The Major Works (English Library) (32 page)

What virtue yet sleeps in this
terra damnata
⁵³
and aged cinders, were petty magick to experiment; These crumbling reliques and long-fired particles superannate such expectations: Bones, hairs, nails, and teeth of the dead, were the treasures of old Sorcerers. In vain we revive such practices; Present superstition too visibly perpetuates the folly of our Fore-fathers, wherein unto old Observation this Island was so compleat, that it might have instructed
Persia
.
⁵⁴

Plato
’s historian of the other world,
⁵⁵
lies twelve dayes incorrupted, while his soul was viewing the large stations of the dead. How to keep the corps seven dayes from corruption by anointing and washing, without exenteration, were an hazardable peece of art, in our choisest practise. How they made distinct separation of bones and ashes from fiery admixture, hath found no historicall solution. Though they seemed to make a distinct collection, and overlooked not
Pyrrhus
his toe.
⁵⁶
Some
provision they might make by fictile
⁵⁷
Vessels, Coverings, Tiles, or flat stones, upon and about the body. And in the same Field, not farre from these Urnes, many stones were found under ground, as also by carefull separation of extraneous matter, composing and raking up the burnt bones with forks, observable in that notable lump of
Galvanus
.
⁵⁸
Marlianus
, who had the sight of the
Vas Ustrinum
, or vessell wherein they burnt the dead, found in the Esquiline Field at
Rome
, might have afforded clearer solution. But their insatisfaction herein begat that remarkable invention in the Funerall Pyres of some Princes, by incombustible sheets made with a texture of
Asbestos
, incremable
⁵⁹
flex, or Salamanders wool, which preserved their bones and ashes incommixed.

How the bulk of a man should sink into so few pounds of bones and ashes, may seem strange unto any who considers not its constitution, and how slender a masse will remain upon an open and urging fire of the carnall composition. Even bones themselves reduced into ashes, do abate a notable proportion. And consisting much of a volatile salt, when that is fired out, make a light kind of cinders. Although their bulk be disproportionable to their weight, when the heavy principle of Salt is fired out, and the Earth almost only remaineth; Observable in sallow, which makes more Ashes then Oake; and discovers the common fraud of selling Ashes by measure, and not by ponderation.

Some bones make best Skeletons,
⁶⁰
some bodies quick and speediest ashes: Who would expect a quick flame from Hydropicall
Heraclitus
?
⁶¹
The poysoned Souldier when his Belly brake, put out two pyres in
Plutarch
.
⁶²
But in the plague of
Athens
,
⁶³
one private pyre served two or three Intruders; and
the
Saracens
burnt in large heaps, by the King of
Castile
,
⁶⁴
shewed how little Fuell sufficeth. Though the Funerall pyre of
Patroclus
took up an hundred foot, a peece of an old boat burnt
Pompey
;
⁶⁵
And if the burthen of
Isaac
⁶⁶
were sufficient for an holocaust, a man may carry his owne pyre.

From animals are drawn good burning lights, and good medicines against burning; Though the seminall humour seems of a contrary nature to fire, yet the body compleated proves a combustible lump, wherein fire findes flame even from bones, and some fuell almost from all parts. Though the Metropolis of humidity
⁶⁷
seems least disposed unto it, which might render the soulls of these Urnes lesse burned then other bones. But all flies or sinks before fire almost in all bodies: When the common ligament is dissolved, the attenuable
⁶⁸
parts ascend, the rest subside in coal, calx or ashes.

To burn the bones of the King of
Edom
⁶⁹
for Lyme, seems no irrationall ferity;
⁷⁰
But to drink of the ashes of dead relations,
⁷¹
a passionate prodigality. He that hath the ashes of his friend, hath an everlasting treasure: where fire taketh leave, corruption slowly enters; In bones well burnt, fire makes a wall against it self; experimented in copels, and tests
⁷²
of metals, which consist of such ingredients. What the Sun compoundeth, fire analyseth, not transmuteth. That devouring agent leaves almost allwayes a morsell for the Earth, whereof all things are but a colonie; and which, if time permits, the mother Element will have in their primitive masse again.

He that looks for Urnes and old sepulchrall reliques, must not seek them in the ruines of Temples; where no Religion anciently
placed them. These were found in a Field, according to ancient custome in noble or private buriall; the old practise of the
Canaanites
, the Family of
Abraham
, and the burying place of
Josua
,
⁷³
in the borders of his possessions; and also agreeable unto R
oman
practice to bury by high-wayes, whereby their Monuments were under eye: Memorials of themselves, and
memento
’s of mortality into living passengers; whom the Epitaphs of great ones were fain to beg to stay and look upon them. A language though sometimes used, not so proper in Church-Inscriptions.
⁷⁴
The sensible Rhetorick of the dead, to exemplarity of good life, first admitted the bones of pious men, and Martyrs within Church-wals; which in succeeding ages crept into promiscuous practise. While
Constantine
was peculiarly favoured to be admitted unto the Church Porch; and the first thus buried in
England
⁷⁵
was in the dayes of
Cuthred
.

Christians dispute how their bodies should lye in the grave. In urnall enterrment they clearly escaped this Controversie: Though we decline the Religious consideration, yet in cemiteriall and narrower burying places, to avoid confusion and crosse position, a certain posture were to be admitted; Which even Pagan civility observed.
⁷⁶
The
Persians
lay North and South, The
Megarians
and
Phænicians
placed their heads to the East: The
Athenians
, some think, towards the West, which Christians still retain. And
Beda
will have it to be the posture of our Saviour. That he was crucified with his face towards the West, we will not contend with tradition and probable account; But we applaud not the hand of the Painter, in exalting his Crosse so high above those on either side; since hereof we finde no authentick account in history, and even the crosses found by
Helena
pretend no such distinction from longitude
⁷⁷
or dimension.

To be knav’d
⁷⁸
out of our graves, to have our sculs made drinking-bowls, and our bones turned into Pipes, to delight and sport our Enemies, are Tragicall abominations, escaped in burning Burials.

Urnall enterrments, and burnt Reliques lye not in fear of worms, or to be an heritage for Serpents; In carnall sepulture, corruptions seem peculiar unto parts, and some speak of snakes out of the spinall marrow. But while we suppose common wormes in graves, ’tis not easie to finde any there; few in Church-yards above a foot deep, fewer or none in Churches, though in fresh decayed bodies. Teeth, bones, and hair, give the most lasting defiance to corruption. In an Hydropicall body ten years buried in a Church-yard, we met with a fat concretion,
⁷⁹
where the nitre of the Earth, and the salt and lixivious
⁸⁰
liquor of the body, had coagulated large lumps of fat, into the consistence of the hardest castle-soap; whereof part remaineth with us. After a battle with the
Persians
the
Roman
Corps decayed in few dayes, while the
Persian
bodies remained dry and uncorrupted. Bodies in the same ground do not uniformly dissolve, nor bones equally moulder; whereof in the opprobrious disease
⁸¹
we expect no long duration. The body of the Marquesse of
Dorset
seemed sound and handsomely cereclothed, that after seventy eight years was found uncorrupted.
⁸²
Common Tombs preserve
not beyond powder: A firmer consistence and compage
⁸³
of parts might be expected from Arefaction,
⁸⁴
deep buriall or charcoal. The greatest Antiquities of mortall bodies may remain in putrified bones, whereof, though we take not in the pillar of
Lots
wife, or Metamorphosis of
Ortelius
,
⁸⁵
some may be older then Pyramids, in the putrified Reliques of the generall inundation. When
Alexander
opened the Tomb of
Cyrus
, the remaining bones discovered his proportion, whereof urnall fragments afford but a bad conjecture, and have this disadvantage of grave enterrments, that they leave us ignorant of most personall discoveries. For since bones afford not only rectitude and stability, but figure unto the body; It is no impossible Physiognomy to conjecture at fleshy appendencies;
⁸⁶
and after what shape the muscles and carnous parts might hang in their full consistences. A full spread
Cariola
⁸⁷
shews a well-shaped horse behinde, handsome formed sculls, give some analogie of fleshy resemblance. A criticall view of bones makes a good distinction of sexes. Even colour is not beyond conjecture; since it is hard to be deceived in the distinction of
Negro
’s sculls.
⁸⁸
Dantes
Characters
⁸⁹
are to be found in sculls as well as faces.
Hercules
is not onely known by his foot. Other parts make out their comproportions, and inferences upon whole or parts. And since the dimensions of the head measure the whole body, and the figure
thereof gives conjecture of the principall faculties; Physiognomy outlives our selves, and ends not in our graves.

Severe contemplators observing these lasting reliques, may think them good monuments of persons past, little advantage to future beings. And considering that power which subdueth all things unto it self, that can resume the scattered Atomes, or identifie
⁹⁰
out of any thing, conceive it superfluous to expect a resurrection out of Reliques. But the soul subsisting, other matter clothed with due accidents, may salve the individuality: Yet the Saints we observe arose from graves and monuments, about the holy City.
⁹¹
Some think the ancient Patriarchs so earnestly desired to lay their bones in
Canaan
,
⁹²
as hoping to make a part of that Resurrection, and though thirty miles from Mount
Calvary
, at least to lie in that Region, which should produce the first-fruits of the dead. And if according to learned conjecture, the bodies of men shall rise where their greatest Reliques remain, many are not like to erre in the Topography of their Resurrection, though their bones or bodies be after translated by Angels into the field of
Ezechiels
vision, or as some will order it, into the Valley of Judgement, or
Jehosaphat
.
⁹³

CHAPTER IV

Christians have handsomely glossed the deformity of death, by careful consideration of the body, and civil rites which take of brutall terminations. And though they conceived all reparable by a resurrection, cast not off all care of enterrment. And since the ashes of Sacrifices burnt upon the Altar of God, were carefully carried out by the Priests, and deposed in a clean field;
¹
since they acknowledged their bodies to be the lodging of Christ, and temples of the holy Ghost,
²
they devolved not all upon the sufficiency of soul existence; and therefore with long
services and full solemnities concluded their last Exequies, wherein to all distinctions the Greek devotion seems most pathetically ceremonious.
³

Christian invention hath chiefly driven at Rites, which speak hopes of another life, and hints of a Resurrection. And if the ancient Gentiles held not the immortality of their better part, and some subsistence after death; in severall rites, customes, actions and expressions, they contradicted their own opinions: wherein
Democritus
went high, even to the thought of a resurrection, as scoffingly recorded by
Pliny
.
⁴
What can be more expresse than the expression of
Phocyllides
?
⁵
Or who would expect from
Lucretius
a sentence of
Ecclesiastes
?
⁶
Before
Plato
could speak, the soul had wings in
Homer
, which fell not, but flew out of the body into the mansions of the dead; who also observed that handsome distinction of
Demas
and
Soma
, for the body conjoyned to the soul and body separated from it.
⁷
Lucian
spoke much truth in jest, when he said, that part of
Hercules
which proceeded from
Alchmena
perished, that from
Jupiter
remained immortall.
⁸
Thus
Socrates
was content that his friends should bury his body, so they would not think they buried
Socrates
, and regarding only his immortall part, was indifferent to be burnt or buried.
⁹
From such Considerations
Diogenes
might contemn Sepulture. And being satisfied that the soul could not perish, grow carelesse of corporall enterrment.
The
Stoicks
who thought the souls of wise men had their habitation about the
moon
, might make slight account of subterraneous deposition; whereas the
Pythagorians
and transcorporating Philosophers,
¹⁰
who were to be often buried, held great care of their enterrment. And the Platonicks rejected not a due care of the grave, though they put their ashes to unreasonable expectations, in their tedious term of return and long set revolution.
¹¹

Men have lost their reason in nothing so much as their religion, wherein stones and clouts make Martyrs; and since the religion of one seems madnesse unto another, to afford an account or rationall of old Rites, requires no rigid Reader; That they kindled the pyre aversly, or turning their face from it, was an handsome Symbole of unwilling ministration; That they washed their bones with wine and milk, that the mother wrapt them in Linnen, and dryed them in her bosome, the first fostering part, and place of their nourishment; That they opened their eyes towards heaven, before they kindled the fire, as the place of their hopes or originall, were no improper Ceremonies. Their last valediction thrice uttered by the attendants
¹²
was also very solemn, and somewhat answered by Christians, who thought it too little, if they threw not the earth thrice upon the enterred body. That in strewing their Tombs the
Romans
affected the Rose, the Greeks
Amaranthus
and myrtle; that the Funerall pyre consisted of sweet fuell, Cypresse, Firre, Larix,
¹³
Yewe, and Trees perpetually verdant, lay silent expressions of their surviving hopes: Wherein Christians which deck their Coffins with Bays have found a more elegant Embleme. For that tree seeming dead, will restore it self from the root, and its dry and exuccous
¹⁴
leaves resume their verdure again; which if we mistake not, we have also observed in furze. Whether the planting of yewe in Churchyards, hold not its originall from ancient
Funerall rites, or as an Embleme of Resurrection from its perpetual verdure, may also admit conjecture.

They made use of Musick to excite or quiet the affections of their friends, according to different harmonies. But the secret and symbolicall hint was the harmonical nature of the soul; which delivered from the body, went again to enjoy the primitive harmony of heaven, from whence it first descended; which according to its progresse traced by antiquity, came down by
Cancer
, and ascended by
Capricornus
.
¹⁵

They burnt not children before their teeth appeared, as apprehending their bodies too tender a morsell for fire, and that their gristly bones would scarce leave separable reliques after the pyrall combustion. That they kindled not fire in their houses for some dayes after, was a strict memoriall of the late afflicting fire. And mourning without hope, they had an happy fraud against excessive lamentation, by a common opinion that deep sorrows disturbed their ghosts.
¹⁶

That they buried their dead on their backs, or in a supine position, seems agreeable unto profound sleep, and common posture of dying; contrary to the most naturall way of birth; Nor unlike
¹⁷
our pendulous posture, in the doubtfull state of the womb.
Diogenes
was singular, who preferred a prone situation in the grave, and some Christians
¹⁸
like neither, who decline the figure of rest, and make choice of an erect posture.

That they carried them out of the world with their feet forward, not inconsonant unto reason: As contrary unto the native posture of man, and his production first into it. And also agreeable unto their opinions, while they bid adieu unto the world, not to look again upon it; whereas
Mahometans
who think to return to a delightfull life again, are carried forth with their heads forward, and looking toward their houses.

They closed their eyes as parts which first die or first discover
the sad effects of death. But their iterated clamations
¹⁹
to exci-tate their dying or dead friends, or revoke them unto life again, was a vanity of affection; as not presumably ignorant of the criticall tests of death, by apposition of feathers, glasses, and reflexion of figures, which dead eyes represent not; which however not strictly verifiable in fresh and warm
cadavers
, could hardly elude the test, in corps of four or five dayes.
²⁰

That they suck’d in the last breath of their expiring friends, was surely a practice of no medicall institution, but a loose opinion that the soul passed out that way, and a fondnesse of affection from some
Pythagoricall
foundation, that the spirit of one body passed into another;
²¹
which they wished might be their own.

That they powred oyle upon the pyre, was a tolerable practise, while the intention rested in facilitating the accension;
²²
But to place good
Omens
in the quick and speedy burning, to sacrifice unto the windes for a dispatch in this office, was a low form of superstition.

The
Archimime
or
Jester
attending the Funerall train, and imitating the speeches, gesture, and manners of the deceased, was too light for such solemnities, contradicting their Funerall Orations, and dolefull rites of the grave.

That they buried a peece of money with them as a Fee of the
Elysian Ferriman
,
²³
was a practise full of folly. But the ancient custome of placing coynes in considerable Urnes, and the present practise of burying medals in the Noble Foundations of
Europe
, are laudable wayes of historicall discoveries, in actions, persons, Chronologies; and posterity will applaud them.

We examine not the old Laws of Sepulture, exempting certain persons from buriall or burning. But hereby we apprehend that these were not the bones of persons Planet-struck
²⁴
or burnt with fire from Heaven: No Reliques of Traitors to their
Countrey, Self-killers, or Sacrilegious Malefactors; Persons in old apprehension unworthy of the
earth
; condemned unto the
Tartara’s
²⁵
of Hell, and bottomlesse pit of
Pluto
, from whence there was no redemption.

Nor were only many customes questionable in order to their Obsequies, but also sundry practises, fictions, and conceptions, discordant or obscure, of their state and future beings; whether unto eight or ten bodies of men to adde one of a woman, as being more inflammable, and unctuously constituted for the better pyrall combustion, were any rationall practise: Or whether the complaint of
Perianders
Wife
²⁶
be tolerable, that wanting her Funerall burning she suffered intolerable cold in Hell, according to the constitution of the infernall house of
Pluto
, wherein cold makes a great part of their tortures; it cannot passe without some question.

Why the Female Ghosts appear unto
Ulysses
,
²⁷
before the
Heroes
and masculine spirits? Why the
Psyche
or soul of
Tiresias
is of the masculine gender;
²⁸
who being blinde on earth sees more then all the rest in hell; Why the Funerall Suppers consisted of Egges, Beans, Smallage, and Lettuce, since the dead are made to eat
Asphodels
²⁹
about the
Elyzian
medows? Why since there is no Sacrifice acceptable, nor any propitiation for the Covenant of the grave; men set up the Deity of
Morta
,
³⁰
and fruitlesly adored Divinities without ears? it cannot escape some doubt.

The dead seem all alive in the humane
Hades
of
Homer
, yet cannot well speak, prophesie, or know the living, except they drink bloud, wherein is the life of man. And therefore the souls of
Penelope
’s Paramours conducted by
Mercury
chirped like bats
and those which followed
Hercules
made a noise but like a flock of birds.
³¹

The departed spirits know things past and to come, yet are ignorant of things present.
Agamemnon
foretels what should happen unto
Ulysses
, yet ignorantly enquires what is become of his own Son. The Ghosts are afraid of swords in
Homer
, yet
Sybilla
tels
Æneas
in
Virgil
, the thin habit of spirits was beyond the force of weapons. The spirits put off their malice with their bodies, and
Cæsar
and
Pompey
accord in Latine Hell, yet
Ajax
in
Homer
endures not a conference with
Ulysses
: And
Deiphobus
appears all mangled in
Virgils
Ghosts, yet we meet with perfect shadows among the wounded ghosts of
Homer
.
³²

Since
Charon
in
Lucian
applauds his condition among the dead, whether it be handsomely said of
Achilles
, that living contemner of death, that he had rather be a Plowmans servant then Emperour of the dead?
³³
How
Hercules
his soul is in hell, and yet in heaven, and
Julius
his soul in a Starre, yet seen by
Æneas
in hell, except the Ghosts were but Images and shadows of the soul, received in higher mansions, according to the ancient division of body, soul, and image or
simulachrum
of them both.
³⁴
The particulars of future beings must needs be dark unto ancient Theories, which Christian Philosophy yet determines but in a Cloud of opinions. A Dialogue between two Infants in the womb concerning the state of this world, might handsomely illustrate our ignorance of the next, whereof methinks we yet discourse in
Platoes
denne,
³⁵
and are but
Embryon
Philosophers.

Pythagoras
escapes in the fabulous hell of
Dante
, among that swarm of Philosophers, wherein whilest we meet with
Plato
and
Socrates, Cato
is to be found in no lower place then Purgatory.
³⁶
Among all the set,
Epicurus
is most considerable, whom men make honest without an
Elyzium
, who contemned life without encouragement of immortality, and making nothing after death, yet made nothing of the King of terrours.
³⁷

Were the happinesse of the next world as closely apprehended as the felicities of this, it were a martyrdome to live; and unto such as consider none hereafter, it must be more then death to dye, which makes us amazed at those audacities, that durst be nothing, and return into their
Chaos
again. Certainly such spirits as could contemn death, when they expected no better being after, would have scorned to live had they known any. And therefore we applaud not the judgment of
Machiavel
,
³⁸
that Christianity makes men cowards, or that with the confidence of but half dying, the despised virtues of patience and humility, have abased the spirits of men, which Pagan principles exalted, but rather regulated the wildenesse of audacities, in the attempts, grounds, and eternall sequels of death; wherein men of the boldest spirits are often prodigiously temerarious. Nor can we extenuate the valour of ancient Martyrs, who contemned death in the uncomfortable scene of their lives, and in their decrepit Martyrdomes did probably lose not many moneths of their dayes, or parted with life when it was scarce worth the living. For (beside that long time past holds no consideration unto a slender time to come) they had no small disadvantage from the constitution of old age, which naturally makes men fearfull; And complexionally superannuated
³⁹
from the bold and couragious thoughts of youth and fervent years. But the contempt of death from corporall animosity,
⁴⁰
promoteth not our felicity. They may sit in the
Orchestra
, and noblest Seats of Heaven, who have held up shaking hands in the fire, and humanely contended for glory.
⁴¹