Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.
I have heard him say that he did beleeve he had been in excesse[1451] in his life, a hundred times; which, considering his great[1452] age, did not amount to above once a yeare. When he did drinke, he would drinke to excesse to have the benefitt of vomiting, which he did easily; by which benefit neither his witt was disturbt longer then he was spuing nor his stomach oppressed; but he never was, nor could not endure to be, habitually a good fellow, i.e. to drinke every day wine with company, which, though not to drunkennesse, spoiles the braine.
For his last 30+ yeares, his dyet, etc., was very moderate and regular. After sixty he dranke no wine, his stomach grew weak, and he did eate most fish, especially whitings, for he sayd he digested fish better then flesh. He rose about seaven, had[1453] his breakefast of bread and butter; and tooke his walke, meditating till ten; then he did putt downe the minutes of his thoughts, which he penned in the afternoon.
[1454]He had an inch thick board about 16 inches square, whereon paper was pasted. On this board he drew his lines (schemes). When a line came into his head, he would, as he was walking, take a rude memorandum of it, to preserve it in his memory till he came to his chamber. ☞ He was never idle; his thoughts were always working.
[1455]His dinner was provided for him exactly by eleaven, for he could not now stay till his lord's howre—scil. about two: that his stomach could not beare.
After dinner he tooke a pipe of tobacco, and then threw himselfe immediately on his bed, with his band off, and slept (tooke a nap of about halfe an howre).
In the afternoon he penned his morning thoughts.
Exercises. Besides his dayly walking, he did twice or thrice a yeare play at tennis[CXXII.] (at about 75 he did it); then went to bed there and was well rubbed[CXXIII.]. This he did believe would make him live two or three yeares the longer.
[CXXII.] Quaere James Wheldon de hoc—how often, and to what age?—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 46v.
[CXXIII.] Memorandum there was no bagnio in his time. That in Newgate Street was built about the time of his death.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 46v.