to the present age and posterity greeting although we have rank the history of  life and death as the last among our six monthly designation yet we have think  fit in respect of the prime use thereof in which the least lose of time ought  to be esteem precious to invert that order and to send it forth in the second  place for we have hope and wish that it may conduce to a common good and that  the noble sort of physician will advance their think and not employ their time  whole in the sordidness of cure neither be honour for necessity only but that  they will become coadjutor and Jnstruments of the divine omnipotence and  clemency in prolong and renew the life of man especial see we pre scribe it to  be do by safe and convenient and civil way though hitherto unassayed for  though we Christian do continual aspire and pant afterthe land of promise yet  it will be a token of God favour towards we in our journey through this world  wilderness to have our shoe and garment I mean those of our frail body little  wear or impair FR saint alban the history of life and death the preface it be  a ancient say and complaint that life be short and be long wherefore it behoof  we who make it our chief aim to perfect be to take upon we the consideration  of prolong man life God the author of all truth and life prosper our endeavour  for though the life of man be nothing else but a mass and accumulation of sin  and sorrow and they that look for a eternal life set but light by a temporary  yet the continuation of work of charity ought not to be contemn even by we  Christian beside the belove disciple of our lord survive the other disciple  and many of the father of the church especial of the holy monk and hermit be  long live which show that this blessing of long life so often promise in the  old law have less abatement after our saviour day than other earthly blessing  have but to esteem of this as the chief good we be but too prove only the  inquiry be difficult how to attain the same and so much the rather because it  be corrupt with false opinion and vain report for both those thing which the  vulgar physician talk of take root all moisture and natural heat be but mere  fiction and the immoderate praise chemical medicine first puff up with vain  hope and then fail admirer and as for that death which be cause by suffocation  putrefaction and several disease we speak not now for that pertain to a  history of physic but only of that death which come by a total decay of the  body and the inconcoction of old age nevertheless the last Act of death and  the very extinguish of life it self which may so many way be wrought outward  and inward which notwithstanding have as it be one common porch before it come  to the point of death will be pertinent to be inquire of in this treatise but  we reserve that for the last place that which may be repair by degree without  a total waste of the first stock be potential eternal as the vestal fire  therefore when physician and philosopher see that live creature be nourish and  their body repair but that this do last only for a time and afterward come old  age and in the end dissolution they seek death in somewhat which can not  proper be repair suppose a radical moisture incapable of solid reparation and  which from the first infancy receive a spurious addition but no true  reparation whereby it grow daily worse and worse and in the end bring the bid  to none at all this conceit of they be both ignorant and vain for all thing in  live creature be in their youth repair entire nay they be for a time increase  in quantity better in quality so as the matter of reparation may be eternal if  the manner of reparation do not fail but this be the truth of it there be in  the decline of age a unequal reparation some part be repair easy other with  difficulty and to their lose so as from that time the body of man begin to  endure the torment of Mezentius that the live die in the embrace of the dead  and the part easy reparable through their conjunction with the part hardly  reparable do decay for the spirit blood flesh and fat be even after the  decline of year easy repair but the dry and more porous part as the membrane  all the tunicles the sinew artery vein bone cartilege most of the bowel in a  word almost all the organical part be hardly reparable and to their lose now  these hardly reparable part when they come to do their office of repair the  other which be easy reparable find themselves deprive of their wont ability  and strength cease to perform any long their proper function by which mean it  come to pass that in process of time the whole tend to dissolution and even  those very part which in their own nature be with much case reparable yet  through the decay of the organ of reparation can no more receive reparation  but decline and in the end utter fail and the cause of the termination of life  be this for that the spirit like a gentle flame continual prey upon body  conspire with the outward air which be ever suck and dry of they do in time  destroy the whole fabric of the body as also the particular engine and organ  thereof and make they unable for the work of reparation these be the true way  of natural death well and faithful to be revolve in our mind for he that know  not the way of nature how can he succour her or turn her about therefore the  inquisition ought to be twofold the one touch the consumption or depredation  of the body of man the other touch the reparation and renovation of the same  to the end that the former may as much as be possible be forbid and restrain  and the latter comfort the former of these pertain especial to the spirit and  outward air by which the depredation and waste be commit the latter to the  whole race of alimentation or nourishment whereby the renovation or  restitution be make and as for the former part touch consumption this have  many thing common with body inanimate or without life for such thing as the  Native spirit which be in all tangible body whether live or without life and  the ambient or external air work upon body inanimate the same it attempt upon  animate or live body although the vital spirit super add do partly break and  bridle those operation partly exalt and advance they wonder for it be most  manifest that inanimate body most of they will endure a long time without any  reparation but body animate without food and reparation sudden fall and be  extinguish as the fire be so then our inquisition shall be double first we  will consider the body of man as inanimate and not repair by nourishment  second as animate and repair by nourishment thus have preface these thing we  come now to the topic place of inquisition the particular topic place or  article of inquisition touch life and death first inquire of nature durable  and not durable in body inanimate or without life as also in vegetable but  that not in a large or just treatise but as in a brief or summary only also  inquire diligent of desiccation arefaction and consumption of body Inanmate  and of vegetable and of the way and process by which they be do and further of  inhibit and de lie of desiccation arefaction and consumption and the  conservation of body in their proper state and a gain of the inteneration  Emellition and recovery of body to their former freshness after they be once  dry and wither neither needs the inquisition touch these thing to be full or  exact see they pertain rather to their proper Title of nature durable see also  they be not principal in this inquisition but serve only to give light to the  prolongation and instauration of life in live creature in which as be say  before the same thing come to pass but in a peculiar manner so from the  inquisition touch body inanimate and vegetable let the inquisition pass on to  other live creature beside man inquire touch the length and shortness of life  in live creature with the due circumstance which make most for their long or  short life but because the duration of body be twofold one in identity or the  self same substance the other by a renovation or reparation whereof the former  have place only in body inanimate the latter in vegetable and live creature  and be perfect by alimentation or nourishment therefore it will be fit to  inquire of alimentation and of the way and progress thereof yet this not exact  because it pertain proper to the title of assimilation and alimentation but as  the rest in progress only from the inquisition touch live creature and body  repair by nourishment pass on to the inquisition touch man and now be come to  the principal subject of inquisition the inquisition ought to be in all point  more precise and accurate inquire touch the length and shortness of life in  man accord to the age of the world the several region climate and place of  their Nativity and habitation inquire touch the length and shortness of life  in man accord to their race and family as if it be a thing hereditary also  accord to their complexion constitution and habit of body their stature the  manner and time of their growth and the make and composition of their member  inquire touch the length and shortness of life in man accord to the time of  their nativity but so as you omit for the present all astrological observation  and the figure of heaven under which they be bear only insist upon the vulgar  and manifest observation as whether they be bear in the seven eight nine or  ten month also whether by night or by day and in what month of the year  inquire touch the length and shortness of life in man accord to their fare  diet government of their life exercise and the like for as for the air in  which man live and make their abide we account that proper to be inquire of in  the above say article touch the place of their habitation inquire touch the  length and shortness of life in man accord to their siudies their several  course of life the affection of the mind and diverse accident befall they  inquire apart touch those medicine which be think to prolong life inquire  touch the sign and prognostic of long and short life not those which betoken  death at hand for they belong to a history of physic but those which be see  and may be observe even in health whether they be physiognomical sign or any  other hitherto have be propound inquisition touch length and shortness of life  beside the rule of be and in a confuse manner now we think to add some which  shall be more artlike and tend to practice under the name of intention those  intention be general three as for the particular distribution of they we will  propound they when we come to the inquisition it self the three general  intention be toe forbid of waste and consumption the perfect of reparation and  the renew of oldness inquire touch those thing which conserve and exempt the  body of man from arefaction and consumption at least which put off and  protract the inclination thereunto inquire touch those thing which pertain to  the whole process of alimentation by which the body of man be repair that it  may be good and with the best improvement inquire touch those thing which  purge out the old matter and supply with new as also which do intenerate and  moisten those part which be already dry and harden but because it will be hard  to know the way of death unless you search out and discover the seat or house  or rather den of death it will be convenient to make inquisition of this thing  yet not of every kind of death but of those death which be cause by want and  indigence of nourishment not by violence for they be those death only which  pertain to a decay of nature and mere old age inquire touch the point of death  and the porch of death lead thereunto from all part so as that death be cause  by a decay of nature and not by violence last because it be behooveful to know  the character and from of old age which will then best be do if you make a  collection of all the difference both in the state and function of the body  youth and old age that by they you may observe what it be that produce such  manifeld effect let not this inquisition be omit inquire diligent touch the  difference in the state of the body and faculty of the mind in youth and old  age and whether there be any that remain the same without alteration or in old  age nature durable and not durable the history metal be of that long last that  man can trace the beginning of they and when they do decay they decay through  rust not through perspiration into air yet gold decay neither way quick silver  though it be a humid and fluid body and easy make volatile by fire yet as far  as we have observe by age alone without fire it neither waste nor gather rust  stone especial the hard sort of they and many other Fossiles be of long last  and that though they be expose to the open air much more if they be bury in  the earth notwithstanding stone gather a kind of nitre which be to they in  stead of rust precious stone and crystal exceed metal in long last but then  they grow dimmer and less orient if they be very old it be observe that stone  lie towards the north do soon decay with age than those that lie towards the  south and that this appear manifest in pyramid and church and other ancient  building contrariwise in iron that expose to the south gather rust soon and  that to the north late as may be see in the iron bar of window and no marvel  see in all putrefaction as rust be moisture hasten dissolution in all simple  arefaction dryness in vegetable we speak of such as be fall not grow the stock  or body of hard tree and the timber make of they last dive age but then there  be difference in the body of tree some tree be in a spungy as the elder in  which the pith in the amid be soft and the outward part hard but in timber  tree as the oak the inner part which they call heart of oak last long the  leave and flower and stalk of plant be but of short last but dissolve into  Dust unless they putrify the root be more durable the bone of live creature  last long as we may see it of man bone in charnel house horn also last very  long so do tooth as it be see in ivory and the sea horse tooth hide also and  skin endure very long as be evident in old parchment book paper likewise will  last many age though not so long as parchment such thing as have seize the  fire last long as glass and brick likewise flesh and fruit that have pass the  fire last long than raw and that not only because the bake in the fire forbid  putrefaction but also because the watery humour be draw forth the oily humour  support it self the long water of all liquor be soon drink up by air  contrariwise oil late which we may see not only in the liquor themselves but  in the liquor mix with other body for paper wet with water and so get some  degree of transparency will soon after wax white and lose the transparency  again the watery vapour breathe out but oil paper will keep the transparency  long the not be apt to exhale and therefore they that counterfeit man hand  will lie the oil paper upon the write they mean to counterfe and then assay to  draw the line gum all of they last very long the like do wax and honey but the  equal or Vnequaliuse of thing conduce no less to long last or short last than  the thing themselves for timber and stone and other body stand continual in  the water or continual in the air last long than if they be sometime wet  sometime dry and so stone continue long if they be lie towards the same coast  of heaven in the building that they lie in the I the same be of plant remove  if they be coast just as they be before observation let this be lie for a  foundation which be most sure that there be in every tangible body a spirit or  body pneumatical enclose and cover with the tangible part and that from this  spirit be the beginning of all dissolution and consumption so as the antidote  they be the detain this spirit this spirit be detain way either by astraigh  enclosure as it be in prison or by a kind free and voluntary detention again  this voluntary stay be persuade way either if the spirit it self be not too  movable or eager to depart or if the external importune it not too to come  forth so then sort of substance be durable hard substance and oily hard  substance bind in the spirit close oily partly entice the spirit to stay  partly be of that nature that it be not by air for air be consubstantial to  water and flame to oil and touch nature durable and not durable in body  inanimate thus much the history herb of the cold sort die yearly both in root  and stalk as lettuce purslane also wheat and all kind of corn yet there be  some cold herb which will last three or four year as the violet strawberry  burnet prime rise and sorrel but borage and bugloss   which seem so alike when  they be alive differ in their death for borage will last but one year  bugloss   will last more but many hot herb bear their age and year better  hyssop thyme savoury pot marjoram balm wormwood germander sage and the like  fennel die yearly in the stalk bud again from the root but pulse and sweet  marjoram can better endure age than winter for be set in a very warm place and  well sense they will live more than one year it be know that a knot of hyssop  twice year shear have continue forty year bush and shrub live threescore year  and some double as much a vine may attain to threescore year and continue  fruitful in the old age rise marry well place will come also to threescore  year but white thorn and ivy endure above a hundred year as for the bramble  the age thereof be not certain know because bow the head to the ground it get  new root so as you can distinguish the old from the new among great tree the  long liver be the oak the holme the Wild-Ash the elm the beech tree the  chestnut the plain tree ficus Ruminalis the lote tree the Wildolive the olive  the palm tree and the mulberry tree of these some have come to the age of  eight hundred year but the least liver of they do attain to two hundred but  tree odorate or that have sweet wood and tree Rozennie last long in their wood  or timber than those above say but they be not so long live as the cypress  tree maple pine box juniper the cedar be bear out by the vastness of his body  life well near long as the former the ash fertile and forward in bear reach to  a hundred year and somewhat better which also the birch maple and service tree  sometime do but the poplar lime tree willow and that which they call the  Cycomore and walnut tree live not so long the apple tree pear tree plum tree  pomegranate tree citron tree medlar tree BlackCherrie tree cherry tree may  attain to fifty or sixty year especial if they be cleanse from the moss where  with some of they be cloth general Greainesse of body in tree if other thing  be equal have some congruity with length of life so have hardness of substance  and tree bear mast or nut be common long liver than tree bear fruit or very  likewise tree put forth their leave late and shed they late again live long  than those that be early either in leave or fruit the like be of wild tree in  comparison of orchard tree and last in the same kind tree that bear a sour  fruit outlive those that bear a sweet fruit a observation Aristotle note well  difference between plant and live creature in of their nourishment and  reparation namely that the body of live creature a confine within certain bind  and that after they be come to their full growth they be continue and preserve  by nourishment but they put forth nothing new except hair and nail which be  count for no better than excrement so as the juice of live creature must of  necessity soon wax old but in tree which put forth yearly new bough new shoot  new leave and new fruit it come to pass that all these part in tree be once a  year young and renew now it be so that whatsoever be fresh and young draw the  nourishment more lively and cheerful to it than that which be decay and old it  happen withal that the stock and body of the tree through which the Sap  posseth to the branch be refresh and with a more bountiful and vigorous  nourishment in the passage than otherwise it will have be and this appear  notable though Aristotle note it not neither have be express these thing so  clear and perspicuous in hedge copse and pollard when the plash shed or lop  comfort the old stem or stock and make it more flourish and long live  desiccation prohibit desiccation and inteneration of that which be desiccated  and dry the history fire and strong heat dry some thing and melt other limus  ut hic to grow hard Cera to become fluid to make one loci fiery