the body and mind sooner than to be
still fed, to eat and ingurgitate beyond all measure, as many do. [2936]
"By overmuch eating and continual feasts they stifle nature, and choke up
themselves; which, had they lived coarsely, or like galley slaves been tied
to an oar, might have happily prolonged many fair years."

A great inconvenience comes by variety of dishes, which causeth the
precedent distemperature, [2937]"than which" (saith Avicenna) "nothing is
worse; to feed on diversity of meats, or overmuch," Sertorius-like, _in
lucem caenare_, and as commonly they do in Muscovy and Iceland, to prolong
their meals all day long, or all night. Our northern countries offend
especially in this, and we in this island (_ampliter viventes in prandiis
et caenis_, as [2938]Polydore notes) are most liberal feeders, but to our
own hurt. [2939]_Persicos odi puer apparatus_: "Excess of meat breedeth
sickness, and gluttony causeth choleric diseases: by surfeiting many
perish, but he that dieteth himself prolongeth his life," Ecclus. xxxvii.
29, 30. We account it a great glory for a man to have his table daily
furnished with variety of meats: but hear the physician, he pulls thee by
the ear as thou sittest, and telleth thee, [2940]"that nothing can be more
noxious to thy health than such variety and plenty." Temperance is a bridle
of gold, and he that can use it aright, [2941]_ego non summis viris
comparo, sed simillimum Deo judico_, is liker a God than a man: for as it
will transform a beast to a man again, so will it make a man a God. To
preserve thine honour, health, and to avoid therefore all those inflations,
torments, obstructions, crudities, and diseases that come by a full diet,
the best way is to [2942]feed sparingly of one or two dishes at most, to
have _ventrem bene moratum_, as Seneca calls it, [2943]"to choose one of
many, and to feed on that alone," as Crato adviseth his patient. The same
counsel [2944]Prosper Calenus gives to Cardinal Caesius, to use a moderate
and simple diet: and though his table be jovially furnished by reason of
his state and guests, yet for his own part to single out some one savoury
dish and feed on it. The same is inculcated by [2945]Crato, _consil. 9. l.
2._ to a noble personage affected with this grievance, he would have his
highness to dine or sup alone, without all his honourable attendance and
courtly company, with a private friend or so, [2946]a dish or two, a cup of
Rhenish wine, &c. Montanus,