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 Praeface, Wherein is conteyned the summe of the first Eight Bookes.

AS a Traueller that desireth to make profit of his paine, when he hath passed one Citie before hee enter into another vvill re∣count with himselfe his principall obseruations, especially when the recognition of the former may stand him insteade for his better vnderstanding in that to which hee bendeth his course: so I thinke it not amisse hauing passed through so great variety of partes in the two former Regions of the body of Man, before I enter into the Third, to cal vnto your remem∣brance (not al the particulars before rehearsed, for that would be irkesome to vs both Gentle Reader) but the Principall, as wel to refresh thy memory, as also to make a more easie passage vnto that which followeth.

MAN who is the subiect of our whole Discourse, consisteth of a Soule and a Body. The Soule is the Lady and Mistris, the Soueraigne and Commander. The Body is a most perfect Organ or Instrument of the reasonable Soule, consisting as Hippocrates well saith (though obscurely) of Fire and Water.

For the Soule, albe it when shee is free from the prison of the Bodye can see without an Eye, heare without an Eare and by her owne simple act discourse without the help of spi∣rits; * 1.1 yet so long as she is immured within these wals of clay shee cannot contemplate the speculations of Externall things without an Externall medium; and therefore Nature (by which I vnderstand the wisedome of the eternall Creator) framed the body of many Or∣ganicall parts whereby and wherein the Soule might exercise her Diuine administrations, produce and exhibit the powers and efficacies of her manifold Faculties. For the Body in deede is but a dead trunke till the Soule arriue into it, and quickneth it vnto the perfor∣mance of perfect actions of life.

But because the Soule is of all Formes the most excellent as being created immediately partaker of immortality, Nature in emulation of the diuine Numen hath striuen to make her habitation also immortall, which although the destiny of the matter did gainesay, yet she hath brought to so admirable a perfection that it is worthily called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the wonder of Wonders, the Myracle of Nature, and a Little world.

Whereas therefore there was no proportion or correspondencie betweene mortality * 1.2 and immortality, betweene the Soule and the Body; Nature with wonderfull skil, out of the principall part of the seede did extract and separate a spirit which lay lurking in the po∣wer of the Matter, a spirit I say of a Middle nature betweene Heauen and Earth, by whose mediation as by a strong band the diuinity of the soule might be married to the humanitie

of the body. This instrument of Nature we call Fire, which moueth and illustrateth the whole packe of the members, and moderateth all and singular actions of life, of which also it is the next and most immediate cause.

But because the nature of Fire is such that it hath in it much forme and but a little mat∣ter, neither can diffuse the beames of his light vnlesse it be receiued into some substance * 1.3 wherein his power may be vnited; therfore it was necessary there should be another Prin∣ciple not so subtle, wherein this aetheriall body might expatiate and disport it selfe accor∣ding to the diuersity of his functions and that without danger of expence. Such a Princi∣ple is the mutuall confluence of the seeds of both parents, out of whose slimy matter the Plasticall or formatiue faculty of the wombe stirred vp by the vigor of heate diduceth and distinguisheth the confounded power of the parts into their proper actions, not without a discerning Iudgement and naturall kinde of discourse. This masse of seed irrigated with the power of the whole body according to Hippocrates I call Water; not onely because this Element doth delineate nourish and make fruitefull, but also because the future siccitie and hardnesse of the spermaticall parts stood in neede of a moist and viscid matter whereby those things which otherwise could hardly be sammed together might receiue their con∣glutination, that so of many dissimilar particles, one continued frame might arise.

This farme thus coagmentated and distinguished for the seruice of the soule, we haue * 1.4 in the beginning of this work compared to the whole world or vniuerse, and that not with∣out good ground. For as of the world there are three parts, the Sublunary which is the basest, the Coelestiall wherin there are many glorious bodies, & the highest Heauen which is the proper seate of the Diety. So in the body of man there are three Regions. The low∣er Belly which was framed for the nourishment of the Indiuidium & propagation of man∣kinde. The middle Region of the Chest, wherein the Heart of man the sunne of this My∣crocosme perpetually moueth and poureth out of his bosome as out of a springing fountain the diuine Nectar of life into the whole body, and the vpper Region or the Head where∣in the soule hath her Residence of estate, guarded by the Sences and assisted by the Intellec∣tuall faculties at whose disposition all the inferior parts are imployed.

In the lower Region Nature hath placed two parts more excellent then the rest, wherof * 1.5 one endeuoureth & attendeth the conseruation of the Indiuidium, the other of the Species or kinde. The first is the Liuer which some haue said is the first of all the bowels, both in respect of his originall & of his nature. It is seated in the right Hypocondrium vnder the * 1.6 midriffe. The figure of it if you except his fissure) is continuall, but vnderneath vnequall and hollow, aboue smooth and gibbous. In a man this bowell is proportionably greater then in any other creature, and greatest of all in such as are giuen to their bellies. The pro∣per parenchyma or flesh of this Liuer, which is most like to congealed and adust bloud, by a proper & inbred power giueth the forme, temper and colour of bloud to the Chylus con∣fected in the stomacke, deriued into the guts, prepared in the meseraick veines and bran∣ches of the gate-veine by which also it is transported to the hollow part of the Liuer, there as we saide wrought and perfected, and so conueyed by the same rootes of the gate-veine, and thence exonerated into that which is called the Caua or hollow veine; by whose trunks and boughes it floweth into the whole body. The temperament of this Liuer is hot and moist; for the moderation of which heate and conseruation of the spirits therein contained it receiueth certaine small Arteries which attaine but onely vnto the cauity thereof. It is inuested round with a thinne coate wherein two small Nerues belonging to the sixt con∣iugation of the braine are diuersly dispersed.

We say moreouer; that this same Liuer is the shop or work-house of the venall bloud and the originall of the veines; in whose thrummed rootes the more aery portion of the A∣liment is conuerted by the in bred and naturall faculty of the Liuer into a vaporous bloud, which becommeth a naturall, thicke and cloudy spirit, the first of all the rest and their pro∣per nourishment: which spirit is the vehicle of the naturall faculty, and serueth beside to helpe to transport the thicker part of the bloud through the veines into the whole bodye; where it needeth but a little ayer and therefore is refreshed and preserued only by Transpi∣ration made by the Anastomoses or inoculations of the Arteries with the veines in their extremities or determinations. This Naturall faculty (we before mentioned) is diuided in∣to * 1.7 three faculties, the Generatiue, the Alteratiue and the Increasing faculty. Of the Ge∣neratiue we shall speake by and by. The action of the Alteratiue faculty is Nutrition which hath many handmaides attending her, Attraction, Expulsion, Retention, and Concocti∣on.

The action of the Increasing Faculty we call Accretion, that is, when the whole bo∣dy encreaseth in all his dimensions. Finally, wee say that Concupiscence as it is a distinct Faculty from Reason and Rage, ruleth and beareth sway in the Liuer as in her proper Tri∣bunall, and is distinguished into Libidinem & Cupediam, Lust and Longing.

But because in all her workes Nature euer intendeth immortality, which by reason of * 1.8 the importunate quarrell and contention of contraries she could not attaine in the indiui∣duum or particular, she deuised a cunning stratagem to delude the necessity of Destiny, & * 1.9 by an appetite vnto the propagation of the kinde, hath sowed the seedes of eternity in the nature of Man. For the accomplishing of which propagation shee hath ordained conue∣nient instruments in both fexes, which are for the most part alike, but that the instruments of the Male are outward, those of the Foemale for want of Naturall heate to driue them foorth are deteyned within. The Chiefe of these are the Testicles, two Glandulous bo∣dies of an ouall Figure which in men hang out of the Abdomen and are inuested with four Coats, whereof two are common, the serotum or Cod a thin and rugous skinne, and the Darton which hath his originall from the fleshy Panicle. The other two are Proper, the former is called Erytroides, and the latter Epididymis. The temperament of these Testicks is hot and moyst, and they haue a very great consent with the vpper parts especiallie with the Middle Region, as also hath the wombe. The manner of the Operation of the Te∣sticles is thus.

The matter of the seede, together with the spirites carrying in them the forme and im∣pression of all the particular parts and their formatiue Faculty, falleth from the whole bo∣dy and is receiued by the Spermaticall Vesselles, in whose Labyrinths by an irradiation from the Testicles it is whitened. After it is so praepared it is conveighed to the Epididymis thorough whose insensible passages it sweateth into the spongie and friable substance of the Testicles themselues; where hauing atteined the forme and perfection of seede it is de∣liuered ouer by the eiaculatory or rather the Leading-vessels to the Parastatae, and from them transcolated to the Prostatae, which reserue the seed being now turgid and full of spi∣rits for the necessary vses of Nature. Hence it followeth that that power which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, the seede-making Faculty, or the Faculty of generation, is from the Testicles immediately, by which Faculty the parts being stirred vp do poure out of them∣selues the matter of the seede when Venus dooth so require. This Faculty is the authour in men of Virility and in women of Muliebrity and breedeth in all creatures that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by which the heate being blowne vp is the cause 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so that the bloode being heated and attenuated distendeth the Veines, and the bodie or bulke of that part groweth turgid and impatient of his place, which the Grecians call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And thus much of the Lower Re∣gion.

In the Middle Region there are many parts of great woorth, but the excellencie of the * 1.10 Heart dimmeth the light of the rest, which all are to it but seruants and attendants.

The Heart therefore is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth to beate because * 1.11 it is perpetually mooued from the ingate to the outgate of life.

This is a Pyramidal Bowell whose Basis is in the middle of the Chest, the mucro or point reacheth toward the left side. The magnitude but small that the motion might be more free and nimble, the flesh very fast and exceeding hot intertexed or wouen with all three kinds of Fibres, and nourished with bloode which it receiueth from two branches of the Coronary Veine.

On the out-side it hath a great quantity of fat and swimmeth in a waterish Lye which is conteyned in the Pericardium wherewith as with a purse the Heart is encompassed.

On the inside it is distinguished by an intermediate partition into two Ventricles. The right is lesse noble then the left and framed most what for the vse of the Lungs. It receiueth a great quantity of blood from the yawning mouth of the Hollow-vein, and after it is pre∣pared, returneth the same blood againe through the Arteriall veine into all the corners of the Lunges. This right ventricle hath annexed to it the greater care and sixe Values are inserted into the Orifices of his vessels. The left Ventricle which is also the most noble hath a thicker wall then the right, because it is the shop of thin blood and vitall spirites. Out of this Ventricle do two vessels issue, the first called the Venall artery which receyueth the ayer prepared by the Lungs and for retribution returneth vnto them vitall blood and spi∣rits; at which artery the left deafe care is scituated, and in whose orifice there slande two Values bending from without inward. The other vessell of the left Ventricle is the Aorta

or great Artery which distributeth vnto the whole body vitall blood and spirits. For accor∣ding as the opinion of some is, it draweth the better part of the Chylus by the Meseraicke Arteries into the bosome of the left ventricle for the generation of arteriall blood, and at his mouth do grow three Values opening inward. We say further that the Heart is the * 1.12 habitation of the vitall Faculty, which by the helpe of Pulsation and Respiration beget∣teth Vital spirits of Ayer and Blood mixed in the left ventricle. And this Faculty although it be vitall yet is it not the life it selfe, and differeth from the Faculty of Pulsation both in the functions and in the extent and latitude of the subiect. The Faculty of Pulsation is Naturall to the heart, as proceeding and depending vpon the Vitall Faculty. For it is not mooued 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or voluntarily as is the Animall Faculty, but onely obeyeth the com∣mand of the necessity of Nature.

From the foresaide Faculty of Pulsation do proceede two motions, the Diastole & the Systole, betweene which there is a double Rest. These motions in the Heart and Arteries are the same and at the same time, but so, that the cause of the motion is supplied from the Heart vnto the Artrries as from a principle both mooued and moouing.

Finally, to come vnto that which we are now in hand withall. In the vpper Region wee meete with the Braine compassed with the strong battlements of the scull, adorned with * 1.13 the Face as with a beautifull Frontispice wherein the Soule inhabiteth, not onely in es∣sence and power as it is in the rest of the body; but in her magnificense and throne of state. This Braine is the most noble part of the whole body and framed with such curiositie, so many Labyrinthes and Meanders are therein, that euen a good wit may easily bee at losse when it is trained away with so diuers sents in an argument so boundlesse and vaste. Not∣withstanding we will as briefely and succinctly as we can giue you a viewe of the Fabricke and Nature thereof, referring the Reader for better satisfaction to the ensuing discourse, wherein we hope to giue euen him that is curious some contentment.

The substance therefore of the Braine is medullous or marrowy, but a proper marrow not like that of other parts; framed out of the purest part of the seed and the spirites. It is * 1.14 moouable and that with a naturall motion which is double, one proper to it self, another comming from without. It is full of sence, but that sence is operatiue or actiue not passiue. For the behoofe of this braine was the head framed, nor the head alone but also the whole body, it selfe being ordained for the generation of animall spirits and for the exhibiting of the functions of the inward senses and the principall faculties: in this brain we are to con∣sider first his parts then his faculties.

The Braine therefore occupieth the whole cauity of the skull, and by the dura mater or hard membrane is diuided into a forepart and a backpart. The forepart which by reason of the magnitude retaineth the name of the whole and is properly called the Braine, is againe deuided by a body or duplicated membrane resembling a mowerssy the, into a right side & a left, both which sides are againe continued by the interposition or mediation of a callous body. This callous body descending a litle downward appeareth to be excauated or hollowd into two large ventricles much resembling the forme of a mans eare, through which caui∣ties a thrumbe of crisped vessels called Plexus Choroides doth run, wherein the Animal spi∣rits receiue their preparation; and out of these Ventricles doe yssue two swelling Pappes which are commonly called the Organes of smelling and do determine at the spongy bone aboue the top of the nose.

These two venticles are disseuered by a fine and thin body called speculum lucidum, or the bright Glasse, vnto which adioyneth the Arch of the braine called Corpus cameratum which is supported by three finials or Columnes which like Atlas do sustaine the weight of the braine, so that the thirde ventricle which lieth vnder them is not obliterated. This middle ventricle which is a common cauity of the two vpper, occupieth the very center of the braine and runneth out with a double passage. The first descendeth to the Basis of the braine where the originall of the Nerues is most manifest, and the extremity thereof endeth in a portion of the Pia mater or thinne membrane very like vnto a Tunnel, through which Tunnell the flegmaticke excrement of the braine is transcolated into the pituitary glandule thereunder disposed, and so thorough the holes of the wedge-bone distilleth into the Pallate of the mouth.

The other passage of the thirde Ventricle which is larger then the former is directed into the fourth Ventricle where the Glandule or Kernell called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is seated, at each side of which do adioyne the Buttockes of the Braine, and vnder them the Testicles appeare,

which seuer the passage of the Animall spirit out of this into the fourth ventricle. Finally, the fourth ventricle succeedeth, which is the least and most solid of all the rest, and wherein say some, the Animall spirit receiueth his vtmost perfection, and therefore it is made in the Cerebellum that is, the backe-ward or after-braine, which for this very reason was framed of a harder consistence then the former. And so much of the parts of the braine. Now for the faculties; we determine that the Braine is the Pallace of the Rationall Soule, which soule vsing for her instrument the temper & confirmation of the braine, according * 1.15 to the diuersity of her functions bringeth forth mixt actions by the mediation of the ani∣mall spirit. These very actions, produced according to the variety of the temperament and medium, into diuers acts of Ratiocination Imagination and Memory as the soule is best pleased to worke, we call Faculties; which are seated and established together & pro∣miscuously in one and the same place.

Againe, we say that this braine as it is the beginning of the inward, so is it also of the outward senses, from which each of them receiuing their proper vessels or passages toge∣ther with their Faculty do suffer the incursions of Species or Images resorting vnto them according to the diuersity of the Organe. The eye receiueth the visible formes, the care the audible, the nose such as cast an odour from them; and so of the rest. All these indi∣uiduall formes receiued by the sences, are by them resigned vp in token of foealty to the Common sense or priuy-chamber of the soule from whence they receiued their faculties: and then out of those formes the soule gathering phantasmes or notions doth eyther lay them vp in the Memory, or worke vpon them by discourse of Reason. Finally, we attri∣bute to the braine the faculties of sense or motion, which faculties together with the ani∣mall spirit differing in forme and kinde from the vitall, and prepared concocted and perfec∣ted in his ventricles and substance, he doth continually and without intermission transmit through the same Nerues into the whole body to supply the expence of the foresaid spi∣rits, which is made either by action or by passion.

And thus haue wee runne through not onely the two lower Regions to refresh our memories, but also the vpper, wherein the Reader may haue such a taste of that which fol∣loweth, as may haply make him sauour it the better when he commeth thereto. And so wee proceede to our businesse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why the bo∣dy is made of many organs.
• * 1.2

  why the spirit was created.
• * 1.3

  The second principle.
• * 1.4

  How the bo∣dy is like the world.
• * 1.5

  The lower Region.
• * 1.6

  The Liuer.
• * 1.7

  The Naturall faculty.
• * 1.8

  The partes of Generation.
• * 1.9

  The Testicles
• * 1.10

  The Middle Region.
• * 1.11

  The Heart.
• * 1.12

  The Vitall fa∣culty.
• * 1.13

  The vpper Region.
• * 1.14

  The Braine.
• * 1.15

  The Animall Faculty.