NOt without great judgement have the poets feigned Prometheus to have entred into the heavens, and by Pallas help to have brought from thence celesti­all fire, naming one thing and intimating another: nor with lesse dexteritie of wit doth Homer in his eighth book of Iliads call a method in wri­ting [...] a golden chain, seeing that it is as im­possible without it to declare [Page 2] any thing orderly, as to search through all the secret places of the Labyrinth with­out Ariadnes clue of yarn. And seeing a method doth require his definitions, divi­sions, subdivisions, and such like, in a brief yet ample manner, so as nothing be su­perfluous or wanting, I will do my good will to speak all, yet in as few words as I may, fitting my speech agreeably to the multitude for whom it is written, not affecting cu­riositie as a thing onely meet for the learned.

You shall understand then that the whole contents of this book depend onely up­on this question; Which is [Page 3] more wholesome in the regi­ment of health, drink made actually hot by the fire, or (as it is now used) actually cold, and sometimes made cold.

First therefore I think it necessary to shew the occasi­on why provident Nature hath imposed a kind of ne­cessitie of drinking upon us.

Secondly to shew and make manifest whether drink made hot doth as well or better supply those necessi­ties, as drink being actually cold or made cold?

Thirdly to examine the reasons and confute the ob­jections which are given for the maintenance of actuall [Page 4] cold drink.

Fourthly to set down all such discommodities as do and may arise from the use thereof.

Fifthly to shew the good and profit that redounds to the body by the use of actuall hot drink.

Lastly to make it manifest, that it is no new device, but a thing which hath been in common use amongst the Ro­manes and Grecians, and is and hath been used alwaies a­mong whole nations and re­ligions.

Understand then that ac­cording to the rules of phy­sick, drink is used for three purposes. First to allay our [Page 5] thirst; secondly to intermin­gle with our food; thirdly to be the vehiculum and carrier of the nourishment into the universall bodie. Which three are comprehended un­der two, according to Galen, Lib. 1. De usu partium, that is, under the allaying our de­sire of drinking, and being the instrument and means to boil the meat in the stomach.

The allaying then of thirst being the first cause why we are constrained to drink, let us begin with it, and examine the reasons which may be made for the profit of the one, and the offence of the other. The which we shall more easily do, if we first call [Page 6] to remembrance what thirst is.

This word Sitis, which in english signifieth thirst or drought, according unto Pla­to is nothing else but a desire of drink, for these be his words, Sitis verò est concupis­centia potionis, Thirst is a de­sire of drink; although Ari­stotle in his book De Republi­ca cited by Athenaeus, saith, drought is a desire of hot or cold drink, and in his book De anima defineth it to be the desire of cold and moisture: His words are these, Sunt autem fames & sitis appetitus: quorum fames quidem appetitus est rerum calidarum & sicca­rum; sitis verò, humorem & [Page 7] frigus efficientium, Hunger is an appetite after hot and drying, but thirst of things effecting moisture and cold. Which opinion of Aristotle, being clean opposite unto our argument handled in this treatise, doth seem at the first blush so fully to manifest the matter, as that it may seem great folly to apprehend any thing which is so merely contradictory, and no little impudencie to oppose my self as of my self against so great a philo­sopher: And therefore it con­cerneth me either to prove that drink actually hot doth better cool and moisten the body then cold, or else Ari­stotles [Page 8] meaning is not directly as his words do seem literal­ly to pretend: The which I think may easily be appre­hended and collected, if we will weigh the tenth section in his Problemes; where in­quiring what the cause should be why other crea­tures do sooner prey of and eat dry meat then moist; but man more often moist then dry: He answereth thus, be­cause man is most hot, which causeth him to desire to be cooled. Whereby it is to be noted, that he onely maketh mention of moisture to cool him, the which agreeth with Galen in his book of une­quall temperatures where [Page 9] he doth prove the occasion of thirst to be drought, which is remedied per humi­dum, not per frigidum, that is, by moisture, not by cold. For although it cannot be de­nied but that heat doth procure thirst, yet look into the reason, and you shall find it is propter inopiam hu­miditatis, because it hath not his just proportion of moi­sture; which causeth us in the hot time, if we labour much whereby we exces­sively sweat, to desire to drink, for the cause above al­ledged. But to enter into further consideration of the matter, let us examine the reasons why cold should be [Page 10] necessary in allaying thirst. It appeareth to me, that it is either to the end to extin­guish it, or to mitigate it. But extinguish it by any means it cannot. For let any man that is exceeding dry, eat any thing that is never so cold, not having any moi­sture joyned with it, and he shall find by experience that it may well choke him, but in no sort allay his drought. And for mitigating his drought how dissonant it is to reason that drought joyn­ed to drought, be it never so cold, can work that effect, let the Reader judge, being clean against the principles of learning; Nam omne tale [Page 11] additum tali, facit id ipsum magìs tale, For every like join­ed to its like intends more the ground of its likenesse, that is, the quality wherein they are alike.

Then if it be alledged that the drought having heat joyned with it, requireth cold, in respect of his heat, as drinesse doth moisture, and so cold joyned with moi­sture doth best remedy both, because Contraria contrariis curantur, contraries are cu­red by their contraries; yet it seemeth to me a matter farre unfit for two causes: the one, although that be Galens ground, yet it is not so to be taken literally, but [Page 12] as it stands with that ground likewise, which is, that Om­ne repentinum naturae inimi­cissimum est, All sudden alte­rations are contrary to na­ture: and therefore cold be­ing added to heat, unlesse it were in a farre more remisse degree then the heat, doth work great inconveniences, or endanger the life; as it is to be seen in those who drink­ing cold drink being hot fall sick to the death. The other reason is, for that it is not possible that every man, wo­man or child, who being hot desire drink, can upon eve­ry motion so proportion the cold that it shall just fit the degree of heat; and then if it [Page 13] be too small by his antiperi­stasis it hurteth where it should help: if greater then the heat requires, in stead of allaying the heat it utterly killeth it. For the testimony whereof, besides our daily experience, there be infinite histories extant; as for ex­ample, Paulus Jovius wri­teth that Candella Scala prince of Verona being hot in his ar­mour drank out of a fountain cold water, and presently di­ed. He writeth also that the Dolphin of France sonne to Francis the French king, then in his time being, although he were a lustie strong Gen­tleman, yet he being hot at tennis, and drinking cold [Page 14] drink fell sick and died. The like happened to Pompeius Columna who was Vice-Roy in Naples for Charles the fifth. Amatus Lusitanus an excellent physician in his time, in his Centurie reher­seth three histories of young men who died drinking cold water and wine, in their heat.

BUt because I may observe a method, now we have found what thirst is to be termed according to the an­cient [Page 15] Philosophers minds, let us according to the second point pretended to be hand­led in this place, shew that hot drink doth better satisfie all circumstances necessarily required, then actuall cold drink.

You have therefore heard that Nature hath enforced a necessitie of drinking uopn us for two causes: the one for allaying our thirst, the other to be a means to boil, and be­ing boiled to carry and spread our nourishment uni­versally in our bodies. As touching the first point, thirst being drinesse requi­reth his contrary, as Plato saith in his aforenamed book, [Page 16] which is moisture for his an­tidote and help. But to prove that hot drink doth soonest perform that, I will use two arguments.

1. Whatsoever doth most speedily carry and disperse moisture into the bodie, doth best and soonest cure drinesse. But heat doth speediliest carrie and effe­ctualliest distribute moi­sture; Therefore it doth best help drinesse.

My minor I prove out of Aristotle, where he saith, In caliditate est vis aperiendi for­tissima, In heat is a most strong force of opening. A­gain Galen in his book de fa­cultatibus, knowing that heat [Page 17] joyned with liquour doth en­force the quicker passage, pre­scribing a draught of water in the disease of the stone, commandeth that it be drunk hot: which also is one of the reasons why we make our potions to purge, to be taken hot of our patients.

Our second argument is this. Whatsoever moisture being come to the place de­stinated for it doth best u­nite, and effectualliest enter in, doth soonest work ac­cording to his nature and qualitie: But heat doth best unite it self with heat, and so conduct the moisture in: Therefore it doth most effe­ctually allay our thirst.

[Page 18] My minor I prove out of Aristotle, where he saith, Si­milia similibus gaudent, that Is, Like rejoyce in their like: and in his second book De generat. & interitu, where he sheweth that the liker things be the sooner they passe into one another and unite: for saith he, Quae inter secognatio­ne continentur corum transitus admodum velox est; quâ qui­dem si caruerint est tardus: propterea quòd faciliùs unum quàm multa commutatur, Things agreeing in qualitie, their passage from one to a­nother is swift; which agree­ment if they want it is slow: because the more like the things be the sooner they do [Page 19] passe into one another. By which it is apparent my mi­nor is true, That heat doth soonest unite with heat, and so by consequence hot drink best allayeth thirst. And in another place he hath this saying, Quaecunque ex uno in unum recedunt, eadem uno tan­tùm consumpto gigni; quaecun­que ex duobus ad unum pluribus labefactatis, Things passing into one another by one con­trariety are united, one being onely consumed; but things passing into one another by two or more, are united after the corruption of more con­trarieties. Which plainly de­monstrateth that drink being already made warm doth [Page 20] sooner passe, enter, and allay thirst.

As concerning the second point, that is, That it doth best boil the meat in the sto­mach, and from thence serve for a generall vehiculum, I reason in this sort.

That liquour is more fit to be used for boiling the meat in the stomach, that is more aiding to good concoction: But drink actually hot is more assisting to good con­coction then cold: Therefore more fit to be used.

My minor I prove in this sort: Concoction is nothing else but Alteratio nutrientis in propriam qualitatem ejus quod nutritur, The alteration of [Page 21] the nourisher into the quality of the thing nourished: as Ga­len doth shew in his second book De facultat. natur. cap. 4. and in his 3 book De facultat. natural. cap. 7. which alterati­on groweth by putrefaction: for ex corruptione unius fit ge­neratio alterius, by the corrup­tion of one thing another is generated: but this putre­faction is soonest and most naturally performed by heat and moisture, which both are supplied in warm drink: Therefore drink made actu­ally hot, is more assisting then cold. But understand by the way that this putrefaction is meant, not as Galen in some places taketh putredo to [Page 22] be mutatio substantiae pu­trescentis corporis ad in­teritum ab aliena caliditate, a change of the substance of the body putrifying to its own destruction by the heat of another, but it doth corrumpere, manente semper sub­stantiâ rei eâdem, mutatis so­lummodo accidentibus, cor­rupt, the substance remaining ever the same, the accidents onely changed: but to the proof of our minor which is, That putrefaction is soonest performed per humidum & calidum, and so consequent­ly better assisted by warm drink then by cold, Galen saith that concoction is per­formed by naturall heat: [Page 23] which naturall heat is no­thing but a temperate heat proportioned with moisture: therefore my minor is, pro­ved. And that naturall heat is a temperate heat rightly proportioned, as I have al­ledged, although it be so manifest as it needs no proof, yet I will prove it by Galens authoritie where he saith, Na­turalis calor est recta & men­surata caliditas quae in humido sibi proportionato consistit, Naturall heat is an equall and well measured heat con­sisting in moisture proportio­nable unto it: and in his se­cond book De ratione victùs, describing what a fever is he saith, that an ague is mutatio [Page 24] caloris nativi in ignem, which is as much to say, as the alter­ing of a temperate moist heat into a fiery drie burning: and Trincavell in his epistle De medicina treating of concocti­on of the stomach saith, that primum & proximum inter­num ejus instrumentum quo ille utitur in concoquendo est suus naturalis calor, qui non est res aliqua diversa & aliena à natura & ejus substantia: & is calor est temperatus non exce­dens rationem naturae illius, rei its first immediate internall instrument, which it useth in digestion, is its own natu­rall heat, which is not a thing different and alien from his nature and substance; and [Page 25] this heat naturall is tempe­rate, not exceeding the na­ture of the thing it self.

Then as concerning the o­ther branch of the proposi­tion, which is, That it is a fit­ter vehiculum, I this way prove it.

Cold drink is apt to stop and stay long in the sto­mach, and therefore not so fit to be a vehiculum and car­rier, as that which doth with more facilitie passe: and that it doth so, I prove it out of Trincavell in his 3. book of his Consilia, where giving ad­vise with other physicians to one that had a windie sto­mach, he forbad cold water to drink, because saith he, [Page 26] being actually cold it doth tarry long in the stomach before it passeth away. But because some perchance will say, it may be cold water doth so, but cold drink doth not, therefore heare what Scola Salerni saith of our beer. They say it doth inflare & obstruere, breed wind and stoppe, and therefore unfit for a vehiculum: and so much for the point.

NOw as touching the third thing promised to [Page 27] be handled in this book, let us examine the reasons which are given for the use of actuall cold drink, and first let us alledge such au­thorities (if there be any) as do make any way for it. I remember Plinie in is 28. book of histories, his 4. chap. affirmeth that it is against na­ture for us to drink hot drink, because, saith he, No other creature doth use it, nor is there any beast but desires cold drink.

Again Bernardino Gomes a Spanish physician in his En­chiridion amongst other re­medies alloweth cold drink, & made cold with snow, for a wholesome remedie against the gout, and morbus arthri­ticus, [Page 28] which he would not have done if it had been hurtfull, or a weakner of the stomach.

Monardus also in a treatise he writeth of drugs that came from the west Indians, commends cold drink, and affirmeth hot drink dest roi­eth the liver.

It is alledged that it bet­ter quencheth thirst, that it helps concoction, whereas hot destroieth it.

It is alledged cold drink is good and pleasing unto the tast of man, and so is not hot.

It is alledged the finest spirits fly away in the heat­ing, whereby it nourisheth [Page 29] not so much.

That Plinie so writeth I cannot denie, but with how little consideration of the matter let the reader judge; he useth no argument to maintain his opinion but one­ly this, It is not fit nor good for us, because bruit beasts love it not, which onely imitate their naturall instinct; and so doth thereby as it were in­ferre, that it is not naturall unto us. But how ridiculous & how unworthy a reason it is to be answered, let any man judge: for it is as much as to say because bruit beasts eat their food raw, therefore it is against nature for us to have ours rosted or sodden: [Page 30] But if I should so say, I doubt not but I should not be belie­ved. And therefore as small cause is there to believe Pli­nie in the other; for it is one and the self same reason.

Secondly, whereas Bernar­dino Gomes the Spaniard in the aforenamed place, not al­ledging any reason for his o­pinion, might very well be answered without reason; yet because it shall be seen how little credit his authority ought to carry, and of how small worth it is to be e­steemed, I will endeavour to give the reason, why it is a mere senselesse thing either so to affirm or write, unlesse onely for the avoiding of a [Page 31] further inconvenience, as I will hereafter declare.

First gouts and all disea­ses of that kind depend on and grow most especially from the weaknesse and cru­dity of the stomach, which Trincavell in his 96. coun­sel doth make manifest. These be his words, Nulla particula majorē vim habet po­dagram & id genus dolores pro­creandi quàm ventriculus, qui vel suapte naturâ fit crudior & imbecillior quàm ut possit re­ctè conficere cibum ingestum, vel ex incongrua victûs rati­one, No part conferres more influence to the breeding of the gout and diseases of that kind then the stomack: [Page 32] which either of its own na­ture is too crude and weak for to digest the meat, or else because of its incongruous power and virtue.

Now to prove that the sto­mach is said to be rawer when as it wants heat, and that we use to call that raw which wants concoction by heat, heare what Johannes Langius Fol. 75. writes: these be his words, Quicquid à ca­lore nativo & congenita visce­rum caloris temperatura non fuerit concoctum & elabora­tum, id cùm in corporis alimen­tum converti nequeat, crudum appellare solet Hippocrates, Whatsoever is not well con­cocted by the naturall and [Page 33] connate temperature of heat in the bowells, seeing it can­not be changed into the nou­rishment of the body, Hippo­crates useth to call it crude.

Consider then, gentle rea­der, if the gout be especial­ly bred through the weaknes of the stomach for want of heat, how unfit a generall medicine cold water is, and what warrant Gomes his au­thoritie is for us: For al­though Galen giveth two reasons how the gout is bred, which are Imbecillitas articu­lorum, & affluxus materiei, imbecillitie of the joynts, and abundance of grosse hu­mours; yet the principall is a bad stomach. But because [Page 34] I will not judge that a man in any sort learned will so much passe himself in wri­ting, but upon some great reason moving him thereun­to, I conceive he calling to mind Galens words, where he saith, Vinum potens nervosis particulis nocet, Strong wine hurteth the sinewy parts; or peradventure Mesues where he saith, Vinum per se nocet ar­ticulis & nervis, Wine of it self hurteth the joynts and nerves; giving this reason, because fundendo & attenuan­do maximo calore suo excitat fluxiones, by running through and attenuating it doth with its most powerfull heat pro­voke fluxes; and living in a [Page 35] place where there was no­thing but strong sack, thought of two evils the least was to be chosen, and knowing water could not so vehemently pierce and carry fluxes, as those strong wines, advised water. But if this or some such like reason moved him not, I think it very ab­surd for any man of learning to write, and too foolish for us to believe: and therefore you may understand that up­on what occasion soever Go­mes wrote, it is no warrant for us.

Thirdly, that Monardus writes hot drink destroies the liver, and cold contrarily helps, I cannot deny; but yet [Page 36] I will shew that in so saying he playeth the right Spaniard, who meaneth least the mat­ter that he seemeth to speak plainest. For whereas in ge­nerall words he affirmeth hot drink to destroy the liver, he afterwards makes such an ex­ception, as I think few at this day live who be not comprehended within some one branch thereof: so that he either saith nothing in his generall position, or else so little that few there be that it concerns. And that this is true you may judge by his exception following, where he saith that these here un­der excepted may best drink their drink actually hot, viz. [Page 37] old men, idle persons, whe­ther it be in body or mind, and that have weak sto­machs, or abound with raw and crude humours, all that have infirmities in their lungs or pipes of respiration, all that have weak backs or weak kidneys, all that be sub­ject to windinesse, all youth and young children. Judge now, indifferent reader, how many live in this age, who have not some touch of this exception. And although he seems to make it currant (yea made cold with snow) for them which have hot li­vers, I pray you how many be there of those that have not cold stomachs? And [Page 38] whereas he saith that cold drink cools the liver, I abso­lutely deny it, unlesse he means killing for cooling. And for proof I produce Ga­len upon one of Hippocrates aphorismes, where he saith, Aquae frigidae occursus aut vin­cit nativum calorem aut colli­git; whereas hot drink by de­oppilating doth eventilate it naturally, and so preserve it in temper: for I dare affirm where one hath his liver hot­ter then naturally fitteth without obstructions, thou­sands have not; which that common disease at this day Flatus hypochondriacus doth plainly prove: and therefore to what small purpose Mo­nardus [Page 39] authority is, let every one judge.

Now for the fourth ob­jection, where it is alledged that cold drink doth better quench the thirst, I have in the beginning of this trea­tise so fully handled that point, that it were a frivolous thing to trouble the reader with any thing more con­cerning that matter; and therefore I will recite the fifth objection.

Which is, Cold beer helps concoction in the stomach. How untrue this is, I will plainly shew: All cold is an enemy to concoction: but drink not actually made hot is cold: therefore drink not a­ctually [Page 40] hot but cold is an enemy to concoction, and therefore helpeth it not.

My minor I prove out of Aristotle in the fourth book of his meteors. These be his words, Frigus quatenus frigus est cuicunque calori concoctio­níque adversarium, est & cru­ditatis parens, Cold in its own nature is an adversary to whatsoever heat and conco­ction, and is the parent of crudities: and Galen primo Technic. saith, Frigidi est offi­cium bene appetere, malè autem digerere, It is the nature of cold to affect powerfully, but to digest poorely: And fur­ther seeing concoction is per­formed by warmth, it must [Page 41] needs be decayed by often working upon cold: for mark but this infallible argument and you shall easily see the truth: Every agent doth also suffer it self something in the action, so as naturall heat daily and almost hourely ex­pugning the cold drink taken into the body doth every time suffer something, and so in small time doth wax weak­er and weaker. How true this is daily proof doth make ma­nifest: for how many men do you see after they come to five or six and fourty years, or at the most fifty, troubled with the stone and gout, who were not before? which hap­peneth upon no other cause [Page 42] but ob debilitatem stomachi, by reason of the imperfect­nesse of their stomach, which having long suffered in his daily action with the cold, is now become infirm.

Sixthly it is alledged, cold drink is pleasing to the tast, and so is not the other: which truly if it were true might seem a reasonable cause why we should (if imminent dan­ger of inevitable hurts did not depend on the use of it) addict our selves to take it cold. But how false this is let Aristotle witnesse in his 3. book De anima, the 10. chap. who disputing of tasting saith Est ipse sapor qui gustu percipi­tur: atqui nihil absque humidi­tate [Page 43] saporis efficit sensum, It is favour which is perceived by the tast, but nothing with­out humidity makes any sense of favour: and in an­other place, Omne quod ip­sius efficit sensum humiditatem aut actu aut potentiâ habet, E­very thing that maketh it self sensible hath humidity in it actually or potentially: and in another place, At verò cùm gustabile sit humidum, necesse est & instrumentum sensûs ip­sius neque humidum esse actu, neque etiam tale ut humectari non possit humidúmque evade­re, But seeing every tastible thing is moist, it is necessary that the instrument of that sense be neither actually [Page 44] moist, neither yet such as cannot be made moist: whereby is plainly proved that tast consists not in cold­nesse but in moisture: And therefore it is said lapides & gemmae carent sapore, stones and pearls have no tast, quia carent humiditate: Indeed cold rather diminisheth, then addeth any thing to taste as may be seen in winter either in wine or beer being very cold: for according to A­ristotle cold is rather quali­tas tangibilis quàm gustabilis, a tangible then gustable qua­lity: but if any at the first do not like the tast of hot drink, it is onely for want of use, and that by experi­ence [Page 45] I find, having used it almost a year and a quarter before the writing hereof.

But as concerning the se­venth objection, which is, that cold drink nourisheth best, in respect that heating of the beer passeth away its finest spirits; I thus answer: Beer having sustained a great boyling, those spirits which remain in it after that boyl­ing, will not part with so small a heating: and of that I have made this experience; I have taken a kettle with a broad mouth and therein put three pottles of beer, & have boyled it half an houre to a gallon, and then I have set it in a pot with a limbech, and [Page 46] I have drawn from it as much aqua vitae as I could from a gallon, which was im­mediately put out of the barrel into the pot: which absolutely overthrows that objection. Yet if it had not been so, our drink could not have received any blemish: for first it is not in any open vessel, and secondly it never boyls. But seeing it holds in the greater, of necessitie it is not to be doubted in the lesser; for à majore ad minus is a good argument.

But now to the eighth and last objection: which is, That it opens the pores too much and maketh one catch cold: Although there be little sense [Page 47] or reason to maintain this ob­jection (neither indeed can I conceive any colour of rea­son) yet I will reason some­thing against it.

Nothing joyned to his like can make an extreme, but where the thing joyned is in greater degree then the thing to which it is joyned, nor can it make it greater unles it be in quantity. Therefore if na­turall heat which is in the stomach do not by too much opening of the pores cause one to catch cold, the heat of hot drink as we drink it cannot: because it is as little or lesse then the heat to which it joyneth. For were it in extreme or hotter then [Page 48] naturally the stomach should be, we could not drink it. For otherwise why could we not drink any thing scalding hot? therefore it diminisheth none and addeth little, but preserving all naturall warmth it can give no occa­sion of offence; for if this were otherwise, wherefore do we commend hot broth, or eat hot meat, which in re­spect of his grossenesse keeps longer hot, and likewise ad­vise exercise, but because na­turall heat should purge ani­mam per poros cutis & ductus convenientes, that is, the bloud through the pores of the skin and convenient passages: but leave off before you heat [Page 49] your self violently, and you shall never catch cold: for it is a violent heat doth exte­nuate and make way for cold. And therefore it is most evident that it suggests not the least cause in the world of that inconvenience. And so much for this point.

NOw it remains that we do shew the hurt that cold drink doth procure, as the sixth position by order to be intreated of doth re­quire. That it helps not the body, before is proved, but [Page 50] that it hurteth all and every principall part shall now be shewed. We will divide the body of man into three parts or sections, the head and that therein contained; the breast and all therein contained a­bove the Diaphragma; and all that is contained in the ven­tre inferiore: But cold drink hurts all these, therefore my first position is true, viz. That it hurts all the princi­pall parts. And because I will make it more manifest, I will particularly speak of every severall thing, first beginning with the head, and the least offences: and because the teeth are the first instruments we use in receiving our food, [Page 51] I will first speak of them. To prove that cold is an enemy to them, I produce Hippocra­tes in his first book and 18. Aphorisme, where he saith, Frigidum dentibus inimicum, that is, Cold is an enemy to the teeth; where although he addes not the reason, yet it seemeth to be for two causes: the one, because it taketh a­way their nourishment, as extinguishing their spirits; the other, because it alters from their nature the nerves inserted in the roots of the teeth: which Aristotle in his problems doth seem to inti­mate, when he saith that they contain but little heat propter tenuitatem meatuum by rea­son [Page 52] of the narrownesse of the passages, and therefore are easily overcome with the coldnesse of the bier: for you must understand that into the hollownesse of the teeth there come sinews à tertia conjugatione, and also that di­vers small veins and hairy ar­teries do branch in the in­ward part of the teeth, whereupon divers times the teeth being bored bloud is­sueth out. There is also in­wardly a thin film or mem­brane, which in no sort can indure cold, and yet will be cut or filed without feeling; because the one is imparted to the uttermost part, the o­ther to the root and hollow­nesse. [Page 53] If then bier in respect of actuall coldnesse be such an enemy to the teeth, which Nature hath provided for so many good purposes, as first, to divide our meat and to prepare it for our stomach; secondly, to be a means to articulate and grace our speech, whereby it comes to passe that those that want their teeth cannot bring forth R nor S; thirdly, to be an ornament and beauty to our face and countenance: for want of the teeth causeth the mouth to fall in with an undecent relapse of the lips into the hollownesse of the mouth. If I say there were no more but this, it were suf­ficient [Page 54] to think it too-too un­fit for a man to use.

But to go further, I will prove it is hurtfull to the tongue, to the jaws, to the passage which we call oesopha­gus, the high way unto the stomach, and so by that means to the brain it self: not taking this position for my defence, that cold is, and so it may be interpreted out­ward cold, but that the actu­all cold of drink taken into the body. And this way I prove it: The tongue is made first of flesh proper and pecu­liar to it self, and also of a thin membrane or skin, com­mon to the rest of the mouth, three pair of sinews, and ma­ny [Page 55] veins, ten muscles, and a most strong ligament: these sinews come from the third and fourth and seventh con­jugation. Oesophagus, which is the passage between the mouth and the stomach, is formed and made of two membranes proper to it self, and covered with a third out­wardly, ligaments vertebra­tum prognata, sprung from the ligament of the back­bone, of divers veins and branches coming from vena cava & coronaria ventriculi, of divers arteries coming from aorta, the noble artery which feeds all the body ri­sing out of the midst of the heart, and of sinews from the [Page 56] sixth conjugation called sto­machici; glandules likewise it hath, and two muscles. Now Hippocrates saith frigidum esse inimicum nervis, Cold is an enemy to the sinews, and to the marrow of the back, and generally to all spermatick parts, of which condition and state the brains are: If then cold be an enemy to the sinews, and the tongue, and the high way to the stomach formed of sinews; and if without the action which is performed by those sinews, there can be no perfect work­ing, who can deny but drink taken actually cold, hurting and being an enemy to the sinews, is offensive to the [Page 57] tongue and those other parts compounded of them? For although it cannot be denied but the muscles strike a stroke also in their motion, yet they being made ex nervis, si­bris, tendinibus, carne, vena, & arteria, and the sinews which are divaricated into the mus­cles being partes sine quibus fieri non potest motus, that is, parts without which these can be no motion, any of­fense committed to them must needs be hurtfull to all the rest.

But some will say, Grant that this is so, which way do you make good that the brain suffereth by this?

Even this way, setting all [Page 58] controversies aside, and not allowing Aristotles opinion in his 3. book De historia ani­malium, nor in his book De somno & vigilia, nor De re­spiratione, nor Alexanders o­pinion in his book De anima, nor Averroes in his second Colledge, nor Avicens doubtfull opinion which he holds tertio de animal. pag. prima primi; but affirming with Hippocrates and Galen that all sinews take their be­ginning in the brain (whether in the forepart or the hinder-part, is not here a matter pertinent) I say that offence being done to them in the mouth, so near to their root, is imparted ad radicem, and [Page 59] so consequently to the brain: for I acknowledge two sensi­ble feelings & impartments, as I may term them, in the si­news: the one, peculiar to the part to which it doth serve; the other, com­mon, and spread through the whole body: and by it is the brain hurt, between whom is such affinitie, that the inward part of the sinews is white and soft, almost like unto that of the brains. And there­fore divers times Biasro de villa Franca doth affirm it the occasion of the Apo­plexie. Again, it may be pro­ved it breedeth a frenzy, both proper and improper, by stopping the passages of cho­ler, [Page 60] whereas striking up ad septum transversum per nervos in ipso dispersos, as Paulus Ae­gineta affirms, it inflames it, & so causeth phrenitis spuria; and divers times striking up to the head per venas & ar­terias, it inflames the menin­ges of the brains, and so causeth an exquisite phrensi. Which plainly is proved by Hippocrates, where he saith in his 4. book and 17. aphor. white Vrines be dangerous; the reason whereof is, because choler in respect of those obstructions is ascended to the head, which otherwise would descend into the pas­sages thereunto destinated by Nature. And of this I [Page 61] know many examples, and not long since in Sussex (where I dwell) at a place called Marfield, an hammerman coming in hot and drinking cold drink fell mad, and within short space so died. Furthermore al­though it be a sufficient ar­gument to prove it hurteth the eye-sight and the hear­ing, because it hurteth the brains; yet I will more parti­cularly prove it. For al­though the body of the eye be compounded of many parts, as of six muscles, six films or skins, three hu­mours; yet it is also com­pounded of sinews, veins, and arteries, which come à jugu­ribus [Page 62] & carotidibus, and by these both the visible animal and vitall spirits are car­ried to the eyes, as may well be proved by their de­fect in those that be dying or use women too much: Then thus I reason. Whatsoever decayeth concoction de­stroyeth all those, and so consequently the eye-sight and hearing: for Depravata concoctio in stomacho, as Galen saith, nunquam corrigitur in hepate neque in aliis: stoma­chus enim est materia omnium aegritudinum, Bad concoction in the stomach is never mended in the liver, nor in any other part: for the sto­mach is the cause of all dis­eases.

[Page 63] But that cold drink doth spoil and destroy concoction, shall be proved as it cometh by order to be handled.

The hearing also it must needs offend; so as although some that have no great dul­nesse think it cannot be, for that they heare well; yet no doubt if from their infancy they had used the other, they might heare better. For com­pare his hearing that heareth best, and you shall find other creatures hear better then he. But to our purpose; seeing it is before proved that it hurt­eth the organa vocalia, that is, the mouth, the tongue, and oesophagus, in respect of the sinews; it must needs follow [Page 64] that it also hurt the hearing. For the sinews of the first conjugation do spread into many branches: the greater whereof go into the eare, and the membrane of the exqui­site sense, & carrie all sounds to the brain; the lesser, to the tongue and larynx, in respect whereof, by reason of the sympathy, the hurt of the si­news of the tongue is im­parted to the ears. Hereupon it comes to passe that those that be dumb be also deaf; and those which naturally be deaf, be alwaies dumb; and he that cannot heare by any outward sound, let him hold a thing in his teeth and he will heare. Which is used for [Page 65] a proof amongst excellent physicians, to try whether the fault be in nervo audito­rio: though I am not igno­rant that there is Altera causa societatis veteribus incognita, nempe canaliculus cartilagineus velut aquae-ductus, qui à secun­do auris meatu ad os & palatum fertur, Another cause of so­ciety or sympathie between them unknown to the Anci­ents, to wit, a little gristly cane, as it were a water spout, which stretcheth from the second passage of the care unto the mouth and palate, acknowledged by all anato­mie-Masters.

Now to passe downward along the throat, it is one of [Page 66] the greatest occasions that is of a most dangerous dis­ease proper to that part, and that is the squinancy. For Aetius fol. 399. reckoning di­vers causes of that disease, u­seth these words, Maximè autem frigiditas & frigidi po­tio magìs quàm ardores plagae, & ossa, &c. Especially cold, and cold drink be the occasi­ons of that disease above all other. Where although Aetius giveth not the reason, yet I conjecture it is for two causes: the one, ob constructi­onem, and the other, because it hurts and distempers the nerves serving for that part: which caused Archigines to say Occultae anguinae causam esse [Page 67] in quibusdam nervis qui ad stomachum deferuntur dum ma­lè assiciuntur, That the cause of a secret squinancy is in the nerves which are carried un­to the stomach, they being ill affected.

But to passe further, let us examine what hurt it doth to the lungs: Arnoldus de villa nova in his Regimine sa­nitatis, hath this saying, Ge­neraliter malum est sanis bibe­re multam aquam frigidam, quia extinguit calorem inna­tum & pectus offendit, Gene­rally it is evil for sound bo­dies to drink much water cold, because it doth extin­guish the naturall heat, and offend the stomach.

[Page 68] Again, in another place he saith, Pro canna pulmonis ca­veant à potibus actualiter fri­gidis, which is as much to say as, In respect of the pipe of the lungs beware of drink­ing any thing cold. Again Paulus Aegineta saith, Frigida actu nocent pulmonibus, Things drunk cold hurt the lungs: and Galen saith it is such an enemy to the lungs and breast as many die there­by.

But peradventure some will object, that Galen meant of the coldnesse of the aire, and not of the coldnesse of drink. But to reclaim all men out of that errour, I will make it manifest that it [Page 69] was meant of things actually cold taken inwardly. And therefore Hippocrates, speak­ing of yee and snow used to cool wine, saith, it breaks veins and procures coughs; and Galen in his book of good and bad nourishment doth shew that he meaneth cold drink taken into the body, because he doth seem with a certain distinction to grant it to some; yet to drink it, saith he, over-cold or cooled with snow breedeth infinite sorts of hurt. And although strong bodies do not feel it presently in the heat of youth, yet when youth de­clines they begin to feel it in their joynts and other parts [Page 70] of their bodie when there is no help.

But because, as the saying is amongst Lawyers, Lex plùs laudatur, quando ratione pro­batur, that is, The law is most praise-worthy when it is proved by reason, so is physick; and therefore I will shew how the drink passeth to the lungs, and how passing thither it hurts and offends; not taking any notice of Hip­pocrates in his 4. book De morbis, where he useth many reasons against it, nor yet of Aristotle who contends for the contrary. But Hippo­crates well understood doth not contradict the truth, as in many other places he [Page 71] shews, and all other ancient Philosophers, as Plato, Phi­loponus, Locrus, Plutarch, and experience it self confirms. Understand then when I say drink goeth to the lungs, I mean not all the drink we take into our mouth, but some portion thereof: And because I am to shew which way it passeth thither, there­fore I think it not amisse to recite a place of Galens De simplicium medicinarum facul­tatibus, where he denieth not but some part of our drink doth passe by the rough ar­terie into the lungs: And in his methodus medendi he com­mands that in ulcers of the rough arterie we should lye [Page 72] along on our backs, and hold the medicine in our mouthes, whereby it might by little and little go into the rough artery. Hippocrates in his book [...] doth in plain words teach that some por­tion of our drink doth passe that way. These be his words, Homo, inquit, maxi­mam partem in ventrem bibit: Gula enim sive stomachus velut infundibulum potûs copiam & quaecunque volumus excipit: bibit autem & in guttur ac ar­teriam; minûs verò, & quan­tum latere possit per primum illapsum: operculum enim exa­ctum operit, ut nè permiserit quidem aliquid amplioris po­tûs penetrare, For the wea­sand [Page 73] or the stomach as a tun­nel receives plenty of liquour or what else we will; whence it comes to passe that a man doth drink the most part into his belly: but he doth also drink into his lung-pipe or rough artery, lesse indeed and so much as can slide in, in the swallowing; for so exact a lidde doth cover it that it will not suffer any great quantity to enter. By these authorities now you do not onely learn that part of our drink doth passe to our lungs, but also by what passages, to wit, per asperam arteriam, be­ing taken in per rimam epi­glotidis. It is therefore to be understood that our wind­pipe [Page 74] pipe, being called aspera ar­teria in Latine, hath joyning to the toppe of it, next to the mouth, a certain stopple, as it were, formed of divers muscles, sinews, veins and arteries, called Larynx of our anatomy-Masters, whose uppermost part hath a co­vering formed like a little tongue, which stoppeth it that nothing we eat can de­scend into the wind-pipe; for when we offer to swallow any food it bears upon that, and so stops it the closer: But when we drink, some little quantity of liquour slides in between the chink.

It may be some unlearned will say, What is this to the [Page 75] lungs? I answer, from thence it goes to the lungs: for to omit that aspera arteria is cartilaginea semicirculariter, as not appertaining to this treatise, I am to shew you how it is clothed duabus tuni­cis, quarum altera interior est oesophago, linguae, palato, & o­ri communis; altera exterior magìs tenuis: Haec arteria ubi ad jugulum pervenit, bivio distracta in pulmonem, numero­sâ serie spargitur inter venam arteriosam, & arteriam veno­sam media, that from that it may draw bloud, and into this transmit aire: And by this means doth the drink taken into the rough artery enter the lungs. Neverthelesse per­adventure [Page 76] some will say, grant all this be true, yet why doth cold drink hurt the lungs?

I answer, for divers causes: but one effectuall cause here to be mentioned is, because it is contrary to the temper of the lungs; for the lungs be hot, although Hippocra­tes in his book De corde seem­eth to affirm the contrary: for it is but comparativè in re­spect of the heart. Nor do I respect some other places both of Galen and Hippocra­tes touching that point, and therefore here I omit them, as not appertaining to this place, affirming with some of our late writers the lungs [Page 77] to be hot, being nourished with the most aeriall and spirituall bloud elaborated in the right concave of the heart.

Furthermore cold drink hurts in another respect, for that the lungs be easily af­fected with obstructions and phlegmatick humours: which all come à frigida tem­peratura, that is, of cold. By this may the Reader see how cold drink doth hurt to the lungs, that he needs not rest satisfied onely because Galen so saith, but because reason perswades.

Now it follows to prove it an enemy to the stomach; which if we do, considering [Page 78] the stomach is radix corporis, which nourisheth the whole body, as Hippocrates saith, I hope there is none so obsti­nate but will adjudge it wor­thy the forbearing. There­fore concerning this (be­cause it falls out here in course to be spoken of) I will adde something not spo­ken of before.

Understand then that drink actually drunk cold, is not hurtfull to the stomach in one respect onely, but in divers. First, in respect of the composition of it; Secondly, in respect of the temper; Thirdly, in respect of the parts that depend upon it; Fourthly, in respect of [Page 79] of our life it self.

In respect of its composi­tion; because it is compound­ed ex tunicis, venis, arteriis, & nervis, to which cold drink is the greatest enemy: witnesse Trincavell, in his first book of his counsels, his xxxix. counsel, where he hath this saying, A cer­visia frigida prorsus abstineto, quia maximè nocet nervis.

2. In respect of its temper, because naturally it should be warm; as may be seen by the provident care of Nature, placing it sub Diaphragmate, which not onely by his own proper heat, but also with a forrein heat borrow­ed from the heart, doth [Page 80] warm it. It hath also on the right side, the liver; on the left side, the spleen; in the lower part, omentum & colon intestinum having plentie of fat; and in the fore part epi­ploon, with the help of perito­naeum, and the muscles abdo­minis, & vena umbilicalis are to it a covering: in the hinder part there are the muscles of the back, and last of all a great branch of vena cava and the great artery: which all shew that Nature hath in­compassed it round about, like a caldron, with fire. How fond a thing is it then to cool that which nature would have warm, and how contrary to the health of man?

[Page 81] Thirdly, in respect of the parts that depend upon it, it is very prejudiciall, as shall be shewed. And first to begin with the head; the stomach never suffereth in any small degree, but the head beareth his part also; so the offence done to the one is committed to the other. Which happen­eth in respect of the great community of those great si­news which come à sexto conjugio, from the brain unto it. That this is true, although it be so well known to men of learning that there needeth no proof, yet for the better sa­tisfaction of the unlearned, let them but weigh these in­stances following.

[Page 82] First, the stomach being but troubled with melancho­ly you shall see the brains par­ticipate of the same: so the stomach never suffereth hun­ger, but it doth lacessere cere­brum vibratis nervis; yea, such is the communion be­tween them, that neither the one nor the other doth hardly suffer, but conjunctivè, toge­ther. For let the head be wounded, and the scull be broken, whereby dura mater is but exposed to the aire, or let any thing but presse it or the brain, and presently the stomach will vomit aut flava aut aeruginosa; because the sto­mach jure societatis is drawn in sympathiam per similitudi­nem [Page 83] & vasorum communio­nem: which be the chiefest causes of sympathy, as Galen in his comment ad Sect. 1. lib. 31. Epid. doth well note.

The heart suffereth like­wise by communion, as may be seen in cardiaca passione, that is, swounding, Syncope, and the utter exclusion of all strength; which cometh di­verse times, the mouth of the stomach being ill affected, as if the heart it self were.

The meseraick vains also suffer, being by cold stopped, and so made unable to draw as naturally they should; and thereby is nourishment hin­dered. It doth for the like respect and cause hurt the [Page 84] liver: for, as Galen 1. De Symptomatum causis, doth excellently shew, and Andre­as Laurentius doth notably explain, exhaustus partium is chiefly necessary to nourish­ment, and then their sucking and drawing. For the parts that be exhausted still draw from the next, untill they come to the last, which is the stomach: so that the meseraicks being stopt, the order of the whole body is perverted, and there either remaineth no ap­petite, or a preposterous one, for want of just feeling: Et hujus insensibilitatis causa, as Laurentius saith, est refrigeratio nervi, obstructio ejusdem, exso­lutio facultatis appetentis.

[Page 85] But some will say, let this be so; how prove you drink drunk actually cold doth stop?

To make this clear heare what Arnoldus de villa nova saith in the Treatise he wrote to the King of Aragon for the preservation of his health; to whom upon some respects he granted both actuall and po­tentiall cold drink in the ca­nicular dayes, having (as it seemeth) a strong hot sto­mach, but adviseth him to adde to it a little vineger: be­cause, saith he, to those that have strait meseraicks, it is necessary: The reason was, because without vineger it would stop. And in another [Page 88] drunk when it hath them all, à multò fortiori, not to be drunk when they be gone. To demonstrate that it is berest of them in the boyling, weigh but this: Take water boyled, and water never boyled, and set them out in the frosty weather, and that which hath been boyled will first freeze: Which is because its warmest parts are exhaled out of it.

But it may be objected, that although water will do so, yet the composition of beer hath taken that away; and therefore beer is freed from that fault.

I answer, set beer and water out, & beer will freez as soon as water. But let us look into the composition of beer: It is [Page 89] made of barley, water, and hops. Barley is cold in the first degree, hops hot in the second: now a thing hot in the second degree, put to double so much of a thing cold in the first degree, ma­keth but a temper: but if it did, this is nothing to the actuall cold, although it were something to the potentiall: for it is the actuall cold we stand on. And therefore wa­ter, beer, or whatsoever it be, if it have but the positive de­gree of cold, all is one. To our purpose: Arnoldus in his regi­ment of health, hath these words, omnis cervisia ex grano est grossior quàm vinum, & multùm difficile ad digeren­dum [Page 86] place he findeth fault with drinking of cold water; be­cause, saith he, it is sluggish, & impedit omnem cursum, and stoppeth all passages. Trinca­vellius also saith, cold drink hurteth all that have obstru­ctions and impostumes. A­gain, Galen De locis affectis saith cold doth spirituum vias & cursus impedire; and Aristotle saith, it doth congelare. Avi­cen 2. Cautic. tract. 1. cap. 4. saith, est etiam vitandus potus aquae in mensa, water is to be eschewed at the table. Whereof Averroes expound­eth the reason to be, be­cause, priusquam stomachus calefecerit, infrigidat & incru­dat, before the stomach can [Page 87] warm the meat, by cold wa­ter it is cooled and crudified. And Galen, knowing that cold water was stopping, cau­sed it therefore for the stone to be made hot (where he would have it to deoppilate) as before is alledged.

But it may be objected; grant all this you write is true, what is this to our beer which hath endured a boyling?

I answer, it is more vehe­ment against our beer then water unboyled: and this is the reason. Water which never was boyled hath in it all its aeriall parts, which be both his warmest and finest parts, and most penetrable; and therefore if not to be [Page 88] drunk when it hath them all, à multò fortiori, not to be drunk when they be gone. To demonstrate that it is bereft of them in the boyling, weigh but this: Take water boyled, and water never boyled, and set them out in the frosty weather, and that which hath been boyled will first freeze: Which is because its warmest parts are exhaled out of it.

But it may be objected, that although water will do so, yet the composition of beer hath taken that away; and therefore beer is freed from that fault.

I answer, set beer and water out, & beer will freez as soon as water. But let us look into the composition of beer: It is [Page 89] made of barley, water, and hops. Barley is cold in the first degree, hops hot in the second: now a thing hot in the second degree, put to double so much of a thing cold in the first degree, ma­keth but a temper: but if it did, this is nothing to the actuall cold, although it were something to the potentiall: for it is the actuall cold we stand on. And therefore wa­ter, beer, or whatsoever it be, if it have but the positive de­gree of cold, all is one. To our purpose: Arnoldus in his regi­ment of health, hath these words, Omnis cervisia ex grano est grossior quàm vinum, & multùm difficile ad digeren­dum [Page 90] facit oppilationes in visce­ribus, &c. All beer, saith he, made of grain is thicker then wine, and being hard to di­gest it maketh obstructions in the intrals: what can be more plainly spoken to our purpose? Schola Salerni saith, it doth inflare & obstruere, break wind and stop; which is as much as we endeavour for this point to prove. And because it shall be known that howsoever you make your beer, yet it is stopping of it self, and therefore much the more drunk cold, note these diversities, that beer made of barley onely is most cold; that that which is made of barley and oats lesse nourish­eth [Page 91] and lesse stoppeth; and that that which is made with much wheat is more nourishing, and most stopping.

But to the last point, which is, Drink taken cold into the stomach indamageth our life; which I prove in this sort: Whatsoever is a decay or downfall to our spirits, indamageth our life: But cold drink taken into the stomach doth so: Therefore cold drink taken into our stomach, indamageth our life.

My minor I prove in this sort: Life, according to Paracelsus, in his book De vita rerum, is nothing else but Spiritus: These be his words, Vita rerum nihil aliud est quàm [Page 92] essentia spiritualis, invisibilis ignis, impalpabilis res, spiritus, & spiritualis res, Life is no­thing else then a spirituall es­sence, an invisible fire, an im­palpable thing, a spirit, and a spirituall thing: and death is no more then inversio virium & virtutum, the altering and overthrow of our strength: Seeing then our life is a spiri­tuall thing, and spirits be the food and nourishment of spirits, as Ficinus in his book De sanitate tuenda doth well observe, my major must ne­cessarily follow, that to be a decay to the spirits is to ab­breviate our life. My minor, viz. that cold drink taken into the stomach doth decay [Page 93] the spirits, I prove thus. The spirits are ingendred of the bloud (and that Montanus in his Counsels doth take notice of, where he saith in this sort, Spiritus sunt semper proporti­onati sanguini; nihil enim aliud sunt quàm vapor sanguinens bene concoctus, The spirits be proportioned to the bloud; for they are nothing else but the vapour of the bloud well digested) whatsoever then maketh ill bloud, maketh ill spirits; and whatsoever doth so, shorteneth our life: but cold drink worketh that, therefore it shortneth our life. My major is averred by Montanus in the place before cited: My minor I prove in [Page 94] this manner. God bloud is made by good concoction: but the actuall cold in the sto­mach breedeth crudity and not concoction, and that cru­dity consequently ill bloud: therefore cold breeds ill bloud.

My minor I prove in this sort out of Aristotle, lib. 4. De partibus Animalium, where he saith, Calor vim habet con­coquendi, Heat hath the force to concot; and in his second book De generatione Animali­um, where he also saith, Frigus est privatio caloris, Cold is the privation of heat: what hindereth then but the con­clusion is good, That actuall cold drink breeding ill bloud [Page 95] causeth a defect of the spirits, and so consequently abrevia­teth our life? For Galen in his first book De humoribus, saith, Virium robur adesse ne­quit ubi crudorum humorum copia coacervata est, that is, Strength can not be where store of raw humours be: and in his book De sub. Facult. Natur. he saith, all actions come from concoction.

But to make it somewhat plainer, I will use some more authorities. Our life (as Galen observeth) doth consist in naturall heat and radicall moisture; which is nothing else (as Avicen writeth) then an oyly unctious vapour arising from the bloud: to [Page 96] which Aristotle consenteth. This naturall heat, as Avicen in lib. de complexionibus wri­teth is diminished two wayes: Aut per resolutionem naturalis humiditatis, aut per augmentum extrancae, that is, Either by decay of naturall moysture, or by the increase of forrein. Now naturall moysture doth decay either by the aire, in which we live, that drieth it up; or by labours of the body or mind ill proportioned, as he testifieth in his first book Fenic. act. 4. cap. 7. and forrein moisture doth increase, either by the use of meats which by their own nature ingender and breed it; of which sort are Mellons, Cucumbers, [Page 97] and such like fruit, being ei­ther immoderately, or unsea­sonably eaten; or else of ill concoction: by means where­of such an unnaturall humour doth grow in our bodies, that the outward and remote parts deprived of their nourishment languish, wither, and dy, be­cause they are not nourished. Which Isaac de Febribus doth well note, using these words, Talis humor per depravatam concoctionem à natura alienus propagatur, ut externae & re­motae corporis partes, privatae suis alimentis, languescunt, ex­arescunt & emoriuntur, quia non nutriuntur. Hereby may the Reader discern in what sort actuall cold doth offend [Page 98] our life: upon great conside­ration therefore did Avicen in his fourth book, Canone 4. Capitulo, De rebus quae canici­em retardant, use these words, Digestio est radix generationis naturalis & non-naturalis hu­moris, that is, Digestion is the root of the generation of na­turall and unnaturall moy­sture.

But some ignorant person will say, although the sto­mach be offended, yet the liver may make good bloud, if so be it be not distemper­ed.

To the which I answer, No more then a Cutler a good blade of naughty iron, and bad steel: which is not possi­ble, [Page 99] be he never so good a workman. For as the iron and the steel, being the mate­riall cause of the blade, cannot contrary to their nature be made perfect in the work­mans hand: no more can the chylus, first made in the sto­mach, being the materiall cause of bloud, being bad be made perfect by the help of the liver.

By this now you see how contrary to our health it is to use actuall cold drink. But let us examine what hurt it doth to other particular parts. Hip­pocrates hath these words in his Aphorismes, Sedi, puden­dis, utero, vesicae calidum ami­cum, frigidum inimicum, that [Page 100] is, Heat is a friend, but cold an enemy to the seat, the pri­vities, the belly and bladder: And Cornelius Celsus saith, Frigidum inimicum intestinis, vesicae, utero, &c. that is, Cold is an enemy to the intrals, bladder, and stomach. So, as it appeareth, it hurteth the bladder, the bowels and the kidneys, the mother, and what not: But because we will not conclude it is so, be­cause Hippocrates and Celsus say it is so, we will examine, first, the reason, and then ex­perience, the best master in trying any thing.

The reason why it hurteth the bladder is in respect prin­cipally of the neck thereof, [Page 101] which being stopped with a musculeous substance cold offendeth, and divers times procureth a strangury. But this will be thought very un­true and unlikely, that drink drunk cold can passe so to the bladder, and there offend: but let us examine experi­ence, and see whether it ever have been known so.

Forrestus, an excellent Phy­sician, alledgeth in himself the cause of a strangury, happen­ing unto him to the great indangering of his life, to be drinking of cold beer af­ter his return out of Italy. And I know my self a gentle­man of great worship (who because he is living shall not [Page 102] be named) who coming from hunting hot, and drink­ing cold drink, suffered such pain, as I being with him did fear some erosion in the neck of the bladder. Besides it di­vers times cometh to passe, that with cold this part suffe­ring a resolution, the party can in no wise hold his water, but it cometh from him with­out his knowledge.

To the mother also it is hurtfull, as Hippocrates, Corne­lius Celsus, and divers learned Authours write; whereof al­though they give not the rea­son, yet I will shew it may be so in divers respects: as first, in respect of its composition, being made ex tunicis, nervis, [Page 103] venis, arteriis, & ligamentis, to all which cold is an enemy as hath been proved before: Secondly, in respect of its temper, which naturally ought to be hot, because Injectum semen calore multo eget ut susci­tetur, concipiatur, formetur et foveatur: Thirdly, in respect of its vicinity with other parts, as the bowels and the bladder, between which est maxima conjunctio per villos complures, to which cold is a great enemy: Whereupon sel­dome is the mother diseased, either by inflammation or otherwise, but either an inor­dinate desire to go to the stool or of urine doth insue: so great is the affinitie between [Page 104] the matrix, bowels and blad­ders. And last of all cold is hurtfull to the matrix in re­spect of its community with the stomach; for that the sto­mach being hurt with cold transfers, tanquam ad senti­nam & cloacam corporis, such abundance of superfluities to the matrix, as doth evert its naturall temper and strength, and is the authour of many irreparable diseases.

But some will say, that this is strange, although it be true that cold will work these effects in the mother, that beer drunk actually cold can passe to these places be­ing so remote, and the cold can there be left or offend.

[Page 105] But to confirm it by expe­rience, these instances I have seen: About the yeare of our Lord 1590. I was with a gentlewoman one M^r Clarks wife of Jarcks hill in Kent, in whom, labouring of a can­cer in her matrix, I tryed this experience, that giving her beer actually cold she would immediately be in the great­est pain in the world, but give it her hot and she felt none. Another woman dwelt in Houndsditch, at the signe of the guilded cup, seven years since, who like­wise labouring of a cancer in the matrix, if you had gi­ven her cold beer, it made her be in great pain, if hot, [Page 106] in nothing so much: By which it is evident that the beer did passe so cold, as that it gave a sensible feeling of the difference. And therefore it is not to be doubted but that the actuall cold was an enemy, being so much more misliked of Nature then the hot.

Now let us examine by what means drink received actually cold hurts the bow­els, according as our anci­ent physicians write: For my own opinion, I hold it hurts them many wayes: First, in respect it breeds crudity in the stomach, whereof grow­eth fleam, which fleam de­scending into the bowels [Page 107] breeds intollerable collicks, and worms. Secondly, it breeds windinesse, which likewise is the nurse of ex­treme inconveniences inci­dent to the bowels. Lastly fluxes, although non prima­riò tamen jure societatis, that is, not primarily yet by right of society. Seeing therefore it hath been heretofore pro­ved it is so generall an enemy to our health, in hurting all and singular our principall parts, I may well conclude with Aristotle in his fourth book of Meteors, Cold is an enemy to our nature: and so by consequence drink drunk actually cold; and therefore to be eschewed.

BUt now according to our promise we will shew the great good that ariseth of hot drink: and although in laying open the defects of drink ta­ken actually cold, there is much spoken of the good that redounds to the body by the use of hot drink; yet because according to our determinate course it comes in order to be intreated of, I shall say something not be­fore said.

First therefore it shall be proved it helps the stomach, and by that means the head, [Page 109] and by that means the liver, and by that means the bow­els, and by that means the splene, and by that means the kidneys and bladder, and by that means the matrix in women, and by that means keeps back old age, and con­sequently preserves life. And although in handling of the defects which cold beer procureth unto all these parts, I have sufficiently by the hurt of the one laid open the help of the other, yet I will adde unto my first sayings new reasons, because I will not be tedious to the Reader, not renewing any authorities heretofore cited, but alledging Authours of [Page 110] no lesse moment.

Galen 3. Technic. hath this saying, Calidiora calido iribus iudigent auditoriis, Things whose temper tends to warmth have need to use helps of the same nature: then thus I reason. The stomach is an office of warmth; There­fore it must needs be helped with warmth: agreeable to the which position is our beer made actually hot. Now to prove that the stomach be­ing warm must be helped with warmth, and that it is not any way without hurt to be bereaved of his warmth, mark what Avicen. 3. Tract. cap. 5. intimateth: where writing of warmth in mans [Page 111] bodie, he counselleth, nay ra­ther forbiddeth, that no man wash his hands in warm wa­ter: because saith he, the heat is drawn out of the stomach by the warmth of the water, by which digestion in the stomach is hindered, and that being vitiated, it is a means to breed & ingender worms. Which declareth how pro­fitable it is to put our drink hot into our stomach, in re­spect of keeping warmth there which by cold would be repelled: And our ancient physicians have been so jea­lous of decaying the warmth of the stomach, that they have forbidden us to stand near a great fire after eating, [Page 112] for the reason above named. In like manner, and for the same cause, doth Avicen for­bid a man to walk fast after eating, Nè calor propter mo­tum attrahatur ad partes exte­riores, Lest the heat by stir­ring be drawn outwardly. How much more consonant is it therefore to reason to use warmth in the stomach, whereby naturall heat is in­creased, then to use things cold, whereby it is lessen­ed? And this Hippocrates in his Aphorisme which begins In hyeme multus cibus, &c. doth make plain; who hold­eth that in winter we can eat most meat: whereof Galen giving the reason saith, it is [Page 113] because the outward cold keeps in the heat in the sto­mach, and makes it stronger: And yet I remember Arnol­dus De villa nova, makes such doubt of cold, that he seem­eth to take exceptions at Ga­lens words, and saith, if the outward cold be great, it is necessary the stomach be well covered, naturally or artifici­ally, or else it will weaken it.

But let us examine the rea­son, how helping the stomach it helpeth the head: which thus I prove. Whatsoever is the means whereby the head is least oppressed with excre­mentitious matter, is helpfull to the head. But hot drink is so: Therefore hot drink, &c.

[Page 114] My minor I prove in this sort: Whatsoever suggesteth least cause of unprofitable matter, is the cause the head is least oppressed. But hot drink doth so: Therefore hot drink is helpfull. The minor thus I prove: Whatsoever fortifyeth concoction sugge­steth least cause of unprofi­table matter: But hot drink doth so: Therefore &c. The minor is thus proved: What­soever preserves the stomach in naturall warmth fortify­eth concoction: But hot drink doth so: Therefore hot drink fortifyeth concoction. The minor is true: For whatsoever temperate heat joyneth it self with naturall heat pre­serves [Page 115] the naturall heat of the stomach: But warm drink being temperate joyneth with the other: Therefore hot drink preserveth the na­turall heat of the stomach. Now it is evident that the warmth of actuall hot beer is in no extreme, but after a sort contrary to both the ex­tremes, and therefore tem­perate: For Montanus in his Counsels saith, Mediocria temperata sunt ad sua extre­ma tanquam ad sua contraria, that is, Mediocrities are cal­led temperate as well in re­spect of their extremes, as in respect of their contraries.

Now will I also prove that by helipng the stomach it al­so [Page 116] helps the liver, in this sort: whatsoever washeth the sto­mach naturally, and keeps the meseraicks open, doth help the liver: But hot drink doth so: Therefore it helps the li­ver. But before I prosecute the argument any further, I will shew how in performing that, it helps the liver; which it doth two wayes: First, be­cause in washing the stomach and bowels it produceth inanition, which causeth ap­petite; which is a desire of new matter fit for new bloud: Secondly, because in keeping open the meseraicks it keeps the liver from any great obstructions, whereby it breeds warmth according [Page 117] to nature, and also brings continually good nourish­ment for the liver to work upon. And to prove this, That hot drink doth so, ac­cording as my minor re­quires, I produce Arnoldus De villanova, who writeth thus, Aqua calida stomachum lavat, & ventrem purgat, Hot water washeth the stomach, and purges the belly. And that heat doth this in respect of its actuall heat, let Avi­cen witnesse, who commend­ing medicines for ulcerated lungs, wisheth they be admi­nistred warm, because of piercing; thereby acknow­leding warmth to be the means of piercing.

[Page 118] Furthermore that drink actually hot, helpeth also the splene, may easily be pro­ved: for that the liver recei­ving good nourishment ma­keth good bloud, and so o­verchargeth not the splene with abundance of matter to its grievance or annoyance.

Again, how by helping the stomach it doth good to the kidneys and bladder, I thus prove. Whereas the kidneys and bladder are subject to that grievous disease of the stone, hot drink is a means to withstand it, by two prin­cipall effects: the one, in that it strengthens nature, where­by she frameth no moist cause fit to form that dis­ease; [Page 119] it being most principal­ly bred by a slimy matter, first hammered in a feeble stomach: the other in that it doth so scoure the kidneys and uriners by his actuall heat, as there can no slime remain untill it can be baked to a stone, although the kid­neys were of the hottest.

And that this is approved by learned men, Arnoldus de villa nova may be president; who giving compounded waters, having a speci­ficall diverting faculty of themselves, to pierce, com­mandeth that they be drunk as hot as they can be indu­red, because it addeth to their deoppilative virtue.

[Page 120] But to the other point, which is, That it helps the matrix: Trincavell calls the matrix of women sentinam corporis; and hot drink being a means by strengthening the stomach to make every member do his office, as be­fore is shewed, causeth the lesse to be transferred thither and so takes away all annoy­ance that may grow of any extraordinary superfluitie. It is also a means by its deoppi­lating virtue to bring into na­turall course that which is according unto nature to be avoided: And by these two means it is a principall occa­sion to make women fruit­full: who divers times by de­fects [Page 121] growing of obstructi­ons, and other grievances of nature through much surcharge of superfluity, be­come barren. Thus have I given you a tast how helping of the stomach, it helps the matrix. But for the proof of the last point, which is that it keeps back the defects of old age, and is a means to prolong life, let us call to mind what old age is, and what life; and upon what oc­casion the defects thereof are hastened or deferred. Fici­nus lib. 1. De sanitate tuenda saith, Vita nostra est tanquam lumen in naturali calore, calo­ris autem pabulum est humor a­erius, atque pinguis tanquam [Page 122] oleū: so as sive humor deficia [...] sive prorsus excedat, sive inqu [...] netur, statim calor naturalis debilitatur, & tandem debilitat [...] extinguitur. And another learned man writeth thus Tam diu anima hanc molem in colit, quàm diu humorum de fectus aut intemperies, miser [...] morborum parens, non ingru­it: hinc enim senectus quae de­bilitat animi vires mutátque colorem, So long doth the soul inhabit this lump, as the de­fect of moistnesse, or distem­per, the miserable parent of diseases, doth not invade: for hence cometh old age, which doth debilitate the strength and change the colour. And Vives saith, Quàm diu reti­netur [Page 123] calor naturalis in corpore temperatus, perseverabit sani­tas, & observabitur habitus juvenilis, As long as naturall heat is reteined temperate in our bodie, we continue our health, and keep the habit and shew of youth.

Now the defects of old age are commonly as fol­low; 1. Horinesse of hair, 2. wrinckles in the face, 3. lean­nesse of bodie, 4. defect of memory, 5. generall weak­nesse of the whole bodie, 6. bad sight, 7. thicknesse of hearing, 8. much phlegme 9. diseases of the lungs: If then I prove cold beer hastens these, and hot beer retards and mi­tigates them, I hope I shall be [Page 124] thought to prove my assertion

First then let me consider whereupon the hair takes its alteration: The causes of the grainesse of the hair are, aut humor frigidus latens in poris, either cold humours lurking in the pores, aut ariditas, ut in segite maturescente, or dri­nesse, as in ripe corn; aut de­bilitas virtutis, or weaknesse; aut corruptio pituitae, or cor­ruption of the phlegme: and according unto Aristotle, cap. 2. De historia animalium, aliquando adventus nimii ca­loris externi, sometimes the accesse of too much externall heat: All which to be produ­ced by actuall cold drink, shall be proved severally.

[Page 125] And first, That breeds cold humours most that weakens the stomach: But it is proved that cold drink doth so: and therefore it breeds them most.

Secondly, drinesse it migh­tily procures in this respect; for being a means that the laudable concoction cannot be made, the parts that should draw it do refuse it as not fit for them, and so wi­ther for lack, and runne into a marasmus, which is a weaknesse of all the virtues in the body; which ariseth ab inopia humoris, from want of moisture.

That it is a means that phlegme putrifies must ne­cessarily [Page 126] follow: for ex debili ca­lore fit putrefactio, from weak­nesse of heat cometh putrefa­ction; which that which is actuall cold procures, and so necessarily hastens that symptome of old age. For care is said and the much use of fish to procure hoarinesse of hair for no other cause but for the reasons abovesaid.

Then that it procures wrinckles in the face doth consequently follow; for that they proceed, vel ex carne extenuata, either from the extenuation of the flesh; vel ex carne vacua, or from emptinesse.

Leannesse of body follows; because plenty of spirits is [Page 127] not bred by ill concoction.

Defect also of the memo­ry; because Nature fainting can not serve all the senses, and so it draws nearer still to the heart, neglecting the far­thermost to maintain life: and besides, because it breeds much phlegme, an enemy to memory.

Bad eye-sight it procures; because it causeth defect of the spirits; and because the body abounding with much phlegme breeds thick spirits, which make a dull sight.

Thicknesse of hearing; be­cause ex debili calore multi torpores, from weaknesse of heat ariseth heavinesse, and this hinders the perfect­nesse [Page 128] of hearing: and because it causeth scarcitie of spirits, which can not serve all the senses exquisitely.

Much phlegme, another de­fect of age, it causeth also; be­cause it weakens the stomach and so is cruditatis parens; & ex cruditate pituita, the pa­rent of crudity, from whence cometh phlegme.

Diseases likewise of the lungs; because Catharres be the companions of ill digestion: and so what with those, and what with the stopping of phlegme, the lungs must needs suffer. And therefore the reason why a­ctuall hot drink is said to mi­tigate all these, is because it [Page 129] doth fortificare digestionem, ex qua multiplicantur spiritus vivi, strengthen digestion, by which the vitall spirits are multiplied; which being the pabulum of our senses, the one can not fail while the other increaseth. And therefore Arnoldus de villa nova saith, Dum spiritus & calor natura­lis non debilitatur, neque pili canescunt, neque cutis corruga­tur, So long as the naturall heat is not weakened, neither doth the hair wax gray, nor the skin grow shriveled nor wrinckled. And how it is a means to preserve life shall be shewed.

NOw to come to the last point, which is, That it is no new devised thing, but that which hath been used amongst the Grecians and Romanes in the time of their longest age, and is in use at this day in countreys where they live farre longer then we do; which shall be proved by divers clear testimonies.

And first to prove it was in use amongst the Grecians, heare what Philostinus that excellent physician, wrote unto his countreymen: He [Page 131] counselled them in the spring and all winter to drink their liquour calidissimum, most hot; and in the summer luke-warm: so that at all times he shews that cold drink was not to be used.

Athenaeus also in his eighth book, speaking of Stratonicus the harper, saith he called Rhodios, Cyrenaeos branchos, and their citie, civitatem porcorum; quia Rhodios de­liciis exsolutos, & calidum bibentes, contemplatus, albos Cyrenaeos nuncupabat, Rhodi­úmque oppidum, civitatem porcorum: Rhodios qui dem à Cyrenaeis colore diversos autu­mans, at ob luxûs similitudi­nem, & proclivitatem eandem [Page 132] in voluptates, cum porcis ur­bem illorum comparans.

Moreover Julius Pollux in his Onomastico propounds this question, Whether the ancient Fathers drank their water hot? and concludes they did: And Lucianus in his Asino writes that the Grecians used their drink hot; which Arrianus likewise in his controversies proves. Apuleus maketh the same manifest, speaking of Fotis in this manner; Ecce Fotis, mea jam domina, cubitu reddi­ta, jactâ proximè rosâ sertâ & rosâ solutâ in sinu uberante, ac me pressim deosculato & co­rollis revincto, ac flore pro­sperso, arripit poculum ac de­super [Page 133] aquâ calidâ injectâ por­rigit ut biberem, &c.

But for further proof, I will prove it both by ancient writers of prose, and also poets, that the Romanes used it.

And first Varro, in defining this word Calix by the Ety­mologie, saith it comes of the Latine word Calidus, be­cause in it, Calidus apponebatur potus, Hot drink was served.

Paulus likewise the law­yer, speaking of the diffe­rence between the vessels that they heated water in, saith there is no great diffe­rence between Cacabus and Ahenum; for in the first they boil their meat, and in the [Page 134] other their water to drink: And Julius Pollux in his 9. book, calleth that vessel Ahe­num where they boiled their water to drink.

Seneca in his first book De ira maketh mention of hot water, the which was in use to be drunk in his time: And in his second book the 25. chapter. Dion likewise in his 57. book proveth the same in the history of Drusius, son to Tiberius: And in his 59. book, intreating of Caius Ca­ligula, who killed an host for selling hot water in the time of the funerall of Dru­sius, as a man irreligious to sell hot water for delicious drinking in time of common [Page 135] mourning. Moreover Mar­cellinus in his 28. book shews that all taverns were forbid to sell any hot water or wine untill foure a clock in the afternoon.

Again Cornelias Tacitus, writing of the poysoning of Britannicus, shews how the means they wrought to poy­son him without suspicion was, to bring his drink so hot that he called for cold water to allay it, wherein they had put the poyson.

Plinie also in his 7. book, speaking of Marcus Asinius maketh it manifest: for, saith he, the drink being too hot, he held it in his hand to cool, untill one sitting next to him [Page 136] remembred him of it, and said it would be too cold.

Now to prove it by the authorities of poets, I will first begin with Plautus, who in his comedy of The vaunt­ing souldier, saith, Lu. Neque ille hic calidum exbibit in prandium. Pa. Neque tu bi­bisti? Lu. Dii me perdant si bibi, Si bibere potui. Pa. Quâ jam? Lu. Quia enim absorbui; Nam nimis calebat, amburebat gutturem; that is, Lu. Nei­ther did he drink hot wine to his dinner. Pa. Nor thou? Lu. As god shall help me, I neither drank, neither could I. Pa. What then? Lu. I sup­ped it; For it was so hot it burnt my throat. What can [Page 137] be more plain then this?

Again the same Authour in another comedy brings forth Labrax speaking to Neptune in these words: La. Edepol, Neptune, es balnea­tor frigidus, Cum vestimentis posteaquam abs te abii algeo. Nec Thermopolium quidem ul­lum ille instruit, Ità salsā prae­bet potionem & frigidam: that is, La. Truly, Neptune, thou art a cold bath-keeper, Since I came from thee I freeze in my clothes. Neither doth he keep any hotwater-shop, He gives us so salt and cold a po­tion. The like sayings be ma­ny in Plautus which for bre­vity sake I omit.

Horace also when he writes [Page 138] to Telephus, in his third book of his Odes hath this saying,

And Juvenal in his fifth Satyr hath this saying,

Likewise Martial, in his verses he made to Sextilia­nus the great drinker, saith thus, [Page 139]

And in his second book of Epigrams these be his words:

And in his 8. book against Caecilianus, these be his words: [Page 140]

And in his last book, these be his words:

By these authorities I hope I have made it plain, that it was used many hun­dred years amongst the Ro­manes. For if we consider the age that Plautus lived in, which was some five hun­dred and seventy years after the building of Rome; and the poysoning of Britannicus in Nero's time, you shall find it to be 808. years after Rome was built: and Martial lived under Domitianus, 835. years after Rome was built, which was more then 300. years. Neither did Plautus [Page 142] write it as new devise, but as a thing long before in use.

Now to the other point, That it is used at this day a­mongst whole nations, I will prove by Grovani Petro Maf­fei the Jesuite, who in his 6. book of histories writes that they of China do for the most part drink the strained li­quour of an herb called Chi [...] hot. And Persino the Italia [...] writes, that he saw himself tres principes Grapponenses ▪ which came to kisse Pope Gregorie the thirteenth foot (and it is but a littl [...] while since) who drank no­thing but hot water, affirm­ing it to be the custom of their countrey.

[Page 143] Thus have I according to my promise handled several­ly all the points promised in the beginning: if not to thy satisfaction, impute that to my want of reading, not to the truth of the cause, which divers times is overthrown with ill handling.