ſouldiours: white ouer Cleargie men, in token of their profeſſion and honeſt life: and ouer Virgins and Matrones. This order appeareth to be beyond 800. years. Conſtantine ſayeth, that among the foure humours bloud is moſt praiſed and moſt friend of kinde, through euen and perfect ſéething thereof: the which temperate heate maketh of the pure and airely matter to the noriſhing of the body. Conſtantine ſaith, that there is kindly bloud, and ſome vnkindly, and ſome kindly bloud is in the organes and ſome in the veynes. The bloud yt is in the organes, is more hot, more ſubtill, more red, more cléere, and more ſwéete in ſauour then that other bloud. It is more hot, for that it is nigh the heart and ſpirites: more ſubtill, for that the heate of the heart maketh it ſubtill and cleere, and that is, for that in ſweating and breathing out by ye thicke concauites of the organe; it ſhoulde not lightlye ſlide into other members. It is more cleere, through the vertue of Cholera that is therin. It is more ſharp through the augmenting of heate. The bloud that is contayned ur the veynes, is hot and moyſt, meane between groſeneſſe and ſubtill, and very ſwéete in ſauor, without any euill taste as ſoone as it is out of ye body, very ſhortly it cōgealeth, & turneth into clods: & ſo ſuch bloud betokeneth that the lyuer is temperate. But if it be ſubtill and watrye and not of good ſmel, nor of ſwéete ſauour: it ſignifieth intermiting of an humour that infecteth the bloud. Then it goeth out of kinde, and tourneth into vnkinde bloud, which is ſo called, either becauſe it turneth out of his kinde generation, and is corrupt; as in leprous men, or els for vncouenable matter, of yt which it is bred, or for a strong humor, with the which it is meddeled: A lyttle of Cholera or of another infecting humor midled with pure bloud, infecteth the bloud, & draweth it to the lykeneſſe of his owne qualytie. Hetherto ſpeaketh Conſtant. Pancag. 9. cap. 4. Ariſtotle lib. 3. Animal. putteth other properties of bloude, and ſaith, that euery beaſt that hath bloud, hath lyuer and heart: and therfore euerye beaſt that hath no bloud, is of leſſe bodie and vertue, then beaſtes that haue bloud: and if the fleſh be cut, the bloud runneth out except the fleſh be dead or corrupt. Alſo in euery beaſt of good diſpoſition, is temperate bloud, not too much in them that drinke new wine: neither too lyttle in them that be fat of body: for beaſts that be very fat of body, haue but lyttle bloud, for as fatneſſe waxeth, the bloud diminiſheth. Alſo euery body that is ſanguine rotteth ſoone, and ſpeciallye nigh the bones: for a man hath verye ſubtill bloud, in reſpect of other Beaſts, and other Beaſts haue blacker bloud & thicker then mans bloud, and namelye Bulls and Aſſes: and in the nether parts of the body bloud is thicker and blacker then in the ouer parts. Alſo bloud when it bréedeth in great quantitie is cauſe of ſickneſſe: for it commeth thinne, and is made watry, and therefore perchaunce a man ſweateth bloud, and that is as I ſuppoſe, through much ſuperfluitye of thin bloud: and kinde thinketh to diſcharge him of that ſuperfluitie, and ſo it throweth the watry parts to the vttermoſt of the ſkinne, and auoydeth them by ſweating. Alſo when a man ſléepeth, very lyttle bloud appereth, and no wonder, for than kinde draweth it inward to helpe the vnkindly vertue, that by ye benefite thereof ſhe may doe hir workes: and ſo when the bloud is farre within, then the vtter partes of the bodye are pale and bloudleſſe. And therefore is it, that if a ſléeping body be cut or ſticked, there commeth not out ſo much bloud, as ſhould if he were waking. There it is ſayd, that if bloud be ſodde and diſtilled, thereof we may make fallowe and greace. And that perchaunce is, the vnctuoſitye thereof by temperate ſeething is crudded, and beeing white, is tourned into tallowe or faite. Alſo if bloud be altered from the courſe of his kinde, and is corrupt: it will goe out of the ſtomacke, and from the noſethrilles.
Alſo when blouds rotteth in anye member, but it be taken out by ſkill or kinde, it tourneth into venyine, and ſcabs.