appears from _Gen._ 50. 1. _Joseph fell on his Father’s Face, and wept
upon him, and kissed him_: whereby he express’d his sincere Affection to
his deceas’d Parent, notwithstanding by his Death he was for ever to be
separated from him, yet his Filial Duty still remain’d ready to perform
those Offices due to the Dead, such as _Embalming_, and the like. This
Custom of kissing the Dead seems likewise to be taking a solemn leave of
them at their departure out of this World, till they should have the
happiness of meeting them in another. But the _Romans_ had a different
Sense of this Matter, for when the sick Person was just expiring, the
nearest Relation or Friend, by a Kiss receiv’d his last gasping Breath,
whereby they imagin’d the Soul of the Deceas’d came out of his Body
thro’ the Mouth, and was the same way transfus’d into and receiv’d by
them; nor did they only kiss their Friend and Relation when just
expiring, but also when his Body was going to be laid on the Funeral
Pile. This the _Christians_ imitate now a days, when they likewise kiss
the Deceas’d just as he is going to be nail’d up in his Coffin, or to be
carry’d out to his Grave; but as for the other Ceremony, they have ever
abhorr’d it as a most superstitious and ridiculous Opinion. Both the
_Pagans_ and _Christians_ without doubt, look’d on Death as a Journey or
Peregrination to another World, therefore by kissing their Dead, they
took their solemn Farewel of them, as we do when we part with a Friend
that is going to Travel, _&c._ Hereupon we always find written on their
Tombs, _Abiit non Obiit_, and as _Grethserius_ relates, _Lib._ 1. _De
Fun. Christian._ when the _Greeks_ came to a Burying, both Friends and
Relations kiss’d and took leave of the Dead in these words, _Vade, cum
Natura nos vocaverit, sequemur_. _Go, when Nature calls, we’ll follow._
But let the Cause be what it will that induc’d the Ancients to kiss
their Dead, it were better totally to forbear it, since to the Dead they
are of no use, and to a dying Man are rather a Disturbance than any
Relief: Moreover, to the saluting Friend, those ill Scents and Vapours,
which proceed from the Mouth and Nostrils of the sick Person, may be an
infectious Breath, and prove not a little prejudicial to him; therefore
it is in no wise either convenient or useful to kiss a Person that is
just dying, or one that is already Dead.
[Sidenote: Closing the Eyes.]
The next Thing to be done after the Person was dead, was to close his
Eyes, and this Ceremony was for the most part perform’d by the nearest
Relation, as by the Husband for the Wife, _Et vice versa_, by the Wife
for the Husband; also by Parents towards their Children, and by Children
towards their Parents, and where such were wanting, one Friend did it
for another. This Custom was in that esteem among the _Hebrews_,
_Greeks_ and _Romans_, that the very Thoughts of having it perform’d by
their Kindred, mitigated, in some measure, the Pains and Agonies of
Death they underwent, whereby they dy’d in much greater content of Mind
than they would otherwise have done; whereas on the contrary, they
look’d on themselves not a little unhappy to die in a Place where no
Relations or Friends were present to perform that Office. This appears
by _Gen._ 46. 4. where _Jacob_ fearing he should die in his way to
_Egypt_, by reason of his extream old Age, or the length of the Journey,
and be thereby depriv’d of these Funeral Ceremonies; GOD to remove those
fears and comfort him, told him, He should die in peace with his
Children about him, and particularly that _Joseph should lay his Hands
on his Eyes_, as the Text expresses it, which was as much as to say, he
should close his Eyes, and take all other care of his Funeral.
Now why this Custom of closing the Eyes of the Dead was in such Esteem
and Use among the Ancients, there seem to be two Reasons: _First_, It
being natural to Men to die with their Eyes open, as _Santorellus_ in
his _Post-Praxis Medic._ p. 18. Philosophically proves; and Death being
compar’d to Sleep, they desir’d to have their Eyes shut, the better to
resemble sleeping and taking their Rest. _Secondly_, They might perhaps
desire it, that the By-Standers might not be offended at such an
unpleasant sight as a staring Corps, with its Eyes and Mouth open, must
needs present, which every one knows looks very ghastly: Besides, the
noisom Smells of the fermenting Stomach were thereby hinder’d from
making too swift a passage into the Room, and offending the Company.
That it is therefore convenient to use this Ceremony none will deny, yet
must it not be practis’d too soon, lest the Person it is to be us’d to
be not actually dead, but only in an _Apoplexy_, _Lethargy_, or the
like, and so by keeping his Mouth shut with a Muffler, be suffocated.
Nor are his Eyes to be clos’d ’till after he is actually dead, lest they
open again, as _Santorellus_ affirms they will; but this and other
Ceremonies of the like nature, which can in no wise further Death, in
case it should prove only an _Apoplexy_, &c. ought to be perform’d
before the Corps be quite cold, for afterwards they are not easily to be
brought to a graceful order, nor will make a handsom Corps, which the
Ancients so much lov’d to see: Hereupon, in a short Time after the
Person was dead, they clos’d his Eyes, [Sidenote: Shutting the Mouth,]
shut his Mouth with a Muffler, plac’d his Head streight, brought his
Arms to his Breast, his Legs close to one another, and then laid the
whole Body, with its Members, in a natural form and posture. But before
they proceeded to Anoint or _Embalm_ the Body, [Sidenote: Conclamation,]
they were wont to make great noises, to rowse and awake, if possible,
his fainted Spirits, and thereby fully satisfie themselves whether he
were really dead, or only asleep. To the same purpose they wash’d the
Body with warm Water, to the end that if it were only numm’d with Cold
it might thereby be recover’d. It was a Custom among the _Greeks_ to
make a mighty Noise with the tinkling or sounding of Brazen Vessels,
[Sidenote: Sounding of Brazen Vessels.] but the _Romans_ us’d
Conclamation, or a general Outcrie, set up at equal Intervals before the
Corps, by Persons who waited there on Purpose, which was done as
_Pliny_, Lib. 7. cap. 52. of his _Natural History_, and _Cornelius
Celsus_, Præf. Lib. 1. _De Re Medica_, tell us, either because they
hop’d by this means, to stop the Soul which was now taking its flight,
or else to awaken its Faculties, which they thought might only be silent
in the Body without Action; for sometimes such as have appear’d to be
Dead, have come to Life again as _Kirmannus_, _De F. R._ Lib. 1. p. 104.
affirms, and several Physicians have given many Instances of Persons,
who being bury’d thro’ haste in _Apopletick-Fits_, _&c._ have afterwards
come to themselves, and many times miserably perish’d for want of
Assistance. For this reason the _Romans_, as _Pancirollus_ and _Servius_
observe, lest they should be bury’d alive, kept the Bodies seven or
eight Days, call’d upon them at Intervals, wash’d them with warm Water,
and lastly us’d _Conclamation_ before they burn’d them, which was their
manner of Burial. But _Santorellus_ in his _Post-Praxis Medica_, p. 25.
proves _Conclamation_ to be a useless and insignificant Custom. _First_,
he says, It is ridiculous to use it to such as we are satisfy’d are
really Dead, from the nature of their Disease and other Symptoms. And,
_Secondly_, To those that we are doubtful of, as in case of
_Lethargies_, _Apoplexies_, _Hysteric Passions_, _Syncopes_, &c. Since
therefore this is no certain Rule to inform us, these Persons being many
Times neither sensible of burning nor large Scarifications, How can we
expect to excite them by Clamours? This also is confirm’d by an
Experiment of _Galen_’s, _viz._ Whether a Woman was really Dead that lay
in an _Hysteric Passion_; but it was so far from proving effectual, that
when she came to her self, she declar’d she knew nothing of what had
been done to her. ’Tis true in small _Syncopes_ it may perhaps rowse the
Spirits a little, but in Soporous Diseases, it is commonly an uncertain
and ineffectual Remedy, therefore never to be trusted, so that we may
pronounce it to be a Ceremony neither necessary to be us’d, nor useful
to know whether the sick Person be dead or alive.
[Sidenote: _Washing_ the Corps.]
The Custom of _Washing_ and _Anointing_ the Corps was in no wise
peculiar to the _Romans_, but us’d likewise by the _Hebrews_, _Greeks_,
_Trojans_ and _Christians_, nay, in almost all the civiliz’d Parts of
the World, yet ’tis certain it ows its Original to the Invention of the
_Egyptians_. That it was us’d in the Primitive Church, appears by the
Words of the Apostle, _Acts_ 9. 37. _And it came to pass in those Days
she (Tabitha) was sick and dy’d, whom when they had wash’d, they laid in
an upper Chamber._ Also _Johan. Chrysost._ as we find in _Theodoret_,
Homil. 84. _Alphonsus Salmeron_, Tom. 10. _De Sepultura Christi_; and
others affirm Christ’s Body was wash’d before it was anointed. We read
in _Plutarch_, that _Philippus Libertus_ wash’d the Body of _Pompey_
with Salt Water, which perhaps might be either because it was more
Abstersive, or that it help’d to prevent Putrifaction, and it is not
improbable the _Egyptians_ might have been accustom’d to wash the Body
with the same Pickle they us’d in the Salination, or with _Phænician_
Wine, which they wash’d the Entrails and inside of the Body with, in
order to the _Preserving_ and _Embalming_ it: But more commonly the
Ancients us’d warm Water, both that they might thereby cherish and
comfort the benumb’d and lifeless Limbs, and invite the natural Heat
again into the Body, by doing which they better satisfy’d themselves
whether the Body were really dead or not, and also that if it were past
recovery, they might by thus cleansing the Body from all Filth and
Purgings at the Nose, Mouth or lower Belly, render the Corps more
decorous, and sightly, as ’tis a Custom among many at this Day, to comb
the Hair, shave the Beard, and perfume the Corps with sweet Odours.
Two other Reasons are given for washing a dead Body, _First_, That it
might be the fitter for anointing. _Secondly_, _Johannes Buxtorfius_, in
_Synagog. Jud._ cap. 35. says, That it might be pure and clean when it
came to give an account of its Sins. These Ceremonies were carefully
practis’d among the _Jews_ as well as the _Greeks_ and _Romans_,
according to what _Maimonides in Tract. de Luctu_, Chap. 4 Sect. 1.
observes, _Mos vel Consuetudo est in Israel, circa Mortuos & eorum
Sepulturam, ut cum quis mortuus est, ejus Occulos occludant, & si Os
ipsius fuerit apertum, Maxillas ejus ligant, ne iterum aperiatur.
Obturatur etiam locus, per quem Excrementa ejiciuntur, sed hoc postquam
Corpus fuerit Lotum._ _It was a Custom among the_ Israelites, says he,
_towards the Dead and their Burial, that whenever any one was departed,
they closed his Eyes and shut his Mouth (keeping his Jaws close with a
Muffler) that it might not open again. Then they stopp’d the vents of
the Body, and lastly wash’d it._
[Sidenote: Anointing the Body.]
After the Body was wash’d, it was _Anointed_, which strictly speaking,
was _Embalming_, and differ’d in nothing but preserving the Corps for a
longer or shorter space, pursuant to the manner of performing it, the
nature of the Drugs, or composition of the Ointment. This Custom of
anointing the Dead was very common among the _Egyptians_, as _Pliny_ in
his _Nat. Hist._ Lib. 2. Cap. 37. writes, _Egyptiis Mos est Cadavera
adservare Medicata_. _It is a Custom among the_ Egyptians _to keep their
Bodies Embalm’d_, that is, anointed and preserv’d by Aromaticks. This
anointing was perform’d on the outside of the Body, with a composition
of bitter and Aromatick Ingredients, after which, they stuff’d the
inside with the same dry Spices and Gums as were us’d in the Ointment;
in doing which, and rouling or dressing the Body, they spent Forty Days.
_Diodorus Siculus_, Lib. 1. _Bibliothecæ_, No. 91. says, _After they had
wash’d the Body with Palm-Wine, wherein Aromaticks had been boil’d or
steep’d, they first anointed it with Ointment of Cedar, and then with
that of Myrrh, Cinnamon, and other Drugs_. This not only preserv’d the
Corps, but also made it fragrant and sweet, and of this Ceremony the
_Egyptians_ were the first Inventors. From them the _Hebrews_ deriv’d
their Custom of _Embalming_, which was us’d chiefly towards their Kings
or Great Men. The first of this kind was when _Joseph_ commanded the
Physicians of _Egypt_ to _Embalm_ his Father _Jacob_, Gen. 50. 2, 3.
from whom the _Jews_ learn’d it, and brought it with them into the Land
of _Canaan_: [Sidenote: The _Hebrews_ Embalming different from that of
the _Egyptians_.] But this manner of Anointing or _Embalming_ among the
_Hebrews_ was very different from that of the _Egyptians_, for their
Method was Thirty, Forty, and sometimes Seventy Days in performing, and
that by Balsamic Matters put into the Cavity of the Body, they first
taking out the Bowels and Entrails; but the _Hebrew_ way was one short
anointing and applying Aromatick and Balsamic Ointments to the external
Parts, without any Embowelling, and this was done rather out of Respect
to, and Veneration of the Dead, than to prevent any Putrifaction. Thus
we read of King _Asa_, 2 Chron. 16. 14. _That they bury’d him in his own
Sepulchre, which he had made for himself in the City of David, and laid
him in the Bed which was fill’d with sweet Odours and divers kinds of
Spices, prepar’d by the Apothecaries Art, and they made a great Burning
for him._ That is, they laid his dead Corps on a Bed fill’d with such
Aromaticks, prepar’d by the Apothecary, as were wont to be us’d in
_Embalming_, and afterwards burn’d sweet Odours and Perfumes at his
Funeral. Now this was accounted very Honourable to be done at the
Exequies of Kings, and was afforded King _Zedekiah_, tho’ he dy’d in a
strange Land, _Jerem._ 34. 5. Hereby it appears, thro’ the length and
injuries of Time, they might lose that Art of _Embalming_ which the
_Jews_, their Ancestors, had learn’d from the _Egyptians_, or else had
their Tradition so confusedly left to Posterity, that they were forc’d
to deviate from the antient Custom; for the best construction we can put
upon _Embalming_ of the latter Ages, was anointing the Corps with bitter
and Aromatick Ointments, compounded by the Apothecaries, [Sidenote:
_Jewish Embalming_ rather a Ceremony than Preserving the Corps.] which
nevertheless was rather a Ceremony, and render’d the Corps sweet and
fragrant, than prevented Putrifaction. Thus the most devout _Nicodemus_
and _Joseph_ of _Arimathea_ Embalm’d the Body of Christ, both out of the
Respect they bore him, and according to the Custom of their Nation.
Thus, says the Text, _They took the Body of Jesus, and wound it in
Linnen-Cloaths, with the Spices_ (_viz._ about an Hundred weight of
Myrrh and Aloes) _as the Manner of the Jews is to bury_, John 19. 40.
Likewise Holy _Mary_ anointed the Feet of Jesus, whilst alive, with a
most costly and rich Ointment of Spikenard, which was done by way of
Anticipation in order to his Burial, as the Words of our Saviour himself
imply, _John_ 12. 7. So also without doubt _Lazarus_, who was no mean
_Jew_, was Embalm’d, nevertheless _Martha_ fear’d he stunk, tho’ he had
been Dead but four Days, _John_ 11. 39. Thus you see the more Modern way
of _Embalming_ among the _Jews_, was only anointing the Body with an
Ointment compounded of sweet Spices, whose chief Ingredients were Myrrh
and Aloes, and which was not only very grateful to the Smell, but also
dry’d up the Humidity of the Body, preventing an immediate Putrifaction,
and likewise by its bitterness kept the Worms from eating it. The Custom
of such like anointing the Dead was moreover very common among the
_Greeks_, insomuch, says _Athenæus_ Lib. 15. that they studied what
Ointments were most agreeable and fitting for every Member of the Body.
From them it descended to the _Romans_, and was accounted one of the
most commendable Actions of this Life, as being an Honour which
appertain’d to the Dead, as _Pliny Nat. Hist._ Lib. 12. cap. 1. relates,
wherefore after they had wash’d the Corps, they anointed it, says he,
with Odoriferous and Aromatick Ointments. The _Babylonians_ either
anointed their Dead with, or laid them in Hony. The _Persians_ and
_Scythians_ did the same with Wax. The _Æthiopians_ with a sort of
Parget; and others us’d Compositions either of _Salt_, _Nitre_,
_Asphalt_, _Bitumen_, _Cedar_, _Balsam_, _Gypsum_, _Lime_, _Petrole_,
_Naptha_, _Turpentine_, _Rosin_, or the like, of which see _Kirkmannus
de F. R._ p. 62.
[Sidenote: _Anointing_ the _Dead_ to what purpose us’d.]
Now the general Intention of these Anointings, was either that such
Bodies as were to be bury’d might thereby smell sweet and pleasant, and
be kept a long while uncorrupt, or else that those that were to be
burn’d might not only catch Fire the sooner; but also to the end the Air
might be perfum’d by the sweet smelling Ointments and Balsams, and
thereby the Stench of the burning Flesh not be perceiv’d. Others give a
threefold Reason for this sort of _Embalming_, as, _First_, A Physical,
That all Stench and Putrifaction might be driven away from the Body.
_Secondly_, A Civil, That it was a principal Honour exhibited to Just
Men. And, _Thirdly_, A Mystical, It being a Testification of our Faith
in the Resurrection of Bodies, and a _Symbol_ of future
Incorruptibility. _Vide Quenstedt De Sepult. Vet._ p. 85.
[Sidenote: _Attiring_ the Corps,]
After the Body was _wash’d_ and _anointed_, they wrapp’d it in fine
Linnen, and drest it in a proper Habit. The first is only to be
understood a Winding-Sheet, either intire, or in two, three or more
pieces, fitted to the Head, Trunk and Limbs of the Body, bound on with
Roulers; but the latter was various according to the sort of Garment, or
Quality of the Deceas’d: The first was usually white, prepar’d by some
Woman or Friend in the Persons Life-Time, on purpose for this particular
use; the other was of divers colours, as Purple, Scarlet, _&c._ and of
several degrees of Richness, according to the Rank, Quality or
Profession of the Deceas’d, or as he had perform’d any extraordinary
Exploit in War, or otherwise honourably behav’d himself for the Honour
of his Country. So that as the one was such as he usually wore in his
Life-Time, the other was more Splendid, and given for a Reward to his
Virtues. Hence it is the Dead were term’d proud, as having never wore so
rich a Garment during their Lives, says _Sosia apud Plautum in
Amphitruone_. This Custom is said to have been first us’d by the
_Greeks_, but if we enquire more strictly into it, we shall find this,
as well as other Ceremonies, owes its Origin to the _Egyptians_, tho’
the manner of performing it be different; [Sidenote: With fine _Linnen_
and a _Vest_.] for the _Greeks_ cover’d their Dead from Head to Foot,
first with fine Linnen, and then put over that a white Vest, which was a
sort of _Pallium_ or Cloak they wore commonly when alive. So likewise
the _Athenians_ and _Lacedemonians_ dress’d their Dead in a Garb
suitable to every ones Condition, and honourably adorn’d such as had
behav’d themselves well in War with a Purple or Crimson Vest, as
_Alexander Sardus de Mor. & Rit. Gent._ Lib. 1. cap. 25. relates. As the
_Greeks_ put on their Dead the _Pallium_, so the _Romans_ us’d their
_Toga_ or Gown, conformable to every One’s degree. That ordinarily us’d
at the Funerals of vulgar Citizens was also white, but the Richer sort,
as likewise those that had acquir’d Honour by their Valour and Vertue,
were more splendidly Attir’d and carry’d out in State in the view of the
Public, so that any one might know the Face and Sex of the Deceas’d from
the manner of their Cloaths and Ornaments. Now this was so well observ’d
by the Ancients, that as _Juvenal_, Satyr 3. informs us, in some parts
of _Italy_, tho’ the Inhabitants were so rude as not to wear the _Toga_
whilst they liv’d, yet would they not want it at their Deaths:
_Pars magna Italiæ est, si verum admittimus in qua,
Nemo Togam sumit nisi Mortuus._
Some distant Parts of _Italy_ are known,
Where none but only dead Men wear a Gown.