Crooke, Helkiah (1576-1648)

ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man [Mikrokosmographia, Microcosmographia]

London

Printed by William Iaggard

1615

"Secondly, that the functions and offices of the outward senses, which are all placed as it were a guard in pension, in the palace of the head, and in the view and presence Chamber of Reason, which is their sovereign, might in a more excellent manner be exercised and put in practice."

The Nature therefore of heate preuailing, forceth the increment or growth, vp from the middle part, according to his impetuous strength and nimble agility, that is, it striueth and driueth toward that part of the world, toward which heate is naturally mooued, that is to say, vpwards. For the matter of mans body, it is soft, pliable and temperate, readie to follow the Workeman in euery thing, and to euery purpose; for man is the moystest and most sanguine of all Creatures. The finall cause of the frame of mans body is manifolde. First, man had an vpright frame & proportion, that he might behold and meditate on heauenly things. And for this cause, Anaxagoras being asked wherefore he was born, he made answere, to behold the heauens and the Starres. Secondly, that the functions and offices of the outward sences, which are all placed as it were a guard in pension, in the pallace of the head, and in the view and presence Chamber of Reason, which is their soueraigne, might in a more excellent manner be exercised and put in practise: for they were not ordained onely to auoide that which is hurtfull, and to followe and prosecute that which is profitable; but moreouer also for contemplation: and therefore they were to be placed in the highest contabulation or Story of the body. And by this meanes, speech, which is the messenger of the minde, is the better heard from on high; the Smell doth more commodiously receyue and entertaine the vapor that ascendeth: the Eyes being as it were spies or Centinels, day and night to keepe watch for vs, & being beside giuen vs, that we should take view of those infinite Distances and glorious bodies in them, which are ouer our heads, did therefore require an vpright frame and composition of the body.
(I.ii, p. 5)

Population::Guard Architecture::Palace Architecture::Chamber::Presence Chamber Architecture::Room::Presence-room Government::Sovereign

Reading in EEBO

Helkiah Crooke, ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man (London: Printed by William Iaggard, 1615). <Link to EEBO>

09/27/2011