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

❧ Of vociferation. Cap. 35.

THe chiefe exercyse of the brest and instru∣mentes of the voyce, is vociferacion, whi¦che is synging, redyng, or crienge, wherof is the propertie, that it purgeth naturall heate, and maketh it also subtyll and stable, and ma∣keth the membres of the body substancyall and stronge, resystynge diseases. This exercyse wold be vsed, of persones shorte wynded, and theym, whiche can not fetche theyr brethe, but holdyng their necke streight vpright. Also of them, whose fleshe is consumed, speciallye about the breaste and shoulders. also which haue had apostume•• broken in theyr breastes: moreouer of them that are hoorse by the moche moysture. and to them, whiche haue quartene feuers, it is conuenient, it louseth the humour, that stycketh in the brest, and dryeth vp the moystenesse of the stomacke, whiche properly the course of the quartayne is wont to brynge with hym, it also profiteth them whiche haue feble stomakes, or do vomyte con∣tynually,

or do breake vp sowrenesse out of the stomake. It is good also for grefes of the heed. He that intendeth to attempt this exercise, after that he hath ben at the stoole, and softly rubbed the lower partes, and washed his handes. Lette hym speake with as base a voyce as he can, and walkynge, begynne to synge lowder & lowder, but styll in a base voyce, and to take no hede of sweete tunes or armonye. For that nothynge dothe profyte vnto helthe of the body, but to in∣force hym selfe to synge greatte, for therby mo∣che ayre drawen in by fetchyng of breath, thru∣styth forth the breast and stomacke, and openeth and inlargeth the poores. By hygh crienge and lowde readynge, are expellyd superfluouse hu∣mours. Therfore me••••e and women, hauynge theyr bodyes feeble, and theyr flesshe lowse, and not fyrme, muste reade oftentymes lowde, and in a baase voyce, extendynde oute the wynde pype, and other passages of the breathe.

But notwithstandyng, this exercyse is not vsed alway, and of all persons. For they in whome is abundance of humours corrupted, or be moche diseased with crudite in the stomak and vaines, those doo I counsayle, to abstayne from the ex∣ercyse of the voyce, leste moche corrupteth iuyce or vapours, may therby be into all the body dy∣strybuted. And here I conclude to speake of ex∣ercyse, whiche of them, that desyre, to remayne longe in helth, is most diligently, & as I mought say, moste scrupulousely to be obserued.