In the month of Iuly eschew all wanton bed-sport: and if each morning you take of draught of clarified Butter-Milke it is very wholesome: vse coole Iulyps, and meats that are fresh, and not stirring: now forbeare Lettice, and bléede not, except it be in cause of great extreamitie.
In the month of August forbeare all manner of Worts, and Cabadges, and generally all meats and Spices which are hot and inflaming: but by any meanes bléed not at all, except by the direction of most approued learning.
In the month of September you may eate any sort of ripe Fruits: you may bathe in hot bathes, for colde causes, at your pleasure, and you may let bloud according to your necessitie: those foods are best which are of lightest disgestion, and those drinkes most wholesome which are rather strong then scouring.
In the moneth of October, spare not any bloud, except great extreamitie compell you, and for your dyet, let it be of such foods as are most strong and nourishing, and your drinke Béere or Ale, of indifferent strength, and now and then at the midst, and end of meales, a draught or two of such Wines as are pleasant, strong, and wholesome: Sallets of Flowers, preserued in Vinegar & Sugar, as either Violets, Broome-flowers, or Gelly-flowers of all kindes, or Sampyre, Purslan, or Beane-rods, preserued in pickell, are of excellent vse, both in this moneth, and the other two which follow.
In the Moneth of Nouember open also no vaine, but for great néed, because the blood is then gathered together into the principall vessels: Bathing in this Moneth is vtterly to be refused, onely let your body be kept warme, and euery colde humour or obstruction, rather dissolued by moderate frictions, as is shewed in the moneth of Ianuary and February, then by the violence of any other inward medicine. Shell-Fish in this moneth is very wholesome, and so are all other sorts of Fish, which are not too rawe or slymie.
In the Moneth of December blood-letting should be also forborne, except vpon some especiall dayes, as after the fiue and twentieth day at the soonest: and for your diet let it be meate which is hot and nourishing, but by no meanes that which bréedeth melancholie bloud. Vse strong Wine and sharpe Sauces: as for the warmth of your body, next vnto good cloathing, let it euer procéed from exercise that is moderate, then from toasting, or broiling your selfe against the fire, for in this Month that body can hardly be sound whose shinnes are made pyde and motley with the fiers scortching.
And thus much touching the experience of the English Husbandman in these fore-knowledges, and ayming after the times to come, being drawne from the obseruations and rules left vs by succession of times of those learned Fathers, and other best knowne and approued in these knowledges: yet I doe not binde euery Husbandman to make as it were new Créeds of these Principles, but onely to giue them to his memory, as things that will neither oppresse nor hurt it, and if in any seldome-séene particularitie, any shall vary from the purpose of the relation, to remember that there is aboue vs a God of all Truth and Knowledge, who will dispose and gouerne all things, according to his good Will and Pleasure: to which let euery Creature submit, in as much as hee onely knoweth what is for mankinde most best and most conuenient.
Chap. II.
The choyce of ground for the Kitchin-garden, and the ordering thereof.
