furious diseases yet all nourishment plainely is denied before some thing in so dangerous a case be perfected There is a farther counsell to be here in extended that if the patient be desirous of sustenance or some supping and will not there from be refrayned then shall be ministred vnto him some slender foode in verie small quantitie as is neyther operatiue nor nourishable both because of the drinesse and distemperature of the body Many very good writers agree and consent that fountaine water sharpe vineger not sophisticall but seasoned from the naturall grape aromatized with honny is of sâ—owring propertie if it be well boyled together and dronke next the heart morning and euening also it is a most wholesome oxinâ—ell to mundifie fleame in the stomacke gently penetrateth congested An oximell is pure to mundifie the stomocke in sicknesse bloud in the sides doth quench and appease the furie of flammatiue feuers and sharpeneth the stomacke therein shall be found most present helpes in so hard dangers Next it is good to vnderstand how the patient profiteth or disprofiteth by these significatiue markes as followe That is when the increase of the sickenesse prospereth towardes health the concoction therewith prospereth also to a full estate as appeareth by the mouth waxing moyst or else reaching vp from the loonges some concoct matter of ripe qualitie to be easily deliuered foorth in full quantitie For the more aboundant those excrements be purged out so much the rather the stomacke is framed and sharpened â—it for foode and sustenance Then it behoueth to yeeld the body some slender reliefe so that continually it be limitted within iudication For as euery disease is rather qualified vnder a barraine dyet in the beginning so a small and thinne dyet is commended in the increase of euery sicknesse Surely a thinne dyet is best approoued in the opinion of Auycen that is when the disease consisteth and stayeth in one course towardes health But if the disease in forceable assault runneth forward without stay then all dyets are substracted vntill the nature of the disease appeare more open and perfect For the bodie hauing escaped these and such like perils of sickenesse is like a wayfaring man hauing passed a tedious and hard iourney through long fasting and much labour desireth foode So these bodies ouerpassing and preuenting variable hazardes by fatigable wrestling and painefull induring both the beginning increase with the estate and perfection of the disease are like a strong captaine after conquest and victorie desireth quietnesse rest meate and sustinance And yet many of these diseases recouered both by good ordinance of medicine and wholesome foode haue returned backe to their olde dangers and not staied their course before deathe All which falleth out both because there was some disordered surfet before health setled in perfection and the disease not quite rooted out Auycen saith that if the bodye fall into present misgouernance after that it hath bene recouered from sharpe sicknesses especially inflammatiue diseases and before nature be restored to her prestinat and potentiall estate and dignitie death without commisseration insulteth ouer life And therefore he aduiseth all men vniuersally to settle nature to sharpen the stomacke to shut the poores and to entertaine sleepe and quiet rest after sicknesse before they expoose their body to any hard practise Now these perfect canons holden by generall consent haue confounded and ouerthrowne the controuersies of new writers and retired vnto their antient and former separation of diseases and secretly therewithall holde backe and inwardly contayne their knowledge and counsell touching simple diseases As though no such thing appertaine vnto them But largely comprehend the estate of these inflammatiue feuers in eyther of their natures vnder one generall method for remedie to eyther of them so that these diseases haue diuers natures and operations aswel in their accidentes as in their concoction And many times it so falleth out that medicine altereth and setleth them not onely to concoction but also to be of an nature whereas before they were in their accidentes variable and diuers in their course and propertie Touching the difference of these simple and coÌ„pounded feuers I cannot finde no direct agreement betweene Hypocrates in his book de ratione victus other writers but Hypocrates and Leonard Fuchsins doe consent and with a true report sound out that all diseases happening in the spring ought to be vnder a moderate dyet in their beginning because nature is then most occupyed in digesting raw flegmatike humours congested the winter before and by the naturall ascending of bloud painefully diuerteth from common course And also the bodye which is replenished with humoures is in the spring season more troubled then anie other time But touching those diseases which fall out in sommer thinne dyet is then most meetest for that both naturall and vnnaturall heate exceede moystnesse and those diseases which then happen are most aptest to inflame But all those diseases which happen in Autume meate is measured according to the disease for no perfect dyet sayth Fuchsins can be prescribed for that diseases are then of diuers properties and contagions And therefore to be measured according to the phisitians skill knowledge and discretion So also suche diseases which fall out in winter are furthered or hindered according to the seasonablenesse or vnseasonablenesse of the time For moyst foggy winters ingender corrupt diseases in the body to the vttermost And naturall whether of frosts and snowe approoue and search the body eyther to great welfare of much health or els to speedie death therefore Fuchsins Frost cold purifieth the vaynes and sinewes for the bloud ascending in the spring season sayth diseases in thinne bodyes are then guided with restoratiue dyets for oftentimes such bodyes are in those seasons apt to be consumpted and vtterly wasted both because the naturall bloud is departed in the deepest vaynes and strong bodyes inwinter seasons subiect to sickenesse are best pleased and approoued with meane stipticall and sauorie dyets If in these bodies both medicine and dyet by present remedie haue not a positiue operation to conserue a strong estate in nature Forthwith nature perisheth For as they are not able to indure the pinching cold outward so their fleshie foggines cannot inwardly suffer for want of perfect and pure bloud so that no outward shelter nor inward nourishment counteruaileth to recouer health in theÌ„ Let vs returne to the substance of our purpose for the searching out the best diet in al diseases either simple or coÌ„pound Galen in the first of the Aphorisms the seuenteeth Comment wisheth a thin and sharpe diet to be established in all sharpe diseases both because the body is infected with most greatest fleames and because inflamations doo therein most abound One Hugh Senensis a learned man disputeth that thin diets are meetest in the beginning of sharpe sicknesses both because strength is in full propertie vndecaied and the materiall substance of the disease ouer
impendent danger And as some medicines are changed in their own qualities so there are also some medicines which thorow their lenetiue nature passe ouer into the substance of the body Ther is also an other cause in the vniuersall participation of ioyning superiour causes together into one perfect substance is so duly regarded in them as that their qualitie in action hath no domination in it selfe but their properties are rather deducted and brought downe from the starres into the power of hearbes Otherwise this wandring desert hearbe Scanmionyum which vnperfectly purgeth choller and leaueth the constitution of the body in more worse estate then before should be as familiar to the body as Succorie Endiffe Buglosse and such like hearbes of saluing and curing nature And yet Dyoscorides saith that Succory is of diuers kindes one is cherished in Gardens as a pretious treasure preserued for bodilie health so the other is wilde and of more resisting vertue Yet because they doo both alike drawe a naturall power from the starres in one perfect kind and substance doo equally agree in one manner of operation for they are so indicible and euident as that their propertie is not knowne onely by reasonâ— as by experience as also highlie occupied in the gouernment of mans health although they haue a right and due propertie of euident vertue which mans art cannot seperat or put away therefore action and passion are due vnto their qualities aswel for that they haue a whole and perfect substance of moouing power as also for that there is an easie transmutation of their nature into the naturall substance of mans body There is also an hearbe called Molios which draweth a power from the high gouernour of Spirites called Amy and hath sixteene legions vnder his dominion as Dyoscorides reporteth in his third booke and the fiftie two chapters in the Commentes of Barbarus and Virgilius that this hearbe is of an outward vertue most excellent it hath great power against witchcraft south saieng and coniuration it is not inwardly to be taken but outwardly to bee caried about it is of a propertie by it selfe and wil not inwardly be changed into the substance of mans nature neither doeth it preuaile in remedy of any disease except the falling sicknesse And surely all other hearbs haue some naturall or vnnatuturall portion with our bodie Yet it is vnpossibly that they should be of one power and effect together neither is there a like alteration one with an other For if their properties were of equall agreement then one substance could not haue equall operation into an other Euen as these prrperties doo verie much disagree within themselues so can they not foorthwith passe ouer into mutuall substance of mans bodie without artful knowledge aptly composing them thereto As fire sodainly without art can not bee trasformed into water nor ayre into earth So by the same difference medicines are distinguished and and knowen from nourishments For as nourishmentys agree with the natural comfortes of men so medicines haue their properties differing from the properties of men And as medicines are repugnant to the disease so both the body and the disease not onely become subiect but refourmed to medicine for health and safetie thereby And although Art domifieth them to become gentle kinde and naturall yet art neuer depriueth them from their free propertie For how much the rather they are of contrarie substance so doo they shew themselues the rather in the similitude of a more greater action and yet for that one substance is passed ouer into an other they are qualified also in power therefore let vs once againe distinguish the estate and condition of medicines within themselues Although there is an artificiall forme in the constitution of all medicines framed to some speciall appointed purpose yet as Galen saith there are some hearbes colde which take a verye litle portion of change in the heate of mans blood And many times not onely because they are of colde nature but venomed in some degree of poison very notably do they corrupt mans body As the mandragoron and such like There are also some other poisoned hearbes in a most hot degree of strong venym as the Daphnaydes the Colociâ—tidaâ—â—the Iâ—ios As they do exceed the heat of mans body so do they reach most highly beyond mans nature do forthwith oppresse life and entertaine death if their strength be not artificially remedied There are also medicines neither of hurting nor saluing power neither of hote nor cold operation neither doe they nourish nor yet destroy but very indifferent to the body of man There are also composed medicines of honnie butter sweet oyle as they are not of no pure nor cleere verdoue so are they verie nourishable and restauratiue to nature And as nourishmentes are easily changed into nature so the power of all other medicines doe comprehend a worke in their owne properties and therefore it is impossible their power should be both kept and changed Galen doth make further report that so long as medicines doe continue their nature and degree vnder the equall condition of the body are not onely gentle and fauourably incertayned but changed into bloud with the nature of the body are no more vnder the compasse of medicines but rather followe the due course of vegetation preseruation and simpathie with natuturall operation both in qualitie and power of the body Whether Galen hath extended his reasons to hote medicines I know not but I feare not to speake that oftentimes both hote and cold medicines are vnder one propertie turned into bloud when as the body meanely is subdued with coldnesse from the extremitie of heat and aduaunced to heat from the extremitie of coldnesse for then is it impossible that any impropertie should at all remaine where many properties are duely changed And also it is a most hard and difficult estate if substance in the nature of euerie one thing should whollie be taken away or diminished so neyther then is any suche bloud left alone to doe good in absolute power for humours doe nourish themselues where good bloud wanteth And euery naturall thing hath no naturall operation nor measure where any such defect is For Where no naturall operatiâ—is there is no measure surely there is no doubt but whosoeuer ouer-largely feedeth vpon honnie cannot escape but that at length his complexion is discoloured defiled stayned with a hott flegmaticke bloud So likewise in sommer season some bodies by eating of cold Lattice are drawne to ouer great comminution and heate nature and bloud are many times extenuated weakened and altered in their due course Let euery one therefore most highly call to memorie that measure and moderation are much preferred vnder the constitution of mans health Thrusianus an old fatherly writer as one falfly perswaded doth say that nothing is caryed or conueyed beyond the heate of mans body and that bodily heat congruently consenteth to all forraine heates being of neuer so strong and high valour and
difference and varietie the ordinance of meat and medicine are two speciall meanes thorow the which euery Phisitian altogether preuaileth in furthering of all sicknesses to health yet sometimes moste notable danger and hurt ariseth thereby for medicine in the tedious and wearâ—some waies of sicknes may at some one time bend down to a hurtfull and intricate purpose which was to the Patient before an effectuaâ—l remedie Neyther is there any lesse then great offence committed if meate be geuen to a sicke patient whereas it ought to bee taken away although it bee good wholsome and perfect or that meat be taken away when and where it ought to be geuen wherefore wisedome ought to be had in high consideration that all thinges in this life depend vpon opportunities times and seasons For Galen saith nothing can neither bee well spoken or done by the vse and benefite of one reasonable creature to an other if the difference of times and seasons bee not rightlie vnderstood And the writers of this latter age most iustly are reprooued for that not aâ—re one of them haue drawne the times and seasons of yeâ—â—â— in a right methodâ—call obseruation For Galen and 〈…〉 rates haue euermore conioyned that all diseases stay vpâ—â— accidentes and concoction in the diseased patient And accidentes onely appertaâ—â—e to the infection corruption of times and seasons vncertainâ—y and swiftly breaketh out eyther in their owne vniuersall rottennesse or els by the contagion of mans bodie which moste easily lyeth open vnto them so all diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire to 〈◊〉 their poysoned strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 exions as are soonest by them vanqui 〈…〉 And coâ—coction is the most easiest comfortablest signes 〈…〉 knesse which especially consist vpon these markes and sig 〈…〉 tions as followeth That is if nature be in full power and strength the materiall substance of the ingendered humours di 〈…〉 h and vanishe by little and little quite away or els concocteth setleth and possesseth some one place or propertie in the bodie otherwise if nature be weake feeble and the disease inforcible malignitie insulteth ouer the bodie hastening swiftly towardes the borders of the diaphragm or els vanquisheth the diaphragm and entereth vpon the spirituall partes whereas forthwith nature is deadly medicine vnperfect and the disease vnable to retire backe death presently inuadeth thereupon for medicine is best entertained when the vertue thereof gathereth the disease together whilest nature is fauourable the disease vn 〈…〉 or the body vnuenomed with corruption and able to be deâ—uered from the power of the disease by expulsion Here may be set forth a more playner declaration of such feuers which ingeader vpon the body of man for as some there be depending vpon vnnaturall inflamations congested by an euill humor or some vehement hote bloud possessed in some one part of the body as of the loonges or side so there is another kind of feuer which vnnaturally is kindled at the heart deducted from thence by the vaynes and arteâ—â—es and by the meane of the spirit and vaynes into all the bodyes sensible hurting the naturall ope 〈…〉 Furthermore if some special cause of sicknesse were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vrine or some other alteration of the excrementes it were a hard thing to finde out the difference of simple feuers from those feuers which hold vpon inflamation for single feuers are known eyther by the corruption of the aire or by distemperance of heate or colde dangerously crept in disquieting the naturall disposition of such bodies which are thereunto subiect or by the vnnaturalnesse of the bodie it selfe in excessiue â—askes by surfetting sweates by ouer great fasting by incontinent opening the pooâ—es by troubled trauels in thirstinesse by inordinate sleepings 〈◊〉 ouer great watchings So other feuers which hâ—ld vpon 〈◊〉 dentall inflamation as their propertie is euermore regarded by speedinesse of their accidentes towardes the vitall partes alwayes flaming out vnder some proposterous Châ—ysis These inflamatiue feuers must eyther haue a chryticall expulsion or els doe they alter from one degree to another after the greatnesse and insatiablenesse of their accidentes There is a chiefe and principall cause mouing vs herein to speake of some humorall inflamations which are cowched vnder a hard and thicke couering of straunge congested vaporous humour vppon the side or by impostumation of the loonges whose substance once perfectly growne is not remoued or extenuated except by little and little or els by present immission of bloud in the basilicke vaine as all and euerie of these seuers happening to haue egresse eyther vpon the animall and The coÌ„suâ—ption is â—n nature 〈◊〉 hect â—2 vitall partes of man so the other onely desire a long and tedious consumption nourishing themselues vppon the morall partes by continuall fretting labouring foming wasting and deuouring the outward flesh doe by a super 〈…〉 s trauerse inuade nature and the more the bodie wasteth and vanisheth away the more redolent the strength and power of these feuers abound But for the better vnderstanding of these raging diseases it were a most necessarie discretion so to marke them in their degrees as that they may be better knowne and more easier prouided for heereafter for chiefly there spittle is claâ—nâ—e tough stimte and sometimes full of bloudie and matterie corruption their breath is almost stopped doe reache and dâ—â—w farre and slowly for the same The cough is hard hollowe and short cannot without greeuing other partes of the bodie deliuer it selfe Their vrine is fearce furious and of most high complexion and of ruddie blacke colour Touching these and such like sicknesses infestered with inflamations happening vnder distemperance of times are chiefly regarded helped and cured in their concoction but not in their accidentes As they are neuer aduaunced together at one time so the greater place is giuen in concoction the accidence becommeth more peaceable and quiet Yet there is great disagreement among the latter writers that if the disease be vnualurable inestat or fashion how can the accidents of the disease be valurable or sharpe and if putrifaction or corruption be most great and forcible in estat how can concoction be most perfect for concoction is contrarie to putrifaction Howsoeuer it doth heere fall out by controuersie the surest stay vppon the sicke patient is when the disease is setled the infection is peaceable for then the medicine more certainly expelleth the cause And therefore beholde that all diseasses breake forth their malice by depending vpon speciall seasons of the yeare So that there is a double kind of offensiue matter in all feuers one which can neuer be corrected and the other which by little and little setleth and at length thereby expelled And yet there be some moste dangerous feuers so alienated and estranged in their natures as neyther will rypen of themselues to be vtterly deuoyded nor yet be altered by any medicine to become certaine These and such like feuers in their strong operations are chiefly domâ—â—â—ed by
by some meete framed medicine to ripen the disease except the disease consist and stand at a stay And in ministring of purgatiue medicines there must be called to remembraunce whether nature haue ready strength and full power to performe a limited dutie in purgation or no. And heede must be further regarded whether nature be ouercharged with the forraine estate of the disease not then to be troubled or drawne to worser inconueniences by vnseasonable medicines Auycen sayth euery disease is both powerfull and wauering when it decreaseth but when it consisteth is more certaine and better stayed and then most easily ouercome by nature and medicine for which cause not onely crud and rawe matter but also dured and setled matter is then principallie expelled And yet many approued writers affirme that the greatnesse of accidents are to be appeased by the phisitians skill and not permitted to straggle out except equally measured to concurre one with another in the motion of nature And it is most inconuenient at the same time to prouoke the accidentes with any heauie or sturdie medicine which neyther the disease nor nature can then brooke Cornelius Celsus verie precâ—â—ely standeth vpon the words of Hipocrates Si quid mouendum videtur in principiâ— moue Who vnderstandeth that the increase of the sicknesse is a pâ—â—t of the beginning Ierimias Thriuerius a learned writer saith that if any act hath beene ouerpassed in the increased of those sicknesses which haue bene more prosir then casefull may be more strickly regarded in their full and perfect estate not because it was an error or neglected but because the increase of the disease required no such thing vntill there were a full 〈…〉 nesse in the disease accomplished Galen writing to Glaâ—â—â— in his booke de arte curatiua seemeth to interdict euery medicine before the estate especially where crud matter possesseth it selfe And cast aside saith Galen all solutiue and hote medicines and whosoeuer proffereth any medicines at all in such diseases which are stuffed with crud raw and sluny substance before some ease and releasement in the disease be finished shall bring double dangers vpon the disease For being before single and of one propertie thereby both the disease and nature are altered vnder double griefe aswell of great inflammation as opilation whereby the ercrementes loose the due disposition and the bloud corrupted and the arteâ—is wherein The 〈◊〉 a are 〈…〉 aâ—d like to the vaynes the spirite of life walketh are exposed to innumerable dangers Now as you doe vnderstand what is to perfected in such diseases contayned vnder crud and rawe matter comming to their estate So there must be a like caution taken in these sharpe diseases happening vnder some euill and dangerous chrysts not to interdeale therewith by sturing before the disease with all inconueniences thereto appertaining be fully setled There is a certaine grosse and vnperfect substance so setled in the propertie of these and such like feuers as if they doe aspire to a high strength and estate are vnable to be vanquished and driuen away both because nature is weake and feeble as also for that the medicine hath no direct operation Be it assuredly knowne that where nature is more weaker then the disease and therewithall the propertie of medicine lothsome to the disease is a plaine indication of death and although nature may herein for a time be succoured yet can neuer be recoured The ignorance of manie are greatly to be lamented who after nature is ouerthrowne seeke a life in the middest of death therefore Galen in his 29. Aphorism of his second booke denounceth safegard to all suche which in the time of long sicknesses are prospered with nature And although medicine is such a general thing as may be framed to serue in euery degree of sickenesse with vertue measure and time yet whosoeuer eyther by vnequall vertue vnequall measure and vnseasonable time reacheth into anie such disease when nature is before decayed and oppressed is to be adiudged in a damnable estate for the death of that person Then let the Phisitian thorowly consider both bodily constitution and the course of the disease before he attempteth any thing for by rash enterprise the course and motion of nature may be preuented and the disease offended Surely when nature neither mooueth nor innouateth there is no enterdealing with medicine for euacuation as whether it be by potatiue electuarie pilles or otherwise all is vaine and therein vtterly to be refused for rest and quietnesse in those diseases most preuaileth Then lastlie whosoeuer neglecteth these wholsome rules and without obseruation runneth at hazard not onely vainly magnifieth himselfe among the rude and ignorant sort but thorow their vnskilfulnes either doe they dull and blunt the disease or els cherish and continue the danger of the same for by such rude persons nature is both spoiled troubled the worthy knowledge of phisicke slaundered the deserts of the worthier sort derogated and the publike estate of the people offended Here next follovveth howe meate ought to be increased or taken avvay according as the times of sickenesses require NOwe remaineth to search out not onely the nature of sicknesses but in what seasons diseases are moste perillous and apt in offence of bodly health and also how meat ought to be increased withdrawne or quite taken away the which part is most hardest of all for neither olde writers haue clearely and purely expressed it neyther yet newe writers sufficiently reuealed the darknesse and obscuritie thereof Yet that auncient Hypocrates in his first of the Aphorisms vouchsafeth to giue aduertisement that when diseases both beginne increase and come to estate full meates are to be abstracted and thinne dyets most chiefly commended vntill both nature and the disease be well pleased with the thinnest of all For it is a manifest rule that there belongeth to euerie degree of sicknesse a due ordinance that is when meate is quite taken away some great practise is to be expected and accomplished by medicine which then and thereby must worke most effectually and soundly Yet Galen on the contrarie doth seeme to command the patient in time of sickenesse to proceede from a barraine and vnfruitfull dyet to a satiable vberious and complet dyet which of the writers in this latter age is vnderstoode that after great emptinesse nature is greedy to recouer her former perfection All which must be done with such discretion as that meate and measure concurre vpon the estate of the disease But in these inflammatiue diseases of the sides liuer loonges or such like all nourishment in the beginning of such diseases is denyed and quite taken away Especially if the spittle be clammie gluttonous or deuoyded out with thicke bloud then except the disease be loosed eyther by cutting off the basilicke vayne or by some other skilfull attraction the patient is throwne headlong vpon death For although some vse ptisans made of exoriated and vnhusked barly to be dronk in mitigation of such extreame
those thinges which are temperate for certainly superfluous moistnesse scarreth and breaketh naturall collour Some hold in opinion that if heat by a strong proportion do superabound cannot offend at all as if it be tempered with excellent moistnesse dooth alwaies conserue a liuely temperance This opinion is much reprooues by Dyoscorides who iudgeth those bodies which of necessitie exceed and ouerflowe in fleame doo also exceede in heate and moystnesse and in like sort they are so deseperate one from an other as that they cannot perâ—ake or comprehend any perfect quicknesse at all considering that nature is rather hurt by the excesse of two properties then one for there ought to be alwaies a medioâ—ritie and an indifferent estate in nature Therefore it is necessarie that heat doo not extend in a sanguine man more then humiditie for if moyst humour preheminentlie be placed the intemperature of the sanguine complexion is more quicke then any other temperatures and yet not in a temperate disposition As such intemperatures are of a more quicker operation then the rest so are they more vnwholsommer and esiest suspected of their vnsoundnes and nature oftentimes speedily perisheth in them especially for that contagâ—on is ouer powerful therein although this may be true yet was there euer any that searched the true vnderstanding thereof For surely these sanguine complexions as they are hot and moyst so their bones sinewes and vaines are couered with thicke flesh ingendring great aboundance of blood many of them thorow exceeding great ryot easily do intertaine many diseases vntimely deuouring and ouerthrowing them And in very deed ther is in these sanguin complexions a contagion which falleth out both by straunge and vnnaturall heat which easily gathereth both because the same is forensical and improper and also for that it hath a principall power in it selfe so that the old pruerbe herein is verified that smoke is next fire And as it insulteth vpon moystnesse so is it easily conioyned yet not nourished therwith The reason falleth out for that heat and mo 〈…〉 e were distemperatly vnited Also drinesse verye hardly intertayneth heat Yet if it be a hot drinesse contagion is very greatly repugned and withstood thereby Therefore it standeth with dayly experience that whatsoeuer things can be preserued saâ—ored or tempered with vimger or salt from corruption is wholsome and pure It is a most excellent workmanship in like sort to continue the sound estate of man vnder good and perfect ordinance in the time of heat and moistnes Yet some writers verily think such seasons can hardly be recouered from corruption but that some one disease or other falleth out vpon the distemperance of the weather Furthermore the authority of Aristotle or Theophrastus shall not any thing herein preuaile who wrongfully place the life of man between heat and moisture in the definitiue sentence of death The old writers neuer did so thinke hauing by three means gathered heat cold moistnesse and drinesse although the earth is more drier notwithstanding the quality thereof is impermixt their bodies forthwith decline And surely the indowment of these sanguine complexions are neyther hote nor colde but temperate They are men compounded of moste excellent dispositions and for that they are of yellow whitish haire like flax much good speach is vsed of them both by Galen and Dyoscondes they indure health strongly and doe resist and beare out the danger of sickenesse familiarlie withstand the furie of accidentall diseases called infections most stifly and the rather by reason of the varietie of their permixion and confused humours Furthermore for that we are distinctly to handle not onely the constitution of mans body but chiefly the seuerall complexion vnder which euery man is gouerned therefore are we next to consider of two sortes of melancholicke men of the which one kinde hath a helpefull humour and is appropriat to nature the other is improper or rather vnnaturall The disease of the melancholicke person is ingendred of two parts of which one entreth into bloud and possesseth the vaines and the other is conuered into the spleane It is profitable if the bloud thereof be thicke whereas it was before thinne watrish and weake being so conuerted doth muche strengthen all the members of mans bodie There is a melancholious humor ingendred vpon the liuer which simple is neyther hote nor colde but absolutely drie and cold And as Galen reporteth Socrates to be a melancholicke person and a man of a thin bloud by reason he had no actiue increase in heat of a rough skin because continuall vapours froÌ„ the stomack moued intentiue coldnesse because the comfortable bloud did not freely at all times returne to proper course his bones mouth and braine were drie and his stomacke feeble Cornelius Celsus sayth that Socrates was a melancholike person on the worst part both for that the liuer bloud was not perfect neyther had free and open passage or recourse vnto the vaynes or yet was temperately conueyed vnto the spleane in which places bloud should be plentifull vigent and nutrimental and by which meanes all melancholious superfluitie should be expelled Melancholy which is taken in good part manie wayes profiteth the body to all wholesome comfortes and hath a speciall regiment in the highest and best place to the spleane But if it possesse the body on the worse behalfe becommeth a dust saltish sower and boyleth vpon the inward partes and is altogether grose rumous and hath a finall inclinement to death A melancholike man is of countenance blacke and yellowe and of nature in two degrees the one more tollerable in condicion then the other The one sort are most vnconstant and readily doe tergiuersat from euery perfect purpose Whosoeuer readeth the opinion of Auycen in a certaine epistle supposed to be written to a noble Duke of Sabelayn Hispalis in Spaine shall finde there described more certainly the properties of a melancholious person then I purpose to intermedle withall Yet Dyoscorides maketh a very commendable report of a certaine excellent potion called Diospoliciton first An excellent potion called Diospolicâ—ton deuised and approued by Architas Prince of Tarentum a moste soueraigne remedie against all melancholious diseases And Galen in his booke de sanitate tuenda Speaketh moste deuinely and reputeth those men to be meâ— of high happinesse who in their dispositions vnderstand the worâ—es of nature do by inward contemplation as by wisedome and experience continually consider to instruct and reforme nature to a better inclinement vntill perfect grace olde yeares and gray hayres haue preuented the inconuenience of such desperat humours and also to haue made an vtter conquest of all the euill practises thereof It is further to be noted that many euil maners doe grow vpon the naturall disposition of man like weedes and that aswell by dayly vse and custome as by excessiue distemperance dipt and coloured euery dayin wicked practises from the purenesse of their first innoceâ—tie as that sometimes they are become vnreformable And
all medicines to be congruent and martched vnder perfect constitution and of double operation which is aswell to comforte nature as to expell the disease for if the substance of strength be diminished and the malice of the disease increased appetite and nature are estranged and variable within themselues For nature manie times desireth those thinges which appetite abhorreth the reason is for that appetite is ouercloyed with diuersitie of meates and interchaunge of medicines that both the stomacke and all the lustes of the body incessantly are pursued fatigated and improuidently throwne vpon many dangerous extremities Therefore vnder these meane constitutions whereas tranquilitie and appetite flourish and beare sway there is a good and happie expectation as if the vitall partes be not wearied the disease may be cured and the decayed strength by little and little restored Surely when the heart thorow ouer great abstinence is languished the stomacke cloyed and the liuer viduated and forsaken of the wholsome bloud All thinges thereby haue lost their naturall and proper course that forthwith opiâ—ations and ventosites in the guttes worke all contrarie indirections to health and the rather because the miseriake vaynes which are the conduit pipes of all good bloud from the liuer are obstructed and stayed it were not immethodicall so to distinguish these cold and hote diseases as that one of them in their qualitie and originall may be knowne from the other and the better vnderstood and furthered thereby to health For these cold diseases proceede of earthly 〈…〉 ses are subiect and bound to watery elementes whereupon cold and humid vapours of congealed thicknesse ingender into grosse substance so that all naturall heate is excluded from comforeâ—ig mans bloud thorow which melancholike heauâ—nesse is generated which moste principally oftendeth And the malicious operation that resteth in this humour maketh the bodie leaue and colde stirâ—eth vp the passion of the hart intâ—icateth the wit and vnderstanding to all duâ—nesse and blunteth memory These bodyes are much incumbred with putrisied seuers which proceede of vndigested humâ—dities and augmented with â—uming venâ—osites putrified about the muskels vaynes and ioyntes Furthermore all maner of ruines are hereby drawne to all the partes of the body which vapours after that coldnesse hath ingrossed them to the lowe partes of man called Caâ—arrizans the passages and proper wayes of nature from the spâ—eane to the mouth of the stomacke are intercluded Be it further knowen that these colde rewines thereby issue from one member to an other and infect the bodie with manye cold diseases and are called by three names Catarri Branchus Corizan for so Arnoldus de noua villa setteth them foorth Catarri infect the lightes Branchus infecteth the heade and cheekes Corizam stuffeth and infarâ—eth the nostrels with most humid fluxes and sometimes concockt into verie hard substance by meanes of continuance These bodies are best conserued by a naturall perfect coniunction of drie meates inwardly digested by artificiall means reuiuing the principall members before decayed for lacke of naturall heate In these and such like bodies I doe greatly commend a greedy appetite and a plenary dyet especially in regard that many such complections are fâ—â—xible and ouermuch spend nature of their owne inclinement Therefore plenarie fresh variety of sustenance helpeth many of these sortes of men to naturall heare euen as the hard stone is molified and findered to nothing by manye droppes of raine or as the strong and slately oake thorow moyst issues becommeth putrified so these cold and moyst complections in their natures wash and vanish to nothing The moyst â—raâ—p the shaking palsie the dangerous dropsie the collicke in sundry degrees are the generable 〈◊〉 her 〈…〉 benâ—â—mning the members to become 〈◊〉 one to another for vpon these diseases the vaines become conugated and appetite disfranchised for that corrupt humours may not haue perfect resolution besides all which the whole body is instated with colde influences producing these venâ—meâ—◠〈…〉 rpions Asclides Iposarca and Timpana the one is the materâ—â—l cause in offence of nature the second is an actiue cause inflatâ—ng al the members to become swelling and monstrous the small cause is delatiue conuerting all good and perfect nourishmentes to windie and waterie substance so when these extrâ—mities grow vppon the guttes called Colon and Ylyon are shut vp and thereby both the Dropsie Tympany the wind and stone Collicke preposterously creepe in besides which the raynes of the backe by a grauesly congested substance heereby bendeth and beâ—â—mmeth crooked All which are not to be deueyded without pure and regular dyet of increasing wholesome bloud to become vigent in nature Therfore the disease hauing a scowring vertue is principally comforted and cherished with sweete meates tarsed with vineger to worke a sharpe disposition contrarie to euaâ—uation least that the bodie grow subtile incisiue and euer resolutiue And yet Galen plainly affirmeth that sweete meates are aptly conuerted to choller but â—aâ—t viniger commixed therewith doth greatly fortifie the subtle pearâ—ing and â—â—tring vertue causing the grosse humours to become pure and easily to issue Galen sayth Non quosuis sed rudes duntaxat videor taxare morbos atque potissimum non incerta diuinatione quam probabili conuclâ—ra egrorum indagatione conditionem which is I doe not prescribe and limit euerie disease but the grosse and most dangerous diseases and chiefly doe I sâ—arch out their natures not by vncertaine gâ—sse as by probable coniecture then let not occasion be omitted of more larger speech in such bodâ—â—s subiect to these moyst sicknesses before spoken and of another sort of men which oftentimes passe from this world by vntimely death in strength of youth being grosse and corpulert in their stature which men difficultie indure any adicction to alter nature when sicknesse languisheth vpon them And although they are of measurable abilitie in naturall vigour yet vnable to beare the burthen of sicknesse or subiect their bodies to any stronge accidence but foorthwith their gathered grosnesse is conuerted to a thinne and weake debilitie for that in the first degree of sicknes the vertue digestiue is taken away so that most commonly meat becommeth loathsome to their sight whereas in health the vertue digestiue beeing most stronge did eat much and made few meales Whosoeuer therefore will eyther counsell or comfort any sicke patient must obserue the naturall complection with diet thereunto and that supplement of medicene both in qualitie and quantity be framed aswel in preseruation as restauration of nature and therewithall by contrarie effectes alter the disease as may best serue to the opportunity of health Galen playnly affyrmeth that hot complections are altered with cold sicknesses and cured with moderate medicines And Auycene agreeth hereunto that if the complection of man may haue alteration either by medicine or disease and once recouered to health is euer after most perfect and of longer continuance in this world and lesse subiect to sicknesse for that nature taketh such
poure downe super aboundaunce of moisting showers disseasoning the earthlie fruites of mans mortall estate so at sundry times great famins and mortalities ouerspread mighty kingdomes and nations of the world thereby the naturall order of all thinges are discomforted and the temperance of naturall heat quite taken away for surely there can be no motion of attraction where ther is no motion of expulsion Therefore in those miserable seasons of the world where famine and hunger increaseth the mortal pestilence shortly after rageth as the instrument of wrath for the sin of fulnes The reason hereof is because emptines of mans body draweth in st 〈…〉 ing coÌ„mixed vapours of the ayre which corrupt smuge the naturall spirits that al the parts of man therby looseth his natural generation of blood therefore Hypocrates most aptly sayth Nisi pecoribus simus rudiores non aliter componamus famâ—m quae ex infami antionae caritate contingit quam nimiâ— saturitatis satietatis antea vindicta ruina which is except we be more rude then bruit beastes and ouer grosse in our owne conceites may not otherwise compare reckon or account hunger and famme which thorow a notable dearnes of victuals happeneth then a very reuenge ruine of ouer great fulnesse and satiety before And in another place saith Viâ—tum tenuem exquisitum si antea paulo plentor fuerit magis periculosum esse agnoscamus Let vs confesse a thin and exquisue diet is more dangerous if it were before a full diet Then is it to be marueiled why the creator denieth not to giue hys creatures food in due season coÌ„sidering how much how greatly and wickedly they are abused and dishonoured in the sensual libertie of mans nature Surelye such is the disposition of man who had rather lead appetite to a desperate ryot of all thinges then to the custome of a satisfied and contented measure the first doth nothing varie froÌ„ the desire of bruit beasts the other commeth more nearer naturall appetite Galen therefore reprooueth mans fauour towardes inexpleble libertie with these wordes Natura tantum appetat quantum ferri potest quantum facillime concoqui potest Let nature only desire asmuch as can be borne and as much as easily may be digested but the cold stomach vouchsafeth not to indure this 〈◊〉 of liuing for that appetite ouerreacheth dig 〈…〉 〈◊〉 warme 〈◊〉 misliketh where appetite is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their digestion yet there cannot bee at all times an â—qâ—all prescription obserued For an ordinarie diet to a â—ound boâ—y hatâ— the quâ—ckest meanes to health if the body bee 〈◊〉 prepared that the disease more easier may bee expâ—â—â—d And those diets are most directest to all sicke patientes â—hose properties are both curatiue as restoratiue Manardus in his second booke of diseases counselleth to find the apt constitution of the bodie both in sicknes health In sicknes because the disease may be outwardly 〈◊〉 and inwardly corrected to amendment In health 〈◊〉 be haâ— because euery man may vnderstand what is 〈◊〉 vn 〈…〉 t. it for his disposition that he neither exceede â—o 〈◊〉 for the dangers before expressed Nor decline to 〈◊〉 〈…〉 s because ventosire motions are easily ingendâ—ed thorow moouing vapours For nature immediatly 〈◊〉 vpon some labouous and superfluous matter sinding no 〈…〉 nance otherwise to feede vpon And yet I find that 〈◊〉 in old diseases is a present remedy for therby the matter is â—â—miniâ—hed dried ripened consumed for when nature findeâ—â— no matter or substance to work vpoÌ„ altereth it self vpon the disease quite chaseth disperseth the same Yet let heed be taken that the subtil humidities be not so much resolued dried wherin nature is vtterly repressed let heed be taken that no maling humor being possest of one part of the body foorthwith possesse an other part settle in the root o the heart Take heed the sinewy members be not ouerweakned especially the stomach which is a sinewy meÌ„ber take heed the poores be not ouermuch opened or stopped for the one may extract variable vapors of corruption the other stop the fulsome matter vnder the skin breaking out to outward fluxes blaines which may most ragingly ouerspread mans bodie for that the inward cause was not before perfectly corrected Indeed this abstinence very well beseemeth old and moiste diseases otherwise in fadoming the bottome of mans nature such deepe abstinence is not permitted â—et in these saâ—ter ages and among some new practitioners this kind of abstinence is drawen to vse in cuâ—ing the most fulsome and filthy diseases of the world thorow which mans body is infectuously stained by the slimy ryotous course of his life so that hereby euery 〈…〉 full man that can bring to knowledge the names of some certâ—â—â— simples although without propertie composition prop 〈…〉 n or degree foorthwith among the ignorant sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without learning knowledge method or estimation 〈◊〉 names of Phisitians Surely they which row at an vncertaine marke shal nothing preuaile especially for that being ignoraunt of the complection as also the medicine being repugnant more harmeth then profiteth wherefore many are secretely and sodainly ouertaken with death vnder the vsurped regiment of a painted diet aswell when they thinke to mortifie the inward corruptions doo ouermuch excieâ—ate the bodie as also stop vp the entercourses of blood in ouerstirring nature to a fresh increase so that intemperance euer after pursueth these men to their graue Many times these diets are ioyned to vnskilfull practitioners as high iust plagues for wicked offences both for that by them naturall heate is extinguished appetite destroyed and the complection discoloured These diets ought to be tempered to this good effect as that drines and humiditie are to be vnited of one subtill coniunction and propertie And therefore Cornelius Celsus saith that drie subtil and hungrie airs are most best for these diets if their complections be thicke and grosse But low and vaporous ayres are most preseruing of thin pearcing bodies and open diets And further saith that interchanges of diets and ayres for winter and sommer by seuerall habitations produce health and long life But Manardus affyrmeth that commixed bodies continue long liued vpon high grounds open ayres and full diets Therefore it is a most excellent contemplation for euerie man to cast vp his sences and perfectly find vnder what temperance hee liueth for the wholsome regiment of health and therewithall to way his bodily complection alwaies directing his diet habitation and course of lyuing according to the same And lastlie let euery man beware of varietie and grosnesse of meates and varietie and grosnes of diets which ingender and bring foorth varietie and grosnes of diseases Howe times and seasons ought to bee obscrued vvhen diseases doo most abound OPportunitie of very propertye and naturall disposition euerie where perfourmeth great occasion in the accomplishment of all thinges And trulie in healing and curing of diseases most greatest of all for not without great
rebellious and thereby without stay easily subdueth the body Hypocrates generallie and deeply speaketh of all feauers eyther simple or compound that first the disease is vnsetled and vncertainly roueth in the bodye and next for that it dooth abound with paynfull trauels difficultlie wrastleth skyrmisheth and trauelleth either to settle and possesse some one part of the body or after the spyrituall partes possessed inuadeth all the partes of the body to destruction Herein is it manifestly prooued that in the beginning of diseases nature hath no need of such nourishments for if appetite were gredy and desirous thereof yet not able to beare that which is wished and lingred vpon For whosoeuer infarceth and inforceth nature in the first entrance of euerie such sicknes both cherisheth the disease weakeneth and defoyleth nature Galen in his first booke de arte curatiua writing to Glawco in his chapter de cura febrium continuarum saith that if continuall feauers consist in one estate the body very weake are best ruled vnder an exquisite and sharp diet if strength and age agree therewith but if the disease exceed beyond that lymittation is then to be vnderstaied with a plenarie stronger food so the same be apt to constitution Auycen saith when the estate is perfected in the disease let the diet be more plentifull or otherwise let the diet be augmented or diminished as the disease increaseth or vanisheth away So also this is a generall agreement among all the auntient Fathers for the regiment of mans health hauing put foorth an vniuersall edict that in all mestiue mortalites thin diets are most pertinent for medicine to work vpon because their accidentes are infectious and of indiuertible substance and especiallie so long as these infections in their accidents are conioyned to the beginning otherwise if the increase of the disease prosper and proceede to be perfected and setled to some verie likely estate they ought to be sollicited more at large either by curatiue medicine or diet vntill the vsurped properties be expelled after which the body is to be inlarged to a full diet vntil nature be reuiued restored and recouered in full strength These rules and reasons proceede from men of great countenance of sound and vpright iudgement repugning the wrongfull and erronious interpretations and opinions of certaine newe writers who hauing set open their shoppe of counterfect practises in defrauding the good constitutions of heath in mans body who in the beginning of simple feuers in place of a gracil and thin diet haue constituted and put in place a free and bountifull diet Secondly in simple feuers when the disease increaseth doo prefer a thin diet in steed of a compleat diet And thirdlye they doo in the estate of compound and inflamatiue feuers magnifie a full diet in steede and place of a thin and peaceable diet Surely Hypocrates somewhat bendeth to the second controuersie that in the increase of al simple feuers a competent diet is most meetest so that if the disease doo proceede in the increase or forsheweth any similie end either by ripenesse to cease or els take safe degrees to estate Then the Phisitian hath full power ouer the disease eyther to recouer health or els to stay the patient from large and strong sustenance Petrus Brissotus and Lionicius doo say if in the estate of simple feuers sustenance bee denied to the patient because of the strength of the disease then what ieopardie are those pacientes put into in their time of estate when inflamations and accidentes together yeeld no place to rest their bodies beeing strenghened with nutrimentall sustenance doo continue the disease most cruell fierce dangerous and outragious vnto the approchment of death Hereby all patientes may perceiue that all diseases within the knowledge and helpe of man are vnder lawes and ordinances Therefore whosoeuer shall either violate or mistake these lawes and ordinances offendeth both the sicke patient and his owne conscience And furthermore if the sicke Patient will not bee ordered but rebell against this wholsome gouernment preferring both his owne wilfull minde and reason before the sounde and perfect counsell of the Phisitian Let him be adiudged guiltie of his owne death and distruction The first Booke of the Temperamentes AN Element is the least part of euery proper thing compounded and vnited into one substance perfourmeth not the least but the immixt parcels of the same thinges to bee made a perfect element and equally to place those smallest things to be tempered with the highest as that not in any behalf any one of them be immixt from an other It is an high onderstanding wherefore we oguht to deuide the least portion of euerye tempered bodie as followeth That is there ought to be in number foure elementes neither ought there to be more or lesse and yet can there be but one element alone for that with an vnreprooueable qualitie all things returne to destruction neither can there bee two elements as fire and ayre because all interiour thinges woulde presentlie be consumed with their coniomed strength of heat Then may it be imagined that nature might haue framed fire and water to beare their seueral course alone both because they doo in variablenesse differ one from another or that they might seeme more durable in their course aboue the rest The third element is the ayr which nature hath so placed between the rest as that moistnesse is ioined to water and heat to fire neither do these three elementes suffice except there be a fourth element conioyned hereunto that is say the earth not only because it is the seat and habitation of men in this world but also and much rather being commixed with water dooth by her coldnes temper the other two elements therfore nature most decently hath bound not one nor two nor three but four elements and that with a straight and agreeable concord as when they were disâ—ramed and dissociated from their equall places As when the earth was downward the water and the ayre in the middle and the fire vpward although there are not onely some philosophers but verie Christians which haue practised to discouer Which is taken as an errour for the knowledge of man a certain dark thicke and shadowed fire about the point centre of the earth by a direct light gleaming and irradiating from the starres The which fire is vestall pure not elementarie Herein if we consider that both the earth and the water doo not onely entertaine the same fire but the ayre interiected forthwith followeth the same euen as there is a coniunction of the earth to the ayre so is the water placed betweene both of them otherwise the ayre should wholly remaine moyst being placed between two drie elements Galen and other graue Philosophers doe seem otherwise to thinke who on their behalfe call the water most moyst and is so adiudged in the absolute power of nature for by touching the same is perfectly bewraied whereas the ayre is not comprehended at
calleth that age the spreading gathering and stretching foorth of the body as then dooth it most chieslye lout in strength Arnoldus de noua villa saith that the most part especiallie women beginning their adolescencie before ripeneise of age hath geuen them libertie thereunto doo afterwards â—iue like vntimely fruite as peares plummes or apples gathered before scasonablenesse and ripenesse hath perfected them doo most speedilie drie rot decay and vtterly perish This commonly is well perceiued and knowen to fall out in south countries where heat and moysture excessiuely ouermatcheth with many corruptions and diseases in such rash ages Petrus Galiensis saith that although the south countries bring foorth strong men yet their age is not certainlie of hotte and moyst temperance nor yet constant vnder drinesse but rather most of all bendeth to extreame heat which moistnesse being so much inflamed therewith as that the yoong and tender skinne is vtterly vnable to containe the measure thereof but naturally speweth and breaketh foorth without artificiall expulsion Next followeth mans estate which standeth for a while at a stay And although their bodies by little and litle decaieth yet their sences continue vnbroken aboue fourtie yeares and in some men of stong and sound complexion vntill threescore and aboue Then commeth olde age alienating and declining aside altogether replenished with melancholious coldnesse and drynesse at which season blood and heat are setled and commixed in the bottome of the arteries and vaines like dregges And the longer they are stayed and lodged somuch the sooner the artion of blood is obstructed and combusted and the strength infeebled and disabled the which falleth out aswell because of thicknesse in the shinne growen and fastened with the bones and sinewes as also because the excrementes haue bene there long staied and closed vp The which calamitie many men in their decrepit and extreame age vndertake and sustaine For their former impuritie of lustie youth is not onely vanquished but partched in ther bodies with fuliginous superfluities like soote to a chinmey afflicting them with drie coldnes vnto death Therefore happy is lusty olde age whose former puritie hath drawen comfort ease and ioy vpon gray haires whose bloud is odiferous and sweet whose breath is easie and who som whâ—se bones vaines and sinews are direct whose digestion is easy and light whose expulsion is naturall in whome the temperance of heate as drinesse of bones and moystnesse of blood are to olde yeares most nourishable that like as the dry hot ground is not corrupted with euery moysture of rayne but the distemperance thicketh and freeseth aboue the ground before it pearceth euen so temperate hot bodies are not easily pearced with the contagion or distemperance of moyst coldnes or any such like superfluous vapours Galen herewith concordeth that drie braines are lesse incumbred with super fluities and moist braines naturallye appertaineth vnto ideotes and fooles which lack diiscretion for that their primary faculties are ouerfâ—oted or intermixed with superfluous grosnes so likewise a woman of moiste complexion is most menstruous especially if she want the vse of man yet this rule and order is manifested by Galen in these words Si virago fuerit fortis pre caliditate siccitate nunquam hoc profluuium admittet Therefore hot and drie bodies of some women are euenmuch infarced with excrements and growe into many inward diseases for want of naturall deuoydance of their inconcocted super fluities for which respect their piteous fulsomnes vnnaturally gathered yssueth by their nostrels therefore by thâ—s reason women of moist complections are most wholsome for the vse of man It falleth out farre otherwise after the course of nature in mens constitutions for that Dioscorides holdeth his opinion after this maner who saith Mallem siceitatem plenitudinis humiditatem incoctarum superfluitatum occasionem esse I had rather drinesse should be the occasion of fulnesse then moistnesse the occasion vndigested superfluities For a moyst bodie in a man is easily ingurged difflated puffed and as it dooth greedily desire sustenance so dooth it redily nourish excrementes transcormeth much blood into watrie matter ouermuch insumeth and spendeth vpon nature whereas on the contrarie a dry body scarsly admitteth or indureth most nourishment but that it doth presently comprehend thereby a pure blood into the vaines drieth and vtterly consumeth al waterye and matery substance for drinesse in adolescencie furnisheth the bodie with good blood disouereth the body from raw excrementes drieth purgeth and perfecteth the bodie from all corruptions As for exaâ—ple Let vs distinguish between a flegmatick and a melancholike person between a moyst and drie braine that hereby a moist temperance in respect of a drie is perceiued knowen to haue most superfluous humors abounding and many times old men are more stuffed with excrementes then yoong men the cause hereof is want of nourishing blood which produceth coldnesse For prooffe if two olde men were placed vnder one ayre did both feede vpon one diet and were of one like age surely hee which of them generateth a moyst temperance shall abound with the greatest superfluities For it cannot bee otherwaies found out but that drinesse alwaies is the cause of puritie and maystnesse the occasion of great impuritie For all men doo obtaine the first partes of moystnesse by carnat generation and therefore children are nourished by sleepe in their mothers wombe The second part of cold superfluities are obtained by moistnes of complexion which naturally disfigureth many flegmatike old men and draweth them subiect to euery vnconstant vapour Auycen assigneth the cause of these and such like piteous excrementes in olde men rather of an immoderate maner of diet then of natures distemperance Galens opinion is most sauorie to our sences and yet disagreeing from Auycen who sayth that although olde mens dyet were much more dryer then yâ— dyet of yong men yet for that excessiue coldnesse puriâ—â—eth them must of necessitie abound with ouergreat excramentall superfluitie There are many which haue wandred very wide both in the constitution of old men and children especially Manardus first declaring that olde men be inforced with fleame by reason of riotous youth and euerie variable accidence exhausteth their bodies with moste perrillous pestilences This is contrary to Galen who plainely affirmeth that after olde age draweth on the body is set free from all accidence and bringeth forth diseases of naturall propertie for that nature eyther alienateth or then weakeneth or els quite decayeth And furthermore whereas Manardus seemeth to conioyne coldnesse as a naturall essence in children his reason is proper onely for that they tooke the substance thereof in the first place of generation and their heate is afterwardes gathered rather by nourishable meates then of naturall substance This is contrarie to Galen who is fortified with experience on the one side and standeth highly vpon the works of nature on the other side doth thinke that children are more hote and moyst then adolescency Children are apt to increase bloud And
affinitie and nearnesse with mans flesh yet by the good operation of wine it is passed ouer into a perfect substance and the digestion thereof is slowe sower and heauie for because the vnion hereof is of a more thicke and growne substance it is operatiue and ouerburthensome then familiar vsuall and accustomed Therefore the power of hotte thinges haue a double difference for which cause ther are medicines of on operation and nourishmentes of an other the which nourishmentes ought to haue an easie gracious nature eyther to helpe nature decaied or to pacifie the troubles of any disease offending wholsom constitution doo iustifie and continue the health and safegard of the bodie are preferred before all medicines and nature the more graciously and easily dooth accept them to bee placed in some due ordinance with the body For such like nutritiue medicines as they haue an inward mollifieng operation so haue they an outward application And yet some according to the demonstration of Galen doo thinke that nutritiue medicines inwardly taken hauing possessed and matched their heat vnder the fourme of a hot complexion are of moore greater force and strength and such medicines are easily reduced and manifested in their owne nature and propertie more quicklie Theophrastus Paracelsus saith that medicines outwardly ministred more speedily doo shew their nature then those which be inwardly intertained especially if in their action they be hotte and firme and although vnder the skinne are more inwardlye tender then is outwardly shewed yet haue they a more ready dutie hereby to search the deepnesse of the wound and griâ—ued place and the deepnesse of the sore more speedily doeth yeeld and open if the inward humor be corrected by some purgatiue drieng drtnke the diseased and grieued sore presently altereth his yssue yeeldeth to a sound vnion and is presently comprehanded vnder one fafe substance of the body Aristotle in his Probleames speaking of viniger and such like sharpe sauces dooth say that the aswell inward as outward applications very sensibly doo freate and if heat bee bewrayed of a more stronger power in the pacient dooth growe to an inward excesse and outwardlie offendeth yet a strong and hot body will easily and verie much blunt and dull the power hereof As first by extenuation and comminution Secondly by concoction and thirdly by motion for that they are rouing neuer continuing themselues in one estate but dispose them selues into al other partes As fourthly by seperation especially of those partes which are more sharpe as prepared purged and sifted either by fluring either by vrine or vomite and breathing vapours from the stomach rather then of those parts of the body which are more calme sound bening and bountifull In which it is to be marked whether nature be impaired in the exclusion of one part more then an other or remaineth wholly sound and perfect Also whether the blood bee made cleare and kindly by a fresh and newe coiunction Also whether the rind and barke of the vaines be wrinkled dimished and broken in peces and whether medicine haue a naturall power to vnite and conioine in the nature of the body for if the medicine be blunted and dulled by the strength of the body then the body is vtterlie vnable to defend it selfe from corruption but presentlie infected with all kind of vlceration And these kind of vlcers are comprehended either from ranke aboundaunce of melancholious corruption arising betweene the flesh and the skinne into some outward preposterous sore or els most commonly by reason of some hotte fluxing humour vnnaturally setling in some part of the body wherein some vnkindly worme breedeth and ouereateth except some present stay and remedy be had And Galen saith there are diuers sortes breeding in their kind according to the nature and disposition of the body And although the Chirurgians do giue them seueral names yet they ought not so to doo because they are wormes gathered and mishapen according to the monstrousnesse of the humour and neuer continue in one kind And yet some olde writers deuide these sortes of sores into foure names Herpes Phagedina Chironia and Telephia The first is of verie affinitie with a plague sore The second is some filthy blacke worme or Fystula fretting betweene the flesh and the bones The third is a foule sore hard to be cured and being poisoned with the melancholiousnesse of the humour is called Noli me tangere The fourth complecteth it selfe vnder the name of all Boyles or Carbunckles and surly al sharp sower swift styffe and cruell medicines whether they be hotte or colde haue in themselues a naturall poyson to doe hurt hereunto And they are more harmefull beeing eaten then when they be outwardly applyed for in their nature they do not only intoxicate the primary partes of man but deepely pearce the power of the heart We haue a manifest and rare example of Socrates who liued in strong power of health except by drinking that daungerous and murthersome hear be Cicuta who sensiblie feeling the coldnes and power thereof to insinuate and wind it selfe did vanquish the highnesse and mightines of his heart confessed that Cicuta was the sting of death and the venym of destruction Dyoscorides discribeth this hearbe Cycuta to be both in nature and growth like to our english Henilocke Surely these medicines do litle hurt being outwardly applied but they are poisonsome and deadly being inwardly taken except the small quantitie thereof be such as that the body bee of stronger power to vanquish and shake off the mortalitie thereof There is also a certain ioyce nowe in vse strained squeased out of the leaues of Lascrpitium Antonius Musa saith it is the gum of the tree it selfe called Rosen or Belswyn and Bewguyn There is no difference whether it proceed of the ioyce or weeping teares and licour of the tree But certainly that Rosen which groweth into a gum by meanes of teares and weeping of the trees sheweth thorow an vnnaturall heat in the elementes a generall infection and disease vpon the trees either by vnnaturall heat in the elements or by a distemperate and furious course in the stars and the substance therewithall is thickened hardened and congealed As it is not our purpose to ioine together these differences so neither are we to search out their particular power striÌ„gth neither their forme likenesse nor shape â—or their good vse or euill abuse therof How much could I here vtter in disgrace of the Pandect for false exposition of these and such like ioyces or congealed gums which of the common people are one for an other falsly put in place as the first misordering of Asa fetida which the Arabians do rather seeme to put in place of Mumy and many very â—sophistically doo frame the filth of men long dead to serue herein But there are two principall sortes of Mumy the best sort proceedeth of the rich Baâ—samum Catabalsamum frankensence Oppobalsamum Myrre Alloes Beniamyn and many other sweete odours imbalmed within the dead