The haven of health Chiefly gathered for the comfort of students, and consequently of all those that have a care of their health, amplified upon five words of Hippocrates, written Epid. 6. Labour, cibus, potio, somnus, Venus. Hereunto is added a preservation from the pestilence, with a short censure of the late sicknes at Oxford. By Thomas Coghan Master of Arts, and Batcheler of Physicke.

CHAP. 212. Of Supper.

ABout foure houres or six after that we have dyned the time is convenient for Supper, which in the Vniversities, is about five of the clock in the afternoon. But in the country abroad they use to sup at six, and in poore mens houses, when leisure will serve. The dyet most wholsome to be used at Supper is set down in Schola Salerni, Coenato parum, and againe in this man∣ner.* 1.1

Ex magna caena stomacho fit maxima paena, Vt sis nocte levis, sit tibi caena brevis.

So that in both places, wee are counsailed to make a light Supper, because much meat eaten at night, grieveth the stomack, and letteth naturall rest, where∣fore of good policy (as I thinke) was it provided at Oxford, that upon festivall dayes, when as they fared sumptuously at dinner, yet at supper they should have little more than ordinary commons. But here riseth a great question, whether a man should eate more at dinner or at supper. Conciliator, a famous Phy∣sitian is of that minde,* 1.2 that more meate should bee eaten at dinner than at supper, because the heat of rhe day, joyned to the naturall heate of the body may di∣gest more, and for that nature in the night season hath enough to do to digest the superfluities of meat eaten before, and should not therefore be letted with much meat taken in the evening.* 1.3 Leonhartus Fuchsius contra∣riwise proveth that the Supper for the most part should bee greater than the dinner, because the cold∣nesse of the night and sleepe doe greatly helpe con∣coction,

and the time from Supper,* 1.4 to Breakfast or Dinner, is much longer than betweene dinner and supper. But this question may easily bee determined, and these great Clerks reconciled after this manner. They that be lusty and strong of nature, and travell much, may eat more at Supper than at Dinner, be∣cause in them there is no need of digestion of super∣fluities but onely to strengthen their bodies, which may best bee done in the night time when the senses are at rest. But they that be diseased or aged, or trou∣bled with rheumes; as the most part of students bee, and others also, (Qui sedentariam vitam ag••••t,) these I say, should eat little at Supper, because nature in the night following should not bee hindered in the con∣coction of raw and superfluous humours. Quos somnus maxime conficit, & benig••••s reddit. And to these men, the verses aforesaid o•• Scho. Sal. must bee applyed. And for as much as the whole booke of Scho. Sal. was written specially for English men, as appeareth by the Preface, it shall be hurtfull for none to follow the said precepts, considering that there is not any one more annoyance to the health of mens bodies in this Realme of England, than distillations from the head, commonly called rheumes, the occasion whereof some impute to much drinking of Beere▪* 1.5 but I thinke that the great moisture of the aire of th••s Realme, for wee have pluvi••m & ne••ulosum coelum, (as Iulius Agricola saith) and the continuall gou••mandize, and daily feeding on sundry meats at one meale, is the very cause why English men be so rheumaticke above other nations, for repletion breedeth crudity, and of crudity proceed rheumes, and of rheumes Gowts, Dropsies, Palsies, and other innumerable maladies.

Wherefore it behoveth every man that would live in health, to feed moderatly, whether it bee at Dinner or Supper, and moderate feeding is according to the strength of the stomacke, to take more or lesse, so it be without griefe.* 1.6 For as Hippocrates writeth, where meat is received much above measure, that maketh sicknesse. Yet because it is hard alwayes to hold the meane, and divers occasions may make a man to for∣get himselfe at meat, if he misse the marke, and shoot over at Dinner, yet let him withdraw his hand, and hit the marke at Supper. Wherefore let Students avoid that Epicurisme▪ which is too too much used in England, and especially of Merchants, to make great Suppers, and to sit eating and talking for the space of three or foure houres. Yea, and after Sup∣per, for feare lest they bee not full gorged, to have a delicate banquet, with abundance of Wine, not leaving nor scant rising (excepts it bee for necessities) untill it bee time to goe to bed•••• no no•• then neither oftentimes, but so continuing in ••arowsing and quaf∣fing untill mid-night, or after, except they happen to fall a sleepe at the boord, or to fall downe under the boord. But 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Students remember, that summum bonum is in virtute,* 1.7 non in voluptate. 〈…〉〈…〉 re∣maineth in Schola Salerni, concerning Supper, which is this;

* 1.8Vt vites paenam, de potibus incipe caen••m.

Which is not so to bee taken, as the words doe seeme to import, that one ought to beginne his Supper or meale with drinke, though I have knowne some to use that order, drinking a draught of Wine before they eat thereby the better to stirre up appetite, and to fortifie concoction. And as good drinkers use to say,

it is great cleanlinesse to wash the pot before wee put in meat to bee boyled. But the true meaning of the verse is, (as Arnoldus expoundeth it in the same place) that we should beginne our Supper with meats moist and easie of digestion, as Pottage, Broths, and such like; which interpretation, whosoever shall thinke strange, hee may reade the like in Galen upon Hippo∣crates, where he saith; Facilius est impleri potu quam ci∣bis. And when Supper is ended,* 1.9 wee must not forth∣with goe to bed, but according to the old English Pro∣verbe, after Supper walke a mile: or at the least wise, refraine from sleepe two or three houres,* 1.10 and if wee make a great Supper, then foure houres is but a suffi∣cient time for the consuming of the vapours which ascend from such meat as hath beene plentifully recei∣ved: for,* 1.11 Quatuor hordrum spacium ventriculo ad conco∣ctionem ingesti cibi ascribitur, as Leonhartus Fuchsius wri∣teth. Yet I know this time is longer or shorter, accor∣ding to the temperature and strength of the stomack. And if wee walke abroad after Supper, which is the common guise of the Universities, then it shall bee good to follow the counsell in Schol. Sal. annexed to the second Chapter, as followeth;* 1.12

Fons, Speculum, Gramen, haec dant oculis relevamen, Mane igitur montes, sed serum in quirito fontes.

Or after the old Meeter;

Mane petas montes, post caenam flumina, fontes.

Which verses I wish all Students to beare well in minde, not onely for walking after Supper▪ but that in walking they may have a double commoditie, as well in preserving their sight, as in digesting their meat. And now to conclude with the saying of Arnoldus, if a man could bee contented with one meale a day, it

were better to take it at supper than at dinner, so that we be not diseased in the eyes or in the braine, for then it were better to take it at dinner, for the repletion of the supper hurteth sore the braine and eyes. Where∣fore I conclude, that generally, whether a man make but one meale, or two in a day, it is more wholesome to take more at noone than at night.* 1.13 Great suppers then, and late suppers, must bee banished from all healthfull houses.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 1. Cap. ••.
• * 1.2

  Whether din∣ner or supper should be greater. Diff. 121.
• * 1.3

  Institut. li. 2. Sect. 4. cap. 3.
• * 1.4

  The question answered tou∣ching more meat or lesse to be eaten at dinner or Supper.
• * 1.5

  The cause of rheumes in England.
• * 1.6

  2. Apho. 17.
• * 1.7

  Cap. 38.
• * 1.8

  To drinke be∣fore supper or dinner, used of some.
• * 1.9

  2. Apho. 11.
• * 1.10

  What time the stomacke re∣quireth for concoction.
• * 1.11

  In Medi. li. 2. Sect. 4. cap. 3.
• * 1.12

  Where wee should walke after supper.
• * 1.13

  One meale a day were bet∣ter taken at noone than at night.