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
all by touching therfore the ayre is more moyst yet because water is of more rounder and compact substance then of an intentiue qualitie some philosophers report water is more moist then ayre otherwise how should yse more coole then water and yet not more colder Galen affirmeth water to be most moist for that it is cleare and no drinesse is contained within the substance thereof By this reason no simple medicine can shewe in his vttermost nature to be either hot colde moist or drie in the highest degree in respect of equalite 〈…〉 ature from contrary plaâ—ing therefore this reason most proâ—pereth and prooueth in â—urt bodies and although the ayre were clearely hot yet not in the highest degree So likewise if water were clearlie moist yet not in the highest degree for it â—s repugnaâ—t in the reasonable onâ—e standing of elements that there should be two qualities or els noâ— at all obtained in the highest degree for if ayre hath not maystnesse it shoulde then vnnaturally exceede in the vttermost place which is against the nature and order of the elements And furthermore it is greatly to be marueyled that certain new Philosophers with some counterfeit weake reasons blaste abroad in the world that water is more moyst then ayre which cannot holde for then the elements shoulde fall out in contrarie order which otherwise haue an equall constitution in the rest of the bodies one after an other although they bee of disframed conditions and qualities or els we may iudge of mans bodie to haue more earth and water litle ayre and lesse fire whereas it is in holie writing farre otherwise declared that man was not fashioned neither of ayre water nor fire but of the earth shewing that earth water are imperious ruling elements This element as a heauie substance doth beare great sway in the constitution of man for that heat and drinesse are of more lighter matter Then doeth it stande by naturall reason that heat among other qualities is actiue and as the qualitie therof is most plaine so the least portion thereof as in man for which cause these two outward bodies colde and heat may bee perceyued and that coldnes is tempered by heat and heat delaâ—ed by cold drines by moystnesse and moystnesse by drenesse that one of them should haue equall seruice by an other so there is also a motiue cause of coldnesse and drinesse thorow the sinewes so also there is coldnes and moystnes in the braine where the conceit and sence beginneth their place The hart is the instrument of life the liuer the instrument of blood the which of necessity are hot and moist and so from thencefoorth there are certaine instruments of necessitie some cold some hot some moyst and some drie if any one of them at any time do bend or writh aside from these iust temperature their actiue qualitie must be disured and fall away therewith for that the instrument which leadeth the same is decaied Therefore the bodye of necessitie is to possesse and inioy a perfect estate in his members in seruice of all the offices appertaining thereunto And the rather because all bodies haue a coniunction of the foure elementes otherwise choller which is hot drie and colde cannot serue the body in perfect nature and operation for that vnnaturall choller corrupteth the whole body And furthermore as the foure humours are seperated one from another in seueral estates and constitutions so such members which are insigned vnder any one of these humors are commoderated one by an other vntill there be a iudicial temperance raigning ouer all the wholl members for although any such instrument were of necessitie cold yet it is not conuenient so to be in the highest degree for that certaine immixt elementes doo want the temperance of the second qualitie Now if successiuely these instruments were by this means most righteous and equall they ought not to be tempered on some one behalfe but on euery behalfe for no instrument can bee meete whereas if any part thereof be vnmeete And for this cause it is not onely a seemely sight that these elements after their greatest portions should be grosly mingled in a myxt body but that in the whole they become perfectly vnited and that there be no want in any part thereof Therefore as diuers elements are so mixed in one body as that there is a ful seruice of al the members one to another So was it righteous that there should be a whole perfect coniunction in the iust commoderation of all other instrumentes for if all and euery part were not equally moderated one part would decay and fall away from another For is not the body conserued and satisfied by the said elements from hunger and thirst which otherwise would in al the partes thereof languish and fal Wine is a bountiâ—ull element ordained to me perfect properties away therefore man is nourished of the foure elemâ—ts in that the heat of the sunne is commixed with the earth and the water and ayre commixed are of generable nature producing sustenance agreeing with all natures indumentes And furthermore consider that whosoeuer drinketh wâ—â—e for coldnesse of stomach dooth not poure or infuse fire into his body although the moistnesse of water is tempered with a fiery element to frame a perfect body not in outward action but by the pure power of heat This verily proueth that one element is fashioned with another so that all the elementes are of equall power and propertie one with another Otherwise if man were framed of one element he were impassible and without suffering Or if there were such a dissimilitude in the elementes as that not one of them could be drawne in agreement with the other but still continue a contrarietie then all passiue actions were dispropriated and vnperfectly disequalled Euen as there is manifestly shewed forth all necessarie causes to the construction of euery one body So these elementes all in all are commixed without separation following vpon the immixion of humours in mans body vnto which euerie liuing man is subiect and bound vnto by natures ordinance And there are some which wallowing in their owne wils doe affirme that bloud is nothing els but a certaine confounded humour extracted out of three humours although the same is vtterly false Yet may it manifestly proue a great varietie in the permixioÌ„ of elements Therefore if it be possible that foure humours are confounded Maners doe follow the humour of bloud within themselues and yet their formes kept together vndiffacioned or that one forme or fashion appeareth for them all then surely these elementes are aswell commixed in these humours as wholly perfected thorow the body it selfe that although their formes were eyther disfigured or in some part abstracted yet there qualities are vndefaced Otherwise the reason and measure of mixture should perishe together both in forme and qualtie touching corporall formes as they are neuer taken from their substance So not the forme but the qualitâ—e hath
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
the same as they doe become bare and bald so are they men of verie euill and dangerous maners Yet Auycen greatly commendeth bald men of sanguine complexion and flaxen hayre to be trustie honest and verie precise and deuout and yet manie of them haue reaching wittes in high causes Hypocrates sayth there can be no direct temperance in baldnesse for that in the first place those thinges which be hearie onely are hote and moyst In the second place bald men are drie and in the third place bald men are in their extreames so of sickenesse and discases doe swiftly approoue in the nature of cold and drie therefore we are verely to coniecture that all ages of men denunciat their natures after the temperance of the regions and countries vnder which they are borne aswell as their owne priuate complexion and age for as the ages of youth are hote drie and hayrie so infancie is smooth colde and moyst and without hayre Then seeing there must altogether fall out a perfect sympathie or equall combination vnder the temperatures of countries and that hayrie men natiuely appertaine vnder regions hote and drie so then there must be a temperat cause in contrarietie hereof for that Theophrastus Paracelsus holdeth in opinion that hote and drie countries absinne and quite take away all the humours which intentiuely nourish hayres Auycen sayth that heate and drinesse in those bodyes are not so easily nourished and therefore heate and drinesse of those countries are nothing profitable in the generation of hayres after the naturall simpathie and mutuall combination in temperance of the bodies themselues Galen speaketh of young men of the Ethiopians who of their owne complexion and naturall inclination are hote and drie in respect of other countries the which propertie furnisheth their bodies with an excesse strength of hayres And although curled yet not diuersty coloured like other countries which signifieth the superaboundant heate vnder which they liue Surely I am perswaded it is a moste direct poynt not to compare nature with age but to compare countries with ages which in all the conditions of hayres may be best accompted of For the Ethiopian yoong men in temperance of hayres both in multitude and strength exceedes the yoong men of these our countries in the highest degree Let somewhat more in this our treatise be attended vpon and diligently coÌ„sidered in the temperance of women touching hayre for that there are some who thinke the same farre disagreeing froÌ„ this our purpose that is a woman of cold moyst teÌ„perance is indewed with a vecie thick hayre who for the materiall substance of moystnesse following vpon her hath not onely many hayres but most long hayres for which cause women of moist complexions can neuer be bald And a flegmatike woman following the temperance of the whole body cannot in any respect want hayres and sometimes exceedes therein farre otherwise then common course Except a woman of moderate and due temperance which cannot ouer passe the boundes and limites of nature in the ornature of the body for those women are of pure feminine complexion and are not bearded like men for two causes the one because the vapours of the matrix are ranckly deuoyded by naturall profitmitie as also for that the ascending moysture thereof is subtilly occupied in the braines for the plentifull generation of haires so that the â—hin partes are vtterly barrained thereby Then touching those hayres which haue comely treases vpon the eye-lids bankes of the browes doe shewe the excellent ornature and seemely grace of nature by a certaine liberall benefite in beautifiâ—ng the womans proportion tarre aboue all other creatures for as these hayres are outwardly planted so are they regarded as increasing and springing vp in their due disposition by an outward view for if they did follow the temperature of men they should grow confusedly and without order Then how greatly doe those women scandelize both nature and affection which by colouring crisping platting or striking forth of their haires doe deforme and disguise their fauour and countenance in the open shame of the world notwithstanding all which are not able to alter the seemely shewes of nature whose power both in the head banckes of the browes and eye-lids is both absolutely and artificially expressed And I would haue it further knowne and marked that the difference of moystnesse and drinesse in natures goodly works is vnlike as if graine or seedes were planted or sowed in earth of two natures so that the one should be in temperance more fruitfull then another so doth the haire followe the temperance of the skinne both in substance complexion and colour In like sort as the hayres in the heads of women be moyst or drie after their temperance so vniuersallie both the hayres in the bankes of the browes and eye-lids are drie because the continuall humectation of the eyes purgeth the same But twise and once is either man or woman happie who safegard their head vnder a drie temperance for that moyst corruptions within do speedilie and dangerously alter the outward hayre to become gray and grisly and the rather if the body be vnequally distempered by any colde and vaporous disease Therefore two sortes of gray hayres are to be considered vpon herein The first sort thorow the rage of surfetting youth in the vntimely age of man especially when the temperance is altered by cold venerian vapours the extreame malice whereof suggesteth these colde and perfect diseases of feuers bloudy eyes flegmatike spittle impostumations short breathinges head aches as also the whirling and giddinesse of the braines There are also gray hayres which naturally fall vpon the pure olde age of man signifyeng temperance chastitie soundnesse of body as pleasure and health to the graue As these graye hayres were attained and gotten by wisdome and good aduise so are they preserued and continued as an ornament of great and inestimable honour to olde age Likewise after the temperance of hayre the nayles of the hands and feete are preserued or decayed in good or euill condicion and estate and yet they doe not so speedily alter by the interchange of the inward humours as the hayre doth Dyoscorides sayth that the increment of nayles proceedeth of pure bloud his reason is for that if the nayles decline and putrifie a freshe nourishment springeth thereof againe Cornelius Celsus sayth because the vaines beginne and end in the fingers and toes therefore nature sheweth an outward worke like a comely pentise to couer the same Ruellius sayth the flegmaticke and moyst man hathe a moste prolixe increment in the nayles for that there is a continuall moyste interflowing vapour from the sinewes feeding and nourishing the same So the hot and chollericke man hath sharpe thin and little nailes because large moisture from the sinewes wanteth thereto Theophrastus Paracelsus saith a moyst woman hath thinne short nailes if shee bee aptlye menstruous or els not Galen saith if the plat chest or bulke of the bodie be wide and broadeâ— so that
increased by the mutuall actions of the forme and qualities together It is therefore most difficult to withdrawe nature and qualitie from these moste excellent temperatures The difficulness of the oâ—e is cased by the perfection of the other in the course of the vaynes which of the ancient Philosophers are called complexions possessing diuers partes of man as coldnesse and drinesse in the bones and hote and moist in many other parts of the body So the rather may it be perceiued that all cold things in mans complexion are ouercome with hote and moyst temperatures nourishing bloud in euery man to be perfected after naturall inclimation Therefore hee hath finished a good and perfect worke which can vprightly discerne a perfect temperature in the estate and constitution of all men The Phisitian is largely to distinguish vppon the naturall complexion of all men for it is his part and dutie to compare man with man and all men to be vnder some one temperance And yet there are many differences to be found vnder these temperatures Galen sheweth by experience of some men which are ouer-troubled with fleame that although some part be taken away and not in all yet the superfluous humour that remayneth is made more moyst and the easier digested and resolued Auycen sayth those thinges which be ouer moyst are tempered by drinesse then there ought to be an accidentall heate indifferently and equally compounded with humiditie but yet the intemperance of heate and moystnesse is an vnequall commixture For Galen sayth that the decay of complexions are vpon superaboiuidant qualities one with another which is the ouerthrowe of nature and bringeth death Leonard Fuchsins sayth if the seasons of the yeare should be compared according to their temperatures the spring season is most wholesome and temperat because it is hote moyst if that by straunge exhaltations it be not corrupted And Autume season sayth hee is moste intemperat for that it is colde and drie Galen sayth otherwise that if the spring be compared or coâ—oyned with an vnnaturall sommer following shal be then â—old and moyst because of the strong exhaltations of heate following thereupon And on the contrary if it be compared or conioyned with the vnnaturalnesse of winter it is hote drie because of the elementes were distramed with heate by an extreame and vnnaturall course in the elementes the season before Surely Dyoscorides very vprightly toucheth the mark that the temperature of the spring time ought to be regarded and marked of naturall and vnnaturall properties in it selfe and not by the comparison of another season Arnoldus de noua villa affirmeth that the spring season is found neither hote nor moist but temperate so that neyther susuperfluous moistnesse nor exceeding drinesse doo abound for the Spring indifferently seasoneth all thinges Ieremias Thriuerius saith that Springe hath no perfect temperaunce thorow which eyther the winter before or the sommer after haue lost their temperaunce in the heate of the earth when as the vaines and sweet fountaines of the earth are decaied hauing not onely lost their naturall progressions but thorow strange exhalations the aireis distemptred and becommeth grosse loathsome and furiousin all open corrupitons So on the contrarie al the partes of the earth may bee inraged with hot drinesse for that the elementes exceedinglie doo sucke the ioyce of the earth drawing in all filthye corruptions which infester in the highest degree seeing the spring time is then of propertie and nature most comfortable and that in all naturall and wholsome temperanre doth neuer bring forth sicknes except by some former corruption which hath forestalled the sweete refreshing ioy thereof It is good to consider then the temperances of the yeareâ— how they doo agree with the complections of men both for the conseruation of health and the auoiding of sicknesse for collerick persons doe best take comfort and ioy in themselues in winter for the heat of their complections is best delayed and tempered with the moistnesse of that season Flegmatike persons do liue more safer in sommer then in the spring time for this temperature chiefly agree with their complecions so may wee not forget that women doe liue in greater ioye of nature and norwholsome in sommer then either in winter or spring season and Hypocrates dooth simply graunt that women are both in the spring and sommer season most prone and then principally esteemed with men yet Rasis sayth that cholâ—erike women both in winter spring season are excessiuely stirred vp with natures inclinements and then most of al possessed inwardly with great heate and very apt to digestion and therefore their naturall courses and prouocations are then most apt and plentifull Arnoldus de noua villa affyrmeth that there are superfluous humours which of their owne malicious propertie redilie are prepared to infect the flemmatique woman and are open to many other vnnaturall accidents and yet sometimes by a fauorable propertie of nature doo release themselues Therefore Theophrastus Paracelsus saith that if those accidentes did not performe great works of natures inclinements of moystnesse and heat in the change and alteration of the moone A woman were then colde and drie in the perfection of death But yet those bodies which are of their owne propertie both temperate and long during in the perfectest constitution of a womans body is hot and drie Now furthermore it were a very good and special doctrin somewhat most largely to discouer the properties and variable conditions of Autume and the rather for that many haue fayled in the true explication thereof Some affyrme that season to be hot and drie other some say it is cold and drie and some other some say that the qualities and disposition of this season dependeth vpon daies weekes and monethes and the diuersities thereof happen not like as other times and seasons as cold in the noone time and hot in the morning and euening al which ouerpasseth the right and equall proportion of temperance Cornelius Celsus saith that in Autume there is a contrary motion of the Elementes in all superiour causes so in these inferiour causes there is also a chaungeablenesse in all things as from moystnesse and greenesse to ripenesse and rottennes thorow which distemperance many thinges doe drawe strange vapours of the aire into their qualitie whereby many infections doe corrupt and take holde of the body in gendring variable diseases Besides which their is a contrarie motion of the elementes corruptly rouing abroad in those seasons Not onely because heate and moysture are coniuncted in the variable partes of the elementes but also for that there is no certaine nor constant induction of the weather for health and wholesomnesse to comfort mans body withall For first the planets are in their courses vtterly difframed one from an other so the sunne vppon the nightlie and north passage fretteth vpon the circle deuiding the halfe spheare called horyzon as also hauing entered vpoÌ„ a contrary poynt of Arâ—es inforceth the mornings of those
calleth that age the spreading gathering and stretching foorth of the body as then dooth it most chieslye lout in strength Arnoldus de noua villa saith that the most part especiallie women beginning their adolescencie before ripeneise of age hath geuen them libertie thereunto doo afterwards â—iue like vntimely fruite as peares plummes or apples gathered before scasonablenesse and ripenesse hath perfected them doo most speedilie drie rot decay and vtterly perish This commonly is well perceiued and knowen to fall out in south countries where heat and moysture excessiuely ouermatcheth with many corruptions and diseases in such rash ages Petrus Galiensis saith that although the south countries bring foorth strong men yet their age is not certainlie of hotte and moyst temperance nor yet constant vnder drinesse but rather most of all bendeth to extreame heat which moistnesse being so much inflamed therewith as that the yoong and tender skinne is vtterly vnable to containe the measure thereof but naturally speweth and breaketh foorth without artificiall expulsion Next followeth mans estate which standeth for a while at a stay And although their bodies by little and litle decaieth yet their sences continue vnbroken aboue fourtie yeares and in some men of stong and sound complexion vntill threescore and aboue Then commeth olde age alienating and declining aside altogether replenished with melancholious coldnesse and drynesse at which season blood and heat are setled and commixed in the bottome of the arteries and vaines like dregges And the longer they are stayed and lodged somuch the sooner the artion of blood is obstructed and combusted and the strength infeebled and disabled the which falleth out aswell because of thicknesse in the shinne growen and fastened with the bones and sinewes as also because the excrementes haue bene there long staied and closed vp The which calamitie many men in their decrepit and extreame age vndertake and sustaine For their former impuritie of lustie youth is not onely vanquished but partched in ther bodies with fuliginous superfluities like soote to a chinmey afflicting them with drie coldnes vnto death Therefore happy is lusty olde age whose former puritie hath drawen comfort ease and ioy vpon gray haires whose bloud is odiferous and sweet whose breath is easie and who som whâ—se bones vaines and sinews are direct whose digestion is easy and light whose expulsion is naturall in whome the temperance of heate as drinesse of bones and moystnesse of blood are to olde yeares most nourishable that like as the dry hot ground is not corrupted with euery moysture of rayne but the distemperance thicketh and freeseth aboue the ground before it pearceth euen so temperate hot bodies are not easily pearced with the contagion or distemperance of moyst coldnes or any such like superfluous vapours Galen herewith concordeth that drie braines are lesse incumbred with super fluities and moist braines naturallye appertaineth vnto ideotes and fooles which lack diiscretion for that their primary faculties are ouerfâ—oted or intermixed with superfluous grosnes so likewise a woman of moiste complexion is most menstruous especially if she want the vse of man yet this rule and order is manifested by Galen in these words Si virago fuerit fortis pre caliditate siccitate nunquam hoc profluuium admittet Therefore hot and drie bodies of some women are euenmuch infarced with excrements and growe into many inward diseases for want of naturall deuoydance of their inconcocted super fluities for which respect their piteous fulsomnes vnnaturally gathered yssueth by their nostrels therefore by thâ—s reason women of moist complections are most wholsome for the vse of man It falleth out farre otherwise after the course of nature in mens constitutions for that Dioscorides holdeth his opinion after this maner who saith Mallem siceitatem plenitudinis humiditatem incoctarum superfluitatum occasionem esse I had rather drinesse should be the occasion of fulnesse then moistnesse the occasion vndigested superfluities For a moyst bodie in a man is easily ingurged difflated puffed and as it dooth greedily desire sustenance so dooth it redily nourish excrementes transcormeth much blood into watrie matter ouermuch insumeth and spendeth vpon nature whereas on the contrarie a dry body scarsly admitteth or indureth most nourishment but that it doth presently comprehend thereby a pure blood into the vaines drieth and vtterly consumeth al waterye and matery substance for drinesse in adolescencie furnisheth the bodie with good blood disouereth the body from raw excrementes drieth purgeth and perfecteth the bodie from all corruptions As for exaâ—ple Let vs distinguish between a flegmatick and a melancholike person between a moyst and drie braine that hereby a moist temperance in respect of a drie is perceiued knowen to haue most superfluous humors abounding and many times old men are more stuffed with excrementes then yoong men the cause hereof is want of nourishing blood which produceth coldnesse For prooffe if two olde men were placed vnder one ayre did both feede vpon one diet and were of one like age surely hee which of them generateth a moyst temperance shall abound with the greatest superfluities For it cannot bee otherwaies found out but that drinesse alwaies is the cause of puritie and maystnesse the occasion of great impuritie For all men doo obtaine the first partes of moystnesse by carnat generation and therefore children are nourished by sleepe in their mothers wombe The second part of cold superfluities are obtained by moistnes of complexion which naturally disfigureth many flegmatike old men and draweth them subiect to euery vnconstant vapour Auycen assigneth the cause of these and such like piteous excrementes in olde men rather of an immoderate maner of diet then of natures distemperance Galens opinion is most sauorie to our sences and yet disagreeing from Auycen who sayth that although olde mens dyet were much more dryer then yâ— dyet of yong men yet for that excessiue coldnesse puriâ—â—eth them must of necessitie abound with ouergreat excramentall superfluitie There are many which haue wandred very wide both in the constitution of old men and children especially Manardus first declaring that olde men be inforced with fleame by reason of riotous youth and euerie variable accidence exhausteth their bodies with moste perrillous pestilences This is contrary to Galen who plainely affirmeth that after olde age draweth on the body is set free from all accidence and bringeth forth diseases of naturall propertie for that nature eyther alienateth or then weakeneth or els quite decayeth And furthermore whereas Manardus seemeth to conioyne coldnesse as a naturall essence in children his reason is proper onely for that they tooke the substance thereof in the first place of generation and their heate is afterwardes gathered rather by nourishable meates then of naturall substance This is contrarie to Galen who is fortified with experience on the one side and standeth highly vpon the works of nature on the other side doth thinke that children are more hote and moyst then adolescency Children are apt to increase bloud And
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
coorses of most noble personages which doo cendensate into substance with the flesh by long continuance as is afterwardes taken vp for perfect Mumy Ther is an other sort of Mumy which commeth by means of men trauelling ouer the high mountaines of Arabia are oftentimes swallowed vp in the dangerous deepnesse of the sandes their flesh by large continuance of times concreat therwith growing to be of one perfect substance nature together the Arabian writers do much commend this kind of Mumy Now to returne to our purpose in the naturall causes of cold and heate for that there was neuer anie able to shewe the action of colde and heate in one like qualitie of the same And who was euer able to draw the strength of hote causes to take effect from mans naturall heate Or who was euer able or yet would bring to passe that cold thinges should take their action of colde and heate in one like degree from mans naturall heate Except in suffocating the sences vtterly thereby For cold medicines do in their owne propertie and nature follow their owne strength and qualitie in the bodie Galen proueth by the example of cold water which if it be inuested with an accidentall heate will by potentiall essence in it selfe returne to a naturall propertie of coldnesse For as water hath a secret interflowing from the vaines of the earth which although it hath some secret heate by vapours or the influent exhalations of the elementes ascending and discending yet is it in propertie altogether cold without alteration and therefore it is to be regarded that hote fire is extinguished and put out with scalding water so medicines many times haue an action of heate yet of their potentiall power they doe ouercoole and infrefe the body So likewise there is another degree of medicines of cold actions which although they be altered by art to become of a more hote power yet doe they returne to the former first frigiditie yet altogether without excellencie in it selfe So water doth returne alwaies to a peculiar and naturall coldnesse Therefore if medicines be ministred in anie degree to the body and therewithall doe congeale and extreame with coldnesse it is done in the propertie and nature of medicine not because they are preferred beyond their accustomed action Now it is further to be inquired whether medicines in the fourth degree dronke vnder euident coldnesse may in anie sort be quite translated from the naturall heate of man For that it doth not much appertaine to our question wee will not much here dispute with Galen neither is it a matter of anie importance or waight It cannot be denied but if these cold medicines be in small quantitie proffered vpon anie distemperance of the body cannot escape altogether the worke of nature but therewithall profiteth the bodie For like as medicines framed and composed of fumitorie much preuaile in helpe of the dropsie so the disease called Hydros that is when the skinne is filled with water is presently cured with blacke popie And Galen somewhat touched in conscience practiseth to wash away his former obiection against the preparation of popie seemeth to admit the vse thereof against those hote vlcerations so it be both artificially tempered and naturally composed with the complexion Then such medicines are not in same quantitie alwaies so deepelie foreset with cold but that they may haue some naturall instinct of heate especially such hearbes which are in the second and third degree colde and may not altogether reiect and dispossesse themselues from the strength of heate So doe they easily conuert themselues to become in vnion with bodily heate and their wholesome kindly temperance quietly secretly and sodainly subdueth and appeaseth all extreame distemperances of heate in the bodie But Theophrastus Paracelsus on the contrarie affirmeth that Galen is herein greatly deceiued For he further sayth that cold medicines haue a priuate and effectuall nature of cooling and intertained into the body as possibly to be indured vntill it be regenerat with bodily heate Paracelsus reason herein is for that heate and cold may in both their properties obtaine a double distinction as either are they to do some effect in their own properties or els by accidentall meanes the which hath bene sufficiently handled in the former books of these temperaments especially in the qualities of dry and moyst thinges We may finde out sufficient similitudes and testimonies of cold and hote things as popie being of cold nature so Henbane is of hoâ—e nature although they be hotly tempered in their single natures together without artfull confection into the body are not of equall operation so are their actions vnequall and discrepant one from another and their accidentall heate hath supreame intendment in the one and disgraceth the other So likewise if Celledin be dronke in naturall kindnesse of it selfe much profiteth the body but being receiued into the body by an accidentall heate doe greatly hurt and distemper the vital parts of man not so much in respect of action as of operation And certainly as there may be a translation of all thinges beyond nature So oyle is not simply called hote because it is turned into a flame of fire but because it hath a natural and powerfull heate in it selfe For surely hote nourishmentes although they be put into the bodie in the nature of fire yet are they no fire for such kinde of nourishmentes are oftentimes to profite the body in place of medicines and yet the same trasferred beyond the common course of temperance disprofiteth and distempereth the body I would haue it to be heere vnderstoode that whatsoeuer altereth the disease is a medicine except onely that meate and sustenance which aduaunceth it selfe beyond common temperance otherwise all foode ministred vnto the bodie should be medicinable sheweth some naturall effect eyther of liking or disliking propertie For some are of equall power to comfort and nourish the body some doe alter the body to some vnkindly distemperance some doe purge the bodie some do surfet the body and some doe poyson the body We may not therefore coniecture that all sortes of meates suffered in the body are medicines but we must certainly perswade our selues that all purgations ministred vnto the body are poyson some for present operation although not deadly for purgatiue medicines are of three natures In their first nature lenitiuely doe approue and molifie the body In their second propertie vehemently doe search and strongly feede vpon the body They doe in their third propertie insume nature vtterly oppresse the bodie by a sharpe adust fluxing of bloud or cls a deadly benumming of the vitall partes As all naturall sustenance agreeing with the body is conuerted to the substance of flesh and bloud so all poysons of what condition soeuer they be after they be chastised from their poisonsome malice are most curable antidotes and remedies against all venims and stenchfull corruptions which eyther offend or ouercharge the wholesome estate of mans life Yet Galen
all medicines to be congruent and martched vnder perfect constitution and of double operation which is aswell to comforte nature as to expell the disease for if the substance of strength be diminished and the malice of the disease increased appetite and nature are estranged and variable within themselues For nature manie times desireth those thinges which appetite abhorreth the reason is for that appetite is ouercloyed with diuersitie of meates and interchaunge of medicines that both the stomacke and all the lustes of the body incessantly are pursued fatigated and improuidently throwne vpon many dangerous extremities Therefore vnder these meane constitutions whereas tranquilitie and appetite flourish and beare sway there is a good and happie expectation as if the vitall partes be not wearied the disease may be cured and the decayed strength by little and little restored Surely when the heart thorow ouer great abstinence is languished the stomacke cloyed and the liuer viduated and forsaken of the wholsome bloud All thinges thereby haue lost their naturall and proper course that forthwith opiâ—ations and ventosites in the guttes worke all contrarie indirections to health and the rather because the miseriake vaynes which are the conduit pipes of all good bloud from the liuer are obstructed and stayed it were not immethodicall so to distinguish these cold and hote diseases as that one of them in their qualitie and originall may be knowne from the other and the better vnderstood and furthered thereby to health For these cold diseases proceede of earthly 〈…〉 ses are subiect and bound to watery elementes whereupon cold and humid vapours of congealed thicknesse ingender into grosse substance so that all naturall heate is excluded from comforeâ—ig mans bloud thorow which melancholike heauâ—nesse is generated which moste principally oftendeth And the malicious operation that resteth in this humour maketh the bodie leaue and colde stirâ—eth vp the passion of the hart intâ—icateth the wit and vnderstanding to all duâ—nesse and blunteth memory These bodyes are much incumbred with putrisied seuers which proceede of vndigested humâ—dities and augmented with â—uming venâ—osites putrified about the muskels vaynes and ioyntes Furthermore all maner of ruines are hereby drawne to all the partes of the body which vapours after that coldnesse hath ingrossed them to the lowe partes of man called Caâ—arrizans the passages and proper wayes of nature from the spâ—eane to the mouth of the stomacke are intercluded Be it further knowen that these colde rewines thereby issue from one member to an other and infect the bodie with manye cold diseases and are called by three names Catarri Branchus Corizan for so Arnoldus de noua villa setteth them foorth Catarri infect the lightes Branchus infecteth the heade and cheekes Corizam stuffeth and infarâ—eth the nostrels with most humid fluxes and sometimes concockt into verie hard substance by meanes of continuance These bodies are best conserued by a naturall perfect coniunction of drie meates inwardly digested by artificiall means reuiuing the principall members before decayed for lacke of naturall heate In these and such like bodies I doe greatly commend a greedy appetite and a plenary dyet especially in regard that many such complections are fâ—â—xible and ouermuch spend nature of their owne inclinement Therefore plenarie fresh variety of sustenance helpeth many of these sortes of men to naturall heare euen as the hard stone is molified and findered to nothing by manye droppes of raine or as the strong and slately oake thorow moyst issues becommeth putrified so these cold and moyst complections in their natures wash and vanish to nothing The moyst â—raâ—p the shaking palsie the dangerous dropsie the collicke in sundry degrees are the generable 〈◊〉 her 〈…〉 benâ—â—mning the members to become 〈◊〉 one to another for vpon these diseases the vaines become conugated and appetite disfranchised for that corrupt humours may not haue perfect resolution besides all which the whole body is instated with colde influences producing these venâ—meâ—◠〈…〉 rpions Asclides Iposarca and Timpana the one is the materâ—â—l cause in offence of nature the second is an actiue cause inflatâ—ng al the members to become swelling and monstrous the small cause is delatiue conuerting all good and perfect nourishmentes to windie and waterie substance so when these extrâ—mities grow vppon the guttes called Colon and Ylyon are shut vp and thereby both the Dropsie Tympany the wind and stone Collicke preposterously creepe in besides which the raynes of the backe by a grauesly congested substance heereby bendeth and beâ—â—mmeth crooked All which are not to be deueyded without pure and regular dyet of increasing wholesome bloud to become vigent in nature Therfore the disease hauing a scowring vertue is principally comforted and cherished with sweete meates tarsed with vineger to worke a sharpe disposition contrarie to euaâ—uation least that the bodie grow subtile incisiue and euer resolutiue And yet Galen plainly affirmeth that sweete meates are aptly conuerted to choller but â—aâ—t viniger commixed therewith doth greatly fortifie the subtle pearâ—ing and â—â—tring vertue causing the grosse humours to become pure and easily to issue Galen sayth Non quosuis sed rudes duntaxat videor taxare morbos atque potissimum non incerta diuinatione quam probabili conuclâ—ra egrorum indagatione conditionem which is I doe not prescribe and limit euerie disease but the grosse and most dangerous diseases and chiefly doe I sâ—arch out their natures not by vncertaine gâ—sse as by probable coniecture then let not occasion be omitted of more larger speech in such bodâ—â—s subiect to these moyst sicknesses before spoken and of another sort of men which oftentimes passe from this world by vntimely death in strength of youth being grosse and corpulert in their stature which men difficultie indure any adicction to alter nature when sicknesse languisheth vpon them And although they are of measurable abilitie in naturall vigour yet vnable to beare the burthen of sicknesse or subiect their bodies to any stronge accidence but foorthwith their gathered grosnesse is conuerted to a thinne and weake debilitie for that in the first degree of sicknes the vertue digestiue is taken away so that most commonly meat becommeth loathsome to their sight whereas in health the vertue digestiue beeing most stronge did eat much and made few meales Whosoeuer therefore will eyther counsell or comfort any sicke patient must obserue the naturall complection with diet thereunto and that supplement of medicene both in qualitie and quantity be framed aswel in preseruation as restauration of nature and therewithall by contrarie effectes alter the disease as may best serue to the opportunity of health Galen playnly affyrmeth that hot complections are altered with cold sicknesses and cured with moderate medicines And Auycene agreeth hereunto that if the complection of man may haue alteration either by medicine or disease and once recouered to health is euer after most perfect and of longer continuance in this world and lesse subiect to sicknesse for that nature taketh such
poure downe super aboundaunce of moisting showers disseasoning the earthlie fruites of mans mortall estate so at sundry times great famins and mortalities ouerspread mighty kingdomes and nations of the world thereby the naturall order of all thinges are discomforted and the temperance of naturall heat quite taken away for surely there can be no motion of attraction where ther is no motion of expulsion Therefore in those miserable seasons of the world where famine and hunger increaseth the mortal pestilence shortly after rageth as the instrument of wrath for the sin of fulnes The reason hereof is because emptines of mans body draweth in st 〈…〉 ing coÌ„mixed vapours of the ayre which corrupt smuge the naturall spirits that al the parts of man therby looseth his natural generation of blood therefore Hypocrates most aptly sayth Nisi pecoribus simus rudiores non aliter componamus famâ—m quae ex infami antionae caritate contingit quam nimiâ— saturitatis satietatis antea vindicta ruina which is except we be more rude then bruit beastes and ouer grosse in our owne conceites may not otherwise compare reckon or account hunger and famme which thorow a notable dearnes of victuals happeneth then a very reuenge ruine of ouer great fulnesse and satiety before And in another place saith Viâ—tum tenuem exquisitum si antea paulo plentor fuerit magis periculosum esse agnoscamus Let vs confesse a thin and exquisue diet is more dangerous if it were before a full diet Then is it to be marueiled why the creator denieth not to giue hys creatures food in due season coÌ„sidering how much how greatly and wickedly they are abused and dishonoured in the sensual libertie of mans nature Surelye such is the disposition of man who had rather lead appetite to a desperate ryot of all thinges then to the custome of a satisfied and contented measure the first doth nothing varie froÌ„ the desire of bruit beasts the other commeth more nearer naturall appetite Galen therefore reprooueth mans fauour towardes inexpleble libertie with these wordes Natura tantum appetat quantum ferri potest quantum facillime concoqui potest Let nature only desire asmuch as can be borne and as much as easily may be digested but the cold stomach vouchsafeth not to indure this 〈◊〉 of liuing for that appetite ouerreacheth dig 〈…〉 〈◊〉 warme 〈◊〉 misliketh where appetite is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their digestion yet there cannot bee at all times an â—qâ—all prescription obserued For an ordinarie diet to a â—ound boâ—y hatâ— the quâ—ckest meanes to health if the body bee 〈◊〉 prepared that the disease more easier may bee expâ—â—â—d And those diets are most directest to all sicke patientes â—hose properties are both curatiue as restoratiue Manardus in his second booke of diseases counselleth to find the apt constitution of the bodie both in sicknes health In sicknes because the disease may be outwardly 〈◊〉 and inwardly corrected to amendment In health 〈◊〉 be haâ— because euery man may vnderstand what is 〈◊〉 vn 〈…〉 t. it for his disposition that he neither exceede â—o 〈◊〉 for the dangers before expressed Nor decline to 〈◊〉 〈…〉 s because ventosire motions are easily ingendâ—ed thorow moouing vapours For nature immediatly 〈◊〉 vpon some labouous and superfluous matter sinding no 〈…〉 nance otherwise to feede vpon And yet I find that 〈◊〉 in old diseases is a present remedy for therby the matter is â—â—miniâ—hed dried ripened consumed for when nature findeâ—â— no matter or substance to work vpoÌ„ altereth it self vpon the disease quite chaseth disperseth the same Yet let heed be taken that the subtil humidities be not so much resolued dried wherin nature is vtterly repressed let heed be taken that no maling humor being possest of one part of the body foorthwith possesse an other part settle in the root o the heart Take heed the sinewy members be not ouerweakned especially the stomach which is a sinewy meÌ„ber take heed the poores be not ouermuch opened or stopped for the one may extract variable vapors of corruption the other stop the fulsome matter vnder the skin breaking out to outward fluxes blaines which may most ragingly ouerspread mans bodie for that the inward cause was not before perfectly corrected Indeed this abstinence very well beseemeth old and moiste diseases otherwise in fadoming the bottome of mans nature such deepe abstinence is not permitted â—et in these saâ—ter ages and among some new practitioners this kind of abstinence is drawen to vse in cuâ—ing the most fulsome and filthy diseases of the world thorow which mans body is infectuously stained by the slimy ryotous course of his life so that hereby euery 〈…〉 full man that can bring to knowledge the names of some certâ—â—â— simples although without propertie composition prop 〈…〉 n or degree foorthwith among the ignorant sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without learning knowledge method or estimation 〈◊〉 names of Phisitians Surely they which row at an vncertaine marke shal nothing preuaile especially for that being ignoraunt of the complection as also the medicine being repugnant more harmeth then profiteth wherefore many are secretely and sodainly ouertaken with death vnder the vsurped regiment of a painted diet aswell when they thinke to mortifie the inward corruptions doo ouermuch excieâ—ate the bodie as also stop vp the entercourses of blood in ouerstirring nature to a fresh increase so that intemperance euer after pursueth these men to their graue Many times these diets are ioyned to vnskilfull practitioners as high iust plagues for wicked offences both for that by them naturall heate is extinguished appetite destroyed and the complection discoloured These diets ought to be tempered to this good effect as that drines and humiditie are to be vnited of one subtill coniunction and propertie And therefore Cornelius Celsus saith that drie subtil and hungrie airs are most best for these diets if their complections be thicke and grosse But low and vaporous ayres are most preseruing of thin pearcing bodies and open diets And further saith that interchanges of diets and ayres for winter and sommer by seuerall habitations produce health and long life But Manardus affyrmeth that commixed bodies continue long liued vpon high grounds open ayres and full diets Therefore it is a most excellent contemplation for euerie man to cast vp his sences and perfectly find vnder what temperance hee liueth for the wholsome regiment of health and therewithall to way his bodily complection alwaies directing his diet habitation and course of lyuing according to the same And lastlie let euery man beware of varietie and grosnesse of meates and varietie and grosnes of diets which ingender and bring foorth varietie and grosnes of diseases Howe times and seasons ought to bee obscrued vvhen diseases doo most abound OPportunitie of very propertye and naturall disposition euerie where perfourmeth great occasion in the accomplishment of all thinges And trulie in healing and curing of diseases most greatest of all for not without great
vomites in the superiour partes of the stomacke or els by fauourable glisters not onely shall search many ingendred humours and corruptions but cleareth cleanseth and searcheth all the principal parts of nature so that the troubled sences after many paynes shall hereby be drawne to quietnesse and rest Therefore Galen most sapiently distinguisheth aswell vpon single as inflammatiue feuers as of the plurisie and such like Manie moste excellent writers verie much haue complayned of tymes and seasons of the yeare as not sufficiently elucydat or set forth to the knowledge of men after the needful maner of ages for that seuerall nations and countries of the world doe follow their seasons and times by the due course of the elementes and after the propertie of the sunne in vprising and downe seâ—ting who giueth refreshing growing naturall moystnesse and ripening to all liuing thinges according to the soyle and situation of all such groundes and places vppon whome it giueth a shining comfort be it either early or late short or long I finde by all good writers that Autum is the moste dangerous and poisoned season of the yeare vnder Europe and moste complayned of both for the indirect temperature thereof as that especially the effectuall cause of all pestilence then breaketh out as also in that the strong heate of sommer is weakened and transumpted vntill another yeare and also because variable distemperaunce of warmth and colde then aboundeth in libertie of all corruption and rottennesse for the cleare sunne hauing consumed his naturall strength and mightie force vpon all liuing earthly things is vtterly weakened not able to indure so strong a course anie longer vntill a fresh direction be renued from one degree to an other Whereas coldnesse and drinesse are in that season of the yeare coniunct so rottennesse and corruption before intricated in anie part of man presently breaketh forth for as colde hath ouershadowed heate so drinesse vanquisheth moysture for which cause both morning noone and euening haue their sundrie operations in that season of the yeare Auycen sayth it must needes fall out that eyther sorts of feuers in those seasons moste readily shewe their furie For colde and heate gelied together in one substaunce of drinesse maketh demonstration of elimentall corruption and therefore doe vnperfectly rypen And grosse humours also before setled doe openly instat within the poores of man so that corruptions may not aâ—â—e more bee couched but breake foorth in open rage Hypocrates in his first booke of Aphorismes sayth the approâ—hing assentings and constitutions of diseases doe shewe both the passing away of the yeare and a successiue increase of diseases by interchangeable courses of times as whether it be euery day or euery other day or by a more larger compasse and space For in the iudgement of Rasis moste dangerous diseases fall out in these wauering seasons of the yeare as when the body and the elementes are both corrupted together presently without stay are bewrayed in their own natures For doe we not behold these winter diseases are searched in the bottome of their corruptions by colde frostie weather which were before infected with moyst seasons and heereby breake forth into quartan and tertian feuers so that it is further to be considered that these coniested diseases of winter immoderately in the spring time assayle the body especially in those natures whose bodies are euermore incombred with fumaticke grossenesse their passage in their vaynes is interdicted their bloud cannot with easte dissolution ascend and descend doe by infection apprehend cold consuming feuers so also these and such like vaporous diseases their bloud being thorow a contagious spring time discoloured tainted and vnperfected draweth and ingendreth a venomous nature vpon the liuer and whose fortitude and vertue assimilatiue thereby diminished becommeth prassiue in it selfe all which is most venomous to the vitall partes Herein may be perceiued that all contrarie interchanges of the yeare doe approue and trie their inclinations of one season The vapours of the spring or winter season are exhausted into the elements are scowred and cleared by a hote sommer from the elements into the body of man vnder the corruption of the bodie for one corruption entertaineâ—â— another by another and the rather for that all vnnaturall diseases grow and ingender by meanes eyther of stincking and vnseasonable groundes or corrupt vapours in the ayre infecting and weakening those bodies which are emptie and voyd of substance or els difflorisheth the laudable generation of bloud in grosse bodies or els vniuersally infeeble and excoriat the bowels of all men either by a periâ—â—ons fluxe called Dissenteia and such like in the approching of summer or els by a secret Chrysis in the dog dayes vpon the liuer stomacke loonges and giddinesse of the head And surely vpon the accidentes of these diseases the patient is infected with venomous humours as aforesayd as grossenes of bloud impostumated in the liuer the face disfigured the arteries discoloured with yellow blacke humours and the rather for that the gall speweth and stayneth all the superiour partes of man Wherefore as these and such like diseases fall out by interchanges of seasons aswell from some accidentall influence in the distemperance of the elementes as also in the corruption of the body it selfe So such dangerous and fluxible diseases after the iudgement of Dyoscorides are best comforted scowred and restored by potatiue vnguentes inwardly taken Touching those singular feuers are in their first beginning very remotiue and giue easie place to medicine so if those feuers be not in their first onset oppressed will waxe sturdie and verie forcible ouer nature for which cause the counsell of Hypocrates principally is herein to be followed Cum morbi inchoant si quid mouendum moue cum consistunt vigent melius est quietem habere When sicknesses and diseases doe begin remoue them before they take roote but if the disease stand at a stay for some good propertie in it selfe it is farre better the patient take rest And yet no suche prescription is of necessitie here set downe but if the disease hasten to concoction may the better be curable and operatiue both in medicine and nature although oportunitie was omitted in the first beginning of the sicknesse Furthermore manie writers of this latter age approue this place of Hypocrates by the comparison of a botch or some other preposterous outward sore which doe congest and gather vpon the flesh vnder some vile and inordinat substance is not to be cleared and cured from corruption before it come to perfect estate both of ripenesse and rottennesse So these single diseases are not to be remoued in the first beginning of their infection but in the beginning of their increase to concoction so Hypocrates meaning is receiued of the best sort And yet the best meanes is not denyed but that euerie skilfull wise man may in the excellencie of his knowledge at the first entrance of the infection ministeâ— medicine not onely for
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
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