The Hiftwy of Life andDeath. 



Yiiyitbey allend; Efpecial/y in thoje Dcuhs, which are caufed t>j Indigence of Nature , 

 ra t her than by violence ; Althottgh fomething of this latter alfo, mufi be inserted) becaufe of 

 the Connexion of Things. 



The Hipty. 



H E Living Spirit ftands in need of three things, that jt may jubfift 

 Convenient Motion, Temper 'ate Refrigeration, and Fit tsfliment. Flame 

 feems to (land in need but of two of thcfe; Namely, Afotion, and AH 

 mem: Becauie Flame is a fimple fubftance, the Spirit a Compoun- 

 ded: Infomuch, that if it approach fomewhat too near to a Flamy 

 Nature, it overthroweth it feff, 

 o Flame by a greater and llronger Flame is extinguifhed and flain ; As Arifio- 

 tie well noted, much morc , he Spirit. 



r ml l '- n ^ e mnch c0 ^preflcd and ftralghned, isextinguiflied;As we may fee in a 

 handle having aGla{re C aft over k; For the Air being dilated by the heat, doth 

 o OD ftf U l e - aDd ^ ruft tc 8 etner the FJam e ; And fo letTeneth it , and in the end extin 

 ginfheih it.- A n( i Fires on hearths will not Flame, if the Fewcl be thruft clofe together 

 without any f pace f or t h e Flame to break forth. 

 A J)° tl Y n g* fired are exti nguifh-d with comDreflion : As if you prefle a burning 



coal heard with the Tongs , or the Foot, it is fir.iightextinguimed. 



But to come to the Spirit ; If Blood or Flegm get in;o the Ventricles of the 



Brain , k cauleth fudden Death ; Becaufe the Spiric hath no Room to move it 



felt, 



Alfo a great Blow on the Head, induceth fuddain Death, the Spirits being ftraight 

 ned within the Vencicles of the Brain. 



Op am, and other Hrong Stupe] -actives , doe coagulate the Spirit , and deprive it of 

 he Motion. 



A Vcnemoas Vapour, totally abhorred by the fpirir, caufeth fuddain Death: As in 

 deadly poy-fpns, which work ( as they call it ) by a fpecifkal Malignity : For they 

 (Irikea loathing inro the Spirit, that the Spirit will no more move it felf, nor rife a- 

 gainila thing ibmuch detehed. 



Aifo extreme DrunkenneHe> or extreme Feeding, fometimecaufe fudden Death : 

 Seeing the Spirit is not only Opprefied wifhovermuch fondenfing, or the malignity of 

 the Vapour ( as in Opium, and malignant Poyfons )but alfo with the abundance of the 

 Vapour?. 



Ex:reme Grief, or Fear, efpecially if they be fudden ( as it isinafadiand unex- 

 pected Meflage ) caufe fudden Death. 



Not only over- much Compreflion,but alfo over- much Dilatation of the Spirit, is 



Deadly. 



Joyes exceffue and fudden have bereft many of their lives. 



la great Evacuations, as when they cue men for the Drop fie , the waters flow forth 

 ibundantly; Much more in great and fudden Fluxes of Blo©d oftentimes prefent 

 Death foHoweth • And this happens by the meer flight of Vacuum within the Body; 

 All the pans moving to fill the Empty places; Ard amongft the reft, the Spirirs 

 hemfelves. For as tor flow Fluxes of Bood, this matter pertains to the Indigence 

 of Nourifhment , not to the Difiufion of the Spirits. And touching the Motion 

 of the Spirit, fo far, either Compreiled crDirfuied, thac itbringeth Death, thus 

 much. 



We rr.uft come next to the want of Refrigeration. Stopping of the breath caufeth 

 fudden Death t As in all fuffocation,or ftrangling. Now ic teems this matter is nor fo 

 much to be referred to the Impediment of motion, as to tbe Impediment of Refrige- 

 ration : For Air over-hor, though attracted freely, doth no ielfe Suffocate than if 

 Breathing were hindred- as it is in them, who fiave been fomeiime fuffocated with 

 Burning coales, or with Charcole, or with Wals newly plaiftered, in clofe chambers, 

 where a fire ismadt- which kind of death is reported to have been the end of the Em- 

 ptrour hv'mian: The like happeneth from dry Baths over- heatedj which was pra&i- 

 fed in the killing of Faufta, wife to (fonfiantine the Grear. 



It is a very fmali time, which Nature taketh, to repeat the Breathing; And in 



which 



