difference and varietie the ordinance of meat and medicine are two speciall meanes thorow the which euery Phisitian altogether preuaileth in furthering of all sicknesses to health yet sometimes moste notable danger and hurt ariseth thereby for medicine in the tedious and wearâ—some waies of sicknes may at some one time bend down to a hurtfull and intricate purpose which was to the Patient before an effectuaâ—l remedie Neyther is there any lesse then great offence committed if meate be geuen to a sicke patient whereas it ought to bee taken away although it bee good wholsome and perfect or that meat be taken away when and where it ought to be geuen wherefore wisedome ought to be had in high consideration that all thinges in this life depend vpon opportunities times and seasons For Galen saith nothing can neither bee well spoken or done by the vse and benefite of one reasonable creature to an other if the difference of times and seasons bee not rightlie vnderstood And the writers of this latter age most iustly are reprooued for that not aâ—re one of them haue drawne the times and seasons of yeâ—â—â— in a right methodâ—call obseruation For Galen and 〈…〉 rates haue euermore conioyned that all diseases stay vpâ—â— accidentes and concoction in the diseased patient And accidentes onely appertaâ—â—e to the infection corruption of times and seasons vncertainâ—y and swiftly breaketh out eyther in their owne vniuersall rottennesse or els by the contagion of mans bodie which moste easily lyeth open vnto them so all diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire to 〈◊〉 their poysoned strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 exions as are soonest by them vanqui 〈…〉 And coâ—coction is the most easiest comfortablest signes 〈…〉 knesse which especially consist vpon these markes and sig 〈…〉 tions as followeth That is if nature be in full power and strength the materiall substance of the ingendered humours di 〈…〉 h and vanishe by little and little quite away or els concocteth setleth and possesseth some one place or propertie in the bodie otherwise if nature be weake feeble and the disease inforcible malignitie insulteth ouer the bodie hastening swiftly towardes the borders of the diaphragm or els vanquisheth the diaphragm and entereth vpon the spirituall partes whereas forthwith nature is deadly medicine vnperfect and the disease vnable to retire backe death presently inuadeth thereupon for medicine is best entertained when the vertue thereof gathereth the disease together whilest nature is fauourable the disease vn 〈…〉 or the body vnuenomed with corruption and able to be deâ—uered from the power of the disease by expulsion Here may be set forth a more playner declaration of such feuers which ingeader vpon the body of man for as some there be depending vpon vnnaturall inflamations congested by an euill humor or some vehement hote bloud possessed in some one part of the body as of the loonges or side so there is another kind of feuer which vnnaturally is kindled at the heart deducted from thence by the vaynes and arteâ—â—es and by the meane of the spirit and vaynes into all the bodyes sensible hurting the naturall ope 〈…〉 Furthermore if some special cause of sicknesse were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vrine or some other alteration of the excrementes it were a hard thing to finde out the difference of simple feuers from those feuers which hold vpon inflamation for single feuers are known eyther by the corruption of the aire or by distemperance of heate or colde dangerously crept in disquieting the naturall disposition of such bodies which are thereunto subiect or by the vnnaturalnesse of the bodie it selfe in excessiue â—askes by surfetting sweates by ouer great fasting by incontinent opening the pooâ—es by troubled trauels in thirstinesse by inordinate sleepings 〈◊〉 ouer great watchings So other feuers which hâ—ld vpon 〈◊〉 dentall inflamation as their propertie is euermore regarded by speedinesse of their accidentes towardes the vitall partes alwayes flaming out vnder some proposterous Châ—ysis These inflamatiue feuers must eyther haue a chryticall expulsion or els doe they alter from one degree to another after the greatnesse and insatiablenesse of their accidentes There is a chiefe and principall cause mouing vs herein to speake of some humorall inflamations which are cowched vnder a hard and thicke couering of straunge congested vaporous humour vppon the side or by impostumation of the loonges whose substance once perfectly growne is not remoued or extenuated except by little and little or els by present immission of bloud in the basilicke vaine as all and euerie of these seuers happening to haue egresse eyther vpon the animall and The coÌ„suâ—ption is â—n nature 〈◊〉 hect â—2 vitall partes of man so the other onely desire a long and tedious consumption nourishing themselues vppon the morall partes by continuall fretting labouring foming wasting and deuouring the outward flesh doe by a super 〈…〉 s trauerse inuade nature and the more the bodie wasteth and vanisheth away the more redolent the strength and power of these feuers abound But for the better vnderstanding of these raging diseases it were a most necessarie discretion so to marke them in their degrees as that they may be better knowne and more easier prouided for heereafter for chiefly there spittle is claâ—nâ—e tough stimte and sometimes full of bloudie and matterie corruption their breath is almost stopped doe reache and dâ—â—w farre and slowly for the same The cough is hard hollowe and short cannot without greeuing other partes of the bodie deliuer it selfe Their vrine is fearce furious and of most high complexion and of ruddie blacke colour Touching these and such like sicknesses infestered with inflamations happening vnder distemperance of times are chiefly regarded helped and cured in their concoction but not in their accidentes As they are neuer aduaunced together at one time so the greater place is giuen in concoction the accidence becommeth more peaceable and quiet Yet there is great disagreement among the latter writers that if the disease be vnualurable inestat or fashion how can the accidents of the disease be valurable or sharpe and if putrifaction or corruption be most great and forcible in estat how can concoction be most perfect for concoction is contrarie to putrifaction Howsoeuer it doth heere fall out by controuersie the surest stay vppon the sicke patient is when the disease is setled the infection is peaceable for then the medicine more certainly expelleth the cause And therefore beholde that all diseasses breake forth their malice by depending vpon speciall seasons of the yeare So that there is a double kind of offensiue matter in all feuers one which can neuer be corrected and the other which by little and little setleth and at length thereby expelled And yet there be some moste dangerous feuers so alienated and estranged in their natures as neyther will rypen of themselues to be vtterly deuoyded nor yet be altered by any medicine to become certaine These and such like feuers in their strong operations are chiefly domâ—â—â—ed by
calleth that age the spreading gathering and stretching foorth of the body as then dooth it most chieslye lout in strength Arnoldus de noua villa saith that the most part especiallie women beginning their adolescencie before ripeneise of age hath geuen them libertie thereunto doo afterwards â—iue like vntimely fruite as peares plummes or apples gathered before scasonablenesse and ripenesse hath perfected them doo most speedilie drie rot decay and vtterly perish This commonly is well perceiued and knowen to fall out in south countries where heat and moysture excessiuely ouermatcheth with many corruptions and diseases in such rash ages Petrus Galiensis saith that although the south countries bring foorth strong men yet their age is not certainlie of hotte and moyst temperance nor yet constant vnder drinesse but rather most of all bendeth to extreame heat which moistnesse being so much inflamed therewith as that the yoong and tender skinne is vtterly vnable to containe the measure thereof but naturally speweth and breaketh foorth without artificiall expulsion Next followeth mans estate which standeth for a while at a stay And although their bodies by little and litle decaieth yet their sences continue vnbroken aboue fourtie yeares and in some men of stong and sound complexion vntill threescore and aboue Then commeth olde age alienating and declining aside altogether replenished with melancholious coldnesse and drynesse at which season blood and heat are setled and commixed in the bottome of the arteries and vaines like dregges And the longer they are stayed and lodged somuch the sooner the artion of blood is obstructed and combusted and the strength infeebled and disabled the which falleth out aswell because of thicknesse in the shinne growen and fastened with the bones and sinewes as also because the excrementes haue bene there long staied and closed vp The which calamitie many men in their decrepit and extreame age vndertake and sustaine For their former impuritie of lustie youth is not onely vanquished but partched in ther bodies with fuliginous superfluities like soote to a chinmey afflicting them with drie coldnes vnto death Therefore happy is lusty olde age whose former puritie hath drawen comfort ease and ioy vpon gray haires whose bloud is odiferous and sweet whose breath is easie and who som whâ—se bones vaines and sinews are direct whose digestion is easy and light whose expulsion is naturall in whome the temperance of heate as drinesse of bones and moystnesse of blood are to olde yeares most nourishable that like as the dry hot ground is not corrupted with euery moysture of rayne but the distemperance thicketh and freeseth aboue the ground before it pearceth euen so temperate hot bodies are not easily pearced with the contagion or distemperance of moyst coldnes or any such like superfluous vapours Galen herewith concordeth that drie braines are lesse incumbred with super fluities and moist braines naturallye appertaineth vnto ideotes and fooles which lack diiscretion for that their primary faculties are ouerfâ—oted or intermixed with superfluous grosnes so likewise a woman of moiste complexion is most menstruous especially if she want the vse of man yet this rule and order is manifested by Galen in these words Si virago fuerit fortis pre caliditate siccitate nunquam hoc profluuium admittet Therefore hot and drie bodies of some women are euenmuch infarced with excrements and growe into many inward diseases for want of naturall deuoydance of their inconcocted super fluities for which respect their piteous fulsomnes vnnaturally gathered yssueth by their nostrels therefore by thâ—s reason women of moist complections are most wholsome for the vse of man It falleth out farre otherwise after the course of nature in mens constitutions for that Dioscorides holdeth his opinion after this maner who saith Mallem siceitatem plenitudinis humiditatem incoctarum superfluitatum occasionem esse I had rather drinesse should be the occasion of fulnesse then moistnesse the occasion vndigested superfluities For a moyst bodie in a man is easily ingurged difflated puffed and as it dooth greedily desire sustenance so dooth it redily nourish excrementes transcormeth much blood into watrie matter ouermuch insumeth and spendeth vpon nature whereas on the contrarie a dry body scarsly admitteth or indureth most nourishment but that it doth presently comprehend thereby a pure blood into the vaines drieth and vtterly consumeth al waterye and matery substance for drinesse in adolescencie furnisheth the bodie with good blood disouereth the body from raw excrementes drieth purgeth and perfecteth the bodie from all corruptions As for exaâ—ple Let vs distinguish between a flegmatick and a melancholike person between a moyst and drie braine that hereby a moist temperance in respect of a drie is perceiued knowen to haue most superfluous humors abounding and many times old men are more stuffed with excrementes then yoong men the cause hereof is want of nourishing blood which produceth coldnesse For prooffe if two olde men were placed vnder one ayre did both feede vpon one diet and were of one like age surely hee which of them generateth a moyst temperance shall abound with the greatest superfluities For it cannot bee otherwaies found out but that drinesse alwaies is the cause of puritie and maystnesse the occasion of great impuritie For all men doo obtaine the first partes of moystnesse by carnat generation and therefore children are nourished by sleepe in their mothers wombe The second part of cold superfluities are obtained by moistnes of complexion which naturally disfigureth many flegmatike old men and draweth them subiect to euery vnconstant vapour Auycen assigneth the cause of these and such like piteous excrementes in olde men rather of an immoderate maner of diet then of natures distemperance Galens opinion is most sauorie to our sences and yet disagreeing from Auycen who sayth that although olde mens dyet were much more dryer then yâ— dyet of yong men yet for that excessiue coldnesse puriâ—â—eth them must of necessitie abound with ouergreat excramentall superfluitie There are many which haue wandred very wide both in the constitution of old men and children especially Manardus first declaring that olde men be inforced with fleame by reason of riotous youth and euerie variable accidence exhausteth their bodies with moste perrillous pestilences This is contrary to Galen who plainely affirmeth that after olde age draweth on the body is set free from all accidence and bringeth forth diseases of naturall propertie for that nature eyther alienateth or then weakeneth or els quite decayeth And furthermore whereas Manardus seemeth to conioyne coldnesse as a naturall essence in children his reason is proper onely for that they tooke the substance thereof in the first place of generation and their heate is afterwardes gathered rather by nourishable meates then of naturall substance This is contrarie to Galen who is fortified with experience on the one side and standeth highly vpon the works of nature on the other side doth thinke that children are more hote and moyst then adolescency Children are apt to increase bloud And
all medicines to be congruent and martched vnder perfect constitution and of double operation which is aswell to comforte nature as to expell the disease for if the substance of strength be diminished and the malice of the disease increased appetite and nature are estranged and variable within themselues For nature manie times desireth those thinges which appetite abhorreth the reason is for that appetite is ouercloyed with diuersitie of meates and interchaunge of medicines that both the stomacke and all the lustes of the body incessantly are pursued fatigated and improuidently throwne vpon many dangerous extremities Therefore vnder these meane constitutions whereas tranquilitie and appetite flourish and beare sway there is a good and happie expectation as if the vitall partes be not wearied the disease may be cured and the decayed strength by little and little restored Surely when the heart thorow ouer great abstinence is languished the stomacke cloyed and the liuer viduated and forsaken of the wholsome bloud All thinges thereby haue lost their naturall and proper course that forthwith opiâ—ations and ventosites in the guttes worke all contrarie indirections to health and the rather because the miseriake vaynes which are the conduit pipes of all good bloud from the liuer are obstructed and stayed it were not immethodicall so to distinguish these cold and hote diseases as that one of them in their qualitie and originall may be knowne from the other and the better vnderstood and furthered thereby to health For these cold diseases proceede of earthly 〈…〉 ses are subiect and bound to watery elementes whereupon cold and humid vapours of congealed thicknesse ingender into grosse substance so that all naturall heate is excluded from comforeâ—ig mans bloud thorow which melancholike heauâ—nesse is generated which moste principally oftendeth And the malicious operation that resteth in this humour maketh the bodie leaue and colde stirâ—eth vp the passion of the hart intâ—icateth the wit and vnderstanding to all duâ—nesse and blunteth memory These bodyes are much incumbred with putrisied seuers which proceede of vndigested humâ—dities and augmented with â—uming venâ—osites putrified about the muskels vaynes and ioyntes Furthermore all maner of ruines are hereby drawne to all the partes of the body which vapours after that coldnesse hath ingrossed them to the lowe partes of man called Caâ—arrizans the passages and proper wayes of nature from the spâ—eane to the mouth of the stomacke are intercluded Be it further knowen that these colde rewines thereby issue from one member to an other and infect the bodie with manye cold diseases and are called by three names Catarri Branchus Corizan for so Arnoldus de noua villa setteth them foorth Catarri infect the lightes Branchus infecteth the heade and cheekes Corizam stuffeth and infarâ—eth the nostrels with most humid fluxes and sometimes concockt into verie hard substance by meanes of continuance These bodies are best conserued by a naturall perfect coniunction of drie meates inwardly digested by artificiall means reuiuing the principall members before decayed for lacke of naturall heate In these and such like bodies I doe greatly commend a greedy appetite and a plenary dyet especially in regard that many such complections are fâ—â—xible and ouermuch spend nature of their owne inclinement Therefore plenarie fresh variety of sustenance helpeth many of these sortes of men to naturall heare euen as the hard stone is molified and findered to nothing by manye droppes of raine or as the strong and slately oake thorow moyst issues becommeth putrified so these cold and moyst complections in their natures wash and vanish to nothing The moyst â—raâ—p the shaking palsie the dangerous dropsie the collicke in sundry degrees are the generable 〈◊〉 her 〈…〉 benâ—â—mning the members to become 〈◊〉 one to another for vpon these diseases the vaines become conugated and appetite disfranchised for that corrupt humours may not haue perfect resolution besides all which the whole body is instated with colde influences producing these venâ—meâ—◠〈…〉 rpions Asclides Iposarca and Timpana the one is the materâ—â—l cause in offence of nature the second is an actiue cause inflatâ—ng al the members to become swelling and monstrous the small cause is delatiue conuerting all good and perfect nourishmentes to windie and waterie substance so when these extrâ—mities grow vppon the guttes called Colon and Ylyon are shut vp and thereby both the Dropsie Tympany the wind and stone Collicke preposterously creepe in besides which the raynes of the backe by a grauesly congested substance heereby bendeth and beâ—â—mmeth crooked All which are not to be deueyded without pure and regular dyet of increasing wholesome bloud to become vigent in nature Therfore the disease hauing a scowring vertue is principally comforted and cherished with sweete meates tarsed with vineger to worke a sharpe disposition contrarie to euaâ—uation least that the bodie grow subtile incisiue and euer resolutiue And yet Galen plainly affirmeth that sweete meates are aptly conuerted to choller but â—aâ—t viniger commixed therewith doth greatly fortifie the subtle pearâ—ing and â—â—tring vertue causing the grosse humours to become pure and easily to issue Galen sayth Non quosuis sed rudes duntaxat videor taxare morbos atque potissimum non incerta diuinatione quam probabili conuclâ—ra egrorum indagatione conditionem which is I doe not prescribe and limit euerie disease but the grosse and most dangerous diseases and chiefly doe I sâ—arch out their natures not by vncertaine gâ—sse as by probable coniecture then let not occasion be omitted of more larger speech in such bodâ—â—s subiect to these moyst sicknesses before spoken and of another sort of men which oftentimes passe from this world by vntimely death in strength of youth being grosse and corpulert in their stature which men difficultie indure any adicction to alter nature when sicknesse languisheth vpon them And although they are of measurable abilitie in naturall vigour yet vnable to beare the burthen of sicknesse or subiect their bodies to any stronge accidence but foorthwith their gathered grosnesse is conuerted to a thinne and weake debilitie for that in the first degree of sicknes the vertue digestiue is taken away so that most commonly meat becommeth loathsome to their sight whereas in health the vertue digestiue beeing most stronge did eat much and made few meales Whosoeuer therefore will eyther counsell or comfort any sicke patient must obserue the naturall complection with diet thereunto and that supplement of medicene both in qualitie and quantity be framed aswel in preseruation as restauration of nature and therewithall by contrarie effectes alter the disease as may best serue to the opportunity of health Galen playnly affyrmeth that hot complections are altered with cold sicknesses and cured with moderate medicines And Auycene agreeth hereunto that if the complection of man may haue alteration either by medicine or disease and once recouered to health is euer after most perfect and of longer continuance in this world and lesse subiect to sicknesse for that nature taketh such
in the accidence of euerie disease there be a true obseruation to consider whether the disease be ghostly or bodily moist or drie and whether the bodie be of good or euill complexion whether the stomach and the liuer bee cold or hot whether the humours be quick or dead and whether the operations be heauie or sharp Whether choller hath a burning preheminence in the lunges or mouth of the stomach or whether a dust choller haue kindeled an vnproper heat vpon the spleen The second obseruation is when the disease consisteth staieth in a propertie whether the humours haue passage and due course by the straight conduites of the bodye or no or whether there be a quicke springing bloud in the vaines or whether the disease relinquisheth or retaineth nature The third obseruation in concoction is to consider the pulses whether they be hard or soft hot or colde moist or drie and whether the humours haue perfect resolution or no. Surely without perfect regard of all these causes to be eyther direct or indirect in sicknesse there is no intermedling with purgation before cuncoction be pefectly comprehended for if in sicknes there be no alteration why should nature be vehemently vexed As purging when the accidentes are most strong doth nothing els but styrre and chafe the disease to wax more powefull and cruell And to purge when the disease consisteth disquieteth both the disease and the patient also being at rest besides which not onely disperseth but venometh the disease to be in all the parts of the body vnperfect so that neyther in the beginning or the â—state medicine auaileth in the disease but the surest passage for health life in al sicke patients is that in the vttermost course of sicknesse purgation be placed that is when al putrified infections be gathered to a certaintie by coÌ„coction notwithstanding there is an vniuersal iudgement pronounced of the best sort that all such medicines which extenuâ—te and diminish eyther the extremity of the disease or vnsettle other congeled humours therwith are to practised a lowed and vsed both in the beginning and estate so that the disease thereby may more swyftly bee hastened and ripâ—ned to concoction yet it is not herein so spoken that so large a libertie is graunted as to vse any purgation at all except mollefaction or extenuation which only is permitted in strong accidenâ—s for styrring vp congested humours or prouoking bodies insoluble And so long as the beginning of euery disease continueth so long these weake medicines may be perfectlie permitted it cannot hold together that the sicknesse of one moneth hath equall beginning with the disease that hath continued but one weeke and yet who dare be so bolde as to purge within the compasse thereof before the signes of manifest concoction appeare Certainly if the beginning of the disease continue in one accidence sixe monethes or a whole yeare before concoction be gathered yet there ought to be no troubling or molesting the body with purgatiue medicine both because the disease is thereby vnperfected and the course to concoction quite stopped vp It is to be wished and counselled for all such to take heed and be hereby aduertised which run at hasard with present purgation vpon all diseases for the learned Phisitian which in iudiciall reading is before made to vnderstand the same is neither to bee warned counselled nor taught Lastlie no practioner is abridged either by medicine or diet or any or all good indeauours to drawe such diseases to concoction as a ready preparatiue for purgation which is a singular and perfect way to health agreeable to all the rules of Phisicke These thinges so highly considered who dooth not maruell to behold some carelesse rude persons who vnder the counterfeit shewe of Phisitians doo in the first beginning of diseases profer three or foure draughtes of desperate phisicke with purgations inchaunt the bodie of the sicke patient not onely to innumerable inconueniences but most commonly to dâ—ath it selfe These rather desire to behold the number of phisicke cuppes standing vpon tables round about them then the motion of nature in the diseased patient Heare may rightlie be vnderstood and perceiued that concoction ought to haue a most high superioritie in gathering preferring the vniuersal corruption of the body on a heape before purgation take place But there is a consociety of very daungerous persons in this our age whose custome and maner is the very same instant and day when they approch and drawe neere the sick patient doo first prescribe minoration doo the second day expect concoction the third day eradication the fourth day a potion consortatiue the custome hereof is doubtfull to be allowed both because the disease is caried by so large a compasse without stay into many afflictions â—ooseth his stomach grace lieth dead in the body vnmoueable and euerie seuerall confection may haue hereby a seuerall operatiue nature to doo harme in some fresh and contrarie propertie Auycen vtterly disaloweth their practise herein Howe much the preparing and seasoning of the body auaileth for the perfect altering of the disease to concoction whereby purgation may more naturallie and effectually doo the duetie of a trustie messenger in perfourming the intent of the Phisition the sicke patient shal euidentlie find the ease thereof being released from such and so great continual dolours Galen Hypocrates Auycen Dyoscorides doo confound and consent with this vertuous and medicable indeuor whereas these rude and corrupt practitioners in the firste instant and beginning of the infection minister a strong purgation in offence of the whole constitution is like as if a rotten fulsome channell were raked or stirred to the bottome corrupteth the sences and infecteth the ayre in more poysoned putrifaction so that many daungerous effectes insue thereby The skilfull phisitian dooth farre otherwise that as the sweete fountaine water or the pure celestiall showers of raine by litle and litle purge and purifie the fulsome sauours and contagions of the earth doo not onely keepe them vnder whereby their fulsome smelles breake not out but also by litle and litle vtterly taketh away both their intollerable foyzing the ayre as the corrupt stopping vp and poysoning the comfortable and essentiall estate of mans health Here followeth an other diligent obseruation that all bodies ouertaken with any vniuersall malefaction are not beesides the which clear free from other corruptions as hauing ingenderment with black fleamie yellowe choller so that one of them are verie offensiue to an other and therefore ought they to be mundified and diminished as two offensiue causes inconuenientlie conioined in one disease For if they â—ee not concocted and gathered to a mutuall certaintie their grosse and thicke matter being discouered and estraunged thinlie and vncertainlie breaketh into all the partes of the bodie For Auycen sayth thicke thinges are easily comprehended and swiftly excluded as euidently is perceiued in those diseases which happen in the breast as whether their spytcle bee thicke or thin is
by some meete framed medicine to ripen the disease except the disease consist and stand at a stay And in ministring of purgatiue medicines there must be called to remembraunce whether nature haue ready strength and full power to performe a limited dutie in purgation or no. And heede must be further regarded whether nature be ouercharged with the forraine estate of the disease not then to be troubled or drawne to worser inconueniences by vnseasonable medicines Auycen sayth euery disease is both powerfull and wauering when it decreaseth but when it consisteth is more certaine and better stayed and then most easily ouercome by nature and medicine for which cause not onely crud and rawe matter but also dured and setled matter is then principallie expelled And yet many approued writers affirme that the greatnesse of accidents are to be appeased by the phisitians skill and not permitted to straggle out except equally measured to concurre one with another in the motion of nature And it is most inconuenient at the same time to prouoke the accidentes with any heauie or sturdie medicine which neyther the disease nor nature can then brooke Cornelius Celsus verie precâ—â—ely standeth vpon the words of Hipocrates Si quid mouendum videtur in principiâ— moue Who vnderstandeth that the increase of the sicknesse is a pâ—â—t of the beginning Ierimias Thriuerius a learned writer saith that if any act hath beene ouerpassed in the increased of those sicknesses which haue bene more prosir then casefull may be more strickly regarded in their full and perfect estate not because it was an error or neglected but because the increase of the disease required no such thing vntill there were a full 〈…〉 nesse in the disease accomplished Galen writing to Glaâ—â—â— in his booke de arte curatiua seemeth to interdict euery medicine before the estate especially where crud matter possesseth it selfe And cast aside saith Galen all solutiue and hote medicines and whosoeuer proffereth any medicines at all in such diseases which are stuffed with crud raw and sluny substance before some ease and releasement in the disease be finished shall bring double dangers vpon the disease For being before single and of one propertie thereby both the disease and nature are altered vnder double griefe aswell of great inflammation as opilation whereby the ercrementes loose the due disposition and the bloud corrupted and the arteâ—is wherein The 〈◊〉 a are 〈…〉 aâ—d like to the vaynes the spirite of life walketh are exposed to innumerable dangers Now as you doe vnderstand what is to perfected in such diseases contayned vnder crud and rawe matter comming to their estate So there must be a like caution taken in these sharpe diseases happening vnder some euill and dangerous chrysts not to interdeale therewith by sturing before the disease with all inconueniences thereto appertaining be fully setled There is a certaine grosse and vnperfect substance so setled in the propertie of these and such like feuers as if they doe aspire to a high strength and estate are vnable to be vanquished and driuen away both because nature is weake and feeble as also for that the medicine hath no direct operation Be it assuredly knowne that where nature is more weaker then the disease and therewithall the propertie of medicine lothsome to the disease is a plaine indication of death and although nature may herein for a time be succoured yet can neuer be recoured The ignorance of manie are greatly to be lamented who after nature is ouerthrowne seeke a life in the middest of death therefore Galen in his 29. Aphorism of his second booke denounceth safegard to all suche which in the time of long sicknesses are prospered with nature And although medicine is such a general thing as may be framed to serue in euery degree of sickenesse with vertue measure and time yet whosoeuer eyther by vnequall vertue vnequall measure and vnseasonable time reacheth into anie such disease when nature is before decayed and oppressed is to be adiudged in a damnable estate for the death of that person Then let the Phisitian thorowly consider both bodily constitution and the course of the disease before he attempteth any thing for by rash enterprise the course and motion of nature may be preuented and the disease offended Surely when nature neither mooueth nor innouateth there is no enterdealing with medicine for euacuation as whether it be by potatiue electuarie pilles or otherwise all is vaine and therein vtterly to be refused for rest and quietnesse in those diseases most preuaileth Then lastlie whosoeuer neglecteth these wholsome rules and without obseruation runneth at hazard not onely vainly magnifieth himselfe among the rude and ignorant sort but thorow their vnskilfulnes either doe they dull and blunt the disease or els cherish and continue the danger of the same for by such rude persons nature is both spoiled troubled the worthy knowledge of phisicke slaundered the deserts of the worthier sort derogated and the publike estate of the people offended Here next follovveth howe meate ought to be increased or taken avvay according as the times of sickenesses require NOwe remaineth to search out not onely the nature of sicknesses but in what seasons diseases are moste perillous and apt in offence of bodly health and also how meat ought to be increased withdrawne or quite taken away the which part is most hardest of all for neither olde writers haue clearely and purely expressed it neyther yet newe writers sufficiently reuealed the darknesse and obscuritie thereof Yet that auncient Hypocrates in his first of the Aphorisms vouchsafeth to giue aduertisement that when diseases both beginne increase and come to estate full meates are to be abstracted and thinne dyets most chiefly commended vntill both nature and the disease be well pleased with the thinnest of all For it is a manifest rule that there belongeth to euerie degree of sicknesse a due ordinance that is when meate is quite taken away some great practise is to be expected and accomplished by medicine which then and thereby must worke most effectually and soundly Yet Galen on the contrarie doth seeme to command the patient in time of sickenesse to proceede from a barraine and vnfruitfull dyet to a satiable vberious and complet dyet which of the writers in this latter age is vnderstoode that after great emptinesse nature is greedy to recouer her former perfection All which must be done with such discretion as that meate and measure concurre vpon the estate of the disease But in these inflammatiue diseases of the sides liuer loonges or such like all nourishment in the beginning of such diseases is denyed and quite taken away Especially if the spittle be clammie gluttonous or deuoyded out with thicke bloud then except the disease be loosed eyther by cutting off the basilicke vayne or by some other skilfull attraction the patient is throwne headlong vpon death For although some vse ptisans made of exoriated and vnhusked barly to be dronk in mitigation of such extreame
furious diseases yet all nourishment plainely is denied before some thing in so dangerous a case be perfected There is a farther counsell to be here in extended that if the patient be desirous of sustenance or some supping and will not there from be refrayned then shall be ministred vnto him some slender foode in verie small quantitie as is neyther operatiue nor nourishable both because of the drinesse and distemperature of the body Many very good writers agree and consent that fountaine water sharpe vineger not sophisticall but seasoned from the naturall grape aromatized with honny is of sâ—owring propertie if it be well boyled together and dronke next the heart morning and euening also it is a most wholesome oxinâ—ell to mundifie fleame in the stomacke gently penetrateth congested An oximell is pure to mundifie the stomocke in sicknesse bloud in the sides doth quench and appease the furie of flammatiue feuers and sharpeneth the stomacke therein shall be found most present helpes in so hard dangers Next it is good to vnderstand how the patient profiteth or disprofiteth by these significatiue markes as followe That is when the increase of the sickenesse prospereth towardes health the concoction therewith prospereth also to a full estate as appeareth by the mouth waxing moyst or else reaching vp from the loonges some concoct matter of ripe qualitie to be easily deliuered foorth in full quantitie For the more aboundant those excrements be purged out so much the rather the stomacke is framed and sharpened â—it for foode and sustenance Then it behoueth to yeeld the body some slender reliefe so that continually it be limitted within iudication For as euery disease is rather qualified vnder a barraine dyet in the beginning so a small and thinne dyet is commended in the increase of euery sicknesse Surely a thinne dyet is best approoued in the opinion of Auycen that is when the disease consisteth and stayeth in one course towardes health But if the disease in forceable assault runneth forward without stay then all dyets are substracted vntill the nature of the disease appeare more open and perfect For the bodie hauing escaped these and such like perils of sickenesse is like a wayfaring man hauing passed a tedious and hard iourney through long fasting and much labour desireth foode So these bodies ouerpassing and preuenting variable hazardes by fatigable wrestling and painefull induring both the beginning increase with the estate and perfection of the disease are like a strong captaine after conquest and victorie desireth quietnesse rest meate and sustinance And yet many of these diseases recouered both by good ordinance of medicine and wholesome foode haue returned backe to their olde dangers and not staied their course before deathe All which falleth out both because there was some disordered surfet before health setled in perfection and the disease not quite rooted out Auycen saith that if the bodye fall into present misgouernance after that it hath bene recouered from sharpe sicknesses especially inflammatiue diseases and before nature be restored to her prestinat and potentiall estate and dignitie death without commisseration insulteth ouer life And therefore he aduiseth all men vniuersally to settle nature to sharpen the stomacke to shut the poores and to entertaine sleepe and quiet rest after sicknesse before they expoose their body to any hard practise Now these perfect canons holden by generall consent haue confounded and ouerthrowne the controuersies of new writers and retired vnto their antient and former separation of diseases and secretly therewithall holde backe and inwardly contayne their knowledge and counsell touching simple diseases As though no such thing appertaine vnto them But largely comprehend the estate of these inflammatiue feuers in eyther of their natures vnder one generall method for remedie to eyther of them so that these diseases haue diuers natures and operations aswel in their accidentes as in their concoction And many times it so falleth out that medicine altereth and setleth them not onely to concoction but also to be of an nature whereas before they were in their accidentes variable and diuers in their course and propertie Touching the difference of these simple and coÌ„pounded feuers I cannot finde no direct agreement betweene Hypocrates in his book de ratione victus other writers but Hypocrates and Leonard Fuchsins doe consent and with a true report sound out that all diseases happening in the spring ought to be vnder a moderate dyet in their beginning because nature is then most occupyed in digesting raw flegmatike humours congested the winter before and by the naturall ascending of bloud painefully diuerteth from common course And also the bodye which is replenished with humoures is in the spring season more troubled then anie other time But touching those diseases which fall out in sommer thinne dyet is then most meetest for that both naturall and vnnaturall heate exceede moystnesse and those diseases which then happen are most aptest to inflame But all those diseases which happen in Autume meate is measured according to the disease for no perfect dyet sayth Fuchsins can be prescribed for that diseases are then of diuers properties and contagions And therefore to be measured according to the phisitians skill knowledge and discretion So also suche diseases which fall out in winter are furthered or hindered according to the seasonablenesse or vnseasonablenesse of the time For moyst foggy winters ingender corrupt diseases in the body to the vttermost And naturall whether of frosts and snowe approoue and search the body eyther to great welfare of much health or els to speedie death therefore Fuchsins Frost cold purifieth the vaynes and sinewes for the bloud ascending in the spring season sayth diseases in thinne bodyes are then guided with restoratiue dyets for oftentimes such bodyes are in those seasons apt to be consumpted and vtterly wasted both because the naturall bloud is departed in the deepest vaynes and strong bodyes inwinter seasons subiect to sickenesse are best pleased and approoued with meane stipticall and sauorie dyets If in these bodies both medicine and dyet by present remedie haue not a positiue operation to conserue a strong estate in nature Forthwith nature perisheth For as they are not able to indure the pinching cold outward so their fleshie foggines cannot inwardly suffer for want of perfect and pure bloud so that no outward shelter nor inward nourishment counteruaileth to recouer health in theÌ„ Let vs returne to the substance of our purpose for the searching out the best diet in al diseases either simple or coÌ„pound Galen in the first of the Aphorisms the seuenteeth Comment wisheth a thin and sharpe diet to be established in all sharpe diseases both because the body is infected with most greatest fleames and because inflamations doo therein most abound One Hugh Senensis a learned man disputeth that thin diets are meetest in the beginning of sharpe sicknesses both because strength is in full propertie vndecaied and the materiall substance of the disease ouer
those thinges which are temperate for certainly superfluous moistnesse scarreth and breaketh naturall collour Some hold in opinion that if heat by a strong proportion do superabound cannot offend at all as if it be tempered with excellent moistnesse dooth alwaies conserue a liuely temperance This opinion is much reprooues by Dyoscorides who iudgeth those bodies which of necessitie exceed and ouerflowe in fleame doo also exceede in heate and moystnesse and in like sort they are so deseperate one from an other as that they cannot perâ—ake or comprehend any perfect quicknesse at all considering that nature is rather hurt by the excesse of two properties then one for there ought to be alwaies a medioâ—ritie and an indifferent estate in nature Therefore it is necessarie that heat doo not extend in a sanguine man more then humiditie for if moyst humour preheminentlie be placed the intemperature of the sanguine complexion is more quicke then any other temperatures and yet not in a temperate disposition As such intemperatures are of a more quicker operation then the rest so are they more vnwholsommer and esiest suspected of their vnsoundnes and nature oftentimes speedily perisheth in them especially for that contagâ—on is ouer powerful therein although this may be true yet was there euer any that searched the true vnderstanding thereof For surely these sanguine complexions as they are hot and moyst so their bones sinewes and vaines are couered with thicke flesh ingendring great aboundance of blood many of them thorow exceeding great ryot easily do intertaine many diseases vntimely deuouring and ouerthrowing them And in very deed ther is in these sanguin complexions a contagion which falleth out both by straunge and vnnaturall heat which easily gathereth both because the same is forensical and improper and also for that it hath a principall power in it selfe so that the old pruerbe herein is verified that smoke is next fire And as it insulteth vpon moystnesse so is it easily conioyned yet not nourished therwith The reason falleth out for that heat and mo 〈…〉 e were distemperatly vnited Also drinesse verye hardly intertayneth heat Yet if it be a hot drinesse contagion is very greatly repugned and withstood thereby Therefore it standeth with dayly experience that whatsoeuer things can be preserued saâ—ored or tempered with vimger or salt from corruption is wholsome and pure It is a most excellent workmanship in like sort to continue the sound estate of man vnder good and perfect ordinance in the time of heat and moistnes Yet some writers verily think such seasons can hardly be recouered from corruption but that some one disease or other falleth out vpon the distemperance of the weather Furthermore the authority of Aristotle or Theophrastus shall not any thing herein preuaile who wrongfully place the life of man between heat and moisture in the definitiue sentence of death The old writers neuer did so thinke hauing by three means gathered heat cold moistnesse and drinesse although the earth is more drier notwithstanding the quality thereof is impermixt their bodies forthwith decline And surely the indowment of these sanguine complexions are neyther hote nor colde but temperate They are men compounded of moste excellent dispositions and for that they are of yellow whitish haire like flax much good speach is vsed of them both by Galen and Dyoscondes they indure health strongly and doe resist and beare out the danger of sickenesse familiarlie withstand the furie of accidentall diseases called infections most stifly and the rather by reason of the varietie of their permixion and confused humours Furthermore for that we are distinctly to handle not onely the constitution of mans body but chiefly the seuerall complexion vnder which euery man is gouerned therefore are we next to consider of two sortes of melancholicke men of the which one kinde hath a helpefull humour and is appropriat to nature the other is improper or rather vnnaturall The disease of the melancholicke person is ingendred of two parts of which one entreth into bloud and possesseth the vaines and the other is conuered into the spleane It is profitable if the bloud thereof be thicke whereas it was before thinne watrish and weake being so conuerted doth muche strengthen all the members of mans bodie There is a melancholious humor ingendred vpon the liuer which simple is neyther hote nor colde but absolutely drie and cold And as Galen reporteth Socrates to be a melancholicke person and a man of a thin bloud by reason he had no actiue increase in heat of a rough skin because continuall vapours froÌ„ the stomack moued intentiue coldnesse because the comfortable bloud did not freely at all times returne to proper course his bones mouth and braine were drie and his stomacke feeble Cornelius Celsus sayth that Socrates was a melancholike person on the worst part both for that the liuer bloud was not perfect neyther had free and open passage or recourse vnto the vaynes or yet was temperately conueyed vnto the spleane in which places bloud should be plentifull vigent and nutrimental and by which meanes all melancholious superfluitie should be expelled Melancholy which is taken in good part manie wayes profiteth the body to all wholesome comfortes and hath a speciall regiment in the highest and best place to the spleane But if it possesse the body on the worse behalfe becommeth a dust saltish sower and boyleth vpon the inward partes and is altogether grose rumous and hath a finall inclinement to death A melancholike man is of countenance blacke and yellowe and of nature in two degrees the one more tollerable in condicion then the other The one sort are most vnconstant and readily doe tergiuersat from euery perfect purpose Whosoeuer readeth the opinion of Auycen in a certaine epistle supposed to be written to a noble Duke of Sabelayn Hispalis in Spaine shall finde there described more certainly the properties of a melancholious person then I purpose to intermedle withall Yet Dyoscorides maketh a very commendable report of a certaine excellent potion called Diospoliciton first An excellent potion called Diospolicâ—ton deuised and approued by Architas Prince of Tarentum a moste soueraigne remedie against all melancholious diseases And Galen in his booke de sanitate tuenda Speaketh moste deuinely and reputeth those men to be meâ— of high happinesse who in their dispositions vnderstand the worâ—es of nature do by inward contemplation as by wisedome and experience continually consider to instruct and reforme nature to a better inclinement vntill perfect grace olde yeares and gray hayres haue preuented the inconuenience of such desperat humours and also to haue made an vtter conquest of all the euill practises thereof It is further to be noted that many euil maners doe grow vpon the naturall disposition of man like weedes and that aswell by dayly vse and custome as by excessiue distemperance dipt and coloured euery dayin wicked practises from the purenesse of their first innoceâ—tie as that sometimes they are become vnreformable And
bee liquid and yet forthwith returneth to the same naturall substance as before This marrowe is of diuers qualities in the disposition of the The spinall marrow is the backe bone marrowe Ther be two oments one in the head called Pâ—a mater and the other belonging to the open fat ouer the belly bones As first in the braines next in the fiat broad hollow and round bones Galen sayth that the marrow of the bones is most drie and the spinall marrowe moist in the second degree for the bone marrowe is perfected and made pure naturallye compacted within the hard shell of the bones and the oment marrowe is liquid in the celles of the head and void of all during substance for that the humours haue such large accesse thereunto that the same is thereby continually molified and verie highly weakened in operation Surely it is a wonderfull mysterie to consider and thorowly weigh this excellent worke of nature for the variable couching this pyth in the deepe bottome of the bones sowpling scouring renuing and fortifieng the strength and swiftnes of the body thereby Galen hath many degrees in the variable art of nature touching marrow of diuers kindes and properties and touching the vniuersall frame of the bones is nothing els but an outward anathomie of the whole bodie couered and set foorth with flesh blood sâ—iâ— vaines sinewes So also there wanteth no necessarie office within that appertaineth to the life of man But touching measelled or kernelled flesh with which we haue not to interdeale within the drift of this our purpose both beccause it is a monstrous mishapen substance gathered within the flesh contrary to nature and also because sundrie infections arise thereby in mutuall consort one with an other so that hauing this spoken of the inwarde worke in the outward temperance are not to omit also the temperaunce of the inward motions Touching the lightes spleane and raines which are of hot and moist dispositions and yet their ordinances minister many drie effectes in the body for there are some writers as Petrus Brissotus Petrus Galiensis Iohannes Glarensis Michell Scotus or Cornelius Celsus who suppose the loonges to be indued with lesser moystnesse then the liuer and the rather because cholericke bloud is not intermingled therewith except that which perfectly purgeth the same Theophrastus Paracelsus concludeth the loonges to be a certaine spungie instrument in the side and is of such hote propertie as that most chiefly it is nourished by extracting moystnesse from the liuer And also it is to be adiudged vnder the nature of drinesse for that the spirite and breath hath such a forceable exhalation from the same Therefore Auycen affirmeth That which is hote is easily corrupted with cold that as all accidentall hearbes doe much comfort the loonges so all accidentall coldnesse is most harmefull thereunto as generating tysickes coughes belchinges short breathinges And yet the loonges are much comforted vnder a naturall choller in these bodies which can best possesse inioy the same whereas the liuer bloud is moyst and earthly and vnder a melancholious temperance and a melancholious body is very thicke and subiect to putrified corruptions in the ayre and therefore subiect to pestilence especially vnder euery colde and drie distemperance Galen speaketh of certaine hot moystnesse in mucilaginous flesh inclineable to the second degree such bodies doe drawe from the loonges and liuer by an excesse exhalation eyther of temperance or distemperance the corruption heereof is easily found out by a stincking and contagious breath and other superfluous excrementes deuoyded by fleanie And although the morning breath may be vnsauorie by filthie and hurtfull contagions proceeding eyther by long fasting emptinesse of the stomacke or the breath closly detayned vnder long sleepe gathereth excrementall filthinesse thereby so surely all the fathers and best writers doe attribute the efficient cause vpon a slimie decay and noysome corruption in the loonges which necessarily falleth out by the moystnesse of the liuer feeding the same It is a very hard thing to finde one member hote and drie together except the hart which standeth vpoÌ„ the dyaphragmâ— which maketh diuision vppon the spirituall partes Therefore Auycen placeth the hart absolutely drie Dyoscorides somewhat doth contradict Auycen heerein Who saith that although the loonges giue breath yet their comfort proceedeth from the heart giueth heate and strength thereunto And also breath by either partes adioyned thereunto is made more hoter So likewise the liuer bloud is deferued and strengthened in heate by pursuing and searching vppon other parts of the body adioyned thereunto otherwise it is earthly especially when accidentall effectes in diseases are transferred beyond the power of nature And as the breath followeth the nature of the loonges so the bloud onely followeth the nature of the liuer and yet in their propertie they doe both decline for breath is most filthily corrupted aswel by inward excremeÌ„ts as inward diseases So the bloud by sweete and delicious nourishmentes is conuerted to choller and is then both hote and inflammatiue So that discrepating froÌ„ his first propertie vtterly orrupteth decayeth becoÌ„meth absumpt in the degree of death Cornelius Celsus sayth the spirite the heart the bloud the liuer the single flesh the musculous fleshe the spleane the raynes the arteries the vaines are hote by accidentall meanes otherwise they are cold this his meaning is left raw and vnseasoned it is to be coniectured he meaneth those accidentes to be the nourishment which increaseth prospereth and cherisheth those parts of the body in qualitie and quantitie which otherwise after the maner of the membrance woulde debilitate and surcease their power All this considered as the spirite is more exquisite and searching so is it also in due propertie more warmer then bloud Likewise and on the contrary the arteries with the vaynes and fatnesse are hote and yet by all and euery euill and subtill accidents colde if the body infecting or touching be found soft it is not forthwith moyst for reason may not iudge such a bodie to be soft which by vnnaturall humour is manie times fluxible For euen as wax is not of his owne propertie onely moyst as by the excesse of accidentall heate put thereunto so cleere water is thickned or hardened by accidentall colde This proueth all thinges to be vnder some vnnaturall propertie and reuertible from their first fresh florishing natural course So that hitherto hauing defined temperance with all measurable moderation so also haue we differenced ages and proportions of yoong men from olde men and olde men from children and children from infantes Next after the opinion of Galen we are onely to shewe the temperature of these accidentes which verie highly varie many times from nature and become deformed and unproper in theÌ„selues As slendernesse thickenesse corpulencie and a measurablenesse in the naturall condition of all men And touching slendernesse there are two euidences thereby signified that is aswell the small quantitie of flesh as the puâ—r
fatnesse concreated vpon drie bodies thorow which the dyaphragma is thereby safest preserued from contagion as the reason and vnderstanding vnuanquished so that a large and liberall life with sondrie excellent indowmentes are appertayning to those bodyes But corpulencie declareth the aboundance of fleshe which ingrosseth and vapoureth vpon moistnesse bringeth forth manie noysome and filthy diseases in the body Whereas thinnesse and smalenesse of flesh sheweth perfect drinesse so corpulencie doth shew coldnesse and moystnesse Cornelius Celsus doth affirme that a thinne body sheweth frugall fatnesse nourished in the warmenesse of a thinne bloud So these grosse bodies nurse vp thicke bloud and venomed humours These men are in a most dangerous case if there be a colde congealement in the vaines and other members which belongeth to surfetting dronkardes and such like disordered persons Galen affirmeth verie muche good appertaineth to those men which are perfected vnder a measurable comprehension First if their bloud be hote thinne and clearely recourseth in the vaynes if their breath be sharpe sweete and thinne if their bloud be warme sharpe and sweete all which maketh indication of a perfect substance except these natures be poysoned otherwise by some cold vaporous accidentes for colde things doe easily concreate vppon a warme substance or except also this vnnaturall distemperat coldnesse falleth out in melancholious complexions whose bloud is thicke slimie and sower And yet there are some sanguine complexions of inclineable fat as they doe greatly fauour daintie meates so doe they yeld good liking to euery seuerall office and portion in the body And nature euermore fauoureth comforteth nourisheth and purgeth these complexions in her owne propertie These complexions doe neuer concord with anie earthlie exhalations but speedily decay and perish therewith Galen sayth in his booke of simples that the naturall fat in these men is both hote and tastfull And the waterie fat which is congested into substance vpon these men is sower bitter and exposed to innumerable perils Also when thinne portions of this earthly bloud thorow cold vapours is made thicke and thorow slender vaynes falling downe best liketh and desireth to possesse the coldest partes of the body forthwith congealeth into cold fatnesse not onely thereby pearceth the thinne substance of the body but also hurteth the naturall actions in the senses especially by the diseases of the crampe stitches feauers rewnis crickes lamenesse numnesse painefull gripinges and such like whereas otherwise good nourishment warmenesse comfortable sweates bathinges opening the poores electuaries purginges omission of bloud choyse of meates might be sufficient meanes to chase away the intollerable hurtes and perilles that may insue heereof as also by preseruing and nourishing of a more hotter and sweeter bloud Next followeth that whatsoeuer hath bin spoken heretofore touching drinesse in the oment of the belly which is a couerture aboue and beyond the filme vnder which all the guttes are lapped so there is another oment in the head which is moyst called the skinne or rim of the brayne and commonly called of the chyrurgians pia mater It is coarcted in the middle partes of the head with many offices and appurtenances thereto belonging Therefore aswell such men as women whose bodyes are inuested with corpulent and fattie flesh are molested in the substance thereof with an interflowing inundation so that their complexion is commonly moyst and there oment in the head moyster Yet surely there are some natures so equally compacted in the order of the foure elementes whose temperance is vnder the gretlie word EVCRATON which is neuer changed or molested with any malignitie but stand mightilie against all distemperances And as their temperatures are indifferent in all measures so are they neuer deprehended by any impropertie or euill accidence if the bloud be thicke then the vaines be straight and narrowe and the blood slowlie interfloweth The which sort of men are troubled with giddines and swimming in the head are vnable to indure any paines or vndertake fasting or honger Whereas the other temperatures vnder this word EVCRATON vndertake strongly are swift in digestion do wholsomly nourish al sustenance into perfect substance their blood floweth and comfortablie interfloweth in the course of the whole bodie Their sleep is sweete chearable and restfull they liue in health Their yoong daies are ioyfull and their old daies peaceable to their graue And seeing we are farther to pursue the bodie of man in hys whole and substantiall essence wee are next to consider the temperatures of the ayre And although Auycen reporteth that the bones of man hath more drinesse then the hayres yet I cannot otherwise reade but that hayres haue encrease of an earthlie vapour and the bones are vnder a sharpe thinne vegetation of blood and the stronger nature is there the increase is made more valourable thicke and styffe and as nature is insigned out in the worke hereof most perfect to the eies of all men so doo they valiantly sustaine the trauels and miseries which appertaine to this life Here might be a gathered coniunction in the temperatures of the gristles or the gristely lygumens the tendons which are the great sinewes or the cordes of the body as also the arterick vaines where the spirit of life recourseth and the hard and soft sinewes sensitiue with the spinall marrowe For the more softer these portions doo appeare the rather doo they obtaine and generate an indifferent nature both of moistnesse and drinesse aswell of heat as of colde so that the good temperature of all these portions in the body doo yeeld a perfect increase and nourishment to the hayr of the head except they be distempered thorow any superfluous accidence otherwise Therefore Rasis sayth that the haire is a materiall cause deriued from the humours of the inward partes of the body as of the vaines Ruellius saith that strong is the officient and perfect cause of thicke haire which somewat consisteth and â—ayeth vnder the estate and condition of the skinne and is not generated of euery supersiuitie ercept onely of that superaboundant temperature which is gathered in the extreame partes of man and those excrements are variable As first the excrementes in the bleather are of two sortes the one cleare and the other thick the one is called Hypostasis which by a perfect digestion The excrement of moisture is of two sortes is aduanced in the substance of the brine and either is in the blather or seroot or strained and extenuated from the bodie is passed ouer into vapours for the increase of hayres or els in styrring and chafing the body is deliuered foorth by sweates or els groweth into flegmatike inundations Galen auoucheth that there is one part thereof ascending vp and peacing the braines deliuered and absumed away by a dry rewmatike spyttell an other part is deliuered away by common course of excrementes at the nostrels and an other part is deliuered away by sweaâ—es an other part is deliuered away by sorrow of the eyes in weeping an other part is
the same as they doe become bare and bald so are they men of verie euill and dangerous maners Yet Auycen greatly commendeth bald men of sanguine complexion and flaxen hayre to be trustie honest and verie precise and deuout and yet manie of them haue reaching wittes in high causes Hypocrates sayth there can be no direct temperance in baldnesse for that in the first place those thinges which be hearie onely are hote and moyst In the second place bald men are drie and in the third place bald men are in their extreames so of sickenesse and discases doe swiftly approoue in the nature of cold and drie therefore we are verely to coniecture that all ages of men denunciat their natures after the temperance of the regions and countries vnder which they are borne aswell as their owne priuate complexion and age for as the ages of youth are hote drie and hayrie so infancie is smooth colde and moyst and without hayre Then seeing there must altogether fall out a perfect sympathie or equall combination vnder the temperatures of countries and that hayrie men natiuely appertaine vnder regions hote and drie so then there must be a temperat cause in contrarietie hereof for that Theophrastus Paracelsus holdeth in opinion that hote and drie countries absinne and quite take away all the humours which intentiuely nourish hayres Auycen sayth that heate and drinesse in those bodyes are not so easily nourished and therefore heate and drinesse of those countries are nothing profitable in the generation of hayres after the naturall simpathie and mutuall combination in temperance of the bodies themselues Galen speaketh of young men of the Ethiopians who of their owne complexion and naturall inclination are hote and drie in respect of other countries the which propertie furnisheth their bodies with an excesse strength of hayres And although curled yet not diuersty coloured like other countries which signifieth the superaboundant heate vnder which they liue Surely I am perswaded it is a moste direct poynt not to compare nature with age but to compare countries with ages which in all the conditions of hayres may be best accompted of For the Ethiopian yoong men in temperance of hayres both in multitude and strength exceedes the yoong men of these our countries in the highest degree Let somewhat more in this our treatise be attended vpon and diligently coÌ„sidered in the temperance of women touching hayre for that there are some who thinke the same farre disagreeing froÌ„ this our purpose that is a woman of cold moyst teÌ„perance is indewed with a vecie thick hayre who for the materiall substance of moystnesse following vpon her hath not onely many hayres but most long hayres for which cause women of moist complexions can neuer be bald And a flegmatike woman following the temperance of the whole body cannot in any respect want hayres and sometimes exceedes therein farre otherwise then common course Except a woman of moderate and due temperance which cannot ouer passe the boundes and limites of nature in the ornature of the body for those women are of pure feminine complexion and are not bearded like men for two causes the one because the vapours of the matrix are ranckly deuoyded by naturall profitmitie as also for that the ascending moysture thereof is subtilly occupied in the braines for the plentifull generation of haires so that the â—hin partes are vtterly barrained thereby Then touching those hayres which haue comely treases vpon the eye-lids bankes of the browes doe shewe the excellent ornature and seemely grace of nature by a certaine liberall benefite in beautifiâ—ng the womans proportion tarre aboue all other creatures for as these hayres are outwardly planted so are they regarded as increasing and springing vp in their due disposition by an outward view for if they did follow the temperature of men they should grow confusedly and without order Then how greatly doe those women scandelize both nature and affection which by colouring crisping platting or striking forth of their haires doe deforme and disguise their fauour and countenance in the open shame of the world notwithstanding all which are not able to alter the seemely shewes of nature whose power both in the head banckes of the browes and eye-lids is both absolutely and artificially expressed And I would haue it further knowne and marked that the difference of moystnesse and drinesse in natures goodly works is vnlike as if graine or seedes were planted or sowed in earth of two natures so that the one should be in temperance more fruitfull then another so doth the haire followe the temperance of the skinne both in substance complexion and colour In like sort as the hayres in the heads of women be moyst or drie after their temperance so vniuersallie both the hayres in the bankes of the browes and eye-lids are drie because the continuall humectation of the eyes purgeth the same But twise and once is either man or woman happie who safegard their head vnder a drie temperance for that moyst corruptions within do speedilie and dangerously alter the outward hayre to become gray and grisly and the rather if the body be vnequally distempered by any colde and vaporous disease Therefore two sortes of gray hayres are to be considered vpon herein The first sort thorow the rage of surfetting youth in the vntimely age of man especially when the temperance is altered by cold venerian vapours the extreame malice whereof suggesteth these colde and perfect diseases of feuers bloudy eyes flegmatike spittle impostumations short breathinges head aches as also the whirling and giddinesse of the braines There are also gray hayres which naturally fall vpon the pure olde age of man signifyeng temperance chastitie soundnesse of body as pleasure and health to the graue As these graye hayres were attained and gotten by wisdome and good aduise so are they preserued and continued as an ornament of great and inestimable honour to olde age Likewise after the temperance of hayre the nayles of the hands and feete are preserued or decayed in good or euill condicion and estate and yet they doe not so speedily alter by the interchange of the inward humours as the hayre doth Dyoscorides sayth that the increment of nayles proceedeth of pure bloud his reason is for that if the nayles decline and putrifie a freshe nourishment springeth thereof againe Cornelius Celsus sayth because the vaines beginne and end in the fingers and toes therefore nature sheweth an outward worke like a comely pentise to couer the same Ruellius sayth the flegmaticke and moyst man hathe a moste prolixe increment in the nayles for that there is a continuall moyste interflowing vapour from the sinewes feeding and nourishing the same So the hot and chollericke man hath sharpe thin and little nailes because large moisture from the sinewes wanteth thereto Theophrastus Paracelsus saith a moyst woman hath thinne short nailes if shee bee aptlye menstruous or els not Galen saith if the plat chest or bulke of the bodie be wide and broadeâ— so that
saith further that single medicines cannot be changed beyond their owne nature The which wrongfull opinion and iudgement hee seemeth to consent with Paracelsus who affirmeth that euerie thing is borne and brought foorth into this world to aduouch his owne propertie in the actuall accomplishing of some effectuall vertue for the helpe or hinderance of an other thing And yet this nothing proueth why any qualitie either of heate or bloud should be aduaunced beyond his own nature except by some inforced extremitie or except only because the maner of dyet is more stronger in one body then another or except some bodies are disposed to feede vpon grosser sustenance then another for that body doth inioy and obtaine greatest health which feedeth vppon the purest cleerest and most choyse sustenance Surely as the body begetteth his portion of heate after the greatnesse maner and meetnesse of sustenance so warmenesse of bloud equallie either by tenuitie indifferencie or fulnesse is matched and aduaunced with the bodie but the office of the liuer is not herewith compared hauing no naturall indowment of heate from the affluence of heate and bloud in the body There is a constitution of variable humours by the same temperance of the liuer vnder which one is more colder then the liuer it selfe and the other more hotter after the condition of some materiall cause from whence the heate of the liuer is deriued especially for that nothing is so single in nature but that it is variably altered by the heate of the sunne so that some bodies in the variable disposition of man are like vnto waxe molified or clay hardned by the vertue and strength of the sunne Dyoscorides reporteth that the complexion of euerie man draweth vpon the sunne and the grace of the sunne hath a differing action vpon all seuerall thinges variable being comprehended in it selfe and that euerie man is disposed alter the foure orders of the elementes So that some men are white some men blacke some men red some of one colour some of another thereby Galen saith that herein may be perceiued that all heates feede vpon the sunne And furthermore doth say that like as fire is stroke from the hardnesse and secret vaynes of the flint so the liuer is fed and nourished by an intentiue hote humour inforced from the sunne For which cause and after this maner nourishment subtilly and moste secretly passeth into the naturall heate of mans body chiefly when nature ioyneth in propertie therewith So nourishment nothing disagreeth from wood ioyned vnto fire which first standeth at a state then presently altereth into the nature of fire and becommeth into one perfect substance therewith And as heate is more weake in one body then another so heate according to the copiousnesse of sustenance increaseth throoughout the whole body And heat also more speedily flameth out after the constitution of a hot high and strong sustenance then by a cold thinne and weake dyet And therfore foode ought with care and diligence to be wayed and regarded both for the preseruation of mans life as also for that some bodies are thorow euill regiment easier corrupted and ouertaken then others Then haue we iust cause to thinke that heate is not properly nourished of anie propertie in it selfe but either violently drawn from some other inferiour and naturall causes of fire or els from the supernaturall comfort of the sunne which is the onely restauration of all inferiour causes to become with them of one parmanent and firme operation Surely then nourishment is receiued into the body by three maner of meanes as first when an excesse quantitie of dyet is receiued into the body bringeth forth some monsirous or vnnaturall disposition in it selfe And such strange dispositions will not consent euer after to follow the right direction of perfect nourishment As wine although it be of excellent qualitie and most easily retayned and digested downe into the body yet being receiued by excesse quantitie oftentimes doth benumme and ouercoole naturall temperance and doth of it selfe conuert into cold humours by some strange alteration for that not onely the aboundance therof confoundeth heat and the verdour being ouer charged by a surfetting distemperance oppresseth both the power of heate and nourishment and altogether therewithall surpriseth bodily constitution There may be also wayed a consideration in the second degree how nourishment altereth and transferreth it selfe For while it continueth the stomacke hath the onely effect of foode but being digested from the stomacke passeth from one office to another vntill the substance strength and power thereof be distilled conuerted and altered to become of one vnion in mans body and when the body is vnapt to intertaine perfect nourishment both sheweth a degeneration of nature and the distemperance of the body reclined to some forraine contagion There is an absolute comprehension in the third degree which is moste perfect both to health long life and the naturall substance of man that is when meate most sufficiently brooketh mans body and the body taketh good liking and relishe of the meate are foorthwith resembled into one similitude together And yet there are foure degrees which are called second humidities besides foure humours which participate vpon the liuer The first cause is contained vnder the subtile vaines and arteries and therefore because heate is not onely degenerated but setled and concocted in a corrupt bloud there is a plaine digression of nature and all moystnesse doe waxe thinne thereby The second degree of these Humidities is when a dispersed due interfloweth from sustenance into all the partes of the bodie the which if by alteration of strange humours it falleth into corruption is the onely efficient cause of a third humiditie and no nourishment is fauourable vnto the body and all gluttonous Exanguit that is without bloud causes are quite separated from the body by meanes it is exanguit consumpted and quite deuoyded from heat yet it cannot be denied but that there is some clammie matter impendent vpon the loonges which gnaweth vpon the desire of sustenance alwayes belonging to such humid diseases The fourth humidity representeth a hungrie nourishment Galen in his sixt booke in the causes of Symptomatickes doth say that although they haue diuers names yet are they of one sharpe hurtfull operation in nourishment except that which maketh some delay either in the stomach or in the maw that the vaines may extract a mouing comfort therefrom And also we must vnderstand that this nourishment extendeth to the extreame partes Otherwise truelie in my opinion other parts need not to contract nor trauell with the stomach and lyuer for moysture to their better nourishment Al which perfectly sheweth that nature draweth a potentiall substance for the strength of nourishment and the more nearer there is a communion of substance in all the partes of the bodie the more easier is there a returne of nourishment except it otherwise happereth by meanes of any forraine accidence For sowes flesh although it hath great
affinitie and nearnesse with mans flesh yet by the good operation of wine it is passed ouer into a perfect substance and the digestion thereof is slowe sower and heauie for because the vnion hereof is of a more thicke and growne substance it is operatiue and ouerburthensome then familiar vsuall and accustomed Therefore the power of hotte thinges haue a double difference for which cause ther are medicines of on operation and nourishmentes of an other the which nourishmentes ought to haue an easie gracious nature eyther to helpe nature decaied or to pacifie the troubles of any disease offending wholsom constitution doo iustifie and continue the health and safegard of the bodie are preferred before all medicines and nature the more graciously and easily dooth accept them to bee placed in some due ordinance with the body For such like nutritiue medicines as they haue an inward mollifieng operation so haue they an outward application And yet some according to the demonstration of Galen doo thinke that nutritiue medicines inwardly taken hauing possessed and matched their heat vnder the fourme of a hot complexion are of moore greater force and strength and such medicines are easily reduced and manifested in their owne nature and propertie more quicklie Theophrastus Paracelsus saith that medicines outwardly ministred more speedily doo shew their nature then those which be inwardly intertained especially if in their action they be hotte and firme and although vnder the skinne are more inwardlye tender then is outwardly shewed yet haue they a more ready dutie hereby to search the deepnesse of the wound and griâ—ued place and the deepnesse of the sore more speedily doeth yeeld and open if the inward humor be corrected by some purgatiue drieng drtnke the diseased and grieued sore presently altereth his yssue yeeldeth to a sound vnion and is presently comprehanded vnder one fafe substance of the body Aristotle in his Probleames speaking of viniger and such like sharpe sauces dooth say that the aswell inward as outward applications very sensibly doo freate and if heat bee bewrayed of a more stronger power in the pacient dooth growe to an inward excesse and outwardlie offendeth yet a strong and hot body will easily and verie much blunt and dull the power hereof As first by extenuation and comminution Secondly by concoction and thirdly by motion for that they are rouing neuer continuing themselues in one estate but dispose them selues into al other partes As fourthly by seperation especially of those partes which are more sharpe as prepared purged and sifted either by fluring either by vrine or vomite and breathing vapours from the stomach rather then of those parts of the body which are more calme sound bening and bountifull In which it is to be marked whether nature be impaired in the exclusion of one part more then an other or remaineth wholly sound and perfect Also whether the blood bee made cleare and kindly by a fresh and newe coiunction Also whether the rind and barke of the vaines be wrinkled dimished and broken in peces and whether medicine haue a naturall power to vnite and conioine in the nature of the body for if the medicine be blunted and dulled by the strength of the body then the body is vtterlie vnable to defend it selfe from corruption but presentlie infected with all kind of vlceration And these kind of vlcers are comprehended either from ranke aboundaunce of melancholious corruption arising betweene the flesh and the skinne into some outward preposterous sore or els most commonly by reason of some hotte fluxing humour vnnaturally setling in some part of the body wherein some vnkindly worme breedeth and ouereateth except some present stay and remedy be had And Galen saith there are diuers sortes breeding in their kind according to the nature and disposition of the body And although the Chirurgians do giue them seueral names yet they ought not so to doo because they are wormes gathered and mishapen according to the monstrousnesse of the humour and neuer continue in one kind And yet some olde writers deuide these sortes of sores into foure names Herpes Phagedina Chironia and Telephia The first is of verie affinitie with a plague sore The second is some filthy blacke worme or Fystula fretting betweene the flesh and the bones The third is a foule sore hard to be cured and being poisoned with the melancholiousnesse of the humour is called Noli me tangere The fourth complecteth it selfe vnder the name of all Boyles or Carbunckles and surly al sharp sower swift styffe and cruell medicines whether they be hotte or colde haue in themselues a naturall poyson to doe hurt hereunto And they are more harmefull beeing eaten then when they be outwardly applyed for in their nature they do not only intoxicate the primary partes of man but deepely pearce the power of the heart We haue a manifest and rare example of Socrates who liued in strong power of health except by drinking that daungerous and murthersome hear be Cicuta who sensiblie feeling the coldnes and power thereof to insinuate and wind it selfe did vanquish the highnesse and mightines of his heart confessed that Cicuta was the sting of death and the venym of destruction Dyoscorides discribeth this hearbe Cycuta to be both in nature and growth like to our english Henilocke Surely these medicines do litle hurt being outwardly applied but they are poisonsome and deadly being inwardly taken except the small quantitie thereof be such as that the body bee of stronger power to vanquish and shake off the mortalitie thereof There is also a certain ioyce nowe in vse strained squeased out of the leaues of Lascrpitium Antonius Musa saith it is the gum of the tree it selfe called Rosen or Belswyn and Bewguyn There is no difference whether it proceed of the ioyce or weeping teares and licour of the tree But certainly that Rosen which groweth into a gum by meanes of teares and weeping of the trees sheweth thorow an vnnaturall heat in the elementes a generall infection and disease vpon the trees either by vnnaturall heat in the elements or by a distemperate and furious course in the stars and the substance therewithall is thickened hardened and congealed As it is not our purpose to ioine together these differences so neither are we to search out their particular power striÌ„gth neither their forme likenesse nor shape â—or their good vse or euill abuse therof How much could I here vtter in disgrace of the Pandect for false exposition of these and such like ioyces or congealed gums which of the common people are one for an other falsly put in place as the first misordering of Asa fetida which the Arabians do rather seeme to put in place of Mumy and many very â—sophistically doo frame the filth of men long dead to serue herein But there are two principall sortes of Mumy the best sort proceedeth of the rich Baâ—samum Catabalsamum frankensence Oppobalsamum Myrre Alloes Beniamyn and many other sweete odours imbalmed within the dead
hearbe in growth is alwaies ascendent and discendent with the increase and decrease of the moone So also there is an other hearbe called Scopa Regia which draweth a most high dignitie from a starre which followeth the newe moone called Occulus Lunae and is of right vertue to heale a swelling congesled blood in the throat called the kinges euill Petrus Galiensis saith the hearbe Dragon is of cold operation and draweth a vertue from the Lode star The heate of the Sun without difference warmeth all thinges yet in deeper penetration of one thing more then another Herewithall it is a most excellent thing to consider the propertie of Honie the which honie is respected to be in the vse of man in one degree and in the vse of a Bee in an other degree For as the heate of the Sun is sincere and pure in nature and propertie so dooth it conioine with the course of starres discending by a certaine mellifluous dewe inseaseth it selfe vpon the hearbs of the earth by attraction Neither is it of right iudgment that this hony is naturall indifferent to all the hearbs of the earth although the Bee hath a generall portion thorowout Therfore Dyoscorides saith that the naturall Bee sucketh the most mellifluous fruites of the earth But the vnnaturall Beeroueth and rangeth aswell vpon the one as the other especially all wilde and sauage weedes And yet as the Magnet or Lode-stone is vnforceable to attract vppon euerye complexion so all sortes of hearbes are not drawen from the Elementes for theyr attractiue aptnesse many times fall out diuersly after the complection of men For as there be hearbes of thin and light operation so there are thin and light humours in men And as there be thick and grosse operations in hearbes so are there also thicke and grosse humours in men Therefore the power of hot thinges may not be adiudged by touching neither yet vnderstood by reason for that al things are diuers in operation For as hot things are not alwaies thin and light so thicke things are not alwaies cold yet doth it commonly fall out that solutiue medicines are alwaies hot sharpe and bitter But we may not iustlie affirme that all sweet medicines are hot for that bitter medicines are shadowed many times with outward sweetnes As Galen saith Sub melle venenum tegitur Surely al hot things are of subtill extenuation and yet oftentimes through a hotte substance in themselues doo growe into sleshie thicknesse Hypocrates reporteth his helpe towardes a yoong man which was ouergrowen with fleshie thicknesse both of bellie and other partes of his bodie did aboundantlie wash bath and soke himselfe in the middest of sommer in colde water And whereas chieflie his face and other partes of his body were styffened thickened and bound with cold humours and for the exceeding thicknesse of his skinne the deflation of heate was repressed foorthwith a righteous experience tooke a prooffe For that fresh vnion and naturall collection of heate did follow This excellent temperance followeth the elementes by a natural repercussion of all cold temperatures into the sweete and medicionable springes of the earth for that the hot sommer course in the Elementes hath repressed all colde temperaments of morning dewes into the vaines and hart of the earth the water springes become thereby potatiue wholesome and medicionable and both within as without the bodie of high operation For now as the increase of heate is hereby styrred vp so also the exteame coldnesse and ouer great thicknesse of the skinne conceiueth a free relaxation in the poores whereas also both the bloud and breath were inwardly repulsed so the one freely interfloweth the vaines and the other hath a temperate and equall propertie from the loonges And also the humours which were before halfe setled doe become nowe more plentifull and are perfected into a regular order and heate herewith regenerated doth first spring vp and forthwith returne and strike backe againe thereby at length heate ouercommeth colde in the extreame and vttermost partes and permanently there doth settle Galen doth seeme to call this repercussion onely the same repulsion which is made after the concoction of humours Neither is it to be maruelled if heate heereby returne more plentifull both because the bloud being increased and renewed the heate also must of necessitie be increased Theophrastus Paracelsus saith I doe esteeme heate to be borne out more euident and manifest to outward things by manie repercussions although no increase of bloud shall follow in outward thinges for certain momentanie repercussions may hinder bloud anie more to bend yet it may not be said that the cause thereof hapneth in the ripenesse of vnperfect humours For this cause doth it seeme to come to passe after this maner that bloud cannot easily be drawne when it is chased from the outward plentie and fulnesse vncertainly to possesse the inward partes after which beeing againe inforced to anie outward operation draweth a portion of humours to pursue those vaynes euer after as the old prouerbe is Fluxus fluxum prouocat Therefore it is a moste excellent ornament to beholde the signes of the elementes in all euacuations For seeing inferiour causes do expresse and exercise the nature of superiour causes it standeth with equitie they shoulde be obeyed Especiallie the tides of the sea drawing vpon the course of the moone the sunne giuing increase to the vniuersal creation The hearbs hauing an excellent pure and secret vse in the starres The plannets hauing their temperance or distemperance in the complexions of all thinges So then it is a moste high assurance that euerie sickenesse which distempereth in offending the life of man ought to be considered vpon after the high temperance or distemperance of the elementes aswell as the complexion of the patient I ende to the laud of God and profite of christian health Thus endeth the third Booke of the Temperamentes The Lord made heauen and earth and all thinges that therein is blessed are the workes of his handes At my next conuenient leysure three bookes more are to come forth vnder one volume as followeth A booke of the Distemperamentes An Apologie to the Plurisies A discourse vpon the diseases in the Arteries FINIS