the partes together, much moyſture is thruſt and wrong out, the which moyſture conteined in ſmall holes and pores, maketh the thing ſad and boyſtous. Then if the moyſture bée away, the thing is more ſubtill, as it is ſéene in a ſkinne that is waſhed and wrong. Alſo though by conſtraining the partes together, and wringing out the ſpirites, maketh a thing kindlye heauie: yet if happeneth that colde maketh a thing light: for by wringing out of ye moiſture the which greeued, all the thing is made light. Alſo temporate colde kéepeth and ſaueth things aliue. For while by colde moiſture, the incenſing and killing of heate is let, and ſo as the moyſture is reſolued little and little by the powers: euen ſo lyttle and little it is waſted: and ſo heate is let that it may not diſſolue the thing. Alſo by the benefit of colde a thing is kepte without ſtinking, and ſo in colde places, and caues, carrions without ſtinke, through colde lyttle and little are waſted. Alſo ſmall holes and powers bée cloſed by conſtraining of colde: and to the rooted humores bée let that they may not drawe the vtter to the inner, yet accidentlye colde corrupteth and deſtroyeth. For when colde letteth defieng and digeſtion in the ſtomacke, the working of kindlye heate is letted. And corrupte humours be gendered, of the which followeth corruption of the body, while the corrupte humours bée incorporate and knit to the bodye. And that is ſéeneth woundes, to the which bée layde colde ſalues and medicines, which conſtraine and cauſe the powers for to bée ſtopped, and ſo the new ſumoſities make the fleſh ſofte within, and fretting and corrupting it, they make it to rot.
Alſo by kinde, colde cauſeth and maketh things ſo be diſcouloured ill, as we ſee in Winter the heate of the bodie, or of the heart, voiding his contrarie, and leadeth the humour and the ſpirit with him inward. And ſo the vtter ſide of the ſkin made weake, of heate maketh euill couloured. As it appeareth in lippes and cheekes. But it happeneth that cold maketh things well couloured. For it conſtraineth and ſtoppeth the powers. And ſo the humours and the ſpirites be helde in, and by their preſence the vtter ſide of the ſkinne is couloured. And by kind too great colde ſlaieth. For if it conſtraine and ſtop to ſoare, the ſpirites faile in the heart. And ſo if the heart be dead, from the which procéedeth life ſo the other partes, the other parts muſt needes die. Alſo through too greate colde, féeble heat is quenched. And ſo the ſpirit Vitalis, of lyfe, lacketh foode and is ſtifled. But it is ſtraunge in ſhapes, that colde giueth life, as it is ſéene in a manner kinde of birds that grow out of trées, that ſpringeth as it were ſwellings, and burgenen out of trées in ſtéed of fruit[1]. But as long as they be in the trée, they haue no life. And the Commentator Super librū Vegetabilium ſaith, that hapneth through the porroſitie of the trée that draweth the fumoſitie from the rinde. But when the holding breaketh, the birds fall into the water. And the colde ſtoppeth the holes and the powers without, and holdeth the ſumoſitie within: the which beate togethers are pured and made ſubtill, and are turned into a ſpirit. And by the multiplieng and ſpreading of that ſpirit into all the partes, ſhe ſayd birds take lyfe, and turne into a manner kinde of birds. The which be much vnlike to other birds in complection and in kinde. They haue little fleſh and leſſe of bloud: and therefore they bée couenable, ſo ſaith the ſame Commentatour. But to them that marke it well it miniſtreth matter of the praiſing of God ghoſtly: for ſpiritually it repreſenteth them, that the ſpirit of God gendereth by the trée of the croſſe in the water of following:[2] in the which is not great deſire of fleſh and of bloud: the which reléeued by ſpirite, deſire, and couet to flye to heauen with all theyr might and ſtrength. But thereof wée ſhall ſpeake after. Alſo colde is the mother of whiteneſſe and of paleneſſe, as heate is the mother of redneſſe and of blackneſſe. And ſo in hot Countryes blacke men and browne bée borne, as among the Moores. In colde Countryes white men bée borne.
