and figures of ſhapes, as by the lynes perſpectiue are expreſſed, and is corrupt in the vttermoſt partes, eyther at leaſt is heauie and faint by contrariouſneſſe, as ſaith the Philoſopher. Alſo it ſéeth & déemeth all things, that is without it, & ſet afore it: but it neuer ſéeth it ſelfe by lynes, vpon the which the lykeneſſe of the thing that is ſéene commeth to the ſight. But when it ſéeth it ſelfe, that hapneth by reflection and rebounding of beames, that is, when the likeneſſe of the thing that is ſéene, is firſt multiplyed, & reboundeth to the myrrour, and from the myrrour againe to the ſight, as ſayth the Authour of Perſpectiue. And therefore peraduenture the ſpirite of ſight, hath lyking in the ſight of a myrrour.
For it is ſomwhat fortified and ſtrengthened: as it were tourned agayne to it ſelfe, by reflection or rebounding of the beames.
Alſo the blacke of the eye comprehendeth all things by a corner: For whether the lymmes paſſe out of the blacke of the eye to things that be ſéene, eyther come to the blacke of the eye from the thing ſéene: alway they be ioyned in the middle or center of the black of ye eie, as it wer in a corner, corner wiſe, for yt corner is the touch, & méeting of two lines. And forſomuch as the lynes, by yt which the ſight is ſhapen, are ioyned, and as it were cornered in the middle of ye blacke of the eye: Therefore the Philoſopher ſaith well & properly, that the eye ſe@eth all things by a corner. Alſo among all the parts of the bodye, the blacke of the eye moſt ſooneſt feeleth: and for the nobilytie and preciouſneſſe of the complection thereof, it is moſt paſſible: And therefore it is ſooneſt grieued and hurte, and worſt and hardeſt and moſt daungerous to be healed. And therefore kinde hath giuen thereto curtills or rimnes, and couerings of defence, that it may ſo the better put off win & without things that grieue. Of theſe properties and paſſions of the eyen, and of the blacke therof, ſerch within, in a ſpecial treatiſe. li. 6.
¶Of the Eye lyddes. Cap. 8.
THe Eye lyddes be couerings of the eyen, and are called in Latine Cilia, and hath that name of Celare to couer; For they hele & couer the eyen in ſauegard, as ſaith Iſidore lib. 11. cap. 2. The eye lyddes be in ſubſtaunce ſinowie and thinne, for eaſie mouing. For by theyr continuall mouing they put awaye the aire: and ſo they kéepe and defende the eyen without from grieuing and hurting of the aire. Theſe eye lyddes are called Cilia in Latine, and Palpebre alſo: for Palpitando, as it were ofte féelyng: they moue alway: for they cloſe vnſelye togethers, to féede the buſie mouing, as ſaith Conſtantine and Iſidore alſo. The eye lyddes be warded and kepte with rowes of hayre, to put off if anye thing fail or chaunce to come neere the eyen, when the eyen be open: and to ſléepe the more quietly and ſurelye, while the eyen be cloſed therein. Alſo that they meanly may, cutting the ayre, quicken, kéepe, and ſaue the ſight cleere & bright. Hetherto ſpeake Iſidore. cap. ſup. Conſtantine ſaith that the eye lyddes haue haire, not all ſtraight, but ſomewhat bent and crooked. And that kinde hath wiſely ordayned, to make them more able & ſtronger to cloſe themſelues, and to put off more mightely griefe & hurt if any fall. Alſo in growing, theſe eye lyds haue of kinde a certaine quantitie: and thereof the haire of them ſpreadeth not, neither wareth not, as the heate of the head, but they haue a certaine poynted proportion. And therefore Conſtantine ſayth, that the eye lyds be not ſoft, neyther full of poores, but rather harde, that the hayre that groweth thereon: may be hard and ſomewhat crooked and bend. And that they ſhoulde not growe too ſoone in length, as an hearbe yt groweth in harde lande, is lyttle and vpright, and not as that hearbe yt groweth within ſofte lande. Kinde giueth theſe eye liddes the beautye of the bodye, and to helpe the eyen. And therefore Libe. 12. Ariſtotle ſayth. That euerye beaſt that gendereth onelye, hath haire on the eye liddes, and euerye foure footed beaſt, cloſeth the eye with the ouer lidde.
