The hauen of pleasure containing a freemans felicitie, and a true direction how to liue well : profitable and del[i]ghtfull to all, hurtfull and displeasing to none, except it bee to such pecuish dames as do either foolishlie reiect, or carelesly neglect the dutie of chast matron[e]s / gathered out of the best approued authors.

That students and such as haue gouernment in a Common wealth, must purge the passages whereby the exere∣ments are auoided. Chap. 28.

GOd the maker of all mankinde hath not in vaine made so manie passages and waies to purge the humors and auoid the excremēts of our bodies, least the aboundance of them should be a destruction to man, or might perhaps bee stifled with the vapors that flowe from them: so that the head is purged by the nose and eares, the palate or roofe of the mouth by hemming, hauking, & neesing, the breast and lunges through the windpipe purgeth spittle by coughing, the stomache or ventricle purge her filth by belching and vomit, the invvardes purge themselues by and through the guts, by breaking wind and casting the ordure backwarde, the reines & blad∣der doe conuey their vrine thorough the watrie con∣duits and passages, and the superhciall part of the bo∣die doth send out his svveatie mists & vapors through little holes dispersed in the skinne, which we cal pores. Wherefore seeing the bodie cannot bee in health vn∣lesse all his partes be in good order and perform their duties without offence: vvee must haue a speciall re∣garde that no faulte or intemperance doe arise, that may putrifie or defile the actions of these Organes or anie waie hurt them. For the minde it selfe vseth their ministerie to bring her waightie matters to passe. If anie disease greeue vs, if the head bee troubled vvith ache, if with the Rheume, if vvith the stone or strangu∣rion, if blindenesse or blearing corrupt the eies, if hands or feete bee troubled with the Govvt, or as Ho∣race saith:

Simala quem scabies aut morbus regius vrget, If filthie scabs or kinges disease doe any waie molest:

Mannes minde is thereby lesse able to execute her office and performe her dutie so soone as othervvise.

Wherefore methinkes they doe excellent well, vvho taking great care to keepe their bodies in health, doe purge and cleanse them and all their partes from all excrements: for by that meanes doth the mind more cleer••lie shine, and is made more fitte for anie nota∣ble action. But the greatest number of men, neglec∣ting all good order, and nothing regarding their owne health, doe gape after riches, and applie all their stu∣dies in getting and obtaining it, when as indeed ••elth is better than Golde, and nothing more to bee wished than tranquilitie and peace of minde, which Horace confirmes, saying:

Si ventri bene, si lateri est, pedibusque tuis, nil Diuitiae poterunt regales addere maius, Non domus, aut fundus, non aeris aceruus, & auri A Egroto domini deduxit corpore febres, Non animo curas, &c.

If it be well with bellie, legges, and sides, The riches of a king can giue no more, For neither house nor land, nor heaps of gold Can take awaie their ague sicke lords sore, Or case his griefe, &c. The owner, &c.

And to the ende he might reclaime all men to a spa¦ring and moderate vse of all things, he addeth to make vppe the former verse begun.

—Valeat possessor oportet Si comportatis rebus bene cogitat vti. —The owner must be well If he wil vse his gotten goods aright.

The vvise Salomon agreeth with him in these wordes: It is better to be a poore manne in sounde and perfect health, then a rich man with a diseased bodie. Health and soundnesse is better than any golde, and a stronge bodie then infinite riches. There are no better riches

thē 〈◊〉〈◊〉 health of the bodie, nor any delight greater then the ioy of the minde and gladnesse of hart. Wherfore we muste not measure our felicitie by our aboundance of wealth and prosperous successe in our affaires, but by the perfect health of our mindes and bodies. For it onelie liueth and is in health, who without offence in∣ioyeth these two commodities.

Notes

• Lib. 1 ep••. 12
• Lib. •• apist. 2.
• Ec••les. 30
• Sap. 4