They of old time to whom these rules were first giuen hauing all thinges at their will, and sparing for no cost, neither straited for want of time, which they disposed as they listed, and to whom the traine bycause of their libertie and leasure was properly bequeathed, did vse many circumstances both ear they entred into their exercise, and when they were in it, and also after that they had ended it, ear they went to meat. Which their curious course, I will briefly runne through, onely to let them see it, which can do no more but see it, bycause the circumstances of our time will skant suffer any to assay it. After that they felt their former meat fully digested, and had at leysure performed what belonged to the purging of their bodies, they disrobed themselues, and were chafed with a gentle kinde of rubber, till that the freshnes of their colour, and agilytie of their ioyntes seemed to call for exercise. Then were they oynted with sweete oyle so neatly and with such cunning, as it might sooke into their bodies, and search euerie ioynt. That being done if they ment to wrastle, they threw dust vpon the oyntment: if not, they went to the exercise, which they had most fansie vnto, which being ended they rested a while, then with certaine scrapers called Strigiles, they had all their filth scrapte of their bodies: afterward they were chafed and rubbed againe, then oynted also againe, either in the Sunne or by the fire. Then to the bath, last of all apparelling themselues they fell to their meat. And this was not one or two, nor men of might alone, but euery one and of euery sort, nay, shall I say it? euen of euery sex. A long and laboriouse trauell, and an argument of much ease, and to much adoe in that, which should be more common.
But in these our dayes, considering we neither haue such places wherin, nor the persons by whose helpe, nor the leasure by whose sufferance we maye entend so delicate a tendring of our selues, and yet for all that may not neglect so great a misterie for our owne health, as exercise is, though we cannot reatch to the olde, which perhaps we neede not, smaller prouision and simpler fourniture, will serue our turne, and worke the same effectes, nay may fortune better by helpe of some circunstance peculiar to our selues. Therefore for our maner and order of exercise, these few and easie considerations may seeme to be sufficient: To cleare our bodies from superfluities echewaye, to combe our heades, to wash our handes and face, to apparell our selues for the purpose, to begin our exercise first slowly, and so grow on quicker, to rebate softly, and by gentle degrees, to change our sweatie clothes, to walke a litle after, last of all our bodies being setled, to go to our meate. This is that which I promised to note concerning the six circunstances of exercise.
CHAPTER 35.
An aduertisement to the training maister. Why both the teaching of the minde, and the training of the bodie be assigned to the same maister. The inconueniences which ensue, where the bodie and soule be made particular subiectes to severall professions. That who so will execute anything well, must of force be fully resolued of the excellency of his owne subiect. Out of what kinde of writers the exercising maister may store himselfe with cunning. That the first groundes would be laid by the cunningest workeman. That priuate discretion in any executor is of more efficacie then his skill.
I haue already spoken of the parties, which are to be exercised, and what they are to obserue: nowe must I saye somwhat of him, and to him, which is to direct the exercise, and how he may procure sufficient knowledge, wherby to do it exceeding well. And yet the trainers person is but a parcell of that person, whom I do charge with the whole. For I do assigne both the framing of the minde, and the training of the bodie to one mans charge, whose sufficiencie may verie well satisfie both, being so neare companions in linke, and not to be vncoupled in learning. The causes why I medle in this place with the training maister, or rather the training parte of the common maister, be these: first I did promise in my methode of exercises so to do: secondly the late discours of exercise will somwhat lighten this matter, and whatsoeuer shall be said here, may easely be reuiued there, where I deale with the generall maister. Beside this, exercise being so great a braunche of education as the sole traine of the whole bodie, maye well commaunde such a particular labour, though in deede I seuer not the persons, where I ioine the properties. For in appointing seuerall executions, where the knowledge is vnited, and the successe followeth by the continuall comparing of the partes, how they both maye, or how they both do best procede in their best way, how can that man iudge wel of the soule, whose trauell consisteth in the bodie alone? or how shall he perceiue what is the bodies best, which hauing the soule onely committed to his care, posteth ouer the bodie as to an other mans reckening? In these cases both fantsie workes affection, and affection ouer-weyneth, either best liking where it fantsieth most, or most following, where it affecteth best, as it doth appeare in Diuines, who punish the bodie, to haue the soule better, and in Physicians, who looke a side at the soule, bycause the bodie is there best. Where by the way I obserue, the different effectes which these two subiectes, being seuered in charge, do offer vnto their professours. For the health of the soule is the Diuines best, both for his honest delite, that it doth so well, and for his best ease, that himselfe faires so well. For an honest, vertuous, godly and well disposed soule, doth highly esteeme and honorably thinke of the professour of diuinitie, and teacher of his religion, bycause vertuous dealinges, godly meditations, heauently thoughtes, which the one importeth, be the others portion, and the best food, to a well affected minde: Whervpon in such a healthy disposition of a well both informed and reformed soule, the Diuine can neither lacke honor for his person, nor substance for his purse.
Now to the contrarie the health of the bodie, which is the Physicians subiect, is generally his worst, though it be the ende of his profession, which though he be glad of his owne good nature, as he is a man, or of his good conscience, as he is a Christian, that the bodie doth wel, yet his chymny doth not smoke where no pacient smartes. For the healthfull bodie commonly careth not for the Physician, it is neede that makes him sought. And as the Philosopher sayeth, if all men were freindes, then iustice should not neede, bycause no wrong would be offered: so if all bodies were whole that no distemperature enforced: or if the Diuine were well and duetifully heard, that no intemperance distempered, Physick should haue small place: Now the contrary dealinges, bycause the diuine is not heard, and distemperature not auoided, do enforce Physick, for the healing parte of it, as the mother of the professours gaine: where as the preseruing part neither will be kept by the one, neither enricheth the other. In these two professions we do generally see what the seuering of such neare neighbours doth bring to passe, like two tenantes in one house belonging to seuerall lordes. And yet the affections of the one so tuch the other, as they cause sometimes, both the Diuine to thinke of the body, for the better support of the soule: and the Physician to thinke of the soule to helpe him in his cure with comfort and courage. The seuering of those two, sometime shew vs verie pitifull conclusions, when the Diuine diliuers the desperate sicke soule, ouer to the secular magistrate, and a forcible death by waye of punishement: and the Physician deliuereth the desperate sicke bodie to the Diuines care, and a forced ende by extremitie of disease. I dare not saye that these professions might ioyne in one person, and yet Galene[52] examining the force which a good or ill soule hath to imprint the like affections in the bodie, would not haue the Physician to tarie for the Phylosopher but to play the parte himselfe. Where to much distraction is, and subalterne professions be made seuerall heads, there the professions make the most of their subiectes, and the subiectes receiue least good, though they parte from most. And seuerall professing makes the seuerall trades to swell beyond proportion, euerie one seeking to make the most of his owne, nay rather vanting his owne, as simply the highest, though it creepe very low. And therefore in this my traine I couch both the partes vnder one maister’s care. For while the bodie is committed to one, and the soul commended to an other, it falleth out most times, that the poore bodie is miserably neglected, while nothing is cared for but onely the soule, as it proueth true in very zealous Diuines: and that the soule it selfe is but sillyly looked to, while the bodie is in price, and to much borne with, as is generally seene: and that in this conflicte the diligent scholer in great strength of soule, beares mostwhat about him, but a feeble, weake, and a sickish bodie. Wherefore to haue the care equally distributed which is due to both the partes, I make him but one, which dealeth with both. For I finde no such difficultie, but that either for the cunning he may compasse it: or for the trauell he maye beare it, hauing all circunstances free by succession in houres. Moreouer as the temperature of the soule smelleth of the temperature of the bodie, so the soule being well affected, will draw on the bodie to her bent. For will a modest and a moderate soule but cause the body obey the rule of her temperance? or if the soule it selfe be reclaymed from follie, doth it not constraine the bodie forth with to follow? So that it were to much to sunder them in charge, whose dispositions be so ioyned, and the skill of such facilitie, as may easely be attained, and so much the sooner, bycause it is the preseruing parte, which requireth most care in the partie, and but small in the trainer, as the healinge part of Physicke requireth most cunning in the professour, and some obedience in the patient.
I do make great account of the parties skill, that is to execute matters which besides diligence require skill: for if he be skilfull himselfe, it almost needes not to giue precept. If he be not, it altogither bootes not. If he be skillfull he will execute well, bycause he can helpe the thing, which he must execute if particular occurrence pray aide at the sudden: if he want skill he will lightly mangle that, which is wel set downe, if he be a medler. Wherefore seing I wish the executors cunning, and yet must be content to take him as I finde him: I will do my best both to instruct infirmitie, and to content cunning. I must therefore haue him to thinke, that there be two properties which he must take to be of most efficacie to make a cunning executor. The one is to be rauished with the excellencie and worthynes of the thing which he is to execute. The other is, if he may very easily attaine vnto some singuler knowledge in so noble a subiect, which both concur in this present execution.
The liking of the executors subiect.
1. For graunting the soule simply the preheminence both in substance of being, and in traine to be bettered, can there be any other single subiect, (which I say in respect of a communitie directed by diuine and humaine law, that is compound, and the principall subiect of any mans dealing,) can there be any single subiect I say of greater nobilitie, and more worthy to be in loue with, either by the partie, that is to finde it, or by him that is to frame it, then healthfullnes of body? which so toucheth the soule as it shakes it withall, if it selfe be not sownd?