so long as the Orcades nor the Affricans as the inhabitants of the Carnaries and Terceras though under the same paralell and the 〈◊〉 though earnestly desiring and affecting Long Life are not so long liv'd as the Chinois the Sea Ayre yeelding a cheerishing warmth in colde Countryes and a refreshing coole Breez in hot Countries 26. High Grounds except the tops of Mountaines doeproduce longer liv'd people than low flat Levells and in high Countries as in Arcadia and Greece and part of AEtolia the inhabitants live to a great age as the inhabitants of Mountaines would doe if their pure cleere ayre were not accidentally corrupted with Vapours which rising from the Vallies do settle and rest on the Hils Therefore on snowy Mountaynes on the 〈◊〉 the Pyrenean Mountaines and the Appenine the inhabitants live not so long as those Dwelling on midling Hills or Vallies but on the ridges of Mountaines towards Ethiop and the Abyssines covered with Snow but with no hovering Vapors the people live and arrive to an hundred and fifty yeare of age 27. The ayre of Marches and Fens lying flat and low agrees wel enough with the Natives but to strangers is unhealthful shortning their lives And Marshes or other Fenneyplaces that are over-flowed with Salt tides are unwholsomer than those overflowed with fresh land water 28. The particular Countryes wherein the people live unto agreat Age are these Arcadia AEtolia Indye on this side Ganges Brasil Taprobana Brittaine Ireland and the Ilands of Orcades and Hebrides but not Ethiopia as some of the Auncients supposed 29. The ayres perfect wholesomnesse is a secret quality rather found out by experience than reason For if a peece of Wooll laid some certaine dayes in the open ayre doe not Grow heavier in Weight it is an experiment that the Ayre is Good also if a peece of flesh layd in the same manner remaine unputrified or if a Perspective Glasse doe present the object in neere distance the ayre is thereby approoved wholesome 30. A wholesome and healthfull ayre must bee Good Pure and Equall Hils and Vallies with a kinde of changeable variety make a pleasant prospect but are not so healthfull as the moderately dry plaine notbarren or sandy but woodded with shady Trees 31. It is bad Dwelling in a different changeable ayre but change of ayre in Travayle by use and custome becomes healthfull making Travailers long-liv'd And Cottagers dwelling continually in one place live to a great Age the Spirits beeing consumed lesse by an accustomed ayre but nourished and repayred more by change of ayre 32. The Life of man as was sayd is not lengthned or shortned by succession of ages but the immediate condition of the Parents both the Father and Mother is to bee Regarded As whether the Father were an old man young or middle aged healthfull and sound or sickly and diseased a Glutton or a Drunkard or whether Children were begotten after sleepe in the morning after long forbearance of Venery in the heate of Love as Bastards or in colder blood as in continuance of Marriage The same circumstances are also on the Mothers side considerable and also the conditions of the mother being with child as whether shee were healthfull and what dyet she kept Certaine rules for judging of Childrens long life by their begetting and Birth are hard to bee given matters falling out contrary to likelyhood for Children begotten with a lively courage prove strong but through their spirits sharpe inflammation are not long-liv'd Also children conceaved of a greater or equall quantity of the Mothers seed and begotten in lawfull Wedlock not in Fornication and in the morning their Parents being not too lusty and wanton doe live long For it is observable that stout strong Parents especially Mothers have not strong children Therefore Plato ignorantly imagined that because Women used not exercise as men did therefore children were not strong whereas unequall strength is most powerfull in the act of generation a strong man and a weake woman having strongest children so young Women are the best breeders and young Nurses are best For the Spartan women marrying not untill two or five and twenty yeeres of age called therefore man-like Women had no luster long-liv'd children than the Roman Athenian or Theban Women counting themselves at twelue or foureteene yeares old marriageable Therefore spare Dyet made the Spartan Women excellent Breeders not late marriage But experience shewes that some Families are long-liv'd long life and diseases beeing hereditary to all of the same stocke and Parentage 34. A blacke or red haire and Complexion with freckles are signes of longer life than a white haire and Complexion And a fresh red colour in yong Folkes is better than a pale a hard skin being not a thick spongy Goose skin but close grain'd is a better signe of long life than a smooth skinne And great wrinkles in the forehead are better signes than a smooth fore-head 34. Haire hard like bristles is a better signe of long life than dainty soft locks and hard thicke curled Haire is better than soft and shining 35. Baldnesse comming sooner or later is an indifferent signe many being soone bald yet long-liv'd and gray haires accounted signes of old Age comming betimes without baldnesse are signes of long life with baldnesse betokening the contrary 36. The hairinesse of the lower parts as the thighes and legges is a signe of long life but not of the breast or upper parts 37. Men of a tall stature proper bigge strong and active are long-liv'd but a low stature and slow disposition are contrary signes 38. In regard of proportion short wastes and long legges betoken longer life than long wasts and short legges And a bigge proportion downwards and slender upwards is a signe of longer life than broad shoulders and slender making downwards 39. Leane folkes of a quiet peaceable disposition and fat folkes of a cholericke stirring nature are commonly long-liv'd Fatnesse in youth is a signe of short life but not in age 40. Long growth eyther to a great or lesser stature is a signe of long life but suddaine growth either to a lowe or high stature is a bad signe 41. Firme flesh full of muscles and sinews buttocks not too bigge and high swelling veines doe signifie long life the contrary are signes of short life 42. A small Head proportionable to the body a middle-siz'd necke not long slender thicke or short shrinking within the shoulders large nostrils a wide mouth eares grisly not fleshy and strong close even teeth doe signifie long life and especially breeding of new Teeth 43. A broad breast bending inwards crooked shoulders a flat belly a broad hand with few lines in the palme a short round foote thighes not very fleshy and high calves of the Legges are signes of long life 44. Great Eyes with a greene circle betweene the white and the white of the Eye senses not too sharpe slow pulses in youth in Age quicker holding the breath easily costivenesse in Youth loosenesse
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
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
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
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
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
from growing dry Salt hot and cold especially being incorporated and made of sweete Fruits and Roots as Raysons Iujuba dry Figges Dates Parsnips Potatoes and Lickorish Also Drinke made of Indian Maze and other sweete Compounds is very good It is an observation that the keeping of the Liver fat and soft doth lengthen Life and the opening of the Liver procures health in obstructions joyned with inflamations curing also drynes 25. Succory Spinage and Beet after their pith is taken out being boyled in water with a third part of white wine untill they bee soft are with oyle and Vinegar good ordinary Sallets Also Sperage-buds and stalkes and Burre-rootes well sod and seasoned and Broth made with young Vine-buds and blades of greene Wheate are good So much of strengthning the Liver 26. Because the heart receives most benefit or harme by the vapours of the ayre drawne in by breathing or by affections and passions therefore the former Rules concerning the spirits may bee thereunto applyed but no Physicall Cordials but Antidotes strengthening the heart and spirits to resist the allayed poyson These Cordials are formerly mentioned 27. A good ayre is better known by Experience than Signes The best ayre is on a levell open playne the soyle being dry not barren and sandy but naturally bearing wild Bettony Fetherfew and wilde Mints shaded with some trees and Black-berry-bushes and watred with no great river but with cleare gravelly brooks 28. The Morning Ayre is healthfuller than the Evening Ayre which is accounted more pleasant 29. An Ayre somewhat rugged and stirred with a gentle winde is better than a calme cleare Ayre and in the Morning the west wind is best but the North-winde in the Afternoone 30. Sweet odours and smells are very comfortable to the heart yet a good ayre hath not alwaies a good smell for as pestilent ayres have no very bad smell so oftentimes wholesome aires are not very sweete and fragrant but the odour and sent of a good ayre should bee interchangeably taken for one continuall excellent odour or sent oppresses the spirits 31. Nosegayes are good in the open ayre but growing flowers yeeld the best odours and sents as Violets Gilliflowers Pinkes Beane-blossomes Linden-buds Vine-buds Honey-suckles Pellitory-flowers Muske-Roses other Roses yeelding no great sent withered Strawberries Blackberry-bushes in the Spring Wilde Mint Lavendar and in hot Countries the Orange-tree Citron Myrtle and Bay Also walking and sitting in such sweete Ayres is very good 32. Cooling smells are better for the Heart than hot sents therefore in the Morning and at Noone the steame of perfumes made of Vinegar Rose-water and Wine put into a Brasse-pan being received into the Braine is very good 33. And wine powrd on the earth digg'd or turn'd up being no sacrifice yeelds a good scent and smell 34. Also Orange-flower water mingled with Rose-water and Brisk-wine and being smell'd unto or infused into the nostrills is very good 35. Small Pills made of Amber Muske Lignum Aloes Lignum Rhodium Flower deluce-roots Roses Rose-water and Indian Balsam being chewed and held in the mouth are comfortable for the heart and spirits 36. Vapours arising from Medicines taken inwardly to strengthen and cherish the Heart must bee wholesome cleare and cooling hot vapours being naught for Wine yeelding hot vapours is like Poppey in quality Cleare vapours are such as have more vapour than exhalation being not altogether smoaky and oyly but also moist 37. The chiefest Cordials used in dyet are Amber-Grise Saffron Kermes being hot and dry and for coolers Buglosse and Borage-roots Oranges Lemmons and Apples Also powders of Gold and Pearle doe coole the blood and stomacke leaving no bad quality 38. Bezar-stone being not taken in Broath 〈◊〉 or Rose-water but in Wine or Cynamon-water or some other water not hot or strong is an approved Cordiall for the spirits 39. Observe also that great constant and Heroicall desires doe strengthen and enlarge the heart and so much of the heart 40. Opium Nitre and other inferiour drugs procuring sleepe are good for the Braine being the Animall spirits seate and residence and protected or annoyed by the stomacke and therefore stomacke Cordials are comfortable also for the Brayne as these Receipts be three wherof are outwardly one inwardly applyable 41. Bathe the feet every week in a bath made of Lye Bay-salt Sage Camomile Fennil sweet Marjoram Angelico leaves 42. Suffumigations also or perfumes of dry Rosemary dry Bay-leaves and Lignum Aloes for sweet Gummes oppresse the head are good every morning 43. No hot drugs or Spices except Nutmegs may bee outwardly applyed to the Head but unto the soles of the feete they may be laid but annointing of the Head lightly with Oyle Rose-water Myrtle-water Salt and Saffron mingled together is very good 44. A Morning potion of 3. or 4. graines of Oyle of Bezars stone with a little Angelico seed and Cynamon once in 14 dayes being taken in the Morning doth strengthen the braine and thicken quicken the spirits 45. All these Cordials taken in Dyet doe comfort the Braine variety of Medicines being the Daughter of Ignorance many Dishes breeding many Diseases and many Medicines effecting few Cures And so much of the Operation on the principall parts for extrusion and driving out of nourishment The Operation on the outward parts for attracting and drawing nourishment 6 The History 1. GOod Digestion of the inward parts being the chiefe cause of good Nourishment the outward parts must also performe their Offices and Duties that the inward faculty may drive out Nourishment being attracted by the outward faculty then requiring most strengthning whe Digestion is growne weake 2. The outward parts by bodily exercise comforted and warmed doe thereby cheerefully attract nourishment 3. But exercises attracting new moysture to the limbes being violent doth loosen the limbes and consume the old moysture 4. Frication also and rubbing is in the morning very good for the Body being afterward lightly annoynted with Oyle lest by rubbing the outward parts by Respiration and vapouring should bee weakened 5. Exercise nibbing and chafing the Limbes together is also very good being moderate not strayning or toilesome for the Body must not respire nor sweat too much by rubbing or exercise Therefore exercise is better abroad than in the House and in Winter than in Summer Also after exercise annoynting is good and before and after violent exercises as Fencers before and after their prizes were heretofore annoynted 6. Exercise on a fasting stomack doth by sweating loosen the Spirits and moysture of the Body and beeing unhealthfull on a full stomacke is best after a light breakfast not of Physicall morning potions or Ray sons or Figges but playne meate and Drinke moderately taken 7. Exercise must stirre all the Body not as Socrates sayth the Knees or Armes onely but generally all the Limbes of the body and the posture of the body should bee every houre changed except in sleeping 8. Mortification is a kinde of Vivification and rene wing for
and a mysterious Vnion of a flaming and aiery nature CANON 5. THe particular parts have naturall proper Actions excited and quickned by the vitall Spirit The Explication THe several parts have severall Actions and Functions as Attraction Retention Digestion Assimulation Sepration Ejection and Sensibility suteable to the proper Organs in the Stomack Liver Heart Spleene Gal Braine Eyes 〈◊〉 and the rest and their 〈◊〉 are actuated by the vigour and presence of the vitall spirits and by the heate thereof as Iron drawes Iron beeing touched by a Loadstone and an Egge brings a Chickin beeing actuated by the Cocks treading the Hen. CAN. 6. MOrtuall dead spirits are consubstantiall or like in substance to Ayre but the vital spirits are more like a flame The Explication THe explication of the former fourth Canon declares the meaning of this present Canon which sheweth also that fat oyly substances do long retaine their essence being neither consumed much by the 〈◊〉 nor very desirous to 〈◊〉 into Ayre Therefore Flame is not enflamed Ayre for Flame and Ayre 〈◊〉 as Oyle and Water 〈◊〉 and by the Canon that 〈◊〉 the vitall spirits are like 〈◊〉 substance is to be understood that they are more enflaming than the mortuall dead spirits not more flame-like or ayrie CAN. 7. THE Spirits desire to multiply or depart and congregate with their connaturalls or like in substance The Explication BY this Canon the mortual dead spirits are understood for the vitall spirits abhorre 〈◊〉 parting out of the body because they find in a neere 〈◊〉 no connaturalls or like 〈◊〉 sometimes happily flying forth to the 〈◊〉 parts of the Body to 〈◊〉 some desired object 〈◊〉 shunning departure But the mortuall dead spirits desire both for the spirit finding no happy residence in thicke 〈◊〉 nor its like being alone doth create and make another by endeavouring to multiply and increase in quantity And it desireth also to depart and resolve into Ayre for slender thinne substances being alwayes moveable are willingly carryed to their like being neare as a bubble of water is carried to a bubble flame to flame and much more willingly doth the spirit depart into the Ayre beeing not carried to a peece like it selfe but to a whole Globe of connaturall and like substance But the departing and venting of the spirit into Ayre is a two-fold action proceeding from the desire of the spirit and the desire of the Ayre being an indigent needy substance greedily gathering and receiving spirits smells substances sounds and the like CAN. 8. THe detayned spirit having not sufficient matter to beget another spirit doth soften the thicker parts The Explication A New Spirit is generated of a matter somwhat neere 〈◊〉 nature of a Spirit as of 〈◊〉 Therefore if the 〈◊〉 residing in the thicker 〈◊〉 farre different from their Nature cannot convert them 〈◊〉 a spirit yet it softens and enlarges them that it may being not increased in 〈◊〉 have a larger dwelling and live with more friendly companions in Nature Also by this Aphorisme the Bodies hardnesse may bee softned by detayning the spirits CAN. 9. THe softning of the parts of the Body is best wrought when the spirit doth neither depart nor generate The Explication THis Canon dissolves a knotty doubt in softning by detayning the spirits for if the spirit not vented doe devoure inward moysture the softning of the parts doth not advantage their continuing in their essence but rather their dissolution and corruption Therefore the detayned spirits must bee cooled and restrayned lest they bee too active CAN. 10. THE heate of the Spirit to renew and make the Body young must bee strong not vioent The Explication THis Canon also dissolving the aforesaid doubt shews the temper of heate fit to prolong life for howsoever the spirits be detayn'd or not yet their heate should rather soften hard substances than devoure soft softning rather than drying For such heat causeth good Digestion and Assimilasion but this 〈◊〉 must have these properties first slowly not suddainly enflaming secondly not violent but moderate thirdly equall not disordered being sometimes greater sometimes lesser fourthly not languishing nor soone extinguished This Operation is very subtile and profitable being partly explained in the Remedies prescribed for infusing into the Spirits a strong working heate not pradatory or devouring CAN. 11. THE thickning of the Spirits substance doth lengthen life The Explication THis Canon is subordinate to the former for the thicke Spirit is capable of all those foure properties of heate formerly mentioned the manner of thickning is shewed in the first Operation CAN. 12. A Boundance of spirits are more hasty to depart and get forth and more consuming than a small quantity of Spirit The Explication THis Canon is cleare and evident for the bigger the stronger As great flames breaking forth with greater violence consume more suddainly therefore exceeding plenty or excessive swelling of the Spirits doe hinder long Life For Spirits maintaining Life and the Body in good plight are sufficient CAN. 13. THe Spirits equally diffused through the Body is not so hasty to depart nor so devouring as being unequally placed The Explication A Subundance of spirits generally diffused is an enemy to durablenesse so is store of spirits not dispersed Therefore the spirit being more diffused consumes lesse for Dissolution begins in that part where the spirit is loose Therefore Exercise and rubbings doe lengthen life because motion doth very finely blend and mingle CAN. 14. THE disordered motion of spirits makes them hastier to depart and more consuming than a constant equall motion The Explication THis Canon holds in livelesse creatures for inequality is the mother of Dissolution but in living 〈◊〉 whose Consumption and Reparation is considerable Reparation proceeding from Appetite and Appetite being sharpened by variety it is not absolutely but respectively true this variety being rather an alteration than confusion and a constant inconstancy CAN. 15. THE Spirit in the solid frame of the Body is unwillingly detayned The explication DIssolution is generally abhorr'd but more or lesse according to the thicknesse and thinnesse of subtances The thinner bodies being driven into straighter narrower passages For Water will runne through where Dust will not passe and Ayre is more penetrative and piercing than Water and yet their penetration is bounded For the spirit will not passe through exceeding narrow pores thereby to get foorth and depart for the spirit being encompassed with a hard or oyly and clammy body not easily divisible is bound and imprisoned and not desirous to depart Therefore the spirit of Mettalls and Stones will not in an Age depart unlesse they be melred or dissolved with strong Corrosive waters In clammy substances also the spirits are not desirous to depart as in Gummes though with lesse heate dissolved Therfore the hard juyce of the body and the closenesse of the skinne and the like caused by dry nourishment exercise and cold ayre do lengthen life because they keepe the enclosed spirits from departing CAN. 16.
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