The castel of helth gathered and made by Syr Thomas Elyot knyghte, out of the chiefe authors of physyke, wherby euery manne may knowe the state of his owne body, the preseruatio[n] of helthe, and how to instructe welle his physytion in syckenes that he be not deceyued

Moderation in diet, hauyng respecte to the strength or weakenes of the person. Cap. 26.

NOwe here it must be consydered, that all though I haue writen a generall diet for euery age, yet netheles it must be remem∣bred, that some chyldren and yong men, eyther by debilite of nature, or by some accyden∣tall cause, as syckenes, or moch study, happen to gather humours fleumatike or melancoly in the places of digestiō, so that cōcoction or digestion is as weake in them as in those, which are aged Semblably some olde men fynde nature so be∣neficyall vnto them, that theyr stomakes and ly∣uers are more stronge to digeste, than the sayde yonge men, some perchaunce haue moche choler remaynynge in theym. In these cases the sayde yonge men muste vse the diete of olde menne, or nygh vnto it, vntyl the discrasy be remoued, ha∣uynge alwaye respecte to theyr vniuersall com∣plexions, as they, whiche are naturally chole∣rike, to vse hotte thynges in a more temperance than they, whiche be fleumaticke, or melanco∣lye by nature. The same obseruation shall be to * 1.1 olde menne, sauynge that age, of his owne pro∣pertye is colde and drye, therfore the olde man, that is cholerycke, shall haue more regarde to moysture in meates, than the yonge man beyng

of the same complexion. Foresene alwaye, that where nature is offended or greued, she is curyd by that, whiche is contrarye to that, whiche of∣fendeth or greueth, as colde by heate, heate by colde, drythe by moysture, moysture by drythe. In that wherby nature shulde be nourished in a hole and temperate bodye, thynges muste be ta∣ken, whiche are lyke to the mans nature in qua∣litie and degre. As where one hath his body in a good temper, thynges of the same temperance dothe nourysshe hym. But where he is oute of temper, in heate, cold, moysture, or dryth, tempe∣rate meates or drynkes, nothyng do profyt hym, for beynge out of the meane and perfyte tempe∣rature, nature requyreth to be therto reduced by contraries, remembrynge not only, that contra∣ries are remedye vnto theyr contraries, but also in euery contrary, consideration be hadde of the proporcion in quantitie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hipocrat. aphor. Galen. in comment.