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 the veines. Chap. 41.

THE Uaines haue that name,* 1.1 for that they be Viae, the waies, conduits and streames of the fléeting of bloud, and sheddeth it into all the bodie. For by the veines all the members be moysted and fed, as sayth Isidore. And Constantine sayth, That the veines spring out of the liuer, as the arteries and wosen doe out of the heart, and the sinewes out of the braine. And veines be néedfull, as vessells of the bloud, to beare and to bring bloud from the liuer to féede and

nourish the members of the bodie. Al∣so needely the veines bee more tender & softe in kinde then sinewes. Therefore that they bee nigh to the liuer may som∣what chaunge the bloud that commeth to them. And all the veines are made of one curtill, and not of two, as the arte∣ries and wosen. For the arteries receiue spirits, and they kéepe and saue them. And the veines comming out of the ly∣uer, sucke thereof, as it were of theyr owne mother, feeding of bloud, and dea∣leth and departeth that féeding to euery member as it needeth. And so the veins spread into all the partes of the bodye: and by a wonder wit of kinde, they doe seruice each to other. Also among other veines open and priuie or secret, there is a veine that is called Arteria,* 1.2 which is needfull to kinde to beare & bring kind∣ly heate from the heart to all the other members. And these arteryes bée made and composed of two small clothings or skinnes called curtills: and they bee lyke in shape, and diuerse in substaunce. The inner haue wrinckles and folding ouerthwart, and theyr substaunce is hard and more boistous then the vtter be. And without they haue wrinkles & folding in length, of whome the sub∣staunce is harde for néedfulnesse of mo∣uing, opening, and closing. For by ope∣ning doth receiue it selfe from the heart, and that by the wrinklings and folding in length. By closing it selfe doth put out superfluous sumositie: which is done by wrinkling and folding the curtelles ouerthwart in bredth: in the which the spirit is drawen from the heart: Wher∣fore they bee harder without then all the other veines, and that is needfull, least they breake lightly and some. Also these veines spring out of the lefte hollow∣nesse of the hart. And two of that side bee called Pulsitiue: Of which, one that is the innermost hath a soft skinne: and this veine which is called Pulsitiue, is needefull to bring greate quantitye of bloud and spirits to the lungs:* 1.3 and to receiue in ayre, and to rieddle it with bloud, to temper the feruentnesse of the bloud. This veine entereth into the lungs, and is departed there in manye manner wise.

¶The other arterie is more then the first, and Aristotle calleth it 〈…〉〈…〉e, this arterie commeth vp from the heart and is diuided in twaine, and the one parte commeth vpward, & ••••••••eth bloud that is pured and spent of lyfe to the braine that so the spirit of feeling may be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, nourished, kept, and saued. The other part goeth downewarde, and is departed in many manner hase toward the right side & toward the left. Huc vsque Con∣stant. li. 2.cap.12.

¶Then marke well, that a vaine is the bearer and carrier of bloud, ••eyer, and warden of the life of beasts, and con∣teineth in himselfe the foure bloudy hu∣mours cleane and pure, which be ordei∣ned for feeding of all the partes of the bodye. Moreouer a veine is hollower, to receiue bloud the more easilye, and as it néedeth in kinde, that one veine bring and giue bloud to another veine. Also a veine is messenger of health and of sick∣nesse For by the pulse of the arteries and disposition of the veines, Phisitions deeme of the féeblenesse and strength of the heart. Also if a vaine be corrupt, and conteineth corrupt bloud: it corrupteth and infecteth all the bodie, as it fareth in lepers, whose bloud is most corrupte in the veines, of the which the mem∣bers be fedde by sucking of bloud, and taketh thereby corruption and sicknesse incurable. Also the veine of the arme is ofte grieued, constrayned, and wrong, opened and slit, and wounded to releeue the sicknesse of all the bodye by hurting of that veine. Also the veines that bee ouermuch straighted or wrong with far∣nesse or with flesh, haue lesse of bloud and of spirit then the other veines. And therefore in the substance of such veines kindly heate faileth, and the spirite vi∣tall is lessed. Therefore such beasts liue and indure the lesse time, as saith Con∣stantine. liber. 11.cap. 17.Aristotle. lib.2 saith, If a veine be cut or slit, it maye be healed and ioyned againe, and so may not a sinew, Item ibi. li. 6. Such as the veines be vnder the tongue of a beast, such is the coulour that that beast brin∣geth forth. And therefore hée sayth,

That sheepe with white veines vnder y^e tongue, haue white lambs. And in like wise sheepe with black veines vnder the tongue, haue blacke lambes. If ye desire to know more of this matter, seeke afore in the chapter of the tongue.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Venis, Sthegmos. There bee manye principall vienes in man, ••ie∣diana, Ca∣diaca, Ca∣phalica, Sophena, Basilica, ••¦patica, Si∣uatella, siō these chiefe veins pro∣ceede all 〈…〉〈…〉 veines by which 〈…〉〈…〉 body is cheri∣shed.
• * 1.2

  Arterie, be like veins, in y^e watch be the vitall spirits, ha¦uing their begin∣ning of the heart.
• * 1.3

  Of being and vvor¦king of •• povvers.