Whatsoever was the father of a disease, an ill diet was the mother.

The saying frames illness in genealogical terms: whatever initiating cause (“father”) may spark a disease, poor diet (“mother”) commonly nurtures and sustains it. Herbert’s aphorism reflects early modern moral and medical thinking in which bodily health was closely tied to moderation, self-governance, and daily habits. The line implies that while some causes of sickness may be external or accidental, diet is a pervasive, controllable factor that often determines whether ailments take hold or worsen. It also carries a quiet ethical admonition: neglect of ordinary discipline—especially in eating and drinking—can be as consequential as any dramatic misfortune.