Born in 1490 in southern England, Andrew Boorde was encouraged by his parents to become a Carthusian monk, spending almost the entire day in solitude and eating only bread and a few vegetables.
Then he was appointed a bishop, while remaining under monastic discipline. But he was utterly miserable and dogged by sickness. Finally his body and spirit rebelled: he abandoned his monastic vows, and embarked on a tour of Europe, consulting physicians and sages on the means of attaining health and happiness.
When he returned to England, he became a physician himself, and soon acquired many of the leading figures of the country as patients. He very rarely prescribed medicines. Instead, he looked for the sources of illness in the way in which people led their daily lives – their diet, their pattern of sleeping, their occupations, and the location and design of the house in which they lived.
In 1542 he published his ideas in a short book entitled The Dietary of Health – the first medical book written in the English language. His central theme is the importance of 'mirth', by which he meant both health and happiness; and he was convinced that it was impossible to have one without the other. Here are some extracts from his book, rendered into modern idiom:
A mirthful heart
The best way to remain in good health, and to avoid disease, is to have a contented and happy heart, full of mirth. Do not allow inward anger and resentment to infect your heart. Do not be unduly introspective, reflecting on your own sins and faults; when you observe yourself doing wrong, confess the sin, make amends - and forget all about it. Do not work throughout the day, but break the day with periods in which to relax and to converse with friends. Do not be unduly ambitious; attempt only those things which you have the natural ability to achieve.
The heart is the central organ in your body. It gives life to all the other organs, and is the source of your vital spirits. There is nothing that comforts and strengthens the heart so much as honest mirth, stimulated by good company. Mirth comes in many ways. Principally it comes when you show love and generosity towards neighbours. It also comes when you gather with friends to be merry, laughing and joking without swearing and slandering others. Musical instruments bring mirth; and so do good food and drink.
A mirthful house
The most important factor affecting your health and well-being is the place where you live. You do not need a great mansion or luxurious furniture. A simple cottage, warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and dry at all times, is quite sufficient; indeed it is better, because keeping it in good repair will cause little expense and anxiety. Your cottage should have access to clear, clean water; bad water is a major cause of disease. Above all your cottage, and the garden surrounding it, should be pleasing to the eye, and hence bring contentment to the heart.
There is nothing that is so poisonous to the body as foul air – except poison itself. Air surrounds and envelops us; we take it into our bodies with every breath; we depend on air for life itself, as fish depend on water. Clean, pure air comforts the heart, clears the brain, stimulates the muscles and strengthens the nerves. Foul corrupt air sickens the heart, confuses the brain, makes the muscles grow limp, and causes the nerves to jangle. So in choosing a place to live, ensure that the area has good air. And when building your house, ensure there is plenty of ventilation, so that the air you breathe out is quickly dispersed. Also clean the chamber pots as soon as you rise in the morning, so that their smell does not linger.
There are two ways to expel foul air that has accumulated in your house. You may also use these methods to prevent foul air from accumulating, and to ensure that the atmosphere is always pure. The first is to take dried rosemary, bay leaves, and marjoram, and to mix and grind them into a powder. Put some burning pieces of wood or coal into a metal container, and sprinkle the powder onto them, causing a fragrant smoke to arise. Carry the container to every room in the house, letting the smoke fill every corner. The second method is to make pomanders of nutmeg and thyme. Soak the nutmegs in rosewater, and then take them out and allow them to dry. The nutmegs and thyme should be put in little dishes, or boxes with holes in the lid, and placed in every room.
When you build a house, consider carefully the way it faces. If it faces south, it will catch the south wind, which is warm and muggy, carrying many diseases. If it faces east, it will catch the east wind, which is fresh and fragrant. If it faces west, it will catch the west wind, which can be either warm or cold. If it faces north, it will catch the north wind, which is clean and pure. Therefore let the windows of your house face north or east – or, best of all, northeast.
In designing your house, observe which way the land slopes. Put the parlour and the bedrooms at the highest level, the kitchen and pantry at a lower level, and the privies at the lowest. The reason for this is that the waste from the kitchen will drain away from the main living quarters, and the waste from the privy will drain away from the house.
In the middle of the house build a large chimney. At the base have two fireplaces, one facing into the parlour, and the other into the kitchen. During winter you will want to have both fires roaring, to keep the house warm. But even in summer keep the fires glowing as this will drive out any moisture from the walls, keeping them dry and clear. Damp walls are a major cause of every kind of disease, including fevers and aching bones.
In laying out the garden around your house, put sweet-smelling herbs near your windows; and put those herbs that are used most in cooking near the kitchen door. A little further away plant trees bearing every kind of fruit. Do not put them so near the house that their branches and leaves shade your windows. But put them near enough that you can see them from your windows. In spring their bright blossom will lift your spirits; and in autumn the sight of their succulent fruit will comfort your spirits against the prospect of winter.
In your garden dig one or two large pools, and stock them with carp. Ensure that the pools are deep, so that birds of prey cannot swoop down and eat the fish. Sitting by the pool on a warm day and watching the fish is a most pleasant way of calming the mind. And from time to time you can catch a fish for your supper.
From Masters of Health, copyright 2005 by O Books, edited by Robert van de Weyer.
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Inspirational features 
