doe cause long life 80. By exceeding great joy the spirits are made thinne loose and weake but by familiar common Recreations they are not loosened but strengthened 81. Joy arising from sensuall pleasure is bad but the remembrance of former ioy or the apprehension of ioy to come conceived onely in the imagination is good 82. An inward conceived ioy sparingly vented doth comfort the heart more than a vulgar immoderate expression of ioy 83. Sorrow and Griefe beeing without Feare and not too heavy and Grievous doe prolong Life by Contracting the Spirits which is a kinde of Condensation or Thickning 84. Great Feares doe shorten Life for though Sorrow and Feare doe both contract the Spirits yet Sorrow doeth onely contract but Feare mingled with Care and Hope doth heate and Vexe the Spirits 85. Anger being close and suppressed is a kinde of vexation making the spirits devoure the moisture of the body but being vented and getting forth doth strengthen the heate of the spirits 86. By Envy the worst passion the Spirits and by them the Body are hurt and weakned beeing alwayes in Action and Working for Envy is sayde to keepe no Holy-dayes 87. Pitty and Compassion of anothers misery whereinto wee cannot possibly fall is good but Pitty reflecting backe and exciting Feare of beeing in as bad a case is bad 88. Shame lightly at the first drawing in the spirits and afterwards sending them forth againe doth make blushing bashfull Folkes commonly long-liv'd But shame arising from Reproach and continuing long doth contract and choake the spirits 89. Love not unfortunate nor wounding too deepe being a kind of joy is governed by the rules prescribed for joy 90. Hope being the best of all the Affections and Passions is very powerfull to prolong Life if like a nodding Nurse it doe not often fall asleepe and languish but doe continually feed the fancy with beholding good Obiects And therefore such as propound certaine ends and purposes to be compassed thriving and prospering therein according to their desire are commonly long-liv'd but having attayned to their highest hopes all their Expectitions and desires being satisfied doe not live long afterward 91. Admiration and light contemplation are very good to prolong Life keeping the spirits busied in 〈◊〉 matters and in a peaceable quiet gentle temper So that all Philosophers and observers of the Wonders of Nature as Democritus Plato Parmenide Apollonius were long liv'd Also Rhetoricians tasting onely matters following the light of speech not obscure dark Philosophy were also long-liv'd as Gorgias Protagoras I socrates Seneca Andas old men are Talkative so Talkative men doe often live to bee old men For Talkativenesse is a signe of a light Apprehension not binding or vexing the spirits but subtile acute studies wearying and weakening the spirits doe shorten life So much of the motion of the spirits by the pafsions of the minde some generall Observations not included in the former Division doe follow 92. The spirits must not bee often loosed nor made thinne being thereby loosed for the spirits being once extenuated loosened and made thinne are not easily collected and thickned The spirits are loosed by excessive Labour exceeding violent passions of the minde much sweating much Evacuation warme Baths and intemperate or unseasonable Venery also Care Griefe doubtfull expectation sicknesse sorrow and payne doe dissolve and loosen the spirits and should therefore bee avoyded and shunned 93. The spirits delight in Customes and Novelties for customes not used untill they grow wearisome and Nove'ties much desired and then enjoy'd doe wonderfully preserve the vigour of the spirits Therefore Judgment and Care should bee shewed in leaving off Customes before they become loathsome and contemptible and in making the desire of Novelties stronger by restraint and in altering and changing the course of our life lest the spirits imploy'd in one setsed kind of Life should grow heavy and dull For though Seneca sayd well A foole doth alwayes beginne to live yet this Folly and many other doe lengthen life 94. It is observable contrary to common custome that the spirits being in a good quiet sound temper discerned by the quietnesse and inward joy of the minde should bee cherrished not changed 95. Ficinus saith that Old men should comfort their spirits with the actions of their childhood and youth being a Recreation proper to Age. Therefore the remembrance of former Education together is pleasant in conversation and the place of Education is beheld with delight So that the Emperour Vespasian would not alter his Fathers house being but a meane building because the old House did put him in remembrance of his Childhood and besides on festivall Dayes hee would drinke in a Silver-tip'd wooden Cup which was his Grand-mothers 96. Also an alteration of life for the better is acceptable and delightfull to the Spirits Therefore Youth and Manhood having beene spent in pleasures proper and peculiar to those Ages Old age should enjoy new delights especially moderate ease Therefore Noble-men in their Age should live a retired kind of life as Cassiodorus having beene in great favour with the Gothish Kings of Italy and accounted the soule and life of their Affaires at fourescore yeeres of age retired to a Monastery living there to 110. yeeres of Age and there dyed But such Retyrement should be before the body bee decayed and diseased for then all changes though for the better doe hasten death and a retyred life being undertaken their minds and thoughts should not be addicted to idlenesse but imploy'd in pleasant delightfull studies or in building and planting 97. Lastly the spirits are recreated by labour willingly undertaken but consumed by action or labour performed with unwillingnesse Therefore a free kind of life by Art contrived to bee at our owne disposing and an obedient minde not resisting but yeelding to the power of fortune doe prolong life 98. And for the better governing of the Affections the body must not bee soluble or loose for on all the affections except those arising from melancholy as Drunkennesse and Melancholy such laxativenesse and loosenesse hath more power than on the heart or braine 99. This operation of making the spirits continue youthfull and lusty not mentioned by Physitians hath beene more diligently handled because the readiest and most compendious way to prolong Life is by renewing the Spirits working suddainly on the body as vapours and passions doe worke on the spirits in a direct not indirect manner The Operation on the exclusion or keeping out of the Ayre 2. The History 1. THe Exclusion or keeping out of the Ayre doth in two respects lengthen life First because the outward Ayre animating the spirits and being healthfull doth next unto the inward spirits devoure the moysture of the body growing thereby dry and withered 2. Secondly by the Exclusion and keeping out of Ayre the body being shut and closed and not breathing forth at the pores the detayned spirits by their working doe soften the hardnesse of the body 3. The reason
violent but naturall by defect of Nature doth enter at certaine common doores The History 1. THE living spirit subsists by due motion temperate cooling and fit nourishment A flame needs onely motion and Nourishment being a simple substance the Spirit a compounded substance destroyed by approaching neerer to the nature of flame 2. A flame as Aristotle well no ted is by a greater stronger flame extinguished much more the spirit 3. The flame of a Candle being put into a Glasse and kept very close is extinguished by the Ayre enlarged by heate and thrusting the flame together And fewell lying too close in a Chimney burnes not with a bright flame 4. Fire also by thrusting pressing together is extinguished and a coale of fire being trodden Or crush'd with the Tongs 5. But concerning the spirits blood or fleame getting into the Ventricles of the Braine doe cause suddaine Death the spirit having no place of residence or motion Also violent Fractures and beating of the head doe cause suddain Death by straightning the spirits in the ventricles of the Braine 7. Opium and other strong Drugs procuring unsensiblenesse doe by thickning the spirits deprive them of motion 8. Venemous vapours beeing hateful to the spirits are deadly poysons by whose malignant quality the spirits are opprest deprived of their motion and made unable to resist so strong an enemy 9. Extreame Drunkennesse and Gluttony have caused sudaine Death the spirits not with thicke or malignant vapours proceeding from Opium or poyson but with aboundance of Vapors being opprest 10. With the suddain apprehension of Griefe and Feare conceived at the relation of unexpected bad tidings some have suddainly Dyed 11. The Excessive compression and inlarging of the Spirits are both deadly 12. Great and suddaine ioyes have deprived many of their life 13. Greater Evacuations of water by Dissections for the Dropsie or violent and suddaine Fluxes of Blood are Deadly the Blood and spirits doe avoyde vacuity or emptinesse and fill up the emptie places repaying hither slower Fluxes of Blood procuring want of nourishment but no powring backe of the spirits So much of the compression and effusion of the spirits causing Death 14. Stopping the breath is through defect of cooling deadly by choaking and strangling the motions of the spirits being not hindred but cooling defective for excessive hot Ayre drawne in for breath doth choake as soone as stopping of the Breath As by burning charcoale or by the smell of new whited walles in a close chamber Iustinian and others have beene choaked Fausta the wife of Constantine the great was strangled by the steame of an exceeding hot Bath 15. For breath is drawne in by the Lungs and breathed forth againe every third part of a minute 16. The beating of the Pulse and of the Heart both by the systole or backward motion or Dyastole or forward motion is thrice as swift as breathing for the beating of the Heart could it be without stopping being stayd would cause Death sooner than strangling 17. Delian Dyvers and PearleFishers through continuall use will hold their Breath tenne times longer than another 18. Living Creatures having Lungs hold their breath a shorter or longer time as they neede more or lesse cooling 19. Fishes neede lesse cooling than other creatures cooling and breathing themselves at their Gills And as other creatures cannot endure a hot close ayre so Fish in water quite frozen over and long covered with Ice are choaked and strangled 20. The naturall heate of the Spirits is by another more violent heate oppressed being unable to endure them both without cooling as may bee seene in burning-feavers naturall heate being extinguished and Dissipared by hot putrified Humors 21. Want of Sleepe is a want of cooling For motion doth rarifie make thinne sharpen and encrease the heat of the Spirits But by sleep their motion is allayd and their wandring restrayn'd For sleepe doth strengthen and excite the working of the inward parts and Spirits and all outward motion but maketh the living spirit rest from motion Every 24. houres nature requires 5. or 6. houres sleepe Thogh some have miraculously refrained from sleepe for Mecaenas slept not a great while before hee dyed 22. Nourishment is a third want of Nature suffered by the parts of the Body not the living spirit subsisting in Idenity and Beeing without succession or renewing And the reasonable Soule proceeding not from Generation needs no reparation beeing not subject to Death as the Animall and Vegative soule differing both in Essence and Forme from the reasonable Soule For their confusion without distinction was the Originall of transmigration and many heathen hereticall opinions 23. A healthfull body doth every day require food enduring not to fast three dayes together unlesse enabled by custome but sicke folkes can easily fast and sleepe doth nourish as Exercise makes the body require nourishment And some miracles of Nature have lived a long time without meate or drinke 24. Dead bodies being kept from putrefaction will not a long time decay But living bodies cannot above three dayes subsist this speedy consumption being the worke of the living spirit repairing it selfe or making the parts neede repairing and therefore living creatures by sleeping endure longer without food sleepe being the reception and collection of the living Spirit 25. A continuall Flux or voyding of blood by the Piles or by vomiting of Blood some veyne within being opened or broken or by wounds doth cause speedy Death For the Blood of the veines doth supply and feed the blood of the Arteries and the blood of the Arteries doth feed the spirits 26. Meate and Drinke received twice daily is not all voyded by Extrements vrine or sweating the rest being converted into the moysture substance of the body the body growing not bigger as the repaired spirits are not in quantity increased 27. Nourishment must be so prepared and Dressed that the spirits may worke thereon For the flame of a Torch is not maintayned and kept burning by the staffe unlesse it bee covered with waxe lights and hearbs alone are no nourishing flood This doth cause the decay in Age the Spirits cloathed with Flesh and Blood being few and thinne and the moysture and blood old and hard are unable to nourish 28. The ordinary necessities of Nature are these continuall motion of the Spirits in the ventrieles of the Braine beating of the heart every third part of a moment Breathing every moment Sleepe and Food within three Dayes the decaying after fourscore years of age of the faculties of Digestion these Defects beeing not seasonably supply'd Death will ensue So that Death hath three Doores the spirits fayling in motion cooling and nourishing The living spirit is not like a flame continually lighted and extinguished without certaine duration and continuance A flame doth live in a flame being by contrary qualities only extinguished But all parts of the Body beeing to the living Spirit friends and servants are also comfortable and serviceable Therfore the living Spirit
THE HISTORIE of Life and Death With Observations Naturall and Experimentall for the Prolonging of LIFE Written by the Right Honorable Francis Lord Verulam Viscount S. Alban LONDON Printed by I. Okes for Humphrey Mosley at the Princes Armes in Pauls Church-Yard 1638. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber TO THE Right Worshipfull Sr. EDWARD MOSLEY Knight his Majesties Atturny General of the Dutchey of Lancaster c. SIR THe Honourable Author of this History was such a miracle of Learning that Fancy striving to comprehend his Worth would be lost in Wonder and Amazement this Work of his retaining an affection to Grayes-Inne where the Author is and shall bee remembred by the Living and Posterity hath an originall ambition before it walk abroad into the World to visit Your Worship being a worthy Ornament of that Society that so Your respective entertainment may instruct the Envious and Ignorant Tribe to reverence rather than udge Honorable Personages and their Labours It will become mee onely to waite on the Imaginations of so great a Genius and while they converse with You in a nearer distance to acknowledge that Your Worships Name dignified with deserved Titles the Seales of vertue agreeing with mine only in Denomination made mee presume of Your Favour in accepting them and my Intention full of Service viceable respects hoping that verbum sat c. a word will bee sufficient to present this Oblation and the humble service Of Your Worships Honourer HUMPHREY MOSLEY TO THE Living and Posterity THE History of Life and Death being the last of sixe Monethly designations seemed worthy to bee preferred to bee the second in Publication because the least losse of time in a matter of so great utility should bee pretious for wee hope and desire that it may redound to the good of many and that noble Physitians raising their minds may not be wholly imployd in uncleane cures nor honoured only for necessity but become also the Stewards of Divine Omnipotency and Clemency in prolonging and renewing the life of Man especially since it may be done by safe convenient civill but untryed new waies and meanes For while 〈◊〉 Christians aspire and labour to come to the Land of Promise it will be a signe of Divine favour if our shoos and the garments of our frail bodies be here little worne in our iourney in the worlds wildernesse THE History of Life and Death The Accesse ANcient is the saying and complaint that Life is short and Art long Therefore our labours intending to perfect Arts should by the assistance of the Author of Truth and Life consider by what meanes the Life of man may be prolonged For long Life being an increasing heape of sinnes and sorrowes lightly esteemed of Christians aspiring to Heaven should not be dispised because it affoords longer opportunity of doing good Workes Moreover Amatus survived the other Disciples and many Fathers especially many holy Monkes and Hermites lived very long whereby it seemes that this blessing of long Life so often repeated in the Law was after our Saviours time lesse diminished then other earthly benedictions But the happinesse of long life is naturally desired although the meanes to attaine it through false opinions and vaine reports be hard to find the generall opinion of Physitians concerning Radicall mosture and Natural heat being deceiveable and the immoderate praise of Chymicall Medicines possessing others with failing hopes That which admits reparation remayning whole and sound in Essence may be eternally preserved as the Vestall Fire whereupon Physitians and Phylosophers perceiving that the bodies of living creatures being nourished repaired and refreshed grew old afterward and speedily perished they sought Death in an irreparable subject supposing Radicall moysture incapable of solid reparation from Infancy there being no just reparation but an unlike Addition sensibly by Age decayed and at last corrupted and dissolved This conceit of theirs was ignorant and vaine for young living creatures being all over and wholly repaired do by their increasing in quantity and growing better in quality shew that if the measure and manner of repairing decayed not the matter of repairing might be eternall But the 〈◊〉 in repairing proceeds from the unequall repairing of some parts sufficiently others hardly and badly in Age the bodies of men beginning thereby to undergoe Mezentius torment living in the embraces of the dead untill they dye and being easily repairable yet through some particular difficulty in restoring doe decay For spirits blood flesh and fatnesse are in the declining estate of Age easily repaired but there is much difficulty and danger in repairing the dry parts and fuller of pores as membranes tunicles nerves arteries veines gristles most of the bowels and all the organicall and instrumentall parts For when those parts that should performe their office to other actually reparable parts cannot being decayed in strength execute their office a generall ruine follows and parts naturally restoreable through defective Organs of Reparation doe decrease and decay For the spirit like a light flame continually feeds on bodies and the Ayre without conspiring therewith doth suck and dry the fabrick and instruments of the body which are thereby decayed and made unfit to performe the office of repairing And these are the true wayes whereby natur all Death approacheth deserving due consideration For how can Natures course if unknowne bee helped or prevented Therefore the meanes whereby the consumption or decay of mans body may be prevented and the repairing and restoring thereof furthered are most precious and worth knowing The spirits and ayre without are the chiefe causes of consumption and the generall progresse of Nourishment is the cause of restoration For the spirit within and the ayre without doe worke on dead bodies striving also to produce in living bodies the same effects though weakened and restrayned by the vitall spirits and partly by them increased For bodies without life doe a long while subsist and endure without Reparation but the life of creatures without due nourishment and reparation suddenly decayes and is extinguished like fire Therefore a two-fold search is required considering mans body as livelesse and unnourished and as living and nourished So much for the Preface proceeding now to the Topicks or common-places of the search Particular Places OR Poynts of Inquiry concerning Life and Death 1. OF Nature durable and lesse durable in liveles bodies and in Vegetables no copious or Legall but a summary briefe inquiry is made 2. Of the Drinesse Withering and Consumption of livelesse bodiesand Vegetables of their manner and progresse in working and also of hindring and staying of Drying Withering and Consumption and the preservation of the state of Bodies and also of Mollifying Softning and Reviving beginning to be affected with Drinesse make diligent inquiry 3. Yet no perfect exact inquiry is needfull concerning these poynts included under their proper Title of Duration and Continuance beeing not principall matters in this Inquiry but such as doe onely affoord light to prolonging and restoring of Life in
IN oyly fat substances not clamy the spirits are willingly detayned The Explication THE Spirit not incited by the Antipathy of an encompassing Body nor fed by too neere likenesse of a Body doth not strive much to depart As in oyly substances being not so trouble some to the spirit as hard substances nor so like it as watry substances nor tempted forth by the flattery of encompassing Ayre CAN. 17. THE suddaine departure of the watery humour doth make oylinesse endure the longer The Explication WAtery spirits as was sayd being like Ayre doe sooner depart than Ayre oyly spirits slower having not so much affinity with ayre But both these moystures being in most bodies the watery spirit doth vent before the oyly and the former getting forth by degrees carryeth with it the latter Therefore light drying is healthfull maling the watery humour expire not forcing out the watery humour there by becomming more perfect and both hindering putrefaction and preserving the body yong And therefore light rubbings and exercise breathing the body not procuring sweate doe exceedingly lengthen life CAN. 18 THE exclusion or keeping out of the ayre lengthens life other inconvemences being avoyded The Explication THE evolation or departing of the spirit as was sayd is a two-fold action proceeding from the Appetite of the Spirit and of the Ayre The former Action may be stayed and taken away by Oyntments the Remedies for the inconveniences ensuing thereon being prescribed in the second Operation CAN. 19. By young spirits being put into an aged body the course of 〈◊〉 may be suddainly brought about againe to youth The Explication THE Spirits are in Nature like the highest wheele turning about the other wheeles in Mans body and an especiall Engine to lengthen Life Besides the spirits are easily and soone altered For Operation on the spirits is two-fold one by Nourishment being slow and indirect the other suddaine directly working on the spirits by vapors or by affections CAN. 20. THE moisture of the body being hard and oyly doth lengthen life The Explication THE Reason is grounded on a former Rosition that hard and oyly substances are hardly dissipated or dispersed But yet as was sayd in the tenth Operation hard moisture 〈◊〉 lesse dissipable is also lesse reparable and an inconvenience therefore joyned with a convenience can produce no great effect But the oyly moysture being not dissipable and also reparable is therefore diligently to bee regarded CAN. 21. Sv btile thinne piercing substances without gnawing Acrymony or sharpnesse doe breed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Explication THis Canon is more difficult in practice than in 〈◊〉 For all piercing 〈◊〉 and sharpe substances doe 〈◊〉 and corrode hardening 〈◊〉 but the penetration of the subtile substances without violence doth bedew and water the body as was 〈◊〉 in the fourth and seventh Operation CAN. 22. ASstmilation or Digestion is best performed when all locall motion doth cease The Explication THis Canon in the Cōment on the third Operation is sufficiently explained CAN. 23. Nourishment received by outward meanes not onely by the stomacke would lengthen life if it may be effected The Explication NOurishment doth work in a compasse course but infusions more suddainly therfore outward nourishment would be good because the faculties of digestion doe faile in age And inward Nourishment joyned with outward Nourishment by baths oyntments and glisters wonld be more powerfull and strong CAN. 24. DIgestion being weak to drive out nourishment the outward parts must be comforted to draw forth nourishment The Explication 〈◊〉 His Canon and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not the same for 〈◊〉 of outward 〈◊〉 differs from Extraction 〈◊〉 drawing out of in ward 〈◊〉 but both by several 〈◊〉 doe helpe weaknesse 〈◊〉 Digestion CAN. 25. ALL 〈◊〉 renewing of the Body is wrought either the Spirits or by softning The Explication IN the Body there are spirits and parts where Nourish 〈◊〉 by a compasse-course 〈◊〉 but vapours and 〈◊〉 doe work suddainly on the spirits and softning on the parts yet externall Nourishment and softning must not bee confounded softning intending not to nourish the parts but make them more nourishable CAN. 26. SOftning is wrought by like substances by piercing and shutting substances The Explication FOr Consubstantials or like substances doe properly soften conveying substances drive in and binding shutting substancesdoe retaine and restraine Perspiration or breathing forth being a motion contrary to softning Therefore as was said in the ninth 〈◊〉 softning cannot be 〈◊〉 once effected but by an 〈◊〉 proceeding First by 〈◊〉 and keeping out the 〈◊〉 by thicke Oyntments because the outward thicke 〈◊〉 doth not supple the body but the subtile vapours thereinto penetrating and piercing Secondly by softning 〈◊〉 Consubstantialls and the 〈◊〉 substances for Bodies by the gentle touch of like substances doe open and loosen 〈◊〉 pores Thirdly by 〈◊〉 of the like substances and 〈◊〉 restrayning 〈◊〉 Afterwards binding 〈◊〉 Plasters and Oyntments 〈◊〉 good applyable untill 〈◊〉 subtile softnesse of the 〈◊〉 be growne hard and solid CAN. 27. THE frequent renewing of reparable parts doth bedew and moysten the lesse reparable The Explication IN the beginning of the History the perishing of the more reparable and lesse reparable parts together was called the high way of Death and therefore the Reparation of these parts should be most intended For as Aristotle well observed that in Plants new sap passing through the boughes doth refresh the body also so in like manner by often repairing the flesh and blood of the body the Bones and Membranes and other lesse reparable parts by the passage of new moysture and being cloathed with new flesh and blood may be 〈◊〉 renewed CAN. 28. COoling not passing by the stemacke doth lengthen life The Explication FOr a strong cooling of the Blood is necessary to prolong Life which cannot bee effected inwardly without hurting the stomacke and bowels CAN. 29. COnsumption and reparation being both effected by heate 〈◊〉 by their conioyned Operation 〈◊〉 length of Life The Explication ALL great workers are destroyed by the mixture of Natures helpfull and hurtfull in severall respects Therefore Judgement in practice must distinguish good heates from hurtfull CAN. 30. DIseases are curable by Medicines but Life must bee lengthned by Dyets The Explication ACcidentall Diseases their Causes being taken away doe cease but the continuall course of Nature flowing like a River must bee stopt and turn'd backe by Dyets whereof there are two kinds set dyet used at certaine times and familiar dayly Dyet Set Dyets are more powerfull being able to turne backe Natures course and sooner change and alter the Body than usuall Dyets In the Intention three set Dyets are onely mentioned the Dyet with Opium the Dyet for softning and the Dyet for making leane and renewing the Body But in dayly Dyet these Prescriptions good also in set Dyets are most effectuall Nitre and Drugges subordinate to Nitre the government of the Affections and the kinds of Studies Coolers not passing by the stomacke oyly Drinkes making the Blood firme by Potions of the Powder of Pearle and wood Drugs Oyntments to keepe out the Ayre and keepe in the Spirits outward heaters to further 〈◊〉 after sleepe avoyding inflamers of the Spirits infusing into them a sharpe heat as Wines and hot Spices and the moderate and seasonable use of Drugges infusing a strong heate into the Spirits as Saffron Cresses Garlick Elecampane and compositions of Opium CAN. 31. THe living Spirit doth immediatly perish being destitute of motion cooling or nourishment The Explication THese are three Doores of Death formerly mentioned being the proper and immediate passions of the spirit For all the Organs of the principall parts serve them in performing their Offices And the destruction of the Organs doth cause their Defectivenes Therefore all other wayes to Death meete in these three commonroades But the Fabricke of the parts is the Organ of the spirit as the spirit is of the reasonable Soule being immortall and Divine CAN. 32. FLame is a momentary Substance Ayre a fixed the living spirits in creatures is of a middle Nature The Explication THis Canon requires a deeper search and larger Explication than is here requisite Flame is continually generated and extinguished and continued only by succession But ayre is a fixed body not subject to dissolution for though the ayre doth out of moisture generate new ayre yet the olde ayre remaineth whence proceedeth the over-burdning of the ayre mentioned in the title of Winds But the spirits participating of the nature of flame and ayre is nourished by Oyle being of the same kinde with flame and by ayre homogeneous to water For the spirit is not nourished by an oyly or waterish substance but by both And though ayre and flame oyle and water are hardly blended and compounded yet they agree in a mixtbody The ayre raysing quicke and delicate conceits in the Fancy and the flame enciting noble active Desires in the Soule The continuance also of the spirit is compounded beeing neyther so momentary as flame nor so fixed as ayre And therfore is not accidentally extinguished like a flame by contraries for the spirit is not so hard beset with Destructive qualities But the spirits are repayred by lively fresh Blood insinuated through the Arteries into the Braine by a speciall manner of reparation not now to be mentioned FINIS Artic. 1 Artic. 20. Artic. 3. Cōnexion Artic. 4. Artic. 5 6 7 8 9 and 11. An admonition Artic. 10 An admo nition Artic. 15 Connexion 〈◊〉 Admonition Artic. 16
living Creatures subiect as is aforesayd to the same accidents butin a peculiar manner Afterward the inquiry proceedes from livelesse Creatures and Vegetables unto living Creatures and Man 4. Of long liv'd and shortliv'd living Creatures with the due circumstances causing their long lives enquire But the dureablenesse of Bodies being two-fold one in Identity or being the other in repayring of Vegetables and living Creatures perfected by nourishment therefore concerning nourishment and the wayes and progresse thereof enquire in the Title of Digestion and nourishment where they are particularly handled The inquiry proceeds from living Creatures to Man the principall subject whereof a more exact and perfect inquiry is needfull 5. Of the long Life of men in respect of the Ages of the World Countries Climates places of birth and Dwelling 6. Of the length and shortnesse of Life in men in regard of their stocke and Kindred and in respect of severall Complexions Constitutions shapes and statures of the Body measure and space of Growth and the making and proportion of the Limbes inquire 7. The long and short Life of Men is shewed by no Astrologicall inquiry but by common and evident Observations drawne from Births in the seaventh eight ninth and tenth Moneth by night or day and in what Moneth of the yeare 8. How Mans Life is lengthned and shortned by sustenance Dyet government of Life exercise and the like and by Ayre shewed in the aforesayd poynt of dwelling places 9. How Studdies kind of Life affections of the Soule and divers accidents doe shorten and lengthen the life of Man 10. Of Medicines prolonging life 11. The signes of a long and short life not denoting ensuing Death which belong to Physicall History but being in health apparent are observable by the Physiognomy and such others To the inartificiall inquiry of length and shortnesse of Life is added an Artificiall inquiry by ten practicall intentions being of three sorts and intending to stay Consumption to Repaire and Renew Age. 12. Preservatiues against drinesse and Consumption and to keep the body from drying and consuming 13. Of Nourishment and Digestion being Repairers of the body and how to improove and make them good 14. How to repaire and renew age and to soften and moisten hardnesse and drynesse 15. And because the way of death without knowing the seate house and den of death is hard to be knowne therefore these kinds of Death are declared which want and necessity whence consumption of Age proceeds not violence doe procure 16. Of the drawing neare of Death and the necessary not violent causes thereof 17. Lastly the lively character of Age describing the different state of the Body in youth and Age by their necessary Effects and Defects 18. Of the different state of the Body and abillities in Youth and in Age remayning undecayed NATVRE Durable The History MEttals are very durable and continue beyond al observation Age and Rust not perspiration making them decay but not Gold 2. Quick silver beeing a moyst and soft substance is easily rarified by the fire but without fire doth neither decay by Age nor gather Rust. 3. The harder sort of Stones and many Minerals though exposed in the open ayre are very durable much more lying in the earth Stones gather a kind of solder insteed of Rust but pearles and Christall though their clearenesse decay through age are more durable then Mettals Stones on the Northside of Pyramids Churches and other buildings do sooner than on the South-side decay and consume but Iron as appeares by iron bars of windows doth on the South-side sooner than the North-side beginne to rust For in all putrefaction as rust moisture haftens dissolution and Drinesse withering 5. The stocks and bodies of hard Trees being feld and hew'd into timber or framed into wooden workes doe last divers ages yet their bodies differ some being hollow as the Elder-tree outwardly hard but having a soft pith in the middle But of solid trees such as the Oke the inward part called the heart of the Oke is hardest 6. The leaves and stalkes of Plants and Flowers continue not long but doe either dissolve into dust or rot Roots are more durable 7. Bones of living creatures last long as appeares by dead bones lying in Charnell-houses Hornes also are very durable and Teeth as Ivory and Sea-horse teeth 8. Hides also and skinnes endure long as it is evident by ancient Parchment-bookes Paper also will last many ages though not as long as Parchment 9. Glasse and burned Bricks also roasted Flesh and Fruites last longer than raw because the roasting prevents putrefaction and by evacuating and venting the watry humour doth longer preserve the oyly humour 10. Water is soonest devoured and dryed by the Ayre oyle on the contrary doth slowly evaporate which in liquors and mixtures may bee discerned For Paper wetted with water is at first transparent but afterward waxeth white and cleare againe loosing that former transparentnesse the vapour of the water being exhaled but Paper dipped in Oyle is a long while transparent the oyle being not exhaled so that writings by laying on them an oyled Paper and carefully drawing the Letters discerned through the Paper may be counterfeited 11. All Gummes are very durable and also Waxe and Honey 12. Other accidents also as well as their owne Nature doe make bodies endure or decay For Wood and Stones lying continually in the Water or Ayre endure longer than if they were sometimes wet and over-flowed and stones placed in buildings North or South as they lye in the Mynes are more durable and Plantslive longer being removed and transplanted Greater Observations 1. IT is a certaine Position that all Bodies which may bee touched have a spirit with tangible parts covered and 〈◊〉 being the originall cause of dissolution and consumption prevented by detaining of the spirit 2. The spirit is detained either violently when it is thrust together and confin'd or voluntarily the spirits being slack and unactive in motion and the Ayre doth not urge it to vent and issue forth for hardnesse and oylinesse being durable qualities doe binde supple and feed the Spirit and keepe it from the corruption of the Ayre which is in substance like unto Water as Flame to Oyle And so much of the durablenesse and dissolution of inanimate bodies The Historie COld Hearbs with their roots and stalkes doe every yeere spring and dye as Lettice Purslane Wheate and all kind of Corne yet the colder sort of hearbs endure three or foure yeeres as the Violet Strawberry Burnet Primrose and Sorrell but Borage and Buglosse are short liv'd Borage living a yeere Buglosse above a yeere 14. Hot hearbs beare their age and yeeres better as hysop thyme savory marioram balm mint worme-wood germander sage c. Fennell after the 〈◊〉 is dead buddeth forth againe from the roote but pulse and sweet marjoram can better endure age than winter and will live and flourish being set 〈◊〉 a warm place and defenced from cold For a
being a Bird that eateth any kind of meate chews his food changes his Bill and is of a churlish angry disposition and hath black flesh 31. The Peacocke hath a slow pace and white flesh living twenty yeers and being three yeeres old his tayle is with Argus eies speckled and adorned 32. The Cocke is leacherous a couragious fighter and short-liv'd having white flesh 33. The Turky-cocke or Indian Cocke somewhat longer liv'd than the Cocke is a testy angry bird and hath very white flesh 34. The Ring-Dove being an ayery Bird loving to build and sit high is long-liv'd fifty yeeres being her age But Pidgeons and Turtles are short-liv'd their Age being eight yeeres 35. Pheasants and Partridges live sixteene yeeres being great breeders but blacker flesh'd than chickens or Pullets 36. The lascivious loud whistling Black-bird is of all small birds longest liv'd 37. The Sparrow is short-liv'd the Cocke-sparrow shortning his life by wanton lasciviousnesse The Linnet and Finch though no bigger than the sparrow doe live twenty yeeres 38. The Estredges age is uncertaine life not long as by tame Estreges it is observ'd The age of the Bird 〈◊〉 being long-liv'd is unknowne 39. The age of Fishes lesse observ'd because living under the water is more uncertaine than the age of Beasts Some of them breath not their vitall spirits being kept close and cooled by their gills but not so constantly as by breathing 40. The ayre dries not nor decayes their bodies because the water wherein they live encompassing them pierceth into their pores having a greater power than encompassing ayre to shorten their lives 41. They are ravenous devourers of their owne kind having cold blood and soft flesh not so firme as Beasts flesh but fatter an infinite quantity of oyle being made of the fat of 42. Dolphins live thirty yeeres for some whose tayles were cut off thirty yeeres afterward being taken were knowne they grow tenne yeeres 43. It is observable and very strange that Fishes bodies doe grow slender with age their tayle and head retaining their former bignesse 44. In Fish-ponds belonging to the Roman Emperour Lampreys living threescore yeers by long keeping were made tame one of their deaths being therefore by the Orator Crassus lamented 45. The Pike of all fresh-water fish is longest liv'd forty yeeres being his age hee is a ravenous devourer and his flesh in eating is dry and firme 46. The Carpe Breame Tench and Eele live not above tenne yeares 47. Salmons are of a suddaine growth but short liv'd and also Trouts but the Perch groeth slowly and lives longer 48. The age of the Whale Sea-Calfe Sea-hog and other Fishes is unknowne 49. The long-liv'd Crocodile alwayes growing is a devouring cruel creature that layeth Egges and the Water pierces not his skinne beeing scaly and hard The age of other shel-fishes is unknowne Greater Observations COncerning the length and shortnesse of the life of living Creaturer hitherto negligently observed and proceeding from divers causes insteed of certayne Rules hard to find these notes following may be added 1. Birds are longer-liv'd then Beasts as th' Eagle Vulter Pellican Kite Raven Crow Swan Goose Storke Crane Ib is Parret Ringdove c. though they are lesser and in one yeare at their ful growth For Birds are long-liv'd because they are wel clothed with warme Feathers to keepe out cold and doe live in the free open Aire as Mountayners doe or because when they flye they are carryed by the Ayre their Wings this mixt motiō makes thē helthful or because Birds are not pin'd for want of nourishment or thrust in the belly of their old Bird by turnes laying her eggs but especially because Birds partaking more of the Hennes substance than of the Cocks have not such sharpe and hot spirits 2. It is a Position that living creatures begotten by a greater quantity of the Dammes seed as Birds are than of the Sires and lying longer in their Dammes belly partaking more of the Dammes seed than the Sires are therefore longer liv'd And it is observeable that men being in visage and countenance liker their mother than their father doe live longest as those children doe which sound and healthfull men beget on young Wives 3. Living creatures may receive much hurt or good in their first breeding for such as lye not too close together in the belly of the Damme but have sufficient nourishment are long-liv'd as the egges of Birds laid by turnes and the young of Beasts bringing but one at a yeaning have roome enough and nourishment 4. Long bearing in the mothers wombe and the Dammes belly is forthree respects a cause of long life First the of-spring hath more of the mothers or Dammes substance Secondly it becomes a stronger birth Thirdly it better endures the Ayres power Lastly it denotes that Nature intended such a Birth for the Center of a large circumference of many yeeres The short life of Oxen and Sheepe Calves and Lambs lying sixe moneths in their Dams belly before they are calved yeaned proceeds from other causes 5. Grazing Cattle are short-liv'd but Beasts feeding on flesh live longer and Birds which do eate seeds and fruits For halfe the long-lived Harts foode growes as they say above his head and the Goose feeding not onely on Grasse finde some foode in the Water 6. Another cause of long life is warme cloathing and keeping out immoderate heat and cold whereby the Body is much weakned and decay'd as Birds cloathed with warm Feathers are therefore longer liv'd But Sheepe having thicke Fleeces are not longliv'd being subject to many Diseases and feeding onely on grasse 7. The Head is the principall seate of all the Spirits beeing great wasters and consumers of the Body so that the great abundance or sharp inflamatiō of the Spirits shortens Life Therefore Birds having little heads inrespect of their bodies are long liv'd and men having very great heads live not long 8. The best kind of motion for prolonging of Life is to be born and carried as the Swan and other swiming water Fowle are and all Birds flying more painfully with their wings and fish whose Age and long life is unknowne 9. Slow comming to perfection both for Growth and ripenes signifies long life in al creatures for teeth private haire and a Beard are degrees of maturity or ripenesse preceding Manhood 10. Milde meeke ereatures as Sheepe and Doves are not long-liv'd the gall being like a whetstone whereon natures faculties are sharpened and fitted to performe their offices 11. Creatures having white flesh live not so long as those whose blacker flesh shewes that their Bodies moisture is finner and more compact 12. As a great fire is lasting and not soone extinguished and a little water soone evaporates so quantity and bignesse preserve corruptible bodies a twigge withering sooner than the body of a Tree and all great Beasts living longer than lesser Beasts Nourishment and the waies of Nourishing The History 1. NOurishment should bee of an inferiour nature
comming of Christ fulfilled in the new Testament 5. Tobias the Elder lived 158. yeares and the yonger Tobias 127. yeares being mercifull and charitable men Many Iewes that returned from the Captivity of Babylon lived long and could remember the building of both the Temples the latter being builded seaventy years after the other Many Ages afterward when our Saviour was borne Simeon was an old Religious Faithfull man And Anna the Prophetesse lived then to an hundred yeares of Age shee having bin first a Mayde then a married wife seaven yeares a Widdow eighty foure yeares and afterward a Prophetesse of our Saviours Incarnation Shee was a holy Woman that spent her Life in prayer and Fasting 6. The long lives of men mentioned in Heathen Authours are fabulous narrations and deceitfull calculations of ages Those Egyptian Kings that raigned longest lived not above fifty or five and fifty yeares a common moderne age But it is fabulously supposed that the Kings of Arcadia lived to a great age because their Countrey was Mountaynous and both they and their people being for the most part Shepheards kept a temperate Dyet But as Pan was their god so all these Relations are but Pannicke vaine Fables 7. Numa King of the Romans lived to eighty yeares of age beeing a peaceable studious and Religious man Marcus Valerius Corvinus was Consull sixe and forty yeares after his first Consulshippe and lived an hundred yeares being both in Warres and private affaires very powerfull of a popular Disposition and alwayes fortunate 8. Solon the Athenian Law-maker and one of the wise Sages lived above fourescore yeares beeing a Valiant man but popular a lover of his Countrey learned and somewhat voluptuous 〈◊〉 of Creete reached unto 157. yeares of age and lived fifty seven of those yeeres in a Cave Halfe an age afterward 〈◊〉 Calophonius having at twenty yeeres of age left his Countrey after 77 yeeres travaile returned againe and lived in all 102. yeers or longer This man being a traveller had also a wandring minde and for holding many opinions was called 〈◊〉 orthe wanderer instead of Zenophon yet certainely his conceite and fancy was large and infinite 9. Anacreon the wanton voluptuous Poet reached to fourescore yeeres of Age and upwards and Pindar of Thebes a Poet of an high fancy witty in a new way of writing and a religious adorer of the gods lived fourescore yeeres compleate Sophocles the Athenian attained to the same Age an eloquent Tragicall Poet and a great Writer but carelesse of his family 10. Artaxerxes King of 〈◊〉 lived ninety foure yeeres being a man of a dull Wit not laborious nor painefull but affecting ease more than glory Agesilaus was a moderate King and a Philosopher a great Souldier and Polititian but ambitious of honour and aspired to fourescore and foure yeeres of Age. 11. Gorgias Leontinus lived an hundred and eighty yeeres This man was a Rhetorician a publicke Schoole-master and a Traveller and before his death he sayd that Protagoras the Abderite being a Rhetorician a Polititian and as great a traveller as Gorgias lived ninety yeeres Socrates the Athenian multiplying his life reached to ninety nine yeeres of age hee was a modest Rhetorician that would never plead in open Court but kept a private Schoole Democritus of Abdera drew out his time of life to an hundred yeeres being a great naturall Philosopher and a learned Physitian and Practitioner in Experiments so that Aristotle objected against him that his Observations were grounded more on Comparison than Reason being not prooved by Logicke but by Similitude the weakest kind of Argument Diogenes Synopeus allowing others liberty but strict in private government delighting in poore dyet and patience lived ninety yeeres Zeno Citteus lacking but two of an hundred yeeres old was high-minded and a contemner of opinions and had an excellent wit not offensive but rather alluring than cōpelling affection Seneca afterward had the like wit Plato of Athens lived 81 yeers a man affecting quietnesse and high contemplation of a civill handsome behaviour not light but pleasing and majesticall Theophrastus Etesius using a sweet kind of cloquence mingled with plentifull variety gathering onely the sweete Roses of Philosophy not the bitter worme-wood attained to fourscore and five yeeres of age compleat Carneades of Cyrene many yeeres afterward lived untill hee was fourescore and five yeeres old a fluent eloquent man delighting in variety of knowledge which made his conversation pleasing and acceptable But in Cicero's time Orbilius no Philosopher or Rhetorician but a Grammarian lived almost an hundred yeeres being first a Souldier then a Schoolemaster of a proud disposition and a whipping rayling writer even against his own schollers 12. Q. Fabius Maximus having beene sixty three yeeres Augur and more respected for his Nobility than Age was above fourescore yeeres old when he dyed He was a wise man that ripened actions by delaying their execution being all his life-time moderate courteous and grave Masinissa King of Numidia lived above 90. yeeres and being above fourescore and five yeeres old had a sonne This man was valiant and confident in Fortune whose changes his younger yeeres having experienced hee afterward lived in constant happinesse Marcus Porcius Cato lived above 90 yeeres being a man of an iron body and minde of a sharpe speech and contentious addicted also to husbandry and to himselfe and his family a Physitian 13. Terentia Cicero's wife living an hundred and three yeeres suffered many troubles and afflictions by her husbands banishment and putting to death and by the gout Luceia playing the part of a young maid afterward of an old wife upon the stage lived an hundred yeeres Also Galeria Copiola being at first an Actresse was 99 yeeres afterward at the dedication of Pompeyes Theater brought forth as a miracle of Age and afterward was a spectacle in Playes made in Honour of Augustus Caesar 14. Livia Iulia Augusta wife to Augustus Caesar and Mother to Tiberius living but ninety yeeres was a more famous Actresse than the former For Livia being a courteous stately and pragmaticall matron complying with her Husband by dissembling obedience and with her Sonne by majesticall courage was certainely an excellent Actresse in the Comedy of Augustus life whereunto himselfe spoke a commanding Epilogue charging his friends to applaud it after his Death Iunia wife to C. Cassius and sister to M. Brutus being ninety yeeres old and living sixty foure of those yeeres before the Philippicke Battaile was rich and though unfortunate in her Husband and Kindred yet a noble Widdow 15. In Vespasians Reigne Anno 76. in the part of Italie lying betweene the Appenine and the River Po men of an hundred yeeres old and upward were ceassed and put into the Subsedy-booke namely 124. of one hundred yeeres of age 54 an hundred and twenty yeeres old 57 aged one hundred twenty five yeeres 2 aged one hundred twenty five yeeres 4 one hundred and thirty 4 others one hundred and thirty five or seven and 3 that were
my youth I was familiarly acquainted at Poicters in France with an ingenious young Gentleman afterward an eminent man who inveighing against the conditions of Age would usually say that old mens minds being visible would appeare as 〈◊〉 as their Bodies 〈◊〉 afterward comparing the mindes vices in Age to the 〈◊〉 defects saying They 〈◊〉 skinn'd and impudent 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and envious 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Earth not Heaven being their constant Object 〈◊〉 Limbs wavering and unconstant wooked finger'd greedy and covetous knees 〈◊〉 and fearefull 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 But to make a more serious Comparison Youth is shamefac'd and modest Age is hardened Youth is liberall and mercifull Age is hard youth emulates age envies youth is religious and fervently zealous being unexperienced in the miseries of this World age cold in piety and charity through much experience and incredulity youth is forward in defire age 〈◊〉 youth light and inconstant age grave and constant youth is liberall bountifull and loving age covetous and wisely provident youth confident and 〈◊〉 age distrustfull and 〈◊〉 youth gentle and 〈◊〉 age froward and disdainfull youth sincere and simple age cautelous and close youth haughty in desires age carefull for necessaries youth a Time-pleaser Age a Time-rememberer youth an Adorer of Superiors age a Censurer And by many other Characters impertinent to the present matter the different conditions of youth and age may bee described But the body growing fat in age so the Iudgement not the Fancy growes stronger preferring safe sure courses before shows appearances And lastly Age loves to 〈◊〉 and brag and being defirous to doe least is desirous to talke most Poets therefore feigned that old 〈◊〉 was changed into a chirping Grashopper Canons of the Continuation and Forme of Death CANON 1. DIssolution or Corruption 〈◊〉 by transmigration into another Body The Explication THere is no utter destruction Corruption being a dissolution into Ayre or 〈◊〉 into some other body As the Spider Flye and Ant 〈◊〉 tender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falling into Amber 〈◊〉 therein buryed finding therein both a Death and 〈◊〉 preserving them 〈◊〉 from Corruption than a Royall Monument For no Ayre being within there can be no corruption and the 〈◊〉 nature of Amber 〈◊〉 of no Reception from their substance Wood or Roots being put into 〈◊〉 would also remaine 〈◊〉 Waxe Honey and Gumme doe also preserve 〈◊〉 corruption CAN. 2. EVery tangible body hath Spirit covered and encompassed with a thicke body being the cause of consumption and dissolution The Explication NO knowne body on the upper part of the Earth doth want a spirit either by 〈◊〉 and concoction of coelestiall heate or by other meanes for the concavity and hollownesse of bodies admitting no vacuity or emptinesse is fill'd with Ayre or a spirit But this spirit here mentioned is no power efficacy or perfection but onely a 〈◊〉 invisible body yet locall dimensive and reall neither is this spirit Ayre as the juyce 〈◊〉 Grape is not water but a 〈◊〉 body like Ayre yet 〈◊〉 but the thicke parts 〈◊〉 substance being 〈◊〉 slow and almost 〈◊〉 would endure longer 〈◊〉 the working piercing spirit 〈◊〉 not devoure the moysture 〈◊〉 body and all that is 〈◊〉 vertible into a new spirit 〈◊〉 former new made spirits 〈◊〉 by degrees 〈◊〉 together This is evident the decrease of waight in 〈◊〉 bodies by venting of 〈◊〉 not increasing the 〈◊〉 of a body but yet by 〈◊〉 making it grow dry CAN. 3. THE 〈◊〉 of the spiriti is the cause of Drynesse but by inward detaining and warking they doe soften 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicken The Explication THere are foure workings of the Spirit Drynesse Softning Putrefaction and generation of bodies Drynesse is no proper worke of the Spirit but of the thicker parts after the venting of the Spirits shrinking and uniting together to avoide vacuity or emptinesse as burned Bricks doe Sea-coale cakes stale Bread and Toasts Softnesse is 〈◊〉 worke of the Spirits 〈◊〉 by heate whereby the Spirits enlarging not venting 〈◊〉 pierce into and moysten 〈◊〉 thicker parts making 〈◊〉 soft and limber as Fire 〈◊〉 Mettalls and Waxe for 〈◊〉 and other stiffe 〈◊〉 are of a matter fit to 〈◊〉 the Spirits and keep 〈◊〉 from venting 〈◊〉 is a mixt work of the 〈◊〉 thicker parts for after 〈◊〉 spirit contayning and 〈◊〉 the parts of the 〈◊〉 is vented all the parts 〈◊〉 and returne into their 〈◊〉 Elements because by the spirits of substances gathering 〈◊〉 putrefied bodies stink 〈◊〉 the assembling together of 〈◊〉 becōming light 〈◊〉 the withdrawing of water and earth are dissolved and fall asunder But generation or quickning being a mixt worke of the spirit and thicker parts is performed in another manner the spirit being totally detayn'd swelling and moving locally but the thicker parts being not dissolved but following the motion of the spirit blowing and fashioning them into divers Formes are generated and become bodies therefore the matter quickned is alwayes clammy limber plyant and soft be thereby fit to detayne the spirit and to yeeld to the spirits fashioning of parts such being also the clammy yeelding matter of all Vegetables and living Creatures generated of 〈◊〉 or seed CAN. 4. ALL living Creatures have two Spirits dead Spirits 〈◊〉 those in livelesse Creatures 〈◊〉 the living Spirits The Explication NEcessary is the consideration of Mans body as 〈◊〉 and unnourished or 〈◊〉 and nourished the 〈◊〉 shewing the wayes of 〈◊〉 the latter of 〈◊〉 For there are in the 〈◊〉 Bones Skinnes Organs 〈◊〉 the severall limbes of the 〈◊〉 body such spirits as are 〈◊〉 the Flesh Bone and Skinne 〈◊〉 separated and Dead 〈◊〉 in a Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vitall spirits governing and agreeing with them is of a different nature integrall and constant They differ in two respects mortuall dead spirits are not continued but disjoyned and inclosed in a thicker body as Ayrein Snow or Froath But the spirit being continuate passing through certaine Channels and totally inclosed is either pervious passing through small pores or continuate and resident in a proportionable quantity to the Body in a hollow seate or Fountaine whence lesser Rivalets are derived This seate is the Ventricles of the Braine being straite and narrow in the baser sort of living creatures whose spirits being spred through the whole body have no particular 〈◊〉 residence as in 〈◊〉 Eeles and Flyes whose 〈◊〉 being cut asunder will 〈◊〉 afterward And Birds their Heads being pluckt off will leape and flutter because their Heads being small their spirits have therein no 〈◊〉 residence But 〈◊〉 have large Ventricles especially Man And besides the vitall spirit is inflameable being compounded of Flame and Ayre as the moysture of Living creatures is of Oyle and Water the 〈◊〉 giving it motion and 〈◊〉 as inflameable smoak before it blaze into a flame 〈◊〉 hot thinne and moveble being when it is a flame 〈◊〉 substance but the 〈◊〉 of the vitall spirits is more gentle than the flame of the spirit of wine beeing compounded of an aiery substance
softning is not effected by the same meanes but they must be particularly softned and by other wayes than those which belong unto the whole Body which shall be first declared 3. Soften the body with Baths and oyntments and the like according to these following observations 4. Baths and Oyles soften livelesse bodies attracting and sucking in liquors but not living bodies working outward 5. Therefore common mollifiing softning Baths doe rather draw than soften and loosen rather than harden the body 6. The best Baths and Oyntments to soften the body must have these three properties 7. Their substance must be like unto the Bodies substance having an outward nourishing power 8. Secondly that they bee compounded with some piercing drugs infusing the power of other nourishing drugs into the body 9. Thirdly they must have though in a lesser quantity some binding Ingredients being not sharpe or sower but oyly and comfortable that the other Ingredients by the exhaling of the body bee not hinderd in working and making the Body tender but may have by the binding of the skinne and shutting the pores a stronger operation 10. The warme Blood of Man or Beast is most consubstantiall or like in substance to mans body The invention of Ficinus was vaine imagining that strength might in old age bee renewed by sucking Blood out of the arme of a yong man for nourishment should not be equall nor like in substance unto the body nourished but subordinate and 〈◊〉 before digestion Substances like the Body being best for outward applications 11. A Bath of Childrens blood was formerly held a soveraigne cure for the Leprosie and to purifie old corrupted Bodies So that some Kings using these luxurious Baths were envied by the common people 12. Heraclitus to cure his Dropsie crept into the belly of an Oxe newly killed 13. The warme blood of Kitlings doth cure Tettars and Ring-wormes and make new fleshand skinne grow againe 14. To stay the bleeding of an Arme or Limbe cut off or any other wound put the remaining part or the wounded limbe into the belly of an Oxe that hath beene newly opened for the blood of the limbe cut off or wounded sucking and drawing unto it selfe the warme blood of the beast doth stop and run backe 15. Pigeons split asunder and opened are in dangerous desperate sicknesses layd to the Patients soles of the feete the Cures thereby wrought being imputed to their drawing away the malignity of the Disease howsoever their Application doth comfort the Head and animal spirits 16. But besides these bloody Baths and Oyntments there are other Baths more handsome cleanly and effectuall 17. Baths may be made of nourishing substances like unto mans body as Beefe-sewet Hogs grease Deeres sewet Oysters Milke Butter whites of egges wheat-flower sweet wine Sugar and Metheglin 18. With these Ingredients Bay-salt and old Wine may bee mingled to make them penetrate and pierce into the body 19. Binding Ingredients being oyly and comfortable are Saffron Masticke Myrrh and Myrtle-berries and all these Ingredients make an excellent Bath 20. For the powerfull working of this Bath foure Rules are observable 21. First before bathing rub and annoint the Body with Oyle and Salves that the Baths moistning heate and virtue may penetrate into the body and not the liquors watery part Then sit two Houres in the Bath after Bathing wrap the Body in a seare-cloth made of Masticke Myrrh Pomander and Saffron for staying the perspiration or breathing of the pores untill the softning of the body having layne thus in seare-cloth twenty foure houres bee growne solid and hard Lastly with an oyntment of Oyle Salt and Saffron the seare-cloth being taken off annoint the body 22. And some dayes the Bath must be renewed with plasters and oyntments in the aforesaid manner and this way of softning must continue a moneth 23. In bathing a good dyet must be kept and warmth and warm drinks used 24. Fomentations or nourishing of naturall heate by the warmth of living bodies is good Ficinus saith that David was cherished by the Virgin-warmth of a young mayd who being Annoynted after the Persian manner with Myrrh had beene a delightfull reviving fomentation 25. Barbarossa in his old Age by the Jew his Physitian continually apply to his stomacke and sides young Boyes for fomentations And little Dogs being layd to the stomackes of old Folkes have kept them warme in the night-time 26. Some to avoyd Derision have cut off a peece of their long Nose or the crooked bunch thereof and afterward their Nose being thrust into an incision made in their Arme was both healed and grew into a handsomer fashion and forme whereby the consent of Flesh in healing Flesh is declared 28. Prescriptions for softning the particular principall parts as the stomacke lights liver heart braine the marrow of the back-bone the reynes gall stanke veines arteries sinews gristles and bones would bee too tedious to set downe no generall instructions but certaines notes for practice being here delivered How the bodie being purged of old oysture and filled with new moysture may be renewed and made yong 10. The History THese Positions following concerning the principall parts before lightly touched are now againe enlarged 1. Plough-oxen spent with labour being put into new fresh pastures grow fat and faire their flesh proving afterward in eating very young and tender So that flesh may eafily be made tender and by often softning the flesh the bones and skinne may be softned 2. Dyets of Guiacum Sarsa-perilla China and Sassafras being long strictly kept doe first attenuate or make thin then consume or devoure all the moysture of the body for the French pox being growne to gumminesse and being got into the marrow and moysture of the body hath beene thereby cured Some also by such Dyets being made leane and pale have afterward growne fat and fresh-coloured Therefore in the declining of Age such Dyets are good to bee kept once in two yeeres there by to grow young againe as the Snake doth by casting his skinne 3. It is my Opinion though I am no Hereticall Puritane that Purgations often and familiarly used doe lengthen Life more than Exercise or sweating For as annoynting of the Body and stopping the pores and keeping out the ayre and keeping in the spirits doe lengthen Life So by sweatings and outward breathings the good spirits and moysture being not easily repayred are exhaled and consumed with the excrementitious humours and vapours But Purgations of gentle Purgative not griping the belly being taken before Meate to prevent their drying quality doe worke chiefly on the humours These Perscriptions are true and the Remedies approved seeming vulgar but being carefully and diligently tryed were found to bee good and effectuall Experiments For so the effects of wise counsell are admirable and their Order excellent but their meanes of effecting seeme vulgar and common The Doores of Death THE Doores of Death are Accidents going before or following after or comming with Death For Death being not
is of a middle Nature betweene flame beeing a momentary substance and Aire beeing a fixed Substance The Destruction of the Organs of the spirits either by Diseases or violence is another Doore of Death And so much of the Forme of Death 29. Convulsions of the Head and Face with deepe deadly sighing being a kind of Convulsion and the extreame quicke beating of the Pulse the Heart trembling with the pangs of Death and sometimes againe beating weakely and slowly as the heate beginnes to faile and faint are two chiefe Signes of Death 30. The immediate Signes of Death are great unquietnesse tumbling and striving raking with the hands as if gathering lockes of Wooll striving to take hold and holding fast hard shutting of the Teeth ratling in the 〈◊〉 trembling of the under-lip pale countenance confused memory speechlesnesse cold sweats stretching out the Body lifting up the white of the eyes and an alteration of the whole Face the Nose becomming sharp the eyes hollow and the cheekes falling with the Contraction and Convulsion of the Tongue and coldnesse of the lowest parts and sometimes issuing of Blood or seede loud shreeking short breathing the falling of the lower jawes and the like 31. After Death there follows immediately a privation or depriving of the Sense and motion of the Heart Arteries Nerves and Sinewes inability of standing upright stiffenesse of the Nerves and limbs coldnesse putrefaction and stinke 32. Ecles Serpents and Flyes cut in pieces will a great while after moove and stirre Countrey people supposing they would if suffered joyne together againe And the bodies of Birds their heads beeing cut or pluckt off will afterward leape and flutter I remember that I say a Traytor emboweled whose heart beeing cast into the fire leaped five foote high and afterward lower for the space of seaven or eight minutes Also the old tradition of a sacrificed Oxe that in embowelling lowed deserves to 〈◊〉 beleeved thogh it be more 〈◊〉 that a man executed and embowelled after his hart was pluckt out and in the hang mans hand was heard to utter three or foure words of his prayers beeing more likely than the relation of the 〈◊〉 Oxe the friends of the partie executed usually feeing the executioner for a suddayne dispatch out of payne by the quicke performance of his office but the Priests were not feed speedily to dispatch their Sacrifices 33. To rayse and recover to life such as faint and fall into a swond in which fits many without helpe would expire use hot waters bend the Body forwards stoppe the mouth and nostrils hard bend and wring the fingers plucke off hayre from the Beard or head rub and chafe the Body especially the face and outward parts cast cold water suddainly in the face shrecke out aloud hold Rose-water and vinegar to the nostrils burning feathers and woollin cloath for the mother also the smoak of a hot frying pan is good in sounding and keeping the body close and warme 34. That many laid forth coffin'd buried were only in a sound hath bin discovered by digging them up agayne and finding their heads beaten and bruised with striving in the Coffin Of such a living funerall Iohn Scotus that subtle Scholler was a memorable example who by his servant absent at his buriall but acquainted with those 〈◊〉 wherein hee falling was supposed to bee Dead and so buried being digg'd up againe 〈◊〉 found in the aforesayde manner with his head and other limbes beaten and 〈◊〉 A Player also acting Death to the Life in a sound thought to put a ieast upon Death but was buried in earnest at Cambridge as many can well 〈◊〉 who were then 〈◊〉 I remember that a 〈◊〉 desirous to make 〈◊〉 of the paine suffered by prisoners at their execution told me that in hanging 〈◊〉 getting upon a stoole and casting himselfe off from 〈◊〉 hee swung a while about and then thought to recover the stoole but could not without the helpe of his friend then present who asking him what hee suffered He answered that hee felt no payne but first saw a fire or a flame then a kinde of black greene mist and lastly a pale Sea-blew colour usuall visions in sowning Also a Physitian having hang'd a man halfe an houre recovered him to life by rubbing and hot Baths professing also to recover any man after halfe an houres hanging his necke at the first falling downe beeing not broken The Differences of youth and Age. 1. THE Scale or Ladder of Mans life hath these steps 〈◊〉 Quickning in the 〈◊〉 Birth Sucking 〈◊〉 feeding on Pap and Spoon-meat in Infancy 〈◊〉 of teeth at two yeares old secret haire at twelve or foureteene ability for 〈◊〉 flowers hayre on the 〈◊〉 and under the arme-holes a budding Beard full growth full strength and agility Graynesse Baldnesse 〈◊〉 of flowers and of 〈◊〉 ability inclining to 〈◊〉 a creature with three feete Death The periods and courses of the minde as slipperinesse of memory and such like not described by yeeres shall be hereafter mentioned 2. The Differences of Youth and Age are these following In youth the skinne is moyst and smooth in age dry and wrinkled especially about the fore-head and eyes the flesh in youth is tender and soft in age hard youth is strong and nimble age weake and unwealdy in youth good Digestion in age weake the Bowels in youth are soft and moyst in age salt and dry in youth the body is straight in age bowed and crooked the finews in youth are steddy in age weake and trembling cholericke humours in youth and hot blood in age Phlegmatick melancholy humours and cold blood youth prone to Venery age slow in performance the moysture of the Body in youth oyly in age raw and waterish in youth many swelling spirits in age few and weake in youth spirits thicke and lively in age sharpe and thinne in youth sharpe and sound senses in age dull and decaying in youth strong sound Teeth in age weake worne and falling out in youth colour'd haire in age the former colour turnes grey Haire in youth in Age Baldnesse Quicke and strong Pulse in youth in Age weake and flow in Youth sharpe 〈◊〉 Sicknesses and Diseases in Age tedious and incurable Wounds heale soone in youth in age slowly in youth fresh-coloured checkes in Age pale or of a deepe fanguine red Youth not much troubbled with Rheumes Age Rheumaticke the Bodie growes fatter onely in Age than Youth Perspiration and Digestion in Age being bad and fatnesse being the aboundance of nourishment over and above that which is perfectly assimilated and converted into the substance of the Body And the Appetite is sometimes in Age increased by sharpe humours digestion being then weaker this and the rest being by Physitians ascribed to the decay of naturall heate and radicall moysture but drynesse in the 〈◊〉 of Age doth precedo coldnesse and the lusty heat of flourishing Youth declines 〈◊〉 then to coldnesse 3. The affections also of youth and age differ I remember in