BOOK n. and Expert Fenkv, ^g 



Hippiatrus. No truly Sir, will I not, and therefore beg^ ^q 

 make your demands and Hippoferus (hall give yoa anfvver. 



fJtppophi/M. 1 thank you, then thus: As touching the cora- 

 pofition of the body of the Horfe, more I grant might have been 

 fpoken in words, but not more to parpofe *, for a man to run 

 into divifions and fubdivifions, were but to beget confulion in 

 the unlearned Reader, (fuch are your ordinary Smiths for the 

 moft part, for whofe infl;ru(ftion 1 do principally undergo thefe 

 pains)" and to knd him away worfe fatisfied in his judgment, 

 than bei'ore, Whereas a plain and fuccind method doth more 

 edifie and inftrud him than the other can do. I therefore de- 

 mand of you Hippoferus^ thatforafmuch as you have fpoken well 

 ofthe four Elements-, to wit Fire, Air, Water, and Earth, 

 ■yet have you not demonftrated their natures, or where they 

 are placed. For true it is, my felf, and all men do perfedly 

 know, that thefe four Elements are not thefe four material and 

 vilible Elements which we daily behold and make ufe of, as 

 things molt ufeful for us towards thefultentation of our liveli- 

 hood : being creatures without which we cannot live : but I 

 ■would gladly have youfhew what their true natures be, being 

 'things incorporate, and therefore concealed from our eyes .- 1 

 ^would alfo know in what parts they do reign, and have their 

 identity or being. 



Hippoferus. Sir, as touchfng the natures of thele four Ele- 

 ments, I have fuificiently made appear unto you in Capitnlopra- 

 'efdentiy p^ne in initio^ but as touching, thefecond part of your 

 'demand, I fay, that thefe four Elements which be in nature fo 

 diflbnantanddiftind one from the other, as that nothing can 

 i)e more, no white can be more oppofite to black ^ nevenhelefs 

 that you may know thefe Elements, I thus aver. The Fire is 

 'highell, being near neighbour, or adjoyningto the Moon^and 

 therefore naturally hot : Air is placed next unto- it, andthere^ 

 fore naturally light.The Water is annexed unto the Air,& ther- The Mar 

 fore naturally moift. And the Earth is fituate next to- the Wa-- '^j"'^ ^'^.. 

 ter, but loweft, and out of that reafon, naturally heavy. As m^nts. ^'" 

 touching their vertiiesall the learned do hold that fire by means ^Z ' 

 •of its heat, exciteth matter to generation, and occaiioneth Fire.' 

 •warmth in every living body, and it doth ripen things rawand 

 'undigefted, in iiich excellent and fubtile wife, as that the Air, 

 '^'hich is of a more grols nature, may the better- enter into^ 



