Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶Of Coldnesse. Chap. 2.

COldnesse is a working propertye of an Element qualytie, more weaker in working then heate. For thereof the moouing is from the vter partes, to the middle. And therfore it maketh the partes of the bodye that it worketh in, to drawe néere togethers. And there∣fore it worketh his effect in the bodye more slowlye, and with the more diffi∣cultie. Also though it coole kindlye, and maketh colde, yet otherwhiles it hea∣teth. Wée sée in the winter, that when colde stoppeth the holes and powers of the bodie, the hot f••mositie draweth in∣warde, and hath not the frée out going, for that they bée held within, they smite togethers and heate themselues. And so other whiles the colde that is with∣out, maketh heate within. And colde maketh thicke and sadde: for colde ma∣keth the partes moue toward•• the mid∣dle, and so the partes cleaue néere to∣gethers, for the parts were before from the middle farre a sunder, by moysture put betwéene: but by drawing toge∣thers of that moisture, the partes drawe toward the middle, and bée néere togethers. Also though colde bringeth the partes toward the middle, and kind∣ly ioyneth them together: yet it happe∣neth that it departeth and dealeth the parts a sunder, as it is séene in y^e braine that is thrust with colde, by strength of the using the moisture that is therein, is wrong out, and falleth of, by diuers E∣mun••toryes of the braine, & is shedde or spilt, as appeareth in them that haue the catarre or ruine in the breast, caused of colde. Also kindlye colde maketh sadde and rough: for when by working of colde, the partes come and cleeuie néere togethers, all the thing is made more sadde and boystous. Farther by colde thrusting together firie partes, then hée thicked into airely, and airely, •••••• wa∣try, and the watry into earthly, and so the whole is made groser. But it happeneth colde maketh the thing subtil. For when by colde constraining and thrusting

the partes together, much moysture is thrust and wrong out, the which moy∣sture conteined in small holes and pores, maketh the thing sad and boy∣stous. Then if the moysture bée away, the thing is more subtill, as it is séene in a skinne that is washed and wrong. Al∣so though by constraining the partes to∣gether, and wringing out the spirites, maketh a thing kindlye heauie: yet if happeneth that colde maketh a thing light: for by wringing out of y^e moisture the which greeued, all the thing is made light. Also temporate colde kéepeth and saueth things aliue. For while by colde moisture, the incensing and killing of heate is let, and so as the moysture is resolued little and little by the powers: euen so lyttle and little it is wasted: and so heate is let that it may not dis∣solue the thing. Also by the benefit of colde a thing is kepte without stink∣ing, and so in colde places, and caues, ca••••ions without stinke, through colde lyttle and little are wasted. Also small holes and powers bée closed by con∣straining of colde: and to the rooted hu∣•••••• bée let that they may not drawe the vtter to the inner, yet accidentlye colde corrupteth and destroyeth. For when colde letteth defieng and digesti∣on in the stomacke, the working of kindlye heate is letted. And corrupte humours be gendered, of the which fol∣loweth corruption of the body, while the corrupte humours bée incorpo∣rate and knit to the bodye. And that is séeneth woundes, to the which bée layde colde salues and medicines, which constraine and cause the powers for to bée stopped, and so the new sumo∣sities make the flesh softe within, and fretting and corrupting it, they make it to rot.

Also by kinde, colde causeth and ma∣keth things so be discouloured ill, as we see in Winter the heate of the bodie, or of the heart, voiding his contrarie, and leadeth the humour and the spirit with him inward. And so the vtter side of the ••al••t made weake, of heate maketh euill cou••ea••••o. As it appeareth in lippes and cheekes. But it happeneth that cold ma∣keth things well couloured. For it con∣straineth and stoppeth the powers. And so the humours and the spirites be helde in, and by their presence the vtter side of the skinne is couloured. And by kind too great colde slaieth. For if it constraine and stop to soare, the spirites faile in the heart. And so if the heart be dead, from the which procéedeth life so the other partes, the other parts must needes die. Also through too greate colde, féeble heat is quenched. And so the spirit Vitalis, of lyfe, lacketh foode and is stifled.* 1.1 But it is straunge in shapes, that colde giueth life, as it is séene in a manner kinde of birds that grow out of trées, that spring∣eth as it were swellings, and burgenen out of trées in stéed of fruit. But as long as they be in the trée, they haue no life. And the Commentator Super librū Ve∣getabilium saith, that hapneth through the porrositie of the trée that draweth the sumositie from the rinde. But when the holding breaketh, the birds fall into the water. And the colde stoppeth the holes and the powers without, and holdeth the sumositie within: the which beate to∣gethers are pured and made subtill, and are turned into a spirit. And by the mul∣tiplieng and spreading of that spirit into all the partes, she sayd birds take lyfe, and turne into a manner kinde of birds. The which be much vnlike to other birds in complection and in kinde. They haue little flesh and lesse of bloud: and therefore they bée couenable, so saith the same Commentatour. But to them that marke it well it ministreth matter of the praising of God ghostly: for spiritually it representeth them, that the spirit of God gendereth by the trée of the crosse in the water of following:* 1.2 in the which is not great desire of flesh and of bloud: the which reléeued by spirite, desire, and couet to flye to hea∣uen with all theyr might and strength. But thereof wée shall speake after. Al∣so colde is the mother of whitenesse and of palenesse, as heate is the mother of rednesse and of blacknesse. And so in hot Countryes blacke men and browne bée borne, as among the Moores. In colde Countryes white men bée borne.

As among the Selauons, as sayth Ari∣stotle in li. de coelo & mundo. And hée telleth the reason why, & sayth, That in cold Countries, the Mothers of women be disposed to conceiue such children. Therefore they beare children with white skinnes, that haue long, yeolowe, soft, and straight haire. The contrarie is in hot countries. Where women beare children that haue blacke cripse and lit∣tle haire, as in the Negroes Countrie. Then colde sheweth it selfe in the bo∣die, that colde hath the mastery within. For in the bodies that colde hath the masterie ouer, the coulour is white, the haire soft and straight, the wit hard and forgetful, little appetite, much sléep, heauie in going and slow, as saith Con∣stantinus. li. 1. Chap.17. This shall not alway be vnderstood to be in euery colde néedelye, but in comparison to the com∣plection of the heate, that hath mastery, and in proportion of the hot land to the colde region, authours say these things, and haue lefte them written in theyr bookes to them that come after. This that is sayd sufficeth of the properties of colde at this present time. For other pro∣perties be known to the contrary of that is said afore of heate.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Scot¦ish ••lacks & puffies which grovve of rotten wood & salt water
• * 1.2

  Regene∣ration.