Dr. Willis's practice of physick being the whole works of that renowned and famous physician wherein most of the diseases belonging to the body of man are treated of, with excellent methods and receipts for the cure of the same : fitted to the meanest capacity by an index for the explaining of all the hard and unusual words and terms of art derived from the Greek, Latine, or other languages for the benefit of the English reader : with forty copper plates.

The Authors Epistle Dedicatory, To the Most Reverend Father in Christ, His Grace, Gilbert, by Divine Providence Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of all England, and One of His Sacred Majesties most Honourable Privy Council.

IT is so Ordained by the Laws, most Noble Prelate, that whatsoever shall happen to be built upon any ones ground, it shall be his own by right of accession. Since therefore, to that work which I lately attempted, concerning the Gifts and Nature of the Sensitive Soul, as also the Affections of the Brain and Nervous stock, and the various Diseases which be∣long to them, I had placed the Anatomy of the humane Head for a foundation; it was altogether necessary (this Treatise being Dedicated to your Grace) that whatsoever building should be raised on that Foundation, should truly and right∣ly be said to be yours: And so indeed, we continue the fault we had sometimes Committed; and it becomes not only a step, but what is more, an oligation to the following Crime; that at length, we feem rather to perform a Duty, the name of a fault being lost, than to become Criminal.

But in the mean time, this matter in which I busie my self, may not be said to be unfit for your Knowledge, or to be dis∣agreeing to the business of the Church, over which you most happily preside; For both those Epilepticks which are to be met with here, precipitating themselves into the water or the fire, and those whose members variously contracted and di∣storted with Spasms or Convulsions, and those whose whole Bodies so bent, that they could not stand upright; by and by, as if by Inspiration of the Divil, they are agitated with Stu∣pendious leapings, and other wonderful gesticulations: These, I say, and many other Sick men whom I here every where de∣scribe, seem not much to differ from those whom we read of in the Evangelists to be cured by our Lord Jesus Christ; and al∣though such be to be cured, however contumations and rebel∣lious they are, the Physitian, however Skilful he be, ought always to implore the help of the Heavenly Power, to be assisting to him, being above all the Strength of Medicines. Therefore, and by right the Disease by the Ancients called

Holy of the word Theoria, and the rest of our Pathology, as if it contained in it a cettain Divinity, explicates the Di∣sease to be cured no less with prayers and fastings, than with Medicines, and therefore should desire greatly to call upon the Authority of Holy men, and to be helped by the Power of your Sanctity.

Besides, it is no new thing that there should be an Entrance into the Church thorow the Spittle; for that it appears, our Saviour to have used almost this method, who would for the most part, that the health of the Soul, should take its begin∣ning from the restored health of the Body. And truly, as the Stupid Diliriums of Melanchollicks, the Caninish madness, and others sprung from an infirm Brain, have driven some, both from the Communion of Saints, and from the Society of men, if these had been profligated by the help of our Art, it would not be despair'd of but that the men should not only, growing well, have left both at once their Diseases and Errors, but also should have become wise.

It remains, that I Supplicate the Great God, That he will render to his Church, the peace he has happily given to the Commonwealth, that he may take away the darkness from the eyes of the miserable people, that he may withdraw the fury from their minds; and for a pledge and advantage of so great a benefit, that he may long keep safe and in health, your Grace, the mighty Pillar and Glory of the Reformed Religion, which is Cordially desired by,

Your Graces most humble and Devoted Servant, T. W.