the famous convent of Capuchins, about a mile without the city of
Palermo, contains nothing very remarkable but the burial place, which
is indeed a great curiosity. This is a vast subterraneous apartment,
divided into large commodious galleries, the walls on each side of
which are hollowed out into a variety of niches, as if intended for
a great collection of statues. These niches, instead of statues, are
filled with dead bodies set upright upon their legs, and fixed by the
back to the inside of the niche. Their number is about three hundred.
They are all dressed in the clothes they usually wore, and form a most
respectful and venerable assembly. The skin and muscles, by a certain
preparation, become as dry and hard as a piece of stock fish: and
although many of them have been here upwards of two hundred and fifty
years, yet none are reduced to skeletons. The muscles indeed, in some,
appear to be a good deal more shrunk in some than in others; probably
because these persons had been more extenuated at the time of their
death. Here the people of Palermo pay daily visits to their deceased
friends, and recall with pleasure and regret, the scenes of their past
life. Here they familiarize themselves with their future state, and
choose the company they would wish to keep in the other world. It is
a common thing to make choice of their niche, and to try if the body
fits it, that no alterations may be necessary after they are dead; and
sometimes by way of a voluntary penance, they accustom themselves to
stand for hours in these niches. The bodies of the princes and first
nobility, are lodged in handsome chests, or trunks; some of them richly
adorned. These are not in the shape of coffins, but all of one width,
and about a foot and a half or two feet deep. The keys are kept by
the nearest relations of the family, who sometimes come and drop a
tear over their departed friends. Some of the Capuchins sleep in these
galleries every night, and pretend to have many wonderful visions and
revelations; but the truth is, that very few people believe them.
* * * * *
In the philosophical transactions, we find the following account of a
body found in a vault, in the church of Staverton, in Devonshire, by
Mr. Tripe, Surgeon at Ashburton, in a letter to Doctor Huxham, dated
June, 28th, 1750. There having been a great diversity of reports,
says the writer, relating to a body lately discovered in a vault in
Staverton church, I have taken the liberty of communicating to you
the following particulars. As it does not appear by the register of
the burials, that any person has been deposited in this vault since
October, 5th, 1669, it is certain that the body has lain there upwards
of four score years; yet, when the vault was opened, about four months
ago, it was found as perfect in all its parts, as if but just interred.
The whole body was plump and full, the skin white, soft, smooth, and
elastic; the hair strong, and the limbs nearly as flexible as when
living.
A winding sheet, which was as firm as if just applied, enclosed it from
head to foot, and two coarse cloths dipped in a blackish substance,
like pitch, infolding the winding sheet. The body, thus protected, was
placed in an oaken coffin, on which, as it was always covered with
water, was found a large stone, and a log of wood, probably to keep it
at the bottom.
Various have been the conjectures as to the cause of its preservation;
and it has been reported, though probably without foundation, that the
person was a Roman Catholic; there have been some of that religion, who
not having philosophy enough to account for it from natural causes,
have attributed it to a supernatural one, and canonized him: and, in
consequence of this, have taken away several pieces of the winding
sheet and pitch clothes, preserving them as relics with the greatest
veneration.
In my opinion, says Mr. Tripe, the pitch clothes and water overthrow
the miracle, and bring it within the power of natural agents; from the
former by defending the body from the external air; and the latter by
preserving the tenacity of the pitch.
* * * * *
In the year 1448, in the ruins of an old wall of the beautiful church
at Dunfermling in Scotland, there was found the body of a young man, in
a coffin of lead, wrapped up in silk: it preserved the natural colour,
and was not in the least manner corrupted; though it was believed to be
the body of the son of King Malcolm the Third, by the Lady Margaret.
_In the year 1764, the following interesting account appeared in an
Italian paper._
“Letters from Rome say, that they have removed to the Clementinian
College there, some antiquities which were discovered in a vineyard
near the church de St. Cesair, situated on the Appian way, not far
from the ruins of the baths of the Emperor Caracalla. The workmen who
laboured in the vineyard, struck against a thick vault, which they
broke through with great difficulty. In this vault they found four
urns of white marble, adorned with bass-reliefs, the subject of which
left no room to doubt of their being sepulchral urns. Under this vault
they perceived another, which being broke through, discovered two
magnificent oval basons, the one of a black colour, mixed with veins
of the Lapis Calcedonius; its greatest diameter, was about six feet
and a half, the least, three feet, and two feet deep. This bason
contained a human body. The second bason was of a greenish colour, of
the same dimensions with the other, except its being but a foot and a
half deep. This was covered with white marble, and contained the body
of a woman very richly cloathed; but it was hardly opened, before the
body and its attire fell wholly into powder; from which was recovered
eight ounces of pure gold. In the same place was found a small statue
of Pallas, in white marble; the work of which is highly esteemed.”
* * * * *
Alexander Guavnerius, speaking of the old and great city of Kiovia,
near De Borysthenes, “There are,” saith he, “certain subterraneous
caverns extended to a great length and breadth within ground: here
are divers ancient sepulchres, and the bodies of certain illustrious
Russians; these, though they have lain there time out of mind, yet do
they appear entire. There are the bodies of two princes in their own
country habits, as they used to walk when alive, and these are so fresh
and whole, as if they had but newly lain there. They lie in a cave
unburied, and by the Russian Monks are shewn to strangers.”
* * * * *
Some years since, at the repairs of the church of St. Cœcilia, beyond
the river Tiber, there was found the body of a certain Cardinal, an
Englishman, who had been buried there three hundred years before; yet
was it every way entire, not the least part of it perished, as they
report, who both saw and handled it.
* * * * *
At the time Constantine reigned with Irene his mother, there was found
in an ancient sepulchre in Constantinople, a body with a plate of
gold upon the breast of it, and thereon thus engraven.--_In Christum
credoqui ex Mariâ Virgine nescetor: O Sol, imperantibus Constantino
& Irene interrem me videbus_: that is, _I believe in that Christ who
shall be born of Mary a Virgin: O Sun thou shall see me again, when
Constantine and Irene shall come to reign_.--When this inscription had
been publicly read, the body was restored to the same place where it
had been formerly buried.
* * * * *
The sepulchre of the great Cyrus, king of Persia, was violated in the
days of Alexander the Great, in such a manner, that his bones were
displaced and thrown out, and the urn of gold that was fixed in his
coffin, when it could not be wholly pulled away, was broken off by
parcels. When Alexander was informed hereof, he caused the Magi, who
were intrusted with the care and keeping thereof, to be exposed unto
tortures, to make them confess the authors of so great a violation and
robbery: but they denied with great constancy that they had any hand
in it, or that they knew by whom it was done. Plutarch says, that it
was one Polymachus, a noble Pellean, that was guilty of so great a
crime. It is said, that the epitaph of this mighty monarch was to this
purpose.
_O mortal that comest hither (for come I know thou wilt) know that
I am Cyrus the son of Cambyses, who settled the Persian Empire, and
ruled over Asia, and therefore envy me not this little heap of earth,
where-with my body is covered._
* * * * *
Not long since, at Bononiæ, in the church of St. Dominick, there was
found the body of Alexander Tartagnus, a Lawyer at Imola, which was
perfectly entire, and no way decayed, although it had lain there from
his decease above one hundred and fifty years.
* * * * *
Pausanius makes mention of a soldier, whose body was found with wounds
fresh, and apparent upon it, although it had been buried sixty two
Olympiads, that is no less than two hundred and forty eight years.
METHODS
OF
_EMBALMING_.
The ancient Egyptians had three ways of embalming their dead, and
artists were particularly trained up for that purpose: the most costly
method was practised only upon persons of high rank, of which sort are
all the mummies that have remained entire to the present times: it was
done by extracting the brains through the nostrils, and injecting a
rich balm in their stead, then opening the belly and taking out the
intestines, the cavity was washed with palm wine impregnated with
spices, and filled with myrrh and other aromatics; this done, the body
was laid in nitre seventy days, at the end of which, it was taken
out, cleansed, and swathed with fine linen, gummed and ornamented with
various hieroglyphics, expressive of the deceased’s birth, character,
and rank. This process completed, the embalmer carried home the body,
where it was placed in a coffin, cut in human shape, and then enclosed
in an outer case, and placed upright against the wall of the burying
place belonging to the family.
Another less expensive method of embalming was, by injecting into all
the cavities of the body, a certain dissolvent; which being suffered
to run off after a proper time, carried with it whatever was contained
therein liquified; and then the body, thus purged, being dried by the
nitrous process as before, the operation was closed by swathing, &c. By
the third and lowest method of embalming, which was only in use among
the poor, they drenched the body with injections, and then dried it
with nitre.
The Egyptians had a custom among them of pledging the dead bodies of
their parents and kindred, as a security for the payment of their
debts, and whoever neglected to redeem them was held in the utmost
abhorrence, and denied the rights of burial themselves.
They paid extravagant honours to their deceased ancestors: and there
are at this day to be seen in Egypt pompous subterranean edifices,
called by the Greeks Hypogees, representing towns or habitations under
ground, in which there are streets or passages of communication from
one to another, that the dead might have as free intercourse as when
alive.
FINIS.
INDEX
A.
PAGE.
Athens, Law there to prevent premature interment, 3
Asia, Dead bodies kept there several days before burial, 10
Abbé Provost, remarkable circumstance attending, 24
Ackland, Sir Hugh, and his Brandy footman, Story of, 28
Acilius Aviola, burnt to death, for want of being first examined, 60
Armenius Erus, returns to life, after being apparently dead, 69
Alexander, Dr. Story related by, 69
Aberdeen, remarkable affair happened there, 115
Ancients, remarkable Tombs and Lamps of, 121
Atestes, a Town in Italy, Lamp found there that had been burning 1500
years, 130
Austin, St., Lamp mentioned by him that continued burning 1050 years,
133
Addison, Mr., his story of the Rosicrucian Lamp, 134
Alice Hackney, her body found perfect after 175 years interment, 136
Arthur, King and his wife, their bodies found after 600 years burial,
138
B.
Boy, remarkable recovery of after being laid out for dead, 20
Benedictus, Alexander, his story of a Lady buried alive, 31
Baldock, Master, resuscitated, after apparent death, 65
Burying in churches and confined church-yards, danger of, 96
Buchan, Dr., his observations on burying in the midst of Cities, 116
Baptistæ Portæ, account by, of a burning Lamp, secreted before the
advent of Christ, 129
Braybrook, Robert, his body found after 262 years interment, 137
Brydone, Mr., his account of a remarkable burying-place near Palermo,
140
Body found in a Vault, curious particulars of, ib.
Bononiæ, Church of, a perfect body found there, 150 years after
burial, 149
Body buried sixty two Olympiads, described by Pausanius, 150
C.
Cicero, his observations concerning the Dead, 1
Coach office Director, restored to life after being supposed dead, 19
Civile, Francis. Remarkable story of, 25
Cardinal Espinolæ, ditto, 23
Cornwall, Lady there, ditto, 70
Colchester, a child there, nearly buried alive, 74
Churches, observations on the pernicious custom of burying there, 96
Ditto, ditto, ditto, 98
Ditto, ditto, ditto, 104
Contagion from opening new Graves, how to prevent, 107
Cleopatra’s Tomb, account of, 126
Cedrenus, his description of a wonderful Lamp, 128
Constantine Chlorus, burning Lamp found in his tomb, ib.
Constantine and Irene, remarkable sepulchre found in their time, 147
Cœciliæ, church of, body found there, buried upwards of 300 years, ib.
D.
Dead bodies improperly treated, 10 to 18
Death, difficulty of distinguishing when persons are really so, 78
Dead, various methods of burying by different Nations, 83
Dead bodies, how to preserve safe in their graves, 120
Dr. Parsons extraordinary story, 121
Dunfermline Church, body of a young Man found there, 144
Dominick, St. Church of, remarkable body found there, 149
E.
Egyptians particularly careful of their dead, 2
England, people there keep their dead several days before burial, 9
Espinola, Cardinal, not dead when about to be dissected, 23
Elizabeth a Servant, not dead after long hanging, and ill treatment,
64
Egyptians embalm their dead, 87
Eastern Countries, practice of burying their dead, 117
Edessa, remarkable Lamp found there, 128
F.
Fever patients ought to be particularly looked after before laid out
as dead, 80
France, King of, prohibits burying in churches, 98
Female, extraordinary resolve of, 119
G.
Greeks, great veneration of, for their dead, 2
Geneva, people appointed there to inspect the dead, 9
Genoa, dead people there, dressed according to their rank, ib.
Godfrey, the Honourable Mrs. remarkable trance of, 43
Green, Anne, remarkable story of, 62
Glover, Mr. story related by, of a person restored to life after
hanging, 73
Greeks, old, singular method of burial, 85
Graves, danger of opening too soon, 107
Grave, opened too soon in Aberdeen, fatal consequence attending, 115
Grey, Thomas, Marquis of Dorset, corpse found after seventy years
burial, 136
Guavnerius, Alexander, curious account of a subterranean cavern by,
146
H.
Hawe’s, Dr., extract from his addresses to the public, 80
Hale, Sir Matthew, his observations on burying in churches, 98
Hall, Bishop, extract from his Sermon on church burials, 99
Hackney, Alice, her body found after 175 years interment, 136
I.
Interment, premature, great danger of, 1
Interesting account from an Italian paper, 145
J.
Jews, their manner of burying their dead, 9
Janin, Monsieur, story of a child apparently dead, recovered by, 71
Joseph the Second, prohibits burials in churches, 118
K.
Kiovia, City of, subterranean burying places near, 146
L.
Lady buried alive in Russia, 40
Lamps, ever-burning ones of the Ancients, 121 to 135
M.
Mercier, Monsieur, very remarkable story related by, 31
Mold Church, in Flintshire, singular epitaph there, 98
Montpelier, remarkable circumstance that happened there, 104
Maximus, Olybius, curious Lamp made by, 131
Mary-at-Hill, St., body found there after 175 years burial, 136
Magnus, Albertus, his body found after 200 years interment, 139
Methods of embalming, 151
N.
Navier, Monsieur, observations by, on the danger of burying in
churches, 107
Nevis, Island of, wonderful burning Lamp found there, 129
O.
Olybius, Maximus, curious Lamp made by, 131
P.
Plato, attention by him, recommended to the dead, 1
Primitive church, washed and anointed their dead, 8
Pallas, remarkable burning Lamp of, 129
Philosophical transactions, body found in a vault, described therein,
142
Pausanius, body mentioned by him, found after 248 years interment,
150
R.
Romans, great attention paid by them to their dead, 3, 4 and 5
Rouen, siege of, remarkable circumstance happened there, 25
Resuscitation, very extraordinary one, in Sweden, 35
Russia, young lady buried alive there, 40
Retchmuth Adoleh, buried alive, at Cologne, 51
Reanimation of a female in Paris, supposed to be dead, 68
Romans, method of burying their dead, 88
Remarkable fact of Sumovin Feodose, 94
Rosicrucian Lamp, story of, 134
Rome, remarkable coffin and curiosities found there, 137
S.
Syrians, their method of embalming, 2
Spain, method of dressing the dead there, 9
Syncope, sometimes mistaken for death, 21
Schmid, Dr. John, story related by, ib.
Syncope, remarkable story of a person having fallen into one, 22
Scroop, Sir Gervase, story of, related by Dr. Fuller, 29
Sweden, remarkable occurrence there, 35
Spain, lady there, returns to life under the hands of the anatomist,
59
Sumovin Feodose, remarkable story of, 94
Scripture, quotations from, against burying in churches, 99
Story, remarkable, related by Dr. Parsons, 121
Solomon, King, his servant’s tomb, 126
Sicilian convent, remarkable burial place there, 140
Staverton church, curious particulars of a body found in a vault
there, 142
T.
Turks, scrupulously particular in examining the dead, 7
Trance, remarkable one, of the Honourable Mrs. Godfrey, 43
Tatoreidie, after being laid in a coffin for dead, returns to life, 61
Tissot, Dr. story related by him of a girl returning to life, after
being long in the water, 68
Tossach, Mr. case related by, of a Man recovering, after apparent
death, 69
Tomb of King Edward the First, interesting particulars of opening, 91
Turks, their burying places, rendered handsome and agreeable, 97
Tombs, fatal consequences frequently happen by opening them too soon,
107
Tombs, remarkable ones of the Ancients, 121
Temple dedicated to Venus, burning Lamp found therein, 133
Tripe, Mr. story related by, of a body found in a vault, 142
V.
Vesabe, physician, to Philip II. of Spain, opens a body before dead,
57
Vapour, dreadful effects arising from one at Montpelier, 104
Valentia in Spain, remarkable body found there, 126
W.
Walker, Dr. melancholy account of his being buried alive, 45
Wynne, Dr. William, his epitaph, forbidding church burial, 98
Z.
Zacchias, Peter, remarkable story, related by, 39
Plummer and Brewis, Printers, Love-Lane, Eastcheap.
Transcriber’s Notes
Obvious punctuation errors have been corrected.
Page 13: “towards the large vesse” changed to “towards the large
vessels”
Page 23: “and immedaitely” changed to “and immediately”
Page 35: “Remarkable Rescuscitation” changed to “Remarkable
Resuscitation”
Page 42: “the generou sfriend” changed to “the generous friend”
Page 80: “the means recommeuded” changed to “the means recommemded”
Page 96: “cometaries in populous” changed to “cemeteries in populous”
Page 97: “offensive cemetry” changed to “offensive cemetery”
Page 102: “of the the living” changed to “of the living”
Page 105: “heavier hant air” changed to “heavier than air” “died
convuled” changed to “died convulsed”
Page 108: “ormidable enemy” changed to “formidable enemy”
Page 118: “convenience of out funerals” changed to “convenience of our
funerals”
Page 138: “the view of of” changed to “the view of”