Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	world_n	worthy_a	year_n	175	3	4.3148	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05367	Hygiasticon: Or, The right course of preserving life and health unto extream old age together with soundnesse and integritie of the senses, judgement, and memorie. Written in Latine by Leonardus Lessius, and now done into English.; Hygiasticon. English	Lessius, Leonardus, 1554-1623.; Cornaro, Luigi, 1475-1566. Discorsi della vita sobria. English.; Herbert, George, 1593-1633.; Ferrar, Nicholas, 1592-1637, attributed name.; Sheppard, Thomas, attributed name.; Landi, Ortensio, ca. 1512-ca. 1553. Esser miglior la vita parca della splendida & sontuosa. English.	1634 (1634)	STC 15520; ESTC S113348	68,762	319

according to the ordinarie usage of the world and give in every thing satisfaction to their sensualitie appetite Whereby it comes to passe that all their other care and diligence touching these physicall precepts and observations comes in the end to little or nothing at all for matter of benefit Hereupon most men bidding adieu to Physicians counsels injuctions leave all to nature and successe They hold it according to the the common Proverb A miserable life to live after the Physicians prescript a great part of unhappinesse to be limited in a mans diet so that he may not eat freely and to the full of what he hath a minde unto To be kept continually as it were in aw so that he dare not content his appetite nor give satisfaction to his bellie they fancie to themselves to be the most wretched condition of life that may be Upon this ground they fall on eating twice or thrice a day without stint or restraint in measure or qualitie of food but as their appetites leade them on Having thus filled their bodies they instantly apply themselves some good space to their businesse exercising their mindes and all the faculties thereof in the consideration pursuit of weightie and important matters Nor can they ever be perswaded to purge at fitting seasons or before the disease oppresse them imagining all to be well with them as long as they feel nothing plainly to the contrarie Hereupon it comes to passe that their bodies in tract of time grow replenished with crude and ill humours which are not onely increased by continuance but become putrified and of a malignant temper so that upon every light occasion either of heat or cold or weather or windes or extraordinarie labour or any other inconvenience or excesse they are inflamed and break out into mortall sicknesses and diseases 2. I my self have observed many excellent men on this ground onely snatched away by death in the prime of their age who undoubtedly had they used the right course of preserving their health might have many yeares prolonged their lives and by their learning worthy deeds have notably benefited the world and thereby it may be added to their own glorie in heaven There are questionlesse likewise a great many of all kindes of persons both of those that enter into religious Orders of those that live at large in the world who through ignorance of this matter enjoy little health and through the want thereof remain much hindered in their studies and in the performance of those offices and functions of the minde which they most desire and are bound to do 3. Having therefore of a long time and in sundry places taken this matter into diligent consideration I thought with my self that it would prove a work of no small benefit to give notice to the world of that way and means for preservation of health whereby I my self have for many yeares past been kept not onely found in bodie but expedite to all operations and exercises of the minde although I have all this space laboured under many corporall inconveniences and before I entered into this course was so farre gone as by the judgement of very skilfull Physicians I was not like to have lived above two yeares at the most The same good effects that it wrought in me have divers of our Societie and sundry others abroad made happy proof of maintaining themselves in constant health and cheerfulnesse by this means being indeed the very self same which was of old practised by Holy men sage Philosophers And it consists chiefly in a right ordering of the diet and in a certain Moderation of our meat and drink such a moderation I mean as is no way troublesome nor breeding weaknesse or distemper but on the contrarie very easie to be undergone and such as brings strength and vigour both in Minde and Bodie Being very intent on these matters there was brought unto me by a noble person a little Treatise concerning the benefits of a Sober Life written in Italian by Lodowick Cornaro a noble Gentleman of Venice of great understanding Honourable Rich in estate and a married man In which book this course is marvellously commended to all men and confirmed by much certain experience I was much taken with the reading thereof held it very well worth the translating into Latine to make it common to all men and to annex it to this explicative Treatise of mine own 4. I would not have any man to think strange of the matter that I being a prosessed Divine should take upon me to write of this subject For besides that I have long ago made some good progresse in the Theorie of Physick this matter is no way discrepant to the profession of a Divine in regard that it is the divine vertue of Temperance which is chiefly in question to wit Wherein it consists what is the right way to attain it and what may be the true measure of its object how this measure may be found and lastly what benefits will arise thereby The search then and consideration of this businesse is not altogether Physicall but in great part appertains to Divinitie and morall Philosophie And over and above the end and scope which I aim at herein is indeed most befitting a Divine For that which I principally intend is to furnish religious persons and those who give themselves to pietie with such a way and manner of living as they may with more ease cheerfulnesse and servencie apply themselves to the faithfull service of the Great God and our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. For verily it is scarce to be beleeved with how great alacritie and with what abundance of inward consolations those men who addict themselves to sobrietie may if so be they have any reasonable understanding in divine mysteries attend Divine Service and the hearing of Gods Word their private devotions and meditations and in summe all manner of spirituall exercises And this indeed was my principall aim in the writing of this Tractate this my chiefest wish and desire As for the benefit and help that it affords to Students of good learning and to all those whose employments consist in affairs and businesses appertaining to the minde and understanding I say nothing at present purposing hereafter to speake more at large thereof Whether you take the matter therefore or the end this Treatise can no way misbeseem a Divine And so good Reader thou hast an account of my reasons in undertaking this businesse CHAP. II. What is meant by a Sober life and what is the fit measure of meat and drink TO come then to the thing it self I will first set down What we mean by a sober life Secondly By what way and means we may come to a determination of the just measure that is to be observed in our life and diet And thirdly What the commodities and benefits thereof be 5. Touching the first point then We call that a Sober

in the end to die without pain 35. The fourth Commoditie is That it brings not onely health but long life to the followers thereof and leads them on to extreme old Age so that when they are to passe out of this world their departure is without any great pain or grief inasmuch as they die by a meere resolution Both these things are manifest in Reason and in Experience For as for old Age it is evident That Holy men in the Deserts and Monasteries of old lived very long albeit they led most strict lives and almost utterly destitute of all bodily conveniencies which thing ought chiefly to be attributed to their sober Diet. So Paul the first Hermite prolonged his life to almost 115. yeares of which he lived about 100. in the desert maintaining himself the first fourtie of them with a few Dates and a draught of water and the remainder with half a loaf of bread which a Raven dayly brought him as S. Hierom writes in his Life S. Anthonie lived 105. yeares whereof 90. he spent in the desert sustaining his bodie with bread and water onely saving that at the very last he added a few herbs as Athanasius testifieth Paphnutius exceeded 90. yeares eating bread onely as is gathered out of Cassian Collat. 3. chap. 1. S. Hilarion although he was of a weak nature alwayes intent upon divine affairs yet lived 84. yeares whereof he passed almost 70. in the desert with wonderfull abstinence and rigour in his diet other ordering of his bodie as S. Hierom writes Iames the Hermite a Persian born lived partly in the desert and partly in a Monasterie 104. yeares upon a most spare diet as Theodorets Religious Historie in Iulian makes mention And Iulian himself surnamed Saba that is to say Old man refreshed himself onely once a week contenting himself with barley-bread salt water as Theodoret in the same place recounts Macarius whose Homilies are extant passed about 90. yeares whereof he spent threescore in the desert in continuall fastings Arsenius the master of the Emperour Arcadius lived 120. yeares that is 65. in the world and the other 55. in the desert with admirable abstinence Simeon Stylites lived 109. yeares whereof he passed 81. in a Turret and ten in a Monasterie But this mans abstinence and labours seem to exceed humane nature Romualdus an Italian lived 120. yeares whereof he spent a whole hundred in Religion with exceeding abstinence most strict courses Vdalricus the Paduan Bishop a man of wonderfull abstinence lived 105. yeares as Paul Bernriedensis witnesseth in the Life of Gregorie the VII which our Gretzer brought to light some few yeares ago Francis of Pole lived till he was above 90. yeares old using marvellous abstinence for he made but one repast a day after sun-set and that of bread and water very seldome using any of those kindes of food which belong to Lent S. Martin lived 86. yeares S. Epiphanius almost 115. S. Hierom about 100. S. Augustine 76. S. Remigius 74. in his Bishoprick Venerable Bede lived from 7. yeares old till he was 92. in a Religious Order It would be too long to recount all the Examples that might be brought out of Histories and the lives of the Saints to the confirmation of this matter I omit very many in our times who by means of a sober course of Life Diet have extended their lives with health untill 80. 90. 95. yeares space or upwards There are also Monasteries of women in which upon a most spare diet they live to 80. or 90. yeares so that those of 60. and 70. yeares old are scarce accounted amongst the Aged 36. Nor can it be well sayd That these whom we have recounted lived to so great ages by the supernaturall gift of God and not by the power of Nature Inasmuch as this long life was not the reward of some few but of very many and almost of all those who followed that precise course of Sobrietie and were not cut off by some outward chance or violence Wherefore S. Ioh● the Evangelist who alone amongst the Apostles escaped violent death lived 68. yeares after the Ascension of our Lord so that it is very probable he arrived to the age of a hundred yeares And S. Simeon was 120. yeares old when he was martyred S. Dennis the Arcopagite lived till he was above an hundred yeares old S. Iames the younger saw 96. having continually attended prayer and fasting and alwayes abstained from flesh and wine 37. Besides this Priviledge belongs not onely to Saints but also to others For the Brachmans amongst the Indians live exceeding long by reason of their spare di●t And amongst the Turks the Religious professours of their Mahometicall superstition who are very much given to abstinence and austeritie Iosephus in his 2. book of the warres of the Jews chap. 7. writes That the Essenes were m●n of long lives so that many of them lived till they were a hundred yeares old through the simplicitie of the diet which they used and their well-ordered course of living for there was nothing but bread some one kinde of gruell or pappe set before them at their meals Democritus and Hippocrates prolonged their lives to 105 yeares Plato passed 80. Last of all when the Scripture saith in Ecclus. 37. 30. He that is temperate addes to his life it speaks generally of all those that follow abstinence and not of Saints onely Neverthelesse I gran● indeed That wicked men in particular Homicides and Blasphemers do not for the most part live long albeit they be temperate in their diets for the divine vengeance persecuteth them And yet these commonly do not die by sicknesses bred through corruption of inward humours but by some outward violence used towards them And in like manner they who are studiously addicted to Lust cannot be long-lived seeing that there is nothing which doth so much exhaust the spirits and the best juice in the bodie as Lust doth nor which more weakens and overthrows Nature 38. But some will say There are many in the world who come to extreme old age who never keep this sober Diet that you speak of but when occasion serves give the reins to Gluttonie as you call it stuffing themselves almost every day with meat and drink to the full To which I make answer That these are but rare and must needs be of a rare strength and temper For the greatest number of Devourers and Gluttons do die before their time Now if these strong and irregular Eaters would observe a convenient moderation they would questionlesse live much longer and in better health and effect farre greater matters by their wit and learning For it cannot be but that they who live not frugally should be full of ill humours and oft times vexed with diseases Nor can they without great prejudice to their healths much or long intend hard and difficult businesses appertaining to the minde both in regard that the whole

Sometimes I ride to some of the neighbour-cities that I may enjoy the right communication of my friends as also of excellent Artificers in Architecture painting stone●utting musick and husbandrie whereof in this age there is great plentie I view their pieces I compare them with those of Antiquitie And ever I learn somewhat which is worthy of my knowledge I survey palaces gardens and antiquities publick fabricks temples and fortifications neither omit I any thing that may either teach or delight me I am much pleased also in my travells with the beauty of situation Neither is this my pleasure made lesse by the decaying dulnesse of my senses which are all in their perfect vigour but especially my Taste so that any simple fare is more savourie to me now then heretofore when I was given to disorder and all the delights that could be To change my bed troubles me not I sleep well and quietly any where and my dreams are fair and pleasant But this chieflly delights me that my advice hath taken effect in the reducing of many rude and untoiled places in my countrey to constivation and good husbandrie I was one of those that was 〈◊〉 for the managing of that work and abode in those fenny places two whole moneths in the heat of summer which in Italie is very great receiving not any hurt or inconvenience thereby So great is the power and efficacie of that Temperance which ever accompanied me These are the delights and solaces of my old age which is altogether to be preferred before others youth Because that by Temperance and the Grace of God I feel not those perturbations of bodie and minde wherewith infinite both young and old are afflicted Moreover by this also in what estate I am may be discovered because at these yeares viz 83 I have made a most pleasant comedie full of honest wit and merriment which kinde of Poems useth to be the childe of Youth which it most suits withall for variety and pleasantnesse as a Tragedie with old Age by reason of the sad events which it contains And if a Greek Poet of old was praised that at the age of 73 yeares he writ a Tragedie why should I be accounted lesse happie or lesse my self who being ten yeares older have made a Comedie Now lest there should be any delight wanting to my old age I daily behold a kinde of immortalitie in the succession of my posteritie For when I come home I finde eleven g●and-children of mine all the sonnes of one father and mother all in perfect health all as farre as I can conjecture very apt and well given both for learning and behaviour I am delighted with their musick and fashion and I my self also sing often because I have now a clearer voice then ever I had in my life By which it is evident That the life which I live at this age is not a dead dumpish and sowre life but cheerfull lively and pleasant Neither if I had my wish would I change age and constitution with them who follow their youthfull appetites although they be of a most strong temper Because such are daily exposed to a thousand dangers and deaths as daily experience sheweth and I also whe● I was a young man too well found I know how inconsiderate that age is and though subject to death yet continually afraid of it For death to all young men is a terrible thing as also to those that live in sinne and follow their appetites whereas I by the experience of so many yeares have learned to give way to Reason whence it seems to me not onely a shamefull thing to fear that which cannot be avoided but also I hope when I shall come to that point I shall finde no little comfort in the favour of Jesus Christ. Yet I am sure that my end is farre from me for I know that setting casualties aside I shall not die but by a pure resolution because that by the regularitie of my life I have shut out death all other wayes And that is a fair and desirable death which Nature brings by way of resolution Since therefore a temperate life is so happie and pleasant a thing what remains but that I should wish all who have the care of themselves to embrace it with open arms Many things more might be said in commendation hereof but lest in any thing I forsake that Temperance which I have found so good I here make an end A DISCOURSE TRANSLATED OUT OF ITALIAN That a Spare Diet is better then a Splendid and Sumptuous A PARADOX IVerily beleeve however I have titled this opinion yet it will by no means be allowed for a Paradox by a number of those whose judgement ought to bear the greatest sway And to speak freely it would seem to me very uncouth that any man that makes profession of more understanding then a beast should open his mouth to the contrary or make any scruple at all of readily sub scribing to the truth and evidence of this Position That a frugall and simple Diet is much better then a full and daintie Tell me you that seem to demurre on the businesse whether a sober and austere diet serves not without further help to chase away that wracking humour of the Gout which by all other helps that can be used scarce receives any mitigation at all but do what can be done lies ●ormenting the bodie till it have spent it self Tell me whether this holy Medicine serve not to the driving a way of Head-ach to the cure of Dizzinesse to the stopping of Rheums to the stay of Fluxes to the getting away of loathsome Itches to the freedome from dishonest Belchings to the prevention of Agues and in a word to the clearing and draining of all ill Humours whatsoever in the bodie Nor do the benefits thereof stay onely in the Bodie but ascend likewise to the perfecting of the Soul it self for how manifest is it That through a sober and strict diet the Minde and all the faculties thereof become waking quick and cheerfull How is the Wit sharpened the Understanding solidated the Affections tempered and in a word the whole soul and spirit of a man freed from encumbrances and made apt and expedite for the apprehension of wisdome and the embracement of vertue The Ancient Sages were I am sure of this opinion and Plato in particular made notable remonstrance of it when upon his coming into S●cilic from Athens he did so bitterly condemne the Syracusian Tables which being furnished with precious and daintie cates provoking sauces and rich wines sent away their guests twice a day full of good cheare But what wouldst thou have said Oh Plato if thou hadst perhaps light upon such as we Christians now adayes are amongst whom he that eats but two good meals a day as we term them boasts himself and is applauded by others for a person of great Temperance and singular good diet Undoubtedly our extravagancie in this matter having added P●ologues