After the publication of my vnpolished Booke of vlcers ( most graue Patrons ) withdrawyng my selfe into my naked study , and deuising how best to performe my promise therein , but first considering , and in deede more deepely waying ( accordyng to the state of tyme , and present want ) whiche way I might most of all seeke the aduauncement of Chirurgerie in England , in the which cogitation ( I confesse ) my zeale hath long tyme turned : At last I called to remembraunce , that the greatest want that raigneth in Chirurgians at this day , is ignoraunce in the subiect of their worke , waying also on the other side , that no English Authour , which hitherto hath written , hath sufficiently applyed his tyme to the amendement therof . Then was I wholly ouercome in this purpose , and then did I clearely see , how that to write Methodes or meanes to cure the affected partes of the body , the partes them selues beyng altogether vnknowen , or falsely imagined of , might rather be a meane to indurate the cataract of inscience , then to eate it through , or take it away . So thus I decreed to chaunge my purpose , that is , in steede of the Booke of Tumours , which I had before promised , to compile some worke of Anathomy , whiche might occupy fufficient scope to entreate of all the partes of man .

But as the wanton child , that cryeth oft to handle that thyng which his strength is not able to meddle , but rather to endamage or hurt him selfe : Euen so did I full litle vnderstand the waight of my burden , till I had it on my Caluisius shoulders : when as it Caluisius Sabin●… . immediately had dissolued my good enterprise , had not then the flames of zeale accensed the courage of Hercules in my brest . By 〈◊〉 . meanes whereof although the same be now finished , yet so , as I determine nothyng lesse then hereby to hinder the proceedyng of others in the lyke cause , nay rather I am resolued , that hereby I shall instigate and set forward the endeuours of such as are equally mynded , to the aduauncement of the famous Arte Chirurgerie . For , as to the buildyng of some riche tower , or strong castle , beside the deuisours of the woorke and free Maso●…s , there are required sondry inferiour Officers and labouryng persons , neither all to one ende , vse , or office , but some to digge , some to square stones , some to carie them to woorkemen , &c : Euen so I , not hauyng the knowledge to deuise , nor the pollicie to digge for the best stone , neither the skill to temper the mortar , nor yet the reason rightly to square the stone , notwithstandyng because my zeale is nothyng inferiour to the chiefe Masons , haue had the will to gather the stones , and lay them by the workemen , now also hopyng that some cunnyng Mason will reache his hand to my heape , and lay of the stones of my gatheryng to the buildyng of this famous tower of health : since I shall conceiue incredible felicitie , if I may hereafter , in viewyng this renowmed buildyng ( for so I hope surely to see it ) cast myne eye vppon those stones whiche my homely handes had so rudely congested , and see them cunnyngly wrought , and aptly applyed to the buildyng .

Into which consideration of me I first beseech you ( most graue Seniors and Christian brethren ) to enter , before you take any occasion to accuse me of temeritie , whiche crime I had worthely incurred if zeale should not mediate my cause , so do I hope , that you will not onely fauour the fruites of my labours , and adde to them your helpyng handes , but also be ( in my behalfe ) the shield of Pallas , agaynst such Serpentine tounges as duely seeke to prophane of all godly endeuours .

But to returne to my first determination , when I had wholly giuen my consent to this end , I might see first a farre of , what sondry & great mutations nature hath vsed in the body of man since Galen wrote in Anathomy : and omitting diuers old writers , whose workes had not all equall successe , I came at length to Vesalius , whose whole worke seemed as tedious as his Epitome ouerculled & short . But when I saw Fuchsius to haue extract a notable Epitome out of Vesalius & Galen , I had thought to looke no further till Collumbus appeared in my sight : whose labours then reuoluyng , and seyng him in some thynges vse sufficient prolixitie , as in his Bookes of Bones and Muscles , & in other causes to be somewhat brief ( because Vesalius had sufficiently handled them ) as in the nutritiue partes , immediately I refused to bynde my selfe to any peculiar translation , chusing rather to picke a posie of the chiefest flowers from all their Gardens , the opinion of Fernelius and others not beyng vtterly refused , as throughout the History is diligently noted .

And somuch the rather I esteemed this the best , because that way I perceiued I might both more playnly describe the partes to the iudgement of the Reader , as also vse sufficient scope vpon the dissention of Authours in the most notable causes . These considerations vsed , I set foreward in this matter , purposing ( to speake briefly ) to penne it in fourme of a History , least the Uolume of the booke should ouer hastely encrease , whereby I might be inhibited to vse requisite prolixitie in conuenient causes .

And now finally beyng finished , as I may , not as I would , I ( the least of the number ) do offer the first fruites thereof vnto you , the auncient fraternitie of Chirurgians in London , and consequently from you , to all Godly , and single professours of the Arte of Chirurgerie , throughout this Realme of England : into whose myndes , I beseech God to inspire the grace of his holy spirite , that we may all ( yet at length ) with one consent together , endeuour , study , searche , knocke , and call at the gate of Gods mercy , for the guidyng of his holy spirite , that , in all our proceedynges , beyng thereby protected , we may seeke the aduauncement of the glory of God , in healyng our afflicted brethren , whereto his diuine power shall ( so oft as it pleaseth him ) 〈◊〉 , and appoynt vs Ministers , that ( I say ) with the testimonie of a cleare conscience , we may render our vauntaged talentes vnto the high Auditour , in the day of commyng , which , we know not how neare , approcheth .

As for you , O ye chaffe of the earth , ye stinge of the Godly , ye Impes of Hell , and children of wrath , you ( I say ) that , vnder pretence of the sacred Arte of Medicine , deuoure the sheepe of Gods pasture , slea the laboures in his Haruest , and denye your Lord the fruites of the Uineyard : since no warnynges may admonishe you , no exhortation amende you , no lawes bridle you , no punishementes tame you , nor any feare of God sinke into your brestes : behold , all the true professours of Christ Iesus , and who carefully endeuour Godly to discharge their functions , do cry for vengeaunce from heauen vppon you . And I ( in these my labours ) from the depth of my hart renounce you , hopyng assuredly , that from none of the flowers of this Garden any of you shall take oportunitie to sucke that , whiche may maintaine the infection of your pestilent wretchednesse hereafter . If therefore I haue any where frequented a phrase aboue the common vse of our Englishe language , or vsed woordes litle different from the Latin , esteeme the same to be done onely for your cause , since ( as much as in me lyeth ) I haue endeuoured euery where , to shade the kernell with a harder shell then you shal be able to cracke . Away therefore you Uipers . Let these my simple labours , whatsoeuer they are , be entertained in the handes of thee true , vertuous , and honest Artistes , and professours of Chirurgerie , that my expectation may be fulfilled , Arte rightly aduaunced , and God duely worshipped .

And now returnyng to you agayne ( most Godly gouernours , for whose sakes I was most encouraged to perseuer in this enterprise ) consideryng your Godly affection towardes me heretofore , and that it hath euer pleased you to esteeme of me , farre more , then the vttermost of my power , at any tyme , may merite , I thought it not onely the office of pietie , by this meanes , to pricke foreward the myndes of some of the learned sort , but also to commit this vnto you , as a pledge of my vnfeyned zeale to the Arte of Chirurgerie , and consequently to you the chief pillours thereof in this Realme : which , beyng thankefully receiued of your gratefull hartes , may testifie for me , that inwardly I wishe , whiche outwardly I am not able to manifest .

Haue now therfore this History of Man , picked from the plenty of the most noble Anathomistes aboue named , wherein I haue earnestly , though rudely , endeuoured to set wyde open the closet doore of natures secretes , whereinto euery Godly Artist may safely enter , to see clearely all the partes , and notable deuises of nature in the body of man . From the Female , and that ( as I suppose ) for sundry good considerations , I haue wholly abstained my penne : least , shunnyng Charibdis , I should fall into Scylla headlong . No more , but vouchsafe to accept Sinaetes faythfull offer , and protect this handfull of water , from the pollution of straunge beastes .

TYme , the generall rust of the world , which weareth eateth , consumeth , and perforateth all thynges , hath denied that the preceptes of the deuine parentes and progenitours of Phisicke , should for euermore remaine insoluble , or free from all future chaunge : els what should withstand , wherby the workes of Hipocrates and Galene should not suffice all posterities that come after ? For what thyng notable haue they not noted ? what secret so daintie , that they haue not vncouered yea what misterie so couert , the doore wherof they haue not opened ? And yet notwithstandyng , these deuine Oracles haue not taken from posteritie all occasion to write , neither shall the bookes which hitherto are written , do the like to those that come after . But ech age hath his tyme , eche nation his nature , and ech nature his property .

Albeit , this excellencie we ascribe to Hipocrates and Galen , that neuer any hath bene their equals , and that from their fountaines flow the springyng streames , that nourishe Phisicke for euer . So that what good thing soeuer we haue , or atcheiue , we are to consecrate the same vnto their honor and prayse : and what worke soeuer is published , if the same be worth the reading , we owe it wholly vnto them . What then ( you will say ) is the cause , that their workes suffer in these dayes such sundry contradictions , especially in the partes of mans body ? It is aunswered a litle before , how that tyme , natures , and nations must be respected .

For first ; that the magnitude of our body is greatly diminished , it is a Iac. Sil●… . in Isag. Pre. thing in readynes to euery man , not onely by the authoritie of auncient Ph. Lib. 7. cap. 6. writers , but also that dayly , and ( as I suppose ) throughout the world , the stature of man in all pointes decreaseth : especially in those regions : wheras matrimonie is ouer liberally , & before the iust age , permitted . Who is so ignoraunt ; to whom the Scriptures haue not ere now testified , how much longer then in these dayes , the age of man hath bene in times past ? Iac. Sil. Ibid. how aboundantly do our bodies testisie , how sondry of the inner partes both in magnitude , number , figure , and situation , do differ from those in others of other regions ? neither are the same in all our bodies in these dayes , as , in elder time the auncient Anathomistes most commonly obserued : do not their writynges , and our bodies make it manifest to all liuing ? but towhat end ? that it might not seeme to vs incredible , that in men of euery region , like as in beastes , yea in the plantes them selues , is either some thyng peculiar from others , or els some certaine mutation from the first nature to haue chaunced .

As , to come first to the examples of beastes . In Ciria the sheepe haue Arist. Lib. 8. hist. ca. 28. tayles a cubite broad , and the goates eares ix . intches in length . What meruaile is it when as the ramme and the ewe , whiche both in Affrica beare hornes , in Pontus a prouince of Scythia , to haue therfore none at all ? As other where sheepe , so in Cilicia goates are clipped . The oxen , sheepe , hartes , and such others , are greater in Aegipt then in Greece : but for that the dogges , wolues , foxes , hares , and hawkes , are greater in Greece than in Aegipt . Oxen in Scythia through cold possesse no hornes . Oxen in Phrygia haue hornes that are mouable . The Isle Ithaca is destitute of a hare , like as the field called Ager Lebadicus of a moule , and Sardinia of a wolfe .

If histories be to be beleued , then these are true : if not , what do we with auncient testimonies ? why credite we thynges written , or beleue any thyng to be true which our owne eyes haue not witnessed vnto vs ? yea let vs reiect the monumentes of our elders , detract their doynges , and wholy obliterate their writynges . And if the bookes of Aristotle , Plinie , and others most famous Historiographers , be worthy to be opened , them are beastes in Asia , all more cruell , in Europe more stronger , and in Aphrica more diuersly fourmed . But , to speake more appertinent to the body of man , these aforesayd varieties , obserued of auncient writers , arguyng onely vnto vs , that , as beastes are bred diuersly in eche nation , and accordyng to the nature therof , so to be in men some dissimilitude , & by the same reason , was not denied . Euery one knoweth that the Moores haue onely white teeth , but blacke skinne and nayles . But it is not a thyng so common that they , and also the inhabitantes of such hoate Cor. Cels. Li. 8. ca. 〈◊〉 . countreys , are without seames in their Sculs , which with vs is a thyng somuch approued .

But , omittyng those nations which differ a litle among them selues , let vs come to those which more manifestly vary in figure . In Asia are a people named Macrocephali , hauing very long heades , though first of custome Hipochr . de . ●…ere . Aquis et lo●…is Lib. then after of nature : of custome , because they kept the compressed heades of their children , swathed so , till some consistence of yeares grew on them , which thyng afterward made their children beget the like , though in tract of tyme , and through their negligence , nature amended that fault . The people called Phasiani , inhabityng a marish ground and rayny region , are in figure from other men very diuers : as , of mighty stature , and marueilous corpulent , so that neither veynes , nor ioyntes are in them apparaunt , alway bearing a yellow colour , like persons afflicted with the iaundes , and in voyce most base and terrible .

It is straunge to vs that women haue beardes , albeit not so euery where : Hipp. Lib. 6. Epid. for in Caria it is a thyng familiar : whereas some of them beyng a while frutefull , but after widowes , and for that suppressed of naturall course , put on virilitie , being then bearded , hoarie , and chaunged in voyce . Shall it be counted a fable that toucheth the transformation of one kinde into an other , as the Male into the Female and so contrariwise ? surely Plinie Lib. 7. Cap. 4. saith . No : since him selfe to haue sene a woman chaunged into man , in the day of mariage , he playnly auoucheth . And agayne , a child of a yeare old , from a mayden to a boy . There are certaine wild men whose feete are turned backward on the legges , and some of them hauyng viij . P●…i . I : b. 7. cap. 2. toes on a foote . What shall we say of the Cyclopes , whose eyes haue in them two apples or balles ? I omit to speake of those that haue but one eye : of those that are both Male & Female : of such as haue heades like dog●… : of the people which haue no heades : of them who with one legge couer their whole body : of those without mouthes : and so forth of such sortes many , which are in Indie very familiar .

True it is also that the Scythians , named Nomades , are very corpulent , Hipp. ●…ib . d●… . 〈◊〉 . Aquis . et . 〈◊〉 . and fleshy , their inferiour bellyes euer slippery , & their ioyntes through moysture very weake , in somuch as they are euer found to haue applied fier to their shoulders , armes , handes , brestes , hippes , and loynes , for no other cause , then for the naturall moysture and softenes : for thus if they should not do , they would not be able to hold their bowes , or cast their darts , for losenes of their loints , through slippery humors so obnoxious to luxation . And it is no more truly written of the Pygmeians , then meruailous Lib. ●…ast . cap. 15. to our vnderstandyng , since they are of so small stature ( for they exceede not in height the length of a cubite ) that dayly they are prest to put on armour agaynst Cranes .

These Argumentes , and sundry such others , which Iacobus Siluius Iac. Sil. 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . hath gathered together , and therfore I thinke them also most fitte for this place , may not lightly moue vs , to beleue likewise that in our bodies sometyme sundry mutations do happen .

In places either very hoate , or very cold , men are in countenaunce Sec. 1●… Pr●…b . and maners fierce and cruell : notwithstanding they that inhabite hoate places are more fearefull , though wiser : and they which dwell in cold , stronger . The Asians are fairer , greater , more gentle , feareful , effoeminate , and vnapt to warre for the temperature of the ayre and lawes .

The Europ●…ans contrariwise are in magnitude much different among Hipp. Loc. 〈◊〉 . them selues , cruell , of hauty courage , bold , vpright or honest , and giuen to warre . They differ ( I say ) in magnitude , and fourme , through the mutations of the tymes of the yeare , which there are great and often : as strong heate ; vehement cold , much rayne , long draught , and strong windes , whereby euery where , sundry , and many mutations are made . In Asia so the other creatures , and all plantes are more happely produced then in Europe . Many kyndes of men are in Europe , which in magnitude , fortitud●… , fourme , and stature are much different among them selues . The caus●… of which varietie is somewhat before touched , but Hipocrates Loc. cit . more clearely doth descriue . As they which inhabite a place or region full of mountaines , rough , high , and watry , and haue with them many mutariōs of tymes much different , it is requisite that of their own nature be mad●… many fourmes os bodyes , and such as are laboursome , exercised , and strong , and such natures also to be fierce and cruell .

Agayn ●…hey which reigne in places more medowy , or groundes flowyng with herbes , and hoate , & their windes more hoate than cold , & vse hoate , or warme waters , these persons are not high , butrather broad , with blacke heares , and they more of dusky colour or browne , then are bred in other places , and of their owne nature lesse flegmaticke then cholericke . But they that inhabite a high and pleasaunt place , not rough , or windy , and haue good waters , these are large in body , straight , and like vnto them selues , endewed with witte and myndes more milde and gentle : like as they of thinne , barreine , and not watry and naked places , neither haue the mutations of tymes temperate , are hard bodies , not great , rather yellow then blacke , wayward , irefull , bold , and obstinate in opinion . For where often mutations of tymes are , and those also much different , truly there also may you finde their fourmes , maners , and natures greatly disagreeyng . The regions wherein tymes and waters are chaunged , or do varie , the bodyes there also do vary : since alway , or for the most part , the maners and fourmes of the people do imitate the nature of the region .

If then the varietie of times doth so transmute , and chaunge the state ●…ig . de . Me●…n . ob . of mans body , as that worthely sayth Virgill ( although perhaps he had not altogether this sense . )

It is straunge to see how sturdely some striue to deface those , which , full of Naturall pietie , write the truth of their owne tymes . Why , they will haue it that there were neuer Amazones in Scythia , because perhaps Iac. S●…l . Loc. cit . there are none now to be founde . Aristotle erred , for saying there were no Asses in Fraunce , Ponte , and Scythia , because now in those countreys they abounde . Hipocrates he is reproued , for affirmyng no kinges to be in Europe , though at this day it possesseth plentie . What is it , that in the tyme of Aesculapius were no distillations nor inflations . Hipocrates Plat. Dial. 3. de . Repub. Li. de . caus . 〈◊〉 . saw no rigour without a feuer , though in Galens dayes it chaunced often , but now a dayes most often , especially to women , through a more intemperate diet .

If we shall stand vpon disseases purchased by tymes , yea yet dayly , by the immoderation of diet , when should we draw to an end . In the age of Galen Eunuches did incurre the gowte , though long before , and in Aph. 28. 29. 30. Lib. 2. the tyme of Hipocrates it was notso . Also the gowte , pleurisie , and inflamations ●…ib . de . coacis prae not . of the lunges were not wont to chaunce before the age of xiiij . yeares , but where standeth it at that stay now ? who hath not sene them all at younger yeares ? yeasome of them at x. ix . yea ( though the more meruailous ) at viij . yeares of age . The which thyng I dare boldly testifie , since , in Not●…ingham , in An. 1574. it pleased God to make me the instrument of health to diuers children , of the ages before recited , findyng no present remedy ( for to diuers in the beginnyng I assayed other helpes in vayne ) but Phlebotomie , notwithstandyng their tender yeares , the dissease beyng the Plurisie , and the tyme of the yeare the spring .

What Artist of experience in these dayes knoweth not , that women ( for the most part ) do beare males aswell on the left side as the right , and their females aswell on the right side as the left ? the transuerse processes of the Vertebres of the necke appeare vnto vs alway as if they were clouen , Iac. Sil. Loc. ci●… . though to Galen the last of them was seldome so . Os Sternon Galen , with the elders , obserued perpetually to consist of seuen Bones , but we in these dayes neuer inuent the number so large : albeit that we neuer finde the number certaine .

What then ? shall we finde the number of the Vertebres alway one ? he that hath so the happe , let him set it downe . For my part , amongest those very few bodies , which , also in very few yeares , though to my cost , yet for the very zeale I haue had thereto , I haue dissected , I haue found some of Galens Sceletons in sundry pointes . It may fall out to be no new saying , that almost in all bodies , some varietie is to be sene .

Much meruailous shall it be to him that vseth dissection , to see such sundry and often varieties : yea , settyng aside monstrous shewes , the Anathomist shall see in his own region , and in few yeares , sundry notes of new shapes in nature , not so straunge now , as worthy the notyng .

To praetermitte those whiche Vesalius obserued , because they are confused , let vs come to the most notable , by others descriued and set in order .

Collumbus , that Anathomist of worthy fame , beginning at the head , Col. Lib. 〈◊〉 . runneth through the whole body , notyng what new thyng he hath in any particle obserued . So that first he excuseth not the head , but that he hath sene it sometime without seames , somtime with sundry seames , and those keepyng diuers orders , to haue bene compact together . The teeth in diuers numbers : and the neither iawe growne to the vpper . Of the necke , the first Vertebre inseparably growne to Occiput : the number of the Vertebres of the necke sometyme sixe , and sometyme eight with the like varietie at sundry tymes of the other Vertebres . Of ribbes xxij . xxv . and xxvj . Os Sternon consistyng of two , three , and iiij , Bones . The thigh to haue ouergrowne the legge into an incredible tumor . But aboue all these it is notable that he reporteth of a Sceleton , whose Bones all , from the head to the toes , were ioyned together , so that the partie in his lyfe tyme , beyng old , could moue no part saue his eyes , toung , brest , bellye , and yard . I passe with silence , the aboundaunce , or want of Muscles whereof he remembreth , and the sundry trases of Veynes , with their want , or extraordinarie diuisions . Of the kidneys he sawe the singular number , although that a greate one , and Splenes so large , as that eche one in waight peised twenty pound , beyng outwardly ouercouered with a Cartilage . So vlcers , and tumours in the hart . So the hedge that distinguisheth the Ventricles of the hart , Cartilaginous . It was straunge to behold Pericardium , the enclosure of the hart , wantyng . What then ? he obserued stones in the lunges , liuer , Vena Porta , vrinarie wayes , in the bleddar , Hemorroidall Veynes , and in the nauell of sundry straunge abscesses , in diuers bodies obserued , the same authour also remembreth . But among all thynges that he hath noted , this one seemeth most notable , whiche he reporteth of a woman , who had outwardly a perfect shape , & onely the necke of the matrice , but no matrice , seminarie vessels , or Testicles at all : and so oft as ●…he vsed the company of man , ( which she did often ) she in meruailous sorte moued her selfe .