Of running.

The manifest seruices which we receiue by our legges and feete, in warre for glorie, to pursue or saue, in game for pleasure to winne and weare, in Physick for health to preserue and heale, do giue parentes to vnderstand, that they do suffer their children to be more then halfe maymed, if they traine them not vp in their youth to the vse and exercise therof. To polishe out this point with those effectuall reasons, which auaunce and set forth nature, when she sayeth in plaine termes, that she meanes to do good: or with those argumentes, wherwith the best authors do amplifie such places, when they finde nature so freindly and forward, (as the anatomistes which suruey the workmanship of our bodie, and histories, which note the effectes of swiftnesse, do wonder at nature, and wish exercise to helpe her, for that which they see) were to me nothing needefull, considering my ende is not the praise, but the practise of that which is praiseworthy: neither to tell you, what Alexander the Macedonian, nor what Papyrius the Romain did by swifte foote, nor that Homere gaue Achilles his epithete of his footmanship, but to tell you that running is an exercise for health, which if reason cannot winne, wherof euery one can iudge, sure historie will not, where the authors credit may be called in question as to much fauoring the partie whom he praiseth, wherefore I will leaue of all manner of by ornamentes, wherwith such as be in loue with running do vse, to set it forth, and directly fall to the seuerall kindes there of which differ one from an other, both in the mouing it selfe, and also in the manner of the mouing whervpon the effectes, which follow must needes proue diuers according to that diuersitie. Running of it selfe is helde by the Physicians generally to be a swift exercise which needeth neither much strength, nor great violence, and in what sorte so euer it is vsed, it is ill for agues.

1. The first kinde of running which beareth his name of the verie motion vehement swift, and withall outright, hindereth health, rather then helpeth it: and if it helpe it any waye, it is in that it abateth the fleshinesse, and corpulence of the body: which if it chaunce to be moyst, swift running will empty it of humours, and stay it also quickly. It hath bene found so wholesome in some diseases of the splene or mylt, as Ætius a learned Physician writeth, that he knew some which by walking and running onely were deliuered from all greife and peine there. But it is verie vnwholesome for such as haue ill heades. Whervpon Aristotle29 in his Problemes, asking the question why running which is thought to driue all excrementes downward, if it be vehement and swift should be offensiue to the head, not in men and wymen alone, but also in beastes, aunswereth thus: that the swift motion, bycause it strayneth the strength, and stayeth the breath, heates the head with all, and swelles the veines therein: so that they draw vnto them forreine meane as cold or heat: and besides that, it enforceth what so euer is in the breast to ascend vpwarde, whereby the head cannot chuse but ake, which is the cause, that swift running is naught for the falling euill. Galene30 thinketh so basely of this kinde of running, as he termeth it, a thing both an enemie to health, to great a thinner of the whole bodie, and such a one, as hath no manner of manly exercise in it. Besides this, it putteth him which runneth so vehemently in daunger of some great conuulsion, if he fortune to encounter any violent stop by the way.

2. The second kinde of running which taketh his name of the gentle and moderate mouing, warmes the body very well, strengthens the naturall actions, prouokes appetite, helpes and turnes rewmes, and catarres, some other waye. And therfore it is commended for a remedie against the swiming of the head, against the drie cough, if ye holde your breath withall, against exulcerations in the inner side of the iawes, and the distortion or writhing of the mouth, which the Greekes call ??????? sp?sa. For though at the first it seeme to prouoke defluxions and distilling of humours, yet within a small time it stayeth them: and therfore it is thought to be good for those, which are pained with the Ischiatica, which haue much a do to stirre their legges at the first, but after that they haue runne a while, they be so nimble and quicke, as if they had neuer felt any paine in those partes. It strengtheneth the stomacke mightely, and deliuereth the bellie from winde, and cold passions: whereby it is thought, and that not without great cause to be verie good for the colike and dropsie: it delayeth the swelling of the milt. For the gnawing of the guttes, and some diseases of the kidneis it is exceeding good, so the kidneies be not either presently, or haue not bene of late, subiect to some exulceration. To saye that it is wholesome for the legges and feete, were to make a doubt, where none can be, considering running is their proper and peculiar action. This exercise for all that it is such a freind to health: yet bringes with it some inconueniences: for it is verie laborious: it cooleth the flesh and furthereth not the feeding. And as naturally of it selfe, it breadeth no great harme, so if it meete with an ill head, or a weake bulke, or burning and hoat vrine, it helpes to draw on diuers diseases. He that hath any rupture in the twiste, or els where, must forbeare running, as those also, which haue infected liuers or gauled kidneies. If the chased deare could speake, he would desire the hunter to giue him leaue to pisse, when he pursueth him sorest, and that for but so litle respite, he would shew him a great deale more pastime: but the hunter which knoweth well that the skalding vrine will not let him runne long, wil not lend him that leasure: bycause he careth more for the frute of his owne praie, then the effect of the deares prayer. All the other kindes of running which follow, take their names of the manner of their mouing, wherof the first is the long outright running, which if it continue on gently though long, it warmeth the flesh, and makes it plumpe, and is verie good, for great feeders, though it make the bodie slow and grosse. Running streight backward, and withall not hastily, is good for the head, the eyes, the streatchers, the stomacke and the loynes. Running round about, thinnes the flesh and streaches it, but cheifly the belly, and bycause of the quicke motion, it gathereth moysture quickly. And therefore Hippocrates31 wisheth them to vse it, which dreame of blacke starres, as the fore warning of some forreine disease. It troubleth the head and makes it dizie: it marreth both the bulke and the legges, and therefore would be left. He that runnes vphill straynes him selfe sore, and doth neither his bulke nor his legges any great good. He that runnes downhill makes his head giddy, shakes all within him, and tries the weaknesse, or strength of his hippes. He that runneth in his clothes sweateth sore, and warmes his flesh more: and therefore it is good for them, that haue the head ache to runne so: and those that haue somewhat to do, to fetch their breath. He that runneth out of his clothes single or naked, sweateth much, which is much more healthful how litle so euer it be, then much more, with the clothes on. Hyppocrates32 likes running generally more in winter then sommer. Oribasius33 in both, yea though sommer be in his prime and cheife heat. The resolution is, when most sweating is best, which Artistotle sayeth is in sommer.