parts of Libya and Egypt in Sommer are farre cooler than places more remote from thence Plutarch seemeth likewise to favour this opinion who affirmeth that it is not necessary to prescribe any remedies for the preservation of the teeth of such as dwell neere the sea and that in regard of the dry quality of that aire and wind strengthening and corroborating their heads Againe that the sea-aire is hot appeareth in that Pliny writeth that no snow falleth in the maine Ocean but what may then be the reason that in may places of Italy the sea aire is so bad The reason many be in the first place because perhaps this wind bloweth sometimes too violently and so in too great abundance drawne in by the inhabitants or else by reason that by the sea aire divers marshes or stincking standing pooles and ponds or yet salt water mingled with fresh or any the like occasion which causing the water to putrifie sendeth forth such ill vapours and exhalations as are altogether hurtfull to the health of man And by reason this is ordinarie in most places of Italy hence have we this evill report and slander raised upon the sea aire and wind which notwithstanding is onely accidentall being in it selfe most healthfull and without any hurt at all Hence is it also that the Philosopher affirmeth that the sea creatures are farre more vigorous and of a greater stature and Averroes affirmeth that they are longer lived As concerning that which was before alleged out of Aristotle seeming to maintaine the contrary opinion was spoken of creatures living in the water the word Water taken in a generall sense but is not meant of the sea in particular Hence also commeth it to passe that the Venetians hemm'd in on every side with the sea breathing in no aire which doth not partake of the qualities of their so neere bordering neighbour are so lively and vigorous that many of that republique attaine very nigh the hundred yeere of their age and this was verified in that noble and renowned Champion and sea Captaine Andrew Dore Admirall of the fleet of Charles the fift Emperor and who spent in a manner his whole life upon the Sea as the aforesaid Author averreth And this opinion seemeth yet more probable in that both the snow which falleth neere the sea-coasts yea even in the most Northerne parts of this Iland both falleth often in a small quantitie and lieth a shorter while than in the places further remote from the same and the corne is also sooner ripe caeteris paribus and no other let or rub come in the way and yet further to confirme this truth we see most commonly that sea-faring men seldome need any sauce to provoke their languishing appetites I have a little the longer insisted of set purpose upon these winds blowing from the sea by reason of our new colonies now planted and planting in these remote regions that they may neither be afraid to settle themselves neere the sea coast if all other things be answerable nor yet any such as are there already seated be by any needlesse future fears discouraged by reason of this aire And now being arrived into these remote regions ere we return a word or two of the nature and property of som of these winds blowing in those far distant contries Acosta the Iesuit relateth that upon all the coast of Peru it bloweth continually with one only wind which is South and South west contrary to that which doth usually blow under the burning Zone being by nature the most violent tempestuous unhealthfullest of all other yet in this region it is marvellous pleasing healthfull agreeable insomuch that we may truly attribute the habitation of that place thereunto Now the Northerne wind is not usually cold and cleare in Peru and beyond the line as here In some parts of Peru at Lima and on the plaines they find the Northern winds troublesome and unwholesome and all along the coast which runnes above 300 leagues they hold the Southerne winds for healthfull and coole and which is yet more most cleare and pleasant yea with it it never raines contrary to that we see in Europe on this side the line The Solanus or Easterly wind is commonly hot and troublesome in Spaine and in Murtia it is the healthfullest and coolest that is for that it passeth thorow that large champian and sweet pleasant orchards In Carthagena which is not farre from thence the same wind is troublesome and unwholesome The Meridionall is commonly rainie and boisterous and yet in the same Citie whereof I speake it is wholesome and pleasant In a region containing fiftie leagues in circuit I put it thus for example the wind which bloweth on the one part is hot and moist and that which bloweth on the other is cold and drie And Pliny reports that in Africke it raines with a Northerly wind and that the Southerne wind is cleare And Acosta tells us yet more that there is a certaine wind of such a quality that when it bloweth in some countrie it causeth it to raine fleas and that in so great abundance that they trouble and darken the aire and cover all the sea-shore and in other places it raineth frogs There are winds which naturally trouble the sea and make the water thereof looke greene and blacke others make it looke as cleare as chrystall some comfort and make glad others trouble and breed heavinesse Such as nourish silke-wormes have great care to shut their windowes when as the South-westwinds doe blow and to open them to that opposite to it having found by certaine experience that their wormes die and languish with the one fatten and become better-like by the other The same Authour reporteth that in some parts of the Indies he hath seene grates of yron rusted and consumed that passing it betwixt your fingers it dissolved into powder as if it had beene hay or parched straw the which onely proceeded from the wind corrupting it and it having no power to withstand the same But before we conclude this chapter we must take notice that without the Tropicks from the twentie seventh to the thirtie seventh degrees the winds are said to be for the most part Easterly as some thinke by a repercussion of the aire even as we see waters being incountred with more force returne with an eddie in a manner backe This which is said of the Easterly wind is to be understood of the sea for at the land though winds be as hath beene said certaine and set yet that which is the generall wind of one countrie is not generall to all yea in the same countrie they have a set wind for the day and another quite contrary bloweth for the night also neere the coast they are more subiect to calmes in this burning Zone than further off in the sea the grosse vapours which arise out of the earth and the divers
best indevours howsoever the disease were not of it selfe incurable And sometimes againe some disease howsoever in it selfe curable yet may sometimes be accompanied with such terrible and dangerous accidents and signes as doe usually accompany such as are shortly to be arrested by sergeant death and yet after the Physitians prognosticke the patient may vnexpectedly recouer as sometimes hath beene seene Now if our Empericke or ignorant Physitian bee called to the former of the two the patients strength persisting and no rub nor let comming in his way the coast being cleare his remedies perhaps not so pertinent and appropriat for the patient yet may this sicke party recover under his hand yea and if he should be yet called to the latter of the two by the skilfull Physitian now given over to a desperate Prognosticke and shall boldly undertake the cure of such a person promising faire and boldly as is the common custome of such people although he administer nothing to the purpose yea rather perhaps that which is quite contrary to the right cure as commeth most commonly to passe howsoever seldome by watchfull eyes observed and this Patient now unexpectedly strength and vigor of body perhaps blowing away all the former feares of evill accidents contrary to the learned Physitians prognostick recover will not the vulgar here admire magnifie and extoll the casuall event of this new Doctor duns setting him no lower than on the top of the pinnacle of fames Temple The other againe how skilfull soever in his profession and able artist yet shall be traduced by virulent and malignant tongues and often esteemed a Physitian of no account And yet for all this neither was the former the honester man but still an ignorant asse and a duns Sifueris pridem remanebis asinus idem Neither yet is the other the more ignorant or unsufficient nor will bee otherwise accounted of among the learned and better understanding sort Sometimes againe it may so come to passe that such an ignorant Empiricke may at the first be called to such a patient as we last mentioned and out of an impudent temeritie howsoever the danger to a judicious eye may not seeme small without any ground of Art or rule in reason at randome boldly promise the patient speedy recovery and for this purpose still after his Empiricall manner administer such medicines as his shallow and ignorant capacitie is able to reach unto and perhaps at length attaine to the height of his hopes yet shal I still avouch that this is but a casuall cure not proceeding from any skillfull sufficiency or right judgement and therefore not to be trusted to And if but an ordinary artist should with a watchfull eye diligently and narrowly observe the ordinary proceeding of such an Aesculapius he should observe him often where dangers are not so easily espied and to none but a judicious understanding obvious to sooth up his deluded patient with the saying of old Agag Surely the bitternesse of death is past when notwithstanding this grim sergeant ceizes on the prisoner without baile or main price And I deny not but often in an ordinary and common disease accompanied with strength of body without the acquaintance of any troublesome accidents such a counterfeit masked Physitian may proceed without detection of error howbeit if any storme of evill accidents arise his ignorance is to the more understanding eye easily discovered howsoever to more vulgar capacities perhaps scarcely discernible As in a calme an ignorant Pilot will make as faire a flourish on the water as a more skilfull and understanding but in a storme is the true sufficiency of the skilful Pilot best discerned Even so it fareth often with the unskilfull practitioner who in a secure and calme disease as I may call it carrieth all faire before him and howbeit never without failings easie by the judicious and understanding to be detected yet are they then to the eye most conspicuous when dangerous and intricate accidents doe appeare whereas the wise and learned Physitian proceedeth still in a rationall method and manner making use both of right reason and ordinary experience and accommodating them to severall occasions and circumstances and with the wise man forseeing the danger remedieth also all sudden accidents which the other not endued with that foreseeing providence nor skill and ability in his profession by reason of his want of education in the liberall arts and sciences especially this of Physicke is neverable in that manner as he ought to effect and bring to passe Besides it is yet a thing very considerable into what great danger people doe precipitate themselues who fall into such ignorant Physitians hands who worke thus by hap hazard and play as it were at fast and loose with mens lives Againe sometimes yea and that very often the learned and judicious Physitian is sent for to the patient now irrecoverably sicke of some desperate disease whereof hee shortly after dieth The honest artist here doth his best indevor both by prescription of orderly diet and such physicall meanes as in his understanding he thinketh fit to oppugne the contumacie of the rebellious disease But the enemie proveth too strong and of greater power than all his provision is able to overcome and the patient at length by reason of that uncontrollable law of mortality succumbeth under the burden of fatall necessity It may be also he was called too late and withall the nicity and morosity of the patient the neglect and carelessenesse of the assistants might prove a great hinderance to the hopefull successe of the cure The ignorant againe called vnto such a patient farre differing in his manner of proceeding as not furnished with so good provision or if furnished yet falling far short of the former Physitian in the dexterity of the right application of the remedies according to the severall circumstances in such cases requisite the patient likewise dieth Now the event is here the same with the former the patient at length paying that debt which all the sonnes of Adam owe. Now who seeth not that will not shut his eyes that he cannot see in the noone-tide of the day the divers proceeding of them both howsoever the event and issue be all one And the honest learned and diligent Physitian deserveth no lesse commendation when the patient dieth than when he liveth his care and paines being then the greater and for this same cause the Germans in danger of death having relation to the Physitians extraordinary paines double his fees And yet our ordinary sort of people for the most part if the patient dye conceive the meanlier of the Physitian and which is yet more grosse and absurd they are so farre from having that due and high esteeme of him as they ought that on the contrary they often howbeit unjustly impute to him the cause of the patients miscarrying And this befalleth oftner the skillfull and learned Physitian than the ignorant Empiricke and that
goodnesse hath freed these our cold climats Againe when mention is made of once or twice seven daies for the triall of the cleannesse of the partie it cannot be denied that here was an immediate providence governing this whole action not to be by any man drawne into imitation no more than was that of the Adultresse woman The mentioning of seven daies reiterated doth still make the case more manifest Now in the ordinary and common motion of diseases wee finde so great variety and difference according to the severall causes and constitutions of bodies together with divers other circumstances that very few doe wee find among many howsoever surprized with the same sicknesse agree in all points And hence also commeth it to passe that wee cannot alwaies precizely determine of the good or bad issue of the disease neither in one two or three weekes as the undoubted oracle of the Almighty determined of this disease including it within the precincts of this septenarie once or twice reiterated The severall crises of acute diseases occasioning many times a doubtfull prediction doe plainly prove the truth of this assertion But if they will yet stand stiffely upon the point pleading their privilege we will rather yeeld to them the cure of the Lepers than contend provided they will rest therewith contented howbeit they shall never be able from this place to prove that the Priests did cure this disease and yet farre lesse that any authority is here conferred upon them to cure either this or any other disease But when the old will not serve some of them flie to the new Testament thinking there to finde some shelter and to confirme this their opinion S. Luke say they was both an Evangelist and a Physitian Ergo Ministers may be both Physitians for the soule and the body In the first place the antecedent is not yet proved for an uncontrolled truth and although there were yet no controversie concerning the same yet the consequence might be denied In the first place then it is by some questioned whether Luke the Evangelist were a Physitian or no Some I confesse are of opinion they were all one and others againe deny it Some of our antient writers doe affirme it and hence commeth it to passe that as in Popery other professions had purchased to themselves severall Saints so did the Physitians likewise lay hold on S. Luke whose day is by them in the Popish church very solemnely observed holy Calvin thinketh this Epithete to be added for distinctions sake which I confesse is not unlike Others jumpe with them in the same judgement A late Writer of this kingdome upon this place alleageth that if it had been Luke the Evangelist the Apostle would rather have given him that Title as being more excellent of greater honour and dignity And againe the same Apostle mentioning him in another place onely mentioneth him without addition of Evangelist That which some alleage out of another place that hee was Pauls fellow-helper is not of sufficient waight to prove it for many were Pauls fellow-helpers that were no Evangelists as Aquila and Priscilla tent-makers were his fellow-helpers But for avoiding tediousnesse I will omit the enumeration of more authorities these being sufficient to prove the point to be controverted Againe suppose that were yet true what if I should mainteine that as in former times hee had beene a Physitian but afterwad for a more waighty employment had forsaken it which is very probable what place of Scripture could they produce to the contrary Howsoever sure I am he was never such an intruding urine-monging busy-body as these of whom wee heere speake But lest I shall be thought to dwell too long upon this point I wish both them and all other offenders in this kind to take warning by that which hath been said already And let no man mervaile that I have somwhat at large handled this point the offenders having so long now steeled their foreheads against all admonitions this festered disease breaking still forth afresh in many parts of this kingdome I would likewise wish those who shall have occasion to use a Physitian at any time well to weigh the premisses carefully considering with whom they betrust their bodies in their greatest need But in any case I wish none had a hand in the distracting a Clergy-man from his calling which may appeare by some thing lately said how much the antient fathers of the Church did distaste It is true indeed that learned and able Physitians are not so frequent nor in that number as ignorant Empiricks and such other as we haue lately mentioned And that both by reason learning hath not its due reward and above any other profession the vulgar sort being least able to judge of the depth of this of Physick howsoever with Salomons foole they thinke their skill here transcendnet preferring for the most part any ignorant Mountebanke Quacke-salving Empiricke a medling Minister a woman-physitian before the most skilfull and experienced Physitian in his profession And these idle droanes who never were initiated into these medicinall mysteries spending the honey whereon the industrious and diligent Bee should feed make them lesse to abound And yet those who will have recourse unto them especially in any City or great towne of note may finde some to whom in time of need they may have recourse But as it is the common custome of the world that of things of most sublime condition they make often choice of the worst so it proveth too true as in former times so in this last age of the world that Mund us vult decipi It seemeth that the world desireth to bee deceived and loveth darknesse rather than light Now notwithstanding the sublime nature and bottomlesse depth of this noble profession there is none of the other two Divinity and Law I meane where there is that lawlesse liberty of intrusion left so free as in this and yet I dare bee bold to say and avouch that the paines of neither of these two callings I speake it not to vilipend or any waies extenuat the paines of either of those two noble professions can be parallelled or equalled with the paines of the diligent and painefull Physitian and yet either of them exceed the Physitian in the recompence for his paines And this will yet more plainely appeare if we shall parallell and compare these three professions together I will beginne then with their paines taken before they attaine to any reward of learning The able and learned Divine I meane not a duns a droane or Empiricke divine as I may so call him hath first been trained up in the common schooles of good learning both grammaticall and Philosophicall and hath according to standing and seniority taken such degrees in the Vniversity as have been by our forefathers thought fit to grace and adorne learning and encourage schollers to the pursuite of some eminent excellency in the same And
from this yeere untill 45 is called properly manly or consisting age which falleth upon the seventh week of yeers What remaineth of the life of man is called old age which is againe divided into other seven weekes especially in temperate places and such where men live longest where the body is of a good and laudable temper and constitution and the diet good and wholesome and then this time is divided into two parts the first being called fresh or greene old age Cruda viridisque senectus from the end of the seventh weeke to the beginning of the tenth to wit 62 or 63. the later is called decrepit old age continuing from this yeere to the fourteenth weeke which falleth on the 97 yeere Now besides this numericall others assigne an astrologicall reason every seventh yeere say they the planets returne in order to Saturne who removes then to another signe contrary to that from whence hee last departed and therefore by reason of this maligne constellation as also by the contrary place of the planet it commeth to passe that the maligne influence of Saturne is increased But before wee proceed it must be observed that these events are not alwaies precisely confined to the very individuall climactericall yeere but often to the yeere next insuing and sometimes also a little before to the yeere immediatly preceding And a late Writer maketh the climactericall yeere as it were the time wherein sentence is pronounced although often execution come not till the next yeere after howsoever the body be before disposed prepared and fitted either for sicknesse or death although sometimes also the effect is accelerated and falleth out before the climactericall yeere And this is confirmed by instances of examples produced in that same place as to wit of Adam having lived 930 yeeres died in his climactericall yeere 931 conteining seven times 133. Abrabam also died in his climactericall yeere 175. King Cyrus in his 70 as likwise the Poet Ennius and the famous champion Hannibal and Ioanna mother of that famous Emperor Charles the fifth and this Emperor himselfe in the â—63 being his climactericall The renowned Augustus Caesar survived his climactericall yeere 70 about some three moneths And Edward the first King of England ended his daies about the same period Solyman the Turkish Emperor ended his daies in his 76 yeer preventing this his climatericall yeere by one Charles the 8 the French King prevented his climactericall yeere 28 onely by the space of 22 daies Many more instances might be to this purpose produced and many other things out of many Authors alleged for the magnifying of this number of 7 in these yeeres Now that many notable alterations are often observed to befall our bodies in these seventh and ninth yeeres especially the sevenths cannot be denied and with Hippocrates we may well say that the seventh yeeres are no lesse criticall in the life of man than are the seven daies and moneths in the crisis of acute and chronicall diseases and yet these numbers have no vertue to produce any such effect nor prove any causes nor occasions thereof which to prove any able yea ordinary understanding making no question thereof were I thinke to spend my time in vaine And as for astrologicall vanity it hath been already by so many worthy and learned men confuted and something also shall be said hereafter of their foolish and superstitious opinions so that at this present I passe by it Onely this by the way let it be kept in minde what hath lately beene said that these great and notable events fall not alwaies out on the same yeere but sometimes before and sometimes after and Saturne to whom they principally impute these strange events must keepe his set turnes in his regular motion every seventh yeere besides that by their owne assertion he is quite excluded from the ninth And although some such notable effects fall out about such a time and about the time of some great conjunctions yet are they no more causes of such effects than the shining of the Sunne is the cause of a mans intended journey of him before resolved upon whether the Sunne shone or no. Now then there must be some physicall cause assigned the other two failing A learned late Writer labours to acquaint us with the reason of the prerogative these climactericall yeeres assume unto themselves In the periods and revolutions of certaine yeeres saith he there is a great abundance of superfluous humours collected in the body of man by the motion and agitation whereof diseases commonly are ingendred For when as the body hath collected such an abundance of superfluous humours that the places accustomed to receive the same are now no longer able to conteine them diseases must of necessity follow and if not remedied death it selfe And therefore to avoid this danger he adviseth people in the spring and fall every yeere by purging and bleeding to unburthen their bodies of this masse of oppressing humours by which meanes at the returning period of these yeeres they may live more secure and free from feare And certaine it is there is a fatall necessity and disposition to die from the very first birth attending and unavoidably accompanying every man and this was first procured by that wilfull and wofull fall of our first parents and from them as a legacie propagated to all their sinfull posterity which fatall period is often furthered or hindered by the good or bad order of diet and divers other externall and inevitable causes and yet nothing befalling us without the all-disposing and overruling providence of the Almighty And in the interim although many dangerous diseases do often both about these especially and other times also ceize upon a mans mortall bodie yet untill this appointed period nothing can cut the thread of this life Now that every one may be acquainted with these yeeres I set them here downe to thy view The sevenths are 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 70 77 84 91 98. Then ninths are 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99. Who so surpasseth this number let him reckon the rest himselfe CHAP. IIII. Of things called not naturall and first of the Aire AS man by naturall composition partakes of all the elements so in this life can hee not long life without the use of them all especially of this ambient aire and of the which for this cause wee will speake in the first place Now the utilitie and necessity of this element doth in this appeare that howsoever sometimes one may live without meat and drinke for divers daies if not moneths and yeeres as some relate yet without the use of this element was never any yet able to subsist and continue one day no nor yet one houre there being so great an use for the body of man both of perspiration and respiration The whole body of man is composed of a triple substance of an aire or spirituous and next of severall humours
stiffely mainteined the possibility and probability of the same therefore for the readers recreation and satisfaction before I proceed to the use of aliments I wil say something concerning this question Hippocrates circumscribeth the full period of a mans continuance without food within the compasse of seven daies If any man saith hee for the space of seven daies neither eateth nor drinketh he must die in that space and although some do exceed this period yet when they would returne to their food their belly receiveth it not for in this space of time the iejunum or hungrie gut is so dried up and clunged together that they die speedily But Pliny seemeth to controll this truth affirming divers to have continued above eleven daies without food or any kinde of sustenance whatsoever Schenckins telateth many strange stories of such as have lived not onely daies and moneths but even divers yeeres without any manner of nourishment as namely of one who lived at Rome the space of forty yeeres without any sustenance whatsoever and that by the testimony of Hermolaus Barbarus The same Author relateth out of Sylvius the story of a young maid in Spaine who lived two and twenty yeeres without taking any thing at the mouth but a little faire water And againe of a German woman who lived without food for the space of three yeeres out of Ioannes Bocacius And againe of another whom Rondeletius saw who had lived ten whole yeeres after the same manner besides many others more But amongst the rest he relateth a pretty story of a fellow about sixty yeeres of age who having digged a Well about forty foot deepe the earth falling in upon him thrust this good fellow thirty foot deepe and so filled up almost all the hollow againe the fellow as he fell held up with his armes as well as he could some part of the scaffold which bare the earth so off his body that it gave accesse to some aire whereby he might breathe and in this case he continued for the space of seven daies when as they thinking to digge up the dead corps to bury they heard some noise wherewith at first affrighted yet afterwards encouraged with some hope of life they made haste and after a draught of Wine would neither suffer himselfe to be tied nor use any other helpe but his owne to ascend out of that deepe dungeon At length being now ascended de profundis he confessed that hee lived all that while without any sleepe or any sustenance saving his owne urine distilled and redistilled in the alembicke of his owne bladder adding with all this iest shewing his purse told his companions hee had met with a kinde Host who had interteined him these seven daies and as many nights without one penny expences More such stories if thou be disposed thou maist see there and else-where as of the Maid of Spire of Berne c. who were said to have lived divers yeeres without any food Whether these relations be true or no let the Authors answer for them Now what should be the cause of so strange and prodigious fasting Now sure if any such fasting be indeed yet is it hard to find out the cause and reason thereof although as yet the case is controverted Some would ascribe the cause to the influence of certaine starres yea and some have gone so farre as to explicate unto us what stars doe conduce for the furtherance of this strange abstinence But were these starres influences of no efficacie and power in antient times before this strange fasting came into the world and the stars being generall causes and therefore affecting all equally what is now become of these influences in these later daies Surely if these starres had any such efficacy or power now in this last deare yeere 1630 it had beene time to demonstrate the same But some of our Physitians pretend a more plausible reason desumed from nature it selfe alleging for a naturall cause hereof a cold and moist phlegmatick constitution which as they affirme and experience and reason both confirme it can best beare abstinence and cold and tough phlegmatick humors abounding in their bodies together with a debility of naturall heat doth so benum and stupifie the sense and feeling of the appetite that the partie is able for a long time to live without any sustenance whatsoever Some more absurdly faine that there is some store of stony moisture in the body of man which touching the guts turne them presently into a stony hardnesse Now that some such stony juice or moisture may be ingendred in the body of man seemeth to be no fable by the history of that stony child of Sene as also by the history of an Hen dying for hunger in an old castle which was afterward found turned into a hard stony substance It is true indeed that of a tough hard baked phlegme with the concurse of a strong heat stones may be ingendred as wee see buckes made of clay but that of these humours so dispersed through the body the guts should be turned into a hard stony substance is not recorded by any antient Authour whatsoever And it is to be observed that most of these histories are of young women of a cold phlegmaticke constitution which humour without heat and that of some strength cannot be congealed into so hard a substance And besides it is recorded that many of these parties returned afterwards to their former appetites againe Now then as there was a congeling humour within their bodies so they must of necessity acknowledge a contrary dissolving or degelating humour as I may say and so we shall play the foole in infinitum Againe if this opinion were true the substance of the guts must needs be solid and so without feeling and without sense and feeling the inward parts were never able to subsist The learned Ioubert is very confident in defence of this long abstinence and would seeme to make his assertion strong by the examples of some creatures as the Chameleon which we have already answered and the Beare supposed to live all Winter without any food and yet hath beene observed to provide store of apples in Autumne and carry them to his denne that I say nothing of others But if there were yet any such matter yet is there a great disproportion betwixt these creatures and man-kinde the most temperate of all others And if these miraculous fastings were so frequent in these later times why read wee not of the like in former ages In all the old Testament wee read but of two Moses and Elias which howbeit they did neither of them exceed forty daies yet were they undoubtedly miraculous And the like may wee say of our blessed Saviours fast in the new Testament It is also to be observed that most of these strange abstinences are reported of sickly women who being once recovered of their former infirmities returned
Africans And this is both by Pliny and many other Authors witnessed How the Aethiopians catch them with smoake and salt them up may be seene in Authours this being their chiefe food whereon in these countries they most ordinarily feed They use either to boile them or else to dry them in the Sunne and beat them to powder and make meale of them And that they were used of the inhabitants of Arabia Foelix whereunto Iudea adjoined or was not at least farre distant from it is apparent by Iohn Baptist his diet Now by the way by occasion of mentioning Iohn Bapttist it is to be observed that Iohn did indeed feed upon such beasts and not upon the buds of certaine herbs as some would have him drawing the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their owne interpretation which notwithstanding in any antient Author is not found in such a signification as they would have it And it is againe reported by Epâ—phanius that some Iewes desirous to be lye the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying thereby certaine junkets made of hony or oile whereof mention is made Exod. 16. and Num. 11. But these and many others which for brevity I passe by are but frivolous and farre fetcht and therefore let us rest upon this that Iohn Baptist did indeed feed upon such a food contenting himselfe with this austere kind of diet Locusts and wild hony Now this same late alleged author tells us that this need not seeme so strange untous since that even of late yeeres some Germane souldiors even in so great an abundance of all manner of provision yet used ordinarily to fry Silke-wormes and eate them with no small delight and that not without good reason for such things as are indued with no noisome smell or taste depend onely upon opinion which is a good rule to be observed in the use of uncouth food And the Italians eat another worme differing from the other but in colour to outward appearance it being black and the former of a reddish colour and yet are such with them esteemed as greatest dainties although ingendred of putrefaction and not of Egges as both the Locusts and Silke-wormes are Now that the Locust was a food and used to be eaten even among the Iewes themselves at least some sorts may by the 11. chap. of Levit. appeare where foure sorts of Locusts were allowed to be eaten and therefore called cleane and other three sorts forbidden and called uncleane Of these creatures I could make a long and large discourse relating their severall names and natures together with divers histories of their hurt done in severall Countries at several times with many other things to them belonging which I willingly passe by Whoso desireth to know more concerning these creatures Let him read Pliny and others even our late alleged Author But besides all the sorts of creatures usefull for mankind as though this were not yet sufficient and that our bountifull God had abridged us of necessary provision for the sustentation of this fraile life mans boldnesse hath yet extended it selfe to strange and prodigious dishes So that now we are not contented to feed on Sheep and Cattell Hens and Capons and other such creatures usefull for the maintaining of the life of man and fit them for our tables but prodigious gluttony hath now devised to feed upon the excrements of the earth the slime and scum of the water the superfluity of the woods and putrefaction of the sea to wit to feed on frogs snailes mushroms and oisters And that this custome hath beene very antient may by Pliny appeare who writeth that they used to feed snailes in warrens as they did other creatures And it seemeth that such creatures were at the first used either as Physicke or in the defect and want of better food And it seemeth that some antient Physitians used frogs in Consumptions and wasting away of the bodie as also in that oppilation of the pipes of the lungs called isthma But this was never their meaning that they should be either of them or any other as an ordinary food but rather Physicke or at least physicall food alimentum medicamentosum But to speake the very truth both frogs and snailes are now adaies rather used for wantonnesse and to please our curious palats than for any necessity or defect of other food And thus are they ordinarily used in France and some other countries although yet not in frequent use with us howbeit one of these daies these dishes may become as common as our new French fashions of apparell To enter upon a large discourse of the nature properties and preparation of frogs and the manner of using them is not here my purpose and therefore leave it to them that have more leisure and purpose to feed upon them If any have a purpose to use them let them beware of those that are venomous And my advice shall bee rather to abstaine from such things wherein there may be either danger or doubt and to make choice of that which is free from either where there is such choice and variety And this I would have also understood concerning mushroms whereof some thing hath been said already and the like As concerning Snailes they are used for food both in France and other neighbouring countries and for this purpose as the antient Romans fed them in their warrens so doe some even at this day feed them in their gardens Now some are of opinion that Snailes are of a very nourishing faculty and for this cause our women doe often ordinarily indifferently exhibit them in Consumptions of any kind whatsoever sometimes in milke and sometimes in broth even as their owne fancie leadeth them But by the way if Snailes be so nourishing I wonder why our Papists use them so ordinarily in the time of Lent when as they will not allow so much as a bit of Porke or powdered beefe They may well answer they may as well be allowed as wine and I thinke so too and farre better and nourish farre lesse and with lesse speed I am sure than wine and divers other things they use The reason why they are esteemed of so alimentall or nourishing a nature is by reason say som that in Winter they are able to sustaine themselves with their owne substance and that for this same cause Galen appointeth them in Hecticke Fevers and consumptions But the truth is that these creatures by reason of their viscidity and glutinous tough substance and the imbecillity and want of naturall hear loose little or nothing of this their tough and glutinous substance and by consequent need no reparation of the same And as for the exhibition of them in Hecticke Fevers it is rather by way of humectation and refrigeration than for any strong alimentall quality hee acknowledgeth in them And that they participate of such a slimie glutitinous substance may from hence also evidently appeare saith the late
season for strength and not for drunkennesse Woe unto thee O Land when thy King is a child and thy Princes eat in the morning Haere againe the counsell of another wise man A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured and he fetcheth not his wind short upon his bed Sound sleepe commeth of moderate eating he riseth early and his wits are with him but the paine of watching and choler and the pangs of the belly are with an unsatiable man It is againe in another place recorded that idlenesse and fulnesse of bread that is excesse in diet was the sinne of Sodom And the rich Glutton who fared delitiously every day descended into hell when poore Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome Among the Heathens of old it will seeme no strange newes to heare of such Belly-gods as for one Sergius Aurata Abidius a Citizen of Rome Fabius who for his great Gluttony was metaphorically called gurges a gulfe or deepe pit Aesop the stage-plaiers sonne is to posterity recorded for a notorious and extraordinary glutton who to the end hee might the more easily overcome his great patrimonie dissolved faire orientall Pearles and served them in at table for ordinary dishes and besides provided great store of Parrats and other singing birds purchased at a high price and had them likewise served in at table as though they had beene but ordinary Guat snappers I need not instance in any more of these antient and notorious Gluttons but would wish that the Christian world yea our owne countrie yeelded us not too many instances in so much that of this one subject I might write whole volumes But I think there is none but can find instances enough without fetching them from farre which may save me a labour But let us heare how the very Heathens had this sin in detestation That noble Orator Tullie hath this golden sentence To say that sensualitie or voluptuousnesse is that chiefe happinesse to be sought after seemeth to me a speech better beseeming a beast than a man The same Author againe relateth that when that famous Philosopher Aristotle had read the Epitaph of that Epicurean Assyrian King Sardanapalus which himselfe had commanded to be set over him after his death Haec habeo quae edi quaeque exatura libido Hansit at illa jacent multa preclara relicta What I have eaten that I have this doth me grieve and gall That good things left my belly paunch cannot devoure them all What other Epitaph saith he couldest thou have set over the sepulchre of an oxe and not of a King But heare a little now the heathen Poets upon Belligod-Gluttons Quum corpus onustum Externis vitijs animum quoque praegravat una Atque affigit humo divinae particulam aurae When as the body burdned is with outward sinne and vice It also loads the inward mind and weyes it downe likewise And fastneth unto th' earth that little part of heavenly breath Heare yet againe another speake to the same purpose Qui pote vis dicam nugaris cum tibi calve Pinguis aqualiculus propenso sesquipede extet O bald head shall I tell thee true to write it doth not boot So long as thy fat lericum-panch hangs out full halfe a foot And another speaketh yet in the language Et quibus in solo vivendi causa palato est Egregius coenat meliusque miserrimus horum Et cito casurus in paupertatem lapsurus jam perlucente ruina Hoc est egestate apparante Talibus a Dominis luxuriosis post cuncta novissimus exit Annulus digito mendicat Pollio nudo c. And those to whom the cause of life doth in their Palats rest Who sup and dine most sumptuously still faring of the best Yet such men are most miserable and soone fall to decay When they have made their guts their god and spent their wealth away From such like Prodigalls as these when all things else are sold Off from their thumbs and fingers goe their rings of purest gold Which being sold and spent for food they still remaine full poore And are constrain'd without their rings to beg from doore to doore But heare yet a lively description of such a spend-thrift set down by another Poet. Nec mora quod Pontus quod terra quod educat aer Poscit appositis queritur jejunia mensis Quodque satis poterat popalo non sufficit vni Plusque cupit quo plura suum demittit in alvum Vtque fretum recipit de tota flumina terra Nec satiatur aquis peregrinosque ebibit amnes Vtque rapax ignis non ulla alimenta recusat Innumerasque faces cremat qua copia major Est data plura petit turbaque voraeior ipsa est Sic epula omnes Erisichthonis ora prophani Accipiunt poscuntque fimul cibus omnis in illo Causa cibi est semperque locus fit inanis edendo There 's no delay what from the Sea the earth aire doth proceed This man requires blames fasting when tables are furnished He among dainties dainties seekes and what is fully able To satisfie great multitudes will not suffice his table The more he sends into his paunch the more he still would have Even as the Sea from the whole earth all rivers doth receive And yet with water is not fill'd nor with no rainie showres All floods that flow from forren lands it drinkes up and devoures And as devouring fire we see no fewell doth forsake But all the fagots cast therein doth dust and ashes make And still the more you cast therein the more it still desires Such is the nature as we see of all outragious fires Even so Erisicthons greedy gut receives and craves withall In him one dainty dish of meat doth for another call This Glutton alwayes hath a place still emptie in his bellie case Now I will make it appeare that great Princes even of the Heathens themselves have had this vice in great detestation Histories record that Alexander the Great being in the Palace of the Kings of Persia read what was written in a pillar of brasse concerning the Kings dinner and supper and the ordinances concerning that businesse set downe by Cyrus wherein was set downe of pure wheat-floure about 400 bushells of a second sort of courser floure 300 bushells and of another third sort 300 more in all 1000. Of barley floure a 1000 bushells Of Oates 200 bushells Oat-meale for pudding gruell c. 10 bushells and so of all other things proportionably as 400 fat hogges a 100 beeves 30 horses 400 fat geese and so proportionably of divers other kinds of fowle and other provision both for ordinary food and sauces The Macedonians reading all this great provision for one day admired this great Prince as a most happy man But Alexander deriding all this prodigality accounted him most miserable and unhappy as being intangled with too many affaires and for this cause
hang downe over their shoulders and many times downe to their breast and navill a strange and prodigious thing to behold CHAP. IIII. Of abstinency either from some or all sorts of food for a short or a longer time and of severall sorts of abstinence AFter the aire and such other things thereon depending I now proceed to the Diet of the Diseased But before wee come to discourse of the particular sorts of Diet wee must permit some generall rules and directions concerning the Diet of the Diseased Now all manner of Diet is of a threefold nature a thinne spare diet a liberall or full or a meane betwixt both A thinne or spare diet we call either a totall abstinence from all food for a certaine time or else a very sparing use of one or more sorts Now of all other Diets this is the most sparing when the sicke for certiane daies takes no sustenance at all And this abstinence among some of the antients the Greekes especially was often very rigid and strict insomuch that many times the patient was suffered to take no kind of sustenance for the space of three foure five or six daies But because we are now falne upon this point of abstinence it will not I hope be unwelcome to the reader to make a particular enumeration of all the sorts of fasts whatsoever Now then as repletion and gluttony is the cause of manifold mischiefes in the body of man so this abstinence seemeth to make amends for that which is don amisse Now this abstinence is of divers sorts and may be reduced to these foure naturall voluntary miraculous and violent or forced Naturall I call when as nature in her full strength and vigour and health or yet foiled with some sickenesse abhorreth the use of some certaine kindes of food and therefore abstaineth from the use of the same Another abstinence againe is in diseases when as the appetite is either quite lost or else smal or slender loathing food for the most part which refusing and loathing is called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines nausea fastidium cibi Voluntary abstinence I call that which is by mature advice and deliberation willingly and freely undertaken and this according to the severall ends and scopes it propounds to it selfe is also of divers sorts For either it is physicall politicall and civill religious or superstitious Physicall abstinence I call that whereby people whether sicke or in health either for preserving and mainteining this healthfull estate or else for recovering of the same being now lost by the appointment and prescription of the Physitian doe either abstaine from all manner of food or else from some certaine kindes contrary to their health and constitution and this either for a certaine and determinate time or for ever and which is therefore called Diet. Politicall or civill abstinence is that whereby people upon certaine occasions as profit or others for a certaine time abstaine either from all or some certaine particular kindes of food being then it may be imploied about som earnest busines as when Saul followed hard after the Philistines he discharged any to eat till the evening And of this nature is our Lent fast or abstinence in this Iland both in England and Scotland according to the expresse words of the statute howsoever some a little to symbolize with our neighbour Romanists would faine have it a little to smell of religion and was no doubt upon very good grounds and considerations injoined to be observed The third sort of voluntary abstinence is called religious and had its originall from God himselfe which is againe either morall or ceremoniall Morall againe is either ordinary and daily or else extraordinary and ordained but for a certaine time Ordinary and daily abstinence is nothing else but temperance and sobriety which as it hath been in no small request even among the heathens and that not for their healths sake alone but that they might thereby also the better wait upon their contemplations and philosophicall studies how much more then doth it become us Christians Religious extraordinary abstinence at any time undertaken is that which wee commonly call a fast and being not onely a bare abstinence from food for a time but from all other delights also that thereby we may the better bee fitted to pray either for the removall of judgements present or keeping off judgements imminent and like to overwhelme us And this was very frequent among the people of the Jewes and was either publike or private Would to God we were made more acquainted with this noble ordinance of Almighty God when as both in regard of our owne selves and our distressed neighbours abroad our need hath been so great Ceremoniall abstinence is when we abstaine from certaine kindes of meats and that for religions sake the which kind of abstinence was by God himselfe strictly injoined the Jewes and lasted till the comming of the Messias which tooke away that partition wall as may by divers places of the new Testament appeare There was lastly is yet a certaine superstitious kind of abstinence whereby som people without any warrant of the word abstained from certaine kindes of meat and such were both some heathens and some hereticks also and bastard christians Among the heathens Pythagoras of Samus who lived during the Babilonian captivity abstained from all manner of flesh and that for feare lest some mens soules might bee conveied into such beasts as he might eat of as witnesseth S. August and S. Ierom. tells us that the antient Aegyptian Priests after they were once initiated into that superstitious worship abstained from wine and flesh ever after The Babilonians also lived onely upon fish and the Persian Magi lived onely upon meale and herbs Plutarch also reported that the priests of Heliopolis abstained from all manner of diet that might increase lust and wantonnesse and never wine to come within their temples And it is reported that the antient inhabitants of this Iland abstained from the hare the hen and the goose And others againe abstained from certaine vegetables fruits flowres c. Some abstained from all manner of flesh The Esseans among the Jewes eat neither flesh nor yet drinke wine nay eate not of any creature that ever had in it any blood In the time of the primitive Church especially a little after many heresies sprang up amongst whom som forbad the eating of flesh and some both that and wine The Eucratite who came out of the schoole of one Tatianus abstained from all flesh withall so strictly abstained from all wine that they would not so much as use it in the holy Sacrament but in stead thereof used water The Ebionites also condemned altogether the use of flesh The Marcionites were so farre from eating of flesh and placed holinesse in the
us to feed the sicke in fevers with suppings at the beginning especially by reason or their lightnesse and facility of concoction and distribution The quantity or measure of the Diet of the diseased must be ordered according to the sense and feeling of the sicke and nature of the disease as Hippocrates well expresseth it Now it is not unknowne that whole and sicke folkes are not with alike quantity of food to be fed And this by the practice in Hippocrates appeareth where Cratolaus being sicke contenteth himselfe with the one halfe of his former allowance To the quantity wee may also referre the number of repast which must be measured according to custome which is consonant to Hippocraticall prescription And this according to many severall circumstances is also variable The next is the quality which we are not to neglect nor slightly to be past over Healthfull and sound people ought to use a diet like unto their owne temper and constitution but the sicke are to use a diet contrary to their disease A hot distemper requireth a cooling diet and rest from motion Neither are wee in the diet of the diseased onely to consider the first qualities as hot and cold moisture and drinesse but even the second qualities also as opening and astringent c. If the humours be tough then have they need of opening diet as all manner of obstructions defluxions need astringent and strengthening diet As for the time of feeding the sicke as witnesse Galen it is very hard to define and that in regard of the diversity of fevers requiring divers times for diet In diseases wee may consider a double time of feeding the sicke one of election another of coaction or necessity That of election I call when as the disease gives the sicke some truce and leaveth the sicke sometime free for food That of necessitie and coaction when as for preserving strength we are forced at uncertaine times to feed the sicke Now for feeding the sicke the day-time is alwaies the best as witnesseth Celsus and many other Physitians Ioubert a French Physitian much inveigheth against that perverse and preposterous custome of feeding the sicke in the night time and giveth this reason for his assertion The day is ordained for our nourishment as the night for rest and sleepe now by sleepe the noisome and noxious hunmour cause of the disease is concocted the naturall heat now by reason of sleepe being recalled into the center now if by nourishment in the night time thou make a distraction of naturall heat to helpe concoction it must needes have the smaller force to subdue the disease and from hence arise many crudities the cause of much evill in the body But if perhaps the sicke cannot sleep and have bin sparingly dieted in the day time then may wee give the sicke some supping as a little broth almond milke or the like but in no case let the sicke ever be wakened out of his sleepe to take any food it being farre better to let the sicke take his rest than unseasonably to waken him for food for watching suffereth not the disease to come to maturity making all sustenance harder to digest It may then be asked what time of the day is fittest to feed the sicke and in what time of the day may the diseased feed freeliest If it may be with conveniency the morning is the best time or towards noone and worst towards night It hath been already proved that in healthfull people a larger supper is allowed but in the sicke it is not so as hath been already proved Besides experience it selfe telleth us that toward night and in the night time diseases most commonly afflict most what reason then is there to oppresse the body with a double burthen And this is principally to be observed in all defluxions and diseases of the head yea even in health it selfe much more then in sicknesse to be observed The order of diet in the diseased is then chiefely to be observed when there is variety of dishes which whether fit for the sicke or no would be considered A single diet is alwaies most profitable agreeing best with health and in sicknesse is easiliest concocted The multiplying of many severall lusts saith Pliny is pernicious and a multitude of sauces is yet farre worse And yet some would have the sicke use variety of dishes especially in a weake and queazie stomacke that by tasting a little of every dish his weake stomacke might the better be whetted on But if it be possible and strength subsist the sicke is not to be incited to such variety for feare lest he eat more than hee can well overcome But in the diet of the diseased the preparation is not of smallest moment as whether it be better rosted boiled or baked the which is according to divers circumstances varied as wee shall heare more hereafter Sometimes also sauces are not unseasonable for the sicke and for this cause some Physitians have written tractats concerning this subject and to speake the truth they are the fittest for the sicke to excite and stir up their weake and languishing stomacke which often by all our art wee can scarce indure to take so much sustenance as will support their weake strength for a few daies Now as there is a preparation required in the diet so is there also in the diseased who is to wash his mouth with faire water or water and vineger with a little wine or other fit and convenient liquor And is principally in Fevers where the mouth is often so furred principally to be observed to wash away that slime and other stuffe that sticketh to the tongue and palat of the mouth and giveth a bad rellish to all that is eaten Besides as Avicenne saith the sicke if it be possible should sit up in his bed to take his food and so for a while after continue for by this meanes concoction is farre better than any otherwise performed Now to the particular Diet of the Diseased CHAP. VIJ. Of fit Diet for the Diseased and that of severall sorts and first of that which vegetables affordus as bread herbes and fruits THe matter of Diet for the Diseased as wee have already said of the Diet of healthfull people is either taken from vegetables or plants and fruits or else from living creatures and their parts as from beasts fowle and fish Among plants or vegetables corne and among corne wheat whereof the best and wholesomest bread for the use of man is made challengeth by right the first place That bread then is best for the use of the sick which is made of the best wheat not fusty mildewd or of any other evill quality and withall made of new ground meale which is better than long kept This bread would be a little salted and moderately leavened for so it becommeth more pleasant to the taste lighter and easier of digestion and lesse
moment as hath been proved already Besides that the presence of the skilfull and expert Physitian watcheth and espieth the fit time and opportunity of doing that which in his discretion he shall thinke fitting The vulgar indeed thinke the Physitians skill consisteth all in purging and bleeding and where either that is not to be done or they conceive it ought not so to be they thinke there is no use of the Physitians counsell But now I proceed to the small poxe wherein wee are to discusse this question whether phlebotomy in this case may be admitted or no the which may be also understood of the measells Of this remedy in the diseases not onely the vulgar sort but some of better breeding are also very shy whether there be any just cause let us inquire To discusse this question we are to distinguish the times of this disease whether before the eruption of the Pox or after It hath beene held hitherto by most people a great absurdity to let blood or administer any manner of physicke in the least feare or suspition of any such disease and many especially of the more ignorant sort are still of this old erronious opinion but others have of late yeeres by the judicious proceeding of learned Physitians atteined to some better understanding and are better satisfied in this point It is then the opinion of all our best Physitians that before the eruption of the poxe consideratis consideraâ—dis all circumstances duely considered it may be safely administred if wee see neede and this I could both out of mine owne and other Physitians experience plainly make appeare The late practice of the Physitians of the City of London 1628 where this remedy was used both in this disease before eruption and in many young people for prevention I thinke hath rectified the erring judgement of many people This last yeere 1630. a Lady then living in this I owne had a chamber-maide who falling sicke within three or foure daies after I was sent for to her but perceiving some beginning of either pox or measells and for this cause abstâ—ined from phlebotomy at first by reason of the fever by mee intended but inconclusion the disease getting the upper hand the fever increasing the Maide died The same day a little after having hired another chamber-maide within a little space shee also fell sicke of a fever for whom also my presence and counsell being craved at my first comming finding a plethoricall body with an intense Fever yet without any eruption of poxe or measells although a feared some such matter I caused open a veine in the arme and the next morning after the poxe came for thin great abundance and so through Gods blessing upon the meanes she in a short time recovered her former health And yet after the use of this remedie shee confessed that before her bleeding shee was not sensible of any thing that was either said or done to her and yet immediatly after shee confessed shee found great ease and allevation of former accidents If this party had died then many of the vulgar would undoubtedly have said phlebotomy had beene her bane and yet the former died without it Some Physitians proceed yet further to the use of phlebotomy even after the eruption in some cases as in a great plethory or abundance of blood accompanied with a Fever difficulty of respiration c. especially if there be no other impediment or contra-indication And in case this could not conveniently be effected then doe they advise leaches or else scarification with application of cupping-glasses But herein it will concerne that Physitian that shall follow this course to be verie warie and circumspect for feare of hindring the laudable course of nature as also for preventing the clamour and calumnie of such as are alwaies readie to censure the Physitians best actions and to interpret all in the worst sense especially if so it come to passe that the patient die of the disease But because my purpose is not in this place to dwell upon particular diseases I will speake but a word or two of phlebotomie in the Iaundise and so conclude this chapter As in many other points so in this particular concerning phlebotomie in the Iaundise the vulgar are much mis-taken They are alwaies of opinion that some ordinary womans medicine will doe the turne how unfit soever and without any consideration of the cause Now whether the use of phlebotomie be here sometimes necessary let us inquire a little Wee are then first to consider of the cause and then shall wee be better able to proceed to the right cure This disease then commeth either of it selfe alone without any other disease and that of divers causes or else as a symptome an accident or reteiner to some other disease a Fever especially If then it be conjoyned with a Fever the Fever of it selfe if no impediment doth indicate phlebotomie and the Iaundise doth not at all hinder our course And if it come primarily and of it selfe blood abounding or being the chiefe cause of the disease it is in no wise to be neglected as the authorities of our learned Physitians doe evidently witnesse as I could prove by a cloud of witnesses if I had undertaken of set purpose to handle this subject and withall had not said some thing of this subject in another place this being here spoken onely occasionally and by the way this being often an accident accompanying Fevers as wee have said alreadie Hence is evinced the mad temeritie of many indifferently exhibiting their ordinarie Iaundise medicines in every sort of Iaundise without any respect either to age sexe cause or any other circumstance whatsoever of the which to judge they are altogether unable thus often trifling away irrecoverable occasion untill the party be ready to be imbarqued into Charons boat And thus it befell a young Gentleman of Northampton-shire some few yeeres agoe and little above thirty yeeres of age in whom about the later end of the Spring the Jaundise was apparently to be seene of the which a woman as it commonly the custome tooke upon her to cure and thus was the time trifled away untill at length in the Harvest the Gentleman came over to Northampton to finde some better counsell than this womans skill could afford him and did continue here for a certaine space At my first comming to this Gentleman I perceived besides his Jaundise a double Dropsie of the worst kinde together with a very hot obstructed liver whom a learned Physitian then living in this place also and my selfe doing our best indeavours to cure yet had this enemy taken so strong possession that all our writs of remove could not serve the turne nor would any meanes serve to bribe this grim sergeant death Let people therefore be warned by other mens harmes and learne to be wise in that which concerneth them so neere CHAP. IIIJ. Of the veines to be opened in the body
or constellation into the body of man more than at any other season I utterly deny although the vulgar are of opinion that the very season of it selfe howsoever the ambient aire be affected portendeth alwaies danger even as the Papists have a strong conceit of their opus operatum in mumbling over a set number of their Prayers in an unknowne tongue the receiving of the Sacraments c. to be of great force and efficacie And besides these antient Physitians doe not absolutely inhibite the use of Phlebotomie or physicke during this season but hold comparatively that then they doe not so well sute with the body of man as at other times and in this doe our opinions also concurre And what judicious Physitian of our time maketh choice of these canicular daies for any elective evacuation by way of prevention doe we not alwaies advise people when it is in their power to make choice of the most temperate time as may plainely by our precedent discourse and difference of election and coaction or necessity appeare But the question is not here of election but of coaction whether the body being assaulted with some furious Fever or Inflammation as Pleurisie Squinancy or the like may not in this case safely admit of Phlebotomy If we should deny this truth we should be injurious to our Maker as though he were not alwaies the same and would in some seasons leave men destitute of any helpe or succor than the which what can be more impious I deny not indeed but that if the sick can adjourne his disease as Lawyers do their courts till the Spring or Autumne I shall be of their opinion But we know and many wilfull and peevish patients though to their great smart doe often finde this old saying true Ante capillata post est occasio calva He that will not when he should often cannot when he would Now as there is no time nor season of the yeere wherein there is any immunity or exemption from sickenesse so is there no time nor season of the same wherein we are deprived of meanes and comfort against this calamity And this is the generally received opinion of all learned and judicious Physitians as I could prove by a multitude of witnesses Among many others there is a famous French Physitian who lived in the South parts of France the Kings Physitian and chancellour of the famous University of Mountpeliers and Doctor of the chaire in the same University who of set purpose confuteth this sottish and erroneous opinion of the vulgar in this particular concerning evacuations And yet this place Montpeliers I meane is betwixt 8 or 9 degrees further to the South than wee here in this cold and moist climat that knowne to be very hot and of the same heighth of elevation of the pole with many parts of Spaine and Italy yea of Rome it selfe which may be yet further proved by the strong wines of that countrie exceeding many places of Italy as likewise by the abundance of Orenges Lemmons Olives Figs and Pomegranats together with the abundance of Scorpions Vipers and other venomous vermine to counterpoise this former felicitie no where but in hot climats and countries to be found This same Physitian among many other passages inserts a metric advertisement for women wishing them during this hot time to counsell their husbands for their healths sake to absteine from their amorous imbracings rather than trouble themselves with controlling the Physitian in his owne profession who can tell well inough what to doe without their directions although as he affirmes some would have this abstinence in all the moneths that have not an R in them yet disclaimeth he this rigidity All this notwithstanding many people are so pertinacious and obdurat in this their foolish opinion without either ground or reason that they will often adventure their owne or dearest friends life rather than admit of any meanes for the recovery of their health during this season and if perhaps sometimes pinched with extremitie by meanes of some dangerous disease affrighting them they use the lawfull meanes not to be neglected in any season necessity so requiring and through the violence of the disease the patients or assistants errour there follow not that answerable successe as was expected the Physitian is presently laid in fault and condemned of temeritie and boldnesse in adventuring the use of any meanes in such a season when as the ambient aire perhaps was as temperate as in April as in this our countrie and climat often commeth to passe yet all is one the very name of a dog-day doth as much affright them as if some furious mastiffe dog had bitten them by the breech About some ten yeeres agoe a Knight living in Northampton-shire of any acquaintance about Bartholomew-tide fall sicke of a violâ—â—t Fever with extreme drouth and headach and although at his first falling sicke hee would willingly have sent for mee yet some Ladies and Gentlewomen his friends at that season lying at his house for the space of two or three daies caused him deferre the execution of his intended purpose and withall kept him so short of drinke that scarce would they allow him a good draught of drinke in a day At length finding no amendment and fearing some further inconvenience neglecting now his womens counsell hee sent for mee At my first comming I found him in great extremity of heat and head-ach and for this cause I presently caused administer to him a cooling glister with diet accustomed with such a case giving way also to a more liberall allowance of drinke which of all other things gave him most content The next night after his rest was better and after followed great allevation of his former accidents and therfore although my purpose was to open a veine yet perceiving some allevation and hoping still for more by reason of signes of concoction in the urine which accordingly came to passe withall knowing the hard conceit these Gentlewomen as is vsuall also with others had conceived of that remedy especially in that season which neverthelesse was not them very unseasonable in regard of the temperature of the aire with cooling glisters abstinence and some other small meanes within the space of two or three daies this Gentleman recovered againe his former health although by some otherwise indicious this sudden good successe was not expected And as for phlebotomie during the dog-daies and purging I have both knowne others use them with very good successe and have beene my selfe both an agent and patient in time of need Many yeeres agoe about the midst of the canicular daies a man of this same Towne about 64 or 65 yeeres of age fell sicke of a dangerous pleurisie who sending for mee intreated my best advice and counsell Acquainting him then with the danger of the disease notwithstanding the heat of the weather and his yeeres I wished with all speede to open a veine a remedy
in this whole universe so neither the noble celestiall creatures themselves the heavens I meane with their glorious orbes and resplendent ornaments have beene freed from imposture And all this by meanes of wicked and malicious men prostituting themselves to imposture and making bawds of these celestiall bodies the more cunningly to circumvent the vulgar and cover their their owne covetousnesse and ignorance in the principles of this profession Hence have wee so many erronious and pernitious opinions now so ruvetted in mens mindes that they cannot without great difficulty againe be extirpate And this opinion concerning phlebotomie the Moone being in certaine signes among others is not one of smallest consequence To mainteine then this erronious opinion they have taken for granted that there are certaine signes having dominion over certeine parts of the body and therefore if any shall happen to be let blood in that member where say they the sign for the time is predominant portendeth no small danger to the patient And therefore when at any time there is occasion offered of using this remedie especially to the vulgar sort or countrie people above others they aske presently how is the signe And if it shall then happen to be in that place to be phlebotomised a man had need to use all his eloquence and yet should scarce perhaps perswade them to it at that time untill such time as the signe be past that part And why I pray thee ought wee to be so curious in the observation of the signe so many thousand miles off us and in the meane time neglect the ambient aire which as sense it selfe teacheth us environeth us alwaies on every side Now they cannot deny that all diseases are ingendred in all times of the yeer in every moneth weeke day and houre and hot acute diseases are as well ingendred when old frosty father Saturne is in conjunction with the Moone as when firie Mars is joined with the same affinitie and cold diseases againe ingendred as well under the one as the other Now then Master Astrologer yeeld me a sound reason why I may not as well use phlebotomie and any other evacuation during these conjunctions And yet Ptolomee was in this particular so superstitious that hee affirmeth that if physicke be exhibited while the Moone is in conjunction with Iupiter it doth blunt the edge of the operation thereof For saith hee our life consisteth in heat and moisture over which qualities Iupiter presideth wherefore saith he if the Moone be also joined to Iupiter then is vigour and strength so much increased that they farre surpasse the vigour and strength of the medicine so making it of no effect or operation insomuch that it worketh not at all But by Ptolomees good leave all our Physitians doe very well know that by the vigour of naturall strength and heat all physicall operations are furthered and perfected And therefore the Moone being accounted the mother of humidity if Iupiter adde yet more moisture there will be great use of all the heat hee can communicate unto us and by this meanes in all probability of reason it would seeme this active quality of heat should the more facilitate the operation in the body now replenished with this double humiditie And therefore not without good reason is it that all our Physitians doe prohibite the use either of phlebotomie or physicke to old and decrepid persons by reason of the want of this naturall vigour and strength and then onely use them when as the body aboundeth therewith But now concerning the signe saith the same Author wee are nor to open a veine when the Moone passeth by that signe which governeth that part of the body for saith hee and with him Almansor that since the Moone filleth the body with moisture that then that part is replenished with humiditie and yet it would seeme there should be then most use of phlebotomie But this doctrine is againe contradicted by Messahala who would have us to beginne the cure of all diseases when as the Moone is entred into that signe which is appropriated to the part affected as if one were surprized with a Phrensie or Squinancie although the Moone were in Aries Taurus or Gemini yet should wee beginne our cure by incision of the Cephalica veine otherwise called humeraria which neverthelesse is quite contrary to the tenent of Ptolomee This contrariety caused some to confesse that these precepts were to be understood only of such diseases as might well without danger be deferred It will then follow that in dangerous and acute diseases they are of no force and validitie Of this then the people in their prognostications ought to be advertised for wee see many times that many insnared with this perverse opinion rather than they will transgresse these irregular rules often indanger that which ought to be to them most deare And have wee not too many that sooth them up in this their sottish superstitious and erronious opinion I speake not onely of our ordinary Ephemerides-Masters and ordinary almanack-makers but I wish some of the sonnes of Levi were not too much addicted to such idle vanities with calculating nativities and such other foolish frothy and forbidden stuffe I will not deny but since the Moone is accounted the mother of all moisture there may be some use in the observation of her increasing and decreasing according to her quarters and when it is in our free election by way of prevention if there be no impediment wee may use evacuation in the increase of the Moone And wee deny not that this same Planet manifesteth her power in many sublunary creatures as wee see in the Sea and creatures therein conteined in the fruits of the earth c. It is true indeed that Galen both in the birth of mankinde and other creatures and in the criticall daies ascribeth something to the motion of the Moone according to the 16 angles of her monethly peragration and wee doe not deny the same But withall it as certaine that the observations and effects of these criticall judiciarie and provocatory daies depend upon the disposition of the materiall cause of the disease and concoction of the same and better knowne by the ordinary and set periods and paroxysmes of the disease than by all the starres in the Heavens witnessed that worthy Hippocrates in many places of his workes And in one place hee maketh it yet more plaine where searching into the cause why the crisis commeth commonly upon the odde day maketh no mention of any starre at all Now besides all this the Moone is of so swift a motion that in two or three daies shee passeth by any of these signes and that with such a celerity that she hath quite passed by the signe before the force of the same can be perceived or taken notice of And yet these wise Masters will have us in no hand to exhibite any purging medicine the
Moone being in any signe which doth ruminate or chew the cud to wit Aries Taurus Capricorne for feare forsooth say they lest it be againe rejected by the mouth But I could tell their wisdomes that both my selfe and others have found this most idle and false besides that it is builded upon no reason at all I have found by manifold experience that a nice daintie and weake stomacke but especially oppressed with corrupt humours will scarce reteine any purgation unlesse it be first evacuated by vomit upwards the which I have proved to worke as well in my selfe as others when the Moone was most remote from those ruminant signes and againe purgations to worke as effectually in these ruminant signes as in others And besides I have alreadie made it appeare out of Hippocrates that hee appointeth some times and seasons fitter by farre for evacuation of some humours than others without any relation at all of the signe Moreover this rumination is but a meere Chimaera or phansie and nothing indeed for these starres fixed in the firmament for mens better conception and capacity were by some at first ranked into certaine troupes and as it were certaine companies and unto each severall troupe or company men imposed certaine names of such creatures as in their conceit they most resembled as of a Ramme Bull Beare Dog Dolphin and the like although most if not all of them might as well be resembled unto some other shape or figure and so carry another name Now then it is apparent that there is neither Bull nor Beare Dogge nor Cat in these celestiall bodies and therefore what relation can there be betwixt this their supposed rumination and our medicines here exhibited I could yet instance in a multitude of such idle fopperies as in what signes with the Moone to administer pills when potions and such like and when to waine children And what better is it than meer heathenish to point us out some daies of the moneth good some bad some criticall some not Is there one day of it selfe better than another and what makes one day better than another but divine ordination If they say this dependeth upon some influence of celestiall bodies I answer that according to their owne doctrine they are so various and divers and doe so suddenly change that their operations and influences cannot be certaine and fixed upon set certaine daies alwaies the same And therefore as for their good and bad criticall and not criticall daies wee care not at all But what is the reason that these wise men doe so much neglect that great and glorious triumphant King Phobus who sitting in his chaire of state by his accesse towards and recesse from us produceth such an alteration in the seasons and the ambient aire that not one of all the rest of that great host of Heaven is able to parallell his power Who doth not sensibly see and feele the various effects and changes of seasons hee produceth in this inferiour world is deprived of his senses His effects are more forcible than any of his fellowes the Moones moisture is but a passive his vivifying heat an active quality and therefore of farre greater force and validitie See in his highest exaltation above our Horizon what a sweet refreshing heat he darteth downe upon these sublunary creatures Againe in his recesse and lowest declination notwithstanding Iupiters hot and moist influence and all his auxiliary helpes yet for the most part doe we find such frosty effects of old frostie father Saturne that nill wee will wee forced wee are to confesse and acknowledge the noble effects of this King of Planets above all the rest for the which cause not without reason among all remote causes in the generation of mankinde and by consequence of other creatures the Philosopher ascribed the pre eminence to this noble Planet The efficacie and power of this powerfull King doth yet more plainely appeare by comparison of those places where he doth most manifest his Majestie and power namely under the Aequinoctiall line and within the Tropicks and many degrees on either side with such places as are a great part of the yeere deprived of his princely presence or else by reason of the farre distance from them are so little thereby refreshed that in some of those places there is no habitarion for mankinde and in some others a life indeed some lead but such as in regard of the outward estate a death may rather be desired The Hollanders in their navigations to finde out an North-East passage to the East Indies can testifie what enterteinment they found at Nova Zembla in about 70 degrees elevation of the Northerne pole Forbisher Davis and Hudson of this Nation attempting the same by the North-west could testifie the same truth If we will passe but into Poland and other dominions of that great Prince as Life-land Lap-land Courland c. We may during all Winter make our habitation upon that vast and waterie element where Neptune hath his dominion as safely as upon any part of the terrestriall globe Besides all this the Sunne hath his abode and continuance in each of these twelve signes for the space of a whole moneth and yet for all this there is no mention made of the Sun in the signe which in regard of these former reasons would seeme farie more reasonable A late German Writer maketh mention of one of those Prognosticators who had lately published an Almanacke wherein were set downe certaine daies in each moneth of the yeere on the which if any were let blood it portended extreme danger if not death to the party and besides prognosticated death to all that should be let blood on the feast of the Annuntiation of our Lady I hope the Roman Catholikes will have this villaine by the eare for so farre vilifying the power of the virgin Mary that she that commanded her Son cannot divert any dismall event from her holy day on the day of Simon and Iude and S. Andrew the Apostle with many more other idle fooleries In the same place againe hee inveigheth against the foolish custome of some who postposing signe or any other thing whatsoever in the midst of Winter be the weather as it will frost snow or haile especially upon S. Stephens day doe usually as is the custome here with horses to have a veine opened This pernitious and pertinacious custome of some Surgeons speaking still of the signe and by them stiffely mainteined is a cause of no small mischiefe in a well ordered Common-wealth and yet hath no solid nor sound foundation either from antient or moderne Physitians of greatest fame who never have any regard unto the same And some of our late Writers of no small note and as well skilled in all the Mathematicall Sciences as any Ephemerides-master of them all yet neither in their cures nor indications once make mention of the Moone in the signe of all these
so sure a way that we may alwaies trust to it these waters being often of so subtile a nature that they draw nothing but as it were the spirituous qualitie from these solid substances In generall it is to be observed that those which abound in brimstone and bitume are all of a loosening and mollifying nature and doe therewith affect both the stomacke and the liver But such as partake more of the nature of yron alum copper or plaster doe too much condensat and shut up the pores of the skinne by which meanes it commeth to passe that no excrement can thereby be excluded But such as participate of both these extremes are accounted the best and their use alwaies safest for they digest discusse yet alwaies reserving intirely the strength and naturall vigor of all the parts of the body But before I proceed to handle divers particulars concerning these minerall waters I must here discusse a question whether all these minerall waters be at all times of a like and equall force And that this question is not out of purpose nor needlessely propounded may from this appeare in that some have beene and some yet are of opinion that these waters every Bissextile or leap-yeere as wee call it lose a great deale of their efficacie and power and therefore not so efficacious and powerfull against ordinary infirmities In the first place then that the vertue and efficacie of these minerall waters is according to the severall seasons of the yeere and often according to abundance of drouth or moisture is often intended and remitted as wee cannot deny so is not the point in controversie but whether in any one certaine determinate time quatenus such a time howsoever the ambient aire in all the qualities be affected doth produce such an infallible alteration in all minerall waters that during that time they are of little or no efficacie against diseases and this is this leap-yeere now in question And although I am not ignorant that many of the wiser and more judicious have their judgements well enough setled herein yet because not onely some of the vulgar but some of more eminent parts and more sublimate understandings have beene involved in this vulgar errour I shall crave pardon to digresse a little upon this point which in my opinion may not seeme impertinent In the first place then let us take notice of the originall of this leap-yeere and what it is Before the time of Iulius Caesar it is thought that most nations used the computation of the yeere according to the course of the Moone the which because it was uncertaine the Moone in her motion being so unstable and uncertaine therefore Iulius Caesar 54 yeeres before the nativitie of our Lord and Saviour after he had finished his warres taking into his consideration this irregularity of the yeere resolved to rectifie the same And for this same purpose he sent into Egypt for the most expert Mathematicians of that Kingdome and among the rest one Sosigenes from whence as from this Iulius it is called the Iulian so from this same Sosigenes it is called the Sosigenian yeere and therefore whereas before the yeere was ordinarily measured by the motion of the Moone it was then reduced to the motion of the Sunne which finisheth his course in 365 daies and 6 houres These daies he divided into twelve equall parts called by the name of Mensis or measure And because there rested yet 6 odde houres for avoiding confusion which in processe of time might thereby be occasioned every fourth yeere there being just 24 houres remaining these making up a just naturall day were inserted into the moneth of February which before had but 28 daies And yet this computation is not so perfect but that it admitteth of some defects here being added unto this yeere more by the fifth part of an houre than ought and by consequence more added every leap-yeere unto February than ought by 48 minutes the which hath made an alteration in the Aequinoxes and Solstices since this Emperours time about 11 or 12 daies Besides that I say nothing of the motion of the Moone wherein was likewise some defect notwithstanding the course was taken to rectifie the same which made a great confusion in the time of the observation of Easter betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches untill the councell of Nice The emendation of this errour howsoever for the space of 200 yeeres by divers Popes attempted yet untill the time of Gregorie the 13 in the yeere of our Lord 1â—82 was never brought to any passe This Pope by the helpe especially of one Lilius a Doctor of physicke tooke such a course to reforme the Calender that the vernall Aequinoxe was from the 10 of March reduced to the 21 to the same day that it was at the Nicene councell Now this could not be unlesse in the Calender and computation of the daies of the yeere there were 10 daies quite cut off And for this cause this same Lilius chose the moneth of October wherein this Pope was borne and tooke quite away from it tenne daies so that when the 5 of October was to be numbred in stead thereof was substituted the 15. and October that yeere had but 21 daies And this is that wee call the Gregorian or beyond the seas account or yeere by reason it is received in those countries beyond the seas where the Pope is acknowledged The which account yet notwithstanding is not perfect nor without exception as I could make appeare if I were purposed to insist upon this point But to come now to our purpose and to answer this point I say it is a thing very ridiculous and an opinion very erronious that this orderly alteration in the computation of time should infuse any new influence into these celestiall bodies which should againe produce so strange and stupendious effects upon these sublunary creatures Now these celestiall bodies keepe constantly the same course they ever did since the first creation these humane constitutions neither adding to nor detracting from these celestiall bodies any new energie vertue or power And if there were any such matter why then did not some such effects follow upon the alteration of Num 1 Pompilius who added two moneths to wit Ianuary and February to the former yeere consisting onely of ten moneths and why followed not there some strange new effects upon the altering of the names of two months Quintilis Sextilis to Iuly August the names of two famous Emperors and finally why followed not there some strange effects upon the alteration of the old Roman Iulian calender where there is no lesse than the difference of ten whole daies betwixt us and the Romanists whch it would seeme should produce new and stranger effects and this would seeme a thing not unbeseeming a papall power who as Gods Vicar generall here upon earth yea and an earthly God too as they would make
times observed mingled therewith Wee will then beginne with those excrements which in every respect are accounted best and from thence wee may the better observe and know the deviation of others from that rule The best then are neither too hard nor too soft or liquid and thinne but consisting of a meane betwixt both compact and firmely united without the admixture of any uncouth matter of a pale yellow colour and in quantity answerable to the food received in smell neither too stinking not yet altogether free from all manner of smell nor of too sharpe a quality and which are at the time accustomed without any great paine labor straining or great noise easily expelled Such as decline further from these laudable markes are alwayes accounted worse either in sicknesse or in health And therefore thinne and very liquid excrements unlesse procured by the like diet by physicke or by way of crise are esteemed bad and unconcocted as likewise such as are white in colour and reteining still the quality of the food from whence they proceed and such also as are of a high golden or intense yellow colour by reason of the affluxe of choler into the guts and in like manner we approve not of too pale and frothy and yet worst of all purulent and materie excrements Greene black linid or leaden coloured unlesse by reason of such diet or by way of crises are dangerous and to be condemned and so are viscous and fat ordure by reason they signifie colliguation and wasting Besides whensoever a very bad stinking smell is joyned with a bad colour it is very bad for then it argueth a very great putrefaction Variety of bad colours in these excrements is also very bad as arguing in the body many ill infirmities Wormes on a criticall day with the ordure expelled signifie good but if in the beginning of the disease they appeare it is bad and if they come forth by themselves without any excrements dead or alive in acute diseases it is dangerous There be divers causes of these severall substances of excrements Thicke compact and well united excrements proceed from a good concoction of the stomacke and a temperate heat of the guts Thinne and liquid excrements proceed either from obstruction of the mesaraicke veines or by reason the food is not digested and concocted as in crudities or else is not altered or changed as in the disease lienteria or is corrupted as in belches from such matter may bee discerned Such excrements againe from the imbecillity of attractive faculty Fourthly from defluxion of humidity upon the guts Fiftly from the quality and nature of the food and such other things as loosen the belly as prunes caffe and the like Sixtly drinke descending towards the guts when as it is not carried thorow the mesaraicke veines to the liver and attracted by the reines and ureters Soft excrements proceed also from divers causes 1. From the moderate moisture of the guts 2. From the mollifying Diet as mallowes lettice and the like 3. They proceed sometimes from the admixture of divers humors proceeding from the liver or other parts as likewise from the admixture of some fat with the ordure as in Pthisickes Hecticke fevers turned to Marasmes c. And it is the opinion of Galen that in pestilentiall Fevers the egestions are almost alwayes liquid by reason of this fat substance Hard egestions againe proceed likewise of divers causes 1. By reason of immoderate heat proceeding of great labour from bathing or some other externall cause 2. By use of diureticke medicines by which meanes these excrements may bee dried up 3. By reason of astringent diet as medlars quinces sloes and the like 4. The long continuance of the excrements in the guts may likewise occasion the same the small veines implanted in the guts attracting all the moisture from the excrements and the guts by this long continuance acquiring a greater heat 5. By means of the dry constitution of the guts and the like distemper of the whole body I could here likewise insist on many other particulars concerning the mixture of severall sorts of excrements and causes which to avoyd prolixity I willingly passe by But the question may here be asked how often and when is the best time for this evacuation in health I answer that as wee can hardly certainly determine mens particular occasions constitutions and individuall proprieties and natures no more can wee absolutely set downe any verdict concerning this businesse yet is it best in time of health to inioy this benefit at least once if not twice aday howbeit I am not ignorant that some both in sicknesse and in health have continued divers daies yea sometimes weekes without the use of this evacuation I confesse indeed such as were able to absteine from all manner of sustenance for divers yeeres together needed not either this or any other evacuation examples whereof I have produced some already But in ordinary healthfull bodies this is alwaies the best and so answerable also in sicknesse and who so decline from this rule it commonly fareth not so well with them I deny not but there are some individuall constitutions who better indure the want of this benefit than others Neither yet is there any set quantity to be determined for good and laudable nourishment as egges and the like ingender fewer excrements than herbes browne bread and the like The best time is the morning and if it may be conveniently in the evening also before going to bed will prove beneficiall But it commeth many times to passe than in Fevers especially and hot acute diseases the body being bound and as it were locked up there arise and ascend up into the braine divers hot vapours the cause of no small annoyance not to that noble part only but to the whole body there must be therefore a speciall regard and care had to expell these excrements especially by opening and loosening diet and if that will not prevaile by lenitive and milde gentle evacuations suppositories and glisters Againe it commeth so sometimes to passe that nature is too forward in this kinde of evacuation as commonly in fluxes of all kindes proving often very pernicious to the patient Now these fluxes are of divers sorts as first that wee call diarrhaea the mildest and safest of all the rest and next dysenteria proceeding of divers humours but ordinarily with the admixtion of blood and therefore called commonly the bloody flâ—xe or fluxe rather which if not carefully in time look'd unto proveth often dangerous if not deadly Besides there are yet other dangerous fluxes call'd Lienteria and Caeliaca where the parts appropriated for concoction being interessed by these fluxes the body is frustrated its of proper nourishment All these fluxes in due and convenient time are by the advice and counsell of the wise and judicious Physitian by proper and convenient remedies to be cured but now
patient lying at his house a Canon and because the â—â—the◠〈◊〉 widdower often sent for his daughter to helpe him out in some domesticall all 〈◊〉 therefore this scholler conceived a great iealousie against this Canon as though 〈◊〉 were more familiar with his wife than was fitting howbeit 〈…〉 kept her fathers house it was not to be marvelled that hee often sent for hâ—â— insomuch that he confessed to the Author that he sometimes purposed to have killed this supposed corrivall Canon when he went at night to fetch home his wife but after a while giving way to reason and fully perswaded of his wives honesty and so acknowledging his owne fault became more wife afterwards But before I close up this discourse of jealousie I cannot passe by a story of an old woman This woman although very antient yet married a lusty youngman and afterwards when she bethought her selfe of her owne old age and his youth perswading her selfe he would out-live her and marry againe another younger than her selfe it did so trouble her that with much anger and in diâ—â—nation sheâ— would mâ—â—e her griefe knowne to her neighbours and gossips and thus to her dying day persisted It is good wisedome therefore to be wary and take warning that neither man nor woman give any just cause of suspition How much more then ought both parties to be circumspect in absteining from the act of uncleanesse it selfe And by that which hath beene said already we see that which was spoken by the wise Salomon the pen-man of the holy Ghost confirmed Iealousie is the rage of a man therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance He will not regard any ransome neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts And a worthy Divine of this kingdome expounding the later part of this chapter by the Text it selfe maketh it plainly appeare how farre adultery doth exceed theft and how erroneous is the judgement of many men who will exclaime with open mouth against a theefe and will scorne to come in his company and yet many times bragge of this erroneous and detestable crime which the same spirit of truth in the same place affirmeth to destroy the soule And besides that this reproach shall never be wiped away But this sinne is so frequently in the pulpits spoken against and better befitteth the pen of a Divine than of a Physitian and therefore Manum de tabula CHAP. XXIX Of amorous or loue-potions called Philtra Whether loue may be procured by fascination IT hath beene an inveterate opinion and is yet fast rooted in the mindes of many that there are certaine medicines of that naturall force and operation that being taken within the bodie they will inflame that party that taketh them with this passion of loue Now whether this be so or no and if it be whether it can force the affection to any one individual person more than another is worth the inquiring As for the first it would seeme there were some such medicines there being so frequent mention made among our Authors of these love medicines The poets both Greeke and Latine often mention them and some also set downe the matter wherof they are made which is without all controversie but whether they be indued with any such efficacie let us now inquire We have already declared that all simples worke either by their ordinary qualities of three severall sorts as we have said already or else by an occult and hidden qualitie as we see the loadstone draweth the yron and divers purging medicines make choice of certaine select and peculiar humors as rhubarb purgeth choler c. Now that there proceedeth no such vertue from any of these ordinary qualities it is so manifest that none did ever yet affirme it It resteth then that it must needes proceed from an occult qualitie It must needs then follow that there are some simples that will procure love and since love is an affection of the soule why may there not be other simples to worke upon other affections of the soule as harted anger c and if so then these medicines which are corporeall may worke upon the affections of the soule which is spirituall which is absurd But will some reply it cannot be denied that some medicines there are which procure love I answere that some doe provoke lust I doe not deny but to procure love is not yet proved and such produce this effect by an ordinary and to us knowne qualitie as some by increasing the blood and consequently the seed of generation some by meanes of their flatuous quality and some againe by their acrimony sharpe and venomous quality doe often provoke an irritation and are of such a corroding and fretting nature that they often make pisse blood and cause irrecoverable ulcers in the kidnies and obscene parts And sometimes these intoxicating medicines fly up into the head and cause madnesse of the which fearefull effects frequent mention is made in divers Authors And it is memorable which is written of Lucretius the Poet who howbeit he set downe divers directions against love yet could he not escape death by this owne violent hands incited thereunto by meanes of a love potion exâ—â—oâ—ted to him by his owne wife Lucilla of the which another Poet hath these words His qui philtra hibit nimioque insanus amore Mox ferro occubuit sic menteâ—â— aâ—â—â—serat omnem In love who drunke his charmed drinke raging on sword did fall And being mad did lose his wit his sense his life and all And it is just with God often to punish men by that meanes wherein they promised themselves some extraordinary great contentment But those same simples which are supposed of this efficacie and power howsoever some of the antients have by tradition received them from others yet neither our antient nor moderne Physitians doe attribute any such efficacie unto them And besides if there were any such force or efficacie in them to be found then were this towards all equally and not towards one individuall particular person If any shal yet reply that this hath beene often observed that after the use of such medicines such an effect hath followed I answer this is but an evill consequence and that Philosophers call lenchus a non causa pro causa when that is assigned for a true cause which is none at all And this wee see often verified in magicall spells and characters which in themselves have no such efficacy and power to produce such strange stupendious effects where it may plainly appeare that Satan is the chiefe actor in the action During my abode in France som 25 yeeres agoe I was familiarly acquainted with a gentleman of Poitou who had a Tennant dwelling in the same towne ever which hee was sole Lord whose wife told mee that some few yeeres before that time being married the very same day as they went out at the Church doore the one ranne
Lord are incamped in the open fields shall I then goe into mine house to eate and drinke and lie with my wife as thou livest and thy soule liveth I will not do this thing There is yet a pregnant place for this same purpose That lie upon beds of yvory and stretch themselves upon their couch and eat the lambs out of the flocke and the calves out of the midst of the stall that chaunt to the sound of the viol and invent to themselves instruments of musick like David That drink wine out of bowles and anoint themselues with the chiefe ointments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that goe captive and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed Let our Preachers apply these places I will not thrust my sickle into another mans harvest But now as concerning mirth and cheerefulnesse in diseased and sicke persons I thinke it is to them by all meanes to be procured and as I said already all manner of discontents are to be avoided But of all other sicke people to such especially as are otherwise of a melancholy constitution of bodie or sicke of any disease tending that way although but accidentally as likewise such as are of themselves fearefull and pusillanimous and easily dismaied at a small matter And herein is required great wisdome and circumspection and that the Physitian doe accommodate himselfe to the severall dispositions of his patients and to many particular circumstances concerning them which cannot punctually be set downe And howbeit this passion as well as others may sometimes exceed the bounds of mediocritie yet are not the sicke for the most part so much hereby indangered as by other passions Resteth now to discusse one question before we conclude Since joy and mirth is so agreeable to mankinde and lesse offensive than any of the rest it may then not without good reason be demanded whether any may die of this passion I answer that even Galen himselfe who was ignorant that any could die of anger yet did confesse that some might die of too great joy And there is some reason for it for the blood and spirits flying all from the center or heart to the circumference or outward parts the party must needs die the heart now being left destitute of such necessary provision and Pliny makes mention of some as of one Chile Sophocles Denis the Tyrant and of her who after that dismall battel of Canes contrary to a false rumor received her sonne alive whom she supposed to have bin dead And Purchas maketh mention of the like accidents even in this our age Abraham Kendall saith he put into the I le of S. Helena about the yeere 1592. and left on shore a sicke man whom Edmund Barker 18 moneths after found in good plight but their unexpected comming as it seemeth so ravished his weake spirits with ioy that it distracted him and being otherwise of constitution very well he died 8 daies after The like hee saith of a Portugall in the same place I wish therefore thou use moderate mirth and cheerefulnesse and such as be too much subject to sorrow and griefe to refraine therefrom and not to give way to any anxious cares which are the causes of many mischiefes both to the body and the minde Take therefore this counsell with thee Omnia curarum somenta relinque nec ullis Corpus habe pressum sollicitudinibus Anxia mens non ipsa sibi non rebus agendis constat ab hac vitium corpora saepe trahunt Hince variae pestes morborum mille figurae crede animam nostri corporis esse ducem Saepe graves ista veniunt ex arce labores sicut ab aercis pestilens aura plagis All things that may thy cares increase avoid and lay aside Keepe still thy heart from heavinesse let joy there still abide A pensive minde even to it selfe inconstant is alway And in all things it undertakes it keepes no constant stay From thence the body often drawes corruption and vice Hence plagues and of sore maladies a thousand sorts arise This know that of each man the soule is of his body guide From whence as from corrupted aire great pains in him reside And thus much shall suffice to have said of joy and mirth the true antidot against sorrow griefe and feare And this likewise shall suffice concerning all the passions and perturbations whereof I undertooke to speake and as I said at first I am not ignorant but that there are yet a many more affections which in time worke a deepe impression both on the body and minde of man yet worke they but leisurely and by degrees and worke no such sudden impression and therefore I passe them by The Conclusion of this whole Discourse BY that which hath beene said already may plainly appeare how excellent and how usefull is this Diet of the Diseased and how necessary it is to be carefull in the prescription thereof and from hence may evidently be evinced into what danger they precipitate themselves who fall into the hands of such unskilfull persons who are not able to advise them what Diet is best and what is worst And yet as by this precedent discourse hath plainely appeared Diet is that which principally and above all other meanes is narrowly to be looked into And that this is not a matter of so small a moment as by the vulgar it is accounted hath at great length by the authority of the learned in all ages beene plainely proved In the first particular then wee see wee must consider the nature of the aliment whether it be a vegetable as all sorts of plants fit for the use of man the variety whereof together with their severall vertues wee have at length set downe Againe there being such varietie of other creatures foure-footed beasts fowle and fishes which afford food for susteining of mans life their natures must be well knowne and what food they afford the sicke and how safe it is to administer the same Besides all this the right preparation is duely and carefully to be observed some sickenesses requiring one and some another kinde of food and a different preparation And besides the quantitie must carefully be observed and that according to severall individuall bodies and the order when more than one dish is allowed Now all this is yet nothing if the state of the individuall bodie thou dealest with be not without great care and diligence looked into And principally and above all other things wee must have a watchfull and carefull eye over the strength of the sicke and not onely narrowly observe the difference of severall and individuall parties one from another according to their severall complexions but even one and the same individuall partie how it differeth from it selfe according to the severall seasons not onely of the sicknesse but even of the time of the yeere also All the which
Bathes artificiall 296. Vse of Bathes in mans body ibid. Warme or temperate Bathes and their vertues ibid. Hot Bathes and their use in divers diseases and in what cases most hurtfull 296 297. Bathing in cold water and for whom hurtfull in sicknesse and in health 297. In Bathing how to be ordered continuance in the Bathe 298. Bathes naturall of severall sorts 300 304 305 306 c. Bathes participating of the nature of yron allum copperas plaster silver and gold ibid. Of Sulphurous and Biluminus Bathes ib. Immoderate Bathing dangerous 299. Bawme and Bawme-water 56. Beanes 43. Bed whereon the sicke lieth 152. Downe Beds and feather-beds heat the back much in sommer especially and in hot diseases ibid. Beds filled with wooll ibid. Beds filled with Oat-chaffe very usefull c. ibid. Babylonian Beds of leather filled with water ibid. Italian beds filled with wind ibid. High French Beds best in sommer and hot diseases ibid. Field-beds and canopy beds ibid. Hanging Beds good for the use of the sicke ibid Beds should differ according to the disease and season of the yeere Beefe 72. Beere and the vertues thereof 123. Differences of Beere from the malt it is made of from the age the strength substance taste quantity of hops the calour the fewell wherewith the malt is dried and the water wherewith it is brewed 126. Bitter Beere 127. Beere better for our sick than wine 192. Buttered Beere and the abuse thereof 324. Beetes 49. Belly or Tripes 75. Benedict 1. and 14. Popes and their licencious lines 330. Barberies 62. Beteony 56. Bewitching See fascination Bilberries 62. Bird of Paradise 29. Bissextile or leap-yeere 229 300 c. Blacke-bird 80. Bittowre 81. Bleare eyes the and effects they produce 355. Blites or Bleees 49. Blood of beasts 76. Blood abounding causeth many diseases 228. Blood-leting See phlebotomie Borrage 50. Boare-heads nailed on great mens gates in Switzerland 356. Braines of beasts 75. Braines of fowle 82. Bramble-berries 61. Brawne See Hogs flesh Bread of severall sorts 42. Bread of Wheate and the differences thereof from the meale prepration and age ibid. Bread made of Barley of Pease Beanes Oates Millet Panicke c. 43. Bread made of roots ibid. Bread of other graines seldome used for food more for physicke ibid. Bread of Chestnuts 70. Bread yeeldeth the best nourishment Bread to be used both with Fish and Flesh ibid. Bread what best for the sickes use how for them to be prepared and how to be used 170 c. Bread of new flowre fittest for the sick and how the ancients washed their bread ibid. How it is washed with us ibid. Vnleavened Bread hurtfull for the sicke ibid. Artificiall preparations of Bread according to occasions ibid. Breake-fast and whether it be usedfull 49. Broome 93. Broome-flowers 99. Brothes for the sicke 179. Buglosse See Borrage Buriall in Churches and Church-yards See Aire Burning lampe made of blood See lampas vitae mortis Bustard 81. Butter 76. When best 208. Whether usefull for the sicke and how to be used ibid. C. Cabbage and their qualities 52. Cacochymia what 231. Calipha died by eating pigeons roasted with the heads 275. Camels milke See milke Camels flesh See uncouth flesh Capers pickled 99. Capons flesh 77. Capons unknowne to the ancients 154. Capons whether they ingender the gout 175. Cardan contemned the dog-daies His voyage into Scotland to Cardinall Beton 255. Carnall copulation and the moderate use thereof 325. Moderately usefull and profitable for the body 326. Immoderate use thereof procureth great hurt to the body For what bodies most usefull For whom most hurtfull sicke folkes must absteine from it Some other things concerning this subject 326.327 c. Carpe 93. Carrot 45. Carrying on mens shoulders 219. Cats flesh See uncouth diet Cephalice vein when to be opened 239. Chamelion liveth not on the aire 29. Charles the great had something read to him during meales 229. Cheekes of beasts 75. Cheese 76. The best ibid. Cherries and their kindes 62. Chestnuts See Nuts Chickens 77. Children are not to be frighted with bug-beares and the like 394. China broth See broth Cider 128. Cinamon and the vertues thereof 102. Cinq-foile 51. Circaea or Circelus See Mandrakes Citron or Lemmon 63. Cives 46. Clary 54. Clement the 8 Pope a bastard a Bawd c. 329. Climactericall yeeres with the signification of the word 10. Climactericall yeers of divers sorts and what they portend ibid. According to some divers in man and woman ibid. Three severall causes of these yeeres Astronomicall Physicall Numrical 11. Clothing of the sicke 153 154. Clothing would inrich Northampton 150. Clothing begunne to be set up in Northampton ibid. Clovegillisiflowres 99. Cloves 101. Cocatrice See Basiliske Cockes-flesh 78. Old Cockes 157. Cockles 91. Cod-fish of divers kinds 89. Coelica passio See Fluxes Cold of Northerne countries 259. Cold countries may feed more liberally than hot 38. Colice 180. Columbines 53. Col-worts See Cabbage Concoction naturall and artificiall 277. Concoction when to bee expected ibid. Conger 89. Conie 74. Constantine King of Scotland made strict lawes against riot and excesse 106. Conviviall discourses See exercises of the minde Corne and the kindes thereof 4. Corneillons 67. Covering of the sicke 151. 152. Too much covering of the sicke ibid. Countrie-people often much wrong themselves in the use of phlebotomy 148. Country-Surgeons often much wrong the people in this same particular ibid. Cow-slip flowers 99. Crabfish 92. Crane 81. Criticall daies depend more upon the materiall cause of the disease than on the starres 358. Crustards See white meats Crying See exercise Cucumer or Coucomber 58. Cupping most commonly used with scarification See Scarification The matter and forme of such cups and in what bodies most usefull ibid. Dry cups without scarification ibid. Currants 61. 65. Cuttle-fish 90. D. Dates 65. David King of Scotland suppressed all riot and excesse in his kingdome 167. Daies good and bad a heathenish superstion 259. Deer See Venison Derivation and when to be used See phlebotomy What it is ibid. Distillation unknowne to antiquitie 190. Distilled waters ibid. Distilled restoratives for the sicke 180. Dinner and the time thereof among the ancients and among us 37. 38. Dinner or supper which may be more liberall 39. 40. Dinner the day of purgation 288. Discourse of waighty matters during meales See conviviall discourse ibid. Directions for Conviviall discourse ibid. Divines and their education in good literature Intr. 19. Their paines and prerogative ibid. Their advantage beyond the Physitians ibid. They are freed from many incombrances whereunto the Physitian is subject ibid. They have the sole power of admitting those of their owne profession Intr. 19. 21. Diureticke remedies and their use 311. Their right use and preparation before ibid. Of two sorts ibid. Errour in the use of diuretickes Safest and best diureticke simples ibid. Danger in the use of hot diureticke simples ibid. Dog-daies whether to be observed 151 c. Whether phlebotomy and physicke may not safely be
colour ibid. Ancients very lavish in this evacuation Reiteration of Phlebotomy and divers kindes thereof 248. Divers vulgar errors concerning phlebotomy Oportune time of Phlebotomy generall and particular of election and coaction in prevention and in sickenesse in chronicall and acute disease 250. 251. It may with us in any season of the yeere be administred ibid. Phlebotomy evacuateth Plethory 231. Things to be considered in the opening of the veine strength especially 241. Particular Phlebotomy by leaches and scarification 263. Physicke a more painfull laborious and troublesome profession than any other Intr. 18. Physitians practicall paines exceede the paines of other professions Paines of the three chiefe professions paralleled and compared together Intr. 19. Extent of the Physitians study exceedeth that of other professions Ibid. Physitians often much incombred to please their patients Their best actions and indeavours often misconstrued and they wrongfully traduced Their paines greatest and yet often worse requited than those of other professions They have many sharers with them which often rob them of their due Intr. 21. Pigeons 78. 175. Whether to be used of the sicke ibid. Pigge 72. Pilchards or sprats 90. Pills how and when to be taken 280. Pine-apple See Nut. Plethora See Repletion Plover 82. Plums and their properties 65. Pomgranat 68 Pope Iulius a Sodomite 329. Pope Sixtus 4 erected in Roome stewes for both kindes of uncleannesse and allowed the use of Sodomy ibid. Pope Clement the 8 See Clement the 8. Pope Iohn the 4 a whore-master an adulterer a Sodomite ibid. Pope Benedict See Benedict Pope Paul the 3 prostituted his owne daughter 330. Posset-drinke and severall waies of preparation 207. White-wine posset-Drinke ibid. Sorrell posset-drinke ibid. Posset-drinke in maligne and pestilentiall fevers ibid. Plaine ordinary posset-drinke ibid. Best Posset for healthfull people 208. Eating Possets and the abuse thereof ib. Potato roots 45. Pricke-madam 50. Prescilliâ—mists fast See Abstinence Ptisan See Creame of barley Puffe 47. Purgation what 267. In Purgation what to be considered ibid. 368. Purging medicines different 168. Compound medicines various and of divers sorts ibid. Of divers formes 269. Externall and internall ibid. Purgation perfect and imperfect ibid. Minorative purgation ibid. Pâ—r epierasin ibid. Method of Purgation and what therein to be considered 269 c. Error of the vulgar concerning Purgation 270. Indication of purging three-fold 271. When to purge and severall circumstances in purging to be considered 283 Humours to be purged 276. Preparation before purgation ibid. Preparation of the body and humors requisite 277. Difference thereof ibid. Quantity of purging medicines 278. Time of our purgation generall and particular 283. 284. When to be deferred 284. In the beginning when to purge ibid. In the fit when usefull 285. Best time of the yeere fittest day and time of the day ibid. Strong purgations 268. Gentle purgations ibid. Defective purgation and the cause thereof 289. 290. After Purgation how the patient is to be ordered ibid. Divers formes of purging medicinces 280. Liquid and solid formes c. 287. Passages by which we are to purge and what therein to be considered ibid. Perfect purgation and the signes thereof 289. Purselane 50. Pythagorean abstinence See abstinence Pyke and Pycarell 29. Q. Quaile 80. Quince 67. R. Rabbet or Conie See Conie Raile 81. Raisin Raisin of the Sunne 65. Raspes 60. Rats-flesh See uncouth flesh Reddish Horse-Reddish 44. Repasts and meales and their number for one day 37. Times fittest for Repast 38. Repasts and their times differ in severall countries ibid. Repletion and how ingendered 225. Repletion indicates evacuation ibid. Revulsion See Phlebotomy Rheumes distilling downe upon the breast and how to expell this excrement 323. Rheumes troublesome to the body ibid. Rheume differeth both in colour and in taste ibid. Rheume or that which is spit vp must be observed in pleurisies Error of the vulgar in the use of expectorating medicines against the Rheume ibid. Rhintax See Bird of Paradice Ribes See Currants Rice-bread See Bread Rice-pottage See white meats Riot and excesse abound much in this our age See gluttony Rochet Roch 92. 93. Roses of severall sorts 44 c. Roses their severall kinds vertues 51. Rue eaten against fascination See fascination S. Saffron 102 Sage 56. It is far more soveraigne for the corroboration of the bram and animall parts than Tabacco See Tabacco Sailing and the differences thereof See Exercise Sal gemmae See Salt Sal ammoniacus ibid. Salivation and the use the thereof 316. Abuse thereof ibid. 321. Salmon Salmon-trout 92. Salt a sauce of sauces 94. Salt of severall sorts 95. Salt what best ibid. Salt of salt-wells ibid Salt made by the heat of the fire ibid. Salt of plant ibid. Salt what complexions it best befitteth and to whom an enemy 94. Cautions in the use thereof ibid. Immoderately used hurtfull Properties and vertues of Salt ibid. Salicatella vena 240. Sampierre kept for sallets 92. Saphena veine 240. Sardanapâ—lus his Epicure-like Epitaph 105. Savory 56. Scarification 264. Often used with cupping In what cases to be used ibid. Scald 90. Scurvie-grasse ale See diet-drinke Searing or burning of some part What it is 265. The benefit and utility thereof The place of the issue with some cautions and the instrument wherewith it is made ibid. Seasons of the yeare considerable in sicknesse and in health 20. How ordinarily defined and limited 21 Otherwise distinguished by Hippocrates ibid. Seasons differ according to Climats and Countries within and without the Tropickes ibid. They differ according to the situation of places 22. Section or opening of the veine See veine Seed of generation what and for what use 315. Service 67. Setaceum and Setum See searing Shifting of the sicke See cleane linnen Shooting with a bow See exercise Shrimps See pranes Signe whether to be considered in Phlebotomy 256. Erroneous and superstitious custome of the vulgar in so punctually observing the signe ibid. Confutation of this opinion 257. The Sunne ought to have a greater share in the signe than the Moone and the reasons 259. Signes ruminant a meere fancy and Chimara 258. Signes not to be observed in purging ibi Signes neglected of our best Physitians howsoever some of them expert Mathematicians 260. Silke-wormes eaten See uncouth diet Situation of the sicke house See aire Skallions See Onions Sleepe moderate and the benefits thereof 332. Immoderate sleepe with the harmes thereon insuing ibid. What sleepe is ibid. It is not properly a function of any sense ibid. Fittest time for sleepe 333. Sleepe in the day time whether allowable ibid. For whom most hurtfull ibid. Best situation of the body for Sleepe Morning-sleepe ibid. Sleepe of the sicke 335. Time fittest for sicke folkes to sleepe in ibid. In acute diseases fittest time ibid. In what diseases it may bee of longest continuance ibid. Sleepe in intermitting Fevers ibid. In 〈◊〉 diseasâ—s ibid. In sopâ—â—â—â—rous diseases it must bee sâ—â—â—ted ibid. Whether the sick may sleepe after physicke 288. Sleep not
situation thereof being the cause of these differences Many other strange effects of winds may in these Authors be seene which here I willingly passe by having dwelt somewhat the longer upon this point to acquaint such as shall travell into this new world with the condition of the aire and winds of those remote regions CHAP. VI. Of the foure Seasons of the yeere and how they affect the body GOD of his infinit goodnesse to man-kinde after that great and terrible deluge and inundation of the universall world made man a promise that from thenceforward should not faile the severall seasons of the yeere Sommer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest which hath hitherto accordingly come to passe Now these seasons according to severall climats and countries doe much vary and differ Vnder the Line and betwixt the Tropickes they continue more constant and lesse deviation from their ordinary course is to be observed Without the Tropicks there is a greater difference and irregularity therein to be observed Now these seasons therefore according to their unconstant course must needs diversly affect the body of this Microcosme man both in sicknesse and in health and therefore will not be impertinent to say something of this subject Wee will threfore begin with the naturall temperature of the seasons of the yeere as they are commonly seene and observed with us here in Europe The naturall temperature of the Spring then with us here in Europe ought to be hot and moist of the Sommer hot and drie of the Autumne or Harvest cold and moist of Winter cold and drie These among innumerable others are the chiefe alterations incident to our aire and by the which the seasons of the yeere are with us ordinarily divided and distinguished and these seasons are occasioned by meanes of the exaltation or declining of that glorious prince of Planets Now the further these seasons decline frō the afore-mentioned qualities the more intemperate and greater enemies to the health of mankind they prove Our Hipporcrates defines not these seasons after this manner but according to the rising and setting of certaine starres and the chiefe times by him observed are these following the two Solstices the one in Sommer about the eleventh of Iune the other in Winter about the eleventh of December then next the two Aequinoxes the one about the eleventh of March the other about the eleventh of September These times because of dangers about these seasons this old Father would have us to observe The Sōmer Solstice he accounteth most dangerous and the Harvest Aequinox The same Authour againe observeth the rising and setting of certaine starres as namely of the Pleiades Vergiliae rising the five and twentieth of April and setting about the first of November and againe the rising of Arcturus about the one and thirtieth of August and setting about the beginning of March. Besides this same Authour observeth also the rising of the Dog-starre the ninteenth of Iuly and setting againe the twenty seventh of August and with these also he observeth the blowing of the West-wind And this is all the Hippocraticall spheare comprehending such starres and seasons as he thought fit for Physitians to observe But now againe as concerning the temper of these seasons whereas I say the Spring is hot and moist it may be objected that in it selfe it is rather temperate To this I answer that howsoever it be so accounted yet in comparison of the other seasons it may be called temperate And againe it may be called temperate as some say effective by producing the best temper It may againe be demanded if heat and drouth be proper qualities befitting Sommer and cold drouth approptiated for Winter whether the hottest Sommer be not the healthfullest as likewise the coldest Winter To this I answer they are not so simply and absolutely considered Nam omne nimium vertitur in vitium The extreme hot Sommer inflames the humours of the body making it subject to hot and acute diseases and the extreme pinching cold accompanied especially with sharpe piercing Northerly winds disposeth the body to rheumes and rheumatecke diseases as likewise to Apoplexies and many other such like dangerous infirmities The humours in the body of man have pre-eminence and dominion according to these foure seasons for in the Spring blood most abounds in the Sommer choler in the Harvest melancholy and in Winter phlegme and the parts of our civill day answer likewise to these seasons the morning to the Spring the noonetide to Sommer the afternoone to autumne and the night to Winter Now these anniversarie or yeerely seasons doe much differ according to the climat For within the Tropicks the seasons are much warmer than without and under the Equinoctiall Line then Winter is when the Sorrow is perpendicular over their heads by reason that then it doth more powerfully attract and draw unto it selfe divers moist exhalations which descending againe in great abundance upon the face of the earth doth plentifully refresh water the same and this season they therefore call their Winter But againe when the Sun declineth a little the beames not darting downe so perpendicularly as before there not being now that forcible attraction of vapours and by consequent as fewer clouds and lesse raine so heat to the outward appearance being then intended and of greater force than before and this time they call their Sommer as being fairer and warmer than the former quite contrary to that which befalleth us here without the Tropickes as in particular may be observed in the country of Chili in the West Indies Now the situation of places as hath before beene mentioned often altereth the nature of this ambient aire and by consequent altereth the seasons in those particular places although the elevation of the Pole differ little or nothing the which is evidently seen in Peru whereas the whole breadth of the countrie not much exceeding forty leagues in the plaine it neither snowes raines nor thunders and in the meane time upon the Sierra or hils the seasons have their courses as in Europe where it raines from the moneth of September untill April and in the Andes it raines in a manner all Winter And even here in Europe no small difference may thus be observed that oftentimes the high hills are infested with terrible cold tempests when as the adjacent vallies goe many times scotfree as travellers can testifie And of this my selfe was once an eye-witnesse when as in the yeere 1610 travelling from Misnia towards Prague and passing over the high hills which encompasse Bohemia round about on Easter eve at night falling then about the midst of April as likewise all Easter day and the three next daies after it snew continually without any intermission accompanied with so nipping a frost and North-Easterly wind that I have seldome at any time observed a sharper season the next day after the snow fell no more and comming downe into the plaine of Bohemia about
maium invests inhabitum corporis periculoâ—a est phâ—â—botomia â—olleâ— de â—orb intern libr. â— tract de exanthern Historie f Citerum perpetâ—â—â— non 〈…〉 â—oâ—omia cum iam â—â—pulae in â—uperfi ie 〈…〉 extiteâ—â—nt Etenim fit â—liquando praeâ—opâ—â— viti â—t 〈◊〉 relâ—quum fit 〈…〉 vt â—eat vâ—â—â—ementer difficâ—ltas sâ—â—â—andi graâ—is fiâ—â—e ris â— quo temâ—oâ—â—â— si niâ—â—l repugnat vena sâ—cunda est â—lioqui sanâ—uâ— sagis utendum erit Idem ibid. Whether in the Iauâ—dise we may use phlebotomy g Vide hac de re Mercatum Tom. 3. libr 4. cap. 5. de intern morb curat Holler de morb intern lib. 2. cap. 37. de liter h Anatomy of urines libr. 2. cap. 9. History Two great ansâ—â—â— vernâ—s in 〈◊〉 Veines opened for dâ—vers ends Veins usually opened in the arme Cephalica or humeraria may be opened with least danger Small veines sometimes opeâ—ed Cephalica upon what occasion to be opened Basilica orliver-veine Mediana Salvatella The veine betwixt the formest finger and the thumb Divers veines in the head opened upon severall occasions Veines opened in the foot Ischiadica seu vena poplitis Saphena De his fusius Galenus lib de venâ— sect In phlebotomy a rectitude to bee observed The manner of the section A smaller orifice In diseases 〈◊〉 are not alwaies to use the remedy by them indicated Strength weakened two waies Oppression of the strengâ—h Strenâ—th prostrated or overthrowne Strength is to be considered according to the triple faculty animall vitall and naturall What constitutions of body admit of a large and plentifull evacuation and what constitutions admit noâ— of it What age fittest for Phlebotomy and what not The sexe Custome to be considered Things contrary to nature doe inhibite evacuation Whether a woman 〈…〉 blood or noâ— a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aph 30 â—ib â— Answere Phlebotomy not so frequent in the time of Hipâ—ocrates as in this our age b Si sit in trimis mersibus si adhuâ— ie dicotiâ—nes mutendi â— agâ—â—n hâ—c poâ—est â—uto mini eo tempore per sectâ—onem vâ—narum orachioâ—â—m c Mercurâ—d◠〈◊〉 orb muliebr lib 22 caâ— 1 Nec adeo uti vetâ—res fecerunt iâ— grevâ—dis pleâ—boâ—cis â—hlebo mia metuenda cum exod us usu aliquas abortivisse miâ—i non constet etiamsiâ— ambis terve repetierâ—nt â— viâ—ean usque mustas etsi vuluâ—ratae aliterve laesae plurimum sanguinis profuderint tamen foetus minime nocuisse â— lat Praxeos sua tract tertio cap. 1. Reasons proving this asserâ—ion It may safely be used if discretion be not wanting In the Authors owne experience safe This remedy not rashly to be attempted c Praestat ancepâ— adhihere anxiliuÌ„ quam nullum Cels lib. 2. cap. 10. A carefull consideration must be had what Physitian one useth Whether phlebotomâ— may be used to accelerate and further the birth Answere Whether the age doeth â—ndicate phlebotomy d Liceâ— Graeâ—â— iâ— puerâ—usque ad 14 annum a venae sect abstinerent a rabes ut aâ—â—â—s ixâ—mus lib 1. schel ad observat â—â— eâ—iam in pueris eam aâ—iqua do non reliquerant it nos in puerts câ—annorum pteur â—ide laborantibus vâ—â—am â—eâ—uimas etâ—am â— quoâ—am 13 annâ—â—ageate Quida 〈◊〉 us 〈…〉 ensis faelâ—ci successâ— quâ—â—â—o anno venom â—â—cuit Aâ—naeius venâ—m â—â—cuit 〈◊〉 puero 〈◊〉 sangu nâ—o â— aâ—no 〈…〉 iâ— pueris tomen 〈◊〉 â—culis 〈◊〉 câ—ae angustiores sunt anguâ—â—â—â— utuntu◠〈…〉 â—â—rum â—audâ— Forâ—e◠〈◊〉 servâ—e 〈◊〉 libr. 16. scâ—ol ad observ â—â— e Ergo si â—uvenis iâ—bâ—cillus eâ—t aut siâ—m 〈◊〉 quae gravâ—da non est parum valâ—t mali sanâ—â—is miâ—tâ—â—ur At firmus puer robustus seneâ— gravida mul er valens tuto curantur libr. 2. cap. 10. History No certaine rule concerning the quantity can be set downe How to finde it out A triple quantity observed The strength threefold When to use a liberall and plentifull evacuation and when a lesser Reiteration when to be used In chronicall diseaseâ— how to determine of the quantity In prevention the quantity Swounding no certaine signe of the quantity The changing of the colour of the blood is no certaine rule to discerne the true quantity As little certainty by the change of the face and eyes The best rule of finding out the true quantity The antients very lavish in this kind of evacuation a Gal. de venae sect b Boâ—all de venae sect Reiteration very usefull c Lib de 〈◊〉 per â—ang mâ—ffiâ—n Erroneous opinion oâ—â—he Vulgar Confuâ—ation of this folly Whether fit to bleed constantly once of 〈…〉 Answere Many câ—untrie peopâ—e much 〈…〉 Covetous Surgeons much 〈◊〉 the people Another grosse and erroneous 〈◊〉 of the â—ulgar d Langius epist medic lib. 7. epâ—st 8. a Eccles 3.1 Time generall and particular Best time of the yeer The particular time Best time of the day Time of election and coaction or necessity In prevention In sicknesse In Chronicall diseases In acute diseases b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aphor. 29 lib 2. In acute diseases admitting of intermission or remission the fittest time Inflammation and great paines without a Fever c Method med lib. 9. Revulsion when to be used Derivation Whether Phlebotomy may be used during the dog-daies The Vulgar shy of bleeding during the dog-daies d Aphor. 5. lib. 4. Answere In hot countries this season often very hot No particular nor 〈◊〉 call influence pâ—â—ceeding from the â—og-starre doth any â—hit at this time at◠〈◊〉 bodies Phlebotomy not abâ—â—lutely 〈◊〉 â—â—dden by the antient Physiâ—â—ans but comparaâ—â—vely In time of necessity we may freely use this of any other remedy during the dog-daies As no time of the yere is free from sicknâ—sse so in no time 〈…〉 a misse to use tâ—e meanes d Laurence Ioubert a â—â—â—râ—urs pâ—puâ—artes 〈◊〉 â—econdâ— chap 6. * About â—00 miles to the South 〈…〉 England e En este on doit mavulir le bec et anon le membre sec Ibid. Tous les mois qui nâ—ort pont de Râ—â—aiffe la femme et prennos le verre Ibid. History Another of an old man Another concerning the Author himselfe Great difference betwixt this our cold climat and other hot countries lying further to the South History Canis non mordet 10 Anglia Dogge-daies in the yeere 1630 cooler than any other paâ—â— of SoÌ„mer preceding The ambient aire chiefely to be taken notice of The heavens and celestiall bodies not freed from imposture Of phlebotomy the Mooâ—e being in the signe erroniously supposed to have predominance over that part Superstitious and erronious ignorance of the vulgar in this particular a Iâ— centi oq â—io Confutation of the former opinion Humidity doth not inhibite but rather indicate phlebotomy and so doth the heat concurring * Languis epist medâ—â— lib. 1 epist 35. 36 dâ— his agit cop esiâ—â— We reiect the observation of the Moone in some cases m Lib. 2. 3. de dieh â—itiâ— â—riticall daies depend more upon the
â—ateriall cause of the â—isease than by the starres c Passim in aphor prog nost epidem c 4 De Morb. The Moone of a swift motion and abideth not long in a signe â—â—mâ—nantit signa A weake stomacke especially clogged with corrupt humors will scarce reteine any physicke whatsoever Sottish and idle opinion of ruminant signes being but a mere fansie Heathenish superstitious to account some good and some bad daies The Sunne and his conâ—unctâ—on with other pâ—anets 〈◊〉 neglectâ— Efficacy and pâ—â—net of this King of planet Sol et homo geâ—eâ—anâ— hominem Intolerable cold of these Northerne climats The Sunne abideth a compleat moneth in one signe yet there is no mention made of the Sunne in the signe e Claudius Deodatus panth hygiast libr. 3. cap 10. f Pertinax ista muâ—torum Chirâ—rgorum consuetudo nullis rationibus firmata nulla expeâ—â—entia stabilita nullis veterum nec recentiorum medicorum authoritatibus munita eo usque pedem extuliâ— ut non solum conjunctiones oppositiones aspectuâ— insaustos pestilentissimos in omni vene sectione aut purgatione pertimescendos proclament quasi venae sectio aliquo illorum diorum adhibita certa pernicie hominem sit emedio sublatura Interim huius perniciosae opinionis alios vel authores vel fautores non hâ—bent quam Aniâ—ulas Veneficos Zingalos ineptos Empiricos Astrologos Ephemeridum calcularoâ—es c. Et paulo post unde Gal. 11. method Has Lunae â—bservationes adeo nihili fecit ut etiam magnopere saudet medicum qui quinquagenarius in cephalalgia noctu sibi venam inciderit Jdem Deodatus ibidem g Vide Duncani Liddelii Aberdinensis Scoti art medic libr. 5. de febrib curat libros 3. h Cum igitur illae planetarum conjunctiones oppositiones quadraturae catera signa illis mendaciorum tabulis affixa non sint vera legitima vel venae sectionis vel purgationis aut scerificationis indicatoria non ita scrupulose observanda veniunt sed multis nominibus irridenda expungendaque Primum enim illorum varietas diversitas descrepantia argumento est nihil omnino vel ad venae sectionem vel ad cateraâ— vacuationes conferre cum in uno diario bona in alio mala in his multa in illis vel nulâ—a vel exigna depingatur Idem ex pernicissimo Lunae per signa Zodiaci rotatu colligiur licet enim in calendarii tabula Luna duabus vel tribus in Scorpionis signo viis excurrere doceatur tanta tamen id pernicitate fit ut citiâ—â— Loâ—o signum illud percurrat quam signi vires exeri animadverti possint Idem Deodatus loco priuâ— citate i At bone Deus aâ—â—antum praestaret ut 〈◊〉 cipes urbâ—um â—â—â—oreâ— has stâ—ol◠〈◊〉 â—n Epheâ—ne◠〈…〉 versum 〈◊〉 â—ore veâ—eâ—â—m 〈◊〉 dâ—â—rum 〈…〉 â—râ—nt quâ—râ—m 〈◊〉 sacrorum 〈…〉 â—bus diebus 〈…〉 ratione saâ—ra deorum mâ—â—eria 〈◊〉 deâ—e reâ—t 〈…〉 â—â—dicabat c Et pauâ—e post Huâ—usmodi â—ane Ephenâ—erâ—â—es quae sâ—derum ortus oâ—â—asus ac teâ— pestates dâ—â—que mysteriorum fastos ei ne â—â—stos nobis indâ—carent nobu satis forent quas nugigerulum Astrologorum vulgus suâ—â— ex imaginarâ—â—â— Lunae plaâ—etarum aliorumque a pectuum iâ—sortuâ—â—is exaltationibus atque triplicationibuâ— dierum â—lectionibus defoedavitâ— qui ut imperitus Sâ—ytotomus ex uno calopodio omnibus solularia conficit sic illi Astrologi ex eadem anni constitutione hominibus etiam sub diversissimo coeli themate natis qua diâ—â— sâ—â—are venam câ—rpus phaâ—maco purgare cucurbitulis aut hirudinibus sanguinem emungere pueros ablactare mercari peregre proficisci novat induere vestes caput barbam radere resecare ungueâ— faustum sit indiscriminatim omnibus praescribunt Taceo quod bella principum mortes annona caritatem â—erfricta frâ—nte praedicere non erubeseant Querumâ—nugis moderatores urbium confifi nec eorum prudentia ratione habenas reipublicae moderâ—ri nec Medici aegros recte curare possunt At id reipublicae parum interesse censes Nequaquam digniores certe essent in quos omnes anuâ— scommata jacerent quam Thales fuerit Milesius qui primus Solis praedixit ectipsim stellas ursae minoris monstravit hic enim egressus domum ut astra contemplaretur inque subâ—ectam decidens foveam irrisus ab anu fertur quod ea quae in coelis essent scrutari vellet quum quae pedibus essent subjecta non videat Siâ—aec anuâ— nostri seculi deliramenta vidissâ—t quid eam dicturam arbitraris Annon exclamaret O vanitas vanitatum super omnia Astrologorum vanitas c. Picus Mirandulae â—omes Angelus Politianus contra Astrologiam iudiciariam scripserunt Item August lib. 2. supra Genesim lib. 2. de Doctr Christi lib. de civit Dei copiose contra Astrologos genethl Porphyrius etiam teste Iamblicho candem resutavit Testatur etiam Langius Marsâ—l Ficinum qui in libro de vita caelitus comparanda conscripto hanc Astrologorum curanai morbos methodum docuit approbavit eundem tamen tandem palinodiam Angelo Politiano Pico Mirandâ—lano canentem ingenue sateri haâ— Astrologorum observationes ut quomodo libet ad vita conservationem profuturas se congessisse non ut eas probaret sed potiuâ— cum Plotino gravissimo Platonis interprete derideret ambobus congratulatur quod Astrologica vanitatum superstitionum Portenta tam argute quam sancte confutaverint quod contra Astrologos qui Iovi coelum frustra â—eripere more Gigantum moliuntur hic ut Palladis alumnus ille ut alter Hercules egregie decertaverint Haec ex Maâ—sil Ficin lib. 12. epistol Porphyrius teste Iamblico totius eorum artificij fundamentum his verbis evertit abnegavit dum ait Si quu cognosceret figuram nativitatis Dominumque figurae inveniret quoque damonem suum solveretur per ipsum a fato nativitatis Sed subdit illam scire hunc invenire esse impossibile reguâ—as Astrologorum esse incertas incomprehensibiles auctore Chaeremone Nam certe quis in taâ—â— praecipiti fiderum nocturna diurna vertigine quum minima momenta ingentes parturiant mutationes quae vix quisquam cognitione assequi possit quiâ—inquam exacte nativitatis thema assequi possit non video Adde quod observationiis astrorum motus organa raro fint ad amussim facta sed plurimum manca Haec alia multa hanc materiam concernentia congessit Iohannes Langius medicus doctissimus celeberrimus lib. 1. epist medic epist 35. 36 ex Macrob. Saturn lib. 1. Suida Heschio Ovid. 1. Fast Gell lib. 4. cap. 9. Diog. Laert. lib. 1. Euseb de praepar Evangel lib. 12 c. Preparation to be used before phlebotomy Crudities Expulsion of the fecall ordure Imbecillity of the orifice of the stomack Situation of the patient to be let blood What to be observed in the bleeding Swounding After how to