comely lyniments and couerings of the téeth, to kéepe and ſaue, and temper the hardneſſe of the téeth, by their ſoftneſs, & to ſhape the voyce or ſpeach of al letters; to put off colde and hot aire, and to manifeſt the default and ſtrength of vertue; by redneſſe and paleneſſe of them, and be the proper limmes of vertue interpretiue, to expreſſe the paſſions of the ſoule, that is to wit, hatred and friendſhip, ſorow and woe. And therefore it is ſayd, that quaking of lyps in frenſie and other ſharpe ſickneſſes, betokeneth death, as it is ſaid in Pronoſticis and this ſufficeth at this time touching the lyppes.
¶Of the Chin. Cap. 18.
THE Chinne[1] is called as it were the foundation of the iawes, for that they ſpring and grow of the chin, as Iſidore ſaith. The chinne hath two boanes, as Conſt. ſaith, and theſe ſaid bones be ioyned togethers in the middle, where the ſmall téeth are pight, that be Quadrupli and Pares, and the endes of theſe bories be departed, and haue two forkes or twiſts: that one is ſharp, and the ſharpneſſe thereof is pight therein as a manner bonde, which bonde ſtretcheth from the ſide of the temples: and therby openeth and cloſeth; the other forke is great and rounde, by the roundneſſe whereof the chin is ſoft as ſaith Conſt. For this member is néedfull for the ſpring of the iawes, and for the faſtening of the neather téeth, & for kindly or ſpéedie cloſing and opening of aire: and is alſo couenable for the complection of the face, and for the perfect finiſhing of the face. And if the chinne be proportionate to the forhead, it maketh faire and ſéemely all the face. All this ſaith Conſt. In the chin of a beaſt is the moſt ſtrength for the hardneſſe of the bone, and for ye hard compaction of the ſinewes, and for ſtrong rooting of the téeth. And therefore beaſts ſuffer not lightly to be handeled by the chinne: For if their chinne be broke, all theyr cruelneſſe and firceneſſe faileth, as their weapon were loſt. As it is written 1. Regum. cha. 17. Dauid brake ye beares chin,[2] and deliuered the ſhéepe out of his mouth &c. By touching the chin of a man is token of loue and of truſt. 2. Reg. 16. Ioab held the chin of Amaſa, as though he would kiſſe him, &c.
Of the mouth. chap. 19.
THE mouth is called Os in Latine[3], for that thereby we put in meate, as it were by a doore, and put out ſpittle and breath: either for that out of the mouth words come, as it were but at a doore, as ſayth Iſidore. And alſo Iſidore ſayth, That the mouth is the meſſenger of the ſoule.[4] For we tell out by the mouth, what we conceiue beforeth ſoule and in thought. Gregorie ſayth, That the mouth is cloſed & compact with many kéepings and wardes, as with téeth, and lippes, that by ſo many meanes the witte and the ſoule may determine and aduiſe firſt what to ſpeake, ere that anye word be ſpoken, that the word may rather paſſe by the lim then by the tongue. Conſtantine ſaith, That the inſtrument of the mouth is néedfull to receiue feeding and nouriſhing. For no member in a beaſt is nouriſhed, but it receiue firſt nouriſhing at the mouth. For the mouth firſt receiueth meate, and cheweth and ſeaſoneth it, and maketh it able to digeſtion, and ſendeth it to the ſtomacke, and therefore kinde maketh the mouth moyſt within, to temper and chaunge the eaſilyer the dryneſſe of the meate by moyſture of the mouth. Alſo kinde maketh the mouth ſinewie and meanelye harde and hollowe. Sinewie to féele the eaſilyer the ſauour of the meate: Hard, that it be not grieued and hurt with roughneſſe of the meate: And neuertheleſſe it is not made too hard, but meanelye harde: leaſt the ſenſe of taaſt ſhoulde be loſt by too greate hardneſſe. The mouth is hollowe and round within, that the meate taken may moue the eaſilyer hether and thether, and that breath may paſſe by the téeth without let. Alſo the mouth is néedfull to drawe the aire and breath. For the aire and breath drawen in by the mouth is changed, purified, and made ſubtile in the hollowneſſe thereof.
