the brayne After thys is pia mater whyche is an excedynge fyne skynne made of synowes not onely compassyng the hole subâ—tance of the brayne but also penetratyng into dyuers partes that are wythin the brayne noryssheth it as muche as the skynne whyche before we called Chorion doth nouryshe the sede because it is made of synowes it gyueth sence to the brayne At the laste we be come to the brayne the which whan I consyder that it is made of the seede I can not chose but maruayle howe all our cogitations ymaginacions shuld come froÌ„ thence howe the brayne beyng so grosse and massye of substance shuld hang as it doth w tout any stey or vndersettyng in such holow wyde places we se y â— housen be vnderset w t postes or els they wold ouerwhelme y e floure vnder theÌ„ but the brayne being vnderset w t nothyng how fortuneth it that so longe as lyfe remayneth in the body it choketh and ouerwhelmeth not the wyde holowe chambers vnderneth â–ª Whan I dydde depely consyder the cause of thys I thoughte the brayne had a certayne similitude of the sky For as the skye beynge a great heauye substance without any proppes or vndersettes doeth not fall nor is stroken out of hys place so the brayn by a certayne diuine nature y t it hath doth consist wythout any stay or fortresse that can be perceyued by sence and thereof it commeth that man is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whyche we maye call in our touge a lytle worlde surely the bryght spirites which come from the brayne to the eye doeth declare that there is a certayne cognation or kynderede betwene the skye and mannes brayne whiche though it be made of the seede as I sayd before yet it is some diuine and celestiall thynge yea and the nature of y e seede is so moche the more to be meruayled at how moche it passeth our knowledge and capacitie to shewe declare the causes whereby it worketh suche wonders in the brayne which is ful of holes as eyes replenyshed with spirite maye very well be the cause why the brayne falleth not downe Howbeit bothe the substaunce of it and the wonderful motions also may better be maruayled at then descrybed This I dare say that it is made of the fynest parte of the seede and of that that is fullest of spirite and is deuyded into two partys by that same skynne whyth before is called Dura mater y e one lyeth before and the other behynde That whiche is before as it is of the finest and moost pure substauÌ„ce so it bryngeth out most fine and subtyle synowes and is the place of reason and intelligence the other as it is course of substaunce so there groweth of it greate and stronge synowes not vnlyke them that growe of the mary of the backe bone and it is thought to be the place of memorie now that after a rude fassyon we haue descrybed the brayne there remayneth behynde the description of his selles and chambres whiche in numbre be .iii. in the former part of y t heed there are .ii. depe holow places not vnlike y e figure of the moone wheÌ„ she is newe chaunged and of y e bygnesse of an egge reaching downe almost to the eares The same cauities though they be .ii. of them one on y e right side another on y e left side yet for the most part they be called y e first chaumbre of the brayne whyche alwaye is full of spyrite hauynge his sydes couered and cladde wyth the same rymme or skynne whyche before is called Pia mater which is ful of veynes and pulses for y e nutrimeÌ„t of the brayne vnder eche of these chaÌ„bers ther is if I may so cal it a long rope which is made of veynes pulses couered w t a fine skyn y t groweth of Pia mater these small longe ropes hath ioyninges wherby they claspe be red moche lyke wormes wherfore they be called wormes and do extende in length as farre as the eares and the myddle chaumbre of the brayne whome they replenysshe wyth spirit In the same place at the ende of the first cauities vnder them is an other cauitie For at the latter ende of the forsayd wormes or ropes there are two lumpes whych of the verye similitude of buttockes be called Nates and be cladde w t the skyn of the wormes which wheÌ„ the sayde cauitie or chaÌ„bre is draweÌ„ togyther do touche one an other and when it is open they also be seperate This chambre or selle is as bygge as the yolke of an egge and being couered rounde about with the brayne is called the myddle chaÌ„bre or sell whiche is shut w t a pessule or barre of the bygnesse of a lytle walnut and therfore it is called in latyn Glanduia or conarium and it is iust betwyxt the myddell chambre and the entryng into y e thyrde his offyce is to sustayne and beare vppe the veynes and pulses whiche brynge spirite to the myddle chambre The thyrde chambre is behynde in the laste parte of the heed whiche before we supposed to be the place and seet of the memorye and in this chambre is a greate parte of the brayne whiche the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in latyne it is called Cerebellum in oure tungue we haue no propre name for it whiche I can do no lesse then count the negligence of our Phisitions to be the cause of for yf they had wrytten of theyr arte in theyr mother tunge as they do in other places why shulde we lacke englysh names more then we lacke eyther Latyn names or Greke names and yet to saye the truthe it is better for vs English men to haue English names then eyther Latyn or Greke Of this part of the brayne groweth the mary of the backe bone which is called â—â—cha vnder the mydle chambre thâ—â—â— is an holow cauitie which receyueâ—â— the excremeÌ„tes and superfluyties of the brayne the which being turned into spettyll coÌ„meth oute after at the nose the Grekes cal this cauitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latyn men infusorium or infundibulum we haue no proper name for it howe be it it maye be called a droppyng pan Next vndernethe be the iawes furnyshed wyth xxxii teeth the foure formost of eche syde be called deuiders bycause they teare the meate the next of eche syde be called dogteeth bycause they be lyke tuskes all the rest inlatyn be called Genuini or Molares which we cal guÌ„mes and they haue two rootes at the leest where as the other haue but one with those teeth the mouth is coÌ„passed rounde aboute and defended wherein as a precyous Iewâ—ll in a stronge towre or fortresse is â—â—closed the tungue whyche is maâ—â— of very soft and rawe flesh full of â—â—les and full of pulses veynes and synowes full of synowes to the intent it maye moue dyuerselye and also feale and taste full of pulses or
is better than another and the very best tyme is after excersyce For then the bodye is clere pourged of all excrementes and naturall heate is encreased and made muche stronger And the next tyme is at .xi. of the clocke before dyner and agayne at .vi. a clocke of the nyght Howebeit children and suche as be not yet at theyr fulle groweth and olde men whyche be weake and feble had nede to eat oftener so that they take the lesse at ones and putte fower houres at the least betwene euerye meale and also of the synnowes whyche be the instrumentes of mouynge and that the foresayde vapours whythe doo fume vp to the brayne maye not be crude or rawe the hearte plucketh in to it bothe the blood and naturall heat that is in the vtter partes And thys same rest is good for .iii. causes fyrst to moyster the brayne and then to the generation of spirites laste of all to make an ende of the concoction bothe in the stomake and liuer The materiall cause of sleepe are the sweete vapours the whyche whan they be made moyst styllyng doune do stoppe the cōduytes of the sensis For they be not clāmye or grosse humours such as hurte the brayne but they be swete fumes the whiche after they be ascended be made thycke by the coldenes of the brayne rūne downe sprinkelyng the brayne with moysture Therfore Aristotle doeth compare the same motiō of vapours to the floude Euripus bycause in theyr goinge vp they turne backe agayne and other folowe and come after but the efficient cause is somewhat more darke and obscure For it is certayne that the heat and blood of the vtter partes is as Hypocrates sayeth drawenin to the hearte and though the body then be hotter with in it is colde without therfore when we slepe we haue nede of manye clothes The heate and blood is drawē in bycause that when the concoction is begone the vapours do fume vp naturally and whē they be disolued they come downe fulbut on y e heate of the herte which dryueth thē backe to the vtter partes and thus y e heate is dryuen styll more and more to the herte the whyche heate gathered togyther doth make an ende of cōcoction that the vapours which ascende to the brayne may both be more plētifull and also sweter But I thynke that the heate is drawen into y e hert not somoche for the cōmyng downe of vapours as that the vitall and animall powers be sociate and cowpled togyther by the diuyne prouydence of god For what parte soeuer be diseased the herte streyght lyke a naturall Prince or gouernour endeuoureth all that he can to helpe it therfore he callethe in his heate that he may helpe y e necessary action both of the stomacke and lyuer And whē the vtter partes of the body be at rest then the hert laboureth mooste drawynge vnto hym bothe heate and blood of the whych he enhendreth vitall spyrytes And trulye I se not a suffycyent cause why so moche heate shoulde be called in except this same societie of the powers were ordeyned of God that as soone as the vtter partes were at rest the hert either for hys owne cause or elles for the stomacke or liuer myght drawe vnto hym more plentiful heate to helpe the innermore actions whych be necessarye for the conseruation of nature and as euery man is moost greued and afrayed of his owne iepardye and doth couete fyrst to defende hym selfe so euerye parte of the bodye fyrst prouydeth for him selfe and thys naturall inclination is gyuen to all maner of creatures to coueyte fyrste to saue them selues And therfore the herte especially for his owne cause draweth to hym selfe heate bycause he hath neade of bloode and bycause his spirites be almost spent And therefore he also healpeth the well of the blood which is the liuer that it maye cherysh it selfe bryng forth newe and fresshe spirites and moreouer the brayne beinge werye and desyryng rest leueth mouyng of the vtter partes and whensoeuer the body hath nede of recreation or quyetnesse the actions of al the vertues be agreed by and by And this same consent or agrement god hath gyuē to all the partes that after defatigation or werynesse they may be refreshed wyth rest and quyetnesse The finall causes be great benefytes the whych slepe gyueth to euery vertue or power one by one it helpeth nutrition bycause it maketh an ende of concoction and there is nothynge more certayne thā that the crudities whych come for lacke of sleape is vncurable bycause not onely the meate is left vndigested but also the vertue of the stomake is vtterly destroyed partly by the burthē and weyght of of the crude and rawe meate partlye bycause the synowes be hurte by the wekenes of y e brayne that cōmeth for lacke of slepe as Hypocrates speking generally sayth that ouermoch watche bryngeth moost cruell crampes and there haue ben many which for lacke of slepe haue felt often crampes in theyr neckes and the palsye in theyr legges and also a great imbecillitie and weakenesse in theyr stomake And bysyde these the naturall heate throughoute the whole bodye decayeth sore bycause it is not cheryshed with vitall spirit And hereof it maye be perceyued how moche nede we haue of slepe to the conseruation of nutrition For when the concoctiō is done well and as it shoulde be there is nouryshment distributed to euery parte of the body wherw t they be cheryshed and there is also spyrites engendred whyche mynistreth newe strength to the bodye and yet the boylyng heate of the body is mittigated with takyng rest and the bodye it selfe is sprynkled with a swete dewe that cōmeth from the brayne and the brayne also taketh strength wherwith y e fynowes be made more lustye It helpeth the vitall power bycause the herte drawynge to hym heate doth brynge forth great plentye of spyrites the whych be made so moche more brighter how moche the bloode is purer And agayne it helpeth the animall powers for whose conseruation it is ordeyned of God bycause y e vertue both of the brayne synowes shulde be destroyed cleane wyth ouermoche drynesse excepte y t it were cherysshed wyth slepe in the whyche the brayne is made moyste gatherynge to hym agayne his pristinate strength How acceptable also is sleape in diseases and sorowes the which many tymes it onely healeth to mannes great profyte ease The .v. Chapter ¶ Of slepyng tyme and of the holesome lying in bedde SLepe ought to be taken in the begynnyng of y e night and there ought to be but a litle space betwyxt supper and sleape therfore after a lytle soft walkynge to the entent that the meate may go downe into the maw and also that the vpper mouth of the mawe may be shutte I wolde counsel euery man to take rest lying hym downe first on y e right side lest w t lying on y e lefte syde he open the vpper mouth of his stomake howbeit
substaunce and matter wherof our body is made and the seed of man is nexte vnder God the maker and fashyoner of the same and these same be made of the same elementes whyche I haue spoken of alreadye whyche is the fyre ayer earth and water and these two dyffer one frō an other in temperature For in the seede there is more of fyre and eyer then of water and earth and in the blood there is lesse of fyre and ayer then there is of water and earth and yet in the same there is more heate then colde and more moysture then drynesse After that these two be receyued and .vi. dayes retayned w tin the wombe of the woman the great heate which is there doth so bake the seede blood being mirt togyther y t it cōpasseth them about w t a skyn or a crust not vnlike the vtter cote of an egge whiche the Grekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in latin is called secūdine or secūdina what oure mydwyues call it I can not tel how beit it may very well be called a skyn wherein is wrapped y t that is cōceiued and this is made in y e fyrst .vi. dayes with diuers pulses and veynes as fyne small as anye thredes whiche serueth afterwarde to nourysh the infant by the nauyll For in this same skynne whiche before is called Chorion there are many fyne holes moche lyke the lytle holes in the small lamparie heedes by the which the nauyll after the seuēth daye doth drawe vnto it both spirite and blood to the nourishment of the infant Then in the meane seasō the rest of the seede boylynge all hotte doth make thre lytle bladers which is the place of the lyuer herte and brayne For a veyne whiche is stretched ryght vpwarde from the nauil dothe drawe vp the grossed bloode which for lacke of heate easelye congeleth in y e seede And there is made also a double forked veyne and to one of the forkes of the same veyne is fashyoned this forsayde congeled blood which is the liuer and lyke as from the nauyll the veyne bryngyng grosse bloode into the forsayde lytle bladder was cause of the generation of the liuer so lykewyse a pulse or an artery bryngyng fyne blood and spirite commynge from the same place sumwhat nere y e backe into another lyke bladdar is cause of makynge of the hearte whyche is made of verye sounde fleshe thycke and grosse mete for suche a pourpose and of the most fyne and subtyle blood that cōmeth from the hearte the lyghtes be made and the whole brest also wherin thei are closed In to the thyrde bladdar whyche is mencioned before a great parte of the seede beynge full of spirite is driuen the whych to kepe him selfe moyst doth drawe a great parte of the seede to it and maketh a lytle sell whiche is the brayne to y e which ther is added afortres of hard bone And thus the brayne is made of the seede only that he myght be furnysshed wyth most fyne spirites whom the brayne conserueth and altereth the whiche are the cause of sense and voluntarie mouynge as shall be declared more playnely hereafter Nexte to the brayne groweth y e marye of the backebone whyche the Arabians call Nucha it is of the same nature that the brayne is and differeth very muche from the marye of the other partes I haue shewed to you nowe thoghe very rudely the original begynning of mannes body ▪ Of the sede is only made all the bones gristels veynes pulses strynges synowes tyinges selles and skynnes whyche be called Spermatyke partes because they be made of y e seede and not of the blood They are the verye same whyche I sayde before that the Latyne menne called Partes similares and the Phisitions sensible elementes al the rest be made of the bloode as the lyuer the hearte and the lyghtes wyth al the flesshe and fatte of the bodye The infant whyles he is within his mothers woumbe is nourysshed of that blood whyche is called Sanguis menstruus drawynge it at hys nauyl and after he is delyuered it is tourned all to mylke whych is his meat long after and therfore there is manye conduytes from the woumbe to the pappes After that the infant is fully proportioned figured ī the first monethes he pisseth by the conduyte that commeth through his nauyl in the later monethes that is shut vp and he pysseth wyth hys yerde he auoydeth no excrementes at hys fundament because he receyueth no norysshemente by hys mouthe There is a skynne muche lyke a puddynge whyche receyueth hys vrine and excrementes lest they shulde hurte eyther hym or els hys mother I shulde seme bothe to longe and also to tedious yf I descrybed the hole bodye but bycause the action of the instrumentes canne not be vnderstande excepte I shulde touche y e most principal partes therfore it was necessarye to entermedle wyth the descryption of the bodye in the whyche I wyll not be so scrupulous as to reherse euery lytle part or the scituation or fygure of euery bone and vayne no nor the knyttynge of euery muscle for why shulde I make me more cūnyng than I am in dede it passeth my learnynge as yet but I entende to shewe and sette forthe the greatest and moste noble partes the whyche he muste nedes knowe that wyll profyt in physicke The .v. Chapiter ¶ The sections of the bodye THere was no nede in y ◠olde tyme to wryte of the body for than children were excersised in their yonge and tender age daylye in cuttynge and openyng of the same but nowe that thys diligence is vtterly extyncte we haue very great nede of wrytynge wherfore I haue taken this lytle payne vppon me whyche I shall thynke wel bestowed yf it shall eyther healpe the studyes of those that be rude and rawe in physicke or satisfye them that be learned And fyrst I wyl declare by goddes grace suche partes as couereth the head wythout afterwarde those that be w tin begynnyng w t the heares thogh they be but excrementes superfluities nexte vnderneth the hear there is a skynne somwhat thycke and fleshye wherein the hear is rooted vnderneth thys skin there is a lytle flesshe aboute the browe temples Than next vnderneth ther is a fyne kell whyche is made of synowes and tyenges commyng thorowe the seames of the scull whyche the Grekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnder the whyche immediatly is the skulle in greke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the defence of the brayne it is made lyke an helmet the latyne men call it Caluariam and it is not one hole continual bone but is deuyded by certayne semes in to seuen bones Then within y e head vndernethe the sculle is Dura mater which Galen calleth Crassum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a thycke and harde kel or skinne made of many stronge sinowes and bondes to the entent it myght holde vp and susteyne the veynes whyche nouryssheth
arteryes bycause it hath great neade of spyryte and naturall heate seinge it hath so manye dynerse mouynges and it is full of veynes that it maye be well nouryshed There is also added to it a certayne moysture lest it shoulde waxe drye bycause it is moued dayly aboue y e tunge is a pype whych the Grecyans vse to cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latynistes call it Gulam the vnlearned or ignoraunt call it the wesaunt and it is a longe pype hauynge two skynnes or cootes the whych drawe downe the meate and drynke into the mawe or bagge and the vtter cote helpeth the stomacke to vomyte There is also in the former parte of the neck an other pype which to the intent that nothyng shoulde go that waye but only ayer is couered with the roote of the tunge and it is made of harde grassels ioyned togyther lyke rynges and doeth conduct onelye ayer and spirite to the lyghtes and herte being nothyng so long as the other which draweth meate and drynke downe to the stomacke or mawe and it hath a great knobbe al mooste at the ende nexte the iawe which the Grekes cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in latyn Nodus gutturis which in Englysh is the knotte of the throte and whensoeuer we swalowe any thyng it goth vp aboue the iawe The wynde pipe is the formoost parte of the necke to the intent it maye take ayer and spyryte the easelyer And the wesaunt or meate pype for why shoulde we be ashamed of these names seynge we haue no better is put farre whythin the necke because it shulde haue the more heat howebeit we wyl omytte to speke of it vntyl suche tyme as the lyghtes and hearte wyth all that is contayned in the breaste whyche the Phisitions call the myddle bellye be declared so well as my simple wytte and learnyng wyll gyue me leaue To the loweste parte of the wynde pype for it is as well the instrumēt of brethynge as of speakyng be fastned the lyghtes whych beyng made of lyght and moste subtyle and fyne fleshe not vnlyke the fome of choleryke blood congeled hath the fygure of an oxe houfe clouen in to .ii. partes and doth compasse the hart roūd about with .v. globes .iii. on the right syde and .ii. on the lyfte And loke as the pulses doth conserre and kepe temperat the natural heat thoroweout the hole body so y e lightes preserue the hearte from choking by the receyuynge of externall ayer whyche least it shulde hurte the hart wyth colde commyng sodeynly vpon it is tempered ther before so that I can neuer wonder ynough at y e hygh and diuine prouidence of god which foreseyng al these thynges hath constitute suche an order in mannes bodye as I dare saye was neuer in any publyke weale For what publycke weale eyther is there or hathe bene syns the worlde beganne in whiche the subiectes haue bene founde euer obedient wythout all grudgynge to theyr lorde and prince were he neuer so noble or valiaūt yet in mans bodye though there be infinite subiects ther can be founde no disobedience to theyr lorde and gouerner whyche is the hearte for yf anye poyson be gathered there wythin the bodye or otherwyse whyche wyth hys venym wolde pearse the heart I praye you is not euery parte readye to defende him though it be to the vtter destruction of them al for euer and to say truthe he is worthy to haue no lesse homage or seruyce seyng he is auctor of lyfe to al the rest helpyng his subiectes seruauntes at al such tymes as they be in daunger And to the entent that no one parte myght be destitute more of help then another by reason of the distance betwene hym and his gouernour Nature hath prouyded the hart to be set so egallye in the middest of the brest as is possyble to be deuysed by al the mathematikes in the worlde whych is compassed aboute wyth a cote the whych Galen calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is made of synowes so thycke and so strong that it is softer than a bone and yet it is sufficient to defende the hearte it is tyed to the skynne which couereth the rybbes and to the mydryfe and the heart strynges conteynynge a lytle quantitie of water that neuer dryeth vp vntyll such tyme as lyfe and all naturall heat is departed from the bodye There is also a lytle fatte leaste the hearte thorough hys contynual mouynge shulde be dryed vp wythin thys foresayde cote inclosed as a mooste precious iuell the heart hauynge .ii. chambres one on the ryght syde an other on the lefte To the chambre on the right side the great mayster vayne whiche groweth on the lyuer doth brynge blood that is distributed in to .iii. partes y e subtylest and moost choleryke to the nutrimente of lyghtes The seconde parte is caryed in to the chambre of the lyfte syde where by the vertue of the heart it is formed in to vytal spirite the thyrde and last parte is reserued to the nourysshement of the hole bodye after that it hath receyued of the hearte bothe vitall heat and spirite And lyke as from the chamber of the ryght syde the greate mayster vayne bryngeth blood thorough the hole bodye so from the least chamber the master pulse bryngeth vitall spirite of the whyche the lyuer taketh hys power and facultye wherby he nourysheth the body brayn by his vertue by whych he gyueth bothe felyng and mouyng to the same I wolde not nowe that any manne shulde thynke that I do defende the errour of Aristotle whyche thought that the hert as he is author of lyfe so to be the gyuer bothe of felynge mouynge to the hole bodye for that the synowes growe of the brayne euery man hauyng hys syghte maye perceyue easelye and that they gyue bothe felynge and mouyng to the bodye ye may knowe if ye take a dogge and tye bothe hys pulses and veynes and let hym go he shal both feele runne so long as y e animal spirit lasteth whych is all redy in hys synowes but in case ye tye hys synowes he shall not be able to styre one foote Thys is a very manyfest profe that the hearte gyueth not sence and mouynge to the bodye yet as I sayde before bothe the brayne and also the lyuer take theyr power of the heart for after that the hearte hath engendered vytall spirite parte is caryed to the lyuer and parte to the brayne The lyuer of hys engendreth newe spirites called naturall the whiche he doeth distribute by hys veynes thoroghout the bodye so the nuryshement of the same The brayne also tourneth those spirites whyche he receyued of the hart in to other spirites called animall these beynge dispersed amongest the synowes is cause bothe of mouyng and feelyng Sythens that I haue accordyng to my promyse made before declared by what meanes the brayne gyueth sence and mouynge to the bodye I wyll as bryefelye as I can descrybe the residue
after hys fyrste sleape he maye safelye lye on the left syde and whosoeuer hath a weake stomake let hym lye grouelyng vpon hys face for it helpeth cōcoction and letteth the generation of fleume encreasing natural heate by reason wherof euil and noughty humours be degested and concocted And no man that is wyse slepe vpō hys backe for therof commeth many sore diseases It is very holesome to slepe the shulders and heed lying on hye for so the heate is easelye gathered togyther whych maketh concoction perfyte and destroyeth all crudities and rawnesse concernyng also natural heate engēdreth good blood wherof the body taketh both strēgth and lyuely coloure The .vi. Chapter ¶ What cummeth of longe watchynge WIthout doubte there is no thynge that decayeth the strengthe more eyther of the bodye or of the wytte then to watche long after supper because there foloweth not onely cruditie but also naturall heate is dispersed abrode and the vertue of the stomacke faynteth decayeth noughtye and vncleane blood is engendred whyche is cause that the body is fylled wyth euell humours wherof cōmeth an euell habyte as palenesse or leanenesse and the troublynge of the spirites wyth greate infirmitie and weakenes of the brayne Wherefore youth ought to be accustomed and vsed to omytte studye in the begynnynge of the nyght and so muche the lesse to haunt banketynge and drynkynge tyl mydnyght no nor to spend the tyme in exitious labour whyche god hath ordeyned for euery creature to reste in I haue hearde in thys matter the diligence of manye noble menne whyche beynge trowebled wyth matters of the common wealthe haue euer obserued this custome that after supper they wente strayght to bed and in the mornynges they dyd alwayes dispatch their busines Sener wryteth that Asinius woulde not so much as vnseale a letter at after supper so muche the lesse reade one to the entente that he might go to bed with a quiet mynde And yf thou wylte slepe swetely as Homer sayeth thou muste take hede of cruditie in thy stomacke and also haue a quyet mynde For the sorowe and pensifnes of the hearte also the boylynge and greate heate of the blood and spirites and earnest angre distempereth y e brayn wyth vnquyetnes and wyll not suffre the hart to go about any naturall action and besydes these thynke ye that it is no sinne before god to punyshe so cruellye and corrupte the nature of our bodyes seyng that holy scrypture commaundeth to gyue honour and reuerence to the bodye Therefore we oughte to gyue dylygence that as muche as we maye we vse well thys reste and quietnes ordeyned of god by the whyche we are warned of oure resurrection after the mortyfyenge of our bodyes As thys reste whych we call slepe is ordeyned of God that in it oure lyfe maye be renued because there is then a great number of spirits engendred so let vs thynke that deathe is not eternall miserie to the faythefull but a lytle space in the whiche it is mete and conuenient for vs to be borne agayne to a better lyfe The .vii. chapiter ¶ Of dreames ALthough the question of dreames pertayneth to the inner sēses yet I wyll speake of them euen nowe For I pourpose not to prosecute the longe circumstances of the naturall philosophers whych endeuoure to shewe a naturall cause of euery dreame Homer the olde and auncient poet iesteth excedynge featlye of the .ii. gates of dreames of the whiche gates the one is the waye or entranse of vayne dreames and the other of suche as do signifye summe thinge A dreame is nothynge but an ymagination made in the sleape whan that dyuers spirites meete togyther in the brayne whyche beyng the instrument of our thoughtes do make dyuers ymages Furthermore in sleepe the inner senses be a great deale more at lybertye than the vtter be The .viii. Chapter ¶ Of dreames naturall THe fyrste kynde of dreames be cōmon to euery manne therefore they maye well be called naturall These dreames be whan we fansie suche thynges in the nyght as we thought on whan we were wakynge whervpon Claudian the poet sayeth iudges dreame of stryfe and controuersies of the lawe carters dreame of theyr cartes orels whan our dreames answere dyrectelye to certayne humours the redowndyng or mouyng of the whych doth moue our imagination or spirites As they that haue plentie of fleume dreame of swymmyng or drownyng of this fashyon nyght mares trouble vs in our slepe whanso euer anye thycke or grosse humour is eyther in the brayne or breste lettyng the brest to moue the whyche mooueth our ymagination that it thinketh our brest be pressed downe of summe other The. ix Chapiter ¶ Of that kynde of dreames that foreseeth thynges to come THe seconde kynde of dreames foreseeth thynges to cumme but not be any diuine power for euery man as he hath a good tempered bodye as he hath peculier gyftes and properties of nature before other men as one man is better skylled in musycke then an other an other more nimble to clyme than he so many by a peculyar gyfte of nature haue dreames that declare thynges to come by allegories and prouerbes Such were the dreames of Scilla Lucullus And Augustus Cesers Phisition called Musa dremed that Augustus hys owne tente was taken of hys enemyes Wherefore Augustus warned of it departed from thence and euen as the phisition had dreamed it chaunsed For that wynge where his tente was beynge put to flyght hys owne tente and tabernacle was taken of hys enemyes Tullye the eloquent romayne reherseth manye lyke examples he hym selfe dreamed that Octauius shulde be emperour of Rome longe before he knewe hym And Pontanus writeth of a certayne manne of warre which dreamed y t he was deuoured of a serpent wherfore whā other of hys felowes toke shyppyng to fyght agaynst their enemies he only taried at home and it chaunced that there was a fraye in the citie y t daye where it fortuned hym to be slayne wyth a gunstoone whyche in theyr tongue was called a serpent Gallen also wryteth of a certayne man that dreamed himselfe to be bathed in his owne blood and the next daye when he opened hys dreame to the Phisitions they said that he had ouermuche blood wherfore contrary to Galenes counsayl they let him blood so he being destitute of strēgth dyed as he had dreamed before bathed and washed in his owne blood Of these kyndes of dreames there is no euident cause neyther in the mouynge of humours nor yet in theyr quantitie or qualitie but that there be certayne natures that foreseeth thynges to come whyche haue dreames oftentymes that signifye somethynge Nor I wyll not be agaynste them that thynke this propertye to come of the excellent temperature of the bodye as the Astronomers doo but I thynke them not wyse whyche gyue preceptes of the interpretation of dreames attributynge the cause◠to the motion of humours seinge that one man hath not alwayes lyke dreames The. x. chapter