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NOw let this bee a generall rule, that sundry meates, being diuers in substance and qualitie, eaten all at one meale, is the greatest enemie to health that may be, and that ingendreth most sicknesses, for some meates be∣ing grosse and harde to digest, some fine and easie to di∣gest,
doe require diuers operations of nature, and diuers temperatures of the stomacke, that is to say, much heate and temperate heate, which maye not be together at one time.
Therefore when the fine meate is sufficiently boyled in the stomacke, the grosse meate is raw, so both iuyces, the one good and perfect, the other grosse and crude, at one time digested, and sent into the veynes and bodie, needes must health decay, and sicknesses bee ingendred. Likewise in diuers meates being of diuers qualities, as where some are hot and moist, some cold and moist, some hot and dry, some cold and drie, according thereunto shal the iuyce bee diuers which they make in the body. And like as betwéen the said qualities is contrariety, so ther∣by shall bee in the bodie an vnequall temperature, for as much as it is not possible for a man to estéem so iust a pro∣portion, of the qualities of that which he receiueth, that the one shall not exceede the other in quantitie.
Wherefore of the said vnequall mixture, needes must ensue corruption and consequently sicknes, and therfore to a hole man, it were better to féed at one meale compe∣tently on very grosse meat only, so that it be swéete, and his nature doe not abhor it, then on diuers fine meates of sundry substance and qualities. I haue known and séene olde men and olde women which eating onelie béefe, ba∣ken, chéese, and curdes, haue continued in good healthe, whome I haue proued, that when they haue eaten sun∣drie fine meates at one meale, haue soone after felt them∣selues greeued with frettings, and headache, and after that they haue béene hole againe, there hath béene giuen to them one kinde of light meate, they haue done as well therwith as they were wont to do wt grosse meats, whē they eate it alone, which proueth to be true that which I haue rehearsed. And it is good reason, for after the ge∣nerall opinion of Philosophers and Phisitions, the na∣ture of mankind is best content with things most simple
and vnmixte, all thinges tending to vnitie, wherein is the onely perfection. Also it is a generall rule of phisick, that where a sicknesse may bee cured with simples, that is to say, with one onely thing that is medicinable, there should the Phisition giue no compound medicine mixte with many things.
These things considered, it may seeme to all men that haue reason, what abuse is heere in this realme in the continuall gourmandise and dailye féeding on sundrie meats at one meale, the spirit of gluttony triumphing a∣mong vs, in his glorious chariot called welfare, driuing vs from him, as his prisoners into his dungeon of surfet, where we are tormented with catars, feuers, gouts, plu∣resies, fretting of the guttes, and many other sicknesses, and finally put to death by them, oftentimes in youth, or in the most pleasant time of our life, when we would most gladlie liue, for the remedie whereof howe ma∣ny times haue there beene deuised ordinances, and actes of counsaile, although perchaunce bodily health was not the chiefe occasion thereof, but rather prouision a∣gainst vaine and sumptuous expenses of the meane peo∣ple. For the nobilitie was exempted and had libertie to a∣bide still in the dungeon if they woulde, and to liue lesse while then other men. But when, where, and how long were the saide good deuises put in due execution, for all that, that thereof should succéede double profite, that is to say, health of body, and increase of substance, by esche∣wing of superfluous expēces in sundry dishes. Alas how long will men fantasie lawes and good ordinances, and neuer determine them. Fantasie proceedeth of wit, de∣termination of wisedome, witte is in the deuising and speaking, but wisedome is in the perfourmance, which resteth onely in execution. Héere haue I almost for∣gotten, that my purpose was to write of the order of dy∣et, and not of lawes: but the feruent loue that I haue to the publike weale of my countrie, constrained mee to
digresse some what from my matter, but now will I pro∣ceede forth to write of order which in taking of meates and drinkes is not the least part of dyet.