Hydriotaphia, urne-buriall, or, a discourse of the sepulchrall urnes lately found in Norfolk. Together with the garden of Cyrus, or the quincunciall, lozenge, or net-work plantations of the ancients, artificially, naturally, mystically considered. With sundry observations. / By Thomas Browne D. of Physick.

CHAP. 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; since they acknowledged their bodies to be the lod∣ging of Christ, and temples of the holy Ghost, they devolved not all upon the sufficiency of soul existence; and there∣fore with long services and full solemni∣ties concluded their last Exequies, wherein a 1.1 to all distinctions the Greek devotion seems most pathetically cere∣monious.

Christian invention hath chiefly dri∣ven at Rites, which speak hopes of an∣other

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 b 1.2, as scof∣fingly recorded by Pliny. What can be more expresse than the expression of Phocyllides c 1.3? Or who would expect from Lucretius d 1.4 a sentence of Ecclesiastes? 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. Lucian spoke much truth in jest, when he said, that part of Hercules which proceeded from Alchme∣na perished, that from Jupiter remained immortall. Thus e 1.5 Socrates was con∣tent that his friends should bury his bo∣dy, so they would not think they buri∣ed

Socrates, and regarding only his im∣mortall part, was indifferent to be burnt or buried. 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 a∣bout the moon, might make slight account of subterraneous deposition; whereas the Pythagorians and transcorporating Phi∣losophers, who were to be often buri∣ed, 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.

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 an∣other, 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 mini∣stration; 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 im∣proper Ceremonies. Their last vale∣diction f 1.6 thrice uttered by the attendants was also very solemn, and somewhat an∣swered 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 af∣fected the Rose, the Greeks Amaranthus and myrtle; that the Funerall pyre con∣sisted of sweet fuell, Cypresse, Firre, Larix, 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 he seeming dead, will restore it self from the root, and its dry and exuccous leaves resume their verdure again; which if we mistake not, we have also observed in fures. Whether the planting of yewe in Churchyards, hold not its originall

from ancient Funerall rites, or as an Em∣bleme of Resurrection from its perpe∣tual verdure, may also admit conje∣cture.

They made use of Musick to excite or quiet the affections of their friends, ac∣cording to different harmonies. But the secret and symbolicall hint was the har∣monical nature of the soul; which de∣livered from the body, went again to enjoy the primitive harmony of heaven, from whence it first descended; which according to its progresse traced by anti∣quity, came down by Cancer, and ascend∣ed by Capricornus.

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 py∣rall combustion. That they kindled not fire in their houses for some dayes after, was a strict memoriall of the late afflict∣ing fire. And mourning without hope, they had an happy fraud against exces∣sive lamentation, by a common opinion that deep forrows disturbed their ghosts a 1.7.

That they buried their dead on their backs, or in a supine position, seems a∣greeable unto profound sleep, and com∣mon posture of dying; contrary to the most naturall way of birth; Nor unlike our pendulous posture, in the doubtfull state of the womb. Diogenes was sin∣gular, who preferred a prone situation in the grave, and some Christians b 1.8 like neither, who decline the figure of rest, and make choice of an erect po∣sture.

That they carried them out of the world with their feet forward, not in∣consonant unto reason: As contrary un∣to the native posture of man, and his production first into it. And also a∣greeable 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 for∣ward, 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 to excitate 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 re∣present not; which however not strict∣ly verifiable in fresh and warm cadavers, could hardly elude the test, in corps of four or five dayes.

That they suck'd in the last breath of their expiring friends, was surely a pra∣ctice of no medicall institution, but a loose opinion that the soul passed out that way, and a fondnesse of affection from some * 1.9 Pythagoricall foundation, that the spirit of one body passed into another; which they wished might be their own.

That they powred oyle upon the pyre, was a tolerable practise, while the inten∣tion rested in facilitating the accension; 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 solem∣nities, 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 Ferri∣man, 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 acti∣ons, persons, Chronologies; and po∣sterity will applaud them.

We examine not the old Laws of Se∣pulture, exempting certain persons from buriall or burning. But hereby we ap∣prehend that these were not the bones of persons Planet-struck or burnt with fire from Heaven: No Reliques of Trai∣tors to their Countrey, Self-killers, or Sacrilegious Malefactors; Persons in old apprehension unworthy of the earth; condemned unto the Tartara's of Hell, and bottomlesse pit of Plato, from whence there was no redemption.

Nor were only many customes que∣stionable in order to their Obsequies, but

also sundry practises, fictions, and con∣ceptions, 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 inflamma∣ble, and unctuously constituted for the better pyrall combustion, were any ra∣tionall practise: Or whether the com∣plaint of Perianders Wife be tolerable, that wanting her Funerall burning she suffered intolerable cold in Hell, accor∣ding to the constitution of the infernall house of Plato, wherein cold makes a great part of their tortures; it cannot passe without some question.

Why the Female Ghosts appear unto Ʋlysses, before the Heroes and masculine spirits? Why the Psyche or soul of Ti∣resias is of the masculine gender; who being blinde on earth sees more then all the rest in hell; Why the Funerall Suppers consisted of Egges, Beans, Smal∣lage, and Lettuce, since the dead are made to eat Asphodels about the Elyzian medows? Why since there is no Sacri∣fice acceptable, nor any propitiation for the Covenant of the grave; men set up the Deity of Morta, and fruitlesly ado∣red

Divinities without ears? it cannot escape some doubt.

The dead seem all alive in the hu∣mane Hades of Homer, yet cannot well speak, prophesie, or know the living, ex∣cept they drink bloud, wherein is the life of man. And therefore the souls of Penelope's Paramours conducted by Mer∣cury chirped like bats, and those which followed Hercules made a noise but like a flock of birds.

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

Since Charon in Lucian applauds his

condition among the dead, whether it be handsomely said of Achilles, that li∣ving contemner of death, that he had rather be a Plowmans servant then Em∣perour of the dead? How Hercules his soul is in hell, and yet in heaven, and Julius his soul in a Starre, yet seen by Aeneas in hell, except the Ghosts were but Images and shadows of the soul, re∣ceived in higher mansions, according to the ancient division of body, soul, and image or simulachrum of them both. 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 be∣tween two Infants in the womb concer∣ning the state of this world, might hand∣somely illustrate our ignorance of the next, whereof methinks we yet discourse in Platoes denne, and are but Embryon Philosophers.

Pythagoras escapes in the fabulous hell of Dante a 1.10, among that swarm of Philo∣sophers, wherein whilest we meet with Plato and Socrates, Cato is to be found in no lower place then Purgatory. Among all the set, Epicurus is most considerable,

whom men make honest without an Ely∣zium, who contemned life without en∣couragement of immortality, and making nothing after death, yet made nothing of the King of terrours.

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 ex∣pected no better being after, would have scorned to live had they known any. And therefore we applaud not the judg∣ment of Machiavel, that Christianity makes men cowards, or that with the confidence of but half dying, the despi∣sed virtues of patience and humility, have abased the spirits of men, which Pagan principles exalted, but rather re∣gulated the wildenesse of audacities, in the attempts, grounds, and eternall se∣quels of death; wherein men of the boldest spirits are often prodigiously te∣metarious. Nor can we extenuate the

valour of ancient Martyrs, who con∣temned death in the uncomfortable scene of their lives, and in their decrepit Martyrdomes did probably lose not ma∣ny 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 dis∣advantage from the constitution of old age, which naturally makes men fear∣full; And complexionally superannua∣ated from the bold and couragious thoughts of youth and fervent years. But the contempt of death from corpo∣rall animosity, promoteth not our fe∣licity. They may set in the Orche∣stra, and noblest Seats of Heaven, who have held up shaking hands in the fire, and humanely contended for glory.

Mean while Epicuras lyes deep in Dante's hell, wherein we meet with Tombs enclosing souls which denied their immortalities. But whether the virtuous heathen, who lived better then he spake, or erring in the principles of

himself, yet lived above Philosophers of more specious Maximes, lye so deep as he is placed; at least so low as not to rise against Christians, who belee∣ving or knowing that truth, have last∣ingly denied it in their practise and conversation, were a quaery too sad to in∣sist on,

But all or most apprehensions rest∣ed in Opinions of some future be∣ing, which ignorantly or coldly be∣leeved, begat those perverted concep∣tions, Ceremonies, Sayings, which Christians pity or laugh at. Happy are they, which live not in that disad∣vantage of time, when men could say little for futurity, but from rea∣son. Whereby the noblest mindes fell often upon doubtfull deaths, and melancholly Dissolutions; With these hopes Socrates warmed his doubt∣full spirits, against that cold potion, and Cato before he durst give the fa∣tall stroak spent part of the night in reading the immortality of Plato, there∣by confirming his wavering hand unto the animosity of that attempt.

It is the heaviest stone that melan∣choly can throw at a man, to tell him he is at the end of his nature; or that there is no further state to come, un∣to which this seemes progressionall, and otherwise made in vaine; With∣out this accomplishment the naturall expectation and desire of such a state, were but a fallacy in nature, unsatis∣fied Considerators; would quarrell the justice of their constitutions, and rest content that Adam had fallen lower, whereby by knowing no other Origi∣nall, and deeper ignorance of them∣selves, they might have enjoyed the happinesse of inferionr Creatures; who in tranquility possesse their Con∣stitutions, as having not the appre∣hension to deplore their own natures. And being framed below the circum∣ference of these hopes, or cognition of better being, the wisedom of God hath necessitated their Contentment: But the superiour ingredient and ob∣scured part of our selves, whereto all present felicities afford no resting contentment, will be able at last to

tell us we are more then our present selves; and evacuate such hopes in the fruition of their own accomplish∣ments.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Rituale Graecum o∣pera J. Goar in officio exequiarum.
• b 1.2

  Similis reviviscendi promissa De∣mocrito va∣nitas, qui non revixit ipse. Quae, malùm, ista dimentia est; iterari vitam mor∣te. Plin. l. 7. c. 55.
• c 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. & deincepsi
• d 1.4

  Cedit enim retro de terrâ quod fui•• ante In terr••m, &c. Lucrer.
• e 1.5

  Plato in Phaed.
• f 1.6

  Vale, vale, nos te ordi∣quo natura permittet sequemur.
• a 1.7

  Tu manes ne laede meos.
• b 1.8

  Russia∣ns, &c.
• * 1.9

  Fran••••sco Perucei. Pompe fu∣nebri.
• a 1.10

  Del inser∣no. c••nt. 4.