Book iiu;

r
A fubl'me mini firives for the higbetl things.
tion, whereby they difdain that they were born illegitimate , and put of the laudable bands of Matrimony , and that they flhould want any thing that others do not, to make them uncapablc of honours and dignities and publick employments.This makes them uieall means to bring themfelves out of contempt , and by their good life and found manners to blot put that mark of infamy, which fome very unwifely impute unto them , who fome times werebegotten morebeaftly thanthofe that were begotten in adul¬ tery. But fuch Children that are born after this adulterous way, from mean and bale parents, and fo want the benefit of education, for want of means, can hardly ever attain to any great matter , or raife themfelves from the Earth, for, as the Poet faithj
fuventtly Satyr, 3*
They hardly can proceed . Who are at home in need ,
Toverty that is For though a poor man be wife, as the Proverb faith, and be the wift' inventor of many rare Arts, yet it is a very great hindrance
to famous wits , that they cannot rife to any high things.
CHAP. IV.
'How comes it that the Bay-Tree , which fome fay will not grow in Zeland , grows no where more beautifully than tn this places and what you mu(\ do to make it endure the winter froft and cold .
MAny wonder that in the Sea-coafts, and that part of Zeland9 jvhich is denominated from the River Scheld that runs by it j thaciuch (lately and large Bay-Trees grow : being the Country is TheBiytree cold and this Tree abhors cold and frofty clima^s. And they what ground it wonder the more at this miracle of nature , becaufe they are not lovcu onely in every mans Garden, and allwaies grcen,and very tall with
leaves ftill upon them, but they bear long fafhioned Berries, very black and fmooth, no leffe effe&uali and good in difcuffcng winds, and ditfipacing coitions of humours, than thofe that are brought from hot Countries. Sometimes the Bay-Tree feels the injury of cold,** Enemy the Ay re , and in Winter when it is very cold, is in danger by it , to the Bay-Tree fo that the leaves, boughs, ftalks, fometimes wither and dye, but efpuiaUy to the foe r00t takes no harm : wherefore the Bay-Tree dead upwards mtf muft not be dug up by the roots, but cut off by the body, for when
the fpring comes, or fome what fooner , it will grow green again. But that it rifeth fo high in this Country , is caufed by the fruit- fullnefle of thccarth, which is wonderfull , and the thick com¬ pared nature of the ground , that confifts of a fat tenacious earth, The Bay-Tree fo that by reafon of the Earth’s folidicy, the cold cannot in frofty a Hifk weather penetrate to the root of it. Now r o:hing is more hurtfull s-Mwmltil to plants or more dcftru
hurt full to thcv are melted the drops come to wet the roots, efpccially if after flaats, j 1 this
Chap. 5.
Of a Tgeutriail bodyy &c :
243
this ic chance to freiz again, and to dick fird about the roots in icecles. For fo the earth loofned drinks-in the cold chilly moy- dure., and the root drenched with it , withers and dyes. But that plants may not be fubjed to this inconvenience , nor be obnoxious to the injuries of cold ; the fuperficies of the gronnd , wherein ■ s. they are fet, mudbe fenced with draw and afhes: forafhesby their A fas frep berk imbred heat foder the ground , and will not let the ftrong cold en- ^JZmpmfonof terk For as Vinegar and Wine-lees : fo, coles and allies are of a ringer and fiery quality. But that the Bay-Tree grows not in Brabant and Lee^ a^es- other parts of the Low Countries, or elic grows more fparingly ,rree not mongd them, it is not to be aferibed to the Ayre which is very Brabant, calm and wholfome , but to the Aature of the ground, which is dry fandy, light, empty, that the cold can eafily enter, nor is there any folid fubdance to make the Tree fat; and thence it is, that in thofe Countries the Bay-Tree is low, and lhrubby and wanting berries : whereas in the City of Ziriz,eay by the benefit of the Earth it grows fo tall, that it is above 20 foot high , and full of boughs about the root, with many fhoots coming forth , whereby it defends it felt from the cold. Wherefore that numerous company of fuckers irAw Jhoots, about the root mud not be taken away or cut up, for it is defend¬ ed thereby that it cannot eafily take cold, for if ic lofe the leaves , v.(
yet next Spring it grows again , fo the root be kept untouched by the cold and frod.
•v ’T
CHAP. V.
■i
Of a neutrall body , that is one that can be faid neither found nor fick , but is of a tottering and doubtfull condition floting between , both, ’■ . *
.\svia Sljta
- t - . .1
IT is confeflcd that the art of Phyfick was formerly d ivided into three parts. The fird is that preferves the prefent health , and carefully keeps off ail inconveniences of ficknelfe ; The fecond that which containes the reafon, whereby the body may be fenced and defended, that it (hall not eafily fall into ficknefle ; The lad, that which cures the body of fuch difeafes that it is fallen into : There .
are alfo thee conditions in mans body; though the contentions rhreer Condfl* about thefc amongd Phyfitians beneedleffe: one of good health , °’
when the body enjoyes its perfect health without any inconveni¬ ence ; and no print of a difeafe is upon it : the lecond of ficknefle 5 when remedies mud be given to cure the body. The third is a finale frm , doubtfull and uncertain , in which there be fome fhews of a found Hypocrifit. man: as wicked men having a counterfeit podure of integrity of life, but there is fome fecrec affedion in it, that makes it fubjed to falldown. Ofwhichdatc I obferve two conditions that differ amongd themfeives : one of that which hath already difcuffed the difeafe and wound it felfe from it, yet it is weak, feeble, exhauft- ed, and of little force ; which inconveniences ofhealth , without
L 1 2 • . medica-
2 44
Of a neutral hod fy neither f ound nor fick . Book IIII.
medicaments, may be reftored by deep, and nourishing diet. For some [ir\mn the like happeneth to him , as to a Traveller that is got out of otbersnotldde,i Theives hands, he yet pants and trembles , and is not wholly re- °jjimite from a ftored from the great fear and danger of his life he was in, nor Traveller f't oa yet fupy come t0 himfelfe; (which our Saviour Chrift, exprefled by an elegant fimilitude ) but being tefrefhed by his freinds to com¬ fort him , he begins to revive by degrees , and to caft away fear : foafickman, though when his dilcafe is gone, he begins togo abroad, and find all things better with him, yet fome footfteps of the difeafc ftay yet in his body, nor are all the accidents that ufe to accompany it, quite taken away and eXtinft. Another conftituti- on neere to this, yet fomething wfirfe than this,is, whereby inout^ ward appearance, a man feems to be well, and nor fick at all , but Therap. b yet his body is full of vitious naughty humours. Wherefore Ga¬ len fees a diet for found men, fick men, and for fuch as begin to re¬ cover; for the diet of fuch as are growing well is a mean between thofc chat are found and fick. For to thefe a thin diet is preferibed , fparing,frugal,moderate,as not to exceed the bounds of temperance for they cannot endure the leafterrour, whereas ftrong found men are not offended with the greateft.So we give food tolnfants and to ftrip- ivery man’s lings, but not as we give to men grown & at full fttength,who feed Served!* ^ on Gammons of Bacon andOxc fiefh willingly, and all folid meats;
as their age is tender, as clothing to their bodies & fhooes to their . feet, fo as their body can endure it, muft they have food and Phy- fick given them. And though fome new writers are as fuperfti- tious in the art of Phy fick as lome are in Religion , and have taken Neutrail bodies away the body thatisneutrall, and will not endure to heare of it : taken away, yet I thought fit to Ipeak fomthing of this. For fuch a thing is de- termind by the nature of things , by daily ufe and cuftome, and by the friendly difccurfes of other men. Hence proceed thofe an- fwers of our friends and merry companions , if they aske how any f man doth, what health he is in, how his body is difpofed, in what atyngcmml cafe, place, (late he is, whether all be well, profperous, lucky ? to ing a man’s whom we ufe to anfwer in fo many words ; So fo, indifferent, not
beahh. very well, doubtfully, inclining, floting between both, inftable,
not found , not as we could wifh, or would have it ; fometimes , Better, we hope the beft, fo well as he may , when he cannot be as he would. And in thefe kind ofdifcourfes do all Nations (peak one with the other if at any time, they taking care of their friends condition, enquire how they do. And though moft of thefe be A fmlle frm quit of their difeafes, and others that are falling down, are not yet eolmnand faftned to their beds , yet they ought not to be placed amongft the youngyoutb. foUncj or . but, partaking of both , into a neutrall condition , that is a mean between two extreames: as a brown colour which conlifts of the mixture of white and black, and as young youth is a mean between Childhood and Manly-age ; For fince they do not natures Offices, and functions as found men do, nor yet lye in their beds as fick men, that want the ufe of their Limbs ; they cannot
deferve to be call’d found or fick mena but as the vulgar cuftome is
to
fi
C hap. 5 . Of a neutral body,neither f )und rior fick.
*4*
nature ap-
to be called neutralls: fome faculties and works of ap¬
pear in them, but faintly, fparingly, dully : for they walk and go, buticisflowly, and with a reeling inclining pace, that for wantof forces, they muft cither lean on a ftaflf, or fome bodies fhoulder, as fome that cannot fwim, ufe Cork or Rufhes to ^ finite from bear them up. , {dimming.
In like manner we may rcafon of deep and meat , for they fit down at Table, and eat to live, but not with that appetite and defire as found people do, whofe belt fa wee is hunger ; they deep and are refredied thereby, butnotfofweet deep long deep, as fome men, who tired with labour, deep quietly all the night.
Now the condition of filch who recover from fuch difeafes, The mm M and are free from faulty humours, is better and more defirable, and . than theirs who have fome ill matter lying clofe, and their bo- dy polluted either with the Pox, or from fome other didemper in their lives, inwardly with foul tumours and fores, who in ap- pearance and at firft fight feem to be well, and fay they are fo, when they are all full of ill humours,and fowl difeafes. But thele The Fick defire being cruel to themfelves, and injurious to others, deny and dif- f0l£atbe femble their difeafe, and thruft themfelves into all meetings, * ‘
-and drinkings, and feafts , and drink boldly with their pocky lips in the Cups that others do, and ’obtrude theirs upon other men, and offer them to drink. I fuppofe moved to it for this reafon, that if all fhould chance to be full of the fame juyee, and they fhould all be polluted with the fame fcab, then no man would foriake their company.
Perjm defer ibes, and taxeth feverely fuch men who are difeafed, and by a counterfeit health thrult themfelves amongft other mens companies, in thefe verfes.
within, a clofe difeafe there doth re fide •
But that a broad (fold belt from tts doth hide.
Again in another ^/jrafluming the perfon of a Phyfitian, he marks him, that counterfeits and difiembles his difeafe, and will not be reckoned amongft the fick, buttjuarrels with the Phyfitian, andrejc&s his counfeljandreproacheth him for it, and laughs at him, as if he were fick of a werfe difeafe.
Go to good Sir, to look pale you begin ,
Thai s naught $ Yet more , there creeps a yellow skin ,
But you are worfe pale , do not tutor me ,
I lately buried fuck a one as thee 3 Thou liv’ft 3 go on, I will now fay no more ,
Swoln with good cheery and belly white 3 this poor Fellow doth purge and vomit, what dothfmell Like Brimfione , and doth make a flink like helL
sat A,
Satyr . J.
He
1 *•
24 6
Of a Neutral lody, &c.
Book. IIII*
tcctef* j84
Sat. 3* Step at
He trembles in his wine, and doth letfall7 Oyt of his hands, the cup and wine and all.
His teeth do crajh, l) bare3and broth, that's fat.
Drops from his lips .
Such men as thefe are found almoft every where now a dayes, who, when difeafes (hew chemfelves in their faces, countenance, eyes and the whole habit of their bodies, yet they will not difco- ver them to skillfull Phyfuians, but they conceal and fofter them to the great detriment of their healths : which when they have ta¬ ken deep root and are faft, can hardly be rooted out: wherefore the wife man gives toevery one wholefome counfel, to ufe reme¬ dies againft difeafes in time, for it is better to take Phyfick at firft than at laft. To which may be applyed that of Perfm .
jou fee fame ask for Hellebour too late> when the skin fwells : men fhould anticipate .
Which fhould be carefully told to them who careleffely re¬ gard not iQufe means when their health begins to decline, and neglecting to fupport it, at laft fall into defperate difeafes. Wherefore thofe that are on the brink of a fickly conftitution, do not prefently recover, but have a neutrall body, and are neither Tick nor well, but in the middle between health and fickneffe, and therefore they muft carefully regard their health : for it is eafy for them to be worfe.
But what I fay of a neutral body, befides other things, may alfo be referred to the condition of the Ayre and the sky : for fometimes the Ayre is healthfull, peftilentiall , mean: and the sky is fometimes clear , fometimes cloudy, fometimes to¬ lerable between both 5 which alfo may be feen in the winds and waves of the Sea 5 and in mens affections, and motions of their minds the like may be obferved. For they are moderate, vehe¬ ment, turbulent, moved, mean, remiffe, quiet. So that things are not alwaies at the fame pafle, nor do they run the fame courfe.
CHAP.
Chap. 6. Of the reaf on of Seeing, &c. 247
CHAP. VI.
Of the reaf en of feeing and quicknefje of the eyes , and why fame will fee clearly things a great way 0]}, and yet are blind clofe by ; others will fee the fmalleft things near them exaBly, but things afar of, though they be high mountains , they cannot difcern eafily ; and why common¬ ly the right eye if duller than the left , and fees notfo clear . By the way concerning the colours of the eyes, and many other things , which are arguments of the mind : alf ofome remedies for a dull eye .
■f A Mongft the many and great gifts of Nature, and mod ample
\ endowments , wherewith Man is adorned by the beft and rteejcceilenc) greaccd God abundantly, there is nothing better and more divine °*t emnd' chan the mind of man : to which, fince all the fenfes ferve and obey, yet principally the miniftery of fight and fpeaking are em¬ ployed by him, when he will explain his mind. . For in this we Thebe -in principally excell beads, that we have power to exprefle the mea- •ffiibttsfrm ning of our minds, and bring forth our counfels by words ; fo in tbeir** the eyes the vertue of feeing is not wholly placed, but they are as two windows of the foul, that ftand open from the feat of the mind unto the eyes; by the intending and remitting motion and con- ftancy whereof, the motions and cogitations of our minds are dif- covercd. The faculty of feeing confids indeed in the eye or that clear tranfparent chrydaliine humour, which that it may be moift Ar 7 y with a watry humour, which mencallche white; fodoch itfwim Jemi/ain * and is fet within the glaffy humour, and it doth illuftrate the Ap- Gold • pleofthceye, that is the fight we fee with, with fuch a fhining brightndTe, as a clear and excellent Jewel doth a ring. Where¬ fore fight is attributed to the eyes , not as to the principal place, but as being the organ or indrument of it, for the brain by the vifual nerves fends fpirits to them, whereby the faculty of feeing is performed. For when the brain is hurt or ill affe&cd,
(though the eyes be well) the fight grows dull, and the fharpneffe Z^ferX. of the eyes is darkned, which is proper to drunkards, and do¬ tards and thofethat are in feavers. Wherefore by this rcafon is fight aferibed to the eyes, that confid of three humours, and four Coats ; becaufe they are guided by the brain and mind that have the chief power ; for from them proceed and how by the opcick or Kwtlfjanptrin vifual nerves, pure, clear, thin, bright fpirits ; whereby if the thebrain' dark Ayre hinder not, or fome depraved conditution of the eyes, fight is performed exa&ly. But if they be diminifhed, obfeure, troubled, flender, the fight of the eye is made dim, and not lo fharp: but from the temper of the eyes, there grow divers man¬ ners and reafons of fight. For he that hath plenty of fpirits, and perfedly pure, that are clean,well-polifhed, as a clear chrydai glade, he can fee exadUy things that arc far remote. For when that humour is pcrfe&ly wrought, there flows from it a thin and fincere vapour, or light fpir it, whereby chiefly fight is performed,
and
ton
248
Of the reafon of feeing, &c.