Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

The first Chapter. The Excellency of Man is declared by his parts, Namely, the minde and the bodie, and first what is the dignity of the Soule.

IN the inauguration or Coronation of a Prince, there is nothing more stately or magnificent, then to haue his stile rehearsed by men of greatest Nobility, euery one adding somewhat thereto, till the whole number of his Seigniories and Honors are heaped vpon him: if therefore, wee list to search what and how magnificent haue been the acclamations of all ages, we shall finde in the Records of Antiquity, that man in whom the sparkes of heauenly fire, & seeds of the diuine Nature are, (as appeareth both by the Maiestie im∣printed * 1.1 in his face, and by the frame of his body, which was made vpright and looking to∣ward heauen) was of the wise and prudent Priests of the Egyptians, styled a reuerend & ad∣mirable creature. That thrice-worthy Mercury cals him a great Myracle, a Creature like the Creator, the Ambassador of the Gods. Pythagoras, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Measure of all things. Plato 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the wonder of Wonders. Theophrastus, the patterne of the whole vniuerse. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Aristotle, A politicke creature framed for society. Synesius, the Horizon of Corporeal and Incorporeall things. Tully, a Diuine creature, full of reason and iudgement. Pliny the worlds Epitome, and Natures Darling. Finally, all men with one consent, call him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or, The little world. For his body is, at it were, a Magazine or Store-house of all the vertues and efficacies of all bodies, and in his soule is the power and force of all liuing and sensible things. That ancient Zoroaster, hauing long admired the singular workeman∣shippe shining in the frame of man, at length cried out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. O Man, the glory of Nature, euen in her cheefest ruffe and pride, and her Maister peece, when she durst contend with heauen it selfe. Abdolas the Barbarian, beeing asked what hee thought was the most admirable thing in Nature, is reported to haue answered not Barba∣rously, but wisely; That it is onely Man who far surpasseth all admiration, for that beeing the Image and resemblance of the whole world, he can suddenly (Proteus-like) transform him∣selfe into any particular thing. Fauorinus did acknowledge nothing great vpon earth, but * 1.2 Man.

The Diuines call him Omnem Creaturam, euery Creature, because he is in power (in a * 1.3 manner) All things; not for matter and substance, as Empedocles would haue it, but Analo∣gically by participation or reception of the seuerall species or kinds of thinges. Others, call him, the Royall Temple and Image of God. For as in Coin the picture of Caesar, so in Man the image of God is apparantly discerned. Others cal him, the End of all things (which in Nature is the first cause,) to whom all sublunarie created Bodies and Spirites are obedient, yet he himselfe subiect vnto none, vnlesse peraduenture one man come vnder the lee and subiection of another. The Kingly Prophet Dauid, ful of heauenly inspiration, desciphereth the dignity of man on this manner; Thou hast made him little lower then the Angels, thou hast * 1.4 crowned him with glory and honor, and giuen him dominion ouer the workes of thy hands.

These are excellent, that I may not say diuine commendations, which man hath, part∣ly * 1.5 from his soule, the most excellent of all formes, partly from his body, which is as it were the measure and exemplary patterne of all corporeall things. The soule indeede is so di∣uine, that raising and mounting it selfe sometimes aboue all naturall formes, it compre∣hendeth by an admirable, absolutely-free, and imcompulsiue power, all incorporeall things

seuered and diuided from all matter and substance. This Soule, if it could bee discerned with the eye, or but conceyued by the minde, how would it rauish vs and leade vs into an * 1.6 excessiue loue of it selfe? Onely this is created, not generated; and albeit (as the Philo∣sophers speake) there be a subiect supponed in her production, yet it is not produced out of the power of that supponed matter, but rather absolueth and perfecteth the same.

This onely is indiuisible, for all other Naturall formes receiue augmentation, diminu∣tion and diuision, together with their subiects; but the Soule of man Is wholly in the whole, * 1.7 and wholly in euery particular part. This onely is immateriall, heerein alone participating with the Matter, that it is capeable of all species or kindes, euen as the first Matter admitteth all impressions and formes; and yet the manner of reception is not alike in them both. For that first matter receiueth but particular and indiuiduall formes, and that without vnderstan∣ding: in the Soule are imprinted the vniuersall formes of things, and it hath also vnderstan∣ding to iudge of them.

The matter admitteth those particular formes materially, and withall obli erateth or * 1.8 blotteth out the contrary forme whereof it was before possessed: the soule of man receiues and entertaines the generall and vniuersall notions of things, free from all contagion or touch of Matter, not abolishing the contrary, or diuers formes whereof before it was posses∣sed. This alone is incorporeall, immortall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or immutable. This may be called the receptacle, promptuary, or store-house of all the species or kinds of things. * 1.9

Aristotle in his third Booke De Anima, calleth it After a manner all things, Because (saith he) In an Organe of sence, the sensible species or Images of things are blotted out, and as it vvere drowned, but the Soule retaineth them. The Platonists do range it in the midst, as hauing God aboue it, & the Intelligences or Angels: below it, all bodies and all qualities that so it might be partaker of them both. According to Diuines, it approacheth very neere to the Na∣ture of Angels, by reason of her vnderstanding or intellectuall power, of her originall, e∣ternity, image, apprehension and beatitude.

To conclude, there is in the soule of Man something Metaphysicall, transcendent aboue Nature, vnknowne to the ancient Philosophers, who groaped but in the darke, and were inwrapped in a mystie or clowdy veile of ignorance; and is reuealed onely to Christians, to whom the light of the Gospell hath shined. For in it is a liuely resemblance of the ineffa∣ble Trinity, represented by the three principall faculties, Memorie, Vnderstanding, and * 1.10 Will. But stay: Why should I presume to describe the essence of the Soule, seeing it partaketh of so much Diuinity? for of diuine things Symonides hath sayde well, We can one∣ly say what they are not, not what they are. Why should I paine my selfe to open that shrine which Nature her selfe hath veyled and sealed vp from our sences, least it should bee prophaned therewith?

Hence it is, that Hipocrates calleth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The inaspectible or inuisible Nature, which can no more be described by vs, then our eye is able to see it selfe. These thinges * 1.11 therefore belong to a higher contemplation, and require a more skilfull Workman to draw but the lines, or euen to shadow them out. Let vs content our selues to handle that that may be handled, or at least is subiect vnto some of our sences, and so proceede to the o∣ther part of Man, namely, the Bodie, which more truely and properlie is the subiect of our Discourse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mans stile or titles. Mercurius Trismeg. Pithagoras. Plato. Theophrast. Aristotle. Synesius. Tully. Pliny. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Why hee is called, The lit∣tle world. Zoroaster. Abdolas.
• * 1.2

  Fauorinus.
• * 1.3

  How man is all Creatures. Empedoclas
• * 1.4

  Psal. 8.
• * 1.5

  The signes of Mans honour referred part∣ly to his soule, partly to his body.

  The excellen∣cy of the soule
• * 1.6

  The soule a∣lone is conti∣nually created
• * 1.7

  It alone is in∣diuisible. Immateriall.
• * 1.8

  How the re∣ception of formes differs in the first matter, and in the soule.
• * 1.9

  The soule is the place of the species or formes. Aristotle. Plato. The soule is in the middle degree of all things. The Nature of the soule is Angellicall.
• * 1.10

  In the soule appeareth the Image of the Trinity.

  Symonides.
• * 1.11

  Hipocrates.