from this
disease, that vsethe this kinde of liuynge and maner in
dietynge. An example hereof may the wise man _Socrates_ be,
which by this sorte of diete escaped a sore pestilence in
Athenes, neuer fleynge ne kepyng close him selfe from the same.
Truly who will lyue accordynge to nature and not to lust, may
with this diete be well contented. For nature is pleased with a
litle, nor seketh other then that (22) [= (21)] the mind voide
of cares and feares may be in quiete merily, and the body voide
of grefe, maye be in life swetly, as _Lucretius_ writeth. Here
at large to ronne out vntill my breth wer spent, as vpon a
common place, against y^e intemperance or excessiue diete of
Englande, thincommodities & displeasures of the same many waies:
and contrarie, in commendation of meane diete and temperance
(called of _Plato_ _sophrosyne_, for that it conserneth wisdome)
and the thousande commodities therof, both for helthe, welthe,
witte, and longe life, well I might, & lose my laboure: such be
our Englishe facions rather then reasones. But for that I
purpose neither to wright a longe worke but a shorte counseill,
nor to wery the reders with that they luste not to here, I will
lette that passe, and moue them that desire further to knowe my
mynde therin, to remember that I sayd before, of litle & good
eate and spare not, wherby they shall easely perceiue my
meanyng. I therefore go furth with my diete, wherin my counseill
is, that the meates be helthfull, and holsomly kylled, swetly
saued, and wel prepared in rostyng, sethyng, baking, & so furth.
The bred, of swet corne, wel leuened, and so baked. The drinke
of swete malte and good water kyndly brued, without other drosse
nowe a daies vsed. No wine in all the tyme of sweatyng, excepte
to suche whose sickenes require it for medicin, for fere of
inflamynge & openynge, nor except y^e halfe be wel soden water.
In other tymes, old, pure, & smal. Wishing for the better
execution hereof & ouersight of good and helthsome victalles,
ther wer appointed certein masters of helth in euery citie and
toune, as there is in Italie, whiche for the good order in all
thynges, maye be in al places an example. The meates I would to
be veale, muttone, kidde, olde lambe, chikyn, capone, henne,
cocke, pertriche, phesane, felfare, smal birdes, pigeon, yong
pecockes, whose fleshe by a (22) certeine natural & secrete
propertie neuer putrefie, as hath bene proued. Conies, porke of
meane age, neither fatt