Healths improvement: or, Rules comprizing and discovering the nature, method, and manner of preparing all sorts of food used in this nation. Written by that ever famous Thomas Muffett, Doctor in Physick: corrected and enlarged by Christopher Bennet, Doctor in Physick, and fellow of the Colledg of Physitians in London.

CHAP. XXX

Of the quantity of Meats.

THat saying of the wiseman, Eate not too much hony, sheweth unto us; that even the most wholesome and nourishing meat of all other will prove dangerous and hurtful to our health, if it be not soberly and mea∣surably eaten. Temperancy being not onely the car∣ver, but also the commander at our tables.

We find likewise several sayings recorded; as, That we must eat by reason and not by appetite; That straight∣girding, makes little eating; That in time of Famine, though we desire most, satiety is most perillous; That in rainy weather little meat, little drink, and much exer∣cise within doores is best; That melancholy persons eat much, Cholerick drink much, Phelgmatick sleep much; Great Livers, great Eaters, that a lean Woman, is a Tavern of blood; That they which eate little, are

never good Travailers. The Spaniard eats, the German drinks, and the English exceeds in both.

Temperance what it is.

But would you know what Temperancy is? It is a vertue, timely, moderately and comely u∣sing those things, which be truely necessary and natu∣ral. For some things be both necessary and natural without which we cannot live, as Meat and Drink; others natural but not necessary, without use of which many of us may live, and live in health, as Venus game: others necessary but not natural, as strong exercises for some bodies: others neither natural nor necessary, as over∣curious Cookery, making fine meat of a whetstone, and quelque-choses of unsavory, nay of bad and unwholesome meat. There be two vices equally opposite to this ver∣tue; Surfeiting, when a man eateth more then either his stomach can hold or his strength digest; and Self-pining, when we eate less then our nature craveth and is able to overcome.

The first of them (namely surfeiting and excess) though it be a vice of all other most hurtful to the body and consequently noisome to the mind, yet we read that whole nations, and Emperors, and Potentates have both esteemed, and honoured and rewarded it for a vertue. For the Sicilians dedicated a Temple to Gluttony; and Aristophanes writeth thus of the Barbarians,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Them onely men Barbarians think, That can devoure most meat and drink▪

Of this crue was Maximinus the Emperour, who (like our old Abby▪lubbers) did eat till he sweat; yea Sabellicus affirmeth, that his one dayes sweat gathered up in goblets, did amount to the measure of six Sexta∣ries. Claudius Caesar and Vitellius the Emperour were like unto him, eating commonly so much, that they were forced once or twice in a meal to go out and vomit; and then returned to the table again, giving a fresh charge to a forelorne stomach. And though Aurelianus the Emperour fed moderately himself, yet he exceedingly loved and honoured a great Gourmand, who usually at one meal did eat a Hogg▪ two Weathers, and a whole Brawn, drinking upon it a whole firkin of wine poured down his throate thorough a funnel: Also Firmius Salencius did eat a whole Ostrich in a day: and Clodi∣us Albinus (Commander for the Romans in France) is registred to have eaten at one sitting five hundred figs, one hundred Peaches, ten Musk-melons, twenty pound weight of Raysins of the Sun, one hundred Snites, ten Capons, and a hundred and fifty great Oisters.

Neither was our Country alwaies void of a Woolmar, who living (in my memory) in the Court, seemed like a∣nother Pandareus, of whom Antonius Liberalis writeth thus much, that he had obtained this gift of the God∣dess Ceres; to eate Iron, glass, Oistershels, raw-fish, raw-flesh, raw-fruit (and whatsoever else he would put into his stomach) without offence; yea as Monica Augustine's Mother was given to excess of wine, so himself (such are even Godly mens imperfections at some times) con∣fesseth his own pronness and inclination to riot, in these words. O Lord, thou hast taught me to use meat not for lust and wantonness, but for life and health. Never∣theless when I sit down for refections sake, the snares of concupiscence and surfeit lie in my way like crafty fowlers,

and the Maid presumeth above her Mistris; so that it is doubtful, whether Necessity or Riot be commander, and hardly can Iresist Riots desire, no though it afterwards bringeth me to great pain.

And no marvel, Augustine; for from whence com∣eth soreness and weariness, heaviness of spirits, dulness of sences, stifness and pain of joints, unweldiness, belch∣ings, crudities, fevers, distastings of meat, loss of appe∣tite, and o her tempestuous evils, but from repletion, surfeiting and satiety? what weakness of body cometh by excess of eating; we need no more examples then this of our own Countrymen, which Boethius noteth (in his Scotish History) of King Arthur and his Knights; who having recovered York from the Saxons and Picts in spight of their beards, kept there such a grand Christ∣mas, that afterwards fighting again with the Saxons, his Souldiers were found so weakned with surfeiting, that their arrows could hardly peirce the Saxons furr d dub∣blets, being able before to strike thorough their iron ar∣mour. What Scholer hath not read of Herodotus, the minstril of Megara (whose girdle in the wast was three yards and a half long) or of Milo Crotoniates that great Pamphagus? yet they died both very weak men and young, by oppressing strong nature with too heavy burdens. I he Stoicks imputed all diseases to age, but E∣rasistratus did not ill to ascribe, either all or most of them to excess: for if a man feed too much, three principal discommodities arise thereof. First, all natural spirits leave their several standings, and run headlong to the stomach to perfit concoction; which if with all their forces they cannot perform, then brain and body are over-mastered with heavy vapours and humours; but suppose they per∣form it, what followeth but foggy fat insteed of flesh; or a the least, such abundance of both, that no soveraign∣ty

nor ability is left for the actions of the mind? which (as Menander well noteth in one of his Comedies.)

Desireth not to play with Swine, Nor dwells in hogsheads full of wine.

For Heracletus was of a right opinion, that the wisest soul dwelleth in the emptie body; which we may part∣ly illustrate by these examples. The moist eye seeth worst; the fullest vessel soundeth least, and the Sun hardly shineth thorough a clowdy aire: Even so in a full and troubled body, overpeised with variety and plen∣ty of meats, the eye of our mind must needs be dark∣ned, the voice of reason cannot be heard, and the Sun∣shine of understanding cannot shine into our hearts, be∣ing destitute of will, and much more of ability to execute any thing that is good: Nay through surfeiting we live groveling and groping after base delights, as Hoggs do for Acornes, being disabled so much as to think a good thought.

Hippocrates and Galen say, that the bodys of ordinary great feeders stand upon a dangerous point, or as you would say upon the Raysors edge; for if they feed mo∣derately, alteration of custome hazards their health: if they persist in excess, they are suddenly strangled with Apoplexies, as Caelius hath well noted.

To prevent all which sicknesses both of body and mind, oh what severe and good laws were there made by Fannius Didius, Licinius Crassus, Cornelius Sylla, Lepi∣dus, and Antius Restio against Riot? yet the concord of vices so prevailed, that lust continued excess, excess brought forth unruliness, unruliness contempt of Go∣vernment, whence came fatal destruction to the Ro∣man Monarchy.

The Scots punished their belly-gods in this sort; first they filled their bellies as full of good meat as ever they could hold, then they gagged them, and threw them into the next river with their arms piniond, saying; Now as thou hast eaten too much, so drink too much.

Plutarch remembreth, that (by the Athenians law) whosoever did flay a living beast, he should be hang'd as a Felon, because they would not have a beast tormented; which punishment if it were just (as it seemed just in Xe∣nocrates opinion) then what pains ought they to endure, who by surfeiting not onely torture, but also most un∣naturally seek to kill themselves, making their graves with their own teeth, flaying and unskinning themselves as it were of reasons robe, yea ensouling their bodies (be∣ing dedicated Temples to the holy Ghost) as much as in them lieth with the form of swine?

The second vice (namely Self-pining) is as far from Temperancy on the right hand, as surfeiting erreth on the left. SoZomenus maketh mention of a Munck in Caelo∣syria, called Battheus, fasting voluntarily so long, till his teeth were full of worms. And in the Legendary, S. Fran∣cis, S. Bennet, S. Rainulph, and divers other men, maids and women are highly extolled for consuming their bodies with excessive abstinence; which being a thing against nature and Godliness (which forbiddeth us to scourge or mark, and much more to consume our bodies) it shall need no confutation at all, especially in this glut∣tonous age, wherein we are so far from any such fasting, that we wholly delight in Riot and Feasting. Onely let me say thus much out of Hippocrates, that a very thin and precise Diet is not to be prescribed to any one of in∣different health and strength; no scarce to any (except their disease be exceeding sharp) which are very weak. For the prescribing of meat by drams or ownces, driveth

many fears into a weak mans mind, taketh al alacrity from the heart, maketh▪ a man jealous of his owne fingers, daring to eat nothing with chearfulness, because he ever suspecteth that he eateth too much. Hence came that golden Aphorism (though not registred in his Apho∣risms) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉!

An over-yeelding lengthneth the grief, But timely permission maketh it brief.

As for Temperancy (which I can never enough re∣verence or commend) would to God it were as well practised of every particular man, as it is necessarily re∣quired to be in Physitians. First that by long life they may (with Galen and Hippocrates) get perfection in that art which they profess: whereas now many Physicians are buried under a Doctors name, before they ever tast∣ed of Hygea her cup, or saluted Panacea a far off. Second∣ly if they by surfeiting or fasting hurt their owne bo∣dies; how shall their doctrine be followed by their Pati∣ent, when it is broken and crossed by themselves?

The rude Persians are recorded to have ever fed so temperately, that to spit or blow their nose, was both execrable and punishable amongst them. Likewise they (as also the Romans) permitted any man to give him that yawned a blow on the ear; because spiting and snivel∣ing and yawning, are only the fruits of fulness or idleness: Much more should learned Physitians moderate them∣selves, who give laws to others, and not rashly run into that excess, which even the savage Scythian and Persians ever abhorred.

It is also recorded of the Spanish Women, that a cer∣tain girdle is kept of some two foot long in every Town, which if any womans belly exceeds in compass (unless

it be by child-going) they are counted detestable and infamous: Let it be therefore a greater shame for us Physitians, by ill example to purchase our owne discre∣dit, and also to lessen our skill, and shorten our lives as much as lieth in our owne power: for Theophrastus falsly accused nature, in that she gave long life to Ra∣vens and Crows (whom it little profited) and but a short time to men, and the shortèst of all to Students, whom reason would have to live long for the mutual benefit one of another, and the publick good of the Common∣weal. More justly he might have accused men and Stu∣dents themselves, for abridging their natural dayes by surfeiting and drunkenness, chambring and wantonness, excess and riot; considering that nature ever most pre∣serveth and tendereth the most worthy creature, did it not destroy and ruinate it self.

Timotheus having supped with Plato, and eaten (con∣trary to his custome) very moderately, slept very quie∣ly that night, finding neither cholick to awake him, nor belchings in the morning to annoy him; wherefore assoon as he awaked, he brake forth into this exclamati∣on, with a loude voice: How sweet, how sweet are Pla∣toes Suppers, which makes us in the night time to sleep, and in the morning to breathe so sweetly! Yea but (some will say) how shall we know when we have eaten enough? At whom Democritus would have laughed a month to∣gether, and perhaps have returned them this answer; Fools and Idiotes that you are, know you when your Horse and your Hawke and your Dog hath enough, and are you ignorant what measure to allow your selves? who will urge his Horse to eat too much, or cram his Hawke till she be over gorged, or feed his Hound till his tail leave waving? and shall (man the measurer of Heaven and Earth) be ignorant how in Diet to measure the big∣ness

signes or strength of his own stomach? knows he by signes when they are over filled; and is he ignorant of the signes of repletion in himself? namely of satiety, loathing, drowsiness, stiffness, weakness, weariness, hea∣viness and belching? Doth not every man know, that Enough consisteth not in filling the paunch, but in take∣ing sufficient to maintain nature, which no doubt is satis∣fied with a little, as Solon said at the wisemens feast, Sum∣mum, imo divinum bonum est nullo vesci alimento; proxi∣mum vero & naturale quod a minimo. It is (said Solon) the greatest, yea the divinest good thing of all other, to eat no meat: and the next unto that and most natural is, to feed as sparingly as may be.

But can you not prescribe one certain measure or quantity fit for all men? no verily, for to prescribe to all men (or to one man at all times) one certain quantity of meat, were to make a coat for the Moon; which if ei∣ther Jupiter her Father, or Latona her Mother could have done, they would long ere this with some robe or other have covered her inconstant body, encreasing or decreasing every moment. And verily Hippocrates hath truly written. The quantity of meats ought not to be appointed by weight, number nor measure; but by sence and ability of our stomachs: for some cannot digest much, others are offended at a little; others are not sa∣tisfied till their maw be filled, others have too much when it is half filled.

It were strange to recite, what great store of meat some have eaten and others daily, do eat without offence; Aristotle in his Politicks, calleth the Fencers and Wrast∣lers Diet of his time 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a necessary Gourman∣dise; because through abundance of exercise (which consumeth spirits and humours) they were enforced to

eat both much and often. Nay Cornelius Gemma affirm∣eth, that he saw whilst he lived an aged woman, which from her infancy fed in excessive measure, eating some∣thing continually every hour, besides her ordinary meals of breakfast, dinner and supper, which were of an incre∣dible quantity: In the end dying with abundance of fat and flesh (for the caul of her belly weighed twenty pounds) they perceived all this to come from a peculiar and special temperature, called of the Grecians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: for her liver was greater and heavier then all the rest of her bowels laid together; exceeding red, and swelling with store of blood and wind. Surius and Bruyrinus, and Schengkius tell of many others, who lived long in health though they fed excessively, having as it were an Ostriches stomach joined with a Dogs appetite.

On the contrary side, some may as well live with hun∣ger and long abstinence a great while, according as I have read in many Authors. Hippocrates thinketh, that if a man abstain from meat and drink seven dayes, he can∣not escape death; yea when some afterwards were per∣swaded to eat, their meat never passed thorough them, because the hungry gut (called jejanum intestinum) was by abstinence clung together. But Pliny saw the con∣trary, and Tinous Aunt lived two months together with∣out meat or drink. Albertus, Alexander Benedictus, and Iacobus Sylvius, write yet of more strange and incredible abstinence both of men and women; which truely I would have registred amongst the lies of the golden Le∣gend, and the Abbot of Ursberg his Chronicles, had not William Rondeletius and honest Ioubertus written the like of a French gentlewoman, living almost three years without any sustenance of meat, bread, broth or drink; who afterwards was married and conceived a child, which she brougth well forth and happily alive: By all which

amples we may easily gather, how absurd the fashion and custome was before Plutarchs time: when every man did not carve for himself, but was carved unto by another; and that (after the Colledge fashion) so equally, that none had more or less then his fellows: which order how∣soever it pleased Hagias the Sophister, because feasts in Greek are called Divisions, and the Masters of feasts Great Dividers, and Servants Carvers, and Moera and Lachesis (being the Goddesses of feastings) were called so of equality of division; and that peace is maintained where equality is kept, and that Agamemnons Souldi∣ers (as Homer testifieth in sundry places) had every one alike measure and weight of victuals: yet (by his leave) neither is humanity therein observed, nor geometrical proportion kept, nor nature imitated. For tell me, what humanity can we call it, to give a man less then his stomach wanteth? what geometrical proportion is that, which giveth as much to the half-full, as the emp∣ty vessel? and how dare we prescribe one quantity to all, when mens stomachs be as divers in quantity of receit and ability of concoction, as their faces be differ∣ing in appearance? so that it is too little for one which is too much for another, and no certain measure, nor number, nor weight is to be prescribed to any man: but every one to feed according as his stomach is able to con∣coct; which (to use Hippocrates his phrase) though it have no ears, yet hath it intelligence to beg his own, and wis∣dome to discern when it hath enough; willing us not to eat till we have an appetite, nor to eat so long till we have none. This rule Galen observing (amongst many other) he was seldome sick, and lived (as Sipontinus writeth) 140 years.

Also let us remember, that in youth, health and win∣ter we may feed more plentifully, as also after exercise

and at our own own ordinary table: But when we are at great feasts, or forced to eat upon strange meats (be they never so finely dressed) let jealousy be our carver, after the example of Augustus Caesar, and also of Plato: who at great feasts fed onely on some known dish. I have read somewhere, when they of Thasis invited Alexander to a feast, that he fed well upon their fat mutton & beife, and gave away the forced dishes and curious Quelqchoses not to his own Countrimen and Souldiers, but to his captives and slaves: saying, That he would rather they were all dead, then that any of his owne by surfeiting upon any unknown meat should be never so little sick.

And thus much of the just quantity of meats; which Physitians may aim at by long experience, prescribing a full Diet to them that be sound and strong, and accu∣stomed to much feeding, a moderate diet to them that be indifferent, and a thin diet to such weaklings and sick persons as require neither much nor often feeding.

Notes

• Athen. l. 1. c. 1. In A••can.
• l. 6. c. 10. en. 7.
• Cael lib. 13. c. 2. A. L.
• Flan. Vopisc.
• Sabel. lib. 10. ex Capitolino.
• Ex Boet. in Ornithogon.
• Aug l. 10. con.
• Athen l. 10▪ c.
• Pl••t in Gryll.
• Marsil. Fici. de ••••end. stud san.
• Cael. lib. 17 ea. 11. A L.
• Ma. sat. 3. c. 17.
• Hector. Boeth▪ hist. Scot.
• Sozom. lib. 6. eccl. hist. c. 34.
• Hippoc.
• Xenoph. 1. Pae▪
• Athen. l. 2▪ c. 2.
• Cic. 3. Tusc.
• Marfil. Fic. de Sanit. stud. tu.
• Plut. 4. sympo•• Cloath your self warmly, and feed spa∣ringly.

  Vesti te cal••o & mangia poco
• Hip. de. vet. me
• lib▪ 1. cap. 6. Cosmocrit.
• Sur. com. rer. in orbe gest. B••u. lib. 3. de re cib. cap. 5. Schengh. lib. 3. obs▪ med.
• Hip lib▪ de ca.
• Plin. l. 11. c. 54 Athen. l. 2. Dip Alb. l. 7. de ani Alex. B. pract. lib. 12 c••p. 11 Jac. syl. Consil. contra famem.
• Ioub dec. 1. ••a∣••ad••••▪ 2.
• Plut. 2. Symp.
• lib. de. sal. diaet.
• Suet. in vita. Aug. Laert. in vita Diog.