A compleat history of the most remarkable providences both of judgment and mercy, which have hapned in this present age extracted from the best writers, the author's own observations, and the numerous relations sent him from divers parts of the three kingdoms : to which is added, whatever is curious in the works of nature and art / the whole digested into one volume, under proper heads, being a work set on foot thirty years ago, by the Reverend Mr. Pool, author of the Synopsis criticorum ; and since undertaken and finish'd, by William Turner...

CHAP. XVI. Great Sleepers.

THE Essence of Sleep (according to Dr. Willis) consists in this, That the Corporeal Soul withdraw∣ing it self a little, and contracting its Irradiation into a narrower Sphere, leave•• the Cortex of the Brain for some time destitute, and in the mean while the Nervous Liquor distilled from the Blood, rushes in for new Supplies. In Natural Sleep, he saith, these two Causes conspire together by some mutual Com∣pact of Nature, viz. at the same time the Spirits recede, and the Nervous Humour enters. In Non-natural or Extraordinary Sleep, sometimes this Cause, sometimes that, is first: But in Praeternatural or Insatiable Sleep, there is a greater Energy of the same Causes, so that the Brain is flooded with the Influx of Nervous, Serous, and other Vicious Humours.

1. Timon's Nurse, used Yearly, after the manner of some wild Beasts, to lie hid for two Months together, without any other evidence of Life all that while, save only that she breathed. Plut. Symp. l. 8. qu. 9. p. 780.

2. Epimenides of Creet, when he was a Boy, being wearied with Heat and Travel, laid him down in a certain Cave, and there slept 57 Years; being awaked, he returned home, wondring at the Changes he found in the World, and was at last difficultly known by his younger Brother growing old. It is said, that he lived in all 175 Years: And from him it was, that the Sleep of Epimenides became a Proverb. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 52. p. 184. But this Story I offer rather for the sake of its Antiquity, than Credibility.

3. Platerus tells of one that slept three Days and three Nights together, upon foregoing weari∣ness, without the occasion of precedent Drunkenness, or the taking of any Soporiferous Medi∣cine. Plat. Obs. l. 1. p. 6.

4. William Foxly, Potmaker for the Mint in the Tower of London, fell asleep on Tuesday in Easter Week, and could not be waked with pinching or burning till the First Day of the next Term, which was full 14 Days; and when he was then awaked, he was found in all points as if he had slept but one Night. He lived 40 Years after. This Matter fell out in the 37th Year of King Henry the Eighth's Reign. Baker's Chron.

5. Crantzius tells of a young Scholar of Lubeck, who (that he might sleep without Distur∣bance) betook himself to a Chest: There passed 7 Years from the time of his lying down there till that one determined to see what was in the Chest, where he found this young Man asleep there, whom he shook with such Violence, that he awaked him. His Face was without change, he was easily known to his Acquaintance, who were amazed at what had passed; he supposing that he had slept but one Night, and some part of a Day. Cran. V••ndal. l. 8. c. 39. Donat. Hist. Mir. l. 4. c. 12. p. 214.

6. M. Damascen speaks of one that slept a whole Autumn and Winter under a Rick of Hay, and then arose as a Man half dead and distracted, Zuing. Theat. Vol. 2. l. 5. p. 415.

7. The Lucomorians, in the further part of Samaria, are reported to die, as it were, in the manner of Swallows and Frogs, from the 27th of November, to the 24th of April following; and then again awake and arise. This was witnessed to Henry the Third, when in Poland, by several Princes worthy of Credit; divers Nobles of France, many Physicians of the Court, particularly the famous Pid••xius, being present, 'Tis related also by Alex. Guagninas of Verona, Colonel of Foot in the Castle of Vitelaska, in the Frontiers of Muscovy, in his Description of Muscovy. Mers. Qu. & Com. in Gen Qu. 30. p. 1222. Joh. Licat. l. 1. c. 6. Hen. Kornman. de Mirac. Mort. par. 2. c. 41. Delr. Disq. Mag. &c. Zacch. Qu. Mad. Leg. l. 4. tit. 1. qu 11. p. 241. Treas. l. 6. c. 10. p. 565. Schot. Phys. Curios. l. 1. c. 36. p. 176.

8. The Story of the Seven Sleepers, who, to avoid Martyrdom, fled into a Cave, and slept from the Reign of Decius, till the 30th Year of Theodosius the Younger, i. e. 196 Years, will seem incre∣dible; and yet 'tis mentioned by Nicephorus, Eccl. Hist. l. 14. c. 45. By Lonicer. Theatr. p. 230. Schot. Phys. Curros. l. 3. &c. As also by Mahomet, in his worshipful Alcoran, tho with some Addi∣tion and Variation; for he saith, they slept 300 Years.