PREFACE.

Large ornate decorative initial 'S' at the beginning of the text, featuring detailed scrollwork and foliage patterns within a square border.The Philosopher Aristotle, often referred to simply as "The Philosopher" in medieval and Renaissance texts, the prince of philosophers, writes: Man is the best of all things that are in the world. Here, "the world" is understood to include everything contained within the sphere of active and passive things—namely, the elements earth, air, fire, and water and things composed of elements. With this presupposed, the proposition is proven: That thing is best whose causes of generation are most noble; but such is the case for man, therefore he is the best. The major premise is evident, because an effect derives its nobility from its causes. The minor premise is proven regarding the matter of man. Wherefore, the matter of man, according to the Physicians, is posited to be the menstrual blood of the woman together with the seed of the man, because both of these enter into the composition of man, just as milk is curdled into the substance of cheese. But the material Philosophers posit that the woman's menstrual blood is the matter, and the man's seed is the efficient cause the agent that brings about change, such that the man's seed relates to the woman's menstrual blood as the craftsman relates to the craft, as Averroes The influential 12th-century Islamic philosopher and commentator on Aristotle attests in the 7th book of the Metaphysics, in the Digressions on Ideas. Likewise, the Philosopher in the 5th book of the Metaphysics, chapter 10, says that the seed of the man is reduced to the efficient cause. Whichever way it is said, it is always evident that the matter of man is most excellent, and the most noble among all seeds.

Secondly, it is proven: that thing is best which, in its parts, is assimilated to the most noble body; but man is of this kind, therefore he is the best. The major premise is evident, because assimilation follows the nature of the thing. The minor premise is proven because man is assimilated to the heavens, specifically to the twelve signs of the zodiac. Three of these are virtually hot, namely Aries, Gemini, and Leo; to these correspond three members in man: the heart, the liver, and the testicles. Likewise, three are cold: Cancer, Taurus, and Virgo; to these correspond the intestines, the bladder, and the diaphragm. Likewise, three are moist: Scorpio, Aquarius, and Pisces; to these correspond the brain, the stomach, and the lungs. Likewise, three are dry: Capricorn, Sagittarius, and Libra; to these correspond the spleen, the gall the gallbladder or bile,