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WE shewed toward the end of the ninth Chap, how fast the naturall and vitall spirit inhereth in its matter: we are now to give notice of the like in the animall spi∣rit, how firmly it also abideth in its mat∣ter, that is the bloud, the understanding of which thing, will also adde much light to
those places of Scripture, where it is said that the soule of every living creature is in the bloud thereof; yea, that the bloud of all flesh, is the life thereof, as Gen. 9. v. 4. Levit. 17. v. 11. and 14. Deut. 12. v. 23.) And to cer∣tain secrets of nature, which they are asto∣nished at, who are ignorant of the man∣ner and reason of them.
I First, then it is certain that the ani∣mall, as well as the vitall spirit, may be bound into its seed with the cold, so as that for a time it cannot exercise its opera∣tion. For as grains of corn kept all winter (either in a garner, or in the earth) do bud neverthelesse: so the eggs of fishes, frogs, pismires, beetles, scattered either up∣on the earth or waters, do bring forth young the year following.
II In bodies already formed the same spirit, compelled sometimes by some force, forsakes the members, and ceaseth from all operation: yet conglobates it selfe to the center of the body, and coucheth so close, that for many dayes, moneths, years, it lies as it were asleep, yet at length it awakens again, and diffuseth it self through the mem∣bers, and proceeds to execute vitall opera∣tions as it did before. We find it so to
be in Flies, Spiders, Frogs, Swal∣lowes, &c. which in winter lie as though they were dead in the chinks of wals, or chaps of the earth, or under the water, yet when the Spring comes in, they are a∣live again So flies choaked in water, come to life again in warm cinders: like as it is certain, that men strangled have been brought to life again after some hours, And besides there is an example common∣ly known of a boy killed with cold, and found four dayes after, and raised again with foments. Trances continued for some dayes are ordinarily known hence: some ready to be buried, as though they had been dead indeed, yea, and buried too, yet have lived again▪ Some Geographers have written, how that in the farthest parts of Moscovia, men are frozen every year with extream cold, and yet live again like swallows: which notwithstanding as a thing uncertain, we leave to its place.
III The third and the most strange is this, that the spirit flowes out with the bloud that is shed, and yet gives not over to maintain its consent with the spirit re∣maining within the body: (whither the greater part thereof remain or only the re∣licks:)
which is most evidently gathered from divers sympathies and antipathies, I will illustrate it with five examples.
1 Whence is it; I pray you that an oxe quakes, and is madded, and runs away at the presence of the butcher? is it not because he smels the garments, the hand, the very breath of the butcher stained with the bloud and spirit of cattle of his own kind? which is also most clear from the irreconcilable antipathy, which is found to be betwixt dogs, and dog-killers.
2 Whence is it that the body of a slain man bleeds at the presence of the murderer, and that after some dayes, or months, yea, and years? (For it is manifest by a thousand trialls that it is so: and at Itzenhow in Denmark, Simeon Gulartius relates that the hand of a dead man cut off, and hung up, and dried in prison, discovered the murderer full ten years after by bleeding, as a thing confirm∣ed by great witnesses, and those of the Kings Counsell) and certainly we are not to flie to miracles where nature it selfe by constant observation shewes her lawes. It is very likely that the spirit of the man ready to be slain, provoked with the injury when it is shed forth with the bloud, pouring out it
selfe as it were in revenge, leaps upon the murderer: and that after the same sort as we see a dog, a wild beast, or oxe, when he is killed, run furiously upon him that stri∣keth him. For if the spirit do so yet abi∣ding in the body, why not parted from it? Therefore it is to be supposed that it leaps upon the murderer, and seises on him. Whence it comes to passe, that when he comes near the body (especially if he be commanded to touch it, or look upon it) look how much spirit is left in the body, it hasteth to meet with its spirit, with its cha∣riot the bloud, namely by sympathie. Hence that Antipathie which more subtle natures find in themselves against murderers though unknown. For they tremble at the very pre∣sence of murderers, and nauseat if they do but eat or drink with them, &c.
3. The cunning of a most excellent Chi∣rurgeon in Italy is [well] known, who helpt one that had lost his nose, carving him another out of his arme, cut and bound to his face for the space of a moneth: and the ridiculous chance [that happened there∣upon] a little after is also known. A certain Noble man having also had his nose cut off in a duell, desired his help; but being deli∣cate
and not willing to have his arme cut, hired a poor countrey fellow, who suffered himselfe to be bound to him, and his arme to be made use of to repair his nose. The cure succeeded: but when as about some six years after, (or thereabouts) the country man died, the Noble mans nose rotted too, and fell off. What could be the cause of it, I pray you, but that the spirit, and that lo∣cally separated, doth maintain its spirituall unity? Therefore when the spirit went out of the countrey mans carcasse, as it rotted, part of it also went out that the Noble mans nose, and his nose (by reason of the Noble mans spirit, succeeded not [into the place of it] as being into the lump of anothers [flesh]) rotted also, and fell off.
4 It is accounted amongst the secrets of nature, that if friends about to part, drink part one of anothers bloud, (and so addes a part of his spirit to his own) it will come to passe, that when one is sick, or ill at ease, though very far asunder, the other also will find himselfe sad: which if it be true, (as it is most likely) the reason is easie to be known.
5 The Magneticall Medicine is very fa∣mous amongst Authours: with which they
do not cure the wound it selfe, but the in∣strument wherewith he wound was given, or the garment, wood, or earth besprink∣led with the bloud of the wound, is onely anointed: and the wound closes and heals kindly. Some deny that this is done natu∣rally, who do not sufficiently consider the secret strength of nature. Yet examples shew that this kind of cure, with an oint∣ment made with most naturall things, (yea with nothing but the grease of the axel∣tree, scraped off from a cart) hath certain successe, without using any superstition. Wherefore it is credible, that the spirit poured out of the body with the bloud that is shed, adheres partly in the bloud, partly to the instrument it self: (for it cannot abide without matter) & being forced thence with the fat that is applied returnes to its whole, and supplies that, and hereto perhaps that observation appertains concerning the ve∣nom of a snake, viper, or scorpion conveyed into a man with a bite. For if the same beast, or but the bloud or fat thereof, be forthwith applied to the wound, it sucks out the venom again, because it returns to its own connaturall. More of this kind might be observed by approved experiments.
6 Last of all, it is not unworthy of our observation, that the animall spirit doth form living creatures of another kind, ra∣ther then quite forsake the putrifying mat∣ter: namely, wormes, and such like. Now it is certain by experience, that of living creatures that are dead, and putrified those living creatures are especially bred on which they were wont to feed when they were a∣live. For example, of the flesh of storks, serpents are bred, of hens spiders, of ducks frogs, &c. which that it will so come to passe, if they be buried in dung, John Pop∣pus a distiller of Coburg, hath taught after others. It appears then that the animall spirit is every where, and that very diligent∣ly busied, about the animating of bodies.