LIFE AND DEATH. 357 



certain man,when he had found an ointment hidden under the 

 ground, and had anointed himself therewith from head to 

 foot (excepting only the soles of his feet) did, by his anoint 

 ing, live three hundred years without any disease, save only 

 some tumours in the soles of his feet. And of Artesius, who, 

 when he found his spirit ready to depart, drew into his body 

 the spirit of a certain young man, and thereby made him 

 br Pithless, but himself lived many years by another man s 

 spirit. And of fortunate hours, according to the figures of 

 heaven, in which medicines are to be gathered and com 

 pounded for the prolongation of life ; and of the seals of 

 planets, by which virtues may be drawn and fetched down 

 from heaven to prolong life; and such like fabulous and 

 superstitious vanities. I wonder exceedingly that men 

 should so much dote as to sufTer themselves to be deluded 

 with these things. And, again, I do pity mankind that 

 they should have the hard fortune to be besieged with such 

 frivolous and senseless apprehensions. But mine intentions 

 do both come home to the matter, and are far from vain 

 and credulous imaginations ; being also such, as I conceive, 

 posterity may add much to the matters which satisfy these 

 intentions; but to the intentions themselves, but a little. 

 Notwithstanding there are a few things, and those of very 

 great moment, of which I would have men to be forewarned. 

 First, We are of that opinion, that we esteem the offices 

 of life to be more worthy than life itself. Therefore if there 

 be any thing of that kind that may indeed exactly answer 

 our intentions yet so, that the offices and duties of life be 

 thereby hindered, whatsoever it be of this kind, we reject 

 it. Perhaps we may make some light mention of some 

 things, but we insist not upon them. For we make no 

 serious nor diligent discourse, either of leading the life in 

 caves, where the sunbeams and several changes of the air 

 pierce not, like Epimenides his cave ; or of perpetual baths, 

 made of liquors prepared ; or of shirts and searcloths so 

 applied, that the body should be always, as it were, in a 

 box ; or of thick paintings of the body, after the manner of 

 some barbarous nations ; or of an exact ordering of our life 

 and diet, which aimeth only at this, and mindeth nothing 

 else but that a man live (as was that of Herodicus amongst 

 the ancients, and of Cornarus the Venetian in our days, but 

 with greater moderation), or of any such prodigy, tedious- 

 ness, or inconvenience ; but we propound such remedies 

 and precepts, by which the offices of life may neither be 

 deserted nor receive any great interruptions or molestations. 



