ese maye
easelier be hadde, as at hande in niede, which now to finde is
my most endeuour, as moste fruictfulle to whome I write. And
this to be done I counsaille in the sickenesse tyme, when firste
you heare it to be comming and begonne, but not in the fitte.
Alwayes remembryng, not to go out fastinge. For as _Cornelius
Celsus_ wrytethe, Uenime or infection taketh holde muche soner
in a bodye yet fasting, then in the same not fastinge. Yet this
is not so to be vnderstande, that in the (26) mornynge we shal
streight as our clothes be on, stuffe our bellies as fulle as
Englishe menne, (as the Frenche man saieth to our shames,) but
to be contente with oure preseruatiues, or with a little meate
bothe at breakefaste (if custome and nede so require) dynner and
supper. For other wise nature, if the disease shoulde take vs,
shoulde haue more a doe againste the full bealy and fearce
disease, then it were able to susteyne.

Aftre diete and ayer followethe filling or emptieng. Of filling
in the name of repletion I spake before. Of emptieng, I will now
shortely write as of a thing very necessary for the conseruation
of mannes healthe. For if that whiche is euel within, be not by
good meanes & wayes wel fet oute, it often times destroyeth the
lyfe. Good meanes to fet out the euelle stuffe of the body be
two, abstinence, & auoydance.

Abstinence, in eatynge and drinckynge litle, as a lytle before I
sayed, and seldome. For so, more goeth awaie then comethe, and
by litle and litle it wasteth the humours & drieth. Therfore
(as I wiene) throughe the counseil of Phisike, & by the good
ciuile, & politique ordres, tendring the wealth of many so much
geuen to their bellies to their own hurtes & damages, not able
for want of reason to rule them selues, & therby enclined to al
vices and diseases: for thauoiding of these same, increase of
vertue, witte and health, sauing victualles, making plenty,
auoyding lothesomenesse or wearinesse, by chaunge, in taking
sometime of that in the sea, and not alwaies destroieng y^t of
the lande, an ordre (without the whiche nothing can stand) and
comon wealth, dayes of abstinence, and fasting were firste made,
and not for religion onely.

Auoidance, because it cannot be safely done withoute the healpe
of a good Phisicien, I let passe here, expressing howe it
shoulde bee done duelye accordinge to the nature of the (27)
disease and the estate of the personne, in an other booke made
by me in Latine, vppon