The marrow of physicke, or, A learned discourse of the severall parts of mans body being a medicamentary, teaching the manner and way of making and compounding all such oyles, unguents ... &c. as shall be usefull and necessary in any private house ... : and also an addition of divers experimented medicines which may serve against any disease that shall happen to the body : together with some rare receipts for beauties ... / collected and experimented by the industry of T.B.

Of Ages.

What an age is. AN Age is the space of life, in which the constitu∣tion of our bodies of its selfe doth encrease, stand, decrease, and utterly decline, whose whole course hath five ages or speciall mutations. The first whereof is

Infancy. Infancy, which is hot and moist, and lasteth from the first houre of the birth untill the eighteenth year of age, and is governed by the Moone; and this the age where∣in the body by reason of the moisture continually groweth and encreaseth, and is subject to Feavours, Fluxes, Wormes in the belly, Stone, Aposthumes, and divers other diseases.

Youth. Youth is temperate, in which there is augmentation neither of heate, drinesse nor cold: in this age the voice beginneth to grow great in men, and the paps encrease in women, and this lasteth untill the five and twentieth yeare.

Mans es∣ate. The next is mans estate, which is hot and drie, in which moisture cannot be said to augment nor diminish, but the body remaines according to the course of nature: it lasteth not above the thirty fifth or fortieth yeare, this age is subject to hot agues, feavers, frenzies, and sundry other maladies, it is governed by Venus, and is named by Avicen, the beautifull age.

The fourth is the decreasing or declining age, which [Parte of old age. 1] is by some devided into three, but (by most of our latest writers) onely into two; the first whereof is to the forty ninth or fiftieth yeare, and is cold and drie, in which the moistture is diminished without any manifest debility of the strength, so that they are able to undergoe divers affaires, and are p••udent, wise, and fit to governe com∣monwelths, for this age is governed by Iupiter.

[Parte of old age. 2] The secōd part of old age, and which stands for the fift part is called, the decrepit age; & is cold and dry, because the humidum radicale, the radic••ll moisture is decayed: it is governed by Saturne and is subj••ct to Epil••psie, li∣thargie, numnesse and the like: this age hath no distinct

period, but ends yeares and life together, and is called the end of age and life, wherein the memorie and senses decay, the judgement faileth, and they are as it were in∣fants againe.

But we cannot measure these ages by certaine propor∣tion of yeares, because divers seeme older at forty, then others at threescore or threescore and tenne.

And now because these ages are governed and altered by the influence of the planets, therefore I will breifely shew you the natures of them, and first the natures of the twelue signes, of the Zodiacke, whereby mans body is governed, and with whom the 7 planets worke by in∣fluence.

There are foure triplicities of signes, three of the water Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces; three of the earth, Taurus, Capri∣corne, Virgo; three of the fire, as Aries, Leo Sagittarius; and three of the aire, as Gemini, Libra, Aquarius; to these are agreeable the seaven planets in their qualities and working, in the severall ages of mans life: Iupiter and Venus are good planets: Saturne and Mars evill: Sol and Luna indifferent: Mercury is good with the good, and evill with the evill: and these seaven superior planets do worke by influence with the seaven celestiall signes in the bodies of all living creatures, and are agreeable with the foure elements, and the foure parts of the world, as before I shewed you, which for the better understanding I will thus devide:

• Cancer are of the nature of water
• Scorpio are of the nature of water
• Pisces are of the nature of water
• Gemini are of the nature of the aire
• Libra are of the nature of the aire
• Aquarius are of the nature of the aire
• Aries are of the nature of fire.
• Leo are of the nature of fire.
• Sagittarius are of the nature of fire.
• Taurus are of the nature of the earth.
• Capricornus are of the nature of the earth.
• Virgo are of the nature of the earth.

And these twelve signes are again devided into three quaternions, or three fours of different qualitie, in this sort and diversity of nature: viz. four are moveable, four are fixt, and four are called common signes.

• Aries are moveable
• Cancer are moveable
• Libra are moveable
• Capricorne are moveable
• Taurus are fixed
• Leo are fixed
• Scorpio are fixed
• Aquarius are fixed
• Gemini are common signes.
• Virgo are common signes.
• Sagittarius are common signes.
• Pisces. are common signes.

Some of these are Orientall of the East, and some are Occidentall of the West, some are Meridionall of the South, and some are Septentrionall of the North.

These twelve signes are also agreeable to the foure cardinall winds, and some are of the day, and some of

East	South	West	North
Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer
Leo	Virgo	Libra	Scorpio
Sagitt.	Capricor.	Aquarius	Pisces
Fiery.	Earthly.	Airie.	Watry.

the night, & some are masculine, and some are femi∣nine.

But note, that these are not proper beasts, as they are named, but named and likened to such beasts, by way of Philo∣sophy,

for they are onely the twelve parts of the firma∣ment, of which each part hath a certaine number of Starres assigned, and are called the proper houses of the seven Planets, in which they rest and abide a certaine time. The three quaternions of the twelve signes doe governe in divers parts of our bodies, whereof foure there be that rule the inward parts, called spirituall mem∣bers. viz.

Cancer	Rule these parts in a mans bo∣dy. viz.	The Liver and Lunges.
Leo	The Heartstrings and Backe.
Virgo	The Stomack, and the mou••h of the	Stomacke, Midriffe and Bowells.
Libra	The Loynes and Navell.

And of these are ingend∣red these severall diseases. viz.

...Cancer. ...Leo. ...Virgo. ...Libra.

causeth the

Cough, Ptisicke, and Pleu∣risie, Imposthumes, Iaun∣dies, Feavers, & Pestilence, Swelling of the Belly, Dropsie, Hardnesse of the Belly & Collicke Passion, Exulceration of the Bow∣els, Pain in the Belly, and a∣bout the Small of the back.

And these evill affects are chiefly engendred when the signes aforesaid are in the houses that are evill; as the sixt house, the eight house, and the twelfe house from the ascendant.

A Planet is a Starre which is discording or differing from the lesser Starres in forming and working, for they are greater, and of more power then those that are lesse.

The Moone is said much to alter the constitution of our bodies by those signes wherein she enters; there∣fore I shall first declare unto you the twelve signes, and the parts they governe, and consequently the diseases caused by the influence of the Moone in every one of those signes.

First, Aries hath his place in the head, face, eares; and the diseases are headach, toothach, paine in the eyes, pimples, morphew, scurfe in the face, and such like.

Taurus governeth the necke and throate; and the dis∣eases are the Kings-evil, hoarsenesse in the throate, weak∣nesse in the necke, and blacke chollar or melancho∣ly, squinances, catarrhes, and other diseases of the necke throate.

Gemini ruleth the shoulders, armes, hands, and fin∣gers, and their diseases proceeding of bloud in the said parts; as frankles and such like, and some comming of phlegme.

Cancer hath dominion in the pappes, breast, ribs, the upper part of the belly, part of the stomacke, the spleen and lungs; it ruleth over phlegmaticke humours, and denoteth impediments in the eyes, darkenesse in the sight, spots and pustles in the face, the scab, leprosie, lithargy, galling of the skinne, and evill sickenesses of the body and face comming of phlegme.

Leo governeth the heart, neather part of the stomack, and ribs, backebone, sides, small guts, and the liver, and the sickenesse proceeding from chollar citrine, and o∣thers as trembling of the heart, swounding, &c.

Virgo ruleth the belly, intrailes, midriffe, and over melancholy, and signifieth all ill humours, proceeding

of melancholy, as Iliacopassio, collica passio and the like.

Libra hath dominion in the reynes, and loynes, nea∣ther part of the belly, navell, hanches, and buttockes, and over blood, and specifieth dimnes of sight, reten∣tion of Urine, and of digestion of fluxes, and the like.

Scorpio ruleth the secret parts, the bladder, and parts of generation, and the flanckes, and over phlegmaticke humours, and aquosities, and showeth lepry, scabs, spots in the face, cankers, fistulaes, hemorhoids, the stone, fal∣ling of the haire, scurfes, and deformed diseases in the face, and all the body poisoned by medicine.

Sagittarius hath his dominion in the thighes, with the apurtenances, and all superfluous parts, as a sixt part of the fingers, &c. and over choller, and the diseases proceeding thereof, as Feavers, Agues, falls from high places, darkenesse or impediments of theeyes, and from the sixteenth degree to the eighteenth, he signifieth hurts by horses, and wounds.

Capricorne governeth the knees and their diseases, leprosie, scabs, galls, defects of the skinne, losse of hearing, speech, and sight, feavers, issues of blood in the inferiour parts, and fluxes also, and diseases comming of melancholy.

Aqaurius ruleth the legs and their diseases procee∣ding of blood, blacke jaundise, quartaine feavers, in∣scision of the veines; and from the twentieth degree to the five and twentieth, it noteth paines in the eyes.

Pisces hath dominion in the feete, and over their dis∣eases, as the gout, scab, leprosie, palsie, paine in the feete, galls in the skin, and ulcers, and is a signe very sickely and phlegmaticke. These are the proper signifi∣cations

of the signes by themselves, or when the Moone is in them passing through all the parts of mans body; yet notwithstanding the Moone and other Planets have divers and severall significations in all the signes par∣ticularly appropriative to themselves, very necessary to be observed, having speciall relation to the part of the body diseased and grieved, as may appeare by what is said; whereby it is thought very evill to administer any medicine to the part which is governed of any signe, the day that the Moone is in it, except necessity urge; nor to make any incision in any member, least efflux of blood follow, and diverse other inconveniences.

The Ancients also considered the twelve monethes of the yeare, with the twelve signes, in which they are said to worke according to their nature, one with ano∣ther; but each one hath his severall month wherein he properly raignes.

Aries. ♈. And first raignes Aries in the month of March, for in that signe (say they) God made the world, and to this signe the old Iewish Philosophers gave the name of Aries: that is to say, a Ram; forasmuch as Abraham made his offering to God of a Ram, for his sonne Isaac; and whosoever is borne in this signe shall be timerous or dreadfull; but he shall have grace and good incli∣nation.

Taurus. ♉. The second signe Taurus, raigneth in April, it hath the name of Bull; forasmuch as Iacob wrastled and strove with the Angel: Whosoever is borne in this signe shal have good successe in all manner of beasts and cattle of the field.

Gemini. ♊. The third signe Gemini, raigneth in May; it hath the name of twinnes, forasmuch as Adam and Eve were

formed, and made of one kind: Whosoever is borne in this signe, poore, and feeble shall he be, and shall live in griefe, because Adam, and Eve bewailed their fall.

Cancer. ♋. The fourth, Cancer raigneth in Iune, and hath the name Crab, or Canker, forasmuch as Iob was full of Le∣prosie, and Kankrous Sores, which is a Worme that throvgh the permission of God, eateth the flesh: Who∣soever is borne in this signe, he shall be feeble of body, but shall obtaine grace, if he seek it of God.

Leo. ♌. The fift signe, Leo raigneth in Iuly, and hath the name of a Lyon; forasmuch as Daniel the Prophet was put into a Lyons den: Whosoever is borne in this signe shall be a bold, and stout man, and a hardy.

Virgo. ♍. The sixt signe Virgo raignes in August, and hath the name of a Virgin, forasmuch as our Lady that blessed Virgin before birth, in birth, and after birth, was a pure Virgin: Whosoever is borne under this signe, shall be wise, and learned, and shall suffer blame for a just cause.

Libra. ♎. The seventh signe, Libra raigneth in September, and hath the name of the ballance that hang in equall poise, forasmuch as Iudas Iscariot tooke counsell with the Iewes for the betr••ying of our Saviour: Whosoever is borne in this signe, he shall be a wicked man, and a tray∣tor: an evill death shall he dye if the course of nature prevaile, but if he seeke after grace and mercy, he may escape it.

Scorpio. ♏. The eight signe, Scorpio raigneth in October, and hath the name of a Scorpion, forasmuch as the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea: Whosoever is borne in this signe shall have many angers, tribulations, and vexations.

Sagittarius. ♐. The ninth signe Sagittarius, raigneth in November, and hath the name of the Archer, forasmuch as David fought with Goliah: Whosoever is borne under this signe shall be hardy, and lecherous.

Capricornus ♑. The tenth signe Capricornus raigneth in December, and hath the name of the Goat, forasmuch as the Iewes lost the blessing of our Lord Iesus Christ: Whosoever is borne under this signe shall be rich, and loving.

Aquarius. ♒ The eleventh signe Aquarius raigneth in Ianuary, and hath the name of the water-man; forasmuch as Saint Iohn B••ptist baptised our Saviour in the flood of Iordan to beginne to institute the new law of Baptisme, and end the old law of Circumcision: Whosoever is borne in this signe sh••ll be negligent, and lose his goods, and shall be carelesse in his course of life.

Pisces. ♓ The twelveth signe Pisces, raigneth in February, and hath the name of fishes; forasmuch as Ionas the Pro∣phet was cast into the sea, and three daies, and three nights lay in the belly of a Whale: Whosoever is borne in that signe shall be gratious, and happy, if he make use of time.

But note that neither the planets, nor the signes wher∣in they worke do constraine any man to doe good, or evill, but he may (by his owne will, and the grace of God) doe good, although he be disposed to evill after the nature, and influence of his planet, and on the con∣trary by his owne evill inclination he may doe evill, though by his planet ha be disposed to good.

Saturnus. ♄ Saturne hath the highest place of all the planets, which hee compasseth once in thirty yeares, and is a planet wicked, and an enemy to humane nature; a destroyer of life, cold, drie, earthly, and is masculine of the day, he

rules the right eare, spleene, bladder, and bones, me∣lancholy humours mixt with flegme, he hath dominion over old men, solitary, stubborne, leane, covetous, and gluttonous persons, the greatnesse of his body is 91 times so big as the earth, his character is thus. ♄

Iupiter. ♃ Iupiter ends his course almost in twelve yeares, he is a planet benevolent, good, hot and moist; he rules the liver, lights, lungs, arteries, bloud, and seed, and the left eare, humours sanguine, humble, just, honest, true, liberall, and rich Persons, Prelates, and Bishops: his character is thus ♃ the greatnesse of his body is 95. times so big as the earth.

Mars. Mars circleth his sphere once in two yeares almost, he is a planet hot, and drie immoderately, governes the gall, veines, sinewes, and stones, the humour cholericke, disdainefull, seditious, cruell, bold, and carelesse per∣sons: the greatnesse of his body is once so bigge as the earth, and halfe so bigge, and an eight part, his charac∣ter is thus. ♂

The Sun. ☉ Sol the lampe of heaven, he passeth through the twelve signes of the Zodiack in three hundred threescore, and five daies, he giveth life naturall to all things, and is a planet moderately hot, and drie, masculine of the day, he rules the braine, marrow, and joyntes, kings, princes, magistrates, and famous persons, the greatnesse of his body is 166. times so bigge as the earth, his character is thus. ☉

Venus. ♀ Venus endeth her course as doth the sunne, she is a pla∣net feminine of the night, cold, and moist temperate, she rules the throate, pappes, belly, reines, matrix, and but∣tocks, and humours phlegmatick, governeth persons that are meeke, pleasant, lovers, dancers, musitians, and

Poets; the greatnesse of her body is the 37 part of the earth; her character is thus. ♀

Mercury. ☿ Mercury maketh his course as the Sun and Venus, he is a planet variable, unequall, good with the good, and bad, with the bad, sometimes masculine of the day, and sometimes feminine of the night, hot with the hot, and cold-with the cold, moist with the moist, and drie with the drie planets, whichsoever he is configured unto; he rules the mouth, tongue, thoughts, and memorie, de∣visers of any subtilty, or craft, crafty, deceitfull, proud, unconstant, and lying persons; the greatnesse of his body is the 32000. part of the earth; his character is this. ☿

Luna, ☽ Luna the moone makes her passage through the Zodi∣acke in nine and twenty daies and eight houres, and overtakes the Sunne in nine and twenty daies and twelue houres, or thereabouts; she is a planet naturally cold and moist, of the night feminine; she is the carrier of the in∣fluence of all the planets through her orbe unto us, she rules the stomacke, tast, liver, and the left-side; she go∣vernes noble women, widdowes, also mariners, and vagabondes, and humors phlegmatike; the greatnesse of her body is the 39. part of the earth; her character is thus. ☽

It shall be also necessary to consider the place, coun∣try, soyle, windes, and waters; their good effects, and their bad, the temperature of the climate, and the nature of the foure cardinall windes, East, which is hot and drie: West, which is cold and moist: North, which is cold and drie: South, which is hot and moist.

These I have the rather insisted upon, because I find them so necessary to be knowne, and duely considered in the administring of medicines.