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.

A Ship that hath bene long at Sea, discouered many strange Continents and Riuers, strugled through many hiddeous tempests, escaped many Rockes and Quicke-sands; though she hath made no rich Returne, yet when she commeth with∣in ken of her owne Countrey, and sees the Land lye faire be∣fore her: If thou canst imagine (Gentle Reader) how sodain∣ly she forgetteth her irkesome Trauell, thinke also how well apaid I am, that I am come within view of the end of this my Tedious Voyage. For I also haue trauelled about a Worlde, and that for thy behoofe.

In my Iourney, if I haue not made many new Discoueries; yet certainely I haue sounded the Depths more truely, Entered farther into the Continents, Coasted the Shores, plyed vp the Frythes, Discouered the Inhabitants, their Qualities, Tempers, Regiment of Life, their Diet, their Apparrell, their Imployments: And in a worde, I haue made it easie for thee to reape the profit of many mens Labors, and of mine Owne. Yet thou must Vnderstand this but as a Letter of Aduertisement from the Coast. I haue not yet brought my Barke about: Many haue shunned Scylla and Charibdis, and haue miscarried euen in the Mouth of the Hauen, where there are more Rockes then in the Maine; Many Reaches, which we must haue diuers windes to fetch, and therefore thou must haue Patience if wee make not so fresh a Way, but bee constrained to winde in by Bourds; and in the meane time, forget not Thou to follow vs with thy Vowes. For this Shore is buttrest with Rockes on euery hand, the Currants swift, the Shallowes ma∣ny. To breake off our Metaphor. The History of the Bones is a busie piece of Worke; their Articulations and Compositions many dissolute and laxe, many strict and close; Their Coalitions hard to be discerned, harder to be expressed; Their Perforations, Ca∣uities, Bosomes, Appendancies, Prominences and Processes, difficult to distinguish. Now therefore, if at any time, I stand in neede of thy patience; (Gentle Reader) for my Stile heere must be abrupt and broken, hard and harsh of necessity according to my Ar∣gument. If thou canst finde Profit, loooke not for Pleasure; and if thou finde it hard to Reape in this vnequall Field, remember hee had some∣thing to do that brake vp the Swarth, and sowed it for thee.