of Plinies Naturall: Hiftorié. 
_ A up,anditis moftunholefome forthe bodie, and namely forthofe who are to goe into the field 
- for to fight a battell : for it hindereth the forecaft of the mind, and dulleth the vigor and quick- 
nefle of the fpirit : fitter indeed to bring and lull men afleepe in the bed of {ecuritic.Certes it was 
a practife long agoe among fuchas defired reft and peace, and who loved to fleepeinawhole 
skin, forto drinke wine fafting : for fo we read in Homer, how Helenathatfaire ladie, prefented a 
cup of wine before meat. And hereupon came the proverbe, That wine doth overfhaddow and 
darken the light of wifdome & underftanding. Verelywe that are men have this propertie above 
all other living creatures, and wee may thanke wine for it, That wee drinke many times when wee 
be not drie nora thirft. And therfore paffing good it isto drink faire water ocherwhiles between, 
Ia Jike manner fuch as ufe ordinarily tobe drunke,and arelightly never fober.thall not do amiffe 
to take a good draught of cold water prefently upon their liberal] pouring in of wine: for it will) 
forthwith difpatch and difcuffe hofe tumes which caufe drunkennefle, Acfiodvs giveth counfell 
to drinke wine fomewhat delaied with water,for twentie daies before therifing ofthe Dogge ftar, 
and as many after. True itis indeed, that Mere* wine not delaied,is aremedie apaintt Hemlocke, * aerun: 
Coriander, the poyfon Aconite or Libard-baine, the venomons gum of the plant Chameleon, 
called Ixia, Opium,or the juice of Poppie,and Quickfilver: alfo,torfuch as have ben ftang with 
Bees, Wafpes and Hornets,the venomous fpiders Phalangia, Serpents, and Scorpions;and ge- 
_nerally, againft all thofe poyfons, which byreafon of acold qualitie doe mortifie natural heat. 
But particularly itis a fpecial] countrepoyfon againft the venomous worins called Hemorrhoids 
and Prefters,as alfo the deadly Mufhromes. Over and befides,fingular good is wine againtt ven~ 
tofities, gripings, and gnawings about the midriffe and precordiall parts about the :heart : alfo 
forthofe, whote ftomackes are readie every while to overturne and to caft:and where the bellie 
or entrailes be troubled wihrheumiaticke fluxes. Semblably,wine a little delaied, is fingular for 
the blondie flix: for {uch as bee given to faint {weats, old coughs; and any violent fluxes either: 
intothe eyes or other inferiour parts. But a fomentation of meere wine may bee applied witha 
fpunge tothe left pap in café of the Cardiacke paffion, which is a feebleneffe and trembling of 
the heart. And in thefe cafes white wine is betcer than any other, foitbe of forme reafonable age. 
Alfo it isfound by experience, Thiat horfes and fuch beafts, either forthe faddle and packe or 
draught,become very luftie,if their ftones or genetoires be bathed with wine hot:and when they 
betired out,there is nothing (by report) better torefre(htheir courage,than to poure wine into 
them with an horne. Apes aud Marmofets,and other foure-footed bealts,whofe feet are divided 
into clawes or toes,will not grow (men fay) if they be ufed to drinke pure wine. But itis my pur- 
pofe now to treat of the properties of wine, touching Phyficke andthe cure of maladies . For 
gentlemen,well borneand bred, who have wherewith, and may have what they will, che wines of 
Campaine I count moft holefome,fo they make choife of the {malleft and the thinneft, But the 
common fort may be Phyficians to themfelves,and drinke every man what wine he hiketh moft, 
and findeth beft to agree with him. Howbeitto fpeake generally, the holefomett wines both of 
the one fort andthe other,an¢ for all perfons, be fuch as have run through a firainer or Ipocras | 
bag,and therby foft {ome part of their {trength. But this we muft remember every one of us, That 
the liquor of wine getreth all the force anditrength that it hathby working, {purging,and fees 
' thing (asit were)in the lees whilesitis Mult, To mingle fundriekinds of wine together, can bee 
good fornone,neither richnor poore, Contrariwife,that wineis held moft healthfull,that is of 
it felfe, and had nothing puttHereto in the firft vatt or veffel] when it wasnewand meere Muft of 
the grape: and the better will itbee, if there come no pitch into the barrels or veflels wherein it is 
tunned or filled.For as touching thofe wines,which are medicined with marble, plaftre, & quick- 
lime,what man is he(were he never fo healthie and {trong)but he may be afraid well ynough to. 
drinke therof?VVell then,wines either tunned up or delaied with fea water,be hurtfull to the fto- 
macke,finewes,and bladder ,as muchas any other. As for the wines dreffed andconfected with 
- Parrozine,they are thought to be holefome for cold {ftomackes: but contrariwife,good they are 
notforfuch as are prone to vomit, no more than Muftitfelfe,or cuit,whether it be Sapa or Paf- 
fom. VVine,wherein rofin hath been newly put,is not forany man to drinke; for it caufeth head- 
ach {wimmings,and dizzinefle inthe braine :and no marvell if this mixture be called Crapula, 
for it doth intoxicat the braine. Howbeit,thefe wines thus brued and dreffed with rofin,are good 
for the cough and all rheumes slikewife,for feeble ftomackes and the flux thereof enfuing;2s al- 
fo in dyfenteries or exulcerations of the guts, and their bloudie flix; and laft of all, for womens 
tCrMeS. * 
b 
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