleasure in theyr throtes, sayd: Many men lyue to the intente to eate and drinke, but I eate and drynke to lyue. O, very wyse man / and worthy so to be taken by Apollos commendation.

¶And this sayenge of a greke poete is to good to be forgotten: Thou thy selfe must rule the brydell of thy bely.

¶What saye you? Whatte maner fellowe thynke you Epicurus was? Whom all the world persecuteth, as a felowe of pleasure / whiche put the hyghest felicitie in pleasure? Truely what so euer it be, that he made so moche of, he ment in the only vse of brede and water, & dyd moche commende slender liuynge, and suche as may quickely be got∣ten. And writinge vnto a certayne frende of his, he sayth: Sende me a lyttel chese of Cithridi, that I may, whan I woll, fare somwhat more deynteously.

¶Anaxagoras sayde: He that eateth sa∣uourly, nedeth but lyttel meate. Porphirius wylleth the mynde to be clensed and purged with abstinence. And Philostrate wrytethe / that Porus, the kynge of Ynde, was exce∣dynge strong and mighty, not withstonding he neuer fedde but vpon breade and water. Masinissa lyued. lxxxx. yere without any maner deilcate fedynge. And Mithridates, kyng of Ponte, which kept warres with the Romaynes .xl. yeres, vsed to eate his meate standynge: so farre he was from our facion, that he wolde not sytte downe on a softe

quoysshon.

¶Titus Li••ius writyng of Anniball saith: He measured his mete and drynke after the nede of nature, and not after pleasure. He had not the times of watchinge and sleping destincted by the daye and the nyght, but whan his besynes myghte spare hym, than toke he his rest, and yet nat suche as is cau∣sed with a softe bed and silence.

¶And amonges the landes of Augustus Cesar, this is the chiefe / that he was con∣tent with lyttell meate and drynke. But we hadde leuer order our lyfe after the facion and maners of glottons and pleasaunt fe∣lowes, lyuynge contrarye vnto nature, to the destruction bothe of body and soule / thā to the preseruation of them bothe to sette before vs these examples of lyfe, so noble and so helthefull. And I praye you / the Turkes and other / that are not of this our religion / wyll they euer desyre to become christen men, whan they se vs thus to liue? But I truste that oure nation wyll ones at laste beware and waxe wyse agayne, beinge taught with our owne harme.

¶Nowe agayne vnto our pourpose. And for so moche as I haue spoken of abstinence and sklender fare, I wyll shewe whatte I

thynke of hym, that orderethe hym selfe after this dyete, whether he maye be resto∣red, whiche some men do thynke, euen with¦out the drinkynge of Guaiacum.