Examen de ingenios. = The examination of mens vvits In whicch [sic], by discouering the varietie of natures, is shewed for what profession each one is apt, and how far he shall profit therein. By Iohn Huarte. Translated out of the Spanish tongue by M. Camillo Camili. Englished out of his Italian, by R.C. Esquire.

CHAP. XV. (Book 15)

In what maner Parents may beget wise children, and of a wit fit for learning.

IT falleth out a matter worthie of maruaile, that nature being such as we all know her, wise, wittie, and of great art, iudgement, and force, and mankind a worke of so speciall re∣gard, yet for one whome she maketh skilfull and wise, she produceth infi∣nit depriued of wit. Of which effect my selfe searching the reason and naturall causes, haue found (in my iudge∣ment) that parents apply not themselues to the act of ge∣neration with that order and concert which is by nature

established: neither know the conditions which ought to be obserued, to the end their children may prooue of wisedome and iudgement. For by the same reason, for which in any temperat or distemperat region, a man should be borne very wittie (hauing alwaies regard to the selfe order of causes) there will 100000 prooue of slender capacitie: now if by art we may procure a reme∣die for this, we shall haue brought to the common∣wealth the greatest benefit that she can receiue. But the knot of this matter consisteth, in that we cannot entreat hereof with tearms so seemly and modest, as to the na∣turall shamefastnesse of man is requisit: and if for this reason I should forbeare to note any part or contempla∣tion that is necessarie, for certaine the whole matter would be marred, in sort that diuers graue Philosophers hold opinion, how wise men ordinarily beget foolish children, because in the act of copulation, for honesties sake, they abstaine from certaine diligences which are of importance, that the sonne may partake of his fathers wisedome. Some antient Philosophers haue laboured to search out the naturall reason of this naturall shame, which the eyes conceiue when the instruments of gene∣ration are set before them; and why the eares take of∣fence to heare them named: and they maruell to see, that nature hath framed those parts with such diligence and carefulnesse, and for an end of such importance, as the immortalizing of mankind, and yet the wiser a man is, the more he groweth in dislike to behold or heare them spoken of. Shame and honestie (sayth Aristotle) is the proper passion of the vnderstanding, and who so re∣steth not offended at those terms and actions of genera∣tion, giueth a sure token of his wanting that power, as if we should say, that he is blockish, who putting his

hand into the fire, doth not feele the same to burne. By this token, Cato the elder discouered, that Manilius (a no∣ble man) was depriued of vnderstanding, because it was told him, that the other kissed his wife in presence of his daughter; for which cause he displaced him out of the Senat, and Manilius could neuer obtaine at his hands to be restored.

Out of this contemplation, Aristotle frameth a prob∣leme, demaunding whence it grew, that men who de∣sire to satisfie their venerous lusts, do yet greatly shame to confesse it, and yet coueting to liue, to eat, or to per∣form any other such action, they stagger not to acknow∣ledge it? to which probleme he shapeth a very vntow∣ard answer, saying; Perhaps it commeth, because the co∣uetings of diuers things are necessary, and some of them kill if they be not accomplished, but the lust of venerous acts, floweth from excesse, and is token of abundance. But in effect this probleme is false, and the answer none other: for a man not only shameth to manifest the de∣sire he carrieth to companie with a woman, but also to eat, to drinke, and to sleepe, and if a will take him to send foorth anie excrement, he dares not say it or do it, but with cumber & shamefastnesse, and so gets him to some secret place out of sight. Yea, we find men so shamefast, as though they haue a great will to make water, yet can∣not do it if any looke vpon them, whereas if we leaue them alone, straight-waies the vrine taketh his issue. And these are the appetites to send foorth the superfluous things of the body, which if they were not effected, men should die, and that much sooner than with forbearing meat or drink. And if there be any (saith Hippocrates) who speaketh or actuateth this in the presence of another, he is not maister of his sound iudgement. Galen affirmeth,

that the seed holdeth the semblable proportion with the seed-vessels, as the vrine doth with the bladder, for as much vrine annoieth the bladder, so much seed endam∣mageth the seed vessels. And the opinion which Ari∣stotle held, in denieng that man and woman incur no in∣firmitie or death by retaining of seed, is contrarie to the iudgement of all Phisitions, and especially of Galen, who saith and auoucheth, that many women remaining wi∣dowes in their youth, haue therthrough lost their sense, motion, breathing, and finally their life. And the selfe A∣ristotle reckoneth vp many diseases whereunto continēt persons are subiect in that behalfe. The true answer of this probleme cannot be yeelded in naturall Philoso∣phie, because it is not marshalled vnder her iurisdiction; for it behooueth to passe to an higher, namely Metaphi∣sicke, wherein Aristotle saith, that the reasonable soule is the lowest of all the intelligences, and for that it parta∣keth of the same generall nature with the Angels, it sha∣meth to behold it selfe placed in a body which hath fel∣lowship with brute beasts: wherethrough the diuine scripture noteth it as a mysterie, that the first man being naked, was not ashamed, but so soone as he saw himselfe to be so, forthwith he got a couering. At which time he knew that through his owne fault, he had lost immor∣tality, and that his body was become subiect to alterati∣on and corruption, and those instruments and parts giuen him for that of necessitie he must die, and leaue an other in his roome, and that to preserue himselfe in life, that small space which rested, it behooued him to eat and drinke, and to expell those noisome and corrupt ex∣crements. And principally he shamed, seeing that the Angels, with whom he had competence, were immor∣tall and stood not in need of eating, drinking, or slee∣ping: * 1.1

for preseruation of their life: neither had the in∣struments of generation, but were created all at once, without matter, and without feare of corrupting. Of all these points were the eies and the eares naturally done to ware. Wherethrough, the reasonable soule groweth, displeased and ashamed, that these things giuen man to make him mortall and corruptible, are thus brought to his memory. And that this is a well fitting answere we * 1.2 euidently perceiue: for God to content the soule after the vniuersall iudgement, and to bestow vpon him in∣tire glory, will cause that his body shall partake the pro∣perties of an Angell, bestowing therupon subtlenesse, lightnesse, immortalitie, and brightnesse: for which rea∣son, he shal not stand in need to eat or drink as the brute beasts. And when men shall thus-wise dwell in heauen, they will not shame to behold themselues clothed with flesh, euen as Christ our redeemer, and his mother, no∣thing shamed thereat. But it will breed an accidentall glory, to see that the vse of those parts, which were wont to offend the hearing and the eies, is now surceased. I therefore making due reckoning of this naturall mode∣stie of the eare, haue endeuoured to salue the hard and rough termes of this matter, and to fetch certain, not ill pleasing biasses of speech, and where I cannot throughly performe it, the honest reader shall affoord me pardon. For to reduce to a perfect maner, the art which must be obserued, to the end men may proue of rare capacities, is one of the things most requisit for the common∣wealth. Besides that, by the same reason they shal proue vertuous, prompt, sound, and long lyued.

I haue thought good to seuer the matter of this chap∣ter, into foure principall parts, that thereby I may make plaine what shalbe deliuered; and that the reader may

not rest in confusion. The first is, to shew the naturall qualities and temperature which man & woman ought to possesse, to the end they may vse generation. The se∣cond, what diligence the parents ought to employ, that their children may be male and not female. The third, how they may become wise and not fooles. The fourth, how they are to be dealt withall after their birth, for pre∣seruation of their wit.

To come then to the first point we haue alreadie al∣leaged, that Plato laieth downe, how in a well ordered common-wealth, there ought to be assigned certain sur∣ueiors of marriages, who by art might skill, to looke in∣to the qualities of the persons that are to be married, and to giue ech one the wife which answereth him in proportion, & to euery wife her cōuenient husband. In which matter, Hippocrates and Galen began to take some pains, and prescribed certain precepts and rules, to know what woman is fruitful, and who can beare no children; and what man is vnable for generation, and who able and likely to beget issue. But touching all this, they vt∣tered verie little, and that not with such distinction as was behooffull, at least for the purpose which I haue in hand. Therefore it falleth out necessarie, to begin the art euen from his principles, and briefly to giue the same his due order and concert, that we so may make plaine and apparant, from what vnion of parents, wise children issue; and from what, fools and do-noughts: To which end it behooueth first to know a particular point of Phi∣losophy, which although in regard of the practises of the art, it be verie manifest and true, yet the vulgar make little reake therof. And from the notice of this, depen∣deth all that, which as touching this first point is to be deliuered: and that is, that man (though it seem other∣wise

in the composition which we see) is different from * 1.3 a woman in nought els (saith Galen) than only in hauing his genitall members without his body. For if we make anotomie of a woman, we shall find that she hath with∣in her two stones, two vessels for seed; and her bel∣ly of the same frame as a mans member, without that a∣ny one part is therin wanting. And this is so very true, that if when nature hath finished to forme a man in all perfection, she would conuert him into a woman, there needeth nought els to be done, saue only to turne his instruments of generation inwards. And if she haue sha∣ped a woman, and would make a man of her, by taking forth her belly and her cods, it would quickly be perfor∣med. This hath chanced many times in nature, aswell whiles the creature hath been in the mothers womb, as after the same was borne, wherof the histories are full; but some haue held them only for fables, because this is mentioned in the Poets, yet the thing carrieth meere truth: for diuers times nature hath made a female child, and she hath so remained in her mothers belly for the space of one or two months: and afterwards, plentie of heat growing in the genitall members, vpon some occa∣sion they haue issued forth, and she become a male. To whom this transformation hath befallen in the mothers womb, is afterwards plainly discouered, by certain mo∣tions which they retaine, vnfitting for the masculin sex, being altogither womanish, & their voice shrill & sweet. And such persons are enclined to perform womens acti∣ons, and fall ordinarily into vncouth offences. Contra∣riwise, nature hath sundrie times made a male with his genetories outward, and cold growing on, they haue turned in ward, and it became female. This is knowen after she is borne, for she retaineth a mannish fashion, as∣well

in her words, as in all her motions and workings. This may seem difficult to be prooued, but considering that which many authenticall historians affirme, it is a matter not hard to be credited. And that women haue been turned into men, after they were borne, the verie vulgar doe not much maruell to heare spoke of: for be∣sides that which sundrie our elders haue laid downe for trueth, It befell in Spain but few yeares since, and that wherof we find experience, is not to be called in questi∣on or argument. What then the cause may be, that the genitall members are engendred within or without, and the creature becommeth male or female, will fall out a plain case, if we once know that heat extendeth and en∣largeth all things, and cold retaineth and closeth them vp. Wherthrough, it is a conclusion of all Philosophers and Phisitions, that if the seed be cold and moist, a wo∣man is begotten, and not a man; and if the same be hot and dry, a man is begotten and not a woman. Whence we apparently gather, that there is no man, who in re∣spect of a woman, may be termed cold; nor woman hot, in respect of a man.

Aristotle saith, it is necessarie for a woman to be cold and moist, that she may be likewise fruitfull: for if she were not so, it would fall out impossible, that her month∣ly course should flow, or she haue milke to preserue the child nine months, in her belly, and two yeares after it is borne, but that the same would soone wast and con∣sume.

All Philosophers and Phisitions auouch, that the bel∣ly holdeth the same proportion with mans seed, that the earth doth with corne, and with any other graine. And we see, that if the earth want coldnesse and moisture, the husbandman dareth not sow therein, neither will the

seed prosper. But of soils, those are most fruitfull and fer∣tile in rendering fruit, which partake most of cold and moist, As we see by experience in the regions towards the North, As England, Flanders, and Almaine, whose a∣bundance of all fruits, worketh astonishment in such as know not the reason thereof. And in such countries as these, no married woman was euer childlesse; neither * 1.4 can they there tell, what barrennesse meaneth, but are all fruitfull, and breed children through their abundance of coldnesse and moisture. But though it is true that the woman should be cold and moist for conception, Yet she may abound so much therin, that it may choke the seed; euen as we see excesse of raine spoileth the corne, which cannot ripen in ouermuch coldnesse. Whereon we must conceiue, that these two qualities ought to keep a certaine measurablenesse, which when they ex∣ceed, or reach not vnto, the fruitfulnesse is spoiled. Hip∣pocrates holdeth that woman for fruitfull, whose womb is tempered in such sort, as the heat exceedeth not the cold, nor the moist the drie. VVherethrough he saith, that those women who haue their belly cold, cannot conceiue, no more than such as are very moist, or verie cold and dry. But so, for the same reason that a woman and her genitall parts should be temperat; it were impos∣sible that she could conceiue, or be a woman. For if the seed, of which she was first formed, had been temperat, the genitall members would haue issued forth, and she haue been a man. So should a beard grow on her chin, and her floures surcease, and she become as perfect a man, as nature could produce. Likewise the womb in a woman cannot be predominatly hot: For if the seed whereof she was engendred had been of that tempera∣ture, she should haue been born a man, and not a wo∣man.

This is past all exception, that the qualities which yeeld a woman fruitfull, are cold and moisture: for the nature of man, standeth in need of much nou∣rishment, that he may be able to vse procreation, and continue his kind. Wherethrough we see, that amongst all the females of brute beasts, none haue their monthly courses as a woman. Therefore it was requisite to make her altogether cold and moist, and that in such a degree, as that she might breed much flegmatick bloud, and not be able to wast or consume the same. I said flegmaticke bloud, because this is seruiceable to the breeding of milke; by which Hippocrates and Galen auouch, the crea∣ture is releeued, all the time it remaineth in the mothers belly. Now if the same should be temperat, it would pro∣duce much bloud, vnfit for the engendring of milke, and would wholly resolue, as it doth in a temperat man, and so nothing be left for nourishing the babe. There∣fore I hold it for certain, and verily it is impossibie that a woman can be temperat or hot; but they are all cold and moist. And if this be not so, let the Philosopher or Phi∣sition tell me for what cause all women are beardlesse, and haue their sicknesse whiles they are healthful, & for what cause the seed of which she was formed, being temperat or hot, she was borne a woman, & not a man? Howbeit, though it be true that they are alcold & moist: yet it followeth not, that they are all in one degree of coldnesse and moisture. For some are in the first, some in the second, and some in the third; and in ech of these they may conceiue, if a man answere them in pro∣portion of heat, as shall hereafter be expressed. By what tokens we may know these three degrees of coldnesse and moisture in a woman, and likewise weet who is in the first, who is in the second, and who in the third:

there is no Philosopher or Phisition, that as yet hath vn∣folded. But considering the effects, which these quali∣ties do worke in women, we may part them, by reason of their being extended, and so we shall easily get no∣tice hereof. The first, by the wit and habilitie of the wo∣man. The second, by her maners and conditions. The third, by her voice big or small. The fourth, by her flesh, much, or little. The fifth, by her colour. The sixth by her haire. The seuenth, by her fairenesse or foulnesse. As touching the first, we may know, that though it be true (as tofore we haue prooued) that the wit and abilitie of a woman, followeth the temperature of the brain, and of none other member: yet her womb and cods, are of so great force and vigour, to alter the whole body, that if these be hot and dry, or cold and moist, or of whatso∣euer other temperature, the other partes (saith Galen) will be of the same tenour: but the member which most partaketh the alterations of the belly, all Phisitions say, is the brain, though they haue not set down the reason wheron they ground this correspondencie. True it is Galen prooueth by experience, that by speying a Sow, she becommeth faire and fat, and her flesh verie sauory: and if she haue her cods, she tasteth little better than dogs flesh. VVherby we conceiue, that the belly and the cods carrie great efficacie, to communicat their tempe∣rature to all the other parts of the body; especially to the brain, for that the same is cold & moist like themselues. Between which (through the resemblance) the passage is easie.

Now if we conclude, that cold and moist, are the qua∣lities which worke an impairement in the reasonable part, and that his contraries; namely hot and drie, giue the same perfection and encreasement, we shall find that

the woman who sheweth much wit and sufficiencie, partaketh of cold and moist in the first degree; and if she be verie simple, it yeeldeth a signe that she is in the third, the partaking between which two extreames, argueth the second degree; for to thinke that a woman can be hot and drie, or endowed with a wit and abilitie confor∣mable to these two qualities, is a verie great error; be∣cause if the seed of which she was formed, had been hot and dry in their domination, she should haue been born a man, and not a woman. But in that it was could and moist, she was born a woman and not a man. The truth of this doctrine may cleerely be discerned, if you consi∣der the wit of the first woman, who liued in the world: for God hauing fashioned her with his own hands, and that very accomplished, and perfect in her sex, it is a con∣clusion infallibly true, that she was possessed of much lesse knowledge than Adam: which the diuell well wee∣ting, got him to tempt her, and durst not fall in disputa∣tion with the man, fearing his great wit and wisdome. Now to say, that Eue for her offence, was reft that know∣ledge which she wanted, cannot be auouched, for as yet she had not offended.

So then this defect of wit in the first woman grew, for that she was by God created cold and moist: which tem∣perature, is necessarie to make a woman fruitfull, and apt for childbirth, but enemy to knowledge: and if he had made her temperat like Adam, she should haue been very wise, but nothing fruitful, nor subiect to her month∣ly courses, saue by some supernaturall meanes. On this nature S. Paul grounded himselfe, when he said, Let a woman learne in silence, with all subiection: neither would he allow the woman to teach, or gouerne the man, but to keep silence. But this is true, when a wo∣man

hath not a spirit or greater grace, than her own na∣turall disposition: but if she obtaine any gift from aboue, she may wel teach and speake, for we know that the peo∣ple of Israel, being oppressed and besieged by the Assiri∣ans; Iudith (a very wise woman) sent for the Priests of the Cabeits and Carmits, and reprooued them saying, How can it be endured, that Osias should say, if within fiue daies there come no succour, he will yeeld the peo∣ple of Israel to the Assirians? see you not, that these words rather prouoke God to wrath, than to mercie? how may it be, that men should point out a limited time for the mercy of God, and in their mind assigne a day, at which he must succour and deliuer them? And in the conclusion of this reproofe, she told them in what sort they might please God, and obtaine their demand. And no lesse, Elbora (a woman of no lesse wisdome) taught the people of Israel, how they should render thanks vnto God, for the great victories which she had attained against their enemies. But whilst a woman abi∣deth in her naturall disposition, all sorts of learning and wisdome, carrieth a kind of repugnancie to her wit. And for this cause, the Catholicke Church, vpon great rea∣son hath forbidden, that no woman do preach, confesse, or instruct: for their sex admitteth neither wisdome nor discipline.

It is discouered also by the maners of a woman, and by her condition, in what degree of cold and moist her temperature consisteth: for if with a sharp wit, she be fro∣ward, curst, & wayward, she is in the first degree of cold and moist: it being true (as we haue proued tofore) that an ill condition, euermore accompanieth a good imagi∣nation. She who partaketh this degree of cold & moist, suffereth nothing to escape her hands; noteth all things,

findeth fault with all things, and so is insupportable. Such are accustomably of amiable conuersation, and feare not to looke men in the face, nor hold him ill mannered, who maketh loue vnto them. But on the o∣ther side, to be a woman of good conditions, and to be agreeued at nothing, to laugh vpon euery small occasiō, to let things passe as they come, and to sleep sound∣ly, descrieth the third degree of cold and moist: for much pleasantnesse of conceit, is ordinarily accompa∣nied with little wit. She who partaketh of these two ex∣treams, standeth in the second degree. A voice, hoarse, big, and sharp (saith Galen) is a token of much heat and drouth, and we haue also prooued it heretofore, by the opinion of Aristotle, wherthrough we may gain this no∣tice, that if a woman haue a voice like a man, she is cold and moist in the first degree, and if very delicat, in the third. And partaking betwixt both the extreames, she shall haue the naturall voice of a woman, and be in the second degree.

How much the voice dependeth on the temperature of the cods, shall shortly hereafter be prooued, where we entreat of the tokens appertaining to a man. Much flesh also in women, is a signe of much cold and moist: for to be fat and big (say the Phisitions) groweth in li∣uing creatures, from this occasion. And contrariwise, to be leane and dry, is a token of little coldnesse & moi∣sture. To be meanly fleshed, that is, neither ouermuch, nor verie little; giueth euidence that a woman holdeth her selfe in the second degree of cold and moist. Their pleasantnesse and curtesies, sheweth the degrees of these two qualities: much moisture maketh their flesh supple, and little, rough and hard. The meane is the commendablest part: The colour also of the face,

and of the other parts of the body, discouereth the ex∣tended or remisse degrees, of these two qualities. When the woman is verie white, it boadeth (saith Galen) much cold and moist: and contrariwise, she that is swart and browne, is in the first degree therof; of which two ex∣treames, is framed the second degree of white and well coloured.

To haue much haire, and a little shew of a beard, is an euident signe, to know the first degree of cold and moist: for all Phisitions affirme, that the haire and beard are engendred of heat and drinesse: and if they be blacke it greatly purporteth the same. A contrary temperature is betokened, when a woman is without haire. Now she whose complexion consisteth in the second degree of cold and moist, hath some haire; but the same reddish and golden. Foulnesse moreouer, and fairenesse help vs to iudge the degrees of cold and moist in women. It is a miracle to see a woman of the first degree very faire: for the seed whereof she was formed being dry, hinde∣reth that she cannot be fairely countenanced. It be∣hooueth that clay be seasoned with conuenient moi∣sture, to the end vessels may be well framed, and serue to vse. But when that same is hard & dry, the vessell is soule and vnhandsom.

Aristotle farther auoucheth, that ouermuch cold and moist, maketh women by nature foule: for if the seed be cold and very moist, it can take no good figure, be∣cause the same standeth not togither, as we see, that of ouer soft clay, ill shaped vessels are fashioned. In the se∣cond degree of cold and moist, women prooue verie faire: for they were formed of a substance well seasoned, and pleasant to nature: which token, of it selfe alone af∣fordeth an euident argument, that the woman is fruit∣full:

for it is certain that nature could do it, and we may iudge, that she gaue her a temperature and compositi∣on, fit for bearing of children. Wherethrough she an∣swers in proportion (welneer) to al men, and all men do desire to haue her.

In man, there is no power which hath tokens or signes, to descry the goodnesse, or malice of his obiect. The stomacke knoweth the meat by way of tast, of smel∣ling, and of sight, wherethrough the diuine scripture saith That Eue fixed her eies on the tree forbidden, and her seemed that it was sweet in tast. The facultie of ge∣neration, holdeth for a token of fruitfulnesse, a womans beautie; and if she be foule, it abhorreth her, conceiuing by this signe, that nature erred, and gaue her not a fit temperature, for bearing of children.

By what signes we may know, in what degree of hot and dry, eue∣ry man resteth.

§ 1.

A Man hath not his temperature so limited as a woman, for he may be hot & drie (which tem∣perature Aristotle & Galen held, was that which best agreed with his sex) as also hot and moist and temperat; but cold & moist, and cold and drie, they would not admit whilst a man was sound and without impairment: for as you shall find no woman hot and drie, nor hot and moist, or temperat; so shall you find no man cold and moist, nor cold and drie, in comparison of women, vnlesse in case as I shal now expresse. A man hot and drie, and hote and moist, and temperat, holdeth the same degrees in his temperature, as doth a woman in cold and moist: and so it behooueth to haue certain to∣kens,

whereby to discerne what man is in what degree, that we may assigne him a wife answerable vnto him in proportion. We must therefore weet, that from the same principles, of which we gathered vnderstanding what woman is hot and drie, and in what degree, from the selfe we must also make vse to vnderstand what man is hote and drie, and in what degree: and because we sayd, that from the wit and manners of a man we coniecture the temperature of his cods, it is requisit that we take notice of a notable point, mentioned by Galen, namely, that to make vs vnderstand the great vertue which a mans cods possesse, to giue firmnesse and temperature to all the parts of the body, he affirmeth that they are of more importance than the heart: and he rendereth a reason, saying, that this member is the beginning of life, & nought else, but the cods are the beginning of liuing soundly and without infirmities. How much it endam∣mageth a man to be depriued of those parts (though so small) there need not many reasons to prooue, seeing we see by experience, that forth with the haire and the beard pill away, and the big and shrill voice becommeth small, and herewithall a man leeseth his forces and naturall heat, and resteth in far woorse and more miserable con∣dition than if he had bene a woman. But the matter most worth the noting is, that if a man before his gelding had much wit and habilitie, so soone as his stones be cut a∣way, he groweth to leese the same, so far foorth as if he had receiued some notable dammage in his very braine. And this is a manifest token, that the cods giue & reaue the temperature from all the other parts of the body, and he that will not yeeld credit hereunto, let him consi∣der (as my selfe haue done oftentimes) that of 1000 such capons who addict themselues to their booke, none at∣taineth

to any perfection, and euen in musicke (which is their ordinarie profession) we manifestly see how bloc∣kish they are, which springeth because musick is a worke of the imagination, & this power requireth much heat, whereas they are cold and moist. So it falleth out a mat∣ter certaine, that from the wit and habilitie we may ga∣ther the temperature of the cods: for which cause, the man who showeth himselfe prompt in the works of the imagination, should be hot and drie in the third degree. And if a man be of no great reach, it tokeneth, that with his heat much moisture is vnited, which alwaies endam∣mageth the reasonable part, and this is the more confir∣med if he be good of memorie. The ordinarie conditi∣ons of men hot and dry in the third degree, are courage, pride, liberalitie, audacitie, and cheerefulnesse, with a good grace and pleasantnesse, and in matter of women such a one hath no bridle nor ho. The hote and moist are merry, giuen to laughter, louers of pastime, faire con∣ditioned, very courteous, shamefast, and not much addi∣cted to women.

The voice and speech much discouereth the tempe∣rature of the cods. That which is big and somwhat sharp, giueth token that a man is hot and dry in the third degree: and if the same be pleasant, amiable, and very de∣licat, it purporteth little heat and much moisture, as ap∣peareth in the gelded. A man who hath moist vnited with heat, will haue the same high, but pleasant & shrill. Who so is hot and drie in the third degree, is slender, hard and rough fleshed; the same composed of sinews and arteries, and his veines big: contrariwise, to haue much flesh, smooth and tender, is shew of much moi∣sture: by means wherof, it extendeth and enlargeth out the naturall heat. The colour of the skin, if the same be

brown, burned, blackish greene, and like ashes, yeeldeth signe that a man is in the third degree of hot and dry: but if the flesh appeareth white, and well coloured, it ar∣gueth little heat and much moisture. The haire & beard are a marke also not to be ouerslipped: for these two ap∣proch very neere to the temperature of the cods. And if the haire be very blacke and big, and specially from the ribs down to the nauell, it deliuereth an infallible token that the cods partake much of hot and dry: and if there grow some haire also vpon the shoulders, the same is so much the more confirmed. But when the haire and beard are of chesse-nut colour, soft, delicat, and thin: it inferreth not so great plenty of heat and drinesse in the cods.

Men very hot and dry, are neuer faire, saue by mira∣cle, but rather hard-fauored, and ill shaped: for the heat and drinesse (as Aristotle affirmeth of the Ethiopians) wrieth the proportion of the face, and so they become disfigured. Contrariwise, to be seemly and gratious, prooueth a measurable hot and moist: for which cause, the matter yeelded it selfe obedient whereto nature would employ it. Whence it is manifest, that much beautie in a man, is no token of much heat. Touching the signes of a temperat man, we haue sufficiently dis∣coursed in the chapter foregoing, and therefore it shall not be needfull to reply the same againe. It sufficeth on∣ly to note that as the Phisitions place in euery degree of heat, three degrees of extention, so also in a temperat man, we are to set down the largenesse and amplenesse of three other. And he who standeth in the third, next to cold and moist, shalbe reputed cold and moyst: for when a degree passeth the meane, it resembleth the o∣ther, and that this is true, we manifestly find: for the

signs which Galen deliuereth vs to know a man cold and moist, are the selfe same of the temperat man, but some∣what more remisse: so is he wise, of good conditions, and vertuous, he hath his voice cleare & sweet, is white skinned, of flesh good and supple, & without haire, and if it haue any, the same is little and yellow; such are very well fauoured and faire of countinaunce, but Galen affir∣meth that their seed is moist, and vnfit for generation: these are no great friends to women, nor women vnto them.

What women ought to marrie with what man, that they may haue children.

§. 2.

TO a woman who beareth not children when she is married, Hippocrates commaundeth that two points of diligence be vsed, to know whe∣ther it be her defect, or that it grow because the seed of her husband is vnable for generation. The first is to make her suffumigations with incense, or Storax, with a garment close wrapped about her, which may hang downe on the ground, in sort that no vapour or fume may issue out, and if within a while after she feele the sa∣uour of the incense in her mouth, it yeeldeth a certaine token, that the barrennesse commeth not through her defect, in as much as the same found the passages of the bellie open, wherethrough it pearced vp to the nosthrils and the mouth.

The second is, to take a garlicke head clean pilled, and put the same into the bellie, what time the woman go∣eth to sleepe, and if the next day she feele in her mouth

the sent of the garlicke, she is of her selfe fruitful without any default.

But albeit these two proofs performe the effect which Hippocrates speaketh of, namely, that the vapour pierce from the inner part vp to the mouth, yet the same argu∣eth not an absolute barrennesse in the husband, nor an intire fruitfulnesse in the wife, but an vnapt corrispon∣dence of both, wherethrough she proueth as barren for him, as he for her: which we see to fall out in dayly ex∣perience, for the man taking another wife begetteth chil∣dren, and (which encreaseth the maruell, in such as are not seene in that point of naturall Philosophie) is, that if these two separat each from other vpon pretence of im∣potencie, and so he take another wife, and she another husband, it hath bene found, that both haue had chil∣dren. And this groweth, because there are some men whose generatiue facultie is vnable, and not alterable for one woman, and yet for another is apt and begetteth is∣sue. Euen as we see by experience in the stomacke, that to one kind of meat a man hath great appetite, and to ano∣ther (though better) it is as dead. What the correspon∣dence should be, which the man & wife ought to beare each to other, to the end they may bring forth children, is expressed by Hippocrates in these words, If the hot an∣swer not the cold, and the drie the moist, with measure and equalitie, there can be no generation: as if he should say, that if there vnite not in the womans wombe two seeds, the one hote, & the other cold, and the one moist and the other drie, extended in equall degree, they can∣not beget children For a worke so maruellous as is the shaping of a man, standeth in need of a temperature, where the hot may not exceed the cold, nor the moist the drie. For if a mans seed be hot, and the womans seed

hot likewise, there will no engendring succeed. This do∣ctrine thus presupposed, Let vs now fit by way of exam∣ple, a woman cold and moist in the first degree, whose signes we said were, to be wily, ill conditioned, shrill voiced, spare fleshed, and blacke and greene coloured, hairie and euill fauoured, she shall easily conceiue by a man, that is ignorant, of good conditions, who hath a well sounding and sweet voice, much, white, and supple flesh, little haire, and well coloured, and faire of counte∣nance. She may also be giuē for wife to a temperat man, whose seed (following the opinion of Galen) we said was most fruitfull and answerable to whatsoeuer woman: Prouided that she be sound and of age conuenient; but yet with all their incidents, it is verie difficult for her to conceiue child: and being conceiued (saith Hippocrates) within two months the same miscarieth: for she wan∣teth bloud, wherwith to maintain her self and the babe, during the 9 months. Howbeit this will find an easie re∣medie, if the woman do bath her selfe before she com∣panie with her husband, and the baigne must consist of water fresh and warme: the which (by Hippocrates) righ∣teth her temperature to a good sort. For it looseneth and moistneth her flesh, euen as the earth ought to be alike disposed, that the graine may therin fasten it self, and ga∣ther root.

Moreouer, it worketh a farther effect: for it encreaseth the appetite to meat; it restraineth resolution, & causeth a greater quantitie of naturall heat: wherthrough plen∣ty of flegmaticke bloud is increased: by which the little creature, may those nine months haue sustenance. The tokens of a woman cold and moist in the third deree, are to be dull witted, well conditioned, to haue a very de∣licat voice, much flesh, and the same soft and white, to

want haire and downe, and not to be ouer faire. Such a one, should be wedded to a man hot and dry in the third degree: for his seed is of such furie and feruency, as it behooueth the same to fall into a place very cold and moist, that it may take hold and root. This man is of the qualitie of Cresses, which will not grow saue in the water, and if he partaked lesse hot and dry, his sowing in so cold a belly were nought els, than to cast graine into a poole.

Hippocrates giueth counsell that a woman of this sort, should first lessen her selfe, and lay aside her flesh and her fat before she marrie, but then she need not to take to husband a man so hot and dry: for such a temperature would not serue, nor she conceiue. A woman cold and moist in the second degree, retaineth a meane in all the tokens which I haue specified, saue onely in beauty, which she enioyeth in an high degree. Which yeeldeth an euident signe, that she will be fruitfull, and beare chil∣dren, and prooue gratious and cheerfull. She answe∣reth in proportion wel-neer to all men.

First to the hot and dry in the second degree, and next to the temperat, and lastly to the hot & moist. From all these vnions and conioynings of men and women, which we haue here laid down, may issue wise children, but from the first are the most ordinary. For put case that the seed of a man encline to cold and moist; yet the continuall drinesse of the mother, and the giuing her so little meat, correcteth & amendeth the defect of the fa∣ther. For that this maner of philosophizing neuer here∣tofore came to light, it was not possible that all the natu∣rall Philosophers could shape an answere to this pro∣bleme, which asketh, Whence proceedeth it, that manie fools haue begotten wise children? Whereto they an∣swer,

that sottish persons apply themselues affectionatly to the carnall act, and are not carried away to any other contemplation. But contrarily, men verie wise, euen in the copulation go imagining vpō matters nothing per∣tinent to that they haue in hand, and therethrough, wea∣ken the seed, and make their children defectiue, aswell in the powers reasonall, as in the naturall. In the other con∣ioynings it is requisit, to take heed that the woman be clensed, and dried by a ripe age, and marry not ouer yong: for hence it commeth, that children prooue sim∣ple and of little wit. The seed of yong parents is verie moist: for it is but a whiles since they were borne, and if a man be formed of a matter endowed with excessiue moisture, it followeth of force, that he prooue dull of capacitie.

What diligence ought to be vsed, that children male, and not female may be borne.

§. 3.

THose parents who seeke the comfort of hauing wise children, and such as are towards for learning, must endeuour that they may be borne male: for the female, through the cold and moist of their sex, cānot be endowed with any pro∣found iudgment. Only we see, that they talke with some apparence of knowledge, in slight and easie matters, with termes ordinary, and long studied, but being set to learning, they reach no farther than to some smacke of the Latine tongue, and this only through the help of memorie. For which dulnesse, themselues are not in blame, but that cold and moist, which made them wo∣men,

and these selfe qualities (we haue prooued hereto∣fore) gainsay the wit and abilitie. Salomon considering how great scarcitie there was of wise men, and that no woman came to the world with a wit apt for know∣ledge, said in this maner, I found one man amongst 1000; but I haue not found one woman amongst the whole rout. As if he should say, that of 1000 men, he had found one wise; but throughout the race of wo∣men, he could neuer light vpon one that had iudgment. Therfore we are to shun this sex, and to procure that the child be borne male: for in such only resteth a wit ca∣pable of learning. It behooueth therfore first to take in∣to consideration, what instruments were ordained by nature in mans body to this effect, and what order of causes is to be obserued, that we may obtaine the end which we seeke for. We must then vnderstand, that a∣mongst many excrements and humours which reside in a mans bodie: nature (saith Galen) vseth only the seruice of one, to worke that mankind may be preserued. This is a certain excremēt, which is termed whey, or wheyish bloud, whose engendring is wrought in the liuer, and in the veins, at such time as the foure humours, bloud, fleagme, choler and melancholy, do take the forme and substance which they ought to haue.

Of such a licour as this, doth nature serue her selfe, to resolue the meat, and to worke, that the same may passe through the veins and through the strait passages, carry∣ing nourishment to all the parts of the body. This work being finished, the same nature prouideth the veins; whose office is nought els, but to draw vnto them this whey, and to send it through their passages to the blad∣der, and from thence out of the body: and this to free man from the offence, which an excremēt might breed

him. But she, aduising that he had certain qualities cōue∣nient for generation, prouided two veins, which should carry part therof to the cods and vessels of seed, togither with some small quantitie of bloud, whereby such seed might be formed, as was requisit for mankind. Where∣through she planted one veine in the reins on the right side, which endeth in the right cod, and of the same is the right seed vessell framed; and another on the left side, which likewise taketh his issue at the left cod, and of that is shaped the left seed vessell.

The requisit qualities of this excrement, that the same may be a conuenient matter for engendring of seed, are (saith Galen) a certaine tartnesse and biting which grow∣eth, for that the same is salt, wherethrough it stirreth vp the seed vessels, & moueth the creature to procure gene∣ration, and not to abandon this thought. And therfore persons very lecherous, are by the Latinists termed Salaces, that is to say, men who haue much saltnesse in their seed.

Next to this, nature did another thing worthy of great consideration, namely, that to the right side of the reines, and to the right cod, she gaue much heat and dri∣nesse; and to the left side of the reines, & to the left cod, much cold and moisture: wherthrough, the seed which laboureth in the right cod, issueth out hot and drie, and that of the left cod, cold and moist. What nature pre∣tended by this variety of temperature, aswell in the reins as in the cods, & seed vessels, is verie manifest, we know∣ing by histories very true, that at the beginning of the world, and many yeares after, a woman brought forth two children at a birth, wherof the one was born male, the other female; the end wherof tended, that for euery man, there should be a wife, that mankind might take

the speedier increase. She prouided then, that the right side of the reines, should yeeld matter hot and drie to the right cod, and that the same with his heat and dri∣nesse should make the seed hot & dry for generation of the male. And the contrary she ordained for the for∣ming of a woman, that the left side of the reins, should send forth seed could and moist to the left cod, and that the same with his coldnesse and moisture, should make the seed cold and moist, whence it ensued of force, that a female must be engendred. But after that the earth was replenished with people, it seemeth that this order and concert of nature was broken off, and this double child∣bearing surceased, & which is worst, for one man that is begotten, 6 or 7 women are born to the world, ordinari∣ly. Whence we comprizce, that either nature is grown weary, or some error is thwarted in the mids, which bea∣reth her from working as she would. What the same is, a litle hereafter we wil expresse, when we may lay down the conditions, which are to be obserued, to the end a male child (without missing) may be borne. I say then, that if parents will attaine the end of their desire in this behalfe, they are to obserue 6 points. One of which is, to eat meats hot and drie. The second, to procure that they make good digestion in the stomacke. The third, to vse much exercise. The fourth, not to apply themselues vnto the act of generation, vntill their seed be well ripe∣ned and seasoned. The fifth, to companie with the wife foure or fiue daies before her naturall course is to runne. The sixth, to procure, that the seed fall in the right side of the womb, which being obserued (as we shall prescribe) it will grow impossible, that a female should be engendred. As touching the first condition, we must weet, that albeit a good stomacke do parboile

and alter the meat, and spoile the same of his former quality, yet it doth neuer vtterly depriue it selfe of them: for if we eat lettice (whose qualitie is cold and moist) the bloud engendred thereof, shalbe cold and moist, the whey cold and moist, and the seed cold and moist. And if we eat honny (whose quality is hot and dry) the bloud which we breed, shalbe hot and drie, the whey hot and dry, and the seed hot and dry: for it is impossible (as Ga∣len auoucheth) that the humours should not retaine the substances and the qualities, which the meat had, before such time as it was eaten. Then it being true, that the male sex consisteth in this, that the seed be hot and drie at the time of his forming, for certaine it behooueth pa∣rents to vse meats hot and drie, that they may engender a male child. I grant well, how in this kind of begetting, there befalleth a great perill: for the seed being hot and drie, we haue often heretofore affirmed, it followeth of force, that there be borne a man, malicious, wily, cauil∣ling, and addicted to many vices and euils, and such per∣sons as these (vnlesse they be straightly curbed) bring great danger to the common wealth. Therefore it were better, that they should not be gotten at all: but for all this there will not want parents, who will say, Let me haue a boy, and let him be a theese and spare not, for the iniquity of a man is more allowable, than the wel-doing of a woman. Howbeit this may find an easie remedie, by vsing temperat meates, which shall partake but meanly of hot and drie, or by way of preparation, seasoning the same with some spice. Such (saith Galen) are Hennes, Partridges, Turtles, Doues, Thrushes, Blackbirds, and Goates, which (by Hippocrates) must be eaten rosted, to heat and drie the seed.

The bread with which the same is eaten, should be

white, of the finest meale, seasoned with Salt and An∣nis seed: for the browne is cold and moist (as we will prooue hereafter) and verie dammageable to the wit. Let the drinke be VVhite wine, watered in such pro∣portion, as the stomacke may allow thereof: and the water with which it is tempered, should be verie fresh and pure.

The second diligence which we spake of, is, to eat these meates in so moderat quantitie, as the stomacke may ouercome them: for albeit the meat be hot and drie of his proper nature, yet the same becommeth cold and moist, if the naturall heat cannot digest it: Therefore though the parents eat honny, and drinke VVhite-wine, these meates, by this meanes will turne to cold seed, and a female child be brought forth. For this occasion, the greater part of great and rich perso∣nages, are afflicted by hauing more daughters than meaner folke: for they eat and drinke that which their stomacke cannot digest: and albeit their meat be hot and drie, sauced with Suger, Spices, and Honny: yet through their great quantitie, then waxe raw, and can∣not be digested. But the rawnesse which most endam∣mageth generation, is that of Wine: for this licour, in being so vaporous and subtile, occasioneth, that the other meates togither therewith passe to the seed vessels raw, and that the seed falsly prouoketh a man, ere it be digested and seasoned.

VVhereon, Plato commendeth a law, enacted in the Carthaginean Common-wealth, which forbad the married couple, that they should not tast of anie Wine that day, when they meant to performe the rightes of the marriage bed, as well ware, that this liquor alwaies bred much hurt and dammage to the

childs bodily health, and might yeeld occasion that he should prooue vitious and of ill conditions. Notwith∣standing, if the same be moderatly taken, so good seed is not engendred of any meat (for the end which we seeke after) as of white wine: and especially, to giue wit and ability, which is that wherto we pretend. The 3 dili∣gence which we spake of, was, to vse exercise somwhat more than meanly: for this fretteth and consumeth the excessiue moisture of the seed, and heateth & drieth the same. By this means a man becommeth most fruitful and able for generation: and cōtrariwise to giue our selues to our ease, and not to exercise the bodie, is one of the things which breedeth most coldnes & moisture in the seed. Therfore rich and dainty persons, are lesse charged with children, than the poore who take pains. VVhence Hippocrates recounteth, that the principall persons of Scythia were verie effeminat, womanish, delicious, and enclined to do womens seruices; as to sweepe, to rub, & to bake: and by this means were impotent for genera∣tion. And if they begot any male child, he prooued ei∣ther an Eunuch, or an Hermaphrodite. Whereat, they shaming, & greatly agreeued, determined to make sacri∣fices to their God, and to offer him many gifts; besee∣ching him not to entreat them after that maner, but to yeeld thē some remedy for the defect, seeing it lay in his power so to do. But Hippocrates laughed them to scorne, saying, That none effect betideth, which seemes not mi∣raculous and diuine, if after that sort they fall into consi∣deration thereof: for reducing which soeuer of them to his naturall causes, at last we come to end in God, by whose vertue all the agents of the world doe worke. But there are some effectes, which must be imputed to God immediatly, (as are those which come besides

the order of nature) and others by the way of meanes, reckoning first as a meane, the causes which are ordai∣ned to that end. The countrey which the Scythians in∣habited (saith Hippocrates) is seated vnder the North, a region moist and cold beyond measure, where, through abundance of clouds, it seemes a miracle if you see the sunne. The rich men sit euer on horsebacke, neuervse any exercise, eat and drink more than their naturall heat can consume; all which things make the seed cold and moist. And for this cause they beget manie females: and if anie male were borne, they prooued of the condition which we haue specified. Know you (said Hippocrates to them) that the remedie hereof consisteth, not in sacrifi∣sing to God, neither in doing ought like that; but it be∣hooueth withall, that you walke on foot, eat little, and drink lesse, and not so wholly betake your selues to your pleasures. And that you may the more plainly discerne it, looke vpon the poore people of this countrie, & your very slaues, who not onely make no sacrifices to your God, neither offer him gifts (as wanting the means) but euen blaspheme his blessed name, and speake iniuriously of him, because he hath placed them in such estate. And yet (though so lewd and sacrilegious) they are very able for procreation, & the most part of their children, proue males, & strong; not cocknies, not Eunuchs, not Herma∣frodites, as do those of yours. And the cause is, for that they eat litle, & vse much exercise, neither keep thēselues alwais on horsback, like their masters. By which occasiō, they make their seed hot & dry, and therthrough engen∣der males and not females. This point of Philoso∣phy was not vnderstood by Pharao, nor by his coun∣cell seeing that he said in this manner; Come, let vs keepe them downe with oppression, that they may not

multiply, nor ioyne with our enemie, if warre be rai∣sed against vs. And the remedie which he vsed, to hin∣der that the people of Israel should not encrease so fast, or at least that so many male children might not be borne (which he most feared) was to keepe them vnder with much toile of body, and to cause them for to eat leeks, garlicke, and onions, which remedie tooke but a bad effect, as the holy scripture expresseth: for the har∣der he held them oppressed, the more did they encrease and multiply. Yet he making reckoning, that this was the surest way he could follow, doubled this their affli∣ction of body. VVhich preuailed so litle, as if to quench a great fire, he should throw thereinto much oile or grease: but if he or any of his counsellors, had been seen in this point of naturall Philosophy, he should haue giuen them barly bread, lettice, melons, cucūbers, & ci∣trons to eat, and haue kept them well fed and well filled with drinke, and not haue suffered them to take anie paine. For by this means, their seed would haue become cold and moist, & therof more women than men bin be∣gotten; and in short time their life haue been abridged. But feeding them with much flesh boiled with garlicke, with leeks, & with onions, and tasking them to work so hard, he caused their seed to wax hot and drie, by which two qualities, they were the more incited to procreati∣on, and euerbred issue male. For confirmation of this veritie, Aristotle propoundeth a probleme, which saith, VVhat is the cause, that those who labor much, and such as are subiect to the feuer Ecticke, suffer many pollutions in their sleepe? whereto (verely) he wist not to shape an answer: for he telleth many things, but none of them hit the truth. The right reason hereof is, that the toile of the body, and the Ecticke feuer, do heat and dry the seed;

and these two qualities, make the same tart & pricking; and for that in sleep all the naturall powers are fortified, this betideth which the probleme speaketh of. How fruitfull and pricking the hot and drie seed is, Galen no∣teth in these words. The same is most fruitfull, and soon inciteth the creature to copulation, and is lecherous and prone to lust, The fourth condition was, not to accom∣pany in the act of generation, vntill the seed were set∣led, concocted and dulie seasoned: for though the three former diligences haue gone before, yet we cannot thereby know whether it haue attained that perfection which it ought to haue. Principally it behooueth, for 7 or 8 daies before, to vse the meats which we haue pre∣scribed, to the end the cods may haue time to con∣sume in their nourishment, the seed which all that time was engendred of the other meats, and that this which we thus go describing may succeed.

The like diligence is to be vsed touching mans seed, that the same may be fruitfull and apt for issue, as the gardeners doe with the seeds which they will preserue: for they attend till they ripen, and clense, and wax drie: for if they plucke them from the stalke, before they are deeply seasoned, and arriued to the point which is re∣quisit, though they lie in the ground a whole yeare, they will not grow at all. For this reason I haue noted, that in places where much carnall copulation is vsed, there is lesse store of children, than where people are more enclined to continencie. And common harlots neuer conceiue, because they stay not till the seed be di∣gested and ripened.

It behooueth therefore to abide for some daies, that the seed may settle, concoct, and ripen, and be duly sea∣soned: for by this meanes, is hot and drie, and the good

substance which it had lost, the better recouered. But how shall we know the seed to be such, as is requisit it should be, seeing the matter is of so great importance? This may easily be known, if certaine daies haue passed since the man companied with his wife, and by his con∣tinuall incitement, and great desire of copulation; all which springeth, for that the seed is grown fruitfull and apt for procreation. The fifth condition was, that a man should meddle with his wife in the carnal act, six or seuen daies before she haue her naturall course: for that the child straightwaies standeth in need of much food to nourish it. And the reason hereof is, that the hot and drie of his temperature, spendeth and consumeth not onely the good bloud of the mother, but also the excre∣ments. VVherethrough Hippocrates said, that the wo∣man conceiued of a male, is well coloured and faire. Which groweth, because the infant, through his much heat, consumeth all those excrements, which are woont to disfigure the face, leauing the same as a washed cloth. And for that this is true, it is behoofull, that the infant be supplied with bloud for his nourishment. And this ex∣perience manifesteth, for it is a miracle that a male child should be engendered saue vpon the last daies of the month. The contrarie befalleth, when a woman goeth with a female: for through the much cold and moist of her sex, she eateth little, and yeeldeth store of excre∣ments, wherethrough the woman conceiued of a girle, is ill fauoured, and full of spots, and a thousand sluttish∣nesses sticke vnto her; and at the time of her deliuerie, she must tarrie so many more daies to purge her selfe, than if she had brought a man child to the word. On the naturall reason wherof, God grounded himselfe, when he commanded Moses, that the woman, who brought

forth a male, should remain in her bed a weeke, and not enter into the temple vntill 33 daies were expired. And if she were deliuered of a female, she should be vn∣cleane for the space of two weeks, and not enter into the temple, vntill after 66 daies, in sort, that when the birth is of a female, the time is doubled. VVhich so falleth out, because in the nine moneths (during which the child remained in the mothers wombe) through the much cold and moist of her temperature, she doubly encreased excrements, and the same of verie malignant substance and qualitie, which a male infant would not haue done. Therfore Hippocrates holdeth it a matter ve∣rie perillous, to stop the purgation of a woman, who is deliuered of a wench.

All this is spoken to the purpose, that we must well aduise our selues of the last day of the moneth, to the end the seed may find sufficient nourishment, wherwith to relieue itselfe. For if the act of procreation be com∣mitted so soone as the purgation is finished, it will not take hold through defect of bloud. VVheron it behoo∣ueth the parents be done to vnderstand, that if both seeds ioine not togither at one selfe time, (namely that of the woman and of the man) Galen saith there will ensue no conception, although the seed of the man be neuer so apt for procreation. And hereof we shall ren∣der the reason to another purpose. This is very cer∣taine, that all the diligences by vs prescribed, must also be performed on the womans behoofe, o∣therwise, her seed (euill emploied) will mar the con∣ception. Therefore it is requisit they attend ech to other, so as at one selfe instant, both their seedes may ioyne togither.

This, at the first cōming, importeth very much, for the

right cod, and his seed vessell (as Galen affirmeth) is first stirred vp, and yeeldeth his seed before the left, and if the generation take not effect at the first comming, it is a great hap hazard, but that at the second a female shalbe begotten. These two seeds are knowen, first by the heat and coldnesse, then by the quantitie of being much or little, and finally by the issuing forth speedily or slowly. The seed of the right cod, commeth forth boiling, and so hot, as it burneth the womans belly, is not much in quantitie, and passeth out in hast: Contrariwise, the seed of the left, taketh his way more temperat, is much in quantitie: and for that the same is cold and grosse, spen∣deth longer space in cōming forth. The last considerati∣on was, to procure that both the seeds of the husband & the wife, fall into the right side of the womb: for in that place (saith Hippocrates) are males engēdred, & females in the left. Galen alleageth the reason hereof, saying; that the right side of the womb is verie hot, through the neigh∣bourhood which it holdeth with the liuer, with the right side of the raines, and with the right seed vessell: which members, we haue affirmed and approoued to be verie hot. And seeing all the reason of working, that the issue may become male, consisteth in procuring, that at the time of conception it partake much heat, it falleth out certaine, that it greatly importeth to bestow the seed in this place. Which the woman shall easily accomplish, by resting on her right side, when the act of generation is ended, with her head down and her heels vp: but it behooueth her to keepe her bed a day or two, for the womb doth not straightwaies embrace the seeed, but af∣ter some houres space.

The signes wherby a woman may know, whether she be with child or no, are manifest and plain to euery ones

vnderstanding: for if when she ariseth vpon her feet, the seed fall to the ground, it is certain (saith Galen) that she hath not cōceiued, albeit herein one point requireth consideration, that al the seed is not fruitful or apt for is∣sue: for the one part therof is very waterish, whose office serueth to make thin the principal seed, to the end it may fare through the narrow passages, and this is that which nature sendeth forth, and it resteth, when she hath con∣ceiued, with the part apt for issue. It is knowen by that it is like water, and of like quantitie. That a woman rise vp straightwaies on her feet, so soon as the act of gene∣ration hath passed, is a matter verie perillous. Therfore Aristotle compelleth that she beforehand make euacua∣tion of the excrements, and of her vrine, to the end she may haue no cause to rise. The second token whereby we may know the same, is, that the next day following, the woman will feele her belly empty, especially about the nauell. Which groweth, for that the womb, when it desireth to conceiue, becommeth verie large and stret∣ched out: for verely it suffereth the like swelling vp and stiffnesse, as doth a mans member, and when it fareth thus-wise, the same occupieth much roome. But at the point when it conceiueth (saith Hippoorates) sodainly the same draweth togither, and maketh as it were a purse to draw the seed vnto it, and will not suffer it to go out, and by this meanes leaueth many emptie places, the which women do declare, saying; that they haue no tripes left in their belly, as if they were sodainly become leane. Moreouer, forthwith they abhorre carnall copu∣lation, and their husbands kindnesse, for the belly hath now got what it sought; but the most certain token (saith Hippocrates) is, when their natural course faileth, & their breasts grow, and when they fall in loathing with mear.

What diligence is to be vsed, that children may prooue wittie and wise.

§. 4.

IF we doe not first know the cause, whence it proceedeth, that a man of great wit and suffici∣encie is begotten, it is impossible that the same may be reduced to art: for through conioy∣ning and ordering his principles and causes, we grow to attaine this end, and by none other meanes. The A∣strologers hold; that because the child is borne vnder such an influence of the starres, he commeth to be dis∣creet, wittie, of good or ill maners, fortunat, and of those other conditions and properties, which we see & con∣sider euery day in men. Which being admitted for true, it would follow a matter of impossibilitie, to frame the same to any art: for it should be wholly a case of for∣tune, and no way placed in mens election. The natu∣ral Philosophers, as Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Galen, hold, that a man receiueth the conditions of his soule, at the time of his forming, and not of his birth: for then the starres do superficially alter the child, giuing him heat, coldnesse, moisture, and drouth; but not his sub∣stance, wherin the whole life relieth, as do the foure ele∣ments, fire, aire, earth, and water, who not only yeeld to the party composed, heat, cold, moisture, and drinesse, but also the substance which may maintain and preserue the same qualities, during all the course of life. Where∣through, that which most importeth in the engendring of children, is, to procure that the elements wherof they are compounded, may partake the qualities, which are

requisite for the wit. For these according to the waight and measure, by which they enter into the composition, must alwaies so indure in the mixture, and not the alte∣rations of heauen. What these elements are, and in what sort they enter into the womans wombe, to forme the creature, Galen declareth and affirmeth them to be the same which compound all other natural things: but that the earth commeth lurking in the accustomed meates which we eate, as are flesh, bread, fish, and fruits; the wa∣ter in the liquors which we drinke, The aire and fire (he saith) are mingled by order of nature, and enter into the body by way of the pulse and of respiration. Of these foure elements, mingled and digested by our naturall heat, are made the two necessarie principles of the in∣fants generation, to weet the seed, and the monthly course. But that whereof we must make greatest recko∣ning for the end which we enquire after, are the accu∣stomable meats whereon we feed: for these shut vp the foure elements in themselues, and from these the seed fetcheth more corpulencie and qualitie, than from the water which we drinke, or the fire and aire which we breath in. VVhence Galen saith that the parents who would beget wise children, should read three books which he wrot, of the facultie of the alements: for there they should find, with what kinds of meat they may ef∣fect the same. And he made no mention of the water, nor of the other elements, as materials, and of like mo∣ment. But herein he swarued from reason: for the wa∣ter altereth the body much more than the aire, & much lesse than the sound meats wheron we feed, And as tou∣ching that which concerneth the engendring of the seed, it carrieth as great importance as all the other ele∣mēts togither. The reason is (as Galen himself affirmeth)

because the cods draw from the veines (for their nou∣rishment) the wheyish part of the bloud, and the grea∣test part of this whey, which the veins receiue, partaketh of the water which we drinke. And that the water wor∣keth more alteration in the bodie, than the aire, Aristotle prooueth, where he demandeth, what the cause is, that by changing of waters, we breed so great an alterati∣on in our health, wheras if we breath a contrarie aire, we perceiue it not. And to this he answereth, that water yeeldeth nourishment to the body, and so doth not the aire. But he had little reason to answer after this maner: for the aire also (by Hippocrates opinion) giueth nourish∣ment and substance, aswell as the water. Wher-through Aristotle deuised a better answer, saying; that no place nor country hath his peculiar aire; for that which is now in Flanders, when the North wind bloweth, passeth within two or three daies into Affricke, and that in Af∣fricke, by the South is carried into the North; and that which this day is in Hierusalem, the East wind driueth into the VVest Indies. The which cannot betide in the waters: for they do not all issue out of the same soile, wher-through euery people hath his particular water cōformable to the Mine of the earth where it springeth, and whence it runneth. And if a man be vsed to drinke one kind of water, in tasting another, he altereth more than by meat or aire. In sort, that the parents who haue a will to beget verie wise children, must drinke waters, delicat, fresh, and of good temperature; otherwise they shall commit error in their procreation. Aristotle saith, that at the time of generation, we must take heed of the South-west wind: for the same is grosse, and moistneth the seed, so as a female and not a male is begotten. But the west wind he highly commendeth, and aduanceth it

with names and titles very honourable. He calleth the same temperat, fatter of the earth, and saith; that it com∣meth from the Elisian fields. But albeit it be true that it greatly importeth, to breath an aire verie delicat, and of good temperature, and to drinke such waters; yet it standeth much more vpon to vse fine meats appliable to the temperature of the wit: for of these is engēdred the bloud and the seed, and of the seed the creature. And if the meat be delicat and of good temperature, such is the bloud made; and of such bloud, such seed; and of such seed, such braine. Now, this member being tem∣perat, and compounded of a substance subtile and deli∣cat, Galen saith, that the wit will be like therunto: for our reasonable soule, though the same be incorruptible, yet goeth alwaies vnited with the dispositions of the brain, which being not such as it is requisit they should be, for discoursing and philosophizing, a man saith and doth 1000 things, which are verie vnfitting. The meats then which the parents are to feed on, that they may engen∣der children of great vnderstanding (which is the or∣dinarie wit for Spaine) are, first, White bread made of the finest meale, and seasoned with salt: this is cold and dry, and of parts verie subtile and delicat. There is an∣other sort made (saith Galen) of reddish graine, which though it nourish much, and make men big limmed, and of great bodily forces; yet for that the same is moist and of grosse parts, it breedeth a losse in the vnderstan∣ding. I said, seasoned with salt, because none of all the a∣liments which a man vseth, bettereth so much the vn∣derstanding, as doth this minerall. It is cold, and of more drinesse than any other thing; and if I remember well the sentence of Heraclitus, he said after this maner, A drie brightnesse, a wisest minde. Then seeing that

salt is so drie, and so appropriat to the wit, the scripture had good reason to terme it by the name of Prudence and Sapience. Partridges and Francolini haue a like sub∣stance, and the selfe temperature with bread of white meale, and Kid, and Muskadel wine. And if parents vse these meats (as we haue aboue specified) they shall breed children of great vnderstanding. And if they would haue a child of great memorie, let them eight or nine daies before they betake themselues to the act of gene∣ration, eat Trouts, Salmons, Lampries, and Eeles, by which meat, they shall make their seed verie moist and clammie.

These two qualities (as I haue said before) make the memorie easie to receaue, and verie fast to preserue the figures a long time. By Pigions, Goats, Garlicke, O∣nions, Leekes, Rapes, Pepper, Vinegar, White-wine, Honny, and al other sorts of spices, the seed is made hot and drie, and of parts verie subtile and delicat. The child who is engendred of such meat, shalbe of great imagi∣nation, but not of like vnderstanding, by means of the much heat, and he shall want memorie through his a∣bundance of drinesse. These are woont to be very pre∣iudiciall to the common wealth: for the heat enclineth them to many vices and euils, and giueth them a wit and mind, to put the same in execution: howbeit if we do keepe them vnder, the common-wealth shall receiue more seruice by these mens imagination, than by the vn∣derstanding and memorie of the others. Hens, capons, veale, weathers of Spaine, are all meats of moderat sub∣stance; for they are neither delicat nor grosse. I said wea∣thers of Spain: for Galen, without making any distinctiō, saith, that their flesh is of a grosse and noisom substance, which straieth from reason: for put case that in Italie,

(where he wrot) it be the worst of all others; yet in this our countrey, through the goodnesse of the pastures, we may reckon the same among the meats of moderat substance. The children who are begotten on such food, shall haue a reasonable discourse, a reasonable memory, and a reasonable imagination. VVherethrough they wil not be verie profoundly seen in the Sciences, nor deuise ought of new.

Of these we haue said heretofore, that they are plea∣sant conceited, and apt, in whom may be imprinted all the rules and considerations of art, cleere, obscure, easie, and difficult: but doctrine, argument, answering, doub∣ting, and distinguishing, are matters wherewith their braines can in no sort endure to be cloied. Cowes flesh, Manzo, bread of red graine, cheese, oliues, vineger, and water alone, will breed a grosse seed, and of faultie tem∣perature, the sonne engendred vpon these, shall haue strength like a bull: but withall, be furious and of a beastly wit. Hence it proceedeth, that amongst vpland people, it is a miracle to find one quicke of capacitie, or towardly for learning: they are all borne dull and rude; for that they are begotten on meats of grosse and euill substance. The contrarie hereof befalleth in Citizens, whose children we find to be endowed with more wit and sufficiencie. But if the parents carrie in verie deed, a will to beget a sonne, prompt, wise, and of good con∣ditions, let them, six or seuen daies before their com∣panying, feed on Goats milke; for this aliment (by the opinion of all phisitions) is the best, and most delicat that any man can vse; prouided that they be sound, and that it answer them in proportion. But Galen saith, it be∣hooueth to eat the same with honny, without which it is dangerous, and easily corrupteth. The reason hereof

is, for that the milke, hath no more but three elements in his composition, cheese, whey, and butter. The cheese answereth the earth; the whey, the water; and the butter the aire. The fire, which mingleth the other elements, and preserueth them being mingled, issuing out of the teats, is exhaled, for that it is verie subtile: but adioyning thereunto a little honny, which is hot and dry, in lieu of fire, the milke wil so partake of al the 4 elements. Which being mingled, and concocted by the operation of our naturall heat, make a seed verie delicat, and of good tem∣perature. The sonne thus engendred, shall at leastwise possesse a great discourse; and not be depriued of memo∣rie and imagination. In that Aristotle wanted this do∣ctrine, he came short to answer a probleme, which him∣selfe propounded, demanding what the cause is, that the yong ones of brute beasts, carry with them (for the most part) the properties and conditions of their sires and dammes. And the children of men and women not so? And we find this by experience to be true: for of wise parents, are borne foolish children; and of foolish pa∣rents, children very wise; of vertuous parents, lewd chil∣dren; and of vitious parents, vertuous children; of hard fauoured parents, faire children: and of faire parents, foule children: of white parents, browne children: and of brown parents, white and well coloured children. And amongst children of one selfe father and mother, one prooueth simple, and another wittie: one foule, and another faire: one of good conditions, and another of bad: one vertuous, and another vitious. VVhereas if a mare of a good harrage, be couered with a horse of the like, the colt which is foaled, resembleth them aswell in shape and colour, as in their properties. To this pro∣bleme, Aristotle shaped a very vntowardly answer, say∣ing,

that a man is caried away with many imaginations, during the carnall act: and hence it proceedeth that the children prooue so diuers. But brute beasts, because in time of procreation they are not so distraughted, neither possesse so forcible an imagination as man doth, make alwaies their yong ones after one selfe sort, and like to themselues. This answer hath euer hitherto gone for currant amongst the vulgar philosophers: and for con∣firmation hereof, they alleage the history of Iacob, which recounteth, that he hauing placed certaine rods, at the watering places of the beasts, the lambes were yeaned party coloured. But little auailes it them to handfast ho∣ly matters: for this historie recounteth a miraculous action, which God performed, therein to hide some sa∣crament. And the answer made by Aristotle, sauoreth of great simplicitie. And who so wil not yeeld me credit, let him (at this day) cause some shepheards to try this ex∣periment, and they shall find it to be no naturall matter. It is also reported in these our partes, that a ladie was deliuered of a sonne, more brown than was due, because a blacke visage, which was pictured, fell into her imagi∣nation. Which I hold for a iest: and if perhaps it be true that she brought such a one to the world, I say that the father who begat him, had the like colour to that figure. And because it may be the better known, how from∣shapen this philosophy is, which Aristotle bringeth in, togither with those that follow him, it is requisit we hold it for a thing certaine, that the worke of generation appertaineth to the vegetatiue soule, and not to the sen∣sitiue, or reasonable: for a horse engendreth without the reasonall, and a plant without the sensitiue. And if we do but marke a tree loden with fruit, we shall find on the same a greater variety, than in the children of any

man. One apple will be green, another red; one little, another great; one round, another ill shaped: one soūd, another rotten: one sweet, and another bitter. And if we compare the fruit of this yeare with that of the last, the one will be very different and contrary to the other: which cannot be attributed to the varietie of the imagi∣nation, seeing the plantes do want this power. The error of Aristotle, is very manifest in his own doctrine: for he saith, that the seed of the man, and not of the woman, is that which maketh the generation: and in the carnal act, the man doth nought els, but scatter his seed without forme or figure, as the husbandman soweth his corne in the earth. And as the graine of corne doth not by and by take root, nor formeth a stalke and leaues, vntill some daies been expired: so (saith Galen) the creature is not formed al so soon as the mans seed falleth into the wo∣mans wombe: but affirmeth that thirtie or fortie daies are requisit, ere the same can be accomplished. And if this be so, what auaileth it that the father go imagining of diuers things in the carnall act, when as the forming beginneth not vntill some daies after? especially, when the forming is not made by the soule of the father or the mother, but by a third thing which is found in the seed it selfe. And the same being only vegetatiue, and no more, is not capable of the imagination, but followeth only the motions of the temperature, and doth nothing els. After my mind, to say that mens children are borne of so diuers figures, through the variable imaginations of the parents, is none other, than to auouch, that of grains, some grow big, and some little, because the hus∣band-man (when he sowed them) was distraught into sundry imaginations. Vpon this so vnsound opinion of Aristotle, some curious heads argue, that the children of

the adulterous wife resemble her husband, though they be none of his. And the reason which leadeth them, is manifest: for during the carnall act, the adulterers settle their imagination vpon the husband, with feare least he come and take them napping. And for the same con∣sideration, they conclude that the husbands children resemble the adulterer though they be not his, because the adulterous wife, during the copulation with her hus∣band, alwaies busieth her selfe in contemplation of the figure of her louer. And those who say, that the other woman brought forth a blacke sonne, because she held her imagination fixed on the picture of a blacke man, must also graunt this, which by these queint braines is inferred: for the whole carrieth one selfe reason, and is in my conceit a starcke leasing, and very mockerie, though it be groūded on the opinion of Aristotle. Hippo∣crates answered this probleme better, when he said, that the Scythians are all alike conditioned, and shaped in vi∣sage, and rendereth the reason of this resemblance to be, for that they all fed of one selfe meat, and dranke of one selfe water, went apparrelled after one selfe ma∣ner, and kept one selfe order in all things. For the same cause, the brute beastes engender yong ones after their particular resemblance, because they alwaies vse the same food, and haue there-through an vniforme seede. But contrariwise man, because he eateth diuers meates, euerie day maketh a different seed aswell in substance, as in temperature. The which the naturall Philoso∣phers doe approoue, in answering to a probleme, that saith, What is the cause, that the excrementes of brute beastes haue not so vnpleasant a verdure, as those of mankind? And they affirme, that brute beastes vse al∣waies the selfe meates, and much exercise there withall:

but a man eateth so much meate, and of so diuers sub∣stance, as he cannot come away with them, and so they grow to corrupt. Mans seed, and that of beasts, hold one selfe reason and consideration, for that they are both of them excrements of a third concoction. As touching the varietie of meats which man vseth, it cannot be de∣nied, but must be graunted, that of euery aliment there is made a different and particular seed. VVhere it falleth out apparent, that the day, on which a man eateth beefe or bloudings he maketh a grosse seed, & of bad tempera∣ture; and therefore, the sonne begotten therof, shalbe disfigured, foolish, blacke, and ill conditioned. And if he eat the carcas of a capon, or of a henne, his seed shall be white, delicat, and of good temperature. VVherthrough the sonne so engendred, shalbe faire, wise, and verie gen∣tle conditioned. From hence I collect, that there is no child born, who partaketh not of the qualities and tem∣perature of that meat, which his parents fed vpon a day before he was begottē. And if any would know of what meat he was formed, let him but consider, with what meat his stomacke hath most familiaritie, (and without all doubt) that it was. Moreouer, the naturall philoso∣phers demand what the cause is, that the children of the wisest men, do ordinarily prooue blockish and void of capacitie? To which probleme they answer verie fond∣ly, saying; that wise men are verie honest and shame∣fast, and therefore in companying with their wiues, doe abstaine from some diligences, necessarie for effe∣cting that the child prooue of that perfection which is requisite. And they confirme this, by example of such parents, as are foolish and ignorant, who, because they employ all their force and diligence at the time of ge∣neration, their children doe all prooue wise and wittie;

but this answer tokeneth they are slenderly seene in na∣turall Philosophy. True it is, that for rendering an an∣swere conuenient, it behooueth first to presuppose and prooue certaine points; one of which purporteth, that the reasonable facultie, is contrarie to the wrathfull and the concupiscible, in sort, that if a man be verie wise, he cannot beverie couragious, of much bodily forces, a great feeder, nor verie able for procreation: for the naturall dispositions, which are requisite, to the end the reasonable soule may performe his operations, carrie a contrarietie to those, which are necessarie for the wrathfull and the concupiscible. Aristotle saith, (and it is true) that hardinesse and naturall courage consist in heate: and Prudence and Sapience in cold and drie. VVhence we see by plaine experience, that the valien∣test persons are void of reason, spare of speach, im∣patient to be ieasted withall, and verie soone ashamed; for remedie whereof, they straightwaies set hand on their sword, as not weeting what other answer to make. But men endowed with wit haue many reasons and quicke answeres and quippes, with which they enter∣taine the time, that they may not come to blowes. Of such a manner of wit, Salust noteth that Cicero was, telling him, that he had much tongue, and feet ve∣rie light: wherein he had reason, for so great a wise∣dome, in matters of armes, could not end but in co∣wardise. And hence tooke a certaine nipping pro∣uerbe his originall, which saith; He is as valiant as Ci∣cero, and as wise as Hector. Namely, when we will note a man to be a buzzard, and a cow-babie. No lesse doth the naturall faculty gainsay the vnderstanding, for if a man possesse great bodily forces, he cannot enioy a good wit; and the reason is, for that the force of the arms and

the legges, springeth from hauing a braine hard and earthly, and though it be true, that by reason of the cold and drie of the earth, he might partake a good vnder∣standing, yet in that it hath his composition of a grosse substance, it ruinateth and endammageth the same. For through his coldnesse the courage and hardinesse are quenched: wherethrough, we haue seene some men of great forces to be verie cowardes. The contrarietie which the vegetatiue soule hath with the reasonable, is most manifest of all others, for his operations, name∣ly; to nourish, and engender, are better performed with heat and moisture, than with the contrarie qualities, Which experience cleerely manifesteth, considering how powerfull the same is in the age of childhood, and how weake and remisse in old age. Againe, in boyes estate the reasonable soule cannot vse his operations; whereas in old age, which is vtterly void of heat and moisture, it performeth them with great effect. In sort, that by how much the more a man is enabled for pro∣creation, and for digestion of food, so much he leeseth of his reasonable facultie. To this alludeth that which Plato affirmeth, that there is no humour in a man, which so much disturbeth the reasonable faculty, as abundance of seed, only (saith he) the same yeeldeth help to the art of versifieng. Which we behold to be confirmed by dai∣ly experience: for when a man beginneth to entreat of amorous matters, sodainly he becommeth a Poet, And if before he were greasie and loutish, forthwith he takes it at heart, to haue a wrinckle in his pumpe, or a mote on his cape. And the reason is, because these workes apper∣taine to the imagination, which encreaseth and lifteth it selfe vp from this point, through the much heat, accasio∣ned in him by this amorous passion. And that loue is an

hot alteration, sheweth apparently, through the cou∣rage and hardinesse, which it planteth in the louer, from whom the same also reaueth all desire of meat, and will not suffer him to sleep. If the common-wealth bare an eie to these tokens, she would bannish from publicke stu∣dies, lusty schollers, and great fighters, inamoured per∣sons, Poets, and those who are verie neat and curious in their apparrell: for they are not furnished with wit or a∣bilitie for any sort of study. Out of this rule, Aristotle ex∣cepteth the melancholicke by adustion, whose seede (though fruitfull) reaueth not the capacitie. Finally, all the faculties which gouern man, if they be very power∣full, set the reasonable soule in a garboile. Hence it pro∣ceeds, that if a man be very wise, he proueth a coward, of small strength of bodie, a spare feeder, and not verie able for procreation. And this is occasioned by the qualities which make him wise, namely; coldnesse and drinesse. And these selfe, weaken the other powers, as appeareth in old men, who (besides their counsell and wisdom) are good for nothing els. This doctrine thus presupposed, Galen holdeth opinion, that to the end the engendring of whatsoeuer creature may take his perfect effect, two seeds are necessary, one, which must be the agent and former; and another which must serue for nourishment; for a matter so delicat as generation, cannot straightwais ouercome a meat so grosse, as is the bloud, vntill the ef∣fect be greater. And that the seed is the right aliment of the seed members, Hippocrates, Plato, and Galen doe all accord: for by their opinion, if the bloud be not con∣uerted into seed, it is impossible, that the sinews, the veins, & the arteries can be maintained. Wherthrough Galen affirmed, the difference betweene the veines and the cods to be, that the cods doe speedily make much

seed, and the veins a little, and in long space of time: In sort, that nature prouided for the same, an alimēt so like, which with light alteration, & without making any ex∣cremēts, might maintain the other seed. And this could not be effected, if the nourishment therof had bin made of the bloud. The selfe prouision (saith Galen) was made by nature, in the engendring of mankind, as in the for∣ming of a chick, and such other birds, as come of egs. In which we see there are two substances, one of the white, and another of the yolke, of one of which, the chicke is made, and by the other maintained all the time whiles the forming endureth. For the same reason are two seeds necessarie in the generation of the man, one, of which the creature may be made, and the other by which it may be maintained whilst the forming endureth. But Hippocrates mentioneth one thing worthie of great con∣sideration, namely; that it is not resolued by nature, which of the two seeds shalbe the agent and formour, & which shall serue for aliment. For many times, the seed of the woman is of greater efficacy than that of the man, and when this betideth, she maketh the generation, and that of the husband serueth for aliment. Otherwhiles, that of the husband is more mighty, and that of the wife doth nought els than nourish. This doctrin was not cō∣sidered by Aristotle, who could not vnderstand, wherto the womans seed serued, and therefore vttered a thou∣sand follies, and that the same was but a little water, without vertue, or force for generation. VVhich being granted, it would follow impossible, that a woman should euer couet the conuersation of man, or con∣sent thereunto, but would shun the carnall act, as be∣ing herselfe so honest, and the worke so vncleane and filthy; wherethrough, in short space mankind would

decay, and the world rest depriued of the fairest crea∣ture, that euer nature formed. To this purpose Aristotle demandeth, what the cause is, that fleshly copulation should be an action of the greatest pleasure, that nature euer ordained for the solace of liuing things. To which probleme he answereth, that nature hauing so desirou∣sly procured the perpetuitie of mankind, did therefore place so great a delight in this worke, to the end, that they being mooued by such interest, might gladly apply themselues to the act of generation; and if these incitements were wanting, no woman or man would condiscend to the bands of marriage, inasmuch as the woman should reape none other benefite, than to beare a burden in her belly the space of nine months, with so great trauaile and sorrowes, and at the time of her child-birth, to vndergo the hazard of forgoing her life. So would it be necessarie, that the common-wealth should through feare enforce women to marrie, to the end mankind might not come to nothing. But because nature doth her things with pleasing, she gaue to a woman, all the instruments necessarie for ma∣king a seed, inciting, and apt for issue, whereby she might desire a man, and take pleasure in his con∣uersation. But if it were of that qualitie which Ari∣stotle expresseth, she would rather flie and abhorre him, than euer loue him. This selfe Galen prooueth, alleaging an example of the brute beastes, where∣through he saith, that if a Sowe be speyed, she neuer desireth the Boare, nor will consent that he approch vnto her.

The like we do euidently see in a woman, whose temperature partaketh more of coldnesse than is re∣quisite: for if we tell her that she must be married,

there is no word which soundeth worse in her eare. And the like befalleth to a cold man, for he wanteth the fruit∣ful seed. Moreouer, if a womans seed were of that maner which Aristotle mentioneth, it could be no proper ali∣ment: for to attain the last qualities of actual nutriment, a totall seed is necessarie, whereby it may be nourished. Wherthrough, if the same come not to be concocted & semblable, it cannot performe this point: for womans seed wanteth the instruments and places, as are the sto∣macke, the liuer, and the cods, where it may be concoc∣ted. Therefore nature prouided, that in the engendring of a creature, two seedes should concurre; which being mingled, the mightier should make the forming and the other serue for nourishment. And this is seen euidently so to be: for if a blackamore beget a white woman with child, & a white man a negro woman, of both these vni∣ons, wil be borne a creature, partaking of either qualitie. Out of this doctrin I gather that to be true, which many authenticall histories affirm, that a dog carnally compa∣nying with a woman, made her to conceiue; and the like did a beare with another woman, whom he found alone in the fields. And likewise, an ape had two yong ones by another. We read also of one, who walking for recreati∣on alongst a riuers side, a fish came out of the water, and begat her with child. The matter herein of most difficul∣ty for the vulgar to cōceiue, is, how it may be, that these women should bring forth perfect men, and partakers of the vse of reason, seeing the parents who engendred them, were brute beasts. To this I answer, that the seed of euery of these womē, was the agent & former of the cre∣ature, as the greaterin force, whence it figured the same, with his accidents of mans shape. The seed of the brute beast (as not equall in strength) serued for aliment, & for

nothing els. And that the seede of these vnreasonable beasts, might yeeld nourishment to mans seed, is a mat∣ter easie to be conceiued. For if any of these women had eaten a peece of bears flesh, or of a dog, boiled or ro∣sted, she should haue receiued nourishment thereout, though not so good as if she had eaten mutton or par∣tridges. The like befalleth to mans seed, that his true nourishment (in the forming of the creature) is ano∣ther mans seed, but if this be wanting, the seed of some brute beast may supply the roome: but a thing which these histories specifie, is, that children borne of such co∣pulations giue token in their maners and conditions, that their engendring was not naturall.

Out of the things already rehearsed (though we haue somewhat lingered by the way therein) we may now gather the answere to that principall probleme, vz: that wise mens children, are wel-neere alwaies formed of their mothers seed: for that of the fathers (for the reasons alreadie alleaged) is not fruitfull for genera∣tion, and in engendring, serueth only for aliment. And the man who is shaped of the womans seed, cannot be wittie, nor partake abilitie through the much cold and moist of that sex. Whence it becommeth mani∣fest, that when the child prooueth discreet and prompt, the same yeeldeth an infallible token, that he was for∣med of his fathers seed. And if he shew blockish and vn∣toward, we inferre, that he was formed of the seed of his mother. And hereto did the wise-man allude, when he said, The wise sonne reioyceth the father, but a foo∣lish child is a griefe to his mother. It may also come to passe vpō some occasion, that the seed of a woman may be the agent and form-giuer, & that of the woman, serue for nourishment, but the son so begotten will prooue of

slender capacitie: for put case, that cold and dry be two qualities, whereof the vnderstanding hath need: yet it behooueth, that they hold a certaine quantitie and mea∣sure, which once exceeded, they doe rather hurt than good. Euen as we see men very aged, that by occasion of ouermuch cold and dry, we find them become children a new, and vtter many follies. Let vs then presuppose, that to some old man, there yet remaine ten yeares of life, with conuenient cold and dry to discourse, in such sort, as these being expired, he shall then grow a babe a∣gaine.

If of such a ones seed a son be engendred, he shall till ten yeares age, make shew of great sufficiencie: for that til then, he enioyeth the conuenient cold and drouth of his father; but at eleuen yeares old, he will sodainly quaile away, for that he hath out-passed the point, which to these two qualities was behooffull. VVhich we see confirmed by daily experience in children begotten in old age, who in their childhood are verie aduised, and afterwards in mans state, prooue verie dullards, & short of life. And this groweth, because they were made of a seed cold and dry, which had alreadie out run the one half of his race. And if the father be wise in the works of the imagination, and by means of his much heat & dri∣nesse, take to wife a woman cold and moist in the third degree, the sonne born of such an accouplement, shalbe most vntoward, if he be formed of his fathers seed, for that he made abode in a belly so cold and moist, & was maintained by a bloud so distemperat. The contrary be∣tideth, when the father is vntoward, whose seed hath or∣dinarily heat and excessiue moisture. The sonne so en∣gendred, shalbe dull til 15 yeares of age, for that he drew part of his fathers superfluous moisture. But the course

of that age once spent, it giueth firmnesse, in asmuch as the foolish mans seed, is more temperat and lesse moist. It aideth likewise the wit, to continue nine moneths space in a belly of so little coldnesse and moisture, as is that of a woman cold and moist in the first degree, where it endured hunger and want. All this ordinarily befalleth, for the reasons by vs specified: but there is found a certaine sort of men, whose genitories are en∣dowed with such force and vigour, as they vtterly spoile the aliments of their good qualities, and conuert them into their euill and grosse substance. Therefore all the children whom they beget, (though they haue eaten delicat meats) shall prooue rude and dullards. Others contrariwise, vsing grosse meats, and of euill tempera∣ture, are so mightie in ouercomming them, that though they eat or porcke, yet they make children of very delicat wit. Whence it prooueth certain, that there are linages of foolish men, & races of wise men: and others, who of ordinarie are borne blunt, and void of iudge∣ment.

Some doubts are encountred, by those who seeke to pearce into the bottom of this matter, whose answer (in the doctrin forepassed) is very easie. The first is, whence it springeth, that bastard children accustomably resem∣ble their fathers, and of a 100 lawfull, 90 beare the fi∣gure and conditions of the mother. The second, why bastard children prooue ordinarily deliuer, couragious, and very aduised. The third, what the cause is, that if a common strumpet conceiue, she neuer looseth her bur∣den, though she take venomous drenches to destroy the same, or be let much bloud, whereas if a married woman be with child by her husband vpon euery light occasi∣on, the same miscarrieth. To the first, Plato answereth,

saying, that no man is nought of his owne proper and agreeable will, vnlesse he be first incited by the vitious∣nesse of his temperature. And he giues vs an example in lecherous men; who, for that they are stored with plen∣tifull and fruitfull seed, suffer great illusions, and manie combers; and therefore (molested by that passion) to driue the same from them, doe marrie wiues. Of such Galen saith, that they haue the instruments of generation very hot and dry: and for this cause breed seed verie pricking & apt for procreation. A man then, who goeth seeking a woman not his owne, is replenished with this fruitfull, digested, and well seasoned seed, Whence it followeth of force, that he make the generation: for where both are equall, the mans seed carrieth the grea∣test efficacie; and if the son be shaped of the seed of such a father, it ensueth of necessitie that he resemble him. The contrarie betideth in lawfull children; who, for that married men haue their wiues euer couched by their sides, neuer take regard to ripen the seed, or to make it apt for procreation, but rather (vpon euery light entice∣ment) yeeld the same from them, vsing great violence and stirring; whereas women, abiding quiet, during the carnall act, their seed vessels yeeld not their seed, saue when it is well concoct and seasoned. Therfore married women do alwaies make the engendring, and their hus∣bands seed serueth for aliment. But somtimes it comes to passe, that both the seeds are matched in equall per∣fection, and cumbat in such sort, as both the one and the other take effect in the forming, and so is a child shaped, who resembleth neither father nor mother. Another time it seemeth that they agree vpon the matter, & part the likenesse between them: the seed of the father ma∣keth the nosthrils and the eies; and that of the mother,

the mouth and the forehead. And which carrieth most maruell, it hath so fallen out, that the sonne hath taken one eare of his father, and another of his mother, and so the like in his eies. But if the fathers seed do altogi∣ther preuaile, the childe retaineth his nature and his conditions: and when the seed of the mother swaieth most, the like reason taketh effect. Therefore, the fa∣ther who coueteth, that his child may be made of his owne seed, ought to withdraw himselfe for some daies from his wife, and stay till all his seed be concocted and ripened; and then it will fall out certain that the forming shall proceed from him, and the wifes seed shall serue for nourishment. The second doubt (by meanes of that we haue said already) beareth little difficultie: for bastard children are ordinarily made of seed hote and dry: and from this temperature (as we haue oftentimes prooued heretofore) spring courage, brauerie, and a good imagination, whereto this wisdome of the world appertaineth. And because the seed is digested and well seasoned, nature effecteth what she likes best, and pour∣traieth those children as with a pensill. To the third doubt may be answered, that the conceiuing of lewd women, is most commonly wrought by the mans seed: and because the same is drie, and verie apt for issue, it fasteneth it selfe in the woman with verie strong rootes; but the childe breeding of married women, being wrought by their own seed, occasioneth, that the crea∣ture easily vnlooseth, because the same was moist and watry, or as Hippocrates saith, full of mustinesse.

What diligences are to be vsed, for preseruing the childrens wit after they are formed.

§. 5.

THe matter wherof man is compounded, proo∣ueth a thing so alterable, and so subiect to cor∣ruption, that at the instant when he beginneth to be shaped, he like wise beginneth to be vn∣twined, and to alter, and therin can find no remedy. For it was said, so soon as we are born, we faile to be. Wher∣through nature prouided, that in mans body, there should be 4 natural faculties, attractiue, retētiue, concoc∣tiue, & expulsiue. The which concocting & altering the aliments which we eate, returne to repaire the substance that was lost, ech succeeding in his place. By this we vn∣derstand, that it little auaileth to haue engendred a child of delicat seed, if we make no reckoning of the meates, which afterwards we feed vpon. For the creation being finished, there remaineth not for the creature, any part of the substance wherof it was first composed. True it is, that the first seed, if the same be well concocted and sea∣soned, possesseth such force, that digesting & altering the meats, it maketh them (though they be bad and grosse) to turne to his good temperature and substance, but we may so far forth vse contrary meats, as the creature shall loose those good qualities, which it receiued from the seed wherof it was made: therefore Plato said, that one of the things which most brought mans wit, and his man∣ners to ruine, was his euill bringing vp in diet. For which cause he counselled that we should giue vnto children, meats and drinks, delicat, and of good tem∣perature, to the end, that when they grow big, they may know how to abandon the euil, & to embrace the good. The reason hereof is very cleere. For if at the bginning

the braine was made of delicat seed, and that this mem∣ber goeth euerie day impairing and consuming, and must be repaired with the meats which we eat, it is cer∣taine, if these being grosse and of euill temperature, that vsing them many daies togither, the braine will become of the same nature. Therefore it sufficeth not, that the child be borne of good seed, but also it behooueth that the meat which he eateth, after he is formed and borne, bee endowed with the same qualities. What these be, it carrieth no great difficultie to manifest, if you presup∣pose, that the Greekes were the most discreet men of the world, and that, enquiring after aliments and food, to make their children witty and wise, they found the best and most appropriat. For if the subtile and delicate wit, consist in causing that the braine be compounded of partes subtile, and of good temperature, that meate which aboue all others partaketh these two qualities, shalbe the same which it behooueth vs to vse, for obtei∣ning our end. Galen, and all the Greeke Phisitions, say that Goats milke boiled with honny, is the best meat which any man can eat: for besides that it hath a mode∣rate substance, therein the heat exceedeth not the cold, nor the moist the drie. Therefore we said (some few leaues past) that the parentes, whose will earnestly lea∣deth them, to haue a childe, wise, prompt, and of good conditions, must eat much Goats milke boiled with honny, 7 or 8 daies before the copulationut-Balbeit this aliment is so good (as Galen speaketh of) yet it falleth out a matter of importance for the wit, that the meate con∣sist of moderate substance, and of subtile partes. For how much the finer the matter becommeth in the nourishment of the braine, so much the more is the wit sharpened. For which cause; the Greekes drew∣out

of the milke, cheese and whey (which are the two grosse aliments of his composition) and left the butter, which in nature resembleth the aire. This they gaue in food to their children, mingled with honny, with inten∣tion to make them witty and wise. And that this is the trueth, is plainly seen by that which Homer recounteth. Besides this meat, children did eat cracknels, of white bread, of very delicat water, with honny and a little salt: but in steed of vinegar (for that the same is very noisome and dammageable to the vnderstanding) they shall adde thereunto, butter of Goats-milke, whose temperature & substance, is appropriat for the wit. But in this regiment grows an inconuenience verie great, namely; that chil∣dren vsing so delicat meats, shall not possesse sufficient strength to resist the iniuries of the aire: neither can de∣fend themselues from other occasions, which are woont to breed maladies. So by making thē become wise, they will fall out to be vnhealthful, and liue a small time. This difficulty demandeth, in what sort children may be brought vp, witty and wise, and yet the matter so hand∣led, as it may no way gainsay their healthfulnes. VVhich shall easily be effected, if the parentes dare to put in pra∣ctise, some rules and precepts which I wil prescribe. And because deinty people are deceiued in bringing vp their childrē, and they treat stil of this matter: I wil first assigne them the cause why their children, though they haue Schoolemaisters and tutors, and themselues take such pains at their booke, yet they come away so meanly with the sciences, as also in what sort they may remedy this, without that they abridge their life, or hazard their health. Eight things (saith Hippocrates) make mans flesh moist & fat. The 1 to be merry, and to liue at hearts ease; the 2 to sleepe much: the 3 to lie in a soft bed: the 4 to

fare well: the fifth, to be well apparelled and furnished: the sixth, to ride alwaies on horsebacke: the seuenth, to haue our will: the eighth to be occupied in plaies and pastimes, and in things which yeeld contentment and pleasure. All which is a veritie so manifest, as if Hippocra∣tes had not affirmed it, none durst denie the same. Only we may doubt, whether delicious people doe alwaies obserue this maner of life; but if it be true that they do so, we may well conclude, that their seed is very moist, and that the children which they beget, will of necessitie o∣uer-abound in superfluous moisture, which it behoo∣ueth first to be consumed: for this qualitie sendeth to ruine the operations of the reasonable soule: And more∣ouer the Phisitions say, that it maketh them to liue a short space and vnhealthfull. By this it should seeme, that a good wit, and a sound bodily health require one selfe qualitie, Namely drouth; wherethrough, the pre∣cepts and rules which we are to lay downe for making children wise, will serue likewise to yeeld them much health, and long life. It behooueth them, (so soone as a childe is borne of delicious parents) inasmuch as their constitution consisteth of more cold and moist than is conuenient for childhood, to wash him with salt hote water; which (by the opinion of all phisitions) soketh vp and drieth the flesh, & giueth soundnesse to the sinews, and maketh the child strong and manly, and (by consu∣ming the ouermuch moisture of his braine) enableth him with wit, and freeth-him from many deadly infir∣mities. Contrariwise, the bath being of water fresh and hot, in that the same moisteneth the flesh (saith Hippo∣crates) it breedeth fiue annoiances; Namely, effemina∣ting of the flesh, weaknesse of sinews, dulnesse of spirits, fluxes of bloud, and basenesse of stomacke. But if the

child issue out of his mothers belly with excessiue dri∣nesse, it is requisit to washe the same with hote fresh wa∣ter. Therfore Hippocrates said, children are to be washed a long time with hote water, to the end they may re∣ceiue the lesse annoiance by the crampe, and that they may grow and be well coloured: but (for certaine) this must be vnderstood of those who come forth drie out of their mothers belly; in whom it behooueth to amend their euill temperature, by applying vnto them contra∣rie qualities. The Almains (saith Galen) haue a custome, to wash their children in a riuer, so soon as they are born; them seeming, that as the iron which commeth burning hot out of the forge, is made the stronger, if it be dipped in cold water: so when the hot child is taken out of the mothers wombe, it yeeldeth him of greater force and vigour, if he be washed in fresh water. This thing is con∣demned by Galen for a beastly practise, and that with great reason: for put case, that by this way, the skinne is hardened and closed, and not easie to be altered by the iniuries of the aire, yet will it rest offended by the excre∣ments which are engendred in the body, for that the same is not of force, nor open so as they may be exhaled and passe forth. But the best and safest remedie is, to wash the children, who haue superfluous moisture, with hot salt water: for their excessiue moisture consuming, they are the neerer to health, and the way through the skinne, being stopped in them, they cannot receiue an∣noiance by any occasion. Neither are the inward excre∣ments therefore so shut vp, that there are not waies left open for them, where they may come out. And nature is so forcible, that if they haue taken from her a com∣mon way, she will seeke out another to serue her turne. And when all others faile, she can skill to make new

waies, wherethrough to send out what doth her dam∣mage. VVherefore of two extreames, it is more auaile∣able for health, to haue a skinne hard and somewhat close, than thinne and open.

The second thing requisit to be performed when the child shalbe born, is, that we make him acquainted with the winds, and with change of aire, & not keep him still locked vp in a chamber: for else it will become weake, womanish, peeuish, of feeble strength, and within three or foure daies, giue vp the ghost. Nothing (saith Hippo∣crates) so much weakeneth the flesh, as to abide still in warme places, and to keepe our selues from heate and cold. Neither is there a better remedie for healthfull li∣uing, than to accustome our body to al winds, hot, cold, moist, and dry. Wherethrough Aristotle enquireth, what the cause is, that such as liue in the Gallies are more healthy, & better colored, than those who inhabit a pla∣shy soil. And this difficulty groweth greater, considering the hard life which they lead, sleeping in their clothes, in the open aire, against the sun, in the cold, & the water, & faring withall so coursly. The like may be demanded, as touching shepheards, who of all other men enioy the soundest health, & it springeth, because they haue made a league with al the seueral qualities of the aire, and their nature dismaieth at nothing. Cōtrariwise, we plainly see, that if a man giue himselfe to liue deliciously, and to be∣ware that the sun, the cold, the euening, nor the wind of∣fend him, within 3 daies he shalbe dispatched with a post letter to another world. Therfore it may well be said, he that loueth his life in this world, shal leese it: for there is no man that can preserue himself from the alteration of the aire; therfore it is better to accustom himself to euery thing, to the end a mā may liue careles, & not in suspēce.

The errour of the vulgar consisteth, in thinking that the babe is borne so tender and delicat, as he cannot endure to issue forth of the mothers wombe (where it was so warme) into a region of the aire so cold, without recei∣uing much dammage. And verely they are deceiued: for those of Almaine (a region so cold) vsed to dip their children so hote in the riuer: and though this were a beastly act, yet the same did them no hurt, nor deaths harme.

The third point conuenient to be accomplished, is, to seeke out a yoong nuise of temperature hot & drie: or (after our doctrine) cold and moist in the first degree; enured to hardnesse & want, to lie on the bare ground, to eat little, and to go poorly clad, in wet, drouth and heat; such a one will yeeld a firme milke, as acquainted with the alterations of the aire; and the childe being brought vp by her, for some good space, will grow to possesse a great firmnesse. And if she be discreet and ad∣uised, the same will also be of much auaile for his wit: for the milke of such a one, is verie cleane, hot, and drie: with which two qualities, the much cold and moist will be corrected, which the infant brought from his mo∣thers wombe. How greatly it importeth for the strength of the creature, that it sucke a milke well exercised, is ap∣parently proued in horses, who being foaled by mares, toiled in plowing and harrowing, prooue great cour∣sers, and will abide much hardnesse. And if the dammes run vp and down idlely in the pastures after the first ca∣riere, they are not able to stand on their feet. The order then which should be held with the nurse, is, to take her into house, some foure or fiue months before the child∣birth, and to giue her the same meats to eat, wheron the mother feedeth, that she may haue time to consume the

bloud and bad humours, which she had gathered by harmfull meats, that she vsed tofore, and to the end the child (so soon as it is born) may sucke the like milke vn∣to that, which relieued it in the mothers bellle, or made at least of the same meats.

The fourth is, not to accustome the child to sleepe in a soft bed, nor to keepe him ouerwarme apparrelled: or giue him too much mear. For these three things (saith Hippocrates) scarsen and dry vp the flesh, and their con∣traries, fatten and enlarge the same. And in so doing, the child shall grow of great wit, and of long life, by reason of this drinesse: and by the contraries, he will prooue faire, fat, ful of bloud, & bockish; which habit, Hippocrates called Wrastler-like, and holdeth it for verie perillous. With this selfe receit and order of life, was the wisest man brought vp, that euer the world had; To weet our sauiour Christ, in that he was man, sauing (for that he was born out of Nazareth) perhaps his mother had no salt water at hand, where with she might wash him but this was a custome of the Iews, and of all Asia besides; brought in by some skilfull Phisitions, for the good of infants, wherethrough the Prophet saith, And when thou wert borne, at thy birth day thy nauill string was not cut off: neither wert thou for thy healths sake wa∣shed in water, nor seasoned with salt, nor wrapped in swathling clothes. But as touching the other things, so soone as he was borne, he began to hold friendship with the cold, and the other alterations of the aire. His first bed was the earth, his apparrell course, as if he would obserue Hippocrates receit. A few daies after they went with him into Aegypt, a place very hot, where he remai∣ned all the time that Herod liued. His mother partaking the like humours, it is certaine, that she must yeeld him a

milke well exercised, and acquainted with the alterati∣ons of the aire. The meat which they gaue him, was the same which the Greeks deuised, to endow their children with wit and wisdom. This (I haue said heretofore) was the butterish part of the milke eaten with honny. Wher∣fore Esay saith, He shall eat butter & honny, that he may know to eschew euill, and chuse the good. By which wordes is seen, how the Prophet gaue vs to vnderstand, that albeit he was verie God, yet he ought also to be a perfect man: and to attaine naturall wisedome, he must apply the semblable diligences, as doe the other sons of men. Howbeir this seemeth difficult to be conceiued, and may be also held a folly, to thinke that because Christ our redeemer, did eate butter and honny being a childe, he should therefore know how to eschue euill, and make choice of good: when he was elder, God being (as he is) of infinite wisedome, and hauing giuen him (as he was man) all the science infused, which he could receiue after his naturall capacitie. Therefore it is certaine that he knew full as much in his mothers wombe, as when he was thirtie three yeares old, with∣out eating either butter or honny, or borrowing the helpe of anie other naturall remedies requisite for hu∣maine wisdom. But for all this, it is of great importance that the prophet assigned him that selfe meat, which the Troians and Greeks accustomably gaue their children, to make them witty and wise, & that he said, To the end he may know to shun euill and chuse the good. For vn∣derstanding, that by means of these aliments, Christ our sauiour, got (as he was man) more acquisit knowledge, than he should haue possessed if he had vsed other con∣trarie meats; it behooueth vs to expound this particle, (to the end) that we may know what he meant, when

he spake in those termes. We must therfore presuppose, that in Christ our redeemer were two natures, as the ve∣ry trueth is, and the faith so teacheth vs; one, diuine, as he was God; and another humane, compounded of a reasonable soule, & of an elimentall bodie, so disposed and instrumentalized, as the other children of men. As concerning his first nature, it behooueth not to intreat of the wisdome of our sauiour Christ: for it was infinit without encrease or diminishment, and without de∣pendance vpon ought else, saue onely in that he was God, and so he was as wise in his mothers wombe, as when he was 33 yeares of age, and so from euerlasting. But in that which appertaineth to his second nature, we are to weet, that the soule of Christ, euen from the instant when God created it, was blessed, and glorious, euen as now it is; and seeing it enioyed God and his wisdome, it is certaine that in him was none ignorance: but he had so much science infused, as his naturall capa∣citie would beare: but withall, it is alike certaine, that as the glorie did not communicat it selfe vnto all the partes of the bodie, in respect of the redemption of mankinde; no more did the wisedome infused, com∣municate it selfe; For the braine was not disposed, nor instrumentalized, with the qualities & substance, which are necessary, to the end the soule may with such an in∣strument, discourse and philosophize: for if you call to mind that which in the beginning of this worke we de∣liuered, the graces gratis giuen, which God bestoweth vpon men, do ordinarily require, that the instrument with which they are to be exercised; and the subiect whereinto it is to be receiued, doe partake the na∣turall qualities, requisite for euerie such gift. And the reason is, because that the reasonable soule, is an

act of the body, and worketh not without the seruice of his bodily instrumentes. The braine of our redeemer Christ, whilst he was a babe, and lately born, had much moisture: for in that age it was behooffull so to be, and a matter naturall, and therefore in that it was of such qualitie, his reasonable soule (naturally) could not dis∣course nor philosophize with such an instrumēt. Wher∣through, the science infused, passed not to the bodily memorie, nor to the imagination, nor the vnderstan∣ding, because these three are instrumentall powers (as tofore we haue proued) & enioyed not that perfection, which they were to haue; but whilst the brain went dry∣ing, by meanes of time and age: the reasonable soule went also manifesting euery day more and more, the in∣fused wisdome which it had, and communicated the same to the bodily powers. Now, besides this superna∣turall knowledge, he had also another, which is gathered of things that they heard whilest they were children, of that which they saw, of that which they smelled, of that which they tasted, and of that which they touched: and this (for certaine) our sauiour Christ attained as o∣ther men do. And euen as for discerning things perfect∣ly, he stood in need of good eies, and for hearing of sounds, good eares: so also he stood in need of a good braine, to iudge the good and the euil. Whence it is ma∣nifest, that by eating those delicat meates, his head was daily better instrumentalized, & attained more wisdom. In sort, that if God had taken frō him his science infused, thrise in the course of his life (by seeing that which he had purchased) we shall find, that at ten yeares he knew more than at fiue, at twentie, more than at ten, and at thirtie three, more than at twenty. And that this doctrin is true and catholicke, the letter of the Euangelicke text

prooueth, saying; and Iesus encreased in wisedome and age, and grace, with God, & with men. Of many catho∣licke senses which the holy scripture may receiue, I hold that euer better which taketh the letter, than that which reaueth the termes and wordes of their naturall signifi∣cation. VVhat the qualities are which the brain ought to haue, and what the substance, we haue already reported, by the opinion of Heraclitus, That drinesse maketh the wisest soule. And by Galens mind we proued, That when the braine is compounded of a substance very delicat, it maketh the wit to be subtile. Christ our redeemer, went purchasing more drinesse by his age: for from the day that we are borne, vntil that of our death, we daily grow to a more drinesse, and leesing of flesh, & a greater know∣ledge. The subtile and delicat parts of his braine, went correcting themselues, whilst he fed vpon meats, which the Prophet speaketh of. For if euery moment he had need of nourishment, and restoring the substance which wasted away, and this must be performed with meates, and in none other sort, it is certaine, that if he had al∣waies fed on cowes beefe, or porcke, in few daies he should haue bred himselfe a braine grosse and of euill temperature: with which his reasonable soule could not haue shunned euill, or chosen good, saue by miracle, and employing his diuinitie. But God leading him by naturall means, caused him to vse those so delicat meats, by which the braine being maintained, the same might be made an instrument, so well supplied, as (euen with∣out vsing the diuine or infused knowledge) he might na∣turally haue eschued euill, and chosen good, as do the o∣ther children of men.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An high specu∣lation.
• * 1.2

  Note here a sign which sheweth the immortalitie of the soule.
• * 1.3

  This is no chap∣ter for maids to read in sight of others.
• * 1.4

  You are much mistaken.