The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. V. Of Temperaments.

A Temperament is defined a proportionable mixture of hot, cold, moist and * 1.1 drie; or, it is a concord of the first disagreeing faculties. That harmony springs from the mixture of the foure first bodies of the world. This whether Temperamēt or concord is given to Plants and brute beasts for the beginning of their life, and so consequently for their * 1.2 life and forme. But as Plants are inferior in order and dignitie to beasts, so their life is more base and infirme, for they have onely a growing facultie by which they may draw an Alimentarie juyce from the Earth, as from their mothers breasts, to preserve them and their life, by which they may grow to a certaine bignesse; and lastly, by which they may bring forth their like for the perpetuall continuance of their kind. But the * 1.3 life of beasts have to the three former the gift of sence annexed; by benefit whereof, as by a certaine inward knowledge, they shun those things that are hurtfull, and follow those which profit them, and by the power of their will, they move themselves whither they please. But the soule of * 1.4 man farre more perfect and noble than the rest, ariseth not from that earthly mixture and temper of the Elements, but acknowledgeth and hath a farre more divine of∣spring, as we shall teach hereafter. * 1.5

They devide a Temperament at the first division into two kindes; as one a tempe∣rate, another an untemperate. The untemperate is of two sorts; the one wholy vi∣cious, which hath altogether exceeded the bounds of mediocritie: the other which hath somewhat straied from the mediocritie of temper, but notwithstanding is yet contained within the limits of health: as that which brings no such evident harme to the actions, but that it somewhat hinders them, so that they cannot so well and per∣fectly * 1.6 performe their duties. But the vicious Temperament doth three manner of wayes corrupt the functions, either by weaking, depraving or abolishing them. For so stupor, or astonishment, diminisheth and sloweth the quicknesse of motion; con∣vulsion depraves it; the Palsie abolisheth it, and taketh it away. The temperate Tem∣perament

is also devided into two kinds; which is either to equallity of weight, or Iustice. It is called a temperature to weight which ariseth from the equall force of * 1.7 exactly concurring qualities, and as placed in a perfect ballance, drawes downe neither to this nor that part. They thinke the example of this Temperament to appeare in the inner skinne of the fingers ends of a man tempered to Iustice. For seeing the most ex∣quisite touch resides there, they ought to be farre from all excesse of contrariety; for otherwise being corrupted by too much heat or cold, moisture or drinesse, they could give no certaine judgement of the tangible qualities. For which thing nature hath ex∣cellently provided in the fabricke and coagmentation of the parts of which the skinne consists. For it is composed of hot and moist flesh, and therefore soft, and of a ten∣don and nerve cold and drie, and therefore hard, which are not onely equally fitted and conjoyned, but wholy confused and mixed together, by which it comes that re∣moved from all extremes of opposition, it is placed in the midst, as a rule to judge of all the excesses that happen to the touch. So it was fit the eye, which was to be the instrument of sight, should be tinctured with no certaine colour, that it might be the lesse deceived in the judgement of colours. So it was convenient the hearing should not be troubled with any distinct sound, whereby it might more certainly judge of equall and unequall sounds, not distinguished by a ratable proportion; neither was it fit the tongue should have any certaine taste, lest the accesse of that taste should deceive it in knowing and judging of so many different tastes. The Temperature tempered to * 1.8 justice is that, which although it is a little absent from the exact and severe parility of mixed qualities, yet hath that equalitie which doth fully and aboundantly suffice for to performe all the functions fitly and perfectly which nature doth require, wherefore we can judge no otherwise of it than by the integritie of the Actions. For hence it tooke its name, for as distributive Iustice equally gives to every one rewards, or pu∣nishment according to their deserts; so nature having regard to all the parts of the bo∣die, gives them all that temper which may suffice to performe those duties, for which they are ordained. Let us for an example consider a Bone; no man doubts but that, * 1.9 like as the other similar parts of the body proceeds from the mixture of the foure E∣lements: but neverthelesse nature waighing the use of it, and ordaining it to support the rest of the body, would have more of the terrene and drie Element infused into it, that it might be the stronger and firmer to sustaine weight. But a Ligament, seeing it was made for other uses, hath lesse of that earthly drienesse than the bone, but more than the flesh, altogether fitted to its nature. So it hath seemed good to nature to endue all the parts of the body, not onely with an equall portion, but also proportion of Ele∣ments and qualities; wee call that a temperament to Iustice: and wee say that it is in Plants, Brute beasts, and all naturall bodies, which enjoy that temper and mediocri∣tie, which may be agreeable to their nature. Hereupon by comparison arise eight kindes of intemperate tempers, as

Foure simple * 1.10

• Hot temperate in Drinesse and Moisture.
• Cold temperate in Drinesse and Moisture.
• Moist temperate in Heat and Cold.
• Drie temperate in Heat and Cold.

Foure compounds

• Hot and moist.
• Hot and drie.
• Cold and moist.
• Cold and drie.

But these temperaments are either of the whole body, or of some part thereof

and that either

• principall, as
  • the Braine.
  • the Heart.
  • the Liver.
  • the Stones.
• or of the rest of the parts composed of other which have no principali∣ty in the body.

Againe, such temperaments are either healthfull, which suffice perfectly to per∣forme their actions; or unhealthfull, which manifestly hurt them, the signes whereof may be read described by Galen. And you must observe that when we say the body, or * 1.11 any part of it is hot, wee understand more hot than is fit for one of that kinde which is tempered to justice; as when we say a man hath a hot liver, wee meane his liver is hotter, than a man justly tempered should have; for all other tempers, whether of the whole body, or any of the parts thereof, are to be referred to this; and in the cure of diseases we must looke upon it, as the marke, and labour to preserve it by the use of convenient things, as much as lies in our power. Wherefore because it is very necessa∣ry to know the distinction of temperaments, I have thought good in this place, briefly to handle the temperaments of the parts of the body, ages, seasons of the yeare, hu∣mors, and medicines. Therefore the temperaments of the parts of our body are of this nature, not onely by the judgement of the touch of a mans hand which is justly tem∣pered (who is often deceived by flowing heate, which spread from the heart into all * 1.12 the body, imparts a certaine kinde of heate to all the parts,) but also by the rule of their reason, composure and sustance, as

• A Bone is the most drie and cold.
• A Gristle lesse than it.
• A Ligament lesse than a Gristle.

A Tendon is so much drier and colder than the membrane, by how much it in the same temper exceedes a Veine and Arterie. Then follow the harder veines, for the softer are in a middle temper of drinesse and moisture, like as the skinne; although all both soft and hard, are of a cold temper. Wherefore all these parts of their owne nature are cold and without bloud: although the veines and arteries waxe hot, by rea∣son of the heate of the bloud they containe, which notwithstanding also borroweth that heat from the heart, as a part most hot, and softer than the skinne; the liver next followeth the heart, in the order of the hotter parts, which is far softer than the skinne it selfe: for if, according to Galens opinion, the heart is somewhat lesse hard than the skinne, and that is farre harder than the liver, as appeares by touching them, it must * 1.13 necessarily follow that the liver much exceedes the skinne in softnesse; I understand the skinne simple, and separated from the flesh lying under it, to which it firmely cleaves. The flesh is more moist and hot than the skinne, by reason of the bloud dis∣persed in it. The spinall marrow is colder and moister than the skinne; but the braine so much exceeds it in moisture, as it is exceeded by the fat. The lungs are not so moist as the fat, and the spleene, and kidnies, are of the like nature, and neverthelesse they are all moister than the skinne.

According to the diversities of ages, the temperaments both of the whole body, * 1.14 and all its parts, undergoe great mutations; for the bones are farre harder in old men than in children, because our life is, as it were a certaine progresse to drinesse, which when it comes to the height consequently causeth death. Wherefore in this place we must speake of the Temperaments of ages, when first we shall have defined what an age is. Therefore an age is defined, a space of life in which the constitution of the bo∣die * 1.15 of its selfe and owne accord, undergoeth manifest changes; the whole course of life hath foure such ages. The first is childhood, which extends from the birth to the eighteenth yeare of age, and hath a hot and moist temper, because it is next to the hot and moist beginnings of life, seed and bloud: Youth followeth this which is prolon∣ged from the eighteenth, to the twentie fift yeare, and is temperate, and in the midst of all excesses; Mans estate succeedeth youth, which they deny to extend beyond the thirtie fift yeare of age, in its proper temper it is hot and drie: whereby it commeth to passe that then the heate is felt more acride and biting, which in childhood see∣med milde; because the progresse of the life to drinesse hath much wasted the native humiditie.

Then succedes old age ever devided into two parts; the first whereof extends from * 1.16 the thirtie fift, to the fortie ninth yeare; those of this age are called old men (* 1.17 but we commonly call them middle aged men.) The latter is as it were devided by Galen into three degrees; the first whereof are those, who having their strength sound and firme undergoe civill affaires and businesses: which things those which are in the second de∣gree

of old age cannot doe, because of the debilitie of their now decaying strength: but those which are in the last degree are afflicted with most extreme weakenesse and miserie, and are as much deprived of their sences and understanding, as of the strength of their bodies; whereof arose this Proverbe, Old men twice children. Those old men of the first ranke are pleasant, and courteous, and those we say are beginning to grow old, or in their greene old-age; those of the second sort delight in nothing but the boord and bed; but old decreepit men of the last order, thinke of nothing else, than their graves and monuments. Their firme and solid parts are of a cold and drie tem∣perature, * 1.18 by reason of the decay of the radicall moisture, which the inbred heate causeth in the continuance of so many years. Which thing may happen in a short space, by the vehement flame of the same natural heate, turned by feavours into a fiery heate. But if any to prove old men moist, will object, that they cough up, and spit much, I will answer him, as an old Doctor once said; That a pitcher filled with water may powre forth much moisture; yet no man will deny but that such a vessell of its owne terrene nature and matter is most drie; so old men may plainely be affirmed to be moist, by reason of their defect of heate, and aboundance of excrements. But this description of ages, is not to be taken so strictly, as alwayes to be measured by the spaces and distances of yeares, for there are many which by their owne misdemea∣nour, seeme elder at fortie, than others doe at fiftie.

Lastly, the famous Philosopher Pythagoras, devided man life into foure ages, and by a certaine proportion compared the whole course thereof to the foure seasons of * 1.19 the yeare; as childhood to the Spring, in which all things grow and sprout out, by reason of plenty and aboundance of moisture. And youth to the Summer, because of the vigour and strength which men enjoy at that age. And mans estate, or constant age to Autumne, for that then after all the dangers of the forepassed life, the gifts of discretion and wit acquire a seasonablenesse, or ripenesse, like as the fruits of the earth enjoy at that season. And lastly, he compares old age to the sterile and fruitlesse Winter, which can ease and consolate its tediousnesse by no other meanes, than the use of fruits gathered and stored up before, which then are of a cold and troublesome condition. But for extreme old age, which extends to eightie, or a hundred yeares, it is so cold and drie, that those which arrive at that decrepit age are troublesome, harsh, touchy, froward, crabby, and often complaining, untill at the length deprived of all their senses, tongue, feet, and understanding, they doting, returne againe to childishnesse, as from the staffe to the start. And thus much of the Temperaments of ages.

But now in like manner we will explaine the temperatures of the seasons of the * 1.20 yeare, which are foure, the Spring, Summer, Autumne, Winter. The Spring con∣tinues almost from the twelth or thirteenth day of March, to the midst of May, Hippo∣crates seemeth to make it hot and moist; which opinion seemeth not to have sprung from the thing it selfe, but from an inveterate error of the ancient Philosophers, who would fit the temperaments of the foure seasons of the yeare, as answering in propor∣tion to the temperatures of the foure ages.

For if the matter come to a just triall, all men will say the Spring is temperate, as that which is in the midst of the excesse of heate, cold, moisture and drinesse; not * 1.21 onely by comparison because it is hotter than Summer, and colder than Winter; but because it hath that qualitie of its owne proper nature. Wherefore it is said of Hippo∣crates: * 1.22 The Spring is most holesome and least deadly; if so be that it keepe its native temper, from which if it decline, or succeed a former untemperate season, as Au∣tumne, or Winter, it will give occasion to many diseases described by Hippocrates; not that it breeds them, but because it brings them to sight, which before lay * 1.23 hid in the body. Summer is comprehended in the space of almost foure moneths; it is of a hot and drie temper, a breeder of such diseases as proceed from choler, be∣cause that humor at this time is heaped up in many bodies by adustion of bloud bred in the Spring; but all such diseases doe speedily runne their course. The beginning of Autumne, is from the time the Sunne enters into Libra, and endures the like space of * 1.24 time as the Spring. But when it is dry, it hath great inequalitie of heate and cold; for the mornings and evening being very cold, the noondayes on the contrary are excee∣ding

hot. Wherefore many diseases are in Autumne, and then long and deadly espe∣cially if they incline to wards winter: because all dayly and sodaine changes to heat and cold are dangerous. The winter possesses the remnant of the yeare, and is cold and moist, it encreases naturall heat, stirs up the appetite, and augments Phlegme. It * 1.25 encreases heat by Antiperistasis, or contrariety of the encompassing aire, which being then cold prohibites the breathing out of heate: whereby it happens that the heat being driven in and hindered from dissipation, is strengthened by couniting its forces. But it augments Phlegme, for that men are more greedy, the Appetite being encreased by the strengthened heat: from whence proceeds much crudity and a large store of diseases, especially Chronicke or Long which spread and encrease rather in this winter season than in any other part of the yeare. To this discourse of the temper, of the seasons of the yeares, is to be revoked the variety of tempers which happens very day, which certainly is not to be neglected, that there may be place of election, espe∣cially if nothing urge. For hither belongs that saying of Hippocrates; When in the * 1.26 same day it is one while hot, another cold, Autumnall diseases are to be expected. Therefore an Indication taken from hence is of great consequence to the judgement of diseases; for if it agree with the disease, the disease is made more contumacious, and difficult to cure. Whereupon the Patient and Phisition will have much trouble; but if on the contrary it reclame and dissent, the health of the Patient is sooner to be expected. Neither is it a thing of lesse consequence to know the customes and habits of the places and Countries in which we live, as also the inclination of the Heavens and temperature of the Aire; but let vs leave these things to be considered by Natu∣rall Philosophers, that we may deliver our judgment of the temperaments of Humors. * 1.27 blood, as that which answers to the Aire in proportion, is of a hot and moist nature, or rather temperate, as Galen testifies; for, saith he, it is certaine and sure that the The blood is neither hot, nor moist, but temperate as in its first composure none of the 4 first qualities exceeds other by any manifest excesse, as he repeats it upon the 39. sentence. Phlegme, as that which is of a waterish nature, is cold and moist; no other-wise than Choler being of a fiery temper, is hot and dry. But Melancholy affimula∣ted to Earth, is cold and dry. This which we have spoken in generall of Phlegme * 1.28 and Melancholy, is not alwayes true in every kind of the said humors. For salte Phlegme is of a hot and dry temperature, as also all kinds of Melancholy which have arose, or sprung by adustion from the native and Alimentary, as we will teach in the following Chapter. Now the Temperaments of Medicins have not the same forme of judgment, as those things which we have before spoken of; as, not from the Elementary quality which conquering in the contention and mixture, obtaines the dominion; but plainly from the effects which taken or applyed they imprint in a temperate body. For so we pronounce those things hot, cold, moist, or dry, which produce the effects of Heate, Coldnes, Moisture or Drynes. But we will defer the larger explication of these things to that place, where we have peculiarly appointed to treat of Medicines; where we will not simply enquire whether they be hot or cold, but what degree of heate and cold, or the like other quallity: in which same place we will touch the temperature and all the Nature of tasts, because the certainest judgment of medicines is drawne from their tasts. Hitherto of Tem∣peraments, now we must speake of Humors whose use in Physicall speculation is no lesse than that of Temperaments.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What a Tem∣perament is.
• * 1.2

  Anima. What the life performes in Plants.
• * 1.3

  Anima. What in beasts.
• * 1.4

  Mans soule comes from a∣bove.
• * 1.5

  The manifold division of a Tempera∣ment.
• * 1.6

  A Tempera∣ment, ad Pou∣dus.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ad poudus, vel ad jus••••ti∣•…•….
• * 1.8

  A tempera∣ment ad justi∣tiam.
• * 1.9

  The tempera∣ment of a bone.
• * 1.10

  The kindes of untemperate tempers.
• * 1.11

  Lib. 2. de Tem∣per. & in Ar∣te medica.
• * 1.12

  What the temperament, of mans bo∣dy are.
• * 1.13

  Ad finam lib▪ de temper.
• * 1.14

  The tempera∣ments of ages.
• * 1.15

  What an age is.
• * 1.16

  Old age de∣vided into two parts.
• * 1.17

  Three de∣grees of the second part of oldage.
• * 1.18

  Old men have their solid parts drie.
• * 1.19

  A comparison of the foure ages to the foure seasons of the yeare.
• * 1.20

  The tempers of the seasons of the yeare.
• * 1.21

  How the Spring is tem∣perate.
• * 1.22

  Aphor. 9. sect. 3
• * 1.23

  Aphor. 20. sect. 3••
• * 1.24

  Autumneune∣quall.
• * 1.25

  How Winter increases the native heat.
• * 1.26

  Aphor. 4 sect. 3
• * 1.27

  The tempera∣ments of Hu∣mors.
• * 1.28

  Lib. de natura humana ad sent. 36. Sect. 1 The tempera∣ture of the blood. From whence we judge of the tempera∣ture of medi∣cines.