AFter the death of Queene ELIZABETH , who died in the 70. yeere of her age , which was the Clymactericall period of her life , diuerse pregnant wits , and curious Philosophers were assembled by chance togither , & among sundry other learned Discourses , one demaunded of me , what were these Clymactericall yeeres , their nature , and effects : For ( quoth hee ) I haue heard many Philosophors and Phisitians talke of them , but as yet I neuer throughly could pierce or penitrate them . I aunswered him , that the Treatise thereof required longer time , then that place and present occasions afforded , but that afterwards at more leysure hee should vnderstand them , if hee were desirous to learne : The Gentleman importuned me so much , as at last hee drew me to write this Discourse which followeth : & for that it seemeth not altogether impertinent to this explanation of Passions , I thinke it not vnfit to be inserted in the last Booke of the Passions of the Minde ; because the same temper of body , and propension to death , which is the base of Clymactericall yeres ; the very same conferres much , either to mooue Passions , or hinder the opperations of the soule , as in the progresse of this discourse shal plainly appeare .

Clymax in Greeke signifieth a Staire or a Ladder , and metaphorically is applyed to the yeeres of a man or womans life ; as if the whole course of our dayes were a certaine Ladder , compounded of so many steppes .

True it is , that as the constitutions of mens bodies are , for the most parte , of two sortes , the one is firme and strong , the other more weake and feeble : so the Phisitians by long experience haue obserued , that the fatall ends of them who be of a lustie constitution , finish for most part in some score of yeeres , and so they number such persons periods by twentie , 40. 60. 80. 100. 120. And to Other count them by tens . this purpose sayde Moses , * whose eyes were neither darkned , nor any tooth loosed . * Centum viginti Deut. 31. 2. annorum sum hodie , non possum vltra egredi , & ingridi : I am now an hundred and twenty yeeres old , I can no more goe out and come in , that is , no longer liue : and so it fell out , for that * same yeere Deut. 34. 7. he died . And GOD himselfe said of man * Erunt Genes. 6. 4. dies illius centum & viginti anni . The dayes of man shall be an hundred and 20. yeeres .

The next Clymactericall yeere in them of solide and virile constitution is an 100 , and so the Scriptures report . Numerus dierum vitae hominum vt Eccles. 18. 8 multum centum anni . The number of the dayes of the life of men at most is an 100 yeeres . Another kinde of men whose complexion is weaker , haue a lesser kinde of measure , as they haue shorter life ; and yet these also be of two sorts , some stronger , some weaker : the first Clymactericall yeeres are nine , eighteene , tweentie seauen , thirty six , forty fiue , fifty foure , sixty three , seauenty two , eighty one ; the seconds are , seauen , foureteene , twenty one , twenty eight , thirty fiue , forty twoo , forty nine , fifty six , sixty three , seauenty . Of these two ages spake Dauid when hee sayde . Dies annorum Psalme 89. 10. nostrorum in ipsis septuaginta anni . Siautem in potentatibus octoginta anni amplius eorum labor & dolor . The dayes of our yeeres are seauentie yeeres , and if in Potentates they be eightie , the labour and griefe is greater .

The most daungerous of all these passages or steps , are the forty nine , compounded vpon seuen times seauen : and sixty three standing vppon nine times seauen , and next to these is seauenty , which containeth tenne times seauen ; they number them also by nine , and so make eighty one , the most perillous as comprehending nine times nine .

These obseruations then of Phisitians presupposed as true , for men that are wise , vertuous , and experimented in their faculties ought to be belieued ( for wisdome and experience protect them from errour , and honestie from lying and deceite ) it were good to examine and search out the cause of these notable alterations and daungers of death in the Clymactericall yeeres , for those humors which alter the bodie , and dispose it to sicknesse , and death ; the same bend the soule to take inordinate affections and passions . I haue heard some Phisitians resolue this doubt into the influence of heauens , to wit , that so manie courses of the Sunne , Moone , and Planets from the time of a mans Natiuitie , worke such effects ; so that some men , let them liue neuer so orderly , after so manie circular motions of the Sunne and Moone haue warbled ouer their heads , vppon necessitie they must fall into one sicknesse or another , and so die .

Some others ground this varietie and daungerous diuersitie , vppon the singular prouidence of God , who hath created all thinges In numero , pondere & mensura : and therefore hath prescribed infallibly the periods of mens liues , according to that Psalm : Notum fac mihi domine finem meum : & numerum dierum meorum quis est : vt sciam quid desit mihi . Ecce mensurabiles posuisti dies meos . Psalme , 38. Make knowne vnto me O Lord mine end , and the number of my dayes , that I may knowe what I want . Loe thou hast put my dayes mensurable , that is , prescribed certaine bounds and limmits of age not passable : and therefore both Philosophers and Phisitians conclude , that a man with manie disorders , surfeits , exercises , &c. may shorten the natural course of his life , but that he cannot any way prolong it , & passe the prefixed instant of his death : the similitude we haue in a candle lighted , for let a man vse all the diligence possible , the light and fire feeding vpon the candle , perforce will consume it at last ; and God or any Angell behoulding the quantitie of the wike , tallow , time of the yeere ( for in cold weather a candle consumeth more then in hote , Per antiperistasin ) and other circumstances may precisely foretell , that such a candle cannot continue burning longer then such a minute of such an houre ; in a shorter time it may be consumed with wind , witches , snuffe-fallings , or such like things which waste it away , but longer it cannot be prolonged : after the same sort standeth the courses and the listes of our liues prescribed by God and prefixed by nature : and so God hath appointed these Septuarie , and Nonarie yeeres as best seeming his wisdome and prouidence .

These manners of declaration I will not confute , for albeit I doe thinke them both in some things most true , yet they are too generall and remote to answere and satisfie fully our demaund . The difficultie , no doubt , is exceeding hard , and rather I belieue it to be true for the authoritie of Physitians , then for any credite I can giue to theyr reasons ; for indeede all that I haue heard discourse thereupon ( and I haue heard some verie fine wits ) and what I haue read , dooth not content nor satisfie my minde . Therefore I will set downe my Phylosophicall conceite ( for in this speculation Physick dependeth vppon Phylosophie ) and first suppose that customes , habites , changes , and great alterations in mens bodies come seldome vppon a suddaine , but by little and little grow and increase by tract of time ; and as we say . Gutta cauat lapidem , non vi sed sepe cadendo , Sic homo fit doctus , non vi , sed sepe legendo . The dribling drops by falling oft , Not might , make marbles thinne : So men by oft perusing bookes , Not force , doe learning win .

Galen to declare the nature and force of custome Galen . de Consuet . c. 2. and what effects it worketh in vs , demaundeth this question : how it commeth to passe , that some mens natures abhor exceedingly some sorts of meate , and are not able to disguest them ; as for example , saith he , some cannot abide beefe , others shell fishes ; and we haue manie who cannot so much as endure the sight of cheese , others of aples : And yet these same persons by little and little are brought to eate , disguest , yea and greatly to like them ? He answereth , that all beasts and men haue naturall propensions , to such meates as are consorting with the naturall proprieties of theyr bodies , and abhor such things as are contrarie ; and therefore the Lyon feedeth vppon flesh , not vpon hay ; and the Oxe vpon hay not vpon flesh ; yet it falleth out that by tract of time , those meates which we detested , after by vse become familiar , for they alter the body , and by the sucke of theyr nourishment , change the affections and qualities of the stomack , in such sort , as that meate , which before was molestfull , and in very deede hurtfull , becommeth sauorie and healthfull : and this he proueth , not onely to be true in men and beasts , but also in seedes and trees , whose fruite in some countries are poyson , transferred into other soyles where they receiue another kind of norishment , they become , not only by tract of time ; not hurtfull , but very healthfull ; not poysonfull , but pleasant .

Secondly , it is to be considered , that our bodies generally haue certaine courses , passages , stations or periods , wherein they notably change their actions and operations : till 21. yeeres , or 25. at the most , we grow in height , for some come to theyr full growth sooner , some later : from 25. to fortie two , or forty fiue , we grow in breadth or thicknes , from this , till the end of our dayes we decline : the cause of these three notorious alterations is our naturall beate or humidum radicale , ( which in mine opinion is nothing els but the vitall temper , and qualification of euery solid part of our bodies ) the which residing in a moist body , causeth it to grow , like the heate in a loafe of Dowe set in the Ouen : afterwards , what with internall heate , externall drying of the windes , and sunne , and other continuall exercises , which daily exsiccate the body , & draw out the vndeguested moysture , the innated heate is not able to rouze vp the body any more in height , but spreadeth it abroade , and so enlargeth , and ingrosseth it : after which continuall working , heate is weakened , and so by little and little still decayeth : and finally resolueth in dissolution .

Thirdly , in this septuarie number of our yeeres , although we cannot discouer such notorious differences , as in the three former passages , yet in these likewise , we may obserue some markable change . At the first seauenth yeere , men commonly note , that then the child beginneth , to haue some little sparkes of reason : and for this cause , the Cannon Law permitteth such , directed by their parents or Tutors , contrahere sponsalia , to make a promise of future mariage . In the foureteene yeere , the youth is thought to haue the perfit vse of reason , & then the Cannons account him capable of marriage . At twenty one , a man is reputed able iudiciously to dispose of his goods , and faculties , and therfore the Common-law riddeth him then of his wardship , and the Cannons giue him leaue to take the order of subdeacon : the first seauen yeeres are called infantia , the second pueritia , the third adolescentia , the fourth , that is , from twenty one to twenty eight , iuuentus , from thence to forty nine , hee is esteemed to stand in statu virili , the next till sixtie three is senectus , after , till seauenty & seauentie seauen , for most part ensueth decrepita aetas . In all these periods , or Clymactericall yeeres , it is to be noted , that although the change in that yeere be perceiued most palpably , and sensibly , yet in all the precedent , they were preparing , working , and something disposing there-vnto : as for example , wee must not thinke that the least drop of rayne , which in effect breaketh the stone , dooth it of it selfe , for that were impossible , but it doth it in vertue , and by force and working of all the former : And perhaps for this cause they were called anni scalares , for that euery yeere precedent , was a steppe to the last , wherein the Ladder or staires were ended .

Fourthly , there is a great dispute among Phisitians , what should be the cause of the Paroxisme● , or fittes in Agues , and once I my selfe being troubled with a tertian Ague , in Italie , in the Cittie of Como , there came two Phisitians my deere friends , and a Doctor of Diuinitie all at one time to visite me , and euen then I stood in expectation of my fit . After many complements & discourses about my sicknes , at last I demaunded these two Doctors of Phisicke , that they would resolue mee in one doubt about my disease : they aunswered , with a good will : Well , sayd I , you both conclude , and it stands with good reason , that this sicknes of mine proceedeth from excesse of choller : now I would know of you , when my fit is past , is the choller all disguested , consumed , and voyded away or no ? If it be consumed , why dooth my Ague returne ? if it be not consumed , why dooth mine Ague depart ? The Phisitians here aunswered one contrarie to another : for the first sayd it was disguested : Why then returneth mine Ague ? For this cause quoth he , the Ague proceedeth not onely of choller , but of choller putrified , corrupted , and poysoned . Now sir , the choller poysoned is consumed , but other choller which remaineth , is not corrupted , but by the next paroxisme it will be corrupted : Well , sayd I , what thing is that which corrupteth & poisoneth that good choller , which before was not corrupted ? It seemeth strange to me , how so much precisely should be corrupted , and the other beeing so neere lying by it , or rather vnited with it , yea mingled in it , not to be infected : In truth I remember not what he aunswered , but I am sure he satisfied none of vs all . The other Doctor of Phisicke sayd , it was not consumed , but nature feeling the force of that poyson , vnited her selfe to fight against it , and so allayed most of the vehemencie , vigour , and malignitie thereof : and hee gaue an example of a pot of water set on the fire , for quoth hee , if the coales be couered with ashes , the hote water cooleth , blow the fire and it warmeth and boyleth , let ashes returne , or the fire die , the water returneth to the first coldnesse : So quoth hee , the poyson of the choller , by natures might is ouercome , when the Ague departeth , but after that those spirits and forces , which nature had vnited , are dispersed , the fire is quenched , and choller againe corrupted . But quoth the other Phisitian , so the sicknesse should neuer depart , for if your choller be still in cooling and heating , and nature now fighting , now ceasing , when I pray you shall this combat be finally ended ? Marry sir quoth his fellow Doctor , in this sort , nature mittigateth the forces of choller this fit , and allayeth them : now nature in the meane time , is strengthned with good foode , and the humour either purged , or quailed with phisicke , and so by little and little it is quite disguested .

Not so said the other , for then the second fit should alwayes be lesse then the first , and the third lesse then the second , and so forward to the last : but this is false , for his third and fourth fits , were much more vehement , then either the first or second . And besides , by this declaration , no man should euer die vpon an Ague . For if in euery fit , the sicknesse ceassed not , vntill the humour were allayed , then certainly in Agues , ( which are mortall ) the fitte shoulde neuer passe , which is most false .

With this the Doctor of Diuinitie , who was a very good Philosopher , and for that he had beene much troubled with maladies , he was like manie wrangling Gentlemen , a petty-fogging Phisitian at his owne costs , as they be petty-fogging Lawyers thorow theyr owne sutes . Why said the Diuine , may we not hold that the Ague is in the liuer and hart ? No quoth the Phisitians both , that can not be , because no Phisitian euer held , that any Ague was in partibus solidis , that is , in the hart & liuer , &c. except the Hecticke . Well said the diuine , I say not that it is in the hart and liuer immediatly , for that I will confesse perforce must be choller , but I say the fountaine and spring , the roote and origen to reside in the liuer , the which immediatly causeth corrupted blood and inflamed choller , for they beeing extraordinarily corrupted themselues with vehement heate , cannot but engender blood , spirits , and humors of like infection and corruption . And by this way I aunswere the first doubt : that when the Ague easeth , choller is diguested : Why then returneth it againe ? Marie sir , because the hart and liuer beeing out of temper , in that space of time engender so many more peruerse humors , as oppresse nature , so vehemently and dangerously , that shee must imploy all her might to resist them , abate them , extinguish them . In truth Maister Doctor ( said I ) this opinion I like very well , and I will confirme it , for since mine Ague first beganne , these Phisitians haue inculcated nothing so much vnto me , by word and deede , as to coole my liuer : to this effect all their syrrops and waters of Endiue , Sicory , and Barley tended . And with this discourse wee ended our dispute , & mine Ague : the which with this pleasant conference passed away .

Fiftly , Plato auoucheth , that Agues haue ages Plato in Dialog. de Natur. like men , as also consummations and ends , with whom Galen consenteth : This sentence of Plato , Valesius a worthy Phisitian explicateth in this maner . As there are two sorts of diseases , sharpe and Valesius de Sacra Philo. cap. 7. cronicall , both which haue theyr decretory daies , but not alike , for the sharpe haue odde dayes , especially seauen : the cronicall twenty , sixty , eightie , a hundred : so there are two prerogations or courses of life : the one is common to many , the other to fewe , and such as are of a most liuely constitution : both of them haue theyr Clymactericall or decretory yeeres . The first wee number by seauen and nine , the latter wee count by tenne , and the last period is a hundred and twenty .

To this Discourse of Valesius lette vs adde a certayne poynt of experience and doctrine of Galen , Galen . lib. 1. de diebus decretorijs c. 12. who in the decretorie dayes of a feuer , which numbreth by seauen specially , he will tell you the fourth day , whether the Agew will leaue the patient the seauenth , or whether hee shall die vpon the seauenth day , or no : and also withall , hee teacheth to foretell the very houre of death vppon the seauenth day .

Last of all , out of these considerations we may gather as much as will sufficiently ( I hope ) satisfie the Question proposed in the beginning of this Section , viz: why in these Clymactericall yeeres men commonly die ? To which I doe aunswere , That for euery sixe yeeres or eight , men still gather vppe more or lesse humours , which prepare the way for an Agew in the seauen or nine : As wee sayde before , when the fitte is past , the heart and liuer prepare humours for the next ensuing , and in case they be not sufficient in the seauen , they multiply to the nine ; if in this they faile , then they passe to the foureteene , then to eighteene , &c. And for this cause Physitians councell theyr Patients to purge in the Spring and Authumne , to hinder the increase of humours , albeit they feele themselues nothing diseased at all .

This we may declare by the example of them , who are infected with hereditary diseases , as the gowte , or the stone : for albeit they euidently appeere not till olde age , yet in all the progresse of their yeeres , the partes and humours insensibly are prepared . Or wee may say , that in sixe or eight yeeres the liuer and heart which are fountaines of bloud , and origens of humours are so infected and corrupted , that in the last yeere they engender more vnnaturall superfluous humours , than can stand with the right and naturall constitution of the body .

But some will say , by this opinion a man should euer be sicke , for hee shoulde neuer want corrupted humours , wherein sickenesse consisteth . To this I answere ; first , that health consisteth not in indiuisibili , in an indiuisible poynt , so that it admitteth not some few peccant humours withall , but hath a certaine amplitude , like as if into a But of strong Canary Wine , a man euery moneth shoulde put in halfe a pinte of water , euery day a spoonefull , at the moneths end , yea the yeeres end , the Wine woulde be almost as potent , as at the first , yea and perhaps more , if it bee well helped .

Secondly , wee see that Custome breedeth qualities and alterations so insensibly , as in long time ( till they come to a full growth ) they can hardly be perceiued .

Thirdly , I doubt not but hee that hath for example the first foureteene yeere of his life for his Clymactericall , in the precedent yeeres , shall gather more corrupted humoures , then hee whose Clymactericall yeere is nine and fortie , and also feele himselfe proportionally more weake , albeit hee can not well perceiue ; for I my selfe haue knowne a man , almost with halfe his lungs rotten with a consumption , and yet boldelie auowch that he was strong , for Ab assuetis non fit passio .

Some will obiect , that wee see by experience many menne die within the space of a day or two , who before were as sound and whole , as coulde be : neyther in their vrine , blood , or pulse appeared any signe of sickenesse , or superfluous humour .

To this I aunswere , that such a man was eyther oppressed with some vehement Passion , or some violent exercise , or some other extrinsecall cause , which accelerated , peruerted , and extraordinarily augmented the humour , and so caused death : for as I saide aboue , although a man ( considering the common course of his dayes ) can not passe his prefixed time and Clymactericall periode , yet by many meanes he may shorten it .

Much more I coulde say , prò and contrà , for this Declaration , but because it were something too Physicall , and not so necessarie for this Morall Treatise , therefore I will bury it with silence : for this poynt , in very trueth , is so intricate , that I perceiue , the best wittes are exceedingly troubled to extricate themselues out of it .