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.

BEeing now to dissolue this goodly frame of Nature, and to take in pieces this Maister-piece, it shall not bee amisse to take a light sur∣uey of all the parts as they lye in order, beginning with that which first meeteth with the sence. This body therefore, which indeede is but the Sepulchre of that God at first created, although to the eye it is very specious and beautifull, yet is it but infirme and weakely defended, so that the soule is truly saide Inhabitare immunitam Ci∣uitatem; for to death and diseases we lie open on euery side. The world is a Sea, the accidents and diuers occurrents in it are waues, wherein this small Bark is tossed and beaten vp and downe, and there is betwixt vs and our dissolution, not an inch boord, but a tender skinne, which the slenderest violence euen the cold aire is able to slice through. How then, may some say, commeth it to passe, that so weake a vessell should liue in so tempestuous a Sea, should ride out so many stormes and dangers? Surely, it is put to∣gether with wonderfull Art, and framed according to Geometricall proportions, which the English Poet hath obscurely but excellently described vnder the type of the Castle of Alma, that is, of the soule.

The Frame thereof seem'd partly Circulare, And partly Triangulare: ô worke Diuine! Those two, the first and last proportions are; The one, imperfect, mortall, foeminine: The other, immortall, perfect, Masculine: And twixt them two, a Quadrate was the base, Proportioned equally by seauen and nine; Nine, was the Circle set in Heauens place, All which compacted, made a goodly Diapase.

So that truth to say, it is not the matter, whose commencements are dust, and consummati∣on clay, but the excellent proportion and structure that maketh this Paper-sconce high pe∣rill-proofe.

VVe list not againe to retriue the wonders we haue already sprung, least we should seem to mingle Yarne to lengthen out our web: our paine is as great in choise, as others is in want. For he that would sum vp all the rarities of Nature, which shee hath packed toge∣ther in that goodly cabinet, had neede of the Sea for his Inke, and the sand for his Coun∣ters.

It shall be sufficient in this place, to draw the Curtaine and to shew you the case, ra∣ther the Coffin or winding sheete wherein nature hath wrapped this liuing body of death. Those are foure besides the haires, wherewith as with Flowers the coffin is garnished that is, the Cuticle or Scarfe-skin, the skin it selfe, the fat and the fleshy Membrane.

The Haires are a velature or couering for the more vncomely parts, a defence for the head, which we may encrease or diminish, keepe on or leaue off at our pleasure and for our necessity, an ornament for the face, and finally a conuenient outlet and way of ex∣pence for the thicke and smoaky vapors, which otherwise would smother and choake the Braine.

The Scarfe-skin or Cuticle being voide of sense it selfe, is ordained as a muniment to defend the skinne from the violence of outward iniuries, to attemper his exquisite sense, and so become the medium or meane of sensation; to couer the Orifices or mouths of the Capillarie and hairy or small vessels, which determine in the skin that the blood issue not from them, to sucke vp the vaporous moysture which otherwise would indecently well out of the pores of the skin, and insensibly to euaporate the same, which we call transpirati∣on; and finally, to turne the roughnesse and inequality of the skinne into a soft and slicke smoothnesse, and so becommeth one of the principall beauties of the body.

The skin it selfe is the wall of the Castle, so quaintly framed, that the more fiercelie it is besieged by the cold, the more safely it doth defend, and the more strength it doth giue to the inward parts: and therefore Hippocrates saith, In Winter the belly, that is, the inward parts of the body are hotter; the reason is, because all the spirits are immured, and the Naturall heate restrained from vaporing forth. But when the outward enemies are departed, then it openeth it selfe on euery side, so cleansing the body of such superfluities, as in the time of constraint were contracted.

Next vnder the skin lyeth the fat, a pillow to the vessels which run vnder it, a comple∣ment to fill vp the vacant distances of the Muscles, thereby making the body plumpe, soft, and better proportioned; a light and soft vesture to keepe the subiected parts warm in win∣ter, and in summer to defend them from heate. Finally, a Stowage or Magazine of nou∣rishment against a time of dearth: for being dissolued by the naturall heate, it melteth in∣to a blood-like vapour, and returneth againe into the vessels, and so becommeth a subsidi∣ary Aliment in times of Necessity, Nature being at her own finding, and teaching vs with how little she can content her selfe.

Finally, the fleshy Membrane as an avant Mure or inward counter-scarfe, is ordained as a secret defence to hold out a second assault, if the outward should bee won by the enemy. It preserueth also the fat, that it is not molten with the perpetuall motion of the Muscles. It supporteth and sustaineth the passages of the vessels which run from within forth to the surface of the body. And to conclude, as a mound of earth within a Citie, serues to make vp the breaches of the wall, so doth this Membrane being fleshy, helpe to consolidate the skin being wounded, or otherwise violated, which without flesh was impossible to be ac∣complished. And these are the outward defences which are generall to the whole bodye. There are some also more particular to the lower belly, with which in our Anatomical ad∣ministration, we must begin according to the order of Dissection: but first we wil giue you a generall view of all the regions & outward parts of the body, calling euery one by theyr names, and disciphering them in two Tables, to which wee haue added also their expositi∣on, that the young Anatomist being in the beginning acbuainted with the appellations of the outward parts, may not be puzled in the future Discourse.