A uery brefe treatise, ordrely declaring the pri[n]cipal partes of phisick that is to saye: thynges natural. Thynges not naturall. Thynges agaynst nature. Gathered, and sette forth by Christopher Langton.

The fyrste boke. (Book 1)

¶The fyrste Chapter. Of what kynde of artes Phisicke is.

SEyng that I haue taken vpon me, to wryte a breefe trea∣tyse vpon Phisicke, for the alonlye com∣moditie of ignoraunt and vnlear∣ned studentes in the same, I think it very necessarye and expedient to open and declare, bothe playnlye, and brefely what physicke is, whi∣che in Latine is called Medicina, & in Englysshe woorde for woorde, Medicine.

Hyppocrates in his boke de fla∣tibus, whiche is as muche to saye, as in his boke of Spirites, or bla∣stes, affirmeth that Medicine or Physicke, is nothyng, but the ad∣iection of that that lacketh, or the

subtraction, or takynge awaye, of that whyche is superfluous, & re∣doundeth: the whych declaration or definition, Gallen alloweth in manye places, & trulie not w^tout a cause: For ther is no parte of phi∣sike but it is cōprehended in thys finition. Auerroes in the .vi. boke, and the .i. Chapiter, of his gathe∣ringes dothe define phisicke verye fetely, in these wordes folowinge. Medicina est ars factiuarum vna, ra∣tione, et experimento inuenta, que tum sanitatem tuetur, tum morbum depellit. whiche is as muche to say in englysh, as Phisike is one of those artes whyche dothe make thinges inuented, or found out by reason and experience, and the whyche partly defendeth health, and partly beteth away disease, and siknes.

Herophilus woulde haue defi∣ned it, after this fashion. Medicina est scientia salubrium, insalubrium, et neutrorum.

Whyche in englyshe is as fo∣loweth. Physike is a science of thynges holsome, & vnholsome, and of neyther of bothe: Gallen vseth thys finition, in hys boke y^t is called ars medica, not because he doth so greatly alowe it, but because yt serueth hys pourpose, whyche is easie to be knowen of that, that foloweth: where he say∣eth that this worde scientia, must be taken in that place, accordynge to hys common significatyon, and not as it signifyeth proper∣lye: wherefore phisike is an arte, and no science, and seynge yt is an arte, I thynke yt well donne,

to shewe in what kynde of artes it is: For there be many differen∣ces of Artes, but especiallye .iiii. One is called in Latyne, Contem∣platoria, whiche hath his ende on∣ly in the seyng and beholdyng of thynges, and maye well be called contemplacion or knowlege, suche is Arithmetick, Astronomie, & na∣tural philosophie, for ther is none of these artes that doth any thing but is onlye ended in contemplaci∣on and studye.

There is an other which is called in Latyn, Actiua, in Englysh prac∣tise, and consisteth in doynge, as dawnsyng, and harpyng, wyth o∣ther lyke.

The thyrde in Latyn maye be cal∣led Factiua, which besyde the prac∣tise and studye, leaueth behynde his woorke, as payntyng, & buyl∣dyng,

and of this kynde there be two artes, for some make the wor∣kes them selues, as weuyng & tan∣ning, and some correct and amend the thynges, whan they be made: as botchyng and clowtyng of old garmentes houses, & other thīges The fowerth in Latyn is called comparans, which in our tong may be called a gettyng arte, for it do∣eth make nothynge, but by studye, & industry getteth certen thynges as fysshynge and huntyng, these truly do make nothyng: but their study & labor is to get somthyng. And to be brefe, Phisicke as Gal∣len sayeth, is a kynde of those Ar∣tes whiche restoreth theyr woor∣kes nowe alreadye done, and cor∣recteth the same, and not of them whiche make theyr workes newe. For Phisicke of her selfe maketh

not her examples, as the arte of buyldyng, knyttyng, and weuing dothe. But as that arte that men∣deth olde houses, and piceth olde garmentes: so phisike doth amend the euyll constitution of mannes bodye.

¶The seconde Chapiter. Of the sectes in phisyke.

YT is nowe alredye shewed, that phisike is an arte which re∣storeth healthe be∣ynge absent, and de¦fendeth the same beynge present, but howe thys art maye be got∣ten yt is not agreed vpon amon∣gest all men, for some thynke ex∣perience sufficiente to the get∣tyng of this arte, and do cal them selfes therof Empericos. These be they that haue ther firste respect

vnto the heape of accidentes, and begynneth their cure of them, wythout any knowledge ether of the disease, or the cause, and they call the forsayde heape of acciden∣tes in Greke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the why∣che in Lattyn is called Congeries, and concursus, and in Englishe a heape, and concurryng, or run∣nynge to gether. Secundarilye, they obserue, and marke, in the cummynge to gether of Acciden∣tes, Medicines which they know to be mete for the disease, onlye by vse and experience. Thyrdely they lerne remedies of the historie, of suche as they haue before proued: Fowerthly they goe from lyke, to lyke.

For what soeuer remedyes they haue proued by experience, in manye men, and often tymes

(but alwayes they proue them in the same and lyke measure, orelles by chaunce, and as a man woulde saye vnloked for, they marke and obserue them to be lyke, & to haue one effect) the same they vse bold∣ly▪ nothyng curiouse in the inquy∣ryng what facultie or nature they be of, that is to saye whether they be hote or colde, drye or moyste, & they beleue and credit the olde aun¦cientes, whiche hath lefte in wry∣tyng, suche thynges as they haue noted and obserued by experience, & that y^t thē selues haue obserued & marked, they cal in Greke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whiche in Englysh, maye be called theyr owne inspection, and looke what they haue obserued, & marked by chaunce, as yf a mā by fallyng from hygh, be woūded, or hurte, or els yf a man beyng sicke

and folowyng his appetite, drīke colde water, the whiche hath ey∣ther done good or euyll, they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is to saye an ob∣seruacion made by chaunce. But whan they learne that that is marked by other, they call it in Greke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whiche may be cal∣led the obseruation of other.

They vse also to go from lyke to lyke, whiles they intermedle with suche thīges, as they haue not yet proued, althoughe they be of one kynde, and this is called of them in greke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which in englysh is goyng from lyke to lyke, and by this rule they transfer one medicine to dyuers euyls, and from one place affected to another & from one medicine whiche they knewe before, to an other of the same kynde vnknowen.

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Yf the naturall egestions be hol∣den to long, then the party hath a byndyng disease they saye: but yf they runne to muche, that they call an open disease: And yf a man be bothe bounde and lewse together, than they call that sycknes a com∣bynation of bothe the fornamed e∣uyls: as yf the eye shoulde suffer a fluxe, and an inflammation to∣gether, of the whiche, the inflam∣mation is a sycknes that byndeth, and the fluxe an open disease: then theyr remedye in suche a case, is to bynde that that runneth, and to o∣pen that that is boūde, as if there be any inflammation in the shoul∣der or arme, what is their rule? what, but withoute deliberation, or consideration of the place affec∣ted, strayght to lewse the bellye, & yf it fortune bothe the forsayde e∣uyls

to chaūce at one tyme, in one membre, then what do they? vtter¦ly necglect that that is of the least daunger: and these be they which reprehende Hyppocrates, because he sayeth that physicke is a longe arte, and that mannes lyfe is but shorte, for they saye that it is not so, but rather cleane contrary. For as they saye, yf al that is superflu∣ous were cut out, phisicke myghte be easily learned in .vi. monethes. The begynner of this secte, was Syrus, Asclepiades scholer: af∣ter whome came Thessalus, Pro∣clus, and manye other.

Moreouer there be other which be called Dogmatici, because they grounde all theyr doynges vppon reason. These do learne diligent∣ly the nature and cōstitution of all suche bodyes as they take in hand

to heale: and doe marke verye di∣lygently, euerye day, the alterati∣ons of the same, besyde this, they say, that yt is euerye honest Phi∣sition hys part, to know, and con∣syder well, both the nature of the ayer, waters, and wyndes, and the place also wher the sycke aby∣dethe, and his accustomed diet, as well in meates, and drinkes, as bathes, exercises, & other thinges, to the end, that he may haue a sure knowledge, bothe of the causes, & remedyes, of all diseases. They wyll also that he be suche an one, that he be able, to proue by reason, what nature any kynde of medi∣cyne hath, and that he be able to apoynt, (though he neuer sawe yt before) what yt is able to doe, and they counsel euery Phisition, to begynne his cure, accordyng to

the strength of the sick, and not as y^e disease paraduenture shall wyll hym: And they doe not denye, but that experience is necessarye, howbeit they denye it to be suffi∣cient to cure all malledies, and to finde, and serche out, all thynges. And also they say, y^t without re∣son, experience can hardly be come by. The first author, and foun∣der of this sect, was Hyppocrates Lous, withoute dowt, the moste lerned, and noble Phisition, that euer was, after hym came Dio∣cles, Praxagoras, and Chrysyp∣pus, w^t many mo, no lesse lerned, then famouse.

¶The .iii. chapter. The partes of phisicke

THere be .vi. especiall par∣tes of phisicke, the firste dothe considere the con∣stitucion

of mannes nature, & bo∣die. The second defendeth the bo∣die from sycknes, kepynge it in healthe. The third inquireth the causes, and accidentes, of sick∣nes, and diseases. The forthe con∣teyneth the knowledge as well of thinges past, as also present, and to come. The fifth showeth an or∣der, and a way, how all diseases, shoulde be healed: and this part, is deuyded into thre other partes. The firste of the thre, techeth the healing of sicknesses, by diet only, and therefore it is both the chefe, and moste noble parte of phisicke, and without the which, the other partes, which serue to the helyng of diseases, can not be: and hereof it is, that Hippocrates wrot thre great bokes of the remediynge of

all feruent diseases, by diet onlye, in the which boke, he proueth euy∣dently, that of a lytell faut or error in the diet of suche as be sycke, fo∣loweth death without remedy, the whiche thing yf it be true, as vn∣doutedlye it is, what be such Phi∣sitions worthye, as doe vtterlye necglect the same, and thinke that they haue done a great feat, whan they haue wrytten a byl or two, to the appoticarie, takynge no care in the meane tyme, what manner of dyet, the sicke kepeth.

The seconde parte, healeth by medicins inwarde, & outwardly taken. But there be medicins of .ii. sortes, that is to say simple, and compounde, and first to the parfit curyng of the disease most necessa∣ry is the knowledge of the simple

and this care whiche is a greate charge, is commytted to such, as be vnlerned, yea and in many pla∣ces (more is the pittie) to folish, & ignorant wemen: I wolde rather wishe, the handlynge of suche Iu∣elles, to be in the handes, of y^e best lerned, and wysest Phisitions: For as it is a thinge to be laugh∣hed at, if a Paynter know not his pensill, or a coblar hys nall, or a tannar his lether, so think ye that a Phisition is not to be laught to scorne? yf he know not the matter of that arte, which he professeth? But now adayes he is most set by; and had in the gretest estima∣tion, which knoeth y^e least, & which can make one medicine serue a thowsande diuerse diseases, whi∣che is as lyke to be true, as one shooe to be mete & sit for so many

feet. And as for medicins, they be not worth a vyle straw, except they com out of Ethiop, Arabi, or In∣dia, wheras for vs english men, ther is non so good, as our owne Englishe simples: For it can not be proued, y^t nature euer brought forthe any wher liuing creatures, where as she left nothing to fede them wyth all, and lykewyse as she hath prouided meat, so hath she medicyns also, but the suttylties of men, for their owne gayne, and priuat Lucre, hath browght to passe that al thing is oute of order, bothe in the shoppes of the appo∣ticaries, and other places elles where. The thyrd part is Sur∣gery, which is wrought by man∣nes hand, which Gallen commen∣deth hyghly, in many, and sundry bokes.

¶The .iiii. chapter. The distribution of Phi∣sicke in to thre formes.

QVre forfathers haue distributed, and de∣uided Phisicke, into thre formes, or or∣ders, and that for no other pourpose, but that yonge studentes of Phisick, might lerne diligently, and a gret dele the bet∣ter remember, what so euer they had red, in the monumentes of olde writers. The first order is of those thinges, of y^e whiche, mānes body is made of, and it hath plesed the foresayde elders, to call suche thinges, as oure body is cōpact, & made of thinges natural, because to the perfection of mannes body they be necessary.

The seconde order, is of those thinges, with the which, oure bo∣dye is nourished, that yt may re∣mayne in healthe: & these thinges be called not naturall, not because they be vtterlye agaynst oure na∣ture, but because if they be geuen without discreciō, they may make suche alteration in the bodye, as may extinguishe and abolishe vt∣terlye, the lyfe.

The thirde order, is of such as hurt, and harme the body, and cor∣rupt it, & therfore, they be called, thinges agaynste nature, be cause they be clene contrary to nature.

¶The fyfth chapter. Of the number of thinges na∣turall.

NOwe it is tyme to speke of the first part of Phisicke, whiche entreateth of the na∣turall cōstitution of mannes bodie, & this part of Phi∣sicke, is not put firste, without a cause: For no mā can do any good with a medicyne, whiche is igno∣rant in the constitutiō of mannes bodie, therfore the thinges natu∣rall wherof mannes bodye is con∣pact & made, be seuen in number.

1 Elementes: as the fiere, ayer, water, and erthe.

2 Temperamentes: as hote, cowlde, moyst, and drye.

3 Humores: as blowde, fleume, chollar bothe yelow & black.

4 Partes: as flesh, bone, brayne harte, liuer, heed, and handes

5 Faculties: as Animall, vitall, &

naturall.

6 Actions: as Animall, & natu∣rall.

7 Spirites: as animall, vitall, and naturall.

These thinges I entend (god wil∣ling) to expresse so well as the ste∣rillite of my simple wyt, will geue me leaue, begynnyng first wyth the Elementes.

¶The sixte, chapter. Of the Elementes.

TVlly y^e eloquent Ro∣main, counselleth ve∣ry wel euery mā, first of all and before he make any far proce∣dynge, to defyne the thing, of the which he pourposeth to entreat, to y^e entent that euery mā may per∣ceyue what it is y^e is spokē of ther∣fore according to his counsell (I

wyll fyrst define what an element is: wherfore an element, (as Ga∣len sayeth in the .viii. boke of the decrees of Plato, and Hyppocra∣tes) is the lest part of that thynge, of the which it is an element, and of these amongest the hole nature of thynges, there be but fower in number, which is the fyer, Ayer, water, and yearth: and as of these all thynges naturall, haue there begynnynge, so at the length, they shall be resolued into the same a∣gayne. For Hyppocrates sayeth, in a boke, which he entytelleth the nature of man, that after the soule is once dissolued from the body, e∣uery thinge, wherof the body was of first, is returned in hys owne nature agayne, as loke what in the begynnyng was drye, that is

tourned in to drye, & what was moyste, becōmeth moyste agayne: and lykewyse heat is turned into heat, and colde, becommeth colde agayne, but after these elementes be once mixte in the body they can no more be called elementes, that is to say pure, and simple bodyes, & that y^e is made of them, is a bo∣dye mixt, and corruptible.

Therfore as Gallen counselleth in the firste boke of elementes, go not about to serche out or to finde in any naturall body, any thinge that is simple, and not mixt, or compounded, leste thou lose thy peyne, but be contented yf thou se a member that is could, hard, and drye, and a nother that is moyste, rare, and fluxible, to thinke the tone to come of the yearth,

and the other, of the water, And lykewyse whan thou considerest with thy selfe, in thy mynde, the nature of a spirit, then remember the ayer. For seing that the ele∣mentes, be the lest partes of owre bodies, it is not possible that they should be perceyued by any sense. Yf these elementes wer not mixte all together, nether man, nor no o∣ther liuinge creature, coulde be made of them, for what part of the body they should towch, they must of necessitie, corrupt the same. For ther is no part of the bodie that can abyde safe without hurt, or dammage, the towchynge of any thynge, that is ether extreme hote or extreme colde, moyest, or drye. And herof it is euident that these elementes be not mixt in mannes bodye, as wheate, or barley, is

mixt in a hepe, for of the grayne ther is no alteratiō, seing after the mixture it remaynethe hole, but the elementes be so altered, and chaunged, that after the mixture, ther remayneth nothyng, but one∣ly a signification of theire quali∣ties, the which qualities, whiles they be in the elementes, altering the substaunce subiect to them, do cause the mutuall alteration, of y^e elementes. Yt is necessarie for a Phisition, to consider exactlye, and diligentlye, the nature of the elementes, to the ende that he may knowe, howe health is made of the temperature, of heat, cold, dry, and moyst, and of the distempera∣ture of the same sicknes.

¶The seuen chapter. Of temperamentes

AMongest thynges naturall, the tem∣peramentes, haue the second place, a temperament is no thinge elles, but a complexion, or a conbination of y^e fower elementes or elles of heat, coulde, dry and moyst: of tempera∣mentes there be .ix. differencis, of y^e which one is temperat, be cause it excedeth in no qualitie, the rest be all distemperat, of the which .iiii. be simple, as hot, cold, dry, & moyst, and .iiii. be compounde, as hot & moyst to gether, cold and dry, hot and dry, coulde, and moyst. The ix. difference, which I sayed be∣fore was temperat, may be taken .ii. manner of wayes, ether tempe∣rat simple and absolutly, or elles temperate in euerye kynde of

thinges: loke what is temperate simply, and absolutly, that in the respect of all thinges, is temperat and in it the elementes be equally mingled, and such a thinge must be knowen by cogitacion only, for other wayes it cannot, as Gallen is a manifeste witnesse in the firste boke, that he writ in the defence of health.

And that is temperat in euery kind, in the which, is the same me∣diocrity of contrary elementes, as is conuenient to the nature, not only of man and best, but also of trees, and plantes, and this tem∣perament is in all them that be hole accordynge to there nature, and it may be knowen of hys functions, and officis, who is hole according to hys nature.

For he that can doe euerie thing well, which he is apt to doe natu∣rally, is as hole as nature made hym, whether it be man or best or it be tree, or plant: as an apple tre is very well, or hole, according to his nature, whā he bereth a great number of good apples, and like∣wise an horse, whan he runneth very swift. Therfore this is not the temperament, which is mesu∣red by weyght, wherin ther is as many degrees of heat, as of cold, and of drinesse as of moisture, for that is no where, nor can not be knowen, but by cogitation, as is a foresayd: but in this temperament which is in euery kynd of thinges the elementes be so mixt, that the temperament which commeth of the mixture, agreeth both to the nature of mē, bestes, and plantes.

Therefore it is called a tempera∣ment, accordynge vnto iustice, which mesureth to euery man, not by weyght, but by dignity: where∣fore what soeuer thinge exceadeth this temperament, ether in heate, could, drynes, or moysture, y^e same is not temperate: and of the same that redoundeth it taketh y^e name, as if it be hete that is superfluous then it is called hot, & loke what thinge hath more hete, then colde, that same is hote, & contrary, yf it haue more cold than heate, it is called could, & lykewise that that hath more moysture, then drines, is named moyst: and agayne, yf it haue more drines thē moysture, then it may be called dry: and here of it commeth y^e summer is cal∣led hote, because it hath more hete then coulde, and wynter is called

colde, because it hath more colde then heate: furthermore if a thinge excede in heat and moysture to ge∣ther, or in colde and drynesse, or in hete and drynesse, or in colde and moysture, then it must take name, of the qualities which excedeth: as yf heat and moysture excede, then it must be called hote and moyste: yf colde and drynes, cold and dry: and so of the other. And hereof it is euident, that sumtyme one tem∣perament is equall and temperate in one opposicion, and distempe∣rate, and not equall in an other.

For yf it be not necessary, for that that is hote to be dry, but may be moyst, then it may also be tempe∣rate, because the meane is nygher to the dry temperature, then is y^e moyst: and lykewise an other tem∣perature that is colde yf it may as

well be dry as moyst, may be tem∣perate also: because the meane is nigher to the moyst temperature, then the dry is.

The same answere may be made of drye and moyste, that before is made of hote and colde. Therefore it is no maruayle, though there be sumthinge temperate in the one halfe, and not temperate in the o∣ther. But here thou must take hede, yf thou be axed of what tem∣perature a man, an asse, or an oxe is, that thou answere not symply and absolutly: For to that that is spoken diuersly, and is diuerie al∣so of it selfe, no man can make ab∣solutely & simply a direct answere: Therfore before thou make thyne answere, y^u must bid hym, showe y^t y^e mā, the asse, or y^e oxe, whereof he douteth: then yf he dout of a man,

thou muste haue a respect to the perfit man, whiche (as Gallen sayeth in the firste boke of his tē∣peramentes) is neyther hote, nor coulde, and as he differeth from hym, so make answere, sayinge eyther that he is hot, or otherwise as thy iudgement shall lede the: but yf he doubt of a best, then thou must haue an eye to the hole kynde of men. For all other kindes, com∣pared vnto it, are distemperat, & as he differeth from mankynde, eyther in hete, or otherwise, so shape hym an answere. And that thou be not deceyued, in makyng thyne answere, thou muste vnder¦stand, that heat, coulde, dry, and moyst, be taken diuersly: For first they be taken absolutely, and sim∣ply, that is to say without any ad∣mixtion of other bodyes: and of

this sorte, the only elementes be hot, coulde, dry, & moyst: seconda∣rely they be spoken by excesse, as whan there is in one thing, more hete then coulde, more drynesse, then moysture, or other wyse: and of this fassion bloud, fleme, wyne, oyle, & honny, be called hot, colde, dry, and moyst: and that, that is called hote, colde, dry, and moyste of this sort, is spoken yet .2. maner of wayes. fyrst absolutly, that is compared to no one alone, but to the hole nature of thinges, and of this fasshiō a dog, simply, & abso∣luetly taken, and not compared to any thing alone, is dry: otherwise that is to say not absolutly, but cōpared to sum one alone, may be moyst, as to a pismyre. And more∣ouer, there be .iii. diuers maner of comparisons, the first is betwyxt

two of diuers kyndes, as a man to a beaste. The second is whan y^e distemperate is compared to the temperate of the same kynde, as a man compared to the parfit man, whereof we spake before. The thirde is, whan .ii. distemperate of one kynde, is compared toge∣ther: as one man to an other, one lyon to an other, one horse to an other. Whosoeuer dothe diligen∣tly examin these thinges, may eas∣ly iudge of what temperament the iiii. tymes of the yere, that is to say y^e springe, summar, autumne, and winter, be. For euery one of these by hym selfe and without comparison, maye be called hote cold, drye, or moyst, & of this fashi∣on the spring is withoute all ex∣cesse, because there is not as is in wynter, more colde then heat: nor

as in summar, more heat thē cold: lykewyse there is a mediocritie of drynesse and moysture, and ther∣fore Hippocrates sayeth, that it is the most holsumest tyme of all the yere, and a tyme in the which there chaūseth no deadly sicknes. For y^e moste part of the diseases of the springe, happen by reson that all the euyll humors be driuen from the innar partes, in to the skynne. Wherefore the diseases be rather to be imputed to the body, then to y^e tyme of y^e yeare. For what body so euer hath good homours, that bodye remayneth styll in healthe, so long as the spryng lasteth: par∣aduenture it doeth not so in sum∣mar, autumne or wynter, because these tymes brede or encrese euyll humors: as summar encreaseth chollar, & autumne melancholy, & wynter fleme & watrish humors.

It is possible, that sum man wyll reprehend my sayinges, obiecting the begynnyng of the springe to be coulde, accordyng to wynter, & the latter ende hot, as in summar. In dede I confesse no lesse, then y^e begynnynge of the springe, to be a lytell coulde, and the latter ende, a lytell hote, but not in excesse, as it is eyther in summar, or wynter. Wherfore it can not be called hote and moyest, as sūme doe suppose, because it can not be hot and tem∣perat, both at one tyme. As for summar by the consent, as well of the Philosophers, as of phisiti∣ons, is hot and dry, because there is in it more heat then could, more drinesse, then moysture. Autumne simply, and without exception, can not be called colde, and dry, as sūme holde opinion, for it is not

coulde, because there is as muche heate as coulde, seing the middle of the day is much hotter, then the mornynge, and euenynge. Therefore it is founde to be di∣stemperat, in heat, and coulde, and so mixt of bothe, that it can nether be called hote, nether coulde. Therefore it is full of perilouse diseases because it is distempered both in heate, and coulde: and be∣cause it hath more drynesse, then moysture, therefore it is called dry. As for wynter it is moyst, & could, not because it is more moyst & coulde, then y^e other times of the yere, but because there is more moysture then drines, more could then heate. Nowe that I haue so brefelye (as I coulde) declared the temperamentes of the tymes of the yere, it is mete & cōuenient,

to shewe in as fewe wordes as I can, the temperamentes of the iiii. ages, which are chyldehode, youth, mannes state, and olde age: Chyldehode is from the chyldyng the space of .xv. yere next folow∣yng, and it is hote and moyst, and that is easie to be perceyued here∣of, that the first constitution of the chylde, is of seede, and bloude, the whiche both be hote and moyst. Youthe beginneth where chylde∣hod endeth, & continueth .x. yeres: in this age ther is more firye heat, & lesse natural heat thē is in childe∣hode as Gallen witnesseth in hys second boke of temperamentes. Mannes state begynneth at .xxv. and continueth to .xxxv. the which tyme is hote and dry: Olde age beginneth at .xxxv. and continueth the rest of the lyfe, though summe

doe recken it but to .ix. and fortie yere, and it is colde & dry. Ye shall fynde in other places, mo diffe∣rences of ages, howbeit I thinke these sufficient, for suche as be not to deynty, and exquisite. Whoso thinketh hym selfe not sa∣tisfyed, with this brefe exposition of temperamentes, let hym reade diligently Galenes .iii. bokes of temperamentes, and I dout not, but he shall be satisfyed. For I makyng haste to better and more profitable knowledge, cānot finde in my harte, to tary any lenger in this disputation, yet whoso euer shall dilygently examine in hys mynde that that is wryttē before, may easely (yf he be not halfe fo∣lishe) gather y^e rest which wanteth without a techer, or an instructar.

¶The .viii. chapter of humors.

HVmours be fower in number, that is to say, bloude, chollar, flewme, and melan∣choly: of the which, bloude is hote, moyst, and swete. Flewme is coulde, moyst, and vn∣sauery, lyke vnto the pure water: yelowe chollar, hote, dry, and bit∣tar: blacke chollar, or melancholy, coulde, drye, sowre, and stipticke.

These humours be called hot, could, dry, and moyst, because they be so in power, and not in acte, and ther is great difference betwixte thinges that be hot of power: and thinges hot in acte. For that thing is hot in acte, which is hot alredy, and that is hot in power, which is not hot alredy, but may, and is apt to be hot afterward, & so we call bryne, or vinegar drye, though

they appere to the eye to be moyst, yet experience hath proued them drye, because they consume the superfluous humours, bothe of flesh, & also other thinges. Whan these .iiii. humours reserue theyr forsayde qualities, then the body wherein they be, is hole, and with¦out disease, and the before named humours, be called of the Phisiti∣ons, naturall. The receptacles of bloud, be the vaynes, and pulses, but the bloud, that is contayned in the pulses, (as Gallen sayeth in his first boke, and first chapter of affected places) differeth from the blowde of the vaynes, in that, that the blowde of the pulses is both hotter, thynnar, & yelower. The well of the blowde, is the li∣uer, & not onely that, but also the first instrument of mannes bodye

and the naturall and true cullour of the blowd, is red: which Galen affirmeth in many places. Where blowde redoundeth the body is feat, fayer, mery, & plesantly dispo∣sed. Flewme, of cullour is white, which at the length by y^e meanes of naturall heat, may be tourned in to bloude: and therefore seinge it is a nowrishment but halfe boy∣led, nature hath prouided no pro∣pre, or peculier receptacle for the pourgynge of it. For flewme en∣gendred in the stomake or mawe, be cause it is carryed together w^t the iuice that came of the meate & drinke vp in to y^e liuer, is at length by much alteration tourned into bloude, and that which is caryed together with the bloud in the vaynes, may skant be spared, be∣cause it mittigateth the greate feruent, and outragious heat of

y^e bloud: therfore it hath morenede to tarry styll & be altered, then to be pourged, & caryed away, but y^t that remayneth behynde in the guttes, is pourged, & caryed quite oute at the fundament, by reason of the chollar cūmynge fro the lyuer (as Gallen sayeth in the .v. of his bokes, of the vse of the partes of mannes body.) The excrement which falleth frō y^e brayne in to y^e mouth, can not properly be called flewme but rather muck, or sniuil: flewmatick bodyes, be slothfull, slepy, fleshye, & soone horeheared. Yelowe chollar hath his name, of his culour, & nature hathe proui∣ded a proper place for it, which is y^e blather vnder y^e liuer: for it was necessary for it to be parted from the bloud, lest at the length y^e hole body, should becumne yelowe, as it doth in the yelowe Iawndies.

Cholericke men be angry, sharpe wytted, nymble, and quicke in all theyr affayers, inconstant, and leane and good digesters of theyr meat: melancholy is the dregges and filthe of the bloud, and there∣fore it is blacke, as it appereth in the name: it were great daunger, for it to be left in the liuer, therfore the splyne is prouided of nature, to receyue it, the which splyne yf it drawe lesse then it should do, then the melancholy, or blacke chol∣lar, is left with the blowde: by rea∣son whereof the body getteth a black colour, or at the least a feuer quartayne. Men that be melan∣choly, be sottell, couetouse, greate frettars with them selues, vn∣faythful, sad, and carefull, enuious ferfull, and weak sprited. The vse of these forsayde humors, is such

in especiall as foloweth. The bloud serueth to the nowrishment of the hole body, flewme helpeth the mouyng of the ioyntes, yelow chollar clenseth the intestines of of their flewme and filthe, melan∣choly healpeth y^e action of the sto∣make, (as Gallene writeth in his v. boke of the vse of the partes, of mannes body) by reason y^t it dra∣weth the stomake together, wher∣by the naturall heat, is encreased: & the concoction of the meat, made much the more parfit. Soranus an Ephesian borne, wryteth: that these humours rule the body by course, eche of them .vi. houres to gether: as bloud begynneth at .ix. of the clocke in the night, & ruleth vntyll .iii. of the mornyng, yelowe chollar beginneth at .3. in the mor∣nyng, and gouerneth vntyll .ix. of

the mornyng, melancholy begin∣neth at .ix. and continueth to .iii. in the after noone. Flewme begyn∣neth at .iii. of the after noone, and lasteth tyll .ix. of the night. These humors, sumtyme lose theyre na∣turall qualities wherby they hurt the body, and be called not natu∣rall. Blowde becummeth vnnatu∣rall, ether whan it putrifieth in the vaynes, be cause the pores be shut, or els whan it is mixt with sūme other euyll humor, as in the drop∣sy, where it is mingled w^t water, or finally, whan it is mixt, ether w^t ouer muche chollar, flewme, or melancholy, whereof it taketh a newe name, and is called eyther cholericke blowd, flewmaticke, or melancholy bloud: For it is neuer naturall, except in the mixture, it haue the rule and dominion. Of vnnaturall flewme, there be .iiii.

kyndes, (as Gallen wytnessyth in his second boke & .vi. chapter, of y^e differences of feuers). The first is watrysh, & of the cullar of molten glasse, wherof it hathe to name citrine & is very cowld. The se∣cond kynde, is that which after y^e hawking out, hath a swete taste, & is called swete flewme. The third is sowre of taste, & is not so colde as the citrine, & cowlder then the swete. The fowerth is salt, eyther by y^e mixture of sūme salt humor, or elles by putrifactiō, & is called salt flewme. Of vnnaturall yea∣lowe chollar, there be .v. kyndes. The firste is yelowe, lyke vnto the yolkes of egges, & as Gallen say∣eth is engendred in y^e vaynes The second is colowred lyke leade, or garlicke & is bred in y^e stomake or mawe. The thirde is of a rusty cul∣lour, & it also is bred in y^e stomake.

The forth inclineth sumwhat to∣wardes grene, and is engendred in the place beforesayd. The .v. is of the cullour of the sea, and grow∣eth in the stomacke also. Of melā∣choly, or black chollar, ther is but one kynde vnnaturall, & it is sum∣what browne of cullour, and so sharpe and sowre that it eateth, & fretteth the body, where it goethe.

¶The .ix. chapter, of the partes of mannes body.

THe firste diuision of partes of mānes bo∣dy, is of those, that y^e latten men call simi∣lares, & dissimilares, whiche in englishe, may be called lyke, and vnlike▪ For similares be such partes as be lyke vnto them selues in all thinges, which when they be diuided, or parted in sonder

the leste of them kepeth the same name that the hole dothe, whereof it is part: and dissimilares, be such as are vnlyke them selfes in all thinges, which whan they be de∣uided or parted a sunder, none of them can be called by the name y^t the hole is, as in example. No part of the head, can (yf it be separat, & parted, from the head) be called an head▪ no more can any part of the hand be named an hand, nor of y^e foote, a foote: nor of the eye, an eye: yet euery parte of water is called water, and euery part of bloud, is called bloude, and euerye parte of bone, bone: and euery part of flesh, is called fleshe. Therfore these last rehersed be such as the laten men call similares, and the other be the selfe same, y^t be called dissimilares, or instrumentales. Gallen sayeth, y^t

the same partes, which the latyns call similares, be the first elementes, and begynners of mannes bodye, although the selfe same, be com∣mon to brute beastes also, for ther is nether oxe, horse, ne dogge, but they haue pulses, vaynes, se∣newes, tiinges, gristilles, skinnes, and fleshe, yet not in all poyntes lyke vnto man, and beside these, o∣ther that man hath not, as hornes, bylles, spowres, & skales: of these, the other which be called dissimila∣res, or instrumentales, be made, as hed, handes, feet, & such lyke. An instrumentall parte, differith from the instrument, because that sūme of the same partes, before is called similares, be instrumentes, and yet may not be instrumentall partes. For euery part (as gallen sayeth) that bringeth forth a parfit actiō,

is an instrument: wherof it com∣meth that the pulses, vaynes, and senewes, be instrumentes, and no instrumentall partes. Of y^e instru∣mentall partes, there be thre called chefe, or principall: y^e brayne, hart, & liuer. There are summe, whiche addeth vnto these, y^e priuy partes, because they conserue and kepe y^e kinde.

There be belonging to these, iiii. other, as to y^e brayne, senewes: to the hart, pulses: to the liuer, vaynes: and to the pryuye partes, the sparmaticke vessayles: besyde these, there be certayne other partes of the body, whiche nether rule other, nor yet be ruled of o∣ther, but hath a facultie of them selfes, whereof they be gouerned: as bone, tiynge, skynne and fleshe.

All y^e partes of mannes body, haue nede of pulses, and vaynes, to the keping of ther substance: vaynes, to the entent y^t they may be now∣rished, and pulses for the kepynge of naturall heat in good temper. Hytherto I haue spoken general∣ly of the partes of mannes body: whoso is wyllyng to haue a par∣ticular rehersall of all the partes, let them seke Gallen, or Vesal••us. For they haue writtē hole bokes, and greate volumes of them: and as for me, I haue written of the same, in an other place, so well as my wyt, lernyng, knowledge, and the sterilitie and baraynes of the english tong, wolde gyue me leue. Therfore if that I should wryte the same agayne. I shoulde both be ouer tedious to such as showld heare me, & also I showld breake

my promyse, because I haue pro∣mised, to write a brefe, and a shorte treatyse, vpon Phisicke.

The .x. chapter, of powers or faculties.

A Facultie, or a pow∣er, is the cause, frō whence the action procedethe. There be .iii. faculties, or powers, diuers ech to other, which gouerneth the bo∣dye, and be called Animall, vitall, and naturall. The animall power or facultie, cummeth from the brayne by the senewes, & geueth both mouyng and felynge, to eche part of the body, and is author of the senses, and all voluntary acti∣ons. The vital power cummeth from the harte, and is caryed in the pulse throughout the bodye,

wherto it geueth life: wherof it is euident, that the hart is the wel of lifely heat: the natural power, cō∣meth from the liuer, and is caried to euerye parte of the body, by the vaynes, and serueth to the norish∣ynge of the same. This power, or facultie, is deuided in .iiii. other powers, the first is attractiue, the second is retentiue, the third con∣coctiue or alteratiue, the fowerth expulsiue. The attractiue power, is the same, by y^e which, euery part of y^e body draweth to it, such iuyce as is mete and conuenient to no∣rishe it, and that iuyce, which is sooneste made like, is most conue∣nient for nowrishment: therfore this power, seing that it prepareth matter, to the norishment of euery part, serueth to the power altera∣tiue, or concoctiue. The retentyue

power holdeth y^e same which is al redy drawen, vntyl it be altered & chaunged: & this power also, ser∣ueth vnto the alteratiue, or concoc∣tiue power.

The alteratiue power, hath name of hys action, for it altereth the iuyce, and at the length, maketh it lyke to the part, that is norished. The expulsiue power or facultie, separateth the euyll from y^e good, lest with long tariynge together, the one shoulde marre the other: & this as the other, serueth to the al∣teratiue power. These .4. powers, be in euery part of euery naturall body, as Gallen witnesseth, in hys bokes, of pow∣ers or faculties.

¶The .xi. chapter, of Actions.

AN action, is an ac∣tuall mouyng, pro∣cedinge from a fa∣cultie, and therefore the facultie is al∣wayes the cause of the action, wherfore whan the power perish∣eth, ther foloweth no action at all: That which the action hath made & finished, is the worke: as bloud, fleshe, & bone, and as ye may call euery action a certayne worke of Nature, so ye can not call euery worke, an actiō: as flesh is a work of nature, & not an action. There is in y^e body .ii. manner of actions. One is called Anymall, or volun∣tarie, which procedeth from the synowes, and muscules, & this is suche an actiō, y^t whan it is, it may be seased, & whan it is not, it may

be raysed, as a man listeth, as in example. The head, armes, and legges, may be moued, or holden styll, as it shall plese the dody, that hath them. This action is parted in to thre. The first is of feelynge, which is deuided in .v. as in to the action of seinge, hearinge, felinge, smellynge, and tastyng. The secōd, is the action of voluntarye mo∣uyng. The third, is the action, of the cogitation, memory, and rea∣son, which of all the rest, is most noble, and excellent. As for respi∣ration, is a voluntary action, be∣cause it is in oure wyll to holde oure breth: or to let it go, which is euident of the seruaunt (that Gal∣lē speketh of) which held his breth vntyl he dyed. Wherfore it is eui∣dent, that sūme voluntarye acti∣ons, be free: & sum, serue the affec∣tiōs

of the body. For to walke any whither, or to speake with any bo∣dy, or to take any thinge, be fre ac∣tions, but to ease the belly or to make water, serue the necessitie of the bodye. Yt is possible for a mā, to holde hys peace (yf he haue so constitute with hym selfe) an hole yeare to gether, but to hold his ex∣crement, or hys water .ii. mone∣thes, or .ii. weckes, it is not possi∣ble. For they prouoke so oft, and greue a man so muche, that often∣tymes, they wyll not abyde, tyll they maye be conuenientlye let forth, and lyke vnto these, is res∣piration, or the actiō, of brething. For whosoeuer hathe his brethe stopped, but a very littell tyme, it is a greate doubte, yf he dye not fourth with all. But the naturall action, which is not voluntarye,

cummeth of the vaynes, and pul∣ses. For let a man doe what he shall, and yet they wyll doe theire office, without any let. Amongest the naturall actions, be reckened, generation, Auction, nutrition, Formation, Alteration, appetici∣on, attraction, concoction, retenti∣on, distribution, excretion, & such other. But as for generation, it is not one simple naturall action, for in it is, bothe alteration, and for∣mation. The amplyfycation, and increacement, in length, bredeth, and depenesse, of all the vttar partes of the bodye, is called auc∣tion. Nutrition, is the assimilati∣on, or makyng lyke, of the nurish∣ment to that, that is nurished: to the whiche, apposition, and ag∣glutination or adhesiō be necessa∣ry. For after that the iuyce, which

afterward shall nurish euery part of the body, is once fallen from y^e vaynes, it must first be put to, and then ioyned or glued, & last of all, made like. It is very mete and ex∣pedient for euery Phisition, en∣tending his pacientes health, dili∣gently to consider all the actions, as well the animall, as naturall: because of them, the constitution of the body, is easy to be knowen.

For what body so euer is in health, the same hath all the acti∣ons parfit and sownde, and what body is sicke and diseased, it hath cleane otherwise. Moreouer the action for the most part, declareth the place affected. For there can be no action hurt, but that part or in∣strument, wherin it is, must be af∣fected also.

¶The .xii. chapter, of spirites.

A Spirit is a subtyl, thynne, and bright substance, made of the finest partes of the blowd, that the power may be cari∣ed from the principall partes of y^e body, to y^e rest: wherby eche maye doe hys dutie and office. There be in number, only .iii. spirites: the a∣nimall, vitall, and naturall. The animall spirit, hath his place, in y^e brayne, and being dispersed in the senewes, geueth the power of mouinge, and feling, to eche part of the body: It is made of the vi∣tall spirite. The vitall spirit, is in the hart, and is caried in the arte∣ries, throughout the body, being the very cause of all naturall, and lyuely heat: It is made of the ex∣halations, or the dryest, and finest

partes of the bloud. Yf there be any naturall spirit, it is in the liuer and vaynes, and in dede to say the truthe, there is no greate nede for any spirite, to carry any power of nowrishing through the body, seing y^t euery part draweth hys nurishment, euen as the ad∣amante stone draweth yron: & be∣syde this, the liuer hath no such matter, as any spirit can be made of. For if there were any matter, wherof the naturall spirit might be made, that muste nedes be the vitall spirit, of whome the animall spirite also, is made: but seing that the vitall spirit is engē∣dred in the hart, and by the pulses carryed through the body, it had ben necessary, that there shold haue ben great pulses, from the hart to to the lyuer, whiche might haue

broughte so much vitall spirit, as shoulde haue suffised to haue made naturall spirite. Howbeit it is eui∣dent, y^t there cummeth no arte∣ries to the lyuer, but such as be with the smallest for such a pour∣pose, and then ther is no such caui∣tie in the liuer, as is in the brayne, or hart, where any generation of the naturall spirit, may be. More∣ouer, there is no vesselles prepared of nature for the cariage of it, ex∣cepte a man shoulde say, that it is caryed with the grosse bloude in y^e vaynes, whych is not lyke: seinge the vaynes, haue but one cote, and that of no great thickenes, nether (& yf that were true,) the vaynes shoulde beat, as y^e arteries doe. Al∣so there is no waye or enterance for ayer, wherof it might be now∣rished as the animall & vitall be.

And agayne, the bloud of the lyuer, is so grosse, and mixt with o∣ther humors, that it is not mete to make any spirites of. Therfore, se∣inge that there is nether any ende, wherfore it showlde be made, nor matter, wherof it could be made, nor nourishment to preserue it, nor a conuenient place, to make it in, nor finally any way or conduite, wherby it might be brought in to euery part of the bodye: I may iustly, and not with out a cause, doubt of it, although it be a com∣mon opinion a¦mongest y^e phi∣stions, that there is a naturall spirite.

The ende of the firste boke.