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
and in lyke maner doth eche of the other where he beareth rule gouernaunce But he that wyl knowe perfectly howe to iudge the differences of bodies in temperature by comparison must constitute in euery kynde of thynges that same temperate meane whyche before we called Eucraton to the whiche he must referre the same bodye or complexioÌ„ of the whyche he dowteth and than yf it doe excede the meane eyther in heate colde drynesse or moysture it shall take name therof and be called eyther hote colde drye or moyste because it exceadeth the meane whiche is named Eucraton whan it is eyther hote colde drye or moyste Somme do vse to iudge the diuersitie of complexions by comparynge one distemperate bodye to an other of the same kynde distemperate also as in mannes kinde Socrates compared with Aristotle is hote because he is hotter than he but in respecte of Aristippus he is colde bycause Aristippus is muche hotter thus one man compared to dyuers maye be bothe hote colde drye and moyst And some by comparynge distemperate bodyes of dyuers kyndes lerne to knowe y e constitution as a dogge compared wyth a man is hote w t a lyon is colde and w t a shepe is drye wyth a pysmyre or a flye is moyste and of thys fashion contraries maye be in one bodye and none otherwise Howe be it as I thynke the beste waye is to seke out the meane to the whiche al that be of the same kynde ought to be referred and afterwarde as he excedeth in any quality to haue his nomination accordyng to y e same But perchaâ—ce ye wyl say it is hard to fynde in euery kinde a coÌ„plexioned body measured by weyght which is the meane I graunte y t for in dede there was neuer any suche nor shall be yet as that secte of Philosophers whyche were called Stoykes what tyme they defyned a wyse man dyd descrybe suche one as was not possible to be founde any where and as Quintilian descrybeth hys oratour so we to bryng our purpose aboute muste ymagyne suche an one in oure mynde by cogitation as neuer was made neyther is lyke to be by consente of nature as thus In the hole kynde of lyuynge thynges that that is moste temperate and perfecte is as a meane to the rest whych by the hole consente as well of the philosofers as of the phisitions is man by cause any of the other kyndes compared wyth hym is distemperate than yf ye wyll proue man also to be distemperate ye muste seke amongest the hole kynde the most perfecte and temperate and he that is perfyt and temperate and worthy to be a mene to the rest is neyther ouer thicke nor sclendre nor very full of heer nor yet smooth and without heer nor softe nor yet harde blacke nor whyte hote nor colde drye nor moyste and to be shorte kepyng a meane wythout all excesse Yf ye can fynde suche a one in the hole kinde then are ye sure of the complexyoned bodye measured by weyght whiche we spake of before In case ye can fynde none suche ye must imagyne a like in your brayne and ye must not do this onely in maÌ„kynde but also in other naturall and lyuely creatures as wel in the kinde of lyons dogges elephauntes and wolues as also of byrdes fysshes wormes and trees coÌ„paryng euery one in his owne kynde But in case ye wyl fynde what of all thynges is moost temperate then must ye go agayne to the man before sayd whych is neyther hotte nor colde and the skynne in the myddest of the insyde of hys hande is of all thynges most temperate For the temperatest part of euery mannes body is the skynne in the myddeste of the paulme of the hande then the temperatest parte of the moost temperate man must neades be the mooste temperate thynge in the worlde seing that of al lyuyng creatures man is moost temperate Now that I haue shewed howe by comparison made in euery kinde the differences of the bodye may ease lye be knoweÌ„ there remayneth behynde to declare how to fynde out the same wythoute comparison Where as I sayde before that euery qualitye myght be taken thre dyuerse wayes as heate in the hyghest degree is onlye in the fyre and in a naturall bodye myxt of the Elementes it is eyther referred to an other by comparison as hotte for hotter or els it is so of nature whyche maye be taken two maner of wayes as hotte in acte or in power Thynges that be hotte in acte maye easelye be iudged by sence of fealynge for who hathe so dull sense in fealynge that he can not perceyue the fyre to be hotte yf he put hys fynger in it But to know whych is hotte in power is a thynge of more difficultye For it can not at the fyrst brunt be perceyued by anye sence neyther of fealyng smellynge hearynge seinge nor tastynge For who can perceyue by anye of these y t castoreuÌ„ or euphorbiuÌ„ or nasturciuÌ„ is hotte or that Mandragora Salamandra or Papauer is colde But in case ye take any parte of them inwardlye eyther as meate drynke or medicine then ye shal easely discerne whiche is hotte and whiche is colde But peraduenture ye wyl condemne this profe as noughte bycause it is daungerous medlyng with poysoÌ„s I graunt that therfore it is moch safer to laye them as a playster to some vtter part of your skyn where as they can not hurte and after that they haue lyen there a whyle they wyll shewe theyr power and qualitie which shalbe perceyued quycklye by sense in felyng But to iudge thinges moyst or drye I can shewe you a mochesurer rule what soeuer thing is soft and moderately hotte that of nature is moyst whatsoeuer is harde and moderatly hote y t of nature and power is drye and this is alwayes true as well in lyuely bodyes as is other thynges The .iiii. Chapter ¶ The geueration of the liuer bert and brayne FOr asmoche as there is nothyng so necessary to attayne to any perfyte knowledge in Phisicke as to be perfyte bothe in cuttyng and in openynge the bodye and partes of the same And seing it is shame for a manne to be learned in so manye artes and haue knowledge of so manye thynges as the mooste parte of men nowe a dayes haue and be ignoraunt in his owne bodye the whych he shoulde mooste perfytely knowe I thynke it no lesse then my bounden dutye to employe my laboure and diligence to the furtheraunce of the same that suche as be but begynners as yet verye rawe in Physycke whose bryngynge vp hath not ben amongest learned men of the vniuersityes wherby they are destitute bothe of dialecte naturall Philosophye and other artes with out the which Physycke can hardlye be learned maye haue some helpe by this my lytle rude boke bothe to attayne some learnyng in Physycke also to knowe theyr bodye Bloode and the seed of the man be beginners of our generatioÌ„ of the whych blood is the
of the partes whyche I thynke most necessarye to be knowen begynnynge there where as I lefte wyth the hearte whyche besyde hys chambres hath also twoo eares the whiche be grassels made of synowes beynge full of wrynkles and foldynges and they be also called the selles or butteries of the hearte I promysed before to declare as nere as I coulde those partes y t the brest whyche is called the myddle bellye doth conteyne and I haue al redy so to my lytle power descrybed both y e hearte the lyghtes the instrumentes of the voyce and brethyng wyth the partes couerynges of the same therefore nowe there remayneth the mydryfe whyche in latyne is called Mediastinus and the skinne that compasseth the rybbes whyche in Greke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart strynges whyche in greke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mydryfe doth deuyde the breast 〈◊〉 in lengthe and maketh .ii. chābers one on the ryghte syde and an other on the lefte syde And because it is a very stronge skynne it doth fashyon both veynes pulses and synowes to the brest and it is tyed before to the brestbone and behynde to the ioyntes of the backebone The seconde skynne is that that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which couereth the rybbes on the insyde and the muscles also that be betwyxt the rybbes Next vndernethe this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latyne men call Trausuersum septū or p̄cordia we may cal it an ouerthwart bridge or the hertstrynges it is made of synowes fleshe couered with .ii. fyne rymes made to moue the lyghtes also to drawe in and let out ayer and to separate the lowest belly from the mydle bely vnderneth the hertstrynges somwhat toward the ryghtside the mawe or paunche whiche before we called the lowest bellye beinge rounde with a greate bottome and somthyng narowe towarde the left syde is fastened to the .xiii. ioynte of the backe bone and in the same place the wesaūt that before we called the stomake is tyed to the mawe whych hath .ii. mouthes one at the lowest parte of the wesaunt and the other in the ryght syde of y e mawe or pāche The mouth by the which the meate is receyued into the mawe doth shut the nether parte of the wesaunt and is called the hyther mouthe of the mawe the mouthe that letteth oute the meate shytteth the nether parte of the mawe and is called in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latyne Iauitor in our tung a portar or a keper of the gate and bothe these mouthes to the intente that the meate and drynke maye not fall oute at any tyme vnconcocte be set in the syde of the belly or pauche which be fast shutte as soone as euer the bellye hath receyued meate and therby naturall heate is very moche encreased wythin the mawe beynge made of synowes and of flesshe and it hath also two cootes of the whych the innermoost hath more synowes then flesshe and it is very thycke and rough ful of wryncles by the which the meate is drawen downe and retayned The vtter cote is more flesh and serueth onely to expell that that the bely refuseth and hath done w tal The temperature of the belly is cold and drye accordyng to the nature of synowes wherof it hath abūdaunce that it may be delyted w t such thīges as be cōueniēt mete for it and may abhorre suche as be noyful hurtful vnto it I haue spoken somewhat brefely of the bellye and mawe but before we descrybe the liuer I wyll first reherse .ii. cotes or coueringes of the bely which nature by her diuine and hygh sapiēce hath prouyded for the defence of the belly and entrailes The fyrst coueryng is called iu latyn Omentū y e Grecians do cal it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our bouchers call it the kell and it is wouen lyke a nette of veynes pulses and senowes beinge couered with a great deale of fatte to the intent that it maye holde in the naturall heate which is in the mawe and guttes for it couereth all the belly from the top to the too the next cote or couerynge the Grekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche couereth not onelye the bellye but also the liuer mylte and reynes it groweth of the bladder being thycker in some place then in some it tyeth the lowest partes of the belly to y e backe and doth sustayne the muscles of the belly which the Latyn men cal Musculos abdominis vpon the which muscules is a great deale of fatte then the skynne that couereth the whole body Next vnto the mawe immediatly downewarde be the guttes and entrayles the whiche although they be all one whole and continual body yet they maye be decerned bothe by theyr figure situation and action The fyrst whyche is fastened to the nether mouth of the mawe is called Duodenum bycause it is .xii. ynches longe and it is in the ryght syde in the region of the lyuer Nexte vnto Duodenum is I eiunium whiche is so called bycause it is alwayes emptye For to this gutte there cōmeth moch choler from the lyuer and bycause it of all the rest is nexte the liuer therfore the lyuer draweth from it verye quycklye by hys small veynes suche iuise as came from the stomake before And from this gutte there commeth choler into the rest to expell the excrementes The nexte is called of Galene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whyche hath manye circuites and boughtes bycause it shulde retayne the iuyce longer and it doth farre passe all the rest ioyned vnto thys is the gutte called Cecum whych doth receyue the excrementes and it is called Saccus bycause it is the wydest of all Then foloweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ beynge two cubytes of length hauyng dyuerse boughtes ▪ and compassynges lest the excrement shulde fall strayte out and in this gutte the excrement taketh hys coloure The last gutte whiche we call the fundament begynneth vnder the left reyne and is stretched downe euen to the very hole in the tayle it is tyed to the great back bone being large wyde to the intent that the excrement may go down more at ease Sith I haue descrybed the guttes entrayles I wyll adde somthyng as cōcernyng y e matter that they be made of They be made of flesh sinowes hauīg brode strīges by y e which they expel the excrementes There is a certayne skyn mixt amongest the guttes which is no gutte but a fortresse or a stay for y e smal veynes which come frō y e lyuer and it is called in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thervpon al the small veynes be called Mesaraice and it is a fyne and subtyle skyn made of very smal veynes gathered on an heape togyther amōgest the whyche there is a lumpe of fleshe lyke vnto a kernell whiche we call the swyt bread Underneth y e bastard ribbes in y e rightside of y e maw or stomake is y
and also mollifying the pores or fyne holes of the skynne do open the same which by reason of the strong and oftē mouing of the spirites be cleane purged of all theyr excrementes and filthes and also the excrementes of the hole body be had awaye Now yf al these come of exercyse as no doubte they do peraduenture it is an harde matter to shew the due seasonable time of takyng it for bycause it helpeth y e concoction throughout the whole body there may be no quātitie of rawe iuice neyther in the mawe nor in the small veynes about the liuer lest the same be snatched into euery parte of the bodye before it be made mete or profitable to the same by concoxion Therfore bycause it doth clense and purge the lytle pores and also expel the experimentes it maye well be taken before meate For Hypocrates sayth Yf thou nouryshe vncleane bodyes and suche as be ful of excremētes thou shalt do them more harme then good Wherfore it is verye euydēt that the best and metest tyme for excercyse is when yesterdayes meate is concoted bothe in the stomacke and also in the veynes For if it be taken at anye other tyme eyther before or after it must eyther fyll the bodye full of crude and rawe humours or els augment pale and citrine choler Doubtlesse the true marke of thys tyme is takē of the vrine For whyte water betokeneth cruditie readde ouermoche concoction and that that is somewhat pale and a lytle turned to yelowe is a token that the second concoction is nowe alreadye downe and so longe as the water or vryne is not infected wyth choler it is styll whyte and when it hathe taken to moche of choler then it is red Therfore when it is betwyxte readde and whyte then it is tyme to begynne exercyse fyrst easynge the bodye of the excrementes of the guttes or entrailes as well as of the vryne or water in the bladder lest some parte of the foresayde excrementes be eyther chaunged into the habyte of the bodye or els throughe the vyolence of the greate heate whych exercyse and the vehemēt exagitation causeth do putrifye whereof there maye ensue moche inconuenience Therfore seing that exercyse as we sayd before is a vehement mouynge it is verye mete and necessary to shew for what bodyes exercyse is mooste conuenyent and holesoome for Hypocrates counsayleth them whose bodyes excede in heate to beware of all vyolent and vehement mouinges Then shall suche bodyes lyue in ydlenesse wythout exercyse or any mouynge no. For althogh Hypocrates forbyd suche to vse any exercyse that is vyolent yet neuerthelesse he forbyddeth them ydlenesse commaundyng them to vse those kyndes of exercise which be not vehement as walkynge rydinge but such as be colde of nature or at the leest excede not in heate and especially they that haue many wast and supersluous humours may safe lye vse the vehement excersyces that be in case they obserue the tyme beforesayde and do not sodeynlye and at the fyrst brunt excercyse thē selfes as vehementlye as afterwarde For as ye se lute or harpestringes if they be sodeynely and vehementlye stretched be put in great daunger of breauynge so the synowes and the fyne small veynes yf they be vehemently plucked anye waye with any sodden mouynge of the bodye be in no lesse daunger then of breakyng Therfore whosoeuer wyll excercyse hym selfe vehemently euen at the fyrst let hym after he hath put of his clothes chafe his lymmes softly vntyll they waxe redde and be moderatelye hotte and then annoynt hys ioyntes with oyle after let hym not spare to excercise hym selfe sūme what vehementlye but suche as may take their excercise at theyr owne wyll and pleasure let them begyn softely encresynge theyr labowre styll more and more vntyll suche tyme as theyr fleshe be throghlye swelled and begyn to sweat but then it is tyme to leaue lest such humours as be good and profitable to the nouryshment of the bodye be expelled as well as they y t be noughte And also immoderate excersise dryeth vp the bodye and consumeth as well the natural heat as the natural moysture whereby the spirits decay whiche shortneth lyfe and hasteneth olde age There be many kyndes of exersyses whyche maye all well be alowed as shotynge dyggynge wyth a spade or mattocke bowelynge eyther in the fyelde or in the alley haukynge huntynge daunsyng runnyng leapyng tennes and footebal but of these or els of other whych is not rehearsed the beste be they that excersyse al partes egally as shotynge and tennyse for dyggyng doth excersise the backe to muche and runnyng or daunsing the legges Wherfore they be not so well to be alowed as the rest which exercyseth all partes a lyke The .ii. Chapter ¶ Of dyner or eatynge tyme. DIogenes beynge asked whan it was beste for a man to be refresshed wyth meate aunswered on this fasshyon sayeng a ryche manne whan he wyll a poore man whan he maye As I do well alowe that a poore manne shall not eate before he haue meate so I doo vtterlye condemne that a ryche manne shall eate whan he wyll For meat taken eyther out of tyme or to much in quantitye is cause of many euyls and maladies to the bodye It is taken out of tyme eyther whā the accustomed houre of eatynge is broken as to deferre dyner tyll .iii. of the clocke at after noone orels whan that tyme is spente in eatyng which is ordeyned for an other pourpose as to eat in the nyght whyche is ordeyned for slepe and it maye be taken to muche in quantitie many wayes For summe man eatynge but .iii. bittes of beaffe shall surfet as sore of it as sūme other that peraduenture be syde other meates deuowreth foure grotes woorthe of beaffe And he also taketh to muche whyche ceasseth not from eatynge so longe as he is able to eate or swalowe any more as well as he y t eateth so much that hys belly is harde wythal Of these kyndes of repletion commeth eyther sodayne death by breakyng of the skynne called Peritoneum or elles a continuall laske called Lienteria whych alwayes bringeth wyth it a consumption wyth many other diseases of the whyche I entende nat to speake of at thys tyme. wherfore it is good and holsome for euery man to leaue eatyng wyth an appetyte and not to eate so muche at one meale as myght well suffice nature iiii also to feade of such meates as is moste holsom for his body If he be cholerycke and strong of nature ledynge a laboursūme life than he may fede of grosse and strong meates as beaffe and suche meates as is put in the fyrste order but yf he be flenmatyke and of a weake nature than lette hym take heede of grosse meates and fede of suche as be in the myddle order of the whyche repletion is nothynge so daungerous as of the other As concernynge the tyme of eatyng euery man whan he is hungred if he maye haue it yet one tyme