

A TREATISE 



: for although the nerves be but a great mul- 

 titude offerings lying in a clutter; neverthelefle, by the confent 

 of Phyfitians and Anatomiftefr, they are held to be of the very 

 fubttance of the braine , dryed to a firmer confi (knee then it is 



iathe-head. 



This heape of ftrinet ( as.vyee may call ^t ) Is encloied in at 

 oatfidcfmade of membranes; whofe frame , wee need not here 

 difplay : only we may note,that it is very apt and fit te ftretchj 

 and after ftretching, to returne againe to its owne juft length . 

 Next, we are to conhder , how the braine is of a nature apt to 

 , t fwefland'to fin-ke 'againe : even io much, that Fallepifas 



reporteth ', it doth ; .i\vell according to the encreafe of the 

 moone : which vthether it be true or no ; there can be no 

 .deubt , but-' that it being of ; a fubftance which is foil of skinnes 

 and Brings, is capable'of beff%; ftretched, and of dwelling upon 

 light occasions 2nd. of /ailing or fin'kihg againe upon as ligh'ti 

 as being ca/iiy penetrable by vapoiifs and by liquors 3 whole 

 nature it is, to fivell and to extend .that which they enter into. 

 Out of which it fofloweth, thatitmnftbe the nature of the 

 'nerves todoethe like': and indeed, 'fotrtdSA the mote, by ; hdw 

 i#iii^h;rh6re dry tHcy ! are rtheti t?ie braTric : for wee iee that ( to a 

 certain ineafure) drier things arembre capable of extenticn by 

 the ingreflfion of wet.thenmpift things are ; becaufe thefe are 

 not capable of receiving much more vyet into them. 

 3 Thefe-things being premifed 5 'fct'tis inSaginc that the braine 



Wbatis volun- being firit fvvelledj it doth aftervvards cbntraift it felf- v and it 

 tary motion, rnuft ofneceflfity follow., that feeing tfic nerves are all open to- 

 wards the braine (t-hough their -concavities cannot be difcer- 

 ned) thefpiritsandmoyfture which, are in the braine, muft 

 needs be preffed into the nerves : wfeich being; already ^ored 

 with Jpirity/ufficiently to the proportion of their hard skicnes ; 



ntly to the Proportion 

 nakc them ivveirand gr 

 eh being competently full of ayfe, hath 1 nererthelefie 



this addition will make' them ^vell 'and grow hari as aballbdne 

 dotff,\\hich being competently full of ayfe', hatF " 

 mote ay re prefled ihro it. 



Since therefore, the matters of Anatomy doe teach us , that 

 in every mufcle there is a nerve, whigh is /preadujto a number 

 of little branches along that mu/clefjit frfuft rpllovy, that if thcfc 

 Uttle branches be fwollen, the flefli likewise o'fthat mufcle mutt 

 alfi? needs be iwolkn-. Now the mufcte /raving bQth its^endes 



