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fiſh, for they eate fiſh of their owne kind.
Of the Naile. Chap. 30.
THE nail[1] is the vttermoſt part of the finger, ſet in the ouermoſt part thereof. And Conſtantine ſayth, That it is ioyned verye nighe thereto with fleſh and ſkinne: and the bounds thereof bée full of ſtrings. And to the nailes come vaines and ſinewes, and arteries, to giue them féeling and kindly helpe. The nailes grow in length & in breadth proportionate to the fingers. And that that groweth ouer and paſſeth the touch of ſinewes hath no féeling. And therefore they bée cut and pared without féeling of ſore and of ſmarting. For the growing and féeding of the naile is like to the growing of haire. And therefore in growing they paſſe the endes of the fingers, as ſayth Conſtantine. The naile is bread of certeine fumoſities, that are reſolued from the heart, and ſpread on the fingers ends, where ye fumoſities entering in, are dried with the vtter aire, and chaunged into the ſubſtaunce of the naile, as it is ſayde in the booke of Pronoſticis, in the comment. And they bée made to helpe and ſuccour the fingers ends to defend them and ſaue them with hardneſſe, or they ſhould elſe for tenderneſſe be lightly hurt and grieued. And ſo nailes help & ſtrengthen much ye fingers. The naile is ſofter then a boane, and harder then fleſh or griſtell. And hath ſome deale diſpoſition & kinde of horne: For they be cleere and plaine on the vtter part thereof, cleane & bright as horne. And ſo therin is ſéene a māner of brightneſſe and ſhape. And for the naile is bred of fumoſitie of the hart, liuing and dieng of the heart is in the nailes moſt openly ſhewed. For if the heat of the heart faileth, the nailes waxe blacke and pale. And therefore by chaunging of them, ſhrinking and riueling, bodeth and betokeneth quenching of heate, and dieng & ſlaieng of kinde, as it is ſaid in Pronoſticis. Alſo Ariſtotle. li. 7. ſaith, that the clawes of Egles waxe crooked and dull when they ſit a broode vpon Egges, and féedeth their birds: and their wings waxe white and féeble. And the Egle hath this propertie, that when he ſitteth on a tree & reſteth the beholdeth oft his clawes, and dreadeth leaſt they waxe ſoft and tender. For he hath clawes in ſtéed of wepons. And therefore leaſt his clawes ſhould be hurt & grieued, he ſetleth not gladly vppon a ſtone. And whē he reſteth, he bendeth and cloſeth in his clawes, yt ſo they may be kept and ſaued without harme & griefe: So doth the Lion, and beaſts with crooked claws: alſo li. 8. he ſaith, ye whole footed foules drinke not, except a fewe: and al foules yt haue crooked claws, haue crooked bills, and ſhort and great necks, and eate fleſh and hunt birds, but they eate no birds of their owne kinde, neyther purſueth, neither praieth on thē, to the intent to eate them, but they fight togethers, and hurt one another with their bills, and with clawes, they teare each other for the females and for neaſts. In all beaſts and foules be diuerſe manner of clawes and nailes, touching their diſpoſition and alſo their dooing. For in a man the nailes fence and adorne the hands: and in foules and birds they fence and arms the féete. And in ſome beaſts the nailes & houes be round and whole, as in horſes, in ſome they be long and clouen as in ſwine. li. 13. Ariſtotle ſaith, That euerye beaſt hauing ſtiffe ſtanding haire, hath clouen féete, as Swine. And kind ſetteth ſtrength in the clawes & nailes of beaſts: and therfore li. 14. Ar. ſaith, that kind alway ſetteth ſtrength in lims & members, that beaſtes vſe, as in téeth that be as it were yron, and in the clawes and nailes, for ſtrength and help.
Of the ſide. Chap. 31.
THe ſide is called Latus[2] in Latine and hath that name of Latere, to lurke, either to be hid. For when a man lyeth, the ſide is hidde. And there is both the left ſide and the right ſide of the bodye, that is called in Latine Dextra & Siniſtra: and in ye right ſide is moſt able mouing, but the left ſide is more ſtrong and more couenable to ye burthēs & charges: & therfore ye left ſide is called Leua in Latine, & hath ye name of Leuare to heaue, &