■>' ; f^^j^- .;././ .'X S-K V ■Msi^ DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Treasure %oom \ ,.^.^.^',- 1 r ii. r THE Cure of Old Age, AND Prefervation of Youth, By (^0 GE(Il ^ JC N, A Francilcan Frier, Tranflated out of Latin •, with Annotations, and an Account of his Life and Writings. By Richard Browne^ M. L. CoH. Med. Lend. ALSO A Phyfical Account O F T H E Cm of fjitt B Y EDW. MADEIRA ARRAIS. Tranflated likewifc out of Latin by the fame Hand. L O N D O JSl, Printed for Tho, Flefljer at the ^ngel and Crowti^ and Edward Evets at the Green Dragon.^ in S^ P.^«// Church-yard. 1683.- Treasure Ror>m THE CURE V6-U^ OF ^l^'^C OLD AGE. AND Prefervation of Touth. SHEWING How to cure and keep off the Accidents of Old Age ; and how to preferve the Youth, Strength and Beauty of Body, and the Senfes and all the Faculties of both Body and Mind. By that great Mathematician and Phyfician ROGER BACON, A Francifcan Frier. Tranflated out of Latin •, with Annotations, and an Account of his Life and Writings. By Richard Browne^ M. L. Coll. Med. Lond. LONDON^ Printed for Tho. Flefljer at the Angel and Crown^ and Edward Evets Ztthc Green Dra^orj^ in S^ P4/*/5 Church-yard, 1683. TO fWt reader: Reader, I Here impart to you the Im- provement (or rather the Re- covery) of a moii ufeful piece of Knowledge, an Addition to your Days and the Comfort thereof : Wherein, befide the Exa6t Courfe of living prefcribed by Phyficians for above two Thoufand Years, you will find both Medicines and a Me^^ thod whereby to cure all Ails com^ ing through any little deviation from, that exad Gourfe, which is fo diffi-, cult, if not impoflible, to be obfer- ved. But indeed the mod ule Co fipall Endeavours towards theObler- vation of any wholcfome Rules, thac. Wp may with reafbn conclude the To the <^ader. World is in profecution of a Courfe rather how to dye than live.Men will clofe their own Eyes, when, would th^ but opea them to a right Infor- tnatibn, they might live more, and more happy days. And you perhaps will maintain, that The whole have 71q need of a ^hyfrnan^ but they that are fick : But I may rejoin to the Saying, That your Health, I doubt, ia in a Phari- faical conditibn ; and when you havfi read this Book, I doubt ngt, but yog( will abate your Opinion. For, bo- lide that Aptitude and Inclination to' foitieDiieafc, which (though latent to you, yet. manifeft to a Phyfician) may be in you, from the very mo-: inent of yoiit Nativity , you maki^' every day a confiderable ftep t6- ward Old Age, which is itfelf a rfif- eafe. And now, Sir, how do Yoif 2f^ You find no Pain, and think all is well. A Phyfician (eems as ulelefi' as To the ^atjier. as a Captain in time of Peace. In- deed when a Difeaie invades you, the Phyficians are commiflioned to give Battel to it 5 but when the Brunt is over, they muft quit your Service, whilfl: You, like fupine Men and le- cture, confider not, that Fortificati- on, a main point in the Art of War, is mod properly exercifed in Peace,3.nd that It is too lace to build the Walls, when the. Gate fliould be fiiut againft the Enemy. Whereas , I am per- fwaded, were men as careful ia preferving their Health , as they are foUicitous for the recovery of it, they might often multiply the Suniim of their Years, and live the Product without ^ Diieale. And I count it a Piece of Skill in a Phyfician far^forr pafling the moft adpiirable GuJ'^s, to prelerve a Man from all Dileafes. Which Htppocrates and Qalen , both Men of a weak Cojiftitution by Na- A 4 ture^ % the Reader. ture, prelerved themfelves from by their Art till above an hundred Years of Age. And had not both thele great Phyficians been more ingaged on the Offenfive than on the Defen- five part j for fo many Cures which rook up their Endeavours, they might have added as many Yeats to their own Lives, had they been bent that way. But alas ! Health with Virtue, and Di(ea(es with Vices, ruti parallel. For as Lawgivers have better provided for the Punifhment of the bad, than for the Encourage- ment of the good ; fo Phyficians take abundant Care of the Sick, but fel^ dome vifit thoie in Health, whom fo to prelerve would be the moft glo- rious Aft of the Profeflion. And thi»^ is the Task of the firft of thefe Treaties. The lecond confiders Man in his Immortal Capacity, and gives a moft rational To the ^ader. rational Defcription of the Tree of Life. I muft acknowledge, thevaft and general Profpedt and Care all of Humane Race have to Futurity be- yond confinement,argue to me an in- nate Option in them of Immorta- lity, which God, when he had com- manded Nature to implant, would never in his Goodneis have denied, had not Man fruftrated himlelf by his own Folly. Now though I could be willing enough to find out a way to immortalize Flefli and Blood ; yec I will neither be (b vain, as with £- raftftratus to promife luch Immortali- ty to my felf or others ; nor fliall I be (6 bold as to encounter for it with the Flaming Sword : The term of my Hopes is, by a lawful courfe of Nature to obtain a Reprieve of the delerved Sentence pafled by our of- fended God , at leaft by Tempe- rance and Medicines to avoid many Troubles, To the Reader. Troubles, till ic fhall pleafe him to fign the Execution. This Treatile may lerve as a Theory to the pre^ ceding Practice, and to illuftrate on what Principles the former proceeds. For as a Corollary it affigns very pro- bable Reafons for the great Age of the Antediluvians. And fince the Tree of Life is not it (elf attainable, a Quid pro Quo to prolong our Lives, which we cannot perpetuate, may be of good life. 1 The Author of the firft Treatife was our own Countryman, of whofe Life I next give you (bme Ac^ count. The fecond was writ by a Fo- reigner, of whom alio in its place I give you what I know. But their Books befpeak beft the Authors Worth ; I therefore recommend the Perufal of them to your Coniide- ration. As To the ^ader. As for the Conmienutor, he hopes, his publifliing fo ufeful (but intricate) an Author, may atone fw what is laid befides. Richard Brojpne. THE THE LIFE OF er Bacon. Rog ROger Bacon tvas born near Ilche- fter of a Gentltman*s Family, He Jludied in his younger Tears Grammar and Lcgick at Oxford, And gave good Hofes what he would f rove ^ hy the incredible Vrogrefs he made therein in a, fhort Time* He, thm improved j applied him- felf to Fhilofophy and the Search of Natures Secrets, and made good Progrefs under hU Tu- tors, jr/'ere^/Edrnund Archbishop ^/Canter- bury was one. Having got a goodftock herCj he and fever al other Learned Men in his Com- pany travelled to Paris, which was then a la mode at Oxford. Some fay^ that at his Re- turn^ through the Perfwafwn of Rohtrt Groft- fiead he became a Francifcan Frier in a Con- vent at Oxford ; others fay, that he was a Frier before he went to France. He laid afide all Ambition and Covetouf ^efs, and applied himfelf to the diligent Search of The Life of of Nature y and the Kjiorvkdge of Tongues and, Arts. He was intimate with a great many Learned Men^ and fome Rich .• f'or when he had cajl with himfelf what Infiruments he wanted for making of Experiments^ he founds without a better Fur fe hewuld do nothing. But his Crtdit and fome ]\^ns Generofity was fo goody that he in twenty Tears time expen- ded in Books cf Curiofities and in fnaking natural Experiments abd-ve two Thoufand ^ounAS y. a va^ Summ df Money in thofe days. He was. of that Noble and Pub lick Spi- rit y that he not only freely imparted all his Secrets y hut "xas overjoyed^ when he light on a Man that was but of any Capacity to u^der- ft and him. He ather followed or rather in- "vented fuch a Method in his Studies, tis by it he difcovered unknown things in Nature, and did fuch Wonders J that ndt only the Vulgai^y but even fame Learned Men tlmight him a Conjurer. Some report he made a Brazen Head that ffake, and think he did it by the hip of the Devil. But Albertus Magrim did the fame, and Boethius the like^ \Wthmt S other Magick than Nat riraL For Caflfi- }rus writes thus to Boethius : Tuge artis Ingenio metalla mugiunt, Diomedes m sere gravius buccinatar, ^neus Anguis infibilat^ Aves fimulatss flint : Et qu^it; vocem pro- priaiTj ^ger Bacon. priam nefciunt habere, dulcedinem Can- tilenae probantur emittere, /. e. By the In- genuity of your Art, Metals roar, Dio- mede in Brafs founds a hollow Charge, the Brazen Serpent hiifeth, Birds are counter- feited : And things that have no Voice of their own, are made to fing melodioufly. J?7d well might fo learned a Man as Bacon he then taken for a Magician ; when tn the Dawning of our more learned Day Reuchlin for his skill in the Hebrew, and Budaeus irt the Greek Tongue^ were looked ufon by the unlearned filly Monks to be Conjurers, But fuch was the ft uf id Ingratitude of Ba- conV Age, that it almoH repented this Learn- ed Man of his Kjtowledge : For his own Order would fcarce admit his Books into their Libra- ries. And great was this poor Mans Vnhap- pinefs : For being accufed of Magiek and . Herefy, and appealing to Pope Nicolas the fourth., the Pope liked not his Learning., and by his Authority kept him clofe Prifoner a great many Tears. Some fay at lafl through the Mediation of fome great Men he obtained his Liberty. Others fay he died in Prifon^ either through Grief., or his hard Vfage. However it was, he died in the Seventy eighth Tear of his Age, Ann. Dom. 1292. and was hried in the Franctfcans Church in Oxford Thus The Life of Thus did the grofs Ignorance and Malice of thofe Times frevent this knowing Man in ma- king the greatest of his Experiments, i. e. in extending the Period of his Days as far be- yond the common Age of Man, as in Kjiow- ledge hefurpajfed the common Standard ; an eternal Monument whereof this frefent Trea- tife will he. He jvrote a great many Books on divers Suhje5is in Divinity y Phyfick ^ Opicks and Philofophy^ wherein he dij covered many Se- crets. He publtfhed a Latin^ Greek and He- brew Grammar, and wrote much in Chymisiry, Cofmography^ Mujickj Jflronomyy Jslrolqgy, Metaphyficks^ Logickj and Moral Philofophy. He propofed the Emendation of the Julian Calendar to Pope Clement the fourth ; Mid- dleburgenfis tifed BaconV Arguments to Pope Leo the tenth : And Copernicus by the help of Middleburgenfis reBifed it for the Conn- cil of TTcnty the ninth Tear of Gregory the thirteenth, Ann. Dom. 1 58 1 . He was thegreatefi Critick of his Age, and complained lamentably of the Ignorance of his Cottmporaries : For he faith, that there were fome fawcy Toungjlers^ who were then created TinQ ArteuUa Artium Magiftri, and fine Doftrina Doctores ; amongfi whom Ego currit was Grammatical Latin current j and and Contradiftoria poITunt efle fimul vera true Logick. Ar^d he f pared neither the I* gnorance nor the ill Lives of the Clergy^ no wonder then he was fo ill treated by them. He highly condemned the Divinity Lectures of his Tirney as [piled by the bad words and n>orfe Senfe of the £ivil Lawyers^ and com- plains that not a Man in England hefides Grofthead, and ttvo or three more of his ac- quaintance underwood the Hebrew or Greek Tongues ; and that he could not meet with one good Tranjlation of the Scriptures. But Jince he had difcovered them to be no Witches y they would prove him to be one. And it feems on fqjne malicious Pretence thty took from him his Books and Writings long before Pope Nicolas caji him tn Prifon; whereupon he complained in thefe words to the preceding Pope Clement the fourth., who was his friend. Praelati enim & Fratres, me jejuniis macerantes tuto cuftodiebant, nee aliquem ad me venire voluerunt, veriti ne ftripta mea aUis, quam Summo Pontifici &■ fibi ipfis pervenirent. For the Prelates and Friers have kept me ftarving in clofe Prifon, nor would they fuffer any one to come at me, fearing left my Writings fhould come to any other than the Pope and themfelves. • a No^ The Life of Now the true Reafon of his gnU Misfor- tune was this. He had been intimati mth that Learned Prelate and true Engliflxman Robert Grofthead , Bijhop of Lincoln. This Bijhop obfervlng the Popes Tyranny in England (for he lived in Kjng JohnV time who acknowledged this Crown feudatory to the Pope) forbore not to admonijh that Rormfh Tyrant by Letters openly^ and to declare to his Friends^ that the Pope was Jntichrtjh The Pope excommunicates the Bi/hopy he appeals from the Pope^s to ChrifPs Tribunal^ and dyes about tm Tears after. Now Bacon knowing all this as well as the Bijhop^ wae^ very like^ much of Groftheads Opinion : This then was the Herefy^ this the cajling of that Fi- gure which made him guilty of Witchcraft. Many of BaconV Works ^ and of Groft- headV alfo^ curioufly written and well boundj were by fotne ignorant Men., that would be ac- counted Scholars when they could not underfiand them., condemnedfdr Books of the Black Art ; and fo fafiened with long Nails to the Boards y they either became Food for Worms and Moths y or rotted with Mould and Dnfl. hohnd faith ^ he wrote many Books., but that it is more eafit to make a Collection of SibyllaV JL^4^7/e^, than to get but the Titles of all his Books. He complained much of the NegkQ af Chy- mifiry ^ger Bacon* fnijlry and Vhilofofhy in his dap. In his Book De utilitate Scientiarum he writes thtps. ^' But by this means Philofophy not ^^ only became fufpecied^ as if it hindred the ^^ Faith of Chrip ; but was condemned by the '* J^ft^c^ (>f ^^^^ Larvs^ that were for the ^' Defence of the Commonwealth from the cofi- ^^ trary Opinion. It feemed, by foretelling " things to come , by difcovering Secrets for '^ the time beings and by wonderful Works " above the power of Nature and Art a.s thty '^ work commonly y to contend with the Breach- '^ ers of the JFaith^ whofe Property it was^ " not by Nature and Art, but by the Power " of God to give out their Philofophy of fu- ^* ttire things^ to produce Secrets and raife '^ Miracles : For^ that the Power of PhiloJO' ^' phy can do wonderful things , fuch as the ^^ cornmon fort hot only of Laicks^ but of the ^^ Clergy y will reckon for Miracles^ the things ^^ following will declare^ &rc. But that we may give to God the things that are Gods, as well as to his Handmaid hers ; the Words r^/^Steuchus are conftderable, ^' How the Vifions of the Prophets are made^ *^ He knows^ who is Lord of the Prophets. " / think fome Angel ufed to appear to them ** and inform them of things to come^ not that '* they forefaw things future by any Conception, a 2 '^ but The Life of «' 6ut rvhe/f the Angel fpoke^ they beheld the '^ Secrets of Futurity, Alfo the Foreknm- " ledge of future thirigs n\ts another way, when '^ the Repreftntation of the things rvere feen *' frefentyis the burning or Dejlru^ion offomt '^ City, For the thing exhibited it felf to '^ their Minds after fome Divine xvay , as ^' Mofcs'i Rod was turned to a Serfent, and ^' the ultimate Caufe of thefe things is God, '^ who cxn do thefe and greater things. There ^' are five forts of Prophecy, i. By VifiOHy ^' when we fee a thing by Vifions. 2. In a '^ Dream, which may alfo be by Vifion. j. In ^' a Riddle^ as when Ezechiel ^W John eat ^' the Book, 4. By Figures^ i. e. When we ^^ fee Armies y Dances^ Shows ^ or any other '' very remarkable thing- All thefe Ways are '^ made by the Refolution of the Body^ whe- ^' ther Sleeping or Waking, when the Senfe of ^' all terrene things is taken away ; Jo that we '^ neither fee with our Eyes , nor hear , nor '' touchy and the whole mind is rapt to thofe '^ Vijions, Therefore the lajl is the beft kindy '' which is not made by Refolution , but is a. "' Speaking with God^ the Jlate of the Body ^' being not at all changed ; which I think hap- ^^ pens but to few. And this is that kind of ^' Prophecy^ wherein God be/peaks the Holy ^* AtJgeU and Archangels, For all Correfpon- ^* dence ' %oger (Baco)u ^^ deme with Gody dl Familiarity^ all Speak- ^^ ing with him is called Prophecy. Tljerefort ^^ the Holy Angels do draw all knowledge of ^^ future things from that Eternal M^i/dom, ^^ becaufe of their continual Prefence, Divine " Familiarity , and mofi Sacred Friendfjip " with God. Of which thing he made Mofes *^ partaker y of a thing truly admirable , and ** defirable far above all Riches, in which (I ^' think) Divine and unheard of Pleafures ^' muf: confijl. Now if we deftre to mount *^ thither^ to make our felves like the Angels ^ ^^ no Stain in our Sotils^ no Deceit, no Cheat s^ " no Wickednefs mufl appear. In which things *■' the purer any Man is, the nearer will he be " admitted to thofe eternal Pleafures, And yet we fnd this Man^ who fpake thus with God mouth to mouth , apparently, and not in dark fpeeches, he that beheld the Similitude of the Lord, w,ts learned in all the Wifdom of the Egyptians, which was AJlrology, Phyftck^ and Natural Magi ck. So that in the Law of Mofes we may objerve much of Afironomy and Phyfick. And it is no Diminution but rather an Advancement of God^s Glory to be verfed in the Works of his Hands y fince the greatefi Prophet ^ a familiar Friend of God, was fo great a Naturalifl. So great that he was an hundred and twen- a J ty The Life of %pger 'Bacon. ty years old when he died : his eye was not dim, nor his natural Force abated. J^d let no Mm objecf^ It was Miraculous. His De4th indeed ivas fuch : For the Lord faid unto Mofts^ Behold, thy days approach, that thou muft dye ; even when thefe viva- cious Symptomes argued the contrary. But the Length of his Life and Vigor of his Old Age^ was (I judge) an effect of his Skill in Nature^ and no more miraculous^ than the ma- ny Centuries^ which the Antedihvians lived. Now all the Books Bacon writ^ I believe /tre not in Being ; and what do Survive the injury ofTimCy are difficult to he procured, For they lye hid in Manufcript y and either through the Envy or Ignorance of the Owners are fuppreffed. Whoever therefore would me- rit from the Learned Republick^ let him re- fcue the Off-spring offo great a Citizen as Ro- ger Bacon from hoflile Obliviony where he finds one yielding to it^ and he cmnot want a literary Mark of Honour. Nor let any Pro- fefjion hold himfelf excufed : For this Learn- ed Man being Majter of the whole Encyclopge- dia, he was able by one Faculty to correct ano-. ther^ andfo to write excellently in all. That therefore you may the better be enabled to know his Works y I (hall give you the Titles of nm--. ny of his Books y as Johannes Balaeus, de Scriptoribus Baconi Libri. Scripti^ibus Anglix, hath tra^fmiued them to m. This ,c}}oUtfi and mofi ufeful of all Im Pieces de retardandis Seneftutis malis , Quern nee poterit fcrrum, nee edax aboi lere vetuftas, / have made Englijhj that Ore legat populus, perque omnia fecula vivat. This Book Bale mentions amongft thefe fol- lowing, ."obhnA ' T . i . L De Vifu & Speculis, lib. i. ( fic incip, ) De Speculoram miracults voltnte Deo. De utilitate Aftronomiae, lib. i. Poft locorum Defer if tio?2em dehent, IntroduaiQncm in Aftrologiam , liL, j^ Fufms qtiidem diEium de Afiron, {^ Defcriptiones locoirum Mundi, lih.\. -- Ad hac AHtem quod certim & pU, De Philofbphorum Lapide, lib. i . De multiplicatione Specieriim^ Ub. i* Primum ci^ptuliim circa tnftuentiam. Perfpeftivani quandam fingularuin, lih.u Hie ^liqua dicenda fimt deferfpe. Perfpeftivam diftinclam, lib. j. Propofuis radtcibiis Saptenti^c tarn. Artem experimentalem, lib, i. P oftt I s fundament is pri mis &. De Prolongatione Vitae, lib. i. Commtinia naturalis Pliilofophiae, lib. 4. a 4 P^/- Baconi Lihri. Pojlquam tradidl Grammatlcam fetund. Computum Naturaliiim, lib. i. Omnix tempus habent fuum^ juxtd, De morali Philofbphia, lib. i. Manifejhvi in fr^ctdtntibus loc, Logicamquandam, //^. I. IntroduEiio eft brevis & aperta, Antidotarium vitae humangs, lib. i. In pofteriora Ariftotelis^ lib. 2. Dictum eft de Syllcgifmo in univer, De operibus naturae occultis, lib. i, Sifferius quidem dicittm e/?, quid. De Coelo h Miindo, lib. 2. Prima, igitur Veritas circa cor. Leges Multiplicationum, lib. i. Expletis quatuor partibm terti. Coftnographiam, lib. i. De forma refultante in Speculo, lib. i. Q^Aritnr de forma nf tilt ante in. De perfpeftiva continiia, lib. 1. Cupiens te dr alios fapientiores. Defluxu, & refluxu MariSy lib. i. Defer iptis his fguris circa modum. De fluxu Maris Britannici, lib. i. Vifis effeciibiis illis^ qui ex. De Regionibus Mundi, lib. i. Siimmam Grammaticalem, lib. i. Oratio Grammatica ant ft medium. De conftriiftione Partium, lib. \. Ad compktam co^nitioncm ccnftruc. De Baconi Libri. De valore Muficcs, lib. i. Secundum Boetium & Cdteros Authorts. De gradibus Medicinalibus, lih. i. Omnis forma inh^rens recipit intenf. De ponderibus, lib. i. De univerfali regimine Senum, lib. i. Summa regimtnis univtrfdis efi hxc. De erroribus Medicorum, lib. i, Vulgus Medicorum non cognofcit. De vigore Artis 8c Naturge, lib. i. Veftr£ petitioni rtfpondeo^ quemadmodum* De Regibus Mundi, lib. i. Compendium Studii Theologici, lib. <;. Quoniam autem in omnibus caufis. Ad Clementem IIIL Rom. Pontificem, lib.i. Sancliffimo patri Domino Clementi. Laudes Mathematical Artis, lib. i. Pofi hanc ScientiAm experiment diem. Speculum Alchiraiae, lib.i. Multifariam multifqm modis loquens. De radiis Solaribus, lib. i. De militate linguarum, lib. i. Multa pr^clara radices ex manif. Pro conlervatione Senfuum, lib. i. Cogito & cogitAvi ab initiis primorum. Delocijs Stellarum, lib, i. QuoniAm infinitum ejl difcernere. DeSecretis, lib, i. JnterrogAtione tu^ refpondere confli. Dc Baconi Lihri De afpeftibus Lunge, //^. i. i?/g«y//P4;wmajorem, /Of. i. Sfcut ah AntiqnU (^ cat, Rcgerimm vnmQT^my Itb. i. Humunx Natura^ & cat, De Geometria, lib, i. Grammaticam Hebraicam, lih.i, Grammatieam Grsecam, lib. i. De caufis ignorantiae humanae, lib. i. De Materia prima, lib. \, De ftptem experimentis> lib. i. De Pallionibus animae, lib.i. De Speculis uftoriis, lib. i. De Intelleftu & Intelligibili, lib. 2. De Somno & Vigilia, lib. 2. dL De Metaphyfica_, lib. j. De utilitate Scientiarum, lib, 11. Contra Necromanticos, lib. i. In opera Virgilii, lib. flu. '■': DeSpeciebus, lib. i. ., De copia^ vel inopiae Caufls,- M. i . Documenta Alchimix, lib.i. Decoloribus per artem fienciis, Ub. i. De ScLiIpturis lapidum, lik 1 . De univerfalibus, lib. i • ^\ De Centris gravium, lib.-'iV^l^i Parabolas de Quadratura, lib. i. In ^wre;^^^;;? de Anima, lib. i. V^ntinovem diftriftiones, lib. i, De Jrahtan ^hyjicians. De rebus metallicis, Uk i. De impedimentis Sapientiae^ lik i. Commentarios Sententiarum, iib. 4. De arte memorativa, iik i. Prognoftica ex Syderum curfu, //^. i. De planis, /ik 1. Defitu PaUfti^J!^ lib. i. De locis Sacris, lib. i. De Miraculis rerum, lib. 1 . Ad Epiftolam Bon^ventura^ lib. i. Et alia adhuc plura. The Greek and Latin PhyftcianSy which Bacon mdkes nfe of^ are fo tvtll knoivny no- thing need he fdd of them ; But hecaufe the Arabian Phyficians , whom he often quotes^ are more f rangers to usj I jh all give yon a ve- ry brief account of them^ to let you fee our Author wa,< not convey fdnt with mean ones. Ifaac Beiiriiram , the Son of Solomon the Phyfic'an, He flour ifhed about the Tear of ChriH 1070. After Johannes SerapioV time. He writ ?nHch in Phyfick^ as of Fevers^ of Vrine ^ of Diet ^ of the Stomachy be fide fever al Tracts in Philofophy. Hali Abbas, Scholar of Abimeher Moy- fcs the Son of Sejar. He writ a Treatife de Regal i Difpofitione in Twenty Books ^ tran- fated jfrahian Thyftcians. J!ated by Stephen his Scholar in Antioch, out of Arabick into Latin. An. Dom. 1 1 27. Avictnm , fometime called Ahohaliy was €f Sevil in Spain, a very Learned Man^ and d great Phyftcian. He writ much in Phyfick dndChymiBry. Averroes was a Phyftcian of Corduba,/r- named the Commentator, an excellent Phi- lofofher ^ hut a Mahometan, He flourifhed Anno Dom. 11 49. Rafy, Rafis, or Razes, an Arabian Phy- fciany fometimes called Almanfbr. He is fometime called Albubetri Arazi filius Za- chariae Rhazae experimentatoris. Johannes Damafcenus the Son of Me- files writ much de re Medica. He flourijh- ei Anno Dom. 11 58. THE THE ABLE A Bifliag lio Accidents of Old Age, 2 2 lam 8,9,11,21 Efon. 68 £.thiopm Dragon li^, 119 4gallochum 87, 92 r/^e Caufes \ ; //'e Remedies 1 1 {^'^ ?>9>2i,59;58 i/e 112 4lmonds 149 iloe Hepatica 8 j 4nibtr i^c j^nimal Faculty 12} iriftotle 66 Aromatick Medicines 74 Arfenick 79 Artefius 65 Aurum fulminans 01 B BAlm 125 Bathes The Table. Bathes 85, 41 Beef 139^^1 B^er 1 2 Bezoardicum Solare i;6 Birds 159 Bleareyedmfs \ 2 how moved 18 Bloodletting 78, 1.2 B(;/e Armenick 5 Boy ling i2jyi^ ofPheafants 15c Brandy ii> Bre^^ 54, 127, 159, 14* Breathing jhortmfs of it fj C^far 7: Calves ijo Cdfnphire 79? S^ Gataline IJ5 Caufes fix not natural il their proportion hard to he found i j Chaldaan Wife Men 6 1 Chtarfulnefs 129' Cheefe 140 Chickens i^ Cholfr The Table. Chokr ^n Chriftmas Rofe .9* Circky its Qtiadraturt k Gitrul/eed 84 Ckan/fef of Skin 1^$ Ckitrnefs ibid Clyfier 84 Cogitation 4t ConcoBion 4 Confumpivt Perfon SS Converfation ^%% Coral 21^70,76 Cordials l%1l Countenance »?? CtKumbers D T^Aniel l^J David 109 Diacyminum IJ9 Diet, ^ v.^... .■ ^ negligence therein 7^14 Digeftive Power in every Mtmhtr 25, -zS Dill 79 Dinner 140 Difcourfe 128 Dragon HJ Droffies *39 Drunkennefs 79- Dwdlii^ The Table. Dmlling ibid. E E% 54 Elder Water 79 Excoriation 116, 145 Exercife 141, 142 Experiment a F FAcultieSy rveaknefs thereof 5 % their feat ^o, 51, 52 Femim fulminans 9 1 i%j 140 Ftjh 54, 78, 141 !%/& 54 Forced Ground 67 Jre;!^^ Phyfician 1 5 2 iT-^/Y 70 G G^;»e/ 128 Garlick 128,140 Geefe 1 50 German Lady 118 G^^^x 151 Gt>/^ 21,70,76, 87, 156 Gr/^pej 140 Greeksy their knowledge 62 Grewel 78 Greynefs Greymfs H The Table- H Eat, natural how diminijbtd. cmfes of its diminution its feat Hellebore Honey JAtmdice Ignorance Imagination Incontinence Indicantia IndigeJUony horv cured In feci ion of the Skin Iron K Us K n 2 I 6, lo 85 79 129 I 48 10^, III 95 14? I 129 87, 91 139, 149, 150 LJmb Laughter Leffius Lke Life long its CAufes 159, 150 80,81 67 116,145 62 its M from The Tab^e. its abbreviation -4^ its Term 6^,66 Lignum Aloes 21 M Ark 58 Meat and Drink 5 5 Animals and Vegetables ibid. catifingOld Age 78 Medea 68 Medjcints^ why tifed by the Antients 14 fiot to be ufed without diet ibid. wh^n of no iife ibid. outward why invented 27 when to be ufed 28 fecret their ufe 14J, 144 chargeable ^l^^ Melons 140,152 Memory 47 Milk 78, 80 Miracles 54 Moifture^ external j internal i^y 6 natural 2 extraneous ibid. natural what and where it is 6, 10 things that defend it 69, 70 'Mcift herbs 78 The Tible. their impoJlnre 9? Moonrvort V7> 9S Mountehmks 21, 122 Mttlherries 140, 152 Mtiflj^omes ibid. Mufick 128 Mtiprd 140 MyrohxUns N 79>84 ^\AAJiinefs ^ Negligence 39 Nntritivts 55 Nuts I40 r^Bfamty, \^J why ufed hy ' the Author 16 Old Age its cmfes I? ^ . . >, ?, 4, &c. what things refn ,flj and recreate it^ and hin- der its Accide, nts 82 Old men J how purged 85 how revived III, 112 their meat i?9 Onions 140 Ordering ones way < of living II Orvietan 122 Oyl of Elder 79 Oyls 9^, 96,124, 125,126 b 2 Oyntments The Tabic. Oyntments ipid» PAkntfs 31 Partridge 139 Fadlons 128 Patriarchs^ their Lives 7 Peach Tree 26, 29 Perl ibid. Pheafants M9?^5i P/'/eg;^ 4, 32, 82 f>j r^///ei 4 P/7///^ ^e Majliche 82 P/>r^ 125 o Plants^ their kind <5o Plucking off the hair 7 9 Pc/e 20 Prefervativts of Touth 95 Properties of things 1 1 P/^//e/^ 139 P/^^e 127, 132, 13? Purging^ ^i rvhen mceffary 27 ji'/'e;:? hurtful 84 Piitrefaciion^ hop hindred 1 4^ ^^acks Q The Table. CL Vacks 22, 91 Qjiickfilver yg Qjiimejtme of MarPs Blood 108 R RJifi^s 140 Rifrefljment ffeedy 78 Regiment 64 of the Author how different from that of the Ancients 136 Renovation of Man 61 Refloratives 99 Rofts 89 Rofemary 92 Rofe of Jericho or S, Mary a cheat 92, 93, 94 Rofeivater 79 Ruddinefs of Skin 126 /l«e 8^,90 S S^/frc;;^ 75, 128 ^^^^e 146 Sapphire 108 Sappho 151 Scabs 1 4 r Scarification 6 1 Secret^ concealed by our frji Parents 1 7 *S'errf^ 1 5 J, 154 b J &;^/, The Table. Stnfes, thm hurt ^\ internd 44 horv refrtjhed 143 Serpent 115, 119 Sicilian Htisbmdmm 7 5 Signature ^2 Sixcafifes 12, 20 difficult to find out their froprtion 12 medicines [uf fly that defect ibid. horv preferved i?^ 6'-«^/'e 117,121 Sfarrom 139,151 Spike Celtick 9^ Spikenard • 146 Spitting 32 Stages hearty its hone 21,70,76 Strength^ its infirmity 34 SuccinuiTi 155 Sulphur ^ 79 &;^ 59 i'tre/?^ 61,116,145 The Table. T TJft Tavern-hmmtirs Terra Sigillata Toil of Body and Mini Touching of cold things Treacle Tree of knowledge Trifera ?7 ? 79 122 III 79,85 ?8 ISO o ^^ 21 117, 118 VApors Fed Vegetables Venus Viper its preparation its property xyhen and how to he tak^n its number of teeth ^ defer iption^ concepti- on and birth 120, 121 Virgin 99, 100, loi, 109, no, iii Virtue may hefeparatedfrom its body Uncfion Underjtandingy when rational Vfefulnefs of the Treat i ft 17,18 61 40 134 Wafljtng The Table. W WAfhing 79 Water 78 Water-Melons 91 Wax 125 Wheat 78 Wine 54,57,105,104,105,106,107,112 Wiping 79 World, its age 1,6 Worts 140 X "V^Yloaloe 145 Y YOuth, hotv preferved 95 how recovered ibid. THE THE CURE O F -jSltj ^ge, &c. CHAP. I. Of the Caufes of Old Age. AS the ^ World vvaxeth old, ^ Men grow old with it : not by reafon of the Age of the World, but be- caufe of the great Increafe of li- ving Creatures, which infect the very Air, that every way encompaffeth us, and Through our *= Negligence in ordering our Lives, and That great ^ Ignorance of the Properties which are in things conducing to Health, which might help a difordered way of Li- ving, and might fupply the defeft of due Government. B Froai % The Cure of Old Age^ and From ihtk three things, namely, InfeSion Negligence and Jgnorafjce^ the Natural Heat, after the time of Manhood is part, begins to diminifti, and its Diminuuon and Intempe- rature doth more and more haften on. Whence, the Heat by little and little decrea- fing, the Accidents of Old Age come on, which Accidents in the very Flower of Age may be taken away ^ and after that time may be retarded ^ as alfd may that fwift Courfc, which hurries a Man from Man- hood to Age, from Age to Old Age, from bid Age to the broken ftrength of decrepit Age, be reftrained. For the Circle of a Man s Age grows more in one day after Age to Old Age, than in three days after Youth to Age 5 and is fooner turned from Old Age to de- crepit Age, than from Age to Old Age. \ Which Weaknefs and Intemperature df Heat, is caufed two ways : by the Decay of Natural Moifture, and By the hcreafe of Extraneous Moifture. For the Heat exifts in the Native Moi- fture, and is extinguiftied by external and ftrange moiftnefs, which flows from weak- nefs of Digeftion, as Avkenna in his firft Book, in his Chapter Of Com^kxiom^ af- firms. Now ^refenmtwn of Youth. -jV Now the Califes of the diiToIutioA of the Internal Moifturc, and of the External's abounding, whence the Innate Heat grows cool, are many, as I (liall here (how. Firft of all, the Diffolittion of the Nutu-^ ral happens from two Caufes : 0/w whereof is the circnmambknt Air\ which dries up the Matter : And the /«- ^cjte Heat^ which is inward , very much helps towards the fame : For it is the Caufe of extinguifhing it felf, by reafon it con- fumes the matter, wherein it fubfifts, as the Flame of a Lamp is extinguifhed, vvherl the Oyl, exhaufted by the Heat, is fpent. • The fccor^d Caufe is the toil proceeding from the Motions o^ Body zvAMwd^ v/hicH otherwife are neceffary in Life. To thefe Accrue Weaknefi and Defeft of Nature, which eafily finks under ^o great Evils, (as Avicenna witneffeth in his firft Book 0/ Complexions of Ages^ not refifting ihdfe inW perfeftions that invade it. Now The Motions of the xM/W iire called A- nimal^ when the Soul eff>ed^!iy is 6fer- cifed: \T\\^ Mdftdn^k^^ the JSt?'// are, when our Bodies are toffed and ftirred of neceP fary Caufes ill' proportioned. External^^^yX^ti^cre^ifith two ways ^ either from B 2 The 4 The Cure of Old Jge^ and The ufe oF Meat and other things that breed an unnatural and ftrange Moifture, efpecially Phlegmatick, whereof I (halldif- courfe hereafter 5 or from Bad Concoftion, whence a feculent and putrid Humour, differing from the nature of the Body, is propagated. For Digeftion is the Root of the Gene- ration of unnatural and natural Moifture, v/hich when it is good breeds good Moi- fture, when bad a bad one, as Avice^^a faith in his fourth Canon of his Chapter 0/f/j/;/gx which hinder grey Hairs. For from whole- fome Food, ill digefted, an evil Humour doth flow 3 and of poyfonous Meats, and fuch as naturally breed a bad Humour, if Well digefted, fometime comes a good one. But it is to be obferved, that not only Phlegm is called an extraneous Humour, but whatever other Humour is putrid. Yet Phlegm is worfe than the other external Humours 3 in that it helps to extinguilh the Innate Heat two ways^ either By choaking it 5 or By Cold refifting its Power and Quality 3 fo Raly in his Chapter Of the benefits of Purging, Which Phlegm proceeds from faults in Meats, negligence of Diet, and intempe- rature TreferVatton of' Youth. 5 rature of Body 5 (b that this fort of ex- ternal Moiflure inereafing, and the Native Moifture being either changed in Qualities, or decayed in Quantity ^ Man grows old, ei- ther In the accuftomed courfe of Nature by little and little and fucceflively 5 when after the time of Manhood, that is, after forty or at moft fifty Years the Natural Heat be- gins todiminilh : Or Through evil Thoughts and anxious Care of Mind, wherewith fometimcs Mea are hurt. For Sicknefs and fuch like evil Accidents diffolve and dry up the Natural Moifture, which is the Fewel of Heat/ and that being hurt, the force and edge of the Heat is made dull. The Heat being cooled, the Digeftive Vertue is weakned 5 and this not performing its Office , the crude and inconcofted Meat putrefies on the Stomach. Whereupon the external and remote parts of the Body being depri- ved of their Nourifhment, do languifh, wither and dye, becaufe they are not nou- rifhed. So Tfa.ic in his Book Of Fevers in the Chapter Of the Corffumption doth teach. But it may be queried, What this Moi- fture is, and in what place it is feated, whereby the Natural Heat is nouriOied, and B 5 whicU 6 Tl?e Cure of Old jige^ and which is its Fewel ? Some fay, that it is ia the Hollow of the ^ Heart, and in the Veins and Arteries thereof, asl/aac in his Book 0/ Fevers^ in the Chapter 0/ /^e Hectick: But there are Moiftures of divers kinds in the Members which are prepared for Nourifh- ing, and to moiften the Joints. Of which Humours may be that is one which is in the Veins, and that another which like Dew is repofed on the Members, as Avicenna (aith in his fourth Book in the Chapter Of the Heffjck: Whence perhaps the Wife do underftand, that all thefe Moiftures are Fewel to the Native Heat 3 But efpecially that Wherefore the Phyficians and Wife men ot . old ^referVation of Youth. i y old time were of opinion. That Diet with- out Phyfick fometimes did good, but that Phyfick without due order of Diet never made a man one jot the better. Thence it is reckoned more neceffary that thofe rather (hould be treated of which cannot be known unlefs of the Wife, and thofe too of a quick llnderftanding, and fuch as ftudy hard, and take a great deal of pains, than thofe things which are eafily known, even as a man reads them. As for my own part, being hindred part- ly by the Charge, partly by Impatience, and partly by the Rumours of the Vulgar, I was not willing to make Experiment of all things, which may eafily be tryed by others s but have refolved to exprefs thofe things in obfcure and difficult terms, which I judge requifite to the Confervation of Healthy left they fhould fall into the hands of the unfaithful. One of which things lies hid in the ^ Bow- els of the Earth; Another in the ^ Sea ; The Third ^ creeps upon the Earth : The Fourth lives in the ^ Air : The Fifth is ^ likened to the Medicine which comes out of the Mine of the No- bie Animal. The 1 6 The Cure of Old Age^ and The Sixth comes out of the ^ long-liv'd Animal. The Seventh is that whofe Mine is the * Plant of India. I have refplved to mention thefe things obfcurely , imitating the Precept of the Prince of Philofophers to Alexander, u^ho faid that He is a Tranfgrefforof the Divine Law, who difcovers the hidden Secrets of Nature and the Properties of things : Be- caufe fome men defire as much as in them lies to overthrow the Divine Law by thofe Properties that God has placed in Animals, Plants and Stones. But fome of thefe things ftand in need of Preparation : Others of a careful Choice, Of Preparation^ left with the healthful part Poyfon be fwallowed down ; Of Choice 5 left among the beft thofe things that are worfe be given, and thofe that are more hurtful be taken. For in whatfoever thing the moft High GOD hath put an admirable Vertue and Property, therein he hath alfo placed an Hurt, to be as it were the Guard of the thing it felf. For as he would not have his Secrets known of all, left Men ftlould con- temn them 5 fo he would not have all Men be Adcpti^ left they (hould abufe theit Power, ^refer\K:ttion of Youth. \ j Power. As is manifeft in the Serpent, Hel- lebore and Gold. From which no man can fetch any noble or fublime Operation, unr lefs he be wife, skilful, and have of a long time experienced them. Befides, wherefoev^er G O D hath placed fuch an unfpeakable Vertue, he hath added a certain Similitude, that every Man, who is of a clear and vivacious Wit and Under- ftanding, may conceive its Operation. For mofl: things aft what they arefaid to aft, either by their Form, or their Matter, or their Eflence, or their Heat, by their Durability and long Keeping, or by Cor- ruption* For that preferves another thidg vvhich is long preferved it felf, and that corrupts a- nother thing which is quickly corrupted it felf, and it afts that thing, according to whofe Similitude it is denominated, or like as it is formed : And this is a Secret which our ^ Firft Parents wholly kept fecret, and to thefe our very times ftill remains fe- cret. But we muft "^ obferve, that in (bme of the aforefaid things and Medicines the Virtue may be feparated from its Body s as in all Medicines made of Plants and Ani- mals* C From i8 The Cure of Old Age y md From fome it cannot be feparated, as from all thofe things that are of a thick Subftance ^ as Metals 3 and what things fo- ever are of the kind of Stones, as Coral, Jacinths, and the like. And thefe are to be fubtilly powdered in the laft degree ^ and this properly agrees with our Intent, that it may come to its proper end of Elongation, as Avicenna faith in his fecond Canon Of the judgment of Medkmes that are out- warclly appljed. But this Powdering cannot be made in Metals, except by Burning. Which Avi- ce^fia affirms in his Chapter Of the Leprofie^ concerning the Preparation of Gold and Silver n and in his fifth Canon, where CW- fe3Jo Hjacwthi is fhewn. But certain other Men have given Rules how to diffolve Medicines of thick Sub- ftance, as Arifiotk (aith, according to Ifaac in his Degrees, in his Canon 0/P^r/5fpeak- ing thus ; " I have feen certain Men diffolve " Per!, with the Juice and Liquor whereof " Morphews being waflied, were fully cu* " red and made whole. But in Medicines which are mixt of thefe Plants and Animals, a Separation of the Virtue from the Body it felf may be made : And their Virtue and Matter will operate ftronger TreferVation of Youth. i^ ftronger and betteralone, than joy ned with their Body. Becaufethe Natural Heat is tired, whilft it fejparates and fevers the Virtue of the thing from the Body which is hard and earthy : And it being tired, the Virtue will with greater Difficulty be carried to the In- ftruments of the Senfes, fo as it may be able to refrefti them, and deftroy the fuperHu- ous Moifture, and penetrate to the Mem- bers of the fourth Concoftion, that it may ftrengthen the digettive Power of the Flefh and Skin. From the Weaknefs whereof certain Ac- cidents of Old Age do proceed , as is ma- nifeft in the Morphew : becaufe that the Natural Heat of our Body is not always fo fufficiently powerful in all Medicines, as to feparate the Virtue from its Terreftrial Body. But .when the Vertue alone is given without the Body, the Natural Heat is not tired, nor is the Virtue of the Medicine by frequent Digeftion deftroy ed in its journey^ as it were, while it is carried to the Similar Parts and thelnftrumcnts of the Senfes; and fo the Virtue of the thing will compleat its Operation, while it does not tire the Na- tural Heat. C 2 And 2 o "The Cure of Oil Age^ and And Galen agrees with this, as Ifiac te- ftifies in his Canon OftheLeproJie^ laying, '* I never faw a man fo infeded cured, but '' one that drank of Wine, wherein a Viper '' had fallen. And Joha^fics Damafcemu in his Apho- rifms : '' Therefore it was neccffary for the " purging of the Humours driven down, *^ that the Medicine according to the skill " and pleafure of the Phyfician fhould be " turned into the Likenefs of Meat. Another hath faid, '' That that Phyfick " which (hould pafs to the third Digeftion, " (hould be greedily received, according ^^ to fome, with a thing of eafie Affimila- '^tion, fuch as Milk and the Broth of a " Pullet. Notes on CHAP.II. ^ Thefi fix Caujes are called by PhyJiciatJS Sex IMon-naturalia. They are^ I. The Ai)\ 2. Meat and Drink^ g. Motion and Reji. 4, Sleep and Watching. 5. Excretion and Retention 6. The Pajjions of the Mind. ^ The Learned are of opinion^ that this Bool^ wjs written by our ingenious Author to P^Pe Nicolas the Fourth^ to atone his enra- ged Trejer^Ktt ion of Youth. z\ ged and atjgry Mifid, For thif Pope kept him in Pnfin feme Years, ^ Gold. ^ Coral. ^ The Viper, ^ Rofemary, B See the tmlfth Chapter, ^' The Bone of a Stags Heart, ' Lignum Aloes. ^ Here our incomparably learned Author^ whether he gives greater encouragement to true Phyflcians and Chymijis^ or Difconrjgc- ment to MoHntebankj and ignorant knavijl) Chjmicafiers^ is hard to conclhde. For who greater Violaters of the Divine Law^ and more Enemies to Mankind^ than cheating Cut- throats^ that by their pretended Secrets and their ZJniverfal Remedies bring an Epidemic!^ Calamity on the deluded Multitude .«? Or vphofe Wit and Parts more nfeful than his^ that can with the Great Mithridates make the ftrongejl Antidote out of the rankefi Poyfon 3 or with our Author get that Wifdom^ in whofi tejt hand are Riches^ and in her right hand length of Days ^ ^ Our Firji Father Adam in theflate cf Innocence had the ahfolute knowledge of things natural^ and gave to every thing its proper ^ame exprejjing its inward Nature : Bat C 3 this 1:2 The Cure of Old jigz^ and 4his natural Magicl^ of knowing the Vert ue by the Srgnatwe^ is by our Author lamented as from the beginning to his Time behind the Curtain, Tct it hath been cultivated by fome ft^ce^fo that by comparing the Ufes ofmofi Sim- ples with their Phyfiognomict^ Lineaments^ you would conclude God and Nature had de- Jigned thefe for Tokens of their Spctfick^ Vir- tues^ and admirable ZJfes, And the Earth if fkch a Store-houfe^ that were hut the Virtues df all its Stores l^owH^ nothing would he -impojfible to the Intelligent. "^ here is ^ Pharraaceutice Rationalis y^^ well grounded both as to the Preparatory and Adminifirative part^ that it may deferve the Confideration of all Sons of Art ^ and dejiethe Apfrehenfion of all Blockrheaded ^ac^s. ^^t C H A P. in. Of the Accidents of Old Age and theCaufes 'J- of them ^ and'-the Signs »f Hurt in the \ Senfs^ Imagination^ Reajbn and Me- mory. xf^ip'HE Accidents of Age and Old Age • •\1.\ ' 2iit^ Grey Hairs^Pdemfs^ Wrinkles of thl Skin 5 Weak^'efs of Facultin and of P ' r natural , TreJerVation of Youth. z ^ t7atHralStnffgth^DlminHtion of Blood a^dSpi- rits^Bleare)ednejf^cibHndaf7ce of rot ten Phlegm^ fiUhy Spittings Shortnefs of Breathy Anger ^ Want of Sleeps an unquiet Mind ^ Hurt of the Inftruments, that is, of thofe, wherein the Animal Vertue does operate. Now of all tbefe let us fee from what caufes each Acci- dent derives its Original. And in the firft place difcourfing o^Grey Hairs WQ fhall take notice of this, namely, that fome of thefe Accidents happen even to Young Men before the time of Manhood, and then they are not called the Accidents of Age, but Infirmities. The Accidents of Age begin in fome at the time of Manhood : In others at the time of Age, according to the Power of the Native Moifture, and the Government of every Wife Man ; And in fome they u(e not to come till ve- ry Old Age. The Principal Caufe of all thefe is VVe.ak- nefsof the Innate Heat, which is caufed two ways, as was faid before. Greynejs' arifeth from putrid Phlegm co^ ming out of the Regions of the Brain and Stomach, as Jfaac faith , and not from :Phlegm alone, but it proceeds from any o- ther putrid Humour whatever, as Avicen- C 4 m 14 The Cure of Old Age ^ dnd • fja faith in his Chapter Of the Compkxiorrs of Ages. Now this putrid Humour is generated many ways : Sometimes by eating of certain things that breed a putrefying Humour, which is the Caufe of Old Age, as hereafter will ap- pear. Sometimes from the Weaknefs of Natu- ral Heat, which rules in the Body, and from Abundance of Cold, as Arjjiotie faith. For the Implanted Heat being dulled di- gefts not Food, as it ufed ^ Whereupon a Watry Humor ^ little warmed with ftrange Heat abounds, and caufes this Greynefs, as Hulji faith in Galea's Regiment, where he . greats of the Regiment ol: Old Age. Sometimes from too great Accefs of ex- ternal Heat. For in his eleventh Chapter of his Hiftory of Animals the Philofopher there faith, that Hajrs that are covered are fooner grey than thofe that are feldome co- "vered. For the Covering keeps off the Wind, and the Wind hinders Putrefaftion. Sometimes Greynejf^ and Putrefaftion of 'the Humours arif^s from the Fnfirmityofthe Skin : As in the Morphew, when through the Weaknefs of that Member, the Nou- rifhment is not concofted. ^ For ^referyation of Youth. 2 5 For there is in every Member a Digeftive Power and Heat, which the Soul ufeth as an Inftrument in performingits Operations. Hence it is that an evil Conftitution hap- pens in fome of the external Parts, when the inward Parts are not hurt, and do per- form aright the Offices of Nature. But it is to be obferved, that the Hairs of the Temples wax grey fooner, andihofe of the hind parts later : Becaufe in the fore part there is much Moifture, therefore it fooner putrefies. And when this happensin the Hairs, after it is once come, it will hard- ly be removed 3 but it is a thing lefs difficult to put a flop to it before it come. But it often falls our, that many men la- bouring under fome Infirmity, have their Hairs wax grey 5 in whom, after they have recovered their Health, the Hairs return to their former Difpofition. Here the caufc is, the Wcaknefs of Na- tural Heat in concofting the Nouriflimqnt in the external parts 5 and when Strength and Health return, the Hair grows black. But Avicennx faith in his fourth Canon Of the Drjpojition of thofc that are recover- ifjg their Healthy that therefore the Hairs wax white, becaufe they are deprived of their Nouriftlment, by reafon the Innate Moifture 2 6 The Cwe of Old Jge^ and Moifture goes out and is difpers'd, which whilft it abides within caufeth the blacknefs of the Hair 3 as is manifeft in Corn, which is dryed, and grows white by ripening: af- terwards when it is wet with Dew, its Gneennefs returns. Befides, there is in every Member a na- '-tural Power refiding, which according to its Complexion turns the Nutriment into the Likenefs of that Member, and differs •from that Power, which turns the Nutri- ment into the Likenefs of another Member, and from this Diverfity a Weaknefs in the Skin proceeds, as Avicen^a faith in his firft Canon Of Natural Pomrs, But when the Vertue of the Member is weak, it infeds and corrupts the nature and wholefome Juice of the Aliment that flows thither. ^Which being corrupted, all things that pe- netrate into that Member, are depraved ; Like as a good Conltitution doth alter e- ^%en bad and un wholefome Food, fo that it -'^becomes good, apt and convenient for nou- rifhing Nature. ^'-^ Galen reports, according to Avianna in his firft Canon Of the Morphevr, that there /Isa certain ^ Tree, which at its firft growth '^S'deadly and poyfonpus : yet it may be '-^dianged foas without any danger it may he- '/rM^.otv come ^refervatton of Youth. 27 come wholefome Food. And this is done by the planting of it. As there is a Tree in Perfia poyfonous , and whofe Fruit is hurtful 5 but being removed into Egjipt, and planted there, its Fruit is fafely eaten 5 and being brought back again into Perjia^ it obtains its former poyfonous Quality. For this Caufe Medicines were invented that might be applyed to the outward Parts, as Bathings and Anointings. For fuch Me- dicaments are more ufeful to remove Difea- fes which arife from the Hurt of the fourth Digeftion , than inward ones : Becaufe the Vertue of Medicines taken inwardly is rendred fo dull and weak of the firft and fecond DigeQion, that when it arrives at the fourth degree of Digeftion, it is fo bro- ken, that it cannot at all profit, as Avkenna. faith in his Canon OfWearinejs'and Old Age, And fo Anointings do ftrengthen the Ver- tue of the fourth Digeftion. Which I think to be raoft true, by rea- fon outward Medicaments are nearer the Places affefted 3 efpecially if the Humour be purged, or do not oSend in the inner Parts. But if the Humour aforefaid offend, firjl of all the Body muft be abfolutely purged of4t. ':!^.^^ . Then ,2 8 Tk Cure of 01 J A/e^ ami Then the Skin muft be made cleaner by a long EfFufion and Provocation of plenti- ful Sweat. And Thirdly , The Virtue in that Member, which is ill afFefted, muft be refrefbed ; Be- caufe if the Medicine avail not fomething toward the ftrengthning the Vertue of the Part, the Humour will abound again and prevail the more : And that efpecially , when Melancholy Humours bring the Hurt. But fome have faid, that fully to drive a- way thefe Humours, the Vertue of Laxa- tives, without their Body, is fufBcient. For the Power of Laxatives operates more when freed from the Lump of Body than joyned with it 5 and this is that which A- vlccfinn faich in his firft Canon in the Chap- ter Of the D/fpofition of Pnrghyg Medicwes. Then we muft apply fuch Medicines out- ^wardly, whofe property it is, to temper the Eflence of the Member and its Confti- lUiion^ and to hinder that the fcattered Reliques of the fuperfluous Humour be not received of that Member, as Terra Sigilla- tuy Bole Armenick, and fuch things ufe to do, either through fome Operation that is in them, or for the Similitude and Equali- ty of Complexion, for that it cools what is too Hot, and heats what is too Cold. Which ^rcferyiitm of Youth. 29 Which Gd!en thinks very likely in the Oyl of Rofes, as Avicenna faith in his firft Ca- non Of the Operation of f articular Medi^ ewes. . This Accident, I Cxy-^ of GreytieJ^ ren- ders a Man more deformed, and is more ap- parent than any other in the Body. I have ftudioufly fcarched its Caufe and Original. And wife Phyficians have laid down the Caufe and Remedy of thefe Ac- cidents in theirTreatife of Preferving Beau- ty : For at the Approach of thefe ^ Defor- mity is caufed, and through their Delay in the time of Manhood is a Man's Come- linefs. For this Age by Avkenna is called the Age of Beauty. Notes on CHAP. HI. ^ Of this Tree Diofcorides fpeuks if: his firflBook^^ Chap, 147. in the f^ words. The Peach Tree is a Tree in E^ypf , bearing Fruit fit for Food, good for the Stomach : Wherein Spiders called CrafwcoLpta are found , efpecially in Thebais. The dry Leaves reduced to Powder, and applyed, flop Eruptions of Blood. Some have de- clared that this Tree is deftru^live in Perfla^ and ^ o The Cure of Old Age^ and and being tranflated into Bgjpf^ it changes its Nature, and is made ufe of for Food. ^ Theophraftus /« his Chara3er of Flat- tery hath thefe Worcls^ What a Reverend Grey Beard you have got ? And yet You, if any Man, confidcring your Years, have your Hair black. A»d. to be long in growing grey was ever accoittitcd an Argument of a lufly and vivid Old Age, Therefore effeminate Men were as careful to hide their Grey Hairs^ as Women their Wrinkles 5 as Plautus and Martial do tefifie. CHAP. IV. Of the Wrinkles of the Skin, Palenefs, rot- ten Phlegm , Blear eyednefs , Short nefs of Breathy and other things^ which effecially have relation to the Body, WE have already fpoken of the Cau- feso^one Accident, namely, Gre;- nef^ now we muft treat of the Wrinkles of the Skin, Palenefs and other things, which efpecially have relation to the Body. Thefe Evils betide Men fometimes before the ftated Time, fometimes at their due feafon. Wrinkles TreferViition of Youth. ^ i Wrwkles of the SI{w are contracted either from the Flelh extenuated, whence there remains a loofning of the Skin 5 Or From the Want of Flelh, and hence comes the (hriveling of it. And Arijiotk faith in the end of his fifth Book Of Am- mals^ that this comes through the Putrefa- ftion of the Humour. For he faith, that Wrinkling which befidls Bodies is unhke to Slicknefs : becaufe if the Vapour be con- crete, thence is caufed Slicknefs, and it pur trefies not, nor do Wrinkles arife. This Accident often happens to them that are as it were burnt up in the Fire, and do handle things belonging to the Forge, as is evident in the Smiths Trade : For the ll(e of thefe things dries exceedingly, and makes the Face pale, and full of Wrinkles. There- fore thofe Dames that are over-careful of their Beauty, ufe to turn away their Face from the Fire. But thofe things which re- move the Wrinkling of the Skin you (hall find hereafter in that Chapter, wherein the things are declared, which ufe to render the Skin delicate for Youthful Beauty, Cleannefs, and Rednefs. Palenefs alfo according to fome is a Com- panion of Old Age, which falls out in Young Men from fuperfluous and redounding Phlegm 3 ^ 2 The Cure of Old Jjre^ and Phlegm ^ in old Men from want and dimi- nution of Blood and Spirits, or from Infefti- on of the Blood. Diminution of the Blood and Spirits is from the Diminution of the Natural Moi- fture 3 becaufe the Root, and as it were the Fountain of it, is in theBiood, principally inthat of the Heart, and fecondarily inthat which paffeth through the Veins and Mem- bers : The Blood being diminiflied, the Spi< rits are dirainiftied alfo, which abide in the Blood as in their Subjeft. And Blood is re- ftored by thofe things, which refrefti the in- nate Moifture 5 and the Blood being aug- mcnted, the Spirits are made more lively. Plenty of rotten Phlegm^ filthy Spittwg^ and Bkareyednej^ are Accidents of Age, which happen from an unnatural Moifture 5 andefpecially Phlegmatick : And that Moi- fture flowes fometimes from the Super- fluity of the fourth Digeftion, and is cured by things purging, confuming and drying up Phlegm, as we (hall hereafter teach. Thofe things efpecially help Bleareyednefs^ which fwim in the Sea, and which live in the Air. Thofe things are a Cure for filthy SpHtwg, which purge and open the Breaft, as Di^/- reas and Diaprajfium. Purging of Phlegm from ^rejtryatmi of Youth. ^5 from the Head and Stomach conduces very much towards the cleanfing of ropy Phlegm 5 although in Young nnd growing perfons thefe things happen fomctimes from the fu- perfluity of the Blood. Infommity^ if I may fo fpcak, Short- mfs of Breath, A^?ger^ Difqniet of Mwd^ are Accidents of Age: among which Weaknefs of Breathing happens through the Straitnefs and Coarftation of the Pafla- gesof the Lungs, which is caufed either by too much Dryncfs, or excefGve Moifture. But we muft remedy this Evil or Acci- dent by the help of thofe Medicines, that the Wife have ordered to be taken, in their Treatife of Difeafes which befal the In- ftruments of Breathing. For Avketitfa in the feme Treatife affirms, that Saffron hath a Property to open and refrefh the Inftru- ments of Breathing. Want of Sleep, Difqniet of Mind and An-- ger befal Old Men and the Decrepit 5 and fometimes Young Men, from Melancholick Fumes afcending to the Brain, as alfo hin- dring the Organs of the Senfes. And therefore in their Books of Regiment it is ordered by Phyficians, that Old Men avoid Phlegmatick, and likewife Sowre Meats* Horehound very well prepared helpeth thi? D Difpofition, ^ 4 77;e Care of Old Age^ mi Difpofition, and to eat Sallet of Lettuce ftrovved with Spice, as G^/e/; faith, accord- ing to Avicenna in his Chapter Of Sleep. But againft Af7ger , Want of Sleep and Talk:itiver2efs, let the Operation and Aftion of the Soul, Joy and Mirth, and other de- legable things be made ufe of. C H A P. V. Of Weak^jefs of Strength ^ and Faculties of the Soul T If JEaknefs of Strength and Facnlties Y y is an Accident of Old Age. Infirmity of Strength proceeds from a ftrange and unnatural Moifture foftening the Nerves , or From over much Drynefs, whereby the Nerves are contrafted, and therefore weak- neds or From the Concuffion of the Nerves, as it often falls out in Souldiers exercifing the (harp and dangerous Feats of War. For I have feen many men vigoroufly ftriving in the Combate, who being thereby weakned, loft the Garland of the Conteft. When the Weaknefs hath its Original from ^referyation of Youth. ^ j from Drynefs, that Medicine is uftful, whole Root is of the Indian Plant. When from Moiftiire, Meat made of the Vegetable Medicine may be profitable for the hurt ftrength. But the Wea^nefs. of the Faculties fome- time arifesfrom the Moifture fuperfluous. Sometime from it deficient. Thefe Faculties although they may feem to be many 5 as the Appetitive, Digeftive and Senfitive, becaufe they have got many Names 3 yet the Faculty is truly one, as Jo- hanms Damafcent^ affirms. And becaufe this one Faculty is wont to perform different Of- fices in different Members, it is called by di- vers Names. But by what Wayes thefe Faculties may be recreated, and being weak may be flrengthned, I will (hew hereafter in the Chapter 0/ Repairing the Factilties. The Hurt of the Senfes is an Accident of Senfe, which often falls out even in young men. This fometime happens in the Occult^ Sometime in the Manifeft Organs of the Senfes. When thefe Hurts are made in the Mani* fe/i Organs, they may be cured in the fame manner, as the Wife have prefcribed in the D 2 proper ^6 n?e Cure (^ OU Age^ mi properChaptersofthofe Hurts. When this Hurt happens in the Occult In- ftrumenis, it is made in three Parts of the Brain, wherein the Animal Power doth ope- rate, namely in the fore, middle and hind part, which parts by Avicenfm are called the Ventricles of the Brain. In the hind part Oblivion and Remem- brance is made by the Soul. Of which things Royal Haly fpeaks in his firft Difcourfe of his Theory, faying, "That Old Age is as *'it were the Houfe of Forgetfulnefs But Seneca affirms the contrary, namely, that when a man grows old, if he have for- merly well exercifcd the Inftrument of Me- mory, he will not be of a lefs Memory, than when he wasaYoung Man. Whence it happens that by long Excrcife of one Inftrument, the Force and Property of a- nother is abated , as is daily experienced in Men of good Inventions, and Men of good Memories. But the Hurt which happens in the firft and fecond Ventricles of the Brain, where- in Imagination and the Diftinftion of things is made, is a Harm which falls not out on the Score of the Rational Soul, but on the Score of the Inftruments wherein the Soul operates. Now the Hurt of Imagination is faid to be made two ways 5 In ^referVation of Youth. ^ 7 In the Inflrument of the Brain ^ wherein falfe things are feigned. And in the Vifory Nerve^ which brings Light from the Eye. And therefore the Son of the Prince hath laid down two Chapters 0/ the Hurt oflmagwaiioff. One among the Difeafis of the Head, Another in his Treatife Of the Eyes, For this Hurt arifes in thefe parts of the Brain, and not in the Organs, Sometimes from an Internal^ Sometimes from an External Caufe. From an Internal Caufe two Ways, Either by Nature^ when a Man is fo hurt from his Mothers Womb, as foon as he is born into the World, and then the Hurt is incurable 5 Or by Accident^ and fo it is made two Ways, By things coming from vptthin^ and that fometime From evil Humours^ which do caufe In- firmities of Body and Difeafes 5 and then the Hurt is faid to come from the Humours, which are in the Brain it felf : Sometime From fame other Member ill affe&cd by a blow or fome other Caufe. But whatever Humour it be, foit be a bad one, it hurts and ftops up the aforefaid parts P 3 of 3 8 Tl:fc Cure of Old Jge^ and of the Brain. Which fame Humour is bred of ill Food, that is, MelanchoUck and Phlegmatick , as alfo of Indigeftion and fowre things, and fuch as are dryed in the Smoak, andihehke. The Operation of the Soul is hindred alfo from an outvoard Caufe, and that many Ways, Sometimes from BwhingVafours^ which infeci the Body, and flop up the Organs of the Senfes. Among which Vapours thofe are,wor(e, which come out of things difeafed and la- bouring of Superfluity, and out of dead Carkafes themfelves, by reafonof the Like- nefs they have with Humane Bodies. Asof old it happened after a bloody War in IE- thjopia, wherein were many dead Bodies, out of which a Peftilential Vapour came e- ven to the Land of the ^ Greeks ^ Where- upon fo great a Mortality raged among the Grecians , that in thofe who did efcape, there remained a, Forgetfulnefi both of their own and their Childrens Names. Which Galen affirms according to Avic^nna in his third Canon in the Chapter Of Signs ga- thered from the Operations of Animals, An hurt of the operation of the Soul fometimes happens alfo From a thick^and troubled Air : And this is TreferVation of Youth. ^ p is the Caufe that the Eaftern People are more acute and fubtil than other Men, be- caure of the Want of Vapours. For they have a moft fubtil and pure Air. As is alfo manifeft in our own People : For at a time when it is clear, they have their Acutenefs of Mind more prompt, and their Wit more quick in fearching out of Matters, than when it is cloudy. For a troubled Air dejefts fhe Soul, makes it fad, and blends the Humours. But there is a difference between a Grofs and a Troubled Air. A Grofs Air is that which is fomething thick in Subftance: A Troubled Air is that which is mixt with the Parts of another thick Subftance. Which thing is apparent from the fmall Stars, which do appear and (hine a little 5 but withal they twinkle and tremble. The Reafon is, becaufc there are many Exhala- tions and plentiful Vapours, and but few Winds ftirring. So faith Avkem7a in his firft Book Of the Operation of Aerial ^ali- ties. This Impediment likewife happens through Ncgle^ of cleanfwg the Body in- wardly and outwardly. For outward Na- ftinefs will obflruft and ftop up the Pores, D 4 and 40 Tk Cure of Old Agc^ and and will hinder Nature from cafiing out new Excrements. Sometimes alfo this Hurt arifcth from D/fea/es: Becaufc it is impoffible that a Sickly Man fhould luvc his Senfe found : For in our firrt Difcourleof its Difpofition it isfaid, That Senfe is not perfeft, nor the Underftanding rational, except in time of Health ^ nor will there be any Soundncfs of the Rational Soul, but by the Soundness of the Vital and Animal Power, as AriUotle faith in his Book Of the Secrets of Secrets. So that there is no Way to know and xinderftand any thing aright, but by ^ the Force of a clear Intelleft : There is no Force and Power of a (harp Intelleft, but by Health : There is no Health, but by an iE- quality of Complexion : There is noiEqua- lity of Complexion, but by a right temper* ed Harmony of Humours. And therefore GOD moft High hath delivered and revealed to the Prophets his Servants, and to fome other Men, whom he hath illuminated with the Spirit of Di- vine Wifdom, a Way for the Temper and Confervation of the Humours. N OTIJ ^referyation of Xouth. 41 Note onCHAP. V. ^ Our Author here intends the great Plague of Athens, curioufy defcribed by Lucretius, Lib.' 6. \ A Plague thus rais'd laid learned j^therts waft, Thio every Street, thro all the Town it paft •, Blading both Man and Bcaft w*^ poyfonous wind. Death fled before, and Ruin ftalk'd behind, From