The castell of health, corrected, and in some places augmented by the first author thereof, Sir Thomas Elyot Knight

THE PROHEME OF SIR THOMAS ELIOT KNIGHT, INTO his booke called the Castell of Health.

GAlen the most excellent Phisition feared, that in writing a compen∣dious doctrine for the curing of sicknes, he should lose all his labour, for as much as no man almost did endeuour himselfe to the finding of truth, but that all men did so much esteeme riches, possessions, au∣thoritie, and pleasures, that they supposed them, which were studi∣ous in any parte of Sapience, to bee mad or distract of their wittes, for as much as they deemed the chiefe Sapience, which is in knowledge of things belonging as wel to God as to man, to haue no being. Since this noble writer found that lacke in his time, when there florished in sundry Countries a great multitude of men, excellent in all kindes of learning, as it dooth yet appeare by some of their workes, why should I be grieued with reproches, wherewith some of my Countrey doe recompence me, for my labours taken without hope of temporall reward, only for the feruent affection, which I haue euer borne toward the publique weale of my Countrey? A worthie matter, saith one, Sir Thomas Elyot is become a Phisition, and writeth in Phisicke, which beseemeth not a Knight, he might haue been much better occupied. Truely if they will call him a Phisition, which is studious about the weale of his Countrey, I voutchsafe they so name me, for during my life, I will in that affection alway continue. And why, I pray you, should men haue in disdayne or small reputation the science of Phisicke? Which being well vnderstood, truely experienced, and discreetly ordered, dooth conserue health, without the which all pleasures be painefull, riches vnprofitable, company annoyance, strength turned to feeblenes, beautie to lothsomnesse, sences are dispersed; eloquence interrupted, re∣membrance confounded, which hath been considered of wise men, not only of the priuate estate, but also of Emperours, Kings, and other great Princes, who for the v∣niuersal necessitie, and incomparable vtility, which they perceiued to be in that sci∣ence of Phisicke, they did not only aduance & honour it with speciall priuiledges, but also diuers & many of them were therein right studious, in so much as Iuba the King of Mauritanie & Lybia, found out the vertuous qualities of the hearbe called Euforbium Gentius King of Illyria, found the vertues of Gentiā. The hearbe Lysima∣chia tooke his name of King Lysimachus▪ Mithridates the great King of Pontus, found first the vertues of Scordion, and also inuented the famous medicine against poy∣son, called Mithridate. Arthemisia Queene of Carta found the vertues of Mother wort, which in latine beareth her name, whereby her noble renoume hath longer continued, then by the making of the famous Monument ouer her dead husband, called Mausoleum, although it were reckoned among the wonderfull workes of the world, and yet her name with the said hearbe still abideth, whiles the sayd Monu∣ment a thousand yeares passed, was vtterly dissolued.

It seemeth, that Phisick in this Realme hath been well esteemed, since the whole studie of Sale••ne, at the request of a King of England, wrote and set forth a compen∣dious and profitable treatise, called the Gouernance of Health, in latine Regimen Sanitatis: And I trust in almightie God, that our soueraigne Lord the Kings Maie∣sty, who dayly prepareth to stablish among vs true and vnco••••upted doctrines, will shortly examine also this parte of studie, in such wise, as things apt for medicines, growing in this Realme, by▪ cōference with most noble authors may be so known, that we shall haue lesse neede of things brought out of farre Countries by the cor∣〈…〉〈…〉on whereof, innumerable people haue perished, without blame to be giuen to 〈…〉〈…〉 hisitions, sauing only, that some of them be not diligent enough in beholding 〈…〉〈…〉 drugges or ingredients, at all times dispensed and tried.

Besides the sayd Kings whom I haue rehearsed, other honorable personages haue

written in this most excellent doctrine, and not onely of the speculatiue part, but also of the practise thereof, whose workes doe yet remaine vnto their glory immor∣tall, as Auicenna, Auenzoar, Rasis, Cornclius Celsus, Sorani••s, and which I should haue fi••st named Machaon, and Podal••rius noble Dukes in Grecia, which came to the siege of Troy, and brought with them xxx. great shippes with men of warre. This well considered, I take it for no shame to studie that Science, or to set forth any bookes of the same, being thereto prouoked by the most noble and vertuous example of my most noble Master. King Henry the viij. whose health I heartely pray God as long to preserue as GOD hath constituted mans life to contin〈…〉〈…〉: for his highnes hath not disdayned to be the chiefe author and setter forth of an introduction into Grammer, for the children of his louing subiects, whereby hauing good masters, they shall most easely and in short time apprehend the vnderstanding and forme of speaking true and eloquent latine. O royall hart, full of very nobility. O noble breast, setting forth vertuous doctrine, and laudable study.

But yet one thing much greeueth me, that notwithstanding I haue euer honou∣red & specially fauoured the reuerend Colledge of approued Phisitions, yet some of them hearing me spoken of haue said in derision, that although I were pretily seene in historics, yet being not learned in Phisicke, I haue put in my booke diuers errors, in presuming to write of hearbes and medicines. First as concerning histo∣ries, as I haue planted them in my workes, being well vnderstood, they be not so light of importance, as they doe esteeme them, but may more su••ely cure mens af∣fections then diuers Phisitions doe eure maladies. Nor when I wrote first this booke, I was not all ignorant in phisicke. For before that I was twentie yeares old, a worshipfull Phisition, and one of the most renoumed at that time in England, perceiuing me by nature enclined to knowledge, read vnto me the works of Galen, of temperaments, naturall faculties, the introduction of Iohannicius, with some of the Aphorismes of Hipocrates, And afterward by mine owne study, I read ouer in order the more part of the workes of Hipocrates, Galen, Oribasius, Pa••lus Celsus, Alex∣ander Trallianus, Celsus, Plimus, the one and the other, with Dioscorides. Nor did I o∣mit to reade the long Canons of A••icen••••, the commentaries of Aucrrois, the prac∣tises of Isake, Haliabhas, Rasis, Mesue and also of the more part of them which were their aggregators and followers. And although I haue neuer been at Mountpellier, Pad••a, nor Sale••ne, yet haue I found some thing in Phisicke, whereby I haue taken no little profite concerning mine owne health. Moreouer I wot not why Phisiti∣ons should be angry with me, since I wrote and did set forth the Castle of Health for their commoditie, that the vncertaine tokens of vrines, and other excrements should not deceiue them, but that by the true information of the sicke man, by me instructed, they might be the more sure to prepare medicines conuenient for the diseases.

Also to the intent that men obseruing a good order in diet, and preuenting the great causes of sicknes, they should of those maladies the sooner be cured. But if Phisitions be angry, that I haue written Phisick in English, let them remember that the Greekes wrote in Greeke, the Romaynes in Latine, Auicenna and the other in A∣rabike, which were their owne proper and maternall tongues. And if they had been as much attached with enuie & couetise, as some now seeme to be, they would haue deuised some particular language with a strange cypher or fourme of letters, wherein they would haue written their science, which language or letters no man should haue known, that had not professed and practised Phisicke: but those al∣though they were Paynims & Iewes, yet in this part of charity they far surmoun∣ted vs Christians, they that would not haue so necessary a knowledge as Phisick is, to be hid from them which would be studious about it.

Finally God is my ••••dge, I writ neither for glorie, rewa••••le, nor promotion, only I desire men to deeme well mine intent, since I dare assure them, that all that I haue written in this booke, I haue gathered of most principall writers in Phisick. Which being throughly studied, and remembred, shall bee profitable (I doubt not) vnto the reader, and nothing noyous to honest Phisitions, that doe measure their studie, with moderate liuing and christian charitie.