Some brought the Water warm, in Cauldrons hot they set in flower1
The body cold they wash, a precious ointment on they pour.
If the water could any thing profit the dead, it were better to make for them a great bath, & to plunge all their body, in a great tub of Water, and to wash them well for a good space, then to sprinkle them so little. For me seemeth that that manner of doing is more proper for to kindle the fire of Purgatory, if the Water doth descend thither, then for to quench it. And the same I will prove by authority and by example. I will first prove it by the authority of many good Physicians, which say that when a man is very dry for want of drink, it is better for him to drink a good draught at once then to sip often: For that same doth not quench the heat that is in the body, but kindleth it the more. And to the end that 2it do not seem that they speak that without reason, they do also allege the example of the Smiths, ⟨image 43⟩the which I will bring forth for my second argument, which is infallible, inasmuch as it is always confirmed by experience. For we see that when they would have their 3coals burn well, and to give great heat they sprinkle them with water, which they have always ready, with a little sprinkle or besom, as the Priests have them in their holy water stock. There is yet an other reason, for which I do find the manner of the Paynims better and more laudable, because that at the leastwise that shall serve for the dead, for to prove whether they be dead or not: For it 4chanceth oftentimes through some disease, that the spirit is so locked and enclosed in the body, that man loseth altogether his breath, in such sort that one can by no means perceive it, but judgeth him to be dead, and so he is deceived. By that means sometimes some have been buried quick: The which thing ought very much to be feared in all suffocations and chokings, and chiefly of the matrice 5of women, and also in the time of the pestilence or plague: wherein many times it hath been found that they 6have brought to be buried those who were found alive. Wherefore it is not meet to bury any dead body to sudden, especially when he dyeth suddenly.
Some brought the Water vvarme, in Caudrōs hot they set in flowre1
The body colde they vvash, a precious ointment on they powre.
If the water could any thing profite the deade, it were better to make for them a great bath, & to plunge all their body, in a great tub of Water, and to wash them well for a good space, then to sprinckle them so little. For me séemeth that that manner of dooing is more proper for to kindle the fire of Purgatory, if the Water doth descend thether, then for to quench it. And the same I wyll proue by authoritie and by examdle. I wyll first proue it by the authoritie of many good Phisitions, which say that when a man is very drie for want of drincke, it is better for him to drincke a good draught at once then to sippe often: For that same doth not quenche the heate that is in the body, but kindleth it the more. And to the ende that 2it doe not séeme that they speake that wythout reason, they doe also alleadge the example of the Smythes, ⟨image 43⟩the which I will bring foorth for my seconde argument, which is infallible, inasmuch as it is alwayes confirmed by experience. For wée sée that when they woulde haue their 3coales burne well, and to giue great heat they sprinckle thē with water, which they haue alwayes ready, wyth a little sprinckle or besome, as the Priestes haue them in their holy water stocke. There is yet an other reason, for which I doe finde the manner of the Panims better and more lowable, bicause that at the leastwise that shall serue for the dead, for to proue whether they bée dead or not: For it 4chaunceth oftentimes through some disease, that the spirite is so locked and enclosed in the body, that man loseth altogether his breath, in such sort that one can by no meanes perceiue it, but iudgeth him to bée dead, and so hée is deceiued. By that meanes sometimes some haue bene buryed quicke: The which thing ought very much to bée feared in all suffocations and chokings, and chiefly of the matrice 5of women, and also in the time of the pestilence or plague: wherein many times it hath bene found that they 6haue brought to bée buryed those who were found aliue. Wherefore it is not méete to bury any dead body to sodeine, especially when hée dyeth sodeinly.
- 1Virg. Aene. 6
- 2The examples of the Smiths.The examples of the Smithes.
- 3To what end serveth y• washing of the dead bodies.To vvhat ende serueth y• vvashing of the deade bodies.
- 4Those that are alive reputed to be dead.Those that are aliue reputed to be dead.
- 5Suffocations.
- 6The time of pestilence.
