S6 ThcCompleat Eorfcmait, CHAP. 11. 



pertinent : But if you Ihall be plcafed to hear me with patience, 

 1 will touch upon this fubjed, to wit: What are the caufes of 

 Sicknefs in general, as alio of Health and long life ^ and that 

 Laconicabrevitate-, and fo leave the reft to your judgement and 

 pra(!!tice ^ efpecially, confidering what other Authors ( my 

 Mailers) have fo learnedly, and no lefsfufficientlyintreated in 

 this very Art. 



To begin therefore (and but to fay, what I laid before) with 

 the caules of ficknefs and death of Horles in general, in the true 

 knowledge whereof, confifteth their prefervation •, I do hold 

 it a thing mofl needful that we do perfectly know that thing 

 which we do call Generation znd Corruptions which all Phyfiviam 

 and Philofpphers have fo much difcufl'cd both in their Schools 

 and Writings. And now the body of the Horfe (like alfb to 

 that of man ) is compounded of the four flememsy viz.. Fire, 

 Ofdic 4 ^-^^ Heater znd Earth ^ The natures of thefe four Elements are 

 Firr A^r, different : for Fire is hot and dry, but it participates molt of 

 Water, & Heat, ^ir is hot and moift, but chiefly moift .- M^^f tr is moilb 

 Earth, and cold, but moft cold ^ Earth is cold and dry, but moft dry. 

 Fire Qnd Air are both light Elements -^ and Water and Earih 

 Of the 4 both heavy. Four Humours alfo there are, which be as it were 

 Humors, four Children to thefe four Elements ; and thefe are ^ Blsodt 

 Blood, Fle^m, Choler and Melancholy. Thefe four Humours are attCH- 

 Ch-Tr dantxipon the four former Elements^ without whichanaturM 

 aiidMc- body cannot be made: for ^/W naturally (if it be perfecft) is 

 lancholy. hot and moift, but taketh moft from heat, and therefore is 

 fubordinate to Air. Flegm is cold and moift, but the principal 

 quality thereof is coldnefs, and therefore hath reference toxva- 

 ter. Choler is hot and dry, but his cheifeft nature is heat, and 

 therefore is governed by the Element of Fire. Melancholy is 

 ' cold and dry, but hisv chiefelt condition is drinefs, and there- 

 fore fubjeds iti^lf to the Element of Earth. Now the fountain 

 of the bloudis the Liver-, which difperling it felf by the help 

 of the veins into all the parts of the body, nouriiheth and pre- 

 ferveth the fame. Flegm preoccupateth the Brain being a cold 

 .and fpungy fubltance, and the feat of the fenfible foul. Ch)ler in- 

 habiteth the Liver, which being hot and dry, maketh a plea- 

 Zing harmony with the blood Melancholy relideth in the fplcen, 

 whicnisthc receptacle and discharge of the excrements ot the 



Liver. 



