Concerning _valetudinarie_ bodies, which be neither alwaye sicke, nor euer whole, and such as be vpon recouerie after sicknesse, and aged men, whom yeares make weake and sickish, thus I read: that exercise is verie necessarie for the two first, to strengthen their limmes, to dispatche superfluities, to stirre heat, to restore the bodie to his best habite, alwaye prouided that the exercise rise from some mediocritie and slownes by degrees to that height, which the parties may well abide. For to earnest and rash exercise will empaire their health more. Olde men, as by want of naturall heat, they grow full of superfluities, so they must haue some pleasant and gentle kinde of exercise, both to stirre the heat, and to ridde awaye those needlesse necessities, which of force inferre sicknes, if they be not enforced awaye. And as they be naturally drie, so they must vse no exercise, which dryeth to much. Wherein these foure circunstances are to be considered, 1. First their strength, which being not great, requireth but quiet and gentle exercises. For though _Prodicus_ the warie Philosopher in _Plato_, _Antiochus_ the healthy Physician in _Galene_, _Spurina_ the considerate counsellour in _Plinie_, could do straunge thinges in their olde age, by good forsight in their former yeares, yet they be no generall presidentes. 2. Secondly the forme of their bodies. For as good constitutions, can do that meanly and pretily well in their olde age, which they did strongly and stowtly in their youth, so the weake and misfashioned are vnfit for exercise. For loude speaking will hurt to narrow bulkes, and any walking fainteth weake legges, and so forth in all imperfections of the like sorte. 3. Thirdly how they haue bene vsed: bycause they will better awaie with their acquainted exercises, then with other, wherunto they haue neuer bene vsed, the vehemencie and courage of their yong dayes onely excepted. 4. Fourthly what infirmities they be subiect vnto, as if their heades will soone be giddy, or their eyes sore, or if they be in daunger of sudden falling, then they must auoide all exercises which be offensiue to the head. And this rule is generally to be obserued in all bodies, that the partes pacient maye not be pressed to sore.