378 HISTORY OF 



the conservation of their health, by wearing scarlet waist 

 coats next their skin, and under their shirts, as well down 

 to the nether parts as on the upper. 



29. It is also to be observed, that air accustomed to the 

 body doth less prey upon it than new air and often changed ; 

 and. therefore poor people, in small cottages, who live always 

 within the smell of the same chimney, and change not 

 their seats, are commonly longest lived : notwithstanding, 

 to other operations (especially for them whose spirits are 

 not altogether dull) we judge change of air to be very pro 

 fitable, but a mean must be used which may satisfy on both 

 sides. This may be done by removing our habitation four 

 times a year, at constant and set times, unto convenient 

 seats, that so the body may neither be in too much peregri 

 nation, nor in too much station. And touching the opera 

 tion upon the exclusion of air, and avoiding the predatory 

 force thereof, thus much. 



in. The Operation upon the Bloody and the Sanguifying 



Heat. 



The History. 



1. The following operations answer to the two precedent, 

 and are in the relation of passives and actives ; for the two 

 precedent intend this, that the spirits and air in their 

 actions may be the less depredatory; and the two latter, 

 that the blood and juice of the body may be the less depre- 

 dable. But because the blood is an irrigation or watering 

 of the juices and members, and a preparation to them, 

 therefore we will put the operation upon the blood, in the 

 first place : concerning this operation we will propound 

 certain counsels, few in number, but very powerful in virtue : 

 they are three. 



2. First, there is no doubt, but that if the blood be brought 

 to a cold temper, it will be so much the less dissipable. 

 But because the cold things which are taken by the mouth 

 agree but ill with many other intentions, therefore it will 

 be best to find out some such things as may be free from 

 these inconveniences. They are two. 



3. The first is this : let there be brought into use, espe- 

 pecially in youth, clysters not purging at all, or absterging, 

 but only cooling, and somewhat opening: those are approved 

 which are made of the juices of lettuce, purslane, liverwort, 

 houseleek, and the mucilage of the seed of fleawort, with 

 some temperate opening decoction, and a little camphire ; 

 but in the declining age let the houseleek and purslane be 



