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

Of drinks, and first of water.

VNdoubtedly water hath preheminence aboue all o∣ther licours, not only because it is an element, that is to say, a pure matter, whereof al other licours haue their original substance, but also for as much as it was the ve∣ry naturall and first drinke to all manner of creatures.

Wherefore the saying of Pindarus the Poet was euer well allowed, which sayth, water is best. And one thing is to bee well considered, that from the creation of the world, vntill the vniuersal deluge or floud, during which time men liued 8. or 9. hundred yeares, there was none other drink vsed nor knowē, but water. Also the true fol∣lowers of Pythagoras doctrine, dranke onley water, and yet liued, as Appollonius, & other: and in the searching out of secret and misticall things, their wits excelled. More∣ouer wee haue séene men and women of great age, and strong of bodie, which neuer or very seldome dranke o∣ther drinke then pure water. As by example in Corne∣wall, although that the countrey be in a very cold quar∣ter, which proueth that if men from their infancie were accustomed to none other drink but to water only mode∣ratly vsed, it shuld be sufficient to kéep natural moisture,

& to cause the meat that is eaten, to pierce and descend in∣to the places of digestion, which are the purposes that drinke serueth for.

But now to the qualities of water after the sētence of ancient philosophers and phisitions. The rain water af∣ter the opinion of most men, if it bee receiued pure and cleane, is most subtill and penetratiue, of any other wa∣ters: the next is that, which issueth out of a spring in the east, and passeth swiftly amōg great stones or rocks: the third is of a cleane riuer, which runneth on great harde stones or peples. There hee diuers meanes to trye out which is the best water▪ for y^t which is lightest in poise or weight, is best. Also that whereof commeth least skim or froth when it doth boyle, also that which will soonest bee hot: Moreouer dip linnen clothes into sundry waters and after lay them to drie, and that which is soonest drie, the water wherein it was dipped is most subtill. After a great surfet, specially taken with superfluous eating of banquetting meats, cold water dronken is a generall re∣medy. Hyppo. affirmeth y^t in sharpe and feruent diseases, none other remedy is to be required then water. And Ga∣len will not that children should bee let from drinking of * 1.1 water, but that when they séele themselues very hot af∣ter meales, and doe desire to drinke water, specially of a cleane fountain they should be suffered, also Hippo saith: in such sicknes whereas thou fearest, lest the head should be vehemently grieued, or the mind perished, there must thou giue either water or white wine allaied with much water. Not withstanding there be in water causes of di∣uers diseases, as of swelling of the spléene and the liuer, it also flitteth and swimmeth, and it is long or it pierceth, in as much as it is cold and slowe in decoction, it looseth not the belly nor prouoketh vrine. Also in this it is vicious, that of his proper nature it maketh no ordure. Finally alway respect must be had to the person that drinketh it, for to yongmen and them that bee hot of complexion, it

doth lesse harme, and sometime it profiteth, but to them that are féeble, olde, fleumaticke, melancholie, it is not conuenient.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De ratione vi∣ctus in morb. acutis. lib. 3.