Of the manner of exercising.

Galene in the second booke of his preseruatiue to health knitteth vp three great thinges in verie few wordes, that who so can handle the exercises in due maner, with the apotherapeutike, or gouerning the body after exercise, and his frictions to rubbe it and chafe it as it should be, is an absolute trayner in his kinde. Wherein we may see the vse of chafing, and rubbing the body both to be verie auncient, and very healthfull, to warme the outward partes, to open the passages for superfluitie, and to make one actiue and chearie to deale with any thing afterward. It hath his place euery day at tymes, euery yeare in seasons, altering vpon circumstance, but still both needefull and healthfull, and clearith where it chafeth. For the apotherapeutike much hath bene saide already: wherefore this place must serue peculiarly for the maner of exercising.

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.