This page needs to be proofread.

and made of diuerſe thinges, as it that is aſſigned to ye proper inſtrument, or organe of the reaſonable ſoule, in his works, as well of kinde as of will. So mans bodie is made of foure Elements, that is to wit, of Earth, Water, Fire, & Aire: euery ſeuerall hath his proper qualities. Foure be called the firſt and principall qualityes, that is heate, cold, drie, & moiſt: they be called the firſt qualities, becauſe they ſlide firſt from the Elements into the things that be made of Elements. They be alſo called the principall qualities: for of them come all the ſecundarie effects. Two of theſe qualytyes be called Actiue, able to worke hot, and coldneſſe. The other two bée drye and wetneſſe, and be called Paſſiue, able to ſuffer. And ſo as theſe qualyties preuaile and haue maiſterie, the Elements be called Actiue and Paſſiue able to do & ſuffer. The firſt two be principally called Actiue, not becauſe they worke alone, for the Paſſiue qualityes worke alſo: for there is none idle qualitye in the bodie: But therefore

they be called Actiue, for by the working of them the other be brought

in & kept and ſaued. For heate ſometime bringeth in and kéepeth moiſtneſſe, and ſomtime drines, as it is ſéene in falt fleſh. For ye heat of the Salt diſſolueth the parts that bée earthly, watry, and airley: and ſo by ſlackening and ſoftening of the heate is induced moiſtneſſe: Heate bringeth in drineſſe, for the heate working in moyſtneſſe diſſolueth it firſt, and when it is diſſolued conſumeth it. And ſo drineſſe which is the firſt of heat is induced, and alſo kept. Then heate is the qualitie of Elements moſt Actiue, as it ſéeneth by ye

effect thereof, while it worketh on anye thing, Firſt it diſſolueth the
parts therof, the which when they be diſſolued, the thing is made

féebler, that was ſtronger, by the ioyning togethers of the partes. And therefore the act of the thing that worketh, maketh leſſe reſiſtaunce. Alſo heate is the ſubtile worker of all that is ingendered, and the cauſe effectuall principally of the whole Generation. Heat is of two manner wiſe, heate of the Sunne, or heauenlye, gendering. And this heate

gendereth and ſaueth. And therefore ſometime Frogges

bée gendered in the Ayre' is not a valid Wikidata item. by the heate of heauen. That other heate, is the heate of the Elementes, and gendered: and this heate corrupteth and deſtroyeth, as when the Beames of lyght commeth togethers in a certaine point of a cleere bodye. As if the Beames were compound in a mirrour, there might be kindled and burned cloth or ſuch lyke, by the rebounding of the Beames. Alſo it bringeth and leadeth the neather thinges to the ouer. For making moouing from the middle to the vttermoſt, it diſſolueth and turneth what is earthlye into watrye, and watrye into airely, and airelye into firie. And ſo bringeth the neather and the middle into the

ouer. Alſo it ſofteneth and maketh ſoft things that bée harde. For

working in great boiſtous ſubſtaunce, mollifieth it diſſoluing: as it is

ſéene in mettall that melteth with heate: For diſſoluing earthlye

thinges into watrye, maketh them tender. Alſo ſofte thinges and fléeting

it maketh it harde, as it is ſéene in an Egge that is roaſted.[1]
For when the moyſt and moſt ſubtill partes bée waſted awaye, it maketh

harde the earthlye partes that abide. And ſo the Egge waxeth harde: and harde and thicke thinges it maketh ſubtille, while it mooueth from the middle to the vttermoſt partes, by his ſtrength it diſſolueth and dealeth the thing that it worketh in, and maketh it couenable and agréeable to his working. While it trauayleth to make a thing ſimple, it

muſt néedes make it ſubtill, for the ſimpleneſſe of a boyſtous thing,

is the ſubtilneſſe that commeth in, by withdrawing of faſtneſſe and thickneſſe of partes: as it is ſéene in Iſe,[2] that is made ſubtill when it is thawed by heate. Alſo heate by his vertue cleanſeth mettalles, and deſtroyeth the ruſte thereof, and other filth. For working in the ſubſtaunce of the ſame mettall diſſolueth it. And if it findeth anye thing of droſſe, eyther of ruſte, it departeth and deſtroyeth it. If if bée fine Golde, the ſtrength of the heate

  1. Of an Egge,
  2. Of Iſe.