Q. Why do men incline to sleep after labour? A. Because, through
continual moving, the heat is dispersed to the external parts of the
body, which, after labour, is gathered together in the internal parts,
there to digest; and from digestion, vapours arise from the heart to the
brain, which stop the passage by which the natural heat should be
dispersed to the external part; and then, the external parts being cold
and thick, by reason of the coldness of the brain sleep is easily
procured. By this it appeareth that such as eat and drink too much, do
sleep much and long, because there are great store of humours and
vapours bred in such persons which cannot be consumed and digested by
the natural heat.
Q. Why are such as sleep much, evil disposed and ill-coloured? A.
Because in too much sleep moisture is gathered together, which cannot be
consumed, and so it doth covet to go out through the superficial parts
of the body, and especially it resorts to the face, and therefore is the
cause of bad colours, as appeareth in such as are phlegmatic and who
desire more sleep than others.
Q. Why do some imagine in their sleep that they eat and drink sweet
things? A. Because the phlegm drawn up by the jaws doth distil and drop
to the throat; and this phlegm is sweet after a sore sweat, and that
seemeth so to them.
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