” 
The Eiftory of Life and Death: |. 37 
The fame Irifh ule to wear Saffroned Linen and Shirts : which though it were at | 
firft devifed to prevent Vermin, yet howfoever I take it to be very ufefu) for length- 
| ning of life ; for saffron, of allthings that I know, is the belt thing for theskin, 
-and the comforting of the fle(h, feeing itis both notably Aftringent, and hath befides 
an Oleofity and {ubtle heat, without any Acrimony. Lremember acertain Enghhman, 
who when he went to'Sea carried a bagg of Saffroh next his {tomack, that he might 
conceal it, and fo cfcape Cuftom ; and whereas he was wont to bealways exceed- 
ing Sea-fick, at that time he continued very well, and felt no provocation to 
vomit. . ‘ 
-| Aippocrates advifeth in Winter to wear clean Linen; and in Summer foul Linen and 
befineared with Oil, The reafon may feem to be, becaufe in Summer the Spirits ex- 
hale moft, therefore the pores of the skin wouldbe filled up. ww 
Hereupon we are of opinion, that the ufe of Oil, either of Olives or {weet AL 
monds, to anoint the skin therewith, would principally conduce to long life : The 
anointing would be donecvery morning when we rife out of bed, with Oilin whicha 
little Bay-falt and Saffron is mixed. But this anointing mult be lightly done with 
Wool, or fome foft {ponge, not laying it on thick, but gently touching and wet- 
ting the skin. by pts | ! . > LN | 
Itis certain that Liquors, even the Oily themfelves, in grearquantities draw fome- 
what from the body ; but contrarily,in {mall quantities are drunk in by the body: there- 
fore the anointing would be butlight, as we faid, or rather the fhirt it felf would be be- 
fmeared withOil. tO a 
It may happily be objected , that this anointing with Oil, which we commend, | 
(though it were never in ufe with us, and amongft the /takans is caft off again ) 
was anciently very familiar amongft the Grecians and Romans, and a part of their Diet ; 
and yet men werenotlonger-liv’d in thofe dayes than now. But it may-rightly be an- 
| fwered, Oil was in ufe onely after Baths, unlefs it were perhaps amongft Champi- 
ons: now hot Baths are as much contrary to our operation, as e4vintings are 
congruous, feeing the one opens the paffages, the other ftops them up + therefore 
the Bath, without theanointing following, is utterly bad; the anointing without the 
Bath is beft of all. Befides, the anointing amongft them was ufed onely for delicacy, 
or (if you take itarthe beft) for health, but bynomeans in order to long life; and 
therefore they ufed them with all precious Ointments, which were good for deliciouf 
-nefs, but hurtful to our intention, inregard of their heat: So that zrgel feemeth not to 
have faid amifs, P 
——Nee Cafia liquidi corrumpitur ufus Olivt, 
_ That odorsferous Cafia hath not fupplanted the ufe of neat Oil-Olive. - 
Anointing ith oz conduceth to health, both in Winter, by the exclufion of the 
told air, and in Summer; by detaining the fpirits within, and prohibiting the Re- 
folution of them; and keeping off the force of the air which is then moft pre- 
datory. 
Sezing the anointing with Ov! is one of the moft poterit operations to’long life, we 
have thought good to add fome cautions, left the health fhouldbe endangered: They 
are four, according to the four nconveniences which may follow thereupon. 
The firlt /nsonvenience is; that by repreffing fweats, it may ingender difcafes from 
thofe excrementitious humours. Tothis a remedy muft be given by Purges and Cly- 
fers; that evacuation may be duly performed. This is certain, that evacuation by 
{weats commonly advanceth health, and derogateth from long life; but gentle Purgers 
work upon the humours,not upon the {pirits,as {weat doth. eae | 
The fecond Inconvemence is, that it may heat the body, and in time inflame it; for } 
the fpirits fhutin, and not breathing forth,acquire héat. This inconvenience may be } 
prevented, if the Diet moft uftally incline to thé colder part, and that at times fome | 
| proper cooling Medicines be taken; of which we fhall ftraight {peak in the operation } 
upon the Bloud, Fy hah ole He 
The third is, that it may annoy the head ; for all Oppletion from without ftrikes back 
the vapours, and fends them up unto the head, . This inconvenience is remedied by 
Purgers; elpecially Clyfters, and by fhutting the mouth of the ftomach ftrongly with 
Stipticks; and by combing and-fubbing the head, and by wafhing it with convenient 
Lics, that fomething may exhale, and by not omitting competentand good exércifes, 
that fomethin galfomay perfpire by the skin. ea 
ae Sorat ia geal Pea 
