¶Emptynesse and Repletion.

THis moderation is in other thinges also to be obserued, as when the body requyreth w^t meate and brincke to the refreshed, or being wyth humours app•ete, defyreth 〈◊〉 prouided alwayes that good consideration be had, what strength the bodye is of, what nature is able to beare, and how farre herein a man may safely ap∣uenture. Which thing also in well and cyrcum∣spectly to be waighed and 〈◊〉 of, in ope∣nyng Page  [unnumbered] of Veynes, in prouokinge sweate, in procu∣ring laskes, in skowringe and purginge the En∣trailes, and prouokinge vomites: for in these, re∣gard and respecte muste be had both of time, age, custome, nature and Countrey.

Neither ought any man of custome to vse and try any of these experiences rashly vpon himself, except great cause therunto moue him, or that he be troubled with much aboundaunce of noysome humours, which requyre eyther by purgation or els by euacuation to bee expelled.* For in euerye Coūtry almost there be some, which at all seasōs of the yeare vse to be let bloude, or els by scaryfy∣inge the skinne to be cupped, to the no small hin∣draunce daunger and empechmēt of their health: for together with the bloude (which is the trea∣sure of lyfe)* there passeth out no smal deale of the vitall Spirite; whereby the whole bodye falleth into great coldnes, and nature weakened, & ther∣by made lesse hable to performe her woorke and function.* So likewyse, others without any ad∣uyse of the Physitions wyll swallowe Pylles & dryncke Purgations, whereby they enfeeble their strength and hasten old age before the time.

The same now and then happeneth to sondry in prouoking vomite,* wha thinke it good & hole∣som once or twyse in a Moneth, to cleare, & emp∣tye y^e filthy sincke of their gorged. Carkasses this waye: whereas it is at no hand expedient & good for them that be in health, to haunt this beastlye custome, neyther to be ruled by anye that shoulde Page  56 thereunto counsell them.

And whereas some take hold of a certaine say∣ing in Hippocrates,* whereby they ground the vse hereof to be good, such men in my opynion do not throughlye conceiue and vnderstande his full meanyng in that place. For he beinge dayly cō∣uersaunt and practizinge Physicke, amonge such a Nation and people, whose fashion and ordina∣rye custome was to keepe reuell rexe, and vse all kinde of ryotous and ingluuious guimandyze, did not prescrybe vnto them any lawes or orders for vomitinge: but if they shoulde fortune to o∣uercharge themselues wyth excesse and surphet, he iudgeth it a better way for him that hath vsed himself to vomite euery Moneth, to continue the same two dayes together, that the seconde daye maye make cleare ryddaunce of the remaynder of the first daye, rather then at the ende of xv. dayes eftsones to renue the same. For by that meanes shall hee expell and sende oute the humours that were engēdred of his former surphet and distem∣peraunce, & kepe his body free from future sicke∣nes. So that this reuerente and Aged Phisti∣tion in that place exhorteth no man to vomite,* for anye holesomenes that is therein, but iudgeth suche manet of euacuation to bee expediente for them that wyth excesse and immoderate feedinge haue surphetted or whose stomackes throughe crudity & corruptiō of the meate, & drincke before eaten, betch vp sower stynkinge fumes, whereof y^• one cōmonly happeneth in cold stomackes, & the Page  [unnumbered] other, in hoate. So the wyse Hebrevv, Iesus the sonne of Syrach, in euery place exhort̄g to fruga∣litye & moderation,* willeth thee if thou feelest thy selfe to haue eaten too muche and more then thy health cā well brooke, to aryse and go thy wayes and to cast it our of thy stomacke, least otherwyse thou bring thy body in daunger of Sicknesse, but he would not haue any man customably to vse it. Let not him that desyreth to lyue till hee be olde,* vse vomytinge often, specially if hee be longe and round necked, eyther very slender or verye grosse bodyed, or streict and narow brestes. But hee y^t leadeth his lyre temperatelye, shall not neede to seeke anye helpe at vomytinge for conseruation & mayntenaunce of his health.