d with him in [2894]Tully, though writ especially for the
good of his friends at Tarentum and Sicily, yet it will generally serve
[2895]most other diseases, and help them likewise, if it be observed.

Of these six non-natural things, the first is diet, properly so called,
which consists in meat and drink, in which we must consider substance,
quantity, quality, and that opposite to the precedent. In substance, such
meats are generally commended, which are [2896]"moist, easy of digestion,
and not apt to engender wind, not fried, nor roasted, but sod" (saith
Valescus, Altomarus, Piso, &c.) "hot and moist, and of good nourishment;"
Crato, _consil. 21. lib. 2._ admits roast meat, [2897]if the burned and
scorched _superficies_, the brown we call it, be pared off. Salvianus,
_lib. 2. cap. 1._ cries out on cold and dry meats; [2898]young flesh and
tender is approved, as of kid, rabbits, chickens, veal, mutton, capons,
hens, partridge, pheasant, quails, and all mountain birds, which are so
familiar in some parts of Africa, and in Italy, and as [2899]Dublinius
reports, the common food of boors and clowns in Palestine. Galen takes
exception at mutton, but without question he means that rammy mutton, which
is in Turkey and Asia Minor, which have those great fleshy tails, of
forty-eight pounds weight, as Vertomannus witnesseth, _navig. lib. 2.
cap. 5._ The lean of fat meat is best, and all manner of broths, and
pottage, with borage, lettuce, and such wholesome herbs are excellent good,
especially of a cock boiled; all spoon meat. Arabians commend brains, but
[2900]Laurentius, _c. 8._ excepts against them, and so do many others;
[2901]eggs are justified as a nutritive wholesome meat, butter and oil may
pass, but with some limitation; so [2902]Crato confines it, and "to some
men sparingly at set times, or in sauce," and so sugar and honey are
approved. [2903]All sharp and sour sauces must be avoided, and spices, or
at least seldom used: and so saffron sometimes in broth may be tolerated;
but these things may be more freely used, as the temperature of the party
is hot or cold, or as he shall find inconvenience by them. The thinnest,
whitest, smallest wine is best, not thick, nor strong; and so of beer, the
middling is fittest. Bread of good wheat, pure, well purged from the bran
is preferred; Laurentius, _cap. 8._ would have it kneaded with rain water,
if it may be gotten.

_Water_.] Pure, thin, light water by all means use, of good sme