Speculum ægrotorum. The sicke-mens glasse or, A plaine introduction wherby one may giue a true, and infallible iudgement, of the life or death of a sicke bodie, the originall cause of the griefe, how he is tormented and afflicted, what thinges are medicinable to the diseased person: and the day and houre in which he shall recouer, or surrender his vitall breath. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of the foure humors, and how they are ingendered and distributed in our humane bodies: with certaine and manifest signes to discerne of what complexion any man is: and the operation that eating, drinking rest and exercise, worketh in euery person: with certaine speciall preseruatiues for the eye-sight. Composed by Iohn Fage, student in phisicke, and practitioner in astrologie.

The qualitie of the foure Humours, and the times appropriated vnto them.

FLeame is the originall and primordination of the other Hu∣mours, and is engendered of vnperfect digestion, and is colde and moyst in qualitie like the water; and hath most puissance in Winter, from the eight day of October vntil the ninth of March, and from the third houre of the night vntill the ninth of the saide night. This humour is bred in the Liuer, and hath his abiding in the stomacke, and is knowne to excéede by these Signes: Sléepi∣nesse, Dulnesse, Slownesse, Heauinesse, Fatnesse, Cowardishnes, Forgetfulnesse, Spitting, Super fluitie in the nose, little app••tie, in∣digestion, the skinne whiter, colder, and smoother in touching then it was woont to be: their Vrine lower coloured, and thicker, and the Pulse lower and lesser then it was accustomed to be, with drea∣ming of Raine, Flouds and waters.

BLood is a Humour perfectly concoct, the chiefest nourisher and preserner of our humaine nature, and is hote and moiste like the aire, and increaseth in Spring time, from the tenth of March, to the 24. of April, and hath dominion from the ninth houre of the night, vntill ••he third houre of the morning, and hath his abode in

the veines, and is knowne to abound by these signes: the Vesne•• great and full, carnositie, rednes of skinne, pricking of the temples, lightnesse of heart, the Pulse great and full, dreames of red and bloody things, and pleasant conceites: their Vrine will be higher coloured and thicker in substance then ordinarily.

CHoller is the clarifier of the other Humours, and is bred of the substance of the meate and drinke exceedingly digested, and of some Author is called the froth, or spume of blood, and is hote and dry in temperature like the fire; and hath power in Summer, from the 25. of April vntill the 17. of September, and hath dominion from the third houre of the day vntill the ninth houre of the same: Signes; Leannesse of body, C••stiuenesse, Hollownes of the eyes, Fiercenesse, Angrynes, Yellownes of the skinne, and spottell, and pricking in the right side of the heade, Hotnes, the Pulse is swift and strong, and their Vrine higher coloured and thinner & brigh∣ter then vsuall with dreaming of fire, lightning, Anger, and Fight∣ing, and hath his abitacle in the choffer of the Galle.

MElancholie is a Humour vnperfectly concect, and is called the dregs or sediment of the other Humours, and is cold and dry like the Earth: But my opinion is, that pure Melancholie is a grosse and thicke blood, and is blacke of colour by reason of the crassitude and thicknes, which happeneth by meanes of indigestion and want of naturall heate to extenuate it, and turne it into pure blood, so that Melancholie naturall differeth from blood, chiefly by means of colones, which congealeth and maketh it drier and thic∣ker then b••ood neither doe I suppose, that Melancholy is altogether so dry as it is cold, for as much as wee finde fewe men in whose bo∣dyes Melancholy onely hath the superioritie to excéede in leannes or slendernes, but are rather of a meane proportion, &c.

Melancholie reigneth in Haruest, from the 18. of September, vntill the eight of Oct••ber, and hath dominion from the ninth houre of the day, vntill the third houre of y^e night, & is perceaued by these sig••es: Fearefulnes without cause, dreadfull unaginations, Fretfulnes, Roughnes of skinne, Leannesse, Blacknes, or wan∣nesse of co••our, Insomniati••n, Dreames te••••ible, Saltnes of the mouth, Sollitarines, the Pulse little, with Vrine more decoloured

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and thinner then accustomed, and hath his mantion and abiding in the Spléene.

And thus much of the temperature and qualitie of the foure Hu∣mours, not corrupted or altered, by the medling of one with the other.