The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

Of helpes and creatures meete for the preseruation and nourishment of the body: how God prepareth them to serue for that purpose: of their vse. Chap. 18.

AMANA. God being carefull ouer the welfare of his creatures that haue life, hath put in them a desire to preserue themselues, to the end they should follow after such things as are profitable for their health, and shunne that which is hurtfull and con∣trary vnto it. Now this preseruation consisteth either in the equalitie that may easily be re∣duced * 1.1 and brought to an equalitie by that which we eate and drinke. For if there be so great excesse of heate or moisture that the one consumeth the other, death followeth ne∣cessarily: if there be no excesse of either, but a good equalitie, the body is very well affec∣ted. But it is very hard to find a body so tempred. And although such a one might be found, yet it could not long continue in that estate, but that it would quickly change, as we may iudge by that which we haue learned in the former discourse. But when this change doth not bring with it so great excesse and inequalitie, but that it may be kept vpright by nou∣rishment, the body is neuerthelesse well disposed, vntill such time as the excesse is greater then can be repaired by foode. For then if foode will not serue the turne, we must haue recourse to Phisicke: and if the inequalitie be so great, that by the helpe of Phisicke no re∣medy can be found, there is no other naturall aide to be had.

Now this inequalitie that approcheth so neere to equalitie, is very pleasant, as that which * 1.2 is the pricke and procurer of naturall pleasures, necessary for the life of man to incite him to desire them, and as it were the sawce to make them toothsome. For if there were alwaies equalitie, we should neuer be affected with hunger or thirst, nor with any appetite to eate or drinke. And if this appetite were not, we should not haue those pleasures, which we re∣ceiue by meates and drinkes, and by their diuers tastes and relishes. So that we should not haue such a notable testimonie of the goodnesse and bountifulnesse of God towards vs, * 1.3 and of his care, as we haue by the sence of taste which he hath giuen vnto vs. Wherein also hee admonisheth vs in such sort of our mortall nature through the necessitie we haue of foode for the preseruation of our life, as that withall he supplieth this want and necessitie, that we may the better know and taste the sweetnesse of his loue toward vs. For, whereto would those creatures serue that are good for our nourishment, if we had no vse of them? And how could we vse them, if we stood not in need of them? Therfore seeing the matter standeth thus, it appeareth euidently, that we are nourished by such things as are familiar and like to our nature, and are healed by things contrary to that which hurteth vs. For the nearer any thing approcheth to our nature, the sooner it is conuerted into it. So that a∣mongst those meates that are familiar vnto vs, they nourish best that draw neerest to our nature. For this cause babes new borne that are little and tender, haue milke for their foode, which is very meete for them by reason of the agreement that is betweene it and the * 1.4 matter whereof their bodies are made. For, as we haue already heard, the milke is made of the selfe same blood wherewith they were nourished in their mothers wombe, and whreof they were before ingendred and conceiued: forasmuch as the parents seede, of which they were framed, is deriued from their owne blood. Whereupon it followeth, that the matter

of their bodies is of the same substance: and so that food which draweth neerest vnto it, is most naturall and meete for them. For this cause we sayd before, that all things are not seruiceable for meate, drinke and nourishment, but those onely that haue a nature agreeable thereto, and that for the reasons specified by vs. Heere then we must call to minde that which we haue already touched else where, namely that seeing the body of man is com∣pounded of all the elements, it is therefore needfull that the nourishment wherewith it is to be preserued and vpholden, should participate of all the elements, to the end that all and euery part of mans body should be maintained and preserued by that which is like to it selfe. Therefore God hath well prouided to this purpose, as we see in the matter whereof our bodies are made. For we haue heard what difference there is according to the sundry parts and diuersity of members in the body: and yet the whole matter of them all is taken from the substance of the same elements, and the difference betweene them commeth of this onely, that some parts participate more of some elements, & others of other elements. Heereof it is, that the hardest parts of the body, as the bones, are most earthy: and so con∣sequently all the other parts, as they haue either more or lesse of all the elements and of * 1.5 their qualities. For this cause all the parts and members of the body must haue food agree∣able to the nature of the elements whereof they participate, according to that portion of matter which is in euery one of them. Wherein we see a goodly testimonie of the bond and agreement that is among all creatures, yea in all nature it selfe, together with the correspon∣dencie that euery creature hath with it like. Therefore if we want ayre for breathing, we draw it in euen as it is of it owne nature, together with those qualities which it bringeth with it selfe. If we desire drinke, onely to refresh and to moisten the body and the meate it taketh, pure water serueth that turne, which is common drinke for all creatures, and suffici∣ent for the whole life of man, although there were no other. But God hath giuen this ad∣uantage * 1.6 to men aboue beasts, that besides this drinke common to them both, they haue o∣thers, not onely more pleasant to their taste, but also more forceable to nourish them. For if the question be of taking sustenance either by meate or drinke, we must haue such meates and drinkes as are more firme then the ayre & the water, and which are able to sustaine the body according to it owne substance and nature. For as the water and the ayre, whereof the body is made, could not consist in the composition thereof, but would slide and fall a∣way, if they were not intermingled with some other matter that is more earthy and solide, thereby to keepe and knit them together: euen so, if food consisted only in liquid and moist things, that had no other substance of more earthy and solide qualitie, in which the vertue of heate might remaine, and which might be conuerted into the greatnesse and massinesse of the body, the liuing creature would alwaies haue an appetite, and neuer leaue eating. Therefore God hath so framed those creatures, which he hath giuen to man for meate, that whatsoeuer is earthy therein doth not still retaine the nature of the earth, as if it were no∣thing but simple earth: and so likewise that which is of the nature of fire, or of the water, or of the ayre: but all is so well mingled and tempered one with another, that the taste and sauour thereof is pleasant and fit for all the parts of the body, that are to be nourished. And according as the qualities of the elements are mingled one with another, so the meates and drinkes compounded of them, haue their sundry tastes together with their other qualities. For if God had not so prouided for it, man could haue no taste therein: and if he tasted not, he would haue no appetite, and so could neither eate nor drinke. And if he could neither eate nor drinke, he could not liue, as we may iudge by that which we haue already heard.

Now as he cannot liue without eating and drinking, so it is requisit that he eat & drinke with that moderation, that he take in no more meat & drinke then he ought to doe. For if * 1.7 he take to little, he cannot be sufficiently nourished: & if he take too much, in stead of being satisfied, he shalbe burdened, & in stead of preseruing his life, he will kill himselfe. Therefore it is very necessary that euery one should alwaies obserue great sobrietie, otherwise God will correct our riot, our gluttonie and drunkennes. But the danger that commeth by not kee∣ping a mediocritie, is a great deale more to be feared on the one side then on the other. For there are but few that breake not square oftner in eating & drinking too much then to litle. Now to end this speech, we haue farther to gather such good instructions as all men haue in those things which God hath giuen them for nourishment, yea in their mouth also, to the * 1.8 end to render vnto him honor, glory & praise. Whensoeuer beasts doe eat, their tongue ser∣ueth to feed them, no otherwise then that of men doth helpe them: but they praise not God with that tonge which serueth to nourish them, because he hath not giuen them that gift of

speach, wherewith he hath endued man, and that for the cause which we haue already heard. For as a fountain cannot be without a riuer, so a riuer cannot be without a fountaine. For this cause seeing reason, of which God hath made man partaker, is as it were a foun∣taine in him, and speech as the riuer that issueth from it, the Grecians expresse both reason and speech with one and the same word, which Saint Iohn also vsed, when speaking of th•• Deitie of Iesus Christ, he said, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and th•• * 1.9 word was God. For as all the worked of God are perfect in their kind, so he maketh nothin without cause, and which hath not his vse. So likewise he giueth nothing to any creatur•• but withall he giueth the instruments and meanes which it ought to vse, therby to be mad•• seruiceable as the thing it selfe requireth. Heereof it is that he gaue not speech to beasts, be∣cause he made them not partakets of reason, without which speech would stand them in no stead: so that it would haue beene a super fluous worke of God. Therfore seeing it is so, God requireth not of beasts that they should by speech praise him with their tongue, as he requireth it of men, vnto whom he hath giuen the meanes to performe it. For beastes haue neither reason to vnderstand what is spoken, nor speech to vtter any thing thereby, whereas man hath both the one and the other. He hath both the fountaine, and also the riuer that runneth from it. Wherefore when he sitteth downe to meate, and whiles he is taking his refection (to which vse his tongue serueth him, according as we heard before) and when he riseth from table, truely he is much more brutish then any brute beast, if with the selfe same tongue he doeth not praise and glorifie GOD, acknowledging as he ought the good∣nesse * 1.10 of that celestiall Father, that giueth him that foode, and that nourisheth him. If he•• doe otherwise, he looketh no more from whence the meate commeth vnto him then doth the hogge, who with his snowt alwayes towards the earth, feedeth vpon the Akornes that are vnderneath the Oakes, and neuer looketh or considereth from whence they fall. Yea, the Hogge doeth a great deale better discharge his dutie in praising GOD then such men doe, that eate and drinke as brute beasts without giuing thankes to GOD for the benefits he distributeth amongst them. For he praiseth God in his kind, as all other creatures doe in theirs, according as the kingly Psalmist testifieth in many places of his Psalmes. Neither doth God require more of them then he hath giuen vnto them. But seeing he hath giuen more to man then to all other visible and bodily creatures, he requireth so much the more of him, and that very iustly. For as it is written, To whom much is committed, more shall be de∣maunded * 1.11 of him. Wherefore man is not onely too too inexcusable, but more vile and sauage then any brute beast, if his tongue serue him no farther at the table for the praising of God thereby, then if (beastlike) his snowt and nose were in a cratch or manger. For how shall the foode in the vse thereof be sanctified by the word of GOD and prayer, if he take it af∣ter that sort? And if it be not sanctified vnto him by that meane, as Saint Paul teacheth, he vseth it not as the child of GOD, but as a theefe and a very prophane man. For as Eue∣ry creature of GOD is good when it is receiued with thanksgiuing, so it is defiled to the filthy, not * 1.12 through any fault of the creature, but of such as abuse it like to Infidells. But all they abuse it that giue not thankes for it to the Creator. Wherefore as euery thing is cleane to the cleane, that haue their hearts purified by the word of GOD which they haue receiued by * 1.13 faith, so nothing is cleane to the defiled and to Infidells. But if these men of whom we speake, be vnworthy to be taken for men, yea, to be compared with hogges, then whom they are much more vile and detestable, we may easily iudge what is to be sayd of those that doe not onely not praise God or giue him any thankes, but which is worse, blaspheme, and as it were despite him in liew of recompensing him for the benefits they haue receiued of him, which is vsually done by gluttons, drunkards, and swearers. What shall we say of * 1.14 such men, but that they deserue rather to be called mad dogges then men? except we had rather call them children of the Diuell, whose instrument, tongue and mouth they are. And as for those that cease not to prattle and babble about vaine and vnprofitable matters, and that take delight in back biting and slaundering euery one, we may with good reason com∣pare their tongue to the clacket of a Mill. For seeing euery one of vs carrieth a mill in his mouth, as we shewed before, these men may truely boast that their Mill is better furnished with all kind of instruments then others are. But they are not the more to be esteemed for that, but rather the lesse, for the reasons which we haue already heard. And when they adde to their clacking euill speech and backbiting, infecting all tables where they come with their tongue, they may well bee compared to dogges that doe not onely barke but also bite. But it is time to draw the last draught of the pensill vpon the

face of mans body, by considering the sence of smelling with the member that belongeth vnto it: wherein we looke to be instructed by thee, ARAM.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The equality of heate and moisture pre∣serueth life.
• * 1.2

  Of the ine∣qualitie that is in the na∣ture of the body.
• * 1.3

  A testimonie of the great prouidence of God.
• * 1.4

  What meate is fittest for infants.
• * 1.5

  From whence commeth the different sub∣stance of our members.
• * 1.6

  Men haue more varietie of drinkes then beasts.
• * 1.7

  We must eate neither too much nor too little.
• * 1.8

  The chief•• end of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.9

  Iohn. 1.
• * 1.10

  Vnthankfull men are like to hogs.
• * 1.11

  Luke 12. 48.
• * 1.12

  1. Tim. 4. 4.
• * 1.13

  Food must be receaued with thansgi∣u••ng.
• * 1.14

  Some mo••e like to mad dogges then men.