substaunce and matter wherof our body is made and the seed of man is nexte vnder God the maker and fashyoner of the same and these same be made of the same elementes whyche I haue spoken of alreadye whyche is the fyre ayer earth and water and these two dyffer one frō an other in temperature For in the seede there is more of fyre and eyer then of water and earth and in the blood there is lesse of fyre and ayer then there is of water and earth and yet in the same there is more heate then colde and more moysture then drynesse After that these two be receyued and .vi. dayes retayned w tin the wombe of the woman the great heate which is there doth so bake the seede blood being mirt togyther y t it cōpasseth them about w t a skyn or a crust not vnlike the vtter cote of an egge whiche the Grekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in latin is called secūdine or secūdina what oure mydwyues call it I can not tel how beit it may very well be called a skyn wherein is wrapped y t that is cōceiued and this is made in y e fyrst .vi. dayes with diuers pulses and veynes as fyne small as anye thredes whiche serueth afterwarde to nourysh the infant by the nauyll For in this same skynne whiche before is called Chorion there are many fyne holes moche lyke the lytle holes in the small lamparie heedes by the which the nauyll after the seuēth daye doth drawe vnto it both spirite and blood to the nourishment of the infant Then in the meane seasō the rest of the seede boylynge all hotte doth make thre lytle bladers which is the place of the lyuer herte and brayne For a veyne whiche is stretched ryght vpwarde from the nauil dothe drawe vp the grossed bloode which for lacke of heate easelye congeleth in y e seede And there is made also a double forked veyne and to one of the forkes of the same veyne is fashyoned this forsayde congeled blood which is the liuer and lyke as from the nauyll the veyne bryngyng grosse bloode into the forsayde lytle bladder was cause of the generation of the liuer so lykewyse a pulse or an artery bryngyng fyne blood and spirite commynge from the same place sumwhat nere y e backe into another lyke bladdar is cause of makynge of the hearte whyche is made of verye sounde fleshe thycke and grosse mete for suche a pourpose and of the most fyne and subtyle blood that cōmeth from the hearte the lyghtes be made and the whole brest also wherin thei are closed In to the thyrde bladdar whyche is mencioned before a great parte of the seede beynge full of spirite is driuen the whych to kepe him selfe moyst doth drawe a great parte of the seede to it and maketh a lytle sell whiche is the brayne to y e which ther is added afortres of hard bone And thus the brayne is made of the seede only that he myght be furnysshed wyth most fyne spirites whom the brayne conserueth and altereth the whiche are the cause of sense and voluntarie mouynge as shall be declared more playnely hereafter Nexte to the brayne groweth y e marye of the backebone whyche the Arabians call Nucha it is of the same nature that the brayne is and differeth very muche from the marye of the other partes I haue shewed to you nowe thoghe very rudely the original begynning of mannes body ▪ Of the sede is only made all the bones gristels veynes pulses strynges synowes tyinges selles and skynnes whyche be called Spermatyke partes because they be made of y e seede and not of the blood They are the verye same whyche I sayde before that the Latyne menne called Partes similares and the Phisitions sensible elementes al the rest be made of the bloode as the lyuer the hearte and the lyghtes wyth al the flesshe and fatte of the bodye The infant whyles he is within his mothers woumbe is nourysshed of that blood whyche is called Sanguis menstruus drawynge it at hys nauyl and after he is delyuered it is tourned all to mylke whych is his meat long after and therfore there is manye conduytes from the woumbe to the pappes After that the infant is fully proportioned figured ī the first monethes he pisseth by the conduyte that commeth through his nauyl in the later monethes that is shut vp and he pysseth wyth hys yerde he auoydeth no excrementes at hys fundament because he receyueth no norysshemente by hys mouthe There is a skynne muche lyke a puddynge whyche receyueth hys vrine and excrementes lest they shulde hurte eyther hym or els hys mother I shulde seme bothe to longe and also to tedious yf I descrybed the hole bodye but bycause the action of the instrumentes canne not be vnderstande excepte I shulde touche y e most principal partes therfore it was necessarye to entermedle wyth the descryption of the bodye in the whyche I wyll not be so scrupulous as to reherse euery lytle part or the scituation or fygure of euery bone and vayne no nor the knyttynge of euery muscle for why shulde I make me more cūnyng than I am in dede it passeth my learnynge as yet but I entende to shewe and sette forthe the greatest and moste noble partes the whyche he muste nedes knowe that wyll profyt in physicke The .v. Chapiter ¶ The sections of the bodye THere was no nede in y ◠olde tyme to wryte of the body for than children were excersised in their yonge and tender age daylye in cuttynge and openyng of the same but nowe that thys diligence is vtterly extyncte we haue very great nede of wrytynge wherfore I haue taken this lytle payne vppon me whyche I shall thynke wel bestowed yf it shall eyther healpe the studyes of those that be rude and rawe in physicke or satisfye them that be learned And fyrst I wyl declare by goddes grace suche partes as couereth the head wythout afterwarde those that be w tin begynnyng w t the heares thogh they be but excrementes superfluities nexte vnderneth the hear there is a skynne somwhat thycke and fleshye wherein the hear is rooted vnderneth thys skin there is a lytle flesshe aboute the browe temples Than next vnderneth ther is a fyne kell whyche is made of synowes and tyenges commyng thorowe the seames of the scull whyche the Grekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnder the whyche immediatly is the skulle in greke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the defence of the brayne it is made lyke an helmet the latyne men call it Caluariam and it is not one hole continual bone but is deuyded by certayne semes in to seuen bones Then within y e head vndernethe the sculle is Dura mater which Galen calleth Crassum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a thycke and harde kel or skinne made of many stronge sinowes and bondes to the entent it myght holde vp and susteyne the veynes whyche nouryssheth
e liuer whose substāce is red flesh not moch vnlike cōgeled blood beinge replenished w t veynes which be y e braūches of y e great master veynes y t is of y e veyne which is called Porta also of y t that is called Caua vena we haue no names in our tungue whych be propre or peculier to them onely but muste be fayne to call them master veynes and in dede so that we vnderstande the thynge it shall make but lytle matter for names howbeit Gallen sayth that the one is called Porta bycause that the iuyce commeth through it from the stomake to the liuer and the other I thynke is called Caua bycause it is a great hollowe veyne well what so euer it be called it groweth of the liuer and carieth blood from the liuer to the hert and thoughe it to be byg yet there groweth many fyne smal veynes both of it and of the other whych be dispersed throughout the whole body of the liuer to the intent that the iuice maye more easelye be turned into blood for the very dutye and office of the lyuer is to engendre blood for the nouryshmente of y e bodye and therfore it is hote and moyst accordynge to the nature of blood Moreouer it is the very fleshe of the lyuer whyche doth change the iuyce in to blood makyng it redde lyke vnto it selfe Althogh that sūme thynke the harte to be the well and original sprynge of blood notwythstandyng I had rather saye as Galene sayeth that it is the fleshe of the liuer which engendreth blood althogh the lyuer receyue both vytall heat and spiryte of the hearte and therefore from the great master pulse whyche in greke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there commeth manye lytle pulses to the lyuer bryngynge w t them vitall spirite but so sone as y e iuyce is concocte it is made blood and purified in y e middes of the lyuer receyueth choler of the smal veynes in the middes of the lyuer whyle the blood is purifyinge and cleansynge whyche conduyte or waye yf it fortune to be stopped by anye maner of chaunce so that the choler can not be seperate from the bloode then there foloweth hote fyeuers or els the yelowe Iandies On the lyfte side the splene or mylte enbraseth the stomacke which being blacke of colour is made of subtyle rare flesshe and is the same whyche before is called the receptacle of melancholie it is tyed vnto the backe aboute the myddes of the bastard ryb and doth drawe vnto it melancholye or blacke choler by a veyne whyche commeth from the lyuer receyuyng heat of the heart to digest the forsaid blacke choler by certayne pulses annexed vnto it From the mylte also there is a conduyt to the vppermoste mouthe of the stomacke bryngynge melancholye thyther partly to draw togyther the mouthe of the stomake and partlye to prouoke appetyte There be .ii. kydneys that be called in latyne Renes of the whych one is set vnderneth the lyuer toward y e backe and the other is set on the other syde ryght agaynst y e mylte they be made of soude and thycke flesshe least they shulde be dissolued of the water that they drawe dayly from the blood by two veynes whyche be called Mulgentes and in oure tongue suckynge veynes there is drawen also besyde the water sūme blood to the noryshment of the reynes or kydneis in the myddes of the whyche there is as it were a lytle pāne into the which the forsayde kydnies doe sweat oute the water whych they receyued of y e suckynge veynes and in thys panne the vryne taketh his colour from whēs it is brought doune after the concoction had therbefore by certayne conduites that be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greke and in latyne Vrinarii we maye calle them the conduytes of the vryne frō the raynes to the bladdar The bladdar in man ioyneth to the taylegutte or fundiment from whens the necke of it recheth to the yarde but in wemen it is set vpon the mouth of theyr woumbe therfore they haue bothe shorter and wyder necked bladdars than men haue and also be lesse disesed w t stone in that place It is made of skynnye synowes and there cummeth to it bothe veynes and pulses the necke onely is of flesshe and hath certayne turnynges and boughtes that it maye houlde the water more easely there is added a muscle to the mouth of the bladder to the entent y t we maye eyther letout or retayne the water at our owne wyll pleasure But howe smal and fine the holes be by the whyche the water is receyued into the bladder maye easelye be perceyued because that whan it is taken out of any dede bodye that there appeareth none at all more than that whiche is in the necke to let oute the vrine or water Manne surelye hath great profitte of the bladar for if that same superfluouse water shoulde not be caryed awaye but be permitted to runne to gyther in the vaynes with the blood after that the bodye were ones fulle mooste parte of the membres shulde cracke and breake and man shoulde be suffocated or choked Therefore the bladder is made for thys pourpose to receyue the superfluous watry substance of the blood and reteyne it so longe vntyl the due tyme of lettynge of it out be come Nowe I haue descrybed all y e partes of the lowest bellye so well as I coulde sauyng the priuy partes both of man and woman whyche for dyuers causes I wylle omytte at thys tyme fyrste because I wyll gyue no occasion to youth of wantōnes and then that I wyll offende no honeste eares in descrybynge them playnlye and seyng my promyse was to tuche but certayne partes I thinke I may as wel omyt them as a great many that I haue spoken nothyng of The .vi. Chapiter ¶ Of veynes pulses and synowes VEynes be cōdytes with thinne cotes which caryeth the thyckest blood throughout the body wherwith it is nouryshed they growe all of the liuer for the master veyne which passeth all the other in largenesse and wydenesse commeth from thence Aristotel thought y e hert to be the authour and begynner of y e veynes but Hypocrates thought otherwise and Galen also whom we folowe hath euidently confuted Aristotels opinion Pulses or arteryes be conduytes that growe of the hert and do carye vitall spiryte and some parte also of the fynest bloode therfore it was necessary that they shuld be both thycker and stronger then y e veynes lest the spirite being so fyne of substaūce myght breake out wherfore nature hath enclosed it in .ii. cotes of the whiche the inner is .v. tymes as thyck as the vtter and yet is it as thicke as any cote of y e veynes y t encloseth y e grosse and thickest blood Veynes pulses be so nygh cosyns y t there is no veyne in any part of the body without his pulse nor no pulse without his veyne to the
intent that the veynes may minister nourishmeÌ„t to the spyrites And agayne the spyrites may refresh the blood w t lyuely heate and as ye se in a laÌ„pe y e flame to be nouryshed w t oyle or waxe so y e spirit plucketh to him blood out of y e veynes with the which he is fed w t. And here as me thinke nature hath shewed vs a marueylous notable example of doinge one for an other in this ciuile lyfe Synowes growe of the brayne also of the marye of the backe bone From whence they bring sense and voluntary mouynge to all partes of the body There hath bene moche to do amongest the olde Phisitions whether the synowes haue any holownesse or coÌ„cauitie in theÌ„ to receyue the animal spirit wherwith they gyue mouyng fealing to y e body or els whether they take their power of the spirit as the lute or harpe strynge doth of the fynger howbeit it is now coÌ„cluded y t ther is none holowe but only .ii. which bring spirit to y e eyes be called Optici and y t the rest do take their power of y e spirites There grow of y e brayne .vii. paire of synowes of y e which som be distributed to y e seÌ„ses some to other partes as to y e stomake or maw and those y t growe of y e brayne be moche fyner softer thaÌ„ those y t grow of the backe which be not only y e instrumeÌ„t of seÌ„se but also of voluÌ„tary mouyng there be of theÌ„ .xxx. paire which be dispersed euery where through all y e body The .vii. Chapter ¶ Of humours ALthough that the spryng well of humours maye then best be perceyued when the maner and waye how to nourish the body is delared yet bycause we be styll occupyed in descrybynge y e partes of the body I am not wyllyng to omytte the differences of humours which be .viii. in numbre .iiii. natural and .iiii. vnnaturall The naturall is blood fleume yellowe coloure and blacke the vnnatural is the same also turned by putrifaction or els som otherwyse from theyr owne natyue qualities As concernynge the generation of the naturall humours I haue some deale mentioned before wherfore I wyll omyt at this tyme to speake or reasoÌ„ any further in that matter sauyng y e I put you in remeÌ„braunce that the same foode whych is receyued by the wesaunt into the stomake for the preseruynge of the bodye is the matter and substaunce whereby by the vertue of the liuer they be made and engendred The .viii. Chapter ¶ Of bloode BLood is hotte and moyst and the greatest parte of y t that nourysheth the body For notwythstandynge that other humours be caryed togyther with the blood to nourysshe the body as blood delayed with fleume both greatly nourysh suche partes y t be colde and moyste as the brayne and coleryke bloode the lyghtes and melancholycke blood the bones and splen yet the especiall part of the noryshment is that that is properlye called bloode For the nouryshmente ought to be swete or els delayed w t swete iuice and suche is the blood The .ix. Chapter ¶ Of fleume FLeume is a watrysh humour colde and moyst which is begone to be altered into blood and is not yet throughly coÌ„coct therfore it is whyte thynne and vnsauery not fatte nor coloured like blood it serueth to mittigate the outragyous heate of the bloude and nourysheth the blood making it thinne and beinge myngled with the blood conforteth suche partes as be flegmatik The .x. Chapter ¶ Of choler CHoler is the fome or floure of y e blood which is made of the hottest and driest partes of y e blood or iuice after that it is boyled wherfore it is also hote and drye and of a bytter taste therfore it is called of Galen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latyn is Amarê° and in Englysh bytter Natural choler is as wel red as yelowe wheÌ„ it is mixt w t the blood it openeth y e veynes doth norysh cholerike partes as the lightes nor it is not caryed al with the blood but the more part of it is reserued in the bladder vnder y e mydle globe of the liuer to clense the lowest bellye or entrayles ye maye and ye wyll call them guttes The .xi. chapter ¶ Of melancholye or blacke choler BLacke choler or melancholie is a thycke terrestrial humour that in the blood falleth downe to y e botome verye lyke vnto olde red wyne that is thicke and blacke it is colde and drye part of it is caryed with the blood both to make it thycker also to helpe and encrease the power reteÌ„tyue in the veynes and other places where it coÌ„meth and also to nourysh the melancholyke partes as the bones and splen The .xii. Chapter ¶ Of the vnnaturall humours NOughty humours be called vnnaturall they be made nought or corrupted eche of them two maner of wayes eyther bycause the substaunce of them without the admixtioÌ„ of any other doth degenerate or elles that they be myngled with suche as be alreadye putrifyed and corrupted bloode is made nought and goeth from hys kynde when he putrifieth in the veynes bycause the pores be shurt or els when he is myngled w t some other euil humour as in the dropsy where he is myxt wyth water The .xiii. Chapter ¶ Of noughty flegme or vnnaturall VNnaturall flegme is a rawe wateryshe humour colde and moyste redoundynge in that body where as is a weake concoction and it is sumtyme muche thinner than spyttle that falleth from the mouthe or nose There is an other kynde of naughtye and vnnaturall flegme whyche is salte in taste that commeth of the mixture of choler w t flegme whyche is plentiful in suche bodyes as feede for the moste parte of salte meates The xiiii Chapiter ¶ Of vnnaturall yelowe choler YElowe choler degenerateth from hys nature whan it is bourned blacke and is made thycke and bytynge or whan sumother humour is mixt wyth it as watrye flegme and this is called citrine choler Galene calleth it pale choler because it is of the colour of leade But yf it be thicke flegme wherwith it is myngled than it is called of y e latynes Uitilina bilis bycause it is lyke in coloure to the yolke of an egge of thys kynde of choler for the most parte are engendred all fyeuers tertian The .xv chapter ¶ Melancholy or blacke choler vnnaturall MElancholye or blacke choler is made vnnaturalle whan other humoures or elles it selfe is burned as drye as aâ—â—hes For Hypocrates saith that bothe blood and red choler wyl be turned soone into Melancholye whan for lacke of ayre they be smothered in the veynes the stoppyng also of the pores doth make a bodye whyche all redye is sanguine or cholerycke of nature melancholye And hereof commeth so manye kyndes of madnesse For yf Melancholy be delayed wyth a lytle blood it maketh a manne merye madde yf it be mixte wyth a
or stomake where as y e meate is altered and tourned into iuice the nexte is in the lyuer where as it is made of iuice blood The thyrd is in the veynes where as y e blood is prepared for the nourysshmente of the whole bodye The fourth and last is in the partes where as it is made flesshe or at leest lyke vnto that that is nouryshed And mānes body may very well be compared to a Prynces house wher as is kepte dayly a gret manye of tables at dyuers tymes of the daye so in mans bodye all be not fedde at ones but summe wayte tyll the other haue done as the stomacke lyuer and hearte be fyrste fedde and than the vaynes after the whyche euery parte as he is best able so he is serued before the other for as it is a common saying he that worst maye shall holde the candell so in mannes bodye the weakeste parte goeth euer to the worst yet it chaunseth summe tyme that the weaker plucketh from the stronger as the stomake from the lyuer whan the lyuer is ful of meate and the stomacke is empty and hath none For it is no matter for a boy to take apples or nuttes from a man whyche hath more than he can holde in hys handes But yf they be bothe loded a lyke than I thynke it vnpossyble for the weaker to take any thīg from the stronger by violence And looke as the weakest hath leste parte of y t that is good so he hath ynough of excrementes and of that that is nought and therof it cummeth that the vtter skynne of our bodye doeth receyue all the excrementes whyche afterwarde breaketh forthe in byles or scabbes for yf the vertue expulsiue were as stronge in it as in other partes why shulde it be more laded wyth excrementes then the reste be howe be it nature hath made it a receptacle for the excrementes of al the hole bodye therefore it hath neyther animall nor vitall action but onelye serueth to the vse before sayed The vii chapiter ¶ Of the vertue expulsyue EUen as the attractyue vertue draweth vnto it thynges conuenient euen so y e power expulsyue expulseth from it thynges noyfull or hurtfull and thys maye be euidently perceyued in the example aforesayde of the woman goynge wyth chylde for so longe as euerye thynge aboute the chylde frameth well so longe the power expulsiue resteth as there were none suche But in case any thyng be amisse so that nature dispayreth to brynge it to good passe or effect then forth wyth all it is expelled whyche the vertue expulsiue onely doth and none other Yf this be not sufficiente to proue that there is a facultye or power in euery parte which doth expell from it thinges hurtfull I wold ye told me what it is that in the mawe parteth the excrement from the good iuyce or in the liuer the water from the blood Wherefore I maye iustelye thynke that nature passeth all the artifycers in the world For Praxitiles or Phideas which in theyr tyme were most excellent dyd but trym theyr ymages onlye wythout leuyng the innersyde very rawe rude wythout al worke manshyppe because they coulde not come to euery parte of it But nature whyche dothe extende to euery parte of the bodye trimmeth the innerside more gorgious than the outsyde makynge euery parte of bone bone and euery parte of fleshe flesshe kepyng in euery parte due and iust proportion and furnyshyng them wyth most noble and excelent vertues faculties and powers Moreouer neyther Phideas nor Praxitiles no nor yet Apelles coulde make of waxe Iuerye or golde nor of golde waxe For euerye one of these tarying euer sins his first generation in his owne fygure and shape sauyng for the workemanship that he hath on the vtterside is made an ymage wher as nature is alway full of varietie or els all the partes of mannes bodye shoulde be onelye blood The .viii. Chapiter ¶ Of the prouokyng of appetyte APpetite is prouoked in the hygher mouthe of the maw whan the partes beynge verye mouche wasted doth lacke nouryshement and endeuoreth to drawe of the veynes the veynes of the liuer and the lyuer of y e stomake or mawe the mawe of hys ouer mouth which is drawen togyther and vehemently desyreth meate This drawyng to gyther commeth of the melancholye which is brought thyther by a veyne comming from the milte and of this fasshyon hunger or appetyte is styrred vppe and prouoked yf it be longe vnslaked it maye turne to farther in conuenience For in such case alwaye the lyuer fylleth the stomake with excrementes and thereof it cummeth that many mēnes stomakes be good aboute .viii. of the clocke in the morand at ten or .xi. though they be styll fastynge haue luste to eat nothynge Summe thynke that hunger cōmeth not as I haue descrybed but y t there is a peculyer power in the nutrityue partes as in the stomacke and lyuer whyche doo prouoke it as in fysshes that be called pykes whan they folowe theyr praye sumwhat gredely they be so mooued by verye feruente desyre to ouertake it that theyr stomacke ryseth vp to theyr mouthe in the whyche example the nature of gluttons is verye well paynted as I thyncke and trulye for the most part they be rauenars and great eaters whych hath shorte neckes and wyde mouthes The ix Chapter ¶ Of the diuersitie of meates and drynkes IT is very profitable for euery man as well for them that be hole as for those that be sicke to knowe y e dyuersite of meates and drynckes For suche as be whole to the ende that they knowynge the ryghte vse of them maye kepe theyr healthe stylle and suche as be sycke maye recouer agayne theyr pristinat estate and sanitye Wherefore I entende to declare as bryeflye as I canne what difference I haue by longe obseruation and partelye by myne owne experyence marked in meates and drynckes Fyrste ye shall vnderstande that all breade corne is of greate power and strengthe I call that strongest that nouryssheth moste Also all .iiii. footed bestes that be brought vp tame in the house and be daylye vsed for mente and euery great best as gootes hartes swyne oxen and sheepe and also euery great byrde or fowle as goose swanne pecocke and crane and moreouer honye and chese how muche lesse it is to be marueyled at yf that kynde of bread that the olde auncient Romaynes vsed were of great nouryshmēt seing that it was made of wheate fatte hony chese Howbeit in the myddle fourme and in a lower degree of nouryshmentes be numbred all those herbes of the whych we eate the rootes and of .iiii footed beastes the conye and hare all wylde foule exceptynge neyther hennes nor capons Also all fyshes y t can not well suffre salte nor can be bryned hole In the lowest kynde or fourme of nouryshmentes is reckened all maner of sallettes whatsoeuer groweth in a litle stauke as cucūmers gourdes or capers and such lyke and apples olyues and
Wherfore nowe I thinke it verye euydentlye proued that noryshment is the makyng lyke of that that nouryssheth to that whyche is nourysshed The thyrde chapter ¶ Of suche faculties or vertues as nature hath furnyshed euery parte wyth seruyng to nutrition THere be .iiii. powers of faculties ye maye yf ye wyl call them vertues whyche is in euerye parte that is eyther nourysshed it selfe or serueth for the nourysshment of other of the whyche the fyrst is named attractiâ—e the seconde retentyue the thyrd concoctyue and the fowerth and last ex pulsyue If nature had not endued euer sins the begynnynge al the nutrityue partes of euery lyuyng creature wyth these .iiii. vertues it had not be possible eyther for men or beastes to haue coÌ„tinued alyue .x. dayes For yf neyther God nor nature toke care of vs and yf we were also destitute of all arte and prouidens being ruled with the sodayne momentes of oure substance onely hauynge no facultye or vertue that coulde drawe suche thynges vnto it as shoulde be mete for it nor any that coulde put awaye or expell thynges noyfull or suche as were hurtful vnto it or that coulde altre and fassyon or glewe suche as shulde nourysh it I can not thinke but we shuld be thought foolysh yf we shulde despute of any naturall action and moche foolysher yf we speke of anye animall action yea or of our hole lyfe eyther For it shall not be possyble for any creature that hath so many dyuers partes sette so farre one from an other to lyue or coÌ„tinue a very short tyme yf he lacke y e powers aforesayde For fyrste yf the attractyue vertue were not there coulde be no admixtion yf ther could be no admixtion there coulde ensue no agglutination and without agglutination there coulde neuer be any assimulation without the which nutritioÌ„ can not be had and whether anything coulde lyue not nourished that I leaue to your iudgement The .iiii. Chapter ¶ Of the power or vertue attractiue THe power attractiue is a vertue which being in euery parte seruyng for nutrition doth drawe vnto it thynges of lyke qualities suche as be mete and conuenient for it as the adamaÌ„t stone draweth yroÌ„ the iette stone chaffe or strawe How be it peraduenture some defendynge the Epicure and his trayne wyl saye and constauntlye affyrme that there is no suche power in stones attributynge the drawynge vp of the yron or chaffe vnto other causes as the Epicure dydde to hys lyttle mottes The whyche opinyon bycause it is very foolysshe and hath bene confuted of dyuers noble Philosophers but especiallye of Galene the mooste excellent PhisitioÌ„ and Philosopher I except alwayes Hipocrates that euer was I wyll not ones touche or meddle with all partlye bycause I can saye nothyng in it whiche is not sayde before of them but chefely that I wyll not be so arrogant or proude to meddle with it after Aristotle and Galene as who shoulde saye I trustynge ouermoche in my selfe coulde fynde somethynge to saye agaynste the Epicure more then they coulde Therfore whoso delyteth to knowe parsytely the Epicures opinyon let hym go to Galenes fyrst boke of naturall facultyes and there he shall be satisfyed Yet thys I darre saye that the Epicure wyth all hys adherentes is shamefullye deceyued For not onely stones haue power to drawe thynges of lyke qualities but also medicines insomoche that some wyl drawe out thornes which haue lyen .iii. or .iiii. dayes within the flesh and some which is moche to be maruayled at wyll drawe the poyson of a snake onelye and other some the poyson of a tode and in such men as haue short neckes and wyde throtes we se oftentymes the meate drawen from theyr iawes before it be halfe chawed what is it that draweth the meate so greadelye yf there be no power attractyue neyther in the mawe nor in the wesaunt and howe coulde the watrye substaunce be seperated from the bloode yf there were no attractyue power in the reynes or kidneys or yf there were no attractyue power in y e bladder or the gall why shoulde it not be fylled rather wyth water then wyth choler seinge that water is more fyne aud subtyle then choler is Wherfore I dare conclude with Galen that no parte of any lyuyng creature being nourished doth lack this power or vertue named attractyue The .v. Chapter ¶ Of the power or vertue retentyue THe power retentyue is a vertue whiche retayneth that that the facultie attractyue hath draweÌ„ For yf that iuice that is already drawen shulde not rest there whyther it is drawen but shoulde be caryed to some other parte styll chaungynge his place it were not possyble y t there myght ensue eyther agglutination or assimulation which is the very ende wherfore nature hath endued euerye body with this power or vertue that of the verye action or offyce is called in Latyne Retentiua virtus and in our tung retention or els y e vertue reteÌ„tyue which in some partes of y e body is so euydent y t it nedeth no demoÌ„stration for it maye be perceyued by senee and in other some it may better be knowen by reason and cogitation then by sence as in a woman howe is the infant retayned .ix. monethes in her wombe yf there be no vertue retentyue there and that the meate is retayned in the stomake or mawe vntyl suche tyme as it is altered coÌ„cocted euery man may know y t wyl take a dog or any other brute beast fede him thaÌ„ after he hath rest an houre ryp his mawe for loke what ye fedde him w t ye shal fynde it there vnconcoct which is an euident profe that ther is som vertue there y t reteineth it But peaduenture some wyll say that it is reteyned bycause the nether mouthe of the stomacke is verye narowe Then how fortuneth it that the stomake doth not onelye retayne meate but drynke also which for his slyppernesse and subtillitie wolde passe throughout a very lytle hole not drynke onely but also all maner of decoctions sorbitions as myske wyne meath with suche other And in suche mens stomakes as be weake and feble all decoctions and liquyde thynges for y e moost part do swym longe aboue in the hygher mouth of the stomacke so moche the lesse they passe throughe streyght waye after they be receyued and taken And that this is true eueryman may know by y e belches crying in theyr bellyes after drinke or any like thing y e same is also manifestlye proued by theyr vomyting .ii. houres yea somtyme hole vi after they haue eaten or dronken The .vi. Chapter ¶ Of concoction or the vertue concoctiue COncoction is a mutation or an alteration of the meate into his substaunce that is nouryshed And this kynde of concoctyng dyffereth as moche from the alteration of the meate into the iuice as nutrition from the chaungyng of the iuice into blood For there be manye kyndes of concoctions and the fyrste is in the mawe