Chapter 16, Item 97a
Urn burials
The Maner of Vrne Buriall.
It was a custome among the auncient Romans to burne the bodyes of their deceased friends, that theirby the enimyes of their state might not take their bones out of their graves and expose them to public contempt, as many very barbarously used to doe for prevention whereof when the liues of great persons were expired, their eyes closed, and all things prepared for the funerall, the body was carryed in funerall Order and pompe according to the quality of the decedent, to a place appointed by the pontifices and Augures: where a pile of wood was erected (the greater the person the higher the pile) where the body was set to be consumed to ashes.
Before the pile (whilst it was in burning) were wont to be sacrificed captives to pacifie the infernall Ghosts: but that being held too cruell Gladiators or Fencers were appointed to fight; and for want of these, women were hired to teare their cheeks: but these customes were at length forbiden as heathenish and barbarous.
The priest after the fire was burned, gathered the bones and ashes, washed them with wine, and put them in an vrne of Earth or Lead, with an Inscription on the Couer, or side of the said Vrne, of the name, title, and tyme of the death of him whose ashes was therein; which was set in a vault, or hole in the earth, ouer which a Monument was vsually set vp.
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