rising of the lights rising of the lights rising of the lights was an illness or obstructive condition of the larynx, trachea, or lungs, possibly croup. it was a common entry on bills of mortality in the seventeenth century. lights in this case referred to the lungs. in culture in his a new booke of mistakes (1637), robert chamberlain gives a humorous epitaph: of one parkins a boone companion in essex who dyed of the rising of the lights. poore parkins, now percust here lies, light hearted, till his lights did rise. lights of the body, are the bellowes, and hee, one of the best good fellowes that essex yeelded, (all we do know) and breath'd, till they did cease to blow.