neither obserue tyme place age state noâ— coÌ„dicion thinke theim thinges of small profite but onely theâ— respecte is to their disease theâ— loue not longe study in phisicke and are greatly deceyued because they would builde withouâ— foundacion and haue the fruteâ— before thei haue planted y e trees These mennes cures be but bâ— chaunce medly One Sirus begaâ— this whiche receyued certayn rules of Asclepiades The chief â—este secte of Phisitions called Dogmatici These be the wyse meÌ„â—hiche sette not the carte before â—e horse nor the rootes of the â—ees vpwarde They dooe pruâ—ently consider the chaunge of â—ans nature y e dwellyng place â—e alteration of y e ayre the time 〈◊〉 the yeare the custome of peoâ—â—e the maners of diseases the â—shion of mens diete And this â—ey will prous by trewe arguâ—entes and reasons and will be â—ry careful for their patientes â—he disciples of those meÌ„ be the â—st scollers therfore I counsell â—ee Ihon to loue wel Hippocrates â—e prince of Phisicions whiche â—gan the best maner to geue ruâ—s to all the louers of phisicke â—f this writeth Gallen much lauâ—â—g Hippocrates his followers â—d in these daies Leonhardus Futchius Matheolus c. ¶ Iohn SEinge thou hast spooken of sondrie partes of Phisicions I praye thee what partes be there of phisicke ¶ Humfrey TRuly there be fyue thinges to be noted in phisicke as v. principall partes as Gallen saith in lib. de Elementis The first is to consider the nature of mans bodie The seconde is to kepe the bodie in health and to defende it from sickenes and infirmities The thirde is to knowe all the causes rules and sedes wherof the sicknes doth growe The .iiii is Crises or iudgemeÌ„t of the disease of thinges present past to come The fifth is the beste and moste excelleÌ„t for it sheweth the maner of healing dietinge fasshion order waye to helpe the sicke bodie preserue the same as longe as man doth remayne in the state of lyfe ¶ Iohn THou hast spoken of the partes of phisicke what is the forme maner or distribucion thereof ¶ Humfrey IT is distributed in thre formes one is natural another vnnatural y e .iii. agaiÌ„st nature The first is by those things wherof y e bodie is coÌ„pact coÌ„stituted or made as Gallen saith in his .iii. boke of his TeÌ„pramentis Cap. 4. The secoÌ„d is called not natural as meates or thinges to preserue the bodie in health they be not called vnnaturall because they be againste the body but because the rasshe â—akynge or glotonus vsinge of â—hem may bryng many thinges â—o the vtter destruction of the bodie The thirde bee thinges against nature whiche doeth corrupt the bodie or poisone nature wherof Gallen writeth ¶ Iohn NOwe thou hast taughte me short rules of the partes formes phisicall I pray the shewe me some pretie rules of the complexions of men and that I may aptelie knowe theim with their properties elementes temperamentes and humors ¶ Humfrey VPon my lute some time to recreate my selfe I ioyne with my simple armonie manie playne verses Among all other one smal songe of the foure complexions wilte thou heare it take that chaire and sitte downe and I will teache thee my song ¶ Iohn I thanke thee ¶ Humfrey The bodies where heat moister dwel Be sanguen folkes as Galen tell With visage faire chekes rose ruddy The slepes is much dreames be bluddy Puls great and full with digestion fine Pleasauntlie concocting fleshe and wyne ExcremeÌ„tes abouÌ„dant with anger short â—aughing very much and finding sport Drine grose with couler read Pleasaunt folkes at bord and bead Where cold w t moistur preuaileth much Fleumatike folkes be alway suche Fatues softnes here plaine and ryght Narrowe vaines and coller whyt Dull of wyt no hart to bold Pules very slowe disgestion cold Sleping ouer much vryne grose pale Spittell whit thick thus endes the tale Coller is hoot and drie as fyre â—enis of limmes and puffed with yre Costisse belles with litte slepe Dreames of fier or woundes depe Sallowe coulered or tawnie read Feding on salt meates crustes of bread Voyce sharpe and quickenes of wit Vryne yellowe and saltnes of spit Pulses swyft and very strong Cruell countenance not anger long Melancoly is cold and very drye As here in ryme his signes will trye Heare playne and veray thyn A leane wretche with hardnes of skyn Coller whitlie or like to leade Muche watthe and dreames of dreade And stif in folyshe fantasie Disgestion slowe and long angrie Feareful of minde with watrie spitle Seldome laughing and puls litle Vryne waterie and very thyn The colde earth to hym is kyn ¶ Iohn THis is a good song and I wil learne it for though it seme not verye pleasauÌ„t yet I perceiue it is profitable Now thou hast spoken of the singes of the .iiii. complexions I pray the teache me shortlie howe to knowe the elementes ¶ Humfrey THey be y e foure beginners vnmingled and vntempored froÌ„ whose mixtures euerye corporall thynge hath his substaunce ¶ Iohn What be y e partes I pray the tel me â–ª ¶ Humfrey FOure the one is earth the heuiest matter grossest whiche is colde and drie and melancoly And the other is water whiche is lighter moste subtil then the earth of nature is colde moist and flegmatike Then is ayre more purer and lighter then water and if it bee not altered with any other straunge cause it is hote and moiste and sanguen Then fyer is moste lyghte pure and cleare a clarifier and a clenser of all the other elemeÌ„tes wheÌ„ they are corrupted and is of his owne nature hoot drie and collericke And of these foure Elementes both man beaste fysshe foule herbe stone mettall haue their propre workyng not of one of the Elementes alone but of al some more and some lesse accordyng to their natures Hippocrates saieth after the soule is gone from the bodie the body doeth returne to the first matter wherof it was made And to coÌ„clude all thinges that be made vpon earth shal returne vnto the earth againe in tyme. ¶ Iohn VVhy might not men beastes fyshe or foule herbe or tree be of one element aswell as of foure I praye you tell me ¶ Humfrey NOo for Aristotel sayth Deus et natura nihil agunt frustra God nature hathe doone nothinge in vaine And if any thing vpon the earth sencible were of one element no sickenesse coulde hurte it nor disease corrupt it but euery thing liuing vppon the earth seing it hath had beginninge it must nedes haue ending to whoÌ„ these foure complexioÌ„s doeth belonge if they do greatly abounde or disminish or withdrawe their vertues with quantities or qualities ¶ Iohn MAy a man see anye of the Elementes ¶ Humfrey THe thing whiche men do see be none of y e foure ElemeÌ„ts not earth but earthie not water
but waterie not ayre but airie not fire but firie But the things whiche man do fele be the foure Elementes as earth aire fier water And these be y e vttermost simples of complexions diuersly specially alone of theim selues or mingled with other takinge sundrie and diuers effectes maners condicions formes qualities both in man and beast and euery liuing thinge sensible and insensible ¶ Iohn VVhat is the coÌ„plexions of the foure quarters of the yeare and names of the signes ¶ Humfrey THe spryng time when bloud doth increase Sommer wheÌ„ read coller doeth rewle Heruest when coller aduste or melancoly doth reigne Wynter when fleme doth abounde in full strengthe It is called wynter from the .xii. day of December vnto the tenth daie of Marche This season is colde moiste it is called spring time froÌ„ the .xii. day of Marche and endeth about the .xii. day of Iune SoÌ„mer beginneth about the .xii. day of Iune and endeth about the .xii. day of SepteÌ„ber Autumne or Heruest beginneth about the .xiii. daie of September and endeth about the .xi. daie of December Capricornus Aquarius and Pisces be winter signes Aries Taurus and Gemini be signes for the springe Cancer Leo and virgo beo the signes for SoÌ„mer Libra Scorpio and Sagitari be the signes for Haruest And y e sunne goeth through all these .xii. signes in xii monethes And the Moone goeth .xii. times through eche of the forsayde signes ones in the yeare and do take sondry effectes in man beates and frutes in the sayd signes hote or cold moist or drye ¶ Iohn VVhat bee the complexions of medicines ¶ Humfrey THose thynges that ouercommeth and gouerne the bodye as purgacions expulciues c. These be called medicines and those thinges that norysheth and augmenteth the bodye be called meates For the complexions of meates medicines be knowen by their tastes as coldnes hootnes moistnes Drynes bitternes saltnes swetenes fatnes sharpenes stiptick and clammy And because thy requeste is to haue prescribed vnto thee but only a litle gouernement of health I wyll showe vnto thee another of my litle songs in plain metre howe thou shalt knowe meates and medicines by their tastes ¶ Iohn THat is my chiefe desire I wyll beare thee saye on ¶ Humfrey COlde quencheth the collers pride Moist humecteth y t whiche is dried The flowing moister be proffe I trie Is wasted of humors hote and drie The subtill fode that is persing quicke The clammy meates maketh it thicke Bitter thinges clense and wypith ofte And expelslem and maketh softe Salt drieth and resolueth fleme tough Fat norisheth and make subtil inough Stiptick or rough taste on the tonge Bindeth and coÌ„fouteth appetite long Swete things in clensing is very good â—t desolueth much norisheth blod These things wel vsed nature wilplease But abusing theÌ„ beastly briÌ„geth disease ¶ Iohn â—N good faithe me thinke thou sayest 〈◊〉 wel for there apere perfit reasons in â—hese thy prety rules Nowe thou hast declared vnto mee the signes of complexions of men with the waye and â—pte knowledge of meates by theyr astes I would fayne learne shortelye â—he tempramentis and complexions of mankynde ¶ Humfrey THere was neuer no discrete nor wyse phisicioÌ„ that either feared God or pitied mankynde or loued his own honestie wold take in hande either to prescribe diet or to minister medicine to any body before be well did consider and wysely weye with him selfe the temprament mixture or complexion of mankinde Fyrste whether he were hoote or colde moist or drie fat or leane or indifferent betwene them bothe Tempored by health or distempored by sickenesse as the extremities of hootnes coldnes moistnes and drienes Therefore Iohn these thinges may not bee forgotteÌ„ you must note also the foure ages of mankinde fyrst the tender state of childreÌ„ which beginneth at the birth and so coÌ„tinueth vntill fiftene yeares next after their said byrth Their tempramentes or complexions bee hoote and moiste very like vnto the seede wherof they be proceaâ—ed then next vnto childhode or innocent age Youth which is the seconde part of life beginneth to â—eigne his temprament or complexion hathe rather more fyrie â—eate then perfite naturall heat and this second age continueth or tenne yeares as Galen saieth â—ell in this two firste states of yfe let al natural fathers moâ—ers bring vp their youth sette GOD before their eyes for they â—aue no small charge committed â—nto theim that muste geue acâ—mpte to God howe they haue brought vp their children they 〈◊〉 in these yeares do spare corâ—â—ction truely be greuous enemies vnto their children and at laste shalbe recompensed with shame when they shall se misfortune and wretchednes fall vpon the frutes of their owne seedes For meÌ„ haue smal profit of their corne whiche bee choked ouercome with thistels bryeres and brakes whiche were not weeded in time muche lesse of their children whiche haue receaued neyther correction nor honest learnyng in due season If y e kepers of gardeins be careful ouer their late soweÌ„ sedes tender herbes whiche are in daunger to bee destroied of euerye froste What shoulde good fathers mothers do for their children whose tender and youthfull yeares bee caried away ouercoÌ„med of euery foolishe fantasie and it is no meâ—â—uayle But this shall suffise for the wyse and smally profite the fooles but to my matter whiche I toke in hande I will returne vnto the thirde age of mankynd which is called the lusty state of â—yfe and beginneth at .xxv. yeres and continueth vnto xxxv This age is hoote and drie and verye collericke as Galene saieth This parte of life is subiect to manye burnyng and extreme feuers â—oote vlcers therfore it is necessary to knowe this temprament or coÌ„plexion which is called collericke as plainely may appeare by age strength diet vrine c. This is the beste tyme for mankynde to trauell in with godlye exercise in science arte and profitable trauelles in his vocatioÌ„ puttinge in practise the vertues whiche he hath learned in youth for this is the sommer parte of life wherin all goodlye frutes 〈◊〉 florishe in euery good ocupacioÌ„ â–ª This is the very heruest to gaâ— the precious corne and frute 〈◊〉 their labours againste the colde stormes cloudie daies of their aged wynter wherein the bodie shalbe weake and the eies syghâ— decaye and the handes trimble and therfore it is not comelye 〈◊〉 see the state of age without rest whiche in the tyme of youth diâ— honestly trauell For there is 〈◊〉 grace geuen to many creatureâ— vnreasonable bothe beastes and foules to make prouision before hande what is then to be required of men reasonable as foloweth in these verses THe bird in time her nest can make The bee will buyld his house ful 〈◊〉 The Crane with stone in fote wil wake The Cony will carue vnder the myne The Squirel in trees her nuts can kepe Against colde winter
sharpe Vineger and Suger Newe Oyle doth moist and warme the stomacke but olde Oile corrupteth the stomacke cleueth to the lunges and maheth one horse Oyle of Roses sharpe vineger tempered together is good to anointe the fore heades of them that be troubled with extreme heate or fransie so that Blugose be sodden in their posset ale or els drinke the syrrupes of Endiue or Buglos There be many goodlie vertues in compounded oiles both to calife and make hote And also to coole the body wheÌ„ it is extreme hoote as the great learned man Iohn Mesua hath decribed in his Antidorarii Ihon. VVilt thou be so good as to tell me the properties of water ¶ Humfrey VVater is one of the four elementes more lighter then earth heuier then fire and ayre But this water which is here amongest vs in Riuers Pondes springes floudes and seas be no pure waters for thei be mingled with sundry ayres corruptions grosenesse and saltnes notwithstandynge in all our meates and drinkes water is vsed amongest all liuyng creatures can not be forborn both man beast fish foule herbe and grasse And as Auicen saieth the claye water is pure for cley clenseth the water and is better then water that ruÌ„neth ouer grauell or stones so that it be pure cley voyde of corruption Also waters runnynge toward the east be pure coÌ„myng oute of harde stonye rockes and a Pinte of that water is lighter then a pynte of the standyng water of welles or pooles The lighter the water the better it is Also waters that is put in wine c ought first to be soddeÌ„ or it be occupied cold and so the fire dothe clense it from corruption Standing waters and water running neare vnto cities and townes or marish ground wodes fennes be euer ful of corruption because there is so much filthe in them of carions rotten dunge c. The hyer it water dothe faule then the water is Yse and snowe waters be verygrose and be hurtfull to the bodies of menne and Beastes To drincke colde water is euyll for it wyll stoppe the bodye and engender melancholye Salte water helpeth a man from scabbes iche and moiste humoures it killeth lice and wasteth bloude betwene the skin and the flesshe but it is mooste hurteful to the stomacke but the vapoure and smoke of it is good for them that haue the dropsy ¶ Iohn What is Vineger Humfrey VIneger is colde and drye and is hurtefull for theim that be melancholye but when it is dronke or poured vpon a outward wound stoppeth the bloud It also kylleth hot apostumations of erisipilus it is an enemi to the sinowes Vineger brimstone sodden together is good for the Goute to wasshe it withall Vyneger tempered wyth oyle Olyfe or oyle of Roses and sodeÌ„ with vnwashed wol helpeth a disease called Soda in the heade applied warme vnto the place it dothe helpe hoate diseases in the hed called Soda it is good in sauce for al warm and moist men Vineger with clene clarified honye penidies and faire water sodden together doth greatly helpe the paines in the throte or lunges or stoppyng the winde quencheth hoat diseases And sharpe vyneger mingled with salt and put vpon the biting of a dog doth heal it and against poyson it is excellent chiefly to drinke a litle therof against the pestilence in a mornynge ¶ Iohn What vertue hath our common salt Humfrey RAsis saith salt is hoat and dry Dioscorides saith salt hath vertue to stop to scoure and mundifie and of that minde is Oribasius saiyng salt is compouÌ„ded of matter abstersiue and stiptik whiche â—atters be both binding and driyng moist humours and is good to powder fat flesh both bief and porke and other fat meate for it hath vertue to drye vp superfluous humours as water bloud c. But it is not good for leane bodies or hoat coÌ„plexcioned people for the much vse of it maketh the body cholerike appere aged and to be angry The very vse of it is onelye to season meates but not to be meate Much good salt is made here in Englande as at â—itch Hollond in Lincholnshire and in the Shiles nere vnto new â—astell Ihon. What is honye or the vertue thereof Humfrey AVerrois sayeth honye is hoaâ— and drye in the seconde degree and dooeth cleanse verye much and is a medicinable meaâ— moste chiefliest for olde men and women For it doth warme them conuert theÌ„ into good blud Iâ— is not good for cholerick persons because of the heat and drynesse Thei do greatly erre that say hony is hoat and moiste but if it be clarified from his wax and drosse and kept in a close vessel there is nothinge that is liquid vpon the earth that remaineth leÌ„ger And this precious iewel hony hath euer bene more praysed aboue suger for it wil coÌ„serue kepe anye frute herb rote or ani other thiÌ„g that is put into it an exceadynge longe time Marueilous is the worke of God in honye beyng a heauenlye dewe that falleth vppon flowers and leues as Auicen â—aieth and is neither the iuice of â—eaues nor fruite but onelye the â—eauenlye dewe Whereunto the Sees commeth in due time and â—ather the said honye and laye it â—p in store in their curious builâ—ed houses whereas they dwell â—â—gether in most goodly order O Sees bees how happyer are you more then many wretched men â—hyche dwelleth neuer together 〈◊〉 vnitye and peace but in conâ—nuall discorde and disquietnes â—s Virgill sayeth En quo discorâ—a ciues produxerit miseros Beâ—olde what discorde wretched Citizins haue broughte foorth But nowe to make an ende of â—e moste excellente vertues of â—onye it is good in the meates 〈◊〉 theim whyche be flegmatike Hony newely taken out of their combes be partlye laxatiue but clarified hony doth binde and dry vp fleum and kepeth the bodyes of flegnatike and old persons froÌ„ corruption The best hony is gathered in the springe time the seconde in somer but that which is gathered in winter is yll hurtful One parte of hony and some part of water sodden together vntil the sroth be all scomde of and when it is colde kepte in a close stone pot this drinke saieth Galen is holesome for sommer clenseth the lunges preserueth the bodye in health Oximel simplex and compositum be made wyth honye and so be many mo thinges whiche be of greate vertue Suger which is called Mel canne hony of the reed beyng clene not ful of grose pannell doth clense and is not so hoate as Bees honye and doth agree with the stomacks of cholericke persons Haliabas saith it moueth not the stomacke to drynes and that the clene white suger not adulbrated dothe nourishe more then honye Of Rose-water Pearles suger is made a goodly comforter for the harte called Manus Christi Ihon. What is the propertie of milke Humfrey SImeon Sethi saieth that milke is of three
to feede and slepe And should not man well foresee In youth to know his old degree THen from .xxxv. or few yeres folowing the lusty brauÌ„ches of youth begin to abate his pleasaunt leues flowers and fruite by litle litle will decaye rawe â—humers crampes dropsies quaterns melaÌ„coly will then drawe nere The riots surfittes sore labours bearing of extreme burdens wrestlings actes venerus with the abuse of youth wil then spring forth to the detriment of age nad sodaine decaye of lyfe in especiall of drunkardes ¶ Iohn VVhat be the places of blend Coller Fleume and Melancoly Naturall or vnnaturall Thou haste not made a particular distinction of their proper places but generally thou hast spoken well in thy songe ¶ Humfrey THere are also other discirptions of the foure humors very necessary to be knoweÌ„ and their places where as they dwel within the body first of bloud as Galen saieth in his first booke of effected places bloude saieth he that is in the pulsis doeth greatly differ from the bloude of the vaynes for the bloude of the pulsis is thinner yeallower and hotter and this bloud maye bee called the gouernour of life The spring fountayne of the bloud generall is in the lyuer whiche serueth euery vayne of bloude this bloud in culler is very read Flewme is whyte and is ingendred in the stomake and at leÌ„gth by the vertue of naturall heate pure fleaine is turned into blod There be also watry slimy glassy grosse salte sower thicke harde binding and extreme cold fleames whiche in dede be vnnaturall that bee engendred thorowe surphets coldnes or idelnes bringing to the bodie many noisome diseases There is also coller whiche is yellowe whose place in the body is y e gall which commeth of the clensing or puryfying of bloud and this coller is cleare hote and drie and the coÌ„forter of decoction Grene coller or coller myngled with fleame be vnnaturall melancoly naturall in the splene is nothing but the sex degrees or heauie residentes of the bloud the naturall melaÌ„coly is knowen by his blacknes the vnnatural cometh of the burning of coller and is lighter hoter browne of couler sower of taste and putteth the bodie in great dauÌ„ger as madnes blacke gaunders continual feuers and sodaine deadly diseases Therefore my frende Iohn remember this short discriptioÌ„ of humors as the wordes of Galen Auicen saye ¶ Iohn Thus I haue heard thy seueral placinge of the foure complexions of bloud Choler Fleume and Melancoly and is there any distincte hootnes coldnes moistnes and drienes in anye other creature besides man tel me ¶ Humfrey NOt onely in manne but in beastes fyshe foule serpeÌ„ts trees herbes mettels And euery thyng sensible and insensible according to their natures be equally myngled or tempered togeter whiche is called meane teÌ„peraunce or els exceadeth in degrees whiche is called intemperaunce hote and moiste may be compounded together so maye colde and drie hote and drie cold and moiste example A cholerick man hote drie a Fleumaticke man cold moist c. Of herbes as hisope and rewe hote and dry purssen and coucumbers cold moist c. But tempramentes or complexioÌ„s of men beastes and trees be some hoter some colder according to their natures As a lion is hooter then a cholericke man pepper is hoter theÌ„ cloues And though there bee degrees in more hotnes or more coldnes yet they are called but hote or colde as men after labour or trauell they will saye they are hoote but the fier which people warme theÌ„ at is hotter Also there be things repugnaunt to tempramentes as moiste and drienes together heate and coldnes together as fier to bee colde or the water of his own nature to be hote which water peraccidence of the fier is made hote and fier quenched by the water And euery thynge exceading greatly with distemperaunce or wanting temperaunce or complexion do eftsones come to an end as men by extreme sickenesses surphets or woundes or finally age lackinge naturall vertue Of heate and moistnes of trees and herbes from whome iuce and sappe is withdrawen these thinges of necessitie muste nedes die and come to corruption as Galen and Aristotel sayeth ¶ Iohn VVhether be men or women of coldex complexion ¶ Humfrey AVicen saieth like as menne be hote drie so be wemen colde and moiste ¶ Iohn YEa but Lucian saieth they be perelous hote of their tonges and ful of venim though I am no phisicion yet can I make a dissciption of that member for I am oftentimes stinged with it I would to God they had been wormed when they were yong but when they are olde they are past all cure but the best medicine y â— I haue is a gentle herbe called rewe whiche I am neuer without great store ¶ Humfrey MAnkinde was borne naked to this ende that he mighte clothe him selfe with other creatures whiche he brought not in to this world with him as cloth lether harnes made of iron for his defence because he is y e chief creature But horses of nature haue harde hoâ—es lyons sharpe teeth purpintyns sharpe prickes whiche is their coÌ„tinual and natural armour as things euer prepared to debate strife by no art can scant be tamed The Rose as pleasauntly as she doeth appeare and as swetely as she doth smel spring not further without a great noÌ„ber of sharpe prickes Therfore it is tollerable for men to beare with them whome nature hath sealed and marked for his owne With that humor most chollerick disgresse from this thy communicacion and let vs talke of thinges more profitable for in deade this is pleasaunt to no maÌ„ ¶ Iohn SEyng thou wilt not discribe me thiâ— particuler members of whiche wâ— haue spokeÌ„ I would be glad to know the partes of mankinde with a shortâ— discription of his members ¶ Humfrey MEmbers be simple and also compounde the simples bee tenne in nomber the cartilages the gristels the bones veynes synewes arteries pannicles lygamentes cordes and the skyn Members compounded be those that be ioyned and builded together of simple members as the handes face fete lyuer harte and so compounded members be made of simple Some of the compounded members be called principalles as the harte from whence the arteries springes the brain froÌ„ wheÌ„ce the sinewes springes the liuer whiche is the well of the bloud from whence y e veynes do spring the stones of generacion from whence the sede of lyfe dooe spring but those compounded members that bee principall Be all the other members except the simple as y e nose the eares the eies the face the necke the armes and legges the braynes and chief substance of our fleshe be compounded meÌ„bers of sinowes couered with panackles whiche be of a synue nature but that sinewes geue felyng to all the whole body euen as the artiers geueth spirituall bloud froÌ„ the heart to euery meÌ„ber