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. — Historia vitae et mortis. English

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. — Historia vitae et mortis. English

Table of contents

Title page

TO THE Right Worshipfull Sr. EDWARD MOSLEY Knight, his Majesties Atturny General of the Dutchey of Lancaster, &c.

TO THE Living and Posterity.

THE History of Life and Death.

The Accesse.

Particular Places: OR, Poynts of Inquiry concerning Life and Death.

NATVRE Durable.

The History.

Greater Observations.

The Historie.

The greater Observation.

Of Drynesse; the preventing of Drynesse, and softning of Drynesse.

The Historie.

Greater Observations.

The length and shortnesse of Life in living creatures.

Greater Observations.

Nourishment, and the waies of Nourishing.

The History.

The Length and Shortnesse of Mans Life.

The History.

Medicines for long life.

Intentions.

The Operation on the Spirits, to make them continue youthfull, and to revive and renew them being decayed.

The History.

The Operation on the exclusion; or keeping out of the Ayre. 2.

The History.

The Operation on the Blood, and cooling the heate of the Blood. 3.

The History.

The Operation on the moysture of the Body. 4.

The History.

The Operation on the inward parts to make them digest and drive out nourishment. 5.

The History.

The Operation on the outward parts, for attracting and drawing nourishment. 6

The History.

The Operation on Food and dyet, shewing which is most nourishing. 7.

The History.

The operation on the last act of Assimilation or conversion into the like substance. 8.

The Comment.

The Operation for making the body tender and young, having begun to wither, and grow old, and how to soften the body. 9.

The History.

How the bodie being purged of old oysture, and filled with new moysture may be renewed, and made yong. 10.

The History.

The Doores of Death.

The History.

The Differences of youth and Age.

Canons of the Continuation and Forme of Death.

CANON 1.

The Explication.

CAN. 2.

The Explication.

CAN. 3.

The Explication.

CAN. 4.

The Explication.

CANON 5.

The Explication.

CAN. 6.

The Explication.

CAN. 7.

The Explication.

CAN. 8.

The Explication.

CAN. 9.

The Explication.

CAN. 10.

The Explication.

CAN. 11.

The Explication.

CAN. 12.

The Explication.

CAN. 13.

The Explication.

CAN. 14.

The Explication.

CAN. 15.

The explication.

CAN. 16.

The Explication.

CAN. 17.

The Explication.

CAN. 18:

The Explication.

CAN. 19.

The Explication.

CAN. 20.

The Explication.

CAN. 21.

The Explication.

CAN. 22.

The Explication.

CAN. 23.

The Explication.

CAN. 24.

The Explication.

CAN. 25.

The Explication.

CAN. 26.

The Explication.

CAN. 27.

The Explication.

CAN. 28.

The Explication.

CAN. 29.

The Explication.

CAN. 30.

The Explication.

CAN. 31.

The Explication.

CAN. 32.

The Explication.

§

§

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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 ChurchYard. 1638.

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Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber.

TO THE Right Worshipfull Sr. EDWARD MOSLEY Knight, his Majesties Atturny General of the Dutchey of Lancaster, &c.

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SIR,

THe Honourable Author of this History was such a miracle of Learning, that Fancy striving [Page] to comprehend his Worth, would be lost in Wonder and Amazement: this Work of his retaining an affection to GrayesInne, 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

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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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

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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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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. [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

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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 [Page] 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 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 [Page] 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,

[Page]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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 Artic. 1 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.

[Page]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.

[Page]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.

[Page]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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 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 [...]bove an hundred yeeres. The [Page] 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, Planetree, 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. [Page] But the Poplar, Linden, Willow, Sycomore, and Walnuttree 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 Nuttrees live longer than Fruitetrees, 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 Forresttrees live longer than Orchard trees, and sharpe Fruit-trees than sweete Fruite-trees.

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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, [Page] 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 Artic. 20. some substances are dryed, others melted.

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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.

[Page]3. The open Ayre doth dry, but never melt; as Highwayes, 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, [Page] 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.

[Page]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, [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] long in earthen Vessells well stopt, although the Ayre, their outward enemy, lets 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 [Page] 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 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. [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 [Page] lesser roome, as dry'd Nutkernels 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 Artic. 3. Cōnexion. shortnesse of Life in living creatures, observations are light and fabulous: the unkindly life of tame creatures being corrupted, and the life [Page] of wild beasts by enduring hard and hot weather, shortned. Neither doe the greatnesse of their bodies, time of bearing, number of young ones, or time of growth, sometimes concurring together, sometimes disjoyned, afford any certaine observations.

1. Of all living creatures, (except some few, (it is reported) that Man liveth longest, in whom all concomitant accidents meete in due proportion: Stature great and large, bearing in the wombe nine moneths, one Off-spring commonly; private haire at fourteene, growth till Twenty.

2. The Elephant liveth longer than any Man doth ordinarily: His bearing in the [Page] wombe ten yeeres is afabulous report, being but two yeeres, or above a yeere. His bulke or body is exceeding great, growing twenty yeers; and his Teeth are very strong. The Elephant is observed to have the coldest blood of all other living creatures, and an hundred yeeres, whereunto sometimes he attaineth, is his age.

3. Lyons are accounted longliv'd, many having beene found toothlesse, caused happily by their violent breathing, and therefore no certaine signe of age.

4. The Beare is a great sleeper, a slow and sluggish beast, born by the Damme not above forty dayes, being a signe of short life.

[Page]5. The Fox is well skin'd, feeds on flesh, and lives in caves, but not long liv'd, being a kind of Dogge, which is a short liv'd beast.

6. The Cammell being a slender strong beast, lives ordinarily fifty yeeres, sometimes an hundred.

7. The Horse seldome attaines to forty yeeres of age, his ordinary age being Twenty yeeres, there being now no Horses of the Sunne living freely in faire pastures, but all are serviceable to man, by whose usage the life of the Horse is shortened: but the Horse growes untill he be six yeeres old; and a Mare goes longer than a woman, and hath seldome two foales.

8. The Asse lives as long as the [Page] Horse, but the Mule is longer liv'd than both.

8. The Hart is famous for his long life; for about the necke of a Hart a Chaine hid, and covered over with fat was found, which had beene put about his necke many yeeres before. But because at five yeeres old the Hart comes to perfection, and his hornes having at first but a few branches, doe then sprout forth, and afterward fall off, and grow againe every yeere; therefore his age is not so currantly beleeved.

9. The short-liv'd Dogge lives but twenty yeeres, being his utmost age; his ordinary age fourteene yeeres. His disposition is hot and fickle, alwayes violently stirring about, or [Page] sleeping. The Bitch brings forth many whelps at one litter, and goeth nine weekes.

10. The Oxe being a slow beast, full of flesh, soone fatted, and fed with Grasse, is shortliv'd in respect of his bignesse and strength, sixteene yeeres being his age; which is longer than the Cow doth live, bringing forth but one Calfe, and going with her burthen sixe moneths.

11. The Sheepe, a beast of a midling bignesse, having a little gall, and well cloathed with a warme fleece, more curled than other Beasts haire, seldome comes to the age of ten yeeres.

Rammes at three yeeres old begin to engender, and untill Eighteene yeeres of [Page] Age doe beget Lambes. A Sheepe being subject to many diseases, doth seldome live out his utmost age.

12. The Goate somewhat resembling the Sheepe in shape, lives no longer, but is nimbler, and firmer flesh'd, and should be therefore longer-liv'd, but lasciviousnesse shortens his life.

13. The Sow lives fifteene yeeres, sometimes twenty, being moister flesh'd than other beasts, but not long-liv'd. The age of the wilde Boare and Sowe not certainely knowne.

14. The Cats age is sixe or ten yeeres, being a nimble, fierce ravenous beast, not chewing his foode, but devouring and swallowing his foode whole, and his seed (as AElianus saith) [Page] burnes the Female, conceaving with much paine, but kitning easily.

15. Hares and Conies doe hardly live seven yeeres, being breeding creatures, knitting and coneeaving againe immediately after their bringing forth young. The Coney liveth under ground, the Hare sitteth in the open ayre, and hath blacker flesh.

16. Birds are lesser bodied than Beasts, an Oxe or Horse being farre bigger than an Eagle or Swan, and an Elephant than an Estridge.

17. Birds are well cloathed with feathers, lying close downe to their bodies, and being warmer than Beasts wooll or haire.

18. Birds, though great breeders, [Page] carry not all their young in their Belly, but doe lay their Egges severally, being apt to produce young Birds by hatching.

19. Birds chew not their food, being often found whole in their Crops; but they will picke out Nut-kernels, and the seeds of Hearbs and Flowers, and they are of a strong hot digestion.

20. Birds flye with a mixt motion, being borne up by the Ayre, and their Wings, whose motion exercises their bodies.

21. Aristotle observes, that when Birds engender by treading, the Cocke begets not the Egges substance, but makes it fit to hatch; so that fruitfull Egges are hardly known from unhatchable egges.

[Page]22. Birds bodies are in one yeeres growth at their full bignesse, but their Feathers and Bills grow seven yeeres afterward.

23. The Eagle casting her Bill, and so becomming young, is the Embleme of long life, her age being a Proverb, Aquilae fenectus, the Age of an Eagle; yet the Eagles growing young changes not her Beake, but her Beakes changing makes the Eagle young: For the Eagle feeds very painefully and difficultly when her Bill is growne extreame crooked.

24. The Vulter lives an hundred yeeres, Crowes also, and all ravenous Birds feeding on flesh, are long-liv'd: But the Hawk living not according to [Page] his owne kind, but being kept in bondage for private delight and recreation, his terme of life is therefore not certainly knowne; though some reclaim'd, man'd Hawkes have lived thirty yeeres, and wilde Haggasses forty yeeres.

25. The long-liv'd Raven lives an hundred yeeres: hee feeds on Carrion, and flyes not often, but fits much, and hath very blacke flesh. The Crow resembling the Raven, though not so bigge, nor like in voyce, liveth almost as long, being accounted a long-liv'd Bird.

26. The faire feathered Swanne feeds on Fish, swimmes continually on running streames and Rivers, and an hundred yeeres is his age.

27. The Goose, though his food [Page] be grasse, is long-liv'd, especially the wild-goose; so that in Germany this Proverb is common, Magis senex quam anser nivalis, Older than a white Goose.

28. Storkes are long-liv'd, for because they never came to Thebes, a Citty often sack't, therefore it was observed, that they did either circumspectly instruct their young ones in the Theban History, or remembred the passages of former ages wherein they lived, and so this sable pointed at their long life.

29. Concerning the Phoenix, Truth is lost in Fables. It is chiefly observable, that other Birds, when this Bird did flye abroad, wonder'd not at her, as they doe by instinct of Nature [Page] at an Owle flying by day light, or a Parret gotten out of a Cage.

30. The Parret brought into England, hath liv'd threescore yeeres, 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 shortliv'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.

[Page]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 shortliv'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 [Page] of the Bird [...] being longliv'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

[Page]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.

[Page]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, SeaCalfe, 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 shelfishes is unknowne.

Greater Observations.

COncerning the length and shortnesse of the life of living Creaturer, hitherto negligently observed, and proceeding [Page] 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 longliv'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; [Page] 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 [Page] breeding; for such as lye not too close together in the belly of the Damme, but have sufficient nourishment, are longliv'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 [Page] Lambs lying sixe moneths in their Dams belly before they are calved & yeaned, proceeds from other causes.

5. Grazing Cattle are shortliv'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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] great Beasts living longer than lesser Beasts.

Nourishment, and the waies of Nourishing.

The History.

1. NOurishment should bee of an inferiour nature, and Artic. 4. simpler in substance than the body nourished. Plants are nourished by the Earth and Water, living creatures by Plants; and men by living creatures, feeding partly on flesh as man doth on Plants; but neither can subsist by Plants or Sallets onely; but Fruits and parched Corne will sustaine life.

[Page]2. Nourishment too like the nourished substance, is not good. For Grazing Cattle touch not any flesh, and Beasts feeding on flesh prey not upon their owne kind. Anthro Pophagi or Cannibals, feede not one mens flesh ordinarily, but by eating their enemies flesh as a great dainty, doeat once satisfie their hunger and reuenge. Also seede Corne in the same field where it Grew, should not be sowne, nor a Graft be set into the stocke, whence it was taken.

3. Nourishment well prepared, and somwhat like the nourished substance, makes Plants fruitful and living Creatures Fat. For the stocks nourishment is better and more agreeable unto the Grafts nature, then the [Page] earths nourishment to a young Tree or Plant. And an Onionseed or a Plants seede sowne or set in the earth, produceth not such a great Onion, or faire Plant, as when the seede is put into an Onion, or into a Plants root, and so set in the ground.

The Boughs of Elme, Oke, and Ash, and such Forresttrees, grafted on stocks, and comming to bee trees, have broader leaves thā other planted trees. Also men feed not so wel on raw flesh as on roast.

4. Living creatures receive nourishment at their mouth, Plants at the roote, young creatures in the wombe at the navell. Birds are nourished awhile by the white of the egge, part thereof being found in their throats after hatching.

[Page]5. Observe, that although all nourishment proceeds and rises from the Center to the Circumference, issuing forth from the inward parts to the outward, yet Trees receive not from their inward parts and pith so much nourishment as from their outward parts and Barke, which being stript off, they presently wither, and dye. Also of living creatures, the flesh beneath and above the veines is nourished by the blood.

6. By the inward function of extruding or driving out, and the outward operation of attracting nourishment, the nourishing faculty doth worke.

7. Vegetables or Plants simply digest their nourishment, without avoyding superfluous excrements, [Page] Gummes of Trees being rather superfluities of nourishment than excrements, and knobs and knots, sores: but living creatures discerning what nourishment is like their substance, doe digest the best, and reject the rest in excrement.

8. The greatest and fairest fruits hanging on the Tree, receive all their nourishment through their stalkes.

9. Living creatures seed being sowne and spent, is onely at first capable of nourishment, but seeds of Plants after long keeping will grow: but young grafts and shoots must be planted while they are fresh and greene, or else they will not grow, but their roots being not covered with earth, will dye.

[Page]10. Living creatures have different kinds of nourishment agreeable to their age, for in their mothers or Dammes belly moysture is their food, after Birth milke, then meate and drinke; and being old, they love sollid savory food.

11. But whether nourishment may not onely by the mouth, but also outwardly bee received, is chiefly considerable. For if Baths of Milke in hot Feavers and Consumptions were used, and some Physitians hold that nutritive Glisters might bee purposely made, then such nourishment received not by the stomacke, but outwardly, may supply digestions weaknesse in Age.

The Length and Shortnesse of Mans Life.

[Page]

The History.

1. BEfore the Flood, as the sacred Artic. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11. Scriptures declare, men lived an hundred yeeres: yet of all the Fathers none attained to a compleat thousand yeeres of age, neither did the Generations of the holy Line of Grace live onely thus long; for by the Patriarkes Eleaven generations from Adam to the Flood, and Caines Eight, Cains generation seemes longer-liv'd [Page] But Mans Life immediately after the flood, was reduced to a moiety, though Noah borne before the Flood lived to his Ancestors Age, and Sem attayned to sixe hundred yeares of age. But three Generations after the flood, mans Life was contracted & shortned to an hundred yeares, being the fourth part of their former Age.

2. Abraham lived 175. yeares in great Prosperity and Happinesse. Isaac attained to an hundred and eighty yeares of Age, a chaste and quiet man. Iacob having many troubles, and many Children, lived an hundred forty and seaven yeares, hee was a patient, milde, wise man. Ismael was a Martialist, and an hundred [Page] thirty seaven yeares was his Age.

3. But Sarah (no other Womans age beeing Recorded in the Holy Scripture) dyed at an hundred seaventy years of Age, being a [...] Woman, an excellent Mother and Wife, and famous for discreet carriage, and obedience to her Husband. Also Ioseph, a Wise and Politicke man, though in his younger yeares much afflicted, lived afterward in great Felicity and Happinesse, and attained to an hundred and ten yeares of Age. But his elder Brother Levi, impatient of disgrace, and seeking Revenge, lived an hundred thirty seaven yeares compleate. And the sonne of Levi, and his Nephew, the [Page] Father of Aaron and Moses lived as long.

4. Moses lived an hundred yeeres, being stout-hearted, but of a mild carriage, and slow speech: yet Moses said in the Psalme, that threescore and ten yeeres was the ordinary age of Man, and of the strongest but fourscore yeers, being still the terme of Mans Life.

But Aaron, three yeeres elder than Moses, dyed the same yeere that his brother did: A man of ready speech, and gentle carriage, but somewhatinconstant. Phineas, Aarons Nephew, (by Gods divine Grace and Favour) lived three hundred yeeres: For all the Israelites going out to warre against the Tribe of [Page] Benjamen, Phineas, being a very zealous man, was then (as the History relates) a chiefe Captaine and Counseller.

Ioshua, an excellent and fortunate Captaine, lived to an hundred and tenne yeeres of Age. Caleb lived in his time, and to his Age: but Ehud the Judge lived also an hundred yeeres. The Holy Land, after his Conquest of the Moabites, being eighty yeeres under his government: He was a valiant stout man, and devoted his actions to the Common-wealths good.

5. Iob restored to his former happinesse, lived one hundred and forty yeeres, having had before his troubles, sonnes that were growne men. He was a [Page] Politick, Eloquent, good man, and the example of patience.

Ely the Priest lived 98. years a fat man, and of a pleasant loving Disposition. But Elizeus the Prophet, beeing at the time of the Assumption of Elias, in regard of his Age, mockt by Children, and called old bald Pate, lived sixty yeares afterwards, and was above an hundred yeares of Age when hee dyed: hee was a severe man, living austerely, and contemning Riches. Isaias the Prophet was an hundred yeares of Age, and spent seaventy of those yeares in Prophesying; but when hee beganne to prophesie, and at what Age hee dyed is unknowne. [Page] Hee was a very Eloquent and Evangelicall Prophet, inspired with the promises of the comming of Christ, fulfilled in the new Testament.

5. Tobias the Elder lived 158. yeares, and the yonger Tobias 127. yeares, being mercifull and charitable men. Many Iewes that returned from the Captivity of Babylon lived long, and could remember the building of both the Temples, the latter being builded seaventy years after the other. Many Ages afterward when our Saviour was borne, Simeon was an old Religious, Faithfull man. And Anna the Prophetesse lived then to an hundred yeares of Age, shee having bin first a Mayde, then a married wife seaven yeares, a Widdow [Page] eighty foure yeares, and afterward a Prophetesse of our Saviours Incarnation: Shee was a holy Woman, that spent her Life in prayer and Fasting.

6. The long lives of men mentioned in Heathen Authours are fabulous narrations, and deceitfull calculations of ages. Those Egyptian Kings, that raigned longest, lived not above fifty or five and fifty yeares, a common moderne age. But it is fabulously supposed that the Kings of Arcadia lived to a great age, because their Countrey was Mountaynous, and both they and their people being for the most part Shepheards, kept a temperate Dyet. But as Pan was their god, so all these Relations [Page] are but Pannicke vaine Fables.

7. Numa King of the Romans lived to eighty yeares of age, beeing a peaceable, studious, and Religious man. Marcus Valerius Corvinus, was Consull sixe and forty yeares after his first Consulshippe, and lived an hundred yeares, being both in Warres and private affaires very powerfull, of a popular Disposition, and alwayes fortunate.

8. Solon the Athenian Lawmaker, and one of the wise Sages, lived above fourescore yeares, beeing a Valiant man, but popular, a lover of his Countrey, learned, and somewhat voluptuous. [...] of Creete reached unto 157. yeares of age, and [Page] lived fifty seven of those yeeres in a Cave. Halfe an age afterward [...] Calophonius, having at twenty yeeres of age left his Countrey, after 77 yeeres travaile returned againe, and lived in all 102. yeers, or longer. This man being a traveller, had also a wandring minde; and for holding many opinions, was called [...] orthe wanderer, instead of Zenophon; yet certainely his conceite and fancy was large, and infinite.

9. Anacreon, the wanton, voluptuous Poet, reached to fourescore yeeres of Age, and upwards; and Pindar of Thebes, a Poet of an high fancy, witty in a new way of writing, and a religious adorer of the gods, lived [Page] fourescore yeeres compleate. Sophocles the Athenian, attained to the same Age, an eloquent Tragicall Poet, and a great Writer, but carelesse of his family.

10. Artaxerxes, King of [...] lived ninety foure yeeres, being a man of a dull Wit, not laborious, nor painefull, but affecting ease more than glory.

Agesilaus was a moderate King, and a Philosopher; a great Souldier, and Polititian, but ambitious of honour; and aspired to fourescore and foure yeeres of Age.

11. Gorgias Leontinus lived an hundred and eighty yeeres. This man was a Rhetorician, a publicke Schoole-master, [Page] and a Traveller, and before his death he sayd, that Protagoras the Abderite, being a Rhetorician, a Polititian, and as great a traveller as Gorgias, lived ninety yeeres. Socrates the Athenian multiplying his life, reached to ninety nine yeeres of age: hee was a modest Rhetorician, that would never plead in open Court, but kept a private Schoole.

Democritus of Abdera, drew out his time of life to an hundred yeeres, being a great naturall Philosopher, and a learned Physitian, and Practitioner in Experiments; so that Aristotle objected against him, that his Observations were grounded more on Comparison than Reason, being not [Page] prooved by Logicke, but by Similitude, the weakest kind of Argument. Diogenes Synopeus, allowing others liberty, but strict in private government, delighting in poore dyet, and patience, lived ninety yeeres. Zeno Citteus, lacking but two of an hundred yeeres old, was high-minded, and a contemner of opinions, and had an excellent wit, not offensive, but rather alluring than cōpelling affection. Seneca afterward had the like wit. Plato of Athens lived 81 yeers, a man affecting quietnesse, and high contemplation; of a civill handsome behaviour, not light but pleasing, and majesticall. Theophrastus Etesius using a sweet kind of cloquence, mingled with plentifull variety [Page] gathering onely the sweete Roses of Philosophy, not the bitter worme-wood, attained to fourscore and five yeeres of age compleat. Carneades of Cyrene many yeeres afterward, lived untill hee was fourescore and five yeeres old; a fluent eloquent man, delighting in variety of knowledge, which made his conversation pleasing and acceptable. But in Cicero's time Orbilius, no Philosopher, or Rhetorician, but a Grammarian, lived almost an hundred yeeres; being first a Souldier, then a Schoolemaster; of a proud disposition, and a whipping, rayling writer even against his own schollers.

12. Q. Fabius Maximus having beene sixty three yeeres Augur, and more respected for [Page] his Nobility than Age, was above fourescore yeeres old when he dyed. He was a wise man, that ripened actions by delaying their execution, being all his life-time moderate, courteous, and grave. Masinissa, King of Numidia, lived above 90. yeeres, and being above fourescore and five yeeres old, had a sonne. This man was valiant, and confident in Fortune, whose changes his younger yeeres having experienced, hee afterward lived in constant happinesse. Marcus Porcius Cato lived above 90 yeeres, being a man of an iron body and minde, of a sharpe speech, and contentious; addicted also to husbandry, and to himselfe and his family a Physitian.

[Page]13. Terentia, Cicero's wife, living an hundred and three yeeres, suffered many troubles and afflictions by her husbands banishment, and putting to death, and by the gout. Luceia playing the part of a young maid, afterward of an old wife upon the stage, lived an hundred yeeres. Also Galeria Copiola being at first an Actresse, was 99 yeeres afterward at the dedication of Pompeyes Theater, brought forth as a miracle of Age, and afterward was a spectacle in Playes made in Honour of Augustus Caesar.

14. Livia Iulia Augusta, wife to Augustus Caesar, and Mother to Tiberius, living but ninety yeeres, was a more famous Actresse than the former: [Page] For Livia being a courteous, stately, and pragmaticall matron, complying with her Husband by dissembling obedience, and with her Sonne by majesticall courage, was certainely an excellent Actresse in the Comedy of Augustus life, whereunto himselfe spoke a commanding Epilogue, charging his friends to applaud it after his Death. Iunia, wife to C. Cassius, and sister to M. Brutus, being ninety yeeres old, and living sixty foure of those yeeres before the Philippicke Battaile, was rich, and though unfortunate in her Husband, and Kindred, yet a noble Widdow.

15. In Vespasians Reigne, Anno 76. in the part of Italie lying betweene the Appenine and [Page] the River Po, men of an hundred yeeres old, and upward, were ceassed, and put into the Subsedy-booke, namely, 124. of one hundred yeeres of age, 54 an hundred and twenty yeeres old, 57 aged one hundred twenty five yeeres, 2 aged one hundred twenty five yeeres, 4 one hundred and thirty, 4 others one hundred and thirty five, or seven; and 3 that were one hundred and and forty yeeres old. There were also at Parma 3 men of an hundred and twenty yeeres of age, and 2 one hundred and thirty yeeres old. At Bruxels there was an old man aged one hundred twenty five yeeres, and another at Placentia an hundred twenty one yeeres old, and an old woman aged [Page] an hundred thirty two yeeres, was living at Fluentia; and in the ancient towne Velleiacium, seated on the hills neare Placentia, were sixe men aged an hundred and ten, and foure an hundred and twenty. Lastly, at Rimino, one M. Aponius was an hundred and fifty yeeres old.

The fortune, disposition, and An admonition. qualities of the former persons being signes of long life, to such as be endued with the like, are in a true and briefe character described, and no examples of long life under fourescore yeeres of age, have beene, or shall be mentioned.

16. Of the Roman, Grecian, French, and German Emperors, being almost two hundred, some onely attained to [Page] fourescore yeeres of Age. The Emperours Augustus and Tiberius living seventy eight, and seventy sixe yeeres, might have reached fourscore yeers, had they not beene poyson'd by Livia and Caius.

Augustus lived seventy six yeeres, being a moderate Prince, somewhat hasty in action, but of a faire and pleasing carriage; temperate in dyet, lascivious, and very fortunate, and about 30. yeeres of age falling into a dangerous sicknes, was restored to health by Antonius Musa, and cured by cold medicines, instead of hot applications used by other Physitians, as agreeable to his disease. Tiberius was by two yeeres longer-liv'd than Augustus. His Words (as Augustus [Page] sayd) stucke in his jawes; being a Prince of a flow speech, but sterne, and bloody; a drinker, and [...] in dyet, yet very carefull of his health, being wont to say, that every one after 30. yeeres of age was a foole, or a Physitian. Gordian the elder lived sixty yeeres, then being made Emperor, he fell into a violent sicknesse, and dyed. He was a brave famous man, learned, and a Poet, constant in the whole course of his life, and a little before his Death fortunate.

The Emperour Valerian lived seaventy sixe yeeres before hee was taken prisoner by Sapor King of the Persians, seaven yeeres afterward suddainely fell sicke, [Page] and dyed: He was or an ordinary temper, and not very valiant, and though weake in desert, was by generall opinion conceived worthy to be [...] Emperor. Anastasius sirnamed Dicorus, was fourescore yeeres of age, being a quiet, mild, superstitious, [...] man. Amicius iustinianus lived fourescore and foure yeeres, affecting glory, famous by his Captaines successe, not his owne valour; uxcrious, and by others governed. Helena of Britaine, the mother of Constantine the great, lived fourescore yeeres, being no States-woman, but wholly devoted to Religion; yet of an high spirit, and alwayes happy. Theodora the Empresse, (sister to Zoes, the [Page] wife of Monomachus, who after her decease reigned) lived above fourescore yeeres, a [...] woman, stately, fortunate, [...] credulous.

17. After these Examples of long-liv'd Heathen men, the Ages of principall Ecclesiasticall persons shall bee related. St. Iohn, our Saviours beloved Apostle and Disciple, lived ninety three yeeres, whose divine [...] and burning charity were shadowed forth by the Embleme of an Eagle drawne neare his Picture.

Luke the Evangelist was fourescore and foure yeeres of age, an eloquent man, and a traveller, St. Pauls constant companion, and a Physitian. Simoon Cleophas, called Christs brother, was Bishop of Ierusalem, [Page] and lived an hundred and twenty yeeres before hee was martyred, being a couragious, constant, charitable man. Polycarp the Apostles Disciple, and Bishop of Smyrna, attained to an hundred yeeres of Age, and was then martyred: A high minded man, of heroicall patience, and laborious. Dionysius Areopagita, in the Apostle Pauls time, living ninety yeeres, was called the Bird of Heaven, being an excellent Divine, and famous for Life and Doctrine. Aquila and Priscilla, the Apostle Pauls Hosts, and afterward fellowhelpers, lived to an hundred yeeres of age, being in Pope Xistus time an ancient married couple, wholly given to good workes, the Churches first [Page] Founders being commonly to their great comfort, fortunate in Marriage. St. Paul the Hermite lived in a Cave an hundred and thirty yeeres, with intollerable poore hard dyet, spending his life in meditation, being not illiterate, but learned. St. Anthony, the first founder or restorer of the Order of Monkes, attained to an hundred and five yeeres of age, and being a devout contemplative man, of an austere and severe life, governed his Monkes in such a glorious solitude, that hee was visited by Christians and Philosophers, and adored as a living Image of Sanctity and Holinesse. Athanasius, a man of invincible constancy, commanding Fame, and yeelding [Page] not to fortune; bold with great personages, popular, & a stout Champion in controversies, dyed above 80. yeeres old, St. Ierome above 90. yeers old; being an eloquent writer, learned in Languages and Sciences: a Traveller, and toward his old age of an austere life, his high minde shining in a private life like a Starre in obscurity.

18. But of two hundred and one and forty Popes, five onely attayned to fourescore yeeres of age, and upwards: The age of many of the first Popes being shortened by Martyrdome Pope Iohn the 23th, lived ninety yeeres compleate: A man of an unquiet disposition, and an Innovator; bringing in many alterations and changes, some for the better, but a great [Page] hoarder of Wealth and Treasure. Gregory the twelfth, by a factious Election created Pope, dyed at ninety yeeres of age, his short Papacy affording nothing worthy of observation. Paul the third lived eighty one yeeres, being of a quiet disposition, and profound judgement; a learned Astrologer, carefull of his health, and like the old Priest Ely, a father of his family.

Paul the fourth being fourescore and three yeeres of age, was of a severe disposition, high-minded, and imperious; of a working fancy, and an eloquent ready speech. Gregory the 13th, living also fourescore and three yeeres, was a good man, politicke, temperate, and charitable.

[Page]19. The Examples following are promiscuously set downe together. Arganthonius, King of Cadez in Spaine, lived 130. or 40 yeeres, reigning 80. yeeres; his manners, kind of life, and the time wherein he lived are unknowne. Cyniras, King of Cyprus, accounted then a happy pleasant Island, lived one hundred and fifty, or sixty yeeres. Two Kings of the Latines 800. and 600. yeeres. Some Kings of Arcadia 300. yeeres, but the inhabitants long life in this healthfull Countrey is but an invented fable. It is reported that in Illyricum one Dardanus lived five hundred yeeres without any infirmity of age. The Epians, a people of AEtolia, were generally all long-liv'd, 200 yeeres [Page] being a common age; and amongst the rest the Gyant Litorius was 300. yeeres old. On the top of the mountaine Tmolus, anciently called Tempsus, many men attain'd to 100 and 50. yeeres of age. The Sect of the Esseans in Iudea liv'd above 100. yeeres, keeping a very poore Pythagorean dyet. Apollonius Tyaneus being above an hundred yeeres old, had a fresh faire complexion, and was accounted by the Heathens a very divine man, but by the Christians esteemed a Magitian; being a Pythagorian in dyet, a great Traveller, famous, and renowned, but in his age hee was disgraced, and suffered many contumelies and reproaches, which redounded afterward to his [Page] honour. But his Pythagoricall dyet caused not his long life, being rather hereditary from his Grandfather, who lived an hundred yeeres, the age also of Q. Metellus, who being twenty yeeres after his Consulship, High-Priest, his hand did not shake, nor his voyce failed not in offering sacrifice. Appius Caecus being very old, and blind, governed a great family, and the Common-wealth; and in his extreame old age being brought on a bed into the Senate house, disswaded from making peace with Pyrrhus: in the beginning of his Oration shewing a memorable and invincible courage and strength of minde, saying, My blindnesse (Reverend Fathers) I have very patiently endured, but [Page]now hearing your dishonest counsell and purpose to conclude a peace with Pyrrhus, I could wish my selfe deafe. M. Perpenna lived ninety eight yeeres, surviving all the Senators of his Consulship, and all elected in his Censorship, except seven. Hiero, King of Sicily, reigning at the time of the second Punick Warre, lived almost an hundred yeeres, being a moderate Prince both in government and manners, religious, faithfull in friendship, bountifull, and continually fortunate. Statilia, of a noble Family, lived ninety nine yeeres in Claudius Reigne. Claudia, the daughter of Otilius, one hundred and fifteene yeeres. Xanophilus, an ancient Philosopher of the Pythagorean [Page] Sect, one hundred and six yeeres, being very healthfull and lusty in his old age, and very popular for his learning.

Islanders were formerly accounted very long-liv'd now equall to others in age. Hippocrates of Cous a famous Physitian, lived one hundred and foure yeeres, approving his Art by lengthning his life. Hee was a wise learned man, of great experience and observation, who affecting not methodicall words, found out the nerves and sinewes of Science.

Demonax a Philosopher by profession and manners, livingan hundred yeeres in Adrians Reigne, was an highminded man, a Conquerour [Page] of his minde, and without affectation a contemner of the World, yet civill and courteous: when hee dyed, being asked touching his Buriall, hee answered, Never take care for burying me, for stinch will burie me. Hee that askt him, sayd againe, Would you have your Body left for Dogges and Ravens to feede upon? Demonax answered, What great hurt is it, if having sought while I lived, to doe good unto Men, my Body doe some good to Beasts when I am dead.

The Indians called Pandorae, are very long-liv'd, reaching two Hundred yeeres of Age, and their Childrens haire, (which is strange) being White, when they [Page] grow elder, turnes blacke, and afterwards gray; whereas white haire doth ordinarily grow blacker. The Seres, another sort of Indians, with their plantine drinke, live to an hundred yeeres of age. Euphranor the Grammarian, being above an hundred yeeres old, kept a Schoole, and taught Schollers. Ovid Senior, Ovid the Poets Father, lived 90. yeeres; who differing from his Sonnes disposition, and contemning the Muses, disswaded

9. his sonne from studying Poetry Asinius Pollio, Favorite to Augustus, and favored also by the gods, granting him a long life of an hundred yeeres, was luxurious, eloquent, learned, hasty, proud, cruell, and made private benefit, [Page] his actions onely Center. Seneca managing States matters, and being banished for Adultery in Claudius Reigne, was not an hundred yeeres old when hee was Neroes Schoole-master. Iohn of Times being a French man, and Charles the greats Souldier, was accounted in those latter times the longest liver, being three hundred yeeres old.

Gartius Aretine, Grand-father to Aretine, living to 104. yeeres of age, was healthfull even to the last, feeling no sicknesse; but when strength of Nature decay'd, dyed with Age. Many Venetians lived exceeding long, as Captaine Francis Donatus, Thomas Contarenus, Proctor of Saint Markes, Francis Molin, [Page] Proctor also of St. Marks and others. But Comerus Venetus having a sickly crazy body, for the recovery of Health, tooke all his meate and Drinke by weight, keeping afterward according unto that proportion a constant Dyet, and thereby lived above an hundred yeares in perfect health. William Postell a French-man, beeing an hundred and twenty years old, had on his upper lip blacke haire not turned white, being a man of a stirring braine and light fancy, a great Travailer, and a well experienced Mathematician, and somewhat enclined unto Heresie.

20. In England there is in every populous village a man or woman of threescore yeares [Page] of age. And at a Wake in Herefordshire, a Dance was performed by eight men, whose age added together, amounted to eight hundred yeeres, some being as much above 100 yeeres old, as others were under that age.

21. Many mad folks in Bethleem Hospitall, in the Suburbs of London, live very long.

22. The Ages of Nymphs, Fawnes, and Satyres, formerly superstitiously adored, are but dreames and fables, contrary to Philosophy and Religion. So much forthe History of the long life of particular persons, generall observations follow.

23. In succeeding ages and generations, Length of Life is not shortned, fourscore yeeres [Page] having beene from Moses time the constant age of man, which declines not (as it is supposed) nor decreases. But in particular Countries mens lives were longer, when plain homely Dyet, and bodily labour were much used, and shorter when more civiliz'd times delighted in idlenesse, and wanton Luxury. But Succeession of Ages shortning not the length of Life, must be from the corruptions thereof distinguished. The Ages also of Beasts, as Oxen, Horses, Sheepe, Goates, and such like Creatures, being not shortned in this Age. Therefore the Deluge, or generall Flood, and perhaps particular accidentall Floods, long Drouths, Earthquakes, [Page] and the like, doe shorten age, not succession of ages and generations. Neyther doth the bignesse and stature of bodies now Decrease and Grow lesse, though Virgil following common opinion, prophesied of a lesser stature of men in succeeding ages, of the ploughing the Emathian and Emonensian fields, saying thus:

Grandia (que) effossis mirabitur Ossa sepulohris.

He shall admire those great and mighty bones,

Which are digg'd up from under their Grave stones.

Though is Sicily and other places three thousand yeares since Gyants lived in Caves, [Page] yet the generall stature of men since then, is not Declined, or Decreased, which is observable, confutes the common opinion, that men are not so long liv'd, bigge, nor strong, as formerly.

24. In colde Northerne Countries men commonly live longer than in hotter, their skin beeing more compact and close, whereby their moysture is not so easily diffufed, scattered abroad, and consumed by the Sharpenesse of their repaireable Spirits, nor by the ayre moderately warmed with the Sunne beames exhausted and Devoured. But under the Equinoctial line. over which the Sunne passing, makes two Winters and Summers, and equall Dayes and [Page] Nights, the inhabitants live very long as in Peru and Taprobana.

25. The Mediterranian Islanders are commonly long liv'd, for the Russians live not 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 longliv'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 [Page] 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 middlesiz'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 [Page] 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 in Age, doe signifie long life.

45. Astrologicall Observations drawne from the Horoseope or Nativity, are not allowable. Children comming at eight Moneths are commonly still-borne; but Children borne in Winter, are longliv'd.

46. A strict Pythagoricall Dyet, or Cornarus Dyet of equall proportion, are good to [Page] make Schollers and Fryars live long. But by free eating and drinking, and a plentifull Dyet, common people live longest. A moderate, temperate dyet, though healthfull, is no cause of long life; for the strict Dyet doth breed few spirits, consuming lesse moysture, and the full Dyet yeelds more repairing nourishment; but the moderate Dyet affords neither fewer spirits, nor more nourishment, the meane of good extreames being not so good as of bad extreames. With a strict dyet watching must bee used, to keepe sleepe from oppressing the spirits being few, and also moderate exercise, & abstinence from Venery: But a plentifull Dyet requires much [Page] sleepe, frequent exercise, and seasonable venery. Baths and Oyntments formerly used for delight, not to prolong life, shall bee hereafter in the following Propositions exactly handled. But the learned and wise Physitian Celsus, held that variety and change of good plentifull dyet was best, also watching, but longer and oftner sleepe; fasting also, but more frequent Feasting; and businesse sometimes, but more often pleasure and recreation were good and healthfull. In keeping a good dyet, being the greatest lengthner of Life, there are different observations. I remember [...] an old man of above an hundred yeeres of Age, produced for a witnesse in a Plea of Prescription, having [Page] given in evidence, and being askt by the Iudges by what meanes hee had lived so long, answered, By eating before I was hungry, and drinking before I was thirsty: but this matter shall bee heereafter handled.

47. A religious holy Life may cause a long life; for retyrednesse, rest, divine Contemplation, spirituall joy, noble hope, wholesome feare, sweet sorrow, newnesse of life, strict Observations, Repentance and Satisfaction, doe lengthen the naturall life of a mortified Christian; and the austere dyet of such a life hardens the Body, and humbles the Spirit; so that Paul the Hermite, and Simeon the Anchorite, and many other [Page] Monkes, lived thus in the Wildernesse untill they were old.

48. Next unto this is the learned life of Philosophers, Rhetoricians, and Grammarians, living in ease, and thoughts not appertaining to businesse, without griefe, delighting in variety & impertinences, and in a free voluntary expence of time, in the pleasant conversation of young men. But Philosophies in respect of long life are different; for superstitious high contemplative Philosophies, as the Pythagoricall, and Platonicke, and naturall Philosophy, Metaphysicks, and Morall Philosophy of Heroicall vertues were good studies to prolong life: such were the Philosophies [Page] of Democritus, Philolaus, Xenophon, Astrologians and Stoicks: also sensible Philosophies, not profound and speculative, but agreeable to common opinion, were good studies, profest by Carneades, and the Accademicks, Rhetoricians, and Grammarians: But difficult subtile Philosophies, weighing matters in the Scale of Principles, and full of thorney questions, were bad studies, whereunto the Peripateticks and Scholasticks were devoted.

49. The Countrey life busied in imployments abroad, being active, and keeping a fresh homely dyet, without care and envy, doth therefore prolong life.

50. The Military life is good [Page] in youth, many excellent Warriers having beene longliv'd, as Corvinus, Camillus, xenophon, Agefilaus, and other both ancient and moderne. Also the improvement of Vertue by increasing dayly in goodnesse, and labouring in youth, doth prolong life, the remembrance thereof being sweet in age. Besides, military affections, raised with the desire and hope of Victory, infuse into the Spirits heate agreeable to long life.

Medicines for long life.

MEdicines there are many Artic. 10 for preserving Health, and and curing Diseases, but few [Page] to prolong life: Therefore those notables Medicines called Cordials, shall be here propounded. For Cordials taken to fortifie and strengthen the Heart and Spirits against poyson and diseases, being with Iudgement used, may by all likely hood be as powerfull to prolong life. These heere selected, and orderly set downe, are best.

1. Gold is exhibited, and used three wayes; in potable Gold, Gold quenched in Wine, or substantiall Gold, as LeafeGold, and powder Gold. Potable Gold was given first in dangerous desperate Diseases, for an excellent powerful Cordiall, receiving the virtuall effect from the spirit of Salt wherein it is dissolved; for [Page] Gold would bee more soveraigne, could it bee without corrosive waters, or by Corrosives cleared of their venemous quality, dissolved.

2. Pearles are taken in loose powder, or dissolved in the sharpe juyce of greene Lemmons, or in spiced Comfits, and drinkes. The Pearle and the shell whereunto it cleaves, are of one nature, and in quality like the shells of RiverCrabs.

3. Two Christalline precious Stones are chiefe Cordials, the Emerald, and Iacinth, given in the same manner as Pearles, but not usually dissolved; yet these glasse greene stones are of a sharp operation.

The benefit and helpe received from these medicinall [Page] Species, shall be hereafter declared.

4. Bezars Stone is of approoved vertue, recreating the spirits, and provoking gentle sweat. Unicornes Horne is of like esteeme with the Harts Horne, and the Bone of the Harts heart, Ivory, and the like.

5. Amber-Grise is very good to comfort and refresh the spirits. These Drugges following are of approved vertue.

Hot.

Saffron.

The Indian Leafe

Wood of Aloes.

Citron Barke.

Baulme-Mint.

Graines.

Avens, or Sanamund.

Orange Flowers.

Rosemary.

Mint.

Betony.

Blessed Thistle.

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Cold.

Nitre.

Roses.

Violets.

Strawberry bush.

Strawberries.

Syrrop of Lemmons

Syrrop of Oranges.

Juice of Apples.

Borrage.

Buglosse.

Burnet.

Sanders.

Camphire.

Prescriptions for Dyet being An admo nition. here onely delivered, hot waters and Chymicall Oyles, (by Chymists sayd to be under the Planet of Mars) having a destructive furious operation, and also hot biting Spices are to bee rejected, and waters must bee made more temperate, lively, and fragrant than Phlegmatick Distillations, or hot Extractions of the spirit of Wine.

6. Often letting blood having beene formerly much used, [Page] and all Observations falling out fit and convenient, is good to prolong life, the old moysture of the body being thereby evacuated and emptied, and new introduced and bred.

7. Consumptious also and sicknesses procuring leanenesse, being well cured, doe lengthen life, the Body being thereby supply'd with new moysture after the consumption of the old. Therefore it is sayd, that to grow healthfull after such a Sicknesse, is to grow youthfull; therefore the procuring of sicknesse by Artificiall Dayets shall be hereafter declared.

Intentions.

INquiry having beene made concerning livelesse bodies, [Page] Vegetables, living creatures, and Man; a new search by true and proper Intentions, resembling the paths of mortall life, shall be made, and more effectuall than all former contemplations of comforting naturall heate, and Radicall moysture, or of meates breeding good Blood; neither hot, nor Phlegmaticke, and of refreshing and recreating the spirits; or of Medicines of Gold, being of all mettals least subject to corruption; and of precious Stones recreating the spirits by their hidden qualities 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. [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 Searecloaths, 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

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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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 Poppyjuyce will make the spirits curdle together, and quite [Page] 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 [Page] 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 Poppyjuyce [Page] 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.

[Page]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, [Page] are like Poppeyjuyce, 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 verymuch 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 Sunbeames, 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 [Page] 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 [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [Page] 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, Rosewater, roasted Peares, Damask [Page] and Red Roses, and MuskeRoses.

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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]Spices, Wine, and strong drinke must be temperately used, and after Abstinence hath refreshed the appetite: and also Savory, Margerum, Pennyroyall, 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, BlessedThistle, 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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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 haireshirt, fasting, watching, abstinence from sensuall pleasures, doe abate and diminish the spirits, which being reduc'd to a [Page] 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, [Page] 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: [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 Holydayes.

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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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,

[Page]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 [Page] 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: [Page] 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 hereof is grounded on the infallible Axiom of the drynesse, the body being dryed by the emission and issuing forth of the spirits, but by their detayning melted and softned. Besides, it is a Position that all kind of heate doth properly [Page] make thin and moysten, and doth onely accidentally contract and dry.

4. Dwelling in Caves and Dennes, the Ayre receiving there no Sun-beames, doth lengthen life; for the ayre being not excited by heate, cannot wast and consume the body. And by divers ancient Tombes and Monuments in Sicily, and other places, it is cleerely evident, that the stature of man was greater in former Ages than now, being of a great stature, and long-liv'd. Epimenides Cave is an ancient Fable. And as living in Caves was then usuall, so the Anchorites lived in Pillars, impenetrable by the Sun-beames, and the Ayre being unchangeable. The Anchorites, Simeon, Stilita, [Page] Daniel, and Saba living in Pillars, were very long-liv'd. Also moderne Anchorites have lived in walls and Pillars unto agreat Age.

5. Dwelling on Mountaines is next to living in Caves; for the Sun-beames pierce not, nor penetrate into Caves, and on the tops of Mountaines have no reflexion, and little strength. But on Mountaines having a cleare pure ayre, and drye Vallies below, whence no Clouds or Vapours doe ascend, being like those mountaines encompassing Barbary, whereon people live to an hundred yeeres of Age, it is good dwelling.

6. Such an Ayre, either in Caves, or on Mountaines, is not naturally praedatory, or devouring; [Page] but our common Ayre being of a wasting quality through the warme heate of the Sunne, must be excluded, and kept out of the body.

7. The Ayre is excluded, or kept out by shutting or filling the pores.

8. Coldnesse of the Ayre, nakednesse of the skinne, washing in cold water, binders applyed to the skinne, as Masticke, Myrthe, and Myrtle, doe shut & close the pores of the body.

9. Baths also made of astringent binding minerall waters, extracted from steele and glasse, doe strongly contract and close the skinne, but must be seldome used, especially in Summer.

10. Concerning filling; painting, [Page] oyntments, oyles, and Pomanders doe preserve the substance of the body, as oylecolours and Varnish doe preserve wood.

11. The ancient Brittaines painted their bodies with Woad, and were very long-liv'd, and so were the Picts, from the like painting of their bodies called Picts, or living Pictures.

12. The Virginians and Brasiltans doe paint themselves, and are very long-liv'd; for the French Fryars lately found there some Indians who could remember an hundred and twenty yeeres since the building of Farnamburg.

13. Iohn of Times living to 300. yeeres of Age, being asked what Preservatives had [Page] made him live so long? answered, Oyle without, Honey within.

14. The wild Irish also live very long, being used to annoynt themselves naked before the fire with old salt-peeter: And the Countesse of Desmond bred teeth thrice, and lived to 140. yeeres of Age.

15. The Irish doe weare saffroned Linnen, and shirts, continuing long cleane, and lengthening life. For Saffron being a great binder, oyly, and hot without sharpnesse, is very comfortable to the skinne and flesh. I remember that an English man, being to goe to Sea, and having put a bag of Saffron within his Doublet, next his Breast, to avoyd paying of Custome, was in that Voyage [Page] very healthfull, having been formerly alwayes sea-sicke.

16. Pure fine Linnen (according to Hypocrates advice) should be worne in Winter next unto the skinne: in Summer courser Linnen, and oyled; for the spirits being then very much exhaled and drawne forth, the pores of the skinne should bee closed and filled.

17. Annointing of the skin at the first rising out of Bed with Oyle-olive, or Oyle of Almonds mingled with Bay-salt, and Saffron, is good to lengthen life. But this annoynting must be with Wooll, or a soft spunge lightly done; not dropping on the body, but onely wetting the skinne.

18. For the body being drawne by a great quantity, and drinking [Page] in a lesser quantity, should bee therefore lightly annoynted, or instead thereof oyled shirts may be worne.

19. But the Grecians and Romans formerly using this annointing with Oyle, left off now in Italy, lived not longer in those Ages, being used by all, except Fencers, onely after Bathing, hot Baths being of a contrary operation opening the pores by unctions and oyntments shut together and closed. Therefore Bathing without Annoynting is unhealthfull, but Annoynting without Bathing is very good. Besides, precious Oyntments were then used for delicacy and delight, not for health, or to lengthen life, as Virgil sayd:

[Page]

Nec Cassia liquidi corrumpitur usus Olivi:

Nor doth the use of Oyle decay,

By using precious Cassia.

20. Annoynting is healthfull to keepe out cold in Winter, and good to keepe in the spirits in the Summer from loosening, and defend them from the praedatory devouring power of the ayre.

21. In annoynting with good Oyle, being good to prolong Life, foure Cautions arising from foure discommodities are observable.

22. The first discommodity is, that suppressing of sweat may breed diseases out of those excrementitious Humours, being not prevented by Purgations and Glisters. For [Page] swearing, though healthfull, doth weaken nature, and shorten life; but moderate Purgatives work on the humours, not the spirits, as sweat doth.

23. The second discommodity is, that by heating and enflaming the body, the enclosed spirits venting not forth by breathing, may become hot. This inconvenience is prevented by a coole dyet, and by often taking such coolers, as in the operation of blood shal be mentioned.

24. Thirdly, annoynting may make the Head heavy; for all outward filling, striking back the vapours, doth drive them backe towards the Head: but Purgatives and Glisters, and closing the mouth of the Ventricle with restrictive binders, [Page] and combing and rubbing the head with Lye, to cause the exhalations, and using exercises to vent humours by the pores of the skin, doe all prevent this inconvenience.

25. The fourth discommodity being of a subtiler nature, is the increasing of the detayned spirits by shutting the pores; for new spirits being without any venting of the old continually generated and multiplyed, would feed on, and waste the body; but this assertion is erronious, for the spirits being confined, are dull, (and venting by motion as Flame) are not so active and generative to increase in heate like a hot flame, but slow in motion: besides, this inconvenience may be remedied by [Page] coolers, steeped in oyle of Roses and Myrtle, but Cassia, and heaters must bee shunned.

26. The linings of apparell for exhausting and drawing the Body, should not be of a watery but oyly substance; and therefore Bayes and woollen linings are better than Linnen. And sweete powders sooner loose their sent among Linnen, than among Woollen; Linnen beeing soft and cleane, but not so healthfull as Woollen.

27. The wild Irish beginning to grow sicke, doe presently take the sheets of their Beds, and afterwards wrappe themselves in the woollen Blankets.

28. Carded Wooll worne next the skin in Britches and Doublets [Page] is very good.

29. Accustomed Ayre wasts not the Body so much as change of Ayre: Therefore poore men living in Cottages, and never changing their Dwellings, are commonly long-liv'd. But in other Respects, the Spirits beeing fresh and lively change of Ayre is good, foure yeerely remoovings beeing sufficient, that so neither Travayle, nor continuall residence in one place may proove wearisome. So much of excluding or keeping out, and avoyding the praedatory devouring power of the Ayre.

The Operation on the Blood, and cooling the heate of the Blood. 3.

[Page]

The History.

THe two Operations following have (as Actives to Passives) Relation to the former, which endeavoured to keepe the spirits and ayre from wasting the body, as these shew how to make the blood, moysture, and body lesse subject to depraedation and wasting: but Blood watering the moysture and limbes, three powerfull rules concerning the operation on [Page] the Blood shall bee first propounded.

2. First, Blood being cold is lesse dissipable, and subject to scattering abroad. There are two coolers more agreeable to the following Intentions than Julips or Potions.

3. In Youth Glisters not purgative or cleansing, but onely refrigerative, cooling, and opening, made of the juyce of Lettuce, Purslane, Liverwort, Sevegreene, or House-leeke, Fleawort-seed, with a temperate opening decoction, mingled with a little Camphire: but in Age, instead of Houseleeke and Purslane, the juyce of Borage and Endive may be used, and these Glisters must be an Houre or more retained.

4. Secondly, in Summer a Bath [Page] may be made of sweete lukewarme water, and new whey, and Roses, insteade of Mallows, Mercury, Milke, and such like mollifiers and softners.

5. Annoynt the Body with Oyle and thickning substances before Bathing, for receiving the refrigerating quality of the coolers, and repelling the water, the pores of the body being not shut too close, lest outward cold strongly closing & shutting the Body, doe hinder cooling, and rather stirre up heate.

6. Bladders also apply'd with Decoctions and cooling juyces to the inferiour Region of the Body, beneath the Ribs downward, are a kind of Bathing, whereby the liquour [Page] being excluded, the Refrigerating quality, or Coolenesse is onely received.

7. The third Rule doth onely qualifie the substance of the Blood, making it firmer and lesse subject to Dissipation, and scattering abroad, or to the working heate of the spirits.

8. To effect this Operation, powder of Gold, or LeafeGold, or powder of Pearle, precious Stones and Corrals, are good; being therefore much esteemed by the Arabians, Grecians, and also Modernes. Therefore to omit fantasticall Opinions, insinuation being made into the substance of the Blood, the spirits and heate having no power [Page] to worke thereon, putrefaction and drying would bee thereby prevented, and Life Prolonged; yet divers Cautions are observable: First let them bee exactly pulveriz'd, and made into powder; secondly, let their malignant quality, hurtfull to the veines, be taken away: thirdly, beware lest their long abode in the body, being taken with meate, or otherwise received, doe breed dangerous obstructions in the Bowels: fourthly, to avoyd Repletion, or filling of the veines, let them be seldome used.

9. Therefore take them fasting, in White-wine mingled with a little oyle of Almonds, and afterward use some exercise.

10. In this operation use Pearles, [Page] Corrall, and Gold; for all Other Mettals, having some malignant quality, are not so exactly pulveriz'd, or made into powder, and the powder of cleere grasse greene stones is bad, being a Corrosive.

11. But drugges of wood may be more safely and effectually used in Infusions and Decoctions, being good to make the Blood firme, and not dangerous for breeding of Obstructions; and their Infusions being taken in Dyet, or Drinke, having no dregs, doe easily pierce into the veines.

12. Drugges of Wood are Sanders, the Oke, and Vine; but hot woods having in them any Rozzen, or Gumme, are not good: but dry Rosemarystalkes, being a shrub as longlivd [Page] as many Trees, and such a quantity of Ivy-stalkes as will not make the Potion unsavory may be used.

13. Drugs of wood may be also boiled in Broths, infused into Ale, or Wine before they be setled or refined: But Guiacum, and such Drugges must bee put in before the Broaths are boyled, that the substance of the firmer parts of the Wood being dissolved, may remaine in the Broath: but whether Ash bee good in Potions is uncertaine. So much of the Operation on the Blood.

The Operation on the moysture of the Body. 4.

[Page]

The History.

1. TWo kinds of Bodies (formerly mentioned concerning living creatures) are hardly consumed: hard bodies, as Mettals and Stones; fat, as Oyle and Waxe.

2. Therefore the moysture of the Body must bee hardened, and made fatty or dewy.

3. Moysture is hardened by firme foode, by cold thickening the skinne and flesh, and by exercise compacting the juyce, that it may not bee soft and frothy.

[Page]4. Beefe, Porke, Venison, Goat, Kid, Swanne, Goose, and Woode-pigeons, especially beeing powdred, also dryed Salt-fish, olde Cheese, and the like, are firme sollid meates.

5. Oaten bread, or Miscelline bread made of Pease, Rye, and Barley, is more sollid than wheaten bread, and the course Wheaten bread, or browne bread that is full of Brane, is sollider than White bread made of purer flower.

6. The Orcades feeding on fish, and beeing generally fish-eaters, are long liv'd.

7. Monkes and Hermites living sparingly on drye foode, commonly attayned to a great age.

[Page]8. Pure water beeing mingled with Wine or Drinke, hardens the bodies moisture, and because the Spirit of the water is dull and piercing, Nitre may be there with mingled. And so much for the firmnesse of nourishment.

9. People living abroad in the open ayre, the cold thickning their skinne and flesh, no longer liv'd than Dwellers in houses; and in cold Countries, the Inhabitants attaine unto a greater Age, than in hot Countries.

10. Many thicke cloathes on the bed, or backe, doe loosen and soften the body.

11. Washing the body in colde Baths, doth lengthen life, but hot Baths are very bad. Baths of binding Minerall [Page] waters were formerly mentioned.

12. By an easie jdle Life without exercise, the flesh is made dissipable and soft, being by stout exercises used without excessive sweating and wearinesse, compacted & hardned. Swimming is also a good exercise, & generally all exercises abroad, are better than within the house.

13. Frications by a kind of exercise fetching out, not hardning nourishment shall be hereafter handled in its proper and due place.

14. To make hard moysture, oily, and dewy, is a perfecter worke than hardning, being attended with no inconvenience, whereas hardners of moysture, staying the Consumption, [Page] and hindering the Reparation, and Renewing of Nourishment, do thereby further and hinder long Life. But oilie and juycy Nourishment by bedewing the Body, is lesse dissipable, and more reparable.

15. This Dewy fat moysture of the Body is no tallowy fatnesse, but a Radicall Dew diffused and spread through the body.

16. Oily fat meates are not converted agayne into fat, perfect Substances returning not agayne into one and the same Substance, but Nourishment doth after maturation and Digestion breede an oy lines in the bodies moisture.

17. For oyle and fat alone, and also in mixture and composition, [Page] are hardly dissipated and wasted. For water is sooner consumed and Dryed than oyle alone, sticking longer in paper or a Napkin before it be Dried.

18. To breede this oylinesse in the body, roasted or baked meate, is better than boyled or stewed, or dressed in any kinde with Water, more oyle beeing Distilled and extracted out of drye substances, than moist.

19. And generally all sweete things doe moysten the body with this oylinesse, as Sugar, Honey, sweete Almonds, Pine-Apples, Pistacke-nuts, Dates, Raysons, and figs; but all sower, salt, sharpe meates doe breede no dewy oylinesse.

[Page]20. Also Seeds, Nuts, and roots, the Maniches using no other dyet, are good with meat & in Sawces, for all kinde of bread beeing the confirmer of meats is made of Seedes or rootes.

21. But Drinke, being the Waggon, carrying downe meate, doth especially moisten and soften the body. Therefore Drinkes not sharpe or sower, but ripe and cleere are best, as Wine (beeing as the old wise sayd in Plautus) toothles with age; also stale Beere and Ale beeing not sharpe but ripe and pleasant.

22. Metheglin strong and olde is a good Drinke, but beeing incorporated with Sugar insteede of Honey which is sharpe, as the Water is [Page] by Chymists thence extracted would bee better, espeoially after a yeare or sixe moneths age, the rawnesse of the water beeing then gone, and the Sugar growne subtil and spirituall.

23. But olde Wine and stale Drinke beeing subtill and full of oylinesse, are also Spirituall and sharpe, and not so Good; therefore Porke or Venison well boyled being laid into Vessels of Wine, Ale, or Beere, the spirits of the wine and of other lyquors feeding thereon will lose their sharpnes.

24. Also Beere or Ale, bread of Wheate, Barley, and Pease, with Potato roots, Bur rootes, and other sweete rootes, to the quantity of a third part, is better [Page] to prolong Life, than drink made onely of Graine.

25. Flowers also being not sharp or biting, are good sawces and sallets for meate, as Ivy-flowers with Vinegar taste pleasantly, and Marigold leaves, and Betony flowers in broaths. So much of the operation in the bodies moisture.

The Operation on the inward parts to make them digest and drive out nourishment. 5.

The History.

1. How the Stomacke, Liver, Heart, and braine, the principalls parts and [Page] Fountaines of Concoction, may be comforted, and made to performe their offices, by imparting Nourishment and spirits to the severall parts, and renewing the Body, Physicall Rules and Prescriptions doe declare.

2. The spleene, gall, reynes, midriffe, small guts, and lights being members serving the principall parts, are here confiderable, because their Diseases cured by Physicke, may bee derived to the principall parts: But by good digestion, and the soundnesse & strength of the principall parts, life is prolonged, and the Body nourished, and kept from decaying in old age.

3. But Medicines and Dyets agreeable to the state of bodies, [Page] and comfortable to the foure principall parts, are in Physicke prescribed. For [...] and Physick are necessary to recover and preserve health, but Life is chiefly lengthned by a good physicall diet, prescribed in these choise Receipts following.

4. The stomack resembling the good man of the house, and being the cause of all Concoction and Digestion, must be fortified and strengthened, by being kept temperately warm, retentive, and cleane without oppressing humours; not empty, or fasting, being nourished by it selfe more than by the veines, and lastly in appetite, whereby Digestion, is sharpned.

5. Warme drinks are also very [Page] good. For a famous Physitian would usually at Dinner & supper [...] messe of hot broth very greedily, and afterward wish that he could cast it up again, saying that he needed not broth, but the broths warmth.

6. At supper the first cup of wine, Beere, Ale, or any other kinde of Drinke, must bee alwayes warmed.

7. A draught of wine wherein Gold was quenched is good at meales, the Gold having no vertue, but as other mettals, yet Gold quenched in liquor, leaves therin a binding power, without other qualities belonging to metals.

8. Sopps of bread dipped in wine wherein Rosemary and Citerne barke have beene infused with sugar, are better [Page] in the middle of meales than wine.

9. [...] are good to [...] the stomacke; but syrrup [...] Quinces taken alone after meales, and with vinegar before meales, is better than Quinces beeing somewhat too [...] for the stomacke.

10. [...] Elecampane, Masticke, Wormwood, Sage and Mint, are excecding good for [...] stomacke.

11. [...] of Aloes, Masticke, and Saffron, taken in winter before dinner, are also very good, the Aloes beeing first washed in Rosewater, and the infusion of Dragant in vinegar, and then dissolved in sweet fresh oyle of Almonds.

12. An infusion of wormwood, with a little Elecampane and [Page] Sanders, may be sometimes used in Winter.

13. In Summer a [...] of white [...] of the infusion of powder of Pearle, and powder of River Crevises shells, and a little chalke, doth very much refresh and strengthen the stomacke.

14. But all cold morningdraughts commonly used, as Syrrups, Decoctions, Whey, Beere, or Ale, are unwholesome; coolers being not good for an empty fasting stomack, but five houres after Dinner, and an Houre after a light Breakefast they may be used.

15. Fasting often is bad for long life, and so is also all kind of thirst; for the stomacke must be kept cleane, but alwayes moyst.

[Page]16. The annoynting of the backe-bone over against the [...] of the stomacke, with [...] fresh Oyle-olive, of the [...] of Mithridate, is [...] for the stomack.

17. A bagge of locks of Wooll, [...] in sharpe Wine, after the in fufion of Myrtle, [...] Barke, and a little [...] is good to be worne alwayes next the stomack. And so much of comforting the [...] handled more largely in other operations.

18. The Liver must be kept from Inflammation, drynesse, and obstruction happening in Age, the waterish loosenesse thereof being a disease.

19. To the Rules hereunto belonging, delivered in the Operation of blood, these choise [Page] Prescriptions may be added.

20. Promegranate-Wine, or Pomegranate-juyce newly squeezed into a glasse, may be taken in the Morning with some sugar, and a little Citronbark, and three or foure whole Cloves, and used from February to the end of April.

21. Young Cresses taken either raw, or in broth, or drinke, are exceeding good, and also Spoonewort.

22. Aloes washed, and allayed, is hurtfull to the Liver, therefore not commonly to bee taken. Rheubarb dissolved in sweet oyle of Almonds, and Rose-water is good for the Liver, being taken before meate, because a dryer; and at severall times, either alone, or with Tartar, or a little [Page] Bay-salt, lest by purging away the thinne matter the humours should become tougher and harder.

23. Take the Decoction of Steele twice or thrice a yeere to loosen Obstructions, and stoppings in the liver, two or three spoonefuls of Oyle being first taken, and the Body, especially the Armes, and fore part of the stomacke afterward stirred by exercise.

24. Sweete Drinkes keepe the Liver 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, [Page] 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 Vinebuds, 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 Northwinde 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 [Page] sents, as Violets, Gilliflowers, Pinkes, Beane-blossomes, Linden-buds, Vinebuds, 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, Rosewater, and Wine, put into a Brasse-pan, being received into the Braine, is very good.

33. And wine powrd on the earth [Page] 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 [Page] 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 Rosewater, 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 [Page] 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 Bayleaves, and Lignum Aloes, (for sweet Gummes oppresse the head) are good every morning.

43. No hot drugs or Spices, except [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 hayre shirts, whippings, and all outward austerities doe strengthen the attractive faculty.

9. Netling is commended by Cardan to be good against Melancholly, but for raysing red blisters on the skin, is not to bee allowed. So much of the operation on the outward parts for attracting and drawing of nourishment.

The Operation on Food and dyet, shewing which is most nourishing. 7.

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The History.

1. PHilosophers might better than Physitians follow common opinion in condemning many Services and Messes of meate, lengthning not Life, but preserving health, for a Heterogeneous mixture of meates doth more readily nourish the veines, breeding better moysture than one kinde of meate: moreover, variety excites the Appetite, and the Appetite [Page] sharpens Disgestion. So that a various kinde of Dyet according unto the seasons of the yeare, is approoved.

2. Good Sawces are wholsome preparatives to meate, preserving health, and prolonging life.

3. Course Fare requires strong Drinke, and piercing Sawces that may sinke into the meate: but with fine Fare, small Drinke is best, and fat Sawces.

4. At Supper the first cup of drinke should be drunk warm, and a good draught of warme drinke spiced, taken halfe an houre before meate, is a good preparative for the stomacke.

5. Meat, Bread, and drinke being well drest, made, and brew'd, are most nourishing, [Page] which matters belonging to the Kitching and Buttery, are more necessary to be knowne than the Fables of Gold and Pearle.

6. Boyl'd meate drest with moyst cooling Sawces, doth not moysten the Body, beeing good in hot sicknesses, but affording no oyly nourishment, boyld meats being not so good as roasted and baked.

7. Meate must bee roasted with a quick fuddain fire, not with a slow fire, nor lye too long at roasting.

8. Solid meats so corned with Salt, that little or no Salt neede bee eaten therewith at the Table is good. Salt meate beeing better for Digestion, than Salt eaten with meate.

[Page]9. Meat should be layd to soake in convenient Lyquors, before it bee roasted or baked, as fish is watred and layd in pickle.

10. Flesh beaten before boyling, becomes tender, for Partridges and Pheasants taken by Hawking, and Venison killed in Hunting, are very sweete and pleasant in eating. And some Fish is better by beating. Also hard sower Peares, and other fruites beeing rowled and squeezed, do wax sweet and mellow. Flesh beaten and bruised before laying downe to roast, is thereby prepared for Disgestion, and is very good.

11. Bread well Leavened, but lightly salted, and baked in a very hot oven is best.

[Page]12. Of Drinke to lengthen Life Water beeing no Life prolonger, it is onely observable that the parts of Spiritual Drinkes, as Wine, Beere, [...] and Metheglin, must be subtile, and the spirits gentle, [...] because shortnesse and Age doe make the parts [...] and cleere, but the [...] sharpe, therefore some [...] substance (as was sayd) must bee put in Vessells to allay the sharpenesse of the Spirits. Also Drinke beeing kept in continuall motion, by carriage at Sea, or in Carts, or in Bladders hung on Lines and stirred every Day, will by such motions become thinne and cleere, & by blending the spirits, be kept from sowernes, being a kinde of putrefaction.

[Page]13. Meate should by Dressing be made easie of disgestion for old Folkes. But Distillations of meate are vaine conceites, the nourishing and best part thereof ascending not into vapour.

14. Meate and Drinke dissolved and mingled together is easie of Digestion. Therefore of Chickins, Partridge, or Pheasants, beeing first parboyled with water and salt, then wip'd and dryed, and boyled to a ielly in wine or Ale with some Sugar, a strong comfortable broth is made.

15. Also Gravie of meate, or mince-meat, and Hodg-podges well seasoned, are good for old Folkes, whose teeth cannot be cheewing, prepare their meate for Disgestion.

[Page]16. The defect of strong [...] for chewing meate, may [...] supplied by making new [...] grow, hardly effected [...] an inward powerfull restoring of the whole body, or by hardning the Gums by binding medicines to serve insteede [...] teeth, or by preparing and dressing meate, to neede little or no chewing.

17. To exceede sometimes [...] the quantity of meat and drink and to water the body by great Feasts, and liberall drinking, is sometimes good. So much of the operation of preparing and dressing of dyet.

The operation on the last act of Assimilation or conversion into the like substance. 8.

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THe nature of the last Act of Assimilation or Converting into the like substance, being the intended effect of the three former Operations, may bee opened and declared without Rules.

The Comment.

1. ALL bodies desire to Assimilate and convert Substances into their owne substance. Flame, Spirit, & Ayre, being thinne and Spirituall, doe couragiously performe this worke, but thicke and [Page] grosse substances very weakely, this desire of assimilating being by a stronger desire of rest and ease restrayned.

2. For this Desire of assimilating, restrained in the Body, is ineffectuall, untill it bee by heate and Spirit, freed, excited and actuated; and therefore livelesse bodies doe not assimilate, and living Creatures assimilate, Disgest, and convert into their owne substance.

3. More heate is required to make hard Bodies assimilate and Disgest, therefore the bodies parts growne hard with Age must bee softned, and heate then weake encreased, for helping Disgestion. But of preventing the bodies hardnesse, some Rules were delivered, [Page] and others shall be given heereafter for softning the parts.

For increasing heate take this Rule or Axiom.

4. The act of Assimilation incited and provoked by heate, a very accurate subtile motion, and most powerfull when bodily motion, the disturber thereof, ceases. For a substance of one kind wil not separate into parts of divers kinds being moved; as Curd will not rise, nor the Whey sinke downe, the Milke being gently stirred. Also running water, nor any water or liquor, will not put refie being continually moved and shaked. Therefore by this Reason this conclusion is inferr'd.

5. Assimilation is performed [Page] and perfected chiefly in sleepe and rest, especially towards Morning after good digestion: therefore sleeping warme, using oyntments towards morning, or provoking of moderate heate by an oyled shirt, and sleeping afterward again, are all very good. So much of the last act of Assimilation, or converting food into the substance of the body.

The Operation for making the body tender and young, having begun to wither, and grow old, and how to soften the body. 9.

THat good Dyet, and restraint of the spirits doe [Page] by an inward tedious manner of working, make the Body tender, was formerly shewed, an outward and more speedy meanes shall now bee declared.

The History.

1. AS Medea in the Fable pretended to make Pelias young, by boyling the pieces of his dissected body in a Kettle with medicinable Drugges: so heere in renewing of Age, the inward parts must bee distinguished, and divided with judgement, and by more particular wayes than the body softned.

2. But this dissection must be in some respect performed, not with any Razour, but with [Page] judgement; for the bowells and inward parts being different, their 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] 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 Baysalt and old Wine may bee mingled, to make them penetrate and pierce into the body.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 nighttime.

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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]

THE Doores of Death are Artic. 15 Connexion. Accidents going before, or following after, or comming with Death. For Death being not 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 burningfeavers, 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

[Page]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 [Page] 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 [...] Admonition. 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 is of a middle Nature betweene flame, beeing a momentary substance, and Aire beeing a fixed Substance.

The Destruction of the Organs [Page] of the spirits either by Diseases, or violence, is another Doore of Death: And so much of the Forme of Death.

29. Convulsions of the Head, and Face, with deepe deadly sighing, being a kind of Convulsion, and the extreame quicke beating of the Pulse, the Heart trembling with the pangs of Death; and sometimes againe beating weakely, and slowly, as the heate beginnes to faile and faint, are two chiefe Signes of Death.

30. The immediate Signes of Death are, great unquietnesse, tumbling, and striving, raking with the hands, as if gathering lockes of Wooll, striving to take hold, and [Page] holding fast, hard shutting of the Teeth, ratling in the [...] trembling of the under-lip, pale countenance, confused memory, speechlesnesse, cold sweats, stretching out the Body, lifting up the white of the eyes, and an alteration of the whole Face, (the Nose becomming sharp, the eyes hollow, and the cheekes falling) with the Contraction and Convulsion of the Tongue, and coldnesse of the lowest parts, and sometimes issuing of Blood, or seede, loud shreeking, short breathing, the falling of the lower jawes, and the like.

31. After Death there follows immediately a privation or depriving of the Sense and [Page] motion of the Heart, Arteries, Nerves, and Sinewes, inability of standing upright, stiffenesse of the Nerves and limbs, coldnesse, putrefaction, and stinke.

32. Ecles, Serpents, and Flyes, cut in pieces will a great while after moove and stirre, Countrey people supposing they would, if suffered, joyne together againe. And the bodies of Birds their heads beeing cut or pluckt off, will afterward leape and flutter. I remember that I say a Traytor emboweled, whose heart beeing cast into the fire, leaped five foote high, and afterward lower for the space of seaven or eight minutes. Also the old tradition of a sacrificed Oxe, that in embowelling lowed, deserves to [Page] [...] beleeved, thogh it be more [...] that a man executed and embowelled, after his hart was pluckt out, and in the hang mans hand, was heard to utter three or foure words of his prayers, beeing more likely than the relation of the [...] Oxe, the friends of the partie executed usually feeing the executioner for a suddayne dispatch out of payne, by the quicke performance of his office; but the Priests were not feed speedily to dispatch their Sacrifices.

33. To rayse and recover to life such as faint and fall into a swond (in which fits many without helpe would expire) use hot waters; bend the Body forwards, stoppe the mouth and nostrils hard, bend and [Page] wring the fingers, plucke off hayre from the Beard or head, rub and chafe the Body, especially the face and outward parts, cast cold water suddainly in the face, shrecke out aloud, hold Rose-water and vinegar to the nostrils: burning feathers and woollin cloath for the mother, also the smoak of a hot frying pan is good in sounding, and keeping the body close and warme.

34. That many laid forth, coffin'd & buried, were only in a sound, hath bin discovered by digging them up agayne, and finding their heads beaten and bruised with striving in the Coffin. Of such a living funerall Iohn Scotus that subtle Scholler was a memorable example, who by his servant absent at his buriall [Page] (but acquainted with those [...] wherein hee falling was supposed to bee Dead, and so buried) being digg'd up againe [...] found in the aforesayde manner with his head and other limbes beaten and [...].

A Player also acting Death to the Life in a sound, thought to put a ieast upon Death, but was buried in earnest at Cambridge, as many can well [...], who were then [...]. I remember that a [...] desirous to make [...] of the paine suffered by prisoners at their execution, told me, that in hanging [...], getting upon a stoole, and casting himselfe off from [...], hee swung a while about, and then thought [Page] to recover the stoole, but could not, without the helpe of his friend then present, who asking him what hee suffered: He answered that hee felt no payne, but first saw a fire, or a flame, then a kinde of black greene mist, and lastly a pale Sea-blew colour, usuall visions in sowning. Also a Physitian having hang'd a man halfe an houre, recovered him to life by rubbing and hot Baths, professing also to recover any man after halfe an houres hanging, his necke at the first falling downe beeing not broken.

The Differences of youth and Age.

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1. THE Scale or Ladder of Artic. 16 Mans life hath these steps: [...], Quickning in the [...], Birth, Sucking, [...], feeding on Pap, and Spoon-meat in Infancy, [...] of teeth at two yeares old, secret haire at twelve or foureteene, ability for [...], flowers, hayre on the [...], and under the armeholes, a budding Beard, full growth, full strength and agility, Graynesse, Baldnesse, [...] of flowers, and of [...] ability, inclining to [...], a creature with three feete, Death. The periods [Page] and courses of the minde, as slipperinesse of memory, and such like, not described by yeeres, shall be hereafter mentioned.

2. The Differences of Youth and Age are these following: In youth the skinne is moyst and smooth, in age dry, and wrinkled, especially about the fore-head, and eyes: the flesh in youth is tender, and soft, in age hard; youth is strong, and nimble, age weake, and unwealdy; in youth good Digestion, in age weake: the Bowels in youth are soft, and moyst, in age salt, and dry; in youth the body is straight, in age bowed, and crooked; the finews in youth are steddy, in age weake, and trembling, cholericke humours in [Page] youth, and hot blood, in age Phlegmatick, melancholy humours, and cold blood, youth prone to Venery, age slow in performance: the moysture of the Body in youth oyly, in age raw, and waterish, in youth many swelling spirits, in age few, and weake; in youth spirits thicke, and lively; in age sharpe, and thinne; in youth sharpe and sound senses, in age dull, and decaying; in youth strong sound Teeth, in age weake, worne, and falling out; in youth colour'd haire, in age the former colour turnes grey; Haire in youth, in Age Baldnesse, Quicke, and strong Pulse in youth, in Age weake and flow; in Youth sharpe [...] Sicknesses and Diseases, [Page] in Age tedious and incurable: Wounds heale soone in youth, in age slowly, in youth freshcoloured checkes, in Age pale, or of a deepe fanguine red; Youth not much troubbled with Rheumes, Age Rheumaticke; the Bodie growes fatter onely in Age than Youth. Perspiration and Digestion in Age being bad, and fatnesse being the aboundance of nourishment over and above that which is perfectly assimilated and converted into the substance of the Body. And the Appetite is sometimes in Age increased, by sharpe humours, digestion being then weaker: this and the rest being by Physitians ascribed to the decay of naturall heate, and radicall moysture; [Page] but drynesse in the [...] of Age doth precedo coldnesse, and the lusty heat of flourishing Youth declines [...] then to coldnesse.

3. The affections also of youth and age differ: I remember in my youth I was familiarly acquainted at Poicters in France with an ingenious young Gentleman, afterward an eminent man, who inveighing against the conditions of Age, would usually say, that old mens minds being visible, would appeare as [...] as their Bodies, [...] afterward comparing the mindes vices in Age to the [...] defects, saying They [...] skinn'd, and impudent, [...] and [...] and envious; [...] and [...] and[Page] [...] Earth, not Heaven, being their constant Object: [...] Limbs, wavering, and unconstant; wooked finger'd, greedy, and covetous; knees [...] and fearefull, [...] and [...] But to make a more serious Comparison, Youth is shamefac'd, and modest, Age is hardened; Youth is liberall and mercifull, Age is hard; youth emulates, age envies; youth is religious, and fervently zealous; being unexperienced in the miseries of this World; age cold in piety and charity, through much experience, and incredulity; youth is forward in defire, age [...] youth light and inconstant, age grave, and constant; youth is liberall, bountifull, and loving, age covetous. [Page] and wisely provident; youth confident, and [...] age distrustfull, and [...] youth gentle, and [...] age froward, and disdainfull; youth sincere, and simple; age cautelous, and close; youth haughty in desires, age carefull for necessaries; youth a Time-pleaser, Age a Time-rememberer; youth an Adorer of Superiors, age a Censurer. And by many other Characters impertinent to the present matter, the different conditions of youth and age may bee described: But the body growing fat in age, so the Iudgement, not the Fancy growes stronger, preferring safe sure courses before shows & appearances: And lastly, Age loves to [Page] [...] and brag, and being defirous to doe least, is desirous to talke most. Poets therefore feigned, that old [...] was changed into a chirping Grashopper.

Canons of the Continuation and Forme of Death.

CANON 1.

DIssolution or Corruption [...] by transmigration into another Body.

The Explication.

THere is no utter destruction: Corruption being a [Page] dissolution into Ayre, or [...] into some other body. As the Spider, Flye, and Ant [...] tender, [...] falling into Amber, [...] therein buryed, finding therein both a Death, and [...] preserving them [...] from Corruption than a Royall Monument. For no Ayre being within, there can be no corruption; and the [...] nature of Amber [...] of no Reception from their substance. Wood, or Roots being put into [...] would also remaine [...] Waxe, Honey, and Gumme doe also preserve [...] corruption.

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CAN. 2.

EVery tangible body hath Spirit, covered and encompassed with a thicke body, being the cause of consumption, and dissolution.

The Explication.

NO knowne body on the upper part of the Earth doth want a spirit, either by [...] and concoction of coelestiall heate, or by other meanes: for the concavity and hollownesse of bodies admitting no vacuity or emptinesse is fill'd with Ayre, or a spirit But this spirit here mentioned is no power, efficacy, or perfection, but onely a [...] [Page] invisible body, yet locall, dimensive, and reall: neither is this spirit Ayre, (as the juyce [...] Grape is not water) but a [...] body like Ayre, yet [...] but the thicke parts [...] substance (being [...] slow, and almost [...]) would endure longer, [...] the working, piercing spirit [...] not devoure the moysture [...] body, and all that is [...] vertible into a new spirit, [...] former new made spirits [...] by degrees [...] together. This is evident the decrease of waight in [...] bodies, by venting of [...] not increasing the [...] of a body, but yet by [...] making it grow dry.

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CAN. 3.

THE [...] of the spiriti is the cause of Drynesse, but by inward detaining and warking, they doe soften, [...] quicken.

The Explication.

THere are foure workings of the Spirit; Drynesse, Softning, Putrefaction, and generation of bodies. Drynesse is no proper worke of the Spirit, but of the thicker parts, after the venting of the Spirits shrinking and uniting together to avoide vacuity or emptinesse, as burned Bricks: doe Sea-coale cakes, stale Bread and Toasts. Softnesse, is [Page] [...] worke of the Spirits, [...] by heate, whereby the Spirits enlarging not venting, [...] pierce into, and moysten [...] thicker parts, making [...] soft and limber, as Fire [...] Mettalls, and Waxe; for [...] and other stiffe [...] are of a matter fit to [...] the Spirits, and keep [...] from venting. [...] is a mixt work of the [...] thicker parts; for after [...] spirit (contayning and [...] the parts of the [...]) is vented, all the parts [...] and returne into their [...] Elements; because by the spirits of substances gathering [...] putrefied bodies stink, [...] the assembling together of [...] becōming light, & [...] the withdrawing of water [Page] and earth, are dissolved, and fall asunder. But generation or quickning being a mixt worke of the spirit, and thicker parts, is performed in another manner, the spirit being totally detayn'd, swelling, and moving locally: but the thicker parts being not dissolved, but following the motion of the spirit blowing and fashioning them into divers Formes, are generated, and become bodies: therefore the matter quickned is alwayes clammy, limber, plyant, and soft, be thereby fit to detayne the spirit, and to yeeld to the spirits fashioning of parts, such being also the clammy yeelding matter of all Vegetables, and living Creatures generated of [...] or seed.

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CAN. 4.

ALL living Creatures have two Spirits: dead Spirits, [...] those in livelesse Creatures, [...] the living Spirits.

The Explication.

NEcessary is the consideration of Mans body, as [...] and unnourished, or [...] and nourished, the [...] shewing the wayes of [...] the latter of [...] For there are in the [...] Bones, Skinnes, Organs, [...] the severall limbes of the [...] body: such spirits as are [...] the Flesh, Bone, and Skinne, [...] separated, and Dead, [...] in a Dead [...] the vitall spirits governing [Page] and agreeing with them, is of a different nature, integrall, and constant. They differ in two respects; mortuall dead spirits are not continued, but disjoyned, and inclosed in a thicker body, as Ayrein Snow, or Froath. But the spirit being continuate, passing through certaine Channels, and totally inclosed, is either pervious, passing through small pores, or continuate, and resident in a proportionable quantity to the Body, in a hollow seate or Fountaine whence lesser Rivalets are derived. This seate is the Ventricles of the Braine, being straite and narrow in the baser sort of living creatures, whose spirits being spred through the whole body, have no particular [Page] [...] residence, as in [...] Eeles, and Flyes, whose [...] being cut asunder will [...] afterward. And Birds, their Heads being pluckt off, will leape and flutter, because their Heads being small, their spirits have therein no [...] residence: But [...] have large Ventricles, especially Man: And besides, the vitall spirit is inflameable, being compounded of Flame and Ayre, as the moysture of Living creatures is of Oyle and Water, the [...] giving it motion and [...] as inflameable smoak, before it blaze into a flame, [...] hot, thinne, and moveble, being when it is a flame, [...] substance: but the [...] of the vitall spirits [Page] is more gentle than the flame of the spirit of wine, beeing compounded of an aiery substance, 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, [...] [Page] 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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, [Page] 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 [Page] 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 [Page] 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.

IN oyly fat substances not clamy, the spirits are willingly detayned.

[Page]

The Explication.

THE Spirit not incited by the Antipathy of an encompassing Body, nor fed by too neere likenesse of a Body, doth not strive much to depart. As in oyly substances being not so trouble some to the spirit as hard substances, nor so like it as watry substances, nor tempted forth by the flattery of encompassing Ayre.

CAN. 17.

THE suddaine departure of the watery humour, doth make oylinesse endure the longer.

[Page]

The Explication.

WAtery spirits, as was sayd, being like Ayre, doe sooner depart than Ayre, oyly spirits slower, having not so much affinity with ayre. But both these moystures being in most bodies, the watery spirit doth vent before the oyly, and the former getting forth by degrees, carryeth with it the latter. Therefore light drying is healthfull, maling the watery humour expire, not forcing out the watery humour, there by becomming more perfect, and both hindering putrefaction, and preserving the body yong. And therefore light rubbings and exercise breathing the body, not procuring sweate, doe exceedingly lengthen life.

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CAN. 18:

THE exclusion or keeping out of the ayre, lengthens life, other inconvemences being avoyded.

The Explication.

THE evolation or departing of the spirit, as was sayd, is a two-fold action, proceeding from the Appetite of the Spirit and of the Ayre. The former Action may be stayed and taken away by Oyntments, the Remedies for the inconveniences ensuing thereon, being prescribed in the second Operation.

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CAN. 19.

By young spirits being put into an aged body, the course of [...] may be suddainly brought about againe to youth.

The Explication.

THE Spirits are in Nature like the highest wheele turning about the other wheeles in Mans body, and an especiall Engine to lengthen Life. Besides, the spirits are easily and soone altered. For Operation on the spirits is two-fold, one by Nourishment being slow and indirect: the other suddaine, & directly working on the spirits by vapors, or by affections.

[Page]

CAN. 20.

THE moisture of the body being hard and oyly doth lengthen life.

The Explication.

THE Reason is grounded on a former Rosition, that hard and oyly substances are hardly dissipated or dispersed. But yet (as was sayd in the tenth Operation) hard moisture [...] lesse dissipable, is also lesse reparable, and an inconvenience therefore joyned with a convenience can produce no great effect. But the oyly moysture being not dissipable, and also reparable, is therefore diligently to bee regarded.

CAN. 21.

Sv btile, thinne, piercing substances, without gnawing Acrymony [Page] or sharpnesse, doe breed [...]

The Explication.

THis Canon is more difficult in practice than in [...] For all piercing [...] and sharpe substances doe [...] and corrode, hardening [...] but the penetration of the subtile substances without violence, doth bedew and water the body, as was [...] in the fourth and seventh Operation.

CAN. 22.

ASstmilation or Digestion is best performed, when all locall motion doth cease.

The Explication.

THis Canon in the Cōment on the third Operation is sufficiently explained.

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CAN. 23.

Nourishment received by outward meanes, not onely by the stomacke, would lengthen life, if it may be effected.

The Explication.

NOurishment doth work in a compasse course, but infusions more suddainly: therfore outward nourishment would be good, because the faculties of digestion doe faile in age. And inward Nourishment joyned with outward Nourishment by baths, oyntments, and glisters, wonld be more powerfull and strong.

CAN. 24.

DIgestion being weak to drive out nourishment, the outward parts must be comforted to draw forth nourishment.

[Page]

The Explication.

[...] His Canon and the [...] are not the same: for [...] of outward [...] differs from Extraction, [...] drawing out of in ward [...] but both by several [...] doe helpe weaknesse [...] Digestion.

CAN. 25.

ALL [...] renewing of the Body is wrought either the Spirits, or by softning.

The Explication.

IN the Body there are spirits and parts, where Nourish [...] by a compasse-course [...] but vapours and [...] doe work suddainly [Page] on the spirits, and softning on the parts: yet externall Nourishment and softning must not bee confounded, softning intending not to nourish the parts, but make them more nourishable.

CAN. 26.

SOftning is wrought by like substances, by piercing and shutting substances.

The Explication.

FOr Consubstantials, or like substances doe properly soften, conveying substances drive in, and binding shutting substancesdoe retaine, and restraine Perspiration or breathing forth, being a motion contrary to softning: Therefore (as was said in the ninth [Page] [...] softning cannot be [...] once effected, but by an [...] proceeding: First, by [...] and keeping out the [...] by thicke Oyntments, because the outward thicke [...] doth not supple the body, but the subtile vapours thereinto penetrating and piercing. Secondly, by softning [...] Consubstantialls, and the [...] substances, for Bodies by the gentle touch of like substances doe open and loosen [...] pores. Thirdly, by [...] of the like substances and [...] restrayning [...] Afterwards binding [...] Plasters and Oyntments [...] good & applyable, untill [...] subtile softnesse of the [...] be growne hard and solid.

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CAN. 27.

THE frequent renewing of reparable parts, doth bedew and moysten the lesse reparable.

The Explication.

IN the beginning of the History, the perishing of the more reparable, and lesse reparable parts together, was called the high way of Death, and therefore the Reparation of these parts should be most intended. For as Aristotle well observed, that in Plants new sap passing through the boughes, doth refresh the body also: so in like manner, by often repairing the flesh and blood of the body, the Bones and Membranes, and other lesse reparable parts, by the passage of new moysture, and [Page] being cloathed with new flesh and blood, may be [...] renewed.

CAN. 28.

COoling not passing by the stemacke, doth lengthen life.

The Explication.

FOr a strong cooling of the Blood, is necessary to prolong Life, which cannot bee effected inwardly without hurting the stomacke and bowels.

CAN. 29.

COnsumption and reparation being both effected by heate, [...] by their conioyned Operation [...] length of Life.

[Page]

The Explication.

ALL great workers are destroyed by the mixture of Natures, helpfull and hurtfull in severall respects. Therefore Judgement in practice must distinguish good heates from hurtfull.

CAN. 30.

DIseases are curable by Medicines, but Life must bee lengthned by Dyets.

The Explication.

ACcidentall Diseases their Causes being taken away, doe cease; but the continuall course of Nature flowing like a River, must bee stopt, and turn'd backe by Dyets, whereof there are two kinds: set dyet used at certaine times, and [Page] familiar dayly Dyet. Set Dyets are more powerfull, being able to turne backe Natures course, and sooner change and alter the Body than usuall Dyets. In the Intention three set Dyets are onely mentioned, the Dyet with Opium, the Dyet for softning, and the Dyet for making leane, and renewing the Body.

But in dayly Dyet, these Prescriptions, good also in set Dyets are most effectuall; Nitre, and Drugges subordinate to Nitre, the government of the Affections, and the kinds of Studies Coolers not passing by the, stomacke, oyly Drinkes, making the Blood firme, by Potions of the Powder [Page] of Pearle, and wood Drugs, Oyntments to keepe out the Ayre and keepe in the Spirits, outward heaters to further [...] after sleepe; avoyding inflamers of the Spirits, infusing into them a sharpe heat, as Wines and hot Spices, and the moderate and seasonable use of Drugges, infusing a strong heate into the Spirits, as Saffron, Cresses, Garlick, Elecampane, and compositions of Opium.

CAN. 31.

THe living Spirit doth immediatly perish, being destitute of motion, cooling, or nourishment.

[Page]

The Explication.

THese are three Doores of Death formerly mentioned, being the proper and immediate passions of the spirit. For all the Organs of the principall parts serve them, in performing their Offices. And the destruction of the Organs doth cause their Defectivenes. Therefore all other wayes to Death meete in these three commonroades. But the Fabricke of the parts is the Organ of the spirit, as the spirit is of the reasonable Soule, being immortall and Divine.

CAN. 32.

FLame is a momentary Substance; Ayre a fixed; the living spirits in creatures is of a middle Nature.

[Page]

The Explication.

THis Canon requires a deeper search, and larger Explication than is here requisite. Flame is continually generated and extinguished, and continued only by succession. But ayre is a fixed body not subject to dissolution, for though the ayre doth out of moisture generate new ayre, yet the olde ayre remaineth, whence proceedeth the over-burdning of the ayre, mentioned in the title of Winds. But the spirits participating of the nature of flame and ayre, is nourished by Oyle being of the same kinde with flame, and by ayre homogeneous to water. For the spirit is not nourished by an oyly or waterish substance, but by both. [Page] And though ayre and flame, & oyle and water, are hardly blended and compounded, yet they agree in a mixtbody. The ayre raysing quicke and delicate conceits in the Fancy, and the flame enciting noble active Desires in the Soule. The continuance also of the spirit is compounded, beeing neyther so momentary as flame, nor so fixed as ayre. And therfore is not accidentally extinguished like a flame by contraries, for the spirit is not so hard beset with Destructive qualities. But the spirits are repayred by lively fresh Blood, insinuated through the Arteries into the Braine, by a speciall manner of reparation, not now to be mentioned.

FINIS.

Information about this book

Title statement

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.Historia vitae et mortis. English

Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.

Edition statement

1638

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01446

ID [STC]

STC 1157

ID [STC]

ESTC S100504

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99836343

ID [PROQUEST]

99836343

ID [VID]

608

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01446)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 608)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1475-1640 ; 619:02)

Source

— 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., Historia vitae et mortis. English, Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626., Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626. Instauratio magna..

Extent

[14], 323, [1] p.

Printed by I. Okes, for Humphrey Mosley, at the Princes Armes in Pauls Church-Yard,. London :: 1638.. (Anonymous translation of "Historia vitae et mortis". The foreword to the edition printed later the same year by John Haviland calls this translation "lame, and defective, in the whole".) (The second section of part 3 of Bacon's projected "Instauration magna".) (With an initial imprimatur leaf and an additional title page, engraved.) (Reproduciton of the original in Cambridge University Library.)

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Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.