The Major Works (English Library) (29 page)

1. The relation of Averroes and now common in every mouth, of the woman that conceived in a bath, by attracting the sperme or seminall effluxion of a man admitted to bath in some vicinity unto her, I have scarce faith to beleeve; and had I been of the Jury, should have hardly thought I had found the father in the person that stood by her. ’Tis a new and unseconded way in History to fornicate at a distance; and much offendeth the rules of Physick, which say, there is no generation without a joynt emission, nor only a virtuall but corporall and carnall contaction….

2. The relation of Lucillius, and now become common, concerning Crassus the grandfather of Marcus the wealthy Roman, that he never laughed but once in all his life, and that was at an Asse eating Thistles, is something strange. For, if an indifferent and unridiculous object could draw his habituall austerenesse unto a smile; it will be hard to beleeve he could with perpetuity resist the proper motives thereof. For the act of laughter which is a sweet contraction of the muscles of the face, and a pleasant agitation of the vocall organs, is not meerly voluntary; or totally within the jurisdiction of our selves: but as it may be constrained by corporall contraction in any, and hath been enforced in some even in their death; so the new unusuall or unexpected jucundities, which present themselves to any man in his life; at some time or other will have activity enough to excitate the earthiest soul, and raise a smile from most composed tempers….

3. The same conceit there passeth concerning our blessed Saviour, and is sometimes urged as an high example of gravity. And this is opinioned, because in holy Scripture it is recorded he sometimes wept, but never that he laughed. Which howsoever granted, it will be hard to conceive how he passed his
younger years and childehood without a smile; if as Divinity affirmeth, for the assurance of his humanity unto men, and the concealment of his Divinity from the devil, he passed this age like other children, and so proceeded untill he evidenced the same. And surely no danger there is to affirm the act or performance of that, whereof we acknowledge the power and essentiall property; and whereby indeed he most neerly convinced the doubt of his humanity. Nor need we be afraid to ascribe that unto the incarnate Sonne, which sometimes is attributed unto the uncarnate Father; of whom it is said, He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh the wicked to scorn.
¹⁵
For, a laugh there is of contempt or indignation, as well as of mirth and Jocosity; And that our Saviour was not exempted from the ground hereof, that is, the passion of anger, regulated and rightly ordered by reason, the Schools doe not deny: and besides the experience of the money-changers, and Dove-sellers in the Temple, is testified by St John when he saith, the speech of David was fulfilled in our Saviour….
¹⁶

5. The story of the wandring Jew is very strange, and will hardly obtain belief; yet is there a formall account thereof set down by Matthew Paris, from the report of an Armenian Bishop; who came into this kingdome about four hundred years ago, and had often entertained this wanderer at his Table. That he was then alive, was first called Cartaphilus, was keeper of the Judgement Hall, whence thrusting out our Saviour with expostulation for his stay, was condemned to stay untill his return; was after baptized by Ananias, and by the name of Joseph; was thirty years old in the daies of our Saviour, remembred the Saints that arised with him, the making of the Apostles Creed, and their severall perigrinations. Surely were this true, he might be an happy arbitrator in many Christian controversies; but must impardonably condemn the obstinacy
of the Jews, who can contemn the Rhetorick of such miracles, and blindely behold so living and lasting conversions.

6. Clearer confirmations must be drawn for the history of Pope Joane, who succeeded Leo the fourth, and preceded Benedict the third, then any we yet discover. And since it is delivered with
aiunt
and
ferunt
¹⁷
by many; since the learned Leo Allatius hath discovered, that ancient copies of Martinus Polonus, who is chiefly urged for it, had not this story in it; since not only the stream of Latine Historians have omitted it, but Photius the Patriarch, Metrophanes Smyrnæus, and the exasperated Greeks have made no mention of it, but conceded Benedict the third Successor unto Leo the fourth; he wants not grounds that doubts it….

8. Who can but pity the vertuous Epicurus,
¹⁸
who is commonly conceived to have placed his chief felicity in pleasure and sensuall delights, and hath therefore left an infamous name behinde him? How true, let them determine who reade that he lived seventy years, and wrote more books then any Philosopher but Chrysippus, and no lesse then three hundred, without borrowing from any Author. That he was contented with bread and water, and when he would dine with Jove, and pretend unto epulation,
¹⁹
he desired no other addition then a piece of Cytheridian cheese.
²⁰
That shall consider the words of Seneca,
Non dico, quod plerique nostrorum, sectam Epicuri flagitiorum magistrum esse: sed illud dico, male audite infamis est, & immerito.
²¹
Or shall reade his life, his Epistles, his Testament in Laertius; who plainly names them calumnies, which are commonly said against them.

The ground hereof seems a misapprehension of his opinion, who placed his felicity not in the pleasures of the body, but the minde, and tranquillity thereof, obtained by wisdome and
vertue, as is most clearly determined in his Epistle unto Menæceus. Now how this opinion was first traduced by the Stoicks, how it afterwards became a common belief, and so taken up by Authors of all ages, by Cicero, Plutarch, Clemens, Ambrose and others; the learned pen of Gassendus
²²
hath discovered.

When the Funerall pyre was out, and the last valediction over, men took a lasting adieu of their interred Friends, little expecting the curiosity of future ages should comment upon their ashes, and having no old experience of the duration of their Reliques, held no opinion of such after considerations.

But who knows the fate of his bones, or bow often be is to be buried? who hath the Oracle of his ashes, or whether they are to be scattered? The Reliques of many lie like the ruines of
Pompeys,
²
in all parts of the earth; And when they arrive at your hands, these may seem to have wandered far, who in a direct
³
and
Meridian
Travell, have but few miles of known Earth betweenyour self and the Pole
.

That the bones of Theseus should be seen again in
Athens,
⁴
was not beyond conjecture
,
⁵
and hopeful expectation; but that these
⁶
should arise so opportunely to serve your self, was an hit of fate and honour beyond prediction
.

We cannot but with these Urnes might have the effect of Theatrical vessels, and great
Hippodrome
Urnes in
Rome;
⁷
to resound the acclamations and honour due unto you. But these are sad and sepulchral Pitchers, which have no joyful voices; silently expressing old mortality, the ruines of forgotten times, and can only speak with life, how long in
this corruptible frame, some parts may be uncorrupted; yet able to out-last bones long unborn, and noblest pyle
⁸
among us.

We present not these as any strange sight or spectacle unknown to your eyes, who have beheld the best of Urnes, and noblest variety of Ashes; Who are your self no slender master of Antiquities, and can daily command the view of so many Imperiall faces;
⁹
Which raiseth your thoughts unto old things, and consideration of times before you, when even living men were Antiquities; when the living might exceed the dead, and to depart this world, could not be properly said, to go unto the greater number.
¹⁰
And so run up your thoughts upon the ancient of dayes, the Antiquities truest object, unto whom the eldest parcels are young, and earth it self an Infant; and without Ægyptian account
¹¹
makes but small noise in thousands.

We were hinted by the occasion, not catched the opportunity to write of old things, or intrude upon the Antiquary. We are coldly drawn unto discourses of Antiquities, who have scarce time before us to comprehend new things, or make out learned Novelties. But seeing they arose as they lay, almost in silence among us, at least in short account suddenly passed over; we were very unwilling they should die again, and be buried twice among us.

Beside, to preserve the living, and make the dead to live, to keep men out of their Urnes, and discourse of humane fragments in them, is not impertinent unto our profession; whose study is life and death, who daily behold examples of mortality, and of all men least need artificial
memento’s,
or coffins by our bed side, to minde us of our graves.

’Tis time to observe Occurrences, and let nothing remarkable escape us; The Supinity of elder dayes hath left so much in silence, or time hath so martyred the Records, that the most industrious heads do finde no easie work to erect a new
Britannia.
¹²

’Tis opportune to look back upon old times, and contemplate our Forefathers. Great examples grow thin, and to be fetched from the passed world. Simplicity flies away, and iniquity comes at long strides upon us. We have enough to do to make up our selves from present and passed times, and the whole stage of things scarce serveth for our instruction. A compleat peece of vertue must be made up from the
Centos
of all ages, as all the beauties of
Greece
could make but one handsome
Venus.
¹³

When the bones of King
Arthur
were digged up,
¹⁴
the old Race might think, they beheld therein some Originals of themselves; Unto these of our Urnes none here can pretend relation, and can only behold the Reliques of those persons, who in their life giving the Laws unto their predecessors, after long obscurity, now lye at their mercies. But remembring the early civility they brought upon these Countreys, and forgetting long passed mischiefs; We mercifully preserve their bones, and pisse not upon their ashes.
¹⁵

In the offer of these Antiquities we drive not at ancient Families, so long out-lasted by them; We are farre from erectingyour worth upon the pillars of your Fore-fathers, whose merits you illustrate. We honour your old Virtues, conformable unto times before you, which are the Noblest Armoury. And having long experience of your friendly conversation, void of empty Formality, full of freedome, constant and Generous Honesty, I look uponyou as a Gemme of the Old
R
ock,
¹⁶
and must professe my self even to Urne and Ashes,

Norwich

May 10
[
1658
]

Your ever faithfull Friend,

and Servant,

THOMAS BROWNE

CHAPTER I

In the deep discovery of the Subterranean world, a shallow part would satisfie some enquirers; who, if two or three yards were open about the surface, would not care to rake the bowels of
Potosi
,
¹
and regions towards the Centre. Nature hath furnished one part of the Earth, and man another. The treasures of time lie high, in Urnes, Coynes, and Monuments, scarce below the roots of some vegetables. Time hath endlesse rarities, and shows of all varieties; which reveals old things in heaven, makes new discoveries in earth, and even earth it self a discovery. That great Antiquity
America
lay buried for a thousand years; and a large part of the earth is still in the Urne unto us.

Though if
Adam
were made out of an extract of the Earth,
²
all parts might challenge a restitution, yet few have returned their bones farre lower then they might receive them;
³
not affecting the graves of Giants, under hilly and heavy coverings, but content with lesse then their owne depth, have wished their bones might lie soft, and the earth be light upon them; Even such as hope to rise again, would not be content with centrall interrment, or so desperately to place their reliques as to lie beyond discovery, and in no way to be seen again; which happy contrivance hath made communication with our forefathers,
and left unto our view some parts, which they never beheld themselves.

Though earth hath engrossed the name yet water hath proved the smartest grave; which in forty dayes
⁴
swallowed almost mankinde, and the living creation; Fishes not wholly escaping, except the Salt Ocean were handsomely contempered
⁵
by a mixture of the fresh Element.

Many have taken voluminous pains to determine the state of the soul upon disunion; but men have been most phantasticall in the singular contrivances of their corporall dissolution: whilest the sobrest Nations have rested in two wayes, of simple inhumation and burning.

That carnall interment or burying, was of the elder date, the old examples of
Abraham
⁶
and the Patriarchs are sufficient to illustrate; And were without competition, if it could be made out, that
Adam
was buried near
Damascus
, or Mount
Calvary
, according to some Tradition. God himself, that buried but one, was pleased to make choice of this way, collectible from Scripture-expression, and the hot contest between Satan and the Arch-Angel, about discovering the body of
Moses
.
⁷
But the practice of Burning was also of great Antiquity, and of no slender extent. For (not to derive the same from
Hercules
)
⁸
noble descriptions there are hereof in the Grecian Funerals of
Homer
, In the formall Obsequies of
Patroclus
, and
Achilles
;
⁹
and somewhat elder in the
Theban
warre, and solemn combustion of
Meneceus
, and
Archemorus
,
¹⁰
contemporary unto
Jair
the Eighth Judge of
Israel
.
¹¹
Confirmable also among the
Trojans
, from the Funerall Pyre of
Hector
, burnt before the gates of
Troy
, And the burning of
Penthisilea
the
Amazonean Queen
:
¹²
and long continuance of that practice, in the inward Countries of
Asia
;
while as low as the Reign of
Julian
, we finde that the King of
Chionia
¹³
burnt the body of his Son, and interred the ashes in a silver Urne.

The same practice extended also farre West,
¹⁴
and besides
Herulians, Getes
, and
Thracians
,
¹⁵
was in use with most of the
Celtæ, Sarmatians, Germans, Gauls, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians
; not to omit some use thereof among
Carthaginians
and
Americans
: Of greater Antiquity among the
Romans
then most opinion, or
Pliny
¹⁶
seems to allow. For (beside the old Table Laws of burning
¹⁷
or burying within the City, of making the Funerall fire with plained wood, or quenching the fire with wine.)
Manlius
the Consul burnt the body of his Son:
Numa
by speciall clause of his Will, was not burnt but buried; And
Remus
was solemnly buried, according to the description of
Ovid
.
¹⁸

Cornelius Sylla
was not the first whose body was burned in
Rome
, but of the
Cornelian
Family, which being indifferently, not frequently used before; from that time spread, and became the prevalent practice. Not totally pursued in the highest runne
¹⁹
of Cremation; For when even Crows were funerally burnt,
Poppæa
the Wife of
Nero
found a peculiar grave enterment.
²⁰
Now as all customes were founded upon some bottome of Reason, so there wanted not grounds for this; according to severall apprehensions of the most rationall dissolution. Some being of the opinion of
Thales
, that water was the originall of all things, thought it most equall to submit into the principle of putrefaction, and conclude in a moist relentment. Others conceived it most natural to end in fire, as due unto the master principle in the composition, according to the doctrine of
Heraclitus
. And therefore heaped up large piles, more actively to waft them toward that Element, whereby they also declined a visible degeneration into worms, and left a lasting parcell of their composition.

Some apprehended a purifying virtue in fire, refining the grosser commixture, and firing out the Æthereall particles so deeply immersed in it. And such as by tradition or rationall conjecture held any hint of the finall pyre of all things; or that this Element at last must be too hard for all the rest; might conceive most naturally of the fiery dissolution. Others pretending no natural grounds, politickly declined the malice of enemies upon their buried bodies. Which consideration led
Sylla
unto this practise; who having thus served the body of
Marius
, could not but fear a retaliation upon his own; entertained after in the Civill wars, and revengeful contentions of
Rome
.

But as many Nations embraced, and many left it indifferent, so others too much affected, or strictly declined this practice. The
Indian Brachmans
seemed too great friends unto fire, who burnt themselves alive, and thought it the noblest way to end their dayes in fire; according to the expression of the Indian, burning himself at
Athens
,
²¹
in his last words upon the pyre unto the amazed spectators,
Thus I make my selfe Immortall
.

But the
Chaldeans
the great Idolaters of fire, abhorred the burning of their carcasses, as a pollution of that Deity. The
Persian Magi
declined it upon the like scruple, and being only sollicitous about their bones, exposed their flesh to the prey of Birds and Dogges. And the
Persees
now in
India
, which expose their bodies unto Vultures, and endure not so much as
feretra
or Beers of Wood, the proper Fuell of fire, are led on with such niceties. But whether the ancient
Germans
who burned their dead, held any such fear to pollute their Deity of
Herthus
, or the earth, we have no Authentick conjecture.

The Ægyptians were afraid of fire, not as a Deity, but a
devouring Element, mercilessly consuming their bodies, and leaving too little of them; and therefore by precious Embal-ments, depositure in dry earths, or handsome inclosure in glasses, contrived the notablest wayes of integrall conservation. And from such Ægyptian scruples imbibed by
Pythagoras
, it may be conjectured that
Numa
and the Pythagoricall Sect first waved the fiery solution.

The
Scythians
who swore by winde and sword, that is, by life and death, were so farre from burning their bodies, that they declined all interrment, and made their graves in the ayr: And the
Ichthyophagi
or fish-eating Nations about Ægypt, affected the Sea for their grave: Thereby declining visible corruption, and restoring the debt of their bodies. Whereas the old Heroes in
Homer
, dreaded nothing more than water or drowning; probably upon the old opinion of the fiery substance of the soul, only extinguishable by that Element; And therefore the Poet emphatically implieth the totall destruction of this kinde of death, which happened to
Ajax Oileus
.
²²

The old
Balearians
²³
had a peculiar mode, for they used great Urnes and much wood, but no fire in their burials, while they bruised the flesh and bones of the dead, crowded them into Urnes, and laid heapes of wood upon them. And the
Chinois
²⁴
without cremation or urnall interrment of their bodies, make use of trees and much burning, while they plant a Pine-tree by their grave, and burn great numbers of printed draughts of slaves and horses over it, civilly content with their companies in effigie, which barbarous Nations exact unto reality.

Christians abhorred this way of obsequies, and though they stickt not to give their bodies to be burnt in their lives, detested that mode after death; affecting rather a depositure than ab-sumption,
²⁵
and properly submitting unto the sentence of God, to return not unto ashes but unto dust againe, conformable
unto the practice of the Patriarchs, the terrment of our Saviour, of
Peter, Paul
, and the ancient Martyrs. And so farre at last declining promiscuous enterrment with Pagans, that some have suffered Ecclesiastical censures,
²⁶
for making no scruple thereof.

The
Musselman
beleevers will never admit this fiery resolution. For they hold a present trial from their black and white Angels in the grave; which they must have made so hollow, that they may rise upon their knees.

The Jewish Nation, though they entertained the old way of inhumation, yet sometimes admitted this practice. For the men of
Jabesh
burnt the body of
Saul
.
²⁷
And by no prohibited practice to avoid contagion or pollution, in time of pestilence, burnt the bodies of their friends.
²⁸
And when they burnt not their dead bodies, yet sometimes used great burnings neare and about them, deducible from the expressions concerning
Jehoram, Sedechias
, and the sumptuous pyre of
Asa
:
²⁹
And were so little averse from Pagan burning, that the Jews lamenting the death of
Casar
their friend, and revenger on
Pompey
, frequented the place where his body was burnt for many nights together.
³⁰
And as they raised noble Monuments and
Mausolæums
for their own Nation,
³¹
so they were not scrupulous in erecting some for others, according to the practice of
Daniel
, who left that lasting sepulchrall pyle in
Echbatana
, for the
Medean
and
Persian
Kings.
³²

But even in times of subjection and hottest use,
³³
they conformed not unto the
Romane
practice of burning; whereby the Prophecy was secured concerning the body of Christ, that it
should not see corruption, or a bone should not be broken;
³⁴
which we beleeve was also providentially prevented, from the Souldiers spear and nails that past by the little bones both in his hands and feet: Not of ordinary contrivance, that it should not corrupt on the Crosse, according to the Laws of
Romane
Crucifixion, or an hair of his head perish, though observable in Jewish customes, to cut the hairs of Malefactors.

Nor in their long co-habitation with Ægyptians, crept into a custome of their exact embalming, wherein deeply slashing the muscles, and taking out the brains and entrails, they had broken the subject
³⁵
of so entire a Resurrection, nor fully answered the types of
Enoch, Eliah
, or
Jonah
,
³⁶
which yet to present or restore, was of equall facility unto that rising power, able to break the fasciations
³⁷
and bands of death, to get clear out of the Cerecloth, and an hundred pounds of oyntment, and out of the Sepulchre before the stone was rolled from it.

But though they embraced not this practice of burning, yet entertained they many ceremonies agreeable unto
Greeke
and
Romane
obsequies. And he that observeth their funerall Feasts, their Lamentations at the grave, their musick, and weeping mourners; how they closed the eyes of their friends, how they washed, anointed, and kissed the dead; may easily conclude these were not meere Pagan-Civilities. But whether that mournfull burthen, and treble calling out after
Absalom
,
³⁸
had any reference unto the last conclamation,
³⁹
and triple valediction, used by other Nations, we hold but a wavering conjecture.

Civilians
⁴⁰
make sepulture but of the Law of Nations, others doe naturally found it and discover it also in animals. They that
are so thick skinned
⁴¹
as still to credit the story of the
Phænix
, may say something for animall burning: More serious conjectures finde some examples of sepulture in Elephants, Cranes, the Sepulchrall Cells of Pismires and practice of Bees; which civill society carrieth out their dead, and hath exequies, if not interrments.