Galen's art of physick ... translated into English, and largely commented on : together with convenient medicines for all particular distempers of the parts, a description of the complexions, their conditions, and what diet and exercise is fittest for them / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent. ...

Diet and Exercise fitting.

People of this Complexion of all other ought to use a very slender Diet, for fasting clenseth the Body of those gross and unconcocted Humors which Flegmatick People are usually as full of as an Egg is of Meat: What they do eat, let it be of light digestion, a Cup of strong Beer, and now and then a cup of Wine is no waies unwholsom for them of this Complexion that are minded to keep their Bodies in health.

Much Meat and Drink fills their Bodies full of Indi∣gestion, Wind, and Stitches, Quotidian Agues and Dropsies, Falling sickness and Gouts, Rhewms and Catharres.

Much Exercise is very healthful for them unless they love their laziness better than their health, for by that means gross Humors are made thin and expelled by sweat, the Memory is quickned and the Skin clarified.

Thus much for Complexions taken Simply by them∣selves without commixture one with another; as for Medicinal Remedies for their superabounding, I omit∣ted it, considering it may be found by what hath gone before, unless by such dolts that forget one line as fast as they reade another.

I come now to their Commixture, which as far as I can find within the compass of my Pia Mater, are these that follow.

• 1. Chollerick-Melancholly.
• 2. Melancholly-Chollerick.
• 3. Melancholly-Sanguine.
• 4. Sanguine-Melancholly.
• 5. Sanguine-Flegmatick.
• 6. Flegmatick-Sanguine.
• 7. Flegmatick-Chollerick.
• 8. Chollerick-Flegmatick.

Let none object to me, that there may be more com∣mixtures than these, as Chollerick-Sanguine Flegmatick-Melancholly and the like, for I can scarce believe it, and if you do but heed how and in what order the Signs of the Zodiack arise, you may happily be of my Opinion, and therfore of these, and these only in order.