attle black that taste of it. Aleacman now Peleca, another stream in
Thessaly, turns cattle most part white, _si polui ducas_, L. Aubanus
Rohemus refers that [1391]struma or poke of the Bavarians and Styrians to
the nature of their waters, as [1392]Munster doth that of Valesians in the
Alps, and [1393]Bodine supposeth the stuttering of some families in
Aquitania, about Labden, to proceed from the same cause, "and that the
filth is derived from the water to their bodies." So that they that use
filthy, standing, ill-coloured, thick, muddy water, must needs have muddy,
ill-coloured, impure, and infirm bodies. And because the body works upon
the mind, they shall have grosser understandings, dull, foggy, melancholy
spirits, and be really subject to all manner of infirmities.

To these noxious simples, we may reduce an infinite number of compound,
artificial, made dishes, of which our cooks afford us a great variety, as
tailors do fashions in our apparel. Such are [1394]puddings stuffed with
blood, or otherwise composed; baked, meats, soused indurate meats, fried
and broiled buttered meats; condite, powdered, and over-dried, [1395]all
cakes, simnels, buns, cracknels made with butter, spice, &c., fritters,
pancakes, pies, sausages, and those several sauces, sharp, or over-sweet,
of which _scientia popinae_, as Seneca calls it, hath served those [1396]
Apician tricks, and perfumed dishes, which Adrian the sixth Pope so much
admired in the accounts of his predecessor Leo Decimus; and which
prodigious riot and prodigality have invented in this age. These do
generally engender gross humours, fill the stomach with crudities, and all
those inward parts with obstructions. Montanus, _consil. 22_, gives
instance, in a melancholy Jew, that by eating such tart sauces, made
dishes, and salt meats, with which he was overmuch delighted, became
melancholy, and was evil affected. Such examples are familiar and common.

SUBSECT. II.--_Quantity of Diet a Cause._

There is not so much harm proceeding from the substance itself of meat, and
quality of it, in ill-dressing and preparing, as there is from the
quantity, disorder of time and place, unseasonable use of it, [1397]
intemperance, overmuch, or overlittle taking of it. A true saying it is,
_Plures crapula quam gladius_. This gluttony kills more than the sword,
this _omnivorantia et homicida gula_, this all-devouring and murdering gut.
And that of [1398]Pliny is truer, "Simple diet is the b