324 HISTORY OF 



where composure of the body is either so straight, or so 

 tenacious, that the spirit can find no pores or passages by 

 which to depart, then, in the striving to get out, it drives 

 before it the grosser parts of the body, and protrudes them 

 beyond the superficies or surface of the body ; as it is in 

 the rust of metals, and mould of all fat things. And this 

 is the second action, the issuing forth or flight of the spirit. 

 6. The third action is somewhat more obscure, but full 

 as certain; that is, the contraction of the grosser parts 

 after the spirit issued forth. And this appears, first, in 

 that bodies after the spirit issued forth do manifestly shrink, 

 and fill a less room, as it is in the kernels of nuts, which 

 after they are dried, are too little for the shells; and in 

 beams and planchers of houses, which at first lay close 

 together, but after they are dried give; and likewise in 

 bowls, which through drought grow full of crannies, the 

 parts of the bowl contracting themselves together, and after 

 contraction must needs be empty spaces. Secondly, it 

 appears by the wrinkles of bodies dried ; for the endeavour 

 of contracting itself is such, that by the contraction it 

 brings the parts nearer together, and so lifts them up ; for 

 whatsoever is contracted on the sides, is lifted up in the 

 midst : and this is to be seen in papers and old parchments, 

 and in the skins of living creatures, and in the coats of soft 

 cheeses, all which with age gather wrinkles. Thirdly, this 

 contraction shows itself most in those things which by heat 

 are not only wrinkled, but ruffled and plighted, and, as it 

 were, rolled together, as it is in papers, and parchments, 

 and leaves, brought near the fire ; for contraction by age, 

 which is more slow, commonly causeth wrinkles, but con 

 traction by the fire, which is more speedy, causeth plight 

 ing. Now in most things where it comes not to wrinkling 

 or plighting, there is simple contraction, and angustiation 

 or straitening, and induration or hardening, and desiccation, 

 as was showed in the first place. But if the issuing forth 

 of the spirit, and absumption or waste of the moisture be so 

 great that there is not left body sufficient to unite and con 

 tract itself, then of necessity contraction must cease, and 

 the body become putrid, and nothing else but a little dust 

 cleaving together, which with a light touch is dispersed, 

 and falleth asunder; as it is in bodies that are rotten, and 

 in paper burnt, and linen made into tinder, and carcasses 

 embalmed after many ages. And this is the third action, 

 the contraction of the grosser parts after the spirit issueth 

 forth. 



