knot of hyssop 〈◊〉 usuall ornament of gardens being twice clipped yeerely 〈◊〉 continued forty yeares 15. Bushes and shrubs live three score yeeres and some double 〈◊〉 much A Vine of sixty yeeres old is fruitfull in Age Rosemary well set and planed lives sixty yeeres but Beares-foote and Ivy endure â—bove an hundred yeeres The age of the Respasse is not discerned because the head thereof bending to the earth gets new roots hard to be perceived from the old 16. The oldest great trees are the Oke the Holme wild ashe Elme Beech Chesnue Plane-tree Fig-tree Lote-tree wild Olive Olive Palme and Mulberry some whereof live 800 yeeres and the rest 100. 17. The wood of sweet Rozen trees is more durable than themselves are in age also the Cypresse Maple Pine Box and Juniper live not so long as the former trees but the tall Cedar is as long-liv'd 18. The Ash forward in bearing fruite reacheth to 100 yeeres of age or more and also the Cane Maple and Servis-tree But the Poplar Linden Willow Sycomore and Walnut-tree live not so long 19. The Apple-tree Peare-tree Plumme-tree Pomegranate Orange and Cytron Medler Dog-tree and Cherry-tree being cleared from mosse may live fifty or threescore yeeres 20. Great trees are generally long-liv'd and of a hard substance Mast-trees and Nut-trees live longer than Fruite-trees and Berry-trees And trees whose leaves doe slowly come forth and fall off continue longer than trees more forward in producing Fruite and Leaves also wild Forrest-trees live longer than Orchard trees and sharpe Fruit-trees than sweete Fruite-trees The greater Observation 3. A Ristotle well observed the difference between Plants and living creatures in respect of Nourishment and Repairing namely that the body of living creatures is confined within certaine bounds and comming to a due proportion is continued and preserved by nourishment nothing that is new growing forth except Haire and Nailes accounted excrements whereby the vigour and strength of living creatures must necessarily sooner decay and waxe old but Trees putting forth new boughs branches and leaves those renewed parts being young greene and flourishing doe more strongly and cheerfully attract nourishment than seare dry branches whereby the body through which such nourishment passes to the boughes is with more plentifull nourishment moistened This though not observed by Aristotle nor clearely discussed is evident because woods and Trees by lopping their boughs and branches flourish more and live longer Of Drynesse the preventing of Drynesse and softning of Drynesse The Historie 1. BY Fire and vehement heat some substances are dryed others melted Limus ut hic durescit haec ut cera liquescit Vno eodemg igne As the same fire hardens clay And makes Wax to melt away It dryeth the earth stones wood cloth and skinnes and melteth Mettalls Waxe Gumme Butter Sewet and the like But Fire being vehement at last dryeth up that which it hath melted for a hot Fire maketh metalls except gold by evaporation lighter in weight and more brittle And oyly fat substances are by a hot fire fryed and roasted becomming more dry and hard 3. The open Ayre doth dry but never melt as High-wayes and the face of the earth wet with showers are hereby dryed and also Linnen-cloaths hanged out in the Ayre and Hearbs Leaves and Flowers growing in the shade And the Ayre warmed with the Sunne-beames not disposing it to putrefaction or moved with Windes doth dry much more on an open plaine 4. Age is a great but slow dryer for all naturall bodies not rotting or putrefying are dryed by Age being the measure of time and the effect of the in-bred spirit of bodies sucking out the bodies moysture thereby decaying and of the outward ayre multiplying above the inward spirits and moysture of the body and so destroying them Cold most properly dryeth for Drynesse proceeds from shrinking and gathering together being the proper effect of cold but by the powerfull warmth of Fire abating the weaker cold of Winter Frost and Snow the drynesse of cold is not on men so powerfull but sooner dissipated yet Frost and March winds being dry and cold doe licke up moisture and dry the earth more than the Sun 6. Chimney-smoake is a dryer for Bacon and Neats tongues are hung and dry'd in Chimnies and perfumes of Sweetewood Olybanum drying the braine doe stop Distillations and Catarrhs 7. Salt dries slowly both without and within making salt fish through long salting hard within 8. By the application of some hot gummes and binding waters the skinne is dryed and fill'd with wrinkles 9. The spirit of strong Wine drying like Fire will make the yoalke of an Egge put thereinto become white and bake Bread 10. Powders dry and sucke up moystures like Spunges or as Sand-dust throwne on a Writing dryes the Inke Also the smoothnesse and uniformity of a body not admitting moysture to enter by the Pores accidentally causeth Drynesse by exposing the Body to the Ayre as Iewels Looking-glasses and Sword-blades being breathed on seeme at first to bee covered with a Vapour which vanisheth afterwards like a cloud and so much for drynes 11. In the East parts of Germany Garners are usually made in Cellars under ground wherein Wheate and other Graines are kept in Straw which beeing layd a good thicknesse expels and drinks up the moysture of the Vault Corne is thus kept twenty or thirty yeares from putrefaction and both greene and serviceable to make Bread The like Garners have beene used in divers Countries as in Cappadocea Thrace and also in Spaine 12. On the topps of houses Garners also with Windowes to the East and North may be conveniently placed having a higher and lower Roome and a Scuttle hole in the midst through which the Corn like Sand in an houre glasse continually falling and afterward with shovels throwne backe agayne is kept in continuall motion and preserv'd from putrefaction for by this motion and Wind the watrey humour beeing speedily vented the oylie humour is kept from venting with the watry humor Also on Mountaynes of a pure Ayre dead carkasses do not in many dayes corrupt 13. Fruites as Pomegranates Cytrons Melons Peares and the like and also Flowers as Roses and Lyllies will keepe long in earthen Vessells well stopt although the Ayre their outward enemy le ts in through the Vessell unequall heate and cold Therefore lay the Vessels closely stopt in the earth or in shaded waters as in the Wells or Cisternes of Houses but let Fruits laid thus in water bee put in Glasse-vessells rather than earthen 14. Generally whatsoever is laid under the earth and in Cellars under ground or deepe in waters doth retaine naturall vigour longer than if kept above the earth 15. Apples Chesnuts or Nuts falling into a Snow-cave on the Mountaines or into an artificiall Snow-house and afterward found when the Snow is melted will bee as fresh and faire as if newly gathered 16. Bunches of Grapes in the Countrey kept in meale will taste some what unpleasant but are thereby preserved
and cleerenesse and of the Balsomes and Quintessences of living Creatures which being contayn'd and received in Vessels would give a proud hope of immortality And of the flesh of Serpents and Harts being powerfull to renew Life the one changing his skinne the other his Hornes and the flesh of Eagles because the Eagle changeth his Bill and of one that by annointing himselle all over except the soules of his feete lived 300 yeeres and never felt any other sicknesse but onely a swelling of his feete and of Artesius who perceiving that his spirits grew old attracted the spirit of a lusty young man killing him for that purpose and receiving it into his mouth with the young mans last Breath living many yeeres by his Spirit and of fortunate Houres according to Astronomie wherein medicines to prolong Life should bee gathered and compounded and of the Planets influence powerfull to prolong life and the like superstitious fables and strange delusions by which Reason being besieged hath miserably yeelded up the Fort of beleefe But to these materiall Intentions touching the quicke of the matter though not largely handled much cannot be added some few Admonitions onely concerning them are to be delivered First the Offces and Duties of Life being better than Life the Prescriptions of our Intententions hinder not the Offices and Duties of Life such being rejected or lightly mentioned and not insisted on For no serious Discourse of living in a Denne or hole of a Rocke like Epimenides Cave never befriended with any cheerefull Sun-beame or Day-light or of continuall Baths of prepared Liquors nor of Seare-cloaths keeping the body in a bagge nor of thicke pargetting and painting used by Salvages or of accurate dyets to prolong life formerly kept by 〈◊〉 and in our Age more moderately by Cornarus Venetus nor the like unprofitable idle projects are heere mentioned But our Remedies and Precepts may be used without interrupting and hindering common duties and businesses Secondly it is a vaine conceit to imagine that any Potion or Medicine can stay or renew the course of Nature which great Worke must bee brought about and effected by Application of divers Remedies and being a new project must bee wrought by unusuall meanes Thirdly some following Propositions are not grounded on approoved experiments but on Reason and our former Principles and suppositions are all cut and digged out of the Rock and Myne of Nature And because mans body is in Scripture said to be the Soules upper garment therfore no dangerous but wholesome and profitable Remedies are here propounded Besides it is observable that the same drugs are not good to preserve Health and to lengthen life for some being good to cheere the spirits and make them vigorously and strongly performe their duties doe shorten life others being powerfull to prolong life unlesse prevention bee used doe endanger health therefore some Cautions and Advertisements shall bee inserted leaving the choise of Remedies belonging to the severall Intentions to the Readers discretion For their agreeablenesse to different constitutions of bodies to divers kinds of Life and severall ages and the Order observable in their Application would bee too tedious to declare and unfit to bee published The 3. Intentions propounded in the Topicks of staying consumption perfecting reparation and renewing Age are enlarged into these ten Operations 1. The first Operation is of reviving and renewing the Spirits 2. The second Operation is of excluding or keeping out the Ayre 3. The third of Blood and heate breeding Blood 4. The fourth of the juyce and moysture of the Body 5. The fifth of the Bowels and digestion of nourishment 6. The sixth is of the outward parts attracting nourishment 7. The seaventh is of making Dyet more nourishing 8. The eight is of the last act of Assimilation or converting into the substance of the body 9. The ninth is of making the parts of the body tender after they begin to wither and waxe dry 10. The tenth is of purging out old-moysture and filling the body with fresh new moysture Of these Operations the first foure belong to the first Intention the second foure to the second Intention and the two last to the third Intention And because these Intentions may bee dayly practised therefore under the name of an History Experiments Observations Counsells Remedies Explications of Causes and Reasons are together blended and mingled The Operation on the Spirits to make them continue youthfull and to revive and renew them being decayed The History 1. THat the Spirits worke all effects in the Body is most cleere and evident by divers Experiments 2. And youthfull Spirits convey'd into an old Body would like a great wheele turning about the lesser make Nature move backward and old folks become young 3. In all Consumption by Fire or age the more moisture that the spirit or heate doth devoure the lesse durable is the substance 4. The spirits working temperately should not drinke or devoure but sip the moysture of the body 5. Flames are of two kinds one suddaine and weake working and vanquishing thinne substances as the blazing flame of straw and shavings of wood the other strong and constant invading hard stubborne substances as the flame of great wood 6. Flames suddainly blazing and weake doe dry consume and parch the Body but strong flames dissolve and melt the body making it moist and solt 7. Also some plasters and medicines for swellings drawing out thinne humours doe harden the flesh others by drawing strongly doe soften 8. And some Purgations doe sweepe and fetch away waterish thinne humours others draw downe watery stubborne flymy matter 9. Such spirits as are more powerfull to abate and subject hard stubborne humours than to avoyd thinne and prepared humours will keepe the body lusty and strong 10. The Spirits should bee composed thicke in substance hot and lively not sharpe and burning of sufficient quantity not abounding or swelling and quiet in motion not hoyting or leaping in an unequall unruly manner 11. Vapours worke powerfully on the Spirits as those doe arising from sleepe drunkennesse melancholy and merry passions and from odours and sweet smells recreating the fainting spirits 12. The Spirits are by foure sorts of meanes thickned by flight cooling delight and restraint and first of the thickning by flight 13. Bodies by generall driving and putting to flight are forced into their Center and so thickned 14. The juyce of blacke Poppy and all medicines procuring sleepe doe thicken the spirits by flight 15. Three Graines of Poppy-juyce will make the spirits curdle together and quite extinguish their working 16. The spirits are not put to flight by the coldnesse of Poppy-juyce and the like Drugs being hot but the flight of the spirits doth make them hot and cooling 17. The flight of the spirits from Poppy-juyce is best discerned by the outward application making the spirits withdraw and retire and keepe within untill the mortified part turne to a Gangrine 18. In painefull incisions or cutting for the Stone or cutting
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
moyst and greene also all hard fruits will keepe long in Meale or Saw-dust or in a heape of sound Corne. 17. Fruites in liquors of their kind resembling their flowers will keepe fresh as Grapes in Wine Olives in Oyle c. 18. Pomegranates and Quinces keepe long being lightly dipped into Sea-water or salt water and then in the open Ayre and shade dryed 19. Fruits laid in Wine Oyle Pickle are thereby long kept Honey and the Spirits of wine preserve them longer but especially Quicksilver 20. Fruites covered with Wax Pitch Mortar Past or the like keepe Greene very long 21. Flyes Spiders ' and Ants being accidentally drowned and buried in Amber and the Gums of Trees their soft and tender bodies doe never rot or corrupt 22. Grapes and other Fruits are by hanging up both kept from bruises often received by lying on the ground and are also by the Ayre equally encompassed 23. Observe that Vegetables and Fruites beginne to putrifie and wither on that part by which growing they attracted nourishment therefore Apples or Fruites their stalkes being covered with Waxe or Pitch wil keepe best 24. Great Weekes of Candels doe sooner consume the Suet then lesser weeks the flame of Cotton sooner then that of a Rush or Straw or Wooddentwigs and Iuniper Torches burne out sooner then Firre or Beech Torches A candle blazing in the Winde wastes sooner then burning quietly in a Lanthorne for generally all flames stirred with Winde are most wastfull and devouring Also Lampes in Sepulchers burne very long 25. The nature also and quality of the Nourishment as of the flame maketh candels burne long Waxe being more durable than Sewet and wet Sewet than dry Sewet and hard Waxthan soft Wax 26. Trees the earth about their roots being not every yeere but evere five or ten yeeres opened and the superfluous boughs and branches cut away and pruned will last the longer Also dunging and spreading of Marle about Trees or much watering makes them fruitfull but not durable And so much of preventing Drynesse and Consumption The experiments of softning Drynesse drawne from living creatures and from Man are these which follow 27. Willow-twigs serving usually to binde Trees layd to steepe in water become more flexible Rods are set in Pitchers of water to keepe them from drying and Bowles cleft with drynesse being laid in the water doe close againe 28. Boots growne old hard and stubborne being greased with Sewet before the fire doe wax soft or being onely held before the fire become somewhat softer Bladders and skinnes growne hard are softned with warme water and Sewet or any kind of grease especially by rubbing together 29. Old Trees having stood long without removing if the earth bee opened about their Rootes will beginne to put forth and flourish 30. Old spent Oxen taken from the Plough being put into fresh pastures recover new tender flesh and as sweete as if it were of a Steere 31. A strict spare dyet of Guiacum and bread twice bak'd used for curing the French Disease or old Catarrhs and the Dropsie makes Patients very leane by consuming the moisture of their body which being restor'd againe they become strong and lusty Moreover weakning sicknesses well cur'd doe make many-live the longer afterward Greater Observations 1. MEn like Owles wondrous sharp-sighted in the darknesse of their owne opinions are blinded with the day-light of Experience The elementall quality of drynesse and how drynesse by a natural working doth corrupt and consume bodies is observed but not the beginning proceeding and ending of drynesse and consumption 2. Drynesse and Consumption proceed from three Actions originally caused by the naturall spirit of bodies 3. The 1. Action is the refining of moisture into spirit the 2. the spirits venting the 3. the drawing or closing together of the bodies thicker parts the spirit being gotten out The former are Causes onely of Consumption the last is that drynesse and hardnesse heere chiefly handled The refining of Spirits is cleare and manifest for the spirit inclosed in every tangible body that may bee toucht forgets not to alter and change whatsoever is digestable and convertible in the body and doth multiply it selfe by begetting a new spirit This is most evident in substances which by drynesse being abated in weight are hollow and full of pores and doe yeeld an inward kind of sound for the spirit making things lighter rather than heavier by converting into it selfe the heavy moisture of a body makes it lighter in weight And this is the first Action namely of refining cōverting moisture into spirit 5. The second Action of the spirits venting is also evident For this venting forth of the spirit may be seene in vapours and smelt in decaying odours and sents or if breaking out by degrees as in age is the same but insensibly performed Moreover the spirit in a compact close body finding no pores whereby to vent striving to get out drives and thrusts out the thicker parts of the bodies superficies thereby making mettalls rust and fat substances grow mouldy And this is the second Action of the Spirits venting 6. The third Action obscurer but certaine is the contraction of thicker parts after the spirits getting forth for bodies do then contract take up lesser roome as dry'd Nut-kernels fill not their shells and beames and wooden rafters joyned close at first afterward through drynesse doe chinke and cleave asunder and Bowles chap and gape with drynesse Secondly it is evident by the wrinkles of withered bodies some parts by contraction being loosened others drawne together and wrinkled For wrinkled outsides of bundels of Paper and old Parchments the skinne of living creatures and soft cheese having an outward coate wrinkled with age are smooth within and so Parchment Paper and leaves held before the fire doe wrinkle turne and winde together For Age by slow contracting and drawing together doth cause wrinkles but fire doth hastily contract and fold together and substances uncapable of wrinkles do cōtract and grow hard But when bodies after the spirits are violently vented and moisture consumed cannot unite contract they putrefie into a masse of dust which being lightly touched falls asunder and vanishes into ayre as burnt Paper and Linnen and embalmed carkasses will doe And this is the third action of Contraction of thick parts after the Spirits venting 7. Observe that when fire and heate drying onely accidentally have performed their proper worke of refining and diffusing the spirit and moysture then the parts accidentally contract onely to avoid vacuity and emptinesse or for other reasons 8. Putrefaction and drynesse proceeding from the inward spirit differ in their ingresse and entrance for in putrefaction all the spirit is not vented but a part detayn'd which like a silent fancy works divers changes on the thicker parts not locally contracted and brings them to an uniforme likenesse The length and shortnesse of Life in living creatures COncerning the length and shortnesse of Life in living creatures observations
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
off Limbes juyce of Hemlocke is used to mitigate the paine by putting the spirits to flight and casting the Patient into a swoone 19. The thickning of the spirits by Flight and driving inwards is a good effect of Poppy-juyce proceeding from a bad Cause being the flight of the spirits 20. Poppey was esteemed by the Graecians to bee a great preserver of Health and prolonger of Life the principall ingredient used by the Arabians called Gods hands was Poppey-juyce the bad qualities thereof being allay'd with other mixtures as Treacle Mithridate and the like 21. All Medicines thickning the Spirits as Poppey doth especially and staying and restrayning the Spirits unruly working and raging in pestilentiall Diseases are good to prolong life 22. A good quantity of Poppy-juyce being found by experience to be comfortable is taken by the Turkes to make them valiant but to us unlesse taken in a small quantity and well allay'd it is deadly poyson 23. Poppy-juyce doth also strengthen the spirits and excite to Venery 24. The distilled waters of wilde Poppy is good for Surfeits Feavers and divers Diseases the spirits being therby thickned and strengthened to resist any diseases 25. The Turkes drinke the powder of an hearbe in warme water to increase their valour and sharpnesse of wit but a greater quantity thereof is of a stupe fying power like Poppey 26. The East Indians refresh themselves before and after labour by holding in their mouths or eating a famous Roote called Betell enabling also their acts of Generation being also of a stupefying power because it blacketh the teeth 27. Tobacco in this age growne so common and yeelding such a secret delight and content that being once taken it can hardly be forsaken doth lighten the body and take off wearinesse opening the pores and voyding humours but thickning the spirits being a kind of Henbane and doth like Poppy buzzell and trouble the braine 28. Some humours of the body as those proceeding from melancholy are like Poppey-juyce and doe cause long life 29. Opium Or Poppy-juyce the Leaves and seeds of both kinds of Poppey also Henbane Mandrake Hemlocke Tobacco Nightshade or Banewort have all a drowsie stupefying power 30. Treacle Mithridate Trifer Paracelsus Gumme Syrrop of Poppey Pills of Hounds tongue are compouded drugs of the sale nature 31. These Presecriptions Prolong life by thickning the spirits by coolers 32. In Youth keepe every yeere a coole dyet about May the spirits in Summer being loose and thinne and no cold humours bred and take a Julip of Poppey and other hot ingredients but not too strong every morning between sleep then keepe a spare diet for fourteene dayes afterward forbearing Wine and hot Spices 33. Smoakes and steames being not too purgative to draw forth humours but having a light operation on the spirits of the braine doe coole the spirits as well as coolers therfore a Suffumigation made of Tobacco wood of Aloes dry Rosemary-leaves and a little Myrrh being in the morning received into the Nostrills is very wholesome 34. But the Water of compound Opiate Drugs the vapor rising in distilling and the heare settling downwards is better to bee taken in youth than the drugs for the vertue of distilled water is in their vapour being in other respects weake 35. Some Drugs being like Poppy but not so strong doe yeeld a drowsie cooling vapour and wholesomer than Poppy not shunn'd by the spirits being thereby gathered together and thickned 36. The drugges like unto Poppy and therewith used are Saffron and Saffron flowers the Indian Leafe AmberGrīse Coriander-seed prepa red Amomum Pseudamomum Rhodianwood water of Orange Blossomes and an infusion of the flowers steeped in Oyle Olive and a Nutmeg dissolved in Rose-water 37. Vse Poppy sparingly at set times but these other Drugs being commonly taken and in dayly dyet are very soveraigne to prolong life Pharmacopaeus in Calecut by using Amber lived to one hundred and sixty yeeres of Age and the Nobility of Barbary by using the same drugge are longer liv'd than the common people And our long-liv'd Ancestors used Saffron very-much in their Cakes and Broths So much of thickning the spirits by Poppy and Other drugges 38. The second way and meanes to thicken the spirits is by cold for cold doth properly thicken and by a safer operation and working than the malignant qualities of Poppey though not so powerfully yet because coolers may be familiarly used in dayly dyet they are better to prolong Life than drowsie Potions or Drugs 39. The spirits are cooled by breathing by vapours or by dyet the first way being best but difficult the second good and easie the third weakeand tedious 40. The cleare pure Ayre which may be taken on the dry tops of mountaines and in open shady fields is good to thicken the spirits 41. Also vapours doe coole and thicken and Nitre hath in this kind a speciall operation grounded on these Reasons 42. Nitre is a kind of cold Spice being so cold that it biteth the tongue as hot Spices doe 43. The spirits of all Drugges Naturally not Accidentally cold are few and weake spirituall Drugges being on the contrary hot Nitre onely having aboundance of spirits is of a vegetable nature and cold For Camphire is spirituall and cold in operation by accident and the thinne quality thereof being without sharpnesse doth lengthen the breath in inflammations 44. Also Nitre mingled with Snow and Ice and put about vessels doth congeale and freeze the liquor within and common Bay-salt doth make Snow colder and more apt to freeze But in hot Countries where no Snow falls Niter is onely used 45. 〈◊〉 and Souldiers to make them valiant doe drinke Gunne-powder before they fight or joyne Battaile as the Turkes doe Poppy 46. Nitre doth allay the destroying he are of burning 〈◊〉 and Pestentiall 〈◊〉 47. The Nitre in Gun-powder shunning the flame when a Peece is fired doth make the crake and report 48. Nitre is the spirit of the earth for any pure earth covered or shaded from the Sun-beames so that nothing doe spring or grow thence will gather store of Nitre the spirit of Nitre being inferiour to the spirit of living creatures and of Vegetables and Plants 49. Cattell drinking of water wherein there is Nitre doe grow fat being a signe that the Nitre is cold 50. Land and Grounds are made ranke and mellow by the fatning quality of the spirit of Nitre which is in dung 51. Therefore the spirit of Nitre will coole thicken and refresh the spirits and abate their heate For as strong Wine and Spices doe enflame the spirits and shorten life so Nitre composing and restrayning the spirits doth lengthen life 52. Nitre may bee used with meate and eaten with Salt to the proportion of a tenth part and put in morning Broaths from three Graines to ten or in drinke and being used in any manner moderately it Prolongs Life 53. As other Drugges besides Poppy being weaker and safer to bee taken in greater quantity and oftner doe
condensate and thicken the spirits by flight so Drugs of an inferiour nature and operation to Nitre doe also coole and thicken the spirits 54. All Drugges inferiour to Niter smell earthly like good pure earth newly turn'd up and digg'd the chiefe whereof are Burrage Buglosse Burnet Strawberry-leaves and strawberries Cowcumbers and fragrant Apples Vine-leaves and Buds and Violets 55. Next to these are Drugges of a hot smell but cooling as Balme Citrons and Lemmons greene Oranges Rose-water roasted Peares Damask and Red Roses and Muske-Roses 56. These Fruits inferiour to Nitre for thickning the spirits should bee used raw not roasted their cooling spirits being by fire dispersed therefore to infuse or squeeze them into Drink or to eate or smell to them raw is best 57. The spirits are thickned also by the odour and smell of other Drugges inferiour to Poppey and Nitre For the smell of pure fresh earth comming from following a Plough or digging or weeding and the smel of leaves fallen from trees in Woods or Hedge-rowes at the beginning of Autumne is good to coole the spirits and especially wither'd Strawberry leaves also the smel of Violets of the flowers of Pellitory of the Wall of Blackberries and Madre-selve is cooling 58. A Noble man of my acquaintance who lived to bee very old did usually after sleepe smell to a clod of fresh earth 59. Also Endive Succory Liverwort Purflaine c. doe by cooling the blood coole also the spirits though not so soone as vapours and smells So much of thickning the spirits by Flight The third kind of thickning is by Delight the fourth by the restraint of their cheorefulnesse joyfulnesse and too violent motions 60. The spirits are mitigated and thickned by such acceptable pleasing Objects as doe not draw them forth but afford them inward delight whereby being collected into their Center they enjoy themselves and therein finde a sweete content 61. The former Positions of drugges inferior to Opium and Nitre being here remembred further inquiry of thickning the spirits by cooling will bee needelesse 62. The restraint of the violent affections and motions of the spirits shall bee hereafter declared now the thickning of the spirits having beene shewed the qualification and temper of their heate follows 63. The spirits should not bee hot and sharpe but strong and lusty to conquer and subdue resisting matter not to attenuate expell thin humors Spices Wine and strong drinke must be temperately used and after Abstinence hath refreshed the appetite and also Savory Margerum Penny-royall and all heaters that bite on the tongue must bee seldome used The heate by them infused into the Spirits being not operative but a devouring heate 65. These Hearbs strengthen the heate of the Spirits Endive Garlicke Blessed-Thistle young Cresses Germander Angelico Wormseed Vervin Set-well Myrthe Pepperwort Elder-budds and Parsley and being used in Sawces and Medicines are hot in operation 66. Also of cooling Drugges compounded with Euphorbium Bastard Pellitory Stavesacres Dragon-wort Anacardium Oyle of Beaversstone Hart-wort Opoponax Gumme of Agasillis and Galbanum and the like to allay the drowsie stupefying power of Poppey a very good Medicine to strengthen the spirits and make them hot and lusty may bee made like Treacle and Mithridate being not sharpe nor biting on the tongue but bitter and of a strong sent yet hot in the stomacke and in working or in their Operations 67. The desire of Venery often stirred up and excited but seldome satisfied in Act doth strengthen the heate of the spirits and so doe some of the affections So much of the heare of the spirits being a cause of long life 68. The spirits should not abound but be few and moderate for a small flame devoures not so much as a greater 69. A sparing Pythagoricall dyet such as Monks and Hermits under the Order of St. Necessity and St. Poverty used is good to prolong life 70. Also drinking of water hard lodging cold spare Dyet of Sallets Fruits and powderd flesh and sale Fish without any fresh warme meate a haire-shirt fasting watching abstinence from sensuall pleasures doe abate and diminish the spirits which being reduc'd to a quantity sufficient to maintaine life doe make lesser wast on the body 71. But a higher Dyet somewhat above those rigorous moderate Dyets being kept man equall constant manner hath the same operation For a great constant quiet flame consumes not so much as a lesser which blazeth and is somtimes bigger sometimes lesser and Cornarus Venetus keeping such a constant Dyet and drinking and eating so many yeeres by just proportion and weight lived in perfect health untill hee was an hundred yeeres of age 72. Also to avoyd inflammation of the spirits a full-sed body not mortified by strict dyets must use seasonable Venery lest the spirits swelling too much doe soften and destroy the body so much of the moderate plenty of spirits 73. The restraynt of the spirits motion is next considerable for motion doth make the spirits hot There be three Restrayners of the spirits Sleepe avoyding of violent labour exercise and wearinesse and the governing and moderating of troublesome affections And first of Sleepe 74. Epimenides slept many yeeres in a Cave without any food because the spirits in sleepe devoure not much radicall moysture 75. Also Dormice and Bats doe sleepe in holes all the Winter sleep restrayning the consrming power of their vitall spirits so Bees wanting Honey and Butter-flies and Flesh-flyes do live by sleep 76. Sleepe after Dinner the first Vapours of meate like a Dew ascending then into the head is good for the Spirits but unwholesome for the body And sleepe is as nourishing as meate for old folkes who should often take light Refections and short naps and beeing growne extreame olde should live in continuall ease and Rest especially in Winter 77. Thus moderate sleepe being sound and quiet doth prolong Life 78. To make one sleepe soundly and quietly Violets are good sod Lettuce Syrrup of Roses Saffron Balme Apples eaten before going to Bed a sop dipt in Malmsey wherein a Muske-Rose hath beene steeped or a Pill or Potion made of these Ingredients Also all binding Drugges as Coriander-seed prepared and roasted Quinces and Peares doe cause sound and quiet sleepe But a good draught of cleere cold Water is best to make young folkes having strong stomacks sleepe soundly Voluntary Extasies and fixed profound Meditations joyned with a quiet minde doe thicken the spirits more than sleepe making them rest from outward operations as sleepe doth So much of sleep 79. Violent wearisome exercises and motions as Running Tennis Fencing are not good nor strayning of strength to the uttermost as Leaping and wrestling for the spirits by such violent nimble motions and straining of the strength being droven into a narrow roome doe become more sharpe and praedatory or devouring but Dancing Shooting Riding Bowling and such moderate Exercises are very healthfull Some of the affections and passions of the minde doe shorten the life of man and some