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

CHAP. VII. Of the Practice of the aforesaid rules of Temperaments.

THat we may draw the Theoricke of the Temperaments into practise, it hath seemed good for avoyding of confusion, which might make this our Intro∣duction * 1.1 seeme obscure, if we would prosecute the differences of the Tem∣pers of all men of all Nations, to take those Limits, which nature hath placed in the world; as South, North, East and West, and as it were the Center of those bounds, that the described variety of Tempers, in colour, habit, manners, studyes, actions, and forme of life of men that inhabit those Regions scituated so farre distant one from another, may be as a sure rule, by which we may certainely judge of every * 1.2 mans temperature in particuler, as he shall appeare to be nearer, or further off from this, or that region. Those which inhabite the South as the Affricans, Aethiopians, Arabians and Egyptians, are for the most part deformed, leane, dusky coloured and pale, with blacke eyes and great lippes, curled haire, and a small and shrill voyce. Those which inhabite the Northren parts as the Scythians, Muscovites, Polonians and Germaines, have their faces of colour white, mixed with a convenient quantity of blood, their skin soft and delicate, their haire long, hanging downe and spreading abroad, and of a yellowish, or reddish colour; of stature they are commonly tall, & of a well proportioned, fat and compact habite of body, their eyes gray; their voyce strong, loud and bigge. But those who are scituated betweene these two former, as the Italians and French, have their faces somewhat swart, are well favoured, nimble, strong, hairy, slender, well in flesh, with their eyes resembling the colour of Goates-eyes, and often hollow eyed, having a cleere shrill and pleasing voyce.

The Southerne people are exceeded so much by the Northerne in strength and abillity of body, as they surpasse them in witt and the faculties of the minde. Hence * 1.3 is it you may reade in Histories, that the Scythians, Gothes and Vandals vexed Affricke and Spaine with infinite incursions, and most large and famous Empires have beene founded from the North to the South; but few or none from the South to the North. Therefore the Northren people thinking all right and law to consist in Armes, did by Duell onely determine all causes and controversies arising amongst the inhabitants, as wee may gather by the ancient lawes, and customes of the Lumbards, English, Burgonians, Danes and Germaines; and we may see in Saxo the Grammarian that such a law was once made by Fronto king of Denmarke. The which custome at this day is every where in force amongst the Muskovits. But the Southerne people have alwayes much abhorred that fashion, and have thought it more agreeable to Beasts than Men. Wherefore we never heard of any such thing used by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians or Iewes. But moved by the goodnes of their wit, they erected Kingdomes and Empires by the onely helpe of Learning and hidden sciences. For seeing by nature they are Melancholicke by reason of the drynesse of their temperature, they willingly addict themselves to

solitarinesse and contemplation, being endued with a singular sharpnesse of wit. Wherefore the Aethiopians, Egyptians, Africans, Iewes, Phaenicians, Persians, * 1.4 Assyrians, and Indians, have invented many curious sciences, revealed the Mysteries and secrets of Nature, digested the Mathematiques into order, observed the moti∣ons of the heavens, and first brought in the worship and religious sacrifices of the gods: Even so farre that the Arabians who live onely by stealth, and have onely a Waggon for their house, do boast that they have many things diligently and accu∣rately observed in Astrology by their Ancestors, which every day made more accu∣rate and copious, they, as by an hereditary right, commend to posterity, as it is recor∣ded by Leo the Africane. But the Northerne people, as the Germaines, by reason of the aboundance of humours and blood, by which the minde is as it were opprest, * 1.5 apply themselves to workes obvious to the senses, and which may be done by the hand. For their minds opprest with the earthly masse of their bodies, are easily drawne from heaven and the contemplation of Celestiall things, to these inferior things, as to find out Mines by digging, to buy and cast mettals, to draw and hammer out workes of Iron, steele and brasse. In which things they have proved so excellent, that the glory of the Invention of Guns and Printing belongs to them.

The people who inhabite the middle regions betweene these, are neither naturally * 1.6 fit for the more abstruse sciences, as the Southerne people are, nor for Mechanicke workes, as the Northerne, but intermeddle with civil affaires, commerce and Merchan∣dizing. But are endued with such strength of body as may suffise to avoid and delude the crafts and arts of the Southerne Inhabitants; and with such wisdome as may be sufficient to restraine the fury and violence of the Northern. How true this is, any one may understand by the example of the Carthaginians and Africans, who when they had held Italy for some yeares by their subtile counsels, crafty sleights and devices; yet could not escape but at the length their Arts being deluded, and they spoiled of all their fortunes, were brought in subjection to the Romans. The Gothes, Hunnes and o∣ther * 1.7 Northerne people have spoiled & overrun the Romane Empire by many incur∣sions and inroades, but destitute of counsell & providence, they could not keepe those things which they had gotten by Armes and valour. Therefore the opinion of all Historians is agreeing in this, that good lawes, the forme of governing a Common-wealth, all politicke ordinances, the Arts of disputing and speaking, have had their beginning from the Greeks, Romanes and French. And from hence in times past and * 1.8 at this day a greater number of Writers, Lawyers and Counsellors of State have sprung up, than in all the world besides. Therefore that we may attribute their gifts to each Region, we affirme that, The Southerne people are borne and fit for the studies of learning; the Northerne for warres, and those which be betweene them both for Empire and rule. The Italian is naturally wise, the Spaniard grave and constant; the French quicke and diligent, for you would say he runs when he goes, being compared to the slow and womanish pace of the Spaniard, which is the cause that Spaniards are delighted with French servants for their quicke agillity in dispat∣ching busines. The Easterne people are specially endued with a good, firme and well tempered wit, not keeping their counsels secret and hid. For the haste is of the nature * 1.9 of the Sunne, and that part of the day which is next to the rising of the Sunne is coun∣ted the right-side and stronger; and verily in all living things the right side is alwayes the more strong and vigorous. But the Westerne people are more tender and effemi∣nate, and more close in their cariage and minde, not easily making any one partaker * 1.10 of their secrets. For the West is, as it were subjct to the Moone, because at the change it alwaies inclines to the West, wherby it happens, that it is reputed as nocturnall, sini∣ster and opposite to the East; and the West is lesse temperate and wholsome. There∣fore of the windes none is more wholsome than the Eastwinde which blowes from * 1.11 the west with a most fresh and healthfull gale, yet it seldome blowes, and but onely at Sun-set.

The Northerne people are good eaters, but much better drinkers, witty when they * 1.12 are a litle moistened with wine, and talkers of things both to be spoken and concealed, not very constant in their promises and agreements, but principall keepers and pre∣servers of shamefastnes and chastity, farre different from the inhabitants of the South,

who are wonderfull sparing, sober, secret and subtle, and much addicted to all sorts of wicked Lust. Aristotle in his Problemes saith that those nations are barbarous and * 1.13 cruell, both which are burnt with immoderate heate, and which are opprest with ex∣cessive cold, because a soft temper of the Heavens softens the Manners and the minde. Wherfore both, as well the Northerne, as Scythians and Germans; and the Southerne, * 1.14 as Africans are cruell; but these have this of a certaine naturall stoutnes, and souldierlike boldnes, and rather of anger, than a wilfull desire of revenge; because they cannot re∣straine by the power of reason the first violent motions of their anger by reason of the heat of their blood. But those of a certaine inbred and inhumane pravity of manners, wilfully and willingly premeditating they performe the workes of cruelty, because they are of a sad and melancholy nature. You may have an example of the Northerne cruelty from the Transilvanians against their seditious Captaine George, whom they gave to be torne in peeces alive and devoured by his Soldiers, (being kept fasting for three dayes before for that purpose) who was then unbowelled, and rosted, and so by them eaten up. The Cruelty of Hannibal the Captaine of the Carthaginians may * 1.15 suffise for an instance of the Southerne cruelty. He left the Romane Captives wearied with burdens and the lenght of the way, with the soles of their feet cut off; But those he brought into his tents, joyning brethren and kinsmen together he caused to fight, neither was satisfied with blood before he brought all the victors to one man. Also we may see the cruell nature of the Southerne Americans, who dip their children in the blood of their slaine enemies, then sucke their blood, and banquet with their broken and squeased Limbs.

And as the Inhabitants of the South are free from divers Plethoricke diseases, * 1.16 which are caused by aboundance of blood, to which the Northerne people are subject, as Feavers, Defluxions, Tumors, Madnesse with laughter which causeth those which have it to leape and dance (The people commonly terme it S. vittus his Evill) which admits of no remedy but Musicke: So they are often molested with the Frensie invading with madnesse and fury; by the heat whereof they are often so ra∣vished and carried besides themselves that they foretell things to come; they are terrified with horrible dreames, and in their fits they speake in strange and forraigne tongues, but they are so subject to the scurfe and all kind of scabbs and to the Leprosie as their homebread disease, that no houses are so frequently mett withall by such as travell through either of the Mauritania's, as Hospitalls provided for the Lodging of Lepers.

Those who inhabit rough and Mountainous places, are more brutish, tough & able * 1.17 to endure labour: but such as dwell in plaines, especially if they be moorish, or fennish are of a tender body, and sweate much with a litle labour; the truth of which is confirmed by the Hollanders and Frizlanders. But if the plaine be such as is scort∣ched by the heate of the Sunne, and blowne upon by much contrariety of windes, it breeds men who are turbulent, not to be tamed, desirous of sedition and novelty, stubborne, impatient of servitude, as may be perceived by the sole example of the inhabitants of Narbon a province of France.

Those who dwell in poore and barren places are commonly more witty and dili∣gent and most patient of labours; the truth of which the famous witts of the Atheni∣ans, Ligurians and Romanes, and the plaine country of the Boeotians in Greece, of the Campanians in Italy, and of the rest of the inhabiters adjoyning to the Ligurian sea, approves.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Foure bounds or Regions of the world.
• * 1.2

  The forces of temperatures in particulars. The tempera∣ture of the Southerene people. Of the Nor∣therne.
• * 1.3

  The Southern people prevaile in wit, the Northern•• in strenght.
• * 1.4

  The Southern people learned and religious.
• * 1.5

  The Northern famous War∣rious, and Artificers.
• * 1.6

  The endow∣ments of such as inhabite be∣tween them.
• * 1.7

  The Northren know how to overcome, but not how to use the victory
• * 1.8

  The aboun∣dance of coun∣sellors and Lawyers from France and Italy.
• * 1.9

  The manners of the Eastern people
• * 1.10

  The manners of the Western people.
• * 1.11

  The East winde health∣full.
• * 1.12

  The Northern people great eaters and drinkers.
• * 1.13

  who are to be counted Bar∣barous.
• * 1.14

  The North••ne and Southerne have each their Cruelties.
• * 1.15

  Valer. Ma••. lib. 9. cap. 2.
• * 1.16

  The diseases of the Sou∣therne people.
• * 1.17

  Mountainers,