doth exercise its power and faculties upon the body Division of the Sun in its Circular Motion So also as the Circular motion of the Sun is divided into four parts which are called Quarters of the Heaven representing the four Elements and Seasons of the Year together with the four parts of the Day from whence reâ—uâ—teth that there is a certain Sympathy as well between the four quarters of the Moon and the Elements and the four Seasons and the four Humours and the four parts of the Day yea I shall also say with the very four Windes and four Ages Nay such a Sympathy that it is impossible that the one being depraved the other with which it doth Sympathize should not have a resentment thereof Division of the Seasone with the Elements But for the more clear understanding hereof we say That these four quarters of the heavens do represent the four Elements and the four seasons of the year That is to say from the Sun rising unto the Mid-day The first from Noon to the Sun setting The second from Sun-set to midnight The third and from thence to Sun rising The fourth so that the Sun being in the first quadrature with the fixed Starrs therein Then is the spring which is represented by the Ayre being in the second then is the Summer which is represented by the Heavens or Fire and being in the third causeth Autumn represented by the Earth and lastly being in the fourth it causeth Winter which is represented by the water Moreover we see the Symbolization of the spring to the Ayre to blood and to youth of the Summer to fire Choller and manhood of Autumn to the Earth to Melancholly and by consequence the first part of old age and in fine the fourth is of the Winter to water Phlegme and decrepit age Division of the day for the Elements and humors of the body The same division is of the time wherein the Sun moves round the Earth which is one day divided into four parts The first part is from three of the Clock in the morning untill Nine for the Ayre the spring and the blood And from Nine a Clock in the morning untill three afternoon for the Fire Summer and Choler And from that time untill Nine for the Earth for Autumne and for Melanchoâ—ly and from thence following untill three of the morning for the Water for Winter and for Phlegme And if it so happen that one of those Elements be depraved or Malignant in a man or that thereby a disease of its temper or degree insallibly it will discover it self in the time so appropriate or ordained Maladies occasioned by the Signes are healed by the opposing of contrary Signes Now it is impossible that these humours Symbolizing thus with the Heavens and the Elements can continue without alteration seeing that the Starrs do make known their effects in them as we have said in another place wherefore it is that the blood hath such force and power that the Spring being come and it being in vigour doth ingender Maladies and feavers of its nature to wit continuall ones which give no space or respite which Maladies are caused by the depravation of the three signes which govern the above mentioned humour such are Gemini Libra and Aquarius and the healing of such Maladies ought to be performed in contrary signes which are Taurus Virgo and Capricornus In like manner the Choller in Summer making its course and recourse by daies alternate occasions the Tertian feaver and that by the depravation of the three signes which have influence upon that humour that is to say Aries Leo and Sagittarius which Maladies are cured by opposition of the contrary sign as Cancer Scorpio and Pisces Afterwards the Phlegme in Winter when it is putrify'd engenders the Quotidian intermittent feaver also caus'd by the three signs which govern that humour such are Cancer Scorpio and Pisces and those diseases are cured in like manner as the last above mentioned and that is by the observation of Aries Leo and Sagittarius finally the Melancholly at the beginning of Autumn stirrs up the quartain Feaver or Ague caused also by the aspect of these signes which govern over that humour such are Taurus Virgo and Capricornus and the curing of them is found by the Concurrence of these three Gemini Libra and Aquarius Wherein consisteth the one-day Feaver So the Ephemere or one-day ague doth end in one day or shortly after in regard that it doth not consist in the Putrefaction of the humours but only in an inflamed exhaled spirit All which things are done by the same reason the same proportion and the same order as the rising and setting of the Sun The Ebbing and flowing of the Ocean and the pleasant vicissitude of Plants and Hearbs and Trees which bear seed and fruit How the fits of the Feaver appear Insomuch that if one do take good heed hereunto we shall easily observe that almost at the same time that the humours are forced by the Starrs they demonstrate the fit of the feaver not as some would say who alleadge that then when the humors do every one by its turn perform its office comes the fit of the feaver but when the time is compleated of each the hours which serve to the humors provided that they be pure and not intermingled th' one with th' other then they cease and conclude A Considerable reason But I say these reasons are not to be received but much more to the purpose and with more verity this that the accesses of the feaver appear then when the Star which governs the humour concurrs upon it wherefore it is that we see the fits to become retrograde or to skipp forward even as that Star renders it self Retrogade or direct So that we ought by good right to consider more narrowly of the Judgment upon Maladies that destroyer of that Little World Man who is constrained to suffer Change every four daies which the Vulgar do call Crisis which is done by loosenesse in the belly by bleeding vomiting or sweating excited and occasioned by the Course of the Moon through the points of the Zodiac But because I have resolved to speak succinctly of Crisis'es in this place and how you ought to observe the Criticall daies from the Concurrence of the Starrs we will discover first what a Crisis is for of necessity the Malady quits the patient in the same instant by the Crisis or else by solution by little and little Definition of the Crisis Now Crisis is a suddain change of the disease either to health or to death which is done then when nature separates the ill humours from the good to the end she may force them out Two sorts of Crisis And of this Crisis there is two sorts the one perfect and the other imperfect The imperfect is that by which the matter is not absolutely forced out of the body but is evacuated from the Noble parts to the Ignoble and from the interiour
hold Port with the great Horses Which fate or worse the more the pitty is also fallen upon the title Physitian For I pray what is now become of the auntient splendor of the Science of Physick What is become of its Glory and Ornament and the inclination and well wishing of Auntient Princes and Potentates thereunto Who did not think it below them to learn and exercise this divine Science by good right called Divine in regard it receives that Elogie from the very mouth of God But did treat it with great Liberality to confirme its dignity and maintain its authority The Science of Physick I say which the auntient Hebrews did honour as being come from Heaven for conservation of health and prolonging of life And it is testified by the holy writ that the Chirurgicall Physicians are made instituted and recommended by God as in 38. Ecclesiasticus Honour the Physician with the honour that belongs unto him and for the occasion that thou hast for him for the Lord hath Created him Do not withhold from him the reward of his pains to the end that he may succor assist thee in thy necessity he shall receive rewards from Kings and the knowledge of the Chirurgical Physician shall cause him to exalt his head and render him admirable among Princes As for examples concerning the Liberality of Salaries and Presents wherewith the Auntient Kings Princes and Emperours have been pleased to honour Physicians Pliny relates that the Caesars did allow unto the most famous Physitians who practised Physick at Rome two hundred and fifty Sesterces yearly which according to the Common Accompt comes to about six thousand two hundred and fifty Crowns although the other professours had but a hundred Thadeus the Florentine received of every Prince that he served fifty Crownes per diem And he having cured Pope Honorius of a strange disease he had allowed him 100 Crownes per diem And as Volateran reports a reward also of a thousand Crownes The Emperour Augustus gave to Anthony Musa who had helpt him in a great sicknesse a Gold ring inriched with a stone of a great price and not content with this he honoured him with the dignity of Knight of his own order And not onely he but also all those who exercised that profession were out of respect to him honoured with the same Title Darius the Monarch of the Persians had Demades a Physitian in so great esteem by whose assistance he had been freed from a tedious disease that as Herodotus reports he gave him two great Chaines of Gold of great value And the Queen his wife gave him for a present two Bottles made of Massy Gold Let us leave the Auntients and their Antiquities to speak of James Cantier a most Learned and excellent French Physitian who had as a Sallery from King Lewis the eleventh ten thousand Crowns per mensem from hence we may collect in what esteem the Chirurgicall Physitians have been in all times maintained in all Liberty and freedome exempt from all Charges Subsidies Tributes Talleys and Imposts Behold in what dignity the Physician and Physick was formerly and yet notwithstanding we see in this unhappy age wherein we live where vice marches in the same Rank as Virtue it is so changed corrupted altered that it seems to be now no more then an Idol or Phantasm its Countenance vailed its Credit destroyed its Honour degraded its strength abated and weakned and its reputation withered in short it is fallen from that most high station of glory whereunto our predecessors had raised and advanced it it is I say profaned and trampled under foot by a Crew of ignorant Impoysoners Impostors Mountebanks Quack-salvers Men of evil conversation and Cawterized consciences who like new Esculapians descended from the Heavens bragg impudently and promise audaciously the curing of all Maladies of whom the ignorant popularity do ordinarily make more Accompt and do give more credit to the exterior apperance of a gallant port flaunting behavior accompanied with the vain glory of sumptuous Apparell than to Learning and Experience Yea certainly for if there be any Mountebanke Quacksalver or cousening drug-seller some crackt brain fellow of an extravagant wit who giving the Carreer to his fancies shall mount up to a theater and make some strange kind of Compositions or else if he carry a Gold ring upon his finger and his Moustaches well mounted a well composed demure Countenance and using these words often in his mouth to wit Blood Humors Spirits Tumours Wounds Ulcers Fractures Dislocation Hippocrates Galen c. Behold this is the man who is reputed of every one the most famous Chirurgicall Physitian of the whole earth Soft soft my Masters not so quick for you may he deceiv'd for it is not the habit that makes the Monke Words and deeds have a great difference Ask these Mountebanks first if they have the knowledge of Geographie of the Mathematiques of Astrologie of Musick Geometry Logick Arithmetick Rhetorike of History Poesy and Philosophy In short in one word he must be an Encyclopaedian for he that in one word would call a man a perfect Physitian must call him so for to imagin a Physitian to be separated from the knowledg of his above mentioned Companions were to suppose him ignorant mute and dead Again demand if they have the knowledge of all things that fly in the Ayr of all things which swim in the water of all Vegetables of all things which have sense or life upon the Earth finally of all which the Universal Mother doth inclose in her bowels either of Water Mettals Minerals Salts Juices Sulphurs Besides if he hath entred into himself there to observe his own structure to dive into his own bones to number his Muscels to follow his veines particularize his Arteries search out the Cartalages or admire his Nerves Tendons Ligaments Films c. If they have done all this and if a solid Judgement be the soul of their experience in truth then you may caresse them with immunities or privilidges acknowledge them with applause or else you are to blame But it may be some Hypocondriack person will contradict me and say that it is not fit for a Chirurgion to prescribe rules to Physitians In good time neither do I do it to the Learned Chirurgicall Physitians for those we honour and respect as our Masters but I speak to a Crew of I know not what sort of Medicasters viz. without shame or wit without foreheads Oh what a number is there of them So that now one may take up that pretty sentence of an Auntient mans That the ignorance of some and the incredulity of others are the reasons why so many Chirurgicall Physitians are altogether ignorant of the Maladies which they hold for incurable which notwithstanding are curable as the Leprosy the Dropsy Apoplexie Palsy Contraction of the Members falling-sicknesse Quartain-feaver Hectique feaver Hand-gout Foot-goot Hipp-gout and Sciatica and severall other Maladies which are hard of digestion for
Physicians as well Auntient as modern to say that it is most necessary to Chirurgions to have the knowledge of it as well for the advantage and profit which one may extract therefrom in severall respects as for the necessity of knowing the concurrence of the Starrs upon the bodies the influence whereof the Chirurgions ought to observe punctually upon our bodies in all his operations especially in that of Phlebotomy And all those who have Treated thereof have observed two times as we have said here before to wit the time of Necessity and the time of Election in which time of necessity the Chirurgion will know how to regulate himself according to the discourse before inserted Now it remains to speak of the time of Election which according to the doctrine of the good Guidon we will divide into two parts to wit the Inferiour root and the Superiour root Observation concerning the time of Election Now the Inferiour root may be thus understood First concerning the concoction of the food it must be throughly performed before you let blood if you have eaten lately before Also if ones blood be grosse it is necessary before bleeding to use a little exercise for the subtilising the blood or at least that one take some kind of things which have the faculty of subtilising it which are the syrup of the herb Calamint and such like In the second place one must consider the force and the strength the temperature and the necessity of him who ought to be blooded to the end that the re-iteration thereof be not perform'd sooner or latter then is necessary choosing a serene day and not subject to inconstancy clear and not dull not rainy in the spring and in Autumne making choice also of a wind which is uncertain as if it be in Winter you should take a day wherein the southwind blowes A Digression But some one may demand here If the winds have any power over our bodies that we need to make observation of them To which I answer that experience lets us see the effects which they produce upon our bodies as the Plague the Coqueluch a new disease which troubled the French in the year 1510 and 1557. Plurisie Aposthumes Catharrs Fluxions small Pox and Scabbinesse or the Itch also so many venemous Creatures as Froggs Toades Locusts Caterpillers Spiders Flyes Hannetons Snayles Serpents Vipers Snakes Efts Scorpions and Asps Yea in all hot and moist times if the Southwind blow Meats will Corrupt or taint in lesse then two houres let them be but fresh wherefore one need not enter into doubt that humane bodies enter in affections contrary to nature when the seasons pervert their qualities by the evil disposition of the Ayre and the winde that is mingled within them Unto this I will adjoyn that which the great Hippocrates hath truly pronounced Hip. in his preface of Prognostick and Galen in his Comment That the Ayre hath I know not what of divine in it self in regard that it doth in blowing through the Universall World incompasse all things contained within it and doth nourish them miraculously sustaines and supports them firmly and entertaines them in an Amicable union the whole Symbolizing with the Starrs into which the Divine providence is infused which changeth the Ayre according to his pleasure gives unto it power as well over the mutations of times as the naturall bodies And therefore the Philosophers and Physicians have expresly commanded us to have respect to the scituation of places and to the Constitution of the Ayre and concurrence of the Starrs when you are in agitation for the preserving of health Or to cure the sick in which cases the motion and change of the Ayre is very powerfull Hip. his third book of Aphorismes Ch. 5. and 17. The same Hippocrates affirmes our bodies do receive great alteration by the vicissitude of the times and seasons of the year as by the Southterne winde which doth render us subjected to all sorts of Maladies which acknowledge moisture for their first cause and it doth infeeble our naturall heat which in the opposite case of a cold and dry winde doth fortifie it self and is rendred more vigorous and doth in like manner render our spirits more Subtill and Active A prety observation upon the winds and our bodies Besides there is ascribed to the four principall windes four Elements four humours four seasons and four ages The South winde or Auster doth in quality participate with Tender years then to fire and Choler and also to Summer Austraphricus or a midle wind betwixt Auster and Africus participates of the stronger years of the Ayre of the blood and the spring Subsolanus or East wind participâ—tes of the more Grave years of water Flegme and Winter Favonius or West wind to the more decrepit and decayed yeares to the Earth the melancholique humour and to Autumn I should have insisted longer upon the property of the windes but that I have treated sufficiently of it in another place In his Book call'd Grande Chirurg and have only spoken of it here to shew how they have power over our Bodies and therefore not out of rule or order if we observe them in Phlebotomie Elective But returning to our purpose we say that if the Veins be small you must stay till ten of the Clock in the morning for at that time they appear better then at six a Clock such are the veins of the Tongue of the hands and the feet observing also to let blood in the winter on the left side or part and in Summer on the right as saith Guidon The reason thereof is saith he because the humors which at those times we endeavour to evacuate are properly in those parts it being true also that the cold humors do rule most in the left part and the hot humours in the right behold therefore why in Winter which is cold we draw blood from the left part and in the Summer from the right The Region must be observed in blooding In like manner the natural habite of the Body ought to be considered in the emptying it of blood for we do largely empty those who have large veins and who are not too lean nor too whitely or pale nor have their flesh too tender but on the contrary we do less empty those who have but little blood and the flesh tender in like manner you must have respect to the Region for if it be very warm as it is in France the Countrey of Languedoc and Provence in this place you must make no great evacuation the like must be observed in the cold Region because that the natural heat being emptied out with the blood the Region doth chil the body too much and the hot Region by its heat doth debilitate the strength for this very reason the Summer season nor the Winter are not in any wise fit to breathe a vein in but the most proper time is the beginning of the Spring because it is temperate breathing the vein in
called Grande Chirurgerie I speak of it largely enough wherefore I say you shall have recourse to the Ephemerides In the mean time I will persue the declaring upon what parts of the body the Stars do rule with their proprieties And in the first place Aries is hot and dry of the nature of fire he governs the head and face of a man and it is good to blood when the Moon is there unlesse it be in the part which the Moon governs The parts wherein the Signes rule together with their property concerning blooding Taurus is cold and dry of the nature of the Earth and governs the neck and Wind-pipe and it is bad to make use of bleeding the Moon being in that Sign Gemini is hot and moyst of the nature of Ayr and governs the shoulders and Arms and hands is ill for blooding Cancer is cold and moyst of the nature of water and governs the Breast the stomach Lungs and is indifferent neither too good nor too bad for blooding Leo is hot and dry of the nature of fire and governs the back and sides and is ill for blooding Virgo is cold and dry of the nature of the Earth governs the Belly and the Intrals is neither very good nor bad for blooding Libra is hot and moyst of the nature of the Ayr and governs the Navel the Reins and the lower part of the Belly good to blood in Scorpio is cold and moyst of the nature of water and governs the parts for generation is neither good nor bad Sagittarius is hot and dry of the nature of fire and governs the Thighes is good to let blood Aquarius is hot and moyst of the nature of Ayr and governs the Legs is neither good nor bad for letting blood Pisces is cold and moyst of the nature of water governs the Feet and is neither good nor bad to let blood Aries Libra and Sagittarius are very good Virgo Scorpio and Aquarius and Pisces are indifferent Taurus Gemini and Leo and Capricorn are evil Yet we say that the Moon being in Trixe and Sextile with Venus it is a good time to purge Choller by Electuary with the Sun 't is good to purge Flegme by drinks with Jupiter 't is good to purge melancholy by Pills Division of the Signes Furthermore you must take notice that every one of the Signes is divided into 30. Degrees from whence it followes that in the whole Zodiac there are 360. degrees and again every degree is divided into 60. minutes and every minute into 60. seconds and every minute into 60. thirds and so of the rest following until ten The rising and setting of the Signes Besides you must take notice that when we have the longest day of Summer which is to say then when the Sun is in the beginning of Cancer there arises six Signes in a day which do rise directly and in the night six Signes obliquely And on the contrary when we have the shortest day of the year to wit the Sun being in the beginning of Capricorn then six Signes rise in a day obliquely and the six of the night directly but when the Sun is either in th' one or th' other Equinoctial point then they rise three Signes directly and three obliquely in a day and in the night in like manner For there is a Rule that let the day or the night be long or short as you will six Signes rise in the day and six by night so that either for the length or the shortness of the day or night neither the more or lesse Signes do rise For the knowledge of which Signes you must take notice of the Characters following as the Astrologers mark them Aries with such a Sign ♈ Taurus such a one ♉ Gemini such ♊ Cancer ♋ Leo. ♌ Virgo ♠Libra ♎ Scorpio ♠Sagitarius ♠Capricornus ♑ Aquarius ♒ Pisces ♓ Let this suffice for the discovery concerning the 12. Signes let us come now to the 7. Planets whereof we should here make a Table or Figure but because we have sent the Reader to Ephemerides in relation to the Signs we will do the like concerning the Planets contenting my self only in this place to set down their Characters for the discovery of the more easie understanding them and their differences Behold then how the Astrologers mark them Saturne thus ♄ Iupiter thus ♃ Mars thus ♂ Sun thus ☉ Venus thus ♀ Mercury thus ☿ Luna thus ☽ Here followes the difference of the Planets as well for purging and blooding as for the making other operations upon humane bodies Most good ♃ ♂ Indifferent ☉ ☽ ☿ Bad. ♄ ♂ The Chirurgion must Encounter the Starrs And you must take notice that then when Mercury is with a good Planet he augments its goodnesse and with a bad one its Malignity wherefore it is that when one is wounded you must take notice whether Mercury be not with some bad Planet which rules the part wounded and if so then the Chirurgion must Encounter the Starrs and so you must minde these things but most especially in blooding to the end that we having done nothing improperly through our negligence may have an occasion of praise and thanks-giving to the Authour of all things to whom Father Son and Spirit be honour and glory for ever Amen CHAP. V. That it is necessary that the Chirurgion have the Astronomicall figure in his study or in his shop and of the profit that proceeds therefrom as well for the sick persons as for those who exercise it which is proved by a History and other examples As also that it is better to keep cleanse the blood then to evacuate it With the description of two admirable remedies for this end The good desire of the Authour I Should desire by good reason as well for the profit of those who search relief or Remedy from Phlebotomy as for the spiritual contentment of those that practise it to the end that the whole might be to the honour and glory of God that every Chirurgion had within his shop the Astronomicall figure as formerly the Ancients had and who had recourse unto it then when they would know the Domination of a Starr on the part whereon they were to operate observing with all their power the rising and setting of the above mentioned Signes and their constellations insomuch that the Antients have not found it to be unprofitable Of the truth whereof among severall of them Arnoldus de villa nova shall be a most faithful witnesse Therefore I shall again heartily intreat the Chirurgions that they would take heed unto it and not to pretend that their Art is subject to Calumnie seeing it is they themselves which are the cause of their arts being so Calumniated whilst they neglect that which is most necessary to be known in their profession to wit Astronomie The ignorance of Astronomy is cause of great evils Insomuch that not having the knowledge of it there doth arive many evil Accidents and the