I perceaued by your former discourse touching the originall of Chirurgerie & the excellencie thereof , the great desire you haue to profit therein , & to giue good example to all those , who would professe the same : In consideration whereof , at your instant request and intreatie , I am deliberate to conferre with you in that matter , seing both our leysures doth permit , to demaund of you in fewe wordes , the whole principall pointes of Chirurgerie , but , according to Cicero , seing all doctrine whatsoeuer , which is founded on reason , Cicero . libr. 1 Offic. should begin at the diffinition , to the end wee may the better vnderstand , that whereof we doe intreat , first I aske you , what is Chirurgerie ?

It is a science or Art , that sheweth the maner how to worke on mans bodie , exercising all manuell operations necessarie to heale men in asmuch , as is possible by the vsing of most expedient medicines .

Why say you art or science ?

Because it is deuyded into Theorick and Practtik , as sayth Hieronymus montuo .

What is Chirurgerie Theorick .

It is that part , which teacheth vs by rules only the demonstrations , which we may know , without vsing any work of the hand , & therfore we call it science .

What is practick .

It is that part , which consisteth in 〈◊〉 of the hand , according to the precepts in 〈…〉 , as Aposthumes against nature , Byles , 〈…〉 that be out of their natural place ▪ 〈…〉 operations belonging to the worke of 〈…〉 shall heare in the Sixt Treatise .

Ere 〈…〉 , let vs 〈◊〉 what is the subiect of this 〈◊〉 .

Seeing the subiect is so 〈…〉 that the Chirurgian be 〈…〉 the preseruation , as recouerie 〈…〉 .

〈…〉 be so .

Howe , 〈…〉 .

Arist● the 〈…〉 vs to begyn at 〈…〉 more 〈…〉 & difficile , as 〈…〉 .

Fiue .

〈◊〉 first is to take away that , which is 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 , as to take away ●umors against 〈◊〉 , lo●pes , 〈◊〉 , warts , and such like , to draw the 〈…〉 , to take awaye a six● finger or toe ▪ 〈…〉 being dead , out of the mothers wombe , to cut a legge , being gangrened or mortified & the like . Secondly to help and adde to nature , that which it wanteth , as to put to an artificiall eare , nose , or eye , a hand , a legge , a platten in the roofe of the mouth , which is needefull to those , who by the Spanish sicknes or lyke disease , haue the roofe of the mouth fallen . The thirde is to put in the naturall place , that which is out of his place , as to put in the gutts the cawle or net that couereth the gutts , called the epiplon or omentum , after they by fallen in the scrotum , to put bones in their own place , being out of ioynt . The fourth , to seperate that , which is contayned , as in opening aposthumes , opening a vaine , scarifying , applying of horseleaches , ventoses , by cutting the ligament vnder the tongue , cutting two fingers growing together , by cutting the praepuce of the yarde , by cutting the natural conduit of women being closed naturallye together , or else by accident , as often chaunceth after wounds , vlcers & such like . The fift to ioyne that which is seperated , as in healing broken bones , bones that be out of their place , healing of woundes , vlcers , fistules , and such like .

What methode is to be obserued of the Chirurgian in working these opperarions .

First to knowe the disease next to doe the operation as soone as may be , surely , Land loupers and simple Barbers . without false promises or deceyte to heale thinges , that cannot bee healed , for there are some , who , voyde of knowledge and skill , promise for lucres to heale infirmities , being ignorant both of the disease , and the remedies therof . These faultes be often committed of some who vsurping the name of Chirurgian , being vnworthie therof , haue scarce the skill to cut a beard which properly pertayneth to their traide .

It seemeth by your words ▪ that there are some infirmities pertayning to our art which are incurable .

There are diuers ▪ like as Cancer occult , leprosie ▪ elephantike particuler , also when the diseased refuseth the remedie proper for the cure thereof : as to cut a member being mortified , to make incision of the hydropick , and also when by the curing of the maladie , there ensueth a greater disease like as to stay altogether suddenly the hemorrhoides , which haue long run , to cut the varice on the leggs or elsewhere , because the humour taketh the course oftentimes to some principal part , which is cause of death . Also in healing the biles which come in the legs or armes , called malum mortuum .

What remedies then are most expedient to bee vsed in these diseases .

Remedies palliatiue & preseruatiue to let the euill , that it increase not , as wee shall intreate of each of them in their seuerall places . Conditions of a Chirurgian .

To doe all these operations , what qualities are required of the Chirurgian .

There are diuers , Lib. 7. Cap. 1. and first of all as Celsus sayth , that hee bee learned chiefly in those things that appertaine to his art , that he be of a reasonable age , that he haue a good hand , as perfit in the left as the right , that hee bee ingenious , subtill , wise , that he tremble not in doing his operations , that hee haue a good eye , that hee haue good experience in his art , before he begin to practise the same . Also that he haue seen and obserued of a long time , of learned Chirurgians , that he be wel manered , affable , hardy in things certaine , fearefull in thinges doubtfull and dangerous , discreete in iudging of sicknesses , chast , sober , pitifull , that hee take his reward according to his cure and habilitie of the sicke , not regarding auarice .

What conditions ought the sicke to haue . Conditions of the Sicke .

Diuers also , and first hee must haue a good opinion of the Chirurgian that he haue a good hope to be cured of him , & be obedient to his counsells , for that auaileth much in healing of maladies , that he indure patientlye , that which is done for the recouerie of his health .

Which are the instruments , that the Chirurgian ought to haue to doe his operations . Instrumentes .

They are of twoo sortes , for some are common , others are proper , & the instruments or remedies common be also of two sortes , for some be medicinals , & some be ferramentalls .

Why doe you call them common .

Because they serue indifferently to diuers parts , and may bee vsed in all parts of the bodie .

Which are the medicinalls .

They consist in ordaining good regiment , in things naturall , vnnaturall and against nature , in letting of bloode , also in applying plaisters , catapla●mes , linimentes , ponders , vnguentes and such like .

Which be the instruments ferramentals .

Some are to cut as rasures , some to burne as cauters actualls , some to drawe away , as tenells incisiues , pincetts , tirballes , some are to sound , as to sound a winde , the stone in the bladder ▪ and such like . Some are to sow wounds , and knit veines & arters as needles .

Which are the proper instruments .

Those which serue to one part onley , as in the head a trepan , with sundrie other capitalls , in the eye , an instrument called speculum oculi , a needle proper to abate the Cataract , in the eare a ciring for deafnes or to draw forth any thing inclosed in the eare , some in the mouth as speculum oris , or dilato●ū for conuulsion , others are proper for the plurisie , others for the hydropsie , some to draw the stone , which are made of diuers fashions , some are proper for women as speculum matricis , sundry are proper for the birth , as ye shal here in our treatise of the sicknesses of women , some are for the fundament as speculum ani , some for broken bones and such as be out of their place , as machnies , lacs , glossocomes . In his booke called Antidotarium .

Which of these remedies are most necessarie to bee had alwaies with him .

Arnoldus de villa noua counselleth , alwayes to haue sixe to helpe in necessitie for thinges that are common , the first an astringent or retentiue to staye a bleeding or fluxion that commeth in any part , the second is basili● to make matter in a wound or an a posthume , the third some cleansing salue as Apostulorum or Diapeo , the fourth is to fill vp a wounde or bile , with fleshe that is hollowe , like as vnguentum aureum . The fift is cerat galen , or rosat mesne proper to appease a great dolor or heate , which oft chanceth . The sixt is called De●iccatiuum rubeum or such like , to drie and cicatrize the skin .

Howe manye kindes of ferramentes ought the Chirurgian commonly to carrie with him .

Six , a paire of sheeres , a rasor , a lancet , a sound , a tirball , & a needle .

How many thinges are to be obserued by the Chirurgian before he vndertake any operation .

According to Haly Abbas there are fiue . Haly Abbas in his Chirurgery The first to knowe well the temperament of the patience . The second , he must knowe the sicknesse and nature thereof . The third whether it be curable or not . The fourth remidies proper and meete for the disease . The fift , the right way , to applie such remedies as be nedefull , of all these he ought to giue good reason and authoritie , of such famous men as haue written of this science .

In how many things consisteth chieflye the contemplation of Chirurgerie .

In three things according to Fuchius . Compendium medicinae Fuchij .

Which are they .

The first , are those things , that concurre to the making & constitution of our bodie and therefore are called thinges naturall , the second are those thinges , which conserue the bodie from sicknesse and being rightly vsed nourishe the same , our auntients call them thinges vnnaturall , because if they bee immod●ratly and ill vsed they bee altogether contrarie to our bodies , the thirde , are those things , which be indeede contrarie to our bodies and therefore are called things contrarie to nature , 2. Therapen & multis alijs locis . as Galen writeth .

Tell mee some thinge more particulerly of these contemplations of Chirurgerie .

I am contented , if your leisure doth permit .

Then , we will in the nexr Chapter followe out naturall thinges .

May it please you to prosecute the discourse of natural things , seing we haue alredie intreated of Chirurgerie in generall , of the operations & instrumentes Chirurgaticalls .

I like verie well of this methode , howe many naturall things are reckoned by the Chirurgian .

Seauen , the first is called Element , the second Temperament or complexion , the thirde humors , the fourth members , the fift vertues or faculties , the sixt works and effectes of vertues , the seauenth Spirites .