because the spirits both in regard of their copiousnesse and subtilty doe make a sweete harmony of the soule body and are the notes of a rare wit and a good crasis we mean now to treat of theÌ„ succinctly Cap. 8. Of the Spirits THe poets Arachne doth neuer weaue her entangling webbe neare the Cypresse tree the Em bleame is well knowne of the Scarabee that liues in noisome excrements but dies in the middle of Venus rose so the Owle shuns the splendent rayes of Phoebuâ— delighting more in the darke some night the worst we see do euer affect the worst our groueling base affections our dull conceits blind-folded ignorance our aguish iudgements timorous cowardize slownesse and dulnes in contemplation our inhability of inuention and whatsoeuer grand capitall fomen to reason there bee doo neuer take vp their lodgings in any beautious Inne I mean in a body happely attempered where the spirits are subtile and of a pure constitution but haue their mansion in a smoky tenament or some baser cottage that is in a polluted sickely and corrupted body which is both plethoricuÌ„ pneumapht hiricum caâ—ochymicum wher there is a fulnesse repletion of infected and malignant humours where the subtile spirits be not only tainted but euen corrupted with puddle humours with grosser fuming vapours whose pitchy company the cleare chrystalline and rarified spirits can in no wise brooke as being disturbers of their noblest actions These spirits the more attenuated and purified they be the more that coelestiall particle of heauens flame our reason that immoueable pole-star by the which wee ought to direct the wandring course of all our affections yea far more it doth beare dominion and shewe forth her noble and surmounting excellency in this masse of ours The more aboundant they are all our internall gifts are more inhaunced florish the more where the spirits are appareled with their owne nature and not attired or rather tired by any extraordinary ill means which will neuer be accordant to their seemely decency the soule of man is as it were in a â—hessali'n Tempe of delight which groue for faire florishing meades for the pleasant shade of bushy Pâ—nes for pirhling brooks gliding streams of â—olsom water for a sweete odoriferous ayre for the melodious harmony and chiâ—ping of vocall birds for the fragrancy of medicinable flowers and hearbs for all pleasures that moâ—e feast delight the senses and draw the very soule into an admiration of the place of all other did surpasse as the Topographer makes mention But now wee meane to relate of the diuersity of spirits both in a generall and speciall acceptation â— A spirit is taken for our breath in respiration as Galen saies first prognostic if saith he far from treatable it implies a paine and an inflamation about the disaphragma T is often among the poets taken for wind among the philosophers for an abstract forme pro Damone vel bono vel malo it is vsed for a sauour and for lofty courage in none of these senses we are to take it in this place But for a subtile pure aery substance in the body of man and thus it may be defined Spiritus est subtilessima aeria dilucidaque substantia ex tenuissima parte sanguims producta cuiuâ— adminiculo proprios valeat anima producere actus A spirit is a most subtile aery and lightsome substance generated of the purest part of bloud whereby the soule can easily performe her functions in the naturall body They haue their originall and ofspring from the heart not from the braine as some hold For they being so pure and elaborate into the nature of aire cannot bee generated in the braine beeing by nature cold where nothing is product but that which is very vaporous Againe cerebrum est exangâ—e the braine is bloodless as it is euident by Anatomy neither hath it any veines to make a conueiance for that humour therfore it is most probable that where their is the intensest heate to extract these spirits from the blood and to rarifie them conuerting them into an aery substance that from thence they should haue their efficient cause for the spirits in speciall they be of three sorts vital natural and animall vital in the heart naturall in the liuer animal in the braine Vital because they giue power of motion pulsion vnto the arteries which motion any liuing creature hath so long as it hath a being and that being extinct the life is also extinct 2. Naturall in the liuer in that they yeelde hability of executing such actioÌ„s as chiefly concerne not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as nutricioÌ„ and the generation of the like 3. Animall in the braine and though the spirits proceed from the heart yet are they diffused through the whol body in the arteries and veines and there in the braine they are termed animale because they impart a faculty to the nerues of sence and real motion which are pecâ—liar to euery liuing creature The conduits of the spirits are the arteries and veins the arteries carry much spirits little blood the veines much blood and little spirit yet are each of them the receptacle of both For the cherishing and stirring vppe of the spirits these things ensewing are greatly auailable First an illuminated pure aire purged from all grosser qualities secondly a choice of fragrant smels thirdly musicall harmony and meriment as Ludouicus Cael. Rodig doth write a necessary fourth may be annexed that is nutriment for it rouses vppe and lightens the spirits therfore the philosopher in his problems saith that homo pransus multo leuior est agiliâ—r jeiuno after meat a man is farre more light and nimble then whiles he is fasting so a mery pleasant man is more light theâ— one that is sad and a man that is dead it farre heauier then one aliue There beâ— other thing also very coÌ„modious as inteâ— mission of meditation a due regard of motion that it be neither too vehement and so consume or too slacke and so corrupt the spirits now mean we to speake in order of the complections Cap. IX Of a cholerick complection CHoler is tearmed of the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Latins bilis it is not onely taken for the humour but somtimes for anger as iâ— Thâ—ocritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bitter anger appeard in his face or in his nostrilles So the latin word is as much as anger Plaut fames mora bilâ—m in nasum coÌ„ciunt for anger first appeares in the face or nose therefore the Hebrues haue the same word for ira and nasus that is aph 〈◊〉 which is agreeable to that of Theocr. afore mentioned and that of Persius Ira cadit naso rugosaque sanna So we say in our english prouerb when a man is teasty and anger wrinckles his nose such a man takes pepper in the nose but yel low choler is an humour contained in
body the blood in the blood the spirits in the spirits soule Thirdly because it is a nutriment for all and singular parts of what qualities soeuer It is tearmed in Hebrue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanguis for his nutrition and sure it is as it were the dam or nurse from whose teats the whole body doth suck out and draw life Fourthly in that this humor being speÌ„t our life also must needs vanish away therfore some philosophers as it is wel known to the learned did not onely surmise but constantly auer that the soule was blood because it being effused the soule also doth flit from the body but that was a madde dreame no doubts if the sound of iudge ment had awoke them they woulde haue confessed themselues to haue been enwrap ped in a clowdy errour They also that affirme men of this constitution to be dullards and fooles to haue a pound of folly to an ounce of pollicy they themselues do seeme not to haue so much as a dram of discretion and do erre the whole heauens I confesse a sanguine complection may be so as any other in their discrasie yet not as it is a pure sanguine complection but as there is mixed with the blood either the grosse sediments of melancholy or the lenta materies pituitae tough phleume when the blood is also ouerheated by reason of hot choler or any other accidentary cause that generates a surplussage of blood or endues the spirits with a grosenes and too hot a qualitie more then their nature can well sustaine with keeping their perfection and puritie From whence the blood hath his originall it is apparently knowne especially to them which are skild in the autopsie of Anatomie the seat or fountaine head of it is vena caua a great hollow veine which strikes through the liuer from whence it is conueighed by many cesterns passages and conduit pipes throughout the whole body like spraies and branches from the stemme of a tree It hath his esseÌ„ce from the chymus or juice of our aliment concocted his rednesse is caused by the vertue of the liuer assimilating it vnto his owne colour To speake more of the externall habit and demeanour of man that hath this complection he euer hath an amiable looke a flourishing fresh visage a beautiful color which as the poet saith doth greatly commend one if all other thinges be wanting Nâ—e minor his aderat subliâ—is gratia formae Quae vel si desint coetera cuncta placet With vertues grac'd full debonaire was I Which all defac'd more highly dignifie They that are of this complection arâ— very affable in speach and haue a gracious faculty in their deliuery much addicted to witty conceits to a scholerlike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being facâ—tosi not acâ—tosi quipping without bitter taunting hardly taking any thing in dogeon except they be greatly moued with disgrace especially wisely seeming eyther to take a thing some times more offensiuely or lesse greiuously then they do â—loaking their true passion they bee liberally minded they carry a constant louing affection to them chiefly vnto whom they be endeared and with whom they are intimate and chained in the links of true amitie neuer giuing ouer till death such a conuerst freind except on a capitall discontent they are very hairy their head is commonly a 〈◊〉 or amber-coloured so their â—eards they are much delighted with a musicall consent and harmony hauing so swâ—e a sâ—pathy themselues of soule and body And but for one fault they are â—ainted with they more well be tearmed Heroeâ— hominum and that is 〈◊〉 reason of that liuely abounding humour they are somewhat too prone to Venery which greatly alters their blessed state of coÌ„stitutioÌ„ drinks vp their huâ—dum radâ—le enfeebleth the diuinest powers consumes their pith and spends the substance of the braine for sperma is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many philosohhers not without great reason affeuere not ter â—ncoctus sanguis therefore as Macrobius saith Hippocrates cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that coitus est paruus morbus comitialis and but for this they were superemineÌ„t aboue all men but their rare qualities and admirable vertues do more then couÌ„terpoize this naturall fault For his resolutioÌ„ he is like the center immoueable neuer caried away with the heady streame of any base affection but lies at the anchor of confidence and boldnes he is neuer lightly variable but beeing proudly harnest with a steely hart he wil run vpoÌ„ the push of great danger yea hazard his life against all the affronts of death it selfe if it stand ether with the honour of his soueraigne the welfare and quiet of his own country the after fame and renowne of himselfe els is he chary and wary to lay himselfe open to any daunger if the finall end of his endeauour and â—oile bee not plausible in his demur ring judgement Cap. 11. Of the Phlegmaticke humour THis humour is called of the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the Latines vsually Pituita which as Aetius noteth is so tearmed quasi petens vitam by reason of the extreame cold moi sture it hath being correspondent to the watry element whereby it doth extinguish the naturall heate in man and being caried with the blood by his grosse substance doth thicken it and stop the currents passages of the blood at least doth taint it with a coÌ„trary passiue destructiue qualitie Yet of al the humors the phisicions say and it is not improbable this commeth nearest vnto the best for it is a dulcet humour which being concocted is changed into the essence of blood and serues especially for the nutriment of the Phlegmaticke parts as the braine the Nuchâ— or soft pappe and marrow of the chein bone but this is naturall which of al these humors doth sonest digres into another grosse cold nature which will in processe of time proue that pernicious humor wherof AEtius speaks their is theÌ„ to be noted phlegma naturale wherof we spok eueÌ„ now non naturale of which these proceed Phlegmâ— 1. Crassum 2 Gypseum 3 Falsum 4 Acetosum 5 Tenue some others For the first that which is thicke is a crude substanee by multiplication in the ventricle the bowels or the braine or the blood whereof Hippocrates aduiseth men to euacuate themselues by vomit euery moneth in his booke de victus ratione priuaâ—rum But for the bowels it needes not so much as for the braine and ventricle for nature hath so ordained that the yellow choler that flowes from the gall into the duodâ—num should purge the entralls and wash away these Phlegmaticke superfluities and this in time will turne to the nature of Gypseum phlegma which is of a slimier and in time of a more obdurate nature insomuch it will grow as hard as plaister with long remaining in one place like fen water that turns into the nature of mudde and this is it that staies in the ioints and causeth
aggrauate this humour soe much til it generate and breede either a hecticke feuer mortall consumption yellow Iaundice or any the like disease incident to this coÌ„plexion and so concerning all the rest For a bare Nosce it is not sufficiently competent for the auoidance of death to maintaine a happy crasis but the liuing answerably according to knowledge for wee see many exquisite Physicions and learned men of speciall note whose exhibitories to themselues do not parallel their prescripts and aduice to others who are good physicions but no pliable patients to make a diligent search and scrutinie into their owne natures yet not fitting them with corespoÌ„dency of diet like Luciaâ—es apothecary who gaue Physicke vnto others for coughing and yet hee him selfe did neuer lin coughing Cunctis qui cauit noncauet ille sibi While hee cured others hee neglected him selfe Wee may rightly say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Crapula fit esca deliciae eorum damna that is their diet is luxury and each delicy made their malady And yet none doe more inveigh against surfet misdiet then they but they are like the Musipula of whome it saide in the Hieroglyphichs that shee vseth to bring forth her issue out of her mouth and swimming with them about her when shee is hungry shee swallowes them vp againe so they in externall shew spit out the name of surfet banishing â—t far from theÌ„ but by their accustomable deadly luxury againe they imbrace it and hug it in their armes so long till some incroching disease or other hauing had long dominion and resiance in them be past cure of Physicke For we knowe Non est in medico semper releuetur vt aeger Interdum docta plus valet arte malum No earthly art can euer cure deepe 〈◊〉 ill Not 〈◊〉 with his heauenly skill So then the most exact selfe-knower of â—ll if he doe not containe himselfe within the territories and praecincts of reasonable appetite the Cynosura of the wiser dietest if consorting with misdieters he bath him selfe in the muddy streame of their luxury and riot he is in the very next suburbs of death it selfe Yet for this I confesse that the siluer brest of Niâ—us is not vitiated and polluted by others keÌ„nel muddy thought and turbulent actions or affections no more then the riuer Alpheus that runs hard by the salt sea is tainted with the brackish quality of the sea no more then the Salamander is schorcht though dayly conuersing in the fire or chast Zenocrates lying with Lair is defiled since hee may well do it without impeachment to his chastity so may the heroical and generous spirits conuerse with vnstaide appetites and yet not haue the least tang of their excesse but by their diuiner Nâ—sce teipsum may bee their owne gardians both for ther Coelestiall and also earthly part Yet wee know Aliquid mali propter vicinum malum the taint of ill comes by consorting with ill the best natures and wisest selfe-knowers of al may bee tild on or constraind to captiuate and in thral their freedome of happy spirit and to rebel against their owne knowledge I wish therefore in conclusion the meanest if possible to haue an insight into their bodily estate as chiefly they ought of the soule whereby they may shun such things as any waies may bee offensiue to the good of that estate and may so consequently being vexed with none no not the least maladie be more fit not onely to liue but to liue well For as the Poet saide of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to die is not ill but to die ill so contrarâ—wise of life wee may say it is no such excellent thing to liue as wel to liue which no doubt may easily bee effected if they doe abridge them selues of all vaine alluring lusts and teather their appetites within the narrow-round plot of diet lest they run at randon and breake into the spacious fields of deadly luxury Cap. 2. That the soule simpathizeth with the body and followeth her crasis and temperature INficitur terrae sordibus vnda flueâ—s saith the Poet If a water current haue any vicinity with a putrefied and infected soyle it is tainted with his corrupt quality The heauenly soule of man as the Artists vsually auerre seÌ„blablewise doth feele as it were by a certaine deficiency the ill affected crasis of the body so that if this bee annoyed or infected with any faeculeÌ„t humors it faires not wel with the soule the soule her selfe as maladious feeles some want of her excellency and yet impatible in regarde of her substance though the bad disposition of the organons the malignancy of receites the vnrefinednes of the spirits doe seeme to affect the soule for the second which causeth the third marke what Horace speaketh quin corpus onustum Hesternis 〈◊〉 anâ—mum quoque pragrauat 〈◊〉 Atque affligit humo diuinaparticulam aura The man surcharg'd with former crudities Waighes downe our spirits nimble faculties Our ladened soule as plunged in the mire Lies nie extinct though part of he auens fire To this effect is that speech of Democritus who saith that the bodily habit being out of temper theminde hath no liuely willingnes to the conteÌ„plation of vertue that beeing enfeebled ouershadowed the light of the soule is altogether darkned heauenly wisdome as it were sympathizing with this earthly masse as in any surfet of the best and choisest delicates also of wines is easily apparant Uinum of it owne nature is if we may so terme it Diuinum because it recreats the tired spirits makes the mind farre more nimble and actuall and aspiring to a higher straine of wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Xenophon it stirs vp mirth and chearefulnesse as oyle makes the blasing flame yet by accident the vnmanag'd appetite desiring more then reason it doth dull the quicker spirits stop the pores of the braine with too many vapours and grosse fumes makes the heade totty â—ullabees the senses yea intoxicates the very soule with a pleasing poison as the same Xenophon saies it happens vnto men as to tender plants lately ingraffed impeâ— which haue their grouth from the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. when God doth water and drench them with an immoderate showre they neither shotte out right nor hardly haue any blowne blossoms but when the earth doth drink in so much as is competent for their encrease theÌ„ they spring vpright and florishing do yeelde their fruite in their accustomed time so fareth it with the bodies and by sequele with the soules of men if wee poure in with the vndiscreete hand of appetite they both will reele too and fro and scarce can we breath at least we cannot vtter the least thing that relisheth of wisedome our mindes must needs followe the tempers or rather the distemperatures
nutrition as of these parts which be proportionable vnto it in qualities hot drie and this is disper sed into the veines and flowes throughout the whole body mixed with blood the other is excremeÌ„tall vnfit to nourish which purged as a superfluous humour from the blood is receiued into the vesicle or vessel and bladder that is the receptacle of choler entearmed the gall And this vsually when the vessell is surcharged distils from thence into the duodenum first theÌ„ into the other intrals c. that which is not naturall is of four sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first is vitelliâ— bilis of thâ— coulour of an egge yolke generated of palew choler ouerheated with the acrimony of vnnaturall caliditie The second is porrâ— cea of a leeky nature or greene coulour The third câ—rulea of a blewish or azure colour The last aeruginosa of a rusty colâ—r And all these be generated in the ventricle bâ— sharp tart and sweet nutriments as leeks mullard burnt meats honny so fat meatâ— and all such as engender noysomnes vpoâ— the stomach Whereupon coms our common disease called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for sorroâ— and vehement exercise cause the yelloâ— choler to flow in the ventricle by whicâ— men being griped and pinched with painâ— within do labor of this euill which indeed hath a wrong name giuen it for it is onely an affection or passion of the orifice of the ventricle the mouth of the stomack not of the heart as Galen witnesseth Now to discerne a man of a cholerick complection he is alwaies either oringe or yellow visag'd because hee is most inclined to the yellow iaundice or a little swarthy reddehaird or of brownish coulour very megeâ— and thin soon prouokt to anger soon appeasd not like the stone asbestos which once being hot cannot be quenched he is lean-fac'd sleÌ„der bodied like Brutus Cassius He is according to his predominant element of fire which is most full of leuity most inconstant and variable in his determinations easily disliking that which hee before approued and of al natures in that this complectioÌ„ is counted to surpasse the cholericke man for changeablenes is repu ted among the wise to bee most vndiscreet and vnwise And indeed mutablenes and inconstancy are the intimates and badges whereby fooles are knowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wise men be like vnto quadrangled stones But fooles like turning Globes are fickle ones And if at any time he prooue constaÌ„t and sted fast it is as Fortune is coÌ„stans in leuitate sua stable in his instability Let vs now discend from fire to aire Cap. X. Of a sanguine temperature THe purple rose whose hiâ— encomium that witty Poetresse Sappho in a sweete Odâ—nce sang did not meriâ— to bee adornd with such beauteous titles of wordes to be lim'd out in so liuely colours of Rhetorick nor to be invested with such a gorgeous and gallant sute of poetry as this goldeÌ„ crasis this happy temperature and choise complection this sanguine humor is worthy of a panegyrical toung and to be lim'd out with the hand of art it selfe Sappho thus speaketh of the rose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which we may turne and change for our vse on this manner if there were a mo narch or prince to be constituted ouer all temperatures this purple sanguine complection should no doubts aspire to that hie preheminence of bearing rule for this is the ornament of the body the pride of humors the paragon of complections the prince of all temperatures for blood is the oile of the lampe of our life If we doe but view the princely scarlet robes he vsually is inuested with his kingly throne seated in the mids of our earthly citty like the Sun amid the wandring Planets his officers I mean the veines and arteries which are spred throughout this whole Politeia yea disperst in euery angle to execute his command and carry the liuely influence of his goodnesse reuiuing those remote parts which without his influence woulde otherwise be frettish with a chilnes and in a short time be mortified If we do but cast our eies vpon these glorious mansions the sumptuous pallaces wherein he doth inhabit the Dadalian costly Labyrinths where in he takes his turnes If wee consider his wise subtle counsailours which dayly consort with him for the good estate of his whole kingdome the 〈◊〉 spirits the very seate of diuine reason it selfe the fountaines of pollicy If we marke this that his departing is the procurer of a ciuill mutinie and dissension between our soule and body and that his meere absence bringeâ— in a dissolution of our temperate political state if we waigh his excellent qualities he is endowed with wherein consists the vnion of the parts of the whole I meane heaâ— and moisture If we note his delicat viand his delicious fare he feedes vpon in his purity his maiesty in aspiring so hie his humlitie in as it were debasing himselfe so low as to take notice of his lowest subiect the most inferiour part to kisse euen our toâ— as it is in the prouerbe to do vs good If we note the mighty potentates that rebeâ— and wage warre against him to ruinate his kingdome as Acrasia Angor Inediâ— all inâ— continence and intemperance of Bacchâ— Cerâ—s and Venus Care Famine and the like If we poise all these together many mâ—e we cannot but imagin that the blood is either a caelestiall maiesty or a terrestriall deity that among all the humors it doth farre excell all and that hee which is possessed with a sanguine pure complection is graced with the princeliest and best of all For the externall habit of body for rare feature they go beyond al that haue this temper being most deckt with beautie which consists in a sweet mixture of these two colours white and redde and for the gifts of the minde it is apparent likewise to our vnderstaÌ„ding that they do surpasse al hauing such pure tempered refined spirits neither do I thinke that either melancholick men according to Aristotle or cholericke men according to the opinion of Petrus Crinitus are inriched with a greater treasury of wit for if the soule do follow the teÌ„perature of the body as certainely it doth they then must needs excell for inuention who haue this best complectioÌ„ Their spirits sure haue the most exact temper of all wherwith the soule as being in a paradise is cheefly delighted Among all the humors the sanguine is to be preferd saith the Antiquâ—ry first because it coms nearest vnto the principles grouÌ„d works of our life which stands in an attempered heat moisture Secondly because it is the matter of the spirits where of chiefly dependes our life the operation of our vegetatiue animall vertue yea it is the chiefe instrument wherewith our reasonable soule doth operate for this is the philosophers climax In the elements consists the body in the
Tongilianus habet nasum scio non nego sed iam Nil prater nasum Tongilianus habet Tongilian has a goodly nose I wisâ—e But naught besides a nose Tongilian Tongilianiâ— And no doubts it will be liker the latter then the former Venus had her mole Helena her staine Cynthia her spots the Swan her ieaty feete the clearest day some clowd nay there is nothing but if we once eye it ouer so absolutely perfect not the smoothest writer of all which at lest a Critick perusing of him for some blemish and imperfection merites not either Aristarchus his blacke pile or Momus his sponge If in the fairest thinges be such deformitie how many more staines may then be found in this ofspring of my brain which dare not scarcely make compare with the fowlest Looke for better and more generous wine of the old vinetree for as Plinie sayth vetustioribus semper vitibus vinum melius nouellis copiosius would I coulde either arrogate the former or chalenge the latter vnto my selfe but howsoeuer I could not possibly please all for as the Poet speaks to one Ledotus Qui possis rogo te placere cunctis Cum iam displiceas tibi velvns T' is sure that at least I should not please my selfe I might better fit a many humors in sif ting out some more pleased poeticall subiect more correspondent to their fancy and my facultie as intreating merily of some new discouered Isle with Lucian to inuent with him some such hyperbolicall lies as that of Hercules 〈◊〉 whose footsteps were found to be the bignes of an aker of ground to tell with him of flyes and pismires as big as twelue Elephants to fraight some pamphlet de lapsu vulcani who as Homer writes was falling out of heauen into the Isle Lemnos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a whole day to make some mery prognostication of strange wonders that are to ensue as them of Ioachimus Fortius Ringelbergius capitulated in that chapter whose title is Ridicula quaedam iucunda not to plunge my selfe in these grand phisicall matters I know these are appertinent to the Muses also Ouid his Nux the Culex Maro writ Erasmus did in folly dye his wit The Frog fight Homer made and of daâ—e Mouse And Ianus Dousa praisd Pediculus Hubaldus on baldmen did verâ—ifie Each of whose numbers words began with C. Beza praisd 〈◊〉 Apuleius th' Asse Plutarch Grillus who by Circe changed was A quartaâ—e ague Fauorine did commend His darlings sparrow so Catullus pend To which the Poet Sunt etiam Musissua ludicra mista Camanis Otâ—a c. Tragicall Melpomene her selfe wil now and then put on the comicall start vp Sage Apollo laughes once yearly at his own beard lesse naked face the modest Muses haue their maddest reuils the darkesomst water has his gildy streames wise men will sometimes play with childrens rattles But I haue already imployed some imbeziled howrs takeÌ„ from the treasury of the Muses golden time to the gilding ouer of the like rotten subiects as they that haue bin intimate with mâ— are not igmorant as in my Tetligomurmomachia a centurie of latin Epigrams an Echo and some other trifles which I durst not let come abroad in the chill Criticall aire lest hap they mought haue been frettisht for want of learninges true cloathing Now haue I chosen to mingle my delight with more vtilitie aiming not onely at witte but wisedome I know the Paracelsian will vtterly condemne my endeauour for bringing the foure Humours on the stage again they ha uing hist them off so long ago the rather be cause I once treat not of their three minerals Sal Surphur and Mercurius the Tria omnia of their quicksiluer wits which they say haue chiefe dominion in the body it consisting of them and are the causes of each disease and cure all againe by their Arcana extracted out of them but I waigh it not since the tongue of an aduersary cannot detract from verity If any the like Carpfish whatsoeuer chaunce to nibble at my credite hee may perchaunce swallow downe the sharp hook of reproach and infamie ere he be aware which hee cannot like the Scolaopendra cast vp againe at his pleasure I doubt not but to haue him in a string Reader thine eyes are to take their turnes in a gardin wherein are growing many weedes yet some flowers passe by the former with kind silence cull out and gather the latter for thine owne science and perhaps thou maist distill the sweetest wa ter from the bitterest wormewood as Maro built his walls by Ennius his rubbish If thou thy selfe hast better Candidus imperti si non his vtere mecum Idem qui pridem Thine if mine T. W. THE Titles and Contents of the seuerall Chapters as they are handled in in this present booke 1 OF Selfe knowledge cap. 1. 2 That the soule sympathizeth with the body and followeth her crâ—sis and temperature cap. 2. 3 Whether the internall faculty may bee knowne by the externall phisiognomy and visage cap. 3. 4 That a dyet is to bee obserued of euery one cap. 4. 5 How man derogates from his excellency by surfeit of his vntimely death C. 5 6 Of Temperaments Cap. 6. 7 Of diuersitie of witts according to the diuerse temperature of the body cap. 7. 8 Of the spirits cap. 8. 9 Of a cholericke complexion cap. 9. 10 Of a sanguine temperature cap. 10. 11 Of the phlegmatiâ— humor cap. 11 12 Of a melanche â—ick complection C. 12. 13 Of the coÌ„ceits of melancholy cap 13. 14 Of the dreames which accompany each complection cap 14. 15 Of the exactest temperature of all whereof Lemnius speaketh cap 15. The close to the whole worke in verse FINIS Of Selfe knoweledge Chap. 1. AS Hesiod in his Theogonie saith that the â—gly night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begat two fowle monsters Somnum somnium So we may not vnfitly say that the inueloped and deformed night of ignorance for the want of that coelestiall Nosce teipsum begettes two mishapen monsters which as the Sepia's inkie humor doe make turbulent the cristallinest fountaine in man Somatalgia and Psychalgia the one the dyscrafie of the body the other the malady and distemperature of the soule For he that is incanoped and intrenched in this darkesome misty cloud of ignorance being like the one-footed Indian people Sciopodes whose foote is so big that it shades them from the rayes of the Sunne or rather like the Cyclops when Vlisses had be rest him of his one eye he hath no true lampe of discretion as a polestar to direct the shippe of his life by in respect either of his mortall or immortall part from being hurried vpon the shelues masâ—y rockes of infelicity Of what hie esteeme and prizelesse value this rare selfeknowledge is euer was it is very conspicuous and appareÌ„t vnto the dimmest apprehension of all if it doe but iustly ballance in the scoale of com mon reason wisdome
who hath euer affectionately imbrac'd it and to whom it is stil indeared the heauenly source or springheâ—d from wheÌ„ce it was deriued as also the happier effects it alway hath engendred Diuine Pithagoras whome worthily the flood Nessus saluted and called by his name as one admired of it for his flood of eloquence and torrent of wisdome his mind being the enriched excheâ—quer and treasurie of rairest qualities not onely had this golden posie euer on his tongues end as the daintiest delicy he could present vnto a listning eare but also had it emblemd forth by Minerua giuing breath vnto the 〈◊〉 flute by which is intimated Philautia which because with blasting it sweld her cheekes she cast away from her Yea hee had this coelestiall sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which descended from the heauens engrauen on the frontispice of his heart euermore in an applicatiue practise especially for himselfe which he tearmed the wise Physicions medicinary praescript for the double health and welfare of man Yet sententious Menander that rich-vainde Poet seemes at least to contradict this heauenly sawe for pondering with him selfe the depraued demeanour of worldly meÌ„ the troth lesse inconstancy and perfidiousnes of our hairebraind Iasons the inueigling and adamantizing societies of some who being polluted and infected with the rancke leprosie of il would intangle others the viperous vatinian deadly hate which is vâ—ual ly masked and lies lurking vnder the specious and faire habit of entire amitie waighing with him selfe a many things fashioned out of the like mould he thus spoke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me thinks saith hee that is not so well spoken knowthy selfe as this know others Howsoeuer he ment we must not imagin that he did it to impeach any wise this sage and graue sentence which as that also of his is an oracle in it proper obiect hiely concernes the good both of the actiue and passiue part of man though Socrates in Plato would haue it onely to bee referd vnto the soule to haue no relation at al vnto the body though falsely For if the soule by reason of sympathizing with the body is either made an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either a nimble swift-footed Achilles or a limping slow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hereafter we intend to declare good reason the body as the edifice or 〈◊〉 of the soule should be knowne as a part of Teiâ—sum for the good of the soule Therefore Iulian the Apostata who had flood of inuentioÌ„ although that whole flood could not wash or rinch away that onespot of his atheisme he though not knowing him a right could say the body was the chariot of the soule which while it was well manag'd by discretion the cunning coachman the drawing steeds that is our head-strong and vntamed appetites being checkt in by the golden bit of temperance so long the soule should not bee tost in craggy waies by vnequall and tottring motion much lesse be in danger to bee hurled downe the steepy hils of perditioÌ„ If we do but try the words at the Lidyan or touchstone of true wisdome which dâ—iudicates not 〈◊〉 to external semblances but inter 〈◊〉 ces they will sure go for 〈◊〉 whether you respect the soule as principall or the body as secundary For 〈◊〉 first 〈◊〉 single out that speach of Agâ—petus But wee O men saith hee let vs so disciple our selues that each one may throughly know himselfe for he that perfectly knowes him selfe knows God and he that knowes him shall be made like vnto him and he 〈◊〉 this shal be made worthy of him more ouer he that is made worthy of him shall do nothing â—worthy of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But shal meditate vpon things pleasant vnto him speaking what he meditateth and practising what he speaketh For the last that onely of Tullie valetudâ— sustentatur notuta suicorp c. the perfect and sound estate of the body as we may consequently asseuer of the soule is maintaind by the knowledge of a mans owne body and that chiefly by a due obseruation of such thingâ—s at may either be 〈◊〉 or a◠〈◊〉 to nature may be 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precious balsame therof or else it baleful deadly aconituÌ„ For he that in the infancie of his knoweledge thinks that Hyosciamus and Cicuta hemlocke and henbane are fit aliment for his body because they bee nutriment to birds may happely at length curse the dog-starre of his owne indiscretion for inflaming his lesse distempered braine with his vnhappy dysastrous influence For it is vulgarly said that Hyosciamus et cicuta hemines perimunt 〈◊〉 alimentum praebent them two are poyson to men though foison to birdes as Scaliger relates also I grant that the most direct aime of wisdome in this Nosce teipsum lookes chiefly on the minde as the fairest marke Yet often eyes and aimes at this other necessary obiect which cunningly to hit is counted equall skill though the one farre surmount the other especiall care is to be had as well of the christall glasse to saue it from cracking as of the Aqua caelestis infus'd from putrifying But primarily it concernes the soule as for them who are tainted with the Protoplasts selfe loue loue of glory who being 〈◊〉 vp with the haÌ„d of fortune to the top of natures preheminence as pety gods doe direct their imaginations far beyond the le â—ill of humilitie beeing swolne with timpanizing pride too much admiring theÌ„selues with Narcissus who was inamoured with his owne beauty of whome the poet thus speaketh Dumque sitim sedare cupit sitis altera creuit Whiles at the fountaine he his thirst gan slaks An ocean of selfe-loue did him â—retake Proud Arachnes who will needs contend with more cunning Minerua for spinning like Marsyas and Thamâ—ras who stroue the one with Apollo for musicke skill the other with the Muses for melodious singing too common an vse among all self-forgetters for as Iulian saith each man is wont to admire his owne actions but to abate the value and derogate from the esteem of others For those againe who with Glaâ—cus praâ—fer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the regard of the body before the wel fare of the superâ—lementary soule which chiefly should be in request for as the Stoick saith it is a signe of an abiect minde to beat our braines about necessaries for our vile corps a speciall care should rather be had ouer the soule as Mistris ouer her hand-maide these want that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now for the body as well it leuils at it for those who distemper and misdiet them selues with vntimely and vnwonted surfeting who make their bodies the noysome sepulchers of their soules not considering the estate of their enfeebled body what will be accordant to it not waighing their complexion contrary perchance farre to the dish they feede vpon not foreseing by true knoweledge of themselues what
will endamage and impaire their healths infect the conduit pipes of their limpid spirits what will dull and stupefie their quicker intelligence nay disable all the faculties both of soule and body as instance mought be giuen of many to them that haue had but a meere glympse into the histories and ancient records of many dish moungers who running into excesse of riot haue like fatall Parcas cut in two the lines of their owne liues as Philoxenus the Dythirambiok poet of whome Athenaeus speaks Deipnos 8 who deuoured at Syracusa a whole Polypus of two cubits long saue onely the head of the fish at one meale whome being deadly sicke of the crudity the PhisicioÌ„ told that he could not possibly liue aboue seuen hours whose wouluish appetite not with standing would not stint it selfe euen in that extremety but he vttered these wordes the more to intimate his vultur-like insaciate paunch Since that Charon and Atropos are comd to call me away from my delicies I thinke it best to leaue nothing behind me wherefore let me eat the residue of the Polypus who hauing eaten it expir'd who had the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Chrysâ—ppus as Athenaeus records and of others he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Aristotle And what of others who although they did not so speedilie by ignorance of their estate curtaile their owne dayes by vntimely death yet notwithstanding they haue liu'd as deade vnto the world and their soules dead vnto them selues Dyonisyus Heracleota that rauenous gourmandyzing Harpy and insatiable draine of all pleasant liquors was growne so pursie that his farnes would not suffer him to set his breath beeing in continuall feare to bee stifeled although others affirme that hee easily could with the strong blast of his breath haue turned about the sayles of a winde-mill Whose soule by his selfe ignorance not knowing what repast was most conuenient for hiâ— body was pent vp and as it were fettred iâ— these his corps as in her dungeon So Alexander King of Aegypt was so grose and fat that hee was faine to be vpheld by two men And a many moe by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by excessiue eating drinking more vpon meere ignorance theâ— rebellion against nature physicall diet and discretion did make their soules like the fatned sheepe whereof Iohannes Leo relates which he see in Egypt some of whose tailes weighed 80. pound and some 150 pound by which waight their bodies were immoueable vnlesse their tailes like traines were caried vp in wheel-barrowes Or like the fatned hogs Scalliger mentions that could not moue for fat and were so senselesse that mise made nests in their buttocks they not once feeling them But those which I whilome named and millions besides neuer come to the full period of their daies dying soone because as Seneca saith they knowe not that they liue by deaths and are ignorant what receit of foode into the body whose constitution they are as ignorant of also will bring endammagement both to it and to the heauenly infused soule For the body this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is requisit that as the meager one is to be fed with spare diet so the massier and more gyantly body must be maintained with more large and lauish diet For it is not consonant to reason that Alexander Macedo Augustus Cesar who were but littlemen as Petrarch saith and so low-staur'd Vlâ—sses should haue equall diet in quantity with Milo Hercules Aiax and such as Atheneus makes mention of as Astâ—damas Herodorus the first of them being so capacious stomacht that hee eat as much alone as was prepared forix men and the latter Herodorus a strong-sided Trum peter who was 3. els and a halfe long and could blow in two trumpets at once of whome Atheneus speakes These might well farce and cram their mawes with far more alimente because their ventricles cels veines and other organons of their bodies were far more ample and spatious And aâ— aine it is soueraigne in this regard because in the ful streame of appetite or brauery many wil take vpon ignorance rather the sumtuous dish prepared for vitellius by his brother which one dish amounted to aboue seuen thousand eight hundred and xii pounds perchance a ranke poyson to their natures then Estur and 〈◊〉 2. sauoury and holsome hearbs which poorâ— Hecale set on the table as a sallet before hun gry Theseus the best dish of meat she could present vnto him a great deale peraduenture more conducible vnto their healtheâ— But they are as ignorant what they take as Cambles was who being giuen to Gastrimargisme as Athenaeus relates in the forementioned booke in the night did eat vp his owne wise and in the morning finding her hand in his deuouring iawes slew him selfe the fact being so hainous and not worthy as also they are pilgrims and strangers in the knowledge of their bodily estate which euer or often is an occasion of ouer-cloying their ventricles with such meates as are an vtter ruin and downefall to their healthes as ill or worse then Toxicum for although they do not efâ—soones inforce the fatall end yet in a short progresse of time they are as sure pullies to draw on their inexpected destenies Without this knowledge of our bodily nature we are like to crasie barkes yet ballist with prizelesse marchandise which are tossed too and froo vpon the maine of ignorance so long till at length we bee shattered against the huge rocke of Intemperance and soe loose our richest fraught which is our soule This ought euer to controule and curbbe in our vnrulie appetites it ought to be like the Poets Automedon to raine our fond desires in which raigne in 〈◊〉 for as Seneca saith sunt quaedam noâ—itura impotranâ—ibus c. so wee may say sunt quaeâ— appetentibus as there be many thinges which are obnoxious to the asker if it chance he obtaine them so are there many nutriments as dangerous to man that babishly couets theÌ„ for if he square not his diet according to the temper of his body in choise of such fare as may banish and expell contagion and violency from nature or be a speciall preseruatiue in her spotlesse and vntainted perfection meats are soe far from holding on the race of his life as that will rather hasten it downe far sooner vnto the hemispheare of death theÌ„ he expected A cholericke man therefore by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing himselfe to be ouerpoizd with it predominancy na but euen foreseeing his corporall nature to haue a propension or inclination to this humour hee must wisely defeate and waine his appetite of all such dainty morsels though the more delicious and toothsome and delude his longing thirst of al such honey flowing meates and hote wines as are foison to his distemperature and which in tract of time will
of our earthly bodies Plato in whose mouth the Bees as in their hiues did make their hunny combs as foreintimating his sweete flowing eloquence he weighing with himselfe that thraldome the soul was in being in the body and how it was affected and as it were infected with the contagion therof in his Phaedrus as I remember disputing of the Idaeaes of the mind said that our bodies were the prisons and bridewels of our soules wherein they lay as manicled and fettered in Giues Yea further hee could auouch in his Cratylus and also in his Georgias Socrates hauing brought forth a speach to Callides out of Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to liue is to die and to dye is to liue he saith there that our body is the very graue of the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And sure it is that whiles this mind of ours hath his abode in this darkesome dungeoÌ„ this vile mansion of our body it can neuer act his part well till it step vpon the heauenly stage it will be like â—o in Ouid whoe being turned into a heeâ—er when shee could not expresse her minde to Inacus her father in words Littera-pro verbis quampes in puluere duxit Corporis indicium mutati triste peregit Her foot did speake as on the sand she ranged How she poore soule was froÌ„ her selfe estraÌ„ged Our soule in the bodie though it be not so blind as a Batt yet is it like an Owle or Batt before the rayes of Phaebus al dimmed and dazeled it sees as through a lattissewindow Being freed from this prison once hauing flitted from this ruinous â—ennament this mud-wald cottage it is a Linceus within a Molewarpe without it is an allâ—eyde Argus within an one-â—y de Cyclops without a beautifull Nireus within an Aethiopian Thersites without a hie soaring Egle within a heauy Struthio Camelus an Aestridge who hath winges as hee in the Hieroglyphicks witnesseth non propter volatuÌ„ sed cursum not for flying but to helpe her running yea as sparkles hid in embers do not cast forth their radiant light and the sunne invelloped in a thicke mistie cloud doth not illuminate the center with his goulden Tresses so this coelestiall fire our soule whiles it remaines in the lap of our earthly Prometheus this masse of ours it must needs be curtained and ouer-shadowed with a palpable darkenesse which doth ouer-cast a sable night ouer our vnderstanding especially when in the bodie there is a current of infectious humours which doe flow ouer the veines and ingrosse the limpid spirites in their arteries the minde must needes bee as it were ore-flowne with a Deucalions floode and bee quirkened as a sillie toyling Leander in the Hellespout What made the minde of Orestes so out of temper that he kild his owne mother but the bodily Crasis what made Heracleitus die of a dropsie hauing rowlde himselfe in beastes ordure what made Socrates hauing drunke the Cicuta at Athens to giue his vltimum vale to the world but that what caus'd that redoubted famous captaine Themistocles hauing drunke Bulls blood to take as we say his long iourney to the Elysian feilds and many others to haue com'd vnto their long home as may be seene in the ancient registers of time and many to haue beene distraught and frantick the distemperature no doubt the euill habit of the bodie where-with the soule hath copulatioÌ„ Plotin the great platonist he blushed often that his soule did harbour in so base an â—nne as his body was so Porphyry affirmes in his life because as he said in an other place his soule must needes bee affected with the contagious qualities incident vnto his bodiâ— The cunningst swimmer that euer was Delius himselfe could not shew his art nor his equal stroke in the mud a caÌ„dle in the lanterne can yeld but a glimmering light through an impure and darksome horne the warelike Steed cannot fet his friskes take his carreers and shew his curuets being pent vp in a narrow room so it is with the princely soule while the bodie is her mansion said he but this belongs to an other Thesis and some thing before concerning the souls excellency hauing taken her flight from this darksome cage more neare vnto the scope at which wee must aime Heare what the Poet sayth in his xv of the Metamorphos Quolque magis 〈◊〉 sunt qui non corpora tantum Verum anâ—mos etiam valeant mutare liquoâ—es u◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 Salmacis vndâ— A Ethiâ—pesque 〈◊〉 quos 〈◊〉 faâ—cibus hausit 〈◊〉 furis aut patitur mirum grauitate soporem It is a wonderment that waters 〈◊〉 Transsorme the members and the mind of man Who kenneth not th'vncleane Salmacian well The 〈◊〉 where sun-burnt Mauritanians dwell Which cause a frensie being gulped downe Or strike the senses with a sleeping swoone Wee must not imagine the mind to bee passible beeing altogether immateriall that it selfe is affected with any of these corporall thinges but onely in respect of the instruments which are the haÌ„d-maids of the soule as if the spirits bee inflamed the passages of the humours daÌ„med vp the braine stuffed with smoakie fumes or any phlegmaticke matter the blood too hote and too thicke as is vsuall in the Seythians and those in the septeÌ„trionall parts who are of all men endowed with the least portion of witt and pollicy and because these kind of people doe as it were crosse the hie way of my invention I will treat a little of them neither beeside that which we haue in hand because it will confirme the fore-writen words of Xenophon concerning wine Whom doe wee euer reade of more to quaffe and carouse more to vse strong drinkes then the Scythians and who more blockish and deuoide of witt and reason nay there was neuer any learned man but onely Anacharsis was an inbred there which want no doubt is caused by their great intemperance For all writers well nie agree in this that they will as the Poet saith ad diurnam stellam or strenué pro 〈◊〉 potare drinke till their eyes stare like two blazing starres as we say in our prouerbe Athenaeâ—s that singular scholler of so manifold reading after hee had rehearsed Herod his history of Cleomeâ—ns saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Lacâ—demoniaÌ„s when they wold drink in lauish cups extraordinarily they did vse this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to imitate the Scythians which also he notes out of Chaemeleon Heracleotes in his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when also they should haue said to the Pincerna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powre in they vsed this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Howsoeuer we read of some particulars it is manifest if we peruse the histories that the most of them are the greatest bouzers and bussards in the world they had rather drinke out their eyes then that the wormes shoulde eate them out after their death as Sir Thomas More iâ—asts
vpon Fuscus in his Epigrames of all men they haue most leadeÌ„ conceits and drossy wits caused especially by their excessiue intemperance which thickneth their blood corrupteth their spirites and other organons wherein the soule shoulde cheefely shew her operation Giue mee leaue to speake a little of the ayre how it receaued into the body doth either greately aduantage or little availe the mind It is certaine that the excellency of the soule followes the purity of the heauens the temperature of the ayre therefore because Boeotâ—a had aâ—ery * rennish soyle a grosse and vnrefined ayre the ancient writers to decypher and shaddow out a dull witt in any one were wont to say Boeoticum hic habit ingeâ—ium this man is as wise as a woodcock his wits in a consumption his conceit is as lancke as a shotten Herrin I doe not coÌ„cord with the Poet in that triuial verse but I doe carry the comma a little further and say Câ—lum non 〈◊〉 mutant qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At least if I must needes take coelum for aire I will say The aire to vary is not onely found But wit 's a forreiner in fâ—rreine ground The ayre hath his etymologie from the greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to breath it consistes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the learned say that it is the beeginning and ending of mans life for when wee begin to liue wee are sayd to inspire when we die to expire as the priuation of the aire deprives vs of our being and the aire being purged and clensed from his pestilent qualities causeth our well-beeing so the infection of the aire as in the extinguishing of some blazing comet the eructation of noysome vapours from the bosome of the earth the disastrous constellation or bad aspect of some maleuolent planet the vamping fumes that the Sun eleuates from boggs and fennish grounds the inflammation of the ayre by the intense heate of the sunne as when in Homers Iliad Phaebus is fained to send forth his direfull arrowes among the Grecians and â—o bring in the pestilence vppon them this infection causeth our bodyes first to bee badly qualified and tainted with a spice of corruption and so by consequent our very soules to be ill affected AEneas Syluius in his Cosmography writing of the lesser Asia records a strange thing concerning the ayre beeing putrified hee sayes that hard by the cittie Hierapolis there is a place tearmed Os PLVTONIVM in the vally of a certaine mountaine where Strabo witnesseth that he sent sparrowes in which forth with as soone as they drew in the venemous noysome ayre they fel downe dead no doubt but the corrupted ayre would haue had his operation vppon other more excellent creatures theÌ„ were those little birds if they durst haue attempted the entrance in But to a question what reason can be alleag'd that those who won vnder the pole neare the frozen zone and in the septentrionall climate should haue such gyantly bodies and yet dwarfish wits as many authors doe report os them and wee fee by experience in trauaile the rudenes and simplicitie of the people that are seated far north which no doubt is intimated by a vulgar speach when wee say such a man hath a borrell wit as if wee said boreale ingenium Whereof that old-english prophet of famous memory whome one fondly â—earm'd Albionâ— ballade maker the cunnicatcher of time and the second dish for fooles to feede their splenes vpon G. Chaucer tooke notice when in his prolog to the Frankleines taile he saies But Sirâ— because I am a â—orrell man At my beginning first I yow beseach Haue me excusd of my rude speach The Philosophers to this question haue excogitated this reason to wit the exceeding chilnes of the aire which doth possesse the animall spirits the chiefe attendants of the soule to exequute the function of the agent vnderstanding with contrary qualities the first being cold and drie the last hote and moiste though this reason most auaile for our purpose speaking how the minde can bee affected with the ayre yet I must needs say I thinke they are beside the cushian others affirme and with more reason that they are dul-witted especially by the vehement heat which is included in their bodies which doth inflame their spirits thickâ—n their blood and therby is a cause of a new grosse more then ayry substance conioynd with the spirits for extreame heat doth generate a grosse adust choler which comes to be mixed with the blood in the veines and that brings a condensation and a coagulation to the blood for their extraordinary heat it is apparant by their speedy concoction and by the externall frigidity of the ayre that dams vp the pores of their bodies so greatly that hardly any heat can euaporate this also by deep wels which in winter time be lukâ— warme and in summer season exceeding cold now to proue that where the blood is thickned and the spirits inflamed there vsually is a want of wit the great peripateâ— him selfe affirmeth it to bee a truth where he saith that buls such creatures as haue this humor thick are commonly deuoid of wit yet haue great strength and such liuing thinges as haue an attenuated blood and very fluid doe excell in wit and pollicy as instance is giuen in Aristotle of bees We must note here that this is spoke of the remoter parts neare vnto the pole lest we derogate any thing from the praise of this our happy Ileland another blisfull Eden for pleasure all which by a true diuision of the climes is situated in the septentrional part of the world wherein there are and euer haue beene as praegnant wits as surpassing politicians as iudicious vnderstandings as any clime euer yet afforded vnder the cope of heauen But I doe here passe the limits of laconisme where as I should in wisdome imitate the Aegyptian dogs in this whole tractate who doe drinke at the riuer Nilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in haste and by stealth lest the Crocodile should pray on them and who doth fitly cary the name and conditions of the Crocodile no writer is ignorant of I will therefore end with the iteration of the Thesis that the soule followes the temper of the body and that whiles it is inherent in the body it can nâ—uer partake so pure a light of vnderstaÌ„ding as when it is segregated and made a free denizen in the heauenly citty and free holde of the saintes Corporis in gremiâ— dâ—m spiritus c. when our imprisoned soule once more being free Gins scale the turret of eternitie From whence it once was raught captiue 〈◊〉 By this vsurping tyrant corps heâ— bane Which subiugates her vnto sâ—ttish will And schooles her vnder passions want of skill Then shall our soulâ— now chock't with fenny care With Angelâ— frollicke in apâ—rer aire This low NADIR of darknes must it sheâ—de Till is aloft toth'radiant ZENITH wende Cap. 3.
the hollow inferiour part of the liuer which place is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Galen whose forme is long and somewhat round ending with a coâ—us hard by the stem of the venaca ua which strikes through the liuer from whence all the veines are deriued through the whole body it takes two slender veins from that stem which makes this probable that the choler may infect the blood and cause the morbus ictericus or iaundise to disperse it selfe ouer all the parts of the body there is a double procession or way of choler into the duodenum intrals downward or into the ventricle vpward the euacuation is easy in the former but difficult in the latter If the lower passage be damind vp with the thick sedimentes of grosse choler as oftentimes it commeth to passe then it as cendes into the ventricle there procures excretion hinders the concoctioÌ„ euer corrupts some part of the nutriment without a long fast and takes away the stomacke yet others thinke that choler is generated in the ventricle also that it is also a vessell apt to receiue it This humour infectes the veines stirs vp sudden anger generates a consumption with his heat shortens the life by drying vp the radical moisture Aristotle after him Plinie with many mo do af firm that those meÌ„ which want the vesicle of choler are both strong and couragious and liue long Yet Vesalius sayth although he imagins that there may be some conueiance of choler from the liuer into the duodenum so that it do not before gather into a vesicle he could finde by experience none such hitherto Many things there be which cause this maladious humour to accrue to such a measure that it will bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incurable thing among which we wil note some All faâ— of meates sayth Galen such as are burnt are both hard to concoct hauing no sweet in yâ—e do greatly increase the cholericke humour for the acrimony which is in them All kinde of Olerae or salt meats are not onely ill for this complection but almost for all as all the phisaâ—ions do affirme and Athenaeus to this purpose saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. al kind of potherbs brinish-natur'd meats are obnoxious to the stomack being of a gnawing nipping purching quality Again dulce viniâ— non est 〈◊〉 picrocholis sweet wine is not wholsom â—or cholericke complections as Hippocratesâ—itnesses â—itnesses They are called picrocholi who â—aue a redundance of yellow bitter choler Antinous no doubt did partly for this disâ—wade Vlisses from drinking sweet wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—t howsoeuer this sweet wine doth not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Hâ—mer speaks Iliad â— as also Athenâ—s notes lib. 1. Deipno but also is a great generator of choler yea all sweet meates are nurses of this humor honny especially is cholerick for sweete wines this is Galens reason first in that much calidity doth make bitter these sweet humors againe because such wines be vsually thicke neither can they speedily passe by the Ouretêres into the bladder whereby it coms to passe that they do not clense choler in their passage but rather increase the power of it such wines be Theraeum Scybelites much sweet thick and black as Galen calls them Againe too violent and much motion is not good for this complection as Galen also saith much eating is also dangerfull for this humour Then all thinges that do drie vp the moisture in the body as watching and care c. vigilantia maximé exiccat corpus saith Galen So doth care euen consume and burne the body cura therefore it is called quasi cor vs rens To these I may associate ioyn our adulteâ— rate Nicâ—tian or Tobacco so called of the Kâ— sir Nicot that first broght it ouer which is the spirits Incubus that begets many vgly and deformed phantasies in the braine which being also hot and drie in the second extenuates and makes meager the body extraordinarily whereof it may bee expected that I at this instaÌ„t so wel occasioned shold write something and sure not impertinent to the subiect we haue now in hand This then in briefe I will relate concerning it Of it owne nature not sophisticate it cannot bee but a soueraigne leafe as Monardis sayth especially for externall maladious vlcers and so in his simple it is for cacochymicall bodies and for the consumption of the lungs and Tâ—ssick if it be mixed with Coltes foot dryed as it hath beene often experienced But as it is intoxicated and tainted with bad admixture I must answer as our learned Paracelsian did of whom my selfe did demaund whether a man might take it without impeachmeÌ„t to his health who re plied as it is vsed it must needs be very pernicious in regard of the immoderate too ordinary whiffe especially in respect of the taint it receiues by composition for sayth he I grant it will euacuate the stomack and purge the head for the present of many feculent and noisome humors but after by his attractiue virtue it proueth Caecias humorum leauing two ponds of water as hee tearmed them behinde it which are conuer ted into choler one in the ventricle another in the braine which accords with that of Gerard their herbalist in his 2. book of plants cap. 63 of Tobacco or HeÌ„bane of Peru Trinidada for he affirmeth that it doth indeed euacuate ease one day but the next it doth generate a greater flow of humors euen as a well saith hee yeeldes not such store of water as when it is most drawne and emptyed Againe it is very obnoxious of al to a spare and extenuated body by reason of setting open the pores into which cold doth enter and we know as Tully saies lib. xvi epist. 403. citing the Poet cuius singuli versus sunt illi singula testimonia euery of whose particular verses is to him axiomatical as he saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is colde is a bane and deadly enemy to a thin and spare body And since that phisicke is not to be vsed as a continual alimeÌ„t but as an adiument of drooping nature at an extremity and beside that seeing euery nasty and base Tygellus vses the pipe as infants their red coralls euer in their mouths and many besides of more note and esteeme take it more for wantonnes then want as Gerard speakes I could with that our generous spirits would pretermit the too vsuall not omit the phisic all drinking of it I wold entreat more copiously of it but that many others chiefly Gerard and Monardis in his booke intituled the ioyfull newes out of the new found worlde or west Indies which Frampton translated haue eased mee of that labor so that I may abridge my speech Choler is twofold either naturall or not naturall the naturall choler is twofolde either that which is apt for