loftie and continually glistering in feare cast downe and as it were set fast in the head in ioy pleasant and cleere in pensiuenes all heauie mournfull and darke To be short they be wholly giuen to follow the motions of the minde they doe change themselues in a moment they doe alter and conforme themselues vnto it in such maner as that Blemor the Arabian and Syreneus the Phisition of Cypres thought it no absurditie to affirme that the soule dwelt in the eyes and the common people thereabout think so vntil this day for in kissing the eyes they thinke they kisse the soule Momus condemned See here thy selfe condemned O shameles find fault and vtterterly ouerthrowne in thine action and delay not but come and make condigne satisfaction by honorably recompencing of nature whom thou hast so maliciously and falsely accused of follie in the framing of mans bodie for that she did not set two windowes next neighbours to the heart through them to spie all the passions of the same Canst thou wish more goodly windowes then these of the eyes Doest thou not see therein as in a glasse the most hidden things of the mind The poore man at the barre doth he not reade written in the eyes of his iudge his sentence either of condemnation or absolution There is saith Theocritus a broad trodden way betwixt the eye and the heart a man can not so dissemble the matter but that such will be the passion of the eye as is the passion of the heart It grieueth me that euer I should finde so vaine a discourse as should containe the eger desire of any man to haue the bread framed of christalline cleerenes to the end he might see what is within the heart seeing we are alreadie possessed of this round christalline humour within our eyes which casteth forth most liuely light much like the glittering beames comming from a shining glasse moued in the Sun But if it may be granted me to mixe one dram of Phisick amongst the large masse of these Philosophicall and Poeticall sentences I dare auouch that in the eyes wee perceiue and discerne the whole estate of the health of the bodie That the eyes doe shew the whole estate of mans health Hippocrates that sacred Oracle of Greece which all the world as yet euen to this day hath in singular reuerence and rare admiration hath obserued the same very well in his Epidemickes and in his treatise of Prognostications he commandeth the Phisition when he goeth to see the sicke partie to behold and looke well vpon the face but chiefly vpon the eyes because that in thē as in a glasse is easily espied the strength or weaknes of the animal powers if the eye be cleere and bright it maketh vs well to hope but and if it bee darke withered and clowdie it presageth death Galen calleth the eye a diuine mēber that part of euery liuing thing which most resembleth the Sun and therewithall doth so highlye steeme of it as tha the verely beleeueth that the braine was made onely for the eyes The Lawyers doe hold it as a Maxime that a blind man cannot plead or handle a case well because he cannot see the maiestie of the Iudge Arislotle that light of nature in his second booke of the generation of liuing things sayth that from the eyes men take infallible signes of fruitfulnes as if in dropping some bitter water into a womans eye she by and by feele the taste thereof vpon her tongue it is a signe of her aptnes to conceiue The eyes sayth the same Philosopher are full of spirit and seede and this is the reason why in new married persons they bee so much the lesser and as it were languishing But what neede I to alleadge so many proofes concerning the excellencie of these two Sunnes seeing that nature her selfe doth sufficiently demonstrate the same vnto vs Let vs reade in the booke of nature Natures care for the preseruation of the eyes and see how carefull she hath been to preserue the eyes as her most de are and trustie messengers let vs admire the arte and skill she hath vsed in working their safetie and defence wee shall finde her not to haue forgotten or left out any thing but so to haue bestirred her selfe as those men which haue a purpose to fortifie a place and make it impregnable The fortifications seruing for the safetie of the eye First she hath lodged them as in a bottome or little valley that so they might not be subiect to the assaults of manifold dangers and hurts and to the end that nothing might commaund this little valley she hath raised vp foure notable bulwarkes all fortified with bones as hard as any stone which in such sort doe swell and bunch out as though they were little hillockes made to receiue the blowes and beare off the violence of euery enemy that might assaile them Aboue them is the brow bone vnderneath them the cheek bone on the right and left hand the two corners the one of them somewhat greater then the other and is that which is next the nose the lesser one being that which is set right ouer against it And for as much as the forepart of this place lay wide open without any couer for feare that the prince commanding the same which is the eye should be ouertaken or offended with too much winde cold or smoke nature hath made as it were a draw-bridge to be pulled vp and let downe as the gouernour shall commaund and this is the eye lid which openeth and shutteth as best pleaseth vs. The chaines by which this bridge is drawne let fall are the muscles the instruments of voluntary motion It appeareth then plainly enough by this great care which nature hath for the preseruation and defence of the eyes how excellent they are and therewithall we haue our lesson taught vs how carefull we ought to bee for the preseruation thereof CHAP. V. Of the composition of the eye in generall SEeing it is now time to lay open the skilfull workmanship of these bright starres appearing and rising together I purpose to describe them in such liuely sort and perfect maner as that the most curious and such as are borne onely to carpe it may be will content and hold themselues satisfied therwithall letting passe all those notable obiections and questions which might bee made about the parts of the eye for that I haue at large handled them in the sourth booke of my Anatomicall workes And euen as Cosmographers and those which trauailing applie themselues curiously to obserue and marke things do first inquire of the names of the prouinces view and consider the situation beauty largenes strength and entrances of cities together with whatsoeuerels may be seene without before they enter into them so will I describe the forme situation fortresses largenes vse and number of the eyes with whatsoeuer els may bee marked in generall before I enter into any particular search
to the eye certaine glandules or kerneis which water the eye as also drinke vp like a spunge the moysture falling vpon them from the braine CHAP. X. How we see as namely whether it be by the sending foorth of spirits or by taking in of the formes of things I Thinke my selfe by this time to haue deciphered exactly enough the whole workemanship of the eye and of all his parts let vs now looke about and see how it dischargeth his function which is sight and how it is accomplished The things necessarie to make vs see All Philosophers haue well agreed in this one poynt that there are three things necessary for to make the sight perfect that is to say the instrument which is the eye the obiect which is the colour and the meanes inlightned which is the aire or the water or some other thorough-cleare and christal-like thing but when it should come to passe that they should ioyne these three together and shew the maner of this action which is the liueliest and briefest of all the other sences they iarre among themselues and cannot agree Some of them would haue that there should issue out of the eye bright beames or a certaine light which should reach vnto the obiect and thereby cause vs to see it other some would haue it that the obiect commeth vnto the eye and that nothing goeth out of the eye the first doe hold that we see by emission or hauing something going forth of the eye the latter by reception or receiuing of the obiect into the eye The former sect doe ordinarily alleage Plato as their prince and chiefe pillar Plato his opinion how that we see sending forth of some thing one of his princip all foundations standeth vpon this that the eye is all full of light and of the nature of fire not such as vseth to burne and giue light together neither yet that which burneth but giueth no light but such as giueth light and burneth not like vnto the celestiall fire This foundation seemeth to rest vpon some shew of trueth The found tion of this opinion for the eye being rubbed yea though it be when it is most darke doth cast forth some bright streames and commonly wee see the eyes of such as are angrie all fierce and fierie Reasons to proue the eye to be of the nature of fire Plinie hath obserued that Tyberius Casar did make afraid many souldiers with his onely looke it was so quicke and full of light Aristotle reporteth that one Antipho a yong man did alwaies see his owne image by the reflexe of the bright straines which came forth of his eyes Galen telleth of a souldier who becomming blinde by little and little perceiued euery day as it were a light to come forth of his eyes and returned not againe And doe we not in the night perceiue the Cat the Woolfe and many other liuing creatures to haue shining eyes Moreouer the more then credible readines and nimblenes of the eye the performance of his actions in a moment and without local motion his steeple-like shape doe all euidently testifie that it is of a subtile nature and full of fire the eye also is neuer seene to quake through colde although it be in the colde because it selfe is all on a flame Finally it cannot bee denied but that the instrument must bee sutable to his obiect the obiect of sight is colour and auncient writers haue defined colour to bee a flame going out of bodies it is of necessitie therefore that the instrument should be of the same nature If this be true I meane that the eye is full of fire and sparkling streames we shal be forced to beleeue that the eye seeth by emission This is also the most common receiued opinion and that which hath drawen manie great learned Clerkes after it as Pithagoras Empedocles Hipparcus Democritus Leucippus Epicurus Chrysippus Plato and in a maner all others which haue written of the eyes And now take a viewe of their principal reasons Reasons to proue that we see by sending foorth something The Basiliske by his sight poy soneth all them which looke vpon him women hauing their natural courses infect the looking-glasses vpon which they cast their eyes Some report that if a Woolfe doe first see a man that then such a man will become hoarse The first Men of olde time haue thought that with the looke one might be bewitched and inchanted according to the complaint of the Poet I know not what eye hath bewitched my tender lambes The second If a man come neere to one that hath enflamed eyes and behold him earnestly which hath red eyes without all peraduenture he shall bee troubled with the same disease all which sheweth that there commeth something out of the eye Whereupon is it that a great whitenes doth hurt the sight but onely for that it wasteth the spirits which come forth of the eye Wherefore should the eye grow weake with looking The third but because there commeth out of it too much light and that all the spirits vanish and fade away The fourth Whence commeth it that such as would see a very little thing a far off do claspe their eyes halfe close their eyelids It is not that so they may vnite the beames and ioyne together the spirits The fift to the end that afterward they may cast them out more forcibly cibly and directly Go not the Cats on hunting in the night and then do they cast out some glittering streames The sixt Furthermore if we should not see by sending something foorth of the eye it should seeme vnnecessary that the eye should turne it selfe vnto his obiect the forme thereof should offer it selfe sufficiently to vs yea we should see in not seeing The seuenth If we should see onely by taking and receiuing something into our eyes then great eyes should see better then small ones because they are the more capable and so also such eyes as haue large apples should see better then those which haue small ones which is quite contrary to trueth a small thing should be assoone seene as a great The eight and it would be as easie to see a farre off as neere if the formes be al in the aire Looke wel say they which write of the eyes vpon a small needle which hath his point standing vp yet at the first cast thou shalt not disceme the point but afterward hauing turned thine eye on the one side and the other thou shalt see it because that by such turning some one bright straine or other will haue met with it of the same reason and nature is that which happeneth in smal things that are on the earth The ninth a man cannot tell how to behaue himselfe to see them at the first dash Finally if we see by taking something into the eye the eye should containe at one and the same instant two contrarie things which is
braine and of a merueilous simpathy with the same will suffer first of all The euill disposition of the eye weakeneth the sight very oft although that the facultie be intire and strong Such disposition is found sometimes in the whole eye as when it is too fat and great or too small and leane sometimes in some speciall parts thereof as in the tunicle humors muscles spirits sinewes veines and arteries vnto euery of which doe happen their particular diseases which I will runne through in the chapter following The sight depraued and falsified The corrupting or falsifying of the sight falleth out when the obiect sheweth it selfe to be of another colour forme quantitie or situation then it is as for example if a white thing should shew yellow or red because the instrument of sight is tainted with some colour this it is which maketh them that haue the yellow Iaundise to see euery thing yellow when the thing which standeth fast seemeth to moue as it falleth out in them which haue the disease called Vertigo through the disordered and extraordinarie mouing of the spirits and when one single thing seemeth two and this falleth out either through default of the instrument or through the euill situation of the obiect or of the eyebeames If both the eyes be not in one and the same leuell but that the one be high and the other low out of doubt euery thing which they behold will shew double the causes hereof are oftentimes a palsie in the one and a conuulsion in the other The nerue opticke also being relaxed and mollified on the one side causeth all things that are looked vpen to seeme double as it happeneth to such as are drunke If you presse and beare downe the one eye with your finger not touching the other you shall see euery thing double of which missight the situation of the instrument is the principall cause and the situation of the obiect is the next As if you whirle a staffe round about you would thinke that it were a circle and if long wise you would iudge it to be nothing but a long stretched line which happeneth by the swift mouing of the obiect out of his place for so before the first figure be worne out a second commeth into his place The last cause consisteth in the diuerse situation of the eye beames as if you looke yourselfe in a crackt looking glasse your face will seeme two faces vnto you The losse of the sight The vtter losse and depriuation of the sight which we call blindnes commeth either of the drinesse of the humors or of the hindring of the two lights that they cannot meete and ioyne together in the christalline humour The inward which is the animall spirit is hindred by the obstruction of the nerue opticke and this disease is called gutta serena the outward is hindred by the cataract which shutteth the apple of the eye the window of the christalline humour Therefore the sight cannot be hurt but by one of these three waies CHAP. XII A briefe rehearsall of all the diseases of the eye I Doe not intend here to trouble my mind in drawing forth an exquisite description of all the diseases of the eye the attempt would be too great and I could not make so few as twentie chapters of the same seeing there are so many particular diseases of the eye I will content my selfe to lay out the way and best ordered course thereunto for the benefite of young Phisitions and Chirurgeons for whose sake I haue made choice of this chapter The diuision of the diseases of the eye Now then as concerning the diseases of the eye some of them are common to the whole member some others are proper vnto some particular part of the same Those which concerne the whole eye are either similar or instrumentall or common The similar ones are the moyst the drie the hote the colde distemperature The diseases to be referred to the whole eye as also the simple the compound the distemperature without matter and that which is accompanied with matter The instrumentall doe shew themselues in the euill shape of the eye as when it is ouer great or ouer little or not so situate as were requisite for comelines and vse The diseases comming of the bignes of it are when the eye is either too great or too little The greatnes of the eye the great eye is called the oxe eye it hindereth the action of the eye for the sight is not so quicke by reason of the excessiue expence of spirits neither is it so readie in motion The cause of this greatnes is either the error of the first forme and shape committed by nature or else some accident whether flegmatike humor or inflammation or else some great fluxe of humours falling down vpon the same The disease contrarie to this The smalnes of the eye is the smalnes of the eye which either is the worke of nature and is called the Pigges eye or else happeneth by some other meanes as by wasting of the naturall heate by suffering of intollerable paines much watchings sharpe rhewmes and continuall agues in such cases the whole eye being weakened it attracteth not his naturall nourishment or though it doe yet it cannot concoct it and this disease is called the pining away or leanenes of the eye The eye bolted out The diseases of situation is when the eye is out of his place as when it commeth out and when it falleth quite downe if it come forth it is called a falling out of the eye in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auicen obserueth that it happeneth either of an outward cause as of a blowe a fall or straine in coughing vomiting blowing or of an inward cause as of some suddaine falling down of humors which looseth all the muscles and whole bodie of the eye or of a great inflammation or other humor Solution of continuitie The common disease is called the solution of continuitie which happeneth when the eye is burst or when all the humours thereof are mingled and iumbled together Loe these be the diseases which may be referred to the whole bodie of the eye for the diseases called Nictalopia Myopiasis and Amblyopia are Symptomes touching onely the spirits or humors and not the whole eye The particular diseases of the eye The particular diseases differ according to the parts of the eye Now we haue alreadie obserued for parts of the eye the humors coates sinews and muscles of the same so then there are diseases proper vnto euery one of these parts I will begin to describe those which happen to the humours as being the noblest parts of the eye as also because Galen in his booke of the causes of accidents hath taken the same course The disease of the christalline humour Glaucoma The christalline humour is subiect to all maner of disease but the most vsuall is a drie distemperature and his going out of his place
also as the rubbing of the thighes and legs will be of good vse to diuert and turne away the vapours which rise vp to the eyes The particular exercises of the eyes The eyes haue their particular exercise to moue them very suddainely and circularlie doth weaken them as also to keepe them fixed a long time in one place and as it were immoueable doth yet wearie them more for that in this pawsing motion all the fibres of the sixe muscles are equallie stretched as we see in birdes which houer in the ayre not stirring out of their place It is better therefore to keepe them in a moderate motion for that the muscles performing their actions successiuely doe comfort and relieue one another It is not good to reade much especially after meate nor yet to trouble himselfe with too small a letter or any other curious and choise peece of worke because that both the facultie or power and instrument are put to great paines being occupied about these little things It is not good to beholde things that moue swiftlie nor yet such as turne round Of the passions of the minde The bellie must be kept soluble All passions of the minde doe much hurt the sight but aboue the rest melancholike dumpes and much weeping The belly must be soluble alwaies in all the diseases of the eyes which Hippocrates obserued by the example of them which haue blood-shotten eyes as also such as are vapour-eyed But and if it be costiue it must be helped by all meanes that are gentle and easie as laxatiue brothes Prunes and Raisins laxatiue lenitiue clisters and such others Some cause damaske Prunes to be stewed in a syrope with Sene Agaricke and Sugar whereof foure or fiue are to be taken in the morning before breakefast or dinner CHAP. XIIII Select and choise remedies for the preseruation of the fight and the order that is to be kept in the application of them SEeing that the weakenes of sight commeth ordinarilie either of the distemperature of the braine or of the euill disposition of the eye the rationall and methodicall Phisition ought alwaies to haue regard vnto these two poynts The braine if it bee too moist must be dried and the eye if it be weake must be strengthened Plato in a dialogue of his doth counsaile us neuer to attempt the drying or strengthening of the eye by outward remedies without hauing first purged the head The purging of the whole bodie and of the braine We will therefore take our beginning at the purging of the head and for as much as it is hard to purge the same well if the whole bodie which doth ordinarilie send great stoare of excrements thither be not very cleane it will be requisite to chuse a remedie which in purging the braine may gentlie emptie the whole bodie also and therewithall somewhat respect the eye That forme which is proper to pills is most fit for this purpose The Arabians commend the pilles called Elephangine the pilles of Agaricke and pillulae lucis maiores and minores Wee may prepare a masse of this mixture A description of such pils as are to be vsed Take of Aloes well washed in Fennel and Eyebright water three drams of good Agaricke one dram and a halfe of Rubarbe a dramme of the flesh of Citrine mirobalanes chafed in the oyle of sweete Almonds foure scruples of Sene of the East well powdred a dramme of Masticke Ginger and Cinnamome of each halfe a scruple of Trocisks al and hall fiue or sixe graines to acuate it withall infuse all these in the iuyce of Fenel and sirope of Stechados and make vp a masse thereof take a dramme twise euery moneth either at euening or morning Or else Take of the powder of Hiera two drammes of good Agaricke foure scruples of Anise seede Fennel seede and Seseli seede of each halfe a scruple of Maces Cinnamome and Mirrhe of each fiue graines with honie of Roses Rosemarie flowers and the water of Fennel make these vp in a masse and take thereof a dram euery weeke they which cannot swallow pils shall vse this magistrall sirop A magistrall sirope Take of the roote of Fennel Acorus and Elecampane of euery one an ounce of the leaues of Eyebright Betonie Fumitorie Mercurie Succorie Germander and Veruaine of euery one a handfull a dozen of damaske Raisins and as many Prunes of Anise and Fennel seede two drammes of the flowers of Sage Stecados Rosemarie and eyebright of euery one a pugil boyle them all in faire water and when you haue strained it adde thereto the expression of three ounces of Sene which haue bin infused a good while in the foresaid decoction warme as also the expression of an ounce of Agaricke with a dramme of cloues and as much Cinnamome boyle them all together againe with a sufficient quantitie of Sugar vntil it haue the consistence of a sirope that is well boyled aromatize it with halfe a dramme of Nutmegs and as much of the powder of Diarrhodon If in the ende and shutting vp of this sirope there be put thereto the infusion of the weight of halfe an ounce of Rubarbe strongly pressed out it cannot chuse but be a great deale better Hereof one shall take euerie fiue daies the quantitie of two ounces more or lesse according to the working and that in some broth or decoction appropriate vnto the head and eyes Clisters The often vse of Clisters is requisite in all the diseases of the eyes eares and head Decoctions prouoking sweate If the braine should be very moist and that the temperature of the bodie doe not withstand the vse of the roote China or of Zarza Perilla putting thereto of the leaues of Eyebright and of the seede of Fennell would be of very good effect For together with the consuming of the superfluous moisture of the whole body it would strengthen the braine and the eye and yet I beleeue that the vse of Sassafras hauing the smell of the Anise-seede would be a great deale more fit The bodie being purged by these vniuersall remedies the braine may afterward with greater securitie be euacuated by the mouth and nostrels which are the ordinarie draines that nature hath ordayned for the cleansing thereof I should better allow of Masticatories then Irrhines because the nose is seated very neere vnto the eyes and communicateth greatly therewith Masticatories by the hole which goeth through them to the great corner of the eye in such sort as that there being any forcible attracting of any humour through the nose it might be the occasion of drawing the same vnto the eye which is the part that is diseased This is also the appoyntment of that great Phisition Hippocrates in the second section of his sixt booke of Epidemicall diseases It is meete and necessarie saith he that humours falling vpon the eyes should be diuerted vnto the palate and mouth It were better therefore to chawe and masticate something as damaske reasons
sprinkeled with a drop or two of the essence of Fennell or else to rub the palate with the said essence alone whose vapour ascending vp to the braine and eye will shengthen them and not suffer them to attract any vicious humours Rubbing of the head Fricasies and rubbings of the head made against the hayre with bags perfumes and artificiall coiles such as we will prescribe in the chapter of rheume will euacuate the braine by insensible transpiration Hippocrates in the diseases of the eyes Cupping-glasses applieth cupping glasses vnto the necke and hinder part of the head to the shoulders and thighes We must not forget among the particular euacuations of the head Causticks to speake of cauteries it is very true in deede that Phisitions doe not accord of the place where they are to bee applied Some there be that applie them vpon the top of the head but I am iealous of that place for that I haue seene fearefull accidents to happen by reason of Pericranium when the causticke hath searched too deepe and I could like it better that it should be applied behinde for such reuulsion would worke more effectually and further it is very certaine that the rising of all the sinewes lyeth behinde This is a worthie thing to bee noted A worthie obseruation of the originall of the sinewes and that which but a few men haue marked I haue oftentimes shewed the same both in my publique and priuate dissections There is a certaine Italian Phisition which boasteth himselfe to haue been the first founder and finder of this matter but I haue long since read the same obserued of Hippocrates in his booke of the nature of bones This cauterie is not to be applied vpon that part of the head called Occiput because that thence there would issue nothing The fittest place for the application of cauteries but ouer against the space which is betwixt the first and second Vertebre being the very place where Setons also are ordinarily set In old and inueterate diseases of the eyes I could approue of that deriuation made by cauterie behinde the eares because the branches of the veines and arteries called Carotides and Iugulares from which the eye hath all his outward store of veines and arteries do passe along that way And these are the most proper fit meanes in my iudgement to euacuate as well sensibly as insensibly the whole bodie the head and the eyes I haue not spoken of blood-letting because there is not any place for it here Blood-letting and it is so farre off from profiting them which are weake sighted that it weakeneth them more taking away blood which is the storehouse of nature and that iuyce whereby it is most cherished And yet in great paines inflammations and sudden fluxes of humours it may doe good After euacuation we must thinke how to strenghthen the braine and the eye to which vse and purpose there are opiates lozenges and powders which haue propertie to cleere and strengthen the sight as Treacle and Mithridate are greatly commended and commanded for such as haue their braine and eyes very rheumatike and moyst Medicines to strengthen and sharpen the sight The conserues also of the flowers of Betonie Sage Rosemary and Eyebright there may bee framed a composition or Opiate in maner as followeth Take of the conserues of the flowers of Eyebright Betonie and Rosemary of each an ounce of olde Treacle three drammes of conserue of Roses halfe an ounce of the powder of Diarrhodon a dramme and a halfe of Maces two scruples make an Opiate hereof with the syrope of Citrons and take thereof of oftentimes in the morning when you rise A confection One may also make a confection with two ounces of rosed Sugar and as much of the sugar of Borage flowers with two drams of the powder of Diarrhodon and halfe a dram of the powder of Eyebright Betonie and Fennell which may be taken in the morning A powder to be taken at night At night going to bed there are certaine powders to bee vsed and taken inward that so the vertues thereof may bee conueied together with the vapours of the meate Take of Eyebright three drammes of Fennell two drammes of Anise and of Seseli a dram of Mace two scruples and of Cinamome and Cloues as much of the seede of Rew and Germander halfe a dramme of the seede of Pionie a dram of roses Sugar so much as needeth make them into very fine powder and take thereof a spoonefull at your going to bed A powder helping concoction After meate also one may vse digestiue powders with Coriander Fennell red Roses Corall Pearle Eyebright Mace and rosed Sugar or els vse this condite Take of Fennell and Coriander Comfits of each halfe an ounce A condite of the rindes of Citrons and Mirobalanes condited of each two drammes of dried Eyebright one dram of Mace halfe a dram of rosed Sugar so much as needeth make thereof a condite whereof take a spoonefull after euery meale The Arabians doe highly commend this powder to bee taken after meate Take of the Trociskes of Vipers a dram of the powder of Eyebright foure scruples of sweete Fennell two scruples of the stones which are found in the eyes of a Pike one scruple of rosed Sugar foure ounces and make thereof a powder And hitherto concerning inward medicines which serue for the cleering and strengthening of the sight and now wee are to lay out the outward which are waters colliries and oyntments There are an infinite number of receipts but I will put downe three or foure of the most exquisite and best approued Outward remedies As for to wash the eyes in the morning vse these distilled waters Take of the crops of Fennell Rew Eyebright Veruaine Tormentil Betonie A distilled water wilde Roses of male Pimpernell Burnet Clarie Agrimonie Cheruile mountaine Hissope and mountaine Siler of euery one two good handfuls shred all these hearbes very small and infuse them first in white wine and afterward in the vrine of a young boy that is in perfect health and thirdly in womans milke and lastly in good honey after which distill the whole and keepe this water carefully putting euery morning a drop therof into the eye You may also euery morning wash your eyes with wine Another water wherein hath been boyled Fennell Eyebright and a little of Chebule Mirobalanes Some make a water of the iuyces of male Pimpernell Germander Clarie and Rew putting thereto afterward of Cloues Mace and Nutmeg two on three drams and haue infused them all together in white wine to distill them with good honey I finde the remedie which I now set downe A very good medicine for the eyes to be very good for the preseruation and strength of the eyes Take of the water of Eyebright and Roses well distilled foure ounces afterward prouide two or three small bags in which is contained a dram and
A DISCOVRSE OF THE PRESERVATION OF THE SIGHT of Melancholike diseases of Rheumes and of Old age Composed by M. Andreas Laurentius ordinarie Phisition to the King and publike professor of Phisicke in the Vniuersitie of Mompelier Translated out of French into English according to the last Edition by RICHARD SVRPHLET Practitioner in Phisicke AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KINGSTON for RALPH IACSON dwelling in Paules Church yard at the signe of the Swan 1599. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS WEST KNIGHT LORD LA WARE and the right vertuous Ladie Anne his wife IT hath been vsuall and accustomed Right Noble and worthie Sir in all ages and amongst all sorts of people though otherwise neuer so rude and barbarous to adorne and eternize the manners liues conuersation gests birth and sayings of their famous and renowmed with monuments either openlie and in liuely sort contayning and specifying the same or more closely and secretly insinuating as much that so the praise and fame thereof might remaine and liue throughout all ages The course was good and commendable for so the excellent and renowmed deceased had but his due the excellent and renowmed liuing a glorious and beautifull spectacle to stirre them vp vnto couragious and vndaunted perseuerance in still making vsurie of their excellencie and the base vile and abiect persons the spots and blemishes yea the puddle and mudpit of actiue pregnant and nimble nature might rouse themselues from the lolling bed of their continuall snorting and dead sleepe I meane not to blazon and decipher particularly and from point to point the originall antiquite of your Nobilitie The vprightnes innocencie mildnes humanitie bountifulnes and loue in matters concerning your owne priuate affayres and businesses wherewith your Honorable condition is richly set and garnished The vehement suspition of vndermining flatterie the discontenting of your affections leaning to the contrarie and the stirring vp of aduersarie emulation and repining enuie vtterly disswading me Neither yet doe I meane to proclaime and lay abroad your faithfulnes in the actions of Iustice your wisedome in the discerning of things necessarie and swaying of matters most conueniently for the weale publique or your prowes and valorousnes in warlike feates and Martiall affayres howsoeuer the cause of God your Prince and Countrie your birth Dignitie and leisure hath I doubt not put both you and many other godly and religious Noble men within this Realme in minde thereof and stirred you vp amongst other your godly cares and studies to striue to become able and worthie if her sacred Maiestie should at any time call you or them vnto the same But leauing all these and whatsoeuer other praises that might iustly be giuen to the manifold vertues shining both in your selfe as also in your Honorable Ladie holding out the markes of a good profession in the loue of the trueth with sobrietie modestie and a good conuersation notwithstanding the seas of sinne roring round about and ouerflowing almost all estates and persons and that so cleerely in the eyes and mindes of all such as doe not willingly winke and couer the bright light of inward touch with the vaile of wilfull sencelesnes my onely indeuour and drift is to intreate your Honors to receiue with fauourable acceptation and good liking these first fruites of my publique labours as vndertaken for the good of all so especially dedicated and deuoted vnto your particular seruice and vse not so much in respect of any your present necessities through any infirmities that I am priuie vnto as to make way for the shutting out of such as hereafter might creepe vpon you to your vntimely annoyance assuring my selfe that in the reading thereof you shal finde a well stored treasurie of rich and rare Iewels and in the practising of it the comfort of health and contentation in satietie of daies Which the Ancient of daies with all increase of Honor wealth and pietie graunt and giue vnto you and all your succeeding posteritie Your Honors most vnfeignedly affected RICHARD SVRPHLET To the Reader COnsidering gentle Reader the lamentable times and miserable daies that are come vpon vs in this last and weakest age of the world partly by reason of the commonnes and multitude of infirmities partly by reason of the strangenes and rebelliousnes of diseases breaking out more tediously then heretofore and considering herewithall how apt and prone the multitude and common people are to affect nay which is more to dote vpon and runne after the painted crew of seeming Phisitions and pratling practisers both men and women gathering their skill honestie and most precious secrets from the rich mines of brasen-faced impudencie and bold blindnes I could not but admonish thee as thou tenderest thy health and wealth to auoide such noisome vermine and deepe deceiuers And on the contrarie I can but exhort and stirre thee vp to buy and reade this and other such like treatises that so thou maist be the better prepared though not to take vpon thee the cure of thine owne or others their sicke estate to discerne betwixt the ignorant and the learned and the skilfull in word only and those which are skilfull in deede As also that thou maist bee the better able to manifest and make knowne by word or writing the state and true condition of thy disease vnto the profound and long studied in that profession who for the keeping of a good conscience and thy welfare haue not spared their bodies or goods or refused any good meanes whereby they might become fit to furnish thee with wholesome counsaile and due reliefe in the daies of thy distresse Here shalt thou finde by serious suruay great dimensions within small and narrow bounds This volume shalt thou finde stuffed full of Phisicke as teaching by the lesser what is to bee conceiued of the greater and by a few what is to bee followed in many Full of Philosophie as not resting in the things of the bodie but deeply and diuinely laying open the nature of the soule Herein is contained not onely great plentie of precepts but also many controuersies of great moment and difficultie sharply and pithily decided and that with such varietie of authoritie as is not almost in any other to bee found This treatise shalt thou finde full of pleasantnes as both the store of histories and meanes of dispelling the mournfull fantasies of melancholike moodes doe giue thee to conceiue full of delight as maintaining the sight the conductor and conueier of delights vnto the minde full of healthfulnes as teaching the way to auoide the rheume that pregnant mother of so many maladies And finally full of instruction and reliefe for the mitigating of the annoyances and inconueniences of drouping old age as shewing the maner how to square out and piteh downe the firme and durable props of the continuing and long inioying of strong and lustie yeares Which if thou striue and seeke accordingly to attaine then shalt thou be the better able to discharge the duties of thy calling
against the lawes of nature neither could it being so smal containe the greatnes no nor yet the shape of great mountaines whereupon we must needes conclude that we see by sending forth something Behold here all the faire and goodly forces on this side which I am now about to pitch and plant in the plaine field and now let vs goe to view the squadrons on the contrary side The contrary opinions of such as hold that we see by taking in something Chiefe captaine and generall of the same is Aristotle whose followers be the whole band of the Peripatetikes as also Auerrhoes Alexander Themistius and an infinite number of others All these hold that wee see by receiuing something into the eye and that there doth nothing goe out of the eye which may helpe vs to see but that either the obiect or the forme there of doth come vnto the eye The foundation and maine reason is cleane contrary vnto that of the Platonists for Plato was verilie perswaded that the eye was all full of fire and Aristotle maintaineth that the eye is all full of water and this he demonstrateth most excellently and therefore accordingly I will doe my endeuour to set it out most plainely A cleere and plaine proofe that the eye is all of water The instrument of the sight must be thorough cleere and transparent that is to say cleere as christal to the end there may be some likenes betwixt the obiect and the instrument and that there maybe some equality betwixt the thing doing and the thing suffering This principle is cleerely agreed vpon in naturall Philosophie But of the things which are christal-like cleere some are of subtile and thin bodies and othersome are more compact and thicke The eye was not to be made christal-like cleere and thin because that so it could not haue retained his formes they would haue speedely past away not finding any resting place as doe the bodies which are in the ayre and the glasse it selfe which is in looking glasses would neuer make shew of any picture or resemblance if it were not steeled or leaded on the backeside Whereupon it followeth that the eye must be christallike cleere and thicke Now of all the elements there is no one that is so cleare and thicke besides the water for the ayre and fire are in deede cleere but therewithall thin it followeth therefore that the eye is of the nature of the water This firme and demonstratiue argument is vnderpropped by another which cannot be gainesayd Another plains and strong proofe The chiefe part of the eye is the christallike humor which is nothing else but a congealed water which hath before it the waterish humor and behinde it the vitreous which doth feede and nourish it if you pearce the eye you shall not perceiue any other thing to come forth but water so that we must rather beleeue that the eye is of the nature of water then of fire Reasons prouing that we see by taking in something This foundation thus laid it will be easie to make sure the rest of the building and to maintaine that we see by receiuing of some thing into the eye and the rather because it is the propertie of moist things to receiue and take in Loe here the chiefest reasons of this sect as they follow The action of euery sence is a suffering and to doe the office of any of the sences is nothing else but to suffer The first euery action therefore of the sences is accomplished by receiuing and not by sending forth of anything which is an action as for example the eare heareth by receiuing of sounds smelling by receiuing of odours taste by receiuing of tastes and feeling The second by receiuing of such qualities as may be felt and then why should the eye be debarred of this receite Aristotle saith that they which haue their eyes very moyst doe seeme to see things bigger then in deede they bee which argueth that the formes of things are receiued into and as it were grauen in the christalline humor for bodies seeme alwaies to exceede themselues in greatnes being within the water Euery obiect exceeding in his qualitie The third doth destroy his sence as an exceeding great whitenes doth dimme and dasle the sight then it must follow that it is violently receiued Aristotle in his Problemes moueth a question The fourth which may be of some force in this place as wherefore the right hand is ordinarilie more nimble and strong then the left and not one care giuen to heare more readilie then the other Whose answer is that the facultie which causeth the hands to moue setteth it selfe on worke and that that which causeth sight and hearing is set on worke in such sort as that the eyes and cares may equally receiue and suffer Olde men commonly doe see things a farre off The fift better then those which are at hand and this cannot happen of any fierie streames or light going out of the eye because that those in them are of small quantitie and greatly delayed with darkenes the cause must needes be referred to the forme which comming from a thing farre remoued becommeth more fine and subtile and lesse participating of materiall substance and by consequent no more fit to be receiued The sixt In winter if the weather be calme and faire the Starres are often seene at midday which neuer hapneth in summer which is because in winter the ayre being more grosse and thicke the formes thereof doe consist and abide more permanently as also in greater number in the ayre but in summer by reason of the thinnes and subtilenes of the ayre their saide formes haue no staide abode or meanes to multiplie and this sheweth that we see by receiuing in and not sending forth of any thing Finally the eye is like vnto the looking glasse The seuenth and this receiueth all such shapes as are brought vnto it without sending any thing of it owne vnto the obiect They differ onely in this that the looking glasse hath no power to recommend his formes and shapes vnto their iudge as the eye doth vnto the common sence by the nerue opticke Loe here the two battels orderly in array and right ouer one against the other I could wish my selfe able to agree them being the same that Galen hath attempted but in deede there is little likeliehoode For the trueth cannot vphold and defend two things The Author his opinion contrary one to the other I will therefore set in foote with the stronger side and maintaine with Aristotle that wee see by receiuing only and that there goeth nothing out of the eye which may serue for the making of vs to see I will vse for my first incounter this reason which as it seemeth me is sharpe enough If there goe any thing out of the eye it is either some fine and subtile bodie Arguments plainly conuincing the Platonists as the animall spirit
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second is more white and deepe and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third is round and appeareth in the circle of the eye this is Paulus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fourth and last is very filthie of the colour of ashes much like to a locke of wooll which is the cause that Auicen calleth it the woollie vlcer Galen was the first that obserued all these differences in a little treatise of the eyes but hee gaue not particular names to euery of them The correcting of a peece of text in Galen and throughout this whole treatise there is one notorious fault to be found which is that this word inward is alwaies put for the word outward and contrariwise Manardus hath gone about to carpe at Auicen for notes of difference which hee hath set downe about these vlcers but hee hath no iust reason so to doe There grow other vlcers in the hornie membrane which are maligne and are tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maligne vlcers and these fret and spread vnto the muscles and eyelids There are also in the horny membrane cankerous vlcers accompanied with pricking paines Cankerous vlcers these are bred of a sharpe and melancholike humour being of the nature of a canker The skar is a disease of the horny membrane A skarre in the hornie membrane Hypopion for it taketh from it his colour and cleerenes making it altogether white it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Albuge Hipopion commeth very neere vnto it for it is a collection of purulent water possessing the blacke of the eye Rupture in the hornie membrane Lastly the hornie membrane is sometimes bursten and then it causeth a disease which is proper vnto the grape-like coate which we will describe hereafter The diseases of the grape-like coate In the grape-like tunicle we are to consider a bodie and a hole which is the apple of the eye the body or substance of it hath a particular disease which is the falling downe of the same the apple of the eye is subiect vnto three notable diseases which are the excessiue widenes and narrownes of the same and the cataract The falling down of Vnea is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The falling downe of Vnea which cannot happen without the bursting or fretting asunder of the hornie membrane which is made to serue in stead of a barre vnto it the rupture of Cornea is almost alwaies of an outward cause but the fretting a sunder of the same is of an inward Foure kinds of the foresaid disease There are ordinarily made foure kindes of this falling downe of Vnea which differ only in greatnes for if it doe fall downe but a very little it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head of a flie but of Auicen Formicalis if yet it fall downe more and as it were to the greatnes of the skin of a grape it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if yet is fal down further and hang as it were a little apple it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if vnto all this it grow hard and been me brawnie it shal be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clauns The diseases of the apple of the eie The apple of the eye hath three diseases for either it becommeth too broade or too narrow or else altogether shut vp The ouer much broadnes called of the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The disease Mydâ—iasis is a disease of the instrument because that the hollownes thereof is greater then it ought Galen maketh two kinde of this dilatation the one naturall the other accidental both of them doe hurt and hinder the sight very greatly because the inward light doth spend it selfe too fast and as Auicen sayth the formes of things are not receiued so quickely and sharpely as they should The causes of such dilatation This dilatation commeth of too much narrownes of the grape like tunicle and it is made narrower either by being swelled vp by too much moysture or drawne together by extreame drinesse moisture if it bee without mixture paraliseth the membrane but if it bee ioyned with matter as it is in the tumours abscesses and other fluxes falling vpon the eye then it trusseth it vp as it were into a narrower roome Drynesse doth pull in the edges of Vnea making larger the hole as we see parchment that is very drie The disease contrary to this is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The diminution of the apple of the eye the consumption or straitnes of the apple of the eye that which is according to nature is very auaileable tor the sight but that which is accidentary doth no good but hurteth alwaies the cause hereof is the falling together of the edges of the grape-like coate it shrinketh together through great store of moisture which is no where else but on the side of the hole or else by reason of the wasting of the waterish humor which filled all this space The Cataract The last disease of the apple of the eye is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Arabians a drop or water of the common people a Cataract or a pinne and a web We define it to be an obstruction of the apple of the eye caused of an vnnaturall humour which hauing fallen downe thither groweth thicker by little and little betwixt the hornie membrane and the christalline humour The cause of the Cataract The next cause thereof called the continent cause is an vnnaturall humour and herein it differeth from Glaucoma which happeneth through the congelation of the naturall humors of the eye this humour at the first floweth like water but in the end it thickneth and resembleth more an earthie substance This is the cause why Paulus in his third booke defineth a Cataract or suffusion by this word effusion and in his sixt booke by this word concretion or congelation in the first place speaking of that which was the beginning of the disease and in the second of that whereunto it was growne This humour The place where the humour causing the Cataract is setled if we will beleeue Halyabbas Haly and Azarauius is gathered betwixt the grape-like coate and the christalline humour but if we had rather beleeue Auicen Mesue and Albucasis wee must thinke that it gathereth betwixt the hornie and grape-like tunicle As for my selfe I thinke it may abide in all that space which is from the inner part of the hornie coate euen vnto the christalline humour and that it oftentimes mixeth it selfe with the waterish humour This web or spot doth hinder the sight many waies for if it stop all the apple of the eye which is the window of the eye the sight is cleere lost if there be but one part of the window shut as the right or left the vpper or nether the eye will then see the obiects that shall be set before
a halfe of Tutia well prepared and of good Aloes a scruple hang these bagges in the waters aforesaid and wash your eyes therewith euery night An excellent water of bread The water of bread so called is very excellent You must make paste with flower grossely sifted and the powder of Rew Fennel and Clarie which they call great Celondine of this paste you must make a loafe and bake in the ouen which so soone as it is baked must be clouen in two and put betwixt two siluer plates or peauter dishes made very close in such sort as that there may nothing breath out and so you shall thence gather a water which must bee kept for the eyes Some also doe much commend the extraction of Fennegreek with Honey The water of blew flowers called Blew-bottles and growing in the corne distilled is excellent good for the preseruation of the sight Some also take the stalke of Fennell a little aboue the roote and cutting it fill it with the powder of Sugar candie whereupon commeth forth a licour which is singular for the eyes I cannot but highly praise this water which I am about to describe A water Take of White wine a pound and a halfe and as much of good Rosewater of Tutia well prepared an ounce of the rinde of Nutmeg called Mace half an ounce put all these together in a glasse violl close stopped and set it in the heate of the Sunne twenty daies stirring it euery day till it become very cleere An oyntment for the eyes There is a singuler oyntment for the preseruation of the eyes Take of Hogs grease very new two ounces steepe it in Rosewater sixe houres after wash it againe twelue seuerall times in the best White wine that may bee got by the space of fiue or sixe houres more adde afterward vnto this grease of Tutia well prepared and finely powdred one ounce of the stone Hematites well washed a scruple of Aloes well washed and made into powder twelue graines of powder of Pearle three graines mixe all together with a little of the water of Fennell and make them vp in an oyntment whereof ye may put a very little in both the corners of your eyes There is great store euery where of other outward remedies which may serue for the eyes as Colliries or Eyesalues and powders which are blowne into the eyes but I finde them not so fit for the purpose as waters Washing of the head The Arabians vse washing of the head the better to preserue the sight but it is not very good in the weakenes of the eyes to trouble the braine but if there be any such thing vsed it may bee done in this sort Take the lye that is made of the Vine ashes of the leaues of Stechados Betonie Eyebright Celandine and Camomill of each a handfull of Agarick and Chebule Mirobalanes tied in a cloute of each two drammes boyle all together till the fourth part be consumed and therewith wash your head Or else take dried Eyebright and make it into ashes then adde thereto the water of Eyebright and make thereof a lye Loe these be the meanes whereby we shall be able to preserue the sight especially if the diminution thereof come by some great moysture of the braine and eyes as is that of my Ladies the Dutchesse of Vzez to whom this whole discourse is particularly dedicated I do not set downe the remedies which are proper to the seuerall diseases of the eyes for so I should spend too much time It was my purpose onely to prepare this generall regiment which might serue as a patterne for the curing of all the rest Monsieur Guillemeau the kings Surgeon hath put forth a very learned treatise wherein are to bee found the most exquisite remedies set downe and vsed by the old and new writers Vnto his booke I referre the reader seeing it is extant in our common language An end of the first discourse THE SECOND DISCOVRSE WHEREIN ARE HANDLED THE diseases of melancholie and the meanes to cure them CHAP. I. That man is a diuine and politike creature endued with three seuerall noble powers as Imagination Reason and Memorie ABdalas the Sarrasin being importunatelie pressed and as it were forced to speake and tell what it was that hee found to bee most wonderfull in all the world answered at last with great commendation that man alone did surpasse all other wonder whatsoeuer An answere in trueth beseeming a great Philosopher rather then a rude and vnlettered man For man hauing the image of God engrauen in his soule The praise of mankinde and representing in his body the modell of the whole world can in a moment transforme himselfe into euery thing like a Proteus or receiue at an instant the stampe of a thousand colours like to the Chamelion Phauorine acknowledged nothing to be great here on earth but onely man The wise men of Egypt haue vouchsafed him such honour as to call him a mortall God Thrice renowmed Mercurie calleth him the liuing creature full of diuine parts the messenger of the Gods the Lord of the things below and fellow companion with the Spirits aboue Pithagoras the measure of all things Synesius the Horizon of things hauing and not hauing bodies Zoroaster in a certaine kinde of rauishment proclamed him the mightie worke and wonder of nature Plato the marueile of marueiles Aristotle the politike liuing creature furnished with reason and counsaile which is all as possessing all things by power though not really and in very deede as Empedocles would haue it to be but by the comprehending and conceiuing of the formes and seuerall sorts of things Plinie the ape or puppie of nature the counterfeit of the whole world the abridgement of the great world Amongst the Diuines there are some which haue called him euery maner of creature because he hath intercourse with euery maner of creature he hath a being as haue the stones life as haue the plants and sence or feeling as the beasts and vnderstanding as haue the Angels Othersome haue honoured him giuing him the title of vniuersall gouernour as hauing all things vnder his empire and iurisdiction as being he to whom euery thing yeeldeth obediēce and for whose sake the whole world was created In briefe this is the chiefe and principall of Gods worke and the most noble of all other creatures But this his excellencie From whence the excellencie of man springeth whereby he is more glorious then all the rest is not in respect of his bodie although the shape thereof bee more exquisite better tempered and of more comely proportion then any other thing in the world seruing as Polycletus his rule for the fashioning of other things and being as a platforme whereby the master builders may frame and contriue their buildings This noblenes I say commeth not of the bodie which consisteth of matter and is corruptible no the extract thereof or that which is indeede excellent therein is further fetcht
doe sufficiently witnesse the same Why they be suspicious The accident of suspition followeth the two former hard and close at the heeles the melancholike party is euermore suspicious if he see three or foure talking together he thinketh that it is of him The cause of such suspition riseth of the former feare and of a corrupt kinde of reasoning for being alwaies in feare he thinketh verely that one or other doeth lie in wait for him and that some doe purpose to slay him Melancholike men sayth Aristotle doe deceiue themselues commonly in matters which depend vpon choice for that they oftentimes forget the generall propositions wherein honestie consisteth and chuse rather to follow the motions of their foolish imaginations The cause of their restlesnes They are neuer at rest either in their bodies or in their spirits they can make no answere to such questions as are propounded them they oftentimes change from one kinde to another This disquieting and distracting of themselues ariseth of the diuersitie of matters which they propound and set before themselues for receiuing all maner of formes and stamping them with the print of dislike they are constrained oftentimes to change and to find out new things which being no more acceptable to them then the first doe still continue them in these restles distractions The cause of their sighing Melancholike folke are commonly giuen to sigh because the minde being possessed with great varietie and store of foolish apparitions doth not remember or suffer the partie to bee at leisure to breathe according to the necessitie of nature whereupon she is constrained at once to sup vp as much ayre as otherwise would serue for two or three times and this great draught of breath is called by the name of sighing which is as it were a reduplicating of the ordinary manner of breathing In this order it falleth out with louers and all those which are very busily occupied in some deepe contemplation Sillie fooles likewise which fall into a wonder at the sight of any beautifull and goodly picture are constrained to giue a great sight their will which is the efficient cause of breathing being altogether distracted and wholly possessed with the sight of the image Why they watch and can not sleepe There is yet another accident which is very tedious and euen consumeth these poore melancholike men euen continuall watchings I haue seene some that haue abode three whole moneths without sleepe The causes of sleepe Now the causes of such watchings are easie enough to vnderstand if wee know what it is which causeth vs to sleepe Men are giuen to obserue in sleepe the materiall formall finall and instrumentall cause The materiall is a pleasant vapour which is cast vp from the first and second concoction which whē it commeth to slacken and stop all the sinewes by his moysture it causeth all sence and motion for to cease The finall cause is the repayre of spirits and the rest of all the animall powers which hauing been wearied by continuall labour doe craue a little reliefe and recreation this end cannot be obtained if so bee the minde which setteth all the powers of the bodie on worke be not vouchsafed some maner of peaceable rest in this sort the sillie Dido all ouer whelmed with musing pensiuenes could not espie the approach of night to the shutting vp of her mournfull eyes or easing of her oppressed heart The formall cause of sleepe consisteth in the withdrawing of the spirits and naturall heate from the outward parts to the inward and from all the circumference vnto the center The instrumentall cause is the braine which must be of good temperature for if it be too hot as in frenticke folkes or drie as in old folkes the sleepe will neuer be with peace and quietnes The causes of all that watchfulnes which is in melancholike persons In melancholike persons the materiall is wanting the minde is not at rest the braine is distempered the matter is a melancholike humour drie as ashes from whence cannot arise any pleasant and delightsome vapour the braine is distempered and greatly ouerdried the minde is in continuall restlesnes for the feare that is in them doth continually set before them tedious grieuous things which so gnaw and pinch them as that they hinder them from sleeping But if at one time or other it fall out that they be ouertaken with a little slumber it is then but a troublesome sleepe accompanied with a thousand of false and fearefull apparitions and dreames so dreadfull as that it were better for them to be awake The causes of all these dreames are to bee referred to the propertie of the humour The causes of all their fearefull dreames for as the phlegmatike partre dreameth commonly of riuers of water and the cholerike of flaming fire so the melancholike person dreameth of nothing but dead men graues and all other such mournfull and vnpleasant things because he exerciseth his imaginations with formes altogether like vnto the humour which beareth sway in him vpon which occasion the memorie beginneth to stirre and rouse vp her selfe or else because that the spirits being growne as it were wilde and altogether blacke ranging the braine throughout and bending themselues to the eye doe set before the iamgination all manner of darke and obscure things The cause why they loue darknes Melancholike men are also enemies to the Sunne and shunne the light because that their spirits and humours are altogether contrary to the light The Sunne is bright and warme the melancholike humour is blacke and colde They desire solitarines because they vsing to bee busie and earnestly following their imagination doe feare to bee drawne away by others their presence and therefore doe auoide it but the cause of such their vncessant perseuerance in their imaginations is because their spirits are grosse and as it were immoueable They haue their eyes fixed and as it were set fast by reason of the cold and drines of the instrument they haue a hissing in their cares and oftentimes are troubled with swimmering or giddinesse Why they loue to be silent and as Galen obserueth they loue silence out of measure and oftentimen cannot speake not for any defect of the tongue but rather because of I cannot tell what maner of conceitednes finally they inuent continually some one or other strange imagination and haue in a maner all of them one speciall obiect from which they cannot be weined till time haue worne it out CHAP. VI. Whence it commeth that melancholike persons haue all of them their particular and altogether diuers obiects whereupon they dote THe imagination of melancholike men bringeth forth such diuersitie of effects according to the difference of the matters where about it is occupied as that a man shall searse finde fiue of sixe among then thousand which dote after one and the same maner Whereupon ancient writers haue compared this humour to wine for as wine according
it hath with the marrow in the hollow parts of other bones for it serueth not for nourishment vnto the skull it melteth not with fire nor consumeth his originall is more excellent for it is made with the other parts that are of the purest and finest portion of the two seeds The temperature of the braine must be cold Why the temperature of the braine is cold thereby to temper the spirits of sence and motion to resist their aptnes to be wasted and spent and to keepe that this noble member which is commonly imployed about so many worthie actions should not set it selfe on fire and make our discourses and talke rash and headie and our motions out of order as it befalleth them which are frenticke It hath oft astonished me to thinke how that great Philosopher Aristotle Aristotle his error durst say that the braine was made cold onely to coole the heart not acknowledging any other vse of this his temperature If the time and place would permit me to confute his errour I would make it appeare that the heele hath more force to coole the heart then the braine but fearing to wander too wide out of my way I will referre the reader vnto that which Galen hath written in his eight booke of the vse of parts I will follow the leuelling line of my discourse and say that the braine being of a soft substance and of a cold and moyst temperature being compared with the rest of the parts of the bodie doth beget many excrements That the brain doth beget great store of excrements of it selfe and for that it is nourished with a cold and raw blood there must needes remaine great surplussages and so it cannot but beget great store of superfluities in such sort as that of it selfe and of it owne proper nature it is continually disposed to beget and containe water It be getteth much also in respect of his shape and situation His forme which is round hollow and long after the manner of a cupping glasse draweth vnto it from all the parts of the bodie their exhalations His situation which is aloft doth easily receiue them so that these hote vapours falling into a part or member that is more cold doe grow thicke and turne into water As wee see the vapours rising vpon the fire kindled in the parts about the short ribs when they come to the skinne which is more cold to congeale and turne to sweate Or a s exhalations drawne vp by the heate of the Sunne doe thicken in the middle region of the ayre and turne into raine haile and snow See then how the braine both of it selfe as also by accident is apt to ingender excrements and how in euery liuing thing it may be called the principall seate of cold and moysture but chiefly in man for as much as according to the varietie of the animall functions which he executeth he aboundeth with greater quantitie of braine then any other liuing thing doth besides Two sorts of excrements But these excrements if wee beleeue Hippocrates and Galen are of two sorts the one grosse and the other refined The subtile and refined doe breathe out by insensible vapours the grosse doe stand in need of troughs and channels for to rid them by Conuciances for the emptying of the sayd excrements Nature hath so prouidently forecast for them both as that no man can but marueile at her industrious paines taken therein for to helpe and further the exhalation of the thinner and refined she hath pearced the skull and made all those seames which wee see therein which stand in like stead to the bodie as a chimney or breathing place doth to a house and for the grosse excrements she hath framed two conueiances and particular water draughts by which all the water-poole doth emptie it selfe the one of which betaketh it self vnto the nose and the other vnto the roofe of the mouth That in the palate is the more common of the two The conueyance vnto the palate of the mouth and it riseth from the third ventricle of the braine it is wide aboue and growth narrower and narrower like a funnel and that is the cause why the Anathomists doe call it Infundibulum By this channell all the waterie substance of the vpper ventricles doe purge themselues and betake themselues to a certaine glandule called the spitting kernell which drinketh vp like a little spunge all their water and after suffereth it to glide away very smoothly through many pretie little clefts which are to be seene by the side of the feate of the bone called Sphenoides and so from thence betake themselues to the palate The conueyance caried vnto the nose The other channell is led along to the nose these bee the two bunches of the braine which are fashioned like vnto paps Their principall vse is to receiue the smels and to conuey them vnto the brain but when there is great quantitie of excrements nature doth offer them some hard measures in causing to runne downe by these two bunchie excrescences the waterish humours which otherwise doe passe by some part of the bone called Ethmoides which is pearced in manner of a searce These are the two conducts I meane the nose and the palate which nature hath ordained for the purging of the braine There are some others but not ordinarie which Hippocrates hath well obserued in his Booke of Glandules as the eyes Extraordinarie conueyances eares spinall marrow veines and sinewes but these doe serue but at such times as things are all out of order and that the naturall gouernement of the braine is quite peruerted CHAP. II. What this word Rheume doth signifie what maner of disease it is and in what the essence thereof consisteth IF the braine be of a good temperature it will not ingender any excrements but such as are naturall to it and accordingly auoide them euery daye by such passages as nature bath assigned it but and if it be distempered it will gather a great deale moe then it ought which either of their owne weightines such is their elementarie forme will fall downe into the lower parts or else will be thrust out into some other part by the vertue expulsiue of the braine which shall feele it selfe oppressed either with the quantitie or euill qualitie of the same This falling downe of humours in what maner so euer it be What is meant by the word rheume is generallie called of the Greekes a Catarrhe which signifieth as much as distillation I know very well that there is a more strict signification of this name and that as Galen obserueth very well in his third of the causes of accidents a Catarrhe is properly when the humour falleth downe into the mouth but I will rest my selfe in this place with the most common signification and will call all maner of falling downe of humours from the braine into what part soeuer it be a Catarrhe rheume or distillation Rheume if
arise of the corruption of the ayre and of the manner of life The ayre may alter and change vs three maner of waies by his qualities by his substance and by his sudden alteration and chaunge that which is too cold too hot and too moyst is apt to beget rheumes the hot ayre doth it by resoluing and melting such humours as are contained in the braine for thus it maketh them the more apt to fall downe the colde ayre is the cause of distillations because it presseth the braine together and euen as a spunge full of water being pressed wee may behold the water to run out like a riuer on euery side euen so the braine being shrunke together by colde letteth all her humours glide and slip away the same cold ayre may also bee the cause of rheumes by repelling and causing to retire the naturall heate from the vtter parts to the inner The Southerne and Northerne windes are mightie causes to moue and make rheumes for those doe fill the braine and make it heauie but these doe cause it to shrinke together Long tariance inthe Sun or open ayre doth effect as much The sudden change of the ayre and alteration of seasons are of the number of those causes which inforce the rheume As also if the seasons doe keepe their naturall temper as Hippocrates hath very well obserued in his third booke of Aphorismes the yeare will greatly incline vnto rheumatikenes If together with this partie alteration or vtter ouerthrow of the temperature there bee any particular defect in the substance of the ayre as some secret and hidden corruption or infection then it will ingender a popular and pestilent rheume The maner of liuing may likewise bee put in the scrole of outward causes which doe ingender and beget the rheume much eating and drinking doe likewise fill the braine and this is the cause why drunkards and gluttonous feeders are ordinarily subiect vnto the Wrangling rheume .. Great abstinence may likewise cause rheumes in attenuating and making thin the humours as also for that the stomacke being emptie and not prouided of any thing to fill it selfe withall is constrained to make attraction of such moysture as is in the parts neere about Long watching continuall studie extreame violent passions of the minde in as much as they spend and waste the naturall heate and coole the brainer doe ingender rheumes to liue all idle doth keepe the excrements vnconsumed Great euacuations but especiallie oft letting of blood and in great quantitie do cast headlong the body into old age and make it altogether rheumatike Much sleepe puffeth vp the bodie and maketh it moyst especially that which is taken at noonetide And thus much for the outward causes which may cause and mooue the rheume let vs now come vnto the inward The inward causes are either remote or else conioyned the remote which it pleaseth some better to call Antecedents haue relation to the euill disposition of the braine head liuer stomacke and sometimes of the whole bodie The distemperature of the braine causeth rheumes The cold moyst and hot distemperature of the braine doe oftentimes cause rheumes the cold and moyst of their owne nature the hot by way of accident the cold distemperature weakeneth naturall heate doth not make good disgestion of nourishment neither yet spend and waste vnnecessary superfluities whereupon it followeth that it must needs store vp abundance of excrements The hot distemperature attracteth more nourishment then it can well disgest and moe vapours then it can dispatch and make away withall There are some which haue very wittily obserued that the closenes of the substance of the braine is oftentimes the cause of rheumes because it retaineth the vapours and suffereth them not to spend by breathing out and euaporation The euil shape of the head The bad forme or shape of the head is likewise very forcible to procure rheumes for such as haue thc seames of their head very close set together or which haue not any at all as wee haue seene very many are subiect to distillations because the vapours retained doe turne into water and in deede the seames were chiefly made to serue for a vent and as it were a chimney vnto the braine The distemperapture of the lower parts The distemperature of the lower parts and especially of the liuer and stomacke is one of the most ordinarie causes of the rheume if wee beleeue Auicen the prince of the Arabians For from the liner being excessiuely hot doe come as it were from a great burning cole many hot exhalations which by the cold temperature of the braine doe congeale and turne into water I say further that they which haue a very hot liuer haue also their veines very hot in such sort as that there rise continually very hot vapours from them The cold distemperature of the stomacke ingendring many crudities my also be a cause of rheumes for thereby al the bodie is cooled the second disgestion not being able to correct the errour of the first But if it should so bee as that all the causes should concur and iumpe together that is to say that the braine should bee cold and moyst the lieu hot the stomacke cold there were no doubt but that thereupon would follow a perpetuall generation of excrements in the braine and this is that which the Arabians would haue sayd when they wrote that an vnequall distemperature of the principall parts is the greatest occasion of distillations And thus much concerning the remote causes The more neere or antecedent causes not onely of rheumes but of all other fluxes of humours are three The causes more necrely procuring rheumes are three The partsending the part sending the part receiuing and the nature of the humour In the part sending wee obserue his high situation and his strength if it bee indued with these two qualities it will easily cast his burthen vpon all the inferiour-parts which are as it were vassals vnto it Hippocrates hath well obserued it in the booke of the wounds of the head when he sayth that amongst all the parts of the head the brow is most subiect vnto inflammation because the brow is contained but euery fluxe is from the part containing vnto the part contained the brow is contained both in respect of the low situation thereof as also in respect of the production of vessels The part receiueth the humour either because it is inferiour or because it is weake The part receiuing or because it draweth it vnto it Euery inferiour part is subiect to receiue the burthen of that which commanded it but and if the part be weake it will yet be the more apt This weakenes commeth either of it selfe and from the proper nature of the part or else by some accident The weake part the rare and spungie parts are naturallie weake such as are all the glandules and it seemeth that nature of set purpose hath made them such to the end that they should receiue
the excrements and superfluities of the principall parts Hippocrates hath debated this matter so well in his booke of Glandules as that a man cannot tel how to adde any thing therevnto The skin was by nature made weak to the end it might containe al the superfluities that are frō within whereupon some call it the vniuersall emunctorie Parts may also be weak by some accident as by a fall or blow or some distēperature in what maner soeuer they bee weake it maketh them apt to receiue the refuse of their neighbour parts How the part attracteth the humour to it selfe The last cause is the part his attraction of the humour The Arabians haue acknowledged three causes of this attraction heate paine and the auoyding of vacuitie Heate attracteth of it owne nature because it rarifieth the parts neere about attenuateth and maketh thin the humours and enlargeth the waies and passages for the humour to runne through How paine attracteth Paine doth not attract of his owne nature because it is an affect of feeling but feeling is a patient and no agent and euery one of the sences is executed by taking in of some thing but the humours flow to the pained part by reason of the weakenes of the same as also because the naturall heat thereof is weakened by the paine and cannot well concoct the humour it must needes bee that it should stay in that place They who affirme that the humour floweth vnto the part which feeleth the paine because nature sendeth thither both spirits and blood that she may comfort the same doe deceiue themselues in my judgement and offer great wrong vnto nature for if she knew that such a part stood in need of spirits and blood she would know therewithal that in sending this blood she should profit the part nothing at all but rather hurt it so that paine doth not properly attract and draw The last cause of distillations is imputed to the humour For if it bee thin in substance hot in temperature sharpe and pricking in qualitie it will be a great deale the more apt to flow CHAP. V. A generall order of diet to be obserued for the preuenting and curing of Rheumes and distillations I Will follow the same order and course in the laying downe of this regiment which I haue taken in the other two going before Wee must therefore so dispose of all the sixe things which are called not naturall as that they may not only hinder the engendring of rheumes but also consume and cure the same being alreadie begotten Let euery man therefore make choise for himselfe of such an ayre as is temperate in his actiue qualities and as for the passiue that it bee altogether drie I say that it must be temperate in heate and cold because that a hot ayre resoluing the humours of the braine and a cold pressing them out causeth them to fall downe aboundantly If the ayre bee too cold it may bee corrected with good fires made of Iuniper Rosemarie Bay-tree Oke and Fig-tree if it be exceeding hote it may be cooled with hearbs and flowers that are indued with such propertie There must care be had to auoide the Northerne and Southerne windes because the one filleth the head full and the other presseth it out You must not abide much in the Sunne-beames nor yet in the open ayre The windes which pearce through chinkes and rifts are extreamely dangerous for the rheume The inequalitie of the ayre as Celsus obserueth very well doth mightily further the begetting of rheumes it is called an vnequal aire when it is now hot now cold As concerning the passiue qualities the ayre-must in all maner of distillation incline vnto drines and for that cause it is good to dwell vpon mounted places and such as are farre from riuers In meates three things are to be obserued the quantitie qualitie and manner of vsing them As concerning the quantitie In meats three things are to be obserued all repletion and full gorging is enemie to such complexions as are subiect vnto rheumes we may not at any time eate to the full it is better to rise from the table hungrie and hee cannot but fare the better which cutteth of one meale in a weeke As concerning the qualitie it must bee contrary vnto the disease or the cause thereof the cause of rheumes is a superfluous humour so that it will bee fittest to vse such meates as may dry vp the same All vaporous meates in generall must bee abstained as also meates that are grosse windie full of excrements and hard to disgest In the maner of vsing of these meates there must many rules bee obserued as there must no new meate bee taken into the stomacke before the former bee throughly disgested You must content your selfe to feede vpon one onely dish and that such as is good for varietie filleth all full of cruditie and it mingleth it selfe with the blood in the veines and ministreth rheumatike matter vnto the braine You must vse to eate more at dinner then at supper in as much as sleepe which succeedeth supper within a short time doth send great store of vapours vnto the braine which are afterwards turned into water The bread must bee of good wheate and throughly baked Bread not cleane purged from his branne but retaining a little branne and mixt with some salt it must neuer be eaten hot at the latter end of meate you may eate bisket wherein some Anise and Fennell seede haue been put Rosted meates are much better then boyled Flesh and of them such as doe not abound with humours we allow the vse of Capon Pigeon Partridge young Hare Kid Hart Feasant Quailes Turtle doues and all birds of the mountaines all which maybe interlarded with Sage and Hissope of the mountaines The vse of water-fowles Porke Lambe Mutton and young Veale is forbidden broths and pottage are very ill Fish is exceedingly contrary Fish All sort of milk-meates is an enemie in rheumatike diseases as also all maner of pulse As concerning hearbes Hearbes the Arabians recommend vnto vs Sage Hissope Mints wilde Time Margerome Rosemary Burnet Cheruill Fennell and Costmarie Aetius tolerateth Coleworts and Leekes but he forbiddeth in expresse tearmes Garlick Onions because they send vp many vapours and all cold moyst hearbes as Lettuse Purcelane Sorrell and such like All fruites that abound in moysture Fruites as Apples Plums Melons Cucumbers and Mulberies are forbidden But as for such as haue propertie to drie as Pine apples small nuts Pistaces Almonds Peares Quinces Figs drie Raisines Medlers Ceruisses they may be vsed after meate And thus much concerning meate As concerning drinke Drinke cold water and all maner of licour that is actually cold it is enemie to al such as are subiect to the rheume if so bee that such rheume be not extreame hot pricking and accompanied with an ague Barley water with a little Sugar and Cinamome is very good and fit or a Ptisane or
little of the wood of Aloes They must not bee made cleane with a knife pinne or with any thing of gold or siluer as many doe because that it doth loosen the ligaments It must also be auoyded to lie digging at them any long time especially of such as are subiect to distillations After that the teeth are thus picked and cleansed they may bee washed with wine delayed The continuall and common vse of Sublimatum Sublimate hurteth them doth blacke and spoyle the teeth very mightily but and if you would preuent that it should doe no harme To vse sublimate so as that it may not hurt the teeth it must first bee well prepared and afterward neuer to vse it but when it hath been steept in water three or foure moneths chaunging the water the first moneth euery day and once or twice a weeke in the rest it must also neuer bee vsed about the face but the mouth must first be washed and the teeth cleansed and water kept in the mouth And thus much for the things which may hurt the teeth Let vs now see what things are good and profitable for them There are some that haue their teeth very white but they are not fast because that either the ligaments are loosened or for that the gummes haue lost part of their fleshie substance other some haue their teeth fast but they be blacke Wherefore there are two sorts of remedies to bee prouided the one to blanch and make white the teeth the other to fasten them and incarnate There are an infinite number of those which doe make white the teeth but I will chuse the most fit and conuenient The Greeke Phisitions commend the pummice stone burnt and made in powder Things to make the teeth white more then any other thing and their ordinarie remedie is this Take of pummice stone and burned salt of each three drammes of Iuncus Odoratus two drams of Pepper a dram and a halfe make them all in powder and therewith rub the teeth We shall make a powder which in my opinion will be very fit Take of pure Christall a dram and a halfe A powder of white and red Corall of each one dram of pummice stone and cuttle bone of each two scruples of very white Marble of the toote of Florentine Ireos of Cinamome and Dyers graine of each halfe a dram of common salt one dram of Pearle well prepared a scruple of Alablaster and Roch Alome of each halfe a dram of good Muske tenne graines make them all into very fine powder and rub the teeth therwith euery morning wasning them afterward with white wine With the very same powder there may be made Opiates putting thereunto some honie The spirit of Vitrioll mixt with a little common water doth white the teeth marueilously and is one of the rarest and most singular medicines that is There are some which do much esteeme Aquafortis well delayed with common water There may also a water be distilled which wil make them white Take of liue Brimstone Alome A distilled water Sal Gemma of each a pound of Vineger foure ounces others vse the spirit of Vitrioll in stead of Vineger distil hereof a water with a retort vsing a gentle fire that so it may not smel of the Brimstone This water doth make the teeth very white and cleanseth rotten gummes If the teeth be very blacke and filthie Take of Barlie meale and common Salt two ounces A powder mixe them with Honey and make a paste which shall be wrapped in paper and dried in an ouen you shal take of this powder three drams of Crab-shels burned pummice stone egge shels in powder and Alome of each two drams of the rinde of drie Citrons one dram they shall all bee mixed together and the teeth rubd therewithall The rootes of Holihocks well prepared The prepared rootes of Holihocks doe mightily cleanse and whiten the teeth The way to prepare them is in this sort Take the rootes of Holihocke being made cleane and cut them in many long peeces boyle them in water with Salt Alome and a little of Florentine Ireos afterwards drie them well in an ouen or in the Sunne and rubbe the teeth therewith If the teeth be not fast but shake to and fro Take of the rootes of Bistort and Cinquefoyle To fasten the teeth that shake and are loose of each one ounce of the rootes of Cypers two drams of red Roses the rootes of white Thistle and of the leaues or bark of Mastick tree of each halfe an ounce of Sumach two drams and of Cloues a dram boyle al these in Smithes water and red wine wash therewith your gummes putting thereto a little Alome Or else Take red Corall Harts horne and Alome of each a dram and a halfe of Sumach and of the rootes of white Thistle of each a dram make them in powder which you shall mixe with the iuyce or wine of Quinces and apply them vpon the gummes and to the rootes of the teeth in the forme of an oyntment To beget flesh about the teeth If the teeth be bare and without flesh they must bee couered by causing flesh to grow againe with such remedies as followe There shall be made a powder with Alome red Corall gumme and rinde of the Frankincense tree with a little Ireos and Aristolochie Or else take plume Alome Pomegranat flowers and Sumach of each two drammes of Aloes wood of Cyperus of Mirrhe and Masticke of each a dram make thereof a powder An Opiate Opiates also are very fit to beget flesh and doe abide better vpon the place Take of Roch Alome halfe an ounce of Dragons blood three drammes of Mirrhe two drams and a halfe of Cinamome and Masticke of each a dram make them all into very fine powder and with a sufficient quantitie of Honey make an Opiate which you shall apply at euening vpon your gummes and there let it remaine all night the next day morning you shal wash them with some astringent decoction or red wine There bee some that take a corne of Salt euery morning in their mouth and letting it melt doe rubbe the teeth with their very tongue holding that this doth white and make fast the teeth hindring and keeping corruption and putrefaction from the teeth And thus much for the preseruation of the teeth THE FOVRTH DISCOVRSE WHEREIN IS INTREATED OF old age and how we must succour and relieue it CHAP. I. That a man cannot alwaies continue in one state and that it is necessarie that he should grow old THis is a generall and solemne decree published throughout the world How euery thing that is must haue an end and pronounced by Nature her selfe that whatsoeuer hath a beginning so that it consist of matter must also haue an end There is nothing vnder the cope of heauen except the soule of man which is not subiect to change and corruption All the great and famous Philosophers and Phisitions that
qualitie which is drynes some there are which take vpon them to ouerthrow it and say that this old age is moist and not drie because a man shal see the eyes of these old men alwaies distilling teares their nose alwaies running there commeth out of their month euermore great store of water yea they doe nothing but cough and spet The temperature of old men is cold and drie but Galen answereth verie learnedly in his booke of temperatures that old men are moist through a superfluous moisture but that they are drie concerning radicall moisture and in the first booke of the preseruation of the health he saith that old men haue all those parts drie which infants haue moist that is to say the solide parts of which dependeth the constitution of the whole body This is the opinion comming neerest to the trueth which we must take hold vpon for their leannes wrinckles stifnes of sinewes and skin and stifnes of ioints doe sufficiently shew their drie temperature the ringwormes also and itches ouer al their bodies the scales which they haue on their heads maketh it plainely appeare vnto vs that their braine is full of salt humors and not of sweete flegme In the end commeth the last olde age which is called decrepite in which as the kingly Prophet saith The last degree of old age is called decrepise there is nothing but paine and languishing griefe all the actions both of the bodie and minde are weakened and growne feeble the sences are dull the memorie lost and the iudgement failing so that then they become as they were in their infancie and it is of these that the Greeke prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say that old men are twice children is to be vnderstood This last old age is described in the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes in so notable an allegoricall sort that there is not the like againe for excellentnes in all the world It was also the greatest Philosopher and profoundest scholler in natures workes that euer was which tooke the same vpon him this is that sage Salomon which elsewhere is sayd to haue knowne all the secrets and mysteries of nature which hath discoursed of all the plants of the field from the Ceder of Libanus to the Hissope which groweth out of the walls that is to say from the tallest and highest vnto the least and lowest for by this Hissope wee vnderstand one of the capillar hearbes which is called Saluia vitae which is one of the least hearbes that may be seene I will set downe the whole maner of this description from the beginning to the end because that besides the pleasantnes of it wee may reape instruction and a plaine and manifest declaration of the thing we haue in hand An excellent Allegorie describing and laying out the estate of old age Remember sayth he thy Creator in the daies of thy youth before the Sunne the starres and light grow darke and the clowdes returne after raine for then the keepers of the house will tremble and the strong men will bow themselues and the grinders will cease and bee no more in like manner the lookers through the windowes will be darkened the doores will be shut without because of the base sound of the grinding and he shall rise vp at the voyce of the bird so shall all the singing maides be humbled they shall feare the hie thing the Almond-tree shall florish and the grashoppers shall grow fat the Caper-tree shall be withered before that the siluer chaine doe lengthen it selfe or the ewer of golde bee broken and the water pot dasht in peeces at the head of the spring or the wheele broken at the cesterne and that dust returne vnto the earth as it was from thence and the spirit goe vnto God See here the description of the last age which is admirable and which hath neede of a good Anatomist to helpe out with the true vnderstanding of the same The interpretation of the Allegorie In decrepite old age the Sunne and starres do waxe darke that is the eyes which doe lose their light The clowdes returne after raine that is to say after they haue wept a long time there passeth before their eyes as it were clowdes being nothing else but grosse vapours which grow thicke and foggie The keepers of the house tremble that is the armes and hands which were giuen vnto man for the defence of the whole bodie The strong men bow that is to say the legges which are the pillars whereupon the whole building is set The grinders doe cease that is to say the teeth which serue vs to bite and chaw our meate The seers grow darke by reason of the windowes those are the eyes which are couered and ouergrowne oftentimes with a cataract which shutteth vp the apple of the eye which is commonly called the window of the eye The doores are shut without because of the base sound of the grinding that is the iawes which cannot open for to eate any thing or the passages of meate which are become narrow and streite They rise vp at the voyce of the bird that is to say they can not sleepe and are alwaies wakened with the cockcrow All the singing maides are abased that is their voyce which faileth them The Almond-tree doth florish that is the head which becommeth all white The grashoppers waxe fat that is the legges become swolne and puffed vp The Caper-tree withereth that is their appetite is lost for Capers haue a propertie to stirre vp appetite The siluer chaine groweth longer that is the faire and beautifull marrow of the back going all along the bone which groweth loose and boweth and causeth them to bend in the back The golden ewer is broke that is the hart which containeth much after the maner of a vessell the arteriall blood and vitall spirit which are somewhat yellow and of golden colour which ceaseth to moue and cannot any longer containe or hold much after the nature of a thing that is broken The water pot is broken at the spring head that is the great veine called the hollow veine which cannot draw blood any more out of the liuer which is the common store-house and fountaine which watereth all the bodie in such sort as that it yeeldeth no more seruice then a broken pitcher The wheele is broken at the cesterne that is the reines and bladder which become relaxed and cannot any longer containe the vrine Then when all this happeneth dust that is to say the body which is materiall doth returne to the earth and the spirit which is come from aboue doth returne to God Loe here the fiue ages described and bounded with their number of yeares according to their seuerall contents That the number of yeares doth not make old age But I would not that from hence any man should so tye himselfe to the number of yeares as that he should make youth and old age necessarily to depend thereupon but that