The Hiflny of LifeandDeatb, 
way they all end, efpecially in thefe Deaths which are canfed by Indigence of Nat i 
rather than by Violence: although fonserbing of this latter alfo muft be inferted, becanfe | 
of the connexton of things. ans “SOM 
ae 
. , 
' . 
The Hiftory. 
He living Spirit ftands in need of three things that it may fubfift; Convenient | 
eMotion, Temperate Refrigeration,and Fit ediment. Flame feemsto ftand in 
need but of two of thefe, namely , Adotion and Aliment s becaufe Flame isa} 
fimple fubftance, the Spirit 2 compounded, infomuch that if itapproachfomewhat too 
near to a flamy nature, it overthroweth it felf.. | | 
2. Alfo Flame,by a greater and ftronger Flame is extinguifhed and flain, as 4riftozle well 
noted, much more the Spzret. ' . so 
3 Flame, if it be muchcompreffed and {treightned, is éxtinguifhed : as we may fee in, 
a Candle having a Glafs caft over it; for the Air being dilated by the heat, doth con- 
trude and thruft together the Flame, and fo lefleneth it, and in the end extinguifbeth it; 
and fires on hearths will not flame if the fuel be thruft clofe together without any {pace 
for the flame to break forth. pari 
Alfo things fired are extinguifhed with compreffion ; as if you prefs a burning coal \ 
hard with the Tongs or the foot, it is ftreight extinguifhed. gi | 
5° But to come to the Spirit: if Bloud or Phlegm get into the Ventricles of the } 
Brain , it caufeth fudden death , becaufe the Spiric hath no room to moye it 
felf. : 
6. Al‘o a great blow on the head induceth fudden death, the Spirits being ftreightned } 
within the Ventricles of the Brain. 
7. | Opis and other {trong Stupefattives do coagulate the Spirit, and deprive it of the 
| motion. 7 
&- | A venemous Vapour, totally abhorred by the fpirit,caufeth fudden death: as in deadly 
poifons, which work (as they callit) bya fpecifical malignity ; for they {trike a loath- | 
ing into the Spirit, that the {pirit will no more move it felf, nor rife againft a thing fo | 
, much detefted. Lidl a | 
9 Alfo extreme Drunkennefs or extreme Feeding fometime caufe fudden death, 
| feeing the f{pirit is not oncly opprefled with over-much condenfing, or the malignity | 
of the vapour, ( as in Opium and malignant poifons ) but alfo with the abundance of | - 
the Vapours. ; 
10. Extreme Grief or Fear, efpecially if they be fudden, (as it isin a fad and unexpected 
meflage) caufe fudden death. wort) 
I. Not onely over-much Compreffion, but alfo over-much Dilatation of the fpirit, is { 
deadly. ve 
12. Joys exceffive and fudden have bereft many of theirlives. 
13 In greater Evacuations,as when they cut men for the Drepfie, the waters flow forth 
abundantly ; much more in great and fudden fluxes of bloud oftentimes prefent | 
death followeth : and this happens by the mere flight of Vacuum within the body, 
| all the parts moving to fill the empty places > and amongft the reft the {pirits, : 2 
themfclves. For as*for flow fluxes of blood, this matter pertains to the indigence | 
"of nourifhment, not to the diffufion of the fpirits. And touching the motion | - 
_of the fpirit fo far, either compreffed or diffufed, that it bringeth death, thus | — 
-much. 
‘146 We muft come next to the want of Refrigeration. Stopping of the breath eaufeth | 
fudden death, as in all fuffocation or ftrangling. Now itfeems this matter is not 
much to be referred to the impediment of Motion , as to the impediment of Refri- 
geration ; for air over-hot, though attracted freely, doth no lefs fuftocate than if 
breathing were hindred ; as it is in them who have been fometime fuftocated with {| 
burning coals, or with char-coal, or with walls newly plaiftered-in clofe chambers |. 
where a fife is made: whichkind of death is reported to have been the end of the} | 
| Emperor Jovinian, \ The like happeneth from dry Baths over heated, which was pra- | 
