The Arbor of Amitie wherin is comprised pleasant Pohems and pretie Poesies, set foorth by Thomas Howell |
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A diet prescribed to his Friend G.
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 | The Arbor of Amitie |  |
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A diet prescribed to his Friend G.
My friend to holde thy harmlesse helth,a diet must thou keepe:
As phisicks Art shall thee instruct,
men first did learne to creepe.
Abstaine thou still to feede thy fleshe,
which swelles in pampred pride:
Tabstaine from sinne a meane there is,
as fathers olde haue saide.
And first all noysome lothed meate,
that white is doe eschewe:
As lime and paper, tallow, chalke,
and from all partchment newe.
From all meat sharp, as dagger swords,
with kniues and sharped speares.
From black, as tarre, and tarre box, pitch,
and sut that chimney smeares.
From hard, that cannot well disgest,
as milstone timber flint:
But chiefly flie a female foole,
O woes that doe not stint.
From all meate light as fethers, flocks,
fine downe and sifted haye:
From heauie things, as lead and tinne,
with brasse and yron aye.
From all meate soft, as wooll and flaxe,
bombaste and winds that bloe:
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trees walles and manye moe.
From things but leane as rakes and forkes,
with wodcocks billes and braine:
With pothookes potled, whetstone smoth,
all these are vices vaine.
| The Arbor of Amitie | |