Q. Why do men incline to sleep after labour?  A. Because, through continual moving, the heat is dispersed to the external parts of the body, which, after labour, is gathered together in the internal parts, there to digest; and from digestion, vapours arise from the heart to the brain, which stop the passage by which the natural heat should be dispersed to the external part; and then, the external parts being cold and thick, by reason of the coldness of the brain sleep is easily procured.  By this it appeareth that such as eat and drink too much, do sleep much and long, because there are great store of humours and vapours bred in such persons which cannot be consumed and digested by the natural heat.

Q. Why are such as sleep much, evil disposed and ill-coloured?  A. Because in too much sleep moisture is gathered together, which cannot be consumed, and so it doth covet to go out through the superficial parts of the body, and especially it resorts to the face, and therefore is the cause of bad colours, as appeareth in such as are phlegmatic and who desire more sleep than others.

Q. Why do some imagine in their sleep that they eat and drink sweet things?  A. Because the phlegm drawn up by the jaws doth distil and drop to the throat; and this phlegm is sweet after a sore sweat, and that seemeth so to them.

Q. Why do some dream in their sleep that they are in the water and drowned, and some that they were in the water and not drowned; especially such as are phlegmatic?  A. Because when the phlegmatic substance doth turn to the high parts of the body, then many think they are in the water and drowned; but when that substance draweth into the internal parts, then they think they escape.  Another reason may be, overmuch repletion and drunkenness:  and therefore, when men are overmuch filled with meat, the fumes and vapours ascend and gather together, and they think they are drowned and strangled; but if they cannot ascend so high then they seem to escape.

Q. May a man procure a dream by an external cause?  A. It may be done.  If a man speak softly in another man’s ear and awake him not, then of his stirring of the spirits there are thunderings and buzzings in the head, which cause dreamings.

Q. How many humours are there in a man’s body?  A. Four, whereof every one hath its proper place.  The first is choler, called by physicians flava bilis, which is placed in the liver.  The second is melancholy, called atra bilis, whose seat is in the spleen.  The third is phlegm, whose place is in the head.  The fourth is blood, whose place is in the heart.

Q. What condition and quality hath a man of a sanguine complexion?  A. It is fair and beautiful; hath his hair for the most part smooth; is bold; retaineth that which he hath conceived; is shame-faced, given to music, a lover of sciences, liberal, courteous, and not desirous of revenge.

Q. What properties do follow those of a phlegmatic complexion?  A. They are dull of wit, their hair never curls, they are seldom very thirsty, much given to sleep, dream of things belonging to water, are fearful, covetous, given to heap up riches, and are weak in the act of venery.