Positions

by Richard Mulcaster

But to ioyne close with our traine. What partes be they in our bodie, vpon whom exercise is to shew this great effecte? or what be the powers therof, which must still be stirred, so to say, and establish the perpetuitie of health, not in themselues alone, but in the whole bodie, by them? Where ioyntes be to bend, where stringes to tye, where synewes to stirre, where streatchers to straine, there must needes be motion: or els stifnesse will follow, and vnweildynesse withall: where there be conduites to conuey the blood, which warmeth, canales to carie the spirite, which quickneth, pipes to bestow the aire, which cooleth, passage to dismisse excrements which easeth, there must needes be spreding, to kepe the currant large, and eche waie open, for feare of obstructions, and sudden fainting. Where to much must needes marre, there must be forcing out, where to litle must nedes lame, there must be letting in: where thickning threates harme, there thinning fines the substance: where thinning is to much, there thickning must do much, and to knit vp all in short, all those offices, whervnto our bodie serueth naturally, either for inward bestowing of nurriture, and maintenaunce of life: or for outward motion, and executions of vse, must be cherished and nusled so, as that they do by nature well, and truely, they may do by traine, both long, and strongly. I shall not neede to name the partes, all in one ruk, as of set purpose, which be knowen by their effectes: and the exercises also themselues will shew for whom they serue. But for example first in the partes let vs see, whether we can discern them by their working, and properties, that therby the exercise may be pickte, which is most proper to helpe such effectes.

1. Who doth not streight waye conceiue, that the lunges or lightes be ment, when he heareth of an inward part, which prouideth winde for the harte, to allay his heat, and to minister some clammy matter vnto it, whence he may take aire, most fit for his functions, and not at the sudden be forced to vse any forreine?

2. Or who doth not by and by see, that the harte is implyed, when he heareth of an other inward part, which is the spring, and fountaine, of the vitall spirite and facultie, the seat and sender out of naturall heat, the occasion and cause of the arteriall pulse, which by one arterie, and way, receiueth cooling from the lunges, by an other, sendeth the vitall spirite, the hote, and hurling blood, thorough out the whole bodie?

3. Or who is so grosse, as not to gesse at the liuer, when he heareth of an other inward part, which is the cheife instrument of nurriture, the workhouse of thicke and grosse blood: that feedeth the life and soule: when it desireth meat, and drinke, and what is els necessarie: which conueieth blood thorough the veines to nurrish all partes of the bodie, with the naturall spirit in it, if there be any, verie darke and heauie?

He can tel what the parte is.

4. Nay hath he any braine, which seeth not the braine plainly laid before him, when he heareth a part of mans bodie named, which breedeth a sowlish, and life spirite, as most pure, so most precious, and rather a qualitie then a bodie, and vseth it partly to further the working of that princely, and principall part of mans soule, wherby he vnderstandeth and reasoneth: partly to helpe the instrumentes of sense, and motion, by meane of the sineues, neuer suffering them to lacke spirite: which is the cheife and capitall cause, why these instrumentes do their dueties well? And so forth in all the partes aswell without, as within sight, whose properties when one heareth and finding that they be helped by such a motion he can forthwith say, that such an exercise is good for such a part.

1. Now againe for exercises. Who hearing that moderate running doth warme the whole body, strengthneth the naturall motions, prouoketh appetite, helpeth against distilling of humours and catarres, and driueth them some other waie:

2. Or that daunsing beside the warmth, driueth awaye numnesse, and certaine palsies, comforteth the stomacke, being cumbred with weaknes of digestion, and confluence of raw humours, strengtheneth weake hippes, fainting legges, freatishing feete:

3. Or that ryding also is healthfull for the hippes and stomacke: that it cleareth the instrumentes of all the senses, that it thickneth thinne shankes: that it stayeth loose bellies:

4. Or that loud speaking streatcheth the bulke exerciseth the vocalle instrumentes, practiseth the lungues, openeth the bodie, and all the passages therof: