the humours in the veines to the end that in feuers they might find out the times of the same and so might more easily foretell the time of the future crise whether the same were like to be hopefull and healthfull or dangerous and deadly and withall to find out the fittest time for purging The which Galen Hippocrates his true interpreter doth intimate vnto young Physitians in these words The vrine giueth notice of these parts to wit the liuer kidneyes bladder and the strength of the vessels which containe the bloud and the weakenesse of the same as also that facultie which engendreth the humors but as concerning the infirmities of the braine the chest and lungs there be other signes and symptomes of the same whereby their diseases are discerned All these things therefore the wise Physitian is to enquire search and find out from the sicke himselfe and not from the vrine For this cause well said Damascenus in his Aphorismes Concerning diseases pronounce not rashly thine opinion neither yet looke thou vpon the vrine vntill such time as thou hast first seene the sicke and of him demanded and found forth euery circumstance belonging to the disease With him doth Rhazes an Arabian Physitian agree in his Aphorismes in these words It becometh the Physitian to aske diuerse questions of his patient to the end he may attaine to the internall cause of the disease that by such meanes he may afterwards be able to pronounce sound iudgement according to reason neither yet let him be ashamed to aske of the patient whether the disease be within or without the veine But our Physitians being like vnto the lazie sedentarie Physitians of Alexandria lest they should be by the vulgar people who do commonly beleeue that the Physitian knoweth all by the vrine taxed of ignorance are ashamed to aske of the patient the causes and symptomes of his disease And to the end they may the better accommodate themselues to the foolish humor of the simple and more ignorant sort they are not a whit afrayed to prate of diseases by the inspection of the vrine onely But would to God the truth were with them in greater esteeme then any popular applause and that they would be warned by the Poet Persius If troubled Rome do too much dispraise any thing then not to rest and relie vpon her iudgement and that they would both ingenuously confesse and tell the people how fraudulent and deceitfull pernicious and lying is this manner of inspection of the vrine brought in by some Physitians and impostors of later dayes to the great mischiefe of mankind Then for certaine would they be more carefull and diligent in searching out the natures of diseases by their causes the hurt and hinderance of the action as also by the Paâ—hognomonicke signes and then without all doubt should they cure a great many moe as also by this meanes should their names become a great deale more famous both among their owne friends and acquaintance and among strangers And by this meanes also should these wandring and cozening rogues impostors apostaticall monks perfidious Iewes enemies to all Christians the ignorant Parish-Priests alchymists and all the rabble of such rake-hels but I had almost forgotten those old trots fortunetellers be thrust out from professing physicke all the which offenders not hauing learned so much as the first grounds and principles of naturall Philosophie or Physicke do without controll or punishment trie their desperate remedies by the death of many a man Wherefore there could nothing be deuised more profitable and beneficiall for the good of the commonwealth then that at length all Christian people were freed from the tyrannie and mischiefe of these cruell impostors who by meanes of the secret obseruation of the vrine vnknowne to the vulgar sort do conceale their owne ignorance and haue as drones do into the Bec-hiue crept into this profession By the premisses I hope thou hast heard what is the cause that Physicke and the Professors of the same are not of so high an esteeme in these our countries at this time Of the differences of signes by the which Physitians do discerne and know diseases and do presage the future issue of the same As I heare these barbarous and wicked persons falsly assuming vnto themselues the name of Physitians do mutter and grumble against me because of condemning their mad rash and foole-hardie finding out of diseases by meanes of the vrine onely for whose slanderous backbiting I care not a rush For such as cannot helpe I see not how they can hurt me No more can I conceiue what the Physitian can performe as concerning the cure of the disease being ignorant of the nature and estate of the same For this cause the ancient Physitians did with great labour trauell and industrie search out the cause the nature and substance of the disease from the which the indications of remedies are deriued and not from the vrine onely but from the signes called Pathognomonicke and from the whole concourse of the symptomes or accidents who did likewise deuide Physicke principally into two parts to wit that which we commonly call Therapeuticke whose most large and common scope is to cure diseases by contrary remedies and into that part which we call Diagnosticke whose most common scope is to discerne the whole and sound from the like and the sicke and infirme from the whole being vnlike the one to the other And this part of Physicke doth farre excell the other to wit the Therapeuticke the which without the Diagnosticke is of small vse or profit And because it did lay open the perfect and absolute knowledge of the disease by meanes of the signes Pathognomonicke proper and peculiar to euery disease together with the concurrence of accidents which the Empiricks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were nothing else but the collection by obseruation of certaine accidents and circumstances of diseases the later Physitians therefore gaue it the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that part of Physicke which handleth the signes of diseases Wherefore we cannot but much wonder at Galen a man of so great learning who besides two hundreth and fiftie bookes written of diuerse sciences and of all the other parts of Physicke aboue foure hundreth all being likewise written in so good order and method that notwithstanding he hath not brought to full perfection this so noble a part of Physicke called Diagnosticke but onely dispersedly here and there especially in that booke called the Constitution or ordering of the Art of Physicke hath as it were sowne some seeds of the same But yet Auicenna Rhazes and other Arabian Physitians and such among the Greeks as haue written of late after Galen as Paulus Aegineta Aetius Actuarius and Alexander Trallianus following the footsteps of the ancient Empiricks did collect and gather together in euery seuerall Chapter which did discourse of the disease a great number of the signes and seuerall accidents of the same but so
one not without cause auouch that the vrine giueth notice of some infirmities of the place through which it passeth not primarily and principally but by accident to wit by reason of the contents thereof which are nothing else but excretions proceeding from those parts which do conueigh and carrie the vrine Wherefore Hippocrates witnesseth that if any do void by vrine either grauell or little thinne scurfe or matter like vnto scales or coursest dressings of bran little gobbets of flesh congealed bloud matter or small haires or threeds like vnto the small veines knit together vnder the creuices taile these things declare that the bladder is annoyed with a scab and the kidneyes with the stone suppuration the rupture of some veine or some other infirmitie But lest any should rashly apply the signes of vrine to any other then the aforenamed diseases this famous father of Physitians doth adde immediatly Take heed therefore lest thou be deceiued the party making such an vrine when the bladder is amisse for then such vrines belong not to the whole body but ought to be referred to the bladder onely There is yet another fearefull and dangerous disease belonging to the kidneyes called Diabete or Poldropsy being an extraordinarie fluxe of the vrine called of the Greekes by reason of this vnsatiable desire of drinking Dipsacus This disease is answerable to the disease called Lienteria and for this cause they are continually forced to drinke all which being nothing at all changed in colour substance or in smell they do voide forth againe as they receiued it and that by reason of the imbecillity of the returning and altering powers and faculties of the kidneyes Now that such an vrine is the proper and pathognomonicke signe of this disease no man of vnderstanding I thinke will denie Followeth now the third sort of signes of concoction of superfluities to wit the excretions of the bellie belonging to the first concoction the which being soft fashioned according to the concauitie of the guts and somewhat fastened or stiffe being also voyded at the accustomed time and answering in proportion to the food receiued then as saith Hippocrates they do shew forth and declare the strength of the naturall faculties of the stomacke together with the good digestion thereof These three sorts of superfluities then giue particular notice of the proper state and disposition of such parts of the bodie as they passe thorow together with the strength of the naturall powers and first the superfluities of the meate do argue and declare the force and strength of the stomacke For this cause the Emperour Antoninus his groomes of his stable did daily both taste and smell to the ordure of his stately horse knowne by his greene furniture to know whether he had well digested his food or not Now the vrines are signes of the state of the bloud in the veines and disposition of the Liuer which is appointed to be the hote harth or kitchin for concoction of the humours The spittle in diseases of the chest is vnto vs a signe and token of concoction or cruditie and those of the first sort to wit of cruditie are for the most part euill and often proue very dangerous the others againe are often messengers of an healthfull and long looked for crisis whence is this saying of Hippocrates Concoction doth portend and signifie both the speedinesse of the crise and assured health but on the contrarie cruditie doth menace and threaten either the breaking forth of some tumour or great swelling or else some great paine or griefe or yet a relapse into the same disease againe There are yet many moe decretorie signes which concerne the future crise as also diuerse prognosticke signes foreshewing life or death the full explication of which would rather require a great volume then an Epistle the which haue bene exactly described by Hippocrates but especially the intricate signes of prediction by the pulse as also the signes both of the disease it selfe and of the place affected or interessed the which also I willingly passe ouer by reason that their power force efficacie and signification doth depend vppon the signes of concoction neither are there any amongst all the signes of concoction more necessarie for the Physitians vse then these pathognomonicke signes And tell me I pray thee how shall the Physitian euer be able to cure vncouth and vnknowne diseases vnlesse the pathognomonicke signes first lay them open to his view and consideration in the finding out of which the ancients tooke so great paines as hath bene said alreadie But since it is not the worke of the Physitian but of nature to concoct and cure diseases it shall be very needfull for the Physitian to know assuredly the vigor and strength of the naturall power and force whether it be like to ouercome the disease or to faint vnder the burden of it by which meanes we shall attaine vnto more certaine and assured signes of life and death then euer did those soothsayers and wizards whom the Romanes did maintaine for the benefit of their sicke people whose prophecies and predictions no man of sound iudgement will euer beleeue to containe any matter of truth But such prognosticke signes as are collected from concoction are so firme and sure that Galen doth boast and brag that he was neuer by them deceiued Now our pisse-prophet Physitians are either vtterly ignorant of them or else notwithstanding set light by them who notwithstanding sitting idle at home are nothing at all ashamed by the vrine alone to deliuer their Delphian oracles concerniug all diseases who neuerthelesse haue neuer so much as tasted of this so noble part of Physicke called diagnosticke without the which the other to wit therapeuticke can neuer subsist yet are they neither ashamed to assume vnto themselues the cure of vnknowne diseases nor yet to arrogate and vsurpe the name of Physitians Farewell and write backe vnto me againe after what method and order this diagnosticke part of Physicke ought to be both written and taught Thus farre Langius We will now proceed to some moe authorities prouing the imposture committed by some assuming to themselues the skill of discerning any disease by the inspection of the vrine onely and then will we produce some authorities to tell vs what diseases may by the vrine be seene and how in the verie same we may sometimes be deceiued From the premisses it may plainly appeare how easily such Physitians are deceiued who trust too much to the iudgement of the vrine onely for such may well be compared to the vulgar sort of people who are of opinion that not onely the disease it selfe but euen the primitiue or externall cause may also be seene in the same as did appeare by that clowne who reproched a very learned Physitian because he could not discerne his cart and oxen in his vrine Now that this our assertion is true it may easily appeare in that the vrine may alter and change vpon diuerse
occasions as by the quantitie and qualitie of diet by reason of excessiue motion by plentifull euacuation c. Of the erronius and preposterous iudgement of diseases by vrine Georgius Rithamer a Gentleman of Vienna being incited by the great concourse of people which did daily in so great abundance stocke about this base roguing and câ—zening Empiricke who came hither of late to heare his opinion concerning their vrines woulds needs likewise in some matter heare his opinion Hauing discoursed a little with this Scoggia concerning the errand he came for casting his eyes vpon the table he espied a Greeke booke lying vpon the same whereupon he began presently to smell out his knauerie For this cozening varlet was altogether ignorant of all manner of learning and good literature insomuch that he could scarce speake two Latine words and as for the Greeke so farre was he from vnderstanding the same that he knew not so much as one letter of that language as being brought vp vnder an Empiricke as ignorant as himselfe He afterwards confessed vnto vâ— that the stoâ—e where he lodged had two doores at one of the which people ordinarily entred to talke with him the other ioyned close to the kitchin at the which a blind woman went out in who asked people before they came to speake with the Impostor what their errand was and then hauing learned what she would returned againe by the same way acquainting the villaine with the whole matter and seuerall circumstances by which meanes he did exceedingly abuse the simpler sort of people It came to passe another time that a certaine graue matrone did most earnestly require that she might haue accesse to him for he would not easily admit euery one to his presence to the end his credit might seeme the greater affirming likewise to this blind woman that her husband was now readie to dye by reason of his excessiue bleeding at the nose vnlesse he had some present remedie prouided She being at length let in he told her presently without asking her any question thy husband bleedeth at the nose and so wrote her downe some thing in a paper with the which she departed euery where did magnifie and extoll the great skill of this notorius cozening raskall O most execrable fraud and imposture And yet now adayes not a few not without great â—urt and preiudice to the poore distressed patients do thus increase their meanes and by the like imposture posture purchase to themselues no small gaine Such a one is that notable impostor the Iew I meane practising his imposture at Vienna these many yeares by past But heare againe the cunning imposture of another of these knaues recorded by the same author It is not vnknowne to many how that a few yeares ago there liued here a certaine cozening knaue who by the bare inspection of the vrine onely did most boldly and confidently affirme that euery one whose vrine was brought to him was either surprised with that feauer coÌ„monly called Synochus or else would tell them some strange and more then ridiculous and monstrous tales as that some drop of bloud was fallen downe from the heart into the neather belly so had produced the disease or else that the heart was enuironed about as it were with some bonds which did bind it hard with many other such ridiculous conceits After the deliuerie of this his so ridiculous vrinarie oracles he prescribed most commonly for euery one to sweat administring to this end and purpose this medicine following well knowne to euery Apothecaries apprentice to wit a litle Venice treacle mingled with a litle Campher and after their sweating he caused them bleed abundantly In this age wherein we liue there is euery where in these our countries so great and so frequent a number of them which without any controll or punishment euen in the best Cities and townes both wheres and Iewes as also any desperate villaine and bold ignorant Empirickes do kill and destroy the simple and ignorant people And all of them by meanes of this so necessarie a signe doth nothing else but practise their imposture Surely such rogues ought most seuerely and exemplarily to be publickely punished and to be banished out of all well gouerned Cities and commonwealths like as we see robbers and theeues by the high wayes to be driuen out of the thickets and forrests to be punished But alas so farre are we from banishing this abuse that many of good worth amongst our selues haue required and do yet require not of my selfe alone but of many others also both iudicious and learned Physitians that by the sole inspection of the vrine without any further inquisition or artificiall coniecture going before we should Prophet-like tell them whether the vrine be a mans or a womans of what age the partie is what is the nature of the disease as also what the antecedent and primitiue cause of the disease may be and whether they haue contracted the same by drinking of bad wiâ—es by eating too many puddings or any such like thing Now if thou shalt herein professe thy selfe ignorant and canst not Lyncius-like see all this and more in the vrine thou shalt heare them reply thou art a dunce knowing nothing and that they haue bene with them who haue told them wonders by the water Thou seest then how absurd an opinion is crept in not among the vulgar sort onely but euen among many others also who would seeme to be of a more refined vnderstanding as also what great danger doth from hence arise But yet when as in some cases with certaine cautions we do attribute some certainty to the vrine in giuing vs some notice either of the securitie of the disease or yet the danger of the same we are so farre from maintaining and vpholding such base bâ—ld varlets that we desire nothing more then the driuing of such dunces out of all well gouerned countries and commonwealthes But now let vs proceed to declare the vncertainty of this signe together with the limitation of the same to some certaine diseases wherein it giueth vs best satisfaction and we will begin with the famous Fernel Now the vrine if it be neither mingled with too much drinke or with some other mixture giueth vs cleare and euident notice of the qualitie of the humours contained in the Liuer and great veines but more obscurely of such as are contained in the small veines and euery part of the bodie And a little after It doth in like manner euidently declare and set forth the infirmities of such parts as it passeth through as of the kidneyes the vrine-pipes the bladder and the yard For although it make no long abode nor stay in those passages yet doth it cleanse away any filth or vncleannesse if any there be For this cause doth it shew forth the infirmities of such parts as it doth immediatly touch And againe afterwards But now because the custome hath so preuailed that besides
one and the same indiuiduall partie Others adde also the sexe the age and many moe which I here omitting will hasten to the accidents of vrine CHAP. II. Of the accidents of vrine the quantitie smell c. and that no certaine and assured truth can by them be presaged or knowne THe accidents of vrine are all reduced to two generall heads the quantitie and the qualitie The quantitie is either great small or meane which is the best Abundance of vrine in health signifieth 1. that the partie hath drunke store of Rhenish or other searching wine 2. abundance of moist meats 3. little euacuation by stoole 4. too liberall vse of diuretickes or such things as prouoke vrine 5. the concoction of crude and vndigested food 6. the retention of sweat menstruous fluxe or other moisture detained within the chest or stomacke vnburthening themselues this way Concerning the retention of the like humidities it may not seeme so straâ—ge that they may be turned towards the passages of the vrine but it may seeme stranger that the faecall excrements should produce this effect and yet Hippocrates witnesseth the truth hereof and besides Aristotle relateth that in Pirinthus there was a cow which neuer had the passage for her excrements open but that the same were conuerted into a statuous or windie substance and then into vrine and so expelled In sicknesse this abundance is likewise diuers wayes produced 1. By meanes of the excessiue heate of the kidneyes which draw abundantly such humidities as in the Diabeticall disease called by some a Pot-dropsie 2. Great euacuation of superfluous moisture 3. The wasting away of the whole bodie which commeth to passe in burning feauers and which was obserued by that famous Physitian Marcus Gatinaria in that maide of Millan about some eighteene yeares of age who voyded euery day for fortie dayes together fifteene pounds of vrine whereas the quantitie of euery dayes meate and drinke ioyntly did neuer exceed the weight of foure pounds 4. The ending of the disease And in acute diseases the abundance of vrine is procured sometimes 1. by meanes of the feauers relenting 2. By the change thereof into an Hecticke 3. By a Conuulsion And besides the premisses it may be yet procured by diuerse other meanes as I remember a yong woman then vnmarried who in the disease called the mither voyded abundance of vrine especially during the time of her fits being in the afternoones and that for the space of foure dayes together as hereafter shall appeare when we shall speake of the colours of vrines And often in the crises of acute diseases the vrine is multiplied A man of Sena saith Scribonius euery day did pisse foure or fiue iugs of vrine who scarce dranke halfe an English pint all the said space what could a Physitian haue iudged by this quantitie Thus then when thou seest so many causes or one and the same effect to which of them canst thou ascribe it vnlesse thou be well acquainted with the particular circumstances from the patients owne mouth Small quantitie of vrine is likewise procured 1. By dry diet 2. By the vse of tough and â—â—mie meates 3. By reason of obstructions 4. By reason of plentifull euacuation 5. By meanes of a violent feauer 6. By some hurt of the vrinarie vessels as commeth sometimes to passe by reason of the cold distemper of the bladder procuring a palsie to that part 7. By the decay of naturall heate as commeth sometimes to passe in such as are readie to dye 8. Because the moisture is detained in some other part as commeth to passe in a Dropsie 9. By reason of some impostume in the fundament the necke of the bladder or in the wombe which may straiten the said passage that the vrine cannot come away in any great quantitie 10. The abundance of crude and raw humours may be a meanes of this so small a quantitie But I will yet adde some more out of the aforenamed Scribonius because his words are so sutable for our purpose The like verdict may we also giue forth saith he concerning the small quantitie of vrine taking often its originall cause from the defect or scarcitie of meate and drinke as also by meanes of some other euacuations such as are sweat excretions by stoole and such like which carrying the matter of the vrine another way hinder the passage thereof into the bladder and by consequent the expulsion from thence For this same cause such as be troubled with any laskes or fluxes do voide but a small quantitie of vrine as Galen himselfe declareth Againe a little after he addeth these words In the obstruction of the Liuer and mesaraicke veines experience it selfe doth often teach vs that a very small quantitie of vrine is voyded Now if any ones seruant should bring vnto thee such an vrine not acquainting thee with any other circumstance why wouldest thou giue sentence for an obstruction rather then a laske or for a laske rather then an obstruction Besides the premisses in the Stone the Dropsie and such other diseases which hinder the generation of vrine no certaine iudgement can be collected from the small quantitie of the same And that thou mayest yet be more rauished with admiration Rufus Ephesus in his booke of the infirmitie of the reines maketh mention of one who as saith Praxagozas aboue the space of twelue yeares voyded all his vrine by the bellie and not by the ordinarie passage What then could a man haue iudged concerning this mans bladder and the other parts depending thereupon And this shall suffice for the quantitie of vrines with the vncertaintie of the same now come we to the qualities obserueable in them The next accident of vrine is the qualitie and the qualities as witnesseth Mercuriale according to the doctrine of the Arabian Physitians are fiue the smell the tast the sound the touch and the colour As for the smell vrines haue little or no smell or else a sweet and pleasing smell or finally a stinking smell No smell saith Mercuriall proceedeth from no other cause then from the extinguishing of naturall heate howbeit it may sometimes proceed from drinke of a cold qualitie like as we see in cold countries and the like complexions the smell of the vrine is not so much to be discerned Vrines smell well either in regard of diet or drugs but especially by meanes of a temperate heate concocting well Stinking vrines come by foure seuerall meanes 1. By meanes of cruditie and indigestion of the food 2. By reason of putrefaction Galen witnesseth that whatsoeuer thing is putrified hath an euill fauoured smell Wherefore in Pestilentiall feauers the vrines are most commonly of a stinking smell As also if the vrines passe through any place oppressed with putrid vlcers or yet if any purulent matter be mingled with them they become stinking 3. The too long retention of vrine in the bladder
may make it to stinke 4. The qualitie either of diet or drugs as hath bene said of the good smell of vrines may likewise procure vnto it an euill smell Looke at large what Sauonarola saith of this point if thou be disposed to see further But what certaintie doth the smell of the vrine affoord vs whosoeuer shall thinke to helpe his vncertaine coniectures by the same should leape out of the frying pan as the prouerbe saith into the fire In the first place it is to be obserued that as well in sicknesse as in health vrines may offer no pleasing smell to the nose and yet the party may be free from any danger at al. But because healthfull folkes seldome send their vrines to the Physitian we will let them passe and come to the sicke I will let Scribonius speake for me Concerning the sicks vrine saith he most do teach vs that stinking vrines signifie putrefaction of humours in so much that by the difference of the smels they take vpon them to iudge of the seuerall humours so putrified O wise woodcockes I willingly yeeld to them that stinke or strong smell doth argue putrefaction in such vrines but of which parts shall this putrefaction be whether of the bladder onely or of the Liuer also of the chest or other members Nay so farre off is the stinking smell from giuing vs any particular notice of the disease that it cannot so much as affoord vs any certaine generall knowledge of the same For many sweet smelling simples saith Montanus may cause a most stinking vrine Cholericke and hote complexioned men void often very strong smelling vrines howsoeuer free frō any disease as I haue often obserued in my selfe And by what meanes I pray thee shouldst thou from the stinking smell of the vrine know putrefaction or how can this putrefaction procure this stinking smell If this were so then would it necessarily follow that whosoeuer were seised with a feauer proceeding from putrefaction of humours should voyd stinking vrines the which is most false The truth of this assumption may from hence appeare that for the most part among an hundred sicke of such feauers scarce shalt thou find one of their vrines so to smell nor yet their bloud at the opening of a veine And for this cause well said Sauonarola in his treatise of Vrines that there are other signes also to be obserued in the annoying of putrified members if we purpose well and orderly to examine trie and finde out any skill concerning vrines And indeed a thousand causes there are which may alter and change their smell By the smell then onely there can neuer be any certaintie collected to informe our iudgements concerning any disease But I am afraid the Reader will take it ill that I so long detaine him among so vnpleasing smels and my selfe begin to waxe wearie of so vnworthie a thing and as I neuer tooke any pleasure in the same so here I leaue it to them that like it better But if I should yet enter vpon the tast I feare I should be worse taxed I can tell no man their tast by mine owne experience Salt they haue alwayes bene counted as the teares likewise If any be incredulous I will not hinder him If our vrinemongers had no better beere allowed them they would not so much adore the pissepot as some of them do But yet if any purpose to practise this point I wish him to go to the Arabians who haue written so curiously concerning this point and it may be in regard of their aromaticall drugs their vrines may be of better taste then those of our Europaeans who feed on grosser food As for the other two qualities the sound and touch we will send them all in one ship to Arabia with their fellowes and now we come to the colours CAAP. III. Of the colours of Vrines how deceitfull they proue and first of the colour commonly called palew or light saffron IF euer vrine proued a strumpet it is of all other parts of the vrine most apparently to be seene in the colour For as sometimes some of the most infamous stewes strumpets infected it may be with the poxe do most curiously decke and adorne by curious painting sumptuous apparell and such other enticing trickes their lothsome and filthie carkasses to the end they may more easily deceiue such as will be caught in their snares doth it not often fare euen so with the colour of the vrine For oftentimes when they make the fairest shew doth not euen death knocke at the doore My purpose is not here to make any phylosophicall discourse concerning the causes of colours in generall and then to apply the same to vrines in particular and so to insist vpon each seuerall colour for this might proue too tedious and perhaps not so pertinent to the purpose we haue in hand And yet notwithstanding I will say something of each of the chiefe and principall colours by the which it may more easily be conceiued that the like deceit may be seene in the others like vnto them Now my purpose is to begin with that colour which is the best of all others being as it were the rule and square whereby we do discerne and iudge of the failings and defects of all the rest This colour is called in Latin Subrufus subaureus or subcroceus and in English palew or light saffron This colour our Physitians do generally account the best of all others and that it best betokeneth exact concoction Neither yet must this first and best colour arguing good concoction be simply and in it selfe so considered but restrained to flourishing age For in old men women and children whose vrines especially childrens do commonly decline towards white and pale it doth betoken that their bodies are too hote either by reason of diet exercise or some other meanes But if one should bring vnto thee such an vrine how couldst thou tell whether it were an old or a yong mans a womans or a childs the messenger not acquainting thee with the particular circumstances It may be thou wilt say the contents will make the case cleare I answer that many causes may depriue them of contents in part or altogether as hereafter shall appeare in the contents and how the substance may alter hath bene said alreadie The common opinion is the higher the colour is the greater heat is argued which opinion to be most false erronious shall hereafter in other colours appeare Besides may not a little extraordinarie watching fasting rheubarb saffron madder roots or such like colour the vrine without any excesse of heat And will the seuerall seasons of the yeare produce no alteration in the vrine that I say nothing of an infinite number of other causes which may in like manner alter them But one signification of such a coloured vrine I cannot here passe by which I remember I once read in an English vrine booke to wit that a maide
commonly attributed to these casuall euents answered onely in generall at that instant that many things seeme often otherwise then they are indeed and false fame maketh some men famous whose names deserue rather to be buried in obliuion and after some further discourse concerning that subiect all which notwithstanding would not satisfie her more then nice curiositie he taketh his leaue for the present A few dayes after causing carefully to watch and obserue the actions of this Aesculapius he was obserued to go to a certaine place within two little leagues of Paris called Bois de Vincennes that is Vincence wood and there to dig vp certaine rootes The Physitian therewith acquainted resorteth thither with speed and finds that it was nothing else but a certaine kind of Spurge whereof there grew in that place and about no small store whereof this Clowne had at seuerall times digged vp great store easily discerned by the holes there round about that place some being but new digged After a narrow search he found that most of those whom this new Aesculapius was said to haue cured either died after a certaine time of a bloudie Fluxe this violent medicine hauing procured an excoriation in their guts being especially exhibited without any preparation of the ill qualitie or obseruation of the due dose or quantitie or else that they liued a languishing life worse then a speedie dispatch by a sudden death from whose mercilesse clawes notwithstanding this former Purgatorie was not able to free some of them The Physitian repairing againe to the Duchesse acquainteth her Grace with these seuerall circumstances as also that it seemed most of those people were able strong and cacochymicall bodies who would preferre the counsell of this Clowne before that of the learned and iudicious Physitian The issue notwithstanding did make it appeare that if any did recouer it came not to passe through his skill or sufficiencie which as seemeth was none at all but by the strength of nature able to expell both the Plague and the poyson of the medicine The learned and iudicious Physitians againe met for the most part with thin and tender bodies brought vp in ease and idlenesse and for this cause aptest to receiue the poysoned impressions of the pestilentiall aire and therefore the disease prouing greater then the meanes were able to ouercome the patients were often forced to faint vnder the burthen Neither were such dangerous or râ—ther desperate meanes as this Empiricke vsed in their opinions to be administred to any much lesse to persons of qualitie and weake constitution The Noble woman hauing heard the Physitians apologie was afterwards better pleased with her Physitian and after that time conceiued a better opinion both of the Art and the professors of the same I was likewise informed during my abode at Leua in Germanie of many rare cures seemed to be performed by that medicine which they call the Philosophers stone Aurum potabile and many other such hyperbolicall medicines exhibited by the Paracelsists of those parts And yet most of them to whom they were exhibited before the full period of a twelue moneth went to visite their friends in another world and little better successe for the most part had their maister Paracelsus himselfe Some few yeares before my coming to this towne of Northampton a certaine Empiricke and Irish by nation was accounted one of the most famous vrine-mongers in all the countrey about but especially in telling whether women were with child or no. And yet his skill in Physicke was confined to one forme of purge composed of a certaine portion of the Electuarie DiaphoenicoÌ„ mingled with so much powder of Diagridium as he could take vp betweene his finger his thomb which were his ordinary weights and scales as I 〈◊〉 since by our Apothecarie informed by which his butcher like boldnesse he cast many into most dangerous laskes accompanyed sometimes with diuerse other euill accidents as I haue heard since from some of themselues and this chiefly was then to be seene when this medicine was exhibited to thinne and weake bodies Now howbeit I could instance in a number of other examples all tending to the same purpose yet fearing too much to offend the Readers patience referring them to some opportunitie I thinke it is now high time to turne my sailes towards the shore and to cast anchor for the present And the assembling of so many sage Senators according to the ancient and laudable custome of this kingdome to apply fit salues to the festered sores of the same putteth me in good hope of some redresse as well of the abuses here complained of as of diuers other disorders I am not indeed ignorant that affaires of high consequence are to be handled in this honorable assemblie And yet I hope the life of man is not a matter of smallest moment Agitur de corto humano Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath will he giue for his life Let this Gangrene therefore in time be looked to lest it grow to a greater euill Since therefore errors of this kind are so full of danger as hath bene both in the precedent now in this present discourse plainly prooued both by a great and smaller enquest of such persons with whose worth the delinquents I am sure dare not compare I wish it may not be forgotten Sed verbum sat sapienti A word yea a nod is enough to a wise man And therefore I leaue it to your Honourable considerations CONSIDER THE MATTER CONSVLT AND GIVE SENTENCE FINIS Faults escaped Pag. 5. line 2. for would reade could p. 13. l. 29. r. stincking vrine p. 16. marg note l. 8. r. victu p. 21. l. 12. r. deliration p. 23. l. 17. r. pot-dropsie l. 29. r. retaining and marg note l. 2. r. Fo rs p. 33. l. 13. r. of a high p. 33. marg note l. 20. r. à vitiosa p. 39. r. an absurditie p. 55. l. 29. r. foure pounds p. 70. l. 36. r. winie colour p. 77. l. 5. diseases alone * The honorable Court of Parliament The right vse of vrines Foolish custom of the countrey people The pulse in many diseases to be preferred before the vrine Quandâ—que bâ—nus dormitat Hâ—merus Horat. Casuall cures sometimes succeeding do not proue a sufficiencie in the parâ—ies thus practiâ—ing a An vsual ordinaâ—ie custome to browbeat ouerthrow errors and imposture and to pleade for truth b This Panacaea was a certaine medicine made of saffron quick siluer vermilion antimonie and certaine sea shels made vp in fashion of triangular lozenges stamped and sealed with certaine strange characters and sold at a very deare rate the very name importing asmuch as a medicine against all diseases and was in as great or greater esteeme among the Germanes as euer Aurum potabile once here amongst our selues Liban contra Ambald defens syntagm aâ—can chym contra Henuingum Scheunem c D. Gwin D. Raâ—igh against aurum potabile D.
the vulgar sort concerning the staining of the vrinall Historie This Parson a chiefe proctor for auâ—um poâ—abile in Northampton shire Absurd opinion of a Physitian affirming one to be bewitched by the vrine onely Many things alter the iudgement of the vrine Accidents of vrine twofold Diuerse significations of great abundance of vrine in health Aphor. vltimo lib 4. Lib. 4. degeneratione anâ—m cap. 4. In sicknesse Historie Mercur. lib. de vrinâ— cap 6. ex Marco Gatinaria Guil. Adolph Scribon devrin inspect pag. 41. 42. Another Small quantitie of vrine by diuers meanes Idem ibidem Aphor. 83. lib. 4. Another Mercur. lib. de vrin cap. 6. Of the smell of vrines Vrines without smell Vrines smelling well Stinking vrines with their seuerall significatioÌ„s Galen lib. 5. de simplie med facult Lib. de vrin cap. 3. rub 1. Loco prius citato Medici certe de hac iudicandi ratione scribentes digni essent qui in dies lotium potare cogerentur VpuparuÌ„ potius quam Medicorum haec tractatio erit Idem ibidem Vrina meretrix Palew and light saffron colour Called the key of vnknowne knowledge or a shop of fiue windowes Leuinus Lemnius de occuitis naturae mirac lib. 2. cap. 37. Historie Iacob Douinetus apol lib. 1. cap. 8. In the yeare 1617. many dangerous maligne feauers Another 1. Sam. 15. 32. Dangerous to let bloud vpon the bare sight of an high red coloured vrine Rhamb Dod. obseruat medic cap. 32. Historie Idem Dâ—d in schol Idem obseruat medicin cap. 31. Historie Another Idem Ibidem Vrine sometimes red by reason of the cruditie of the stomach Lib. 1. cap. designis quotidianae intermitt In comment in praedict locum Hieron Reusner in schol ad cap. 22. Ioh. Willich de prob vrin Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of pissing of bloud Aretaeus Cappadox lib. 4. cap. 3. diuturn morb Holler Schol. ad cap. 52. lib. 1. de morb Vde ibidem plura vt apud Schenck obseruat medicin lib. 3. tit de sang mictu Historie Marcell Donat. lib. 4. cap. 29. hist med Another Another Another Another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippoc. prognost lib. 2. aph 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in coac sect 27. aph 16. 1. de cris cap. 12 alibi Comm. 3. in lib. 3. epid Comm. 3. in lib. 1 epid Of blacke vrines Historie Iohann Bel. for comm in lib de vrin Gal. attrib pâ— 72. Another Guil. Adolph â—cribon lib. de â—rinar inspect Actuar lib. 2. cap. 20. de iudie. â—rin Another Blacke vrines critical in diuers diseases Thomas a Vega comm ad lib. 6. Gal. de loc affact pag. 342. Nocturnae 〈◊〉 diurnae febre Another Anton. Valet exercit 40 ad Holler de morb intern Another Andr. Laurent anat lib. 1. quaest 38. Francise Valer. comm ad libr. Gal. le constit art med pag. 355 Another Another Iacob Douinâ—â— apol lib. 3. cap. vlt. Another Of a bastard Tertian in my selfe Another Iohann Crato consil medicin col 446. aedit Hanou. in fol. 1612. Another Amatus Lusitanus centar 5. turat 54. Mercur. lib. de vrin cap. 6. Of blew vrines Of greene vrines 3. de rat vict acut Historie Guil. Adolph Scribon de inspect vrin prope finem Of popiniay greene oylie vrine Of ash-coloured or leaden coloured vrines Of thin white vrines Rondelet lib. de vrin cap. 15. Their diuers significations Forest obseruat medic tomo 1. lib. 2. schol ad obseruat 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippcrat prognost lib. 2. aph 30 Historie Another Of thicke white vrines Historie Nichol. Flerent serm 3. tract 10. cap. 21. Another A Petro Sphaerorio medico referente Schenck lib. 3. obseruat medicin lib de vrin Another Iohann Schenck ibidem Another Holler inter raras obseruat num 2. Another Idem schol ad cap 30 lib. 1. de morb intern Another Of the circle ring or garland Not mentioned by the ancients Lib de vrin cap. 31. de circulo The originall of it It is twofold Leo Reganus de differ vrin lib. 1. cap. vlt. Posteriores eiusdem coronae iuditia subiecerunt veteribus non vsitata in quibus iustae saepe causae desiderantur verum vt scenae inseruiamus eadem iudicia subdere placet Villich de probat vrin part 4. cap. 39. Loco proxime citato Idem Reganus de prouid ex vrinis lib. 3. cap. 8. Idem lib. 2. de caus vrin cap. 9. Of bubbles spume or froth Idem lib. 2. de caus vrin cap. 9. See before in the beginning Schol. in cap. 30. part 4. Iodoâ—â— Willich de probat vrinar Comment 3 librâ— prorrh Aph. 34. sect 7. Sauonarola de vrin cap. 3. rubr 17. Of smoke or vapour in the vrine Of fat swimming on the top of vrines Gal. Comm. 3. in lib. 3. epid De prouid ex vrinis lib. 3. cap. 6. Lib. 1. meth med cap. vlt. Guil. Adolph Scrib de inspect vrinar prope finem 3. de praesagit ex puls Historie 〈…〉 All vrines are not accompanied with contents And may proceed from diuers causes The cloud The swimme The ground Loâ—o proxime citato 2. Prorrh 1. 2. in 6. epid 37. Seuerall times to be assigned for the setling of vrine Et ex his prâ—inde vniuersis optime facillimeque intelâ—igi pâ—sse opinâ—r â—uantuâ— fucus â—â—anta deceptio â—uanta denique malignitas sit omnium illorum qui absque alijs coiudicantibus vllis nude simpliciter ex allata sibi vrina aliquas corporis male affecti causas originem subiecta adiuncta sic deinceps vel exploratissime se cognoscere posse autumant Idem Sâ—ribon ibid. Of yellow contents or grounds Red residence Historie Another Bloudie residence and the seuerall causes of the same Historie See somewhat in the colours heretofore Purulent or matterie residence Schol. ad cap. 50. lib. 1. de morb intern Historie Lib. de vrin cap. 38. Red vetches or fitches Brannie and sealie contents Scales Haires in the vrine Comm. 1. ad aph 76. sect 4. Loco proxime supra citato Historie Schenck obseruat medic lib. 3. tit de vrina Sandie or grauelly residence Aph. 79. sect 4. Historie Ibidem Flesher Worms reiected by vrine Rondel de vrinis cap. 38. Montuus Idem Rondel lib. de morb cognos cap. 17. Historia Didymi Obrechti ad finem libri Rondel de vrinis adiecta Loco iam supra citato Ibidem Hieron Cardan comm in aph 76 lib. 4. Ambros Par. Chirurg lib. 19. cap. 3. De occult nat mirac lib. 2. cap. 40. Obseruat medicin l. 3. sect 312. Alexand. Bened. anat lib. 2. c. 22. Iohann Renodaeus de mat med lib. 3 cap. 33 antidot lib. 1. sect 1. cap. 20. circa finem Motes in the vrine together with their seuerall significations Of dust in the vrine Historie Of painfull and vneasie pissing Suppression of vrine The seuerall causes of the same De internor morb curat tomo 3. lib. 4. cap. 12. Suppression of vrine by meanes of the bladder