al canons. Aelianus
Montaltus _cap. 26._ Faventinus in his empirics, Hercules de Saxonia, &c.,
have their several injunctions and rules, all tending to one end. The
ordinary is threefold, which I mean to follow. [Greek: Diaitaetikae],
_Pharmaceutica_, and _Chirurgica_, diet, or living, apothecary, chirurgery,
which Wecker, Crato, Guianerius, &c., and most, prescribe; of which I will
insist, and speak in their order.

SECT. II. MEMB. I.

SUBSECT. I.--_Diet rectified in substance_.

Diet, [Greek: Diaitaetikae], _victus_, or living, according to [2885]
Fuchsius and others, comprehends those six non-natural things, which I have
before specified, are especial causes, and being rectified, a sole or chief
part of the cure. [2886]Johannes Arculanus, _cap. 16. in 9. Rhasis_,
accounts the rectifying of these six a sufficient cure. Guianerius, _tract.
15, cap. 9._ calls them, _propriam et primam curam_, the principal cure: so
doth Montanus, Crato, Mercurialis, Altomarus, &c., first to be tried,
Lemnius, _instit. cap. 22_, names them the hinges of our health, [2887]no
hope of recovery without them. Reinerus Solenander, in his seventh
consultation for a Spanish young gentlewoman, that was so melancholy she
abhorred all company, and would not sit at table with her familiar friends,
prescribes this physic above the rest, [2888]no good to be done without it.
[2889]Aretus, _lib. 1. cap. 7._ an old physician, is of opinion, that this
is enough of itself, if the party be not too far gone in sickness.
[2890]Crato, in a consultation of his for a noble patient, tells him
plainly, that if his highness will keep but a good diet, he will warrant
him his former health. [2891]Montanus, _consil. 27._ for a nobleman of
France, admonisheth his lordship to be most circumspect in his diet, or
else all his other physic will [2892]be to small purpose. The same
injunction I find verbatim in J. Caesar Claudinus, _Respon. 34. Scoltzii_,
_consil. 183._ Trallianus, _cap. 16. lib. 1._ Laelius a Fonte Aeugubinus
often brags, that he hath done more cures in this kind by rectification of
diet, than all other physic besides. So that in a word I may say to most
melancholy men, as the fox said to the weasel, that could not get out of
the garner, _Macra cavum repetes, quem macra subisti_, [2893]the six
non-natural things caused it, and they must cure it. Which howsoever I
treat of, as proper to the meridian of melancholy, yet nevertheless, that
which is here sai