212 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



the Virtue Procreative : for natural regards 5 Choler is made of meat more than per- 

 not only the conservation of itself, buttojfectly concocted; and it is the spume or 

 beget its like, and conserve in Species. j froth of blood : it clarifies all the humours, 



The seat of this is the Member of Gene- ? heats the body, nourishes the apprehension. 

 ration, and is governed principally by the j as blood doth the judgment: It is in quality 

 influence of Venus. j hot and dry ; fortifies the attractive faculty, 



It is augmented and encreased by the j as blood doth the digestive; moves man to 

 strength of Venus, by her Herbs, Roots, j activity and valour: its receptacle is the 

 Trees, Minerals, &c. jgall* a d it is under the influence of Mara. 



It is diminished and purged by those of \ Flegm is made of meat not perfectly di- 

 Mars, and quite extinguished by those of igested; it fortifiesthe virtue expulsive,makes 

 Saturn. \ the body slippery, fit for ejection; it fortifies 



Observe the hour and Medicines of Vemts,\ the brain by its consimilitude Avith it ; yet 

 to fortify; of Mars, to cleanse this virtue ; < it spoils apprehension by its antipathy to it: 

 of Saturn, to extinguish it. I It qualifies choler, cools and moistens the 



Conservative.'] The conservative virtue is j heart, thereby sustaining it, and the whole 

 Vital, Natural, Animal. j body, from the fiery effects, which continual 



Vital.~\ The Vital spirit hath its residence | motion would produce. Its receptacle is 

 in the heart, and is dispersed from it by the j the lungs, and is governed by Venus, some 

 Arteries; and is governed by the influence j say by the Moon, perhaps it may be go- 

 of the Sun. And it is to the body, as the 5 verned by them both, it is cold and moist in 

 Sun is to the Creation ; as the heart is in \ quality. 



the Microcosm, so is the Sun in the Mega- \ Melancholy is the sediment of blood, cold 

 cosm: for as the Sun gives life, light, and j and dry in quality, fortifying the retentive 

 motion to the Creation, so doth the heart to I faculty, and memory; makes men sober, 

 the body; therefore it is called Sol Corporis, \ solid, and staid, fit for study ; stays the un- 

 as the Sun is called Cor Call, because their j bridled toys of lustful blood, slays the wan- 

 operations are similar. i dering thoughts, and reduces them home to 



Inimical and destructive to this virtue, 1 the centre : its receptacle is in the spleen, 

 are Saturn and Mars. i and it is governed by Saturn. 



The Herbs and Plants of Sol, wonderfully \ Of all these humours blood is the chief, 

 fortify it. jail the rest are superfluities of blood; yet 



Natural.'] The natural faculty or virtue \ are they necessary superfluities, for without. 

 resides in the liver, and is generally governed | any of them, man cannot live. 

 by Jupiter, Quasi Juvans Pater; its-office is j Namely; Choler is the fiery superfluities, 

 to nourish the body, and is dispersed through i Flegm, the Watery; Melancholy, the 



the body by the veins. 



From this are bred four particular 



Earthly. 



Animal.] The third principal virtue re- 



humours, Blood, Choler, Flegm, and Melon- mains, which is Animal ; its residence is in 

 choly. \ the brain, and Mercury is the general sig- 



Blood is made of meat perfectly con- 5 nificator of it. Ptolomi/ held the Moon sig- 

 cocted, in quality hot and moist, governed \ nified the Animal virtue ; and I am of 

 by Jupiter: It is by a third concoction : opinion, both Mercury and the Moon dis- 

 transmuted into flesh, the sxiperfluity of it? pose it ; and my reason is, 1, Because both 

 into seed, and its receptacle is the veins, by j of them in nativities, either fortify, or impedite 

 which it is dispersed through the body. * it. 2, 111 directions to either, or from either. 



