6. 



An objcQion 

 an r wcrcd a 

 gainft the fot- 

 cr doftrioe. 



xf TrcAtife of B O D I ES. Chap. i. 



but rather a relenting from motion; neverthelefle (me thinkcth) 

 it is manifeft, that it is not onely a eomplcat motion; but in a 

 manner the greater motion of the two, though indeed the lefle, 

 fenfible; becaufc it is performed by little and little; for in it the 

 heart is drawn by violence from its naturall pofition; which 

 muft be ( as ic is of all heavy things) chat by which it approach- 

 cth moft to the center of gravity; and fuch a pofition we fee ic 

 gaineth by the Shutting of it. 



Now to declare how both thcfe motions are effected, we are 

 to confider how at the end of the fyftole the heart is voided and 

 eleanfed of all the bloud that was in it ; whence it followeth, 

 that the weight of the bloud which is in the auricles, prefling 

 upon the valvalas or doores that open inwards,waketh its way 

 by little and little into the ventricles of the heart, where it muft 

 ncceflarily fwell the fibers ; and they being fwelled muft needs 

 draw the heart into a roundifh and capacious figure, which the 

 more it is donejthe more bloud cometh in>and with greater vio- 

 lence.The following effeil of which muft be, that the weight of 

 the bloud joyned to the weight of the heart it felf, and particu- 

 larly of the conus or tip (which is more (olid and heavic in pro-;- 

 portion to its quantity,then the reft of the heart)muft neceilari- 

 ly fet the heart into the natural motion of deicending according 

 to its gravity : the which confequently, is performed by a lively 

 jerck, whereby it cometh to pafle that the tip of our heart doth as 

 it were Spring up towards our breaft:& the bloud is fpurted ouc 

 by other valvuU ('that open outwards)which are aptly difpofcd 

 to be opened upon fuch a motion ; & do convey it to the arteries. 



In. the oxide of which motion,we may note how the figure of 

 our heart contributeth to its fpringing up towards our brcaft; 

 for the line of diftance which is between the bafis & the tip being 

 longer on that fide which is towards the back,then on the other 

 which is towards the bieaft, it muft happen chat when the hcarc 

 fliuttcth and ftraighteneth it felf, and thereby extendcth it lelf to 

 its length, the tip will buttc out forwards towards thebreft. 



Againft this doctrine of the motion, and of the fyftole and 

 diaftole of the heart, it may beobje&cd, that beafts hearts do 

 not hang like a mans heart, ftraight downwards; but rather 

 horizontally; and therefore this motion of gravity cannat have 



pfeee 



