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 dolour or heuinesse of mynde. Capitulo. 12.

THere is no thynge more ennemy to lyfe, then sorowe, callyd also heuenesse, for it exhausteth bothe naturall heate and moy∣sture of the body, and dothe extenuate or make the body leane, dulleth the wit, and darkneth the spirites, letteth the vse and iugement of reason, and oppressed memorie. And Salomon saythe, * 1.1 that sorowe dryeth vp the bones. And also lyke as the mothe in the garmente, and the wourme in the tree, soo dothe heuynesse annoye the harte of a man. Also in the boke called Ecclesiasticus, Sorowe hathe kylled manye, and in it selfe is founde no commoditie. Also by heuynesse dethe is hastened, it hydeth vertue or strengthe, and heuynesse of harte boweth downe the necke.

This is so puissaunt an ennemye to nature and bodyly helthe, that to resyste the malyce and vi∣olence therof, are requyred remedies, as well of the holsome counsayles founde in holy scripture & in the bokes of morall doctrine. As also of cer¦tayne herbes, fruytes, and spyces, hauynge the propertye to expelle melancalyke humours, and to comforte and kepe lyuely the spirites, whiche haue theyr proper habitation in the hart of mā, and moderate nouryshyng of the naturall heate and humour, callyd radical, which is the base or foundation, whervppon the lyfe of manne stan∣deth, and that faylyng, lyfe falleth in ruyne, and the body is dissolued. Nowe fyrste I wylle de∣clare some remedyes agaynste sorowfulnesse of harte, concernynge necessary counsayle.

Somtyme this affecte hapneth of Ingrati∣tude, eyther wherfore benefyte, or specialle loue employed, one receyueth damage, or is abando∣ned in his necessite, or is deceiued of hym, whom he trusted, or fyndeth hym, of whome he hathe great expectation, forgetfull or neglygent in his commoditie, or perceyueth the persone, whome of longe tyme he hath loued, to be estraunged from hym, or to haue one of later acquayntance in more estimation. This affection nyppeth the harte, ye of moste wyse men, for they loue moste hartily, not prouoked by carnalle affection, but rather by good opinion, ingendred by similitude of honest studies, and vertuous maners of long tyme mutually experienced. And it is not onely vnto man greuous, but also vnto god most dis∣pleasant and odiouse, as it is aboundantly de∣clared in scripture. wherfore the persone, which feleth hym selfe touched with this affecte, before that it growe into a passion, and waxeth a syck∣nesse, lette hym calle to remembraunce these ar∣tycles folowynge, or at the leste wayes somme of theym, For eueryche of theym maye case hym, thoughe perchance they can not forthwith perfitely cure hym.

¶ Consyder, that the corruption of mans na∣ture is not so moche declared in any thynge, as * 1.2 in Ingratytude, whereby a man is made warse, than dyuers brute beastes. The lyttell ante or emote helpeth vp his felowe, whome he seeth o∣uerthrowen with burdeyn, or by other occasyon. Also whan olyphantes do passe ouer any greate * 1.3 water, the greattest and moste puissant of them deuyde them selues, and settynge the weakest in

the myddell, parte go before, tryeng the depnesse and perylles, parte come after, succourynge the weakest or leaste, with theyr longe noses, whan they see them in daūger. The same beastes haue ben seene not onely brynge men out of desertes, whiche haue loste theyr wayes, but also reuenge the dyspleasures doone to them, the which gaue them meate, as one that slewe hym, whych had commytted aduoutrye with his maysters wyfe. The terrible Lyons and Panthers, haue bene sene in theyr maner, to render thankes to theyr benefactours, ye and to obiecte their owne bo∣dies and lyues for theyr defence. The same we maye dayely beholde in oure owne dogges.

Than in whom thou fyndest the detestable vice of Ingratytude, reputynge hym amonge the warste sorte of creatures, thynke not that thou haste loste a frende, but thynke that thou art•• delyuered frome a monster of nature, that de∣uoured thy loue, and that thou arte nowe at lybertye, and haste wonne experyence to chese the a better. But yf this maye not suffyse, than * 1.4 eftesoones consyder, that yf thou loke welle on thy selfe, perchaunce thou mayst fynde the faute wherof thou complaynest, within thyne owne bosomme. Calle to thy remembraunce, yf thou haste alwaye rendred vnto euery man condygne thankes or benefytte, of whome thou hast kynd∣nesse receyued, or yf thou hast alway remembred euery one of them, that haue done to the any cō∣moditie or pleasure. Thou shalt well perceyue, that what thyng thou receyuedst in chyldehode, thou forgattest, or dyddest lyttell esteeme, whan thou camest to the state of a man, And what

thou dyddest remember in youthe, in age, thou dydded lyttell thynke on: thy nouryces pappe, her rockynges, her watchynges, thou hast not al waye remembred, or equally recompensed. Thy scoole maysters studye, his labour, his dilygence in a lyke degree, thou haste not requyted. what greatter frendes haste thou had, of whome thou couldest receyue any greatter benefites, than thy nourysshyng and preseruynge of thy lyfe, in thy moste feblenesse, or thyne erudicion, wherby thy nature was made more excellent. Remembrynge this leaue to be angry or sorowful, for so cōmon a vyce: yet yf it cesse not to greue the, comferre the ingratitude that doth vere the, with that in∣gratitude, which was shewed by the Israelytes whome god chase for his owne people, deliuered from seruage, shewed for theym wonders, pre∣serued them fourty yeres in desert, destroied for them kynges, gaue to them the countrey, which flowed mylke and hony, defended them agaynst all outwarde hostylitie, sent vnto them suche a∣bundance of ryches, that syluer was in Hieru∣salem, as stones in the strete, had his tabernacle, and afterwarde his moste holye temple amonge them, whiche he dyd dayely vysite with his dy∣uyne maiestie, made theyr kynges to reigne glo∣riousely, and spake with their prephetes fami∣lyarly, and corrected their errours moste gentil∣ly: and yet for all this, they, imbracyng the pay∣nyms ydolatrie, they lefte soo gracyous and lo∣uynge a lorde, and lyuynge god, and to his great despite, gaue diuine honours, to calfes of brasse, and other monstruouse ymages, and at the laste put to moste cruell deth, the onely sonne of god,

that hadde done so moche for them.

And yf we chrysten men, doo loke well on our selues, reuoluynge the incomparable benefite, whiche we haue receyued by Christes passyon, and consyder the circumstance of his mooste ex∣cellent pacience, and moste feruent loue toward vs, with our forgetfulnes, and they dayly breche of our promyse, whiche we made at oure bap∣tysme, conferryng our mutuall vnkyndnes ther∣vnto, there shall appere no ingratitude, that shulde offende vs. Fynally for a conclusyon, be∣holde well aboute the, and thou shalte all daye fynde the chylderne ingrate to theyr parentes, and wyues to theyr husbandes. And wylte thou looke that thy benefyte, or vayne expectation, shuld make the more fre from ingratitude of thy frende, whome chaunce hath sente the, than na∣ture may the parentes towarde theyr chyldern, or the coniunction of bodyes by lefull maryage, take vnkyndnesse from the wyues toward their husbandes. This vyce therfore of Ingratitude, beinge so common a chaunce, make no worldlye frendeshyp so preciouse, that lyfe or helthe ther∣fore shulde be spent or consumed. I haue ben the lenger in this place, bycause I haue had in this griefe sufficient experience.

¶ If death of chylderne be cause of thy heuy∣nesse, * 1.5 call to thy remembrance some chyldern (of whome there is no lyttell nomber) whose lyues eyther for vncorrigyble vyces, or infortunate chaunces, haue bene more greuouse vnto theyr parentes, thanne the deathe of thy chylderne ought to be vnto the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consyderynge that death is the discharger of all gryefes, and myseries,

and to theym that dye well, the fyrste entrie into lyfe euerlastynge.

¶ The losse of goodes or authoritie do greene none but fooles, which do not marke dyligently, * 1.6 that lyke as neyther the one nor the other dothe alwaye happen to them that are worthye, so we haue in dayely experience, that they fall frome hym sodeynely, who in increasynge or kepynge them semeth moste busy.

¶ Oftentymes the repulse frome promotion is * 1.7 cause of discomforte, but than consyder, why∣ther in the opinion of good men, thou art demed worthy to haue suche aduan̄cement, or in thyne owne expectatiō & fantasy. If good men so inge the, thanke thou god of that felicitie, and laugh at the blyndnesse of theym, that soo haue refu∣sed the. If it procede of thyne owne folye, ab∣horre all arrogance, and inforce thy self to be ad uanced in mennes estimation, before thou canst fynde thy selfe worthy in thy proper opinion.

¶ All other chaunces of fortune esteme as noo * 1.8 thynge, and that longe before they doo happen. The ofte recordynge of myserye, prepareth the mynde to fele lesse aduersitie. And the contempt of fortune is sure quietnesse and mooste perfyte felycitie.

¶ This nowe shall suffyse concernynge reme∣dies of morall phylosophie. Nowe wyll I write somewhat touchynge the counsayle of physyke, as in relieuynge the bodye, whiche eyther by the sayde occasyons, or by the humoure of melan∣colye is brought out of temper.

¶ The fyrste counsayle is, that durynge the tyme of that passyon, eschewe to be angrye, stu∣dyouse,

or solitarye, and reioyce the with mei••∣dye, or els be alwaye in suche company, as beste maye contente the.

Auoyde all thynges that be noyouse in syght, smellynge and herynge, and imbrace all thynge that is delectable.

Flee darkenesse, moche watche, and busynesse of mynde, moche companieng with women, the vse of thynges very hotte and drye: often pur∣gations, immoderate exercyse, thyrst, moche ab∣stinence, drye wyndes and colde.

Absteyn from dayly eatyng of moch old blefe or old mutton, hard chese, hare flesh, bores flesh, venyson, saltefyshe, coolewortes, beanes, and peason, very course breadde, greate fysshes of the see, as thurlepole, porpyse, and sturgeon, and other of lyke natures, wyne redde and thycke, meates beynge very salte or sowre, olde, burned, or fryed, garlyke, onyons, and lekes.

Vse meates whiche are temperatelye hotte, and therwith somewhat moyste, boyled rather than rosted, lyght of dygestyon, and ingendryng bloudde clere and fyne. As mylke hotte from the vdder, or at the leste newe mylked, ruen chese, swete almondes, the yelkes of rere egges, lyttell byrdes of the bushes, chyckens, and hennes. wyne whyte or clarette, cleere and feagraunte. Swete sauours in wynter hot, in sommer colde, in the meane tyme temperate.

¶ Confortatiues of the hart hot.

• ¶ Bourage the floure or leafe.
• Buglosse.
• Baulmynte.
• Elycampane.
• Cloues.
• Cardamomu〈…〉〈…〉.
• Rosemary.
• ...

• Lignum aloes.
• Muske.
• Ambergryse.
• Saffron.
• The bone of the harte of a redde diere.
• Myntes.
• The rynde of Citron.
• Been.
• Cububes.
• Basyle.

¶ Cenfortatyues of the harte colde.

• Violettes.
• Perles.
• Corall.
• The vnicornes horne.
• Olde appulles whiche be good.
• Roses.
• Saunders.
• The olyphantes tothe.
• Water lylies.
• Coriander prepared.

¶ Comfortatyues temperate.

• Jacinet.
• Saphire.
• Emerauldes.
• Myrabolanes, called kebuly.
• Buglosse.
• Golde, syluer.

❧ Of Ioye.

I〈…〉〈…〉 or gladnesse of harte doth prolonge the lyfe, it fatteth the bodye that is leane with troubles, bytynge the humours to an equall temperance, and drawynge naturall heate out∣warde. But yf it be sodayne & feruent, it often∣tymes sleeth, for as moche as it draweth to so∣deynly and excessyuely naturall heate outward. And therfore dyuers men and women haue ben sene to falle in a sounde, whā they haue sodayn∣lye beholden the persons, whom they feruently loued. A a woman in Rome, herynge fyrste, that her sonne was slayne in battayle. After whan he * 1.9 came to her, she seynge hym alyue, imbracynge

eche other, she dyed in his armes. This welle consydered, agaynst suche inordinate gladnesse, the best prescruatiue is to remember, that the extreme partes of mundayne ioye is sorow and heuynesse: And that nothynge of this worlde, maye so moche reioyce vs: but occasyon maye cause it to be displeasaunt vnto vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pro. 17. 25. Ecclesiast〈…〉〈…〉 25. 33.
• * 1.2

  Counsailes agaynst in∣gratitude.
• * 1.3

  Appianus in uaria hi storia.
• * 1.4

  Seneca de benefi. 7.
• * 1.5

  Death of chyldren.
• * 1.6

  Losse of goodes.
• * 1.7

  Lacke of promotion.
• * 1.8

  Chaunces of fortune.
• * 1.9

  Ti. Liuius.