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
the easing mittigaiting the rigour of the infection but for a speedie performance of the same to concoction It standeth farre otherwise in those infla 〈…〉 tiue and sharpe diseases of the plurisie and such like whose accidentes is to be preuented and subdued in the first beginning for if these â—urâ—ous diseases grow to perfection they wil be immedâ—â—able and without remedie For as there must be a perfect conâ—ection and medicine aptly framed to diminishe the same so there must be a thin reformed dyet both because of thicknesse of hote fleame and the vnnaturall heat of the disease it selfe And as these effectes must be wisely decerned so these potaâ—iâ—e confections must be made meete equall and apt to the same constitution As first regarding the grossenesse of the accidentes and secondly to vnderstand more artificially by experience from the varietie of excrementes that is to say by the signes eyther of some raw or concoct matter possessing some one part of the bodie besides which if there is one orderly progresse in the disease As when the disease beginneth to settle then the increase thereof finisheth And when the perfection of the disease manifesteth in the highest degree there is the disease in full estate and when the accidentes are generall there is the infection sharpest in nature when the disease beginneth to giue ouer and to loosed then an vniuersall alienation sheweth the same for that the vrine is not raw as in the beginning groweth to substaunce colour and verdour the countenance thereof is scowred cleered and perfected like a faire bright daye after a strong and stormy tempest Next and lastly there followeth a disease called Dyspnaea so set forth by Auycen most commmonly doth breake foorth in sommer season about the iudiciall dayes and gathereth strong vapours into the body about the brest by reason of a disseasonable winter or vnnaturall spring before Or by reason of a great retentâ—on in thicke bloud inordinately congealed about the brest or heart of man So that the passages of the inward parts are stopped vp that one member cannot haue vse and seruice of another matched with a difficult extremitie of certaine drie knottes or knottes vpon the liuer lightes and loonges besides which all materiall substance is quite exhausted for lacke of excellent and perfect moysture in that place These pectoral diseases are best knowne for that there spittle is tough thicke bloudie proceeding oâ— blacke colour reacheth deepelie draweth winde hardly for their winde pipes are ouercharged aswell with humorall substaunce as that sometymes also their loonges are vtterly wasted Euen as a hote fire causeth a pot to fome ouer so the boyling heate heereof inwardly chafeth these diseases to become more extreme and fierce These diseases I say are best eased and resolued both by opening the nether partes by glisters and comforted in the vpper partes by cullicies of thinne substaunce without addition of anie hote cause put therein So that by the comforting of the one and opening the passages of the nether partes in the other the disease is dissundered and easily auoyded downward it hath beene seldome seene that verie fewe haue escaped this dangerous contagion Here might be placed sondrie other daungerous diseases especiall feuers happening in mans bodie vppon contrarie and disseasonable operations of times But these are sufficiently prescribed as a vniuersall admonition with care to regard health from sicknesse in euerie seuerall constitution more exactlie then heeretofore WHAT IS TO BE DONE IN THE BEginning of euerie disease OLde writers among many wholsome disciplines and necessarie lawes deliuered out for the gouernment of mans body haue not omitted what rules are best to be obserued in the beginning of euerye hot disease and sicknesse that is with gentle and fauourable medicine mollifie the harde excrements of the body and not only because nature is departed from due disposition shall hereby the better be restored as also in that the stronge heat of sicknesse with thicknesse of blood hath stained the humours as that all moist passages dangerously are stopped vp Therefore by thys molifieng humous are thereby made more agitatiue and the poores to receiue such comfort are redilie opened so that both bodie and nature yeeld together more flexible and the stubbornnesse of the disease hereby is made more obedient Auycen called this mollefaction the libertie of nature Dioscorides saith it is the messenger of health And Galen saith it is the controller of sicknesse Arnoldus de noua villa saith it is the glasse of true knowledge in sicknesse This mollefaction is of most gentle qualitie both in attracting of good digestion in retention of perfect substance and strength for the behoofe of nature and the superfluous spum of most grosse and vnperfect humours therewithall are prouoked more apparant for the causes of diseases are not onely hereby stirred to readinesse against euacuatâ—on and expulsion But the nature of the disease it selfe wholly is discouered in the worke of medicine and the Pâ—isiâ—ians knowledge hereby made more luâ—ulent There are some which haue mistaken this kinde of mollefaction in stead of minoration and are altogether therein deceiued for that mynoration is an attractiue medicine searching proouing the qualities of the complexion or els galding chasing nature by some superfluous repressing or altering the drift of the disease For sicknesse in the first beginning hath no absolute place especially those which be laborious and sharp yet many haue great opinion of that place of the Aphorisms as at the first beginning of diseases remooue that which is to be remooued but when diseases keepe at a stay it is better to take rest Many writers of the same function which Theophrastuâ— Paracelsus is of hauing allowed this mynoration durst neuer take in hand that waighty matter vnto which other were perswaded by them Galen so euidently distinguisheth those sharpe diseases as no man is occasioned to doubt what is to be done either in the beginning middle course or end thereof for he fashioneth them in their first enterance to be called Insulsum that is vnsauory and without feeling And Ieremias Thriuerius doth cal the accidents of euery disease Insultum a brag in reproch of the whole body In the second course of sicknesse it is called Accessio which is an augmentation to a more supreame power ouer the bodye And this third placing of this sicknes is called concoction which is a preparatioÌ„ of manifest matter to some certaintie so that the medicine is the more aptly constituted for the perfect expelling and fluxing of the same Forasmuch as all accidentes of diseases may haue one violent drift in the beginning and alter in the estate both of them within themselues may dissunder in operation and ingender a seuerall disposition contrarie to euacuation for the one may swiftlie inflam conuert to choller and ouercharge the estate of the sicknesse and the other may attract some vertuous propertie and thereby comfort nature and expell the disease without medicine Auycen willeth that
seasons to be hote moyst and soultrie And after the dissolution of this ouerraging heate the north groweth to a most extreame vapour of colde about the noone season This may easily be gathered hereof that the opposite poyntes of the north and the south hauing strangely and diuersly altered both their properties and courses the inferiour causes are so poysoned in a corrupt degree as that ouerraging pestilences are inkindled in such like seasons and there shal be perceiued great lightes and furious flames of heate arise in those partes of the north all which foresheweth excessiue gluttes in the vnseasonable aboundance of raine the winter following Some new writers perswade the worlde that mans body is ouerweakened by those seasons aswell because of the vnnatuturall distemperance as also for that the vygent heate of bloud not onely descendeth but eyther thereby decayeth waxeth thin or corrupteth in vnordered bodies It is a most high contemplation in the hearbes and plantes of the earth whose fortitude and power is in the coldnesse and drinesse of this Autume greatly diminished and fallen away so also subiect to putrifaction and corruption therewith For the generation of humours which were cleerely nourished by the purenesse of the spring season are nowe vtterly surprised eyther by euacuation corruption or putrifaction Auycen sayth that Autume is like a woman which when the time is come cannot conceale her trauell so Autume cannot be couered or hid which tryeth and approueth mans body whether that it be with diseases infected or no which may be also After threscore and tenne yeares this fleame knitteth in the ioyntes sâ—oppeth the vaines ingrosseth nature decayeth digestion And in the canicular dayes this fleame becummeth ponderous and by an excessiue and inordinate heate odiously stencheth in the lower partes especially vpon the legs and that vntill putrifaction be perfected therein There is another watrish fleame thicke and subtle most hard to be digested gluttonous and dronken persons are much herewith infected and this fleame about the fal of the leafe is white thicke hard and corme it offendeth the brames and nosteels verie much except it be addressed with warmenesse this fleame most of all offendeth in winter season and by reason of outragious coldnesse and distemperance of weather altereth at the same season more than anie other time for that the cold and hot humours disagree one with another There is a most dangerous fleame called by Cornelius Celsus Rallium of others Gibseum this fleame setleth in the ioyntes and sometimes in the arteries drieth into hard kernels not onely ingendreth putrifaction but remedilesse gowtes and as all maling distemperatures haue conspired herewith so doth it crase and breake forth in open libertie by all distemperate seasons of the yeare There is an other heauie and clammie fleame proceeding from the lightes and sheweth it selfe moste principally in the Autume season like to yse because the bloud discending is ouertaken with coldnesse There is a fleame which manie times is incident to verie blacke and chollericke persons and sheweth a dangerous nature in the finishing vp of Autume it proceedeth chiefly by inordinate and euill customes of youth as excessiue lecherie and such like bloudie vnctious and greasie contagions This fleame is ingendered vppon the heart kidneys and raynes of the backe There is a chollericke fleame shewing moste of all in Autume ingendred of salt meates This fleame moueth a belching hicket in the mouth of the stomacke causeth great pensiuenesse and sorrow of minde proceeding of greedie eating of rawe fruites before the naturall heat of the sun be perfectly coagulated therein and yet if there be pefect digestion hereof it is conuerted to blood There is also an other humor annexed hereunto called choller the which is either naturall or vnnaturall Choller vnnaturall is an outward cause knowen thorow the whole body and melancholiously mingled it is cytrin or like the collour of gold Cytrin is the collour of an Oâ—renge it is intermixed with subtle fleame and sometimes of smaller substance and in similitude of the yolkes of egges and enterioyned with grosse fleame and naturall choller There is a choller burnâ—ng in itselfe and conuerted to ashes there is also adioyned herewith a melancholious choller which is of a reddy collour ingendred vpon the liuer There is a choller ingendred vpon euill digestion of meates it is ingendred in the vaines by other euill humours this is prassiue choller like to the hearb Prassion it burneth vntill there be no moisture left therein and the drinesse thereof waxeth white Furthermore as all these temperatures of the body coneur with the temperatures of the yeare and as yet no temperature certainly is found out at any time which sheweth some great reproch to nature both because she hath ordayned nothing certainly to continue neither hath she perfourmed all things alike as many accideÌ„ts of vnnatural influences do on some variable behalfe corrupt and distemper the vniuersal earth so by greate murrayne in cattell by excesse pestilence in mankind and by putrifaction of earthly fruites shew foorth a variable alteration of the foure elementes in all other liuing creatures Therefore Hypocrates saith it were more then reasonable in nature if all seasons of the yeare were tempered or distempered alike for therin the gouernment of mans complection oftentimes falleth out by the naturall or vnnaturall course of times for the worke of nature cannot bee shewed or tempered in any thinge more glorious or a greeable then that temperance or distemperance are framed to serue equally in their places as the foure seasons of the yeare fall out vnder which mans complexion is best ordered or worst disordered according to the proportions of the sayd times Galen calleth the estate of man in the spring time of the greeke word EVCRATON which is that nothing can bee chaunged from his temperature The new writers haue indeauoured their wits to prooue the most wholsommest and sittest estate for the health of mans body is that season which is most best tempered vnder moysture and heat and that the flemmatike man is beste delighted therewith yet if we doo both approoue by experience and also for our further doctrine vnderstand what Hypocrates saith hereunto that no seasons of the yeare are more corrupted then those which happen vnder the estate of moyst and heat And chiefly if the saide estate be either long or superfluous vnder which said times often falleth out great changeablenesse in nature for that not onely simple corruptions are then easily taken hold of but all generall infections of pestilences are ouerspread in swalowing vp the life of men for which cause moystnesse and heat and of most excelling quicknesse and full of life and yet distemperance therewith hath full and large coniunction and corruption to doo harme herein For Galen himselfe confesseth Humidissimam naturam esse vinacissimam cum intemperatis non autem temperata confert The moist nature is most quickest in the state of intemperate thinges but it nothing preuaileth in
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
all by touching therfore the ayre is more moyst yet because water is of more rounder and compact substance then of an intentiue qualitie some philosophers report water is more moist then ayre otherwise how should yse more coole then water and yet not more colder Galen affirmeth water to be most moist for that it is cleare and no drinesse is contained within the substance thereof By this reason no simple medicine can shewe in his vttermost nature to be either hot colde moist or drie in the highest degree in respect of equalite 〈…〉 ature from contrary plaâ—ing therefore this reason most proâ—pereth and prooueth in â—urt bodies and although the ayre were clearely hot yet not in the highest degree So likewise if water were clearlie moist yet not in the highest degree for it â—s repugnaâ—t in the reasonable onâ—e standing of elements that there should be two qualities or els noâ— at all obtained in the highest degree for if ayre hath not maystnesse it shoulde then vnnaturally exceede in the vttermost place which is against the nature and order of the elements And furthermore it is greatly to be marueyled that certain new Philosophers with some counterfeit weake reasons blaste abroad in the world that water is more moyst then ayre which cannot holde for then the elements shoulde fall out in contrarie order which otherwise haue an equall constitution in the rest of the bodies one after an other although they bee of disframed conditions and qualities or els we may iudge of mans bodie to haue more earth and water litle ayre and lesse fire whereas it is in holie writing farre otherwise declared that man was not fashioned neither of ayre water nor fire but of the earth shewing that earth water are imperious ruling elements This element as a heauie substance doth beare great sway in the constitution of man for that heat and drinesse are of more lighter matter Then doeth it stande by naturall reason that heat among other qualities is actiue and as the qualitie therof is most plaine so the least portion thereof as in man for which cause these two outward bodies colde and heat may bee perceyued and that coldnes is tempered by heat and heat delaâ—ed by cold drines by moystnesse and moystnesse by drenesse that one of them should haue equall seruice by an other so there is also a motiue cause of coldnesse and drinesse thorow the sinewes so also there is coldnes and moystnes in the braine where the conceit and sence beginneth their place The hart is the instrument of life the liuer the instrument of blood the which of necessity are hot and moist and so from thencefoorth there are certaine instruments of necessitie some cold some hot some moyst and some drie if any one of them at any time do bend or writh aside from these iust temperature their actiue qualitie must be disured and fall away therewith for that the instrument which leadeth the same is decaied Therefore the bodye of necessitie is to possesse and inioy a perfect estate in his members in seruice of all the offices appertaining thereunto And the rather because all bodies haue a coniunction of the foure elementes otherwise choller which is hot drie and colde cannot serue the body in perfect nature and operation for that vnnaturall choller corrupteth the whole body And furthermore as the foure humours are seperated one from another in seueral estates and constitutions so such members which are insigned vnder any one of these humors are commoderated one by an other vntill there be a iudicial temperance raigning ouer all the wholl members for although any such instrument were of necessitie cold yet it is not conuenient so to be in the highest degree for that certaine immixt elementes doo want the temperance of the second qualitie Now if successiuely these instruments were by this means most righteous and equall they ought not to be tempered on some one behalfe but on euery behalfe for no instrument can bee meete whereas if any part thereof be vnmeete And for this cause it is not onely a seemely sight that these elements after their greatest portions should be grosly mingled in a myxt body but that in the whole they become perfectly vnited and that there be no want in any part thereof Therefore as diuers elements are so mixed in one body as that there is a ful seruice of al the members one to another So was it righteous that there should be a whole perfect coniunction in the iust commoderation of all other instrumentes for if all and euery part were not equally moderated one part would decay and fall away from another For is not the body conserued and satisfied by the said elements from hunger and thirst which otherwise would in al the partes thereof languish and fal Wine is a bountiâ—ull element ordained to me perfect properties away therefore man is nourished of the foure elemâ—ts in that the heat of the sunne is commixed with the earth and the water and ayre commixed are of generable nature producing sustenance agreeing with all natures indumentes And furthermore consider that whosoeuer drinketh wâ—â—e for coldnesse of stomach dooth not poure or infuse fire into his body although the moistnesse of water is tempered with a fiery element to frame a perfect body not in outward action but by the pure power of heat This verily proueth that one element is fashioned with another so that all the elementes are of equall power and propertie one with another Otherwise if man were framed of one element he were impassible and without suffering Or if there were such a dissimilitude in the elementes as that not one of them could be drawne in agreement with the other but still continue a contrarietie then all passiue actions were dispropriated and vnperfectly disequalled Euen as there is manifestly shewed forth all necessarie causes to the construction of euery one body So these elementes all in all are commixed without separation following vpon the immixion of humours in mans body vnto which euerie liuing man is subiect and bound vnto by natures ordinance And there are some which wallowing in their owne wils doe affirme that bloud is nothing els but a certaine confounded humour extracted out of three humours although the same is vtterly false Yet may it manifestly proue a great varietie in the permixioÌ„ of elements Therefore if it be possible that foure humours are confounded Maners doe follow the humour of bloud within themselues and yet their formes kept together vndiffacioned or that one forme or fashion appeareth for them all then surely these elementes are aswell commixed in these humours as wholly perfected thorow the body it selfe that although their formes were eyther disfigured or in some part abstracted yet there qualities are vndefaced Otherwise the reason and measure of mixture should perishe together both in forme and qualtie touching corporall formes as they are neuer taken from their substance So not the forme but the qualitâ—e hath
Galen affirmeth that no greater perâ—l happeneth vnto man then when euill custome ouerruleth ouerrunneth and ouerreacheth both disposition and temperance which ought to vnderset and prolong the body with great fe 〈…〉 e and health Therefore let vs herein following set downe 〈…〉 two kindes of temperance The first is obserued and referred to waight or heaule burthen in respect of the elementes as that no qualitie doe therein exceede another both for that all bodyes are of equall wayght in the qualities of the elements called temperate for it is impossible that temperance should be setled eyther vnder excesse or defect For as it seemeth the foure elementes are commixed within the comprehension of the same waight And as fire hath his naturall qualitie and actiue motion with the other elementes so if there be a greater portion of fire then earth surely heate with a preheminent dominion surpasseth coldnesse Hipocrates is missensed or mistooke There are many which despise Hypocrates in his Aphorisines altogether missensing his doctrine of heate not vnderstanding simply heate but a hot body that is to say the breath and bloud of the body And doctor Measues sayth that children haue more breath and bloud according to the proportion of their body then others of higher age that euen as a fire of greene woode burneth moste strongly and vehemently so the heate of the children according to naturall measure and temperance ouerpasse higher ages Leoncenus sayth neyther the one nor the other stand with trueth because both sortes are of one and the same degree according to proportion But Galen by the way plainely admitteth children to haue more heate not because heate is in them more intentiue but more aboundant the which is most certain and true For seeing breath and bloud are of necessitie more aboundant in children it cannot otherwise be but that naturall colour ought more aboundantly to possesse them Galen putteth downe next hereunto a second maner of temperance to righteousnesse as a positiue lawe to be obserued of all men the which righteousnesse consisteth to pay euery man his right as well in due deserts as to him that receiueth it as in discouering the glorious workes of naturall duetie in the payer for herein not onely consisteth a simple temperance for that it is a principall thing agreeable with equitie but also because it is begotten and brought foorth as a fructifieng tree from natures perfect inclination Wherefore wee are to thinke of and inquire whether nature hath fauoured one place and countrey more then an other in the fauourable behalfe of temperaunce not onely for dutie in righteousnesse but for the perfourmance of all honest actions In perfourming which purpose Greece is magnified and highly regarded as a temperate countrie both because famous and excellent wits haue sprong vp therein as that experience hath tried them a famous people in ordinance of manners and the workes of wisedome haue discouered them by their wholsome lawes both for martiall polliticke and ciuil gouernment And the inclination of nature hath polished them to walk most temperately in their conditions during the course of this life Demosthenes in his orations against Philip of Macedonia perswadeth them to liue according to the temperate soyle of their countrie And yet if we behold all liuing men in their order there is not one so to be found which attaineth that excelcellencie of wisedome and vnderstanding as hee ought to the vttermost of natures indowmentes except some few persons presigned thereunto And yet euery liuing creature redily perfourmeth some temperate worke of nature as some men in running swiftly some men in resisting stronglie and some men in agilitie and some men in policie but fewe men in learning wisedome grauity and the naturall facultie of eloquent speaking and the fewest of all in the confession of their creation And yet euery one hath a seuerall worke of perfect temperance in the best behalfe So certainely all other vnreasonable creatures are framed out of this naturall mould to some temperate propertie or purpose or other as the horse for swifenes the Cow for fruitfulfulnes the sheepe for profitablenesse and many other pretious workes temperatly doo herein excell There is an other temperate creation in the plantes and hearbes of the fleld although their vertue is quicke and vegetable Vnequal qualities of diuers hearbes are made of one proper operation by the art of man yet cannot skilfully vse their owne propertie but their properties are knowen vsed and searched out by the art of man and as many qualties exceeding one another are so made and compoâ—nded one by an other into one quality of medicine as that they doo not swarne or exceede one aboue an other in operation For as hot water and cold snowe commixed together are made one perfect temperance of warmnesse so all bodies or naturall qualities appereinent thereunto are contayned or compaged vnder one burâ—hen stoope downe and take holde of seasonablenesse in euery kinde of coniugation or knitting together Therefore the Phisitian not onely croppeth all these hearbes of the field but taketh his best delight and ioy in the propertie and vertue thereof for recoueryng helping and comforting his sicke patient by some confected medicine aptly and wholsomely framed to the bodyly constitution for which cause surely this man in all the partes and practises of honest duetie is a moste perfect temperate man But let vs returne to our purpose and insert vnder this volume a most high and secrete workmanship touching the forming of mankind in his creation which most sufficiently shall be prooued both by reason argument demonstration and that mans proportion had a begunning by the insight of a deuine creature first formed vnder an inuisible substance and afterwardes visible possessed vnder an anathomie of flesh and blood yeeldeth to a naturall inclinement in euery one to some seuerall property or other so that one of them from thencefoorth hath from time to time increased in the flesh and blood of an other and chiefly vnder the protection of the deuine prouidence as wel as by the continuance both of the earth and elements in one due progresse and course of all things Hereby may be perceyued that mans generation hath growen vp from age to age vnder temperance and distemperance of the foure elementes not onely vntill euery seuer all office of the same he perfourmed in quality and quantity of a proportion able body as also to be perfected in fashion that â—aâ—ure beginneth competently to pertake her wonderful admyrable works therewith vnder cause and effect Then herein is to be required a commoderate difference of these bodies whether the substance as the inâ—â—â—â—ents appertaining hereunto be naturall or artificiall if naturall then their forme is vnder wholsome or vnwholsome temperance The disagreements shall be herein most largely declared for the first beginning of artificiall forme was comprehended vnder the handes of man as eyther by etuming caruing or skilfull payating The chiefe maisters of that facultie was Policletus or
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
why is Galen moued so to thinke First for that children hath multitude of bloud Secondly they haue greedinesse in appetite And lastly they haue a substantiall valour in concoction As these reasons shewe a great ground why there should be more aboundant heate in children so he denieth their heate to be intentiue For Dyoscorides verily affirmeth that adolescencie hath more aboundance thereof not according to the proportion of the body For the body of a child although in the small quantitie thereof hath not more intentiue heate yet hath more coyious and intentiue bloud then adolescencie Surely children in their proportion obserued and considered haue a greedie and quicke desire to sustenance and are of redie digestion therunto Therefore I thinke it extreame madnesse in Theophrastus Peracelsus who absolutely granteth a larger sustenance to children then adolescencie seeing naturall operation refuseth to be more stronger in children and yet there heate is most plentifull and their digestion most redie Yet I doe not mislike his difference made betweene children and infantes For infantes in their first natiuitie are colde and therefore whollie giuen to sleepe but growing vp to children are euery day more sanguine and therfore more hote and moyst for as heate prouoketh appetite so moystaesse is the cause efficient aswell to nourish great sleepe in the body as to aduaunce therewith the office of good nourishment And truely Dyoscorides affirmeth that children are vnder diuers inclinements both of weakenesse and strength And the same is well discerned vnder a double operation of their excrementes as that the one being ouersoft and the other vtterlie voyd of moystnesse The first argueth moyst coldnesse which stirreth vp a naturall desire and disposition to sleepe in children the other prouoketh and increaseth bloud releeueth and comforteth the vitall partes The Philosopher is woonted to declare that moystnesse is the first cause of sleepe and coldnesse is the second cause And therefore when the humours of the body be deâ—ected eyther by nature or art both moystnesse and coldnesse both in the first and second degree are possest in the body Yet these colde humid deâ—ections vpward manie times infeebleth the stomackes of children with cold distemperance and doe egerly scower wast and extenuate their bodyes downeward as that thereby all their naturall vertues are quite weakened and their facultie of appetite quite ouerthrowne Then surely we haue iust cause to make further search inquierie as touching the difference betweene adolescencie and In respect of naturall châ—ller adoleseencie exceedeth children in â—eate or els not children in their heate which is chalenged that adolescencie exceedeth children in larger aboundance of heat in respect of naturall choller which more sharpely inflameth and pursueth the body And except the same be preuented oftentimes in gluttonous und glassie corruption excessiuely draweth the body to inflaming diseases therby In this respect adolescencie surpasseth children in heate or els not For the better vnderstanding hereof let vs vse this comparison following and agreeable hereunto that if two cuppes being of vnlike quaÌ„titie filled with hot pure water without slime or corruption put thereunto the qualitie of the lesser may exceed the quantitie of the greater in heat and yet their equall quantity according to proportion is nothing diminished Euen so blood may according to proportion be matched in children and adolescencie alike yet their heate may exceed one aboue another This is onely spoken for that heate is established by bloud for as in some dispositions nature is earthly and colde from their conception so heate of bloud aduaunceth and promoteth the same to become vegetable and wholesome in the vniuersall partes of the body by nutrimentall meanes For which respect if the qualitie be vnlike yet the quantitie according to prportion may equally agree together This proueth heat in children and young men ought to haue seuerall proportions in substance and yet in qualitie they doe exceede vnlike for as heate in yoong menne may be more sharper so in children more sweeter and tastefull And whereas bloud is in Children more intentiue so heat is in yong men more intentiue as is aforesaid For which cause medicines prepared for yoong men are of more higher degree both in nature and operation Otherwise vnforceable to reach the constitution of adolescencie onely and because of their high courage and strength which is in the substance of thetr intentiue heate for which cause the greatest skill that belongeth to the heedefull and wise phisitian is euermore to consider aswell of the cause as the constitution that temperance may thereby be perfected into good estate and condition by qualitie and that medicine and the body doe not exceede one another For heate ought to be more sharper comprehended therein not by a variable substance in it selfe but by artificiall helpe aduaunced thereunto so that sometimes bodies of cold and raw constitutions doe swiftly hasten towardes many dangerous diseases except onely translated into some other more perfect nature or otherwise reuiued both in substance of bloud and strength of heate As if a hote stone being dipped in a cold bath or a colde stone in a hote bath of water doth forthwith alter both the water and the ayre to be of a like qualitie with the stone So these distempered bodies are reformed by artfull knowledge to become in equall temperance alike and yet not in operation for want of bloud so that heate may be restored or the excesse thereof diminished For like as difference is interposed betweene a cleere and grosse ayre as hauing like qualitie of heate yet not like neyther in substance nor naturall operaion so diuers constitutions by this meanes may be lâ—ke in qualitie and the variable estate thereof may become also of one temperance and operation There is a difference to be set downe in the outward estate of two temperat bodies together As first to regard their differences by touching and feeling the substance according to proportion of euery seuerall part by it selfe for many times by the proportion of outward thinges the good and euill estate of inward thinges are knowne beleeued as onely by a supposed Hypothesis For if the heate of adolescencie and childhood may be found equall by teeling then would it fall out that the comparison of ages betweene adolescencie and children were of necessitie equall vnto which there must be adioyned both discretion consideration and constant stay For Cornelius Celsus saith that yong men which are perfect in conceit vnderstanding are of hote dispositions haue verie little desire to sleepe the which thing somewhat bendeth towardes drinesse Hote braines are apt and inuentiue and small desire to sleepe And yet nothing is in the obscure workes of nature to be discerned in them either by feeling or touching Galen in his booke de sanitate tuenda rehearseth manie high and variable dispositions both in adolescencie and children and putteth forth moste excellent preseruations in eyther their defences Theophrastus Paracelsus saith that heate
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
left for the increase of haires so that whatsoeuer remaineth is congested into the moist partes of the body For although humours doo sometimes abide within those thin breathinges yet haue they no due ordinance from nature and therefore for that nature hath no power nor force in those degenerate humours doo retire backe and in respect of excesse moystnesse cannot continue themselues within their poores or breathing places vntil there be a sufficient generation gathered together arising vp into a fulnesse of hayres in the head beard or priuie partes in which Nature wolde not disornate the beautie of the face with hâ—iree but place them in a seemlye ordeâ— places the humours doo longest abide and settle And nature hath prepared a way and passage for those excrementes to inflowe by the banke and brinkes of the cheekes to the chinne whereby there should be a comely grace in the haires vpon the fauaur of the face There remaineth a probable coniecture for vs to thinke that haires doe onely increase of excrementes thicklie congested and the rather are we so to thinke and iudge herein for that some part of those excrements sensiblie passe away by weaknesse as also for that they are vniuersal throughout the body For when the body is disturbed by any fuliginous or smokie vapours then the outward forme of the bodie altereth and changeth therewith besides which the haires doo eyther alter in their outward forme and fall away as leaues decay from the moysture of the tree And surely it is a high Philosophie to consider that when the body is loose and purgatiue of nature such excrementes foorthwith doo yeelde and deuoyd that the poores therewithall open waxe weake and loose so that many times those open exhalations doo not onelie disturbe the bodie but as ingrosers of pure bloude discouer themselues yet in stay of their malice become subiect both to naturall and artificiall purgation Therefore Dioscorides saith that excrementall exhalations are no cause of growth in the hayre but good blood and that as blood flourisheth and decayeth so hayres both in youth and age discouer and open themselues and also for that sicknesse extenuateth blood dooth also decay haires in the bodie being extenuated from blood Also as health increaseth blood and good liking in the body so the haires therewithall prosper flourish and growe foorth at large Auycen discourseth and trauelleth most highlie heerein that blood is no cause of hayre but rather a vaporous exhalation from blood And as blood changeth so exhalations doo herein alter so that Avycen agreeth not with Dyoscorides Yet Galen flatlie concludeth that moistnesse is the cause of hayres and although the bodie bee strooke asunder from the head yet there is an increase of hayres so long as there is moystnesse in the heade and therefore deade men haue increase of hayres vntill all moystnesse be absumed by putrifaction Let vs also in this treatise somewhat discouer the growth of hayres which after the straightnesse or crokenednesse of the poores be either curled or straight These curled haires fall out of diuers causes not because the skinne is soft of it selfe neyther because the exhalation is weake but because the passage of the exhalation is crosse and the poors crooked otherwise haires are inlarged in a right course aswell by strong vapours by temperate moistnes and soundnes of the body Theophrastus Paracelsus reproteth an other cause of curled haires as both because the rootes of the haires are wrinkled in the right passage thorow excesse drinesse as also because exhalations are in their natures ouer drie fuliginous and stretched And as Rasis saith for that moystnes is deuoured and swallowed vp by a contrarie effect of drinesse Wherefore haires both in collour and curlednes and playnnesse do differ according to these courses And yet Rasis sayth all hayres follow their natural complexion in collour vntil old age conuneth on and altereth all thinges Let vs take better examples hereof in the difference between the haires of a man and a beast for that the moystest skin is allowed by naturall course to haue the thickest and shortest haire the rather for that hot moisture floteth and swimmeth between the skin and the flesh is of like quality in all the parts aswel of clouen hofed as claw-footed beasts so that the growth of haire in a beast is like a flashie fresh medowe ouer floten with a shalow water in the rootes and the grasse therewithall ouer florisheth but cold frostes and alteration of weather decayeth and perisheth the roots thereof Euen so intemperate calamities of times and seasons ouerturneth the naturall temperance of haire in all vnreasunable creatures So likewise in these humain complexions whose hayre although it be of most high qualitie in plentifull growing yet thorow excesse benerie falling into cold diseases their haire decayeth waxeth thin and vtterly looseth in the roots especially when the poores in a mans body are ouer traueiled by a moyst exhalation Thophrastus Paracelsus putteth foorth these reasons that footsteps in moist groundes are easilie with euery storme washed away but footsteps in drie groundes doo longest indure abide So that as these moist exhalations in the flesh do nourish and greatly comfort the haires so also if those exhalations bee altered either by malign vapours or corrupt blood or distempered by the contagion of colde diseases the haires decline and vanish therewithall Now furthermore there are some bodies whose drinesse exceedeth on the contrary and yet vnder some moysture produce a competent number of hayres but when their drinesse becommeth combust are like to starched earth which without some moysture cannot bring forth grasse This drinesse vnder the diuers ages of men happeneth in the braines So also there is another sorte of men who are like vnto moyst tempered clay in spring season or beginning of sommer yet partched vp and ouerdried in the latter end of the yeare bring forth nothing but barrennesse and dust So there is a most vnhappie sort of men who by exâ—esse drinesse in their adolescencie become bald bare and barrainous in their braines towardes their latter age It is to be marked that hayres in al ages follow the course and temperance of nature and leaue off to shew themselues vnder those properties vnto whome they doe appertaine Cornelius Celsus sayth that a bald-headed man is destitute of moystnesse in the braine pan the rather because the vaynes of the necke beeing called the guides are obstructed doe not perfectly recourse except vpon the hinder part of the head Ieremias Thriuerius sayth that it is as vnpossible a thing for lobsters or crab-fishes to beare feathers or oysters wooll as a bald-headed man to produce naturall hayre not onely because there is both an opilation in bloud but also because there is an extreame drinesse and shrinking of the sinewes in those materiall partes of the braine Surely all drie complexions of black chollericke inclination are hearie in the highest degree but falling into contagion and hote diseases thorowe
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