and lacke: for the vertue, through the default of kinde, might not at the full worke, as it intended, as ſaith the ſame authour. The vertue operatiue ſtrongly working, worketh nothing perfectly, or at the full. Auguſtinus. liber. 16. de Ciuitate Dei. chap. 8. ſpeaketh of men, that be called Cenocephalos, and be wonderfully ſhaped, and haue hounds heads, and, barking in ſtéed of voice: And of other without nowles and neckes, and with eien in the ſhoulders. Alſo he ſayth that in his time was a childe borne, that was two in the ouer part, and one in the neather parte. For he had two heads, two breaſts, and foure hands, and one bellye, and two féete. And manye ſuch things Auſten there rehearſeth, in all which is aſſigned errour of kinde. Alſo among the members is great diuerſitye in dignitie and in order. For ſome giue of themſelues, and take not of other, as the heart that taketh not of other, as Ariſtotle ſaith. Neuertheleſſe the heart giueth to other liuing and moouing. And ſome giue and take as the liuer and the braine taketh ſtrength of the heart, and be principles of vertues: For they giue vertues to the other members. And ſome mēbers neither giue vertues nor take, but ſtand in their owne vertue by the ſkill of Phiſitions, as the members of one kinde. And ſome members take and giue not, as the members that bée inſtrumentes, the which take of the braine the vertue of féeling or of moouing, and ſometime of either. But the vertue that they take, they ſendeth not to the other members: For the eye cannot giue the vertue of ſight, that it receiueth of the braine, to the féete, or handes, or other member: neyther the care the hearing. And neuertheleſſe theſe members bée moſt néedfull to the bodye. For by their proper office they rule all the other members of the bodye: excepte perchaunce by ſome miſhap they be lette in theyr working, as hurt, or when they bée corrupt. It is proper to all the members of office, to put themſelues in perill for the principall members, as ſometime the hande putteth it ſelfe kindlye without all aduiſement for the defence of the head or heart. Alſo a member that is in good health, helpeth the member that is ſicke and ſore, and drawing the matter of the diſeaſe to it ſelfe, is wont to cleanſe and eaſe the member that is ſick, and ſo oft the whole member is hurt for the ſore member. If a member bée rotted, either dead, it is grieuous to it ſelfe and to all the bodie. And therefore is there none other remedie, but cut it off, that it deſtroye not nor corrupt all the bodie. And this that is ſpoken of members in generall ſhall ſuffice at this time.
¶Of the properties of the head. Chap. 2.
AMong the principal members of man,[1] we ſhall firſt beginne to treate of the head. For the head is fir\ſt and principall part of a man among all the vtter members of the bodie, touching place and office, the head hath the beſt principate. Iſidore liber. 10. chap. 2. ſaith, that the head hath this name Caput, of Capere, that is to take: For all the wits and ſinewes haue and take beginning and ſpring of the head. Alſo out of the head ſpringeth all cauſe and reaſon, of lyfe, of thirſt, and of féeling. In the head all the wits bée ſéeme, and therefore in a manner it preſenteth the perſon of the ſoule, that counſaileth and ruleth the bodie. Then the head is principall place and ſeate of the wits, Principium, and beginning of all the ſenſes organike, and the proper houſe or habitation of the vertue Animalis, ſhedding out, and ſending forth to all the lower members féeling and moouing: And hath ſeauen holes, that be inſtruments of wits, and anſwere to the ſeuen ſperes of planets, as ſome men ſuppoſe. And ſo the head is worthyer and more noble then all the other members. For it is gouernour and ruler of all the body, and giueth therto perfection of vertue to doe his workings of féeling. And therefore the head hath by kinde the higheſt place of the body, to rule and diſpoſe all that be there vnder, by the order of kinde as Haly
- ↑ Cephalis Caput.
