LIFE AND DEATH. 3G7 



continued. Also of savory, wild marjorum, pennyroyal, and 

 all such as bite and heat the tongue ; for they yield unto 

 the spirits a heat not operative, but predatory. 



65. These yield a robust heat, especially elecampane, 

 garlick, carduus benedictus, watercresses, while they are 

 young, germander, angelica, zedoary, vervin, valerian, 

 myrrh, pepperwort, elder flowers, garden chervile. The 

 use of these things, with choice and judgment, sometimes 

 in sallads, sometimes in medicines, will satisfy this opera 

 tion. 



66. It falls out well, that the grand opiates will also serve 

 excellently for this operation, in respect that they yield such 

 a heat by composition, which is wished, but not to be found 

 in simples. For the mixing of those excessive hot things 

 (such as are euphorbium, pellitory of Spain, stavisacre, 

 dragonwort, anacordi, castoreum, aristolochium, opponax, 

 ammoniachum, galbanum, and the like, which of them 

 selves cannot be taken inwardly), to qualify and abate the 

 stupefactive virtue of the opium, they do make such a con 

 stitution of a medicament as we now require ; which is ex 

 cellently seen in this, that treacle and mithridate, and the 

 rest, are not sharp, nor bite the tongue, but are only some 

 what bitter, and of strong scent, and at last manifest their 

 heat when they come into the stomach, and in their subse 

 quent operations. 



67. There conduces also to the robust heat of the spirits 

 Venus often excited, rarely performed ; and no less some 

 of the affections, of which shall be spoken hereafter. So 

 touching the heat of the spirits, analogical to the prolonga 

 tion of life, thus much. 



68. Touching the quantity of the spirits, that they be not 

 exuberant and boiling, but rather sparing, and within a 

 mean (seeing a small flame doth not devour so much as a 

 great flame), the inquisition will be short. 



69. It seems to be approved by experience, that a spare 

 diet, and almost a pythagorical, such as is either prescribed 

 by the strict rules of a monastical life, or practised by her 

 mits, which have necessity and poverty for their rule, ren- 

 dereth a man long lived. 



70. Hitherto appertain drinking of water, a hard bed, 

 abstinence from fire, a slender diet (as, namely, of herbs, 

 fruits, flesh, and fish, rather powdered and salted, than fresh 

 and hot, a hair shirt, frequent fastings, frequent watch- 

 ings, few sensual pleasures, and such like ; for all these di 

 minish the spirits, and reduce them to such a quantity as 



