dissemblers, liars, hypocrites, for fools and madmen tell commonly truth.
In a word, as they are distressed, so are they pitied, which some hold
better than to be envied, better to be sad than merry, better to be foolish
and quiet, _quam sapere et ringi_, to be wise and still vexed; better to be
miserable than happy: of two extremes it is the best.

SECT. IV. MEMB. I.

SUBSECT. I.--_Of Physic which cureth with Medicines_.

After a long and tedious discourse of these six non-natural things and
their several rectifications, all which are comprehended in diet, I am come
now at last to _Pharmaceutice_, or that kind of physic which cureth by
medicines, which apothecaries most part make, mingle, or sell in their
shops. Many cavil at this kind of physic, and hold it unnecessary,
unprofitable to this or any other disease, because those countries which
use it least, live longest, and are best in health, as [4079]Hector
Boethius relates of the isles of Orcades, the people are still sound of
body and mind, without any use of physic, they live commonly 120 years, and
Ortelius in his itinerary of the inhabitants of the Forest of Arden, [4080]
"they are very painful, long-lived, sound," &c. [4081]Martianus Capella,
speaking of the Indians of his time, saith, they were (much like our
western Indians now) "bigger than ordinary men, bred coarsely, very
long-lived, insomuch, that he that died at a hundred years of age, went
before his time," &c. Damianus A-Goes, Saxo Grammaticus, Aubanus Bohemus,
say the like of them that live in Norway, Lapland, Finmark, Biarmia,
Corelia, all over Scandia, and those northern countries, they are most
healthful, and very long-lived, in which places there is no use at all of
physic, the name of it is not once heard. Dithmarus Bleskenius in his
accurate description of Iceland, 1607, makes mention, amongst other
matters, of the inhabitants, and their manner of living, [4082]"which is
dried fish instead of bread, butter, cheese, and salt meats, most part they
drink water and whey, and yet without physic or physician, they live many
of them 250 years." I find the same relation by Lerius, and some other
writers, of Indians in America. Paulus Jovius in his description of
Britain, and Levinus Lemnius, observe as much of this our island, that
there was of old no use of [4083]physic amongst us, and but little at this
day, except it be for a few nice idle citizens, surfeiting courtiers, and
stall-fed gentlemen l