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 abstinence. Cap. 3.

ABstinence is a forbearynge to receyue a∣ny meate or drynke. For if it be but in part, it is than called rather temperance than abstinence. It ought to be vsed onely after replecion, as the proper remedye therfore. And than if it be moderate, it consumeth superflui∣ties, * 1.1 and in consumynge them, it clarifieth the humoures, maketh the body fayre coloured, and not onely kepeth out syckenesse, but also where sychenesse is entred, nothynge more helpeth, yf it be vsed in season. To them, whiche haue verye moyste bodyes, hunger is ryghte expediente, for * 1.2 it maketh theyin more drye, not withstandynge there ought to be consyderations, in the meate before eaten, in the age of the persone, in the tyme of the yere, and in custome. Fyrste in the meate before eaten, yf it be moche in excesse or very grosse, or not moche excedynge, or lyghte of digestyon, and accordynge therto, wolde absty∣nence more or lasse be proporcioned. Concernyng age, Hipocrates saythe, olde men may susteyne * 1.3 fastynge easilye: nexte vnto them, men of myd∣dell age, yonge men maye wars beare it, chyl∣derne warst of all, specially they that be lustye, not withandynge, here Galene correcteth Hipo∣crates, sayenge, that he shuld haue excepted men * 1.4 very olde, who, as experience declareth, muste eate often and lyttell. As touchynge tyme, it must be remembred, that in wynter and sprynge

tyme, the stomakes be naturally veeye hotte, and sleape is longe, and therfore in that tyme meates wolde be more abundaunt, & all though moch be eaten, it wyll be sooner digested. wher∣fore abstinence woide not be than so moche as in sommer, all be it to absteyne moche in som∣mer, excepte it be after replecion. Damascene sayth, it dryeth the body, it maketh the colour * 1.5 salowe, it ingendreth melancoly, and hurteth the syghte. More ouer, custome maye not be forgot∣ten, for they, whiche are vsed from chyldhode, to eate sondry meales in the daye, wolde rather be reduced to fewer meales, and lyttelle meate, than to be compelled to abstaynevtterly, to the intent, that nature, whiche is made by custome, be not rebuked, and the power digestyue therby debilitate. And note well, that by to moche ab∣stinence, the moysture of the body is withdrawē and consequentely the body dryeth, and waxeth leane: naturall heate, by withdrawynge of moi∣sture, is to moche intended, and not findyng hu∣mour to warke in, tourneth his vyolence to the radicall or substantiall moysture of the bodye. and exhaustyng that humour, bryngeth the body into a consumption. wherfore Hipocrates saith, * 1.6 that to scarse and exquisite an order in meate and drynke, is for the more parte more daunge∣rouse than that, which is more abundant. Con∣trarywyse moderation in abstinence, accordyng to the sayde consyderatyons, is to helthe a sure bulwarke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cel. lib. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Hipocrat. apho. li. 7.
• * 1.2

  Considera∣tions in ab∣stinence.
• * 1.3

  Apho. li. 1.
• * 1.4

  Galen. in cōment.
• * 1.5

  Damasee∣nus apho.
• * 1.6

  Apho. li. 〈◊〉〈◊〉