arteryes bycause it hath great neade of spyryte and naturall heate seinge it hath so manye dynerse mouynges and it is full of veynes that it maye be well nouryshed There is also added to it a certayne moysture lest it shoulde waxe drye bycause it is moued dayly aboue y e tunge is a pype whych the Grecyans vse to cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latynistes call it Gulam the vnlearned or ignoraunt call it the wesaunt and it is a longe pype hauynge two skynnes or cootes the whych drawe downe the meate and drynke into the mawe or bagge and the vtter cote helpeth the stomacke to vomyte There is also in the former parte of the neck an other pype which to the intent that nothyng shoulde go that waye but only ayer is couered with the roote of the tunge and it is made of harde grassels ioyned togyther lyke rynges and doeth conduct onelye ayer and spirite to the lyghtes and herte being nothyng so long as the other which draweth meate and drynke downe to the stomacke or mawe and it hath a great knobbe al mooste at the ende nexte the iawe which the Grekes cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in latyn Nodus gutturis which in Englysh is the knotte of the throte and whensoeuer we swalowe any thyng it goth vp aboue the iawe The wynde pipe is the formoost parte of the necke to the intent it maye take ayer and spyryte the easelyer And the wesaunt or meate pype for why shoulde we be ashamed of these names seynge we haue no better is put farre whythin the necke because it shulde haue the more heat howebeit we wyl omytte to speke of it vntyl suche tyme as the lyghtes and hearte wyth all that is contayned in the breaste whyche the Phisitions call the myddle bellye be declared so well as my simple wytte and learnyng wyll gyue me leaue To the loweste parte of the wynde pype for it is as well the instrumēt of brethynge as of speakyng be fastned the lyghtes whych beyng made of lyght and moste subtyle and fyne fleshe not vnlyke the fome of choleryke blood congeled hath the fygure of an oxe houfe clouen in to .ii. partes and doth compasse the hart roūd about with .v. globes .iii. on the right syde and .ii. on the lyfte And loke as the pulses doth conserre and kepe temperat the natural heat thoroweout the hole body so y e lightes preserue the hearte from choking by the receyuynge of externall ayer whyche least it shulde hurte the hart wyth colde commyng sodeynly vpon it is tempered ther before so that I can neuer wonder ynough at y e hygh and diuine prouidence of god which foreseyng al these thynges hath constitute suche an order in mannes bodye as I dare saye was neuer in any publyke weale For what publycke weale eyther is there or hathe bene syns the worlde beganne in whiche the subiectes haue bene founde euer obedient wythout all grudgynge to theyr lorde and prince were he neuer so noble or valiaūt yet in mans bodye though there be infinite subiects ther can be founde no disobedience to theyr lorde and gouerner whyche is the hearte for yf anye poyson be gathered there wythin the bodye or otherwyse whyche wyth hys venym wolde pearse the heart I praye you is not euery parte readye to defende him though it be to the vtter destruction of them al for euer and to say truthe he is worthy to haue no lesse homage or seruyce seyng he is auctor of lyfe to al the rest helpyng his subiectes seruauntes at al such tymes as they be in daunger And to the entent that no one parte myght be destitute more of help then another by reason of the distance betwene hym and his gouernour Nature hath prouyded the hart to be set so egallye in the middest of the brest as is possyble to be deuysed by al the mathematikes in the worlde whych is compassed aboute wyth a cote the whych Galen calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is made of synowes so thycke and so strong that it is softer than a bone and yet it is sufficient to defende the hearte it is tyed to the skynne which couereth the rybbes and to the mydryfe and the heart strynges conteynynge a lytle quantitie of water that neuer dryeth vp vntyll such tyme as lyfe and all naturall heat is departed from the bodye There is also a lytle fatte leaste the hearte thorough hys contynual mouynge shulde be dryed vp wythin thys foresayde cote inclosed as a mooste precious iuell the heart hauynge .ii. chambres one on the ryght syde an other on the lefte To the chambre on the right side the great mayster vayne whiche groweth on the lyuer doth brynge blood that is distributed in to .iii. partes y e subtylest and moost choleryke to the nutrimente of lyghtes The seconde parte is caryed in to the chambre of the lyfte syde where by the vertue of the heart it is formed in to vytal spirite the thyrde and last parte is reserued to the nourysshement of the hole bodye after that it hath receyued of the hearte bothe vitall heat and spirite And lyke as from the chamber of the ryght syde the greate mayster vayne bryngeth blood thorough the hole bodye so from the least chamber the master pulse bryngeth vitall spirite of the whyche the lyuer taketh hys power and facultye wherby he nourysheth the body brayn by his vertue by whych he gyueth bothe felyng and mouyng to the same I wolde not nowe that any manne shulde thynke that I do defende the errour of Aristotle whyche thought that the hert as he is author of lyfe so to be the gyuer bothe of felynge mouynge to the hole bodye for that the synowes growe of the brayne euery man hauyng hys syghte maye perceyue easelye and that they gyue bothe felynge and mouyng to the bodye ye may knowe if ye take a dogge and tye bothe hys pulses and veynes and let hym go he shal both feele runne so long as y e animal spirit lasteth whych is all redy in hys synowes but in case ye tye hys synowes he shall not be able to styre one foote Thys is a very manyfest profe that the hearte gyueth not sence and mouynge to the bodye yet as I sayde before bothe the brayne and also the lyuer take theyr power of the heart for after that the hearte hath engendered vytall spirite parte is caryed to the lyuer and parte to the brayne The lyuer of hys engendreth newe spirites called naturall the whiche he doeth distribute by hys veynes thoroghout the bodye so the nuryshement of the same The brayne also tourneth those spirites whyche he receyued of the hart in to other spirites called animall these beynge dispersed amongest the synowes is cause bothe of mouyng and feelyng Sythens that I haue accordyng to my promyse made before declared by what meanes the brayne gyueth sence and mouynge to the bodye I wyll as bryefelye as I can descrybe the residue
e liuer whose substāce is red flesh not moch vnlike cōgeled blood beinge replenished w t veynes which be y e braūches of y e great master veynes y t is of y e veyne which is called Porta also of y t that is called Caua vena we haue no names in our tungue whych be propre or peculier to them onely but muste be fayne to call them master veynes and in dede so that we vnderstande the thynge it shall make but lytle matter for names howbeit Gallen sayth that the one is called Porta bycause that the iuyce commeth through it from the stomake to the liuer and the other I thynke is called Caua bycause it is a great hollowe veyne well what so euer it be called it groweth of the liuer and carieth blood from the liuer to the hert and thoughe it to be byg yet there groweth many fyne smal veynes both of it and of the other whych be dispersed throughout the whole body of the liuer to the intent that the iuice maye more easelye be turned into blood for the very dutye and office of the lyuer is to engendre blood for the nouryshmente of y e bodye and therfore it is hote and moyst accordynge to the nature of blood Moreouer it is the very fleshe of the lyuer whyche doth change the iuyce in to blood makyng it redde lyke vnto it selfe Althogh that sūme thynke the harte to be the well and original sprynge of blood notwythstandyng I had rather saye as Galene sayeth that it is the fleshe of the liuer which engendreth blood althogh the lyuer receyue both vytall heat and spiryte of the hearte and therefore from the great master pulse whyche in greke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there commeth manye lytle pulses to the lyuer bryngynge w t them vitall spirite but so sone as y e iuyce is concocte it is made blood and purified in y e middes of the lyuer receyueth choler of the smal veynes in the middes of the lyuer whyle the blood is purifyinge and cleansynge whyche conduyte or waye yf it fortune to be stopped by anye maner of chaunce so that the choler can not be seperate from the bloode then there foloweth hote fyeuers or els the yelowe Iandies On the lyfte side the splene or mylte enbraseth the stomacke which being blacke of colour is made of subtyle rare flesshe and is the same whyche before is called the receptacle of melancholie it is tyed vnto the backe aboute the myddes of the bastard ryb and doth drawe vnto it melancholye or blacke choler by a veyne whyche commeth from the lyuer receyuyng heat of the heart to digest the forsaid blacke choler by certayne pulses annexed vnto it From the mylte also there is a conduyt to the vppermoste mouthe of the stomacke bryngynge melancholye thyther partly to draw togyther the mouthe of the stomake and partlye to prouoke appetyte There be .ii. kydneys that be called in latyne Renes of the whych one is set vnderneth the lyuer toward y e backe and the other is set on the other syde ryght agaynst y e mylte they be made of soude and thycke flesshe least they shulde be dissolued of the water that they drawe dayly from the blood by two veynes whyche be called Mulgentes and in oure tongue suckynge veynes there is drawen also besyde the water sūme blood to the noryshment of the reynes or kydneis in the myddes of the whyche there is as it were a lytle pāne into the which the forsayde kydnies doe sweat oute the water whych they receyued of y e suckynge veynes and in thys panne the vryne taketh his colour from whēs it is brought doune after the concoction had therbefore by certayne conduites that be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greke and in latyne Vrinarii we maye calle them the conduytes of the vryne frō the raynes to the bladdar The bladdar in man ioyneth to the taylegutte or fundiment from whens the necke of it recheth to the yarde but in wemen it is set vpon the mouth of theyr woumbe therfore they haue bothe shorter and wyder necked bladdars than men haue and also be lesse disesed w t stone in that place It is made of skynnye synowes and there cummeth to it bothe veynes and pulses the necke onely is of flesshe and hath certayne turnynges and boughtes that it maye houlde the water more easely there is added a muscle to the mouth of the bladder to the entent y t we maye eyther letout or retayne the water at our owne wyll pleasure But howe smal and fine the holes be by the whyche the water is receyued into the bladder maye easelye be perceyued because that whan it is taken out of any dede bodye that there appeareth none at all more than that whiche is in the necke to let oute the vrine or water Manne surelye hath great profitte of the bladar for if that same superfluouse water shoulde not be caryed awaye but be permitted to runne to gyther in the vaynes with the blood after that the bodye were ones fulle mooste parte of the membres shulde cracke and breake and man shoulde be suffocated or choked Therefore the bladder is made for thys pourpose to receyue the superfluous watry substance of the blood and reteyne it so longe vntyl the due tyme of lettynge of it out be come Nowe I haue descrybed all y e partes of the lowest bellye so well as I coulde sauyng the priuy partes both of man and woman whyche for dyuers causes I wylle omytte at thys tyme fyrste because I wyll gyue no occasion to youth of wantōnes and then that I wyll offende no honeste eares in descrybynge them playnlye and seyng my promyse was to tuche but certayne partes I thinke I may as wel omyt them as a great many that I haue spoken nothyng of The .vi. Chapiter ¶ Of veynes pulses and synowes VEynes be cōdytes with thinne cotes which caryeth the thyckest blood throughout the body wherwith it is nouryshed they growe all of the liuer for the master veyne which passeth all the other in largenesse and wydenesse commeth from thence Aristotel thought y e hert to be the authour and begynner of y e veynes but Hypocrates thought otherwise and Galen also whom we folowe hath euidently confuted Aristotels opinion Pulses or arteryes be conduytes that growe of the hert and do carye vitall spiryte and some parte also of the fynest bloode therfore it was necessary that they shuld be both thycker and stronger then y e veynes lest the spirite being so fyne of substaūce myght breake out wherfore nature hath enclosed it in .ii. cotes of the whiche the inner is .v. tymes as thyck as the vtter and yet is it as thicke as any cote of y e veynes y t encloseth y e grosse and thickest blood Veynes pulses be so nygh cosyns y t there is no veyne in any part of the body without his pulse nor no pulse without his veyne to the
great deale of red choler thaÌ„ it maketh hym starke woode as Hercules Aiax was But yf it be mixte with flegme it maketh hym slothfull wythout all meane or measure If melancholye it selfe wythout the admixtion of other humours be burned than it maketh hym sad and solitarye as Bellerophon whyche as Homer sayeth beyng full of sorowe and care forsoke all companye and wandered in desolate feyldes solitarye al alone Howe be it the same humoures hath not lyke effecte in euery bodye for in summe they are not so outeragious as in summe Homer hym selfe dyed for sorow that he coulde not dissolue a certayne hard question which was propounded vnto hym and the olde philosofer Haracletus beyng borne an Ephesian dyd alwayes lamente wyth wepynge the manyfolde miseries of mannes lyfe whych as Theophrastus sayth was of nature melancholye because he lyued solitarye alone and wrote confused obscure thynges wel at the last thorow hys fylthy and vnclene lyuing he caught the dropsie wherfore trustyng to dry vp the water that was betwyxt his skynne and flesshe commaunded hys bodye to be annoynted wyth doung of oxen and layde abrode in the hote sunne from whence he was brought dead Yet Democritus madnes was soÌ„mewhat more pleasaunte whyche laughed alwayes at mennes folyshnes whereby he prolonged hys lyfe an hole hundred yeres Empedocles was so outeragious madde that he lepte alyue in to the burnynge fyer of the hyl Ethna but Sophocles madnes was much sweter the whyche dyd ease the incommodities of olde age wyth makyng of verses Marius whan he was madde fantasied nothyng but fyghtynge But Lucullus beyng madde was mery full of game and sporte The .xvi. Chapiter ¶ Of Spirites SPirite is a subtyle vapour of the blood whyche by the vertue of the hearte gyueth power to the body to doe all maner of workes and actions and althogh there is but one well or spryng of all spirites yet they be diserned by their places Vitall spirite is a flambe in the heart made of blood carying vital heat to y e other partes the pulses be made to carye this spirite whose dignitie and worthines may be estemed herof that euery part of the bodye hath nede of vitall lyuely heat to y e conseruation of theyr substauÌ„ce And thys vitall or lyuelye blood is preserued kepte by that same lytle sparcâ—e of vitall spirit whiche in olde tyme wise men dyd so moche maruel at that suÌ„me thought it to be maÌ„nes soule and summe the instrumente of mans soule And Aristotle sayth that death is nothyng but the quenching and puttynge forth of lyuelye heate and therof it commeth that so manye preceptes be gyuen of the phisitions for the conseruation and instauratioÌ„ of spirites the whyche doubtles be corrupted and extincte eyther wyth euyll dyet orels wyth disease sicknes or with the weaknes of y e hart in mouynge affections or finallye with immoderate labour The .xvii. Chapiter ¶ Of animall spirites SPirite animall is a spirite that by vertue of the brayne is made bryghter and conuenient to the woorkes of the senses also to moue and styrre the sinowes For I houlde well wyth them that affyrme constantly the hart to be the fyrste authoure and begynner of spirite and afterwarde to take a newe nature of the brayne And in dede there appereth a certeyn affinitie betwene the vital animall spirite For loke with what spirites the heart is beste tempered the same in the brayne brynge forth most noble and excellent affectes how be it for all y t there is differences betwene them because they haue dyuers offyces and effectes For the vitall spirit ministreth heate to the bodye the animall spirit styrreth vp the senses moueth the synowes Sâ—me adde vnto these another kynde of spirite called naturall whyche nourysheth the blood in the lyuer But Galene douteth of it sayeng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Si spiritus naturalis est aliquid whiche is as muche to saye as yf the naturall spirit be any thynge For althoughe it can not be chosen but that there muste be spirite in the lyuer yet it is brought thyther by y e pulces which is a token that it commeth from the hert but I wyl determyne or constitute nothynge of thys matter leauynge euery man to hys owne iudgement The .ii. booke ¶ The fyrst chapter ¶ Of naturall powers or actions WHosoeuer wyl perfytely know how many natural powers is in euerye bodye he must dyligently serche out the naturall workes of the same body for euery worke coÌ„meth of some action and also euery action of some cause for whyles y e infant is within his mothers woÌ„be as yet vnperfyte all hys partes is but one naturall worke procedynge of a natural action called generation but after that it is brought forth an other natural worke is to bryng the same to their ful groweth whiche is done by the facultie called auction that they maye long coÌ„tinue and endure nutrition onely doth make and bryng to passe Howbeit generation is not one simple naturall action as the other be but rather coÌ„pounde of alteration and formation For howe coulde eyther bene synowe or veyne be made without anye alteration of theyr substaunce or how coulde they be well figured or proporcioned except they were first out of all fassyon and ordre Auction is an amplification or encreasemeÌ„t in leÌ„gth bredth and depenesse of al partes of y e body and y e childe whyles he is in his mothers wombe is destitute neither of this nor of nutrition yet generation hath thaÌ„ y e chefe rule and dominion the other be as handmaydes vnto it but after it is delyuered vntyl suche time as it com to y e ful growth auction hath gouernaunce alteration nutrition be but inferioure powers Then as I sayde before it apperteyneth only to the power or vertue called auctioÌ„ to encrese in leÌ„ght bredth depenes al such partes as by helpe of generatioÌ„ hath alredy their due figure fassion But how euery part is made bygger it caÌ„ not better be knoweÌ„ then by an exaÌ„ple childreÌ„ be woÌ„t to take the bladders of oxen swyne and blowe them full of spirite rubbyng them very moche before y e fyre that they maye take heate wythoute any burnynge or harme otherwyse and wheÌ„ they haue stretched or drawen them out aboundauntlye they blowe them full of spiryte agayne stretchynge them out more then they dyd before and after they rub them and chafe them styl as is aforesayde vntyll suche tyme as they thynke theÌ„ large ynough but in this chyldysshe worke loke how moche the insyde of the forsayd bladders is made wyder so moche the bladder is thynner and yf that were not I myght well saye that chyldren coulde make as well as nature lytle bladders greate Howbeit the wysest man in y e world can not do that so moch the lesse children For that is onelye propre vnto nature Wherfore it is very euydent that nothynge can be encreased as it ought
is better than another and the very best tyme is after excersyce For then the bodye is clere pourged of all excrementes and naturall heate is encreased and made muche stronger And the next tyme is at .xi. of the clocke before dyner and agayne at .vi. a clocke of the nyght Howebeit children and suche as be not yet at theyr fulle groweth and olde men whyche be weake and feble had nede to eat oftener so that they take the lesse at ones and putte fower houres at the least betwene euerye meale and also of the synnowes whyche be the instrumentes of mouynge and that the foresayde vapours whythe doo fume vp to the brayne maye not be crude or rawe the hearte plucketh in to it bothe the blood and naturall heat that is in the vtter partes And thys same rest is good for .iii. causes fyrst to moyster the brayne and then to the generation of spirites laste of all to make an ende of the concoction bothe in the stomake and liuer The materiall cause of sleepe are the sweete vapours the whyche whan they be made moyst styllyng doune do stoppe the cōduytes of the sensis For they be not clāmye or grosse humours such as hurte the brayne but they be swete fumes the whiche after they be ascended be made thycke by the coldenes of the brayne rūne downe sprinkelyng the brayne with moysture Therfore Aristotle doeth compare the same motiō of vapours to the floude Euripus bycause in theyr goinge vp they turne backe agayne and other folowe and come after but the efficient cause is somewhat more darke and obscure For it is certayne that the heat and blood of the vtter partes is as Hypocrates sayeth drawenin to the hearte and though the body then be hotter with in it is colde without therfore when we slepe we haue nede of manye clothes The heate and blood is drawē in bycause that when the concoction is begone the vapours do fume vp naturally and whē they be disolued they come downe fulbut on y e heate of the herte which dryueth thē backe to the vtter partes and thus y e heate is dryuen styll more and more to the herte the whyche heate gathered togyther doth make an ende of cōcoction that the vapours which ascende to the brayne may both be more plētifull and also sweter But I thynke that the heate is drawen into y e hert not somoche for the cōmyng downe of vapours as that the vitall and animall powers be sociate and cowpled togyther by the diuyne prouydence of god For what parte soeuer be diseased the herte streyght lyke a naturall Prince or gouernour endeuoureth all that he can to helpe it therfore he callethe in his heate that he may helpe y e necessary action both of the stomacke and lyuer And whē the vtter partes of the body be at rest then the hert laboureth mooste drawynge vnto hym bothe heate and blood of the whych he enhendreth vitall spyrytes And trulye I se not a suffycyent cause why so moche heate shoulde be called in except this same societie of the powers were ordeyned of God that as soone as the vtter partes were at rest the hert either for hys owne cause or elles for the stomacke or liuer myght drawe vnto hym more plentiful heate to helpe the innermore actions whych be necessarye for the conseruation of nature and as euery man is moost greued and afrayed of his owne iepardye and doth couete fyrst to defende hym selfe so euerye parte of the bodye fyrst prouydeth for him selfe and thys naturall inclination is gyuen to all maner of creatures to coueyte fyrste to saue them selues And therfore the herte especially for his owne cause draweth to hym selfe heate bycause he hath neade of bloode and bycause his spirites be almost spent And therefore he also healpeth the well of the blood which is the liuer that it maye cherysh it selfe bryng forth newe and fresshe spirites and moreouer the brayne beinge werye and desyryng rest leueth mouyng of the vtter partes and whensoeuer the body hath nede of recreation or quyetnesse the actions of al the vertues be agreed by and by And this same consent or agrement god hath gyuē to all the partes that after defatigation or werynesse they may be refreshed wyth rest and quyetnesse The finall causes be great benefytes the whych slepe gyueth to euery vertue or power one by one it helpeth nutrition bycause it maketh an ende of concoction and there is nothynge more certayne thā that the crudities whych come for lacke of sleape is vncurable bycause not onely the meate is left vndigested but also the vertue of the stomake is vtterly destroyed partly by the burthē and weyght of of the crude and rawe meate partlye bycause the synowes be hurte by the wekenes of y e brayne that cōmeth for lacke of slepe as Hypocrates speking generally sayth that ouermoch watche bryngeth moost cruell crampes and there haue ben many which for lacke of slepe haue felt often crampes in theyr neckes and the palsye in theyr legges and also a great imbecillitie and weakenesse in theyr stomake And bysyde these the naturall heate throughoute the whole bodye decayeth sore bycause it is not cheryshed with vitall spirit And hereof it maye be perceyued how moche nede we haue of slepe to the conseruation of nutrition For when the concoctiō is done well and as it shoulde be there is nouryshment distributed to euery parte of the body wherw t they be cheryshed and there is also spyrites engendred whyche mynistreth newe strength to the bodye and yet the boylyng heate of the body is mittigated with takyng rest and the bodye it selfe is sprynkled with a swete dewe that cōmeth from the brayne and the brayne also taketh strength wherwith y e fynowes be made more lustye It helpeth the vitall power bycause the herte drawynge to hym heate doth brynge forth great plentye of spyrites the whych be made so moche more brighter how moche the bloode is purer And agayne it helpeth the animall powers for whose conseruation it is ordeyned of God bycause y e vertue both of the brayne synowes shulde be destroyed cleane wyth ouermoche drynesse excepte y t it were cherysshed wyth slepe in the whyche the brayne is made moyste gatherynge to hym agayne his pristinate strength How acceptable also is sleape in diseases and sorowes the which many tymes it onely healeth to mannes great profyte ease The .v. Chapter ¶ Of slepyng tyme and of the holesome lying in bedde SLepe ought to be taken in the begynnyng of y e night and there ought to be but a litle space betwyxt supper and sleape therfore after a lytle soft walkynge to the entent that the meate may go downe into the maw and also that the vpper mouth of the mawe may be shutte I wolde counsel euery man to take rest lying hym downe first on y e right side lest w t lying on y e lefte syde he open the vpper mouth of his stomake howbeit
Elementes NOw after that I haue declared and opened the sectes and opynions of the mooste noble and moost auncient Physitions I I thynke it verye mete to shewe the nature of the Elementes whyche be iiii in numbre the fyre ayer water and earth But to auoyde ambiguitie I wyl by goddes grace fyrst declare the signification of this worde Elementum which we maye verye well call in our tonge a begynnynge of any thynge and thereof it cōmeth y t the Alphabete letters be called elemētes bicause they are beginners of al maner of languages the principles also of euery arte be called Elementes bycause they are begynners of the same The Phisitions also do call the veynes pulses and bones w t all other suche partes as the Latyne men call similares sensible elementes bycause they are the fyrst beginners of mannes bodye as moche as maye be perceyued by sense For the fyre ayer water and earth of the which all thynges vnder the moone be made can not be perceyued by any sence wherfore as they are y e fyrst begynners of mannes bodye so they are not the fyrst sensyble begynners For yf they coulde be perceyued by sence then euerye man as he passeth other in quycknesse of sence so shuld he se and feale moost fyne elementes as the Aegle bycause his syght is moost perfyte shoulde easelyest perceyue the least Element but percase some wyll saye vnto me that there is no man so madde to saye that the fyre ayre erth and water can not be felte and perceyued by sense But whosoeuer shal moue this doubt I wyll answer hym of thys fassyon that yf he meane our fyre our water or our earth I wyl saye as he sayth which is that they may be felte and perceyued by sense For in dede they are no Elementes but thinges mixt and corruptyble hauyng theyr composition of dyuerse thynges where as the pure element is a body moost simple withoute all generation or corruption Nowe be it of fyre made thycke commeth ayer and of ayer made thycke cōmeth water and of water made thycke commeth earth And yet here is neyther corruption nor yet generation of the whole for this is a mutatiō of the partes only Then as I sayde before Elementū in this signification is a body moost pure and simple and the leest parte of the same wherin it is whiche can not be deuyded into any other kinde and of it all thynges naturall haue theyr originall begynnynge This definition is taken both out of Gallen and Aristotle therfore I truste no man wyll be so impudent to contrary or impugne it And there be also as is aforesayd .iiii. Elementes of the whiche the fyre is extreme hotte and moderatly drie the ayer extreme moyst and moderatly hotte the water extreme colde and moderatelye moyst the earth is extreme drie and moderatelye colde In heate the fyre with the ayer and in drynesse w t the earth in moysture the ayer w t the water in heate with the fyre in coldenesse the water with the earth in moysture with the ayer the earth in drynesse w t the fyre in coldnesse w t the water doeth consent and agree And as y e water to y e fyre is extreme contrarye so is the ayer to the earth Of the myxture of these elementes al natural bodies haue theyr composition yet it is nothing necessary y t they be equally myngled in the body but accordyng to that that hath dominion the bodye is named eyther choleryke sanguyne phlegmatycke or melancholye and these names be gyuen of .iiii. natural humours that is choler blood flegme and melancholie whyche take theyr qualityes of the elementes for choler is hotte and drye accordynge to the nature of the fyer and blood is hote moyste accordyng to the nature of the ayer flegme is colde and moyst according to the water and melancholye in no poynt dyssenteth from the earthe The thyrde Chapiter ¶ The differences of temperatures HOwe that I haue declared vnto you howe all naturall bodyes be made by the mixture of the elementes I thinke it most necessary to shewe in as fewe woordes as I can the differences of temperatures Temperatures in numbre are .ix. of the whyche .viii. do excede therfore in my fantasie they maye better be called distemperatures than temperate crases the nynthe in dede is temperate for it excedeth in no qualitie Of the distemperate .iiii. be simple and .iiii. be composide the simple are heate colde drynes moysture of the whych coupled and ioyned togyther the rest whyche be distemperate are made The nynth is neither hote colde drye nor moyst and yet is made of them all and therefore the grekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whyche is as muche to saye in latyn as Bene temperatum and in Englyshe wel tempered And this is that whyche Arithmetricions call Temperamentū ad pondus whyche we maye cal in our language a complection measured by weyght bycause there are as many degrees of heat as there is of colde of dryenes as of moysture the other whyche are distemperate crases be measured not by weyght but by dignitie as in the heart wel tempered heate doth excede in the brayne well tempered moysture doth exceade in the fatte well tempered colde in the boones well tempered dryenes And thys is called Temperamentum secundum iustitiam distributatiuam Whyche is as muche for to saye as a temperature measured accordynge to iustice whiche gyueth euery man hys owne But peraduenture thys declaration shall seeme some what harde to suche as be vnlearned and therfore I entende to declare y e same agayne bothe more largely and also more playnelye Fyrste ye shall vnderstande that these .iiii. heate colde dryenes and moysture whych are called the first qualities because all other come of them haue eche of them .iii. diuers significations Whansoeuer ye fynd heate colde drynes or moysture absolutely and simply spoken than vnderstande that it is meante by those simple bodyes which be hote colde drye and moyste in the hygheste degree and that is onely the fyer water earthe and ayer whyche be the .iiii. elementes whereof we spake before And whan ye fynde the same qualities myxt in any natural body by the which it is named eyther hote colde drye or moyste than suppose y t it is spoken eyther by comparison as hote for hotter colde for coulder dry for dryer or moyst for moyster orels that it is hote colde drye or moyste by nature as whan there is in one bodye more heate than colde more drynes than moysture or otherwise as Summer is called hote bycause it hath more heat than colde Winter also is called colde be cause that it hath more colde than heate hereof it commeth that one bodye is choleryke because in the myxture of the foure humoures whyche is choler blood flegme and melancholy there is more of choler than of anye other and therfore choler hath the dominion causynge the bodye to be named cholerycke after it