400 .HISTORY OF 



and after consume it, and drink it up. Which is most 

 manifest, because that by these diets the French pox, when 

 it is grown even to a hardness, and hath eaten up and cor 

 rupted the very marrow of the body, may be effectually 

 cured. And, further, because it is manifest, that men, who 

 by these diets, are brought to be extreme lean, pale, and, as it 

 were, ghosts, will soon after become fat, well coloured, and 

 apparently young again. Wherefore we are absolutely of 

 opinion, that such kind of diets in the decline of age, being 

 used every year, would be very useful to our intention ; like 

 the old skin or spoil of serpents. 



3. We do confidently affirm (neither let any man reckon 

 us among those heretics which were called Cathari), that 

 often purges, and made even familiar to the body, are more 

 available to long life than exercises and sweats. And this 

 must needs be so, if that be held which is already laid for 

 a ground, that unctions of the body, and oppletion of the 

 passages from without, and exclusion of air, and detaining 

 of the spirit within the mass of the body, do much conduce 

 to long life. For it is most certain, that by sweats and out 

 ward perspirations, not only the humours and excrementi- 

 tious vapours are exhaled and consumed, but together 

 with them the juices also, and good spirits, which are not 

 so easily repaired ; but in purges (unless they be very im 

 moderate) it is not so, seeing they work principally upon 

 the humours. But the best purges for this intention are 

 those which are taken immediately before meat, because 

 they dry the body less; and, therefore, they must be of 

 those purgers which do least trouble the belly. 



These intentions of the operations which we have pro 

 pounded (as we conceive) are most true, the remedies faith 

 ful to the intentions. Neither is it credible to be told 

 (although not a few &amp;lt;5f these remedies may seem but vulgar) 

 with what care and choice they have been examined by us, 

 that they might be (the intention not at all impeached) both 

 safe and effectual. Experience, no doubt, will both verify 

 and promote these matters. And such, in all things, are 

 the works of every prudent counsel, that they are admirable 

 in their effects, excellent also in their order, but seeming 

 vulgar in the way and means. 



The Porches of Death. 



We are now to inquire touching the porches of death, 

 that is, touching those things which happen unto men at 

 the point of death, both a little before and after ; that seeing 

 there are many paths which lead to death, it may be un- 



