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.

Whether the Spermaticall parts be generated of seede. QVEST. VII.

MAuing thus handled the distinction of the parts, & the natures of them all; it remayneth that we entreat of those parts which are called Spermaticall. concerning which, there are three questions among the rest most notable: Whether they be immediately made of the seede; whether they can grow together againe or bee restored; and whether they bee hotter then the san∣guine or bloudy parts or no; all which we will dispute in order. The first question is hard to be determined, and therefore we must be constrayned to take our rise a little higher, for that the nature of seede which is intangled in many folds of difficulties, must first be vnfol∣ded: notwithstanding, because wee shall haue fitter oportunity in the booke of the gene∣ration of man, to search more narrowly into the mysteries of this secret, wee will content our selues in this place briefly to run ouer those things which shal most concerne the mat∣ter we haue in hand.

It is agreed vpon betweene the Physitians and the Peripatecians, that seede is a Principle of generation. But the Philosophers doe acknowledge it onely to be a formall and effici∣ent Principle, the Physitians both a formall and a materiall; formall, by reason of his spi∣rits; materiall by reason of his body. The Physitians therefore doe determine, that the spermaticall parts are generated out of the crassament or thicke substance of the seede, the Peripateticks, onely out of the bloud. This latter opinion is not without his patrons and abettors, and beside, supporteth it selfe by these arguments. If the Spermaticall parts were made of the seede as of a materiall principle: then the actiue and the passiue, the act and the power; the mouer and that which is moued; the matter and the forme; the maker and the thing made should be the same; which true and solid Philosophy will not admit. A∣gaine, according to Aristotle in the second booke of his Physickes; the Artizane is neuer a part of his owne workmanship; the seede is the artizane. Galen calleth it Phidias, who was an excellent Statuarie, and made among other peeces Mineruas statue of Iuory 26. cu∣bits high &c. And in the 20. chapter of the first book de generatione Animalium; The seed is no part of the Infant that is made, sayth the Philosopher; no more then the Carpenter is a part of the woode which hee heweth: neyther is there any part of the art of the artificer in that which is effected; but onely by his labour through motion, there ariseth in the mat∣ter a forme and a shape. Moreouer, it is an axiome of Physicke, That wee are nourished by those things whereof we are formed, framed, and do consist; but all the parts of man are nou∣rished with blood, and therefore they are all generated of blood also.

Furthermore, if the principall parts, the Heart and the Liuer bee made of blood (for their substance is fleshy, and Hippocrates calleth them both fleshy Entrals) why is it not so with the other parts which al men admit and consent to be made and perfected after them? Adde heereto, that if the seede of the Male be both the efficient, and the matter of the In∣fant, there is no reason but the male may alone beget an infant in himselfe: shall the Na∣ture of the seede be idle and at rest, which all Philosophers with one consent doe agree, is alwayes actiue and operatiue? Finally, is it possible that so small a moment of seede, as or∣dinarily sufficeth for the generation of Man, should bee sufficient for the delineation of so many hundreds, nay thousands of Bones, Gristles, Ligaments, Arteries, Nerues, Veynes, Membranes, &c? Wherefore, the seede hath not the nature of a materiall, but onely of an

efficient cause of mans generation.

There are a••so two places in Galen, which seeme to fauour the opinion of the Peripate∣tikes. The first, is in the second Booke De Naturalibus Facultatibus, where hee sayth, The Seede is an ••ffectiue Principle of the Creature, for the materiall is the Menstruall Blood. The other in the third Chapter of the same Booke, where he speaketh verie plainly. There is great difference (saith he) betweene the workemanship of Phydias, and of Nature. For Phydi∣as of waxe can neuer make Iuory and Gold, but Nature keepeth not the olde forme of any matter, generating of bloud bloudlesse parts. As for example, Bones, Gristles, Nerues, Veines, Arteries, all bloudlesse, yet made of bloud.

But the trueth is, that Galen was of another minde, to wit, that all the Spermaticall parts were made of seede, as appeareth in his Bookes de Semine, where hee inueyeth pur∣posely against Aristotle concerning this matter, teaching that the seede is both the efficient and the materiall cause of their generation. The efficient, in respect of the Spirites; the matter in respect of the Crassament of it. And indeede, that admirable and vnimitable in∣genie or discourse of Hippocrates, did first bring this light into the worlde, as appeareth in his Bookes De Natura pueri de Principijs, and the fourth De Morbis. And Aristotle him∣selfe is constrained to confesse as much in the first Booke of his Physickes, and in his Bookes De gener: Animalium, where he sayth, that some parts are made onely of an Ali∣mentarie excrement, some of an Alimentarie and a Seminall together. Besides, not to stand vpon authorities, wee haue waight of Reason to prooue it. The seede of Man, is white, froathie, and thicke, and when it is cast into the Wombe, if Conception fol∣low, it is retained; for out of hand the mouth of the Wombe is so exquisitelie closed, that a needle cannot finde entrance without offence.

This all Women know full well; and the Musicall Huswife in Hippocrates, when shee knew that the seede she had receyued came not away, on the seauenth day with a La vaito I trow, or some such violent friske, shee auoyded her Conception▪ For, if the substance of seede be retained in the Wombe, it must of necessitie bee resolued into nothing, or something must be made of it; or else (as the Peripatetikes dreame) it must bee dissolued into winde and vapours. The first, no Philosopher will assent vnto; for, as nothing is made of nothing, so that which is something, cannot vanish into nothing. The last, Ga∣len disprooueth by this argument, Because when the seede is conceyued, the Wombe is contracted, and the seede narrowly embraced on euery side, so that there is no place lefte for any distending winde: adde heereto, that if the seede were dissolued into winde, the wombe beeing distended, would be afflicted with exquisite torments; for of one part of earth, are made ten of water, and of one of water, ten of aire.

It remaineth therefore, that of the Crassament of the seede, some parts must neces∣sarily be framed, and those are they which are called spermatical, Bones, Gristles, Nerues, Veynes, Arteries, Membranes, &c. And this is prooued by theyr whitenesse, and by the thicknesse, and the lentor or sliminesse of their substance.

Moreouer, that the Spermaticall parts are made of seede, wee may thus demonstrate. Bones, Cartilages or Gristles, Membranes and Ligaments, are bloudlesse and white, and therefore they cannot be made of blood immediately, as flesh; but of bloud chaunged, whitened, and incrassated, and then what differeth it from seede? Nature therefore should bee very ydle, if shee should euacuate and expell a matter fyt for the generation of those parts, and (as if shee had forgot her selfe) should endeauor to bring blood into that forme of which she had at the fyrst hand seed enough.

To these demonstrations of Galen (at which Argenterius like a Detractor scoffeth) we will adde other Reasons. VVhen the seede is iniected into the bosome of the wombe, the wombe is instantly contracted, and the plasticall or forming Facultie thereof, ray∣seth vppe the sleeping power of the seede; and then his spirites and natiue heate, com∣mence theyr action. Now this action thus instantly begunne, woorketh vppon some∣what: not vppon bloude, because yet there is no confluence of it to the part. For who will say, That in Coition there is a double secretion, one of seede, another of bloud at one and the same time? The Peripatetike himselfe will not yeelde to such a So∣lecisme in nature; but we know, that that which is auoyded in the acte of generation, is seede, and not blood.

It is therefore the Crassament of the seede vpon which the Spirits doe worke, in which they haue their aboade as in their proportionable subiect; this they turne and tosse

on euery side; the dissimilar parts of it they separate, framing of the thicker bones & gri∣stles, of the slimy Membranes and vessels; all which, being scored out as the rude and first draught of a picture, wherein are nothing but the maister lines; the seuenth day the blood floweth vnto it, to make the Parenchymata or flesh of the entrals, and to fill vp the vacant distances of the Fibres. If therefore in the very conception, no bloud doe flow from the Veynes of the wombe vnto the masse of seede conceiued, how can wee imagine, that the first delineation of the parts, is made of blood? Againe, the blood wherewith the infant is nourished, and of which the Parenchymata are made, must passe by veynes, veynes I say, not of the mother, for then it would encompasse the seede onely, not insinuate it selfe into the parts of it; but of the infant; and for this purpose is the vmbilicall veine formed, called therefore the Nurse or Foster veine, so that this Veine must of necessity bee made before the blood can come vnto the seede; and of blood it is not made, because there is yet no af∣fluence of it. If you shall say, that blood is powred into the capacity of the womb by the small veines of the wombe: I aske why is the Infant not immediately nourished by the same veines? What neede was there that any vmbilicall veine should be formed? Finally, another demonstration that the parts are made of seede may be on this manner. The seede of the male and female is of one nature, colour and manner of generation, they haue both the same vessels of preparation, concoction and eiaculation, onely they are distinguished in perfection, for that the seede of the male is hotter and better laboured. Now all men do acknowledge, that the seede of the Female is the materiall principle of the parts; why then do they deny it to the crassament or substance of the seede of the male? Wee there∣fore conclude and determine, that both seedes are not onely efficient but materiall Prin∣ciples of the spermaticall parts.

But that we may leaue no enemies at our backes to interrupt our victory as wee gaine the field before vs, let vs make answere to such arguments as are brought against the truth of this assertion. And first for Galen: where hee writeth, that the spermaticall partes are made of blood, he doth not vnderstand an immediate generation, that is, that the Bones are made immediately of red blood, as is the flesh; but of blood passed through diuers al∣terations and mutations of dealbation and incrassation. And what I pray you is this, but to say they are made of seede?

To the first argument I answere thus. There are two things to be considered in the seed, the Spirit and the Body. In respect of the Spirit, Aristotle in his first Booke de partibus A∣nimalium saith, the seede is the nature, the principle, and the efficient of the thing begotten; and Galen in his second Book de Semine, calleth it Formator faetus, the former of the Infant. In respect of the Crassament or body, it is called a material & passiue principle, so that the same part of the seed shal not be the Actiue & Passiue principle, the act and the power, the moouer and the mooued, the matter and the forme as the Peripatetiks would perswade vs it must be, if that opinion were true. And Auerrhoes giueth an instance how these respects may be separated, so that the same thing may become the moouer and the mooued in di∣uers considerations. For example: In a stone, the grauity or weight mooueth downward, and the stone is mooued; so in the seede, the spirit is the moouer, and that which is moued is the Crassament or substance.

In those things that are done by Art, wee confesse the Artizane is no part of his owne workemanship; but in naturall things there is not the like reason. And this Aristotle teach∣eth in the 5. Chapter of his Booke de Spiratione. There is a difference (saith hee) betwixt Art and Nature, for Art vseth heate onely as an Instrument; but Nature vseth it both as an Instrument, and as a matter. For the fire which is vsed by the Artist to his worke, is not a part of the worke it selfe; but the heate, which is in nature, is diffused thorough the sub∣stance of that she intendeth to accomplish. Some Learned men make a two-fold kinde of Instrument, Wherewith and Wherein. The Instrument Wherewith, remaineth not in the part that is formed: but that wherein remaineth, as being the subiect of the forming faculty, o∣therwise there should be a formall transition, or transition of the forme, out of one subiect into another. For the forming faculty should leaue his proper subiect, that is, the seede, & transport it selfe into the blood.

To the third; we do not deny that Bones and Spermatical parts are norished by blood, but that blood hath gotten and acquired vnto it selfe the nature of seede, in thickenesse, sli∣minesse, and whitenesse. Or say thus. The blood is the remote aliment of the spermaticall parts, and the seede or something like seede the immediate. To the fourth, the Parenchy∣mata

or flesh of the principall parts, are indeede generated of bloode; but their first foun∣dations had their originall from seede. The Warpe is seede, the Woose is blood. To the fift. The Male alone cannot generate in himself, although he haue both Principles in him, Efficient and Materiall, because he hath no fit place for conception, nourishment, and pre∣seruation of the Infant, yet therefore his seede cannot well be saide to be idle; for that is idle, which when it may or can, yet doth not work; but in the male it neither may nor can, because he hath not a field to sow his seed in; & the seed that lyeth in the garner, cannot be saide to be doted, because it groweth not; but if it bee put into the ground, then we know it is doted if it do not sprout.

The last reason Argenterius makes great account of, for he taketh it to bee beyond cre∣dance, that all the spermaticall parts should bee made of so small a quantity of seede; and therefore that he might be absurd alone, against all consent of antiquity he sayth, that no parts are made of seede. But truth is, that in this there is nothing admirable, but as all the workes of God are iustly to be admired. Shall we see a Spider weaue out of her womb a web a hundred times as long as her selfe, her selfe not at all lessened, and shall we thinke that Nature cannot draw as fine a thred, and after by addition of competent matter, en∣large the dimensions thereof? But let vs returne to Argenterius, and see how Clark-like he disputeth against Galen in this point. It is not possible (saith hee) that so many Bones, Gristles, Membranes, Vessels, &c. should be all formed of so little seede, and therefore none of them are made of seed. A light and vaine argument, drawne from the weaknesse of his owne vnderstanding. Doth he imagine thinke we, that the geniture conceyued & deli∣neated the seuenth day, is by that time grown into farther dimensions then the seed which issued from both the Parents was of? Out of doubt he was not diligent in viewing abort∣ments. For we dare confidently and religiously auouch, that the first moneth the Embryo although articulated, is no bigger then halfe the thumbe, yea we haue seene it at xi. weeks not aboue an inch and a halfe long, and of the thickenesse of a good quill, though all the parts (euen of generation) were manifestly to be seene and distinguished. If any man shal call the credit of our asseueration into question, let him heare Aristotle Probl. 36. sect. 1. & 7. de Historia Animalium, where he auoucheth, If a Male Infant of forty dayes growth, be put into any other thing, it will fall asunder: but if it be cast into cold water, it gathereth together, and abideth compassed as it were with a Membrane, which being broken, the Infant appeareth in the magnitude of a great Ant or Pismire, and the Members of his Body may be discerned. What will Argenterius say to this? Is not the seede of greater quantity then a great Pismire? Let him remember Aristotles Philosophy, That in principles there is great perfection, litle quantity but abundant vertue. A small Acorne into how vast an Oake will it grow? The nourishment onely is from the earth: the extent of the parts from the vertue of the seede. But if hee will not beleeue Aristotle; as scarsely authenticall in Anatomy, wee will cite him before the Tribunall of truth it selfe, that is, of Hippocrates, who in his Booke de Prin∣cipijs affirmeth the very same. The Geniture in seauen dayes hath whatsoeuer it ought to haue. For common and prostituted Strumpets, when they finde they haue conceiued, they vndo it with∣in their owne bodyes by wicked meanes, and so there falleth from them as it were a flesh. Which flesh if it be cast into cold water, and diligently obserued, you shal in it perceyue all the members, the place of the eyes, eares, hands, fingers, thighes, feete, toes, and the secret parts. If therefore in the first seuen daies the infant be so small, why seemeth this vnreasonable, that of the seede at once cast into the wombe, the first threds and foundations of the spermatical parts should be formed, which afterward by the continuall apposition and assimulation of Ali∣ment, receiue their increment and perfection?

We conclude therefore, that all the spermaticall partes are generated of the Crassa∣ment or body of the seede, as of a materiall Principle. And this Crassament, although it seeme at the first view homogeniall, that is, hauing al parts of it alike, yet notwithstanding containeth in it parts of vnlike natures; thinner, thicker, fatter, flimier, some fyt for con∣cretion or gathering together; others for tension and diffusion, all which are separated by the spirits and heate of the same seede, stirred vp by the Plasticall or formatiue power of the wombe: and so much concerning the fyrst question.

Notes

• Three questi∣ons concer∣ning sperma∣tical parts.
• The first que∣stion.
• The Peripate∣ticks thinke that all the parts are ge∣nerated of bloud. The first rea∣son.
• The second. Aristotle. Phidias the Statuary.
• An axiome in Phisicke. The third.
• The fourth. Hippocrates.
• The fift.
• The sixt.
• The contrarie opinion of the Physitians. Authorities of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Aristotle.
• Reasons. The first.
• Hip. Psaltria. lib. de nat. pueri
• The second.
• The third.
• The fourth.
• The fift.
• The determi∣nation.
• Answere to the aduerse arguments. Galen expoū∣ded.
• Answere to the first Ar∣gument.
• Auerrhoes.
• Answere to the second. Aristotle.
• Answer to the third.
• Answer to the fourth.
• To the fift.
• To the last. Argenterius.
• An example of the Spider
• Argenterius confuted.
• The small quantitie of the Infant af∣ter it is tor∣med.
• Aristotle.
• Axiome.
• Example.
• The conclusi∣on of the que¦stion.