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
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
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
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
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
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