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littp://www.arcliive.org/details/anatomyofmelancOOburt
* i
•t/1*
forgotten quite
All former sceues of dear delist ,
Connubial love -parental joy-
"No STinjathies like these Ins soul employ;
But all 13 dark "svithin
\'f Fenrose
FRONTISPIETE TO THE ORIGINAJL EDITTOX
THE
ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY,
WHAT IT IS,
WITH
ALL THE KINDS, CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, PROGNOSTICS, AND SEVERAL CURES OF IT.
IN THEEE PAETITIONS.
WITH THEIR SEVERAL
SECTIONS, MEMBERS, AND SUBSECTIONS, PKILOSOPHICALLV, MEDICALLY,
HISTORICALLY OPENED AND CUT UP.
BY DEMOCRITUS JUNIOR.
WITH
A SATIRICAL PREFACE, CONDUCING TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSii
CORRECTED, AND ENRICHED EV TRANSLATIONS OF THE NUMEROUS' CLASSICAL EXTRACTS.
BY DEMOCRITUS MINOR.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED AN ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR.
Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci
He that joins instruction with delight,
Profit with pleasure, carries all the votes.
PHILADELPHIA:
J. W. MOORE, 195 CHESTNUT STREET
18..5..
«
f uj ) \jroP/A
■b
i,?j
3"^^
HOXORATISSIMO DOMINO,
WON MINVS VtRTUTE StA, QUA^I GENERIS SPLENDORE
ILLVSTRISSLMO,
GEOPvGIO BEllKLEIO,
inLlTI DE BALNEO, BARONI DE BERKLEY, JIOUBREY, SEGRAVE,
D. DE BRUSE,
DOMINO SUO MULTIS NOJUNIBUS OBSERVANDO,
HANC SUAM
METANCHOLIiE ANATOMEA",
JAM SEXTO REVISAM, D. D.
DEMOCRITUS JUNIOR.
(iv)
ADVEETISEMEjNT
TO THE LAST LONDON EDITION.
The work now restored to public notice has had an extraordinary fate. At the
lime of its original publication it obtained a great celebrity, which continued more
than half a century. During that period few books were more read, or more de-
servedly applauded. It was the delight of the learned, the solace of the indolent,
and the refuge of the uninformed. It passed through at least eight editions, by which
the bookseller, as Wood records, got an estate ; and, notwithstanding the objection
sometimes opposed against it, of a quaint style, and too great an accumulation oi"
authorities, the fascination of its wit, fancy, and sterling sense, have borne down all
censures, and extorted praise from the first writers in the English language. The
grave Johnsox has praised it in the warmest terms, and the ludicrous Sterne has
interwoven many parts of it into his own popular performance. Miltox did not dis-
dain to build two of his finest poems on it; and a host of inferior w^riters have em-
bellished their works with beauties not their own, culled from a performance which
they had not the justice even to mention. Change of times, and the frivolity of
fashion, suspended, in some degree, that fame which had lasted near a century; and
the succeeding generation affected indifl'erence towards an author, who at length was
only looked into by the plunderers of literature, the poachers in obscure volumes.
The plagiarism? of Tristram Shandy, so successfully brought to light by Dr. Fer-
RiAR, at length drew the attention of the public towards a writer, who, though then
little known, might, without impeachment of modesty, lay claim to every mark of
respect; and inquiry proved, beyond a doubt, that the calls of justice had been little
attended to by others, as well as the facetious Yorick. Wood observed, more than
a century ago, that several authors had unmercifully stolen matter from Blrtox
without any acknowledgment. The time, however, at length arrived, when the
merits of the Jlnatoviy of Mcluncholi/ were to receive their due praise. The book
was again sought for and read, and again it became an applauded performance. Ite
excellencies once more stood confessed, in the increased price which every copy
offered for sale produced ; and the increased demand pointed out the necessity of a
new edition. This is now presented to the public in a manner not disgraceful to
the memory of the author ; and the publisher relies with confidence, that so valuable
a lepository of amusement and information will continue to hold the rank to whicli
it has been restored, finnly supported by its own merit, and safe from the influence
and blight of any future caprices of fashion. To open its valuable mysteries to
those who have not had the advantage of a classical education, translations of the
countless quotations from ancient writers Avhich occur in the w'ork, are now for the
first time given, and obsolete orthography is in all instances modernized.
(V)
ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR,
RoHERT Burton was the son of Ralph Burton, of an ancient and genteel
family at Lindley, in Leicestershire, and was born there on the 8th of February
1570.* He received the first rudiments of learning at the free school of Sutton
Coldfield, in Warwickshire,! from whence he was, at the age of seventeen, in the
long vacation, 1593, sent to Brazen Nose College, in the condition of a com-
moner, where he made considerable progress in logic and philosophy. In 1599
he was elected student of Christ Church, and, for form's sake, was put under tlie
tuition of Dr. John Bancroft, afterwards Bishop of Oxford. In 1614 he was
admitted to the reading of the Sentences, and on the 29th of November, 1616,
had the vicarage of St. Thomas, in the west suburb of Oxfopd, conferred on him
by the dean and canons of Christ Church, which, with the rectory of Segrave, in
Leicestershire, given to him in the year 1636, by George, Lord Berkeley, he kept,
to use the words of the Oxford antiquary, with much ado to his dying day. He
seems to have been first beneficed at Walsby, in Lincolnshire, through the muni-
ficence of his noble patroness, Frances, Countess Dowager of Exeter, but resigned
the same, as he tells us, for some special reasons. At his vicarage he is remarked
to have always given the sacrament in wafers. Wood's character of him is, that
" he was an exact mathematician, a curious calculator of nativities, a general read
scholar, a thorough-paced philologist, and one that understood the surveying of
lands well. As he was by many accounted a severe student, a devourer of authors,
a melancholy and humorous person; so by others, who knew him well, a person
of great honesty, plain dealing and charity. I have heard some of the ancients of
Christ Church often say, that his company was very merry, facete, and juvenile;
* His elder brother was William nurton, the Leicestershire antiquary, born 24th August, ],57o, filiicati d at
Sutton Coldfield, admitted commoner, or gentleman commoner, of Brazen Nose College, 15.T1 ; at the Inner
Temple, 20tli May, 1503; B. A. 2-2d June, 1594; and afterwards a barrister and reporter in the Court of Common
Pleas. "But his natural genius," says Wood, "leading him to the studies of heraldry, genealogies, and anti-
qnities, he became excellent in those obscure and intricate matters; and look upon him as a gentleman, Wiia
accounted, by all that knew him, to be the best of his time for those studies, as may appear by his ' Description
of Leicestershire.'" His weak constitution not permitting him to follow business, he retired into the country,
and his greatest work, " The Description of Leicestershire," was published in folio, 1622. He died at Palde.
after suffering much in the civil war, 6lh April, 1645, and was buried in the parish church belonging thereto,
called Hanbury.
1 This is Wood's account. His will says, Nuneaton ; but a passage in this work [see fol. 304, J mcntiotia
Sutton Coldfield ; probably lie may hare been at both schools.
A'^
VI Account of the Author.
and no man in his time did surpass him for his ready and dexterous interlarding
his common discourses among them with verses from the poets, or sentences from
classic authors; which being then all the fashion in the University, made his
company the more acceptable." He appears to have been a universal reader of
all kinds of books, and availed himself of his multifarious studies in a very extra-
ordinary manner. From the information of Hearne, we learn that John Rouse,
the Bodleian librarian, furnished him with choice books for the prosecution of his
work. The subject of his labour and amusement, seems to have been adopted
from the infirmities of his own habit and constitution. Mr. Granger says, " He
composed this book with a view of relieving his own melancholy, but increased it
to such a degree, that nothing could make him laugh, but going to the bridge-foot
and hearing the ribaldry of the bargemen, which rarely failed to throw him into a
violent fit of laughter. Before he was overcome with this horrid disorder, he, in
the intervals of his vapours, was esteemed one of the most facetious companions in
the University."
His residence was chiefly at Oxford; where, in his chamber in Christ Church
College, he departed this life, at or very near the time which he had some years
before foretold, from the calculation of his own nativity, and which, says Wood,
" being exact, several of the students did not forbear to whisper among themselves,
that rather than there should be a mistake in the calculation, he sent up his soul
to heaven through a slip about his neck." Whether this suggestion is founded in
truth, we have no other evidence than an obscure hint in the epitaph hereafter
inserted, which was written by the author himself, a short time before his death.
His body, with due solemnity, was buried near that of Dr. Robert Weston, in the
north aisle which joins next to the choir of the cathedral of Christ Church, on the
'2Tth of January 1039-40. Over his grave was soon after erected a comely monu-
ment, on the upper pillar of the said aisle, with his bust, painted to the life. On
the right hand is the following calculation of his nativity :
Account of the AutTior. t^
and under the bust, this inscription of his own composition : —
Paucis notus, paucioribus ignotus,
Hie jacet Democritus junior
Cui vitam dedit et mortem
Melancholia
Ob. 8 Id. Jan. A. C. mdcxxxix.
Arms : — Azure on a bend O. between three dogs' heads O. a crescent G.
A few months before his death, he made his will, of which the following is a
copy:
Extracted from the Registry of the Prerogative Court of Canterburt.
In nomine Dei Amen, August 15th One thousand six hundred thirty nine because there be so
many casualties to which our life is subject besides quarrelling and contention which happen to
our Successors after our Death by reason of unsettled Estates I Robert Burton Student of Christ-
church Oxon. though my means be but small have thought good by this my last Will and Testa-
ment to dispose of that Uttle which I have and being at this present I thank God in perfect health
of Bodie and Mind and if this Testament be not so formal according to the nice and strict terms
of Law and other Circumstances peradventure required of which I am ignorant I desire howsoever
this my Will may be accepted and stand good according to my true Intent and meaning First I
bequeath Animam Deo Corpus Terrse whensoever it shall please God to call me I give my Land
in Higham which my good Father Ralphe Burton of Lindly in the County of Leicester Esquire
gave me by Deed of Gift and that which I have annexed to that Farm by purchase since, now
leased for thirty eight pounds per Ann. to mine Elder Brother William Burton of Lindly Esquire
during his life and after him to his Heirs I make my said Brother William likewise mine Executor
as well as paying such Annuities and Legacies out of my Lands and Goods as are hereafter
specified I give to my nephew Cassibilan Burton twenty pounds Annuity per Ann. out of iny
Land in Higham during his life to be paid at two equall payments at our Lady Day in Lent and
Michaelmas or if he be not paid within fourteen Days after the said Feasts to distrain on any part
of the Ground or on any of my Lands of Inheritance Item I give to my Sister Katherine Jackson
during her life eight pounds per Ann. Annuity to be paid at the two Feasts equally as above said
or else to distrain on the Ground if she be not paid after fourteen days at Lindly as the other some
is out of the said Land Item I give to my Servant John Upton the Annuity of Forty Shillings out
of my said Farme during his life (if till then my Servant) to be paid on Michaelmas day in Lind-
ley each year or else after fourteen days to distrain Now for my goods I thus dispose them First I
give an Ctti pounds to Christ Church in Oxford where I have so long lived to buy five pounds
Lands per Ann. to be Yearly bestowed on Books for the Library Item I give an hundredth piund
to the University Library of Oxford to be bestowed to purchase five pound Land per Ann. to he
paid out Yearly on Books as Mrs. Brooks formerly gave an hundred pounds to buy Land to the
same purpose and the Rent to the same use I give to my Brother George Burton twenty pounds
and my watch I give to my Brother Ralph Burton five pounds Item I give to the Parish of Sea.
grave in Leicestershire where I am now Rector ten pounds to be given to a certain Feoffees to the
perpetual good of the said Parish Oxon* Item I give to my Niece Eugenia Burton One hundredth
pounds Item I give to my Nephew Richard Burton now Prisoner in London an hundredth pound
to redeem him Item I give to the Poor of Higham Forty Shillings where my Land is to the poor
of Nuneaton where I was once a Grammar Scholar three pound to my Cousin Purfey of Wadiake
[Wadley] my Cousin Purfey of Calcott my Cousin Hales of Coventry my Nephew Bradshaw of
Orton twenty shillings a piece for a small remembrance to Mr. Whitehall Rector of Cherkhy inyne
own Chamber Fellow twenty shillings I desire my Brother George and my Cosen Purfey of Cal-
cott to be the Overseers of this part of my Will I give moreover five pounds to make a small
Monument for my Mother where she is buried in London to my Brother Jackson forty shillings to
my Servant John Upton forty shillings besides his former Annuity if he be my Servant till I die
if he be till then my Servantf— ROBERT BURTON— Charles Russell Witness — John Pepper
Witness.
» So in the Register. t So in the Register.
viij Account of the Aullior.
An Appendix io this my Will if I die in Oxford or whilst I am of Christ Church and
with good Mr. laynes August the Fifteenth 1639.
I give to Mr. Doctor Fell Dean of Christ Church Forty Shillings to the Eight Canons twenty
Shillings a piece as a small remembrance to the poor of St. Thomas Parish Twenty Shillings to
Brasenose Library five pounds to Mr. Rowse of Oriell Colledge twenty Shillings to Mr. Heywooii
xxs. to Dr. Metcalfe xxs. to Mr. Sherley xxs. If I have any Books the University Library hath
not, let them take them If I have any I3ooks our own Library hath not, let them take them I give
to Mrs. Fell all my English Books of Husbandry one excepted to
her Daughter Mrs. Katherine Fell my Six Pieces of Silver Plate and six Silver spoons to Mrs. lies
my Gerards Herball To Mrs. Morris my Country Farme Translated out of French 4. and all my
English Physick Books to Mr. Whistler the Recorder of Oxford I give twenty shillings to all my
fellow Students Mfs of Arts a Book in fol. or two a piece as Master Morris Treasurer or Mr. Dean
shall appoint whom I request to be the Overseer of this Appendix and give him for his pains Atlas
Geografer and Ortelius Theatrum Mond' I give to John Fell the Dean's Son Student my Mathe-
matical Instruments except my two Crosse Staves which I give to my Lord of Doiinol if he be
then of the House To Thomas lies Doctor lies his Son Student Saluntch on Paurrhelia and
Lucian's Works in 4 Tomes If any books be left let my Executors dispose of them with all such
Books as are written with my own hands and half my Melancholy Copy for Crips hath the other
half To Mr. Jones Chaplin and Chanter my Surveying Books and Instruments To the Servants
of the House Forty Shillings ROB. BURTON— Charles Russell Witness — John Pepper Witness
— This Will was shewed to me by the Testator and acknowledged by him some few days before
his death to be his last Will Ita Testor John Morris S Th D. Prebendari' Eccl Chri' Oxon
Feb. 3, 1639.
Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum, &c. 11° 1640 Juramento Willmi Burton Fris'
et Executoris cui &c. de bene et fideliter adminislrand. &c. coram Mag'ris Nathanae.le
Stephens Rectore Eccl. de Drayton, et Edwardo Farmer, Clericis, vigore commis-
sionis, &c.
The only work our author executed was that now reprinted, which probably
was the principal employment of his life. Dr. Ferriar says, it was originally
published in the year 1G17; but this is evidently a mistake;* the' first edition was
that printed in 4to, 1621, a copy of which is at present in the collection of John
Nichols, Esq., the indefatigable illustrator of the History of Leicestershire ; to
whom, and to Isaac Reed, Esq., of Staple Inn, this account is greatly indebtea
for its accuracy. The other impressions of it were in 1624, 1628, 1632, 1638,
1651-2, 1660, and 1676, which last, in the titlepage, is called the eighth edition.
The copy from which the present is re-printed, is that of 1651-2 : at the con-
clusion of which is the following address:
"TO THE READER.
" BE pleased to know (Courteous Reader) that since the last Impression of this Book, the
ingenuous Author of it is deceased, leaving a Copy of it exactly corrected, with several consider-
able Additions by his own hand ; this Copy he committed to my care and custod}', with directions
to have those Additions inserted in the next Edition ; which in order to his command, and the
Publicke Good, is faithfully performed in this last Impression."
H. C. (i. e. HEN. CRIPPS.)
♦Originating, perhaps, in a note, p. 448, 6th edit. (p. 455 of the present), in which a book is quoted as having
been " printed at Paris 1624, seven years after Burton's first edition." As, however, the editions after that of
1621, are regularly marked in succession to the eighth, printed in 1676, there seems very little reason to doubt
that, in the note above alluded to, either 1624 has been a misprint for 1628, or seven years for three years. The
numerous typographical errata in other parts of the work strongly aid this latter supposition.
Account of the Author. ix
The following testimonies of various authors will serve to show the estimation
in which this work has been held : —
"The AsTATOMY OF MELANCHOLr, wherciii the author hath piled up variety of much exceller
learning. Scarce any book of philology in our land hath, in so short a tiiae, passed so many
edition*." — Fuller's Worthies, fol. IG,
" 'Tis a book so full of variety of reading, that gentlemen who have lost their time, and are put
to a push for invention, may furnish themselves with matter for common or scholastical discourse
and writing." — Wood's At/tenas Oxoniensis, vol. i. p. 628. 2d edit.
•'If you never saw BunTov urotf Melancholy, printed 1G76, I pray look into it, and read
the ninth page of his Preface, < Democrifus to the Reader.'. There is something there which
touches the point we are upon ; but I mention the author to you, as the pleasantest, the most
learned, and the most full of sterling sense. The wits of Queen Anne's reign, and the beginning
of George the First, were not a little beholden to him." — Archbishop Herring's Letters, 12mo.
1777. p. 149.
'■ Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, he (Dr. Johnson) said, was the only book that ever
took him out of bed two hours sooner than he wished to rise." — Bvswell's Life nf Johnson, vol. i.
p. 580. Bvo. edit.
" Bithton's Anatomy of Melancholy is a valuable book," said Dr. Johnson. " It is, per-
haps, overloaded with quotation. But there is great spirit and great power in what Burton says
when he writes from his own mind." — Ibid, vol. ii. p. 325.
'•It will be no detraction from the powers of Milton's original genius and invention, to remark,
that he seems to have borrowed the subject of V Allegro and // Penserosn, together with som-e
particular thoughts, expressions, and rhymes, more especially the idea of a contrast between these
two dispositions, from a forgotten poem prefixed to the first edition of Burton's Anatomy of
Melancholy, entitled, 'The Author's Abstract of Melancholy; or, A Dialogue between Pleasure
and Pain.' Here pain is melancholy. It was written, as I conjecture, about the year 1600. I
will make no apology, for abstracting and citing as much of this poem as will be sufficient to
prove, to a discerning reader, how f\ir it had taken possession of Milton's mind. The measure
will appear to be the same ; and that our author was at least an attentive reader of Burton's book,
may be already concluded from the traces of resemblance which I have incidentally noticed in
passing through the V Allegro and II Penseroso." — After extracting the lines, Mr. Warton adds,
"as to the very elaborate work to which these visionary verses are no unsuitable introduction, the
writer's variety of learning, his quotations from scarce and curious books, his pedantry sparkling
with rude wit and shapeless elegance, miscellaneous matter, intermixture of agreeable tales and
illustiations, and, perhaps, above all, the singularities of his feelings, clothed in an uncommon
quaintness of style, have contributed to render it, even to modern readers, a valuable i.'jpository of
amusement and information." — Warton's Milton, 2d edit. p. 94.
"The Anatomy of Melancholy is a book which has been universally read aid admired.
This work is, for the most part, what the author himself styles it, ' a cento ;' but it is a very
ingenious one. His quotations, which abound in every page, are pertinent ; but if ht had made
morn use of his invention and less of his commonplace-book, his work would perhaps have beeii
more valuable than it is. He is generally free from the aflfected language and ridiculou*, metaphors
which disgrace most of the books of his time." — Granger's Biographical History.
" Buhton's Anatomy of Melancholy, a book once the favourite of the learned and the
witty, and a source of surreptitious learning, though written on a regular plan, consip*K chiefly
of quotations : the author has honestly termed it a cento. He collects, under every divtt'vin, the
opinions of a multitude of writers, without regard to chronological order, and has too oftja the
modesty to decline the interposition of his own sentiments. Indeed the bulk of his m.iierials
generally overwhelms him. In the course of his folio he has contrived to treat a great variety
of topics, that seem very loosely connected with the general subject ; and, like Bayle, when he
starts a favourite train of quotations, he does not scruple to let the digression outrun the princip?!
question. Thus, from the doctrines of religion to military discipline, from inland navigation to
the morality of dancing-schools, every thing is discussed and determined." — Ferriar's Illustrations
of Sterne, p. 58.
2
X Account of ilie Author.
' The archness which Buhtox displays occasionally, and his indulgence of playful digression*
from the most serious discussions, often give his style an air of familiar conversation, notwith-
standing the laborious collections which supply his text. He was capable of writing excellent
poetry, but he seems to have cultivated this talent too little. The English verses prefixed to his
book, which possess beautiful imagery, and great sweetness of versification, have been frequently
])ublished. His Latin elegiac verses addressed to his book, shew a very agreeable turn for
raillery." — Ibid. p. 58.
" When the force of the subject opens his own vein of prose, we discover valuable sense and
brilliant expression. Such is his account of the first feelings of melancholy persons, written,
probably, from his own experience." [See p. 154, of the present edition.] — I/jid. p. 60.
" During a pedantic age, like that in which Burton's production appeared, it must have been
emrnently serviceable to writers of many descriptions. Hence the unlearned might furnish them-
selves with appropriate scraps of Greek and Latin, whilst men of letters would find their enquiries
shortened, by knowing where they might look for what both ancients and moderns had advanced
on the subject of human passions. I confess my inability to point out any other English author
who has so largely dealt in apt and original quotation." — Manuscript note of the lute George
Steerens, Esq., in his copy of The Anatojit of Melancholy.
(^i)
DEMOCRITUS JUNIOR AD LIBRUM SUUM.
Vade libur, qualis, non aitsim dicere, fcBlix,
Te nisi tcelicem fecerit Alma dies.
Vade tamen quocunque lubet, quascunque per
oras,
Et Gcnium Domini fac imitere tui.
I blandas inter Cliarites, mystamque saluta
Musarum quemvis, si tibi lector erit.
Rura colas, urbem, subeasve palatia regum,
Submisse, placide, te sine dcnte geras.
Nobilis, aut si quia te forte inspexerit heros,
Da te morigerum, perlegat usque lubet.
Est quod Nobilitas, est quod desideret heros,
Gratior hasc forsan charta placere potest.
Si quis morosus Cato, tetricusque Senator,
Hiinc etiam librum forte videre velit,
Sive magistratus, turn te reverenter habeto ;
Sed nuUus ; muscas non capiunt Aquilee.
Non vacat his tempus fugitivum impendere
nugis,
Nee tales cupio ; par mihi lector erit.
Si matrona gravis casu diverterit istuc,
Illustris domina, aut te Comitissa legat :
Est quod displiceat, placeat quod forsitan illis,
Ingerere his noli tc modo, pande tamen.
At si virgo tuas dignabitur inclyta chartas
Tangcre, sive schedis haereat ilia tuis:
Da modo tc facilem, et quaedam folia esse me-
mento
Conveniant oculis quae magis apta suis.
Si generosa ancilla tuos aut alma puella
Visura est ludos, annue, pande lubens.
Die utinam nunc ipse meus* (nam diligit istas)
In pra3sens esset conspiciendus herus.
Ignotus notusve mihi de gente togata
Sive aget in ludis, pulpita sive colet,
Sive in Lycceo, et nugas evolverit istas,
Si quasdam mendas viderit inspiciens.
Da veniam Authori, dices ; nam plurima vellet
Expungi, quag jam displicuisse sciat.
Sive Melancholicus quisquam, seu blandus
Amator,
Aulicus aut Civis, sou bene comptus Eques
Hue appellat, age et tuto te crede Icgenti,
Multa istic forsan non male nata leget.
Quod fugiat, caveat, quodque amplexabitur,
ista
Pagina fortassis promere multa potest.
At si quis Mcdicus coram te sistet, amice
Fac circumspecte, et te sine labe geras:
Inveniet namque ipse meis quoque plurima
scriptis,
Non leve subsidium quce sibi forsan erunt.
Si quis Causidicus chartas impingat in istas.
Nil mihi vobiscum, pessima turba vale ;
Sit nisi vir bonus, et juris sine fraude peritus,
Tum legat, et forsan doctior inde siet.
Si quis cordatus, facilis, lectorque benignus
Hue oculos vertat, quaa velit ipse legat ;
Candidus ignoscet, meiuas nil, pande libenter,
Offensus mendis non erit ille tuis,
Laudabit nonnuUa. Venit si Rhetor ineptus,
Limata et tersa, et qui bene cocta petit,
Claude citus librum ; nulla hie nisi ferrea verba,
Ofiendent stomachum quae minus apta suum.
At si quis non eximius de plebe poeta,
Annue ; namque istic plurima ficta leget.
Nos sumus e numero, nullus mihi spirat Apollo,
Grandiloquus Vates quilibet esse nequit.
Si Criticus Lector, tumidus Censorque molestus,
Zoilus et Momus, si rabiosa cohors :
Ringe, freme, et noli tum pandere, turba ma-
lignis
Si occurrat sannis invidiosa suis:
Fac fugias ; si nulla tibi sit copia eundi,
Contemnes, tacitu scommata quffique feres.
Frendeat, allatret, vacuas gannitibus auras
Impleat, baud cures; his placuisse nefas.
Verum age si forsan divertat purior hospes,
Cuique sales, ludi, displiceantque joci,
Objiciatque tibi sordes, lascivaque : dices,
Lasciva est Domino et Musa jocosa tuo,
Nee lasciva tamen, si pensitet omne ; sed esto ;
Sit lasciva licet pagina, vita proba est.
Barbarus, indoctusque rudis spectator in istam
Si messem intrudat, fuste fugabis eum,
Fungum pelle procul (jubeo) nam quid mihi
fungo ?
Conveniunt stomacho non minus ista suo.
Sed nee pelle tamen ; teto omnes accipe vuifu,
Quos, quas, vel quales, inde vel unde viros.
Gratus erit quicunque venit, gratissimus hospes
Quisquis erit, facilis difficilisque mihi.
Nam si culparit, quasdam culpasse juvabit,
Culpando faciet me meliora sequi.
Sed si laudarit, neque laudibus efterar ullis.
Sit satis hisce malis opposuisse bonum.
Haec sunt qua; nostro placuit mandare libello,
Et quae dimittens dicere jussit Herus.
* Hsc comiQd dicta cave ne mal6 capias.
( ^ij )
DEMOCRITUS JUNIOR TO HIS BOOK.
PAKArHKASTIC METRICAL TRANSLATION.
jo forth my book into the open day ;
Happy, if made so by its garish eye.
O'er earth's wide surface take thy vagrant way,
To imitate thy master's genius try.
The Graces three, the Muses nine sahite,
Should those who love them try to con thy lore.
The country, city seek, grand thrones to boot.
With gentle courtesy humbly bow before.
Should nobles gallant, soldiers frank and brave
Seek thy acquaintance, hail their first advance :
From twitch of care thy pleasant vein may save,
■Vlay laughter cause or wisdom give perchance.
Some surly Cato, Senator austere.
Haply may wish to peep into thy book :
Seem very nothing — tremble and revere :
No forceful eagles, butterflies e'er look.
riiey love not thee : of them then little seek,
And wish for readers triflers like thyself.
(">! ludeful matron watchful catch the beck.
Or gorgeous countess full of pride and pelf.
They may say " pish !" and frown, and yet read
on:
Cry odd, and silly, coarse, and yet amusing.
Should dainty damsels seek thy page to con.
Spread thy best stores : to them be ne'er re-
fusing :
Sqv, fair one, master loves thee dear as life ;
Would he were here to gaze on thy sweet look.
Should known or unknown student, freed from
strife
Of logic and the schools, explore my book :
Cry mercy critic, and thy book withhold:
Be some few errors pardon' d though observ'd :
An humble author to implore makes bold.
Thy kind indulgence, even undeserv'd,
Should melancholy wight or pensive lover,
Courtier, snug cit, or carpet knight so trim
Our blossoms cull, he'll find himself in clover,
Gain sense from precept, laughter from our
whim.
Should learned leech with solemn air unfold
Thy leaves, beware, be civil, and be wise :
Thy volume many precepts sage may hold.
His well fraught head may find no trifling prize.
Should crafty lawyer trespass on our ground,
Caitifl's avaunt ! disturbing tribe away !
Lnless (white crow) an honest one be found ;
He'll better, wiser go for what we say.
Should some ripe scholar, gentle and benign,
With candour, care, and judgment thee peruse:
I Thy faults to kind oblivion he'll consign;
I Nor to thy merit will his praise refuse.
Thou may'st be searched for polish' d words and
I verse
! By flippant spouter, emptiest of praters :
'< Tell him to seek them in some mawkish verse :
I My periods all are rough as nutmeg graters.
The doggerel poet, wishing thee to read.
Reject not ; let him glean thy jests and stories.
His brother I, of lowly sembling breed :
] Apollo grants to few Parnassian glories.
Menac'd by critic with sour furrowed brow,
I Momus or Troilus or Scotch reviewer:
Ruffle your heckle, grin and growl and vow :
Hl-natured foes you thus will find the fewer.
When foul-mouth'd senseless railers cry the-e
down.
Reply not : fly, and show the rogues thy stern:
They are not worthy even of a i'rown:
Good taste or breeding they can never learn ;
Or let them clamour, turn a callous ear,
As though in dread of some harsh donkey's
bray.
If chid by censor, friendly though severe,
To such explain and turn thee not away.
Thy vein, says he perchance, is all too free ;
Thy smutty language suits not learned pen :
Reply, Good Sir, throughout, the context see ;
Thought chastens thought ; so prithee judge
again.
Besides, although my master's pen may wander
Through devious paths, by which it ought not
stray.
His life is pure, beyond the breath of slander :
So pardon grant ; 'tis merely but his way.
Some rugged ruffian makes a hideous rout —
Brandish thy cudgel, threaten him to baste ;
The fihhy fungus far from thee cast out ;
Such noxious banquets never suit my taste.
Yet, calm and cautious moderate thy ire.
Be ever courteous should the case allow —
Sweet malt is ever made by gentle fire :
Warm to thy friends, give all a civil bow.
Even censure sometimes teaches to improve,
Slight frosts have often cured too rank a crop,
So, candid blame my spleen shall never move.
For skilful gard'ners wayward branches lop.
Go then, my book, and bear my words in mind ;
Guides safe at once, and pleasant them you'll
find.
( xi'i )
THE ARGUMENT OF THE FRONTISPIECE.
Ten distinct Squares here seen apart,
Are joined in one by Cutter's art.
Old Democritus under a tree,
Sits on a stone with book on knee ;
About him hang there many features,
Of Cats, Dogs and such Hke creatures
Of which he makes anatomy,
The seat of black choler to see.
Over his licad appears the sky,
And Saturn Lord of melancholy.
II.
To the left a landscape of Jealousy,
Presents itself unto thine eye.
A Kingfisher, a Swan, an Hern,
Two fighting-cocks you may discern.
Two roaring Bulls each other hie,
To assault concerning venery.
Symbols are these ; I say no m.ore,
Conceive the rest by that's afore.
The next of solitariness,
A portraiture doth well express.
By sleeping dog, cat: Buck and Doe,
Hares, Conies in the desert go :
Bats, Owls the shady bovvers over,
In melancholy darkness hover.
Mark well: If't be not as 't should be.
Blame the bad Cutter, and not me.
I'th' under column there doth stand
Inamorato with folded hand;
Down hangs his head, terse and polite,
Some ditty sure he doth indite.
His lute and books about him lie,
As symptoms of his vanity.
If this do not enough disclose.
To naint him, take thyself by th' nose.
Hy-pocondrincus leans on his arm,
^ WinH in his side doth him much harm,
And troubles him full sore, God knows
Much -ain V" hath and many woes.
About him pots and glasses lie.
Newly brought from's Apothecary.
This Saturn's aspects signify.
You see them portray'd in the sky.
Beneath them kneeling on his knee,
A superstitious man you see :
He fasts, prays, on his Idol fixt,
Tormented hope and fear betwixt:
For Hell perhaps he takes more pain.
Than thou dost Heaven itself to gain.
Alas poor soul, I pity thee.
What stars incline thee so to be ?
But see the madman rage downright
With furious looks, a ghastly sight.
Naked in chains bound doth he lie,
And roars amain he knows not why !
Observe him ; for as in a glass.
Thine angry portraiture it was.
His picture keeps still in thy presence ;
'Twixt him and thee, there's no difierence.
VIII, IX.
Borage and Hellehor fill two scenes.
Sovereign plants to purge the veins
Of melancholy, and cheer the heart,
Of those black fumes which make it smart ;
To clear the brain of misty fogs.
Which dull our senses, and Soul clogs.
The best medicine that e'er God made
For this malady, if well assay'd.
X.
Now last of all to fill a place,
Presented is the Author's face ;
And in that habit which he wears.
His image to the world appears.
His mind no art can well express,
That by his writings j'ou may guess.
It was not pride, nor yet vain glory,
(Though others do it commonly)
Made him do this : if you must know,
The Printer would needs have it so.
Then do not frown or scoiTat it.
Deride not, or detract a whit.
For surely as thou dost by him.
He will do the same again.
Then look upon't, behold and see.
As thou lik'st it, so it likes thee.
And I for it will stand in view.
Thine to command. Reader, adieu.
(xiv)
THE AUTHOFx'S ABSTRACT OF MELANCHOLY, A.«A«y;,.
\Vhe\ I go musing all alone
Thinking of divers things fore-known.
When I build castles in the air,
Void of sorrow and void of fear,
Pleasing myself with phantasms sweet,
Methinks the time runs very fleet.
All my joys to this are folly,
Naught so sweet as melancholy.
When I lie waking all alone,
Recounting what I have ill done.
My thoughts on me then tyrannise,
Fear and sorrow me surprise,
Whether I tarry still or go,
Methinks the time moves very slow.
All rny griefs to this are jolly.
Naught so mad as melancholy.
When [o myself I act and smile,
With pleasing thoughts the time beguile,
By a brook side or wood so green,
Unheard, unsought for, or unseen,
A thousand pleasures do me bless.
And crown my soul with happiness.
All my joys besides are folly.
None so sweet as melancholy.
When I lie, sit, or walk alone,
I sigh, I grieve, making great mone,
In a dark grove, or irksome den.
With discontents and Furies then,
A thousand miseries at once
Mine heavy heart and soul ensonce,
All my griefs to this are jolly,
^ None so sour as melancholy.
Methinks I hear, methmks I see,
^^weet nmsic, wondrous melody,
Towns, palaces, and cities fine ;
Here now, then there ; tiie world is mine.
Rare beauties, gallant ladies shine,
Whate'er is lovely or divine.
All other joys to this are folly.
None so sweet as melancholy.
Methinks I hear, methinks I see
Ghosts, goblins, fiends; my phantasy
Presents a thousand ugly shapes.
Headless bears, black men, and apes,
Doleful outcries, and fearful sights,
My sad and dismal soul affrights.
All my griefs to this are jolly,
\ None so damn'd as melancholy.
Methinks I court, methinks I kiss,
Methinks I now embrace my mistress.
0 blessed days, 0 sweet content.
In Paradise my time is spent.
Such thoughts may still my fancy move,
So may I ever be in love.
All my joys to this are folly.
Naught so sweet as melancholy.
When I recount love's many frights,
My sighs and tears, my waking nights,
My jealous fits ; O mine hard late
1 now repent, but 'tis too late.
No torment is so bad as love.
So bitter to my soul can prove.
All my griefs to this are jolly.
Naught so harsh as melancholy.
Friends and companions get you gone,
'Tis my desire to be alone ;
Ne'er well but when my thoughts and I
Do domineer in privacy.
No Gem, no treasure like to this,
'Tis my delight, my crown, my bliss.
All my joys to this are folly.
Naught so sweet as melancholy.
'Tis my sole plague to be alone,
I am a beast, a monster grown,
I will no light nor company,
I find it now my misery.
The scene is turn'd, my joys are gone.
Fear, discontent, and sorrows come.
All my griefs to this are jolly.
Naught so fierce as melancholy.
I'll not change life with any king,
I ravisht am: can the world bring
More joy, than still to laugh and snule.
In pleasant toys time to beguile ?
Do not, O do not trouble me.
So sweet content I feel and see.
All my joys to this are folly.
None so divine as melancholy.
I'll change my stale with any wretch,
Thou canst from gaol or dunghill fetch •
My pain's past cure, another hell,
I may not in this torment dwell !
Now desperate I hate my life.
Lend me a halter or a knife ;
All my griefs to this are jolly,
Naught so damn'd as melancholy.
DEMOCRITUS JUNIOR
TO THE READER.
fy ENTLE reader, I presume thou wilt be very inquisitive to know what antic or
vT personate actor this is, that so insolently intrudes upon this common theatre, to
the world's view, arrogating another man's name; whence he is, why he doth it, and
what he hath to say; although, as 'he said, Primum si noluero, non rcspondeho, quis
coacturus est? I am a free man born, and may choose whether I will tell; who can
compel me ? If I be urged, 1 will as readily reply as that Egyptian in ^Plutarch, when
a curious fellow would needs know what he had in his basket, Quumvides velatam,
quid inquiris in rem absconditam ? It was therefore covered, because he should not
know what was in it. Seek not after that which is hid; if the contents please thee,
■^and be for thy use, suppose the Man in the Moon, or whom thou wilt to be the
Author;" I would not willingly be known. Yet in some sort to give thee satisfac-
tion, which is more thaa I need, 1 will show a reason, both of this usurped name,
title, and subject. And first of the name of Democritus ; lest any man, by reason of
it, should be deceived, expecting a pasquil, a satire, some ridiculous treatise (as I
myself should have done), some prodigious tenet, or paradox of the earth's motion,
of infinite worlds, in infinito vacuo^ ex fortuita atomorum collisione^ in an infinite
waste, so caused by an accidental collision of motes in the sun, all which Democritus
held, Epicurus and their master Lucippus of old maintained, and are lately revived
by Copernicus, Brunus, and some others. Besides, it hath been always an ordinary
custom, as * Gellius observes, " for later writers and impostors, to broach many absurd
and insolent fictions, under the name of so noble a philosopher as Democritus, to
get themselves credit, and by that means the more to be respected," as artificers
usually do, JS'ovo qui marmori aserihunt Praxatilem suo. 'Tis not so with me.
5 Non hie Centaiirus, non Gorgonas, Harpyasque 1 No Centaurs here, or Gorgons look to find,
Invenies, honiinem pagina nostra sapit. 1 My subject is of man and human kind.
Thou thyself art the subject of my discourse.
" Quicquid asunt homines, votum, timor, ira, voluptas, I Whate'er men do, vows, fears, in ire, in sport,
Gaudia, discursus, nostri farrago libelli. I Joys, wand'rings, are the sum of my report.
My intent is no otherwise to use his name, than Mercurius Gallobelgicus, Mercu-
rius Britannicus, use the name of Mercury, '' Democritus Christianus, &c. ; although
there be some other circumstances for which I have masked myself under this vizard,
and some peculiar respect which I cannot so w^ell express, until I have set down a
brief character of this our Democritus, what he was, with an Epitome of his life.
Democritus, as he is described by ^Hippocrates and ^Laertius, was a little wearislt"^
old man, very melancholy by nature, averse from company in his latter days,'" and
much given to solitariness, a famous pliilosopher in his age, ^^cocsvics with Socrates,
wholly addicted to his studies at the last, and to a private life: wrote many excellent
works, a great divine, according to tlie divinity of those times, an expert physician, .
a politician, an excellent mathematician, as '^Diacosmus and the rest of his works /f
do witness. He was much delighted with the studies of husbandry, sailh '^Columella,
and often I find him cited by " Constantinus and others treating of that subject. He
knew the natures, differences of all beasts, plants, fishes, birds ; and, as some say,
could '^understand the tunes and voices of them. In a word, he was omnifariam
doctus, a general scholar, a great student ; and to the intent he might better contem-
' Seneca in ludo in mortem Claudli Csesaris. 8 Hip. Epist. Dameget. SLaert.IibO. 'o Hor-
' Lib. de Curiositate. ^ Mod5 heec tibi usui sint, tulo sibi cellulam seligens, ibi(iue seipsum includeus,
q\ienivis auctoreni fingito. Wecker. ^ Lib. 10, c. vixit solitarius. " Floruit Olympiade 80; 700 annis
12 Multa a mal6 feriatis in Democriti nomine com- postTroiam. " Diacos. quod cunctis operibus facil6
Dienta data, nobililatis, auctoriiaiisque ejus perfugio I excellit. LaSrt. is Col. lib. 1. c. 1. '■< Const, lib.
iitentibus. * Martialis, lib. 10, epigr. 14. e Juv. de agric. passim. Js Volucrum voces et liiiguas
sa*. J ' Aulh. Pet. Besseo edit. Colonic, If '.6. | intelligere se dicit Abderitans Ep. Hip.
1 6 Democrifus to the Reader.
plate, '^ I find it related by some, that he put out his eyes, and was in his old age
voluntarily blind, yet saw more than all Greece besides, and '^writ of every subject,
J\lhil in iota opificlo natiira;, de quo nan scripsit.^^ A man of an excellent wit, pro-
found conceit ; and to attain knowledge the better in his younger years, he travelled
to Egypt and '^Athens, to cqnfer with learned men, ^""admired of some, despised of
others." After a wandering life, he settled at Abdera, a town in Thrace, and was
sent for thither to be their law-maker, Recorder, or town-clerk, as some will ; or as
others, he was there bred and born. Howsoever it was, there he lived at last in a
garden in the suburbs, wholly betaking himself to his studies and a private life,
"■"^'saving that sometimes he would walk down to the haven, ^^and laugli heartily at
such variety of ridiculous objects, which there he saw." Such a one was Democritus.
But in the mean time, how doth this concern me, or upon what reference do I
usurp his habit .'' I confess, indeed, that to compare myself unto him for aught 1
have yet said, were both impudency and arrogancy. I do not presume to make any
parallel, Jlniisiat viihi inUUJms trecentis, ^parvus sum, nullus sum, altum ncc spiro^
nee spcro. Yet thus much I will say of myself, and that I hope without all suspi-
cion of pride, or sell-conceit, I have lived a silentj..^edenlai::v", solitary, private life,
mihl et musls m- tho Univorsity, as long almost as Xenocrates in "Athens, «fZ scnecTam
fere to learn wisdom as he did, penned up most part in my study. For I have been
brought up a student in the most flourishing college of Europe,-^ augustlssimo collegia,
and can brag with ^^Jovius, almost, in cci luce domicilii Vacicani, totius orhis csle-
herrimi, jjcr 37 annos miilla opportunaque didici ;" for thirty years I have continued
(having the use of as good ^"^ libraries as ever he had) a scholar, and would be there-
fore loth, either by living as a drone, to be an unprofitable or unworthy member of
so learned and noble a society, or to write that which should be any way dishonour-
able to such a royal and ample foundation. Something I have done, though by my
profession a (Hvine, yet turbine rap)tus ingcnii, as ^'he said, out of a running wit, an
imeonstant, unsettled mind, I had a great desire (not able to attain to a superficial
skill in any) to have some smattering in all, to be aliquis in omnibus, nullus in sin-
gulis^^ which ^°Plato commends, out of him ^"Lipsius approves and furthers, "as fit
to be imprinted in all curious wits, not to be a slave of one science, or dwell alto-
gether in one subject, as most do, but to rove abroad, cenlum pucr artiwn, to have
an oar in every man's boat, to ^' taste of every dish, and sip of every cup," which,
saith '^^ Montaigne, was Avell performed by Aristotle, and his learned countryman
,\t{rian Turnebus. This roving humour (though not widi like success) I have ever
had, and like a ranging spaniel, that barks at every bird he sees, leaving his game, I
liave followed all, saving that which I should, and may justly complain, and truly,
qui ubique est, misquam est^'^ which '^'Gesner did in modesty, that I have read many
books, but to little purpose, for want of good method ; I have confusedly tumbled
over divers authors in our libraries, with small profit, for want of art, order, memory,
judgment. I never travelled but in map or card, in which my unconfined thoughts
have freely expatiated, as having ever been especially delighted with tlie study of
Cosmography. ^^ Saturn was lord of my geniture, culminating, &c,, and Mars prin-
cipal significator of manners, in partile conjunction with my ascendant; both fortunate
in their houses, &c. I am not poor, I am not rich •, nihil est, nihil dcest, I have
little, I want nothing : all my treasure is in Minerva's tower. Greater preferment as I
could never get, so am I not in debt for it, I have a competence (laus Deo) from my
noble and munificent patrons, thougl] I live still a collegiate student, as Democritus
ill his garden, and lead a monastic life, ipse mild theatrum, sequestered from those tu-
mults and troubles of the world, Et tanquam in specula positus, (^^as he said) in some
'6SabelIiciisexenipl.,lib.lO. Oculisseprivavit, utme- Hist. 26 Keeper of our college library, lately re-
lius contemplationi operam daret, sublinii vir ingenio, i vived by Olho Nicolson, Esquire. '^' Scaliter.
profuudai ciigitatioiiis, &c. '^ Naturalia. moralia, ! 28 Somebody in everything, nobody in each thing,
malhematica, liberales disciplinas, artiunique om- i 59 in Theat. so piJa. Stoic, li. diff. 8. Dogma cu-
niuin peritiain callebat. '" Nothing in nature's jiidis et curiosis ingeniis impriinendum, ut sit talis qui
power to contrive of which he has not written, nulli rei serviat,aut exacts unum aliquid elaboret, alia
i« Veni Athenas, et nemo me novit. 20 jdeni con- ; neglisens, ut artifices, &c. si Delibare gratum de
temptui et admirationi habitus. 21 Solebat ad quocunque cibo, et pittisare de quocunquo dolio ju-
poriam ambiilare, et inde, &c. Ilip. Ep. Dameg. cundum. ^-i Essays, lib. 3. -is He f-at is
-■Perpetuorisu pulrnonein agitare solebat Democritus. ' everywhere is nowhere. s' Pra;fat. bibliothec.
Juv. Sat. 7. '■* Nnn sum dignus praestare niatella. ss Anibo fortes et fortunati. Mars idem niagisletii do-
Marl. " Christ Church in Oxford. ^ Prsefat. minus juxta primani Leo vitiiregulam. !« Hensiui
Democritus to the Reader. 17
high place above you all, like Stoicus Sapiens, omnia scecula, praterita presmtisque
' vidcns.uno velut intuitu, i hear and see what is done abroad, how others ^"run, ride,
tunnoil, and macerate themselves in court and country, far from those wrangling
xawsuits, aulce vanitatem, fori amUtionem, ridere mecuni soleo : I laugh at all, ^only
secure, lest my suit go amiss, my ships perish, corn and cattle miscarry, trade decay,
I have no wife nor children good or bad to provide for. A mere spectator of other
men's fortunes and adventures, and how they act their parts, which methinks are
diversely presented unto me, as from a common theatre or scene. I hear new news
everv day, and those ordinarj^ rumours of war, plagues, fires, inundations, thefts,
murders," massacres, meteors, comets, spectrums, prodigies, apparitions, of towns
taken, cities besieged in France, Germany, Turkey, Persia, Poland, kc, daily musters
and preparations, and such like, Avhich these tempestuous tunes aftbrd, battles fought,
so many men slain, monomachies, shipwrecks, piracies and sea-fights ; peace, leagues,
stratagems, and fresh alarms. A vast confusion of vows, wishes, actions, edicts,
petitions, lawsuits, pleas, laws, proclamations, complaints, grievances are daily
brouofht to our ears. New books every day, pamphlets, cuiTantoes, stories, whole
catalogues of volumes of all sorts, new paradoxes, opinions, schisms, heresies, con-
troversies in philosophy, religion, &c. Now come tidings of weddings, maskings,
mummeries, entertainments, jubilees, embassies, tilts and tournaments, trophies,
triumphs, revels, sports, plays : then again, as m a new shifted scene, treasons,
cheating tricks, robberies, enonuous villanies in all kinds, funerals, burials, deaths
of princes, new discoveries, expeditions, now comical, then tragical matters. To-day
we hear of new lords and officers created, to-morrow of some great men deposed,
and then again of fresh honours conferred ; one is let loose, another imprisoned ;
one purchaseth, another breaketh : he thrives, his neighbour turns bankrupt ; now
plenty, then again dearth and famine ; one runs, another . rides, wrangles, laughs,
weeps, &i.c. Thus J daily hear, and such like, both private and public news, amidst
the gallantry and misery of the world •, jollity, pride, pei-plexities and cares, simplicity
and villany ; subtlety, knavery, candour and integrity, mutually mixed and ofiering
themselves; I rub on privus privatus ; as I have still lived, so I now continue, statu
quo prills, left to a solitaiy life, and mine own domestic discontents : saving tliat
sometimes, ne quid mentiar, as Diogenes went into the city, and Democritus to the
haven to see fashions, I did for my recreation now and then walk abroad, look into
the world, and could not choose but make some little observation, non tarn sagax
observator, ac simplex rccitator,^^ not as they did, to scoff or laugh at all, but with a
mixed passion.
*" Bilem sffp6, jocum vestri mov6re tumultus.
Ye wretched mimics, whose fond beats have been.
How oft; the objects of my mirth and spleen.
I did sometime laugh and scoff with Lucian, and satirically tax with Menippus^
lament with Heraclitus, sometimes again I was *^petulanti splene chachinno, and then
again, *^urere bilis jecur, I was much moved to see that abuse which I could not
mend. In which passion howsoever I may sympathize with him or them, 'tis for
no such respect I shroud myself under his name ; but either in an unknown habit to
assume a little more liberty and freedom of speech, or if you will needs know, for
that reason and only respect which |Tippocrat.ps re1,ites atjarge in his Epistle to
^Tnfi;(*lin.u.jvvherein hp doth ^ex-press, how c^omin<y to visit him one day, he found
D.emQerit«»JjLhis garden at Abdera, in the suburbs, ''^under a shady bower, ""^Avith
a book on his knees, busy at his stiidy, g^^I^PMrnfLS >YT'it'"ri g<^*"gtimo^ ivnllrintT
ThA-^TT^rpci-nf ]]\^ hnok wnf' inP^''"'"bn]Y "^id madness; about him lay the carcases,
iULmaav several beasts, neyly by him ctit. up and anntnipispd "nnt thiTtlTr did con-
temn God's creatures, as he told Hippocrates, but to tind out the seat of this afra
biUs,.Qr.joae\ an el] oT v^wb pncp it proceeds, and how it was engendered in men's bodies,
to the intent he might better cure it jn himself, and by his wiitings and observation
^ Calide ambientes, solicite litigantes, aut misere ex- 1 *" Hor. lib. 1, sat. 9. ^' Secundum mcEiiia locus era*
eidentes, voces, strepitum contentiones, &c. 3« fyp | frondosis populis opacus, vitibusque spnnte natis,
ad Donat. Unice securus, ne escidam in foro. aut in ! tenuis prope aqua defluebat, placide murmurans, ubi
mari Indico bonis elua, de dote filije. patrimonio filii '
non sum snlicitus. 3^ Not so sagacious an ob-
server as simple a narrato> ••■> Hor. Ep. lib. 1.
r««.,20. "Per. A laughter with a petulant spleen
b2
sedile et donuis Democriti conspiciebatur. '^ Ipse
composite considebat, supe. genua volumen habent,
et utrinque alia patentia parata, dissectaqiie anitnalia
curaulatim strata, quorum viscera rimabatur.
. 8 Democritus to the Reaaer.
■•^ teach others how to prevent and avoid it. Which good intent of his, Hippocidiea
liighly commended : Democritus Junior is therefore bold to imitate, and because he
left it imperfect, and it is now lost, quasi mccenturiator Dcmocriti, to revive again,
prosecute, and fimsh in this treatise.
You have had a reason of the name. If the title and inscription offend your
gravity, were it a sufficient justification to accuse others, I could produce many sober
treatises, even sermons themselves, which in their fronts carry more fantastical
names. Howsoever, it is a kind of policy. in these days, to prefix a fantastical title
lo a book which is to be sold ; for, as larks come down to a daj'-net, many vain
readers will tarry and stand gazing like silly passengers at an antic picture in a
painter's shop, that will not look at a judicious piece. And, indeed, as ''^Scaliger
observes, " nothing more invites a reader than an argument unlooked for, unthought
of, and sells better than a scurrile pamphlet," turn maxhne cum novitas excitat. ^'pa-
latum. "IMany men," saith Gellius, "are very conceited in their inscriptions,"
"' and able (as "'*' Pliny quotes out of Seneca) to make him loiter by the way that went
in haste to fetch a midwife for his daughter, now ready to lie down." For my part,
I have honourable *' precedents for this which I have done : I will cite one for all,
Anthony Zara, Pap. Epis., his Anatomy of Wit, in four sections, members, subsec-
tions, &c., to be read in our libraries.
If any man except against the matter or manner of treating of this my subject, and
will demand a reason of it, I can allege more than one ; I write of melancholy, by
being busy to avoid melancholy. There is no greater cause of melancholy than
idleness, '■' no better cure than business," as ^"Rhasis holds : and howbeit, stultus labor
est ineptiarum, to be busy in toys is to small purpose, yet hear that divine Seneca,
aJiud agcre qucmi n'lhiJ, better do to no end, than nothing. I wrote therefore, and
busied myself in this playing labour, otiosaq ; diligentid ut vitarcm torporcm feriandi
with Vectius in JMacrobius, atq ; otiiim in utile verterem negotium.
51 Simiil et jucunda et idonea dicere vitre,
Lectorein deluctando simul atque monondo.
Poets would profit or delight mankind.
And with the pleasing have th' instructive joined.
Profit and pleasure, then, to mix with art,
T' inform the judgment, nor otiend the heart,
Shall gain all votes.
To this end I write, like them, saith Lucian, that " recite to trees, and declaim to
pillars for want of auditors : " as " Paulus jEgineta ingenuously confesseth, '• not that
anything was unknown or omitted, but to exercise myself," which course if some
took, I think it would be good for their bodies, and much better for their souls ; oi
peradventure as others do, for fame, to show myself ( Scire tuum nihil est^ nisi le
scire hoc sciat alter). I might be of Thucydides' opinion, ®^" to know a thing and
not to express it, is all one as if he knew it not." AVhen I first took this task in
hand, et quod ait ^illr, impellente gcnio negotium suscepi, this I aimed at; ^ vel ut
■ lenirem animum scribcndo, to ease my mind by writing; for I had gravidum cor^
fcetum caput., a kind of imposthume in my head, Avhich I was very desirous to be
unladen of, and could imagine no fitter evacuation than this. Besides, I might not
well refrain, for uhi dolor., ibi digitus, one must needs scratch where it itches. I was
not a little oflended with this malady, shall I say my mistress " melancholy, " my
-iEgeria, or my malus genius? and for that cause, as he that is stung with a scorpion,
I would expel clavum clavo, '^ comfort one sorrow with another, idleness wdth idle-
ness, ut ex viperd Theriacmn, make an antidote out of that which was the prime
cause of my disease. Or as he did, of whom "' Felix Plater speaks, ^hat thought he
had some of Aristophanes' frogs in his belly, still crymg Breec, ckcx, coax, coax,
oop, oop, and for that cause studied physic seven years, and travelled over most part
*> Cum mundus extra se sit, et mente captus sit, et | Antimony, &c. ^oCont. I. 4, c. 9. Non est
nesciat se lan^'uere, ut medelani adhibeat. « Sea- i cura mel'ior quim labor. si Hor. De Arte Poaet.
liger, Ep. ad Patisonem. Nihil masis lectorem invitat i 53 Non quod de novo quid addere, aut i veteribus pr<e.
quani in opinatmn argument uin, neque vendihiliornierx termissuin, sed propria exercitationis causa. =3 Qui
est quim petulans lilier. '■ Lib. xx. c. 11. Miras j novit, neque id quod sentit expriniit, perinde est ac si
pequunlur insnriptiouum festivitates. * Praefit. ' nescitet. *' Jovius Prief. Hist. so Erasmua.
Nat. Hist. Patrinbstetriceni parturient! Iili;p aoctTsenti I se ^tiumotio dolorem dolore sum EOlatus. -'' Ob-
moram injicere possnut. ^^ Anatomy of Popery, set rat. 1. 1.
Anatomy of immortality, Angelus salas, Anatomy of
Democritus to the Reader,
19
of Europe to ease himself. To do myself frood I turned over such physiciang
our librariesjvould afford, or my ^^ private friends uTipart, ana nave taken this pams.
And wliy noT? Grmtaif professeth he wrote his book, "De Consolatione" after his
son's death, to comfort himself; so did Tully Avrite of the same subject with like
intent after his daughter' s departure, if it be his at least, or some impostor' s put out
in his name, which Lipsius probably suspects. Concerning myself, 1 can peradven-
ture athrm with Blarius in Sallust, ^^" that which others hear or read of, I felt and
practised myself; they get their knowledge by books, I mine by melancholising."
Experto crede Roberto. Something I can speak out of experience, cvnmnabiUs expe-
ricntia me docult ; and with her in the poet, ^°Haud ignara mail miseris sicccurrere
disco ; I would help others out of a fellow-feeling ; and, as that virtuous lady did
of old, ^"' being a leper herself, bestow all her portion to build an hospital for lepers,"
I will spend my time and knowledge, which are my greatest fortunes, for the common
good of all.
Yea, but you will infer that this is ^^ actum agere, an unnecessary work, cramhen
his coctam apponnere, the same again and again in other words. To Avhat purpose .''
'"•^'^ Nothing is omitted that may well be said," so thought Lucian in the like theme.
How many excellent physicians have written just volumes and elaborate tracts of
this subject } No news here ; that which I have is stolen from others, ^^Dicitque
mihi mea pagina fur es. If that severe doom of ^^Synesius be true, " it is a greater
offence to steal dead men's labours, than their clothes," what shall become of most
writers .? I hold up my hand at the bar among others, and am guilty of felony in
this kind, habes confitcntcm remn^ I am content to be pressed Avith the rest. 'Tis
most true, ^enei insanabile multos scribcndi cacoethes, and ^®" there is no end of
writing of books," as the Wise-man found of old, in this ^' scribblmg age, especially
wherein ''^" the number of books is without number, (as a worthy man saith,) presses
be oppressed," and out of an itching humour that every man hath to show himself,
*® desirous of fame and honour (scribimus indocti doctique ) he will write no
matter what, and scrape together it boots not whence. '""Bewitched with this
desire of fame, etiam mcdiis in morbis^ to the disparagement of their health, and
scarce able to hold a pen, tiiey must say something, "''and get themselves a name,"
saith Scaliger, " though it be to the downfall and ruin of many others." To be
counted writers, scrij)tores ut salutentur, to be thought and held Polumathes and
Polyhistors, apud imperitiim vulgus oh ventosce nomen artis, to get a paper-kingdom:
nulla spe qucestus scd ampld famcB., in this precipitate, ambitious age, nunc ut est
sceculum^i inter immaturam eruditioncm.) ambitiosum et j^rceceps ('tis ^^ Scaliger's cen-
sure) ; and they that are scarce auditors, vix auditores, must be masters and teachers,
before they be capable and fit hearers. They will rush into all learning, togatam
armatam., divine, human authors, rake over all indexes and pamphlets for notes, as
our merchants do strange havens for traffic, write great tomes. Cum non sint re vera
doctiores^ sed loquaciores., whereas they are not thereby better scholars, but greater
praters. They commonly pretend public good, but as "^Gesner observes, 'tis pride
and vanity that eggs them on ; no news or aught worthy of note, but the same in
other terms. JS^e fcriarenlur fortasse typographic vel ideo scribcndum est aliqnid ut
se vixisse testentur. As apotliecaries we make new mixtures every day, pour out
of one vessel into another ; and as those old Romans robbed all the cities of the
world, to set out their bad-sited Rome, Ave skim off the cream of other men"'s AA'its,
pick tlie choice tloAvers of their tilled gardens to set out our oAvn sterile plots.
Castrant alios ut li.bros suos per se graciles alieno adipe suffarciant (so '^JoA'ius
inveighs.) They lard their lean books Avith the fat of others' Avorks. Ineruditi
fures, &c. A fault that CA'ery AA'riter finds, as I do now, and yet faulty themselves,
o' M. Job. Rous, our Protobib. Oxon. M. Hopper, M.
Guthri(I<;e, Sic. ^ Qu^ illi audire et le^ere solent,
eoruin partiin virli esoinel, alia gessi, quse illi Uteris,
e?o niilitando didici, nunc vos existimate facta an
dicta pturis sint. "'Dido Vir?. "Taugbt by thai
Power that pities me, I learn to pity tliein." ^' Cam-
den, Ipsa elephantiasi correpta elephantiasis hospicium
construxit. '■'-niada post Homeruiii. " xihj]
|ir!Etcruiissnm quod a quovis dici possit. ^^'Mar-
tialis. <» Magis impium niortuorurn lucubrationes,
qnira Testes furaii. <»Eccl. ult. «' Libros
Eunuchi gignunt, steriles pariunt. "' D. King
prcpfat. lect. Jonas, the late right reverend Lord B.
of London. ^^ Homines famelici eloria; ad osten-
tationem eruditionis undique congerunt. iJucliananus.
■0 Effacinati etiam laudis amore, &c. Justus Bamnius.
"1 Ex ruinisalienipexistimationissibigradum adfamam
struunt. '^ Exercit. 286. " omnessibifamam
qujerunt et quovis modo in orbem spargi contendunt,
ut novEB alicujus rei babeantur auctores. Pr«Bf. bibli-
oth. ''* Prsefat. hist.
20
Democritus to the Reader.
" Trium liter arum /jommes, all thieves; they pilfer out of old writers to stuff up their
new comments, scrape Enuius dung-hills, and out of ""^Democritus' pit, as I have
done. By which means it comes to pass, "" that not only libraries and sliops are
full of our putrid papers, but every close-stool and jakes, Scrlhunt carmina quce.
le glint cacantes ; they serve to put under pies, to '''lap spice in, and keep roast-meat
from burning. "With us in France," saith ™Scaliger, "every man hath liberty to
write, but few ability. ^'° Heretofore learning was graced by judicious scholars, but
now noble sciences are vilified by base and illiterate scribblers," that either write
for vain-glory, need, to get money, or as Parasites to flatter and collogue with some
great men, they put out ^^ hurras, quisqidrLci^ue incptiasque. ®' Amongst so many
thousand autliors you shall scarce find one, by reading of whom you shall be any
whit better, but rather much worse, quibus inficitur potius, qudm perjicitur, by which
he is rather infected than any way perfected.
— Qui talia legit,
Quid didicit tandem, quid scit nisi soninia, nugasl
So that oftentimes it falls out (which Callimachus taxed of old) a great book is a
great mischief. ^Cardan finds fault with Frenchmen and Germans, for their scrib-
blino- to no purpose, non inquit ah edcndo dttcrreo, modo novum aUquul inveniant,
he doth not bar them to write, so that it be some new invention of their own ; but
we weave the same web still, twist the same rope again and again ; or if it be a new
invention, 'tis but some bauble or toy which idle fellows write, for as idle fellows to
read, and who so cannot invent ? ®^" He must have a barren wit, that in tliis scrib-
bling age can forge nothing. ^^ Princes show their armies, rich men vaunt their build-
ings, soldiers their manhood, and scholars vent their toys ;" they must read, they
must hear whether they will or no.
8T Et quodcunque semel chartis illeverit, oinnes
Gestiet a. furno redeuntes scire lacuque,
Et pueros et anus
What once is said and writ, all men tnust know.
Old wives and children as they come and go.
" What a company of poets hath this year brought out," as Pliny complains to
Sossius Sinesius. ^"This April every day some or other have recited." What a
catalogue of new books all this year, all this age (I say), have our Frankfort Marts,
our domestic Marts brought out? Twice a year, ^'^'•'- Profertmt se nova ingcniaet
ostentant, we stretch our wits out, and set them to sale, viagno conalu nihil agimus.
So that wiiich ^"Gesner much desires, if a speedy reformftfion be not had, by some
Prince's Edicts and grave Supervisors, to restrain this liberty, it Avill run on in infi-
nitum. Quis tarn avidus lihrorum helluo, who can read them .'' As already, we
shall have a vast Chaos and confusion of books, we are ^' oppressed with them, ^^ our
eyes ache Avith reading, our fingers with turning. For my part I am one of the
number, 7ios numerus sumus, (we are mere cyphers) : I do not deny it, I have only
this of Macrobius to say for myself, Omne meum, nihil meum, 'tis all mine, and none
mine. As a good housewife out of divers fleeces weaves one piece of cloth, a bee
gathers wax and honey out of many flowers, and makes a new bundle of all, Flori-
feris ut apes iji saltibus omnia lihant,} have laboriously ^^ collected this Cento out of
divers Avriters, and that sine injuria, I have wronged no authors, but given every
man his own ; which ^Hierom so much commends in Nepotian ; he stole not whole
verses^ pages, tracts, as some do now-a-days, concealing their authors' names, but
still said this was Cyprian's, that Lactantius, that Hilarius, so said IVIinutius Felix,
so Victorinus, thus far Arnobius : I cite and quote mine authors (which, howsoever
some illiterate scribblers account pedantical, as a cloak of ignorance, and opposite
'spiautus. 'sE Democriti puteo
tarn referts bibliothecffi quain cloacs. 'e Et quic
quid cartis ainicitur ineptis. "sEpist. ad Petas.
in regno Fraiiciae omnibus scribendi datur libertas,
paucis facultas. tooiim literse ob homines m
precii), nunc snrdent ob homines. s' Ans. pac.
"Inter tot niille volumina vix unus a cujus lectione
quis melior evadat, immo potius non pejor. *■' Palin-
Senius. What does any one, who reads such works,
learn or know but dreams and trifling things. " Lib.
5. de Sap. "s Sterile oportet esse.ingenium quod
in hoc scripturientum pruritus, &c. >"' Cardan,
■" Non I mense Aprili nuUus fere dies quo non aliquis recitavit.
i"^ Idem. 30 principibus etdoctoribus deliberandum
relinquo, ut arguantur auctorum furta et niilies repe-
tita tollantur, et temere scribendi libido coerceatur,
aliter in infinitum progressura. 9' Onerabuntur
inaenia, nemo legendis sufiicit. s- Libris obruimur,
oculi legendo, manus volitando dolent. Fam. .Strada
Monio. Lucretius. ^" Quicquid ubique bene dictum
facio meum, et illud nunc nieis ad compendium, nunc
ad fidem et auctoritatem alieois exprimo verbis, omnea
auctores meos clientes esse arbitror, &c. Sarisburi-
ensis ad Polycrat. prol. 'Jj in Epitaph. Nep. il'.aii
pra? ad Consol. >^ Hor. lib. I, sat. 4. w Epist. I Cyp. hoc Lact. illud Hilar, est, ita Victorinus, in hunc
lib. 1. Magnum poetarum proventum annus hie attulit, modum loquutus est Arnobius, &c.
Democritus to the Reader. 21
to their affected fine style, I must and will use) sumpsi, non suripui; and what Varro,
lib. 6. de re rust, speaks of bees, juinime maleJiccB nullius opus vellicantes faciunt
deterius, I can say of myself. Whom have I injured .'' The matter is theirs most
part, and yet mine, apparet unde sumplum sit (which Seneca approves), aliud tamen
qunm unde sumptum sit apparef, which nature doth with the aliment of our bodies
incorporate, digest, assimilate, I do concoquere quod hausi., dispose of what I take.
I make them pay tribute, to set out this my Maceronicon, the method only is mine
own, I must usurp that of ^^ Wecker e Ter. nihil dictum quod non dictum prius,
methodus sola artijicem ostC7idit, we can say nothing but what hath been said, the
composition and method is ours only, and shows a scholar. Oribasius, iEsius, Avi-
cenna, have all out of Galen, but to their own method, diverse slilo, non diversd fide.
Our poets steal from Homer ; he spews, saith jElian, they lick it up. Pivines use
Austin's words verbatim still, and our story-dressers do as much ; he that comes last
is commonly best,
donee quid grandius fetas
Poslera sorsque ferat melior. 96
Though there were many giants of old in Physic and Philosophy, yet I say with
^Didacus Stella, "A dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant may see farther than
a giant himself;" I may likely add, alter, and see farther tlian my predecessors ; and
it is no greater prejudice for me to indite after others, than for jElianus ]\Iontaltus,
that famous physician, to write de morbis capitis after Jason Pratensis, Ileurnius,
Hildeshehn, &c., many horses to run in a race, one logician, one rhetorician, after
another. Oppose then what thou wilt,
AUatres licet usque nos et usque
Et gannilibus iniprobis lacessas.
I solve it thus. And for those other faults of barbarism, ^ Doric dialect, extempora-
nean style, tautologies, apish imitation, a rhapsody of rags gathered together from
several dung-hills, excrements of authors, toys and fopperies confusedly tumbled out,
without art, invention, judgment, wit, learning, harsh, raw, rude, fantastical, absurd,
insolent, indiscreet, ill-composed, indigested, vain, scurrile, idle, dull, and dry ; 1
confess all ('tis partly affected), thou canst not think worse of me than I do of
myself. 'Tis not worth the reading, I yield it, I desire thee not to lose time in
perusing so vain a subject, I should be peradventure loth myself to read hun or thee
so writing; 'tis not opercs pretium. All I say is this, that I have ^precedents for it,
which Isocrates calls perfugium lis qui peccant, others as absurd, vain, idle, illiterate.
Sec, JVonnulli alii idem fecerunt ; others have done as much, it may be more, and
perhaps thou thyself, J\"ovimus et qui te, Slc. We have all our faults ; scijmis, et
hanc, veniam, Slc; '""thou censurest me, so have I done others, and may do thee,
Cedimus inque vicem, Stc, 'tis lex talionis, quid pro quo. Go now, censure, criti-
cise, scoff, and rail,
1 Nasutus CIS usque licet, sis denique nasus : I -yvert tliou all scoffs and flouts, a very Momus,
Aon potes in nugas dicere plura meas, -^.j^^^n ^.^ ourselves, thou canst not say worse of us.
Ipse ego quam dixi, &c. |
Thus, as when women scold, have I cried whore first, and in some men's censures
I am afraid I have overshot myself, Laudare se vani., vitiqjerare siulti, as I do not
arrogate, 1 will not derogate. Primus vestriim non sum, nee imus, I am none of the
best, I am none of the meanest of you. As I am an inch, or so many feet, so many
parasangs, after him or him, I may be peradventure an ace before thee. Be it there-
fore as it is, well or ill, I have essayed, put myself upon the stage ; I must abide the
censure, I may not escape it. It is most true, stylus virum arguit, our style bewrays
us, and as ^hunters find their game by the trace, so is a man's genius descried by
his works, Multo melius ex sermone quhm lineamentis, de moribus hominum judi-
cainus; it was old Cato's rule. I have laid myself open (I know it) in this treatise,
turned mine inside outward : I shall be censured, I doubt not; for, to say truth with
Erasmus, nihil tnorosius hominum judiciis, there is nought so peevish as men's judg-
s^PrtEf. ad Syntax, med. s" Until a later ace and ' apes. Lipsius adversus dialogist. MUnoabsurdo
a happier Int produce something more truly grand. ' dato niille sequuntur. ^"^ Non duhito niultos lec-
*" In I,uc. 10. torn. 2. Tigniei Gigantum huniens • tores hie fore stultos. ' Martial, 13, 2. 2 Ut
impositi plusquam ipsi Gigantes vident. ""• Nee j venatores feram 6 vestigio impresso, virum scriptiun-
aranearum textus ideo melior quia ex se fila gignuntur, culi Lips.
nee noster id 30 vilior, quia ex alienis libamus ut '
22 - Deinocrilus to the Reader.
inents ; yet this is some comfort, ut palata, sic judicia., our censures are as various
as our palates.
.^ ... . ,. . ., I Three eue3ls 1 have, dissentins at my feast,
s Tres mihi conviva; prope dissentire videntur, Uenuirins each to gratify his taste
Poscenles vario niultum diversa palato, &;c. With different food.
Our writings are as so many dishes, our readers guests, our books like beauty,
that which one admires another rejects ; so are we approved as men's fancies are
inclined. Pro captu lectoris habent sua fata Ubelli. Tliat which is most pleasing
to one is amaracum sui, most harsh to another. Quot homines., tot sententice, so
many men, so many minds : that which thou condemnest he commends. ■* Quod
petis, id sane est invisum acidumque duohiis. He respects matter, thou art wholly
for words ; he loves a loose and free style, thou art all for neat composition, strong
lines, hyperboles, allegories ; he desires a fine frontispiece, enticing pictures, such as
* Hieron. Natali the Jesuit hath cut to the Dominicals, to draw on the reader's atten-
tion, A\hich thou rejectest ; that which one admires, another explodes as most absurd
and ridiculous. If it be not pointblank to his humour, his method, his conceit, ^sl
quid for san omissum, quod is animo conccpcrit, si quce dictio, &c. If aught be omit-
ted, or added, which he likes, or dislikes, thou art mancipium paucce lectioriis., an
idiot, an ass, nulhis es, or plagiarius, a trifler, a trivant, thou art an idle fellow ; or
else it is a thing of mere hidustry, a collection without wit or invention, a very toy.
' Facilia sic putant omnes qua jam facta., ncc de salcbris cogitant,ubi via strata ; so
men are valued, their labours vilified by fellows of no worth themselves, as things
of nouglit, who could not have done as much. Unusquisque abundat sensu sua.,
every man abounds in his own sense ; and whilst each particular party is so allected,
how should one please all .''
sQuiddem? quid non deml Reiiuis tu quod jubet ille.
-What courses must I chuse ■?
V^Miat noti What both would order you refuse.
How shall I hope to express myself to each man's humour and ' conceit, or to give
satisfaction to all .'' Some imderstand too little, some too much, qui similiter in
Icgendos libros, at que in salutandos homines irruunt., non cogit antes quale s., scd quibus
vcstibus induti sint, as '"Austin observes, not regarding what, but who write, ^^ orexin
habet auctores ccZe&n'tas, not valuing the metal, but stamp that is upon it, Canfharum
aspiciunt, non quid in eo. If he be not rich, in great place, polite and brave, a great
doctor, or full fraught with grand titles, though never so well qualified, he is a dunce ;
but, as '-Baronius hath it of Cardinal Carafia's works, he is a mere hog that rejects
any man for his poverty. Some are too partial, as friends to overween, others come
with a prejudice to carp, vilify, detract, and scoff; (qui de me forsan, quicquid est.,
omni contcmptu contemptius judicant) some as bees for honey, some as spiders to
gather poison. What shall I do in this case ? As a Dutch host, if you come to an
inn in Germany, and dislike your fare, diet, lodging, &c., replies in a surly tone,
" "• aliud tibi qucrras diver sorium^'''' if you like not this, get you to another inn : I
resolve, if you like not my writing, go read something else. I do not much esteem
thy censure, take thy course, it is not as thou Avilt, nor as I will, but when we have
both done, that of "Plinius Secundus to Trajan will prove true, " Every man's v/itty
labour takes not, except the matter, subject^ occasion, and some commending favour-
ite happen to it." If I be taxed, exploded by thee and some such, I shall haply be
approved and commended by others, and so have been (Expertus loquor), and may
truly say with '^ Jovius in like case, (absit verbo jactantia) heroum quorimdam., pon-
tificum., et virorum nobilium familiaritatem et amicitiam., gratasque gratias, et multo-
rum "^ bene laudatorum lau'des sum inde proineritus., as I have been honoured by
some worthy men, so have I been vilified by others, and shall be. At the first pub-
iishing of tliis book, (which '"Probus of Persius satires), editum libnun conlinuo
mirari homines, aique avide deripere cceperunt, I may in some sort apply to this my
work. The first, second, and third edition were suddenly gone, eagerly read, and,
as I have said, not so much approved by some, as scornfully rejected by others
" Hor. ■• Hor. 6 Antwerp, fol. 1607. e Mu- I dotera ex amplitudine redituum sordide demetitur.
retus. ■? Lipsius. *■ Hor. '^ Fieri non po- i3 Erasm. dial. "Epist. Vib. 6. Cujusque inge-
test, ut quod quisque cogitat, dicat unus. Muretus. nium non statiin emersit, nisi materia faulor, occasio,
""Lib. 1. de ord., cap. 11. "Erasmus. '-An- commendatorqueconlingat. '» Pra;f hist. "Lau-
nal. Tom. 3. ad annum 360. Est porcus ille qui sacer- | dari ^ laudato laus est. " Vit. Persii.
Democrittis to the Reader. 2 ^
Bu< it was Democritus his fortune, Idem admirationi et ^"irnsioni halitus. 'Twas
Sfciieca's fate, that superintendent of wit, learning-, judgment, '^ ad stuporem doctus,
the best of Greek and Latin writers, in Plutarch's opinion ; that renowned correc-
tor of vice," as ^Tabius terms him, "and pamfu^ omniscious philosopher, that writ
so excellently and admirably well," could not please all parties, or escape censure.
Huw is he vilified by ^' Caligula, Agellius, Fabius, and Lispsius himself, his chief
prupugner ? In eo plcraque pcrnitiosa, saith the same Fabius, many childish tracts
anxi sentences he hath, sermo iUahoratiis, too negligent often and remiss, as Agellius
observes, oratio vulgaris et jjrotrita, dicaces et inept(£, senfe^itia;, eruditio plcheia,
an homely shallow writer as he is. In partibus spinas et fastidia hahct, saith ^^ Lip-
sius ; and, as in all his other works, so especially in his epistles, alice in argutiis et
incptiis occupant ur, intricatus alicuM, et parum composiius^ sine copid^ reriim hoc
fecit, he jumbles up many things together immethodically, after the Stoics' fashion,
parum ordinavit, multa accimiulavit, &c. If Seneca be thus lashed, and many famous
men that I could name, what shall I expect ? How shall I that am vix umhra tanti
philosophic hope to please ? " No man so absolute (^ Erasmus holds) to satisfy all,
except antiquity, prescription, &c., set a bar." ' But as I have proved in Seneca, this
will not always take place, how shall I evade ? 'Tis the common doom of all writers,
■I must (I say) abide it; I seek not applause; "JVon ego ventoscB venor suffragia
plehis j again, non sum adeo informis, I would not be ^vilified.
26 laudatus abunde,
Non fastiditus silibi, lector, ero.
I fear good men's censures, and to their favourable acceptance I submit my labours,
27 et linguas mancipiorum
Contemno.
As the barking of a dog, I securely contemn those malicious and scurrile obloquies,
flouts, calumnies of railers and detractors ; I scorn the rest. What therefore 1 have
said, pro tenuitatc meu, I have said.
One or two things yet I was desirous to have amended if I could, concerning the
manner of handling this my subject, for which I must apologise, dejirecari, and
upon better advice give the friendly reader notice : it was not mine intent to prosti-
tute my muse in English, or to divulge secreta Minervcc, but to have exposed this
more contract in Latin, if I could have got it printed. Any scurrile pamphlet is
welcome to our mercenary stationers in English ; they print all,
cuduntque libellos
In quorum foliis vix simia nuda cacaret ;
But in Latin they will not deal ; which is one of the reasons ^^ Nicholas Car, in his
oration of the paucity of English writers, gives, that so many flourishing wits are
smothered in oblivion, lie dead and buried in this our nation. Another main fault
is, that I have not revised the copy, and amended the style, v/hich now flows remissly,
as it was first conceived ; but my leisure would not permit ; Feci nee quod potui, nee
quod volui, I confess it is neither as I would, nor as it should be.
2^Ciim relego scripsisse pudet, quia plurima cerno I When I peruse Ibis tract which T have writ,
Me quoque qua fuerant judice digna lini. | I am abash' d, and much I liold unfit.
Et quod gravissimmn, in the matter itself, many things I disallow at this present,
which when I writ, ^'^JVon eadem est cetas, non mens ; I would willingly retract much,
&.C., but 'lis too late, I can only crave pardon now for what is amiss.
I might indeed, (had I wisely done) observed that precept of the poet, nonum-
qiie premaiur in annum, and have taken more care : or, as Alexander the physician
would have done by lapis lazuli, fifty times washed before it be used, I should have
revised, corrected and amended this tract ; but I had not (as I said) that happy leisure,
no amanuenses or assistants. Pancrates in ^'Lucian, wanting a servant as he went
from Memphis to Coptus in Egypt, took a door bar, and after some superstitious
'» Minuit prsesentia famara. i9 Lipsius .ludic. de turpe frigide laudari ac insectanter vitnperari. Pha-
Peneca. '-"Lib. 10. Plurimum studii, niultam vorinus A. Gel. lib. 19, cap. 2. -i^Ovid, trist. 11
reruni cognitionem. ornnem siudiorum materiam, &c. i eleg. 6. ""Juven. sat. 5. 2eA.ut artis inscii
multa in eo probanda, niulta admiranda. '^' Suet. I aut qufestui magis quaiu Uteris student, hab. Cantab.
Arena sine calce. , '-'■' Introduct. ad Sen. "3Ju
du'. de Sen. Vix ali'quis tarn absoliitus, ut alteri per
omnia satisfaciat, nisi longa temporis pra'scriptio, se-
niota jiidicandi libertale, religione quadam animos
iKcuparil. a^Hor. Ep. 1, lib. 19. ^^^que
et Lond. Excus 1976. 2'j Ovid, de pont. Eleg. 1. 6
soHor. 'JiTom. 3. Philopseud. accepto pessulo
quuni carmen quoddam dixisset, etfecit ut ambularei
aqnam bauriret, urnara pararet, &.c.
24
Democritus to the Reader.
words prononnced (Eucrates the relator was then present) made it stand up like a
serving-man, fetcli him water, turn the spit, serve in supper, and what work he would
besides ; and when he liad done that service he desired, turned his man to a stick
again. I have no such skill to make new men at my pleasure, or means to hire
tliem ; no whistle to call like the master of a ship, and bid them run, &t.c. I have
no such authority, no such benefactors, as that noble ^^Ambrosius was to Origen,
allowing him six or seven amanuenses to Avrite out his dictates ; I must for that cause
do my business myself, and was therefore enforced, as a bear doth her whelps, to
bring forth this confused lump ; J had not time to lick it into form, as she doth her
voung ones, but even so to publish it, as it was first written qmcquid in huccam ve~
nit, in an extemporean style, as ''^I do commonly all other exercises, ejfudi quicquid
diet av it genius metis, out of a confused company of notes, and writ with as small
deliberation as I do ordinarily speak, without all affectation of big words, fustian
phrases, jingling tenns, tropes, strong lines, -that like ^^ Acesta's arrows caught fire as
they flew, strains of wit, brave heats, elogies, hyperbolical exornations, elegancies,
&.C., which many so much affect. I am ^^aquoi potor, drink no wine at all, which
so much improves our modern wits, a loose, plain, rude writer, ficuni, vnco ficum ct
ligonem ligonem, and as free, as loose, idem calamo quod in mente, ^I call a spade a
spade, cmimis hccc scribo, non cmrihus, I respect matter not words ; remembering that
of Cardan, verba propter res, non res propter verba : and seeking with Seneca, quid
scribam,nonquemadmodum, rather ?f/«rt< than lioio to write : for as Philo thinks,'^' '-'• He
that is conversant about matter, neglects words, and those that excel in this art of
speaking, have no profound learning,
S8 Verba nitcnt phaleris, at nullus verba medullas
Inlus habent
Besides, it was the observation of that wise Seneca, ^'" M'hen you see a fellow careful
about his words, and neat in his speech, know this for a certainty, that man's mind
is busied about toys, there's no solidity in him. JVon est ornamentum virile concin-
nitas: as he said of a nightingale, vox es, prceterea nihil, &c. I am therefore in this
point a professed disciple of "'"Apollonius a scholar of Socrates, I neglect phrases,
and labour wholly to inform my reader's understanding, not to please his ear ; 'tis
not my study or intent to compose neatly, which an orator requires, but to express
myself readily and plainly as it happens. So that as a river runs sometimes precipi-
tate and swift, then dull and slow \ now direct, then per ambages ; now deep, then
shallow ; now muddy, then clear ; now broad, then naiTow ; doth my style flow :
now serious, then light ; now comical, then satirical ; now more elaborate, then
remiss, as the present subject required, or as at that time I was afl'ected. And if
thou vouchsafe to read this treatise, it shall seem no otherwise to thee, tlian the
way to an ordinary traveller, sometimes fair, sometimes foul ; here champaign, there
inclosed ; barren in one place, better soil in another : by woods, groves, hills, dales,
plains, &.C. I shall lead thee per ardua montium, et lubrica vallium, el roscida
cespitur.i, et ^^ glcbosa camporum, through variety of objects, that which thou shalt
like and surely dislike.
For the matter itself or method, if it be faulty, consider I pray you that of Cohi-
mella, JYihil perfectum, aut a singulari cpnsummatum industrid, no man can observe
all, much is defective no doubt, may be justly taxed, altered, and avoided in Galen,
Aristotle, those great masters. JBoni venatoris ('^one holds) plures feras capere, non
omnes ; he is a good huntsman can catch some, not all : I have done my endeavdTlr.
Besides, I dwell not in this study, JS^on hie sulcos ducimus, non hoc pulvere desudamus,
I am but a smatterer, I confess, a stranger, ''^here and there I pull a flower; I do
easily grant,, if a rigid censurer should criticise on this which I have writ, he should
not find three sole faults, as Scaliger in Terence, but three hundred. So many as
«* Ensebius, eccles. hist. lib. 6. » Stans pede in
U10, as he made verses. 34 Virg. sjjijon eadom
ft sUTiiino e.xpectes, minimoque poeta. s6 stylus
hie nullus, prfeler parrhesiam. 3' Qui rebus se
e.vercet, verba iiegligit, et qui callet artem dicendi,
nullam disciplinam jiabet recofinitam. s* palin-
genius. Words may be resplendent with ornament,
but they contain no marrow within. ^■^ Cujuscun-
que orationem vides politam e* sollicitam, scito ani-
mura in pusilis occupatum, in scriptis nil solidum.
Epist. lib. 1. 21. 'o Philostratus, lib. 8. vit. Apol.
Negligebat oratoriam facultatem, et penitus asperna-
batur ejus professores, quod linsuam duntaxaf, non
autem mentem redderent eruditioretn. ^' Ilic enim,
quod Seneca de I'onto, bos herbam, ciconia larisam,
canis leporem, virgo fiorem lesiat. 4^ I'et. Nanniua
not. in Hor. i-i Non liir colonus domicilium liabeo,
sed topiarii in morem, liinc inde florein vellico, u'. r -
nis Nilum lumbens.
Democritus to the Reader. 25
he hath done m Cardan's subleties, as many notable errors as '"Gul Laurembergius, a
late professor of Rostocke, discovers in that anatomy of Laurentius, or Barocius the
Venetian in Sacro ioscus. And ahhough this be a sixth edition, in which I shouhl
have been more accurate, corrected all those former escapes, yet it was magni laboris
opus, so difhcult and tedious, that as carpenter? do find out of experience, 'tis much
better build a new sometimes, than repair an old house ; I could as soon write as
much more, as alter that which is written. If aught therefore be amiss (as I grant
there is), I require a friendly admonition, no bitter invective, ^^Sint musis soch Charites,
Furia omnis ahesfo, otherwise, as in ordinary controversies, funem contenfionls necta-
mus, scd cut bono ? We may contend, and likely misuse each other, but to what
purpose ? We are both scholars, say,
*s Arcades ambo I Both youns Arcadians, both alike inspir'd
Et Cantare pares, et respondere parati. | To sing and answer as the song requir'd.
If we do wrangle, Avhat shall we get by it ? Trouble and wrong ourselves, make
sport to others. If I be convict of an error, I will yield, I will amend. Si quid
bonis moribus, si quid veritati dissentanexun, in sacris vel humanis Uteris a me dictum
sit, id nee dictum esto. In the mean time I require a favourable censure of all faults
omitted, harsh compositions, pleonasms of words, tautological repetitions (though
Seneca bear me out, nunquam nimis dicitur, quod nunquam satis dicitur) perturbations
of tenses, numbers, printers' faults, £cc. My translations are sometimes rather para-
phrases than interpretations, 7ion ad verbum, but as an author, I use more liberty,
and that's only taken which Avas to my purpose. Quotations are often inserted in
the text, which makes the style more harsh, or in the margin as it happened. Greek
authors, Plato, Plutarch, Athenaeus, 8cc., I have cited out of their mterpreters, because
the original was not so ready. I have mingled sacra prophanis, but I hope not pro-
phaned, and in repetition of authors' names, ranked themj)er accidcns, not according
to chronology ; sometimes Neotericks before Ancients, as my memor\' suggested.
Some things are here altered, expunged in this sixth edition, others amended, much
added, because many good ''^authors in all kinds are come to my hands since, and
'tis no prejudice, no such indecorum, or oversight.
■ss Nunquam ita quicquam bene subductS. ratione ad vitam fuit,
Quin res, ietas, usus, semper aliquid apportent novi,
Aliquld moneant, ut ilia quEB scire te credas, nescias,
Et quE tibi putaris prima, in exercendo ul repudias.
Ne'er was ought yet at first contriv'd so fit,
But use, age, or something would alter it;
Advise thee better, and, upon peruse.
Make thee not say, and what thou tak'st refuse
But I am now resolved never to put this treatise out again, JVe quid nimis, I will not
hereafter add, alter, or retract; I have done. The last and greatest exception is, that
I, being a divine, have meddled with physic,
<3 Tantumne est ab re tui otii tibi,
Aliena ut cures, eaque niliil quce ad te attinent.
Which Menedemus objected to Chremes ; have I so much leisure, or little business
of mine own, as to look after other men's matters which concern me not ? What
have I to do with physic ? Quod mcdicornm est promitfant medici. The ^Lacede-
monians wore once in counsel about state-matters, a debauched fellow spake excellent
well, and to the purpose, his speech was generally approved : a grave senator steps
up, and by all means would have it repealed, though good, because dehonestabatur
pessimo auctore, it had no better an author; let some good man relate the same, and
then it should pass. This counsel was embraced, factum est, and it was registered
forthwith, Et sic bona scntcntia mansit, mains auctor mutatus est. Thou sayest as
much of me, stomachosus as thou art, and grantest, peradventure, this which I have
written in physic, not to be amiss, had another done it, a professed physician, or so ,
but why should 1 meddle with this tract ^ Hear me speak. There be many other
subjects, I do easily grant, both in humanity and divinity, fit to be treated of. of
which had I written ad ostentationcm only, to show myself, I should have rather
chosen, and in which I have been more conversant, I could have more willingly
■H Supra bis mille notahiles errores Laurentii de- I Adelph. <i* Heaut. Act 1. seen. 1. "O Gellius
monstravi, &c. *'=> Philo de Con. -"^ Virg. lib. 18, cap. 3.
♦" Frainbesa>ius, Senneitus, Ferandus, &c. -i^ Ter. 1
26
Democritus to the Reader.
luxuriated, and better satisfied myself and others; but tluit at this timp I was Tatally
driven upon this rock of melancholy, and carried away by this by-stream, Avhich, as a
riilet, is deducted from the main channel of my studies, in which I have pleased and
busied myself at idle hours, as a subject most necessary and conmiodious. Not that
I prefer it before divinity, which I do acknowledge to be the queen of professions,
and to which all the rest are as handmaids, but that in divinity 1 saw no such great
need. For had I written positively, there be so many books in that kind, so many
commentators, treatises, pamphlets, expositions, sermons, that whole teams of oxen
cannot draw them ; and had I been as forward and ambitious as some others, I might
have haply printed a sermon at Paul's Cross, a semion in St. Marie's Oxon, a sermon
i:i Christ-Church, or a sermon before the right honourable, right reverend, a sermon
before the right worshipful, a sermon in Latin, in English, a sermon with a name,
a sermon witliout, a sermon, a sermon, Stc. But I have been ever as desirous ic.
suppress my labours in this kind, as others have been to press and publisli theirs.
To have written in controversy had been to cut off an hydra's head, ^' lis litem
ge^erat, one begets another, so many duplications, triplications, and swarms of ques-
tions. In sacro hello hoc quod stili mucrone agilur^ that having once begun, I should
never make an end. One had much better, as *^ Alexander, the sixtk pope, long since
observed, provoke a great prince than a begging friar, a Jesuit, or a seminary priest,
I will add, for inexpugnahile genus hoc hominum^ they are an irrefragable society,
they must and will have the last word ; and that with such eagerness, impudence,
abominable lying, falsifying, and bitterness in their questions they proceed, that as
he ^ said, y^rorne ccecus, an rapit vis acrior, an culpa, responsum date ? Blind fury,
or error, or rashness, or Avhat it is that eggs them, I know not, I am sure many times,
which ''^Austin perceived long since, tempestate contentionis, scrcnifas charitatis
ohnubilatur, with this tempest of contention, the serenity of charity is overclouded,
and there be too many spirits conjured up already in this kind in all sciences, and
more than wc can tell how to lay, which do so furiously rage, and keep such a
racket, that as ^^Fabius said, "It had been much better for some of them to have
been born dumb, and altogether illiterate, than so far to dote to their own destruction.
At melius fiierat non scribere, namque tacere'^
Tutuiii semper erit,
'Tis a general fault, so Severinus the Dane complains "in physic, "unhappy men as
we are, we spend our days in unprofitable questions and disputations," intricate
subtleties, de land caprina about moonshine in the water, " leaving in the mean time
those chiefest treasures of nature untouched, Avhercin the best medicines for all
manner of diseases are to be found, and do not only neglect them ourselves, but
hinder, condemn, forbid, and scoff at others, that are willing to inquire after them.
These motives at this present have induced me to make choice of this medicinal
subject.
If any physician in the mean time shall infer, JVe sutor ultra crepidam, and find
himself grieved that I have intruded into his profession, I will tell him in brief, I do
not otherwise by them, than they do by us. If it be for their advantage, I know
many of their sect which have taken orders, in hope of a benefice, 'tis a connnon
transition, and why may not a melancholy divine, that can get notliing but by
simony, profess physic .^ Drusianus an Italian (Crusianus, but corruptly, Trithemius
calls him) '''^'" because he was not fortunate in his practice, forsook his profession,
and writ afterwards in divinity." Marcilius Ficinus was semel et simul ; a priest
and a physician at once, and ^^T. Linacer in his old age took orders. The Jesuits
profess both at this time, divers of them permissu superionun, chirurgeons, panders,
bawds, and midwives, &c. Many poor country-vicars, for want of other means, are
driven to their shifts ; to turn mountebanks, quacksalvers, empirics, and if our
5' Et inde catena quEedam fit, quae hsredes etiam
Jicat. Cardan. Hensius. ^2 Malle se bellum cum
magiio priiicipe ^erere, quam cum uno ex fratrum
niendicantium ordine. m Hor. epod. lib. od. 7.
^ Epist. b6, ad Casulam presb. ^ Lib. 12, cap. 1.
Mutos nasci, et omiii scientia esere satius fuisset,
qucLm sic in prnpriam perniciem insanire. ^ But
tt would be better not to write, for silence is the safer
course. '7 lofelis mortahtas inutilibus qusstiou-
ibus ac disceptationibus vitam traducimus, natura;
principes thesauros, in quibus pravissima! niorborum
medicinsE collocat<B sunt, interim intactos relinquiiuus.
Nee Ipsi solum relinquimus, sed et alios proliilienms,
impedimus, condemnamus, ludibrii.sque atfirinius.
^ Quod in pra.\i miniine fortunatus asset, iiifdirln;im
reliquit,et ordinibus initlatus in Tlieologia postmojuni
scripsit. Gesner Bibliotheca. "^ P. Jovius.
Democritus to the Reader.
27
greedy patrons hold us to such hard conditions, as commonly they do, they will
make most of us work at some trade, as Paul did, at last turn taskers, malt
sters, costermongers, graziers, sell ale as some have done, or worse. Howsoevei
in undertaking this task, I hope 1 shall commit no great error or indeconnn^ il' all be
considered aright, I can vindicate myself with Georgius Braunus, and Hieron}inns
Hemingius, those two learned divines ; who (to borrow a line or two of muie ^^ elder
brotlier) drawn by a "natural love, the one of pictures and maps, prospectives and
corographical dehghts, writ that ample theatre of cities ; the other to the study ot
genealogies, penned thealrtim gcnealogicumP'' Or else I can excuse my studies with
"Lessius the Jesuit m like case. It is a disease of the soul on which I am to ti-eat
and as much appertaining to a divine as to a physician, and who knows not whai
an agreement there is betwixt these two professions ? A good divine either is or
ought to be a good physician, a spiritual physician at least, as our Saviour calls
himself, and was indeed, Mat. iv. 23 ; Luke, v. 18 ; Luke, v4i. 8. They difier but in
object, the one of the body, the other of the soul, and use divers medicmes to cure ;
one amends animam per corpus^ the other corpus per animajn, as ^■^our Regius Pro-
fessor of physic well informed us in a learned lecture of his not long since. One
lielps the vices and passions of the soul, anger, lust, desperation, pride, presumption,
&c. by applying that spiritual physic ; as the other uses proper remedies in bodily
diseases. Now this being a common infirmity of body and soul, and such a one
that hath as much need of spiritual as a corporal cure, I could not find a fitter task
to busy myself about, a more apposite theme, so necessarj", so commodious, and
generally concerning all sorts of men, that should so equally participate of both, and
require a whole physiciari. A divme in this compound mixed malady can do little
alone, a physician in some kinds of melancholy much less, both make an absolute
cure.
63Alterius sic altera poscit opem.
-when in friendship joined
I A mutual succour in each other find.
And 'tis proper to them both, and I hope not unbeseeming me, Avho am by my pro-
fession a divine, and by mine inclination a physician. I had Jupiter in my sixth
house; I say with "Beroaldus, 7ion sum medicus, ncc medicina>. prorsus expcrs, in
the theory of physic I have taken some pains, not with an intent to practice, jbut to
satisfy myself, which was a cause likewise of the first undertaking of this subject.
If these reasons do not satisfy thee, good reader, as Alexander Olunificus that
bountiful prelate, sometimes bishop of Lincoln, when he had built six castles, ad
invidiam opcris eluendam^ saith ^^Mr. Camden, to take away the emy of his work
( which xery words Nubrigensis hath of Roger the rich bishop of Salisbury, who in
king Stephen's time built Shirburn castle, and that of Devises), to divert the scandal
or imputation, Avhich might be thence uaferred, built so many religious houses. If
this my discourse be over-medicinal, or savour too much of humanity, I promise
thee that I Avill hereafter make thee amends in some treatise of divinity. But this I
hope shall suffice, when you have more fully considered of the matter of this my
subject, rem siihstratam, melancholy, madness, and of the reasons following, which
were my chief motives : the generality of the disease, the necessity of the cure, and
tlie commodity or common good that will arise to all men by the knowledge of it,
as shall at large appear in the ensuing preface. And I doubt not but that in the end
you will say with me, that to anatomise this humour aright, through all the members
of this our Microcosmus, is as great a task, as to reconcile those chronological errors
in the Assyrian monarchy, find out the quadrature of a circle, the creeks and sounds
of the north-east, or north-west passages, and all out as good a discover}" as that
hungr\- *^ Spaniard's of Terra Australis Incognita, as great trouble as to perfect the
motion of Mars and Mercury, which so crucifies our astronomers, or to rectify the
Gregorian Kalender. I am so affected for my part, and hope as ^Theophrastiis did
•» M. W. Burton, preface to his description of Leices-
te*»hire, printed at London by W. Jaseard, for J.
White, 10-22. oi Jn Hygiasticon, neqiie enim hic
tractatio aliena videri debet k theologo, fcc. agitur de
morbo animse. <» d. Clavton in comitiis, anno
ld21. 63Hor. "Lib. de pestil. «^InNewarlt
in Nottinchamshlre. Cum duo edjticasset castella, ad
ollendam struciiouis invidiam, et expiandam macu-
1am, duo instituit ctEnobia, et collegis reliaiosi;^ imple-
vit. <^ Ferdinando de Quir. anno 161-2. Amster-
dam! impress. C7 praefat. ad Characteres : Spero
enim (O Policies) libros nostros nieliores inde futuroe,
quod istiusrnodi memoriae mandata reliquerimus, ex
preceptis et exemplis nostris ad vitara accommodatiat
nt se inde corrigant.
28 hemocritus to the Reader.
by his characters, " That our posterit)', O friend Policies, shall be the better for this
which we have written, by correcting and rectifying what is amiss in themselves by
our examples, and applying our precepts and cautions to their own use." And as that
great captain Zisca would have a drum made of his skin when he was dead, because he
thought the very noise of it would put his enemies to flight, I doubt not but that these
following lines, when they shall be recited, or hereafter read, will drive away melan-
choly (though 1 be gone) as much as Zisca's drum could terrify his loes. Yet one
caution let me give by the way to my present, or my future reader, who is actually
melancholy, that he read not tlie *^* symptoms or prognostics in this following tract,
lest by applying that which he reads to himself, aggravating, appropriating things
generally spoken, to his own person (as melancholy men for the most part do) he
trouble or hurt himself, and get in conclusion more hann than good. I advise them
therefore warily to peruse that tract, Lapides loquitur (so said '^'^ Agrippa de occ. Phil.)
et cavcant lectores ne cerebrum Us exculiat. TJie rest I doubt not they may securely
read, and to their benefit. But I am over-tedious, I proceed.
Of the necessity and generality of tliis which I have said, if any man doubt, I shall
desire him to make a brief survey of the world, as ™ Cyprian adviseth Donat, '"sup-
posing himself to be transported to the top of some high mountain, and thence to be-
hold the tumults and chances of this wavering world, he cannot chuse but either
laugh at, or pity it." S. Hierom out of a strong imagination, being in the wilder-
ness, conceived with himself, that he then saw them dancing in Rome ; and if thou
shalt either conceive, or climb to see, thou shalt soon perceive that all the world is
mad, that it is melancholy, dotes ; that it is (which Epichthonius Cosmopolites ex-
pressed not many years since in a map) made like a fool's head (with that motto. Ca-
put hellehoro dignum) a crazed head, cavca stuUorum^ a fool's paradise, or as Apol-
lonius, a common prison of gulls, cheaters, flatterers, Slc. and needs to be reformed.
Strabo in the ninth book of his geography, compares Greece to the picture of a man,
wliich comparison of his, Nic. Gerbelius in his exposition of Sophianus' map, ap-
proves ; the breast lies open from those Acroceraunian hills in Epirus, to the Sunian
promontory in Attica ; Pagae and JMagoera are the two shoulders ; that Isthmus of
Corinth the neck ; and Peloponnesus the head. If this allusion hold, 'tis sure a
mad head ; Morea may be Moria ; and to speak wliat I think, the inhabitants of
modern Greece swerve as much from reason and true religion at this day, as that
Morea doth from the picture of a man. Examine the rest in like sort, and you shall
find that kingdoms and provinces are melancholy, cities and families, all creatures,
vegetal, sensible, and rational, that all sorts, sects, ages, conditions, are out of tune,
as in Cebes' table, omncs crrorcm hlhmU., before they come into the world, they are
intoxicated by error's cup, from the highest to the lowest have need of physic, and
those particular actions in " Seneca, where father and son prove one another mad,
may be general ; Porcius Latro shall plead against us all. For indeed who is not a
fool, melancholy, mad ? — ^^ Qui nil moUtur incpte, who is not brain-sick .? Folly,
melancholy, madness, are but one disease, Delirium is a common name to all. Alex-
ander, Gordonius, Jason Pratensis, Savanarola, Guianerius, Montaltus, confound them
as dirtering secundum mngis et minus ; so doth David, Psal. xxxvii. 5. " I said
unto the fools, deal not so madly," and 'twas an old Stoical paradox, ojnncs stultos
insanire, '^a\\ fools are mad, though some madder than others. And who is not a
fool, who is free from melancholy } Who is not touched more or less in habit or
disposition ? If in disposition, " ill dispositions beget habits, if they persevere," saith
"Plutarch, habits either are, or turn to diseases. 'Tis the same which Tully main-
tains in the second of his Tusculans, omnium insipientum animi in morho sunt, et per-
iurbaforum, fools are sick, and all that are troubled in mind : for what is sickness,
but as '"Gregory Tholosanus defines it, "A dissolution or perturbation of the bodily
league, which health combines :" and who is not sick, or ill-disposed ? in whom doth
6-<Part 1. sect. 3. 63 PrEf. lectori. 'oEp. 2. i Satyra 3. Damaslppus Stoicus probat omnes siultos
I. 2. ad Donatum. Paulisper te crede subduciin ardui insanire. '<Tom. 2. synipos. lib. 5. c. 6. Aiiirni
montis verticem celsiorem, speculare inde reriim ja- afiectiones, si diutius inhsereant. pravos peiierant ha-
centium facies, et oculis m diversa porrectis, fliictu- , bitus. '"Lib. 28, cap. 1. Synt. art. mir. Morbus
amis inundi turbines intuere, jam simul ant ridebis nihil est aliud quam dissolutjo qua;dain ac perturbatio
But miserebcrLs, _&c. " Controv. 1. 2. cont. 7. et I foederis in corpore existentis, sicut et sanitaa est con-
1. 6. cont. "^Horatius. '-^Idein, llor. 1. 2. | seulientis beue corporis cousumiuatio quisdaiu.
Democritus to the Reader. 29
not passion, anger, envy, discontent, fear and sorrow reign ? Who labours not of this
disease ? Give me but a little leave, and you shall see by what testimonies, con-
fessions, arguments, I will evince it, that most men are mad, that they had as much
need to go a pilgrimage to the Anticyrae (as in '^Strabo's time they did) as in our
days they run to Compostella, our Lady of Sichem, or Lauretta, to seek for help ;
that it is like to be as prosperous a voyage as that of Guiana, and that there is much
more need of hellebore than of tobacco.
That men are so misaffected, melancholy, mad, giddy-headed, hear the testimony
of Solomon, Eccl. ii. 12. " And I turned to behold wisdom, madness and folly,"
&c. And ver. 23 : " AH his days are sorrow, his travel grief, and his heart Jaketh
no rest in the night." So that take melancholy in what sense you will, properly
or improperly, in disposition or habit, for pleasure or for pain, dotage, discontent,
fear, sorrow, madness, for part, or all, truly, or metaphorically, 'tis all one. Laugh-
ter itself is madness according to Solomon, and as St. Paul hath it, " Worldly soitow
brings death." "• The hearts of the sons of men are evil, and madness is in their
hearts while they live," Eccl. ix. 3. " Wise men themselves are no better." Eccl. i.
18. "In the multitude of wisdom is much giief, and he that increaseth wisdom
increaseth sorrow," chap. ii. 17. He hated life itself, nothing pleased him : he hated
liis labour, all, as "he concludes, is " sorrow, grief, vanity, vexation of spirit." And
though he were the wisest man in the world, sanctiiarium sapicnticp, and had M-isdom
in abundance, he will not vindicate himself, or justify his own actions. " Surely I
am more foolish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man in me,"
Prov. XXX. 2. Be they Solomon's words, or the words of Agur, the son of Jakeh,
they are canonical. David, a man after God's own heart, confesseth as much of
himself, Psal. xxxvii. 21,22. " So foolish was I and ignorant, I was even as a beast be-
fore thee." And condemns all for fools, Psal. xciii. ; xxxii. 9 ; xlix. 20. He com-
pares them to " beasts, horses, and mules, in which there is no imderstanding." The
apostle Paul accuseth himself in like sort, 2 Cor. ix. 21. "I would you would suifer
a little my foolishness, I speak foolishly." " The whole head is sick," saith Esay,
'• and the heart is heav\^," cap. i. 5. And makes lighter of them than of oxen and
asses, " the ox knows his owner," Sec. : read Deut. xxxii. 6 ; Jer. iv. ; Amos, iii. 1 ;
Ephes. V. 6. " Be not mad, be not deceived, foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched
you ?" How often are they branded with this epithet of madness and folly ^ No
word so frequent amongst the fathers of the Church and divines •, you may see what
an opinion they had of the world, and how they valued men's actions.
I know that we think far otherwise, and hold them most part wise men that are
in authority, princes, magistrates, '* rich men, they are wise men born, all politicians
and statesmen must needs be so, for who dare speak against them } And on the
other, so' corrupt is our judgment, we esteem wise and honest men fools. Which
Democritus well signified in an epistle of his to Hippocrates : "^ the " Abderites
account virtue madness," and'so do most men living. Shall I tell you the reason of
it ? ^Fortune and Virtue, Wisdom and Folly, their seconds, upon a time contended
in the Olympics ; every man thought that Fortune and Folly would have the worst,
and pitied their cases ; but it fell out otherwise. Fortune was blind and cared not
where she stroke, nor whom, without laAvs, Jludahatariim instar., &.c. Folly, rash
and inconsiderate, esteemed as little what she said or did. Virtue and Wisdom gave
*' place, were hissed out, and exploded by the common people ; Folly and Fortune
admired, and so are all their followers ever since : knaves and fools commonly fare
aiid deserve best in worldlings' eyes and opinions. ]\Lany good men have no better
fate in their ages : Achish, 1 Sam. xxi. 14, held David for a madman. ^'Elisha and
the rest were no otherwise esteemed. David was derided of the common people,
Ps. ix. 7, " I am become a monster to m.any." And generally we are accounted fools
(or Christ, 1 Cor. xiv. " We fools thought his life madness, and his end without
honour," Wisd. v. 4. Christ and his Apostles were censured in like sort, John x. ;
"5 Lib. 9. Geosr. Plures olim gentes navisabant illuc I stultitiam. Sed prater expectationem res evenit, An-
saniiatis causa. - Eccles. i. 21. "i^ Jure haeredi- das stultitia in earn irruit, &.c. ilia cedit irrisa, et
tario sapere jubentur. Euphormio Satyr. i-iApud plures hinc habet sectatores stultitia. "' Non est
-juos virtus, insania et furnr esse dicitur. "Cal- respondendum stuUo secundum stultitiam. "-^
tagninus Apol. omnes niirabautur, pulantes illisam iri 1 Reg. 7.
c 2
30
Democritus to the Reader.
Mark iii.; Acts xxvi. And so were all Christians in ^'^ Pliny's time, fuerunt ct aVn
similis dementice, &c. And called not long after, ^■' Vesanice sccfatores., evcrsorcs homi-
mi7n, polluti novatores, fa7iatici, canes, malejici, venefici, Galilcci homunciones, &c.
'Tis an ordinary thing with us, to account honest, devout, orthodox, divine, religious,
plain-dealing men, idiots, asses, that cannot, or Avill not lie and dissemble, shift, flatter,
accommodare se ad eum locum uhi nati sunfj make good bargains, supplant, thrive,
pafronis inservire ; solennes ascendendi modos apprc/icndere, leges, 7norcs, consuetu-
dines recfe ohservare, candide laudare^fortiler defcndcre, scnteyitias amplecti, dubi-
tare de nulliis, credere omnia, accipere omnia, nihil reprehendcre., ca-ieraque qucz
promotionem ferunt ei securitatem, qucc sine ambage fcclicem, rcddunt Jmninenu et
vere sapientem apud nos ; that cannot temporise as other men do, *'* hand and take
bribes, &c. but fear God, and make a conscience of their goings. But tlie Holy
Ghost that knows better how to judge, he calls them fools. "The fool hath said
in his heart," Psal. liii. 1. " And their ways utter their folly," Psal. xlix. 14. " ^ For
what can be more mad, than for a little worldly pleasure to procure unto themselves
eternal punishment ?" As Gregory and others inculcate unto us.
Yea even all those great philosophers the world hath ever had in admu-ation, whose
works we do so much esteem, that gave precepts of wisdom to others, inventors of
Arts and Sciences, Socrates the wisest man of his time by the Oracle of Apollo,
whom his two scholars, ^^ Plato and ^^Xenophon, so much extol and magnify with
those honourable titles, "best and wisest of all mortal men, the happiest, and
most just ;" and as *^ Alcibiades incomparably commends him ; Achilles was a
worthy man, but Bracides and others were as worthy as himself; Antenor and Nes-
tor were as good as Pericles, and so of the rest ; but none present, before, or after
Socrates, nemo veterjtm neque eorum qui nunc sunt, were ever such, will match, or
come near him. Those seven wise men of Greece, those Britain Druids, Indian
Brachmanni, ^Ethiopian Gymnosophist, Magi of the Persians, Apf)lIonius, of whom
Philostratus, JVon doctus^ scd natus sapiens, wise from his cradle, Eoicurus so mucli
admired by his scholar Lucretius :
Qui sonus humaniini insenio superavit, et omnes I Whose wit excell'd the wits of m'^n as far,
Perstrinxit Stellas exortus lit a>thcrius sol. | As the sun rising doth obscure h star.
Or that so much renowned Empedocles,
*" Ut vix humana videatur stirpe creatus.
All those of v/hom we read such ^' hyperbolical eulogiums, as of Aristotle, that he
was Avisdom itself in the abstract, ^-'a miracle of nature, breathing libraries, as Euna-
pius of Longinus, lights of nature, giants for wit, quintessence of wit, divine spirits,
eagles in the cloxids, fallen from heaven, gods, spirits, lamps of the world, dictators,
.V»//rt fcrant talem secla futura vinim : monarchs, miracles, superintendents of wit
and learning, oceanus^ phccjiix, atlas, monstrum, portentum hominis, orhii universi
nviscEum, ullimus humana naluriB ^onatus, natures maritus.
-meritb cui doctior orliis
Submissis defert fuscibus iniperium.
As ^lian writ of Protagoras and Gorgias, we may say of them all, tanfum a sapientibus
abfuerunt, quantum a viris pueri., they were children in respect, infants, not eagles,
but kites ; novices, illiterate, Eiinuchi sapientice. And although they were the
Avisest, and most admired in their age, as he censured Alexander, I do them, there
were 10,000 in his army as worthy captains (had they been in place of command) as
valiant as himself; there were myriads of men wiser in those days, and yet all short
of what they ought to be. ^^Lactantius, in his book of wisdom, proves them to be
dizards, fools, asses, madmen, so full of absurd and ridiculous tenets, and brain-sick
positions, that to his thinkiiig never any old woman or sick person doted worse.
^^ Democritus took all from Leucippus, and left, saith he, " the inheritance of his folly
«; T.ib. 10. ep. 97. « Au?. ep. 178. » Quis
n'si mentis inops, &c. *■•* Quid insaniiis qnam pro
nionipiitanea felicitate a-ternis te niancipare siippliciis'!
^ In fine I'iuTdonis. Hie finis fuit ainici nostri 6 Eii-
crates, nostro quideni judicio omnium quos experti
sumus optinii et apprime sapic.nissinii, et justissimi.
*«• Xenop. I. 4. Ho djctis Socratis ad finem. talis fuit
P -crates qu«».M omnium optimum et frelicissimuni sta-
tuam. 'x Lib. 25. Platonis Convivio. * Lu-
retius. si Anaxagoras oliiu mens dictus ab anti-
quis. *■ Heeula naturs, natur.T mirarulum, ippa
eruditio da'monium hominis, sol scientiarum. mare,
Sophia, antistes literarum et sapientia>, iil Scioppius
olr.„ ^^ Seal, et Ileinsius. Aqnila In nnbilms, Impc-
rator literatorum, columen literarum, abys^iis erudi-
tionis, ocellus Europa-, Sealiper. *^* Lib. ."?. de sap
c. 17. et 20. omnes Philosoplii. avit stniti, aut insani ;
nulla anus nullus a-ger ineptiiis deliravit. x !>*-
moeritus & Leucippo doctus, ba^redilatem stultiim
reliquit Epic.
Democritus to the Reader. 31
to Epicurus," ^^insanienH dum sapienticB, &c. The like he holds ot Plato, Aristippus.
and the rest, making no ditFerence ^" betwixt them and beasts, saving that they could
speak." ^^Theodoret in his tract, De cur. grcc. affect, manifestly evinces as much
of Socrates, whom though that Oracle of Apollo confirmed to be the wisest man
then living, and saved him from plague, whom 2000 years have admired, of whom
some Avill as soon speak evil as of Christ, yet re vera, he was an illiterate idiot, as
^Aristophanes calls him, irjiscor et ambitiosus, as his master Aristotle terms him,
scurra Jitticus, as Zeno, an ^^ enemy to all arts and sciences, as Athaeneus, to philoso-
phers and travellers, an opiniative ass, a caviller, a kind of pedant ; for his manners,
as Theod. Cyrensis describes him, a ®^ sodomite, an atheist, (so convict by Anytus)
iracwidns et ebrms, dicax., &c. a pot-companion, by "* Plato's own confession, a
sturdy drinker ; and that of all others he was most sottish, a very madman in his
actions and opinions. "Pythagoras was part philosopher, part magician, or part witch.
If you desire to hear more of Apollonius, a gi-eat wise man, sometime paralleled by
Julian the apostate to Christ, I refer you to that learned tract of Eusebius against
Hierocles, and for them all to Lucian's Piscator, Icaromcnippus, A^cci/omajitia .-"their
actions, opinions in general were so prodigious, absurd, ridiculous, Avhich they
broached and maintained, their books and elaborate treatises were full of dotage,
whicli TuUy ad Atticum long since observed, delirani plerumq ; scriptores in Ubris
suis, their lives being opposite to their words, they commended poverty to others,
and were most covetous themselves, extolled love and peace, and yet persecuted one
another with virulent hate and malice. They could give precepts for verse and
prose, but not a man of them (as 'Seneca tells them honie) could moderate his affec-
tions. Their music did show us fcbiles rnodos, &c. how to rise and fall, but they
could not so contain themselves as in adversity not to make a lamentable tone.
They will measure ground by geometr\-, set down limits, divide and subdivide, but
cannot yet prescribe quantum Jwmini satis, or keep within compass of reason ana
discretion. They can square circles, but understand not the state of their own souls,
describe right lines and crooked, &c. but knoAv not what is right in this life, quid in
vita rectum sit, ignorant ; so that as he said, JVescio an Jlnticyram ratio illis destinet
omnem. I th-ink all the Anticyree will not restore them to their wits, ^ if these men
now, that held ^Xenodotus heart. Crates liver, Epictetus Ian thorn, were so sottish,
and had no more brains than so many beetles, what shall we think of the com-
monalty ? what of the rest ?
Yea, but you will infer, that is true of heathens, if they be confen-ed with Chris-
tians, 1 Cor. iii. 19. "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, earthly
and devilish," as James calls it, iii. 15. " They were vain in their imadiiations, and
their foolish heart was full of darkngss," Rom. i. 21, 22. "When they professed
themselves wise, became fools." Their witty works are admired here on earth,
whilst their souls are tormented in hell fire. ' In some sense, Cliristiani Crassiani.,
Christians are Crassians, and if compared to that wisdom, no better than fools. Qids
est sajnnis? Solus Deus, ■* Pythagoras replies, " God is only wise," Rom. xvi. Paul
determines "only good," as Austin well contends, "and no man living can be
justified in his sight." '-God looked doAvn from heaven upon the chddren of
men, to see if any did understand," Psalm liii. 2, 3, but all are comipt, err. Rom.
iii. 12, "None^doeth good, no, not one." Job aggravates this, iv. 18, "Behold he
found no stedfastness in his servants, and laid folly upon his angels," 19. "Plow
much more on them that dwell in houses of clay .'" In this sense we are all fools,
and the ^Scripture alone is arx Minervce, we and our writings are shallow and
imperfect. But I do not so mean ; even in our ordinary dealings we are no better
than fools. "All our actions," as ^ Pliny told Trajan, "upbraid us of folly," our
whole course of life is but matter of laughter: we are not soberly Avise ; and the
world itself, Avhich ought at least to be wise by reason of his antiquity, as ^Hugo de
95IIor. car. lib. 1. od. 34. 1. epicur. 96 Nihil I tati csecutiie non possunt. » Cor Xeriodoti et
interest inter hos et bestias nisi ijuod loqtiantiir.de jeciir Craietis. ^ Lib. de nat. boni. ;- Hic
sa. 1. 26. c. 8. 9^ Cap. de virt. * j\ch. et proftindissinia! Sophia? fodinae. <= panpjrvr. Tra-
1?"'^' ";* 'Jraniumdisciplinariiniicnanis. '«» Pul- jano omnes actiones exprobrare stiiltitiam videntur
ihrorum adolescentum caiisi freniientur gymnasium, " Ser. 4. in dnmi Pal. Miindus qui ob antiqiiitiilein de-
obibat &c. 1 Seneca. Seis rotunda metiri, sod | beret esse sapiens, semper stultizat. et nullis flaeollis
non tuum animum. 2 Ab uberibus sapientia lac- , iileratur, sed ut puer vult rosis Ht floriljus coronan.
32 Democntus to the Reader.
Prato Florido will have it, semper shdtizaf, is every day more foolish than other;
the more it is whipped, the worse it is, and as a child will still be crowned with
roses and flowers." We are apish in it, asini hipcdcs., and every place is fnll invcr-
sorum Jlpulcionim, of metamorphosed and two-legged asses, inversorum SiIc7iorum,
childish, jmeri instar binuiU, trcmula patris dormicntis in ulna. Jovianus Pon-
tanus, Antonio Dial, brings in some laughing at an old man, that by reason
of his age was a little fond, but as he admonisheth there, JYc mircris mi hospes
de hoc sene^ marvel not at him only, for tola hccc civitasaeUrlum, all our town dotes
in like sort, Sve are a company of fools. Ask not Avith him in the poet, ^ Larvcc
hunc intempericB insaniaquc agitant senem f What madness ghosts this old man,
but what madness ghosts us all ? For we are ad uniim onncs, all mad, sc?nel insani-
vimus omncs, not once, but alway so, et semel, et smul, ct semper, ever and altogether
as bad as he ; and not senex his puer, delira anus, but say it of us all, semper piucri,
young and old, all dote, as Lactantius proves out of Seneca ; and no difference betwixt
us and children, saving that, majora ludimus, et grandioribus pupis, they play with
babies of clouts and such toys, we sport with greater baubles. We cannot accuse
or condemn one another, being favdty ourselves, deliramenla loqueris, you talk idly,
or as '"Mitio upbraided Demca, insanis, avferte, for we are as mad our ownselves,
and it is hard to say which is the worst. Nay, 'tis universally so, ^^V'ltam regit
fortuna, nan sapientia.
When '-Socrates had taken great pains to find out a wise man, and to that purpose
had consulted with philosophers, poets, artificers, he concludes all men were fools ;
and though it procured him both anger and much envy, yet in all companies he
would openly profess it. When "'Supputius in Pontanus had travelled all over
Europe to confer with a Avise man, he returned at last without his errand, and could
fi,nd none. "Cardan concurs with him, "Few there are (for aught I can perceive)
well in their wits." So doth '^Tully, " 1 see everything to be done foolishly and
unadvisedly."
Ule sinistrorsiini, hie dextrorsum, uniis utrique I One reels to tlii.?, another to tliat wall,
Erroi, sed variis illudit partihus oinnes. | 'Tis the same error that deludes them all.
'^They dote all, but not alike, Mai-ta yap rco-rnv ojuota, not in the same kind, " One is
covetous, a second lascivious, a third ambitious, a fourth envious, &c." as Dama-
sippus the Stoic hath well illustrated in the poet,
" Desipiunt omnes anue ac tu. 1 ^^^ ^^^^ "'*'" •^»" y" '"""'' ^^'"> ci"^' «='^'™
1 May plead an ample title to the name.
Tis an inbred malady in every one of us, there is seminarium skdtlliai, a seminary
of folly, " Avhich if it be stirred up, or get a-head, Avill run in in/inilum, and infinitely
' varies, as Ave ourselves are severally addicted," saith '* Balthazar Castillo: and cannot
.so easily be rooted out, it takes such fast hol(4i, as Tully holds, altcB radices slultilicB,
'^so Ave are bred, and so Ave continue. Some say there be tAvo main defects of wit,
error and ignorance, to AA'-hich all others are reduced ; by ignorance Ave knoAV not
things necessary, by error Ave knoAV them, falsely. Ignorance is a privation, error a
positive act. From ignorance comes vice, from error heresy, &c. But make how
many kinds you Avill, divide and subdivide, fcAV men are free, or that do not impinge
on some one kind or other. ^ Sic plerumque agitat stultos inscilia, as he that
examines his own and other men's actions shall find.
^'Charon in Lucian, as he Avittily feigns, Avas conducted by Mercury to such a
place, Avhere he might see all the Avorld at once ; after he had sufficiently vieAved,
and looked about, IMercury Avould needs knoAV of him Avhat he had observed : He
told him that he saAV a vast multitude and a promiscuous, their habitations like
molehills, the men as emmets, "he could discern cities like so many hives of bees,
Avherein every bee had a sting, and they did nought else but sting one another, some
domineermg like hornets bigger than the rest, some like filchmg Avasps, others as
■I Insanumteomnes pueri, clamantque puella;. Hor. 'alius alio morbo laboret, hie libidinis, ille avaritia,
« Plautus Aubular. '» Adelph. act. 5. seen. 8. ambitionis, invidiie. " Ilor. 1. 2. sat. 3. i" Lib.
'- Tully Tusc. 5. fortune, not wisdom, governs our 1. de aulico Est in unoquoq ; nostrum seminarium
lives. 12 Plato Apologia Socratis. " Ant. aliquod stultitise, quod si quandoexcitetur, in infinitum
Dial. *< Lib. 3. de sap. pauci ut video sanae mentis facile excrescit. '» Primaque lux vita; prinna
emit. 15 stulte et ineaute omnia agi video, juroria erat. » Tibullus, stulli pritereunt diei,
« Insania non omnibu.s eadem, Erasm. chil. 3. cent, their wits are a wool-gathering. So fools commonly
10. nemo mortalium qui non aliqua in re desipit, licet | dote. ^ Dial, conlemplanies, Tom. 2,
Democritus to the Reader, 33
drones." Over their heads were hovermg a confused company of perturbations,
hope, fear, an^er, aA arice, ignorance, &c., and a multitude of diseases hanging, which
they still pulled on their pates. Some were brawling, some fighting, riding, running,
solllcite ambicntes, callide Utigantes^ for toys and trifles, and such momentary thijigs.
Their towns and provinces mere factions, rich against poor, poor against rich, nobles
against artificers, they against nobles, and so the rest, hi conclusion, he condemned
them all for madmen, fools, idiots, asses, O stidti., qucEuam hcBC est amentia ? O
fools, O madmen, he exclaims, insana studia^ insani labores, &c. Mad endeavours,
mad actions, mad, mad, mad, ^0 seclum insipiens et infacetum^ a giddy-headed age.
Heraclitus the philosopher, out of a serious meditation of men's lives, fell a weeping,
and with continual tears bewailed their misery, mathiess, and folly. Democritus on
the other side, burst out a laughing, their whole life seemed to him so ridiculous, and
he was so far carried whh this ironical passion, that the citizens of Abdera took him
to be mad, and sent therefore ambassadors to Hippocrates, the physician, that he would
exercise his skill upon him. But the story is set down at large by Hippocrates, in
his epistle to Damogetus, which because it is not impertinent to this discourse, I will
insert verbatmi almost as it is delivered by Hippocrates hunself, with all the circum-
stances belonging unto it.
When Hippocrates was now come to Abdera, the people of the city came flocking
about him, some weeping, some intreating of hun, that he would do his best. After
some little repast, he went to see Democritus, the people following him, whom he
found (as before) in his garden in the suburbs all alone, -^^^ sitting upon a stone under
a plane tree, without hose or shoes, with a book on his knees, cutting up several
beasts, and busy at his study." The multitude stood gazing round about to see the
congress. Hippocrates, after a little pause, saluted him by his name, whom he
resaluted, ashamed almost that he could not call hun likewise by his, or that he had
forgot it. Hippocrates demanded of him what he Avas doing : he told him that he
was ""busy in cutting up several beasts, to find out the cause of madness and
melancholy." Hippocrates commended his work, admiring his happiness and leisure.
And why, quoth Democritus, have not you that leisure ? Because, replied Hip-
pocrates, domestic affairs hinder, necessary to be done for ourselves, neighbours,
friends ; expenses, diseases, frailties and mortalities which happen ; wife, children^
servants, and such busmess which deprive us of our time. At this speech Demo-
critus profusely laughed (his friends and the people standing by, weepuig in the
mean time, and lamenting his madness). Hippocrates asked the reason w-hy he
laughed. He told him, at the vanities and the fopperies of the time, to see men so
empty of all virtuous actions, to hunt so far after gold, having no end of ambition ;
to take such infinite pains for a little glory, and to be favoured of men ; to make
such deep mines into the earth for gold, and many times to find nothing, with loss
of their lives and fortunes. Some to love dogs, others horses, some to desire to be
obeyed in manv provinces,^^ and yet themselves will know no obedience. ^*Some
to love their wives dearly at first, and after a while to forsake and hate them j
begetting children, with much care and cost for their education, yet when they grow
to man's estate, ^to despise, neglect, and leave them naked to the world's mercy.
^ Do not these behaviours express their intolerable folly ? When men live in peace^
they covet war, detesting quietness, '® deposing kings, and advancing others in their
stead, murdering some men to beget children of their wives. How many strange
humours are in men ! W^hen they are poor and needy, they seek riches, and when
they have them, they do not enjoy them, but hide them under ground, or else
wastefuUy spend them. O wise Hippocrates, I laugh at such things being done, but
much more when no good comes of them, and when they are done to so ill purpose.
There is no truth or justice found amongst them, for they daily plead one against
another, ^^ the son against the father and the mother, brother against brother, kindred
22 Catullus. 2! Sub ramosa platano sedentem, bilisq ; naturam disquirens. is Aust. 1. 1- in Gen.
solum, discalceatum, super lapidem, valde pallidum , Jumenti & servi tui obsequium rigide postiilas. et ta
ac macilentum, promissa barba, librum super genibus : nullum prseslas aliis, nee ipsi Deo. 21. c s ores
habentem. -* De furore, mania melancholia scribo, ' ducunt, mox foras ejir.iunt. 27 Puerns amant, mox
ut sciam quo pacto in hominibus gignatur, fiat, crescat, fastidiunt. 2» Qui d hoc ab insania deest 1 ^ R«-
cumuletur, minuatur ; haec inquil animalia quae videa \ ges eligunt, deponunt. 20 Coiitra parentes, fratre*^
propterea seco, non Del opera perosus, sed fellia ' cives, perpetuo riiantur, e^'
5
34 Democritus to the Reader.
and friends of the same quality ; and all this for riches, whereof after death they
cannot be possessors. And yet notwithstanding they Avill defame and kill one
another, commit all unlawful actions,- contemning God and men, friends and countrv
They make great account of many senseless things, esteeming them as a great pari
of their treasure, statues, pictures, and such like movables, dear bought, anil so cun-
ningly wrought, as nothing but speech wanteth in them, ^'and yet they hate living
persons speaking to them.'^ Others affect difficult things ; if they dwell on firm
land they will remove to an island, and thence to land again, being no way constant
to their desires. They commend courage and strength in wars, and let themselves
be conquered by lust and avarice ; they are, in brief, as disordered in their minds, as
Thersites was in his body. And now, methinks, O most worthy Hippocrates, you
should not reprehend my laughing, perceiving so many fooleries in men; '"for no
man will mock his own folly, but that which he secth in a second, and so they
justly mock one another. The drunkard calls him a glutton whom he knows to be
sober. Many men love the sea, others husbandry ; briefly, they cannot agree in
their own trades and professions, much less in their lives and actions.
When Hippocrates heard these words so readily uttered, without premeditation,
to declare the world's vanity, full of ridiculous contrariety, he made answer. That
necessity compelled men to many such actions, and divers wills ensuing from divine
permission, that we might not be idle, being notliing is so odious to them as sloth
and negligence. Besides, men cannot foresee future events, m this uncertainty of
human affairs ; they would not so marry, if they could foretel the causes of their
dislike and separation ; or parents, if they knew the hour of their children's death,
so tenderly provide for them ; or an husbandman sow, if he thought there would be
no increase ; or a merchant adventure to sea, if he foresaw shipwreck ; or be a magis-
trate, if presently to be deposed. Alas, worthy Democritus, every man hopes the
best, and to that end he doth it, and therefore no such cause, or ridiculous occasion
of laughter.
Democritus hearing this poor excuse, laughed again aloud, perceiving he wholly
mistook him, and did not well imderstand what he had said concerning perturbations
and tranquillity of the mind. Insomuch, that if men would govern their actions by
discretion and providence, they would not declare themselves fools as now they do,
and he should have no cause of laughter ; but (quoth he) they swell in this life as
if they were immortal, and demigods, for want of understanding. It were enough to
make them wise, if they would but consider the mutability of tliis world, and how
it wheels about, nothing being fimi and sure. He that is now above, to-morrow is
beneath ; he that sate on this side to-day, to-morrow is hurled on the other : and
not considering these matters, they fa.U into many inconveniences and troubles,
coveting things of no profit, and thirsting after them, tumbling headlong into many
calamities. So that if men would attempt no more than what they can bear, they
should lead contented lives, and learning to know themselves, would limit their
ambition, '^ they would perceive then that nature hath enough without seeking such
superfluities, and unprofitable things, which bring nothing with them but grief
and molestation. As a fat body is more subject to diseases, so are rich men to
absurdities and fooleries, to many casualties and cross inconveniences. There are
many that take no heed what happeneth to others by bad conversation, and there-
fore overthrow themselves in the same manner through their own fault, not foreseeing
dangers manifest. These are things (O more than mad, quoth he) that give me
matter of laughter, by suffermg the pains of your impieties, as your avarice, envy,
malice, enormous villanies, mutinies, unsatiable desires, conspiracies, and otlier
incurable vices ; besides your '' dissimulation and hypocrisy, bearing deadly hatred
one to the other, and yet shadowing it with a good face, flying out into all filthy
lusts, and transgressions of all laws, both of nature and civility. JMany things which
they have left off, after a while they fall to again, husbandry, navigation ; and leave
" Idola inaniniata amant, animata odio liabent, sic ] et finire laborem incipias, partis quod avebas, mere
pontificii. 3-i Credo equidem vivos ducent 6 mar- Ilcr. st Astutam vapido servalsub ppclore vulpem
more viiltus. -^ Suam stiiltitiani perspicit nemo, | Et cum vulpo positus paiiter vulpinariei t'reliian
sed alter alterum deridet. ^i Denique sit finis que- | dum cum Crete.
r«ndi, cuniquc^^^l^^us, puuperiem meiuas minus, |
Democritus to the Reader. 35
again, fickle and inconstant as they are. "^Mien they are young, they would be old ,
and old, young. '*'' Princes commend a private life; private men itch after lionour .
a magistrate commends a quiet life ; a quiet man would be in his otTice, and obeyed
as he is : and what is the cause of all this, but that they know not themselves .'
Some delight to destroy, ^''one to build, another to spoil one country to enrich
another and himself. ^**In all these things they are like children, in whom is no
judgment or counsel and resemble beasts, saving that beasts are better than they, as
being contented with nature. ^° When shall you see a lion hide gold in the ground, or a
bull contend for better pasture ? When a boar is thirsty, he drinks what will serve
him, and no more ; and Avhen his belly is full, ceaseth to eat : but men are immodeiats
in both, as in lust — they covet carnal copulation at set times ; men always, ruinating
thereby the health of their bodies. And doth it not deserve laughter to see an amor-
ous fool toirnent himself for a wench ; weep, howl for a mis-shapen slut, a dov/dy
sometimes, that might have his choice of the finest beauties .'' Is there anv remedy
for this in physic ? I do anatomise and cut up these poor beasts, '*°to see these dis-
tempers, vanities, and follies, yet such proof were better made on man's body, if my
kind nature would endure it: ^'who from the hour of his birth. is most miserable
weak, and sickly ; when he sucks he is guided by others, when he is grown great
practiseth unhappiness ^^and is sturdy, and when old, a child again, and repenteth
him of his life past. And here being internipted by one that brought books, he fell
to it again, that all were mad, careless, stupid. To prove my fonner speeches, look
into courts, or private houses. '"'Judges give judgment according to their own
advantage, doing manifest wrong to poor mnocents to please others. Notaries altei
sentences, and for money lose their deeds. Some make false monies ; others coun-
terfeit false weights. Some abuse their parents, yea con-upt their own sisters ; others
make long libels and pasquils, defaming men of good life, and extol such as are lewd
and vicious. Some rob one, some another : ''^magistrates make laws against thieves,
and are the veriest thieves themselves. Some kill themselves, others despair, not
obtaining their desires. Some dance, sing, laugh, feast and banquet, whilst others
sigh, languish, mourn and lament, having neither meat, drink, nor clothes. ''^Som.e
prank up their bodies, and have their minds full of execrable vices. Some trot about
^^to bear false witness, and say anything for money; and though judges know of it,
yet for a bribe they wink at it, and suffer false contracts to prevail against equity
Women are all day a dressing, to pleasure other men abroad, and go like sluts at
home, not caring to please their own husbands whom they should. Seeing men are
so fickle, so sottish, so intemperate, why should not I laugh at those to whom ■^' folly
seems wisdom, will not be cured, and perceive it not "i
It grew late : Hippocrates left him ; and no sooner was he come away, but all the
citizens came about flocking, to know how he liked him. He told them in brief,
tliat notwithstanding those small neglects of his attire, body, diet, ''^the world had
not a wiser, a more learned, a more honest man, and they were much deceived to
say that he was mad.
Thus Democritus esteemed of the world in his time, and this was the cause cf his
laughter : and good cause he had.
Democritus did well to laugh of old.
<" Olim jure quidem, nunc plus Democrite ride ;
Quill rides) vita lisc nunc mag6 ridicula est.
Good cause he had, but now much more ;
This life of ours is more ridiculous
Than that of his, or long before.
Never so much cause of laughter as now, never so many fools and madmen. -Tis
not one ^^° Democritus will serve turn to laugh in these days ; we have now need of a
3f Qui fit Mecspnas ut nemo quain sibi sorlem. Seu Damnat foras judex, quod intus operatur, Cyprian,
ratio dederit, seu sors olijecerit, ilia contentus vivat, ^=Vultus magna cura, magna animi incuria. Am.
&c. Hor. 31 Diruit, ffditicat, miitat quadrata rotun- Marcel. J" Horrenda res est, vix duo verba sine
dis. Trnjanus ponleni struxit super Danubiuin, quern niendacioproferuntur : etquamvis solenniter homines
successor ejus Adriaiius statim deinolitus. ^^ q,,^ ad veritatem dicendum invitentur, pejerare tamen non
quid in re ali infantibus differunt, quibus mens et sen- duhitant, ut ex decem testibus vix unus verum dicat.
sus sine ratione inest, quicquid sese his offert volupe Calv. in fe John, Serm 1. ^'J Sapieniiam insaniam
est. 3a i(]eni Plut. ^'i Ut insanii'E causam dis- esse dicunt. ^f Siquidem sapientia; suae admira-
qiiirain bruta macto ef seco, cum hoc potius in honii- tione me complevit, offendi sapientissimum virum,
nibus investigandum esset. ^' Totns i nativitate qui salvos potest omnes homines reddere. <»E.
morbus est. -i- In vigore furibundus, quum decre- Graec. epis. «i Plures Democriti nunc non suffi-
fcit insanabilis. " Cyprian, ad Uonatum. Qui i ciunt, opus Democrito qui Demoojitum rideat. Eras
eedet criniinu judicaturus, &c. ■«Tu pessimus 1 Moria.
aiEDium latxo es, as a thief told Alexander in Curtius. I
86 Democritus to the Reader.
" Democritus to laugh at Democritiis ;" one jester to flout at another, one fool to
flear at another : a great stentorian Democritus, as big as that Rhodian Colossus
F<:)v now, as *' Salisburiensis said in his time, totus mundus hlstrionem agit, the whole
world plays the fool ; we have a new theatre, a new scene, a new comedy of eiTors,
a new company of personate actors, volupice sacra ("as Calcagninus willingly feigns
in his Apologues) are celebrated all the world over, "where all the actors Were mad-
men and fools, and every hour changed liabils, or took that which came next. He
that was a mariner to-day, is an apothecary to-morrow ; a smith one while, a philoso-
her another, in his volupice. hulls ; a king now with his crown, robes, sceptre, attend-
ants, by and by drove a loaded ass before him like a carter, &c. If Democritus
were alive now, he should see strange alterations, a new company of counterfeit
vizards, whilllers, Cumane asses, maskers, mummers, painted puppets, outsides, fan-
tastic shadows, gulls, monsters, giddy-heads, butterflies. And so many of them are
indeed (^'^ if all be time that I have read). For when Jupiter and Juno's wedding
was solemnised of old, the gods were all invited to the feast, and many noble men
besides : Amongst the rest came Crysalus, a Persian prince, bravely attended, rich
in golden attires, in gay robes, with a majestical presence, but otherwise an ass.
The gods seeing him come in such pomp and state, rose up to give him place, ex habitu
hominrm metkntes ; " but Jupiter perceiving what he was, a light, fantastic, idle fel-
low, turned liim and his proud followers into butterflies : and so they continue still
(for aught I know to the contrary) roving about in pied coats, and are called chrysa-
lides by the wiser sort of men : that is, golden outsides, drones, and Hies, and tilings
|if no worth. Multitudes of such, &c.
" ubique invenles
Stultos avaros, sycopliantas prodigos." ^s
Many additions, much increase of madness, folly, vanity, should Democritus observe,
were he now to travel, or could get leave of Pluto to come see fashions, as Charon
did in Lucian to visit our cities of 3Ioronia Pia, and Moronia Foelix : sure I think
he would break the rim of his belly with laughing. ^^ S'lforet in terris rideret De-
vwcritus., seu^i &.c.
A satirical Roman in his time, thought all vice, folly, and madness were all at full
sea, "'' Omne in prcecipiti v ilium stetit.
'^ Josephus the historian tiixeth his countrymen Jews for bragging of their vices,
publishing their follies, and that they did contend amongst themselves who should
be most notorious in villanies; but we flow higher in madness, far beyond them,
„,,,.. . ..- ■ .. I And yet with crimes to us unknown,
59 Mox daturi progen.em v.tiosiorem," | q^, ^^^ns shall mark the coming age their own,
and the latter end (you know whose oracle it is) is like to be worse. 'Tis not to
be denied, the world alters every day, Rtiunt urbcs, regna transfer untur^ 8tc. varian-
tur hahitus, leges innocantur^ as ^Petrarch observes, we change language, habits,
laws, customs, manners, but not vices, not diseases, not the symptoms of folly and
madness, they are still the same. And as a river, we see, keeps the like name and
place, but not water, and yet ever runs, ®' Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis cevxim ;
our times and persons alter, vices are the same, and ever will be; look how night-
ingales sang of old, cocks crowed, kine lowed, sheep bleated, sparrows chirped,
dogs barked, so they do still : we keep our madness still, play the fools still, nee
dumjinitus Orestes ; we are of the same humours and inclinations as our predeces-
sors were ; you shall find us all alike, much at one, we and our sons, et nati nuto-
ruvi, et qui nascuntur ab illis. And so shall our posterity continue to the last. But
to speak of times present.
It Democritus were alive now, and should but see the superstition of our age, our
^'^ religious madness, as ^Meteran calls it, Religiosam insaniam, so many professed
=' Polycrat. lib. 3. cap^S. 6 Petron. ^^ubi omnes 1 protinusq ; vestis ilia manicata in alas versa est, et
delirabaiit, omnes insani, iScc. hodie nauta, cms philo
sophus ; hodie faber, eras pharraacopola ; hic modo
regem agebat multo sattellitio, tiara, et sceptro orna-
tus, nunc vili amictiis centiculo, asinum elitellarium
impellit. =3 Calcagninus Apol. Crysalus 6,C£eteris
auro dives, manicato pepio et tiara conspicuus, levis
alioquin et nulliu|^mi|mi &c. magno fastu ingredi-
ptiti as9iirgu|M^^^^^Hk|^ Sed hominis levitatem
inortales inde Chrysalides vocant hujusmodi homines.
^'You will meet covetous fools and projjigal syco-
phants everywhere. ^ojuven. ,' ^" Juven.
'^ De hello Jud. 1. 8. c. 11. Iniquitates v^estra; nemi-
nem latent, inque dies singulos certamen babc-tis quia
pejor sit. 6u Hor. eoLjb. 5. Epist. 8. ' c Hor.
^^•Superslitio est insanus error. "Lib. 8. hj«.
Belg.
Democriius to the Reader. 37
Clitistians, yet so few imitators of Christ ; so much talk of religion, so much science
so little conscience ; so much knowledge, so many preachers, so little practice ; such
variety of sects, such have and hold of all sides, ®^ obvia signis Signa,&LC., such
absurd and ridiculous traditions and ceremonies : If he should meet a '"'" Capuchin.
a Franciscan, a Pharisaical Jesuit, a man-serpent, a shave-crowned ]Monk in his robes,
a begging Friar, or see their three-crowned Sovereign Lord the Pope, poor Peter's
successor, scrims servorum Dei^ to depose kings witli his foot, to tread on emperors'
necks, make them stand bare-foot and bare-legged at his gates, hold his bridle and
stirrup, &c. (O that Peter and Paul were alive to see this !) If he should observe
a ^^ Prince creep so devoutly to kiss his toe, and those Red-cap Cardinals, poor parish
priests of old, now Princes' companions; what would he say ? Coclum ipsum pcti-
tur stuUitia. Had he met some of our devout pilgrims going bare-foot to Jerusa-
lem, our lady of Lauretto, Rome, S. lago, S. Thomas' Shrine, to creep to those
counterfeit and maggot-eaten reliques ; had he been present at a mass, and seen such
kissing of Paxes, crucifixes, cringes, duckings, their several attires and ceremonies,
pictures of saints, ^'indulgences, pardons, vigils, fasting, feasts, crossing, knocking,
kneeling at Ave-Marias, bells, with many such ; jucunda nidi spectacula pJebi., '^
praying in gibberish, and mumbling of beads. Had he heard an old woman say her
prayers in Latin, their spruikling of holy water, and going a procession,
69 "incedunt monachoruin a^mina mille ;
Quid moiiierem vexilla, cruces, idoUque culla, &,c."
Their breviaries, bulls, hallowed beans, exorcisms, pictures, curious crosses, fables, and
baubles. Had he read the Golden Legend, the Turks' Alcoran, or Jews' Talmud,
the Rabbins' Comments, what would he have thought ? How dost thou think he
might have been affected ? Had he more particularly examined a Jesuit's life amongst
the rest, he should have seen an hypocrite profess poverty, "°and yet possess moie
goods and lands than many princes, to have infinite treasures and revenues ; teach
others to fast, and play the gluttons themselves ; like watermen that row one way
and look another. "'Vow virginity, talk of holiness, and yet indeed a notorious
bawd, and famous fornicator, lascivum pecus, a very goat. Plonks by profession, '-
such as give over the world, and the vanities of it, and yet a Machiavelian rout
'■"interested in all manner of state : holy men, peace-makers, and yet composed of envy,
lust, ambition, hatred, and malice ; fire-brands, adulta patrice pestis^ traitors, assassi-
nats, hdc itur ad asira, and this is to supererogate, and merit heaven for themselves
and others. Had he seen on tlie adverse side, some of our nice and curious schis-
matics in another extreme, abhor all ceremonies, and rather lose their lives and livings,
tlian do or admit anything Papists have formerly used, though in thmgs indiflereul
(they alone are the true Church, sal terrcB^ cum sint omnium insulsissimi). Formal-
ists, out of fear and base flattery, like so many weather-cocks turn round, a rout of
temporisers, ready to embrace and maintain all that is or shall be proposed in hope
of preferment : another Epicurean company, lying at lurch as so many vultures,
watching for a prey of Church goods, and ready to rise by the downfall of any : as
"^ Lucian said in like case, what dost thou think Deraocritus would have done, had
he been spectator of these things ?
Or had he but observed the common people follow like so many sheep one of
their fellows drawn by the bonis over a gap, some for zeal, some for fear, quo se
cunque rajnt tcmpcslas, to credit all, examine notliing, and yet ready to die before
they will adjure any of tliose ceremonies to which they have been accustomed ;
others out of hypocrisy frequent sermons, knock their breasts, turn up their eyes,
pretend zeal, desire reformation, and yet professed usurers, gripers, monsters of men,
harpies, devils in their lives, to express nothing less.
M Lucaii. 66 Father Aupelo, tin; Duke of Joyeux,
going liare-foot over the Alps to Koine, tc. •» Si
cui intueri vacet qum paliunlur superstitiosi, invenies
tam indecora honestis, tani iiitliina liberis, tarn dissi-
niilia sanis, nt nemo fuerit duhitaturus fiirere eos, si
cum paucinrllpus fnerent. .Senec. ^~ Quid dicam
de eorum induluentiis, ohlationibus, votis, solutionibus,
jejuniis, coenobiis, soniiiiis, horis, orsanis, cantilenis,
campanis. s iinulachris, missis, purgatoriis, iiiitris, bre
leus de actis Rom. Pont. ^ Pleasing spectacles
to the ignorant poor. ^9 xh. Neageor. ■■*' Dum
simulant spernere, acquisiv^ runt sibi 30 annoruni
spatio bis centena millia llbrarum annua. Arnold.
'■' f;t quura interdiu de virtute loquuti sunt, sero in
latibulis clunes aeitant labore nocturno, Agryppa.
■- 1 Tim. iii. 13. But they shall prevail no longer,
their madness shall be known to all men. p Benig-
nitaiis sinus solebat esse, nunc litium officina curia
viariis, bulli,<, lustralibus, aquis, rasuris, unriionibus, ' Roniaiia Buda?us. j^g^^j^^^^detur facluius
candelis, calicibus, crucibus, mappis, cereis. thuribulis, j DemocritUB, si borum j
i«c«nUUoiut)US. exorcisuiis, sputis, legendis, &c< Ba-
f
3S Democriftts to the Reader.
What would he have said to see, hear, and read so many bloody battles, so many
thousands slain at once, such sti-eams of blood able to turn mills : vnius oh noxam
furwsque. or to make sport for princes, without any just cause, ""for vain titles
(saith Austin\ precedency, some wench, or such like toy, or out of desire of domi-
neering, vaingrlorv, malice, revenge, folly, madness," (goodly causes all, oh quas
vnh-rrsi;s orhis beUis et CfBcUhiis jnisceatur^) whilst statesmen themselves in tlie mean
time are secure at home, pampered with all delights and pleasures, take their ease,
and follow their lusts, not considering what intolerable misery poor soldiers endure,
their often wounds, huno-er, tliirst, kc, the lamentable cares, tonnents, calamities,
and oppressions that accompany such proceedings, they feel not, take no notice of
it. *■'■ So wars are bearun, by the persuasion of a few debauched, hair-brain, poor,
dissolute, hunsrrv captains, parasitical fawners, unquiet hotspurs, restless innovators,
green heads, to satisfy one man's private spleen, lust, ambition, avarice, &c. ; tales
rapuu}f scelerafa in prcelia causcz. Flos hominum^ proper men, well proportioned,
carefuUv brought up, able both in body and mind, sound, led lil\e so many "'* beasts
to the slaughter in the flower of their years, pride, and full strength, without all
remorse and pitv, sacriiiced to Pluto, killed up as so many sheep, for devils' food,
40.000 at once. At once, said I, that were tolerable, but these wars last always, and
for many ages ; nothing so familiar as this hacking and hewing, massacres, murders,
desolations ignoto c.xhim clangore re/nitirit^ they care not what mischief they
procure, so that they may enrich themselves for the present ; they will so long blow
the coals of contention, till all the world be consumed with lire. The "siege of
Troy lasted ten years, eight months, there died 870,000 Grecians, 070,000 Trojans,
at the takinsr of the city, and after Averc slain 276,000 men, women, and children of
all sorts. C;rsar killed a million, ^^lahomet the second Turk, 300,000 persons;
Sicmius Dentatus fouglit in a hundred battles, eight times in single combat he over-
came, had forty wounds before, was rewarded with 140 crowns, triumphed nine,
times for his good service. 31. Sergius had 32 wounds ; Scaeva, the Centurion, I
know not how many ; ever}' nation had their Hectors, Scipios, Caesars, and Alex-
anders! Our ''Edward the Fourth was in 26 battles afoot: and as they do all, he
glories in it, 'tis related to his honour. At the siege of Hierusalem, 1,100,000 died
with sword and famine. At the battle of Cannas, 70,000 men were slain, as "'Poly-
bius records, and as many at Battle Abbey witli us ; and 'tis no news to fight from
sun to sun, as they did, as Constantine and Licinius, &.c. At the siege of Ostend
(the deviPs academy) a poor town in respect, a small fort, but a great grave, 120,000
men lost their lives, besides whole towns, dorpes, and hospitals, full of maimed
soldiers ; there werft engines, fire-works, and whatsoever the devil could invent to
do mischief with 2,500,000 iron bullets shot of 40 pounds weight, three or four
millions of gold consumed. ^'^'AVho (saith mine author) can be sutTiciently amazed
at their tlinty hearts, obstinacy, fur}*, blindness, who witliout any likelihood of good
success, hazard poor soldiers, and lead them without pity to the slaughter, which
may justly be called the rage of furious beasts, that run without reason upon their
own deaths:" ^quis malus gcnitis^ qxicc furia quce pest is, &c. ; what plague, what
fury brought so devilish, so brutish a thing as war first into men's minds .'' Who
made so soft and peaceable a creature, born to love, mercy, meekness, so to rave, rage
like beasts, and run on to their own destruction .'' how may Nature expostulate with
mankind, Ego te divinum animal finri, &c. ? I made thee an harmless, quiet, a divine
creature : how may God expostulate, and all good men f yet, horum facta (as '^one
condoles) tanfum admirantur, et heroum mcnitro hahcnt : these are the brave spirits,
the gallants of the world, these admired alone, triumph alone, have statues, crowns,
pyramids, obelisks to their eternal fame, that immortal gehius attends on them, h/tc
i'ur ad astra. AVhen Rhodes was besieged, ^fosscB urhis cadaverihus replete^ siint^
tlie ditches were full of dead carcases : and as when the said Solyman, great Turk,
beleaguered Vienna, they lay level with the top of the walls. This they make a
'f Ob inanes ditionutn titulos, ob prereptum locum, » Lib. 3. ^' Hist, of the siege of Ostend, fol. 33.
obinterceptainnnilierciilam,vel quoii ^stiiltitia natum,
vel e malitia, quod cupido dominandi. libido nocendi,
&c. "« Bellum rem plane bellui nam vocat Morus.
Ttop lib. 2.^g^Mtam|^ Co^mo^. I. 5, c, 3 E.
I>ict. Cistea^^^^^^^^^HjL ejus. '^ Comineus
^ Erasmus de bello. Ut placidum illiid animal beae-
volenti^e natum tam ferina vecordi^ in mutuam ruert>t
perniciem. ^ Rich. Dinotb. prsfai. Belli civilis
Gal. »< JoTias.
Democritus to the Reader. 39
sport of, and will do it to their friends and confederates, against oaths, vows, pro-
mises, by treachery or otherwise; *^ dolus an virtus? quls in haste requiralf
leagues and laws of arms, (^^ silent leges inter arma^) for their adva'^lage, o^rtTiiajwra,
divina, humana, proculcata plerumque sunt ; God's and men's laws are trampled
under foot, the sword alone determines all; to satisfy their lust and spleen, they care
not what they attempt, say, or do, ^^Rarajides^ probitasque viris qui castra sequuntur.
Nothing so common as to have ""father fight against the son, brother against
brother, kinsman against kinsman, kingdom against kingdom, province against pro-
vince, Christians against Christians :" a quibus nee unquam cogitatione fuerunt li£si^
of whom they never had oflence in thought, word, or deed. Infinite treasures con-
sumed, towns burned, flourishing cities sacked and ruinated, quodque aiiimus mtmi-
nissc horrci, goodly countries depopulated and left desolate, old inhabitants expelled,
trade and traffic decayed, maids deflowered, Virgines nondum thalamis jugatce^ ci
comis nondum positis ephozbi ; chaste matrons cry out with Andromache, ^" Concu-
bitum mox cogar pati ejus, qui interemit Hectoretn, they shall be compelled perad-
venture to lie with them that erst killed their husbands : to see rich, poor, sick,
sound, lords, servants, eodem omnes incommodo macti, consumed all or maimed, Sec.
Et quicquid gaudens scelere animus audet, et perversa mens, saith Cyprian, and
wdiatsoever torment, miseiy, mischief, hell itself, the devil, ^ fury and rage can invent
to their own ruin and destruction ; so abominable a thing is '^ war, as Gerbelius con-
cludes, adeofceda et abominanda r^s est bellum, ex quo hominum ccedes^ vastutiones,
Sec, the scourge of God, cause, effect, fruit and punishment of sin, and not ionsura
humani generis as TertuUian calls it, but ruina. Had Democritus been present at
the late civil wars in France, those abominable wars bellaque matribus detestata,
^''•" where m less than ten years, ten thousand men were consumed, saith CoUignius,
twenty thousand churches overthrown ; nay, the whole kingdom subverted (as
^-Richard Dinoth adds). So many myriads of the commons were butchered up,
with sword, famine, war, tanto odio vtrinque ut barbari ad abhorrendam lanienam
ohstupescercnt, with such feral hatred, the world was amazed at it : or at our late
Pharsalian fields in the time of Henry the Sixth, betwixt the houses of Lancaster and
York, a hundred thousand men slain, ^^one writes; ^^ another, ten thousand families
were rooted out, "■ That no man can but marvel, saith Comineus, at that barbarous
immanity, feral madness, committed betwixt men of the same nation, language, and
religion." ^Quis furor, O cives? '^ Why do the Gentiles so fmiously rage," saith
tlie Prophet David, Psal. ii. 1. But we may ask, why do the Christians so furiously
rage ? ^Arma volunt, quare poscunt, rapiuntque juventus f Unfit for Gentiles,
much less for us so to tyrannize, as the Spaniard in the West Indies, that kflled up in
42 years (if we may believe ^'' Bartholomeeus a Casa, their own bishop) 12 millions
of men, with stupend and exquisite torments ; neither should I lie (said he) if I said
50 millions. I omit those French massacres, Sicilian evensongs, ^the Duke of
Alva's tyrannies, our gunpowder machinations, and that fourth fuiy, as ^one calls
it, the Spanish mquisition, which quite obscures tliose ten persecutions, '°° scBvit
toto Mars impius orbe. Is not this ^mundus furiosus, a mad world, as he terms it,
insanum bellum ? are not these mad men, as ^Scaliger concludes, qui in prcelio acerbd
morte, insanice siice memoriam pro perpetuo teste relinquunt posteritati ; which leave
so frequent battles, as perpetual memorials of their madness to all succeeding ages .'
Would this, thmk you, have enforced our Democritus to laughter, or rather made
him turn his tune, alter his tone, and weep with ^Heraclitus, or rather howl, ^roar,
and tear his hair in commiseration, stand amazed ; or as the poets feign, that Niobe
"< Dolus, asperitas, in jiistitia propria bellorum ne- gladio, bello, fame miserabiliter perierunt. ^ Pont,
gotia. Tertul. i^ Tully. * Lucan, t^ Pater Huterus. '■« Comineus. Ut nuUus non execretur et
in liiium, affiiiis in afflneiii, amicus in amicum, &c. admiretur crudelitatem, et barbaram insaniam, quse
Regio cum regione, resnum regno coUiditur. Populus inter homines eodem sub ctclo natos, ejusdem lingua;,
populo in miituam perniciem, belluarum instar san- sanguinis, religionis, esercebatur. •>■ Lucan.
guinolente ruentium. »* Libanii declani. ^s Ira w Virg. ^' Bishop of Cuseo, an eye-witness,
enira et furor Bellonffconsultores, &c. dementessacer- * Read Meteran of his stupend cruelties. ' * Hen
dotes sunt *' Bellum quasi bellua et ad omnia sius Austriaco. !«> Vir?. Georg. "impious war
■celera furor immissus. "i Gallorum decies centum rages throushout the whole world."" ' .lanseniiis
»>iJlia ceciderunt. Ecclesiaris 20 millia fundamentis Gallobelgicus 1596. Mundus furiosus, insrriptio libri.
excisa »- Belli civilis GaJ. 1. 1. hoc ferali bello et ^ Exercitat. 250. serm. 4. ^ Fleat Heraclitus an
ca?dil>u< omnia repleveriint, et regnum amplLssimum k ■ rideat Democritus. ■• C]j{^^^^ loquuAur, in-
futidameutis pene everterunt, plebis tot myriades i gentes stupent.
40 Democntus to the Reader.
was for griei qmtt stupified, and turned to a stone ? I have not yet said the worst-
that which is more absurd and ^mad, in their tumults, seditions, civil and unjust
Avars, ^quod stulte sucipitur, ivipie gcritur, miscre fmitur. Such wars I mean ; for
all are not to be condemned, as those fantastical anabaptists vainly conceive. Oui
Christian tactics are all out as necessary as the Roman acies, or Grecian phalanx ,
to be a soldier is a most noble and honourable profession (as the world is), not to
be spared, they are our best walls and bulwarks, and I do therefore acknowledge
that of 'Tully to be most true, " All our civil affairs, all our studies, all our pleading,
industry, and commendation lies under the protection of warlike virtues, and when-
soever there is any suspicion of tumult, all our arts cease ;" Avars are most behoveful,
et hellatorcs agricolis civitati sunt utiliores, as ^Tyrius defends: and valour is much
to be commended in a Avise man; but they mistake most part, aiiferre, trucidare.,
rapere,, falsls nominihus virtutem vacant^ &c. ('TAvas Galgacus' observation in
Tacitus) they term theft, murder, and rapine, virtue, by a Avrong name, rapes,
slaughters, massacres, &.c. jocus et bidus^ are pretty pastimes, as Ludovicus Vives
notes. '^ They commonly call the most hair-brain blood-suckers, strongest thieves,
the most desperate villains, treacherous rogues, inhuman murderers, rash, cruel and
dissolute caitiffs, courageous and generous spirits, heroical and Avorthy captains,
'"brave men at arms, valiant and renoAvned soldiers, possessed Avith a brute persuasion
of false honour," as Pontus Huter in his Burgundian history complains. By means
of Avhich it comes to pass that daily so many voluntaries offer themselves, leaving
their SAveet Avives, children, friends, for sixpence (if they can get it) a day, prostitute
their lives and limbs, desire to enter upon breaches, lie sentinel, perdue, give the first
onset, stand in the fore front of the battle, marching bravely on, Avith a cheerful
noise of drums and trumpets, such vigour and alacrity, so many banners streaming
in the air, glittering armours, motions of plumes, Avoods of pikes, and sAVords, variety
of colours, cost and magnificence, as if they Avent in triumph, noAV victors to the
Capitol, and Avith such pomp, as Avhen Darius' army marched to meet Alexander at
Issus. Void of all fear they run into imminent dangers, cannon's mouth, &c., ut
vulnerihus suis ferrum hoslium hebetcnt, saith "Barletius, to get a name of valour,
honour and applause, Avhich lasts not either, for it is but a mere flash this fame, and
like a rose, intra diem unum extinguitur, 'tis gone in an instant. Of 15,000 prole-
taries slain in a battle, scarce fifteen are recorded in history, or one alone, the General
perhaps, and after a Avhile his and their names are likeAvise blotted out, the Avhole
battle itself is forgotten. Those Grecian orators, summa vi ingenii et ehquentioi^ set
out the renowned overthroAvs at ThermopylcB^ Salamis, Marathon, Micale, Man-
tinea., Cherona;a, Platcsa. The Romans record their battle at Cannas, and Pharsa-
lian fields, but they do but record, and Ave scarce hear of them. And yet this
supposed honour, popular applause, desire of immortality by this means, pride and
vain-glory spur them on many times rashly and unadvisedly, to make aAvay them-
selves and multitudes of others. Alexander Avas sorry, because there Avere no-more
worlds for him to conquer, he is admired by some for it, animosa vox videtur, el
re gia, hwas spoken like a Prince; but as Avise '^Seneca censures him, 'tAvas vox
inquissima et stultissima, 'tAvas spoken like a Bedlam fool ; and that sentence Avhich
the same "Seneca appropriates to his father Philip and him, I apply to them all, »\>>/i
minores fuere pestes mortalium quain inundatio, qudm conjlagratio, quibus, &.c. they
did as much mischief to mortal men as fire and Avater, those merciless elements Avhen
they rage. "Which is yet more to be lamented, they persuade them this hellish
course of life is holy, they promise heaven to such as venture their lives bcUo sacro.
and that by these bloody Avars, as Persians, Greeks, and Romans of old, as modern
Turks do now their commons, to encourage them to fight, ut cadant infeliciter.
6 Arma amens capio, nee sat rationis in armis. | vitam, que non assueverlt armis. |> Lib. 10. vit.
6 Erasmus. 'Pro Murena. Omnes urhanse res, Scanperbeg. "jvulli beatiores habiti, quftm qui
omnia studia, omnis forensis laus et industria latet in , in pra'liis lecidissent. Brisonius de rep. Persarum. 1
tulela et prsecidis bellica; virtutis, et siniiil atque in- 3. fol. 3. 44. Idem Lactantiua de Ronianis et Oraris
crepuit suspicio tumultus, artes illico nostras contices-
cunt. » Ser. 13. '■' Crudelissimos s»vissi-
niosque latrones, fortissimos haberi propugnatores,
fidissiniiJ dnrrJ hatwiit. bruta persuasione donaii.
loEolii! :- lluj.isus."Q*«»ilkls omnis in armis vita pla-
cet, noL uila juv^^ii^^B^nec ullam esse putant
Idem Ammianus, lib. 23. de Parthis. Judicatur is
solus beaius apud eos. qui in prcclio fuderit animani.
Ue Benef. lib. 2. C.I. '= Nat. quiest. lib. 3. ''llo-
lerus Arnpbitridlon. Busbcquius Turc. hist. Per cede*
el ^ansruinem parare bcniinibus asrensum in ceel' /»
putant, Lactan. de falsa relig. 1. 1. cap. 8.
Democntm to the Reader. 4 1
^' It they die in the field, iliey go directly to heaven, and shall be canonized for saints."
(O diabolical invention !) put in the Chronicles, in perpeliiam rci memoriam, to their
eternal memory : when as in truth, as '^some hold, it were much better (since Avars
are the scourge of God for sin, by which he punisheth mortal men's peevishness and
folly) such brutish stories were suppressetl, because ad morum instUuiioncm nihil
habenf, they conduce not at all to manners, or good life. But they will liave it dius
nevertheless, and so they put note of "*" divinity upon themost cruel and pernicious
plague of human kind," adore such men with grand titles, degrees, statues, images,
" honour, applaud, and higlily reward them for their good service, no greater glory
than to die in tlie field. So Africanus is extolled by Ennius : Mars, and '* Hercules,
and I know not how many besides of old, were deified ; went this way to heaven,
that were indeed bloody butchers, wicked destroyers, and troublers of tlie world,
prodigious monsters, hell-hounds, feral plagues, devourers, common executioners of
human kind, as Lactantius truly proves, and Cyprian to Donat, such as were despe-
rate in wars, and precipitately made away themselves, (like those Celtes in Dama-
scen, with ridiculous valour, ut dedecorosum putarent muro ruenti se suhducere,, a
disgrace to run away for a rotten wall, now ready to fall on their heads,) sucli as
will not rush on a sword's point, or seek to shmi a cannon's shot, are base cowards,
and no valiant men. By which means, Madct orbis mutuo sanguine^ the earth wal-
lows in her own blood, '^ Scsvit ■amor ferri et scelerati insania. belli ; and for that,
which if it be done in private, a man shall be rigorously executed, ^° " and which is
no less than murder itself; if the same fact be done in public in wars, it is called
manhood, and the party is honoured for it." "^^Prosperum etfcelix scclus., virtus
vacatur .
We measure all as Turks do, by the event, and' most part, as Cyprian notes, in all
ages, countries, places, scEvitiiB magnitudo impunitatem scelcris acquirit, the foulness
of the fact vindicates the ofit3nder. ^^ One is crowned for that "which another is tor-
mented : Ille cruceni sceleris precium tuUt, hie diadema ; made a knight, a lord, an
earl, a great duke, (as ^Agrippa notes) for that which another should have hung in
gibbets, as a terror to the rest,
2^ "et tamen alter,
Si fecisset idem, caderet sub judice morum."
A poor sheep-stealer is hanged for stealing of victuals, compelled peradventure by
necessity of that intolerable cold, hunger, and thirst, to save himself from starving :
but a ^ great man in office may securely rob whole province^, undo thousands, pill
and poll, oppress ad libitum, flea, grind, tyrannise, enrich himself by spoils of the
commons, be uncontrolable in his actions, and after all, be recompensed with tur-
gent titles, honoured for his good service, and no man dare find fault, or ^"^ mutter
at it.
How would our Democritus have been affected to see a wicked caitiff, or ^^"fool,
a very idiot, a funge, a golden ass, a monster of men, to have many good men, wise,
men, learned men to attend upon him with all submission, as an appendix to his riches,
for that respect alone, because he hath more wealth and money, ^^and to honour him
with divine titles, and bombast epithets," to smother him with fumes and eulogies,
whom they know to be a dizard, a fool, a covetous wretch, a beast, &lc. " because
he is rich V To see sub cxtwiis leon'is onagrum, a filthy loathesome carcass, a Gor-
gon's head puffed up by parasites, assume this unto himself, glorious titles, in worth
an infant, a Cuman ass, a painted sepulchre, an Egyptian temple .'' To see a wither-
ed face, a diseased, deformed, cankered complexion, a rotten carcass, a viperous mind,
and Epicurean soul set out with orient pearls, jewels, diadems, perfumes, curious
'^Quoniaiii bella acerbissima deiflagellasunt quibus
hominum pertinaciam punit, ea perpetua oblivione
sepelienda potius quam meiiioris maiulanda plerique
judicant. Rich. Diiioth. praef. hist. Gall. "^ Cru-
entam humani generis pesteni, et perniciem divinita-
tis not4 insigiiiunt. '■ Et quod doleiidum, applau-
sum habent et occursum viri tales. '^Herculi
eadem porta ad coelum patuit, qui magnam generis
hun-..ini partem perdidlt. i^ Virg. .^neid. 7.
20 Hnuiicidiuni quum comniittunt singuli, crimen est,
quuiH public^ geritur, virtus vocatur. Cyprianus.
"'Seneca. Successful vice is called virtue. '^Ju-
ven. 2.1 Dg Ya,ait. scient. de priucip. nobilitalis.
51 Juven. Sat. 4. '6 pausa rapit, quod Natta reli-
quit. Tu pessimus omnium latro es, as Demetrius
the Pirate told Alexander in Curtius. "<^'!\(m ausi
mutire, &c. jEsop. 2? jfnprobum et stultum, si
divitem multos bonos viros in servitutoin habentem,
ob id dunta.xat quod ei contingat aureorum numis-
matuin cumulus, ut appendices, et aildilamenta nu-
mismatum. Morus Utopia. -s Eoruniq ; detes-
taiitur Utopienses insaiijam, qui divinos honores iis
impendunt, quos sordidos el a^y^i^ignoscunt ; non
alio respectu honuruutus, quam quoU dues iint.
Idem. lib. 2.
43 Demoeritus to the Reader.
elaborate works, as proud of his clothes as a child of his new coats ; and a goodly
person, of an angel-like divine countenance, a saint, an humble mind, a meet spirit
clothed in rags, beg, and now ready to be starved ? To see a silly contemptible
sloven in apparel, ragged in his coat, polite in speech, of a divine spirit, wise ? another
neat in clothes, spruce, full of courtesy, empty of grace, wit, talk nonsense ?
To see so many lawyers, advocates, so many tribunals, so little justice ; so many
magistrates, so little care of common good ; so many laws, yet never more disorders ;
Tribunal litium segetem, the Tribunal a labyrinth, so many thousand suits in one
court sometimes, so violently followed ? To see injuslisshnum sccpe juri prcBsiden-
tern, wipium religioni, hnperitisshnum erudUioni., ollosissimum labors moiistrosum
humanitati? to see a lamb ^''executed, a wolf pronounce sentence, latro arraigned,
and far sit on the bench, the judge severely punish others, and do worse himself,
^ eundem furtum facere et punire, '^Wapinam pleclcre., quum sit ipse raptor f Laws
altered, misconstrued, interpreted pro and con, as tlie '^^ Judge is made by friends,
bribed, or otherwise affected as a nose of wax, good to-day, none to-morrow ; or
finn in his opinion, cast in his ? Sentence prolonged, changed, ad arhilrium judicis,
still the same case, ^'•' one thrust out of his inheritance, another falsely put in by
favour, false forged deeds or wills." Jncisce leges negliguntur, laws are made and
lot kept ; or if put in execution, " they be some silly ones that arp punished. As,
put case it be fornication, the father will disinherit or abdicate his child, quite cashier
him (out, villain, be gone, come no more in my sight) 5 a poor man is miserably
tormented with loss of his estate perhaps, goods, fortunes, good name, for ever dis-
graced, forsaken, and must do penance to the utmost ; a mortal sin, and yet make
the worst o[ it, nunquid aliud fecit, sn'iih Tranio in the ^poet, ?i(SJ quod f admit sum-
mis nati generihusf he hath done no more than what gentlemen usually do. ^JYe-
que novum, ncque viirum, neque secus quam alii solcnt. For in a great person, riglit
worshipful Sir, a right honourabk Grandy, 'tis not a venial sin, no, not a peccadillo,
'tis no offence at all, a common and ordinary thing, no man takes notice of it; he
justifies it in public, and peradventure brags of it,
^ " Nam quod turpe bonis, Tilio, Seioque, decebat
Crispin mil"
For what would be base ia good men, Tilius, and Seius, became Crispinus.
*-Many poor men, younger brothers, Stc. by reason of bad policy and idle education
(for they are likely brought up in no cidliiig), are compelled to beg or steal, and
then hanged for theft ; than which, what can be more ignominious, non minus enim
turpe principi multa supplicia, quam medico multa funera, 'tis the governor's fault.
Libcntius verberant quam decent, as schoolmasters do rather correct their pupils, than
teach them when they do amiss. ^^" They had more need provide there should be no
more thieves and beggars, as they ought with good policy, and take away the occa-
sions, than let them run on, as they do to their own destruction : root out likewise
those causes of wrangling, a multitude of lawyers, and compose controversies, lites
lustrales et scculares, by some more compendious means." Wliereas now for every
toy and trille they go to law, '^"Mugit litibus insanum forum, et scBcit invicem discor-
danlium rabies, tliey are ready to pull out one another''s throats ; and for commodity
*'to squeeze blood," saith Hierom, " out of their brother's heart," defame, lie, dis-
grace, backbite, rail, bear false witness, swear, forswear, fight and wrangle, spend
their goods, lives, fortunes, friends, undo one another, to enrich an harpy advocate,
that preys upon them both, and cries Eia Socrates, Eia Xantippe ; or some corrupt
Judge, that like the ''^Kite in ^sop, while the mouse and frog fought, carried both
away. Generally they prey one upon anotlier as so many ravenous birds, brute
beasts, devouring fishes, no medium, ^^o/w/ies hie aut captantur aut captant ; autcada-
vera quce lacerantur, aut corvi qui lacerant, either deceive or be deceived ; tear others
2sCyp. 2. ad Donat. ep. Ut reus innocens pereat, i tratiium culpa (it, qui malos imitantur prtecepiores,
sit nocens. Judex daninat foras, quod intus operatur. : qui discipulns libentius verberant quam docunt. Mo-
'"Sidonius Apo. 3i g^ivianus 1. 3. de orav-iden. rus, Utop. lib. 1. s" Decernuntur furi yravia et
*2 Ergo judicium nihil est nisi publica merces. 1-etro- horrenda supplicia, qanm potius provideiidiini niull6
nius. Quid faciant leges ubi sola pecunia regnaf? foretnefures sint, ne cuiquam. tarn dira furandi aut
Idem. 33 Hie arcentur hsreditatibus Hberi, hie
donatur Imnis alitm^ijjlsum consiilit. alter testamen-
tum ciirr i.u.'il.'&eTlaerii. '■" ^ i\at censura co-
lumb;is. -ia plMgu|natel. -'Mt-m. 37juven.
Bat. \, ^^^^^Hta^^fures et luendici, ma
pereundi sit necessitas. Idem. ■"'Boterus de aug-
ment, urb. lib. 3. cap. 3. '' E frater»o corde san-
guinem eliciiint. •'Milvus rapit »c deglubii
■'•' Petronius de Crotone civil.
Democritus to the Reader. 43
or be torn irt pieces themselves ; like so many buckets in a well, as one riseth
another falleth, one's empty, another's full ; his ruin is a ladder to the third ; such
are our ordinary proceedings. What's the market? A place, according to ""Ana-
charsis, wherein they cozen one another, a trap; nay, what's the world itself?
*^A vast chaos, a confusion of manners, as fickle as the air, domiciUum insanorum,
a turbulent troop full of impurities, a mart of walking spirits, goblins, the theatre of
hypocrisy, a sliop of knavery, flattery, a nursery of villany, the scene of babbling,
the school of giddiness, the academy of vice ; a warfare, uhi veils nolis pvgncmdum,
auf vincas aid succianhas, in which "kill or be killed ; Avherein every man is for him-
self, his private ends, and stands upon his own guard. No charity,^'' love, friendship,
fear of God, alliance, affinity, consanguinity, Christianity, can contain them, but if
they be any ways offended, or that string of commodity be touched, they fall foul.
Old friends become bitter enemies on a sudden for toys and small oflences, and they
that erst were willing to do all mutual offices of love and kindness, now revile and
persecute one another to death, with more than Vatinian hatred, and will not be
reconciled. So long as they are behoveful, they love, or may bestead each other,
biit when there is nO more good to be expected, as they do by an old dog, hang
him up or cashier him : which ''''Cato counts a great indecorum, to use men like old
shoes or broken glasses, which are flung to the dunghill ; he could not find in his
heart to sell an old ox, much less to turn away an old servant : but they instead of
recompense, revile him, and when they have made him an instrument of their villany,
as ■'^Bajazet the second Emperor of the Turks did by Acomethes Bassa, make him
away, or instead of '*'' reward, hate him to death, as Silius was served by Tiberius.
In a word, every man for his own ends. Our summum bonum is commodity, and the
goddess we adore Dea moneta^ Queen money, to Avhom we daily ofler sacrifice,
which steers our hearts, hands, ^"affections, all : that most powerful goddess, by
whorq we are reared, depressed, elevated, ^' esteemed the sole commandress of our
actions, for which we pray, run, ride, go, come, labour,^and contend as fishes do for
a crumb that falleth into the water. It's not worth, virtue, (that's bonum thealrale,)
wisdom, valour, learning, honesty, religion, or any sufficiency for which we are
respected, but ^^ money, greatness, office, honour, authority ; honesty is accounted fol-
ly ; knavery, policy ; °^men admired out of opinion, not as they are, but as they seem
to be : such shifting, lying, cogging, plotting, counterplotting, temporizing, flattering,
cozening, dissembling, *''" that of necessity one must highly offend God if he be con-
formable to the world," Cretizare cum Crete,'-'' or else live in contempt, disgrace and
misery." One takes upon him temperance, holiness, another austerity, a third an
affected kind of simplicity, when as indeed, he, and he, and he, and the rest are
^" hypocrites, ambidexters," out-sides, so many turning pictures, a lion on the one
side, a lamb on the other .^^ How would Democritus have been affected to see these
things !
To see a man turn himself into all shapes like a camelion, or as Proteus, omnia
trunsfurmans sese in miracula rerum, to act twenty parts and persons at once, for
his advantage, to temporize and vary like Mercury the Planet, good with good ; bad
with bad ; having a several face, garb, and character for every one he meets ; of all
religions, humours, inclinations ; to fawn like a spaniel, mentitis et mimicis obsequis,
rage like a lion, bark like a cur, fight like a dragon, sting like a serpent, as meek as
a lamb, and yet again grin like a tiger, weep like a crocodile, insult over some, and
yet others domineer over him, here command, there crouch, tyrannize in one place,
be baffled in another, a wise man at home, a fool abroad to make others merry.
To see so much difference betwixt words and deeds, so many parasangs betwixt
■■J Quid forum'! locus quo alius alium circiimvenit. I tia odium redditur. Tac. wpaucis charior est
^^Vastum chaos, larvarura emporium, thealrum hypo- fides quam pecunia. Salust. '' Prima fere vota et
crisios, &c. ••'■Nemo ccelum, nemo jusjurandum, cunctis, &.c. ^-Et genus et forniam regina pecu-
nemo Jovem pluris facit, sed omnes apertis oculis nia donat. Quantum quisque sua nummorum nerval
bona sua coniputant. Petron. 47pimarch. vit. in area, tantum habet et fidei. «> j^on a peritia sed
ejus. Indecorum animatis ut cilceis uti aut vitris, ab ornatu et vulgi vocibus habemur excellentes. Car-
qujE ubi fracta abjicimus, nam ut de nieip?o dicam, dan. 1. 2. de cons. ^iPerjurata suo postponit nu-
nec bnvem senem vendideram, nedum hominem natu
grandem laboris socium. ■»f Jovius. Cum innu-
niera illius beneficia rependere non posset aliter, in-
terfici jussit. « Beneficia eo usque lata sunt dum
videntur solvi posse, ubi multum antevenere pro gra-
mina lucro, Mercator. TJt netessarium sit vel Deo
displicere, vel ab hominibus contemni, vexari, neg-
ligi, -^Qui Curios .-iuiiilajtJiiHT«.a,lji;inalia vivunt.
°«Tragelaplio siiniiti vjl'centanris, sursunf-^omines,
deorsum equi.
44 Democritus to the Reader.
tongue and heart, men like stage-players act variety of parts, ^"give good precepts to
otliers, soar aloft, whilst they themselves grovel on the ground.
To see a man protest friendship, kiss his hand, ^^queni mallet truncaium viderc
*' smile with an intent to do mischief, or cozen him whom he salutes, ^"magnify his
friend unworthy with hyperbolical eulogiums ; his enemy albeit a good man, tc
vilify and disgrace him, yea all his actions, with the utmost that livor and malice
can invent.
To see a ®' servant able to buy out his master, him that carries the mace more
worth than the magistrate, which Plato, lib. 11, de leg., absolutely forbids, Epictetus
abhors. A horse that tills the ^^ land fed with chafT, an idle jade have provender in
abundance ; him that makes shoes go barefoot himself, him that sells meat almost
pined ; a toiling drudge stai-ve, a drone flourish.
To see men buy smoke for wares, castles built with fools' heads, men like apes
follow the fashions m tires, gestures, actions : if the king laugh, all laugh ;
*3" Rides? majore chachinno
Concutitur, ttet si lachrymas conspexit amici."
** Alexander stooped, so did his courtiers ; Alphonsus turned his head, and so did his
parasites. ^^Sabina Poppea, Nero's wife, wore amber-coloured hair, so did all tlie
Roman ladies in an instant, her fashion was theirs.
To see men wholly led by aflectioh, admired and censured out of opinion with-
out judgment : an inconsiderate multitude, like so many dogs in a village, if one
bark all bark without a cause : as fortune"'s fan turns, if a man be in favour, or com-
manded by some great one, all the W'orld applauds him ; " if in disgrace, in an instant
all hate him, and as at the sun when he is eclipsed, that erst took no notice, now
gaze and stare upon him.
To see a man "wear his brains in his belly, his guts in his head, an hundred oaks
on his back, to devour a hundred oxen at a meal, nay more, to devour houses and
towns, or as those Anthropophagi, **to eat one another.
To see a man roll himself up like a snowball, from base beggar)' to right worship)-
ful and right honourable titles, unjustly to screw himself into honours and offices;
another to starve his genius, danm his soul to gather wealth, which he shall not en-
joy, which his prodigal son melts and consumes in an instant.**^
To see the xaxo^T;>jiav of our times, a man bend all his forces, means, time, fortunes,
to be a favorite's favorite's favorite, Ss-c, a parasite's parasite's parasite, that n^ay
scorn the servile world as having enough already.
To see an hirsute beggar's brat, that lately fed on scraps, crept and whined, crying
to all, and for an old jerkm ran of errands, now ruffle in silk and satin, bravely
mounted, jovial and polite, now scorn his old friends and familiars, neglect his kin-
dred, insult over his betters, domineer over all.
To see a scholar crouch and creep to an illiterate peasant for a meal's meat ;
a scrivener better paid for an obligation ; a falconer receive greater wages than a
student : a lawyer get more in a day than a philosopher in a year, better reward for an
hour, than a scholar for a twelvemonth's study ; him that can '° paint Thais, play on
a fiddle, curl hair, &.C., sooner get preferment than a philologer or a poet.
To see a fond mother, like .^sop's ape, hug her child to death, a " wittol wink at
his wife's honesty, and too perspicuous in all other aflairs ; one stumble at a straw,
and leap over a block; rob Peter, and pay Paul; scrape unjust sums with one hand,
purchase great manors by corruption, fraud and cozenage, and liberally to distribute
to the poor with the other, give a remnant to pious uses, &c. Penny wise, pound
foolish; blind men judge of colours; wise men silent, fools talk; "find fault with
s'PrsEceptis suis coelum promittunt, ipsi interim nius 1.37. cap. 3. capillos habuit succineos, exinde
pulveris terreni vilia mancipia. sf^neag Silv. factum ut omnes paellae Romans colorera ilium affec-
»Arridere homines ut sa;viant, blandiri ut fallant. ; tarent. « Odit damnatos. Juv. "Asrippa
Cyp. ad Donatum. «>Love and hale are like the ep. 28. 1. 7. Quorum cerebrum est in ventre, inseni-
two ends of a perspective glass, the one multiplies, \ um in patinia. ««Psal. They eat up mv people
the other makes less. ^ Ministri locupletiores iis as bread. «» Absumit haerea cecuba Jii,'nior ser-
quibus niinistratur, servus majores opes habens quam vata centum clavibus, et mero distineiiet pavimentig
patronus. s^Quilerram colunt equi paleis pas- superbo, pontificum potiore coenis. Ilor. "oQni
cuntur, qui otiantur caballi aveni saeinantur, discal- Thaidera pinaere, inflare tibiam, crispare crine-i.
ceatus discurrit yii^alres aliis facit. rajuven. , " Doctus spectare lacunar. "Tiillius. Est enirr.
Di y.iu 1 iiij>ii > he isslhltetiil y ^^till greater laughter? | proprium siultitiic aliorum cernere vilia, obliiisci gi>-
li. \\i,c»>s also \vhe^he has Lcheld the tears of his orum. Idem Aristippus Charidemo apud Lucianum
fi^jiO. J^||JHB|^dd tefllftM)* <^- Tli- 1 Omnino Btultitis cujusdam esse puto, &c.
Democritus to the Reader. 46
others, and do worse themselves ; "denounce that in public which he doth in secret ;
and which Aurelius Victor gives out of Augustus, severely censure that in a third,
of which he is most guilty himself.
To see a poor fellow, or an hired servant venture his life for his new master that
will scarce give him his wages at year's end ; A country colone toil and moil, till
and drudge for a prodigal idle drone, that devours all the gain, or lasciviously con-
sumes with phantastical expences ; A noble man in a bravado to encounter death,
and for a small flash of honour to cast away himself; A worldling tremble at an ex-
ecutor, and yet not fear hell-fire ; To wish and hope for immortality, desire to be
happy, and yet by all means avoid death, a necessary passage to bring him to it.
To see a fool-hardy fellow like those old Danes, qui decollari malunt quom
verherari., die rather than be punished, in a sottish humour embrace death with
alacrity, yet '■* scorn to lament his own sins and miseries, or his dearest friends'
departures.
To see wise men degraded, fools preferred, one govern towns and cities, and yet
a silly woman overrules him at home; "Command a province, and yet his own ser-
vants or children prescribe laws to him, as Themistocles' son did in Greece ;
'*'-'What I Avill (said he) my mother will, and what my mother will, my father
doth." To see horses ride in a coach, men draw it ; dogs devour their masters ;
towers build masons ; children rule ; old men go to school ; women wear the
breeches ; '' sheep demolish towns, devour men, &c. And in a word, the world
turned upside doAvnward. O viveret Democritus.
'* To insist in every particular were one of Hercules' labours, there's so many
ridiculous instances, as motes in the sun. Quantum est in rebus inane ? (How
much vanity there is m things !) And who can speak of all ? Crimine ah uno disce
mnnes., take this for a taste.
But these are obvious to sense, trivial and well known, easy to be discerned. How
would Democritus have been moved, had he seen '^ the secrets of their hearts } If
every man had a window in his breast, which Momus would have had in Vulcan's,
man, or that which Tully so much wished it were written in every man's forehead,
Quid quisque dc republicd sentiret^ what he thought ; or that it could be effected in
an instant, which Mercury did by Charon in Lucian, by touching of his eyes, to make
him discern semel et simul rumores et susurros.
" Spes hominum CEccas, morbos, votumque labores, | "Blind hopes and wishes, their thousrhts and affairs,
Et passim toto volitantes EBthere curas." | Whispers and lumours, and those flying cares."
That he could cuUculorum ohductas foras recludere et secreta cordium penetrare,
which ^ Cyprian desired, open doors and locks, shoot bolts, as Lucian's Gallus did
with a feather of his tail : or Gyges' invisible ring, or some rare perspective glass, or
Ofacousiicon^ which Avould so multiply species, that a man might hear*and see all at
once (as ^' Martianus Capella's Jupiter did in a spear which he held in his hand,
which did present unto him all that was daily done upon the face of the earth),
observe cuckolds' horns, forgeries of alchemists, the philosopher's stone, new pro-
jectors, &c., and all those works of darkness, foolish vows, hopes, fears and wishes,
what a deal of laughter would it have afforded ? He should have seen windmills in
one man's head, an hornet's nest in another. Or had he been present with Icarome-
nippus in Lucian at Jupiter's whispering place, *^ and heard one pray for rain, an-
other for fair weather ; one for his wife's, another for his father's death. Sec ; ''• to ask
that at God's hand which they are abashed any man should hear :" How would he
have been confounded.^ Would he, think you, or any man else, say that these
men were well in their wits .'' Hccc sani esse hominis quis sanus juret Orestes f
"Execrari publice quod occulta agat. Salvianus ' ep. prsed. Hos. dejerantes et potantes deprehendet.
lib. de pro. acres ulciscendis vitiis quibus ipsi vehe- i hos vomentes, illos litigantes, insidias molientes, siif-
nientcr indulgent. '^ Adanius eccl. hist. cap. 212
Siquis damnatus fuerit, iKtus esse gloria est; nam
lachrynias et planctum casteraque compunctionum
genera qus nos salubria censemus, ita abominantur
Daiii, ut nee pro peccatis nee pro defunctis amicis ulli
fragantes, venena niiscentes, in amicorum accusalio-
nem subscribentef, hos gloria, illos ambitione, cupidi-
tate, mente captos, &c. to Ad Donat. ep. 2. I. 1. O
si posses in specula sublimi constitutus, &c. ti Lib.
1. de nup. Philol. in qua quid singuli nationum popull
flere liceat. 'sOrbi dat leges foras, vix famulum i quotidianis niotibus agitarent. relucebat. '^-O Ju
regit sine strepitu domi. ""^ Quicquid ego volo hoc \ piler contingat mihi aurum hsereditas, &;c. Multos da
vult mater mea, et quod mater vult, facit pater. ' Jupiter annos. Dementia quanta est hominum, tur •
'' OvBs, olim mite pecus, nunc tam indomitum et edax pissima vota diis insusurraif^^siquis adraoverit aurem,
■Jt homines devorent, &c. Morus. Utop. lib. 1. '^^ Di- conticescunt ; et quod scire tagpiines nolunt, Dco aar-
»ersos variis tribuit natura furores. tapemo^rit. i rant. Senac. ep. iO. 1. 1.
46 Denwcritus to the Reader.
Can all the hellebore in the Anticyrse cure these men ? No, sure, ^' " an acre of
hellebore will not do it."
That which is more to be lamented, they are mad like Seneca's blind woman,
and will not acknowledge, or ^ seek for any cure of it, for pauci vidcnt morhum
suu7n, omnes amant. If our leg or arm offend us, we covet by all means possible to
redress it ; ^ and if we labour of a bodily disease, we send for a physician ; but for
the diseases of the mind we take no notice of them: "^^Lust harrows us on the one
side ; envy, anger, ambition on the other. We are torn in pieces by our passions,
as so many wild horses, one in disposition, another in habit ; one is melancholy,
another mad ; ^' and which of us all seeks for help, doth acknowledge his error, or
knows he is sick .? As that stupid fellow put out the candle because the biting fleas
should not find him ; he shrouds himself in an unknown habit, borrov.-ed titles, be-
cause nobody should discern him. Every man thinks with himself, Egomet videor
7nihi s(mi(s, I am Avell, I am wise, and laughs at others. And 'tis a general fault
amongst them all, that ^ which our forefathers have approved, diet, apparel, opinions,
humours, customs, manners, we deride and reject in oiu- time as absurd. Old men
account juniors all fools, Avhen they are mere dizards; and as to sailors, terra-
que urbesque reccdiint they move, the land stands still, the world hath much
more wit, they dote themselves. Turks deride us, we them ; Italians Frenchmen,
accounting them light headed fellows, the French scoff again at Italians, and at their
several customs ; Greeks have condemned all the world but themselves of barbarism,
the world as much vilifies them now ; we account Germans heavy, dull fellows, explode
many of their fashions ; they as contemptibly think of us ; Spaniards laugh at all, and
all again at them. So are we fools and ridiculous, absurd in our actions, carriages,
diet, apparel, customs, and consultations ; we ^' scoff and point one at another, when
as in conclusion all are fools, ®°'^and they the veriest asses that hide their ears most.
A private man if he be resolved with himself, or set on an opinion, accounts all
idiots and asses that are not affected as he is, " nil reclum^ nisi quod placnit
sihU ducit^ that are not so minded, ^(quodque vohint homines se bene vcUc jmfant^)
all fools that think not as he doth : he will not say with Atticus, Suam quisque
sponsmn^vii/ii meam, let every man enjoy his own spouse; but his alone is fair,
suns amor, Stc, and scorns all in respect of himself, ^ Avill imitate none, hear none
^ but himself, as Pliny said, a law and example to himself. And that which Hippo-
crates, in his epistle to Dionysius, reprehended of old, is verified in our times, Quis-
que in aJio superjluum esse censet, ipse quod nan habet nee curat, that whicli he bath
not himself or doth not esteem, he accounts superfluity, an idle quality, a mere fop-
pery in another : like ^Esop's fox, when he had lost his tail, would have all his fel-
low foxes cut off theirs. The Chinese say, that we Europeans have one eye, they
themselves two, all the world else is blind': (though '^ Scaliger accounts them brutes
too, merum pecus,) so thou and thy sectaries are only wise, others indifferent, the
rest beside themselves, mere idiots and asses. Thus not acknowledging our own
errors and imperfections, we securely deride others, as if we alone Avcre free, and
spectators of the rest, accounting it an excellent thing, as indeed it is, Jlliena opti-
mum f mi insanin, to make ourselves merry Avith other men's obliquities, when as
he himself is more faulty than the rest, mutate nomine, de te fahula nnrratur, he may
take himself by the nose for a fool ; and which one calls maxinmm siultitice specimen,
to be ridiculous to others, and not to perceive or take notice of. it. as Marsyas was
when he contended with Apollo, non intelligcns se deridiculo haberi, saith ^ Apu-
leius ; 'tis his own cause, he is a convicted madman, as ^'Austin well infers '' in the
eyes of wise men and angels he seems like one, that to our thinkmg walks with his
S3 Plautus Menech. non potest hac res Helleboriju- priscis eiprobrat. Bud.de affec. lib. 5. W'Senes
gero obtinerier. "^Eoqiie gravior morbus quo ig- pro stnltis habentjuvenes. Balth. Cast. *!>Clodiui
potior periclitanti. '^■'Quie la^dunt oculos, fcstinas aciusal machos. »o Omnium stultissimi qui auri-
demere ; si quid est ammum, differs curnndi tempus culas studios^ tegunt. Sat. Menip. si Hor. Kpisl. 2.
in annum. Hor. i* Si caput, crus dolet, brachiura, '^- Prosper. * Statim sapiunt, statim sciiint, nemi-
&c. Medicum accersimus, recte et honesle, si p:»r nera reverentur, neminem imitantur, ipsi sibi exem-
eliam indu.-triain animi morbis poneretur. Joh. Pe- plo. Plin. Epist. lib. 8. w.Xulli alteri fapera
lenus Jesulta. lib. 2. de hum. affec. morborumquecura. concedit, ne desipere videatur. A-irip. "Omni*
"" Et quoti'squisque tawen e»t qui contra tot pestes orbis persechio a persis ad Lusitaniam. "^S Florid.
niedicurii . »»iuirat-«»Ki^tiJt,ii r s,- risno?cat? ebullit | «■ August. Qualis inoculis hominiimqui inv«*rsi» n*di-
jra, Ac. Et 00^ j^jJHIfcffigf OS . iieaamus. Into- bus ambulat, talis in oculis sapienium et aageloram
luDi^ medjaBajJll^B^ Prresens a;ta3 slultitium . qui sifn pli' et. aut cui passiones duminautur.
JJemocritics to the Reader. •'• iJ
heels upwards," So thou laughest at me, and I at thee, both at a third ; and he re-
turns that of the poet upon us again, ^Hei mUd, insanire vie aiunf, qnum ipsi ullrb
insaniant. We accuse others of madness, of folly, and are the veriest dizards our-
selves. For it is a great sign and property of a fool (which Eccl. x. 3, points at)
out of pride and self-conceit to insult, vilify, condemn, censure, and call other men
fools {JYon videmus mant'icce quod a tergo est) to tax that in others ol' which we are
most faulty ; teach that which we follow not ourselves : For an inconstant man to
write of constancy, a profane liver prescribe rules of sanctity and piety, a dizard
himself make a treatise of Avisdom, or with Sallust to rail downright at spoilers of
countries, and yet in ^^ office to be a most grievous poler himself. This argiies
weakness, and is an evident sign of such parties' indiscretion. ^''°Peccat uler nostrum
cruce digniics ? " Who is the fool now ?" Or else peradventure in some places we
are all mad for company, and so 'tis not seen, Satietas erroris et dementicPi pariler
absurdltatem et admirationem tolllt. 'Tis with us, as it was of old (in ' Tuliy's cen-
sure at least) with C. Fimbria in Rome, a bold, hair-brain, mad fellow, and so es-
teemed of all, such only excepted, that were as mad as himself: now in such a case
there is ^ no notice taken of it.
" Niiniruni insaniis paucis videatur ; e& quod I " When all are mad, where all are like opprest
Maxima pars hominum morbo jactatur eodem." | Who can discern one mad man from the resl?"'
But put case they do perceive it, and some one be manifestly convicted of madness
^he now takes notice of his folly, be it in action, gesture, speech, a vain humour he
hath in building, br'gging, jangling, spending, gaming, courting, scribljling, prating,
for which he is ridi ulous to others, ^ on which he dotes, he doth acknowledge as
much : yet with all the rhetoric thou hast, thou canst not so recall him, but to the
contrary notwithstanding, he will persevere in his dotage. 'Tis amahlUs imanicu et
mentis gratissimus error., so pleasing, so delicious, that he * cannot leave it. He
knows his error, but Avill not seek to decline it, tell him what the event v.ill be,
beggary, sorrow, sickness, disgrace, shame, loss, madness, yet ^''an angry man will
prefer vengeance, a lascivious his whore, a thief his booty, a glutton his belly, before
his welfare." Tell an epicure, a covetous man, an ambitious man of his irregular
course, wean him from it a little, pol me occidisiis ami.ci, he cries anon, you have
undone him, and as ''a "dog to his vomit," he returns to it again; no persuasion
will take place, no counsel, say what thou canst,
" Clames licet et mare coelo
-Confundas, surdo narras,"8
demonstrate as Ulysses did to ^Elpenor and Gryllus, and the rest of his companions
" those swinish men," he is irrefragable in his humour, he will be a hog still ; brav
him in a mortar, he will be the same. If he be in an heresy, or some pen'erse opi-
nion, settled as some of our ignorant Papists are, convince his understanding, show
him the several follies and absurd fopperies of that sect, force him to say, vcris viu-
cor, make it as clear as the sun, '" he will err still, peevish and obstinate as he is ;
and as he said " si in hoc erro, Uhenter erro, nee liunc errorcm mtferri mihi volo ; I
will do as I have done, as my predecessors have done, '^and as my friends now do :
I will dote for company. Say now, are these men '^mad or no, ^^Heusage rcsponde ?
are they ridiculous ? cedo quemvis arhitrum., are they sance mentis, sober, wise, and
discreet ? have they common sense } • '^ titer est insanior horum ? I am of De-
mocritus' opinion for my part, I hold them worthy to be laughed at ; a company of
brain-sick dizards, as mad as "^ Orestes and Athamas, that they may go " ride the
ass," and all sail along to the Anticyra;, in the " ship of fools" for company together.
I need not much labour to prove this which I say otherwise than thus, make any
^Plautiis Menechmi. iioGovernor of Asnich by ] honores, avarus opes, &c. odimus haec et accercimus.
Coesar's appointment. lo^Nunc sanilatis patroci- ' Cardan. 1. 2. de conso. ' Prov. xxvi. 11. " Al-
nium est insanientiiim turba. Sen. i Pro Roseio j thoufrh you call out, and confound the sea and sky.
Ameriiio, et quod inter omnes constat insanissimus,
nisi inter eos, qui ipsi qunque insaniunt. ^ Ne-
cesse est cum insanientibus furere, nisi solus relin-
queris. Petronius. 3 Quoniam non est genus
unum st\il!itiffi qua me insanire putas. * Stultum
you still address a deaf man. a Plutarch. Gryllo.
suilli homines sic Clem. Alex. vo. '"i\on per-
suadebis, etiamsi persuaseris. I'Tiilly. '- Malo
cum illis insanire, quam cum aliis bene sentire.
'" Qui inter hos enutriuntur, non maffis sapere possunt,
me fateor, liceat concedere verum, .Atque etiam insa- ' quim qui in culinS, bene olere. Patron. " '■'Per
num. Hor. ^ Odi nee possuni cupiens nee esse I sius. >»Hor. 2. ser. which of these is the more
quod odi. Ovid. Errore grato libenter omnes insani- ' mad. '^Vesanum exagitant j-t»e«,- innnpi^nu*
mns. 6 Amator scortum vitae pra-ponit, iracundiis 1 puellee. * ""
Vindictam ; fur pricdam, parasitus gulani, anibitiosuB |
48 Democritus to the Reader.
solemn protestation, or swear, I think you will believe me without an oath ; say at
a word, are they fools ? I refer it to you, though you be likewise fools and madmen
yourselves, and I as mad to ask the question ; for what said our comical Mercury ?
J" " Justum ab injustis petere insipientia est." | I'll stand to your censure yet, what think youl
y^ But forasmuch as I undertook at first, that kingdoms, provinces, families, were
^ melancholy as well as private men, I will examine them in particular, and that which
I have hitherto dilated at random, in more general terms, I will particularly insis*
in, prove with more special and evident arguments, testimonies, illustrations, and
that in brief '^JYunc accipe quare desipiant omnes aqttc ac tu. My first argument
is borrowed from Solomon, an arrow drawn out of. his sententious quiver. Pro. iii. 7,
"■ Be not wise in thine own eyes." And xxvi. 12, " Seest thou a man wise in his
own conceit ? more hope is of a fool than of him." Isaiah pronounceth a woe
against such men, cap. v. 21, "that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their
own sight." For hence we may gather, that it is a great offence, and men are much
. deceived that think too well of themselves, an especial argument to convince them
of folly. Many men (saith '^Seneca) " had been without question wise, had they
not had an opinion that they had attained to perfection of knowledge already, even
before they had gone half way," too forward, too ripe, prceproperi, too quick and
ready, '^°cUd prudentes, clto pii, cilo marifi, cito patres^ cilo saccrdotes, cito otnnis
officu capaces et curiosi, they had too good a conceit of themselves, and tliat marred
all ; of their worth, valour, skill, art, learning, judgment, eloquence, their good parts ;
all their geese are swans, and that manifestly proves them to be no better than fools.
In former times they had but seven wise men, now you can scarce find so many
fools. Thalcs sent the golden Tripos, which the fishermen found, and the oracle
commanded to be ^''' given to the wisest, to Bias, Bias to Solon," Stc. If such a
thing were now found, we should all fight for it, as the three goddesses did for the
golden apple, we are so wise : we have women politicians, children metaphysicians";
every silly fellow can square a circle, make perpetual motions, find the philosopher's
stone, interpret Apocalypses, make new Theories, a new system of the world, new
Logic, oew Philosophy, &c. J\^ostra utique regio^ saith '^^Petronius, " our country
is so full of deified spirits, divine souls, that you may sooner find a God than a man
amongst us," we think so well of ourselves, and that is an ample testimony of much
folly.
My second argument is grounded upon the like place of Scripture," which though
before mentioned in effect, yet for some reasons is to be repeated (and by Plato's good
leave, I may do it, ^ S^i ro xa7jbv prjOiv ovbtvPTjantu) " Fools (saith David) by reason
of their transgressions." &.c. Psal. cvii. 17. Hence Musculus infers all tran.sgressors
must needs be fools. So we read Piom. ii., "• Tribulation and anguish on the soul
of every man that doeth evil;" but all do evil. And Isaiah, Ixv. 14, " My servant
shall sing for joy, and ^^ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and vexation of mind."
'Tis ratified by the common consent of all philosophers. " Dishonesty (saith
Cardan) is nothing else but folly and madness. "^Prohus quis nobiscum vivit?
Show me an honest man, JYemo malus qui non sttdtiis, 'tis Fabius' aphorism to the
same end. If none honest, none wise, then all fools. And well may they be so
accounted : for who will account him otherwise, Qui iter adornat in occidentem,
quum properaret in orienfem f that goes backward all his life, westward, when he is
bound to the east ? or hold him a wise man (saith ^*3Iusculus) " that prefers momen-
tary pleasures to eternity, that spends his master's goods in his absence, forthwith
to be condemned for it ?" JVequicqtiam sapit qui sibi non sapit, who will say that
a sick man is wise, that eats and drinks to overthrow the temperature of his body ?
Can you account him wise or discreet that would willingly have his health, and yet
will do nothing that should procure or continue it.' ^'Theodoret, out of Plotinus
the Platonist, '• holds it a ridiculous thing for a man to live after his own laws, to do
'■ Plautus. 18 Hor. 1. 2. sat. 2. Superbam stulti- i •» Malefactors. 50 Who can find a faithful man 1
tiam Plinius vocat. 7. epist. 21. quod semel dixi.lixum Prov. xx. 6. « In Psal. xlix. Qui momentanea
ratumque sit. 'BMultisapientes proculdubio fuis- sempiternis, qui delapidat heri absentia bona, mox in
sent, si se non putassent ad sapientii SMmmum per-
viii.sse. . -"Idein, '^ Plut irrlm?! Solone.
!)• ' r ^apientiori. ^aja' ug plena
iiuiiiinibusj ut facUius possis i hoimiH
jus vocandus et damnandus. ^ Perquam ridi-
culum est homing ex animi sententia vivere, et qu«
Diis ingrata sunt exequi, et tamen & solis Diis vella
^^^^^^^^ ^ —1^ Bolvos fieri, quum proprie salutia curam abjecerint.
"tiuu^^^^ggtSajthw^^^^,.. uon* noeSTT^ Xtieod. c. 6. de provid. lib. de ctuat. greec. affect
Democntus to the Reader.
4*
49
that which is offensive to God, and yet to hope that he should save him : and when
he voluntarily neglects his own safety, and contemns the means, to think to be deliver-
ed by another : who will say these men are wise ?
A third argument may be derived from the precedent, '^'all men are carried away
with passion, discontent, lust, pleasures, &c., they generally hate those virtues they
should love, and love such vices they should hate. Therefore more than melancholy,
quite mad, brute beasts, and void of reason, so Chrysostom contends ; " or rather
dead and buried alive," as ^^Philo Judeus concludes it for a certainty, '' of all such
that, are carried away with passions, or labour of any disease of the mind. Where
is fear and sorrow," there ^°Lactantius stiffly maintains, " wisdom cannot dwell.
'qui ciipiet, inetuet quoque poir6,
Qui metuens vivit, liber mihi non erit unquam.' " si
Seneca and the rest of the stoics are of opinion, that where is any the least perturba-
tion, wisdom may not be found. "What more ridiculous," as ^^Lactantius urges,
'' than to hear how Xerxes whipped the Hellespont, threatened the Mountain Athos,
and the like. To speak ad rem., who is free from passion.'' ^Mortalis nemo est
quern non attingat dolor, morbusve, as **Tully determines out of an old poem, no
mortal men can avoid sorrow and sickness, and sorrow is an inseparable companion
from melancholy. ^^ Chrysostom pleads farther yet, that they are more than mad,
very beasts, stupiiied and void of common sense : " For how (saith he) shall I linow
thee to be a man, when thou kickest like an ass, neighest like a horse after women,
ravest in lust like a bull, ravenest like a bear, stingest like a scorpion, rakest like a
wolf, as subtle as a fox, as impudent as a dog } Shall I say thou art a man, that
hast all the symptoms of a beast .' How shall I know thee to be a man .? by thy
shape ? That affrights me more, when I see a beast in likeness of a man.
* Seneca calls that of Epicurus, magnificam vocem, an heroical speech, "A fool still
begins to live," and accounts it a filthy lightness in men, every day to lay new
foundations of their life, but who doth otherwise .' One travels, another builds ; one
for this, another for that business, and old folks are as far out as the rest ; O dcmen-
tem senectutem, TuUy exclaims. Therefore young, old, middle age, are all stupid,
and dote.
''^iEneas Sylvius, amongst many other, sets down three special ways to find a fool
by. He is a fool that seeks that he cannot find : he is a fool that seeks that, which
being found will do him more harm than good : he is a fool, that having variety of
ways to bring him to his journey's end, takes that which is worst. If so, methinks
most men are fools ; examine their courses, and you shall soon perceive what dizards
and mad men the major part are.
Beroaldus will have drunkards, afternoon men, and such as more than ordinarily
delight in drink, to be mad. The first pot quencheth thirst, so Panyasis the poet
detemiines in Jlthenceus, secunda gratiis, horis et Dyonisio : the second makes merry^
the third for pleasure, quarta ad insaniam, the fourth makes them mad. If this posi-
tion be true, what a catalogue of mad men shall we have ? what shall they be that
drink four times four .' JYo7ine supra omnem furorem, supra omnem insanian red-
dunt insanissimos ? I am of his opinion, they are more than mad, much worse than
mad.
The '^Abderites condemned Democritus for a mad man, because he was sometimes
sad, and sometimes again profusely merry. Hdc Patria (saith Hippocrates) ol risum.
furere et insanire dicunt, his countrymen hold him mad because he laughs ; ''^and
therefore " he desires him to advise all his friends at Rhodes, that they do not laugh
too much, or be over sad." Had those Abderites been conversant with us, and but
»| Sapiens sibi qui imperiosus, &c. Hor. 2. ser. 7.
'•' Conclus. lib. de vie. offer, certum est animi morbis
laborantes pro mortuis consendos. 3iLib. de sap.
IJbi timer adest, sapientia ade^sse tiequit. s' He who
is desirous is also fearful, and he who lives in fear
never can be free. 3'^Qiiid insanius Xer.xe Helles-
pontum verberante, &c. s^EccI. xxi. 12. Where
is bitieriv-ss, there is no understanding. Prov. xii.
16. An angry man is a fool. 3^3 Tusc. Injuria in
sapientera non cadit. ^iiHom. 6. in 2 Epist. ad Cor.
Hominera te agnoscere nequeo, cum tanqu:ini a>inus I
recalcitres, lascivjas ut taurus, hinnias ut equus [n-t
7 .^ E
mulieres, ut ursus ventri indulgeas, quum rapias ut
lupus, &c. at inquis formam hominis habeo, Id magis
terret, quum feram humana specie videre me piitem.
3fi Epist. lib. 2. 13. Stultus semper incipit vivere,
foeda hominum levitas, nova quotidie fundamenta vitas
ponere, novas spes, &c. 3" De curial. miser.
Stultus, qui quterit quod nequit invenire, stultus qui
quffirit quod nocet inventuii]. stultus qi" cum plures
habet calles, deteriorem delisit. Mjhi v-^dentur omne»
deliri, amentes. &c. - JL£u I>enragete.'"^~-^<'.Amici»
ii'^stri'i R h 0 4J»dlMWft^Tiimium rideanjt^ut nimiu<^
trislL-s sint
30
Democritus to the Reader.
seen what '"•fleering and grinning there is in this age, they would certainly have
concluded, we had been all out of our wits.
Aristotle in his ethics holds fcclix idemque sapiens^ to be wise and happy, are
leciprocal terms, bonus idemque sapiens honesfus. 'Tis ^' Tully's paradox, "wise
men are free, but fools are slaves," liberty is a power to live according to his own
laws, as we will ourselves : who hath this liberty ? who is free ?
-"sapiens sibique imperiosus,
"He is wise that can command his own will,
Valiant and constant to himself Ftill,
W'lnm poverty»ior death, nor bands can fright.
Checks his desires, scorns Honours, just ana rigni.
Quem neque pauperis, neque mors, neque vincula
terrent,
Besponsare cupidinibns, contemnere honores
Forlis, et in seipso totus teres atque rotundas."
But where shall such a man l)e found ? If no where, then e dlamctro, we are all
slaves, senseless, or worse. jXemo malus feelix. But no man is happy in tliis life,
none good, therefore no man wise. ^'^Ruri quijrpe honi For one virtue you shall
find ten vices in tb.^ same party ; pauci Promcthei^ muld Epimcthci. We may per-
adventure usurp lue name, or attribute it to others for favour, as Carolus Sapiens,
Philippus Bonus, Lodovicus Pius, Slc, and describe the properties of a wise man,
as TuUy doth an orator, Xenophon Cyrus, Castillo a courtier, Galen temperament,
an aristocracy is described by politicians. But where shall such a man be found ?
" Vir bonus et sapiens, qualem vix reppcrit unuui
Millibus 6 multis honunum consultus Apollo."
' A wise, a good man in a million,
Apollo consulted could scarce find one."
A man is a miracle of himself, but Trismegistus adds. Maximum miraculum homo
sapiens, a wise man is a wonder : mulli T/tirsigeri, pauci Bacchi.
Alexander when he was presented with that rich and costly casket of king Darius,
and every man advised him what to put in it, he reserved it to keep Homer's works,
as the most precious jewel of human wit, and yet ** Scaliger upbraids Homer's muse,
JVulricem insayice sapiendce, a nursery of madness, *^ impudent as a court lady, that
blushes at nothing. Jacobus iMycillus, Gilbertus Cognatus, Erasmus, and almost all
posterity admire Lucian's luxiuiant wit, yet Scaliger rejects him in his censure, and
calls him the Cerberus of the muses. Socrates, whom all the world so much mag-
nified, is by Lactantius and Theodoret condemned for a fool. Plut;irch extols Sene-
ca's wit beyond all the Greeks, yiulli secunduSj yet ■'"Seneca saith of himself, " when
J would solace myself with a fool, I rellect upon myself, and there I liave him."
Cardan, in his Sixteenth Book of Subtilties, reckons up twelve super-eminent, acute
philosophers, for worth, subtlety, and wisdom: Archimedes, Galen, Vitnivius, .Ar-
chitas Tarentinus, Euclid, Geber, that first inventor of Algebra, Alkindus the .Mathe-
matician, both Arabians, with others. But his triumviri trrrarirm far beyond the
rest, are Ptolomajus, Plotinus, Hippocrates. Scaliger exercitat. 224, scolis at this
censure of his, calls some of them carpenters and mechanicians, he makes GaUn
Jimhriam Hippocralis, a skirt of Hippocrates: and the said ^"Cardan himself else-
where condemns both Galen and Hippocrates for tediousncss, obscurity, confusion.
Paracelsus will have them both mere idiots, infants in physic and philosophy. Sca-
liger and Cardan admire Suisset the Calculator, qui pene modum excessit humani in-
genii, and yet ^"^Lod. Vives calls them nugas Suisseticas : and Cardan, opposite to
hunself in another place, contemns those ancients in respect of tunes present, *''Ma-
joresque nostras ad presentes coUatos juste pueros appellari. In conclusion, the
said ^Cardan and Saint Bernard will admit none into this catalogue of wise men,
*' but only prophets and apostles ; how they esteem tliemselves, you have heard
before. We are worldly-wise, admire ourselves, and seek for applause : but hear
Saint ^Bernard, quanta magis foras es sapiens, tanlo nagis intus stultus ejjiceris, &c.
in omnibus es prudens^ circa tcipsum insipiens : the more wise thou art to others,
the more fool to thyself. I may not deny but that there is some folly approved, a
divine fury, a holy madness, even a spiritual drunkenness in the saints of God them-
selves; sanctum insanium Bernard calls it (though not as blaspheming ^Vorstiu?,
would infer it as a passion incident to God himself, but) familiar to good men, a*
^oPcr multum risnm poteris cognoscere stultum.
Offic. 3. c. 9 Ji Sapientes liberi, stiilti servi, li-
bertas est polestas. &c. "Ilor. 2. ser. 7. <■ Ju-
ven. "CLMil^^ili&iiLr scarce." "ITypocrit.
^ < I irmCe^Aultca nulliifti^uikMiMi^A i . ' - 1 33.
i volo, non est Ini
me «i
de causis corrupt, artium. <» Actione ad aubtil. in
Seal. fol. 1226. '''Lib. 1. de sap. " Vide mi»el
homo, quia totum est vanitas, totuni stultitia, totum
dementia, quicquid facis in hoc niundo, prwtcr hoc so-
lum quod propter J)euin facis. Ser. de miser, hom.
'-< In 2 Platonis dial. 1. de justo '^Dum iram cl
in Deo re vera ponit.
Democntus to the Reader. 51
Jiiat of Paul, 2 Cor. " he was a fool," &c. and Rom. ix. he wisheth himself to he
anatliematized for them. Such is that drunkenness which Ficinus speaks of, when
the soul is elevated and ravished with a divine taste of that heavenly nectar, which
poets deciphered by the sacrifice of Dionysius, and in this sense with the poet,
^* insanire bihet., as Austin exhorts us, ad ehrictatcm se quisque paret, let's all be mad
and ^^ drunk. But we commonly mistake, and go beyond our commission, we reel
to the opposite part, ^we are not capable of it, ^^and as he said of the Greeks, Vos
GrcBci semper puerl, vos BrUanni, Galli, Germany Itali, &c. you are a company
of fools.
Proceed now a partibus ad totum., or from the whole to parts, and you shall find
no other issue, the parts shall be sufficiently dilated in this following Preface. The
whole must needs follow by a sorites or induction. Every multitude is niacl,
^^ hellua multorum capitum, (a many-headed beast), precipitate and rash without
judgment, stultum animal^ a roaring rout. ®^ Roger Bacon proves it out of Aristotle,
Vulgus dividi in opposUum contra sapiejitcs, quod vulgo videtur veruin^faJsum est ;
that which the commonalty accounts true, is most part false, they are still opposite
to wise men, but all the world is of this humour (vulgus), and thou thyself art de
vulgo, one of the commonalty ; and he, and he, and so are all the rest ; and there-
fore, as Phocion concludes, to be approved in nought you say or do, mere idiots
and asses. Begin then where you will, go backward or forward, choose out of the
whole pack, wink and choose, you shall find them all alike, " never a barrel better
herring."
Copernicus, Atlas his successor, is of opinion, the earth is a planet, moves and
shines to others, as the moon doth to us. Digges, Gilbert, Keplerus, Origanus, and
others, defend this hypothesis of his in sober sadness, and that the moon is inhabi-
ted : if it be so that the earth is a moon, then are we also giddy, vertigenous and
lunatic within this sublunary maze.
1 could produce such arguments till dark night : if you should hear the rest,
" Ante diem clauso component vesper Olimpo : " I " V"°''S^' ""^'^, f ^'■=''" "^/'"'^i" '{ \^^r^^ '''"'„
*^ I The day would sooner tlian the tale be done :
but according to my promise, I will descend to particulars. This melancholy extends
itself not to men only, but even to vegetals and sensibles. I speak not of those
creatures which are saturnine, melancholy by nature, as lead, and such like mine-
rals, or those plants, rue, cypress, &c. and hellebore itself, of which ^"Agrippa treats,
fishes, birds, and beasts, hares, conies,, dormice, &c., owls, bats, nigh thirds, but that
artificial, which is perceived in them all. Remove a plant, it will pine away, which
is especially perceived in date trees, as you may read at large in Constantine's hus-
bandry, that antipathy betwixt the vine and the cabbage, vine and oil. Put a bird
in a cage, he will die for sullenness, or a beast in a pen, or take his young ones or
companions from him, and see what effect it will cause. But who perceives not
these common passions of sensible creatures, fear, son-ow, &c. Of all other, dogs are
most subject to this malady, insomuch some hold they dream as men do, and through
violence of melancholy run mad ; I could relate many stories of dogs that have died
for gi'ief, and pined away for loss of their masters, but they are common in every
" author.
Kingdoms, provinces, and politic bodies are likewise sensible and subject to this
disease, as ^^Boterus in his politics hath proved at large. "As in human bodies
(saith he) there be divers alterations proceeding from humours, so be there many dis-
eases in a commonwealth, which do as diversely happen from several distempers,"
as you may easily percieve by their particular symptoms. For where you shall see
the people civil, obedient to God and princes, judicious, peaceable and quiet, rich,
fortunate, ^^ and flourish, to live in peace, in unity and concord, a country Avell tUled,
many fair built and popidous cities, uli incolce nitcnt as old ^' Cato said, the people
are neat, polite and terse, ubi bene, beateque vivunt, which our politicians make the
" Virg. 1. Eccl. 3. K Ps. inebriabuntur ah uber-
tate doinus. sr, jn Psal. civ. Austin. '' In Pla-
tonis Tim. sacerdos iEgyptius. ^Hjior. vuleis in-
sanum. ""Patet ea diviso probabilis, &c- ex. Arist. corporis, atyp
Top. ib. 1. c. 8. Rog. Bac. Epist. de secret, art. et iiat. | regts phildSophantur, Plato
c. 8. non est judicium in vulgo. c" D^^^pJ^k^lti.
losop. 1. 1. c. 25 et 19. ejusd. 1. Lib. in. c.ip 4. ^' See
Lipsius epist. ""De politai illustriuin lili. 1. cap. 4.
ut in hunianis coporibus vari<c accidnm-^ui^tioneB
corporis, atypiique, sif iirTrfepublica, to. ^''3,Ubi
52
Democritus to the Reader.
chief end of a commonwealth; and which ^^ Aristotle Polil. lib. 3, cap. 4 calls Com-
mune bonunii, Polyhius lib. 6, optabilem et selectum statum.) that country is free from
melancholy ; as it was in Italy in the time of Augustus, now in China, now in many
other flourishing kingdoms of Europe. But whereas you shall see many discontents,
common grievances, complaints, poverty, barbarism, beggary, plagues, wars, rebel-
lions, seditions, mutinies, contentions, idleness, riot, epicurism, the land lie untilled,
waste, full of bogs, fens, deserts, &c., cities decayed, base and poor towns, villages
depopulated, the people squalid, ugly, uncivil ; that kingdom, that country, must
needs be discontent, 'melancholy, hath a sick body, and had need to be reformed.
Now that cannot well be efi'ected, till the causes of these maladies be first removed,
which commonly proceed from their own default, or some accidental inconvenience :
as to be situated in a bad clime, too far north, sterile, in a barren place, as the desert
of Lybia, deserts of Arabia, places void of waters, as those of Lop and Belgian in
Asia, or in a bad air, as at Alexandre ttn, Bantam^ Pisa, Durrazzo., S. John dc Ulloa,
Stc, or in danger of the sea's continual inundations, as in many places of the Low
Countries and elsewhere, or near some bad neighbours, as Hungarians to Turks,
Podolians to Tartars, or almost any bordering countries, they live in fear still,
and by reason of hostile incursions are oftentimes left desolate. So are cities by
reason '''^of wars, fires, plagues, inundations, "'wild beasts, decay of trades, barred
havens, the sea's violence, as Antwerp may witness of late, Syracuse of old, Brundu-
sium in Italy, Rye and Dover with us, and many that at this day suspect the sea's
fury and rage, and labour against it as the Venetians to their inestimable charge.
But the most frequent maladies are such as proceed from themselves, as first when
religion and God's service is neglected, innovated or altered, where they do not fear
God, obey their prince, where atheism, epicurism, sacrilege, simony, Stc, and all
su'ch impieties are freely committed, tliat country cannot prosper. When Abraham
came to Gerar, and saw a bad land, he said, sure the fear of God was not in that
place. ^^ Cyprian Echovius, a Spanish chorographer, above all otlier cities of Spain,
commends " Borcino, in which there was no beggar, no man poor, &c., but all rich,
and in good estate, and he gives the reason, because they were more religious than
their neighbours :" why was Israel so often spoiled by their enemies, led into capti-
vity, &c., but for their idolatry, neglect of God's word, for sacrilege, even for one
Achan's foult ? And what shall we except that have such multitudes of Achans,
church robbers, simoniacal patrons, Stc, how can they hope to flourish, that neglect
divine duties, that live most part like Epicures .-*
Other common grievances are generally noxious to a body politic ; alteration of
laws and customs, breaking privileges, general oppressions, seditions, &c., observed
by *^Aristotle, Bodin, Boterus, Junius, Arniscus, &c. I will only point at some of
chiefest. ""^Impotentia gubernandi, afaxia, confusion, ill government, which proceeds
from unskilful, slothful, griping, covetous, unjust, rasii, or tyrannizing magistrates,
when they are fools, idiots, children, proud, wilful, partial, indiscreet, oppressors,
giddy heads, tyrants, not able or unfit to manage such ofl^ces : '' many noble cities
and flourishing kingdoms by that means are desolate, the whole body groans under
such heads, and all the members must needs be disaffected, as at this day those
goodly provinces in Asia Minor, &.c. groan under the burthen of a Turkish govern-
ment; and those vast kingdoms of Muscovia, Russia, ^ under a tyrannizing duke.
Who ever heard of more civil and rich populous countries than those of " Greece, ^
Asia Minor, abounding with all "wealth, multitudes of inhabitants, force, power,
splendour and magnificence .'" and that miracle of countries, '^ the Holy Land, that
in so small a compass of ground could maintain so many towns, cities, produce so
many fighting men ? Egypt another paradise, now barbarous and desert, and almost
waste, by the despotical government of an imperious Turk, intoleraUli servitutis
«Vel publicam utilitatem: salus publica suprenia
lex esto. Beata civitas noii ubi pauci beati, sed lota
eivitas beata. Plato quarto de republica. <» Man-
tua vs miserx nimitim viciria Cremom. c'lnter-
dum a ferij^^^^lim Mauritania, tc. ®I)elicii3
liimis quisggijMQUe ditissiniu?. Pir-, sThut. ,, wve-
liant suia^^^MBlim_{eDerationu, et tiniorc (iivtiu>
fc.'^rolJt. I.
5. c. 3. '0 Boterus Polit. lib. 1. c. 1. Cum nempe
princepa rerum gercndaruni imperitus, sepnid, osci-
tans, sulque muneris inimemor, aut fatuus est.
" Non viget respublica cujus caput infirniatur. Sa-
lisburiensis, c. 22. '"See Dr. Fletcher's rete-
tion, and Alexander Gaeninus' history. '' Abun-
dans omni divitiaruni affluentia incolarum mullitudine
c potenlia. '< Not above 200 miJea In
rith, according to Adricomtuf.
Democntus to the Reader. 53
jugo premifur ('^one saith) not only fire and water, goods or lands, secZ ipse spiritus
itb insolentissimi vicioris pendet nutu, such is their slaverj-, their lives and souls
depend upon his insolent will and command. A tyrant that spoils all wheresoever he
comes, insomuch that an ''^historian complains, " if an old inhabitant should now see
them, he would not know them, if a traveller, or stranger, it would grieve his heart to
behold them." Whereas "Aristotle notes, JYovcs exactiones., nova onera imposita, new
burdens and exactions daily come upon them, like those of which Zosimus, lib. 2, so
grievous, ut viri uxores, patres filios prostituerent ut exactoribus e quesiu, Sic, they
must needs be discontent, hinc civitafum gemitus et j^^oratus, as '"Tully holds,
hence come those complaints and tears of cities, " poor, miserable, rebellious, and
desperate subjects, as ™Hippolitus adds; and '^as a judicious country-man of ours
observed not long since, in a sun'ey of that great Duchy of Tuscany, the people
lived much grieved and discontent, as appeared by their manifold and manifest com-
plainings in that kind. " That the state was like a sick body which had lately taken
physic, whose humours are not yet well settled, and weakened so much by purging,
that nothing was left but melancholy."
Whereas the princes and potentates are immoderate in lust, hj-pocrites, epicures,
of no religion, but in show : Quid hypocrisi fragilius ? what so brittle and unsure .?
what soone-r subverts their estates than wandering and raging lusts, on their subjects'
wives, daughters ? to say no worse. That they shoidd faccm jjritferre, lead the
way to all virtuous actions, are the ringleaders oftentimes of all mischief and disso-
lute courses, and by that means their countries are plagued, ^' " and they themselves
often ruined, banished, or murdered by conspiracy of their subjects, as Sardanapalus
was, Dionysius, junior, Heliogabalus, Periander, Pisistratus, Tarquinius, Timocrates,
Childericus, Appius Claudius, Andronicus, Galeacius Sforsia, Alexander jMecUces," Stc.
Whereas the princes or great men are malicious, envious, factious, ambitious,
emulators, they tear a commonwealth asunder, as so many Giielfs and Gibelines
disturb the quietness of it, ^^and with mutual murders let it bleed to death; our his-
tories are too full of such barbarous inhumanities, and the miseries that issue from
them.
Whereas they be like so many horse-leeches, hungry, griping, corrupt, ^^ covetous,
avariticE mancipia, ravenous as wolves, for as Tully writes : qui prcBCst prodest, et
qui pecudibus prceest, debet eoru7n iitiUtati inservire : or such as prefer their private
before the public good. For as ^^he said long since, res privatcB publicis semper
officere. Or whereas they be illiterate, ignorant, empirics in policy, ubi deest facul-
tas, ^virtus (^ristot. pol. 5, cap. 8,) et scientia, wise only by inheritance, and in
authority by birth-right, favour, or for their wealth and titles ; there must needs be
a fault, ^^ a great defect : because as an ^' old philosopher affinns, such men are not
always fit. " Of an infinite number, few alone are senators, and of those few, fewer
good, and of that small number of honest, good, and noble men, few that are learned,
wise, discreet and sufTicient, able to discharge such places, it must needs turn to the
confusion of a state."
For as the ^ Princes are, so are the people ; Qualis Rex, talis grex : and whicii
^Antigonus right well said of old, qui Maccdonice regem erudit.,07nnes efiatn subditos
erudit, he that teacheth the king of Macedon, teacheth all his subjects, is a true
saying still.
,»i^ T> • .... .1, I. 1 .u u „i I " Velocius et citiui nos
"For Pnnces are the glass the school, the book Corrumpunt vitiorum exempla doni-stka, niasnis
Where subjects' eyes do learn, do read, do look. | ^^^ snbeaul aniinos auctoribus." ^-
Their examples are soone/st followed, vices entertained, if they be profane, irreli-
" Romulus Amascus. 'sSahellicus. Si quis in- plant and overthrow their adveKaries, enrich them-
cola vetus, non agnosceret, si quis peregrinus inge- selves, get honours, dissemble; but what is this to tlie
misceret. ■>- Polit. 1. 5. c. 6. Crudelitas principum, bene esse, or preservation of a Commonwealth 1
irapunitas scelerum, violatio leguni, peculatus pecunisR f^' Imperiiim suapte sponte corruit. "" Apul. Prim.
publics, etc. ■"'Epist. 'J De increm. urb. cap. Flor. Ex innumerabilibus, pauci Senatores genere
20. subditi miseri, lobelles, desperati, &c. « R. | nobiles, 6 consularibus pauci boni, 6 bonis adhiic pauci
Darlinston. 1596. conclusio libri. t>' Eoterus 1. 9. eruditi. t' Xon solum vitia concipiunt ipsi prinri-
c. 4. Polit. Quo fit ut aut rebus desperatis exulent, pes, sed etiam intundunt in civitatem, plusque exemplo
aut conjuratione subditorum crudelissime tandem tru- quam peccato nocpnt Ci'- 1 rlelegibus. - Epist.
cidentur. t; Mutiiis odiis et ca>dibus exhausti. Ace. ad Zen. Juven. t^ar 1 I rtas sedUio_neni gignit
K" Lucra ex malis, scelerasii;que causis. w Saliist. et maleficium. Ar;~' ! i I , ^ lu
f-For most p^rt we mistake the name nf Politicians, me^tic e\aiiyjj(jfc^erat_e more qui^
accounting such as read Machiaveland Tacitus, great_^s^lg^t:ct«jd'T
Matesmen, that can dispute of poiitical
54 Democritus to the Reader.
gious, lascivious, riotous, epicures, factious, covetous, ambitious, illiterate, so will the
commons most part be, idle, unthrifts, prone to lust, dnuikards, and therefore poor
and needy (17 rctvia ordsiv efntoLet xai xaxovfiyicw, for poverty begets sedition and villany)
upon all occasions ready to mutiny and rebel, discontent still, complaining, mur-
muring, grudging, apt to all outrages, thefts, treasons, murders, innovations, in debt,
shifters, cozeners, outlaws, Projiigaice faiiKS ac vitcc. It was an old "'politician's
aphorism, " They that are poor and bad envy rich, hate good men, abhor the present
government, wish for a new, and would have all turned topsy turvy." When Cati-
line rebelled in Rome, he got a company of such debauched rogues together, they
were his familiars and coadjutors, and such have been your rebels most part in all
ages, Jack Cade, Tom Straw, Ketle, and his companions.
Where they be generally riotous and contentious, where there be many discords,
many laws, many lawsuits, many lawyers and many physicians, it is a manifest sign
of a distempered, melancholy state, as '^^ Plato long since maintained : for where such
kind of men swarm, tliey will make more work for themselves, and that body politic
diseased, which was otherwise sound. A general mischief in these our times, an
insensible plague, and never so many of them: " which are now multiplied (saith
Mat. Geraldus, ^^ a lawyer himself,) as so many locusts, not the parents, but the
plagues of the country, and for the most part a supercilious, bad, covetous, litigious
generation of men. ^ Crumcnimiilga natio, &c. A purse-milking nation, a clainoV-
ous company, gowned vultures, ^^qui ex injuria vivcnt ct S(ingui7ie civiiim, tliicves
and seminaries of discord ; worse than any polers by the highway side, auri accijA-
tres, auri exterebronidcs, pccuniarum hamiolce, quadnipJalorcs, curicc hnrpagoncs,
fori tintinabula, monsira hominum^ 7nangones, &c. that take upon ihein to make
peace, but are indeed the very disturbers of our peace, a company of irreligious har-
pies, scraping, griping catchpoles, (I mean our common hungry pettifoggers, ^rahu-
la$ forenses, love and honour in the meantime all good laws, and worthy lawyers,
that are so many "oracles and pilots of a well-governed commonwealth). Without
art, without judgment, that do more harm, as ""Livy said, quam bclla externa, fames,
morbive, than sickness, wars, hunger, diseases ; " and cause a most incredible de-
struction of a commonwealth," saith "•' Sesellius, a famous civilian sometimes in Paris,
as ivy doth by an oak, embrace it so long, until it liath got the heart out of it, so do
they by such places they inhabit; no counsel at all, no justice, no speech to be had,
niai eum prcmuheris, he must be fed still, or else he is as mute as a lish, better open
an. oyster without a knife. Expcrto crede (saith "^Salisburiensis) in manus eorum
millies incidi, et Charon immitis qui nulli pcpercit unquam, his loiige clemcnlior est ;
'* I speak out of experience, I have been a thousand times amongst them, and Charon
himself is more gentle than they; ' he is contented with his single pay, but they
multiply still, they are never satisfied," besides they have damnificas linguas, as he
terms it, nisi funibus argcnfcis vincias, they must be fed to say notliing, and '■'get
more to hold their peace than we can to say our best. They will speak their clients
fair, and invite them to their tables, but as he follows it, ^''•of all injustice there is
none so pernicious as that of theirs, which when they deceive most, will seem to
be honest n>en." They take upon them to be peacemakers, et fovere cunsas humi-
lium, to help them to their r'urhu palrocinunlur a^ic^/s, '"but all is for their own
good, u< locuhs plcniorom exhauriant, they plead for poor men gratis, but they are
but as a stale to catch others. If there be no jar, ^they can make a jar, out of the
law itself tind still some quirk or other, to set them at odds, and continue causes so
long, lustra aliquot, I know not hoAV many years before the cause is heard, and
when 'tis judged and deternuned by reason of some tricks and errors, it is as fresh
to begin, after twice seven years sometimes, as it was at first ; and so they prolong
»i Salust. Semper in civitate quibus opes nullae sunt I * Lib. 3. "Lib. 1. de rep. Galloriim, iiicredibilem
bonis invident, vctera odere, nova exoptant, odio su- reipub. perniciem afferunt. '"> Polycrat. lib. ' Is
arum rerun) mutari omnia petunt. '■<- De le^ibus. stipe contentus, et hi asses iolei»roH sihi niultiplicari
proflicatas in repub. disciplince est indicium jurisperi- | jubent. '•' Plus accipiunt tacere, fiuam nos loqui.
toriim numerus, ot medicorum copia. >" In pra;t'. i ^ Totius injustiliffi nulla capitalior, qiiAin eorum qui
Ptud. juris. iMulliplic.iiitur nunc in tcrris ut locustse ' cum raaxime decipiunt, id aijunl, ut buni viri esue vi-
non paj^^^m^l^. simI pestes, pc;^pinii Imminrs, ma- deantur. ■* Nam quocunque modo causa procednt,
lipci^CfflAkii^^iittiMi^i. ■. 1 ' n.jc semper agitur, ut loculi impleantur, eisi avaritia
,ent. **Dousa « ;.)il. i ■■ quit s;i<iari. ' Camden in Norfollt : q'ji si nihil
i..^ C;'*'Bg)c. Ari{'J"- J 'II I'' bi^y^m^^^uis apicibuii lites tamcti serere callent.
Democritiis to tJie Reader. 65
time, delay suits till they have enriched themselves, and beggared their clients. And,
as *Cato inveighed against Isocrates' scholars, we may justly tax our wranglijig law-
yers, they do cojisenescere in Utibiis., are so litigious and busy here on earth, that I
think they will plead their client's causes hereafter, some of them in hell. ' Sunlerus
complains amongst the Suisseres of the advocates in his time, that when they should
make an end, they began controversies, and "• protract their causes many years, per-
suading them their tide is good, till their patrimonies be consumed, and that they
have spent more in seeking than the thing is worth, or they shall get by the recovery."
So that he that goes to law, as the proverb is, * holds a wolf by the ears, or as a
sheep in a storm runs for shelter to a brier, if he prosecute his cause he is consumed,
if he surcease his suit he loseth all ; ^what difierence ? They had wont heretofore,
saith Austin, to end matters, per communes arUtros ; and so in SA-itzerland (we are
informed by "Simlerus), "they had some common arbitrators or daysmen in every
town, that made a friendly composition betwixt man and man, and he much wonders
at their honest simplicity, that could keep peace so well, and end such great causes
by that means. At "Fez in Africa, they have neither lawyers nor advocates; but
if there be any controversies amongst them, both parties plaintiff and defendant come
to their Alfakins or chief judge, " and at once without any farther appeals or pitiful
delays, the cause is heard and ended." Our forefathers, as '-a worthy chorographer
of ours observes, had wont pauculis cruciilis aureis, with a few golden crosses, and
lines in verse, make all conveyances, assurances. And such was the candour and
integrity of succeeding ages, that a deed (as I have oft seen) to convey a whole
manor, was impUcite contained in some twenty lines or thereabouts ; like that scede
or Sytala Laconica, so much renowned of old in all contracts, which '^Tully so
earnestly commends to Atticus, Plutarch in his Lysander, Aristotle polit. : Thucy-
dides^i lib. 1, "Diodorus and Suidus approve and magnily, for that laconic brevity
in this kind; and well they might, for, according to '^ Tertullian, certa sunt paucis,
there is much more certainty in fewer words. And so was it of old throughout :
but now many skins of parchment Avill scarce serve turn ; he that buys and sells
a house, must have a house full of writings, there be so many circumstances, so
many words, such tautological repetitions of all particulars (to avoid cavillation they
say) ; but we find by our woful experience, that to subtle wits it is a cause of much
more contention and variance, and scarce any conveyance so accurately penned by
one, which another will not find a crack in, or cavil at ; if any one word be mis-
placed, any little error, all is disannulled. That which is a law to-day, is none to-
morrow ; that Avhicli is sound in one man's opinion, is most faulty to another ; that
in conclusion, here is nothing amongst us but contention and confusion, we bandy
one against another. And that which long since "^ Plutarch complained of them in
Asia, may be verified in our times. " These men here assembled, come not to sacri-
fice to their gods, to offer Jupiter their first-fruits, or merriments to Bacchus ; but an
yearly disease exasperating Asia hath brought them hither, to make an end of then-
controversies and lawsuits." 'Tis multitudo perdenfium et jjereuntium., a destructive
rout that seek one another's ruin. Such most part are our ordinaiy suitors, termers,
clients, new stirs every day, mistakes, eiTors, cavils, and at this present, as I have
heard in some one court, I know not how many thousand causes : no person free,
no title almost good, with such bitterness in following, so many slights, procrastina-
tions, delays, forger}', such cost (for infinite sums are inconsiderately spent), violence
and malice, I know not by whose fault, lawyers, clients, laws, both or all : but as
Paul reprehended the "Coruithians long since, I may more positively infer now :
'•There is a fault amongst you, and I speak it to your shame. Is there not a '"wise
man amongst you, to judge between his brethren .' but that a brother goes to law
6 Plutarch, vit. Cat. caiisas apud inferos quas in " Clenard. 1. 1. ep. Si quae cnntrovursiae utraqiie pars
suam (idem receperunt, patrociiiio siio tuebuntiir. judicem adit, is semel et simul rem transigit. audit :
' Lib. 2. de Helvet. repuh. iion explirandis, sed nioli- , nee quid sit appellatio, lachrymossque mors noscunt.
endis controversiis operam dant, ita utliies in multos I ''^ Camden. '^Lib. 10. epist. ad .\tticuni, epist. U.
annos extrahantur suiiinia cnm inolestia. utri?que ; '^Biblioth. 1. 3. '^Lib. de .\nim. '"Lib. major
partis et dum interea patriinonia e.\hauriainur. morb. cnrp. an animi. Hi non conveniiint m diis more
" Lupum auribus teiient. " Hor. '"Lib. de majorum sacra faciant, iion utJuvjj^yi2ii^'»/^'--rant,
Helvet. repub. Judices (|Uocunque paco constituunt aut Ha( clio f^unrnsHpifft"^! JMT"""*»i«"«"M"f- mnr-
qui amice aliqua trans:utione si fieri possii, lites tol-^bus i x i^perans A-sianHmc eos coegifc^t cyitentioUe
lain. Ego majorum nosiroruni s: . - . _ ._. . . -
ror, qui sic causag gravissimas
56 Democritus to the Reader.
with a brother." And '® Christ's counsel concerning lawsuits, was never so fit to be
inculcated as in this age : ^^ Agree with thine adversary quickly," &.c. Matth. v. 25.
I could repeat many such particular grievances, which must disturb a body politic.
To shut up all in brief, where good government is, prudent and wise princes, there
all things thrive and prosper, peace and happiness is in that land : where it is other-
wise, all things are ugly to behold, incult, barbarous, uncivil, a paradise is turned to
a wilderness. This island amongst the rest, our next neighbours the French and
Germans, may be a sufficient witness, that in a short time by that prudent policy of
the Romans, was brought from barbarism; see but what Ceesar reports of us, and
Tacitus of those old Germans, tliey were once as uncivil as they in Virginia, yet by
planting of colonies and good laws, they became from barbarous outlaws,^' to be full
of rich and populous cities, as now they are, and most flourishing kingdoms. Even
so might Virgmia, and those wild Irish liave been civilized long since, if that order
bad been heretofore taken, whicli now begins, of planting colonies, &.c. I have read
a ^Miscourse, printed anno 1612. "Discovering the true causes why Ireland was
never entirely subdued, or brought under obedience to the crown of England, until
the beginning of his Majesty's happy reign." Yet if his reasons were thoroughly
scanned by a judicious politician, I am afraid he would not altogether be approved,
but that it would turn to the dishonour of our nation, to suffer it to lie so long waste.
Yea, and if some travellers should see (to come nearer home) those rich, united pro-
vinces of Holland, Zealand, Stc, over against us ; those neat cities and popuU)US
towns, full of most industrious artificers, ^ so mucli land recovered liom tiie sea, and
so painfully preserved by those artificial inventions, so wonderfully ajjproved, as that
of Bemster in Holland, ut nihil huic par aut simile invcnias in tolo orbe, saitii Bertius
the geographer, all the world cannot match it, *'so many navigable channels from
place to place, made by men's hands, Slc. and on the other side so many thousand
acres of our fens lie drowned, our cities thin, and those vile, poor, and ugly to behold
in respect of theirs, our trades decayed, our sldl running rivers stopped, and that bene-
ficial use of transportation, wholly neglected, so many havens void of ships and
towns, so many parks and forests for pleasure, barren heaths, so many villages
depopulated, &.c. I think sure he would find some fault.
I may not deny but that this nation of ours, doth bene aiidire apud exteros, is a
most noble, a most flourishing kingdom, by common consent of all ^ geographers,
historians, politicians, 'tis utiica velut arx^ and which Quintius in Livy said of the
inlxabitants of Peloponnesus, may be well applied to us, we are tesludines lesld sua
inclusi^ like so many tortoises in our shells, safely defended by an angry sea, as a
wall on all sides. Our island hath many such honourable eulogiums ; and as a
learned countrjTnan of ours right well hath it, "" Ever since tlie Normans first coming
into England, this country both for military matters, and all other of civility, hath
been paralleled with the most flourishing kingdoms of Europe and our Christian
world," a blessed, a rich country, and one of the fortunate isles : and for some
things ^preferred before other countries, for expert seamen, our laborious discover-
ies, art of navigation, true merchants, they carry the bell away from all other nations,
even the Portugals and Hollanders themselves ; ^^" without all fear," saitli Boterus,
" furrowing tiie ocean winter and summer, and two of their captains, with no less
valour than fortune, have sailed round about the world." *^ We nave besides many
particular blessings, which our neighbours want, the Gospel truly preached, church
discipline established, long peace and quietness free from exactions, foreign fears,
invasions, domestical seditions, well manured, ^' fortified by art, and nature, and now
most happy in that fortunate union of England and Scotland, which our forelathefs
have laboured to effect, and desired to see. But in which we excel all others, a
19 So intituled, and preached by our Regius Profes- 1 del par excellence." "Jam inde non belli gloria
snr, D. Prideaus ; printed at London by Ficlix Kini;- ' qulin huinanitatis cuitu inter florcntisKlnins orbis
ston, 1621. -"Of which Text read two learned j Chrisliani gentcs imprimis floruit. Camden Drit.de
Si'imons. -' Sa;pius bona materia cessat sine ar- Normannis. »> Georc. Keeker. ^Tani hieine
titice. Sabellicus de Germania. Si quis videret Ger- (iu4in aj.staie intrepide gulcant Oceanum. et duo illo-
maniam url)ibu3 hodie excultain, non diccret ut ollm rum duces non minore audaciil quam forliin^ lotiua
iristcmcul^jl^^nicrelo, ierr;im iiiformein. « Hy I ortiem terra' circumnavis^runt. Ampliilhcatro Hole-
ti ~ .Maj*KF^S^MBey'Gci(eriUjiien;.*_ -■ \- Z- i|i- I riis. *' A lertile soil, t'ood air, &c. Tin, Lead
**Froiii (. a i.)j W,i,,i, Satfron, &c. ^i Xota Britannia uiuca ve u
••i^Orii'lias
Democritus to the Reader. 57
wise, learned, religious king, another Numa, a second Augustus, a true Josiah ; most
worthy senators, a learned clergy, an obedient commonalty, Sec. Yet amongst many
roses, some thistles grow, some bad weeds and enonnities, which much disturb the
peace of this body politic, eclipse the honour and glory of it, fit to be rooted out,
and with all speed to be reformed.
The first is idleness, by reason of which we have many swarms of rogues, and
beggars, thieves, drunkards, and discontented persons (whom Lycurgus in Plutarch
calls morbos reipublica;, the boils of the commonwealth), many poor people m all
our towns. Civitatcs ignobiles, as ^'^Polydore calls them, base-built cities, inglorious,
poor, small, rare in sight, ruinous, and thin of mhabitants. Our land is fertile we may
not deny, full of all good things, and why doth it not then abound with cities, as Avell
as Italy, France, Germany, the Low Countries ? because their policy hath been other-
wise, and we are not so thrifty, circumspect, industrious. Idleness is the 7nalus
genius of our nation. For as ^^ Boterus justly argues, fertility of a country is not
enough, except art and industry be joined unto it, according to Aristotle, riches are
either natural or artificial ; natural are good land, fair mines, Stc. artificial, are manu-
factures, coins, &.C. Many kingdoms are fertile, but thin of inhabitants, as that
Duchy of Piedmont in Italy, which Leander Albertus so much magnifies for corn,
wine, fruits, &.c., yet nothing near so populous as those which are more barren.
*"' England," saith he, '^ London only excepted, hath never a populous city, and yet
a fruitful country. I find 46 cities and walled towns in Alsatia, a small province in
Germany, 50 castles, an infinite number of villages, no ground idle, no not. rock)
places, or tops of hills are untilled, as ^"Munster informeth us. In ^'^ Greichgea, a
a small territory on the Necker, 24 Italian miles over, I read of 20 walled towns,
innumerable villages, each one containing 150 houses most part, besides castles and
noblemen's palaces. I observe in ^"Turinge m Dutchland (twelve miles over by
their scale) 12 counties, and in them 144 cities, 2000 villages, 144 towns, 250 cas-
tles. In ^^ Bavaria 34 cities, 46 towns, &c. ^Portiigallia interamnis^ a small plot
of gi-ound, hath 1460 parishes, 130 monasteries, 200 bridges. Malta, a barren island,
yields 20,000 inhabitants. But of all the rest, I admire Lues Guicciardine's relations of
the Low Countries. Holland hath 26 cities, 400 great villages. Zealand 10 cities, 102
parishes. Brabant 26 cities, 102 parishes. Flanders 28 cities, 90 towns, 1154 villages,
besides abbeys, castles, &.c. The Low Countries generally have three cities at least
for one of ours, and those far more populous and rich : and what is the cause, but their
industry and excellency in all manner of trades ? Their commerce, which is main-
tamed by a multitude of tradesmen, so many excellent channels made by art and oppor-
tune havens, to which they build their cities ; all which we have in like measure, or
at least may have. But their chiefest loadstone which draws all manner of commerce
and merchandise, which maintains their present estate, is not fertility of soil, but
industry that enricheth them, the gold mines of Peru, or Nova Hispania may not
compare with them. They have neither gold nor silver of their own, wine nor oil,
or scarce any corn growing in those united provinces, little or no wood, tin, lead,
iron, silk, wool, any stuff almost, or metal ; and yet Hungary, Transylvania, that
brag of their mines, fertile England cannot compare with them. 1 dare boldly say,
that neither France, Tarentum, Apulia, Lombardy, or any part of Italy, Valentia in
Spain, or that pleasant Andalusia, with their excellent fruits, wine and oil, two har-
vests, no not any part of Europe is so flourishing, so rich, so populous, so full of
good ships, of well-built cities, so aboundmg with all things necessary for the use of
mein. 'Tis our Indies, an epitome of Chma, and all by reason of their mdustry, good
policy, and commerce. Industry is a load-stone to draw all good things ; that alone
makes countries flourish, cities populous, ■*" and wUl enforce by reason of much ma-
nure, which necessarily follows, a barren soil to be fertile and good, as sheep, saith
*' Dion, mend a bad pasture.
Tell me politicians, why is that fruitful Palestma, noble Greece, EgjiJt, Asia
s^Lib. 1. hist. ss Increment, urb. I. 1. c. 9. 38 0rtelius 6 Vaseo et Pet. de Medina. s^Anhun-
•♦Anglia;, excepto Londino, nulla est civitas memora- dred families in each. wpooulimultitudo dili-
bilis, licet ea natio rerum omnium rnpja ahundel. gente cultura^Joecun^g^SilllliflHHHfthri^^ ^'
ssCosmng. Lib. 3. cop. 119. Villaniiu !. i. -' iiume-^*|Oraf . S.i.ytT
rus, nullus locus otiosus aiit incultur- ' '^^j^JH/^gfiU at&lCM
oiat. edit. Fiancof. 15S3. Maginus
58 Democritus to the Reader.
Minor, so much decayed, and (mere carcases now) fallen from that they were ? The
eround is the same, but the government is altered, the people are grown slothful,
idle, tlieir good husbandry, policy, and industry is decayed. JVon fatigata aut effccta
humuS:, as ^^ Columella well informs Sylvinus, sed nostra jit inertia^ Stc. May a man
believe that which Aristotle in his politics, Pausanias, Stephanus, Sophianus, Gerbe-
lius relate of old Greece ? I find heretofore 70 cities in Epirus overthrown by Paulus
^milius, a goodly province in times past, ""^now left desolate of good towns and al-
most iidiabitants. Sixty-two cities in Macedonia in Strabo's time. I find 30 in Laconia,
but now scarce so many villages, saith Gerbclius. If any man from Mount Taygetus
should view the country round about, and see tot delicias, tot itrbcs per Pelopone-
sum dispcrsas^ so many delicate and brave built cities with such cost and exquisite
cunning, so neatly set out in Peloponnesus, ^^ he should perceive them now ruinous
and overthrown, burnt, waste, desolate, and laid level with the ground. Incrcdibilc
dictu, &c. And as he laments, Quis taliafando Tcmperet a lachnpnis? Qids tarn
durus aut ferreus, (so he prosecutes it).'*^ Who is he that can sulRciently condole
and commiserate these ruins.? Where are those 4000 cities of Egypt, those 100
cities in Crete .'' Are they now come to two } What saith Pliny and .^lian of old
Italy ? There were in former ages 1106 cities : Blondus and Machiavel, both grant
them now nothing near so populous, and full of good towns as in the time of Au-
gustus (for now Leander Albertus can find but 300 at most), and if we may give
credit to ^"Livy, not then so strong and puissant as of old: "They mustered 70
Legions in former times, which now the known world will scarce yield. Alexander
built 70 cities in a short space for his part, our Saltans and Turks demolish twice
as many, and leave all desolate. 3Iany will not believe but that our island of Great
Britain is now more populous than ever it was ; yet let them road Bedo, Leland and
others, they shall find it most flourished in the Saxon Heptarchy, and in the Con-
queror's time was far better inhabited, than at this present. See that Doomsday
Book, and show me those thousands of parishes, wliich are now decayed, cities
ruined, villages depopulated, &.c. The lesser the territory is, commonly, the richer
it is. Parvus scd bene cultiis ager. As those Athenian, Lacedirmonian, Arcadian,
Aelian, Sycioiiian, Messenian, &.c. conmionwealths of Greece make ample proof, as
those imperial cities and free states of Germany may witness, those Cantons ofSwit-
zers, Rheti, Grisons, Walloons, Territories of Tuscany, Luke and Senes of old, Pied-
mont, Mantua, Venice in Italy, Ragusa, &.c.
That prince therefore as, '"Boterus adviseth, that will have a rich country, and
fair cities, let him get good trades, privileges, painful inhabitants, artificers, and suffer
no rude matter unwrought, as tin, iron, wool, lead, &.C., to be transported out of his
country, — '*a thing in part seriously attempted amongst us, but not eflected. And
because industry of men, and multitude of trade so much avails to the ornament and
enriching of a kingdom; those ancient ^^^Massilians would admit no man into their
city that had not some trade. Selym the first Turkish empercr procured a thousand
good artificers to be brought from Tauris to Constantinople. The Polanders indented
with Henry Duke of Anjou, their new chosen king, to bring with him an hundred
families of artificers into Poland. James the first in Scotland (as ^Buchanan writes)
sent for the best artificers he could get in Europe, and gave them great rewards to
teach his subjects their several trades. Edward the Thial, our most renowned
king, to his eternal memory, brought clothing first into this island, transporting
some families of artificers from Gaunt hither. How many goodly cities could I
reckon up, that thrive wholly by trade, where thousands of inhabitants live singular
well by their fingers' ends : As Florence in Italy by making cloth of gold ; great
Milan by silk, and all curious works ; Arras in Artois by those fair hangings ; many
cuies in Spain, many in France, Germany, have none other maintenance, especially
those within the land. ^' Mecca, in Arabia Petraea, stands in a most unfruitful coun-
<-De r*" rust. I. 2. cap. 1. The soil is not tired or '■'"Lib. 7- Sepfiiaginta olim lesiones scriptiE diciintm ;
exhaustril. liiit lii< become barren throueli our sloth, qiias vires hodie, &:c. *■ Polit. 1. 3. c. e. "For
■» Hodie urhibik^^^Miatur. ct nia?na ex parte incolis dyeing of clolh^, and dressini;. Sec. *■• Valer. I. 2.
d*'-'liJiB»i^^^^(IWji6C-^ttra;r;^J:l.. »■ ^' Vi- r.' 1. wHist. Scot. Lib. 10. Magnis pronositia
■^-'—^^ — ■ ^— •-• • ■..»■-... eversaji, aift .snTo . ; .ij. . urrt-mii'i. ut Scoti ab iis edocercniur. '■ Munsi.
Aero omnium rerum infcecundiHsiiuiij
r >axet:i, urb^i tamen eleganlisiii
et Occideiitis.
Democritus to the Reader. 59
try, that wants water, amongst the rocks (as Vertomanus describes it), and yet it is
a most elegant and pleasant city, by reason of the traffic of the east and west.
Ormus in Persia is a most fomous mart-town, hath nought else but the opportunity
of the haven to make it flourish. Cormth, a noble city (Lumen Greciae, TuUy calls
it) the Eye of Greece, by reason of Cenchreas and Lecheus, those excellent ports,
drew all that traffic of the Ionian and ^Egean seas to it ; and yet the country about
it was curva ct supcrciUosa, as ^^Strabo terms it, rugged and harsh. We may say
the same of Athens, Actium, Thebes, Sparta, and most of those towns in Greece.
Nuremberg in Germany is sited in a most barren soil, yet a noble imperial city, by
the sole industry of artificers, and cunning trades, they draw the riches of most coun-
tries to them, so expert in manufactures, that as Sallust long since gave out of the like,
Sedem animce. in extremis digilis hahent^ their soul, or intellectus agcnSy was placed in
tlieir fingers' end ; and so we may say of Basil, Spire, Cambray, Frankfort, kc. It is
almost incredible to speak what some Avrite of Mexico and the cities adjoining to it,
no place in the world at their first discovery more populous, ^^ Mat. Riccius, the
Jesuit, and some others, relate of the industry of the Chinese most populous coun-
tries, not a hpggar or an idle person to be seen, and how by that means they prosper
and flourish. We have the same means, able bodies, pliant wits, matter of aii sorts,
wool, flax, iron, tin, lead, wood, &c., many excellent subjects to work upon, only
industry is wanting. We send our best commodities beyond the seas, which they
make good use of to their necesshies, set themselves a work about, and severally
improve, sending the same to us back at dear rates, or else make toys and baubles
of the tails of them, which they sell to us again, at as gieat a reckoning as the
whole. In most of our cities, some few excepted, like '^Spanish loiterers, we live
wholly by tippling-inns and ale-houses. IMalting are their best ploughs, their great-
est traffic to sell ale. ^^Meteran and some others object to us, that we are no whit
so industrious as the Hollanders : " Manual trades (saith lie) which are more cu-
rious or troublesome, are wholly exercised by strangers : they dwell in a sea full of
fish, but they are so idle, they will not catch so much as shall serve their own turns,
but buy it of their neighbours." Tush^*^ Mare liberum^ they fish under our noses,
and sell it to us when they have done, at their own prices.
'Pudet haec opprobria nobis
Et diti potuisse, et non potuisse refelli."
I am ashamed to hear this objected by strangers, and know not how to answer it.
Amongst our towns, there is only ^"London that bears the face of a city, ^^ Epitome
Britannia^ a famous emporium^ second to none beyond seas, a noble mart : but sola
crcscit., decresccntibus aliis ; and yet, in my slender judgment, defective in many
things. The rest (^^some few excepted) are in mean estate, ruinous most part, poor,
and full of beggars, by reason of their decayed trades, neglected or bad policy, idle-
ness of their inhabitants, riot, which liad rather beg or loiter, and be ready to starve,
than work.
I cannot deny but that something may be said in defence of our cities, ^° that they
are not so fair built, (for the sole magnificence of this kingdom (concerning build-
ings) hath been of old in those Norman castles and religious houses,) so rich, thick
sited, populous, as in some other countries ; besides the reasons Cardan gives, Suhtil.
Lib. 11. we want Avine and o*il, their two harvests, we dwell m a colder air, and for
that cause must a little more liberally ^' feed of flesh, as all northern countries do :
our provisions will not therefore extend to the maintenance of so many ; yet notwith-
standing we have matter of all sorts, an open sea for traffic, as well as the rest,
goodly havens. And how can we excuse our negligence, our riot, drunkenness. Sec,
5-Lib. 8. Genrgr . ob aspernm situm. ^3 Lib. s* Camden. MTork, Bristow, Norwich, Worcester,&c.
Edit, a Nic. Tresant. Bels. A. 1616. expedit. in Sinas. £0M. Gainsfnrd's Argument : Because gentlemen dwell
5^Ubi nobiles probi loco habent artera aliquam profi- , with us in the country villases, our cities are less, is
leri. Cleonnrd. ep 1. 1. •'^'*Lib. 13. Belg. Hist.' nothing to the purpose: put three hundred or four
Don tarn laboriosi ut Belgas, sed ut Hispani otiatores hundred villages in a shire, and every village yield a
vitani ut plurimum otiosam agentes : artes manuariffi gentleman, what is four hundred families to increase
quiP plurininm habent in se laboris et difficuitatis, ma- one of our cities, or to contend with theirs, which
joreniq ; requirunt industriam, a peregrinis et exteris stand thicker 1 And whereas ours usually consist^of
exercentnr; habitant in piscosissimo mari, interea , seven thousand, their^consist
*anium non piscantur quantum insula; suffecerit sed i ' bitants.
vicini? emere coguntur. ^Grotii Liber,
anirais nuineroque potens, et robore ;
60
Democntus to the Reader.
and such enormities that follow it ? We have excellent laws enacted, you will say,
severe statutes, houses of correction, Slc, to small purpose it seems ; it is not liouses
will serve, but cities of correction ; ^^our trades generally ought to be reibnned, wants
supplied. In other countries they have tiie same grievances, I confess, but that doth
not excuse us, ^'^ wants, defects, enormities, idle drones, tumults, discords, contention,
law-suits, many laws made against them to repress those innumerable brawls and
law-suits, excess in apparel, diet,~ decay of tUlage, depopulations, "especially against
rogues, beggars, Egyptian vagabonds (so termed at least) which have ''^swarmed all
over Germ^iy, France, Italy, Poland, as you may read in "^Munster, Cranzius, and
Aventinus ; as those Tartars and Arabians at this day do in the eastern countries :
yet such has been the iniquity of all ages, as it seems to small purpose. JVemo in
nostra cicitate mendlcits esto^^'' saith Plato: he will have them purged from a •'"com-
monwealth, ^'^"as a bad humour from the body," tiiat are lilvc so many ulcers and
boils, and must be cured before the melancholy body can be eased.
What Carolus Magnus, the Chinese, the Spaniards, the duke of Saxony and many
other states have decreed in this case, read Jlrnlseus^ cap. 19 j Botcrus, lihro 8, cap. 2 ;
Osorius de Riibus gest. E/nan. lib. 11. When a country is overstocked with people,
as a pasture is oft overlaid with cattle, tliey had wont in former times to disburden
themselves, by sending out colonies, or by wars, as those old Romans ; or by em-
ploying them at home about some public buildings, as bridges, road-ways, for which
those Romans were famous in this island; as Augustus Cajsar did in Rome, the
Spaniards in their Indian mines, as at Potosi in Peru, where some 30,000 men are
still at work, 6000 furnaces ever boiling, &c. '"aqueducts, bridges, havens, those
stupend works of Trajan, Claudius, at "Ostium, Dioclesiani Therma, Fucinus Lacus,
that Piraeum in Athens, made by Themistocles, ampitheatrums of curious marble,
as at Verona, Civitas Philippi, and Ileraclea in Thrace, those Appian and Fla-
minian ways, pr(>digii:)us works all may witness ; and rather than they siiould be
^^idle, as those "Egyptian Pliaraohs, Maris, and Sesostris did, to task their subjects
to budd uimecesijary pyramids, obelisks, labyrinths, channels, lakes, gigantic works
all, to divert them from rebellion, riot, drunkenness, ''*Quo sclUcet alaniur el ne
vagando lahorare desucscant.
Anotlier eye-sore is that want of conduct and navigable rivers, a great blemish as
'^Boterus, "^Hippolitus a CoUibus, and other politicians hold, if it be neglected in a
commonwealth. Admirable cost and charge is bestowed in the Low Countries on
this behalf, in the dutchy of Milan, territory of Padua, in " France, Italy, China,
and so likewise about corrivations of water to moisten and refresh barren grounds,
to drain fens, bogs, and moors. Massinissa made many inward parts of IJarbary
and Numidia in Africa, before his time incult and horrid, fruitful and bartablc by tliis
means. Great industry is generally used all over the eastern countries in this kind,
especially in Egypt, about Babylon and Damascus, as Vertomannus and '*'Gotardus
Arthus relate ; about Barcelona, Segovia, Murcia, and many other places of Spain,
Milan in Italy ; by reason of which, their soil is much impoverished, and infinite
commodities arise to the inhabitants.
The Turks of late attempted to cut that Isthmus betwixt Africa and Asia, which
"Sesostris and Darius, and some Pharaohs of Egypt bad formerly undertaken, but
with ill success, as **Diodorus Siculus records, and Pliny, for that Red-sea being
tliree *' cubits higher than Egj-pt, would have drowned all the country, cceplo des-
"■-Refrtenate monopolii licentiam, pauciores alantur
otio, redintegretur agricolatio, latiificiuru instauretur,
ut sit honestum negotium quo se exerceat otiosa ilia
turba. Nisi his nialis medcntur, frustra exercent jiia-
titiam. Mor. Utop. Lib. 1. ^ajianciplis locuples
eget aeris Cappadocum rex. Hor. "Regis digni-
tatis non est exercere imperium in niendicos sed in
opulentos. Non est regni decus, sed carceris esse
ciistos. Idem. ^^Colluvies linminum inirabiles
eicocti solo, immiindi vestes ftedi visu, furti imprimis
acres, &c. ** Cosmog. lib. 3. cap. 5. *'"Let
no one in our city be a besgar." **• Seneca. Haud
minii3 ui^^^WnAin^niiUa supplicia, quclm medico
a corpore
curratur, opificia condiacantur, tenues subleventur.
Bodin. 1. 6. c. 2. num. 6, 7. " Amasis iEsypti rex
legem promulgavit, ut omnes subditi quniunnis ratio-
nem redderent unde viverent. "Buscoldus dis-
cursu polit. cap. 2. "whereby they are supported, and
do not become vagrants by being less accustomed to
labour." "Lib. 1. de rncrem. Urb. cap. 6. '"Cap.
5. de increm. urb. Quas flumen, lacus, aut mare alluit.
"' Incredibilem commoditatem, vecturA merciuni ires
fluvii navigabiles, &c. Boterus de Gallic. ""He-
rodotus. '»Ind. Orient, cap. 2. Rotam in medio
flumine constituunt, cui ex pellibus aniinaliiim ronsu-
tos uteres appendunt, hi dum rota niovetur, aquiin
per canules, to. "Centum pedes lata fosia 30.
Contrary to that of Archimede», wb*
ificies of all waters even.
Democritus to the Reader. 61
titeranf, they left off; yet as the same ^Diodonis writes, Ptolemy renewed the
Work many years after, and absolved in it a more opportune place.
That Isthmus of Corinth was likewise undertaken to be made navigable by Deme-
trius, by Julius Caesar, Nero, Domitian, Herodes Atticus, to make a speedy ^passage,
and less dangerous, from the Ionian and iEgean seas ; but because it could not be
so well effected, the Peloponnesians built a wall like our Picts' wall about Schaj-
nute, where Neptune's temple stood, and in the shortest cut over the Isthmus, of
which Diodorus, lib. 1 1 . Herodotus, lib. 8. Vran. Our latter writers call it Hexa-
milium, which Amurath the Turk demolished, the Venetians, anno 145o, repaired
in 15 days with 30,000 men. Some, saith Acosta, would have a passage cut from
Panama to Nombre de Dios in America ; but Thuanus and Serres the French his-
torians speak of a famous aqueduct in France, intended in Henry the Fourth's time,
from tlie Loire to the Seine, and from Rhodanus to the Loire. The like to which
was formerly assayed by Domitian the emperor, ^^from Arar to Moselle, which
Cornelius Tacitus speaks of in the 13 of his annals, after by Charles the Great and
others. Much cost hath in former times been bestowed in either new making or
mending channels of rivers, and their passages, (as Aurelianus did by Tiber to make
it navigable to Rome, to convey corn from Egypt to the city, vadum aJvel tumcntis
effodit saith Vopiscus, et Tiberis ripas extruxit he cut fords, made banks, &.c.)
decayed havens, which Claudius the emperor with infinite pains and charges attempted
at Ostia, as I have said, the Venetians at this day to preserve their city ; many ex-
cellent means to enrich their territories, have been fostered, invented in most provin-
ces of Euprope, as planting some Indian plants amongst us, silk-worms, *Uhe very
mulberry leaves in the plains of Granada yield 30,000 crowns per annum to the
king of Spain's coffers, besides those many trades and artificers that are busied about
them in the kingdom of Granada, Murcia, and all over Spain. In France a great
benefit is raised by salt. Sic, whether these things might not be as happily attempted
with us, and with like success, it may be controverted, silk-worms (I mean) vines,
fir trees, &lc. Cardan exhorts Edward the Sixth to plant olives, and is fully per-
suaded they would prosper in this island. With us, navigable rivers are most part
neglected ; our streams are not great, I confess, by reason of the narrowness of the
island, yet they run smoothly and even, not headlong, swift, or amongst rocks and
shelves, as foaming Rhodanus and Loire in France, Tigris in Mesopotamia, violent
Durius in Spain, with cataracts and whirlpools, as the Rhine, and Danubius, about
Shaffausen, Lausenburgh, Linz, and Cremmes, to endanger navigators ; or broad
shallow, as Neckar in the Palatinate, Tibris in Italy ; but calm and fair as Arar in
France, Hebrus in Macedonia, Eurotas in Laconia, they gently glide along, and might
as well be repaired many of them (I mean Wye, Trent, Ouse, Thamisis at Oxford,
the defect of which we feel in the mean time) as the river of Lee from Ware to
London. B. Atwater of old, or as some will Henry I. ^made a channel from Trent
to Lincoln, navigable ; which now, saith Mr. Camden, is decayed, and much men-
tion is made of anchors, and such like monuments found about old *'' Verulamium,
good ships have formerly come to Exeter, and many such places, whose channels,
havens, ports are now barred and rejected. We contemn this benefit of carriage by
waters, and are therefore compelled in the inner parts of this island, because por-
tage is so dear, to eat up our commodities ourselves, and live like so many boars in
a sty, for want of vent and utterance.
We have many excellent havens, royal havens, Falmouth, Portsmouth, Milford, Sec.
equivalent if not to be preferred to that Indian Havanna, old Brundusium in Italy, Aulis
in Greece, Ambracia in Acarnia, Suda in Crete, which have few ships in them, little or
no traffic or trade, which have scarce a village on them, able to bear great cities, sed vi-
derinf polifici. I could here justly tax many other neglects, abuses, errors, defects
among us, and in other countries, depopulations, riot, drunkenness, &c. and many such,
qucB nunc in aurem susurrare non lihet. But I must take heed, ne quid gravius dicam,
s^Lib. 1. cap. 3. WDion. Pausanias, et Nic. Ger- I Altimul. lit navigabilia inter se Occidenti?
belius. Munster. Cosm. Lib. 4. cap. 36. Ml brevior tentrionis littora fierent. 65 R^gjjjiu
foret navigatio et minus periculosa. w Charles the | lerus de rep. iljiveW-tibi'lw deOBritA.
great went about to malte a channe' from the R^iji^^l^^cflla^tiire, Fossedike.
to the Danube. Bil. Pirkimerus descr
ruias are yet seen about Wessenbitra
^
62 Democrilus to the Reader.
that I do not overshoot myself, Sus Minervam, I am forth of my element, as you perad-
venture suppose; and sometimes Veritas odium parit, as he said, "verjuice and oat-
meal is good for a parrot." For as Lucian said of an historian, I say of a politician.
He that will freely speak and write, must be for ever no subject, under no prince or
law, but lay out the matter truly as it is, not caring what any can, will, like or dislike.
We have good laws, I deny not, to rectify such enormities, and so in all other
countries, but it seems not always to good purpose. We had need of some general
visitor m our age, that should reform what is amiss ; a just army of llosie-crosse
men, for they will amend all matters (they say) religion, policy, manners, with arts,
sciences, &c. Another Attila, Tamerlane, Hercules, to strive with Achelous, Jlugea
stabulum purgare^ to subdue tyrants, as ^^ he did Diomedes and Busiris : to expd
thieves, as he did Cacus and Lacinius : to vindicate poor captives, as he did Hesione :
to pass the torrid zone, the deserts of Lybia, and purge the world of monsters and
Centaurs : or another Theban Crates to reform our manners, to compose quarrels
and controversies, as in his time he did, and was therefore adored for a god in Athens.
"As Hercules ^purged the world of monsters, and subdued them, so did he fight
against envy, lust, anger, avarice, Slc. and all tliose feral vices and monsters of the
mind." It were to be wished we had some such visitor, or if wishing would serve,
one had sucli a ring or rings, as Thnolaus desired in ^Lucian, by virtue of which he
should be as strong as 10,000 men, or an army of giants, go invisible, open gates and
castle doors, have what treasure he would, transport himself in an instant to what place
he desired, alter affections, cure all manner of diseases, that he might range over the
world, and reform all distressed states and persons, as he would himseli". He might
reduce those wandering Tartars in order, that infest China on the one side, Muscovy,
Poland, on the other ; and tame the vagaboiid Arabians that rob and spoil those east-
ern countries, tliat they should never use more caravans, or janizaries to conduct
them. He might root out barbarism out of America, and fully discover Terra Jius-
tralis Incognita^ had out the north-east and north-west passages, drain those mighty
JVLeotian fens, cut down those vast Hircinian woods, irrigate those barren Arabian
deserts. Sec. cure us of our epidemical diseases, scorbulum, plica, morbus JVeapolita-
nus, &.C. end all our idle controversies, cut off our tumidtuous desires, inordinate
lusts, root out atheism, impiety, heresy, schism and superstition, which now so cru-
cify the world, catechise gross ignorance, purge Italy of luxury and riot, S[)aiu of
superstition and jealousy, Germany of drunkenness, all our northern coiuitry of glut-
tony and intemperance, castigate our hard-hearted parents, masters, tutors ; lash
disobedient children, negligent servants, correct these spendthrifts and prodigal sons,
enforce idle persons to work, drive drunkards off the alehouse, repress thieves, visit
corrupt and tyrannizing magistrates, &c. But as L. Licinius taxed Timolaus, you
may us. These are vain, absurd and ridiculous wishes not to be hoped : all must
be as it is, '^Bocchalinus may cite commonwealths to come before Apollo, and seek
to rei''orm the world itself by commissioners, but there is no remedy, it may not be
redressed, desincnt homines turn demum stullescere quando esse desinent, so long as
they can wag their beards, they will play the knaves and fools.
Because, therefore, it is a thing so difficult, impossible, and far beyond Hercules
labours to be performed ; let them be rude, stuj)id, ignor^int, incult, lapis super lapi-
dem sedeat, and as the *^ apologist will, resp. tussi, et gravcolentia laboret, mundus
vitio, let them be barbarous as they are, let them ^tyrannize, epicurize, oppress,
luxuriate, consume themselves with factions, superstitions, lawsuits, wars and con-
tentions, live in riot, poverty, want, misery ; rebel, wallow as so many swine in their
own dung, with Ulysses' companions, slultos jubeo esse libenter. I will yet, to satisfy
and please myself, make an Utopia of mine own, a new Atlantis, a poetical common-
wealth of mine own, in which I will freely domineer, build cities, make laws, sta-
tutes, as I list myself. And why may I not ? ^Pictoribus atque poelis, kc.
You know what liberty poets ever had, and besides, my predecessor Democritus
f-sLisins Girald. Nat. comes. ^ Apiileius, lib. 4. I monstra philosophus iste Hercules fiiit. Pestes eat
Flor. I,.ir lamili.iris iiitf r hominea .Ttaii.s suie cultiis iiuTiiibus exegii oinnes, &.c. » Votii navig.
' " '■ ""^ " 'iirsiQC'i'!' '"'^'' f"""pi"qii<is ar- I •» Rasi'iialios, part 2, cap. 2, et part .'«, r. 17. " Ve-
'versus iracnTiatam.Jriv|^||jy|^j lent. Atulr-a; Apolog. manip. 6()4. x-Qui sordldu*
' ic. »*Hor.
Democriius to tJie Reader. 63
was a politician, a recorder of Abdera, a laAV maker as some say ; and why may not
I presume so much as he did ? Howsoever I will adventure. For the site, if you
will needs urge me to it, I am not fully resolved, it may be in Terra Jluslrali In-
cognita., there is room enough (for of my knowledge neither that hungry Spaniard,^^
nor Mercurius Britannicus, have yet discovered half of it) or else one of these float-
ing islands in Mare del Zur, which like the Cyanian isles in the Euxine sea, alter
their place, and are accessible only at set times, and to some few persons ; or one
of the fortunate isles, for who knows yet where, or wHich they are ? tliere is room
enough in the inner parts of America, and northern coasts of Asia. But I will choose
a site, whose latitude shall be 45 degrees (I respect not minutes) in the midst of the
temperate zone, or perhaps under the equator, that ^paradise of the world, uhl sem~
per vlrens laurus, &c. where is a perpetual spring : the longitude for some reasons
I will conceal. Yet " be it known to all men by these presents," that if any honest
gentleman will send in so much money, as Cardan allows an astrologer for casting a
nativity, he shall be a sharer, I will acquaint him with my project, or if any worthy
man will stand for any temporal or spiritual office or dignity, (for as he said of his
archbishopric of Utopia, 'tis sanctus ambitus, and not amiss to be sought after,) it
shall be freely given without all intercessions, bribes, letters. Sec. his own worth shall
be the best spokesman ; and because we shall admit of no deputies or advowsons,
if he be sufficiently qualified, and as able as willing to execute the place himself, he
shall have present possession. It shall be divided into 12 or 13 provinces, and those
by hills, rivers, road-ways, or some more eminent limits exactly bounded. Each pro-
vince shall have a metropolis, which shall be so placed as a centre almost in a cir-
cumference, and the rest at equal distances, some 12 Italian miles asunder, or there-
about, and in them shall be sold all things necessary for the use of man ; statis horis
et diebus., no market towns, markets or fairs, for they do but beggar cities (no village
shall stand above 6, 7, or 8 miles from a city) except those emporiums which are by
the sea side, general staples, marts, as Antwerp, Venice, Bergen of old, London, &.c.
cities most part shall be situated upon navigable rivers or lakes, creeks, havens ; and
for their form, regular, round, square, or long square, ^^ with fair, broad, and straiglit
^^ streets, houses uniform, built, of brick and stone, like Bruges, Brussels, Rhegium
Lepidi, Berne in Switzerland, Milan, Mantua, Crema, Cambalu in Tartar}^, described
by M. Polus, or that Venetian palma. I will admit very few or no suburbs, and
those of baser building, walls only to keep out man and horse, except it be in some
frontier towns, or by the sea side, and those to be fortified ^^ after the latest manner
of fortification, and situated upon convenient havens, or opportune places. In
every so built city, I will have convenient churches, and separate places to bury the
dead in, not in churchyards ; a citadeUa (in some, not all) to command it, prisons
for offenders, opportune market places of all sorts, for corn, meat, cattle, fuel, fish,
commodious courts of justice, public halls for all societies, bourses, meeting places,
armouries, '°°in which shall be kept engines for quenching of fire, artillery gardens,
public walks, theatres, and spacious fields allotted for all g}-mnastic sports, and
honest recreations, hospitals of all kinds, for children, orphans, old folks, sick men,
mad men, soldiers, pest-houses, &.c. not built precario., or by gouty benefactors,
who, when by fraud and rapine they have extorted all their lives, oppressed whole
provinces, societies, &c. give something to pious uses, build a satisfactory alms-house,
school or bridge, &c. at their last end, or before perhaps, which is no otherwise than
to steal a goose, and stick down a feather, rob a thousand to relieve ten ; and those
hospitals so built and maintained, not by collections, benevolences, donaries, for a
set number, (as in ours,) just so many and no more at such a rate, but for all those
who stand in need, be they more or less, and that ex publico c^rario, and so still
maintained, nan nobis solum nati su?nus, Slc. I wQl have conduits of sweet and good
water, aptly disposed in each town, common 'granaries, as at Dresden in 3Iisnia, Ste-
tein in Pomerland, Noremberg, Sec. Colleges of mathematicians, musicians, and actors,
as of old at Labedum in Ionia, ^alchymists, physicians, artists, and philosophers : that
»^ Ferdlnando Uuir. 1612. ^ Vide Acosta et Laiet. I '<» Ue his Plin. epist. 42. lib. 2. et Tacit. Annal. 13. lib.
•'Vide patritium, lib. 8. tjt. 10. de Tnstit. Reipub. | i Vide Rri<;nniiini rip i^p-- "rrii^lMlttlidli I ' "
'"'Pic olim Hippodamu3 Milesiiis An- il 11. Lgetiiiin. lib^
et Vjtruvius I. 1. c. ult. sa vvith v.
64
Democritus to the Reader.
all arts and sciences may sooner be perfected and better learned ; and public his-
toriographers, as amongst those ancient ^Persians, qui in commentarios referebant
qucB memoratu digna gerebanlur, informed and appointed by the state to register all
famous acts, and not by each insufficient scribbler, partial or parasitical pedant, as in
our times. I will provide public schools of all kinds, singing, dancing, fencing, &.C.
especially of grammar and languages, not to be taught by those tedious precepts ordi-
narily used, but by use, example, conversation,'' as travellers learn abroad, and nurses
teach their children : as I will have all such places, so will I ordain * public govern-
ors, fit officers to each place, treasurers, aediles, questors, overseers of pupils, widows'
goods, and all public houses, &c. and those once a year to make strict accounts of all
receipts, expenses, to avoid confusion, et sicjiel ut non absumant (as Pliny to Trajan,)
quad pudcat dicere. They shall be subordinate to those higher officers and govern-
ors of each city, which shall not be poor tradesmen, and mean artificers, but noble-
men and gentlemen, which shall be tied to residence in those towns they dwell
next, at such set times and seasons : for I see no reason (which ^Hippolitus com-
plains of) '■' tliat it should be more dishonourable for noblemen to govern the city
than the country, or unseemly to dwell there now, than of old. ' I will have no
bogs, fens, marshes, vast woods, deserts, heaths, commons, but all inclosed ; (yet
not depopulated, and therefore take heed you mistake me not) for that which is
common, and every man's, is no man's; the richest countries are still inclosed, as
Essex, Kent, with us, &c. Spain, Italy ; and where inclosures are least in quantity,
they are best ^ husbanded, as about Florence in Italy, Damascus in Syria, Stc. which
are liker gardens than fields. I will not have a barren acre in all my territories, not
so mucli as the tops of mountains : where nature fails, it shall be supplied by art :
® lakes and rivers shall not be left desolate. All common highways, bridges, banks,
corrivalions of waters, aqueducts, channels, public works, buildings, Stc. out of a
'"common stock, curiously maintained.and kept in repair; no depopulations, engross-
ings, alterations of wood, arable, but by the consent of some supervisors that shall
be appointed for that purpose, to see what reformation ought to be had in all places,
what is amiss, how to help it, et quid quceque ferat regio, et quid quceque reciiset^
what ground is aptest for wood, what for corn, what for cattle, garden.s, orchards,
fishponds, Stc. with a charitable division in every village, (not one domineering
house greedily to swallow up all, which is too common with us) what for lords,
" what for tenants ; and because they shall be better encouraged to improve such
lands they hold, manure, plant trees, drain, fence, &c. they shall have long leases, a
known rent, and known fine to free them from those intolerable exactions of tyran-
nizing landlords. These supervisors shall likewise appoint what quantity of land in
each manor is fit for the lord's demesnes, '^what for holding of tenants, how it ought
to be husbanded, ut *^magnetis equis,MinycBgens cognita remis, how to be manured,
idled, rectified, "/a'c segetes veniunt, iUic fceliciits uv(£^ arborei foetus alibi, atque
injussa virescunt Gramina, and what proportion is fit for all callings, because private
professors are many times idiots, ill husbands, oppressors, covetous, and know not
how to improve their own, or else wholly respect their own, and not public good.
Utopian parity is a kind of government, to be wished for, '^rather than effected,
Respub. Christianopolitana, Campanella*s city of the Sun, and that new Atlantis,
witty fictions, but mere chimeras ; and Plato's community in many things is impious.
3 Bresonins Josephus, lib. 21. antiquit. Jud. cap. 6.
Herod, lib. 3. ^ So Led. Vives thinks best, Com-
mineiis, and others. ^ Plato 3. de los. .Ediles
creari vnit, qui tbra, fontes, vias, portus, plateas, et id
genus alia prociirent. Vide Isaacum Pontanum de
civ. Anistel. hie omnia, &c. Gotardum et alios.
6 De Increm. urb. cap. 13. Ingenue fateor me non in-
lellisere cur ianobilius sit urbes bene munitas colere
nunc quim olim, aut castC rusticte prsesse qu^m urbi.
Idem Ubertus Foliot, de Neapoli. ^ Ne tantillum
quidem soli incultum relinqiiitur, ut verum sit ne pol-
licem quidem agri in his regionibus sterilem aut infoe-
cundum reperiri. Marcus Hemingias Augustanus de
re?no Ctlinje, 1. 1. c. 3. « M. Carew, in his survey
of CornwalLsaith tliat bpfore thrit rnuntry was in-
'r;iuk-vtikUr, iJ 111 .■;it little or
apparel
corres]
but since inclosure, they live decently, and have money
to spend (fol. 23); when their fields were common,
their wool was coarse, Cornish hair ; but since inclo-
sure, it Is almost as good as Cotswol, and their soil
mucli mended. Tusser. cap. 52. of his husbandry, is
of his opinion, one acre inclosed, is worth three com-
mon. The country inclosed I praise ; the other de-
lighteth not me, for nothing of wealth it doth raise, &e.
" Incredibilis navigiorum copia, nihilo pauciores in
aquis, qu^m in continenti commorantur. M. Ricceui
e.xpedit. in Sinas, I. 1. c. 3. '"To this purpose,
Arist. polit. 2. c. 6. allows a third part of their reve-
nues, Hippodamus half. '> Ita lex A^raria olln
Roms. '-Ilic segetes, illic venlunt fselicius uva?,
Arborei fxtus alibi, atq ; injussa virescunt Gramina.
Virg. 1. Georg. "Lucanus, I. 6. '«Virg.
iJJoh. Valent. Andreas, Lord Verulam
DemocrUus to the Reader. 65
absurd and ridiculous, it takes away all splendour and magnificence. I will have
several orders, degrees of nobility, and those liereditary, not rejecting younger bro-
thers in the mean time, for they shall be sufficiently provided for by pensions, or so
qualified, brought up in some honest calling, they shall be able to live of tliemselves
I will have such a proportion of ground belonging to every barony, he that buys
the land shall buy the barony, lie that by riot consumes his patrimony, and ancient
demesnes, sliall forfeit his honours.'® As some dignities sliall be hereditary, so some
again by election, or by gift (besides free officers, pensions, annuities,) like our
bishoprics, prebends, the Bassa's palaces in Turkey, the ''procurator's houses and
offices in Venice, which, like the golden apple, shall be given to the worthiest, and
best deserving both in war and peace, as a reward of their wortli and good sei-vice, as
so many goals for all to aim at, (phonos alit artes) and encouragements to others.
For I hate these severe, unnatural, harsh, German, French, and Venetian decrees,
whicli exclude plebeians from honours, be they never so wise, rich, virtuous,; valiant,
and well qualified, they must not be patricians, but keep their own rank, this is nalu-
roE heUum inferre, odious to God and men, 1 abhor it. My form of government
shall be moiwrchical.
1^ " nunquam libertas gralior extat,
Qiiani sub Rege pio," &c.
Few laws, but those severely kept, plainly put down, and in the mother tongue,
that every man may understand. Every city shall have a peculiar trade or privilege,
by which it shall be chiefly maintained : '^and parents shall teach their children one
of three at least, bring up and instruct them in the mysteries of their own trade. In
each town these several tradesmen shall be so aptly disposed, as they shall free the
rest from danger or oflTence : fire-trades, as smiths, forge-men, brewers, bakers, metal-
men, &c., shall dwell apart by themselves : dyers, tanners, felmongers, and such as
use water in convenient places by themselves : noisome or fulsome for bad smells, as
butchers' slaughter-houses, chandlers, curriers, in remote places, and some back lanes.
Fraternities and companies, I approve of, as merchants' bourses, colleges of drug-
gists, physicians, musicians. Sec, but all trades to be rated in the sale of wares, as
our clerks of the market do bakers and brewers ; corn itself, what scarcity soever
shall come, not to extend such a price. Of such wares as are transported or brought
in, ^"if tliey be necessary, commodious, and such as nearly concern man's life, as corn,
wood, coal, &c., and such provision we cannot want, I will have little or no custom
paid, no taxes ; but for such things as are for pleasure, delight, or ornament, as
wine, spice, tobacco, silk, velvet, cloth of gold, lace, jewels, &c., a greater impost
I will have certain ships sent out for new discoveries every year, ^'and some dis-
creet men appointed to travel into all neighbouring kingdoms by land, which shall
observe what artificial inventions and good laws are in other countries, customs,
alterations, or aught else, concerning war or peace, which may tend to the common
good. Ecclesiastical discipline, penes Episcopos, subordinate as the other. No
impropriations, no lay patrons of church livings, or one private man, but common
societies, corporations, Stc, and those rectors of benefices to be chosen out of the
Universities, examined and approved, as the literati in China. No parish to con-
tain above a thousand auditors. If it were possible, I would have such priest as
shoidd imitate Christ, charitable lawyers should love their neighbours as themselves,
temperate and modest physicians, politicians contemn the world, philosophers should
know themselves, noblemen live honestly, tradesmen leave lying and cozening,
magistrates corruption, Stc, but this is impossible, I must get such as I may. I will
therefore have ^of lawyers, judges, advocates, physicians, chirurgeons, &c., a set
number, ^''and every man, if it be possible, to plead his own cause, to tell that tale
" So is it in the kingdom of Naples and France.
" See Contareniis and Osorius de rebus gestis Ema-
nuelis. "■ Claudlan 1. 7. " Liberty never is more
gratifying than under a pious king." '» Herodotus
Erato lib. 6. Cum .SIpypiiis Lacedemonii in hoc con-
gruunt, quod eorum praecones, tibicines, coqui, et re-
iqui artifices, in paterno artificio succedunt, et coquus
& coquo gignitur, et paterno opere perseverat. Idem
Marcus poJus de Quinzay. Idem Osorius de Emanuele
rege Lusitano. Riccius de Sinis. -"Ilippol. k
collibus de increm. urb. c. SO. Plato idem?. ^ftlgfi^HBB'^ patrono,^UMails erit
bus, qux ad vitam necesiaria, et quibua carere ^^^^^bu el'
9 ^^^^
possumus, nullum depend! vectigal, &c. « Plato
12. de legibus, 40. annos natos vult, ut ei quid memo-
rabile viderent apud exteros, hoc ipsum in rempub
recipiatur. "Simlerus in Helvetia. ^Uto-
pienses causidicos excludunt, qui causas callide et
vafre tractent et disputent. Iniquissiinum censens
hominem ullis oblieari legibus, qua- aut numerosioret
sunt, qu&m ut perlepi queant, aut obscungres qu&m
ut k quovis possint injelliei. 'N'olunt wt'SiiaWtiaisqj
causam apai, eamq; referat Judici quara narraturus
66 Democritus to the Reader.
to the judge which he doth to his advocate, as at Fez in Africa, Bantam, Aleppo,
Ragusa, suani quisq ; causam dicere teneiur. Those advocates, chirurgeons, and
** physicians, w^hich are allowed to be maintained out of the ^common treasury, no
fees to be given or taken upon pain of losing their places ; or if they do, very small
fees, and when the ^ cause is fully ended. ^'He that sues any man shall put in a
pledge, which if it be proved he hath wrongfully sued his adversary, rashly or
maliciously, he shall forfeit, and lose. Or else before any suit begin, the plaintiff
shall have his complaint approved by a set delegacy to that purpose ; if it be of
moment he shall be suffered as before, to proceed, if otherwise they shall determine
it. All causes shall be pleaded suppresso nomine, the parties' names concealed, if
some circumstances do not otherwise require. Judges and other officers shall be
aptly disposed in each province, villages, cities, as common arbitrators to hear causes,
and end all controversies, and those not single, but three at least on the bench at once,
to determine or give sentence, and those again to sit by turns or lots, and not to
continue still in tlie same office. No controversy to depend above a year, but without
all delays and further appeals to be speedily despatched, and finally concluded in
that time allotted. These and all other inferior magistrates to be chosen '^as the
literati, in China, or by those exact suffrages of the ^ V'enetians, and such again not to
be eligible, or capable of magistracies, honours, offices, except they be sufficiently
*' qualified for learning, manners, and that by the strict approbatit)n of deputed ex-
aminers : ^' first scholars to take place, then soldiers ; for I am of Vigetius his opin-
ion, a scholar deserves better than a soldier, because Unitis a;tatis sunt quce fortitcr
fi.u7it, qucB vera pro utilitate Reipub. scribuntur, ceterna : a soldier's work lasts for an
age, a scholar's for ever. If they ^^ misbehave themselves, they shall be deposed, and
accordingly punished, and whether their offices be annual ^or otherwise, once a year
they shall be called in question, and give an account ; for men are partial and pas-
sionate, merciless, covetous, corrupt, subject to love, hate, fear, favour, &.C., omne
sub regno graviore regnum : like Solon's Areopagites, or those Roman Censors,
^ome shall visit others, and **be visited inviccm themselves, ^'they shall oversee that
.no prowling officer, under colour of authority, shall insult over his inferiors, as so
many wild beasts, oppress, domineer, flea, grind, or trample on, be partial or corrupt,
but that there be aquabile jus, justice equally done, live as friends and brethren
together.; and which ^''Sesellius would have and so much desires in his kingdom of
France, " a diapason and sweet harmony of kings, princes, nobles, and plebeians so
mutually tied and involved in love, as well as laws and authority, as that they never
disagree, insult, or encroach one upon another." If any man deserve well in his
-office he shall be rewarded.
"quia enim virtutem amplectitur ipsam,
Prcemia si »ollas V ^
He that invents anything for public good in any art or science, writes a treatise, ''or
performs any noble exploit, at home or abroad, ^' shall be accordingly enriched,
"*° honoured, and preferred. ! say with Hannibal in Ennius, Hostem quifcriet eril miki
Carthaginensis, let him be of what condition he will, in all offices, actions, he that
deserves best shall have best.
Tilianus in Philonius, out of a charitable mind no doubt, Mushed all his books
were gold and silver, jewels and precious stones, *'to redeem captives, set free
»« Medici ex pubUco victum siimunt. Boter. 1. 1. c. 5. I years, Arist. polit. 5. c. 8. *• jjam quis custodiet
Ae ^gyptiis. '•*^ De his leee I'atrit. I. 3. tit. 8. de ipsos custodes I sscytreus in Gruisgeia. Qui non
reip. Inslit. '^ Nihil d. clientibiis patroni acciptant, | ex sublimi despiciant inferiores, nee ut be.stias concul-
priusquam lis finita est. Barcl. Argen. lib. 3. >" It ] cent sibi subditos auctoritatia noinini, confisi, &c.
is so in most free cities in Germany- * Mat. Ric- i sfi Seselliiis de rep. Gallorum, lib. 1 & 2. '■>'■ " For
cius exped. in Sinas, 1. 1. c. 5. de examinatione elec- | who would cultivate virtue itself, if you were to take
tionura copios6 agit, &.c. -'^Contar. de repub. Ve- i away the reward V *" Si quisegregium ?ut be'lo
net. 1. 1. soQsor. 1. 11. de reb. gest. Eroan. Qui I aut pace perfecerit. Sesel. 1. 1. ^•' Ad regendara
in Uteris maxiinos progressus feccrint maximis hono- \ reotpub. soli literati admittuntur, nee ad earn rem
rfbus afficiunlur, secundus honoris gtadus militibus gratia magistratuum aut regis indigent, omnia explo-
assignalur, poslremi ordinis mechanicis, doctorum rata cujusq ; scientia et virtute pendent. Ricciua lib.
bominuni judiciis in altiorem locum quisq ; priesertur, i 1. cap. 5. «" In defuncti locum euin jussit sabro-
et qui a pluriniis approbatur, ampliores in rep. digni- t pari, qui inter majores Tirtute reliquLs preiret; non
tates consequitur. Qui in hoc examine primas habet, fuit apud mortales ullum eicellentius certanien, aut
insigni per totam vitain dinnitati- in = i'jriiiiir. marchioni cujus victoria maeis esset expetenda, non enim inter
■■' ^" ^1-1 tin- rina togjE. ; celereg,celerrimo, non inter robustos robustissimo, Ac.
cerne, FrVbn /.etland, a ' <' Nullum videresvel in hac vel in vicinis regionibu«
it,pT">»r<''^, nullum obaeratum, &c.
Democritus to the Reader.
67
prisoners, and relieve all poor distressed souls that wanted mP4ns ; religiously done.
I deny not, but to what purpose ? Suppose this were so well done, Avithin a little
after, though a man had Croesus' wealth to bestow, there would be as many more.
Wherefore I will suffer no ''^beggars, rogues, vagabonds, or idle persons at all, that
cannot give an account of their lives how they '"maintain themselves. If they be im-
potent, lame, blind, and single, they shall be sufficiently maintained in several hos-
pitals, built for that purpose ; if married and infirm, past work, or by inevitable loss,
or some such like misfortune cast behind, by distribution of ''''corn, house-rent free,
annual pensions or money, they shall be relieved, and highly rewarded for their good
service they have formerly done; if able, they shall be enforced to work. ''^"For I
see no reason (as ''^he said) why an epicure or idle drone, a rich glutton, a usurer,
should live at ease, and do nothing, live in honour, in all manner of pleasures, and
oppress others, when as in the meantime a poor labourer, a smith, a carpenter, an
husbandman that hath spent his time in continual labour, as an ass to carry burdens,
to do the commonwealth good, and without whom we cannot live, shall be left in
his old age to beg or starve, and lead a miserable life worse than a jument." As
*'all conditions shall be tied to their task, so none shall be overtired, but have their
set times of recreations and holidays, indulgere genio, feasts and merry meetings, even
to the meanest artificer, or basest servant, once a week to sing or dance, (though not
all at once) or do whatsoever he shall please; like ''^that Saccaruni fcstum amongst
the Persians, those Saturnals in Rome, as well as his master. ''^ If any be drunk, he
shall drink no more wine or strong drink in a twelvemonth after. A bankrupt shall
be ^° Caladcmiatus in Jlmphitheatro, publicly shamed, and he that cannot pay his
debts, if by riot or negligence he have been impoverished, shall be for a twelve-
month imprisoned, if in that space his creditors be not satisfied, *' he shall be hanged.
He ^-tliat commits sacrilege sliall lose his hands ; he tliat bears false witness, or is
of perjury convicted, shall have his tongue cut out, except he redeem it with his
head. Murder, ®^ adultery, shall be punished by death, ^'but not theft, except it be
some more grievous offence, or notorious offenders : otherAvise they shall I)e con-
demned to the galleys, mines, be his slaves whom they have offended, during their
lives. I hate all hereditary slaves, and that diiram Persarnm legem., as ^^Brisonius
calls it; or as "^ ^7nmiamis, impendio formidatas et ahominandas leges., per quas oh
noxam unius, omnis propinquitas peril hard law that wife and children, friends and
allies, should suffer for the father's offence.
No man shall marry until he ^'be 25, no woman till she be 20, ^nisi alihir dis-
pensatum fucrit. If one ^'die, the other party shall not marry till six months after ;
and because many families are compelled to live niggardly, exhaust and undone
by great dowers, *none shall be given at all, or very little, and that by supervisors
rated, they that are foul shall have a greater portion ; if fair, none at all, or very
little : ^' howsoever not to exceed such a rate as those supervisors shall think fit.
And when once they come to those years, poverty shall hinder no man from
marriage, or any other respect, ®^but all shall be rather enforced than hindered,
" Niillus mendicus apud Sinas, nemini sano quam-
vis nculis turbalus sit mendicare periiiittitur, onmes
pro viribus lahorare, cogmitur, caeci niolis trusatilibus
versandis addicunlur, soli hospiliis gaudeiit, qui ad
labores sunt inepti. Osor. 1. 11. de reb. gest. Enian.
HemiiiL'. de rt;g. Chin. 1. 1. c. 3. Gotard. Arth. Orient.
Ind. descr. « Alex, ab Alex. 3. c. 12. « Sic
oliin Romae Isaac. Ponlan. de his optime. Amstol.
1. 2. c. 9. <'Idem Arisiot. pol. 5. c. 8. Vitiosum
quuni soli pauperum liheri educantur ad labores, no-
bilium et divitum in voluptatibus et deliciis. <« Quas
hffic injustitia ut nobilis quispiam, aut fenerator qui
nihil agat, lautam et splendidam vitam agat, otio et
deliciis, quum interim auriga. faber, agricola, quo res-
pub, carere non potest, vitam adeo miseram ducat, ut
ppjor quam jumentorutn sit ejus conditio I Iniqua
resp. qusp dat parasitis, adulatoribus, inanium volup-
tatum artificibus generosis et otiosis tanta munera
prodigit, at contra, agricolis, carbonariis, auriiris, fa-
bris, &c. nihil prospicit, sed eorum abusa lahirre flo-
rentis H-tatis fame penset et lerumnis, Mor. Utop. 1. 2.
♦^ In Segovia nemo oliosus, nemo mendicus nisi per
etatem aut morbum opus facere non potest : nulj
deest unde victum qua>rat, aut quo se exerceat.^
Echovius Delit. Hispan. \ullui Genevffi oiioai
septennis puer. Paulus Heuzner Itiner. <*Athe-
nteus, 1. 12. •'^Simlerus de repub. Helvct.
M Spartian. olim RomfB sic. ^' He that provides
not for his family, is worse than a thief. Paul.
s'^Alfredi lex. utraq ; manus et lingua prscldatur, nisi
eam capita redemerit. "> Si quia nuptam stupra-
rit, virga virilis ei prsciditur ; si mulier, nasus et au-
ricula prffcidatur. Alfredi lex. En leges ipsi Veneri
Martiq; timendas. "Pauperes non peccant, quum
extrema necessitate coacti rem alienam capiunt. Mal-
donat. summula qusest. 8. art. 3. Ego cum illis sentio
qui licere putant i divite clam accipere, qui tenetur
pauperi subvenire. Emmanuel Sa. Aphor. confess.
"Lib. 2. de Reg. Persarum. « Lib. 24. "■ Aliter
Aristoteles. a man at 25, a woman at 20. polit.
* Lex olira Licurgi, hodie Chinensium ; vide Plutarch-
um, Riccium, Hemmingium, Arniseum, Nevisanum,
et alios de hac qua>stione. •'■» Alfredus. f« Apud
Lacones olim virgines fine dote nubebant. Boter. I. 3.
c. 3. «' Lege cautum non ita pridem apud Venetos,
nequis Patritius dotem excederet 1500 cor^. f'Bux.
Synag. Jud. Siii»Ij^4aj. Lea Afer Africa tltfecxyJt- ne
incoDlineii ^
68 Democritus to tlie Reader.
"except they be ^dismembered, or grievously deformed, infirm, or visited with some
enormous hereditary disease, in body or mmd ; in such cases upon a great pain,
or mulct, ^'^ man or woman shall not marry, other order shall be taken for them to
their content. If people overabound, they shall be eased by ^^ colonies.
^^No man shall wear weapons in any city. The same attire shall be kept, and
that proper to several callings, by which they shall be distinguished. ^^ Luocus fune-
rwm shall be taken away, that intempestive expense moderated, and many others.
Brokers, takers of pawns, biting usurers, I will not admit ; yet because hie cum
hominibus non cum diis agitur, we converse here with men, not with gods, and for
the hardness of men's hearts I will tolerate some kind of usury .^^ If we were honest,
I confess, si probi essemus, we should have no use of it, but being as it is, we must
necessarily admit it. Howsoever most divines contradict it, dicimus injicias, sed vox
ea sola reperta est, it must be winked at by politicians. And yet some great doctors
approve of it, Calvin, Bucer, Zanchius, P. Martyr, because by so many grand law-
yers, decrees of emperors, princes' statutes, customs of conmionwealths, churches'
approbations it is permitted, 8tc. I will therefore allow it. But to no private person.s,
nor to every man that will, to orphans only, maids, widows, or such as by reason
of their age, sex, education, ignorance of trading, know not otherwise how to em-
ploy it ; and those so approved, not to let it out apart, but to bring their money to a
""common bank which shall be allowed in every city, as in Genoa, Geneva, Nurem-
berg, Venice, at ^'5, 6, 7, not above 8 per centum, as the supervisors, or cerarii prcb-
fecti shall tliink fit. " And as it shall not be lawful for each man to be an usurer
that will, so shall it not be lawful for all to take up money at use, not to prodigals
and spendthrifts, but to merchants, young tradesmen, such as stand in need, or know
honestly how to employ it, whose necessity, cause and condition the said super-
visors shall approve of.
I will have no private monopolies, to enrich one man, and beggar a multitude,
''multiplicity of offices, of supplying by deputies, weights and measures, the same
throughout, and those rectified by the Primum mobile, and sun's motion, three-
score miles to a degree according to observation, 1000 geometrical paces to a mile,
five foot to a pace, twelve inches to a foot, &lc. and from measures known it is an
easy matter to rectify weights, &.c. to cast up all, and resolve bodies by algebra,
stereometry. I hate wars if they be not ad popiili salutcm, upon urgent occasion,
"""• odimus accipitrim, quia semper vivit in armis,'''' ''ollensive wars, except the cause
be very just, I will not allow of For I do highly magnify that saying of Hannibal
to Scipio, in ^^Livy, '^ It had been a blessed thing for you and us, if God had given
that mind to our predecessors, that you had been content with Italy, we with Africa.
For neither Sicily nor Sardinia are worth such cost and pains, so many fleets and
armies, or so many famous Captains' lives." Omnia prius tcntanda, fair jneans shall
first be tried. " Peragit tranquilla potestas, Quod violenta nequit. I will have them
proceed with all moderation : but hear you, Fabius my general, not Minutius, nam
''^qui Consilio nititur plus hostibus nocet, quam qui sini animi ralione, viribus :
And in such wars to obstain as much as is possible from " depopulations, burning of
towns, massacreing of infants, &c. For defensive wars, I will have forces still ready
at a small warning, by land and sea, a prepared navy, soldiers in procinctu, et quam
^Bonfinius apud Hungaros suos vult, virgam ferream, and money, which is nerves
s^Morbo laborans, qui in prolem facile diffunditur, dearer, and better improved, as he halh judicially
ne genus humanum foeda coniagione leedatur, juven- proved in his tract of usury, exhibited to the I'arlift-
tute castratur. mulieres tales proeul d. consortio viro- inent anno 1621. ''UIoc fere Zanchius com. in 4
rum ablegantur, &c. Hector Boethius hist. lib. 1. de cap. ad Ephes. sequissimam vocat usuram, et charitati
vet. Scotorum moribus. " Speciosissinii juvenes Christians consentaneara, modo non exigant, &.c. nee
liberis dabiint operani. Plato 5. de lesibus. ^^The omnes dent ad ftenus, sed ii qui in pecuniis bona ha-
Saxons exclude dumb, blind, leprous, and such like bent, et ob setatem, sexum, arlis alicujus ignorantiam,
persons from all inheritance, as we do fools. ^Vt non possunt uti. Nee omnibus, sed niercatoribus et
olim Romani, Ilispani hodie, &e. •"Ricciuslib.il. i lis qui honeste impendent, &e. " jj^m apud Per-
cap. 5. de Sinarum. expedit. sic Hispani cogunt Mau- sas olim, lege Brisoniurn. '*" We bate the hawk,
ros arma deponere. So it is in most Italian cities, because he always lives in battle." "Idem Plato
••Idem Plato 12. de legibus, it hath ever been immode- de legibus. '"Lib. 30. Optimum quidem fuerat
rate, vide Guil. Stuckiura antiq. convival. lib. 1. cap. 26. eam patribus nostris nientem a diis datam esse, ut vo«
* Plato 9. de legibus. '" As those Lombards beyond Italiie, nos Africse imperio contenti essemus. Neque
Seas, though with somp rnfnrnntion. mons pietatis, or enim Hicilia aut Sardinia satis digna precio »iint pro
tot classibus, &c. " Claudian. "Tauciilide*.
J^ A depopulatione, agrorum incendiis, et fjusmodi
'" imiiianibus. Piaio. t^IIungar. dec. I.
Democritus to tJie Reader.
belli, still in a readiness, and a sufficient revenue, a third part as in old ^' Rome and
Egypt, reserved for the commonwealth ; to avoid those heavy taxes and impositions,
as well to defray this charge of wars, as also all other public defalcations, expenses,
fees, pensions, reparations, chaste sports, feasts, donaries, rewards, and entertainment^!
All things in this nature especially 1 will have maturely done, and with great *^ deli-
beration : ne quid ^temere, ne quid remisse ac timide fiat ; Scd quo feror hospes ?
To prosecute the rest would require a volume. Manum de tabella, J have been
over tedious in this subject ; I could have here willingly ranged, but these straits
wherein I am included will not permit.
From commonwealths and cities, I will descend to families, which have as many
corsives and molestations, as frequent discontents as the rest. Great affinity there
is betwixt a political and economical body ; they differ only in magnitude and pro-
portion of business (so Scaliger^ writes) as they have both likely the same period, as
^Bodin and "^Peucer hold, out of Plato, six or seven hundred years, so many times
they have the same means of their vexation and overthrows ; as namely, riot, a com-
mon ruin of both, riot in building, riot in profuse spending, riot in apparel, &c. be
it in what kind soever, it produceth the same effects. A *' corographer of ours
speaking ohiter of ancient families, why they are so frequent in the north, continue
so long, are so soon extinguished in the south, and so few, gives no other reason
but this, luxus omnia dissipavit, riot hath consumed all, fine clothes and curious
buildings came into this island, as he notes in his annals, not so many years since ;
nan sine dispendio hospitalitatis, to the decay of hospitality. Howbeit many times
that word is mistaken, and under the name of bounty and hospitality, is shrowded
riot and prodigality, and that which is commendable in itself well used, hath been
mistaken heretofore, is become by his abuse, the bane and utter ruin of many a noble
family. For some men live like the rich glutton, consuming thernselves and their
substance by continual feasting and invitations, with ^^Axilon in Homer, keep open
house for all comers, giving entertainment to such as visit them, ^^ keeping a table
beyond their means, and a company of idle servants (though not so frequent as of
old) are blown up on a sudden ; and as Actseon was by his hounds, devoured by
their kinsmen, friends, and multitude of followers. ^"It is a wonder that Paulus
Jovius relates of our northern countries, what an infinite deal of meat we consume
on our tables ; that I may truly say, 'tis not bounty, not hospitality, as it is often
abused, but riot and excess, gluttony and prodigality ; a mere vice ; it brings in debt,
want, and beggary, hereditary diseases, consumes their fortunes, and overthrows the
good temperature of their bodies. To this I might here well add their inordinate
expense in building, those fantastical houses, turrets, walks, parks, Stc. gaming, excess
of pleasure, and that prodigious riot in apparel, by which means they are compelled
to break up house, and creep into holes. Seselliusin his commonwealth of '"France,
gives three reasons why the French nobility were so frequently bankrupts : '' First,
because they had so many law-suits and contentions one upon another, which were
tedious and costly ; by which means it came to pass, that commonly lawyers bought
them out of their possessions. A second cause was their riot, they lived beyond
their means, and were therefore swallowed up by merchants." (La Nove, a French
writer, yields five reasons of his countrj-men's poverty, to the same effect almost, and
thinks verily if the gentry of France were divided into ten parts, eight of them would
be found much impaired, by sales, mortgages, and debts, or wholly sunk in their
estates.) "• The last was immoderate excess in apparel, which consumed their reve-
nues." IIow this concerns and agrees with our present state, look you. But of this
elsewhere. As it is in a man's body, if either head, heart, stomach, liver, spleen, or any
one part be misaflected, all the rest suffer with it : so is it with this economical body
6' Sesellius, lib. 2. de repub. Gal. valde enim est in-
decorum, ubi quod prseter opiiiionem accidit dicere,
Non putarani, presertim si res pra;caveri potuerit.
Livius, lib. 1. Dion. lib. 2. Diodorus Siculus, lib. 2. —
f^- Peragii tranquilla potestas. Quod violcnta nequit.—
Claudian. f^^ Belluin nee limendum nee provocan-
dum. Plin. Panegjr. Trajano. MLib. 3. poet,
cap. 19. ^o Lib. 4. de repub. cap. 2. f^Teucer.
lib. 1. de divinat. >^ Camden in Clieshire. '"Iliad.
6. lib. 89 Vide Puteani Comum, Goclenium de
tentosis coenis nostrorum temporum. ^'Mirabile
dictis est, quantum opsoniorum una domus singulis
diehus ahsuiuat, sternuntur mensae in onines pene
boras calenlibus semper eduliis. Descrip. Britan.
'■"Lib. 1. de rep. Gallorutn ; quod tot lites et causse
forenses, alia; ferantur ex aliis, in immensum produ-
cantur, et niaunos sumplus requirant unde tit ut juris
administri plerumque unliilinin pnssessiones adqul-
lant, turn nimH^iMihrn ..' vi\ aiureL^ me££UAiit>Ui
plendissiiii^ vestu
70 Democritits to the Header.
If the Ixead be naught, a spendthrift, a drunkard, a whoremaster, a gamester, how
shall the family live at ease ? ^^Ipsa si cupiat salus servare, prorsus, non potest hanc
familiam^ as Demea said in the comedy. Safety herself cannot save it. A good, hon-
est, painful man many times hath a shrew to his wife, a sickly, dishonest, slothful,
foolish, careless woman to his mate, a proud, peevish flirt, a liquorish, prodigal quean,
and by that means all goes to niin : or if they difler in nature, he is thrifty, she
spends all, he wise, she sottish and soft; what agreement can there be ? wliat friend-
ship ? Like that of the thrush and swallow in iEsop, instead of mutual love, kind
compellations, whore and thief is heard, they fling stools at one another's heads.
'"^QufE mtcmpcries vexat hanc familiam? AW enforced marriages commonly pro-
duce such eflects, or if on their behalfs it be well, as to live and agree lovingly
together, they may have disobedient and unruly children, that take ill courses to
disquiet them,** " their son is a thief, a spendthrift, their daughter a whore ;" a step
'^mother, or a daughter-in-law distempers all f^ or else for want of means, many
torturers arise, debts, dues, fees, dowries, jointures, legacies to be paid, annuities
issuing out, by means of which, they have not wherewithal to maintain themselves
in that pomp as their predecessors have done, bring up or bestow their children to
their callings, to their birth and quality,^" and will not descend to their present fore-
times. Oftentimes, too, to aggravate the rest, concur many other inconveniences,
unthankful friends, decayed frienils, bad neighbours, negligent servants ^^scrvi fu-
races^ Vcrsiprllea^ calhdi, occlusa sibi millc clavlbus rose rani ^ furl imque ; raptant^
consiiniunt, liguriunt ; casualties, taxes, mulcts, chargeable otlices, vain expenses,
entertaimnents, loss of stock, cnniities, emulations, frequent invitations, losses, surety-
ship, sickness, dtath of friends, and that which is the gulf of all, improvidence, ill
husbandry, disorder and confusion, by which means they are drenched on a sudden
in their estates, and at unawares precipitated insensibly into an inextricable labyrinth
of debts, cares, woes, want, grief, discontent and melancholy itself.
1 have done with families, and wdl now briefly run over some few sorts and con-
ditions of men. The most secure, happy, jovial, and merry in the world's esteem
are princes and great men. free from melancholy : but for their cares, miseries, sus-
picions, jealousies, discontents, folly and madness, 1 refer you to Xenophon's Tyran-
nus, whyie king Hieron discourseth at large with Simonides the poet, of this subject.
Of all others they are most troubled with perpetual fears, anxieties, insomuch, that
as he said in '•'^Valerius, if thou knewest with what cares and miseries this robe were
stuflTed, thou wouldst not stoop to take it up. Or put case they be secure and free
from fears and discontents, yet they are void '"'of reason too oft, and precipitate in
their actions, read all our histories, quos de stultis prodidcre stulli, Iliades, JEfteides,
Anuales, and what is the subject ?
" .Stulioruui regiini, et populorum conunet aestus." I ''"'"' S'ddy tumults aud the foolish rage
I Of kings and people.
How mad they are, how furious, and upon small occasions, rash and inconsiderate
in their proceedmgs, how they doat, every page almost wdl witness,
'-delirant rages, plectuntur Achivj." I When dotinc monarclis urce
I Unsound resolveti, their subjects feel the scourge.
Next in place, next in miseries and discontents, in all manner of hair-brain actions,
are great men, procul a Jove^ procul a fulmine^ the nearer the worse. If they live
in court, tney are up and down, ebb and flow with their princes' favours, Ingmium
vultu statque caditqiie suo^ now aloft, to-morrow down, as 'Polybius describes them,
'• like so many casting counters, now of gold, to-morrow of silver, that vary in
worth as the computant wdl ; now they stand for units, to-morrow for thou.sands ;
now before all, and anon behind." Beside, they torment one another with mutual
factions, emulations : one is ambitious, another enamoured, a third in debt, a prodigal,
overruns his fortunes, a fourth soUcitous with cares, gets nothing, &.c. But for tliese
men's discontents, anxieties, I refer you to Lucian's Tract, de mercede conductis,
»2Ter. MAmphit. Plaut. »' Paling. Filius »-piautU3 Aulular. »J Lib. 7. cap. 6. 'w Pel-
aut fur. asCatus turn mure, duo galli simul in litur in beJIis sapientia, vijjerilur res. Vetus prover-
Jede, Et glotes binte nunquam vivunt sine lite, bjuni, aut regem aut fatuum nasci oportere. ' I.lb.
*Re9 angusta domi. "^ When pride and beggary 1. hist. Rom. similes a. bacculoruin calculis, secundum
meet in a family, t^y roar and howL and cause as computantis arbilrium, modu icrei sunt. inodO aurei ;
msnjf^^Btee of<fliMbtnt5, |^ ^i£iB||BliL^r, when ad iiutum regis nunc beati sunt nunc miBeri.
Democritus to the Reader. 71
^^Eneas Sylvius {libidinis et stultUice servos, he calls them), Agrippa, and many
others.
Of philosophers and scholars priscce sapientice dictatorcs, I have already spoken in
general terms, those superintendents of wit and learning, men above men, those refined
men, mmions of the muses,
3 " mentemque habere qu6is bonam
Et esse* corculis datum est."
^ These acute and subtile sophisters, so much honoured, have as much need of
hellebore as others. ^O medici medlam pertundite venam. Read Lucian's
Piscator, and tell how he esteemed them ; Agrippa's Tract of the vanity of Sciences ;
nay read their own works, their absurd tenets, prodigious paradoxes, et risum tenea-
tis amid? You shall find that of Aristotle true, nullum magnum ingeniitm sine
mixtura dementice, they have a worm as well as others ; you shall find a fantas'tical
strain, a fustian, a bombast, a vain-glorious humour, an affected style. Sic, like a
prominent thread in an uneven woven cloth, run parallel throughout their works. And
they that teach wisdom, patience, meekness, are the veriest dizards, hairbrains, and
nio&t discontent. '"' hi the multitude of wisdom is grief, and he that increaseth wis-
dom, nirreaseth sorrow." I need not quote mine author; they that laugh and contemn
others, condemn the world of folly, deserve to be mocked, are as giddy-headed, and
lie as open as any other. * Democritus, that common flouter of folly, was ridiculous
himself, barking Menippus, scoffing Lucian, satirical Lucilius, Petronius, Varro, Per-
sius, &c., may be censured with the rest, Loripedem rectus deridcat, Mthioj)em al-
ius. Bale, Erasmus, Hospinian, Vives, Kemnisius, explode as a vast ocean of obs
and sols, school divinity. ®A labyrinth of intricable questions, unprofitable conten-
tions, incredibilem delirationem, one calls it. If school divinity be so censured, suh-
tilis ^°Scoius lima veritatis, Occam irrefragabilis, cujus ingenium vetera omnia
ingenia subvertit, &c. Baconthrope, Dr. Resolutus, and Corculum Theolgia, Thomas
himself, Doctor "Seraphicus, cui dictavit Angelus, Stc. What shall become of hu-
manity .? Ars stulta, what can she plead ? what can her followers say for themselves ?
Much learning, ^^ cere-diminuit-brum, hath cracked their sconce, and taken such root,
that tribus Anticyris caput insanabile, hellebore itself can do no good, nor that re-
nowned '^lanthorn of Epictetus, by which if any man studied, he should be as wise
as he was. But all will not serve ; rhetoricians, in ostenlationem loquacitatis mulla
agitant, out of their volubility of tongue, will talk much to no purpose, orators
can persuade other men what they will, quo volunt, unde volunf, move, pacify, &c,
but cannot settle their own brains, what saith TuUy ? Malo indisertam prndtntlam,,
quam loquacem stultitiam ; and as " Seneca seconds him, a wise man's oration should
not be polite or solicitous. '^Fabius esteems no better of most of them, either in
speech, action, gesture, than as men beside themselves, insanos declamalores ; so
doth Gregory, JVon mihi sapit qui sermone, sed qui factis sapit. Make the best of
him, a good orator is a turncoat, an evil man, bonus orator pessimus vir, his tongue
is set to sale, he is a mere voice, as '^ he said of a nightingale, dat sine mente sonum,
an hyperbolical liar, a flatterer, a parasite, and as "Ammianus Marcellinus will, a
corrupting cozener, one that doth more mischief by his fair speeches, than he that
bribes by money ; for a man may with more facility avoid him that circumvents by
money, than him that deceives with glozing terms; which made '*^ Socrates so much
abhor and explode them. '^Fracastorius, a famous poet, freely grants all poets to be
mad ; so doth *Scaliger ; and who doth not ? Aut insanit homo, aid versus facit (He's
mad or making verses), Hor. Sat. vii. 1. 2. Insanire lubet, i. versus componere. Virg.
3 Eel. ; so Servius interprets it, all poets are mad, a company of bitter satirisis,
detractors, or else parasitical applauders : and what is poetry itself, but as Austin
holds, Vinum erroris ab ebriis doctoribus propinatum ? You may give that censure
> .^rumnosique Solones in Sa. 3. De miser, curia- , sapientiam adipiscetur. nEpist. 21. 1. lib. Non
Hum. 3 F. Dousa; Epid. lib. 1. c. 13. ^ Hoc
rognomento colionestati Romsp, qui caeleros mortales
sapienii^ prffistarent, testis Plin. lib. 7. cap. 34. * j,,.
sanire parant certa ratione modoque, mad by the book
tliey, &c. 6 Juvenal. "O Pliysicians : opt'n the
nii'ldle vein." ' Snlnnion. *" Communis irri-
Bor stiiltiliiP. 0 Wif whither wilt 1 '"Scaliger
exercitat. 331. " Vit ejus. 12 Enniiis. '^Lu-
eian. Tei mille dradmiis olim empta ; studens indea^
oportet orationem sapientis esse politam aut solicitara.
"Lib. 3. cap. 13. mullo anhelitu jactatione furenlea
pectus, frontem ctedentes, &c. leLjpsiii.s, voces
sunt, priEtcrea nihil. i" Lib. 30. phis mali facere
videtnr qui oratione quim qui prsetio quemvis cor-
rumpil : nam.&c. "^InGors. Plaioiii-. ^'In
naugerin. -' Si furor sit I, : !-..:vi ■:': :ii:~ lurit,
furit, furi_{,,Adidn8j Lib.-ns. et Putt 1, ■v..
72 Democritus to the Reader.
of them in general, which Sir Thomas More once did of Germanub Brixius' poenM
in particular.
— " vehuntur
In rate stultitias sylvam habitant Furi®."'"
Budseus, in an epistle of his to Lupsetus, will have civil law to be the tower of
wisdom ; another honours physic, the quintessence of nature ; a third tumbles them
both down, and sets up the flag of his own peculiar science. Your supercilious
critics, grammatical triflers, note-makers, curious antiquaries, find out all the ruins
of wit, ineptiarum delicias, amongst the rubbish of old writers ; ^Pro stullis hahent
nisi atiquid suffidant invcnire, quod in aliorum scriptis vertant vitio, all fools with
them that cannot find fault ; they correct others, and are hot in a cold cause, puzzle
themselves to find out how many streets in Rome, houses, gates, towers, Homer's
country, iEneas's mother, Niobe's daughters, an Sappho publica fuerit ? ovum ^'^prius
exiiterit an gallina ! &.c. et alia quce dediscenda essent scire, d scires, as ''"'Seneca
holds. What clothes the senators did wear in Rome, what shoes, how they sat,
where they went to the closestool, how many dishes in a mess, what sauce, which
tor the present for an historian to relate, ^^according to Lodovic. Vives, is very
ridiculous, is to them most precious elaborate stufl', they admired for it, and as proud,
as triumphant in the meantime for this discovery, as if they had won a city, or con-
quered a province ; as rich as if they had found a mine of gold ore. Quosvis aucto-
res ahsurdis commentis suis percacant et stercorant., one saith, they bewray and daub
a company of books and good authors, with their absurd comments, corrcctorum ster-
quilinia ^ Scaliger calls them, and show their wit in censuring others, a company of
foolish note-makers, humble-bees, dors, or beedles, inter sicrcora utplurinuwi versan-
tur, they rake over all those rubbish and dunghills, and prefer a manuscript many
times before the Gospel itself,^ ihesaurum criticum, before any treasure, and with their
deleaturs, alii legunt sic, mens codex sic habct, with their postrema editiones, anno-
tations, castigations, &c. make books dear, themselves ridiculous, and do nobody
good, yet if any man dare oppose or contradict, they are mad, up in amis on a sud-
den, how many sheets are written in defence, how bitter invectives, what apologies ?
^Epiphilledes hce sunt ut merce nugcc. But I dare say no more of, for, with, or
against Uiem, because I am liable to their lash as well as others. Of these and the
rest of our artists and philosophers, I will generally conclude they are a kind of
madmen, as ^Seneca esteems of them, to make doubts and scruples, how to read
them truly, to mend old authors, but will not mend their own lives, or teach us ingevia
sanare, memoriam ojiciorum ingerere, ac Jidem in rebus humanis relinere, to keep
our wits in order, or rectify our manners. JYurnqtiid tibi dcmens videtur, si istis
opcram impendcrit f Is not he mad that draws lines with Archimedes, whilst his
house is ransacked, and his city besieged, when the whole world is in combustion,
or we whilst our souls are in danger, (mors sequitur, vitafugit) to spend our time
in toys, idle questions, and things of no worth .?
That ''"loveis are mad, I think no man will deny, Jlmare sirmd et sapere, ipsi Jovi
non datur, Jupiter himself cannot intend both at once.
51 " Non ben6 conveniunt, nee in unS. sede morantur
Majestas et amor."
Tully, when he was invited to a second marriage, replied, he could not sbnul amare
et sapere oe wise and love both together. ^^Est orcus ilk, vis est immedicabilis, est
rabies insana, love is madness, a hell, an incurable disease ; inpotentem et insanam
libidinem ^^ Seneca calls it, an impotent and raging lust. I shall dilate this sub-
ject apart ; in the meantime let lovers sigh out the rest.
** Nevisanus the lawyer holds it for an axiom, " most women are fools," ^^ consilium
fceminis invalidum ; Seneca, men, be they young or old ; who doubts it, youth is
mad as Elius in Tully, Stulti adolescentuli, old age little better, deliri senes, he.
Theophrastes, m the 107th year of his age, *said he then began to be to wise, turn
2> "They are borne in the bark of folly, and dwell I 3' Ovid. Met. " Majesty and I-ove do not asrree well,
in the grove of madness." 22 Mortis Utop. lib. 11. nor dwell together." ''•'IMulareh. Amatorio est
i<Macrob. fJattir. 7. 16. 2-»Epist. 16. 20 Lib. ! amor insanus. 33 Epist. 39. SKSylva; nupli-
decaii-i- .. in; nil. 2c Lib. 2. in Ausoniiim, ' alis, 1. 1. num. II. Omnes mulieres ut plnrinium
cap. li' ! lit. 7. volum. Jaiio Giitero. ' stultae. as Aristotle. seDolere se dixit qu d
"^Pelirus et a mens dicatur nn;rjt7^Ho^ Seneca
Democritus to the Reader. 73
sapere ccepit, and therefore lamented his departure. If wisdom come so late, where
shall we find a wise man ? Our old ones doat at threescore-and-len. I would cite
more proofs, and a better author, but for the present, let one fool point at another.
*'Nevisanus hath as hard an opinion of ^^ricli men, "wealth and wisdom cannot
dwell together," stultUiam patiuntiir opes, '^and they do commonly *°infatuare cor
hominis, besot men; and as we see it, "fools have fortune :" *^ Sapientia non inve-
niiur in terra suaviter viventium. For beside a natural contempt of learning, which
accompanies such kind of men, innate idleness (for they will take no pains), and
which "^ Aristotle observes, ubi mens plurima, ibi minima fortuna^ ubi plurvma for-
tuna, ibi mens perexigua, great wealth and little wit go commonly together : they have
as much brains some of them in their heads as in their heels ; besides this inbred
neglect of liberal sciences, and all arts, which should excolere mentem, polish the
mind, they have most part some guUish humour or other, by which they are led ;
one is an Epicure, an Atheist, a second a gamester, a third a whore-master (fit sub-
jects all for a satirist to work upon) ;
^ " Hie nuptarum insanit amoribus, hie puerorum." I 0"^ ''"'"f }° f^f ""^f^ ^^' ^^^J^Hl^J^""^ '
•^ I Unnatural lusts another s heart inllarae.
**one is mad of hawking, hunting, cocking; another of carousing, horse-riding,
spending ; a fourth of building, fighting, &c., Insanit veteres statuas Bamasippus
emendo, Damasippus hath an humour of his own, to be talked of: ''^ Heliodorus the
Carthaginian another. In a word, as Scaliger concludes of them all, they are Sta^
turn erectcR stultitice, the very statutes or pillars of folly. Choose out of all stories
him that hath been most admired, you shall still find, multa ad laudem^ multa ad
vituperationem magnijica, as "^Berosus of Semirarais ; omnes mortales militia trtum-
phis, divitiis, &c., turn et luxu, ccede, cczterisque vitiis antccessit, as she had some
good, so had she many bad parts.
Alexander, a worthy man, but furious in his anger, overtaken in drink : Caesar and
Scipio valiant and wise, but vain-glorious, ambitious : Vespasian a worthy prince,
but covetous: ^'^ Hannibal, as he had mighty virtues, so had he many vices; nnam
virtutem mille vitia comitanfur, as Machiavel of Cosmo de Medici, he had two dis-
tinct persons in him. I will determme of them all, they are like these double or
turning pictures ; stand before which you see a fair maid, on the one side an ape,
on the other an owl ; look upon them at the first sight, all is well, but farther ex-
amine, you shall find them wise on the one side, and fools on the other ; in some
few things praiseworthy, in the rest incomparably faulty. I will say nothing of
their diseases, emulations, discontents, wants, and such miseries : let poverty plead
the rest in Aristophanes' Plutus.
Covetous men, amongst others, are most mad, *®they have all the symptoms of
melancholy, fear, sadness, suspicion, &.c., as shall be proved in its proper place,
I Misers make Anticyra their own ;
" Danda est Hellebori multo pars maxima avaris." | ns hellebore reserved for them alone.
And yet methinks prodigals are much madder than they, be of what condition
ihey will, that bear a public or private purse ; as a ■*® Dutch writer censured Richard
the rich duke of Cornwall, suing to be emperor, for his profuse spending, qui effudit
pecunlam ante pedes prlncipium Electorum sicut aquam, that scattered money like
water ; I do censure them, Stulta Anglia (saith he) quce tot denarlis sponte est pri-
vata, stulti principes Memanice, qui nobile jus suiim pro pecunid vendidcrunt ; spend-
thrifts, bribers, and bribe-takers are fools, and so are ^ all they that cannot keep, dis-
burse, or spend their moneys well.
I might say the like of angiy, peevish, envious, ambitious ; ^^Aniicyras mcUor
sorbere meracas; Epicures, Atheists, Schismatics, Heretics; hi omnes habent imagina-
" Lib. 1. num. 11. sapientia et divitise rix simnl pos- ! hie jussi condier, et nt viderem an quis insanior ad me
sideri possunt. «*They get their wisdom by eat- [ visendum usque ad hec loca penetraret. Ortelius m
ing pie-crust some. ^^xuxrx ru; ^■.■ii'rc'ii; >'i£Ta) Gad. ■"'If it be his work, which Gasper Vert-tus
sLS^iTuyx. Opes quidem mortalibus sunt amentia. The- suspects. f' Livy, Ingentes virtutes ingentia viiia.
ognis. ^oFortuna nimium quern fovet, stultum I ^H""-- Quisquis ambitione mala aut argenti pallet
facit. « Joh. 23. « Mag. Loral, lib. 2 el lib. 1 . , ainore, Qujsqu.s luxuria, t"^«>q"e !''Pf ^ 'V,*',"'^,,!^,^:'-
Bat. 4. « Hor. lib. 1. sat. 4. " Insana gi.la, in- " Cf?n'ca ^lavonica ad annum 12o,. de cuju, pecunia
sanx obstrucliones, insanum venandi studium discor- ,Jam incredibilia dixerunt. ^o A fool and his money
dia demens. Virg. ^n. «Heliodorus Carthaai- : "e soon partecL . " Orat. 4p^iajayambitiosuj et
nensis ad extremum orbis sarcopbago tesiamento me ; audax nav^g^^Biticyras
f4 Democritus to the Reader.
tianem. l<2sam (saith Nymannus) " and their madness shall be evident," 2 Tim. iii. 9.
"Fabatus, an Italian, holds seafaring men all mad i ''the ship is mad, for it never
stands still ; the mariners are mad, to expose themselves to such imminent dangers :
the waters are raging mad, in perpetual motion : the winds are as mad as the rest,
they know not whence they come, whither they would go: and those men are
maddest of all that go to sea ; for one fool at home, they find forty abroad." He
was a madman that said it, and thou peradventure as mad to read it. ^Faelix Platerus
is of opinion all alchemists are mad, out of their wits ; ^xAtheneus saith as much of
fiddlers, et musarum luscinias, "Musicians, omnes iihicines insaniunt, ubi semel effiant^
avolat illico mens, in comes music at one ear, out goes wit at another. Proud and
vain-glorious persons are certainly mad ; and so are ^lascivious ; 1 can feel their
pulses beat hither ; honi-mad some of them, to let others lie with their wives, and
wink at it.
To insist^' in all particulars, were an Herculean task, to ^Heckon up ^^insanas
suhstructiones, insanos lahores, inscmum luxum, mad labours, mad books, endeavours,
carriages, gross ignorance, ridiculous actions, absurd gestures ; insanam gulam, insa-
7uam villarum, insana jurgia, as Tully terms them, madness of villages, stupend
structures •, as those ^Egyptian Pyramids, Labyrinths and Sphinxes, Avhich a com-
pany of crowned asses, ad ostentationcm opum, vainly built, when neither the archi-
tect nor king that made them, or to what use and purpose, are yet known : to insist
in their hypocrisy, inconstancy, blindness, rashness, demcntcm temeritatem^ frauds
cozenage, malice, anger, impudence, ingratitude, ambition, gross superstition, ^tem-
pora infecta et adulatione sordida, as in Tiberius' times, such base flattery, stupend,
parisitical fawning and colloguing, &.c. brawls, conflicts, desires, contentions, it would
ask an expert Vesalius to anatomise every member. Shall I say .'' Jupiter himself,
Apollo, Mars, &c. doatcd ; and monster-conquering Hercules that subdued the world,
and helped others, could not relieve himself in this, but mad he was at last. And where
shall a man walk, converse with whom, in what province, city, and not meet with
Signior Deliro, or Hercules Furens, Ma-nades, and Corybantes .-' Their speeches say
no less. ^^Efungis nati homines., or else they fetched their pedigree from those that
were struck by Samson with the jaw-bone of an ass. Or from Deucalion and Pyrrha's
stones, for durum genus sumus, ''^marmorei su7nus, we are stony-he£trted, and savour
too much of the stock, as if they had all heard that enchanted horn of Astolpho, that
English duke in Ariosto, which never sounded but all his auditors were mad, and for
fear ready to make away with themselves ; ^^ or landed in the mad haven in the
Euxine sea of Daphnis insana, which had a secret quality to dementate ; they are a
company of giddy-heads, afternoon men, it is Midsummer moon still, and the dog-
days last all the year long, they are all mad. Whom shall I then except ? Ulricus
Huttenus ^riemo, nam, nemo omnibus horis sapit, J\''emo nascitur sine vitiis, Crimine
J\'emo caret, JVemo sorte sua vivit contentus, J\''emo in amore sapit, JYemo bonus^
JS^mo sapiens., JS'emo, est ex omni parti beatus, kc. ^^ and therefore Nicholas Nemo,
or Monsieur No-body shall go free. Quid valeat nemo, JVcmo referre potest ^ But
whom shall I except in the second place .^ such as are silent, vir sapit qui pauca
loquitur ; '^ no better way to avoid folly and madness, than by taciturnity. Whom
in a third t all senators, magistrates ; for all fortunate men are wase, and conquerors
valiant, and so are all great men, non est bonum ludere cum di'is, they are wise by
authority, good by their office and place, his licet impune pessimos esse, (some say)
we must not speak of them, neither is it fit ; per me sint omnia protinu^ alba, I will
not thhik amiss of them. Whom next .'' Stoics ? Sapiens Stoicus, and he alone is
5-Navis stulla, quae continue movetur nautae stulti i lidi et fatui fungis nati dicebantur, idem et alibi
qui se periculis exponunt, aqua insana que sic fre- ' dicas. Taniian. Strade de bajulis, de marniore
niit, &.C. aer jactatur, (Sec. qui mari se coumiitit stoli-
duni unum teira fugiens, 40. mari invenit. Caspar
Ens. Moros. ^'^ Cap. de alien, mentis. ^Dip.
nosophist. lib. 8. saXjbicines mente Captl. Erasm.
Chi. 14. car. 7. ^eprov. 30. Insana libido, Hie rogo
non furor est, non est hsc mentula demens. Mart,
ep. 74. 1. 3. 5' Mille puellarum et puerorum mille
jurores. ^exjter est insanior horuni. Hor. Ovid.
Virg. Plin. 5»Plin. lib. 36. » Tacitus 3. An-
nal. " OvidJ^. met. E. fungis nati homines ut
uliiQ^MMMAtnBsvf illius loci
seniisculpti. ^Arianus peripio maris Euxini por-
tus ejus meminit, et Gillius, 1. 3. de Bosplier. Thra-
cio et laurus insana qus allata in convivium convivas
omnes insania alfecit. Guliel. Sluccbius comment, itc.
wLepidum poema sic inscriptum. «i"\o one is
wise at all hours, — no one born without faults,— no
one free from crime,— no one content wiili nis lot, —
no one in love wise. — no good, or wise man ;.erfeclly
happy." wgtultitiam simulare non poie« :iiai
tacituinitate.
Democritics to the Reader.
75
subject to no perturbations, as *'' Plutarch scoffs at him, "he is not vexed with tor-
ments, or burnt with fire, foiled by his adversary, sold of his enemy : though he be
wrinkled, sand-blind, toothless, and deformed ; yet he is most beautiful, and like a
god, a king in conceit, though not Avorth a groat. He never doats, never mad, never
sad, drunk, because virtue cannot be taken away," as ®^Zeno holds, "by reason of
strong appreliension," but he was mad to say so. ^^Anticyrce ccbIo hide est opus aut
dolabrd, he had need to be bored, and so had all his fellows, as wise as they would
seem to be. Chrysippus himself liberally grants them to be fools as well as others,
at certain times, upon some occasions, amitti virtulem alt per eirietatein, aut afribi-
larium morbum, it may be lost by drunkenness or melancholy, he may be sometimes
crazed as well as the rest : ''°ad summum sapiens nisi quum pituita molesta. I should
here except some Cynics, Menippus, Diogenes, that Theban Crates ; or to descend
to these times, that omniscious, only wise fraternity " of the Rosicrucians, those
great theologues, politicians, philosophers, physicians, philologers, artists, &c. of
whom S. Bridget, Albas Joacchimus, Leicenbergius, and such divine spirits have pro-
phesied, and made promise to the world, if at least there be any such (Hen. '^ Neu-
husius makes a doubt of it, "Valentinus Andreas and others) or an Elias artifex their
Theophrastian master; whom though Libavius and many deride and carp at, yet
some will have to be " the '* renewer of all arts and sciences," reformer of the Avorld,
■and now living, for so Johannes Montanus Strigoniensis, that great patron of Para-
celsus, contends, and certainly avers '^" a most divine man," and the quintessence of
wisdom wheresoever he is ; for he, his fraternity, friends, &,c. are all '^" betrothed to
wisdom," if we may believe their disciples and followers. I must needs except
Lipsius and the Pope, and expunge their name out of the catalogue of fools. For
besides that parasitical testimony of Dousa,
"A Sole exoriente Mseotidas usque paludes, '
Nemo est qui justo se tequiparare queat." '^
Lipsius saith of himself, that he was ''^humani generis quidem pcedagogus voce et stylo,
a grand signior, a master, a tutor of us all, and foi thirteen years he brags how he
sowed wisdom in the Low Countries, as Ammonius the philosopher sometimes did
in Alexandria, '^cum humanitate literas et sapicntiam cum prudentia : antistes sapicn-
iice, he shall be Sapientum Octavus. The Pope is more than a man, as ^°his parats
often make him, a demi-god, and besides his holiness cannot err, in Cathedra belike :
and yet some of them have been magicians. Heretics, Atheists, children, and as Pla-
tina saith of John 22, Et si vir literatus, multa stoliditatem et Icevitatem prce se
ferrnlia egit, stolidiet socordis vir ingenii, a scholar sufficient, yet many things he
did foolishly, lightly. I can say no more than in particular, but in general terms to
the rest, they are all mad, their wits are evaporated, and, as Ariosto feigns, 1. 34, kept
in jars above the moon.
"Some lose their wits with love, some with ambition.
Some following ei Lords and men of high condition.
Some in fair jewels rich and costly set,
Others in Poetry their wits forget.
Another thinks to be an Alchemist,
Till all be spent, and that his number's mist."
Convicted fools they are, madmen upon record ; and I am afraid past cure many of
them, " crepunt inguina, the symptoms are manifest, they are all of Gotam parish :
M"Quum furor haud dubius, quum sit manifesta phrenesis,"
Since madness is indisputable, since frenzy is obvious.
what remains then "but to send for Lorarios, those officers to carry them all together
for company to Bedlam, and set Rabelais to be their physician.
If any man shall ask in the meantime, who I am that so boldly censure others,
^Extortus non cruciatur, ambustus non iKditur,
prostratus in lucta, non vincitur ; non fit captivus ab
lioste venundatus. Et si ruf^osus, senex edenluius,
luscus, deformis, formosus tamen, et deo similis, felix,
dives, re.v nullius egens, et si denario non sit dignus.
^ Ilium contendunt non injuria affici, non insania, non
inebriari, quia virtus non eripilu" i^ constantes coni-
prehensiones. Lips. phys. Stoic, lib. 3. diffi. IS.
oJTarreus Hebus epig. 102. 1. 8. 'oHor. ■" Fra-
tres sanct. RosetE crucis. "An sint, quales sint,
unde nomen illud asciverint. '^Turri Babel.
1* Omnium artium et scientiarum instaurator. '" Oi-
vinus ille vir auctor notarum. in epist. Rog. Bacon,
ed. Hambur. 1608. '^ gapientise desponsati,
" " From the Rising Sun to the MsBotid Lake, there
was not one that could fairly be put in comparison
with them." "^ Solus hie est sapiens alii volitant
velut umbriB. ""In ep. ad Balthas. Moretum.
*jRejectiuncul£B ad Patavum. Felinus cum reliquis.
*' Magnum virum sequi est sapere, some think ; others
desipere. Catul. f- Plant. Menec. sain Sat. 14.
■^^Or to send for a cook to the .\nticyrcB to make Hel-
lebore pottage, settle-brain pottage.
76 Democritus to the Reader.
tu nullane hales vitia? have I no faults ? *'Tes, more than thou nast, whatsoever
thou art. JVos numerus sumus, I confess it again, I am as foolish, as mad as any one.
"» " Insanus vobis videor, r.on deprecor ipse.
Quo minus insanus," —
I do not deny it, demens de populo dematur. My comfort is, I have more fellows,
and tnose of excellent note. And though I be not so right or so discreet as I should
be, yet not so mad, so bad neither, as thou perhaps takest me to be.
To conclude, this being granted, that all the world is melancholy, or mad, doals,
and every member of it, I have ended my task, and sufficiently illustrated that which
I took upon me to demonstrate at first. At this present I have no more to say ; His
sanam mentem Democritus, I can but wish myself and them a good physician, and
all of us a better mind.
And although for the abovenamed reasons, I had a just cause to undertake this
subject, to point at these particular species of dotage, that so men might ackaow-
ledge their imperfections, and seek to reform what is amiss ; yet I have a moie
serious intent at this tune^ and to omit all impertinent digressions, to say no more of
such as are improperly melancholy, or metaphorically mad, lightly mad, or in dispo-
sition, as stupid, angry, drunken, silly, sottish, sullen, proud, vain-glorious, ridicu-
lous, beastly, peevish, obstinate, impudent, extravagant, dry, doating, dull, desperate,
harebrain, &,c. mad, frantic, foolish, heteroclites, which no new ^'hospital can liold,
no physic help ; my purpose and endeavour is, in the following discourse to anato-
mize this humour of mdancholy, tlu'ough all its parts and species, as it is an habit,
or an ordinary disease, and that philosophically, medicinally, to sliow the causes,
symptoms, and several cures of it, that it may be the better avoided. Moved tiiere-
unto for the generality of it, and to do good, it being a disease so frequent, as
^Mercurialis observes, "in these our days; so often happening," saitli ^"Laurentius,
" in our miserable times," as few there are that feel not the smart of it. Of the same
mind is ^Elian Montalius, ** Melancthon, and others ; *'Julius Caesar Claudinus calls it
the " fountain of all other diseases, and so common in this crazed age of ours, that
scarce one of a tliousand is free from it;" and that splenetic hypochondriacal wind
especially, which proceeds from the spleen and short ribs. Bting then a disease so
grievous, so common, I know not wherein to do a more general service, and spend my
time better, than to prescribe means how to prevent and cure so universal a malady,
an epidemical disease, that so often, so much crucifies the body and mind.
If I have overshot myself in this which hath been hitherto said, or tliat it is, which
I am sure some will object, too fantastical, " too light and comical for a Divine,
too satirical for one of my profession, I will presume to answer with ^^ Erasmus, in
like case, 'tis not I, but Democritus, Democritus dixit : you must consider what it
is to speak in one's own or another's person, an assumed habit and name; a differ-
ence betwixt him that affects or acts a prince's, a philosopher's, a magistrate's, a
fool's part, and him that is so indeed ; and what liberty those old satirists have had ;
it is a cento collected from others ; not I, but they that say it.
^ " Dixero si quid fortfi jocosiui, hoc mihi juris I Yet some indulgence 1 may justly claim,
Cum venid dabis" 1 If too familiar with another's fame.
Take heed you mistake me not. If I do a little forget myself, 1 hope you will par-
don it. And to say truth, why should any man be olJtjnded, or take exceptions at it ?
"Licuit, semperque licebit, I It lawful was of old, and still will be,
Parcere personis, dicere de vitiis." | To speak of vice, but let tlie name go free.
I hate their vices, not their persons. If any be displeased, or take aught unto him-
self, let him not expostulate or cavil with him that said it (so did ^ Erasmus excuse
himself to Dorpius, si parva licet componcre magnis) and so do I ; " but let him
be angry with himself, that so betrayed and opened his own faults in applying it
to himself: ^if he be guilty and deserve it, let him amend, whoever he is, and not
MAUquantulum tamen inde me solabor, quod un4 borum occasio existat. «Mor. Encom si quia ca-
cum multis et sapientibus et celeberrirais viris ipse lumnietur levius esse quam decet Theoloeum, aul
insipiens sim, quod se Menippus I.uciani in Necyo- i mordaciusquam deceat Christianum. "^Hor. Sat.
mantia. i-c Petronius in Catalect. "That I 4.1.1. "< Epi. ad Dorpium de Moria. si quispiam
mean of Andr. Vale. Apolog. Manip. 1. 1 et 26. Apol. ] offendatur et sibi vindicet, non habet quod expostulet
* HsBC affectio nostris temporibus frequentissima. cum eo qui scripsit, ipse si volet, eecuni agat injuriain,
** Cap^^. ^^J^^ i«Deanima. Nostro hoc saeculo utpote sui proditor.qui derlaravit hoc ad se propne
■ ■~^' |imus. "'Consult. 98. adeo | pertinere. »»Si quia se Isesum claraabit, aut con-
jienter ingruit ut imllus fere ; scientiam prodit suam, aut eerie metum, Pbedx lib
iui ot OUBUIID fere mor'^A Maop. Fab.
ot onuuuiD 1
Democritus to tJie Reader. 77
be angry. " He that hateth correction is a fool," Prov. xii. 1 If he be not guilty,
it concerns him not ; it is not my freeness of speech, but a guilty conscience, a
galled back of his own that makes him wince.
" Suspicione si quis errrabit s)ii,
Et rapiet ad se, quod erit commune omnium,
Stult6 nudabit animi conscientiam."*'
I deny not this which I have said savours a litde of Democritus ; ^ Quamvis rider^
tern dicere venim quid vetat ; one may speak in jest, and yet speak truth. It is
somewhat tart, I grant it; acriora orexim excitant embammata, as he said, sharp
sauces increase appetite, ^nec cihus ipse juvat morsu fraudatus aceti. Object then
and cavil what thou wilt, I ward all with ^Democritus's buckler, his medicine shall
salve it ; strike where thou wilt, and when : Democritus dixit, Democritus will
answer it. It was Avritten by an idle fellow, at idle times, about our Saturnalian or
Dyonisian feasts, when as he said, nullum Ubertati periculum est, servants in old
Home had liberty to say and do what them list. When our countrymen sacrificed
to their goddess '°°Vacuna, and sat tippling by their Vacunal fires. I writ this, and
published this ovtij txtyiv, it is neminis nihil. The time, place, persons, and all
circumstances apologise for me, and why may not I then be idle with others ? speak
my mind freely ? If you deny me this liberty, upon these presumptions I will take
it : I say again, I will take it.
1 "Si quis est qui dictum in se inclementius
Existimavit esse, sic existimet."
If any man take exceptions, let him turn the buckle of his girdle, I care not. I owe
thee nothing (Reader), I look for no favour at thy hands, I am independent, I fear not
No, I recant, I will not, I care, I fear, I confess my fault, acknowledge a great
offence,
•• mctos praestat componere fluctus." | let's first assuage the troubled waves
I have overshot myself, I have spoken foolishly, rashly, unadvisedly, absurdly. I have
anatomized mine own folly. And now methinks upon a sudden I am awaked as it
were out of a dream ; I have had a raving fit, a fantastical fit, ranged up and down,
in and out, I have insulted over the most kind of men, abused some, offended others,
wronged myself; and now being recovered, and perceiving mine error, cry with
^Orlando, Solvite 7«e, pardon (o boni) that which is past, and I will make you amends
in that which is to come ; I promise you a more sober discourse in my following
treatise.
If through weakness, folly, passion, 'discontent, ignorance, I have said amiss, let
it be forgotten and forgiven. I acknowledge that of ''Tacitus to be true, Jlsperce
facetice ubi nimis ex vero traxere, acrem sui memoriam relinquunt, a bitter jest leaves
a sting behind it : and as an honourable man observes, '" They fear a satirist's wit,
he their memories." I may justly suspect the worst ; and though I hope I have
wronged no man, yet in Medea's words I will crave pardon,
"Illud jam voce extrema peto,
Ne si qua noster dubius effudit dolor,
Maneant in animo verba, sed melior tibi
Memoria nostri subeat, hsec irs data
Obliterentur "
And in my last words this I do desire.
That what in passion I have said, or ire.
May be forgotten, and a better mind
Be had of us, hereafter as you find.
1 earnestly request every private man, as Scaliger did Cardan, not to take offence.
I will conclude in his lines, -Si me cognitum haberes, non solum donares nobis has
facetias nostras, sed etiam indignum duceres, tarn humanum aninum, lene ingenium,
vel minimam suspicionem deprecari oportere. If thou knewest my * modesty and
simplicity, thou wouldst easily pardon and forgive what is here amiss, or by thee
misconceived. If hereafter anatomizing this surly humour, my hand slip, as an
unskilful 'prentice I lance too deep, and cut through skin and all at unawares, make
it smart, or cut awry, ''pardon a rude hand, an unskilful knife, 'tis a most dif-
^Ifanyone shall err through his own suspicion, Rosinus. > Ter. prol. Eunuch. a Ariost. I. 39.
and shall apply to himself what is common to all, Staf. 58. 3 Ut enim ex sludiis gaudium sic studia
he will foolishly betray a consciousness of guilt. ' ex hilaritate proveniunt. Plinius Maximo suo, ep.
"Hor. 8' Mart. 1. 7. 22. w Ut lubet feriat, I lib. 8. < Annal. 15. ^ Sir Francis Bacon Jn
abstergant hos ictus Democriti pharmacos. '""Rus- his Essays, now Viscount St. Albans. « Quod
ticorum dea preesse vacantibus et otiosis putabatur, I Probus Persii /i/e^eajoc virginal! verecundi^ Persium
cui post lahores agricola sacrificabat. Plin. I. 3. c. 12. , fuisse dicit, ego, &.c. ' Qiias aut incuria fudiU
Ovid. I. 6. Fast. Jam quoque cum fiunt antiquae sacra j aut bumana parum cavit natura. llut^^^
Vacunse, ante Vacunales stantque sedentque focos. | ^^^
78
Democritus to the Reader.
ficult thing to keep an even tone, a perpetual tenor, and not sometimes to lash out ;
diffic'.le est Safyram non scrihere, there be so many objects to divert, inward pertur-
bations to molest, and the very best may sometimes err ; aliqua\do bonus dormitat
Homcrus (some times that excellent Homer takes a nap), it is impossible not in so
much to overshoot ; opere in longo fas est ohrepere sumnum. But what needs
all this ? I hope there will no such cause of offence be given ; if there be, ^J\''emo
aliquid recognoscat^ nos mentimur omnia. I'll deny all (my last refuge), recant all,
renounce all I have said, if any man except, and with as much facility excuse, as he
can accuse ; but I presume of thy good favour, and gracious acceptance (gentle rea-
der). Out of an assured hope and confidence thereof, I will begin.
' Prol. quer. Plaut. " Let not any one take these things to himself, they are all but fictions."
(79)
LECTORI MALE FERIATO.
Tt- vero cavesis edico quisquis es, ne temere sugilles Auctorem hujusce operis, aut
cavillator irrideas, Imo ne vel ex aliorum censura lacite obloquaris (vis dicam ver-
bo) nequid nasutiilus inepte improbes, aut falso fingas. Nam si talis revera sit, qua-
lera prae se fert Junior Democritus, seniori Democrito saltern affinis, aut ejus Genium
vel tantillum sapiat; actum de te, censorem Beque ac delatorem 'aget econtra {petu-
lanti splene cum sit) sufflabit te in jocos, comminuet in sales, addo emim ct deo nsui
te sacrificabit.
Iterum moneo, ne quid caviUere, ne dum Democritum Juniorem conviciis infames,
ut ignominfose vituperes, de te non male sentientem, tu idem audias ab amico cor-
dato, quod olim vulgus Mderitamim ab '^Hippocrate, concivem bene meritum et po-
pularem suum Democritum, pro insano habens. JVe iu Democrite sapis, stuUi autem
et insani Abderitce.
3 " Abderitanffi pectora plebis habes."
Haec te paucis admonitum volo (male feriate Lector) abi.
TO THE READER AT LEISURE.
Whoever you may be, I caution you against rashly defaming the author of this
work, or cavilling in jest against him. Nay, do not silently reproach him in con-
sequence of others' censure, nor employ your wit in foolish disapproval, or false
accusation. For, should Democritus Junior prove to be what he professes, even a
kinsman of his elder namesake, or be ever so little of the same kidney, it is all over
with you : he will become both accuser and judge of you in your spleen, will dissi-
pate you in jests, pulverise you into salt, and sacrifice you, I can promise you, to
the God of Mirth.
I further advise you, not to asperse, or calumniate, or slander, Democritus Junior,
who possibly does not think ill of you, lest you may hear from some discreet friend,
the same remark the people of Abdera did from Hippocrates, of their meritorious and
popular fellow-citizen, whom they had looked on as a madman ; " It is not that you,
Democritus, that art wise, but that the people of Abdera are fools and madmen."'
"You have yourself an Abderitian soul;" and having just given you, gentle reader,
these few words of admoniti«n, farewell.
I Si me commOrit, melius non tangere clamo. Hor.
3 Hippoc. epist. Damageto, accercitus sum ut Demo-
critum tanquam insanuni curarem, sed postquam con-
veni, non per Jovem desipieniiae negotium, sed rerum
omnium receptaculum deprehendi, ejusque ingeniura
demiratus sum. Abderitanos vero tanquam nonsano*
accusavi, veratri potione ipsos polius eguisse dicens.
3 Mart.
(80)
Heraclite fleas, misero sic convemt aevo,
Nil nisi turpe vides, nil nisi triste vides.
Ride etiam, quanturaque lubet, Democrite ride
Non nisi vana vides, non nisi stulta vides.
Is fletu, his risu modo gaudeat, unus utrique
Sit licet usque labor, sit licet usque dolor.
Nunc opes est (nam totus eheu jam desipit orbis)
Mille Heraclitis, milleque Democritis.
Nunc opus est (tanta est insania) transeat omnis
Mundus in Auticyras, gramen in Helleborum.
Weep, O Heraclitus, it suits the age,
Unless you see nothing base, nothing sad.
Laugh, O Democritus, as much as you please.
Unless you see nothing either vain or foolish.
Let one rejoice in smiles, the other in tears ;
Let the same labour or pain be the office of both.
Now (for alas ! how foolish the world has become),
A thousand Heraclitus', a thousand Democritus* are required.
Now (so much does madness prevail), all the world must be
Sent to Anticyra, to graze on Hellebore.
(n \
THE
SYNOPSIS OF THE FIRST PARTITION.
In diseases,
consider
Sect. 1.
Memb I.
fTlieir
Causes.
Subs. 1.
Or
Definition,
Member,
Division.
Subs. 2.
I
{Impulsive ; < Sin, concupiscence, &c.
Instrumental ; i Intemperance, all second causes, <Scc.
Of the body
{Epidemical, as Plague, Plica, &c.
Particular, as Gout, Dropsy, &c.
Indisposition; as all perturbations, evil affec
tion, &c.
Or
Of the head
or mind.
Subs. 3.
Or
Habits, as
Subs. 4.
f Dotage
Frenzy.
Madness.
Ecstasy.
Lycanthropia.
1 Chorus sancti Viti.
Hydrophobia.
Possession or obsession c*
Devils.
Melancholy. See °f.
' Its Equivocations, in Disposition, Improper, &c. Subsect. 5.
CM
Melancholy:
in which
toQsider
Memb. 3.
To its ex-
plication, a
digression
of anatomy, ^
in which
observe
parts of
Subs. 1.
fBody
hath
parts
Subs. 2.
contained as
or
containing
Humours, 4. Blood, Phlegm, &c.
Spirits ; vital, natural, animal.
f Similar; spermatical, or flesh,
I bones, nerves, &c. Subs. 3.
Dissimilar ; brain, heart, Uver, Sec.
. Subs. 4.
r Vegetal. Subs. 6.
. Soul and its faculties, as < Sensible. Subs. 6, 7, 8.
[Rational. Subsect. 9, 10, 11.
Memb. 3.
Its definition, name, difference. Subs. 1.
The part and parties affected, affection, &c. Subs. 2.
The matter of melancholy, natural, &c. Subs. 4.
Species, or
kinds,
which are
Proper to
parts, as
Or
Indefinite ;
tition.
r Of the head alone. Hypo- r with their several
J chondriacal, or windy me- J causes, symptoms,
I lancholy. Of the whole j prognostics, cures
I body. (
as Love-melancholy, the subject of the third Par-
11
Its Causes in general. Sect. 2. A.
Its Symptoms or signs. Sect. 3. B.
Its Prognostics or indications. Sect. 4. 4.
Its Cures ; the subject of the second Partitioo.
82
Super-
natural,
Synopsis of the First Partition.
fAs from Gcd immediately, or by second causes. Subs. I.
J Or from the devil immediately, with a digression of the nature
I of spirits and devils. Subs. 2.
l^ Or mediately, by magicians, witches.
Subs. 3.
'Primary, as stars, proved by aphorisms, signs from physio-
gnomy, metoposcopy, chiromancy. Subs. 4.
A.
Sect. 2.
Causes of
Melancholy
are either
O
Or
rCongenite,
I inward
I from
Natural
Or
Or
Outward
or adven-
titious,
which are
Old age, temperament, Subs. 5.
Parents, it being an hereditary disease,
I Sub. 6
Necessary, see l5.
f Nurses, Subs. 1.
Education, Subs. 2.
Terrors, affrights,
&5 Subs. 3.
Evident, ,^ Scoffs, calumnies, bitter
outward, ■( >»^ jests, Subs. 4.
remote, ad- ^ J Loss of liberty, servi-
ventitious, '^ | tude, imprisonment.
Subs. .5.
Poverty and want,
Subs. 6.
A heap of other acci-
dents, death of friends,
Or '■'^ L ''^*^' ^*^" '^"^*' "J^"
In which the body works
on the mind, and this
malady is caused by
Contingent, precedent diseases ; as
inward, an- agues, pox, &c.. cr
tecedent, temperature innate,
nearest. 1 Subs. 1.
Memb. 5. Or by particular parts dis-
Secl. 2. tempered, as brain, heart,
spleen, liver, mesentery,
pylorus, stomach, &c.
Subs. 2.
Particular to the three species. See EI.
Inward
Of head
Melancholy
are Subs. 3.
Outward
n
Particular
causes.
Sect. 2.
itemb. 5.
Of hypo- [Inward
chondriacal,
or windy or
melancholy
are, j^ Outward
.
r Inward
Over all the J or
body are, |
, Subs. 5. I Outward
Innate humour, or from distemperature adust.
.\ hot brain, corrupted blood in the brain.
\ Excess of venery, or defect.
I Agues, or some precedent disease.
[ Fumes arising from the stomach, dec.
Heat of the sun immoderate.
A blow on the head.
Overmuch use of hot wines, spices, gariick, onions,
hot baths, overmuch waking, &c.
Idleness, solitariness, or overmuch study, vehement
labour, &c.
[ Passions, perturbations, &c.
(Default of spleen, belly, bowels, stomaco, mesentery
miseraic veins, liver, «&c.
Months or hemorrhoids stopped, or any other ordi-
I nary evacuation.
Those six non-natural things abused.
{Liver distempered, stopped, over-hot, apt to engender
melancholy, temperature innate.
fBad diet, suppression of hemorrhoids, 6cc. and sach
< evacuations, passions, cares, dec those six Doo-
« natural things abased.
Synopsis of the First Partition.
83
b
Neces-
sary
causes,
as
those
six
non-
nataraJ
things,
which
are,
Sect. 2
Memb.
2.
Diet
offend-
ing in
Subs. 3
Sub-
stance
r Bread ; coarse and black, &c.
Drink ; thick, thin, sour, &c.
Water unclean, milk, oil, vinegar, wine, spices, &c.
r Parts ; heads, feet, entrails, fat, bacon, blood, &c.
Flesh -i ,,. , fBeef, pork, venison, hares, goats, pigeons, pea-
1 Kinds ' T . . .
Quali-
ty, as in
Quan-
Uity
Herbs,
Fish,
l&c.
i cocks, fen-fowl, &c.
Of fish ; all shell-fish, hard and slimy fish, &c.
Of herbs ; pulse, cabbage, melons, garlick, onions, &c.
All roots, raw fruits, hard and windy meats.
Preparing, dressing, sharp sauces, salt meats, indurate, soused, fried,
broiled, or made-dishes, &c.
fDisorder in eating, immoderate eating, or at unseasonable times, &c.
\ Subs. 2.
[Custom; delight, appetite, altered, &c. Subs. 3.
Retention and eva- fCostiveness, hot baths, sweating, issues stopped, Venus in excess, or
cuation. Subs. 4. \ in defect, phlebotomy, purging, &c.
Air ; hot, cold, tempestuous, dark, thick, foggy, moorish, &c. Subs. 5.
Exercise,! Unseasonable, excessive, or defective, of body or mind, solitariness, idleness.
Sub. 6. 1 a life out of action, &c.
Sleep and waking, unseasonable, inordinate, overmuch, overlittle, &c. Subs. 7.
r Sorrow, cause and symptom, Subs. 4. Fear, cause
and symptom. Subs. 5. Shame, repulse, disgrace,
I &c. Subs. 6. Envy and malice. Subs. 1. Emula-
\ tion, hatred, faction, desire of revenge, Subs. 8. Anger
a cause. Subs. 9. Discontents, cares, miseries, &c.
Subs. 10.
Memh. 3. Sect. 2.
Passions and
perturbations of
the mind,
Subs. 2, With
a digression of
the force of
imagination.
Subs. 2. and divi-
I sion of passions
I into Subs. 3.
Irascible
concupis-
cible.
B.
Symp-
toms
of me-
lancho-
ly are
either
Sect. 3.
to all
most.
Vehement desires, ambition. Subs. 11. Covetousness,
^tJuxpyvpi'ar, Subs. 12. Love of pleasures, gaming in
excess, &c. Su6s. 13, Desire of praise, pride, vain-
glory, &c. Subs. 14. Love of learning, study in .
excess, with a digression, of the misery of scholars,
and why the Muses are melancholy. Subs. 15.
fBody, as ill digestion, crudity, wind, dry brains, hard belly, thick blood, much
waking, heaviness, and palpitation of heart, leaping in many places, &c., Subs. 1.
rCommon fFear and sorrow without a just cause, suspicion, jealousy, discon-
tent, solitariness, irksomeness, continual cogitations, restless
thoughts, vain imaginations, &c. Subs. 2.
r Celestial influences, as h '4 d", «&c. parts of the body, heart, brain,
liver, spleen, stomach, &c.
f Sanguine are merry still, laughing, pleasant, meditating
on plays, women, music, &c.
Phlegmatic, slothful, dull, heavy, &c.
Choleric, furious, impatient, subject to hear and see
strange apparitions, &c.
Black, solitary, sad; they think they are bewitched,
dead, &c.
Or mixed of these four humours adust, or not adust, infinitely
varied.
< Their several f Ambitious, thinks himself a king, a lord ; co-
Or,
^S
Particu-
lar to
private
persons,
] according
to Subs.
\ 3. 4.
Hu-
mours
vetous, runs on his money; lascivious on his
\ mistress; rehgious, hath revelations, visions, is
a prophet, or troubled in mind ; a scholar on his
l^ book, &c.
[ Pleasant at first, hardly discerned; afterwards harsh
and intolerable, if inveterate.
, (I. Falsa co^italio.
J Hence some make ^ Cogitata loqui.
three degrees, [^_ Exequi loquutum.
I By fits, or continuate, as the object varies, pleasing,
L or displeasing.
Simple, or as it is mixed with other diseases, apoplexies, gout, caninut appeiitus, &c. so
the symptoms are various.
customs, con-
ditions, incli-
nations, dis-
cipline, &c.
Continu-
ance of time
as the hu-
mour is in-
tended or re-
mitted, &c.
. * AA^
84
Synopsis of the First Partition.
Particular
symptoms to
tLe three dis-
tinct species.
Sect. 3.
Memb. 2.
Head me-
lancholy.
Subs. 1.
Hypo-
chondria-
cal, or
windy
melan-
choly.
Subs. 2.
Over all
the body.
Suh8. 3.
In body
Or
In mind.
In body
Or
In mind.
In body
Or
In mind.
iHeadach, bindings and heaviness, vertigo, lightness,
singing of the ears, much waking, fixed eyes,
high colour, red eyes, hard belly, dry body ; no
great sign of melancholy in the other parts.
{Continual fear, sorrow, suspicion, discontent, super-
fluous cares, solicitude, anxiety, perpetual cogita-
tion of such toys they are possessed with, thoughts
like dreams, &c.
Wind, rumbling in the guts, belly-ach, heat in
the bowels, convulsions, crudities, short wind,
sour and sharp belchings, cold sweat, pain in
the left side, suffocation, palpitation, heaviness of
the heart, singing in the ears, mucli spittle, and
(^ moist, &c.
(Fearful, sad, suspicious, discontent, anxiety. &c.
Lascivious by reason of much wind, troublesome
dreams, affected by fits, &c.
( Black, most part lean, broad veins, gross, thick blood,
1 their hemorrhoids commonly stopped, <Src.
{Fearful, sad, solitary, hale light, averse from com-
pany, fearful dreams, &c.
Symptoms of nuns, maiils, and widows melancholy, in body and mind, <Src.
A reaton
of these
symp-
toms.
Memb. 3.
Why they are so fearful, sad, suspicious without a cause, why
solitary, why melancholy men are witty, why they suppose they
hear and see strange voices, visions, apparitions.
Why they prophesy, and speak strange languages; whence come«
their crudity, rumbling, convulsions, cold sweat, heaviness of
heart, palpitation, cardiaca, fearful dreams, much waking, pro-
digious fantasies.
C.
Prognostics
of melancholy
Sect. 4.
Tending to good, as
I Tending to evil, as
Morphew, scabs, itch, breaking out, dec.
Black jaundice.
If the hemorrhoids voluntarily open.
If varices appear.
Leanness, dryness, hollow-eyed, &.c.
Inveterate melancholy is incurable,
■i If cold, it degenerates often into epilepsy, apoplexy,
dotage, or into blindness.
If hot, into madness, despair, and violent death.
The grievousness of this above all other diseases.
The diseases of the mind are more grievous than
those of the body.
Corollaries and questions, s Whether it be lawful, in this case of melancholy, for
a man to offer violence to himself. Neg.
How a melancholy or mad man offering violence to
himself, is to be censured.
(85)
THE FIRST PARTITION.
THE FIRST SECTION, MEMBER, SUBSECTION.
Mail's Excellency, Fall, Miseries, Infirmities; The causes of them.
,, , „ 77 1 IX /TAN, the most excellent and noble creature of the world,
Man's Excellency] M ,, ^j^^ principal and mighty work of God, wonder of
Nature," as Zoroaster calls him; audacis naturce miraculum, "the 'marvel of mar-
vels," as Plato ; " the ^ abridgment and epitome of the Avorld," as Pliny ; 3Iicrocos-
mus, a little world, a model of the world, ^ sovereign lord of the earth, viceroy of the
world, sole commander and governor of all the creatures in it ; to whose empire they
are subject in particular, and yield obedience; far surpassing all the rest, not in body
only, but in soul; '^hiaginis Imago, ^created to God's own ^ image, to that immortal
and incorporeal substance, with all the faculties and powers belonging unto it ; was
at first pure, divine, perfect, happy, ''" created after God in true holiness and right-
eousness ;" Deo congruens, free from all manner of infirmities, and put in Paradise,
to know God, to praise and glorify him, to do his will, Ut diis consimilcs parturiat
decs (as an old poet saith) to propagate the church.
Man's Fall and Misery] But this most noble creature, Heu tristis, et lacliry-
mosa commutatio (^one exclaims) O pitiful change! is fallen from that he was, and
forfeited his estate, become miser ahilis homuncio, a cast-away, a caitifl", one of the
most miserable creatures of the world, if he be considered in his own nature, an
unregenerate man, and so much obscured by his fall that (some few reliques excepted )
he is inferior to a beast, ^^ Man in honour that understandeth not, is like unto beasts
that perish," so David esteems him : a monster by stupend metamorphoses, '° a fox,
a dog, a hog, what not ? Quantum mutatus ab illo? How much altered from that he
was ; before blessed and happy, now miserable and accursed ; " " He must eat his meat
in sorrow," subject to death and all manner of infirmities, all kind of calamities.
A Bescrlption of Melancholy] '^'•' Great travad is created for all men, and an
heavy yoke on the sons of Adam, from the day that they go out of their motiier's
womb, unto that day they return to the mother of all tilings. Namely, their thoughts,
and fear of their hearts, and their imagination of things they wait for, and the day
of death. From him that sitteth in the glorious throne, to him that sitteth beneath
in the earth and ashes ; from him that is clothed in blue silk and weareth a crown,
to him that is clothed in simple linen. Wrath, envy, trouble, and unquietness, and
fear of death, and rigour, and strife, and such things come to both man and beast,
but sevenfold to the ungodly." All this befalls him in this life, and peradventure
eternal misery in the life to come.
Impulsive Cause of Man'' s Misery and Infirmities] The impulsive cause of these
miseries in man, this privation or destruction of God's image, the cause of death and
'Masnutn miraculum. -Mundi epitome, na- | est in imagine parva. ' Eph. iv. 24. sPalan
turse deliciffi. a Finis rerum omnium, cui sublu- terins. "Psal. xlix. 30. loLascivil superat
naria serviunt. Scalisr. e.xercit 365. sec. 3. Vales, de ' equum, impudentiS. canem, a?tu vulpem, furore leo-
sacr. Phil. c. 5. •<Ul in nunr..sniate C-csaris iniaso, | nem. Chrys. 23. Gen. u Gen. iii. 13- "Ec-
Bic in homine Dei. ^Gen. 1. e Imago mundi clus. iv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8
in corpore, Dei in anima. Exemplumque dei quisque I
H
fid Diseases in General. [Part. 1. Sect. 1.
diseases, of all temporal and eternal punishments, was the sin of our first parent
Adam, '^ in eating of the forbidden fruit, by the devil's instigation and allurement.
His disobedience, pride, ambition, intemperance, mcredulity, curiosity; from whence
proceeded original sin, and that general corruption of mankind, as from a fountam
flowed all bad inclinations and actual transgressions which cause our several calami-
ties inflicted upon us for our sins. And this belike is that which our fabulous poets
have shadowed unto us in the tale of '^ Pandora's box, mIucIi being opened through
her curiosity, filled the world full of all manner of diseases. It is not curiosity
alone, but those other crying sins of ours, which pull tliese several plagues and
miseries upon our heads. For Ubi peccatum., ihi procclla., as '^Chrysostom well
observes. "^"' Fools by reason of their transgression, and because of their iniquities,
are afllicted." ''•'•Fear cometh like sudden desolation, and destruction like a whirl-
wind, atHiction and anguish," because they did not fear God. "*^' Are you shaken
wiili wars .'" as Cyprian well urgeth to Demetrius, " are you molested with dearth and
laniine .' is your health crushed with raging diseases ? is mankhul generally tormented
whh epidemical maladies.? 'tis all for your sins," Ifag. i. 9, 10; Amos i. ; Jer. vii.
God is angry, punisheth and threateneth, because of their obstinacy and stubborn-
ness, they will not turn untp him. '*" If the earth be barren then for Avant of rain,
if dry and squalid, it yield no fruit, if your fountains be dried up, your wine, corn,
and oil blasted, if the air be corrupted, and men troubled with diseases, 'tis by rea-
son of their sins :" which like the blood of Abel cry loud to heaven for vengeance,
I-am. v. 15. " That we have sinned, therefore our hearts are heavy," Isa. lix. 11, 12.
•» We roar like bears, and mourn like doves, and want healtii, &c. for our sins and
trespasses." But this we cannot endure to hear or to take notice of, Jer. ii. 30.
•• We are smitten in vain and receive no correction ; " and cap. v. 3. '• Thou hast
stricken them, but they have not sorrowed; they have refused to receive correction;
they have not returned. Pestilence lie hath sent, but they have not turned to him,"
.\mos iv. * Herod could not abide John Baptist, nor ^' Doniitian endure ApoUonius
to tell the causes of the plague at Ephesus, his injustice, incest, adultery, and the like.
*^^^o punish therefore this blindness and obstinacy of ours as a concomitant cause
antTprincipal agent, is God's just judgment in bringing these calamities upon us, to
chastise us, I say, for our sins, and to satisfy God's wrat^i. For the law requires
obedience or punishment, as you may read at large, Dent, xxviii. 15. " If they will
not obey the Lord, and keep his commandments and ordinances, then all these curses
shall come upon them." ^''Cursed in the town and in the field, &.c." "''Cursed in
the fruit of the body, &c." ""The Lord shall send thee trouble and shame, because
of thy wickedness." And a little after, ^'■' The Lord shall smite thee with the botch
of Egypt, and with emrods, and scab, and itch, and thou canst not be healed; "with
madness, blindness, and astonishing of heart." This Paul seconds, Rom. ii. 9. " Tri-
bulalion and anguish on the soul of ever)' man that doeth evil." Or else these chas-
tisements are inflicted upon us for our humiliation, to exercise and try our patience
here in this life to bring us home, to make us to know God ourselves, to inform and
teach us wisdom. " '* Therefore is my people gone into captivity, because they had
no knowledge ; therefore is the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, and
he hath stretched out his hand upon them." He is desirous of our salvation.
®.Vt»s/rffi sohitis avidus, saith Lemnius, and for that cause pulls us by the ear many
times, to put us in mind of our duties : ''That they which erred might have under-
standing, (as Isaiah speaks xxix. 24) and so to be reformed." " " I am alHicted, and
at the point of death," so David confesseth of himself, Psal. Ixxxviii. v. 15, v. 9.
"3Iine eyes are sorrowful through mine affliction:" and that made him turn unto
God. Great Alexander in the midst of all his prosperity, by a company of parasites
isGen. iii. 1". "Ilia cadens tegmen maoibus gleba producat, si turht vineam debilitet, &.c. Cypr.
decus^it, et un4 pernicieni immisit miseris iiiorlalilius •"'.Mai. xiv. 3. '■" Pliiloslratus, lib. 6. vit. .V|>ollonii.
atram. Ilesiod. 1. oper. '^Honi. 5. ad pop. .\n- Injustitiam ejus, et scelerataii nuplias, et ciptera quae
liocli. '6 Psal. cvii. 17. " Pro. i. 27. i<'Qu6d prtcter rationein feceral, morboruni cau!«a8 dixit. *! 16.
auleni crebrius bella roncutiant, quod sterilitas et '^19. M20. '■"Verse 17. '^'iS Ueu« quoi
lames solicitudinem cumulent, qu6il gevientibus Dior- diligit, castigat. ''Isa. v. 13. Verse 15. *Nof-
bis valitudo fraiigitur, quod hunianiini genus luis popu- tre salutis avidug continenler aures vellicat, ac raia-
latione vastutur ; ob peccatuiii omnia. Cypr. '".Si mitate subinde nos exercet. I.eviniia I.t-mn. I. 2. c W.
raro desuper pluvia descendat, si terra situ pulveris de occult nat. niir. =< Vexatio dal iDtelleclum.
■qualleal, si vix jejunas et pallidas tierbas sterilig | Isa. ixviii. 19.
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.]
Diseases in General.
87
deified, and now made a god, when he saw one of his wounds bleed, remembered
that he was but a man, and remitted of his pride. In morbo recolligit se animus^^
as ^' Pliny well perceived ; " hi sickness the mind reflects upon itself, with judgment
surveys itself, and abhors its former courses ;" insomuch that he concludes to his
friend Marius, ^^''that it were the period of all philosophy, if we could so continue
sound, or perform but a part of that which we promised to do, being sick. Whoso
is wise then, will consider these things," as David did (Psal. cxliv., verse last) ; and
whatsoever fortune befall him, make use of it. If he be in sorrow, need, sickness,
or any other adversity, seriously to recount with himself, why this or that malady,
misery, this or that incurable disease is inflicted upon him ; it may be for his good,
^' sic expedit, as Peter said of his daughter's ague. Bodily sickness is for his soul's
health, perilsset nisi periisset, had he not been visited, he had utterly perished ; tor
^^ " the Lord correcteth him whom he loveth, even as a father doth his child in whom
he dehghteth." If he be safe and sound on the other side, and free from all mannei
of infirmity ; ^^ et cui
"Gralia, forma, valetudo coniingat abundd
Et miindus victus, non deficiente cruniena."
"And that he have grace, beauty, favour, health,
A cleanly diet, and abound in wealth."
Yet in the midst of his prosperity, let hun remember that caveat of Moses, *^ " Beware
that he do not forget the Lord his God ;" that he be not pufied up, but acknowledge
•them to be his good gifts and benefits, and '' " the more he hath, to be more thank-
ful," (as Agapetianus adviseth) and use them aright.
Instrumental Causes of our Injirinities.] Now the instrumental causes of these
our infirmities, are as diverse as the infirmities themselves; stars, heavens, ele-
ments, &c. And all those creatures which God hath made, are armed against sin-
ners. They were indeed once good in themselves, and that they are now many of
them pernicious unto us, is not in their nature, but our corruption, which hath caused
it. For from the fall of our first parent Adam, they have been changed, the earth
accursed, the influence of stars altered, the four elements, beasts, birds, plants, are
now ready to oflend us. " The principal things for the use of man, are water, fire,
iron, salt, meal, wheat, honey, milk, oil, wine, clothing, good to the godly, to the
sinners turned to evil," Ecclus. xxxix. 26. " Fire, and hail, and famine, and dearth,
all these are created for vengeance," Ecclus. xxxix. 29. The heavens threaten us
with their comets, stars, planets, with their great conjunctions, eclipses, oppositions,
quartiles, and such unfriendly aspects. The air with his meteors, thunder and
lightning, intemperate heat and cold, mighty winds, tempests, unseasonable weather;
from whicli proceed dearth, famine, plague, and all sorts of epidemical diseases, con-
suming infinite myriads of men. At Cairo in Egypt, every third year, (as it is re-
lated by '' Boterus, and others) 300,000 die of the plague ; and 200,000, in Con-
stantinople, every fifth or seventh at the utmost. How doth the earth terrify and
oppress us with terrible earthquakes, which are most frequent in '^ China, Japan, and
tliose eastern climes, swallowing up sometimes six cities at once ? How doth the
water rage with his inundations, irruptions, flinging down towns, cities, villages,
brido'es, &c. besides shipwrecks ; whole islands are sometimes suddenly overwhelmed
with all their inhabitants in '«' Zealand, Holland, and many parts of the continent
drowned, as the ^' lake Erne in Ireland ? ''Mhilque prater arcium cadavera patenti
cernimus freto. In the fens of Friesland 1230, by reason of tempests, ^^ the sea
drowned muUa hominuni millia., et jumenta sine numero, all the country almost, men
and cattle in it. How doth the fire rage, that merciless element, consuming in an
instant whole cities ? What town of any antiquity or note hath not been once, agam
and again, by the fury of this merciless element, defaced, ruinated, and left desolate ?
In a word,
«"I?nis pepercit, unda mergit, aeris
Vis pestilentis aequori ereptum necat,
Bello superstes, tabidus uiorbo peril."
' Whom fire spares, sea doth drown ; whom sea.
Pestilent air doth send to clay ; ^^
Whom war 'scapes, sickness takes away.
" In sickness the mind recollects itself. " Lib. 7.
Cum judicio, mores el facia recognoscit et se intuetur.
l)um fero languorem, fero religionis ainorem. Expera
lunguoris non sum memoi hujus amoris. ^' Sum-
niuin esse tolius philosophice, ut tales esse persevere-
miis. quales nos futuros esse infirnii profitemur.
Si l'.-.trarch wprov. iii. 12. s^Hor. Epis. lib.
1. 4 ^Dem. viii. 11. Qui slat videat ne cadat.
3'Quanto majoribus beneficiis a Deo cumulatur, lanto
obiigatiorem se debitorem fateri. so Boterus de
Inst, urbium. 39 Lege hist, relationem Lod. troui
de rebus Japonicis ad annum 159C. «Guicc.ard.
descript. Belg. anno 1421. 4iGiraIdus Cambrens.
4^ Janus Dousa, ep. lib. 1. car. 10. And we perceive no-
thing, except the dead bodies of cities in the open sea.
43 Munster. 1. 3. Cos. cap. 462. « Buchanan. Baptwt
88 Diseases in General. [Part. 1. Sec. 1
To descend to more particulars, how many creatures are at deadly feud with men ?
Lions, wolves, bears, &c. Some with hoofs, liorns, tusks, teeth, nails : How many
noxious serpents and venemous creatures, ready to offend us with stings, breath,
sight, or quite kill us ? How many pernicious fishes, plants, gums, fruits, seeds,
flowers, &c. could I reckon up on a sudden, which by their very smell many of
them, touch, taste, cause some grievous malady, if not death itself? Some make
mention of a thousand several poisons : but these are but trifles in respect. The
greatest enemy to man, is man, who by the devil's instigation is still ready to do
mischief, his own executioner, a wolf, a devil to himself, and others. ** We are all
brethren in Christ, or at least should be, members of one body, servants of one Lord,
and yet no fiend can so torment, insult over, tyrannize, vex, as one man doth another.
Let me not fall therefore (saith David, when wars, plague, famine were offered) into
the hands of men, merciless and wicked men :
« " Vix sunt homines hoc nomine digni,
Qu^mque lupi, steva: plus feritatis habenl."
We can most part foresee these epidemical diseases, and likely avoid them ;
Dearths, tempests, plagues, our astrologers fortel us ; Earthquakes, inundations,
ruins of houses, consuming fires, come by little and little, or make some noise be-
forehand ; but the knaveries, impostures, injuries and villanies of men no art can
avoid. We can keep our professed enemies from our cities, by gates, Avails and
towers, defend ourselves from thieves and robbers by watchfulness and weapons ;
but this malice of men, and their pernicious endeavours, no caution can divert.,
no vigilancy foresee, we have so many secret plots and devices to mischief one
another.
Sometimes by the devil's help as magicians, ''^witches : sometimes by impostures,
mixtures, poisons, stratagems, single combats, wars, we hack and hew, as if we were
ad interne Clone m nati., like Cadmus' soldiers born to consume one another. 'Tis an
ordinary thing to read of a hundred and two hundred thousand men slain in a battle.
Besides all manner of tortures, brazen bulls, racks, wheels, strappadoes, guns, en-
gines, &.C. ^Jld unum corpus huvianum suppUcia plura,, quam memhra : We have
invented more torturing instruments, than there be several members in a man's body,
as Cyprian well observes. To come nearer yet, our own parents by their offences,
indiscretion and intemperance, are our mortal enemies. ''^"The fathers have eaten
sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." They cause our grief many
times, and put upon us hereditary diseases, inevitable infinnities : they torment us,
and we are ready to injure our posterity;
50 " ,„ov daturi oroeeniem vitiosiorem " I " '*"'' >'^' *"*' "'""^* '" "^ "nknown.
mo.\ uaiuri progeniem viiiosiorem. | ^J^^ ^^^^^ ^^^„ j^^^^^ ^^^^ coming age their own ;"
and the latter end of the world, as ^' Paul foretold, is still like to be the worst. We
are thus bad by nature, bad by kind, but far worse by art,. every man the greatest
enemy unto himself. We study many times to undo ourselves, abusing those good
gifts which God hath bestowed upon us, health, wealth, strength, wit, learning, art,
memory to our own destruction, ^^Perditio tua ex te. As "Judas Maccabeus killed
ApoUonius with his own weapons, we arm ourselves to our own overthrows ; and
use reason, art, judgment, all that should help us, as so many instruments to umlo
us. Hector gave Ajax a sword, which so long as he fought against enemies, served
for his help and defence ; but after he began to hurt harmless creatures with it, turn-
ed to his own hurtless bowels. Those excellent means God hath bestowed on
us, well employed, cannot but much avail us ; but if otherwise perverted, they rum
and confound us : and so by reason of our indiscretion and weakness they com-
monly do, we have too many instances. This St. Austin acknowledgeth of him-
self in his humble confessions, " promptness of wit, memorj', eloquence, tliey were
God's good gifts, but he did not use them to his glory." If you will particularly
know how, and by what means, consult physicians, and they will tell you, that it is
in oflfending in some of those six non-nalural things, of which I shall ^'dilate more
at large ; they are the causes of our infinnities, our surfeiting, and drunkenness, our
<iHomo homini lupus, homo homini dsmon. I iviii. 2. «>Hor. I. 3. Od. 6. " 2 Tim. iii. 2.
«« Ovid, de Trist. \. 5. Eleg. 8. ••■ Miscenl aconita » Eze. xviii. 31. Thy desiructinn is from thyself.
novercse. «> Lib. 2. Epiat. 2. ad Doiiatum. ^Eze. | «>21 Mace. iii. 12. Mpart. I. tiec. 2. Mtiub. 2
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Def. JVum. Div. of Diseases. S9
immoderate insatiable lust, and prodigious riot. Plures crapuJa, quam gladius, is a
true saying, the board consumes more than the sword. Our intemperance it is, that
pulls so many several incurable diseases upon our heads, that hastens ^^old age, per-
verts our temperature, and brings upon us sudden death. And last of all, that which
crucifies us most, is our own folly, madness {quos Jupiter perdit, dementat ; by subtrac-
tion of his assisting grace God permits it) weakness, want of government, our facility
and proneness in yielding to several lusts, in giving way to every passion and pertur-
bation of the mind : by which means we metamorphose ourselves and degenerate into
beasts. All which that prince of ^ poets observed of Agamemnon, that when he was
well pleased, and could moderate his passion, he was — os ocidosque Jovi par : like
Jupiter in feature. Mars in valour, Pallas in wisdom, another god ; but when he be-
came angry, he was a lion, a tiger, a dog, &c., there appeared no sign or likeness of
Jupiter in him ; so we, as long as we are ruled by reason, con-ect our inordinate ap-
petite, and conform ourselves to God's word, are as so many saints : but if we give
reins to lust, anger, ambition, pride, and follow our own ways, we degenerate into
beasts, transform ourselves, overthrow our constitutions, " provoke God to anger,
and heap upon us this of melancholy, and all kinds of incurable diseases, as a just
and deserved punishment of our sins.
SuBSEc. II. — The Dejinition, JYumber, Division of Diseases.
What a disease is, almost every physician defines. ^ Fernelius calleth it an
" Affection of the body contrary to nature." ^^ Fuschius and Crato, " an hinderance,
hurt, or alteration of any action of the body, or part of it." ^° Tholosanus, " a dis-
solution of that league which is between body and soul, and a perturbation of it ; as
health the perfection, and makes to the preservation of it." *' Labeo in Agellius, " an
ill habit of the body, opposite to nature, hindering the use of it." Others otherwise,
all to this effect.
JVianber of Diseases.] How many diseases there are, is a question not yet deter-
mined ; ^' Pliny reckons up 300 from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot :
elsewhere he saith, morborum infinita viultitudc, their number is infinite. Howso-
ever it was in those tunes, it boots not ; in our days I am sure the number is much
augmented :
63 "macies, et nova febrium
Terris incubit cohors."
For besides many epidemical diseases unheard of, and altogether unknown to Galen
and Hippocrates, as scorbutum, small-pox, plica, sweating sickness, morbus Gallicus,
&c., we have many proper and peculiar almost to every part.
JS'o man free from some Disease or other.] No man amongst us so sound, of so
good a constitution, that hath not some impediment of body or mind, Quisque suos
patimur manes, we have all our infirmities, first or last, more or less. There will
be peradventure in an age, or one of a thousand, like Zenophilus the musician in
*" Pliny, that may happily live 105 years without any manner of impediment ; a Pol-
lio Romulus, that can preserve himself ''^''with Avine and oil;" a man as fortunate
as Q,. Metellus, of whom Valerius so much brags ; a man as healthy as Otto Hervvar-
dus, a senator of Augsburg in Germany, whom ^"^ Leovitius the astrologer brings in
for an example and instance of certainty in his art; who because he had the signi-
ficators in his geniture fortunate, and free from the hostile aspects of Saturn and Mars,
being a very cold man, "" could not remember that ever he was sick." ^-Paracel-
sus may brag that he could make a man live 400 years or more, if he might bring
him up from his infancy, and diet him as he list ; and some physicians hold, that
their is no certain period of man's life ; but it may still by temperance and physic
^ Nequitia est qus te non sinet esse senem.
M Homer. Hiad. s'lntemperantia, luxus, iiiglu-
vi«s, et infinita hujusmodi flagitia, qua? divinas poenas
merentur. Crato. ^'Fern. Path. 1. 1. c. 1. Mor-
bus est affectus contra, naturam corpori insides.
s^Fusch. Instit. 1. 3. sect. 1. c. 3. i quo priniuiii vitia-
tur actio. f»Dissolutio federis in corpore, ut sa-
nitas est consummatio. "Lib. 4. cap. 2. Morbus
eM habitus contra naturam, qui usum ejus, &c.
12 H
"Cap. 11. lib. 7. c3Horat. lib. 1. ode 3. "Ema-
ciation, and a new cohort of fevers broods over the
earth." "Cap. 50. lib. 7. Centum et quinqus
visit annos sine ullo incommodo. '^'' Inlus mulso.
foras oleo. w Esemplis senitur. pracfi.tis Ephemer
cap. de infirmilat. ^ Qui, quoad piieritioe ulliman
memoriam recordari potest non meminit se aEgrotun
decubuisse. ^Lib. de vita longa
90 Div. of the Diseases of the Head. [Part. 1. Sect. 1.
be prolonged. We find in the meantime, by common experience, that no man can
escape, but that of ®^ Hesiod is true :
' ' n>.8/« i«fv^7f e > '■'''« ''*'','=^ f ^""I ^f .^a'A=t7!ra, I .. .j.^. g^^jjj.g f^„ „f ^al.-jdies, an.I full the sea,
No-jiTs/.f avtJ^orroJ i;v sj o^s^w, ocT e^< vyxr* Which set upon us both by night and day."
Btvislon of Diseases.] If you require a more exact division of these ordinary
diseases which are incident to men, 1 refer you to physicians ;™ they will tell you
of acute and chronic, first and secondary, lethales, sulutares, errant, fixed, simple,
compound, connexed, or consequent, belonging to parts or the whole, in habit, or
in disposition, &.c. My division at this time (as most befitting my purpose) shall
be into those of the body and mind. For them of the body, a brief catalogue of
whicli Fuschius hath made, Institut. lib. 3, sect. 1, cap. 11. I refer you to the vo-
luminous tomes of Galen, Areteus, Rhasis, Aviccnna, Alexander, Paulus jEtius, Gor-
donerius : and those exact Neoterics, Savanarola, Capivaccius, Donatus Altomarus,
Hercules de Saxonia, Mercurialis, Victorius Ff/enlinus. Wecker, Piso, Stc, that have
methodically and elaborately written of them all. Those of the mind and head I
will briefiy handle, and apart.
SuBSECT. III. — Division of the Diseases of the Head.
These diseases of the mind, forasmuch as they have their chief seat and organs
in the head, which are commonly repeated amongst the diseases of the head which
are divers, and vary much according to their site. For in the head, as there be
several parts, so there be' divers grievances, which according to that division of
''Heurnius, (which he takes out of Arculanus,) are inward or outward (to omit all
others which pertain to eyes and ears, nostrils, gums, teeth, mouth, palate,
tongue, wesel, chops, face, &c.) belonging properly to the brain, as baldness, falling
of hair, furfaire, lice, &.c. "Inward belonging to the skins next to the brain, called
dura and pia mater, as all head-aches, Stc, or to the ventricles, caules, kels, tunicles,
creeks, and parts of it, and their passions, as caro, vertigo, incubus, apoplexy, falling
.sickness. The diseases of the nerves, cramps, stupor, convulsion, tremor, palsy :
or belonging to the excrements of the brain, catarrhs, sneezing, rheums, distillations :
or else those that pertain to the substance of the brain itself, in which are conceived
phrensy, letharg}-, melancholy, madness, weak memory, sopor, or Covia Vigilia et
vigil Coma. Out of these again I will single such as properly belong to the phan-
tasy, or imagination, or reason itself, which '^Laurentius calls the disease of the
mind ; and Hililesjieim, morbos imaginationis, aut rationis IcescB., (diseases of the
imagination, or of injured reason,) which are three or four in number, phrensy,
madness, melancholy, dotage, and their kinds : as hydrophobia, lycanthropia. Chorus
sancli viti, morhi damoniaci, (St. Vitus's dance, possession of devils,) which I will
briefly touch and point at, insisting especially in this of melancholy, as more eminent
than the rest, and that through all his kinds, causes, symptoms, prognostics, cures :
as Lonicerus hath done de apoplexid, and many other of such particular diseases.
Not that I find fault with those which have written of this subject before, as Jason
Pratensis, Laurentius, Montaltus, T. Bright, Stc, they have done very well in their
several kinds ami methods ; yet that which one omits, another may haply see ; that
which one contracts, another may enlarge. To conclude with '^^Scribanius, '' that
which they had neglected, or profunctorily handled, we may more thoroughly ex-
amine ; that which is obscurely delivered in them, may be perspicuously dilated and
amplified by us :" and so made more familiar and easy for everj' man's capacity, and
tlie common good, which is the chief end of my discourse.
SuBSECT. IV. — Dotage, Phrensy, Madness, Hydrophobia, Lycanthropia, Chorus
sancti Viti, Extasis.
Delirium, Dotage.] Dotage, fatuity, or folly, is a common name to all the fol-
lowing species, as some will have it. "Laurentius and ^* Altomarus comprehended
•^Oper. et dies. "> See Fenielius Path. lib. 1.1 tug, Hildesheim, Quercetan, Jagon rratenvii, tec.
cap. 9, Ki, 11, 12. Fuschius Instit. 1. 3. seci. 1. c. 7. "J Cap. 2. de inelanchol. "Cap. 2 de I'hisiolfigi*
Wecker. 8ynt. "' Praefat. de morbis capitis. In 1 sagarum : Quod alii, minus recte forlas^e dixerint,
capite ut varis habitant paries, ita varis querelse ibi I nos examinare, melius dijudicare, corneere studea-
eveniunt. '^Of which read Heurnius, Montal- | mus. "Cap. 4. de mol. '"Art. Med. 7.
Mem. 1. Subs. 4.] Diseases of the Mind. 91
niailness, melancholy, and the rest under this name, and call it the summum genus
of ihem all. If it be distinguished from them, it is natural or ingenite, which comes
by some defect of the organs, and over-much brain, as we see in our common fools ;
and is for the most part intended or remitted in particular men, and thereupon some
are wiser than otliers : or else it is acquisite, an appendix or symptom of some other
disease, wliich comes or goes ; or if it continue, a sign of melancholy itself.
Prensi/.] Pkrcnitis^ which the Greeks derive from the word ^^v, is ti disease of
the mind, with a continual madness or dotage, which hath an acute fever annexed,
or else an inflammation of the brain, or the membranes or kels of it, with an acute
fever, which causeth madness and dotage. It difi(3rs from melancholy and madness,
because their dotage is without an ague : this continual, with Avaking, or memory
decayed, &c. Melancholy is most part silent, this clamorous ; and many such like
ditlerences are assigned by physicians.
Madness^ Madness, phrensy, and melancholy are confounded by Celsus, and
many writers ; others leave out phrensy, and make madness and melancholy but one
disease, whicli "Jason Pratensis especially labours, and that they dilfer only sccun-
dam majus or minus^ in quantity alone, the one being a degree to the other, and both
proceeding from one cause. They differ intenso et remisso gradu, saith '''^Gordonius,
as the humour is intended or remitted. Of the same mind is '^Areteus, Alexander
Tertullianus, Guianerius, Savanarola, Heurnius ; and Galen himself writes promis-
cuously of them both by reason of their affinity : but most of our neoterics do
handle them apart, whom I will follow in this treatise. Madness is therefore defined
to be a vehement dotage ; or raving without a fever, far more violent than melan-
choly, full of anger and clamour, horrible looks, actions, gestures, troubling the
patients with far greater vehemency both of body and mind, witliout all fear and
sorrow, with such impetuous force and boldness, that sometimes three or four men
cannot hold tliem. Differing only in this from phrensy, that it is without a fever,
and their memory is most part better. It hath the same causes as the other, as choler
adust, and blood incensed, brains inflamed, &cc. '^Fracastorius adds, "-a due time,
and full age to this definition, to distinguish it from children, and will have it con-
firmed impotency, to separate it from such as accidentally come and go again, as by
taking lienbane, nightshade, wine, &c. Of this fury there be divers kinds; *' ecstasy,
which is familiar with some persons, as Cardan saith of himself, he could be in one
when he list; in wliich the Indian priests deliver their oracles, and the witches in
Lapland, as Olaus Magnus writeth, 1. 3, cap. 18. Extasi omnia pra-dicere, ansAver
ail questions in an extasis you will ask ; what your friends do, where they are, how
they fare, &c. The other species of this fury are enthusiasms, revelations, and
visions, so often mentioned by Gregory and Beda in their works; obsession or pos-
session of devils, sibylline prophets, and poetical furies ; such as come by eating
noxious herbs, tarantulas stinging, &c., Avhich some reduce to this. The most known
^re these, lycanthropia, hydrophobia, chorus sancti viti.
Lycanlhropia.] Lycanthropia, which Avicenna calls Cucubuth, others Lupinam
insaniam, or Wolf-madness, when men run howling about graves and fields in the
night, and will not be persuaded but that they are wolves, or some such beasts.
"iEtius and ^^Paulus call it a kind of melancholy; but I should rather refer it to
madness, as most do. Some make a doubt of it whether tlicre be any such disease.
''^Donat ab Altomari saith, that he saw two of them in his time: **^Wierus tell§ a
story of such a one at Padua 1541, that would not believe to the contrary, but that
he was a wolf. . He hath another instance of a Spaniard, who thought himself a
bear; ^"Forrestus confirms as much by many examples; one amongst the rest of
which he was an eye-witness, at Alcmaer in Holland, a poor husbandman that still
hunted about graves, and kept in churchyards, of a pale, black, ugly, and fearful
look. Such belike, or little better, were king Prastus' "daughters, that thought
'■ Plerique medici uno complexu perstringunt hos ' firmatam habet impotentiani bene operandi circa in-
duns morhns, quod ex eadcm causa oriantur, qundque lellecluni. lib. 2. de intelleclione. "'Of which reap
niasniludine et modo solilni distent, et alter gradus ad Fojlix Plater, cap. 3. de mentis alienatione. ''■'Lib
altJrnm eiistat. Jason Pratens. '"Lib. Med. : 6. cap. 11. "S Lib. 3. cap. 16. -i Cap. 9. Art
'■' Pars man iiE inihi videtur. »■» Insanus est, qui med. ssDe prsestig. Dienionuni, 1. 3. cap. 21
etate debita, et tenipore debito per se, non momenta- "^Observat.lib. 10. de morbis cerebri, cap. 15. *" Hip
neam el fugacem, ut vini, solani, Hyoscyami, sed con- I pocrates lib. de insania.
«-«.
92 Diseases of the Mind. [Part. 1. Sec. 1.
themselves kine. And Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel, as some interpreters hold, was
only troubled with this kind of madness. This disease perhaps gave occasion to
tliat bold assertion of *** Pliny, " some men were turned into wolves in his time, and
from wolves to men again :" and to that fable of Pausanias, of a man that was ten
years a wolf, and afterwards turned to his former shape : to *^ Ovid's tale of Lycaon,
&.C. He that is desirous to hear of this disease, or more examples, let him read
Austin in his 18th book de Civitate Dei, cap. 5, Mizaldus, cent. 5. 77. Sckcnkius,
lib. 1. Hildesheim, spicel. 2. de Mania. Forrestus lib. 10.de morbis cerebri. Olaus
Magnus, Vincentius'' Bellavicensis, spec. met. lib. 31. c. 122. Pierius, Bodine,
Zuinger, Zeilger, Peucer, Wierus, Sprauger, Slc. This malady, saith Avicenna, trou-
bleth men most in February, and is now-a-days frequent in Bohemia and Hungary,
according to ^Heurnius. Schernitzius will have it common in Livonia. They lie
hid most part all day, and go abroad in the night, barking, howling, at graves and
deserts ; ^' "• they have usually hollow eyes, scabbed legs and thighs, very dry and
pale," '^'saiih Altomarus ; he gives a reason there of all the symptoms, and stts
down a brief cure of them.
Hydrophobia is a kind of madness, well known in every village, which coiner by
the biting of a mad dog, or scratching, saith ''^ Aurelianus ; touching, or smelling
alone sometimes as ** Sckenkius proves, and is incident to many other creatures as
well as men : so called because the parties affected cannot endure the sight of water,
or any liquor, supposing still they see a mad dog in it. And which is more wonder-
ful; though they be very dry, (^as in tliis malady they are) they will ratlier die tiian
drink: ^'Cailius Aurelianus, an ancient writer, makes a doubt whether this Hydro-
phobia be a passion of the body or the mind. The part atlected is the brain : the
cause, poison that comes from the mad dog, which is so hot and dry, that it con-
sumes all tlie moisture in the body. ^Hildesheijn relates of some tliat died so mad \
and being cut up, had no water, scarce blood, or any moisture left in them. To
such as are so atH'Cted, tlie fear of water begins at fourteen days after they are bitten,
to some again not till forty or sixty days after : commonly saith Heurnius, they
begin to rave, tly water and glasses, to look red, and swell in the face, about twenty
days after (if some remedy be not taken in the meantijne) to lie awake, to be pen-
sive, sad, to see strange visions, to bark and howl, to fall into a swoon, and often-
times tits of the falling sickness. *^Some say, little things like whelps will be seen
in their urine. If any of these signs appear, they are past recovery. Many times
these symptoms will not appear till six or seven mouths after, saith ^Codronchus ;
and sometimes not till seven or eight years, as Guianerius ; twelve as Albertus •, six
or eight months after, as Galen holds. Baldus the great lawyer died of it : an Au-
gustine friar, and a woman in Delft, that were ^■'Forrestus patients, were miseralily
consumed with it. The common cure in the country (for such at least as dwell
near the sea-side) is to duck them over head and ears in sea water \ some use charms :
every good wife can prescribe medicines. But the best cure to be had in such cases,
is from the most approved physicians; they that will read of them, may consult
with Dioscorides, lib. 6. c. 37, Heurnius, Hildesheim, Capivaccius, Forrestus, Scken-
kius, and before all others Codronchus an Italian, who hath lately written two ex-
quisite books on the subject.
Chorus sancti Viti, or St. Vitus''s ddince ; the lascivious dance, '""Paracelsus calls it,
because they that are taken from it, can do nothing but dance till they be dead, or
cured. It is so called, for that the parties so troubled were wont to go to St. Vitus
for help, and after they had danced there awhile, they were ' certainly freed. 'Tis
strange to hear how long they will dance, and in what manner, over stools, forms,
tables ; even great bellied Avomen sometimes (and yet never hurt their children) will
dance so long that they can stir neither hand nor foot, but seem to be quite deau.
One in red clothes they cannot abide. Music above all things they love, and there-
fore magistrates in Germany will hire musicians to play to them, and some lusty
sturdy companions to dance with them. This disease hath been very common in
* Lib. 8. cap. 22. Hoinines interdum lup6s feri; el, 13. de morbis acuUs. •'Spicel. 2. >^ Sclienkiui,
con«ra. "»* Met. lib. 1. w Cap. de Man. »' Ul-
cerata crui %, sitis ipsis adest iniiiiodica, pallidi, lingua
sicca. « Cap. 9. art. Hydrophobia. >*Lib. 3.
cap. 9 »*Lib. 7. de Venenis. "Lib. 3. cap.
lib. de Venenia. >^Lib. de liydiophobia. '^Ob-
serval. lib. 10. 25. "i>jLascivain Choreani. To. 4.
de morbii amentium. Tract. 1. i Evenlu ui plu-
limum rem ipsam coaiprobante.
Mem. 1. Subs. 5.]
Melancholy in Disposition.
93
Germany, as appears by those relations of ^ Sckenkius, and Paracelsus in his book
of Madness, who brags how many several persons he hath cured of it. Felix
Plateras de mentis allenat. cap. 3, reports of a woman in Basil whom he saw, that
danced a whole month together. The Arabians call it a kind of palsy. Bodine in
his 5th book de Repuh. cap. 1 , speaks of this infirmity ; Monavius in his last epistle
to Scoltizius, and in another to Dudithus, where you may read more of it.
The last kind of madness or melancholy, is that demonaical (if I may so call it)
obsession or possession of devils, which Platerus and others would have to be pre-
ternatural : stupend things are said of them, their actions, gestures, contortions,
fasting, prophesying, speaking languages they were never taught, &c. Many strange
stories are related of them, which because some will not allow, (for Deacon and
Barrel have written large volumes on this subject pro and con.) I voluntarily omit.
Tuschius, Institut. lib. 3. sec. 1. cap. 11, Felix Plater, ^Laurentius, add to the«e
another fury that proceeds from love, and another from study, another divine or re
ligious fury ; but these more properly belong to melancholy ; of all which I will
speak * apart, intending to write a whole book of them.
SuBSECT. V. — Melancholy in Disposition^ improperly so called., Equivocations.
Melancholy, the subject of our present discourse, is either in disposition or
habit. In disposition, is that transitory melancholy which goes and comes upon
every small occasion of sorrow, need, sickness, trouble, fear, grief, passion, or per-
turbation of the mind, any manner of care, discontent, or thought, which causeth
anguish, dulness, heaviness and vexation of spirit, any ways opposite to pleasure,
mirth, joy, delight, causing frowardness in us, or a dislike. In which equivocal and
improper sense, we call him melancholy that is dull, sad, sour, lumpish, ill disposed,
solitary, any way moved, or displeased. And from these melancholy dispositions,
® no man living is free, no stoic, none so wise, none so happy, none so patient, so
generous, so godly, so divine, that can vindicate himself; so well composed, but
more or less, some time or other he feels the smart of it. Melancholy in this sense
is the character of mortality. ' '^ Man that is born of a woman, is of short con-
tinuance, and full of trouble." Zeno, Cato, Socrates himself, whom '^lian so highly
commends for a moderate temper, that " nothing could disturb him, but going out,
and coming in, still Socrates kept the same serenity of countenance, what niisery
soever befel him," (if we may believe Plato his disciple) was much tormented with
It. Q. Metellus, in whom ^ Valerius gives instance of all happiness, " the most for-
tunate man then living, born in that most flourishing city of Rome, of noble parentage,
a proper man of person, well qualified, healthful, rich, honourable, a senator, a con-
sul, happy in his wife, happy in his children," &c. yet this man was not void of
melancholy, he had his share of sorrow. '"Polycrates Samius, that flung his ring
mto the sea, because he would participate of discontent with others, and had it
miraculously restored to him again shortly after, by a fish taken as he angled, was
not free from melancholy dispositions. No man can cure himself; the very gods
had bitter pangs, and frequent passions, as their own "poets put upon them. In
general, '^ " as the heaven, so is our life, sometimes fair, sometimes overcast, tem-
pestuous, and serene ; as in a rose, flowers and prickles ; in the year itself, a tempe-
rate summer sometimes, a hard winter, a drought, and then again pleasant showers :
so IS our life intermixed with joys, hopes, fears, sorrows, calumnies : Invicem cedun*
dolor et voluptas, there is a succession of pleasure and pain.
" -"medio de foiite lepdrum
Surgit amari aliquid, in ipsis floribus angat."
" Even in the midst of laughing there is sorrow," (as " Solomon holds) : even in the
2 Lib. Leap, de Mania. 'Cap. 3. de mentis
alienat. < Cap. 4. de mel. spART. 3.
" De quo homine securitas, de quo certum gaudiumi
quocunqiie se convertit, in terrenis rebus amaritudi-
nem animi inyeniet. Aug. in Psal. viii. 5. ' Job. i.
14. "Omni tempore Socratem eodem vultu videri,
sive domum rediret, sive domo eerederetur. oLib.
7. cap. 1. Natus in florentissima^totius orbis civitate,
nobilissimis parentibus, corpores vires habuit et raris-
siraas animi dotes, uxorem conspicuam, pudicam,
frelices liberos, consulare decus, sequentes triiimpbos,
&c. '".flElian. "Homer. Iliad. -Lipsius,
cent. 3. ep. 45, ut coelum, sic nos homines sumus : illud
ex intervallo nubibus obducitur et obscuratiir. In
rosario flores spinis intermixti. Vita sirailis aeri,
udum modo, sudum, tempestas, serenitas : ita vices
rerum sunt, prsemia gaudiis, et sequaces curie. "'Lu-
cretius, 1. 4. 1124. »Prov. xiv. 13. Extremum
gaudii luctas occupat.
94 Melancholy in Disposition. [Part, 1 . Sec. 1 ,
niidst of all our feasting and jollity, as '^Austin infers in his Com. on the 41st Psalm,
there is grief and discontent. Inter delicias semper aliquid scevi nos strangulate, for
a pint of honey thou shalt here likely find a gallon of gall, for a dram of pleasure a
pound of pain, for an inch of mirth an ell of moan ; as ivy doth an oak, these mise-
ries encompass our life. And it is most absurd and ridiculous for any mortal man
to look for a perpetual tenure of happiness in his life. Nothing so prosperous and
pleasant, but it hath '^ some bitterness in it, some complaining, some grudging ; it is
all y'KvxvTtix^ov, a mixed passion, and like a chequer table black and white : men, fami-
lies, cities, have their falls and wanes ; now trines, sextiles, then quartiles and oppo-
.sitions. We are not here as those angels, celestial powers and bodies, sun and moon,
to finish our course without all offence, with such constancy, to continue for so many
ages : but subject to infirmities, miseries, interrupted, tossed and tumbled up and
down, carried about with every small blast, often molested and disquieted upon each
slender occasion, "uncertain, brittle, and so is all that we trust unto. '^"' And he
that knows not this is not armed to endure it, is not fit to live in this world (as one
condoles our time), he knows not the condition of it, where with a reciprocalty,
pleasure and pain are still united, and succeed one another in a ring." Kxi e mundo.,
get thee gone hence if thou canst not brook it ; there is no way to avoid it, but to
ann thyself with patience, wiili magnanimity, to '^oppose thyself unto it, to sutler
afiliction as a good soldier of Christ ; as ^ Paul adviseth constantly to bear it. But
forasmuch as so few can emliVace this good council of his, or use it aright, but
rather as so many brute beasts give away to their passion, voluntary subject and
precipitate themselves into a labyrinth of cares, woes, miseries, and sutler their soijls
to be overcome by them, cannot arm themselves with that patience as they onglit to
do, it falleth out oftentimes that these dispositions become habits, and " many affects
contemned (as ^'Seneca notes) make a disease. Even as one distillation, not yet
grown to custom, makes a cough ; but continual and inveterate causeth a consump-
tion of the lungs ;" so do these our melancholy provocations : and according as the
humour itself is intended, or remitte^l in mei\, as their temperature of body, or ra-
tional soul is better able to make resistance ; so are they more or less affected. For
that which is but a fiea-biting to one, causeth insufferable torment to another ; and
Mhich one by his singular moderation, and well-composed carriage can happily over-
come, a second is no whit able to sustain, but upon every small occasion of miscon-
ceived abuse, injury, grief, disgrace, loss, cross, humour, &c. (if solitary, or idle)
yields so far to passion, that his complexion is altered, his digestion hindered, his
sleep gone, his spirits obscured, and his heart heavy, his hypochondries misaffected ;
w^ind, crudity, on a sudden overtake him, and he himself overcome with melancholy.
As it is with a man imprisoned for debt, if once in the gaol, every creditor will
bring his action against him, and there likely hold him. If any discontent seize
upon a patient, in an instant all other perturbations (for — qua data porta ruunt.) will
set upon him, and then like a lame dog or broken-winged goose he droops and pines
away, and is brought at last to that ill habit or malady of melancholy itself. So that
as the philosophers make ^^ eight degrees of heat and cold, we may make eighty-
eight of melancholy, as the parts affected are diversely seized with it, or have been
plunged more or less into this infernal gulf, or w^aded deeper into it. But all these
melancholy fits, howsoever pleasing at first, or displeasing, violent and tyrannizing
over those whom they seize on for the time; yet these fits I say, or men affected,
are hut improperly so called, because they continue not, but come and go, as by
some objects they are moved. This melancholy of which we are to treat, is a habit,
mosbus sonticus, or rhronicus, a chronic or continuate disease, a settled humour, as
loNatalitia inquit colehrantur, miptiae hie sunt ; at destitutos in prnfundo iniseriarum valle miserahilitT
ibi quid celebratiir quod nnn dolet. quod non transit! immergunt. Valerius, lib. 6. cap. 11. -oHuic
>' Apuleius 4. florid. Nihil quicquid homini lani pros-
pprum divinitus datum, quia ei admi.xtum sit aliquid
difficultatis ut etiani ainplissima quaqua Ixtitid, subsit
qnrppiam vel parva querimnnia conjujjatione quadain
mellis, et fellis. '' Caduca nimiruni et fragilia, et
puerilibiis consentanea crepundiis sunt ista qua; vires
et opes humanfe vocanuir, affluunt subltft, repente de-
lahuntur, nullo in loco, nulla in persona, stabilibus
nixa radicibiis cnnsistunt, sed iucertissimo flaiu for-
uiite quos in sublime e.xtulerunt iinproviso recursu
Beculo paruin aptus es, aut polius oninuim nostrorunn
conditionem ienoras, quibus reciproco qiiodain iii-xn,
&.C. Lorchanus Gollobelgicus, lib. 3. ad annum \'>9K.
'''Ilorsum omnia studia dirigi dcbenl, ut humana for-
titer feramiis. ™2 Tim. ii. 3. " Epist. «6. lib. 10.
Affectus frequentes conteniptique niorbum faciiint.
Distillatio una nee adhuc in morem udaucta, tunsini
facit, assidua et violenta pthisim. '" Calidum ad
octo : frigidum ad octo. Una hirundo non facii
xstatem.
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.]
Digression of Anatomy.
95
^Aurelianus and "others call it, not errant, but fixed ; and as it was long increasing,
so now being (pleasant, or painful) grown to an habit, it will hardly be removed.
SECT. I. MEMB. II.
SuBSECT. I. — Digression of Anatomy.
Before I proceed to define the disease of melancholy, what it is, or to discourse
farther of it, I hold it not impertinent to make a brief digression of the anatomy of
the body and faculties of the soul, for the better understanding of that which is to
follow; because many hard words will often occur, as myrache, hypocondries,
emrods, &c., imagination, reason, humours, spirits, vital, natural, animal, nerves,
veins, arteries, chylus, pituita ; which by the vulgar will not so easily be perceived,
what they are, how cited, and to what end they serve. And besides, it may perad-
venture give occasion to some men to examine more accurately, search further into
this most excellent subject, and thereupon with that royal ^prophet to praise God,
(" for a man is fearfully and Avonderfully made, and curiously wrought") that have
time and leisure enough, and are sufficiently informed in all other worldly businesses,
as to make a good bargain, buy and sell, to keep and make choice of a fair hawk,
hound, horse, &c. But for such matters as concern the knowledge of themselves,
they are wholly ignorant and careless ; they know not what this body and soul are,
how combined, of what parts and faculties they consist, or how a man diflers from a
dog. And what can be more ignominious and filthy (as ^Melancthon well inveighs)
" than for a man not to know the structure and composition- of his own body, espe-
cially since the knowledge of it tends so much to the preservation of his health, and
information of his manners ?" To stir them up therefore to this study, to peruse
those elaborate works of ^^ Galen, Bauhines, Plater, Vesalius, Falopius, Laurentius,
Remelinus, &.C., which have A\Titten copiously in Latin; or that which some of our
industrious countrymen have done in our mother tongue, not long since, as that
translation of ^^ Columbus and ^^Microcosmographia, in thirteen books, I have made
this brief digression. Also because ^Wecker, ^'Melancthon, '^Fernelius, ^Fuschius,
and those te^dious Tracts de Animd (which have more compendiously handled and
written of this matter,) are not at all times ready to be had, to give them some small
taste, or noti<-»j of the rest, let this epitome suffice.
SuBSECT. II. — Division of the Body., Humours., Spirits.
Of the parts of the body there may be many divisions : the most approved is that
of ** Laurentius, out of Hippocrates : which is, into parts contained, or containing.
Contained, are either humours or spirits.
Humours.] A humour is a liquid or fluent part of the body, comprehended m
it, for the preservation of it ; and is either innate or born with us, or adventitious
and acquisite. The radical or innate, is daily supplied by nourishment, which
some call cambium, and make those secondary "humours of ros and gluten to main-
tain it : or acquisite, to maintain these four first primary humours, coming and pro-
ceeding from the first concoction in the liver, by which means chylus is excluded.
Some uivide them into profitable and excrementitious. But ^Crato out of Hippo-
crates will have all four to be juice, and not excrements, without which no living
creature can be sustained : which four, though they be comprehended in the mass
of blood, yet they have their several affections, by which they are distinguished
from one another,' and from those adventitious, peccant, or ^ diseased humours, as
Melancihon calls them.
Blood.] Blood is a hot, sweet, temperate, red humour, prepared in the miseraic
veins, and made of the most temperate parts of the chylus in the liver, whose office
"Lib. 1. c. 6. MFuschius, 1. 3. sec. 1. cap. 7.
Hildesheim, fol. 130. a' Psal. xxxi.x. 13. '-^re
Anima. Turpe enim est homini ienorare sui corporis
(ut ita dicani) sditicium, prceserlim cum ad valeludi-
nem et more^ htec cognitio plurimum coiiducat. ^^ De
usu part. * History of man. 2)D. Crook*.
*>Iii .Syntaxi. . 3i ©g Anima. =^Instit. lib. 1.
S3 Physiol. 1. 1, 2. MAnat. I. 1. c. 18. '-^ li>
Micro, succos, sine quibus animal sustentari non p<-
test. *Morbosos humored.
96 Similar Parts. [Part. 1. Sec. »
is to nourish the whole body, to give it strength and colour, being dispersed by the
veins through every part of it. And from it spirits are first begotten in the heart,
which afterwards by the arteries are communicated to the other parts.
Pituita, or phlegm, is a cold and moist humour, begotten of the colder part of
the chylus (or white juice coming out of the meat digested in the stomach,) in the
liver ; his office is to nourish and moisten the members of the body, which as the
tongue are moved, that they be not over dry.
Choler, is hot and dr}-, bitter, begotten of the hotter parts of the chylus, and
gathered to the gall : it helps the natural heat and senses, and serves to the expelling
of excrements.
Melancholy.] Melancholy, cold and dry, thick, black, and sour, begotten of the
more feculent part of nourishment, and purged from the spleen, is a bridle to the
other two hot humours, blood and choler, preserving them in the blood, and nourish-
ing the bones. These four humours have some analogy with the four elements, and
to the four ages in man.
Seru?n^ Siceal, Tears.] To these humours you may add serum, which is the
matter of urine, and those excrementitious humours of the third concoction, sweat
and tears.
Spirits.] Spirit is a most subtile vapour, which is expressed from the blood, and
the instrument of the soul, to perf^cm all his actions; a common tie or medium
between the body and the soul, as some will have it ; or as ^'^ Paracelsus, a fourth
soul of itself. Melancthon holds the fountain of those spirits to be tlie heart, be-
gotten there ; and afterward conveyed to the brain, they take another nature to
them. Of these spirits there be three kinds, according to the three principal parts,
brain, lieart, liver; natural, vital, animal. The natural are begotten in the liver, and
thence dispersed through the veins, to perform those natural actions. The vital
spirits are made in the heart of the natural, which by the arteries are transported to
all the other parts : if the spirits cease, then life ceaseth, as in a syncope or swoon-
ing. The animal spirits formed of the vital, brought up to the brain, and difiused by
tiie nerves, to the subordinate members, give sense and motion to them all.
SuBSECT. III. — Similar Parts.
Similar Parts.] Containing parts, by reason of their more solid substance, are
either homogeneal or heterogencal, similar ot dissimilar ; so Aristotle divides tliem,
lib. 1, cap. I, de Hist. Animal.; Laurent ius., cap. 20, lib. 1. Similar, or homogeneal,
are such as, if they be divided, are still severed into parts of the same nature, as
water into water. Of these some be spcrmatical, some fleshy or carnal. '® Spermati-
cal are such as are immediately begotten of the seed, which are bones, gristles, liga-
ments, membranes, nerves, arteries, veins, skins, fibres or strings, fat.
Bones.] The bones are dry and hard, begotten of the thickest of the seed, to
strengthen and sustain other parts: some say there be 304, some 307, or 313 in
man's body. They have no nerves in them, and are therefore without sense.
A gristle is a substance softer than bone, and harder than the rest, flexible, and
serves to maintain the parts of motion.
Ligaments are they that tie the bones together, and other parts to the bones, with
their subserving tendons : membranes' office is to cover the rest.
Nerves, or sinews, are membranes without, and full of marrow within ; they pro-
ceed from the brain, and carry the animal spirits for sense and motion. Of these
some be harder, some softer ; the softer serve the senses, and there be seven pair of
'.hem. The first be the optic nerves, by which we see ; the second move the eyes ;
the third pair serve for the tongue to taste; the fourth pair for the taste in the
j^'ate ; the fifth belong to the ears ; the sixth pair is most ample, and runs almost
over c\\ the bowels ; the seventh pair moves the tongue. The harder sinews serve
for the motion of the inner parts, proceeding from the marrow in the back, of whom
there be thirty combinations, seven of the neck, twelve of the breast, &.c.
Jlrteries.] Arteries are long and hollow, with a double skin to convey the vital
spirit ; to discern which the better, they say that Vesalius the anatomist was wont
" SpiritalU aDima. ■ Lanrentiaa, cap. 30, lib. 1. Anat.
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Dissimilar Parts. 97
to cut up men alive. ^'They arise in the left side of the heart, and are principally
two, from which the rest are derived, aorta and venosa : aorta is the root of all the
other, which serve the whole body ; the other goes to the lungs, to fetch air to
refrigerate the heart.
Veins.] Veins are hollow and round, like pipes, arising from the liver, cany-ing
blood and natural spirits ; they feed all the parts. Of these there be two chief, Vena
porta and Vena cava., from which the rest are corrivated. That Vena porta is a vein
coming from the concave of the liver, and receiving those meseraical veins, by whom
he takes the chylus from the stomach and guts, and conveys it to the liver. The
other derives blood from the liver to nourisli all the other dispersed members. The
branches of that Vena porta are the meseraical and lisemorrhoides. The branches
of the cava are inward or outward. Inward, seminal or emulgent. Outward, in the
head, arms, feet, &c., and have several names.
Fibro', Fat, Flesh.] Fibrae are strings, white and solid, dispersed through the
whole member, and right, oblique, transverse, all which have their several uses.
Fat is a similar part, moist, without blood, composed of the most thick and unc-
tions matter of the blood. The '"'skin covers the rest, and hath culiculum., or a little
skin under it. Flesh is soft and ruddy, composed of the congealing of blood, &.c.
Sue SECT. IV. — Dissimilar Paris.
Dissimilar parts are those which we call organical, or instrumental, and they be
inward or outward. The chiefest outward parts are situate forward or backward : —
forward, the crown and foretop of the head, skull, face, forehead, temples, chin, eyes,
ears, nose, &.c., neck, breast, chest, upper and lower part of the belly, hypocondries.
navel, groin, flank, &c. ; backward, the hinder part of the head, back, shoulders, sides,
loins, hipbones, as sacrum, buttocks, &c. Or joints, arms, hands, feet, legs, thighs,
knees, &c. Or common to both, which, because they are obvious and well known,
1 have carelessly repeated, eaque prcecipua et grandiora tantum ; quod reliquum ex
lihris de onimd qui volet, accipiat.
Inward organical parts, which cannot be seen, are divers in number, and have
several names, functions, and divisions ; but that of '''Laurentius is most notable, into
noble or ignoble parts. Of the noble there be three principal parts, to which all the
rest belong, and whom they serve — brain, heart, liver ; according to whose site, three
regions, or a threefold division, is made of the whole body. As first of the head, in
\vhich the animal organs are contained, and brain itself, which by his nerves give
sense and motion to the rest, and is, as it were, a privy counsellor and chancellor
to the heart. The second region is the chest, or middle belly, in Avhich the heart
as king keeps his court, and by his arteries communicates life to the whole body.
The third region is the lower belly, in Avhich the liver resides as a Legat a latere^
with the rest of those natural organs, serving for concoction, nourishment, expelling
of excrements. This lower region is distinguished from the upper by the midriff, or
diaphragma, and is subdivided again by ^^ some into three concavities or regions,
upper, middle, and lower. The upper of the hypocondries, in whose right side is
the liver, the left tlie spleen ; from which is denominated hypochondriacal melan-
choly. The second of the navel and flanks, divided from the first by the rim. The
last of the water course, which is again subdivided into three other parts. The Ara-
bians make two parts of this region, Epigastriwn and Hypogastrium, upper or lower.
Epigastrium they call Mirach., from whence comes Mirachialis Melancholia, some-
times mentioned of them. Of these several regions I will treat in brief apart ; and
first of the third region, in wliich the natural organs are contained.
De Anirnd. — The Loiver Region, JVatural Organs.] But you that are readers in
the meantime, '•'■ Suppose you were now brought into some sacred temple, or majes-
tical palace (as ""^ jMelancthon saith), to behold not the matter only, but the singular
art, workmanship, and counsel of this our great Creator. And it is a pleasant and
profitable speculation, if it be considered aright." The parts of this region, which
3' In these they observe the beatins of the pulse.
M Cujus est pars simiilaris a vi cutifica iil interiora
muniat. Capivac. Anat. pag. 252. ■" Anal. lib. 1.
c. 19. Celebris est et pervulgata partium divisio in
13 I
principes et ignohiles partes. *^ D. Crooke out of
Galen and others. 43 Vos vero veluli in tenipluni
ac sacrarium quoddam tos duel putetis, &c< Salvia -
et utilis cognitio.
98 Anatomy of the Body. [Part. 1. Sec. 1
present themselves to your consideration and view, are such as serve to nutrition or
generation. Those of nutrition serve to the first or second concoction ^ as the
oesophagus or gullet, whicli brings meat and drink into the stomach. The ventri-
cle or stomach, which is seated in the midst of tliat par* of the belly beneath the
midriff, the kitchen, as it were, of the first concoction, and which turns our meat
into chylus. It hath two mouths, one above, anotlier beneath. The upper is some-
times taken for tlie stomach itself; the lower and nether door (as Wecker calls it) is
named Pylorus. This stomach is sustained by a large kcU or kaull, called omentum ;
which some will have tlie same with peritoneum, or rim of the belly. From the
stomach to the very fundament are produced the guts, or intestiua, which serve a little
to alter and distribute tlie chylus, and convey away the excrements. They are di-
vided into small and great, by reason of their site and substance, slender or thicker :
the slender is duodenum, or whole gut, which is next to the stomach, some twelve
inches long, saith '"Fuschius. Jejunum, or empty gut, continuate to the other, which
hath many mcseraic veins annexed to it, which take part of the chylus to the liver
from iL ilion the third, which consists of many crinkles, which serves with the rest
to receive, keep, and distribute the chylus from the stomach. The thick guts are
three, the blind gut, colon, and right gut. The blind is a thick and short gut, having
one mouth, in which the ilir^n and colon meet : it receives the excrements, and con-
veys them to the colon. This colon hath many windings, that the excrements pass
not away too fast : the right gut is straight, and conveys the excrements to the funda-
ment, whose lower part is bound up with certain muscles called sphincters, that the
excrements may be the better contained, until such time as a man be willing to go to
the stool. In the midst of these guts is situated the mesenterium or midriff, composed
of many veins, arteries, and much fat, serving chielly to sustain the guts. All these
parts serve the first concoction. To the second, which is busied either in refining the
good nourishment or expelling the bad, is chielly belonging the liver, like in colour
to congealed blood, the shop of blood, situate in the right hypercondry, in figure
like to a half-moon — Gcnrrosuin membrum Melancthon styles it, a generous part ; it
serves to turn the chylus to blood, for the nourishment of the body. The excre-
ments of it are either choleric or watery, which the other subordinate parts convey.
The gall placed in the concave of the liver, extracts choler to it : the .spleen, melan-
choly; which is situate on the left side, over against the liver, a spungy matter, lliat
draws this black choler to it by a secret virtue, and feeds upon it, conveying the
lest to tlie bottom of the stomach, to stir up appetite, or else to the guts as an ex-
crement. That water}' matter the two kidneys expurgate by those emulgent veins
and ureters. The emulgent draw this superfluous moisture from the blood; the two
ureters convey it to the bladder, which, by reason of his site in the lower belly, is
apt to receive it, having two parts, neck and bottom : the bottom holds the water,
the neck is constringed with a muscle, which, as a porter, keeps the water from run-
ning out against our will.
Members of generation are common to both sexes, or peculiar to one ; which,
because they are impertinent to my purpose, I do voluntarily omit.
Middle Ilcgion.] Next in order is the middle region, or chest, which compre-
hends the vital faculties and parts; which (as I have said) is separated from the
lower belly by the diaphragma or midrifl^ which is a skin consisting of many nerves,
membranes ; and amongst other uses it hath, is the instrument of laughing. Tliere is
also a certain thin membrane, full of sinews, which covereth the whole chest within,
and is called pleura, the seat of the disease called pleurisy, when it is infiamed ; some
add a third skin, which is termed Mediastinus, which divides the chest into two
parts, right and left ; of this region the principal part is the heart, which is the seat
and fountain of life, of heat, of spirits, of pulse and respiration — the sun of our
body, the king and sole commander of it — the seat and organ of all passions and
affections. Prirnum u/tens, uU'umnn rnoriens^ it lives first, dies last in all creatures.
Of a pyramidical form, and not much unlike to a pine-apple; a part worthy of **ad-
miration, that can yield such variety of affections, by whose motion it is dilated or
contracted, to stir and command the humours in the body. As in sorrow, melan-
« Lib. 1. cap. 12. sect. 5. «H8bc res est pra-ci- ] cietur cor, quod omnes retrittes et IkU; staiioi corda
DuAOjgiia admiri.lione, quod tanta affectuuiD varietate \ feritnt et movent.
Mem. 2. Subs. 5.] Anatomy of the Soul. 99
^holy ; in auger, choler ; in joy, to send the blood outwardly ; in sorrow, to call it
in ; moving the humours, as horses do a chariot. This heart, though it be one sole
member, yet it may be divided into two creeks right and left. The right is like the
aioon increasing, bigger than the other part, and receives blood from Vena cava^
distributing some of it to the lungs to nourish them ; the rest to the left side, to
engender spirits. The left creek hath tlie form of a cone, and is the seat of life,
which, as a torch doth oil, draws blood unto it, begetting of it spirits and fire ; and
as fire in a torch, so are spirits in the blood ; and by that great artery called aorta, it
sends vital spirits over the body, and takes air from the lungs by that artery which
is called venosa ; so that both creeks have their vessels, the right two veins, tlie left
two arteries, besides those two common and fractuous ears, which sen-e them both ;
the one to hold blood, the other air, for several uses. The lungs is a thin spungy
part, like an ox hoof, (saith ''Ternelius) the town-clerk or crier, ("one terms it) the
instrument of voice, as an orator to a king ; annexed to the heart, to express their
thoughts by voice. That it is the instrument of voice, is manifest, in that no crea-
ture can speak, or utter any voice, which wanteth these lights. It is, besides, the
instrument of respiration, or breathing ; and its office is to cool tlie heart, by sending
air unto it, by the venosal artery, which vein comes to the lungs by that aspera
arteria, which consists of many gristles, membranes, 'nerves, taking in air at the
nose and mouth, and by it likewise exhales the fumes of the heart.
In the upper region serving the animal faculties, the chief organ is the brain, which
is a soft, marrowish, and white substance, engendered of the purest part of seed and
spirits, included by many skins, and seated within the skull or brain pan ; and it is
the most noble organ mider heaven, the dwelling-house and seat of the soul, the
habitation of wisdom, memory, judgment, reason, and in which man is most like
unto God ; and therefore nature hath covered it with a skull of hard bone, and two
skins or membranes, whereof the one is called dura ynater, or meninx, the other pia
mater. The dura mater is next to the skull, above the other, which includes and
protects the brain. When this is taken away, the pia mater is to be seen, a thin
membrane, the next and immediate cover of the brain, and not covering only, but
entering into it. The brain itself is divided into two parts, the fore and hinder part ;
the fore part is much bigger than the otlier, which is called the little brain in respect
of it. This fore part hath many concavities distinguished by certain ventricles,
which are the receptacles of the spirits, brought hither by the arteries from the
heart, and are there refined to a more heavenly nature, to perform the actions of the
soul. Of these ventricles there are three — right, left, and middle. The right and
left answer to their site, and beget animal spirits ; if they be any way hurt, sense
and motion ceaseth. These ventricles, moreover, are held to be the seat of the
common sense. The middle ventricle is a common concourse and cavity of them
both, and liath two pas *iges — the one to receive pituita, and the other extends itself
to the fourth creek; in ihis they place imagination and cogitation, and so tlie three
ventricles of the fore part of the brain are used. The fourth creek behind the head
is common to the cerebel or little brain, and marrow of the back-bone, the last and
most solid of all the rest, which receives the animal spirits from the other ventricles,
and conveys them to the marrow in the back, and is the place where they say the
memory is seated.
SuBSECT. V. — Of the Soul and her Faculties.
According to ''^Aristotle, the soul is defined to be ivtt'kixsui, perfectio et actus
primus corporis organici., vitam hahentis in potcntia : the perfection or first act of an
organical body, having power of life, which most *^ philosophers approve. But many
doubts arise about the essence, subject, seat, distinction, and subordinate faculties of
it. For the essence and particular knowledge, of all other things it is most hard (be
it of man or beast) to discern, as ^Aristotle himself, ^'TuUy, ^-Picus Mirandula,
"Tolet, and other Neoteric philosophers confess : — ^**" We can understand all things
« Physio. 1. 1. c. 8. *^ Ut orator regi : sic pulmo I si Tuscul. quaest. m Lib. 6. Doct. Va. Gentil. c. 13.
TOfis instrumentum annectilur cordi, &c. Melancth. | pag. 1215. ssxristot. ^Anima qusque in
*• De anim. c. 1. « Scalig. exerc. 307. Tolet. in telligimus, et tamen qujB sit ipsa intelligere noi
1 00 Anatomy of the Soul. [Part 1 . Sec. 1
by her, but what she is we cannot apprehend." Some therefore make one soul,
divided into three principal faculties ; others, three distinct souls. Which question
of late hath been much controverted by Picolomineus and Zabarel. "Paracelsus will
have four souls, adding to the three grand faculties a spiritual soul : M'hich opinion of
his, Canipanella, in his book de senm rerum,^ nnich labours to demonstrate and
prove, because carcasses bleed at the sight of the murderer; with many sucli argu-
ments: And "'some again, one soul of all creatures whatsoever, differing only in
organs ; and that beasts have reason as well as men, though, for some defect of
organs, not in such measure. Others make a doubt whether it be all in all, and all
in every part; which is amply discussed in Zabarel amongst the rest. The ** com-
mon division of the soul is into three principal faculties — vegetal, sensitive, and
rational, which make three distinct kinds of living creatures — vegetal plants, sensi-
ble beasts, rational men. How these three principal faculties are distinguished and
connected, Hmiwno ingenio inaccessumvidclur.,is beyond human capacity, as ""Tau-
rellus, Philip, Flavins, and others suppose. The inferior may be alone, but the
superior cannot subsist without the other; so sensible includes vegetal, rational
both ; wliich are contained in it (saith Aristotle) ut trigonus in telragono, as a tri-
angle in a quadrangle.
Vegetal SouJ?[ V^egetal, the first of the three distinct faculties, is defined to be "■ a
substantial act of an organical body, by wliicli it is nourished, augmented, and begets
another like imto itself." in which definition, three several operations are sjiecified —
dtrix. auctrix, procreatrix ; the first is "^'^ nutrition, whose object is nourishment, nuat,
drink, and the like ; his organ tlie liver in sensible creatures ; in plants, the root or
f>ap. His office is to turn the nutriment into the substance of the body nourishtd,
whicli he performs by natural heat. Tliis nutritive operation iiath four other subor-
dinate functions or powers belonging to it — attraction, retention, digestion, expulsion.
Allraciion.] ^'Attraction is a ministering faculty, which, as a loadstone doth iron,
draws meat into the stomach, or as a lamp doth oil ; and this attractive power is
very necessary- in plants, which suck up moisture by the root, as anotlier mouth,
into \\\e sap, as a like stomach.
Rd'iilion.] Retention keeps it, being attracted unto the stomach, until such time
it be concocted; for if it should pass away straight, the body could not be nourished.
Digestion.] Digestion is pcrlormtd by natural heat ; for as the llame of a torch
consumes oil, wax, tallow, so doth it alter and digest the nutritive matter. Indiges-
tion is opposite unto it, for want of natural heat. Of tliis digestion there be three
differences — maturation, elixation, assation.
Maturation^ Maturation is especially observed in the fruits of trees ; which are
then said to be ripe, when the seeds are fit to be sown again. Crudity is opposed
to it, which gluttons, epicures, and idle persons are most subject unto, that use no
exercise to stir natural heat, or else choke it, as too much wood puts out a fire.
Elixation.] Elixation is the seething of meat in the stomach, l^y the said natural
heat, as meat is boiled in a pot ; to which corruption or putrefaction is opposite.
Assation.] Assation is a concoction of the inward moisture by heat ; his opposite
is semiustulation.
Order of Concoction four fold.] Besides these three several operations of diges-
tion, there is a four-fold order of concoction : — mastication, or chewing in the mouth;
chilification of this so chewed meat in the stomach ; the third is in the liver, to turn
this chylus into blood, called sanguification ; the last is assimulation, which is in
every part.
Expulsion.] Expulsion is a power of nutrition, by which it expels all superfluous
excrements, and reliques of meat and drink, by the guts, bladder, pores ; as by purg-
ing, vomiting, spitting, sweating, urine, hairs, nails, See.
Augmentation.] As this nutritive faculty ser\es to nourish the body, so doth the
augmenting faculty (the second operation or power of the vegetal faculy) to the in-
" Spiritualem animam a reliquis distinctam tuetur, | lip. de Anima. ca. 1. Cffilius, 20. antiq. cap. 3. Plutarch
ctiam in cadavere inhtErentem post mortem per aliquot | de placit. philos. " De vit. et mort. part. i. c. 3
menses. 'Lib. 3. cap. 31. s' Coelius, lib. 2. i prop. 1. de vit. et mort. 2. c. 22. «"Nutritio est
c. 31. Plutarch, in Grillo Lips. Cen. 1. ep. 50. jossius alimenti Iransmutatio, viro naturalis. Seal, extrc. 101
dt: Ri6u Ki Fletu, Averroes, Campanella, &c. ^- Phi- sec. 17. " Bee more of Attraction in Seal. exer. 343
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Anatomy of the Soul. 101
creasing of it in quantity, according to all dimensions, long, broad, thick, and to
make it grow till it come to his due proportion and perfect shape ; which hath his
l)eriod of augmentation, as of consumption ; and that most certain, as the poet
observes : —
" "Stat sua cuique dies, breve et irreparabile tempus I " A terra of life is set to every man,
Jmnibus est vita;." | Which is but short, and pass it no one can."
Generation] The last of these vegetal faculties is generation, which begets another
by means of seed, like unto itself, to the perpetual preservation of the species. To this
faculty they ascribe three subordinate operations : — the first to turn nourishment into
seed, &c.
Life and Death concomitants of the Vegetal Faculties.] 'Necessary concomitants
or affections of this vegetal faculty are life and his privation, death. To the preser-
vation of life the natural heat is most requisite, though siccity and humidity, and
those first qualities, be not excluded. This heat is likewise in plants, as appears by
their increasing, fructifying. Stc, though not so easily perceived. In all bodies it must
have radical ''^moisture to preserve it, that it be not consumed; to which preservation
our clime, country, temperature, and the good or bad use of those six non-natural
things avail much. For as this natural heat and moisture decays, so dotli our life
itself; and if not prevented before by some violent accident, or interrupted through
our own default, is in the end dried up by old age, and extinguished by death for
want of matter, as a lamp for defect of oil to main-tain it.
SuBSECT. VI. — Of the sensible Soul.
Next in order is the sensible faculty, which is as far beyond the other in dignity,
as a beast is preferred to a plant, having those vegetal powers included in it. 'Tis
defined an " Act of an organical body by which it lives, hath sense, appetite, judg-
ment, breath, and motion." His object in general is a sensible or passible qualitv,
because the sense is affected with it. The general organ is the brain, from which
principally the sensible operations are derived. This sensible soul is divided into
two parts, apprehending or moving. By the apprehensive power we perceive the
species of sensible things present, or absent, and retain them as wax doth the print
of a seal. By the moving, the body is outwardly carried from one place to another ;
or inwardly moved by spirits and pulse. The apprehensive faculty is subdivided
into two parts, inward or outward. Outward, as tlie five senses, of 'touching, hear-
ing, seeing, smelling, tasting, to which you may add Scaliger's sixth sense of titilla-
tion, if you please; or that of speech, which is the sixth external sense, according
to Lullius. Inward are three — common sense, phantasy, memory. Those five out-
ward senses have their object in outward things only, and such as are present, as the
eye sees no colour except it be at hand, the ear sound. Three of these senses are
of commodit}', hearing, sight, and smell ; two of necessity, touch, and taste, without
which we cannot live. Besides, the sensitive pow-er is active or passive. Active in
sight, the eye sees the colour ; passive when it is hurt by his object, as the eve by
the sun-beams. According to that axiom, Visibik forte destruit sensum^^ Or "if the
object be not pleasing, as a bad sound to the ear, a stinking smell to the nose, &c.
Sight.] Of these five senses, sight is held to be most precious, and the best, and
that by reason of his object, it sees the whole body at once. By it we learn, and
di.scern all things, a sense most excellent for use : to the sight three thinirs are re-
quired ; tlie object, the organ, and the medium. The object in general is visible, or
that which is to be seen, as colours, and all shining bodies. The medium is the
illumination of the air, which comes from "light, commonly called diaphanum ; for
in dark we cannot see. The organ is the eye, and chiefly the apple of it, which by
those optic nerves, concurring both in one, conveys the sight to the common sense.
Between the organ and object a true distance is required, that it be not too near, or
too far off. ]\Iany excellent questions appertain to this sense, discussed by philoso-
phers : as whether this sight be caused intra juittendo^ vel extra mittendo, Sec, by
receiving in the visible species, or sending of them out, which ^'^ Plato, ^''' Plutarch,
62 Vita consistit in calido et humido. « "Too I actus perspicui. Lumen i luce provenit, lux est IB
Dright an object destroys the organ. " Lumen est | corpora lucido. "Satiu. 7. c. 14. «ln PhiBdon.
l2
102 Anatomy of the Soul [Part. 1. Sec. 1.
^'Macrobius, ^^Lactantius and others dispute. And, besides, it is the subject of the
perspectives, of which Alhazen the Arabian, VitelUo, Roger Bacon, Bapiista Porta,
Guidus Ubaldus, Aquilonius, kc, have written whole vohnnes.
Hearing.] Hearing, a most excellent outward sense, "• by which we learn and get
knowledge." His object is sound, or that which is heard; the medium, air; organ,
the ear. To the sound, which is a collision of the air, three things are required; a
body to fetrike, as the hand of a musician ; tlie body struck, which must be solid
and able to resist; as a bell, lute-string, not wool, or sponge; the mediuni, the air;
which is inward, or outward ; the outward being struck or collided by a solid body,
still strikes the next air, until it come to that inward natural air, which as an exqui-
site organ is contained in a little skin formed like a drum-head, and struck upon by
certain small instruments like drum-sticks, conveys the sound by a pair of nerves,
approj)riated to that use, to the conunon sense, as to a judge of sounds. Tliere is
great variety and much delight in them ; for tlie knowledge of which, consult with
Boethius and other musicians.
Smcllhig.] Smelling is an "outward sense, which apprehends by the nostrils
drawing in air ;" and of all the rest it is the weakest sense in men. The organ in
the nose, or two small hollow pieces of llcsh a little above it : the medium the air
to men, as water to tish : the object, smell, arising from a mixed body resolved,
wliich, whether it be a quality, fume, vapour, or exhalation, I will not now dispute,
or of their diHerences, and how they are caused. This sense is an organ of health,
as sight and hearing, saith ''''Agellius, are of discipline ; and that by avoiding bad
smells, as by choosing good, which do as nuu-h alter and allect tiie body many
times, as diet itself.
Taslc] Taste, a necessary sense, " which perceives all savours by the tongue and
palate, and tliat by means of a thin spittle, or watery juice." His organ is the tongue
witli his tasting nerves; the medium, a watery juice ; tiie object, Uiste, or savour,
which is a quality in the juice, arising from tlie mixture of things tasted. Some
make eight species or kinds of savour, bitter, sweet, sharp, salt, &.c., all which sick
men (as in an ague) cannot discern, by reason of their organs misafiected.
Touching.] Touch, the last of the senses, and most ignoble, yet of as great neces-
sity as the other, and of as much pleasure. This sense is exquisite in men, and by
his nerves dispersed all over the body, perceives any tactile quality. His organ the
nerves ; his object those first qualities, hot, dry, moisf, cold ; and those that fullow
them, hard, soft, thick, thin, &.c. Many delightsome questions are moved by philo-
sophers about these five senses ; their organs, objects, mediums, which for brevity I
omit
SuBSECT. VH. — Of the Inivard Senses.
Common Sense.] I.wer senses are three in number, so called, because they be
within the brain-pan, as conunon sense, phantasy, memory. Their objects are not
only things present, but they perceive the sensible species of things to come, past,
absent, such as were before in the sense. This common sense is the judge or mode-
rator of the rest, by whom we discern all differences of objects ; for by mine eye I
do not know that I see, or by mine ear that I hear, but by my common sense, who
judgeth of sounds and colours : they are but tlie organs to bring the species to be
censured ; so that all their objects are his, and all their offices are his. The fore
part of tlie brain is his organ or seat.
Phantasy.] Phantasy, or imagination, which some call estimative, or cogitative,
(confirmed, saith '"Fernelius, by frequent meditation,) is an inner sense whicli doth
more fully examine the species perceived by common sense, of things present or
absent, and keeps them longer, recalling them to mind again, or making new of his
own. In time of sleep this faculty is free, and many times conceive strange, stu-
pend, absurd shapes, as in sick men we commonly observe. His organ is the mid-
dle cell of the brain; his objects all the species communicated to hirn by the com-
mon sense, by comparison of which he feigns infinite other unto himself. In melan-
choly men this faculty is most powerful and strong, and often hurts, producing many
" De pract. PkJ^M 4. «Lac cap. 6. de opif. Dei, 1. "Ijb. 19. cap. 2. 'o PhU. I. 5. c. A
Mem. 2. Subs. 8.] Anatomy of the Saul 103
monstrous and prodigious things, especially if it be stirred up by some terrible
object, presented to it from common sense or memory. In poets and painters ima-
gmation forcibly works, as appears by their several fictions, antics, images : as
Ovid's house of sleep. Psyche's palace in Apuleius, &c. In men it is subject and
governed by reason, or at least should be ; but in brutes it hath no superior, and is
atio brutoru7n, all the reason they have.
Meinory.] Memory lays up all the species which the senses have brought in, and
records them as a good register, that they may be fortlicoming when they are called
for by phantasy and reason. His object is the same with phantasy, his seat and
organ the back part of the brain.
Jiffcclions of the Senses, sleep and leaking.] The affections of these senses are
sleep and waking, common to all sensible creatures. " Sleep is a rest or binding of
the outward' senses, and of the common sense, for the preservation of body and
soul" (as ''Scaliger defines it); for when the common sense resteth, the outward
senses rest also. The phantasy alone is free, and his commander reason : as appears
by those imaginary dreams, which are of divers kinds, natural, divine, demoniacal, &c.,
which vary according to humours, diet, actions, objects, &c., of which Artemidorus,
Cardanus, and Sambucus, with their several interpretators, have written great volumes.
This litigation of senses proceeds from an inhibition of spirits, the way being stopped
by wliich they should come ; this stopping is caused of vapours arising out of the
stomach, filling the nerves, by which the spirits should be conveyed. When these
vapours ar^ spent, the passage is open, and the spirits perform their accustomed
duties : so that " waking is the action and motion of the senses, which the spirits
dispersed over all parts cause."
SuBSECT. VIII. — Of the Moving Faculty.
Appetite.] This moving faculty is the other power of the sensitive soul, which
causeth all those inward and outward animal motions in the body. It is divided
nto two faculties, the power of appetite, and of moving from place to place. This
of appetite is threefold, so some will have it ; natural, as it signifies any such incli-
nation, as of a stone to fall downward, and such actions as retention, expulsion,
which depend not on sense, but are vegetal, as the appetite of meat and drink ; hun-
ger and tliirst. Sensitive is common to men and brutes. Voluntary, the third, or
intellective, which commands the other two in men, and is a curb unto tliem, or at
least should be, but for the most part is captivated and overruled by them; and men
are led like beasts by sense, giving reins to their concupiscence and several lusts.
For by this appetite the soul is led or inclined to follow that good which the senses
shall approve, or avoid that which they hold evil : his object being good or evil, the
one he embraceth, the other he rejecteth ; according to that aphorism. Omnia appe-
tunl bonim, all things seek their own good, or at least seeming good. This power
is inseparable from sense, for where sense is, there are likewise pleasure and pain.
Ilis organ is the same with the common sense, and is divided into two powers, or
inclinations, concupiscible or irascible: or (as "one translates it) coveting, anger
invading, or impugning. Concupiscible covets always pleasant and delightsome
things, and abhors that which is distasteful, harsh, and unpleasant. Irascible, '^quasi
aver sans per iram et 0(^m7?i, as avoiding it with anger and indignation. . All affections
and perturbations arise out of these two fountains, which, although the stoics make
light of, we hold natural, and not to be resisted. The good afii^ctions are caused by
some object of the same nature; and if present, they procure joy, which dilates the
heart, and preserves the body : if absent, they cause hope, love, desire, and concu-
piscence. The bad are simple or mixed : simple for some bad object present, as
sorrow, Avhich contracts the heart, macerates the soul, subverts the good estate of
the body, hindering all the operations of it, causing melancholy, and many times
death itself; or future, as fear. Out of these two arise tliose mixed affections and
passions of anger, which is a desire of revenge; hatred, which is inveterate anger:
zeal, which is offended with him who hurts that he loves ; and iTtixaLpsxaxia, a coir
" Exercit. 280. Tax. W. Jesuite, in bis Passions of the Minde. '" VfVcMtio.
104 Anatomy of the Soul. [Part. 1. Sec. 1,
pound affection of joy and hate, when we rejoice at other men's mischief, and are
grieved at their prosperity; pride, self-love, emulation, envy, shame, &c., of which
elsewhere.
Moving from place to place., is a faculty necessarily following the other. For in
Tain were it otherwise to desire and to abhor, if we had not likewise power to pro-
secute or eschew, by moving the body from place to place : by this faculty therefore
we locally move the bod}', or any part of it, and go from one place to another. To
the better performance of which, three things are requisite : that which moves ; by
what it moves ; that which is moved. That which moves, is either the efficient
cause, or end. The end is the object, which is desired or eschewed ; as in a dog to
catch a hare, Stc. The efficient cause in man is reason, or his subordinate phantasy,
which apprehends good or bad objects : in brutes imagination alone, which moves
the appetite, the appetite this faculty, which by an admirable league of nature, and
by meditation of the spirit, commands the organ by which it moves : and iliat con-
sists of nerves, muscles, cords, dispersed through the whole body, contracted and
relaxed as the spirits will, which move the muscles, or ''* nerves in the midst of them,
and draw the cord, and so per conscquens tlie joint, to the place intended. That
which is moved, is the body or some member apt to move. The motion of the
body is divers, as going, running, leaping, dancing, sitting, and such like, referred to
the predicament o[ situs. Worms creep, birds fly, iishes swhn ; and so of parts, the
chief of which is respiration or breathing, and is thus performed. The outward air
is drawn in by the vocal artery, and sent by mediation of the midrilF tactile lungs,
whicb, dilating themselves as a pair of bellows, reciprocally fetcli it in, and send it
out to the heart to cool it ; and from thence now being hot, convey it again, still
taking in fresh. Such a like motion is that of the pulse, of which, because many
have written whole books, I will say nothing. *
^ SuBSECT. IX. — Oftlie Rational Soul.
I.v the precedent subsections I have anatomized those inferior faculties of the soul;
the rational remaineth, "a pleasant, but a doubtful subject" (as "one terms it), and
with the like brevity to be discussed. Many erroneous opinions are about the
essence and original of it ; whether it be fire, as Zeno hehl ; harmony, as Aristoxe-
nus ; number, as Xenocrates; whether it be organical, or inorganical ; seated in the
brain, heart or blood; mortal or immortal; how it comes into the body. Some
hold that it is ex traduce, as Phil. 1. de minima., TertuUian, Lactantius de opijic. Dei,
cap. 19. Hugo., lib. de Spiritu et Animd, Vincentius Bellavic. spec, natural, lib. 23.
cap. 2. et II. Hippocrates, Avicenna, and many '*late writers; that one man begets
another, body and soul; or as a candle from a candle, to be produced from the
seed : otherwise, say they, a man begets but half a man, and is worse than a beast
that begets both matter and form ; and, besides, the three faculties of the soul must
be together infused, which is most absurd as they hold, because in beasts they are
begot, the two inferior I mean, and may not be well separated in men. "Galen sup-
poseth the soul crasin esse., to be the temperature itself; Trismogistus, Musaeus,
Orpheus, Homer, Pindarus, Phairecides Syrus, Epictetus, with the Chaldees and
Egyptians, affirmed the soul to be immortal, as did those British "Druids of old.
The ™ Pythagoreans defend Metempsychosis ; and Palingenesia, that souls go from
one body to another, epota prius Lethes xtndd, as men into wolves, bears, dogs, hogs,
as they were inclined in their lives, or participated in conditions :
•• "inque ferinas
Possunms ire dooms, pecudumqae in corpora condi."
*' Lucian's cock was first Euphorbus, a captain :
"llle eso (nam memini) Trojani tempore belli,
Pamhojdes Euphorbus eram.
A horse, a man, a sponge. ^^ Julian the Apostate thought Alexander's soul was
descended into his body : Plato in Tmiaeo, and in his Phaedon, (for aught I can per-
"*Nervi i spiritu moventiir, spiritiis ab anima. Me- > sf^quantur, &c. '"Caesar. 6. com. "Read
kinct. ''Velcurio. Jucundum et anceps subjec- I .£neaa Gazeus dial, oftlie immortality of the f*oiil.
turn. "Goclenius in •ir-j/^iK. pag- 302. Bright in '•'Ovid. Met. 15. " We, who may take up our abode in
Phvs. Scrib. 1. 1. David Crusius, Melancthon, Hippius wild beasts, or be lodeed in the breaita of rattle."
Becniug. Lcvinua Lemnius. &...._ r: Lib. an mores 1 "In GaJlo. Idem. '"iNicephoruB, hist lib. 10. c. 3i.
Mem. 2. Subs. 9.] ' Anatomy of the Soul. 105
ceive,) differs not much from this opinion, that it was from God at first, and knew
all, but being inclosed in the body, it forgets, and learns anew, which he rails remi-
niscenfin, or recalling, and that it was put into the body for a punishment; and
thence it goes into a beast's, or man's, as appears by his pleasant fiction de sortitione
animarum., lib. 10. dc rep. and after ^ten thousand years is to return into the fomier
body again,
S4 "post varios annos, per mille figuras,
Rursus ad humans fertur primordia vila;."
Others deny the immortalhy of it, which Pomponatus of Padua decided out of Aris-
totle not long since, Plinias Avunculus., cap. 1. lib. 2, ct lib. 7. cap. 55 ; Seneca, lib. 7.
epist. ad Lucilium, epist. 55; Dicearchus in Tull. Tusc. Ejncurus, Jlratus, Hijipocra-
tes, Galen, Lucretius, lib. 1.
" (PraetereS. gigni pariter cum corpore, et una.
Cresere sentimus, pariterque senescere mentem.)"'*
Averroes, and I know not how many Neoterics. ^"This question of the immor-
tality of the soul, is diversly and wonderfully impugned and disputed, especially
among the Italians of late," saith Jab. Colerus, lib. de immort. animce, cap. 1. The
popes themselves have doubted of it : Leo Decimus, that Epicurean pope, as "some
record of him, caused this question to be discussed pro and con before him, and con-
cluded at last, as a profane and atheistical moderator, with that verse of Cornelius
Gallus, Et redit in nihilum, quod fuit ante nihil. It began of nothing, and in nothing
it ends. Zeno and his Stoics, as ''^Austin quotes him, supposed the soul so long to
continue, till the body was fully putrified, and resolved into materia prima : but after
that, in fumos evanescere, to be extinguished and vanished; and in the meantime,
whilst the body was consuming, it wandered all abroad, et e longinquo nmlta annun-
ciare, and (as that Clazomenian Plermotimus averred) saw pretty visions, and suffered
I know not what. ^^Errant exangues sine corpore et ossibus umbra;. Others grant the
immortality thereof, but they make many fabulous fictions in the meantime of it,
after the departure from the body : like Plato's Elysian fields, and that Turkey para-
dise. The souls of good men they deified; the bad (saith ^"Austin) became devils, as
they supposed; with many such absurd tenets, which he hath confuted. Hierome,
Austin, and other Fathers of the church, hold that the soul is immortal, created of
nothing, and so infused into the child or embryo in his mother's Avomb, six months
after the ®' conception ; not as those of brutes, which are ex traduce, and dying with
them vanish into nothing. To whose divine treatises, and to the Scriptures them-
selves, I rejourn all such atheistical spirits, as Tully did Atticus, doubting of this
point, to Plato's Phajdon. Or if they desire philosophical proofs and demonstra-
tions, I refer them to Niphus, Nic. Faventinus' tracts of this subject. To Fran, and
John Picus in digress : sup. 3. de Anima, Tholosanus, Eugubinus, To. Soto, Canas,
Thomas, Peresius, Dandinus, Colerus, to that elaborate tract in Zanchius, to Tolet's
Sixty Reasons, and Lessius' Twenty-two Arguments, to prove the immortality of the
soul. Campanella, lib. de sensu rerum, is large in the same discourse, Albertinus the
Schoolman, Jacob. Nactantus, tom. 2. op. handleth it in four questions, Antony Bru-
nus, Aonius Palearius, Marinus Marcennus, with many others. This reasonable soul,
which Austin calls a spiritual substance moving itself, is defined by philosophers to
be '' the first substantial act of a natural, humane, organical body, by which a man
lives, perceives, and underscands, freely doing all things, and with election." Out of
which definition we may gather, that this rational soul includes the powers, and per-
forms the duties of the two other, which are contained in it, and all three faculties
make one soul, which is inorganical of itself, although it be in all parts, and incor-
poreal, using their organs, and working by them. It is divided into two chief parts,
differing in office only, not in essence. The understanding, which is the rational
power apprehending ; the will, which is the rational power moving : to which two,
all the other rational powers are subject and reduced.
s^Phsdo. "Clafldian, lib. 1. de rap. Proserp. ] cap. 16. WQvid. 4. Met. "The bloodless shades
'Besides, we observe that the mind is born with
the bod), prows with it, and decays with it." *^'''Ha;c
qu^stio inultos per annos varifi, ac niiraliliter impug-
nata, tc. '' Colerus, ibid. * Ul- eccles. dog.
14
without either body or bones wander." "" Bono-
rum lares, malorum ver6 larvas et lemures. "^ Some
say at three days, some six weeks, others other-
wise.
106 Anatomy of the Soul. [Part. 1. Sec. 1
SuBSECT. X. — Of the Understanding.
'■ UxDERSTANDiNG is a power of the soul, ^by which we perceive, know, remem-
ber, and judge as well singulars, as universals, having certiiiii innate notices or begin-
iiigs of arts, a reflecting action, by which it judgcth of his own doings, and examines
them." Out of this definition (besides his chief ofiice, which is to apprehend, judge
all that he performs, without the help of any instruments or organs) three diflerences
appear betwixt a man and a beast. As first, the sense only comprehends singulari-
ties, the understanding universalities. Secondly, the sense hath no innate notions.
Thirdly, brutes cannot reflect upon themselves. Bees indeed make neat and curious
works, and many other creatures besides ; but when they have done, they cannot
judge of them. His object is God, Ens, all nature, and whatsoever is to be under-
stood: wliicli successively it apprehends. The object first moving the understanding,
is some sensible thing; after by discoursing, the mind finds out the corporeal sub-
stance, and from thence the spiritual. His actions (some say) are apprehension,
composition, division, discoursing, reasoning, memory, which some hiclude in inven-
tion, and judgment. The connnon divisions are of the understanding, agent, and
patient ; speculative, and practical ; in habit, or in act ; simple, or compound. The
agent is that which is called the wit of man, acumen or subtility, sharpness of in-
vention, when he doth invent of himself without a teacher, or learns anew, which
abstracts those intelligible species from the phantasy, and transfers them to the pas-
sive understanding, ^^^ because there is notliing in the understanding, which was not
first in the sense." That which the imagination hath taken from the sense, this
agent judgeth of, whether it be true or false; and being so judged he commits it to
the passible to be kept. The agent is a doctor or teacher, the passive a scliolar;
and his oflice is to keep and further judge of such things as are conmiitted to liis
charge ; as a bare and rased Uible at first, capable of all forms and notions. Now
these notions are two-fold, actions or habits : actions, by wiiich we take notions of,
and perceive things ; habits, whicli are durable lights aiul notions, which we may
use when we will. Some reckon up eight kinds of them, sense, experience, intelli-
gence, faith, suspicion, error, opinion, science ; to which are added art, prudency,
wisdom : as also ^ synteresis, dictamen rationis, conscience ; so that in all there be
fourteen species of the understanding, of which some are innate, as the three last
mentioned ; the "other are gotten by doctrine, learning, and use. Plato will have all
to be innate : Aristotle reckons up but five intellectual habits ; two practical, as pru-
dency, whose end is to practise ; to fabricate ; wisdom to comprehend the use and
experiments of all notions and habits whatsoever. Which division of Aristotle (if it
be considered aright) is all one with the precedent; for three being innate, and five
acquisito, the rest are improper, imperfect, and in a more strict examination excluded.
Of all these I should more amply dilate, but my subject will not permit. Three of
them I will only point at, as more necessary to my following discourse.
Synteresis, or the purer part of the conscience, is an innate habit, and doth signify
" a conversation of the knowledge of the law of God and Nature, to know good or
evil." And (as our divines hold) it is rather in the understanding than in the will.
This makes tlie major proposition in a practical syllogism. The dictamen rationis
is that w hich doth admonish us to do good or evil, and is the minor in the syllogism.
The conscience is that which approves good or evil, justifying or condemning our
actions, and is the conclusion of the syllogism : as in that familiar example of Regu-
lus the Pioman, taken prisoner by the Carthaginians, and suflered to go to Rome, on
that condition he should return again, or pay so much for his ransom. The synte-
resis proposeth the question ; his word, oath, promise, is to be religiously kept,
although to his enemy, and that by the law of nature. ®*Do not that to another
which thou wouldest not have done to thyself" Dictamen applies it to him, and
dictates this or the like : Regulus, thou wouldst not another man should falsify his
oath, or break promise with thee : conscience concludes, therefore, Regulus, thou
'-Melancthon. "^ Nihil in intellectu, quod non I of the conscience. **Quod tibi fieri dob vis, al-
prius fuerat ia sensu. Velcurio. w The pure part | teri ne feceris.
Mem. 2. Subs. 11.]
Anatomy of the Soul.
107
dost well to perform thy promise, and oughtest to keep thine oath. More of this m
Religious Melancholy.
SuBSECT. XL— 0/^/ie Will
Will is the other power of the rational soul, ^'' which covets or avoids such
things as have been before judged and apprehended by the understanding." If good,
it approves ; if evil, it abhors it : so that his object is either good or evil. Aris-
totle calls this our rational appetite ; for as, in the sensitive, we are moved to good
or bad by our appetite, ruled and directed by sense; so in this we are carried by
reason. Besides, the sensitive appetite halli a particular object, good or bad; this
an universal, immaterial : that respects only things delectable and pleasant ; this
honest. Again, they differ in liberty. The sensual appetite seeing an object, if it
be a convenient good, cannot but desire it ; if evil, avoid it : but this is free in his
essence, ^"''much now depraved, obscured, and fallen from his first perfection; yet in
some of his operations still free," as to go, walk, move at his pleasure, and to choose
whether it will do or not do, steal or not steal. Otherwise, in vain were laws, de-
liberations, exhortations, counsels, precepts, rewards, promises, threats and punish-
ments : and God should be the author of sin. But in ^^ spiritual things we will no
.good, prone to evil (except we be regenerate, and led by the Spirit), we are egged on
by our natural concupiscence, and there is ataxia, a confusion in our powers, ^^" our
whole will is averse from God and his law," not in natural things only, as to eat
and drink, lust, to which we are led headlong by our temperature and inordinate
appetite,
'ooi'is'ec nos obniti contra, nee teiidere tantiim
Sufficiiuus, "
we cannot resist, our concupiscence is originally bad, our heart evil, the seat of oui
affections captivates and enforceth our will. So that in voluntary things we are
averse from God and goodness, bad by nature, by ' ignorance worse, by art, discipline,
custom, we get many bad habits : suffering them to domineer and tyrannise over us ;
and the devil is still ready at hand with his evil suggestions, to tempt our depraved
will to some ill-disposed action, to precipitate us to destruction, except our will be
swayed and counterpoised again with some divine precepts, and good motions of the
spirit, which many tunes restrain, hinder and check us, when we are in the full career
of our dissolute courses. So David corrected himself, when he had Saul at a vantage.
Revenge and malice were as two violent oppugners on the one side ; but honesty,
reliffion, fear of God, withheld him on the other.
The actions 9f the will are velle and nolle, to will and nill : which two words
comprehend all, and they are good or bad, accordingly as they are directed, and some
of tliem freely performed by hnnself ; although the stoics absolutely deny it, and
will have all things inevitably done by destiny, imposing a fatal necessity upon us,
which we may not resist ; yet we say that our will is free in respect of us, and things
contingent, howsoever in respect of God's determinate counsel, they are inevitable
and necessary. Some other actions of the will are performed by the mferior powers,
which obey him, as the sensitive and moving appetite ; as to open our eyes, to go
hither and thither, not to touch a book, to speak fair or foul : but this appetite is
many times rebellious in us, and will not be contained within the lists of sobriety
and temperance. It was (as I said) once well agreeing with reason, and there Wcis
an excellent consent and harmony between them, but that is now dissolved, they
often jar, reason is overborne by passion : Fertur equis auriga, nee audit currus
hubenas, as so many wild horses run away with a chariot, and will not be curbed.
We know many times what is good, but will not do it, as she said,
2"Trahit invitum nova vis, aliudque cupido,
Mens aliud suadet, •'
Lust counsels one thing, reason another, there is a new reluctancy in men. ''Odi,
nee possum, ciipiens non esse, quod odi. We cannot resist, but as Phaedra confessed
^ Res ab intellectu monstratas recipit, vel rejicit;
approbat, vel iniprobat, Philip. Ignoti nulla cupido.
'■ Melancthon. Operationes plerumque fera", etsi libera
sit ilia in essentia sua. w In civilibus libera, sed
non in spiritualibus Osiander. ss Tola voluntas
aversa ^ Deo. Omnis bomo mendax. ^i" Vixi
" We are neither able to contend against them, nor
only to make way." i Vel propter ignorantiun\
quod bonis studiis non sit instructa mens ut debuit
aut divinis prsceptis exculta. ^ Med. Ovid
3 Ovid.
108 Definition of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 1.
to her nurse, *qii(2 loqueris., vera sunt, sed furor suggerit sequi pejora : she said well
and true, she did acknowledge it, but headstrong passion and fury made her to do
that whicli was opposite. So David knew the fihhiness of his fact, what a loathsome,
foul, crying sin adultery Avas, yet notwilhstandmg he would commit murder, and take
away another man's wife, enforced against reason, religion, to follow his appetite.
Those natural and vegetal powers are not commanded by will at all ; for " who
can add one cubit to his stature .'" These other may, but are not : and thence come
all those headstrong passions, violent perturbations of the mind ; and many times
vicious habits, customs, feral diseases ; because we give so much way to our appetite,
and follow our inclination, like so many beasts. The principal habits are two ia
number, virtue and vice, whose peculiar definitions, descriptions, differences, and
kinds, are handled at large in the ethics, and are, indeed, the subject of moral phi-
losophy.
MEMB. III.
SuBSECT. I. — Definition of Melancholy, JYame, Difference.
Havi.vg thus briefly anatomized the body and soul of man, as a preparative to
the rest ; I may now freely proceed to treat of my intended object, to most men's
capacity ; and after many ambages, perspicuously define what this melancholy is,
show his name and differences. The name is imposed from the matter, and disease
denominated from the material cause : as Bruel observes, Mt'Ka.vxo'h.a quasi MfXatwi;i;"^»;,
from black choler. And whether it be a cause or an effect, a disease or symptom,
let Donatus Altomarus and Salvianus decitle ; I will not contend about it. It hath
several descriptions, notations, and definitions. ^Fracastorius, in his second book
of intellect, calls those melancholy, '' wlnmi abundance of that same depraved humour
of black choler hath so misatfected, that they become mad thence, and dote in most
things, or in all, belonging to election, will, or other manifest operations of the un-
derstanding." 'Melanelius out of Galen, Ruffus, jEtius, describe it to be '^ a bad
and peevish disease, which makes men degenerate into beasts :" Galen, " a privation
or iiifection of the middle cell of the head, &.c." defining it from the part afiected,
which "Hercules de Saxonid approves, lib. 1. cap. 16. calling it ''a depravation of the
principal function:" Fuschius, lib. 1. cap. 23. Arnoldus Breviar. lib. I. cap. 18.
Guianerius, and others : '^ By reason of black choler," Paulus adds. Halyabbas
simply calls it a " commotion of the mind." Aretajus, ^'' a perpetual anguish of tln^
soul, fastened on one thing, without an ague ; which definition of his, Mercurialis
de affect, cap. lib. 1. cap. 10. taxeth : but ALlianus Montaltus defends, lib. de morb.
cap. 1. de Melon, for sufficient and good. The common sort define it to be ''a kind
of dotage without a fever, having for his ordinary companions, fear and sadness,
without any apparent occasion. So doth Laurentius, cap. 4. Piso. lib. 1. cap. 43.
Donatus Altomarus, cap. 7. art. medic. Jacchinus, in com. in lib. 9. Rhasis ad A\-
mansor, cap. 15. Valesius, exerc. 17. Fuschius, institut. 3. sec. 1. c. 11. &i.c. which
common definition, howsoever approved by most, * Hercules de Saxonid will not
allow of, nor David Crucius, Theat. morb. Herm. lib. 2. cap. G. he holds it insuffi-
cient : as '"rather showing what it is not, than what it is :" as omitting the specific
difference, the phantasy and brain : but I descend to particulars. The sum.mu7n gciiiis
is " dotage, or anguish of the mind," saith Areta?us ; *"• of the principal parts," Her-
cules de Saxonia adds, to distinguish it from cramp and palsy, and such diseases as
belong to the outward sense and motions [depraved] " to distinguish it from folly
and madness (which Montaltus makes angor animi, to separate) in which those
functions are not depraved, but rather abolished ; [without an ague] is added by all,
to sever it from phrensy, and that melancholy which is in a pestilent fever. (Fear
* Seneca. Hipp. ^ MelanchoUcos voeamug, quos animi in una contentione defixus, absque febre.
eTuperantia vel pravitas Melancholia ita male habet, I » Cap. 16. 1. 1. '» Eorum detinitio morhuri quid noo
ut iiide insaniant vel in omnibus, vel in pluribus iisque I sit potiiis quam quid sit, explicit. " .\niiiis fiinc-
manifestis sive ad rectam ralianem, voluntat6 perti- 1 tiones imminuuntur in fatuitate, tolluntur in mama,
nent, vel elcctionem, vel intpllfetns operationes. I depravanlur solum in melancholia. Ilerc. de Sai
• Pessimum et pertinacissim':n- rm -'um qui homines cap. 1. tract, de Mel*iwp>.
inbrutadegeneraiecogit. 'rainii.Med. ^ Angor
Mem. 3. Subs. 2.] Of the Parts affected, S^c. 109
and sorrow) make it' differ from madness : [without a cause] is lastly inserted, to
specify it from all other ordinary passions of [fear and sorrow.] We properly call
that dotage, as '^Laurentius interprets it, "when some one principal faculty of the
mind, as imagination, or reason, is corrupted, as all melancholy persons have." It
is without a fever, because the humour is most part cold and dry, contrary to putre-
faction. Fear and sorrow are the true characters and inseparable companions of most
melancholy, not all, as Her. de Saxonia, Tract, de posthumo de MehmcJioUa, cap. 2.
well excepts ; for to some it is most pleasant, as to such as laugh most part ; some
are bold again, and free from all manner of fear and grief, as hereafter shall be
declared.
SuBSECT. II.— 0/ the part affected. Affection. Parlies affected.
Some difference I find amongst writers, about the principal part affected in this
disease, whether it be the brain, or heart, or some other member. Most are of
opinion that it is the brain : for being a kind of dotage, it cannot otherwise be but
tliat the brain must be affected, as a similar part, be it by '=' consent or essence, not
in his ventricles, or any obstructions in them, for then it would be an apoplexy, or
epilepsy, as '^ Laurentius well observes, but in a cold, diy distemperature of it in his
substance, which is con-upt and become too cold, or too dry, or else too hot, as in
madmen, and such as are inclined to it: and this '^ Hippocrates confirms, Galen, the
Arabians, and most of our new writers. Marcus de Oddis (in a consultation of his,
quoted by '<^Hildesheim) and five others there cited are of the contrary part; be-
cause fear and sorrow, which are passions, be seated in the heart. But this objec-
tion is sufficiently answered by "Montaltus, who doth not deny that the heart is
affected (as '"Melanelius proves out of Galen) by reason of his vicinity, and so is
the midriff' and many other parts. They do compati., and have a fellow feeling by
the law of nature : but forasmuch as this malady is caused by precedent imagination,
with the appetite, to whom spirits obey, and are subject to those principal parts, the
brain must needs primarily be misaffected, as the seat of reason; and then the heart,
as the seat of affection. '^ Cappivaccius and Mercurialis have copiously discussed
this question, and both conclude the subject is the inner brain, and from thence it is
communicated to the heart and other inferior parts, which sympathize and are much
troubled, especially when it comes by consent, and is caused by reason of the
stomach, or myrach, as the Arabians term it, whole body, liver, or ^° spleen, which
are seldom free, pylorus, meseraic veins, &c. For our body is like a clock, if one
wlieel be amiss, all the rest are disordered ; the whole fabric suffers : with such ad-
mirable art and harmony is a man composed, such excellent proportion, as Ludo-
vicus Vives in his Fable of Man hath elegantly declared.
As many doubts almost arise about the 2' affection, whether it be imagination or
reason alone, or both, Hercules de Saxonia proves it out of Galen, ^tius, and
Altomarus, that the sole fault is in ^^ imagination. Bruel is of the same mind : Mon-
taltus in his 2 cap. of Melancholy confutes this tenet of theirs, and illustrates the
contrary by many examples : as of him that thought himself a shell-fish, of a nun,
and of a desperate monk that would not be persuaded but that he was damned ;
reason was in fault as well as imagination, which did not correct this error : they
make away themselves oftentimes, and suppose many absurd and ridiculous things.
Why doth not reason detect the ihllacy, settle and persuade, if she be free ? ^Avi-
cenna therefore holds both corrupt, to w^hom most Arabians subscribe. The same
is maintained by ^^Areteus, ^^Gorgonius, Guianerius, &C. To end tlie controversy, no
man doubts of imagination, but that it is hurt and misaffected here ; for the other I
determine with ^ Albertinus Bottonus, a doctor of Padua, that it is first in " imagi-
I'^Cap. 4. de niel. "Per consensum sivc per ! 20 Rarb qoisquam tumorem effugit lienis. qm hoc
e^•9entia^^. >*Ca^. t. de mel. '^Sec. 7. de i morbo afficilur, Piso. Quis affectus. -' ."^eo Uonat.
nior. vulsar. lib. 6. "oSpirel. de melancholia. 1 ab Altoinar. -.Facultas imaginandi. non cogiianai,
1" Cap. 3. do mel. Pars affoc a cerebrum sive per con- nee memorandi l<r.sa hic. ' J,t"\,i (ran
iensum. sive per cerenrum contingat, et proceriim 4. cap. 8. ^^ I,ib. 3. cap. 5. l-"?- ™"-'"„i^j,"
aacioritate et ratione stabilitur. '" Lib. de mel. 19. part. 2. Tract. 15. cap. 2. =« Hildeshei ... spiceU
Gor vero vicinitatis ratione uni afficitur, acceptum 2 de Melanc. fol. 207, et fol. 127. Quandoque etiam
transversum ac slomachus cum dorsali spina, &:c. | rationalis si affectus inveteratus eii.
"*Lib. 1. cap. 10. Subjectum est cerebrum interius
' 10 Matter of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 1.
nation, and afterwards in reason ; if the disease be inveterate, or as it is more or
less of continuance ;" but by accident, as ^'' Here, de Saxonia adds ; " faith, opinion,
discourse, ratiocination, are all accidentally depraved by the default of imagination."
Parlies affected.] To the part affected, I may here add the parties, which shall be
more opportunely spoken of elsewhere, now only signified. Such as have the
moon, Saturn, Mercury misaffected in their genitures, such as live in over cold or
over hot climes : such as are born of melancholy parents ; as olltind in those six
non-natural things, are black, or of a high sanguine complexion, ^'^ that have little
heads, that have a hot heart, moist brain, hot liver and cold stomach, have been long
sick : such as are solitary by nature, great students, given to much contemplation,
lead a life out of action, are most subject to melancholy. Of sexes both, but men
more often ; yet ^ women misaffected are far more violent, and grievously troubled.
Of seasons of the year, the autumn is most melancholy. Of peculiar times : old
age, from which natural melancholy is almost an inseparable accident ; but this arti-
ficial malady is more frequent in such as are of a ^ middle age. Some assign 40
years, Gariopontus 30. Jubertus excepts neither young nor old from this adventi-
tious. Daniel Sennertus involves all of all sorts, out of common experience, ^' in
omnilus omnino corporibus cujuscunqite constitutionis dominatar. ^Ctius and Aretius*'^
ascribe into the number " not only '^ discontented, passionate, and miserable persons,
swarthy, black ; but such as are most merry and pleasant, scoffers, and high colour-
ed." " Generally," saith Rhasis, " " the finest wits and most generous spirits, are
before other obnoxious to it ;" I cannot except any complexion, any condition, sex,
or age, but " fools and stoics, which, according to ** Syncsius, are never troubled
with any manner of passion, but as Anacreon's cicada., sine sanguine et dolore ;
similes fere diis sunt. Erasmus vindicates fools from this melancholy catalogue,
because they have most part moist brains and light hearts ; " they are free from am-
bition, envy, shame and fear ; they are neither troubled in conscience, nor macerated
with cares, to which our whole life is most subject.
SuBSECT. HI. — Of the Matter of Melancholy.
Of the matter of melancholy, there is much question betwixt Avicen and Galen
as you may read in ** Cardan's Contradictions, ^^ V'alcsius' Controversies, Montanus,
Prosper Calenus, Capivaccius, ^''Briglit, *' Ficinus, that have written either whole
tracts, or copiously of it, in their several treatises of this subject. "^"VVhat this
humour is, or whence it proceeds, how it is engendered in the body, neither Galen,
nor any old writer hath sufficiently discussed," as Jacchinus thinks : the Neoterics
cannot agree. Montanus, in his Consultations, holds melancholy to be material or
immaterial : and so doth Arculanus : the material is one of the four humours before
mentioned, and natural. The immaterial or adventitous, acquisite, redundant, unna-
tural, artificial; which ■" Hercules de Saxonia will have reside in the spirits alone,
and to proceed from a " hot, cold, dry, moist distemperature, which, without matter,
alter the brain and functions of it." Paracelsus wholly rejects and derides this divi-
sion of four humours and complexions, but our Galenists generally approve of it.
subscribing to this opinion of Montanus.
This material melancholy is either simple or mixed ; offending in quantity or
quality, varying according to his place, where it seilleth, as brain, spleen, meseraic
veins, heart, womb, and stomach ; or differing according to the mixture of those
natural humours amongst themselves, or four unnatural adust humours, u ..hey are
diversely tempered and mingled. If natural melancholy abound in the body, which
« Lib. posthumo deMelanc. edit. 16-20. Deprivatur laud, calvit. »^ Vacant conscientiee cariiinrina,
fides, disciiraus, opinio, &c. per vitium Imaginationes, nee pudefiunt. nee verentiir, nee dilaeerantur inillil;iia
ex Accident!. ■^■' Qui parvum caput liabent, in- curaruin, quilius tola vita obnoxia e.'<t. ^^ Lib. 1.
sensati plerique sunt. Arist. in physio^nomia. tract. 3. contradic. 18. s'Lib. 1. cont. 21. «' Rriaht,
*< Areteus, lib. 3. cap. 5. =» Qui propfe statuui sunt. ca. 16. <' Lib. 1. cap. 6. de sinit. tuenda. "Quisve
Aret. Mediis convenit aeUtibus, Piso. 3i De aut qualis sit humor aul quie istiusdiffereniiiE, et quo-
quartano. «Lib. 1. pirt. 2. cap. 11. saprjn^yg niodo gignantur in corpore, scrutanduni, li^c enim re
ad iM.lancholiani non tain mfflstus sed et hilares, multi veteruni laboraverunt, nee ficile accipere et
jocnsi. cactiinnantes, irrisores, et, qui plerumque ; Galeno sententiam ob loquendi varietatem. Leon
praerubri sunt. ^(.iwi sunt subtilis infenii. et Jacch. com. in 9. Rhasis, cap. 15. cap. 10. in 9. Rhasis.
tnulti perspicacitatis de facili incidunt in Melancho. *^h\b. poatutn. de Melan. edit. Vem-tiis, lfi20. cap 7
liam, lib. 1. cont. tract. 9. ^' Nuinjuain aanitute et 8. Ab inteinperie calida, bumida, &c.
mentis escidit aul dulore capitur. Kragra. >'Ini
Mem. 3. Subs. 4.] Speeiea of Melancholy. 1 1 1
is cold and dry, " so that it be more ** than the body is well able to bear, it must
needs be distempered," saith Faventius, " and diseased ;" and so the other, if it be
depraved, whether it arise from that other melancholy of choler adust, or from
blood, produceth the like effects, and is, as Montaltus contends, if it come by adus-
tion of humours, most part hot and dry. Some difference I find, whether this me-
lancholy matter may be engendered of all four humours, about the colour and
temper of it. Galen holds it may be engendered of three alone, excluding phlegm,
or pituita, whose true assertion *^ Valesius and Menardus stiffly maintain, and so doth
^Fuschius, Montaltus, '•''Montanus. How (say they) can white become black?
But Hercules de SaxoniS, Ub. post, de mela. c. 8, and ""^ Cardan are of the opposite
part (it may be engendered of phlegm, etsi rarb contingaf, though it seldom come to
pass), so is ■'^Guianerius and Laurentius, c. 1. with Melanct. in his book de Anima, and
Chap, of Humours ; he calls it Asininam, dull, swinish melancholy, and saith that
he was an eye-witness of it: so is ^Wecker. From melancholy adust ariseth one
kind ; from choler another, which is most brutish ; another from phlegm, which is
dull ; and the last from blood, which is best. Of these some are cold and dry,
others hot and dry, ^'varying according to their mixtures, as thay are intended, and
remitted. And indeed as Rodericus a Fons. cons. 12. 1. determines, ichors, and
those serous matters being thickened become phlegm, and phlegm degenerates into
choler, choler adust becomes cBruginosa melancholia., as vinegar out of purest wine
putrified or by exhalation of purer spirits is so made, and becomes sour and sharp ;
and from the sharpness of this humour proceeds much waking, troublesome thoughts
and dreams, &.c. so that I conclude as before. If the humour be cold, it is, saith
^^Faventinus, " a cause of dotage, and produceth milder symptoms : if hot, they are
rash, raving mad, or inclining to it." If the brain be hot, the animal spirits are 'hot;
much madness follows, with violent actions : if cold, fatuity and sottisliness, *'Capi-
vaccius. ""The colour of this mixture varies likewise according to the mixture,
be it hot or cold; 'tis sometimes black, sometimes not, Altomarus. The same
^^Melanelius proves out of Galen; and Hippocrates in his Book of Melancholy (if
at least it be his), giving instance in a burning coal, " which when it is hot, shines ;
when it is cold, looks black ; and so doth the humour." This diversity of melan-
choly matter produceth diversity of effects. If it be within tht **'body, and not
putrified, it causeth black jaundice ; if putrified, a quartan ague ; if it break out to
the skin, leprosy ; if to parts. Several maladies, as scurvy, &c. If it trouble the
mind ; as it is diversly mixed, it produceth several kinds of madness and dotage •
of which in their place.
SuBSECT. IV. — Of the species or kinds of Melancholy.
When the matter is divers and confiised, how should- it otherwise be, but tliat tlie
species sliould be divers and confused ? Many new and old writers have spoken con-
fusedly of it, confounding melancholy and madness, as ^"Heurnius,Guianerius, Gor-
donius, Salustius, Salvianus, Jason Pratensis, Savanarola, that Avill have madness no
other than melancholy in extent, differing (as I have said) in degrees. Some make two
distinct species, as Ruffus Ephesius, an old writer, Constantinus Africanus, Areteeus,
*®Aurelianus, ^^Paulus iEgineta : others acknowledge a multitude of kinds, and leave
them indefinite, as ^tiiis in his Tetrabiblos, "^^Avicenna, Zi/^. 3. Fen. 1. Trad. 4. cap.
18. Arculanus, cflp. IG. m 9. Rasis. Montanus, me d. part. I. ^'" If natural me-
lancholy be adust, it makelh one kind ; if blood, another; if choler, a third, differ-
ing from the first ; and so many several opinions there are about the kinds, as there
■"Secundum magis aut minus si in corpore fuerit, 1 pr.-pter modiim calefactus, et alias refriseratus evarfit :
ad intemperiem plusquam corpus saluliriter ferre
poterit: inde corpus morbosum effitur. •'^Lib. 1.
controvers. cap. 21. i^Llb. 1. sect. 4. cap. 4.
4'Concil. 26. •" Lib. 2. contradic. cap. 11. "De
feb. tract, ditf. 2. cap. 1. Non est negaiidum exhac fieri
Melaneholicos. '"In Syntax. si Varie aduritur,
et mi^cetur, unde varia- amentium species. Melanct.
M Humor fripidus delirii causa, furoris ralidus, &c.
^Lib. 1. cap. 10. de affect, cap. '^ Nigrescit hie
humor, aliquando supercalefactus, alicjando super
fngefactus, ca. 7. <* Humor hie niger aliquando
nam recenlihiis carbonibus ei quid simile accidil, qui
durante flanima pellucidissime candent, e4 e.xtinrta
prorsus nigrescunt. Hippocrates «=Guianeriiis,
diff. 2. cap. 7. 57 j\on est mania, nisi exten.sa me-
lancholia. ^ Cap. 6. lib. 1. '"2 Ser. 2. cap
9. Morbus hie est omnifarius. f Species indefinite
sunt. 61 gj aduratur naturalis melancholia, alic
fit species, si sanguis, alia, si flavihilis alia, diversa i
primis : maxima est inter has difTerentia, et tot Doc-
torum sentenlis, quot ipsi nuinero sunt.
112
Species of Melancholy-
[Part. 1. Sec, 1.
be men tliemselves." ^^ Hercules de Saxonia sets down two kinds, "material and
immaterial ; one from spirits alone, the other from humours and spirits." Savana-
rola. Rub. 11. Tract. 6. cap. 1. le cegrilud. capitis, will have the kinds to be infi-
nite , one from the myracn, called myrachialis of the Arabians ; another stomachalis,
irom the stomach ; another from the liver, heart, womb, hemrods, ^" one beginning,
another consummate." Melancthon seconds him, *^"as the humour is diversly
adust and mixed, so are the species divers ;" but what these men speak of species I
think ought to be understood of symptoms, and so dotli ^^Arculanus interpret him-
self: infinite species, id est, symptoms ; and in that sense, as Jo. Gorrheus acknow-
ledgeth in his medicinal definitions, tlie species are infinite, but they may be reduced
to three kinds by reason of their seat; head, body, and hypochrondries. This
threefold division is approved by Hippocrates in his Book of Melancholy, (if it be
his, which some suspect) by Galen, lib. 3. de loc. affectis, cap. 6. by Alexander, lib.
1. cap. 16. Rasis, ///;. 1. Continent. Tract. 9. lib. 1. cap. 16. Avicenna and most of
our new writers. Th. Erastus makes two kinds ; one perpetual, which is head me-
lancholy ; the other interrupt, which comes and goes by lits, which he subdivides
into the other two "kinds, so that all comes to the same pass. Some again make
four or five kinds, with Rodericus a Castro, de morbis mulier. lib. 2. cap. 3. and
Lod. Mercatus, who in his second book de mulier. affect, cap. 4. will have that me-
lancholy of nuns, widows, and more ancient maids, to be a pecidiar species of
melancholy diflfering from the rest : some will reduce enthusiasts, cxtatical and de-
moniacal persons to this rank, adding ^love melancholy to the first, and lycanthro-
pia. The most received division is into three kinds. The first proceeds from the
sole fault of the brain, and is called head melancholy ; the second sympathetically
proceeds from the whole body, when the whole temperature is melancholy : the
tliird ariselh from the bowels, liver, spleen, or membrane, called mcseuterium, named
livjiochondriacal or windy melancholy, which '' Laurentius subdivides into three
parts, from those three members, hepatic, splenetic, mescraic. Love melancholy,
which Avicenna calls llisha : and Lycanthropia, which he calls cucubuthe, are com-
moidy included in head melancholy ; but of this last, which Gcrardus de Solo calls
amoreusi, and most knight melancholy, with that of religious melancholy, virginum
et viduarum, maintained by Rod. a Castro and Mercatus, and the other kinds of love
melancholy, I will speak of apart by themplves in my third partition. The three
precedent species are the subject of my present discourse, which I will anatomize
and treat of through all their causes, symptoms, cures, together and apart ; that
every man that is in any measure afl"ected with this malady, may know how to ex-
amine it in himself, and apply remedies unto it.
It is a hard matter, I confess, to distinguish these three species one from the other,
to express their several causes, symptoms, cures, being that they are so often con-
lou!ided amongst themselves, having such afhnity, that they can scarce be discerned
by the most accurate physicians ; and so often intermixed with other diseases, that
the best experienced have been plunged. Montanus consil. 26, names a patient that
had this disease of melancholy and caninus appetitus both together ; and consil. 23,
with vertigo, *' Julius Cssar Claudinus with stone, gout, jaundice. Trincavellius
with an ague, jaundice, caninus appetitus, Stc. "Paulus Regcjline, a great doctor in
his time, consulted in this case, was so confounded with a confusion of symptoms,
that he knew not to what kind of melancholy to refer it. '"Trincavellius, Fallopius,
and FrancauTianus, famous doctors in Italy, all three conferred with about one party,
at the same time, gave three diflerent opinions. And in another place, Trincavellius
being demanded what he thought of a melancholy young man to whom he was
sent for, ingenuously confessed that he was indeed melancholy, but he knew not
to what kind to reduce it. In his seventeenth consultation there is the like dis-
agreement about a melancholy monk. Those symptoms, which others ascribe to
misaffected parts and humours, '' Here, de Saxonia attributes wholly to distempered
spirits, and tL^se immaterial, as I have said. Sometimes they cannot well discern
«- Tract, de mel. cap. 7. "Quedam incipicns
quedam consummata. ^Cap. de humor, lib.de
aniina. Vari6 adiirilur et miscetur ipsa melancholia,
Jnde varrtE amentium species. «* Cap. 16. ia 9.
Rasis. "Laurentius, cap. 4. de mel. "^ Cap. 13.
1^480. et 116. consult, consil. 12. "Mildeshelm.
spicil. 2. fol. 166. '"Trincavellius, torn. 2. consU.
15 et 16. ^'CftP^ 13. tract, posth.de melao.
Mem. 3. Subs. 4.]
Causes of Melancholy.
113
ihis disease from others. In Reinerus Solinander's counsels, {Sect, consil. 5,) he
and Dr. Brande both agreed, that the patient's disease was hypocondriacal melancholy.
Dr. aiathoklus said it was asthma, and nothing else. '^Solinander and Guarionius,
lately sent for to the melancholy Duke of Cleve, Avith others, could not define what
species it was, or agree amongst themselves. The species are so confounded, as in
Caesar Claudinus his forty-fourth consultation for a Polonian Count, in his judgment
^^"he laboured of head melancholy, and that which proceeds from the whole tem-
perature botli at once." I could give instance of some that have had all three kinds
semel etmnul, and some successively. So that I conclude of our melancholy spe-
cies, as "many politicians do of their pure forms of commonwealths, monarchies,
aristocracies, democracies, are most famous in contemplation, but in practice they
are temperate and usually mixed, (so ^^Polybius informeth us) as the Lacedemonian,
the Roman of old, German now, and many others. What physicians say of distinct
species in their books it much matters not, since that in their patients' bodies they
are commonly mixed. In such obscurity, therefore, variety and confused mixture
of symptoms, causes, how difficult a thing is it to treat of several kinds apart; to
make any certainty or distinction among so many casualties, distractions, when
seldom two men shall be like effected per omnia f 'Tis hard, I confess, yet never-
theless I M'ill adventure through the midst of these perplexities, and, led by the clue
or thread of the best writers, extricate myself out of a labyrinth of doubts and
errors, and so proceed to the causes.
SECT. II. MEMB. I.
SuBSECT. I. — Causes of Melancholy. God a cause.
" It is in vain to speak of cures, or think of remedies, mitil such time as we have
considered of the causes," so '^ Galen prescribes Glauco : and the common expe-
rience of others confirms that those cures must be imperfect, lame, and to no pur-
pose, wherein the causes have not first been searched, as "Prosper Calenius well
observes in his tract de atrc'i Me to Cardinal Csesius. Insomuch that "^'Fernelius
puts a kind of necessity in the knowledge of the causes, and witliout which it is
impossible to cure or prevent any manner of disease." Empirics may ease, and
sometimes help, but not thoroughly root out ; suhlatd causa toUitur effexlus, as the
saying is, if the cause be removed, the effect is likewise vanquished. It is a most
difficult thing (I confess) to be able to discern these causes whence they are, and m
such '^'ariety to say what the beginning was. ^°He is happy that can perform it
aright. I will adventure to guess as near as I can, and rip them all up, from the
first to the last, general and particular, to every species, that so they mav the better
be described. '
General causes, are either supernatural, or natural. " Supernatural are from God
and his angels, or by God's permission from the devil" and liis ministers. That God
hmiself is a cause for the punishment of sin, and satisfaction of his justice, many
examples and testimonies of holy Scriptures make evident unto us, Ps. cvii. 17.
"■ Foolish men are plagued for their offence, and by reason of their wickedness."
Gehazi was strucken with leprosy, 2 Reg. v. 27. Jehoram with dysentery and flux,
and great diseases of the bowels, 2 Chron. xxi. 15. David plagued for numbering
his people, 1 Par. 21. Sodom and Gomorrah swallowed up. And this disease is
peculiarly specified, Psalm cxxvii. 12. "He brought down their heart through
heavmess." Deut. xxviii. 28. " He struck them with madness, blmdness, and as-
tonishment of heart." ^'" An evil spirit was sent by the Lord upon Saul, to vex
"■- Guarion. cons. med. 2. "3 Laboravit per e?sen-
tiam et a toto corpore. '* Machiavel, &c. Smithus
de rep. Angl. cap. 8:Ub. 1. Buscoldus, discur. polit.
ducurs. 5. cap. 7. Arist. 1. 3. polit. cap. ult. Keckerm.
i'"; *-c. '=Lib. 6. " Priiiio artis curiliva.
" Nostri primum sit propositi affectionum c»usas in-
dagare; res ipsa hortari videtur. nam alioqui earuni
curatio, tnanca et inutilis .-^^.-t '"TatK lib. 1
15
cap. 11. Rerum cognoscere causaa, medicis imprimis
necessarium, sine qua nee morbum curare, nee pr»-
cavere licet. '"Tanta enim morbi varietas ac
differentia ut non facile dignoscatur, unde initium
morbus sumpserit. Melanelius 6 Galeno. foFoilix.
qui potuit rerum cognoscere caiteag. ^'1 Saiu.-
xvi. 14.
1 14 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1, Sec. 2.
him." ^Nebuchadnezzar did eat grass like an ox, and liis "heart was made like
ihe beasts of the tield.'- Heathen stories are full of such punishments. Lycurgus,
because he cut down the vines in the country, was by Bacchus driven into madness :
so was Pentheus and his mother Agave for neglecting tlieir sacrifice. "Censor Fi.l-
vius ran mad for untiling Juno's temple, to cover a new one of his own, which he
had dedicated to Fortune, ^''and was confounded to death with grief and sorrow of
heart." When Xerxes woidd have spoUed ''ApoHo's teuiple at Del])lK)s of those
infinite riclies it possessed, a terrible tluuuler came from heaven and struck four
thousand men dead, the rest ran mad. ^^A little after, the like liappened to Brennus,
lightning, thunder, earthquakes, upon such a sacrikgious occasion. If we may be-
lieve our pontifical writers, they will relate unto us many strange and prodigious
punislmients in this kind, indicted by their saints. How ^'Clodoveus, sometime
king of France, the son of Dagobert, lost his wits for uncovering the body of St,
Denis : and how a ■** sacrilegious Frenchman, tliat would have stolen a silver image
of St. John, at Birgburge, became frantic on a sudden, raging, and tyrannising over his
own flesh : of a ^''Lord of Rhadnor, that coming from hunting late at night, put his
dogs into St. Avau's church, (Llan Avan they callctl it) and rising betimes next
morning, as hunters use to do, found all his dog.s mad, himself being suddenly
stricken blind. Of Tyridates an ^Armenia»n king, for violating some lioly nuns,
that was punished in like sort, with loss of his wits. But poets and papists nuiy go
together for fabulous tales; let them free their own credits: howsoever they feign
of their Nemesis, and of their saints, or by the devi^^s means may be deluded ; we
find it true, that ultor a tergo Deus, ""He is God the avenger," as David styles
liim ; and that it is our crying sins that pull this and many other maladies on our
own heads. That he can by his angels, which are his ministers, strike and heal
(saith ^-Dionysius) whom he will; that he can plague us by his creatures, sun,
moon, and stars, which he uselh as his instruments, as a husbandman (sailh Zan-
chius) doth a hatchet : hail, snow, winds, &.c. **'' El conjurali veniunl in classira
venti ;" as in Joshua's time, as in Pharaoh's reign in Egypt ; they are but as so
many executioners of his justice. He can make the proudest spirits stoop, and cry
out with Julian the Apostate, Vicisti Galiltre : or with Apollo's priest in '"Chrysos-
tom, O cceliim! 6 hrra! unde hoslis hicf What an enemy is this .^ And pray with
JDavid, acknowledging his power, " 1 am weakened and sore broken, I roar for the
;grief of mine heart, mine heart panteth, Stc." Psalm xxxviii. 8. '•• O Lord, rebuke
me not in thine anger, neither chastise me in thy wrath," Psalm xxxviii. 1. '"• Make
me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoice,"
Psalm li. 8. and verse 12. ^^ Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, ami stablish
me with thy free spirit." For these causes belike ''Hippocrates would have a phy-
sician take special notice whether the disease come not from a divine supernatural
cau.se, or whether it follow the course of nature. But this is farther discussed by
Fran. Valesiu!?, de sacr. philos. cap. 8. '^Fernelius, and '^J. Ca?sar Claudinus, to
whom I refer you, how tliis place of Hippocrates is to be understood. Paracelsus
is of opinion, that such spiritual diseases (for so he calls them") are spiritually to be
cured, and not otherwise. Ordinary means in such cases will not avail : j^on est
reluclandum cum Deo [we must not struggle with God.) When that monster-taming
Hercules overcame all in the Olympics, Jupiter at last in an unknown shape wrestled
with him ; the victory was uncertain, till at length Jupiter descried himself, and Her-
cides yielded. No striving with supreme powers. .V/7 jtivat immensos Cra/ero
promiltere monies, physicians and physic can do no good, *''•* we must submit our-
selves unto the mighty hand of God, acknowledge our oflTences, call to him for
mercy. If he strike us una eademque manus vnlmis opemque feret, as it is with
them that are wounded with the spear of Achilles, he alone must help ; otherwise
our diseases are incurable, and we not to be relieved.
*2Dan. V. 21. "-s Lactam, instil, lib. 2 rap. 8. versat, nee mora sarriletius mentis inops, atqne in
^ Menle capius. et sumiiio aninii mcerore consnniptus. semet insaniens in pro[irio3 arms dcn^jvit. "* Gi-
•^ Mu.isler cosmos, lil). 4. c-ap. 43. Ue ccelo sul)sti;riie- raidus Cambrensis, lib I. c. 1. Itinerar. Cambrle.
bantur, tanquam iii:-ani de saxis pra-cipitati, gee. ■" Delrio, torn. 3. lib. 6. sect. 3. qiifest. 3. »■ Psal
•"Liviiis lib 36. "• Gaffuin. I. 3. c. 4. Quod Diotiy?ii xlvi. I. »^ Lib. 8. cap. de Ilierar. »> ciaudiat).
corpus dis<o<iperiier:^ ui iii:^aiiam iiicidlt. ^''liKiii >" De BabilA Martyre. i*^ Lib. cap. 5. prog. "Lib
lib. y. sub. Car..i.,o.~»:trroriim c.iiii. ij,;,t,,r, lempli ton- 1 .!)• Abiliiisicuifl^^sis. " Respons. raed. 13
bug eMractis, duui D. Jotaannis ar^t-iii'.uin dimulacrum r> -p
rapere conteBdi^^iM|MM^verda I'acie dorsiuu ei
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.1
JValure of Devils.
115
Sub SECT. II. — A Digression of the nature of Spirits, bad Angels, or Devils, and
how they cause Melancholy.
How far the power of spirits and devils doth extend, and whether they can cause
this, or any other disease, is a serious question, and worthy to be considered : for the
better understanding of which, I will make a brief digression of the nature of spirits.
And although the question be very obscure, according to '-''^Postellus, "full of contro-
versy and ambiguity," beyond the reach of human capacity, y«/cor excedere vires
inlentionis mece, sailh '^'Austin, I confess I am not able to understand i\.,fmilum de
infinito non potest slatuere, we can sooner determine with Tully, de nat. deorwiu quid
non sint, quam quid sint, our subtle sclioolmen. Cardans, Scaligers, profounil Thom-
ists, Fracastoriana and Ferneliana acies, are weak, dry, obscure, defective in these
mysteries, and all our quickest wits, as an owPs eyes at the sun's light, wax dull,
and are not sufficient to apprehend them ; yet, as in the rest, I will adventure to say
something to this point. In former times, as we read. Acts xxiii., the Satkhicees de-
nied that there were any such spirits, devils, or angels. So did Galen the physician,
the Peripatetics, even Aristotle himself, as Pomponatius stoutly maintains, anil Scali-
ger in some sort grants. Though Dandinus the Jesuit, com. in lib. 2. de anima,
stiffly denies it; substantim separatee and intelligences, are the same which Chris-
tians call angels, and Platonists devils, for they name all the spirits, dcemnnes, be
they good or bad angels, as Julius Pollux Onomasticon, lib. 1. cap. I. observes. Epi-
cures and atheists are of the same mind in general, because they never saw them.
Plato, Plotinus, Porphyrins, Jamblichus, Proclus, insisting in the steps of Trisme-
gistus, Pythagoras and Socrates, make no doubt of it : nor Stoics, bivt that there are
such spirits, though much erring from the truth. Concerning the first beginning of
them, the ' Talmudists say that Adam had a wife called Lilis, before he married Eve,
and of her he begat nothing but devils. The Turks' "Alcoran is altogether as absurd
and ridiculous in this point : but the Scripture informs us Christians, how Lucifer,
the chief of them, with his associates, 'fell from heaven for his pride and ambition;
created of God, placed in heaven, and sometimes an angel of light, now cast down
into the lower aerial sublunary parts, or into hell, "• and delivered into chains of
darkness (2 Pet. ii. 4.) to be kept unto damnation."
JYafure of Devils.] There is a foolish opinion which some hold, that they are
the souls of men departed, good and more noble were deified, the baser grovelled on
the ground, or in the lower parts, and were devils, the which with TerluUian, Por-
phyrins the philosopher, M. Tyrius, ser. 27 maintains. "• These spirits," he ^saith,
"which we call angels and devils, are nought but souls of men departed, which
either through love and pity of their friends yet living, help and assist them, or else
persecute their enemies, whom they hated," as Dido threatened to persecute iEneas:
"Omnibus umbra locis adero : dal)is iniprobe poBiias."
" My anirry ghost arising from the deep,
Sliall hrtuiit thee waking, and disturb thy sleep;
At least my shade thy punishment shall know.
And Fame shall spread the pleasing news below."
They are (as others suppose) appointed by those higher powers to keep men from
their nativity, and to protect or punish them as they see cause : and are called boni
et mali Genii by the Romans. Heroes, lares, if good, lemures or larvae if bad, by
the stoics, governors of countries, men, cities, saith ^Apuleius, Deos appellant qui
ex hnminum nuniero iuste ac prudenter vita; curriculo gubernato, pro nitmine^ poslea
ab honiinibus prcedili fanis ct ceremoniis vulgo admittuntur, ut in JSgypto Osijris, &.c.
Pro'stites, Capella calls them, "which protected particular men as well as princes,"
Socrates had his DcBmonium Salurninum et igniiim, which of all spirits is best, ad
sublimes cogitationes animum erigentem, as the Platonists supposed ; Plotinus his,
»*Lib. 1. c. 7. de orbis contordia. In nulla re major
fuit altercatio, major obscnrilas, minor opinionum Con-
cordia, quim de da;monibus et substanliis separatis.
i*^Lib. 3. de Trinit. cap. 1. i Pererius in Genesin.
Ub. 4. in cap. 3. v. 23. 2 gee Slrozzius Cicogna
omnifarisB. Mag. lib. 2. c. 15. Jo. Aubanus, Bredenha-
chius. SAngelus per supt^gbtau'S^aAalus i. Deo,
qui in verltate non stetit^^A'Tltill i^a ^ Nihil aliud
sunt Dtemones quam nudre animn; qux corpore dcpo-
sito priorem niiserati vitani, cognati? succurriint com-
moti misericordia, &c. °Ui! Vcn 8ocratis. All
those mortals are called Gods, wlm. the course of life
being prudently guided ajjd"o\ nrned. are honoured
by men with temples-aMTftwIU^fii as Osiris i«
.iiigypl, &.C.
il6 Mature of Devils. [Part. 1. Sec. a,
and we christians our assisting angel, as Andreas Victorellus, a copious writer of
this subject, Lodovicus de La-Cerda, the Jesuit, in liis voluminous tract de Angela
Custodc, Zanchius, and some divines think. But this absurd tenet of Tyreus, Pro-
clus confutes at large in his^book de Jinirnn ct dcemone.
*Pse]lus, a christian, and sometimes tutor (saith Cuspinian) to Michael Parapina-
tius. Emperor of Greece, a great observer of tlie nature of devils, holds they are
'corpereal, and have "aerial bodies, tliat they are mortal, live and die," (which
Martianus Capella likewise maintains, but our christian philosophers explode) " that
"they are nourished and have excrements, tliey feel pain if they be hurt (wliich Car-
dan confirms, and Scaliger justly latighs hiin to scorn for; Si pasciintur aerc^ cur
non jnignant ob puriorejn acra f Slc.) or stroken :" and if their bodies be cut, witli
admirable celerity they come together again. Austin, in Gen. lib. iii. lib. arbit.,
approves as much, mutata casu corpora in dcteriorem quaJitatem aeris spissioris., so
doth Hierome. Comment, in epist. ad Ephes. cap. 3, Origen, Tertullian, Lactantius,
and many ancient Fathers of the Church : tliat in their fall their bodies were changed
into a more aerial and gross substance. Bodine, lib. 4, Theatri Naturae and David
Crusius, Hermeticaj Philosophia?, lib. i. cap. 4, by several arguments proves angg^
and spirits to be corporeal : quicquid contimlur in loco Corporcum est ; Jit spiritiis
coiitinetur iji loco., ergo.' Si spiritus sunt qunnti^ eriint Corporei : At sunt quun'.i,
ergo. Hunt Jiniti, ergo quant i, &.c. '"Bodine goes farther yet, and will have these,
Jlnimcc separatee genii, spirits, angels, devils, and so likewise souls of men departed,
if corporeal (which he most eagerly contends) to he of some sliape, and that abso-
lutely round, like Sun and 3Ioon, because that is the most perfect form, qtut niliil
Imhet asprritatis, nihil anguUs incisuin, nihil anfractihus ini'olutem., nihil emin< ns.,
s''d inter corpora perficta est per feci issintum ; " tlierefore all t^pirits are corporeal
he concludes, and in their proper sliapes round. 1'liat they can assume other aerial
bodies, all manner of shapes at their pleasures, appear in what likeness they will
themselves, that they are most swift in motion, can j)a.ss many miles in an instant,
and so likewise '■'transform bodies of others into what sliape they please, and with
admirable celerity remove them from place to place; ^as tiie .\ngei did liabakkuk to
Daniel, and as Philip the deacon was carried away by the Spirit, when he had ba[)-
tised tlie eunuch ; so did Pythagoras and Apollunius remove tht-tnselvt's and others,
with many such feats) that they can represent castles in the air, palace's, armies,
spectrums, progidies, and such strange objects to mortal men's eyes, '* cause smells,
savours, &c., deceive all the senses ; most writers of this subject credibly believe ;
and that they can foretel future events, and do many strange miracles. Juno^s image
spake to Camillus, and Fortune''s statue to the Roman matrons, with many such.
Zanchius, Bodine, Spondanus, and others, are of opinion tliat they cause a true me-
tamorphosis, as Nebuchadnezzar was really translated into a beast. Lot's wife into
a pillar of salt ; Ulysses' companions into hogs and dogs, by Circe's charms ; turn
themselves and others, as they do witches into cats, dogs, hares, crows, &.c. Stroz-
ziiis Cicogna hath many examples, lib. iii. omnif. mag. cap. 4 and 5, which he there
confutes, as Austin likewise doth, de civ. Dei lib. xviii. That they can be seen when
and hi what shape, and to whom they will, saith Psellus, Tamelsi nil tale viderim,
nee opt em videre, though he himself never saw them nor desired it; and use some-
times carnal copulation (as elsewhere I shall "prove more at large) with women and
men. Many will not believe they can be seen, and if any man shall say, swear, and
stiffly maintain, though he be discreet and wise, judicious and learned, that he hath
seen them, they account liim a timorous fool, a melancholy dizard, a weak fellow,
a dreamer, a sjck or a mad man, they contemn hhn, laugh him to scorn, and yet
Marcus of his credit told Psellus that he had often seen them. And Leo Siiaviiis, a
Frenchman, c. 8, in Commentar. 1. 1. Paracelsi de vita lungci. out of some Plato-
• He lived 500 years since. 'Apuleius : spiritus
animalia sunt aninio pas^sibilia, mente rationalia, cor-
pore aeria, tempore seinpiterna. " Nuiriuntur, et
ficrenienta habent, quod pulsata doleant $:olido per-
cussa corpore. ' Whatever occupies space is
corporeal: — spirit occupies space, tkerrfort, ic. itc.
'«4lib. 4. Theol. nat. fol. 53a. "Which has no
ro'ighnes'", a
in Epist. montes etiam et animalia transferri posnuntl
as the devil did Christ to the top of the pinnacle; and
witches are often translated. See more in ."<lro7.zius
Cicogna, lib. 3. cap. 4. omnif. mag. I'er atra sulidu-
cere et in iiublime corpora ferre possunt, Oiarmaniii.
Percu-isi dolenl et uruntur in conspicuon cin<fr)-<.
-Asrippa, lib. 3. rap. de ocrul. I'hiios. " Asnppa,
cap. l-i. '« Part. 3 Meet. 2.
mujt p^rfeci^^^^^^^^^Hdies '^Cyprianud Meii4^My|||d0BflM|(UDcboly.
Mem. I. Subs. 2.] Mature of Devils. 117
nists, Avill have the air to be as full of them as snow falling in the skies, and that they
may be seen, and withal sets down the means how men may see them ; Si irrever-
beratus ocidis sole splendente versus ccelum contbiuaverbiL obtutus, &,c.,'^ and saith
moreover he tried it, prcBmissorum feci experimentunu and it was true, that the Pla-
tonists said. Paracelsus confesseth that he saw them divers times, and conferred
with them, and so doth Alexander ab '^Alexandro, " that he so found it by expe-
rience, when as before he doubted of it." I\Iany deny it, saith Lavater, de spectris,
'^rt i. c. 2, and part ii. c. 11, " because they never saw them themselves ;" but as he
reports at large all over his book, especially c. 19. part 1, they are often seen and
heard, and familiarly converse with men, as Lod. Vives assureth us, innumerable
records, histories, and testimonies evince in all ages, times, places, and '' all travel-
lers besides ; in the West Indies and our northern climes, JVihil fam'diarius quam
in agris et urbibus spiritus videre, audire qui veterif, jubecmt, &c. Hieronimus vita
Pauli, Basil ser. 40, Nicephorus, Eusebius, Socrates, Sozomenus, '^Jacobus Boissar-
dus in his tract de spirilumn apparitionibus^ Petrus Loyerus 1. de spectris, Wierus
1. 1. have infinite variety of such examples of apparitions of spirits, for him to read
that farther doubts, to his ample satisfaction. One alone I will briefly insert. A
nobleman in Gennany was sent ambassador to the King of Sweden (for his name,
the time, and such circumstances, I refer you to Boissardus, mine '^Author). After
he had done his business, he sailed to Livonia, on set purpose to see those familiar
spirits, which are there said to be conversant with men, and do their drudgery works.
Amongst other matters, one of them told him where his wife was, in what room, in
what clothes, M'hat doing, and brought him a ring from her, which at his return, no7i
sjne omnium adinirationCi he found to be true ; and so believed that ever after, which
before he doubted of. Cardan, 1. 19. de subtil, relates of his father, Facius Cardan,
that after the accustomed solemnities. An. 1491, 13 August, he conjured up seven
devils, in Greek apparel, about forty years of age, some ruddy of complexion, and
some pale, as he thought ; he asked them mauy questions, and they made ready
answer, that they were aerial devils, that they lived and died as men did, save that
they were far longer lived (700 or 800 ^^ years); they did as much excel men in
dignity as we do juments, and were as far excelled again of those that were above
them ; our ^' governors and keepers they are moreover, which ^^ Plato in Critias de-
livered of old, and subordinate to one another, Ut enim homo homini, sic dcemon
dcemoni dominatur, they rule themselves as well as us, and the spirits of the meaner
sort had commonly such oflices, as we make horse-keepers, neat-herds, and the
basest of us, overseers of our cattle ; and that we can no more apprehend their na-
tures and functions, than a horse a man's. They knew all things, but might not
reveal them to men ; and ruled and domineered over us, as we do over our horses ;
the best kings amongst us, and the most generous spirits, were not comparable to
the basest of them. Sometimes they did instruct men, and communicate their skill,
reward and cherish, and sometimes, again, teiTify and punish, to keep them in awe,
as they thought fit, J\''ihil magis cupicntes (saith Lysius, Phis. Stoicorum) quam ado-
rationem hominumP The same Author, Cardan, in his Hyperchen, out of the doc-
trine of Stoics, will have some of these Genii (for so he calls them) to be -^ desirous
of men's company, very affable and familiar with them, as dogs are ; others, again,
to abhor as serpents, and care not for them. The same belike Tritemius calls Ignios
et sublunares, qui nunquam demergunt ad inferiora., aut vix ullum liabcnt in terris
commerciiim : ^Generally they far excel men in vv-orth, as a man the meanest worm \
though some of them are inferior to those of their own rank in worth, as the black-
guard in a prince's court, and to men again, as some degenerate, base, rational crea-
tures, are excelled of brute beasts."
That they are mortal, besides these testimonies of Cardan, Martianus, &c., many
15 "By gazing steadfastly on the sun illuminated hominibiis, quanto hi brutis animantibus. ^Ptx-
wiih his brightest rays." " "^Genial, dieruiu. Ita sides Pastores, Gubernatores homiriuin. et illi aninia-
Eibi visum et compertum quum prius an essent ambi- lium. -^ " Coveting nothing more than the admi-
geret Fidem suain liberet. I'Lib. 1. de verit. Fidei. ration of mankind." -■'Natura familiares ut canes
Benzo, tc. '"Lili. de Uivinatione et maciA. liominibus roiilti aversantur et abhorrent. -"Ab
'a Cap. 8. Transportavjt in Livoniam cupiditate vi- honiine [iliis dj^t.iM i|iinrn hcpiim .ih iL'ii'bilisslmo ver-
uendi, &.C. '-"Sic Hesiodiis de Nymphis vlvere ne, et tanjen (jm i -^ superantur
iicit. 10. iEtatea phsenicum vel. 9. 7. 20. -' Cus- ulJioiuiDes 4 lei - i-i .
.odes booiinum et provinciaruiii^>4B«^tanto.-iB«liores 1
lid
JVature of Spirits.
[Part. I. Sec. 2
-)ther divines and philosophers hokl, post prolixum iempus moriuntur omncs ; The
^ Platonists, and some Rabbins, Porphyrins and Phitarch, as appears by that relatioa
of Thamus: "'' The great God Pan is dead ; ApoHo Py thins ceased; and so the
rest. St. Hierome, in the hfe of Panl the Hermit, tells a story how one of them ap-
peared to St. Anthony in the wilderness, and told him as much. ^ Paracelsus of
our late writers stiffly maintains that they are mortal, live and die as other creatures
do. ZoziiBUS, 1. 2, farther adds, that religion and policy dies and alters with them.
The ^Gentiles' gods, he saith, were expelled by Constantine,and together with them.
Imperii Romani majestas, et for tuna inter iit^ et jirnjligatu est ; The fortune and ma-
jesty of the Roman Empire decayed and vanished, as that heathen in ^Minutius for-
merly bragged, when the Jews were overcome by tlie R< mans, the Jew's God was
likewise captivated by that of Rome ; and Rabsakeh to the Israelites, no God should
deliver them out of the haiuls of the Assyrians. But these paradoxes of their power,
corporeity, mortality, taking of shapes, transposing bodies, and carnal copidations,
are sufficiently confuted by Zanch. c. 10, 1.4. Pererius in his connneiu, and Tos-
tatus questions on the 6th of Gen. Th. Aquin., St. Austin, Wierus, Th. Erastus,
Delrio, tom. 2, I. 2, qu.est. 29 ; Sebastian Michaelis, c. 2, de spiritibus, D. Reinolds
Lect. 47. They may deceive the eyes of men, yet not t;ike true bodies, or make a
real metamorphosis; but as Cicogna proves at large, tlity are ^'I/lusorice et prcpsti-
giatrices transformatimies, omnif. mng. lih. 4, cap. 4, mere illusions aiul cozenings,
like that tale of Pasetis obiilus in Suidas, or that of Autolicus, Mercury's son, that
dwelt in Parnassus, who got so much treasure l)y cozenage and stealth. Ilis father
Mercury, because he could leave him no wealth, tauglu him many fine tricks to get
means, ^^for he could drive away men's cattle, and if any pursued him, turn them
into what shapes he would, aiul so did mightily enrich himself, hoc astii maximutn
prcedam <-st adsecutus. This, no doubt, is as true as the rest ; yet thus much in
general. Thomas, Durand, and others, grant that they liave understanding far be-
yond men-, can probai)ly conjecture and "foretel many things; they can cause and
cure most diseases, deceive our senses ; they have excellent skill in all .Arts ai>d
Sciences ; and that the most illiterate devil is Quovis homine sciintior (more know-
ing than any man), as "^Cicogna nuiintains out of others. They know the virtues
of herbs, plants, stones, minerals, kc. ; of all creatures, birds, beasts, the four ele-
ments, stars, planets, can aptly apply and make use of them as tlu-y see good; per-
ceiving the causes of all meteors, and the like : Dant se culoribus (as ^Austin liath
\i) accomnwdunt se figuris., adharent sonis., suhjiciunt se odoribus, infundunt se sapo-
ribus, omnes sensus etiam ipsam inlelligentiam dcpinanesfullunt, tliey deceive all our
senses, even our understanding itself at once. *They can produce miraculous alter-
ations in the air, and most wonderful effects, conquer armies, give victories, help,
further, hurt, cross and alter human attempts and projects [Dei permissu) as they see
good themselves. "When Charles the Great intended to make a channel betwixt
the Rhine and the Danube, look what his workmen did in the day, these spirits
flung down in the night, Ut couatu Rex desisteret^ perviccre. Such feats can they
do. But that which Bodine, 1. 4, Theat. nat. thinks (following Tyrius belike, and
the Platonists.) they can tell the secrets of a man's heart, aut cogitutiows hmninum^
is most false ; his reasons are weak, and sutficiently confuted by Zanch. lib. 4, cap. 0.
Hierom. lib. 2, com. in .Alat. ad cap. 15, Athanasius qua;st. 27, ad Antiochum Prin-
cipem, and others.
Orders?^ As for those orders of good and bad devils, which the Platonists hold,
is altogether erroneous, and those Ethnics honi et mali Genii., are to be exploded :
these heathen writers agreeiiot in this point among themselves, as Dandinus notes,
• Cibo et priiu mi et venere cum hominibus ac tan-
dem niori, Cicogna. 1. part. lib. 2. c. 3. -' Plutarch,
de defect, orarulorum. > Lib. de Zilphis et Pist-
mei3. '^ Dii eentium a Consiantio proatieati sunt,
&c. iOQctovian. dial. Juda^urum deiiin fuisse
Romanoruni numinibus una rum gente captivum.
' Omnia spiritibus plena, et ex eorum concordia et
dUeordia nuioes boni et mali etfeclus proiuanant. om-
nia liumana reguntur: paraduxa veteruni de qu6 Ci-
cogna. omnif. mag. 1. 2. c. 3. "Oves quad abac-
tur'j era. in qua^u
Iiy^iuut
Lia^unqu^urmas vertebat Pau!<aniag,
^i^^nAfirW II i». de Gen. -sd-iiMtftni
cap. 17. Partim quia gubtilioris gensu8 acumine, par-
tiin gcientia calidiore vigeni et e.xperienlia propter
magnam longitudinem vilx, partim ah An^elij dis-
cunt, let. '• I ib. 3. omnif. mag. cap 3. ^J. 11.
quest. X Quum lanti sit et tain profunda spiritiun
Bcicntia, mirum non est tot lantasque rea vi.tu a<lmi-
rabilei ab ipsia palrari, et qjiidem reriim nHturalium
ope quas multo melius iulcnigunl, mnltoqiie |M-riiiu«
euis iocis et lemporibus applicare norunt. quam h'>mo,
Cicogna. *' Aventinus, quirquid inierdiu exhau-
rirbatur, noctu explebatur. Inde pavefatti cura
lores, &.C.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] JVature of Spirits. 119
^n sint ^mali non conveniunt, some will have all spirits good or bad to us by a
mistake, as if an Ox or Horse could discourse, he would say the Butcher was his
enemy because he killed him, the Grazier his friend because he fed him ; a Hunter
preserves and yet kills his game, and is hated nevertheless of his game ; nee pisca-
torem piscis amare potest, &c. But Jamblichus, Psellus, Plutarch, and most Plato-
nists acknowledge bad, et ab eorum maleficiis cavenduin, and we should beware of
their wickedness, for they are enemies of mankind, and this Plato learned in Egypt,
tliat they quarrelled with Jupiter, and were driven by him down to hell.^^ That
which ''"Apuleius, Xenophon, and Plato contend of Socrates Daemonium, is most
absurd : That which Plotinus of his, that he had likewise Deum pro Damonio ; and
that which Porphyry concludes of them all in general, if they be neglected in their
.sacrifice they are angry ; nay more, as Cardan in his Hipperclien will, they feed on
men's souls, Elementa sunt plantis elementw7i, miimalibus jylania, hominibus unima-
lia, erunt et homines aliis, non autem diis, nbnis enim remota est eorum natura a
nostra, quapropier dcEmonibus : and so belike that we have so many battles fought
in all ages, countries, is to make them a feast, and their sole delight : but to return
to that I said before, if displeased they fret and chafe, (for they (eei belike on the
souls of beasts, as we do on their bodies) and send many plagues amongst us ; but
if pleased, then they do much good ; is as vain as the rest and confuted by Austin,
1. 9. c. 8. de Civ. Dei. Euseb. 1. 4. prajpar. Evang. c. 6. and others. Yet thus much
I find, that our School-men and other ■" Divines make nine kinds of bad Spirits, as
Dionysius hath done of Angels. In the first rank are those false gods of the Gen-
tiles, which were adored heretofore in several Idols, and gave Oracles at Delphos,
and elsewhere ; whose Prince is Beelzebub. The second rank is of Liars and
iEquivocators, as Apollo, Pythius, and the like. The third are those vessels of
anger, inventors of all mischief; as that Theutus in Plato ; Esay calls them *^ vessels
of fury ; their Prince is Belial. The fourth are malicious revenging Devils ; and
their Prince is Asmodaeus. The fifth kind are cozeners, such as belong to Magicians
and Witches ; their Prince is Satan. The sixth are those aerial devils that ^'^ corrupt
the air and cause plagues, thunders, fires, &e. ; spoken of in the Apocalypse, and
Paul to the Ephesians names them the Princes of the air ; Meresin is their Prince.
The seventh is a destroyer, Captain of the Furies, causing wars, tumults, combus-
tions, uproars, mentioned in the Apocalypse ; and called Abaddon. The eighth is
that accusing or calumniating Devil, whom the Greeks call AmiIjo.oj, that drives men
to despair. The ninth are those tempters in several kinds, and their Prince is Mam-
mon. Psellus makes six kinds, yet none above the jMoon : Wierus in his Pseudo-
monarchia Daemonis, out of an old book, makes many more divisions and subordi-
nations, with their several names, numbers, offices, &c., but Gazseus cited by ''''Lip-
sins will have all places full of Angels, Spirits, and Devils, above and beneath the
Moon,^^ aetherial and aerial, which Austin cites out of Varro 1. vii. de Civ. Dei, c. 6.
'•■ The celestial Devils above, and aerial beneath," or, as some will, gods above, Se-
midei or half gods beneath. Lares, Heroes, Genii, which climb higher, if they lived
well, as the Stoics held ; but grovel on the ground as they were baser in their lives,
nearer to the earth : and are Manes, Lemures, Laniiae, &c. *^ They will have no place
b\it all full of Spirits, Devils, or some other inhabitants ; Plenum Cccluni, aer, aqua
terra, et omnia sub terra, saith ■" Gazaeus ; though Anthony Rusca in his book de
Inferno, lib. v. cap. 7. would confine them to the middle Region, yet they will have
them everywhere. " Not so much as a hair-breadth empty in heaven, earth, or
waters, above or under the earth." The air is not so fall of flies in summer, as it
is at all times of invisible devils : this ■** Paracelsus stiffly maintains, and that they
have ever}' one their several Chaos, others will have infinite worlds, and each world
his peculiar Spirits, Gods, Angels, and Devils to govern and punish it.
" Singula M nonnulli credunt quoqiie sidera posse I "Some persons believe each star to he a world, and
Dici orbes, terraniqiie appellant sidus opacum, , this earth an opaque star, over which the least of the
Cui minimus divum prKsit." 1 gods presides."
^ In lib. 2. de Anima text 29. Ilomerus discrimina- i " Vasa irae. c. 13. « Quibus datum est nocere terriB
tim omnes spirilus dieniunes vocal. -^^ A Jove ad ' et mari, &c. " Physiol. Stoicorum 6 Senec. lib. 1.
inferos piilsi, &,t. <' Ue Deo Socratis adest mihi cap. 28. ■'^ Usque ad lunain aninia.-s esse sthereas
dniiia sorte D.-pmoninin qnoddam a. prima piieritia me vocuriqiie heroas, lares, geni' ,-. " Marl. Capella
seciitum, siepe dissiiailei, impellit nonnunquam instarl" .Nihil vacuum ab his u&i vel capiUuij] in aere vel
ovis, Plato. ^' A<!rippa.lib..3/«B«dlBul. ph:*8n9naqua jaceas. «" IJIl. ri« Zilp. ♦"Palingenius.
Zancb. Pictorus, Pererius Cicogna. 1. 3. cap. 1.
120 Digression of Spirits. [Part. 1. Sect. 3
^Gregorius Tholsanus makes seven kinds of tctherial Spirits or Angels, according
to the number of the seven Planets, Saturnine, Jovial, Martial, of which Cardan dis-
courseth lib. xx. de subtil, he calls them subsUintias primas, Ohjmpicos damones
Tritemius, qui prcesunl Zodiaco, &c., and will have them to be good Angels above,
Devils beneath the Moon, their several names and offices he there sets down, and
which Dionysius of Angels, will have several spirits for several countries, men,
offices, &.C., which live about them, and as so many assisting powers cause their
operations, will have in a word, innumerable, as many of them as there be Stars in
the Skies. ^' Marcilius Ficinus seems to second this opinion, out of Plato, or from
himself, I know not, (still ruling their inferiors, as they do those under them again,
all subordinate, and the nearest to the earth rule us, whom we subdivide into good
and bad angels, call Gods or Devils, as they help or hurt us, and so adore, love or
hate) but it is most likely from Plato, for he relying wholly on Socrates, quern mori
potius quam menliri voluisse scribit^ whom he says would rather die than tell a false-
hood, out of Socrates' authority alone, made nine kinds of them : which opinion be-
like Socrates took from Pythagoras, and he from Trismegistus, he from Zoroastes,
first God, second idea, 3. hitelligcnces, 4. Arch-Angels, 5. Angels, G. Devils, 7. He-
roes, 8. Principalities, 9. Princes : of which some wore absolutely good, as God%
some bad, some indifferent inter dcos ct hominrs^as heroes and (hemoiis, which ruled
men, and were called genii, or as "Proclus and Jamblicluis will, the middh' betwixj
God and men. Principalities and Princes, which commanded and swayed Kings and
countries ; and had several places in the Spheres perliaps, for as every sphere is
higher, so hath it more excellent inhabitants : which belike is that Galihvus a Gali-
leo and Kepler aims at in his nuncio Syderio, when he will have "Saturnine and
Jovial inliabitants : and wliich Tycho Brahe doth in some sort touch or insinuate
in one of his Epistles : but these things *' Zanchius justly explodes, cap. 3. lib. 4.
P. Martyr, in 4. Sam. 28.
So that according to these men the number of {Etherial spirits must needs be infi-
nite : for if that be true that some of our mathematicians say : if a stone couhl fall
from the starry heaven, or eighth sphere, and shoulil pass every hour an hundred
miles, it would be 65 years, or more, befi»re it would come to ground, by reason of
the great distance of heaven from earth, which contains as some say 170 miihons
800 miles, besides those other heavens, whether they be crystalline or watery which
Maginus adds, which penidventure holds as nmch more, how many such spirits may
it contain ? And yet for all this " Thomas Alberlus, and most hold that there be far
more angels than devils.
Sublunary drcils^ and their kinds.\ But be they more or less, Quad supra nos
nihil ad nos (what is beyond our comprehension does not concern us). Howsoever
as 31artianus foolishly supposeth, JEtherii Damones non curant res huinanwi^ they
care not for us, do not attend our actions, or look for us, those aitherial spirits have
other worlds to reign in belike or business to follow. We are only now to speak
in brief of these sub[unar\- spirits or devils : f<*r the rest, our divines determine that
the Devil had no power over stars, or heavens ; '^ Carminibus aclo possunt deducere
lunam, kc, (by tlieir cliarms (verses) they can seduce the moon from the heavens u
Those are poetical fictions, and that they can " sislere aquam Jiuviis., et vertere sidcra
retro, &c., '(stop rivers and turn the stars backward in their courses) as Canadia in
Horace, 'tis all false. ^'Tliey are confined until the day of judgment to this sublu-
nary world, and can work no fariher than the four elements, and as God permits
them. Wherefore of these sublunary devils, though others divide them otherwise
according to their several places and offices, Psellus makes six kinds, fiery, aerial,
terrestrial, watery, and subterranean devils, besides those fairies, satyrs, nymphs, kc.
Fiery spirits or devils are such as commonly work by blazing stars, fire-drakes,
to Lib. 7. cap. 31 et 5. Syntax, art. mirab. »' Com- dicio sene.aU reservantur. "q. 3fi art. 9.
ment in dial. Plat, de amore, cap. 5. lit sphaera qiiie- i "■ Virp. 8. Eg. " Mn. 4. * Austin : hoc dill,
libet s\iper nos, ila prsstantiores habent habilatori.-s no i|ui<i exi>tiniet babltare it>iina1<i dirninni.-i iibi -Solem
8UI sphierte consortes, ut habet nostra. "Lib. de <'t Lunani t-t Stell.i.s Deus ordinavit, ci nlilii nemo «r-
Amica. et dscmone med. inter deos et homines, dica ad | hitraretiir Dicmonem cceli.' habitnre tiiiii .Ansuli* •«••
noa et nostra jequaliter n' I- -• ' •'■•■It. ''Salnrni- unde la(i«iim crediniii«. Idem. Zanrh. 1.4. c. 3. dn
nas et Joviales accolas. I ica detrusi »iint Angel, malis. Pererius in GeD. cap. 0. lib. 6. Id ver 1
Infra cselestes orbeui^i.. ... . et infra ubi Ju- |
Mem X Subs. 3.] Digression of Spirits. 121
or ignes fatui ; which lead men often injlumina atd prcecipitia, saith Bodine, lib. 2.
Theat. Naturae, fol. 221. Quos inquit arcere si volunt viatores^ clara voce Deiim
appellare aut jjronam facie ierram contingenie adorarc ojwrict, et hoc amuletum ma-
joribus nostris acceptum ferre dehemus, &c., (whom if travellers wish to keep off
they must pronounce the name of God with a clear voice, or adore him with their
faces in contact with the ground, &c.) ; likewise they counterfeit suns and moons,
stars oftentimes, and sit on ship masts : In navigiorum summifatibus visunfur ; and
are called dioscuri, as Eusebius 1. contra PhilosophoS, c. xlviii. informeth us, out of
the authority of Zeno-phanes ; or little clouds, ad moium nescio quern volanles ; which
never appear, saith Cardan, but they signify some mischief or other to come unto
men, though some again will have them to pretend good, and victory to that side
they come towards in sea fights, St. Elmo's fires they commonly call them, and they
do likely appear after a sea storm ; Radzivilius, the Polonian duke, calls this appari-
tion, Sancti Germani sidus ; and saith moreover that he saw the same after in a
storm, as he was sailing, 1582, from Alexandria to Rhodes."' Our stories are full
of such apparitions in all kinds. Some think they keep their residence in that Hecla,
a mountain in Iceland, ^Etna in Sicily, Lipari, Vesuvius, &.c. These devils were
worshipped heretofore by that superstitious nupo^uavtEta ^° and the like.
Aerial spirits or devils, are such as keep quarter most part in the "^'air, cause many
tempests, thunder, and lightnings, tear oaks, fire steeples, houses, strike men and
beasts, make it rain scones, as in Livy's time, wool, frogs, &c. Counterfeit armies iji
the air, strange noises, swords, &.C., as at Vienna before the coming of the Turks,
and many times in Rome, as Scheretzius 1. de spect. c. 1. part 1. Lavater de spect.
part. i. c. 17. Julius Obsequens, an old Roman, in his book of prodigies, ab urb.
cond. 505. ^^Machiavel hath illustrated by many examples, and Josephus, in his
book de bello Judaico, before the destruction of Jerusalem. All which Guil. Postel-
lus, in his first book, c. 7, de orbis concordia, useth as an efliectual argument (as in-
deed it is) to persuade them that will not believe there be spirits or devils. They
cause whirlwinds on a sudden, and tempestuous storms ; which though our meteoro-
logists geneially refer to natural causes, yet I am of Bodine's mind, Theat. Nat. 1. 2.
they are more often caused by those aerial devils, in their several quarters ; for Tern-
vestaiibus se ingerunt^ saith ''''Rich. Argentine; as when a desperate man makes away
with himself, which by hanging or drowning they frequently do, as Kornmanus ob-
serves, de mirac. mort. part. 7, c. 76. tripudium agentes, dancing and rejoicing at the
death of a sinner. These can corrupt the air, and cause plagues, sickness, storms,
shipwrecks, fires, inundations. At Mons Draconis in Italy, there is a most memor-
able example in "Jovianus Pontanus : and nothing so familiar (if we may believe
those relations of Saxo Grammaticus, Olaus Magnus, Damianus A. Goes) as for
witches and sorcerers, in Lapland, Lithuania, and all over Scandia, to sell winds to
mariners, and cause tempests, which Marcus Paulus the Venetian relates likewise of
the Tartars. These kind of devils are much ^^ delighted in sacrifices (saith Porphyry),
held all the world in awe, and had several names, idols, sacrifices, in Rome, Greece,
Egypt, and at this day tyrannise over, and deceive those Ethnics and Indians, being
adored and worshipped for ""^gods. For the Gentiles' gods were devils (as ^"Trisme-
gistus confesseth in his Asclepius), and he himself could make them come to their
images by magic spells : and are now as much " respected by our papists (saith
^ Pictorius) under the name of saints." These are they which Cardan thinks desire
so much carnal copulation with witclies (^Incubi and .S'i<cc?ii/), transform bodies, and
are so very cold, if they be touched ; and that serve magicians. His father had one
of them (as he is not ashamed to relate), •"' an aerial devil, bound to him for twenty
and eight years. As Agrippa's dog had a devil tied to his collar ; some think that
Paracelsus (or else Erastus belies him) had one confined to his sword pummel ;
others wear them in rings. Sec. Jannes and Jambres did many things of old by
their help ; Simon Magus, Cinops, ApoUonius Tianeus, Jamblichus, and Tritemius
soPerigram. llieropol. ^Tire worship, or divi-
nation liy fire. «i Domus Diruunt, niiiros dejiciiint,
iniiiiisceiit se turbinibus et procellis et pulvereni instar
coliimiia; evehunt. Cicofftia 1. 5. c. 5. fi-(iuest.
in Liv. <^3 De pra;stigiis dapnionum. c 16. Co
velli culmina videmus, rmjitBjni
16
bello Neapolitano, lib. 5. es s„ffitibus gandent.
Idem .Tiist. Mart. Apol. pro Cliristianis. "''In Dei
imitalioneni. saith F.iiscliiiis. C7 Dji centiura Daemo-
nia, &c. eL'o in (joraiu startias«pt;Ue-\i. " tt nunc
>diVoruin nomine coluntur i PontifiCiii. "Lib
de lerum ver.
122 Digression of Spirits. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
of late, that showed Maxmiilian the emperor his wife, after she was dead ; Et ve.r'
rucam in coUo ejus (sailh ™Godohnaii) so much as tlie wart in her neck. Delrio,
lib. ii. hath divers examples of their feats : Cicogna, lib. iii. cap. 3. and Wierus in
his book de prcestig. dcBmonum. Boissardus de magis et veneficis.
Water-devils are those Naiads or water nymphs whicli have been heretofore con-
versant about waters and rivers. Tiie water ( as Paracelsus thinks) is their chaos,
wherein they live; some call them fairies, and say that llabundia is their queen;
these cause inundations, many times shipwrecks, and deceive men diveis Avays, as
Succuba, or otherwise, appearing most part (saith Tritemius) in women's shapes.
"Paracelsus hath several stories of them tliat have lived and been married to mortal
men, and so continued for certain years with them, and after, upon some dislike,
have forsaken ihem. Such a one as iilgeria, witli whom Numa was so familiar,
Diana, Ceres, &tc. '^Olaus Magnus hath a long narration of one Hotlierus, a king
of Sweden, that having lost liis company, as he was hunting one day, met with
these water nymplis or fairies, and was feasted by them; and Hector Boethius, or
Macbeth, and Banquo, two Scottish lords, that as ihey were wandering in the woods,
had their fortunes told them by three strange women. To these, heretofore, they
did use to sacririce, by that vSpo^cwTt'ia, or divination by waters.
Terrestrial devils are those " Lares, Genii, Fauns, Satyrs, "Wood-nymphs, Foliots,
Fairies, Robin Goodfellows, TruUi, &.C.. which as they are most conversant with
men, so they do them most harm. Some think it was they alone that kept the
heathen people in awe of old, and had so many idols and temples erected to them.
Of this range was Dagon amongst the Philistines, Bel amongst the Babylonians,
Astarles amongst the Sidoiiians, Baal amongst the Samaritans, Isis and Osiris amongst
the Egyptians, itc. ; some put our '^laries into iliis rank, which have been in former
limes adored with much su[)ersiition, with sweeping their houses, and setting of a
pail of clean water, good victuals, and the like, and tlien lliey sliould not be pinched,
but rind money in their shoes, and be fortunate in their enterprises. These are they
that dance on heaths and greens, as ""Lavater thinks with Tritemius, and as "Olaus
Magnus adds, leave that green circle, which we commonly lind in plain rields, which
others hold to proceed from a melec^r falling, or some accidenuil rankness of the
ground, so nature sports herself; iliey are sometimes seen by old women and chil-
dren, llierom. Pauli, in his description of the city of Bercino in Spiin relates how
they have been familiarly seen near that town, about fountains and hills ; .Yannun-
quam (saith Tritemius) in sua latibula monlium simpliciores homines ducant., stu-
penda miranlibus osttnles miracula, nolarum sanitus., spectacula., fccc." Giraldus
Cambrensis gives instance in a monk of Wales that was so deluded. "Paracelsus
reckons up many places in Germany, where they do usually walk in little coats,
some two feel long. A bigger kind there is of them called with us hobgoblins, and
Robin Goodfellows, that would in those superstiii<jus times grind corn for a mess of
milk, cut wood, or do any manner of drudgery work. They would mend old irons
in those iEolian isles of Lipari, in former ages, and have been often seen and heard-
*'Tholosanu3 calls them TruUos and Getulos, and saith, that in his days they were
common in many places of France. Dithmarus Bleskenius, in his description of
Iceland, reports for a certainty, that ahnost in every family they have yet some such
familiar spirits ; and Ftelix Malleolus, in his book de crudtl. dcemon. ailu-ins as much,
that these TroUi or Telchines are very common in Norway, ^' and "'seen to do
drudgery work;" to draw water, saith Wierus, lib. 1. cap. 22, dress meat, or any
such thing. Another sort of these there are, which frequent forlorn "houses, which
the Italians call foliots, most part innoxous, "Cardan holds; '•'- They will make
strange noises in the night, howl sometimes pitifully, and then laugh again, cause
great tlame and sudden lights, fling stones, rattle chains, shave men, open doors and
■oLib 3.cap. 3. De magis et veneficis, &c. Nereides. [ treau, where theyexhit.it wonderful si«ht« to their
' Lib. de Zilphis. ''^Lib. 3. " Pro salute | marrellins eyes, and astonish their ears by th.? sound
hominum excubare se simulant, sed in eorum perm- , of bells, tec. ""Lib de Zii|.h et ■'ieniriis Olaus
ciem omnia moliunlur. Aust. "« Dryades, Oriades, lib. 3. « Lib. 7. cap. 14. Qui h in famuliilo virls
Hamadryades. 'Elvas Olaus voc. at lib. 3. | et fiminis inserviunl, cnnclavi.» sropiji purrant, pali-
•< fart Leap. 19. ■ l.iU ."? t:i;i II Elvarum nas mundant, lixna porlant, equoH curanl. &c. "'Ad
choreas Olaii§ lib. 3 v..(.:u^^,„, ;, |..,, prorun.le in iiiini,teria ulunlur. '- Where ireaxurp is nid />•
terras irnprimufU-jM^»#«rn>rftiis<M.aik«f.uA virnt^ ..r- .,.„,■■ think) or some murder, or such like villanf
bicular.- -.;, of gramen non pereat. ^'' Sometimes faniaatitedai^^flHIi^UtedfrXerum varietat.
they »t.Jjce
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Digression of Spirits. 123
shut them, fling clown platters, stools, chests, sometimes appear in the likeness of
hares, crows, black dogs, &.c." of which read ^^ Pet Thyraeus the Jesuit, in his
Tract, de locis infest is., part. 1. et cap. 4, who will have them to be devils or the
souls of damned men that seek revenge, or else souls out of purgatory that seek
ease; for such examples peruse ^"Sigismundus Scheretzius, lib. de spectris, part 1.
c. 1 . wliicli he saith he took out of Luther most part ; there be many instances. "* Pli-
nius Secundus remembers such a house at Athens, which Athenodoius the philoso-
pher hired, which no man durst inhabit for fear of devils. Austin, de Civ. Dei. lib.
22, cap. 1. relates as much of Hesperius the Tribune's house, at Zubeda, near their
city of Hippos, vexed with evil spirits, to his great hindrance, Cu7n ajflictione anima-
Jium et scrvorum suorum. Many such instances are to be read in Niderius Formicar,
lih. 5. cap. xii. 3. Sec. Whether I may call these Zim and Ochim, which Isaiah, cap.
xiii. 21. speaks of, I make a doubt. See more of these in the said Scheretz. lib. 1.
de sped. cap. 4. he is full of examples. These kind of devils many times appear to
men, and afll-ight them out of their wits, sometimes walking at ^'noon-day, some-
times at nights, counterfeiting dead men's ghosts, as that of Caligula, which (saith
Suetonius) was seen to walk in Lavinia's garden, where his body was buried, spirits
haunted, and the house where he died, ^^JYulla nox sine fcrrore transacta., donee in-
cendio cnnsumpta ; every night this happened, there was no quietness, till the house
was burned. About Hecla, in Iceland, ghosts commonly walk, animas mortuorum
simuJantes, saith Joh. Anan, lib. 3. de nat. deem. Olaus. lib. 2. cap. 2. JYatal Tal-
lopid. lih. de apjmrit. spir. Kornmannus de mirac. mart. part. 1. cap. 44. such sights
are frequently seen circa sepulchra et monasteria, saith Lavat. lib. 1. cap. 19. in
monasteries and about churchyards, loca paludinosa., ampla cedificia., solitaria-j et
ca;de hominum notata, &c. (marshes, great buildings, solitary places, or remarkable
as the scene of some murder.) Thyreus adds, ubi gravius peccatum est commissum.,
impii., pauperum oppressores et nequiter insignes habitant (where some very henious
crime was committed, there the impious and infamous generally dwell). These spirits
often foretel men's deaths by several signs, as knocking, groanings, &c. ^^ though Rich.
Argentine, c. 18. de prcEStigiis d(s?nonuni, will ascribe these predictions to good angels,
out of the authority of Ficinus and others ; prodigia in obitu principum scepius cori-
tingunt, 8tc. (prodigies frequently occur at the deaths of illustrious men), as in the
Lateran church in ^"Rome, the popes' deaths are foretold by Sylvester's tomb. Near
Rupes Nova in Finland, in the kingdom of Sweden, there is a lake, in which, before
the governor of tlie castle dies, a spectrum, in the habit of Arion with his harp, appears,
and makes excellent music, like those blocks in Cheshire, which (they say) presage
death to the master of the family ; or that ^' oak in Lanthadran park in Cornwall, which
foresliows as much. Many families in Europe are so put in mind of their last by such
predictions, and many men are forewarned (if we may believe Paracelsus) by familiar
spirits in divers shapes, as cocks, crows, owls, which often hover about sick men's
chambers, vel quia morientium foeditatem sentiunt., as '-'^Baracellus conjectures, et ideo
super tectum infrmorum crocitant, because they smell a corse; or for that (as ^^Ber-
nardinus de Bustis thinketh) God permits the devil to appear in the form of crows, and
such like creatures, to scare such as live wickedly here on earth. A little before Tully's
death (saith Plutarch) the crows made a mighty noise about him, tumultuose perstre-
pentes, they pulled the pillow from under his head. Rob. Gaguinus, hist. Franc, lib
8, telleth such another wonderful story at the death of Johannes de Monteforti, a
French lord, anno 1345, tanta corvorum multitudo (Edibus morientis insedit^ quantam
esse in Gallia nemo judicasset (a multitude of crows alighted on the house of the
dying man, such as no one imagined existed in France). Such prodigies are very
frequent in authors. See more of these in the said Lavater, Thyreus de locis irfesits,
part 3, cap. 58. Pictorius, Delrio, Cicogna, lib. 3, cap. 9. Necromancers take
upon them to raise and lay them at their pleasures : and so likewise, those which
Mizaldus calls Ambulones, that walk about midnight on great heaths and desert
«Vel spiritiis sunt hujusmodi damnatoriim, vel d ^■' Meridionales Daemones Cicogna calls them, or Alas-
purgatorio, vel ipsi daeiiiones, c. 4. "^Quidam le- tores, 1. 3. cap. 9. toSueton. c. 69. in Caligula,
mures doniesticis instrumentis noctu hidiint : patinas, tsstrozzius Cicogna. lib. 3. mag. cap. 5. «ildem. c. 18.
ollas, cantharas, et alia vasa drjiciunt, et quidam »' M. Carew. Smvrv r.f Coriiuiill. lib. 2 folio 140.
roces emittunt, ejulant, risiiin eiiiiuuiit. &;c. ut canes «- Horto Geniali,'l'otio' 137T ' «■> Part 1. c- I'J. Abducunt
nigri, feles, variis formis, &.c. "^Ep^t. lib. 7. , eos k recta via, et viam iter facientibus uitercludunt.
124
Digression of Spirits.
[Part. 1. Sect. 2
places, which (saith ^^Lavater) " draw men out of the way, and lead them all night
a hye-way, or quite bar them of their way ;" these have several names in several
places ; we commonly call them Pucks. In the deserts of Lop, in Asia, such
illusions of walking spirits are often perceived, as you may read in M. Paulas
the Venetian his travels ; if one lose his company by chance, these devils will
call him by his name, and counterfeit voices of his companions to seduce him^
Ilieronym. Pauli, in his book of the hills of Spain, relates of a great ^ mount iii
Cantabria, where such spectrums are to be seen ; Lavater and Cicogna have variety
of examples of spirits and walking devils in this kind. Sometimes they sit by the
liighway side, to give men falls, and make their horses stumble and start as they ride
(if you will believe the relation of that holy man Ketellus in.*Nubrigensis), tliat had
an especial grace to see devils, Gratiam diviniliis co//a/«;n, and talk with them, Et i/n-
pavidus cum spiritibus sermonem miscere, v. ithoixt offence, and if a man curse or spur
his horse for stumbling, they do heartily rejoice at it; with many such pretty feats.
Subterranean devils are as common as the rest, and do as much barm. Olaus
Magnus, Jib. 0, cap. 19, make six kinils of ihem ; some bigger, some less. These
(saith ^Munster) are commonly -seen about mines of metals, and are some of them
noxious ; some again do no harm. The metal-men hi many places account it good
luck, a sign of treasure and rich ore when they see tliem. Georgius Agricola, in his
book de subterraneis animantibus. cap. 37, reckons two more notiible kinds of them,
which he calls **Getuli and Cobali, both '^ are clothed after the manner of metal-men,
and will many times imitate their works." Their office, as Pictorius and Paracelsus
think, is to keep treasure in the earth, tliat it be not all at once revealed ; and be-
sides, *® Cicogna avers that they are the frequent causes of those horrible earthquakes
"which often swallow up, not only houses, but whole islands and cities;" in his
third book, cap. 11, he gives many instances.
The last are conversant about the centre of the earth to torture the souls of
damned men to the day of judgment; their egress and regress some suppose to be
about iEtna, Lipari, Mons llecla in Icelaiul, \'esuvius, Terra del Fuego, Stc, because
many shrieks and fearful cries are continually heard thereabouts, and familiar appa-
ritions of dead men, ghosts and goblins.
Their Offices., Operations., Study.] Thus the devil reigns, and in a thousand
several shapes, " as a roaring lion still seeks whom he may devour," 1 Pet. v., by
sea, land, air, as yet unconfined, though "*9ome will have his proper place the air;
all that space between us and the moon for them that transgressed least, and hell for
the wickedest of them, Hie velttt in carcere ad Jincm mundi,tunc in locum funestio^
rum trudendi., as Austin holds de Civil Dei., c. 22, lib. 14, cap. 3 ct 23; I)ut be
where he wdl, he rageth while he may to comfort himself, as 'Lactantius thinks,
with other men's falls, he labours all he can to bring them into the .same pit of per-
dition with him. '^ Foremen's miseries, calamities, and ruins are the devil's ban-
queting dishes. By many temptations and several engines, he seeks to captivate our
souls. The Lord of Lies, saith 'Austin, " as he was deceived himself, he seeks to
deceive others, the ringleader to all naughtiness, as he did by Eve and Cain, Sodom
Siid Gomorrah, so would he do by all the world. Sometimes he tempts by covet-
ousness, drunkenness, pleasure, pride, Stc, errs, dejects, saves, kills, protects, and
rides some men, as they do iheir horses. He studies our overthrow, and generally
*> Lib. I. cap. 44; Dtemonum cernuntiir el abdiantur
ibi t'requeiites illusiones, uiidu viaioriliu* cav^nilurn
ne ce dijsocieni, aut & lergo niancant, voces eniiij
fin^uTit sQcioniiii, lit a recto iiinere abducant, &.c.
»> Mons sterilis et nivosus, ubi intenipe^ta nocte um-
brse apparent. i* Lib. 2. cap. 21. Otfendicula fa-
riunt transeiintibiie in via et petulaiiter ridet cum vel
bomineni vel jiir;ientuni ejus pedes-alterere faciant,
et maxinid si liuDio maledicius et calcaribus ssvint.
" In Cosmogr. ^ Veslili more nietallicorum,
gestiis et opera eorum imitantur. "' Inuiiieso in
terrtR carceres vento norribiles terrip motus elBciunt,
quibus sa>pe non domus modo et turres, sed civitates
intesrie et insulic liaustie sunt. I'^Hierom. in 3.
Ephes. Idc-'tn Michaelis. c. 4. de spiritibus. Idem
Thyreus de Inri-i infe.sn^^^ 1 l..Trtaiiiiii« 2. de
errur'4^^^HH^^^HBBMHH||p|y^MjUem
terrain v ^aiX^^^Wwi^^^^^^^BJ^^Ifc^iei TOh --
I dis bominibus operantur. > Mortalium ralaml-
I tales epiila: aunt maloruin da-nionuin, .S)n<-iiiua.
' I>aminu!i mendacii H neipso deceptus, alios de('ip«-re
I cupit, adversarius humani eeneria. Inventor mnrtia,
i ituperbiie inxtitutor, radix inaliiie, 8cel>:rum caput,
; princeps omnium vitiorum, fuit inde in Dei contume-
I iiam, iiomiiium perniciem : de hornni conatibui et
operalionibus lege Epiphanium. 2. Tom. lib. 2. Dio-
I nysiuni. c. 4. Ambrog. Epintol. lib. 10. ep. et M. Au-
' KUBt. de civ. Dei lib. 5. c. U, lib H. cap. 22. lib. 0 18.
: lib 10 21. Theophil. in 12 .Mat. Panil ep. 111. Leonem
Her. Theodoret. in 11. Cor. ep. 22 (liryg. horn. 53 Id
> 12. Gen. Greg, in I. c. John. Uarlhol. de prop. 1. 9. e.
20. Zanch. I. 4. de malia anceliii. Terer. in Gen. I. 8.
in c. 6 2. Orieen. sa-pe prvliiii inierwunt, llin^ra ft
I negotia nontra quiccunique dirii;uiil, riandeittinii «ah-
I nidii* npt.-»to« g»>pe pr'*l>eni «ucceit«u«, Pel. M<\r. in
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Digression of Spirits. 125
seeks our destruction ; and although he pretend many times human good, and vin-
dicate himself for a god by curing of several diseases, agris sanitatcm, et ccecis
luminis iisum resiiluendo, as Austin declares, lib. 10, de cioit Dei, cap. 6, as Apollo,
iEsculapius, Isis, of old have done ; divert plagues, assist them in wars, pretend
their, happiness, yet nihil Ms impuriu^ scelestius, nihil hiwiano gencri infestius.,
nothing so impure, nothing so pernicious, as may well appear by their tyrannical
and bloody sacrifices of men to gat urn and Moloch, which are still in use among
those barbarous Indians, their ^ey^yal deceits and cozenings to keep men in obe-
dience, their false oracles, sacrifices, their superstitious impositions of fasts, penury,
&c. Heresies, superstitious observations of meats, times, &c., by which tliey ^cru-
cify the souls of mortal men, as shall be showed in our Treatise of Religious ]Me-
lancholy. Modico adhuc tempore sinitur maligjiari, as ^Bernard expresseth it, by
God's permission he rageth a while, hereafter to be confined to hell and darkness,
"• which is prepared for him and his angels," Mat. xxv.
How far their power doth extend it is hard to determine ; what the ancients held
of their effects, force and operations, I will briefly^ show you : Plato in Critias, and
after him his followers, gave out that these spirits or devils, " were men's governors
and keepers, our lords and masters, as we are of our cattle." "^"They govern pro-
vinces and kingdoms by oracles, auguries," drearns, rewards and punishments, pro-
phecies, inspirations, sacrifices, and religious superstitions, varied in as many forms
as there be diversity of spirits ; they send wars, plagues, peace, sickness, health,
dearth, plenty, \idstantes hie jam nob^s, spectantes, et arbitranfes, &c. as appears by
those histories of Thucydides, Livius, Dionysius Halicarnassus, with many others
that are full of their wonderful stratagems, and were therefore by those Roman and
Greek commonwealths adored and worshipped for gods with prayers and sacrifices,
&.C. 'In a word, JVihil magis qucerunt quam metum et admirationem hominum ; ^and
as another hath it, Dici non potest, quam impotenfi ardore in homines dominium, et
Divinos cultus maligni spiritus ajfec1ent.'° Tritemius m his book de sej)tem secun-
dis, assigns names to such angels as are governors of particular provinces, by what
authority I know not, and gives them several jurisdictions. Asclepiades a Grecian,
Rabbi Achiba the Jew, Abraham Avenezra, and Rabbi Azariel, Arabians, (as i find
them cited by "Cicogna) farther add, that they are not our governors only, S^d ex
eoriwi Concordia et discordid, boni et mali affectus promanant, but as they agree, so
do we and our princes, or disagree ; stand or fall. Juno was a bitter enemy to Troy,
Apollo a good friend, Jupiter indifferent, JEqua Venus J'eucris, Pallas iniquafuii .
some are for us still, some against us, Premente Deo, fert Dens alter opem. Reli-
gion, policy, public and private quarrels, wars are procured by them, and they are
'-delighted perhaps to see men fight, as men are with cocks, bulls and dogs, bears,
&c., plagues, dearths depend on them, our bene and male esse, and almost all our
other peculiar actions, (for as Anthony Rusea contends, lib. 5, cap. 18, every mai?
hath a good and a bad angel attending on him in particular, all his life long, which
Jamlilichus calls dcemonem,) preferments, losses, weddings, deaths, rewards and
punishments, and as '^Proclus will, all ofiices whatsoever, alii genetricem, alii
opificem jmtestatem habent, &c. and several names they give them according to their
offices, as Lares, Indegites, Preestites, &c. When the Arcades in that battle at Che-
ronae, which was fought against King Philip for the liberty of Greece, had deceitfully
carried themselves, long after, in the very same place, Diis Grcecice ultoribus (saith
mine author) they were miserably slain by Metellus the Roman : so likewise, in
smaller matters, they will have things fall out, as these boni and mali genii favour
or dislike us : Saturni non conveniunt Jovialibus, &.c. He that is Saturninus shall
never likely be preferred. "That base fellows are often advanced, undeserving
Gnathoes, and vicious parasites, whereas discreet, wise, virtuous and worthy men
4 Et velut mancipia circunifert Psellus. s Lib. de thehonourof being divinely worshipped." " Oninif.
trans, mut. Malac. ep. « Custodes sunt hominum, mag. lib. 2. cap. 23. i'^ Liidus deorum sunius.
et eorum, ut nos animalium : turn et provinciis praepo- 12 Lib. de anima et dsmone. n Quoiies fit, ut
Bill regunt auguriis, soinniis, oraculis, pramiis, &c. Principes novitium aulicum divitiis et di2iiitatil)U3
' Lipsius, Physiol. .Stoic, lib. 1. cap. 19. * Leo pene obruant, et niultorum annorum ministriun, qui
Suavis. idem et Tritemius. '' "They srfk nothiii? non seme! pro hero peticulum ^iibtit, nn teruiitio do-
more earnestly ihan the fear and adniir^lin iC n, n " ncut.'&c. Ideiff. Quod Philosophi rtton lennin'-rentur,
'""It is scarcely possi^]^^|^l^cribu tJ«»,'ampotent | cum scurra et ineptus ob^insulsunijocum sapb pne-
ardour with which
12fi
Digression of Spirits.
[Part. 1. Sec. 1.
are neglected and unrewarded ; they refer to those domineering spirits, or subordi-
nate Genii ; as they are inclined, or favour men, so they thrive, are ruled and over-
come ; for as '^Libanius supposeth in our ordinary conflicts and contentions. Genius
Genio ccdit et obtemperat, one genius yields and is overcome by another. All par-
ticular events almost they refer to these private spirits ; and (as Paracelsus adds)
they direct, teach, inspire, and instruct men. Never was any man extraordinary
famous in any art, action, or great commander, tliat had not familiarem dccmonem
to inform him, as Numa, Socrates, and many such, as Cardan illustrates, cap. 128,
Arcanis prudenlice civdis., ^^Speciali siquidcm gratia., se a Deo donari asscrunt magi^
a Geniis cmlcstibus instrui, ah iis doceri. But these are most erroneous paradoxes.
ineptcR et fabulosce nugcc, rejected by our divines and Christian churches. 'Tis true
they have, by God's permission, power over us, and we find by experience, that
they can '' hurt not our fields only, cattle, goods, but our bodies and minds. At
Ilammel in Saxony, Jin. 1484. 20 Junii, the devil, in likeness of a pied piper, carried
away 130 children that were never after seen. Many times men are '* afVrighted out
of tlicir wits, carried away quite, as Scheretzius illustrates. Jib. 1, c. iv., and seve-
rally molested by his means, Plotinus the Platonist, lib. 14, advers. Gnos. laughs
them to scorn, that hold the devil or spirits can cause any such diseases. Many
tliink he can work upon the body, but not upon the mind. But experience pro-
nounceth otlierwise, that he can work both upon body and mind. Tcrtullian is
of this opitiion, c. 22. "'' That he can cause both sickness and health," and that
secretly. '^ Taurellus adds '' by clancular poisons he can infect the bodies, and hinder
the operations of the bowels, though we perceive it not, closely creeping into
them," sailh ^'Lipsius, and so crucify our souls: Et nociva melancholia furiosos
efficit. For being a spiritual body, he struggles with our spirits, saith Rogers, and
suggests (according to ^Cardan, verba sine voce., species sine visti., envy, lust, anger
&.C.) as he sees men inclined.
The manner how he performs it, Biarmannus in his Oration against Bodine, suffix
ciently declares. **'' He begins first with the phantasy, and moves that so strongly,
that no reason is able to resist. Now tl»e phantasy he moves by mediation of hu-
mours ; although many physicians are of opinion, that the devil can alter the mind,
and produce this disease i>f himself. Quihu.sdam medicurum visum., saith ".Avicenna,
quod Melancholia contingat a diemonio. Of the same mind is Psellus and lUiasis
the Arab. lib. 1. Tract. 9. Cont. ^'"That this disease proceeds especially from the
devil, and from him alone." Arculanus, cap. 6. in 9. Rhasis, iEIianus Montahus, in
his 9. cap. Daniel Sennertus, lib. 1. part. 2. cap. 11. confirm as much, that the devil
can cause this disease; by reason many times tiiat the parties aflected prophesy,
speak strange language, but non sine inlerventu humoris., not without the humour, as
he interprets himself; no more doth Avicenna, si contingat a danionio, sujjicit nobis
ut convertat complexionem ad choleram nigrami, et sit cmisa ejus propinqua cholera
nigra; the immediate cause is choler adust, which "Pomponatius likewise labours
to make good : Galgerandus of .Mantua, a famous Physician, so cured a da^moniacal
woman in his time, that spake all languages, by purging black choler, and thereupon
belike this humour of Melancholy is called Balneum Diaboli, the DeviPs Bath; the
devil spying his opportunity of such humours drives them many times to despair,
fury, rage, &c., mingling himself among these humours. This is lliat which Tertid-
lian avers, Corporibus infligunt aeerhos casus., animaque repentinos, membra distor-
quent., occulte repentes, kc. and which Lemnius goes about to prove, Immisccnt se
mali Genii pravis humorihus., atque atrcE bill, Stc. And "Jason Pratensis, " that the
'5 Lib. de cruelt. Cadaver. '« BoissardHS. c. 6
maiia. '■ Godelmanuj, cap. 3. lib. 1. de Maeis.
idem Zanchius, lib. 4. cap 10 et 11. de malis aneelis.
'■ .Nociva Melancholia fiirio-sos efticii, et quandoque
peniliis interficit. G. Picoloniinens Idemque Zanch.
cap. 10. lib. 4. si Deus permrttat, corpora nostra mo-
vere pns^junt, alterare, quovis murbdrum et nialorum
genere affirere, imo et in ipsa penetrare et s*vire.
'» Inducere p^fn^t mirhi<! et «TnirTtfs -^^ Vi;.-,. .
rum action. -
bis isnotis >
occultC) ni'i
ti>r.]Uf riL^ Lijis. I'lul >loic. 1. 1. c IJ -I).
>^
r: 10. c.
nequit, prirnum movit pbantasiam, et ita obfirmat va-
nis conceptibus aul ut ne queni facultriii s-glinutlvc
ralioni Inctim rclinquat. Spiritus niaius invadit atii-
inarn, turbat len^us, in Turorein conjicit. Austin, de
vit. Beat. ••<Lib. 3. Fen. 1. Tract. 4. c. 1?. *A
Diinone maxime proflcisci, et sa-pe solo. '^ Lib.
de incant. '." C'a-p. de mania lib. dc niorbit cere-
bri ; Deinonea, quiini sint tenues et iiicomprehenit-
liiles spiritus, se inainuare corporibus huinanit pot-
-iHit, et Difulle in visceribus operti, v.ileiudinem vi-
ir", •■iiiiniis aiiiinas tprriTe et mentes fiirnrihot
boll'' "rum penelralibui,
intam^^^BHIhidilnrS^^^fehmjir tanquim in re(l-
inimum furere.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] J^ature of Spirits. ' 127
devil, being a slender incomprehensible spirit, can easily insinuate and wind hmiself
into human bodies, and cunningly couched in our bowels vitiate our healths, terrify
our souls with fearful dreams, and shake our minds with furies." And in another
place, " These unclean spirits settled in our bodies, and now mixed with our melan-
choly humours, do triumph as it were, and sport themselves as in another heaven."
Thus he argues, and that they go in and out of our bodies, as bees do in a hive,
and so provoke and tempt us as they perceive our temperature inclined of itself, and
most apt to be deluded. ^^Agrippa and ^Lavater are persuaded, that this humour
invites the devil to it, wheresoever it is in extremity, and of all other, melancholy
persons are most subject to diabolical temptations and illusions, and most apt to en-
tertain them, and the Devil best able to work upon them. But whether by obsession,
or possession, or otherwise, I will not determine ; 'tis a difficult question. Delrio
the Jesuit, Tom. 3. lib. 6. Springer and his colleague, mall, malcf. Pet. Th}Teus the
Jesuit, lib. de dccmoniacis., de locis infestis, de Terrificationibus nocfuriiis, Hieroni-
mus Mengus Flagel. deem, and others of that rank of pontifical writers, it seems, by
their exorcisms and conjurations approve of it, having forged many stories to that
purpose. A nun did eat a lettuce ^"without grace, or signing it with the sign of the
cross, and was instantly possessed. Durand. lib. 6. Rationall. c. 8G. numb. 8. relates
that he saw a wench possessed in Bononia with two devils, by eating an unhallowed
pomegranate, as she did afterwards confess, when she Avas cured by exorcisms. And
therefore our Papists do sign themselves so often with the sign of the cross, A*e dce-
mon ingredi ausit., and exorcise all manner of meats, as being unclean or accursed
otherwise, as Bellarmine defends. Many such stories I find amongst pontifical writ-
ers, to prove their assertions, let them free their own credits ; some few 1 will recite
in this kind out of most approved physicians. Cornelius Gemma, lib. 2. de nat. mi-
rac. c. 4. relates of a young maid, called Katherine Gualter, a cooper's daughter. .4/1.
1571. that had such strange passions and convulsions, three men could not some-
times hold her; she purged a live eel, which he saw, a foot and a half long, and
touched it himself; but the eel afterwards vanished ; she vomited some twenty-four
pounds of fulsome stuff of all colours, twice a day for fourteen days; and after that
she voided great balls of hair, peices of wood, pigeon's dung, parchment, goose dung,
coals ; and after them two pounds of pure blood, and then again coals and stones, of
which some had inscriptions bigger than a walnut, some of them pieces of glass,
brass, &e. besides paroxysms of laughing, weeping and ecstasies, &c. Et hoc (iriquif)
cum horore vidi., this I saw with horror. They could do no good on her by physic,
but left her to the clergy. Marcellus Donatus, lib. 2. c. I. de med. mirab. hath such
another story of a country fellow, that had four knives in his belly, Insfar serrce dcn-
tatos., indented like a saw, every one a span long, and a wreath of hair like a globe,
with much baggage of like sort, wonderful to behold : how it should come into his
guts, he concludes, Certe nan alio qiiam dcemonis astulid ct dolo, (could assuredly
only have been through the artifice of the devil). Langius, Epist. med. lib. 1. Epist.
38. hath many relations to this eflect, and so hath Christopherus a Vega : Wierus,
Skenkius, Scribonius, all agree that they are done by the subtilty and illusion of the
devil. If you shall ask a reason of this, 'tis to exercise our patience ; for as ^' Ter-
tullian holds. Virtus non est virtus., nisi comparem liabet aliquem, in quo svperando
vim suam ostendat 'tis to try us and our fauh, 'tis for our offences, and for the pun-
ishment of our sins, by God's permission they da it, Carnijices vindictcB justcB Dei.,
as ^^Tolasanus styles them, Executioners of his will ; or rather as David, Ps. 78. ver.49.
" He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, indignation, wrath, and vexation,
by sending out of evil angels : so did he afflict Job, Saul, the Lunatics and dc-enioniacal
persons whom Christ cured. Mat. iv. 8. Luke iv. 11. Luke xiii. Mark ix. Tobit. viii. 3
&.C. This, I say, happeneth for a punishment of sin, for their want of faith, incredu
lity, weakness, distrust, &c.
=*Lib. 1. cap. 6. occult. Philos. part 1. cap. 1. de I dsemone obsessa. dial. MGresr. pas. c. 9. '■ Pe-
»peclr)s. ssSine cruce et sanctificatione sic k | iiult. de pnific. Dei. « Lib. 28. cap. 26. torn, "i
1 28 Nature of Devils. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
SuBSECT. III. — Of Witches and Magicians^ hmc th%y cause Melancholy.
You have heard what the devil can do of himself, now you shall hear^.^'^iat he can
perform by his instruments, who are many times worse (if it be possible) than he
himself, and to satisfy their revenge and lust cause more mischief, Multa e'jiim mala
non egisset dcBmon, nisi provocatus a sagis, as '"Erastus thinks; much harm had
never been done, ha'd he not been provoked by witches to it. lie had not. appeared
in Samuel's shape, if the Witch of Eador had let him alone ; or representpd those
serpents in Pharaoh's presence, had not the magicians urged him unto it ; JVccmorbos
vel hominihiis, vcl hrutis inftigeret (Erastus maintains) si sagcB quicsccrcnt ; men and
cattle might go free, if the witches would let him ahine. Many deny witches at all,
or if there be any they can do no harm ; of this opinion is Wierus, lib. 3. cap. 53. dr
pra:stig. dam. Austin Lerchemer a Dutch writer, Biarmunus, Ewichius, Euwaldus,
our countryman Scot ; with him in Horace,
' Somnia, lerrores Magicos, miracula, sasas,
Noc(urno3 Leinures, portentaque Thes:iala ridu
Excipiunt. "
Say, can you laugh indignant at the schemes
Of magic terrors, visionary dreams, ^
PortiMiii>u8 wonders, witciiing impst^f Ilt^ll,
The nightly goblin, and enchanting .snull )
They laugh at all such stories ; but on the contrary are most lawyers, divjines, phy-
sicians, philosophers, Austin, Hemingius, Dananis, Cliy trams, Zanchiij.s^ Aretius,
Jkr. Delrio, Springer, **Niderius, lib. 5. Fornicar. Guialius, Bartolus, comil^.Qt, torn. 1.
Bodinc, diEmonianl. lib 2. cap. 8. Godehnan, Dainhoderius, &c. Paracelsus, Erastus,
Scribanius, Camerarius, &c. The parties by whom tlie devil deals, may be reduced
to these two, such as command him in show at least, a.s conjurors, and magicians,
whose detestable and horrid mysteries are contained in their book called ^Arbatell ;
dcemonis enim advocati prasto sunt., seque cxorcismis et conjurutionibus quasi cogi
patiiinfur., ut miserum magnnim genus, in impietutc detineant. Or such as are coin-
inaiuled, as witches, that deal ex parte implicite, or explicite, as the *king hath well
defined ; many subdivisions there are, and many several species of sorcerers, witches,
enchanters, charmers, kc. They have been tolerated heretofore some of them ; and
masfic hath been publicly professed in former times, in '^Salamanca, * Cracow, and
other places, though after censured by several ^'Universities, and now generally con-
tradicted, though practised by some still, maintained and excused, Tanquam res se-
creta qua; non nisi viris magnis et pecitliari bvw ficin de Cmlo instructis communicatnr
(I use ^'^BiBsartus his words) and so far approved by some princes, Ut nihil aiisi ug-
gredi in poUlicis., in sacris., in consilii.'i, sine eoriim arbitrio ; they consult still with
them, and dare indeed do nothing without their advice. Nero and Ileliogabalus,
Maxentius, and Julianus Apostaia, were never so much addicted to magic of old, as
some of our modern princes and popes themselves are now-a-days. Erricus, King
of Sweden, had an ^' enchanted cap, by virtue of which, and some magical mur-
mur or whispering terms, he could command spirits, trouble the air, and make the
■wind stand which way he would, insomuch that when there was any great wind or
storm, the common people were wont to say, the king now had on his conjuring cap
But such examples are infinite. That which they can do, is as much almost as the
devil himself, who is still ready to satisfy their desires, to oblige them the more unto
him. They can cause tempests, stonns, which is familiarly practised by witches in
Norway, Iceland, as I have proved. They can make friends enemies, and enemies
friends by philters; *^Turprs amores conciliare, enforce love, tell any man where his
friends are, about what employed, though in the most remote places ; and if they
will. *^" bring their sweethearts t,o them by night, upon a goat's back flying in the
air." Sigismund Scheretzius, part. 1. cap. 9. de spect. reports confidently, that he
conferred with sundry such, that had been so carried many miles, and that he heard
witches themselves confess as much; hurt and infect men and beasts, vines, com,
cattle, plants, make women abortive, not to conceive, *• barren, men and women un-
■^ De Lamils. " Et quomodo venefici liant enar- | ficig. « Rotatum Pileum hat>ebat, quo ventoi
rit 34 De quo plura le^as in Boissardo, lib. 1. de viulentoa cieret, aerem turbarel, et in quam partem,
prii-iti?. ■' u. V i,.,:i.M, II.,,,,, I 1 1 . 3 &c. "Erastus « Ministerio hirci noctorni.
^ An univpr ; he!" 8teril>-3 nnpifiS et inhabilci, vi,|.> Petrum de Pallude.
chief town s«4By^4.uliJiiinct. 34 Paulum Guiclandum
!■■■■■? }.■■■.: - --
Mem, 1. Subs. 3.j Causes of Melancholy. 129
apt and unable, married and unmarried, fifty several ways, saith Bodine, lib. 2. c. 2.
fly in the air, meet when and where they will, as Cicogna proves, and Lavat. de spec.
j)art. 2. c. 17. "steal young children out of their cradles, minlst.erio dcemonum^ and
put deformed in their rooms, which we call changelings," saith ''^Scheretzius, part. 1,
c. 6. make men victorious, fortunate, eloquent ; and tlierefore in those ancient mono-
machies and combats they were searched of old, ''^they had no magical charms ; they
can make ^' stick frees, such as shall endure a rapier's point, musket shot, and never
be wounded : of which read more in Boissardus, cap. 6. dc Magid, the manner of
the adjuration, and by whom 'tis made, where and how to be used in expcditionibus
bellicis., prcBliis, duelUs, &c., with many peculiar instances and examples ; they can
walk in fiery furnaces, make men feel no pain on the rack, aid alias torluras sentire ;
they can stanch blood, ■** represent dead men's shapes, alter and turn themselves and
others into several forms, at their pleasures. ^^Agaberta, a famous witch in Lapland,
would do as much publicly to all spectators, Modo Pusilla, modo anus., modb proccra
vt quercus, modo vacca., avis, coluber, &.c. Now young, now old, high, low, like a
cow, like a bird, a snake, and what not .'' She could represent to others what forms
they most desired to see, show them friends absent, reveal secrets, maxima omnium
admiratione, &.c. And yet for all this subtilty of theirs, as Lipsius well observes,
Physiol og. Stoicor. lib. 1. cap. 17. neither these magicians nor devils themselves can
take away gold or letters out of mine or Crassus' chest, et CUentelis suis largiri, for
they are base, poor, contemptible fellows most part; as ^"Bodine notes, they can
do nothing inJudicum decreta aut pm7ias, in regum concilia vcl arcana, nihil in rem
nummariam aut thesauros, they cannot give money to their clients, alter judges' de-
crees, or councils of kings, these minuti Genii cannot do it, altiores Genii hoc sihi
adservarunt, the higher powers reserve these things to themselves. Now and then
peradventure there may be some more famous magicians like Simon Magus, *'Apol-
lonius Tyaneus, Pasetes, Jamblicus, ^^Odo de Stellis, that for a time can build castles
in the air, represent armies, &c., as they are ^'said to have done, command wealth
and treasure, feed thousands Avith all variety of meats upon a sudden, protect them-
selves and tiieir followers from all princes' persecutions, by removing from place to
place in an instant, reveal secrets, future events, tell what is done in far countries,
make them appear that died long since, and do many such miracles, to the world's
terror, admiration and opinion of deity to themselves, yet the devil forsakes them at
last, they come to wicked ends, and raro aut nunquam such impostors are to be
found. The vulgar sort of them can work no such feats. But to my purpose, they
can, last of all, cure and cause most diseases to such as they love or hate, and this
of '^melancholy amongst the rest. Paracelsus, Tom. 4. de morbis amenfium, Tract. 1.
in express words affirms; MuUi fascinantur in melancholiam, many are bewitched
into melanclioly, out of his experience. The same saith Danaeus, lib. 3. de sortiariis.
Villi, inquit, qui Melancholicos morbos gravissimos induxerunt : I have seen those
that have caused melancholy in the most grievous manner, ^^ dried up women's paps,
cured gout, palsy ; this and apoplexy, falling sickness, which no physic could help,
solu tactu, by touch alone. Ruland in his 3 Cent. Cura 91. gives an instance of one
David Helde, a young man, who by eating cakes which a witch gave him, max deli-
rare ccepit, began to dote on a sudden, and was instantly mad : F. H. D. in ^^Hildes-
neim, consulted about a melancholy man, thought his disease was partly magical, and
partly natural, because he vomited pieces of iron and lead, and spake such languages
as he had never been taught; but such examples are common in Scribanius, Hercules
de Saxonia, and others. The means by which they work are usually charms, images,
a.s that in Hector Boethius of King Dufl^e ; characters stamped of sundry metals, and
at such and such constellations, knots, amulets, words, phUters, Slc, which generally
make the parties affected, melancholy ; as ^' Monavius discourseth at large in an epistle
♦'^Infantes matribus suffurantur, aliis suppositivis
fn locum verorum conjectis. ^jijUes. iij),
Luther, in primum priEceptum, et Leon. Varius, lib. 1.
de Fascino. i" Lavat. Cicofi. « Boissardus de
Magis. M Daemon, lib. 3. cap. 3. ^i Vide Phi-
lostratum, vita ejus ; Boissardum de Mads. ^Tiu-
brigenses lege lib. 1. c. 19. Vide Suidam de Pas.;t.
De Cruent. Cadaver. ^F.ra.stiis ^^^^^^
i>aniu!i. M Virg^^^tflBcnMb^W^^^^^Sescri'
17
bens: Hiec se carminibus promittit solvere mentes.
Quas velit, ast aliis duras inimittere curas. '^^Go-
delmannus, cap. 7. lib. 1. Nutricum mammas prsesic-
cant, solo tactu podagram, Apoplexiam, Paralysin, et
alios morbos, quos medicina curare non poterat.
^ Factus inde Maniacus, spic. 2. fol. 147. " Om-
ryaiiiiilliaetsi inter se differant, hoc habent commune^
quod faomiuem efficiant melancholicUulKepist. 231.
Scbg
130 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
of his to Acolsius, giving instance in a Bohemian baron that was so troubled by a
philter taken. Not that there is any power at all in those spells, charms, characters,
and barbarous words ; but that the devil doth use such means to delude them. Ut
fidehs inde magos (saith ^'^Libanius) in officio rctineat, turn in consortium malefacto-
Tum vocet.
SuBSECT. IV. — Stars a cause. Signs from Physiognomy., Metoposcopy., Chiromancy.
Natural, causes are either primary and universal, or secondary and more particii-
lar. Primary causes are the heavens, planets, stars, Stc, by their influence (as our
astrologers hold) producing this and such like eflects. I will not here stand to dis-
cuss obiter., whether stars be causes, or signs ; or to apologise for judical astrology.
If either Sextus Empericus, Picus Mirandula, Sextus ab Ileminga, Pererius, Erastus,
Chambers, kc, have so far prevailed with any man, that he will attribute no virtue
at aii to the heavens, or to sun, or moon, more than he tioth to their signs at an inn-
keeper''s post, or tradesman"'s shop, or generally conilemn all such astrological apho-
risms approved by experience: I refer liim to Bellaiitius, Pirovanus, ^Maiascallerus,
Gocieni\is, Sir Christopher Heidon, &c. If thou shall ask me what I think, I must
answer, nam et doctis hisce erroribus vcrsaliis siim., i^for 1 am conversant with these
learned errors,) they do incline, but not compel ; no necessity at all : """^agunt non
cogunt : and so gently incline, tliat a wise man may resist them ; sapiens dominnbitur
astris : they rule us, but God rules them. All this (methinks) '^'Joh. de Indagine
hath comprised in brief, Qu<zris a me quantum in nobis operuntur asira ? Stc. " Wilt
thou know how far the stars work upon us.'' I say they do but incline, and that so
gently, that if we will be ruled by reason, they have no power over us ; but if we
follow our own nature, and be led by sense, they do as much in us as in brute beasts,
and we are no better." So that, I hope, I may justly conclude with *' Cajetjui, C(B-
lum est vehirulnm divin^B virtiitis., &c., tfiat the heaven is God's instrument, by me-
diation of whicli he governs and disposetli these elementary bodies ; or a great book,
whose letters are the stars, (as one calls it,) wherein are written many strange things
for such as can read, ^^''^ or an excellent harp, made by an eminent workman, on
-which, he that can but play, will make most admirable music." But to the purpose.
*• Paracelsus is of opinion, "that a physician without the knowledge of stars can
"neither understand the cause or cure of any disease, either of this or gout, not so
much as toothache ; except he see the peculiar geniture and scheme of the party ef-
fected." And for this proper malady, he will have tlie principal and primary cause
of it proceed from the heaven, ascribing more to stars than humours, "'-and that the
•constellation alone many times produceth melancholy, all other causes set apart."
He gives instance in lunatic persons, that are deprived of their wits by the moon's
motion ; and in another place refers all to the ascendant, and will have the true and
chief cause of it to be sought from the stars. Neither is it his opinion only, but of
many Galenists and philosophers, though they do not so peremptorily maintain as
much. " Tliis variety of melancholy symptoms proceeds from the stars," saith
** Melancthon : tlie most generous melancholy, as that of Augustus, comes from the
conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Libra : the bad, as that of Catiline's, from the
meeting of Saturn and the moon in Scorpio. Jovianus PonUinus, in his tenth book,
and thirteenth chapter de rebus ccelestibus., discourseth to this purpose at lame. Ex
atrd bile varii generantur rnorbi, Stc, ^'"manv disea.ses proceed from black choler,
as it sha:ll be hot or cold ; and though it be cold in its own nature, yet it is apt to be
heated, as water may be made to boil, and bum as bad as fire ; or made cold as ice :
WDe cruent. Cfirtavpr. " Astra reeiint homi- I tantilliim poterit lib. de podsj. " Constellatio in
'UBS, et re^it aslra Ueus. «« fhirom. lib. QiiiEris A \ cau^a est ; ei influentia rreli nnorbnro hunt movel. In-
me f|iiantuin oporantiir astra 1 dicn, in nos nihil astra tenlum oniiiilius aliis ainolis. El alitii. Orign i-jim ft
wrgere, sed aniinos prpclives trahere : qui sic tainen ' C'ieIo p.-tenda est. Tr. de morbis ameiitium. "Lib.
liberi sunt, ut si diirem j-equantiir ralionem, nihil ef- I do anima. cap. de humorib. Ka variolas in Melancho-
ficiant, sin vero naluram, id aeere quod in brutis fere. jlia. habet Cttlesfs causae (f f^ ei T|. in "T] 6 --^ et <l
«' CcBlum veliiculum (iivina; virtnti?, cujiis medtante in V[. « Ex atra bile varii eenerantur tnorbi pe-
inotu,lumineet influpntia, Deus : elementaria r.irpora lrii.de ut ipse niiiltum califll nut friiiili in se habarrit.
ordinat et dispnnit ih .1 ■ Vm r •:ii,.tM.iii- n, p., i..i .I'luni utriqiie siisripifndo quani apiiisinia sit. tametii
•-Mundus iste q iniJlu iiaiura fripida sit. Atinon aqua lie atliritur m
artiflce concuin-j. jjt£ ul ardeal ; et a frigore. ut in (rl'icieiu conrre*-
Mem. 1. Subs. 4.] Causes of Melanclioly. 131
and thence proceed such variety of symptoms, some mad, some sohtar}-, some laugh,
some rage," &c. The cause of all which intemperance he will have chiefly and pri-
marily proceed from the heavens, " " from the position of Mars, Saturn, and Mercury.'"
His aphorisms be these, ''^" Mercury in any geniture, if he shall be found in Virgo, or
Pisces his opposite sign, and that in the horoscope, irradiated by those quartile aspects
of Saturn or Mars, the child shall be mad or melancholy." Again, ^^"-He that shall
have Saturn and Mars, the one culminating, the other in the fourth house, when he
shall be born, shall be melancholy, of which he shall be cured in time, if ]Mercury
behold them. ™ If the moon be in conjunction or opposition at the birth time with
the sun, Saturn or Mars, or in a quartile aspect with them, (e malo each Zoco, Leovitius
adds,) many diseases are signified, especially the head and brain is like to be misaf-
fected with pernicious humours, to be melancholy, lunatic, or mad," Cardan adds,
quaria hind natos^ eclipses, earthquakes. Garcseus and Leovitius will have the chief
judgment to be taken from the lord of the geniture, or where there is an aspect be-
tween the moon and Mercury, and. neither behold the horoscope, or Saturn and Mars
shall be lord of the present conjunction or opposition in Sagittarius or Pisces, of the
sun or moon, such persons are commonly epileptic, dote, da^moniacal, melancholy .
but see more of these aphorisms in the above-named Pontanus. Garcaeus, cap. 23.
de Jud. genitur. Schoner. lih. 1. cap. 8, which he hath gathered out of ''Ptolemy,
Albubater, and some other Arabians, Junctine, Pianzovius, Lindhout, Origen. Sec. But
these men you will reject peradventure, as astrologers, and therefore partial judges ;
then liear the testimony of physicians, Galenists themselves. '^Carto confesseth the
influence of stars to have a great hand to this peculiar disease, so doth Jason Praten-
sis, Lonicerius prafat. de ApopUxid., Ficinus, Fernelius, &c. '^P. Cnemander ac-
knowledgeth the stars an universal cause, the particular from parents, and the use of
the six non-natural things. Baptista Port. mag. Z. 1. c. 10, 12, 15, will have them
causes to every particular individium. Instances and examples, to evince the truth of
those aphorisms, are common amongst those astrologian treatises. Cardan, in his thirty-
seventh geniture, gives instance in Matth. Bolognius. Camerar. Iwr. natalit. cenlur. 7.
genit. 6. et 7. of Daniel Gare, and others ; but see Garctcus, cap. 33. Luc. Gauricus,
Tract. 6. de Azcmenis., &.c. The time of this melancholy is, when the significators
of any geniture are directed according to art, as the hor : moon, hylech, &c. to
the hostile beams or terms of h and o^ especially, or any fixed star of their nature,
or if h by his revolution or transitus, shall ofl^end any of those radical promissors
in the geniture.
Otlier signs there are taken from physiognomy, metoposcopy, chiromancy, which
because Job. de Indagine, and Rotman, the landgrave of Hesse his mathematician,
not long since in his Chiromancy ; Baptista Porta, in his celestial Physiognomy,
have proved to hold great affinity with astrology, to satisfy the curious, I am the
more willing to insert.
The general notions ''' physiognomers give, be these ; " black colour argues natural
melancholy ; so doth leanness, hirsuteness, broad veins, much hair on the brows,"
saith '^Gratanarolus, cap. 7, and a little head, out of Aristotle, high sanguine, red
colour, shows head melancholy ; they that stutter and are bald, will be soonest me-
lancholy, (as Avicenna supposeth,) by reason of the dryness of their brains ; but he
that will know more of the several signs of humour and wits out of physiognomy,
let him consult with old Adamantus and Polemus, that comment, or rather para-
phrase upon Aristotle's Physiognomy, Baptista Porta's four pleasant books. 3IichaeI
Scot de secrelis nafiirce, John de Indagine, ^Montaltus, Antony Zara. anaf. ingeniorum,
sect. I. memb. 13. et lib. 4.
Chiromancy hath these aphorisms to foretel melancholy. Tasneir. lib. 5. cap. 2,
'^Ilanc ad intemperantiam gisnendam plurimum nium melancholicorum symptoma siderum irfliienlis.
confert f^ et I7 positiis, &c. <* ^ Quoties alicujug "'^Arte Medica. acceduiit ad has caiisas affecliones
genitiira in 'il\ et 5^ adverso signo positus, horosco- siderum. Plurimum incitant et provocant influentis
piim partiliter tenueret atque etiam a (^ vel T^ D f^- ciclestes. Velcurio, lib. 4. rap. 15. -^ Hildesheim,
dio percussus fnerit, natus ab insania vexabitur. spicel. 2. de mel. '<Joh. de Tiidas. cap. 9.
o^ftui 1;| et r^ habet, alteruni in culniine. alterum imo Montaltus, cap. 22. "5 Caput parriim qui habent
coelo, cum itT lucem venerit, mpjaiicholirns i-rit, a qua rprebrumets|iiritng plerumque ansustoj. ficile inci-
sanebitur, si ^ illris irradiaiit. 'IIic cnnfigu- . deiilWB'"W?1aTicho(nam IHbicundi- ^Enu:? l.Jtrn Mon-
ratione natus, Ma^^m^na, aut nt«rtte captus. taltu^^^l. 6 Galeno. '^^^
^' Ptolomaius cenyii^^^^^EuadripartitQ_Iribuit om- I ...^B^Hh^^-^^^tfl^ v^
132 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
who hath comprehended the sum of John de Jndagine : Tricassus, Corviniis, and
others in his book, thus hath it ; ''^ " The Saturnine line going from the rascetta
through the hand, to Saturn's mount, and there intersected by certain little lines,
argues melancholy; so if the vital and natural make an acute angle, Apliorism 100.
The saturnine, epatic, and natural lines, making a gross triangle in the hand, argue
as much ;■" which Goclenius, cap. 5. Chiros. repeats verbatim out of him. In general
they conclude all, that if Saturn's mount be full of many small lines and intersec-
tions, ^"'•'' such men are most part melancholy, miserable and full of disquietness,
care and trouble, continually vexed with anxious and bitter thoughts, always sor-
rowful, fearful, suspicious ; they deliglit in husl>andry, buildings, pools, marshes,
springs, woods, walks," &c. Thaddirus Hagu^esius, in his Metoposcopia, hatli cer-
tain aphorisms derived from Saturn's lines in the foreliead, by which he collects a
melancholy disposition; and "^Baptista Porta makes observations from those other
parts of the body, as if a spot be over the spleen ; ^®^' or in the nails ; if it appear
black, it signifieth much care, grief, contention, and melancholy ;" the reason he
refers to the liumours, and gives instance in himself, that for seven years space he
had such black spots in his nails, and all that while was in perpetual law-suits, con-
troversies for his inheritance, fear, loss of honour, banishnu nt, grief, care, Stc. and
when his miseries ended, the black spots vanished. Cardan, in his book dc lihrls
propriis^ tells such a story of his own person, that a little before his son's death, he
had a black spot, which appeared in one of his nails ; and dilated itself as he came
nearer to his end. But 1 am over tedious in these toys, which howsoever, in some
men's too severe censures, they may be held absurd and ridiculous, I am the bolder
to insert, as not borrowed from circumforanean rogues and gipsies, but out of the
writings of worthy philosophers and physicians, yet living some of them, and reli-
gious professors in famous universities, who are able to patronize that which they
have said, and vindicate themselves from all cavillers and ignorant persons.
SuBSECT. V. — Old age a cause.
Secondary peculiar causes efficient, 30 called in respect of the other precedent,
are either congenita., internee., innatci, as they term them, inward, innate, inbred ; or
else outward and adventitious, which happen to us after we are born : congenite or
born with us, are either natural, as old age, or prater naluram (as Ternelius calls
it") that distemperature, which we have from our parent's seed, it being an hereditary
disease. The first of these, which is natural to all. and whicli no man living can
avoid, is ®'old age, which being cold and dry, and of the .same quality as melancholy
is, must needs cause it, bv diminution of spirits apd substance, and increasinif of
adust humours ; therefore "Melancthon avers out of Aristotle, as an undoubted truth,
Sews phrunqtie delirasse in senectd, that old men familiarly dote, ob atram bdem^
for black choler, which is then superabundant in them : and Rhasis, that Arabian
physician, in his Cont. lib. 1. cap. 9, calls it *^"a necessary and inseparable accident,"
to all old and decrepit persons. After seventy years (as the P.salmist saith) **" all is
trouble and sorrow ;" and common experience confirms the truth of it in weak and
old persons, especially such as have lived in action all their lives, had great employ-
ment, much business, much command, and many servants to oversee, and leave off
ex ahrupto; as ^'Charles the Fifth did to King Philip, resign up all on a sudden ; they
are overcome with melancholy in an instant : or if ifiey do continue in such courses,
they dote at last, (senex bis pxier.,) and are not able to manage tlieir estates through
common infirmities incident in their age ; full of ache, sorrow and grief, children again,
dizzards, they carle many times as they sit, and talk to themselves, they are an^ry,
waspish, displeased with every thing, " suspicious of all, wayward, coveitjtis, liard
■"Saturniiia il Rascetta per medram manum decur- Idem macule in ungulia nierae, lites, rixai, melancho-
rens. usque ad radicem niontis Salurni, & oarvis liam signiticanl, ah humnre in corite tali. « Lib. 1
lineis inleisecia, arsuit melancholicog. Aphoris. 7ft. | Hath. cap. 11. -' Venit eniin properata ma'.u
'^ Acitaniur niiseriis, rontinuis iirquietudinihus, neque inopina seni.>ctU8 : et dolor statem jusJil inesse mi-am
unquriiii a -MluiKlin-' li'. ri -int. aniie affi^untiir .imi. 11...1 luu, n.pi 1. de rontojl. Philo^i. "-Cap. dd
rissi' inoe^^^^iyH^ ' 1 dr .\niiiia. '^ Ncceaaariiim acci
men i,yK^^^^^f%>i. I.', I'l insi-p.irabile. •• ptal. se 10
Mem. 1. Subs. 6.] Causes of Melancholy. 133
(saith Tully,) self-willed, superstitious, self-conceited, braggers and admirers of them-
selves," as ^^Balthasar Castalio hath truly noted of them.*'' This natural infirmity is
most eminent in old women, and such as are poor, solitary, live in most base esteem
and beggar}^, or such as are witches ; insomuch that Wierus, Baptista Porta, Ulricus
Molitor, Edwicus, do refer all that witches are said to do, to imagination alone, and
this humour of melancholy. And whereas it is controverted, whether they can be-
witch cattle to death, ride in the air upon a coulstafT out of a chimney-top, trans-
form themselves into cats, dogs. Sec, translate bodies from place to place, meet in
companies,^ and dance, as they do, or have carnal copulation with the devil, they
ascribe all to this redundant melancholy, which domineers in them, to ** somniferous
potions, and natural causes, the deviPs policy. JVon Icediint omninb (saith Wierus)
aut quid mirum fachmf, [de Lamiis^ lib. 3. caj). 36), ut putatur., solam viliatam Jinbent
phantasiam ; they do no such wonders at all, only their ^^ brains are crazed. '°'-^ They
think they are witches, and can do hurt, but do not." But this opinion Bodine,
Erastus, Danasus, Scribanius, Sebastian Michaelis, Campanella de Sensu rerum, lib. 4.
cap. 9. ^'Dandinus the Jesuit, lib. 2. de Jlnimd explode ; ^''Cicogna confutes at large.
That witches are melancholy, they deny not, but not out of corrupt phantasy alone,
so to delude themselves and. others, or to produce such effects.
SuBSECT. VI. — Parents a cause hy Propagation.
That other inward inbred cause of Melancholy is our temperature, in whole or
part, which we receive from our parents, which ^^Fernelius calls Prater naturam^
or unnatural, it being an hereditary disease; for as he justifies ^^ Quale parcntum
maxim'e patris semen obtigerit., tales evadunt similares sjjermaticceque partes., quocun-
que etiam morbo Pater quum general tenetur, cum semine transfert in Prolem ; such
as the temperature of the father is, such is the son's, and look what disease the
father had when he begot him, his son will have after him; ®'"and is as well inhe-
ritor of his infirmities, as of his lands. And where the complexion and constitution
of the father»is corrupt, there (°® saith Roger Bacon) the complexion and constitution
of the son must needs be corrupt, and so the corruption is derived from the father
to the son." Now this doth not so much appear in the composition of the body,
according to that of Hippocrates, ^"'- in habit, proportion, scars, and other lineaments ;
but in manners and conditions of the mind, Et patrum in natos abeunt cum semine
mores.
Seleucus had an anchor on his thigh, so had his posterity, as Trogus records,
1. 1 5. Lepidus, in Pliny 1. 7. c. 17, was purblind, so was his son. That famous fimiily
of iEnobarbi were known of old, and so surnamed from their red beards ; the Aus-
trian lip, and those Indian flat noses are propagated, the Bavarian chin, and goggle
eyes amongst the Jews, as ^** Buxtorfius observes ; their voice, pace, gesture, looks, are
likewise derived with all the rest of their conditions and infirmities ; such a mother,
such a daughter; their very ^''affections Lemnius contends "• to follow their seed, and
the malice and bad conditions of children are many times AvhoUy to be imputed to
their parents ;" I need not therefore make any doubt of Melancholy, but that it is
an hereditary disease. '""Paracelsus in express words affirms it, lib. de morb. amtn-
iium to. 4. tr. 1 ; so doth 'Crato in an Epistle of his to Monavius. So doth Bruno
Seidelius in his book de morbo incur ab. MontaUus proves, cap. 11, out of Hippo-
crates and Plutarch, that such hereditary dispositions are frequent, et hanc (inquit)
fieri reor ob participatam melancholicam iniemperantiam (speaking of a patient) I
f 8 Sunt morosi nnxii. et iracundi et difficiles senes,
si quieriimis, etiam avari, Tull. de senectute. *■ Lib.
2. de Aulico. Senes avari, niornsi, jactatmndi, phi-
lanti, deliri, snperstiliosi, siispiciosi, &c. I.il). 3. de
Laniiis, cap. 17. et 18. ^ Solanum, opium liipiadeps,
lacr. asiiii, &c. sanguis infantum, &c. '"'■' C'orrupta
est iis ah humore Melanctiolico phantasia. Nynianus.
«" Putant se Iredere quando non liedunt. "• Qui lisc
in imaL'inationis vim referre conati sunt, atrs hilis,
inaneilj prorsus laborein .susceperunt. "-Lih. 3.
cap. 4. oninif mag. »• Lib. 1. cap. 11. path. »■ Ut
arlhritici E|iilcp. &c. S'Ut filii nmi tnm po==es-
sionum quam morborum tjeredos sint. ■' K|n.<t. de
gecretis artis et natm^^lBiKani in hoc Qifod patres
corrupt! sunt, generant filios corrupts complexionis,
et compositinnis, et filii eorum eadem de causa se
corrunipunt, et sic derivatur corruptio k patribus ad
filios. i^ Non tarn (inquit Hippocrates) gibbos et
cicatrices oris et corporis habitum agnoscis es iis.sed
veruir. incessum gestus, mores, niorbo.s, &c. * Sy-
nagog. Jud. >" Affectus parentuin in ftRtus tran-
seunt, et puerorum malicia parenlibus imputanda, lib.
4. cap. 3. de occult, nat. mirac. i'«Ex pituitosis
pituitosi, ex biliosis liiliosi, c.\ lienosis et melancho-
licis melancholiri. i Epist. 174. in Scoltz. Nascitur
nobisciiHiJlli^jU'"r'l"s et uni aim parentibus habe
ic assemr Jo. Pelesiii^^lili^. de cur»
fectuum.
134 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
think he became so by participation of Melanclioly. Daniel Sennertus, lib. 1. part
2. cap. 9, will have his melancholy constitution derived not only from the fatlier to
tlie son, but to the whole family sometimes ; Quandoque totis famil'iis hercdUaii-
varn, ''■ Forestus, in his medicinal observations, illustrates this point, with an *>xample
of a merchant, his patient, that had this infirmity by inheritance ; so doth Rodericus
a Fonseca, torn. 1. consul. 69, by an instance of a young man that was so aflected
tx maxrc melanclwllca^ had a melancholy mother, H victu ?nelancJiolico, and bad diet
together. Ludovicus IVIercatus, a Spanish physician, in that excellent Tract which
he hath lately written of hereditary diseases, torn. 2. oper. lib. 5, reckons up leprosy,
as those ^Galbots in Gascony, hereditary lepers, pox, stone, gont, epilepsy, Sic.
Amongst the rest, this and madness after a set time comes to many, which he calls
a miraculous thing in nature, and sticks for ever to them as an incurable hal)it. And
tliat whicli is more to be wondered at, it skip)s in some families the father, and goes
to the son, '''•'or takes every other, and sometimes every third in a lineal descent,
and doth not always produce the same, but some like, and a symbolizing disease."
These secondary causes hence derived, are connnonly so powerful, that (as ^Wol-
phius holds) scepe mutant dccreta sldcrum, they do often alter the primary causes,
and decrees of the heavens. For these reasons, belike, the Church and connnon-
wealth, human and Divine laws, have conspired to avoid hereditary diseases, forbid-
ding such marriages as are any whit allied; and as Mercatus adviseth all families to
take such, si fieri possit quce maxime distant natura^ and to make choice of those
that are most diflering in complexion from them ; if they love their own, and respect
the common good. And sure, I think, it hath been orclered by God's especial pro-
vidence, that in all ages there should be (as usually there is) once in *G00 years, a
transmigration of nations, to amend and purify their blood, as we alter seed upon
our land, and that there should be as it were an immdation of those northern Goths
and Vandals, and many such like people which came out of that continent of Sian-
dia and Sarniatia (as some suppose) and over-ran, as a deluge, most part of Europe
and Africa, to alter for our good, our complexions, which were imich defaced with
hereditary infirmities, which by our lust and intemperance we had contracted. A
sound generation of strong and able men were sent amongst us, as those northern
men usually are, innocuous, free from riot, and free from diseases ; to qualify and
make us as those poor naked Indians are generally at this day ; and tho.se about
Brazil (_as a late ^writer observes), in the Isle of Maragnan, free from all hereditary
diseases, or other contagion, whereas without help of physic they live commonly
120 years or more, as in the Orcades and many other places. Such are the common
effects of temperance and intemperance, but I will descend to particular, and show
by what means, and by whom especially, this infirmity is derived unto us.
Filii ex scnibus nati, rarb sunt firini tcmperamcnli.^ old men's children arc seldom
of a good temperament, as Scoltzius supposeth, consult. 177, and therefore most apt
to this disease; and as ^Levinus Lenmius farther adds, old men beget most part
wayward, peevish, sad, melancholy sons, and seldom merry. He that begets a cliild
on a full stomach, will either hare a sick child, or a crazed son (as ^Cardan thinks),
contradict, mod. lib. 1. contradict. 18, or if the parents be sick, or have any great
pain of the head, or megrim, headache, (Ilieronimus Wolfius '"doth instance in a
child of Sebastian Caslalio's) ; if a drunken man get a child, it will never likely have
a good brain, as Gellius argues, lib. 12. cap. 1. Ebrii gignunl Ebrios., one drunkard
begets another, saith "Plutarch, symp. lib. I. quest. 5, whose sentence '^Lemnius
approves, 1.1, c. 4. Alsarius Crutius, Gen. de qui sit med. cent. 3. fol. 182. 3Ia-
crobius, lib. 1. Avicenna, lib. 3. Fen. 21. Tract 1. cap. 8, and Aristotle himself,
.vrct. 2. prob. 4, foolish, drunken, or hair-brain women, most part bring forth children
like unto themselves, morosos et languidos, and so likewise he that lies with a men-
2 Lib. 10. obsprvat. 15. ' Maginus Geog. * Sape I Damianus ft Ooes de Scandia. • Lib. 4. c. 3. de
non eundeni, sed similem producit »trectuni, et illajso occult, nat. iiiir. Tetricog plerumque filioa genes pro-
parente transit, in nepotem. s Dial, prafix. geni- . penerant et iristes, rarios eihilaratos. » (oitui
turis Leoviiii. • Bodin. de rep. cap. de periodia reip. ' super repletioiiem pensinius, ei filii qui turn eienuntiir,
' Claudiua .\baville, Capurhion, in his voyase to Ma- j aut tnorbogi sunt, nut ctolidi. '» Dial, pra-rn
ragnan I'"!', cap. !j N.-iuc ('■ rt ■ jr m^, - inn omnes | Leovilo. i' L de ed. liberie. " De occult. na(.
W robu-.u > -r^u^c viVUni unno^ iM, 140. SfltaMl^^^nir. teroulentie et sKdidi iiiulieres libero* pleiuiuqu*
cilia. Iiii^j^Hector Boetliius de insulis Qi^^^^^^HBu^te^ribisniiili.-:
Mem. 1. Subs, 6.] Causes of Melancholy. 135
struous Avoman. Intemperantia veneris, quam in nautis prcBsertim insectatur "Lem-
iiius, qui uxores incunt, nulla, menstrui decursus ratione Jiahitd nee olscrvafo inter-
lunio, prcEcipua causa est, noxia, pernitiosa, concuhitum hunc cxitialem ideo, et pes-
tiferum vocat. "Rodoricus a Castro Lucitanus, dctestantur ad unum omnes mcdici,
turn ct quartd hind co7iccpti, infaslices plerumque et amentes, deliri, stolidi, morhosi,
impuri, invalidi, tetra lue sordldi ininbne vltales, omnlhus bonis corporis atque animi
destituti : ad laborcm nati, si scniorcs,inquitILustSLthms,ut Hercules, et alii. ^'"Judczl
maxime iiisectanlur foidum hunc, ct immundimi apud Christianos Concuhitum, id
illicitum abhorrent, et ajmd suos prohihent ; et quod Christian!, toties lejjrosi, aincntes,
tot morbili, impetigines, alphi, psorce, cutis et faciei de color ationcs, tarn multi morbi
epidemici, acerhi, ct venenosi sint, in hunc immundum concuhitum rejiciunt, et cru-
deles in pignora vacant, qui quartd lund projluente hdc viensium illuvie concuMturn
hunc non perhorrescunt. Damnavit olim divina Lex et morte viulctavit hujucmodi
homines, Lev. 18, 20, et inde nati, siqui deformcs aid mutili, j^atcr dilapjidatus,quod
non contineret ah '^ immundd muliere. Gregorius Magnus, petcnti Augustino nunquid
apud '" Britannos hujusmodi concuhitum toleraret, severe prohihuit viris suis turn
misceri fceminas in consuetis suis menstruis, £tc. I spare to English this which I
have said. Another cause some give, inordinate diet, as if a man eat garlic, onions,
fast overmuch, study too hard, be over-sorrowful, dull, heavy, dejected in mind,
• perplexed in his thoughts, fearful, Stc, " their children (saith '^Cardan subtil, lib. 18)
will be much subject to madness and melancholy ; for if the spirits of the brain be
fusled, or misaffected by such means, at such a time, their children will be fusled in
tlie brain : they will be dull, heavy, timorous, discontented all their lives." Some
are of opinion, and maintain that paradox or problem, that wise men beget com-
monly fpols ; Suidas gives instance in Aristarchus the Grammarian, duos reliquit
flios Arislarchum et Aristachorum, ambos stultos ; and which '^Erasmus urgelh in
his Moria, fools beget wise men. Card. suht. I. 12, gives this cause, Quonium spi-
ritus sapientujn oh studium resolvuntur, et in cerebrum feruntur a corde : because
their natural spirits are resolved by study, and turned into animal ; drawn from the
heart, and those other parts to the brain. Lemnius subscribes to tliat of Cardan, and
assigns this reason, Quod persolvant dehitum languide, et obscitanter, wide fatus a
parentum gencrositate desciscit : they pay their debt (as Paul calls it) to their wives
remissly, by which means their children are weaklings, and many times idiots and
fools.
Some other causes are given, which properly pertain, and do proceed from the
mother : if she be over-dull, heavy, angry, peevish, discontented, and melancholy,
not only at the time of conception, but even all the while she carries the child in
her womb (saith Fernelius, path. 1. 1, 11) her son will be so likewise aflected, and
worse, as ^Lemnius adds, 1. 4. c. 7, if she grieve overmuch, be disquieted, or by
aiiy casualty be affrighted and terrified by some fearful object, heard or seen, she en-
dangers her child, and spoils the temperature of it ; for the strange imagination of a
woman works effectually upon her infant, that as Baptista Porta proves, Physiog.
ccelestis 1. 5. c. 2, she leaves a mark upon it, which is most especially seen in such
as prodigiously long for such and such meats, the child will love those meats, saith
Fernelius, and be addicted to like humours : ^''' if a great-bellied woman see a hare,
her child will often have a hare-lip," as M'e call it. GarccBUS, de Judiciis genitura-
rum, cap. 33, hath a memorable example of one Thomas Nickell, born in the city
of Brandeburg, 1551, -"'•' that went reeling and staggering all the days of his life, as
if he would fall to the ground, because his mother being great with child saw a
drunken man reeling in the street. Such another I find in Martin Wenrichius, com.
de orlu monstrorum, c. 17, I saw (saith he) at Wittenberg, in Germany, a citizen that
looked like a carcass ; I asked him the cause, he replied,^ " His mother, w,heu she
"Lib. 2. c. 8. de occult, nat. mir. Good Master' 129. mer. Socrates' children were fools. Sabel.
Schoolmaster do not Knslish this. '■* De nat. niul. I ''" De occul. nat. mir. Pica morbus mulierum "^ Bap-
lib. 3. cap. 4. I'lJu.xdorphius, c. 31. Synag. Jud. j tista Porta, loco prsd. Ex leporum intuitu plerique
Ezek. 18. "^Drusius obs. lib. 3. cap. 20. '' Bcda. ! infantes ednnt bifido superiore labeH|>. -'-Quasi
Eccl. hist. lib. 1. c. 27. re.spons. 10. '"Nam spiritus [ mox in terram collapsurus, per oinne vitam incedebat
i-erebri si turn male afficiantur, tales procreant, et cum mater gravia ehrium hominem sic incedentem
Q'lales fiierint affectus. tales filioniin : ox iri-tii.i.g ^nljf -*- ^ "-- CiveiifTSRlfWBflfttrQ^ifcaui dixit, &.C
liistes, ex jucundi
136 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 1,
bore him in her womb, saw a carcass by chance, and was so sore affria^hted with it,
that ex eo foetus ei assimilaijis, from a ghastly impression the chikl was like it."
So many several ways are we plagued and punished for our father's defaults ; in-
somuch that as Fernelius truly saith, "" It is the greatest part of our felicity to be
well born, and it were happy for human kind, if only such parents as are sound of
body and mind should be suffered to marr}-." An husbandman will sow none but
the best and choicest seed upon his land, he will not rear a bull or a horse, except
he be right shapen in all parts, or permit him to cover a mare, except he be well
assured of his breed ; we make choice of the best rams for our sheep, rear the
neatest kine, and keep the best dogs, Quanto id dilii^entiufi in procrrandis lihcris
observandum f And how careful then should we be in begetting of our children ? In
former times some ^ countries have been so chary in this behalf, so stern, that if a child
were crooked or deformed in body or mind, they made him away ; so did the Indians
of old by the relation of Curtius, and many other well-governed commonwealths,
according to the discipline of those times. Heretofore in Scotland, saith *^llect.
Boethius, " if any were visited with the falling sickness, ijiadness, gout, leprosy, or
any such dangerous disease, whicli was likely to be propagated from the father to
the son, he was instantly gelded ; a woman kept from all company of men ; and if
by chance having some such disease, she were found to be with child, she witli her
brood were buried alive : and tliis was done for the common wood, lest the whole
nation should be injured or corrupted. A severe doom you will say, and not to be
used amongst Christians, yet more to be looked into than it is. For now by our
too much facility in this kind, in giving way for all to marry that will, too much
liberty and indulgence in tolerating all sorts, there is a vast confusion uf hereditary
diseases, no family secure, no man almost free from some grievous innriiiity or other,
when no choice is had, but still the eldest must marry, as so many stidlions of the
race ; or if rich, be they fools or dizzards, lame or maimed, unable, intemperate,
dissolute, exhaust through riot, as he said, '^ jura hiereditario sapcre jubentur ; they
must be wise and able by inheritance : it comes to pass that our generation is cor-
nipt, we have many weak persons, both in body and mind, many feral diseases
raging amongst us, crazed families, parentes., peremptores ; our fathers bad, and we
are like to be worse.
MEMB. II.
SuBSECT. I. — Bad Diet a cause. Substance. Quality of Meats.
AccoRDiN-G to my proposed method, having opened hitherto these secondary
causes, which are inbred with us, 1 must now proceed to the outward and adventi-
tious, which happen unto us after we are born. And those are either evident, re-
mote, or inward, antecedent, and the nearest : continent causes some call them.
These outward, remote, precedent causes are subdivided again into neces.sary and not
necessary. Necessary (^because we cannot avoid them, but they will alter us, as
they are used, or abused) are those six non-natural things, so much spoken of
amongst physicians, which are principal causes of this disease. For almost in every
consuhation, whereas they shall come to speak of the causes, the fault is found, and
this most part objected to the patient ; Peccavit circa res sex non nalurales : he hath
still offended in one of those six. Montanus, consil. 22, consulted about a melan-
choly Jew, gives that sentence, so did Frisemelica in the same place ; and in his 244
counsel, censuring a melancholy soldier, assigns that reason of his malady, ^''he
»« Optimum bene nasci, maxima para fselicitalis in prolem transmiuilur, laborantes intor eo§, inKentl
Dostrs bene nasci ; quamobrem praclere humano fnrta indagine, inventos, ne gen» f»cl« cnninsiooa
generi consultiiiii videretur, si soli3 parentis bene Irderetiir, ex iis naia, castraverunt, iiiulir-reii liuju<-
babiti et sani, IfAris operam darent. '"Infantes modi pri»cul a virorum consortio al>ie;':irunt. quod «l
Intirrai pr«cipitio necali. Bohtinu-!, lib. 3 c. 3. Apud hirum aliqiia concepis-"' iriv.tiieNriiiir, »iniul cum
Lacones olIm^Lips^^^l^l^i.^- .. rmi^ ^ Helgag. fo-tu nondum edit", dHfodi.liatiir viva. J- Kuphor-
Dionysio Ayji|^|M^^Kaliqna'iB«rtBBrdn^|fe|^^|iioSatyr. '' F>'< it <l>-li(ii qiiir hen pos-
iiiiitil
Mem. 2. Subs. l.J Causes of Melancholy. 137
offended in all those six non-natural things, which were the outward causes, from
which came those inward obstructions ; and so in the rest.
These six non-natural things are diet, retention and evacuation, which are more
material than the other because they make new matter, or else are conversant in
keeping or expellmg of it. The other four are air, exercise, sleeping, waking, and
perturbations of the mind, which only alter the matter. The first of these is diet,
which consists in meat and drink, and causeth melancholy, as it offends in substance,
or accidents, that is, quantity, quality, or the like. And well it may be called a ma-
terial cause, since that, as ^^ Fernelius holds, "it hath such a power in begetting of
diseases, and yields the matter and sustenance of them ; for neither air, nor pertur-
bations, nor any of those other evident causes take place, or work this eflect, except
the constitution of body, and preparation of humours, do concur. That a man may say,
this diet is the mother of diseases, let the father be what he will, and from this alone,
melancholy and frequent other maladies arise." Many physicians, I confess, have
written copious volumes of this one subject, of the nature and qualities of all manner
of meats ; as namely, Galen, Isaac the Jew, Halyabbas, Avicenna, Mesue, also four
Arabians, Gordonius, Villanovanus, Wecker, Johannes Bruerinus, sitoJogia de Escukn-
tU et Poculcntis, Michael Savanarola, Tract 2. c. 8, Anthony Fumanellus, lib. de regi-
minc sem<m. Curio in his comment on.Schola Salerna, Godefridus Steckius arte med.^
Marcilius Cognatus, Ficinus, Ranzovius, Fonseca, Lessius, Magninus, rcgbn. sanitatis.,
Frietagius, Hugo Fridevallius, See, besides many other in '^"English, and almost every
pecvdiar physician, discourseth at large of all peculiar meats in his chapter of melan-
choly : yet because these books are not at hand to every man, I will briefly touch
what kind of meats engender this humour, through their several species, and which
are to be avoided. How they alter and change the matter, spirits first, and after hu-
mours, by which we are preserved, and the constitution of our body, Fernclius and
others will show you. I hasten to the thing itself: and first of such diet as offends
in substance.
Beef.] Beef, a strong and hearty meat (cold in the first degree, dry in the second,
saith Gal. I. 3. c. 1. de alim.fac.) is condemned by him and all succeeding Authors,
to breed gross melancholy blood : good for such as are sound, and of a strong con-
stitution, for labouring men if ordered aright, corned, young, of an ox (for all gelded
meats in every species are held best), or if old, ^' such as have been tired out with
labour, are preferred. Aubanus and Sabellicus commend Portugal beef to be the most
savoury, best and easiest of digestion ; we commend ours : but all is rejected, and
unfit for such as lead a resty life, any ways inclined to Melancholy, or dry of com-
plexion : Tales (Galen thinks) de facile melancholic is ccgritudinihis capiimtur.
Pork.] Fork, of all meats, is most nutritive in his own nature, ^^but altogether
unfit for such as live at ease, are any ways unsound of body or mind : too moist,
full of humours, and therefore noxia delicatis, saith Savanarola, ex carum usu ul
duhitetur an febris quarfana genereiur : naught for queasy stomachs, insomucli that
frequent use of it may breed a quartan ague.
Goat.] Savanarola discommends goat's flesh, and so doth ^Bruerinus, 7. 13. c. 19,
calling it a filthy beast, and rammish : and therefore supposeth it will breed rank and
filthy substance •, yet kid, such as are young and tender, Isaac accepts, Bruerinus and
Galen, 7. I.e. 1. de alimentorum facxdtatibus.
Hart.] Hart and red deer "^hath an evil name: it yields gross nutriment : a strong
and great grained meat, next unto a horse. Which althougli some countries eat, as
Tartars, and they of China-, yet ''^Galen condemns. Young foals are as commonly
eaten in Spain as red deer, and to furnish their navies, about Malaga especially, often
used 5 but such meats ask long baking, or seething, to qualify them, and yet all will
not serve.
Venison.) Fallow Deer.] All venison is melancholy, and begets bad blood ; a
'wPath. 1. 1. c. 2. Maximam in gignendis morhis vim
obtinet, pabulum, materiamque morbi sugs-'erens : nam
nee ab iiere, nee k perturl)alionibus, vel aliis evidenti-
bus causis niorbi sunt, nisi conseiitiat cdrporis prsepa-
gula est omnium mptfnS'riiiii um
genitor. Ab hat0atKbi anoiite ssp6 emanant, nuUj
19-"^
aUa cogente causa. ^oCogan, Eliot, Vauhan,
Vener. 3' Frietagius. s- Isaac. s.. Nob
laudatur quia melancholicum prsebet alimentum.
"Male aljt cervina (immit Frietagius) crassissimum
ratio, et humorum coiistimtin It smi'l dicaiii, un^ri^MNnMlarium suppeditat alimeiuujii. ^ -Lib. de
iiater, clmnibi aJifBa-CSt aujillli^. dieta. Equina caro etatinina eqmjjis danda
I et asio
liu£is uas
138 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sect. 2.
pleasant meat : in great esteem with us (for we liave more parks in England than
tliere are in all Europe besides) in our solemn feasts. 'Tis somewhat belter hunted
tlian otherwise, and well prepared by cookery ; but generally bad, and seldom to be
used.
Hare.] Hare, a black meat, melancholy, and hard of digestion, it breeds incubus^
often eaten, and causeth fearful dreams, so doth all venison, and is condemned by a
jury of physicians. 3Iizaldus and some others say, that hare is a merry meat, and
that it will make one fair, as MartiaPs Epigram teslities to Gellia; but this is per ac-
cidens, because of the good sport it makes, merry company and good discourse that
is commonly at the eating of it, and not otherwise to be understood.
Conies.] '^Conies are of the nature of hares. Magninus compares them to beef,
pig, and goat, Reg. sanit. part. 3. c. 17 ; yet young rabbits by all men are approved
to be good.
Generally, all such meats as are hard of digestion breed melancholy. Areteus,
lib. 7. cap. 5, reckons up heads and feet, ''bowels, brains, entrails, marrow, fat, blood,
skins, and tliose inward parts, as heart, lungs, liver, spleen, &.c. They are rejected
b\ Isaac, lib. 2. part. 3, JMagninus, part. 3. cap. 17, 13ruerinus, lib. 12, Savanarola,
I'iub. 32. Trad. 2.
Mill:.] Milk, and all that comes of milk, as butter and cheese, curds, &.C., increase"
melancholy (whey oidy excepted, which is most wholesome): ^*some except asses'
milk. Tlie rest, to such as are sound, is nutritive and good, especially for young
children, but because soon turned to corruption, ^not good for tliose that have un-
clean stomachs, are subject to headache, or have green wounds, stone, &.c. Of all
cheeses, I take that kind which we call Banbury cheese to be the best, ex velnstis
prssimus, the older, stronger, and harder, tlie worst, as Langius (h.scourselh in his
Epistle to Melancthon, cited by .Mizaldus, Isaac, p. 5. Gal. 3. de cibis honi sttcci., &.c.
Fowl.] Amongst fowl, *° peacocks and jjiifeons, all femiy fowl are forbidden, as
ducks, geese, swans, her«^ns, cranes, coots, didappers, waterhens, with all those teals,
curs, sheldrakes, and peckled fowls, that come hither in winter «)Ut of Scandia, .Mus-
covy, Greeidand, Friezland, wliich half tlie year are covered all over with snow, and
frozen up. Tliough these be fair in feathers, pleasant in taste, and have a good out-
side, like hypocrites, while in plumes, and sort, their llesh is hard, idack, unwhole-
some, dangerous, melancholy meat ; Gravant it pulrrfuciunt slo/nachuPi., saith Isaac,
part. 5. de vol.., their young ones are more tolerable, but young pigeons he cjuile dis-
approves.
Fishea.] Riiasis and ^' .Magninus discommend all fish, and say^ they breed visco-
sities, slimy nulrimenl, little and humourous nourishment. Savanarola achls, cold,
moist : and pldegmalic, Isaac ; and therefore unwholesome for all cold and melan-
choly complexions : others make a diflerence, rejecting only amongst fresh-water
fish, eel, tench, lamprey, crawfish (which Bright aj)proves, cap. G), and such as are
bred in muddy and standing waters, and have a taste of mud, as Franciscus Bonsue-
tus poetically defines. Lib. de aquatilibus.
" N;un pisct-'s onines, qui sta!>na. Ucusque frcqueDtaiU, I " All fish, that etaailin^ pools, and lakes frenuent,
.Semper plus succi deterioriri lial>«nt." | Do ever yield bad juice and nouriHhiiieiit."
Lampreys, Paulus Jovius, c. 34. de piscibus Jluvial., highly magnifies, and saith,
None speak against them, but inepli et scrupulosi, some scrupulous persons ; but
*^eels, c. 33, '' he abhorreth in all phtces, at all limes, all physicians detest them, es-
pecially about the solstice." Gomesius, lib. 1. c. 22, de sale., doth immoderately extol
sea-fisli, wliich others as much vilify, and above llie rest, dried, soused, iiuhirate fish,
as ling, fumados, red-herrings, sprats, stock-fish, haberdine, poor-jolm, all shell-fish.
"Tim. Bright excepts lobster and crab. Mes.sarius commends salmon, which Brue-
rinus contradicts, lib. 22. c. 17. Magninus rejects conger, sturgeon, turbot, mackarel,
skate.
Carp is a fish of which I know not what to determine. Franciscus Bonsuetus
*Parum ohsunt i natura Leponim. Bruprinug, ] theor. p. 2. Isaac, Bruer. lib. 15. cap. 30. ei 31.
I 13. cap. 25. pullorum lenera et optima. ^^ Ill.iiidi- <■ Cap. 18. part. 3. «Omni loco el oiiini lemiw.r*
bilis succi naiis-:im provor:iTit " Piso .Wn.nriT. ' jn-iJiti d.'t>-»taiiiur anmiill.in prn.,erliui circa »ol»l.-
s--- Curio. Fri'-t i;:..j-.Ma^iiuiu»rt>art. J. cjp. IT^'Mtmmtl^i. hh. D.imiiriniiir mm tini- luiu a-grin « Cap 6.
riali«. de ang^mii. 1. c. 10. excepts all milk memJa jiAk^telLLvr M
Mtrwi. 2. Subs. 1.] Causes of Melancholy. 139
accounts it a muddy fish. Hippolitus Salvianus, in his Book de Piscium nalura et
prceparatione, which was printed at Rome in folio, 1.554, with nlost elegant pictures,
esteems carp no better than a slimy watery meat. Paulus Jovius on the other side,
disallowing tench, approves of it ; so doth Dubravius in his Books of Fisli^onds.
Freitagius ""^ extols it for an excellent wholesome meat, and puts it amongst the iishes
of the best rank ; and so do most of our country gentlemen, that store their ponds
almost with no other fish. But this controversy is easily decided, in my judgment,
by Bruerinus, /. 22. c. 13. The, difference riseth frojn the site and nature of pools,
■*' sometimes muddy, sometimes sweet ; they are in taste as the place is from whence
they be taken. In like manner almost we may conclude of other fresh fish. But
see more in Rondoletius, Bellonius, Oribasius, lib. 7. caj). 22, Isaac, I. 1, especially
Hippolitus Salvianus, who is inslar omnium solus, &c. Howsoever they may be
wholesome and approved, much use of them is not good ; P. Forestus, in his medi-
cinal observations, ''^ relates, that Carthusian friars, whose living is most part fish,
are more subject to melancholy than any other order, and tliat he found by experi-
ence, being sometimes their physician ordinary at Delft, in Holland. He exemplifies
it with an instance of one Buscodnese, a Carthusian of a ruddy colour, and well
liking, that by solitary living, and fish-eating, became so misaffected. .
Herbs.] Amongst herbs to be eaten I find gourds, cucumbers, coleworts, melons,
"disallowed, but especially cabbage. It causeth troublesome dreams, and sends up
black vapours to the brain. Galen, he. affect. I. 3. c. 6, of all herljs condemns cab-
bage ; and Isaac, lib. 2. c. 1. Jlniince. gravitalemfacit, it brings heaviness to the soul.
Some ^re of opinion that all raw herbs and salads breed melancholy blood, except
bugloss and lettuce. Crato, consil. 21. lib. 2, speaks against all herbs and worts,
except borage, bugloss, fennel, parsley, dill, balm, succory. Magninus, regim. sani-
tads, pari. 3. cap. 31. Omnes herbce. simplicifer mala, via cibi ; all herbs are simply
evil to feed on (as he thinks). So did that scoffing cook in "'''Plautus hold :
' Non ego cccnam condio ut alii coqiii soleiit,
Qui iiiilii coiidita prata in patinis proferuiit,
Loves qui convivas faciuin, li'erliasque.-iggerunt."
"Likfi othpr cooks I tlo not supper dress,
Thai put vvliole meadows into a platter,
And make no better of their guests than beeves,
Willi herbs and grass to feed them falter."
Our Italians and Spaniards do make a whole dinner of herbs and salads (which
our said Plautus calls canas terrestras, Horace, ccenas sine sanguine), by which
means, as he follows it,
1' •'llic homines lam brevem vitain colunt I "Their lives, that eat such herbs, must needs be short.
Qui herbas hujusmodi in alvum siium congerunt, 1 And 'lis a fearful thing for to rejjort,
Formidolosnm diclu, non esu mode), 1 That men should feed on such a kind of meat,
Qiuis herbas [jecudes non edunl, homines edunt." | Which very juments would refuse to eat."
■''^Tliey are windy, and not fit therefore to be eaten of all men raw, though quali-
fied with oil, but in broths, or otherwise. See more of these in every ''"husbandman
and herbalist.
Roots.] Hoots, Etsi quorundam gentium opes sint, saith Bruerinus, the wealth of
some countries, and sole food, are windy and bad, or troublesome to the head : as
onions, garlic, scellions, turnips, carrots, radishes, parsnips : Crato, lib. 2. consil. 11,
disallows all roots, though ''some approve of parsnips and potatoes. ^^ Magninus is
of Crato's opinion, °^" They trouble the mind, sending gross fumes to the brain,
make men mad, especially garlic, onions, if a man liberally feed on them a year to-
gether. Guianerius, tract. 15. caj>. 2, complains of all manner of roots, and so doth
Bruerinus, even parsnips themselves, which are the best, Lib. 9. cap. 14.
Fruits.] Pustinacarujn usus succos gignit improbos. Crato, consil. 21. lib. 1, ut-
terly forbids all manner of fruits, as pears, apples, plums, cherries, strawberries, nuts,
medlars, serves, &c. Sanguinem in/iciunt, saith Villanovanus, they infect the blood,
and putrefy it, Magninus holds, and must not therefore be taken via cibi, aut quan-
filate magnd, not to make a meal of, or in any great quantity. " Cardan makes that
^■•Optime nulrit omnium judicio inter prima; noise
pisces gnstu prsslanti. ^^Non est dubium, quin
pro variorum situ, ac natura, macnas alimenlorum
sortiantur difTerentias, alibi suaviores, alibi luiulen-
tiores. «" Observat. 16. lib. 10. i" Pseudolus
^In Mizaldo de Ilorlo, P. Crescent. Ilerbastein, Sec.
^' Cap. 13. part. 3. Brijiht, in his Tract of Mel.
s-Intelleclum turbant, producunt insaniam. kiau-
divi (inqnit Magnin.) quod si quis ex iis per annum
continue comedai, in insaniam caderet. cap. 13. Im-
acl. 3. scen.2. <*' Plautus, ibid. ^Quare rec- prohl succi sunt. cap. 12. *^De rerum varietal,
litis valedutini su.t (luij^qm- coiisnii.'l, q\ii hipsu^: [irio-^la><ilrthf plerumque morbosi, quod fructus couiedant
rum parentum m. iimr, eus-plauo- vel omisirit vel,tcrindie
parce degusiarit^ KersleiuB, cap. 4, de vero usu te >d.
140 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
a cause of their continual sickness at Fessa in Africa, " because they live so much on
fruits, eating them thrice a day." Laurentius approves of many fruits, in liis Tract
of Melancholy, which others disallow, and amongst the rest apples, which some
likewise commend, sweetings, pairmains, pippins, as good against melancholy ; but
to him that is any way inclined to, or touched with this malady, "BJTicliolas Piso in
his Practics, forbids all fruits, as windy, or to be sparingly eaten at least, and not
raw. Amongst other fruits, ^Bruerinus, out of Galen, excepts grapes and figs, but I
find them likewise rejected.
Pulse] All pulse are naught, beans, peas, vetches, 8tc., they fill the brain (saith
Isaac) with gross fumes, breed black thick blood, and cause troublesome dreams.
And therefore, that which Pythagoras said to his scholars of old, may be for ever ap-
plied to melancholy men, -4 fabis ahslinete., eat no peas, nor beans ; yet to such as
will needs eat them, I would give this counsel, to prepare them according to those
rules that Arnoldus Villanovanus, and Frietagius prescribe, for eating, and dressing,
fruits, herbs, roots, pulse, &c.
Spices.] Spices cause hot and head melancholy^ nnd are for that cause forbitldeu
Dy our physicians to such men as are inclined to this malady, as pepper, ginger, cin-
namon, cloves, mace, dates, &c. honey and sugar. "Some except honey; to those
that are cold, it may be tolerable, but ^Didcia se in bilem ver/unfy (sweets turn into
bile,) they are obstructive. Crato therefore forbids all spice, in a consultation of his,
for a melancholy schoolmaster. Omnia aromatica et quicquid san^uinem adurit : so
doth Fcrnelius, consil. 45. Guianerius, tract 15. cap. 2. Mercurialis, cmis. 189. To
these I may add all sharp and sour things, luscious and over-sweet, or fat, as oil,
vinegar, verjuice, mustard, salt; as sweet things are obstructive, so these are cor-
rosive. Gomesius, in his books, de sale^ 1. 1. c. 21, highly commends salt ; so doth
Codronchus in his tract, de sale Msyntkii, Lemn. /. 3. c. 1). de occult, nal. mir. yet
connnon experience finds salt, and salt-meats, to be great procurers of this disease.
And for that cause belike those Egyptian priests abstained from salt, even so mucli,
as in their bread, ut sine perturbatione anima essct, saith mine author, that their souls
might be free from perturbations.
Bread.] Bread that is made of baser grain, as peas, beans, oats, rj'e, or ^'over-hard
baked, crusty, and black, is often spoken against, as causing melancholy juice and
wind. Joh. Mayor, in the first book of his History of Scotland, contends much for
the wholesomeness of oaten bread : it was objected to him then living at Paris in
France, that his countrymen fed on oats, and base grain, as a disgrace ; but he doth
ingenuously confess, Scotland, Wales, and a third part of England, did most part use
that kind of bread, that it was as wholesome as any grain, and yielded as good nou-
rishment. And yet Wecker out of Galen calls it horse-meat, and fitter for juments
than men to feed on. But read Galen himself, Lib. 1. Ve cibis boni et mali siicci,
more largely discoursing of corn and bread.
IVine.] All black wines, over-lwn, compound, strong thick drinks, as Muscadine,
Malmsey, Alicant, Rumney, Brownbastard, Metheglen, and the like, of which they
have thirty several kinds in Muscovy, all such made drinks are hurtful in this case,
to such as are hot, or of a sanguine choleric complexion, young, or inclined to head-
melancholy. For many times the drinking of wine alone causeth it. Arculaiuis,
c. 16. in 9. Rhasis, puts in *wine for a great cause, especially if it be immoderately
used. Guianerius, tract. 15. c. 2, tells a story of two Dutchmen, to whom he gave
entertainment in his house, '• that *' in one month's space were both melancholy by
drinking of wine, one did nought but sing, the other sigh. Galen, I. de camis morb.
c. 3. Matthiolus on Dioscorides, and above all other Andreas Bachius, I. 3. 18, 19,
20, have reckoned upon those inconveniences that come by wine : yet notwithstand-
ing all this, to such as are cold, or sluggish melancholy, a cup of wine is good physic,
and so doth Mercurialis grant, consil. 25, in that case', if the temperature be cold, as
to most melancholy men it is, wine is much commended, if it be moderately used.
Cider, Perry.] Cider and perry are both cold and windy drinks, and for that
cause to be neglected, and so are all tho«p Imt «piced strong drinks.
»Cap. d^. Lib. 11. c. 3. wwfglr it adustam. Sclml. Sal. «> Vinum lurbi.
C ^Jm^ I' '^ '^'*!L^£''£^&riHyii* I "' K«iMiH|HMnikii)iiionL-, duo Alemaiv
Mem. 2. Subs. 1.1
Causes of Melancholy.
141
Beer.] Beer, if it be over-new or over-stale, over-strong, or not sodden, smell of
the cask, sharp, or sour, is most unwholesome, frets, and galls, &.c. Henricus Avrf>-
rus, in a ^^consultation of his, for one that laboured of hypochondriacal melancholy,
discommends beer. So doth ^^ Crato in that excellent counsel of his, Lib. 2. co7isil.2l.
as too windy, because of the hop. But he means belike that thick black Bohemian
beer used in some other parts of "Germany.
" nil spissius ilia
Duni bihitur, nil clariiis est duin niingitur, unde
Constat, quOd multas feces in corpore linquat."
" Nothing comes in so thick,
Nothing goes out so thin,
It must needs follow then
The dregs are left within.
As that ^^ old poet scoffed, calling it SfyglcB monstrum conforme paludi, a monstrous
drink, like the river Styx. But let them say as they list, to such as are accustomed
unto it, " 'tis a most wholesome (so "Polydor Virgil calleth it) and a pleasant drink,"
it is more subtile and better, for the hop that rarefies it, hath an especial virtue
against melancholy, as our herbalists confess, Fuchsius approves. Lib. 2. sec. 2. instit.
cap. 11, and many others.
Waters.] Standing waters, thick and ill-coloured, such as come forth of pools,
and moats, where hemp hath been steeped, or slimy fislies live, are most unwhole-
some, putrefied, and full of mites, creepers, slimy, muddy, unclean, corrupt, impure,
■ by reason of the sun's heat, and still-standing ; they cause foul distemperatures in the
body and mind of man, are unfit to make drink of, to dress meat with, or to be*" used
about men inwardly or outwardly. They are good for many domestic uses, to wash
horses, water cattle, &c., or in time of necessity, but not otherwise. Some are of opi-
nion, that such fat standing waters make the best beer, and that seething doth defecate
it, as "'Cardan holds. Lib. 13. suJjtil. " It mends the substance, and savour of it," but
it is a paradox. Such beer may be stronger, but not so wholesome as the other, as
"^Tobertus truly justifieth out of Galen, Paradox, dec. 1. Paradox 5, that the seething
of such impure waters doth not purge or purify them, Pliny, lib. 31. c. 3, is of the
same tenet, and P. Crescentius, agricult. lib. 1. et lib. 4. c. U. et c. 45. Pamphilius
Herilachus, 7. 4. de nat. aquariun, such waters are naught, not to be used, and by the
testimony of ™ Galen, " breed agues, dropsies, pleurisies, splenetic and melancholv pas-
sions, hurt the eyes, cause a bad temperature, and ill disposition of the whole "body,
with bad colour." This Jobertus stiffly maintains, Paradox, lib. 1. part. 5, that 'it
causeth blear eyes, bad colour, and many loathsome diseases to sucli as use it : this
which they say, stands with good reason ; for as geographers relate, the water of
Aslracan breeds worms in such as drink it. "Axius, or as now called Yerduri, the
fairest river in Macedonia, makes all cattle black that taste of it. Aleacman now
Peleca, another stream in Thessaly, turns cattle most part white, si potui ducas,
L. Aubanus Rohemus refers that '^ struma or poke of the Bavarians and Styrians to the
nature of their waters, as '^Munster doth that of Valesians in the Alps, and ''Bodine
supposeth the stuttering of some families in Aqnitania, about Labden, to proceed
from the same cause, "and that the filth is derived from the water to their bodies."
So. that they that use filthy, standing, ill-coloured, thick, muddy water, must needs
have muddy, ill-coloured, impure, and infirm bodies. And because the body Avorks
upon the mind, they shall have grosser understandings, dull, foggj^, melancholy spi-
rits, and be really subject to all manner of infirmities.
To these noxious simples, we may reduce an infinite number of compound, artifi-
cial, made dishes, of which our cooks afford us a great variety, as tailors do fashions
in our apparel. Such are "puddings stuffed with blood, or otherwise composed;
baked, meats, soused indurate meats, fried and broiled buttered meats ; condite, pow-
dered, and over-dried, "^all cakes, simnels, buns, cracknels made with butter, spice,
&.C., fritters, pancakes, pies, sausages, and those several sauces, sharp, or over-sweet,
^Hildesheim, spice!, fol. 273. ^acrassum gene- rem
rat sanguinen-.. "About Dantzic in Spruce, Ilam-
hiirgh, Leips=- ss Henricus Abrincensis. fe Po-
ms turn salui-^s turn jucundus, 1. 1. ^ Galen, 1. 1.
de san. tuend Cavendae sunt aquce qua; ex stagnis
haurnintur, et qua; turbids and male olentes, &c
*Inno.xiuMi nddit et bene olentum
hffic vitia cnitiunr noii frru-nd-iri.
tate aqui. Ii\(lifipeni atJget, febres pulridus, spMnem,
•■■ ses, noctt oculis, mjjB^Jiabitum corporis et
" Mag. Nigritatem inducit si pecora bihe-
rint. "Aqua; ex nivibus coacta" strumnsns fariunt.
" Cosmog. 1. 3. cap. 36. ''Method, hist, cap 5.
Balbutiunt Labdoni in Aquitania ob aquas, atque hi
morbi ab acquis in corpora derivantur. '-'Edulia
«x sanguine et suffncato paria. Hildesheim. "'-Cu-
f^Contendit nedia^ro, placentiP, btllaria, cniriiiifntnfjiie alia cu-
■"Lib. de b"ni^*nosf pistorum et coquorum, gusttfi ser\i-i ■.iuni cone
aorbos turn corpori turn animo insanti
-----
Philo
142 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
of y, Iiich scienfia popina, as Seneca calls it, hath served those "Apician tricks, and
perfumed dishes, which Adrian the sixth Pope so much admired in the accounts of
his predecessor Leo decimus ; and which prodigious riot and prodigality have in-
vented in this age. These do generally engender gross humours, fill the stomach
with crudities, and all those inward parts with obstructions. Montanus, consil. 22.
gives instance, in a melancholy Jew, that by eating such tart sauces, made dishes
and salt meats, with which he was overmuch dcliglited, became melancholy, and was
evil affected. Such examples are familiar and common.
SuBSECT. II. — Quantity of Diet a Cause.
There is not so much harm proceeding from the substance itself of meat, am'
quality of it, in ill-drcssinjf and preparing, as there is from the quantity, disorder of
time and place, unseasonable use of it, '-ijUcmperance, overmuch, or overlittle taking
of it. A true saying it is, Phircs crapuJa quam ghtdiiis. This gluttony kills more
than the sword, this otnnii'orantiact homicida gitlay this all-devouring and murdering
gut. And that of "Pliny is truer, " Simple diet is the best; heaping up of several
meats is pernicious, and sauces worse ; many dishes bring many diseases." '""Avicen
cries out, ''That nothing is worse than to feed on many dishes, or to protract the
time of meats longer than ordinary ; from thence proceed our infirmities, and 'tis the
fomitain of all diseases, which arise out of the repugnancy of gross humours."
Thence, sailh ^''Fernelius, come crudities, wind, oppilalions, cacochymia. plethora,
cachexia, bradiopepsia, ^Hinc subitce mortcs, atqtie intestata senectus, sudden death.
&.C., and what not.
As a lamp is choked with a multitude of oil, or a little fire with overmuch wood
quite extinguished, so is the natural heat with inunoderate eating, strangled in the
body. Pcrniliosa scntinn est ahdomcn insalurahile : one saith, An insatial)le paunch
is a pernicious sink, and the fountain of all diseases, both of body and mind. "^Mer-
curialis will have it a peculiar cause of this private disease; Solenander, consil. .5.
sect. 3, illustrates this of .Mercurialis, with an example of one so melancholy, ah
inteinpestiris cotnmrssalionibus, unseasonable fi-astitig. **Crato confirms as much, in
that often cited Counsel, 21. lib. 2, putting superlluous eating for a main cause. But
what need I seek farther f<)r proofs .' Hear '^ llippDcnites himself. Lib. 2. Aphor. 10.
" Impure bodies the more they are nourished, the uiore they are hurt, for the nouri'^h-
ment is putrefied with vicious humours."
And yet for all this harm, which apparently follows surfeiting and drunkennes:*,
see how we luxuriate and rage in this kind ; read what Johannes Stuckius hath
written lately of this subject, in his great volume De Jintiquorum Conviviis^ and of
our present age; Quam ^ portentosce ccence^ prodigious suppers, *'' Qui dum inviiant
ad coenam cfferunt ad srpulchrnm, what Fagos, Epicures, Apetios, Heliogables, our
times all'ord ? Lucullus' ghost walks still, and every man desires to sup in .Apollo;
iEsop''s costly dish is ordinarily ser\'ed up. ^JMairis ilia juvant^ qua: pluris emun-
tur. The dearest cates are best, and 'tis an ordinary thing to bestow twenty or
tiiirty pounds on a dish, some thousand crowns upon a dinner: '*Mully-Hamet, king
of Fez and Morocco, spent three pounds on the sauce of a capon : it is nothinir m
our tunes, we scorn all that is cheap. '' We loathe the ver\'*' light (some of us, as
Seneca notes) because it comes free, and we are offended with the sun's heat, and
those cool blasts, because we buy them not." This air we breathe is so common,
we care not for it ; nothing pleaseth but what is dear. And if we be " witty in any-
thing, it is ad gulam : If we study at all, it is erudite luxu, to please the palate, ant'
" As lettuce steeped in wine, hirds fed with fennel titai nimia. »lnipura corpora quanio mapiff
and sugar, as a Pope's conruhine nsed in .\vi;;non. I niitris, tanto magis ledis : puirefacit eiiim slitnentiin.
Stephan. '" Anitnse ne^otium ilia facessit, et de vitiosus humor. " Vul. Goclen. di-- portcntfwir
tenipio Dii inimundiim stabulum farit. Peleiiiis, 10. c. cwnii, tec. piiteani Com. "■" Aiiih. lih. de Jfju
'» Lib. 11. c. 5'2. Homini cibtis titilissimus sirhplfx, acer- cap. 14. "They who invite us to a Hupper, only cnn-
Vatio cirlinruin pestifera. et coinliineiita pernicinsa, duct us to our tomb." » Juvenal. •• Th-' hiiftie»i
niultns morbos miilta forcula fernnt. ^'31. Dec. priced dishes afford the greatMst eralificaiion '
2. c. Nihil deteriiis quam si tempiis justo lonsiiu '•ttiiiccardin. «> Na. quipxt. 4. ra. tilt, fanliil'o e«.
coniedendo ,)rotrahatnr, I't van 1 .'■•.•,,...,,, r , ,.,,,. in^ien gratultum, dolet quod si'le, quod vpirituu.
juneaiitui : indemuxljuruin >>- t^^^inere non p<i<t8imUH, quo. I lilr a^r non enip'iii "V
naniia hiUMMaBmur. <'' 1> i 'u^^fti^^&.r ndeo i|^u1|^k^^^iu1 quod carum •■'t
Sat.s^^^HWfiili-repletiociij.
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Diet, a Cause. 143
to satisfy the gut. " A cook of old was a base knave (as ^Livy complains), but now
a great man in request ; cookery is become an art, a noble science : cooks are gen-
tlemen :" Venter Deus : They wear " their brains in their bellies, and their guts in
their heads," as ^''Agrippa taxed some parasites of his time, rushing on their own
destruction, as if a man should run upon the point of a sword, usque dum rumpaniur
cdmedunt, " They eat till they burst :*" ®*A11 day, all night, let the physician say
what he will, imminent danger, and feral diseases are now ready to seize upon them
that will eat till they vomit, Edunt ut vomant., vomut ut edant, saith Seneca ; which
Dion relates of Vitellius, Solo transitu ciborum nutriri judicatus : His meat did
pass through and away, or till they burst again. ^Strage animantium ventrcm one-
raM/, and rake over all the world, as so many ^"slaves, belly-gods, and land-serpents,
Et totus orhis ventri nimis angustus, the whole world cannot satisfy their appetite.
^" Sea, land, rivers, lakes, &c., may not give content to their raging guts." To
make up the mess, what immoderate drinking in every place } Senem potiim pota
trahebat anus^ how they flock to the tavern : as if they were fruges consumere nati.^
born to no other end but to eat and drink, like Offellius Bibulus, that famous Roman
parasite, Qui dum vixit, aut bihit aut minxit ; as so many casks to hold wine, yea
worse than a cask, that mars Avine, and itself is not marred by it, yet these are brave
men, Silenus Ebrius was no braver. Et qucB fuerunt vitia., mores sunt : 'tis now the
fashion of our times, an honour : JVi/nc verb res isfa eb rediit (as Chrysost. serm.
30. in V. Ephes. comments) Ut effeminatce ridendceque ignavicB loco habeatur, nolle
inebriari ; 'tis now come to that pass that he is no gentleman, a very milk-sop, a
clown, of no bringing up, tliat will not drink ; fit for no company ; he is your only
gallant that plays it ofl^ finest, no disparagement now to stagarer in the streets, reel.,
rave, &c., but much to his fame and renown ; as in like case Epidicus told Tliesprio
his fellow-servant, in the ^*Poet. Mdipol facinus improbum, one urged, the other
replied, Jit jam alii fe cere idem, erit illi ilia res lionori., 'tis now no fault, there be so
many brave examples to bear one out ; 'tis a credit to have a strong brain, and carry
his liquor well ; the sole contention who can drink most, and fox his fellow the
soonest. 'Tis the summu7n bonum of our tradesmen, their felicity, life, and soul,
Ta7ita dulcedine affectant, saith Pliny, lib. 14. cap. 12. Ut magna pars non aliud
vita; prcBmium intelligat., their chief comfort, to be merry together in an alehouse or
tavern, as our modern Muscovites do in their mede-inns, and Turks in their coffee-
houses, which much resemble our taverns ; they will labour hard all day long to be
drunk at night, and spend totius anni labores, as St. Ambrose adds, in a tippling
feast ; convert day into night, as Seneca taxes some in his times, Fervertunt qfficia
anoctis et lucis ; when we rise, they commonly go to bed, like our antipodes,
" Nosque ubi primvis equis oriens afflavit anhelis,
lUis sera rubens ascendit lumina vesper."
So did Petronius in Tacitus, Heliogabalus in Lampridius.
«i> "Nodes visilibat ad ipsum I "He drank the nisht away
Mane, diem totum stertebal." | Till rising dawn, then snored out all the day"
Snymdiris the Sybarite never saw the sun rise or set so much as once in twenty
years. Verres, against whom Tully so much inveighs, in Avinter he never was extra
tectum vix extra lectuvu never almost out of bed, "'° still Avenching and drinking; so
did he spend his time, and so do myriads in our days. They have gi/mnasia bibo-
num, schools and rendezvous ; these centaurs and lapitha; toss pots and boAvls as so
many balls; invent ucav tricks, as sausages, anchovies, tobacco, caviare, pickled
oysters, herrings, fumadoes, kc. : innumerable salt meats to increase tlieir appetite,
and study how to hurt themselves by taking antidotes '"to carry their drink the
better; *and Avhen nought else serves, they Avill go forth, or be conveyed out. to
empty their gorge, that they may return to drink afresh." They make laAVS, insanas
leges, contra bibcndi fallacias, and *brag of it Avhen they have done, crowning that
« Olim vile mancipiiim, nunc in omni EBstimatione, I de miser, curial. sspiautus. sailor, lib. 1.
nunc ars haheri oa-pta, &c. 'J^ Epist. 28. 1. 7. Quorum Sat. 3. '™ Diei brevitas convivils, noctis longi-
in ventre ingenium, in patinis, &c. '^* In luceni tudo ptupris conterebratur. ' Et quo plus capiant,
cosiiat. .Sertorius. s^.Seiieca. »" Mancipia irritanienta excocitaiitur. 2 Fores portartur ut ad
gulae, dapes non sapore scd sump''! <F=tiniaiitps. t-co^^JWni reportPntut,..r%[»ta^y^^xliaiiriant, et ex-
Seneca, consol. ad Helvidium. ^ Sc \ itiuia ^uiiuirf] hauriri ut bibnnt. Ambros. ^^^^^^|^^sa relut
satiare non noBs^nt flifvii et maria, .<£neaB Sylvius, ' a^u^ntationem, &c.
\
144
Diet^ a Cause.
[Part. 1. Sect. Z.
man that is soonest gone, as their drunken predecessors have done, *quid ego
video? Ps. Cum corona PseudoJmn ehrium tuum . And when they are dead,
will have a can of wine with *Maron's old woman to be engraven on their tombs.
So they triumph in villany, and justify their wickedness ; with Rabelais, that French
Lucian, drunkenness is better for the body than physic, because there be more old
drunkards than old physicians. IMany such frothy arguments they have, ® inviting
and encouraging others to do as they do, and love them dearly for it (no glue like
to that of good fellowship). So did Alcibiades in Greece ; Nero, Ronosus, llelio-
gabalus in Rome, or Alegabalus rather, as he was styled of old (as ' Ignatius proves
out of some old coins). So do many great men still, as * Ileresbacliius observes.
When a prince drinks till his eyes stare, like Rilias in the Poet,
(.'
-"ille impi»er bausit
Spumantem vino pateram.")
"a thirsty som ;
He took rhallenge anil iMiibriicM the bowl :
With pU-asure swill'd the eolil, nor censed to draw
Till he the bottoiu of the hrinuiier saw."
and comes off clearly, sound trumpets, fife and drums, the spectators will applaud
him, "the '"bishop himself (if he belie them not) with his chaplain will stand by
and do as much," O dignum principe htaistum,\\\a^ done like a prince. ''Our
Dutchmen invite all comers with a pail and a dish," Velitt infundihula inlegras ohbas
exhauriunt, ct in monstrosis jjocttlis, ipsi monstrosi tnonstrosius vpolanl^ " making
barrels of their bellies." Incredihih' dictu, as "one of their own countrymen com-
plains : ^^ Quantum Jiquoris immodestissima gens capiat^ 8lc. " How they love a man
that will be drunk, crown him and honour him for it," hate him that will not pledge
him, stab liim, kill him: a most intolerable olfence, and not to be forgiven. '^"He
is a mortal enemy that will not drink wilii him," as Munster relates of the Saxons.
So in Poland, he is the best servitor, and the honestest fellow, sailh Alexander Ga-
guinus, ""that drinketh most healths to the honour of his master, he shall be
rewarded as a s^ood servant, and held the bravest ftllow tliat carries his liquor best,"
when a brewer's horse will bear nmch more than any sturily drinker, yet for his
noble exploits in this kind, he shall be accounted a most valiant man, iOv '^Tam inter
epuhis furtis vir esse potest ac in bello., as much valour is to be found in fiasting as
in tighting, and some of our city captains, and carpet knights will make this gc^od, and
prove it. Thus they many timeji wilt'uUy pervert the good temperature of their
bodies, stitle their wits, strangle nature, ant! degenerate into beasts.
Some again are in the other extreme, and draw this mischief on their heads by
too ceremonious and strict diet, being over-precise, cockney-Like, and curious in their
observation of meats, times, as that Medicina statica prescribes, just so many ounces
at dinner, which Lessius enjoins, so much at supper, not a little more, nor a little
less, of such meat, and at such hours, a diet-drink in the morning, cock-broth, China-
broth, at dinner, plum-broth, a chicken, a rabbit, rib of a rack of mutton, wing of a
capon, the merry-thought of a hen, kc. ; to sounder bodies this is too nice and most
absurd. Others olli-nd in over-much fasting: pining adays, saith '"Guianerius, and
waking anights, as many Moors and Turks in these our times do. " Anchorites,
monks, and the rest of that superstitious rank (as the same Guianerius witnesseth,
that he hath often seen to have happened in his time) through immoderate fasting,
have been frequently mad." Of such men belike Hippocrates speaks, 1 Aphor. 5,
when as he saith, '"''they more offend in too sparing diet, and are worse damnified,
than they that feed liberally, and are ready to surfeit.
« Plautus. 5 Lib. 3. Antbol. c. 20. • Gratiam
conciliant potando. • Notis ad C»»are9. • Lib. de
edurandis principum liberis. » Virg. jE. 1. i" Idem
Btrenui potatoris Episcopi gacellanu.^, cum ingentem
pateram exiiaurit princeps. '• Uohemus in 8aioiiia.
Adeo immoderate et iiiiniodeste ab ipsis bibiiur, ut in
c«mpotationibu-i suis non cyathis solum et caiilhari:)
sat infundere possinl, sed impletiim miilclrale appo-
nant, et scutella injecta hortantiirquemlibet ad libitum
potare. '= Dictu incredibile, quantum hujusce
liquorice immodesta eens capiat, plus potanlem ami-
cisainium taabent, «t eerto coronant, inimicissimum 6
contra qui non Tult, et csde et fustibug expiant.
"Qui potare recusat, hoiiti.s habetur, et cffde nonnun-
quam rea expiatur. ■* Qui melius bibit pro salute
doiiiini, nielior habetur minister. ^'•liia-c. Poela
apud Sloba-um, ser. 18. '"Qnlde die ji-junant,et
nocte vigilant, facile cadunt in n»elancholiam ; el qui
natune inodtim excedunt, c. 5. tract. 15. c. 2. Longa
farais toleraiiiia, ut iis s^ppe accidit qui tanto cum
fervore Deo sorvire cupiunt per jejunium, quod roa-
niaci elliciantur, ipse vidi s^pe. '' In tenui victa
s-gri delinquunt, ex quo (it ut majori afficianliir delri-
mento, majorque tit error tenui quam pleniure viclu.
Mem. 2. Subs. 3.] Causes of Melancholy. 145
SuBSECT. III. — Custom of Diet, Delight, Appetite, JVecessity, how they cause or
hinder.
No rule is so general, which admits not some exception ; to this, therefore, which
hath been hitherto said, (for I shall otherwise put most men out of commons.) and
those inconveniences which proceed from the substance of meats, an intemperate or
unsieasonable use of them, custom somewhat detracts and qualifies, according to that
of Hippocrates, 2 Aphoris. 50. '^" Such things as we have been long accustomed to,
though they be evil in their own nature, yet they are less offensive." Otherwise it
might well be objected that it were a mere '^tyranny to live after those strict rules
of physic; for custom ^doth alter nature itself, and to such as are used to them it
makes bad meats wholesome, and unseasonable times to cause no disorder. Cider
and perry are windy drinks, so are all fruits windy in themselves, cold most part,
yet in some shires of ^'England, Normandy in France, Guipuscoa in Spain, 'tis their
'common drink, and they are no whit offended with it. In Spain, Italy, and Africa,
they live most on roots, raw herbs, camel's ^milk, artd it agrees well with them :
which to a stranger will cause much grievance. In Wales, lactir.iniis vescunfur. as
Humphrey Llwyd confesseth, a Carabro-Briton himself, in his elegant epistle to
.. braham Ortelius,^hey live most on white meats : in Holland on fish, roots, ^butter;
and so at this day in Greece, as ^Bellonius observes, they had much rather feed on
fish than flesh. With us. Maxima pars vic^is in came consistit, we feed on flesh
most part, saith ^Polydor Virgil, as all northern countries do; and it would be very
offensive to us to live after their diet, or they to live after ours. We drink beer, they
wine ; they use oil, we butter ; we in the north are ^ great eaters ; they most sparing
in those hotter countries ; and yet they and we following our own customs are well
pleased. An Ethiopian of old seeing an European eat bread, wondered, quomodo
stercoribus vescentes viverimus, how we could eat such kind of meats : so much
differed his coimtrj-men from ours in diet, that as mine "author infers, si quis illorum
victum apud nos aimulari vellet ; if any man should so feed with us, it would be all
one to nourish, as Cicuta, Aconitum, or Hellebore itself. At this day in China the
common people live in a manner altogether on roots and herbs, and to the wealthiest,
horse, ass, mule, dogs, cat-flesh, is as delightsome as the rest, so ^* Mat. Riccius the
Jesuit relates, who lived many years amongst them. The Tartars eat raw meat,
and most commonly ^horse-flesh, drink milk and blood, as the Nomades of old. Et
lac concretum cum sanguine potat equina. They scoff at our Europeans for eating
bread, which they call tops of weeds, and horse meat, not fit for men ; and yet Sca-
liger accounts them a sound and witt)'' nation, living a hundred years ; even in the
civilest country of them they do thus, as Benedict the Jesuit observed in his travels,
from the great Mogul's Court by land to Pekin, which Riccius contends to be the
same with Cambulu in Cataia. In Scandia their bread is usually dried fisli, and so
likewise in the Shetland Isles ; and their other fare, as in Iceland, saith ^Dithmarus
Bleskenius, butter, cheese, and fish ; their drink water, their lodging on the ground.
In America in many places their bread is roots, their meat palmitos, pinas. potatoes,
&.C., and such fruits. There be of them too that familiarly drink ^'salt sea-water all
their lives, eat ''^raw meat, grass, and that with delight. With some, fish, serpents,
.spiders : and in divers places they ^^eat man's flesh, raw and roasted, even the Em-
peror ** Montezuma himself. In some coasts, again, *^one tree yields them cocoa-
is Quae longo tempore consueta sunt, etiamsi dete- | apud nos longe frequentior usus, coniplures quippe de
riora, minus in assuetis molestare sclent. " Qui ! vulgo reperias nulla alia re vel tenuitatis. vel reli-
inedic6 vivit, miserft vivit. '-» Consuetude altera ; pionis causa vescentes. Equus, Mulus, Asellus, Sec.
natura. ^ijiergfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wor- ! aqu6 fer6 vescuntur ac pabula omnia, Mat. Riccius,
cestersiiire. '-^Leo Afer. 1. 1. solo camelorum
lacte contenti, nil prseterea dellciarum ambiunt.
"Flandri vinum butyro dilutum bibunt (nauseo refe-
rens) ubique butyrum inter omnia fercula et bellaria
locum oblinet. Steph. prsfat. Herod. '< Delec-
tantur Graeci piscibus magis quam carnibus. ^^Lib.
lib. 5. cap. 12. "Tartari mulis. equis vescuntur
et crudis carnibus, et fruges contemnunt, dicentes,
hoc jumentorum pabulum et bonum, non hominum.
-"Islandiae descriptione victus corum butyro, lacte,
caseo consistit: pisces loco panis habent, polus aqua,
aut serum, sic vivunt sine medicina multa ad anno»
1. hist. Ang. •« P. Jovius descript. Britonum. They | 200. 3i Laet. Occident. Ind. descrip. lib. 11. cap. 10.
sit. eat and drink all day at dinner in Iceland, Mus- I Aquam marinam bibere sueti absque noi4. ^^D&-
covy, and those northern parts. 2^ Siiidas, vict. ' vies 2. voyage. ^Patagflpp^ ^Benzoet
Herod, nihilo cum eo melius quam fi quis Cicutam, , Fer.'Cortesius, lib. novus orbia insert^ '^». --' Lins-
Aconitum, &c. -" Eipedit. in Siiias. lib. 1. c. 3. coften, c. 56. Palme instar totiua orbU arburibu*
boreusium hcrbarum et olemnw apud Sinas quam | longMustantior.
19 _- ^
146 Retention and Evacuation^ Causes. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
nuts, meat and drink, fire, fuel, apparel ; with his leaves, oil, vinegar, cover for
houses, &c., and yet these men going naked, feeding coarse, live commonly a hun-
dred years, are seldom or never sick ; all which diet our physicians forbid. In West-
phalia they feed most part on fat meats and wourts, Quickie deep, and call it '^cere-
hrum lovis : in the Low Countries with roots, in Italy frogs and snails are used. The
Turks, saith Busbequius, delight most in fried meats. In Muscovy, garlic and onions
are ordinary meat and sauce, which would be pernicious to such as are unaccustomed
to them, deliglitsome to others; and all is '^'because tliey have been brouglit up unto
•t.,, Husbandmen, and such as labour, can eat fat bacon, salt gross meat, hartl clieese,
kc, (0 dura mcssorum ilia)., coarse bread at all limes, go to bed and labour upon a
full stomacli, which to some idle persons would be present death, and is against the
rules of physic, so that custom is all in all. Our travellers lind tliis by common ex-
perience wlien they come in far countries, and use their diet, they are suddenly
offended,^** as our Hollanders and Englishmen when tliey touch upon tlie coasts of
Africa, those Indian capes and islands, arc connnonly molested with calentures,
fluxes, and much distempered by reason of their fruits. ^^Percffrina, eisi suaria^
Solent vescentibus perturbationes insigncs adfcrre, strange meats, though pleasant,
cause notable alterations and distempers. On the other side, use or custom miti-
gates or makes all good again. JMithridates by often use, which Pliny wonders at,
was able to drink poison ; and a maid, as Curtius records, sent to Alexander from
K. Porus, was brought up with poison from her infancy. The Turks, saith Bello-
nius, lib. 3. c. 15, eat opium lamiliarl}-^ a drachm at once, which we dare not take in
grains. ^"Garcius ab Horto writes of one whom he saw at Goa in the &\Ht Indies,
that took ten drachms of opium in three days; and yet consuUb Joqufbulur^ spake
understaiulingly, so jnuch can custom do. ^'Theoplirastus speaks of a shepherd
that could eat hellebore in substance. And therefore Cardan concludes out of Galen.
Conauetudinem utcunque fercndam^ nisi ralde rnahtm. Custom is howsoever to be
kept, except it be extremely bad : he adviselh all nien to keep their old customs, and
that by the authority of ^^Hippocrates himself, Dandum aJiquid tcmpori^ atati., re-
gioni, consuclndini^ and therefore to "continue as they began, be it diet, bath, exer-
cise, &c., or whatsoever else.
Another exceptiou is delight, or appetite, to such and such meats : though they
be hard of digestion, melancholy ; yet as Fuchsius excepts, cap. 6. lib. 2. Instil, sect. 2,
"'^The stomach doth readily digest, and willingly entertain such meats we love
.most, and are pleasing to us, abhors on the other side such as we distaste." \V'hich
Hippocrates CDiitirms, Aphoris. 2. 38. Some cannot endure cheese, out of a secret
.antipathy ; or to see a roasted duck, which to others is a ^delightsome meat.
The last exception is necessity, poverty, want, hunger, which drives men many
times to do that which otherwise they are loth, cannot endure, and thankfully to
accept of it : as beverage in ships, and in sieges of great cities, to feed on dogs, cats.
rats, and men themselves. Three outlaws hi ^Hector Boetliius, being driven to their
shifts, did eat raw flesh, and flesh of such fowl as they could catch, in one of the
Hebrides for some few months. These things do mitigate or disannul that which
hath been said of melancholy meats, and make it more tolerable ; but to such as are
wealthy, live plenteously, at ease, may take their choice, and refrain if they will,
these viands are to be forborne, if they be inclined to, or suspect melancholy, as
they tender their healths : Otherwise if they be intemperate, or disordered in their
diet, at theur peril be it. Qui monet amat, Ave et cave.
He who advise* is ynur friend
Farewell, and to yuur health attend.
SuBSECT. IV. — Retention and Evacuation a cause, and hmc.
Of retention and evacuation, there be divers kinds, which are either concomitant,
assisting, or sole causes many times of melancholy. '•'Galen reduceth defect and
abundance to this head ; others ^*'" All that is separated, or remains."
Lips, epist. "'T'-rMris ■.\<<\\,-<,-,-r- iiiultiim. I perspveret. <' Qui f iim voliiptat« ai»iimonlur eibi
*Rep^ntii^ •■' .; I v>-ntriciilu8 avidius rc>iii|i|iTiiiiir, expeditiuitqiie ror.
Aphnri||^pi , 1. j ffiqiiit, et qua- displlcent avfrxatiir. "Nothinc
"Pi-MJK^^^^^ Miiii, I avaui.t .1 pa««l4M«nMi. a« iIm' n.-iyinir ia. "Lib
' ^. e. 19. D^^^^^^^ '- AiiUiHs. 17. .^ In ill- ^ t «'10.arti«. «>Uue eicernuntur au'
Jubiiif— ^'^ "^ — *■' —
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Retention and Evacuation, Causes. 147
Costiveness.] In the first rank of these, I may well reckon up costiveness, and
keeping in of our ordinary excrements, which as it often causeth other diseases, so this
of melancholy in particular. ""^Celsus, lib. 1. cap. 3, saith, " It produceth inflamma-
tion of the head, dulness, cloudiness, headache," &c. Prosper Calenus, Uh. de atra
bile, will have it distemper not the organ only, ^°" but the mind itself by troubling
of it :" and sometimes it is a sole cause of madness, as you may read in the lirst
book of ^' Skenkius's jMedicinal Observations. A young merchant going to Nordeling
fair in Germany, for ten days' space never went to stool ; at his return he was
^grievously melancholy, thinking that he was robbed, and would not be persuaded
but that all his money was gone ; his friends thought he had some philtrum given
him, but Cnelius, a physician, being sent for, found his ^^ costiveness alone to be the
cause, and thereupon gave him a clyster, by Avhich he was speedily recovered.
Trincavellius, consult. 35. lib. 1, saith as much of a melancholy lawyer, to whom
he administered physic, and Rodericus a Fonseca, consult. 85. tom. 2, ^of a patient
of his, that for eight days was bound, and therefore melancholy affected. Other
retentions and evacuations tliere are, not simply necessary, but at some times ; as
Fernelius accounts them. Path. lib. 1. cap. 15, as suppression of haemorrhoids,
monthly issues in women, bleeding at nose, immoderate or no use at all of Venus :
or any other ordinary issues.
^'Detention of hfcmorrlioids, or monthly issues, Villanovanus Breviar. lib. I. cap.
18. Arculanus, cap. 16. in 9. Rhasis, Vittorius Faventinus, pract. mag. Tract. 2. cap.
15. Bruel, &.c. put for ordinary causes. Fuchsius, 1. 2. sect. 5. c. 30, goes farther,
and saith, ^^^ That many men unseasonably cured of the haemorrhoids have been
corrupted with melancholy, seeking to avoid Scylla, they fall into Charybdis. Galen,
I. de hum. commen. 3. ad text. 26, illustrates this by an example of Lucius JIartius,
whom he cured of madness, contracted by this means : And " Skenkius hath two
other instances of two melancholy and mad women, so caused from the suppression
of their months. The same may be said of bleeding at the nose, if it be suddenly
stopped, and have been formerly used, as °* \^illanovanus urgeth : And ^^ Fuchsius,
lib. 2. sect. 5. cap. 33, stilHy maintains, " That without great danger, such an issue
may not be stayed."
Venus omitted produceth like effects. Mathiolus, ejpist. 5. 1, penult., ^^ <•' avoucheth
of his knowledge, that some through bashfulness abstained from venery, and there-
upon became very heavy and dull ; and some others that were very timorous, me-
lancholy, and beyond all measure sad." Oribasius, med. collect. I. 6. c. 37, speaks
of some, ^' " That if they do not use carnal copulation, are continually troubled
with heaviness and headache ; and some in the same case by intermission of it."
Not use of it hurts many, Arculanus, c. 6. in 9. Rhasis, et Magninus, part. 3. cap. 5,
think, because it ^^" sends up poisoned vapours to the brain and heart." And so
doth Galen himself hold, " That if this natural seed be over-long kept (in some
parties) it turns to poison." Hieronymus jMercurialis, in his chapter of ^Melancholy,
cites it for an especial cause of this malady, "Priapismus, Satyriasis, Stc. Haliabbas,
5. Theor. c. 36, reckons up this and many other diseases. Villanovanus Breviar. I. 1.
c. 18, .saith, "He knew ^^many monks and widows grievously troubled with melan-
choly, and tliat from this sole cause. ''^Ludovicus Mercatus, I. 2. de mulierum affect.
cap. 4, and Rodericus a Castro, de morbis nnilier. I. 2. c. 3, treat largely of this sub-
ject, and will have it produce a peculiar kind of melancholy in stale maids, nuns,
and widows, Ob suppressioncm mensium et venercm omissam, timidce, moestiP., anxicp,
verecund(2, suspiciosce, languentes, consilii inopes, cum summa vitcp. et rerum melio-
rum desperatione, Stc, they are melancholy in the highest degree, and all for want
«Ex ventre suppresso, inflamniationes, capitis do- coitu abstinentes, turpidos, pigrosque factos ; nonnul-
lores, calisiiies crescunt. '"Excrementa retpnta I05 etiam melancholicns, prKter tnoduni ma??tos. timi-,
mentis agitationem parere snient. '' Cap. de Mel. , dnsque. «■ Nonnulli nisi coeant assidufi capitis
6i Tani delirus, ut vix se honiineni acnosceret. ^ Al- , gravitate infestantur. Dicit se novisse quosdam tristes
VMS astrictus causa. sjper octodies alvum siccum
hahet, et nihil reddit. ^ Sive per nares, sive hae-
morrlinides. -e Miilti intempestive ab ha;niorrhoidi-
bus ciirati, melancholia corrupti sunt. Incidit in Scyl-
latn, &c. s' I,ib. 1. de Mania. ■''■ Breviar. 1. ~.
c. IS. 'ONon sine magno iiioommndn eju=, cui
sanenis a naribns promanat, noxii sanguinis vacuatio
impediri potest. «>Nf,vi quosdani prEB pudore &
el ita factos ex interinissione Veneris. '■- Vapores
venenatos mittitsperma ad cor et cerebrum. Spernia
pill? din retentum, transit in venenum. '^ graves
prodiicif corporis et animi cegritudines. ^' Ex sper-
niate supra modum retento monacbosxt viduas me-
lancholicos s*pe fieri vidi. eeMelanch'-ln firia 4
yasis seminariis in utero.
Its Retention and Evacuation^ Causes. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
of husbands, ^lianus Montaltus, cap. 37. de melanchol.^ confirms as much out of
Galen; so doth Wierus, Christoferus a Vega de art. med. lib. 3.c. 14, relates many
such examples of men and women, that he had seen so melancholy. Foelix Plater
jn the first book of his Observations, *^" tells a story of an ancient gentleman in
Alsatia, that married a young wife, and Avas not able to pay his debts in that kind
for a long time together, by reason of his several infirmities : but she, because of this
inhibition of Venus, fell into a horrible fury, and desired every one that came to see
lier, by words, looks, and gestures, to have to do with her, &.c." " Bernardus Pater-
nus, a physician, saith, " He knew a good honest godly priest, that because he would
neither willingly marry, nor make use of the stews, fell into grievous melancholy
fits." Hildesheim, spicel. 2, hath such another example of an Italian melancholy
priest, in a consultation had Jlnno 1580. Jason Pratensis gives instance in a married
man, that from his wife's death abstaining, ^^' after marriage, became exceeilingly me-
lancholy," Rodericus a Fonseca in a young man so misaffected, Tom. 2. consult. 85.
To these you may add, if you please, that conceited tale of a Jew, so visited in like
sort, and so cured, out of Poggius Florentinus.
Intemperate Venus is all but as bad in the other extreme. Galen, /. 6. de mnrhis popu-
lar, sect. a. text. 26, reckons up melancholy amongst those diseases which are ''*" ex-
asperated by venery :" so doth Avicenna, 2, 3, c. 11. Oribasius, loc. citat. Ficinus,
lib. 2. de sanitate tuendn. Marsilius Cognatus, Montaltus, cap. 27. Gnianerin-^,
Tract. 3. cap. 2. Magninus, cap. fi. part. 3, '"gives the reason, because "^'■it infri-
gidates and dries up the body, consumes the spirits ; and would therefore have all
such as are cold and dry to take heed of and to avoid it as a mortal enemy." Jac-
chinus in 9 Rhasis., cap. 15, ascribes the same cause, and instanceth in a patient of
his, that married a young wife in a hot summer, '^''and so dried himself with cham-
ber-work, that he became in short space from melancholy, mad :" he cured him by
moistening remedies. The like example I find in Lfclius a Fonte Engubinus, consult.
129, of a gentleman of Venice, that upon the same occasion was first melancholy,
afterwards mad. Read in him the story at large.
Any other evacuation stopped will cause it, as well as these above named, be it
bile, "^ ulcer, issue, Stc, Hercules de Saxonia, lib. I.e. 16, and Gordonius, verify
this out of their experience. They saw one wounded in the head who as long as
the sore was open, Lucida habuit mentis intervalla., was well ; but when it was
stopped, Rediit melancholia., his melancholy fit seized on him again.
Artificial evacuations are much like in effect, as hot houses, baths, blood-letting,
purging, unseasonably and immoderately used. ''^ Baths dry too much, if used in ex-
cess, be they natural or artificial, and oflend extreme hot, or cold \ '^ one dries, the
other refrigerates overmuch. Montanus, consil. 137, saith, they over-heat the liver.
Job. Struthius, Stigmat. artis. I. 4. c. 9, contends, "*'•' that if one stay longer than or-
dinary at the bath, go in too oft, or at unseasonable times, he putrefies the humours
in his body." To this purpose writes Magninus, /. 3. c. 5. Guianerius, Tract. 15.
c. 21, utterly disallows all hot baths in melancholy adust. ""I saw (saith he) a man
that laboured of the gout, who to be freed of this malady came to the bath, and was
instantly cured of his disease, but got another worse, and that was madness." But
this judgment varies as the humour doth, in hot or cold : baths may be good for one
melancholy man, bad for another; that which will cure it in this party, may cause
it in a second.
Phlebotomy.] Phlebotomy, many times neglected, may do much harm to the body,
when there is a manifest redundance of bad humours, and melancholy blood; and
when these humours heat and boil, if this be not used in time, the parties afTected,
«NobiIis senex Alsatus juvenem uxorem duiit, at i corpus, gpiritus consumit, &c. caveant ab hoc sieci, ve-
ille colico dolore, et niultis inorbis correptus, non po- i lut iniinico niortali. '- Ita exsiccatiis ut 6 melancho-
tuit prrestare offlciiiin mariti, vix inito matrimonio lico atatitn fuerit insanus, ab humectanlibus ciiratiis.
efrotus. Ilia in horrendiim furorum incidit, ob Ve- p^ Ex cauterio et ulcere exsiccato. i*Gord. c. IOl
Herein cohibitam ut omnium earn invisentium con- I lib. 1. Discommends cold baths as noxious. '■• Sic-
pressum, voce, vultii, pestii expeteret, et quum non 'cum reddunt corpus. ■=« ^^i quis Inniilus mori-tur
ronsentirent, molossos Anslicanos masno expetiit cla- in iia, aut nimis frequenter, aut impurtun^ utainr,
more. c- Vidi gacerdotem optimum et pinm. qui hiimor<-« piilreCirjt. " E20 anno superiore. qii
i)iiod nolI^ygliMH^M^ia melancholica s^yiuptumala d iin L'iiti"-uiij \ nli ndui^tum, qui ut llbt-rarelur de gut-
incidil^^^^^^^^Bbienl|M^> cuncubitu incidit in 1 i:i.
mei^nR^^^^^^^B^tiK^ coitD esacerbantur. ' faciii^
incid_^^^^^^^^^^|^ld||^& cuncubitu incidit in 1 i:i. ml Inlnfa :ici.c:iAit, el de gutta liberatus, inanlaciu
Mem. 2. Subs. 5.] Bad Air, a Cattse. 149
so inflamed, are in great danger to be mad ] but if it be unadvisedly, importunely,
immoderately used, it doth as much harm by refrigerating the body, dulling the
spirits, and consuming them: as Joh. "* Curio in his 10th chapter well reprehends, such
kind of letting blood doth more hurt than good: ™"The humours rage much more
than they did before, and is so far from avoiding melancholy, that it increaseth it, and
weakeneth the sight." ^Prosper Calenus observes as much of all phlebotomy, except
they keep a very good diet after it ; yea, and as *' Leonartis Jacchinus speaks out of
his own experience, *'^''' The blood is much blacker to many men after their letting
of blood tlian it was at first." For this cause belike Salust. Salvinianus, Z. 2. c. 1,
will admit or hear of no blood-letting at all in this disease, except it be manifest it
proceed from blood : he was (it appears) by his own words in that place, master of
an hospital of mad men, ^"and found by long experience, that this kind of evacua-
tion, either in head, arm, or any other part, did more harm than good." To this
opinion of his, ^■*Foelix Plater is quite opposite, •■' though some wink at, disallow and
quite contradict all phlebotomy in melancholy, yet by long experience I have found
innumerable so saved, after they had been twenty, nay, sixty times let blood, and to
live happily after it. It was an ordinary thing of old, in Galen's time, to take at once
from such men six pounds of blood, which now we dare scarce take in ounces : scd
vidcrint medlc'i ;" great books are written of this subject.
Purging upward and downward, in abundance of bad humours omitted, may be
for the worst ; so likewise as in the precedent, if overmuch, too frequent or violent,
it ^^ weakeneth their strength, saith Fuchsius, I. 2. sect. 2 c. 17, or if they be strong
or able to endure physic, yet it brings them to an ill habit, they niake their bodies
no better than apothecaries' shops, this and such like iniirmities must needs follow
SuBSECT. V. — Bad Air, a cause of Melancholy.
Air is a cause of great moment, in producing this, or any other disease, being that
it is still taken into our bodies by respiration, and our more inner parts. ^^-^ If it be
impure and foggy, it dejects the spirits, and causeth diseases by infection of the
heart," as Paulus hath it, lib. 1. c. 49. Avicenna, lib. 1. Gal. de san. tuendd. Mer-
curialis, Montaltus, &c. ^'Fernelius saith, "A thick air thickeneth the blood and hu-
mours." ^^Lemnius reckons up two main things most profitable, and most pernicious
to our bodies ; air and diet : and this peculiar disease, nothing sooner causeth *^( Jo-
bertus holds) " than the air wherein we breathe and live." ^^ Such as is the air, such
be our spirits ; and as our spirits, such are our humours. It offends commonly if it
be too ^' hot and dry, thick, fuliginous, cloudy, blustering, or a tempestuous air.
Bodine in his fifth Book, De rcjnih. cap. 1, 5, of his Method of History, proves that
hot countries are most troubled with melancholy, and that there are therefore in
Spain, Africa, and Asia Minor, great numbers of mad men, insomuch that they are
compelled in all cities of note, to build peculiar hospitals for them. Leo ^^Afer, lib. 3.
de Fessa urbe, Ortelius and Zuinger, confirm as much : they are ordinarily so choleric
in their speeches, that scarce two words pass without railing or cliiding in common
talk, and often quan-elling in their streets. *^Gordonius will have every man take
notice of it : " Note this (saith he) that in hot countries it is far more familiar than
in cold." Although this we have now said be not continually so, for as ^'Acosia
truly saith, under the Equator itself, is a most temperate habitation, wholesome air,
a paradise of pleasure : the leaves ever green, cooling showers. But it holds in such
as are intemperately hot, as ^^Johannes a Meggen found in Cyprus, others in Malta,
''On Schola Salernitana. "Calefactio et ebiil-
litio per veiiie incisionem, ma^is sa;pe incitatur et
aiiiretur, majore impetu liuiiinres per corpus discur-
riint. *■" Lib. de flatulenta Melancholia. Froqiiens
sanguinis missio corpus extenuat. »' In 9 Rliasis,
airam bilem parit, et visum dcbilitat. '•-Miilto
nigrior spectalur sanguis post dies quosdani, quim
fuit ab initio. '■3 Non lando eos qui in desipientia
dooent secandam esse venani froiitis, quia spiriius de-
hac ratione sanatos longa observatione cognovi, qui
vigesies, sexagies venas tundendo, &c. f^ Vires
debilitat. ''^Inipurus aer spiriius dejicit, infecto
corde gignit niorbos. >■' Sanguinem densat, et
huniores, P. 1. c. 13. f* Lib. 3. cap. 3. --'Lib.
de quartana. Ex acre ambiente contrabitnr humor
nielanchnlicus. "'Qualis aer, talis spiritus • et
cujusmodi spiritus, huniores. 9' jElianus Montal-
tus, c. 11. calidus et siccus, frigidus et siccii.?. paludi-
bilitatur inde, et ego \«u'n\. e.xperientia ohserva\'i in ' nosus, crassns. "-i Mnlta hie in Xenndochiis fana-
proprio Xeiindochio, qufpd desJiiiiMites cx pbleboloinia t ticnrurn niillia qui striclissim6 catenata sf-rvantur
niagis KTdunlur, et niai;i.-> di>i|)iiiiit, vi iiu-lantluilici I '•'■' Lib. med. part. 2. c. 19. Tntellige, quod in raluiis
sfepe fiunt inde pejore^.— ♦• *41)e iiitiitis aljenat. regionibus, frequenter accidit mania, in frigidi; au-
cap. 3. eisi in^j^s boc impiob^se sciam, innumerosi tern mJ|, ** Lib. ^ tyjMBfcJlii't cap*."
^
^
150
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. l.Sec. 2
Aupulia, and the * Holy Land, where at some seasons of the year is nothing but dust,
their rivers dried up, the air scorching hot, and earth inflamed ; insomuch that many
pilgrims going barefoot for devotion sake, from Joppa to Jerusalem upon the hot
sands, often run mad, or else quite overwhelmed with sand, profimdis arenis, as in
many parts of Africa, Arabia Deserta, Bactriana, now Charassan, when the west wind
blows "'Involutl arenis Iranseunles nccanlur. ^ Hercules de Saxonia, a professor in
Venice, gives this cause why so many Venetian women are melancholy, Quod diu
sub sole degant, they tarry too long in the sun. IMontanus, consil. 21, amongst other
causes assigns this ; Why that Jew his patient was mad. Quod tain muUum exposuit se
cnlori et f rigor i : he exposed himself so much to heat and cold, and for that reason in
Venice, there is little stirring in those brick paved streets in sunnner about noon, they
are most part then asleep : as they are likewise in the great MogoPs countries, and all
over the East Indies. At Aden in Arabia, as^'Lodovicus Vertomannus relates in his tra-
vels, they keep their markets in the night, to avoid extremity of heat ; and in Ormus,
like cattle in a. pasture, people of all sorts lie up to the chin in water all day long. At
Braga in Portugal ; Burgos in Castile ; Messina in Sicily, all over Spain and Italy, their
streets are most part narrow, to avoid the sunbeams. The Turks wear great turbans
ud fugandos solis radios, to refract the sunbeams ; and much inconvenience that hot
air of Bantam in Java yields to our men, that sojourn there for traffic ; where it is
so hot, '*'•' that they that are sick of the pox, lie commonly bleaching in tlie sun, to
dry up their sores." Such a complaint I read of those isles of Cape Verde, fourteen de-
grees from the Equator, they do male andire : 'One calls them the uidiealthiest clime
of the world, for (luxes, fevers, frenzies, calentures, which commonly seize on seafar-
ing men that touch at them, and all by reason of a hot distemperature of the air. The
hardiest men are oflended with this heat, and stillest clowns cannot resist it, as Con-
stantine affirms, Agricull. I. 2. c. 45. They that are naturally born in such air, may
not -endure it, as Niger records of some part of .Mesopotamia, now called Diarbecha
Quihusdam in locisscBi-ieiiti ceslui adeo subjecta est^ut pleruque aninudia fcrvore solis
el cceli extinguanlur, 'tis so hot there in some places, that men of the country and
cattle are killed with it ; and '.Adricomius of Arabia Felix, by reason of myrrh, frank-
incense, and hot spices there growing, the air is so obnoxious to their brains, that
the very inhabitants at some times cannot abide it, much less weaklings and strangers.
■•Amatus Lusilanus, cent. 1. curat. 45, reports of a young maid, tiiat was one V^incent
a currier'-s daughter, some thirteen years of age, that would wash her hair in the lieat
of the day (in July) and so let it dry in the sun, *"to make it yellow, but by that
means tarrying too long in the heat, she inflamed her head, and made herself mad."
Cold air in the other extreme is almost as bad as hot, and so doth Montaltus esteem
of it, c. 1 1, if it be dry withal. In those northern countries,, the people are therefore
generally dull, heavy, and many witches, which (as I have before quoted) Saxo Gram-
maticus, Olaus, Baptista Porta ascribe to melancholy. But these cold climes are
more subject to natural melancholy (not this artificial) which is cold and dry : for
which cause ^Mercurius Britaimicus belike puts melancholy men to inhabit just un-
der the Pole. The worst of the three is a 'thick, cloudy, misty, foggy air, or such
as come from fens, moorish grounds, lakes, muckhills, draughts, sinks, where any
carcasses, or carrion lies, or from whence any stinking fulsome smell comes : Galen,
Avicenna, Mercurialis, new and old physicians, hold that such air is unwholesome,
and engenders melancholy, plagues, and what not ? ^Alexandretta, an haven-town in
the Mediterranean Sea, Saint Juhn de Ulloa, an haven in Nova-Hispania, are much
condemned for a bad air, so are Durazzo in Albania, Lithuania, Ditmarsh, Pomptinae
PaUides in Italy, the territories about Pisa, Ferrara, &c. Komney Marsh with us ; the.
Hundreds in Essex, the fens in Lincolnshire. Cardan, de rerwn varietate., I. 17, c. 'J6,
finds fault Mith the sight of those rich, and most populous cities in the Low Coun
^ Apulia ajslivo calore maxiind fervet, ita ut ante
rineni Mail pene exusl;i sit. '••••• They perish in
clouds of sand." Maginus Pers. ^^ I'anllieo scu
Prart. nied. I. 1. cap. 16. Venetje mulieres qua? diu
BUb sol- viviint. aliquando iiiel.iiittiolica; cv.uliir.i
^Navi 4. coiiiniercia node, lion
6b nil: ' viuiit intordiu Kstus '
borantes, exponunt ad £<
Observaiipns, sect. 13. 'Hippocrates, 3. .\phoris-
morum idem ait. *Ideni Maginus in PerHia
< Descrip. Ter. sanctat!. 'Quurii ad t^olis radios
in leone longam niorani traheret, ut capillo:) nlavos
r'dderct, in nianiani incidit. < Mundus alter et
in, seu Terra Auslralis incn(»nila. ^ CrasiiiM
lurpidus a»!r, tri^lyiyillicit aniinam. "Com-
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Bad Air, a Cause. 15)
tries, as Bniges, Ghent, Amsterdam, Leyden, Utrecht, Sec. the air is bad ; and so at
Slockliohn in Sweden ; Regium in lialy, Salisbury with us, Hull and Lynn : they
may be commodious for navigation, this new kind of fortification, and many oiher
good necessary uses ; but are they so wholesome } Old Rome hath descended from
the hills to the valley, 'tis the site of most of our new cities, and held best to build
in plains, to take the opportunity of rivers. Leander Albertus pleads hard for the air
and site of Venice, though the black moorish lands appear at every low water : the
sea, fire, and smoke (as he thinks) qualify the air; and ^some suppose, that a thick
foorgy air helps the memory, as in them of Pisa in Italy ; and our Camden, out of
Plato, commends the site of Cambridge, because it is so near the fens. But let the
site of such places be as it may, how can they be excused that have a delicious seat,
a pleasant air, and all that nature can afford, and yet through their own nastiness,
and sluttishness, immund and sordid manner of life, suffer their air to putrefy, and
themselves to be chocked up ? j\Iany cities in Turkey do wiaZe audire in this kind :
Constantinople itself, where commonly carrion lies in the street. Some find the same
fault in Spain, even in jMadrid, the king's seat, a most excellent air, a pleasant site ;
but the inliabitants are slovens, and the streets uncleanly kept.
A troublesome tempestuous air is as bad as impure, rough and foul weather, im-
petuous winds, cloudy dark days, as it is commonly with us, Cxliitu visu fccdwi^
'Tolydore calls it a filthy sky, et in quo facile generantur nuhes ; as Tully's brother
Quintus wrote to him in Rome, being then Quaestor in Britain. "In a thick and
cloudy air (saith Lemnius) men are tetric, sad, and peevish : And if the western
Avinds blow, and that there be a calm, or a fair sunshine day, there is a kind of
alacrity in men's minds ; it cheers up men and beasts : but if it be a turbulent, rough,
cloudy, stormy weather, men are sad, lumpish, and much dejected, angry, waspish,
dull, and melancholy." This was "Virgil's experiment of old,
Veruni ubi tempestas, et coeti niobilis humor I " But when the face of Heaven changed is
Mutavore vices, et Jupiter humidus Austro, | To tempests, rain, from season fair;
Vertuntur species animorum, et pectore niotus I Our minds are altered, and in our breasts
Ck)ncipiunt alios" I Forthwith some new conceits appear."
And who is not weather-wise against such and such conjunctions of planets, moved
in foul weather, dull and heavy in such tempestuous seasons ? ^^Gelidutn conlrislat
Aquarius annum : the time requires, and the autumn breeds it ; winter is like unto
it, ugly, foul, squalicf, the air works on all men, more or less, but especially on such
as are' melancholy, or inclined to it, as Lemnius holds, '^ "• They are most moved
with it, and those which are already mad, rave downright, eitlier in, or against a
tempest. Besides, the devil many times takes his opportunity of such storms, and
when the humours by the air be stirred, he goes in with them, exagitates our spirits,
and vexeth our souls ; as the sea waves, so are the spirits and humours in our bodies
tossed with tempestuous winds and storms." To such as are melancholy therefore,
Montanus, consil. 24, will have tempestuous and rough air to be avoided, and consil.
27, all night air, and would not have them to walk abroad, but in a pleasant day.
Lemnius, I. 3. c. 3, discommends the south and eastern winds, commends the north.
Montanus, consil. 3L '■"' Will not any windows to be opened in the night." Consil.
229. et consil. 230, he discommends especially the south wind, and nocturnal air :
So doth '^ Plutarch. The night and darkness makes men sad, the like do all sub-
terranean vaults, dark houses in caves and rocks, desert places cause melancholy in
an instant, especially such as have not been used to it, or otherwise accustomed.
Read more of air in Hippocrates, jEtius, I. 3. a c. 17L ad 175. Oribasius, o c. 1.
ad 21. Avicen. I. 1. can. Fen. 2. doc. 2. Fen. 1. c. 123 to the 12, kc.
SuBSECT. VI. — Immoderale Exercise a cause, and 1iow. Solitariness, Idleness.
Nothing so good but it may be abused : nothing better than exercise (if oppor-
tunely used) for the preservation of the body : nothing so bad if it be unseasonable,
9 Atlas geographicus memnria, valent Pisani, quod | afire citooffenduntur, et multi insani apud Belgas ante
crassiore fruantur aere. loLib. 1. hist. lib. 2. cap. 41. tempestates sa;viunt, aliter quieti. Spiritus qtioque
Aura densa ac caliginosa tetrici homines existunt, et i agris et mali cenii aliquando se lenipestatibus inge-
Bubstristes, et cap'. 3. stante subsolano et Zc|ili\ ro, runt, et nieiiti huniana' se biierilT^^ in_<iniiant. eamqiie
maxima in mentibus hominum aUicritas existit, n.i n- i vexant, exagitant, et ut fluctus mafini, liiKMarmm cor-
tisqne erectio ubi te^jyjyjIlliiiBptondore niiescit. Ma- | pus ventis agitatur.^ _ '■» Aer noctu densaii^^t cogit
xiiiia dejectiq " '' "' " '""
11 Geo
t(^imyijl|ii*ptondore niiescit. Ma- pus ventis agitatur. HAer noctu densai
ri^^^^^nando auracaiiL'iiin^a est. I mffi|^iani. ''Lib. de Iside e||Oufnd&
■t^et cogn
KS
152 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
violent, or ovennuch. Femeliiis out of Galen, Path. lib. 1. c. 16, saith, '^"That
much exercise and weariness consumes the spirits and substance, refrigerates the
body ; and such humours which Nature would have otherwise concocted and ex-
pelled, it stirs up and makes them rage : which being so enraged, diversely aflect and
trouble the body and miiul." So doth it, if it be unseasonably used, upon a full
stomach, or wlien the body is full of crudities, which Fuchsius so much inveighs
against, lib. 2. inslit. sec. 2. c. 4, giving that for a cause, wliy school-boys in Ger-
many are so often scabbed, because they use exercise presently after meats. " Bayerus
puts in a caveat against such exercise, because " it '* corrupts the meat in the stomach,
and carries the same juice raw, and as yet imdigested, into the veins (saith Lemnius),
whicli there putrefies and confounds the animal spirits." Crato, consil. 21. /. 2,
'^protests against all such exercise after meat, as being the greatest enemy to con-
coction tliat may be, and cause of corruption of humours, which produce this, and
many other diseases. Not without good reason then doth Salust. Salvianus, /. 2. c. 1,
and Leonartus Jacchinus, in 9. Rhasis., Mercurialis, Arcubanus, and many other, set
down ^"immoderate exercise as a most forcible cause of melancholy.
Opposite to exercise is idleness (the badge of gentry) or want of exercise, the
bane of body and mind, the nurse of naughtiness, stepmother of discipline, the chief
author of all mischief, one of the seven deadly sins, and a sole cause of this and
many other maladies, the devil's cushion, as "'Giialter calls it, his pillow and chief
reposal. '' For the mind can never rest, but still meditates on one thing or other,
except it be occupied about some honest business, of his own accord it rusheth into
melancholy. ^As too much and violent exercise olft-nds on tlie one side, so doth an
idle life on the other (saith Crato), it fills the body full of phlegm, gross humours,
and all numner of obstructions, rheums, catarrhs," &.c. Khasis, cont. lib. 1. tract. 9,
accounts of it as the greatest cause of melancholy. **"! have often seen (-saith he)
that idleness begets this humour more than anything else." Montaltus, c. 1,. seconds
him out of his experience, ■" •» They that are idle are far more sul)ject to melancholy
than such as are conversant or employed about any otlice or business." ^Plutarch
reckons up idleness for a sole cause of the sickness of the soul : " There are they
(saith he) troubled in mind, that have no other cause but this." Homer, Iliad. 1,
brings in Achilles eating of his own heart In his idleness, because he might not fight.
Mercurialis, consil. 86, for a melancholy young man urgeth,^it a§ a chief cau.se ; why
was he melancholy } because idle. Nothing begets it sooner, increaseth and conti-
nueth it oftener than idleness." A disease familiar to all idle persons, an inseparable
companion to such as live at ease, Pingiii otio dcsidiose agentcs., a life out of action,
and have no calling or ordinary employment to busy themselves about, that have small
occasions ; and though they have, such is their laziness, dulness, they will not compose
themselves to do aught ; tliey cannot abide work, though it be necessary ; easy as to
dress tliemselves, write a letter, or the like ; yet as he that is benumbed with cold
sits still shaking, tiiat might relieve himself with a little exercise or stirring, do they
complain, but will not use the facile and ready means to do themselves good ; and
so are still tormented with melancholy. Especially if they have been formerly
brought up to business, or to keep much company, and upon a sudden come to lead
a sedentary life; it crucifies their souls, and seizeth on them in an instant; forwhdst
they are any ways employed, in action, discourse, about any business, sport or re-
creation, or in company to their liking, they are very well ; but if alone or idle,
tormented instantly again ; one day's solitariness, one hour's sometimes, doth them
"Multa defatig;itio, spiritus, viriumque substantiam | poris exercitatio nocet corporibus, ita vita deses. t"
exhaurit, el corpus refrigerut. liuiiinres corruptos qui i otioaa : otiuin, animal pituitoguin redilit, viscerum
aliter i iiatura concoqui et doniari possint, et denium obstructiones et cr<-bras fluxlones, et iiiorbos contitat
blandd extludi, irritat, et quasi in furorem agil, qui 'O Et vide quod una de rebus qua? iiiasjis Bt-ncral mo
postea mota camerina, telro vapore corpus varid la- lancholiam, est oliogitas. '■" Reponitiir oiiuin ak
ce-isunt, animumque. '^ In Veni mecuin : I.ibro sic aliis causa, et hoc & nobis obscrvalum e<>8 huic uialo
inscripto. '^Instit. ail vit. Christ, cap. 44. cibos masis obnoxios qui plane oliosi sunt, quain eo« qij'
crudos in venas rapit, qui putrescsnles illic spiritus aliquo muoere versanlur exequendo. ^ I)e Tran-
aninialis infiriunl. '•'Crudi hacc hiiinoris copla per quil. animiB. Sunt qua ipsum otiuin in aninii rnnj'^'^
venas affgrediiur, unde rnorbi multiplices. -olin- a-gritudinein. '« Nihil est quod s-qiit- inclanrholl-
modicuin exercitium. -' Hoin. 31. in 1 Cnr vi. uii alal ac aueeat, ac otium et abstlneiitta & rorpon*
Nam qua inen^^pUiiii<l"i»*;(:rc: ■>■'» I' mimi exercitationihiis. '< Nihil niacin excvcat
linuo circ^l^^^^Mitationes disciirr ' lltclUTn, quam otium_. Gordoniug de obMrvat. vit
aliqiig^^^l^^HRtetur, ad melancii^ .auok lib. 1. ~ "'
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Idleness a Cause. 153
more harm, than a week's physic, labour, and company can do good. ^Melancholy
seizeth on them forthwith being alone, and is such a torture, that as wise Seneca
well saith, Malo mihi male quam mollitcr esse, I had rather be sick than idle. This
idleness is either of body or mind. That of body is nothing but a kind of benumb-
ing laziness, intermitting exercise, which, if we may believe ^ Fernelius, •'• causeth
crudities, obstructions, excremental humours, quencheth the natural heat, dulls the
spirits, and makes them unapt to do any thing whatsoever."
~,4,,, ... o ^,- ■ ■ ,, I " for, a nejrlected field
ffl^Neglectis urenda filix innascitur agns." | g,,^,, ^^ t„g gj^jts thorns and thisUes yield."
As fern grows in untilled grounds, and all manner of weeds, so do gross humours in
an idle body, Ignavum corrumpunt otia corpus. A horse in a stable tlwt never tra-
vels, a hawk in a mew that seldom flies, are both subject to diseases ; which left unto
themselves, are most free from any such incumbrances. An idle dog will be mangy,
and how shall an idle person think to escape ? Idleness of the mind is much worse
than this of the body ; wit without employment is a disease ^j^riigo cinimi, ruhigo
ingenii: the rust of the soul, ^'a plague, a hell itself, Maxinmm animi nocumentum.,
Galen calls it. ^^" As in a standing pool, worms and filthy creepers increase, {et vi-
tium capiunt ni moveantur aqucE., the water itself putrefies, and air likewise, if it be not
continually stirred by the wind) so do evil and corrupt thoughts in an idle person,"
the soul is contaminated. In a commonwealth, where is no public enemy, there is
likely civil wars, and they rage upon themselves : this body of ours, when it is idle,
and knows not how to bestow itself, macerates and vexeth itself with cares, orriefs,
false fears, discontents, and suspicions ; it tortures and preys upon his own bowels,
and is never at rest. Thus much I dare boldly say, " He or she that is idle, be they
of what condition they will, never so rich, so well allied, fortunate, happv, let them
have all things in abundance and felicity that heart can wish and desire, all content-
ment, so long as he or she or they are idle, they shall never be pleased, never well
in body and mind, but weary still, sickly still, vexed still, loathing still, weeping, sigh-
hig, grieving, suspecting, offended with the world, with every object, wishing them-
selves gone or dead, or else carried away with some foolish phantasy or other. And
this is the true cause that so many great men, ladies, and gentlewomen, labour of
tills disease in country and city ; for idleness is an appendix to nobility ; they count
it a disgrace to work, and spend all their days in sports, recreations, and pastimes,
and will therefore take no pains ; be of no vocation : they feed liberally, fare well,
want exercise, action, employment, (for to work, I say, they may not abide,) and
company to their desires, and thence their bodies become full of gross humours,
wind, crudities ; their minds disquieted, dull, hea\y, &c. care, jealousy, fear of some
diseases, sullen fits, weeping fits seize too ^familiarly on them. For what will not fear
and phantasy work in an idle body ? what distempers will they not cause ? when the
children of ^Israel murmured against Pharoah in Egypt, he commanded his officers
to double their task, and let them get straw themselves, and yet make their full num-
ber of bricks ; for the sole cause why they mutiny, and are evil at ease, is, '• they
are idle." When you shall hear and see so many discontented persons in all places
where you come, so many several grievances, unnecessary complaints, fears, suspi-
cions, ^^ the best means to redress it is to set them awork, so to busy their minds ; for
for the truth is, they are idle. Well they may build castles m the air for a time, and
sooth up themselves with phantastical and pleasant humours, but in the end they will
prove as bitter as gall, they shall be still I say discontent, suspicious, ''^feartul, jealous,
sad, fretting and vexing of themselves ; so long as they be idle, it is impossible to please
them, Oiio qui nescit uti., plus hahet negotii quam qui negotium in negotio, as that
"^Agellius could observe : He that knows not how to spend his time, hath more busi-
ness, care, grief, anguish of mind, than he that is most busy in the midst of all his
business Oliosus animus nescit quid volet: An idle person (as he follows it) knows
^ Patli. lib. 1. cap. 17. exercitationis intermissio, 1 Sen. ss Now this lesr, now that arm, now their
inertem calorem, languidos spiritus, et ienavos, et ad head, heart, &.c. 3<Exod.v. 2i(For they canno*
omnes aitiones secninres reddit, cruditates, obsructio- | well tell what aileth them, or what they would have
nes, et excrementoruin proventus facit. ^j fjnr. themselves) my heart, niy head, my hujiiand, my son,
Ser. 1. .Sat. 3. '*■ .St-ii.ca. si Moeroreni animi. iLCt ^Prov. sviii. Pigrum dejiciet timor. Heau-
8t maciem, Plutarcl^ caito^it. s- Sicut in .=t uuo ftontimorumer
geneianturj^uuf^^ncat otioEO Zualx cogitationes.
J 54 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
not when he is well, what he would have, or whither he would go, Qmim illue
vcntum es<, illinc lubet, he is tired out with everytliing, displeased with all, weary of
his life : ^"£6 bene domi.,.nec milUice, neitlier at home nor abroad, errat, et prcBter vi-
tam vivitur, he wanders and lives besides himself. In a word. What the mischievous
effects of laziness aud idleness are, 1 do not liiul any where more accurately expres-
sed, than in these verses of Philolaches in the '^^ Comical Poet, which for their
fcicgancy I will in part insert.
"Novarum jriliuin esse arbitror similem ego honiinera,
Quando hie natiis est : Ei rei argumenta dicain.
JEdes quaiido sum ad amussim expolitce,
Quisque laudat fdbruin, at(iiie exempluin expctit, &c.
At ubi lUi) iiiigrat nequain homo indiligensque, &c.
Tempestas veiiit, confringit tegulas, iinbricesque,
Putrilacit aer operain fabri, Sec.
Dicain ut liuiiiines similes esse tedium arbitremini.
Fabri parentes fuiidamentuin substruunt lilierorum.
Expoliuiit, doceiit literas, iiei- pariuiit suiiiplui.
Ego autein sub fabroruiii poti-slate frugi I'ui,
Postquam autem migravi in iiigeniuiii meuin,
Perdidi uperam t'abrorum illic6 oppid6,
Venil ignavia, ea inihi touipestas fuit,
Adveiiluque suo grandinerii et imbrem attulit,
Ilia luihi virtuleiii deturbavit, Stc.
''A young man is like a fair new house, the carpenter leaves it well built, in good
repair, of solid stuff; but a bad tenant lets it rain in, and for want of reparation, fall
to decay, &c. Our parents, tutors, friends, spare no cost to, bring us up in our youth,
hi all manner of virtuous education ; but when we are left to ourselves, idleness as a
tempest drives all virtuous motions out of our minds, et nihili sP'mus, on a sudden,
by slotli and such bad ways, we come to nought."
Cousin gennan to idleness, and a concomitant cause, which goes hand in hand
with it, is '^^nimia soUliido, too much solitariness, by the testimony of all physicians,
cause and symptom both ; but as it is here put for a cause, it is either coact, en-
forced, or else voluntary. Enforced solitariness is commonly seen in students,
monks, friars, anchorites, that by their order and course of life must abandon all
company, society of other men, and betake themselves to a private cell : Olio super-
stitioso scclusi, as Bale and llospinian well term it, such as are the Carthusians of
our time, that eat no desh (by their order), keep perpetual silence, never go abroad-
Such as live in prison, or some desert place, and cannot liave comj)any, as many of
our country gentlemen do in solitary houses, tliey must either be alone witliout
companions, or live beyond their means, and entertain all comers as so many hosts,
or else converse with their servants and hinds, such as are imetjual, inferior to them,
and of a contrary disposition : or else as some do, to avoid solitariness, spend their
time witli lewd fellows in taverns, and in alehouses, and thence addict themselves to
some unlawful disports, or dissolute courses. Divers again are cast upon this rock
of solitiiriness for want of means, or out of a strong apprehension of some inlirmity,
disgrace, or through bashfidness, rudeness, simplicity, they cannot apply themselves
to others' company. JS^uUum solum infelici gralius soUtudhie, ubi nullus sit qui
miseriain exprobret ; this enforced solitariness takes place, and produceth his eftect
soonest in such as have spent their time jovially, peradventure in all honest recrea-
tions, in good company, in some great family or populous city, and are upon a sud-
den confined to a desert country cottiige far off, restrained of their liberty, and barred
from their ordinary associates ; solitariness is very irksome to such, most tedious,
and a sudden cause of great inconvenience.
Voluntary solitariness is that which is familiar with melancholy, and gently brings
on like a syren, a shoeing-horn, or some sphynx to this irrevocable gulf, ^^ a primary
cause, Piso calls it ; most pleasant it is at first, to such as are melancholy given, to
lie in bed whole days, and keep their cliarabcrs, to walk alone in some solitary grove,
betwixt wood and water, by a brook side, to meditate upon some delightsome and
pleasant subject, which shall affect them most ; amabilis insania, et mentis gralissi-
mus error: a most incomparable delight it is so to melancholize, and build castles in
the air, to go smiling to themselves, acting an infinite variety of parts, which they sup-
pose and strongly imagine they represent, or that they see acted or done : Blanda
quideni ab initio^ saith Lemnius, to conceive and meditate of such pleasant things,
sometimes, '""present, past, or to come," as Khasis speaks. So delightsome these
toys are at first, they could spend whole days and nights without sleep, even whole
years alone in such contemplations, and fantastical meditations, which are like unto
dreams, and they will hardly be drawn f ' n, or willingly internipt, so pleasant
I; PtoI. Mo9tel. "Piso, Montaltus, 9iei-
f,itc.
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.]
Idleness^ a Cause.
155
their vain conceits are, that they hinder their ordinary tasks and necessary business,
they cannot address themselves to them, or ahnost to any study or employment,
these fantastical and bewitching thoughts so covertly, so feelingly, so urgently, so
continually set upon, creep in, insinuate, possess, overcome, distract, and detain them,
they cannot, I say, go about their more necessary business, stave off or extricate
themselves, but are ever musing, melancholizing, and carried along, as he (they say)
that is led round about a heath with a Puck in the night, they run earnestly on in
this labyrinth of anxious and solicitous melancholy meditations, and cannot well or
willingly refrain, or easily leave off, winding and unwinding themselves, as so many
clocks, and still pleasing their humours, until at last the scene is turned upon a sud-
den, by some bad object, and they being now habituated to such vain meditations
and solitary places, can endure no company, can ruminate of nothing but harsh and
distasteful subjects. Fear, sorrow, suspicion, suhrusticus pitdor^ discontent, cares,
and weariness of life surprise them in a moment, and they can think of nothing else,
continually suspecting, no sooner are their eyes open, but this infernal plague of
melancholy seizeth on them, and terrifies their souls, representing some dismal ob-
ject to their minds, wdrich now by no means, no labour, no persuasions they can
avoid, hceret latcri lethaUs arimdo, (the arrow of death still remains in the side), they
may not be rid of it, ''-they cannot resist. I may not deny but that there is some
prolltable meditation, contemplation, and kind of solitariness to be embraced, which
the fathers so highly commended, ""^Hierom, Chrysostom, Cyprian, Austin, in
whole tracts, which Petrarch, Erasmus, Stella, and others, so much magnify in their
books ; a paradise, a heaven on earth, if it be used aright, good for the body, and
better for the soul : as many of those old monks used it, to divine contemplations,
as Sunulus, a courtier in Adrian's time, Dioclesian the emperor, retired themselves,
&.C., in that sense, Vatia solus sell viverc, Vatia lives alone, which the Romans were
wont to say, when they commended a country life. Or to the bettering of their
knowledge, as Democritus, Cleanthes, and those excellent philosophers have ever
done, to sequester themselves from the tumultuous world, or as in Pliny's villa Lau-
rentana, Tully's Tusculan, Jovius' study, that they might better vacare studiis et Dco^
serve God, and follow their studies. I\lethinks, therefore, our too zealous innovators
were not so well advised in that general subversion of abbeys and religious houses,
promiscuously to fling down all ; they might have taken away those gross abuses
crept in amongst them, rectified such inconveniences, and not so far to have raved
and raged against those fair buildings, and everlasting monuments of our forefathers'
devotion, consecrated to pious uses ; some monasteries and collegiate cells might
have been well spared, and their revenues otherwise employed, here and there one,
in good towns or cities at least, for men and w^omen of all sorts and conditions to
live in, to sequester themselves from the cares and tumults of the world, that w^ere
not desirous, or fit to marry ; or otherwise willing to be troubled with common
aflairs, and know not well where to bestow themselves, to live apart in, for more con-
veniency, good education, better company sake, to follow their studies (I say), to the
perfection of arts and sciences, common good, and as some tioily devoted monks of
old had done, freely and truly to serve God. For these men are neither solitary,
nor idle, as the poet made answer to the husbandman in ^Esop, that objected idle-
ness to him ; he was never so idle as in his company ; or that Scipio Africanus in
^' Tally, JS'unquam minus solus, qiiam cum solus; nunquam minus otiosus, quam quum
csset otiosus; never less solitary, than when he was alone, never more busy, than
when he seemed to be most idle. 'It is reported by Plato in his dialogue de Amore,
in that prodigious commendation of Socrates, how a deep meditation coming into
Socrates' mind by chance, he stood still musing, eodem vestigio cogitahmdus, from
morning to noon, and when as then he had not yet finished his meditation, persfabat
cogitans, he so contiiiued till the evening, the soldiers (for he then followed the
camp) observed him w-ith admiration, and on set purpose w-atched all night, but he
persevered immoveable ad exhortim solis, till the sun rose in the morning, and then
■"Facilis descensus Averni : Sed revocare praduni,
Biiperasque evadere aii auras, Hie labor, hoc opus est.
^ ir"- ^^HuMfflUh^^. 72. duit oppida et urbes
"ieri si^i^B^HQMMI^toMililiidlnein Paradisum :
soluq^ scQipioiiibus infectum, sacco aniictus, humi
cnbans, aqua et herbis victitans, &uiianis pra;tulit
ddUfiiia. MOffic. 3.
156
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. l.Sec. 2.
salutiiig the sun, went his ways. In what liumour constant Socrates did thus. I
know not, or how he miglit be affected, but tliis woukl be pernicious to anotlicr
man ; what intricate business might so really possess hhn, I cannot easily guess ; but
this is otiosum otlum^ it is far otherwise with these men, according to Seneca, Omnia
nobis mala solitudo persuade t ; this solitude undoeth us, jTW^'/iai cum vita sociali ; "'tis
a destructive solitariness. These men are devils alone, as the saying is. Homo solu$
aut Deus., aut Dtzmon: a man alone, is either a saint or a devil, mens ejus aid lan-
guescitj aut tumescit ; and ^^Vcb soli in this sense, woe be to him that is so alone.
These wretches do frequently degenerate from men, and of sociable creatures be-
come beasts, monsters, inhumane, ugly to behold, JMisanlhropi; they do even loathe
themselves, and hate the company of men, as so many Timons, Nebuchadnezzars,
by too much indulging to these pleasing humours, and through their own defaidt.
So that which Mercurialis, consil. 1 1, sometimes expostulated with his mclancljoly
patient, may be justly applied to every solitary and idle person in particular. ^Wcj-
tura de te videiur conqurri posse., &.c. '-Nature may justly complain of tliee, lliat
whereas she gave thee a good wholesome temperature, a sound boiiy, anil God hath
given thee so divine and excellent a soul, so many good parts, and profitable gifts,
tliou hast not only contemned and rejected, but hast corrupted them, polluted them,
overthrown their temperature, and perverted those gifts with riot, idleness, solitari-
ness, and many other ways, thou art a traitor to God and nature, an enemy to thy-
self and to the world." Perditio tua ex te; thou hast lost thyself wilfully, cast
away thyself, '•" thou thyself art the etlicient cause of thine own misery, by not resjSit-
ing such vain cogitations, but giving way unto them."
SuBSECT. VII. — Sleeping and Wakings Causes.
What I have formerly said of exercise, I may now repeat of sleep. Nothing betu-r
than moderate sleep, nothing worse than it, if it be in extremes, or unseasonably
us€d. It is a received opinion, tliat a melancholy man cannot sleep overmuch ;
Somnus supra modum prodest, as an only antidote, and nothing offends them mtjre,
or causeih this malady sooner, than waking, yet in some cases sleep may do more
harm than good, in that phlegmatic, swinish, cold, and sluggish melancholy whicli
Melancthon speaks of, that thinks of waters, sighing most part, 8tc. ''Mt dulls the
spirits, if overmuch, and senses ; fills the head full of gross humours ; causeth dis-
tillations, rheums, great store of excrements in the brain, and all the other parts, as
*^Fuchsius speaks of them, that sleep like so many dormice. Or if it be used in the
day-time, upon a full stomach, the body ill-composed to rest, or after hard meats, it
increaseth fearful dreams, incubus, night walking, crying out, and much unquietness;
such sleep prepares the body, as *'one observes, " to many perilous diseases." But,
as I have said, waking overmuch, is both a symptom, and an ordinary cause. It
causeth dryness of the brain, frenzy, dotage, and makes the body dry, lean, hard,
and ugly to behold," as ^Lemnius hath it. ''The temperature of the brain is cor-
rupted by it, the humours adust, the eyes made to sink into the head, choler in-
creased, and the whole body inflamed :" and, as may be added out of Galen, 3. de
sanitate iucndo, Avicenna 3. 1. ^'"It overthrows the natural heat, it causeth crudi-
ties, hurts concoction," and what not } Not without good cause therefore Crato,
consil. 21. lib. 2; Hildesheim, spicel. 2. de delir.et .Va/Ka, Jacchinus, Arculanus on
Rliasis, Guianerius and Mercurialis, reckon up this overmuch waking as a principal
cause.
*s Eccl. 4. <« Natura de te videtjir conqueri posse,
quod cum ab ea temperatissimum corpus adeplus sis,
tam prafclarum 4 Ueo ac utile donutn, noii contemp-
eUli mode, veruin corrupisti, sedasti, prudidisti. opti-
mam teinperaturam otio, crapula, et aliis vitx errori-
bns, &c. *'■ Path. lib. cap. 17. Fernel. corpus
infrisidat, onines sensus, ineiitisque vires torpore de-
bililat. «Lib. 9.. sect. 2. rap. 4. Ma?nam tirre-
inenlorutn vim cerebro t-t aliis partibus conservat.
•'Jo. Btrtziud, lib. de rebus 6 non naiuralibus. Pre-
parat corpus talis somnus ad multas periculosas iPicri-
tudines. 'c Instil, ad vitam oplimam, cap. 26. cere-
bro siccitatem adfi-rt, phrenesin et delirliirn, ciirpu*
aridum facit, squaliduin, strigoiiiim, humored aduril,
temperamentum cerebri corrunipit, macl^m Indiicit :
exsiccat corpus, bilem accendit, profundos r^ddit uro-
los, calorem auglt. " Natiirrtlem caloicm diMipa^
la-sa coiicoctiune cruditates facit. Altenuunl juvl-<
num vifUats corpora noctes.
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Perturbations of the Mind. 1ST
MEMB. III.
SuBSECT. I. — Passions and Perturbations of the Mind, how they cause Melancholy
As that gymnosophist in ^^ Plutarch made answer to Alexander (demanding whic h
spake best), Every one of his fellows did speak better than the other : so may I say
of these causes ; to him that shall require which is the greatest, every one is more
grevious than other, and this of passion the greatest of all. A most frequent ami
ordinary cause of melancholy, '^^fulmen perturbationum (Piccolomineus calls it) this
thunder and lightning of perturbation, which causeth such violent and speedy altera-
tions in this our microcosm, and many times subverts the good estate and tempera-
ture of it. For as the body works upon the mind by his bad humours, troubling
the spirits, sending gross fumes into the brain, and so per consequens disturbing the
soul, and all the faculties of it,
-"Corpus oiustum,
Hesternis vitiis animum quoque pra?gravat una,"
with fear, sorrow, &c., which are ordinary symptoms of this disease : so on the other
side, the mind most effectually works upon the body, producing by his passions and
perturbations miraculous alterations, as melancholy, despair, cruel diseases, and
sometimes death itself. Insomuch that it is most true which Plato saith in his
Charmides, omnia corporis mala ah ani7na procedere ; all the '■'mischiefs of the body
proceed from the soul : and Democritus in ^Plutarch urgeth, Damnatam iri animarn
a corporc, if the body should in this behalf bring an action against the soul, surely
the soul would be cast and convicted, that by her supine negligence had caused such
inconveniences, having authority over the body, and using it for an instrument, as a
smith doth his hammer (saith ^'Cyprian), imputing all those vices and maladies to the
mind. Even so doth ^"Philostratus, non coinquinatur corpus, nisi consensu animm ;
the body is not corrupted, but by the soul. Lodovicus Vives will have such turbu-
lent commotions proceed from ignorance and indiscretion.'^ All philosophers im-
pute the miseries of the body to the soul, that should have governed it better, by
command of reason, and hath not done it. The Stoics are altogether of opinion (as
•^'Lipsius and ^'Piccolomineus record), that a wise man should be aTraG^;, without all
manner of passions and perturbations whatsoever, as *^ Seneca reports of Cato, the
•■^Greeks of Socrates, and "lo. Aubanus of a nation in Africa, so free from passion,
(jr rather so stupid, that if they be wounded with a sword, they will only look back.
''' Lactantius, 2 instit., will exclude " fear from a wise man :" others except all, some
the greatest passions. But let them dispute how they will, set down in Thesi, give
precepts to the contrary \ we find that of ^ Lemnitis true by common experience ;
'•• No mortal man is free from these perturbations : or if he be so, sure he is either a
god, or a block. They are born and bred with us, we have them from our parents
by inheritance. Jl parentibus habemus malum kunc assem, saith ^"Pelezius, JVascitur
una nobiscum, aliturque, 'tis propagated from Adam, Cain was melancholy, ^''as
Austin hath it, and who is not ? Good discipline, education, philosophy, divinity (I
cannot deny), may mitigate and restrain these passions in some few men at some
times, but most part they domineer, and are so violent, ^^that as a torrent {torrens velut
aggere rupto) bears down all before, and overflows his banks, sternit agros, sternit
sala, (lays waste the fields, prostrates the crops,) they overwhelm reason, judgment,
and pervert the temperature of the body ; Fertur '°equis auriga, nee audit ciirrus
habenas. Now such a man (saith "'Austin) " that is so led, in a wise man's eye, is
no better than he that stands upon his head. It is doubted by some, Gravioresne
morbi a perturbationibus, an ab humoribus, whether humours or perturbations cause
^■-Vita Alexan. sscrad. 1. c. 14. " Ilor. i quisense percusserit eos, tantumrespiciimt. «-'Ter-
" The body oppressed by yesterday's vices weighs ror in sapiente esse non debet. « De orcnlt nat.
down the spirit also." s'Perturbaliones clavi niir. I. 1. c. 16. Nemo mortalium qui affHCtlbus non
i>unt, quibus corpori animus seu patibulo affigitur. ducatur : qui non movetur, aut sa.xum, aut Deus est.
Jamb, de mist. «'Lib. de sanitat. tuend. ^" Pro- U: Instit. I. 2. de hunianorum affect, morborumque
log de virtute Christi ; Qu;e utitur corpore, ut faber curat. cs Epist. 105. eacranatensis. '" Virg.
malleo s^ Vita Apollonij. lib. 1. s^Lih. de hi Pe civitrDei.-l. 14. c. 9. qiiali? in orulis hominum
anini. ab inconsideraniia, el iuMioraiitia onini-5 aiiiuiirraui iriversis pedibus ambulat, talis in ociilia sapientum,
lotus. J^pVhvsiol. StMR. ' r;r.id 1. i^f"
> EpistJJ^r^ <=.aaiaaii|^^ "l.ilf. t. cap. 6.
fcX
»58 Causes of Melancholy. [Pait. 1. Sect. 2.
the more grievous maladies. But we find that of our Saviour, Mat. xxvi. 41, most
true, <■' The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak," we cannot resist ; and this of "Philo
Judieus, " Perturbations often offend the body, and are most frequent causes of
melancholy, turning it out of the hinges of his health." Vives compares them to
""Winds 'upon the sea, some only move as those great gales, but others turbulent
quite overturn the ship. Those which are light, easy, and more seldom, to our
thinking, do us little harm, and are therefore contemned of us : yet if tliey be re-
iterated^ ''''as the rain (saith Austin) doth a stone, so do tlicse perturbations pene-
trate the mind : '^and (as one observes) "• produce a habit of melancholy at the last,
which having gotten the mastery in bur souls, may well be called diseases.
How these passions produce this effect, ""^Agrijipa hath handled at large, Ocailt.
Philos. I 11. c. 63. Cardan, I. 14. suhtil. Lemnius, I. 1. c. 12, de occult, nal. mir. f/
lib. 1. cap. 16. Suarez, Met. dlsput. 18. sect. 1. art. 25. T. Bright, cap. 12, of his
Melancholy Treatise. Wright the Jesuit, in his Book of tlie Passions of the Mind,
&c. Thus in brief, to our imagination cometh by the outward sense or memory,
some object to be known (residing in the foremost part of the brain), which he mis-
conceiving or amplifying presently communicates to the lieart, the seat of all allec-
tions. The pure spirits forthwith tlock from the brain to the heart, by certain secret
channels, and signify what good or bad object was presented; ''which immediately
bends itself to prosecute, or avoid it; and withal, draweth with it other humours to
help it : so in pleasure, concur great store of purer spirits ; in sadness, much melan-
choly blood ; in ire, choler. If the imagination be very apprehensive, intent, and
violent, it sends great store of spirits to, or from the heart, and makes a deeper iiiv-
pression, and greater tumult, as the humours in the body be likewise prepared, and
the temperature itself ill or well disposed, the passions are longer and .stronger ; so
that the first step and fountain of all our grievances in this kind, is '" ia-sa ima>^'inatio^
which misinforming the heart, causeth all these distemperatures, alteration and confu-
sion of spirits ami humours. By means of which, so disturbed, concoction is
hindered, and the principal parts are much debilitated ; as ''Dr. Navarra well declared,
being consulted by Montanus about a melancholy Jew. The spirits so confounded,
the nourishment must needs be abated, bad humours increased, crudities and thick
spirits engendered with melancholy blood. The other parts caimot perform their
functions, having the spirits drawn from them by vehement passion, but fail in sense
and motion ; so we look upon a thing, and see it not ; hear, and observe not ; which
otherwise would much affect us, had we been free. I may therefore conclude with
■ "Arnoldus, Maxima vis est phantasi(e., el huic uni fere., non aulem corporis inlem-
periei., ornnis melancholice causa est ascribenda : " Great is the force of imagination,
and much more ouajht the cause of melancholy to be ascribed to this alone, than lo
the distemperature of the body." Of Mhich imagination, because it hath so great
a stroke in producing this malady, and is so powerful of itself, it will not be im-
proper to my discourse, to make a brief digression, and speak of the force of it, and
how |t causeth this alteration. Which manner of digression, howsoever some dis-
like, as frivolous and impertinent, yet I am of ^'Beroaldus's opinion, "Such digres-
sions do mightily delight and refresh a weary reader, they are like sauce to a bad
stomach, and I do therefore most willingly use them."
SuBSECT. II. — Of the Force of Imagination.
What imagination is, I have sufficiently declared in my digression of the anatomy
of the soul. 1 will only now point at the wonderful effects and power of it ; which,
'2 Lib. de Decal. passiones maxime corpus ofTendiint 1 the countenance to good or evil, and dislraciion of
et aniinam, el frtqiientissimiB causx nrjelancholia. | the mind causeth distemperature of the l)Mdy.''
ditnovente« ah inseiiio et sanitate pristina, I. 3. de i "'tipiritus et sanzuis 4 Isesa Imaginatione contarninan-
anima. '^Frsenaet stimuli animi, velut in mari | tur, humore:) enim mutati actlones aiiinii iinuiutanl,
quBPdam aurae levcs, quacdam placida?. quxdam tur- Piso. ■" Montani, consil. 22. Mk vero i)ii(im<id<i
hiiU-nt.T : sic in corpnre quzdam alTectiones excitant ' rausent melancholiam, clarum ; et quod conro-tioncm
I'lntum, qua-darn ita movent, ut de statu judicii depel- iuipediant, et membra principalia dfldliient •* D-*-
lant. •<lltgulta lapidem, sic paulatim hae pene- [ viar. 1. 1. cap. H. »■ Solent hujusiii'idl i.-ere»»ion'f
trarit animum. "' f- i \ i' ut. - rerte morbi aiilini :'n -r iliililer oblectare, et lectorein la.isuiu jiicundr
vni-antur. " I '^^^■■ikftii. ■ slomachunique nau!>eantem, c|iiiiilam quuM
in'<tum excitjBfl' ^s^^^^^B" nio relice
•iteiiiur.^
Mem. 3. Subs. 2.] Of the Force of Imagination. 159
as it is eminent in all, so most especially it rageth in melancholy persons, in keep-
ing the species of objects so long, mistaking, amplifying them by continual and
^strong meditation, until at length it produceth in some parties real effects, causeth
this, and many other maladies. And although this phantasy of ours be a subordi'.iate
faculty to reason, and should be ruled by it, yet in many men, through inward or
outward distemperatures, defect of organs, which are luiapt, or otherwise contami-
nated, it is likewise xmapt, or hindered, and hurt. This we see verified in sleepers,
which by reason of humours and concourse of vapours troubling the phantasy, ima-
gine many times absurd and prodigious things, and in such as are troubled with
incubus, or witch-ridden (as we call it), if they lie on their backs, they suppose an
old woman rides, and sits so hard upon them, that they are almost stifled for want of
breath ; when there is nothing offends, but a concourse of bad humours, which
trouble the phantasy. This is likewise evident in such as walk in the night in their
sleep, and do strange feats : ^^ these vapours move the phantasy, the phantasy the' appe-
tite, which moving the animal spirits causeth the body to walk up and down as if
tliey were aw^ake. Fracast. I. 3. de intellect, refers all ecstasies to this force of imagi-
nation, such as lie whole days together in a trance : as that priest whom ^^Celsus
speaks of, that could separate himself from his senses when he list, and lie like
a dead man, void of life and sense. Cardan brags of himself, that he could do
as much, and that when he list. Many times such men when they come to them-
selves, tell strange things of heaven and hell, what visions they have seen ; as that
St. Owen, in Matthew Paris, that went into St. Patrick's purgatory, and the monk o^
Evesham in the same author. Those common apparitions in Bede and Gregory,
Saint Bridget's revelations, Wier. I. 3. de lamiis^ c. 11. Caesar Vanninus, in his Dia-
logues, &c. reduceth (as I have formerly said), Avith all those tales of witches'
progresses, dancing, riding, transformations, operations, &c. to the force of ^^imagi-
nation, and the ^^ devil's illusions. The like effects almost are to be seen in such as
are awake : how many chimasras, antics, golden mountains and castles in the air do
they build unto themselves .-' I appeal to painters, mechanicians, mathematicians.
Some ascribe all vices to a false and corrupt imagination, anger, revenge, lust, am-
bition, covetousness, which prefers falsehood before that which is right and good,
deluding the soul with false shows and suppositions. ^'Bernardus Penottus will
have heresy and superstition to proceed from this fountain ; as he falsely imagineth,
so he believeth ; and as he conceiveth of it, so it must be, and it shall be, contra
genfes^ he will have it so. But most especially in passions and affections, it shows
strange and evident effects : what will not a fearful man conceive in the dark ? What
strange forms of bugbears, devils, witches, goblins ? Lavater imputes the greatest
cause of spectrums, and the like apparitions, to fear, which above all other passions
begets the strongest imagination (saith ^'^Wierus), and so likewise love, sorrow, jov,
&.C. Some die suddenly, as she that saw' her son come from the battle at Canna?, &c.
.Jacob the patriarch, by force of imagination, made speckled lambs, laying speckled
rods before his sheep. Persina, tliat Ethiopian queen in Heliodorus, by seeing the
picture of Persius and Andromeda, instead of a blackamoor, \vas brought to bed of a
fair white child. In imitation of whom belike, a hard-favoured fellow in Greece, be-
cause he and his wife were both deformed, to get a good brood of children, Elegan-
tissimas imagines in thalamo collocavit, &c. hung the fairest pictures he could buy for
money in liis chamber, " That his wife by frequent sight of them, might conceive and
bear such children." And if we may believe Bale, one of Pope Nicholas the Third's
concubines by seeing of ^'a bear was brought to bed of a monster. "• ][ a woman
(saith ^° Lemnius), at the time of her conception think of another man present or ab-
sent, the child will be like him." Great-bellied women, when they long, yield us
prodigious examples in this kind, as moles, warts, scars, harelips, monsters, especially
^- Ab imasinatione oriumur affertiones, qiiibus ani- vero earum sine sensii permanent, qus umbra coopf-
ma romponitiir, aiit tiirbata detiirbatur, .To. Sarisbiir. rit diabolus, ut nulli sint conspicua, et post, umbra
Malolog. lib. 4. c. 10. >■■< Scalis. exereit. ■:<Qui suhlata, propriis corporibus eas restituil, 1. 3. c. H.
quotis volebat, mortuo similis jacehat auferens se & Wier. t" Denario medico. c? Solet timor,
sensibus, et quum pun«reretur dolnrem non sensit. pr.e omnibus affectibus, fortes imasinationes gismere,
''"Idem Nymannii'f nrat. de Imaginut. *^Vcrlii.= pr.>t__ auior, >Scc. I. S.-c. S. "- " e.x vir^o ur?o, talem
cl ifnctionil)iis ?f c nsuciioi^temoni pessimal iiiii- peperif. '•*» Lib. 1. cap. 4. de occult, nat. niir. si
lieres qui iis acLijjjus suum v^BflRiiiWini phaiita=i- inter amplexus et suavia cogitet de uno, a^it alio ab-
am regit^duf^^e ad lofiuH^^^KSiafKtltcTt^rpora gama^^smggggL^mgtm^Jim^g^ elucere. "~
160
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. 1. Sec. 2
caused in their children by force of a depraved phantasy in them : Ipsam speciem quam
animo ejigiat.,fi£tui inducit : She imprints that stamp upon her child which she "'con
ceives unto herself. And therefore Lodovicus Vives, lib. 2. de Christ, fcem., gives a
special caution to great-bellied women, "^ That they do not admit such absurd con-
ceits and cogitations, but by all means avoid those horrible objects, heard oj- seen,
or filthy spectacles." Some will laugh, weep, sigh, groan, blush, tremble, sweat, at
such tilings as are suggested unto them by their imagination. Avicenna speaks of
one that could cast himself into a palsy when he list ; and some can imitate the tunes
of birds and beasts that they can hardly be discerned : Dagebertus' and Saint Francis'
scars and wouiuls, like those of Christ's (if at the least any such were), ^^Agrippa
supposeth to have happened by force of imagination : that some are turned to wolves,
from men to women, and women again to men (which is constantly believed) to the
same imagination; or from men to asses, dogs, or any other shapes. ^Wierus as-
cribes all those famous transformations to imagination ; that in hydrophobia they
seem to see the picture of a dog, still in their water, "Hhat melancholy men and sick
men conceive so many phantastical visions, apparitions to themselves, and have such
absurd apparitions, as that they are kings, lords, cocks, bears, apes, owls ; that they
are heavy, light, transparent, great and little, senseless and dead (as shall be showed
more at large, in our ** sections of symptoms), can be imputed to nought else, but to
a corrupt, false, and violent imagination. It works not in sick and melancholy men
only, but even most forcibly sometimes in such as are sound : it makes them sud-
denly sick, and ''^alters their temperature in an instant. And sometimes a strong
conceit or apprehension, as "^ Valesius proves, will take away diseases : in both kinds
it will produce real effects. Men, if they see but another man tremlile, giddy or sick
of some fearful disease, their apprehension and fear is so strong in tliis kiiul, that they
will have the same disease. Or if by some soothsayer, wiseman, fortune-teller, or
physician, they be told they shall have such a disease, they will so seriously appre-
hend it, that they will instantly labour of it. A tiling familiar in China (saith Ric-
cius the Jesuit), ^^' If it be told them they shall be sick on such a day, when that
day conies they will surely be sick, and will be so terribly afflicted, that sometimes
they die upon it. Dr. Cotta in his discovery of ignorant practitioners of physic,
cap. 8, hath two strange stories to this purpose, what fancy is able to do. The one
of a parson\s wife in Northamptonshire, ,^7i. 1007, that coming to a physician, and
told by him that she was troubled with the sciatica, as he conjectured (a disease she
"wa* free from), the same night after her return, upon his words, fell into a grievous
fit of a sciatica : and such another example he hath of another good wife, that was
so troubled with the cramp, after the same manner she came by it, because her phy-
sician did but name it. Sometimes death itself is caused by force of phantasy. I have
heard of one that coming by chance in company of him that was thought to be sick
of the plague ( which was not so) fell down suddenly dead. Another was sick of
tlie plague with conceit. One seeing his fellow let blood falls down in a swoon.
Another (saith ""Cardan out of Aristotle), fell down dead (which is familiar to wo-
men at any ghastly sight), seeing but a man hanged. A Jew in France (saith ' Lo-
dovicus Vives), came by chance over a dangerous passage or plank, that lay over a
brook in the dark, without harm, the next day perceiving what danger he was in,
fell down dead. Many will not believe such stories to be true, but laugh commonly,
and deride when they hear of them ; but let these men consider with themselves, as
' Peter Byarus illustrates it. If they were set to walk upon a plank on high, they
would be giddy, upon which they dare securely walk upon the ground. Many
(saith Agrippa),'"' strong-hearted men otherwise, tremble at such sights, dazzle, and
" Quid non fstui adhuc matri unito, subita spirituum
vibratione per nervos, quibiie matrix cerebro con-
juncta est. inipriiiiit inipregnatte imasinatiol ut si
imaginetur malum sranatiini, illiud notas secum pro-
feret fetus : Si leporero, infans editur supremo labcllo
bitido, et dissecto : Veheiiiens cogitatio inovet rerum
species. Wier. lib. 3. cap. 8. •'- Ne dum uteruin
gestent. adiiiittant absiirdas cogitationes, seil et visu,
auditiii|ii>: f:y(\:i et tiorreuJa (l»vki:iit. "O. cuii,
Philo*. 111'. 1 mp. 64. "iLib. 3. de Lamii.'?, cap. Ju
•« Agni'pi, lib. 1. cap. 64. «< Sect. 3. memb. 1. sub-
3 t 3. v^ Malleus malefic. fqi^JOLcorfiwt nu
vj'.>:it, in diveii
*Fr. Vales. I. 5. cont. 6. nonnunquam etiam morbi
diuturiii consequuntur, quandoque rurantur. "» Ex-
pedit. ill Sinas, I. 1. c. 9. tantum pnrro uiulti pracdicto-
ribug hisce tribuunt ut ipse metus (idem faciat : nam
si priedictum lis fuerit tali die eos morbo corripiendo?,
ii ubi dies advenerit, in morbum incidunt, et vi metus
afflicti, cum segritudlne, aliquando etiam cum morte
colluctantur. "» Subtil. 18. > Lib. 3. de anima,
cap. de mel. 'Lib. de Peste. 3 Lib. 1. cap. 63,
V.x iilto despiciente^^iau^rK timure contremUcunt,
calizant, ii\£jj|^m^^mi^%iy§||iLm, febres, morbl
ue reeeduBl.
]\Icm. 3. Subs. 3.] Division of Perturbations. 16.
are sick, if they look but down from a high place, and what moves them but con-
ceit ?" As some are so molested by phantasy ; so some again, by fancy alone, and a
good conceit, are as easily recovered. We see commonly the tooth-ache, gout, fall-
ing-sickness, biting of a mad dog, and many such maladies cured by spells, words,
characters, and charms, and many green wounds by that now so much used Ungwn-
tum Armarium.^ magnetically cured, which Crollius and Goclenius in a book of late
hath defended, Libavius in a just tract as stiffly contradicts, and most men controvert.
All the world knows there i^ no virtue in such charms or cures, but a strong conceit
and opinion alone, as •* Pomponatius holds, '• which forceth a motion of the humours,
spirits, and blood, which takes away the cause of the malady from the parts affected."
The like we may say of our magical effects, superstitious cures, and such as are done
by mountebanks and wizards. "As by wicked incredulity many men are hurt (so
saith ^ ^V'ierus of charms, spells, &c.), we find in our experience, by the same means
many are relieved." An empiric oftentimes, and a silly chirurgeon, doth more
strange cures than a rational physician^ Nymannus gives a reason, because the pa-
tient puts his confidence in him, ^ which Avicenna " prefers before art, precepts, and
all remedies whatsoever." 'Tis opinion alone (sahh 'Cardan'), that makes or mars
physicians, and he doth the best cures, according to Hippocrates, in whom most trust.
So diversely doth this phantasy of ours affect, turn, and wind, so imperiously command
our bodies, which as another *" Proteus, or a chameleon, can take all shapes ; and is
of such force (as Ficinus adds), that it can work upon others, as well as ourselves."
How can otherwise blear eyes in one man cause the like affection in another ? ^^ hy
doth one man's yawning ^make another yawn i One man's pissing provoke a second
many times to do the like .? Why doth scraping of trenchers offend a third, or hack-
ing of files .? Why doth a carcass bleed when tlie murderer is brought before it, some
weeks after the murder hath been done .? Why do witches and old women fascinate
and bewitch children : but as Wierus, Paracelsus, Cardan, Mizaldus, Valleriola, Cajsar
Vanninus, Campanella, and many philosophers think, the forcible imagination of the
one party moves and alters the spirits of the other. Nay more, they can cause and
cure not only diseases, maladies, and several infirmities, by this means, as Avicenna,
de anim. I. 4. sect. 4, supposeth in parties remote, but move bodies from their places,
cause thunder, lightning, tempests, which opinion Alkindus, Paracelsus, and some
others, approve of. So that I may certainly conclude this strong conceit or imagina-
tion is astrum hominis.) and the rudder of this our ship, which reason should steer,
but, overborne by phantasy, cannot manage, and so suffers itself, and this whole vessel
of ours to be overruled, and often overturned. Read more of this in Wierus, Z. 3.
dc Lamiis, c. 8, 9, 10. Franciscus Yalesius, med. controv. Z. 5. cont. 6. Marcellus
Donatus, Z. 2. c. 1. de hist. med. mirahil. Levinus Lemnius, de occiilf. nat. mir. I. 1
c. 12. Cardan, Z. 18. de rerum var. Com. Agrippa, de occult, philos. cap. 04, 65
Camerarius, 1 cent. cap. 54. horarum subcis. Nymannus, viorat. de Imag. Lauren
tins, and him that is instar omnium^ Fienus, a famous physician of Antwerp, that
wrote three books de viribus imaginationis. I have thus far digressed, because this
imagination is the medium deferens of passions, by whose means they work and
produce many times prodigious effects : and as the phantasy is more or less intended
or remitted, and their humours disposed, so do perturbations move, more or less, and
take deeper impression.
SuBSECT. HI. — Division of Perturbations.
Perturbatio.vs and passions, which trouble the phantasy, though they dwell be-
tween tlie confines of sense and reason, yet they rather follow sense than reason, be-
cause they are drowned in corporeal organs of sense. They are commonly '° reduced
into two inclinations, irascible and concupiscible. The Thomists subdivide them mto
* Lib. de Incantatione,Imaginatio subitum humorutn, I ' Plures sanat inquemplure3Confidunt.lib.de sapi-
et spirituum motum infert, unde vario atTectu rapitur entia. i' Marcelius Ficinus, 1. 13. c. 1ft. de theolog.
sanauis, ac uni niorbificas causas partibus affectis [ Platonica. Imaginatio est tanqu&ui Proteus vel Cha-
eripit. 'Lib. 3. c. 18.de pra;stis. Ut impia ore- niteleon, corpus proprium et alienum nonnunquani
dulilatequis la-ditur, sic et levari eundem tredibile est, afficiens. ,*CiitvQscitanUs oscitcnt, Wierus.
usuque observatum. ".^gri persuasio et fiducia, "jJ^V./SMlit. *
Dinni arti et consilio eUMllMHkHfiUitLi''^^' '^^''^£!L>'' ^^"^-^ «
162 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
eleven, six in flie coveting, and five in tlie invading. Aristotle rediiceth all to plea-
sure and pain, Plato to love and hatred, " Vives to good and bad. If good, it is pre-
sent, and then we absolutely joy and love; or to come, and then we desire and hope
for it. If evil, we absolute hate it ; if present, it is by sorrow ; if to come fear. Tliese
four passions '- Bernard compares " to the wheels of a chariot, by which we are car-
ried in this world." All other passions are subordinate unto tliese four, or six, as
some will : love, joy, desire, hatred, sorrow, fear; the rest, as anger, envy, emula-
tion, pride, jealousy, anxiety, mercy, shame, discontq^it, despair, ambition, avarice,
&.C., are reducible unto the first; and if they be innnoderate, tiiey '^consume the
spirits, and melancholy is especially caused by them. Some few discreet men theri
are, that can govern themselves, and curb in these inordinate atl'ections, by religion,
philosophy, and such divine precepts, of meekness, patience, and tlie like; but mosi
part for want of government, out of indiscretion, ignorance, tluv sulltn- tlumselves
wholly to be led by sense, and are so far from repressing rel)elli()iis inclinations, that
they give all encouragement unto them, leaving the reins, and using all provocations
to further them : bad by nature, worse by art, discipline, '^custom, education, and a
perverse will of their own, they follow on, wheresoever their unbridled alliictions
will transport them, and do more out of custom, self-will, tiian out of reason. Con-
tumax voluntas., as Melancthon calls it, vialumfucil : this stubborn will of ours per-
verts judgment, which sees and knows what should and ought to be done, and yet
vail not do it. Mancipia gulce., slaves to their several lusts and appetite, they pre-
cipitate and plunge 'themselves into a labyrinth of cares, blinded with lust, blinded
with ambition ; '""They seek that at God^s hands which they may give unto them-
selves, if they could but refrain from those cares and perturbations, wherewith they
continually macerate their minds." But giving way to these violent passions of fear,
grief, shame, revenge, hatred, malice, Stc, they are torn in pieces, as Acta^on was
with his dogs, and ''crucify their own souls.
SuBSECT. IV. — Sorrow a Cause of Melancholy.
Sorroxc. Iiisanus dolor.] I.v this catalogue of passions, which so much torment
:the soul of man, and cause this malady, (for 1 will briefly speak of them all, and in their
order,) the first place in this irascible appetite, may justly be challenged by sorroi^.
An inseparable companion, ''"Ttie mother and daughter of melancholy, her epitome,
symptom, and chief cause :" as Hippocrates hath it, they beget one another, and tread
in a ring, for sorrow is both cause and symptom of this disease. How it is a symp-
tom shall be shown in its place. That it is a cause all the world acknowledgeth.
Dolor nonnuUis Insanice catisa fuit.,et aliorum morhorum insanabilium, saith Plutarch
• to ApoUonius ; a cause of madness, a cause of many other diseases, a sole cause of
this miscliief, "Lemnius calls it. So doth Rha.sis, cont.l. I. tract. 9. Guinerius,
TVact. 15. c. 5. And if it take root once, it ends in despair, as ^Tcelix Plater ob-
serves, and as in ^'Cebes' table, may well be coupled with it. ^Chrysostom, in his
seventeenth epistle to Olympia, describes it to be " a cruel torture of the soul, a most
inexplicable grief, poisoned worm, consuming body and soul, and gnawing the very
heart, a perpetual executioner, continual night, profound darkness, a whirlwind, a
tempest, an ague not appearing, heating worse than any fire, and a battle tliat hath no
end. It crucifies worse than any tyrant ; no torture, no strappado, no bodily punish-
"3. deAnima. "Ser. 35. Hie quatuor passiones boles atri humoris sunt, et in circqiiim »e procreant.
Eunttanquam rot!eincurru,quibus vehiniiir hoc mundo. Hip. Apliori:^. 23. 1. fi. Idem Monlaltus, cap. 19. Vjc-
'^Ilariiiii qiiippe immoderatione, spiritiis marcescunt. lorius Faventinus, pract. iiiiag. '» M'llti ux inemre
Fernel. I. 1. Path, c 16. "Mala c<iiisuetiidine depra- et rneiu hue delapsi Biiiit. Lenin., lib. 1. cap. 16.
vatur ingeiiium ne bene, faciat. Prosper Caleiius, 1. de ^'Mnltaciira et Iristilia fuciunt atcedere nielanrho-
«tra bile. Plura faciunt homines 6consuetudine quam liain (cap. 3. de mentis alien ) si alias itdices ajral, in
6 ratione. A tent-tis assuescere niultnm est. Video veram fi.xamqiie degenerat melancholjam ot in de>pe-
jneliora proboqiie deteriora sequor. Ovid. '^ Nemo raiionem desiiiit. -■ llle luctng. i-jus ver6 «oror
la^ditiir nisi 4.s>-ipso. '" Miiiti se in inqiiietudinem desperatio siniul ponilur. '^'' Aniinaium crudele
prsecipltant amhiiione et cupiditalilius exc.Tcati, ni>n torinentum, dolor inexplicabilis, tinf;a non solum ossa,
intelligunt se illud k diis petere, quod sibi ipsis si ve- sed corda pertineens, perpetuus carnifex, vires animc
lint prestare possint, si curis et perturbaiionibus, qui- consumens, juzis nox. et tenebrip profundiB, tempestas
bus assidue se niacerant, imperare velleiit. '■ Tarito et turbo et febris non apparena, omni igne validius
studi" r.i-. n , mill causas. et j^linipnn iji.inriu" 'I'l^ri- ncendens ; lonirior. el pugnn.- fineni non liabcnt
inu>. 'C^feflMSflplTlCrn^luin ' -' r:i- Crucem circunilVTl dolor, fuciemque omni lyrannc
bil> I ^^^^^^mpeCat. de Ri^iiii'itii^m^. crudeliorem i
'' Tii ^.til^^^^^^HHiaHeiit, causa et «5»—
Mem. 3. Subs. 5.
FeaVi) a Cause.
163
ment is like unto it. 'Tis the eagle without question uhich the poets feigned to gnaw
^Prometheus' heart, and "no heaviness is like unto the heaviness of the heart,"
Eccles. XXV. 15, 16. ^'^ Every perturbation is a misery, but grief a cruel torment,"
a domineering passion : as in old Rome, when the Dictator was created, all inferior
magistracies ceased ; when grief appears, all other passions vanish. " It dries up the
bones," saith Solomon, ch. 17. Pro., "makes them hollow-eyed, pale, and lean, fur-
row-faced, to have dead looks, wrinkled brows, shrivelled clieeks, dry bodies, and
quite perverts their temperature tliat are misafi'ected with it. As Eleonara, that exiled
mournful duchess (in our ^'^ English Ovid), laments to her noble husband Humphrey,
Duke of Gloucester,
' Sawest tliou those eyes in whose sweet cheerful look
Duke Humphrey once such joy and pleasure took,
Sorrow hath so despoil 'd me of all prace,
Thou couldst not say this was my Elnor's
Like a foul Gorgon," &;c.
face.
'^"it hinders concoction, refrigerates the heart, takes away stomach, colour, and
sleep, thickens the blood, ^■'(Fernelius, ?. 1. c. 18. de morb. causis,) contaminates the
spirits." 2S(Piso.) Overthrows the natural heat, perverts the good estate of body
and mind, and makes them weary of their lives, cry out, howl and roar for very
anguish of their souls. David confessed as much. Psalm xxxviii. 8, " I have roared
■for the very disquietness of my heart." And Psalm cxix. 4, part 4 v. " JMy soul
melteth away for very heaviness," v. 38. " I am like a bottle in the siTioke." An-
tiochus complained tliat he could not sleep, and that his heart fainted for grief,
^^ Christ himself, Vir dolorum, out of an apprehension of grief, did sweat bloodi
Mark xiv. " His soul was heavy to the death, and no sorovv was like unto his."
Crato, comil. 21. ?. 2, gives instance in one that was so melancholy by reason of
^ grief ; and Montanus, consil 30, in a noble matron, ^'" that had no other cause of
this mischief" I. S. D. in Hildesheim, fully cured a patient of liis that was much
troubled witli melanclioly, and for many years, ''^but afterwards, by a little occasion
of sorrow, he fell into his former fits, and was tormented as before." Examples are
common, how it causeth melancholy, ^ desperation, and sometimes death itself;
for (Eccles. xxxviii. 15,) "Of heaviness comes death; worldly sorrow causeth
death." 2 Cor. vii. 10, Psalm xxxi. 10, "My life is wasted with heaviness, and my
years with mourning." Why was Hecuba said to be turned to a dog ? Niobe into
a stone ? but that for grief she was senseless and stupid. Severus the Emperor ^^
died for grief; and how ^'many myriads besides .^^ Tanfa illi est fcrilas^ tanta est
insania luclus?^ Melancthon gives a reason of it, '''" the gathering of much melan-
choly blood about the^heart, which collection extinguisheth the good spirits, or at
least duUeth them, sorrow strikes the heart, makes it tremble and pine away, with
great pain ; and the black blood drawn from the spleen, and diffused under the ribs,
on the left side, makes those perilous hypochondriacal convulsions, Avhich happen
to them that are troubled with sorrow."
SuBSECT. V. — Fear, a Cause.
Cousin german to sori'ow, is fear, or rather a sister, Jidus Achates^ and continual
companion, an assistant and a principal agent in procuring of this mischief; a cause
and symptom as the other. In a word, as '^Virgil of tlie Harpies, I may justly say
of them both.
"Tristius haud illis monstrum, nee ssBvior ulla
Pestis et ira Deum stygiis sese extulit undis."
"A sadder monster, or more cruel plague so fell,
Or vengeance of the gods, ne'er came froni Styx or Hell.
This foul fiend of fear was worshipped heretofore as a god by the liacedaerao-
nians, and most of those other torturing ''^ affections, and so was sorrow amongst
5= Nat. Comes Mythol. 1. 4. c. 6. s^Tully 3. Tusc
cmnis perturbatio miseria et carnificina est dolor.
"^ .M. Drayton in his Her. ep. -'' Crato consil. 21.
lib. 2. nioe.stiiia universum infripidat corpus, calorem
iiinatuni extinsult. appetitum deslruit. -'" Cor re-
frigerat tristitia, spiritus exsiccat, iiinatumqne calorem
oliruit, vigilias inducit, concoctionem laberfactat, san-
puinem incrassat, exageratque melancliolicum suc-
cuni. ■■'' Spiritus et sanguis hoc conlaniinatur.
Piso. -JJIaic. vi. 10. 11. ■< Mnmre niaceror,
marcesco et cons(iii-..( ,, mi-, r pellis sum
misera macritudl( r I'l tut. m inceptum
et actum a tristiU^i .-ola. • ii, , - iiii,-t,jiif(-L.9-
de melaiicliulia, mxrore ulMiMMfiiLJiccedente, in
priora symptomata incidit. s^Vives, 3. d. anima,
c. de ni.Trore. Sahin. in Ovid. aiHerodian. 1. 3.
ma^rore magis quem morbo consumptus est. ^'■> Both-
wellius atribilarius oliiit Brizarrus Genuensis hist. (fee.
""'So great is the fierceness and madness of melan-
choly. 37 iMoestitia cor quasi percussum conslringi-
tur, tremit et languescit cum acri sensu doloris. In
tristitia cor fugiens attrahit ex Splene leutum humo-
rem melanchollcuui, qui effusus sub costis iti sinistro
latere hypocoiidrlacos flatus facit, quod s.ipe accidit
iis qui diuturna cura e't nioeslilia conliKt.ininr. Me-
^ifCthon. s-Lib. 3. ai;ii. 4. a^iEt ruelum ideo
deam sacrarunt ut bonam mentem conceUeict. Varro,
LaGjaiitiuSv '
164 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
the rest, under the name of Angerona Dea, they stood in such awe of them, as
Austin, dc Civifat. Dei, Jib. 4. cap. 8, noteth out of VaiTO, fear was commonly
*° adored and painted in their temples with a lion's head ; and as Macrobius records,
/. 10. SdturnaTnim ; •"'• In the calends of January, Angerona had her holy day, to
whom in the temple of Volupia, or goddess of pleasure, their augurs and bishops did
yearly sacrifice ; that, being propitious to them, she might expel all cares, anguish,
and vexation of the mind for that year following." jMany lamentable eflects this
fear causeth in men, as to be red, pale, tremble, sweat, ^^it makes sudden cold and
heat to come over all the body, palpitation of the heart, syncope, &c. It amazeth
many men that are to speak, or show themselves in public assemblies, or before
some great personages, as Tully confessed of himself, that he trembled still at the
beginning of his speech ; and Demosthenes, that great orator of Greece, before
Philippus. It confounds voice and memory, as Lucian wittily brings in Jupiter
Tragoedus, so much afraid of his auditory, when he was to make a speech to the
rest of the Gods, that he could not utter a" ready word, but was compelled to use
Mercury's help in prompting. Many men are so amazed and astonished with fear,
they know not where they are, what they say, ''^ what they do, and that which is
worst, it tortures them many days before v.ith continual athiglits and suspicion. It
hinders most honourable attempts, and makes their hearts ache, sad and heavy.
Tliey that live in fear are never free, "resolute, secure, never n:erry, but in continual
pain : that, as Vives truly said, JVulla est. miscria major quavi mclua, no greater
misery, no rack, nor torture like unto it, ever suspicious, anxious, solicitous, they
are childishly drooping without reason, without judgment, ''^"especially if some
terrible object be ofiered," as Plutarch hath it. It causeth oltentimes sudden mad-
ness, and almost all manner of diseases, as I have sullicicntly illustrated in my
■•* digression of the force of imagination, and shall do more at large in my section
of '"terrors. Fear makes our imagination conceive what it list, invites the devil to
come to us, as *" Agrippa and Cardan avouch, and tyrannizelh over our phantasy more
than all other aflections, especially in the dark. We see this verified in most men,
as ^'Lavater saith. Qua meluunt, Jinguni ; what they fear tlvey conceive, and feign
unto themselves ; they think they see goblins, hags, devils, and many times beconif
melancholy thereby. Cardan, subtil, lib. 18, hatli an example of such an one, so
caused to be melancholy (by sight of a bugbear; all his life after. Augustus Cajsai
durst not sit in the dark, nisi aliquo assidente, saith ^Suetonius, jyunquam tenebris
r.vigilai'if. And 'tis strange what women and children will conceive unto them-
selves, if they go over a church-yard in the nigiit, lie, or be alone in a dark room,
how they sweat and tremble on a sudden. Many men are troubled willi future
events, foreknowledge of their fortunes, destinies, as Severus the Emperor, Adrian
and Domitian, Quod sciret ullimum vitcp diem, saith Suetonius, ralde soUcilus, much
tortured in mind because he foreknew his end ; with many such, of which I shall
speak more opportunely in another place.'' Anxiety, mercy, pity, indignation, kc,
and such fearful branches derived from these two stems of fear and sorrow, I volun-
tarily omit; read more of them in "Carolus Pascalius, ^Dandinus, &.c.
SuBSECT. VI. — Shame and Disgrace, Causes.
Shame and disgrace cause most violent passions and bitter pangs. Ob pudorem
el dedecus publicum, ob errorum commissum scBpe move.ntur generosi aniini (Ftelix
Plater, lib. 3. de alienat mentis.) Generous minds are often moved with shame, to
despair for some public disgrace. And he, saith Philo, lib. 2. de provid. dei, "" that
subjects himself to fear, grief, ambition, shame, is not happy, but altogether miserable,
*0LiliU3 Girald. Syntag. 1. de diia nilscellaniis. I '''Lib. de forlitudiiie et virlule .\lt-xan<lri, iibi propA
■ Talendis Jan. feriie sunt divie Anserona?, ciii pon- Ires adfuit terribilis. ^Hect. 2. Mem 3. (<ub«. 2.
titices in s-acello Volupis sacra faciunt, quod angores
»'l aninii solicitiidines propitiata propellat. ^^ Ti-
mor Inducit frigus. cordis palpitatlonem, vocia defec-
tum atqii<; pallorein. Aijrippa, lib. 1. cap. 63. I'itiiidi
.xeniper spiritus Iwibent frieidos. Mont. « Effusas
rernens fugien^ agmiiiff tuiuias ; <niii in' i nunc
intlat coriuuB^pnus aif! Alciat. '■''.Mtiua non
Sect. 2. Menib. 4. .Subs. 3. ♦'Subtil, l^. lib.
timor attrahit ad se Diemonas, tinior et error inullum
in hoininibus possunt. ^'Jl.lli. 2. Sperlris ca. 3.
fortes rar6 spectra vident,quia minus timent. «' Vila
ejus. " Sect. 2. Meinb. 4. Subs. 7. « De virl.
et vitiis. ""Com, in Arisl. de Anima. "Qui
mentem 8Ubjeu^^^|i| domination!, cupidilitiv . d'>-
^lum memuriMt-coBsiernat, ted et insiitiiium anlltii ' lori^, amhujiMllPpiffinp,-4*-li« f^n >'<>i "'d ouinino
C0DatunMiM|iit^ Thucidides. Iflnfflf^nRInislintlU torquctiiTei ' ria.
Mem. 3. Subs. 6.] Shame and Disgrace, Causes. 1 65
torturecf with continual laDour, care, and misery." It is as forcible a batterer as any
of the rest : ^^"Many men neglect the tumults of the world, and care not for sflorv,
and yet they are afraid of infamy, repulse, disgrace, (TuL qffic. I. 1,) they can se-
verely contemn pleasure, bear grief indifferently, but they are quite ^battered and
broken with reproach and obloquy :" [siquklem vita et fama pari passu arahulant)
and are so dejected many times for some public injury, disgrace, as a box on tlie ear
by their inferior, to be overcome of their adversary, foiled in the field, to be out in a
speech, some foul fact committed or disclosed, Stc. that they dare not come abroad
all their lives after, but melancholize in corners, and keep in holes. The most
generous spirits are most subject to it; Spiritus altos frangit et generosos : Hiero-
nymus. Aristotle, because he could not understand the motion of Euripus, for grief
and shame drowned himself: Ccelius Rodigirws antiquar. lee. lib. 29. cap. 8. Home-
rus pudore co7isiimptus, was swallowed up with this passion of shame ^'"because
he could not unfold the fisherman's riddle." Sophocles killed himself, ^'" for that a
tragedy of his was hissed off the stage :" Valer. max. lib. 9. cap. 12. Lucretia
stabbed herself, and so did *^ Cleopatra, "when she saw that she was reserved for a
triurtjph, to avoid the infamy." Antonius the Roman, ''"•'•after he was overcome of
his enemy, for three days' space sat solitary in the fore-part of the ship, abstaining
from all company, even of Cleopatra herself, and afterwards for very shame butchered
himself," Plutarch, vita ejus. " Apollonius Rhodius ^' wilfully 'banished himself,
forsaking his country, and all his dear friends, because he was out in recitinsr his
poems," Plinius, lib. 7. cap. 23. Ajax ran mad, because his arms were adjudged to
Ulysses. In China 'tis an ordinary thing for such as are excluded in those famous
trials of theirs, or should take degrees, for shame and grief to lose their wits, ^\Mat
Riccius expedit. ad Sinas, I. 3. c. 9. Hostratus the friar took that book which
Reuclin had writ against him, under the name of Epist. obsciirorum viroru?n, so to
heart, that for shame and grief he made away with himself, ''^Jovius in elosiis. A
grave and learned minister, and an ordinary preacher at Alcmar in Holland, was ''one
day as he walked in the fields for his recreation) suddenly taken with a lax or loose-
ness, and thereupon compelled to retire to the next ditch ; but being " surprised at
unawares, by some gentlewomen of his parish wandering that way, was so abashed,
that he did never after show his head in public, or come into the pulpit, but pined
away with melancholy: [Pet. Forestus med. observat. lib. 10. observat. 12.) So
shame amongst other passions can play his prize.
I know there be many base, impudent, JDrazen-faced rogties, that will '^\Xulld
pallescere culpa, be moved with nothing, take no infamy or disgrace to heart, laugh
at all ; let them be proved perjured, stigmatized, convict rogues, thieves, traitors,
lose their ears, be whipped, branded, carted, pointed at, hissed, reviled, and derided
with ®*Ballio the Bawd in Plautus, they rejoice at it, Cantores probos ; "babe and
Bombax," what care they ? We have too many such in our times,
" Exclamat Melicerta perisse
Frontera de rebus. "<>"
Yet a modest man, one that hath grace, a generous spirit, tender of his reputation,
will be deeply wounded, and so grievously afiected with it, that he had rather give
myriads of crowns, lose his life, than sufier the least defamation of honour, or blot
in his good name. And if so be that he cannot avoid it. as a nightingale. Que can-
tando victa raoritur, (saith "^^ Mizaldus,) dies for shame if another bird sing better, he
languisheth and pineth away in the anguish of his spirit.
''Mjlti contemnunt inundi strepitum, reputant pro
nitiilo i;loriani..sed tiinenl infaniiain, offensionem, re-
pulsain. VoUiptaieraseverissini6 conteranuiit, in do-
lore sunt molliores, gloriam neeliguiit, fraiiguntiir
intamia. ^Gravius contiinieliam feriniiis quain
detrimentum, ni abjecto niiiiis aniiiio simus. I'lut. in
T'lnol. 1" Quod piscatoris apni«n)a scilvt;re non
po?spt. s^ Ob Trancediani explosani, niorism sihi
gladio concivit. "Cum vidit in triuniphum se
servari, causa ejus isnoniinix vitanda mortem sibi
concivit. Plut. f Hello vicliis. per tres dies sedit
ii prora navis, abstinent ah onini coiisortio, etiani
CieopatiT, porstea se intvr
citasset Argonautica, (il> :
dam prsB verecundia siim.
duiit, eo quod a-literalorum
•'I C'lim male re-
^'ilavit. "'-Qui-
1. le li^Lnjaniajri inci-
Ldu^aeAaTbiQe '«£xlu-
' duntur. ^ Hostratus cucullatus adeo sraviter ob
Reuclini librum, qui inscribitur, Epistoloe obscurorura
virorum, dolore simul et pudore sairciatus, ut seipsum
interfecerit. " Propter ruborem confiisus. statim
cepit delirare, &c. ob suspiiionem, quod vili ilium
criniine accusarent. t; Herat. f-« Ps. linpudice
U. Iia psti Ps. sceleste. B. dicis vera Ps. Verbero. B.
quippeni Ps. furciftr. B. factum opiime. Ps. soci
fraude. B. sunt mea istsec Ps. parricida B. perge tu
, Ps. sacrilege. B. fatenr. Ps. perjure B. vera dicis. Ps.
pernilies adolescentuin B. acerrime. Ps. fur. B. babe.
Ps. fugitive. B. bomlias. Ps. fraus populi. B. Planis-
>!nie. Ps. iii;[iuri- 1i.-ih>. faniii}^ P, i:n:\ f- probos.
P-.'udaios. act. 1. .Seen. 3. " ^^ ilei«.t -J i -Aclaims,
'•all shame has vanished from human traMeactions."
Persiua, Sat. V. ^ Cent»
166
Causes of Melancholy.
Tart. l.Sec. 2.
SuBSECT. VII. — Envy, Malice, Hatred, Causes.
EwY and malice are two links of this chain, and both, as Guianerius, Tract. 15.
cap. 2, proves out of Galen, 3 Aphorism, corn. 22, ®®" cause this malady by them-
selves, especially if their bodies be otherwise disposed to melancholy." 'Tis Va-
lescus de Taranta, and Foelix Platerus' observation, ™''Envy so gnaws many men's
hearts, that they become altogether melancholy." And therefore belike Solomon,
Prov. xiv. 13, calls it, '• the rotting of the bones," Cyprian, vulniis occultum ;
"1 " Siculi non iiivenere tyranni
Mnjus tornieiituni"
The Sicilian tyrants never invented the like torment. It crucifies their .souls, withers
their bodies, makes them hollow-eyed, '- pale, lean, and ghastly to behold, Cyprian,
ser. 2. dc zelo et livore. "^' As a moth gnaws a garment, so," sailh Chrysostom,
'* doth envy consume a man ;" to be a living anatomy : a " skeleton, to be a lean,
and "^ pale carcass, quickened with a "fiend, Hall in Charact." for so often as an
envious wretch sees anotlier man prosper, to be enriched, to thrive, and be fortunate
in the world, to get honours, otHces, or the like, he repines and grieves.
-" intabeucitqiie videndo
Suceessua homiiiuiu suppliciuiiique suuin est."
He tortures himself if his e([ual, friend, neighbour, be preferred, commended, do
well; if he uiulerstand of it, it galls him afresli ; and no greater pain can come to
him than to hear of another man's well-doing; 'tis a dagjrer at his heart every such
object. He looks at him as they that fell down in Lucian's rock of honour, with an
envious eye, and will damage himself^ to do another a miscliief : Alquc cadet suhito,
dum super Jiostc cadat. As he did in ./^Esop, lose one eye willingly, that his fellow
might lose both, or that rich man in "Quintiliun that poisoned the flowers in his
garden, because his neighbour's bees should get no more honey from them. His
whole lilt' is sorrow, and every word he speaks a satire: notiiing fats him but other
men's ruins. For to speak in a woid, envy is nouglit else but Tristilia de bonis
alients, sorrow for other men's good, be it present, past, or to come : et gaudium de
adversis. and '*joy at their harms, opposite to mercy, '''which grieves at otlier men's
mischances, and misallt-cls tlie body in another kind ; so Damascen defines it, lib. 2.
de orthod. fid. Thomas, 2. 2. qucest. 30. art. 1. Aristotle, /. 2. Rhet. c. 4. et 10.
Plato Pliihbo. Tully, 3. Tusc. Greg. J\'ic. I. de virt. animce, c. 12. Basil, de Invi-
dia. Pitidarus Od. 1. ser. 5, and we find it true. 'Tis a connuon disease, and almost
natural to us, as ^Tacitus holils, to envy another man's prosperity. And 'tis in most
men an incurable disease. *'*' I have read," saith Marcus Aurelius, "Greek, Hebrew,
Chaldee authors ; 1 have consulted with many wise men for a remedy for envy, I
could find none, but to renounce all happiness, and to be a wretch, and miserable
for ever." 'Tis the beginning of hell in this life, and a passion not to be excused.
*^" Every other sin hath some pleasure annexed to it, or will admit of an excuse*,
envy alone wants both. Other sins last but for awhile; the gut may be .satisfied,
anger remits, hatred hath an end, envy never ceaseth." Cardan, lib. 2. de sap.
Divine and humane examples are very familiar; you may nm and read them, as that
of Saul and David, Cain and Abel, angebat ilium non proprium peccntum, sed fratris
prosperitas, saith Theodore!, it was his brother's good fortune galled him. Hachcl
envied her sister, being barren. Gen. xxx. Joseph's brethren him, Gen. xxxvii.
David had a touch of this vice, as he confesseth, "^Ps. 37. *^ Jeremy and '^Habbakuk,
«< Multos vide mus propter invidiam et odium in
melaneholiaiii incidisse : et illos poiissimuin quorum
corpora ad tianc apia suiit. ^"liividia afflizil ho-
mines adeo et corrndit, ut hi nielancholici peniius tiant.
'1 Hor. '-His vullus miiiax, torvus aspectus, pallor
in fticie, in labiis tremor, stridor in dentihus, Sec.
"-Ul tinea corri>dit vestimentum sic, invidix eun>
qui zelatur consumit. '^ I'allor in ore sedet, macies
in corpore toto. .Nusquam recta acies, liveiit rubizine
denies. ''■Diaboli eipressa Iniaso, to.xicuni clia-
ritatis, venenum amicitia', ahyssus mentis, nun est eo
monsirosins monstrnm, daiiiiii>.<ius daniniiin. uni. i.r-
ret. discruiiat inacji#*«t Miiiul'Ti- ludticii
Domin prin^^jjAi^Dt. ^'-Ovid. He ]n
at ily;^i;^iMBpMlM»'B success— ^— it ig In- -y
in venenum mella convertens. '" 8tatui.<4 cereia
Uasilius eoH cotiiparat, qui liquefiunt ad pra'^entiam
soils, qua alii saudcnt et ornaniur. Mus< i.s alii, que
uU-eribus gaudeiit, aiiia-na pra;iereiint slNtunl in tVli-
dis. "J Misericordia etiam qua; trisiiiia qua'dam
est, gspe miserantis corpus male athrit Ai;rippa. I. 1.
cap. f>3. °"lnHitum mortalibiis a ratuta reiienlem
aliorem fielicitaleiu ieifris oculis iniuirrl, In^t. I. '2.
Tacit. ■' Legi Chuldipos, Gra.ios, Hebrtfos. ron-
gului sapientes pro rrMnedio invidiie. Imc eniiii inveni,
renunciarc felicilali, et perpetu6 miser e^je ^•'Omne
iinccatum aut excusationein seciim babel, aiit Tolup
'^D-m, sola iiividia utraque caret, rcliijua villa finem
ibfiit, ira derenuy|0(,^^la saliatur, odium tinem
tt iiiuiMltrprOpter
wilt.
Mem. 3 Subs. 8,] Emulation, Hatred, Sfc. 167
they repined at others' good, but in the end they corrected themselves, Ps. 75, " fret
not thyself," Sec. Domitian spited Agricola for his worth, ^^" that a private man
should' be so much glorified. ^'Cecinna AVas envied of his fellow-citizens, because
he was more richly adorned. But of all others, **" women are most weak, ob pul-
chritudlnem invidcR sunt famincB {Musceus) aut amat^ aut odlt, nihil est tertium
( Granatensis.) They love or hate, no medium amongst them. ImplacaUlcs jile-
rumque IdscB mulieres^ Agrippina like, ^^" A woman, if she see her neighbour more
neat or elegant, richer in tires, jewels, or apparel, is enraged, and like a lioness sets
upon her husband, rails at her, scoffs at her, and cannot abide her ;" so the Roman
ladies in Tacitus did at Solonina, Cecinna's wife, ^'"■' because she had a better horse,
and better furniture, as if she had hurt them with it ; they were much offended.^ In
like sort our gentlewomen do at their usual meetings, one repines or scoffs at
another's bravery and happiness. Myrsine, an Attic wench, was murdered of her
fellows, ^'"because she did excel the rest in beauty," Constantine, Agrlcult. Z. 11.
c. 7. Every village will yield such examples.
SuBSECT. VIII. — Emulation, Hatred, Faction, Desire of Revenge, Causes.
■ Out of this root of envy ^spring those feral branches of faction, hatred, livor,
emulation, which cause the like grievances, and are, serrcB animcB, the saws of the
soul, ^^ consternationis pleni affectus, affections full of desperate amazement; or as
Cyprian describes emulation, it is ^""'a moth of the soul, a consumption, to make
another man's happiness his misery, to torture, crucify, and execute himself, to eat
his own heart. Meat and drink can do such men no good, they do always grieve,
sigh, and groan, day and night without intermission, their breast is torn asunder :"
and a litde" after, ^^^' Whomsoever he is whom thou dost emulate and envy, he may
avoid thee, but thou canst neither avoid him nor thyself; wheresoever thou art he is
with thee, thine enemy is ever in thy breast, thy destruction is within thee, tliou art
a captive, bound hand and foot, as long as thou art malicious and envious, and canst
r.ot be comforted. It was the devil's overthrow ;" and whensoever thou art thoroughly
affected with this passion, it will be thine. Yet no perturbation so frequent, no
passion so common.
I A potter emulates a potter:
^ Ka; x«»at|</£(^K Kie^y.i7 KoTiit X.3.] Tin-lovt Tiidocv, I One smiiti envies another :
Ka< .trfavis nlayg f^ovki »*< uoi^og ctciSm. \ A. beggar emulates a beggar ;
^^ ^ I A singing man bis brother.
Every society, corporation, and private family is full of it, it takes hold almost of
all sorts of men, from the prince to the ploughman, even amongst gossips it is to be
seen, scarce three in a company but there is siding, faction, emulation, between two
of them, some sinmltas, jar, private grudge, heart-burning in the midst of them.
Scarce two gentlemen dwell togetlier in the country, (if they be not near kin or
linked in marriage) but there is emulation betwixt them and their servants, some
quarrel or some grudge betwixt their wives or children, friends and followers, some
contention about wealth, gentry, precedency. Sec, by means of which, like the frog
in ^'^Esop, " that would swell till she was as big as an ox, burst herself at last ;"
thev will stretch beyond their fortunes, callings, and strive so long that they con-
sume their substance in law-suits, or otherwise in hospitality, feasting, fine clothes,
to get a few bombast titles, for amhitiosd paupertate lahoramus omnes, to outbrave
one another, they will tire their bodies, macerate their souls, and through conten-
tions or mutual invitations beggar themselves. Scarce two great scholars in an age,
"^Ins'idit privati nonien supra principis attolli. I facere miseriam, et velut quosdam pectori siio adtno-
^ Tacit. Ilist. lib. 2. part. 6. <^" Peritura; dolore et \ vere carnifices, cogitationibiis et sensibus siii.-5 adhi-
uividia, si queiii viderint ornatiorem se in publicum , here tortores, qui se intestinis cruciatibiis laterent.
prodiisse. Platina dial, amorum. "Ant. Guianerius, , Non cibus talibus Irntus, non potus potest esse jiicun-
tib. 2. cap. 8. vim. M. Aurelii )a;mina vicinam elegan- ' dus ; suspiratur semper et gcmitur, et doletur dies et
.ius se veslitam vidcns, lea;n!e instar in virum insur- ' noctes, pectus sine intermissione laceratur. ^^Quis-
iit, &c. *■ Quod insigni equo et ostro veheretur, quis est ille quern aemularis, cui invides is te subter-
4uanquam nullius cum injuria, ornatum ilium tan- j fugere potest, ai tu non te ubicunque fugeris adversa-
•juam lesse gravabanlur. '•" Quod pulchritudine | rius tuus tecum est, hostis tuus semper in pectore tiio
.-mines excelleret, puellae indignatffi occiderunt. I est, pernicies intus inclusa, tigatus es, victus, zelo do-
> I,aie patet invidis f-pcunda- perniiies, et livor radi-^t ' minante captivus : nee solatia tibi ulla subveniunt-
nmnlum malorum, fo!i> rladinm. iiide odium surcit hinc diahnlu? inier iniTia .Siatifli.miin'li. •■! periit pri-
i!lii!ilatio Cyprian, ser -^ ili^J.^orL'. '-'^Valerius, miis, et perdidit, Cyprian, ser."^. tit " '■'< el livore.
. 3 cap. 9" ■■'^Qiiuli!! est animi tinea, qua; tabes , i*Hesiod op dies. mRama cupida a;qua<)di bovem,
;ec'oris z-lnrc in altcro vel aliorum felititatem auairi 1 se distendebat, &c.
168 Cames of MelanchoJij. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
but with bitter invectives tliey fall foul one on the other- and their adherents; Scotists
Thomists, Reals, Nominals, Plato and Aristotle, Galenists and Paracelsians, Stc, it
holds in all professions.
Honest *^ emulation in studies, in all callings is not to be disliked, 'tis ingeniorum
cos, as one calls it, the whetstone of wit, the nurse of wit and valour, and tliose
noble Romans out of tliis spirit did brave exi)loits. Tliere is a modest ambition, as
Themistocles was voused up with the glory of Miliiades; Achilles' trophies moved
Alexander,
*«" Ambire semper stiilta confidentia est,
A)iil)irti iiuni|iiuiii descs arrugiimiu csi."
'Tis a sluggisli hunT^.r not to emulate or to sue at all, to witlidraw himself, neglect,
refrain from such places, liononrs, otlices, through sloth, niggardliness, fear, !)aslifid-
ness, or otherwise, to which by his birth, place, fortunes, education, he is called, apt,
fit, and well able to unilergo ; but when it is inunoderate, it is a plague and a miserable
pain. What a deal of money did Henry VMIl. and Francis I. king of France, spend
at that '""famous interview? ami how many vain courtiers, seeking each to outbrave
other, spent themselves, their livelihood ami fortunes, and died begsjars r* '.Adrian
the Empercn* was so galled with it, that he killed all his equals; so did Nero. This
passion made ^Dionysius the tyrant banish Plato and Philo.xenus the poet, because
they did excel and eclipse his glory, as he thought; the Romans exile Coriolanus,
confine Camillus, murder Scipio; the Greeks by ostracism to expel Aristides, Nicias,
Alcibiades, imprison Theseus, make away Phocion, Stc. \Vlien Ricliard 1. ami
Philip of France were fellow soldiers together, at the siege of Aeon in the Holy
Laud, and Richard had approved himself to be the more valiant man, insomuch that
all men's eyes were upon him, it so galled Philip, Francum urchal Regis viclorin,
sailli mine ^author, /rtm cvgre ferebal Ricluirdi gloriam^ul carpfre dichu cnlumniari
facta; that he cavilled at all his proceedings, and fell at length to open defiance; he
could contain no longer, but hasting home, invaded his territories, and professed
open war. ''Hatred stirs up contention," Prov. x. 12, and they break out at last
into immortal enmity, into viridency, and more than Vatinian hate ami rage; ^tliey
persecute each other, their friends, followers, and all their posterity, with bitter taunts,
hostile wars, scurrile invectives, libels, calumnies, fire, sword, and the like, and will
not be reconciled. Witness that Guelph and Ghibelline faction in Italy; that of the
Adurni and Fregosi in Genoa; that of Cneius Papirius, and Quintus Fabius in Rome;
Cjesar and Pompey ; Orleans and Burgundy in FVance ; York and Lancaster in
England: yea, this passion so rageth^ many times, tliat it subverts not men only,
and families, but even populous cities. * Carthage and Corinth can witness as mucli,
nay, fiourishing kingdoms are brought into a wilderness by it. This hatred, malice,
faction, and desire of revenge, invented first all those racks and wheels, strappadoes,
brazen bulls, feral engines, prisons, inquisitions, severe laws to macerate and torment
one another. How liappy might we be, and end our time with blessed days and
sweet content, if we could contain ourselves, and, as we ought to do, put up injuries,
learn humility, meekness, patience, forget and forgive, as in "God's word we are
enjoined, ."ompose such final controversies amongst ourselves, moderate our passions
in this kind, '-and think belter of others," as *Paul w(udd have us, '• than of our-
selves: be of like affection one towards another, and not avenge ourselves, but have
peace with all men." But being that we are so peevish and perverse, insolent and
proud, so factious and seditious, so malicious and envious ; we do invicem angariare^
maul and vex one another, torture, dis(iuiet, and precipitate ourselves into that gulf
of woes and cares, aggravate our misery and melancholy, heap upon us hell and
eternal damnation.
^iEmuIatio alit ingenia : Paierculus poster. Vol. | desiit. Paterculiis, vol. 1. » Ita «a!vH ha-c «y»ia
••Grolius. E|iiq. lib. 1. " Ambition always is a foolisli j niiiiisira ut urbes subvcrtat alii|iinnil(), (iel»;at popiil<>«,
confidence, never a slothful arroL'ance." '""Anno | provincias alioqui florenles rcdiijat in soliludinen,
1519. between Arde.s and (iniiie. ' .Spartian. inortalcs vero n\iseros in profiimla ini.-'criariim valle
- Plutarch. 3 Johannes IIeraldu.«, 1. 2 t. 12. de '. mi.-ierabililer iniuiercal. « Cariha^'o leniula Ro-
Uello sac. * Nulla dies taniiiin poinrii leiiire l"u- i niani imperii funditus interiit. SaJBsl. Caul. ' Paul,
»orem. ^Eteina. bella. p - .i. --,t. Jurat 3. Col. » Rom. 12.
odium, nee ant^^nBpfai i ,a<im esi»e
Mem. 3. Subs. 9.] Anger^ a Cause. 169'
Sub SECT. IX. — Anger, a Cause.
AxGER, a perturbation, which carries the spirits outwards, preparing the bodv to
melancholy, and madness itself: Ira furor brevis es/, "anger is temporary madness;"
and as ^Piccolomineus accounts it, one of the three most violent passions. '°Areteus
sets it down for an especial cause (so doth Seneca, ep. 18. 1. 1,) of this malady. "3Iag-
ninus gives the reason. Ex frequenli ira supra modum caJefiunt ; it overheats their
bodies, and if it be too frequent, it breaks out into manifest madness, saith St. Ambrose.
Tis a known saying, Furor fit Icesa scep'ms palienlia, the most patient spirit that is,
if he be often provoked, will be incensed to madness; it will make a devil of a saint :
and therefore Basil (belike) in his Homily de Ira, calls it tenebras rationis, morbum
anhnce, el dcemonem pessimum; the darkening of our understanding, and a bad ano-el.
'^Lucian, in Abdicalo, torn. 1, will have this passion to work this effect, especially in
old men and women. "Anger and calumny (saith he) trouble them at first, and after
a while break out into madness : many things cause fury in women, especially if they '
love or hate overmuch, or envy, be much grieved or angry ; these things by little and
little lead them on to tiiis malady." From a disposition they proceed to an habit,
for there is no diflerence between a mad man, and an angry man, in the time of his
tit; anger, as Lactantius describes it, L.de Ira Dei. ad Donatum, c. 5, is '^sceva anirai
lempeslas, Sec, a cruel tempest of the mind ; " making his eye sparkle fire, and stare,
teeth gnash in his head, his tongue stutter, his face pale, or red, and what more rilthy
imitation can be of a mad man .'"
'•i"Or.i tument irn, fervescunt sanguine vente,
Luniina Corgonio ssevius angue micant."
They are void of reason, inexorable, blind, like beasts and monsters for the time, sav
and do they know not what, curse, swear, rail, fight, and what not ? How can a mad
man do more .' as he said in the comedy, '^Irncundia non s^im apud me, I am not
mine own man. If these fits be immoderate, continue long, or be frequent, without
doubt they provoke madness. Montanus, consiL 21, had a melancholy Jew to his
patient, he ascribes this for a principal cause : Irascehalur levibus de causis, he was
easily moved to anger. Ajax had no other beginning of his madness; and Charles
the Sixth, that lunatic French king, fell into this misery, out of the extremity of his
passion, desire of revenge and malice, "^incensed against the duke of Britain, he could
neither eat, drink, nor sleep for some days together, and in the end, about the calends
of Jidy, 1392, he became mad upon his horseback, drawinsr his sword, striking such
as came near him promiscuously, and so continued all the days of his life, ^mil, Jib.
10. Gal. hisl. jEgesippus de exid. urbis Hieros, /.I.e. 37, hath such a story of Herod,
that out of an angry fit, became mad, ''leaping out of his bed, he killed' Jossippus^
and played many such beillam pranks, the whole court could not rule him for a long
time after : sometimes he was sorry and repented, much grieved for that he had done,
Poslquam drferbuil ira, by and by outrageous again. In hot choleric bodies, nothing
so soon causelh madness, as this passion of anger, besides many other diseases, as
Pelesius observes, cap. 21. J. 1. de hum. affect, causis ; Sanguinem iimnimdU fel auget:
and as '^Valesius controverts, Med. conlrov., lib. 5. contra. 8, many times kills them
quite out. If this were the worst of this passion, it were more tolerable, '^"but it
ruins and subverts whole towns, ^'^ cities, families, and kingdoms;" .'\uUa pesfis Im-
mano generi pluris sletit, saith Seneca, de Ira, lib. 1. No plague hath done mankind
so mucii harm. Look into our histories, and you shall almost meet with no other
subject, but what a company ^' of hare-brains have done in their rage. We mav do
well therefore to put this in our procession amongst the rest ; " From all blindness
of Jieart, from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy, from envy, hatred and malice, anger,
and all such pestiferous perturbations, good Lord deliver us."
s Crad. I. c. 54. '"Tra et in niceror et inijcns aninii
c«nsternatio inelancholicos facit. Areteiis. Ira Ininio-
dlca gtgnil insaniaiii. >' Reg. sanit. pane 2. c. S. in
apertaiii insaniam mox diiciter iratus. '■'f;iII)erto
C'lL'nali) inierprete. Mulii:!, et pr<esertini senilms ira
;n)pni(iis insaniam fftit, ci iiii|iortiina cali'ninia, Iikc
iiiiilo porinrhat aniiiii: ,. vergit ad insaniam.
I'lirro iiuiUerum cor iilesiant, et in liunc
iwnrlium adduciinia pr^ lie oderint aiit ig0p«
d-.-antJjtc. iixc pauiatim liungauiain tandem evadunt.
"Srpva aninii tempestas tantos exeitans. fluctiis ul
statini ardescant oculi os tremat, Uiisua titultet, denies
concrepant, tc. '■• Ovid. '» Terence. ■' In-
fensus RritanniK Duci, et in ultionem versus, nee
cilium cepit, nee quietem. ad Calendas .lulias ]392.
comites ocridit. '■ Indiirniitione iiimia fnrens, ani-
niiqup im|ioleilB, e.viiiit lie leilo, i ij^iiteni non capie-
Lat aula, &c. '" An ira possit hommem interiniere.
"Abernethy. so As Troy, sjevjEmemOTWoJunonis ob
iram. iistuM^tUOL.tUtKI^Kttt^t^''^ coimi^i asius.
170 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
SuBSECT. X. — Discontents, Cares, Miseries, Sfc. Causes.
Discontents, cares, crosses, miseries, or whatsoever it is, that shall cause aay
molf'station of spirits, grief, anguish, and perplexity, may well be reduced to this
head, (preposterously placed here in some meu''s judgments they may seem,) yet in
that Aristotle in his ^ Rhetoric defines these cares, as he doth envy, emulation, Stc.
still by grief, J think I may well rank them in this irascible row ; being that they are
as the rest, both causes and symptoms of this disease, producing the like inconveni
ences, and are most pert accompanied with anguish and pain. The common etymo-
logy will evince it, Cura quasi cor uro, Dementes cura, iiisomnes curcB, damnosce cura,
tristes, mprdaces, carnijices, Stc. biting, eating, gnawing, cruel, bitter, sick, sad, un-
quiet, pale, tetric, miserable, intolerable cares, as the poets '"call them, worldly cares
and are as many in number as the sea sands. ^^ Galen, Fernelius, Fa-lix Flaler, Vales-
cus de Taranta, &.C., reckon alHictions, miseries, even all these contentious, anc'
vexations of the mind, as principal causes, in that they take away sleep, hinder con
coction, dry up the body, and consume the substance of it. They are not so man\
in number, but their causes be as divers, and not one of a thousand free from them,
or that can vindicate himself, whom that die dea,
2^'' Per lioininiiin capita niolliti-r ainliuluns, I "Over men's heads walking aloft,
Phintas puduni tencras lial>en!i :" 1 With tender feet treadini; so soft,"
Homer's Goddess Ate liath not involved into this discontented •^''rank, or plagued
with some miserj' or other. Hyginus,y*«i. '^20, to this purpose hath a pleasant tale.
Dame Cura by chance went over a brook, and taking up some of the dirty slime,
made an image of it; Jupiter eflsoons coming by, put life to it, but Cura and Jupiter
could not agree what name to give him, or who should own hun ; ihe matter wa!
referred to Saturn as judge; he gave this arbitrement : his name shall be Homo al
humo, Cura euvi possideat (juamdiu vivat. Care shall have him whilst he lives, Jupi-
ter his soul, and Tellus his body when he dies. B(it tf» leave tales. A geueral cause,
a continuate cause, an inseparable accident, to all men, is discontent, care, misery;
were there no other particular affliction (which who is free from ?) to molest a man
in this life, the very cngitation of that common misery were enough to macerate, and
make him weary of his life; to tliink that he can never be secure, but still in danger,
sorrow, grief, and persecution. Vdv to begin at the hour of his birth, as ^" Pliny doth
elegantly describe it, '*■ he is born naked, and falls ^a whining at the very lirst : he
is swaildled, and bound up like a prisoner, canmn lielp himself, and so he continues
■ to his life's end.'' Cujasquc ferce pabulum, saith ^Seneca, impatient of heat and cold,
impatient of labour, impatient of idleness, exposed to fortune's contumelies. To a
naked mariner Lucretius compares him, cast on shore by shipwreck, cold and com-
fortless in an unknown land : * no estate, age, sex, can secure hhnself from tliis com-
mon misery. '•'• A man that is born of a woman is of short continuance, and full of
trouble," Job xiv. 1, 22. '^ And while his flesh is upon him he shall be sorrowful,
and while his soul is in him it shall mourn. All his days are sorrow and his travels
griefs: hjs heart also taketh not rest in the night." Eccles. ii. 23, and ii. 11. "All
that is in it is sorrow and vexation of spirit. '' Ingress, progress, regress, egress,
much alike : blindness seizeth on us in the beginning, labour in the middle, grief in
the end, error in all. AVhat day ariseth to us without some grief, care, or anguish ?
Or what so secure and pleasing a morning have we seen, that hath not been overcast
before the evening?" One is miserable, another ridiculous, a third odious. One
complains of this grievance, another of that. Aliquando nervi, aliquando pedes rex-
ant, ^^ Seneca) mmc dislillatio, nunc epulis morbus ; nunc deest, nunc supcrest sangtiis :
now the head aches, then the feet, now the lungs, then the liver, &.c. IJuic scnsus
exuberat, sed est pudori degener sanguis, Stc. He is rich, but base born"; he is noble,
" Lib. 2. Invidia est dolor et ambitio est dnior, Ice. i hominem nudum, et ad vagitum edit, natura. Flent ab
2= Insonines Claudianus. Tristes, Virg. Mordaces, Luc. initio, devinctus jacet, tic. * Aax^t/ ^Jcn •^niun.
Edanes, Hor. mcEsta!, amara;, Ovid danunose, inquietae, ^^, J-ljxPt/Tstt fTid-jKr.Ka, tu ■Vf^oc uv'7f»Ti/ TOviaK-
.Mart. I: rentes, Rodentes. Mant. &c. =< Galen, I .•». I > - •, , ' ^
c.T.delocisaffectis, ho,„in..<..,.,tn.axir, '■■ ■ - ' f^'' "'"^"'f ''!*i"''- Lacl.rytnans nalus snm e«
liri, quando vigiliiMManc*, et sol.c.iuair. larliryn.ans n.orior. tec. - \,\ .Marmum. loe-
rib.is, et curr^ UKlircumventi. I V",'"- •*' Inilmni c|jUag^rot:r..,.Mn lutmr. e.xiti.m
Mem. 3. Subs. 10.]
Discontents, Cures, &,c.
171
but poor ; a third lialh means, but he Nvants health perad\ enture, or wit to manage
his estate; children vex one, wife a second, &c. JYcino facile cum condiliojie sua
concordat, no man is pleased with his fortune, a pound of sorrow is familiarly mixed
with a aram of content, little or no joy, little comlbrt, but ^^ everywhere danger, con- -
tention, anxiety, in all places : go where thou wilt, and thou shalt find discontents,
cares, woes, complaints, sickness, diseases, incumbrances, exclamations : "■ If thou
look into the market, there (saith ^ Chrysostom) is brawling and contention ; if to
the court, there knavery and flattery, &.c. ; if to a private inan's house, there's cark
and care, heaviness," &c. As he said of old, '^JYil hombie in terra spiral miserum
rnagis alma ? No creature so miserable as man, so generally molested, ^^ in mise-
ries of body, in miseries of mind, miseries of heart, in miseries asleep, in miseries
awake, in miseries wheresoever he turns," as Bernard found, JYunquid icnfatio est vita
humana super terrain? A mere temptation is our life, (Austin, confess, lib. 10. cap.
28,) catena perpetuorum malormn, ct quis potest molestias et difpcullates pali f Who
can endure the miseries of it ? ^^ '•'■ In prosperity we are insolent and intolerable, de-
jected in adversity, in all fortunes foolish and miserable. ^' In adversity I wish for
prosperity., and in prosperity I am afraid of adversity. What mediocrity may be
found .^ Where is no temptation ? What condition of life is free? '''^ Wisdom hath
labour aimexed to it, glory, envy; riches and cares, children and incumbrances, plea-
sure and diseases, rest and beggary, go together : as if a man were therefore born (as
the Platonists hold) to be punished in this life for some precedent sins." Or that, as
'" Pliny complains, '• Nature may be rather accounted a step-mother, than a mother
unto us, all things considered : no creature's life so brittle, so full of fear, so mad, so
furious ; only man is plagued with envy, discontent, griefs, covetousness, ambition,
superstition." Our Avhole life is an Irish sea, wherein there is nought to be expected
but tempestuous storms and troublesome waves, and those infinite,
40"Tantuni nialorum pelaaus aspicio,
Ut iioii sit iiide eiiatandi copia,"
no halcyonian times, wherein a man can hold himself secure, or agree with his pre-
sent estate ; but as Boethius infers, ■" There is something in every one of us which
before trial we seek, and having tried abhor : '^Sve earnestly wish, and eagerly covet,
and are eftsoons weary of it." Thus between hope and fear, suspicions, angers,
^^Inter spcmque meliimque, timores inter et iras, betwixt falling in, falling out, &.C., we
bangle away our best days, befool out our times, we lead a contentious, discontent,
tumultuous, melancholy, miserable life ; insomuch, that if we could foretell what was
to come, and it put to our choice, we should rather refuse than accept of this painful
life. In a word, tlie world itself is a maze, a labyrinth of errors, a desert, a wilder-
ness, a den of thieves, cheaters, &c., full of filthy puddles, horrid rocks, precipi-
tiums, an ocean of adversity, an heavy yoke, wherein infirmities and calamities over-
lake, and follow one another, as the sea waves ; and if we scape Scylla, we fall foul
on Charybdis, and so in perpetual fear, labour, anguish, we run from one plague, one
mischief, one burden to another, duram servientes servitutcm, and you may as soon
separate weight from lead, heat from fire, moistness from water, brightness from the
sun, as misery, discontent, care, calamity, danger, from a man. Our towns and cities
are but so many dwellings of human misery. " In which grief and sorrow ^\as he
right well observes out of Solon) innumerable troubles, labours of mortal men, and
all manner of vices, are included, as in so many pens." Our villages are like mole-
hills, and men as so many emmets, busy, busy still, going to and fro, in and out, and
3'-i;t)ique periciilum, ubique dolor, ubiqiie naufra-
giuiii, in hoc anibitu quocunque ine vertairi. Lipsius.
•^Honi. 10. Si in tbruni iveris, ibi rixae, et pugna? ; si
in turiani, ibi fraus, adulatio: si in doniinn priva-
tum, &c. 3^ Homer. s^Muitis repletur homo
niiseriis, corporis miseriis, aiiimi miseriis, diim dor-
mit. diini vigilat, quocunque se vertil. Lususque re-
rum. teniporunique nasciiiiur. 3'' In blandiente
fnrtuna inioleraiidi, in calamitatibus lugiibres, semper
slufti et niiseri. Cardan. s; Prospera iu adversis
desidero, et adversa prosperis timeo, quis inter hcec
niedius locus, ubi iion lit humana; Vila; tentatiol
•^ (^irdan. consol. SapienliiP Labor annexiis, gloria" in-
vidia, diviliis curffi. solioli solicitudn, voluplati morbi,
quieti [laupertas, ut quasi fruendorum scelerum ^^lia
nasci hominem possis cum Platonistis agnoscere.
^"Lib. 7. cap. 1. Non satis Kstiraare, an nielior parens
natura honiini, an tristior noverca fuerit: Nulli fra-
cilior vita, pavor, confusio, rabies major, uni aiiiman-
tium ambitio data, luctus, avaritia, uni superstiiio.
■""Euripides. "I perceive such an ocean of troubles
before me, that no means of escape remain." ■" De
consol. 1. 2. Nemo facil6 cum conditione sua concor-
dat, inest singulis quod imperiti petant, expert! horre-
ant. -1- Esse in honore juvat, mox dis|ilicfct. ''^ Hor.
"Borrheus in 6. Job. Urbes et oppida nihil aliud sunt
quam humanarum a-ruinnarum domicilia quibus luctua
et mcerdl-i'et nicrialiuin 'vartl-iufinitiqiie labores, et
■oAnls generis vitia, quasi septis mi
172
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. 1. Sect. 2.
crossing one another's projects, as the lines of several sea-cards cut each other in a
globe or map. *"• Now light and merry, but '''(as one follows it) by-and-by sorrowful
and heavy ; now hoping, then distrusting ; now patient, to-morrow crying out ; now
pale, then red ; running, sitting, sweating, trembling, halting," &c. Some few amongst
the rest, or perhaps one of a thousand, may be PuUus Jovis, in the world's esteem,
GalUncB flius albcE^i an happy and fortunate man, rtd invidiam filiv, because rich,
fair, wellallied, in honour and office; yet peradventure ask himself, and he will say.
that of all others ■** he is most miserable and unliappy. A fair shoe, Hie soccus novus,
clegans, as he '"said, sed nrscis ubi urat, but thou knowest not where it pincheth.
It is not another man's opinion can make me happy: but as ^"^ Seneca well liatli it,
'•He is a miserable wretch tliat doth not account himself happy, tliougli he be sove-
eign lord of a world : he is not happy, if he thiidv liimself not to be so; for what
availeth it what thine estate is, or seem to others, if tliou thyself (hslike it .'" A com-
mon humour it is of all men to think well of other men's fortunes, and dislike theii
own: '^^Cui placet alterius., sua nimirum est odio sors ; but "^(pii Jit Meccenas., kc,
how comes it to pass, what's the cause of it } Many men are of such a perverse
nature, they are well pleased with nothing, (saith *' Theodoret,) " neither with riches
nor poverty, they complain when they are well and when they are sick, grumble at
all fortunes, prosperity and adversity ; they are troubled in a cheap year, in a ban-en,
plenty or not plenty, nothing pleaseth them, war nor peace, witli children, nor with-
out." This for the most part is the humour of us all, to be discontent, miserable,
and most unhappy, as we think at least ; and show me him that is not so, or that
ever was otherwise. Ouintus Metellus his felicity is iiiHnitely admired amongst the
Romans, insomuch that as "Paterculus mentioneth of him, you can scarce find of
any nation, order, age, sex, one for happiness to be compared unto him : he had, in
a word, Bona (inimi, corporis et fortuna-, goods of mind, body, and fortune, so had
P. Mutianus, "^Crassus. Li'mipsaca, that Ljicedemonian lady, was sucli anotiier in
*' Pliny's conceit, a kinsj^s wife, a king's mother, a king's daughter: and all the world
esteemed as much of Polycnites of Samos. The Greeks brag of their Socrates,
Phocion, Aristides ; the Psophidians in particular of their Asjlaus, Omni vitd frlir.,
ah omni periculo immnnis (which by the way Pausanias held impossible ;) the Romans
of their "" Cato, Curius, Fabricius, for their composed fortunes, and retired estates,
government of passions, and contempt of the world : yet none of all these were
happy, or free from discontent, neither Metellus, Crassus, nor Polycrates, for he died
a violent death, and so did Cato ; and how much evil doth Lactantius and Theodoret
speak of Socrates, a weak man, and so of the rest. There is no content in this life,
but as "^he said, "AH is vanity and vexation of spirit;" lame and imperfect. Hadst
tJiou Sampson's hair, Milo's strength, Scanderbeg's arm, Solomon's wisdom, Absa-
lom's beauty, Crcesus' wealth, Pasetis ohidum., Ctesar's valour, Alexander's spirit,
Tully's or Demosthenes' eloquence, Gyres' ring, Perseus' Pegasus, and Gorgon's
head, Nestor's years to come, all this would not make thee absolute ; give thee con-
tent, and true happiness in this life, or so continue it. Even in the midst of all our
mirth, jollity, and laughter, is sorrow and grief, or if there be true happiness amongst
\ us, 'tis but io'- a time,
6^ " Desinat in piscem mulier formosa supem6:" ] " A handsome woman with a fish'3 tail,"
a fair morning turns to a lowering afternoon. Brutus and Cassius. once renowned,
both eminently happy, yet you shall scarce find two (saith Paterculus) quos fortuna
mafurius destilurit, whom fortune sooner forsook. Hannibal, a conqueror all his
life, met with his match, and was subdued at last, Occurrit forti, qui mage fortis
crit. One is brought in triumph, as Caesar into Rome, Alcibiades into Athens, coronis
*' Nat. Chytreus de lit. Europs". Lstus nunc, mox tris- i graviler ferunt, atque ut gemel dicam, nihil eos delec-
tis ; nunc sperans, paulo post diffidens ; patiens hodie, | tat, fcc. *■ Vix ullius gentia, aftatis, onlini:), homi-
cras ejulans; nunc pallens, rubens, current, sedens, nem invenies cujus felicitateni fortiinip Mt;l>;lli com-
claudicans, tremens, &c. ^Sua cuique calamitas pares. Vol. 1. " P. Crassus Muti:inu<, r)uin<|Uii
prjpcipua. <■ Cn. Gfiecinus. •«■ Epi.st. 9. 1. 7.
Miser est qui se beatissimuin non jndirat, licet impe-
ret muiulo non est beatus, qui se non putat: quid
eiiim refert qualis status tuus sit, ^i tibi videtur ma-
• us. «Hor. ep. 1 UJ .JI r S' r^l. -^ it 1.
»' Lib. de curat^»i*c7a fleet, cap. 0. de providei^l seir
Multis nihil j^jJB^tqtte adeo et divitiaia damnant,^^ Vyu^i
pauper'.; ^, de iQAifelHHMHllliiBk^hMMIialeiites
habuisse dicitur rerum bonarum niaxiiiin, quod esse,
ditisstinus, quod egset nobitissiinu.s, eloquLniisgimu*,
JurisconsultissimuK, Pontifex maximus. ^ I.ib. 7.
Ri.-ai.s filia. Reels uxor, Rcjis nntcr "Qui nihil
uiiquam mail aut di\ lut iicnr it,>qui ben<
semper fecit, quod all n potuii " Solo-
Eccleg. 1. 14. - ilur. Ml I'oet
V
Mem. 3. Subs. 10.] Discontents, Cares, Sfc. 173
aureis do7iatus, crowned, honoured, admired ; by-and-by his statues demolished, he
hissed out, massacred, Stc. ^^ Magnus Gonsalva, that famous Spaniard, was ot' the
prince and people at first honoured, approved ; forthwith confined and banished.
Admirandas actioncs ; graves plerunque scquuntur invidicc, et acres calumnice : 'tia
Polybius his observation, grievous enmities, and bitter calumnies, commonly follow
renowned actions. One is born rich, dies a beggar ; sound to-day, sick to-morrow ;
now in most flourishing estate, fortunate and happy, by-and-by deprived of his goods
by foreign enemies, robbed by thieves, spoiled, captivated, impoverished, as they of
'^^ Rabbah put under iron saws, and under iron harrows, and under axes of iron, and
cast into the tile kiln,"
10 " Quid me felicem toties jactastis amici,
Qui cecidit, stabili non erat ille gradu."
lie tliat erst marched like Xerxes with innmnerable armies, as rich as Croesus, now
s!iil\s for himself in a poor cock-boat, is bound in iron chains, with Bajazet the
Turk, and a footstool with Aurelian, for a tyrannising conqueror to trample on. So
many casualties there are, that as Seneca said of a city consumed with fire, U7ia dies
interest inter maximam civifatem et nullam, one day betwixt a great citv and none :
so many grievances from outward accidents, and from ourselves, our own indiscre-
tion, inordinate appetite, one day betwixt a man and no man. And which is worse,
as if discontents and miseries would not come fast enough upon us : homo homini
dcpmon, we maul, persecute, and study how to sting, gall, and vex one another with
mutual hatred, abuses, injuries; preying upon and devouring as so many ®' ravenous
birds ; and as jugglers, panders, bawds, cozening one another ; or raging as ^^ wolves,
tigers, and devils, we take a delight to torment one another; men are evil, wicked,
malicious, treacherous, and ^'naught, not loving one another, or loving themselves,
not hospitable, charitable, nor sociable as they ought to be, but counterfeit, dissem-
blers, ambidexters, all for their own ends, hard-hearted, merciless, pitiless, and to
benefit themselves, they care not what mischief they procure to others. "Praxinoe
and Gorgo in the poet, when they had got in to see those costly sights, they then
cried bene est, and would thrust out all the rest : when they are rich themselves, in
honour, preferred, full, and have even that they would, they debar others of those
pleasures which youth requires, and they formerly have enjoyed. He sits at table
in a soft chair at ease, but he doth remember in the mean time that a tired waiter
stands behind him, ''an hungry fellow ministers to him full, he is athirst that gives
liim drink (saith ''^Epictetus) and is silent whilst he speaks his pleasure: pensive,
sad, when he laughs." Pleno se proluit auro : he feasts, revels, and profusely
spends, hath variety of robes, sweet music, ease, and all the pleasure the world can
afford, whilst many an hunger-starved poor creature pines in the street, wants clothes
to cover him, labours hard all day long, runs, rides for a trifle, fights peradventure
from sun to sun, sick and ill, weary, full of pain and grief, is in great distress and
sorrow of heart. He loathes and scorns his inferior, hates or emulates his equal,
envies his superior, insults over all such as are under him, as if he were of another
species, a demi-god, not subject to any fall, or human infirmities. Generally they
love not, are not beloved again : they tire out others' bodies with continual labour,
they themselves living at ease, caring for none else, sibi nati ; and are so far many
times from putting to their helping hand, that they seek all means to depress, even
most worthy and well deserving, better than themselves, those whom they are bv the
laws of nature bound to relieve and help, as much as in them lies, they will let
them caterwaul, starve, beg, and hang, before they will any ways (though it be in
their power) assist or ease : ^® so unnatural are they for the most part, so unregardful;
so hard-hearted, so churlish, proud, insolent, so dogged, of so bad a disposition.
And being so brutish, so devilishly bent one towards another, how is it possible but
that we should be discontent of all sides, full of cares, woes, and miseries ?
If this be not a sufficient proof of their discontent and misery, examine every con-
s^.Ioviup, vita, ejus. waSam. xii. 31. <»Boethius, 1 lum inter eos, aut belli praeparatio, aut infida pax,
'ill. 1. Met. Met. 1. ei Qnines hie aut captanlur, idem ego de mundi accolis. ''^ Theocritus Edyll. If).
aui raptrint : aut cadavera quie lacerantur, aut corvi SJiQui sedet in mensa, non meniinit sibi otinso minis-
|ui lacerant. Petron. e- jjonio omne monstrum I trare negotiosos, edentresuricntHS, bibenti sitientes,
• «t. ille nam susperat feras, luposqiie et ursos pectore i &c. "Quando in adolescenlia. sua ipsi vixerint,
ohscuro tPL'it. Hens. kiquoJ paterculug de populo laiiciua et liberius v^iw^tes suas ejtpleverint, illi
Romatiu durante bellQJkH^o per annos 115, aut bel- | gii|M[|fettkH|M|ria|g^^Hb|M^B leges.
174 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
dition and calling apart. Kings, pruices, monarclis, and magistrates seem to be most
happy, but look into their estate, you shall ^'tiud them to be most encumbered with
cares, in perpetual fear, agony, suspicion, jealousy : that, as ®^he said of a crown, if
they knew but the discontents that accompany it, they would not stoop to take it
up. Qucm mihi regcm dahis (saith Chrysostom) no7i curis pfcnimi? What king
canst thou show me, not full of cares.' ^^"Look not on his crown, but consider
his afflictions , attend not his number of servants, but multitude of crosses.'" J\^ihil
allud potestas C7ihiinis, quam tempcstas mentis^ as Gregory seconds him ; sovereignty
is a tempest oi the soul : Sylla like they have brave titles, but terrible fits : splen-
dorem tifulo., cruciahim animo : which made '"Demosthenes vow, si vel ad tnbtinal^
vel ad hilerilum duccretur : if to be a judge, or to be condemned, were put to his
choice, lie would be condemned. Rich men are in the same predicament; what
their pains are, sttilti ncsciunt^ ipsi scyiliimt : they feel, fools perceive not, as I shall
prove elsewhere, and their wealth is brittle, like children's rattles : they come and
go, there is no certainty in them: those whom they elevate, they do as suddenly
depress, and leave in a vale of misery. The middle sort of men are as so many
asses to bqar burdens ; or if they be free, and live at ease, they spend themselvHS,
and constime their bodies and fortunes with luxury and riot, contention, emulation,
&,c. The poor I reserve for another "place and their discontents.
For particular professions, I hold as of the rest, there's no content or security in
any; on what course will you pitch, how resolve ? to be a divine, 'tis contemptible
in the world's esteem; to be a lawyer, 'tis to be a wrangler; to be a physician,
"'^pudct lolii, 'tis loathed ; a philosopher, a madman ; an alchymist, a beirgar ; a poet,
pswri/, an hungry jack; a musician, a player; a schoolmaster, a drudge; an hus-
bandman, an emmet ; a merchant, his gains are uncertain ; a mechanician, base ; a
chirurgeon, fidsome ; a tradesman, a '^liar; a tailor, a thief; a serving-man, a slave;
a soldier, a butcher; a smith, or a metalman, the pot's never from his nose; a cour-
tier a parasite, as he could find no tree in the wood to hang himself; I can show no
state of life to give content. The like you may say of all ages ; children live in a
perpetual slavery, still under that tyrannical government of masters ; young men,
and of riper years, subject to labour, and a thousand cares of the world, to treachery,
falsehood, and cozenage,
''"' "Ijjceitit per ignfg, I "you incautious tread
Supposito« ciiieri doluso," | On fires, with faitlilesi ashes overhead."
"old are full of aches in their bones, cramps and convulsions, siliccrnia^ dull of
hearing, weak sighted, hoary, wrinkled, harsh, so much altered as that they cannot
know their own face in a glass, a burthen to themselves and others, after 70 years,
"■ all is sorrow" (as David hath it), they do not live but linger. If they be sound,
they fear diseases ; if sick, wearj' of their lives : jyon esi vivere, sed valere vita.
One complains of want, a second of servitude, '® another of a secret or incurable
disease ; of some deformity of body, of some loss, danger, death of friends, ship-
wreck, persecution, imprisonment, disgrace, repulse, "contumely, calumny, abuse,
i"jui"y? contempt, ingratitude, unkindness, scoffs, flouts, unfortunate marriage, single
life, too many children, no children, false servants, unhappy children, barrenne.ss,
banishment, oppression, frustrate hopes and ill-success, &.c.
'8"Talia de gencre hoc adeo sunt multa, loquacem ut I "But, cvory various instance to repeat,
Delassare valent Faliium."^ | Would tire even Fabius of inccssiuil prate."
Talking Fabius will be tired before he can tell lialf of them ; they are the subject
of whole volumes, and shall i some of them) be more opportunely dilated elsewhere.
In the meantime thus much I may say of them, that generally they crucify the soul
of man, '^ittenuate our bodies, dry them, wither them, shrivel them up like old
apples, make them as so many anatomies ^[ossa afque pellis est totus., ita curis macct)
they cause tempus fa:du?n et squalidum, cumbersome days, ingrafaque tcmjutrc,
slow, dull, and heavy times : make us howl, roar, and tear our hairs, as sorrow did
^ Lueubris Ate luctuqiie fero Regum tumidas ob«i- I et urina, medicorum ferctila prima. 'sNihH lu-
det arces. Res e*l inquiota f;ilicitas. t- pi,,,; aloos cranlur, nisi adniodiim nieiitiendo. Tull. OtVic. "*Hor.
<)uam nii'llia li;ibet. .\on Iniiiii jarcnlem tcillen/s. 1. i. od. 1. ;i|!:.rii< t, hv ui..,nqiie seriex. Sieneca
\ aler. I. 7. c -^ Jiiuii di id.iiri. uspicii-, sid , in Her. n'teo. ms, exuleg, mendicon,
»iiani afllicti iiu itlertani, non catervas satellituiu, . riuo^ nemo audet !> Card. lib. b. c. 46. de
»ed curaruiii imiltitudinem.^ ''" As Plutart^h r^- ^ r-r \nr " Sjuc... 4..*. ...jir ji I'TniK. " Hor.
Utetb. ;• Sect. 2^mMriHi|u^mi^^^^l^^iertu3 | 'Ai' uuani vigileBccaMMiKiubili' curs. "Tlaato*
Mem. 3. Subs. I].] ^miition, a Cause. 175
in ^'Cebes' table, and groan for the very anguish of our souls. Our hearts fail us as
David's did, Psal. xl. 12, " for inniunerable ti-oubles that compassed him;" and we
are ready to confess with Hezekiah, Isaiah Iviii. 17, " behold, for felicity I had bitter
grief;" to weep with Heraclitus, to curse the day of our birth with Jerem}-, xx. 14,
and our stars with Job : to hold that axiom of Silenus, ^^" better never to have been
born, and the best next of all, to die quickly :" or if we must live, to abandon the
world, as Timon did ; creep into caves and holes, as our anchorites ; cast all into
the sea, as Crates Thebanus ; or as Theombrotus Ambrociato's 400 auditors, preci-
pitate ourselves to be rid of these miseries.
SuBSECT. XI. — Concvpiscible Appetite, as Desires, Ambition, Causes.
These concupiscible and irascible appetites are as the two twists of a rope, nnnu-
ally mixed one with the other, and both twining about the heart : both good, as Austin
holds, l. 14. c. 9. de civ. Dei, ^3" if they be moderate; both pernicious if they be
exorbitant. This concupiscible appetite, howsoever it may seem to carry with it a
show of pleasure and delight, and our concupiscences most part affect us" with con-
tent and a pleasing object, yet if they be in extremes, they rack and wring us on the
other side. A true saying it is, '' Desire hath no rest ;" is infinite in itself, endless ;
and as "one calls it, a perpetual rack, ^ or horse-mill, according to Austin, still
going round as in a ring. They are not so continual, as divers, /t^Zfcms alomos dcnii-
merare possem, saith ^"^ Bernard, qmm motus cordis ; nunc hcEC, nunc ilia cogito, you
may as well reckon up the motes in the sun as them. "" It extends itself to ever)--
thing," as Guianerius will have it, " that is superfluously sought after :" or to any
^^ fervent desire, as Fernelius interprets it ; be it in what' kind soever, it tortures if
immoderate, and is (according to -^ Plater and others) an especial cause of melancholy.
MuUuosis concupiscentiis dilanianfur cogitationesmcLe, ""Austin confessed, that he was
torn a pieces with his manifold desires : and so doth ®' Bernard complain, " thai he
could not rest for them a minute of an hour : this I would have, and that, and then
I desire to-be such and such." 'Tis a hard matter therefore to confine them, being
they are so various and many, impossible to apprehend all. I will only insist upon
some few of the chief, and most noxious in their kind, as that exorbitant appetite
and desire of honour, which we commonly call ambition ; love of money, which is
covetousness, and that greedy desire of gain : self-love, pride, and inordinate desire
of vain-glory or applause, love of study in excess ; love of women (which will re-
quire a just volume of itself), of the other I will briefly speak, and in their order.
Ambition, a proud covetousness, or a dry thirst of honour, a great torture of the
mind, composed of envy, pride, and covetousness, a gallant madness, one ^- defines
it a pleasant poison, Ambrose, ''a canker of the soul, an hidden plague :" '^Bernard,
'' a secret poison, the father of livor, and mother of hypocrisy, the moth of lioliness,
and cause of madness, crucifying and disquieting all that it takes hold of." ^^ Seneca
calls it, rem solicitam, timidara, vanani, vcniosam., a windy thing, a vain, solicitous,
and fearful thing. For commonly they that, like Sysiphus, roll this restless stone
of and)ition, are in a perpetual agony, still "' perplexed, semper taciti, fritcsque recedunt
(Lucretius), doubtful, timorous, suspicious, loath to offend in word or deed, still cou-
ging and collogueing. embracing, capping, cringing, applauding, flattering, fleering,
visiting, waiting at men's doors, with all aflability, counterfeit honesty and humilitv.^
If that will not serve, if once this humour (as ^ Cyprian describes it) possess his
thirsty soul, amhilionis salsugo ubi bilulum animam possidci, by hook and- bv crook
he will obtain it, " and from his hole he will climb to all honours and offices, if it
51 Ha-c qii^ crines evellit, ieriinina. "- Optimum molestiils inqiiietat. secretum virus, pestis occulta. &c.
non tiasci, aut cito mori. 'SUoncB si rectain ra- epist. 126. »^' Ep. &8. s^ Nihil infeliciiis his,
tinnem seqiiiintur, mala? si exorliilant. ^' Tlio. qiiantus iis timor, quanta dubitatio. quaittus conatiis,
Buovie. Prob. 18. e^i.Molam asinnriam. ^sTract. quanta soiicitudn. nulla illis k ninlesliis vacna hora.
de Inter, c. 92. ^' Circa qiiamlibet rem munili h*c , * Semper ationiius. semper pavidu.^ quid ditat, taci-
passio fieri potest, quje superfliie diliqatur. Tract 15. atve : ne displiceat humilitatem siinulat. honeslatr^tii
c. 17. '^Ferventhus desiderium. '^Imprimis mentitur. 'J' Cypr. Prolog, ad ser. To. 2. ciinctos
veri) Appetitus, &c. 3. de alien, nient. ^ Conf. honorat. universis indinal, subsequiiur, ohsequiiur.
I. c. 29. "'Perdiversa loca vaeor. nullo temporis frequentat curias, visilat, opiimates amplexatur. np.
momento quirsro. talis et t.ilis esse ciipio. illud atque
iMu<". haher.. .1. -I ' Anjhros. 1. 3. super Lu-
ca» erufjo ;•.: i::. Mliil aninium crucial, nihi^f
memento quirsro. talis et t.dis esse ciipio. illud atque plaiidit^dulalUf^-paj^fas-eWn'-fas d latebris. in om-
iMu*". haher.' .1. - . Atuhros. 1. 3. super Lu- uearigTadum ubi aditus patet Ee*ta{K£it, discurrit.
,v
176 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
be possible for him to get up, flattering one, bribing another, he will leave no means
unessay'd to win all." ®^ It is a wonder to see how slavislUy these kind of men sub-
ject themselves, when they are about a suit, to every uiil-rior person; what pains
they will take, run, ride, cast, plot, countermine, protest and swear, vow, promise,
"what labours undergo, early up, down late ; how obsequious and afl'able they are,
how popular and courteous, how they grin and fleer upon every man they meet ;
^vith what feasting and inviting, how they spend themselves and their fortunes, in
seeking, that many times, which they had much better be Avithout; as '^Cyneas the
orator told Pyrrhus : with wliat waking nights, painful hours, anxious thoughts, and
bitterness of mind, infer spcmque metumque^ distracted and tired, ihey consume the in-
terim of their time. There can be no greater plague fur tlie present. If they do ob-
tain their suit, whicli with such cost and solicitude they have sought, they are not
so freed, their anxiety is anew to begin, for they are never satisfied, nildl aliiid 7iisi
imperium spirant., their thoughts, actions, endeavours are all for sovereignty and ho-
nour, like ^'^ Lues Sforsia tliat hulflng Duke of Milan, '-a man of singidar wisdom,
but profound ambition, born to his own, and to the destruction of Itidy," tliough it
be to their own ruin, and friends' undoing, they will contend, they may not cease,
but as a dog in a wheel, a bird in a cage, or a squirrel in a chain, so ' Buda»us com-
pares them; ^tlrey climb and climb still, with much labour, but never make an end,
never at the top. A knight would be a baronet, and then a lord, and tiien a viscount,
and then an earl, &.C.; a doctor, a dean, and then a bishop; from tribune to praHor ;
from bailifl'to major; first this oflice, and then that; as Pyrrhus in * Pfutarch, they
will first have Greece, then Africa, and then Asia, and swell with i^^sop's frog so
lo7\g, till in the end they burst, or come down with Sejanus, ad Gf manias scalas., and
break their own necks ; or as Evangelus the piper in Lucian, that blew his pipe so
lomj, till he fell down dead. If he chance to miss, and have a canvass, he is in a
liell on the other side ; so dejected, that he is ready to hang himself, turn heretic,
Turk, or traitor in an instant. Enniged ajrainst his enemies, he rails, swears, fights,
slanders, detracts, envies, murders : and for his own part, si appclitum explore non
potest., furore cnrripitur; if he cannot satisfy his desire (as ^Bodine writes) he runs
mad. So that both ways, hit or miss, he is distracted so long as his ambition lasts,
he can look for no other but anxiety and care, discontent ami grief in the meantime,
^madness itself, or violent death in the end. Thf event of this is common to be seen
in populous cities, or in princes' courts, for a courtier's life (as Bud.eus describes it)
'Ms a ''gallimaufry of ambition, lust, fraud, imposture, dissimulation, detraction, envy,
pride ; ^ the court, a common conventicle of flatterers, time-servers, politicians, &.c. ;"
or as "Anthony Perez will, '^ the suburbs of hell itself" If you will see such dis-
contented persons, there you shall likely find them. *And which he observed of the
markets of old Rome,
"Qui perjurum conveiiire viilt honiineit), miitn in Comitium;
Uui rtiendarem et i;liiri(>duiii, apiid C'liiasiiis i-acruni ;
Dues, daniii(is<)§ murilos, tub basilica quarito, Ice."
Perjured knaves, knights of the post, liars, crackers, bad husbands, &c. keep their
several stations ; they do still, and always did in every commonwealth.
SiBSECT. XII. — ^iXafyvfix, Cnvctoiisness, a Cause.
Plutarch, in his '"book whether the diseases of the body be more grievous than
those of the soul, is of opinion, ^* if you will examine all the causes of our miseries
in this life, you shall find them most part to have had their beginning from stubborn
anger, that furious desire of contention, or some unjust or immoderate aflection,
"^Turti^e cosit anibitio reeem inservire, iit Homenis alirujus, honesl* vel inlionestiE, phantasiam Isdunt ;
Ainmeiiinont'iii qucreiitpiii imliicit. 'J Pluiarciina. unde niuiti aiitbitiosi, phiUuti, irati, avari, iiiiiani, ice.
Quill i-niiviveimir, et in otio nos oblecteinur, (|iioniam Fwlix I'lait-r, I. 3. de mentis aliiMi. ' Aiilica vita
i'l prompln id nobis sit, &c. '""Jovius liist. 1. 1. colliivle.4 aiiibitionis, tupiditatis. simulationis, impov-
\ir singulari prudentia, sed profunda ambitione, ad turte, fraudis, invidiae, superbia' Titannica- divt-rciirium
fxitium Italia? natu». ' Ut hedera arbori adba^ret, aula, el eonitnune conventiculuiu aaaentandi artiHruni,
pii- ainbiiio, tec. ^ I.ib. 3. de contemptu reruin 4cc. Buds-iis de asse. lib. 5. "In his Aphor.
fortiiitariini. Maeno conalii et impetu movenliir, super » Plautus Ciirrul. Act. 4. See. 1. ">Toni. 2. Rt
joiteni rentro r ' 'li. n 'm |ir'.n<.iiuit. lur ul fiii. m |i.r- i-iamines, ouines niiseriie causas vel a fiirio«o eootrn-
VPniuni. iidl t>t>iilio, vel ab injusta cupidilate,origin6 tniti«se
riiinfarilei! i.-a. Idem fere ChrMoalomua com. in c. 6. »& H>-
d-; re^is in^t ! . i ' 1 .n m gpr. 11.
primia
Mem. 3. Subs. 12.] Covetousness, a Cause.
as covetousness, &c." From whence " are wars and contentions amongst you ?"
"St. James asks : I will add usury, fraud, rapine, simony, oppression, lymg, swear-
ing, bearing false witness, &c. are they not from this fountain of covetousness, tliat
greediness in getting, tenacity in keeping, sordity in spending ; that tliey are so wicked,
'^"unjust against God, their neighbour, themselves;" all comes hence. "The desire
of money is the root of all evil, and they that lust after it, pierce themselves through
with many sorrows," 1 Tim. vi. 10. Hippocrates therefore in his Epistle to Crateva,
an herbalist, gives him this good counsel, that if it were possible, '^amongst other
herbs, he should cut up that M^eed of covetousness by the roots, that there be no re-
mainder left, and then know this for a certainty, that together with their bodies, thou
mayest quickly cure all the diseases of their miiids." For it is indeed the pattern,
image, epitome of all melancholy, the fountain of many miseries, much discontented
care and woe ; this " inordinate, or immoderate desire of gain, to get or keep money,"
ns '* Bonaventure defines it : or, as Austin describes it, a madness of the soul, Gregory
a torture; Chrysostom, an insatiable drunkenness; Cyprian, blindness, spcciosum
supplicium.^ a plague subverting kingdoms, families, an '^incurable disease ; Budffius,
an ill habit, '^"yielding to no remedies :" neither iEsculapius nor Plutus can cure
them : a continual plague, saith Solomon, and vexation of spirit, another hell. I know
there be some of opinion, that covetous men are happy, and worldly, wise, that there
is more pleasure in getting of wealth than in spending, and no deliglit in the world
like unto it. 'Twas '^Bias' problem of old, "With what art thou not weary ? with
getting money. What is most delectable .'' to gain." What is it, trow you, that makes
a poor man labour all his lifetime, carry such great burdens, fare so hardly, macerate
himself, and endure so much misery, undergo s\ich base offices with so great patience,
to rise up early, and lie down late, if there were not an extraordinary delight in get-
ting and keeping of money ? What makes a merchant that hath no need, satis supcr-
que domi, to range all over the world, through all those intemperate '* Zones of heat
and cold ; voluntarily ' venture his life, and be content with such miserable famine,
nasty usage, in a stinkmg ship ; if there were not a pleasure and hope to get money,
which doth season the rest, and mitigate his indefatigable pains .' What makes them
go into the bowels of the earth, an hundred fathom deep, endangering their dearest
lives, enduring damps and filthy smells, when they have enough already, if they could
be content, and no such cause to labour, but an extraordinary delight they take in
riches. This may seem plausible at first show, a popular and strong argument ; but
let him that so thinks, consider better of it, and he shall soon perceive, that it is far
otherwise than he supposeth ; it may be haply pleasing at the first, as most part all
melancholy is. For such men likely have some lucida intervaUa, pleasant symptoms
intermixed ; but you must note that of '^ Chrysostom, " 'Tis one thing to be rich,
another to be covetous : "generally they are all fools, dizards, mad-men, ^° miserable
wretches, living besides themselves, sine arte fruendi^ in perpetual slavery, fear,
suspicion, sorrow, and discontent, plus aloes quam mellis hahent ; and are indeed,
" rather possessed by their money, than possessors :" as ^' Cyprian hath it, mancipati
pecuniis ; bound prentice to their goods, as ^ Pliny; or as Chrysostom, servi diviti-
arum, slaves and drudges to their substance ; and we may conclude of them all, as
^ Valerius dotli of Ptolomseus king of Cypras, " He vi-as in title a king of that island,
but in his mind, a miserable drudge of money :
"potiore metallis
libertate carens'
wanting his liberty, which is better than gold. Damasippus the Stoic, in Horace?
proves that all mortal men dote by fits, some one way, some another, but that
covetous men ^'are madder than the rest; and he that shall truly look into their
"Cap. 4. 1. i^xjt sit iniquus in ileum, in proxi- currit mercator ad Indos. Hor. '8 Qua re non ea
mum, in seipsum. "Si vero, Crateva, inter caete- lassusl lucrum faciendo : quid maxime delectabilel
ras herharum radices, avaritiffi radicem secare posses Uicrari. '^Hom. 2. aliud avarus aliiid dives,
amaram, ut nulla; reiirjiiiEe essent, probe scito, &c. | 20 Divitice ut spina; animuni hominis timoribus, solici-
" Cap. 6. Diets salutis : avaritia est amor immoderatus I tudinibiis, angoribus mirifice pungunt, vexant, cru-
pecunis vel acquirenila', vel retiiienda;. '^Ferum ciant. Greg, in hom. -' Epist. ad Donat. cap. 2.
profecto dirunique ulcus aniuii, romediis non redens | "-i Lib. 9. ep. 30. ^Lib. 9. cap. 4. insute rex titulo,
medendo exasperatur. '^ Mains est morbus male- 1 spd anipiopecunis miserabile mancipiiim. 24Hor.
que afficil avariiia siquiclem ceii^^en. &c. avariiia diffi- 10. lib. 1. siDanda est bellebori multo pars maxi-
cilius curatur quam insania : q'u'oniam bar mnes fere ma avi
-^diri laboraut. Ilib. «p. Abderit. '■■ GXtremosJ
23
\
178 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1 . Sect. 2.
estates, and examine their symptoms, shall find no better of them, but that they are
all -"^ fools, as Nabal was, Re et nomine (1. Reg. 15). For what greater folly can
there be^ or ^^ madness, than to macerate himself when he need not .-' and when, as
Cyprian notes, -^"he may be freed from, his burden, and eased of his pains, will go
on still, his wealth increasing, when he hath enough, to get more, to live besides
himself," to starve his genius, keep back from his wile ^"and chikh-en, neither letting
them nor other friends use or enjoy that which is theirs by right, and wliich they
much need perhaps ; like a hog, or dog in the manger, he doth only keep it, because
it shall do nobody else good, Imrting himself and others : and for a little momentary
pelf, damn his own soul } They are commonly sad and tetric by nature, as Achab'a
spirit was because he could not get Naboth's vineyard, (1. Reg. 22.) and if he lay
out his money at any time, though it be to necessary uses, to his own chililren"'3
good, he brawls and scolds, liis heart is heavy, much disquieted he is, and loath to
part from it : Miser ahstinet el timet uli, Ilor. lie is of a wearish, dry, pale consti-
tution, and cannot sleep for cares and worldly business; his riches, saith Solomon,
will not let him sleep, and unnecessary business which he heapclli on himself; or if
he do sleep, 'tis a very unquiet, internipt, unpleasing sleep : with his bags in his
arms,
"cone;estis iimliqiie sacc
Indormii inhiaiid,"
And though he be at a banquet, or at some merry feast, " he sighs for grief of heart
l^as ^Cyprian hath it) and cannot sleep though it be upon a down bed; his weari-sh
body takes no rest, ^'-troubled in his abundance, and sorrowful in plenty, imhappy
for the present, and more unhappy in the life to come." Basil, lie is a perpetual
drudge, ^^ restless in his thouijhts, and never satisfied, a slave, a wretch, a dust-worm,
semper quod idolo suo itnmoht, sedulns observul., Cypr. prolog, ad sermon, still seek-
ing what sacrifice he may offer to his golden god, per y^s et nefas, he cares not how,
his trouble is endless, ^crescunt divitiie, tamen curtce nescio quid semper abestrei :
his wealth increaseth, and the more he hath, the more ** he wants : like Pharaoh'.s
lean kine, wiiich devoured the fat, and were not satisfied. ^Austin therefore defines
covetousness, quarumlibet rerum inhoneslam et insatiabilem cupiditatem, a dishon-
est and insatiable desire of gain; and in one of his epistles compares it to hell;
^•'wliich devours all, and yet never hath enough, a bottomless pit," an endless
misery ; in quern scopulum uvarilict cadaverosi senes vtplurimum impijtgunf., anil that
which is their greatest corrosive, they are in continual suspicion, fear, and chstrust.
He thinks ids own wife and children are so many thieves, and go about to cozen
him, his ser\'ants are all false :
" Rem suain periisse, seque eradicarier,
Et divuni at(|ue hoiiiinuiii claiuatcontinuO fideoi,
Ue suo tigilli) si qua exit foraa."
' If his doors creek, then out he cri<>a anon.
His gooda are gone, and be is quiie undone."
Timidus Plutus, an old proverb, As fearful as Plutus : so doth Aristophanes and
Lucian bring him in fearful still, pale, anxious, suspicious, and trusting no man,
'^"They are afraid of tempests for their corn; they are afraid of their friends lest
they should ask something of them, beg or borrow ; they are afraid of their enemies
lest they hurt them, thieves lest they rob them ; they are afraid of war and afraid of
peace, afraid of rich and afraid of poor ; afraid of all." Last of all, they are afraid of
want, that they shall die beggars, which makes them lay up still, and dare not use that
they have : what if a dear year come, or dearth, or some loss ? and were it not that
they are loth to ^-lay out money on a rope, they would be hanged forthwith, and
sometimes die to save charges, and make away themselves, if their corn and cattle
9"Luke. zii. 20. Stnlie, hac nocte eripiam animam t cessat qui petunias supplere dili^unt. Ouinner. tract,
luam. KOpes quidein niorlalilius sunt dementia 15. c. 17. ^illor. 3. Od. 24. Qao plus sunt poiae,
Theog. -" Ed. 2. lib. 2. Exonerare cum se possit plus gitiunter aquae. '** liar. I. 2. 8at. fi, O ai aii-
el relevare ponderibus pergit iiwcis fortiinis augenti-
bus penuiaciter Inrnbiire. -'••N'on amicis, non li-
beris, non ipsi ^ibi quidquam imperlit. possidet ad hoc
tantum, ne possidere alteri liceat, &c. Ilieron. ad
Paulin. tarn dt-est quod habet quani quod non habet.
^ Epist. 2. lib. 2. Suspirat in convivio, bibat licet pem-
niid et I'lro molliofp marrirlum corpus condid^rit. vi?i
ulus ille proxinius accedat, qui nunc deformat aeeU
lum. ^Lib. 3. de lib. arbit. Iniinoritur studiis, et
aniore senescit habendi. >*Avarug vir intVrno p?t
siniilis, ice. moduni non habet, h^t ntentior quo plura
h.ibet. y Erasm. Adag. chil. 3. cent. 7. pro. 72
Nulli fidentes omnium forinidant opt;i. ideo pavidiim
malum vocat Euripides : metuunt it'nipentateii nb Iru-
iat iniiluini ' :' 1 \ ili'in! 1 - ii-ntum, amicos ne roL'<-nt, inimicim ne ledani, ftilf»
trislamr ^\ , ra;!ieiiiit)Ui> raplant, belluin tiiii«'nt, pacem timent, summni,
fclicior in I . iim cositatio n j<>dioii, Infinos. ''Ilall Char.
Mem. 3. Subs. 13.] ' Love of Gaming, Sfc. 179
miscarry ; though they have abundance left, as ^'Agellius notes. ''^ Valerius makes
mention of one that in a famine sold a mouse for 200 pence, and famished himself :
such are their cares, '" griefs and perpetual fears. These symptoms are elegantly ex-
pressed by Theoplirastus in his character of a covetous man ; '"^" lying in bed, he
asked his wife whether she shut the trunks and chests fast, the capcase. be sealed,
and whether the hall door be bolted ; and though she say all is well, he riseth out
of his bed in his shirt, barefoot and barelegged, to see whether it be so, with a dark
lanthorn searching every corner, scarce sleepjng a wink all night." Lucian in that
pleasant and witty dialogue called Gallus, brings in Mycillus the cobler disputing
with his cock, sometimes Pythagoras ; where after much speech pro and con, to
prove the happiness of a mean estate, and discontents of a rich man, Pythagoras'
cock in the end, to illustrate by examples that which he had said, brings him to
Gnyphon the usurer's house at midnight, and after that to Eucrates ; whom they
found both awake, casting up their accounts, and telling of their money, *^ lean, dry,
pale and anxious, still suspecting lest somebody should make a hole through the
wall, and so get in ; or if a rat or mouse did but stir, starting upon a sudden, and run-
ning to the door to see whether all were fast. Plaulus, in his Aulularia, makes old
Euclio ''■' commanding Staphyla his wife to shut the doors fast, and the fire to be put out,
lest anybody should make that an erraud to come to his house : when he washed his
hands, ■*' he was loath to fling away the foul water, complaining that he was undone,
because tlie smoke got out of his roof. And as he went from home, seeing a crow
scratch upon the muck-hill, returned in all haste, taking it for malum omen, an ill
sign, his money was digged up ; with many such. He that will but observe their
actions, shall find these and many such passages not feigned for sport, but really per-
formed, verified indeed by such covetous and miserable wretches, and that it is,
^'5 "manifesta plvretiesis
Ut locuples niorlaris egenti vivere fato."
A mere madness, to live like a wretch, and die rich.
SuBSECT. XIII. — Love of Gaming, &fc. and pleasures immoderate ; Causes.
It is a wonder to see, how many poor, distressed, miserable wretches, one shall
meet almost in every path and street, begging for an alms, that have been well de-
scended, and sometimes in nourishing estate, now ragged, tattered, and ready to be
starved, lingering out a painful life, in discontent and grief of body and mind, and
all through iannoderate lust, gaming, pleasure and riot. 'Tis the common end of
all sensual epicures and brutish prodigals, that are stupified and carried away head-
long with their several pleasures and lusts. Cebes in his table, St. Ambrose in his
second book of Abel and Cain, and amongst the rest Lucian in his tract de Mercede
conductis^ hath excellent well deciphered such men's proceedings in his picture of
Opulentia, whom he feigns to dwell on the top of a high mount, much sought after
by many suitors ; at their first coming they are generally entertained by pleasiu-e
and dalliance, and have all the content that possibly may be given, so long as their
money lasts : but when their means fail, they are contemptibly thrust out at a back
door, headlong, and there left to shame, reproach, despair. And he at first that had
so many attendants, parasites, and followers, young and lusty, richly arrayed, and
all the dainty fare that might be had, with all kind of welcome and good respect,
is now upon a sudden stript of all, ^'pale, naked, old, diseased and forsaken, cursing
his stars, and ready to strangle himself; having no other company but repentance,
sorrow, grief, derision, beggary, and contempt, which are his daily attendants to his
life's end. As the ■** prodigal son had exquisite music, merry company, dainty fare at
2" Acellius, lib. 3. cap. 1. interdum po sceleris per-
veniiinl ob liicriiin, ul vitani piopriam coinmuteiit.
^"I.ib. 7. cap. 6. ■" Oiiiiies perpetuo niorbo agi-
taiiiiir. suspjcaiur omiips limidus, sibique ob au/uin
iiisidiari putat, nunquaiii quiescens, I'lin. I'r<ifrni- lib.
gui volo, ne causie quidquam sit quod te quisqiiam
quteritct. Si bona fortuna veniat ne intromiseris ;
Occlude sis fores ambobus pessulis. Discrutior aiiimi
quia domo abeunduni est mihi : Niniis henule invi-
tus abeo, nee quid apani scio. ■"» Floras aqiiam pro-
14. '-Cap. 18. in lecto jacens interrogai u.vorem | fundere, &c. periit dum fuinus de tigillo exit foras.
an arcam probe clausit, an capsiila, to. E lecto sur- j-"" Juv. Sat. 1-1. '" Veiitrijcosus, nudus, paJlidug,
gens iiiidus et absque calceis, acceiisa lucerna omnia lieva pudotfm occultaos, da*li4 siepsuui .strangulane,
ohiens ct lustrans, el \\x soinno indul^ens. *'^ Curia ' occuiiTTratem exeunti pcenitentla^ns Jiu = eruni confi-
extenuatus, visilans eji^MMMMupiU^ns. ^^ Cave ^ ciens, &c. <8 Luke XV
quequam alienum in V^^^^^^^SnB. * Ignem extin-
180 Causes of Melancholy. [Part I. Sect. 2.
first ; but a sorrowful reckoning in the end ; so have all such vain delights and their
followers. '^'Tristes voluptahwi exitus, et quisqxiis vohiplalum suarum reminisci
volet, intelliget, as bitter as gall and wormwood is their last ; grief of mind, madness
itself. The ordinary rocks upon which such men do impigne and precipitate them-
selves, are cards, dice, hawks, and hounds, Insanum venandi studiiim, one calls it,
insance substructiones : their mad structures, disports, plays, &c., when they are un-
seasonably used, imprudently handled, and beyond their fortunes. Some men are
consumed by mad fantastical buildings, by making galleries, cloisters, terraces, walks,
orchards, gardens, pools, rillots, bowers, and such like places of pleasure; Iniitiles
domos, ^Xenophon calls them, which howsoever they be delightsome things in
tliemselves, and accept<ible to all beholders, an ornament, and benefitting some great
men ; yet unprofitable to others, and the sole overthrow of their estates. Forestus
in his observations hath an example of such a one that became melancholy upon the
like occasion, having consumed his substance in an unprofitable building, wliich
would afterward yield him no advantage. OtJiers, I say, are ^'overthrown by those
mad sports of hawking and hunting; honest recreations, and fit lor some great men,
but not for every base inferior person; whilst they will maintain tlieir jidconers,
dogs, and hunting nags, their wealth, sailh ^Salmutze, "runs away with hounds,
and their fortunes fly away with hawks." They persecute beasts so long, till in
the end they themselves degenerate into beasts, as *^Agrippa taxeth them, ^^Actajon
like, for as he was eaten to death by his own dogs, so do they devour themselves and
their patrimonies, in such idle and unnecessary disports, neglecting in the mean time
their more necessary business, and to follow their vocations. Over-mad too some-
tunes are our great itk-u in delighting, and doting too much on it. '^'^ When they
drive poor husbandmen from their tillage,'" as ^"Sarisburiensis objects, PoJijcrat. I. 1.
c. 4, "tling down country farms, and whole towns, to make parks, and forests,
starving men to feed beasts, and " punisliinij in the mean time such a man that shall
molest their game, more severely than him that is otherwise a common hacker, or a
notorious thief." But great men are some ways to be excused, the meaner sort
have no evasion why they should not be counted mad. Poggius the Florentine tells
a merry story to this purpose, condemning the folly and impertinent business of
such kind of persons. A physician of Milan, saith he, that cured mad men, had a
pit of water in his house, in which he kt'pt his patients, some up to the knees, some
to the girdle, some to the chin, pro modo iiisanice, as they were more or less atlected.
One of them by chance, that was well recovered, stood in the door, and seeing a gal-
lant ride by with a hawk on his fist, well mounted, with his spaniels after him, would
needs know to what use all this preparaticm served ; he made answer to kill certain
fowls ; the patient demanded again, what his fowl might be worth which he killed
in a year; he replied 5 or lU crowns; and when he urged him farther what his
dogs, horse, and hawks stood him in, he told him 400 crowns ; with that the pa-
tient bad be gone, as he loved his life and welfare, for if our master come and find
thee here, he will put thee in the pit amongst mad men up to the chin : taxinsr the
madness and tolly of such vain men that spend themselves in those idle sports,
neglectintr their business and necessary affairs. Leo decimus, that huntintf pope, is
much di-^coinmendeil by ^Jovius in his life, for his inimoderate desire of hawking
and hunting, in so much that i as he saith) he would sometimes live about Ostia
weeks and months together, leave suitors '''unrespected, bulls and pardons unsigned,
to his own prejudice, and many private men's loss. ""And if he had been by chance
crossed in his sport, or his game not so good, he was so impatient, that he would
«>Boethius. ^<' In Oeconom. Quid si nunc oaten- ' toribus ut augeantur pascua feris. Majeftatia
dam eos qui mngna vi arjienli domug inutjies a>difl-' reu§ agricola si eustarit "A novalihui <iiia ar-
cant, in<iuil ."Joirates. ^' Harlshuriensis Polycrat. ' centur agricol*, dum (ktie >iab<faut v.-il'sihIi liht-ria-
; 1. e. 14. vi'nalores nmnes adhuc ingtituiionem redo- | tera : istis, ut pascua augeantur pra'dia Kiiltirahuntur,
lent centaiiroriim. Raro invenitur quisquam eoriim ^c. ^arisburien:<i8 "Fens qiiain tiotiiinibiia
modestiis et gravis, raroconlinens, el ut credo gobrliis e-quiores. «Janibd- de Guil. Conq qui 36 Kcrlima*
uiiquam. ^- Pancirol. Tit. 23. avolant opes cum matrices depopiilatua est ad forestnin novain. Mat.
•iccipilre. "Insi^nis venatnruin slullitia, ct siipi-r- Pari*. > Tom. 2 de vitis illii^lrium, I. 4 d<f vit.
vacant i f ura er>riiiii, qili dum nimium venalinni in.ja- I Leon. 10. « Venalionibug ad<-o perdite stud^bal
.unt, ipsi ahjiM i .. .rmii liunrmil it.- in T r i- iI.-l.'. ii.-r int, et aucupiif. " Aut infeliriter vrnaliif lam Inipa ■
ul Actfiin, • - r I tiens inde, ut sumnms «.Tpp virus rir<Tbi*'iml« ei>ntu
*■' Af rippa di . n, | nieliis i>neraret. et inrr(><litiile est qiinli vnltiK anim.'
dum ii ti v L^i^ .,a >i'i^ hubiiu d'>l>>r|aiMn^^^iie prKf«rre», fcr.
• usiici-i. *<ricoij, " ^^^^^^^
tic IS. ikifricoiijuu 1
Mem. 3. Subs. 13.] Love of Gaming. 181
revile and miscall many times men of great worth with most bitter taunts, look so
sour, be so angry and waspish, so grieved and molested, that it is incredible to relate
it." But if he had good sport, and been well pleased, on the other side, incredibill
munijicentia, with. unspeakable bounty and munificence he would reward all his fel-
low hunters, and deny nothing to any suitor when he was in that mood. To say
truth, 'tis the common humour of all gamesters, as Galataeus observes, if they win,
no men living are so jovial and merry, but "''if they lose, though it be but a trifle,
two or three games at tables, or a dealing at cards for two pence a game, they are so
choleric and testy that no man may speak with them, and break many times into
violent passions, oaths, imprecations, and unbeseeming speeches, little diifering from
mad men for the time. Generally of all gamesters and gaming, if it be excessive,
thus much we may conclude, that whether they win or lose for the present, their
winnings are not Munera fortunce.! sed insidicc, as that wise Seneca determines, not
fortune's gifts, but baits, the common catastrophe is ®" beggary, ®^ Ut pest is vitam., sic
adiniit aha pecimiam, as the plague takes away life, doth gaming goods, for ''^ornnes
nudi. inopes el egeni ;
*5"Alea Pcylla vorar, species cerlissima furti,
Noil contenta bonis animum quoque perfida mergit,
FujiJa, furax, infamis, iuers, furiosa, ruiiia."
For a little pleasure they take, and some small gains and gettings now and then, their
wives and children are ringed in the meantime, and they themselves with loss of
body and soul rue it in the end. I will say nothing of those prodigious prodigals, per-
dendce pecunice genitos^ as he ®^ taxed Anthony, Qui patrimonium sine ulla fori calum-
nia amittunt, saith ^''Cyprian, and ^^mad Sybaritical spendthrifts, Quique una come-
dunt patrimonia ccena ; that eat up all at a breakfast, at a supper, or amongst bawds,
parasites, and players, consume themselves in an instant, as if they had flung it into
^ Tiber, with great wages, vain and idle expenses, Sic, not themselves only, but even
all their friends, as a man desperately swimming drowns him that comes to help him,
by suretyship and borrowing they will willingly undo all their associates and allies.
''^Irati pecuniis, as he saith, angry with their money: ""what with a wanton eye, a
liquorish tongue, and a gamesome hand, when they have indiscreetly impoverished
themselves, mortgaged their wits, together with their lands, and entombed their ances-
tors'' fair possessions in their bowels, they may lead the rest of their days in prison,
as many times they do ; they repent at leisure ; and when all is gone begin to be
thrifty : but Sera est in fundo parsinwnia, 'tis then too late to look about ; their
'^end is misery, sorrow, shame, and discontent. And well they deserve to be infa-
mous and discontent. '^Catamidiari in ^imphitheatro, as by Adrian the emperor's edict
they were of old, decoctores honorum suoriim, so he calls them, prodigal fools, to be
publicly shamed, and hissed out of all societies, rather than to be pitied or relieved.'''
The Tuscans and Boiitians brought their bankrupts into the market-place in a bier
with an empty purse carried before them, all the boys following, where they sat all
day circumstanle plebe, to be infamous and ridiculous. At "Padua in Italy they have
a stone called the stone of turpitude, near the senate-house, where spendthrifts, and
such as disclaim non-payment of debts, do sit with their hinder parts bare, that by
that note of disgrace others may be terrified fi-om all such vain expense, or borrowing
more tlian they can tell how to p^y. Tlie '^civilians of old set guardians over such
brain-sick prodigals, as they did over madmen, to moderate their expenses, that they
should not so loosely consume their fortunes, to the utter undoing of their lamdies.
1 may not here omit those two main plagues, and common dotages of human kind,
wine and women, which have infatuated and besotted myriads of people ; they go
commonly together.
""Qui vino indul^et, quemque alea decoquit, ille
In venerem patrei"
6'Unicuique diiteni hoc a natura insitum est, ut doleat
sicubi erraverit aut deceptus sit. ^ijuven. Sat. 8.
Nee eiiini loculis comilau tibus itur, ad casuin tahul»,
posita sed ludiliir area Lemnius instit. ca. 44. icicnda-
cioriim qiiidem.ct perjuriorum et paupertatis mater est
alea, nnllaiii habens piitrimonli revereiiliaiii, quiim
illud etTuderit, sensiin in furta delaliitur et rapinas.
Saris, polyciat. I. 1. c. .i. tis pmilpodenis. '-iDan.
Souter. ' '^I'etrar. dial, -i3i-«r- OL.calii.-r sTToni. 3.
Ser. de Allca. 5opiutus in Arislop. calls all such
gamesters madmen. Si iiy^ttk^^^iniuem cuntigero.
Sponlaneum ad se trahunt furorem, et ns, et nares ;
oculosrivosfaciunt furoriset diversorla.Chrys.hora. j;
6^ Pascasiiis Justus 1. 1. de alea. ™Seiieca. ''Hall.
"2 In Sat. II. Sed deficiente crumena: et crescente gula
quis te manet exitus — rebus iu ventrem mersis
^■'Spartiau. Adriano. "'Al-x al). Alex. lib. 6. c. 10.
Mem Gerbelius,,lib. r,. Gra.. di.-c. -Fines Moris
''Justinian '^'DifeEtis. "Per^iij? Sat. 5. "One
inilulges in wine, another the die coIJSulll'-^, i Uiird is
decom^K
182 Causes of Melancholy. Tart. 1 . Sec. 2.
To whom is sorrow, saith Solomon, Pro. xxiii. 39, to whom is woe, but to such a
one as loves drink? it causeth torture, (^vino tortus et ird) and bitterness of mind,
Sirac. 31. 21. Vinum furoris, Jeremy calls it, 15. cap. wine of madness, as well he
may, for insanire faclt sanos, it makes sound men sick and sad, and wise men '''mad,
to say and do they know not what. Accidit hodid terribilis casus (siiilh "S. Austin)
hear a miserable accident; Cyrillus' son this day in his drink, Matrcm pnrgnantem
nequiter oppressit., sororem xnolare voJuit., patrem occidit firi, et diias alias sorores
ad viort/^n vulneravit., would have violated his sister, killed his father, 8<,c. A true
sayinw it was of him. Vino dari Uvtitiam et dolorem, drink causeth mirth, and drink
causeth sorrow, drink causeth "poverty and want," (Prov. xxi.) shame and disgrace.
Multi ignobiles evasere oh vini potum., et (Austin) amissis honoribus profiigi aberrH-
runt : many men have made shipwreck of their fortunes, and go like rogues and
beggars, having turned all their substance into aurum potahile., that otherwise might
have lived in good worship and happy estate, and for a few hours' pleasure, for their
Hi^ry term's but short, or ^free madness, as Seneca calls it, purchase unto them-
seBges eternal tediousness and trouble.
That other madness is on women, .ipostatare facit cor., saith the wise man, ^^Atque
hotnini cerebrum minuit. Pleasant at first she is, like Dioscorides Rhododaphne, that
fair \y\mt to the eye, but poison to the taste, the rest as bitter as wormwood in the
end (Prov. v. 4.) and sharp as a two-edged sword, (vii. 27. ") " Her house is the way
to hell, and goes down to the chambers of death." What more sorrowful can be
said? tliey are miserable in this life, mad, beasts, led like ''-"oxen to the slaughter:"
and that which is worse, whoremaslers and drunkards shall be judged, amiltunt gra~
tiam., saith Austin, perdunt gloriam., incurrunt damnationcm ceternam. They lose
grace and glory;
« " brevia ilia voluptas
Abrogal eteriiuiit ca:li cletua"
they gain hell and eternal damnation.
Sl'Bsect. \IX. — Philautia., or Self-love, Vain-glory, Praise, Honour, Immoderate
Applause, Pride, ootr^much Joy, ^-c, Causes.
Self-love, pride, and vain-glory, ^ccecus amor sui, which Chrysostom calls one of
the devil's three great nets; *^" Bernard, an arrow which j)icrceth the soul through,
and slays it ; a sly, insensible enemy, not perceived," are main cau.ses. Where
neither anger, lust, covetousness, fear, sorrow, &.C., nor any other perturbation can
lay hold ; this will slily and insensibly pervert us, Quern non gula vicit, Philautia,
superavit, (saith Cyprian) whom surfeiting could not overtake, self-love hath over-
come. ^"He hath scorned all money, bribes, gifts, upright otherwise and sincere,
hath inserted himself to no fond imagination, and sustaiuet! all tliose tyrannical con-
cupiscences of the body, hath lost all his honour, captivated by vain-glory." Chry-
sostom, sup. lo. Tu sola unimum menlemqne pcruris, gloria. A great assault and
cause of our present malady, although we do most part neglect, take no notice of it,
yet this is a violent batterer of our souls, causeth melancholy and dotage. This pleas-
ing humo'ir; this soft and whispering popular air, Jimahilis insunia ; thtt delectable
frenzy, most irrefracable passion, Mentis gralissimus error, this accejnable disease,
whicli so sweetly sets upon us, ravisheth our senses, lulls our souls asleep, pufTs up
our hearts as so many bladders, and that without all feeling, *' insomuch as " tho.se
that are misatlected with it, never so much as once perceive it, or think of any cure.
We commonly love him best in this *^ malady, that doth us most harm, and are very
willing to be hurt; adulationibus nostris libcntur favemus (saith *"* Jerome) we love
him, we love him for it: ^'O Bonciari suave, suave fuit a te tali hcec trihui ; 'Twas
sweet to hear it. And as ^' Pliny doth ingenuously confess to his dear friend Augu-
T^Poculum quasi sinu;: in quo ga>pe iiaiifraciuin fa-
ciuiil, jariura tuni peciiiiia- tuoi mentis Erasni. in Prov.
calicuui romiges. chil. 4. cent. 7. Pro. 4L '"S«r. 33. ad
frat. in Eremo. «>Lit)erK unius hora; insaniam
vltrnn leinporis twtio (>»-n«;ipil ei >|„nniKlcr.
w Prov. 5. "SMerIi
sure blots
•• Hor.
omneiD pccuniarum conlemptum lia)K-nl, n iiulli iina-
ginationix tntius munili ae iiaiiii»cui-riut. et tyraiiuica*
corporis concupiscenli.ia austiiiut-riiil. tu miiHotiea capti
a vana gloria onniia pvrdideruni. ^ Mac c<>rri?pli non
cogitant du rnedt?lH. ""Iiii lali-m a i>-rria averliie
p«-!>tem. "Epad Eii^lochniin, d>; cunlot] vircin
'"Lyp'. Ep. ad Boiicianiiiu ' Kp lili. 'J. Omnia tua
Triiita piiirli-rriiyj^^^ai^^iuiiuie lanieo liU, qua
Mera. 3. Subs. 14.J
Philautia, or Self-love, 8fc.
183
rinus, " all thy writings are most acceptable, but those especially that speak of us."
Again, a little after to Slaximus, °^^'I cannot express how pleasing it is to me to hear
mysell commendetl." Though we smile to ourselves, at least ironically, when para-
sites bedaub us with false encomiums, as many princes cannot choose but do, Quum
tale quid nihil intra se repererint, when they know they come as far short, as a mouse
to an elephant, of any such virtues ; yet it doth us good. Though we seem many
times to be angry, ^''"and blush at our own praises, yet our souls inwardly rejoice,
it puffs us up;" his fallax suavitas, blandus dcemon, "makes us swell beyond our
bounds, and forget ourselves." Her two daughters are lightness of mind, immode-
rate joy and pride, not excluding those other concomitant vices, which '"lodocus
Lorichius reckons up ; bragging, hypocrisy, peevishness, and curiosity.
Now the common cause of this mischief, ariseth from ourselves or others, ^^we
are active and passive. It proceeds inwardly from ourselves, as we are active causes,
from an overweening conceit we have of our good parts, own worth, (which indeed
ds no worth) our bounty, favour, grace, valour, strength, wealth, patience, meekness,
hospitality, beauty, temperance, gentry, knowledge, wit, science, art, learning, our
* excellent gifts and fortunes, for which, Warcissus-like, we admire, flatter, and ap-
plaud ourselves, and think all the world esteems so of us ; and as deformed women
easily believe those that tell them they be fair, we are too credulous of our own good
parts and praises, too well persuaded of ourselves. We brag and venditate our '''own
works, and scorn all others in respect of us; Injati scientia, (saith Paul) our Avis-
dom, ^^our learning, all our geese are swans, and we as basely esteem and vilify other
men's, as we do over-highly prize and value our own. We will not suffer them to
be in secundis, no, not in tertiis ; what, Mecum conferiur Ulysses? they are Mures,
Musca:, culices pra>. se, nits and flies compared to his inexorable and supercilious,
eminent and arrogant worship : though indeed they be far before him. Only wise,
only rich, only fortunate, valorous, and fair, pufted "up with this tympany of self-con-
ceit; ^^as that proud pharisee, they are not (as they suppose) " like other men," of
a purer and more precious metal : '°°SoU rei gerendi sunt efficaces, which that wise
Periander lield of such: ^mcditanfur omne qui prius negotium, &c. JYovi quendam
saith ^Erasmus) I knew one so arrogant that he thought himself inferior to no man
living, like ^Callisthenes ,the philosopher, that neither held Alexander's acts, or any
other subject worthy of his pen, such was his insolency; or Seleucus king of Syria,
who thought none fit to contend with him but the Romans. '^Eos solos dignos ratus
quihuscum de impcrio certaret. That which Tully writ to Atticus long since, is still
in force. ^ " There was never yet true poet nor orator, that thought any other better
than himself." And such for the most part are your princes, potentates, great philo-
sophers, historiographers, authors of sects or heresies, and all our great scholars, as
^Hierom defines; "a natural philosopher is a glorious creature, and a very slave of
rumour, fame, and popular opinion," and though they write de conlemptu gloria:, yet as
he observes, they will put their names to their books. Vohis etfamce me semper dedi,
saith Trebellius Pollio, I have wholly consecrated myself to you and fame. "'Tis all
my desire, night and day, 'tis all my study to raise my name." Proud 'Pliny seconds
him ; Quamquam O ! &c. and that vain-glorious ^ orator is not ashamed to confess
in an Epistle of his to Marcus Lecceius, Jlrdeo incredihili cupididate, See. " I burn
with an incredible desire to have my ^name registered in thy book. Out of this foun-
tain proceed all those cracks and brags, '°speramus carminafingi Posse linenda
eedro, et Icni servanda cupresso "Aon usitata nee tenuiferarpenna. nee in
terra morabor longius. JSll parvum aid humili modo, nil mortale loquor. Dicar qua
violens obstrepit Jiusidus. Exegi monumentum cere perennius. lamqiie opus exe'gi
*'Exprimere non possum quam sit jucundum, &;c.
*5 Hierom. et licet nas iinlignos dicimus et calidiis rubor
era perfundat, attamen ad laudeni suaiii iiitritisecus
aniiiio: Ixlnntur. "^Thesaur. Then. s^NeceniiTi
niilii oiriiea fibra est. Per. ^ E manilius illis, Nascen-
tur violse. Ters. 1. Sat. 9" Omnia eiiiiii nostra, supra
modum pVacent. a* Fab. 1. 10. c, 3. Ridentur mala
componnnt carmina, verum gaudent scribentes, et se
veneranttir, et ultra. Si taceas landant, qiiicquid scrip-
BHre beati. Hor. ep. 2. I. ■.'. » Luke xviii. 10. looDe
li.-'inre luto fiiixit prrr- i !i,i Titan. i Auson. sap.
t iiil. 3. cent. 10^ pri). y?. Uui m' crederot nemiiiem ulla
B re prEestantiuriitn. aranto fastu scripsit, ut
Alexandri gesta inferiora scriptis suis existimaret, lo
Vossius lib. 1. cap. 9. de hist. 4 piutarcli. vii. Cato
nis. 5 Nemo unquam Poeta ant Orator, qui quen
qiiam se meliorem arbitraretur. s^'onsol. ad Pam
machium mundi Philosophus, gloria; animal, et popula
ris aura; et rumorum venale mancipinm. 'Epist. 5,
Capitoni sue Dii'bus ac nortibus, hoc solum cogito si
qua me possum Uxan- liiiiiin. [d voto meo sufficit, &c
"Tullius. a(jt inriii, n m, imi scriptis, tuis illustretur
Inquies animus stiiuio uiierniiays, noctes et dies ange
batur. Uensius forat. uneb. de Seal. '" Hor. art
Pciet. " Od. Vit. Jjjfc, Jamque opus exi;gi. Vad«
liber
18* Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
quod nee Jovis ira, nee ignis, &.c. cum venit ille dies, &c. parte tamen mcliore met
super alta perennis astra fcrar, nomenque erit indelebile nostrum. (This of Ovid I
have paraphrased in English.)
" And when I am dead and gone, I And I shall be alive.
My corpse laid under a stone I" these my works for ever.
My fame shall yet survive, I My glory shall persever," &.c.
And that of Ennius,
" Xemo nie lachrymis decoret, neque fiinera Acta
Faxit, cur? volito docta per era virum."
" Let none shed tears over me, or adorn my bier with sorrow — because I am eter-
nally in the mouths of men." With many such proud strains, and foolish flashes
too common with writers. Not so mucli as Democharis on the '^Topics, but he
will be immortal. Typotius de famd, shall be famous, and well he deserves, because
he writ of fame; and every trivial poet must be renowned. ** Plausuque petit
clarescere vulgi.^^ '^ He seeks the applause of the public." This puthiig humour it
is, that hath produced so many great tomes, built sucli famous inc*iuiiu€4its, strong
castles, and Mausolean tombs, to have their acts eterilised, *•• Digilo monsLrari^ et
dicier hie est;'''' ''to be pointed at with tlie linger, and to have it said 'there he
goes,' " to see their names inscribed, as Phryae on tlie walls of Thebes, Phryne
fecit; this causeth so many bloody batUes, >■' El nodes cogit vigilure serenas;''''
"and induces us to watch during calm niglits." Long journeys, '■'■JMagnum iter in-
tendo, std dat mihi gloria I'ires,'''' •' I contemplate a monstrous journey, but llie love
of glory strengtliens me for it," gaining honour, a little apj)lause, pride, self-love,
vain-glory. This is it which makes them t*\ke such pains, and break out into those
ridiculous strains, this high conceit of themselves, to "scorn all others; ridiculo
fastu et intolerando contemptu; as '^Palajinou the grammarian contemned Varro.
secufn el nutas el morituras literas jactans, and brings them to that height of inso-
lency, that they cannot endure to be contradicted, '^or hear of anything but their own
commendation," which llierom notes of such kind of men. And as "'Austin well
seconds him, '• 'tis their sole study day and night to be commended and applauded."
When as indeed, in all wise men's judgments, quibus cor sapit., they are ''mad, empty
vessels, fungts, beside themselves, derided, et ut Camelus in provcrbio qucerens cor-
nua^ etiam quas hubebat aures amisity '"their works arc toys, as an almanac out of
date, ^^authuris ptreunt garrulitate siti, they seek fame and immortality, but reap dis-
honour and mfamy, they are a common obloquy, insensuti, and come far short of that
which they suppose or expect. '"0 puer ul sis vitalis nietuo^
"How much I dread
Thy days are eliorl, some lord shall strike thee dead."
Of SO many nmiads of poets, rhetoricians, philosophers, sophisters, as "'Eusebius
well observes, which have written in former ages, scarce one of a thousand's works
remains, nomina et libri simul cum corporibus intericrunl, their books and bodies are
perished together. Jt is not as they vainly think, they shall surely be admired and
immortal, as one told Philip of Macedon insultingly, after a victory, that his shadow
was no longer tlian before, we may say to them,
" iVo3 deniiramur, sed non cum deside vulgo, I " We marvel too, not as the vulvar we,
Sed veliil Harpyas, Gorgoiias, et Furias." | But as we Gorgons, Uurpi'.s, or Furies see."
Or if we do applaud, honour and admire, quota pars^ how small a part, in respect
of the whole world, never so much as hears our names, how few take notice of us,
how slender a tract, as scant as Alcibiades' land in a map! And yet every man must
and will be immortal, as he hopes, and extend his fame to our antipodes, when as
half, no not a quarter of his own province or city, neither knows nor hears of him •
but say they did, what's a city to a kingdom, a kingdom to Europe, Europe to the
world, the world itself that must have an end, if compared to the least visible star in
the firmament, eighteen times bigger than it .' and then if those stars be infinite, and
every star there be a sun, as some will, and as this sun of ours hath his planets about
him, all inhabited, what proportion bear we to them, and where 's our glory.' Orbem
» In lib. 8. "Dp pmiie lUjir. r.v '" ?i.:ton. I quam sic ob eloriam rnn'i.ir] ■> In^aaniam ialam dooiine
lib. degram. ^ \iiu»4i.».. iles | lonee fac 4 me. Am- in. rip. :C. »"A«
kuas. •< Egi*. .:>r> Nihil .. .:.'i. Camelus in the n i'i!> ears while he was
taut nisi u^f^udii^Jiy^la . i:<4- I Im.kiij/ f. r a pdii ' ' M >n i j Jl
Mem 3. Subs. 14.] Vain-glory, rnde, Joy, Praise. 185
terrarum victor Rornanus hahcbat, as he cracked in Petronius, all the world was
under Augustus : and so in Constantine''s time, Eusebius brags he governed all the
^\ orld, universiiin mundum prcBcIare admodum administravit, et omnes orhis gentes
Impcratori subjecti : so of Alexander it is given out, the four monarchies. See. when
as neither Greeks nor Romans ever had the fifteenth part of the now known world,
nor half of tliat which was then described. What braggadocioes are they and we
then.? quam brevis hie de nobis sermo, as ^he said, '^^pudthit audi nominis, how short
a time, how little a while doth this fame of ours continue ? Every private province,
every small territory and city, when we have all done, will yield as generous spirits,
as brave examples in all respects, as famous as ourselv.es, Cadwallader in Wales,
Rollo in Normandy, Robin Hood and Little John, are as much renowned in Sher-
wood, as Caesar in Rome, Alexander in Greece, or his Hephestion, ^^Omnis cetas
omnisque populus in exemplum et admiralioneni veniet, every town, city, book, is full
of brave soldiers, senators, scholars; and though ^Bracydas was a worthy captain,
a good man, and as they thought, not to be matched in Lacedaemon, yet as his mother
truly said, plures habet Sparta Bracyda meliores, Sparta had many better men than
ever he was ; and howsoever thou admirest thyself, thy friend, many an obscure fel-
low the world never took notice of, had he been in place or action, Avould have done
much better than he or he, or thou thyself.
Another kind of mad men there is opposite to these, that are insensibly mad, and
know not of it, such as contemn all praise and glory, think themselves most free,
when as indeed they are most mad : calcant sed aliofastu: a company of cynics,
such as are monks, hermits, anachorites, that contemn the world, contemn themselves,
contemn all titles, honours, offices : and yet in that contempt are more proud than
any man living whatsoever. They are proud in humility, proud in that they are not
proud, scepe homo de vance glorice contemptu, vaniiis gloriatur, as Austin hath it, con-
fess, lib. 10, cap. 38, like Diogenes, inlus glorianiur, they brag inwardly, and feed
themselves fat with a self-conceit of sanctity, which is no better than hypocrisy.
They go in sheep's russet, many great men that might maintain themselves in cloth
of gold, and seem to be dejected, humble by their outward carriage, when as in-
wardly they are swoln full of pride, arrogancy, and self-conceit. And therefore
Seneca adviseth his friend Lucilius, ^*"in his attire and gesture, outward actions,
especially to avoid all such things as are more notable in themselves : as a rugged
attire, hirsute head, horrid beard, contempt of money, coarse lodging, and whatso-
ever leads to fame that opposite way."
All this madness yet proceeds from ourselves, the main engine which batters us is
from others, we are merely passive in this business : from a company of parasites
and flatterers, that with immoderate praise, and bombast epithets, glosing titles, talse
eulogiums, so bedaub and applaud, gild over many a silly and undeserving man, that
they clap him quite out of his wits. Res imprimis viole.nta est, as Hierom notes, this
common applause is a most violent thing, laudum placenta, a drum, fife, and trumpet
cannot so animate ; that fattens men, erects and dejects them in an instant. -''Palma
negata macrum, donata reducit opimum. It makes them fat and lean, as frost doth
conies. ^*''' And who is that mortal man that can so contain himself, that if he be im-
moderately commended and applauded, will not be moved ?" Let him be what he
will, those parasites will overturn him : if he be a king, he is one of the nine worthies,
more than a man, a god forthwith, ^^edictum Domini Deique nostri : and they
will sacrifice unto him,
30" divinos si tu patiaris honores,
Ultro ipsi dabimus meritasquc sacrabirous aras."
If he be a soldier, then Theraistocles, Epaminondas, Hector, Achilles, duo fulmina
belli, triumviri terrarum, &c., and the valour of both Scipios is too little for him, he
is invictissimus, sercnissimus, multis trophcEus ornatissimus, natures dominus, although
he be lepus galeatus, indeed a very coward, a milk-sop,"' and as he said of Xerxes,
"Till. som. Scip. 23Boethius. "Putean.Ci-
salp. hist. lib. I. ss Plutarch. Lycurgo. ^OEpist. 13.
Illud te arfmoneo, ne eoruiii more facias, qui non pro-
ficere, sed conspici cupiunt, qux in habitu tuo, aut genere
fita; nolabilia sunt. Asp^Miafli^UuiD et vitiosura caput,
bile humi positum, et quicquiit ad laudem p.3rversa via
sequitur evita. ^i p^r. i^Cims vero taiu bene mo-
dulo sno metiri ge novit, ut%um a.<~i'liirE et iinmodicaj
laudationes non moveant ? Hen. Stepii. -^ Alart.
30 Stroza. " If you will accept divine honours '.\-wilI
iegligeiitiorem barbaiii,4i||Ka||||^ngento odium, cu- | u'illinglyeu|iM|^iOiua|MiMiKStoyou.'' -'Jusua
24 ^^■K q2 ,«^^..a.^^«B.
186 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2,
poslremus i7i pit g7id, primus i7ifugd, and such a one as never durst look liis enemy
iu the face. If he be a big man, then is he a Samson, another Hercules ; if he pro-
nounce a speech, another Tully or Demosthenes; as of llerod in the Acts, "the
voice of God and not of man:" if he can make a verse, Homer, Virgil, kc. And
then my silly weak patient takes all these eulogiums to himself; if he be a scholar
so commended for liis nmch reading, excellent style, method, Stc, he will eviscerate
himself like a spider, study to death, Laudalas ostendit avis Junonia pennas., pea-
cock-like he will display all his feathers. If he be a soldier, and so applauded, his
valour extolled, though it be ivipar congressus, as that of Troilus and Achilles, Infe-
lix puer^ he will combat with a giant, run tirst upon a breach, as another ^^Philippus,
he will ride into the thickest of his enemies. Commend his housekeeping, and he
will beggar himself; commend his temperance, he will starve himself.
" laudataqiie virtus
Cri'scit, et iiiiiiiensuui gloria calcar habet.""
he is mad, mad, mad', no woe with him : impatiens consortis crit, he will over
the ^'Alps to be talked of, or to maintain his credit. Commend an ambitious man,
'some proud prince or potentate, si plus aquo laudctur (saith *' Erasmus) cristas eri-
git^ ex'uit hominem, Deum sc putat, he sets up his crest, and will be no longer a man
but a God.
3« " nihil est qiirul credrrp ile se
Noil audt't quuni laudatur diis rqua polestas."*'
How did tliis work with Alexander, that would needs be Jupiter's son, and go like
Hercules in a lion's skin .' Domitian a god, ** ( Dominus Veus nosier sic fieri jubet,)
like the ^^ Persian kings, whose ima^e was adored by all that came into the city of
Babylon. Commodus the emperor was so gulled by his flattering parasites, that he
must be called Hercules. ^"Antonius the Koinan wouUl be crowned with ivy, car-
ried in a chariot, and adored for Bacchus. Cotys, king of Thrace, was married to
*' Minerva, and sent three several messengers one after another, to sec if she were
come to his bed-charaber. Such a one was "Jupiter Menecrates, Maximinus, Jovia-
nus, Dioclesianus Herculeus, Sapor the Persian kuig, brother of the sun and moon,
and our modern Turks, that will be go<ls on earili, kings of kings, God's shadow,
commanders of all that may be conunanded, our kings of China and Tartarv in this
present age. Such a one was Xerxes, that would whip tfie sea, fetter Neptune, slultd
jactanlid, and send a challenge to Mount Atljos ; and such are many sottish princes,
brought into a fool's paradise by their parasites, 'lis a common humour, incident to
all men, when they are in great places, or come to the solstice of honour, have done,
or deserved well, to applaud and flatter themselves. StuUitiam suam produjif, &c.,
(saith "Platerus) your very tradesmen if they be excellent, will crack and brag, and
show their folly in excess. They have good parts, and they know it, you need not
tell them of it ; out of a conceit of their worth, they go smiling to themselves, a
perpetual meditation of their trophies and plaudits, they run at last quite mad, and
lose their wits." Petrarch, lib. 1 de contetnplu mundi, confessed as much of himself,
and Cardan, in his tifih book of wisdom, gives an instance in a smith of Milan, a fel-
low-citizen of his, ^one Galeus de Kubcis, that being commended for rerining of an
instrument of Archimedes, for joy ran mad. Plulurcli in the life of Artaxerxes, liath
such a like stor\- of one Chamus, a soldier, that wounded king Cyrus in battle, and
'■• grew thereupon so ^^ arrogant, that in a short space after he lost liis wits." So many
men, if any new honour, office, preferment, booty, treasure, possession, or patrimony,
ex insperalo fall unto them for immoderate joy, and continual meditation of it, can-
not sleep *' or tell what they say or do, they are so ravished on a sudden ; and with
«Livius. Gloria tantum elatus, non ira, in medios , Alexandrite. Pater, vol. post. «' Minerv* niipliaa
bostesirruere, qu<Ml coinpletisniurisconspici sepugnan- ' ambit, tanto fiirore |>erciliiii. iit iiat<>llitr-« riiitt<-r>-t ad
i» in, a Hiurosptctantibiis.egregiuiii ducebat. O'-Ap- ' viilenduia num dt-a in ttialainis veni!«el.&.c. "/Julian,
plauded virtue grows apace, and glory includes within ' li. 12. *' Do mentii) alienat. c.-ip. 3. " Se<|ui.
It an iniaiense impulse." ^I deineng, et sxvaj> curre turque superbia forinam. LivmihIi. ]]. Orarulum e»l,
per /l[»<'S. Aude Aliquid, tic. ut pueri^ placeas, et de- . vivida sa-pe ingenia. lu.xiiriare har ft ovn;v*rerf mul-
clainatio fi.-is. Juv. Sat. 10. ^ In moriiE Encom. I tosque sensuin penitus aniisirtie. Hoiniii'ii inluentiir.
>" Juvenal. Sat. 4. ^ " There is nothing which over- ac »i ipsi iioii esseiit huniiiies. u(;ali-ii» di- riib<-ic,
lauded power will not presume to iiiiagiiie of itaclf." civh no»ter ralxTfL-rrurius, nb iiivi-Mtioiioin iimtriiinenli
*-SilPton. r. !■:. in n. inili.i'i'.. -' Hri-. .nius. t-.-Xn- Cocle« oliui Arching .ii- ,;i. ii |.r .• l-iiiii n-.MHit.
ti'nius ab rt-m «< Incaiiia p.^tmi)'!'. "o-
apellari ju- li^. eantiaiii. ' ^-^
d'-ra,etcnr .' ,,jr (lor. Forlmiam rt
»i5tiue su^ii La:i cuui^ielu^^bcUMA^'tL^a- liives ab exili
]Mem. 3. Subs. 15.]
Study, a Cause.
187
vain conceits transported, there is no rule with them. Epaminondas, therefore, the
next (lay after his Leuctrian victory, *^ *•' came abroad all squalid and submiss," and
gave no other reason to his friends of so doing, than that he perceived himself the
day before, by reason of his good fortune, to be too insolent, overmuch joyed. That
wise and virtuous lady, ''^ Queen Katherine, Dowager of England, in private talk,
upon like occasion, said, "that ^°she would not willingly endure the extremity of
either fortune ; but if it were so, that of necessity she must undergo the one, she
would be in adversity, because comfort was never wanting in it, but still counsel and
government were defective in the other:" they could not moderate tlieraselves.
SuBSECT. XV. — 'Love of Learnings or overmuch study. With a Digression of the
misery of Scholars, and why the Muses are Melancholy.
Leoxartus Fuchsius Instil, lib. iii. sect. 1. cap. 1. Faelix Plater, lib. iii. de mentis
alicnat. Here, de Saxonia, Tract, post, de melanch. cap. 3, speak of a ^'peculiar fury,
which comes by overmuch study. Fernelius, lib. 1, cap. 18, ^^puts study, contem-
plation, and continual meditation, as an especial cause of madness : and in his 86
consul, cites the same words. Jo. Arciilanus, in lib. 9, Rhasis ad JUnansorem., cap. 16,
amongst other causes reckons up studium vehemens : so doth Levinus Lemnius, lib.
de occul. nat. mirac. lib. 1, cap. 16. ^''"Many men (saith he) come to this malady
by continual ^* study, and night-waking, and of all other men, scholars are most sub-
ject to it:'" and such Rhasis adds, ^^'■'that have commonly the finest wits." Cont.
lib. 1, tract. 9, Marsilius Ficinus, de sanit. tuenda, lib. I. cap. 7, puts melancholy
amongst one of those five principal plagues of students, 'tis a common ]Maul unto
them all, and almost in some measure an inseparable companion. Varro beUke for
tiiat cause calls Tristes Philosophos et severos, severe, sad, dry, tetric, are common
epithets to scholars : and ^ Patritius therefore, in the institution of princes, would
not have them to be great students. For (as Machiavel holds) study weakens their
bodies, dulls the spirits, abates their strength and courage; and good scholars are
never good soldiers, which a certain Goth well perceived, for when his countrymen
came into Greece, and would have burned all their books, he cried out against it, by
no means they should do it, ^'" leave them that plague, which in time will consume
all their vigour, and martial spirits." The ** Turks abdicated Cornutus the next heir
from the empire, because he was so much given to his book : and 'tis the common
tenet of the world, that learning dulls and diminisheth the spirits, and so per conse-
qiicns produceth melancholy.
Two main reasons may be given of it, why students should be more subject to
this m.alady than others. The one is, they live a sedentary, solitary life, sibi et musis,
free from bodily exercise, and those ordinary disports which other men use : and
many times if discontent and idleness concur with it, which is too frequent, they are
precipitated into this gulf on a sudden : but the common cause is overmuch study ;
too much learning (as ^^Festus told Paul) hath made thee mad-, 'tis that other extreme
which efl^ects it. So did Trincavelius, lib. 1, consil. 12 and 13, find by his experi-
ence, in two of his patients, a young baron, and another that contracted this malady
bv too vehement study. So Forestus, obs^rvat. I. 10, observ. 13, in a young divine
in Louvaine, that was mad, and said ^° " he had a Bible in his head :" Marsilius Ficinus
de sanit. tuc7id. lib. 1, cap. 1, 3, 4, and lib. 2, cap. 16, gives many reasons, ^''•' why
students dote more often than others." The first is their negligence; ^" other men
^" Processit squaliilus et submissug, ut hesterni Diei
gainiiiiiii iiituinjierans hodie castigaret. **Uxor
Hen. 8. m jveutrius se fortuiiiE extremum libenter
experturain dixit: sed si necessitas alterius subiiide
iiiiponeretur, optare se difiicilem et adversam : quod in
luic nulli miquani defuit solatium, in altera iimltis con-
siliuni, &(•.. Lod. Vives. =' Peculiaris furor, qui ex
litfifis fit. 52 Nihil raagis auget, ac assidua studia,
et profiindDE cogitationes. ssfjon desuut, qui ex
juili studio, et iiitempestiva lucubratione, hue devene^
runt, hi praj CiEtcris enim plerunque melancholia solent
intestari. »< Study is a continual and earnest medi-
tation, applied to something with great desire. Tully.
5JEt illi qui sunt suhtilis iiigenii, et multa- praemedita-
ti'Oii-. 'in r,ii ill iiMi.liiut in iMelancliiiliuui. 5«ob
siuJi'jtuiii ji/luylLiiiutjui Ijb. 5. Tit. a. ='Gaspar
Ens Thesaur Polit. Apoteles. 31. Grxcis banc pestem
relinquite qua" dubiuni non est, quin brevi nniiicra iis
vigorem ereptura Maniusque spiriius exhaustura sit;
Ut ad arma tractanda plane inhabiles futuri sint.
^Knoles 'I'urk. Hist. =» .'icts, xxvi. -24. «" Nimiis
sludiis melancliolicusevasit,riicensse Biblium incapite
habere. ^i Cur melancholia assidua, crebrisque de-
lirninentis vexentur eorum aiiimi ut desipere cogantur.
^Solers quilibet artifex instrunienta sua diligentissime
curat, penicellos pictor ; malleos incudesque faber fer-
rarius; miles cquos, arma venator, auceps aves, et
canes, Cytliarain ('\ lliaradiis. i,c. soli musaruni mystx
tain negligenli-.- su it. nt iii-tninientum illud quo mun-
dum universum melin iulenl, spinlum scilicet, penitus
negligere videaiitur.
188 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
look to their tools, a painter will wash his pencils, a smith will look to his hammer
anvil, forge ; a husbandman will mend his plough-irons, and grind his hatchet if it
be dull ; a falconer or huntsman will have an especial care of his hawks, hound?,
horses, dogs, Sac. ; a musician will string and unstring his lute, &.C. ; only scholars
neglect that instrument, their brain and spirits (I mean) which they daily use, and by
which they range overall the world, which by much study is consumed." Vide (saith
Lucian) ne funic ulum 7iimis iniendendo aliquando abrumpas : "See thou twist not
the rope so hard, till at length it *^ break." Facinus in his fourth chap, gives some
other reasons ; Saturn and Mercury, the patrons of learning, they are both dry planets :
and Origanus assigns the same cause, why jMercurialists are so poor, and most part
beggars ; for that their president Mercury had no better fortune himself. The desti-
nies of old put poverty upon him as a punishment; since when, poetry and beggary
are Gemelli, twhi-born brats, inseparable companions ;
M "And to this liay is every srhnlar poor ;
Gross gold from them runs headlong to the boor :"
Mercury can help them to knowledge, but not to money. The second is contem-
plation, ^^" which dries the brain and extinguisheth natural heat ; for whilst the spirits
are intent to meditation above in the head, the stomach and liver are left destitute,
and thence come black blood and crudities by defect of concoction, and for want of
exercise the superfluous vapours cannot exhale," &.c. The same reasons are repeated
by Gomesius, lib. 4, cap. l,(/e sale '^JVymannus oral, de Imag. Jo. VoschiMs, lib. 2,
cap. 5, de pesle: and something more they add, that hard students are commonly
troubled with gouts, catarrhs, rheums, cachexia, bradiojjepsia, bad eyes, stone and
colic, ^crudities, oppilations, vertigo, winds, consumptions, and all such diseases as
come by overmuch sitting; they are most part lean, dry, ill-coloured, spend their
fortunes, lose their wits, and many times their lives, and all through inunoderate
pains, and extraoixlinary studies. If you will not btlifve tlie truth of this, look
upon great Tostatus and Thomas Afniiivas's works, and tell me wiiether those men
took pains .' peruse Austin, Ilierom, &tc.^ vul many thousands besides.
" Qui ciipit optatain cursu c<)ntiu);ere metam, I " ile (hat di.-sire« this wished goal to gain,
.Multa tulit, rccitt|ue puer, suduvit et alsit." | Must sweat and freeze before he can attain,"
and labour hard for it. So did Seneca, by his own confession, ep. 8. '^''Not a day
that I spend idle, part of the night I keep mine eyes open, tired with waking, and
now slumbering to their continual task." Hear Tully pro ^rchia Pocta: "whilst
others loitered, and took their pleasures, he was continually at his book," so they do
that will be scholars, and that to the hazard (I say) of their healths, fortunes, wits,
aud lives. How much did Aristotle and Ptolemy spend } unitis rcgni precium they
say, more than a king''s ransom ; how nmny crowns per annum, to perfect arts, the
one about his History of Creatures, the other on his Almagest i How much tune
did Thebet Benchorat employ, to find out the motion of the eighth .sphere .' forty
years and more, some write: how many poor scholars have lost their wits, or become
dizards, neglecting all worldly aflairs and their own health, wealth, esse and bene esse., to
gain knowledge for whicli, alter all their pains, in this world's esteem they are accounted
ridiculous and silly fools, idiots, asses, and (^as oft they are) rejected, contemned,
derided, doting, and mad. Look for examples in Hildesheim spied. 2, de mania tt
delirio: read Trincavellius, l.',i,consil. 36, et c. 17. 3Iontanus, consil. 233. '''Garceus
de Judic. gcnif. cap. 33. jMercurialis, consil. 80, cap. 25. Prosper ™Calenius in his
Book de atrd bile; Go to Bedlam and ask. Or if they keep their wits, yet they are
esteemed scrubs and fools by reason of their carriage : " after seven years' study"
•' staiud taciturniui exit,
Plerunique et risum populi quatit."
" He becomes more silent than a statue, and generally excites people's laughter."
dinsi sunt Cacectici et nunquani bene colurati, propter
debilitalein digestivie farultati.t, niultiplicantor in IM
superttuitates. Jo. Voschius parte 2. cup. .j. lU- ix-nte.
* Nullus luihi iierotium dies exit. pan. M m*
dedico, nun vero gooino, Bed uculus vi|;i a-
n Arcus et arnia tibi non sunt iuiitanda Diane Si
nunquani cess«'8 tendere mollis erit. Ovid. **Ephemer.
«* Coiiteinplalio cerebrum exsiccat et exlinsuit ealorein
naturalem, unde cerebrum frigidum el siccum evadit
qui^j e:»< inelaiichoiicuoi. Accvdit ad hoc, quod natura
in coiiteiiiplatione, rerebro prorsus curiii.iiL- iut.jtila, I deiile«que, in i)i» ram Oi ijn.-.. '^J
Btoniachuiu heparque dea^^^^nd^«x > :;ile | chius liuheniM-
c<i''ti!i, sanguis cruHMjM^^^HjjAp, > . tio | Phreni'!<in m
nu-nibroruni simiAuS^B^^^^H^^^IsijL man of TuIo- > <
bruiu ei8kMtijr,cor]>on4^|HHm^kMwt. vi^iliam, et diuiutua biudia 1>il'.
.>Iem. 3. Subs. 15.]
Study, a Cause.
ISO
' Obstipo capite, et figentes luinine terram,
Murmura ciini secuin, et rabiosa silentia rodunt,
Alqiie experrecto Iriiliiiantur verba labello,
^groti veteris meditantes somnia, gigni
De nihilo niliiluiii ; in iiihiluiii nil posse reverti."
Because they cannot ride a horse, which ever}-- clown can do ; salute and court a
gentlewoman, carve at table, cringe and make conges, which every common swasher
can do, ''^hos populus riclet, &.C., they are laughed to scorn, and accounted silly fools
by our gallants. Yea, many times, such is their misery, they deserve it : "a mere
scholar, a mere ass.
74 •' who do lean awry
Their heads, piercing the earth with a fiit eye;
When, by themselves, they gnaw their niurniuring,
And furious silence, as 'twere balancing
Each word upon their out-stretched lip, and when
They meditate the dreams of old sick men,
As, ' Out of nothing, nothing can be brought ;
And that which is, can ne'er be turn'd to nought.' "
Thus they go commonly meditating unto themselves, thus they sit, such is their
action and gesture. Fulgosus, I. 8, c. 7, makes mention how Tli. Aquinas supping
with king Lewis of France, upon a sudden knocked his fist upon the table, and
cried, conclusinn est contra Manichceos, his wits were a wool-gathering, as they say,
and his head busied about other matters, when he perceived his error, he was much
^^abashed. Such a story there is of Archimedes in Vitruvius, that having found out
the means to know how much gold was mingled with the silver in king Hieron's
crown, ran naked forth of the bath and cried iv^r^xa., I have found: "®"and was com-
monly so intent to his studies, that he never perceived what was done about him :
when the city was taken, and the soldiers now ready to rifle his house, he took no
notice of it." St. Bernard rode all day long by the Lemnian lake, and asked at last
where he was, Marullus, Uh. 2, cap. 4. It was Democritus's carriage alone that
made the Abderites suppose him to have been mad, and send for Hippocrates to cure
him : if he had been in any solemn company, he would upon all occasions fall a
laughing. Theophrastus saith as much of Heraclitus, for that he continually wept,
and Laertius of Menedemus Lampsacus, because he ran like a madman, ''' saying,
"• he came from hell as a spy, to tell the devils what mortal men did." Your greatest
students are commonly no better, silly, soft fellows in their outward behaviour,
absurd, ridiculous to others, and no whit experienced in worldly business ; they can
measure the heavens, range over the world, teach others wisdom, and yet in bargains
and contracts they are circumvented by every base tradesman. Are not these men
fools .' and how should they be otherwise, " but as so many sots in schools, when
[diS '* he well observed) they neither hear nor see such things as are commonly
practised abroad.^" how should they get experience, by what means.? "'•' I knew
in my time many scholars," saith .^neas Sylvius (in an epistle of his to Gasper
Scitick, chancellor to the emperor), " excellent well learned, but so rude, so silly, that
they had no common civility, nor knew how to manage their domestic or public
affairs." " Paglarensis was amazed, and said his farmer had surely cozened him,
when he heard him tell that his sow had eleven pigs, and his ass had but one foal."
To say the best of this profession, I can give no other testimony of them in general,
than that of Pliny of Isasus ; ^" He is yet a scholar, than which kind of raeii there
is nothing so simple, so sincere, none better, they are most part harmless, honest,
upright, innocent, plain-dealing men."
Now because they are commonly subject to such hazards and inconveniences as
dotage, madness, simplicity, Stc. Jo. Voschius would have good scholars to be highly
rewarded, and had in some extraordinary respect above other men, '^ to have greater
'*' privileges than the rest, that adventure themselves and abbreviate their lives fqr_th£^
public good." But our patrons of learning are so far now-a-days from respecting
the muses, and giving that honour to scholars, or reward which they deserve, and
are allowed by those indulgent privileges of many noble princes, that after all their
"Pers. Sat. 3. They cannot fiddle; but, as Themisto-
cles said, he could make a small town become a great
city. "pers. Sat. ''Ingenium sibi quod vanas
desumpsit Athenas et septem studiis annos dedit, in-
tenuilqiie. Libris et curis statua taciturnius exit,
Plerunque et risu populum quatit, Hor. ep, 1. lib. 2.
"Translated by M. B. Holiday. '^xhoinas rubore
cnnfusus dixit se de arguniento cogitasse. '^piutarch.
Vila Marcelli, Nee sensit iirhem captam. nee milites in
domum irnientes, adeo intentus studiis, &c. "Sub
Furi:e larva eirciimi vit urben). dictitans-oeexploratorem
aD inferis V6uies0',d(ilaturumd£monibu8inorlaliuni pec-
cata. 'spetronius. Ego arbitror in grholis stultis-
simos fieri, quia nihil eorum qus in usu habemus aut
audiunt aut vident. ™\ovi meis diebus, piprosque
studiis literarum de.litos, qui disciplinis admodum abun-
dahant, sed si nihil civilitatis habent, nee rem pubt. nex
domesticam regere norant. Stupuit Paglarensis et
furti vilicum accusavit, qui suem foBtam undecim por^
cellos, asinam unum duntaxat pullumenixam relulerat.
^Lib. 1. Epist. 'i. Adhuc scholasticu? tantum est; quo
genere hominum, nihil aut e.st finipliriiis, ant sinceriiis
aut melius. *iJure privilegiandi. qui ob commune
bonum abbref
190 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sect. 2.
pains taken in the universities, cost and charge, expenses, irksome hours, laborious
tasks, wearisome days, dangers, hazards, (barred interim from all pleasures which
other men liave, mewed up like hawks all their lives) if they chance to wade through
them, thev shall in the end be rejected, contemned, and which is their greatest misery,
driven to 'their shifts, exposed to want, poverty, and beggary. Their famili;>- attend-
ants are,
«" Pallentps morbi, liirtus, ciirsque laborque I "Grief, labour, care, pale sickness, miseries,
Et iiu'tus, er malpsi.a.la fames, et turpis egestas. Fear, filthy poverty, hunger that cnrs.
Tern biles visu foriniE" I Terrible monsters to be seeu with eyes.
If there were nothing else to trouble them, the conceit of this alone were enough
to make them all melancholy. Most otlier trades and professions, after some seven
years' apprenticeship^ are enabled by their craft to live of themselves. A merchant
adventures his goods at sea, and though his hazard be greit, yet if one ship return
of four, he likely makes a saving voyage. An husbandm'<n's gains are almost cer-
tain ; guibiis ipse Jupiter nocere nan potest (whom Jove himself can't harm) ('tis
^Cato's hyperbole, a great husband himSelf); only scholars melhinks are most un-
certain, unrespected, subject to all casualties, and hazards. For tirst, not one of a
many proves to be a scholar, all are not capable and docile, ^ ex omndigno nonjit
Mcrcurius: we can make majors and otHcers every year, but not scholars: kings
can invest knights and barons, as Sigismund the emperor. confessed ; universities can
give degrees; and Tu quod es, e populo quilibet esse potest; but he nor they, nor all
the world, can give learning', make philosophers, artists, orators, poets ; we can soon
say, as Seneca well notes, 0 vinwi bonum^ a divitcm, point at a rich man, a good, a
happy man, a prosperous man, sumptuose vestilum., Calainistratum^ bene olentem^
magno tempnris impendio constat hccc laudatio, b virum literarum, but 'tis not so
easTlv performed to find out a learned man. Learning is not so quickly got, though
they' may be willing to take pains, to that end suthciently informed, and liberally
maintained by their patrons and jiarcnts, yet few can compass it. Or if tliey be
docile, yet all men's wills are not answerable to their wits, they can apprehend, but
will not take pains ; they are eitlier seduced by bad companions, vd in puellam ini-
pingtint, vcl in poculum {ihey fall in with women or wine) and so spend their time
to their friends' grief and their own undoings. Or put case they be studi<nis, indus-
trious, of ripe wits, and perhaps good capacities, then how many diseases of body
and mind must they encounter ? No labour in the world like unto study. It may
be,tlieir temperature will not endure it, but striving to be excellent to know all, they «
lose health, wealth, wit, life and all. Let him yet happily escape all these hazards,
ttreis intcstinis, with a body of brass, and is now consummate and ripe, he hath pro-
fited in his studies, and proceeded with all applause : after many expenses, he is fit
for preferment, where shall he have it? he is as far to seek it as he was (alter twenty
vears' standing) at tlie tirst day of his coming to the University. For what course
shall he take, being now capable and ready ? The most parable and easy, and about
which many are employed, is to teach a school, Uirn lecturer or gurate, and for that
he shall have falconer's wages, ten pound per annum, and his diet, or some small
stipend, so long as he can please his patron or the parish ; if they approve him not
(^for usually they do but a year or two) as inconstant, as '^ they that cried " Ilosanna''
one day, and <-' Caicify him" the other ; serving-man-like, he must go look a new
master ; if they do, what is his reward ?
sc " Hoc quoque te manet nt pueros elenienta <k)centem I '* At last thy snow-white age in suburb sfhools.
Oc<:upet extremis in vicis alba seneclus." | Shall toil in leaching boys their grammar rules.
Like an ass, he wears out his time for provender, and can show a stum roi], togam
tritam et laceram, saith " llaedus, an old torn gown, an ensign of his infelicity, he
hath his labour for his pain, a modicum to keep him till he be decrcpid, and that is
all. Grammaticus mm cstfoelix, S^-c. If he be a trencher chaplain in a grntleman's
house, as it befel ^Euphormio, after some seven years' service, he may perchance
iiave a living to the halves, or some small rectory with the mother of the maids at
length, a poor kinswoman, or a cracked chambermaid, to have and to hold during
"Virg. r. r.K. " Plutarch, vita eju». C.riijm|citur. "Mat.'Jl. _" ""''•.'P'*- *>• '• ^ ''^'''
azricolHti : .rrr.m. Sec. "t^aa^jtuii t\nu\ , 1. de contem. amo^
•ul«« et pri/<:ui.jtultt8^taM|^H^^^BWfDoii
Mem. 3. Subs. 15.]
the time of his life.
in the mean time,
Study, a Cause.
191
Bui if he offend his good patron, or displease his lady mistress
' Diicetiir Plantd velut ictus ab Hercule Cacus,
Ponetiirqiie foras, si quid teniaverit unquam
as Hercules did by Cacus, he shall be dragged forth of doors by the heels, away with
him. If he bend his forces to some other studies, with an intent to be a secretis to
some nobleman, or in such a place with an ambassador, he shall find that these per-
sons rise like apprentices one imder another, and in so many tradesmen's shops,
when the master is dead, the foreman of the shop commonly steps in his place.
Now for poets, rhetoricians, historians, philosophers, ^ mathematicians, sophisters,
&c. ; they are like grasshoppers, sing they must in summer, and pine in the winter,
for there is no preferment for them. Even so they were at first, if you will believe
that pleasant tale of Socrates, which he told fair Phaedrus under a plane-tree, at the
banks of the river Isens ; about noon when it was hot, and the grasshoppers made
a noise, he took that sweet occasion to tell him a tale, hovv grasshoppers were once
scholars, musicians, poets. Sec, before the Muses were born, and lived without meat
and drink, and for that cause were turned by Jupiter into grasshoppers. And may
be turned again, /n Tythoni Cicadas, aut Lyciorum ranas, for any reward I see they
are like to have: or else in the mean time, I would they could live, as they did,
without any viaticum, like so many ^' manucodiatae, those Indian birds of paradise,
as we commonly call them, those I mean that live with the air and dew of heaven,
and need no other food ; for being as they are, their *^ " rhetoric only serves th'em to
curse their bad fortunes," and many of them for want of means are driven to hard
shifts ; from grasshoppers they turn humble-bees and wasps, plain parasites, and
make the muses, mules, to satisfy their hunger-starved paunches, and get a meal's
meat. To say truth, 'tis the common fortune of most scholars, to be servile and
poor, to complain pitifully, and lay open their wants to their respectless patrons, as
^^ Cardan doth, as ^ Xilander and many others : and which is too common in those
dedicatory epistles, for hope of gain, to lie, flatter, and with hyperbolical eulogiums
and commendations, to magnify and extol an illiterate unworthy idiot, for his excel-
lent virtues, whom they should rather, as ^* Machiavel observes, vilify, and rail at
downright for his most notorious villanies and vices. So they prostitute themselves
as fiddlers, or mercenary tradesmen, to serve great men's turns for a small reward.
They are like ^^ Indians, they have store of gold, but know not the worth of it : for
I am of Synesius's opinion, ^''"Kiiig Hieron got more by Simonides' acquaintance,
than Simonides did by his ;" they have their best education, good institution, sole
qualification from us, and when they have done well, their honour and immortality
from us : we are the living tombs, registers, and as so many trumpeters of their
fames : what was Achilles without Homer ? Alexander without Arian and Curtius ?
who had known the Caesars, but for Suetonius and Dion ?
"Vixerunt fnrtes ante Agamemnona
Multi : sed omnes lllachrymabiles
llrgentur, ignotique longa
Nocte, carent quia vate sacro."
'Before great Agamemnon reign'd,
Reign'd kings as great as he, and brave,
Whose huge ambitioti's now contain'd
III the small compass of a grave:
In endless night they sleep, unwept, unknown.
No bard they had to make all time their own."
they are more beholden to scholars, than scholars to them ; but they undervalue
themselves, and so by those great men are kept down. Let them have that encyclo-
paedian, all the learning in the world; they must keep it to themselves, ^^"live in
base esteem, and starve, except they will submit," as Buda^us well hath it, '^ so many
good parts, so many ensigns of arts, virtues, be slavishly obnoxious to some illiterate
potentate, and live under his insolent worship, or honour, like parasites," Qui tua-
quam mures alienum panem comedunt. For to say truth, artes hce non sunt Lucra-
tiva:, as Guido Bonat that great astrologer could foresee, they be not gainful arts
these, sed esurientes etfamellccc, but poor and hungry.
69Juv. Sat. 5. «> Ars colit astra. 9' Aldrovandus
de Avibus. I. 12. Gesner, &c. '-Literas fiabent queis
Bibi et fortunsB suae maledicant. Sat. .Menip. »3Ljb.
de libris Prnpriis fnl 24. w Pnfat translat. Plutarch.
" Polit. (ii- • '- ' ; pxtollunt ens ac si virtutibus
pollerent ita scelera potius vituperare
oportsret. .-t-'s know not tiieireirength, they
consider not their own worth. '" Plura ex Simonidis
faniiliaritate Hieron consequutusest, quamex Hinroiiig
Simonides. 99 Hor. lib. 4. oil. 9. 9« Inter inertes ft
Plebeios fere jacpt, ultiraum locum hahen'!. ni«^! tot artis
virtiiti?qiie insiL'nia, turpiter obnoxii. '''"' ' '">
fascibussubjeceritproterva insolentisqi' &.
U de contempt.
192
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. l.Sec. 2
"The rich physici<">n, honoiir'd lawyers ride.
Whilst the poor scholar foots it by iheir side."
>••" Dat Galenus opes, dat Justinianiis honores,
Sed genus et species cogitur ire pedes:"
Poverty is the muses' patrimony, and as that poetical divinity teacheth us, when
Jupiter's daughters were each of them married to the gods, the muses alone wer«
left solitary, Helicon forsaken of all suitors, and I believe it was, because they had
no portion.
'Calliope longum etelebs cur viiit in tevum?
Nenipe nihil dolis, quod nunierarct, erat."
" Why did Calliope live so long a maid 1
Because she had no dowry (u be paid."
Ever since all their followers are poor, forsaken and left unto themselves. Insomuch,
tliat as ' Petronius argues, you shall likely know thcra by their clothes. " There
came," sahh he, " by chance into my company, a fellow not very spruce to look on,
that I could perceive by that note alone he was a scholar, whom commonly rich
men hate : I asked him wliat he was, he answered, a poet : I demanded again why
he was so ragged, he told me this kind of learning never made any man rich."
'"Qui Pelago credit, inagno se fenore tollit,
Ciui pugii.is et rnstra petit, pr^cingitur auro:
Vilis adulator picto jncet ebriu.s ostro.
Sola pruinosis hnrret t'acundia pauiiis."
" A merchant's gain is great, thai goes to sea;
A soldier embossed all in mM ;
A rtallerer lies foxM in brave array;
A scholar only ragged to behold."
All which our ordinary students, right well perceiving in the universities, how unpro-
fitable these poetical, mathematical, and philosophical studies are, how little respect-
ed, how few patrons ; apply themselves in all haste to those three commodious
professions of law, physic, and divinity, sharing themselves between them, "rejecting
these arts in the mean time, history, philosophy, philology, or lightly passing them
over, as pleasant toys fitting only table-tidk, and to furnish them with discourse.
They are not so behoveful : he that can tell his money hath aritlimetic enough : he
is a true geometrician, can measure out a good fortune to himself; a perfect astrolo-
ger, that can cast the rise and fall of others, and mark their errant motions to his
.)wn use. The best optics are, to rellect the beams of some great mairs favour and
grace to shine upon him. He is a good engineer that alone can make an instrument
to get preferment. 'I'his was the common tenet and practice of Polantl, as Cromerus
observed not long since, in the first book of his history ; their universities were
g<^nerally base, not a philosopher, a mathematiciaik, an antiiiuary, kc, to be found
of any note amongst them, because they had no set reward or stipend, but every, man
betook himself to divinity, hoc solum in votis habens^ opimum saccrdolitim, a good
parsonage was their aim. This was the practice of some of our near neighbours, as
* Lipsius inveighs, '' they thrust their children to the study of law and divinity, before
they be informed aright, or capable of such studies." Scilieel omnibus arlibus
antistat spts lucri, et formosior est cumulus auri, quam quicquid Graci Latinique
delirantes scripserunt. Ex hoc numero deinde veniunt ad gubemacula reipub. inter-
sunt et prasunt consiliis regum, o pater., o patria ? so he complained, and so may
otherSi For even so we find, to serve a great man, to get an office in some bishop's
court (to practise in some good town) or compass a benefice, is the mark we shoot
at, as being so advantageous, the highway to preferment.
Although many times, for aught I can see, these men fail as often as the rest in
their projects, and are as usually frustrate of their hopes. For let him be a doctor
of the law, an excellent civilian of good worth, where shall he practise and expa-
tiate .'' Their fields are so scant, the civil law with us so contracted with prohibi-
tions, so few causes, by reason of those allnlevouring municipal laws, quibus nihil
illiteratius, saith ^Erasmus, an illiterate and a barbarous study, (for thougli they be
never so well learned in it, I can hardly vouchsafe them the name of scholars, except
they be otherwise qualified) and so few courts are left to that profession, such slender
offices, and those commonly to be compassed at such dear rates, that I know not
how an insrenious man should thrive amongst them. Now for physicians, there are
in every village so many mountebanks, empirics, quacksalvers, paracelsians, as they
rail themselves, Caucijici et sanicidcn, so ® Clenard terms them, wizards, alchemists,
poor vicars, cast apothecaries, physicians' men, barbers, and good wives, professing
i"" Buchanan, eleg. lib. i In Satyricon. intrat senex, I paiipcrtate animui nihil eiiniium, aut sublimv cngilar*
•nl enlta non ita speciosus, ut facile appareret eum hac potest, amnnitatea literaruin, aut el)-gantiam,(]uoniam
nota literatum esse, quoa divitesodisae aolent. Ego nihil prsfiidii in his ad vilip coniniodum vid>?t. priioA
inq'iit Poeta luiBj^Xui^eil^AKSato restitua esT negligere, mox odiase incipit. Ileni. < Eptntol.
Prop(.<r hnr jjn^R^ngipJn^^BjjI^^ein unquam | quest, lib. 4. Ep "I >Cic«run. dial,
divitvm 1 1. ■jrtUQUIiniHIk- »Oppfe«eiiii ' lib. 1.
Mem. 3. Subs. 15.] Study, a Cause. 193
great skill, that I make great doubt how they shall be maintained, or who shall be
their patients. Besides, there are so many of both sorts, and some of them such
harpies, so covetous, so clamorous, so impudent ; and as '' he said, litigious idiots,
"dulbiis loquacis affatim arrogantise est,
Peritiae parurii aiit nihil,
Ner. ulla mica literarii salis,
Cruniermimlga natio:
Loquuteleia turba, litium strophas,
Mali>;na litigaiitiiiin cohors, logati vultures,
Laveriise alumni, Agyrtse," &c.
" Which have no skill but prating arrogance.
No learning, such a purse-milking nation ;
Gown'd vultures, thieves, and a litigious rout
Of cozeners, that haunt this occupation,"
&;c.
that they cannot well tell how to live one by another, but as he jested in the Comedy
of Clocks, they were so many, ^ major pars populi aridd reptant fame, they are
almost starved a great part of them, and ready to devour their fellows, ^ Et noxid
calUditale se corripere, such a multitude of pettifoggers and empirics, such impostors,
that an honest man knows not in what sort to compose and behave himself in their
society, to carry himself with credit in so vile a rout, scientm nomen, tot smnptibus
partum et vigiliis, prqfileri dispudeat, postquam, 8^~c.
Last of all to come to our divines, the most noble profession and worthy of double
honour, but of all others the most distressed and miserable. If you will not believe
me, hear a brief of it, as it was not many years since publicly preached at Paul's
cross, '° by a grave minister then, and now a reverend bishop of this land : " We that
are bred up in learning, and destinated by our parents to this end, we sufler our
childhood in the grammar-school, which Austin calls magnam tyrannidem, et grave
malum, and compares it to the torments of martyrdom ; when we come to the uni-
versity, if we live of the college allowance, as Phalaris objected to the Leontines,
rta.v twv ivbiis Ttxrjv uixov xai ^6^3ov, needy of all things but hunger and fear, or if we be
maintained but partly by our parents' cost, do expend in unnecessary maintenance,
books' and degrees, before we come to any perfection, five hundred pounds, or a
thousand marks. If by this price of the expense of time, our bodies and spirits, our
substance and patrimonies, we cannot purchase those small rewards, which are ours
by law, and the right of inheritance, a poor parsonage, or a vicarage of 50Z. per
annum, but we must pay to the patron for the lease of a life (a spent and out-worn
life) either in annual pension, or above the rate of a copyhold, and that with the
hazard and loss of our souls, by simony and perjury, and the forfeiture of all our
spiritual preferments, in esse and posse, both present and to come. What father after
a while will be so improvident to bring up his son to his great charge, to this neces-
sary beggary .^ What christian will be so irreligious, to bring up his son in that
course of life, which by all probability and necessity, cogit ad turpia, enforcing to
sin, will entangle him in simony and perjury," when as the poet said, Invitatus ad
hcec aliquis de ponte negahit : " a beggar's brat taken from the bridge where he sits
a begging, if he knew the inconvenience, had cause to refuse it." This being thus,
have not we fished fair all this while, that are initiate divines, to find no better fruits
of our labours, " hoc est cur palles, cur quis non prandeat hoc est ? do we macerate
ourselves for this ^ Is it for this we rise so early all the year long .'' '^" leaping (as
he saith) out of our beds, when we hear the bell ring, as if we had heard a thunder-
clap." If this be all the respect, reward and honour we shall have, '^ frange leves
calamos, et scinde Thalia libeUos : let us give over our books, and betake ourselves
to some other course of life ; to what end should we study ? '"* Quid me litterulas
stulti docuere parentes, what did our parents mean to make us scholars, to be as far
to seek of preferment after twenty years' study, as we were at first : why do we
take such pains .? Q^dd tantum insanis jnvat impallescere chartis ? If there be no
more hope of reward, no better encouragement, I say again, Frange leves calamos^
et scinde Thalia libellos ; let 's turn soldiers, sell our books, and buy swords, guns,
and pikes, or stop bottles with them, turn our philosopher's gowns, as Cleanthes once
did, into millers' coats, leave all and rather betake ourselves to anv other course of
life, than to continue longer in this misery. '' PrcBStat dentiscalpia radere, quam
literariis monumentis magnatum favorem emendicare.
Yea, but methinks 1 hear some man except at these words, that though this b«
'Ja.Dniisa Ejinrinn. lib. 2. car. 2. » Plautus. j " Pers. Sat;'3. WE lectoe^silientes, ad subitum tin
' Hnrf Ari'Dis lib. J. '" Joh. Howson 4 Novembris | tinuabQIi plausum^uaai ftttmijie territl. 1. '^Marl
loy?. ihe sermon was printed by Arnold Hartfleld. | "Mart. -- - - -
R
194 Causes of MelancJulij. [Pan. 1. Sec. 2.
true which I have said of the estate of scliolars, and especially of divines, that it is
miserable and distressed at tliis lime, that tlie church suffers shipwreck of her goods,
and that they have just cause to complain; there is a fault, but whence proceeds it?
If the cause were justly examined, it would be retorted upon ourselves, if we were
cited at that tribunal of truth, we should be found guilty, and not able to excuse it
That there is a fault among us, I confess, and were there not a buyer, there would
not be a seller; but to him that will eon.sider better of it, it will more than mani-
festly appear, that the fountain of these miseries proceeds from these griping patrons.
In accusing them, I do not altogether excuse us ; both are faulty, they and we : yet
in my judgment, theirs is the greater fault, more apparent causes and much to be
condemned. For my part, if it be not with me as 1 would, or as it should, I do
ascribe the cause, as "'Cardan did in the like case; mco hiforlumo po/iiis quam illo-
rum scelf'rU to "mine own infelicity ratlier than their naughtuiess : allliougli I have
been baiHed in my time by st>me of them, and have as just cause to conii)lain as
another : or rather indeed to mine own negligence ; for I was ever like tliat Alexan-
der in '"Plularch, Crassus his tutor in philosophy, who, though he lived many years
familiarly with rich Crassus, was even as poor when from, (which many wondered
at) as wiien he came first to him; he never asked, the other never gave him any-
thing; when he travelled with Crassus he borrowed a hat of him, at his return
restored it again, I have had some such noble friends' acquaintance and scholars,
but niost part (conmion courtesies and ordinary respects excepted) they and I parted
as we met, they gave me as much as I requested, and that was — And as Alexander
ab Jllexundro Genial, dier. I. 6. c. 16. made answer to Hieronimus jMassainus, that
wondered, qunm plures ignavos et ignohiles ad dignilates et sacerdotia promotos quo-
tidie vidcret., when other men rose, still he was in the same state, eodim tcnore et
forluna cui mcrctdem laburum sludiarumque debcri pularet, whonj he thought to
deserve as well as the rest. He made answer, that he was content with his present
estate, was not ambitious, and although objurgdbundus suam segniticm accusaref, cum
obscurcE sortis homines ad sacerdotia et pontifical us evectos, <^-c., he chid him for his
backwardness, yet he was still the same : and for my part (though I be not worthy
perhaps to carry Alexander's books) yet by some overweening and well-wishing
friends, the like speeches have been used to me; but I replied still with Alexander,
that I had euonirh, and more peradventure than I deserved ; and with Libanius So-
phista, that rather chose (^wheii honours and offices by the emperor were oflL-red unto
Jiim) to be talis Sophisia, quam talis Magistratus. I had as lief be still Democritus
junior, and privus prii-alus, si mihi jam daretur optio, quam talis forlasse Doctor^
talis Dominus. Sed quorsum hcec ? For the rest 'tis on both sides facinus
detestandum, to buy and sell livings, to detain from the church, that which God's and
men's laws have bestowed on it ; but in them most, and that from the covetousnegs
vand ignorance of such as are interested in this business ; I name covetousness in the
first place, as the root of all these mischiefs, which, Achan-like, compels them to
• commit sacrilege, and to make simoniacal compacts, (and what not) to their own
ends, " that kindles God's wrath, brings a plague, vengeance, and a heavy visitation
upon themselves and others. Some out of that insatiable desire of filthy lucre, to be
enriched, care not how they come by it per fas et nefas^ hook or crook, so they
have it. And others when they have with riot and prodigality eml)ezzled their
estates, to recover themselves, make a prey of the church, robbing it, as ^^ Julian the
apostate did, spoil parsons of their revenues (in keeping half back, '^' as a great man
amongst us observes:) "and that maintenance on which tliey should live:" by
means whereof, barbarism is increased, and a great decay of christian professors: for
■who will apply himself to these divine studies, iiis sou, or friend, when after great
pains taken, they shall have nothing whereupon to live ? But with what event do
they these things ?
""Oppsque tntis viritius venatnini.
At inde nic8«ig aceidit niiiierriina."
"Lib. 3. de eons. •" I li.id no money, I wanti-d im- I nc.c facile jiidicare potest utrum paup<*rior cum priino
piidencp, I could not scraniblo. teuipi.ri-.-, <Ii--.Mibl..-: ad CraMum, itc. I'Dcum habeiil iratuiii, sibique
non prand<^'et nlu^&c^i^^ujaa^a :i et | mortem xternam ucquiriiiit aliiH iniMTabilctii riiinam.
•dul.indiini peuAtB^^^^^H^B i jam I S<^rrariU!) in Josiiain, 7. Kiiripide*. » Nic< plioru* lib
Kiiior 111 Mii|^^^^^^^^^^^^^K|(|ii il HI I 10. c.'i|i 5. rii,,k, ill Jil«_Bepiiftii. bccund p«r
Ucm. 3. Subs. 15.]
Study, a Cause.
,95-
They toil and moil, but wliai reap they.' They are commonly unfortunate families
that use it, accursed in their progeny, and, as common experience evinceth, accursed
themselves in all their proceedings. "With what face (as ^he quotes out of Aust.)
can tliey expect a blessing or inheritance from Christ in heaven, that defraud Christ
of his inheritance here on earth .'" I would all our simoniacal patrons, and such as
detain tithes, would read tliose judicious tracts of Sir Henry Spelman, and Sir James
SempiU, knights ; those late elaborate and learned treatises of Dr. Tilflye, and 3Ir.
Montagufe, wliich they have written of that subject. But though they should read,
it would be to small purpose, dames licet el mare cxlo Confundas ; thunder, lighten,
preach hell and damnation, tell them 'tis a sin, they will not believe it ; denounce
and terrify, they have ^'cauterised consciences, they do not attend, as the enchanted
adder, they stop their ears. Call them base, irreligious, profane, barbarous, pagans, '
atheists, epicures, (as some of tliem surely are) with the bawd in Plautus, Euge,
eptime, they cry and applaud themselves with that miser, ^^si?nid ac nummos con-
templor in area : say what you will, quocunque modo rem : as a dog barks at the
moon, to no purpose are your sayings : Take your heaven, let them have money. A
base, profane, epicurean, hypocritical rout : for my part, let them pretend what zeal
they will, counterfeit religion, blear the world's eyes, bombast themselves, and stuff
out their greatness with church spoils, shine like so many peacocks; so cold is my
charity, so defective in this behalf, that I shall never think better of them, than that
they are rotten at core, their bones are full of epicurean hypocrisy, and allieistical
marrow, they are worse than heathens. For as Dionysius Halicarnasseus observes,
Antiq. Rom. lib. 7. '^Primum locAtm, &c. " Greeks and Barbarians observe all reli-
gious rites, and dare not break them for fear of offending their gods ; but our simo-
niacal contractors, our senseless Achans, our stupified patrons, fear neither God nor
devil, they have evasions for it, it is no sin, or not due jure divino, or if a sin, no
great sin, &c. And though they be daily punished for it, and tiiey do manifestly per-
ceive, that as he said, frost and fraud come to foul ends ; yet as ^' Chrysostoni fol-
lows it JS'ulla ex poena sit correctio, et quasi adversis malitia hominum provocctur,
crescit quotidie quod puniatur : they are rather worse than better, — iram atque ani-
mos a crimine sumunt., and the more they are corrected, the more they offend : but
let them take their course, ^Rode caper vites, go on still as they begin, 'tis no sin,
let them rejoice secure, God's vengeance will overtake them in the end, and these
ill-gotten goods, as an eagle's feathers, ^^will consume the rest of their substance;
it is ^ aurum Tholosanum, and will produce no better effects, ^' " Let them lay it up
safe, and make their conveyances never so close, lock and shut door," saith Chry-
sostoni, " yet fraud and covetousness, two most violent thieves are still included,
and a little gain evil gotten will subvert the rest of their goods. The eagle in iEsop,
seeing a piece of flesh now ready to be sacrificed, swept it away with her claws, and
carried it to her nest ; but there was a burning coal stuck to it by chance, which
unawares consumed her young ones, nest, and all together. Let our simoniacal
church-chopping patrons, and sacrilegious harpies, look for no better success.
A second cause is ignorance, and from thence coirtempt, successit odium in Uterus ab
ignorantid vulgi ; which "^Junius well perceived : this hatred and contempt of learn-
ing proceeds out of ^^ ignorance; as they are themselves barbarous, idiots, dull, illiterate,
and proud, so they esteem of others. Sint Meccenates, non dcerunt Flacce Marones:
Let tliere be bountiful patrons, and there will be painful scholars in all sciences. BiU
when they contemn learning, and think themselves sufficiently qualified, if they can
write and read, scramble at a piece of evidence, or have so much Latin as that em-
peror had, ^qui nescit dissimulare, nescif vicere, they are unfit to do their country
service, to perform or undertake any action or employment, which may tend to the
good of a commonwealth, except it be to fight, or to do country justice, with com-
mon sense, which every yeoman can likewise do. And so they bring up their chil-
dren, rude as they are themselves, unqualified, untaught, uncivil most part. ^'Quis e
23 Sir Henry Spelman, de non temeraridis Erclisiis.
»• I Tim 4i. '^ Hot. '^ Prinrim locum apiid
ornii'-s piiilps hahet patritiiis deoriiin cultus, ft genio-
rum, nam liunc diiiti«irnf rii^tridjiint. lain Gra-ri quam
Barliari, &c.^.^,^-*T>>iir: 1. ile sttriJ. irium aiiiMiniin
•■^Ovid. Fast. -■■' Ue dial.'
ilixres. Mgtrabo. lib. 4.
Geng. 31 \,h
et fraiide parr
eiteriore
frauilei
= opes evcrtPt, quain avaritia
[ • - iiim seram a'lilas tali area? et
uam^ommuiiias, int!is tamen
iftuani. die. rn'9M(iriiilri ^ Acad.
^Ars neminein habet iniin 'iiii prater
iioi <lis5i-i..ii;e cannut
2i. Lupaius.
196 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
nostrd jtwentute legitime instituitur Uteris? Quis oratores aut Philosophos tangit?
quis historiam legit., illam rerum agendarnm quasi animam? prcpcipitant parcntes vota
sua., S)-c. 'twas Lipsius' complaint to his illiterate countrymen, it may be ours. Now
shall these men judge of a scholar's worth, that have no worth, that know not what
belongs to a student's labours, that cannot distinguish between a true scholar and a
drone .'' or him that by reason of a voluljle tongue, a strong voice, a pleasing tone,
and some trivially polyanthean helps, steals and gleans a few notes from other men's
harvests, and so makes a fairer show, than he that is truly learned incfeed : that
thinks it no more to preach, than to speak, ^'^'' or to run away with an empty cart;
as a grave man said : and thereupon vilil'y us, and our pains ; scorn us, and all learn-
ing. '^ Because they are rich, and have other means to live, they think it concerns
thein not to know, or to trouble themselves with it ; a titter task for younger bro-
thers, or poor men's sons, to be pen and inkhorn men, pedantical slaves, and no whit
beseeming the calluig of a gentleman, as Frenchmen and Germans conunonly do,
neglect therefore all human learning, what have they to do with it } Let mariners
learn astronomy ; merchants, factors stuch' arithmetic ; surveyors get them geometry ;
spectacle-makers optics ; landleapers geography ; town-clerks rhetoric, what should
he do with a spade, that hath no ground to dig; or they with learning, that have no
use of it ? thus they reason, and are not asliamed to let mariners, apprentices, and
the basest servants, be better qualified thati themselves. In former times, kings,
princes, and emperors, were the only scholars, excellent in all faculties.
Julius Caesar mended the year, aiul writ his own Commentaries,
* " media inter priplia semper,
Stellaruiii ca;liqu>- plagis, supcrUque vacavit."
^Antonius, Adrian, Nero, Seve. Jul. he. ^"Michael the emperor, and Isacius, were
so much given to their studies, that no base fellow would take so much pains : Orion,
Perseus, Alphonsus, Ptolomeus, famous astronomers; Sabor, Mithridates, Lysima-
chus, admired physicians : Plato's kings all : Kvax, that Arabian prince, a most e.xpert
jeweller, and an excpiisite philosopher ; the kings of Egypt were priests of old, chosen
and from thence, — Idem rex hominum, Phiehique sacerdos : but those heroical times
are past ; the Muses are now banished in this bastard age, ad sordida tuguriola; to
meaner persons, and confined alone almost to universities. In those days, scholars
were highly beloved, ■" honoured, esteemed ; as old Emiius by Scipio Africanus, Vir-
gil by Augustus ; Horace by Mecapnas : princes' companions ; dear to them, as Ana^-
rreon to Polycrates ; Philoxenus to Dionysius, and highly rewarded. Alexander sent
Xenocrates the philosopher fifty talents, because he was poor, risM rerum,, aut cru-
ditione f)rcestajites r/r<, viensis ohm regum adhibili, as Philostratus relates of Adrian
and Lampridius of Alexander Severus : famous clerks came to these prhices' courts,
velut in Liicceum, as to a university, and were admitted to their tables, quasi dioum
epulis accnmbentes ; Archilaus, that Macedt)nian king, would not willingly sup with-
out Euripides, (amongst the rest he drank to him at supper one night, and gave him
a cup of gold for his pains) delectatus poetce suavi sermone ; and it was fit it should
be so ; because as *^ Plato in his Protagoras well saith, a good philosopher as much
excels other men, as a great king doth the commons of his country ; and again,
*^quoniam illis nihil deest., et minime egere sohnt., et disciplinas qiias prflfitentur, soli
a contemptu vindicare possunt, they needed not to beg so basely, as they compel
"scholars in our times to complain of poverty, or crouch to a rich chuff" for a meal's
meat, but could vindicate themselves, and those arts which they professed. Now
they would and cannot : for it is held by some of them, as an axiom, that to keep
them poor, will make them study ; they must be dieted, as horses to a race, not pam-
pered, ^Jllendos volunt., non saginandos, ne melioris mentis ftammula extinguulur ; a
fat bird w ill not sing, a fat dog cannot hunt, and so by this ilepression of theirs
** some want means, others will, all want *'' encouragement, as being forsaken almost ;
s^Dr. Kiiie. in his last lectnre on Jonah, sometime
right raverend lord l)ishop of London. ^Quibus
(ipes el oliiini, hi barbaro f.isty literas rDnteriiiiiint.
*■ Lncan. lib, h. sh j..-. <- i,.... .•.. . i ., . j[„jg_
♦■ Nicet. 1 \:. i! i'ilii int.
•lOrwniiii.Uii IS i.liMi et i ,.iri.
bant lieroas. Erasin. ep. Jo. Fabio epis. Vii-n. « Pro-
bud vir et Phili>!«^>phiJ!i niai!i!< prtL-Htat inter alios homi-
nes, quain rex inclitiis inter plebeioi>. oHeiniiiii*
prafat. Poematum. oArvile noiiien Schojarm jam.
"Seneca. *'Haud facile eincrgnnl. &r. <' Media
quod noctid ab liora !<cdir<y qua iijmiio I'nber. qua neinu
111:1 eruUii .i'.>ii3.^' .... tu.i.iii di^iii' ' sidi h.nt. qui (lu«et%Wt«iu(^^li||^^^^^|^)(|^erro^rara
UuiU||^B^jBH^|Mik.AMtW oma- . luiiiMi liK.rces. Juv. iSat. 7> ,
Mem. 3. Subs. 15.] Study, a Cause. 197
and generally contemneJ. 'Tis an old saying, Sint Mecanates, non deerunt Flacce
Marones, and 'tis a true saying still. Yet oftentimes I may not deny it the main
fault in in ourselves. Our academics too frequently offend in neglecting jiatrons. as
*' Erasmus well taxeth, or making ill choice of them ; negligimus oblatos aid amplec-
timur parum aptos^ or it we get a good one, non studemus mututs nJjicUs. far orem ejus
alere, we do not ply and follow him as we should. Idem mihi accidit Adolescenti
(saith Erasmus) acknowledging his fault, et gravissime peccavi, and so may ^^ I say
myself, I have offended in this, and so peradventure have many others. We did not
spondere magnatum favor ilus, qui cczperunt nos amplecti, apply ourselves with that
readiness we should : idleness, love of liberty, immodicus amor libertatis ejfecit ut
dill cum pcrjidis amicis, as he confesseth, et pertinaci pauperale colluctarer, bashful-
ness, melancholy, timorousness, cause many of us to be too backward and remiss.
So some offend in one extreme, but too many on the other, we are most part too
forward, too solicitous, too ambitious, too impudent ; we commonly complain deesse
J\Icecenates, of want of encouragement, want of means, when as the true defect is in
our own want of worth, our insufficiency : did Maecenas take notice of Horace or
Virgil till they had shown themselves first } or had Bavins and ilevius any patrons ?
. Egregium specimen dent, saith Erasmus, let them approve themselves worthy first,
sufficiently qualified for learning and manners, before they presume or impudently
intrude and put themselves on great men as too many do, with such base flattery,
parasitical colloguing, such hyperbolical elogies they do usually insinuate that it is
a shame to hear and see. ImmodlccB iaiides conciliant invidiam, pot ius quam laudem,
and vain commendations derogate from truth, and we think in conclusion, non meliiis
dc laudato, pejus de laudante, ill of both, the commender and commended. So we
offend, but the main fault is in their harshness, defect of patrons. How beloved of
old, and how much respected was Plato to Dionysius } How dear to Alexander was
Aristotle, Demeratus to Philip, Solon to CroDsus, Anexarcus and Trebatius to Augus-
tus, Cassius to Vespatian, Plutarch to Trajan, Seneca to Nero, Simonides to Hieron.^
how honoured }
'o " Sed hffic prius fuere, nunc recondita
Senent quiete,"
those days are gone ; Et spes, et ratio stiidiorum in CoRsare tantum : ^' as he said of
old, we may truly say now, he is our amulet, our '^ sun, our sole comfort and refuge,
our Ptolemy, our common ]\I<Ecenas, Jacohus munijicus. Jacobus pacificus. mi/sta Mu-
sarum, Rex Platonicus : Grande decus, columenque nostrum : a famous scholar him-
self, and the sole patron, pillar, and suslainer of learning : but his worth in this kind
is so well known, that as Paterculus of Cato, Jam ipsum laudare nefas sit : and
which ^ Pliny to Trajan. Seria te carmina, honorque ceternus annalium, non hcBC bre-
vis et pudenda prcedicatio colet. But he is now gone, the sun of ours set, and yet no
night follows, Sol occubidl, nox nulla sequuta est. We have such another in his room,
^^ aureus alter. Avulsus, simili frondescit virga metallo, and long may he reign and
flourish amongst us.
Let me not be malicious, and lie against my genius, I may not deny, but that we
have a sprinkling of our gentry, here and there one. excellently well learned, like
those Fuffgeri in Germany; Dubartus, Du Plessis, Sadael, in France; Picus ^lii-an-
dula, Schottus, Barotius, in Italy; Apparent rari nantcs in gurgite vasfo. But they
are but few in respect of the multitude, the major part (and some again excepted,
that are inditferent) are whoUv bent for hawks and hounds, and carried away many
times with intemperate lust, gaming and drinking. If they read a book at any
time (s?' quod est interim olii a venatu, poculis, alea, scortis) 'tis an English Chroni-
cl? St. Huon of Bordeaux, Amadis de Gaul, &.C., a play-book, or some pamphlet of
news, and that at such seasons only, when they cannot stir abroad, to drive away
time, " their sole discourse is dogs, hawks, horses, and what news ? If some one
have been a traveller in Italy, or as far as the emperor's court, wintered in Orleans,
and can court his mistress in broken French, wear his clothes neatly in the newest
fashion, sirig some choice outlandish tunes, discourse of lords, ladies, towns, palaces,
■•sCJIiil. -1. Cr-r.t, 1. adag. 1. *s Flad I done as others | are Cf>ntri>d in Caesar aloi^^ •> ,*'^>mn fst quern non
did, 1' - f rward. I ifiiL'lit havi; liaply I..-, ii a- Phihu< hic poster, solo intuitu lubenii r m reddat.
preai - luany of my equals. ■■ (':i;mII i>. | -' riiiiesyr. ^Virgil.. as Raru^ ■ inni I'erine
Jiy-"" -- All our hopes and iaducemenls tu <tiidv | ~<jusus communiMBa|i^AHriH|i^^UV. Sal. c.
r2
x98 . Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
and cities, he is complete and to be admired: ^ otiierwise he and they are much at
one ; no difference between the master and the man, but worshipful titles ; wink and
choose betwixt him that sits down (clothes excepted) and him that holds the trencher
behind him : yet these men must be our patrons, our governors too sometimes, states-
men, magistrates, noble, great, and wise by inheritance.
Mistake me not (I say again) Vos 6 Patritius sanguis, you that are worthy sena-
tors, gentlemen, I honour your names and persons, and with all submissiveness, pros-
trate myself to your censirre and service. There are amongst you, I do ingenuously
confess, many well-deserving patrons, and true patriots, of my knowledge, besides
many hundreds which I never saw, no doubt, or heard of, pillars of our common-
wealth, ^' whose worth, bounty, learning, forwardness, true zeal in religion, and good
esteem of all scholars, ought to be consecrated to all posterity; but of your rank,
there are a debauclied, corrupt, covetous, illiterate crew again, no better than stocks,
merum pccus (testor Deum, non mihi videri dignas ingenui hominis appellatione)
barbarous Tliracians, et quis ille Uirax qui hoc negetf a sordid, profane, pernicious
companv. irreligious, impudent and stupid, I know not what epithets to give them,
enemies to learning, confounders of the church, and the ruin of a commonweahh ;
patrons they are by risrht of inheritance, and put in trust freely to dispose of such»
livings to the church's good ; but (hard task-masters they prove) they lake away
their straw, and compel them to make their number of brick : they commonly respect
their own eiulis, conmiodity is the steer of all their actions, and him they pre.-ent in
conclusion, as a man of greatest gifts, tliat will give most ; no penny, ^^ no pater-
noster, as the saving is. JS''isi preces aiiro fulcias, amplius irritas : xU Cerhcrtis ojf'a,
their attendants and officers must be briljed, feed, and made, as Cerberus is with a
sop by him tliat goes to hell. It was an old saying. Omnia Roma venalia, (all things
are venal at Home,) 'tis a rag of Popery, whirli will never be rooted out, there is no
hope, iTo good to be done witliout money. A clerk nuiy offer himself, approve his
*® worth, learning, honesty, religion, zeal, they will counuend htm for it; l)ut ^pro~
hitas hiudalur et uJgct. If he be a man of extmordiuary parts, they will flock afar
off to hear him, a.s they ilid in Apuleius, to see Psyche : rnulti morlahs conjlurbunt
ad videndum ftcpculi decus, speculum gloriosum, laudatur ah omnibus, speclalur oh mn-
nibus, nee quisquam rum rex, nmi rrgius, cupidus ejus nuptiarinrti pelitor accedil; miran-
tur qnid'tn divinam formam omnes,sed ut simulacrum fabre polilum mirantur ; many
mortal men came to see fair Psych'e the glory of her age, they did admire her, com-
mend, desire her for her divine beauty, and gaze upon her ; but as on a picture ; none
would marry her, quod indotata, fair Psyche had no money. *'So they do by learning;
«" .lidir.it jam dives avatus | " "^"V/ 7'' ""^" "«''« ""^v l.-arnM of l.itl.r days
TanluM. admirarf. lantu.n laodare disertos. ,„ \ «""""',• ':""""b>"l; a..d come ioK,Mher
Ul pueri Juuoms avein" T.. hear and «..• a w,,rthy « hola .p.-ak.
*^ I As children do a peacock s feaUi^r."
He shall have all the good words that may b^ given, "^'a proper man, and 'tis pity he
hath no preferment, all good wishes, but inexorable, indurate as he is, he will not
prefer him, though it be in his power, because he is indotalus, he hath no money
Or if he do give him entertainment, let him be never so well qualified, plead atlinity,
consanguinity, sufficiency, he shall serve seven years, as Jacob did for Rafhel, before
he shall have it. " If he will enter at first, he must iret in at that Simoniacal gate, come
off soundly, and put in good security to perform all covenants, else he will not deal
with, or admit him. But if some poor scholar, some parson chaff, will oiler himself;
some trencher chaplain, that will take it to the halves, thirtls, or accepts of what he
will give, he is welcome; be conformable, preach as he will have him, he likes him
before a million of others; for the best is always best cheap: and then as Ilierom
said to Cromatius, patella dignum operculum, such a patron, such a clerk ; the cure
is well supplied, and all parties pleased. So that is still verified in our age, which
'^Chrysostom complained of in his time, Qui opulent Lores sunt, in ordinem parasito-
"ftuis enim senerosum dixerit hunc que Indi»nu»-| Sat. ■?. "Juvenal. <• Tu vero licet Orphtru*
eenere, et pra'claro nomine tantiim, Insignis. Juve. 8i», saxa Bonu tesludinisemntliens, nisi plumlM-a coriim
Sat. 8. "I have often met with myself, and con- I corda, auri vel artrenti malleo eniolliaK, 4,c. 3aliii-
ferred with divers worthy seiitUmcn in thf- coiiMlry, no huriensis Pnli.ril. lil.. .'». c. 10. «'Jiiven. Hat 7.
whit inferior, if nol^o^,tirui.rriMl i;,r ilivr-* kinds of , o Euge bent - I) usa e(md. liti.-2. — dos ipaa
learning to mauSHKr academics. ~~ J; -licet . scieiitia .sitii'; .:ii e^t. •^Uualnor ad
Musis veniasjf^^^^^^Hpmere, Nil tamen .iltui* rl:4, | porla^ RrrN- .uuca, -^i ,'yii.i- ,• it .-' uiMiia,
ibis Homere I^^^^^^^^IMHM|ki||nricus uucli>r<;. . r , - ,[^ uLqiie 1;' i. •'Lib.<
Mem. 3. Subs. 15.] Study, a Cause. 199
rum cogunt eos^ et rjjsos tanquam canes ad mensas suas enutriunf, eorumquc impudenfes
Venires iniquarmn ccznarum reJiquiis differtiunt, iisdem pro arhilro abiUcntes : Kick
men keep these lecturers, and fawning parasites, like so many dogs at their tables,
and filling their hungry guts with the offals of their meat, tiaey abuse them at their
pleasure, and make them say what they propose. ^®"As children do by a bird or a
butterfly in a string, pull in and let him ouf as they list, do they by their trencher
chaplains, prescribe, command their wits, let in and out as to them it seems best. If
the patron be precise, so must his chaplain be ; if he be papistical, his clerk must be
so too, or else be turned out. These are those clerks which serve' the turn, whom
they commonly entertain, and present to church livings, whilst in the meantime we
that are University men, like so many hide-bound calves in a pasture, tarry out our
time, wither away as a flower ungathered in a garden, and are never used ; or as so
many candles, illuminate ourselves alone, obscuring one another"'s light, and are not
discerned here at all, the least of which, translated to a dark room, or to some coun-
try benefice, where it might shine apart, would give a fair light, and be seen over all.
Whilst we lie waiting here as those sick men did at the Pool of ^" Bethesda, till the
Angel stirred the water, expecting a good hour, they step between, and beguile us
of our preferment. I have not yet said, if after long expectation, much expense,
travel, earnest suit of ourselves and friends, we obtain a small benefice at last ; our
misery begins afresh, we are suddenly encountered with the flesh, world, and devil,
with a new onset ; we change a quiet life for an ocean of troubles, we come to a
ruinous house, which before it be habitable, must be necessarily to our great dajiiage
repaired ; we are compelled to sue for dilapidations, or else sued ourselves, and scarce
yet settled, we are called upon for our predecessor's arrearages ; first-fruits, tenths,
subsidies, are instantly to be paid, benevolence, procurations, &c., and which is most
to be feared, we light upon a cracked title, as it befel Clenard of Brabant, for his rec-
tory, and charge of his Begince ; he was no sooner inducted, but instantly sued, cepi-
musqtie ^^(saith he) strenue lUigare, et implacaiili bcUo conjtigere: at length after ten
years' suit, as long as Troy's siege, when he had tired himself, and spent his money,
he was fain to leave all for quietness' sake, and give it up to his adversary. Or else
we are insulted over, and trampled on by domineering officers, fleeced by those greedy
harpies to get more fees ; we stand in fear of some precedent lapse ; we fall amongst
refractory, seditious sectaries, peevish puritans, perverse papists, a lascivious rout of
atheistical Epicures, tliat Avill not be reformed, or some litigious people (those wild
beasts of Ephesus must be fought with) that will not pay their dues without much
repining, or compelled by long suit ; Laid clericis oppido infesti, an old axiom, all
they think well gotten that is had from the church, and by such uncivil, harsh deal-
ings, they make their poor minister weary of his place, if not his life ; and put case
tiiey be quiet honest men, make the best of it, as often it falls out, from a polite
and tei-se academic, he must turn rustic, rude, melancholise alone, learn to foi-get, or
else, as many do, become maltstei-s, graziers, chapmen, Stc. (now banished from t'ae
academy, all commerce of the muses, and confined to a country village, as Ovid was
from Rome to Pontus), and daily converse with a company of idiots and clowns,,^
Nus interim quod attinet [nee enim imniunes ah Jinc noxn snrmis) idem reatus
manet, idem nobis, et si non multo gravius, crimni objici potrst : Jiostrd rnim culpa
sit, nostra incurid, nostra, avaritid, quod tarn frcquentes, foedccque Jiant in EcclesiA
nundinationes, (tempium est VEenale, deusque) tot sordes invehantur, tanta grnsse-
tur impietas, tanta ntquiiia, tam insanus miscriarum Euripus, et turbarum cestuor
rium^ nostra inquam, omnimn {Academicorum imprimis) vilio sit. Quod tot Rfsp.
malis afficiatur, a nobis seminarium; ultrb malum hoc accersimus, et qudvis contu-
melid, qudvis inti7-im miseria digni, qui pro virili non occurrimus. Quid tnhn fieri
posse speramus, quum tot indies sine delectu pauperes alumni, tcrrce filii, et cvjus-
cunque ordinis komunciones ad gradus certatim odmittantur ? qui si dcfinitionem,
distinetionemrque nnam ant altrram memoriter edidicf rint , rt pro more tot annos in
dialietira posucrint, non rrftrt quo profectu, quales drmum siiif, idiotce, nugatores
otiatorcs, alentores, compotores, indigni, libidinis voluptatumque administri, " Sponsi
rs pr^.^criliiuit. iin|ie.'niit. in nrdiruMii cngunt, inje- [ cpnsent(a.'1fWMhft(W>|jHBBp>5.- «* Fpi^t. lih. ?
11 iinsiriiin iii'nul )|>.~i^ videljilur, abtrinnimt et re- | Jam sum:c(us mVi^Bll^^^^bi, prntHiu.- 'vrtus es
. .\aitt lit pnpiliuiieni piieri aiit bruchuin &lo demit- adversarius, AMB^^^^^^^^Kes, suiuptuf, .kc
tuui, aut atirahuat, noa a libidine sua peudere Kquum
£00 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sect. 3
Penelopes, ncbulones, Alcinoique," modo tot annos in academic insumpserint, et se
pro togatis vindilarint; lucri causa, et amicorum interctssu prcesenlantur; addo
ttiani et magnijicis nonnu iguam elogiis morum et scientice; etjani valedicturi testi'
monialibus liisce tltteris, amplissime conscn'ptis in eoruin gratiam hunorantur, ab
its, qui Jidei Slue et existimationis jactiiram prociddubio faeiunt. Doctorea eniin et
professores {quod ait *^^ille) id unum curant, ut ex protessionibus frequeiitibus, et
tumultuariispotius quam legitimis, comnioda sua proinoverant, et ex disueudio pub-
lico suuiii faciant increinentuiii. Id solum in votis habent annui plerumque iiuti^is-
t7-otus, ut ab incipieniium numero '°pecunias emungant, nee multuin interest qui sint,
litrratores an literati, modo pingues, nitidi, ad uspectuui spn:iosi, et quod verba
dicain,peeuniosi sint. ''Philosupkastri tieentieiiitur in urtibus, urtem qui nun habent,'^
Eosque sapientes esse jubeiit, qui nulla prajditi sunt sapientia, et iiiiiil ad graduin
prajterquaui velle adferuut. Theologastri [soloant mudo) satis superque duUi, per
omnes honorum gradus eve/iuntur et ascendunt. Atque Itinrjit quod tarn viles seurree,
tot passim idiotce, literarhm crcpusculo positi, larvce pastorum, eireunifurunei, vagi,
harbi, fungi, erassi, asini, vierum pecus in saerosanetos theolugiw aditus, illotis
pedibus irrumpant, proeter inverecundani frontem adferentes nihil, vulgares quas-
dam quisquilins, et scholarium quccdeim nut^amenta, indigna quee vel reeipiantur in
triviis. Hoe illud indignum genus huminum et famelicum, indigum, vagum, ventris
maneipium, ad stivam potius relegeindum, ad haras aptius quam ad uras, quod divi-
nas hasce Uterus turpiter prustituit ; hi sunt qui pulpita coinplent, in cedes nubiliuni
irrepunt, et quum reliquis vitcc destituuntur subsidiis, ob corporis et animi egesta-
tem, aliarum in repub. partium miniiiie eapaees suit; ad sacrani hane anchoram con-
fugiunt, sacerdotiuni qvoDisino<ld cuptantes, non ex sincerilate, quod "Paiilus ait,
sed cauponantcs verbum Dt-i. Ne quis interim viris bonis detractum quid putet, quos
habet ecclesta Anglicana quamplurimos, eggregie doctos, illustres, intactce famte
homines, et plures forsan quam eiucevis Europce prorincia; ne quis uforentisimis
Academits, qute tiros undiqudque doctissimos, omni virtutum gentre suspicieiidos,
abunde producunt. Et multb plures utraque habitura, multo splendidior futura, si
non hcB sordts splendidum lumen ejus obfuscarent, obstaret corruplio, et cauponantes
queedam harpyce, proletariique bonum hoc nobis non inviderent. Nemo eniin tarn
ccecd mente, qui non hue ipsum videat: nemo tarn stolido ingenio, qui non intelligat ,
tarn per linaci judicio, qui nonagnoscat,ab hisidiotis circumforaneis, sacrum poilui
Theolugiam, uc calestes Musas qitasi prophanum quiddam prostitui. Viles auinitfi
et etTronles [sic tnim Lutlierus ''^alicubi vocat) lucelli causa, ut musca; ad muictra,
ad nobilium et herouni meusas advolaiit, in spem sacerdotii, cujuslibet honoris, officii,
in quami'is aulam, urbem se ingtrunt, ad quodcis se ministerium compununt.
*' Lt nereis alienis mobile lignum Ducitur" Ilor. Lib. 11. *S'a/. 7. "ollam
sequeutes, psitlacorum more, in pritda; spem quidvis effuliunt : obsecundantes Para-
siti "'(Erasmus ait) quidvis docent, dicunt, scribunt, suadent, et contra conscientiam
probant, non ut salutarem reddanl gregem, sed ut magnificam sibi parent forlunam.
'Opiniones quasvis et decreta contra verbum Dei astruunt, ne non ofTeiidant patro-
num, sed ut retineanl tavorem procerum, et populi piausum, sibique ipsib opes accu-
mulent. Eo etenim phrunque animo ad Thtologiam accedunt, non ut rem dicinam,
sed ut suam facient; non ad Ecclesice bonum promovendum, sed expilandum; qute-
rentes, quod Paulus ait, non qua; Jesu Chrisli, sed ([uai sua, non domini thtsaurum,
sed ut sibi, suisque thesaurizent. Nee tantum lis, qui vilirrie fortune/', et abjectce,
sortis sunt, hoc in vsu est: sed et medios, suminos, elatos, ne dictun Episceqjos, hoc
malum inoasit. '^'■' Dicite pontifices, in sacris quidfacit aurum?'^ "suniuios sape
viros transvcrsos agit avaritia, et qui reliquis morum probitate prcelucereiit ; hi facem
preeferunt ad Simoniam, et in corruptionis hunc scopulum impingentes, non tondent
pecus, sed deglvbunt, et quocunque se conferunt, expilant, exhauriunt, abradunt,
magnum famee suee, si non anima: naufragiumfacientes; ut non ab injimis ad sum-
mos, sed d summis ad infmos tnalum promandsse videatur, et illud veruin sit quod
tile olim lusit, emerat ille prius, vendere jure potest. Simoniacus enim (quod cum
*Jun. Aci I 1.1. ,„, I jr,|7. Feb. K. "Sat. Monip. "ssror. vli. 17.
deiiiittaiuu> a^niuiii ut a|' Ims | 'M'luiiinent. in Gal. 't- Hi-iitavit. '« t>r.U-ntai.
ma ii- ••;tSin pyrstritijti, , li.i | "■ LuMi. in GaJr "•"•"Pers.-Bfils"*!- "''■^H'Ujrt.
latiiiu ,ii .^Me,
Mem. 3. Subs. 15.]
Study, a Cause.
201
Leone dicam) gratiam non accepit, si non accipit, non nabet, et si non habct, nee
gratus potest esse ; tantuin enim ahsunt istorum nonnulli, qui ad clavurn sedent d
pro/novendo reliqiios, ut penitus impediant, probt sibi conscii, quibus artibus illic
pervenerinf. ^"Nam qui ob Titeras emersisse illos credat, desipil; qui vero ingenii,
eruditionis, experientite, probitatis, pietatis, et Musarum id esse pretium putat {quod
olim revera full, hodie jjromitlUur) plaaissime insanit. Utcunque vel undecunque
malum hoc originem ducat, non tiltra quceram, ex his primordiis coepit vitiorum col-
luvies, oinnis calamitas, omne mlseriarum agmen in Ecclesiam invehitur. Hinc tarn
frcqucns slmonia, hinc ortce querela, fraudcs, imposturcB, ah hoc fonte se derivdrunt
omncs nequitice. JYc quid obiter dicam de ambllionc, adulatione plusquam aulicd, ne
trisii domicccnio laborent, de luxu, de feado nonnunquam vitcB exemph, quo nonnullos
ojfendunt, de compotationc Sybaritica, Sac. hinc ille squalor academicus, iristes hac
tempestate Camenae, quum quivis homunculus ariium ignarus, hie arlibus assurgat,
hunc in modum promoveatur et ditescat, ambitiosis appellationibus insignis, et multis
dignitutibus augustus vulgi oeulos perstringat, bene se habeat, et grandia gradicns
majestatem quandam ac amplitudincm prcz se ferens, mlramque solliciludinetn, barba
rcverendus, toga nitidus, purpura coruscus, supellectllis splendore, et famulorum
numcro maxime conspicuus. Quales statuae {quod ait ^' ille) quae sacris in asdibus
colunniis imponuntur, velut oneri cedentes videntur, ac si insudarent, quum revera
sensu sint carentes, et nihil saxeam adjuvent firraitatem : atlantes videri volunt, quum
sitit slatucB lapidccs, umbratiles revera homunciones, fungi, forsan et bardi, nihil a
saxo difercntcs. Quum interem docti viri, et vitce sanctioris ornament is j^rcediti, qui
cestum diei sustinent, his iniqua sorle serviant, minimo forsan salario content I, pur is
nominibus nuncupati, humiles, obscuri, multoquc digniores licet, egentcs, inhonorati
vitatn privam privatam agant, tcnuique sepulti sacerdotio, vel in collcgiis suis in cetcr-
nuin incarcerati, inglorie dclitescant. Sed nolo diuiius hanc movcre sentinam, hinc
illcz lachrynur-, lugubris musarum habitus, ^^hinc ipsa religio {quod cum Secellic
dicam) in ludibrium et contemptum adducitur, abjectum sacerdotium (atque hccc uhi
fiunt, aiisim dicere, et putidum ^^putidi diclerium de clero usurpare) putidum %ulgus_
inops, rude, sordidum, melancholicum, miserum, despicabile, contemnendum. ^"^
eoSat. Menip. 8iBu(Ia>usde Asse, lib. 5. ^Lib.
de rep. Gallorutn. MCaiiipian.
^'i As for ourselves (for neither are we free from this
fault) the same guilt, the same crime, may be objected
against us : for it is throuL'h our fault, negligence, and
avarice, that so many and such shameful corruptions oc-
cur in tlie church (both the temple and the Deity are offer-
ed for sale), that such sordidness is introduced, such im-
piety committed, such wickedness, such a mad gulf of
wretchedness and irregularity — these I sayarise from all
our faults, hut more particularly from ours of the Univer-
sity. We are the nursery in which those ills are bred with
which the state is afflicted ; we voluntarily introduce
them, and are deserving of every opprobrium and suf-
furing, since we do not afterwards encounter them ac-
cording to our strength. For what better can we ex-
pect when so many poor, beggarly fellows, men of
every order, are readily and without election, admitted
to degrees? Who, if they can only commit to memory
a few dfcfinitions and divisions, and pass the customary
period in the study of logics, no matter with what
etTect, whatever sort they prove to be, idiots, triflers,
idlers, gamblers, sots, sensualists,
" mere ciphers in the hook of life
Like those who boldly woo'd Ulysses' wife ;
IJorn to consume the fruits of earth: in truth,
As vain and idle as Pheacia's youth ;"
only let them have passed the stipulated period in the
University, and professed themselves collegians: either
for the sake of profit, or through the influence of their
friends, they obtain a presentation; nay, sometimes
even accompanied by brilliant eulogies upon their
morals and acquirements; and when they are about to
take leave, they are honoured with the most flattering
literary testimonials in their favour, by those who un-
doubtedly sustain a loss of reputation in granting
them. For doctors and professors (as an author says)
are anxious about one thing only, viz., that out of their
various callinss they may promote their own advantage,
■' ....ri ri,,. piiiiii^ loss into their prlv:ito gains.
l£Lc. rs wjsli this only, llml tli^-e u ho
ther they are taught oruntauLht is of
,.j ...>^...v.... -uall be sleek, fat, pigeons, worth the
plucking. The Philosoplvastic are admitted to a degree
in Arts, because they have no acquaintance with them.
And they are desired to be wise men, because they are
endowed with no wisdom, and bring no qualificatioQ
for a degree, except the wish to have it. The Theolo-
gastic (only let them pay) thrice learned, are promoted
to every academic honour. Hence it is that so many
vile buifoons. so many idiots everywhere, placed in the
twilight of letters, the mere ghosts of scholars, wan-
derers in the market place, vagrants, barbels, mush-
rooms, dolts, asses, a growling herd, with unwashed
feet, break into the sacred precincts of theology, bring-
ing nothing along with them but an impudent front,
some vulgar trifles and foolish scholastic technicalities,
unworthy of respect even at the crossing of the high-
ways. This is the unworthy, vagrant, vohiptuous race,
fitter for the hog sty (haram) than the altar (aram), that
basely prostitute divine literature : these are they who
till the pulpits, creep into the palaces of our nobility
after all other prospects of existence fail them, owing
to their imbecility of body and mind, and their being
incapable of sustaining any other parts in the common-
wealth ; to this sacred refuge they fly, undertaking tlie
office of the ministry, not from sincerity, but as St.
Paul says, huckstering the word of God. Let not any
one suppose that it is here intended to detract from
tliose many exemplary men of which the Church of
England may boast, learned, eminent, and of spotless
fame, for they are more numerous in that than in fliiy
other church of Europe : nor from those most learned
universities which constantly send forth men endued
with every form of virtue. .-Vnd these seminaries would
produce a still greater number of inestimable scholars
hereafter if sordidness did not obscure the splendid
light, corruption interrupt, and certain truckling har
pies and beggars envy them their usefulness. Nor can
any one be so blind as not to perceive this — anyso Sto-
lid as not to understand it— any so perverse as not to
acknowledge how sacred Theology has been contami-
nated by those notorious idiots, arid the celestial Mu«e
treated with profan-ftyi« Vrlfc tfi»Wiaj"'d'ss souls (says
Luther; lor the sake of gain, like flies it a milkpail,
crowd round the table|ka£^l^^£bility in tt.\pectation
of a church lisiiAMliMl^^^^Btepur, and\luck into
202
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. 1. Sec. 2
MEMB. IV.
Sl'bsect. I. — J\"'on-necessary, remote, outward, adventitious, or accidental causes : as
first from the JVurse.
Of those remote, outward, ambient, necessary causes, Ihave sufficiently discoursed
ia the precedent member, the non-necessary follow ; of which, saith "^ Fuchsius, no
art can be made, by reason of their uncertainty, casualty, and multitude ; so called
'• not necessary" because according to ** Fernelius, '^ they jnay be avoided, and used
without necessity." Many of these accidental causes, whicli I shall entreat of here,
might have well been reduced to the former, because they cannot be avoided, but
fatally happen to us, though accidentally, and unawares, at some time or otlier ; the
rest are contingent and inevitable, and more properly inserted in this rank of causes.
To reckon up all is a thing impossible ; of some tlierefore most remarkable of these
contingent causes which produce melancholy, I will briedy Rpeak and in their order.
From a child's nativity, the first ill accident tlmt can likely befall him in this kind
is a bad nurse, by whose means alone he may be tainted with this ''^malady from his
cradle, Aulus Gellius /. 12. c. 1. brings in Phavorinus, that elo(iuent j)hil()sopher,
pnn'ing this at large, ^^»'that there is the same virtue and property in the milk as in
tlie seed, and not in men alone, but in all other creatures ; he gives instance in a kid
and lamb, if either of them suck of the other's milk, the lamb of the goat's, or the
kid of the ewe's, the wool of the one will be hard, and the hair of the other soft."
Girdldus Camhrcnsis Itinerar Cambria', I. I.e. 2. confirms this by a notable example
which happened in his time. A sow-pig by chance sucked a brach, and when she
was grown '*^'-' would miraculously hunt all manner of deer, and that as well, or
rather better, than any ordinary hound." His conclusion is, '"''•that men andbeasta
any piihlic hall or city ready to accepl of any employ-
Diciit liial may otl'er.
••\ (liiiig uf wood and wires by others played."
Ffillowing tlie paste a.-" the parrot, they xtulter out any-
tiiiriL' in iiopes of reward: ohei-quious para«ite8, says
I>iistiiiis, tt-ach. say, write, admire, approve, contrary
I'l tlii-ir conviction. aii>lliin; you pleanc, not to ben>'tit
the pt'ople hut to improve their own fortuues. They
subscrilie to any opinion!' and decisions contrary to the
word of Go<l, that they may not otfend their patron,
l.ut retain the favour of the great, the applauiie of the
iimllitude, and thtreby acquire riche* for themselves;
for they approach Theology, not that they may perform
a sacred duty, but make a fortune: nor to promote the
interests of the church, but to piHage it: seeking^ as
I'aul says, not the things which are of Jesus Christ, but
what may be their own: not the treasure of their Lord,
bill the enrichiitent of themselves and their followers.
N<<r does this evil tielong to those of humbler birth and
foriunes only, it possesses the middle and higher ranks,
bUhops excepted.
"O PontiJfs, tell the ellicacy of gold in sacred mat-
ters I" Avarice often leads the highest men astray, and
men. admirable in all other respects : these tind a salvo
for simony ; and, striking against this rock of corrup-
tion, they do not shear but Hay the flock; and. wher-
ever they teem, plunder, exhaust, raze, making ship-
wreck of their reputation, if not of their souls also.
Hence it appears that this m.ilady did not flow from
the humblest to the highest classes, but vice ctri,a, so
that the maxim is true although spoken in jest — "he
bought first, therefore has the best right to s»;ll." For
a Siinoninc (that I may use the phraseoUigy of Leo) has
not rec-ived a favour; since he has not received one be
does not possess one ; and since he does not |iossessone
he cannot confer one. So far indeed are some of those
who are placed at the helm from promoting others, that
they completely obstruct them, from a consciousness of
the means by which themselves obtained the honour.
For he who iniagines that they emerged from their ob-
scurity through their learning, is deceived; indeed,
wnoever supposes promotion to be the reward of genius,
erudition, e.\perience, probity, piety, and poetry (which
formerly was the ra.«e, but now-a-days is only promised)
is evidently deranged. How or when tlii-' t-.-.i-.i. ,.
menced. I shall no^^M^faitMi<ii(c ; but ii
ginnings. this a(jf|^^^^HKof vices, all Ij-
and misen ■-i.ljWeflW^WBBht upon theCli
such freii i .lit
impus
tures— from this one fountain spring all its conspicuous
iiiMjiiities. I shall not press the question of ambition
and courtly flattery, lest they may be chagrined alHiiit
luxury, base examples uf life, which oHend the honest,
wanton drinking parties, Ace. Yet; hence is that aca-
demic squalor, the muses now look sad, since every low
fellow Ignorant of the arts, by those very arts rises, is
promoted, and grows rich, distingiiislied by ambitious
titles, and pufled up by liis numerous honours; he just
shows himseff to the vulgar, and by his stalily carriage
displays H species of iiiaje.aty. a remarkable s.ilicitude,
letting down a flowing beard, decked in a brilliant toga
resplendent with purple, and respected also on account
of the splendour of his household and nuinhcr of his
servants. Tliere are certain statues placed in sacred
edifices that seem to sink under their load, and almost
to perspire, when in reality they are void of sensation,
and do not contribute to the stony stability, so these
men would wish to look like Atlases, when they are no
belter than statues of stone, insignificant scrubs, fun-
guses, dolts, little diflerent frohi stone. Meanwhile
really learned men, endowed with all that can adorn a
holy life, men who have endured the heat of miil-rlay,
by some unjust lot obey \hi:ff dizzards, content prob-
ably with a miserable salary, known by honest appel-
lations, humble, obscure, allhoueh eminently worthy,
needy, leading a private life without honour, buried
alive in some poor benetice, or incarcerated for ever in
their college chambers, lying hid ingloriously. Hut I
am unwilling to stir this sink any longnr or any deeper ;
tirnce those tears, this melancholy habit of (he iiiiise.s;
hence (that I may speak with Secellius) is it thiit reli-
gion is brought into disrepute and amtempl, and the
priegtbi>od abject; (and since this is so, I must spfak
out and use a filthy wilticisin of the filthy; a fcelid
crowd, poor, sordid, melancholy, miserable, despicable,
contemptible.
» Proem lib. 2. Nulla ars constitiii posef '••Lib.
1. c. I<J. de morlH>ruin causis. Quas decliiiare licet aut
nulla necessitate utimur. ^ Uuo wmel est imbiiia
recens servabit odorem Testa diu. Hit. "'Sicut
valet ad fifig>-iidas corporis at^iue aiiinii similitudines
vis et natura seminis, sic qiioque laclis proprielas.
\e^ue id in hominihus solum, sed in p^'rinlibiiii ani-
madversum. .Vain si oviiim lacte hredi aut raiirhrum
aL'ni alereiitur. constat fieri in his lannni diiriorem. m
illis capilluin gigiii sevrriorein. ''.Adulla in ferariiin
pi-rseqiiiitione ad niirarulum iisqu" sa:.'rix ** rai*
.'iiiMfi.il i;'i"iMih>jt umiin V.r.,.. ,1. vMi^Miu^acls IHIiri
tiir. iiaiiirain contrahii.
Mem. 4. Subs. 1.] JVurse, a Cause. 203
participate of her nature and conditions by whose milk they are fed." Phavorinus
urges It farther, and demonstrates it more evidently, that if a nurse be «' " misshapen
unchaste, dishonest, impudent, ^-' cruel, or the like, the child that sucks upon her
breast wdl be so too ;" all other affections of the mind and diseases are almost
ingrafted, as it were, and imprinted into the temperature of the infant, by the nurse's
milk ; as pox, leprosy, melancholy, &c. Cato for some such reason would mak^
his servants' chddren suck upon his wife's breast, because by that means they would
love him and his the better, and in all likelihood agree with them. A more evi-
dent example that the minds are altered by milk cannot be given, than that of
Dion, which he relates of Caligula's cruelty; it could neither be imputed to father
nor mother, but .to his cruel nurse alone, that anointed her paps with blood still when
he sucked, which made him such a murderer, and to express her cruelty to a hair •
and that of Tiberius, who was a common drunkard, because his nurse was such a
one Ef. SI delirafuerit {'' one observes) infantulum dclirum faciei, if she be a fool
or colt, the child she nurseth will take after her, or otherwise be misaffected ■ which
Fi-anciscus Barbarus I 2. c. ult. dc re uxorid proves at full, and Ant. Guivarra, lib 2
d>: Marco Aureho : the child will surely participate. For bodily sickness there is
• no doubt to be made. Titus, Vespasian's son, was therefore sickly, because the
nurse was so, Lampridius. And if we may believe physicians, many times chddren
catch the pox from a bad nurse, Botaldus cap. Gl.de he vener. Besides evil attend
ance, negligence, and many gross inconveniences, which are incident to nurses, much
danger may so come to the child. ^^For these causes Aristotle Polit. lib. 7. c. 17.
Phavoiunus and Marcus Aurelius would not have a child put to nurse at all, but every
mother to bring up her own, of what condition soever she be ; for a sound and able
mother to put out her child to nurse, is naturce intcmperics, so ''^ Guatso calls it, 'tis
fit therefore she should be nurse herself; the mother will be more careful, loving
and attendant, than any servile woman, or such hired creatures ; this all the world
acknowledgeth, convenientissimum est (as Rod. a Castro de nat. mulierum. lib. 4. c
12. m many words confesseth) jnatrem ipsam lactare infantcm, " It is most fit that
tlie mother should suckle her own infant"— who denies that it should be so .?— and
which some women most curiously observe; amongst the rest, "that queen of
France, a Spaniard by birth, that was so precise and zealous in this behalf, that when
111 her absence a strange nurse had suckled her child, she was never quiet till she
had made the infant vomit it up again. But she was too jealous. If it be so, as
many times it is, they must be put forth, the mother be not fit or well able to be a
nurse, I would then advise such mothers, as »« Plutarch doth in his book de liberis
cdacundis, and ^^S. Ilierom, li. 2. episi. 27. Lcptca de institut. fil. Mamiinus part 2.
Rr'g. sand. cap. 7. and the said Rodericus, that they make choice of a sound woman,
of a good complexion, honest, free from bodily diseases, if it be possible, all pas-
sions and perturbations of the mind, as sorrow, fear, grief, '«> folly, melancholy. For
such passions corrupt the milk, and alter the temperature of the child, which now
being ' Udum et molle hitum, " a moist and soft clay," is easily seasoned and per-
verted.^ And if such a nurse may be found out, that will be diligent and careful
withal, let Phavorinus and M. Aurelius plead how they can against it, I had rather
accept of her in some cases than the mother herself, and which Bonacialus the phy-
sycian, Nic. Biesius the politician, lib. 4. de repub. cap. 8. approves, '" Some nurses
are much to be preferred to some mothers." For why may not the mother be
naught, a peevish drunken flirt, a waspish choleric slut, a crazed piece, a fool (as
many mothers are), unsound as soon as the nurse .? There is more choice of nurses
than mothers ; and therefore except the mother be most virtuous, staid, a woman of
excellent good parts, and of a sound complexion, 1 would have all children in such
cases committed to discreet strangers. And 'tis the only way ; as by marriao-e they
are ingrafted to other families to alter the breed, or "if anything be amiss°in the
mother, as Ludovicus Mercatus contends, Tom 2. lib. de morb. hcBved. to prevent
"Iniproba, inforniis impiidica.teraulenta nutrix, &c. 1 *^Uh. 3. de civ. convers. STSteohaniH ^To 2
i'n P . ' r r ,r = V ^^W'u\ ? H'/-^^"=Bq"e | « \utrix non s.t lasciva-aut te.nulonta. H,er. >oo Pro-
■.^ \ 1. r. '\' ^•'-cK'''- h'st. »°Ne ii.sitiv,. lactis iiiterdum matribus sunt meliores
alimeuto d^geiicretcorpus, et animus corruuipatur. | ^^^^y||c^u[»
204
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. 1. See. 2.
diseases and future maladies, to correct and qualify the child's ill-disposed tempera-
ture, which he had from his parents. This is an excellent remedy, if good choice
be made of such a nurse.
Sub SECT. II. — Education a Cause of Melancholy.
Education, of these accidental causes of Melancholy, may justly challenge the
next place, for if a man escape a bad nurse, he may be undone by evil bringing up.
'Jason Pratensis puts this of education for a principal cause; bad parents, stop-mo-
thers, tutors, masters, teachers, too rigorous, too severe, too remiss or indulgent on
the other side, are often fountains and furtherers of this disease. Parents and such
as have the tuition and oversight of children, oflend many times in that they are too
stern, always threatening, chiding, brawling, wliipping, or striking; by moans of
which their poor children are so disheartened and cowed, that they never after have
any courage, a merry hour in their lives, or take pleasure in anything. There is a
great moderation to be had in such things, as matters of so great moment to the
making or marring of a child. Some fright their children with beggars, bugbears,
and hobgoblins, if they cry, or be otherwise unruly : but they are much to blame in
it, many times, saith Lavater, de spectris, part 1, cap. 5. ex m^fu in morbos graves
incidunt et noctu dormientes clamant., for fear they fall into many diseases, and cry
out in their sleep, and are much the worse for it all their lives : these things ought
not at all, or to be sparingly done, and upon just occasion. Tyrannical, iinpatient,
hair-brain schoolmasters, aridi 7twgistri, so * Fabius terms them, Ajaccs fagrUfrri.^
are in this kind as bad as hangmen and executioners, they make many children
endure a martyrdom all the while they are at school, with bad diet, if they board in
their htiuses, too much severity and ill-usage, they quite pervert their temperature of
body and mind : still chiding, railing, frowning, lashing, tasking, keeping, that they
arefracti animis, moped many times, weary of their lives, ^ nimia severilate drficiitnt
et desperant, and think no slavery in the world (as once I did myself) like to that
of a grammar scholar. Praiceptomm im^pliis discruciantur ingenia purroritm,^sai\h
Erasmus, they tremble at his voice, looks, coming in. St. Austin, in the first book
of his confess, et 4 ca. calls this schooling meliculosam necessitatem., and elsewhere
a martyrdom, and confesseth of himself, how cruelly he was tortured in mind for
learning Greek, nulla verba noveram^ et sctvis tcrroribus et pcenis, ut nossem., insta-
butur mihi vehcmenter., I know nothing, and with cruel terrors and punishment 1 was
daily compelled. ' Beza complains in like case of a rigorous schoolmaster in Paris,
that made him by his continual thunder and threats once in a mind to drown him-
self, had he not met by the way with an uncle of his that vindicated him frcjm that
misery for the time, by taking him to his house. Trincavellius, lib. I. crmsil. 16.
had a patient nineteen years of age, extremely melancholy, ob nimium stndiuin, Tur-
vitii et prcBceptoris minas, by reason of ovemnich study, and his " tutor's threats.
Many masters are hard-hearted, and bitter to their servants, and by that means do so
deject, with terrible speeches ami hard useige so crucify them, that tliey become des-
perate, and can never be recalled.
Others again, in that opposite extreme, do as great harm by their too much remiss-
ness, they give them no bringing up, no calling to busy themselves about, or to live
in, teach them no trade, or set them in any good course ; by means of which their
servants, children, scholars, are carried away with that stream of drunkenness, idle-
ness, gaming, and many such irregular courses, that in the end they rue it, curse
their parents, and mischief themselves. Too much indulgence causeth the like,
^inepta patris lenitas et facilitas prava^ when as Milio-like, with loo much liberty
and too great allowance, they feed their children's humours, let them revel, weiich,
riot, swagger, and do what they will themselves, and then punish them with a noise
of musicians ;
3 Lib. (Ic morbid capitis, cap. de mania ; Baud po$tre-
ma causa siippiil;itiir »"lii'a!i'>. int'>r liri'^ rri<*iitiJ abalie-
natioiiis caiisas. Injii.-.ia iiuv..ri,a. <i,i'. J cap. 4.
* Idem. Ki qiiuil maxime iiocet, dum in tintTis ita
limenMiilii^iMantur. c^^Jlh^Ullilil faculties are
perverted by the indiscretion of the master." ' Prrfat
ad Tcstam. 'Plus mentis pRdagopico supercilio ab-
stulit, quam unquaiii praiccptis BUis sapientiK intlllla-
vit. 'Ter. Adel. 3. 4.
Mem. 4. Subs. 3.] hrtucation, — Terrors and AffrigJitSy Causes. 206
10" Obsnnet, potPt, oleat unguenta dp meo:
Aiiiat? dabilur a me argentuni ubi erit coramodum.
F(ircs effresjit ? restitueiitnr : descidit
Vestem ? resarcietur. Facial quod lubet,
Suiiiat, coiisuiiiat, perdat, decretum est pati."
But as Demeo told him, iu ilium corrumpi sinis, your lenity will be his undoino
prcevidere vide or jam diem ilium, quum hie egens profugiet aliquo militatum, I fore
see his ruin. So parents often err, many fond mothers especially, doat so much upon
their children, like " ^Esop's ape, till in the end they crush them to death, Corporum
nutrices animarum noverccE., pampering up their bodies to the undoing of their souls :
they will not let them be '^ corrected or controlled, but still soothed up in everything
tliey do, that in conclusion " they bring sorrow, shame, heaviness to their parents
(^Ecclus. cf/p. XXX. 8, 9), become wanton, stubborn, wilful, and disobedient; rude,
untaught, headstrong, incorrigible, and graceless ;" " they love them so foolishly,"
saith '^ Cardan, "• that tliey rather seem to hate them, bringing them not up to virtue
but injury, not to learning but to riot, not to sober life and conversation, but to all
pleasure and licentious behaviour." Who is he of so little experience that knows
not this of Fabius to be true } '"' " Education is another nature, altering the mind
and will, and I would to God (saitli he) we ourselves did not spoil our children''s
manners, by our overmuch cockering and nice education, and weaken the strength
of their bodies and minds, that causeth custom, custom nature," &c. For these
causes Plutarch in his book de lib. educ. and Hierom. epist. lib. 1. epist. 17. to L(eta
d' instilut. Jilia., gives a most especial charge to all parents, and many good cautions
about bringing up of children, that they be not committed to indiscreet, passionate,
bedlam tutors, light, giddy-headed, or covetous persons, and spare for no cost, that
they may be well nurtured and taught, it being a matter of so great consequence.
l''or such pareiits as do otherwise, Plutarch esteems of them '^" that are more careful
of their shoes than of their feet," that rate their wealth above their children. And
he, saith '^ Cardan, "that leaves his son to a covetous schoolmaster to be informed,
or to a close Abbey to fast and learn wisdom together, doth no other, than that he
be a learned fool, or a sickly wise man."
SuBSECT. III. — Terrors and Affrights., Causes of Melancholy.
TuLLV, in the fourth of his Tusculans, distinguishes these terrors which arise
from the apprehension of some terrible object heard or seen, from other fears, and so
doili Patritius lib. 5. Tit. 4. dc regis institut. Of all fears they are most pernicious
and violent, and so suddenly alter the whole temperature of the body, move the soul
and spirits, strike such a deep impression, that the parties can never be recovered,
causing more grievous and fiercer melancholy, as Felix Plater, c.'S. de mentis alienat. "
speaks out of his experience, than any inward cause whatsoever: "and imprints
itself so forcibly in the spirits, brain, humours, that if all the mass of blood were let
out of the body, it could hardly be extracted. This horrible kind of melancholy
(for so he terms it) had been often brought before him, and troubles and affrights
C4)mmonly men and women, young and old of all sorts." '* Hercules de Saxonia
calls this kind of melancholy [ab agitatinnc spiriluum) by a peculiar name, it comes
from the agitation, motion, contraction, dilatation of spirits, not from any distemper-
ature of humours, and produceth strong eflects. This terror is most usually caused,
w Idem, Ac. I. sc. 2. "Let liiiii feast, drinjt, perfume
himself at my expense: If he be in love, I shall supply
him with rncitiey. Has he broken in the gat«s? they
shall be rttpaired. Has he torn his garments? they shall
be replaced. Let him do what he pleases, take, spend,
waste, I .Tin resolved to submit." "Camerarius em.
77. cent. 2. hath elegantly expressed it anembleuK per-
(lit aiiiaiido, itc. '* Prov. xiii. 24. " He that spareth
llie rod hates liis son." '3 Lib. de consol. Tain Stulle
piieros diligimns iit odisse potius videamur, illos non
ad virliitiiii sell ad injuriani, non ad eruditionem sed
a. I iuxuiii, non ad virlutem sed voluptatem educantes.
" Lib. 1. c. :i. Kducatio altera iiatura, alterat aminos et
viiliinlaicni.atfiiie iitinam (inquit) liberoruin nostrorum
iii'ires ] \\>M piTil'Tciniis, (luiini iiil'aiitj:im .statnn ili--
111 11.- :?uliiiuuii«ui<)niOr isra cducatio, quam linlui^. n-
"'Voeamus, itetKOs uiuiies, «( mentis ct c
frangit ; fit ex his consuetudo, inde natnra. is Perinde
agit ac siquis de calceo sit sollicitiis, pedem nihil cnret.
Juven. Nil patri minus est qiiam filius. i^Lib. 3. de
sapient: qui avans pa>dagogis pueros alendos dant, vel
clausosin ccenohiis jejunare simul et sapere, nihil aliud
agunt, nisi ul siiit vel non sine stultitia eruditi, vel non
Integra vita supientes. "Terror et metus maxime
ex improviso accedentes ita ajiiinum commovent, ut
spiritiis nunquain recuperent, gravioremque melancho-
liam terror facit. quam quie ab interna causa fit. Im-
pressio tarn fortis in spiritibus humoribusque cerebri,
ut extracta tota sanguinea uiassa, <egre exprimatur, et
hjBc horrenda species nielancholise frequenter oblata
mihi, omnes exerci(«^jii^s,juvenes, senes. isTract.
de melaii. cap. 7. et BTnpD §b intemperie, si'd agitatione,
lilatatione, coutra^§|^^Bg{ji^ gpirituum.
206 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
as "Plutarch will have, "from some imminent danger, when a terrible object is ai
hand," heard, seen, or conceived, ^°" truly appearing, or in a ^' dream :" and many
times the more sudden the accident, it is the more violent.
^"Stnt terror aiiiinis, et cor altoiiituin salit, I "Their soul's affrisjlit, their heart arnazed quakes,
i'avidiiinqiie trbjjidis palpitut veiiin jecur." | The trembling liver pants i' th' veins, and achas."
Arthemedorus the grammarian 1 >«t his wits by the unexpected sight of a crocodile,
Laurentius 7. de mclan. ^The massacre at Lyons, 1572, in the reign of Charles IX.,
was so terrible and fearful, that many ran mad, some died, great-bellied women were
brought to bed before their time, generally all affrighted aghast. Many lose their
wits ^* " by the sudden sight of some spectrum or devil, a thing wery common in all
ages," saiih Lavater jirtr/ 1. cap. 9. as Orestes did at the sight of the Furies, which
appeared to him in black (as ^^Pausanias records). The Greeks call themjno|j^o>.ij;tfM*'
which so terrify their souls, or if they be but affrighted by some counterfeit devils
in jest,
s" " ut pueri trepidant, atque omnia cse^is
In tencbris nietuunl"
as children in the dark conceive hobgoblins, and are so afraid, they are the worse for
it all their lives. Some by sudden fires, earthquakes, inunilations, or any such di^^mal
objects : Themison the physician fell into a hydrophobia, by seeing one sick of that
disease: (^Dioscorides I. 0. c. 33.) orby the sight of a monater, a carcase, they are
disquieted many months following, and cannot endure the room where a corpse hath
been, for a world would not be alone with a dead man, or lie in that bed many years
after in which a man hath died. At ^ Basil many little children in the spring-time
went to g-ather flowers in a meadow at tlie town's end, where a malefactor hung in
gibbets ; all gazing at it, one by chance flung a stone, and made it stir, by w liich
accident, the children affrighted ran away; one slower than the rest^ looking back,
and seeing the stirred carcase wag toward.^ her, cried out it came after, and was so
terribly atfi-ighted, that for many days she could not rest, eat, or sleep, she could not
be pacified, but melancholy, died. *• In the same town another child, beyond the
Rhine, saw a grave opened, and upon the sight of a carcase, was so troubled in mind
that she could not be comforted, but a little after departed, and was buried by it.
Platerus observat. I. I, a geiulewonian of the same city saw a fat hog cut up, when
the entrails were opened, and a noisome savour oifended her nose, she much mis-
liked, and would not longer abide : a physician in presence, told her, as tfiat hog, so
was she, tiiU of filthy excrements, and aggravated tlie matter by some other loath-
some instances, insomuch, this nice gentlewoman apprehended it so deeply, that she
fell forthwith a-voraiting, was so mightily distempered in mind and body, that with
all his art and persuasions, for some months after, be could not restore her to her-
self again, she could not forget it, or remove the object out of her sight, Idem.
Many cannot endure to see a wound opened, but they are offended : a man executed,
or labour of any fearful disease, as possession, apoplexies, one bewitched; *or if
they read by chance of some terrible thing, the symptoms alone of such a disease,
or that which they dislike, they are instantly troubled in mind, aghast, ready to apjily
it to themselves, they are as much disquieted as if they had seen it, or were so
affected tliemselves. Hecatas sibi vidtntur somniare., they dream and continually
think of it. As lamentable effects are caused by such terrible objects heard, read, or
seen, auditiis maxhtios motus in corpore facit, as '"Plutarch holds, no sense makes
greater alteration of body and mind : sudden speech sometimes, unexpected news,
be they good or bad, prcevisa minius oralio^ will move as much, animum obrucn, it
de sede su,) dejiccre^ as a *' philosopher obsen'es, will take away our sleep and appe-
tite, disturb and quite overturn us. Let them bear witness that have heard those
tragical alarms, outcries, hideous noises, which are many times suddenly heard in
'"Lib. de fort, et virtnt. Alex, prsesertiin inenntc I rentes, &c. mn-gta et melancholicadoniuin ndiit |x r die*
pericMlo, nhi res prope a^l^^nnt lerribilt-s. *< Fit a I aliquot ve.xata. dum rnorlua e^t. I'l.Tlcr. "^ Aitera
vitiinne horrenda, revera apparente, vel (x-r in^uninia, trHiisRheiiana iiigrecua ccpuklirnni receiif ni«Tlum,
I'latTus. 2' A painter's wife in Basil, liAU. Soru- I VKlit cadaver, el duiiiuiii suhito reverj^a piitiivit earn
iiinvit filinin belln niDrtinnn, inde Melancliolica cmiiio- | vocare, poi^t paucos dies ubiil. pro.iinin s> pnli liro rol-
lari nuliiit. ■-■:<,,,,,■ llt.ri- ii.i -' U '"•' ■ "-irs locata. Altera patii"'!"'" '•■'■' i>rn iira-ii-. iiM-(n>-tiai
roiiimeiil. (i' ■!> i.i tial;; 'j. I ne iirhe exclusa illi mi'le iii-l.iiii Imhca
\^7-i. ^ 't uMiiiiiii aliqiii .1- I firta. t>er rniilto&^i. rini.rn". -"iJiibi.
uiitiir <" eip ■ . : ■ :. tilili eat. *> l,i:.^ '■■- ■ ■ ■ •■CaU«"**Bp™"' ' ■ ■ ^■■lUiit]'- JtJ^l
aoLucr.c. ^JiugUMMMMgg^iii iir.li 1. ProdrODKli Ijb. 2. Autoril~
' rniilto&^ii.
Ulem. 4. Subs. 4.] Terrors and Affrights^ Scoffs, Sfc, Causes. 207
the (lead of the night by irruption of enemies and accidental fires, &lc., those "^ panic
fears, which often drive men out of their wits, bereave them of sense, understanding
and all, some for a time, some for their whole lives, they never recover it. The
^'Midianiles were so affrighted by Gideon's soldiers, they breaking but every one a
pitcher ; and ^^ Hannibal's army by such a panic fear was discomfited at the walls of
Rome. Augusta Livia hearing a few tragical verses recited out of Virgil, Tu Mar-
cellus erls, (^c, fell down dead in a swoon. Edinus king of Denmark, by a sudden
sound which he heard, ^^'' was turned into fury with all his men," Cranzius, /. 5,
Dan. hist, et Alexander ah Alexandro I. 3. c. 5. Amatus Lusitanus had a patient,
that by reason of bad tidings became epilepticus, cen.2. cura 90, Cardan subtil. 1. 18,
saw one that lost his wits by mistaking of an echo. If one sense alone can cause
such violent commotions of the mind, what may we think when hearuig, sight, and
those other senses are all troubled at once .'' as by some earthquakes, thunder, light-
ning, tempests, Stc. At Bologna in Italy, Anno 1504, there was such a fearful eartlt-
quake about eleven o'clock in the night (as ^''Beroaldus in his book de terrce motu., hath
commended to posterity) that all the city trembled, the people thought the world was
at an end, actum de mortalibus., such a fearful noise, it made such a detestable smell,
the inhabitajits were infinitely affrighted, and some ran mad. Audi rem afrocem, ct
annalihus memorandam (mine author adds), hear a strange story, and worthy to be
chronicled : I had a servant at the same time called Fulco Argelanus, a bold and
proper man, so gi-ievously terrified with it, that he ^'' was first melancholy, after doted,
at last mad, and made away hhnself. At ^ Fuscinura in Japona " there was sucli an
earthquake, and darkness on a sudden, that many men were ofl"ended with headache,
many overwhelmed with sorrow and melancholy. At Meacum whole streets and
goodly palaces were overturned at the same time, and there was such a hideous noise
withal, like thunder, and filthy smell, that their hair stared for fear, and their hearts
quaked, men and beasts were incredibly terrified. In Sacai, another city, tlie same
earthquake was so terrible unto them, that many were bereft of their senses ; and
others by that horrible spectacle so much amazed, that they knew not what they
did." Blasius a christian, the reporter of the news, was so affrighted for his part,
that though it were two montiis after, he was scarce his own man, neither could he
drive the remembrance of it out of his mind, ftlany times, some years following,
they will tremble afresh at the "^ remembrance or conceit of such a terrible object,
even all their lives long, if mention be made of it. Cornelius Agrippa relates out
of Guliehnus Parisiensis, a story of one, that after a distasteful purge which a phy-
sician had prescribed unto him, was so much moved, ''""'that at the very sight of
physic he would be distempered," though he never so much as smelled to it, the box
of physic long after would give him a purge; nay, the very remembrance of it did
effect it; '""like travellers and seamen," saith Plutarch, "that when thev have been
sanded, or dashed on a rock, for ever after fear not that mischance only, but all such
dangers whatsoever."
SuBSECT. IV. — Scoffs, Calumnies, hitter Jests, hoto they cause Melancholy.
It is an old saying, ''""A blow with a word strikes deeper than a blow with a
sword :" and many men are as much galled with a calumny, a scurrilous and bitter
jest, a libel, a pasquil, satire, apologue, epigram, stage-play or the like, as with any
misfortune whatsoever. Princes and potentates, that are otherwise happy, and have
all at command, secure and free, quihus potent ia sceleris impiinitatcm fecit, are griev-
ously vexed with these pasquilling libels, and satires: they fear a railing **Aretine.
more than an enemy in ihe field, which made most princes of his time (as soi;ie
relate) " allow him a liberal pension, that he should not tax them in his satires." '^
^- Effuso cerneiis fugieiites agniine tiirmas, Qiiis nva
nunc iiitlal corniia Fauriiis ait. Alciat. eiiihl. 122.
S3 Jii<i. 6. 19. 31 Pliitarclius vita ejus. as i,, furorein
rum sotiis versus, so gubjtarius telra; motus. svt'a'pjt
iiide desipere cum dispeiidio sanitatis, hide adeoileim-n-
tan.-!, ut sibi ipsi ranrtem iuferret. s* Historica relutio
de rebus Japoiiicis Tract. 2. de leeat. r^jris Chinensis, a
Lodnvicn Frnis Jesnita. A. la'.ui. Fuscini di^rcpeute
taiit.i :uri,- nili::,. I t tcTra-iuoIjis, ut inuUi capitr dull
videretur, tantanique, &;c. Ju urbe Sacai tarn horrificus
fuit, ut hoiuiiiHS VI X sul computes cs.seiit ii ?e::si,'iiis
ahalietiati, mtBrore oppress! tarn horriMido >pectaculo,
&.C. 3aQ^|,|,,„ subit illius tristissinia noctis liii^^n.
'"(iui sojo aspectu mediriiii movehatur ad pur^anduin.
"Situt viatores si .ul >.i\iiHi impezerint. aut naut*.
meiiiores sul casus n i i ! i niipdo qua; otfi-ndiint, sed
et similia horrent pii |h tio ( t iirmtuit. *' Levi tor
volant cravitcr vulneraiit. lieruar.io.^. <^Eusissau-
pliM Ml n- cor mocrore et iriclancliolia oiiru<'rrtur. ! cial corpus, 11161116111 scrinp. «S*;iatis luui es.se qui
Tantum freuiituui^diibat. ut touitru fragorebi luiitan 1 a neminefeiB.c»L8Ui<JMMhtaML0a illuatre^ipeiidiuin
208 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2
The Gods had their Momus, Homer his Zoihis, Achilles his Thersites, Philip his
Demades : the Caesars themselves in Rome were commonly taunted. There was
never wanting a Petronius, a Lucian in those times, nor will be a Rabelais, an
Fuphormio, a Boccalinus in ours. Adrian the sixth pope *^ was so highly offended,
and grievously vexed with Pasquillers at Rome, he gave command that his statue
should be demolished and burned, the ashes flung into the river Tiber, and had done
it forthwith, had not Ludovicus Suessanus, a facete companion, dissuaded him to the
contrary, by telling him, that Pasquil's ashes wonld turn to frogs in the bottom of
the river, and croak worse and londer than before, — grntis irritahdc valwn, and
therefore ■'^ Socrates in Plato adviseth all his friends, " that respect their credits, to
stand in awe of poets, for they are terrible fellows, can praise and dispraise as they
see cause." Hinc qtiavi sit calamus sctvior ense patct. The propliet David com-
plains. Psalm cxxiii. 4. " that his soul was full of the mocking of the wealthy, and
of the dcspitefuhiess of the proud," and Psalm Iv. 4. " for the voice of the wicked,
&.C., and their hate : his heart trembled within him, and the terrors of death came
upon him ; fear and horrible fear," &.C., and Psal. Ixix. 20. " Rebuke hath broken
my heart, and 1 am full of heaviness." Who hath not like cause to complain, and
is not so troubled, that shall fall into the mouth.s of such men ? for many ar^ if so
* petulant a spleen ; and have that figure Sarcasmus so often in tlieir moutr-s, so
bitter, so foolish, as ^^Baltasar Castilio notes of them, that " they cannot speak, but
ihey must bite;" they had rather lose a friend than a jest; and what company soever
they come in, they will be scoffing, insulting over their inferiors, especially over such
as any way depend upon them, humouring, misusing, or putting gulleries on some
or other till they have made l)y tlieir humouring or guWing *'^ ex stulto iiisanum, a
mope or a noddy, and all to make themselves merry :
"• "(luinmodo risum
Exculiat «ibi ; nun hie cuiquam parcit aniico;"
Friends, neuters, enemies, all are as one, to make a fool a madman, is their sport,
and they have no greater felicity than to scoff and deride others; they must sacrifice
to the'god of lauirhter, with them in *' Apuleius, once a day, or else they shall be
melancholy themselves ; they care not how they grind and misuse others, so they
may exhilarate their own persons. Their wits indeed serve them to that sole pur-
pose, to make sport, to break a scurrile jest, which is levissimus ingeniifructus., the
froth of wit, as ^^TuUy holds, and for this they are often applauded, in all other dis-
course, dry, barren, straminious, dull and heavy, here lies their genius, in this they
alone excel, please tliemselves and others. Leo Decimus, that scoffing pope, as
Jovius hath registered in the Fourth book of his life, took an extraordinary delight in
humouring of silly fellows, and to put gulleries upon them, " by conmiending some,
persuading others to this or that : he made ex stolidis stuUissimos^ et marime ridiculos,
ex stultis irisanos ; soft fellows, stark noddies ; and such as were foolish, quite mad
before he left them. One memorable example he recites there, of Tarascomus of
Parma, a musician that was so humoured by Leo Decimus, and Bibiena his second
in this business, that he thought himself to be a man of most excellent skill, (who
was indeed a ninny) they ^" made him set foolish songs, and invent new ridiculous
precepts, which they did highly commend," as to tie his arm that played on the lute,
to make him strike a sweeter stroke, "'• and to pull down the Arras hangings, becau.se
the voice would be clearer, by reason of the reverberation of the wall." In the like
manner they persuaded one Baraballius of Caieta, that he was as good a poet as
Petrarch; would have him to be made a laureate poet, and invite all his friends to
nis instalment; and had so possessed the poor man with a conceit of his excellent
poetr\'. tliat when some of his more discreet friends told him of his folly, he was
very angry with them, and said ^ " they envied his honour, and prosperity :" it was
strange (saith Jovius) to see an old man of 60 years, a venerable and grave old man,
nabuit. ne mores ipsnnim Satyris 8uis notaret. Gasp.
Iktrthiiis prsfat. parnndid.
<i* Jnvius in vita pjiis, eravjssime tiilit famnsia libellit
nr>!iien suum ad Pai^quilli staluam fuis^se lac<>ratiim,
dccrevitqiie iil^f) 'tKiiari
toties mordere lic«?re »ib« potent. "Ter. Eunuch.
•• Hor. ser. lib. 3. Sal. 4. " Provided he can only excit«
lauffhtf r, he spares nnt his beM frit-rid." »' l.ib. 2.
"Deorat. ^ l>audando. >-t mira iis persuadendo,
"El'Vana in?*-'" ■■ ••■■ r.'flibilia nr riii«ndK
n. de IfL'ihi- 'ill e.xi 'as qiiEPdam .Mum trir.-iiir, &c. "I't
VHreantiir. i|ui.i iiia!!iiatii et vi>rp« muiIi« c i i" ar aciitiua r»^ili-
viiut>»'r '"dimi. <'PelulaiiU.p.^,. >.u^iiiii(i.y. ^i..,fial r- -*« 1...... ■. >u.,,.^.. • . ^loiW«a« pfW*
lib. -J. i,.i (jiiOfU
Mem. 4. Subs. 4.] Scoffs^ Calumnies^ hitter Jests, 4-c. 209
so g-uUed. But what cannot such scoffers do, especially if they find a soft creature
on whom they may work ? nay, to say truth, who is so wise, or so discreet, that
may not be humoured in this kind, especially if some excellent wits shall set upon
him; he that mads others, if he were so humoured, would be as mad himself,"as
much grieved and tormented ; he might cry with him in the comedy, Proh Jupiter,
tu homo ?ne adigas ad insaniam. For all is in these things as they are taken ; if he
be a silly soul, and do not perceive it, 'tis well, he may haply make others sport, and
be no whit troubled himself; but if he be apprehensive of his folly, and take it to
heart, then it torments him worse than any lash : a bitter jest, a slander, a calumny,
pierceth deeper than any loss, danger, bodily pain, or injury whatsoever; leviler enim
volat, (it flies swiftly) as Bernard of an arrow, sed graviter vulnerat, (but wounds
deeply), especially if it shall proceed from a virulent tongue, " it cuts (saith David)
like a two-edged sword. They shoot bitter words as arrows," Psal, Ixiv. 5. "And
they smote with their tongues," Jer. xviii. 18, and that so hard, that they leave an
mcurable wound behind them. Many men are undone by this means, moped, and
so dejected, that. they are never to be recovered; and of all other men living, those
which are actually melancholy, or inclined to it, are most sensible, (as being suspi-
cious, choleric, apt to mistake) and impatient of an injury in that kind : they aggra-
vate, and so meditate continually of it, that it is a perpetual corrosive, not to'' be
removed, till time wear it out. Although they peradventure that so scoff, do it alone
m mirth and merriment, and hold it optimum alienu frui insaiiid, an excellent thing
to enjoy another man's madness ; yet they must know, that it is a mortal sin (as
Thomas holds) and as the prophet =^ David denounceth, " they that use it, shall
never dwell in God's tabernacle."
Such scurrilous jests, flouts, and sarcasms, therefore, ought not at all to be used ;
especially to our betters, to those that are in misery, or any way distressed : for to
such, curumnarum mcrementa sunt, they multiply grief, and as '^ he perceived, In mul-
tis pudor, in multis iracundia, c^-c, many are ashamed, many vexed, angered, and there
IS no greater cause or furtherer of melancholy. Martin Cromeriis, in the Sixth book
of his history, hath a pretty story to this purpose, of Uladislaus, the second king of
Poland, and Peter Dunnius, earl of Shrine ; they had been hunting late, and were
enforced to lodge in a poor cottage. When they went to bed, Uladislaus told the
earl in jest, that his wife lay softer with the abbot of Shrine; he not able to contain,
replied, Et tua cum Dabesso, and yours with Dabessus, a gallant young gentleman
in the court, whom Christina the queen loved. Tetigit id dictum Princfpts animum,
these words of his so galled the prince, that he was long after tristis et cogitahundusy
very sad and melancholy for many months ; but they were the earl's utter undoing :
for when Christina heard of it, she persecuted him to death. Sophia the empress,
Justinian's wife, broke a bitter jest upon Narsetes the eunuch, a famous captain then
disquieted for an overthrow which he lately had : that he was fitter for a distaff and
to keep women company, than to wield a sword, or to be general of an army: but
it cost her dear, for he so far distasted it, that he went forthwith to the adverse part,
much troubled in his thoughts, caused the Lombards to rebel, and thence procured
many miseries to the commonwealth. Tiberius the emperor withheld a legacy from
the people of Rome, which his predecessor Augustus had lately given, and perceiv-
ing a fellow round a dead corse in the ear, would needs know wherefore he did so ;
the fellow replied, that he wished the departed soul to signify to Augustus, the com-
mons of Rome were yet unpaid : for this bitter jest the emperor caused him forth-
with to be slain, and carry the news himself For this reason, all those that other-
wise approve of jests in some cases, and facete companions, (as who doth not ?) let
them laugh and be merry, rumpantur et ilia Codro, 'tis laudable and fit, those yet
will by no means admit them in their companies, that are any way inclined to this
malady: non jocandum cum iis qui miscri sunt, et cerumnosi, no jesting with a discon-
tented person. 'Tis Castillo's caveat, ^ Jo. Pontanus, and *'Galateus, and every ffood
man's. ' -^ ^
" Plajr with me, but hurt me not :
Jest with me, but shame me not."
210
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. 1. Sec. 2.
Comitas is a virtue between rusticity and scurrility, two extremes, as afTability is
between flattery and contention, it must not exceed ; but be still accompanied with
that ^^d^Xtt^fta or innocency, quce nc/nini nocet, omnem injurice ohlutioncm abhorrenSy
nurts no man, abhors all offer of injury. Though a man be liable to sucli a jest or
obloquy, have been overseen, or committed a foul fact, yet it is no good manners or
humanity, to upbraid, to hit him in the teeth with his offence, or to scoff at .such a
one; tis an old axiom, turpis in reum omnis exprohrutio.''^ 1 speak not of such a.s
generally tax vice, Barclay, Geutilis, Erasmus, Agrippa, Fishcartus, kc, the Varron-
ists and Lucians of our time, satirists, epigrammists, comedians, apologists, Stc, but
such as personate, rail, scoff, calumniate, perstringe by name, or in presence oHend ;
•*" Ludit qui =tnll(la procacitate
Nun est Sestius ille sed cabullus:"
1'is horse-play this, and those jests (as he "saith) "are no better than injuries,"
biting jests, mordcntes et aeuleati^ they are poisoned jests, leave a sting behind them,
and ought not to be used.
••"Set not thy foot to make thehlind to fall;
Nor wilfully ortend ttiy woaki-r limtlier:
Nor wound the deail with thy loiii;ii.'"s Ititter gall,
Neither rejoire thou in the fall of other."
If these rules could be kept, we should have much more ease and quietness than we
have, less melancholy; whereas on the contrary, we study to misuse each other, how
to sting and sfall, like two fighting boors, bending all our force ant! wit, friends, for-
tune, to crucify " one anotlier's souls ; by means of which, there is little content apd
charity, much virulency, hatred, malice, and disquietness among us.
SuBSECT. V. — Loss of Liberty^ Servitude, Imprisonment, how they cause Melancholy.
To this catalogue of causes, I may well annex loss of liberty, servitude, or impri-
sonment, which to some persons is as great a torture as any of the rest. Tiioiigli they
have all things convenient, sumptuous houses to their use, fair walks and gardens,
delicious bowers, galleries, good fare and diet, and all things correspondent, yet they
are not content, because they are confined, may not come and go at their pU^asure,
have and do what they wUl, but live ** aliena quadra, at another man's table and
■cammand. As it is **in meats so it is in all other things, places, societies, sports;
let them be never so pleasant, commodious, wht)lesome, so good ; yet omnium rcrum
est satietas, there is a loathing satiety of all things. The children of I.srael were
tired with manna, it is irksome to them so to live, as to a bird in his cage, or a dog
in his kennel, they are weary of it. They are happy, it is true, and have all things,
to another man's judgment, that heart can wish, or that they themselves can desire,
bona si sua nurint: yet they loathe it, and are tired with the present: Est natura
hominum novitatis avida; men's nature is still desirous of news, variety, delights;
and our wandering allectioiis are so irregular in this kind, that tliey must change,
though it must be to the worst. Bachelors must be married, and married men would
be bachelors; they do not love their own wives, though otherwise fair, wise, vir-
tuous, and well qualified, because they are theirs ; our present estate is still the
■worst, we cannot endure one course of life long, et quod modo vovcrat, odif, one
calling long, esse in honor e juv at, mox displicet ; one place long, ™ Roma; Tibur amo,
ventosus Tybure Romatn, that which we earnestly sought, we now contemn. Hoc
quosdam ogit ad mor/em, (saith '' Seneca) quud proposita sape mutando in eadem
revolvuntur, et non relinquunt novitati locum : Fastidio capit esse vita, et ipsus mun-
• dus,et subit illud rapidissimarum deliciarum.,Qtiousque eadetii ? this alone kills many
a man, that they are tied to the same still, as a horse in a mill, a dug in a wheel,
they run round, without alteration or news, their life groweth odious, the world
loathsome, and that which crosseth their furious dcligiits, what .' still the same.'
Marcus Aurelius and Solomon, tliat had experience of all worldly deligiits and plea-
sure, confessed as much of themselves ; what they most desired, was tedious at
last, and that their lust could never be satisfied, all was vanity and aHliction of mind.
"• reproach uttered
pirileil."
iiriiii nnn
iC III his
Quadraint 37. •' Kgo hiiju!< niift-ra fatuitale pi de-
nieiiiia conflictor. Tijll. ad Atlic li. II »" Viwriiin
e«t aliena viVer>' quadra. Juv. «» L'ramt)* tii< ci.ct*.
Vittt nigjudcirfrfori. • *" U*M^^^m4J^''Vul nr;i;nr.
Mem. 4. Subs. 6.] Poverty and Want, Ceruses 211
Now if it be death itself, another hell, to be glutted with one kind of sport, dieted
with one dish, tied to one place ; though they have all things otherwise as they can
desire, and are m heaven to another man's opinion, what misery and discontent shall
they have, that live in slavery, or in prison itself? Quod tristius morte, in servitute
viveiidum, as Hennolaus told Alexander in '^Curtius, worse than death is bondage :
''hoc animo scito omnes fortes, ut mortem servituti anteponant, All brave men at arms
(Tully holds) are so affected. '''^ Equidem ego is sum, qui servitutem extremum om-
nium malorum esse arbitror : I am he (saith Boterus) that account servitude the
extremity of misery. And what calamity do they endure, that live with those hard
taskmasters, in gold mines (like those 30,000 '^Indian slaves»at Potosi, in Peru), tin-
mines, lead-mines, stone-quarries, coal-pits, like so many mouldwarps under ground,
condemned to the galleys, to perpetual drudgery, hunger, thirst, and stripes, without
all hope of delivery i How are those women in Turkey affected, that most part oi
the year come not abroad; those Italian and Spanish dames, that are mewed up like
hawks, and locked up by their jealous husbands ? how tedious is it to them that live
in stoves and caves half a year together.^ as in Iceland, Muscovy, or under the '^pole
itself, where they have six months' perpetual night. Nay, what misery and discon-
tent d,o they endure, that are in prison } They want all those six non-natural things
at once, good air, good diet, exercise, company, sleep, rest, ea-se, &c., that are bound
in chains all day long, suffer hunger, and (as " Lucian describes it) " must abide that
filthy stink, and rattling of chains, bowlings, pitiful outcries, that prisoners usually
make ; these things are not only troublesome, but intolerable." They lie nastily
among toads and frogs in a dark dungeon, in their own dung, in pain of body, in
pain of soul, as Joseph did, Psal. cv. 18, "They hurt his feet in the stocks, tlie iron
entered his soul." They live solitary, alone, sequestered from all company but heart-
eating melancholy ; and for want of meat, must cat that bread of affliction, prey
upon themselves. Well might "^Arculanus put long imprisonment for a cause, espe-
cially to such as have lived jovially, in all sensuality and lust, upon a sudden are
estranged and debarred from all manner of pleasures : as were Huniades, Edward,
and Richard II., Valerian the Emperor, Bajazet the Turk. If it be irksome to miss
our ordinary companions and repast for once a day, or an hour, what shall it be to
lose them for ever .^ If it be so great a delight to live at liberty, and to enjoy that
variety of objects the world affords ; what misery and discontent must it needs" bring
to him, that shall now be cast headlong into that Spanish inquisition, to fall from
heaven to hell, to be cubbed up upon a sudden, how shall he be perplexed, what
shall become of him ? ™ Robert Duke of Normandy being imprisoned by his
youngest brother Henry I., ab illo die inconsolabill doJore in carccre contabuif, saith
Matthew Paris, from that day forward pined away with grief. ^° Jugurtha that gene-
rous captain, " brought to Rome in triumph, and after imprisoned, through anguish
of his soul, and melancholy, died." *' Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, the second man
from King Stephen (he tliat built that famous castle of *^ Devizes in Wiltshire,) was
so tortured in prison with hunger, and all those calamities accompanying such men,
^ lif vivere noluerit, mori nescierit, he would not live, and could not die, between
fear of death, and torments of life. Francis King of France was taken prisoner by
Charles V., ad mortem fere melancholicus, saith Guicciardini, melancholy almost to
death, and that in an instant. But this is as clear as the sun, and needs no further
illustration.
SuBSECT. VI. — Poverty and Want, Causes of Melancholy.
Poverty and w^ant are so violent oppugners, so unwelcome guests, so much ab-
horred of all men, that I may not omit to speak of them apart. Poverty, although
i'\i considered aright, to a wise, understanding, truly reofenerate, and contented man)
u be donum Dei, a blessed estate, the way to heaven, as ^'' Chrysostom calls it, God's
» Lib. 8. -aTulliUs Lepirio Fam. 10. 27. '* Bote
rus I, 1. polit. cap. 4. '^L-iPt. descrip. America.
"If there he any inliabit.ints. " In Taxari. Interdiu
Quidein collum vinctiim est, et manus cnnstricta, noctii
™ William the Conqueror's eldest son. ^JSalust. Ro-
mam triiimpho ductus tandemqiie in carceretnconjectas,
animi dolore periit. ^i Camden in VViltsh. iniserum
senem ita fame et calamitatibus incarcere fregit, inter
vero tcifiim CMrims vincitiir. ad lin= niis('ria>' accidit cnr- 1 mortis metum, et vitae lormenta, &c, "^Vies bodie
P'lri? fat' r. >t|;i4i»iub ejuiaiitium, souiai brevita*. ha'c raggneca. 8«Com. ad Hebraos.
omaia plaiig molesta et intolerabilia. ""^ia 9 Rhs
212 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
gift, tlie mother of modesty, and much to be preferred before liches (as shall be
shown in his ^ place), yet as it is esteemed in the world's censure, it is a most odious
falling, vile and base, a severe torture, summum scelus., a most intolerable burden ; we
■^ shun it all, cane pejus et anguc (worse than a dog or a snake), we abhor the name of
it, "*' Paupertas fugltur^ totoque arcessitiir orhe., as being the fountain of all other mise-
ries, cares, woes, labours, and grievances whatsoever. To avoid which, we will take
any pains, — extremos currit mercator ad Indos, we will leave no haven, no coast, no
creek of the world unsearched, though it be to the hazard of our lives, we will dive
to the bottom of the sea, to the bowels of the earth, ^^ five, six, seven, eight, nine
hundred fathom deep, through all five zones, and both extremes of heat and cold :
we will turn parasites and slaves, prostitute ourselves, swear and lie, damn our
bodies and souls, forsake God, abjure religion, steal, rob, murder, rather than endure
this insufferable yoke of poverty, which doth so tyrannise, crucify, and generally
depress us.
For look into the world, and you shall see men most part esteemed according to
their means, and happy as they are rich: ^^Ubique ttinti qu'isquc quantum hahuit fiiit.
If he be likely to thrive, and in the way of preferment, who but he ? In the vulgar
opinion, if a man be wealthy, no matter how he gets it, of what parentage, hoAV
qualified, how virtuously endowed, or villanously inclined ; let him be a bawd, a
gripe, an usurer, a villain, a pagan, a barbarian, a wretch, ^"Lucian's tyrant, "on
whom you may look with less security than on the sun ;" so that he be rich (and
liberal withal) he shall be honoured, admired, adored, reverenced, and highly *' mag-
nified. " The rich is had in reputation because of his goods," Eccl. x. 31. He shall
be befriended : " for riches gather many friends," Prov. xix. 4, — multos numerahit
flffucos, all ^ happiness el)bs and flows with his money. He shall be accounted a
gracious lord, a Meca?nas, a benefactor, a wise, discreet, a proper, a valiant, a fortu-
nate man, of a generous spirit, Pullus Jovis,et guUincp Jiinis aV>ce: a hopeful, a good
man, a virtuous, honest man. Quundo ego le Junonium purrum^ el matris partum
vert aureum., as ^'TuUy .said of Octavianus, while he was adopted Casar, and an
heir ^ apparent of so great a monarchy, he was a golden child. All ^ honour, offices,
applause, grand titles, and turgent e])itliets are put ypon him, omnes omnia bona
dicere ; all men's eyes are upon him, God bless -his good worship, his honour;
* every man speaks well of him, every man presents him, seeks and sues to him for
his love, favour, and protection, to serve him, belong unto him, every man riseth to
him, as to Thcniistocles in the Olympics, if he speak, as of Herod, Vox Dei, non
hominis, the voice of God, not of man. All the grapes. Veneres, pleasures, elegances
attend him, ^ golden fortune accompanies and lodgeth with him ; and as to those
Roman emperors, is placed in his chamber.
■ "Secura navi^et aura.
Fortunamque eiio ijemperet arbitrio;"
he may sail as he will himself, and temper his estate at his pleasure, jovial days,
splendour and magnificence, sweet music, dainty fare, the good things, and fat of the
land, fine clothes, rich attires, soft beds, down pillows are at his command, all the
world labours for him, thousands of artificers are his slaves to drudge for him, run,
ride, and post for him : *® Divines (for Pythia Philippisal) lawyers, physicians, phi-
losophers, scholars are his, wholly devote to his service. Every man seeks his
"*" acquaintance, his kindred, to match with him, though he be an oaf, a ninny, a
monster, a goosecap, uxorem ducat Danaen, ' when, and whom he will, Jninc optant
generum Rex et Regina he is an excellent ^ match for my son, my daughter, my
niece, &c. Quicquid calcaverit hie, Rosajiet, let him go whither he will, trumpets
* Part. 2. Sect. 3. Memb. 3. Mauem ut difficilem
aiorbuni piieris trailere fiirmidoniiis. Pint. ""Liican.
11. <** As in the silver mines at Friburgh in Ger-
many. Fines Morison. WEiiripides. <*Toin. 4.
di.ll. minore periculo Sniem quum hunc dcfixis oculis
hopeful ; why ? he \» lieir apparent to the right wor-
shipful, to the ri^ht honourable. &c. •*Onutiiroi,
nuinmi : vobis hunc prsstat honureni. >"F^xinde
sapere euni umne.s liiciniua, ac (juisque forlunam habet.
Plaut. Pseud. <" Aurea forluna, principum ruhirulit
licet intiieri. »'Oninis enim res, virtus, fania. decus, reponi sulita. Julius Capitolinus Vila .Antrxiini. •" Pe
divina, liunianaque pulchris Divitiis parent. Mor. Ser. I tronius. "Theologi opulentis adharcnt. Juriaperili
1.2. Sat. 3. Clariia en* t""rli>< jnstii-- -■■ ■ nam pecuniosiB, literati nuninuisis, libcralrliU!) artifice*.
rei. Et quicqui^ul -t. Ilur. « tl . .iiii, ><>'' .Multi ilium juvenes, niulta: petiere puclli^ ' " Mo
regina necuuj^BMat. Money add^ -, ' isf. •"■^" hau^ ^TIIM Vtt wife." ^ '• Duromodo «it dive*
*c. 'leP^Sl. ad Atticum. "nj
ter.
)• nanai; ly.v
Mem. 4. Subs. 6.] Poverty and Want, Causes. 213
gound, bells ring, &c., all happiness attends him, every man is willing to entertain
him, he sups in ^Apollo wheresoever he comes ; what preparation is made for his
* entertainment ? fish and fowl, spices and perfumes, all that sea and land affords
What cookery, masking, mirth to exhilarate his person ;
s" Da Trebio, pone ad Trebium, vis frater ab illis
llibus ?"
What dish wUl your good worship eat of .''
* " dulcia poma, I " Sweet applea, and whate'er thy fields afford,
Et quoscunque feret cultus tibi fundus hnnores, Before thy Gods be serv'd, let serve thy Lord."
Ante Larein, guste' venerabilior Lare dives." |
What sport will }'our honour have } hawking, hunting, fishing, fowling, bulls, bears
cards, dice, cocks, players, tumblers, fiddlers, jesters, Stc, they are at your good wor-
ship's command. Fair houses, gardens, orchards, terraces, galleries, cabinets, plea-
sant walks, delightsome places, they are at hand: ''in aureis Idc^vlnum in argenteis,
adahscenlulce ad 7iutum speciosce, wine, wenches, &.c. a Turkish paradise, a heaven
upon eartli. Though he be a silly soft fellow, and scarce have common sense, yet
if he be borne to fortunes (as I have said) ^jure hcereditario sapere jubetur, he must
have honour and office in his course: ^ JVemo nisi dives honore dlgnus (Ambros.
offic. 21.) none so worthy as hunself : he shall have it, atque esfo quicquid Servius
aut Labeo. Getmoney enough and command '° kingdoms, provinces, armies, hearts,
hands, and affections ; thou shalt have popes, patriarchs to be thy chaplains and
parasites : thou shalt have (Tamerlane-like) kings to draw thy coach, queens to be
thy laundresses, emperors thy footstools, build more towns and cities than great
Alexander, Babel towers, pyramids and mausolean tombs, &c. command heaven and
earth, and tell the world it is thy vassal, auro emitur diadema, argento caelum pan-
ditiir, denarius philosopJnmi conduclt, nummus jus cogit, oholus literatum pjoscifj
metallum sanitatem conciliate ms amicos conglutinat. " And therefore not without
good cause, John de Medicis, that rich Florentine, when he lay upon his death-bed,
calling Iris sons, Cosmo and Laurence, before him, amongst other sober sayings,
repeated this, animo quieto digrcdior, quod vos sanos et divites post me rellnquam,
" it doth me good to think yet, though I be dying, that I shall leave you, my chil-
dren, sound and rich :" for wealth sways all. It is not with us, as amongst those
Lacedemonian senators of Lycurgus in Plutarch, " He preferred that deserved best,
was most virtuous and worthy of the place, '■^ not swiftness, or strength, or wealth,
or friends carried it in those days :" but inter optimos opiimus., inter temperantes iera-
perantissimus, the most temperate and best. We have no aristocracies but in con-
templation, all oligarchies, wherein a few rich men domineer, do what they list, and
are privileged by their greatness. "^ They may freely trespass, and do as they please,
no man dare accuse them, no not so much as mutter against them, there is no notice
taken of it, they may securely do it, live after their own laws, and for their money
get pardons, indulgences, redeem their souls from purgatorj' and hell itself,
clausum possidet area Jovem. Let them be epicures, or atheists, libertines, machia-
velians, (as they often are) '^ '■'Et quamvis perjuris erit, sine gente, cruentus,'''' thev
may go to heaven througli the eye of a needle, if they will themselves, thev may be
canonised for saints, they shall be '^ honourably interred in mausolean tombs, com-
mended by poets, registered in histories, have temples and statues erected to their
names, — ■ — e manibus illis — jiasctntur violce. If he be bountiful in his life, and
liberal at his death, he shall have one to swear, as he did by Claudius the Emperor
in Tacitus, he saw his soul go to heaven, and be miserably lamented at his funeral.
dinbubaiarum collegia, &;c. Trimalcionis topanta in Petronius recta, in caelum abiit,
went right to heaven: a base quean, '^''thou wouldst have scorned once in thy
misery to have a penny from her ;" and why r modio nummos metiit, she measured
her money by the bushel. These prerogatives do not usually belong to rich men,
' Plut. in Lucullo, a rich chamber so called. < Panis i a man of letters; precious metal procures health;
pane nielior. 5 Juv. Sat. 5. « fjor. Sat. 5. lib. 2. v\ealth attaches friends." "Non fuit apud mortales
' Boheniiis de Tiirci.^et Bredenbacb. * Enphormio. i ullum excellentius cerlamen, non inter celeres celerri-
' (iui p'.'cuniani habeiit, elati sunt animis, lofty spirits, 1 mo, non inter rftbu:;^? rnhiistissimo, &.C. '^Quicquici
brave ineii at arms; all rich men are generous, courage- I II bet licet. n Hor. r^at. 5. lib. 2. '■'■Cum morltur
ous, tc. 1" NummiLs ail pro me nuhat Cornnbia 1 dives concurruai iiihli<|iie elves: Pauperis ad funus vji
Hill,:,. U-- A .ii;i-i..... .< r„,r,.i, .... I ,,-,.i, .,,,1.1 • <iiver ' e-t ex milli^ti« unus. 'a-I#m«<i» qiii'l t'lit iirnoscat
: for niihi "mftlB tttug. noluisses de qanu ejus-ij^ummos ac
-..iiy; iijoiii} - -nes cyiei^ ^
214 Cmises of Melancholy [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
but to such as are most part seeming rich, let him have but a good "outside, he car-
ries it, and shall be adored for a god, as '* Cyrus was amongst the Persians, oh splcn-
didum apparatum, for his gay attires; now most men are esteemed according to their
clothes. In our guUish times, whom you peradventure in motlesty would give place
to, as being deceived by his habit, and presuming him some great worshipful man,
believe it, if you shall examine his estate, he Mill likely be proved a serving man of
no great note, my lady's tailor, his lordship's barber, or some such gull, a Fastidius
Brisk, Sir Petronel Flash, a mere outside. Only this respect is given him, that
wheresoever he comes, he may call for what he will, and take place by reason of his
outward habit.
But on the contrary, if he be poor, Prov. xv. 15, ''all his days are miserable," he
is under hatches, dejected, rejected and forsaken, poor in purse, poor in spirit; ^^prout
res nobis Jhiit, ita et animus se habet ; ^ money gives life and soul. Though he be
honest, wise, learned, well-deserving, noble by birth, and of excellent good parts ;
yet in that he is poor, unlikely to rise, come to honour, otlice, or good means, lie is
contenmed, neglected, frusira sapit, inter literas esurit, amicus moleslus. ^'"If he
speak, wliat babbler is this .' Ecclus, his nobilitv without wealth, is ^projecta rilior
algd, and he not esteemed : nos riles puUi nati infelicibus avis, if once poor, we are
metamorphosed in an instant, base slaves, villains, and vile drudges; ^ tor to be poor,
is to be a knave, a fool, a wretch, a wicked, an odious fellow, a common eye-sore,
say poor and say all ; they are born to labour, to misery, to carry burdens like
jumenis, pislum stercus comedere with Ulysses' companions, and as Chremilus
objected in Aristophanes, ^*salem lingfre^ lick salt, to empty Jakes, fay channels,
^^ carry out dirt and dunghills, sweep chimneys, rub horse-heels, kc. I say nothing
of Turks, galley-slaves, which are bought *and sold like jutnents, or those African
negroes, or poor ^ Indian drudges, qui indies hinc inde drferendis oneribus occitm-
bunt^ nam quod apud nos bores et usiui vehunl^ trahunt^ 6fc. Id omne misellis Indisj
they are ugly to behold, and thouiih erst spruce, now rusty and squalid, because
poor, ^ immundas fortunas lequum est squalorem sequi, it is ordinarily so. ^'"•Oiliers
eat to live, but they live to drudge," '^'servilis et miseru gens nihil recusare audef, a
servile generation, that dare refuse no task. '^"//fj/.s- tu Drama, cape hoc Jlabellunu,
ventuluin hinc facito duni lavamus,'''* sirrah blow wind upi)n us while we wash, and
bid your fellow get him up betimes in the moriinifr, be it fair or foul, he shall run
litty miles a-foot to-morrow, to carr\' me a letter to niv n)istres.s, Socia ad pistrinum^
Socia shall tarry at home and grind malt all day lonj^, Tristan thresh. Thus are they
commanded, being indeed some of them as so many footstools for rich men to tread
on, blocks for them to get on horseback, or as ^" walls for them to piss on." They
are commonly such people, rude, silly, superstitious idiots, nasty, unclean, lousv,
poor, dejected, slavishly humble : and as " Leo Afer observes of the commonalty of
Africa, naturd viliores sunt, nee apud suos duces majore in precioqudm si canes essent :
^base by nature, and no more esteemed than dogs, miseram, lahoriosam, calamito-
sam ritam agunt, et inopem, infoelicem, rudiores asinis, ut e brutis plane natos dicas :
no learning, no knowledge, no civility, scarce common sense, nought but barbarism
amongst them, belluino more virunt, neque calcens gestant, nerpie vestes, like rojjues
and vagabonds, t"hey go barefooted and barelegged, the soles of their feet beinif as
hard as horse-hoofs, as ^Radzivilus observed at Damietta in Egypt, leading a labo-
rious, miserable, wretched, unhappy lite, *^'*like beasts and juments, if not worse:"
(for a ** Spaniard in Incatan, sold three Indian boys for a cheese, and a hundred negro
slaves for a horse) their discourse is scurrility, their summuin bonum, a pot of ale.
There is not any slavery' which these villains will not undergo, inter illos plerique
Idtrinas evacuant, alii culinariam curant, alii stabularios agimt, urinalores, et id
"■■He that wears silk, satin, velvet, and gold lace, the load* which oxen and ass<« fi)riui.rl) uued, ice."
must needs be a genllenian. >° E$t $angui.-< atque , *Plautu». »> Iasj. .^fer. ca. ult. I. I. edunt non
•piritus pecunia iiiortalibus. >» Euripides. ••"'Xeno- ut bene vivaiit, serf ut furtiter lalH>rerit. lleinKiu*.
pbon. Cyropid. I. 8. '-' lo leiiui rara est facuiidia ' " Munster de ru^tticiK Oerniania:. Co^iiniig. cap 'JT. lib. 1
panno. Juv. »Hor. "more worthle»s than r.-ji-cled j "Ter. Eunuch. "PaufM.r parus lactiii, queui raiu-
wceos." ^ Ejcro r=t ofTendere, et indigere scelesluin culit couiniingant. =" Lib. I. ca> ull. '•IVo*
esae. Sat. >!• I'laut. act. 4. ^Nullum oiuiics illi^i mrinsi.s dii<r.-5: tain pannoiti, faiucrracti,
taui b.-lrbar^ ii<ii^&M|n|^|^^ lubentis- | tot a.-i«iilue iiiuli:^ .illi' inniiir, tanqiiam pi'C'>ra (juibut
siuie rihiT' \ . i.-si^B^S^^^^^^I^^at r^iiUi^MMfHUU^^^. _' IV-rrKnii. Hicro*.
daily
carr
Mem. 4. Subs. 6.j Poverty and Want, Causes. 215
genus similia exercent, 8fc. like those people that dwell in the "^Alps, chimney-
sweepers, jakes-farmers, dirt-daubers, vagrant rogues, they labour hard some, and yet
cannot get clothes to put on, or bread to eat. For what can filthy poverty give else,
but ^ beggary, fulsome nastiness, squalor, contempt, drudgery, labour, ugliness, hun-
ger and thirst; pedicuIoru/Uj et pulicuin numerum? as ^' he well followed it in Aris-
tophanes, fleas and lice, pro paUi.o vestem laceram, et pro puhinari lapidem bene
magnum ad caput., rags for his raiment, and a stone for his pillow, pro cathedra,
ruptce caput urnce, he sits in a broken pitcher, or on a block for a chair, et malucR
ramos pro panibus comedit, he drinks water, and lives on wort leaves, pulse, like a
hog, or scraps like a dog, ut nunc nobis vita afficitur, quis non pittabit insaniam esse,
inf elicit atemquef as Chremilus concludes his speech, as we poor men live now-a-
days, who will not take our life to be ""^ infelicity, misery, and madness ?
If they be of little better condition than those base villains, hunger-starved beggars,
wandering rogues, those ordinary slaves, and day-labouring drudges; yet they are
commonly so preyed upon by **^ polling officers for breaking the laws, by their tyran-
nising landlords, so flayed and fleeced by perpetual *"* exactions, that though they do
drudge, fare hard, and starve their genius, they cannot live in "'^some countries ; but
what they have is instantly taken from them, the very care they take to live, to be
drudges, to maintain their poor families, their trouble and anxiety " takes away their
sleep," Sirac. xxxi. 1, it makes them. weary of their lives: when they have taken
all pains, done their utmost and honest endeavours, if they be cast behind by sick-
ness, or overtaken with years, no man pities them, hard-hearted and merciless, uncha-
ritable as they are, they leave them so distressed, to beg, steal, murmur, and "" rebel,
or else starve. The feeling and fear of this misery compelled those old Romans,
whom Menenius Agrippa pacified, to resist their governors : outlaws, and rebels in
most places, to take up seditious arms, and in all ages hath caused uproars, murmur-
ings, seditions, rebellions, thefts, murders, mutinies, jars and contentions in every
commonwealth : grudging, repining, complaining, (hscontent in each private family,
because they want means to live according to their callings, bring up their children,
it breaks their hearts, they cannot do as they would. No greater misery than for a
lord to have a knight's living, a gentleman a yeoman's, not to be able to live as his birth
and place require. Poverty and want are generally corrosives to all kinds of men,
especially to such as have been in good and flourishing estate, are suddenly distressed,
*'' nobly born, hberally brought up, and by some disaster ami casualty miserably
dejected. For the rest, as they have base fortunes, so have they base minds coi-re-
spondent, like beetles, e stercore orti, e stercore viclus, in stercore delicium^ as they
were obscurely born and bred, so they delight in obscenity; they are not thoroughly
touched with it. Jlngustas animas angusto in pectore versant."^^ Yet, that which is
no small cause of their torments, if once they come to be in distress, they are for-
saken of their fellows, most part neglected, and left unto themselves; as poor
*^ Terence in Rome was by Scipio, Laelius, and Furius, his great and noble friends.
" Nil Piibliiis Scipio profuit, nil ei Lrelius. nil Furius,
Tres per idem Icmpus qui agitabant nobiles facillinie,
Hiiruni ille opera ne donium quidem habuit conductitiain."5o
'Tis generally so, Tempora si fuerint nubita, solus eris, he is left cold and comfortless,
nullas ad a7nissas ibit amicus opes, all flee from him as from a rotten wall, now ready to
fall on their heads. Prov. xix. 4. " Poverty separates them from their ^' neighbours."
" " niiiii fortiina favct vultuin servatis amici, I " Whilst fortune favour'd, friends, you sniil'd on me.
Cum cecidit, turpi vertitis era fuga." | But when she tied, a friend I could not see."
Which is worse yet, if he be poor ^' every man contemns him, insults over him,
oppresseth him, seoffs at, aggravates his misery.
s^Ortelius in Helvetia. Qui habitant in Cffisia valle try, wondered how a few rich men could keep so many
ut plurimuni latonii, in Oscelia valle cultrorum fabri poor men in subjection, that Ihey did not cut theii
fumarii, in Viiietia sordidum genus hominum, quod throats." <" Augustas animas aniinoso in pectore
repurgandis caminis victum parat. ^^ I write not ' versans. 4S" a narrow breast conceals a narrow
this any ways to upbraid, or scoff at, or misuse poor soul." ^9 Donatus vit. ejus. so ■■ Puhiius Scipio,
men, but rather to condole and pity iliem by express- L.-elius and Furius, three of the most distinguished
ing, &c. <' Chremilus, act. 4. Plant. <- Pau- noblemen at that day in Rome, were of so little service
pertas durum onus miseris mortalibus. ■'^ Vexat to him, that he could scarcely procure a lodging through
Tpnsiira columbas. •"Deux ace non possunt, et Iheir patronase." ^i prov. xix. T. "Though he be
c. -,.;.., J.,.. <,,i,,.r„ ,..,1.,,,,. i-...,,|j|,„5 p.;, rinttim quater instant, yet they will not. ".^Bj^jl^etroniiis. « Non
an'clia'.'AlTica. l,ltu:uila, jest qui tloleat vicem, ut F^^^^Q^^n, juraiit
rtaii> Jiiiliaiis I hominem i
coun-
216
Causes of Melancholy.
[Part. 1 Sect. 2
""Guiinp 'ffpit quassata domus subsidere, partes
lu proclinatas omne recumbit onus."
' When once the totterinis; house begins to s^hrink,
Tliither conies all the weight by an instinct."
Nay they are odious to their own brethren, and dearest friends, Pro. xix. 7. " Hia
brethren hate him if he be poor," ^omnesvicini odemnt, " his neighbours hate him,"
Pro. xiv. 20, ^omnes me noti ac ignotl desenmf^'diS he complained in the comedy,
friends and strangers, all forsake me. Which is most grievous, poverty makes men
ridiculous, JVil habet infelix paupertas diirius in se, quam quod ridlculos homines
facit^ they must endure ^'jests, taunts, tiouts, blows of their betters, and take all ip
good part to get a meal's meat: ^ mognum pauperies opprobrium^ jubcl. quidvis et
facere et pati. He must turn parasite, jester, fool, cum desipicntibus dcsipcre ; saith
*' Euripides, slave, villain, drudge to get a poor living, apply himself to each man's
humours, to win and please, &c., and be buffeted when he hath all done, as Ulysses
was by Melanthius ^°in Homer, be reviled, ballled, insulted over, i'or '^^ potent iorum
stultitia perferend-a est, and may not so much as mutter against it. He must turn
rogue and villain; for as the saying is, JS^ecessitas cogit ad turpia, poverty alone
makes men thieves, rebels, murderers, traitors, assassins, '•'• because of poverty we
have sinned," Ecclus xxvii. 1, swear and forswear, bear false witness, lie, dissemble,
anything, as I say, to advantage themselves, and to relieve their necessities : ''^ Culpa
scelerisque magistra est, when a man is driven to his shifts, what will he not do.-"
B3" si miserum fortuna Sinonem
Finjtit, vanuiii etiani menilaceniquc improba finget."
he will betray his father, prince, and country, turn Turk, forsake religion, abjure
God and all, nulla tarn horrenda proditin^ quam illi lucri causa (saith '''Leo Afer)
perpetrare nolint. *^ Plato, therefore, calls poverty, "■thievish, sacrilegious, filthy,
wicked, and mischievous:" and well he might. For it makes many an upright man
otherwise, had he not been hi want, to take bribes, to be corrupt, to do against his
conscience, to sell his tongue, heart, hand, Stc, to be churlish, hard, unmerciful,
uncivil, to use indirect means to help his present estate. It makes princes to exact
upon their subjects, great men tyrannise, landlords oppress, justice mercenary, lawyers
Tultures, physicians harpies, friends importunate, tradesmen liars, honest men thieves,
devout assassins, great pien to prostitute their wives, daughters, and themselves,
middle sort to repine, commons to mutiny, all to grudge, murmur, and complain. A
great temptation to all mischief, it compels some miserable wretches to counterfeit
several diseases, to dismember, make themselves blind, lame, to have a more plausible
cause to beg, and lose their limbs to recover their present wants. Jodocus Damho-
derius, a lawyer of Bruges, praxi rerum criminal, c. 1 12. hath some notable examples
of such counterfeit cranks, and every village almost will yield abundant testimonies
amongst us ; we have dummerers, Abraham men, &C. And that which is the extent
of misery, it enforceth them through anguish and wearisomeness of their lives, to
make away themselves; they had rather be hanged, drowned, Slc, than to live with-
out means.
«" In mare esetiferum, ne te preinat aspera egestas,
Desili, et a celsis corrue Cernc jugis."
' Much better 'tis to break thy nerk,
Or drown thyself i" the sea.
Than suffer irksome poverty ;
Go make thyself away."
A Sybarite of old, as I find it registered in "Athenajus, supping in Phiditiis in Sparta,
and observing their hard fare, said it was no marvel if the Lacedaemonians were
valiant men; '•'for his part, he would rather run upon a sword point (and so would
any man in his wits,) than live with such base diet, or lead so wretched a life." ^In
Japonia, 'tis a common thing to stifle their children if they be poor, or to make an
abortion, which Aristotle commends. In that civil commonwealth of China, *®the
mother strangles her child, if she be not able to bring it up, and had rallier lose, than
sell it, or have it endure such misery as poor men do. Arnobius, lib. 7, adversus
gentes, ™Lactantius, lib. 5. cap. 9. objects as much to those ancient Greeks and
MOvid. in Trist. " Horat. sexer. Eunuchus, I "Theognis. ffi Dipnosophist lib. 12. .Millief> p^iliug
act. 2. ^'Uuid qiioJ materiam prsbet causainque , monturuin (si qiiis sibi niente co^^'lu^el) (piaiii tarn
jocandi : Si toca sordida ?it. J'lv. Pat 2 ^ Hor. " " '"' ' ' "' "
••In Phanii!
• "Since c
made hnn
lib. ] .
Mcrilc.'
eoQdyss
fgOH^Ii.
vilis et terumnnsi victus coiiiinunioneni lialu-rc. "'Uas.
per Vilela Jesuita epist. J;ii">ii. Ii''. <«.M,il. Riccujt
ex|M'ilit in Siiias lib. I. r. t. ''Vris Kiniiaiii prr
rrr.itd? &iia^am^t^^amlm^uumiiilijS.uuiir. i!lraii''U
Mem. 4. Sub. 6.] Poverty and Want, Causes. 217
Romans, " they did expose their children to wild beasts, strangle, or knock out their
brains against a stone, in such cases." If we may give credit to " Munster, amongst
us Christians in Lithuania, they voluntarily mancipate and sell themselves, theii
wives and children to rich men, to avoid hunger and beggary; '^^niany make away
themselves in this extremity. Apicius the Roman, when he cast up his accounts,
and found but 100,000 crowns left, murdered himself for fear he should be famished
to death. P. Forestus, in his medicinal observations, hath a memorable example of
two brothers of Louvain that, being destitute of means, became both melancholy,
and in a discontented humour massacred themselves. Another of a merchant, learned,
wise otherwise and discreet, but out of a deep apprehension he had of a loss at seas,
would not be persuaded but as "Ventidius in the poet, he should die a beggar. In a
word, thus much I may conclude of poor men, that though they have good ''^ parts
they cannot show or make use of them: "fl& inopid ad virtutem obsepta est via, 'tis
hard for a poor man to '* rise, hand facile emergant, quorum virtutihus obstat res
angusta domi.'''' " The wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard."
Eccles. vi. 19. His works are rejected, contemned, for the baseness and obscurity of
the author, though laudable and good in themselves, they will not likely take.
" Nulla placere did, neque vivere carmina possunt,
Q,u« scribuntur atqus potoribus."
" No verses can please men or live long that are written by water-drinkers." Poor
men cannot please, their actions, counsels, consultations, projects, are vilified in the
world's esteem, amittunt consilium in re, which Gnatho long since observed.
™ Sapiens crepidas sibi nunquam nee soleas fecit, a wise man never cobbled shoes ,
as he said of old, but how doth he prove it .? I am sure we find it otherwise in our
days, ''^pruinosis horrct ftcundia pannis. Homer himself must beg if he want
means, and as by report sometimes he did ^''" go from door to door, and sing ballads,
with a company of boys about him." This common misery of theirs must needs
distract, make them discontent and melancholy, as ordinarily they are, wayward,
peevish, like a weary traveller, for ^^ Fames et mora bilem in nares conciunt, still
murmuring and repining : Ob inopiam morosi sunt, quibus est male, as Plutarch quotes
out of Euripides, and that comical poet well seconds,
82 " Omnps quibus res sunt miniis secnnds, nescio qiiomodo
Suspitiosi, ad contumeliam omnia accipiunt magis,
Propter suam iaipotentiam se credunt negligi."
" If they be in adversity, they are more suspicious and apt to mistake : they think
themselves scorned by reason of their misery :" and therefore many generous spirits
in such cases withdraw themselves from all company, as that comedian ^Terence is
said to have done ; when he perceived himself to be forsaken and poor, he volun-
tarily banished himself to Stymphalus, a base town in Arcadia, and there miserably
died.
^ "ad summam inopiam redactus,
Itaque e conspectu omnium abiit Gra-ciaj in terram ultimam."
Neither is it without cause, for we see men commonly respected according to their
means, (^an dives sit omnes qucerimt, nemo an bo7U(s) and vilified if they be in bad
clothes. ^ Philophaemen the orator was set to cut wood, because he was so homely
attired, ^'Terentius was placed at the lower end of Cecilius' table, because of his
homely outside. ^*Dante, that famous Italian poet, by reason his clotlies were but
mean, could not be admitted to sit down at a feast. Gnatho scorned his old familiar
friend because of his apparel, ^^ Hominem video pannis, annisque obsitu?n, hie ego
ilium conlempsi prcB me. King Persius overcome sent a letter to ^''Paulus ^Emilius,
the Roman general ; Persius P. Consuli. S. but he scorned him any answer, tacite
exprohrans fortunam suam (saith mine author) upbraiding him with a present fortune.
"Carolus Pugnax, that great duke of Burgundy, made H. Holland, late duke of
'"(Josmog.4. lib. cap. 22. vendunt liberosvictu carentes I poet. Polentiorum sdes ostratim adiens. aliquid arci-
tanquain pecora interdum et seipsos; ut apud divites piebat. canens carmina sua. concomiiante eum puero-
Baturentur cibis. " Vel tionoruin desperatione vel I rum choro. «' Plautus Ampl. «Ter.Act.4 Seen.
malorum perpepsione fracti et fatigati, plures violentas | 3. Adelph. Hegio. ''S Donat. vita ejus. ^^" Reduced
manus sib* inferuiit. "3 Hor. ." Ingenio pote- to the greatest necessity, he withdrew from the saze of
ram =M|>»'ra<: volitarc per arrest tJt me plmm iivnr. sir ' fh>> public to the niost remote village in Greece"'
- „ "" 'Ji-uaa-. - ! M Ua." ' «'Pliiiarch.^'»^a^ij»ji^ '"VitaTer
V cnnnot easil> risi ■ ^ius ib. 3. c. il. de sale. fSTw,^: i inch. Act.
. vertj at bOMJI^ -2. _^l,iv. dec. 9. I.
;r 111
218
Causes of Melancholy.
[Fart. 1. Sec. 2.
Exeter, exiled, run after his horse like a lackey, and would take no notice of him ;
^""tis the comaion fashion of the world. So that such men as are poor may justly
be discontent, melancholy, and complain of their present misery, and all may pray
with ^^ Solomon, ''•Give me, O Lord, neither riches nor poverty; feed me with food
convenient for me."
SuBSECT. VII. — .yj heap of other Accidents causing Melancholy., Death of Friends^
Losses, Sfc.
In this labyrinth of accidental causes, the farther I wander, the more intricate I
find the passage, multce ambages, and new causes as so many by-paths ofl'er them-
selves to be discussed : to search out all, were an Herculean work, and fitter for
Theseus: I will follow mine intended thread; and point only at some few of the
chiefest.
Death of Friends.] Amongst which, loss and death of friends may challenge a
first place, multi tristantur, as *^Vives well observes, ^os< deUcias, convivia, dies feslos,
many are melancholy after a feast, holiday, nierry meeting, or some pleasing sport,
if they be solitary by chance, left alone to themselves, without employment, sport,
or \v ant their ordinary companions, some at the departure of friends only whom they
shall shortly see again, weep and howl, and look after them as a cow lows after her
calf, or a child takes on that goes to school after holidays. Ut me hvdrat tuns
adventus, sic discessus afflixit, (which "^Tully writ to Atticus) thy coming was not
so welcome to me, as thy departure was harsh. Montanus, consil. 132. makes men-
tion of a country woman that parting with her friends and native place, became
grievously melancholy for many years ; and Trallianu3 of another, so caused for
the absence of her husband : which is an ordinary passion amongst our good wives,
if their husband tarry out a day longer than his appointed time, or break his hour,
they take on presently with sighs and tears, he is either robbed, or, dead, some mis-
chance or other is surely befallen him, they cannot eat, drink, sleep, or be quiet in
mind, till they see him again. If parting of friends, absence alone can work such
violent effects, what shall death do, when they must eternally be separated, never in
this world to meet again .'' • This is so grievous a torment for the tune, that it takes
away their appetite, desire of life, extinguisheth all delights, it causeth deep sighs
and groans, tears, exclamations,
(" O dulce ^erinen matrix, 6 sanguis ineuti,
Ehen te|n;nt<is, tc. 6 flos tciier.") »*
howling, roaring, many bitter pangs, ^ lamentis gemituque et famineo ululatu Tecta
fremunt) and by frequent medilation extends so far sometimes, **"they tbink they
see their dead friends continually in their eyes," ohservantes imagines, an ConcilimoT
confesseth he saw his mother's ghost presenting herself still before him. Quod
nimis miseri volunt, hoc facile credunt, still, still, still, that good father, that good
son, that good wife, that dear friend runs in their minds : Totiis animus hac und
cogitutione defixus est, all the year long, as ^ Pliny complains to Romanus, " me-
thinks I see Virginius, I hear Virginiusj I talk with Virginias, &.c."
loo-'Te sine, vs misero riiihi. lilia nigra videntiir,
Pallenlesque rusv, iit-c diilcv rubeiis hyacinthus,
Nullos iifc niyrtus, iiec laurud spiral odores."
They that are most staid and patient, are so furiously carried headlong by the pas-
sion of sorrow in this case, that brave discreet men otherwise, oftentimes forget
themselves, and weep like children many months together, '"as if that they to
water would," and will not be comforted. They are gone, they are gone ; what
shall I do .?
" Abstulit atra dies et fnnere mersit acerbo,
Qiiis dabit in lachryinas fontein milii ? quissatia altos
Accendet geniitus, et acerbo verba dolori ?
Ezhaurit pietas uculos, et hiantia frangit
Peclora, nee plenos avido sinit edere questus,
Magna adeo jactura premit," tec.
' Fountains of tears who eives. who lends me groans.
Deep siKhii sufficient to express my moans ?
Mine eyes are dry, my breast in piece., torn,
My loss so great, I cannot cooufh mourn."
&^ He that hath 5/. per annum comini; in more than I ** Epist. lib. 2. Vireiniiim video andio defuiiclutn coirHo
■" (.'iilpliciriiins Gr;ec'is. •• Williout lh«re
their wliiteiie.-x. lof
hiJWu»n
retains its'MOlkik *
others, scorns him that
n Prov. .XIX. p. M/^
latli li^s. anil la a l":it.-r man.
■la.'cap. de msroiM^ "=' Lib.
Kflbpriiig; obmy VOT)^H<i' .1
^■Vir. 4. .Aa^^wpatr
alloqiior.
ah ! wretc
uio r I u o :^b^^^^^^l
^^^Bihri^^^^^MBAlu >
Mem. 4. Subs. 7. Other Accidents and Grievances. 219
So Stroza Filius, that elegant Italian poet, in his Epicedium, bewails his father's death,
he could moderate his passions in other matters, (as he confesseth) but not in this,
he yields wliolly to sorrow,
"Nunc fatenr do terga malis, mens ilia fati.-cit,
ludoniitus quondam vigor et constantia mentis."
How doth "Quintilian complain for the loss of his son, to despair almost: Cardan
lament liis only cliild in his book de libris propriis, and elsewhere in many of his
tracts, ^ St. Ambrose his brother's death .'' an ego possum non cogitare de te, aut sine
lachrymis cogitare ? O amari dies, o flehiles noctes, Sfc. " Can I ever cease to think
of thee, and to think with sorrow ? O bitter days, O nights of sorrow," &c. Gre-
gory Nazianzen, that noble Pulcheria ! O decorem, Sfc.Jlos reccns, pullulans, Sfc.
Alexander, a man of most invincible courage, after Hephestion's death, as Curtius
relates, triduum jaciiit ad moriendum obstinatus.) lay three days together upon the
ground, obstinate, to die with him, and would neither eat, drink, nor sleep. The
woman that communed with Esdras [lib. 2. cap. 10.) when her son fell down dead.
"• fled into the field, and would not return into tlie city, but there resolved to remain,
neither to eat nor drink, but mourn and fast until she died." "Rachael wept for her
.children, and would not be comforted because they were not." Matt. ii. 18. So did
Adrian the emperor bewail' his Antinous ; Hercules, Hylas ; Orpheus, Eurydice ;
David, Absalom ; (O my dear son Absalom) Austin his mother Monica, Niobe her
children, insomuch that the ^ poets feigned her to be turned into a stone, as being
stupitied til rough the extremity of grief '^ jEgeas, signo lugubri jilii consternatus.,
in mare se prcccipitatem dedit, impatient of sorrow for his son's death, drowned
himself Our late physicians are full of such examples. Montanus const/. 242. ^ had
a patient troubled with this infirmity, by reason of her husband's death, many years
together. Trincavellius, I. I.e. 14. hath such another, almost in despair, after his
"mother's departure, ut seferme jjrcecipitatcm dartt ; and ready through distraction
to make away himself: and in his Fifteenth counsel, tells a story of one fifty years
of age, '' that grew desperate upon his mother's death ;" and cured by Fallopius, fell
many years after into a relapse, by the sudden death of a daughter which he had,
and could never after be recovered. The fury of this passion is so violent some-
times, that it daunts whole kingdoms and cities. Vespasian''s death was pitifully
lamented all over the Roman empire, totus orbis lugebat., saith Aurelius ^^ictor.
Alexander commanded the battlements of houses to be pulled down, mules and
horses to have their manes shorn off", and many common soldiers to be slain, to
accompany his dear Hephestion's death ; which is now practised amongst tlie Tar-
tars, when ^ a great Cham dieth, ten or twelve thousand must be slain, men and
horses, all they meet ; and among those the ^ Pagan Indians, their wives and servants
voluntarily die with them. Leo Decimus was so much bewailed in Rome after his
departure, that as Jovius gives out, ^° commu7iis saliis, publica hilaritas, the common
safety of all good fellowship, peace, mirth, and plenty died with him, tanquam eodem
sepulchro cum Leone condita lugebantur: for it was a golden age whilst he lived,
" but after his decease an iron season succeeded, barbara vis etfceda vaslitas., et dira
malorum omnium incomriioda, wars, plagues, vastity, discontent. When Augustus
Caesar died, saith Paterculus, orbis ruinam timuerajnus, we were all afraid, as if hea-
ven had fallen upon our heads. '^ Budaeus records, how that, at Lewis the Twelfth
his death, tarn subila mutatio, ut qui prius digilo cxlum atlingere videbantur, nunc
hiimi dcfepenle serpere., sideratos esse diceres., they that were erst in heaven, upon a
sudden, as if they had been planet-strucken, lay grovelling on the ground ]
W"Concu?sis cecidere animis, s€u frondibus Liigens
Sylva dolet lapsis"
they looked like cropped trees. "At Nancy in Lorraine, when Claudia Valesia,
Henry the Second French king's sister, and the duke's wife deceased, the temples for
2 Prafat. lib. 6. s Lib. de obitu Satyri fratris. ejus. "Lib. 4. vitas ejus, auream a;tatera condiderat
« Ovid. Met. 5 Plut. vita ejus. « Nobilis matrona
niKlanclinlica i>b mortem mariti. ' Ex niatri.^ obitu
in desperirtionem iiicidit. « Maihias a Michou. Boter.
An^'hillifiii. 9 Lo Vertoman. .M. Polus Venelus lib.
ad humani generis salutem quum nos ^tatinl ab optimi
principis exct-ssu, vere ferream palereniur, famem, pes-
tern, &c. i2Lib. 5. de asse. is .\rapl). ' They be-
c.inie fallen in feelings, as the great forest laments its
11- f.ill.ii liuvis." "OrfeliufTWimario: ob annum
rum a cantu, tripudiis et s%Uationl|fe^otacivilaa
Vita uoatiuere jut]
220 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. bee. 2
fortv days were all shut up, no prayers nor masses, but in that room where she was.
The senators all seen in black, " and for a twelvemonth's space throughout the city,
they were forbid to sing or dance.*'
The swains forgol their sheep, nor near the brink
Of running waters brought their henls lo drink;
The thirsty cattle, of themselves, ahstaineU
W" Non ulli pastos illis egre diebus
Frigida (Uapliue) boves ad flumina, nulla nee
aniuein
Libavit qiiadrupes, nee graniinis attigit herbam."
From water, and their grassy fare dibdain'd."
How were we affected here in England for our Titus, delicicB humani generis, Prince
Henry's immature death, as if all our dearest friends' lives had exhaled with his ?
'^ Scanderbeg's death was not so much lamented in Epirus. In a word, as '■ he Saith
of Edward the First at the news of Edward of Caernarvon his song's birth, immor-
talifer gavisiis, he was immortally glad, may we say on the contrary of liiends'
deaths, immortaliter gementes, we are diverse of us as so many turtles, eternally
dejected with it.
There is another sorrow, which arises from the loss of temporal goods and for-
tunes, which equally alHicts, and may go hand in hand with the preceding ; loss of
time, loss of honour, office, of good name, of labour, frustrate hopes, will much
torment; but in my judgment, there is no torture like unto it, or that sooner pro-
cureth this malady and mischief:
18" Ploratuf lachryniis amissa pecunia veris :" | " Lost money is bewailed with grief sincere."
it wrings true tears from our eyes, many sighs, nUich ^orrow from our hearts, and
often causes habitual melancholy itself, Guianerius trad. 15. 5. repeats this for an
especial cause: "''Loss of friends, and loss of goods, make many men melanclioly,
as I have often seen by continual meditation of such things." The same causes
Arnoldus Villanovanus inculcates, Breviar. I. I.e. 18. ex rerum amissione, damno,
amicorum morte, S^-c. Want alone will make a man mad, to be Sans argent will
cause a deep and grievous melancholy. Many persons are affected like ^ Irishmen
in this behalf, who if they have a good scimitar, had nillier have a blow on their
arm, than their weapon hurt : they will sooner lose their life, than their goods : and
the grief that cometh hence, continuelh long (saith *' Plater) " anjj out of many dis-
positions, procureth an habit." ^'Montanus and Frisemelica cured a young man of
22 years of age, that so became melancholy, ah amissam pecuniam, for a sum of
money which he had unhappily lost. Sckenkius hath such another story of one
melancholy, because he overshot himself, and spent his stock in unnecessary build-
ing. " Roger that rich bishop of Salisbur)', emitus opibiis et castris a Rege Stepfiano^
spoiled of his goods by king Stephen, ri doloris absorptus., afqiic in amentiam versus^
indeccntia fecit., through grief ran mad, spoke and did he knew not wliat. Nothing
so familiar, as for men in such cases, through anguish of mind to make away them-
selves. A poor fellow went to hang himself, (which Ausonius hath elejfanily
expressed in a neat '"Epigram) but rinding by chance a pot of money, tlimg away
the rope, and went merrily home, but he that hid the gold, when he missed it, hanged
himself with that rope which the other man had left, in a discontented humour.
" At qui condiderat, poetguam non repent aurum,
Aptavit collo, quein reperii laqueum."
Such feral accidents can want and penury produce. Be it by suretyship, shipwreck,
fire, spod and pillage of soldiers, or what loss soever, it boots not, it will work the
like effect, the same desolation in provinces and cities, as well as private persons.
The Romans were miserably dejected after the battle of Cannae, the men amazed for
fear, the stupid women tore their hair and cried. The Hungarians, when their king
Ladislaus and bravest soldiers were slain by the Turks, Luctus publicus, <^c. The
Venetians when their forces were overcome by the French king Lewis, the French
and Spanish kings, pope, emperor, all conspired against them, at Cambray, the French
herald denounced open war in the senate : Lauredane Venetorum dux., ^-c, and they
had lost Padua, Brixia, Verona, Forum Julii, their territories in the continent, and
had now nothing left, but the city of Venice itself, et urbi quoque ipsi (sailh '"Bern-
bus) timendum putarent, and the loss of that was likewise to be feared, tantus repcnte
1* Virt. '« S<-.- i;,irl. tills de vita et ob. Scanderbeg. I Hi«t. ^'Cap. 3. Melanrh.ilia i>emp>-r v i i. •..•..
lib. 13. hist. •'. >^ Jiurenalig. '".Mulli | ram pecuinB'. victuria-. r. | iij.ain. iin.ii
qui rrs aniai ' '^SMi^Bl^tSlfi ^("eran- I quibus lonKn p<ist^i|imju/^aiiiiiiiis txriji
tesrcciii). r L^jfl ..lii^^^^^^^^S^t. -'— '"'^^^^^^1 ai ...
Belani.
Mem. 4. Subs. 7.] Oilier Accidents and Grievances. 221
dolor omnes tenuity ut nunquam, alias., <Sfc., they were pitifully plunged, never before
in such lamentable distress. Anno 1527, when Rome was sacked by Burbonius, the
common soldiers made such spoil, that fair "'' churches were turned to stables, old
monuments and books made horse-litter, or burned like straw ; relics, costly pictures
defaced ; altars demolished, rich hangings, carpets, &C., trampled in the dirt. ^" Their
wives and loveliest daughters constuprated by every base cuUion, as Sejanus' daughter
was by the hangman in public, before their fathers and husbands' faces. Noblemen's
children, and of tbe wealthiest citizens, reserved for princes' beds, were prostitute to
every common soldier, and kept for concubines ; senators and cardinals themselves
dragged along the streets, and put to exquisite torments, to confess where their
money was hid ; the rest, murdered on heaps, lay stinking in the streets ; infants'
brains dashed out before their mothers' eyes. A lamentable sight it was to see so
goodly a city so suddenly defaced, rich citizens sent a begging to Venice, Naples,
Ancona, &c., that erst lived in all manner of delights. ^ " Those proud palaces that
even now vaunted their tops up to heaven, were dejected as low as hell in an instant."
Whom will not such misery make discontent ? Terence the poet drowned himself
(some say) for the loss of his comedies, which suffered shipwreck. When a poor
. man hath made many hungry meals, got together a small sum, which he loseth in
an instant ; a scholar spent many an hour's study to no purpose, his labours lost,
&c., how should it otherwise be .'' I may conclude with Gregory, temporalium
amor., quantum ajicit., cum hceret possessio, tantum quum subtrahitur, urit dolor;
riches do not so much exhilarate us with their possession, as they torment us with
their loss.
Next to sorrow still I may annex such accidents as procure fear •, for besides those
terrors which I have ^^ before touched, and many other fears (which are infinite) there
is a superstitious fear, one of the three great causes of fear in Aristotle, commonly
caused by prodigies and dismal accidents, which nmch trouble many of us. ( JVcscfo
quid animus mild prcesagit mali.) As if a hare cross the way at our going forth, or
a mouse gnaw our clothes : if they bleed three drops at nose, the salt falls towards
them, a black spot appear in their nails, &c., with many such, which Delrio Tom.
2. I. 3. sect. 4. Austin Niphus in his book de Auguriis. Polydore Virg. /. 3. de
Prodigiis. Sarisburiensis Polycrat. l.l.c. 13. discuss at large. They are so much
affected, that with the very strength of imagination, fear, and the devil's craft, ''""they
pull those misfortunes they suspect, upon their own heads, and that which they fear,
shall come upon them," as Solomon fortelleth, Prov. x. 24. and Isaiah denounceth,
Ixvi. 4. which if ^^ " they could neglect and contemn, would not come to pass, Eorum
vires nostra resident opinione, ut morbi gravitas cegrotantium cogitatione., they are
intended and remitted, as our opinion is fixed, more or less. N. N. dat poenas., saith
^ Crato of such a one, utinam non attraheret : he is punished, and is the cause of it
"'himself:
^Dum fata fugimus fata stulti incurrimus, the thing that I feared, saith Job, is
fallen upon me.
As much we may say of them that are troubled with their fortunes ; or ill desti-
nies foreseen : multos angit prcescientia maloru7n: The foreknowledge of what shall
come to pass, crucifies many men : foretold by astrologers, or wizards, iratum ob
coelum,., be it ill accident, or death itself: which often falls out by God's permission;
quia dcEmonem liment (saith Chrysostom) Deus ideo pennittit accidere. Severus,
Adrian, Domitian, can testify as much, of whose fear and suspicion, Sueton, Hero-
dian, and the rest of those writers, tell strange stories in this behalf. ^^lAIontanus
consil. 31. hath one example of a young man, exceeding melancholy upon this occa-
sion. Such fears have still tormented mortal men in all ages, by reason of those
lying oracles, and juggling priests. '^^ There was a fountain in Greece, near Ceres'
temple in Achaia, where the event of such diseases was to be known ; '-A glass let
»«Templa ornanientis nudata, spoliata, in stabula
equoruin et asinorum versa, &c. Insulte hunii conciil-
cats, pedita-, <fcc. "In oculis maritorum dilectissimie
coiijuges ab Hispanorum lixis constuprats sunt. Filiie
raajjnatuin llmris dystinatae, &;c. "^Ita fastu ante
uiiuin nii-iisiMii lurL'iilaciv/yyjMt,.«acurninit)Oj cecluin
;M!sa^.Vi^a, ad inferOdM^^^^^is dietius dejecta.
"Sect. 2. Memb. 4. Si^^^^BHbia ominous acci-
dents, destinies foretold. so Accersunt sibi maluto,
"Si non observeiiiijs, nihil valent. Polidor. 33(_;onsil.
26. 1. 2. 23 Harm watch harm catch. ^ Geor. Bucha.
35 Juvenis solicitus de futuris frustra, factus niclancho-
licus. 36 paiisanius in Achaicis lib. 7. Ubi omnium
eveiitus dignoscuntur. Speculum iciitji suspensum funi-
culcwdemittunt: et ad Cyaaeaa petras ad. Lycite hn'et
222 Causes of Melancholy. l^Part. 1 . Sec. 2,
down by a thread, &c." Amongst those Cyanean rocks at the springs of Lycia, was
the oracle of Thrixeus Apollo, *•• where all fortunes were foretold, sickness, health,
or what they would besides :" so common people have been always deluded with
future events. At this day^Melusfuturoriim maxime torquet Sinas^ this foolish fear,
mightily crucifies them in China : as *' Matthew Riccius the Jesuit informeth us, in
his commentaries of those countries, of all nations they are most superstitious, and
much tormented in this kind, attributing so much to their divinators, ut ipse metus
Jidem facial, that fear itself and conceit, cause it to **fall out: If he foretell sickness
such a day, that very time they will be sick, vi metiis ajjlicti in cpgriludincm cadunt ;
and many times die as it is foretold. A true saying, Timor 7norlis, mortc pejor, the
fear of death is Avorse than deatli itself, and the memory of that sad hour, to some
fortunate and rich men, '•' is as bitter as gall," Ecd. xli. 1. Inqidctam nobis vit am
facit mortis metus, a worse plague cannot happen to a man, than to be so troubled
in his mind ; 'tis triste divortium, a heavy separation, to leave their goods, with so
much labour got, pleasures of the world, which they have so deliciously enjoyed,
friends and companions whom they so dearly loved, all at once. Axicchus the phi-
losopher was bold and courageous all his life, and gave good precepts t/c contemnenda
morte^ and against the vanity of the world, to others ; but being now ready to die
himself, he was mightily dejected, hdc luce privahorf his orhahor bonis f'^^ he
lamented like a child, &.c. And though Socrates himself was there to comfort him,
ubi prislina virtutum jaclalio O jlxioche f '•^ where is all your boasted virtue now,
my friend r" yet he was very timorous and impatient of death, much troubled in his
mind, Imbcllis pavor et impaticntia, 6fc. " O Clotho," Megapetus the tyrant in
Lueian exclaims, now ready to depart, '' let me live a while longer. ^^ I will give
thee a thousand talents of gold, and two boles besides, which I took from Cleocritus,
worth a hundred talents apiece." •■' Woe's me," ■" saith another,^' what goodly manors
shall I leave ! what fertile fields I what a line house I what pretty cliildren ! how
many servants ! who shall gather my grapes, my corn .'' Must 1 now die so well
settled i Leave all, so richly and well provided .' Woe's me, what shall 1 do ?"
*^JinimuJa rugula, blandula, qua nunc ubibis in loca ?
To these tortures of fear and sorrow, may well be annexed curiosity, that irksome,
that tyrannising care, nimia i't»/ic/7u(/o, "'^'" superfluous industry about unproiitable
things, and their qualities," as Thomas defines it: an itcliitig humour or a kind of
longing to see that which is not to be seen, to do that which ought not to lie done,
to know that ''•' secret which should not be known, to eat of the forbidden fruit.
We commonly molest and tire ourselves about things unfit and unnecessary, as
Martha troubled herself to little purpose. Be it in religion, humanity, magic, philo-
sophy, policy, any action or study, 'tis a needless trouble, a mere torment. For what
else is school divinity, how many doth it puzzle ? what fruitless questions about the
Trinity, resurrection, election, predestination, reprobation, hell-fire, Sec, how many
shall be saved, damned i What else is all superstition, but an endless observation
of idle ceremonies, traditions } What is most of our philosophy but a labyrinth of
opmions, idle questions, propositions, metapliysical terms i Socrates, therefore, held
all philo.supners, cavillers, and mad men, circa sublilia Cacillatorcs pro insaiiis
hahuit, palum eos arguens, saith ^* Eusebius, because they commonly sought after
such things qute ncc pcrcipi a nobis nrque comprehcndi posset, or put case they did
understand, yet they were altogether unprofitable. For .what matter is it for us to
know how high the Pleiades are, how far distant Perseus and Cassiopea from us,
how deep the sea, &c., we are neither wiser, as he follows it, nor modester, nor
better, nor richer, nor stronger for the knowledge of it. Quod supra nos nihil ad
nos, I may say the same of those genethliacal studies, what is astrology but vain
elections, predictions ? all magic, but a troublesome error, a -pernicious foppery r
physic, but intricate rules and prescriptions ? philology, but vain criticisms .' logic,
needless sophisms .' metaphysics themselves, but intricate subtilties, and fruitless
abstractions } alchemy, but a bundle of errors ? to what end are such great tomes ?
^ Expi'ilii. in Siiias, lih. I. c. :i 3 'I'n.if.ndo pra-oc- I talenta. nii- I11..I1.. 1 il.i u.iiiiriim proniitto, Ar, < Ihiilfm.
c«p.-it, qmxl vilat, iiltr.. lugil. pau- Hfi iiiilii '|'' ' [irnilia? cjnaiii f.-rlilc* «f ri !
detqiie iiiajroiis etl^yi.- •■< Austriar. | &c. "A islria siiixrliiia cirra re» inn
■"Musi I l>ua<l«pBU <<r l!i : ItlOoJ- jp,.«,.- I l|l..a <*1ju.- ...j >*wi«M*-ai H'I'-'i' Ai»l;iur^.».
•ions' •Toa|i||dUl. 3(Jatap)o^Auri pun I. ■ M.t. 2. ^M^a^^^^Va. cap. CI. — ~-*^
Mem. 4. Subs. 7.] Other Accidents and Grievances. 223
why do we spend so many years in their studies ? Much better to know nothino- at
all, as those barbarous Indians are wholly ignorant, than as some of us, to be so
sore vexed about unprofitable toys : stultus labor est ineptiarum, to build a house
without pins, make a rope of sand, to what end ? cui bono ? He studies on, but as
the boy told St. Austin, when I have laved the sea dry, thou shalt understand the
mystery of the Trinity. He makes observations, keeps times and seasons ; and as
*^Conradus the emperor would not touch his new bride, till an astrologer had told
him a masculine hour, but with what success ? He travels into Europe, Africa, Asia,
searcheth every creek, sea, city, mountain, gulf, to what end ? See one promontory
(said Socrates of old), one mountain, one sea, one river, and see all. An alchemist
spends his fortunes to find out the philosopher's stone forsooth, cure all diseases,
make men long-lived, victorious, fortunate, invisible, and beggars himself, misled by
those seducing impostors (which he shall never attain) to make gold ; an antiquary
consumes his treasure and time to scrape up a company of old coins, statues, rules,
edicts, manuscripts, &c., he must know what was done of old in Athens, Rome,
what lodging, diet, houses they had, and have all the present news at first, though
never so remote, before all others, what projects, counsels, consultations, &c., quid
Juno in aurem insusurret Jovi, wiiat's now decreed in France, what in Italy : who
was he, whence comes he, Avhich way, whither goes he, &.c. Aristotle must find
out the motion of Euripus ; Pliny must needs see Vesuvius, but how sped they ?
One loseth goods, another his life ; Pyrrhus will conquer Africa first, and then Asia :
he will be a sole monarch, a second immortal, a third rich ; a fourth commands.
*' Turbine magno spes solicitce in urbihus errant; we run, ride, take indefatigable
pams, all up early, down late, striving to get that which we had better be without,
(Ardelion's busy-bodies as we are) it were much fitter for us to be quiet, sit still, and
take our ease. His sole study is for words, that they be Lepidce. lexeis com-
postcR ut tesserulee ovmcs^ not a syllable misplaced, to set out a stramineous subject:
as thine is about apparel, to follow the fashion, to be terse and polite, 'tis thy sole
business : both with like profit. His only delight is building, he spends himself to
get curious pictures, intricate models and plots, another is wholly ceremonious about
titles, degrees, inscriptions : a third is over-solicitous about his diet, he must have
such and such exquisite sauces, meat so dressed, so far-fetched, peregrini aeris volu-
cres, so cooked, &c., something to provoke thirst, something anon to quench his
thirst. Thus he redeems his appetite with extraordinary charge to his purse, is sel-
dom pleased with any meal, whilst a trivial stomach useth all with delight and is
never offended. Another must have roses in winter, alieni temporis flores^ snow-
water in summer, fruits before they can be or are usually ripe, artificial gardens and
fish-ponds on the tops of houses, all things opposite to the vulgar sort, intricate and
rare, or else they are nothing worth. So busy, nice, curious wits, make that insup-
portable in all vocations, trades, actions, employments, which to duller apprehensions
is not offensive, earnestly seeking that which others so scornfully neo-lect. Thus
through our foolish curiosity do we macerate ourselves, tire our souls, and run head-
long, through our indiscretion, perverse will, and want of government, into many
needless cares, and troubles, vain expenses, tedious journeys, painful hours ; and
when ail is done, quorsum hcec? cui bono? to what end ?
46" Xescire velle qua; Masrister raaximus
Bocere non vult, erudita inscitia est."
Unfortunate marriage.] Amongst these passions and irksome accidents, unfortu-
nate marriage may be ranked : a condition of life appointed by God himself in Para-
dise, an honourable and happy estate, and as great a felicity as can befall a man in
this world, ^^if the parties can agree as they ought, and live as ^Seneca lived with
his Paulina ; but if they be unequally matched, or at discord, a greater misery cannot
be expected, to have a scold, a slut, a harlot, a fool, a fury or a fiend, there can be
no such plague. Eccles. xxvi. 14, " He that hath her is as if he held a scorpion,
&c." xxvi. 25, " a wicked wife makes a sorry countenance, a heavy heart, and he had
rather dwell with a lion than keep house with sucji a wife.". Her °' properties Jovianus
i^Afnt, I'nrii, 5" >• ! . i n . -1= Jo~. Scaliger in M^ "A virtuous woman is th" rr . ■. , f ii r husb-iiid."
'^■'" '^'i' I -■ :i ..i.-inclinalimi Imt luar know- Prov. .\]i. 4. •■ bul slu',' 'ic. iSc.:. i.- . . T. ejiist. ]Ui.
IcJye vviiitii s b..} iid our reach, is j>eclanuc i^Mijraiice." | °^[|litioiiatur, candelabratur, &.c.
224 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
Pontanus hath described at large, ^nt. dial. Tom. 2, under the name of Euphorbia.
Or if they be not equal in years, tlie like mischief happens. Cecilius in JigcUius
lib. 2. cap. 23, complains much of an old wife, dam ejus morli iiihio, egomet niortuus
vivo inter vivos^ whilst I gape after her death, I live a dead man amongst the living,
or if they dishke upon any occasion,
""Judge who that are unfortunately wed
What 'tis to come into a loathed bed."
The same inconvenience befals women.
M" At vos 6 duri miseram lugete parentes, I .. p^^j hearted parents both lament my fate.
Si ferro aui laqueo leva hac me essolvere Borte jj. ,f £ ^,„ ^; ^ (^ ^ ^' „
Sustineo:" I " '
"A young gentlewoman in Basil was married, saith Felix Plater, ohservat. Z. 1, to an
ancient man against her will, whom she could not affect ; she was continually melan-
choly, and pined away for grief; and though her husband did all he could possibly
to give her content, in a discontented humour at length she hanged herself. Many
other stories he relates in this kind. Thus men are plagued with women ; they again
with men, when tliey are of divers humours and conditions ; he a spendtlirift, she
sparing; one honest, the other dishonest, kc. Parents many times disquiet their
cluldren, and tliey their parents. **'*A foolish son is an heaviness to his mother."
Irijusta noverca : a stepmotlier often vexeth a whole family, is matter of repentance,
exercise of patience, fuel of dissension, which made Cato's son e.\postulate with his
father, why he should offer to marry his client Solinius' daughter, a young wench,
Cttjus causa novercam induceret; what offence had he done, that he should marry
again ?
Unkind, unnatural friends, evil neighbours, bad servants, debts and debates, &c.,
'twas Chilon's sentence, comes cfris alieni ct litis est miseria., misery and usury do
commonly together; suretyship is the bane of many families, Sponde^ prastu noxa
est : '•' he shall be sore vexed that is surety for a stranger," Prov. xi. 15, " and he that
hateth suretyship is sure." Contention, brawling, lawsuits, falling out of neiglibours
and friends. discordia dfmens ( Virg. jfjU. G,) are equal to tiie first, grieve many
a man, and vex his soul, \ihil sane miserabdius eurum mrntibus^ (as ^Koter holds)
" nolliing so miserable as such men, full of cares, griefs, anxieties, as if they were
stabbed with a sharp sword, fear, suspicion, desperation, sorrow, are their ordinary
companions.'"' Our Welshmen are noted by some of their " own writers, to con-
sume one another in this kind ; but whosoever they are that use it, these are their
common symptoms, especially if they be convict or overcome, **cast in a suit.
Arius put out of a bishopric by Eustathius, turned heretic, and lived after discon-
tented all his life. ''Every repulse is of like nature ; heu quanta de spe decidi ! Dis-
grace, infamy, detraction, will almost effect as much, and that a long time after.
Hipponax, a satirical poet, so viliiied and lashed two painters in his iambics, ut ambo
laqueo se suffocarent., ^ Pliny saith, both hange<l themselves. All oppositions, dan-
gers, perplexities, discontents, "to live in any suspense, are of the same rank: pates
hic sub casu d tier re somnos? Who can be secure in such cases .' lU-bestowed bene-
fits, ingratitude, unthankful friends, muchtlisquiet and molest some. Unkind speeches
trouble as many; uncivil carriage or dogged answers, weak women above the rest,
if they proceed from their surly husbands, are as bitter as gall, and not to be digested.
A glassman''s wit'e in Basil became melanclioly because her husband said he would
marry again if she died. " No cut to unkindness," as the saying is, a frown and
hard speech, ill respect, a brow-beating, or bad look, especially to courtiers, or such
as attend upon great persons, is present death : Ingcnium vullu staique caditque suo^
they ebb and flow with their masters' favours. Some persons are at their wits' ends,
if by chance they overshoot themselves, in their ordinary speeches, or actions, which
may after turn to their disadvantage or disgrace, or have any secret disclosed. Runseus
epist. miscel. 2, reports of a gentlewoman 25 years old, that falling foul with one of
*> Daniel in Rosamund. ^^chalinorus lib. 9. de
rniiub. Ariel. ** Klegans virgo invita cuidam 6 nog-
irnlitxie hupsit. &c. ** Prov. "Pe increm.
iirlj. lili. :<. c. :i. tHTi<|iiaiii diro mucrone confossi, hia
nulla requi' - i ■ <latio, solicitudine. gemitu,
furore, ilexp' - i 're, tanquam ad perp<^tuara
erumnafii i i .i^ie'-r r.j|>u. ^'.Haiulredud LIuvd I Plater obaer
aput.. I \.>>rahaii|uai Urlelium. M. Vaugbaa in
Golden Fleece. Litibus et controversiis usque ad om-
nium bonorum consuniptioneni contendunl. ** Spre-
tcque injuria forme i^Uua-qiie repuUa gravii,
'^i Lib. 3U. c. 5. "■ Nihil a'quu amoruui, quMn diu
pcMiilere : quidam cquiore ammo fcrunt prcciii <l*em
Duam quam trahi- Heneca cap. 3. lib. j. da I>«a. Virg
Mem. 4. Subs. 7.] Other Accidents and Grievances. 225
her gossips, was upbraided with a secret infirmity (no matter what) in public, and
so much grieved with it, that she did thereupon solitudines qua;rere, omnes ab se
oMcgare, ac tandem in gravissimam incidens melanchoUam, contabcscere, forsake all
company, quite moped, and in a melancholy humour pine away. Others are as much
tortured to see themselves rejected, contemned, scorned, disabled, defamed, detracted,
undervalued, or "" left behind their fellows." Lucian brings in ^tamacles, a philo-
sopher in his Lapith. convivio, much discontented that he' was not invited amongst
the rest, expostulating the matter, in a long epistle, with Aristenetus their host.
Praetextatus, a robed gentleman in Plutarch, would not sit down at a feast, because
he might not sit highest, but went his ways all in a chafe. We see the common
quarrel ings, that are ordinary with us, for "taking of the wall, precedency, and the
like, which though toys in themselves, and things of no moment, yet they cause
many distempers, much heart-burning amongst us. Nothing pierceth deeper than a
contempt or disgrace, '^especially if they be generous spirits, scarce anything affects
them more than to.be despised or vilified. Crato, consil. 16, 7. 2, exemplifies it, and
common experience confirms it. Of the same nature is oppression, Ecclus. 77,
"surely oppression makes a man mad," loss of liberty, which made Brutus venture
his hfe, Cato kill himself, and ''^ Tully complain, Omnem hiJaritalcm in perpetmim
amisi, mine heart's broken, I shall never look up, or be merry aganiy^^hcec jactura
tntolerabilis, to some parties 'tis a most intolerable loss. Banishment a great miser\',
as Tyrteus describes it in an epigram of his,
■• Nam tniserum est patria amissa, laribusque vagari I " A miserable thing 'tis so to wander,
Mendicum, fit timida voce rogare cibns : | And like a begcar for to wliine at door
Omnibus invisus, quocunque accesserit exul I Cnntemn'd of all the world, an exile is
teeniper erit, semper spretus egensque jucet," &c. | Hated, rejected, needy still and poor."
Polynices in his conference with Jocasta in ^^ Euripides, reckons up five miseries of
a banished man, the least of which alone were enough to deject some pusillanimous
creatures. Oftentimes a too great feeling of our own infirmities or imperfections of
body or mind, will shrivel us up ; as if we be long sick :
" O beata sanitas, te pr^sente, amsnum
Ver fiorit gratiis, absque te nemo beatus:"
O blessed health! "thou art above all gold and treasure," Ecclus. xxx. 15, the poor
man's riches, the rich man's bliss, without thee there can be no happiness : or visited
with some loathsome disease, offensive to others, or troublesome to ourselves; as a
stinking breath, deformity of our limbs, crookedness, loss of an eye, leg, hand, pale-
ness, leanness, redness, baldness, loss or want of hair. &.C., hie ub'i fluere ccFpit, diros
ictus cordi infer t, saith ^'Synesius, he himself troubled not a little oh coma> defectum^
the loss of hair alone, strikes a cruel stroke to the heart. Acco, an old woman,
seeing by chance her face in a true glass i^for she used false flattering glasses belike at
other times, as most gentlewomen do,) animi dolore in insaniam delapsa est, (Cselius
Rhodiginus /. 17, c. 2,) ran mad. ^^Brotheus, the son of Vulcan, because he was
ridiculous for his imperfections, flung himself into the fire. Lais of Corinth, now
grown old, gave up her glass to Venus, for she could not abide to look upon it.
^'^Qualis sum nolo, qualis cram nequeo. Generally to fair nice pieces, old age and
foul linen are two most odious things, a torment of torments, thev may not abide
the thought of it, * "
'"" 6 deoriim I . .1
Quisquis ha;c audis, utinam inter errem , ^"^ "'"• ^""""^ eracious heavenly power,
Niida leones ^' nous dire this naked corse devour.
Antequam turpis macies decentes I ^'^ cheeks ere hollow wrinkles seize,
Occupet malas, tenera;quesuccus Ere yet their rosy bloom decays :
Defluat pra;d<e, speciosa qu*rro y/\\\\e youth yet rolls its vital flood,
Pascere tigres." '-'*^ tigers friendly riot in my blood "
To be foul, ugly, and deformed, much better be buried alive. Some are fair but
barren, and that galls them. " Hannah wept sore, did not eat, and was troubled ir.
spirit, and all for her barrenness," 1 Sara. 1. and Gen. 30. Rachel said "in the
anguish of her soul, give me a child, or I shall die :" another hath too many . one
was never married, and that's his hell, another is, and that's his plague. Some are
troubled in that they are obscure ; others by being traduced, slandered, abused, dis-
«Tiirperelinquiesl, Hor. o Scimus enim gene- I epist. lib. 12. "Epist. ad Brutuin. c-InPhffinis&
ro-a-i r.ntiiras, nulla re citius moveri,au.t eravius aliici e; III laiidem calvit. esOvid tj £ Cr.t "» He •
quam ccmemplu ac despiciehtia M'Ad Atticum ' Car^labTs. Ode. 27
29
226 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
graced, vilifled, or any way injured : minime miror eos (as he said) qui insanire occi-
piunt ex injuria^ I marvel not at all if offences make men mad. Seventeen particular
causes of anger and offence Aristotle reckons them up, Avhich for brevity's sake I
must omit. No tidings troubles one ; ill reports, rumours, bad tidings or news, hard
liap, ill success, cast in a suit, vain hopes, or hope deferred, anodier : exp«ctation,
adeo omnibus in rebus molesta semper est expectatio, as " Polybius observes; one is
too eminent, another too base born, and that alone '.ortures him as nuich as the rest :
one is out of action, company, employment ; another overcome and tormented with
worldly cares, and onerous business. But what '■tongue can suffice to speak of all?
Many men catch this malady by eating certain meats, herbs, roots, at unawares;
as henbane, nightsiiade, cicuta, mandrakes, &.c. " A company of young men at
Affrigenlum in Sicily, came into a tavern ; where after they had frei'ly taken their
liquor, whether it were the wine itself, or something mixed with it 'tis not yet known,
'*but upon a sudden they began to be so troubled in their brains, and their phantasy
go erased, that they thought they were in a ship at .sea, and now ready to be cast
away bv reason of a tempest. Wherefore to avoid shipwreck and present drowning,
they dung all the goods in the house out at tlie windows into the street, or into the
sea, as they supposed ; thus they continued mad a pretty season, and being brought
before the magistrate to give an account of this their fact, they told him (not yet
recovered of tlieir madness) that what was done they did for fear of death, aiul to
avoid imminent danger : the spectators were all amazed at this their stupidity, and
gazed on them still, whilst one of the ancientest of the company, in a grave tone,
excused himself to the magistrate upon his knees, O viri Tritoncs, ego in into jacui.,
1 beseech your deities, Slc. for I was in the bottom of the ship all the wliile : another
besought them as so many sea gods to be good unto them, and if ever he and his
fellows came to land again, "he would build an altar to their service. The magis-
trate could not sufficiently laugh at this their madness, bid them sleep it out, and so
went his ways. Many such accidents frecjuently happen, upon these unknown occa-
sions. Some are so caused by philters, wandering in the sun, biting of a mad dog,
a blow on the head, stinging with that kind of spider called tarantula, an ordiiuuy
Tching if we may believe Skenck. /. 6. de Venrnis, in Calabria and Apulia in Italy,
'Cardan, subtil. I. 9. Sculigcr exercitat. 185. Tlieir symptoms are merrily described
bv Jovianus Ponftmus, »4n/. dial, how they dance altogether, and are cured by nuisic.
"■'Cardan speaks of certain stones, if they be carried about one, which will cause
melancholv and madness; he calls them uidiappy, as an ''' adamanl^ selenites., iifc.
'■• which dry up the body, increase cares, diminish sleep:" Ctesias in Persicis, makes
mention of a well in those parts, of which if any man drink, ''*'•'- he is mad for 24
hours." Some lose their wits by terrible objects (as elsewhere I have more '"copi-
ously dilated) aiul life itself many times, as Hippolitus atfrighted by Neptune's sea-
horses, Athemas by Juno's furies : but these relations are common in all writers.
„.. „„ ,. . , L . .1 •' Many such causes, murh more could I say,
»" Hic al.as poteram, et plurea subnectere cansas. „,„ ,',,.„ ,,,^ .„„y^„,^,, „„ catil- slay :
Sea j.iiner.ta v,«:ant. tt Sol n.clii.at. Eundiim est. | .j.,,^ ^^^ declines, and I niusl needs away."
These causes if they be coiisidered, and come alor^, I do easily yield, can do little
of themselves, seldom, or apart (an old oak is not felled at a blow) thougli many
times they are all sufficient every one : yet if they concur, as often they do, vis
unita fortior; et quce non obsunl singula, multa nocent, they may batter a strong con-
stitution; as ^'Austin said, ^' many grains and small sanils sink a ship, many small
drops make a flood," &.C., often reiterated ; many dispositions produce an habit.
'1 Hist. lib. 6. '-Nun mihi si centum lin?ua> siiit, ' ciiras a'ts^nLcnrpii"! "iccant^aomnnm minuunt. ^ Ad
nraque cenluin. Omnia cauaaruin pcrcurri-Te nomina
p.issrra. "3(Ji-lius I. 17. cap. -2. '' Iia inente eiajji-
tali siinl.ut in irirenii seconstitutos piitarenl, manque
vadabuiulo teinpesiaie jactatos, proiinle naurragiuiii
veriti, egeslis undique rebus vasa nmnia in viara 6
fene>tris, seu in tnare pr^cipitarunl : poslridie, Ac
li .Aram vobis g-rvalipribus iliis crisemus. '• l.ib. de
geaiinis. "Quie gestaise infelicem el iristem re<Munt,
anuuidie mpnte alicnatiiiL, "Part. I. S'ti. i. Sut»-
Heel. J. * Juven. Sal. .'i. ''i Intus tM'niiii- fiiiniii*
multa- nerant. Numijuid minulis-iinia sunt irrana
areniE? std si arena ainpliii« in nnvcin rniltatur, uK-rKit
inum ; qunm luinutce |;utta>. pluvia? ct taun-n iniulcnt
flurnina. dnmus ejiciunt, tinienda ergo ruina iiiuHitu.
dims, SI nun luagnitudiiiig.
Mem. 5. Subs. 1.] Continent, inward Causes, 4'c- 227
MEMB. V.
SuBSECT. I. — Continent, imoard^ antecedent, next ca , ,jrfid how the Body works on
the Mind.
As a purly hunter, I have hitherto beaten ab .i the circuit of the forest of this
microcosm, and foHowed only those outward ai, cntitious causes. I will now break
into the inner rooms, and rip up the antecedent immediate causes which are there to
be found. For as the distraction of the mind, amongst other outward causes and
perturbations, alters the temperature of the body, so the distraction and distemper
of the body will cause a distemperature of tJie soul, and 'tis hard to decide which
of these two do more harm to the other. Plato, Cyprian, and some others, as I
have formerly said, lay the greatest fault upon the soul, excusing the body ; others
again accusing the body, excuse the soul, as a principal agent. Their reasons are,
because ^^^ the manners do follow the temperature of the body," as Galen proves in
his book of that subject, Prospef' Calenius de Jltra hile, Jason Pratensis c. de Mania,
Lcmnius I. 4. c. 10. and many others. And that which Gualter hath commented,
horn. 1 0. in cjnst. Johannis, is most true, concupiscence and originals in, inclinations,
and bad humours, are ^^ radical in every one of us, causing these perturbations, affec-
tions, and several distempers, offering many times violence unto the soul. " Every
man is tempted by his own concupiscence (James i. 14), the spirit is willing but the
tiesh is weak, and rebelleth against the spirit," as our ''■■ apostle teachcth us : that
methinks the soul hath the better plea against the body, which so forcibly inclines
us, that we cannot resist, JYcc nos oiniti contra, nee tendere taciturn sujficimus. How
the body being material, worketh upon the immaterial soul, by mediation of humours
and spirits, which participate of botli, and ill-disposed organs, Cornelius Agrippa hath
discoursed lib. 1. de occult. Philos. cap. 63, 64, 65. Levinus Lemnius lib. 1. de
occult, nat. niir. cap. \2. et 16. et 21. institut. ad opt. vit. Perkins lib. 1. Cases of
Cons. cap. 12. T. Bright c. 10, 11, 12. "in his treatise of melancholy," for as
*" anger, fear, sorrow, obtrectation, emulation, &c. si mentis intimos recessus occupa-
rint, saith ^^ Lemnius, corpori quoque infesta sunt, et illi teterrimos morhos inferunf,
cause grievous diseases ia the body, so bodily diseases affect the soul by consent.
Now the chiefest causes proceed from the *'' heart, humours, spirits : as they are
purtr, or impurer, so is the mind, and equally suffers, as a lute out of tune, if one
string or one organ be distempered, all the rest miscarry, ^' corpus onuslum hesfcrnis
vitiis, animum quoque prcegravat una. The body is domicilium animoi, her house,
abode, and stay; and as a torch gives a better light, a sweeter smell, accordino- to
the matter it is made of; so doth our soul perform all her actions, better or worse,
as her organs are disposed; or as wine savours of the cask wherein it is kept; the
soul receives a tincture from the body, through which it works. We sec this in old
men, children, Europeans ; Asians, hot and cold climes ; sanguine are merry, melan-
choly sad, phlegmatic dull, by reason of abundance of those humours, and they
cannot resist such passions wl^^ich are inflicted by them. For in this infirmity of
Iiuman nature, as Melancthon declares, the understanding is so tied to. and captivated
by his inferior senses, that Avithout their help he cannot exercise his functions, and
the will being weakened, hath but a small power to restrain those outvvard parts, bvit
sutlers herself to be overruled by them ; that ] must needs conclude with Lemnius,
spiritus et humores maximum nocumcntum uhtimnf, spirits and humours do most harm
in ''■* troubling the soul. How should a man choose but be choleric and angry, that
hath his body so clogged with abundance of gross humours ? or melancholy, tliat is
so inwardly disposed .? That thence comes then this malady, madness, apoplexies,
lethargies, &.c. it may not be denied.
Now this body of ours is most part distempered by some precedent diseases,
which molest his inward organs and instruments, and so per consequens cause melan-
s- Mores sequuntur tfimperaturam corporis. ^^Scin- 1 itidem morbi animam per consenpiim, a lese coiisortii
tilliE latent in corporibus. -'C ,1 -,, fisgjcut ex afficiunt, et nuaiiqiiain ohj<'cta niultos motus turbtilen-
animi affection i bus corpus I; , -ic ex corporis tos in honiiiie coiicittt. pracipua tniu.ii causa in corde
vitiis.et ma|hMM#t>lerisipi<' criiLKUibua animiiin vide- | et hiinpHfeus spiritibusque consisut. &,c. se Hor
• ^nTaTieSetafnTQalenus. ^Lib^||M^ s^ Corporis I ViJe anie.^^^J^umores pravi meutum obnubilani.
228 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
choly, according to tlie consent of tlie most approved physicians. '""This humour
(as Avicenna /. 3. Fc7i. 1. Tract. 4. c. 18. ArnoUlus breviar. 1. 1. c. 18. Jacchinus
covimenl. in 9 Rhasis, c. 15. Montaltiis, c. 10. Nicholas Piso c. de Melan. dye. sup-
oose) is beg-otten by the distemperavure of some inward part, innate, or h^ft after
ome inflammation, or cl.^e included in the blood after an " ague, or some other ma-
.ignant disease." This opinion of theirs concurs witli that of Galen, /. ;}. c. 6. de
locis afect. Guianerius gives an instance in one so caused by a quartan ague, and
Montainis consiJ.^2.'m a young man of twenty-eight years of age, so distempered after
a quartan, which had molested him five years together; Ilildeshcim spied. 2. de
Mania, relates of a Dutch baron, grievously tormented with melancholy after a long
'^ague: Galen, I. de atra bile, c.4. puts the plague a cause. Botaldus in his book.
de hie verier, c. 2. the French pox for a cause, others, phrensy, epilepsy, apoplexy,
because those diseases do often degenerate into this. Of suppression of hemorrh<iids,
haemorogia, or bleeding at the nose, menstruous retentions, (althoi.gh they deserve
a larger explication, as being the sole cause of a proper kind of melancholy, in more
ancient maids, nuns and widows, handled apart by Hodericus d Castro, and Mer-
catus, as I have elsewhere signified,) or any other evacuation stopped, I have already
spoken. Only this I will add, that this melancholy whicli shall be caused by such
infirmities, deserves to be pitied of all men, and to be respected with a more tender
compassion, according to I^urentius, as coming from a more inevitable cause.
Slbsect. II. — Distcmperulure of particular Paris, causes.
Tur.p.E is almost no part of the body, which being distempered, doth not cause
this malady, as the brain and his parts, heart, liver, spleen, stomach, matrix or womb,
jiylorus, mirache, mesenterv. hvpochondries. nieseraic veins ; and in a word, saith
""Arculanus, '' there is no part which causeth not melancholy, either because it is
dust, or doth not expel the snpedluity of the nutriment." Savanarola Pract. major,
rubric. 11. Tract. 6. cap. 1. is of the same opinion, that melancholy is engendered
m each particular part, and "Crato in conril. 17. lib. 2. Gordoiiius, wiio is instar
nmnium, lib. med. partic. 2. cap. 19. confinns as much, putting the **" matter of
melancholy, sometimes in the stomach. liver, heart, brain, spleen, mirach, hypochon-
dries, when as the melancholy humour resides there, or the liver is not well cleansed
from melancholy blood."
The brain is a familiar and frequent cause, too hot, or too cold, " " through adust
blood so caused," as Mercurialis will have it, "■ within or without the head," the
brain itself being distempered. Those are most apt to this disease, ""that have a
hot heart and moist brain," which Montaltus cap. II. de Melanch. approves out of
Halyabbas, Rhasis, and Aviceima. Mercurialis cnnsil. 11. assigns the coldness of the
brain a cause, and Salustius Salvianus nvd. lect. I. 2. c 1. * will have it ''arise from
a cold and dr\' distemperature of the brain." Piso, Benedictus Victorius Faventinus,
will have it proceed from a ""hot distemperature of the brain;" and "*Montaltus
cap. 10. from the brain's heat, scorching the biood. The brain is still distempered
by himself, or by consent : by himself or his proper affection, as Faventinus calls it,
" or by vapours which arise from the other parts, and fume up into the head, alter-
ing the animal faculties."
Hildesheim spied. 2. de Mania, thinks it may be caused from a '" distemperature
ot the heart ; sometimes hot ; sometimes cold." A hot liver, and a cold stomach,
are put for usual causes of melancholv : Mercurialis consil. II. et con.vl. f5. ronsil.
86. assigns a hot liver and cold stomach for ordinary causes. ' Monavius, in an
*>Hic humor vel a pariis intemperie generatur vel I gtomacho. hf-pati;. ab hypornndriiM, niyrache, vplfne,
r-liii«{uilur post iiifl.-iniiiiationes, vel cras^ior in venin cum ibi reniarit-l humor inr-luncliolicuii. " Y.% wan-
roiiclu.'<ii!« v.-l torpuliis iiialioiiam qunlitatem conlrahit. guirie adurto, intra vel pxlra caput. •^ fim rHlnl'im
" Sa-jie coiislut in ffbre houiiiiein Melancholicum vel [ ror habeiit. Crreliriiiii huniiiium, facile iiii-liiiu h..lii i.
j>o.«l lebreni n-ciji, aut aliuni niorbuni. Caliila inl'-m- ' "■Sequiliir melancholia aialnni intimixTieiri fri;;i»^nni
penes iniiata. vel a febre contracta. ""Raro quiB i Pt Biccam ip»iui« cerebri. "Sa-pe fit ei cali<lii>re Cffr-
iliuturiio iiiorbo laborat. qui non 8it melaiicholicus, bro, aul corf>ore coiliijenle melaiirh'-liain. Puto. i* Vel
.Mercuriali* de affect. ra(Mti3 lib. I. c. JO. ilc Melanc. per prcpnain nfferiiomni. vel per luiiM-iinum, cum
** \A noiiuiii lib. Rhasis ail Almaiijior. c. 10. Uiiivenia. vapores eilialant in rerehriim. .<Vloiil«li. cap. 14. ■ Aut
liter A quacunqiie parte potest tieri inelanrholicuK. Vel \ ibi sieiiitur, melanrholicus fumus, aul aliunde vehilur,
quia adiiritur. vel quia ikju eipeiJiL ipttftluiLUnn ex- ' alteranilo .<riiiiMla*i*iKu'< >i' - ' .^b intemperie oinli*,
cremeuti. '*' A^^ae, jecinore, utero, et aliis | ■• .ug , modo ralidioreg
oritur. ^^I^^^HllHllll^^^^Hlgi^ curuc, in I Scoluii.
Mem. 5. Subs. 3.] Causes of Head-Melancholy. 229
tpistle of his to Crato in Scoltzius, is of opinion, that hypochondriacal melancholy
nidy proceed from a cold liver ; the question is there discussed. Most a<Tree that a
hot hver IS in fault; ^"the liver is the shop of humours, and especially causeth
melaiicholy by his hot and dry distemperature. ^The stomach and meseraic veins
do often concur, by reason of their obstructions, and thence their heat cannot be
avoided, and many times the matter is so adust and inflamed in those parts, that it
degenerates into hypochondriacal melancholy." Guianerius c. 2. Tract. 15. holds
the meseraic veins to be a sufficient « cause alone. The spleen concurs to this
malady, by all their consents, and suppression of hemorrhoids, dum nan expur<ret
alter a causa hen, saith Montaltus, if it be ^" too cold and dry, and do not purge
the other parts as it ought," consil. 23. Montanus puts the «" spleen stopped" for a
great cause. ' Chnstopherus a Vega reports of his knowledge, that he hath known
melancholy caused from putrefied blood in those seed-veins and womb ; '"'^Arculanus,
from that menstruous blood turned into melancholy, and seed too lon'o- detained (as
I have already declared) by putrefaction or adustion." "
The mesenterium, or midriff; diaphragma, is a cause which the " Greeks called
tpamt: because by his inflammation, the mind is much troubled with convulsions
and dotage. All these, most part, off'end by inflammation, corrupting humours and
spirits, in this non-natural melancholy : for from these are engendered fuliginous and
black spirits. And for that reason '^Montaltus cap. 10. de causis melan. will have
the efficient cause of melancholy to be hot and dry, not a cold and dry distemper-
ature, as some hold, from the heat of the brain, roasting the blood, immoderate lieat
m the liver and bowels, and inffammation of the pylorus. And so much the rather,
because that," as Galen holds, " all spices inflame the blood, solitariness, waking,
agues, study, meditation, all which heat: and therefore he concludes that this dit
temperature causing adventitious melancholy is not cold and dry, but hot and dry "
But of this I have sufficiently treated in the matter of melancholy, and hold that this
may be true in non-natural melanclioly, which produceth madness, but not in that
natural, which is more cold, and being immoderate, produceth a gentle dotaae.
Which opinion Geraldus de Solo maintains in his comment upon Rhasis. "
SuBs.EcT. III. — Causes of Head-Melancholy.
After a tedious discourse of the general causes of melancholy, I am now returned
at last to treat in brief of the three particular species, and such causes as properly
appertain unto them. Although these causes promiscuously concur to each and
every particular kind, and commonly produce their effects in that part which is mo'^t
Ill-disposed, and least able to resist, and so cause all three species, yet many of them
are proper to some one kind, and seldom found in the rest. As for example, head-
nielancholy IS commonly caused by a cold or hot distemperature of the brain, accord-
ing to Laurentuis cap. 5 de melan. but as '^ Hercules de SaxoniS contends, from that
agitation or distemperature of the animal spirits alone. Salust. Salvianus, before
mentioned, lib. 2. cap. 3. de re med. will have it proceed from cold : but that I take
ot natural melancholy, such as are fools and dote : for as Galen writes lib. 4 de puis
8. and Avicenna, '^''a cold and moist brain is an inseparable companion of folly"
But this adventitious melancholy which is here meant, is caused of a hot and dry
distemperature, as '^Damascen the Arabian lib. 3. cap. 22. thinks, and most writer/-
Altomarus and Piso call it '"'an innate burning intemperateness, turnino- blood and'
choler into melancholy." Both these opinions may stand good, as Bruel maintains
and Capivaccius, si cerebrum sit calidius, '^''if the brain be hot. the animal spirits
willjjejiot, and thence comes madness; if cold, folly." David Crusius Theat.
culii°'w"l^.,' »"""'""' ^''P'"' '^"'"^'""'■'t- &<:• ° Ventri- &o. turn quod aromata sangiiiiinm incendunl solitudo
Ob tr„c=r\ u '£^^'^'-'>"^'^ pC"'"^"--^"»t. T'od ha. partes v,,il,a-, iihris pra.cedeMs/„,ed..atirsl^ur; n'°eM.1ec
'Lie r,'Li 7 r.r '^'^ «»"!-''"'"■"' adurentes. omnia calefaciu.it. erpo ratum sit, &c. i3 Lib ] can
in vasi' s^ ; nar .v., ?r , , ^ sa .suii.is putrediue i* a fatuitate inseparabiUs cerebri fiiL'iditas. is Ab
diu rettMU "TiLl " • "' 1u.-.n,loqu« a spermate u.tcrno calore assatur. n i„tnmpVries innata exu
v4rs, pe p 'tXtToncm viri'^^^ '" "'^l^''^'*"*"' '«•"«■ flava.n bilem ac sanguine,., ,n .m.|a.„h.,l,a,.. con-
i-Er".; ,.Z. n , ad.istiu.ie,,,. " Magin.s. vertons. i« Si cerrbruin si. rali.ln.s, liet .sp.ritus ani-
i,,i, .,■;,,,.,,. , , 'i '''••■'"< "■•'^■': 1-1 c:ilida et sicca , males calidiur, L-t ililinuin niaiiiacuin ; =, fn-Mdior fiei
■ ' . ' ■■'-•'y t -n .1. 4iiud jiiulti opinali i fatuita = .
«uut, ..niur ei,.m a ca:oru celelifi assante sangumeni, I
230 Causes of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 2.
morh. Hermel. lib. 2. cap. 6. de atra hile^ grants melancholy to be a disease of an
intlametl brain, but cold notwithstanding of itself: calida per accidens., fr'i^kla per
se, hot by accident only ; I am of Capivacciiis' mind for my part. Now tliis Innnour,
according to Salvianus, is sometimes in the substance of the brain, sometimes con-
tained in the membranes and tunicles that cover the brain, sometimes in the passages
of the ventricles of the brain, or veins of those ventricles. It follows many times
'^"phrensv, long diseases, agues, long abode in hot places, or under the sun, a blow
on tlie head," as Rhasis informeth us : Piso adds solitariness, waking, intlammations
of the head, proceeding most part '^° from much use of apices, hot wines, hot meats :
all which Montanus reckons up consil. 22. for a melancholy Jew ; and Ileurnius
repeats cap. 12. dc Mania : hot baths, garlic, onions, saith Guianerius, bad air, cor-
rupt, much ^' waking, kc, retention of seed or abundance, stopping of luemorrogia,
the miihifl" misatlecled; and accorchng to TrdUianus /. 1. 1(5. inunoderate cares, trou-
bles, griefs, discontent, study, meditation, and, in a word, the abuse of all those six
non-natural tilings. Hercules de Saxoiiia, cap. 16. lib. 1. will have it caused from a
■^cautery, or boil dried up, or an issue. Amatus I.usitaiius rc/i/. 2. r«r«. 67. gives
instance in a fellow that had a hole in his arm, ^" after that was healed, ran mad,
and when the wound was open, he was cured again." Triiuavellins consil. 13. lib.
1. hath an example of a melancholy man so caused by overmuch continuance in the
.sun, frequent use of venery, and immoderate exercise : and in his cons. 41). lib. 3.
from a ^* headpiece overheated, which caused head-melancholy. Prosper Caleiius
brings in Cardinal Cssius for a pattern of such as are so melancholy by long study;
but examples are infinite.
Sl'Bsect. IV. — Causes of Hypochondriacal^ or Windy Melancholy.
I.v repeating of these causes, I must crambem bis coclam apponcre, say that again
whidi I have formerly said, in applying them to their proper 8j>ecies. IIyp(jchon-
driacal or tlatuous melancholy, is tliat which the Arabians call myrachial, and is in
my judgment the most grievous and freijuenl, though Bruel and I^urentius make it
least dangerous, and not so hard to be known or cured. His cause*) are inward or
outward. Inward from divers ports or organs, as midriff, spleen, stomach, liver,
pylorus, womb, diaphragnia, meseraic veins, slopping of issues, itc. Montaltus cap.
15. out of Galen reciu-s, "^ •* heat and obstruction of those meseraic veins, as an
immediate cause, by which means the passage of the cliilus to the lii'cr is detained,
slopped or corrupted, and turned into rumbling and wind." Montanus, consil. 233,
hath an evident demonstration, Trincavelius another, lib. 1, cap. 12, and Plater a
third, observat. lib. 1, for a doctor of the law visited with this infirmity, from the
said obstniction and heat of these meseraic veins, and bowels ; quoniam inter venlri-
culum et jecur veme ejf e re escunlj the \eh\s are intlanied about the liver and stomach.
Sometimes those other parts are together misafl'ected ; and concur to tlie production
of this malady : a hot liver and cold stomach, or cold belly : look for instances in
IloUerius, Victor Trincavelius, cojisil. 35, /. 3, Hildesheim Spicel. 2, /o/. 132, Sole-
nander consil. 9, pro cive Lu^dunensi, Montanus con$il. 229, for the Earl of Mont-
lort in Germany, 1549, and Frisimelica in the 233 consultation of the said Montanus.
I. Caesar Clau(Hnus gives instance of a cold stomach and over-hot liver, almost in
every consultation, con. 89, for a certain count; and con. 106, for a Poh^nian baron,
by reason of heat the blood is inflamed, and gross vapours sent to the heart and
brain. Mercurialis subscribes to them, c^ns. 89, **"the stomach being misatlected,"
which he calls the king of the belly, because if he be distempered, all the rest suffer
with him, as being deprived of their nutriment, or fed with bad nourishment, by
means of which come crudities, obstructions, wind, rumbling, griping, &c. Hercules
de Saxonia, besides heat, will have the weakness of the liver and his obstruction a
cause, fitcultalem debilem jecinoris, which he calls the mineral of melanchnly.
Laurentius assigns this reason, because the liver over-hot draws the meat undigested
>* Melancholia capilii accedit post phrenesim ant i tor. m A r«l*a nimis calefaeta. * Etiiriiur aanruta
'on(|am muram iub sole, aul (wrcus^ionfm in capt: ' - -. > — ...... ..........,_.
cap. 13. lib. 1. *'Qui bihunl vma itxli-uln. -i >. .•
<unt aub sole. *'Curx valuta-. Uigiori* vim el :i - r,
ulcere curato iocidi^^^^^^^BB^^^^^^BKuni- i
Mem. o. Subs. 5.] The ivhole Body. 2Si
out of the stomach, and burneth the humours. Montaiius, co7is. 244, proves t!\-xt
sometimes a cokl hver may be a cause. Laurentius c. 12,Trmcavclius lib. 12, cojisil,
and Guaher Bruel, seems to lay the greatest fliult upon the spleen, that doth not his
duty m purging the liver as he ought, being too great, or too little, in drawing too
much blood sometimes to it, and not expelling it, as P. Cnemiandrus in a ^'consulta-
tion oi' his noted tumorem Uenis., he names it, and the fountain of melancholy.
Diodes supposed the ground of this kind of melancholy to proceed from the inflam-
mation of the pylorus, which is the nether mouth of the ventricle. Others assign
the mesenterium or midriff distempered by heat, the womb misaffected, stopping of
hemorrhoids, with many such. All which Laurentius, ca.]}. 12, reduceth to three,
mesentery, liver, and spleen, from whence he denominates hepatic, splenetic, and
meseraic melancholy. Outward causes, are bad diet, care, griefs, discontents, and in
a word all those six non-natural things, as jVIontanus found by his experience, consil.
244. Solenander consil 9, for a citizen of Lyons, in France, gives his reader tq
understand, that he knew this mischief procured by a medicine of cantharides, which
an unskilful physician ministered his patient to drink ad venerem cxcltandam. But
most commonly fear, grief, and some sudden commotion, or perturbation of the mind,
■ begin It, in such bodies especially as are ill-disposed. Melancthon, tract. 14, cap. 2,
dc animu, will have it as common to men, as the mother to women, upon some
grievous trouble, dislike, passion, or discontent. For as Camerarius records in his
lite, JMelancthon himself was much troubled with it, and tiierefore could speak out
ot experience. Montanus, consil. 22, pro delirante Judao, confirms it, ^^^ grievous
symptoms of the mind brought him to it. Randolotius relates of himself, that being
dne day very intent to write out a physician's notes, molested by an occasion, he fell
into a hN-pochondriacal fit, to avoid which he drank the decoction of wormwood, and
was freed. '^Melancthon (" being the disease is so troublesome and frequent) holds
it a most necessary and profitable study, for every man to know the accidents of it,
and a dangerous thing to be ignorant," and would therefore have all men in some
sort to understand the causes, symptoms, and cures of it.
Sub SECT. Y.— Causes of Melancholy from the ivhole Body.
^ As before, the cause of this kind of melancholy is inward or outward. Inward,
^'^when the liver is apt to engender such a humour, or the spleen weak by nature,
and not able to discharge his office." A melancholy temperature, retention of hasmor-
rhoids, monthly issues, bleeding at nose, long diseases, agues, and all those six non-
naturaj things increase it. But especially «' bad diet, as Piso thinks, pulse, salt meat,
shell-fish, cheese, black wine, &c. Mercurialis out of Averroes and Avicenna con-
demns all herbs : Galen, lib. 3, de loc. affect, cap. 7, especially cabbage. So likewise
fear, sorrow, discontents, &c., but of these before. And thus in brief you have had
the general and particular causes of melancholy.
Now go and brag of thy present happiness, whosoever thou art, brag of thy tem-
perature, of thy good parts, insult, triumph, and boast; thou seest in what a brittle
state thou art, how soon thou mayest be dejected, how many several ways, by bad
diet, bad air, a small loss, a little sorrow or discontent, an ague, &c.; how many
sudden accidents may procure thy ruin, what a small tenure of happiness thou hast
in this life, how weak and silly a creature thou art. " Humble thyself, therefore,
under the mighty hand of God," 1 Peter, v. 6, know thyself, acknowledge thy pre-
sent misery, and make right use of it. Qui stat vidcat ne cadat. Thou dost now
flourish, and hast bona animi, corporis^ etfortuna;, goods of bodv, mind, and fortune,
nescis quid serus sccum vesj)er feral, thou knowest not what s'torms and tempests
the late evening may bring with it. Be not secure tlien, '^be sober and watch,"
fortunam revcrentcr habc, if fortunate and rich ; if sick and poor, moderate thyself
I have said.
^ Flildeslieim. =« Habuit sieva animi svmptomata
qus iiiipediunt concoctionem, &c. 2'J Usitatissimus
morbus cum sit, utile ost liujus visceris accidentia con-
siderare, iiL'C leve pt-iirMiinn hiijiis causiis inorhi icno-
'•ui:!!f)us. i'' J, .■,,,■ ;, . ,,,, -d 'i'choraiHliim t.;lt.'ra'hu-
morem, splen nattira imbecillior. Piso, Altomarus
Guianeriiis. 3i Melancholiani, (june fit a redundantii
humoris in toto corpore, victiis imprimis general qUi
euiu hiimnrep.i ivirit. s^Ausonius.
232 Symptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 3
SECT. III. MEMB. I.
SuBSECT. I. — Symptoms.^ or Signs of Melancholy in the Body.
Parrhasius, a painter of Athens, amongst those Olynthian captives Philip ol
Macedon brought home to sell, ** bought one very old man ; and when he had him
at Athens, put him to extreme torture and torment, the belter by his example tc
express the pains and passions of his Prometheus, whom he was then about to paint
I need not be so barbarous, inhuman, curious, or cruel, for this purpose to torture
any poor melancholy man, their symptoms are plain, obvious and familiar, there
needs no such accurate observation or far-fetched object, they delineate themselves,
they voluntarily betray themselves, they are too frequent in all places, I meet tliem
still as I go, tliey cannot conceal it, their grievances are too well known, I need not
seek far to describe them.
Symptoms therefore are either ^ universal or particular, saith Gordonius, lib. vied,
cap. 19, part. 2, to persons, to species ; '* some signs are secret, some manifest, some
in the body, some in the mind, and diversely vary, according to the inward or out-
ward causes," Cappivaccius: or from stars, according to Jovianus Pontanus, de reb.
rahst. lib. 10, crtp. 13, and celestial influences, or from the humours diversely mixed,
Ficinus, lib. 1, cap. 4, de sanit. tuendd : as they are hot, cold, natund, unnatural,
intended, or remitted, so will ,'I'^tius have vwlancholica deliria tnultiformia., diversity
of melancholy signs. Laureutius ascribes them to their several temperatures, delights,
natures, inclinations, continuance of time, as they are simple or mixed with other
diseases, as the causes are divers, so must the signs be, almost infinite, Altoniarus
tap. 7, art. med. And as wine produceth divers eflects, or that herb Tortocolla iu
"Laureutius, "which makes some laugh, some weep, some sleep, some dance, some
sing, some howl, some drink, Stc." so doth this our melancholy humour work several
signs in several parties.
But to confine them, these general sjinptoms may be reduced to those of the body
or the mind. Those usual signs ap|)earing in the bodies of such as are melartcholy,
be these cold and dry, or they are hot and dry, as the humour is more or less adust.
From * these first qualities arise many other second, as that of '^ colour, black,
swarthy, pale, ruddy, &.C., some are impensi rubri., as Montaltus cap. 16 observes out
of Galen, lib. 3, de locis ajfectis, verj' red and high coloured. Hippocrates in his
book ^de insania et me Ian. reckons up these signs, that they are * " lean, withered,
hollow-eyed, look old, wrinkled, harsh, much troubled with wind, and a griping in
their bellies, or belly-ache, belch often, dry bellies and hard, dejected looks, flaggy
beards, singing of the ears, vertigo, light-headed, little or no sleep, and that mterrupt,
terrible and fearful dreams," ^Anna soror, qua me suspensam insomnia lerrenlf The
tame symptoms are repeated by Melanelius in his book of melancholy collected out
of Galen, Kufliis, /!!^.tius, by Khasis, Gordonius, and all the juniors, *'conlitmal, sharp,
and stinking bclchings, as if their meat in their stomachs were putrefied, or that they
had eaten fish, dry bellies, aljsurd and inteiTupt dreams, and many fantastical visions
about tlieir eyes, vertiginous, apt to tremble, and prone to venerj'." "Some add pal-
pitation of the heart, cold sweat, as usual symptonis, and a leaping in many parts of
the body, saltum in multis corporis partibus., a kind of itching, saith Laureutius, on
the superficies of the skin, like a flea-biting sometimes. "Montaltus cap. 2L puts
fixed eyes and much twinkling of their eyes for a sign, and so doth .Avicenna, ocu/oa
habentts palpitantes, trauli., vehementer rubicundi^ i^-c, lib. 3. Fen. 1. Trad. 4. cap. 18.
They stut most pari, which he took out of Hippocrates' aphorisms. ** Khasis makes
"Seneca cont. lib. 10. cont. 5. *<Qiix<lam uiii- i Romni pusilli, «>aiiiia terribilia el iiilerrupls. « Virf
veraalia, particulariiP, quaeiliiii inanire«ta, quadam in | ^n. «• .^oiduc esrque aculc rucialionea quar
C'-rpore, quxdain in co»it.iliiine el aiiiiu>i, qufiiaw a ' cibum virul»'Uluin ciileiiluinque iiidnrein. el >i nil talr
•lellis, qiiir.laiii ab huini>ribus, quie ul viniiin Ci.rpus iiiee<tiiin «il. referaiil ob crmlilalfni. Venires hiare
vanj iti^poiiil, tc. Diversa pliaiila!«iiiala pr.i varielale amli. uniiinui pleninique parciK j-I if.l. rru; 'n- r..iiiiiia
cause eiiernx, inleriix. ^^ Lib I. de riiiu. Tol. 17. . aU«iirili>itiiiia. lurbiilenta, r.orp<iri'< i ,
Ad ejiii> eiiuin alii siidant, alii voiniinl. ^leiil, bib>inl,
saltanl, alii rideul, treniiinl, doriniunt, tic. »T.
Bright, cap. 30. ^ \i»re-u-it hie hiiiiier aliqiiando
tupercalelaclii*. aliquamlu tiiip<Tfrigefaclu». .Melmiel.
4 Gal. "Inlerprete F. r.ilv... ^ "(>, ,|, i,,,
eiravanlur, renti giC^B|^cnt..iiii pfactAiia li ihiiikii* .< .^mh*. aiyili* craretio, iiii3U«
iicci fer&^^^^^^HMtic^^|B|Uu ai <>, ' excava
Vedo, <itrepiti|g circa aure» et vif
venereni priMlisi. <• AIImmi
laltui. " Kr
aliqiii laraen ti\
lib. I. Tract 'I
Uem. 1. Subs. 2.] Symptoms in the Mind. 233
' head-ache and a binding heaviness for a principal token, much leaping of wind
about the skin, as well as slutting, or tripping in speech, &c., hollow eyes, gross
veins, and broad lips." To some too, if they be far gone, mimical gestures are too
familiar, laughing, grinning, fleering, murmuring, talking to themselves, with strange
mouths and faces, inarticulate voices, exclamations, &c. And although they be com-
monly lean, hirsute, uncheerful in countenance, withered, and not so pleasant to
behold, by reason of those continual fears, griefs, and vexations, dull, heavy, lazy,
restless, unapt to go about any business ; yet their memories are most part good,
they have happy wits, and excellent apprehensions. Their hot and dry brains make
them they cannot sleep, Ingentcs habent et crebras viglUas (Arteus) mighty and often
watchings, sometimes waking for a month, a year together. ^^ Hercules de Saxonia
faithfully averreth, that he hath heard Ms mother swear, she slept not for seven
months together: Trincavelius, Tom. 2. cons. IG. speaks of one that waked 50 days,
and Skenkius hath examples of two years, and all without offence. In natural
actions their appetite is greater than their concoction, nmlta appetimt., paiica digerunt,
as Rhasis hath it. they covet to eat, but cannot digest. And although they ^^ <■'■ do eat
much, yet they are lean, ill-liking," saith Areteus, "withered and hard, much troubled
with costiveness," crudities, oppilations, spitting, belching, &c. Their pulse is rare
and slow, except it be of the ^'Carotides, which is very strong; but that varies
according to their intended passions or perturbations, as Struthius hath proved at
large, Spigmatlccz artls I. 4. c. 13. To say truth, in such chronic diseases the pulse
is not much to be respected, there being so much superstition in it, as ''^ Crato notes,
and so many difi*erences in Galen, that he dares say they may not be observed, or
understood of any man.
Their urine is most part pale, and low coloured, urina pmica, acris, biJiosa,
(Areteus), not much in quantity; but this, in my judgment, is all out as uncertain as
the other, varying so often according to several persons, habits, and other occasions
not to be respected in chronic diseases. "^ " Their melancholy excrements in some
ver}^ much, in others little, as the spleen plays his "part," and thence proceeds wind,
palpitation of the heart, short breath, plenty of humidity in the stomach, heaviness
of heart and heartache, and intolerable stupidity and dullness of spirits. Their
excrements or stool hard, black to some and little. If the heart, brain, liver, spleen,
be misaffected, as usually they are, many inconveniences proceed from them, many
diseases accompany, as incubus, '"apoplexy, epilepsy, vertigo, those frequent wakino-s
and terrible dreams, ^' intempestive laughing, weeping, sighing, sobbing, bashfulnes's,
blushing, trembling, sweating, swooning, &c. ^^ All their senses are troubled, they
think they see, hear, smell, and touch that which they do not, as shall be proved in
the following discourse.
Sub SECT. II. — Symptoms or Sigiis in the Mind.
Fear.] Arculanus in 9. Rhdsis ad Almansor. cap. 16. will have these symptoms
to be iv^flnite, as indeed they are, varying according to the parties, " for scarce is there
one of a Uiousand that dotes alike," ^^Laurentius c. 16. Some lew of oreater note I
will point at; and amongst the rest, fear and sorrow, which as they are frequent
causes, so if they persevere long, according to Hippocrates ^' and Galen's aphorisms,
they are most assured signs, inseparable companions, and characters of melancholy;
of present melancholy and habituated, saith Montaltus cap. 11. and common to them
all, as the said Hippocrates, Galen, Avicenna, and all Neoterics hold. But as hounds
many times run away with a false cry, never perceiving themselves to be at a fault,
so do they. For Diodes of old, (whom Galen confutes,) and amongst the juniors,
^* Hercules de Saxonia, with Lod. Mercatus cap. 17. 1. 1, de melan. takes just excep-
tions, at this aphorism of Hippocrates, 'tis not ahvays true, or so generally to be
•js In Pantheon cap. de Melancholia. ic aIvus arida I cons. 17. "Gordonius, modo rident, modo flent
niiiil riejiciens cibi cajiaces, nihilciminus tainen e.\- silent, &c. '2 pemelius consii 43 el 4.5 Monta-
tenuati sunt. 4? njc piso I„flatio carotiduni, &c. mis consil. 230. Galen de locis aflfectis^ lib.' 3. cap. 6.
<8 Andreas Dndith Rahamo.ep. lib. 3. Crat. epist. niiilta " Apliorism et lib. de Melan. sj j,ji,. -y, can. 6. de
in piilsihiis siiperslitio, ausim etiam dicere, tot diffe
renliasquic desnjlmntiir a Galeno. neque intelligi i
'■ '<■■'■'<<> •<•'<■ iii-irvari iiossp. ^ WT. Urifiht. cap. 20
"'i' -I- I" ' uit--a*MMm»t<saTWftfacc11ltejji^jj 15. 9. Rha
Bii. IdciJi. M. ■■^■..-i-i:- "Tinai>g||i|l|||M|i|mjimtlln Tun 2
locis affect, tinior et mocsiitia, si diutius perseverent,
"Stc. 66'j'ract. posthuMio de M>-lan. edit. Venetiis
IG-.'O. per P,olzettaiii Bihliop .Mihi dilijentius banc rem
consideranti, patft quu=daiii esse, qui nou laborant
ma^rore et timoj'
u3
2^4 Symptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 3.
understood, " fear and sorrow are no common symptoms to all melancholy ; upon
moie serious consideration, I find some (saith he) that are not so at all. Some indeed
are sad, -and not fearful ; some fearful and not sad ; some neither fearful nor sad ;
some both." Four kinds he excepts, fanatical persons, such as were Cassandra,
Nanto, Nicostrata, Mopsus, Proteus, the Sybils, whom ^Aristotle confesseth to have
been deeply melancholy. Baptista Porta seconds him, Physiog. lib. 1, cap. 8, they
were atrct bile perciti: da;moniacal persons, and such as speak strange languages,
are of this rank : some poets, such as laugh always, and think themselves kings,
cardinals, &.C., sanguuie they are, pleasantly disposed most part, and so continue.
^' Baptista Portia confines fear and sorrow to them that are cold ; but lovers, sybils,
enthusiasts, he wholly excludes. So that I think I may truly conclude, they are not
always sad and fearful, but usually so : and that ^ without a cause, timenl clc nan
timendis^ (Gordonius,) qucpquc momcnli non sunt., "although not all alike (saith Alto-
niarus), ^^ yet all likely fear, ^ some with an extraor(Unary and a miglity fear," Areteus.
^''^Many fear death, and yet in a contrary humour, make away themselves," Galen,
lib. 3. de Joe. ajfcc. cap. 7. Some are afraid that lieaven Mill fall on their heads :
some they are damned, or shall be. ""They are troubled with scruples of con-
sciences, distrusting God's mercies, think they shall go certainly to hell, the devil will
have them, and make great lamentation," Jason Pratensis. Fear of devils, death,
that they shall be so sick, of some such or such disease, ready to tremble at every
object, they shall die themselves forthwitli, or that some of their dear friends or near
allies are certainly dead ; imminent danger, loss, disgrace still torment others, Stc. ;
that they are all glass, and therefore will suffer no man to come near them : that
they arc all cork, as light as feathers ; others as heavy as lead ; some arc afraid their
heads will fall off their shoulders, that they have frogs in their bellies, &.c. '*•' Mon-
Uiuus consil. 23, speaks of one '• that durst not walk alone from home, for fear he
should swoon or die." A second *^" fears every man he meets will rob him, quarrel
with him, or kill him." A third dares not venture to walk alone, for fear he should
meet the devil, a thief, be sick ; fears all old women as witches, and every black dog
or cat he sees he suspecteth to be a devil, every person comes near him is malifi-
ciated, every creature, all intend to hurt him, seek his ruin ; another dares not go
over a bridge, come near a pool, rock, steep hill, lie in a chamber where cross beams
are, for fear he be tempted to hang, drown, or precipitate himself If he be in a
silent auditory, as at a sermon, he is afraid he shall speak aloud at unawares, some-
thing indecent, unfit to be said. If he be locked in a close room, he is afraid of
being stilled for want of air, and still carries biscuit, aquavita;, or some strong waters
about him, for fear of dcliquiums, or being sick ; or if he be in a throng, middle of
a church, multitude, where he may not well get out, though he sit at ease, he is so
misaffected. He will freely promise, undertake any business beforeliand, but when
it comes to be perl'onued, he dare not adventure, but fears an infinite number of
dangers, disasters, &.c. Some are ^^" afraid to be burned, or that the Aground will
sink under them, or *' swallow them quick, or that the king will call them in ques-
tion for some tact they never did (^Rhasis cont.) and that they shall surely be exe-
cuted." The terror of such a deatli troubles them, and they fear as much and are
equally tormented in mind, *• " as they that have committed a murder, and are pensive
without a cause, as if they were now presently to be put to death." Plater, cap. 3.
Je mentis aJicnat. They are afraid of some loss, danger that they shall surely lose
their lives, goods, and all they have, but why they kfiuw not. Trincavelius, consil.
13. lib. 1. had a patient that would needs make away himself, for fear of being
hanged, and could not be persuaded for three years together, but that he had killed
a man. Plater, observat. lib. 1. hath two other examples of such as feared to be
executed witliout a cause. If they come in a place where a robbery, theft, or e.ny
t^ Pjob. lib. 3. " Physiog lib. 1. c. 8. Quibus multa
fri^ida bilis atra, stnlidi ct tiniiJi, at qui calidi, inge-
oiosi. amasii, ilivinosi, spiritu insti<;ali, &c. ^ Oiii-
nes exerceiit metuset tristitia, el sine causa. ''•'Oin-
tiinent licet non omnibus idem tinicndi mrHhis
ricordic diffidentes, Oreo se detitinant fcBda lamriila-
tione deplorantps. «> Non aM!>ug e^rcdi d'lmj ne
deficeret. •*>fnl(j (]xmoiir-!i tinnMit. lalrniu-ii. iniii.
dias, Aviccnna. '^Alii cornburi. alii de Rege, Rliaam.
" Ne terra absorbeantur. Fonstns. •''■ Ne terra
^.ims Telrab. lib. 2. sect. c. U. *• Ingenli pavure doliis<-at. G^irdon. *" .\ "u tiuinre mnriix litni-ntui
trepidant. " Multi mortem tin\^nt, el tamen sibi et niala eratia princ^yjy^^^Unl^se aliquid cuniiniiiia
ip»ig mortem con-"i"'in' alii <iiij luinniu timffii. et ad 8u
■ Affligit eod plena -< ; i^ulis coascienti^jdivinu. iniAe- .
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.j Symptoms in the Mind. 235
such offence hath been done, they presently fear they are suspected, and many times
betray themselves without a cause. Lewis XI., the French king, suspected every
man a traitor that came about him, durst trust no officer. Alii formklolosl omnium,
alii quorundam (Fracatorius lib. 2. de Intellect.) ^^" some fear all alike, some certain
men, and cannot endure their companies, arc sick in them, or if they be from home."
Some suspect ™ treason still, others " are afraid of their" dearest and nearest friends."
{Mclanclius e Galcno, Rulfo, jEtio,) and dare not be alone in the dark for fear of
hobgoblins and devils : he suspects everything he hears or sees to be a devil, or
enchanted, and imagineth a thousand chimeras and visions, which to his thinking he
certainly sees, bugbears, talks with black men, ghosts, goblins, Stc, ''^Omncs se ier-
rent aurce., somis excitat omnis. Another through bashfulness, suspicion, and timo-
rousness will not be seen abroad, ''^ " loves darkness as life, and cannot endure the
light," or to sit in lightsome places, his hat still in his eyes, he will neither see nor
be seen by his goodwill, Hippocrates, lib. de Insania et Melancholia. He dare not
come in company for fear he should be misused, disgraced, overshoot himself in
gesture or speeches, or be sick ; he thinks every man observes him, aims at him,
derides him, owes him malice. Most part ^^ " they are afraid they are bewitched,
possessed, or poisoned by their enemies, and sometimes they suspect their nearest
friends : he thinks something speaks or talks within him, and he belcheth of the
poison." Christopherus a Vega, lib. 2. cap. 1. had a patient so troubled, that by no
persuasion or physic he could be reclaimed. Some are afraid that they shall have
every fearful disease they see others have, hear of, or read, and dare not therefore
hear or read of any such subject, no not of melancholy itself, lest by applying to
themselves that which they hear or read, tliey should aggravate and increase it. If
they see one possessed, bewitched, an epileptic paroxysm, a man shaking with the
palsy, or giddy-headed, reeling or standing in a dangerous place. Sec, for many days
after it runs in their minds, they are afraid they sliall be so too, they are in like dan-
ger, as Perk. c. 12. sc. 12. well observes in his Cases of Consc. and many times by
violence of imagination they produce it. Tliey cannot endure to see any terrible
object, as a monster, a man executed, a carcase, hear the devil named, or any tragical
relation seen, but they quake for fear, Hecatas somniare sibi videntur (Lucian) they
dream of hobgoblins, and may not get it out of their minds a long time after : they
apply (as I have said) all they hear, see, read, to themselves ; as "^ Felix Plater notes
of some young physicians, that study to cure diseases, catch them themselves, will
be sick, and appropriate all symptoms they find related of others, to their own per-
sons. And therefore [quod iterum moneo, licet nauseam paret lectori, malo decern
potius verba, decies repetita licet abundare, quam unum desiderari) I would advise
him tliat is actually melancholy not to read this tract of Symptoms, lest he disquiet
or make himself for a time worse, and more melancholy than he was before. Gene-
rally of them all take this, do inanibus semper conqucriintur et tiraent, saith Aretius;
they complain of toys, and fear '^ without a cause, and still think their melancholy
to be most grievous, none so bad as they are, though it be nothing in respect, yet
never any man sure was so troubled, or in this sort. As really tormented and per-
plexed, in as great an agony for toys and triffes (such things as thev will after laugh
ai themselves) as if they were most material and essential matters indeed, worthy to
be feared, and will not be satisfied. Pacify them for one, they are instantly trouljled
with some other fear ; always afraid of something whicli they foolishly imagine or
conceive to themselves, which never peradventure was, never can be, never likely
will be ; troubled in mind upon every small occasion, unquiet, still complaining,
grieving, vexing, suspecting, grudging, discontent, and cannot be freed so long as
melancholy continues. Or if their minds be more quiet for the present, and they
free from foreign fears, outward accidents, yet their bodies are out of tune, they sus-
pect some part or other to be amiss, now their head aches, heart, stomach, spleen,
M Alius fiomesticos timet, alius omnes. ^tins. '"Alii tiniiem se veneficam siimpsisse piitat, et de hac ructare
timent insidias. Aurel. lib. I. ile morb. Chron. cap. 0. sibi crebro videtur. Idem Moiitaltuscap. -2]. ^tius lib.
">[ Ille charissimos, hie omnes homines citra discrimen 2. et alii. Trallianus 1. 1. cap. 16. "=Observat. 1. 1.
timet. '2 Virgil. " Hie in lucem prodire timet, Quando iis nil nocet, nisi quod mulieribus melanchu
tenehra?quequa;rit, contra, ille cali2inofafuf.'it. '^Clui- licis. "S— tinieo tanien metusque cai'«E nesciu>
dam larvas. et inalos spiritus ab inimicis veneficius et causa est m<.tu.>. Ilemsius Austriaco.
iiicantationibu^ib^u^^|>^^^l^iini)ucrate«, po- ,
236 Symptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sect. 3
See. is niisaffected, they shall surely have this or that dis<:ase; still troubled in body,
mind, or both, and through wind, corrupt fantasy, some accidental distemper, conti-
nually molested. Yet for all this, as " Jacchinus notes, " in all other things they are
wise, staid, discreet, and do nothing unbeseeming their dignity, person, or place, this
foolish, ridiculous, and childish fear excepted ; which so much, so continually tor-
tures and crucifies their souls, like a barking dog tliat always bawls, but sekhmi bites,
this fear ever molesteth, and so long as melancholy lasteth, cannot be avoided."
Sorrow is that other character, and inseparable companion, as individual as Saint
Cosmus and Damian, fidus Achates., as all writers witness, a common symptom, a
continual, and still without any evident cause, '* mccrent omnes, et si roges cos redder^
catisam., non possunt: grieving still, but why they cannot tell : Jlgelasti^ viastii cogi-
tabimdi^ they look as if they had newly come forth of Trophonius' den. And though
they laugh many times, and seem to be extraordinary merry (as they will by tits),
yet extreme lumpish again in an instant, dull and heavy, sernel et simul, merry and
sad, but most part sad : '^Si qua placcnl, abcunt; inimica tenacius hcerent: sorrow
sticks by them still continually, gnawing as the vulture did ^Titius' bowels, and
they cannot avoid it. No sooner are their eyes open, but after terrible and trouble-
some dreams their heavy hearts begin to sigh: they are still fretting, cliafing, sighing,
grieving, complaining, finding faults, repining, grudging, weeping, Heanlonlimnrume-
Tioi, vexing themselves, *' disquieted in mind, with restless, unquiet thoughts, discon-
tent, either for their own, other men"'s or public afliiirs, such as concern them not ;
things past, present, or to come, the remembrance of some disgrace, loss, injury,
abuses, &c. troubles them now being idle afresh, as if it were new done ; they are
afflicted otherwise for some danger, loss, want, shame, misery, that will certainly
come, as they suspect and mistrust. Lugubris Ate frowns upon them, insomuch that
Areteus well calls it angorem animi, a vexation of the mind, a perpetual agony.
They can hardly be pleased, or eased, though in other men's opinion most happy,
go, tarry, run, ride, " post equitem sedct atra cura: they cannot avoid this icral
plague, let them come in what company they will, ^hceret leteri lethalis arundo, as
to a deer that is struck, whether he run, go, rest with the herd, or alone, this grief
remains : irresolution, inconstancy, vanity of mind, their fear, torture, care, jealousy,
suspicion, Stc, continues, and they cannot be relieved. So "he complained in the
poet,
"Domum revnrtor mcestiis, atque animo feri
Perliirbalo. atque iiicerto pr» irgritijiline,
Assido, accurniiil servi : buccos dt^trabuiit.
Video alios festinare, lectos giornere,
Conam apparare, pro se qui8t|tie ^cdiilo
Facifbaiit, quo illaiii mihi leiiirent uiiscriain.
" He came home sorrowful, and troubled in his mind, his servants did all they pos-
sibly could to please him; one pulled otT his socks, another made ready his bed, a
third his supper, all did their utmost endeavours to ease his grief, and exiiilarate his
person, he was profoundly melancholy, he had lost his son, illud angcbat, that was
his Cordolium, his pain, his agony which could not be removed."
Tcedium vitiE.] Hence it proceeds many times, that they are weary of their lives,
and feral thoughts to olfer violence to their own persons come into their minds,
tcedium vitcc is a common symptom, tarda Jluunl, ingrataque tempora, they are soon
tired with all things ; they will now tarry, now be gone ; now in bed they will rise,
now up, then go to bed, now pleased, then again displeased ; now they like, by and
by dislike all, weary of all, scquitur nunc vivendi., nunc moriendi cupido, saiih Aure-
lianus, lib. 1. cap. 6, but most part ^^vitam damnant., discontent, disquieted, perplexed
upon every light, or no occasion, object : often tempted, I say, to make away them-
selves : ^ Viccre nolunt, mori nesciunt : they cannot die, they will not live : they
complain, weep, lament, and think they lead a most miserable life, never was any
man so bad, or so before, every poor man they see is most fortunate in respect of
them, every beggar that comes to the door is happier than they are, they could be
contented to change lives with them, especially if they be alone, idle, and parted
from their ordinary company, molested, displeased, or provoked : grief, fear, agony,
discontent, wearisomeness, laziness, suspicion, or some such passion forcibly seizeth
■"Cap. 15. in9. Rhasis, in multls vidi.pritter rationem I Eel. 1. •■oovid. Mot. 4. "> Inquips animut.
semper aliquid timent, in cceteris tamen optiiiie se | "J Hor. 1. 3. Od. 1. "Dark care ridcj behind him."
gerunt, neque aliquid praeler dignitatem coiuniittunt. |»3Virg. M Mene^meautoiit. An 1. «r. ]. "•Alto
"" AJlomarus cap 7. Areleua^risiej^^^^ "Mant. | marus.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Symptoms in the Mind. 23*
on them. Tet by and by when they come in company again, which they like, or
be pleased, siiani sententiam ntrsus damnant, et vita; solatia delectantur^ as Octavius
Horatianus observes, lib. 2. cap. 5, they condemn their former mislike, and are well
pleased to live. And so they continue, till with some fresh discontent they ie
molested again, and then they are weary of their lives, weary of all, they will die,
and show rather a necessity to live, than a desire. Claudius the emperor, as "Sueton
describes him, had a spice of this disease, for when he was tormented with the pain
of his stomach, he had a conceit to make away himself. Julius Cassar Claudinus,
consil. 8 4. had a Polonian to his patient, so affected, that through **fear and sorrow,
with which he was still disquieted, hated his own life, wished for death every
moment, and to be freed of his misery. Mercurialis another, and another that was
often minded to despatch himself, and so continued for many years.
Suspicion., Jealousy.] Suspicion, and jealousy, are general symptoms: they are
commonly distrustful, apt to mistake, and amplify, _/ac//e irascibiles, ^^ testy, pettish,
peevish, and ready to snarl upon every '"' small occasion, cum amicissimis, and with-
out a cause, datum vel non datum., it will be scandalum acceptum. If they speak in
jest, he takes it in good earnest. If they be not saluted, invited, consulted with,
called to counsel, &c., or that any respect, small compliment, or ceremony be omitted,
they think themselves neglected, and contemned ; for a time that tortures them. If
two talk together, discourse, whisper, jest, or tell a tale in general, he thinks pre-
sently they mean him, applies all to himself, de se putat omnia did. Or if they talk
with him, he is ready to misconstrue every word they speak, and interpret it to the
worst ; he cannot endure any man to look steadily on him, speak to him almost,
laugh, jest, or be familiar, or hem, or point, cough, or spit, or make a noise some-
times, &c. ^' He thinks they laugh or point at him, or do it in disgrace of him, cir-
cumvent him, contemn him ; every man looks at him, he is pale, red, sweats for
fear and anger, lest somebody should observe hnn. He works upon it, and long
after this false conceit of an abuse troubles him. Montanus consil. 22. gives instance
in a melancholy Jew, that was Iracundior Mria, so waspish and suspicious, tarn
facile iratus, that no man could tell how to carry himself in his company.
Inconstancy.] Inconstant they are in all their actions, vertiginous, restless, unapt
to resolve of any business, they will and will not, persuaded to and fro upon every
small occasion, or word spoken : and yet if once they be resolved, obstinate, hard
to be reconciled. If they abhor, dislike, or distaste, once settled, though to the better
by odds, by no counsel, or persuasion, to be removed. Yet in most things wavering,
irresolute, unable to deliberate, through fear, faciunt, et moxfacti pcenitent [Areteus)
awari, et paulo post prodigi. Now prodigal, and then covetous, they do, and by-and-
by repent them of that which they have done, so that both ways they are troubled,
whether they do or do not, want or have, hit or miss, disquieted of all hands, soon
weary, and still seeking change, restless, I say, fickle, fugitive, they may not abide
to tarry in one place long.
w Roms rus optans, absentem rusticus urbera
Tollit ad astra"
lo company long, or to persevere in any action or business.
93 "Et similis regiim pueris, pappare minutum
Poscit, et iratus inammae lallare recusal,"
"ftsoons pleased, and anon displeased, as a man that's bitten with fleas, or that can
not sleep turns to and fro in his bed, their restless minds are tossed and vary, they
nave no patience to read out a book, to play out a game or two, walk a mile, sit
an hour, &.c., erected and dejected in an instant; animated to undertake, and upon a
word spoken again discouraged.
Passionate.] Extreme passionate, Quicquid volunt valde volunt ; and what they
desire, they do most furiously seek ; anxious ever, and very solicitous, distrustful,
""Cap. 31. ftuo stnmachi dolore correptum se, etiara
de consciscenda morte cogitasse dixit, * Lucet et
semper tristatur, solitudlnem anidt, mortem sihi preca-
■MT. vitam propriam ndio habet. 's Facile in iram
9" Ira sine causa, velocitas irs.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ?niim. Avi-
*iSuspicio, diffidentia, symptomata. Crato Ep. Ju.io
Alexandrine cons. 185 Scoltzii. »2 Hor. "At Rome,
wishing for tile fields, in the country, extolling the city
lo the skies." w pers. Sat. 3. "And like the chil-
dren of nobility, require to eat papi, and, angry at the
nurse, refuse her to sing lullaby."
238
Symptoms of Melancholy.
[Part. l.Sec. 3.
and timorous, pnvious, malicious, profuse one while, sparing another, but most part
covetous, muttering, repining, discontent, and still complaining, grudging, peevish,
injuriarum tcnaces, prone to revenge, soon troubled, and most violent in all their
imaginations, not affiible in speech, or apt to vulgar compliment, but surly, dull, sail,
austere; cogitabundi still, very intent, and as ^^Albertus Durer paints melancholy,
like a sad woman leaning on her ann with fixed looks, neglected habit, &.C., held
tlierelbre by some proud, soft, sottish, or hall-mad, as the Abderites esteemed of
Democritus: and yet of a deep reach, excellent apprehension, judicious, wise, and
witty: for I am of that ^^ nobleman's mind, ".Melancholy advanceth men's conceits,
more than any humour whatsoever," improves their meditations more than any strong
drink or sack. They are of profound judgment in some things, although in others
non rede judicant inquieti., saith Fracastorius, lib. 2. de Intell. And as Arculanus,
c. 16. in 9. Rhasis, terms it. Judicium plerumque pen'crsum, corrupt i, cum judicant
honesta inhonesta, ct amicitiam haheni pro inimicitia : they count honesty dishonesty,
*riends as enemies, they will abuse their best friends, and dare not oflend their ene-
mies. Cowards most part et ad iiiferendam injuriam timidissimi., saith Cardan, lib. 8.
cap. 4. de rcrum varictate : loth to ollend, and if they chance to overshoot them-
selves in word or deed : or any small business or circumstance be omitted, forgotten,
they are miserably tormenteil, and frame a thousand dangers and inconveniences
to themselves, ex musca elephantem., if once they conceit it : overjoyed with every
good rumor, tale, or prosperous event, transported beyond themselves : with every
small cross again, bad news, misconceived injury, loss, danger, alHictcd beyond
measure, in great axony, perplexed, dejected, astonished, impatient, utterly undone :
fearful, suspicious of all. Yet again, many of them desperate hairl)rains, rash, care-
less, ill to be assassins, as being void of all fear and sorrow, according to '■* Hercules
de Saxonid, " Most audacious, and such as dare walk alone in the night, through
deserts and dangerous places, fearing none."
Amorous.] '• They are prone to love," and ^easy to be taken; Propensi ad amorem
et excandcsccnliam [MuntaUus cap. 21.^ quickly enamoured, and dote upon all, love
one dearly, till they see another, and then dote on her, Et hanc, et hanc, et illam, et
omncs, the present moves most, and the last commonly they love best. Yet some
again Anterotes. cannot endure the sight of a woman, abhor the sex, as that same
melancholy ^ duke of Muscovy, that was instantly sick, if he came but in sight of
them ; and that ^Anchorite, that fell into a cold palsy, when a woman was brought
bei'bre him.
Humorous.] Humorous they are beyond all measure, sometimes profusely laughing,
extraordinarily merry, and then again weeping without a cause, (which is familiar
with many gentlewomen,) groaning, sighing, pensive, sad, almost distracted, mulla
ahsurdajingunt, et a ratione uliena (^ saith '^Frambesarius), they feign many absurdi-
ties, vain, void of reason : one supposeth himself to be a dog, cock, bear, horse,
glass, butter, Stc. He is a giant, a dwarf, as strong as an hundred men, a lord, duke,
prince, Sec. And if he be told he hath a stinking breath, a great nose, that he is sick,
or inclined to such or such a disease, he believes it eftsoons, and peradventure by
force of in>agination will work it out. Many of them are immovable, and fixed in
their conceits, others vary upon every object, heard or seen. If they sec a stage-
play, they run upon that a week after ; if they hear music, or see dancing, they have
nought but bag-pipes in their brain : if they see a combat, they are all for arms. ' If
abused, an abuse tix)ubles them long after ; if crossed, that cross, &.c. Restless in
dieir thoughts and actions, continually meditating, Velut <Tgn somnia., vana: fins^vn-
tur species; more like dreams, than men awake, they fain a company of antic, fantas-
tical conceits, they have most frivolous thoughts, impossible to be effected ; and
sometimes think verily they hear and see present before their eyes such phantasms
or goblins, they fear, suspect, or conceive, they still talk with, and follow them. Ir.
fine, cogitationes somniantibus similes., id vigilant, quod alii somniant cngilahundi .
still, saith Avicenna, they wake, as others dream, and such for the most part are their
»• In his Outch work picture. » Howard c.ip. 7.
!itr>'r. *Tracl. <ie intl. cap. 2. Noctu aiiiliiilaiit por
>"lvas, ct loca periculosa, nt-iiiinem timcrit. "^ Facile
amant. Alton). *Bo<line. •'' lo. Major vititi
patrum r<il.-2U-2. P.iiilna Alilias F.fpmiiaOnLayoliliiiliiii
perseverat, ut nee vestem, m-c viillutii iniilicriji frrre
posHit. tc. ""(■(•riMill. iili. 1. 17. Colli. 'Oencrally
ail they are plea«eil or ili<plen?<''il, »o are their cuntinual
cogitaii"
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Symptoms in the Mind. 239
imaginations and conceits, ^ absurd, vain, foolish toys, yet they are ' most curious and
solicitous, continual, et supra modujn, Rhasis cont. lib. 1. cap. 9. prcBmeditanfur de
aliqua re. As serious in a toy, as if it were a most necessary business, of great
moment, importance, and still, still, still thinking of it : saxnunt in se, macerating them-
selves. Though they do talk with you, and seem to be otherwise employed, and to
your thinking very intent and busy, still that toy runs in their mind, that fear, that
suspicion, that abuse, that jealousy, that agony, that vexation, that cross, that castle
in the air, that crotchet, that whimsy, that fiction, that pleasant waking dream, what-
soever it is. JVec interrogant (saith ■* Fracastorius) nee interrogatis recte respondent
They do not much heed what you say, their mind is on another matter ; ask what
you will, they do not attend, or much intend that business they are about, but forget
themselves what they are saying, doing, or should otherwise say or do, whither they
are going, distracted with their own melancholy thoughts. One laughs upon a
sudden, another smiles to himself, a third frowns, calls, his lips go still, he acts with
his hand as he Avalks, &c. 'Tis proper to all melancholy men, saith ^Mercurialis,
con. 11. "What conceit they have once entertained, to be most intent, violent, and
continually about it." Invitas occurrit, do what they may they cannot be rid of
it, against their wills they must think of it a thousand times over, Perpetuo moles-
tanlur nee ohlivisci possunt, they are continually troubled with it, in company, out
of company; at meat, at exercise, at all times and places, ^7ion desinunt ea, quce
minime volunt, cogitare, if it be offensive especially, they cannot forget it, they may
not rest or sleep for it, but still tormenting themselves, Sysiphi saxum volvunt sibi
ipsis, as ^Brunner observes, Ferpetua calamitas et miserahiJe fiagellum.
Bashfulness.] ^Crato, ^Laurentius, and Fernelius, put bashfulness for an ordinary
symptom, sabruslicus pudor., or vitiosus pudor., is a thing which much haunts and tor-
ments them. If they have been misused, derided, disgraced, chidden. Sec, or by any
perturbation of mind, misaffected, it so far troubles them, that they become quite moped
many times, and so disheartened, dejected, they dare not come abroad, into strange
companies especially, or manage their ordinary affairs, so childish, timorous, and bash-
ful, they can look no man in the face ; some are more disquieted in this kind, some
less, longer some, others shorter, by fits, &c., though some on the other side (according
to '"Fracastorius) be inverecundi et pcrtinaces., impudent and peevish. But most part
they are very shamefaced, and that makes them witli Pet. Blesensis, Christopher Urs-
H'ick, and many such, to refuse honours, offices, and preferments, which sometimes tall
mto their mouths, they cannot speak, or put forth themselves as others can, timor hos.,
pudor impcdit illos, timorousness and bashfulness hinder their proceedings, they are
contented with their present estate, unwilling to undertake any office, and therefore
never likely to rise. For that cause they seldom visit their friends, except some fami-
liars : pauciloqui, of few words, and oftentimes wholly silent. " Frambeserius, a
Frenchman, had two such patients, omnino taciturnos, their friends could not get them
to speak : Rodericus a Fonesca consult, torn. 2. 85. consil. gives instance in a young
man, of twenty-seven years of age, that was frequently silent, bashful, moped, soli-
tary, that would not eat his meat, or sleep, and yet again by fits apt to be angry, Stc.
Solitariness.] Most part they are, as Plater notes, desides., taciturni., cegre impulsi^
nee nisi coacti proccdutit, Sfc. they will scarce be compelled to do that which concerns
tJiem, though it be for their Sfood, so diffident, so dull, of small or no compliment,
unsociable, hard to be acquainted with, especially of strangers; they had rather write
their minds than speak, and above all things love solitariness. Ob volnpfalem., an ob
limorem soli sunt? Are they so solitary for pleasure (one asks) or pain ? for both ;
yet I rather think for fear and sorrow, Stc.
"" Hinc metuunt ciipiunlque, dolent fugiiintque, nee I " Hftice 'tis they grieve and fear, avoidinii light,
auras And shut themselves in prison dark from sight. "
Respiciunt, clausi tenebris, et carcere ca:co." |
As Bellerophon in ''Homer,
•■ Qui miser in sylvis mferens crrahat opacis, I "That wandered in the woods sad all alone,
Jpse suuui cor edens, honiinum vestigia vitans." | Forsaking men's society, making great moan.'
20mne3 excercent vans intensxque animi cogita- I etiam vel invitis semper occurrant. ^Xulliusde
tiones, (N. Piso Bruel) et assiduae. sCuriosi de rebus I sen. 'Consil. med. pro Hvpochondriaco. » Con
minimis. Areteus. *Lih. 2. de Intoll. 5Hoc|sil.43. !»Cap.5. l»Li'b. 2. de Intell. iiCo«
me ancholicis omnihu^i^^^M|||ui^ssemel imasi- | suit. 1.^. et 1(3. lib. 1. i^Virg. JEn. 6. "Hiad. .).
"jtf^IPP^ valduiMli^i^^^^^^^^^MfcjBnt. sed hs
840 , Symptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 3.
They delight in floods and waters, desert places, to walk alone in orchards, gardens,
private walks, back lanes, averse from company, as Diogenes in his tub, or Timon
Misanthropus, '^ they abhor all companions at last, even their nearest acquaintances
and most familiar friends, for they have a conceit (I say) every man observes them,
will deride, laugh to scorn, or misuse them, confining themselves therefore wholly
to their private houses or chambers., fug iunt homines sine causa (saith Rhasis) et odio
hnhent., cont. I. I.e. 9. they will diet themselves, feed and live alone. It was one of
the chiefest reasons why the citizens of Abdera suspected Dcmocritus to be melan-
choly and mad, because that, as Hippocrates related in his Epistle to Philopa'nienes,
''"he forsook the city, lived in groves and hollow trees, upon a green bank by a
brook side, or confluence of waters all day long, and all night." Quce quidem (saith
ht) plurimum atra bile vexatis et mclancholicis eveniunl., descrta frequc7itant, homi-
numquc congressum aversantur; '* which is an ordinary thing with melancholy men.
The Egyptians therefore in their hieroglyphics expressed a melancholy man by a
hare silting in her form, as being a most timorous and solitary creature, Pierius Hie-
roglyph. 1. 12. But this, and all precedent symptoms, are more or less apparent, as
the humour is intended or remitted, hardly perceived in some, or not all, most mani-
fest in others. Childish in some, terrible in others ; to be derided in one, pitied or
admired in another ; to him by fits, to a second continuate : and howsoever these
.symptoms be common and incident to all persons, yet they are the more remarkable,
frequent, furious and violent in melancholy men. To speak in a word, there is
nothing so vain, absurd, ridiculous, extravagant, impossible, incredible, so monstrous
a chinirera, so prodigious and strange, " such as painters and poets durst not attempt,
which they will not really fear, feign, suspect and imagine unto themselves: and that
which '*Lod. Viv. said in a jest of a silly country fellow, that killed his ass for drink-
ing up the moon, «/ lunam mundo redderet., you may truly say of them in earnest ;
they will act, conceive all extremes, contrarieties, and contradictions, and that in in-
finite varieties. JMelanchoUci plane incredibilia sibi persuadent., ul vix omnibus swculis
diM reperli sint., qui idem imaginati sint [Erastus de Lamiis)., scarce two of two
thousand that concur in the same symptoms. The tower of Babel never yielded
such confusion of tongues, as the chaos of melancholy doth variety of symptoms.
There is in all melancholy similitudo dissimilis., like men's faces, a disagreeing like-
ness still ; and as in a river we swim in the same place, though not in the same
numerical water; as the same instrument affords several lessons, so the same disease
yields diversity of symptoms. Which howsoever they be diverse, intricate, and hard
to be confined, 1 will adventure yet in such a vast confusion and generality to bring
them into some order; and so descend to particulars.
SuBSECT. III. — Particular Symptoms from the influence of Stars., parts of the Body.,
ami Humours.
Some men have pecidiar symptoms, according to their temperament and crisis,
which they had from the stars and those celestial influences, variety of wits and dis-
positions, as Anthony Zara contends, ^^na/. ingen. sect. 1. memb. 11, 12, 1.3, \A.plu-
rimum irritant influentice ccelesles., unde cientur animi cegritudines et morbi corporum.
'"One saith, diverse diseases of the body and mind proceed from their influences,
"as I have already proved out of Ptolemy, Pontanus, Lemnius, Cardan, and others
as they are principal significators of manners, diseases, mutually irradiated, or lords
of the geniture, &c. Ptolomeus in his centiloquy, Hermes, or whosoever else the
author of that tract, attributes all these symptoms, which are in melancholy men,
to celestial influences: which opinion Mercurialis de affect, lib. cap. 10. rejects;
but, as I say, ^' Jovianus Pontanus and others stiffly defend. That some are solitary,
dull, heavy, churlish ; some again blithe, buxom, light, and merry, they ascribe
wholly to the stars. As if Saturn be predominant in his nativity, and cause melan-
MSi malum exasperanlur, hnmines odio habent et I et factus sum velut nycticoraz in domirilio, panerioli
«otitaria petunt. '^ Democritus solet noctes et dies tarius in lemplo. " Et quae vix audcl Tabula, monttra
Vipud ce dt-eere, pleruinqiie autem in gpelunri?, 8iib parit. '"In cap. 18. I. 10. de civ. dei, Lunam ab
■ iiiaini.-t arboruin uinlirls vel in tenebris. et inollibus Afino epotam videna. " Vel. 1. 4. c. 5. ••fleev,
herbia, vel ad aquaruin crebra et quieta fluenta. &c. ' 2. Memb. 1. Suba. 4. *' D,; reb. ealeft '■►' !" ' 13
••Gaudet tenebris, aliturque dolor. Ps. Uii. Vigilavi i "
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.J Symptoms of the Stars, Humours, Sfc. 241
oholy in his temperature, then ^he shall be very austere, sullen, churlish, black of
colour, profound in his cogitations, full of cares, miseries, and discontents, sad and
feaiiul, always silent, solitary, still delighting in husbandry, in woods, orchards, gar-
dens, rivers, ponds, pools, dark walks and close : Cogitationes sunt velle cedi/icare,
velle arhorcs planfnre, agros colere, <^r. To catcli birds, fishes, &c. still contriving
and musing of such matters. If Jupiter domineers, they are more ambitious, still
meditating of kingdoms, magistracies, offices, honours, or that they are princes,
potentates, and how they would carry themselves, &c. If Rlars, they are all for wars,
brave combats, monomachies, testy, choleric, harebrain, rash, furious, and violent in
their actions. They will feign themselves victors, commanders, are passionate and
satirical in their speeches, great braggers, ruddy of colour. And though they be
poor in shew, vile and base, yet like Telephus and Peleus in the ^^ poet, JlmpuUas
jnrjant ct scsquipedalia verba, "forget their swelling and gigantic words," their
mouths are full of myriads, and tetrarchs at their tongues' end. If the sun, thev will
be lords, emperors, in conceit at least, and monarchs, give offices, honours, &c. If
Venus, they are still courting of their mistresses, and most apt to love, amorously
given, they seem to hear music, plays, see fine pictures, dancers, merriments, and the
like. Ever in love, and dote on all they see. Blercurialists are solitary, much in
contemplation, subtile, poets, philosophers, and musing most part about such matters.
If the moon have a hand, they are all for peregrinations, sea voyages, much affected
with travels, to discourse, read, meditate of such things ; wandering in their thoughts,
(hverse, much delighting in waters, to fish, fowl, &c.
But the most innnediate symptoms proceed from the temperature itself, and the
organical parts, as head, liver, spleen, meseraic veins, heart, womb, stomach. Sec,
and most especially from distemperature of spirits (which, as -^Hercules de Saxonia.
contends, are wholly immaterial), or from the four liumours in those seats, whether
they be hot or cold, natural, unnatural, innate or adventitious, intended or remitted,
simple or mixed, their diverse mixtures, and several adustions, combinations, which
may be as diversely varied, as those^^ fotn- first qualities in ^''Clavius, and produce as
many several symptoms and monstrous fictions as wine doth effect, which as Andreas
Bachius observes, lib. 3. dc vino, cap. 20. are infinite. Of greater note be these.
If it l)e natural melancholy, as Lod. Mcrcatus, lib. 1. cap. 17. de melan. T. Bright,
c. 16. hath largely described, either of the spleen, or of the veins, faulty by excess
of quantity, or thickness of substance, it is a cold and dry humour, as Montanus
affirms, consil. 26. the parties are sad, timorous and fearful. Prosper Calenus, in his
book de atra bile, will have them to be more stupid than ordinarj', cold, heavy, soli-
tary, sluggish. Si multam atram bilem et frigidam habcnf. Hercules de Saxonia,.
c. 19. I. 7. "'" holds these that are naturally melancholy, to be of a leaden colour or
black," and so doth Guianerius, c. 3. tract. 15. and such as think themselves dead
many times, or that they see, talk with black men, dead men, spirits and goblins
frequently, if it be in excess. These symptoms vary according to tlie mixture of
those four humours adust, which is unnatural melancholy. For as Trallianus hath
written, cajj. 16. I. 7. ^^" There is not one cause of this melancholy, nor one
humour which begets, but divers diversely intermixed, from whence proceeds this
variety of symptoms:" and those varying again as they are hot or cold. ^^"Cold
melancholy (saith Benedic. Vittorius Faventinus pract. mag.) is a cause of dotage,
and more mild symptoms, if hot or more adust, of more violent passions, and furies."
Fracastoriu'5, I. 2. de intellect, will have us to consider well of it, ^" with what kind
of melanclioly every one is troubled, for it much avails to know it ; one is enraged
by fervent heal, another is possessed by sad and cold ; one is fearful, shamefaced ;
the other impudent and bold ; as Ajax, Arma rapit superosque furens in prcelia pos-
cit: quite mad or tending to madness. JWnc Iws, nunc impetit illos. Eellerophon
on the other side, solis errat male sanus in agris, wanders alone in the woods ; one
despairs, weeps, and is weary of his life, another laughs, &c. All which variety is
22 I. de Indagine Goclenius. » Hor. de art. poet, i rens, sed plures, et alius aliter mutatus, unde non oin-
** Tract. 7. do Melan. *»Humiduni, calidum, frigi- nes eadem sentiunt syniutomata. 2* Humor frigidua
dum, siccum. MCom. in 1 c. Johannis do Sacro- | delirii causa, humor calidiis furoris. * Multum.
bosrx). ifSi resjdet melancholia naturalis, tales j refert qua quisque melancholia teneatur, hunc ferveni,
pliiinbei coloris nut nigri, stupidi. solitarii. 26>fon et accensa agitat, ilium tristis et frigens occupat: lu
una melancholia causa esMMuiMwiflbymprvitii pa- ' timidi. illi inverecundi, intrepidi, Sec.
V
242 Symptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 3.
produced from the several degrees of heat and cold, which '' Hercules de *^axonia
will liave wholly proceed from the distemperature of spirits alone, animal especially,
and those immaterial, the next and immediate causes of melancholy, as they are hot,
cold, dry, moist, and from their agitation proceeds tliat diversity of symptoms, wiiicli
he reckons up, in the ^-'thirteenth chap, of his Tract of Melancholy, and that larirely
through every part. Otiiers will have them come from the diverse adustion of the
four humours, which in this unnatural melancholy, hy corruption of blood, adust
choler, or melancholy natural, ^^ " by excessive distemper of heat turned, in com-
parison of the natural, into a sharp lye by force of ailustion, cause, according to the
diversity of their matter, diverse and strange symptoms," which T. Bright reckons
up in his following chapter. So doth ^ Arculanus, according to the four principal
humours adust, and many others.
For example, if it proceed from phlegm, (which is seldom and not so frequently
as the rest) '^it stirs up dull symptoms, and a kind of stupidity, or impassionate
hurt: they are sleepy, saith ''*' Savanarola, dull, slo\v, cold, blockish, ass-like, ^J.s/»/-
nam ync/anc/ioliam., ^' .Melancthon calls it, '■'■ they are much given to weeping, and
delight in waters, [)onds, pools, rivers, fishing, fowling, kc." i^Jlrnoldus hrcciar. I.
cap. 18.) They are ^"^pale of colour, slothful, apt to sleep, heavy; ""much troubled
with head-ache, continual meditation, and muttering to themselves; they dream of
waters, '" that they are in danger of drowning, and fear such things, Rhasis. They
are fatter tlian otliers that are melancholy, of a muddy complexion, apter to spit,
^' sleep, more troubled with rheum than the rest, and have their eyes still fixed on
the ground. Such a patient had Hercules de Saxonia, a widow in Venice, that was
fat and very sleepy still ; Christophorus a Vega another atlected in the same sort.
If it be inveterate or violent, the symptoms are more evident, they plainly denote
and are ridiculous to others, in all their gestures, actions, speeches ; imagining im-
])ossibilitics, as he in Christophorus ii Vega, that thought he was a tun of wine,
^^and that Siennois, tiiat resulveil within himself not to piss, for fear he should drown
all the town.
If it proceed from blood adust, or that there be a mixture of blood in it, '^'" such
are commonly riuldy of complexion, and high-coloured," according to Salust Salvi-
anus, and Hercules de Saxonia. And as Savanarola, Vittorius Faventinus Emper.
iarther adds, ^' " the veins of their eyes be red, as well as their faces." They are
much inclined to laughter, witty and merry, conceited in discourse, pleasant, if they
be not far gone, much given to music, dancing, and to be in women's company.
They meditate wholly on such things, and think. ■'^" they see or hear plays, dancing,
•and such-like sports (free from all fear and sorrow, as '"'Hercules de Saxonia sup-
posetli.) If they be more strongly possessed with this kind of melancholy, Arnol-
dus adds, BrcLuar. lib. 1. cap. 18. Like him of Argos in the Poet, that sate lautrh-
ing ^^ all day long, as if he had been at a theatre. Such another is mentioned liy
"■^ Aristotle, living at Abydos, a town of Asia Minor, that would sit after the same
fashion, as if he had*been upon a stage, and sometimes act himself; now clap his
hands, and laiigh, as if he had been well pleased with the sight. VV' oltius relates of
a country fellow cidled Brunsellius, subject to this humour, ^'*" that being by clumce
at a sermon, saw a woman fall olF from a form half asleep, at which oiiject most <>f
the company laughed, but he for his part was so much moved, that for three whole
days after he (hd nothing but laugh, by which means he was nuicb weakened, and
worse a long time following." Such a one was old Sophocles, and Democritus him-
self had Itilare delirium., much in this vein. Lxiurentius cap. 3. de inclnn. thinks this
kind of melancholy, which is a little adust with some mixture of blood, to be that
which Aristotle meant, when he said melancholy men of all others are most witty,
"Cap. 7. fit 8. Trar-r. de Mel. '^Sisna mtlancholiae i rentius. ■•'Ca. 6. ile mcl. Si d sanguine, vcnit ruh«iln
ei iiitemporif et aL'italiono spirituiiin sine materia, oculoriim et faciei, pl'irirniis ri*ii«. <• Veiim ncnlnriiin
'3T. Bright cap. 10. 'I'reat. Mel. '*(.'ap. Hi. in 9. | .^unt ruhriH, vide an pru'ceo«erit vini et nroiriatiiiii ii»ii*,
Khasis. '-' Brit'ht, c. 10. *Prnct. niajnr. Som- I el frqnens halncuiii. Trallinn. liti. I. Hi. nn prr'-'cssi-rit
nians, piser. friiiidiis. " De ariiina cap. de humor. I mora sub sole. *■ Riilit palienn si a •'atitiiiiiie. piiiat
si a Plileemale semper in aqiiis fere sunt, et eirc.i tlnvios ' fc videre thoreaf. miisiiwiin and ire. Iinlni'. &r. •'Cap.
pliirant innlliiiri. * I'lijra nascitiirex colore pallido 2. Tract, de Melan. ^'Mor. ep. lib. 2. quidani hand
et alho. Her. di- Sa.Toii ~ "favanarola. wMnros ijrnobilia Areis. &c. <" l,ib. ile reh iiiir. «Cnin
C:i<iere in m-, iint unlniierL'i tinient, cum torpore et seg- inter concionandnin mnlierdorniientid »nl>ii»-lliocaderet,
liilie, el fliivio> .nmant lat-s. .Me.xand. c. 10 lib. 7. et oinin-n relimj^pu ntjtjerent, riilerent, tribu* pfnt
•' Semper fere doriiiit somnolent a c. 10. I. 7. <*Lau- diebus, ^"
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.] Symptoms of the Stars, Humours, 8fc. 24S
which causeth many times a divhie ravishment, and a kind of enfJiusiasmus, which
stirreth them up to be excellent philosophers, poets, prophets, &c. 3Iercurialis,
consil. 110. gives instance in a young man his patient, sanguine melancholy, ^•- of a
great wit, and excellently learned."
If it arise from choler adust, they are bold and impudent, and of a more hairbrair^
disposition, apt to quarrel, and think of such things, battles, combats, and their man-
hood, furious; impatient in discourse, stiff, irrefragable and prodigious in their tenets;
and if they be moved, most violent, outrageous, ^' ready to disgrace, provoke any,
to kill themselves and others ; Arnoldus adds, stark mad by fits, '^'■' they sleep little,
their urine is subtile and fiery. (Guianerius.) In their fits you shall hear tlieni
speak all manner of languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, that never were taught or
knew them before." Apponensis in com. in Pro. sec. 30. speaks of a mad woman
that spake excellent good Latin : and Rhasis knew another, that could prophecy in
her fit, and fortel things truly to come. ^''Guianerius had a patient could make
Latin verses when the moon was combust, otherwise illiterate. Avicenna aiul some
of his adherents will have these symptoms, when they happen, to proceed from the
devil, and that they are rather demoniaci, possessed, than mad or melancholy, or
both together, as Jason Pratensis thinks, Immiscent se mali genii, Sec. but most
ascribe it to the humour, which opinion Montaltus cap. 21. stifilv maintains, con-
futing Avicenna and the rest, referring it wholly to the quality and disposition of the
humour and subject. Cardan de rerum var. lib. 8. cap. 10. holds these men of all
others fit to be assassins, bold, hardy, fierce, and adventurous, to undertake anything
by reason of their choler adust. ^*'-' This humour, saith he, prepares them to endure
death itself, and all manner of torments with invincible courage, and 'tis a wonder
to see with what alacrity they will undergo such tortures," ut supra naturam res
videatur: he ascribes this generosity, fur\% or rather stupidity, to this adustion of
choler and melancholy : but I take these rather to be mad or desperate, than pro-
perly melancholy ; for commonly this humour so adust and hot, degenerates into
madness.
If it come from melancholy itself adust, those men, saith Avicenna, ^"are usually
sad and solitary, and that continually, and in excess, more than ordinarily suspicious
more fearful, and have long, sore, and most corrupt imaginations ;" cold and black,
bashful, and so solitary, tliat as ^^Arnoldus writes, '• they v/ill endure no company. t!iey
(h-eam of graves still, and dead men, and think themselves bewitched or dead :"' if it
be extreme, they think they hear hideous noises, see and talk ^'"with black men,
and converse familiarly with devils, and such strange chimeras and visions," (Gordo-
nius) or that they are possessed b'y them, tliat somebody talks to them, or witiiin
them. Tales mclancholici pier unique dccmoniaci, Montaltus consil. 26. ex Aviceniui.
Valescus de Taranta had such a woman in cure, ^' " that thought she had to do with
the devil :" and Gentilis Fulgosus quoist. 55. writes that he had a melanclioly friend,
that ^^'■' had a black man in the likeness of a soldier" still following him wheresoever
he was.. Laurentius cap. 7. hath many stories of such as have thought themselve.-?
bewitched by their enemies ; and some that would eat no meat as being dead. *''-inn(i
1550 an advocate of Paris fell into such a .melancholy fit, that he believed verily he
was dead, he could not be persuaded otherwise, or to eat or drink, till a kinsman oi
his, a scholar of Bourges, did eat before him dressed like a corse. The stor\% saith
Serres, was acted in a comedy before Charles the Ninth. Some think they are
beasts, wolves, hogs, and cry like dogs, foxes, bray like asses, and low like kine. a.s
King Praetus' daughter.s. ^' Hddesheim spicel. 2. de mania, hath an example of a
Dutch baron so afiected, and Trincavelius lib. 1. consil. 11. another of a nobleman
in his country, ^-" that thought he was certainly a beast, and would imitate most of
iojiivenis et non viiljraris erutlitionis. ''iSi a; a melancholia adiista. tristes, de sepulchris somniaiit,
chol.ra, ftiribiiiidi, inlr-rficinrit, se ct alios, piitaiil se timeiit lie fascineiitiir, putant se iiioriiios. aspici no-
viilere pugiias. s^Urina subtilis et ipnea, partim luiit. s'yidf-ntur sibi videre monachos nigros et
(lormiiiiit. 53Tract. 1.5. c. 4. 5* Ad h.Tc perpe- [ damonos, et suspenses et ninrtuos. ^-Quavis nocte
tramla fiirnre rapti diicuiitur, criiciatLis qiiosvis tole- I se cum daeraoiie coire putavit. °3S<.rnper fere vidisst
rant, et iiirvriorn. et furore exacerbato audent ct ad sup- ' militeni nigrum pra;sentein. «> Anthony di: Verdeur
.)licia plus irritantiir, inirum est quantain habeant in "Quidam musitus bourn smulaniur, et pecora se pu
tormentis pationtiain. ssT-gies plus r;rteris liment, : tant, ut Prceti filis. ^Uaro quidam mugitus bourn
et continue tristantnr, valde suspiciosi, solitudinem di- \ et rucitus asinorum, et aliorum animalium vocet
'igunt, corruptissimashabcjit imayiuationes, &c. *«Si effingft.
244 Symploms of MelancJioJy. [Part. 1. Sec. 3.
ilieir voices,'" with many sucli symptoms, which may properly be reduced to tliis
kiiul
If it proceed from the several combinations of these four humours, or spirit?.
Here, de Saxon, adds hot, cold, dry, moist, dark, confused, settled, constringed, as it
participates of matter, or is without matter, the symptoms are likewise mixed. One
thinks himself a giant, another a dwarf. One is heavy as lead, another is as light as
a feather. Marcellus Donatus 7. 2. cap.4\. makes mention out of Seneca, of one
Seneccio, a rich man, "" that thought himself and everything else he had, great:
ffreat wife, great horses, could not abide little thing?, but would have great pots to
drink in, great hose, and great shoes bigger than his feet." Like her in ''' Trallianus,
that supposed she "could shake all the world with her finger," and was afraid to
clinch her liand toorethcr, lest she should crush the world like an apple in pieces: or
liini in Galen, that thought he was "Atlas, and sustained heaven with his shoulders.
Anotlier thinks himself so little, that he can creep into a mouse-hole : one fears
heaven will fall on his head : a second is a cock ; and such a one, ^^Guianerius saith
he saw at Padua, that would clap his hands together and crow. ^^Another thinks lie
is a nightiniiale, and therefore sings all the night long; another he is all glass, a
pitcher, and will therefore let nobody come near him, and such a one ''' Laurentius
gives out upon his credit, that he knew in France. Christophorus a Vega cap. 3. Jib.
14. Skenkius and Marcellus Donatus /. 2. cap. 1. have many such examples, and one
amongst the rest of a baker in Ferrara that thought he was composed of butter, and
durst not sit in the sun, or come near the fire for fear of being melted : of another
that thought he was a case of leather, stuffed with wind. Some laugh, weep; some
are mad, some dejected, moped, in much agony, some by fits, others contiiuiate, SiC.
Some have a corrupt ear, they think they hear music, or some hideous noise as their
phantasy conceives, corrupt eyes, some smelling, some one sense, some another.
^^ Lewis the Eleventh had a conceit everything did stink about him, all the odorife-
rous perfumes they could get, would not ease him, but still he smelled a filthy stink.
A melancholy French poet in ™ Laurentius. being sick of a fever, and troubled witli
waking, by his physicians was appointed to use ungiicnliim j)opuhum to anoint iiis
temples ; but he so distasted the smell of it, tliat for many years after, all that came
near him he imagined to scent of it, and would let no man talk with him but aloof
ofli or wear any new clothes, because he thought still they smelled of it ; in all other
things wise and discreet, he would talk sensibly, save only in this. A gentleman in
Limousin, saith Anthony Verdeur, was persuaded he had but one leg, aflVighted by a
wild boar, that by chance struck him on the leg ; he could not be satified \\\i leg
was sound (in all other things well) until two Franciscans by chance coming that
way. fully removed him from the conceit. Sed aliunde fahularum audivimiis. —
enough of story-telling.
SuBSECT. IV. — Symptoms from Education., Custom, continuance of Time, our Con-
dition, mixed with other Diseases, by Fits, Inclination, 6fc.
Another great occasion of the variety of these symptoms proceeds from custom,
discipline, education, and several inclinations, ""this humour will imprint in melan-
choly men the objects most answerable to their condition of life, and ordinary
actions, and dispose men according to their several studies and callings." Jf an
ambitious man become melancholy, he forthwith thinks he is a king, an emperor,
a monarch, and walks alone, pleasing himself with a vain hope of some future pre-
ferment, or present as he supposeth, and withal acts a lord's part, takes upon him to
be some statesman or magnifico, makes conges, gives entertainment, looks big, kc
Francisco Sansovino records of a melancholy man in Cremona, that would not be
induced to believe but that he was pope, gave pardons, made cardinals. Sec. '-Chris-
tophorus a Vega makes mention of another of his acquaintance, that thought he was
a king, driven from his kingdom, and was very anxious to recover his estate. A
''-> Omnia magna putabat, uxoreni niagnam, granrles
eqiids. abhorruil omnia parva, magna piiciila, et calcen-
em-iita p»'()ihu3 majora. "Lib. 1. cap. 16. putavit
«e lino ilinito po!>se totum muniliini cunterere. "' Sus-
tinet hiiiicrid cceltun cum Atlante. Alii cceii ruinam
timent. "Cap. 1. Tract. 15. alius ae gallum puint
alius lusciniam. '^Trallianus. "('ap. 7. dc
mel. >* .Anthony <le Verdeur. '*Cap. T df
luf.]. " Laurentius cap. fj. "Lib. 3. cap
14. qui ae regem putavit reui|^«ipuUum.
]\Ieni. 1. Subs. 4.] Symptoms from Custom. 245
covetous person is still conversant about purchasing of lands and tenements, plotting
in his mild how to compass such and such manors, as if he were already lord of^
and able to go through with it ; all he sees is his, re or spe., he hath devoured it in
hope, or else in conceit esteems it his own : like him in '^Athenaeus, that thought all
the ships in the haven to be bis own. A lascivious inamorato plots all the day long to
please his mistress, acts and struts, and carries himself as if she were in presence, still
dreaming of her, as Pamphilus of his Glycerium, or as some do in their morning
sleep. "Marcellus Dcyiaius knew such a gentlewoman in Mantua, called Elionora
Meliorina, that constantly believed she was married to a king, and " " would kneel
down and talk with him, as if he had been there present with his associates ; and
if she had found by chance a piece of glass in a muck-hill or in the street, she would
say that it was a jewel sent from her lord and husband." If devout and religious,
he is all for fasting, prayer, ceremonies, alms, interpretations, visions, prophecies,
revelations, '® he is inspired by the Holy Ghost, full of the spirit : one while he is
saved, another while damned, or still troubled in mind for his sins, the devil will
surely have him, Stc. more of these in the third partition of love-melancholy. "A
scholar's mind is busied about his studies, he applauds himself for that he hath done,
or hopes to do, one while fearing to be out in his next exercise, another while con-
temning all censures ; envies one, emulates another ; or else with indefatigable pains
and meditation, consumes himself. So of the rest, all which vary according to the
more remiss and violent impression of the object, or as the humour itself is intended
or remitted. For some are so gently melancholy, that in all their carriage, and to
the outward apprehension of otlieis it can hardly be discerned, yet to them an into-
lerable burden, and not to be endured. '^Qutsdam occulta qucedam manifcsta., some
signs are manifest and obvious to all at all times, some to few, or seldom, or hardly
perceived ; let them keep their own council, none will take notice or suspect them.
'"• They do not express in outward show their depraved imaginations," as ™ Hercules
de Saxonia observes, " but conceal them wholly to themselves, and are very wise
men, as 1 have often seen ; some fear, some do not fear at all, as such as think them-
selves kings or dead, some have more signs, some fewer, some great, some less, some
vex, fret, still fear^ grieve, lament, suspect, laugh, sing, weep, chafe, &c. by fits (as 1
have said) or more during and permanent." Some dote in one thing, are most child-
ish, and ridiculous, and to be wondered at in that, and yet for all other matters most
discreet and wise. To some it is in disposition, to another in habit; and as they
write of heat and cold, we may say of this humour, one is melancJwllcus ad octo, a
second two degrees less, a third half-way. 'Tis superparticular, sesqidaltera, scsqui-
tcrtia, and superhiparliens tertias^ qulntas Melancholia;, £yc. all those geometrical
proportions are too little to express it. ^*"' It comes to many by fits, and goes; to
others it is continuate : many [sahh ^' Faventinus) in spring and fall only are mo-
lested, some once a year, as that Roman ^^ Galen speaks of: -'one, at the conjunction
of the moon alone, or some unfortunate aspects, at such and such set hours and
times, like the sea-tides, to some women when they be with child, as ''^Plater notes,
never otherwise : to others 'tis settled and fixed ; to one led about and variable still
by that ignis fatuus of phantasy, like an arthritis or running gout, 'tis here and there,
and in every joint, always molesting some part or other; or if the body be free, in
a niyiad of forms exercising the mind. A second once peradventure in his life hath
a most grievous fit, once in seven years, once in five years, even to the extremity of
madness, death, or dotage, and that upon some feral accident or perturbation, terrible
object, and for a time, never perhaps so before, never after. A third is moved upon
all such troublesome objects, cross fortune, disaster, and violent passions, otherwise
free, once troubled in three or four years. A fourth, if tilings be to his mind, or he
in action, well pleased, in good company, is most jocund, and of a good complexion:
"^Dipnosophist. lib. Thrasilaus piitavit mimes naves
in Pircuin piirtiim appellaiites suas esse •* De
hist. Meil. iiiir^ih lil>. 2. cap. 1. '^Genilms fle.xis
loqui cum illo voluit, et adstare jam tiiin putavit, &c.
"■: Gordon i us, quihl sit piopheta, et intlatns a spirilu
sanctc). " Q,ui fn^,•ll^^illlls caiisis insudat, nil nisi
arresta cogital, et supplices libi-lios, alius non msi ver-
sus facit. P. Foreslus. >Gordonius. •^Verbo
non exprimunr, ncc opere, sed alta meiite recuiidunt,
v2
et sunt viri pruientissimi, quos egosa^pe nnvi. cum mult:
suit sine tiinure, ut qui se reges el niortuns putant
plura siijna quidani habent, pauciora, majora, minora.
=<> I'rallianus, lib. i. 10. alii intervalla quaidam habenl,
ut etiam consueta adminislrent.alii in cDiitinno delirio
sunt, &.<:. <•' Prat. ma^j. Vere tantuin et autumno
^'-^ Lib. de liumeriliiis. toGuianerius. •■' Dt
mentis alienat. cap. 3.
246 Symp(07ns of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. d
if idlp, or alone, a la mort, or carried away wholly ^vith pleasant dreams anv. . 'wdn-
tasies. but if once crossed and displeased,
" Pectore coiifipict nil nisi triple suo;" | " He will imagine naiiijht save saiinc?? in his heart ;"
his countenance is altered on a sudden, his heart heavy, irksome thoujrhts crucify his
soul, and in an instant he is moped or weary of his life, he will kill himself., A fifth
complains in his youth, a sixth in his middle age, the last in his old age.
Generally thus much we may conclude of melancholy ; that it is '*^' most pleasant
at first, I say, mentis gratissimus error, ^ a most delightsome humour, to be alone,
dwell alone, walk alone, meditate, lie in bed whole days, dreaming awake as it were,
and frame a thousand phantastical imaginations unto themselves. They are never
better pleased tlian when they are so doing, they are in paradise for the time, and
cannot well endure to be interrupt; with him in the poet, ''' pol me occidislis «7«/c/,
non scrvdstis aitf you have undone him, he complains, if you trouble him : tell him
what inconvenience will follow, what will be the event, all is one, can'is ad vomilum,
"''tis so pleasant he cannot relrain. He may thus continue peradventure many years
by reason of a strong temperature, or some mixture of business, which may (hverl
his cogitations: but at the last hesa imaginalio, his phantasy is crazed, and now
habituated to such toys, cannot but work still like a fate, the scene alters upon a
sudden, fear and sorrow supplant those pleasing thoughts, suspicion, discontent, and
perpetual anxiety succeed in their places; so by little and little, by that shoeing-honi
of idleness, and voluntary soJitarinLss, melancholy this feral fiend is drawn on, '^et
quantum vcrtice ad auras jSlhereas, tantum radice in Tartara tendit, " extending
up, by its branches, so far towards Heaven, as, by its roots, it does down towards
Tariarus ;" it was not so delicious at first, as now it is bitter and harsh ; a cankered
s^oul macerated with cares and discontents, tadium vita", impatience, agony, incon-
stancy, irresolution, precipitate them unto unspeakable miseries. They cannot endure
company, light, or life itself, some unfit for action, and the like. '^ Their bodies are
lean and drietl up, withered, ugly, llieir looks liarsb, very dull, and tlieir souls tor-
mented, as iliey are more or less entangled, as the humour hath been intended, or
according to the continuance of lime tijey have been troubled.
To discern all whicli symptoms the better, *' Khasis the Arabian makes tliree
degrees of them. Tlie firsi i^^fulsa cogitatioy false conceits and idle tiiouglits: to
misconstrue and amplify, aggravating everything they conceive or fear ; tlie second
U. fulsu cogi/ata hxjui, to talk to themselves, or to use inarticulate incondite voices,
speeches, obsolete gestures, and plainly to utter their minds and conceits of their
hearts, by their words and actions, as to laugh, weep, to be silent, not to sleep, eat
their meat, kc: the third is to put in practice -^ that which they think or speak.
Savanarola, Rub. 11. tract. 8. cap. 1. de agriludine, confirms as much, "^"when he
begins to express that in words, which he conceives in his heart, or talks idly, or
goes from one thing to another," which *'Gordonius calls ncc caput hahcnlia^ ntc
cuudam, [" having neither head nor tail,"; he is in the middle way: '*" but when he
begins to act it likewise, and to put his fopperies in execution, he is then in the extent
of melancholy, or madness itsellV This progress of melaucljoly you shall easily
observe in them that have been so affected, they go smiling to tiiemselves at first, at
length they laugh out; at first solitary, at last they can endure no company: or if
they do, they are now dizzards, past sense and shame, (juite moped, they care not
what iliey say or do, all their actions, words, gestures, are furious or ridiculous. A I
first his mind is troubled, he doth not attend what is said, if you tell him a tale, he
cries at last, wiiat said you .- but in the end he mutters to himself, as old women do
many times, or old men when they sit alone, upon a sudden they laugh, wlioop,
halloo, or run away, and swear they see or hear players, * devils, lujbgoblins, ghosts
strike, or strut. Sec, grow humorous in the end; like him in the poet, s^pe duccntos^
sape decern servos, (" at one time followed by two hundred servants, at anoliier only
'^ L.i-vinu« Lemniiis, Jason Pratensid, hianda ab initio, incipit nperari quiE loquitur, in sutnnin grv\u est.
'"■■■.\ uiorl asreeable mental delusion." " Hur. ""Cap. I'J. Panic. 2. Loquitur stciim i-t ad ali<>«. nc m
Tacilis descensus averiii. t»Virg. "Corpus vere prirsentes. Aup. cap. 11. li de cura pro nmrlui*
cadaverosum. Fsa. Ixvii.cariosaest faciesinea prx B-;;ri- gtrenda. Khusis. '^Uuuui r>.-s ad lii>c devpint i:l
ludiiie aiiimx *■ Lib. 9. ad .-Muiansoreni. <" Hrac- ea qu£ co^'iture cx-perit.orc prninal. alque artii i ' •
tica inajiire. MQuum ore loquitur qu« corde con- ceat, tiini |*-rlectn nii'Innclioliu i-nt. »» >!,
r-pil, •|iiiim suhito de una re ad aliud transit, neigue ' licus »«; vnUre et auutn- p'ltat damonc*. l.av.i.
ruiioMi-ui de ali'iuo reddil, tunc est in medio, at quuni epertriM, jinrt. 3. cap. .i.
Mem. 2. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Head-Melancholy. 247
by ten") he will dress himself, and undress, careless at last, groves insensible, stupid,
or mad. ^'He howls like a wolf, barks like a dog, and raves like Ajax and Orestes,
hears music and outcries, which no man else hears. As ^Mie did whom Amatus
Lusitanus mentioneth cent. 3, cur a. 55, or that woman in ^^ Springer, that spake many
languages, and said she was possessed : that farmer in '°°Prosper Calenius, that dis-
puted antl discoursed learnedly in philosophy and astronomy, with Alexander Achilles
his master, at Bologna, in Italy. But of these I have already spoken.
Who can sufficiently speak of these symptoms, or prescribe rules to comprehend
them ? as Echo to the painter in Ausonius, vane quid affcclas, &.c., foolish fellow;
what wilt ? if you must needs paint me, paint a voice, et simllem si vis pingere., piMge
sonum ; if you will describe melancholy, describe a fantastical conceit, a corrupt ima-
gination, vain thoughts and different, which Avho can do ? The four and twenty
letters make no more variety of words in diverse languages, than melancholy con-
ceits produce diversity of symptoms in several persons. They are irregular, obscure,
various, so infinite, Proteus himself is not so diverse, you may as well make the
moon a new coat, as a true character of a melancholy man ; as soon find the motion
of a bird in the air, as the heart of man, a melancholy man. They are so confused,
I say, diverse, intermixed with other diseases. As the species be confounded (which
' I have showed) so are the symptoms ; sometimes with headache, cachexia, dropsy,
stone ; as you may perceive by those several examples and illustrations, collected by
'^Hildesheim spicel. 2. Mercurialis co7isil 1 18. cap. 6 and 11. with headache, epilepsy,
priapismus. Trincavelius consil. 12. lib. 1. coiisil. 49. with gout: caninus appetitus.
Montanus consil. 26, &c. 23, 234, 249, with falling-sickness, headache, vertigo, lycan-
thropia, &c. J. Cajsar Claudinus consult. 4. consult. 89 and 116. with gout, agues,
hsemorrhoids, stone, &c., Avho can distinguish these melancholy symptoms so inter-
mixed with others, or apply them to their several kinds, confine them into method ^
'Tis hard I confess, yet 1 have disposed of them as I could, and will descend to par-
ticularise them according to their species. For hitherto I have expatiated in more
general lists or terms, speaking promiscuously of such ordinary signs, which occur
amongst writers. Not that they are all to be found in one man, for that were to
paint a monster or chimera, not a man : but some in one, some in another, and that
successively or at several times.
Which I have been the more curious to express and report ; not to upbraid any
miserable man, or by way of derision, (I rather pity them,) but the better to discern,
to apply remedies unto them ; and to show that the best and soundest of us all is in
great danger; how much we ought to fear our own fickle estates, remember on
miseries and vanities, examine and humiliate ourselves, seek to God, and call to llim
for mercy, that needs not look for any rods to scourge ourselves, since we carry
them in our bowels, and that our souls are in a miserable captivity, if the light of
grace and heavenly truth doth not shine continually upon us : and by our discretion to
moderate ourselves, to be more circumspect and wary in the midst of these dangers.'
MEMB. II.
SuBSECT. I. — Sym2)toms of Head-Melancholy.
*"■ If ^ no symptoms appear about the stomach, nor the blood be misailected, and fear
and sorrow continue, it is to be thought the brain itself is troubled, by reason of a
melancholy juice bred in it, or otherwise conveyed into it, and that evil juice is from
the dislemperature of the part, or left after some inflammation," thus far Piso. But
this is not always true, for blood and hypochondries both are often afl'ected even in
head-melancholy. ■* Hercules de Saxonia differs here from the common current of
writers, putting peculiar signs of head-melancholy, from the sole distemperalure of
spirits in the brain, as they are hot, cold, dry, moist, " all without matter from the
5^ Wierus, lib. 3. cap. 31. o^ Michael a musian. | rent nee saiiijuis male affectiis, et adsunt tiiiior et m(F.s-
9 Miilleo lualef. "" l>ih. de alra hile. ' Part. 1. I titia,rerel)riiiii ipsiun existimaniluiii est, &;c. ^ 'I'racl.
K'jbs.-2 Meuib. 2. 2 De delirio, melancholia et mania, de mel. cap. II?, &c. Ex intL'mperie spirituum.et cerebr"
• Nidiolas Plso. Si si^na circa venlriculum non appa- | mctu, teuebrositate.
218 Symptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sect. 3.
motion alone, and tenebrosity of spirits;" of melancholy which proceeds from
humours by adustion, lie treats apart, with their several symptoms and cures. The
common signs, if it be by essence in the head, " are ruddiness of face, high sanguine
complexion, most part ruhore satnrato^'''' ^ one calls it a blucish, and sometimes fuh
of pimples, with red eyes. Avicenna I. 3, Fen. 2, JVact. 4, c. 18. Duretus and others
out of Galen, de affect. I. 3, c. 6. *^ Hercules de Saxonia to this of redness of iwce,
adds " heaviness of the head, fixed and hollow eyes. ' If it proceed from dryness of
the brain, then their heads will be light, vertiginous, and they most apt to wake, and
lo continue whole months together without sleep. Few excrements in their eyes
and nostrils, and often bald by reason of excess of dryness," Montaltus adds, c. 17.
If it proceed from moisture : dulness, drowsiness, headache follows ; and as Sahist.
Salvianus, c. 1, Z. 2, out of his own experience found, epileptical, with a multitude
of humours in the head. They are very bashful, if ruddy, apt to blush, and to be
red upon all occasions, prcescrtiin si metus acccsscrit. But the chiefest symptom to
discern tliis species, as I have said, is this, that there be no notable signs in the sto-
mach, hypochondries, or elsewhere, digna., as ^Montaltus terms them, or of greater
note, because oftentimes the passions of the stomach concur with them. Wind is
common to all three species, and is not excluded, only that of the hypochondries is
'more windy than the rest, saith IloUerius. iEtius tctrah. I. 2, sc. 2, c. 9 and 10,
maintains the same, '" if there be more signs, and more evident in the head than else-
where, the brain is primarily aflected, and prescribes head-melancholy to be cured
by meats amongst the rest, void of wind, and good juice, not excluding wind, or
corrupt blood, even in head-melancholy itself: but these species are often confounded,
and so are their symptoms, as I have already proved. The symptoms of the mind are
superfluous and continual cogitations; "''•for when the head is healed, it scorchelh
the blood, and from thence proceed melancholy fumes, which troul)le the mind,"
Avicenna. They are very choleric, and soon hot, solitary, sad, often silent, watch-
ful, discontent, Montallu.s, cup. 24. If anything trouble them, they cannot sleep, but
fret themselves still, till another object mitigate, or lime wear it out. They have
grievous passions, and immoderate perturbations of the mind, fear, sorrow, Stc, yet
not so continuate, but that they are sometimes merry, apt to profuse laughter, which
is more to be wondered at, and that by the authority of '^ Galen himself, by reason of
mixture of blood, prarubri jocosis dtlectantur, ct irrisorcs plcrumque sunt, if they be
ruddy, they are delighted in jests, and oftentimes scotTers themselves, conceited : and
as Hhodcricus a Vega comments on that place of Galen, merry, witty, of a pleasant
disposition, and yet grievously melancholy anon after : omnia discunt sine doctore^
saith Areius, tliey learn without a teacher : and as '^Laurentius supposeth, those feral
passions and symptoms of such as think themselves glass, pitchers, ^fathers, &.c.,
speak strange languages, a colore cerebri (if it be in excess) from the brain's distem-
pered heat.
Slbsect. II. — Symptoms of icindy Hypochondriacal Melancholy.
" I.v this hypochondriacal or flatuous melancholy, the symptoms are so ambigu-
ous," saith " Crato in a counsel of his for a noblewoman, '• that the most exquisite
physicians cannot determine of the part aflected." Matthew Flaccius, consulted
about a noble matron, confessed as much, that in this malady he witii IloUerius,
Fracastorius, Falopius, and others, being to give their sentence of a party labouring
of hypochondriacal melancholy, could not find out by the symptoms which part was
most especially aflected ; some said the womb, some heart, some stomach, ice, and
therefore Cralo, consil. 2i. lib. 1. boldly avers, that in this diversity of symptoms,
which commonly accompany this disease, "^'^no physician can truly say what part
* Facie sunt rubente et livescpnte. quihiis etiain all- | ii« cerehrum primnrio afficitur, et curare oportei hupc
quando attsunt pustulx. < Jn. Panthcnii. cap. de atfectuin, per ciIkm flatus exrirtcs, et Imxic coiiccjctiunii,
Mt-I. Si cerebrum primario afficiatiir adeuiit capiii« tc. raroo-rKhruni alTiciuir »iiif veutriciln. ■> ?an-
graviia^, lixi (iculi, &c. ' Laurent, cap. o. si a giiineni ailunt caput calidius.et indu ruiiii nidnnch'iliei
rerel<ri> ex $>iccilale. turn capitis crit levitns. sutis, vigi- adu!«ti, aiiiiiiuni L'xaL'itant. ■'' I..1I1. di- l<>c. alfrrt.
Iia, paucitasi siiperfliiitatuiii in <^>culi!i et naribus. » Si cap.ti. »C.'ip.6. >< HildcBh ■iiii xpicel. i. de
nulla digiia liKsio, vmitriculo, ipioniarn in li»c inelan- iiiel. in Hypoclniiidriaca m.Mancholid aik-iianihisua (unt
cliolia rapiris, exieua noiinuii(|uam VHiitriciili pathe- :>>iiipl<>iii.ita, ut ftiain •'XiTritatisaiiiii iii>-dici de liico
mala rni-uiil, dun eiiiin lia;c uienibra sibi invicein atfec- atr-clu 8iatiit*re iioii pusoiiit. '^.Mi-dici dv loco
tioiit-m transmittunt. ' Postrema inasi? flatuo:<a. atfcclu nequeunt istatue
>' Si iiiiii;ij luniestiae circa veniriculuin aut ventrein, in !
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Symptoms of Head-Melancliohj. 24l>
is affected." Galen lib. 3. de he. affect, reckons up these ordinary symptoms, whicli
all the Neoterics repeat of Diodes ; only this fault he finds with him, that he puts
not fear and sorrow amongst the other signs. Trincavelius excuseth Diodes, lib. 3.
consil. 35. because that oftentimes in a strong head and constitution, a generous
spirit, and a valiant, these symptoms appear not, by reason of his valour and cou-
rage. '^Hercules de Saxonia (to whom I subscribe) is of the same mind (which I
have before touched) that fear and sorrow are not general symptoms ; some fear and
are not sad ; some be sad and fear not ; some neither fear nor grieve. The rest are
these, beside fear and sorrow, '"'sharp belchings, fulsome crudities, heat in the
bowels, wind and rumbling in the guts, vehement gripings, pain in the belly and
stomach sometimes, after meat that is hard of concoction, much watering of the
stomach, and moist spittle, cold sweat, imjiortunus sudor., unseasonable sweat all over
the body," as Octavius Horatianus lib. '2. cap. 5. calls it; "-cold joints, indigestion,
"* they cannot endure their own fulsome belchings, continual wind about their liypo-
chondries, heat and griping in their bowels, pr(2Cordia siirsiim convelluniur., midriff
and bowels are pulled up, the veins about their eyes look red, and swell from vapours
and wind." Their ears sing now and then, vertigo and giddiness come by fits, tur-
bulent dreams, dryness, leanness, apt they are to sweat upon all occasions, of all
colours and complexions. Many of them are high-coloured especially after meals,
which symptom Cardinal Cajcius was much troubled with, and of which he com-
plained to Prosper Calenus his physician, he could not eat, or drink a cup of wine,
but he was as red in the face as if he had been at a mayor's feast. That symptom
alone vexeth many. '^ Some again are black, pale, ruddy, sometimes their shoulders
and shoulder blades ache, there is a leaping all over their bodies, sudden trembling,
a palpitation of the heart, and that cardiaca passio, grief in the mouth of the sto-
mach, which maketh tlie patient tliink his heart itself acheth, and sometimes suffo-
cation, diJicuUas anhelitus, short breath, hard wind, strong pulse, swooning.. Mon-
tanus consil. 55. Trincavelius lib. 3. consil. 36. et 37. Fernelius cons. 43. Fram-
besarius consult, lib. 1. consil. 17. Hildesheim, Claudinus, &c., give instance of
every particular. The peculiar sygiptoms which properly belong to each part be
these. If it proceed from the stomach, saith ^^ Savanarola, 'tis full of pain wind.
Guianerius adds, vertigo, nausea, much spitting, &c. If from the myrach, a swelling
and wind in the hypochondries, a loathing, and appetite to vomit, pulling upward.
If from the heart, aching and trembling of it, much heaviness. If from the liver,
there is usually a pain in the right hypochondrie. If from the spleen, hardness and
grief in the left hypochondrie, a rumbling, much appetite and small digestion, Avi-
cenna. If from the meseraic veins and liver on the other side, little or no appetite.
Here, de Saxonia. If from the hypochondries, a rumbling inflation, concoction is
hindered, often belching, &c. And from these crudities, windy vapours ascend up
to the brain which trouble the imagination, and cause fear, sorrow, dulness, heavi-
ness, many terrible conceits and chimeras, as Lemnius well observes, I. I.e. 16. "as
^' a black and thick cloud covers the sun, and intercepts his beam.s and light, so doth
this melancholy vapour obnubilate the mind, enforce it to many absurd thoughts and
imaginations," and compel good, wise, honest, discreet men (arising to the brain
from the ^^ lower parts, " as smoke out of a chimney") to dote, speak, and do that
which becomes them not, their persons, callings, wisdoms. One by reason of tho?;e
ascending vapours and gripings, rumbling beneath, will not be persuaded but that he
hath a serpent in his guts, a viper, another frogs. Trallianus relates a storv of a
woman, that imagined she had swallowed an eel, or a serpent, and Felix Platerus,
obscrvat. lib. 1. hath a most memorable example of a countryman of his, that by
chance, falling into a pit where frogs and frogs-spawn was, and a little of that water
swallowed, began to suspect that he had likewise swallowed frogs-spawn, and with
that conceit and fear, his phantasy wrought so far, that he verily thought he had
16 Tract, posthumo de mel. Patavii edit. 16-20. per Bo-
zettum Bihliop. cap. 2. " Acidi ructus, cruditates,
Rstus in pra'cnrdiis, flatus, interdum ventricnli dolores
veliemeiites, smnptuqiie cibo concnctu ditficili, sputum
hiiiiiiduui iilqiie multum sequetur, ikc. Hip. lib. de mel.
GaleiiuF, Melaiielius e Ruflb ct ^tio, Altoiiiarus, Piso,
Montaltus, Bruel, Weclvf r, &c. le circa pra'cordia
de assidua in tlatione queruntur, et cum sudore totius
32
corporis importuno, frigidos articulos s.Tpt; patiuMt;ii
iudigestione lahorant, ructus suos iusuaves p<>rhorrf-s
Clint, visceruin dolores liabent. i^ Montaltu?. c. 1.3
Wecker, Fuchsiiis c. 13. Altomarus c. 7. Lflureiilius
c. 73. Bruel, Gordon. so pract. major: dolor in ec
et ventositas, nausea. ^i ut atra densaque nubos
soli olfusa, radio.s et lumen ejus intercipit et otfiiscai-
sic, etc. ^ Ut fumus e camino.
250 Symptoms of Melancholy. [pArt. 1. Sec. 3
young live frogs in his belly, qui vivchanf ex alimcnto siio, that lived by his nourish-
ment, and was so certainly persuaded of it, that for many years afterwards he could
not be rectified in his conceit : He studied physic seven years together to cure him-
self, travelled into Italy, France and Germany to confer with the best physicians
about it, and A". 1609, asked his counsel amongst the rest; he told him it was wind,
his conceit.__ &c., but mordicus contradicere, et ore, et scriptis probare nitehaiur: no
saying woitld serve, it was no wind, bnt real frogs : " and do you not hear them
croak r" Platerus would have deceived hhn, by putting live frogs into his excre-
ments ; but he, being a physician himself, would not be deceived, vir pnidrns alios.,
et doclus, a wise and learned man otherwise, a doctor of physic, and after seven
years' dotage in this kind, « phantasia Viheratus est., he was cured. Laurentius and
Goulart have inanysuch examples, if you be desirous to read them. One commodity
above the rest which are melancholy, these windy flatuous have, hicidia inter vol I a.,
their symptoms and pains are not usually so continuate as the rest, but come by
fits, fear and sorrow, and the rest: yet in another they ext-eed all others; anil that
is, '^^they are luxurious, incontinent, and prone to venery, ])y reason of wind, et
facile amant., et quamlibet fere amant. (Jason Pratensis) ^* Rhasis is of opinion,
tliat ^'^enus doth many of them much good ; the other symptoms of the mind be
common with the rest.
SuBSECT. 111. — Symptoms of Melancholy abounding in the ichole body.
Their bodies that are affected with this universal melancholy are most part black,
^' •• the melancholy juice is redundant all over," hirsute they are, and lean, they have
broad veins, their blood is gross and thick. ^'''■'' Their spleen is weak," and a liver
apt to engender the humour; they have kept bad diet, or have had some evacuation
Slopped, as hicmorrhoids, or months in women, which ^Trallianus, in the cure,
w ould have carefully to be inquired, and withal to observe of what complexion the
party is of, black or red. For as Forre.-5tus and Ilollerius contend, if "* they be black,
ii proceeds from abundance of natural melancho^v' ; if it proceed from cares, agony,
discontents, diet, exercise, Slc, they may be as well of any other colour : red, yellow,
pale, as black, and yet their whole blood corrupt : prcerubri colore sa-pc sunt tales,
scspe Jlavi^ (saith ^ Montaltus cap. 22.) The best way to discern this species, is to
let them bleed, if the blood be corrupt, thick and black, and they withal free from
tliose hypochondriacal symptoms, and not so grievously troubled with them, or those
ol' ihe head, it argues they are melancholy, a ioto corpore. The fumes which arise
from this corrupt blood, disturb the mind, and make them fearful and sorrowful,
heavy hearted, as the rest, dejected, discontented, solitary, silent, weary of their
lives, dull and heavy, or merry, &.c., and if far gone, that which Apuleius wished to
his enemy, by way of imprecation, is true in them; ^'•'Dead men's bones, hobgob-
lins, ghosts are ever in their minds, and meet them still in every turn : all the bug-
bears of the night, and terrors, fairjbabes of tombs, and graves are before their eyes,
and in their thoughts, as to women and children, if they be in the dark alone." If
they hear, or read, or see any tragical object, it sticks by them, they are afraid of
death, and yet weary of their lives, in their discontented humours they quarrel with
all the world, bitterly inveigh, tax satirically, and because they cannot otherwise
vent their passions or redress what is amiss, as they mean, they will by violent death
at last be revenged on themselves.
SuBSECT. IV. — Symptoms of Maids, JVuns, and Widows" Melancholy.
Because Lodovicus Mercatus in his second book de mulier. ajfcct. cap. 4. and
Rodericus a Castro de morb. mulier. cap. 3. lib. 2. two famous physicians in Spain,
wHypochondriaci maxime afftctant mire, et niuiti I liirules iiigri nci]iiiKiti a Ioto corpor<-, sap-' riiliicuniii.
jilicamr coitus in ipsis, eo qufxi vento^itates niultipli- WMoiitaltii? cap. -A'. Piso. Ex colore s.iiiL'uiiiiy ni iiii-
Gatituriii liypochoiulriis, et coitus sapeallevat has Veil- nuas venatn. hi tluat nigcr. Jcc. ^Apiil. Iili. 1. seiii-
tositales. ■-'^ Colli, lib. 1. tract. 11. **Wecker, per obvii species monuorum qiiicqiiid iiinltrariKii ext
Melancholiciis succus toto corpore redundans. 2«Splen uapiain, ijuicquid Icmuruin et larvaruia f>cnli» sun aj-
natura imbecilior. Montaltus cap. 2-2. *> Lib. I. eerunt, sibi Aiieutit omnia ii'ictiiiin orcursaruli. nninia
cap. li>. Iiitcrroaare conveiiit, an aliqiia evacualiouis bu.'^toruiii <uriiiitiariiina. oiiwiia s<.'pulctir(iruiii tcrriciilt.
r<"tHntio obvenerit, viri in hemorrhoid, inulienim men- nienla.
tliuis, et vide faciein similiter an sit rubicunda. > Na- ,
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.]
Si/mptoms of JVomeii's Melancholy.
251
Daniel Seunertus of WittenberV 7/7;. \. part 2. cap. 13. with others, have v^ mchsafed
in iheir works not long since j)ul)lished, to write two just treatises de MtlanchoJia
virginum., Monialium et Viduarion, as a particular species of melancholy (which 1
have already specified) distinct from the rest; ^' (for it much differs from that which
commonly befalls men and other women, as having one only cause proper to women
alone) I may not omit in this general survey of melancholy symptoms, to set down
the particidar signs of such parties so misaffected.
The causes are assigned out of Hippocrates, Cleopatra, Moschion, and those old
Ginicpciorum Scriptorcs., of this feral malady, in more ancient maids, widows, and
barren women, oh septwji transvcrsum violatum., saith INIercatus, by reason of the
midriir or Diaphragma, heart and brain offended with those vicious vapours which
come from menstruous blood, in/lammatiotiem arterice. circa dorsum., Rodericus adds,
an inflammation of the back, which with the rest is offended by ''^ that fuliginous
exhalation of corrupt seed, troubling the brain, heart and mind ; the brain, I say,
not in essence, but by consent, Universa cnim hujiis ajfcctus causa ab utero pendet.,
ct I! sanguinis menstrui malitia, for in a word, the whole malady proceeds from that
inllammation, putridity, black smoky vapours, &,c., from thence comes care, sorrow,
and anxiety, obfuscation of spirits, agony, desperation, and the like, which are in-
tended or remitted ; si amaforius acccsscrit ardor, or any other violent object or per-
tubation of mind. This melancholy may happen to widows, with much care and
sorrow, as frequently it doth, by reason of a sudden alteration of their accustomed
course of life, &.c. To such as lie in child-bed ob suppressant purgaiionem; but to
nuns and more ancient maids, and some barren women for the causes abovesaid, 'tis
more familiar, crebrius his quam reliquis accidit, inquit Rodericus, the rest are not
altog-ether excluded.
Out of these causes Rodericus defines it with Areteus, to be angorem animi, a
vexation of the^mind, a sudden sorrow from a small, light, or no occasion, ^wilh
a kind of still dotage and grief of some part or other, head, heart, breasts, sides,
back, belly, Sj-c, with much solitariness, weeping, distraction, Stc, from which they
are sometimes suddenly delivered, because it comes and goes by fits, and is not so
permanent as other melancholy.
But to leave this brief description, the most ordinary symptoms be these, puhatio
juxla dorsum, a beating about the back, which is almost perpetual, the skin is many
times rough, squalid, especially, as Areteus observes, about the arms, knees, and
knuckles. The midriff and heart-strings do burn and beat very fearfully, and when
this vapour or fume is stirred, flieth upward, the heart itself beats, is sore grieved,
and faints, jaffces siccitate proicluduntur, ut difficuUer possif ab uteri strangulatione
dcccrni,Yike fits of the mother, Ahnis plcrisque nil rcddit, aliis exiguum, acre, hilio-
sunu lotium Jlavum. They complain many times, saith Mercatus, of a great pain in
their heads, about their hearts, and hypochondries, and so likewise in their breasts,
^\■hich are often sore, sometimes ready to swoon, their faces are inflamed, and red,
tiiey are Axj, thirsty, suddenly hot, much troubled with wind, cannot sleep, Stc.
A'.ul from hence proceed /I'rt/ia deliramcnta, a brutish kind of dotage, troublesome
sleep, terrible dreams in the night, subrusticus pudor et vcrecundia ignava, a foolish
kind of bashfulness to some, perverse conceits and opinions, ** dejection of mind,
much discontent, preposterous judgment. They are apt to loath, dislike, disdain, to
be weary of every object, &.C., each thing almost is tedious to them, they pine away,
void of counsel, apt to weep, and tremble, timorous, fearful, sad, and out of all hope
cf better fortunes. They take delight in nothing for the time, but love to be alone
and solitary, though that do them more harm : and thus they are affected so long as
this vapour lasteth ; but by-and-by, as pleasant and merry as ever they were in their
lives, they sing, discourse, and laugh in any good company, upon all occasions, and
»' Differt enim ab ea qua; viris er reliquis feminis
coniniiMiitprcoiitiiiEit, propnam habens causani. *- Ex
ni'Mistrui sanguinis letra adcuret ceri^brume.xhalatione,
vitiattim semen iiiLMiteiii perturbat, &.c. non |ier essen-
tiaiii, sed per consi.'iisuni. Animus iiicerens ct anxius
inilc malum trahit, et spiritus cerebrum obfuscanlur,
quse cuncta ausientur, &.c. ^^Qu,,, tacito ilclirio ac
jlolore alicujus partis interna, dorsi. hyponliondrii, cor-
dis regioQein et universam mammam iulerduui occu-
pantis,&c. Cutis aliquandb equalida. aspera, rugosa,
praicipue cubitis, genibus, et digitorum Hrticulis, prae-
cordia ingenti sa;pi' torrore a;stuant et ))ulsant, cumque
vapor excitatus sursum evolat, cor palpitr.i aut premi-
tur, animus deficit, &c. '^ Aninii dejeclio, perversa
rerum existimatin, proBposterum judicium. Fastidios*
langueiites, ta;diosa;,consilii inopes. lachrymose, timen
tes, moDsts, cum summa rerum meliorura desperatioue,
nulla re delectautur, sulituUinem amaut, &c.
252 ISymptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 3
so hy rits it takes them now and then, except the malaily oe inveterate, and then 'lis
more frequent, vehement, and continuate. Many of them cannot tell how to expret^s
themselves in words, or how it holds them, what ails them, you cannot understand
them, or well tell what to make of their sayings ; so far gone sometimes, so stupi-
fied and distracted, they think themselves bewitched, tliey are in despair, aptce ad
Jletum^i desperatianem^ dolores mammis et hijpocondriis. IMercatus therefore adds, now
their breasts, now their hypochondries, belly and sides, then their heart and head
aches, now heat, then wind, now this, now that oflends, they are weary of all ;
'^and yet will not, cannot asrain tell how, where or what offends lliem, though they
be in great pain, agony, and frequendy complain, grieving, sighing, weepmg, and dis-
conteixted still, sine caiisd manifesta, most part, yet I say tliey will complain, grudge,
lament, and not be persuaded, but that they are troubled with an evil spirit, which
is frequent in Germany, saith Rodericus, amongst the common sort : and to such as
are most grievously affected, (for he makes three degrees of this disease in women,)
they are in despair, surely forcspoken or bewitched, and in extremity of their dotage,
(weary of their lives,) some of them will attempt to make away themselves. Some
think they see visions, confer with spirits and devils, they shall surely be dannied,
are afraid of some treacher}-, innnincnt danger, and the like, they will not speak,
make answer to any question, but arc almost distracted, mad, or stupid for the lime,
and by fits : and thus it holds them, as they are more or less allected, and as the
inner humour is intended or remitted, or by outward objects and perturbations aggra-
vated, solitariness, idleness, Stc.
Many other maladies there are incident to young women, out of that one and
only cause above specified, many feral diseases. I will not so much as mcntioa
their names, melancholy alone is the subject of my present discourse, from which
I will not swerve. The several cures of this infirmity, concerning diet, which mu.^l
be very sparing, phlebotomy, physic, internal, external remedies, are at large in great
variety in ^'Rodericus a Castro, Sennertus, and Mercatus, which whoso will, as occa-
sion serves, may make use of But the best and surest remedy of all, is to see them well
placed, and married to good husbands in due time, hinc ilhe lachrymcr., that is the
primary cause, and this tlie ready cure, to give them content to their desires. I write
not this to patronise any wanton, idle flirt, lascivious or light housewives, which are
too forward many times, unruly, and apt to cast away themselves on him that comes
next, without all care, counsel, circumspection, and judgment. If religion, good
discipline, honest education, wholesome exhortation, fair promises, fame and loss of
good name cannot inhibit and deter such, (which to chaste and sober maids cannot
choose but avail much,^ labour and exercise, strict diet, rigour and threats may more
opportunely be used, and are able of themselves to qualify and divert an ill-disposed
temperament. For seldom should you see an hired servant, a poor handmaid, though
ancient, that is kept hard to her work, and bodily labour, a coarse country wench
troubled in this kind, but noble virgins, nice gentlewomen, such as are solitary and
idle, live at ease, lead a life out of action and employment, that fare well, in great
houses and jovial companies, ill-disposed peradventure of themselves, and not will-
ing to make any resistance, discontented otherwise, of weak judgment, able bodies,
and subject to passions, (grandiorcs virgines, saith^Iercatus, sleriles et viducB plc-
rumque mclanchoUca,) such for the most part are misaffected, and prone to this ihs-
ease. I do not so much pity them that may otherwise be eased, but those alone that
out of a strong temperament, innate constitution, are violently carried away with
this torrent of inwartl humours, and though very modest of themselves, sober, reli-
gious, virtuous, and well given, (as many so distressed maids are,) yet cannot make
resistance, these grievances will appear, this malady will take place, and now mani-
festly show itself, and may not otherwise be helped. But where am I ? Into what
subject have I rushed ? What have I to do with nuns, maids, virgins, widows ? I
am a bachelor myself, and lead a monastic life in a college, nee ego sane implits (jui
hcEC dixerim, I confess 'tis an indecorum, and as Pallas a virgin blushed, when Jupiter
"Nolunt aperire molestiamquara p.itiuntur, scdcon- | crui, Sec. Familiarcs non curant. non loqoaiitur. non
qiieruiitur tanieii dp napite. cordc, inaniiiii!i, tc. In | respondent, 4cc. et ha'C craviora. fi, ice. "CliittrM
puteos fere niaiiiaci prosilire. ac straiisuiari ciipiunt, let lli'lleburi^muin .Mathioli suuimv lauJat.
nuMa orationis suavitate ad spcm salutisrecuperandani |
Mem. 3.] Causes of these Symptoms. 253
oy chance spake of love matters in her presence, and turned away her face ; me re-
primam^ lhou<rh my subject necessarily require it, I will say no more.
And yet I must and will say something more, add a word or two in gratiam Vir-
ginum ec Vlduarum, in favour of all such distressed parties, in commiseration of
tiieir present estate. And as I cannot choose but condole their mishap that labour
of this infirmity, and are destitute of help in this case, so must I needs inveigh against
tiiem that are in fault, more than manifest causes, and as bitterly tax those tyrannising
pjeudopoliticians, superstitious orders, rash vows, hard-hearted parents, guardians,
unnatural friends, allies, (call them how you will,) those careless and stupid over-
seers, that out of worldly respects, covetousness, supine negligence, their own pri-
vate ends (^cum slbi sit interini hene) can so severely reject, stubbornly neglect, and
impiously contemn, without all remorse and pity, the tears, sighs, groans, and griev-
ous miseries of such poor souls committed to their charge. How odious and abomi-
nable are those superstitious and rash vows of Popish monasteries, so to bind and
enforce men and women to vow virginity, to lead a single life, against the laws of
nature, opposite to religion, policy, and humanity, so to starve, to offer violence, to
suppress the vigour of youth, by rigorous statutes, severe laws, vain persuasions, to
debar them of that to which by their innate temperature they are so furiousl}^ in-
cliiied, urgently carried, and sometimes precipitated, even irresistibly led, to the pre-
judice of their soul's health, and good estate of body and mind : and all for base
and private respects, to maintain their gross superstition, to enrich themselves and
their territories as they falsely suppose, by hindering some marriages, that the world
be not full of beggars, and their parishes pestered with orphans ; stupid politicians ;
hofccine fieri flagitia? ought these things so to be carried? better marry than burn,
?aith the Apostle, but they are otherwise persuaded. They will by all means quench
their neighbour's house if it be on fire, but that fire of lust which breaks out into
3uch lamentable flames, they will not take notice of, their own bowels oftentimes, flesh
and blood shall so rage and burn, and they will not see it : miserum est^ saith Austin,
S€ipsu7n non miserescere., and they are miserable in the meantime that cannot pity them-
selves, the common good of all, and per consequcns their own estates. For let them but
consider what fearful maladies, feral diseases, gross inconveniences, come to both sexes
by this enforced temperance, it troubles me to think of, much more to relate those
frequent abortions and murdering of infants in their nunneries (read ^ Kemnilius and
others), and notorious fornications, those Spintrias, Tribadas, Ambubeias, Sec, those
rapes, incests, adulteries, mastuprations, sodomies, buggeries of monks and friars.
See Bale's visitation of abbies, ^* fliercurialis, Rodericus a Castro, Peter Forestus,
and divers physicians; I know their ordinary apologies and excuses for these things,
sed viderint PoUtici, Medici, Theologi, I shall more opportunely meet with tiicm
^ elsewhere.
*>" Ulius vidua?, aut patroniim Virginis Imjiis,
Ne me forte putes, verhurii non amplius addam."
MEMB. III.
Immediate cause of these precedent Syinptoms.
To give some satisfaction to melancholy men that are troubled wit!i these symp-
toms, a better means in my judgment cannot be taken, than to show them the causes
whence they proceed ; not from devils as they suppose, or that they are bewitched
or forsaken of God, hear or see, &.c. as many of them think, but from natural and
inward causes, that so knowing them, they may better avoid the effects, or at least
endure them with more patience. The most grievous and common symptoms are
fear and sorrow, and that without a cause to the wisest and discreetest men, in this
malady not to be avoided. The reason why they are so, Ji^tius discusseth at large,
Tetrahih. 2. 2. in his first problem out of Galen, lih. 2. de causis sympt. 1. For Galen
nnputeth all to the cold that is black, and thinks that the spirits being darkened, and
SJ Examen cone. Trident, de cslibatu sacerd. ss Cap. [that widow or this virgin. I shall not add another
de Satyr, et Priapis. as Part. 3. sect. 2. Memb. 5. word."
Sub. 5 ■""' Lest you may imagine that 1 patronise
w
25-t , Symptoms of Melancholy [Part. 1. Sec. 3.
ilie substaiice of the brain cloudy and dark, all the objects thereof appear terrible,
and the '"niind itself, by those dark, obscure, gross fumes, ascending from black
humours, is in continual darkness, fear, and sorrow; divers terrible monstrous tlctiuns
in a tliousand shapes and apparitions occur, with violent passions, by which the
brain and fantasy arc troubled and eclipsed. ''^ Fracastorius, lib. 2. dc intellect, "will
have cold to be the cause of fear and sorrow; for such as are cold are ill-disposed
to mirth, dull, and heavy, by nature solitary, silent; and not ibr any inward dark-
ness (as physicians think) for many melancholy men dare boldly be, continue, and
walk in the dark, and delight in it:" solum frii^idi tunidi : ,i( they be hot, tliey are
merry; and the more hot, the more furious, and void of fear, as we see in madmen-,
but lliis reason holds not, for then no melancholy, proceeding from choler adust,
should fear. '^Averroes scofls at Galen for his reason*, and brings five arguments to
repel them : so doth Here, de Saxonia, Tract, de Melanch. cap. 3. assigning other
causes, which are copiously censured and confuted by ^'Elianus Montaltus, cap. 5
and 6. Lod. Mercatus de Inter, morb. cur. lib. 1. cap. 17. Altomarus, cap. 7. de mel.
Guianerius, tract. 15. c. 1. Bright cap. 37. Laurenlius, cap. 5. Valesins, mtd. cont.
lib. 3., con. 1. ■"" Distemperature," they conclude, "makes black juice, blackness
obscures the spirits, tlie spirits obscured, cause fear and sorrow." Laurcntius, cap. 13.
supposeth these black fumes offend specially the diaphragma or niidrilK and so per
consequens the mind, which is obscured as ^ the sun by a cloud. To tliis opinion of
Galen, almost all tlie Greeks and Aral)ians subscribe, the Latins new ami old, internee
tenebrcc oJTuscant animum, ut cxiernce nocent ptteris, as chihhen are allriirhted in the
dark, so are melancholy men at all times, ^''as having the inward cause with them,
and still carrying it about. Wliich black vapours, wliether they proceed from the
black blooil about tlie heart, as T. \V. Jes. thinks in his Treatise of the passions of
the mind, or stomach, spleen, miilrilf, or all the misallicted parts together, it boots
not, they keep the mind in a perjit- tual dungeon, and oppress it with contiinjal fears,
anxieties, sorrows, &.c. It is an ordinary thing for such as are sound to laugh at this
dejected pusillanimity, and those other symptoms of melancholy, to make them-
selves merry with them, and to woiuler at such, as toys and trilles, wliich may be
resisted and withstood, if they will themselves : but let him that so wonders, con-
sider with himself, that if a man should tell him on a sudden, some of his especial
friends were dead, could he choo.se but grieve .' Or set him upon a steep rock,
where h.e shoulil be in danger to be precipitated, could he be secure .' His heart
would tremble for fear, and his head be giddy. P. Byarus, Tract, de pest, gives
instance (as I have said) ^^"and put case (saith he) in one that walks upon a plank,
if it lie on the ground, he can safely do it : but if the same plank be laid over some
deep water, instead of a bridge, he is vehemently moved, and 'tis nothing but his
imagination. yormrt cadi ndi impressa, to which his other members and faculties obey."
Yea, but you infer, that such men have a just cause to fear, a true object of fear; so
have melancholy men an inward cause, a perpetual fume and darkness, causing: fear,
grief, suspicion, which they carry with them, an object wliich cannot be removed ;
but sticks as close, and is as inseparable as a shadow to a body, and who can expel
or overrun his shadow .- Remove heal of the liver, a C(dd stomach, weak spleen :
remove those adust humours and vapours arising from them, black blood from the
heart, all outward perturbations, take away the cause, and then bid them not grieve
nor fear, or be heavy, dull, lumpish, otherwise counsel can do litde good ; you may
as well bid him that is sick of an ague not to be a dry; or him that is wounded not
to feel pain.
Suspicion follows fear and sorrow at heels, arising out of the same fountain, so
thinks ^^ Fracastorius, " that fear is the cause of suspicion, and'still they suspect some
treachery, or some secret machination to be framed against them, still they distnisi."
*> Vapores rrassj pt iiigri, a vcntririilo in corphriim
exhalaiil. Ftl. Pl;iterus. <3Caliili liilares--, frizidi
inili:-'[K>iFiii ad la-tiliaiii. et ideo solitarii, taciliiriii. non
Ob t«nebras iiitTiias. ut iiKMlici voliiiil, spd ob frisns:
iiiiilli iiit-larirholici iinrtK ainlnilant iiilrf|iidi. <> \'n-
jxTHs tiiflaiic)i<ilici. spiritihiis iiiisli. l(-ii«^tirariiiii caiifa'
Causam trmoris rirnimrrTt alcr humor pTcionis matp.
ria, et airi spiritiis ixTpediam aiiinin; riomiriiio olfiiii-
diinl nocli-in. <" I'diic t'Xi'iii|>l:iiii, c|fi"il i|iii< |><itc»l
aiiibularir siippr irahrrn quiP cX in via •;■ il -i ^nl •ii|>«-r
aquaiii proruiidani, Iik-h p<>iilii<, iinu aiiiliiii.-ilnt tuio-r
'am, t'o i|iirHt imaifiiipliir in anini'> ri iiiii> i vi-li'-ni'-iitpr.
iiifit. rap. \. ■" liileiiipiTies facil siircuiii niu'riiiii. forma cadenili impreeiia, cui nlM-iliiiiil iin'iiilira niiinia,
ni-.Titie^. ohiu-iirat gpiridim, (ib.^iiratio spintii^ facit ' et faciiltalpn riHiipiie. •• l.ili. i. <l<- iiitfllMrtiniie.
inetiiiii >'t tristiaiii. *^Vl nubecula Solem otfi{!icat. . S(i!<pici<>»i nb tiiiioreiii et obliqiiijm diMiir «iiiii. el mob-
(JuiisiautiQud lib. de melancb. ^ Alloniarus c. 7. | p<.-r inde putanl sibi fieri insidia*. Laurea.3
Ulem. 3.]
Causes of these Sinnvtoms.
255
Restlessness proreoits from the same spring, variety of fumes make them like and
dislike. Solifanness, avoiding of light, that they are weary of their lives, hate the
world, arise from tne same causes, for their spirits and humours are opposite to light,
fear makes them avoia company, and absent themselves, lest they should be misused,
hisrst^d at, or oveisiioot themselves, which still they suspect. They are prone to
venfct \ by reasori of -iViftd. Angry, waspish, and fretting still, out of abundance of
chole., ■^'nich Cdiiselh rearfiil dreams and violent perturbations to them, both sleep-
ing anu wnkiUfj ; Thai they suppose they have no heads, fly, sink, thev are pots,
glasses, tvc. is wind in their heads. ''^Herc. de Saxonia doth ascribe this to the
several m^rvions in the animal spirits, " their dilation, contraction, confusion, altera-
tion, tenebtosity, hot or cold distemperature," excluding all material humours. ^"Fra-
castorius " accounts it a thing worthy of inquisition, why they sliould entertain such
false conceits, as that they have horns, great noses, that they are birds, beasts," kc,
why they should think themselves kings, lords, cardinals. For the first, ^'Fracasto-
rius gives two reasons : " One is the disposition of the body ; the other, the occa-
sion of the fantasy," as if their eyes be purblind, their ears sing, by reason of -some
cold and rheum, Stc. To the second, Laurehtius answers, the imagination inwardly
or outwardly moved, represents to the understanding, not enticements only, to favour
the passion or dislike, but a very intensive pleasure follows the passion or displeasure,
and the will and reason are captivated by delighting in it.
Why students and lovers are so often melancholy and mad, the philosopher of
'■- Conimbra assigns this reason, " because by a vehement and continual meditation
of that wherewith they are aflected, they fetch up the spirits into the brain, and with
the heat brought with them, they incend it beyond measure : and tlie cells of the
inner senses dissolve their temperature, which being dissolved, they cannot perform
their offices as they ought."
Why melancholy men are witty, which Aristotle hath long since maintained in
liis problems ; and that ^' all learned men, famous philosophers, and lawgivers, ad
unum fere omnes melancholici^ have still been melancholy, is a problem much con-
troverted. Jason Pratensis will have it understood of natural melancholy, which
opinion Melancthon inclines to, in his book dc Jlnima^ and Marcilius Ficinus de san.
tnend. Jib. 1. cap. 5. but not simple, for that makes men stupid, heavy, dull, being
cold and dry, fearful, fools, and solitary, but mixed with the other humours, plileo-m
only excepted ; and they not adust, *' but so mixed as that blood be half, Avith little
or no adustion, that they be neither too hot nor too cold. Aponensis, cited bv
Melancthon, thinks it proceeds from nieiancholy adust, excluding all natural melan-
clioly as too cold. Laurentius condemns his tenet, because adustion of humours
makes men mad, as lime burns when water is cast on it. It must be mixed with
blood, and somewhat adust, and so thai old aphorism of Aristotle may be verified,
^Xullum magnunv ingenium sine mixturd demenUie, no excellent wit without a mix-
ture of madness. Fracastorius shall decide the controversy, ^^ '• phlegmatic are dull :
sanguine lively, pleasant, acceptable, and merry, but not witty; choleric are too swift
in motion, and furious, impatient of contemplation, deceitful wits : melancholy men
have the most excellent wits, but not all; this humour may be hot or cold, thick, or
thin ; if too hot, they are furious and mad : if too cold, dull, stupid, timorous, and
sad : if temperate, excellent, rather inclining to that extreme of heat, than cold."
Tliis sentence of his will agree with that of Heraclitus, a dry light makes a wise
mind, temperate heat and dryness are the chief causes of a good wit; therefore, saith
-Elian, an elephant is the wisest of all brute beasts, because his brain is driest, et oh
a*r<T hills coplam: this reason Cardan approves, suhtil. I. 13. Jo. Baptista Silvaticus,
a physician of Milan, in his first controversy, hath copiously handled this question :
Rulandus in his problems, Caelius Rhodiginus, lib. 17. Valleriola &' narrat. incd.
w Tract, du mel. cap. 7. Ex dil.atione, contractione,
coiifusioiie. teiiebrositate spirituiim, ralida, friirida in-
tiMiip'-rie, &c. 60 [|i„(i in(|iiisiti<)ii'! disriiiim, cur lam
falsa recipiaiit, habere se corniia.esse niortuos. nasiitos,
es^■e avf'S. &.C. 6' J. Dispositio corporis. 2. Occasio
Iiiiasiiiationis. =2 j,, pro. Ii. de cceIo. Veheniens
et assidiia cogitatio rei erca quam alRcitiir, spiritiis in
rerebruni evocal. ^^ .M<;lancholici iiis(;Tii()si omnes.
siimtni viri in artibiis et disciplinis, sive circum iinpe-
ratorinin aut reip. disciplinani omnes fere inel;u)cholici.
Aristoteles. WAdeo niiscentiir, nt sit diipliini saii-
pninis ad refiqna duo. " Lib. il. de intellectione.
Pinsiii ■sunt Minerva phlpsmatici : sansnini-i amahilps,
?rati, liilarcs, at non injieniosi ; oholerici wl^res motn,
et ob id coniemplationis impatienles: .Melaiichnlici
suiiim 8icel!entes. &;c.
256 Symptoms of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sec. 3.
flerc. '^e Saxonia, Trad posfh. de mcl. cap. 3. Lodovicus Mercatus, etc inter morb.
cur. lib. cap. 17. Baptista Porta, Physiog. lib. I.e. 13. and many otliers.
Weeping, sighing, laughing, itching, trembling, sweating, blushing, hearing and
seeing strange noises, visions, wind, crudity, are motions of the body, depending
up'^n these precedent motions of the mind : neither are tears, affections, but actions
i as Scaliger holds) ^ " the voice of such as are afraid, trembles, because the heart is
shaken" ( Conimb. prob. 6. sec. 3. de sovi.) why they stutter or falter in their speech,
Mercurialis and Montaltus, cfr^. 17. give like reasons out of Hippocrates, *'" dryness,
which makes the nerves of the tongue torpid." Fast speaking (which is a symptom
of some few) Jiltius will have caused ^"^^'from abundance of wind, and swiftness of
imagination: ^^ baldness comes from excess of dryness," hirsuteness from a dry tern
perature. The cause of much waking in a dry brain, continual meditation, discon-
tent, fears and cares, that suffer not the mind to be at rest, incontinency is from wind,
and a hot liver, Montanus, cons. 26. Rumbling in the guts is caused from wind, and
wind from ill concoction, weakness of natural heat, or a distempered heat and cold ;
^ Palpitation of the heart from vapours, heaviness and aching from the same cause.
That the belly is hard, wind is a cause, and of that leaping in many parts. Redness
of the face, and itching, as if they were flea-bitten, or stung with pismires, from a
sharp subtile wind. *' Cold sweat from vapours arising from the hypochondries,
which pitch upon the skin ; leanness for want of good nourishment. AVhy their
appetite is so great, ^^iEtius answers : Os vcntris frigescit, cold in those inner parts,
cold belly, and hot liver, causeth crudity, and intention proceeds from perturba-
tions, ^^ our souls for want of spirits cannot attend exactly to so many intentive
operations, being exhaust, and overswaycd by passion, she cannot consider the
reasons which may dissuade her from such aifections.
" Bashfulness and blushing, is a passion proper to men alone, and is not only
caused for ***some shame and ignominy, or that they are guilty unto themselves of
some foul fact committed, bnt as '"'Fracastorius «'ell determines, ob defectum pro-
prium^ et timorem, " from fear, and a conceit of our defects ; the face labours a/id is
troubled at his presence that sees our defects, and nature willing to help, sends thither
heat, heat draws ihe subtilest blood, and so we blush. They that are bold, arrogant,
and careless, seldom or never blush, but such as are fearful." Anthonius Lodovicus,
in his book de piidorc, will have this subtile blood to arise in the face, not so uuich
for the reverence of our betters in presence, ^' '^ but for joy and pleasure, or if any-
thing at imawares shall pass from us, a sudden accident, occurse, or meeting :"
(which Disarius m **.Macrobius confirms) any object heard or seen, for blind men
never blush, as Dandinus observes, the night and darkness make men impudent. Or
that we be staid before our betters, or in company we like not, or if anything molest
and offend us, erubescentia turns to rubor, blushing to a continuate redness.
^ Sometimes the extremity of the ears tingle, and are red, sometimes the whole face,
Etsi nihil vitiosum commiserisj as Lodovicus holds : though Aristotle is of opinion,
omnis pudor ex vitio commisso., all shame for some offence. But we find otherwise,
it may as well proceed '"from fear, from force and inexperience, (so '"Dandinus
holds) as vice; a hot liver, saith Duretus (notis in Hollerium:) ''from a hot brain,
from wind, the lungs heated, or after drinking of wine, strong drink, perturba-
tions," &.C.
Laughter what it is, saith "- Tully, " how caused, where, and so suddenly breaks
out. that desirous to stay it, we cannot, how it comes to possess and stir our face,
veins, eyes, countenance, mouth, sides, let Democritus determine." The cause that
it often affects melancholy men so much, is given by Gomesius, lib. 3. de sale genial.
*sTrepidantiiiin vox tremula, quia cor quaiilur. et voliiptatem foras exit aaiiguis, aut ob incliorig reve-
*'■ Oh anditatem qiix reddit iiervns lingua; torpidos. rentiam, aut oh subitum nccuTsunx, aut m quid iiicau-
•^ Incontinentia lingua: ex copia flntuuin. et vt-locitate tius eiciderit. "dun. in AriHt. du anirna. C'ceci
■ niaginationis. '■^Calvities ob ficciiati? eicessuin. ut plunmuin impndpntes, nox facil inipudentef.
".-Elius. •' Lauren, c. 13. ''Tetrab. 2. ser. 2. » Alexander Aidirodisiensis iiiake<< all bashrulnvM a
cap. 10. 63..\nt. Lodovicus prob. lib. 1. sect. 5. de virtue, eanique se refert in seips<i pi|x.riri soliluin, el»i
airabilariis. "Subrusticus pudor vitiosus pudor. ' essct adnioduni senex. ''oSa-pe post cibiim apti ad
•^Ob ignominlam aut turpedinein facti, tec. t^Da \ ruborein, ex potu vim ex timore sirp<-. i-t ah hi-patc ca-
syiiip. ft .Antip. cap. IJ. laborat facies ob prxsentiam lido, cerebro calido, &c. "Coin in .Ariiil. de aniina.
ejus qui delecluin nostrum videt, et natura quasi opem tain a vi et inexperientia quani a viiio. ' De
■atura caloreni illuc niittit, calor sanguineni irahit, oralore, quid ipae riaus, quo pactu cuncitatur. ubi ait,
unde rubur, audaces non rub<;nt, Sec. " Ob gaudium dec.
Mem. 3.] Causes of these Sy7nplo}ns. 257
cap. 18. abundance of pleasant vapours, which, m sanguine melancholy especially,
break from the heait, '^"antl tickle the midriff, because it is transverse and full of
nerves : by which titillation the sense being moved, and arteries distended, or pulled,
the spirits from thence move and possess the sides, veins, countenance, eyes. See
more in Jossius de ri.su et Jletu^ Vives 3 de Jlni.ma. Tears, as Scaliger defines,
proceed from grief and pity, ^'^ " or from the heating of a moist brain, for a dry cannot
weep."
That they see and hear so many phantasms, chimeras, noises, visions, &c. as
Fienus hath discoursed at large in his book of imagination, and '^Lavater de spectris,
part. 1. cap. 2. 3. 4. their corrupt phantasy makes them see and hear that which
indeed is neither heard nor seen. Qui viulttim jejunant, aut nodes dur.unl insomnes.,
they that much fast, or want sleep, as melancholy or sick men commonly do, see
visions, or such as aie weak-sighted, very timorous by nature, mad, distracted, or
earnestly seek. Sabini quod volunt somniant., as the saying is, they dream of that
they desire. Like Sarmiento the Spaniard, who when he was sent to discover the
straits of Magellan, and confine places, by the Prorex of Peru, standing on the top
of a hill, Jlmcenissimam planitiein despicere sibi visus fuitj cedijicia magnifica, quam-
' plurlmos Pagos., aJtas Turres, splendida Temjjla, and brave cities, built like ours in
Europe, not, saith mine '"^ author, that there was any such thing, but that he was
vanissimus et nirnis credulus, and would fain have had it so. Or as "^ Lod. Mercatus
proves, by reason of inward vapours, and humours from blood, choler, &c. diversely
mixed, tliey apprehend and see outwardly, as they suppose, divers images, which
indeed are not. As they that drink wine think all runs round, when it is in their own
brain ; so is it with these men, the fault and cause is inward, as Galen affirms, "^ mad
men and such as are near death, quas extra se videre putant Imagines., intra oculos
habent, 'tis in their brain, which seems to be before them ; the brain as a concave
glass reflects solid bodies. Senes etiam decrepiti cerebrum habent concavum et
aridum, ut wiuginentur se videre (saith '* Boissardus) qucc non sunt., old men are too
frequently mistaken and dote in like case : or as he that looketh through a piece of
red glass, judgeth everything he sees to be red; corrupt vapours mounting from the
body to the head, and distilling again from thence to the eyes, when they have
mingled themselves with the watery crystal which receiveth the shadows of things
to be seen, make all things appear of the same colour, which remains in the humour
that overspreads our sight, as to melancholy men all is black, to phlegmatic all white,
&c. Or else as before the organs corrupt by a corrupt phantasy, as Lemnius, lib. 1.
cap. 1 6. well quotes, ^° " cause a great agitation of spirits, and humours, w^hich wan-
der to and fro in all the creeks of the brain, and cause such apparitions before their
eyes." One thinks he reads something written in the moon, as Pythagoras is said
to have done of old, another smells brimstone, hears Cerberus bark : Orestes now
mad supposed he saw the furies tjormenting him, and his mother still ready to run
upon him —
ei " O mater obsecro noli me persequi
His furiis, aspectu angiiiiieis, horribilibiis,
Ecce ecce me iiivadunt, in me jam ruiint ;"
but Electra told him thus raving in his mad fit, he saw no such sights at all, it wsls
but his crazed imagination.
*^" Qiiiesce, quiesr.e miser in linteis tuis,
Non ceriiis etenim qua; videre te putaa."
So Pentheus (in Bacchis Euripidis) saw two suns, two Thebes, his brain alone
vvas troubled. Sickness is an ordinary cause of such sights. Cardan, subtil. 8. Mens
cBgra lahoribus et jejuniis fracta., facit eos videre., audire., Sfc. And. Osiander beheld
strange visions, and Alexander ab Alexandro both, in their sickness, which he relates
de rerum varietal, lib. 8. cap. 44. Albategnius that noble Arabian, on his death-bed,
saw a ship ascending and descending, which Fracastorius records of his friend Bap-
" Diapliragma titillant, quia transversum et nervo- j sunt, res quas extra se videre putant, intra oculos ha-
suni, quia litillatione moto sensu atque arteriis disten- | bent. '^Cap. 10. de Spirit apparitione. «> De
tis, spiritus iude latera, venas, os, oculos occupant, occult. Nat. mirac. 6i"0 mother! I beseech you
'* Ei calcfaetione humidi cerebri: nam ex sicco lachry- not to persecute me with those horrible-looking furies.
miE non fluuiit. '^ Res mirandas imaginantur: et | See ! see! they attack, they assault me!" »""Peacel
putant se videre quEE nee vident, nee audiunt. '« Laet. peace! unhappy being, for you do not see what you.
Ii'». 13. cap. 2. descript. India Occident. ■" Lib. 1. think you see."'
ca. 17 cap. de mel. 's Insani, et qui morti vicini |
33 w2
258 Causes of these Symptoms. [Part. 1 . Sec. 3.
tistn Tirrianns. Weak siglit and a vain persuasion withal, may effect as much, and
second causes concurring, as an oar in water malies a relraction, and seems bigger,
bended double, kc. The thickness of the air may cause such effects, or any object
not well-discerned in the dark, fear and phantasy will suspect to be a ghost, a
devil, &c. ^^Quod nimis miseri iime?it^ hoc facile credunt, we are apt to believe, and
mistake in such cases. Marcellus Donatus, lib. 2. cap. 1. brings in a story out of
Aristotle, of one Antei)liaron which likely saw, wlieresoever he was, his own image
in the air, as in a glass. Vttellio, lib. \0. pcrspect. hath such another instance of a
familiar acquaintance of his, that after the want of three or four nights sleep, as he
Avas riding bv a river side, saw an(»ther riding with him, and using all suvh gestures
as he did, but when more light appeared, it vanished. Eremites and anchorites have
frequendv such absurd visions, revelations by reason of much fasting, and bud diet,
many are deceived by legerdemain, as Scot liath well showed in bis book of the dis-
''overy of witchcraft, and Cardan, subtil. 18. sullites, perfumes, suifuniigations, mixed
candles, perspective glasses, and such natural causes, make men look as if they were
dead, or with horse-heads, bull's-horns, and such like brutish shapes, tiie room full
of snakes, adders, dark, light, green, red, of all colours, as you may perceive in Bap-
tista Porta, Alexis, Albertus, and others, glow-worms, tire-drakes, meteors. Ignis
fatuiif!., which Plinius, lib. 2. cap. 37. calls Castor and Pollux, with many such that
appear in moorish grounds, about church-yards, moist valleys, or where battles have
been fought, the cau.ses of which read in Goclenius, Velouris, Fickius, &.c. such fears
are often done, to frighten children with squibs, rotten wood, Slc. to make folks look
as if tlicy were dead, ^^solito majnres., bigger, lesser, fairer, fouler, %tt aslanlcs sine
capi/ihiis videanfur ; attt toli igniti, aut forma dcemonuin, accipe piloscanis nigri, Sfc.
saitb Albertus; and so 'tis ordinary to see strange uncouth sights by catoptrics: who
knows not tiiat if in a dark room, the liifht be admitted at one only little hole, and
:i j)aper or glass put upon it, the sini shining, will represent on the opposite wall all
such objects as arc illuminated by his rays .'' with concave and cylinder glasses, we
may reOect any shape of men, devils, antics, (as magicians most part do, to gull a
silly spectator in a dark room), we will ourselves, and that hanging in the air, when
"tis nothing but such an horrible image as '^^Agrippa demonstrates, placed in another
room. Roger Bacon of old is said to have represented his own image walking in
the air by this art, though no such thing appear in his perspectives. But most part
it is in the brain that deceives them, although I may not deny, but that ofteniiine.s
the de\'il deludes tbem, takes his opportimity to suggest, and represent vain objects
to melancholy men, and such as are ill atlected. To these you may add the knavish
impostures of jugglers, exorcists, mass-priests, and mountebanks, of whom Boger
Bacon spfaks, kc. de miraculis naturce et artis. cap. 1. "^ they can counterfeit tht
voices of all birds and brute beasts almost, all tones and tunes of men, and speak
within their throats, as if they spoke afar oil", that they make their auditors believe
they hear spirits, and are thence much astonished and atfrighted with it. Besides,
those artificial devices to over-hear their confessions, like that whispering place of
Gloucester^' with us, or like the duke's place at Mantua in Italy, where the sound is
reverberated by a concave wall ; a reason of which Blancanus in his Echometria
gives, and mathematically demonstrates.
So that the hearing is as frequently deluded as the sight, from the same causes
almost, as he that hears bells, will make them sound what he list. "As the fool
thinketh, so the bell clinketh." Theophilus in Galen thought he heard music, from
vapours which made his ears sound, &.c. Some are deceived by echoes, sotnc by
1-oaring of waters, or concaves and reverberation of air in the ground, hollow places
and walls. "Wt Cadurcum, in Aquitaine, words and sentences are repeated l)V a
strange echo to the full, or whatsoever you shall play upon a musical instrument,
more distinctly and louder, than they are spoken at first. Some echoes repeat a thing
spoken seven times, as at Olympus, in Macedonia, as Pliny relates, lib. 30. citp. 15.
•■•Senera. (imxl itirtiiunt riiniis. nunqiiam arnorcri I vociim varietatem in ventre el ffiitlnre finKenim, fnr-
po««?, nw; tiilli piitaiii. f^Sanjruis iipiipce cum itielle ' inaiil vmi-s huinan.i-i a lonji"! vel propc, priiiil vulunt,
compomtus ft ceiit;iiirf>a, &c. Albertus. "^Lib. I. ac si spiriliis cum hotniro; luquerotur. el boiios brutoruin
urcMli. pliil ".•«. liii|i.Titi lu>niirie.4 (tirninnum et umbra- I fineuiit. &c. «' (;iouceiil<.-r catbe<(ral. "Tain
ruin iiii:i:.'i'i('<! vi'lire :<e |iiit»nt. (|uuin nihil siiit aliud. dare et articulate aiiilies repetiluui, ut perfectior ait
,uaui siniulactira anima: expertia. ^ PytboniaMe | Echo quam ipse dizeria.
Mem. 1.] Prognostics of Melancholy. 259
Some twelve times, as at Charenton, a village near Paris, in France. At Delphos, in
Greece, heretofore was a miraculous echo, and so in many other places. Cardan,
suUil. I. 18, hath wonderful stories of such as have been deluded by these echoes.
Blaiicanus the Jesuit, in his Echoraetria, hath variety of examples, and gives his
reader full satisfaction of all such sounds by way of demonstration. ^^At Barrey, an
isle in the Severn mouth, they seem to hear a smith's forge ; so at Lipari, and those
sulphureous isles, and many such like, which Olaus speaks of in the continent of
Scandia, and those northern countries. Cardan de rerum var. I. 15, c. 84, mentioneth
a woman, that still supposed she heard the devil call her, and speaking to her. she
wa§ a painter's wife in Milan : and many such illusions and voices, which proceed
most part from a corrupt imagination.
Whence it comes to pass, that they prophesy, speak several languages, talk of
astronomy, and other unknown sciences to them (of which they have been ever
ignorant) : ''^ I have in brief touched, only this I will here add, that Arculanus, Bodin.
lib. 3, cap. G, dcRmon. and some others, ^' hold as a manifest token that such persons
are possessed with the devil; so doth "Hercules de Saxonia, and Apponensis, and
tit only to be cured by a priest. But "' Guianerius, ^^Montaltus, Pomponatius of
Padua, and Lemnius lib. 2. cap. 2, refer it wholly to the ill-disposition of the
* humour, and that out of the authority of Aristotle prob. 30. 1, because such symp-
toms are cured by purging ; and as by the striking of a flint fire is enforced, so by the
vehement motion of spirits, they do elicere voces inauditas^ compel strange speeches
to be spoken : another argument he hath from Plato's reminiscentia, which all out
as likely as that which '-"^ jMarsilius Ficinus speaks of his friend Pierleonus ; by a
divine kind of infusion he understood the secrets of nature, and tenets of Grecian
and barbarian philosophers, before ever he heard of, saw, or read their works : but
in this I should rather hold with Avicenna and his associates, that such symptoms
proceed from evil spirits, which take all opportunities of humours decayed, or other-
wise to pervert the soul of man : and besides, the humour itself is Balneum Diaboli.
the devil's bath ; and as Agrippa proves, doth entice him to seize upon them.
SECT. IV. MEMB. I
Prognostics of Melancholy
Progxostics, or signs of things to come, are either good or bad. If this malady
be not hereditary, and taken at the beginning, there is good hope of cure, receris
curationcm non habet dijicilcm, saith Avicenna, I. 3, Fen. 1, Tract. 4, c. 18. That
nvhicli is with laughter, of all others is most secure, gentle, and remiss, Hercules de
Saxonia. ^^" If that evacuation of haemorrhoids, or varices, which they call the
water between the skin, shall happen to a melancholy man, his misery is ended,'"
Hippocrates Aphor. 6, 11. Galen /. 6, de morbis vulgar, coin. 8, confirms the same:
and to this aphorism of Hippocrates, all the Arabians, new and old Latins subscribe;
Montaltus c. 25, Hercules de Saxonia, Mercurialis, Vittorius Faventinus, &c. Skenkius,
I. 1, observat. med. c. de Mania., illustrates this aphorism, with an example of one
Daniel Federer a coppersmith tliat was long melancholy, and in the end mad about
the 27th year of his age, these varices or water began to arise in his tliighs, and he
was freed from his madness. Marius the Roman was so cured, some say, thouo^h
witli great pain. Skenkius hath some other instances of women that have been
helped by flowing of their mouths, which before were stopped. That the opening
of the haemorrhoids will do as much for men, all physicians jointly signify, so they
be voluntary, some say, and not by compulsion. All melancholy are better after a
quartan; ^Jobertus saith, scarce any man hath that ague twice; but whether it free
-J Blowins of hellows, ami knockinjr of hammers, if
tliey apply their ear t.. thn cliff. so Memb. 1. Siil).
X of ;hi< partitioji.cap. 16. in 9. Rhasis. "igjgna
viosnioiiis nulla sunt nisi quod loquantiir ea quEE ante
^.Mira vis concitat humores, ardorque vehemens men-
tern exagitat, qunm, &c. 96 Pra?fat. lamblici
tnysteriis. si Si melancholicis haeinorroides superve-
nerint varices, vel ut quibusdam placet, aqua intei
ripsciebant, nt Teutonicum aut aliud Idioma, &c. I cutein, solvitur malum. »-Cap. 10. de quartana
'^ Cap. 1-2. tract, de niel. 93 Tract. 15. c. 4. 9*Cap 9. ^
t260
Prognostics of Melancholy.
[Part. 1. Sec. 4.
hiin fioin this malady, 'tis a question; for many physicians ascribe all long agues
1.)! e-spccial causes, and a quartan ague amongst the rest. ^^ Rhasis cont.lih. l,truct^
U. - When melancholy gets out at the superficies of the skin, or settles breaking
nut in scabs, leprosy, morphew, or is purged by stools, or by the urine, or that the
t^pleen is enlarged, and those varices appear, the disease is dissolved." Guianerius,
rap. 5, tract. 15, adds dropsy, jaundice, dysentery, leprosy, as good signs, to these
scabs, morphews, and breaking out, and proves it out of the 6th of Hippocrates'
Aphorisms.
Evil prognostics on the other part. Inveterata melancholia inciirabilis, if it be
inveterate, it is '* incurable, a common axiom, aut difficulter curahilis as they say
that make the best, hardly cured. This Galen witnesseth, Z. 3, de he. affect, cap.
0, '"be it in whom it will, or from what cause soever, it is ever long, wayward,
tedious, and hard to be cured, if once it be habituated. As Lucian said of the gout,
she was ^"the queen of diseases, and inexorable," may we say of melancholy. Yet
Paracelsus will have all diseases whatsoever curable, and laughs at them which think
otherwise, as T. Erastus par. 3, objects to him ; althougli in another place, heredi-
tary diseases he accounts incurable, and by no art to be removed. ^Hildesheim
spied. 2^ de me/, holds it less dangerous if only ^ " imagination be hurt, and not
reason, ^ the gentlest is from blood. Worse from chojer adust, but the w orst of all
from melancholy putrefied." ® Bruel esteems hypochondriacal least dangerous, and
the other two species (opposite to Galen) hardest to be cured. ''The cure is hard
in man, but much more difficult in women. And both men and women must take
notice of that saying of IMontanus consil. 230., pro Abate Italo, ""This malady doth
conunonly accompany them to their grave ; physicians may ease, and it may lie
hid for a time, but they cannot quite cure it, but it will return again more violent
and sharp than at first, and that upon every small occasion or error :" as in Mer-
cury's weather-beaten statue, that was once all over gilt, the open parts were clean,
yet there was infimbriis aurum,, in the chinks a renmant of gold : there will be some
relics of melancholy left in the purest bodies (if once tainted) not so easily to be
rooted out. * Oftentimes it degenerates into epilepsy, apoplexy, convulsions, and
blindness: by the authority of Hippocrates and Galen, '"all aver, if once it possess
tlie ventricles of the brain, Frambesarius, and Salust. Salvianus adds, if it get into
the optic nerves, blindness. Mercurialis, consil. 20, had a woman to his patient,
tliat from melancholy became epileptic and blind. "If it come from a cold cause,
or so continue cold, or increase, epilepsy ; convulsions follow, and blindness, or else
in the end they are moped, sottish, and in all their actions, speeches, and gestures,
ridiculous. '^ Jf it come from a hot cause, they are more furious, and boisterous, and
in conclusion mad. Calescentem melancholiam scepius sequitur mania. '^ If it heat
and increase, that is the common event, '^per circuitus, aid semper insanit, he is mad
by fits, or altogether. For as '^ Sennertus contends out of Crato, there is seminarius
ignis in this humour, the very seeds of fire. If it come from melancholy natural
adust, and in excess, they are often demoniacal, Montanus.
"^ Seldom this malady procures death, except (which is the greatest, most grievous
calamity, and the misery' of all miseries,) they make away themselves, which is a
frequent thing, and familiar amongst them. 'Tis "Hippocrates' observation, Galen's
sentence, Etsi mortem timent., tamen plerumque sibi ipsis mortem consciscunt, I. 3. de
locis affec. cap. 7. The doom of all physicians. 'Tis '* Rabbi Moses' Aphorism,
the prognosticon of Avicenna, Rhasis, ^tius, Gordonius, Valescus, Altomarus, Salust.
Salvianus, Capivaccius, Mercatus, Hercules de Saxonia, Piso, Bruel, Fuchsius, all, &.c.
*Ciiin sanguis exit per siiperficiem et residet melan-
cholia per scabiem, niorpheam iiigram, vel expiirgatur
per inferiores paries, vel urinam, &c, nori erit, &,c.
splen magnificaluret varices apparent. "*(luiajain
i-onve-^'sa in naUiram. i In quocunqiie sit a (jua-
ciiriH'ic causa Hypocon. prasertini, semper est longa,
morosa, nee facile curari potest. ' Regina morborum
et inexorabjiis. ' Omne fielirium quod oritur a pau-
ritali; cerebri incurabile, Ilildesheim, spinel. 2. de mania.
■" Si sola imaginatio la-datur, et non ratio. s Mala li
sanguine fervente, deterior a bile assata, pessima ab
atra bile putrefacla. " Difficilior cura ejus qu<E fit
vltio corporis totiiis et cerebri. ' Difficilis curatu in
viris, multo difficilior in feeminiB. ^ Ad interitum
I plerumque homines comitatur, licet medici Icvent \>\f-
rumque, tamen non tullunt uiiquam, sed ri.cidet acer-
bior quam aiitea minima occasione, aut errorc. » I't-ri-
culum est ne degenereret in Epilepsiam, Apuplexiaui,
Coiivulsionem, cKcitatem. '" Montal. c. 'J5. l.,Biiren
tins. Nic. Piso. " Her. de Saxonia, Aristotle, Capi-
vaccius. '2 Fa vent. Humor frigldus sola delirii caiiM,
furoris vero humor calidus. '^ Ileurnius calla mad
ness sobolem melanchuliie. " Alexander I. 1. c. id
'4 Lib. 1. part. 2. r. 1). "Montalt. c. lo. Haro mors
aut nunquam, nisi sibi ipsis inferant. '' Lib. d*
Insan. Fabio Calico Interprete. "Nouulli Tiolebtu
■nanus sibi inferunt.
Mem. 1.] Prognostics of Melancholy. 261
.o-.r". „ - . „„ J - .I- J- •._ I " And SO far forth death's terror doth affrislit.
Et sa^pe usque adeo morfs form.dine v.ts „ ^^^^^ ,,„„^^lf ^„j j,^^^^ jj,g ,■
Perc.p t .nfelix odium luc.sque v.dends. ^„ ^^^^ ^„ ^/^ ^^ ^^.^^ 3^,, „rief of hearr,
Ut sibi consciscat msrenti peclore lethum. j ^^^ voluntary dies to ease his smart."
In such sort doth the torture and extremity of his misery torment him, that he can
take no pleasure in his life, but is in a manner enforced to offer violence unto him-
self, to be freed from his present insufferable pains. So some (saith ^^ Fracastorius)
" in fury, but most in despair, sorrow, fear, and out of the anguish and vexation of
their souls, offer violence to themselves : for their life is unhappy and miserable.
They can take no rest in the night, nor sleep, or if they do slumber, fearful dreams
astonish them." In the day-time they are affrighted still by some terrible object, and
torn in pieces with suspicion, fear, sorrow, discontents, cares, shame, anguish, &c.
as so many wild horses, that they cannot be quiet an hour, a minute of time, but
even against their wills they are intent, and still thinking of it, they cannot forget it,
it grinds their souls day and niglit, they are perpetually tormented, a burden to them-
selves, as Job was, they can neither eat, drink or sleep. Psal. cvii. 18. "Their
soul abhorreth all meat, and they are brought to death's door, ^' being bound in
misery and iron :" they ^' curse their stars with Job, ^ •' and day of their birth, and
wish for death :" for as Pineda and most interpreters hold, Job was even melancholy
to despair, and almost ^^ madness itself; they murmur many times against the world,
friends, allies, all mankind, even against God himself in the bitterness of their pas-
sion, ^^ vivere nolunt, vior'i nesciimt, live they will not, die they cannot. And in the
midst of these squalid, ugly, and such irksome days, they seek at last, finding no
comfort, ^^ no remedy in this wretched life, to be eased of all by death. Omnia ap-
petunt bonum, all creatures seek the best, and for their good as they hope, sub specie^
in show at least, vel quia viori pulchrum putant (saith ^" Hippocrates) vel quia putant
inde se majoribus malis liberari, to be freed as they wish. Though many times, as
.^sop's fishes, they leap from the frj'ing-pan into the fire itself, yet they hope to be
eased by this means : and therefore (saith Felix ^ Platerus) •'■ after many tedious days
at last, either by drowning, hanging, or some such fearful end," they precipitate or
make away themselves : " many lamentable examples are daily seen amongst us :"
alius ante fores se laqueo suspendit (as Seneca notes), alius se prcecipitavil d iecto,
ne dominum stomachantem audiret, alius ne reducereiur a fuga ferrum rede git in
viscera., "one hangs himself before his own door, — another throws himself from the
house-top, to avoid his master's anger, — a third, to escape expulsion, plunges a dag-
ger into his heart," — so many causes there are His amor exitio est., furor his
love, grief, anger, madness, and shame, Stc. 'Tis a common calamity, -^ a fatal end
to this disease, they are condemned to a violent death, by a jury of physicians, furi-
ously disposed, carried headlong by their tyrannising wills, enforced by miseries, and
there remains no more to such persons, if that heavenly Physician, by his assisting
grace and mercy alone do not prevent, (for no human persuasion or art can help)
but to be their own butchers, and execute themselves. Socrates his cicuta, Lucreiia's
dagger, Timon's halter, are yet to be had ; Cato's knife, and Nero's sword are left
behind them, as so many fatal engines, bequeathed to posterity, and will be used to
the world's end, by such distressed souls : so intolerable, insufferable, grievous, and
violent is their pain, *'so unspeakable and continuate. One day of grief is an hun-
dred years, as Cardan observes : 'Tis carnificina hominum., angor anitni. as well saith
Aretpus, a plague of the soul, the cramp and convulsion of the soul, an epitome of
hell ; and if there be a hell upon earth, it is to be found in a melancholy man's
heart.
" For that deep torture may be call'd an hell.
When more is felt, tliaii one hath power to tell."
Yea, that which scoffing Lucian said of the gout in jest, I may truly affirm of melan-
choly in earnest.
i»Lucret. I. 3. »>Lib. 2. de intell. sa;pe mortem sibi Horat. 1. 2. c. 5. "Lib. de insania. Sicsicjuvat
consciscunt ob timorem et tristitiam tzciiio vita; affecti ire per umbras. *6Cap. 3. de mentis alienat. nissti
ob furorem et desperationem. Est enim iiifera, &.C. degunt, dum tandem mortem quam timent, suspendio
Ergo sic perpetuo atflictati vitam oderunt, se prscipi- ' aut submersione, aut aliqua alia vi, ut niulta tristia
tant. his malis carituri aut interficiunt se, aut tale quid i eserapla vidimus. ^s Arculanus in 0. Rhasls. c. i6
comraittunt. *' Psal. cvii. 10. — job .x.T.xiii. ! cavendura ne e.x alto se pncipitent aut alias la:(laut.
33 Job vi. 8. **Vi doloris et tristitia: ad insaniam [ so O omnium opinionibus iiico^itabile malum. Lucian.
pene redactis. ''^Seneca. win salutis sus ] .Mortesque mille, mille dum vivit iieces gerit, peritque
desperatione proponunt sibi mortis desiaerium, Oct. | Heinsius Austriaco.
262
Prognostics of Melancholy.
[Part. I. Sec. 4.
• O trisle nomen • o diis (xlibile
Melaiicliulia lacryiiiosa, Cocyti filia,
Tu Tariari speciibus opacis edita
Eriiinys, utnro quam Mtgara sun tulit,
Et ab uberibus aluit, cuiqiie parvuls
Amaruleiitiim in os lac Alecto d<.dit,
Oinncs abominabilem te d!emoiie!i
Prodiixere in luci-ni, pjitio mortalium.
Non Jupiter ferit tale teluni fulniinis,
\oii ulla sic procella sa;vit squoris,
]Von impetiiosi tanta vis est turbinis.
An asperos snstineo morsus Cerberi ?
Nuni virus Echidna? nietnbra mea depascitur?
Aut tunica saiiie tiiicta Nessi sanguinis?
Illacrymabile et iinniedicabile malum hoc."
" O sad and odious name ! a name so fell.
Is this of melancholy, brat of hell.
There born in hellish darkness doth it dwell.
The Furies brought it up, Megara's teal,
Alecto gave it bitter milk to eat.
And all conspir'd a banc lo mortal men,
Et paulo To bring this devil out of that black den.
post. Jupiter's thurulerbolt, not storm at sea,
Nor whirl-wind doih our hearts so much dismay.
What ? am I bit by that fierce Cerberus ?
Or stung by m serpent so ptistiferous ?
Or put on shirt that's dipt in Nessus' blood?
My pain's past cure ; physic can do no good."
No torture of body like unto it, SicuU non invcnere tyranni viajus tor7ncn(um, no
strappadoes, hot irons, Phalaris' bulls,
^'- Nee ira deiim tantum, nee tela, nee hostis,
Quantum sola nocos aniniis illapsa."
" Jove's wrath, nr/r devils can
Do so much harm to th' soul of man.
All fears, griefs, suspicions, discontents, imbonites, insuavities are swallowed up, and
drowned in this Euripus, this Irish sea, this ocean of misery, as so many small
brooks; his coagulum omnium cerumnarum: which ^Ammianus applied to his dis-
tressed Palladius. I say of our melancholy man, he is the cream of human adrer-
.«ity. the ^quintessence, and upshot; all other diseases whatsoever, are but flea-
bitings to melancholy in extent: 'Tis the pith of them all, '■^IluspUium est calami-
talis; quid verbis opus est f
"Quamcunque malam rem quicris, illic reperies:"
• What need more words ? 'tis calamities inn.
Where seek for any mischief, 'lis williin ; "
and a melancholy man is that true Prometheus, which is bound to Caucasus ; the
true Titius, whose bowels are still by a vulture devoured (as poets feign) for so doth
^ Lilius Geraldus interpret it, of anxieties, and those griping cares, and so ought it to
Ite understood. In all other maladies, we seek for help, if a leg or an arm ache,
through any distemperature or wound, or that we have an ordinary disease, above
all things whatsoever, we desire help and lualth, a present recovery, if by any means
possible it may be procured ; we will freelv part with all our other fortunes, sub-
stance, endure any misery, drink bitter j)otions, swallow those distasteful pills, suffer
our joints to be seared, to be cut of]', aiiytliinir for future health : so sweet, so dear,
so precious above all other things in this world is life : 'tis that we chiefly desire,
long life and happy days, ^ multus da Jupiter anwis., increase of years all men wish;
but to a melancholy man, nothing so tedious, nothing so odious; that which they
so carefully seek to preserve **he abhors, he alone; so intolerable are his pains;
some make a question, graviores morbi corporis an animi, w hether the diseases of
llie body or mhid be more grievous, but there is no comparison, no doubt to be made
oi it, multb enim scevior longeque est alrocior animi^ qudm corporis cruciatus (Lcm.
I. 1. c. 12.") the diseases of the mind are far more grievous. — Totum hie pro vuinere
corpus, body and soul is misaffected here, but the soul especially. So Cardan testifies
de rerum var. lib. 8. 40. * Maximus Tyrius a Platonist, and Plutarch, have made
just volumes to prove it. *^Dies adimit cpgritudincm hominibus, in other diseases
there is some hope likely, but these unhappy men are born to misery, past all hope
of recover) , incurably sick, the longer they live the worse they are, and death alone
must ease them.
Another doubt is made by some philosophers, whether it be lawful for a man in
such extremity of pain and grief, to make away himself: and how tliese men thai
so do are to be censured. The Platonists approve of it, that it is lawful in such
cases, and upon a necessity ; Plotinus /. de beatitud. c. 7. and Socrates himself de-
fends it. in Plato's Pha^don, " if any man labour of an incurable disease, he may
despatch himself, if it be to his good." Epicurus and his followers, the cynics and
stoics in general affirm it, Epictetus and *' Seneca amongst the rest, </?/«mcw/iywt' ifraffi
esse viam ad libertatem, any way is allowable that leads to liberty, "''let us give
God thanks, that no man is compelled to live against his will;" **quid ad haminem
3- Regina morborum cui famulantur omnes et obedi.
unt. Cardan. « Eheu quis intus Scorpio, ic.
Seneca Act. 4. Here. O Et. "Silius Italicus.
^ Lib. 09. » Hie omnis imbonitas et insuavitas
consistit, ut Tertulliani verbis ular, orat. ad. martvr.
••Maiitus. s' Vit. Herculis. *Persius. »Quid
Cdt uiiaerius in viia, quaoi velle mori ? Seoeca. ^ Tom.
2. Libello, an graviores passiones, tec. «' Ter.
*^ Patet exilus ; si pugnare non vultia, licet fueere ; quia
vos tenet invites 7 Ue provir). cap. 8. <*Againu«
Deo grati.is, quod nemo invitus in vita teneri potect.
*^ Epist. id. Seneca et de sacra. 2. cap. U. «( Etiiu.
70. et 12.
Mem. l.J Prognostics of Melancholy. 263
clnustra, career, custodia? liherum ostium habet, death is always read v and at hand.
Vidcs ilium prcecipit em locum, illud Jlumcn, dost thou see that steep place, that river,
that pit, that tree, there's liberty at hand, effugia servitutis et doloris sunt, as that
Laconian lad cast himself headlong (^non serviam aiebat puer) to be freed of his
misery : every vein in thy body, if these be nimis operosi exiius, will set thee free,
quid tua refert Jinem facias an uccipias ? there's no necessity for a man to live in
misery. Malum est ntccssilati vivere ; sed in necessitate vivere, necess'itas nulla est.
Ignavus qui sine causa moritur, et stultus qui cum dolore vivil, Idem epi. 58. Where-
fore hath our mother the earth brought out poisons, saith ^ Pliny, in so great a
quantity, but that men in distress might make away themselves ? which kings of old
had ever in a readiness, ad incerta fortunce venenum sub custode projuptutn. Livv
writes, and executioners always at hand. Speusippes being sick was met by Dio-
genes, and carried on his slaves' shoulders, he made his moan to the philosopher ;
but I pity thee not, quoth Diogenes, qui cum talk vivere sustines, thou mayst be
freed when thou wilt, meaning by death. ""^ Seneca therefore commends Cato, Dido,
and Lucretia, for their generous courage in so doing, and others that voluntarily die,
to avoid a greater mischief, to free themselves from misery, to save their honour, or
vindicate their good name, as Cleopatra did, as Sophonisba, Syphax's wife did, Flan-
nibal did, as Junius Brutus, as Vibius Virus, and those Campanian senators in Livy
{Dec. 3. lib. G.) to escape the Roman tyranny, that poisoned themselves. Themis-
tocles drank bull's blood, rather than he w^ould fight against his country, and Demos-
thenes chose rather to drink poison, Publius Crassi filius, Censorius and Plancus,
those heroical Romans to make away themselves, than to fall into their enemies'
hands. How many myriads besides in all ages might I remember, qui sibi lethwn
Insontes pepperere raanu^ <^-c. " Rhasis in the Maccabees is magnified for it, Sam-
son's death approved. So did Saul and Jonas sin, and many worthy men and women,
quorum memoria celebratur in Ecclesia, saith ■*'Leminchus, for killing themselves to
save their chastity and honour, when Rome was taken, as Austin instances, I. I. de
Civ it. iJei, cap. 16. Jerom vindicateth the same in lonam et Ambrose, I. 3. de vir-
ginitate commendeth Pelagia for so doing. Eusebius, lib. 8. cap. 15. admires a
Roman matron for the same fact to save herself from the lust of Maxentius the
Tyrant. Adelhelmus, abbot of Malmesbury, calls them Beatas virgines quce sic, &.c.
Titus Pomponius Atticus, that wise, discreet, renowned Roman senator, Tully's dear
friend, when he had been long sick, as he supposed, of an incurable disease, vilam-
que producerct ad augendos dolores, sine spe salulis, was resolved voluntarily by
famine to despatch himself to be rid of his pain ; and when as Agrippa, and the' rest
of his weeping friends earnestly besought him, osculantes obsecrarent ne id quod
natura cogeret, ipse acceleraret, not to oft'er violence to himself, " witli a settled
resolution he desired again they w^ould approve of his good intent, and not seek to
dehort him from it :" and so constantly died, prccesque eorum taciturml sua obstina-
tione depressit. Even so did Gorellius Rufus, another grave senator, by the relation
of Plinius Secundus, epist. lib. I. episl. 12. famish himself to death ; pedibus correptus
cum incredibiles cruciatus et indignissima tormenta patcretur, a cibis omnino absti-
nuit;*'^ neither he nor Hispilla his wife could divert him, but destinatus mori obstinate
magis, &c. die he would, and die he did. So did Lycurgus, Aristotle, Zeno, Ciiry-
sippus, Empedocles, with myriads, &.c. In wars for a man to run rashly upon
imminent danger, and present death, is accounted valour and magnanimity, ^° to be
the cause of his own, and many a thousand's ruin besides, to commit wilful murder
in a manner, of himself and others, is a glorious thing, and he shall I)e crowned for
it. The ^' Massegataj in former times, ^^ Barbiccians, and I know not what nations
besides, did stifle their old men, after seventy years, to free them from those griev-
ances incident to that age. So did the inhabitants of the island of Choa, because
their air w^as pure and good, and the people generally long lived, antevcrtebanl fatum
suum, priusquam manci forent, aut imbecillitas accedcret, papaverc vel cicuta, with
poppy or hemlock they prevented death. Sir Thomas More in his Utopia commends
«Lib. 2. cap. 83. Terra mater nostri mi=erta. | tional tortures, he abstained from food altogether."
n- F.pist. 24. 71. 22. «' Mac 1!. 4-2. •"* Vindi- 50 .^g amongst Turks and others. si Boheinus tie
f.ati') .■\poc. lib. ""Finding that he would be des- mnribns gent. "^^.Elja,,. lib 4. cap. 1. oniiies 70.
lined te endure excruciating "aiu of the feet, and addj- j annum egressos interficiuut.
264 Prognostics of Melancholy. [Part. 1. Sect. 4
voluntary death, if he be sihi nut aids molestus., troublesome to himself or others,
(^"especially if to live be a torment to him,) let him free himself with his owr
hands from tliis tedious life, as from a prison, or sufl'er himself to be freed by others."
^ And 'tis the same tenet which Laertius relates of Zeno, of old, Juste sapiens sibi
mortem consciscit, si in acerbis doloribus versetur, membrorum mutdatione aut morbis
(Fgre curandis, and which Plato 9. de Icgibus approves, if old age, poverty, igno-
miny, &c. oppress, and which Fabius expresseth in effect. {Pro-fat. 7. Jnstilul.)
jye?no nisi sna culpd diu dolet. It is an ordinary thing in China, (saith Mat. Paccius
the Jesuit,) "''if they be in despair of better fortunes, or tired and tortured with
inisery, to bereave themselves of life, and many times, to spile their eneuiies tji
more, to hang at their door." Tacitus the historian, Plutarch the philosopher, niuc
approve a voluntary dej)arture, and Aust. de civ. Dei., I. I.e. 29. defends a violen
ileatli, so that it be undertaken in a good cause, nemo sic mortuus., qui non fueral
aliquando nwriturus; quid autcm interest, quo mortis gene re vita ista fniatur, quando
ille cui fnitur, iterum mori non cogitur? Sfc. ^no man so voluntarily dies, but I'olens
nolens., he must die at last, and our life is subject to innumerable casualties, who
knows when they may happen, utrum satius est unam perpeti moriendo, an omnes
timere vivcndo, " rather sutler one, than fear all. " Death is better than a bitter life,"''
Eccl. XXX. 17. ^^and a harder choice to live in fear, than by once dying, to be freed
from all. Theombrolus Ambr3cit)tcs persuaded 1 know not how many hundreds of
his auditors, by a luculent oration he made of the miseries of this, and happiness of
that other life, to precipitate themselves. And having read Plato's divine tract de
anima., for example's sake led the way first. That neat epigram of Calliinachus will
tell you as much,
'"" Jamque vale Soli cum diceret Ambrnciotet,
In Slygios fertur desittiisse lacus,
Murle nihil dignuin iKissua: svii Torte Platonis
Diviui exiiuuiii de nece legit opus."
**Calenus and his Indians haled of old to die a natural death: the Circumcellians
and Donatists, loathing life, compelled others to make them away, with many such :
"but these are false and pagan positions, profane stoical paradoxes, wicked exam
oles, it boots not what heathen philosophers determine in this kind, they are impious,
abominable, and upon a wrong ground. '• No evil is to be done that good may come
of it ;" reclamat Christus, reclatnat Scriptura, God, and all good men are " against
it: lie that slab? another, can kill his body; but he that stabs himself", kills his own
soul. " JV/«/e meretur, qui dat mendico, quod edat; nam et illud quod dat, pent; el
illi producit vitam ad miseriam: he that gives a beggar an alms (as that comical poet
said) doth ill, because he doth but prolong his miseries. But Ljiclaiitius /. 6. c. 7.
de vero cullu., calls it a detestable opinion, and fully confutes it, lib. 3. de sap. cap.
18. and S.Austin, ep. 52. ad Macedonium, cap. 61 . ad Dulcitium Tribunum: so doth
llierom to MarccUa of Elesilla's death, .Yon recipio tales animaSj ^-c, he calls such
men martyres stultce Philosophic^: so doth Cyprian de duplici martyrio; Si qui sic
moriantur, aut infirmitas, aut ambitio, aut dementia cogit eos; 'tis mere madness so
to do, ^furore est ne moriare mori. To this eflect writes Arist. 3. Ethic. Lipsius
Manuduc. ad Stoicam Phdosophiccm lib. 3. dissertat. 23. but it needs no cofifuta-
tion. This only let me add, that in some cases, those " hard censures of such as
offer violence to their own persons, or in some desperate fit to others, which some-
limes they do, by slabbing, slashing, 8lc. are to be mitigated, as in such as are mad,
beside themselves for the time, or found to have been long melancholy, and that in
»3Lib. U. Prasertim quuin tnrmcntum ei Vila fit, i seniel moriendo. nullum di.-inceps formidare. ^•"And
bona spe fretus, acf-rba Vila velut a carcere se exiinat, now whi-n Anibrix-imes wan biddinq farewtll to the
vrl ab aliis exinii !>ua vuluntale patiatur. " Naiu linht of day, ami al>oiil to ca^t liiniwll'inlo ili*- Siygian
qiiis ainphnram exsicrans I'tEcem exorberet (Sfiieca ' pool, althoueh he had not been (jiiilty of any rriiiie thai
epist. 58.) qiiis in psnas et ri:suin viveret ? stijiti est i nienled death: biit. p<Thaps. he had read that iliviiiC
iiianere in vita ruin sit miser. ^ Expedit. ad Sina« work of Plato upon Death." "oCurtiiis I. JB.
I. I. c. 9. Vel bnnonim desperatiojie, vel malorum per- •' Laqueiis pnccigun, com. 1. I. 5. qiiidani naufrapio
pexsione fiacti et facitati, vel nianus violentas eibi in- facto, aniis-iM trilius liberis, et uxore. Huiiiiendil »« ;
f'-runt vel lit iiiiniicis siiis iC!;re faciant, &c. £<'■ No I pra'cidit illi quidaiii ex pra-tereiintibus lai|iieuin : All-
one ever died in this way, who would not have died
some lime or other ; but what does it signify how life
ii^'elf may be ended, i^iiice he who comes to the end is
not oblieed to die a .second time ?" " So did An-
thony. Galba, Vitellius. Olho, Aristotle himself, ice.
Ajdx III derpair ; Cleopatra to save her honour. ^ In-
berato reus fit malefini. .*!eneca. "S-e I,i|xtiu»
.Manuduc. ad Stoicam philosoplniini lib. J. di»M;rt. -.K.
D. Kings H. Lect. on Jonas. 1». .Abbol'ii li l>ct. on the
same prophet. « Plautiii". "Marlial. "As
to be buried out of Chrinliaii burial with a slake. Idem.
HIalu 9. de legibus. \ult separatim sept'liri, qui sibt i(t-
(> tius deligitur d i viveru quam in timore tot morborum | sis mortem consciscuot, dec. lose tlieir goods. &.C
Mem. 1.]
Prognostics of Melancholy.
265
extremity, they know not what they do, deprived of reason, judgment, all, ^^ as a
ship that is void of a pilot, must needs impinge upon the next rock or sands, and
suffer shipwreck. ^^P. Foresius hath a story of two melancholy brethren, that made
away themselves, and for so foul a fact, were accordingly censured to be infamously
buried, as in such cases they use : to terrify others, as it did the Milesian virgins of
old ; but upon farther examination of their misery and madness, the cejisure was
^revoked, and they were solemnly interred, as Saul was by David, 2 Sam. ii. 4. and
Seneca well adviseth, Irascere interfeclori^ sed miserere interfecti; be justly offended
with him as he was a murderer, but pity him now as a dead man. Thus of their
goods and bodies we can dispose ; but what shall become of their souls, God alone
can tell ; his mercy may come inter pontem et font em, inter gladium et jugulum,
betwixt the bridge and the brook, the knife and the throat. Quod cuiquam contigit,
qnivis potest: Who knows how he may be tempted .? It is his case, it may be thine :
^ QucB sua sors hodie est, eras fore vestra potest. We ought not to be so rash and
rigorous in our censures, as some are ; charity will judge and hope the best : God
be merciful unto us all.
" Navis destituta nauclero, in terribilem aliqumn
scopuluin iinpingit. e? Qbservat. esgeneca
tracl. 1. 1. 8. c. 4. Les, Homicida in se insepultus abji-
ciatur, contradicitur ; Eo quod afferre sibi manus coac-
tus sit. assiduis malis ; summara infelicitatem suam ic
hoc removit, quod existimabat licere misero mori,
s9 Buchanan. Elcg. lib.
(260 )
THE
SYlXOPSIS OF THE SECOjVD PAHTITION.
Cure of
melancholy
ie> either
Unlawful
means
forbidden,
(Sect. 1.
General
to all,
which
contains
=f Sect. 2.
Dietetical,
which con-
sists in re-
forming
tltjse six
non-natural
lhin<;j, as in
Lawful
means,
which are
(Memb.
1. From the devil, magicians, witches, &c., by charms,
I spells, incantations, images, &c.
J i^ueit. 1. Whether they can cure this, or other such
like diseases *
(^iieit. 2. Whether, if they can so cure, it be lawful
to seek to them for help ]
2. Immediately from God, a Jove principiuiu, by'
prayer, &c.
3. Qitext. 1. Whether saints and their relics can help
this infirmity 1
Que.st 2. Whether it be lawful in this case to sue to
them for aid.
Sutisect.
1. I'hysician, in whom is required science,
confidence, honesty, &c.
2. Patient in whom is required obedi-
ence, constancy, willingness, patience, con-
fidence, bounty, &c., not to practise on
himself. «
3. I'hysic, f Dietetical T'
which < Pharmaceutical H
consists of [Chirurgical II
'din
4. Medi-
ately by
Nature
which
concerns
and
works by
Diet rec-
tified.
I 1. Memb.
Fish
Herbs
L«
1^ Particular to the three distinct species,
Such m^ats as are easy of digestion, well-dresf^ed, hot,
sod, Ac, young, moist, of good nourishinenl, i:c.
Bread of pure wheat, well-baked.
Matter Water clear from the fountain,
and qua- Wine and drink not too strong, &c.
lity. r Mountain birds, partridge, pheasant, quails,
1. Subs. I Flesh { &c.
^Hen, capon, mutton, veal, kid, rabbit, dec.
J That live in gravelly waters, as pike, perch,
I trout, sea-fish, solid, white, &c.
j Borage, bugloss, balm, succory , endive, violets,
\ in broth, not raw, &c.
Fruits I Raisins of the sun, apples corrected f»T wind,
and roots. [ oranges, &c., parsnips, potatoes, &c.
At seasonable and unusual times of rejiast, in good order,
nut before the first be concocted, sparing, not overmuch
of one dish.
2. Rectification of retention and evacuation, as costiveness, venery, bleeding at nose,
months stopped, baths, &c.
3. Air recti- (-Naturally in the choice and site of our country, dwelling-place, to
fied, with a I be hot and moist, light, wholesome, pleasant, &c.
digression of | Artificially, by often change of air, avoiding winds, fogs, leinpesls,
the air I. opening windows, perfumes, &c.
Of body and mind, but moderate, as hawking, hunting, riding,
shooting, bowling, fishing, fowling, walking in fair fields, gatlerii's,
4. Exercise ^ tennis, bar.
Of mind, as chess, cards, tables, <Scc., to see plays, masks, Clc, serious
studies, business, all honest recreations.
5. Rectification of waking and terrible dreams, «kc.
^ 6. Rectification of passions and perturbatioDs of the mind. —
2. Quan-
tity.
From
himself
Me/r.b. 6.
Passions
and pertur-
bations of
the mind
rectified.
from his
friends.
Synopsis of the Second Partition. 267
f SuLsed.
I 1. By using all good means of help, confessing to a friend, &c.
I Avoiding all occasions of his infirmity.
L Xot giving way to passions, but resisting to his utmost.
2. By fair and foul means, counsel, comfort, good persuasion, witty
devices, fictions, and, if it be possible, to satisfy his mind.
3. Music of all sorts aptly applied.
4. Mirth and merry company.
(Memb.
1. General discontents and grievances satisfied.
2. Particular discontents, as deformity of bo''y, sick-
Sect. 3. ness, baseness of birth, &c.
A consola- 3. Poverty and want, such calamities <ind adver-
tory digres- sities.
sion, con- 4. Against servitude, loss of liberty, imprisonment,
taining re- banishment, &c.
medies to all ' 5. Against vain fears, sorrows for death of friends, or
discontents
and passions
of the mind.
otherwise.
6. Against envy, livor, hatred, malice, emulation,
ambition, and self-love, &c.
7. Against repulses, abuses, injuries, contempts, dis-
graces, contumelies, slanders, and scofis, &c.
8. Against all other grievous and ordinary symptoms
of this disease of melancholy.
f f r Simples
altering .
melan-
choly,
with a di-
gression
of exotic
simples.
2. Subs.
Sect. 4.
Pharmaceu-
tics, or Phy-
sic which
cureth with
medicines,
with a di-
gression of
this kind of
physic, is
either
Alemb. 1.
Subject. 1.
<;or
Com-
pounds
altering
melan-
choly,
with a di-
gression
I of com-
I pounds.
^ 1. Subs.
fTo the heart ; borage, bugloss, scorzonera, &c.
To the head ; balm, hops, nenuphar, &c.
f Herbs. | Liver; eupatory, artemisia, &c.
3. Subs. } Stomach ; wormwood, centaury, pennyroyal.
I Spleen ; ceterache, ash, tamarisk.
To purify the blood ; endive, succory, &c.
! Against wind ; origan, fennel, aniseed, &c.
4. Precious stones ; as smaragdes, chelidonies, (Sec. Minerals ;
as gold, &c.
f ^
r fluid
r -,
= <
con-
sisting
r hot
solid, as
those
aroma-
tical
confec-
tions.
Wines ; as of hellebore, bugloss, ta-
marisk, &c.
Syrups of borage, bugloss, hops, epi-
thyme, endive, succory, &c.
r Conserves of violets, maidenhair, borage,
' bugloss, roses, drc.
j Confections ; treacle, mithridate, ecleg-
1 mes or linctures.
fDiambra, dianthos.
Diamargaritum calidum.
■; Diamoscum dulce.
I Electuarium de gemmis.
I^Lsetificans Galen i et Rhasis
L
("Diamargaritum frigidum.
cold I Diarrhodon abbatis.
[Diacorolli, diacodium with their tables.
1^ Condiles of all sorts, &c.
I
Purging C
^Particular to the three distinct species, a!2 ^ m
Oils of camomile, violets, roses, &c.
Out- I Ointments, alablastritum, populeum, &c.
wardly ■{ Liniments, plasters, cerotes, cataplasms, frontala,
used, as I fomentations, epithymes, sacks, bags, odora
(_ ments, posies, &c.
268
Medicines
purging
Dielan-
choly, are
either
Meinb. 2.
Simples
purging
melan-
choly.
3. Subs.
Com-
pounds
purging
mcian-
.choly.
n Chirurgical physic,
which consists of Memb. 3.
Synopsis of the Second Partition.
^j *■ " ,' 'Asrabecca, laurel, white hellebore, scilla, or sea-onion,
^ .' 1 antinwny, tobacco,
as vomits. J
More gentle; as senna, epithy me, polipody, mirobalanes.
fumitory, &c.
or
Down-
ward.
2. Subs.
Superior
parts
Stronger; aloes, lapis A rmenus, lapis lazuli, black helle-
!_ bore.
f r ^ [Liquid, as potions, juleps, syrups, wine of
Mouth £; hellebore, busiloss, &c.
I I Solid, as lapis Armcnus, and lazuli, pills
of IndiT, pills of fumitory, «&c.
Electuaries, diasena, confection of hamech,
hierologludium, &c.
Not swallowed, as gargarisms, masticatories,
(Sec.
Nostrils, sneezing powders, odoraments, perfumes, &c.
Inferior parts, as clysters strong and weak, and suppositories of Casti
lian soap, honey boiled, &c.
[Phlebotomy, to all parts almost, and all the distinct species.
With knife, horseleeches.
Cupping-glasses.
Cauteries, and searing with hot irons, boring.
Dropax and sinapism us.
issues to several parts, and upon several occasions.
^ Sect. 5.
Cure of
head-melan-
choly.
Memb. 1.
f 1. Subaect.
Moderate diet, meat of good juice, moistening, easy of digestion.
Good air.
Sleep more than ordinary.
Excrements daily to be voided by art or nature.
Exercise of body and mind not too violent, or too remiss, passions of the mind, and
perturbations to be avoided.
2. Blood-letting, if there be need, or thai the blood be corrupt, in the arm, fore-
head, &.C., or with cupping-glasses.
[Preparatives; as syrup of borage, bugloss, epithyme, hops, with
their distilled waters, dec.
3. Prepara-
tives and
purgers.
4. Averters. .
5. Cordials,
resolvers,
hinderers.
Purgers ; as Montanus, and Matthiolus helleborismus, Quercetanus,
syrup of hellebore, extract of hellebore, pulvis Hali, antimony
prepared, Rulandi aqua rnirabitis ; which are used, if gentler
medicines will not take place, with Arnoldus, vinum bugloMO-
turn, senna, cassia, mirobalanes, utirum potubite, or before
Hamecb, Pil. Indx, Hiera. Pil. de lap. Armeno, lazuli.
Cardan's nettles, frictions, clysters, suppositories, sneezings, masti-
catories, nasals, cupping-glasses.
To open the htemorrhoids with horseleeches, to apply horse-
leeches to the forehead without scarification, to the shoulders.
I thighs.
I Issues, boring, cauteries, hot irons in the suture of the crown.
A cup of wine or strong drink.
Bezars stone, amber, spice.
J Conserves of borage, bugloss, roses, fumitory.
Confection of akhermes.
Ekctuarium Ixtificans Galen i et Rhaais, SfC.
. Diumargaritum frig, diaboraginatum, JfC.
Synopsis of the Second Partition.
209
6. Correctors
of accidents,
(•as,
Inwardly
taken,
f Odoraments of roses, violets.
Irrigations of the Iiead, with the decoctions of n} mphea, lettuce,
mallows, &c.
Epithymes, ointments, bags to the heart.
Fomentations of oil for the belly.
Baths of sweet water, in which were sod mallows, violets, roses,
water-lilies, borage flowers, ramsheads, &c.
r Poppy, ny mphea, lettuce, roses, purs-
I' Simples < lane, henbane, mandrake, night-
l. shade, opium, &c.
J °'" f Liquid, as syrups of poppy, verbasco,
violets, roses.
Com- ^ Solid, as requies Nicholai, Phi-
pounds. I Ionium, Romanum, Laudajiiini
\_ Puracelsi.
Oil of nymphea, poppy, violets, roses, mandrake,
nutmegs.
Odoraments of vinegar, rose-water, opium.
Frontals of rose-cake, rose-vinegar, nutmeg,
j Ointments, alablastritum, unguentutn populeum,
simple or mixed with opium.
Irrigations of the head, feet, sponges, music, mur-
mur and noise of waters.
Frictions of the head and outward parts, sacculi
[ of henbane, wormwood at his pillow, &c.
Against terrible dreams ; not to sup late, or eat peas, cabbage,
venison, meats heavy of digestion, use balm, hart's-tongue, &c.
j^ Against ruddiness and blushing, inward and outward remedies.
S^ 2. Mcmb. ("Diet, preparatives, purges, averters, cordials, correctors, as before.
Cure of me- I Phlebotomy in this kind more necessary, and more frequent.
lancholy over "j To correct and cleanse the blood with fumitory, senna, succory, dandelion,
the body. L endive, &c.
r Siibsed.
Phlebotomy, if need require.
Diet, preparatives, averters, cordials, purgers, as before, saving that they must not be
so vehement.
Use of pennyroyal, wormwood, centaury sod, which alone hath cured many.
To provoke urine with aniseed, daucus, asarum, &c., and stools, if need be, by clysters
and suppositories.
To respect the spleen, stomach, liver, hypochondries.
To use treacle now and then in winter.
To vomit after meals sometimes, if it be inveterate.
Outward-
t ly used, as
r^ Cure
of hypo-
chondria-
cal or
windy
melan-
choly.
3. Memb.
Inwardly
taken,
fGalanga, gentian, enula, angelica, calamus
Roots, ■; aromaticus, zedoary, china, condite gin-
[ ger, &c.
I 2. To ex-
|,pel wind.
Herbs,
Spices,
Seeds,
Pennyroyal, rue, calamint, bay leaves, and
berries, scordium, bethany, lavender, camo-
m . I mile, centaury, wormwood, cummin, broom,
[ orange pills.
("Saffron, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, pepper,
1 musk, zedoary with wine, &c.
J Aniseed, fennel-seed, arnmi, cary, cummin,
[ nettle, bays, parsley, grana, paradisi.
("Dianisum, diagalanga, diaciminum, diacalaminlhes, elec-
I tuarium de baccis lauri, benedicta laxativa, &c. pulvis
j carminativus, and pulvis descrip. Antidotario Floren-
» (. tino, aromaticum, rosatum, Mithridate.
Outwardly used, as cupping-glasses to the hypochondries without scarifi-
|_ cation, oil of camomile, rue, aniseed, their decoctions, &c.
x2
(270)
THE SECOND PARTITION.
THE CURE OF MELANCHOLY.
TPIE FIRST SECTION, MEMBER, SUBSECTION.
Unlawful Cures rejected.
INVETERATE Melancholy, howsoever it may seem to be a continuate, inexora-
ble disease, hard to be cured, acconipanyino; tliem to their graves, most part, as
' [Montanus observes, yet many times it may be helped, even that which is most vio-
lent, or at least, according to the same ^author, '^ it may be mitigated and much
eased." »V<7 dcsprrandum. It may be hard to cure, but not impossible for liim that
is most grievously atlected, if he but willing to be helped.
Upon this good hope I will proceed, using the same method in the cure, which I
have formerly used in tlie rehearsing of the causes; first general, then particular;
and those according to their several species. Of these cures some be lawful, some
again unlawful, which though frequent, familiar, and often used, yet justly censured,
and to be controverted. As first, whether by these diabolical means, which are com-
monly practised by the devil and his ministers, sorcerers, witches, magicians, &c..
by spells, cabilistical words, charms, characters, images, amulets, ligatures, philter.-!,
incantations, &.c., this disease and the like may be cured .' and if they may, whether
it be lawful to make use of them, those magnetical cures, or for our good to seek
jifter such means in any case ? The first, whether they can do any such cures, is
questioned amongst many writers, some affirming, some denying. Valesius, conl.
mcd. lib. 5. cap. 0. Malleus Maleficor. Heurnius, /. 3. pract. med. cap. 28. Ca*lius
lib. 16. c. 16. Delrio Tom. 3. Wierus lib. 2. de praslig. dam. Libanius I.avater df,
sped. part. 2. cap. 7. Ilolbrenner the Lutheran in Pistorium, Polydor Virg. I. 1. de
prodig. Tandlerus, Lemnius, (Hippocrates and Avicenna amongst the rest'/ deny
that spirits or devils have any power over us, and refer all with Pomponatius of
Padua to natural causes and humours. Of the other opinion are Bodinus Damona-
mantice, lib. 3, cap. 2. Arnoldus, Marcellus Empvricus, I. Pistorius, Paracelsus Apodix.
Magic. Agrippa lib. 2. de occult. Philos. cap. 36. 69. 7 L 72. et I. 3, c. 23, et 10. Mar-
cilius Ficinus de vit. ccelit. compar. cap. 13. 15. 18. 21. ^-c. Galeottus de promiscnn
doct. cap. 24. Jovianus Pontanus Tom. 2. Plin. lib. 28, c. 2. Strabo, lib. 15. Geog.
Leo Suavius : Goclenius de ung. armar. Oswoldus CroUius, Ernestus Burgravius,
Dr. Flud, Stc. Cardan de subt. brings many proofs out of Ars Notoria, and Solo-
mon's decayed works, old Hermes, Artefius, Costaben Luca, Picatri.v, &j.c. that such
cures may be done. They can make fire it shall not burn, fetch back thieves or
stolen goods, show their absent faces in a glass, make serpents lie still, stanch blood,
salve gouts, epilepsies, biting of mad dogs, tooth-ache, melancholy, et omnia mundi
mala^ make men immortal, young again as the 'Spanish marquess is said to have
done by one of his slaves, and some, which jugglers in ''Cliina maintain still (as
<Cnn!iil. '235. pro Ahbnte Italn. *Consil. 2:1. aiit I ad 40. a inn* posscnl producpri.- Titam. cur non ad Mn>
curabitiir, ant certe minus afficirtiir, si vnlet. 'Vide turn ? «i ad reDtum, cur non ad mille 7 > Hiat. Chi
Kfiiatum Morey .^niniad. in <>ch'ilam Salernit, c. 2^. si | nensuin.
Mem. l.j
Patient.
271
Tragalthis writes) that they can do by their extraordinary skill in physic, and some
of our modern chemists by their strange limbecks, by their spells, philosopher's
stones and charms. * " Many doubt," saith Nicholas Taurellus, " whether the devil
can cure such diseases he hath not made, and some flatly deny it, howsoever com-
mon experience confirms to our astonishment, that magicians can work such feats,
and that the devil without impediment can penetrate through all the parts of our
bodies, and cure such maladies by means to us unknown." Daneus in his tract de
Sortiariis subscribes to this of Taurellus ; Erastus de lamiis, maintaineth as much,
and so do most divines, out of their excellent knowledge and long experience they
can commit ^agcntes cum pafientihus, coUigere semina rerum, eaque materi(Z appli-
care, as Austin infers de Civ. Dei et de Trinit. lib. 3. cap. 7. et 8. they can work stu-
pendous and admirable conclusions ; we see the effects only, but not the causes of
them. Nothing so familiar as to hear of such cures. Sorcerers are too common ;
cunning men, wizards, and white-witches, as they call them, in every village, which
if they be sought unto, will help almost all infirmities of body and mind, Servatores
in Latin, and they have commonly St. Catherine's Avheel printed in the roof of their
mouth, or in some other part about them, resistunt incantatorum prcsstigiis, (^Bois-
sardus writes) morbos a sagis motos propulsant., Sfc, that to doubt of it any longer,
' '•' or not to believe, were to run into that other sceptical extreme of incredulity,"
saith Taurellus. Leo Sauvius in his comment upon Paracelsus seems to make it an
art, which ought to be approved ; Pistorius and others stiffly maintain the use of
charms, words, characters, &c. ^rs vera est, sed pauci artifices reperiunfur ; the art
is true, but there be but a few that have skill in it. Marcellius Donatus lib. 2. de hist,
mir. cap. 1 . proves out of Josephus' eight books of antiquities, that ^ " Solomon so
cured all the diseases of the mind by spells, charms, and drove away devils, and that
Eleazer did as much before Vespasian." Langius in his med. epist. holds Jupiter
Menecrates, that did so many stupendous cures in his time, to have used this art,
and that he was no other than a magician. Many famous cures are daily done in
this kind, the devil is an expert physician, as Godelman calls him, lib. I. cap. 18.
and God permits oftentimes these witches and magicians to produce such effects,
as Lavater cap. 3. lib. 8. part. 3. cap. 1. Polid. Virg. lib. 1. de prodigiis, Delrio and
others admit. Such cures may be done, and as Paracels. Tom. 4. de mnrb. ament. stiffly
maintains, '°they cannot otherwise be cured but by spells, seals, and spiritual
physic." " Arnoldus, lib. de sigillis, sets down the making of them, so doth Rulandus
and many others.
Hoc posito, they can effect such cures, the main question is, whether it be lawful
in a desperate case to crave their help, or ask a wizard's advice. 'Tis a common
practice of some men to go first to a witch, and then to a physician, if one cannot
the other shall, Flectere si nequeant superos Achcronta movebunt. '^ " It matters not,"
saith Paracelsus, "Avhether it be God or the devil, angels, or unclean spirits cure
him, so that he be eased." If a man fall into a ditch, as he prosecutes it, what mat-
ter is it whether a friend or an enemy help him out ? and if I be troubled with such
a malady, what care I whether the devil himself, or any of his ministers by God's
permission, redeem me } lie calls a '^magician, God's minister and his vicar, apply-
ing that of vos eslis dii profanely to them, for which he is lashed by T. Erastus
part, l.fol. 45. And elsewhere he encourageth his patients to have a good faith,
'^"a strong imagination, and they shall find the eiFects : let divines say to the con-
trary what they will." He proves and contends that many diseases cannot otherwise
be cured. Incantalione orti incanlationc curari deberit ; if they be caused by incan-
tation, '' they must be cured by incantation. Constantinus lib. 4. approves of such
remedies : Bartolus the lawyer, Peter ^Erodius rerum Judic. lib. 3. tit. 7. Salicetus
Godefridus, with others of that sect, allow of them ; modb sint ad sanitatem quce a
SAlii dubitant an tlffimon possit morbos curare qiios
non fecit, alii ncgaiit, sed quotiiliana exporientia con-
firmat, tnasios magno multordm stupore morbos curare,
eingulas corporis parte citra impedimentiiiii permeare,
et raediis nobis ignotis curare. ^Awentia cum
patientihus conjiigunt. ' Cap. 11. de Servat. f'Hic
alii rident, sed vereor ne diim nolumus esse crediili,
vitium non etrugiamus incredulitatis. ^Refert Solo-
nionem mentis morbos curasse, et daemones abeirissR
ipsos carniiuibus, quod et coram Vespasiano fecit Elea-
zar. '» Spiritualcs niorbi spiritualiter curari debent.
." Sipillum e.x aiiro peculiari ad Melancholiam. &c.
'2 Lib. 1. de occult. Pliilos. nihil refert an Deus an Dia-
holus, angeli an iramundi spiritus aegro opem ferant,
morbus ciiretur. " .Magus minister et Vicarius Dei.
» Utere forti imaginatione et experieris effectum, dicanl
in adversum qujcquid volunt Theologi. la Idem
Pli'tiius coritenilit quosdam esse morbos qui incanta-
tionibus solun) curentur. •
*72 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 1
magis Jiunt, seciis non, so they be for the parties good, or not at all. But these men
are confuted by Remigius, Bodinus, dam. lib. 3. cap 2. Godelmanus lib. 1. cap. 8,
Wierus, Delrio lib. 6. qucest. 2. Tom. 3. 77iag. inquis. Erastus de Lamiis; all our
'^ divines, schoolmen, and such as write cases of conscience are against it, the scripture
itself absolutely forbids it as a mortal sin, Levit. cap. xviii. xix. xx. Deut. xviii. &c.
Rom. viii. 19. "Evil is not to be done, that good may come of it." Much bettor it
were for such patients that are so troubled, to endure a little misery in this life, than
to liazard their souls' health for ever, and as Delrio counselleth, " '' much better die,
than be so cured." Some take upon them to expel devils by natural remedies, and
magical exorcisms, which they seem to approve out of the practice of the primitive
church, as that above cited of Josephus, Eleazer, Irajneus, Tertullian, Austin. Euse-
bius makes mention of such, and magic itself hath been publicly professed in some
universities, as of old in Salamanca in Spain, and Cracow in Poland: but condemned
anno 1318, by the chancellor and university of '* Paris. Our pontifical writers retain
many of these adjurations and forms of exorcisms still in the church ; besides those
in baptism used, they exorcise meats, and such as are possessed, as they hold, in
Christ's name. Read Hieron. IMcngus cap. 3. Pet. Tyreus, pari. 3. cap. 8. what exor-
cisms they prescribe, besides those ordinary means of '^" fire suffumigations, lights,
cutting the air with swords," cap. 57. herb?-, odours : of which Tostatus treats, 2. Reg.
cap. 16. quctst 43, you shall fiiui many vain and frivolous superstitious forms of
exorcisms among them, not to be tolerated, or endured.
MEMB. II.
Lawful Cures., first from God.
Being so clearly evinced, as it is, all unlawful cures are to be refused, it remains
to treat of such as are to be admitted, and those are conmionly such which God hath
appointed, ^ by virtue of stones, herbs, plants, meats, &,c. and the like, which are
prepared and applied to our use, by art and industry of physicians, who are the dis-
pensers of sucli treasures for our good, and to be *' " honoured for necessities' sake,"
God's intermediate ministers, to whom in our infirmities we are to seek for help.
Yet not so that we rely too much, or wholly upon them : a Jove prinripium, we
must first begin with -^ prayer, and then use physic ; not one without the other, but
both together. To pray alone, and reject ordinary means, is to do like him in
iEsop, that when his cart was stalled, lay Hat on his back, and cried aloud help Her-
cules, but that was to little purpose, except as his friend advised him, rotis lute ipse
atinitaris, he whipped his horses withal, and put his shoulder to the wheel. God
works by means, as Christ cured the blind man wiih clay and spittle : " Orandum
est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano.^^ As we must pray for health of body and
mind, so we must use our utmost endeavours to preserve and continue it. Some
kind of devils are not cast out but by fasting and prayer, and both necessarily re-
quired, not one without the other. For all the physic we can use, art, excellent
industry, is to no purpose without calling upon God, nil juvat immensos Cratero
promittere mantes: it is in vain to seek for help, run, ride, except God bless us,
XNon domus et Tundua, non atrm acervus et auri
' " non Siculi dapes
Dulcem elaborabunt saporem.
Non aniraum cytherteve cantus.
iE^roto possunt domiiiu di.-ducere febres."
" With house, with land, with money, and with gold,
The master's fever will not be tonlroll'd."
We must use our prayer and physic both together : and so no doubt but our prayers
will be available, and our physic take effect. 'Tis that Hezekiah practised, 2 King.
XX. Luke the Evangelist : and which we are enjoined, Coloss. iv. not the patient
only, but the physician himself Hippocrates, a heathen, required this in a good
practitioner, and so did Galen, lib. de Plat, et Hipp. dog. lib. 9. cap. 15. and in that
'0 Qui talibus credunt, aut ad eorum domos euntes, I mcditinen of the earth, and he that in wise will not al>-
ant siiis doniibns introducunt, aut interrogaiit, wiant ; hor them, Ecrlun. xxxviii. ■». "My son. fail not la
se (idem Christiaiiam et haplisiiiuni pra'vancasse, et j thy sicknesis, but pray unto the Lord, and he will iiiaka
Apostalas eiise. Autftin de superstit. observ. hoc pacio ' thee wh'de. Ecclus xzxviii. '.I. nu^r. oinne prin-
a Dt-o defirjtur ad diabolum, P. Mart. "Mori 1 ripiuni, hue refer eiituni. Ilor. 3.carm. Od. 6. «» Mu»io
prrstat i|uaiii gupersiitiose sanari. Disquid. mag. I. -J. c. I and fine fare can do no eood. >• Hor. I. I. »p. 4.
U. sect. 1 qua-»t. 1. Tom. 3. '»P. Lumbard. "Suf- l»»SintCr»«i et rra»!>i licet, non ho« Paelolui aareat
fitus, gladiorum ictus, Sic. *)Tbe Lord bath created 1 undaa ageni eripiet unquain d inisertu.
Mem. 2.] Cure of Melancholy. 273
tract of his, an mores sequantur temp. cor. ca. 11. 'lis a rule which he doth inculcate
^^ and many others, llyperius in his first book de sacr. script, led. speaking of that
happiness and good success which all physicians desire and hope for in their cures,
^ tells them that it is not to be expected, except with a true f^th they call upon God,
and teach their patients to do the like." The council of Lateran, Canon 22. decreed
they should do so : the fathers of the church have still advised as much : whatso-
ever thou lakest in hand (saith -* Gregory) let God be of thy counsel, consult with
him ; that healeth ihose that are broken in heart, (Psal. cxlvii. 3.) and bindeth up
their sores." Otherwise as the prophet Jeremiah, cap. xlvi. 11. denounced to Eo-ypt,
In vain shalt thou use many medicines, for thou shalt have no health. It is the
same counsel which -^ Comineus that politic historiographer gives to all christian
princes, upon occasion of that unhappy overthrow of Charles Duke of Burgundy,
by means of which he was extremely melancholy, and sick to death: insomuch thai
neither physic nor persuasion could do him any good, perceiving his preposterous
error belike, adviselh all great men in such cases, ^° " to pray first to God with ail
.<?ubmission and penitency, to confess tlieir sins, and then to use physic." The very
same fault it was, which the prophet reprehends in Asa king of Judali, that he relied
more on physic than on God, and by all means would have him to amend it. And
'tis a fit caution to be observed of all other sorts of men. The prophet David was
so observant of this precept, that in his greatest misery and vexation of mind, he
put this rule first in practice. Psal. Ixxvii. 3. '•'■ When I am in heaviness, I will
think on God." Psal. Ixxxvi. 4. " Comfort the soul of thy servant, for unto thee I
'lift up my soul :" and verse 7. " In the day of trouble will 1 call upon thee, for thou
hearest me." Psal. liv. 1. " Save me, O God, by thy name," Stc. Psal. Ixxxii. psal.
XX. And 'tis the common practice of all good men, Psal. cvii. 13. "when their
heart was humbled with heaviness, they cried to the Lord in their troubles, and he
delivered them from their distress." And they have found good success in so doing.
as David confesseth, Psal. xxx. 12. " Thou hast turned my mourning into joy, ihoti
hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." Therefore he adviseth all
others to do the like, Psal. xxxi. 24. "- All ye that trust in the Lord, be strong, and
he shall establish your heart." It is reported by ^' Suidas, speaking of Hezekiah,
that there was a great book of old, of King Solomon's writing, which contained
medicines for all manner of diseases, and lay open still as they came into the temple :
but Hezekiah king of Jerusalem, caused it to be taken away, because it made the
people secure, to neglect their duty in calling and relying upon God, out of a con-
fidence on those remedies. ^^ Minutius that worthy consul of Pvome in an oration
he made to his soldiers, was much offended with them, and taxed their ignorance,
that in their misery called more on him than upon God. A general fault it is all
over the world, and Minutius's speech concerns us all, we rely more on physic, and
seek oftener to physicians, than to God himself As much faulty are they "that pre-
scribe, as they that ask, respecting wholly their gain, and trusting more to their ordi-
nary receipts and medicines many times, than to him that made them. I would wish,
all patients in this behalf, in the midst of their melancholy, to remember that of
Siracides, Ecc. i. 11. and 12. "The fear of the Lord is glory and gladness, and re-
joicing. The fear of the Lord maketh a merry heart, and givetii gladness, and joy,,
and long life :" and all such as prescribe physic, to begin in nomine Dei., as ^^Mesue
did, to imitate Laebius a Fonte Eugubinus, that in all his consultations, still concludes
with a prayer for the good success of his business ; and to remember that of Creto
one of their predecessors, /w^e avaritiam, et sine oratione et invocatione Dei nihil
facias., avoid covetousness, and do nothing without invocation upon God.
i«Scienlia de Deo debet in medico infixa esse, Mesue i dicis curari non posset, 3»In his animi tnalis prin-
Arabs. Satiat oiiuies laiiguores Deus. For you shall jeeps imprimis aJ Deuin precetur, et peccalis veniani
pray to your Lord, that he would prosper that which is 1 exoret, inde ad medicinam, &c. aiGrec Tholos^. To
given for ease, and then use physic for the prolonging
of life, Ecclus. xxxviii. 4. '" Omnes optant quaniiam
ir. medicina ffelicitatera, sed hanc non est quod expec-
(ent, nisi deum vera fide invocent, atque Egros simili-
ter ad ardentem vocalionera excitenl. 2s Lemnius e
Ureffor. exhor. ad vitam opt. instit. cap. 48. Quicquid
■2. I. 26. c. 7. Syntax. In vestibulo templi Solomon, liber
remediorum cujusque morbi fuit, quern revulsit Ezechi-
as, quod populus neglecto Deo nee invocato. sanitatem
indepeterct. ^^iLivius 1.2;i, Strepunt aures clamo-
ribus plorantium socioruni, sjepius nos quam deorum
invocantium opem. sa Rulandus adjungil optimaic
editaris aggredi aut perficere. Deum in consilium , orationem ad finem Empyricorura. Mercuria.'is coosij
adhibeto. ''^Commentar. lib. 7. oh infelicem pug- i 25. ita concludit. Montaaus passim, &c. et plures alii,
nam contristatus, in ^gritudinem incidit, ita ut a me- I &c.
35
274 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 1.
MEMB. III.
Whether it he lawful to seek to Saints for Aid in this Disease.
That we must prav to God, no man doubts; but whether we sliould pray to
faints in sucli cases, or whether they can do us any j^ood, it may be lawfully con-
troverted. Whether their images, shrines, relics, consecrated things, holy water,
medals, benedictions, those divine annilcts, holy exmrisms, and the sijjii of the cross,
be available in this disease .' The papists on the one side stitHy rnaintaiti how many
melancholy, mad, demoniacal persons are daily cured at St. Anthony's Church in
Padua, at St. Vitus' in Germany, by our Laily of Loretto in Italy, our l^ady of Sichem
ill the Low Countries: '^Quce el ccccis lumen., cpgris sulutem., mortuis vitam, claudis
ifrcssnm reddit., omnes morbos corporis, anitni, curat, et in ipsos damones impcriiim
rxercet; she cures halt, lame, blind, all diseases of body aud mind, and connnands
the devil himself, saith Lipsius. " twenty-five thousand in a day come thither," ^quis
nisi numen in ilium locum sic induxil; who brouj;hi them .' in auribus,in oculis om-
nium gesta, novcE novitia; new news lately done, our eyes and ears are lull of her
cures, and who can relate them all .- They have a proper saint almost for every
peculiar intirmity : for poison, gouts, agues, Petronella : St. Ilomanus for such as are
possessed ; ^'alentine for the falling sickness ; St. Vitus for madmen, kc. and as of
old '^ Pliny reckons up Gods for all diseases, ( Fehri fanum dicatum est) Lilius Giral-
dus repeats many of her ceremonies : all atlections of the mind were heretofore
accounted gods,*^ love, and sorrow, virtue, honour, lil)erly, contumely, impudencv,
had their temj)les, tempests, seasons. Crepitus I'enlris, dea Vacuna., dca Cloacina.,
there was a goddess of idleness, a goddess of the draught, or Jakes, Previa, Pre-
mvnda, Priapus, bawdy gods, and gods for all ^ oflices. Varro reckons up y(l,OU0
4ods; Lucian makes Podagra the gf^t a goddess, and assigns her priests and minis-
'ers : and melancholy comes not behind; for as Austin menlioneth, lib. 4. de Cicit.
D::i^ cap. 9. there was of old Angeruna dea, and she had her chapel and feasts, to
whom (saith ••* Macrobius ) they did oHer sacrifice yearly, that she might be pacified
as well as the rest. 'Tis no new thing, you see this of [>a{>ists ; and in my judg-
ment, that old doting Lipsius mitjhl have tiller dedicated his *" pen after all his labours,
to this our goddess of melancholy, than to his Virgo Halensis, ami been her chap-
lain, it would have become him better : but he, poor man, thought no harm in that
which he diil, and will not be persuaded but that he doth well, he halh so many
patrons, and honourable precedents in the like kind, that justify as much, as eajrerly,
and more than he there saith of his lady and mistress : read but superstitious Coster
and Gretser's Tract de Cruce, Laur. Arcturus Fanteus de Invoc. Sanct. liellarmine,
Delrio dis. mag. Tom. 3. /. 6. quasi. 2. seel. 3. Greg. Tolosaims 7V;m. 2. lib. 8. cap.
24. Syntax. Strozius Cicogna lib. 4. cap. 9. Tyreus, Ilieronymus Mengus, and you
shall find infinite examples of cures done in this kind, l)y holy waters, relics, crosses,
exorcisms, amulets, images, consecrated beads, &.c. Barradius the Jesuit boldly j/ives
it out, that Christ's countenance, and the Virgin .Mary's, would cure melancholy, if
one had looked steadfastly on them. P. Morales the Spaniard in his book de pulch.
Jes. et Mar. confirms the same out of Carthusianus, and I know not whom, that it
was a common proverb in those days, for such as were troubled in mind to say,
camus ad vidcndumjilium Maritf. let us see the son of Mary, as they now do post
to St. Anthony's in Padua, or to St. Hilary's at Poicliers in France. *' In a closet of
that church, there is at this day St. Hilary's bed to be seen, '* to v.hich they brine all
the madmen in the country, and after some prayers and other ceremonies, they lay
them down there to sleep, and so they recover." It is an orilinary thing in those
parts, to send all their madmen to St. Hilary's cradle. They say the like of St.
Tubery in ^-another place. Giraldus Cambn-nsis Ilin. Camh. c. 1. tells stramre stories
of St. Ciricius' stafli that would cure this and all other diseases. Others say a.s much
MLipiiioiL »C»p. 2t5. "Lib. 2. cap. 7. de
D>-o Morhi-qiip in epufr.i dc^criptis (It-ni rt-ptTimui.
"fpli!.-!! |ir..|iic. rap X lie itiis Syria. Rofinii*. *-S«-^
l.ilii Oiraliii •yclnt.'iiia ite diis, k.r. *> 1-J(.'hI. Jntiijarii
htiAt CI Icbraiit, ut aiijjurei et aiiimi s<iliciludine« pro-
piliata depellnl. * llanc di w pennsm cftnaprniTi,
Lipsiu*. «> Jn4!iK-u« Siiirenia ilin. Callir. ir>l7. Hue
nifiitc riplnr (!»>ilucuiii, i-i matin nrnlionibiK. tacriMi'i'
p^raciiii. in ilium lectum dorroiium {><>nunl, ice. <* lb
Gallia Narboneofi.
Mem. 3.] Patient. 275
(as ''^Hospinian observes) of the three khigs of Cologne ; their names written in
parchment, and hung about a patient's neck, with the sign of the cross, will prochice
like ed'ects. Read Lipomanaiis, or that golden legend oi Jacob as de Voragine, vou
shall have infinite stories, or those new relations of our "Jesuits in Japan and China,
of Mat. Riccius, Acosta, Loyola, Xaverius'si life, &c. Jasper Belga, a Jesuit, cured a
mad woman by hanging St. John's gospel about her neck, and many such. Holy
water did as much in Japan, &c. Nothing so familiar in their works, as such ex-
amples
But we on the other side seek to God alone. We say with David, Psal. xlvi. I.
•■' God is our hope and strength, and help in trouble, ready to be found." For their
catalogue of examples, we make no other answer, but that they are false fictions, or
diabolical illusions, counterfeit miracles. We cannot deny but that it is an onHnarv
thing on St. Anthony's day in Padua, to bring diverse madmen and demoniacal per-
sons to be cured : yet we make a doubt whether such parlies be so affected indeed,
but prepared by their priests, by certain ointments and drams, to cozen the common-
alty, as "^ Hildesheim well saith ; the like is commonly practised in Bohemia as
Mathiolus gives us to understand in his preface to his conrment upon Dioscorides.
But we need not run so far for examples in this kind, we have a just volume pub-
lished at home to this purpose. '"^" A declaration of egregious popish impostures, to
withdraw the hearts of religious men under the pretence of casting out of devils,
practised by Father Edmunds, alias Weston, a Jesuit, and divers Romish priests, his
wicked associates, with the several parties' names, confessions, examinations, &c.
which were pretended to be possessed." But these are ordinary tricks only to get
opinion and money, mere impostures, ^sculapius of old, that counterfeit God, chd
as many famous cures ; his temple (as '*' Strabo relates) was daily full of patients,
and as many several tables, inscriptions, pendants, donories, &c. to be seen in his
church, as at this day our Lady of Loretto's in Italy. It was a custom long since.
" suspeiidisse potenti
VcKtiinenla maris ileo."'*» Bor. Od. 1. lib. 5. Od.
To do the like, in former times they were seduced and deluded as they are now.
'Tis the same devil still, called* heretofore Apollo, Mars, Neptune, Venus, .'Escvda-
pius, &.C. as '*^ Lac tan tins 111). 2. de orig. erroris, c. 17. observes. The same Jupiter
and those bad angels are now worshipped and adored by the name of St. Sebastian,
Barbara, &c. Christopher and George are come in their places. Our lady succeeds
V^enus (as they use her in many .offices), the rest are otherwise supplied, as ^"Lavater
writes, and so they are deluded. ^' ''And God often winks at these impostures, be-
cause they forsake his word, and betake themselves to the devil, as they do that seek
after holy water, crosses," Stc. Wierus, lib. 4. cap. 3. What can these men plead
for themselves more than those heathen gods, the same cures done by both, the
same spirit that seduceth ; but read more of the Pagan god's effects in Austin de
Civitatc Dei^ I. 10. cap. 6. and of ^Esculapius especially in Cicogna I. 3. cap. S. or
put case they could help, why should we rather seek to them, than to Christ him-
self, since that he so kindly invites us unto him, " Come unto me all ye that are
heavy laden, and I will ease you," Mat. xi. and we know that there is one God,
'" one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, (1 Tim. ii. 5) who gave himself
a ransom for all men. We know that we have an ^^ advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ (1 Joh. ii. 1.) that there is no other name under heaven, by which we can be
saved, but by his," who is always ready to hear us, and sits at the right hand of
Gotl, and from '"^ whom we can have no repulse, solus vult, solus potest., curat unt-
vcrsos tanquam singulos^ et '^^ unnmqucmque nostrum et solum, we are all as one to
him, he cares for us all as one, and why should we then seek to any other but
to him.
•»3Lil>. (le orig. Festorum. Collo suspeiisa et perga- ; garments to the deity of the lieep." ">iaiiangeli
muiio iiiscripta, cum signo cnicis, &;c. " E-m. Acusta j sumpserunt olira iiomen Jovis, junonis, Apollinis, &c.
reriiin in OrlenlH gnst. a societal. Jesu, Anno
Iot)8. Epist. Gonsalvi Furnandis, Anno loGO. e Japo-
nia. 45 Spicel. de morbis dfemnniacis, sic a sacrifi-
cnlis |)arati unguentis ftlagicis corpnri illitis, nt sliilta;
plebecnla; persuadeant tales curari a Sancto Antonio.
<« Printed at London 4'" by J. Roberts. 1G(I5. "Grtg.
lib. 8. Ciijus fanum sgrotantium multitudine refertuin,
undiquaque et tabellis pendentibus, in quibus sanati
languores erant inscripii. ^ " To offer tiie sailors'
qnos Gentiles deos credebant, nunc S. Sebasliani, Bar-
harsE, &c. nomen habent. et aliorum. ^o Part. -2.
cap. '.I. de spect. Veneri substitnunt Virginem Mariani.
^^ Ad h^c ludibria Deus connivet freqiientur, nbi relicto
verbo Dei, ad Satanam curritur, qiiales hi snnt, qui
aqiiam lustralem, crncem, &c. lubricffi tidei hominibus
offeriint. *= Uharior e.st ipsis liorao quam sibi, Paul;
=3 Bernard. ** Austin.
276 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 1.
MEMB. \\.
SuBSECT. I. — Phijsickuu Patient^ Physic.
Of those diverse gifts which our apostle Paul saith God hath bestowed on man,
this of physic is not the least, but most necessary, and especially conducing to the
good of mankind. Next therefore to God in all our extremities ('Mbr of the most
high Cometh healing," Ecclus. xxxviii. 2.) we must seek to, and rely upon the Phy-
sician. ''' who is Maniis Dei., saith Hierophilus, and to whom he hath given know-
iedgt^ that lie might be gloritied in his wondrous works. " With such doiit he heal
men, and take away their pain.?,''' Ecclus. xxxviii. 6. 7. •' when thou hast need of
liim, let him not go from thee. Ti»e hour may come tliat their enterprises may have
i{oo(l success," ver. 13. It is not tlierefore to be doubted, that if we seek a pliysiciaii
as we ought, we may be eased of our inhnnities. such a one I mean as is sutlicieui,
and Worthily so called ; for there be many mountebanks, quacksalvers, empirics, in
I'very street almost, and in every village, tliat take upon them this name, make this
noble and profitable art to be evil spoken of and cuntenmed, by reason of these base
and illiterate artificers : but such a physician I speak of, as is approved, learned, skil-
ful, lionest, &c., of whose duty Wecker, ,.J/i//(/. cap. 2 et Syntax, vied. Crato. Julius
Alexaiidrmus medic. Heurnius -prax.med. lib. 3. cap. 1. Sfc. treat at large. For this
particular disease, him that shall take upon him to cure it, *^ Paracelsus will have to
lie a magician, a chemist, a philosopher, an astrologer; Thurnesscrus, Severinus the
Dane, and some other of his followers, reipiire as much : '' many of them cannot be
cured but by magic." "Paracelsus is so still" for those chemical medicines, that in
his cures he will admit almost of im other physic, deriiling in the mean time llippn-
crates, Galen, and all their followers: but magic, and all such remedies I liave
already censured, and shall speak of chemistry ^'elsewhere. Astrology is required
liy many famous physicians, by Ficinus, Crato, Fernelins; ** doubted of, and ixplodid
!)y others : I will not lake upon me to ilecide the controversy my.self, Johannes
I lossnrtus, Thomas Boderius, and .Maginus in the preface to his mathematical physic,
shall determine for nie. Many physicians explode astrolog)' in physic (saith he),
there is no use of it, unain artein «c quasi tenitrariutn inseclanfur, ac gloriam sihi
ah ejus imperitia^ aucupari: but I will reprove physicians by physicians, that defend
and profess it, Hippocrates, Galen, Avicen. Stc, that count them butchers without it,
homicidas medicos Jistrologice ignaros, Sfc. Paracelsus goes farther, and will liavL-
his physician ^ predestinated to this man's cure, this malady ; and lime of cure, the
scheme of each geniture inspected, gathering of herbs, of administering astrologically
observed ; in which Thurnesserus and some iatromalhemalical professors, are too
superstitious in my judgment. *' Hellebore will help, but not ahvay, not given by
•n-er}' physician, kc." but these men are too peremptory and self-conceited as I think.
Hut what do I do, interposing in that which is beyond my reach .' A blind man
cannot judge of colours, nor I peradventure of these things. Only thus much I
would require, honesty in ever)' physician, that he be not over-careless or covetous,
harpy -like to make a prey of his patient ; Carnificis numque est (as " VVeckcr notes)
inter ipsos cruciatiis ingens precium ctposcere, as a hungry chirurge«jn often produces
and wire-draws his cure, so long as there is any hope of pay, ^^ ,Yon rnissura cutem^
nisi phna cruoris Airuc/o."*^ Many of them, to get a fee, will give physic to every
one that comes, when there is no cause, and they do so irritare silentem morhiim^
.IS "• Heurnius complains, stir up a silent disease, as it often fallelh out, which by
good counsel, good advice alone, might have been happily composed, or by rectitica-
tion of those six non-natural things otherwise cured. This is JVuturtx bcUum inferre,
to oppugn nature, and to make a strong body weak. Arnoldus in his 8 and 1 1
Aphorisms gives cautions against, and expressly forbiddeth it. ^ "A wise physician
■'■* Ecclus. xxxviii. In the siglit of great men lit- eliali rap. 2 •• " The leech never releaix-* tli*- «l(in until
lie III a<liiiiration. ""Tom. 4. Tract. 'J. de iimrbu he i* rilled with l>l«<><j." •< U'UmI -aiK-'eveml, lih. :t.
aiiienliuni. horum mulll non nisi a .Magis niraiidi et cap. 1. cum noii oit necetisila§. Fnirlra fiitifaiit renip-
-Aiiirologis. quoniaiu origo ejus a ccclis iietentia >-!it iIim irsriM, qui virtii« ratiune rur;iri |«>i>iiuiii M< ir ni,.
&' Lil>. lie I'otlagra. soSect. 5. " Lwineiu.s, « Mo<|c!itU(i et napieiin iiieilicuit, iiuiic|.iairi ; •
J. Cvs^ir Clauiiiiiuii consult. *> Predestinatiini ail pharmaf uin. iii»i c"gfnle iiire,i<itale. 41 .\,
huiic curaiitliini. " HelleboruM curat, sed quiMl an ' t-i pius luedicus cihm pnus mediciual. quu:.. ......j
ouini datut medico vanum est. «> .Antid. gen. lib 3 puru morbum ezpellere satagat.
Mem. 4. Subs. 2.] Patient. 277
will not give physic, but upon necessity, and first try medicinal diet, before ho pro-
ceed to medicinal cure." ^^ In another place he laughs those men to scorn, that think
longh syrupis e.vpugnare dcBmones et anlml phantasniata., they can purge fantastical
imaginations and the devil by physic. Another caution is, that they proceed upon
good grounds, if so be there be need of physic, and not mistake the disease ; they
are often deceived by the ^'similitude of symptoms, saith Heurnius, and I could give
instance in many consultations, vi^herein they have prescribed opposite physic.
Sometimes they go too perfunctorily to work, in not prescribing a just ^^ course of
physic : To stir up the humour, and not to purge it, doth often more harm than
good. Montanus consil. 30. inveighs against such perturbations, " that purg-e to the
halves, tire nature, and molest the body to no purpose." ■ 'Tis a crabbed humour to
purge, and as Laurentius calls this disease, the reproach of physicians : Bcssardus.,
■iagellum medicorum^ their lash ; and for that cause, more carefully to be respected.
Though the patient be averse, saith Laurentius, desire help, and refuse it again, though
he neglect his own health, it behoves a good physician not to leave him helpless.
But most part they ofiend in tiiat other extreme, they prescribe too much physic,
and tire out their bodies with continual potions, to no purpose. Mtius telrahib. 2.
2. scr. cap. 90. will have them by all means therefore ^^"to give some respite to
nature," to leave off" now and then ; and Laelius a Fonte Eugubinus in his consulta-
tions, found it (as he there witnesseth) often verified by experience, '"'•'that at'ter a
deal of physic to no purpose, left to themselves, they have recovered." 'Tis that
which Nic. Piso, Donatus Altomarus, still inculcate, dare requiem naturcB, to give
nature rest.
SuBSECT. II. — Concerning the Patient.
When these precedent cautions are accurately kept, and that we have now got a
skilful, an honest physician to our mind, if his patient will not be conformable^ and
content to be ruled by him, all his endeavours will come to no good end. Manv
things are necessarily to be observed and continued on the patient's behalf: First
that he be not too niggardly miserable of his purse, or think it too much he bestows
upon himself, and to save charges endanger his health. -The Abderites, when they
sent for ■" Hippocrates, promised him what reward he would, "" all the gold they had,
if all the city were gold he should have it." Naaman the Syrian, when he weiit into
Israel to Elisha to be cured of his leprosy, took with him ten talents of silver, six
thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment, (2 Kings v. 5.) Another thing
is, that out of bashfulness he do not conceal his grief; if aught trouble his mind, let
him freely disclose it, '•'■Slultorum incurata pudor malus ulcera eclat .•" by that means
he procures to himself much mischief, and runs into a greater inconvenience : he
must be willing to be cured, and earnestly desire it. Pars sanitatis velle sanai .. Tiii!.,
(Seneca). 'Tis a part of his cure to wish his own health, and not to defer it too long
"3" Q.iii blandiendo dulcp nutrivit malum. I • He tliat liy rherisliing a mischief dnth provoke,
Seio recusal ferre quod subiit jugum." | Too late at last refusetli to cast otfliis yoke."
"<* " Helhhorum frustra cum jam cutis a^irra tnniehit, I " When the skin swells, to seek it to appease
Poscentes videas ; venieiiti occurrite iiiorlid.' | With ht'llelmre, is vain ; meet your diseas-f."
By this means many times, or through their ignorance in not taking notice of iheir
grievance and danger of it, contempt, supine negligence, extenuation, wretchedness
and peevishness ; they undo themselves. The citizens, 1 know not of what city now,
when rumour was brought their enemies were coming, could not abide to hear it ;
and when the plague begins in many places and they certainly know it, they com-
mand silence and hush it up-, but after they see their foes now marching to their
gates, and ready to surprise them, they begin to fortify and resist when 'tis too late;
when the sickness breaks out and can be no longer concealed, then they lament their
supine negligence : 'tis no otherwise with these men. And often out of prejxidice, a
loathing, and distaste of physic, they had rather die, or do worse, than take any of
™Crev. 1. c. 18. c" Similitiido sspe lionis medicis | hoc morho medicina nihil profecisse visi sunt, ct sibi
imponir. '^'Q.iii mehincholicis pra;bent reinedia non | demissi invaluerunt. '• Abderitani ep. Hippiic.
satis vnlida L'msiores uinrbi imprimis solertiam medici i '2 Qnjcquid auri apud nos est, libenter persolveriius,
postulant et t'lilclitatem. qui enirn tumulluario ho? trac- etiamsi tota urbs nostra aurum esset. '3 Seneca,
taut, vires absque ullocouimodo hEdunt et lran:;unt, &c. | 'i Per. 3. Sat.
''"Naturu; remissionem dare oportei. "Plerique \
278 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 1.
il. ."Barbarous immanity ( "^ Melancthon terms it) and folly to be deplored, so to
contemn tlie precepts of health, good remedies, and voluntarily to pull death, and
many maladies upon their own heads." Though many again are in that otlier
extreme too profuse, suspicious, and jealous of their health, too apt to take physic
on every small occasion, to aggravate every slender passion, imperfection, impedi-
ment : if their linger do but ache, run, ride, send for a physician, as many gentlewo-
men do, that are sick, without a cause, even when they will themselves, upon every
toy or small discontent, and when he comes, they make it worse than it is, b)- ampli-
fying that which is not, '^Hier. Cappivaccius sets it down as a connnon fault of all
" melancholy persons to say their symptoms are greater than they are, to help them-
selves." And which " Mercurialis notes, consil. 53. " to be more troublesome to their
pliysicians, than other ordinary patients, that they may have change of physic."
A iliird thing to be required in a patient, is contidence, to be of good cheer, and
have sure hope that his physician can help him. '°Damascen the Arabian requires
likewise in the physician himself, that he be contident he can cure him, otherwise his
physic will not be effectual, and promise withal that he will certainly help him, make
him believe so at least. '^Galeollus gives this reason, because the form of health is
contained in the physician's mind, and as Galen holds ^*' conlidence and hope to be
more ffood than physic," he cures most in whom most are confident. Axiocus sick
ahno.-i to death, at the very siglit of Socrates recovered his former health. Paracelsus
assiifus il for an only cause, wliv Hii)pocrates was so fortunate in his cures, not for
any extraordinary skill he had; *' but •• because the common people had a most strong
conceit of his worth." To this of confidence we may add perseverance, obedience,
and constancy, not to change his physician, or dislike him upon every toy; for he
tiiat so doth (^saith "Janus Damascen) "or consults with many, falls into many
errors; or that usedi many medicines." it was a chief caveat of "Seneca to his
friend Lucilius, that he should not alter his |>hysician, or prescribed physic: '' No-
tiiinir hinders health more; a wound can never betnired, that hath .several plaslbrs."
(,'rdio consil. 18(). laxeth all melancholy persons of this fault: '''"'Tis proper to
them, if things fall not out to their mind, and that they have not present ease, to
seek another and another;" i^as they do commonly that have sore eyes) twentv-one
after another, and they still promise all to cure them, try a thousand remedies ; anti by
lliis means they increase their malady, make it most dangerous and ditlicult to be cured.
They try many (sailh ** Montaims) and profit by none :" and for this cause, cimsil. 24.
lie enjoins his patient before he lake him in hand, **" perseverance and sulleiance,
for in such a small time no great mailer can be eflected, and upon that condition he
will administer physic, otherwise all his endeavour and counsel would be to small
purpose." And in his 31. counsel for a n*)lable matron, he tells her, *''•* if she will be
cured, she must be of a most abiding patience, faithful obedience, and singular per-
severance ; if she remit, or despair, she can expect or hope for no good success."
Consil. 230. for an Italian Abbot, he makes it one of the greatest reasons why lhi.'5
disease is so incurable, **»• because the parties are so restless, and impatient, and will
tlierelbre have him liiat intends to be eased, "" to take physic, not for a montli, a year,
l)Ul to apply himself to their prescriptions all the days of his life." Last of all, it i.s
required that the patient be not too bold to practise upon himself, wilhoul an approved
physician's consent, or to try conclusions, if he read a receipt in a b(x>k ; for so.
many grossly mistake, and do themselves more harm than good. That which is
conducing to one man, in one case, the sanie time is opposite to zinother. '*'An ass
"^ D«; anima. Barbara tamen imnianitale, ei depio- i iiii|>e«lit, ac renieiliorum erebra niutalin, nee viMiil vul-
r.imla iiiscilia cntiifiiinuiit prarcfpta <iaiiitati8 mortfin iius ad cicalrio-iii in qmi diversa iiiedicaiiifnla t>-rit«n-
el niortxw iiltro accersiint. '«Coii:>iil. ITJ^ rVoUzio liir. »« Mt-lanrlmliciiriirn propriiiiii. <|iiiiiii e» ei.rum
Mfiaiirli. JEtiiorimi hoc fere propriuiii est. ul eraviora arbilrio nun lit Hubiia niulatiu in riD-liuM, alt>;rare
riicaiil Hssr syniptoinala. quam revera sunt. "■' Mi-I.in ' nifilienn i|ui qni'li n. Sec. Con«il. 3l D>iin ad varia
ch'ihci pliTuiiique inedicis sunt inolcgii. m alia aliin w; ninfi-ruiit. imllii prosiinl. « liiipriniii* li<xr ilatuere
ailjijiisaiil. '"Oporlet intirnio iiiiprMii>-ri,- •aliilt-ni. <'p<irlPl, rri)uiri p»-r»evfrantiani, i?t l<il«-raiiliain. Kiiruii
utriiMi|iii' proniinere, etsi ipfe dfspprel. N'lillijiii ni^<\i- eiiiui ifin|H>re nihil >-x. A.r. •"■r>i rnrnri vull. opui
caiiiinlnni efficax. nisi niedicns ctiani fuf-rit rnrtK una '•*l [terliiiari p>;riu:v>-ranlia. T itia. t-t pa-
ltinaii..rii«. "D« proiniiK;. duel. cap. 15. Quoiiiani lieiitia miiijulari. hi la'^lcl am mi li.ir«bil
fiaiiiialis fiirniani aninii meilici cnnlincnt. *S(K-Hfl etr»-cluiii. '•.■EL'nludin' /ii'-ndaiu. ft
conlidenlia. plui valent quam mediciiia. ^> Paflicinr inde morhi inrurabiles. " N '> a. I niviiMrm anl
in nif<licina "h fideiii Ethmcoruni. w .^phori*. H'.t. annum, .•ed oppiirtrt t<>io vit» rurrirulo curatiuut op«
AZet-r qui pluriinoA rimsulit meiliro^, pleriiinniif ir rain dare. "Camerariui enib. U. ceal. iL
rrrureiii singuloruiii cadit. '» Nihil 1(3 sanitat>;k, '
Mem. 4. Subs. 3.] Patient. 279
and a mule went laden over a brook, the one with salt, the other witli wool : tlie
mule's pack was wet by chance, the salt melted, his burden the lighter, and he thereby
much eased : he told the ass, who, thinking to speed as well, wet his pack likewise
at the next water, but it was much the heavier, he quite tired. So one thing may
be good and bad to several parties, upon diverse occasions. '■' Many things (saith
®" Penottus) are written in our books, which seem to the reader to be excellent reme-
dies, but they that make use of them are often deceived, and take for physic poison."
I remember in Valleriola's observations, a story of one John Baptist a Neapolitan,
that finding by chance a pamphlet in Italian, -written in praise of heliebore, would
needs adventure on himself, and took one dram for one scruple, and had not lie been
sent for, the poor fellow had poisoned himself. From whence he concludes out of
Damascenus 2 et 3. Aphoris. """that without exquisite knowledge, to work out of
books is most dangerous : how unsavoury a thing it is to believe writers, and take
upon trust, as this patient perceived by his own peril." I could recite such another
example of mine own knowledge, of a friend of mine, that finding a receipt in Bras-
sivola, would needs take hellebore in substance, and try it on his own person; but
had not some of his familiars come to visit him by chance, he had by his indiscre-
tion hazarded himself: many such I have observed. These are those ordinary cau-
tions, which I should think fit to be noted, and he that shall keep them, as ^^Mou-
tanus saith, shall surely be much eased, if not thoroughly cured.
SuBSECT. III. — ■Concerning Physic.
Physic itself in the last place is to be considered ; " for the Lord hath created
medicines of the earth, and he that is wise will not abhor them." Ecclus. xxxviii. 4,
ver. 8. " of such doth the apothecary make a confection, &c." Of these medicines
there be diverse and infinite kinds, plants, metals, animals, &c., and those of several
natures, some good for one, hurtful to another : some noxious in themselves, cor-
rected by art, very wholesome and good, simples, mixed, &€., and therefore left to
he managed by discreet and skilful physicians, and thence applied to man's use. To
this purpose they have invented method, and several rules of art, to put these reme-
dies in order, for their particular ends. Physic (as Hippocrates defines it) is nought
else but "^ " addition and subtraction ;" and as it is required in all other diseases, so
in this of melancholy it ought to be most accurate, it being (as "'Mercurialis acknow-
ledgeth) so common an afl^ection in these our times, and therefore fit to be understood.
Several prescripts and methods I find in several men, some take upon them to cure
all maladies with one medicine, severally applied, as that Panacea Aiiruvi polahile,
so nmch controverted in these days, Herha soils., S^-c. Paracelsus reduceth all dis-
eases to four principal heads, to whom Severinus, Ravelascus, Leo Suavius, and
others adhere and imitate : those are leprosy, gout, dropsy, falling-sickness. To
which they reduce the rest ; as to leprosy, ulcers, itches, furfurs, scabs, &c. To
gout, stone, cholic, toothache, headache, &c. To dropsy, agues, jaundice, cachexia,
&c. To the falling-sickness, belong palsy, vertigo, cramps, convulsions, incubus,
apoplexy, &c. s^" Jf any of these four principal be cured (saith Ravelascus) all the
inferior are cured," and the same remedies commonly serve : but this is too general,
and by some contradicted : for this peculiar disease of melancholy, of which I am
now to speak, I find several cures, several methods and prescripts. They that intend
the practic cure of melancholy, saith Duretus in his notes to Hollerius, set down
nine peculiar scopes or ends ; Savanarola prescribes seven especial canons. .-Elianus
Montaltus cap. 26. Faventinus in his empirics, Hercules de Saxonia, &c., have their
several injunctions and rules, all tending to one end. The ordinary is threefold,
which I mean to follow. AiatrjjT'tzj;, Pharmacciilica., and Chirurgica, diet, or living,
apothecary, chirurgery, which Wecker, Crato, Guianerius, &c., and most, prescribe;
5f which I will insist, and speak in their order.
' Prrrfat. rie nar. mod. In libellis qus vulgo vers.in- | ordine decet, pjerit. vel r.urabitur. vel certe minus affi-
•sir apud litcratos, incantiores niulta lecuiit, a quibus cietur. MFuchsius cap. 2. lib. I. ^^ In pract.
de-ipiuiiliir, exiiiiia illis, sed iiortcntosum hswrimit ve- n\fd. h-Kr affectiu nostiis tempnrit)us frpq^ieiilissjina.
iifniim. i^^OpiTMri r-x lihris, alisqiie cr.j;iii'.,uii( ..>t e^i^o uia.iinjj pertiiiel ad nos liujiis ciirati'iiiem intclli
suli'ui ingenio, pcriciilosiim est. Unde inoneinur, quaiii ' gere. siiSi aliqiiis liorum niorboriiiii, siiiiimus sa
iu^ipiiliim scriptis audi. nbus credere, qiioil hie. siio di- i nalur, sanaiitur oiiines inferiores.
dicit periculo. ^isCoiisil. 23. haec omnia si 'luo;
280 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 8
SLOT. Jl. MEMH. ».
SuBSECT. I. — Diet rectified in substance.
DiET,^t(UTrTtxj7, utc/its, or living-, according to ^'Fuchsius and others, comprehends
hose six non-natural things, whicli I have before specified, are especial causes, and
being rectified, a sole or chief part of the cure. ^^ Johannes Arculanus, cap. 16. in
0. Rhasis., accounts the rectifying of these six a sufficient cure. Guianerius, tract.
15, cap. 9. calls them, propriam el primam cur«m, the principal cure : so doth Mon-
tanus, Crato, Mercurialis, Allomarus, &c., first to be tried, Lemnius, instit. cap. 22,
names them the hinges of our healtli, ^no hope of recovery without them. Reine-
rus Solenander, in his .seventh consultation for a Spanish young gentlewoman, that
was so melancholy she abhorred all company, and would not sit at table with her
familiar friends, prescribes this physic above the rest, '""no good to be done without
it. 'Aretus, lib. I. cap. 7. an old physician, is of opinion, that this is enough of itself,
if the parly be not too far gone in sickness. ^ Crato, in a consultation of his for a
noble patient, tells him plainly, that if his highness will keep but a good diet, he
will warrant him his former healtli. ^ 31ontanus, consil. 27. for a nobleman of France,
admonisheth his lordship to be most circumspect in his diet, or else all his other
physic will '"be to small purpose. The same injunction I find verbatim in J. Ca-sar
Claudinus, Respon.Si. Scoltzii, consil. 183. Trallianus, cap. IG. lib. 1. Lcelius (i
fonte jEugubinus often brags, that he hath done more cures in this kind by rectifi-
cation of diet, than all otlier physic besides. So that in a word 1 may say to most
melancholy men, as the fox said to the weasel, that could not get out of the garner,
Macra caviim repetes, quern mucra subisli^^ the six non-natural things caused it, and
they must cure it. Which howsoever I treat of, as proper to tlie meridian of melan-
choly, yet nevertheless, that which is here said witli him in ®Tully, thougli writ
especially for the good of his friends at Tarentum and Sicily, yet it will generally
serve ' most other diseases, and help them likewise, if it be observed.
Of these six non-natural things, the first is diet, properly so called, which consists
in meat and drink, in which we piust consider substance, quantity, quality, and that
opposite to the precedent. In substance, such meats are generally commended, which
are ^ '• moist, easy of digestion, and not apt to engender wind, not fried, nor roasted,
but sod (saith Valescus, Altomarus, Piso, &.c.) hot and moist, and of good nourish-
ment;" Crato, consil. 21. lib. 2. admits roast meat, * if the burned and scorched
superficies, the brown we call it, be pared off! Salvianus, lib. 2. cap. 1. cries out on
?old ai d dry meats ; '" young flesh and tender is approved, as of kid, rabbits, chickens,
veal, mutton, capons, hens, parlridjie, pheasant, quails, and all mountain birds, which
are so familiar in some parts of Africa, and in Italy, and as " Dublinius reports, the
common food of boors and cluwns in Palestine. Galen takes exception at mutton,
but without question he means that ramniy mutton, which is in Turkey and Asia
Minor, wliich have those great flesliy tails, of forty-eight pounds weight, as Verto-
mannus witnesseth, navitr. lib. 2. cap. 5. The lean of fat meat is best, and all man-
ner of broths, and pottage, with borage, lettuce, and such wholesome herbs are ex-
cellent good, especially of a cock boiled ; all spoon meat. Arabians commend brains,
but '^ Laurenlius, c. 8. excepts against them, and so do many others ; '^eggs are justi-
fied as a nutritive wholesome meat, butter and oil may pass, but with some limita-
tion; so '*Crjto confines it, and '• to some men sparingly at set times, or in sauce,"
« Instit. cap. 8. sect. 1. Victiis nomine non tarn cibus | which lean you entered." • 1. de finibii8 Tarentini*
et potiis. Sf d acr, cxerciiatio, sumnus, vi;,'ilia. et rt-liquie | el Sic>ilis. •> Modo non mulliini floiigi-iitur. • Lib.
res lex non-naturales continentiir. ^Suffioit pie- | 1. de melan. cap. 7. Calidiis tt hiiiiiidiiK cihuK ronrociu
runique rt'siuien reruni sex nonnaluralium. i* Et | facilis, flatus ei»rUts, eliii non nssi. n<-i|iie gilii fri.»i
ill his poti-sima sanilas consistit. lOo \iliil hie
a»enduiii sine e.xqiiisita Vivendi ratinne, tc. i Si
recens in.iluni sit nd pristiiiuin habiniiii r>-cii|M-randurn,
alia inedt-l.i non est opus. > Consil. 9i). lib. i. si
celsiliido Ilia, rectain victus rationein, tc. • .Moiico
Ihiniine, lit sis priirlens ad victiim. sine quo cetera re-
iii'^dia frii^tr.i adhibentur. < Omnia rninedia irrita
et vana sine his. Novistis me pterosque ita labnrantts,
virtu ihxiiis quam medicamentis ciirasse. > "When : batur.
you are a^ain lean, seek an e.xit through that hole by '
!>ini. *i'i interna taiituni pulpa devurftiir. non su-
perficies tnrrida ab igne. '-' IIimh- niitri>-iite« cilii,
teiiella tttas inultuni valet. Ciiriicii non virorie, mx jiin-
eueo. • " Hoedoper. piTi-cr. Mierosi.l. i*lniniira
Ftomacho. '•Not frieil or bultered, hut |Miiclie<l.
'*(.'on»il. Jfi. Non iiiipr>>liatiT« buivrniii et nieiiiii. "i
taiiien plus quam par sii. non proriiiidntur : rnirhari 1 1
iiM-llis us'js, uUliler ad ciboruin condimenta cnipto-
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.] Diet rectified. 281
and so sugar and honey are approved. '= All sharp and sour sauces must be avoided.
and spices, or at least seldom used : and so saffron sometimes in broth may be tole-
rated ; but these things may be more freely used, as the temperature of tlie party is
hot or cold, or as he shall find mconvenience by them. The tliinnest, whitest,
smallest wine is best, not thick, nor strong; and so of beer, the middling is fittest^
Bread of good wheat, pure, well purged from the bran is preferred ; Laurentius, cap.
8. would have it kneaded with rain water, if it may be gotten.
Water.] Pure, thin, light water by all means use, of good smell and taste, like to
the air m sight, such as is soon hot, soon cold, and which Hippocrates so much
approves, if at least it may be had. Rain water is purest, so that it fall not down in
great drops, and be used forthwith, for it quickly putrefies. Next to it fountain
water that nseth in the east, and runneth eastward, from a quick running spring, from
flinty, chalky, gravelly grounds : and the longer a river runneth, it is commonly the
purest, though many springs do yield the best water at their fountains. The waters
m hotter countries, as in Turkey, Persia, India, within the tropics, are frequently
purer than ours in the north, more subtile, thin, and lighter, as our merchants observe,
by four ounces in a pound, pleasanter to drink, as good as our beer, and some of
them, as Choaspis in Persia, preferred by the Persian kings, before wine itself.
io"Clitorio qiiicunque siliiii de fnnte levdrit
Vina fugit gaudetquc lueris abstemius undis."
Many rivers I deny not are muddy still, white, thick, like those in China, Nile in
Egypt, Tiber at Rome, but after they be settled two or three days, defecate and clear,
very commodious, useful and good. Many make use of deep wells, as of old in the
Holy Land, lakes, cisterns, when they cannot be better provided ; to fetch it in carts
or gone. >l-is, as in Venice, or camels' backs, as at Cairo in Egypt, " Rad^ivilius ob-
served 8000 camels daily there, employed about that business ; some keep it in
trunks, as in the East Indies, made four square with descending steps, and 'tis not
amiss, for I would not have any one so nice as that Grecian Calls, sister to Nice- *
phorus, emperor of Constantinople, and '« married to Dominitus Silvius, duke of
Venice, that out of incredible wantonness, communi aqua uti nolebat, would use no
vulgar water; but she died tanta (saith mine author) /(etidissimi puris copld, of so
fulsome a disease, that no water could wash her clean. "'Plato would not have a
traveller lodge in a city that is not governed by laws, or hath not a quick stream
running by it ; lUud enim armnum, hoc corrmnpit valetudinem., one corrupts the body,
the other the mind. But this is more than needs, too much curiosity is naught, in
time of necessity any water is allowed. Howsoever, pure water is best, and wiiich
(as Pindarus holds) is better than gold ; an especial ornament it is, and " very com-
modious to a city (according to ^^Vegetius) when fresh springs are included'within
the walls," as at Corinth, in the midst of the town almost, there was arx allissma
scatensfontibus, a goodly mount full of fresh water springs : "if nature afford them
not they must be had by art." It is a wonder to read of those -' stupend aqueducts,
and mfimte cost hath been bestowed in Rome of old, Constantinople, Carthage, Alex-
andria, and such populous cities, to convey good and wholesome waters : read
' Fronlinus, Lipsius de admir. ''PUnius, lib. 3. cap. 11. Strabo in his Geogr. That
aqueduct of Claudius was most eminent, fetched upon arches fifteen miles, every
arch 109 feet high : they had fourteen such other aqueducts, besides lakes and cis-
terns, 700 as I take it ; ^ every house had private pipes and channels to serve them
for their use. Peter Gillius, in his accurate description of Constantinople, speaks
of an old cistern which he went down to see, 3.36 feet long, 180 feet broad, built of
marble, covered over with arch-work, and sustained by 330 pillars, 12 feet asunder,
and in eleven rows, to contain sweet water. Infinite cost in channels and cisterns.'
from Ndiis to Alexandria, hath been formerly bestowed, to the admiration of these
tunes ; ^' their cisterns so curiously cemented' and composed, that a beholder wouk
J^Murcurialis consil. 88. acerba omnia evitantur
ii^Gvul. Met. lib. 15 " VVIiocver has allayerl his thirst
with the water of the Clituriiis, avoids wine, and ah-
Eteniioiis ileliirhts in pure water only." " Pregr. Hier.
"•The Dukes of Venice were then permitteil u marry.
'» Ue Legibus. 20 ^jb. 4. cap. 10. M;i3 la urbis
utilitas cum perennes fontes muris includuntui, quod si
36 v2
natura non pra?stat, effijndiendi, &c. 21 Opera pigan-
turn dicit aliquis. "De aqujeduct. -^sCurtiug
Fons a quadragesimo lapide in nrhirm opere arcuato
perdnctus. Plin. UG. 15. 2' aua-que domus Rom*
fistulas habebat et canales, &.c. '^ Lib. 2. ca. iO. Jod.
a Meggen. cap. 15. pv/eg. Hier. Belloiiius.
282 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
•
take them to be all of one stone: when the foundation is laid, and cistern made,
their liouse is half built. That Segovian aqueduct in Spain, is much wondered at iu
these days, ^"upon three rows of pillars, one above another, conveying swe3t water
to every house : but each city almost is full of such aqueducts. Amongst the rest
*' he is eternally to be commended, that brought tliat new stream to the north side
of London at his own cliarge: and Air. Olho Nicholson, founder of our water-works
and elegant conduit in Oxford. So much have all times attributed to this element,
to be conveniently provided of it : although Galea hath taken exceptions at such
waters, which run through leaden pipes, ob cerussam qucB in lis gcneralur., for that
unctuous ceruse, which causetli dysenteries and lluxes ; ^'^yet as Alsarius Crufius of
Genna well answers, it is opposite to common experience. If that were true, most
of our Italian cities, Montpelier in France, with infmite others, would lind this in-
convenience, but there is no such matter. For private families, in what sort they
should furnish themselves, let them consult with F. Crescentius, de Agrlc. I. I.e. 4,
Pamphilius Hirelacus, and the rest.
Amongst fishes, those are most allowed of, that live in gravelly or sandy waters,
pikes, perch, trout, gudgeon, smelts, flounders, Stc. Hippolitus Salvianus takes
exception at carp; but 1 dare boldly say with ^'Dubravius, it is an excellent meat,
if it come not from ^ muddy pools, that it retain not an unsavoury taste. Erinacius
Marinus is much commended by Oribatius, iEtius, and most of our late writers.
^' Crato, consil. 21. iib. 2. censures all manner of fruits, as subject to putrefaction,
yet tolerable at sometimes, after meals, at second course, they keep down vapours,
and have their use. Sweet fruits are best, as sweet cherries, plums, sweet apj)les,
pear-mains, and pippins, which Laurentius extt)ls, as having a peculiar property
against this disease, and Plater magnifies, omnibus viodis appropriaia convvniunt^ Itut
tliey must be corrected for tlieir windiness : ripe grapes are good, and raisins of the
sun, musk-nulons well corrected, and sparingly used. Figs are allowed, and almonds
blanched. Trallianus discommends tigs, ^Salvianus olives and capers, which ^others
especially like of, and so of pislick nuts. Alontanus and Mercurialis out of Aven-
zoar, admit peaches, *' pears, and apples baked after meals, only corrected with sugar,
and aniseed, or fennel-seed, and so they may be profitably taken, because they
strengthen the stomach, and keep down vapours. The like may be said of preserved
cherries, plums, marn.tdade of plums, (juinces, Slc, but not to drink after them.
^ Pomegranates, lemons, oranges are tolerated, if they be not too sharp.
'^Craio will admit of no herbs, but borage, bugloss, endive, fennel, aniseed, bauni ;
Callenius and Arnoldus tolerate lettuce, spinage, beets, kc. The same Crato will
allow no roots at all to be eaten. Some approve of potatoes, parsnips, but all cor-
rected for wind. No raw salads; but as Laurentius prescribes, in broths; and so
Crato commends many of them : or to use borage, hops, baum, steeped in their
ordinary drink. ^Avenzoar magnifies the juice of a pomegranate, if it be sweet, and
especially rose water, which he would have to be used in every dish, which they put
in practice in those hot countries, about Damascus, where (if we may believe the
relations of Vertomannus) many hogsheads of rose water are to be sold in the market
at once, it is in so great request with them.
SuBSECT. II. — Diet rectified in quantity.
M.\x alone, saith ^Cardan, eats and drinks without appetite, and useth all his
pleasure without necessity, unimce vitio, and thence come many inconveniences unto
him. For there is no meat whatsoever, though otherwise wholesome and good, but
if unseasonably taken, or immoderately used, more than the stomach can well bear,
it will engender crudity, and do much harm. Therefore '^Crato adviseth his patient
s^Cyiir. Fxhovius dclit. Hisp. Aqua proflueiis iiide in i quiB graio sunt sapore, cocta mala, poma losta, el »ae-
oiuti.s ten- iliimusducitur, ill puttiaqm.que aiilivo tern- I cliaro, vel aiiisi hoiiiiiie <:..iis|..rba, iidlir r !<(.ttiiii a
pore fri;,'i(lissiina tons.Tvulur. "Sir Hii^h Middle- prandio vel a tcpiia sunn pocr^iiiit. e<i qiiiNl v.-iuriculum
l.in, baronet. * De qiio^sitis iiied. cent. lol. 354. ! rotxjrent et va|).<res caput pelniteH rcirriiuaiit. Mont.
*Dc piscibus lib. tiabent onines in lautiliis, ni.ido iion I " Funica mala aurantia coiiinxjde iMriiiiiliiiitiir uio<in
Finl e cn'HDSO loco. » De pise. c. 2. I. 7. Pluriiiiiiiu noii suit auslera el acidu. ie(Jl.-ra oiiiiiiit piirti-r
pra-Hiat ad utilitatem et jucunditaleni. Mem 1'rallia- | buragineui, liiii;l<J!*iiuiii. iiitybum. IVniruliiiii. aiiiruin.
IIU8 lib. 1. c. Iti. pisces petrosi, et iiioUes cariie. 3i Ki^i nielisfum vitari debent. ^ .Mercuniilis prati. .Mi-.l.
uniiieti piitredini sunt obnoxii, ubi ^ecundis niensis, in- | 3c J.ib. 'J. de com. Sidiiii liomi edit luNlnue. ace
cepto jainpriore.devoreiitiir.commodi sucri prosunt.qui i aaCoiisil. -Jl. 18. si plus meerata quaiii n.ir i-»l' ti v«yi-
rfulcedwie sunt pra;diti. Lt dulcia cerasa, ponia, «cc. I triculus tolerare posset, uotet, cl crudilaica 2tnerSl
Lib. 2. cap. I. 9* Moutanus (»D6iI. 24. ** Pyra | &.c.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Diet nctljied. 283
to eat but twice a day, and tliat at his set meals, by no means to eat without an
appetite, or upon a full stomach, and to put seven hours' difference between dinner
and supper. Which rule if we did observe in our colleges, it would be much better
tor our healths : but custom, that tyrant, so prevails, that contrary to all good ordei
and rules of physic, we scarce admit of five. If after seven hours' tarrying he shaj]
licive wo stomach, let him defer iiis meal, or eat very little at his oixlinary time of
repast.^ TJiis very counsel was given by Prosper Calenus to Cardinal Ceesius, labour-
ing of this disease ; and ^° Platerus prescribes it to a patient of his, to be most
severely kept. Guianerius admits of three meals a day, but Montanus, consil. 25. pro.
db. Itulo^ ties him precisely to two. And as he must not eat overmuch, so he may
not absolutely fast ; for as Celsus contends, lib. l.Jacchmus 15. in 9. Rhasis., ■" reple-
tion and inanition may both do harm in two contrary extremes. Moreover, that
which lie doth eat, must be well '^chewed, and not hastily gobbled, for that causeth
crudity and wind ; and by all means to eat no more than "he can well digest. " Some
timik (saith ''^ Trincavelius, lib. 11. cap. 29. de cur and. part, hum.) the more they eat
ihe more they nourish themselves:" eat and live, as the proverb is, "not knowing
that only repairs man, which is well concocted, not that which is devoured." Melan-
choly men most part have good ''^appetites, but ill digestion, and for that cause they
must be sure to rise with an appetite ; and that which Socrates and Disarius the
physicians in ''^Macrobius so much require, St. Hierom enjoins Rusticus to eat and
dank no more than will '"^ satisfy hunger and thirst. ■^'Lessius, the Jesuit, holds
twelve, thirteen, or fourteen ounces, or in our northern countries, sixteen at most,
(^for all students, weaklings, and such as lead an idle sedentary life) of meat, bread,
&.C., a lit proportion for a whole day, and as much or Ihtle more of drink. Nothing
pesters the body and mind sooner than to be still fed, to eat and ingurgitate beyond
all measure, as many do. ^^ " By overmuch eating and continual feasts they stifle
nature, and choke up themselves ; which, had they lived coarsely, or like "galley
slaves been tied to an oar, might have happily prolonged mauy fair years."
A great inconvenience comes by variety of dishes, which causeth the precedent
distemperature, ''^"than which (saith Avicenna) nothing is worse 5 to feed on diver-
sity of meats, or overmuch," Sertorius-like, in lucem ccznare^ and as commonly tb.ey
do in Muscovy and Iceland, to prolong their meals all day long, or all night.' Our
northern countries offend especially in this, and we in this island [ampliter viventcs
in prandiis ct ccenis^ as =°Polydore notes) are most liberal feeders, but to our own
hurt. ''^Pcrsicos odi puer apparatus: " Excess of meat breedeth sickness, and glut-
tony causeth choleric diseases : by surfeiting many perish, but he that dieteth him-
self prolongeth his life," Ecclus. xxxvii. 29, 30. We account it a great glory for a
man to have his table daily furnished with variety of meats : but hear the physician,
he pulls thee by the ear as thou sittest, and telleth thee, ^^ •' that nothing can be more
noxious to thy health than such variety and plenty." Temperance is a bridle of
gold, and he that can use it aright, '^'^ego non summis viris comparv, sed sbniUbnuni
Deo judico, is liker a God than a man : for as it will transform a beast to a man
again, so will it make a man a God. To preserve thine honour, health, and to avoid
therefore all those inflations, torments, obstructions, crudities, and diseases that come
by a full diet, the best way is to *^feed sparingly of one or two dishes at most, to
have ventrcm bene moratu?n, as Seneca calls it, ^^"to choose one of many, and to
feed on tiiat alone," as Crato adviseth his patient. The same counsel *® Prosper
Calenus gives to Cardinal Caesius, to use a moderate and simple diet : and thou!>!i
his table be jovially furnished by reason of his state and guests, yet for his own part
•""Observat. lib. 1. Assucscat bis in die cibos, sumere,
cp.-ta semper bora. <' Ne plus ingerat caveiidum
q'laiii vciitriculus ferre potest, sempcrqur; siir^'at a
iiimisa niiii satur. "Siqiiidein qui seiniiiiansum
velocitur iiiacrunt cibuin, veiitriculo laboreni iiifi;rLiiit,
et Mams iiiaximos promoveiit, Crato. _ "(jujdaia
iiiaxiiiie coiiiedere iiiluiitiir, pulantes ea ratione se vires
relectiirns ; igiioranles, noii ea qiis iiigeruiit posse
vires relicere, sed quE probe concoquunt. ■'^ Multa
appetiiiit, pauca digeriiiit. ■'^Saturiial. lib. 7. cap. 4.
^<' .Modiciis el leinperatus cibus el carni et aiiima; iitilis
isl. -1" Uygiaslicoii reg. 14. 16. uncia; per diem suf-
ficiant, foinpiitato pane, came ovis, vel aliis obsoniis,
el totideiu vel paulo plures uucix prutils. -^'^ideiu
reg.27. Plures in domibus suis brevi tempore pascentes
ex'tinguuntur, qui si triremibus vincti fuissent, aut
gregario pane pasji, sani ei incolumes in longain a-ta-
teai vitam prorogasseiit. *> Nihil deterius quatn
diversa nutrienlia siniiil adjungere, et comedendi tem-
pus prorogare. £^0 Lib. 1. hist. siHuradlib. 5.
ode ult. s^Ciborum varietate et copia in eadera
mensa nihil noceiitius liomini ad luteni. Fr. Valeriola,
observ. I. -X cap. tj. =3Tul. orat. pro M. .Marcel.
^ Nullus cibum sun)ere debet, nisi stomachus sit vacuus
Gordon, lib. med. I. 1. c. 11. ^^ E multis eduliis
unum elige, relictisqiie cteteris. ex eocouiede. ""' L.
de alra bile. Simplex sit cibus el non varius: quud
licet dignitati tu« ob convivas difficile videatur, &,c.
284 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
to single out some one savoury dish and feed on it. The same is inculcated by
" Crato, consil. 9. I. 2. to a noble personage affected with this grievance, ho would
have his highness to dine or sup alone, without all his honourable attendance and
courtly company, with a private friend or so, ^^a dish or two, a cup of Rhenish wine.
&c. Montanus, consil. 24. for a noble matron enjoins her one dish, and by nc
means to drink between meals. Tlie like, consil. 229. or not to eat till h(' be an
hungry, which rule Berengarius did most strictly observe, as Ililbertus, Ccnomcccnsls
Episc. writes in his life.
"cui non fuit iinquam
Ante sitiiii potus, nee cibus ante faineni,"
and which all temperate men do constantly keep. It is a frequent solemnity still
used with us, when friends meet, to go to the alehouse or tavern, they are not soci-
able otherwise: and if they visit one another''s houses, ihey must both eat and drink.
1 reprehend it not moderately used ; but to some men nothing can be more otiensive;
they had better, I speak it with Saint ^'^ Ambrose, pour so much water in iheir slioes.
It much avails likewise to keep good order in our diet, '"'' to eat liquid things
first, broths, fish, and such meats as are sooner corrupted in the stomach ; luuder
meats of digestion must come last." Crato would have the supper less than the
dinner, which Cardan, Contradict, lib. 1. Tract. 5. contradict. 18. disallows, and that
by the authority of Galen. 7. art. curat, cap. 0. and for four reasons he will have the
supper biggest : I have read many treatises to this purpose, I know not how it may
concern some few sick men, but for my part generally for all, I should subscribe to
that custom of the Romans, to make a sparing dinner, and a liberal supper ; all
their preparation and invitation was still at supper, no mention of dinner. Many
reasons I could give, but when all is said pro and con., ^' Cardan's rule is best, to keep
that we are accustomed unto, though it be naught, and to follow our disposition and
appetite in some things is not amiss ; to eat sometimes of a dish which is hurtfid,
if we liave an extraordinary liking to it. Alexander Severus loved hares and apples
above all other meats, as "^ Lampridus relates in his life : one pope pork, another
peacock, &c.; what harm came of it? I conclude our own experience is the best
physician; that diet which is most propitious to one, is often pernicious to anothei.
such is the variety of palates, humours, and tumperatures, let every man observe, and
be a law unto himself. Tiberius, in "Tacitus, did laugh at all such, that thirlv
years of age would ask counsel of others concerning matters of diet ; I say the
same.
These few rules of diet he that keeps, shall surely find great ease and speedy
remedy by it. It is a wonder to relate that prodigious temperance of some hermits,
anchorites, and fathers of the church : lie that shall but read their lives, written by
Ilierom, Athanasius, Stc, how abstemious heathens have been in this kind, those
Curii and Fabritii, those old philosophers, as Pliny records, lib. 11. Xenophon, lib.
1. de I'it. Socrat. Emperors and kings, as Nicephorus relates, Eccles. hist. lib. 18.
cap. 8. of Mauritius, Ludovicus Pius, Stc, and that admirable "^ example of Ludovicus
Cornarus, a patrician of Venice, cannot but admire them. This have they done
voluntarily and in health ; what shall these private men do that are visited with sick-
ness, and necessarily *" enjoined to recover, and continue their health } It is a hard
thing to observe a strict diet, e/ qui medice vivil, misere vivit^^as the saying is,
quale hoc ipsum erit vivere, his si privatus fueris? as good be buried, as so nmch
debarred of his appetite ; excessit medicina malum, the physic is more troublesome
than the disease, so he complained in the poet, so thou thinkest : yet he that loves
himself will easily endure this little misery, to avoid a greater inconvenience; e
malis minimum, better do this than do worse. And as " Tully holds, '' better be a
temperate old man than a lascivious youth. 'Tis the only sweet thing (which he
A'Celsitudo tua prandeat sola, absque apparatu auli- omnia quotidianiim Ifporem habuit, ct |>onii«< indiilsit.
CO, contentus sit ijlustrissimus princeps duobus tantiim i " Anna). 6. Ridere solehat cos, qui pf)i't 30. iriatig an-
fereulis, vinoque Rhenanu solum in mensa utatur. num, ad cognoscen<la rorpori euo nona vel iiiilia. ali-
'*Sempi?rintra satietatem a mensa recedat, uno ferculo, cujiisi coMHilii imlijiercMl. "A Lessio i-du. 1614.
cnti-ntus. *" Lib. de Hel. et Jejunio. Multo nie- ; "^ iti^yplii i>liin omnes morbo* curabaiit voniitu i-t ji-ju-
lius in terram vina fudisses. «>Crato. Miillum ' nio. "ijohenius lili. 1. rap 5. "" lli- who liv»i
referl lion ignorarc qui cibi priores. &c. Iigiiida pruce- I medically lives nii-icrabiy." "Cat. Major : .Melior
dant carniurn jura, pi^^ces, fructus, &.c. CtBna brevior conditio senis vivenlisei prtMcriptuurtmuiedicof.quatl
Nt prandio. <■ Tract, ti. contradict. 1. lib. I. ''Super I adolesccntis luxuriosi.
Mera. 2. J Retention and Evacuation rectified. 285
adviseth) so to moderate ourselves, that we may have scnectuiem in juve7itute, et in
juvenfute senectutem.^ be youthful in our old age, staid in our youth, discreet anil
temperate in both.
MExAIB. II.
Retention and Evacuation rectified.
I HAVE declared in the causes what harm costiveness hath done in procuring this
disease; if it be so noxious, the opposite must needs be good, or mean at least, as
indeed it is, and to this cure necessarily required ; marime conducif, saith Moataltus,
cap. 27. it very much avails. ^'Altomarus, cap. 7, " commends walking in a morn-
ing, into some fair green pleasant fields, but by all means first, by art or nature, he
will have these ordinary excrements evacuated." Piso calls it, Beneficiuni vcnfris,
the benefit, help or pleasure of tlie belly, for it doth much ease it. Lain-entius, cap.
8, Crato, consil. 21. I. 2. prescribes it once a day at least: where nature is defective,
art must supply, by those lenitive electuaries, suppositories, condite prunes, turpen-
tine, clysters, as shall be shown. Prosper Calenus, lib. de aira bile, commends
clysters in hypochondriacal melancholy, still to be used as occasion serves ; ^^ Peter
Cnemander in a consultation of his pro hypocondriaco, will have his patient continu-
ally loose, and to that end sets down there many forms of potions and clysters.
Mercurialis, consil. 88. if this benefit come not of its own accord, prescribes '° clys-
ters in the first place : so doth Montanus, consil. 24. consil. 31 ei 229. he commends
turpentine to that purpose : the same he ingeminates, consil. 230. for an Italian abbot.
T."'is very good to wash his hands and face often,* to shift his clothes, to have fair
linen about him, 'to be decently and comely attired, for sordes vitiant, nastiness de-
files and dejects any man that is so voluntarily, or compelled by want, it duUeth the
spirits.
Baths are either artificial or natural, both have their special uses in this malady,
and as ''Alexander supposeth, lib. 1. cap. 16. yield as speedy a remedy as any other
physic whatsoever. iElius would have them daily used, assidua balnea., Tetra. 2.
sect. 2. c. 9. Galen cracks how many several cures he hath performed in this kind
by use of baths alone, and Rufus pills, moistening them which are otherwise dry.
Rhasis makes it a principal cure, Tota cura sit in humeciando, to bathe and after-
wards anoint with oil. Jason Pratensis, Laurentius, cap. 8. and Montanus set down
tiieir peculiar forms of artificial baths. Crato, consil. 17. lib. 2. commends mallows,
camomile, violets, borage to be boiled in it, and sometimes fair water alone, and in
his following counsel, Balneum aquce dulcis solum scepissime profuisse compertum
habemus. So doth Fuchsius, lih. 1. cap. 33. Frisi})ielica, 2. consil. 42. in Trincavelius.
Some beside herbs prescribe a ram's head and other things to be boiled. "^ Fernelius,
consil. 44. will have them used ten or twelve days together; to which he must enter
lasting, and so contmue in a temperate heat, and after that frictions all over the body.
Lelius Jilgubinus, consil. 142. and Christoph. ^Ererus, in a consultation of his, hold
once or twice a week suflicient to bathe, the .'^" water to be warm, not hot, for fear
of sweating." Felix Plater, obscrv. lib. 1. for a melancholy lawyer, '^''wiil have
lotions of the head still joined to these baths, with a ley wherein capital herbs have
been boiled." "^ Laurentius speaks of baths of milk, which I find aj)proved bv manv
others. And still after bath, the body to be anointed with oil of bitter almonds, of
violets, new or fresh butter, ™ capon's grease, especially the backbone, and then
lotions of the head, embrocations, &c. These kinds of baths have been in former
times much frequented, and diversely varied, and are still in general use in those
eastern countries. The Romans had their public baths very sumptuous and stupend,
»■» Debet per aniKna exerceri, et loca viridia, excretis 1 tantia, inquit Montanus consil. 26. '^In quihus
prius arte vel nattira alvi excremenlis. ^ Hildestieira | jejunus diu sedeat eo tempore, ne sudorein excitenl aiit
spicel. 2. de mel. Primum omnium nperam dabis ut sin- j nianifestum teporem, sed quadam refrigeratione hu-
pulis diebus habeas beneficium ventris, semper cavendo | raectent. "Aqua non sit calida. sed tepicia, ne
ne alvus sit diutius astricta. '"Si non sponte, clis- ^ sudor sequatur. '^ Lotiones capitis ex lixivio. in
teribus purgetur. " Balneorum usus dulcium, siquid | quo herbas capitales coierint. '' Cap. 8. de mel.
aliud, ipsis opitulatur. Credo lisr. dici cum aliqua jac- ; ^^ Aut axungia pulli, Piso.
286 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
as those of Antoninus and Dioclesian. Plin. 36. saith there were an infinite number
of them in Rome, and mightily frequented ; some bathed seven times a day, as Com-
modus the emperor is reported to have done ; usually twice a day, and they were
after anointed with most costly ointments : rich women bathed themselves in milk,
some in the milk of five hundred she-asses at once :. we have many ruins of such
baths found in this island, amongst those parietines and rubbish of old Roman towns.
Lipsius, de mag. Urh. Rom. I. 3, c. 8, Rosinus, Scot of Antwerp, and other antiquaries,
tell strange stories of their baths. Gillius, /. 4. cap. ult. Topogr. Constant, reckons
up 155 public ''baths in Constantinople, of fair building; they are still "frequented
in that city by the Turks of all sorts, men and women, and all over Greece, and
those hot countries ; to absterge belike that fulsomeness of sweat, to which they are
there subject. '^Busbequius, in his epistles, is very copious in describing the manner
of them, how their women go covered, a maid following with a box of ointment to
rub them. The richer sort have private baths in their houses ; the poorer go to the
common, and are generally so curious in this behalf, that they will not eat nor drink
until they have bathed, before and after meals some, ^"and will not make water
(but they will wash their hands) or go to stool." Leo Afer. I. 3. makes mention of
one hundred several baths at Fez in Africa, most sumptuous, and such as jiave great
revenues belonging to them. Buxtorf. cap. 14, Synagog. Jud. speaks of many cere-
monies amongst the Jews in this kind ; they are very superstitious in their baths,
especially women.
Natural baths are praised by some, discommended by others ; but it is in a divers
respect. *' 3Iarcus, dc Oddis in Hip. ajfect. consulted about baths, condenms them
for the heat of the liver, because they dry too fast; and yet I)y and by, *"^in anotlier
counsel for the same disease, he approves them because tliey cleanse by reasr^n of
the sulphur, and would have their«water to be drunk. Areteus, c. 7. conuuends alum
baths above the rest; and '^ Mercurialis, corisil.SH. those of Lucca in that hypochon-
driacal passion. " He wouUl have his patient tarry there fifteen days together, and
drink the water of them, and to be bucketed, or have the water poured on his head.
John Eaptista, Sylvaticus cont. 64. commends all the baths in Italy, and drinking of
their water, whether they be iron, alum, sulphur ; so doth ^ Hercules de Saxoniii
But in that they cause sweat and dry so much, he confines himself to hypochon-
driacal melancholy alone, excepting that of the head and the other. Trincavelius,
consil. 14. lib. 1. refers those ''^ Porrectan baths before the rest, because of the mix-
ture of brass, iron, alum, and consil. 35. /. 3. for a melanchf)ly lawyer, and cunsil. 36.
in that hypochondriacal passion, the "* baths of Aquaria, and 3(5. consil. the drinking
of them. Frisimelica, consulted amongst the rest in Trincavelius, consil. 42. lib. 2.
prefers the waters of '"Apona before all artificial baths whatsoever in this dii^ease, and
would have one nine years affected with hypochondriacal passions fly to them as to
a **holy anchor. Of tlie same mind is Trincavelius himself there, and yet both put
a hot liver in the same party for a cause, and send him to the waters of St. Helen,
which are much hotter. Montanus, consil. 230. magnifies the *'®Chalderinian baths,
and C07isil 237. et 239. he exliorteth to the same, but with this caution, '^'"that the
liver be outwardly anointed with some coolers that it be not overheated." But these
baths must be warily frequented by melancholy persons, or if used, to such as are
very cold of themselves, for as Gabelius concludes of all Dutch baths, and especially
of those of Baden, '^ they are good for all cold diseases, ^' naught for choleric, hot
and dry, and all infirmities proceeding of choler, inflammations of the spleen and
liver." Our English baths, as they are hot, must needs incur the same censure : hut
D. Turner of old, and D. Jones have written at large of them. Of cold baths I find
little or no mention in any physician, some speak against them : ^ Cardan alone out
"TherratB. NympheiE. ''■Pandps lib. 1. saith, that =" Ail aquas Aponenses velut ad sncram anchnram ron-
women go twice a week tothe hathsat least. "»Epist.3. i fiigiat. "Joh. Baubinns li. 3. c. 14. hint, ailiiiir.
e« .N'rc alviim excernunt, quin aqiiaiii secuin portent Fontis Bollenses in diirat. VVilti'iiilicre lainiiit aquas
qua partes obscapiias laveiit. Bii-^bequius pp. :). l.,pi;. ^ Brilleiiscs ad nielaiicholicus morbcis, niarrctPiii. laecina.
Tiirciae. "' Hildesheini speciel. 2. de niel. Hypocon. ! tionpiii, aliaque aniini patlipinaia '■■• Itnliii'a t'hal
SI nixi adesset jecoris caliditas, Thernias laiidareiii, derina. >« Hepar pxlerne iincatiir ne i-ttl«flal.
et si nnn iiiiiiia hiiinoris e,Tsircalin esset niet>ieiida. >i \nceiit calidis et siccis. cliolpriciti, ft oiiiinhiis nmrbit
••Fol. Ml. f»ThiTmas Liictnsps adeat, ibiqiie aquas px cholera, hppatis. i<pleniM{ue iirtt.-clniiiiliui'. '•" Lib.
ejui! pi'T 15. dies pniet.cl calidaruin aqij;iruiii stilliridiis | de aqua. Qui breve hoc vita? curriculum nipiiinl !i«oi
tuin caput turn ventrieiiluin de mure suhjiciat. '■ In | transivere. Irigiilis aquiii twp<- lavare dt-beiil, nuHi ctali
pantb. •* Aque Porrectanse. « .4qu(e Aquariir. i ruin sit incongrua, calidis iinpriinifl utilis.
Mem. 2.] Retention and Evacuation rectified 28?
of Agathinus " commends bathing in fresh rivers, and cold waters, and adviseth all
such as mean to live long to use it, for it agrees with all ages and complexions, and
IS most profitable for hot temperatures." As for sweating, urine, blood-lettin^r bv
hajmrods, or otherwise, I shall elsewhere more opportunely speak of them. "^ "
Immoderate Venus in excess, as it is a cause,' or in defect ; so moderately used to
some parties an only help, a present remedy. Peter Forestus calls it apiisslmum
remeduim, a most apposite remedy, ^3" remitting anger, and reason, that was other
wise bound." Avicenna Fen. 3. 20. Oribasius med. collect, lib. 6. cap. 37. contend
out of RufTus and others, ^■*"that many madmen, melancholy, and labouring- of the
Mling sickness, have been cured by this alone." I^Iontaltus' cap. 27. de melan. will
have it drive away sorrow, and all illusions of the brain, to purge the heart and brain
from ill smokes and vapours that offend them : ^' " and if it be omitted," as Valescus
supposeth, " it makes the mind sad, the body dull and heavy." Many other incon-
veniences are reckoned up by IVIercatus, and by Rodericus a Castro.' in their tracts
de melancholia virginum et vionialium; oh semin'is relent ionem satviimt scepe moniales
ft virgijies, but as Platerus adds, si nubant sanantur, they rave single, and pine awav,
much discontent, but marriage mends all. Marcellus Donatus lib!'2. mod. hist, cap.'l.
tells a story to confirm this out of Alexander Benedictus, of a maid that was mad,
ob menses inhibitos, cum in officinam yneritoriam incidisset, a quindccem viris eadem
node compressa, mensium largo profluvio, quod pluribus annis ante const iter at, non
sine magno pudore mane menti restituta disccssit. But this must be v/arilv under-
stood, for as Arnoldus objects, lib. 1. breviar. 18. cap. Quid coitus ad melancholicum
■mccum? What affinity have these two .^ ««" except it be manifest that superabun-
dance of seed, or fulness of blood be a cause, or that love, or an extraordinary desire
of Venus, liave gone before," or that as Lod. Mercatus excepts, they be very llatuons,
and have been otherwise accustomed unto it. IMontaltus cap. 27. will not allov/ of
moderate Venus to such as have the gout, palsy, epilepsy, melancholy, except they
be very lusty, and full of blood. "'Lodovicus Antonius lib. med. mi.scel' in his chapter
of Venus, forbids it utterly to all wrestlers, ditchers, labouring m.en. Sec. ^^Ficinus
and ^''Marsilius Cognatus puts Venus one of the five mortal e'liemies of a student •
'• it consumes the spirits, and weakeneth the brain." Halyabbas the Arabian, 5. Theor.
cap. 3G. and Jason Pratensis make it the fountain of most diseases, "^'- but most per-
nicious to them who are cold and dry." a melancholy man must not meddle with it,
but in some cases. Plutarch in his book de san. tuend. accounts of it as one of the
three principal signs and preservers of health, temperance in this kind: '"to rise
with an appetite, to be ready to work, and abstain from venerv,". tria salubcrrima,
are three most healthful things. We see their opposites how pernicious they are to
mankind^ as to all other creatures they bring death, and many feral diseases : Immo-
d/cis brevis est alas et rara senectus. Aristotle gives instance in sparrows, which are
parum vivaces ob salacitafem, "^ short lived because of their salacity, which is very
frequent, as Scoppius in Priapiis will better inform you. The extremes being both
bad, ^ the medium is to be kept, which cannot easily be determined. Some are" better
able to sustain, such as are hot and moist, phlegmatic, as Hippocrates insinuateth,
some strong and lusty, well fed like 'Hercules, ^Proculus the emperor, lusty Lau-
rence, yrostibulum fccmincB Mcssalina the empress, that by philters, and such kind
of lascivious meats, use all means to 'enable themselves : and brag of it in the end,
confodi mullas enim, occidi zero paucas per ventrcm vidisti, as that Spanish * Celes-
tina merrily said : others impotent, of a cold and dry constitution, cannot sustain
those gymnics without great hurt done to their own bodies, of which number (though
they be very prone to it) are melancholy men for the most part.
0= Solvit Venus rationis vim iiiipeditam, in?entns iras semen conscrvare. ^Neauitia e«t oiia- ip nnn si^
rem.tm &c. u^MuIti com.tiales, melanchoHci, esse senem. = Vide Cn a u„f Pe Gorfn, m
insan, hujus i.sn solo sanati. ^^-S. omiftatur coitus, Aniorum lib. 2. cap. G. curiosum T hifna m et n e
96Ni»i certo constet nimi.im semen ant sangmnem suum tempus, 6tc. •iThp^pia.las "e.iiiit ^V,ll
causam nsso, a|.t amor pra-cesserit. aut, &c. '-n Ath- : Lampridium vjt. ejus 4. « £t la^ta'v r s &r 7 v .
let.s, Arthnt.cs, podai;ricis nocet. nee oppor.una pro. .Mizald. cent. 8. ll.-" Lemnium hb - cap iu ratuli, n
Liem sraUere^rc^U"' T """ T":""' ""l""'^"'- ="' 'P^iphilam. ice. Ovid. Eleriib. 3 'et 6. &c q', o3
h b tu7n ' i n:^"-.T"'"f r^ "Cl^t""hus pro. nn.era una nocte confecissent. tot coronas ludicro deo
ra - evhiurit p^I I'^"**" '"''• '• . i^,'''" ^^ P"'" '^"Phallo, Marsis, Herma,-, Priapo donarent. C.n.
''»pVirrf.fi, p iLul^^rn '''■7 an.muu.que deb.litat. fremi.s tib, mentulam coronis. &c t Pernoboscodid
""trigiMis et Mccib. corporihus inimicisfinia. ' Vesci ! Gasp. Barthii
intra salietatem, impigrum esse ad laborem. vitale I
^88
Cure of Melancholy.
[Part. 2. Sec. 2.
MEMB. III.
Air rectified. With a digression of the Air.
As a long-winged hawk, when he is first whistled off the fist, mounts aloft, and
for his pleasure fetcheth many a circuit in the air, still soaring higher and higher,
till he be come to his lull j)itch, and in the end when the game is sprung, conies
down amain, and stoops upon a sudden : so will I, having now come at last into
these ample fields of air, wherein I may freely exjmtiate and exercise mysi-lf iov my
recreation, awhile rove, wander round about the world, mount aloft to those ethereal
orbs and celestial spheres, and so descend to my former dements again. In which
})rogress I will first see whether that relation of the friar of * Oxford be true, con-
cerning those northern parts under the Pole (if I meet ohiter with the wandering
lew, Elias Artifex, or Lucian's Icaromenijipus, they shall be my guides) whether
;here be such 4. Euripes, and a great rock, of loadstones, which may cause the
needle in the compass still to bend that way, and what should be the true cause of
die variation of the compass, '"is it a magnetical rock, or the pole-star, as Cardan
will ; or some other star in the bear, as 3Iarsilius Ficinus ; or a magnetical meridian, as
Maurolicus ; Vel situs in vend terra, as Agricola; or the nearness of the next continent,
as Cabeus will ; or some other cause, as Scaliger, Cortesius, Conimbricenses, Peregri-
nus contend ; why at the Azores it looks directly north, otherwise not ? In the
IMediterranean or Levant (as some observe) it varies 7. grad. by and by 12. and then
22. In the Baltic Seas, near Rasceburg in Finland, the needle runs round, if any
ships c<:)me that way, though " Martin llidley write otherwise, that the needle near
the Pole will hardly be forced from his direction. 'Tis fit to be inquired whether
certaui rules may be made of it, as II. grad. Land, variut. alibi 3G. &tc. and that
which is more prodigious, the variation varies in the same place, now taken accu-
rately, 'tis so much after a few years <piite altered from that it was : till we have
better intelligence, let our Dr. Gilbert, and Nicholas '^ Cabeus the Jesuit, that have
both written great volumes of this subject, .satisfy these inquisitors. Whether the
sea be open and navigable by the Pole arctic, and which is the likeliest way, that of
Bartison the Hollander, under tlie Pole itself, which for some reasons I hold best :
or by Fretuni Davis, or Nova Zenibla. Whellier "Hudson's discovery be true of a
new found ocean, any likelihood of Button's Bay in 50. degrees, Hubberd's Hope in
60. that of ut ultra near Sir Thomas Hoe's welcome in Northwest Fox, being that
the sea ebbs and fiows constantly there 15. foot in 12. hours, as our '* new cards
inform us that California is not a cape, but an island, and the west winds make the
neap tides equal to the spring, or that there be any probability to pass by the straits
of Anian to China, by the promontory of Tabin. If there be, I shall soon perceive
whether '^ Marcus Polus the Venetiairs narration be true or false, of that great city
of Quinsay and Cambalu ; whether there be any such places, or that as '* iMatth.
Ricciiis the Jesuit hath written, China and Calaia be all one, the great Cham of Tar-
tary and the king of Cliina be the same ; Xuntain and Quinsay, and the city of
Cambalu be that new Peking, or such a wall 400 leagues long to part China from
Tartary : whether "Presbyter John be in Asia or Africa; M. Polus Venetus puts him
in Asia, "the most received opinion is, that he is emperor of the Abyssines, which
of old was Ethiopia, now Nubia, under the equator in Africa. Whether "Guinea
be an island or part of the continent, or that hungrj' * Spaniard's discovery of Terra
Australis Incognita^ or Mugellanica, be as true as that of Mercurius Britannius, or
his of Utopia., or his of Lucinia. And yet in likelihood it may be so, for without
all question it being extended from the tropic of Capricorn to the circle Antarctic,
and lying as it dotii in the temperate zone, cannot choose but yield in time some
nourishing kingdoms to succeeding ages, as America did unto the Spaniards. Shouten
and Le Meir have done well in the discovery of the Straits of Magellan, in finding
Fox. » Ljb. 2. ca. 64. de nob. civilat. QuinMy.et
» Nicli. de Lynna, cited by .Mercator in his map.
"> Mons SiDto. Some call it the hiehttbt hill in the wurld,
iifXl Tt'iierilfe in Ihp Canarit-s, Lat. rl. "Cap. i6.
Ill his Tr.-atise of Magnetic Bodies. n Lege lib. 1.
«;ip. 33. rl 2i. de oiatfiietica philosophia, et lib. 3. cap.
4. " 1612. " .M. Brigs, his map, and Northwest
cap. 10. de Cambalu
3. et lib. 5. c. if*,
rocminit lib. 'i. cap. 30.
>*Lai. lU. Gr. Aust.
It>t2.
'« Lib. 4. exiH-d. ad Sinas. ca.
"M. Polu.s til .A-iia I'Pfb Joh.
1' Alluarefius et alii.
'Ferdinando de Quir. Auoo
Mem. 3.] Digression of Air. 289
a more convenient passage io. Mar e pacificum: methinks some of our modern argo-
nauts should prosecute the rest. As I go by Madagascar, I would see that great
bird -' ruck, that can carry a man and horse or an elephant, with that Arabian phcenix
described by " Adricomius ; see the pelicans of Egypt, those Scythian gryphes in
Asia : and afterwards in Africa examine the fountains of Nilus, whether Hero-
dotus, -^ Seneca, Plin. lih. 5. cap. 9. Strabo. lib. 5. give a true cause of his
annual (lowing, -^Pagaphetta discourse rightly of it, or of Niger and Senegal •,
examine Cardan, ^'Scaliger's reasons, and the rest. Is it from those Etesian
winds, or melting of snow in the mountains under the equator (for Jordan
yearly overflows when the snow melts in Mount Libanus), or from those great
dropping perpetual showers which are so frequent to the inhabitants within the
tropics, when the sun is vertical, and cause such vast inundations in Senegal, Marag-
nan, Oronoco and the rest of those great rivers in Zona Torrida, which have all
commonly the same passions at set times : and by good husbandry and policy here-
after no doubt may come to be as populous, as well tilled, as fruitful, as Egypt itself
or Cauchintliina ? I would observe all those motions of the sea, and from what
cause they proceed, from the moon (as the vulgar hold) or earth's motion, which
Galileus, in the fourth dialogue of his system of the world, so eagerly proves, and
firmly demonstrates ; or winds, as -^ some will. Why in that quiet ocean of Zur, in
vinri pacijico., it is scarce perceived, in our British seas most violent, in the Mediter-
ranean and Red Sea so vehement, irregular, and diverse .' Why the current in that
Atlantic Ocean should still be in some places from, in some again towards the nortli,
and why they come sooner than go .' and so from ]Moabar to Madagascar in that
Indian Ocean, the merchants come in three weeks, as -'Scaliger discusseth, they
return scarce in three months, with the same or like winds : the continual current is
from east to west. Whether Mount Athos, Pelion, Olympus, Ossa, Caucasus, Atlas,
be so high as Pliny, Solinus, Mela relate, above clouds, hieteors, uhi mc aurce. ncc
venti spirant, (insoipuch that they that ascend die suddenly very often, the air is so
subtile,) 1250 paces high, according to that measure of Dicearchus, or 78 miles per-
pendicularly high, as Jacobus Mazonius, sec. 3. et 4. expounding that place of Aris-
totle about Caucasus ; and as ^' Blancanus tiie Jesuit contends out of Clavius and
Nonius demonstrations de Crepusculis: or rather 32 stadiums, as the most received
opinion is ; or 4 miles, which the height of no mountain doth perpendicularly
exceed, and is equal to the greatest depths of the sea, which is, as Scaliger holds,
1580 paces, Exer. 38, others 100 paces. I would see those inner parts of America,
whether there be any such great city of Manoa, or Eldorado, in that golden empire,
where the highways are as much beaten (one reports) as between Madrid and Vala-
dolid in Spain; or any such Amazons as he relates, or gigantic Patagones in Chica;
with that miraculous mountain ^^Ybouyapab in the Northern Bvasil., ciij us jug UJit
sicrniiur in amosnissimam planitiem, Sfc. or that of Pariacacca so high elevated .in
Peru. "''Tlie peak of Tenerifle how high it is .-^ 70 miles, or 50 as Patricius holds,
or 9 as Snellilfs demonstrates in his Eratosthenes : see that strange ^' Cirknickzerksey
lake in Carniola, whose waters gush so fast out of the ground, that ihey will over-
take a swift horseman, and by and by with as incredible celerity are supped up:
which Lazius and Wernerus make an argument of the Argonauts sailing under
ground. And thai vast den or hole called ^'Esmellen in jMuscovia, quie visilur hor-
ricndo hiatu, Sfc. which if anything casually fell in, makes such a roaring noise, that
no thunder, or ordnance, or warlike engine can make the like ; such another is Gil-
ber's Cave in Lapland, with many the like. I would examine the Caspian Sea, and
see where and how it exonerates itself, after it hath taken in Volga, Jaxares, Oxus,
and those great rivers ; at the mouth of Oby, or where ? What vent the IMexican
lake hath, the Titicacan in Peru, or that circular pool in the vale of Terapeia, of wJiich
Acosta I. 3. c. 16. hot in a cold country, the spring of which boils up in the middle
'-'Alarum pennie continent in longitudine 12. passus, ] quinta prlvationis sextacontrarietatis. Patritiiis saith
clephantem in sublime tollitre potest. Polus I. 3. c. 40. I 5-2 miles in heifiht. »3Lib, de explicatione loco-
-s Lib. 2. Descript. terra sanoliE. " Natur. quapst. ' *'-•' « ■ - - „,>,_. .u ■- -.a
lib. 4. cap. 2. 24 i.jh. de rag. Con<!0. SoExercit.
47. -6 See M. Carpenter's Geography, lib. 2. cap. 6.
et Bern. Telesius lib. de niari. ^^ Exercit. 52. de
luaiis riiotii causrp investifjanda; : prima reciprocationis,
secunda varietatis, tgrtia ceieritatis quarta cessationis,
37 Z
rum Mathem. Aristot. s^Lact. lib. 17. cap. 18.
descrip. occid. Ind. 30 Luje alii vocant. 3' Geor.
Wernerus, Aquie lanta celeritato erumpunt et absor
bentur, ut expedite equiti aditum intercludant. ^ Boi*^
sardus de Magis cap. de Pilapiis.
290 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sect. 2.
ivventy foot square, and hath no vent but exhalation : and that of Mare mortunm in
Palestine, of Thrasymene, at Peruziuin in Italy : the Mediterranean itself. For from
the ocean, at the Straits of Gibraltar, there is a perpetual current into the Levant, and
so likewise by the Thracian Bosphorus out of the Kuxine or Black Sea, besides all
those great rivers of TsTile, Po, Hlione, &c. how is this water consumed, by the sun
or otherwise ? I would find out witli Trajan the fountains of Danube, of Ganges,
Oxus, see those Egyptian pyramids, Trajan's bridge, Grotto dc St/billa, Luculhis's
fish-ponds, the temple of Nidrose, &c. And, if I could, observe what becomes of
swallows, storks, cranes, cuckoos, nightingales, redstarts, and many otlier kind of
singing birds, water-fowls, hawks, Sec. some of them are only seen in summer, some
in winter; some are ol)served in the ^^ snow, and at no other times, cacli have their
seasons, hi winter not a bird is in ^luscovy to be found, but at the spring in an
instant the woods and hedges are full of them, saith ^'llerhastein : how comes it to
pass .'' Do they sleep in winter, like Gesner's Alpine mice ; or do they lie hid (as
^^Olaus affirms) '^ in the bottom of lakes and rivers, spirilitm contincnirs? often so
found by fishermen in Poland and Scandia, two togeliier, mouth to mouth, wing to
wing; and when the spring comes they revive again, or if they be brought into a
stove, or to the fire-side." Or do they follow the sun, as Peter Martyr Icgat liuhy-
lonica I. 2. manifestly convicts, out of his own knowledge ; for when he was ambas-
sador in Egypt, he saw swallows, Spanish kites, ^ and many such other European
birds, in December and January very familiarly Hying, and in great abundance, about
Alexandria, uhi. Jloridce tunc arhores ac viridaria. Or lie they hid in caves, rocks,
and hollow trees, as most think, in deep tin-mines or sea-clifis, as ^' Mr. Carew gives
out .^ 1 conclude of them all, for my part, as **Munster dotli of cranes and storks;
whence they come, whitlier they go, incom per turn adhuc.^ as yet we know not. We
see them liere, some in summer, some in winter; ''• their coming and going is sure
in the night: in tlie plains of Asia (saith he) the storks meet on such a set day, he
that comes last is torn in pieces, and so they get them gone." Many strange places,
Isthmi, Enripi, Chersonesi, creeks, havens, j)romontories, straits, Lakes, Ijaths, rocks,
mountains, places, and fields, where cities have been ruined or swallowed, battles
fought, creatines, sea-monsters, remora, &.c. minerdls, vegetals. Zoophytes were fit
to be considered in such an expedition, and amongst the rest that of ^^ llarbaslein
his Tartar lamb, ^"Hector Boethius goosebearing tree in the orchards, to which Car-
dan lib. 7. cap. 36. de reruin varietat. subscribes : ■" Vertomannus wonderful palm,
that *^ fly in llispaniola, that shines like a torch in the night, that one may well see
to write; those spherical stones in Cuba which nature hath so made, and those like
birds, beasts, fishes, crowns, swords, saws, p(jts, istc usually fnmd in the metal mines
in Saxony about -Mansfield, and in Poland near Nokow and Pallukie, as ^•'Munsler
and otiiers relate. Manv rare creatures and novelties each part of the world atli»rds:
amongst the rest, I would know for a certain whether there l)e any such men, as Leo
Suavius, in his comment on Paracelsus de sanit. luend.and ^^Gaguinus records in his
description of Muscovy, " that in Lucomoria, a province in Russia, lie'liist asleep as
dead all winter^ I'rom tlie 27 f)f November, like frogs and swallows, benumbed with
cold, but about the 24 of April in the spring they revive again, and go about their
business." I would examine that demonstration of Alexander Picolomineus, whe-
ther the earth's superficies be bigger than the seas : or that of Archimedes be true,
the superficies of all water is even ? Search the depth, and .see that variety of sea-
monsters and fishes, mermaids, sea-men, horses, &c. which it aflbrds. , Or whether
that be true which Jordanus Brunus scof& at, that if God did not detain it, the sea
S3 tn caiiipis Lovicen. soliiin visuiitur in nive, el ubi- 126. »Ciiininent. Muscov. ■»•' [list. Scot. I. J.
nam veru, a'siiiie, autumiio se dccultaiit. Mernit'ti i <' V>-rtoiiianiiii.- I. .'i. c. Mi. iiifiitioiietli a iri-<! tlial Ixars
Polit. 1. 1. Jill. Belliiis. »»Statiin iiieunte vere I fruits lo oal, wood to (mrii, bark to iiiak>- ropcu. wine
8ylvie slrcimiit eonini cantib-nis. Miiscovit. coiiiineiit. and water to drink, oil and iiU),Mr. and ii^avts a." lileH to
>> Iniiuergiint se tiuiniiiibus, lacubii.si|ue pt-r hyeineni cover lioiiries, floweru. for clothes, 4cc. "Animal
totatii, ^c. '«Otc'ra.-inue volucrfs Pontiim hyeinu iiifi'Ctnm Cuhiiio. ut quis legi-Te vel scrilif-re posmi xine
advenieiite c no«tris rigionibu.s Euro|H.-istransvolante8. alterins ope IniniiiiK. «^Co»nio2. Iili. |. rap. 435 et
S' Survey of Cornwall. * Porro ciconia! quoiiaui lib. 3 cap. 1. Mabent nllas A natiira lortnatag e lerri
e loco vejiiant. qiiu sh conf.Taiit, iiicoiiipertnm .'idbuc, i exiraclas. /liniiles illia a fi;{nlis farli^. corona*. piwe<,
aemen vcnifntiuin, desciiideiiliuni, ut gruuni venii'se aves, et oniniH aninianlinni t^pecli-i. <' Ul iiolenl
cerniimis, norturnis opinur te.npunbus. In patenlibus biriindiiie« el raiiic pra? IriL'orit niacnitiiiline iiiori. et
.Asia; canipis cirto ilie congreeanl se, earn qua; novia- postea redeuiite vere ^4. Aprilu reviviicere
lime advi ml laceraiil, inde avolant. Cosmog. I. 4. c. ;
Mem. 3.]
Digression of Air
291
would overflow the earth by reason of his higher site, and whicli Josephus Elancanus
the Jesuit in his interpretation on those mathematical places of Aristotle, foolishlv
fears, and in a just tract proves by many circumstances, that in time the sea will
waste away the land, and all the globe of the earth shall be covered with waters;
risumtcneatis amicif what the sea takes away in one place it adds in another!
Methmks he might rather suspect the sea should in time be filled by land, trees grow
up, carcasses, &c. that all-devouring fire, omnia devorans et consimcns^ will sooner
cover and dry up the vast ocean with sand and ashes. I would examine the true
seat of tliat terrestrial ■»' paradise, and where Ophir was whence Solomon did fetch
his gold : from Peruana, which some suppose, or that Aurea Chersonesus, as Domi-
nicus Niger, Arias Montanus,Goropius,and others will. I would censure all Plinv's,
Solmus', Strabo's, Sir John 3Iandeville's, Olaus ^lagnus', .^larcus Polus' lies, correct
those errors in navigation, reform cosmographical charts, and rectify longitudes, if it
were possible ; not by the compass, as some dream, with I\Iark Ridley in his treatise
of magnetical bodies, cap. 43. for as Cabeus magnet philos. lib. 3. cap. 4. fully
resolves, there is no hope thence, yet I would observe some better means to find
them out.
46 / ^^•°"'*^^ '^^^*^ ^ convenient place to go down with Orpheus, Ulysses, Hercules,
. Lucian's 3Ienippus, at St. Patrick's purgatory, at Trophonius' den, Hecla in Iceland,
ii^tna 111 Sicily, to descend and see what is done in the bowels of the earth : do stones
and metals grow there still ? how come fir trees to be '' digged out from tops of hills,
as in our mosses, and marshes all over Europe > How come they to dig up fish
bones, shells, beams, ironworks, many fathoms under ground, and ancliors in moun-
tains far remote from all seas .? ^» Anno 1460 at Bern in Switzerland 50 fathom deep
a ship was digged out of a mountain, where they got metal ore, in which were 48
carcasses of men, with other merchandise. That such things are ordinarily found
m tops of hills, Aristotle insinuates in his meteors, '" Pomponius Mela in his first
book, c. de .yiunidia, and familiarly in the Alps, saith ^Blancanus the Jesuit, the like
IS to be seen : came this from earthquakes, or from Noah's flood, as Christians sup-
pose, or IS there a vicissitude of sea and land, as Anaximenes held of old, the moun-
tains of Thessaly would become seas, and seas again mountains .? The whole world
behke should be new moulded, when it seemed good to those all-commandintr
powers, and turned inside out, as we do haycocks in harvest, top to bottom, or bot-
tom to top: or as we turn apples to the fire, move the world upon his centre; that
which IS under the poles now, should be translated to the equinoctial, and that which
IS under the torrid zone to the circle arctic and antarctic another while, and so be
recipr()rally Avarmed by the sun : or if the worlds be infinite, and every fixed star a
sun, with his compassing planets (as Brunus and Campanella conclude) 'cast three or
tour worlds into one; or else of one world make three or four new, as it shall seem
to them best. To proceed, if the earth be 21.500 miles in =' compass, its diameter
IS 7,000 from us to our antipodes, and what shall be comprehended in all that space ^
What IS the centre of the earth ? is it pure element only, as Aristotle decrees, inlia-
bited (as ^ Paracelsus thinks) with creatures, whose chaos is the earth : or with
tairies, as the woods and waters (according to him) are with nymphs, or as the air
with spirits ? Dionisiodorus, a mathematician in ^3 Pliny, that sent a letter, ad siipems
after he was dead, from the centre of the earth, to signify what distance the same
centre was from the superficies of the same, viz. 42,000 stadiums, mi-rht have done
well to have satisfied all these doubts. Or is it the place of hell, as Virgil in his
guides, Plato, Lucian, Dante, and others poetically describe it, and as many of our
divines tlnnk ? In good earnest, Anthony Rusca, one of the society of that \mbro-
sian College, in :\Iilan, in his great volume de Inferno, lib. 1. cap. 47. is stifi^ in this
tenet, 'ti? a corporeal fire tow, cap. 5. l. 2. as he there disputes. "Whatsoever philo-
sophers "Tite (saith =" Surius) there be certain mouths of hell, and places appointed
4=Vid. Pererium in G^n. Cor. a Lapide, et alios.
*ilM NecyoM.aiitia Turn. -2. « Pracastorii.s lib. de
finip. (rnnryiiis Menila lib. de mem. Julius Billiiis,&e.
*'Simleriis, Orteliiis, Brachiis centum subterra reperta
est, iii qua quadrasiiita octo cadavera inerant, An-
chors <cc. « Pisces 01 conoha- in montibus repe-
nun-ur. ^ Lib. de locis Mathemat. Aristot. si Or
plain, as Patricius holds, which Austin, Lactantius
and some others, held of old as round as a trencher.
"Li. de Zilphia et Pigmeis, thev penetrate the ejirth as
we do the air. ^Lib. 2. c. 112. MComuientar.
ad annum lo.iT. Quicqiiid dicnnt, Philnsophi. qua;dain
."unt Tartari nstia, et loca puniendis animis destinata.
ut Hecla mons.&c. ubi mortuorumspiritus vi.-:untur,&4:.
voluii Deus extare talia loca, ut discant raortales
292 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
for the piini?hmcnt of men's souls, as at Hecla in Iceland, where the ghosts of dead
men are familiarly seen, and sometimes talk with the living : God would have .such
visible places, that mortal men might be certainly informed, that there be such pun-
ishments after death, and learn hence to fear God." Kranzius Dan. hist. lib. 2. cap.
24. subscribes to this opinion of Surius, so doth Colerus caj). 12. lib. de immortal
animce (out of the authoritv belike of St. Greo-ory, Durand, and the rest of the school-
men, who derive as much from ^Etna in Sicily, Lipari. Iliera, and those sulpliureoui
vulcanian islands^ making Terra del Fuejo, and those frequent volcanoes in Ame->
rica, of which Acosta lib. 3. cap. 24. that fearful mount Ilecklebirg in Norway, an
especial aririmient to prove it, ^^'•' where lamentable screeches and bowlings are con-
tinually heard, which strike a terror to the auditors; fiery chariots are commonly
.seen to bring in the souls of men in the likeness of crows, and devils ordinarily g.o
in and out." Such another proof is that place near the Pyramids in Egypt, by Cairo,
as well to confirm this as the resurrection, mentioned by ^ Kornmannus mirac. mort.
lib. 1. cap. 38. Camerarius oper. site. cap. 37. Bredenbachiiis perrg. tcr. sand, and
some others, "where once a year dead bodies arise about March, and walk, after
awhile hide themselves again : thousands of people come yearly to see them." But
these and such like testimonies others reject, as fables, illusions of spirits, and they
will have no such local known place, more than Sty.x or Phlegethon, Pluto's court,
or that poetical Infcrnus^ where Homer's soul was .seen hanging on a tree, Stc, to
which they ferried over in Charon's boat, or went down at Hermione in Greece, cnm-
pendiaria ad Infernos via, ^vhich is the shortest cut, quia nullum a vmrluis naiiliim
eo loci erposcmit, (saith "Gerbelius') and besides there were no fees to I)e jiaid. \V'eU
then, is it hell, or purgator\', as Bellarmine: or Limbus palriim, as Galhicius will,
and as Rusca will (for they have made maps of it) ^or Ignatius parler .' Virgil,
sometimes bishop of Saltburg (as Aventinus Anno. 745 relates^ bv Boiiifacius bi.'^hop
of Mentz was therefore called in question, because he held antipt)des (which thev
made a doubt whether Christ died for^ and so by that means took away the .seat of
hell, or so contracted it, that it could bear no proportion to heaven, and contradicted
that opinion of Austin, Basil, Lactantius that held the earth round as a trencher
I whom Acosta and common experience more largely confute) but not as a ball ; and
Jerusalem where Christ died the middle of if, or Delos, as the fibidous Greeks
feigned : because when Jupiter let two eagles loose, to fly from the world's ends east
and west, they met at Delos. But that scruple of Bonifacius is now quite taken
away by our latter divines: Franciscus Ribera, in cap. 14. Apocalyps. will have hell
a material and local fire in the centre of the earth, 200 Italian miles in diameter, as
he defines it out of those words, Eririt sangjiis dc terra per stadia millc .wx-
centa, S^-c. But Lessius lib. 13. de morihus divinis, cap. 24. will have this local hell
far less, one Dutch mile in diameter, all filled with fire and brimstone : because, as
he there demonstrates, that space, cubically multiplied, will make a sphere able to
hold eight hundred thousand millions of damned bodies (allowing each body six foot
square) which wiL cjimdantly suffice ; Cum ccrtum si/, inqiiit, facta subductione, non
fufuros centies mille million's damnandorum. But if it be no material fire (as Sco-
Thoma?, Bonaventure, Soncinas, Voscius, and others argue) it may be there or else-
where, as Keckerman disputes System. Theol. for sure somewhere it is, cerium est
nlicubi^ eisi definitus circulus non assignetur. I will end the controversy in *'Aus-
tin's words, '''Better doubt of things concealed, than to contend about uncertainties,
where Abraham's bosom is, and hell fire :" ^Vix a mansuctiSyU contenliosis nunquam
invenitnr; scarce the meek, the contentious shall never find. If it bo solid earth,
'lis the fountain of metals, waters, which by his innate temper turns air into water,
which springs up in several chinks, to moisten the earth's superfcies., and that in a
tenfold proportion (as Aristotle holds) or else these fountains come directly from the
sea, by *' secret passages, and so made fresh again, by running througli the bowels
of the earth ; and are either thick, thin, hot, cold, as the matter or minerals are by
which they pass ; or as Peter Martyr Ocean. Decad. lib. 9. and some others hold,
■■^Ubi in is«'ra biles ejiilantiiim voces aiidiuiitiir, qui | tare de occultisi. f|ii!iin lilisare ili; inrprli*. iilii fininma
aiiilitoriKii!i horriirpdi iiiciitiunt haml vulcarem, Ace. ' inlVnii, Ac. ''»S4c Dr. R<-y;i.,|(l« prrlerl. iJ. in Ap<»e
•« Ex sppulrhns appnr.'nt mense Martio, »-t riirsii!) sub ' si.-Xs ih.-y rome from ihf ».-!i, so ih*-) r.?lijrn In lh«- ■(.■•
tarraro se abiicondiiiit, &;c. »' Diacripl. Gfjec. lib. 6. I a^iiin by secret pas»at;ci),aii in alllikblihiMxlUieCaaptAi.
de Pelop. wCunclave Ignaiii. ». Melius dubi- I sJea venta itieir into ibu Euiine or ocean.
Mem. 3.] Digression of Mr. 293
rrom ^^ abundance of rain that falls, or from that ambient heat and cold, which alters
that inward heat, and so per consequens the generation of waters. Or else it may be
full of wind, or a sulphureous innate lire, as our meteorologists inform us, which
sometimes breaking out, causeth those horrible earthquakes, which are so frequent
in these days in Japan, China, and oftentimes swallow up whole cities. Let Lucian'^s
Menippus consult with or ask of Tiresias, if you will not believe philosophers, he
shall clear all your doubts when he makes a second voyage.
hi tlie mean time let us consider of that which is sub dlo^i and find out a true cause,
if it be possible, of such accidents, meteors, alterations, as happen above ground.
Whence proceed that variety of manners, and a distinct character (as it were) to
several nations .'' Some are wise, subtile, witty ; others dull, sad and heavy ; some
big, some little, as TuUy de Fato, Plato in Timaeo, Vegetius and Bodine prove at
large, victhod. cap. 5. some soft, and some hardy, barbarous, civil, black, dan, white,
is it from the air, from the soil, influence of stars, or some other secret cause t Why
doth Africa breed so many venomous beasts, Ireland none .-' Athens owls, Crete
none.'' ^^Why hath Daulis and Thebes no swallows (so Pausanius inibrmeth us)
as well as the rest of Greece, ''^ Ithaca no hares, Pontus asses, Scythia swine ? whence
comes this variety of complexions, colours, plants, birds, beasts, ®^ metals, peculiar
almost to every place ? Why so many thousand strange birds and beasts proper to
America alone, as Acosta demands lib. 4. cap. 36. were they created in tlie six days,
or ever in Noah's ark? if there, why are they not dispersed and found in other
countries.? It is a thing (saith he) hath long held me in suspense; no Greek, Luiin,
Hebrew ever heard of them before, and yet as differing from our European animals,
as an egg and a chestnut : and which is more, kine, horses, sheep, Slc, till the
Spaniards brought them, were never heard of in those parts } How comes it to
pass, that in the same site, in one latitude, to such as are Peritzci, there should be
such dilierence of soil, complexion, colour, metal, air, &c. The Spaniards are
white, and s.o are Italians, when as the inhabitants about ^^ Caput bonce spei are
blackamores, and yet both alike distant from the equator: nay, they that dwell in the
same parallel line with these negroes, as about the Straits of iVIagellan, are white
coloured, and yet some in Presbyter John's country in ^Ethiopia are dun ; they in
Zeilan and Malabar parallel with them again black : jManamotapa in Africa, and St.
TJiomas Isle are extreme hot, both under the line, coal black their inhabitants,
whereas in Peru they are quite opposite in colour, very temperate, or rather cohl,
and yet both alike elevated. Moscow in 53. degrees of latitude extreme cold, as
tho.se northern countries usually are, having one perpetual hard frost all winter long;
and in 52. deg. lat. sometimes hard frost and snow all summer, as Button's Bay, &c.,
or by tits ; and yet *'^ England near the same latitude, and Ireland, very moist, warm,
and more temperate in winter than Spain, Italy, or France. Is it the sea that causeth
this dilierence, and the air that comes from it : Why then is *"' Ister so cold near tiie
Euxine, Pontus, Bithynia, and all Thrace ; frlg'idas regioncs Maginus calls them, •
and yet their latitude is but 42. which should be hot : ^''Q,uevira, or Nova Albion in
America, bordering on the sea, was so cold in July, that our ""Englishmen could
hardly endure it. At Noremberga in 45. lat. all tlie sea is frozen ice, and yet in a
more southern latitude than ours. New England, and the island of Cambiial Col-
chos, which that noble gentleman Mr. Vaughan, or Orpheus junior, describes in his
Golden Fleece, is in the same latitude with little Britain in France,.and yet then-
winter begins not till January, their spring till May ; which search he accounts
worthy ol' an astrologer : is this from the easterly winds, or melting of ice and snow
dissolved within the circle arctic ; or that the air being thick, is longer before it be
warm by the sunbeams, and once heated like an oven will keep itself from cold .''
''Seneca quajs^t. lili. cap. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. de I rari qiii.s possit, in tot:i America luisciuam ni^ros Inve-
caii.'sis aquaruiii perpetujs. '3 In iis iiec pullos liiriiti- iiiri, priuter paucos in loco Qimreno illi.s (iiclo: qua
dines p.\tlii(liiiit, nequi.', &c. " 'i'li. Uavennas lib
de vit. hoiu. pra;rnjr. ca. ult. "» At Unito in Peru
Pins auri ipiuni terrx fodilur in aurifuilinis. f* .\d
Caput lioiKe spei incniEsiiiit iii^'erriini : Si sol carisa,
Giir non llisp;ini el Itali a-que nii'ri. in eadem latituciine,
aique (li>ta]itis ali jEqtiaioce, hi ail Auslrnm, illi ad
Boreani ? qui :^uti Pre^hyteri) Julian, habitant subl'usci
ennt, in Zeilan et Malabar niicri, xqiie distantes ab
i£]uature, eodemque cojli paralielo : sed hoc niagis mi-
z2
liiijtis coliiris causa efficiens, cnslive an terrae q'lalitas,
an soil prcq)rieta3, aut ipsornin hniiiiiiun) innata ratio,
ant omnia? Ortelins in .\fiica Theat. ^ linKin
qiidcunque anni tempore temperatissiina. Ortel. .Mul-
las Gallia; et Ualia; Kegiones, molli tepore, et henisiia
qiiadam temperie pror.'iiis aiitecellit, Juvi. <" Lat. 45.
Daiiiibii. «iauevira lat. 40. ""InSirFra.
Drake's voyage.
£94 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2
Our climes breed lice, ^' Hungary and Ireland male audiunt in this kind ; come to
the Azores, by a secret virtue of that air tliey are instantly consumed, and all our
European vermin almost, saitli Ortelius. Egypt is watered with Nilus not far from
the sea, and yet there it seldom or never rains : Kho(i»^s, an island of the same
nature, yields not a cloud, and yet our islands ever dropp»-jg and inclining to rain.
The Atlantic Ocean is still subject to storms, but in Del Zur, or Mare pacijlco, sel-
dom or never any. Is it from tropic stars, apertio porlaruni, in the dodecotemories
or constellations, the moon's mansions, such aspects of planets, such winds, or dis-
solvhig air, or thick air, which causeth this and the like ditlerences of heat and cold?
Bodin relates of a Portugal ambassador, that coming from '■ Lisbon to '•* Dantzic in
Spruce, found greater lieat there than at any time at home. Don Garcia de Sylva,
legale to Philip III., king of Spain, residing at Ispahan in Persia, IGli), in his letter
to the .Marquess of Bedmar, makes mention of greater cold in Ispahan, whose lat. is
31. gr. tlian ever he lelt in Spain, or any part of Eurojje. The torrid zone was by
our predecessors held to be uninhabitable, but by our modern travellers found to be
most temperate, bedewed with frequent rains, and moistening showers, the breeze and
cooling blasts in .some parts, as '^ Acosta describes, most pleasant and fertile. Arica
in Chili is by report one of the sweetest places that ever the sun shined on, Olifrnpus
li rrcc, a heaven on earth : how incomparably do some extol Mexico in Nova His-
p;u;ia, Peru, Brazil, &.C., in some again hard, dry, sandy, barren, a very desert, and
still in tlie same latitude. Many tunes we lind great diversity of air in the same
'^ country, by reason of the site to seas, hills or dales, want of water, nature of soil,
and the like : as in Spain Arnigon is usjjvra ct sicca, harsh and evil iidiabiied ; Estre-
madura is dry, sandy, barren most part, extreme hot by reason of his plains; Anda-
lusia another paradise ; Valencia a most pleasant air, and corUiiuially green ; so is it
about "'Granada, on the one side fertile plains, on the other, continual snow to be
seen all summer long on the hill tops. Tiiat their houses in the Alps are three (piar-
ters of the year covered witii snow, who knows not ? That Tenerille is so cold at
the lop, extreme hot at the bottom : Mons Atlas in Africa, Libanus in Palestiiu-, witii
many such, ^/;i/os inter ardures Jidus nivibtis," 'Vacuus calls them, and Kadzivilus
epiat. 'i.jol. 27. yields it to be far holler there than in any part of Italy : 'tis true;
but they are highly elevated, near the middle region, and therefore cold, ob paiicam
solarium radiorum rijraclinntm^ as Serrarius answers, com. in. 3. cap.Josua quasi. 5.
Ahiknsis quasi. 37. In the heat of sununer, in the king's palace in Escurial, the
air is most temperate, by reason of a cold blast which comes from the snowy moun-
tains of Sierra de Cada;ama hard by, when as in Toledo it is very hot : so in all
other countries. The causes of these alterations are conunonly by reason of their
nearness y\ say) to llie middle region; but this diversity of air, in places equally
situated, elevated and distant from the pt»le, can hardly be satisfied with liial diversity
of plants, birds, beasts, which is so familiar with us: witii Indians, everywhere, the
sun is equally distant, the sa:ne vertical stars, the same irradiations of planets, as-
pects like, the same nearness of seas, the same superficies, the same soil, or not nmch
diiFerent. L iider the equator itself, amongst the Sierras, Andes, Lanos, as Ilerrera,
Laet, and '* Acosta contend, there is tam inirabiUs el inopinata variefas, such variety
of weather, ut meritb excrceat ingenia, that no philosopliy can yet find out the true
cause of it. When I consider how temperate it is in one place, saith "Acosta, with-
in the tropic of Capricorn, as about Laplata, and yet iiard by at Potosi, in that same
altitude, mountainous alike, extreme cold ; extreme hot in Brazil, kc. Hic fgOy
saith Acosia, philosophiam Arislolelis meteorologicam vchcmenter irrisi, ciirji, «l^-c.,
when the sun comes nearest to them, they have great tempests, storms, thunder and
lightning, great store of rain, snow, and the foulest weather : when the sun is ver-
tical, their rivers overllow, the morning fair and hot, no(jn-day cold and moist : all
which is opposite to us. IIow comes it to pass? ScdVi^er poet ices I. 3. c. 1(5. di.s-
courselh thus of this subject. How comes, or wherefore is this temcraria sidcrum
disposilio, this rash placing of stars, or as Epicurus will, fortuita., or acciueutal ?
''1 Lansiiis orat. contra Huiigaros. ''^ Lisbon lat. | Ix-twixt Liegi- rind AJai nnt Oir diittant, <je»crt|ii R<-l<;
38. i>l)uiiizic lat 64. '« Ue nat. novi orbis lib. I ^o .Mat'in. Uuiittiis. ^ lli^l. lib. 6. > l.iU 1 1
1. cap. 9. .~ii:ivis.*iiiius oiniiiijiii Incus, &r. " Tlie cap. 7. "* l.ib. 'i. cap. 9. Cur. fuliwi el Plata, urbt^
fame variely uf weatber lju<i. Uuicciariline obbervt'g | lu tain tenui intcrvallu, utraque uionl u««, Ilc.
Mem. 3.]
Digression of Air.
295
Wliy are some big, some little, why are they so confusedly, unequally situated iu
the heavens, and set so much out of order? In all other things nature is equal, pro-
portionable, and constant ; there be justce. dimensiones, et prudeTis partium Jispositio^
as in the iiibric of man, his eyes, ears, nose, face, members are correspondent, cur
non idem calo opere omnium jnilcherrimo? Why are the heavens so irregular, neque
paribus juoiibus, nequc paribus intervallis, whence is this dilierence ? Uivcrsos (he
concludes) cjjicere Locorum Geiiios^ to make diversity of countries, soils, manners,
customs, characters, and constitutions among us, ut quantum vicinia ad ckaritatcm
uddat^ sidera dislrahant ad pcniicicm, and so by this means Jluviovel raonte distinctl
sunt dissimiles^ the same places almost shall be distinguished in manners. But this
reason is weak and most insufficient. The lixed stars are removed since Ptolemy's,
time 2G. gr. Irom the first of Aries, and if the earth be immovable, as their site varies,
so should countries vary, and diverse alterations would follow. But this we per-
ceive not; as in Tully's time with us in Britain, cceluin visu foedum, et in quo facile
gcneraniur nubes, 4'C-5 'tis so still. Wherefore Bodine Theut. nat. lib. 2. and some
others, will have all these alterations and effects immediately to proceed from tliose
genii, spirits, angels, which rule and domineer in several places ; they cause storms,
thunder, lightning, earthquakes, ruins, tempests, great winds, floods. Sec, the phi-
'osophers of Conimbra, will refer this diversity to the influence of that empyrean
heaven : for some say the eccentricity of the sun is come nearer to the earth than in
Ptolemy's time, the virtue therefore of all the vegetals is decayed, *'" men grow less,
is.c. There are that observe new motions of the heavens, new siars^ jyalantia sidera,
comets, clouds, call them what you will, like those i\ledicean, Burbonian, Austrian
planets, lately detected, which do not decay, but come and go, rise higher and lower,
hide and show themselves amongst the fixed stars, amongst the planets, above and
beneath the moon, at set times, now nearer, now farther ofl', together, asunder ; as
he that plays upon a sackbut by pulling it up and down alters his tones and tunes,
do they their stations and places, though to us undiscerned ; and from those motions
proceed (^as they conceive) diverse alterations, Clavius conjectures otherwise, but
tliey be but conjectures. About Damascus in Cceli-Syria is a *' Paradise, by reason
of tlie plenty of waters, in promptu causa est, and the deserts of Arabia barren, be-
cause of rocks, rolling seas of sands, and dry mountains quod inaquosa (saith Adri-
comius) montes liabens asperos, saxosos, prcecipites, horroris et mortis speciem prce se
fereutes, '•• uninhabitable therefore of men, birds, beasts, void of all green trees, plants,
and fruits, a vast rocky horrid wilderness, which by no art can be manured, 'tis evi-
dent." Bohemia is cold, for that it lies all along to the north. But why should it
be so hot in Egypt, or there never rain .'' Why should those *- etesian and north-
eastern winds blow continually and constantly so long together, in some places, at
set limes, one way still, in the dog-days only : here perpetual drought, there drop-
ping showers; here foggy mists, there a pleasant air ; here *^ terrible thunder and
lightning at such set seasons, here frozen seas all the year, there open in the same
latitude, to the rest no such thing, nay quite opposite is to be found ; Sometimes (as
in ^^ Peru) on the one side of the mountains it is hot, on the other cold, here snow,
there wind, with infinite such. Fromundus in his Meteors will excuse or solve all
this by the sun's motion, but when there is such diversity to such as Perimci, or very
near site, how can that position hold .''
Who can give a reason of this diversity of meteors, tliat it should rain ^'stones,
frogs, mice, Sec. Bats, which they call Lcmmer in Norway, an,d are manifestly ob-
served {as *" Munster writes j by the inhabitants, to descend and fall with some fecL
lent showers, and like so many locusts, consume all that is green, Leo Afer speaks
as much of locusts, about Fez in Barbary there be infinite swarms in their fields upon
a sudden: so at Aries in France, 1553, the like happened by the same mischief, all
their grass and fruits were devoured, magna incolaruia admirationc ct coiisfernatione
(as \ uleriola obser. med. lib. 1. obscr. 1. relates) cfslum subilb obumbrabani, S)-c. he
concludes, "it could not be from natural causes, they cannot imagine whence they-
soTerra malos hnmines nunc educat atque piisillos.
^1 \.!V. I. 1. c. 5. '•^Straho. ^ As uii(li.r the
K)M:itiir ill many parts, sliowtrs here at such a time,
tviiids at siicli a time, ilie Brise they call it. *' Feril.
Cvi'tesius. lib. Novus orbis inscripi. ts Lapidalum est.
Livie. t6 Cosmo;;, lib. 4. cap. 2-2, Ha; teiiipestaii.
bus decidunle iiiibibus fiEculentis, liepasciiiuiiniue inor«
locustoruin omnia vireiitia. ei Hon. Genial. An \
terra sursuiii rapiuiitur a sojo iterumque cum pliiviis
prxcipitanlur ? <5^c.
296 Cure of Mdanchohj. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
come, but from heaven. Are these and such creatures, corn, wocxl, stones, worms,
wool, blood, 8j.c. lifted up into the middle region by the sunbeams, as '^BaraccUus
the physician disputes, and thence let fall with showers, or there engendered ? -^ Cor-
nelius Gemma is of that opinion, they are there conceived by celestial influences :
others suppose they are immediately from God, or prodigies raised by art and
illusions of spirits, which are princes of the air; to whom Bodin. lib. 2. TJiral.
JVat. subscribes. In fine, of meteors in general, Aristotle's reasons are exploded by
Bernanhnus Telesius, by Paracelsus his principles confuted, and other causes
assigned, sal, sulphur, mercury, in which his disciples are so expert, that they can
alter elements, and separate at their pleasure, make perpetual motions, not as Cardan,
Tasneir, Peregrinus, by some magnetical virtue, but by mixture of elements; imitate
thunder, like Salmoneus, snow, hail, the sea's ebbing and flowing, give life to crea-
tures (as they say) without generation, and what not.' P. Nonius Saluciensis and
Kepler take upon them to demonstrate that no meteors, clouds, fogs, * vapours, arise
higher than fifty or eighty miles, and all the rest to be purer air or element of fire :
which '"Cardan, '^Tycho, and '^John Pena manifestly confute by refractions, and
many other arguments, there is no such element of fire at all. If, as Tycho proves, the
moon be distant from us fifty and sixty semi-diameters of the earth : and as Peter No-
nius will have it, the air be so angust, what proportion is there betwixt the other three
elements and it.' To what use serves it? Is it full of spirits which inhabit it, as
the Paracelsians and Platonists hold, the higher the more noble, *'full of birds, or a
mere vacuum to no purpose .' It is much controverted between Tycho Brahe and
Christopher Rotman, the landgrave of Hesse's mathematician, in their astronomical
epistles, whether it be the same Diayhnnum^ clearness, matter of air and heavens, or
two distinct essences .' Christopher Rotman, John Pena, Jordanus Bninus, with
many other late mathematicians, contend it is the same and one matter throughout,
saving that the higher still the purer it is, and more subtile ; as they find by expe-
rience in the top of some hills in ^'America; if a man ascend, he faints instantly for
want of thicker air to refiigerate the heart. Acosta, /. 3. c. D. calls this mountain
Periacaca in Peru ; it makes nien cast and vomit, he saith, that climb it, as some
other of those Andes do in the deserts of Chili for five hundred miles together, and
lor extremitv of cold to lose their fingers and toes. Tycho will have two distinct
matters of heaven and air; but to say truth, with some small qualification, they have
one and the self-same opinion about the essence and matter of heavens ; that it is
not hard and impenetrable, as peripatetics hold, transparent, of a quinta essentia,
•*" but that it is penetrable and soft as the air itself is, and that the planets move in
it, as birds in the air, fishes in the sea." This they prove by motion of comets, and
otherwise (though Clareniontius in his Antitycho stitlly opposes), which are not
generated, as Aristotle teacheth, in the aerial region, of a hot and dry exhalation,
and so consumed : but as Anaxagoras and Democritus held of old, of a celestial
matter: and as '■" Tycho, ®' El iseus, Roeslin, Thaddeus, Ilaggesius, Pena, Rotman.
Fracastorius, demonstrate by their progress, parallaxes, refractions, motions of tlie
planets, which interfere and cut one another's orbs, now higher, and then lower,
as (? amongst the rest, which sometimes, as ** Kepler confirms by his own, and
Tycho's accurate observations, comes nearer the earth than the Q, and is again eft-
soons aloft in Jupiter's orb; and ""other sufficient reasons, far above the moon:
e.xploding in the meantime that element of lire, those fictitious first watery movers,
those heavens 1 mean above the firmament, which Delrio, Lodovicus Imola, Patri-
cius, and many of the fathers affirm ; those monstrous orbs of eccentrics, and
Eccentre Epicxjcles deserenles. Which howsoever Ptolemy. Alhasen, A'itellio, Pnr-
bachius. IMaginus, Clavius, and many of their a.ssociates, siiflly tnaintain to be real
orbs, eccentric, concentric, circles a?quant, S<.c. afe absurd and ridiculous. Por who
MTam oniinnsus proventus in naiurales causas re- ! ajiria el etheria diaphnna e»s«. noft rprraciinneii aliumln
ferri vix potest. ** Cosinoj;. c. 6. ""Canlan ' quaiii a crasso aere caii!<ari- Nun iliira not iiii[Nrvin,
fi.'illli viipoiirs rise 2?? miles from the earth, Eratojithe- sed liqiiiila, s'llitilis, iii>itiii(|ii«- Flarieiaruiii riicildr) ilt-ii<.
lies 4'' miles. »' De subtil. 1. 2. " In prozyniiias. ] i" Mi Pnipyinn. lib. •.>. exeriipl.qiiiii«|>i>>. » (<i 'I'lH-orid
*> Prirfiit. nil F.iicliil. Catop. " Maiiiici)ilial.-«, biriLt
that live roiitiniially in the air. ami are never seen on
proiinil but dead: S<,-e L'ljsses .Ablerovaiid. Ornithi>l.
Bcal. exerc. cap. 229. •* Laet. dcscrip. Ainer.
*> Episl. lib. 1. p. n. Ex quibus constat nee diversa
nova Mel. ccclesiium 157H. '■" '' • ' •- u. Iih. 4.
■00 Multa caiifi hiiic coiisei|iiiintii' -i nihil
aliiid, tot Comets' in nlliere aiui j nnlliu'
orhis ductiim coinilantur, id ipnuin i-ui.f >' i.i> r lerellunl.
Tycho astr. epiat. pa^-e 107.
Mem. 3.] Digression of Air. 297
IS so mad to ihmk that there should be so many circles, like subordinate wheels in
d clock, all impenetrable and hard, as they feign, add and subtract at their pleasure.
Magmus makes eleven heavens, subdivided into their orbs and circles, and all too
httle to serve those particular appearances : Fracastorius, seventy-two homocentrics •
Tycho Brahe, Nicholas Rameriis, Heliseus Rceslin, have peculiar hypotheses of their
own mventions ; and they be but inventions, as most of them acknowledge, as we
admit of equators, tropics, colures, circles arctic and antarctic, for doctrine's sake
(though Ramus thinks them all unnecessary), they will have them supposed only
for method and order. Tycho hath feigned I know not how many subdivisions of
epicycles m epicycles, &c., to calculate and express the moon's motion : but when
all IS done, as a supposition, and no otherwise ; not (as he holds) hard, impenetra-
ble, subtde, transparent, &c., or making music, as Pythagoras maintained of old, and
Robert Constantine of late, but still, quiet, liquid, open, &c.
If the heavens then be penetrable, as these men deliver, and no lets, it were not
amiss m this aerial progress, to make wings and fly up, which that Turk in Busbe-
quius made his fellow-citizens in Constantinople believe he would perform • and
some new-fangled wits,methinks, should some time or other find out : or if that mav
not be, yet with a Galileo's glass, or Icaronienippus' wings in Lucian, command the
spheres and heavens, and see what is done amongst them. Whether there be o-ene-
ration and corruption, as some think, by reason of etherial comets, that in Cassiopea,
1572, that in Cygno, 1600, tliat in Sagittarius, 1604, and many like, wliich by no
means Jul Cssar la Galla, that Italian piiilosopher, in his physical disputation with
LralUeis de phenomcnis m orbe hmce, cap. 9. will admit : or that they were created
ab initio, and show themselves at set times . and as ^Helisceus Roeslin contends, have
poles, axle-trees, circles of their own, and regular motions. For, non percimL sed
mimmrluret disparent, ^BVancmms holds they come and go by fits, casting Iheir
tails sdl from the sun: some of them, as a burning-glass, projects the sunbeams
Irom It ; though not always neither : for sometimes a comet casts his tail from Venus,
as 1 ycho observes. And as ^ Helisa^us Roeslin of some others, from the moon, with
little stars about them ad sluporem astronomoru7n ; cum multis aliis in ccclo miracu-
t>s. all which argue with those Medicean, Austrian, and Burbonian stars, that the
heaven of the planets is indistinct, pure, and open, in which the planets move certis
legibus ac metis. Examine likewise, Jin cesium sit coloratum? Whether the stars
be ol that bigness, distance, as astronomers relate, so many in = number, 1026, or
1720, as J. Bayerus; or as some Rabbins, 29,000 myriads; or as Galileo discovers
by his glasses, mfinite, and that via lactea, a confused light of small sta-s, like so
many nails m a door: or all in a row, like those 12,000 isles of the Maldives in the
Indian ocean ? Whether the least visible star in the eighth sphere be eighteen times
bigger than the earth; and as Tycho calculates, 14,000 semi-diameters distant from
It? Whether they be thicker parts of the orbs, as Aristotle delivers: or so many
habitable worlds, as Democritus ? Whether they have light of their own, or
trom the sun or give hght round, as Patritius discourseth ? An ceque distent a
centro vmndi? Whether light be of their essence; and that light be a substance
or an accident? Whether they be hot by themselves, or by accident cause heat '
Whether there be such a precession of the equinoxes as Copernicus holds, or
that tJie eighth sphere move ? An bene philosophentur, R. Bacon and J Dee
Apfiorism. de multipUcatione specienmi f Whether there be any such images
ascendmg with each degree of the zodiac in the east, as Aliacensis feirrns ? 1ln
aqua super caelum? as Patritius and the schoolmen will, a crystalline « watery heaven,
which IS ' certainly to be understood of that in the middle region ? for otherwise, if
at JNoah s Hood the water came from thence, it must be above a hundred years fall-
ing down to us, as some calculate. Besides, An terra sit animata f which some so
confidently believe, with Orpheus, Hermes, Averroes, from which all other souls of
men, beasts, devils, plants, fishes, &c. are derived, and into which a^rain, after some
revolutions, as Plato in his Timeus, Plotinus in his Enneades more largely discuss,
m,'nt'; ^U^Sl'^^^^^-J^'^' '""-rheor",":;','.^" I IcT ^""'J^''^'""' ''""'^ '^^ ^^--'- ref.n Patritius.
rfplpst M,.iof.r ,, : ."^J.,. . •" llieor. iii)\a 0 Gilberms Oii>;aiius. 'See this discussed in Sir
de Comet a It'^i t^^'T'' r"'!''- t '^' "l ^^''""^'- «'"«'«"'^ L.^^tory, in Zar.ch. a.l Gasman "vid!
ae uomet,^^ An .u crux et nubecula in coelis ad 1 Fro.aundum deMeteoris.lib.o. anic.5.el Lansbergiura:
298 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
they return (see Chalcidius and Bennius, Plato's commentators), as all philof;opliical
niaiter, in materiam primum. Keplerus, Patritus, and some other Neoterics, have in
])an revived this opinion. And tliat every star in heaven hath a soul, angel or intel-
ligence to animate or move it, &c. Or to omit all smaller controversies, as matters
of less mouient, and examine that main paradox, of the earth's motion, now so much
in question : Aristarchns Samius, Pythagoras maintained it of old, Democritns and
many ol their sciiolars, Didacus Asiunica, Anthony Fascarinus, a Carmelite, and some
other connnentators, will have Job to insinuate as much, cap. 9. vcr. 4. Qui com-
viovet terrain de loco suo, &c., and that this one place of scripture makes more for
the earth's motion llian all the other prove against it ; whom Pineda confutes most
contradict. Howsoever, it is revived since by Copernicus, not as a truth, but a sup-
position, as he himself confesseth in the prelace to pope Nicholas, but now main-
tained in good earnest by ^ Calcagninus, Telesius, Kepler, Kotman, Gilbert, Digges,
Galileo, Campanella, and especially by '" Lansbergius, nalurie,ralioni,et vcriluli con-
scntancuM, by Origanus, and some " others of his Ibllowers. For if the earth be
the centre of the world, stand still, and the heavens move, as the most received
'^opinion is, which, they call inordinatam cceli dispositioyiern, though stillly main-
tained by Tvcho, Ptolemeus, and their adherents, quis ilk furor f &c. what fury is
that, saiih '^Dr. Gilbert, satis animose, as Cabeus notes, that shall drive the heavens
about willi such incomprehensible celerity in twenty-four hours, when as every point
of llie tirniament, and in tlie equator, must needs move (so '^Clavius calculates)
17G,GGl) in one 24t3th part of an hour, and an arrow out of a bow must go seven
times about the earth, whilst a man can say an Ave .Maria, if it keep the same space,
or conq)a.ss the earth 1884 times in an hour, which is supra humanum cogilationcm,
beyond iiuman conceit : ocyor et Jaculo, et venlus., cequante sagitta. A man could not
ride so much ground, going 40 miles a day, in 2904 years, as the firmament goes in
ii3 hours : or so much in 203 years, as the tirniament in one minute : quod incrcdi-
bile videtur: and the "^polc-siar, which to our thinking scarce movelh out of his
place, goelh a bigger circuit than the sun, whose diameter is much larger than the
diameter of the heaven of the sun, and 20,000 senji-diameters of the earth I'rom us,
with the rest of the fixed stars, as Tycho proves. To avoid therefore these impos-
sibilities, they ascribe a triple motion to the earth, the sun immovable in the centre
of ihe whole world, the earth centre of the moon, alone, above "^ and '^, beneath
b, '4, ^, i^oT as '"* Origanus and oifiers will, one single motion to the earth, still placed
in the centre of the world, wijich is more probable) a single motion to the firma-
ment, wliich moves in 30 or 2t} thousand years; and so the planets, Saturn in 30
years absolves his sole and proper motion, Jupiter in 12, Mars in ii, kc. and so solve
all appearances better than any way whatsoever: calculate all motions, be they in
longum or latum.) direct, stationary, retrograde, ascent or descent, without ej)icycles,
intricate eccentrics, fitc. rectius commodlusque per unicum motum terra., saith I^nsber-
gius, much more certain than by those Alphonsine, or any such tables, which are
grounded from those other suppositions. And 'tis true they say, according to optic
principles, the visible appearances of the planets do so indeed answer to their mag-
nitudes and orbs, and come nearest to mathematical observations and precedent cal-
culations, tiicre is no repugnancy to physical axioms, because no penetration of orbs;
but tlien between tlie sphere of Saturn and the firmament, there is such an incredible
and vast ''space or distance (7,000,000 semi-diameters of the earth, as Tycho cal-
culates) void of stars : and besides, they do so enhance the bigness of the stars,
enlarge their circuit, to solve those ordinary objections of parallaxes and retrograda-
tions of the fixed stars, that alteration of the poles, elevation in several jilaces or
latitude of cities here on earth (for, say ihev, if a nmn's eye were in the firmament,
he should not at all discern that great annual motion of the earth, but it would still
appear punclum indivisibile, and seem to be fixed in one place, of the same bigness)
that it is quite opposite to reason, to natural philosophy, and all out as absurd aa
disproportional (so some will) as prodigious, as that of the sun's swift motion of
• Peculiar! libvllo. loCoinnient. in niortuui terrx cap. kyncr. Jo. dr Sacr. [{o«c. ^ Uml. 3. er. I. i
MnWlelMTj.'! IClU. " Puculiari litxillo. "S«e Polo. »• Prul. Kplitriii. »' Wliicli iiiny Inr fj»
Mr. Carp<:rittT's Geocr. cap. 4. lib. 1. Campanella el «( piancia, perba|>«, U. <ia uniioen, a< iU.rav ntio'jf Jay-
UrigaiiiiA prsf. Kpht-iner. wlitrc SJcriptiirH >^lace<t are ter, ice.
Aoswvreit. uDt: Magiiete. '< Comment, ia 2 ,
Rlem. 3.] Digression of Air. 299
heavens. But hoc posito^ to grant this their tenet of the earth's motion : if the earth
move, it is a planet, and shines to thein in the moon, and to the other planetary in-
habitants, as the moon and they do to lis upon the earth : but shine she doth, as
Galileo, "* Ivepler, and others prove, and then per consequens, the rest of the planets
are inhabited, as well as the moon, which he grants in his dissertation with Galileo's
A'uncias Sidereus, '""that there be Jovial and Saturn inhabitants,''' &c., and tiiose
several planets have their several moons about them, as the earth hath hers, as Galileo
hath alreatiy evinced by his glasses : ^°foiir about Jupiter, two about Saturn (though
Sitius the Florentine, Fortunius Licetus, and Jul. Cjesar le Galla cavil at it) yet Kep-
ler, the emperor's mathematician, confirms out of his experience, that he saw as much
by the same help, and more about fllars, Venus, and the rest they hope to find out,
perad venture even amongst the fixed stars, which Brunus and Brutius have already
averred. Then (I say) the earth and they be planets alike, moved about the sun,
the common centre of the world alike, and it may be those two green children
wiiicli "' Nubrigensis speaks of in his time, that fell from heaven, came from thence;
and that famous stone that fell from heaven in Aristotle's time, olymp. 84, anno
terlio, ad Capuce. Fluenta, recorded by Laertius and others, or Ancile or buckler in
Numa's time, recorded by Festus. We may likewise insert with Campanella and
Brunus, that which Pythagoras, Aristarchus, Samius, Heraclitus, Epicurus, 3Ielissus,
Democrilus, Leucippus maintained in their ages, there be "inlinite worlds, and inli-
nite earths or systems, in injinito <Blhere, which ^^Eusebius collects out of their
tenets, because intinite stars and planets like unto this of ours, which some stick not
still to maintain and publicly defend, sperahundiis expecto inmuncrabiUuin mundorum
in cEtcrnitate j^er amhidatioacm^ &fc. (^JYix. Hill. Londinensis philos. Epicur.) For if
the firmament be of such an incomparable bigness, as these Copernical giants will
have it, in/inilU7n, aut injinilo proximum, so vast and full of innumerable stars, as
being infinite in extent, one above another, some higher, some lower, some
nearer, some farther olf, and so far asunder, and those so huge and great, inso-
much tliat if the whole sphere of Saturn, and all that is included in it, totiiin a>>-gre-
gatum (as Frorauudus of Louvain in his tract, rie immobililate icrrcB argues) evchatiir
inter slellas., videri d nobis nan poterat^ tam immanis est dislantia inter lellurem et
fixas, sed instar imncli., 8^-c. If our world be small in respect, why may we not
suppose a plurality of worlds, those infinite stars visible in the firmament to be so
many suns, with particular fixed centres ; to have likewise their subordinate planets,
as tlie sun hath his dancing still round him ? which Cardinal Cusanus, Walkarinus,
Brunus, and some others have held, and some still maintain, Jlnimce JlristoteUsmo
innulrilcB, et minidis sjjeculationibus assuetcR., seciis forsan^ ^-c. Though they seem
close to us, they are infinitely distant, and so per consequens, there are infinite
habitable worlds: what hinders? Why should not an infinite cause (as God is)
produce infinite efl^ects .'' as Nic. Hdl. Democrit. 2}hilos. disputes: Kepler (1 confess)
will by no means admit of Brunus's infinite worlds, or that the fixed stars should be
so many suns, with their compassing planets, yet the said ^^ Kepler between jest and
earnest in his perspectives, lunar geography, ^^ et somnio siio, dissertat. cum nunc,
sidcr. seems in part to agree with this, and partly to contradict; for the planets, he
yields them to be inhabited, he doubts of the stars ; and so doth Tycho in his astro-
nomical epistles, out of a coiisideiation of their vastity and greatness, break out into
some such like speeches, that he will never believe those gieat and huge bodies were
made to no other use than this that we perceive, to illuminate the earth, a point
insensible in respect of the whole. But who shall dwell in these vast bodies, earths,
worlds, ^^ " if they be inhabited ? rational creatures .?" as Kepler demands, " or have
'8 Luiifi circiimterrestris Planeta quuin sit, consenta- | the help of a glass eight feet long. -' Reruiii Anel.
n'liiu est esse in Luna viveiites creaturas, et singulis 1. 1. c. '27 (le viridib;is pneris. 22 Jnfiniti alii m;in;li
Plamaaruni gluliis sui ^:er^iunt circiil^ilrjies, ex qua 1 vel ut Brunus, terrr« haic nostr.'E similes. '-^^Libro
coiisiileralione, de eoriini incolis summa piobabilitate
ccincludinms, quod et Tychoni Braheo. e sola considera-
lione vastilatis eorum visum fuit. Kcpl. dissert, cum
nun. fid. f 20. '"Temperare non possum quin ex
inventis tuis hoc moneam, veri non absimile, non tarn
in Luna, sed etiam in Jove, et reliquis Planetis incolas
esse. Kipl. fo. 'Jii. Si non sint accolcE in Jovis globe,
qui noteiil admiranilani hanr. varietatem oculis, cui
bono quatiior illi Planetae Jovem circumcursitant?
20 Some ul' those above Jupiter 1 have seen myself by
Cont. philus. cap. 29. 21 Kepler fol. 2. dissert. Quid
iuipedit quin credamus ex his initiis, plures alios inun-
dns detegeudos, vel (ut Democrito placuit) iufinitos?
^■' Lege somnium Kepleri edit. \b'3o. -'<^(lunl igitur
inquies, si sint in coelo plures globi, similes nostrae tel-
luris, an cum illis certabimus, quis meliorem mundi
plagam teiieat? Si noliiliores iliorutn globi, nos non
sunms creaturarum rationalium nobilissimi : quoinode
igitur omnia propter homineni? quomodo nos domia'
operum Dei ? Kepler, fol. 29.
300 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sect. 2.
they souls to be saved ? or do they inhabit a better part of the world than we do ?
Are we or they lords of the world } And how are all things made lor man r" Bif-
Jicile est nodum hunc expedire., eo quod nondum omnia qiice hue pertinent exj)hrata
hahcmus: 'tis hard to determine : this only he proves, that we are in prcecijmo mundi
sinu, in the best place, best world, nearest the heart of the sun. ^'Thomas Canipa-
nella, a Calabrian monk, in his second book, de sensu rerum^ cap. 4, subscribes to iliis
of Kepler ; that they are inhabited he certainly supposelh but with what kmd of
creatures he cannot say, he labours to prove it by all means : and that tliere are
inlinite worlds, having- made an apology for Galileo, and dedicates this tenet of his
to Cardinal Cajetanus. Others freely speak, mutter, and would persuade the world
(as^*' Marinus Marcenus complains) that our modern divines are too severe and rigid
against mathematicians; ignorant and peevish, in not admitting their true demonstra-
tions and certain observations, that they tyrannise over art, science, and uU philoso-
phy, in suppressing their labours (^saith Pomponatius), forbidding them to write, to
speak a truth, all to maintain tlieir superstition, and for their protit's sake. As for
those places of Scripture which oppugn it, they will have spoken ad captuni vulgiy
and if rightly understood, and favourably interpreted, not at all agaiiist it ; and as
Otho Gasman, ,/Js/roZ. cap. \. part. 1. notes, many great (hvines, besides Porphyrins,
Proclus, Simplicius, and those heathen philosophers, doctrind et crtate vcnvrandiy
Mosis Gcnesin mundanani populuris nescio cujus ruditalis, qua: longa absit (i vera
Philowphorum erudtlione,, insimulant: for .\[oses makes mention but of two pla-
nets, O and vi, no four elements, Stc. Read more on him, in •'^Grossius and Junius.
But to proceed, these and such like insolent and boM attempts, prothgious paradoxes,
inferences must needs follow, if it once be granted, which Kotman, K(pler,Gilbert, Dig-
geus, Origanus, Galileo, and others, maintain of the earth's motion, that 'tis a planet,
and shines as the moon doth, which contains in it *^" both land and sea as the mouu
doth :" for so they find by their glasses that MacuUc in facie Lumc, " the brigliter
parts are earth, the dusky sea," which Thales, Plutarcli, and Pythagoras formcriy
taught : and manifestly discern hills and dales, and such like concavities, if we may
subscribe to and believe Galileo's observations. But to avoid these paradoxes of the
earth's motion (which the Church of Kome hath lately "condemned as heretical, as
appears by Blancanus and Fronmndus's writings; our latter mathematicians have
rolled all the stones that may bestirred : and to solve all appearances and objections,
have invented new hypotheses, and fabricated new systems of the world, out of their
own Dcdal^an heads. Fracastorius will have the earth stand still, as bef<jre ; and
to avoid that supposition of eccentrics and epicycles, he hatli coined seventy-two
homocentrics, to solve all appearances. Nicholas Kamerus will have the earth the
centre of tlie world, but movable, and the eighth sphere immovable, the live upper
planets to move about the sun, the sun and moon about the earth. Of which orbs
Tycho Brahe puts the earth the centre immovable, the stars immovable, the rest with
Kamerus, the planets without orbs to wander in the air, keep time and distance, true
motion, according to that virtue which God iiath given them. *^Jielisa;us B(Es.lin
censureth both, with Copernicus (^ whose hypothesis de terra motu, Philippus Lfins-
bergius hath lately vindicated, and demonstrated with solid arguments in a just
volume, Jansonius Caesius "hath illustrated in a sphere.) The saiil Joliannes Liin.s-
bergius, 1633, iiath since defended his assertion against all the cavils and calumnies
of Fromundus his Anti-Arislarchus, Baptista Morinus, and Petrus Bartlioliims : Fro-
mundus, 1634, hatli written against him again, J. Riosseus of Aberdeen, &tc. (sound
drums and trumpets) whilst Kajslin (I say ) censures all, and Plolemeus himself as
insutiicient : one ofiends against natural philosophy, another against optic principles,
a third against mathematical, as not answering to astronomical observations: one
puts a great space between Saturn's orb and the eighth sphere, another tO(j narrow.
In his own hypothesis he makes the earth as before the universal centre, the sun to
tlie live upper planets, to the eighth spliere he ascribes diurnal motion, eccentrics, and
epicycles to the seven planets, which hath been formerly exploded ; and so, JJum
" Fraiickfiirt. quarto I6J0. ibiil. 40. IC.-.M. * Fra;. WThcal. Bibliro. f Mn argiiititntiv ,
fal. Ill t'l.iiyiieiit. in Geiiesin. >I<>d'> suadent Thoulo- | cisti, iId inuculai in Luna (.-».*< iiiaria, do ;
goii, suinina ii;iiiiratione versari, vcfiis scieiiiias admit- 1 »fii>t; terrain. Kepler, fol. !('». > . ...
lere nelle. el tyraiinidem exercere, ill eos Talsis dogma- i " In Hypotbe*. de mundo. £(lil. 1597. - Lu^daai
Ubu«,superstiiiouibu9,et religiune Caibolica detiueaut. [ lti33.
Mem. 3.] Digression of Air. 301
vitant stiilfi vitia in contraria currunt.,^^ as a tinker stops one hole and makes two,
he corrects them, and doth worse himself: reforms some, and mars all. In the
mean time, the world is tossed in a blanket amongst them, they hoist the earth up
and down like a ball, make it stand and go at their pleasures : one saith the sun
stands, another he moves; a third comes in, taking them all at rebound, and lest
there should any paradox be wanting, he ^* finds certain spots and clouds in the sun,
by the help of glasses, which multiply (saith Keplerus) a thing seen a thousand
times bigger in piano., and makes it come thirty-two times nearer to the eye of the
beholder: but see the demonstration of this glass in "'Tarde, by means of which,
the sun must turn round upon his own centre, or they about the sun. Fabricius
puts only three, and those in the sun': Apelles 15, and those without the sun, float-
in<r like the Cyanean Isles in the Euxine sea. ^'' Tarde, the Frenchman, hath
observed thirty-three, and those neither spots nor clouds, as Galileo, Epist. ad Val-
serum., supposelh, but planets concentric with tlie sun, and not far from iiim with
regular motioas. ''^ Christopher Shemer, a German Suisser Jesuit, Ursicd Rosa.,
divides them in maculas et faculas.,{in(\ will have them to be fixed in Solis superficie:
and to absolve their periodical and regular motion in twenty-seven or twenty-eight
days, holding withal the rotation of the sun upon his centre ; and all are so confi-
dent, that they have made schemes and tables of their motions. The '^^ Hollander,
in his dissertatiuncida cum Ape lie., censures all; and thus they disagree amongst
themselves, old and new, irreconcileable in their opinions ; thus Aristarchus, thus
ITipparchus, thus Ptolemeus, thus Albateginus, thus Alfraganus, thus Tycho, thus
Iiamerus, thus Rogslinus, thus Fracastorius, thus Copernicus and his adherents, thus
Clavius and Maginus, &c., with their followers, vary and determine of these celestial
orbs and bodies : and so whilst these men contend about the sun and moon, like the
pliilosophers in Lucian, it is to be feared, the sun and moon will hide themselves, and
be as much offended as *° she was with those, and send another messenger to Jupiter,
by some new-fangled Icaromenippus, to make an end of all those curious controver-
sies, and scatter them abroad.
But why should the sun and moon be angry, or take exceptions at mathematicians
and philosophers .'' when as the like measure is offered unto God himself, by a com-
pany of theologasters : they are not contented to see the sun and moon, measure
their site and biggest distance in a glass, calculate their motions, or visit the moon in
a poetical fiction, or a dream, as he saith, ^^Audax f acinus et memorahile nunc in-
cipiam^ neque hoc sceculo usurpatum prius., quid in Lunce regno hdc node gestum sit
cxponam., et quo nemo unquam nisi somniando pervenit., '*^but he and Menippus: or as
*^ Peter Cuneus, Bona fide agam, nihil eorum quce. scripturus sum., verum esse scitote.,
&'€. quce 71CC facta, nee futura sunt, dicam, ^*stili tantum et iiigenii causa, not in jest,
but in good earnest these gigantical Cyclops will transcend spheres, heaven, stars,
into that Fmpyrean heaven ; soar higher yet, and see what God himself doth. The
Jewish Talmudists take upon them to determine how God spends his whole time,
sometimes playing with Leviathan, sometimes overseeing the world, &.c., like Lucian's
Jupiter, that spent much of the year in painting butterflies' wings, and seeing who
offered sacrifice; telling the hours when it should rain, how much snow should fall
in such a place, which way the wind should stand in Greece, which way in Africa.
In the Turks' Alcoran, Mahomet is taken up to heaven, upon a Pegasus sent on pur-
pose for liim, as he lay in bed with his wife, and after some conference with God is
set on ground again. The pagans paint him and mangle him after a thousand fashions;
our heretics, schismatics, and some schoolmen, come not far behind : some paint him
in the habit of an old man, and make maps of heaven, number the angels, tell their
.several ''^ names, offices : some deny God and his providence, some take his office
out of his hands, will ^ bind and loose in heaven, release, pardon, forgive, and be
-' " Whilst these blockheads a%'oi(l one fault, they fall
into its opposite." 35 jo. Fabritius de maculis in s<ile.
VVitfl). 1011. =sin Burboniis sideribus. 3' Mb.
de Biirboniis sid. Stnllae sunt erratics, qure prnpriis
orbibiis furutitur, noii longe a Sole dissitis, sed jiixta
Solem. 3' liraccini fol. 16:!0. lib. 4. cap. 5-2. 55. 5'.i. &c.
33 Lugdun. Bat. An. Kiia. ■«' Ne se subilucant, et
relicta statione decessum parent, ut curinsilalis fiiieni
faciant. ^i Hercules tuam fidem Satyra Menip.
edit. IfiOS. I-"! shall now enter upon a hold and
memorable exploit; one uevcT before atiempied in this
age. I shall e.\plain this night's trannuctioiis in the
kinydom of the moon a place where no one has yel
arrived, save in his dreams." «Sardi venales Satyr.
Menip. An. lCl-2. *' Puteaiii Connis sic incipit, or
as LipEJus Satyre in a dream. «Tritemius. 1 de '
secundis. «Tliey have fetched 'J'rajanus' soul ou»
of hell, and canonise for saints whom they list.
2A
302 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
quarter-master with him : some call his Godhead in question, his power, ann attri-
butes, his mercy, justice, providence : they will know with ^'^ Cecilius, why good and
bad are punished togetlier, war, tires, plagues, intest all alike, why wicked men
flourish, good are poor, in prison, sick, and ill at ease. Why doth he sufler so much
mischief and evil to be done, if he be *' able to help .' why doth he not assist good,
or resist bad, reform our wills, if he be not tlie author of sin, and let such enormities
b? committed, unworthy of his knowledire, wis(Umi, government, mercy, and provi-
dence, why lets he all things be done by tbrtune and chance ? Others as prodigiously
inquire after liis onniipoiency, an posxif plures simihs creare dean? an ex scarahcpo
drum? lS-c, et quo deimtm rurtis sacrificuli? Some, by visions and revelations, take
upon them to be familiar with God, and to be of privy council with him •, they will
tell how many, and who shall be saved, when tlie world shall come to an entl, what
year, what month, and whatsoever else God hath reserved unto himself, and to his
angels. Some again, curious fantaslics, will know more than this, and inquire with
*' Epicurus, what God did before the world was made ? was he idle ? Where (hd he
bide? What did he make the world of? why did he then make it, and not before?
If he made it new, or to have an end, how is he unchangeable, inrinite, &c. Some
will dispute, cavil, and object, as Julian did of old, whom Cyril confutes, as Simon
IMagus is feigned to do, in that ^'dialogue betwixt him and Peter: and Ammtmius
the phihisopher, in that dialogical disputation with Zacharias the Cliristian. If God
be infinitely and only good, why should he alter or destroy the world ? if he con-
found that which is good, how shall himself continue good ? If he pull it down
because evil, how shall he be free from the evil that made it evil ? &.C., with many
such absurd and brain-sick questions, intricacies, froth of human wit, and excrements
of curiosity, Stc, which, as our Saviour told liis inquisitive disci[)les, are not fit for
tliem to know. But hoo! I am now gone (piite out of sight, I am ahnost giddy with
roving about: 1 could have ranged farther yet; but I am an infant, and not ^'able to
dive into these profundities, or sound these depths; not able to uiuierstand, much
less to discuss. I leave the contemplation of these things to stronger wits, that have
better ability, and happier leisure to wade into sucli philosopliical mysteries ; for
put case I were as able as willing, yet what ran one man do ? I will conclude with
*' Scaligcr, \cquaquam nos homines sumus, sed partes hominis, ex omnibus aliquid fieri
pohesU idquc nan jnat^num; ex singulis f\re nihil. Besides (as Nazianzen hath it)
Deu^s latere nos mult a voluit ; and with Seneca, cap. 35. de Comet is^ Quid ndramur
tain rara miindi sper.facula non teneri certis levihtis^ nondum intelligif multce sunt
gentcs qn<e tantum de facie sciitnt cerium, veniet^'tempus fortasse, quo isia qucp nunc
latent in luccm dies extrahat longioris cfvi diligrntia^ una (etas non sufjicit, pos-
teri, &c., when God sees his time, he will reveal lliese mysteries to mortal men, and
show that to some few at last, which he hath concealed so long. For I am of"'' his
mind, that Columbus did not tind out .America by chance, but God directed him at
tiiat time to discover it : it was contingent to him, but necessary to God ; he reveals
and conceals to whom and when he will. And which ^'one said of history and
records of former times, "God in his providence, to check our presumptuous inqui-
sition, wraps up all things in uncertaintv, bars us from long anticpiity, aiul bounds
our search within the compass of some few ages :" many good things are lost, which
our predecessors made use of, as Pancirola will better inform you ; many new things
are daily invented, to the public good; so kingdoms, men, and knowledge ebb and
flow, are hid and revealed, and when vou have all done, as the Preacher concluded,
.V/7n7 est sub sole novum (nothing new under the sun.) But my melancholy spaniel's
quest, my game is sprung, and 1 must suddenly come down and follow.
Jason Pratensis, in his book dc mnrbis capitis, and chapter of Melancholy, hath
tliese words out of Galen, ^^"•Let them come to me to know what meat aiul drink
*" In Minutiii?, sine delectu lempestates tan^iint Inra state of heaven nii^ht be made manifi-*t. wUl HM
eacra et iirnfaiia. bononiinet iiialonim fata.ju.xta, niillo ' plnma leval. »ic irrave mprftit onii». " E.XTcit. IM.
orline res fiiint, soliita Icgilins fortuna dmninatiir. »3 Laet. dcscrip. "icrid. ImliiE " Daniel |iruiri|iK> his-
<" Vel mains v>-l impotens, qui p^-ccatuni perniillil, &r. tons. wVcniant ad me aiidituri quo ewiili-nio
■ undf hic siipt.Tstitiii? *' Quid fi-cil Dimis ante niiin- j quo item poriilfnlo iiti dfb<'aiit, ei prsii-r aliinciiluro
duni crratiiin? uhi visit otiosus i suo snhjci^o, Jtc. ' ipsiim, potuni'iue v<>iiliis nu"* dorelni, itirn afrm anitu-
*• Lib. .'J. riToff. pet. cap. 3. Peter answers by th^ finiile cntis icmperiem, insiipcr regionea quas eligcrc. quat
of an es? sht-ll, which is cunningly made, yet of ncces- vitare tx unu tilt.
■II) to be broken ; so is the world, &c that the excellent I
Mem. 3.] Digression of Air. 303
they shall use, and besides that, I will teach them what temper of ambient air
they shall make choice of, what wind, what countries they shall choose, and what
avoid." Out of which lines of his, thus much we may gather, that to this cure of
melancholy, amongst other things, the rectification of air is necessarily required.
This is performed, either in reforming natural or artificial air. Natural is tliat which
is in our election to choose or avoid : and 'tis either general, to countries, provinces;
particular, to cities, towns, villages, or private houses. What harm those extremi-
ties of lieat or cold do in this malady, I have formerly shown : the medium must
needs be good, where the air is temperate, serene, quiet, free from bogs, fens, mists,
all manner of putrefaction, contagious and filthy noisome smells. The ^'' Egyptians
by all geographers are commended to be hilarcs, a conceited and merry nation
which 1 can ascribe to no other cause than the serenity of their air. They that live
in the Orcades are registered by ^^ Hector Boethius and " Cardan, to be of fair com-
plexion, long-lived, most healthful, free from all manner of infirmities of body and
mind, by reason of a sharp purifying air, which comes from the sea. The Boeotians
in Greece were dull and heavy, crassi Bceoti, by reason of a foggy air in which they
lived, ^^Bceotum in crasso jurares acre natum^ Attica most acute, pleasant, and refined.
The clime changes not so much customs, manners, wits (as Aristotle Polii. lib. 6.
cap. 4. Vegetius, Plato, Bodine, method, hist. cap. 5. hath proved at large) as consti-
tutions of their bodies, and temperature itself In all particular provinces we see it
confirmed by experience, as the air is, so are the inhabitants, dull, heavy, witty, sub-
tle, neat, cleanly, clownish, sick, and sound. In ^^ Perigord in France the air is
subtle, healthful, seldom any plague or contagious disease, but hilly and barren : the
men sound, nimble, and lusty ; but in some parts of Guienne, full of moors and
marshes, the people dull, heavy, and subject to many infirmities. Who sees not a
great diflerence between Surrey, Sussex, and Romney Marsh, the wolds in Lincoln-
shire and the fens. He therefore that loves his health, if his ability will give him
leave, must often shift places, and make choice of such as are wholesome, pleasant,
and convenient : there is nothing better than change of air in this maladv, and gene-
rally for health to wander up and down, as those '^° Tartari Zamolhcnses. that live
in hordes, and take opportunity of times, places, seasons. The kings of Persia had
their sunnner and winter houses ; in winter at Sardis, in summer at Susa ; now at
Persepolis, then at Pasargada. Cyrus lived seven cold months at Babylon, three at
Susa, two at Ecbatana, saith ^' Xenophon, and had by that means a perpetual spring.
The great Turk sojourns sometimes at Constantinople, sometimes at Adrianople, &c.
The kings of Spain have their Escurial in heat of summer, ^^ Jladrid for a wholesome
seat, Valladolid a pleasant site, &.C., variety of seccssus as all princes and great men
have, and their several progresses to this purpose. Lucullus the Roman had his house
at Rome, at Baise, &c. ^^ When Cn. Pompeius, Marcus Cicero (saith Plutarch) and
many noble men in the summer came to see him, at supper Pompeius jested with
him, that it was an elegant and pleasant village, full of windows, galleries, and all
ofiices fit for a summer house; but in his judgment very unfit for winter: Lucullus
made answer that the lord of the house had wit like a crane, that changedi her
country with the season ; he had other houses furnished, and built for that purpose,
all out as commodious as this. So Tully had his Tusculan, Pliiiius his Lauretan
village, and every gentleman of any fashion in our times hath the like. The ^^ bishop
of Exeter had fourteen several houses all furnished, in times past. [\\ Italy, though
they bide in cities in winter, which is more gentleman-like, all the summer they come
abroad to their country-houses, to recreate themselves. Our gentry in England live
most part in the country (except it be some few castles) building still in bottoms
(saith '•^ Jovius) or near woods, corona arborum virentiuvi; you shall knov/ a village
by a tuft of trees at or about it, to avoid those strong winds wherewith the island is
infested, and cold winter blasts. Some discommend moated houses, as unwhole-
some ; so Camden saith of ®^ Ew-elme, that it was therefore unfrequented, ob stagni
'» Leo Afer, Maginns, &c. 56 Hb. 1. Scot. Iiist. | niultique nobiles viri L. Lucullum aistivo tempore con-
s'Lib. 1. de rer. var. " Horat. s^MagiiiU-
*" HaiTonus dc Tartaiis. si Cyropffid. li. 8. perpeluum
inde ver. ™Tlie air so clfiar, it nevor breeds the
plague. _ 63Leander Albertus in Campania, e Plu-
larcbo vita Luculli. Ciim Cn. Pompeius, Marcus Cicero,
venissent, Pompeius inter coBnain rluui fainiliariter ji
catus est, eani villam imprimis sil)i sumptuusam, et
elegantem videri, fenestris, porticibus, &c. ^>Goi-
wii! vita Jo. Voysye al. Harman. <i» Descript. Brit
^ In Oxfordshire.
304 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
vicini halitns, and all such places as be near lakes or rivers. But I am of opinion
that these inconveniences will be mitigated, or easily corrected by good iires, aa
'■^ one reports of Venice, that graveolrnlia and fog of the moors is sufficiently quali-
fied by those inuHmerable smokes. Nay more, "* Thomas Philol. Raveunas, a great
physician, contends that the Venetians are generally longer-liveil than any city in
Europe, and live many of them 120 years. But it is not Mater simply that so much
offends, as the slime and noisome smells that accompany such overdowed places,
which is but at some few seasons after a flood, and is sufficiently recompensed with
sweet smells and aspects in summer, Vcr jnngct vario gemmantia prala colore^ and
many other commodities of pleasure and profit ; or else may be corrected by the
site, if it be somewhat remote from the water, as Lindley, ^^ Orion super vwntem,
'"Dravton, or a little more elevated, though nearer, as ^'Caucut, '^Amington, "Poles-
worth, " Weddington (^to insist in such places best to me known, upon the river of
Anker, in \Varwici<shire, "Swarston, and ^*Drakesly upon Trent). Or howsoever
they be unseasonable in winter, or at some times, they have tlieir good use in sum-
mer. If so be that their means be so slender as they may not achnit of any such
variety, but must determine once for all, and make one house serve eacli season, I
know no men that have given better rules in this beluilf than our husbandry writers.
'"Cuto and Columella prescribe a good house to stand by a navigable river, good
highways, near some city, and in a good soil, but that is more for commodity than
lieahh.
The best soil commonly yields the worst air, a dry sandy plat is fittest to build
upon, and such as is rather hilly than plain, full of downs, a Cotswold country, as
being most commodious for hawking, hunting, wood, waters, and all manner of
pleasures. Ptrigord in France is barren, yet by reason of the excellency of the
air, and such pleasures that it affords, much inhabited by the nobility; as Nurcm-
heni in Germany, Toledo in Spain. Our countryman Tusser will tell us so much,
that ihe fieldone is for profit, the woodland for pleasure and health ; the one con»-
inonly a deep clay, therefore noisome in winter, and subject to bad highways : the
other a drv sand. Provision mav be had elsewhere, and our towns are generally
bjirger in the woodland than the fieldone, more frecpient and populous, and gentle-
men more deliglit to dwell in such places. Sutton Coldtleld in Warwickshire
(^whore I was once a grammar scholar), may be a sufficient witness, which stands.
as Camden notes, loco ingralo et sterili, but in an e.xcellent air, and full of all
manner of pleasures. " Wadlcy in Berkshire is situate in a vale, though not so
tertile a soil as some vales afford, yet a most commodious site, wholesome, in a
delicious air, a rich and pleasant seat. So Segrave in Leicestershire (which town
'" I am now bound to remember) is situated in a champaign, at the edge of the
wolds, and more barren than the villages about it, yet no place likely yields a better
air. And he that built that fair house, ^'VVollerton in Nottinghamshire, is much to
be commended (though the tract be sandy and barren about it) for making choice
of such a place. Constantine, lib. 2. cap. de Jigr'icuU. praiseth mountains, hilly,
steep places, above the rest by the seaside, and such as look toward the *' north uj)on
some great river, as "^ Farmack in Derbyshire, on the Trent, environed with hills,
open only to the north, like Mount Edgecombe in Cornwall, which Mr. '^'Carew so
much admires for an excellent seat : such is the general site of Bohemia : sfrenat
Boreas, the north wind clarifies, ***" but near lakes or marshes, in holes, obscure
places, or to the south and west, he utterly disproves," those winds are unwhole-
some, putrefying, and make men subject to diseases. The best building for health,
according to him, is in °^''high places, and in an excellent prospect," like that of
Cuddeston in Oxfordshire (which place I must honoris ergo mention) is lately and
fairly " built in a good air, good prospect, good soil, both for profit and pleasure, not
*> Lcanrier .\lbertii8. i»Cap. 21.(ie vit. hora. prorop. Lord Berkley. »<>Sir Franci» Willoughhy. >• .Mon
•The poiwcssion ot' Robert Bradshaw, Esq. "> Of taiii et Marilimi galutiriortu, acclivt-a j-I ad i<<i[t-ani
Cf'^Tse Piirefey, Esq. "The pixgession of William ream ver?eiile«. "iThe dwclliiit; nf Sir To. Biirdel,
PurelVy, E>q. "'J'he seat of Sir John KeppiiiKlon, ' Knight, Bar<jnel. "> In Ins Hurvey <.f O.r^iwall,
Ki. :s Sir Henry Goodieres, lately deceased. '«Thelbo<)k2. »* Propi paludei utagtia, •-i I-** eonrava,
dwf^llins'house of Hum. Adderley, Esq. ''Sir John vel ad .Auslrum, vel ad Orcidi iilfiii inclinat'T, (li<niui
Harpar'ii, lately ileceHsed. '"Sir Gt-oree Gre»elie:«, lunt iiiorbii»c ' Uportrl iiiiliir ad nainlaleiu ilo-
Kt ^ I.ih. 1. cap. 2. ''The seat of G. Purefey, '■ mm in altionbus ivdiAcare, et ad ii|H-culitii>ii</iii. «• By
Esq I'For I am now incumbent of that rectory, John Bancroft, Dr. of Divinity, iDy quondam tir1i>r la
presented thereto by my right buouurable palroo, the ; C'hriat-churcb. Ozon now ttM Bigbt Ueverend Lord
Mem. 3.] w9tr rectified. 305
so easily to be matched. P. Crescentius, in his lil. 1 . de Jlgric. cap. 5. is very-
copious in this subject, how a house should be wholesomely sited, in a good coast,
good air, Avind, &c., Varro de re rust. lib. I. cap. 12. " forbids lakes and rivers, marshy
and manured grounds, they cause a bad air, gross diseases, hard to be cured : *^"if
it be so that he cannot help it, better (as he adviseth) sell thy house and land than
lose thine health." He that respects not this in choosing of his seat, or building his
house, is ?nente capias, mad, ^^Cato saith, " and his dwelling next to hell its'elf,"
according to Columella: he commends, in conclusion, the middle of a hill, upon a
descent. Baptista, Porta Villa;., lib. 1. cap. 22. censures Varro, Cato, Columella, and
those ancient rustics, approving many things, disallowing some, and will by all means
have the front of a house stand to the south, which how it may be good in Italy and
hotter climes, I know not, in our northern countries I am sure it is best : Steph'anus,
a Frenchman, pra:dio rustic, lib. 1. cap. 4. subscribes to this, approving especially
the descent of a hill south or south-east, with trees to the north, so that it be well
watered ; a condition in all sites which must not be omitted, as Herbastein incul-
cates, lib. 1. Julius Caesar Claudinus, a physician, consult. 24, for a nobleman in
Poland, melancholy given, adviseth him to dwell in a house inclining to the ^east,
and ^' by all means to provide the air be clear and sweet ; which Montanus, comil.
229, counselleth the earl of Monfort, his patient, to inhabit a pleasant house, and in
a good air. If it be so the natural site may not be altered of our city, town, village,
yet by artificial means it may be helped. In hot countries, therefore', they make t1ie
streets of their cities very narrow, all over Spain, Africa, Italy, Greece, and many
cities of France, in Languedoc especially, and Provence, those southern parts : Mont-
pelier, the habitation and university of physicians, is so built, with high houses,
narrow streets, to divert the sun's scalding rays, which Tacitus commends, lib. 15.
.Jinnat.., as most agreeing to their health, ^^ " because the height of buildings, and
narrowness of streets, keep away the sunbeams." Some cities use galleries, or
arched cloisters towards the street, as Damascus, Bologna, Padua, Berne^in Switzer-
land, Westchester with us, as well to avoid tempests, as the sun's scorching heat.
They build on high hills, in hot countries, for more air; or to the seaside, as Baise,
Naples, &.C. In our northern countries we are opposite, we commend straight,
broad, open, fair streets, as most befitting and agreeing to our clime. We builcf in
bottoms for warmth : and that site of xAIitylene in the island of Lesbos, in the .-Egean
sea, which Vitruvius so much discommends, magnificently built with fair houses,
sed imprudenter positam, unadvisedly sited, because it lay along to the south, and
when the south wind blew, the people were all sick, would make an excellent site-
in our northern climes.
Of that artificial site of houses I have sufficiently discoursed: if the plan of the
dwelling may not be altered, yet there is much in choice of such a chamber or room,
in opportune opening and shutting of windows, excluding foreign air and winds, and
walking abroad at convenient times. ^^ Crato, a German, commends east and south
site (disallowing cold air and northern winds in this case, rainy weather and misty
days), free from putrefaction, fens, bogs, and muck-hills. If the air be such, open,
no windows, come not abroad. Montanus will have his patient not to "^ stir at all,,
if the wind be big or tempestuous, as most part in xMarch it is with us; or in cloudy,
lowering, dark days, as in November, which we commonly call the black month ;
or stormy, let the wind stand how it will, consil. 27. and 30. he must not ^'"open
a casement in bad weather," or in a boisterous season, const/. 299, he especially for-
bids us to open windows to a south wind. The best sites for chamber windows, in
my judgment, are north, east, south, and which is the worst, west. Levinus Lem-
nius, lib. 3. cap. 3. de occult, nat. mir. attributes so much to air, and rectifving of
wind and windows, that he holds it alone sufficient to make a man sick or well ; to
alter body and mind. ^ "A clear air cheers up the spirits, exhilarates the mind ; a
Bishop Oxon, who built this house for himself and his
successors. k Hyeine erit vehemeiiter frigida, et
rstafe non salubris: priludes enim faciunt crassum
aerein. et difficiles morbos. es Vendas qiiot assibiis
possis, et si tiequeas, relinqiias. i-a Lib. I. cap. 2.
ia Oreo habita. so Aurora musis arnica, Vitruv.
"'.^des Orienteni speclantes vir nobilli.<simu.4, inhahi-
let, et curet ut sit aerclarus, lucidus, odoriferus. Eligat
39 2a3
habitationem optirao acre jucundain. »2Q.i,oniani
angustiee itinerum et aititudo tectoriim. non perinde
Solis calorein adinittit. "3 tonsil. -Jl. li. -2. Frigi-
dus aer, nubilosus, densus. vitandus, sque ac venti sep-
lentrioiiales, i.c. »>Consil.24. sisFenestrain
non aperiat. ssDiscutit Sol horrorem crassi spiri»
tus. mnntem exhilaral, non enim tam corpora, quam eV
animi uiutationem inde subeunt, pro coeli et veatoruiB.
306. Cure of MelancJiohj. [Part. 2. Sec. 2
tliick. black, misty, tempestuous, contracts, overthrows." Great heed is therefore to
he taken at what times we walk, how we place our windows, lights, and houses,
how we let in or exclude this ambient air. The Esjy|nians, to avoid immoderate
heat, make their windows on the top of the house like chimneys, with two tunnels to
draw a thorough air. In Spain they commonly make greai opposite windows without
glass, still shutting those which are next to the sun : so likewise in Turkey and half
(Venice excepted, which brags of her stately glazed palaces) they use paper windows
to like purpose ; and lie, sub dio, in the top of their llat-roofed houses, so sleeping
under the canopv of heaven. In some parts of ^ Italy they have windmills, to draw
a cooling air out of hollow caves, and disperse the same through all the chambers
of their palaces, to refresh them ; as at Cosloza, the house of Ca;sarco Trento, a
gentleman of Vicenza, and elsewhere. Many excellent means are invented to cor-
rect nature by art. If none of these courses help, the best way is to make artificial
air, whicii howsoever is profitable and good, still to be made hot and moist, and to
he seasoned with sweet perfumes, *** pleasant and lightsome as it may be ; to have
roses, violets, and sweet-smelling flowers ever in their windows, pDsies in their
hand. Laurentius commends water-lilies, a vessel of warm water to evaporate in the
room, wliich will make a more delightful perfume, if there be added orange-flowers,
pills of citrons, rosemary, cloves, bays, rosewater, rose-vinegar, benzoin, laudanum,
styrax. and sucii like gums, which make a pleasant and acceptable perfume. * Bes-
sardus Bisantimis prefers the smoke of juniper to melancholy persons, which is in
great request with us at Oxford, to sweeten our chambers. '"^Guianerius prescribes
tiie air to be moistened with water, and sweet herbs boiled in it, vine, and sallow
(eaves, &.C., 'to besprinkle the ground and posts with rose-water, rose-vinegar, which
Avicenna much approves. Of colours it is good to behold green, red, yellow, and
white, and by all means to have light enough, with windows in the day, wax candles
in the night, neat chambers, good fires in winter, merry companions ; for though
melancholy persons love to be dark and alone, yet darkness is a great increaser of
the humour.
Although our ordinarj* air be good by nature or art, yet it is not amiss, as I have
;f!aid, still to alter it; no better physic for a melancholy man than change of air, and
variety of places, to travel aljroail and see fashions. 'Leo Afer speaks of many of
his countrymen so cured, without all other physic : amongst the negroes, •• there is
such an excellent air, that if any of them be sick elsewhere, and brought tliither, he
is instantly recovered, of which he was often an eye-witness." ^ Li|)sius, Zuinger.
and some others, add as much of ordinary travel. No man, saith Lij)sius, in au
epistle to Phil. Lanoius, a noble friend of his, now ready to make a voyage, ■* " can
be such a stock or stone, whom that pleasant speculation of countries, cities, towns,
rivers, will not atFect." ^Seneca the philosopher was infinitely taken with tlie sighl
of Scipio Africanus' house, near Linternum, to view those old buildings, cisterns,
baths, tombs, &.c. And how was *Tully pleased with the sight of Athens, to behold
those ancient and fair buildings, with a remembrance (»f their worthy inhabitants.
Paulus ..Emilius, that renowned Roman captain, after he had conijuered Perseus, the
last king of Macedonia, and now made an end of his tedious wars, though he had
been long absent from Rome, and much there desired, about the beginning of autumn
(as ' Livy describes it) made a pleasant peregrination all over Greece, accompanied
with his son Scipio, and Atheneus the brother of king I-limienos, leaving the charge
of his army with Sulpicius Gallus. By Thessaly he went to Delplios, llience to
JMegaris, Aulis, Athens, Argos, Lacedaemon, Megalopolis, &.c. He took great content, .
exceeding deliglit in that his voyage, as who doth not that shall attempt the like,
though his travel be ad jactalionem magis qtiam ad usutn reipuh. (^as * one well
observes) to crack, gaze, see fine sights and fashions, spend lime, rather than for his
ralione, et sani aliter aflVtcli sini cojIo nubilo, aliter ! 'Lib. 1. rap. ile tnorh. Afroruin In N'isritariini ri-gion^^
•Teno. De iiatiira wntorum, see Pliny. Ijh. 2 cap. 26. tauta aeri» tfiniK^ri*, iil Bi(|ui'* nlihi iiiorbo«ui« itS adv^
27- 2t^. Strabo, li. 7. &c. "^ Fines Slnrisoii parr. ]. hatur, nptimtp slaliin «anilati r>?i«lilualur. i|iiimI niiiltii
c. 4. * .Mt<iniaru!i car. 7. Bruel. Ai-r sit luydus, I accidiis*-, ipsn uicis iMnlis vii!i. > Lih. di- (lere-
ttiii^ oleiis. ImniiiliiM. .Moiitallu:^ iUeui ca. 2ii. 0|;'u((us^ griiiat. * Epist. 2. cen. 1 Nee Tii«oiiaiii t.ii.i ! ipn
reruin suaviuiii. Laurentius, c. 8. »" .\fit Pluliis. ] atit frutex. tpn-in nun titilLit anni'na illa. »
cap de iiiflaiic. '("'Tract. 15 r. 9. ex rcdolentibU!) speclio loci>riiin, urbiuni. e>'iitiiiiii, ^c. ' I.
ht-rhis et f.lii* vitis viiiiforse, salicis, See ' Pavi. ^a. lib. de legibua. 'LJb. 4o. »K<-*ckrra>«ii ,
meiiiuiii actio, el aqua c sacea irrurare, L.aurent, c. d. ' polit.
Wem. 3.] Jlir recAificd. 307
own or public good ? (as it is to many gallants that travel out their best days, too-ether
with their means, manners, honesty, religion) yet it availeth howsoever. " For°pere-
grination charms our senses with such unspeakable and sweet variety, ^ that some
count him unhappy that never travelled, and pity his case, that from his cradle to his
old age beholds the same still ; still, still the same, the same. Insomuch that "^Rhasis,
cont. lib. 1. Tract. 2. doth not only commend, bat enjoin travel, and such variety of
objects to a melancholy man, "and to lie in diverse inns, to be drawn into several
companies :" Montaltus, cap. 30. and many neoterics are of the same mind: Celsus
adviseth him therefore that will continue his health, to have varium viice genus,
diversity of callings, occupations, to be busied about, ""■ sometimes to live in the city,
sometimes in the country; now to study or work, to be intent, then again to liawk
or hunt, swim, run, ride, or exercise himself." A good prospect alone v/ill ease
melancholy, as Comesius contends, lib. 2. c. 7. de Sale. The citizens of '^Barcino,
saith he, otherwise penned in, melancholy, and stirring little abroad, are much de-
lighted with that pleasant prospect their city hath into the sea, which like that of old
Athens besides Angina Salamina, and many pleasant islands, had all the variety of
delicious objects : so are those Neapolitans and inhabitants of Genoa, to see the
ships, boats, and passengers go by, out of their windows, their whole cities being
situated on the side of a hill, like Pera by Constantinople, so that each house almos't
hath a free prospect to the sea, as some part of London to the Thames: or to have a
free prospect all over the city at once, as at Granada in Spain, and Fez in Africa, the
river running betwixt two declining hills, the steepness causeth each house almost, as
well to oversee, as to be overseen of the rest. Every country is full of such '^delieht-
some prospects, as well within land, as by sea, as Hermon and '^ Rama in Palest'ina,
Cola] to in Italy, the top of Magetus, or Acrocorinthus, that old decayed castle in
Corinth, from which Peloponessus, Greece, the Ionian and Aegean seas were semel et
simul at one view to be taken. In Egypt the square top of the great pyramid, three
liundred yards in height, and so the Sultan's palace in Grand Cairo, the country being
plain, hath a marvellous fair prospect as well over Nilus, as that great city, five" Italian
miles long, and two broad, by the riverside: from mount Sion in Jerusalem, the
Holy Land is of all sides to be seen : such high places are infinite : with us those
of the best note are Glastonbury tower. Box ffill in Surrey, Bever castle, Rodway
Grange, 'HValsby in Lincolnshire, where I lately received a real kindness, by the
munificence of the right honourable my noble lady and patroness, the Ladv Frances,
countess dowager of Exeter : and two amongst "the rest, which I may not omit for
vicinity's sake, Oklbury in the confines of Warwickshire, where I have often looked
about me with great delight, at the foot of which hill '^ I was born : and Hanbury in
Stafibrdshire, contiguous to which is Falde, a pleasant village, and an ancient patri-
mony belonging to our family, now in the possession of mine elder brother. William
Burton, Esquire. '"Barclay the Scot commends that of Greenwich tower for ona
of the best prospects in Europe, to see London on the one side, the Thames, ships,
and pleasant meadows on the other. There be those that say as much and more of
St. Clark's steeple in Venice. Yet these are at too great a distance : some are espe-
cially affected with such objects as be near, to see passengers go by in some great
road- way, or boats in a river, in sttbjecium forum despicere, to oversee a fair, a mar-
ket-place, or out of a pleasant window into some thoroughfare street, to behold a
contmual concourse, a promiscuous rout, coming and going, or a multitude of spec-
tators at a theatre, a mask, or some such like show. But I rove : the sum is this,
that variety of actions, objects, air, places, are excellent good in this infirnilty. and
all others, good for man, good for beast. '^' Constantine the emperor, lib. 18. cap. 13.
ex Leonfio, " holds it an only cure for rotten sheep, and any manner of sick cattle."'
Lfelius a fonte iEgubinus, that great doctor, at the latter end of many of his consul-
-•tations (as commonly he doth set down what success his physic had,) in melancholy
3 Fines Morison c. 3. part. 1. 'OMutatio de loco ] resisned for some special reasons. is At Lindlev in
in locum, Uinfira.et voiagia longa et iiidp.terminata.et Leicestershire, the possession and dwellinff-place of
.lospyare in diversis diversoriis. " Modo ruri esse, Ralph Burton, Esquire, my late deceased father. J" In
niodo 111 urhe. sa;pius in agro venari, &c. i- [n Icon animorum. if ^arotantes ovps in alium
Catalonia in Spain. '^Laudaturque domos longos locum transportanda- sunt, lit aliuni aervin el aquaiu
quffi prospicit buds. KMany towns there are of parlicipantes, coalescant et corrobeiitur.
that name, saith Adricomius, all high-sited. is Lately
Cure of Melancholy.
[Pan. 2. Sec. 3
308
most especially approves of this above all other remedies whatsoever, as appears
omsult. 69. consult. 229. &c. "" Many other things helped, but change of air was
that which wrought the cure, and did most good."
MEMB. IV.
Exei cise rectified of Body and Mind.
To that sfreat inconvenience, which comes on the one side by immoderate and
unseasonable exercise, too niucli solitariness and idleness on the other, must be
opposed as an antidote, a moderate and seasonable use of it, and that both of body
and mind, as a most material circumstance, much conducing to this cure, and to the
general preservation of our health. The lieavens themselves run continually round,
the sun riseth and sets, the moon increaseth and decreaseth, stars and planets keep
their constant motions, the air is still tossed by tlie winds, the waters ebb and How
to their conservation no doubt, to teach us that we sluiuld ever be in action. For
which cause Hieron prescribes Ruslicus the monk, that he be always occuj)ied about
some business or other, *'•' that the devil ilo not find him itile.'- '^' Seneca would
have a man do something, though it be to no purpose. "Xenophon wishelh one
rather to plav at tables, dice, or make a jester of hitnself (though he migl\t be far
belter employed) than do nothing. The ^Egyptians of old, and many llourishing
(•ornmonwealths since, have enjoined labour and exercise to all sorts of men, to be
of some vocation and calling, and give an account of their time, to prevent those
grievous mischiefs that come by idleness: »' for as fodder, whip, and burthen belntig
to the ass : so meat, correction, and work unto the servant," Ecclus. xxxiii. 2:}. 'I'he
Turks enjoin all men whatsoever, of what degree, to be of some trade or other, the
(irand Seignior himself is not excused. ^''» In our memory (saith Sabellicus) Maho-
met the Turk, he that conquered Greece, at thai very time when he heard ambassa-
dors of other princes, did either cajve or cut wooden spoons, or frame something
upon a table." '■' This present sultan makes notches for bows. The Jews are most
severe in this examination of time. All well-governed places, towns, families, and
every discreet person will be a law unto himself. But amongst us the badge of
gentry is idleness : to be of no calling, not to labour, for that's derogatory to their
birth, to be a mere spectator, a drone, /tm^^* consume re nalus, to have no necessary
f'mployment to busy himself about in church and commonwealth (some few govern-
ors exempted), '• but to rise to eat," Stc, to spend his days in hawking, hunting, &tc.,
and such like disports and recreations (* which our casuists tax), are the sole exer-
cise almost, and ordinary actions of our nobility, and in which tliey are too innno-
derate. And thence it comes to pass, that in city and countr}' so many grievances
of body and mind, and this feral disease of melancholy so frequently ragcnh, and now
dommeers almost all over Europe amongst our great ones. They know not how to
spend their time (disports excepted, which are all their business), what to do, or
otherwise how to bestow them.selvcs : like our modern Frenchmen, that had rather
lose a pound of blood in a single combat, than a drop of sweat in any honest labour.
Every man almost hath something or other to employ himself about, some vocation,
some trade, but they do all by ministers and servants, ad otiu dunlaxat se natns rx-
iMimanf, imb ad sui ipsius phrumque ct aliorum pemiciem, "as one freely taxeth
such kind of men, they are all for pastimes, 'tis all their study, all their invention
tends to this alone, to drive away time, as if they were bom some of them to no
other ends. Therefore to correct and avoid these errors and inconveniences, our
divines, physicians, and politicians, so much labour, and so seriously exhort ; and
>*.\lia ulilia, sed ex miitatinne aeri3 itoti^simiim cu-
rstiis. * Ne tedrnion otiosum iiiveniat. s' Pnps-
la( aliiid atrereqiiaiii nihil. '- Lib. 3. de dicti8S<^>crati4,
Uui te!i»«ri:$ el ri!iui i.-xcitando vucaiil, alic|iiiil facinnt.
••I II licerfl lii.s iiielinra agere. ° Aiiiasia coni|>f lied
f very man once a year to lell how he lived. ^ Kiistra
utemoria Matuunetes Othomaiinus qui Gnecix iinpe-
rium subverlil, cum oratnrum pontulala nudir<-l rxlrr-
iiaruiii |;rntiiiiii, cochlearia li^nea B-.ti<liii- ra-la*ial. aul
aliipiid III tabula atfiiigebat. ^ Sands, fol. 37. >•( hi«
viiyaee to Jerusalem. " Perkini, <'a«<-« of l.'on-
8«ienr«, I. 3. c 4 q. 3. f LuM-innii liriinnio. •■ Tliejr
Deem lo think they wrre born to idlentiM, — nay mura,
for the dettruclion of Ibemiielve* and olbcra."
Mem. 4.j Exercise rectified. 309
for this disease in particular, ^'" there can be no better cure than continual business," as
Rhasis holds, " to have some employment or other, which may set their mind a\vork,and
distract their cogitations. Riches may not easily be had without labour and industry,
nor learning without study, neither can our health be preserved without bodily exer-
cise. If it be of the body, Guianerius allows that exercise which is gentle, ^^"and
still after those ordinary frications" which must be used every morning. Montaltus,
cap. 26. and Jason Pratensis use almost the same words, highly commending exer-
cise if it be moderate ; " a wonderful help so used," Crato calls it, '^ and a great
means to preserve our health, as adding strength to the whole body, increasing natu-
ral heat, by means of which the nutriment is well concocted in the stomach, liver,
and veins, few or no crudities left, is happily distributed over all the body." Be-
sides, it expels excrements by sweat and other insensible vapours ; insomuch, that
'^ Galen prefers exercise before all physic, rectification of diet, or any regimen in
what kind soever ; 'tis nature's physician. ^' Fulgentius, out of Gordonius de con-
serv. vit. liom. Vib. 1. cap. 7. terms exercise, "a spur of a dull, sleepy nature, the
comforter of the members, cure of infirmity, death of diseases, destruction of all
mischiefs and vices." The fittest time for exercise is a little before dinner, a little
before supper, ^^or at any time when the body is empty. Montanus, consU. 31. pre-
scribes it every morning to his patient, and that, as ^^ Calenus adds, " after he hath
done his ordinary needs, rubbed his body, washed his hands and face, combed his
head and gargarised." What kind of exercise he should use, Galen tells us, lib. 2.
et 3. de snnit. fuend. and in what measure, ^' " till the body be ready to sweat," and
roused up ; ad ruborem., some say, non ad sudorem, lest it should dry the body loo
much ; others enjoin tliose wholesome businesses, as to dig so long in his garden, to
hold the plough, and the like. Some prescribe frequent and violent labour and ex-
ercises, as sawing every day so long together (epid. 6. Hippocrates confounds them).
but that is in some cases, to some peculiar men ; ''^ the most forbid, and by no means
will have it go farther than a beginning sweat, as bemg ^^ perilous if it exceed.
Of these labours, exercises, and recreations, which are likewise included, some
properly belong to the body, some to the mind, some more easy, some hard, some
with delight, some without, some within doors, some natural, some a.re artificial.
Amongst bodily exercises, Galen commends Jiidum parvcb pi.lce^ to play at ball, be it
witli the luind or racket, in tennis-courts or otherwise, it exerciseth each part of the
body, and doth much good, so that they sweat not too much. It was in great re-
quest of old amongst the Greeks, Romans, Barbarians, mentioned by Homer, Hero-
dotus, and Plinius. Some write, that Aganclla, a fair maid of Corcyra, was the in-
ventor of it, for she presented the first ball that ever was made to Nausica, the
daughter of King Alcinous, and taught her how to use it.
Tlie ordinary sports wliich are used abroad are hawking, hunting, Idlarcs vcnandi
lahorcs, ^' one calls them, because they recreate body and mind, ''^another, the ^"" best
exercise that is, by which alone many have been ''"freed from all feral diseases."
Hegesippns, lib. 1. cap. 37. relates of Herod, that he was eased of a grievous melan-
choly by that means. Plato, 7. de leg. highly magnifies it, dividing it into three
parts, " by land, water, air." Xenophon, in Cyropccd. graces it with a great name,
Deorum iniinus, the gift of the gods, a princely sport, wliich tliey liave ever used,
^aith Langius, epist. 59. lib. 2. as well for health as pleasure, and do at this day, it
being the sole almost and ordinary sport of our noblemen in Europe, and elsewhere
all over the world. Bohemus, de nior. gen/, lib. 3. cap. 12. styles it thereibrs, sUi-
diuin nobilium^ communiter vcnantur., quod sibi solis licere confendimt^ 'tis all their
study, their exercise, ordinary business, all their talk : and indeed some dote too
38 Noil est cura melinr qiiam injiinsere lis iiecessaria, I inanihus et nculis, &r,. lib. de atra bile. ^i dudiisclue
et iipportuna ; o|ieniin ailmiiiislralio illis nia<,'iium sam- , corpus universum iiituinescat. et floriilum appareat, su-
talis iiicreiiieiitiim, et (lUCB repleaiil amnios eoriim et dortque, &c. ssoniimio sudoreiii vitenl. cap. 7. lib.
incutiant iis diversas cogitationes. C'ont 1. tract. 9. ! 1. Valescus de Tar. 36 Exercitiiiiii si e,\cedat, valde
S" Ante ex(trcilium, leves toto corpnre fiiclioiies coiive-j periculosmii. Salust. Salviaiius de reined, lib. 2. cap.
uiunt. Ad luiiic morbiiin e.xercitatioiies, quuni recte et i 1. 3'' Camden in Staffonlsbire. aspriilevailius,
suo tempore ti'int, inirifice condiicuiit, et sanitateiii j lib. ]. cap. 2. optima omnium exercitatiunum niiiiti ab
tuentur, &c. S" Lib. 1. de sail, tuenil. '■'• Excrciliiim | hac soluininodo morhis liberati. S'J Jose|)liiis Quer-
natura; dorniieiilis t^timiilJitin, H)eiiil)roruni solatium, i cetaiius dialect, polit. sect. 2. cap. 11. Inter omnia e.t-
morborum ineilela, fufia viiioruin, iiiedicina languorum, I ercitia prspstantiie laudem iiierelur. ^ochyron in
destructio omnium malorum, Crato. ^ .Alimentis I nionte Telio, pisceptor lieronm eos a niorbis animi ve-
in venlriculo probe concoctis. s^ Jejuno ventre vesica nationibus et puriscibis tuebatur. M. Tyrius.
el alvo ab cxcreiueiilis purgato, fricatis membris, lotis 1
31C Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
iniicli after it, thoy can d ) nothing else, discourse of naught else. Paulus Jovius,
descr. Brit, doth in some sort tax our '"'•'English nobility for it, for living in the
country so much, and too frequent use of it, aa if they had no other means but
luiwking and hunting to approve themselves gentlemen with."
Hawking comes near to hunting, the one in the air, as the other on the earth, a
sport as much aiFected as the other, by some preferred. ■•- It was never heard of
amongst the Romans, invented some twelve hundred years since, and first mentioned
by Firmicus, Jih. 5. cap. 8. The Greek emperors began it, and now nothing so fre-
quent : he is nobody that in the season hath not a hawk on his list. A great art,
and maiiy *^ books written of it. It is a wonder to hear '*'' what is related of the
Turks' ofllcers in this behalf, how many thousand men are employed about it, how
many hawks of all sorts, how much revenues consumed on that only (hsport, how
much time is spent at Adrianople alone every year to that purpose. The ^^ Persian
kings hawk after butterflies with sparrows made to that use, and stares : lesser hawks
for lesser games they have, and bigger for the rest, that they may jjroduce their sport
to all seasons. Tlie ]Muscovian emperors reclaim eagles to lly at hinds, foxes, Stc,
and such a one was sent for a present to ^^ Queen Ehzabeth : some reclaim ravens,
castril>, pies, Stc, and man them for their pleasures.
Fowling is more troublesome, but all out as ilelightsome to some sorts of men, be
it with jjUMS, lime, nets, glades, gins, strings, baits, pitfalls, pipes, calls, stalking-
horses, setting-dogs, decoy-ducks, Stc, or otherwise. Some much delight to take
larks with dav-nets, small birds with chatf-nets, plovers, partridge, herons, snipe, iS.c.
lli'ury tlie Third, king of Castile (as .Mariana the Jesuit reports t)f him, lib. '■\. cap.
7.) was nuich atlected '"'•'• with catching of quails," and many gentlemen take a sin-
gidar pleasure at morning and evening to go abroad with their quail-pipes, ami will
take any pains to satisfy their delight in that kind. The '* Italians have gardens titled
to such use, with nets, bushes, glades, sparing no cost or industry, and are very
much atlected with the sport. Tycho Brahe, that great astronomer, in the choro-
graphy of his Isle of Iluena, and Castle of Uraniburge, puts down his nets, and
manner of catching snudl birds, as an ornament and a recreation, wherein he himself
was sometimes employed.
Fishing is a kind of hunting by water, be it with nets, weeles, baits, angling, or
otherwise, a'nd yields all out as much ])lt'asure to some men as dogs or hawks ;
**" When they draw their fish upon the bank," saith Nic. llenselius Silesiographia',
cap. 3. sjipaking of that extraonlinary delight his countrymen took in fishing, and in
making of pools. James Dubravius, that Moravian, in his book de pise, telleth, how
tmvelling by the highway side in Silesia, he found a nobleman, ^"booted up to the
grnins," wading himself, pulling the nets, and labouring as much as any lislierman
of them all : and when some belike objected to him the baseness of his oflice, he
excused himself, ^''•' that if other men might hunt hares, why should not he hunt
carps ?" 31any gentlemen in like sort with us will wade up to the arm-holes upon
such occasions, and voluntarily undertake that to satisfy their pleasures, which a
po<M- man for a good stipend would scarce be hired to undergo. Plutarch, in his
book de solcr. animal, speaks against all fishing, '^^ as a filthy, base, illiberal employ-
ment, having neither wit nor perspicacity in it, nor worth tlie labour." But he that
shall consider the variety of bails for all seasons, and pretty devices which our
anglers have invented, peculiar lines, false Hies, several sleiglits. Sec. will say, that it
deserves like commendation, requires as much study and perspicacity as the re>t. and
is to be preferred before many of them. Because hawking and hunting are very
laborious, much riding, and many dangers accompany ihein ; but this is still and
quiet : and if so be the angler catch no fish, yel he hath a wholesome walk to the
«i Nobilitas (.niriis fere urbes ra.<ti(lit,castellia, el libe-
riore ca'lo gaiiili-t, ^enerisque ilij^aitatecii una uiaxiinS
veiiatiiiiie, et falronuiii aucupiis luetur. -•-'Jos.
^Laliger. ciiiiiiiiL'ii. in Cir. in I'ul. 344. Salmulli -J3. ile
Novrt-pi-ri. i;oiii. in Paiicir. *3 Uometrius Coiiniaii-
cnijp lit; rt! accipitrana, liber a P.Gillir laline rcilUi'
lus. iT:iiiis. t-pij-l. AquiliE Syinaclii ft 'I'hifMlolionis ad
Ptolonieiiin. Slc. ** l^nicenis, Gcffreus, jovius.
•4 S. Antony Sherlie's relalions. *^Hachm.
*'r«turuicuiii aucupio. *< Fines Moriion, part J.
c. 8. ^ \on inajiireni vuluplateni aninin capiuiit,
quAm qui fKim iii^ect.intiir. aiil uiimhk raiiilint, cnai-
prL-hen<iunl. qnuin rttiu tra)i)'iil< ii, Kqnanuma* |m ciiile*
in ripas ailducunl. ^ >|iire pii-caKriim criiribut
ocreatuii. "Si pririripibns Vi-natii) l>-|H>riii nun iil
intiimesla, nt>:><°iu quuMioilu piwalio cypriiuiriini vulrri
delv'Ot pudenda. ^'>Uniiiinr> tiirpis pii>ciiliii, nu>lo
«tuiliii digna. illibfralis crediia e«t, quud iiulluui *Mibct
iiigeuiuui, uullaui peri>picaciain.
Mem. 4.J
Exercise rectified.
311
brookside, pleasant shade by the sweet silver streams ; he hath gocd air, and sweet
smells of fine fresh meadow flowers, he hears the melodious harmony of birds, he
sees the swans, herons, ducks, water-horns, coots, Stc, and many other fowl, with
their brood, which he thinketh better than the noise of hounds, or blast of horns,
and all the sport that they can make.
Many other sports and recreations there be, much in use, as ringing, bowling,
shooting, which Ascam recommends in a just volume, and hath in former limes been
enjoined by statute, as a defensive exercise, and an ^^ honour to our land, as well
may witness our victories in France. Keelpi-ns, tronks, quoits, pitching bars, hurl-
ing, wrestling, leaping, running, fencing, mustring, swimming, wasters, foils, football,
baloon, quintan, &c., and many such, which are the common recreations of the
countryfolks. Riding of great horses, running at rings, tilts and tournaments, horse-
races, wild-goose chases, which are the disports of greater men, and good in them-
selves, though many gentlemen by that means gallop quite out of their fortunes.
But the most pleasant of all outward pastimes is that of ^^ Areteus, deamhulatio
per amczna loca, to make a petty progress, a merry journey now and then with some
good companions, to visit friends, see cities, castles, towns.
&5" Visere sccpe aniiies nitidos, per amcenaque Tempe,
Et placicias ?uiiimis sectari in inontibus auras."
'To see the pleasant fields, the crystal fountains.
And take tiie iienlle air amonj-'st the mountains.'
* To walk amongst orchards, gardens, bowers, mounts, and arbours, artificial wil-
dernesses, green thickets, arches, groves, lawns, rivulets, fountains, and such like
pleasant places, like that Antiochian Daphne, brooks, pools, fishponds, between wood
and water, in a fair meadow, by a river side, ''" ubi varies avium cantalioJies, Jlorum
colores^ ])ratorum frut.ices, &.c. to disport in some pleasant plain, park, run up a steep
lull sometimes, or sit in a shady seat, must needs be a delectable recreation. Horins
jjrincipis et domus ad deleclationem facta., cum syJvd^ monte et jjificina., vulgd la
vwntagna: the prince's garden at Ferrara ^^Schottus highly magnifies, with the
groves, mountains, ponds, for a delectable prospect, he was much affected with it : a
Persian paradise, or pleasant park, could not be more delectable in his sight. St.
Bernard, in the description of his monastery, is almost ravished with the pleasures
of it. '•''A sick ^^ man (saith he) sits upon a green bank, and when the dog-star
parcheth the plains, and dries up rivers, he lies in a shady bower," Froude sub arbo-
rea ferventia temperat astra, "• and feeds his eyes with variety of objects, herbs,
trees, to comfort his misery, he receives many delightsome smells, and fills his ears
with that sweet and various harmony of birds : good God (saith he), what a com-
pany of pleasures hast thou made for man !" He that sliould be admitted on a sud-
den to the sight of such a palace as that of Escurial in Spain, or to that which the
Moors built at Granada, Fontainbleau in France, the Turk's gardens in his seraglio,
wherein all manner of birds and beasts are kept for pleasure ; wolves, bears, lynxes,
tigers, lions, elephants, &.C., or upon the banks of tliat Thracian Bosphorus : the
pope's Belvedere in Rome,'" as pleasing as those horti ■pcnsilcs in Babylon, or that
Indian king's delightsome garden in ^'iElian ; or ^' those famous gardens of the Lord
Cantelow in France, could not choose, though he were never so ill paid, but be much
recreated for the time ; or many of our noblen)en's gardens at home. To lake a
boat in a pleasant evening, and with music *^to row upon the waters, which Plutarch
so inucli applauds, Elian admires, upon the river Pineus : in those TJiessalian fields.
beset with green bays, where birds so sweetly sing that passengers, enchanted as it
were with tlieir heavenly music, omnium labormn et curarum obliviscantur., forget
forthwith all labours, caie, and grief: or in a gondola through the Grand Canal in
Venice, to see those goodly palaces, must needs refresh and give content to a'
melancholy dull spirit. Or to see the inner rooms of a fair-built and sumptuous
edifice, as that of the Persian kings, so much renowned by Diodorus and Curtius, in
^ Praecipua hinc Anglis gloria, crebra; vittorJEE parts.
Jiivins. 'iCap. 7. *s Fracastorius. ^Ain-
Imlalioni'S sulxJiules, quas horten.ses aurie ministrant,
Kub fornice viridi, panipinis virenlibus concamerata;.
"Theopliylact. «>itinerat. ital. ^aSedel
aegroius cespite viridi, rt cum inclenieiitia Canicularis
i'-rr:is extoquit, et siccat flumina, ipse securus sedet
sui) arborea fronde, el ai dnloris sni solaljuin, naribus
suis graiuliieas redolel species, pascit oculos lierbarum
aniaena viriditas, aiires suavi modnlamine demulc-t
piclarum concentus avium, &c. Dhms bone, ijuanta
paiiperibus procuras solatia ! ^ Diod. SjcuIus, lib. 2.
" Lib. i:). de animal, cap. 13. " Pet. Gillius. Paul.
Hentzeus Itenerar. Italix. IfilT. lod. Siiicerus Itene-
rar. Galliae ltil7. Simp. lib. 1. quest. 4. " Jucuti-
dissiina deamhulatio ju.vta mare, et navigatio pruu-»
terrain. In utraque fluminis ripa.
312
Cure of Melanchohj.
[Part. 2. Sec. 2.
nhich all was almost beaten gold, "chairs, stool*, thrones, tabernacles, and pillars
of gold, plane trees, and vines of gold, grapes of )>recious stor«a, all the other orna-
ments of pure gold,
65 ■' Fiilaet gemma floris, et jaspidc fulva supellex,
Strata iiiicaiit Tyrio"
With sweet odours and perfumes, generous wines, opiparous fare, Stc, besides the
gallantest young men, the fairest ^'^ virgins, puclhe scitula. ministrcmles, tlie rare,-t
beauties the world could allbrd, and those set out witli costly and curious attires, ad
St'uporem usque spcctantium, with exquisite music, as in ^'Trimaltion's house, in every
chamber sweet voices ever sounding day and night, incomparubilis lurus, all delights
and pleasures in each kind which i^ please the senses could possibly be devised or
had, conviva coronati, dclitiis ebrtt, &.c. Telemachus, in llomer, is brought in as
one- ravished almost at the sight of that magnilicent palace, and rich furniture of
iMenelaus, when he beheld
"""vEris fulguroin et resoiiaiitia tecta corusco
Auro, alque electro nitido, aeirloqui^ clephanto,
Ar<.'eiit()que simul. Talis Juvis aniua seiles,
Aiiluque ccelicoltjiu slctluiis spleiiiteacit Dlyiupo."
"Such glittering of gold and brightest brass to shine,
Clear amber, silver pure, and ivory so fine:
Jupiter's lol^y palace, wtiere the poils do dwell.
Was even such a one, and did it not e.vcel."
It will laxurc anirnos, refresh the soul of man to see fair-built cities, streets, tlieatres,
temples, obelisks, kc. The temple of Jerusalem was so fairly built of white mar-
ble, witli so many pyramids covered with gold ; tcctumque templi fulvo coruscans
auro, nimio suo fulgore obcacabat oculos ilinerantium, was so glorious, and so glist-
ened afar oil", that the spectators might not well abide the sight of it. But the inner
parts were all so curiously set out with cedar, gold, jewels, Stc, as he said of Cleo-
patra's palace in Egypt, ^^ Crassumqut trabes ubscundtrat auruin, that tlie be-
holders were amazed. What so pleasant as to see some pageant or sight go by, as
at coronations, weddings, and such like solemnities, to see an ambassador or a prince
met, received, entertained with masks, shows, fireworks, Stc. To see two kings tight
in single combat, as Porus and Alexander; Canute and Edmund Ironside; Scander-
beg and Ferat Bassa the Turk ; when not honour alone but life il.self is at stake,
as the '"poet of Hector,
"nee eniin pro tcrgore Tauri,
Pro bove nee certanien erat, q'lu- pra-inia cursus
Esse «ulent, led pro oiagni viiaque aniniaque —
■ Hectoris."
To behold a battle fought, like that of Cressy, or Agincourt, or Poictiers, qua nescio
(^saith Froissart) an vetustas ullam proferre possit clariorem. To see one of Cassar's
triumphs in old Rome revived, or the like. To be present at an interview, " as that
famous of Henry the Eighth and Francis tlie First, so much renowned all over Eu-
rope; ubi tanto apparalu (sailh Iluberlus Vellius) tamque triumphuli poinpd ainbo
reges corn eorum conjugibm coicre, ut nulla unquum alas turn celcbriafcstu viderU
aul audieril, no age ever saw the like. So infinitely j)leasant are such i^liows, to the
sight of which oftenliincs they will come hundreds of miles, give any money for a
place, and remember many years after with singular delight. Bodine, wlien he was
ambassador in England, said he saw the noblemen go in their robes to the parliament
house, summd cum jucundilale vidimus, he was much aflected with the .^ight of it.
Poinponius Columna, saith Jovius in his life, saw thirteen Frenchmen, and so many
Italians, once tight for a whole army : Quod jucundissimum spectuculuin in vilil dicil
mn, the pleasantest sight that ever he saw in his life. Who would not have been
aflected with such a spectacle ? Or that single combat of " Pireaute the Frenchman,
and Anthony Schets a Dutchman, before the walls of Sylvaducis in Brabant, anno
1000. They were twenty-two horse on the one side, as many on the other, which
like Livy's Horatii, Torquati and Corvini fought for their own glorj' and country's
honour, in the sight and view of their whole city and army. '^ When Julius Cajsar
warred about the banks of Rhone, there came a barbarian prince to see him and the
Roman army, and when he had beheld Ca;sar a good while, "" I see the gods now
M Aurei panes, aiirea obsnnia, vis Margaritarum ace-
to subaclii. &c. "-^Liican. " 'I'lie furniture glitters
with lirilliaiit gems, with yellow jaspi-r, and the couches
dazzle with their purple dye." ";jtKI pellices pcrilla-
lort's et piiiceriiie iiiiiiiineri, pueri luti purpura iiiduti,
iz-.. f\ oiiiiiiuiii pulchritudiiie delecti. ^ Ubi omnia
rantu strepum. ""Oilyss. •■'Lucan. 1.8. "The
liaibers were concealed by solid gold." 'o Iliad. 10.
" For neither was the contest for the hide of a bull, nor
fur a beeve, which are the usrial priz. s in the riic»-, bul
for the life and soulof tlio great llicior." ■" U«rliie.-n
Ardt^.i and Giiiiii'!>, I5IU. '-Swertiui> in deliiiin. fnl.
487. veteri lloratioruiii exi'iiiplo, virtul>- el yurci «itii ad-
inirabili, c^^ls hni^lilias 17. in coii>>p<-riu piilria-. tec
" Faterciilus, vol. pii^t. '*C^uos antra auilni, inquil,
bodie vidi deos.
Mem. 4.] Exercise rectified. 313
(saith he) which before I heard of," ncc fceliciorem ullam vifcs mecs aid opiavi, aut
sensi diem: it was the liappiest day that ever he had in his life. Such a sight alone
were able of itself to drive away melancholy ; if not for ever, yet it must needs
expel it for a time. Radzivilus was much taken with the pasha's palace in Cairo,
and amongst many other objects which that place aflbrded, with that solemnity of
cutting the banks of the Nile by Imbram Pasha, when it overflowed, besides two or
three hundred gilded galleys on the water, he saw two millions of men gathered
together on the land, with turbans as white as snow ; and 'tv.'as a goodly sight.
The very reading of feasts, triumphs, interviews, nuptials, tilts, tournaments, com-
bats, and monomachies, is most acceptable and pleasant. "Franciscus 3Iodius hath
made a large collection of such solemnities in two great tomes, which whoso will
may peruse. The inspection alone of those curious iconographies of temples and
palaces, as that of the Lateran church in Albertus Durer, that of the temple of Jeru-
salem in ''^Josephus, Adricomius, and Villalpandus : that of the Escurial in Guadas,
of Diana at Ephesus in Pliny, Nero's golden palace in Rome, "Justinian's in Con-
stantinople, that Peruvian Jugo's in ''^ Cusco, ut non ah horninibus, sed a dannoniis
construchun videatiir; St. Mark's in Venice, by Ignatius, with many such; priscoruni
artijicum ojjcra (saith that ™ interpreter of Pausanias), the rare workmanship of those
ancient Greeks, in theatres, obelisks, temples, statues, gold, silver, ivory, marble
images, non minore ferme quum leguntur, quam qimm cerniinlur, animum delccLalione
complcnt, affect one as much by reading almost as by sight.
The country hath his recreations, the city his several gymnics and exercises, IMay
games, feasts, wakes, and merry meetings, to solace themselves ; the veiy being in
the country; that life itself is a sufficient recreation to some men, to enjoy such
pleasures, as those old patriarchs did. Dioclesian, the emperor, was so much
affected with it, that he gave over his sceptre, and turned gardener. Constantine
wrote twenty books of husbandry. Lysander, when ambassadors came to see him,
bragged of nothing more than of his orchard, hi sunt ordines mei. What shall I
say of Cincinnatus, Cato, Tully, and many such .' how they have been pleased with
it, to prune, plant, inoculate and graft, to shovv so many several kinds of pears, apples
plums, peaches, &.c.
i"" Nunc captare feras laquno, nunc fallere visco, 1 "Sometimes with traps deceive, with line and string
Ali|iip eliatii niaimos canihiis circundare saltus To ratch will liinls and b'iast?, encompassing
Insidias avibus moliri, incendere vepres." | The grove with dogs, and out of bushes firing."
et nidos avium scrutari," &c.
Jucundus, in his preface to Cato, Varro, Columella, Stc, put out by him, confesseth
of himself, that he was mightily delighted with these husbandry studies, and took
extraordinary pleasure in them : if the theory or speculation can so much affect,
what sliall the place and exercise itself, the practical part do ? The same confession
I find in Herbastein, Porta, Camerarius, and many others, which have written of that
subject. If my testimony were aught worth, I could say as much of myself; I am
vere Saturnus; no man ever took more delight in springs, woods, groves, gardens,
walks, fishponds, rivers, &c. But
8' " Tantalus a labris sitiens fugientia capiat
Fluuiina ;"
And so do I; Velle licet, potiri non licet?'' ^"^
Every palace, every city almost hath its peculiar walks, cloisters, terraces, groves,
theatres, pageants, games, and several recreations ; every country, some professed
gymnics to exhilarate their minds, and exercise their bodies. The ^^ Greeks had
their Olympian, Pythian, Isthmian, Nemean games, in honour of Neptune, Jupiter,
Apollo; Athens hers: some for honour, garlands, crowns; for ^beauty, dancing,
nnming, leaping, like our silver games. The ^ Romans had their feasts, as the Athe-
nians, and Lacedaemonians held their public banquets, in Pritanaeo, Panathenaeis,
Thesperiis, Phiditiis, plavs, naumachies, places for sea-fights, ^ theatres, amphitheatres
able to contain 70,000 men, wherein they had several delightsome shows to exhila-
"PandectE Triumph, fol. 'oLib. 6. cap. 14. de i desire, but can't enjoy." fSBoterus lib. 3. polit.
belln Jdil. '^procoplus. "8 Laet. Lib. 10 Amer. cap. 1. 64See Alh •na^ns dipnoso. Ludi vctivi,
descript. '^iiomuhis Amaseus prafal. Paiisan. sacri, ludicri, Mesalenses, Cernales, Florales, Mar-
«o \'irg. 1. CJeor. 6i " xhe thirsting Tantalus gapes tiales, &c. Rosiniis, 5. 1-2. MSee Lipsius Aniphitbe
for llie water that eludes his lips." k!"X may I atrum Rosinus lib. 5. Meursius de ludis Graecorura.
40 2B
:{l-t Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sect. 2.
rate the people; ^gladiators, combats of men with themselves, with wild beasts, and
wild beasts one with another, like our bull-baitings, or bear-baitings (in wliich many
countrymen anil citizens amongst us so much delight and so frequently use), dancers
on ropes. Jugglers, wrestlers, comedies, tragedies, publicly exhibited at the empe-
•or's and city's charge, and that with incredible cost and magnificence. In the Low
Countries (as ^'^Meteran relates) before these wars, they had many solemn feasts,
piays, challenges, artillery gardens, colleges of rhymers, rhetoricians, poets : and to
tiiis (lav, such places are curiously maintained in Amsterdam, as appears by that
description of Isaacus Pontanus, reriim Amslelrod. lib. 2. cap. 25. So likewise not
long since at Friburg in Germany, as is evident by tliat relation of '""Neander, they
had Liidos septennales^ solemn plays every seven years, which Bocerus, one of their
owa poets, hath elegantly described :
^" At nunc mit:;nitico spectarula structa paratu
(luiil inenioreni, vi-teri lion cunceti:<ura Uuirino,
Liiiluruiii piinipa," tc.
!n Italy they have solemn declamations of certain select young gentlemen in Florence
(Mke tiiose reciters in old Home), and public theatres in most of their cities, for
siage-players and others, to exercise and recreate themselves. All seasons almost,
all places, have their several pastimes ; some in summer, some in winter ; some
abroad, some within : some of the body, some of the mind : and diverse men have
diverse recreations and exercises. Domitian, the emperor, was much delighted with
catching Hies ; Augustus to play with nuts amongst children; "'Alexander Severus
was often pleased to play with whelps and young pigs. ''^Adrian was so wholly
enamoured with dogs and horses, that he bestowed monuments and tombs of them,
and buried them in graves. In foul weather, or when they can use no other conve-
nient sports, by reason of the time, as we do cock-fighting, to avoid idleness, I
tliink, (though some be more seriously taken with it, spend much time, cost and
charges, and are too solicitous about it) *** Severus useti partridges and quails, as many
Frcnclmien do still, and to keep birds in cages, with which he was much pleased,
when at any time he had leisure from public cares and businesses. lie had (saith
Lampridius) tame pheasants, ducks, partridges, peacocks, and some 20,000 ringdoves
^nd pigeons. Busbequius, the emperor's orator, when he lay in Constantin<Ji)le, and
could not stir much abroad, kept for his recreation, busying himself to see them fed,
almost all manner of strange birds and beasts; this was something, though not to
exercise his body, yet to refresh his mind. Conradus Gesner, at Zurich in Switzer-
land, kept so likewise for his pleasure, a great company of wild beasts ; and (as he
saith) took great delight to see them eat tlieir meat. Turkey gentlewomen, tliat are
perpetual prisoners, still mewed up according to the custom of the place, have little
else beside their household business, or to play with their children to drive away
time, but to dally with their cats, which they have in delitiis, as many of our ladies
and gentlewomen use monkeys and little dogs. The ordinary recreations wliich we
have in winter, and in most solitary times busy our minds with, are cards, tables and
dice, shovelboard, chess-play, the philosopher's game, small trunks, shuttlecock,
billiards, music, masks, singing, dancing, ulegames, frolics, jests, riddles, catches,
purposes, questions and commands, '-"'merry tales of errant knights, queens, lovers,
lords, ladies, giants, dwarfs, thieves, cheaters, witches, fairies, goblins, friars, kc, such
as the old woman told Psyche in "' A;)uleius, Boccace novels, and the rest, quarum
auddione pucri dclectantur, senes narralione., which some delight to hear, some to
tell; all are well pleased with. Amaranthus, the philosopher, met Ilermocles, Dio-
phantus and Philolaus, his companions, one day busily discoursing about Epicurus
and Democritus' tenets, very solicitous which was most probable and came nearest
to truth : to put them out of that surly controversy, and to refresh their spirits, he
told them a pleasant tale of Stratocles the physician's wedding, and of all the parti-
s' 1500 nipn at once, tisers, lions, elephants, hnrses, ' their fpectacles protluced with the iiioxt iiiaunifirent
doss, Iw-ars, &c. ^' Lib. ult. et I. 1. ad firieni con- decoralions, — a degree of c<>>lliiii'>s ncvir iii>iiili:i d in
siietM<line nnn minus landaliili. (jiiani veteri nontuber- even hy the; Koiiinn:*." »■ I.aniprKliiiii. '->> Sparliaii,
nia Rhcuiruni Rythniorniii in urbibus et inunicipiis, cer
tisque dii'bus exercebaiit se sagittarii, glailiatore!>, Sec.
Alia inijenii, animique exercitia, quorum pra-cipuuin
eiudiuiii, priiiripeni populutn tragrciliis, cciinoediis. Tabu-
lis Kenicis, aliisque id genus ludis recreare. '^Orbis
terra) descript. part. 3. M-'yviiat shall I nay of
"•Uelectatue lums catuloriini, pMrci'lliiriiiii, iit |>eMice*
inter se piienarent, aiit iit avcx parvulie vur^iiiiii r!
deorsuiii volitnreiit, his iiiaiinie del^-rtnluf <il miIiIu
dines piibliras itublevnrcl. " Itruiunte* ll-te ul
possint producere noctest. »^ Miles. ■•.
Mem. 4.]
Exercise rectified.
315
culars, the company, the cheer, the music, &c., for he was new come from it; witli
whicii relation they were so much dehghted, that Philolaus wislied a blessing to his
lit^art, and many a good wedding, ^® many such merry meetings might he be at, " to
please himself with the sight, and others with the narration of it." News are gene-
rally welcome to all our ears, avide audimus^ aures enim hominum novitalc latantur
('"as Pliny observes), we long after rumour to hear and listen to it, ^^densum humeris
libit awe vulgus. We are most part too inquisitive and apt to hearken after news,
v/iiich C;Esar, in his ^^Commentaries, observes of the old Gauls, they would be
in([uiring of every carrier and passenger what they had heard or seen, what news
abroad .^
" quid tnto fiat in orbe,
Ciuid Seres, quid Thractjs agant, secreta noverca;,
Kt puuri, quis aiuet," &c.
as at an ordinary v/ith us, bakehouse or barber's shop. When that great Gonsalva
was upon some displeasure confined by King Ferdinand to the city of Loxa in Anda-
lusia, the only comfort (saith "^Jovius) he had to ease his melancholy thoughts, was
to hear news, and to listen after those ordinary occurrences which were brought him
cum primis, by letters or otherwise out of the remotest parts of Europe. Some men's
whole delight is, to take tobacco, and drink all day long in a tavern or alehouse, to
discourse, sing, jest, roar, talk of a cock and bull over a pot, &c. Or when three or
four good companions meet, tell old stories by the fireside, or in the sun, as old folks
usually do, qiicB aprici meminere senes, remembering afresh and with pleasure ancient
matters, and such like accidents, which happened in their younger years : others' best
pastime is to game, nothing to them so pleasant. ^Hic Veneri indidget., hunc decoquit
alea — many too nicely take exceptions at cards, ^ tables, and dice, and such mixed
lusorious lots, whom Gataker well confutes. Which though they be honest recrea-
tions in tiiemselves, yet may justly be otherwise excepted at, as they are often abused,
and forbidden as things most pernicious; insanam rem et damnoscun^ ^Lemnius calls
it. '•'■ For most part in these kind of disports 'tis not art or skill, but subtlety, cun-
nycalcliing, knavery, chance and fortune carries all away:" 'tis ambulatoria pecimia,
4" puncto mohilis horse
Permutat dominos, et cedit in altera jura."
They labour most part not to pass their time in honest disport, but for filthy lucre,
and covetousness of money. In fcedissimum lucrum et avaritiam hominum conver-
fltur., as Dancus observes. Fons fraudum el malejiciorum, 'tis the fountain of
cozenage and villany. *"A thing so common all over Europe at this day, and so
generally abused, that many men are utterly undone by it," their means spent, patri-
monies consumed, they and their posterity beggared ; besides swearing, wrangling,
drinking, loss of time, and such inconveniences, which are ordinary concomitants :
'•'•for when once they have got a haunt of such companies, and habit of gaming,
they can hardly be drawn from it, but as an itch it will tickle them, and as it is with
whoremasters, once entered, they cannot easily leave it ofl*:" Vexat mentes insania
cupido^ they are mad upon their sport. And in conclusion (which Charles the
Seventh, that good French king, published in an edict against gamesters) unde pice et
hilaris vitce suffugium sibi suisquc liberis^ totique fumilia;^ 4'c. '■'That which was
once their livelihood, should have maintained wife, children, family, is now spent
and gone ;" mceror et egestas, Sfc, sorrow and beggary succeeds. So good things
may be abused, and that which was first invented to ^refresh men's weary spirits,
when they come from other labours and studies to exhilarate the mind, to entertain
time and company, tedious otherwise in those long solitary winter nights, and keep
them from worse matters, an honest exercise is contrarily perverted.
MO dii similibiis saipe convlviis date ut ipse videndo
delpctetiir, et pnstmodiim narrando delectet. 'J'lieod.
prodrinniis Amonirn dial, interpret. Gilberlo Giaulinio.
»: Kpisl. lih. r. Riitfino. 9» Hor. "3 Lib. 4. Gal-
licy ci)ns'ii;tudinis est ut viatores etiain iiivitns consis-
ts-re cnpaiit. et quidquisqiie eorurn aiidierit .tut cosnorit
dc qua re qu^rutit. w Vits ejus lib. ult. ' Juven.
» They account them unlawful because sortilegious.
' Instit. c. Ai. In his ludis plerumqne non ars aut peri-
tia vij;''t,si-il fraus.fallacia, dolus p.stutia, casus, forluna,
•.ciiierita.-' locum hahent, non ratio consilium, sapieii-
tiu &.C. -i ' In a moment of fleeting time it changes
masters and submits to new control." ^.Abusus
tani freqiiens lioiiie in Europa ut plerique crebro liarum
usu patrimonium profundant, eihaustisque facultati-
bus, ad inopiam rediffantur. cUbi semid prurigo
ista aninium occup-it a'gre discuti potest, sojicitantihus
uiidiqiie ejusdem farinffi hominibus, dauinosas illas vo-
luptatps repetunt, quod et scortatorib.is insitum, &c.
' Instituitur ista e.^ercitatio, non lucri, sed valetudinia
et oblectamenti ratione, et quo animus defalicatus re-
spiret, novasque vires ad subeundos lubores denijo
coiicipiat.
316 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Ser 2.
Chess-];lay is a good and witty exercise of the mind for some kind of inc.ii. ir.d
fit for such melancholy, Rhasis holds, as are idle, and have extravagant imprriinenl
thoughts, or troubled with cares, nothing better to distract their mind, and alter their
meditations: invented (some say) by the * general of an army in a famine, to keep
soldiers from mutiny : but if it proceed from overmuch study, in such a case it may
do more harm than good ; it is a game too troublesome for some men's brains, too
full of anxiety, all out as bad as study ; besides it is a testy choleric game, and very
offensive to him that loseth the mate. HVilliam the Conqueror, in his younger
years, playing at chess with the Prince of France (Dauphine was not annexed to
that crown in those days) losing a mate, knocked the chess-board about his pate,
which was a cause afterward of much enmity between them. For some such reason
it is belike, that Patritius, in his 3. book, tit. 12. de reg. insfit. forbids ins i)iiiice to
play at chess; hawking and hunting, riiling, kc. he will allow; and this to other
men, but by no means to him. In Muscovy, where they live in stoves and hot
houses all winter long, come seldom or little abroad, it is again very necessary, and
therefore in those parts, fsaith '"Herbastein) much used. At Fez in Africa, where
the like inconvenience of keeping witliin doors is through heat, it is very laudable;
and (as " Leo Afcr relates) as much frequented. A sport fit for idle gentlewomen,
soldiers in garrison, and courtiers that have nought but love matters to busy them-
selves about, but not altogether so convenient for such as are students. Tlie like I
may say of Col. Bruxer's philosophy game, D. Fulke's Metromach'ia and his Oiiro-
nofiiachia, with the rest of those intricate astrological and geometrical fictions, for
such especially as are mathematically given ; and the rest of those curious frames.
Dancing, singing, masking, mumming, stage plays, howsoever they be heavily
censured by some severe Catos, yet if opportunely and sol)erly used, may justly be
approved. Melius est fodere., quam saltare,'^ saith Austin : but what is that if they
delight in it.' '^ JVemo saltat sobrius. But in what kind of dance? 1 know these
sports have many oppugners, whole volumes writ ajraiust them ; when as all tiiey
say (if duly considered) is but ignoratio Elenchi; and some again, because they are
now cold and wayward, past tliemselves, cavil at all such youthful sports in others,
as he did in the comedy ; they think them, illico nasci series, 6fc. Some out of pre-
posterous zeal object many times trivial arguments, and because of some abuse, will
quite take away the good use, as if they should forbid wine because it makes men
drunk; but in my judgment they are too stern: there "is a time for all things, a
time to mourn, a time to dance," Eccles. iii. 4. " a lime to embrace, a time not to
embrace, (verse 5.) and nothing better tlian that a man should rejoice in his own
works," verse 22 ; for my part, I will subscribe to the king's declaration, and was
ever of that mind, those May games, wakes, and Whitsun ales, Stc, if they be not
at unseasonable hours, may justly be permitted. Let them freely feast, .sing and
dance, have their puppet-plays, hobby-horses, tabors, crowds, bagpipes, Sec, play at
ball, and barley-breaks, and what sports and recreations they like best, hi Fi-an-
conia, a province of Germany, (saith '^Aubanus Bohemus) tlie old folks, after even-
ing prayer, went to the alehouse, the younger sort to dance : and to .say truth with
'^Salisburiensis, satius fuerat sic oliari, quam turpius occupariy better to do so than
worse, as without question otherwise (such is the corruption of man's nature) many
of them will do. For that cause, plays, masks, jesters, gladiators, tuml)le.'-s, jugglers,
&c., and all that crew is admitted and winked at : "^ Tota jocularium .^crna procedil,
et idea spectacula admissa sunt, et infinita tyrocinia vanitatum, vt his occupintur,qui
perniciosius otiari solent: that they might be busied about such toys, that would
otherwise more perniciously be idle. So that as '' Tacitus said of the astrologers in
Rome, we may say of them, genus hominum est quod in civitate nostra et vitabilur
semper ct retinebifur, they are a debauched company most part, still spoken against,
as well they deserve some of them (for I so relish and distinguish them as fiddlers,
and musicians), and yet ever retained. " Evil is not to be done (I confess) that good
eLatrunculorum ludiis inventus esc i. duco, ut cum I latrunculorum Iudu8 est upitatisaiinu*, lib. 3. de Africi
miles iiilolerabili fame lahoraret.alterodieedens altero
ludeiis, faiiiis oblivisteretur. Bellonius. See more of
this came in Daniel SoiitT's Pal.iniedes, vel de variis
ludis, I. 3. > D. flayward in vita ejus. >o Mus-
covit. commentarium. >i Inter cives Fessanos
>*" I: is better to dig than to dance." >*Tulliuk.
" No sensible man danceu." i* Oe ni<>r Kcni.
uPolycrat. I. 1. cap. 8. i* Idc-ni ^ali«burien«i*
"UiBt.lib. 1.
Mem. 4. J Exercise rectified. 317
may come, of it :" but this is evil per accidens, and in a Jiiialified sense, to avoiu a
greater inconvenience, may justly be tolerated. Sir Thomas More, in his Utopian
Commonwealth, "*as he will have none idle, so will he have no man labour over
hard, to be toiled out like a horse, 'tis more than slavish infelicity, the life of most
of our hired servants and tradesmen elsewhere (excepting his Utopians) but half the
day allotted for work, and half for honest recreation, or whatsoever employment thev
shall think fit for themselves." If one half day in a week were allowed to our house-
hold servants for their merry meetings, by their hard masters, or in a year some feasts,
like those Roman Saturnals, I think they would labour harder all the rest of their
time, and both parties be better pleased : but this needs not (you will say), for some
of them do nought but loiter all the week lonff.
This which I aim at, is for such as avefracfi animis, troubled in mind, to ease
them, over-toiled on the one part, to refresh : over idle on the other, to keep them-
selves busied. And to this purpose, as any labour or employment will serve to the
one, any honest recreation will conduce to the otlier, so that it be moderate and
sparing, as the use of meat and drink ; not to spend all their life in gaming, playing,
and pastimes, as too many gentlemen do ; but to revive our bodies and recreate our
souls with honest sports : of which as there be diverse sorts, and peculiar to several
callings, ages, sexes, conditions, so there be proper for several seasons, and those of
distinct natures, to fit that variety of humours which is amongst them, that if one
will not, another may : some in summer, some in winter, some gentle, some more
violent, some for the mind alone, some for the body and mind : (as to some it is
both business and a pleasant recreation to oversee workmen of all sorts, husbandry,
cattle, horses, SiC. To build, plot, project, to make models, cast up accounts, &c.)
some without, some within doors ; new, old, &c., as the season serveth, and as men
are inclined, it is reported of Phihppus Bonus, that good duke of Burgundy (by
Lodovicus Vives, in Epist. and Pont. '^Heuter in his history) that the said duke, at
the marriage of Eleonora, sister to the king of Portugal, at Bruges in Flanders, which
was solemnized in the deep of winter, when, as by reason of unseasonable weather,
he could neither hawk nor hunt, and was now tired with cards, dice, &c., and such
other domestic sports, or to see ladies dance, with .some of his courtiers, he would
in the evening walk disguised all about the town. It so fortuned, as he was walking
late one night, he found a country fellow dead drunk, snorting on a bulk; ^°he
caused his followers to bring him to his palace, and there stripping him of his old
clothes, and attiring him after the court fashion, when he waked, he and they were
all ready to attend upon his excellency, persuading him he was some great duke.
The poor fellow admiring how he came there, was served in state all the day long ;
after supper he saw them dance, heard music, and the rest of those court-like plea-
sures : bat late at night, when he was well tippled, and again fast asleep, they put on
his old robes, and so conveyed him to the place where they first found him. Now
the fellow had not made them so good sport the day before as he did when he re-
turned to himself; all the jest was, to see how he ^'looked upon it. In conclusion,
after some little admiration, the poor man told his friends he had seen a vision, con-
stantly believed it, would not otherwise be persuaded, and so the jest ended. ^'An-
tiochus Epiphanes would often disguise himself, steal from his court, and go into
merchants', goldsmiths', and other tradesmen's shops, sit and talk with them, and
sometimes ride or walk alone, and fall aboard with any tinker, clown, serving man,
carrier, or whomsoever he met first. Sometimes he did ex insperato give a poor fel-
low money, to see how he would look, or on set purpose lose his purse as he went,
to watch who found it, and withal how he would be affected, and with such objects
he was much delighted. Many such tricks are ordinarily put in practice by great
men, to exhilarate themselves and others, all which are harmless jests, and have their
good uses.
But amongst those exercises, or recreations of the mind within doors, there is
's Nemo desidet otiosiis, ita nemo asinino more ad
seraiii iioctem laborat ; nam ea plusquam servilis srum-
na, qua? opificiiiii vita est, exceptis Utopiensibus qui
diem in 24. horasdividum, sesdunla.xat operi deputant,
reMquum a pomno et cll)o cujusque arbitrio permittitur.
■>* fierum Burguiid. lib. 4. »jijggi[ hominem de-
2b2
ferri ad palatium et leclo ducali colbcari, &c. mirari
homo ubi se eo loci videt. " Ciuid inteie.<l. inquU
Lod'ivicus Vives, (epist. ad Francisc. Barducem) intei>
diem illiua et noslros aliquot anno.';? nihil peniliia,
nisi quod, &C. *»Hen. Stepliun. prsclat. flurudoti.
318
Cure of Melancholy.
Part. 2. Sec. 2.
none so general, so aptly to be applied to all sorts of men, so fit and proper to expel
idleness and melancholy, as tliat of" study : Sludia soiecUiicm oblcctant, udnh'scvniiam
ttlurJ., sccundas res ornant^ adversis perfugium et solatium prcebent, domi delectartt.
<S-c., find the rest in TuUy pro Archia PoetaP What so full of content, as to read,
walk, and see maps, pictures, statues, jewels, marbles, whicli some so much mag-
nify, as those that Phidias made of old so exquisite and pleasing to be bclield, that
as ^^Chrypostom lliinketh, "-if any man be sickly, troubled in mind, or that cannot
sleep for grief, and shall but stand over against one of Phidias' images, he will forget
all care, or whatsoever else may molest him, in an instant V There be those as
much taken with Michael Angelo's, Kapliael de Urhino's, Francesco Francia's pieces,
and many of those Italian and Dutch painters, which were excellent in their ages ;
and esteem of it as a most pleasing sight, to view tliose neat architectures, devices,
escutcheons, coats of arms, read such books, to peruse old coins of several .'orts in
a fair gallerv ; artificial works, perspective glasses, old relics, Roman antiquities,
variety of colours. A good picture is falsa verilus, et vuita poesis: and thoutrli ^as
^Vives saith) arti/icialia delcctant., sed jnox fastidimus^ artificial toys please but for
a time ; yet who is he that will not be moved with them for the present .' When
Achilles was tormented and sad for the loss of his dear friend Palroclus, his mother
Thetis brought him a most elaborate and curious buckler made by Vulcan, in which
were engraven sun. moon, stars, planets, sea, land, men fighting, running, ridinsj,
women scolding, hills, dales, towns, castles, brooks, rivers, trees, Sec, with many
prettv landscapes, and perspective pieces : with sight of which he was infinitely de-
lighted, and much eased of his grief.
W'-Cunliniio eo epoctaculo raptua delenito iinrore
Oblectabulur, in iiiaiiibus tenenn ili.-i Kpleiidida dona."
Who will not be afTected so in like case, or see those well-furnished cloisters and
galleries of ihe Roman cardinals, so richly stored with all modern pictures, old
statues and antiquities? Cum se spcctando recreet simiil et legendo, to see their
pictures alone and read the dcscriptitMi, as " Boisartlus well adds, whom will it not
aflect ? which Bozius, Fomponius, Laetus, Marlianus, Schottus, Cavelerius, Ligorius,
&.C., and he himself hath well performed of late. Or in some prince's cabinets, like
that of the great dukes in Florence, of Felix Platerus in Basil, or noblemen's houses,
to see such variety of attires, faces, so many, so rare, and such exquisite pieces, of
men, birds, beasts, &.C., to see those excellent landscapes, Dutch works, and curious
cuts of Sadlier of Prague, Alberlus Durer, Goltzius Vriiites, itc, such pleasant pieces
of perspective, Indian pictures made of feathers, China works, frames, thaumaturiii-
cal motions, exotic toys, kc. Who is he that is now wholly overcome with idle-
ness, or otherwise involved in a labyrinth of worldly cares, troubles iind discontents,
that will not be much lightened in his mind by reading of some enticinir story, true
or feigned, whereas in a glass he shall observe what our forefathers have dciiie, the
beginnings, ruins, falls, periods of commonwealths, private men's actions displayed
to the life, &c. ^"Plutarch therefore calls them, secundas mensas et bellur'nt^ the
second course and junkets, because they were usually read at noblemen's feasts.
Who is not earnestly affected with a passionate speech, well penned, an elegant
poem, or some pleasant bewitching discourse, like that of ^Ileliodorus, uhi oblectutio
qucvdam placide fuit., aim hilaritate conjuncta? Julian the Apostate was so taken
with an oration of Libanius, the sophister, that, as he confesseth, he could not he
quiet till he had read it all out. Legi orationem tuam magna ex parte, heslernu die
ante prandnim^ pransus vero sine ulla intermissione totnm ubsolvi.^ O argumrntn !
O compositioncm! I may say the same of this or that* pleasing tract, which will
draw his attention along with it. To most kind of men it is an extraordinary de-
light to study. For what a world of books offers itself, in all subjcrts, arts, and
sciences, to the sweet content and capacity of the reader? In arithmetic, sjfonietry,
perspective, optics, astronomy, architecture, sculpture, painting, of which so many
*3" Study is the delight of old aze, the support of
youth, the ornanii'nt of |)rnsp*'rity, the si. lace and rt-fut'e
of adversity, the comfort of donieslic lilf, &c." **Orat.
]?. siqiiis aiiimo fuerit nilliclus aut a'gtr, tiec Eoniiiiini
admittens. is niihi videtur e regione stans talis iniagi-
niv, oUlivisci ouiiiiuin posse, qus humans vitc airocia
et difficilia accidere solent. * De aniina. " Ilia..
19. »: Tiipoirr. Rom. part. 1 -•^U'J'xI h«roiiir
conviviis legi Rolita-. * .Melanrthmi ile ll>-lii>doro.
30 1 rend a cmisiileruble part nf ycmr upcech tx-hirc dm-
iit-r. but afler 1 had dined I (inishrd it omiplelely. Ob
what arguments, what eloquence!
Mem. 4.] Exercise rectified. - 319
and such elaborate treatises are of late written : in mechanics and their mysteries,
military matters, navigation', '^ riding of horses, ^^ fencing, swimming, gardening,
planting, great tomes of husbandry, cookery, falconry, hunting, fishing, fowling, &c.,
with exquisite pictures of all sports, games, and what not ? In music, metaphysics,
natural and moral philosophy, philology, in policy, heraldry, genealogy, chronology,
&,c., they afford great tomes, or those studies of ^^ antiquity, &c., et ^^ qidd snhfilius
Arilhmelicis inve7ilionibus, quid jucundlus Musicis ratio7iibus, quid divinius Jlstrono-
micis, quid rectius Geo7netricis demonstrationihus ? What so sure, what so pleasant ?
He that shall but see that geometrical tower of Garezenda at Bologna in Italy, the
steeple and clock at Slrasburg, will admire the effects of art, or that engine of Archi-
medes, to remove the earth itself, if he had but a place to fasten his instrument :
Archimedes Coclea, and rare devices to corrivate waters, musical instruments, and
tri-syllable eclioes again, again, and again repeated, with myriads of such. What
vast tomes are extant in law, physic, and divinity, for profit, pleasure, practice, specu-
lation, in verse or prose, &.c. ! their names alone are the subject of whole volumes,
we have thousands of authors of all sorts, many great libraries full well furnished,
like so many dishes of meat, served out for several palates ; and he is a very block
that is affected with none of them. Some take an infinite delight to study the very
languages wherein these books are written, Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Chaldee, Arabic,
&c. Methinks it would please any man to look upon a geographical map, ^'^ sauvi
aniTnum deJectatione allicere., oh incredibilem rerum varietatem et jucundiJafem, et ad
pleni.orem sui cognifionem excitare, chorographical, topographical delineations, to
behold, as it were, all the remote provinces, towns, cities of the world, and never
to go forth of the limits of his study, to measure by the scale and compass their
extent, distance, examine their site. Charles the Great, as Platina writes, had three
fair silver tables, in one of which superficies was a large map of Constantinople, in
the second Rome neatly engraved, in the third an exquisite description of the whole
world, and much delight he took in them. What greater pleasure can there now be,
than to view tliose elaborate maps of Ortelius, ^"^ iMercator, Hondius, &c. ? To peruse
those books of cities, put out by Braunus and Hogenbergius .'' To read those exqui-
site descriptions of Maginus, Munster, Herrera, Laet, Merida, Boterus, Leander,
Albertus, Camden, Leo Afer, Adricomius, Nic. Gerbelius, &c. ? Those famous expe-
ditions of Christoph. Columbus, Americus Vespucius, Marcus Polus the Venetian,
Lod. Vertomannus, Aloysius Cadamustus, &.c.? Those accurate diaries of Portu-
guese, Hollanders, of Bartison, Oliver a Nort, Sec. Hakluyt's voyages. Pet. Martyr''s
Decades, Benzo, Lerius, Linschoten's relations, those Hodaeporicons of Jod. a 3Ieg-
gen, Brocard the monk, Bredenbachius, Jo. Dublinius, Sands, &c., to Jerusalem,
Egypt, and other remote places of the world ? those pleasant itineraries of Paulus
Hentzerus, Jodocus Sincerus, Dux Polonus, &.c., to read Bellonius' observations, P.
Gillius his surveys ; those parts of America, set out, and curiously cut in pictures,
by Fratres a Bry. To see a well-cut herbal, herbs, trees, flowers, plants, all vegeta-
bles expressed in their proper colours to the life, as that of M&tthiolus upon Dios-
corides, Delacampius, Lobel, Bauhinus, and that last voluminous and mighty herbal
of Beslar of Nuremburg, vv^herein almoi^t every plant is to his own bigness. To
see birds, beasts, and fishes of the sea, spiders, gnats, serpents, flies, &c., all crea-
tures set out by the same art, and truly expressed in lively colours, with an exact
description of their natures, virtues, qualities, &c., as hatli been accurately performed
by TElian, Gesner, Ulysses Aldrovandus, Bellonius, Rondoletius, Hippolytus Salvia-
nus, &c. ''''Jlrcana Cfzli., nalurce secreta, ordine m universi scire iiiajoris felicilaiis et
diilcedinis est., quam cogitatione quis assequi possit, ant. viortalis sperare. What more
pleasing studies can there be than the mathematics, theoretical or practical parts :
as to survey land, make maps, models, dials, &c., with which 1 was ever much de-
siPliivines. ^Thibault. S8 As in travelling
the rest fH) forward and look before tbem, an antiquary
alone looks round about hitn, seeing; things past, cScc.
hath a complete horizon. Janus Bilrons. 3iC:ir-
prrefat. Merc.atoris. " It allures the mind hy its asree-
able attraction, on account of ,lie incredible variety and
pleasantness of the subjects, aid excites to a further
step in knowledge." se Atlas Geo;.'. 3' Cardan.
dan. " What is more subtle than aritinnetical conclu- "To learn the mysteries of the hiavens, the secret
Fioiis; what more agreeable than musical harmonies; | workings of nature, the order of the uni verso, is a
what more divine than astronomical, what more cer- greater happiness and gratification than any mortal can
tain than geometrical demonstrations?" 3= Hondius | think or e.\pect to obtain."
320
Cure of Melancholy.
[Part. 2. Sec. 2
lighted myself. Talis est Mathematum pulchritndo (saith °* Plutarch) ut his indignum
sit divitiarum. phalcras istas et bullas, et puellaria spcclaaila comparari; such is the
excellency of these studies, that all those ornaiiients and childish bubbles of wealth,
are not worthy to be compared to them: credi mihi (^' saith one) cxtingui diilce erit
Mat hematic a rum artium studio, I could even live and die with such meditation, '"'and
take more delight, true content of mind in them, than tliou hast in all thy wealth
and sport, how rich soever thou art. And as '"Cardan well seconds me, Honor iji-
cum magis est et gloriosum hoic intelligcre, quam provinciis praesse, formosum aul
ditcm juvenem esse.'*^ The like pleasure there is in all otlier studies, to such as are
truly addicted to them, '''ca suavitas (one holds) ut cum quis ea degustavcrit, quasi
poculis Circcis captus, non possit unquam ab ilUs dicclli; the like sweetness, which
as Circe's cup bewitchetli a student, he caimot leave olf, as well may witness those
many laborious hours, days and nights, spent in the voluminous treatises written by
them; the same content. "Julius Scaliger was so nmch atTected with poetry, that
he brake out into a pathetical protestation, he had rather be the author of twelve
verses in Lucan, or such an ode in '^^ Horace, than emperor of Germany. ''•^Nicho-
las Gerbelius, that good old man, was so much ravished with a few Greek authors
restored to light, with hope and desire of enjoying the rest, that he exclaims forth-
with, Arabihus atque Indis omnibus erimus diliorcs, we shall be richer than all
the Arabic or Indian princes; of such ''^esteem they were witli him, incomparable
worth and value. Seneca prefers Zeno and Chrysippus, two doting stoics (he was
so much enamoured of tiieir works), before any prince or general of an army;
and Orontius, the mathematician, so far admires Archimedes, that he calls him
Dii'inum et homine mujorem, a petty god, more than a man ; and well he might,
for aught I see, if you respect fame or worth. Pindarus, of Thebes, is as much
renowned for his poems, as Epaminondas, Pelopidas, Hercules or Bacchus, his
fellow citizens, for their warlike actions ; et si favuim respicias, non pauciores
Jirislolclis quam Jilexandri mtminerunt (as Cardon notes), Aristotle is more known
tlian Alexander ; for we have a bare relation of Alexander's deeds, but Aristotle, tottu,
vivit in monumentis, is whole in his works : yet 1 stand not upon this ; the delight
is it, which I aim at, so great pleasure, such sweet content there is in study. ''-King
James, 1G05, when he came to see our University of Oxford, and amongst other
edifices now went to view that famous library, renewed by Sir Thomas Bodley, in
imitation of Alexander, at his departure brake out into that noble speech, If 1 were not
a king, I would be a university man : *'''and if it were so that i nmst be a prisoner,
if I might have my wish, I would desire to have no other prison than that library,
and to be chained together with so many good authors et mortuis inagistris.''^ So
sweet is the delight of study, the more learning they have (as he that hath a dropsy,
the more he drinks the thirstier he is) the more they covet to learn, and the last day
is prioris discipulus ; harsh at first learning is, radices amarce, hut fractu^ dulces^
according to that of Isocrates, pleasant at last ; the longer they live, the more they
are enamoured with tlie Muses. Heinsius, the keeper of the library at Leyden in
Holland, was mewed up in it all the year lo!)g: and that which to thy thinking should
have bred a loathing, caused in him a greater liking. *•• I no sooner (saith he) come
into the library, but I bolt the door to me, excluding lust, ambition, avarice, and all
such vices, whose nurse is idleness, the mother of ignorance, and melancholy her-
self, and in the very lap of eternity, amongst so many divine souls, I take my seat,
with so lofty a spirit and sweet content, that I pity all our great ones, and rich men
that know not this happiness." I am not ignorant in the meantime (notwithstanding
this which I have said) how barbarously and basely, for the most part, our ruder
gentry esteem of libraries and books, how they neglect and contemn so great a trea-
sure, so inestimable a benefit, as ^sop's cock did the jewel he found in the dung-
*Lib. decii|ii(l. divitiarum s» Leon. Disjrs. priefat.
ad perpet. prognost. «>Plus capio voluptatis, tec.
*' In HippiTchen. divis. 3. <*'• It is more honourable
and clorious to understand these truths than to govern
provinces, to be beautiful or to be youiic." "Cardan,
priefal. reruin variet. *< Poetices lib. **L,ib. 3.
Ode 9. Donee ^ratus eram tibi, &c. « De Pelopones.
lib. 6. descript. (iriEC. *' Quos si intepros habere-
mu$. Dii honi, quas npes. qiios tbesauros tenereinus.
** Isaark Wake mues regnante*. *>Si unquam mibi
in fatis eit, ut captivue ducar, si mihi daretur opiin, boe
cuperem carcere concludi, hiscatenia illigari. rum hisee
captivis roncatenatis eelatem agere. w Kpist. Pri-
niiero. Pleninque in qua siiiiiul ac pedem posui, foribus
pesaiiliim ahdo; ambilionein auleiii. aniorem. libidi-
nem, etc. exclude, quorum parens est icnavia. imperitia
niitrix. et in ipso wternitatis grenim. inter t<il iljuiilrea
animas sedem mihi sumo, cum iiigenti quidem animo.
ut dubinde magnatum me inisereat, qui felicitateiB
banc ignorant.
Mem 4.] Exercise rectified. 321
hill ; and all through error, ignorance, and want of education. And 'tis a wonder,
withal, to observe how much they will vainly cast away in unnecessary expenses,
quot modis pcreant (sailh ^' Erasmus) magnalibus pecunice, quantum absumant aha,
scorta., compotationes^ profectiones non necessarian., pompa^., bella qncesila^ ambit io., colax,
morio. htdio., c^-c, what in hawks, hounds, lawsuits, vain building, gormandising,
drinking, sports, plays, pastimes, &c. If a well-minded man to the Muses, would sue
to some of them for an exhibition, to the farther maintenance or enlargement of such
a work, be it college, lecture, library, or whatsoever else may tend to the advance-
ment of learning, they are so unwilling, so averse, that they had ratlier see these
which are already, with such cost and care erected, utterly ruined, demolished or
otherwise employed ; for they repine many and grudge at such gifts and revenues so
bestowed : and therefore it were in vain, as Erasmus well notes, vel ah his., vel a
negotiatoribus qui se MammoncB dediderunt., improbum forlasse tale qfficium exigere.,
to solicit or ask anything of such men that are likely damned to riches; to this pur-
pose. For my part 1 pity these men, stultos jubco esse Ubentcr., let them go as they
are, in the catalogue of Ignoramus. How much, on the other side, are all we bound
that are scholars, to those munificent Ptolemies, bountiful Maecenases, heroical
patrons, divine spirits,
'- ' qui nobis liasc otii) fecerunt, iiaraqiie erit ille mihi semper Deus"
"These blpssiiigs, friend, a Deity hpstow'd,
For never can I deem him less than Gnd."
That have provided for us so many well-furnished libraries, as well in our public
academies in most cities, as in our private colleges ^ How shall I remember "'^ Sir
Thomas Bodley, amongst the rest, ^^ Otho Nicholson, and the Right Reverend John
Williams, Lord Bishop of Lincoln (with many other pious acts), who besides that
at St. .John's College in Cambridge, that in Westminster, is now likewise in Fieri
with a library at Lincoln (a noble precedent for all corporate towns and cities to imi-
tate), O quam te memorem (vir illiistrissime) quibus clogiis? But to my task again.
Whosoever he is therefore that is overrun with solitariness, or carried away with
pleasing melancholy and vain conceits, and for want of employment knows not how
to spend his time, or crucified with worldly care, I can prescribe him no better
remedy than this of study, to compose himself to the learning of some art or science.
Provided always that this malady proceed not from overmuch study; for in such
case he adds fuel to the fire, and nothing can be more pernicious : let him take heed
he do not overstretch his wits, and make a skeleton of himself; or such inamoratoes
as read nothing but play-books, idle poems, jests, Amadis de Gaul, the Knight of the
Sun, the Seven Champions, Palmerin de Oliva, Huon of Bourdeaux, &c. Such many
times prove in the end as mad as Don Quixote. Study is only prescribed to those
that are otherwise idle, troubled in mind, or carried headlong with vain thoughts and
imaginations, to distract their cogitations (although variety of study, or some serious
subject, would do the former no harm) and divert their continual meditations another
way. Nothing in this case better than study; semper aliquid memoriter ediscanf.,
saith Piso, let them learn something without book, transcribe, translate, Scc. Read
the Scriptures, which Hyperius, lib. 1. de quotid. script, kc.fol. 77. holds available
of itself, ''■" the mind is erected thereby from all worldly cares, and hath much quiet
and tran(|uillity." For as ^Austin well hath it, 'tis scientia scientiarum., omni mejle
dulcior, omni pane suavior., omni vino., hilarior : 'tis the best nepenthe, surest cordial,
sweetest alterative, presentest diverter : for neither as *"Chrysostom well adds, "-those
boughs and leaves of trees which are plashed for cattle to stand under, in the heat
of the day, in summer, so much refresh them with their acceptable shade, as the
reading of the Scripture doth recreate and comfort a distressed soul, in sorrow and
affliction." Paul bids "pray continually;" quod cibus corpori, lectio animce facit.,
saith Seneca, as meat is to the body, such is reading to the soul. ^*"To be at leisure
without books is another hell, and to be buried alive." ^^ Cardan calls a library the
physic of the soul; """divine authors fortify the mind, make men bold and constant;
6-Chil. 2. Cent, 1. Adag. 1. "Virg. eclog. 1.
'^Founder of our public library in Oion. siQurs in
Christ Clnirch, Ojton. 6s .Animus levafur inde a
curiji multa qiiieto et tranquillitate fruens. ^Scr. 38.
k-J Fratres Kreui. '7 Horn. 4. de poenitentia. Nam
meridie perastatem, optabilem pxhibentesumbram ove»
ita reficiunt, ac scripturarum lectio afflictas ansor-
animas sniatur et rccreat. ^ Otium sine literis mor^
est. et vivi hominis sepultura, Seneca. "Cap 99.
1. 57. de rer. var. MFortem reddunt animum el con-
neijae arhorum corns pro pecorom tuguriis faclse, j stantem ; et pium colloquium nun permittit soimuia
41
322 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec 2
and (as Hvperins adds) godly conference will not permit the mind to be tortuied
with absurd coj/itations." Rhasis enjoins continual conference to such melancholy
men, perpetual discourse of some history, tale, poem, news, kc, alternos sermones
'dcre ac hihcrc, ceque jucundum quam cibus,sive potiis, which feeds the mind as meat
and drink dotli the body, and pleaseth as much : and therefore the said Khasis, not
without <Tood cause, would have somebody still talk seriously, or dispute with them,
and sometimes "•*' to cavil and wrangle (so that it break not out to a violent pertur-
bation), for such altercation is like stirring of a dead lire to make it burn afresh," it
whets a dull spirit, " and will not sullbr the mind to be drowned in tliose profound
cogitations, wliich melancholy men are commonly troubled witli.", "-'Ferdinand and
Alphonsus, kin<rs of Arragon and Sicily, were both cured by reading the history, one
of Curtius, tlie other of Livy, when no prescribed physic would take place. "^Came-
rarius relates as much of Lorenzo de' 3Icdici. Heathen philosophers are so full of
divine precepts in this kind, that, as some think, tliey alone are able to settle a ilis-
tressed mind. '^^Simt verba et voces^ quibus hunc lenire dolornn^ t^c. E|)icletns, Plu-
tarch, and Seneca; qualis ille, qiue tela, saith Lipsius, a'h-crsus vmiirs aniini casus
administrate et ipsavi mortem, quomodu vitia eripit, injert virtulcs:' when I read
Seneca, '^••methinks I am beyond all human fortunes, on the top of a hill above
mortality." Plutarch saith as much of Homer, for which cause belike Niccratus, in
Xenophon, was made by his parents to con Homer's Iliads and Odysseys without
book, ut in virum bonum cvaderet, as well to make him a good and honest man,
as to avoid idleness. If this cond'ort be got from philosophy, what shall be had
from divinity.' What shall Austin, Cyprian, Gregory, Bernard's divine meditations
atl'ord us .-
'O" Qui quill sit piilrhriim, quid lurpe, quid util>>, quid non,
, Fleiiius el nieliusi C'hrysippo et Craiitore dicuiil."
Nay, what shall the Scripture itself? Which is like an apothecary's shop, \jherein
are all remedies for all infirmities of mind, purgatives, corilials, alteratives, corrobo-
ratives, lenitives, Slc. "^ Every disease of the soul," saith *' Austin, '' hath a peculiar
medicine in tiie Scripture; this 6nly is required, that the sick man take the j)i)tion
which God hath already tempered." *"* Gregory calls ii " a glass wherein ve may
see all our inlirmities," ignitum colloquium, P.salm cxix. 140. "'Origen a charm.
And therefore Hierom prescribes Rusticus the monk, ™" continually to read the
Scripture, and to meditate on that which he hath read; for as mastication is to meat,
so is meditation on that which we read." I would fur these causes wish him tliat
is melancholy to use both human and divine authors, voluntarily to impose .some
task upon hhaself, to divert his melancholy thoughts : to study the art of memory,
Cosmus Rosselius, Pet. Ravennas, Scenkelius' Delectus, or practise Brachygraphy,
kc, that will ask a great deal of attention : or let him demonstrate a proposition in
Euclid, in his five last books, extract a square root, or study Algebra : tfian which,
as '' Clavius holds, " in all human disciplines nothing can be more excidlent and plea-
sant, so ubslruse and recondite, so bewitching, so miraculous, so ravishing, so easy
withal and lull of delight," omnem humanum captum stiperare videtur. By thi.s
means yon may defme ex ungue leonem, as the diverb is, by his thumb alone the
bigness of Hercules, or the true dimensions of the great "Colossus, Solomon's tem-
ple, and Domitian's amphitheatre out of a little part. By this art you may contem-
plate the variation of tlie twenty-three letters, which may be so inlinitely varied, that
tlie words complicated and deduced thence will not be contained within the comjiass
of the firmament; ten words may be varied 40,320 several ways; by this art you
may examine how many men may stand one by another in the whole superficies of
the earth, some say 148,456,800,000,000, assignando singulis passum quadratum
ath:urda cnsilati une torqueri. « Altercationibus
utantur, qux non pennlttunt animurii s^ubiiier^i pro-
tundis cogitatioiiibiis, de quibus oliose coeilat et tri.-<ta-
turiniis. «- Bi>din. prefat. ad riielh. hist. "Op*!,
ruin subcis. cap. 15. «< Hor. " Fatonduni est
racudiine Olynipi coiij^titutu^ supra venlos et priH;ella<>,
et oinnes res hunianas. *>" vVho explain wbal is
Jair, fiiul, useful, worthless, more fully and faithfully
than Chrysippus ami <'raiitiir?" •'In Ps. xxxvi.
oiiinis inorlms aiiinii in scriptura hahet niedicinam;
taiiluui opuii esl ut qui sit seger, uuii recuset potioncin
quam Deus temperavit. •• In moral, fipeculiim quo
no8 inliieri piiKsinius ™ Hoin •i'*. L'l iiirnnla-
tione viris fiii;iitiir. ita lectione mubiMi. '" Iterum
alque, ileruin monen, lit aniinaiii <ni la- nrripliira* lee-
linne ncciipe.s. Maslicnt diviiiiiiii patmlMiii iiiedilatio
"" Ad 2. delinit. -2. eleiii. In diMripiiiiii huiiianiii nihil
prieslantius repi-ritur; quippe iiiirnculn qu.-cilain niime-
roruiii emit tain ulistriisn et n-i iiiiilita, toiit:< iiihilu
miniKi faeiliiate et voliiptate, ut, ice. ^ Which
contained l,0i^U,UOO weiglila of brans.
Mem. 4.] - Exercise rectified. 323
^assigning a square foot to each), how many men, supposing all the world as habit-
able as France, as fruitful and so long-lived, may be born in 60,000 years, and so
may you demonstrate with "^Archimedes how manv sands the mass "of the whfle
world might contain if all sandy, if you did but first know how much a small cube as
big as a mustard-seed might hold, with infinite such. But in all nature what is there so
stupendous as to examine and calculate the motion of the planets, their magnitudes,
apogees, perigees, eccentricities, how far distant from the earth, the bignes^s, thick-
ness, compass of the firmament, each star, with their diameters and circumference,
apparent area, superficies, by those curious helps of glasses, astrolabes, sextants^
quadrants, of which Tycho Brahe in his mechanics, optics {'' divine optics i arithmetic'
geometry, and such like arts and instruments .? What so intricate and pleasing withall
as to peruse and practise Heron Alexandrinus's works, de spiritalibus, de machmis
hel/.icis, de machine se movente, Jordani JYemorarii de j)onderihus propos'it. 13. that
pleasant tract of Machometes Bragdedinus de superficlerum divisionibus, Apollonius's
Comes, or Commandinus's labours in that kind, de centra gravitafis, with many
such geometrical theorems and problems ? Those rare instruments and mechanical
inventions of Jac. Bessonus, and Cardan to this purpose, with manv such experi-
ments intimated long since by Roger Bacon, in his tract de ''Secretls artls etnatvnv,
as to make a chariot to move sme anima/i, diving boats, to walk on the water by
art, and to fly in the air, to make several cranes and pullevs, qiiibus homo trahat ad
se mdle homines, lift up and remove great weights, mills to move themselves. Archita's
dove, Albertus's brazen head, and such thaumaturgical works. But especially to do
strange miracles by glasses, of which Proclus andlSacon writ of old, burnin<r glasses
nniltiplying glasses, perspectives, ut xinus homo appareat exercitus, to see afar ofi'. to
represent solid bodies by cylinders and concaves, to walk in the air, ut veracilcr
videant (saith Bacon) aurum et argenlum et quicquid aUud volant, ei quum veniant
ad locum visionis, nihil inveniant, which glasses are much perfected of late bv Bap-
tista Porta and Galileo, and much more is promised bv Maginus and Midorff'iu*. to
be performed in this kind. Otocousticons some speak of, to intend hearin-T,"as 'the
other do sight ; Marcellus Vrencken, a Hollander, in his epistle to Burgravius. makes
mention of a friend of his that is about an instrument, quo videbit ^qiia? in ctiero
horizonte sint. But our alchy mists, methinks, and Rosicrucians afford most rarities-
and are fuller of experiments : they can make gold, separate and alter metah, extract
oils, salts, lees, and do more strange works than Geber, Lullius. Bacon, or any of
those ancients. Crollius hath made after his master Paracelsus, aurum fulminam or
aurxim volatile, which shall imitate thunder and lightning, and crack louder than anv
gunpowder; Cornelius Drible a perpetual motion, inextinguishable lights, linumnon
ardens, with many such feats ; see his book de naturd clcmentoru/t beside* hail
wind, snow, thunder, lightning, &c., those strange fire-works, devilish petards and
such like warlike machinations derived hence, of which read Tartalea and others
Ernestus Burgravius, a disciple of Paracelsus, hath published a discourse, in which
he specifies a lamp to be made of man's blood, Lucerna vitce et mortis index so he
terms it, which chemically prepared forty days, and afterwards kept in a crlass .shall
ehow all the accidents of this life ; si lampas hie clarus, tunc homo hilaris et sanus
corpore et ammo; si ncbulosus ct deprcssus, male afficitur, et sic pro statu hominis
variatur, unde sumptus sanguis; '« and which is most wonderful, it dies with the
party, cum homine perit, et evanescit, the lamp and the man whence the blood
was taken, are extinguished together. The same author hath anotlier tract
of Mumia (all out as vam and prodigious as the first) by which he will cure
most diseases, and transfer them from a man to a beast, by drawino- blood
from one, and applying it to the other, vel in plantam derivare, and an ilexi-
pharmacum, of which Roger Bacon of old in his Tract, de retardanda senectufe,
to make a man young agam, live three or four hundred years. Besides pana-
ceas, martial amulets, unguentum armarium, balsams, strange extracts, elixirs,
and such like magico-magnetical cures. Now what so pleasing can there be
tanu'afcii'omm'^ola OnJf M^Z^T"' - n* °t i "i"" ''^"•^- ^' f^"'" ""°'» '"« ^lood is taken be melan-
"5 "6'"V'"h? Umn h,f , h ?^.;,i . ,1 Th^^P- ■*• I %*'"i"' ""^ ^ -P'^ndthrift, then ii *viU burn dimly, aod
u /- . '','"' ''""P '"Jf" ""'g'"!}'. "len the man flicker in the socket "■ /■■""•
i« cheerful and healthy in mind and body; if, on the) '"-*" '° '"« «°cKet.
324 Cure of Mdanchohj. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
as the speculation of these things, to read and examine siicli experiments, or if a
man be more mathematically given, to calculate, or peruse Napier's Louarilhms, or
t'lose tables of artiticial "sines and tangents, not long since set out by mine old col-
legiate, good friend, and late fellow-student of Christ-church in Oxford, '''' .Air. Ed-
mund Gunter, which will perform that by addition and substraction only, which
heretofore Regiomontanns's tables did by multiplication and division, or tliose elabo-
rate conclusions of his "'sector, quadrant, and cross-staff. Or let him that is melan-
choly calculate spherical triangles, square a circle, cast a nativity, which howsoever
.some tax, I say with *''' Garcaeus, dahimus hoc pctuhinfibus ini^cniis^ we will in some
cases allow : or let him nuike an rplu'mrrldcs, read Suisset the calculator's w«)iks
Scaliger dr emendatinne tcmporum^ and Petavius his adversary, till he understand
tiiem, peruse subtle Scotus and Suarez's metaphysics, or school divinity, Occani,
Thomas, Entisberus, Durand, Stc. If those other do not afiict him, and his means
be great, to employ his purse and fill his head, he may go lind the piiilosopher's
stone; he may apply his mind, I say, to heraldry, antiquity, invent impresses, em-
blems ; make epithalamiums, epitaphs, elegies, epigrams, paliiidroma epigran)niata,
anagrams, chronograms, acrostics, upon his frieruls' names; or write a connnent on
Martianus Capella, Terlidlian dc jnillni, the Nubian get»graphy, or upon i^•'.lia Lalia
Crispis, as many idle fellows have essayed ; and rather l!ian do nothing, vary a
"' verse a thousand ways with Puiean, so torturing his wits, or as Hainnerus of Lune-
burg, "2150 times in his Proteus Pnrlictis, or Scaliger, Chrysolithus, Cleppissius,
aiid others, have in like sort done. If sueh vohmlarv tasks, pleasure and delight,
or crabbedness of these studies, will not yet divert their idle llioughls, and alienate
their imaginations, they must be compelled, .sailh Chrisiopliorus si \ cvriu cogi dt -
fnnt, 1. ;'). c. 14, upon some mulct, if they perform it not, ywo«/ ex ujjicio incuinbtil,
loss of credit or di.sgrace, such as our public L'mversity exercises. For, as he that
plays for nothing will not heed his game; no more will voluntary employment so
llioroughly atlect a student, except he be very inteul of himself, and take an extm-
ordinary delight in the stuily, about which he is conversant. It should be of that
nature his business, which vulens nolens he must necessarily undergo, and without
great loss, nudct, shame, or hindrduce, he may m)l omit.
Now for women, instead of laborious slutlies, they have curious needleworks,
cut-works, spinning, bone-lace, aiul many pretty devices of their own making, to
adorn their houses, cushions, carpet.s, chairs, stools, '-for she eats not the bread ol
idleness," Prov. xxxi. 27. quasivU lanam et iinuni) confections, conserves, distilla-
tions, kc, which they show lo strangers.
-•■■ Ipsa coiiii's pra-sesqiie op«?ris venienlibuH ullro [ " Which to her giicutt »\\t nhows. wiUi all lit-r iwll'.
Hobpililitix mouslrure liolt-t, iiuii xtsiiit^r Imras 'I'hua far uiy luuidit, but thin 1 diii luytell."
Coiite^itata ^uas, seil iif^c sibi deperi !!>»«?." |
This they have to busy themselves about, household olhces, Sec, "^ neat gardens, full
of exotic, versicolour, diversely varied, sweet-smelling flowers, and plants in all
kinds, which they are most ambitious to get, curious to preserve and keep, proud to
possess, and much many times brag of Their merry meetings and frequent vi.tila-
tions, mutual invitations in good towns, I voluntarily omit, which are so much in
use, gossipping among the meaner sort, Stc, old folks have their beads : an excel-
lent invention to keep them from idleness, that are by nature melancholy, and past
all afiairs, to say so many paternosters, aveinarias, creeds, if it were not profane and
superstitious. In a word, bcjdy and mind must be exercised, not one, but both, and
that in a mediocrity ; otherwise it will cause a great inconvenience. If the body be
overtired, it tires the mind. The mind oppresseth the body, as with students it often-
times falls out, who (as " Plutarch observes; have no care of the body, '• but conq)el
that which is mortal to do as much as that which is immortal : that whicji is earthly,
as that which is ethereal. But as the ox tired, told the camel, (both serving one
■■' Printed at I^indon, Annn 16-iO. '* Once a»trono- inortaletii imniorlali, K-rrciitreni fflher*-!!; s-ijiialcm pr^ii.
my reader ai Grcshain Collegf. " Printed at Liipti- t.trt; industriain : ('a-ti.-ruiii ut e'ain<-lii iiau venit, qtnid
don by William Jones, h,-Z3. ""Pra-fat. Meth. ABlrol. ti b<w pra'diieral, cum •■nli-iii sw-rvirent donitim et p.irle
■' 'I'ot til'i siiiil dotes vir^'o, qiiot aidi-ra cieIo. '^ Da oneri* levare ilium faiinlm recuKa«>-t, piulo p<»l et
pie Christe iirlii iHina sit p;ix tempore nostro. *0Cha- ipiiius cutem, et totiim onus coiferetur (emare ipi «
lonerua, lib. P. de Rpp. Angel. »* Hortu8 Coronariiii . iiiorluo bove impletum; Ila animo quotjue cunliu|tl
aiedicus et rui>>iariii!i, &.C. **'rom. I. de annit. , dura dcfatigato corpori, Ice.
iuend. Uui rationem corporif non hab«nl, ted loguat
Mem. 5.] Waking and dreams rectified. 325
master) that refused to carry some part of his burden, before it were long he shoiihl
he compelled to carry all his pack, and skin to boot (which by and by, the ox being
dead, fell out), the body may say to the soul, that will give him no respite, or remis-
sion : a little after, an ague, vertigo, consumption, seizeth on them both, all his
study is omitted, and thev must be compelled to be sick together :" he that tenders
his own good estate, and health, must let tiiem draw with equal yoke, both alike,
^^ that so they may happily enjoy their wished health."
MEMB. V.
Waking and terrible Dreams rectified.
As waking that hurts, by all means must be avoided, so sleep, which so much
helps, by like waj-s, ^"" must be procured, by nature or art, inward or outward medi-
cines, and be protracted longer than ordinary, if it may be, as being an especial help."'
It moistens and fattens the body, concocts, and helps digestion (as we see in dor-
mice, and those Alpine mice that sleep all winter), which Gesner speaks of, when
they are so found sleeping under the snow in the dead of winter, as fat as butter.
It expels cares, pacifies the mind, refresheth the weary limbs after long work :
** " Sninne quies reriim, plaridissime snmne deoriim, I " Sleep, rest of things, O pleasing deity.
Pax animi, qiiein cura fiigit, qui corpora duris Peace of the soul, which cares dost crucify,
Fessa miiiisteriis niulces reparasque labori." | Weary bodies refresh and uiollify."
The chiefest thing in all physic, '^^ Paracelsus calls it, omnia arcana gemmarum su-
perans et metallorum. The fittest time is ^ two or three hours after supper, Avhen
as the meat is now settled at the bottom of the stomach, and 'tis good to lie on the
right side first, because at that site the liver doth rest under the stomach, not molest-
ing any way, but heating him as a fire doth a kettle, that is put to it. After the first
sleep 'tis not amiss to lie on the left side, that the meat may the better descend ;"
and sometimes again on the belly, but never on the back. Seven or eight liours is
a competent time for a melancholy man to rest, as Crato thinks ; but as some do, to
lie in bed and not sleep, a dav, or half a day together, to give assent to pleasing con-
ceits and vain imaginations, is many ways pernicious. To procure this sweet moist-
ening sleep, it's best to take away the occasions (if it be possible) that hinder it,
and then to use such inward or outward remedies, which may cause it. Constat
hodie (saith Boissardus in his tract de magin., cap. 4.) multos ila fascinari ut noctes
integras exigant insomnes., summu inquietudine animorum et corporum; many cannot
sleep for witches and fascmations, which are too familiar in some places ; they call
it, dare aliciii malam noctem. But the ordinary causes are heat and dryness, which
must first be removed : ®' a hot and dry brain never sleeps well : grief, fears, cares,
expectations, anxieties, great Ijusinesses, ^'In aurum utramque otiose ut dormias^ and
all violent perturbations of the mind, must in some sort be qualified, before we can
hope for any good repose. He that sleeps in the day-time, or is in suspense, fear,
any way troubled in mind, or goes to bed upon a full ''^stomach, may never hope
for quiet rest in the night ; nee enim meritoria somnos admittunt., as the ^* poet saith ;
inns and such like troublesome places are not for sleep; one calls ostler, another
tapster, one cries and shouts, another sings, whoops, halloos,
sa '• ahsentem cantal amicam,
Miilia prolutiis vappa iiauta atque viator."
Who not accustomed to such noises can sleep amongst them ? He that will intend
to take his rest must go to bed unimo seciiro, qu.ieto et libera., with a ®° secure and
composed mind, in a quiet place: omnia noctes eruut placida compbsta qiiiete: and
*tTt pulchram illam et amahilem saiiitateni prn^ste. ] quioscendum latere siuistro, &c. s'Sippius accidit
nius. 87 Inlerdiceiida; Vigili^. somni paulo lougio- mrlancholicis. ut nimiuiii exsiccato cerebro vigiliis ai-
res couciliaridi. .•\lloniariis cap. 7. Soinrius supra nio- tenueiitur. Ficinus, lib. ]. cap.'29. 92 -per. " That
duni pnidcst, quovismodo conciliandus, Piso. tuovid. I you may .sleep calmly on either ear." '^Ut sis nocte
^'•' In [li|)poc. Aplioris. M Crato cons. 2t. lib. 2. duabus I jevis, sit tibi, crena brevis. ^i Jiiven. Sat. .'1. s» Kor.
aiit trihus horis post cKnaiu.qiiuni jrimcibusad fundum Scr. lib. 1. Sat. 5. " The tipsy sailor and his travelling
veiitriculi resederit, priniuiii super latere dextro quies- companion sins the praises of their absent sweethearts."
cenduni, quod in tali decubitii jecur sub ventriculo qui- I 9<>Sepositis ciiris oninibus quantum fieri potest, una
e^cat, non gravans sed cibum lalfaciens. perinde ac I cum vestibus, &.C. Kirkst.
tguis lebeU-iu qui illi admovetur; post primum snmnum '
2C
326 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2
if that will not serve, or may not be obtained, to seek then such means as are requi-
site. To lie in clean linen and sweet ; before he goes to bed, or in bed, to hear
*^ *•' sweet j«usic," which Ficinns commends, lib. 1. cap. 24, or as Jobertus, med.
pract. li&Pf^ap. 10. '^'^"to read some pleasant author till he be asleep, to have a
ijason of Vater still dropping by his bedside," or to lie near that pleasant murmur.
Imp sonanfis aqiue. Some floodgates, arches, falls of water, like London Bridge, or
some continuate noise which may benumb the senses, h:7us inolua, siknthim et teiie-
hra, turn et ipsa vohmlas snmnos faciunl ; as a gentle noise to some procures sleep,
so, which Bernardinus Tilesius, /t7». de 50/?njo, well observes, silence, in a dark room,
and the will itself, is most available to others. Piso commends frications, Andrew
Borde a good draught of strong drink before one goes to bed ; I say, a nutmeg and
ale, or a good draught of muscadine, with a toast and nutmeg, or a posset of the
same, which many use in a morning, but methinks, for such as have dry brains, are
much more proper at night; some prescribe a '^sup of vinegar as they go to bed, a
spoonful, saith ^tius Tetral)ib. lib. 2. str. 2. cap. 10. lib. (5. cup. 10. jflgimta., lib.'S.
cap. 14. Piso, "a little after meat, "* because it rarefies melancholy, aiul procun's an
appetite to sleep." Donat. ab Altomar. cap. 7. and Mercurialis approve of it, if the
malady proceed from tlio 'spleen. Salust. Sahian. lib. 2. cap. 1. de retned. Hercules
de Saxonia in Pan. jKlinus., ^lontaltus de vwrb. capitis, cap. 28. de JSLlan. are alto-
gf ther against it. Lod. Mercalus, de inter. Morh. can. lib. 1. cap. 17. in some ca.ses
doih allow it. ^Rhasis seems to deliberate »)f it, thougli Simeon conwnend it (^in
sauce peradventure) he makes a question of it : as for baths, fomentations, oiks,
potions, simples or compounds, inwardly taken lo this purpose, ''I shall speak of
them elsewhere. Jf, in the midst of the night, when they lie awake, which is usual
to toss and tumble, and not sleep, ■* Kanzovius would have them, if it be in warm
weather, to rise and walk three or four turns ^till they be cold; about the chamber
and then go to bed again.
Airainst fearful and troublesome dreams. Incubus and such inconveniences, where-
with melancholy men are molested, the best remedy is lo eat a light Kupj)er, and of
such meats as are easy of digestion, no haie, venison, beef. Sec, not to lie on his
l)ack, not to meditate or think in the day-lime of any terrible objects, or especially
talk of tlu'in before he goes to bed. For, as he said in Lucian after such conference,
Heeutcs soinniare intlii videor, 1 can think^of nothing but hobgoblins: and as Tully
notes, '"for the most part our speeches in the day-time cause our fantasy to work
upon the like in our sleep," which ijmius writes of Homer: Et cams in suinnis
I'poris vcslii^ia latrat: as a dog dreams of a hare, so do men on such subjects they
thought on last.
«"Soiiiiiia quip Dieiite« luiluiit volitaritibua iiinliri'',
Nic iJi-liit>ra ileum, nvt- ab i-ibi-re iiuiiiiiia iiiitliiiil,
S3ed liibi qiii6<|ue I'acil," tc.
Vox that cause when Ptolemy, king of F^ypt, had posed the seventy interpreters in
order, aufl asked the nineteenth man what would make one sleep quietly in the night,
he tohl him, '-'the best way was to have divine and celestial meditations, and to use
fioncst actions in the day-time. •* Lod. Vives wonders how schoolmen could sleep
([uieily, and were not terrified in the niglit, or walk in the dark, they had such mon-
strous questions, and thought of Sue's terrible matters all day long." Tluy had
need, amongst the rest, to sacrifice to god Morpheus, whom *Philostralus jiaints in
a white and black coat, with a horn and ivory box full of dreams, of the same
colours, to signify good and bad. If you will know how lo interpret them, read
Artemidorus, Sambucus and Cardan; but how to help them, '"I must refer you lo a
more convenient place.
I" Ad tiorain somni aurea suavil)u8 caiitibus et sonU I coi;ilare J-t loqui. • AristiB bi*t. " Neither tho
ileliiiire. ''^ lectin jucuiida, aut serino. ad quein shrines uf the erajs, nor Uie deilieu theiiii*elve!i, M-nd
alteiitior animus coMvertKiir, am aqua ab alto in sub- down from the h'-aveno thone dreanm whirh ni<v k our
jectam pelvini delabatiir. &c. Ovid. » Aceti s.ir- minds with these flitline shadows,— we ran-e ib> in ro
bitiii. >w Attpnuat iiielaiicholiam, el ad ronciliHii- ourselves." ' Optimum do ctrlest ibiis et honesii*
diiin soniniim jiivat. ' (lnod lieni acetum conveniat. ! meditari. et ea facere. » I,ih. W. de lau'is C"rr art.
*t'opit. I. irnct. 9. meditandum de aceto. 'Sect. 5
iiiemb. I. Subst-ct. t>. * Lib. de sanit. tuenda. »ln
Soin. Scip. fit eriim fere ul cojiitationes noslrie et »er-
niones p.'iri.mt aliqnid in sommi, quale de llninero scri-
bit Emiiiu:', de quo videlicet sspissim^ vi^ilans solebat
tarn niira nionstra quirFtionum <ipp<- iini><:uiilur intrr
eog, ut mirer eos iiiterliiiii in somniis non terreri, out
de illis in tcnebri* audere verba fnrere, adeo re« Mini
mon<<tro««. ■ Icon. lib. 1. " Sect. 5. Mrinb. 1
Subs. 6.
Mem. 6. Subs. 1.]
Passions rectified.
327
MEMB. VI.
Sub SECT. I. — Perlurlatlons of the mind rectified. From himself, hy resii&ng to the
utmost, confessing his grief to a friend, Sfc. ^
Whosoever he is that shall hope to cure this malady in himself or anv other,
must first rectify these passions and perturbations of the mind : the chiefest cure
consists in them. A quiet mind is that voluptas, or summiim honum of Epicurus,
won. dolere, curis vacare, animo tranquillo esse, not to grieve, but to want cares, and
liave a quiet soul, is the only pleasure of the world, as Seneca truly recites his opi-
nion, not that of eating and drinking, which injurious Aristotle maliciously puts
upon him, and for which he is still mistaken, male audit et vapulat, slandered with-
out a cause, and lashed by all posterity. "'•'Fear and sorrow, therefore, are espe-
cially to be avoided, and the mind to be mitigated with mirth, constancy, good hope,
vain terror, bad objects are to be removed, and all such persons in whose companies
they be not well pleased." Gualter Bruel. Fernelius, consil. 43. Mercurialig, consil.
6. Piso, Jacchinus, Cf/p. 15. m9.Rhasis, Capivaccius, Hildesheim, &c., all inculcate
this as an especial means of their cure, that their '^ *' minds be quietly pacified, vain
conceits diverted, if it be possible, with terrors, cares, '^ fixed studies, cogitations,
and whatsoever it is that shall any way molest or trouble the soul," because thai
otherwise there is no good to be done. " " The body's mischiefs," as Plato proves,
" proceed from the soul : and if the mind be not first satisfied, the body can never be
cured." Alcibiades raves (saith '^ Maximus Tyrius) and is sick, his furious desires
carry him from Lyceus to the pleading place, thence to the sea, so into Sicily, thence
to Lacedasmon, thence to Persia, thence to Samos, then again to Athens ; Critias
tyranniseth over all the city ; Sardanapalus is love-sick ; these men are ill-affected
all, and can never be cured, till their minds be otherwise qualified. Crato, therefore,
in that often-cited Counsel of his for a nobleman his patient, w^hen he had sufficiently
informed him in diet, air, exercise, Venus, sleep, concludes with these as matters of
greatest moment, Quod reliquum est, animcE accidentia corrigantur, from which alone
proceeds melancholy; they are the fountain, the subject, the hinges whereon it
turns, and must necessarily be reformed. '^ " For anger stirs choler, heats the blood
and vital spirits; sorrow on the other side refrigerates the body, and exlinguisheth
natural heat, overthrows appetite, hinders concoction, dries up tlie temperature, and
perverts the understanding :" fear dissolves the spirits, infects the heart, attenuates
the soul : and for these causes all passions and perturbations must, to the uttermost
of our power and most seriously, be removed, ^lianus Montaltus attributes so
much to them, '' " that he holds the rectification of them alone to be sufficient to the
cure of melancholy in most patients," Many are fully cured when they have seen
or heard, &c., enjoy their desires, or be secured and satisfied in their minds ; Galen,
the common master of them all, from whose fountain they fetch water, brags, lib. 1.
de san. tuend., that he, for his part, hath cured divers of this infirmity, solum animis
ad rectum institulis, by right settling alone of their minds.
Yea, but you will here infer, that this is excellent good indeed if it could be done;
but how shall it be effected, by whom, what art, what means ? hie labor, hoc opus
est. 'Tis a natural infirmity, a most powerful adversary, all men are subject to pas-
sions, and melancholy above all others, as being distempered by their innate humours,
abundance of choler adust, weakness of parts, outward occurrences ; and liow shall
they be avoided ? the wisest men, greatest philosophers of most excellent wit, rea-
son, judgment, divine spirits, cannot moderate themselves in this behalf; such as
are sound in body and mind, Stoics, heroes, Homer's gods, all are passionate, and
" Aniini piirturhationes siimme fugiends, inetus po-
tissiniuin et trislilia: eoriimqiie loco animus deiniilcen-
rius hilaritate, anirni constaiitia, bona spe ; reiiiovendi
terrores, et eoruin cotisnitiiiin qiios nun probaiit.
I" PliaiitasJae eonim placide siibvertenda", terrores ab
animo reniovendi. JaAbomnifixa cogitatioiie
(I lovjsMKido avertantur. nCurirla mala corporis
iilj aiiinio procediiMt. () lie nisi curentiir, corpus cnrari
niiniiiie potest. Cbarinid. i' Disputat. An inorbi
graviores corporis an anirai. Kenoldo interpret, ut
parum absit a furore, rapitur a Lyceo in cnncionem. a
cnncione ad mare, .i mari in Siciliam, tc. '^ Ira
hilem movet, sanijuinem adurit, vitales spiritus accen-
dit, moBstitia universum corpus infriaidat, calorem in-
natuin extinjiuit, appetituin destrtiit, concnctionein
impedit, corpus exsiccaf, iiitelleclum pervertit. Qiia-
niobrem ha-c omnia prorsus vilaiula sunt, et pro virili
fugienda. " De mel. c. -IC. ex illis solum reinediuin;
multi ex visis, audilis, ikc. sanati sunt.
388 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
furiously carried .sometimes ; and how shall we that are already crazed, ^rflc/i animis,
sick in body, sick in mind, resist ? we cannot perform it. You may advise and give
good precepts, as who cannot ? But how shall they be put in practice ? I may not
deny buiour passions are violent, and tyrannise of us, yet there be means to curb
llieni ; thoujrli they be headstrong, they may be tamed, tliey may be quahfitMl, if he
hiujself or his friends will but use their honest endeavours, or make use of such
ordinary helps as are commonly prescribed.
He liim-self (I say); from the patient liimself the first and chiefest remedy must
be had; for if he be averse, peevish, waspish, give way wholly to his passions, will
not seek to be helped, or be ruled by his friends, how is it possible lie should be
cured.? But if he be willing at least, gentle, tradable, and desire his own gootl, no
doubt but he may viagnam morbl depomre partem^ be eased at least, if not cured.
lie himself must do his utmost endeavour to resist and withstand the beginnings.
Principiis obsUi, " Give not water passagf, no not a little," Ecclus. xxv. 27." If they
open a little, they will make a greater breach at length. Whatsoever it is ihat run-
neth in his mind, vain conceit, be it pleasing or displeasing, which so mnch affects
or troubleth him, '*'"by all possible means he must withstand it, expel those vain,
false, frivolous imaginations, absurd conceits, feigned fears and sorrows; from which,"
saith Piso, '• this disease primarily pnjceeds, and takes his first occasion or begin-
ning, by doing something or other that shall be opposite unto them, thinking of
something else, persuading by reason, or howsoever to make a sudden allcration of
them." Though he have hitherto run in a full career, and precipitated himself, fol-
lowing his passions, giving reins to his appetite, hst him now stop upon a sudden,
curb himself in; and as '" Lenmius adviselh, "strive against with all his power, to
the utmost of his endeavour, and not cherish those fond imaginations, which so
covertly creep into his mind, most pleasing and amiable at first, but bitter as gall at
last, and so headstrong, that by no reason, art, counsel, or persuasion, ihev niav be
shaken off." Though he be far gone, and habituated unto such fantastical imagina-
tions, yet as ^TuUy and Plutarch advise, let him oppose, fortify, or prepare himself
against them, by pre-meditaiion, reason, or as we do by a crooked staff, bend him-
self another way.
*i"Tu tanien iiitert-a effugito qui tristia meiitem I " In the meantime ex(>el tlicin fVoin tliy mind,
i$<ilicit:iu(. prdcul ei*»e jiib«- irura'tjue nieliimque | Pale lVari4, sad cann. and e'l'f* whirli do il grind,
Pallentuui, ultrices iras.iiint umnia Isia." I Ueveni;i't'>il m<e>-r, pain and diitcunient,
I Let all thy houI be net on rnKmun-nt. "
Ciiras tolle graves, irasci crede profanum. If it be idleness hath caused this in-
firmity, or that he perceive himself given to solitariness, to walk alone, and please
h'is mind with fond imaginations, let him by all means avoid it; 'tis a bosuin eiiemv,
'tis delightsome melancholy, a friend in show, but a secret devil, a sweet pcjison, it
will in the end be his undoing; let him go presently, task or set himself a work,
get some good company. If he proceed, as a gnat flies about a Mndle, so long till
at length he burn his bodv, so in the end he wUl undo himself: if it be arly harsh
object, ill company, let him presently go from it. If by his own default, through
ill diet, bad air, want of exercise, Stc, let him now begin to reform himself, '-It
would be a perfect remedy, against all corruption, if," as " Roger Bacon hath it, " we
could but moderate ourselves in those six non-natural things. " If it be any dis-
grace, abuse, temporal loss, calumny, death of friends, imprisonment, (ianishment,
be not troubled with it, do not fear, be not angry, grieve not at it, but with all courage
sustain it." (Gordonius, lib. 1, c. Ib.de coriser. vit.) Tu conlra audtnliur ito. *Mf
it be sickness, ill success, or any adversity that hath caused it, oppose an invincible
courage, "• fortify thyself by God's word, or otherwise," mala bonis persuadenda. set
prosperity against adversity, as we refresh our eyes by seeing some pleasant ujeadow,
•* Pro virilius) annitendum in pradicli^, turn in aliis, i secretin artis et nalura: cap. 7. de retard, sen. Kemediiim
a quilms malum voint a priniaria cniiija occasionem efsel contra corruplmneni pr>ipriani, ii| i|ijilit)el el'-rce-
nactuni I'St.imaginationesalisurdx falsx(|ueet nicE.-tilia ret reeinien sanilatiis, i|iicmI consis'tit in riht:-< "-x noi
q\ixcuii(|ue siibierit propuls<'tnr, ant aliiid asendo, ant natnralibiiR. *> Pr,i nliqii'i vitupern. i m'.
ratione persnadraidn eariim iiintatiimem subito facere. nur pro aiiiicni'ine alicnjiiK rei. pr^i iinri c
'' I. lb. '•. c. IH. de occult, nat. QMisqiii^ hnic inalo oh- pro carrere, nee pro exilio. ner pro nlin - «,
no.xins est. acriler nbsistat. et suinnia ciira ohiiicteliir, ner >inied8, nee dideao, ited com " : ' i i ii i c
iier iilli) iii'mIo loveat ima!!inatiiiiir!< tarite iihre|iented tomtineaii. * Uuixliii iii'i.in j- imT r-
amino, hiandasi ah inilioet i<niahilij<i, sed qn^adenpim- Inma hoc malum invcxi-rint. hm i . !ri>iiiio|i.
valesrniil, lit nulla ratinne exciili qneant. ^3. Tunc, j ptina.-*, Uei verbo ejuitque tiducia te s<iii nr i i- ^c, l<riu-
ad Aptillonium. ^ Fracasturi'iii. 23£p,gt. ^g | n,ug_ |,b. i. c. 16.
Mem.. 6. Subs. 1.] Passions rectified. 32fr
fountain, picture, or the like : recreate thy mind by some contrary object, v.ith some
more pleasing meditation divert thy thoughts.
Yea, but you infer again, yacf/e consilium damus aliis., we can easily give counsel
to others ; .every man, as the saying is, can tame a shrew but he that liath her ; si
hie esses, aliter senfires; if you were in our misery, you would find it otherwise,
'tis not so easily performed. We know this to be true; we should moderate our-
selves, but we are furiously carried, we cannot make use of such precepts, we are
overcome, sick, male sani, distempered and liabitualed to these courses, we can make
no resistance ; you may as well bid him that is diseased not to feel pain, as a melan-
choly man not to fear, not to be sad : 'tis within his blood, his brains, his whole tem-
perature, it cannot be removed. But he may choose wliether he will give way too far
unto it, he may in some sort correct himself A philosopher was bitten with a mad doo-,
and as the nature of that disease is to abhor all waters, and liquid things, and to think
still they see the picture of a dog before them : he went for all this, relactante sf , to the
bath, and- seeing there (as he thought) in the water the picture of a dog, with reason
overcame this conceit, quid cuni cum balneo? what should a dog do in a bath.?
a mere conceit. Thou thinkest thou hearest and seest devils, black men, &c.,
'tis not so, 'tis thy corrupt fantasy; settle thine imagination, thou art well. Thou
thinkest thou hast a great nose, thou art sick, every man observes thee, laughs thee
to scorn ; persuade thyself 'tis no such matter : this is fear only, and vain suspicion.
Thou art discontent, thou art sad and heavy; but why.'' upon what ground.' con-
sider of it : thou art jealous, timorous, suspicious ; for what cause ? examine it
thoroughly, thou shalt find none at all, or such as is to be contemned ; such as thou
wilt surely deride, and contemn in thyself, when it is past. Rule thyself then with
reason, satisfy thyself, accustom thyself, wean thyself from such fond conceits, vain
fears, strong imaginations, restless thoughts. Thou mayest do it; Est in nobis
assuescere (as Plutarch saith), we may frame ourselves as we will. As he that useth
an upright shoe, may correct the obliquity, or crookedness, by wearing it on the
other side ; we may overcome passions if we will. Quicquid sibi imperavit animus
obtinuit (as ^^ Seneca saith) nulli tarn fori affectus, ut non disciplind iKrdomcntur,
whatsoever the will desires, she may command : no such cruel affections, but by dis-
cipline they may be tamed ; voluntarily thou wilt not do this or that, which thou
oughtest to do, or refrain, Stc, but when thou art lashed like a dull jade, thou wilt
reform it : fear of a whip will make thee do, or not do. Do that voluntarily then
which thou canst do, and must do by compulsion ; thou mayest refrain if thou wilt,
and master thine affections. -^As in a city (saith Melancthon) they do by stubborn
rebellious rogues, that will not submit themselves to political judgment, compel them
by force ; so must we do by our affections. If the heart will not lay aside those
vicious motions, and the fantasy those fond imaginations, we have another form of
government to enforce and refrain our outward members, that they be not led by our
passions." If appetite will not obey, let the moving faculty overrule her, let her
resist and compel her to do otherwise. In an ague the appetite would drink ; sore
eyes that itch would be rubbed ; but reason saith no, and therefore the moving
faculty will not do it. Our fantasy would intrude a thousand fears, suspicions, chi-
meras upon us, but we have reason to resist, yet we let it be overborne by our appe-
tite; ^'^'imagination enforceth spirits, which, by an admirable league of nature, compel
the nerves to obey, and they our several limbs -.""^ we give too much way to our pas-
sions. And as to him that is sick of an ague, all things are distasteful and unplea-
sant, non ex cibi vitio, saith Plutarch, not in tlie meat, but in our taste : so many
things are offensive to us, not of themselves, but out of our corrupt judgment,
jealousy, suspicion, and the like: we pull these mischiefs upon our own heads.
If then our judgment be so depraved, our reason overruled, will precipitated, that
we cannot seek our own good, or moderate ourselves, as in this disease conmionly
it is, the best way for ease is to impart our misery to some friend, not to smother it
up in our own breast: aliter vitium crescilqne tegendo, Sfc, and that which was most
25T,ih. 2. cle ira. s'Cap. 3. de aff'cf. aniin. Ut in
civitaiihiis conluinaces qui iinn ceduiit politico imperio
vi cuerceiuii sunt ; ita Doiis iiohis iniiidit alteram im-
perii formaiii; si cor non deponit vitiosiim atfi-ctiim,
membra forascoercenda sunt, ne ruant in quud atfectus
impellat: et locomotiva,(]iiae herili iinporioolitempirat,
alleri resistat. 2? |,„a2inatin iinpnllit spiritKs, pt
indc nervi moventur, &c. et oblemperant ima^ina-
.lioni et appetitui mirabili fredere, ad esequendum quod
jubent.
43 2 c 3
330 Cure of Melancliohj. [Part. 2. Sect. 2.
offensive to us, a cause of fear and grief, quod nunc te coquit, another hell ; for
^" strungulat inclusus dolor atque excesluat infus, grief concealed strangles the soul;
but when as we shall but impart it to some discreet, trusty, loving friend, it is
^'instantly removed, by his counsel happily, wisdom, persuasion, advice, his good
means, which vv'e could not otherwise apply unto ourselves. A friend's counsel is
a charm, like mandrake wine, curas sopit ; and as a *^bull that is tied to a tig-tree
becomes gentle on a sudden (which some, sailh ^' Plutarch, interpret of good words),
so is a savage, obdurate heart mollified by fair speeches. " All adversity finds ease
in complaining (as ^^ Isidore holds), '• and 'tis a solace to relate it,-' ^ 'Ayafi^ 6s rrapaJ-
^fiffjif i'jriv ETotpov. Friends'" confabulations are comfortable at all times, as fire in
winter, shade in summer, quale sopor fessis in gramine, meat and drink to him that
is hungry or athirst ; Democritus's collyrium is not so sovereign to the eyes as this
is to the heart ; good words are cheerful and powerful of themselves, but much more
from friends, as so many props, mutually sustaining each other like ivy and a wall,
which Cainerarius hath well illustrated in an emblem. Ltnit aniinu/n simplex vel
scFpe 7iarrulio, the simple narration many times easelh our distressed mind, and in
the midst of greatest extremities; so diverse have been relieved, by ** exonerating
themselves to a laithful friend : he sees that which we cannot see for passion and
discontent, lie pacifies our minds, he will ease our pain, assuage our anger ; quanta
inde voluplas, quanta securitas^ Chrysostom adds, what pleasure, what security by
that means! ''^"Nothing so available," or that so much refresheth the soul of man."
Tully, as I remember, in an epistle to his dear friend Atticus, much condoles the
defect of such a friend. ^"^ I live here (saitli he) in a great city, where 1 have a multi-
tude of acquaintance, but not a man of all that company with whom I dare familiarly
breathe, or freely jest. Wherefore I expect thee, J desire thee, I send for thee ; for
there be many things which trouble and molest me, which had I but thee in presence.
I could quickly disburden myself of in a walking discourse." The like, perad-
venture, may he and he say with that old man in the comedy,
*'" Nemo est ineoruni aiiiicuruin h'xlie,
Apud queiu expruiurre ucculta iiira audeam."
and niucli inconvenience may both he and he suffer in the meantime by it. lie or
he, or whosoever then labours of this malady, by all means let him get some trusty
friend, ^ Semper habens Pylademque aliquem qui curet Orestem, a Pylades, to whom
freely and securely he may open himself. For as in all other occurrences, so it is
in this. Si quis in ccelum ascendissel, ^-c. as he said in ** Tully, if a man had gone
to heaven, *■*■ seen the beauty of the skies," stars errant, fixed, kc, insuuvis erit
admiratio^ it will do him no pleasure, except he have somebody to impart what he
hath seen. It is the best thing in the world, as ''*' Seneca therefore advistlh in such
a case, " to get a trusty friend, to whom we may freely and sincerely pour out our
secrets ; nothing so delighteth and easeth the mind, as when we have a prepared
bosom, to which our secrets may descend, of whose conscience we are assured as
our own, whose speech may ease our succourless estate, counsel relieve, mirih expel
our mourning, and whose very sight may be acceptable unto us." It was the counsel
which that politic *' Commineus gave to all princes, and others distressed in mind,
by occasion of Charles Duke of Burgundy, that was much perplexed, '•first to pray
to God, and lay himself open to him, and then to some special friend, whom we
hold most dear, to tell all our grievances to him; nothing so forcible to strengthen,
recreate, and heal the wounded soul of a miserable man."
»OvidTrist. lib. 5. '^J'articipes iiide calamilatii I have not a single friend thi« day, to whom I dare to
nostrx sum, et v.-liit pxuiierata in eos sarrma onere dinoliwe my secrelg." '"Ovul. »< IV amictti.i,
Icvamur. Arist. Eth. lib. 9. »Camerarius Kinbl. -M. <»I)e tran<|uil. c. 7. Optimum est amicum ti.lclem nan>
Cen. -2. 3'SyiiipiPS. lib. 6. cap. 10. s^ Epist. d. risci m qm-m secrela mwtra inriindamii!< ; nihil eque
hb. 3. Adversa forturia habet in querelis levamentum; ' obleciat aiiimum. qiiam iibi »inl prB^arala piftora in
et maloriim relatio. &c. * Alluquium rhari jnval, | qiis lutii »»-i;rrta di.-!tre nda n I , qiinruni ciiii->ri>-n(ia cqus
et solanien amici. Emblem. 54. cent. 1. »* .•\s David l ac tua : quorum sermo f^oliiudiiKni l.iiiul. npnlnitia
did to Jonathan, 1 tJiUii. xx. ssSeneca Epist tiT consilium exiwdial. hilaritag iruliliaMi dKHiiK-l. r«>n.
»Hic in civitale nia:>iia et turba magna neminem >pectu.-ique ipsw delettet. i' Couimenl. I. 7. A4
reperire por'siimiis quficum suspirare familiariter aut I Deum confuciainun, et (x.-ccatin vcniaiii |irre^iiiiir ,iid«
jocari lib.re (Kist^imus. Quare te expcctaiiius, te dexi- ad ainirog. et rui pliirimum tribuiiiiiia, noM pnti-ririJi-
dt^raiiius. le arcissimus. .Multa sunt eniiii quse me mii.4 loKw, et aninii viiliiii* quo atflisiiu'jr n.oi: a4
•■-lieila It el niiaiint, <|Lis mihi videor aures tuaa nactus, reficieodum animum etficaciu*.
UDiua aiubulalionid seruooe exbaurire poas«. '' I
Mem. 6. Subs. 2.J
Mind rectified.
331
SuBSECT. II. — Help from friends by counsel, coinfort, fair and foul means, loilty
devices, satisfaction, alteration of his course of life, removing objects, 8fc.
When the patient of himself is not able to resist, or overcome these heart-eating
passions, his friends or physician must be ready to supply that wliich is wanting.
SucE erit humanitatis et sapientice (which ""^Tully enjoineth in like case) siquid erra-
tum, curare, aut improvisum, sua diligentid corrigere. They must all join ; nee satis
medico, saith '^^ Hippocrates, suu?7i fccisse ojficium, nisi suum quoque cegrotus, suum
astantes, &;c. First, tliey must especially beware, a melancholy discontented person
(be it in what kind of melancholy soever) never be left alone or idle : but as pliysi-
cians prescribe physic, cum custodid, let them not be left unto themselves, but with
some company or other, lest by that means they aggravate and increase their dis-
ease ; non oportet cegros humjusmodi esse solos vel inter ignotos, vel inter eos quos
non amant aut negligunt, as Rod. a Fonseca, torn. 1. consul. 3.5. prescribes. Lugentes
custodire solemus (saith ''^ Seneca) ne solitudine male utantur; we watch a sorrowful
person, lest he abuse his solitariness, and so should we do a melancholy man ; set
him about some business, exercise or recreation, which may divert his thoughts, and
■still keep liim otherwise intent; for his fantasy is so restless, operative and quick,
that if it be not in perpetual action, ever employed, it will work upon itself, melan-
cholise, and be carried away instantly, with some fear, jealousy, discontent, suspi-
cion, some vain conceit or other. If his weakness be such that he cannot discern
what is amiss, correct, or satisfy, it behoves them by counsel, comfort, or persua-
sion, by fair or foul means, to alienate his mind, by some artificial invention, or some
contrary persuasion, to remove all objects, causes, companies, occasions, as may
any ways molest him, to humour him, please him, divert him, and if it be possible,
by altering his course of life, to give him security and satisfaction. If he conceal
his grievances, and will not be known of them, ''^"they must observe by his looks,
gestures, motions, fantasy, what it is that offends," and then to apply remedies unto
him : many are instantly cured, when their minds are satisfied. ""^ Alexander makes
mention of a woman, " that by reason of her husband's long absence in travel, was
exceeding peevish and melancholy, but when she heard her husband was returned,
beyond all expectation, at the first sight of him, she was freed from all fear, without
help of any other physic restored to her former health." Trincavellius, consil. 12.
lib. 1. hath such a story of a Venetian, that being much troubled with melancholy,
■*• " and ready to die for grief, when he heard his wife was brought to bed of a son,
instantly recovered." As Alexander concludes, '*^" If our imaginations be not in-
veterate, by this art they may be cured, especially if they proceed from such a
cause." No better way to satisfy, than to remove the object, cause, occasion, if
by any art or means possible we may find it out. If he grieve, stand in fear, be in
suspicion, suspense, or any way molested, secure him, Solvitur malum, give him
satisfaction, the cure is ended ; alter his course of life, there needs no other physic.
If the party be sad, or otherwise affected, "• consider (saith "'^Trallianus) the manner
of it, all circumstances, and forthwith make a sudden alteration," by removing the
occasions, avoid all terrible objects, heard or seen, ^^ " monstrous and prodigious
aspects," tales of devils, spirits, ghosts, tragical stories ; to such as are in fear they
strike a great impression, renewed many times, and recall such chimeras and terrible
fictions into their minds. ^' " Make not so much as mention of them in private talk,
or a dumb show tending to that purpose : such things (saith Galateus) are offensive
to their imaginations." And to those that are now in sorrow, " Seneca '' forbids all
sad companions, and such as lament ; a groaning companion is an enemy to quiet-
<^ Ep. a. frat. « Aphor. prim. « Epist. 10.
4s ObservaiMJo inotus, gestiis, niaiius, pedes, oculus,
phantasjaiii, Piso. icjvjuiier melancholia correpta ex
longa viri peregriiiatione, et iracuiide omnibus respon-
liens, quuiii maritus domum leversus, preeler spem, &c,
4" Prie dolore moritiirus quuni niinciatura esset uxorera
pepeiisse ft^iuni subito recuperavit. *^ Nisi affeclus
l.ingi) tempore infestaverit, tali ariificio imaginatinnes
turare oportet, prceserlim ubi malum ah his velut a pri-
iiiaria causa uccasioueiu habuerit. ^'Lib. I. cap. lU.
Si ex tristitia aut alio afl'ectu caperit, speciem coiisi-
dera, aut aliud qui eorum, quK subitani alterationem
facere possunt. ^Evilandi monstritici aspectus. &c.
51 Neque enini tarn actio, aut recordatio rpriirn hujus-
modi displicet, sed iis vel gestus alterius linaginationi
adumbrare, vehementer molestum. Galat. de mor. cap.
7. "Tranquil. Pra?cipue vitentur tristes, et omnia
deplorantes; tranquillitati inimicus est comes pertur-
batus, omuia geuiens.
332 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2
ness." " Or if there be any such party, at whose presence the patient is not w ell
pleased, he must be removed : gentle speeches, and fair means, must tirst be tried;
no harsh language used, or uncomfortable words ; and not expel, as some do, one
jnadness with another ; he that so doth, is madder than the patient himself :" all
things must be quietly composed ; eversa nan evcrtcnda^ scd erigcnda., things down
must not be dejected, but reared, as Crato counselleth ; ""he must be quiedy and
gently used," and we should not do anything against his mind, but by litile and little
eftect it. As a horse that starts at a drum or trumpet, and will not endure the shoot-
ing of a piece, may be so manned by art, and animated, that he cannot only endure,
but is much more generous at the hearing of such things, much more courageous
than before, and much delighteth in it : they must not be reformed ex ubrtiptu^ but
by all art and insinuation, made to such companies, aspects, objects they could not
formerly away with. Many at first cannot endure the sight of a green wound, a
sick man, which afterward become good chirurgeons, bold empirics : a horse starts
at a rotten post afar off, whirh coming near he quietly passelh, 'Tis much in the
manner of making such kind of persons, be they never so averse from company,
bashful, solitary, timorous, they may be made at la^t with those Roman matrons, to
desire nolliing more than ui a pubhc show, to see a full company of gladiators breathe
out their last.
If they may not otherwise be accustomed to brook such distasteful and displeas-
ing objects, the best way then is generdlly to avoid them. Montanus, consil. 220.
to the Earl of 31ontfort, a courtier, and his melancholy patient, adviseth him to leave
the court, by reason of those continual discontents, crosses, abuses, ""cares, suspi-
cions, emulations, ambition, anger, jealousy, which that place aflorded, and which
surely caused him to be so melancholy at the lirst :" Maxima quteque dumus servis
est plena superbis; a company of scoHlts and proud jacks are commonly conversant
and attend in such places, and able to make any man that is of a soft, quiet disposi-
tion (as many times they do) ex slulto insanum, if once they humour him, a very
idiot, or stark mad. A thing too much practised in all common societies, and they
have no better sport than to make themselves merry by abusing some silly fellow,
or to take advantage of another maifs weakness. In such cases as in a plague, the
best remedy is cito^ longe tarde: (for to such a party, especially if he be apprehen-
sive, there can be no greater misery) to get him (piickly gone far enough olli and not
to be overhasty in his return. Jf he be so stu|)id that he do not apprt hend it, his
friends should take some order, and by their discretion supply that which is want-
ing in him, as in all olber cases they ought to do. If they see a man melancholy
given, solitary, averse from company, please himself with such private and vain medi-
tations, though he delight in it, they ought by all means seek to divert him, to dehort
him, to tell him of the event and danger that may come of it. If they see a man
idle, that by reason of his means otherwise will betake himself to no course of life,
they ought seriously to admonish him, he makes a noose to entangle himself, his
want ol employment will be his undoing. If he have sustained any great loss, suf-
fered a repulse, disgrace, Sec, if it be possible, relieve him. If he desire aught, let
him be satisfied ; if in suspense, fear, suspicion, let him be secured : and if it may
conveniently be, give him his heart's content; for the body cannot be cured till the
mind be satisfied. ^Soorates, in Plato, would prescribe no physic for Charmides'
headache, '* till first he had eased his troubled mind ; body and soul must be cured
together, as head and eyes.
" " Oculum non curabia nine loto capite,
Nee caput nine t'>t'> corpore.
Nee tuluin corpus sine aniuia."
If that may not be hoped or expected, yet ease him with comfort, cheerful speeches,
fair promises, and good words, persuade him, advise him. " Many," saiih ** Galen,
**Illorum qiioquc hnminum, a quorum concortio ab- ' lancholieum. ' **Nigi priua animuin lurbatiii-ifnum
horrent, pra'senlia aniovenda. nee «eriiioiiibiis iriiiratig curas^et; oculi sine eapite, nee c<irpu< tine amuia cu-
ebtudeiidi ; si quis in-iaiiiaui ab insania sic curari afi>ii- i ran p<)tf»t. " E urjcco. " \".\ -Imll not rirp iIm
met, et proterve ijtilur, luagis qiiain «ger iii»aiiit. fje, unless you cure the whole h- : .id,
Crato coiisil. l--i. Scoltzii. " Mulliter ac suaviter uiilens the- whole body ; nor the v. iDo
Bger tractetur, nee ad ea adisatur qiix non curat, gnul be<idci>." *" Et non >■ n i(,
■^Ob siifipiciones curaa. sniulalion>-ni, ainbtlionem, aninii uiotibuf ad debitum reVMaii-, lib 1 <:•: <iariil.
iraa, itc. quas locus ille minisirat, et qus fccissent me- tuend.
Mem. 6. Subs. 2.] Mind rectified. 333
*• have been cured by good counsel and persuasion alone. Heaviness of the heart
»>f man doth bring it down, but a good word rejoiceth it," Prov. xii. 25. "And there
IS he that speaketh words like the pricking of a sword, but the tongue of a wise
man is health," ver. 18. Oratio.,namque'saucii animi est remediwn., a gentle speech
IS the true cure of a wounded soul, as ^^ Plutarch contends out of ^Eschylus aric;
Euripides : " if it be wisely administered it easeth grief and pain, as diverse remedies
do many other diseases." 'Tis incantatlonis instar., a charm, cEstuantis animi refri-
geriiun^ that true Nepenthe of Homer, which was no Indian plant, or feigned mecH-
cine, which Epidamna, Thonis' wife, sent Helena for a token, as Macrobius, 7.
Saturnal. Goropius Hermat. lib. 9. Greg. Nazianzen, and others suppose, l)ut oppor-
tunity of speech : for Helena's bowl, Medea's unction, Venus's girdle, Circe's cup,
cannot so enchant, so forcibly move or alter as it doth. A letter sent or read will
do as much ; muUum allevor qimni tuas litems lego, I am much eased, as ^ TuUy
wrote to Pomponius Atticus, when I read thy letters, and as Julianus the Apostate
once sigaiiied to Maximus the philosopher; as Alexander slept with Homer's works,
so do I with thine epistles, tanquam PcBoniis medicamcntis, easque assidue tanquairi
recentes et novas iteramus; scribe ergo, et assidue scribe, or else come thyself; ami-
cus ad amicuni xienies. Assuredly a wise and well-spoken man may do what he will
in such a case ; a good orator alone, as ®' TuUy holds, can alter affections by power
of his eloquence, " comfort such as are afflicted, erect such as are depressed, expel
and mitigate fear, lust, anger," Sic. And how powerful is the charm of a discreet
and dear friend ? Ille regit dictis animos et temperat iras. What may not he effect ?
As ^^ Chremes told Menedemus, " Fear not, conceal it not, O friend ! but tell me what
it is that troubles thee, and I shall surely help thee by comfort, counsel, or in the
matter itself. ''^Arnoldus, lib. 1. breviar. cap. 18. speaks of a usurer in his time, that
upon a loss, much melancholy and discontent, was so cured. As imagination, fear,
grief, cause such passions, so conceits alone, rectified by good hope, counsel, &c.,
are able again to help : and 'tis incredible how much they can do in such a case, as
■"^ Trincavellius illustrates by an example of a patient of his-, Porphyrius, the philo-
sopher, in Plotinus's life (written by him), relates, that being in a discontented
humour through insufferable anguish of mind, he was going to make away himself:
but meeting by chance his master Plotinus, wlio perceiving by his distracted looks
all was not well, urged him to confess his grief: which when he had heard, he used
such comfortable speeches, that he redeemed him e faucibus Erebi, pacified his
unquiet mind, insomuch that he was easily reconciled to himself, and much abashed
to think afterwards that he should ever entertain so vile a motion. By all means,
therefore, fair promises, good words, gentle persuasions, are to be used, not to be
too rigorous at first, ®^" or to insult over them, not to deride, neglect, or contemn,"
but rather, as Lemnius exhorteth, " to pity, and by all plausible means to seek to
redress them :" but if satisfaction may not be had, mild courses, promises, comfort-
able speeches, and good counsel will not take place ; then as Christopherus a Vega
determines, lib. 3. cap. 14. de Mel. to handle them more roughly, to threaten and
chide, saith ®^ Altomarus, terrify sgmetimes, or as Salvianus will have them, to be
lashed and whipped, as we do by a starting horse, ®' that is affrighted without a cause,
or as ^^ Rhasis adviseth, " one while to speak fair and flatter, another while to terrifv
and chide, as they shall see cause."
When none of these precedent remedies will avail, it will not be amiss, which
Savanarola and Julian Montaltus so much commend, clav7im clavo pellcre,^^'-'' \o
drive out one passion with another, or by some contrary passion," as they do bleed-
ing at nose by letting blood in the arm, to expel one fear with another, one grief
with another. ™ Christopherus a Vega accounts it rational physic, non alienum a
^Consol. ad Apolloniiim. Si qiiis sapieiiter et suo 1 hnminibus insullet, aut in illos sit severior, veniiri mi
tempore adliiheat, Remedia morbis diversis diversa , serii poiins indolescat, vicemque deplorot. lib. -i. irip.
sunt ; dolenteiu scrtno beiiignus siiblevat. "> Lib.
l-.'. Epist. 61 De nat. deorum consolatur afflictos,
doducit perterritns a timore, cupiditales imprimis, et
iraciindias i:i)nipriinit. 62 Heaiiton. Act. 1. Seen. 1.
Ne inctiK!, riH verere, crede inquain mihi, aut cnnsolan-
1(). o^Cap. 7. Idem Piso Laurentius cap. 8. «^ Ci lo I
timet nihil est, ubi cntiiiur et videt. 6S(Jna vice
blaiidiantur, una vice iisdem terrorem iiicutiant
«9Si vero fuerit ex novo malo audito, vel e.x animi ac-
cidente, aut de amissione mcrcium, aut mnrte amiri.
do, nut consilio, aut rejuvero. M jVovi fencratnrem introducantur nova contraria his quae ipsum ad gaudia
avarud apud meos sic curatum, qui multam pecuniam moveant ; de hoc semper niti debeaius, &.c. ">Lib.
amiserat. "Lib. 1. consil. 12. Incredibile diclu | 3. cap. 14.
quanlute juvent, «°Nemo istiusmodi conditionis |
334 Cure of Melancholy. [rait. 2. Sec. 2.
ratione: and Lemnius much approves it, "to use a hard wedge to a hard knot," to
drive out one disease with another, to pull out a tooth, or wound him, to geld him,
saitli '' Platerus, as tliey did epileplical patients of old, because it quite alters the
temperature, t^at the pain of the one ma>- mitigate the grief of the other; '^'>and 1
knew one that was so cured of a quartan ague, by the sudden coming of his enemies
upon him." If we may believe '' Pliny, whom Scaliger calls mendaciorum patrem^
the father of lies, Q. Fabius Maximus, that renowned consul of Rome, in a battle
fought with the king of the Allobroges, at the river Isaurus, was so rid of a quartan
ague. Valesius, in his controversies, holds this an excellent remedy, and if it be
discreetly used in this malady, better than any physic.
Sometimes again by some "* feigned lie, strange news, witty device, artiticial inven-
tion, it is not amiss to deceive them. '^"'As they hale those," saith Alexander, " that
neglect or deride, so they will give ear to such as will soothe them up. If they say
they have swallowed frogs or a snake, by all means grant it, and tell tliein you can
easily cure it ; 'tis an ordinary thing. Pliilodotus, the physician, cured a melancholy
king, that thought his head was off, by putting a leaden cap thereon ; the weight
made him perceive it, and freed him of his fond imagination. A woman, in the said
Alexander, swallowed a serpent as she thought; he gave her a vomit, and conveyed
a serpent, such as she conceived, into the basin ; upon the sight of it she was
amended. The pleasante^t dotage that ever I read, t^aith "^ Laurenlius, was of a gen-
tleman at Senes in Italy, who was afraid to piss, lest all tlietown should be drowned ;
the physicians caused the bells to be rung backward, and told him the town was on
fire, whereupon he made water, and was inuneduitely cured. Anothrr supfxised his
nose so big that he should dash it against the wall if he stirred; his physician took
a great piece of flesh, and holding it in his hand, pinched him by the nose, making
him believe that flesh was cut from it. Forestus, obs. lib. 1. had a melancholy |>atient,
who thought he was dead, "'Mie put a fellow in a chest, like a dead man, by his
bedside, and made him rear himself a little, and eat : the melancholy man asked the
counterfeit, wliether dead men use to eat meat .' He told him yea; whereupon he
did eat likewise and was cured." Lenmius, lib. 2. cap. 6. de 4. compler. hath many
such instances, and Jovianus Pontanus, lib. 4. cap. 2. of Wi.sd. of the like; but
amongst the rest I find one most memorable, registered in the ■"• French chronicles
of an advocate of Paris before mentioned, who believed verily he was dead, kc. I
read a multitude of examples of melancholy men cured by such artiiicial inventions.
SuBSECT. HI. — J\Iusic a remedy.
Ma.w and sundry are the means which philosophers and physicians have prescribed
to exhilarate a sorrowful heart, to divert those fixed and intent cares and meditations,
which in this maladv so much offend; but in mv judgment none so present, none so
powerful, none so apposite as a cup of strong drink, mirth, music, and merry company
Ecclus. xl. 20. ^ Wine and music rejoice the heart." '^ Hhasi.s, c«i/. D. Tract. 15
Altomarus, cap. 7. .■•Elianus Montaltus, c. 20. Ficinus. Bened. Victor. Faventinus are al-
most immoderate in the commendation of it ; a most forcible medicine * Jacchinus calls
it : Jason Fratensis, " a most admirable thing, and worthy of consideration, that can
so mollify the mind, and stay those tempestuous affections of it." Musica est mentis
medicina mcestce, a roaring-meg against melancholy, to rear and revive the languish-
ing soul; ^'"aflecting not only the ears, but the very arteries, the vital and animal
spirits, it erects the mind, and makes it nimble." Lemnius, iwitit. cap. 44. This it
Avill effect in the most dull, severe and sorrowful souls, "-'"expel grief with mirth,
and if there be any clouds, dust, or dregs of cares yet lurking in our thoughts, moet
'''Cap. 3. Castratio olim a veteribua usa in morbis | cniiiilin priip<! eum, in quern ilium to niortiiiiin Ancrn-
i1ps(»fralis. ice. '^ Lib. 1. ca|i. 5. sic morbiiin niorln). It-rii p.icnit ; liic iii cisia jacfiiit, A.c. '"Srn*. I^M.
Ut clavuiii clavo, ^pturl[|lmll^>, et malo ni^Hlii iiialiiin ni- ' 'k In <.l. Rli.v>i'< MHvnam vim hab<-t niiinir.-i. "Car
Ileum adhibeiiiiis. Novi ei;o tpii ex siibito hnsliuiii in- ; de .Mama. Adriiiramla proficlii re« enl.tt Uifi.i eipri.-
ciirsu et innpi nato timoroqiiartaiiain ilepulerat. '^I.ih. ' <<iiiiie. quinl luiiiorum conciiiiiiln8 nii-nl>-m i-iiiiilii.it, (ia*
7. cap. SO. In acie puznans febre qiiartana libernlris ' tatque prr>rell'»iai) ipiiius aflerlmncii.
e^t. '♦ JacchiMiis. c. 15. in 9. Rhasis Mont. ca[>. -Jfi. | animui' imle eritfiliir el revivincit. tn-r i 1
"Lib. l.cap. 16. aver^aritiir eos qm eoriini alfectu!) ri- neil el ynnilii (wr arteriaji undiq>ip dill
denl, ronlemmint. Si ranas et vifieras cninediMe xe vitale* luni aiiimale* exci'at. nienl'-rn r
piilant, concedere debeiiiii«, et ppem de cura facere iLt:. <^ Muiica veiiualate lud men
*>('ap. 6. d« Biel. ^'Cistam posuit ex Medicorum ' capic, Ac.
n
I. a.
211
em
"I.
im
m.
"I
»»-n
i-riu
•rtt
Mem. 6. Subs. 3.J Perturhations rectified. 335
powerfully it wipes them all away," Salisbur. poJit. lib. 1. cap. 6. and that wliich is
more, it will perform all this in an instant: '*^" Cheer up the countenance, expel
austerity, bring in hilarity (Girald. Camb. cap. 12. Tojwg. Hiber.) inform our man-
ners, mitigate anger;" Athenaeus {Dlpnosophist. lib. 14. cap. 10.) calleth it an infinite
treasure to such as are endowed with it : Dulcisonum rcficit tristia corda meJos,
Eobanus Hessus. Many other properties ^* Cassiodorus, epist. 4. reckons up of this
our divine music, not only to expel the greatest griefs, but "it doth extenuate fears
and furies, appeaseth cruelty, abateth heaviness, and to such as are watchful it
causetli quiet rest ; it takes away spleen and hatred," be it instrumental, vocal, with
strings, wind, ^^Qticp. d spiritu, sine manuum dexteritafe gubernetur., S^c. it cures all
irksomeness and heaviness of the soul. ^ Labouring men that sing to their work,
can tell as much, and so can soldiers when they go to fight, whom terror of death
cannot so much affright, as the sound of trumpet, drum, fife, and such like music
animates; vietus enim mortis, as ^" Ceiisorinus informeth us, musica depcUilur. " It
makes a child quiet," the nurse's song, and many times the sound of a trumpet on
a sudden, bells ringing, a carman's whistle, a boy singing some ballad tune early in
the streets, alters, revives, recreates a restless patient that cannot sleep in the night,
&.C. In a word, it is so powerful a thing that it ravisheth the soul, regina sensimm.,
■ the queen of the senses, by sweet pleasure (which is a happy cure), and corporal
tunes pacify our incorporeal soul, sine ore loquens, dominatum in animam exercet,
and carries it beyond itself, helps, elevates, extends it. Scaliger, exerciL 302, gives
a reason of these effects, *^ " because the spirits about the heart take in that trembling
and dancing air into the body, are moved together, and stirred up with it," or else
the mind, as some suppose harmonically composed, is roused up at the tunes of
music. And 'tis not only men that are so affected, but almost all other creatures.
You know the tale of Hercules Gallus, Orpheus, and Amphion, f cell ces animas Ovid
calls them, that could saxa movere sono testudinis., &ic. make stocks and stones, as
well as beasts and other animals, dance after their pipes : the dog and hare, wolf and
lamb; vicinumque lupo prcebuit agna latus ; clamosiis graculus, stridnJa comix, el
Jovis aquila, as Philostratus describes it in his images, stood all gaping upon Or-
pheus ; and ^^ trees pulled up by the roots came to hear him, Et. comiiem quercum
jnnus arnica trahit.
Arion made fishes follow him, which, as common experience evinceth, ^°are much
affected with music. All singing birds are much pleased with it, especially nightin-
gales, if we may believe Calcagninus ; and bees amongst the rest, though they be fly-
ing away, wlien they hear any tingling sound, will tarry behind. ^' " Harts, hinds,
horses, dogs, bears, are exceedingly delighted with it." Seal, exerc. 302. Elephants^
Agrippa adds, lib. 2. cap. 24. and in Lydia in the midst of a lake there be certain
floatmg islands (if ye will believe it), that after music will dance.
But to leave all declamatory speeches in praise"^ of divine music, I will confine
myself to my proper subject : besides that excellent power it hath to expel many
other diseases, it is a sovereign remedy against ^^ despair and melancholy, and will
drive away the devil himself. Canus, a Rhodian fiddler, in ^^ Philostratus, when
Apollonius was inquisitive to know what he could do with his pipe, told him, "That
he would make a melancholy man merry, and him that was merry mucli merrier
than before, a lover more enamoured, a religious man more devout. Ismenias the
Theban, ^' Chiron the centaur, is said to have cured tliis and many other diseases by
music alone : as now they do those, saith ^''Bodine, that are troubled with St. Vitus's
Bedlam dance. ^'^ Timotheus, the musician, compelled Alexander to skip up and down,
and leave his dinner (like the tale of the Friar and the Boy), whom Austin, de civ.
MAnimnstristessul)il6exhilarat,nubilosviiltussere. show tJiemselves dancing at the snund of a irumpet
na., ausltntatem reponit, jiiciinditatem exponit, har- fol. 35. 1. et fol. 154. 2 bonk. 9' De cervo egiio cane'
bariemque tarit deponere gtntes, mores institiiit, ira- , iirso idem compertum ; miisica afficiuntiir. ' MNiimen
cuniliam mitigat. "iCithara tristitiain jticiiiidat. inest nunieris. aascepe graves morbo? niodulatiim
timidos Kirures attenuat, criientam savitiam blande re- ; carmen abesit. Et desperatis conciliavit onem *' Lib
hcit.langnorem.&c wpet. Aretine. ^^Castilio 5. cap. 7. M.Brentibus moerorem adimani. tetantera'
ae aulic. Ill) 1. lol. 27. " Lib. de Natali. cap. ]2. | vero seipso reddam hilariorem, amantcm calidinrem,
«Uuod spiritiis qui in corde agilant Iremulem et sub- religiosum divine numine correptum, el ad Deos colen-
saltantemrecipiuntaerem in pectus, et inde excitantiir, dns paratiorem. 9«Natalis Comes .Mvth. lib. 4. cap.
a spirilu niui^culi moventnr,&c, ^^Arbores radicibus 12. ^6M|,. 5. de rep. Curat. iMusica furorem Saner
avulsae, &c. m ai Carew of Anthony, in descript. I viti. 97 Exilire e convivio. Cardan, subtil, lib. B.
Cornwall, saith of whales, tliat they will come and |
336 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2,
Dei, lib. 17. cap. 14. so much commends for it. Who hath not heard how David's
harmony drove away the evil spirits from king Saul, 1 Sam. xvi. and Elisha when he
was much troubled by importunate kings, called for a minstrel, "-'and when he played,
the hand of the Lord came upon him," 2 Kings iii. Censorinus de nataJi., cap. 12. re-
ports how Asclepiade.s the physician helped many frantic persons by this means., phre-
ncticnrum mrntrs mnrhn turhalas — Jason Pratensis, cap. d€ Mania, hath many examples,
how Clinias and Empedocles cured some desperately melancholy, and some mad by
this our music. Which because it hath such excellent virtues, belike ** Homer brings
in Phemins playing, and the Muses singing at the banquet of the gods. Aristotle,
Polit. L 8. c. 5, Plato 2,de Icgibus, highly approve it, and so do all politicians. The
Greeks, Romans, have graced music, and made it one of the liberal sciences,
though it be now become mercenary. All civil Commonwealths allow it : Cneiug
Manlius (as^^Livius relates) anno ab urb. cond. 507. brought first out of Asia to
Rome singing wenches, players, jesters, ami all kinds of music to their feasts.
Tour princes, emperors, and persons of any quality, maintain it in their courts ; no
mirth without music. Sir Thomas More, in liis absolute Utopian conmionwealth,
allows nuisic as an appendix to every meal, ami that throughout, to all sorts. Epic-
tetus calls mcnsam mntum prcesepe, a table without music a manger: for ^' the con-
cert of nuisicians at a bampiet is a carbuncle set in gold ; and as the signet of an
emerald well trinmied with gold, so is the melody of nmsic in a pleasant banquet.
Ecclus. xxxii. 5, (*». ""Louis the Eleventh, when he invited Edward the Fourth to
come to Paris, told him that as a principal part of his eiUcrtaimnent, he should hear
sweet voices of children, Ionic and Lydian tunes, exciuisile nmsic, he should have
a , and the cardinal of Bourbon to be his confessor, which he used as a most
plausible argument : as to a .sensual man indeed it is. ' Lucian in his book, df stilla-
tiflnr, is not ashamed to confess that he toi>k infmite delight in singing, dancing,
music, women's company, aiul such like pleasnres : "and if thon (saith he) didst
but hear them play and dance, I knon- thou wouldst be so well pleased with tlie
object, that thou wouldst dance for company thyself, without doubt thou wilt be
taken with it." So Scaliger ingenuously confesseth, e.irrcif. 274. ''* I am beyond all
measure affected with music, I do most willingly behold them dance, I am mightily
detained and allured with that grace and comeliness of fair women, I am well pleased
to be idle amongst them." And what young man is not ? As it is acceptable and
conducing to most, so especially to a melancholy man. Provided always, his disease
proceed not originallv from it, that he be not some light inamuratn, some idle phan-
tastic, who capers in conceit all the day long, and thinks of nothing else, but how
to make jigs, sonnets, madrigals, in commendation of his mistress. In such cases
music is most pernicious, as a spur to a free horse will make him run himself blind, or
break his wind; Incitamenturn enim amoris musica., for music enchants, as Mt-nander
holds, it will make such melancholy persons mad, arul the sound of those jigs and
hornpipes will not be removed out of the ears a week after. * Plato for this reason
forbids nmsic and wine to al' young men, because they are most part amorous, ne
ignis addalur igni., lest one fire increase another. Many men are melanclioly by
hearing music, but it is a p'easing melancholy that it causeth ; and therefore to such
as are discontent, in woe, fear, sorrow, or dejected, it is a most present remedy: it
expels cares, alters their grieved minds, and easeth in an instant. Otherwise, saith
■• Plutarch, Mnsica magis dementat quam vinum ; music makes some men mad as a
tiger; like Astolphos' horn in Ariosto ; or Mercury's golden wand in Hotner, that
made some wake, others sleep, it hath divers effects : and ' Theophrastus right well
prophesied, that diseases were either procured by music, or mitigated.
SuESECT. IV. — Mirth and merry company, fair objects, remedies.
Mirth and merry company may not be separated from music, both concerning
and necessarily required in this business. '^ Mirth," (saith ®Vives) " purgeth the
»< Iliad. I. «*Libro !). cap. 1. P!ialtria§. Sambii- i aspicio, pulrhrarum rceniiniirum vi-nuftate ilrlineor,
cistrasuiue ct ronvivalia luiloruin ohlectamr>iita addita , oliari inter has aolulun rurii pomutn. »3. De |p«il>ua.
• pulim ex Asia iiivexit in urbem. '"oComineus. l«8ymp<)(i. quest. 5. Musica multoti maeia ilrinrntat
" Uta iibenter el niasiia cum voliiptate spectare soleo. i ijnain vuiuin. > Anuiii morbi vi-l a inuairn mrniitur
Kl M-io le illecehrio hisrecaptuin in et inaiipcr tripiiiJia- vei inreruiilur. « Lib. J. de aniina Lctitia piirital
luruiii, baud diibid deniulcebere. ' In inijsicis supra Banguinem, valoludinem confe«rval, coluretn inducK
xuueui fidcm capiur et obleclor; clioreaa libeatissimi | durenteio, iiiiidum (ratum.
Mem 6 Subs. 4.] , Mind rectified by Mirth. 337
blood, confirms health, causeth a fresh, pleasing, and fine colour," ^ rorogues life,
whets the wit, makes the body young, lively and fit for any manner of employment.
The merrier the heart the longer the life ; " A merry heart is the life of the flesh,"
Prov. xiv. .30. " Gladness prolongs bis days," Ecclus. xxx. 22 ; and this is one of
the three Salernitaii doctors. Dr. Merryman, Dr. Diet, Dr. Quiet, 'which cure all
diseases Mens hilaris, requies, moderata dieta. ^ Gomesius, prafat. lib. 3. de sal.
g:n. is a great magnifier of honest mirth, by which (sailh he) "we cure many pas-
sions of the mind in ourselves, and in our friends ;" which ^ Galateus assigns for a
cause why we love merry conipanions : and well they deserve it, being that as
'"Magninus holds, a merry companion is better than any music, and as the sayino- is,
comes jucundus in via pro vehicu/o, as a waggon to him that is wearied on the way.
Jucunda confabidatio., sales, joci, pleasant discourse, jests, conceits, merry tales,
melliti verborum globuli, as Petronius, "Pliny, '^Spondanus, '^Ccelius, and many
good authors plead, are that sole Nepenthes of Homer, Helena's bowl, Venus's
girdle, so renowned of old '^ to expel grief and care, to cause mirth and gladness of
heart, if they be rightly understood, or seasonably applied. In a word,
Ji" Amor, voluptas, Venus, gaudiam, I "Gratification, pleasure, love, joy,
Jocus, luilus, sermn suavis, siiaviatio." | Mirth, sport, pleasant words and no alloy,"
are the true Nepenthes. For these causes our physicians generally prescribe this
as a principal engine to batter the walls of melancholy, a chief antidote, and a sufli-
cient cure of itself. " By all means (saith '** Mesue) procure mirth to these men in
such things as are heard, seen, tasted, or smelled, or any way perceived, and let them
have all enticements and fair promises, the sight of excellent beauties, attires, orna-
ments, delightsome passages to distract their minds from fear and sorrow, and such
things on which they are so fixed and intent. "Let them use hunting, sports, plays,
je:its, merry company," as Rhasis prescribes, "which will not let the mind be
molested, a cup of good drink now and then, hear music, and have such companions
with whom they are especially delighted; '* merry tales or toys, drinkiner, singing,
dancing, and whatsoever else may procure mirth : and by no means, saith Guianerius
sufl^er them to be alone. Benedictus Victorius Faventinus, in his empirics, accounts
it an especial remedy against melancholy, '^"to hear and see singing, dancing,
maskers, mummers, to converse with such merry fellows and fair maids. For the
beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance," Ecclus. xxxvi. 22. ^Beauty alone
■/s a sovereign remedy against fear, grief, and all melancholy fits ; a charm, as Peter
de la Seine and many other writers aflirm, a banquet itself; he gives instance in dis-
:*ontented Menelaus, that was so often freed by Helena's fair face : and ^' TuUy.
3 Tusc. cites Epicurus as a chief patron of this tenet. To expel grief, and procure
pleasure, sweet smells, good diet, touch, taste, embracing, singing, dancing, spor
plays, and above the rest, exquisite beauties, quibus oculi jucunde moventur et animiy
are most powerful means, obvia forma., to meet or see a fair maid pass by, or to be
in company with her. He found it by experience, and made good use of it in his
own person, if Plutarch belie him not; for he reckons up the names of some more
elegant pieces; ^"Leontia, Boedina, Hedieia, Nicedia, that were frequently seen in
Epicurus' garden, and very familiar in his house. Neither did he try it himself alone,
but if we may give credit to -^ Atheneus, he practised it upon others. For wlien a sad
and sick patient was brought unto him to be cured, "he laid him on a down bed,
crowned him with a garland of sweet-smelling flowers, in a fair perfumed closet
delicately set out, and after a portion or two of good drink, which he administered,
" Spiritus temperat, calorom excitat, naturalem virtu- et blandieiitihus Indis, et protnissis distrahantur, eorum
tern corrohorat, juvenile corpus diu servat. vitam pro- , aninii.de re aliqua quam tiuient et dolent. '' Utan-
ros;ai, ingeuium acuit et hominum negotii qujhuslibet tur ve nalionibus ludis, jocis. anoicoruin consortirs. qui
apiiorein reddit. Schola Salem. »Duni contumelia ( non sinunt aiiimum turbari, vino et cantu et loci niuta-
vacant et festiva letiifate mordent, mediocrns aniini , tione, et biberia, et i»audio, ex quibus pra;cipue delec-
egritudines sanari solent, &;c. » De tnor. fol. 57. tantur. ": Piso ex fabulis et ludis quasrenda delec-
Amamusideo eos qui sunt faceti etjucundi. lORegiiu. tatio. His versetur qui inaxime grati, sunt, cantus pt
sanit. part. '2. Nota quod amicus bonus et dilectus i chorea ad Iffititiam profunt. isprscipue valet ad
pocius, narrationibus suis jucundis superat ornnem expellendam melancholiam stare in cantibus, ludis, et
melodiam. " Lib. 21. cap. 27. ''^Comment, in ^ sonis et habitare cum familiaribus, et prKcipue cum
4 Odyss. 13 Lib. 26. c. 1.5. ■■' Homericum illud i puellis jucundis. 20 par. 5. de avocamentis lib. de
Vepenthes quod muirorem tollit, et cuthimiam, et hila- absolvendo luctu. ''Corporum compleiiis, cantug,
iitatem parit. i' Plant. Bacch. is De a^gritull. ludi, forms, &c. «Circa hortos Epiruri frequentea.
capitis. Omni modo generet l<etitiam in iis, de iis qua ^Dypnosoph. lib. 10. Coronavit florido serto irir«ndeii»
idiuntur et videntur, aut odorantur, aut gustantur, odores, in culcitra plumea collocavit dulciculam po-
»ut quocunque modo sentiri possunt, et aspectu forma- tionem propinans psaltriam adduxit, &c.
CM multi decoriset ornatus, etnegotiatione; jucunda, 1
43 2D
335 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 2.
he broug-ht in a beautiful youne "wench that could play upon a lute, sin^, and
dance," &c. Tullv, 3. Tnsc. scoffs at Epicurus, for iliis his profene physic (as well
he deserved), and' yet Phavorinus and Stobeus liighly approve of it; most of our
looser pliysicians in some cases, to such parties especially, allow of this ; and all of
them will' have a melancholy, sad, and discontented person, make frctpient use of
honest sports, companies, and recreations, et incitandos ad Vcnerrm, as ^'^ Kodcricus
a Fonseca will, asprclu et contaclu pulchcrrimarnm fcvminaruvu to be drawn to such
consorts, whether they will or no. Not to be an auditor oidy, or a spectator, but
sometimes an actor himself Didce est desiperc in loco, to j)hiy the lool now and
then is not amiss, there is a time for all things. Grave Socniles would be merry by
fits, sing, dance, and take his liquor too, or else Theoiloret belies him; so would old
Cato, '"' Tully by his own confession, and the rest. Xeruiphon, in his Si/mpos. brings
in Socrates as a principal actor, no man merrier tlum himself, an«l sometimes he would
^■'"ride a cockhorse with his chiUhen." equitarr in ar undine longd. (Though
Alcibiades scolled at him lor it) and well he might ; for now and then (.saith Plu-
tarch) the most virtuous, honest, and gravest men will use feasts, jests, and toys, as
we do sauce to our meats. So did Scipio and La?lius,
^•"Clrii ijlii se a vulgn et ccena in secreta rfinorant, " Valnroiis Scipio ami gt;iillf IjiIiiis,
Virtus Si'i|iiaila' et iiiilis oapientia XjirVx, Rt-mnveil Irmii Ilit; ncciic anil rmit i<o clainoroun.
Nugan cnni illo, et iliscincli ludere, duiiec Were Hunt to recnute (lieniNH|vi'8 (lit'ir robes laid by
DeciMiuerelur olus, goliti" \ Whilst supper by the cook was making ready."
Machiavel. in the eighth book of his Florentine history, gives this note of Cosmo de
Medici, the wisest and gravest man of his time in Italy, tliat he would ^'''now and
tben pluv llie most egn-giuus fool in his carriage, and was so much given to jesters,
players and childish sports, to make himself merry, that he that should but consider
his gravity on the one part, his folly and liglitness on the other, woulil surely .sty,
there were two distinct persons m him." Now methinks he did well in it, tliduyh
^'Salisburiensis be of opinion, that magistrates, senators, and grave men, should not
descend to lighter sports, ne respublica ludere tideatur: but as Themistocles, still
keep a stern aiul constaut carriage. I commend Cosmo de Medici and Castruccins
Castrucanus, than whom Italy never knew a worthier captaiti, another Alexander, if
•"Machiavel do not deceive us in his life: ^' when a friend of his reprehended him
('or dancing l)eside his dignity," (l>elike at some cushi<»n dance) he told him ajjain,
qui supit inttrdiu^ vix unquam noctn desipil^ he that is wise in the day may dole a
little in the night. Paulus Jovius relates as nmch of Pope Leo Deciinus, that he
was a grave, discreet, staid man, yet sometimes most free, and too open in his sports.
And 'tis not altogether '" unfit or misbesteming the gravity of such a man, if thai
iecorum of time, place, and such circumstances be observed. ^Wliscc stullitiam
coiisiliis hrevem; and as ** he said in an epigram to his wife, I would have every niai
say to himself, or to his friend,
" Mull, once in pleai^ant company by chance,
I wished that you forcumpMiiy vvuuld dance:
Which yon refus'd, and said, your years require.
Now, matron-like, both manners and attire.
Well, .M..II, if needs you will be niatrnnlike.
Then trust to ihis, 1 will thee matron like :
Vet so to -ou mv love niav never lessen.
Veil, if you will, your head, your »oiil reveal
To hiiii that only wounded soula can heal:
Be III my houxe as busy as a bee,
HavinB a slin:; for every one but me;
Buzzine in every comer, (.'ath'rme hoiii-y :
I^-t nothing Ma!,!*-, that coFts or ynldflh mon*y.
*A And when lh<iu seest my heart to mirth incline.
As you for church, liiiust?, bed, observe this lesfon : Thy tongue. »u. bl<MKl. wurin with good cheer and win*;:
Sit in the church as solfmn as a saint, I Then of sweet s|M)rts let no occasion scape.
No deed, word, thought, your due devotion taint: j But be as wanton, toying as an ape."
'^hose old ^Greeks had their Lubentiam Deam, goddess of pleasure, and the Lice-
da-monians, instructed from Lycurgus, did Deo Ri.mi sucrijicare, after their wars
especially, and in times of peace, which was used in Thes.saly, as it appears by that
of ^' Apuleius, who was made an instrument of their laughter himself: ^"Ik'cause
laughter and merriment was to season their labours and modesler life." ^^Risus enitn
stUt reclinata sua' iterin lectum puella,&.c. »Tnm. !*• Machiavel vita ejiit. Ab amico reprehenaui, quod
8. consult, t-5. " Kpisl. fam. lib. 7. ?J. epist. Ileri pneter dignitatem tripudiis opi-ram dnret, respondet,
demurn bene potiis, serrifpie reijierani. '^ Valer. tc. -•''('here is a time for all tin nga, to weep,
Ma.x. cap. I?, lib. H. lnlerpK>sita arundine cruribus sui<, laugh, mourn, dancr, K»-cles. ui. 4. » llor. »«8ir
ciim fiiiis ludens. ah Alribiadc risns est. '* Hor. Joliii Mnrringtoii. Kpiifr. .%. •* Lucrelia tnio tit
" Hoininibiis facetis, et India pueriiibiis ultra mo«luin licet usque die. Thaida nocte volo. *• l.il. Oiraldut
deditus adeo ut si cui in eo tani gravitateni. quain levi- hist, deor Syntag. I. >' Lib. '2. de aur. at * Eo
t^tem cnnsiderare lilH-ret. dua? persnnas distmctas in quo<l risus es»<l laborit el iuode»ti virtut coodimentuni.
eo esse iliceret. *> Ue nugis curial. lib. I. cap. 4. »Calcag. epig.
Magistratus el viri graves, a luUis leviuribut arceudi. j
Mem. 6. Subs. 4.]
Mind rectified hy Mirth.
339
dioum aique; hominum est cBterna voluptas. Princes use jesters, players, and have
ihose masters of revels in their courts. The Romans at every supper (for they had
no solemn dinner) used music, gladiators, jesters, &c. as *° Suetonius relates of Tibe-
rius, Dion of Commodus, and so did the Greeks. Besides music, in Xenophon's
Sympos. PkUippus ridcndl artifex, Philip, a jester, was brought to make sport.
Paulus Jovius, in the eleventh book of his history, hath a pretty digression of our
English customs, whi,cli howsoever some may misconstrue, I, for my part, will inter-
pret to the best. '""The whole nation beyond all other mortal men, is most given
to hanquetting and feasts; for they prolong them many hours together, with dainw
cheer, exquisite music, and facete jesters, and afterwards they fall a dancing ani\
courting their mistresses, till it be late in the night." Volateran gives the same tes-
timony of this island, commending our jovial manner of entertainment and good
mirth, and methinks he saith well, there is no harm in it ; long may they use it, and
all such modest sports. Ctesias reports of a Persian king, that had 150 maids
attending at his table, to play, sing, and dance by turns ; and ^^ Lil. Geraldus of an
Egyptian prmce, that kept nine virgins still to wait upon him, and those of most
excellent feature, and sweet voices, which afterwards gave occasion to the Greeks
of that fiction of the nine Muses. The king of ^Ethiopia in Africa, most of our
Asiatic princes have done so and do ; those Sophies, Mogors, Turks, &c. solace
themselves after supper amongst their queens and concubines, qu(B jucundioris oblec-
tainenti causa ('^ saith mine author) coram rege psallere et saltare consuevcrant,
taKmg great pleasure to see and hear them sing and dance. This and many such
means to exliilarate the heart of men, have been still practised in all ages, as knowing
there is no better thing to the preservation of man's life. What shall I say, then,
but to every melancholy man,
<"<•' Utere convivis, noii tristihus ulere amicis, I "Feast often, and use friends not still so sad,
Ciiios iiugie et risiis, et jocH salsa juvant." | Whose jests and merriments may make ihee glad."
Use h(>nest and chaste sports, scenical shows, plays, games ; '^'"Accedant juvenumque
Chori, rnislcRque jnicUce. And as Marsilius Ficinus concludes an epistle to Bernard
Canisianus, and some other of his friends, will I this tract to all good students,
^'''■'Live merrily, O my friends, free from cares, perplexity, anguish, grief of mind,
live mernly," Icetitia tcclum vos creavit: ''''"Again and again I request you to be
merry, if anything trouble your hearts, or vex your souls, neglect and contemn it,
^^let it pass. ''^And inis I enjoin you, not as a divine alone, but as a physician; for
without this mirth, wnich is the life and quintessence of physic, medicines, and
whatsoever is used ana applied to prolong the life of man, is dull, dead, and of no
force." Uuinfata siiiunt^ vivite Icbti (Seneca), I say be merry.
"'"Nee lusibus virentem
Viduemus hanc juveTitani."
It was Tircsias the prophet's council to ^' Menippus, that travelled all the world over,
even down to hell itselt xo seek content, and his last farewell to Menippus, to be
merry. *^" Contemn the world (saith he) and count that is in it vanity and toys;
this only covet all thy life {ong ; be not curious, or over solicitous in anything, but
with a well composed and contented estate ta enjoy thyself, and above all things to
be merry."
-3 " Si Niimerus nti censet sine amore jocisque.
Nil est jucnnduin, vivas in amore jocisque."
INothing better (to conclude with Solomon, Ecclus. iii. 22), "Than that a man
should rejoice in his afJairs." 'Tis the same advice which every physician in this
case rings to his patient, as Capivaccius to his, ^ " avoid overmjich study and per-
^°Ca[i. CI. In delicijs habuit scurras et adulatores.
"Univi'isa gens supra mortalcs caeteros conviviorum
studuisissima. Ea eniin per varias et exqiiisitas dapes,
iiiterpnsitis musicis et joeulatoribus, in niultas srepius
iiorjs extrahiint, ac snbinde pro<]uctis choreis et amori-
hus fflcniinarum indulgent, &c. •'-Syntag. de Musis.
•*3Atlieneus lib. 12 et 14. assiduis miilieriim vocibus,
cantuque syinphnnise Pnlatiuin Persarum regis totiiii
personabat. Jovius hist lib. 18. "Eobaniis
Hessiis. ^= Fracastorius. ^"Vivite ergo l:Eti,
O amici, prociil ab angustia, vivite la-ti. *' Iterum
precor et obtestor, vivite lEeti : illud quod cor urit, ne-
gliL'ite. ** Lsetus in priesens animus quod ultra
oderit curaie. Hot. He was botlv Sacerdos et iMedicus.
■19 Haec autem non tarn ut Sacerdos, amici, mando vobis,
quain ut niedicns; nam absque hac unatanqiiain medi-
cinarum vita, meriicinEe omnes ad vitam proilucendam
adh ^itcE inoriuntur: vivite la;ti. MLncheus Ana-
creon. =i Lucian. Necyomantia. Tom. 2. ^^om-
nia ninndana nugas sstima. Hoc solum tota vita per-
sequere, ut prsesentibus bene compositis, minime ciirio-
sus, aut ullain re solicitus.quam plurimum potes vitam
hilarem traducas. '3" If the world think that no-
thing can be happy without love and mirth, then live
in love and jollity." « Hildesheim spicel. 2. de
Mania, fol. 161. Studia literarum et animi perturba-
tiones fugial, et quantum potest jucunde vivat.
340 Cure of Melancholy. [Part 2. Sec 2.
turbations of the mind, and as much as in thee lies live at heart's-ease "* Procper
Calenus to that melancholy Cardinal Caesius, ^''" amidst thy serious studies and busi-
ness, use jests and conceits, plays and toys, and whatsoever else may re rente thy
mind." Nothing better than mirth and merry company in this malady. ^' • It begins
with sorrow (saith Montanus), it must be expelled with hilarity."
But see the mischief; many men, knowing that merry company is the cnly medi
cine against melancholy, will therefore neglect their business; and ii another
extreme, spend all their days among good fellows in a tavern or an ale-l ouse, and
know not otherwise how to bestow their time but in drinking; inalt-wo-uis, men-
fishes, or water-snakes, '"'^ Qui bibunf solum runarum mare, nihil comedenlcs, like so
many frogs in a puddle. 'Tis their sole exercise to eat, and drink; to &icriHce to
Volupia, Rumina, Ednlica, Potina, Mellona, is all their religion. They wisli for
Philoxenus' neck, Jupiter\s trinoctium, and that the sun would stand Ptill as in
Joshua's time, to satisfy their lust, that they might dies noctcsqne perfmcari et
hibere. Flourishing wits, and men of good parts, good fashion, and good worth,
basely prostitute themselves to ever}- rogue's company, to take tobacco and drink, to
roar and sing scurrilous songs in base places.
* " Invenies aliqiieiii cum pemiHsore jacenleiii,
feriiiiDluiii iiauti.i, uiit furibus, ant fujjilivist."
Which Thomas Erastus objects to Paracelsus, that he would be drinkirnf all day
long with carmen and tapsters in a brothel-house, is too frequent among us, with
men of better note : like Timocreon of Rhodes, mulla bibetis, et multa reruns, <^f.
They drown their wits, seethe their brains in ale, consume tiieir fortunes, lose their
time, weaken their temperatures, contract filthy diseases, rheums, dropsies, calen-
tures, tremor, get swoln jugulars, jjiuipled red faces, sore eyes, Stc. ; heal their liver.«,
alter tlieir complexions, spoil their stomachs, overthrow their bodies; for drink
drowns more than the sea and all the rivers that fall into it (mere funges and casksj,
confoumi their souls, suppress reason, go from ScyHa to Charybdis, and use that
which is a help to their undoing. "Qmjc/ refert rnorbo an ferro percamve ruina?-
**' When the Black Prince went to set the exiled king of Castile into his kingdom,
there was a terrible battle fought between the English and the Spanish : at last tlie
Sj)anisli fled, the English followed them to the river side, wliere some drowned them-
selves to avoid their enemies, the rest were killed. Now tell me what diflerence is
between drowning and killing ? As good be melancholy still, as drunken beasts and
beggars. Company a sole comfort, and an only remedy to all kind of discontent, is
their sole misery and cause of perdition. As llermione lamented in Euripides, m«/t«
tnulieres me fecerunt malam. Evil company marred her, may they justly complain,
bad companions have been their bane. For, *' malus malum vult ut sit sui similis;
one drunkard in a com[)any, one thief, one whoremasler, will by U'n goodwill make
all the rest as bad as hiuiself.
El n
Nocturniifl juren te rormidare v>pore«,"
be of what complexion you will, inclination, love or hale, be it good or bad, if you
come amongst them, you must do as they do ; yea, " lh(»ugli it be to the prejudice
of your health, you must drink venerium pro vino. And so like grasshoppers, wliilst
they sing over their cups all summer, they starve in winter ; and for a little vain
merriment shall find a sorrowful reckoning in the end.
*iLib. deatra bile. Qravioribus curi» udua et face- ; "What doe* it signify whether I pTinh by dn^aw m
tias aliquaiido iiilerpone. jocos. el qus soli it aiiiinum by the gword !" «>Fr.»ssard. hut. lib. 1. Hikpani
relaxare. ^Cnusil. 3a mala valetudo hucta et con- cum Anglorum vires ferre non po»»eiil. in fufiaiii «•
tracta est tristitia, ac proplera eiliilarau.;ue aiiiiin dederunt, ^c. PrifCppiteB in fluvium »«• dederunl. lie jo
removenda. '' Athen. dypm.soph. lib. I. »*Juv.-n. nostium nianus veiiireiit. "Ter. " Hii
feat. 8. " Vou will find him besiue some cut-throat, ■ Allhoiuh you swear that you dread the niglil air.
lions with sailors, or thieves, or ruLawava. •• Hor. 1 •» "H iriit h art^i. ■■ Either drink or depart."
Mem. 1. £ubs. 1.] Remedies against Discontents. 341
SECT. III. MEMB. I.
Sub SECT. I. — A Consolatory Digression., containing the Remedies of all manner
of Discontents.
Because in the preceding section 1 hav made mention of good counsel, comfort-
ftble speeches, persuasion, how necessarily tncy are required to the cure of a discon-
tented or troubled mind, how present a remedy they yield, and many times a sole
Bufiicient cure of themselves ; I have thought fit in this following section, a little to
digress (if at least it be to digress in this subject), to collect and glean a few reme-
dies, and comfortable speeches out of our best orators, philosophers, divines, and
fathers of the church, tending to this purpose. I confess, many have copiously
written of this subject, Plato, Seneca, Plutarch, Xenophon, Epictetus, Theophrastus,
Xenocrates, Grantor, Lucian, Boetliius : and some of late, Sadoletus, Cardan, Bu-
daeus, Stella, Petrarch, Erasmus, besides Austin, Cyprian, Bernard, 8tc. And they
so well, that as Hierome in like case said, si nostrum arcret ingenium^ dc illorum
posset fontibus irrigari, if our barren wits were dried up, they might be copiously
irrigated from those well-springs: and I shall but actum agere; yet b^ause these
tracts are not so obvious and common, I will epitomise, and briefly insert some of
their divine precepts, reducing their voluminous and vast treatises to my small scale;
for it were otherwise hnpossible to bring so great vessels into so little a creek. And
although (as Cardan said of his book de consol.) ^■*<-<-l know beforehand, this tract
of mine many will contemn and reject; they that are fortunate, happy, and in flour-
ishing estate, have no need of such consolatory speeches ; they that are miserable
and unhappy, think them insufficient to ease their grieved minds, and comfort their
misery :" yet 1 will go on ; for this must needs do some good to such as are happy,
to bring them to a moderation, and make them reiiect and know themselves, by
seeing the inconstancy of human felicity, others' misery ; and to such as are dis-
tressed, if they will but attend and consider of this, it cannot choose but give some
content and comfort. ^^'''Tis true, no medicine can cure all diseases, some affec-
tions of the mind are altogether incurable ; yet these helps of art, physic, anil
philosophy must not be contemned." Arrianus and Plotinus are stifi'in the contrary
opinion, that such precepts can do little good. Boethius himself cannot comfort in
some cases, they will reject such speeches like bread of stones, Lisana stullce mentis
hcEc solatia.^
Words add no courage, which ^' Catiline once said to his soldiers, " a captain's
oration doth not make a cowaid a valiant man :" and as Job ^^ feelingly said to his
friends, "you are but miserable comforters all." 'Tis to no purpose in that vulgar
phrase to use a company of obsolete sentences, and familiar sayings : as ^^ Plinius
Secundus, being now sorrowful and heavy for the departure of his dear friend Cor-
nelius Rufus, a Roman senator, wrote to his fellow Tiro in like case, adhibe solatia.,
sed nova aliqua, sed fortia, quce audltrun nunquam., legerim nunquam: nam quce
atidivi., qucB legi omnia, tanto dolore supcrantur, either say something that 1 never
"ead nor beard of before, or else hold thy peace. Most men will here except trivial
consolations, ordinary speeches, and known persuasions in this behalf will be of
small force; what can any man say that hath not been said ? To what end are such
parajiictiral discourses .'' you may as soon remove Mount Caucasus, as alter some
men's affections. Yet sure I think they cannot choose but do some good, and com-
fort and ease a little, though it be the same again, I will say it, and upon that hope
I will adventure. '^jYon mcus hie ser?no, 'tis not my speech this, but of Seneca,
Plutarch, Epictetus, Austin, Bernard, Christ and his Apostles. If I make nothing,
as '' Montaigne said in like case, I will mar nothing ; 'lis not my doctrine but my
study, I hope I shall do nobody wrong to speak what I think, and deserve not blame
^Lili. (Ifi lih. propriis. Hos lihros scio inullos i animi qui prorsiis sunt insanabiles? noti lamen artis
pperntre, iiuin f.,lices his se lion indieere pulant, infe- ripus speriii debcl, aiit iiiediciiiae, aiit philosophic.
JicL'S ail sulatiiiiuin miscria" iioii siiiriccre. El laiiieii ''<'•■ Tue insane coiisolalions of a foolish mind."
f'elicilius iiioiU'ratioiiein, laiiii iiicoiislaiiliain huiiian;t> | <" Salust. Verba virtoteiii iion adilunt, ncc luiperaloris
fflicitalis docfiiil, pra'staiit, inflict'S si omnia ncle oratio facile tiiiiido forlem. ee Job, cap. JO. ^-i Epist.
Estiiiiarp veliiil, fiUices rtddere po.«suiit. " Xiilliim 13. lib. 1. '"Hor. '^ Lib. 2. Essays, cap. 6.
tnedicanieiituin uiiines saiiare potest; sunt aif^ctus '
2d 2
312 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. ?•. Sec. 3.
in imparting my mind. If it be not for thy ease, ii may for mine own ; so TuUy,
Cardan, and Boethius wrote de consol. as well to help tliemselves as others ; be it as
it niav I will essay.
Discontents and grievances are either general or pariicnlar; general are wars^
plagues, dearths, famine, fires, inundations, unseasonable weather, epidemical diseases
whicli afflict whole kingdoms, territories, cities; or peculiar to private men, "^ as
cares, crosses, losses, death of friends, poverty, want, sickness, orbities, injuries,
abuses, &c. Generally all discontent, '^homines quatimur fori una. sale. No condi-
tion free, cjuisque suos patimur nuuvs. Even in the midst of our mirth ami jollity,
there is some grudging, some complaint; as 'Mie saitli, our wliole life '•< a glucuj)ri-
con, a bitter sweet passion, honey and gall nuxed together, we are all miserable and
discontent, who can deny it.' If all, and that it be a common calamity, an mevitable
necessity, all distressed, then as Cardan infei-s, ''"'■• who art tliou that liopest to go
free } Why dost thou not grieve thou art a mortal man, and not governor of the
world r" Fcrre quam sorlem pattuntur oniiies^ JVemo recusct, "■'' If it be common to
all, why should one man be more disquieted than another ?" If thou alone wert
distressed, it were indeed more irksome, and less to be endured ; but when the
calamity is fommon, comfort thyself with this, thou hast more fellows, Solamen
misrris socios habuisse doloris; 'tis not thy sole case, and why shouldst tliou be so
iiii))atient r '' '^ I, but alas we are more miserable than others, what sliall we do?
iiesides private miseries, we live in perpetual fear and danger of common enemies :
we have rjellona's whips, and pitiful outcries, fur epillialamiums -^ for pleasant music,
tliat learful noise of ordnance, drums, and warlike trumpets still sounding in our
ears ; instead of nuptial torches, we have firing of towns and cities ; for triunij)hs,
Limentalions ; for joy, tears. "''So it is, and so it was, and so it ever will be. He
that refusetli to see and hear, to sutler this, is not fit to live in this world, and knows
not the common condition of all men, to wboin so long as they live, with a recipro-
ral course, joys and sorrows are amie.ved, ami succeed one another." It is inevita-
ble, it may not be avoided, and why llien slu)uidst ihou be so much troubled ? Grave
nihil est homini quodfcrt ntcessilas^as ™ TuUy deems out of an old poet, " that which
is necessary cannot be grievous." If it be so, then comfoit tliyself in this, '^'^ ilia
whetlier thou wilt or no, it must be endured :" make a virtue of necessity, and con
form thyself to undergo it. "'Si longa est^ Itvis est; si gravis est, brevis est. If it
I e long, "'tis light; if grievous, it cannot last. It will away, dies dolorem minuit^
and if nought else, time will wear it out; custom will ease it; "oblivion is a com-
Uion medicine for all losses, injuries, griefs, and detrijnenls whatsoever, "''and when
they are once past, this commodity comes of infL-licity, it makes the rest of our life
sweeter unto us:" "^Atqut luee olim meminisse Juvubily '• recollection of the past is
pleasant:" "the privation and want of a thing many times makes it more pleasant
and delightsome than before it was." We must not think the happiest of us all to
escape iiere without some misfortunes,
"» ■' Usque adeo nulla enl niiicera volupta:),
Soliciliiiuque aliquid Irtlis iiiterveiiil."
Heaven and earth are much unlike: ** "Those heavenly bodies indeed are freely
carried in their orbs without any impediment or interruption, to continue their course
for innumerable ages, and make their conversions : but men are urged with many
difficulties, and have diverse hindrances, oppositions still crossing, interrupting their
''^ Alium paupf-rt.-i!>. aliiim nrhitas, hunc niorbi, ilium ' ea, aut potius noytrnnim omnium conditiuncm i^'iinra*.
liiiior. aliuiii injuria, huiic iiisidi.-e, illiim uxnr, tilii dii«- ' quibui reripri«<i quiHlam iiexu lu-ta inxlibiiit, IriMlia
traliuiil, Carilaii. '■' Boi-ihiiis I. 1. nitt. 5. "' A|>ij- ' la-ti« iiivicciii suco iluiil. '» In Tiisr 6 v. lrr>- |mi. r;i.
leius i. tlorid. Nihil homini lam prospr-r^ datum divi- i^Cardan lib. I. de cuiiiiol. E^st coiiitolationis genu'* iioa
niliis, quill oi adiiii.xtuiii i-it aliquid ilillicullatis. in leve, qufxl a neceti«ilale til ; give ferad, liivc imhi It-ra',
ainpli$:siiiia quaque la'tilia siibest <|uxdaiii queriiuonia, ferciiduiii i-si laiiK.-ii. '■ S<;neca. "Oiiiiii dMlmi
rniijufiaiione quailain iiifllis et iVllis. '"Si nmiies . tempui e^t mt-dirina ; ipHiim luclum ezlinj;iiil. injiiri.m
[ireuiaiitur, qun lu •■« qui solus evadere cupi« ali ea leee ! d<-lel, oiiiiiiii iiiali obiiviiniem ailfrrt. '> llutM I lio«
qua: iieiiiiiiein prxtcrit ? cur t<: lion iiiorlak'iii factum quoqutt coiiniioalum oiiiiiis iiireliciluii, Buaviorf m vitam
et uaiversi orbis reseiii fii'ri iioii doles ? "«Pu!eaiius cum abii-ril rrliiiqiiit. "^Virg. f*Ovid. •'For
ep 7j. Niqiie cuiquaiii pr<Fclpue dolfiiduiii eo (jiiod there is no pi-axurH \fr{tct, futuv anxiety iilMaya in-
arcidit uiiiVHrsis. "Lorchaii. Callobelvicus lib. I ttTvcnes." '^Lorcban. t?uiit iiainqiie iiir>'ra >upi-ria,
'3 Anno li'.'i^. de Bflgis. Sed eheu inquis euei.- quid { Uumana terrenis longe di.'ipana. Eteniiii U-ala- mciile*
azeiiiiis ? uhi pro Epitlialaiiiio Bellona^ tlacelluiu, pro fiTuntur lihrre. et »iiie ulln iiiipedim>-nto. sli ilo-, iiIk:
uiu:«ica liarni'>nia tprrihiluiii lituoriiin et lubaruni an- reique orb«« cursus el roiivi-r»ioiit'«sua» jam «-•< ulis m-
iliHt rla'>£<'rriii. pro txdis nuptialibus. villaruiii. pa:.'o imuicrabilibii!* cniislaiili^«iiiic (onficiuiit ; vi-runi homi>
r nil. iirriiiiin vii!> as iiiceinlia ; ubi pro juliilo Iuiik'iiO. iits iiiagnM anKU^liiK. Neque hac naturs lege eat quu>
■jru risii ileliis aerem ruinpb-iil. '' Ita est pruOito, quam murtalium solutu*.
St quiiquis bxc vidcre abuuis, buic mcuIi parum apiuj 1
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.]
Remedies against Discontents.
343
endeavours and desires, and no mortal man is free from this law of nature.'" We
must not therefore hope to have all things answer our own expectation, to hare a
continuance of good success and fortunes, Fortuna nunquam pcrprtud est. bona. And
as Minutius Felix, the Roman consul, told that insulting Coriolanus, drunk with his
good fortunes, look not for that success thou hast hitherto had ; '*''" It never yet hap-
pened to any man since the beginning of the world, nor ever will, to have all things
according to his desire, or to whom fortune was never opposite and adverse." Even
so it fell out to him as he foretold. And so to others, even to that happiness of
Augustus ; though he were Jupiter's almoner, Pluto's treasurer, Neptune's admiral,
it could not secure him. Such was Alcibiades's fortune, Narsetes, that great Gon-
salvus, and most famous men's, that as ^^Jovius concludes, "• it is almost fatal to
great princes, through their own default or otherwise circumvented with envy and
malice, to lose their honours, and die contumeliously." 'Tis so, still hath been, and
ever will be, JVihil est ah omni parte heatum,
"There's no perfection is so absolute.
That some impurity dolli not pollute."
Whatsoever is under the moon is subject to corruption, alteration ; and so long a«
thou livest upon earth look not for other. ^^ " Thou shalt not here find peaceable
and cheerful days^ quiet times, but rather clouds, storms, calumnies, such is our
fate." And as those errant planets in their distinct orbs have their several motions,
sometimes direct, stationary, retrograde, in apogee, perigee, oriental, occidental, com-
bust, feral, free, and as our astrologers will, have their fortitudes and debilities, by
reason of those good and bad irradiations, conferred to each other's site in the hea-
vens, in their terms, houses, case, detriments, &.c. So we rise and fall in this world,
ebb and How, in and out, reared and dejected, lead a troublesome life, subject to
many accidents and casualties of fortunes, variety of passions, infirmities as well
from ourselves as others.
Yea, but thou thinkest thou art more miserable than the rest, other men are happy
but in respect of thee, their miseries are but flea-bitings to thine, thou alone art un-
happy, none so bad as thyself »''e* if, as Socrates said, ^°'' All men in the world
should come and bring their grievantsss together, of body, mind, fortune, sores, ulcers,
madness, epilepsies, agues, and all those common calamities of beggary, want, servi-
tude, imprisonment, and lay them on a heap to he equally divided, wouldst tliou
sliare alike, and take thy portion .•" or be as thou art "i Without question thou wouldst
be as thou art. If some Jupiter should say, to give us all content,
1'" Jam faciam quod vultis; eris tu, qui modo miles,
Mercator; tu consultus modo, rusticus; hinc vos,
Vos hinc mutatis discedite partibus ; eia
Quid slatis? nolint."
' A'^ell lie'f so then : you master soldier
Shall be a merchant; you sir lawyer
A country pentleiiien ; go you to this,
That side you ; why stand ye ? It's well as 'tis.'
®^" Every man knows his own, but not others' defects and miseries; and 'tis the
nature of all men still to reflect upon themselves, their own misfortunes," not to
examine or consider other men's, not to compare themselves with others : To re-
count their miseries, but not their good gifts, fortunes, benefits, which they have, cv
ruminate on their adversity, but not once to think on their prosperity, not what they
have, but what they want : to look still on them that go before, but not on those
infinite numbers that come after. ^^" Whereas many a man would think himself in
heaven, a pretty prince, if he had but the least part of that fortune which thou so
much repinest at, abhorrest and accountest a most vile and wretched estate." How
many thousands want that which thou hast .'' how many myriads of poor slaves,
captives, of such as work day and night in coal-pits, tin-mines, with sore toil to
maintain a poor living, of such as labour in body and mind, live in extreme anguish,
and pain, all which thou art free from .' O fortunatos nimium bona si sua norm':
Thou art most happy if thou couldst be content, and acknowledge thy happiness ;
^ Dionysius Halicar. lib. 8. non eniip unquam contigit,
nee post homines natos inveniec quenquam, cui omnia
e.v aiiimi Sf ntentia successerint, ita ut nulla in re lor-
tuna sit ei adversata. t" Vit. Gonsalvi lib. ult. ut
ducibus fatale sit clarissimis a culpa sua, secus circum-
vi'iiiri cum malilia et iuvidia, imminutaque dicnitate
pir rontumeliam mori. w jn terris pnrum illnm
B^tiierem non invenies, et ventos serenos; nimbos po-
tmi, procellas, calumnias. Lips. cent. misc. ep. 8.
5" Si omnes homines sua mala suasque curas in uniMi
cueruilum cont'errent, squis divisuri portiouibns, &c.
91 Ilor. ser. lib. 1. 9-Q.uod unusquisque propria mala
liovit. aliorum nescial, in causa « st, ul sc iiiier alios
miserum putet. Cardan, lib 3 de ciuisol. Plutarch
de consol. ad .ApoUonium. "aQuani uiullos putas
(|ui se coelo proximos putarent, totidem reirulos, si <1e
fortuna; tuae reliqulis pars iis uiin'ma conlingat. Boelb.
de consol. lib. -2. pros. 4.
344 Cure of Melancholy. [Fart. 2. Sec. 3.
**Rem carendo, non fruendo cognoscimusy when thou shall hereafter come to want
that which thou now loathest, abhorrest, and art weary of, and tired with, when 'tis
past thou wih say thou wert most happy : and after a little miss, wisli with all thine
heart thou hadst the same content again, mightst lead but such a life, a world for
sucli a life : the remembrance of it is pleasant. Be silent then, ^'rest satislied, <Zf s/ne,
intuensque in aliorum inforlunia solare vientem^ comfort thysell" with oilier men's
misfortunes, and as the moliliwarp in iEsop told the fox, complaining for want of a
tail, and the rest of his companions, tacete, quando me occults captum videtis, you
comi)lain of toys, but I am blind, be quiet. I say to thee be thou satisfied. It is
^ recorded of the hares, that with a general consent they went to drown themselves,
out of a feeling of their misery; but when they saw a company of frogs more fear-
ful than they were, they began to take courage, and comfort again. Compare thine
estate with others. Similes aliorum respice casus, jnitiusistn frrcs. Be content and
rest satisfied, for thou art well in respect to others : be thankful for that thou hast,
that God hath done for thee, he hath not made thee a monster, a beast, a base crea-
ture, as he might, but a man, a Christian, such a man ; consider aright of it, thou art
full well as thou art. ^' Quicqitid vult habere nemo poles! ^ no man can have what he
will, Illud potest nolle quod non habet^ he may choose whether he will desire that
which he hath not. Thy lot is fallen, make "the best of it. *"." If we should all
sleep at all times, (as Endymion is said to have done) who then were happier than
his fellow ?■" Our life is but short, a very dream, and while we look about '■" immor-
ialitas adest^ eternity is at hand: """Our life is a pilgrimage on earth, which wise
men pass with great alacrity." If thou be in woe, sorrow, want, distress, in pain,
or sickness, think of that of our apostle, " God chastiseth them whom he lovelh :
they that sow in tears, shall reap in joy," Psal. cx.wi. 6. " As the furnace proveth
the potter's vessel, so doth temptation try men's thoughts," Eccl. x.w. 5, 'tis for ' thy
good, Periisses nisi periisses: hadst thou not been so visited, thou hadst been
utterly undone: "as gold in the fire," so men are tried in adversity. Tribulalio
ditut : and which Camerarius hath well shadowed in an emblem of a thresher and
corn.
" Si tritura absil paleis sunt abtlita ^rana, I " A« Ilireghing ge|iaratc8 rrniii ^Iraw thi; corn,
N'iRi crux iiiundaiiis srparat a palei8 :" • j By crunMrs fruiu the wurlU'it chall' are nu born."
Tis the very same which * Chrysostom comments, horn. 2. in 3 Mat. '' Corn is not
separated but by threshing, nor men from worldly impediments but by tribulation."
'Tis that which * Cyprian ingeminates, Ser. 4. de immort. 'Tis that which * Ilierom,
which all the fathers inculcate, •• so we are catechised for eternity." 'Tis that which
the proverb insinuates. ^Vncumentum documentum; 'tis that which all the world
rings in our ears. Deus unicum habct jilium sine peccato, nullum sine Jlagello: God,
sailh 'Austin, hath one son without sin, none without correction. ''* An expert sea-
man is tried in a tempest, a ruiuier in a race, a captain in a battle, a valiant man in
adversity, a Christian in tentaiion and misery." Basil, hom. 8. We are sent as so
many soldiers into this world, to sfive with it, the flesh, the devil; our life is a
warfare, and who knows it not? Won est ad astra mollis e terrisvia: *•• and there-
fore peradventure this world here is made troublesome unto us," that, as Gregory
notes, '' we .should not be delighted by the way, and forget whither we are going."
^" Ite nunc forteis, ubi celsa niagni
Ducit exempli via, cur inertis
Terga nudalU ? superata tellus
Sidera dunat."
Go on then merrily to heaven. If the way be troublesome, and you in misery, in
many grievances : on the other side you have many pleasant sports, objects, sweet
smells, delightsome tastes, music, meats, herbs, flowers, &c. to recreate your senses.
M-Yiiii know the VHlue of a tliinj fmni wantins pelliiin corri;eiitis. « .\d h*reililati-m ipternain »ie
more than iVi^ii pnjoyiiig it." «>HesM«|. Csio quod erudmiur. 'C'onfesf. li. • .Naiicltrimi l<-ni|M-8t.-u,
)'!< : quod sunt alii, sine qiicinlibet es-^e ; Quod non e>>, '. athletain dladiuni, duceiii pugna, niiiL'naiiiiiiuui culanii-
iiiili:^; quud poles esse, velis. "s^sopifab. ^^ S«- { las, Chridlianuni vero tentatio pr.iliut ct eiaininat.
ni'ca. *Si dorniirent senipi.-r oniiie!<, nullus alio j i Sen. Here. fur. -The way from lln- i-Hrlli tii Ihe ^tar»
fielicior essft. Card. »•< Seneca de ira. '«> Plato, iii not so downy." * Ide<i Dfiis asp. rum f>-i it iii-r, ne
Axiocho. .^n isnorns vilam hanc pere^rinationcm, I duin delectanlur in via, obliviscanlur eomui qua? »uiit
tLC. qunni sapientes cum iiaudio percurrunt. ■ Sic I in palria. ' B<n-llMUi' I. 5. imt. ult. "Uo now,
expedit; meilicus non ilat quod patieiis vult. Kd quixl I brave fellowp. whither the lolly path of a great vxain-
ipse bonuiii scit. • Prumenium non egreditiir nisi ' pie leads. Why do you (tupidly e«|>oii^ yu"i back* *
trUiiratum. &c 'Nun est pceiia dnainantis sed fla- [ The earth briiiga the itari to «ub'«:ctioii."
rvlem. 2.] Remedies against Discontents. 345
Or put case thou art now forsaken of the world, dejected, contemned, yet comfort
thyself, as it was said to Agar in the wilderness, '" " God sees thee, he takes notice
of t?iee :" there is a God above that can vindicate thy cause, that can relieve thee.
And surely "Seneca thinks he takes delight in seeing thee. "The gods are well
pleased when they see great men contending with adversity," as we are to see men
fight, or a man with a beast. But these are toys in respect, '^ " Behold," sailh he.
"■ a spectacle worthy of God ; a good man contented with his estate." A tyrant is
the best sacrifice to Jupiter, as the ancients held, and his best object " a contented
mind." For thy part then rest satisfied, " cast all thy care on him, thy burthen on
him, " rely on him, trust on him, and he shall nourish thee, care for thee, give thet'
thine heart's desire ;" say with David, " God is our hope and strength, in troubles
ready to be found," Psal. xlvi. 1. "for they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount
Zion, which cannot be removed," Psal. cxxiv. 1. 2. "as the mountains are abott
Jerusalem, so is the Lord about his people, from henceforth and for ever."
MEMB. IL
Deformity of body, sickness, baseness of birth, peculiar discontents.
Particular discontents and grievances, are either of body, mind, or fortune,
which as they wound the soul of man, produce this melancholy, and many great
inconveniences, by that antidote of good counsel and persuasion may be eased or
expelled. Deformities and imperfections of our bodies, as lameness, ci'ookedness,
deafness, blindness, be they innate or accidental, torture many men : yet this may
comfort them, that those imperfections of the body do not a whit blemish tlie soul,
or hinder the operations of it, but rather help and much increase it. Thou art lame
of body, deformed to the eye, yet this hinders not but that thou mayest be a good,
a wise, upright, honest man. '^"Seldom," saith Plutarch, "honesty and beauty
dwell together," and oftentimes under a thread-bare coat lies an excellent under-
standing, scppe sub attritd latitat sapientia veste. '^ Cornelius Mussus, that famous
preacher in Italy, when he came first into the pulpit in Venice, was so much con-
temned by reason of his outside, a little lean, poor, dejected person, ''^ they were all
ready to leave the church ; but when they lieard his voice they did admire him, and
happy was that senator could enjoy his company, or invite him first to his house.
A silly fellow to look to, may have more wit, learning, honesty, than he that struts
it out Jlmpullis jactans, Sfc. grandia gradiens, and is admired in the .world's opi-
nion : Vilis scepe cadus nobile nectar hahet, the best wine comes out of an old vessel.
How many deformed princes, kings, emperors, could I reckon up, philosophers,
orators ? Hannibal had but one eye, Appius Claudius, Timoleon, blind, Muleasse,
king of Tunis, John, king of Bohemia, and Tiresias the prophet. ''"The night hath
his pleasure ;" and for the loss of that one sense such men are commonly recom-
pensed in the rest ; they have excellent memories, other good parts, music, and many
recreations ; much happiness, great wisdom, as Tully well discourseth in his '^ Tus-
culan questions : Homer was blind, yet who (saith he) made more accurate, lively,
or better descriptions, with both his (Syes} Demociitus was blind, yet as Laertius
writes of him, he saW more than all Greece besides, as '° Plato concludes. Turn sane
mentis oculus acute incipit cernerc, quum priminn corporis oculus deftorescit^ when our
bodily eyes are at worst, generally the eyes of our soul see best. Some philosophers
and divines have evirated themselves, and put out their eyes voluntarily, the belter
to contemplate. Angelus Politianus had a tetter in his nose continually running,
fulsome in company, yet no man so eloquent and pleasing in his works. A^sop was
crooked, Socrates purblind, long-legged, liairy ; Democritus withered, Seneca lean and
harsh, ugly to behold, yet show me so many flourishing wits, such divine spirits :
">Boi'th. prn. ult. Manet spectator cunctnriim ciesupor
priBscius ileus, Imiiis proeinia, malissupplieia ilisppiisans.
11 Lib. (!e provid. voluptatein capiiiiit dii srqiianilo mas-
nns viros (Milluctantes cum calarnitate vident. '^ Ecce
spectaculuiii Deo di^num. Virfortis mala fortnna com-
l)i-situ3. " 1 Pel. V. 7. Psal. Iv. 22. » Raro sub ] sapiens et beatus, ic. w In Couvivio lib. 2o
44
eodem lare honestas et forma habitant. i^ Josepli'.js
Mussus vita ejus. ic Hnmuncio brevis, macileiitus.
umbra hominis, &c. Ad stupureui ejus eruiiitiouoin et
eluquentiam admirati sunt. '' Nos habet siiaa
voluptates. i*Lib. 5. ad finera. cecus potest esse
346 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3.
Horace a little blear-eyed contemptible fellow, yet who so sententious and wise ?
Marciliiis Picinus, Faber Stapulensis, a couple of dwarfs, ^Melancthon a short hard-
favoured man, parvus erat, sed 7nag7ius erat, &)C., yet of incomparable parts all three.
^' Ignatius Loyola the founder of the Jesuits, by reason of a hurt he received in his
leg, at the siege of Pampeluna, the chief town of Navarre in Spain, unfit for wars
and less serviceable at court, upon that accident betook himself to his beads, and by
those means got more honour than ever he should have done with the use of his
limbs, and properness of person: " Vuhius non pcnctrat animum, a wonnd hurts not
the soul. Galba the emperor was cr-ook-backed, Epictetus lame : that gr-eat Alexan-
der a little man of stature, ^Augustus Cicsar of the same pitch : Agesilaus desplcahill
forma ; Boccharis a most deformed prince as ever Egypt had, yet as '^Diodorus Siculus
records of him, in wisdonr and knowledge far beyond Iris predecessors. Ji. Dom. 13t)6.
" Uladeslaus Cubitalis that pigmy king of Poland reigned and fought more victorious
battles than any of his long-shanked predecessors. JYullam virtus respuit sfaturam,
virtue refuseth iro stature, and comnronly your great vast bodies, and fine features,
are sollisli, dull, and leaden spirits. What's in them .•' '''Quid nisi pondus iners sto-
lidieque ferocia rnemtis, What in Osus and Ephialtes (Neptune's sons in Homer),
nine acres lont{ .'
'Oui lit iiiuj.'iiug Orion,
diiii peili-s inccdit, iiiwlii per maxima N'erei
Sl.'i^'iia, viiiiii liiiiieiid liuiutTo supcreniiiiel undas.'
' l.ilce tall Orinn stalking o'er the flciiul :
When with his brawny hreasl lii- cms the waves,
His lihuulder scarce the lopiiiost IhIIdw laves."
What in INIaximinus, Ajax, Caligula, and the rest of those great Zauzunrmitts, or
gigantical Anakims, heavy, vast, barbarous lubbers .'
*>" si iiif iiibra tibi daiit graiidia Parcae,
Mentis eges 1"
Tlieir body, saitlr ^Lemiiius, "is a burden to tliem, and their spirits not so lively,
lor they so erect and merry:" JVon est in mngno corpore mica satis : a little diamond
is more worth than a rocky mountain : which made Alexander Aphrodiseus posi-
tively conclude, "The lesser, the * wiser, because the soul was more contracted in
such a body." Let Bodine in his 5. c. method, hist, plead the rest ; the lesser they
are. as in Asia, Greece, they have generally the finest wits. And for bodily stature
which some so much admire, and goodly presence, 'tis true, to say the best of them,
great men are proper, and tall, I grairt, caput inter nubila candunt,, (hidw their
heads in the clouds); but belli pusilli, little men are pretty: " .SV</ si bellus homo
est Colta, pusillus homo est.'''' Sickness, diseases, trouble many, but without a cause;
'^ It may be 'tis for the good of their souls :" Parsfatifuit, the flesh rebels against the
spirit; that which hurts the one, must needs help the other. Sickness is tlic mother
of modesty, putteth us in mind of our mortality; and when we are in the full career
of worldly pomp and jollity, she pullelh us by the ear, aird maketh us know our-
selves. ^- Pliny calls it, the sum of philosophy, " If we could but perform that in
our health, which we promise in our sickness." Quum infrmi sumus, oplimi sumus ;'^'
for what sick man (as **Secuiulus expostulates with Hufiis) was ever '^lascivious,
covetous, or ambitious.' he envies no man, admires no uran, fiatters no man, despiseth
no man, listens not after lies and tales, itc." And were it not for such gentle remem-
brances, men would have no moderation of themselves, they would be worse tiran
tigers, wolves, and lions : who should keep them in awe.' "princes, masters, parent.s,
magistrates, judges, friends, enemies, fair or foul rrreans cannot contain us, but a little
.sickness, (as *'Chrysostom observes) will correct and amend us." And therefore
with good discretion, ^ Jovianus Pontanus caused this short sentence to be engraven
on his tomb in Naples : " Labour, sorrow, grief, sickness, want and woe, to serve
proud masters, bear that superstitious yoke, and bury your dearest friends, &.c., are
» Joachiniiis Camerarius vit. ejus. »i Riber. vit. i profuil corporis tezritijilo, P.-trarch. » I ib. 7 .^uminti
ejus. "Macrobius. ^JSueton. c. 7. 9. »« Lib. 1. I est totius »*hil"»i.iphiit, si tab*. &c. >• • Wht-n we
Corpore exili et de.sp. cto, s<eil ingenioet prudentia loiiKe are fii:k we are nio-.t aniiabli-." n PliiiiiM ep «i. 7. lib.
ante se reges ca:teros pra;veniens. *» .Ale.iaiider l Qiiein inliriiiiirn libido golicitat, ant avarilia, a<it
Guiriiinis hist. Polaiidi.-c. Corpore parvus eraiii, nibito h'lnon-fi? iiL-iiiini invidel, nemini-in iiiiratur. iii'MilMem
vi.t altior uiio, S«d taiiien in parvo corpore niasfo i-i 1 despicil, seriiioiiH maligno iion aliliir. " Von tirr-l
erain. ^Ovid. '■" Vir. iEnei. 10. »'"lf lie princepti, innL'ister, parens, judei ; at b-.th...)., sMti-r.
fates give you larsie proportions, do you not ri-<|ulre venieni, omnia correxil. >*.N.it, < I
faculties ?" ■^ Lib. -i. cap. 20. oneri est illis corporis i deliciis. Labor, dolfir, Ksritiido, hiriiM. ». .
moles, el spiritns minus vividi. *>Corp<>re breves I douiinis, juguni ferre sup<-rslioiiis. quoj ;w . . «
prudentiori's f|^iirii coarclata sit aninia. Iii^enio p<dlet sepelire, ^. cundimeota vile sunt.
cut vim nature negavit. *' Mullis ad salutem auimv |
Mem. 2.] Remedies against Discontents. 347
the sauces of our life." If thy disease be continuate and painful to thee, it will not
surely last : '• and a light affliction, which is but for a moment, causeth unto us a far
more excellent and eternal weight of glory," 2 Cor. iv. 17. bear it with patience;
women endure much sorrow in childbed, and yet they will not contain ; and those
that are barren, wish for this pain ; "" be courageous, ^' there is as much valour to be
shown in thy bed, as in an army, or at a sea tight:" aut vincetur^ aiit vincet, thou
shalt be rid at last. In tiie mean time, let it take its course, thy mind is not any way
disabled. Bilibaldus Pirkimerus, senator to Charles the Fifth, ruled all Germany,
lying most part of his days sick of the gout upon his bed. The more violent thy
torture is, the less it will continue : and though it be severe and hideous for the
time, comfort thyself as martyrs do, with honour and immortality. ^^"That famous
philosopher Epicurus, being in as miserable pain of stone and cholic, as a man might
endure, solaced himself with a conceit of immortality ; " the joy of his soul for his
rare inventions, repelled the pain of his bodily torments."
Baseness of birth is a great disparagement to some men, especially if they be
wealthy, bear office, and come to promotion in a commonwealth; then (as ^^ho
observes) if their birth be not answerable to their calling, and to their fellows, they
are much abashed and ashamed of themselves. Some scorn their own fatlier and
mother, deny brothers and sisters, with the rest of their kindred and friends, and wil'
not suffer them to come near them, when they are in their pomp, accoiutting it a
scandal to their greatness to have such beggarly beginnings. Simon in Lucian, hav-
ing now got a little wealth, changed his name from Simon to Simonides, for that
there were so many beggars of his kin, and set the house on fire where he was born,
because no body should point at it. Others buy titles, coats of arms, and by all
means screw themselves into ancient families, falsifying pedigrees, usurping scutch-
eons, and all because they would not seem to be base. The reason is, for that this
gentility is so much admired by a company of outsides, and such honour attributed
unto it, as amongst '"'Germans, Frenchmen, and Venetians, the gentry scorn the
commonalty, and will not suffer them to match with them; they depress, and make
them as so many asses, to carry burdens. In our ordinary talk and fallings out, the
most opprobrious and scurrile name we can fasten upon a man, or first give, is to
call him base rogue, beggarly rascal, and the like: Whereas in my judgment, this
ought of all other grievances to trouble men least. Of all vanities and fopperies, to
brag of gentility is the greatest ; for what is it they crack so much of, and challenge
such superiority, as if they were demi-gods .'' Birth ? Tanlane vos generis tenuit
fiducia vestri ? ■*' It is non ews, a mere flash, a ceremony, a toy, a thing of nought.
Consider the beginning, present estate, progress, ending of gentry, and then tell me
what it is. ''^'•'Oppression, fraud, cozening, usury, knavery, bawdery, murder, and
tyranny, are the beginning of many ancient families : ''''one hath been a blood-sucker,
a parricide, the death of many a silly soul in some unjust quarrels, seditions, made
many an orphan and poor widow, and for that he is made a lord or an earl, and his
posterity gentlemen for ever after. Another hath been a bawd, a pander to some
great men, a parasite, a slave, ''^prostituted himself, his wife, daughter," to some las-
civious prince, and for that he is exalted. Tiberius preferred many to honours in his
time, because they were famous whoremasters and sturdy drinkers ; many come into
this parchment-row (so ^^one calls it) by flattery or cozening; search your old fami-
lies, and you shall scarce find of a multitude (as /Eneas Sylvius observes) qui scele-
ratum non habcnt ortum., that have not a wicked beginning; aut qui vi et dolo eo
fastigii non ascendutU, as that plebeian in ''^ JIachiavel in a set oration proved to his
fellows, that do not rise by knavery, force, foolery, villany, or such indirect means.
s" \on tain mari quain prcelio virtus, etiam lecto ex- calumniis, &c. Agrip. de vanit. scien. ^^ Ex ho-
liiheliir: vincetiir aut vincKt ; aut tu febrem reliiiques, iiiicidio s»pe orta iiobilita? et strenua carnificina.
aut ipsa te. Seneca. 38'rullius lib. 7. t'aui. ep. *' Plures ob prostitutas filias, uxures, nobiles facti ;
Vc»ic!P uinrho laborans, et urinK mittends difticultate multos venationes, rapiiis, cKdes, prsstisia, &c. i^Sai.
tania, ut vix iiicremeMtum caperet ; repellebat hsc oni- Menip. ■"■(jum eiiiiii lios dici tiohiles videmus, qui
Ilia animi s;aiidiiiin oh (nemoriam inventoruni. 39 Boeth. | divitiis abundant, divitiffi vero raro virtutis sum coini-
lib. -2. pr. 4. Huic sensus exuperat, sed est pudori de- i tes, quis non videt ortuni iiobilitatis det'cnerem? hunc
peiier sanguis. <0Gaspar Ens polit. thes. 4' " Does i usurae ditarunt, illuui spolia, proditiones; hicveneficiis
such presumption in your origin possess you ?" j ditaius, ille adulationibas, huic adulteria lucrum prx-
*- Alii pro per.uiiia emunt nobilitalem, alii illam leno- , bent, nonullis nienda-ia, quidam ex conjuge quastum
rinio. al" veucficiis, alii parricidiis; multis perditio , faciunt, pltrique ex laus, &c. Florent. tiist lib. 3.
nobiiilaie conciliat, pleriquu adulalione, detractione, ,
348
Cure of Melancholy.
rPart. 2. Sec. 3
" They are commonly able that are wealthy ; virtue and riches seldom settle on one
man : who then sees not the beginning of nobility ? spoils enrich one, usury an-
other, treason a third, witchcraft a fourth, flattery a fifth, lying, stealing, bearing false
witness a sixth, adultery the seventh," Stc. One makes a fool of liimself to make
his lord merry, anotlier dandles my young master, bestows a little nag on him, a
third marries a cracked piece. Sic. Now may it please your good worship, your
lordship, who was the first founder of your family ? Tiie poet answers, ^' 'vi?M/
Paslorfidfj aut illud quod dicere nolo?'' Are he or you the better gentleman r If
he, then we liave traced him to his form. If you, what is it of which thou boastest
so much ? That thou art his son. It may be his heir, his reputed son, and yet
indeed a jwiest or a serving man may be the true father of him ; but we will not
controvert that now ; married women are all honest ; thou art his son's son's son,
begotten and born infra quatuor maria, Syc. Thy great great great grandfather was
a rich citizen, and then in all likelihood a usurer, a lawyer, and then a a courtier,
and then a a country gentleman, and then he scraped it out of sheep, &c. And
you are the heir of all his virtues, fortunes, titles; so then, what is your gentry, but
as Hierom saith. Opes anliqucE, invetrratcc dirilia, ancient wealth } that is the deh
nition of gentility. The falliergoes often to the devil, to make his son a gentleman
For the present, what is it.' "It began (saith ^Agrippa) with strong impiety, with
tyranny, oppression, &c." and so it is maintained : wealth began it [no mailer how
got), weallli continueth and incrcaseth it. Those Roman knights were so called, if
they could dispend per annum so nnich. ■"* In the kingdom of Naples and France,
he that buys such lands, buys the honour, title, barony, together with it; and ihey
that can dispend so nnich amongst us, must be called to bear office, to be knights, or
fine for it, as one observes, ^nobiliorum ex cen.su judicant, our nobles are measured
by their means. And what now is the object of honour.'' What maintains our gentry
but wcallh .' ^^ J\'obiUlas sine re projectd vilior alga. Without means gentry is
naught worth, nothing so contemptible and base. ^^Dispulare de nobililute generis^
sine divitiis, est disputare de nobilitale stercorisj saith Nevisanus the lawyer, to dis-
pute of gentry without wealth, is (saving your reverence) to discuss the original of a
mard. So that it is wealth alone that denominates, money which maintains it, gives
esse to it, for which every man may have it. And what is their ordinary exercise }
"''sit to eat, drink, lie down to sleep, and rise to play:" wherein lies their worth and
sufficiency .' in a few coats of arms, eagles, lions, serpents, bears, tigers, dogs, crosses,
bends, fesses, Stc, and such like baubles, wliich they commonly set up in their gal-
leries, porches, windows, on bowls, platters, coaches, in tombs, cliurches, men's
sleeves, Stc. ^"^If he can hawk and hunt, ride a horse, play at cards and dice,
swagger, drink, swear," take tobacco with a grace, sing, dance, wear his clothes in
fashion, court and please his mistress, talk big fustian, "" insult, scorn, strut, contenni
others, and use a little mimical and anish compliment above the rest, he is a com-
plete, [Egrcgiam verb laudem) a well-qualified gentleman; lliese are most of their
employments, this their greatest commendation. What is gentry, this parchment
nobility then, but as ^Agrjppa defines it, ''a sanctuary of knavery and nauLfhliness,
a cloak for wickedness and execrable vices, of pride, fraud, contempt, boasting, op-
pression, dissimulation, lust, gluttony, malice, fornication, adultery, ignorance, im-
piety ?" A nobleman therefore in some likelihood, as he concludes, is an " atheist,
an oppressor, an epicure, a "gull, a dizard, an illiterate idiot, an outside, a jjlow-
worm, a proud fool, an arrant ass," Ventris et inguinis mancipium,, a slave to his lust
and belly, solaque libidine fortis. And as Salvianus observed of his countrymen the
Aquilanes in France, sicut titulis primifuere, sic el viliis (as they were the first in
rank so also in rottenness) ; and Cabinet du Roy, their own writer, distinctly of the
rest "The nobles of Berry are most part lechers, they of Touraine thieves, they
of Narbonne covetous, they of Guienne coiners, they of Provence atheists, they of
♦?Juven. "A shephprd. or something that t should
rather not tell." *' Robusta imprnbitas & tyrannide
incepta. &c. "Gas|)cr Ens thesauro polit. •«Gres-
•ems (tiiii-rar. fol. 26ti. " Hor. " Nobility without
wealth is ninr.j worthless than sea-iveed." "Syl.
nup. li^ 4. nuin III. "Exnil. .xnii. ^Omnium
Dobilium sulficii'ntia in eo probatur si venatica nove-
rint, II aleani, si corporis vires inEPPlibiis i)oculi« com-
roonstrent, si nntune robur nuinorr\«a vi-m-re prob«»nt
Sec. "Dillirile '-iit. iit non sit fiii|MThii<i <)iv«»ii, Aus-
tin, ser. '24. " .Vobilitas tijliil aliuil nisi ini|ir<>bi(ii«
Turnr, rapina, latroriniurn. honiiciitiuiii, Iiixiik, v<-riatin,
vii>lf>nlia. See. >' The fuel t<M>k away my lord m Itw
luask, 'twas apposite.
Mem. 2.] Remedies against Discontents. 349
Rheims superstitious, they of Lyons treacherous, of ISTorniandy proud, of Picardy
insolent, &c." We may generally conclude, the greater men, the more vicious. In
fine, as ^^^^neas Sylvius adds, " they are most part miserable, sottish, and filthy fel-
lows, like the walls of their houses, fair without, foul within." What dost thou
vaunt of now } ^^ " What dost thou gape and wonder at } admire him for his bravfj
apparel, horses, dogs, fine houses, manors, orchards, gardens, walks "i Why .? a fool
may be possessor of this as well as he ; and he that accounts him a better man, a
nobleman for having of it, he is a fool himself" Now go and brag of thy gentility.
This is it belike which makes the ^° Turks at this day scorn nobility, and all those
hufhng bombast titles, which so much elevate their poles : except it be such as hava
got it at iirbt, maintain it by some supereminent quality, or excellent worth. And
for this cause, the Ragusian commonwealth, Switzers, and the united provinces, in
all their aristocracies, or democratical monarchies, (if I may so call them,) exclude
all these degrees of hereditary honours, and will admit of none to bear office, but
such as are learned, like those Athenian Areopagites, wise, discreet, and well brought
up. The ^'Chinese observe the same customs, no man amongst them noble by
birth ; out of their philosophers and doctors they choose magistrates : their politic
nobles are taken from such as be moraliter nohiles., virtuous noble ; nobilitas ut oUm
ah oj/icio, non a naturd, as in Israel of old, and their office was to defend and govern
their country in war and peace, not to hawk, hunt, eat, drink, game alone, as too
many do. Their Loysii, jMandarini, literati, licentiati, and such as have raised them-
selves by their worth, are their noblemen only, though fit to govern a state : an4
why then should any that is otherwise of worth be ashamed of his birth ? why
should not he be as much respected that leaves a noble posterity, as he that hath had
noble ancestors ? nay why not more .'' for pliires solan orientem^ we adore the sun
rising most part ; and how much better is it to say, Ego meis majoribus virtule prcE-
luxi, (I have outshone my ancestors in virtues), to boast himself of his virtues, than
of his birth } Cathesbeius, sultan of Egypt and Syria, was by his condition a slave,
but for worth, valour, and manhood second to no king, and for that cause (as " Jovius
writes) elected emperor of the Mamelukes. That poor Spanish Pizarro for his valoui
made by Charles the Fifth Marquess of Anatillo ; the Turkey Pashas are all such.
Pertinax, Phillippus Arabs, Maximinus, Probus, Aurelius, &.C., from common soldiers,
became emperors, Cato, Cincinnatus, &C. consuls. Pius Secundus, Sixtus Quintus,
Johan, Secundus, Nicholas Quintus, Stc. popes. Socrates, Virgil, Horace, Ubertino
parte natus. ^^ The kings of Denmark fetch their pedigree, as some say, from one
Ulfo, that was the son of a bear. "£ tciiui casa scepe vir viagnus exit., many a
worthy man comes out of a poor cottage. Hercules, Romulus, Alexander (by
Olympia's confession), Themistocles, Jugurtha, King Arthur, William the Conqueror,
Homer, Demosthenes, P. Lumbard, P. Comestor, Bartholus, Adrian the fourth Pope,
Jk-c, bastards ; and almost in every kingdom, the most ancient families have been at
first princes' bastards : their worthiest captains, best wits, greatest scholars, bravest
spirits in all our annals, have been base. "^^ Cardan, in his subtleties, gives a reason
why they are most part better able than others in body and mind, and so, per con-
sequens., more fortunate. Castruccius Castrucanus, a poor child, found in the field,
exposed to misery, became prince of Lucca and Senes in Italy, a most complete
soldier and worthy captain ; Machiavel compares him to Scipio or Alexander. " And
'tis a wonderful thing i^^ saith he) to him tliat shall consider of it, that all those, or
the greatest part of them, that have done the bravest exploits here upon earth, and
excelled the rest of the nobles of their time, have been still born in some abject, ob-
scure place, or of base and obscure abject parents." A most memorable observation,
"i De miser, curial. Miseri sunt, iiiepti sunt, turpes
sunt, ninlti ut parietes iediutn suaruni speciosi. ^°i>li-
raris aureas vestes, equos, canes, orilinem faniulorum,
lautas nieiisas, sedos, villas, praedia, piscinas, sylvas,
6cc haec omnia siultus assequi potest. Pandalus nosier
lenocinio nobilitatus est, iEneas Sylvius. eoBellonius
observ. lib. 2. «> Mat. Riccius lib. 1. cap. 3. Ad re-
gendam renip. soli doctures, aut licentiati adsciscuntur,
&c. "i^ Lib. ]. hist, co-idiiione servus, cceterura acer
b«llo, et aniini magiiitudine niaximoruni regum neniini
secundus: ob h;BC a iMameluchis in regein elecfus.
*>Olau3 Magnus lib. Id. Saxo Grammaticus, a quo rex
2
Sueno et caetera Danorum regum stemmata. " Se-
neca de Contro. Pliilos. epist. ^^ Corpora sunt el
aiiiino fortiores spurii, plerumque oh amoris veheuien
tiani, semi iiis crass. &.C. 6« v'ita Ka.-truccii. Net
pra'ter ralionem niirum videri debet, si quis rem con
siderare velit, omnes eos vel saltem maximam partem
qui in hoc terrarum orhe res prjestantioresaiiL'ressi «unl,
atque inter r^teros a:vi sui heroas excellui-runt, aiit
obscuro, aut ahji^cto loco editos, et prognatos fuisse al
Jectis parentibus. Eorum ego Catalugum infinitum
recensere possem.
£
350 Cure of Melandwly. [Part. 2. Sect. 3.
*^Scaliger accounts it, f< non pra-tercundum., maxiniorum. virorum plerosque pafrcs
ignoratos^ malres impudicasfuisse.^^ '' I could recite a great catalogue of tliein,-'
every kingtloin, every province will yield innumerable examples : and why then
should baseness of birth be objected to any man .' Who thinks worse of Tully for
being arpinos, an upstart? Or Agathocles, that Silician king, for being a jiotter's son?
Iphicrates and JVIarius were meanly born. What wise man thinks better of any person
for his nobility? as he said in ^'Machiavel, omnes eodcm patre nati, Adam"'s sons, con-
ceived all and born in sin, &.c. "We are by nature all as one, all alike, if you see us
naked; let us wear theirs and they our clothes, and what is the difference ?" To speak
truth, as '"Bale did of P. Schalichius, " I more esteem thy worth, learning, honesty, than
thy nobility; honour thee more that thou art a writer, a doctor of divinity, than Earl o|
the Huns, Baron of Skradine, or hast title to such and such provinces, &.c. Tliou art
more fortunate and great (so ^' Jovius writes to Cosmo de Medici, then Duke of Flo-
rence) for thy virtues, than for thy lovely wife, and happy children, friends, fortunes,
or great duchy of Tuscany." So I account thee ; and who doth not so indeed ?
'^Abdolominus was a gardener, and yet by Alexander for his virtues made King
of Syria. How much better is it to be born of mean parentage, and to excel iu
worth, to be morally noble, which is preferred before that natural no!)ility, by
divines, philosophers, and ''j)oliticians, to be learned, honest, discreet, wt'll-(|iialitied,
to be fit for any manner of employment, in country and commonwealth, war and
peace, than to be Dcgeneres .S'eoptolemi, as many brave nobles are, only wise
because rich, otherwise idiots, illiterate, unfit for any manner of service? '^Udalri-
cus. Earl of Cilia, upbraided Joiui Huiliades with the baseness of his birth, but he
replied, in k Ciliensis comitalus turpiter extinguitur^ in me gloriose Jiistricen.'<i'i
exorltur^ thine earldom is consumed with riot, mine l)egin3 with honour and renown.
Thou hast Ijad so many noble ancestors ; what is that to thee ? Vix ea nostra vocn^
'^ when thou art a (hzzard thyself: quod prodest, Punlice, longo stcmmate censeri?
&c. ] conclude, hast thou a sound body, and a good soul, good bringing up ? Art
thou virtuous, honest, learned, well-ijualitied, religious, are thy conditions good .' —
thou art a true nobleman, perfectly noble, allhouah born of Thersitcs — dum modo
tu sis jflacidcc similis^ non nnlus^ sed J'actus^ noble xar' fSo;^^i', "'"for neither
sword, iinr tire, nor water, nor sickness, nor outward violence, nor the devil himst-lf
can take thy good parts from thee." Be not ashamed of thy birth then, tliou art a
gentleman all the world over, and shah be honoured, when as he, strip him of his
tine clothes, "dispossess him of liis wealth, is a funge (which '''Polynices in his
banishment found true by experience, gentry was not esteemed) like a piece of coin
in another country, that no man will take, and shall be contemned. Once more,
though tliou be a barbarian, born at Tontonteac, a villain, a slave, a Saldanian negro,
or a rude Virginian in Dasamonquepec, he a French monsieur, a Spaninh don, a
seignior of Italy, I care not how descended, of what family, of what order, baron,
count, prince, if thou be well qualitled, and he not, but a degenerate Neoptolemus, I
tell thee in a word, thou art a man, and he is a beast.
Let no terrcB filiiis, or upstart, insult at this which I have said, no worthy gentle-
man take offence. I speak it not to detract from such as are well deserving, truly
virtuous and noble : I do much respect and honour true gentry and nobility ; i wa.s
born of worshipful parents myself, in an ancient family, but I am a younger Itrother,
it concerns me not : or had I been some great heir, riclily endt>wed, so minded as I
am, I should not have been elevated at all, but so esteemed of it, as of all other
human happiness, honours, kc, they have their period, are brittle and inconstaiiL
As ■* he said of that great river Danube, it riseth from a small fountain, a little brook
"^Exercit. 265. «•' It is a thing deserving of our
notice, that most great men were born in obscurity, and
of unchaste mothers." •"Fl.jr hist. I. 3. (iuod si
nudf>s riDS cunspici continjat, omnium una eademque
erit facies; nam .si ipsi nostras, no.s eoruui vesles indu-
lib. 3. cap. 8. ^*JEneat SilviuR, lib. '2. cap. 39.
'»'• If children be proud, hauphty, fofilish, they dpflle
the nobility of their kindred," Eccl. xxli. b. ^'Cujut
possessio nee furto eripi, ncc iiicendio abmimi, nee
aquarum vorasine absorberi, vel vi iijnrbi ilt-iitrtii po-
amiis, nos, &c. '" Ut nierito ilicani, quod Miiipliciter I test. "Send tliem bmh to Home ittrange plnee
eentiam, Paulum Schalichium scriptorem, et dtntorem, | naked, ad ignotog, as Ansiippus saiil yvu ■■biill we the
pluris facio quam comitcm Hunnorum. et Baronein I difference. Bacon's Essa)ti. '» Kainiliii; npleiidor
Skrailinuni; Enc>clopitdiam tuam, et orbom disciplina- niliil opig attulit, Slc t»fiuviim hic illodria,
rum omnibus proviiiciis aiitefi ro. Balius episl. nun- I humanarum rerurn imago, qu« parvi. ductir i>iib iiiiliia,
cupat. adoctiit. ultimam script Rrit. " Pra-fai in iminensum (reocunl. et subilo evaiiii«-uiil. Kjiilia
hi>t. lib. 1. virtute tua major, quam aiit Hetni«ci im- hic primo fliiviiig, in admiraiiclam inHLMutudiiiem ••x-
peril fortuiia, aut numerosa el decora prolin fxlicitale rrescit, laiiilemqiie in man Euiinu eVdiieaal. I Slur*,
^•jailor evadid. ^Curtiiis. " Bodine de rep. lus pereg. mar. Euxioi.
Mem. 2.] Remedies against Discontents. 351
at first, sometimes broad, sometimes narrow, now slow, then swift, increased at last
to an incredible greatness by the confluence of sixty navigable rivers, it vanisheth in
conclusion, loseth his name, and is suddenly swallowed up of the Euxine sea : I
may say of our greatest families, they were mean at first, augmented by rich mar-
riages, purchases, offices, they continue for some ages, with some little alteration of
circumstances, fortunes, places, &c., by some prodigal son, for some default, or for
want of issue they are defaced in an instant, and their memory blotted out.
So much in the mean time I do attribute to Gentility, that if he be well-descended,
of worshipful or noble parentage, he will express it in his conditions,
60 "necenirn feroces
Pro^enerant aquilffl columbas."
And although the nobility of our times be much like our coins, more in number and
value, but less in weight and goodness, with finer stamps, cuts, or outsides than of
old ; yet if he rtLain those ancient characters of true gentry, he will be more affable,
courteous, gently disposed, of fairer carriage, better temper, or a more magnanimous,
heroical, and generous spirit, tlian that vulgus hominum., those ordinaryboors and
peasants, qui adeo i/nprobi, agrestes, et inculti pJcrumque sunt., ne dicrnn maliciosi.,
ut nemini ullum humanitatis qfficium prcpstent, ne ipsi Deo si advenerit, as ^' one
observes of them, a rude, brutisli, uncivil, wild, a currish generation, cruel and mali-
cious, incapable of discipline, and such as have scarce connnon sense. And it may
be generally spoken of all, which ^"Lemnius the physician said of his travel into
England, the common people were silly, sullen, dogged clowns, sed mitior nohilitas^
ad omnc humanitatis ojjicium paratissima., the gentlemen were courteous and civil.
If it so fall out (as often it doth) that such peasants are preferred bv reason of their
wealth, chance, error, &c., or otherwise, yet as the cat in the fable, when she was
turned to a fair maid, would play with mice ; a cur will be a cur, a clown will be a
clown, he will likely savour of the stock whence he came, and that innate rustici*v
can hardly be shaken off.
^3" Licet superbus ambulet pecunia,
Fortuna non mutat genus."
And though by their education such men may be better qualified, and more refined;
yet there be many symptoms by which they may likely be descried, an afiected
fantastical carriage, a tailor-like spruceness, a peculiar garb in all their proceedings ;
choicer than ordinary in his diet, and as ^* Hierome well describes such a one to his
Nepolian ; "An upstart born in a base cottage, that scarce at first had coarse bread
to fill his hungry guts, must now feed on kickshaws and made dishes, will have all
variety of flesh and fish, the best oysters," &c. A beggar's brat will be commonly
more scornful, imperious, insulting, insolent, than another man of his rank : " No-
thing so intolerable as a fortunate fool," as ^ TuUy found out long since out of his
experience ; Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altian, set a beggar on horse-
back, and he will ride a gallop, a gallop, &.c.
' (lesiEvit in omnes
Duin se posse putat, nee belliia sa?vior ulla est,
Q.uara servi rabies in lil)era colla furentis;"
he forgets what he was, domineers, &c., and many such other symptoms he hath,
by which you may know him from a true gentleman. Many errors and obliquities
are on both sides, noble, ignoble, /rtc//s, na//5; yet still in all callings, as some dege-
nerate, some are well deserving, and most worthy of their honours. And as Busbe-
quius said of Solyman the IMagnificent, he was tanto dignus imperii, worthy of that
great empire. Many meanly descended are most worthy of their honour, poUtice
nobiles, and well deserve it. Many of our nobility so'born (which one said of
Hephajstion, Ptolemeus, Seleucus, Antigonus, &c., and the rest of Alexander's fol-
lowers, they were all worthy to be monarchs and generals of armies) deserve to be
princes. And I am so far forth of ^"Sesellius's mind, that they ought to be preferred
(if capable) before others, "as being nobly born, ingenuously brought up. and from
«>"For fifTce eagles do not procreate timid ring-
-•oves." "' Sabinus in b. Ovid. Met. fab. 4. s'Lib.
1. de 4. Complexionibiis. ^3 Hor. ep. Od. 2. "And
although he bnast oC his wealth, Fortune has not
'langed his nature-." 8ii,jb. ._.. gj, j5_ Xatus sor-
Jido tuguriolo et paupere domo, qui vix niilio rugien-
tein ventrem, &;c. K\ihil fortunato insipienle
intolerabilins. MClaud. I. 9. in Eutrop. s^Lib.
J.deRep. Gal. Quoniam et coinnioiliore utiinturcon-
riitione, et nonestiore loco nati, jam inile a parvulis ad
moruiii civilitatem educati sunt, et as^uefacti.
35S
Cure of Melancholy.
[Part. 2. Sec. 3.
then infancy trained to all manner of civility." For learning and virtue in a noble-
man is more eminent, and, as a jewel set in gold is more precious, and much to be
respected, such a man deserves better than others, and is as great an honour to his
family as his noble family to him. In a word, many noblemen are an ornament to
their order: many poor men's sons are singularly well endowed, most eminent, and
well deserving for their worth, wisdom, learning, virtue, valour, integrity; excellent
members and pillars of a commonwealth. And therefore to conclude that which I
first intended, to be base by birth, meanly born is no such disparagement. Et sic
f}eni07istratur, quod crat demonstrandum.
MEMB. III.
Against Poverty and fVant^ with such other Mversities.
O.VE of the greatest miseries that can bcfal a man, in the world's esteem, is poverty
or want, which makes men steal, bear false witness, swear, forswear, contend, mur-
der and rebel, which breaketh sleep, and causeth death itself ovhtv nnxai ^Ui^i-eipov
i-itt ifo^riov, no burden (saith '^Menander) so intolerable as poverty: it makes men
desperate, it erects and dejects, census himnres, ccjisus amicilias; money makes, but
poverty mars, &c. and all this in the world's esteem : yet if considered aright, it is a
great blessing in itself, a happy estate, and yields no cause of discontent, or that men
should therefore account themselves vile, hated of God, forsaken, miserable, unfor-
tunate. Christ himself was poor, born in a manger, and had not a house to hide his
head in all \m life, ""^'lest any man sliould make poverty a judgment of God, or an
<»dious estate." And as he was himself, so he informed his Apostles and Disciples,
they were all poor. Prophets poor, Apostles poor, (.\ct, iii. "Silver and gold have I
none.") "As sorrowing (saith Paul) and yet always rejoicing; as having nothing,
and yet possessing all things," 1 Cor. vi. 10. Your great Philosophers have been
voluntarily poor, not only Christian.s, but many others. Crates Thebanus was adored
for a God in Athens, **»• a nobleman by birth, many sen'ants he had, an honourable
attendance, much wealth, many manors, fine apparel; but when he saw tliis, that all
the wealth of the world was but brittle, uncertain and no whit availing to live well,
he flung his burden into the sea, and renounced his estate." Those Curii and Fabricii
will be ever renowned for contempt of these fopperies, wherewith the world is so
much affected. Amongst Christians I could reckon up many kings and (]ueens, that
have forsaken their crowns and fortunes, and wilfully abdicated themselves from
these so much esteemed toys ; " many that have refused honours, titles, and all this
vain pomp and happiness, which others so ambitiously seek, and carefully study to
compass and attain. Riches I deny not are God's good gifts, and blessings; and honor
est in honorante, honours are from God; both rewards of virtue, and fit to be sought
after, sued for, and may well be pos.sessed : yet no such great happiness in having,
or misery in wanting of them. Dantur quidem bonis, saith Austin, ne quis mala asti-
met : malif autem ne quis nimis bona, good men have wealth that we should not think
it evil; and bad men that they should not rely on or hold it so good; as the rain
falls on both sorts, so are riches given to good and bad, serf bonis in bonum, but they
are good only to the godly. But '^compare both estates, for natural |)arts they are
not unlike ; and a beggar's child, as ''Cardan well observes, " is no whit inferior lo
a prince's, most part better;" and for those accidents of fortune, it will easily ap|)ear
there is no such odds, no such extraordinarj' happiness in the one, or misery' in the
other. He is rich, wealthy, fat; what gets he by it.' pride, insolency, lust, amhition,
cares, fears, suspicion, trouble, anger, emulation, and many filthy diseases of body
and mind. lie liath indeed variety of dishes, better fare, sweet wine, plea-sant sauce,
'*> Nullum paupertate gravius onus. •> Ne quis irie
4ivine jiiiticiuin pularet, aiit paupertas eiosa forfl.
Gaull. in cap. 2. ver. IH. Lues. winter priKereg
Thebanr>a iiuaicratus, lectum babuit ernus. frfn\iienn
famuliliiiiii. (lornuM ainplas, Slc Apuleius Florid. I. 4.
»< P. Ble!<en!>i8 ep. 7'J. el -Jlfi nblatns respui honores tx
•>nvre meliens; tuutus aiubiliosoa rogatui noo ivi, Ac.
*>8u(lat pauper forasin opere, divei in cofiiatinne; bie
oa aperit owitatione, ille ructatione; eraviui iMf faifi-
tlin, quani hic inrdia cruciatur. B«r. *er. ' In My*-
pprchen Natura squa cxt. pufrui-que videaiu* mciwll.
coruin nulla ex parte reguiii Dim diMiojile*. plcrumqu*
•aniorea.
Mem. 3.]
Remedies a^aiTisl Discontents.
353
dainty music, gay clothes, lords it bravely out, &c., and all that which iMisillus
admired in '"''^Lucian; but with them he hath the gout, dropsies, apoplexies, palsies,
stone, pox, rheums, catarrhs, crudities, oppillations, ^^ melancholy, Stc, lust enters in,
anger, ambition, according to "*Chrysostom, "the sequel of riches is pride, riot,
intemperance, arrogancy, fury, and all irrational courses."
0'" turpi fregerunt saecula luju
DivitiEE molles"
with their variety of dishes, many such maladies of body and mind get in, which the
poor man knows not of As Saturn in ^^Lucian answered the discontented common-
alty, (which because of their neglected Saturnal feasts in Rome, made a grievous
complaint ana exclamation against rich men) that they were much mistaken in sup-
posing such happiness in riches; ^®"you see the best (said he) but you know not
their several gripings and discontents :" they are like painted walls, fair without, rot-
ten within: diseased, filthy, crazy, full of intemperance's efl"ects ; '"""and who can
reckon half.'' if you but knew their fears, cares, anguish of mind and vexation, to
which they are subject, you would hereafter renounce all riches."
i"Osi patL'ant peclnra ilivitum,
Qiiaritos iiitiis sublimit agit
Forturia metiis? Briitia Coro
Piilsante fretutn mitior unda est."
" O that their breasts were but conspicuous
How full of fear within, how furious?
The narrow seas are not so boisterous."
Yea, but he hath the world at will that is rich, the good things of the earth : suave
est de magno tollere acervo, (it is sweet to draw from a great heap) he is a happy
man, ^ adored like a god, a prince, every man seeks to him, applauds, honours, ad-
mires him. He hath honours indeed, abundance of all things; but (as I said) withal
^" pride, lust, anger, faction, emulation, fears, cares, suspicion enter with his wealth;"
for his intemperance he hath aches, crudities, gouts, and as fruits of his idleness, and
fulness, lust, surfeiting and drunkenness, all manner of diseases : pemniis augetur
improbitas, the wealthier, the more dishonest. ■* " He is exposed to hatred, envy,
peril and treason, fear of death, degredation," &c. 'tis lubrica statio et proxima prcc-
cipitio, and the higher he climbs, the greater is his fall.
' ceiss graviore casu
Pecidunt lurrei, feriuntque suraraos
Fulgura montes,"
' in the more eminent place
the lightning commonly sets on fire the highest towers;
he is, the more subject to fall.
" Rumpitur innumeris arbos uberrima pomis.
El giihito niniiiE proecipitantur opes."
As a tree that is heavy laden with fruit breaks her own boughs, with their own great-
ness they ruin themselves : which Joachimus Camerarius hath elegantly expressed
in his 13 Emblem, cent. 1. Inopem se copia fecit. Their means is their misery, though
they do apply themselves to the times, to lie, dissemble, collogue and flatter their
lieges, obey, second his will and commands as much as may be, yet too frequently
tliey miscarry, they fat themselves like so many hogs, as ".^neas Sylvius observes,
that when they are full fed, they may be devoured by their princes, as Seneca by
Nero was served, Sejanus by Tiberius, and Haman by Ahasuerus : I resolve with
Gregory, potestas culminisy est tempestas mentis ; et quo dignitas alfior, casus gravior
honour is a tempp-i. the higher they are elevated, the more grievously depressed.
For the rest of his jarerogatives which wealth affords, as he hath more his expenses
are the greater. " When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what
good Cometh to the owners, but the beholding thereof with the eyes?" Eccles. iv. 10.
«"Millia frumenti tua triverit area centum,
Non tuus hinc eapiet venter plu3 quam meus"
•'an evil sickness," Solomon calls it, "and reserved to them for an evil," 12 verse.
'' They that will be rich fall into many fears and temptations, into many foolish and
•<GalIo Tom. 2. '^Et 8 contubernio foedi alque
olidi ventris mors tandem educlt. Seneca ep. 103.
•"Divitiarum sequela, luxus, intemperiea, arroganta,
superhia, furor injustus, omnisqiie irrationibilis motus.
»' Juven. Sat. 6. " Effeminate riches have destroyed the
age by the introduction of shameful luxury." * Saturn.
Epist. "Vos quidem divites puialis felices, sed
nescitis eorum miserias. Joo Et quota pars haec
eorum quae isios disrruciant ? si nossetis metus et curan,
quibus obnoiii giint, plaiid fugiendas vobis divitias
e\istimiretig. i Seneca in Here. Oeteo. >Et
diis similes stulta cogitatio facit. ^ Flamraa simul
libidinis ingreditur ; ira, furor et superbia, divitiarum
sequela. Chrys. * Omnium oculis, odio, insidiis expo-
situs, semper solicitus, fortunae ludibrium. ^ Hor. 2.
1. od. 10. 6 auid me felicem toties jactastis amici T
Qui cecidit, stabjli non fuit ille loco. Boeth. 'Ut
postquam impinguati fuerint, devorentur. ^Hot
'• Although a hundred thousand bushels of wheat may
have been threshed in your granaries, your stomaci-
will not contain more than mine.
45
2e2
354
Cure of Melancholy.
[Part. 2. Sec. S
noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition." 1 Tim. vi. 9. " Gold and silver hath
destroyed many," Ecclus. viii. 2. dlvilice sceculi sunt laquei diaboli: so writes Ber-
nard , worldly wealth is the devil's bait : and as the Moon when she is fuller of
light is still farthest from the Sun, the more wealth they have, the farther they are
commonly from God. (If I had said this of myself, rich men would have pulled
me to pieces ; but hear who saith, and who seconds it, an Apostle) tlierefore St.
James bids them '•'• weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon them ; their
gold shall rust and canker, and eat their flesh as fire," James v. 1, 2, 3. I may then
boldly conrlude with ^Theodoret, quotlcscunque divitiis ajfluentcnu tSc "As often
as you shall see a man abounding in wealth," qxd gemmis bibit et Serrano ilormit in
astro, "and naught withal, I beseech you call him not happy, but esteem him unfor-
tunate, because he hath many occasions ofTered to live unjustly; on the other side,
a poor man is not miserable, if he be good, but therefore happy, that those evil occa-
sions are taken from him."
10" Non pnesidpiitcrn multa vocaveriii
Kecte heacucii ; rtTtiiis occupal
Noiiieii beali, qui dvoruni
Muiicribus sapitiiiCcr uti,
l^iirainque callet paij|ifriem pati,
I'ejusque Isttau dagitiuiu tiliic-l."
' lie is not happy that is rich,
And hnth (he world at will,
Bill he lliat wisely can Undx gifts
Pissess and use them still :
That sutierii and with patience
A hides hard poverty.
Ami chooselh rather (or to die;
'i'liaii du tucU villaiiy."
Wherein now consists his happiness ? what privileges hath he more than other men?
or rather what miseries, what cares and discontents hath he not more than other
men?
'■ " N'on enim ;az«, neque consularia
Sumniovet lictor mireros tuinultui
Mentia, et curas laqueata circuni
Tecta volantea."
" Nor treacures, nor major* officers remove
The iiiiserahle luniults of the mind:
Or cares thai lie ahout. or Hy above [bin'd."
Their highroofed houses, with huge beams com-
'Tis not his wealth can vindicate him, let him have Job's inventory, sint Craesi et
Crassi licet, non hos Pactolua aureus undas agens, eripiat unquum e miseriis, Crcesus
or rich Crassus cannot now connnand health, or get himself a stomach. '^"His
worship," as Apuleius describes him, " in all his plenty and great provision, is for-
bidden to eat, or else hath no appetite, (sick in bed, can take no rest, sore grieved
with some chronic disease, contracted with full diet and ease, or troubled in mind)
^■hen as, in the meantime, all his household are merry, and the poorest servant that
he keeps doth continually feast." 'Tis Bructeata fehcitas, as '^ Seneca terms it, tin-
foiled happiness, inftUx f elicit as, an unhappy kind of happiness, if it be happiness
at all. llis gold, guard, clattering of harness, and fortifications against outward ene-
mies, cannot free him from inward fears and cares.
" Reveraque metus honiinum, curteque sequacea
Nee metiiuiit fremitus armorum, ant feerea tela,
Audacterque inter reges, ^egumque potenlet
Versantur, neque fulgorcm revereiilur ab auro."
I " Indeed men still attending feara and care*
iNor armours clashing, nor tierce weapon'* feare:
With kings converse they boldly, and kiiigo peer*.
Fearing uu flashing that from gold appears."
Look how many servants he hath, and so many enemies lie suspects ; for liberty he
entertains ambition ; his pleasures are no pleasures ; and that which is worst, he
cannot be private or enjoy himself as other men do, his state is a servitude. '^A
countryman may travel from kingrdom to kingdom, province to j^ovince, city to city,
and glut his eyes with delightful objects, hawk, hunt, and use those ordinary di.«i-
ports, without any notice taken, all which a prince or a great man cannot do. He
keeps in for state, nc majestatis dignitas evilescat, as our China kings. «>f Borneo,
and Tartarian Cliams, those aiirea mancipia, are said to do, seldom or never seen
abroad, tit major sit hominum erga se observantia, which the '^ Persian kinij.s so pre-
cisely observed of old. A poor man takes more delight in an ordinary meal's meat,
which he hath but seldom, than they do with all their exotic dainties and continual
viands; Quippe voluptatem commendat rarior usus, 'tis the rarity and necessity that
makes a thing acceptable and pleasant. Darius, put to flight by Alexander, drank
puddle water to quench his thirst, and it was pleasanter, he swore, than any wine or
• Cap. 6. de curat, ^rxc. affect, rap. de providentia ; ' dicitur, et in omni copia ana cibum non accipit, cum
quntieecunque diviliis attluentem hoiiiineni videmns, I interea I'ltuiii ejus servitiuiii hilare mt, alqiie epulelur.
cumque pi^ssimuni, ne quxso huiic beall^^^lInlllll pnte. | •> Epirl. 111. >* II r. et luihi cnrto Ire licel mulo
Bins, s«d iiil'Micvni, Cfiiseamus, tec. '» Hnr I -J. Ud.U. I vel si libel usque Tarentuiu. >^ lirimjiiius.
> H' ■*' 2. "Florid. lib. 4. Dives ilie cibo inter- 1
Mem. 3.] Remedies against Discontents. 355
mead. All excess, as '® Epictetus argues, ■will cause a dislike ; sweet will be iour,
which made that temperate Epicurus sometimes voluntarily fast. But they oeing
always accustomed to the same "dishes, (which are nastily dressed by slovenly
cooks, that after their obscenities never wash their bawdy hands) be they fish, flesh,
compounded, made dishes, or whatsoever else, are therefore cloyed ; nectar's self
grows loathsome to them, they are weary of all their fine palaces, they are to them
but as so many prisons. A poor man drinks in a wooden dish, and eats his meat in
wooden spoons, wooden platters, earthen vessels, and such homely stuff: tlie other
in gold, silver, and precious stones ; but with what success ? in auro bibitur venemtm,
fear of poison in the one, security in the other. A poor man is able to write, to
speak his mind, to do his own business himself; locuples mittit parasitmn. saith
'** Philostratus, a rich man employs a parasite, and as the major of a city, speaks by
the town clerk, or by Mr. Recorder, when he cannot express himself. '^ Nonius the
senator hath a purple coat as stiff with jewels as his mind is full of vices ; rings on
his fingers worth 20,000 sesterces, and as ^"Perox the Persian king, an union in his
ear worth one hundred pounds weight of gold : ^' Cleopatra hath whole boars and
sheep served up to her table at once, drinks jewels dissolved, 40,000 sesterces in
value ; but to what end ?
2!" Num tibi cum fauces urit sitis, aurea quaeris
Pocula ?"
Doth a man that is adry desire to drink in gold .'' Doth not a cloth suit become him
as well, and keep him as warm, as all their silks, satins, damasks, taffeties and tis-
sues ? Is not homespun cloth as great a preservative against cold, as a coat of Tartar
lamb's-wool, died in grain, or a gown of giant's beards .? Nero, saith ^^ Sueton.,
never put on one garment twice, and thou hast scarce one to put on ? what's the
difference ? one's sick, the other sound : such is the whole tenor of their lives, and
that which is the consummation and upshot of all, death itself makes the greatest
difference. One like a hen feeds on the dunghill all his days, but is served up at
last to his Lord's table ; the other as a falcon is fed with partridge and pigeons, and
carried on his master's fist, but when he dies is flung to the muckhill, and there lies.
The rich man lives like Dives jovially here on earth, temuJentus divitiis, make the
best of it; and "boasts himself in the multitude of his riches," Psalm xlix. 6. 11.
he thinks his house " called after his own name," shall continue for ever ; '' but he
perisheth like a beast," verse 20. "his way utters his folly," verse 13. maJe parta.,
male dilabuntur; "like sheep they lie in the grave," verse 14. Pvncto dcscendtmt
ad infcrnum, " they spend their days in wealth, and go suddenly down to hell," Job
xxi. 13. For all physicians and medicines enforcing nature, a swooning wife, fami-
lies' complaints, friends' tears, dirges, masses, ncenias., funerals, for all orations, coun-
terfeit hired acclamations, eulogiums, epitaphs, hearses, heralds, black mourners,
solemnities, obelisks, and Mausolean tombs, if he have them, at least, ^" he, like a
hog, goes to hell with a guilty conscience [propter hos dilatavit infernos os suum).,
and a poor man's curse ; his memory stinks like the snuff of a candle when it is
put out ; scurrilous libels, and infamous obloquies accompany him. When as poor
Lazarus is Dei sacrarium, the temple of God, lives and dies in true devotion, hath
no more attendants, but his own innocency, the heaven a tomb, desires to be dis-
solved, buried in his mother's lap, and hath a company of ^^ Angels ready to convey
his soul into Abraham's bosom, he leaves an everlasting and a sweet memory behind
him. Ciassus and Sylla are indeed still recorded, but not so xnuch for their wealth
as for their victories : Croesus for his end, Solomon for his wisdom. In a word,
^ " to get wealth is a great trouble, anxiety to keep, grief to lose it."
^ "Quid fiipnum stolidis mentibus iraprecer?
Opes, hoiinres aml)iaiit :
Et cum falsa gravi mole paraverint.
Turn vera cogiioscant bona."
'^Si modnm excesseris, suavissima sunt molesta. | the power of the grave," Psal. xlix. 15. ssContempI.
" Et ill cupidiis gula;, cnqiuis et piieri illolis manibus ! Idiot. Cap. 37. divitiarum acqui?itio magni laborjg,
ab pioneratione ventris omnia tractant, &c. Cardan, t po.ssessio magni timoris, amissio masni dolori*.
I. 8. cap. 4G. de reriim varielate. '■ Epist. 'sPlin. [ s' Boethius de consol. phil. 1. 3. "How contemptible
lib. 57. cap. 6. ™Zonaras 3. aniial. !» Plutarch. 1 Ftolid minds! They covet riches and titlp.=, and when
vit. ejus. M Hor Ser. lib. 1. Sat. 2. "Cap. 30. j they have obtained' these commodities of fal.-ie weight
nullam vestem bis induit. 21 Ad generum Cercris | and measures, tlien, and not before, they understand
sine ca'de et sanguine pauci riescendunt reges, et sicca what is truly valuable."
morte tyronni. 25 "God shall deliver his soul from I
350 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3,
But consider all those other unknown, concealed happinesses, which a poor man
hath (I call them unknown, because they be not acknowledged in the world's esteem,
or so taken) O fortunatos nimium bona si sua norint: happy they are in the mean-
time if they would take notice of it, make use, or apply it to themselves. "A poor
man wise is better than a foolish king," Eccles. ii. 13. -*" Poverty is the way to
heaven, ^'the mistress of philosophy, ^° the mother of religion, virtue, sobriety, sister
of innocency, and an upright mind." How many such encomiums might I add out
of the fathers, philosophers, orators } It troubles many tliat are poor, they account
of it as a great plaorue, curse, a siofn of God's haired, ipsiim scelus, damned villauv
itself, a disgrace, shame and reproach ; but to whom, or why ? *"" If fortune hath
envied me wealth, thieves have robbed me. my father have not left me such revenues
as others have, that I am a younger brother, basely born, ciii sine luce ifc/ws,
%siirdumque parrnliini nomen, of mean parentage, a dirt-dauber's son, am I there-
fore to be bhuned .-' an eagle, a bull, a lion is not rejected for his poverty, and why
should a man r" 'Tis ^^ fortunes telum, mm ciilpir, fortune's fault, not mine. ''Good
Sir, I am a servant, (to use ^^ Seneca's words) howsoever your poor friend ; a servant,
and yet your chamber-fellow, and if you consider better of it, your fellow-servant."
I am thy drudge in the world's eyes, yet in God's sight peradventure thy better, my
soul is more precious, and 1 dearer unto him. Etiam servi cliis curce sunt, as Evan-
ffelus at large proves in Macrobius, the meanest servant is most precious in his sight.
Thou art an epicure, I am a good Christian ; thou art many parasangs before me in
means, favour, wealth, honour, Claudius's Narcissus, Neio's >lassa, Domitian's Par-
llieniiis, a favourite, a golden slave; thou coverest thy tloors with marble, thy roofs
with gold, thy walls with statues, fine pictures, curious hangings, he, what of all
this.' culcas opes, S^c, what's all tliis to true happiness? I live and breathe under
that glorious heaven, that august capitol of nature, enjoy the brightness of .><tars, that
clear light of sun and mooii, those infinite creatures, plants, birds, beasts, fishes,
herbs, all that sea and land atford, far surpassing all that art and opukntia can give.
I am free, and which ** Seneca said of Home, culmtn liheros iexii, suh mnrmore ct
auro postea scrvitus habilavit, thou hast Amalthece cornu, plenty, pleasure, the world
at will, I am despicable and poor ; but a word overshot, a blow in choler, a game at
tables, a loss at sea, a sudden fire, the prince's dislike, a liitle sickness, Slc, may
make us equal in an instant; h(Jwsoever take thy time, triumph and insult awhile,
cinis cequat, as *\Alphonsus said, death will equali.se us all at last. I live sparingly,
in the mean time, am clad homely, fare hardly ; is this a reproach .' am I the worse
for it ? am I contemptible for it '■! am 1 to be reprehended .' A learned man in ^ Nevi-
sanus was taken down for silting amongst gentlemen, but he replied, '• my nobility
is about the head, yours declines to the tail," and they were silent. Let them mock,
scoff and revile, 'tis not thy scorn, but his that made thee so; "he that mockelh the
poor, reproacheth him that made him," Prov. xi. 5. '' and he that rejoiceth at afflic-
tion, shall not be unpunished." For the rest, the poorer thou art, the happier thou
art, dil'tor est, at non melior, saith '" Epicietus, he is richer, not better than thou art,
not so free from lust, envy, hatred, ambition.
" Bt'atui! ille qui procul neeotiin
Pateriia rura bubus exercet Ruis."
Happy he, in that he is ** freed from the tumults of the world, he seeks no honours,
gapes after no preferment, flatters not, envies not, temporiselh not, but lives privately,
and well contented with his estate ;
Nee spps conle avidas, nee curam pascit inanem
Securus quo fata cadaiil."
He is not troubled with slate matters, whether kingdoms thrive better by succession
or election ; whether monarchies should be mixed, temperate, or absolute ; the house
* Austin in Ps. Ixxvi. omnia PhilodophiaB magistra, conservuH ei cogllaverig. *• Epist. GC et DO. >» P«.
ml cmluni via. *BoriiB mentis wjrnr paupertas. ntirmitan. rebus ee^tis Alph. *• Ub. 4. num. 3it«
" Psdat'oiia pietat"* sohria, pia mater, cullu simplex, quiilam depreliKiii'us quod sederet loco nnlillnim. nira
habitu ccciira, corisilio beiiesiiada. Apiil. >• Cardan, nobilitas, ail. e*t circa ciipul, vpstra d«clinal ad cau-
Opprobrium mm est pauperta.^ : qiio<l latro eripil, aut dam " Taiito beatior es. qiianto CfdU-clinr. »• Xo»
pater noil r^liquit. cur mihi vilio dnretur, si dirtuna amfTibiis iiis^rMt. non appetit hoiiores. et qiialiii-rrun-
divitia^ iriviilil ? mm aquila", non, Sec. « Iiilly. que reliclus satis habet, honiinem se enw? nirminil, ir
" Episl 74. wrviis riuiiime boino ; gervus sum, imruo videt neinini. neiniiicni dispirit, nemint-m miratur, wr
.«ambernalis, sorvus sum, at humilK amicus, iniuio luonibus tnaligiiis non attendit aut alitur. Pliiiius.
Mem. 3.] Remedies against Dlscontenls. 357
of Ottoraon's and Austria is all one to him ; he inquires not after colonies or new
discoveries ; whether Peter were at Rome, or Constantine's donation be of force -,
what comets or new stars signify, whether the earth stand or move, there be a
new world in the moon, or infinite worlds, 8tc. He is not touched with fear of
invasions, factions or emulations ;
as" FoBlix ille animi, divisqiie simillimiis ipsis,
UuHin lion iiiordaci resplenilens jloria fuco
Sulicitat, noil fastnsi mala gaiidia luxus,
Sed tacitos sinit ire die?, et paupere cuitu
^oExigit iniiocuce tranquilla silentia vits."
"A happy soul, and like to God IiiinRelf,
Whom not vain glory macerates or strife,
Or wicked joys of that proud swelling pelf,
But leads a still, poor, and contented life."
A secure, quiet, blissful state he hath, if he could acknowledge it. But here is the
misery, that he will not take notice of it ; he repines at rich men's wealth, brave
hangings, dainty fare, as '" Simonides objected to Hieron, he hath all the pleasures of
the world, ''^ in lectis eburncis dormit^ vinumphiaUs bibit, optimis unguentis dcllbnitnr^
"he knows not the affliction of Joseph, stretching himself on ivory beds, and singing
to the sound of the viol." And it troubles him tliat he hath not the like : there is a dif-
ference (he grumbles) between LaploUy and Pheasants, to tumble i'th'stiawand lie in a
down bed, betwixt wine and water, a cottage and a palace. " He hates nature !^as
■"Pliny characteriseth him) that she hath made him lower than a god, and is an^rry
with the gods that any man goes before him;" and although he hath received much,
yet (as ^'' Seneca follows it) ''• he thinks it an injury that he hath no more, and is so
far from giving thanks for his tribuneship, that he complains he is not prajtor, neither
doth that please him, except he may be consul." Why is he not a prince, vrhy not
a monarch, why not an emperor ? Why should one man have so much more than
his fellows, one have all, another nothing ? Why should one man be a slave or
drudge to another .'' One surfeit, another starve, one live at ease, another labour,
without any hope of better fortune ? Tiius they grumble, mutter, and repine : not
considering that inconstancy of human aifairs, judicially conferring one condition
with another, or well weigliing their own present estate. What they are now, thou
mayest shortly be ; and what thou art they sha41 likely be. Expect a little, compare
future and times past with the present, see the event, and comfort thyself with it. It
is as well to be discerned in commonwealths, cities, families, as in private meu's
estates. Italy was once lord of the world, Rome the queen of cities, vaunted herself
of two ■'^ myriads of inhabitants ; now that all-commanding country is possessed by
petty princes, '*^Rorae a small village in respect. Greece of old the seat of civility,
mother of sciences and humanity; now forlorn, the nurse of barbarism, a den of
thieves. Germany then, saith Tacitus, was incult and horrid, now full of magnifi-
cent cities: Athens, Corintli, Carthage, how flourishing cities, now buried in their
own ruins ! Corvorimi, ferarum, aprorum et bestiarum lustra^ like so many wilder-
nesses, a receptacle of wild beasts. Venice a poor fisher-town; Paris, London, small
cottages in Caesar's time, now most noble emporiums. Valois, Plantagenet, and Sca-
liger how fortunate families, how likely to continue ! now quite extinguished and
rooted out. He stands aloft to-day, full of favour, wealth, honour, and prosperity,
in the top of fortune's wheel: to-morrow in prison, worse than nothing, his son's a
beggar. Thou art a poor servile drudge, Fcex populi, a very slave, thy son may
come to be a prince, with Maximinus, Agathocles, &c. a senator, a general of an
array; thou standest bare to him now, workest for him, drudgest for him and
his, takest an alms of him: stay but a little, and his next heir peradventure shall
consume all with riot, be degraded, thou exalted, and he shall beg of thee. Thou
shall be his most honourable patron, he thy devout servant, his posterity shall run.
ride, and do as much for thine, as it was with '^^ Frisgobald and Cromwell, it may be
for thee. Citizens devour country gentlemen, and settle in their seats ; after two or
three descents, they consume all in riot, it returns to the city again.
^'Polltianiis in Riistico. -"lOyges regno LydlcE M< De ira cap. 31. lib. 3. Et si multiini acceperit, injuriam
inflatiis: sciscitatiim misit Apolliiiein an qiiis mortaiiiim piilat plura non accepi.^se; non agit pro trihnnatn
SR felicior esset. Aglaiuin Arcadiini paiiperriniuin gratias, sed qucritur quod non sil ad prseturam perdue-
Apollo prietulit, qui lerininos aiiri sui nunquam e.xces- tus; neque lirec grata, .^i desit consulatiis. •'^Lip?.
eerat, rure sun conientns. Val. lib. I. c 7. -ii H<ir. admir. w Of some 90,000 inhabitants now. *' Kfaii
h;ec est Vita solutnruu) niisera ainbitioue, gravique. the story at large in John Fox, his Acts and AIoiiu-
•'Ainos. 6. <3 Prcefat. lib. 7. Odit iiaturam quod | uients.
infra deos sit; irascitur diis quod quis illi antccedal. l
358
Cure of Melancholy.
^Pait. 2. iKC. 3.
= " Novus incola venit ;
Nam propria telluris heruru natura, neque illuna,
Ni'i: UK', iiec qiienqiiani statuit; iios expulit ille:
Ilium aut nequities, aut vafri iiiscitia juris."
" have we liv'd at a more frugal rate,
Since tliis new strangur seiz'il on uur estate?
Nature wi.'l no perpetual lieir assign.
Or make the farm Ills properly or mine.
He lurn'd us out : but follies all his own.
Or law-suits anil their knaveries yet unknown,
Or, all his follies aud his law-suils past,
Some lung-liv'd heir shall turn him out at last.'
A lawyer buys out his poor client, after a while his client's posterity buy out him
and his ; so things go round, ebb and flow.
'The farm, once njine, now bears Uinbrenua' name;
The use alone, not property, we claim ;
' \unc ager Umbreni sub nomine, nuper Ofelli
Dictus crat, niilli proprius sed cedit in usuin
Nunc mihi, nunc aliis;"
Then be not with your present lot deprest.
And meet the future with undaunted breast ;"
as he said then, ager cujus, quot habes Domlnos? So say I of land, houses, move-
ables and money, mine to-day, his anon, wht)se to-morrow ? In tine, (as ^'* 3Iadiiavel
observes) "virtue and prosperity beget rest ; rest idleness; idleness riot; riot destruc-
tion; from which we come again to good laws ; good laws engender virtuous actions;
virtue, glory, and prosperity; and 'lis no dishonour then las Guicciardine adds) for
a flourisliing man, city, or state to come to ruin, ^nor infelicity to be subject to the
law of nature." Ergo terrena calcanda^ sitirnda ctclcstia^ (therefore I say) scorn
this transitory state, look up to heaven, think not what others are, but what thou
art: '^Qvd parte locatus es in re: and what thou shalt be, what thou maycst be.
Do [^l say) as Christ himself did, when he lived here on cardi, imitate him as much
as in thee lies. How many great Cajsars, mighty monarchs, tetrarchs, dynasties,
prmces lived in his days, in what plenty, what delicacy, how bravely attended, what
a deal of gold and silver, what treasure, how many sumptuous palaces had they,
what provinces and cities, ample territories, fields, rivers, fountains, parks, forests,
lawns, woods, cells, Slc. ? Yet Christ had none of all this, he would have none of
this, he voluntarily rejected all this, he could not be ignorant, he could not err in
his choice, he contenmed all this, he chose that wiiich was safer, better, and more
certain, and less to be repented, a mean estate, even poverty itself; and why dost
tiiou then doubt to follow him, to imitate him, and his apostles, to imitate all good
men : so do thou tread in his divine steps, and thou shalt not err eternally, as too
many worldlings do, that run tm in their own dissolute courses, to their confusion
and ruin, thou shalt not do amiss. Whatsoever thy fortune is, be contented with it,
trust in him, rely on him, refer thyself wholly to him. For know this, in conclu-
sion, .Yon est vahnlis nee currenlis, sed miserentis Dei^ 'tis not as men, but as God
will. '' The Lord makeih poor and maketh rich, bringeth low, and exalteth (1 Sam. ii.
vcr.7. 8), he lifteth the poor from the dust, and raiseih the beggar from the dunghill,
to set them amongst princes, and make them inherit the seat of glory;" 'lis all as he
pleaseth, how, and when, and whom ; he that appoints the end (though to us
unknown) appoints the means likewise subordinate to the end.
Yea, but their present estate crucifies and torments most mortal men, they have
no such forecast, to see what may be, what shall likely be, but what is, though not
wherefore, or from whom, hoc anget^ their present misfortunes grind their souls, and
an envious eye which they cast upon other men's prosperities, Vicinttmquc pecus
grandius uber hab'i, how rich, how fortunate, how happy is he .' But in the mean-
time he doth not consider the other miseries, his infirmities of body and mind, that
accompany his estate, but still reilects upon his own Iklse conceived woes and wants,
whereas if the matter were duly examined, " he is in no distress at all, he hatii no
cause to complain.
• tolle querelas,
"Then cease complainine. friend, and learn to liv*
He i» not poor to whom kind fortniii- L'rbnts.
Kveo with a frugal hand, what Nature wants."
Pauper eiiim non est cui reruin suppetit usus,"
he is not poor, he is not in need. *' " Nature is content with bread and water ; and
he that can rest satisfied with that, may contend with Jupiter himself for happiness."
In that golden age, ""somnos dedit umbra saliibre.s., pntum qunque Inbricns ainnis, the
tree gave wholesome shade to sleep under, and the clear rivers drink. The Israelites
« Hor. Sat. 2. ser. lib. 2. *'^S Florent. hist. Tirlui j divile* qui rocio el terrn frui p<ii>sunt. •» Hor. lib. 1.
quielera parat, quies otium, otium prirro lu.xuni gene- ( epis. VS. "Seneca t-pi«t. \o. pain-m Pt aquaiii iia'ura
ral. luxus iiiteriturn, i quo iteriim arl salubernmas. ice. de^tidcrat. et ha-c qui lialii-t. ip-n cum Jovf di- f> liciiat*
^'Suicciard. in Hiponest nulla inreliclaa suhjcr-tum cmilendat. t.'iliuK timiih-l famein wdat. verlu tenui*
•fMse lep lalurx Slc. " Persius. "Omnei fngius arcet. Senec. epi4l. ti. '^ iioelhiu*.
Mein. 3.] Remedies against Discontents. ysg
drank water in the wilderness ; Samson, David, Saul, Abraham's servant when he
went for Isaac's wife, the Samaritan woman, and how many besides miirht I reckon
"P5 Egypt, Palestine, whole countries in the =^ Indies, that drank pure water all their
lives. ^'The Persian kings themselves drank no other drink than the water of
Chaospis, that runs by Susa, which was carried in botdes after them, whithersoever
they went. Jacob desired no more of God, but bread to eat, and clothes to put on
in his journey, Gen. xxviii. 20. Bene est cui deus obtullt Parca quod satis est manii;
bread is enough ^^"to strengthen the heart." And if you study philosophy aright,
saith "'^Maudarensis, "• whatsoever is beyond this moderation, is not useful, but trouble-
some." ''"Agellius, out of Euripides, accounts bread and water enough to satisfy
nature, "• of which there is no surfeit, the rest is not a feast, but a riot." •=' S. Ilierome
esteems him rich " that hath bread to eat, and a potent man that is not compelled to
be a slave ; hunger is not ambitious, so that it have to eat, and thirst doth not prefer
a cup of gold." It was no epicurean speech of an epicure, he that is not satisfied
with a little will never have enough: and very good counsel of him in the ^^poet,
'• O my son, mediocrity of means agrees best with men ; too much is pernicious."
" Divitis grandes liomini sunt vivere parc6,
^quo ariiuio,"
■ And if thou canst be content, thou hast abundance, nihil est., nihil dcest, thou hast
little, thou wantest nothing. 'Tis all one to be hanged in a chain of gold, or in a
rope ; to be filled with dainties or coarser meat.
ra"Si veiitri heiie, si lateri, pedibusqiio tiiis, nil I "If bellv, sides and feet be well at ea*e
Divitia; poterunt regales aiMere iiiajus." | A prince's treasure can thee no more please.
Socrates in a fair, seeing so many things bought and sold, such a multitude of people
convented to that purpose, exclaimed forthwith, " O ye gods what a sight of things
do not I want .? 'Tis thy want alone that keeps thee in health of body and mind,
and that which thou persecutest and abhorrest as a feral plague is thy physician and
'''chiefest friend, which makes thee a good man, a healthful, a sound, a virtuous, an
honest aiul happy man." For when virtue came from heaven (as the poet feigns)
rich men kicked her up, wicked men abhorred her, courtiers scoffed at her, citizens
hated her, ''^and that she was thrust out of doors in every place, she came at last to
her sister Poverty, where she had found good entertainment. Poverty and Virtue
dwell together.
**" O vita; tuta facultas
Pauperis, angnsiique larea, 6 munera noiuluin
Intellecta deijin."
How happy art thou if thou couldst be content. " Godliness is a great gain, if a man
can be content with that which he hath," 1 Tim. vi. 6. And all true happiness is in
a mean estate. I have a little wealth, as he said, ^''sed qtias animus magnasfacit, a
kingdom in conceit :
68" T""" ^'fip'tus opto
Maia nale, nisi ut propria lisc mihi ijiunera faxis;"
1 have enough and desire no more.
S3" Dii bene fecerunt inopis me quodque pusilli
Feccrunt animi"
'tis very well, and to my content. '°Vestem et fortunam concinnam potius quam Inxani
vroho., let my fortune and my garments be both alike fit for me. And which "'Sebas-
tian Foscariiuis, sometime Duke of Venice, caused to be engraven on his tomb in
St. JMark's Church, " Hear, O ye Venetians, and I will tell you which is the best
thing in tlie world : to contemn it." I will engrave it in my heart, it shall be my
whole study to contemn it. Let them take wealth, Slercora stercus a7ncf, so that'l
may have security: bene qui latuit, benevixit; though I live obscure, '-yet I live
clean and honest; and when as the lofty oak is blown down, the silky reed may
6«Miiff£Rus et alii. s? Crissonius. 68 pgal. Ixx.iiv.
■>JSi recte philosiiphemitii, quicquid aptam modera-
tionem superyreditur, oiieri potius qrani Usui est.
'"Lib. 7. I(i. Cereris inunus et aquae poculnm niortales
que dolns ejicitur, apud sooiain paupertatein ejnsque
cultores divertens in enrum siiiu et tulela deliciatur.
'i'^Lucan. " O protectinu; quality of a poor man's life,
fru!;al means, gifts scarce yet understood by the gods
quxruiit habere, et quorum saties nunquam est, luxus ' themselves." "Ljp. niiscell. ep. 40 * Sat C
autem, sunt crctera, non epulx. ei Satis est dives lib. 2. 6»Hor. Sat. 4. ^oApuloius. ' -'r;hytreu3
qui pane lion indiaet; niiiiiuin potens qui scrvire non in Europse deliciis. Accipite cives Veneti quod est
rn.'iiur. Anibitiosa non est fames, &c. « Kunpides optimum in rebus humaiiis, res humanas conteninerp.
nienalip. O fill, mediorrcs divitiie homini()ns conve- "" Vali, vivere etiani nunc luhet, as Deinea said, \d(lph
tiuiit, nimia vero moles perniciosa. is nor. e, q Act. 4. auam multis non egeo, quam mnlta non desi-
ioctes cffiua;que deuui. esper mille fraudes doctos- | dero, ut Socrates in pompa, ille in imndiiiis.
360 Cxire of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec, 3.
stand. Let them take glory, for that's their misery; let them take honour, so that
I may have heart's ease. Ihic me O Jupiter et tu fatum^^ S^c. Lead me, O God,
whither thou wilt, 1 am ready to follow; command, I will obey. I do not envy at
their wealth, titles, offices;
'<" Stet quiciirique volet poten?
Aiilae culmiiie lubriro,
Me dulcis suturet quies."
let me live quiet and at ease. "'" Erimus fortasse (as he comforted himself) quando
illi non erunt, when they are dead and gone, and all their pomp vanished, our
memory may flourish :
"»" (laiit perpiines
Steminata non peritiira Musse."
Let him be my lord, patron, baron, earl, and possess so many goodly castles, 'lis
well for me" that I liave a poor house, and a little wood, and a well by it, &c.
" His rnt! coiiPolDr victuruiii siiaviiis, nc si I " Willi which 1 fi't-l myself iiiorf! truly lilost
Clua?stor aviis pater atque mens, patruusquefuissent." | 'I'haii if riiy sires the qua^slor's power possess'J."
I live, I thank God, as merrily as he, and triumph as much in this my mean estate,
as if my father atul uncle had been lord treasurer, or my lord mayor, lie feeds of
many dishe.s, I of one: ''"qui Christum curat., non multum curat qwim de preciosis
cibis stercus conjiciat, wliat care I of what slutl'my excrements be math' .' "'" He that
lives according to nature cannot be poor, and he that exceeds can never liave enough,"
totus non sujicit orbis., the wliole work! cannot give him content. "• A small thing
that the righteous hath, is belter than the riches of the ungotlly," P.s;il. xxxvii. 19;
''and better is a poor morsel with quietness, than abundance wilh strife," Frov. xvii. 7
Be content then, enjoy thyself, and as ''"Chry.-Dstom adviseth, '' be not angry foi
what thou hast not, but give God hearty thanks for wliat thou hast received."
""Si dal olusicula I Ne pete graiidia,
Meiisa iiiiriusrula I Lau(a(|ue praiiilia
pace referlii, | lile repleta."
But what wantest thou, to expostulate the matter.' or what hast thou not better than
a rich man.' "'' health, competent wealth, children, security, sleep, friends, liberty,
diet, apparel, and wliat not," or at least mayest have (the means being so obvious,
easy, and well known) for as he inculcated to himself,
■A" Vitain qiix faciuiit t>ealinrein,
Jiicuiidinaiiiie Murtialii>, ho-c lunt;
Hm iioii parla lalMire, iK-tJ relicia,
Lu iiunquaiii, k.c."
say again thou hast, or at least mayest have it, if thou wilt thyself, and that wliich
am sure he wants, a merry heart. " Passing by a village in the territory of Milan,"
saith *^St. Austin, »* I saw a poor beggar that had got belike his bellyful of meat,
jesting and merry ; I sighed, and said to some of my friends that were then with
me, what a deal of trouble, madness, pain and grief do we sustain and exaggerate
unto ourselves, to get that secure happiness which this poor beggar hath prevented
us of, and which we peradventure shall never have ? For that which he hatli now
attained with the begging of some small pieces of silver, a temporal happiness, and
present heart's ease, 1 cannot compass wilh all my careful windings, and running in
and out, ^"And surely tlie beggar was very merry, but 1 was heavy; he was secure,
but I timorous. And if any man should ask me now, whether I hafl rather be merry,
or still so solicitous and sad, I should say, merry. If he should ask me again,
whether I had rather be as I am, or as this beggar was, I should sure choose to be
as I arm, tortured still with cares and fears ; but out of peevishness, and not out of
truth." That which St. Austin said of himself here in this place, J may truly sa^
''* EpictetUB 77. cap. quo sum riestinatu;, et fequar
alacriter. "<"'Let whosoever r.ovetd it, occupy
the lushest pinnacle of fame, sweet traiii|uillity fhall
satisfy me." '* pmtjanus ep. (ii '"^Marullus.
" 'I'he immortal Muses confer imperishable pride of
ori;;in." " Hue erit in votis, modus ai;ri non ita
parvus, Hortus uhi et tecto viciiius jiisis aqure fon<i.
leek not, in Blrire, to load it lavivhly." iQuid nAn
hiihet melius p.'iilper quaui iIiv>-h? vilani, valeludineni,
cihum, fomnuiii. li)M;r(.-iieni, &c. Canl. ■^.Martial
I 10. epiL'. 47. read it out lliyseif in the aulh'ir. Mfon-
fesii. lib.*). Tr:ineien« per lirurii qui iid.'nn Medjolanen-
Hem, animailverti pau|M.-rein queiidain niendirum, jam
rri'doKalurum, jocaiitem alque ridenlem. el iiigeinui e-t
uaulum sylv;e,&.c. (lor. Sat. 6. lib. i. Ser. '' Hieronym. | liKutuf num cum amicis qui mecuni eraiil. &c. •» Et
'J Seneca consil ad Albirium c. Jl. ipii contiiiel se intra i certe ille lu.-labatur. eco aiilius; seriirun die, ego Irepi-
liaturo: Inniles, paupertateni non senlit ; qui excedit, dus. Et m |».-rronturi-tur inc qui'piiim iin rxullarn
euiii in opibus paupt-rtas se(|uilur. <^ Mom. IJ. pro mallein, an inetuere, reg|MiMd<-ri-ni. exullar>- : el »i rursiia
Ins qua; accepisli gralias a!;e, nidi indi^'iiare pro his I inlerro^iaret an e^o talis esuem. an 1111:1114 ounc sum.
qua; non accepisti. " Nat. Chyireus deliciis Eump. j me ipsm curis coufecluai eligercm ; »ed perven-itatr,
Giistoiiii in it-dibus Hubiinis in cceiiaculo i reKione 1 uun rerilate.
oieuaa:. "If your table aOurd frugal fare with peace, |
Mem. -3.] Remedies against Discontents. 361
to thee, thou discontented wretch, thou covetous niggard, thou churl, tl.ou ambitious
and swelUng toad, 'tis not want but peevishness which is the cause of thy woes ;
settle thine affection, thou hast enough.
*" " Deniqiie sit finis quaerendi, qiioque habeas plus,
Pauperii'in iiiuliias iiiiniis, et fiiiire laboreiu
Incipias; parto, quod avebas, ulere."
Make an end of scraping, purchasing this manor, this field, that house, for this and
that child ; thou hast enough for thyself and them :
■ " Quod petis hie est.
Est Ulubris, animus si It nou deficit aequus,"
'Tis at hand, at home already, which thou so earnestly seekest. But
' O si an^ulus ille
Proxiraus accedat, qui nunc denormat agellum,"
O that I had but that one nook of ground, that field there, that pasture, 0 si veniwi
argenti fors quis mihi monslret . O that I could but find a pot of money now,
to purcliase, &c., to build me a new house, to marry my daughter, place my son.
Sec. ^'^ " O if I might but live a while longer to see all things settled, some two or
three years, I would pay my debts," make all my reckonings even : but they are
come and past, and thou hast more business than before. " O madness, to think to
settle that in thine old age when thou hast more, which in thy youth thou canst not
low compose having but a little." ^^ Pyrrhus would first conquer Africa, and then
\sia, et turn suaviter agere, and then live merrily and take his ease : but when Cyneas
rhe orator told him he might do that already, id jam posse Jieri, rested satisfied, con-
ilemning his own folly. Si parva licet componere magnis^ thou mayest do the like,
and therefore be composed in thy fortune. Thou hast enough : he that is wet m a
batli, can be no more wet if he be flung into Tiber, or into the ocean itself : and if
thou hadst all the world, or a solid mass of gold as big as the world, thou canst not
have more than enough; enjoy thyself at length, and that which thou hast; the
mind is all ; be content, thou art not poor, but rich, and so much the riclier as
^ Censorinus well writ to Cerelhus, quanta pauciora optas, non quo plura possides.,
in wishing less, not having more. J say tlien, JYon adjice opes, sed minue cupiditates
('tis ^'Epicurus' advice), add no more wealth, but diminish thy desires ; and as
*^Chrysostom well seconds him. Si vis ditari.^ contemnc divinas; that's true plenty,
not to have, but not to want riches, non habere, sed non indigere, vera ahundantia:
'tis more glory to contemn, tlian to possess ; et nihil agere, est deorum, '■' and to want
nothing is divine." How many deaf, dumb, halt, lame, blind, miserable persons
could i reckon up that are poor, and withal distressed, in imprisonment, banishment,
galley slaves, condemned to the mines, quarries, to gyves, in dungeons, perpetual
ihraldom, than all which tiiou art richer, thou art more happy, to whom thou ait
able to give an alms, a lord, in respect, a petty prince : ^*be contented then 1 say,
lepine and mutter no more, "for thou art not poor indeed but in opinion."
Yea, but this is very good counsel, and rightly applied to such as have it, and will
not use it, that have a competency, that are able to work and get their living by the
sweat of their brows, by their trade, tliat have something yet; he that hath birds,
may catch birds; but what shall we do that are slaves by nature, impotent, and
unable to help ourselves, mere beggars, lliat languish and pine away, that have no
means at all, no hope of means, no trust of delivery, or of better success ? as those
old Britons complained to their lords and masters the Romans oppressed by tlie
Picts, maj-e ad barbaros, barbari ad mare, the barbarians drove them to the sea, the
sea drove them back to the barbarians : our present misen,^ compels us to cry out
and howl, to make our moan to riclr men : they turn us back with a scornful answer
to oui misfortune again, and will take no pity of us ; they commonly overlook their
poor friends in adversity ; if they chance to meet tliem, they voluntarily forget and
will take no notice of them ; they will not, they cannot help us. Instead of coni-
**Hor. " Hnr. ep. lib. 1. mq si nunc niorerer,
inquit, quanta et qualia mihi imperfucta inHiierpnt:
sed si niensihus decern vel octo super vixero, oniiiia re-
diffaiM ad Iibelliun, al) onini dohito creditoque nie expli-
cabo ; pra;tereunt interim menses decern, el octo. et cum
illisanni, et adhuc restani plura quam prius ; quid igitur
Bperas. O insane, fineiii quern rebus tuis non inveneras ' opinione labores.
46 2F
in juventa, in senecla impositurum? O demenliam,
qiium oh curas et negotia tuo jiiri-cio sis infelix, quid
piitas futurum quuni plura supererint ? Prindan Iib.8.
cap. -lO. de rer. var. "piutarih. « I,ib. dp nalali.
cap. 1. 31 Apud Stobfum ser. 17. *2 Hoin. Yi. in 2.
\nn in paupertate, sed in paupere (Senec.) noil re, sed
302 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3.
fort they threaten us, miscal, scoff at us, to aggravate our misery, give us bad lan-
guage, or if they do give good words, what''s that to relieve us ? According to that
of Thales, Facile est alios monere; who cannot give good counsel ? 'tis cheap, it
costs them nothing. It is an easy matter when one's belly is full to declaim against
fisting, Qui salur est plcno laudat jcjunia ventre; '^ Doth the wild ass bray when
he hath grass, or loweth the ox when he hath fodder .'" Job vi. 5. "^JS'eque enim
populo Rnmano quidquam potest esse Icetius, no man living so jocund, so merry as
the people of Rome when they had plenty ; but when they came to want, to be
hunger-starved, '' neither shame, nor laws, nor arms, nor magistrates could keep
them in obedience." Seneca pleadeth hard for poverty, and so did those lazy phi-
losophers : but in the meantime ^ he was rich, they had wherewithal to maintain
themselves; but doth any poor man extol it? There '' are those (sailh '■'* Bernard)
that approve of a mean estate, but on that condition they never want themselves :
and some again are meek so long as they may say or do what they list ; but if oc-
casion be offered, how far are they from all patience r" I would to God (as he said)
^ "• No man should commend poverty, but he that is poor," or he that so much
admires it, would relieve, help, or ease others.
*>" Nunc si iins auilis, alque es divinus Apollo, I " Now if thou bcar'iit us, and art a good man.
Die inihi, qui nummus non liatnit, uiiile pi-tat :" | Tell liini tliut wants, tu get means, il'you can."
Rut no man hears us, we are most miserably dejected, the scum of the world. ^Vix
hahrt in nobis jam nova plaga locum. We can get no relief, no comfort, no succour,
"*£/ 7iihil invcni quod mihi ferret opem. We have tried all means, yet lind no re-
medy : no man living can express the anguish and bitterness of our soul*>, but we
lliat end^ue it; we are distressed, fmsaken, in torture of body and mind, in anotiier
hell : and what shall we do ? When 'Crassus the Roman consul warred against the
Rarthians, after an uiducky battle fought, he fled away in the night, and left four
thousand men, sore, sick, and wounded in his tents, to the fury of the enemy, which,
w hen the poor men perceived, clumoribus et uhilutihus omnia comphrunt., they made
lamentable moan, and roared downright, as loud as Homer's .Mars when he was hurt,
which the noise of 10,000 men coulil not drown, and all for fear of present death.
Rut our estate is far more tragical and miserable, much more to be deplored, and far
greater cause have we to lament ; the devil and the world persecute us, all gt)od for-
tune hath forsaken us, we are left to the rage of beggary, cold, hunger, thirst, nasti-
ne.ss, sickness, irksomeness, to continue all torment, labour and pain, to derision and
contempt, bitter enemies all, and far worse than any death ; death alone we desire,
death we seek, yet cannot have it, and what shall we do ? Quod male fers, assuesce;
feres lene accustom thyself to it, and it will be tolerable at last. Yea, but I
may not, 1 cannot, In me consumpsit vires fortuna nocndo, I am in the extremity of
liuman adversity ; and as a shadow leaves the body when the sun is gone, I am now
leh and lost, and quite forsaken of the world. Qui jacet in terra, non habet unde
cadat; comfort thyself with this yet, thou art at the worst, and before it be long it will
either overcome thee or tiiou it. If it be violent, it cannot endure, aut solvelur, aid
ioh-et: let the devil himself and all the plagues of Egypt come upon thee at once,
.^V tu cede malis, sed contra audentior ito, be of good courage ; misery is virtue's
'vhetstone.
' »*rpen», silis, ardor, arene.
Dulcia virluli,
as Cato told his soldiers marching in the deserts of Lybia, "Thirst, heat, sand*, ser-
pents, were pleasant to a valiant man ;" honourable enterprises are accompanied with
laiigers and damages, as experience evinceth : they will make the rest of thy life
relish the belter. But put case they continue ; thou art not so poor as thou wast
born, and as some hold, much better to be pitied than envied. But be it so thou
hast lost all, poor thou art, dejected, in pain of body, grief of mind, thine enemies
insult over thee, thou art as bad as Job; yet tell me (saith Chrysostom) " was Job
]\Ieiii. 3.] Remedies against Discontents. 363
or file devil the greater conqueror ? surely Job ; the 'devil had his gaods, he sat on
the muck-lull and kept his good name; he lost his children, health, friends, but he
kept his mnocency; he lost his money, but he kept his confidence in God, which
was better than any treasure." Do thou then as Job did, triumph as Job did, ' and
he not molested as every fool is. Sed qua ratione potcro? How shall this be done?
Chrysostom answers, faciVe si cesium cogitaveris, with great facility, if thou shalt
but medilate on heaven. ^Hannah wept sore, and troubled in mind, could not eat •
'^ but why weepest thou," said Elkanah her husband, '^ and why eatest thou not?
why IS thine heart troubled.? am not I better to thee than ten sons?" and she was
quiet. Thou art here « vexed in this world; but sav to thyself, " Why art thou
troubled, O my soul .?" Is not God better to thee than all temporalities, and mo-
mentary pleasures of the world .? be then pacified. And though thou beest now
peradventure in extreme want, ' it may be 'tis for thy further good, to try thy patience
as it did Job's, and exercise thee in this life : trust in God, and rely upon liim, and
thou shalt be ** crowned in the end. What's this life to eternity .? The world hath
forsaken thee, thy friends and fortunes all are gone : yet know this, that the very
hairs ot thine head are numbered, that God is a spectator of all thy miseries, he
sees thy wrongs, woes, and wants, ^c; ^Tis his good- will and pleasure it should be
so, and he knows better what is for thy good than thou thyself His providence is
over all, at all times ; he hath set a guard of angels over us, and keeps us as the
apple of his eye," Ps. xvii. 8. Some he doth exalt, prefer, bless with worldly riches,
honours, offices, and preferments, as so many glistering stars he makes to shine
above the.rest: some he doth miraculously protect from thieves, incursions, sword,
fire, and all violent mischances, and as the '" poet feigns of that Lycian Pandarus,
Lycaon's son, when he shot at Menelaus the Grecian with a strong arm, and deadly
arrow, Pallas, as a good mother keeps flies from her child's face\sleep, turned by
the shaft, and made it hit on the buckle of his girdle ; so some he solicitously de-
fends, others he exposeth to danger, poverty, sickness, want, misery, he chastiseth
and corrects, as to hnn seems best, in his deep, unsearchable and secret judo-ment,
and all for our good. " The tyrant took the city (saith " Chrysostom), God d'ld not
hmder it ; led them away captives, so God would have it ; he bound them, God
yielded to it : flung them into the furnace, God permitted it : heat the oven hotter.
It was granted : and when the tyrant had done his worst, God showed his power,
and the children's patience; he freed them :" so can he thee, and can '^help in an
instant, when it seems to him good. "^"Rejoice not against me, O my enemy; for
though I fall, I shall rise : when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall lighten me." Re-
member all those martyrs what they have endured, the utmost that\uman rage and
kiry could invent, with what "patience they have borne, with what willino-ness em-
biaced it. ''Though he kill me," saith Job, "I will trust in him." Justus ''inex-
pug/mbais, as Chrysostom holds, a just man is impregnable, and not to be overcome.
The gout may hurt his hands, lameness his feet, convulsions may torture his joints,
but not rectum mentem^ his soul is free.
" nempe pecus, rem, I ,. " Pf^rhaps, you mean,
Lcclos, argentum lollas licet; in manicis, et ^?.-^ cattle, money, moveables or land,
t'ompeUibus ssvo teneas custode" ^"^" ^^^'' ''"'"' 'il'— ""l. slave, if [ command,
I A cruel jailor shall thy freedom seize."
''Take away his money, his treasure is in heaven : banish him his country, he is
an inhabitant of that heavenly Jerusalem : cast him into, bands, his conscience is
» An quum super fimo scilit Job, an eum omnia ab- i concessit, &c. i^Psgl. cxiii. Do terra iriopHm de
stuht diaboliis, &c. pecuniis privatus tiduciam deo ha- I steicore erigit pauperem. "Micah. viii. 7. " Pn.'i'ne,
buit, omni thesauro preciosiorem. « Ha;c videnles
sponte philosophemini, ncc insipientum alt'ectihus agi-
temur. 4 I Sam. i. 8. « James i. '2. '■ My brethren,
count it an exceeding joy, when you fall into divers
temptations." i Alfliclio dat intellectnm ; (|uus Deus
diligit caiitigat. Deus optimum quemque aut mala vale-
tudine aut luctn alJicit. Seneca. »auani sordet mihi
terra quum cmlum intueor. «Senec de providentia
cap. -2. Diis itu visum, dii melius norunt quid sit in
commodum menm. '"Hom. Iliad 4. "Hom 9 o ■ ••
voluiturbemtvrannuseverierre, et Deusnon probibu'it f^'"""^'" ^ ^"/P"^ internciet, at iterum resurget; cum
voluU capl.vos ducere, non impedivit; volu^Crl; I""'''" P"'"^' "l"' '"'" ^"'^^
preme, ego cum Pindaro, aSd-itTiOTo; hfii. ojj ^tAAoj
ut' aXfia immersibilis sum sicut suber super maris sep-
tum. Liipsius. '= Hie ure, hie seca, ut in a;ternum
parcas, Austin. Diis fruitur iratis, supcral et crescit
nialis. Mutium ignis, Fabricium paupertas, Kegulum
tormenta, Socratem venenum superare nou potuit.
"6Hor. epist. lb. lib. 1. i" Honi. 5. Auferr-t ptcunias^
at habet in coelis : patria dejiciet ? at in coilestem civi-
tatem mittet: viiicula injiciet? at habet solutam con-
364
Cure of Melancholy.
[Part. 2. Sect. 3
free; kill his body, it shall rise again; he fights with a shadow that contends with
an upriglit man :" lie will not be moved.
' si fracttis illabatur orbis,
Iiiipaviduin ferient ruinse."
Though heaven itself should fall on his head, he will not be offended. He is im-
penetrable, as an anvil hard, as constant as Job.
'8" Ipse diMis siinul atque volet me solvet opinor." 1 " A God .shall set nie free whene'er I pleaso."
Be thou such a one ; let thy misery be what it will, what it can, with patience en-
dure it ; thou mayest be restored as he was. Terris proscriptus, ad curiam propcra;
ah hominihus deserlus^ ad deumfugc'. " The poor shall not always be forgotten, the
patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever," Psal. x. xviii. ver. 9. " The
Lord will be a refuge of the oppressed, and a defence in the time of trouble."
" Serviis Epictetus, inultilati corporis, Iriis
I'auper: at hxc inier charus ltui superis.'
" Lame was Epiilrtus, and pour Irus,
Vet to them both God was propitious."
Lodovicus Vertomaimus, that famous traveller, endured much misery, yet surely,
saith Scaliger, he was vir deo charus, in that lie did escape so many dangers, '• God
especially protected him, he was dear unto him :" Modo in egestale, irtbulalion'^^
convalle diplorationis, Sfc. " Thou art now in the vale of misery, in poverty, in
agony, '^ in temptation; rest, eternity, happiness, immortality, shall be thy reward,"
as Chrysostom pleads, '* if thou trust in God, and keep thine innocency." A'o/i si
mule nunc, el oliin sic crit semper; a good hour may come upon a sudden; ^expect
a little.
Yea, but this expectation is it which tortures me in the mean time ; ^^fulura
expectans prcvsentilus angor, whilst the grass grows the horse starves : '^ despair not,
but hope well,
»" Spera Batte, tibi ineliiis lux Crastiiia ducet ;
Duiii gpiras sfiera"
Cheer up, I say, be not dismayed ; Spes alii agricolas: " he that sows in tears, shall
reap in joy," Psal. cxxvi. 7.
*' Si fortune me tormenle,
I:l>peraiice Die coiitente."
Hope refresheth, as much as misery depresseth ; hard beginnings have many times
prosperous events, and that may happen at last which never was yet. '' A desire
accomplished delights the soul," Prov. xiii. 19.
M., /-. . • . t- w .• I '• Which iiiakea m" enjoy my joyit lone wish'd al la^l,
«" Grata superveniet qu* non Bp«rabilur hora :" | vVdcome that hour thall co.no when hope ,h past :"
a lowering morning may turn to a fair afternoon, ^'jYube solct pulsd candidus ire
dies. " The hope that is deferred, is the fainting of the heart, but when the desire
Cometh, it is a tree of life," Prov. xiii. 12, ^ suavissimum est voli compos fieri.
Many men aie both wretched and miserable at first, but afterwards most huppv :
and oftentimes it so falls out, as *^Machiavel relates of Cosmo de Medici, that
fortunate and renowned citizen of Europe, *•' that all his youth was full of per-
plexity, danger, and miser\', till forty years were past, and then upon a sudden
the sun of his honour broke out as through a cloud." Hunniades was fetched
out of prison, and Henry the Third of Portugal out of a poor monastery, to be
crowned kings.
" Multa cuduiit inter caliceni supremaque labra," | " .Many things happen b<;tween the cup and the lip,'
beyond all hope and expectation many things fall out, and who knows what may
happen ? JS'ondum omnium dierum Soles occiderunt, as Philippus said, all the suns
are not yet set, a day may come to make amends for all. " Though my father and
mother forsake me, yet the Lord will gather me up," Psal. xxvii. 10. " Wait patiently
on the Lord, and hope in him," Psal. xxxvii. 7. " Be strong, hope and trust in
the Lord, and he will comfort thee, and give thee thine heart's desire," Psal
xxvii. 14.
" Sperate et vosmet rebus Ecrvate secundig." | " Hope, and reserve your»elf for proiiperiiy."
••Leonides. "Modo in pressure, in tentatinni
bus, erit pustea honum luum requies, iPterniias, iinrnor-
talitaa. ^^Dabil Deus his quoquc tiiiern. '' Se-
neca. 'S Nemo desperet nieliora lapsus. * Thco
cxilua. " Hope on, Battus, tomorrow may bring b<-tter
luck; while there's life there'* hnpo." »«Ovi(l
»Ovid. MThales. a^ Lib. 7. Flor. hirl (im-
niuiu fxlicissiniild, et lociipletis«iiiiii<i. tec. inrarx rata*
siEpn adoleicentiam (tericulo mortis habuil.itoliciluaiui*
et digcriminiii pleuam, Ac.
Mem. 3. Remedies against Discontents. 365
Fret not thyself because thou art poor, contemned, or not so well foi the present as
thou wouldest be, not respected as thou oughtest to be, by birth, place, worth ; or
that which is a double corrosive, thou hast been happy, honourable, and rich, art
now distressed and poor, a scorn of men, a burden to the world, irksome to thyself
and others, thou hast lost all : Miscrmn est fidsse felicejn, and as Boethius calls it,
Infelicisflmiim genus infortunii; this made Timon half mad with melancholv, to
think of his former fortunes *and present misfortunes : this alone makes many mise-
rable wretches discontent. I confess it is a great misery to have been happy, the
quintessence of infelicity, to have been honourable and rich, but yet easily to be
endured : ^* security succeeds, and to a judicious man a far better estate. The loss
of thy goods and money is no loss; ^'' thou hast lost them, they would otherwise
have lost thee."" If thy money be gone, ^"thou art so much the lighter," and as
Saint Hierome persuades Rusticus the monk, to forsake all and follow Christ : '' Gold
and silver are too heavy metals for him to carry that seeks heaven."
3'- Vel nos in mare proximum, I Siimnii materiain inali
Gejiinias et lapidt-s, aurum et inutile, | Mittamus, scelerum si bene pcenitel."
Zeno the philosopher lost all his goods by shipwreck, ''^he might like of it, fortune
had done him a good turn : Opes d ?«e, animum auferre non potest: she can take
away my means, but not my mind. He set her at defiance ever after, for she could
not rob him that had nought to lose : for he was able to contemn more than they
could possess or desire. Alexander sent a hundred talents of gold to Piiocion of
Athens for a present, because he heard he was a good man : but Phocion returned
liis talents back again with a permitte me in posferum virum honum esse to be a good
man still ; let me be as I am : J\''on rn'i aurum posco, nee mi precium^^ That The-
ban Crates flung of his own accord his money into the sea, abite nummi, ego vos
mergam., ne mcrgar^ a vohis, I liad rather drown you. than you should drown me.
Can stoics and epicures thus contemn wealth, and shall not we that are Christians ?
It was mascula vox et pra;cJara, a generous speech of Cotta in *'Sallust, 'Olany
mi:?eries have happened unto me at home, and in the wars abroad, of which by the
lielp of God some I have endured, some I have repelled, and by mine own valour
overcome : courage was never wanting to my designs, nor industry to my intents :
prosperity or adversity could never alter my disposition. "A wise man's mind," as
Seneca liolds, ''^"is like the state of the world above the moon, ever serene." Come
then what can come, befall what may befall, infractum invictumque ^ animum oppo-
vas: Rebus angusiis animosus atque for tis appare. [Hor. Od.W.Ub.l.) Hope and
patience are two sovereign remedies for all, the surest reposals, the softest cushions
to lean on in adversity :
3;" Durum sed Ii viu3 fit patientia, I „,. ^ , , ,
Uuicquid corrigere est nefas." | " What can't be cured must be endured."
If it cannot be helped, or amended, ^^make the best of it; ^^ necessitati qui se accom-
modate sapit, he is wise that suits himself to the time. As at a game at tables, so do
by all such inevitable accidents.
«>•' Ita vita est hominum quasi cum ludas tesseris,
Si illud quod est maxinie opus jactu non cadit,
Illud quod cecidit forte, id arte ut cornsas;"
If thou canst not fling what thou wouldst, play thy cast as well as thou canst
Everything, saith ■*' Epictetus, hath two handles, the one to be held by, the other not:
'tis in our choice to take and leave whether we will (all which Simplicius's Com-
mentator hath illustrated by many examples), and 'tis in our power, as they say, to
make or mar ourselves. Conform thyself then to thy present fortune, and cut' thy
coat according to thy cloth,*^ Ut quimus (quod aiunt) quando quod volumus non licet,
ssLiEtior successit securitas que simul cum divitiis • tute mea; nuiiquarn animus negotio defuit, nee decretij
cohahitare ni-scit. Camden. 29 Pecuniaui perdiclisti, labor; nulla res nee prospers nee ailversa; in^eniuni
fortassis ilia te perderet nianens. Seneca. soExpe- mutabant. 35 Quaijs mundi statis supra luiiani
ilitior es oh pecuniarum jacturam. Fortuna opes au- : semper serenus. ^6 Bona mens nullum irislioria
ferre, non animum potest. Seneca. =' Hnr. " Let \ fortunae recipit incursum, Val. lib. 4. c. 1. Qui nil po-
us cast our jewels and gems, and useless sold, the cause test sperare, desperet nihil. i' flor. »■ .Equ.-im.
of all vice, into the sea, since ne truly repent of our I m.'m.-nto rebus in aniuis servare mentem. lib. -J. Od. i
Bins." ^■■' Jubet me posthac fortuna expeditius Phi- I -aEpict. c. 18. «> Ter. Adel. act. 4. So. 7. «' Una-
losopbari. 33" I do not desire riches, nor that a quajque res duas habet ansas, alteram quse teneri, alle-
price should he set upon me." 3< In frag. Quiriies, rain quiE non potest; in manu nostra quaai volumua
EiUlta mihi pericula domi, militice multa adversa fuere, ' accipere. «Ter. And. Act. 4. sc. ti
•juorum alia toleravi, aiia deorum auiilio repuli et vir- ]
2r3
366 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3
« Be contented v;ith thy loss, state, and calling, whatsoever it is, and rest as well
satisfied\\\ ith thy present condition in this life:"
" Esto quod es; quod sunt alii, sine quernlihet esse; I " Be as tliou art ; and as they are, so let
Quod lion es, riolis ; quod pol«s esse, velis." | Others be still; what is and may he covot."
And as he that is •'^invited to a feast eats what is set before him, and looks for no
other, enjoy that thou hast, and ask no more of God than what he tliinks fit to
bestow upon thee. Aon cuivis coulingit adire Corinthum, we may not be all gen-
tlemen, all Catop, or Lxlii, as Tully telleth us, all honourable, illustrious, and serene,
all rich ; but because mortal men want many things, *•*" therefore," saith Theodoret,
" hath God diversely distributed his gifts, wealth to one, skill to another, that rich
men might encourage and set poor men at work, poor men might learn several trades
to the common good." As a piece of arras is composed of several parcels, some
wrought of silk, some of gold, silver, crewel of diverse colours, all to serve for the
exornation of the whole : music is made of diverse discords and keys, a total sum
of many small numbers, so is a commonwealth of several unequal trades and call-
ings. *^ If all should be Crresi and Darii, all idle, all in fortunes equal, who should
till the land? As ^^Menenius Agrippa well satisfu'd the luinulluoiis rout of Koine,
in his elegant apologue of tlie belly and the rest of the members. Who should build
houses, make our several stuffs for raiments } We should all be starved for com-
pany, as Poverty declared at large in Aristophanes' Plutus, and sue at last to be as
we were at first. And therefore God hath appointed this inetjuality of stales, orders,
and degrees, a subordination, as in all other things. The earth yields nuurishinent
to vegetables, sensible creatures feed on vegetables, botli are substitutes to reasonable
souls, and men are subject amongst themselves, and all to higher powers, so God
would have it. All things then being rightly examined and duly considered as they
ought, there is no such cause of so general discontent, 'lis not in the matter itself,
but in our mind, as we moderate our passions and esteem of things. J\'ihil aliud
necessariuin ut sis miser fsaith ^'Cardan) quani ut te miserum credus^ let thy fortune
be what it \vill, 'tis thy mind alone that makes thee poor or rich, miserable or happy.
Vidi ego (saith divine .Seneca) in rUla hilari et amtenii ma-slos, et tnvdiu soliliidiiie
occupalos; mm locus sed animus facit ad tranquilUlatem. I have seen jiien misera-
bly dejected in a pleasant village, and some again well occupied and at good ease in
a solitary desert. 'Tis tlie mind not the place causeih tranquillity, and that gives
true content. I will yet add a word or two for a corollary. Many rich men, I dare
boldly say it, that lie on down beds, with delicacies pampered every da\ , in their
well-iiirnished houses, live at less heart's eaise, with more anguish, more bodily pain,
and throus^h their intemperance, more bitter hours, than many a prisoner or galley-
slave; ^ Mcpcenas in pluma ague vigilat ac Rcgulus in dolio: those poor starved
Hollanders, whom ■'^Barlison their captain left in Nova Zembla, anno 1590, or those
"eight miserable Englishmen that were lately left behind, to winter in a stove in
Greenland, in 77 deg. of lat., 1()30, so pitifully forsaken, and forced to shift for
themselves in a vast, dark, and desert place, to strive and struggle with hunger, cold,
desperation, and death itself'. 'Tis a patient and quiet mind (1 say it again and again)
gives true peace and content. So for all other things, they are, as old ^' Chremes
told us, as we use them.
" Parenle», patriam, anilff«, gf nu», roenato«, divitias,
llnfC pvTiHiU; flint ac illiiis aniiiiUiiqiii ea p<>.<8idel;
Uui uli ;cit. ei (xina ; qui ulilur nun recti-, mala."
" Parents, friends, fortunes, country, birth, alliance, Slc, ebb and flow with our con-
ceil; please or displease, as we accept and construe them, or apply 'them to our-
selves." Fahcr quisque fortunat sua, and in some sort I may truly say, prosperity
and adversity are in our own hands. .Yamc laditurnisi a scipso,iini\ which Seneca
confirms out of his judgment and experience. "•• Every man's mind is stronger than
fortune, and leads him to what side he will ; a cause to himself each one \» of his
♦^Epictetas. Invitatus ad convivium, quiP apponun- t quit aratro terrain ^ulrarct, quii iwinentein farcrel,
tur coiiiedis. non quteris ultra ; in niiindo niiilla meiia* ' qui;* planlas s-reret, qui* vinuin eipriinert'l 7 « lj».
quie dii neeaiit. «*Cap. 6. de providentia. Mor- I lih. I. « Lib. 3. de con*. ♦"S.-nrca. •Vi«l«
t.Tjes cMiii fiiit rerum oinniiini indigi, iclco deus .-tlii« ' inaarum Ponlaiiuin deKnpt. Am^tirdaui. lib. 9. e. ii.
diviii.iH, aliis pauiM-rtafni dislribiiit, ut qui opibis w Vide tjl. Pelhanii book edit. |ti30. (> liiauloa-
pollciit, oiaicrinni siibniini:<tri-nt ; qui vero inop*-*, n- ijm. Act. 1. Sc. i. 'o Epml 'Jr'. Omni forluna »•■
rrcitatun artibus maniu adnioveaal. «^Si tint lentioripae aiiiniuH, in ntrunii|ue part.'m ret tuat ducil
onioes equalea. Decease ect ul oniiies fame pereant : ; beaivque ac miterc Titc aibi causa eai.
Mem. 4.]
Remedies asainst Discontents.
367
good or ba] life." But will we, or nill we, make the worst of it, and suppose a
man in the greatest extremity, 'tis a fortune which some indefinitely prefer beforr;
prosperity ; of two extremes it is the best. Luxuriant animi rebus plerumque spcun-
dis, men in ^^ prosperity forget God and themselves, they are besotted with their
wealth, as birds with henbane : ^^ miserable if fortune forsake them, but more mise-
rable if she tarry and overwhelm them : for when they come to be in great place,
rich, they that were most temperate, sober, and discreet in their private fortunes, as
Nero, Otho^ Vitellius, Heliogabalus {opiirni imj)cratores nisi imperassenf.') degenerate
on a sudden into brute beasts, so prodigious in lust, such tyrannical oppressors, &.c.,
they cannot moderate themselves, they become monsters, odious, harpies, what not ?
Cum triumphos^i opes., honores adcpti sunt, ad voluptatem et otium deinceps se conver-
tunt: 'twas ^^Cato's note, "they cannot contain." For that caiiie belike
66" Eutrapilus ciiicunque nocere volebat,
Vestimenta dabat pretiosa : beatus enim jam,
Cum pulcliris tunicis sumet nova cnnsilia et spes,
Dormiet in lucem scorlo, postponet honestum
Officiiim" •
" Eutrapilus when he would hurt a knave,
Gave hnii gay clothes and wealth to make him brave:
Because now rich he would quite change his mind,
Keep whores, fiy out, set honesty behind."
On the other side, in adversity many mutter and repine, despair, &c., both bad, I
confess,
" " ut calceus o!im
Si pede major erit, subvertet: si minor, uret."
"As a shoe too big or too little, one pincheth, the other sets the foot awry," sed e
malis miniynum. If adversity hath killed his thousand, prosperity hath killed his
ten thousand : therefore adversity is to be preferred ; ^^hcec frceno indigct., ilia solatia:
ilia fallit.,hcec instruit: the one deceives, the •other instructs; the one miserably
happy, the other happily miserable; and therefore many philosophers have volunta-
rily sought adversity, and so much commend it in their precepts. Demetrius, in
Seneca, esteemed it a great infelicity, that in his lifetime he had no misfortune, mise-
Tum Old nihil unquam accidisset adversi. Adversity then is not so heavily to be
taken, and we ought not in such cases so much to macerate ourselves : there is no
such odds in poverty and riches. To conclude in ^^ Hierom's words, " I will ask
our magnificoes that build with marble, and bestow a whole manor on a thread,
what difference between them and Paul the Eremite, that bare old man } They
drink in jewels, he in his hand : he is poor and goes to heaven, they are rich and
go to hell."
MEMB. IV.
Against Servitude, Loss of Liberty, Imprisonment, Banishment.
Servitude, loss of liberty, imprisonment, are no such miseries as they are held
to be : we are slaves and servants the best of us all : as we do reverence our mas-
ters, so do our masters their superiors : gentlemen serve nobles, and nobles subordi-
nate to kings, omjie sub regno graviore rcgnum^ princes themselves are God's servants,
reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis. They are subject to their own laws, and as the
kings of China endure more than slavish imprisonment, to maintain their state and
greatness, they never come abroad. Alexander was a slave to fear, Ciesar of pride,
Vespasian to his money (^nikil enim refert, rerum sis servus an homimmi).,^ Helioga-
balus to his gut, and so of the rest. Lovers are slaves to their mistresses, rich nien
to their gold, courtiers generally to lust and ambition, and all slaves to our affec-
tions, as Evangelus well discourseth in ^'Macrobius, and ^^ Seneca the philosopher,
assiduam servitutem extremam et ineluctabilem he calls it, a continual slavery, to be
so captivated by vices ; and who is free ? Why then dost thou repine i Satis est
potens, Hierom saith, qui scrvire nan cogitur. Thou, carriest no burdens, ihou art
no prisoner, no drudge, and thousands want that liberty, those pleasures which thou
63Fortuna qupm nimium fovet stultum facil. Pub.
Mimus. £■•< Seneca de beat. vit. cap. 14. miseri si de.«e-
rantur ab ea, miseriores si obruantur. -* Plutarch,
vit. ejus. S6 Hor. epist. I. 1. ep. 18. " Hor.
»8 Boeth. 2. 69 Epist. lib. 3. vit. Paul. Ermit. Libet
eos nunc interrogare q.ui domus marmoribiis vcstiunt,
qui uao filo villarum ponunt precia, huic seni mode
quid unquam defuit? vos gemma bihitis, ille concavis
manibus uaturiE satisfecit; ille pauper par;idi.>nm capit,
vos avaros cehenna susciplet. ^''" It matters little
vvhctlier we are enslaved by men or Ihines." ^'Satur.
1. 11. Alius lihidini scrvit. alius ambitioni, omne*
spei, omues timori. w Nat. lib. 3.
368 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3.
hdst. Thou art not sick, and what wouklst thou liave ? But nitimur in vetitum, we
niBst all eat of the forbidden fruit. Were we enjoined to go to such and such places,
we would not willingly go : but being barred of our liberty, this alone torments our
wandering soul that we may not go. A citizen of ours, sailh ^* Cardan, was sixty
years of age, and had never been forth of the walls of the city of Milan; the prince
hearing of it, commanded him not to stir out : being now forbidden that which all
his life he had neglected, he earnestly desired, and being denied, dolore confeclus
mortem obid, he died for grief.
What I have said of servitude, I again say of imprisonment, we are all prisoners.
^ What is our life but a prison .'' We are all imprisoned in an island. The world
itself to some men is a prison, our narrow seas as so many ditches, and when they
have compassed the globe of the earth, they would lain go see what is done in the
moon. In *' Muscovy and many other northern parts, all over Scandia, lliey are
imprisoned half the year in stoves, they dare not peep out for cold. At ^''Aden in
Arabia they are penned in all day long with that other extreme of heat, and keep
their markets in the night. What is a ship but a prison ? And so many cities are
but as so many hives of bees, ant-hills ; but that which thou abhorrest, many seek :
women keep in all winter, and most part of summer, to preserve their beauties ;
some lor love of study: Demosthenes shaved his beard because he would cut olf all
t)ccasions from going abroad : how many monks and friars, anchorites, abandon the
world. Monachus in urbe, jjiscis in arido. Art in prison } Make right use of it, and
mortify thyself; ""-'Where may a man contemplate better than in solitariness," or
study more than in quietness ? Many worthy men have been imprisoned all their
lives, and it hath been occasion of great honour and glory to them, much public
good by their excellent meditation. ®* Hiolemus king of Egypt, cum viribus atltnuatis
injirina valcludinc labordret, miro descendi studio ajleclus, tVc. now being taken with
u irrievous intirmity of body that he could not stir abruad, became Strato's scholar,
Kll hard to his bouk,and gave himself wholly to contemplation, and upon that occa-
sion (^as mine author adds), pulc/urrimnm rft^iip opultnlicB mnnumentum, ^-c.y to his
great honour buUt that renowned library at .Alexandria, wherein were 40,000 volumes,
beverinus Boelhius never writ so elegantly as in prison, Paul so devoutly, for most
of his epistles were dictated in his bands: "Joseph," saith ''* Austin, "got more
credit in prison, than when he distributed corn, and was lord of Pharaoh's house."
It brings many a lewd, riotous fellow home, many wandering rogues it settles, that
would otherwise have been like raving tigers, ruined themselves and others.
Banishment is no grievance at all, Omne solum fort i jmlria, d^-c. et patria est ubi-
cunc/ue bene est, that's a man's country where he is well at ease. Many travel for
pleasure to that city, saith Seneca, to which thou art banished, and what a part of
the citizens are strangers born in other places ? '"Incoltntibus patria, 'tis their coun-
try that are born in it, and they would think themselves banished to go to the place
which thou leavesl, and from which thou art so loath to depart. 'Tis no disparage-
ment to be a stranger, or so irksome to be an exile. "'" The rain is a stranger to the
earth, rivers to the sea, Jupiter in Eg)'pt, the sun to us all. The soul is an alien to
the body, a nigiitingale to the air, a swallow in a house, and Ganymede in heaven,
an elephant at Rome, a Ph(£nix in India; and such things commonly please us best,
which are most strange and come the farthest off. Those old Hebrews esteemed the
whole world Gentiles ; the Greeks held all barbarians but themselves ; our modern
Italians account of us as dull Transalpines by way of reproach, they scorn thee and
thy country which thou so much admirest. 'Tis a childish humour to hone after
home, to be discontent at that which others seek ; to prefer, as base islanders and
Norwegians do, their own ragged island before Italy or Greece, the gardens of ihe
world. There is a base nation in the north, saith''' Pliny, called Chauci, that live
amongst rocks and sands by the seaside, feed on fish, drink water : and yet these
base people account themselves slaves in respect, when they come to Home. Jla est
•J<;o!i?ol. I. 5. "<» aerierose, quid est viia nisi I datur J(>8«ph cum rrumeiita di»tribueret,iic i|iium rarer-
• arc'T aniiiii! « Htrbasttiii. ^ Vertoinannui rem habitarel. '• Boethrun. i> Fhil<»traiiii in
iiaviR. I. 2. c, 4. Comnnrcia in nundinis niKtu hora ! delinis. Pensrini «uiit imltre^ in terra it fluiii in
iw'cunda oh niiiiins qui sff'viunl iiiteriliuiEstijspierctiil. I in.iri Juidltr np'id ^tgypto*. gnl apurl •tiiiiiei ; tufitea
■"fbi vorifpf contfmplHtio qiiaiii in sdlitudine ? ubi aiiiina in corp.re. lunrinia in arre. hirumlo in domo,
studium gohdius quam in quiete ? « Alei. ab Alex. I Ganymedeii calo, See. " I.ib. 16. cap. I. N'ullani frurroi
iitt. diet. lib. 1. cao. 2. ^ in Pi. Ixjvi. non ita lau- I tiab«at Mtus ex laibre : Kt be c«ntea m viacantur, tu
Mem. 5.] Remedies against Discontenls. 369
profecto (as he concludes) multis fortuna parcit in pcenam, so it is, fortune favours
some to live at home, to their further punishment: 'tis want of judgment. All places-
are distant from heaven alike, the sun shines happily as warm in one city as in
another, and to a wise man there is no difierence of climes ; friends are everywhere
to him that behaves himself well, and a prophet is not esteemed in his own country.
Alexander, Caesar, Trajan, Adrian, were as so many land-leapers, now in the east,
n>w in:the west, little at home; and Polus Venetus, Lod. Vertomannus, Pinzonus,
Cadamustus, Columbus, Americus Vespucius, Vascus Gama, Drake, Candish, Oliver
Anort, Schoutien, got all their honour by voluntary expeditions. But you say such
men's travel is voluntary; we are compelled, and as malefactors must depart; yet
know this of " Plato to be true, ultori Deo summa cura peregrinus est^ God hath an
especial care of strangers, " and when he wants friends and allies, he shall deserve
better and find more favour with God and men." Besides the pleasure of peregri-
uation, variety of objects will make amends; and so many nobles, TuUy, Aristides,
Themistocles, Theseus, Codrus, Slc. as have been banished, will give sufficient credit
unto it. Read Pet. Alcionius his two books of this subject.
MEMB. V.
Against Sorrow for Death of Friends or otherwise, vain Fear, S^c.
Death and departure of friends are things generally grievous, ''* Omnium quce.
in humana vita contingunt, Indus atque mors sunt acerbissima, the most austere and
Ditter accidents that can happen to a man in this life, in cBternum imledicere, to part
for ever, to forsake the world and all our friends, 'tis ullimum terribilium, the last
and the greatest terror, most irksome and troublesome unto us, '^Homo tolies moritur,
qv-oties amittit suos. And though we hope for a better life, eternal happiness, after
these painful and miserable days, yet we cannot compose ourselves willingly to die;
the remembrance of it is most grievous unto us, especially to such who are fortunate
and rich : they start at the name of death, as a horse at a rotten post. Say v/hat you
can of that other world, ™ Montezuma that Indian prince, Bonum est esse hie, they
had rather be here. Nay many generous spirits, and grave staid men otherwise, are
so tender in this, that at the loss of a dear friend they will cry out, roar, and tear
their hair, lamenting some months after, howling " O Hone," as those Irish women
and "Greeks at their graves, commit many indecent actions, and almost go beside
themselves. My dear father, my sweet husband, mine only brother's dead, to whom
shall I make my moan .' O me miserum ! Quis dabit in lachrymas fontem, i^c. What
shall I do ?
" 'Sed tolum hoc studiuni luctu fraterna mihi mora I "My brother's death my study hath undone,
Abstiilit, hei misero frater adempte mihi ?" | Woe's me, alas my brother he is gone '."
Mezentius would not live after his son :
""Nunc vivo, nee adhuc homines lucemque relinquo,
Sed linquara"
And Pompey's wife cried out at the news of her husband's death,
W"Tur|)e mori post te solo non posse dolorc,
Violentu luctu et nescia tolerandi,"
as '' Tacitus of Agrippina, not able lo moderate her passions. So when she heard
her son was slain, she abruptly broke off her work, changed countenance and colour,
tore her hair, and fell a roaring downriglit.
**" subitus mi.-erze color ossa reliquit,
Eicussi manibus radii, revolutaque pensa:
Evolat infelix et foemineo ululatu
Scissa comani"
■^ Lib. 5. de legibus. Cumque cognatis rareat el ami-
aiB. majorem apud deos et apud homines misericordiam
meretiir. '< Cardan, de consol. lib. 2. ''^Seneca.
'6 Benzo. " Siinimo mane ululatum oriuntur, pectora
shall resign them." «oLuean. " Overcome by grief,
and unable to endure it, she exclaimed, ' Not to be able t«
die through sorrow for thee were base.' " '"■ 3 Annal.
"2 " The colour suddenly fled her cheek, the distaff for-
percutientes, &.c. miserabile spectaculum exhibentes. [ sook her hand, the reel revolved, and wit* dishevelled
Ortelius in Gra;cia. '»Catullus. "'Virgil. "I locks she broke away, wailing as a womaji
live now, nor as yet relinquish society and life, but I '
47
370 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3.
Another would needs run upon the sword's point after Euryalus' departure,
S3" Figito me, si qua est pietas, in me omnia tela
Coiijicite 6 Rulili ;"
O let me die, some good man or other make an end of me. How did Achilles take
on for Patroclus' departure ? A blacl* cloud of sorrows overshadowed him, sailh
Homer. Jacob rent his clothes, put sackcloth about his loins, sorrowed for liis son
a long season, and could not be comforted, but would needs go down into the grave
unto his son. Gen. xxxvii. 37. Many years after, the remembrance of sncli friends,
of such accidents, is most grievous unto us, to see or hear of it, though it concern
not ourselves but others. Scaliger saith of himself, that he never read Socrates'
death, in Plato's Pha>don, but he wept: ^'Austin shed tears when he read tlie de-
struction of Trov. But howsoever this passion of sorrow be violent, hitter, and
seizeth lamiliarly on wise, valiant, discreet men, yet it may surely be Mithslood, it
may be diverted. For what is there in this life, that it sliould be so dear unto us }
or that we should so much deplore the departure of a friend } The greatest plea-
sures are common society, to enjoy one another's presence, feasting, hawking, liunt-
ing, brooks, woods, hills, music, dancing, &.c. all this is but vanity and loss of time,
as I have sulhciently declared.
> "(lum bibimus, iluin serta, unguenta,
liuellas
rosciuius, olircpit non intellecta senectus."
' WliiUt we drink, prank ourselves, with weiirhea
dally.
Old age upon 'a at unawares duth ?ally."
As alchymists spend that small modicum they have to get gold, and never find it, we
lose and neglect eternity, for a little momentary pleasure which we cannot enjoy,
nor shall ever attain to in this life. We abhor death, pain, and grief, all, yet we will
do nothing of that which should vindicate us from, but rather voluntarily thrust our-
selves upon it. ^^'The lascivious prefers his whore before his life, or good estate;
an angry man his revenge : a parasite his gut ; ambitious, honours; covetous, wealth;
a thief his booty ; a soldier his spoil ; we abhor diseases, and yet we pull them upon
us." We are never better or freer from cares than when we sleep, and yet, which
we so much avoid and lament, death is but a perpetual sleep ; and why should it, as
" Epicurus argues, so much alTright us ? " When we are, death is not : but when
death is, then we are not:" our life is tedious and troublesome unto him that lives
oest; ^" 'tis a misery to be born, a pain to live, a trouble to die :" death makes an
end of our miseries, and yet we cannot consider of it ; a little before ''''Socrates
drank his portion of cicuta, he bid the citizens of Athens cheerfully farewell, and
concluded his speech with this short sentence; "3Iy time is now come to be gone,
I to my death, you to live on ; but which of these is best, God alone knows." For
there is no pleasure here but sorrow is annexed to it, repentance follows it. ^•'•If
I feed liberally, 1 am likely sick or surfeit : if I live sparingly my hunger and thirst
is not allayed ; I am well neither full nor fasting ; if I live honest, I burn in lust ;"
if 1 take my pleasure, I tire and starve myself, and do injury to my body and soul.
*'"0f so small a quantity of mirth, how much sorrow ? after so little pleasure, how
great misery .'" 'Tis both ways troublesome to me, to rise and go to bed, to eat and
provide my meat ; cares and contentions attend me all day long, fears and suspicions
all my lil'e. I am discontented, and why should I desire so much to live .' But a
happy death will make an end of all our woes and miseries ; omnibus una mcis cerla
medeJa mails ; why shouldst not thou then say with old Simeon since thou art so
well afli^cted, '• Lord now let thy servant depart in peace :" or with Paul, '' I desire to
be dissolved, and to be with Christ ?" Bcata mors qua ad bcatam vitam aditum aperit^
'tis a blessed hour that leads us to a '^ blessed life, and blessed are they that die in
the Lord. But life is sweet, and death is not so terrible in itself as the concomitants
of it, a loathsome disease, pain, horror, ice. and many times the manner of it, to be
» Virg. JEn. 10. "Transfix me, O Rtituli. if you have
any piety: pierce me with your thousand arrows."
••Confess. I. I. " Juvenalis. (° Auiatur scMrtiim
vitse prsrponit. iracumlus vindictain, parasitus gulain,
anihitiosus hnnores, avarus opes, inile<> rapiiiuin, fur
prsedaiu ; iiKirbos oflirnus et accersimiis. Card. "^S**.
neca ; quum nu:^ siinius, mors nun adest ; cum vero nmrs
adest, turn ni>s non tiuuius. ^ Bernard, c. 3. mi-d.
sasci uitserum, viverc (xena, angustia mori. i" Plato
Apol. Socratis. Bed jam hora est hinc abire. lu.
*> C'omedi ad satietateni, pravilat nn: otfrndit; parciut
edi, nun i-!<t explelum deiiidfriiiMi ; viMrereai deliciaj
sequnr, liinc niorliiis, la»s>itnitii.&r. » Hern. c. 3. uied.
de lantill.t la-titia, quanta tristitia ; pl<^I laniam vot-jp.
tatem qiiani uraviH niiiiftia ? *' K«l enini mora
pioruni fill traniitusile laburc ad rcfriecriijm, de et
|)ectatione ad prxmiuin, de agone a>J bravium.
Mem. 5.
Remedies eif^ainst Discontenls.
371
hanged, to be broken on the wheel, to be burned alive. '^Servetus the hereuc, that
suffered in Geneva, wlien he was brought to the stake, and saw the executioner come
with fire in his hand, homo viso igne tarn horrendum exclamavit, ut universum popu-
lum perterrefecerU, roared so loud, that he terrified the people. An old stoic would
have scorned this. It troubles some to be unburied, or so :
" non te optima mater
Conilet liNiiii, patriiive oneralut meJiibra sepulcliro ;
Alitihiis lliiL'iiere feris, et j;iiri;ite iiiersiim
I'rula Ceret, piscesque impasti viiliicra lambent."
" Thy gentle parents shall not bury thee,
Amongst thine ancestors enloiuhM to be.
But feral fowl thy carcass shall devour.
Or drowned corps hungry fish maws shall scour.
As Socrates told Crito, it concerns me not what is done with me when I am dead ;
Facilis jactura scpiilchri : J care not so long as I feel it not ; let tliem set mine head
on the pike of Teneriffe, and my quarters in the four parts of the world,
pnscam licet in cruce corves^ let wolves or bears devour me; ^Cmlo tegi.tur
qui non hahet urnam^ the canopy of heaven covers him that hath no tomb. So "like-
wise for our friends, why should their departure so much trouble us.? They are
better as we hope, and for what then dost thou lament, as those do whom Paul
taxed in his time, 1 Thes. iv. 13. "that have no hope.?" 'Tis fit there should be
some solemnity.
95"?ed sepelire decet defunctum, pectore forti, »
Constantes, uniimque diem fletui indulgentes."
Job's friends said not a word to him the first seven days, but let sorrow and discon-
tent take their course, themselves sitting sad and silent by him. When Jupiter him-
self wept for Sarpedon, what else did the poet insinuate, but that some sorrow is
good
'^''Qiiis matrem nisi mentis inops in funere nati
Flere vevat ?"
who can blame a tender mother if she weep for her children ? Beside, as ^^ Plutarch
holds, 'tis not in our power not to lament, Indolentia non cuivis contingif, it takes
away mercy and pity, not to be sad ; 'tis a natural passion to weep for our friends,
an irresistible passion to lament and grieve. "I know not how (saith Seneca) but
sometimes 'tis good to be miserable in misery : and for the most part all grief evacu-
ates itself by tears,"
^ " est qua;dam flero voluptas,
E.^pletur laclirymis egeriturque dolor :"
"yet after a day's mourning or two, comfort thyself for thy heaviness," Eccles.
xxxviii. 17. ^^JYon deed defunctum ignavo qucestu prosequi; 'twas Germanicus'
advice of old, that we should not dwell too long upon our passions, to be desperately
sad, immoderate grievers, to let them tyrannise, there's indolcnticB ars, a medium to
be kept: we do not (saith ""^Austin) forbid men to grieve, but to grieve overmuch.
" I forbid not a man to be angry, but 1 ask for what cause he is so .' Not to be sad,
but why is he sad .' Not to fear, but wherefore is he afraid ?" I require a moderation as
well as a just reason. ' The Romans and most civil commonwealths have set a time to
such solenmities, they must not mourn after a set day, " or if in a family a child be born,
a daugliler or son married, some state or honour be conferred, a brother be redeemed
from his bands, a friend from his enemies," or tlie like, they must lament no more.
And 'lis fit it should be so ; to what end is all their funeral pomp, complaints, and
tears f When Socrates was dying, his friends Apollodorus and Crito, with some
others, were weeping by him, which he perceiving, asked them what tliey meant :
^''for that very cause he put all the women out of the room, upon which words of
his they were abashed, and ceased from their tears." Lodovicus Cortesius, a rich
lawyer of Padua (as ^Bernardiiuis Scardeonius relates) commanded by his last will,
and a great mulct if otherwise to his heir, that no funeral should be kept for him, no
man should lament : but as at a wedding, music and minstrels to be provided ; and
instead of black mourners, he took order, ^ " that twelve virgins clad in green should
'^Vaticanus vita ejus. siLnc. ss n. y. Homer.
" It is proper that, having indulged in becoming grief
ior one whole day, you should commit the dead to the
sepulchre." WQvid. »"Consol. ad Apolon. non est
libertate nostra posilum non dolere. misericordiani abo-
M, &.C »5 0vld, 4Trist. s-s Tacitus lib. 4. '°«Lib.
9. cap. 9 de civitate Dei. Non qnsero cum irascatursed
cur, nur utrtm sit tristis sed unde, non utruni timeat
sed quid timeat. « Festus verbo minuitur. Liictui
dies indicebatur cum liheri nascantur, cum frater abit,
amicus ab hospite captivus domum redeat, puella de-
sponsetur. a Ob banc causam mulieres ablegarara n«
talia facerent; nos hfec audientes erubuimus et desti-
timus a larhrymi.si. 'Lib. 1. class. 8. dc Claris. Juris-
consultis Patavinis. < 12. Innuptx puellie amicts
viridibus pannis, Sec.
372 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3.
carry Iiiin to the church." His will and testament was accordingly performed, and
'le buried in St. Sophia's cliurch. ^Tully M'as much grieved for his daughter Tul-
liola's death at first, untU such time that he had confirmed his mind with some phi^
Visophical precepts, ^'••then he began to triumph over fortune and grief, and for her
reception into lieaven to be much more joyed than before he was troubled for her
loss." If a heathen man could so fortify himself from philosophy, what sliall a
Christian from divinity.^ Why dost thou so macerate thyself? 'Tis an inevitable
chance, tlie first statute in Magna Chartu, an everlasting Act of Parliament, all must
^die.
8 "Constat a-'teriia posiliimfjue lege est,
Vt constet ^eiiituMi nihil."
It cannot be revoked, we are all mortal, and these all commanding gods and princes
*•• die like men:" ' involvit humih; parilir et celsttm caput., (cquatque sumi.iis
injima. "O weak condition of human estate," Sylvius exclaims : '" Ljidislaus, king
of Bohemia, eighteen years of ago. in tlie flower of his youth, so potent, ricli, for-
tunate and happy, in the midst of all his friends, amongst st> many " physicians, now
ready to be '^married, in ihirty-six hours sickened and died. We must so be gone
sooner or later all, and as Calliopeius in the comedy took his leave of his specta-
tors and auditors, Vos valcte et plaudite, Calliopeius recensui^ must we bid liie world
farewell (£x// Calliopeius), and having now played our parts, for ever be gone.
Tombs and monuments have the like fate, data sunt ipsis quoquc fata sejtulchris,
kingdoms, provinces, towns, and cities have their periods, and are consumed. In
those fiourishing times of Troy, Mycenai was the fairest city in Greece, UraciiP.
cunctcp iiiiperitabat, but it, alas, and that "'• Assvrian Nineveh arc (piite overthrown :"
the like fate liatli that Egyptian and Bccolian Thebes, Delos, commune Gnccue con-
ciliabulum, the common council-house of Greece, '*and Babylon, the greatest city
that ever the sun shone on, hath now nothing but walls and rubbish left. ''•' Quid
Pandinnia; reslat nisi nomrn AtynaV Thus "' Paiisanias complained in his time.s.
And where is Troy itself now, Persepolis, Carthage, Cizicum, Sparta, Argos, and all
those Grecian cities.' Syracuse and Agrigentum, the fairest towns iti Sicily, which
liad sometimes 700,000 iniiabitants, are now decayed : the names of Hieron, Empe-
docles, iic, of those mighty numbers of people, only left. One Anacharsis is re-
membered amongst the Scythians; tiie world itself nmst have an end; and every
part of it. Ccpterce igitur tirbrs sunt rnortales, as Peter "Gillius concludes of Con-
stantinople, h(EC sane quamdiu erunt homines, futura niihi vidttur immorlalis ; bnt 'tis
not so: nor site, nor strength, nor sea nor land, can vindicate a city, but it and all
must vanish at last. And as to a traveller great numntaiiis seem jjlains afar off, at
last are not discerned at all; cities, men, monumenLs decay, n>c salidisprodest
xua machina terris,'^ the names are only left, those at length forgotten, and are in-
volved in perpetual night.
"''•^Returning out of Asia, when I sailed from jEgina toward Megara, I began
i^saith Servius Sulspicius, in a consolatory epistle of his to Tully) to view the coun-
try round about. .Egina was behind me, Megara before, Piraeus on the right hand,
Corinth on the left, what flourishing towns heretofore, now prostrate and over-
whelmed before mine eyes? I began to think with myself, alas, why are we men
so much disquieted with the departure of a friend, whose life is much .shorter?
*'When so many goodly cities lie buried before us. Remember, O Servius, thou art
a man ; and with that 1 was much confirmed, and corrected myself" Correct then
likewise, and comfort thyself in this, that we must necessarilv die, and all die, that
we shall rise again: as Tully held; Jucundinrque multu congressus nnster fulurus^
qumn insuavis et ac^rbus digressus, our second meeting shall be much more pleasant
than our departure was grievous.
• Lib. deconsol. * Prsceptis philosophic confirma- I Seventh of France. Obeunt nocteiqup diPMjue. *&
tus adversiis oninem fortuns vim, et te coiisccraia in " AMyriorum regin fumlilus deleta. '-^Oinniiimquot
e(Bliiinr)iic ri-crpla, lanla affectus lu-titia siiin ac volu|i- I unqiiani Sol as\,t;xn urtmiin iiiaxima. "Ovid,
tate. qiiaiitain ammo caperc posgiim. ac cxultare plane " What of ancient Athens hut lh»? nnnip retnainar*
tnihi viilcor, virlnrqiie deomiii doloru et fortuna triiim- | ''Arcad. Iih 8 " Prirfat. Top'tr. (•i)n«i.iririnop.
phare. ' Ut lisnum iiri natuni. arista secari. nic •*- Nor can il« own ittnirtiirf prfWirve ih"- »'Ii I L'lohe"*
bominen mori. • Boeth. lib. 2 m^t. 3. » Bocth. j » Epist. 'lull. Iih T *>a'ium tut uppidorun cadaver*
'• Nic. Hen»ol. Breslaer. fol. 47. "Twenty then pre- j ante oc'Jlui projecta jacent.
ten'.. "Xo Magdalen, the daughter of Charles the |
Mem. 5.1 Remedies against Discontents. 372'.
I, but he was my most dear and loving friend, my sole friend,
21 " aiiis dcciderio sit piidor aut modus I .. ^^^d who can blame my woe ?"
Tam cliari capitis?" |
Thou mayest be ashamed, I say with ^Seneca, to confess it, " in sucli a ^ tempest
as this to have but one anchor," go seek another : and for his part thou dost him
great injury to desire his longer life. ^"Wilt thou have him crazed and sickly
still," like a tired traveller that comes weary to his inn, begin his journey afresh,
"or to be freed from his miseries; tliou hast more need rejoice that he is gone."
Another complains of a most sweet wife, a young wife, JS'ondwn suslulcrat flavum
Proserpina cri7icm^ such a wife as no mortal man ever had, so good a wife, but she
is now dead and gone, lathaioqac jacet condila sarcophago. I reply to him in Se-
neca's words, if such a woman at least ever was to be had, ^'' " He did either so find
or make her; if he found her, he may as happily find another;" if he made her, as
Critobulus in Xeiiophon did by his, he may as good cheap inform another, i:t bona
tam scquitur., quani bona prima fait ; he need not despair, so long as the same master
is to be had. But was she good .'' Had she been so tired peradventure as that Ephe-
sian widow hi Petronius, by some swaggering soldier, she might not have held out.
Many a man would have been willingly rid of his : before thou wast bound, now
thou art free-, ^®''and 'tis but a folly to love thy fetters though they be of gold."
Come into a third place, you shall have an aged father sighing for a son, a pretty
child ;
2? " Inipiibe pectus quale vel impia ] " He now lies asli-pp,
Molliret Tliracuin pectora." j Would make an impious Tliracian weep."
Or some fine daughter that died young, JVondum expcrta novi gaudia prima tor-
Or a forlorn son for his deceased father. But why.? Prior exiit., prior inlravit., he
came first, and he must go first. ^^Tu frustra pius., hcu., Sfc. What, wouldst thou
have the laws of nature altered, and him lo live always.? Julius Cssar, Augustus,
Alcibiades, Galen, Aristotle, lost their fathers young. And why on the other side
shouldst thou so heavily take the death of thy little son t
2^" Nutn quia nec fato, merila nee morte peribal,
Sed mi.s(;r ante diem"
he died before his time, perhaps, not yet come to the solstice of his age, yet was he
not mortal ? Hear that divine '^Epictetus, " If thou coA^et thy wife, friends, children
should live always, thou art a fool." He was a fine child indeed, dignus ApoUineis
lachrytnis, a sweet, a loving, a fair, a witty child, of great hope, another Eteoneus,
whom Pindarus the poet and Aristides the rhetorician so much lament; but who can
tell whether he would have been an honest man .? He might have proved a thief, a
rogue, a spendthrift, a disobedient son, vexed and galled thee more than all the world
beside, he might have wrangled with thee and disagreed, or with his brothers, as
Eteocles and Polynices, and broke thy heart; he is now gone to eternity, as another
Ganymede, in the *' flower of his youth, "• as if he had risen," saith ^^Plutarch, " from
the midst of a feast" before he was drunk, " the longer he had lived, the worse he
would have been," et quo vita longior., (Ambrose thinks) culpa numcrosior., more sin-
ful, more to answer he would ha\e had. If he was naught, thou mayest be glad he
is gone; if good, be glad thou hadst such a son. Or art thou sure he was good .' (l
may be he was an hypocrite, as many are, and howsoever he spake thee fair, perad-
venture he prayed, amongst the rest that Icaro Menippus heard at Jupiter's whisper-
ing place in Lucian, for his fadrer's death, because he now kept him short, he was
to inherit much goods, and many fair manors after his decease. Or put case he was
very good, suppose the best, may not thy dead son expostulate with thee, as he did
in the same ^^ Lucian, "why dost thou lament my death, or call me miserable that
am much more happy than tiiyself.? what misfortune is befallen me? Is it because 1
:i Hor. lili. 1. Od. 24. »^ Dc remed. fortuit. 23 gru- \ Menan. 32 Consul, ad Apol. Apolloniu? filius t;iui«
be=ce lanta tfmpr-state quod ad unain anchoramstnbas. I in flore dpcessit. ante nos ad icternitaipui dieressiis
"Vis a-cruru.et niorbidum.fitibundum saude potius ^ tanquam e convivio ahiens, priu.equaui in crroreui ali-
qiiod his uialis libcratus sit. 2sU.\orpni hunaui aut 1 quein e temulentia iucidi'ret. quales u\ loui'a .sern-cta
inveiii.sti, aut sir fccisti; si invcneris. aliain liabere te i ycciden; soleiit. ssTmn. 1. Tract, de liictu. Cluiu
p.issee.v h.ic iiit>'lli;aiMUs: si f-reris. bene spores, saKus I me mortuum uiiseriiin vocas, qui tesiim inultD felirior?
est arlife.x. -"Stulti est comp^-des licet aureas aniare. .aut quid aterhi mihi put.'is contisisse? an quia non
-Hor. -" Hor. lib. 1. OJ. 24. ^^ Virg. 4. iT^u. sum malus seuex, ut tu facie ruirrisus, incurvus, ic.
soCap. in. Si id sludes ut uxor, amici. libi-ri perpetiio > () demens, quid t-bi videtiir in vita bfii? nimiruin
vivaiit, stultus es. si Deos quos diligit juvenes rapit, I amicilias, coenas, &c. Longe melius non ;surire quam
2G
374 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3.
am not so bald, crooked, old, rotten, as thou art ? Wliat have I lost, some oi your
good cheer, gay clothes, music, singing, dancing, kissing, merry-meetings, thalami
hibentias, Sfc., is that it? Is it not much belter not to hunger at all than to eat: not
to thirst than to drink to satisfv thirst : not to be cold than to put on clothes to
drive away cold ? You had more need rejoice that I am freed from diseases, agues,
cares, anxieties, livor, love, covetousness, hatred, envy, malice, that 1 fear no more
thieves, tyrants, enemies, as you do." ^Id cincrcm et ^uaiics crrdis curare scjmltos'^
" Do they concern us at all, think you, when we are t)nce dead .^" Condole not
others then overmuch, ''wish not or fear thy death." '■^Sumtnum nee optes diem nee
vieluas; 'jis to no purpose.
" Kxressi c vitii- leruiiiiiis Tarilisqiie luheiisque I " I loft this irksome life with all mine lu'art,
No jierjoru ipsu imirte dehiiic vide.nm." | Lest worse (haii death should happen to my part."
'"Cardinal Brundusinus caused this epitaph in Rome to be inscribed on his tomb, to
show his willingness to die, and tax those that were so loth to depart. Weep and
howl no more then, 'lis to small purpose; and as TuUy adviselh us in the like case,
jS\)n qnos amisimiis, sed quanluin Iiigere par sit cogitcrnus : think w hat we do, not
whom we have lost. So David did, 2 Sam. xxii., ^' While ihe child was yet alive, I
fa.*ted and wept; but being now dead, why siiould I fast.' Can I bring him again.'
I sliall go to hin), but he cannot return to (iic-'^ He that doth otherwise is an inlem-
jifrate, a weak, a silly, and indiscreet man. Though Aiist<nle deny any part of
iiitcnipeiance to be conversant about sorrow, I am of '" Seneca\s mind, "he lliat is
wise is temperate, and he that is temperate is constant, free from j)assion, and he that
is such a one, is witliout sorrow," as all wise men should be. The '"Thiacians
wept still v.hen a child was born, feasted and made mirth when any man was buried:
and so should we rather be glad for such as die well, that they are so happily freed
from the miseries of this lile. When Eieoneus, that noble young Greek, was ski
generally lamented by his friends, rindarus the poet feigns some god saying, Si/ete
homines, wm enim miser csf, «^c. be quiet good folks, this yoimg man is not so mise-
ral)le as you think; -he is neither gone to Styx nor Acheron, sed gloriosus et send
erpcrs heros, he lives for ever in the Elysian fields. He now enjoys that happiness
wliich your great kings so earnestly seek, and wears that garland for which ye con-
teiul. Jf our present weakness is such, we cannot moderate our passions in this
behalf, we must divert them by all means, by iloiiig something elsf, thinking of
another subject. The llahans uiost jiart sleep away care and grief, if it unseason-
ahly seize upon them, I)anes, Dutchmen, Polanders and Bohemians drink it down,
our counlrymen go to plays : do some'hing or other, let it not transpose thee, or !>y
'^'" premetiitation make such accidents familiar," as LHysses that wept for his dog, but
not for his wife, quod parutns esset animo ohfirniato., [Plut. de anim. tranq.) ''accus-
tom ihyselt, and harden beforehand by seeing other men's calamities, and applying
them to thy present estate;" Prmusum est levius quod f nit ante malum. 1 will con-
clude wiih "Epictetus, •» If thou lovest a pot, remember 'tis but a pot thou lovest,
and thou wilt not be troubled when Ms broken : if thou lovest a son or wife, remem-
ber they were mortal, and thou wilt not be so impatient." And for lalse fears and all
olher fortuitous inconveniences, mischances, calamities, to resist and prepare our-
selves, not to faint is best: ^'Stullum est timere quod vitari non potest, 'tis a folly to
fear that which cannot be avoided, or to be discouraged at all,
*^" Nam qiiiiiqiiig Irepiduit pavet vel nptat,
.Abjecit civpeuii), locfiqiie rootus
Neclit qua val.-at Irahi cateiiam."
"ior he that so faints or fears, and yields to his passion, flings away his own
weapons, makes a cord to bind himself, and pulls a beam upon his own head."
(.l.re; iion silire. &.c. Gaude potiui! quod niorb.«( et iiiiiin. Aj-'uefacere noii casibuii delii iiiu*. 'Pull. lib. .1
f^br.s trt",i^>ri:ii, aiif;orem aiiiuii, ice. Ejulutus <|iiid Tugculan. quasi. '"Cnp.S. 8»i ollam ilili;:.n». in. mefito
prod-M quid larhryma;, tec. "Virzil. >^ Hor. le ollaiii dilii-.-re, iiou p.-rturbalMriii .a LMiirra-ia; «•
«Cliytreiisdelicii''ENrniia'. »> Epist.t'o. >S.irilus ilium aut uxorem. iiieiiieiin. iKmiiiiiiii a le dili;;!. 4u
de liior. cen. «^ Priimeditatione facilem n.ldere ! u Seneca. « Boiilh. lib. 1. pro*. 4.
qu-mque caeum. Dutarchus cunsolaliune ad Apollo- 1
Mem. 6.] Remedies against Discontents. 375
MEMB. VI.
Against Envy^ Livor, Emulation., Hatred, Ambition, Self-love, and all other
Affections.
Against those other ^passions and affections, there is no Detter remedy than as
mariners when they go to sea, provide all things necessary to resist a tempest : to
furnish ourselves with philosophical and Divine precepts, other men's examples,
**Periculitm ex aliis faccre, sibi quod ex usu siet: To balance our hearts with love,
charity, meekness, patience, and counterpoise those irregular motions of envy, livor,
spleen, hatred, M'ith their opposite virtues, as we bend a crooked staff another v/ay,
to oppose ^^•' sufferance to labour, patience to reproach," bounty to covetousness,
fortitude to pusillanimity, meekness to anger, humility to pride, to examine ourselves
for what cause we are so much disquieted, on what ground, what occasion, is it just
or feigned ? And then either to pacify ourselves by reason, to divert by some other
object, contrary passion, or premeditation. '^^Meditari secum oportet quo pacto adver-
sam (P.rumnam ferat, Paricla, damna, exilia peregre rediens semjjer cogilct, aut Jilii
pecca/icrn, aut uxor is mortem, aut morbum JilicB, communia esse hcec : fieri posse, ul ne
quid animo sit novum. To make them familiar, even all kind of calamities, that when
they happen they may be less troublesome unto us. In secundis meditare, quo pacto
feras adcersa: or out of mature judgment to avoid the effect, or disannul the cause,
as they do that are troubled with toothache, pull them quite out.
4" " Ut vivat castor, sibi testes ampiitat ipse ; I " The beaver bites otTs stones to save the rest :
Tu quoque siqiia nocent, abjice, cutiis eris." | Do thou tile like with that thou art opprest."
Or as they that play at wasters, exercise themselves by a few cudgels how to avoid
an enemy-s blows : let us arm ourselves against all such violent incursions, which
may invade our minds. A little experience and practice will inure us to it ; vetula
vulpes, as the proverb saith, laqueo liaud capitur, an old fox is not so easily taken
in a snare ^ an old soldier in the world methinks should not be disquieted, but ready
to receive all fortunes, encounters, and Avith that resolute captain, come what may
come, to make answer,
non ulla laborum
O v'lTso nova mi facies inopinaque surgit, " ^" labour comes at unawares to me,
Omnia ptrcepi atque animo mecum ante peregi." | F^r I 'la^e long before cast what may be."
■** " non hoc primum mea pectora vulnus
Senserunt, graviora tuli"
The commonwealth of ^° Venice in their armoury have this inscription, " Happy is
that city which in time of peace thinks of war," a ht motto for every man's private
house ; happy is the man that provides for a future assault. But many times we
complain, repine and mutter without a cause, we give way to passions we may resist,
and will not. Socrates was bad by nature, envious, as he confessed to Zopirus the
physiognomer, accusing him of it, froward and lascivious : but as he was Socrates,
lie did correct and amend himself Thou art malicious, envious, covetous, impa-
tient, no doubt, and lascivious, yet as thou art a Christian, correct and moderate thy-
self 'Tis something, I confess, and able to move any man, to see himself contemned,
obscure, neglected, di.sgraced, undervalued, ^' " left behind;" some cannot endure it,
no not constant Lipsius, a man discreet otherwise, yet too weak and passionate in
this, as his words express, ^- collegas olim, quos ego sine fremifu non intueor, nuper
terra; filios, nunc Mcpcenates et Agrippas habeo, — summo jam monte potitos. But he
was much to blame for it: to a wise staid man this is nothin<j, we cannot all be
honoured and rich, all Cajsars ; if we will be content, our present state is good, and
in some men's opinion to be preferred. Let them go on, get wealth, offices, titles,
honours, preferments, and what they will themselves, by chance, fraud, imposture,
simony, and indirect means, as too many do, by bribery, flattery, and parasitical
insinuation, by impudence and time-serving, let them climb up to advancement in
despite of virtue, let them "go before, cross me on every side," me non offendunt
376 Cure of Melancholy. Tart. 2. Sect. 3.
modo non in ociilos mci/rrrtn/,^ as he said, correcting his former error, they do not
offend me, so long as they run not into mine eyes. I am inglorious and poor, com-
positd pauperlate, but 1 live secure and quiet : they are dignified, have great means,
pomp, and state, they aie glorious ; but what have they with it .? "" Envy, trouble,
anxiety, as much labour to maintain their place with credit, as to get it at first." I
am contented with my fortunes, spectator e longinquo, and love jYeptunum procid a
terra spcctarc furcntem: he is ambitious, and not satisfied with his: "but wliat
**gets he by it .^ to have all his life laid open, his reproaches seen: not one of a
thousand but he hath done more worthy of dispraise and animadversion than com-
mendation ; no better means to help this than to be private." Let them rnn, ride,
strive as so many fishes for a crumb, scrape, climb, catch, snatch, cozen, collogue,
temporise and fleire, take all amongst them, wealth, honour, ^ and get wluit tliey
can, it offends me not :
M " nie nii-a tellua
Lare secretu tuluijue tegat,"
" I am well pleased with my fortunes," ^Vivo et regno simul ista relinqnens.
I have learned " in what state soever I am, therewith to be contented," Pbilip. iv
11. Come what can come, ] am prepared. J\'ave ferar magna an parca, feruf
itnus et idem. I am the same. I was once so mad to bustle abroad, and seek, abou
for preferment, tire myself, and trouble all my friends, sed nihil labor tanlus profecit
nam diim alios amicorum mors avocat, aliis ignotus sum, his invisus, alii large pro-
mittunt,, intercedunt illi meciim soliciti, hi i-ana spe laclant ; dum alios ambio, lios
capto, illis innotcsco, atas pcrit, anni dejluunl, umici fatiganlur, ego deferor, et jam,
mundi tasiis, humano'que satur in/idelitatis acquiesco. **And so I say still ; although
I may not deny, but that I liave had some '*boimtiful patrons, and noble benefactors,
ne sim interim ingratus, and I do thankfully acknowledge it, I have received some
kindness, quod Dens illis bencjicium rependat, si non pro votis,fortasse pro merit is,
more peradventure than I deservi-, though iu)t to my desire, more of them than I did
expect, yet not of others to my desert; neither am I ambitious or covetous, for this
while, or a Suffenus to myself; what I have said, without prejudice or alteration
shall stand. And now as a mired horse that slruggh's at first with all his might and
main to get out, but when he sees no remetly, that his beating will not serve, lies
still, I have laboured in vain, rest satisfied, and if 1 may usurp that of "' Prudentius,
" Iiiveiii |Nirtiini ; *t»:a et fortuna valete, I " .Mine haven 'g fDund, r<<rtuiir anil lio|i)! mlieu.
Nil iiiitii vubiscuui. lutlile nunc alio*." | Muck ulberi ouw, (ur 1 have dune wiili you."
xMOIB. VII.
.igainst Repulse, Muses, Injuries, Conttrnpts, Disgraces, Contumelies, Slanders,
ScoJ's, •^•c.
Repulse.] ] MAY not yet conclude, think to appease passions, or quiet the mind,
till such time as 1 have likewise removed some other <jf their more eminent and
ordinary causes, which produce so grievous tortures and discontents : to divert all,
I cannot hope; to point alone at some few of the chiefest, is that which I aim at.
lU'pulse and disgrace are two main causes of discontent, but to an un(k'r.><iaiuling
man not so hardly to be taken. Ca.'sar himself hath been denied, ''-'and when two
stand equal in fortune, birth, and all other qualities alike, one of necessity must lose.
Why shouldst thou take it so grievously.' It hath a familiar thing for thee thyself
to deny others. If ever)- man might have what he would, we should all be deified,
** Lipeius eplBt. lib. 1. episi. 7. ^ Gloria coinitem | canvaMinif one party, eaptlvatine another, making
liabfl iiividiaiii, pari onere premitur reliiiemlo ac ac- niyfelf kimw n lo a lliini, niv age increiiKii", year* sli<la
quirenilo. » Uuiil aliiiil anil.itiosu* sihi parat <)uafu awav, i am put itt. ami now lir. il i.t' iln- uorld, and
ut prolira ejus pateaiit? nemo vivens qui non habet m iurfe'iled with human wortliJersifirHit. I r. »t conlnii."
vita plura vitu[>eratione <|uan) laiide digiirt ; his malis "The right honourable Lmly Franris 0.>.riie«« Tkiw-
lion melius occurritur. quain si bene latueri*. i* Et i ager of Enter. The l.oril Ik-rkli-y. • Umtiih "O
• unnea I'ania per urbes garrula laudet. '^ Sen. Her. ejus in niiliteni ChriHtianiini eflmr-. Kiifraven lui tliv
fur. "nor. '• 1 live like a kinj; without any of tomb of Kr. Pucciust the Klorenlini- in lli.in.-. flivtr.u*
these arquisitions." »•• But all my lalxiur wa« in deliciiw. >" Fieder.-ihm iii 'MHt l.ari-ilu- lormii uu.
unprofitable : lor while death took off .•'oiiie of uiy nieruin mm eh-ctua rii<it, irratulari »c ilicriia civitstt ut
frieiidii, to others I remain unknown, or litiie liked and habere 300 civea ■« meliure*.
tUeae deceive me with false proiuiiies. Whilst 1 ami
Mem. 7.] Remedies against Siscontents. 377
emperors, kings, princes ; if whatsoever vain hope suggests, insatiable appetite affects,
our preposterous judgment thinks fit were granted, we should have another chaos in
an instant, a mere confusion. It is some satisfaction to him that is repelled, that
dignities, honours, offices, are not always given by desert or worth, but for love,
affinity, friendship, affection, ^^ great men's letters, or as commonly they are bought
i.nd sold. ^ " Honours in court are bestowed not according to men's virtues and
good conditions (as an old courtier observes), but as every man hath means, or more
potent friends, so he is preferred." With us in France (^^ for so their own country-
man relates) " most part the matter is carried by favour and grace ; he that can get
a great man to be his mediator, runs away with all the preferment." Indignissimus
plenimque prcefurtur, Vatinius Catonif illaudatus laudatissimo;
6S " servj (iominaiitur ; aselli
Ornantur phaleris, dephalerantiir eqni."
An illiterate fool sits in a man's seat, and the common people hold him learned,
grave and wise. " Oiie professeth (^' Cardan well notes) for a thousand crowns, but
he deserves not ten, when as he that deserves a thousand cannot get ten." Solarium
non dal muJtis salem. As good horses draw in carts, as coaches. And oftentimes,
which Machiavel seconds, ^^Principes non sunt qui ob insignem virtutem principatu
digni sunt, he that is most worthy wants employment ; he tiiat hatli skill to be a
pilot wants a ship, and he that could govern a commonwealth, a world itself, a king
in conceit, wants means to exercise his worth, hath not a poor office to manage, and
yet all this while he is a better man that is fit to reign, etsi careat regno, though he
want a kingdom, *^"than he that hath one, and knows not how to rule it:" a lion
serves not always his keeper, but oftentimes the keeper the lion, and as "°Polydore
Virgil hath it, multi reges ul pupilli oh inscitiam non regunt sed reguntur. Hieron
of Syracuse was a brave king, but wanted a kingdom ; Perseus of Macedon had
nothing of a king, but the bare name and title, for he could not govern it : so great
places are often ill bestowed, worthy persons unrespected. Many times, too, the
servants have more means than the masters whom they serve, which '' Epictetus
counts an eye-sore and inconvenient. But who can help it ? It is an ordinary thing
in these days to see a base impudent ass, illiterate, unworthy, insufficient, to be pre-
ferred before his betters, because he can put himself forward, because he looks big,
can bustle in the world, hath a fair outside, can temporise, ccUogue, insinuate, or hatii
good store of friends and money, whereas a more discreet, modest, and better-deserv-
ing man shall lie hid or have a repulse. 'Twas so of old, and ever will be, and which
Tiresias advised Ulyses in the " poet, '■^Accipe qua ratione queas ditcsccrc, ^'C-^"
is still in use ; lie, flatter, and dissemble : if not, as he concludes, '■•Ergo pauper
eris,'''' then go like a beggar as thou art. Erasmus, Melancthon, Lipsius, Budajus, Car-
dan, lived and died poor. Gesner was a silly old man, haculo innixus, amongst all
those huffing cardinals, swelling bishops that flourished in his time, and rode on foot-
clothes. It is not honesty, learning, worth, wisdom, that prefers men, " The race is
not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," but as the wise man said, '^Chance,
and sometimes a ridiculous chance. '''^ Casus pier unique ridiculus multos elevavit.
'Tis fortune's doings, as they say, which made Brutus now dying exclaim, 0 misera
virtus, ergo nihil qudni verba eras, atqui ego te tanquam rem exerccbani, sed tu ser-
viebas fortuncB.''^ Believe it hereafter, O my friends ! virtue serves fortune. Yet be
not discouraged (O my well deserving spirits) with this which I have said, it may
be otherwise, though seldom I confess, yet sometimes it is. But to your farther
content, I'll tell you a '^ tale. In Maronia pia, or Maronia faelix, I know not wliether,
nor how long since, nor in what cathedral church, a fat prebend fell void. The
carcass scarce cold, many suitors were up in an instant. The first had rich friends,
S3 Kissing goes by favour. "►> ^Eiieas Syl. de miser, i mille dignus, vix decern coiibeqiii potpst. « Epist.
curial. Dantur honores in ciiriis non secundum honores dedict. disput. Zeubbeo Bnndfimontio, et Co.«mo Ruce-
el virlutfs, sed ut quisque ditiorest alque potentior, eo laio. k) Q,tiuni is qui regiiat, ct rrgnandi sit inipe-
maais honoratur. ^ogegeHius lib. 2. de repub. Gal- ritus. '" Lib. 'i3. liist. " Miiiistri loriipletiores
linuni. Favore apiid nos et gratia plerumque res agitur;
et qui conunnduni aliquem nacti sunt intercessorem,
aditum Ore habeiit ad omnes prKfecturas. 66"Siaves
govprr. ; asses are decked with trappings; horses are
deprived of :heui." 67 Imppritus periti niunus oc-
cupat, et sic apud viilgus habetur. Ille profitetur inille
coronatis, cum nee decern mereatur; alius e diverso 1 Valeiit. Andream Apolog. manip. 5. apol. 3i),
48 2 G 2
sunt iis quibus niinistratur. " Hur. lib. 2. Sat. 5.
" Learn how to grow rich." "s Solomon Eccles. \x. 11.
■■'Sat. Men i p. "^"O wretched virtue! you are
therefore nothing but words, and 1 have all this time
been looking upon you as a reality, while you are your-
self the slave of fortune." "Tale quid est apud
378 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3
a good pur.se, and lie was resolved to outbid any man before he would lose it, eveiy
man supposed he should carry it. The second was my lord Bishop''s chaplain (in
whose gill it was), and he thought it his due to have it. The third was nobly born,
and he meant to get it by his great parents, patrons, and allies. The fourth stood
upon his worth, he had newly found out strange mysteries in chemistry, and other
rare inventions, which he would detect to the public good. The fifth was a painful
preacher, and he was commended by the whole parish where he dwelt, he had all
their hands to his certificate. The sixth was the prebendary's son lately deceased,
his father died in debt (for it, as they say), lelt a wife and many poor children. The
seventh stood upon fair promises, which to him and his noble friends had been for-
merly made for the next place in his lordship's gift. The eighth pretended great
losses, and what he had sutlered for the church, what pains he had taken at home
and abroad, and besides he brought noblemen's letters. The ninth had married a
kinswoman, and he sent his wife to sue for him. The tenth was a foreign doctor,
a late convert, and wanted means. The eleventh M'ould exchange for another, he
did not like the former's site, could not agree with his neighbours and fellows upon
any terms, he would be gone. The twelfth and last was (a suitor in conceit) a right
honest, civil, sober man, an excellent scholar, and such a one as lived private in the
university, but he had neither means nor money to compass it ; besides he hated all
such courses, he could not speak for himself, neither had he any frieruls to solicit
his cause, and therefore made no suit, could not expect, neither did he ho|)e for, or
look alter it. The good bishop amongst a jury of competitors thus perj)lexed, and
not yet resolved what to do, or on whom to bestow it, at the last, of his own accord,
mere motion, and bountiful nature, gave it freely to the university student, altogether
unknown to him but by fame ; and to be brief, the academical scholar had the pre-
bend sent him for a present. The news was no sooner published abroad, but all
good students rejoiced, and were much cheered up with it, though some would not
believe it; others, as men amazed, said it was a miracle; but one amongst the rest
thanked God for it, and said, .Vtinc jurat tandem sludiosuni esse^ct Deo inte^ro curde
servirf. You have heard my tale: but alas it is but a tale, a mere fiction, 'twas
never so, never like to be, and so let it rest. Well, be it so then, they have wealth
and honour, fortune and preferment, every man (there's no reniedy) must scramble
as he may, and shift as he can; yet Cardan comforted himself with this, ''' •• the star
Tomahant would make him innnortal," and that •' after his decease his books should
be founil in ladies' studies: ''' Dit^nitm laude viruin Musa vetat rnori. liut why
shouhlest thou lake thy neglect, thy canvas so to heart? It may be thou art not fit;
but a "^ child that puts on his father's shoes, hat, headpiece, breastplate, breeches,
or holds liis spear, but is neither able to wield the one, or wear the other ; so
wouldest thou do by such an otFice, place, or magistracy: thou art unfit: "And
what is dignity to an unworthy man, but (as "Salvianus holds) a gold ring in a
swine's snout .'" Thou art a brute. Like a bad actor (so '"Plutarch compares such
men in a tragedy, diademafert, at vox non auditur: Thou wouldest play a king's
part, but actest a clown, speakest like an ass. ^JSIagnu jjctis Phaeton et quc£ non
virihus istis^ 6)-c., as James and John, the sons of Zebedee, did ask they knew iu»t
what: 7iescis ttmcrarie nescis; thou dost, as another Suffenus, overween thyself; thou
art wise in thine own conceit, but in other more mature judgment altogether unlit to
manage such a business. Or be it thou art more deserving than any of thy rank, God
in his providence hath reserved thee for some other fortunes, sic sxiperis visum. Thou
art humble as thou art, it may be ; hadst thou been preferred, thou wouldest have
forgotten God and thyself, insulted over others, contemned thy friends, "^ been a
block, a tyrant, or a demi-god, sequiturqnt i^uperbia formam : *'•*■ Therefore," saith
Chrysostom, '■• good men do not always find grace and favour, lest they should be
puffed up with turgent lilies, grow insolent and proud."
Injuries, abuses, are \ery offensive, and so much the more in that they think vetcrem
ferendo invitant novam, "by taking one they provoke another :" but it is an erroneous
'*Stell;i Fomahaiit iminnrtalitalein rialiit. '' I,ih. I •' In Lysamlro. "=Ovi<l. M»-l. ■ «
<1>* Itb. |irii|>ii«. ''» Mor. "The iiiu«p fi>rhiits the praiie- viruiii imiicat. " l.l»-«> Ih>iii virj alui n
worthy man to die." fOUui iniluit thorarem ant non arcipiuni, n«> in •iip«:r'>i«in elfV<-iii . •»
palKam, k.c »> Lib. 4. de gulier. Dei. Quid eat dig. I Jactanlic, oe altitutlo niuneri* ««f l«nli<>i<.« cUictau
uiiaa indigoo nisi circulua aureus in nanbua luia. ^
Mem. 7.] Remedies against Discontents. 379
opinion, for if that were true, there would be no end of abusing ea^h other; Us
litem generat; 'tis much better with patience to bear, or quietly to put it up. If an
ass kick me, saith Socrates, shall I strike him again .' And when ^° his wife Xantippe
struck and misused him, to some friends that would have had him strike her again,
he replied, that he would not make them sport, or that they should stand by and
say, Eia Socrates, eia Xantippe, as we do when dogs fight, animate them the more
by clapping of hands. JMany men spend themselves, their goods, friends, fortunes,
upon small quarrels, and sometimes at other men's procurements, with much vexa-
tion of spirit and anguish of mind, all which with good advice, or mediation of
friends, might have been happily composed, or if patience had taken place. Patience
in such cases is a most sovereign remedy, to put up, conceal, or dissemble it, to
^''forget and forgive, ^^" not seven, but seventy-seven times, as often as he repents for-
give him ;" Luke xvii. 3. as our Saviour enjoins us, stricken, " to turn the other side :"
as our ^^ AposUe persuades us, " to recompence no man evil for evil, but as much as
is possible to have peace with all men : not to avenge ourselves, and we shall heap
burning coals upon our adversary's head." " For ^° if you put up wrong (as Chry-
sostom comments), you get the victory; he that loseth his money, losedi not the
conquest in this our philosophy." If he contend with thee, submit thyself unto him
first, yield to him. Durum et durum nonfaciunt rmirum^as the diverb is, two refrac-
tory spirits will never agree, the only means to overcome is to relent, ohscquio vinces.
Euclid in Plutarch, when his brother had angered him, swore he would be revenged;
but he gently replied, ^' " Let me not live if I do not make thee to love me again,"
upon which meek answer he was pacified.
8- " Flf'Ctitiir obseqiiio ciirvatiis ah arhore ramus,
Frai];;is si vires experire luas."
" A brancli if easily bended yields to thee.
Pull liard it breaks : tlie difference you see."
The noble family of the Colonni in Rome, when they were expelled the city by
that furious Alexander the Sixth, gave the bendiilg branch therefore as an impres.s,
with this motto. Fleet i potest, frangi non potest, to signify that he might break them
by force, but so never make them stoop, for they fled in the midst of their hard
usage to the kingdom of Naples, and w^re honourably entertained by Frederick the
king, according to their callings. Gentleness in this case might have done much
more, and let thine adversary be never so perverse, it may be by that means thou
mayest win him; ^^favore et henevolentla etiam immanis animus mansuescit, soft words
pacify wrath, and the fiercest spirits are so soonest overcome; ^*a generous lion will
not hurt a beast that lies prostrate, nor an elephant an innocuous creature, but is
infestus infcstis, a terror and scourge alone to such as are stubborn, and make resist-
ance. It was the symbol of Emanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, and he was not
mistaken in it, for
95'- Quo qnifciiie est major, magis est placahilis irs,
El t'ar.iltis mollis mens generosa capit."
" A greater man is soonest pacified,
A noble spirit quickly satisfied."
It is reported by ^ Gualter Mapes, an old historiographer of ours (who lived 400
years since), that King Edward senior, and Llewellyn prince of Wales, being at an
interview near Aust upon Severn, in Gloucestershire, and the prince sent for, refused
to come to the king; he would needs go over to him; which Llewellyn perceiving,
'■"went up to the arms in water, and embracing his boat, would have carried him
out upon his shoulders, adding that his humility and wisdom had triumphed over
his piide and folly, and thereupon he was reconciled unto him and did his homage.
If thou canst not so win him, put it up, if thou beest a true Christian, a good divine,
an imitator of Christ, ^^'•'•for he was reviled and put it up, whipped and sought no
revenge,") thou wilt pray for thine enemies, ^''•'and bless them that persecute thee;"
be patient, meek, humble, Sec. An honest man will not ofi'er thee injury, probus non
vuU; if he were a brangling knave, 'tis his fashion so to do; where is least heart is
most tongue ; quo quisque stultior, eo inagis insolescit^ the more sottish he is, still
^■'..^lian. 67 Injuriarum remedium est oblivio.
8* .Mat. xviii. 2-2. Mat. v. 39. ts Rom. xii. 17. sogi
toleras injuriain, victor evadis; qui enim pecuniis pri-
vatus est, non est privatus victoria in hac philosophia.
S'Dispereain nisi te ultus fuero : dispeream nisi ut me
deiucepsameseffecero. ^^ Joach. Canierarius Kmbl.21.
cent. J. S3 Heliodnrus. *>Reipsa reperi nihil
esse bomiui melius facilitate et dementia. Ter. Adelph.
MQvid. 36 Camden in Glouc. s' Usque ad pectus
ingressus est, aquam, &c. cyrabam amplectens, sapien-
tissime rex ait, tua humilitas meani vicit snperbiam,
et sapientia triumpliavit ineptiain ; col!um ascende
quod contra te fatiius erexi, intrabis terrain quam hodia
ficil tuam benigni'as, &c. "--Chrysosloiii, contiimenia
affectus est et ea» yertulit; opprobriis, nee ullusest;
verberibus cisus, nee vif«m reddidit. s' Rom. xii. 14.
380 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3
the more insolent : "*" Do not answer a fool according to his folly." If he be thy
superior, '"bear it by all means, grieve not at it, let him take his course; Anitus
and Melitus ^'Miiay kill me, they cannot hurt me;" as that generous Socrates made
answer in like case. Mens imm'ota manet, though the body be torn in pieces with
wild horses, broken on the wheel, pinched witli fiery tongs, the soul cannot be dis-
tracted. 'Tis an ordinary thing for great men to vilify and insult, oppress, injure,
tyrannise, to take what liberty they list, and who dare speak against ? Miscrutn est
lib eo Icedi., a quo non possis qiieri., a miserable thing 'tis to be injured of him, from
whom is no appeal : ''and not safe to write against hun that can proscribe and punish
a man at his pleasure, which Asinius Pollio was aware of, when Octaviauus provoked
him. 'Tis hard I confess to be so injured : one of Chilo's three (Ullicult things :
*" To keep counsel; spend his time well ; put up injuries:" but be thou j)atient,
and 'leave revenge unto the Lord. *" Vengeance is mine and I will rej)ay, saith the
Lord" — '^I know the Lord," sailh 'David, "will avenge the aiHicted and judge the
poor." — " No man (^as " Plato farther adils) can so severely punish his adversary, as
God will such as oppress miserable men."
>" Iteriiiii ille rem Jiiiticutani jiitlicat,
Slaj<ire((ue iiiulcia luulciat."
If there be any religion, any God, and that God be just, it shall be so ; if thou be-
lievest the one, believe the other : Eril, crity it shall be so. JVcmesis cumes after,
scro scd serio, stay but a little and thou shalt see God's just judgment overtake him.
»»" Raro antuceilenleni sceleslutn I " Y<:t with sure gtepii. IhouKli lamp unit Blr)W,
Ufseruit iiccle jicjtna clauilo." | Vengeanre u'erlakes llie tremtiliiiy villaia'ii Hpt-uil."
Thou shalt perceive that verified of Samuel to Agag, 1 Sara. xv. 33. " Thy sword
hath made many women childU-ss, so shall thy motlier be childless amongst other
women." It shall be done to thent as they have done to others. Conraihnus, that
brave Suevian prince, came with a well-pri'parrd army into tlie kingdom of Naples,
was taken prisoner by king Charles, and put to death in the tlovver of liis youth ; a
little after [uUionem Conrudini mortis, Pandulplius CoUmutius Hist. JWajj. lib. 5.
calls it). King Charles's own son, witli two hundred nobles, was so taken prisoner,
and beheaded in like sort. Not in this only, but in all other oilLiues, quo quisqtie
peccat in eo punietur, " they shall be punished in the same kind, in the same part,
like nature, eye with or in the eye, head with or in the head, persecution with per-
secution, lust with eflects of lust ; let them march on with ensigns displayed, let
drums beat on, trumpets sound taratantarrd, let them sack cities, take the spoil of
countries, murder infants, detlower virgins, destroy, burn, persecute, and tyrannise,
they sliall be fully rewarded at last in the same measure, they and theirs, and that to
their desert.
H" Ad generum Cereris ?ine cjfde et sanguine pauci I " Few tyrants in their beds do die,
Descrndmit reges et sicca umrte lyrauni." | But slaljb'd or maim'd to lall tlicy hie."
Oftentimes too a base contemptible fellow is the instrument of God's justice to
punish, to torture, and vex them, as an ichneumon doth a crocodile. They shall be
recompensed according to the works of their hands, as Haman was hanged on the
gallows he provided for Mordecai; "They shall have sorrow of heart, and be de-
stroyed from under the heaven," Thre. iii. 64,65, 66. Only be thou patient : ^^vincit
qui patitur: and in the end thou shalt be crowned. Yea, but 'tis a hard matter to
do this flesh and blood may not abide it; his ff race, grave! no (Clirysostom replies)
non est grave, b homo', 'tis not so grievous, '*" neither had God commandeii it, it it
had been so difficult." But how shall it be done? "Easily," as he follows it, "if
thou shalt look to heaven, behold the beauty of it, and what God hath promised to
such as put up injuries." But if thou resist and go about vim vi repellere, as the
custom of the world is, to right thyself, or hast given just cause of oflLnce, 'tis no
injury then but a condign punishment; thou hast deserved as much: Ji te princi-
JBoPro. t Contend not with a greater man. Pro. ■'• He adjudicates judgment aijain. and piuiishea with a
• Occiilere possum. » Non facile aut tutum in eum I still greater p«'nally." '" Hur. 3 <»<l 'J. " Wisd.
Bcribere qui potest proscribere. « Arrnna tacere, I xi. fi. n Juvenal. i* Apud Cliriitiiani>* non c|'ji
otiuiii fclecollocare, injuriam posse ferre.dilficillinium. patitur, sed qui facit injuriam miser t-fl. Li-o p-r.
»Psal. ilv. • Rom. xii. ' Psa. xiii. 12. '.Nullus '• .Neque pra;cepis»et Ueus si grave r>iiF*et; sed qua ra.
tarn severe inimicuin suum ulcisci [Mite;:!, quam Deus tione piitero ? facile si calum susp<>xeiis; el tjus pul-
■olet miserorum oppressores. * Arcturus in Plaut. | cbiitudine, et quod poUicelur D«us, &.C..
ilem. 7.J Remedies against Discontents. 381
pimn, .n te recrc^it crimen quod a te fuit ; peccasti,quiesce, as Ambrose expostulates
with Cain, lib. 3. de Mel et Cain. '^Dionysius of Syracuse, in his exile, was made
to stand without doox, patienter ferendiim,fortasse nos tale quid fecimus, quiun in
honore esscrnus., he wisely put it up, and laid the fault where it was, on his own
pride and scorn, which in his prosperity he had formerly showed others. 'Tis
'^Tully's axiom, y^rre ea molestissime homines non dchent, quce ipsorum culpa con-
tractu sunt, self do, self have, as the saying is, they may thank themselves. For
he that doth wrong must look to be wronged again; habet ct miisca splenem, et for-
mica' sua bills inest. The least fly hath a spleen, and a little bee a sting. ''An ass
overwhelmed a thistlewarp's nest, the little bird pecked his galled back in revensre ;
and the humble-bee in the fable flung down the eagle's eggs out of Jupiter's lap.
Bracides, in Plutarch, put his hand into a mouse's nest and hurt her young ones, she
bit him by the finger : '' I see now (saith he) there is no creature so contemptible,
that will not be revenged. 'Tis lex talionis, and the nature of all things so to do :
it' thou wilt live quietly thyself, '^do no wrong to others; if any be done thee, put
it up, with patience endure it, for '^"'- this is thankworthy," saith our apostle, '-if any
man for conscience towards God endure grief, and suffer wrong undeserved ; for what
praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for you faults, ye take it patiently ? But if when
■ you do well, ye suffer wrong, and lake it patiently, there is thanks with God ; for
hereunto verily we are called." Qui mala nonfert, ipse sibi testis est per impaiien-
tiam quod bonus non est., '-he that cannot bear injuries, witnesseth against himself
that he is no good man," as Gregory holds. ^'""Tis ilie nature of wicked men to
do injuries, as it is the property of all honest men patiently to bear them." Impro-
hitas nullo Jlectitur obscquio. The wolf in the -emblem sucked the goat (so the
shepherd would have it), but he kept nevertheless a wolf's nature; "a knave will
be a knave. Injury is on the other side a good man's footboy, hisjidus Achates,
and as a lackey follows him wheresoever he goes. Besides, misera est forluna qucB
caret inimlco, he is in a miserable estate that wants enemies:'^* it is a thing not to
be avoided, and therefore with more patience to be endured. Cato Censorius, that
upright Cato of whom Paterculus gives that honourable eulogiura, bene fecit quod
aliter facere non potuit, was "fifty times indicted and accused by his fellow citizens,
and as ^''Ammianus well hath it, Qulserit innocens si clam vel palam accusasse sujp-
ciat? if it be sufficient to accuse a man openly or in private, who shall be free ? If
there were no other respect than that of Christianity, religidn and the like, to induce
men to be long-suffering and patient, yet methinks the nature of injury itself is suf-
ficient to keep them quiet, the tumults, uproars, miseries, discontents, anguish, loss,
dangers that attend upon it might restrain the calamities of contention : for as it is
with ordinary gamesters, the gams go to the box, so falls it out to such as contend ;
the lawyers get all ; and therefore if they would consider of it, aliena pcricula cautos,
other men's misfortunes in this kind, and common experience might detain them.
"'The more they contend, the more they are involved in a labyrinth of woes, and
the catastrophe is to consume one another, like the elephant and dragon's conflict in
Pliny ;^ the dragon got under the elephant's belly, and sucked his blood so long,
till he fell down dead upon the dragon, and kflled him with the fall, so both were
ruined. 'Tis a hydra^s head, contention; the more they strive, the more they may:
and as Praxiteles did by his glass, when he saw a scurvy face in it, brake it in
pieces : but for that one he saw many more as bad in a moment: for one injury done
they provoke another cum foenore, and twenty enemies for one. JVoli irrilare cra-
hrones, oppose not thyself to a multitude : but if thou hast received a wrong, wisely
consider of it, and if thou canst possibly, compose thyself with patience to bear it.
This is the safest course, and thou shalt find greatest ease to be quiet.
^ I say the same of scoffs, slanders, contumelies, obloquies, defamations, detrac-
is Valer. lib. 4. cap. 1. i^ Ep. Q. frat. i' Came- i missis non excandesces. Epictetus. is piutarch.
rarius, emb. 75. cen. 2. '= Pape, inquit : nullum quinquagies Catoni dies dicta ab inimicis. "^ Lib. 18.
animal lani pusillum quod non cupiat ulcisci. 'k Ciuod ] ^^ Hoc scio pro certo quod si cum stercore cerlo, vinco
tibi fieri n n vis, alteri ne feceris. so j pgt, jj.
s'Siquidem nialorurn proprium est inferre danina, et
bonoruin pedissequa est injuria. s^Alciat. emb.
■^ Naturaiii e.xpellas furca licet usque recurret. 24 By
many indignities we come to dignities. Tibi subjicito
<(uee Sunt aliis. furtum convitia, &c. Et ia lis in te ad-
seu vincor, semper ego maculor. ^ Lib. ri. cap. i
■^Obloquutus est, probrumque tibi intulit quispiam,
sive vera is dixerit, sive falsa, maiimam tibi coronaiR
tesueris si mansuete eonvitium tuleris. Cfc ya. in 6.
cap. ad Rom. ser. 10.
382 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3
tions, pasquilling libels, and the like, which may tend any way to our disgrace : -tis
but opinion ; if we could neglect, contemn, or with patience digest them, tlicy wouUi
reflect on them that oflered them at first. A wise citizen, I know not whence, had
a scold to his wife : when she brawled, he played on his drum, and by tliat meaiw
madded her more, because slie saw that he would not be moved. Diogenes in a
crowd when one called him back, and told him how the boys laughed him to scorn,
Ego^ inquit, non ridcor, took no notice of it. Socrates was brougiit upon the stage
by Aristophanes, and misused to his face, but he laughed as if it concerned him not
and as ^Elian relates of him, whatsoever good or bad accident or fortune befel iiim
going in or coming out, Socrates still kept the same countenance ; even so should a
Christian do, as Hierom describes him, per infamiam et bonamfcinKwi grassari ad
inwwrlolifatcm, march on through good and bad reports to inunortalily, * not to be
moved : lor honesty is a suflicient reward, probitas sibi prcnniiim ; and in our times
the sole recompense to do well, is, to do well : but naughtiness will punish itself at
last, ^^Improbis ipsa nequitia supplicium. As the diverb is,
" Qui bPiie fcceruiit, illi sua facia sequentur ; I " Thty that do well, shall liave reward at last :
Urn male lecerunt, facta s.-nuentur cos:" | Hut tht-y that ill, r^hail sulfer fur llial's past."
Yea, but I am ashamed, disgraced, dishonoured, degraded, exploded : my noto-
rious crimes and villanies are come to light [deprendi miscrum est), my filthy lust,
abominable oppression and avarice lies open, my good name 's lost, my fortune 's
gone, I have been stigmatised, whipt at post, arraigned and condemned, I am a com-
mon obloquy, [ have lost my ears, odious, execrable, abhorred of God aiul men. Be
content, 'tis but a nine days' wonder, and as one sorrow drives out another, one pas
sion another, one cloud another, one rumour is expelled by another ; every day
almost, come new news unto our ears, as how the sun was eclipsed, meteors seen
in the air, monsters horn, prodigies, liow the Turks were overthrown in Persia, an
earthtjiiake in Helvetia, Calabria, Japan, or Cliina, an inundation in Holland, a great
plague' in Constantinople, a lire at Prague, a dearth in Germany, such a man is made
a lord, a bishop, another hanged, deposed, pressed to death, for some innnh-r, trea-
son. rai)e, theft, oppression, all which we do hear at first with a kind of aihniialion,
detestation, consternation, but by and by they are buried in silence: thy father's
dead, thy brother robbed, wife runs mad, neighbour hath killed liimself; 'tis heavy,
ghastly, fearful news a! first, in every man's mouth, table talk ; but after a while
who speaks or thinks of.il.' It will be so with thee and thine offence, it will be
forgotten in an instant, be it theft, rape, sodomy, murder, incest, treason, &.C., thou
art not the first offender, nor shall not be the last, 'tis no wonder, every hour such
malefactors are called in question, nothing so common, Quocunque in populo, quo-
cunque sub axe?'^ Cornforl thyself, thou art not the sole man. If he that were
guiltless himself should fling the first stone at thee, and he alone should accu.se thee
that were faultless, how many executioners, how many accusers wouldst thou have ?
If every man's sins were written in his forehead, and secret faults known, how many
thousands would parallel, if not exceed thine oflence .' it may be the judge that
gave sentence, the jury that coiulemned thee, the spectators that gazed on tliee, de-
served much more, and were far more guilty than thou thyself But it is thine infe-
licity to be taken, to be made a public example of justice, to be a terror to the rest;
yet should every man have his desert, thou wouldcsl peradventure be a saint in com-
parison ; vexat censura coluinbas, poor souls are punished ; the great ones do twenty
thouse'^d times worse, and are not so much as spoken of.
«9" Non retp accipitri tcndilur neque iiiilvi... I •• The net '» not laid for kites or hirds of pn-y.
Qui male I'aciiiiil iiolii<i ; illis (|iii ml fuciunl tenditur." | Uiit for the harmleM Htill our eiti<i w<- lay."
Be not dismayed then, httmamim est errare, we are all sinners, daily and hourly
subject to teiuptations, the best of us is a hypocrite, a grievous offender in God's
sight, Noah, Lot, David, Peter, &.C., how many mortal sins do we commit .' Shall
I .say, be penitent, ask forgiveness, and make amends by the sequel of thy life, for
that foul offence thou hast committed "' recover thy credit by some noble exploit, as
Themistocles did, for he was a most debauched and vicious youth, scd juvenUe ma-
culas pr cedar is faclis delevitj but made the world amends by brave exploits ; at last
MTullius epitt. Dolab«lla, tu fnrti sii aiiimo; n tua I » Boi^thius eon«ol. lib. 4. pro*. 3. n-'Amonfal pr«-
noderaliu, constantia, eorum infamel iiijuriaiii. | pie in every cliojate." "I'er. Pbor.
Mem. 7.] Remedies against Discontents. 383
become a new man, and seek to be reformed. He that runs away in a battle, as
Demosthenes said, may fight again ; and he that hath a fall may stand as upright as
ever he did before. JYemo desperet meliora lapsus, a wicked liver may be reclaimed,
and prove an honest man ; he that is odious in present, hissed out, an exile, mav be
received again with all men's favours, and singular applause ; so Tully was in Rome
Alcibiades in Athens. Let thy disgrace then be what it will, quod Jit, infectum non
potest esse, that which is past cannot be recalled ; trouble not thyself, vex and grieve
thyself no more, be it obloquy, disgrace, &c. No better way, than to neglect, con-
temn, or seem not to regard it, to make no reckoning of it,' i^eesse rohur arguit dica-
citas : if thou be guiltless it concerns thee not : —
34 " Irrita vaniloqus quid cures spicula lingua,
Latraiitem curatne alta Diana caiieni ?"
Doth the moon care for the barking of a dog .' They detract, scoff and rail, saith
one, ^^ and bark at me on every side, but I, like that Albanian dog sometimes given
to Alexander for a present, vindico me ah illis solo contemptu, I lie still and sleep,
vindicate myself by contempt alone. ^Expers terroris Achilles ar?natus: as a tor-
toise in his shell, ''^ virtute med me involvo, or an urchin round, nil moror ictus, ^ a
lizard in camomile, I decline their fury and am safe.
" Intpgrifas virtusqiie suo munimine tuta, I " Virtue and integrity are their own fence,
Non patet adversa; niorsibus invidiae ;" | Care not for envy or what comes from tlience."
Let them rail then, scoff, and slander, sapiens contumelia non ajjicitur, a wise man,
Seneca thinks, is not moved, because he knows, contra Sycophantce morsum non est
remediu7n, there is no remedy for it : kings and princes, wise, grave, prudent, holy,
good men, divine, are all so served alike. '■^^OJane a tergo quern nulla ciconia pins'it,
Antevorta and Postvorta, Jupiter's guardians, may not help in this case, thev cannot
protect; JMoses had a Dathan, a Corath, David a "Shimei, God himself is blasphemed:
7iondum felix es si te nonduni turba deridet. It is an ordinary thing- so to be mis-
used. ''"Regium est cum hene facer is male aiidire, the chiefest men and most under-
standing are so vilified ; let him take his ■" course. And as that lusty courser in
^sop, that contemned the poor ass, came by and by after with his bowels burst, a
pack on his back, and was derided of the same ass : contemnentur ah Us quos ipsi
prius contempsere, et irridebuntur ab Us quos ipsi prliis irrisere, they shall be con-
temned and laughed to scorn of those whom they have formerly derided. Let them
contemn, defame, or undervalue, insult, oppress, scofJ^ slander, abuse, wrong, curse
and swear, feign and lie, do thou comfort thyself with a good conscience, in sinu
gaudeas, when they have all done, ''^"a good conscience is a continual feast," inno-
cency will vindicate itself: and which the poet gave out of Hercules, diis fruitur
iratis, enjoy thyself, though all the world be set against thee, contemn and say with
him, Elogiiwi mihi prce foribus, my posy is, '' not to be moved, that ''^my palladium,
my breast-plate, my buckler, with which I ward all injuries, offences, lies, slanders;
I lean upon that stake of modesty, so receive and break asunder all that foolish force
of liver and spleen." And whosoever he is that shall observe these short instruc-
tions, without all question he shall much ease and benefit himself.
hi fine, if princes would do justice, judges be upright, clergymen truly devout, and
so live as they teach, if great men would not be so insolent, if soldiers would quietly
defend us, the poor would be patient, rich men would be liberal and humble, citizens
honest, magistrates meek, superiors would give good example, subjects peaceable,
young men would stand in awe : if parents would be kind to their children, and
liiey again obedient to their parents, brethren agree amongst themselves, enemies be
reconciled, servants trusty to their masters, virgins chaste, wives modest, husbands
would be loving and less jealous : if we could imitate Christ and his apostles, live
after God's laws, these mischiefs would not so frequently happen amongst us ; but
being most pait so irreconcilable as we are, perverse, proud, insolent, factious, and
*<Camerar. citib. 61. cent. 3. "Why should you re- insipientis sermone pendere? Tulliiis 2. de finibus.
gard the harmless shafts of a vain-speaking tongue— «j-Qa te coiisrientia salvare, in cuhiculuni ingredere,
does tlie exalted Diana care for the barking of a dog?" \ ubi secure requiescas. Alinuit se quoilauimodo proba
•^Lipsius elect, lib. 3. ull. Latrant nie jaceo, ac taceo, i bonitas conscientii secretuni, Boethius. 1. 1. proa. 4,
tc. '^Catullus. s'The symbol of I. Kevenheder, ^3 Riiigai,t„r ijcet et nialedicant; Paliadium illud pec-
a Carinthian baron, saith Sainbucus. ^xhe symbol tori oppono, non moveri : consisto niodestis veluti sudi
Of Gonzaga, D.ike of Mantua. S'J Pers. sat. 1. j innitens, excipio et frango stultissimum impetum livii-
WMagni mimi est injurlas despicere, Seneca de ira, ; ris. Putean. lib. -2. epist. 58.
cap. 31. *'Q.uid turpius quam sapientis vitam ex I
384
Cure of Melancholy.
[Part. 2. Sec. 3.
malicious, prone to contention, anger and revenge, of such fiery spirits, so captious,
impious, irreligious, so opposite to virtue, void of grace, how should it otherwise
be ? Many men are very testy by nature, apt to mistake, apt to quarrel, apt to pro-
voke and misinterpret to the worst, everything that is said or done, and thereupon
heap unto themselves a great deal of trouble, and disquietncss to others, smatterers
in other men's matters, tale-bearers, whisperers, liars, they cannot speak in season,
or hold their tongues when they should, **Et suam partem itidem tacere^ cum aliena
est oratio : they will speak more than comes to their shares, in all companies, and
by those bad courses accumulate much evil to their own souls [qui ctmtendit, sibi
coyiviciitmfacit), their life is a perpetual brawl, they snarl like so many dogs, with
their wives, children, servants, neighbours, and all the rest of their friends, they can
agree with nobody. But to such as are judicious, meek, submissive, and quiet, these
matters are easily remedied : they will forbear upon all such occasions, neglect, con-
temn, or take no notice of them, dissemble, or wisely turn it off. If it be a natural
impediment, as a red nose, squint eyes, ciooked legs, or any such imperfection, in-
firmity, disgrace, reproach, the best way is to speak of it first thyself,*^ and so thou
shah surely take away all occasions from others to jest at, or contemn, that they
may perceive thee to be careless of it. Vatinius was wont to scoff at his own de-
formed feet, to prevent his enemies' obloquies and sarcasms in that kind ; or else by
j)revention, as Cutys, king of Thrace, thai brake a company of fine glasses presented
u> him, with his own hands, lest he should be overniuch moved when they were
broken by chance. And sometimes again, so that it be discreetly and moderately
doiie, it shall not be amiss to make resistiince, to take down such a saucy companion,
no better means to vindicate himself to purchase final peace: fi^r he that sutlers him-
self to be ridden, or through pusillanimity or sottishness will let every man baflle
him, shall be a common laughing stock to fiout at. As a cur that goes through a
village, if he clap his tail between his legs, and run away, every cur will insult over
him : but if he bristle up himself, and stand to it, give but a counter-snarl, there's
not a dog dares meddle with him : nmch is in a man's courage and discreet carriage
of himself
Many other grievances there are, which happen to mortals in this life, from friends,
wives, children, servants, masters, companions, neighbours, our own defaults, igno-
rance, errors, intemperance, indiscretion, inlirmities, itc, and many good remedies
to mitigate and oppose tliem, many divine precepts to counter|)oise our hearts, special
antidotes both in Scriptures and human authors, which, whoso will observe, shall
purchase much ease and quietness unto himself: 1 wdl point out a few. Those
prophetical, apostolical admonitions are well known to all ; what Solomon, Siracides,
our Saviour Christ himself hath .said tending to this purpose, as '• fear God : cjbey
the prince : be sober and watch : pray continually : be angry but sin not : remember
thy last : fashion not yourselves to this world, &.C., apply yourselves to the times :
strive not with a mighty man : recompense good for evil, let nothing be done through
contention or vain-glory, but with Uieekness of mind, every man esteeming of others
better than himself: love one another;" or that epitome of the law and the prophets,
which our Saviour inculcates, 'Move God above all, thy neighbour as thyself:" and
" whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, so do unto them," which
•Alexander Severus writ in letters of gold, and used as a motto, ** Hierom commends
to Celantia as an excellent way, amongst so many enticements and worldly provo-
cations, to rectify her life. Out of human authors take these few cautions, *' ^' know
thyself ^"Be contented with thy lot. *' Trust not wealth, beauty, m>r jiarasites,
they will bring thee to destruction, '*'Have peace with all men, war witfi vice.
"Be not idle. "Look before you leap. "Beware of Had 1 wist. '' Honour thy
parents, speak well of friends. Be temperate in four things, lingua., loci.s, oculis^ tt
pocuUs. Watch thine eye. ^ Moderate thine expenses. Hear much, speak little.
M Mil. glor. Act. 3. Plautus. «• Bion saiil hii
father waM a T»i\iv. hi:' iimih^r a whore, to pn-vt-nt »)>•
liiquy, anil to xhow that iioui;ht belonged to him l>ut
i^ooils of thf iiiiMil. « Lib. 'J. ep. 25. *' Nowe trip.
• um. •(■orii>-iitii8 abi. ^ Ne fiilas npibij!). iicque
parajitix, trahiiiit in preciuiliuni. *<> Pace cum horn i-
nibus habe, bt;lluiii cum vims. Otho. 2. imperal.iymb.
*> Decmon te nunquam oliosum inveniat. Hieron.
'^Oiii deliberandum quod tlaluenduni eil M-mr-l. "lo-
gipieiitii Put iJicere non puliram. >* \n\rt parcnlrtn.
II equuni. aliler ferai : pmlt-s parcntibua pi>-iai<-ai,
amicm dilectioiiem. '^Comprime Inifuiin U'lid d«
quoque viro el cui dicaa *rpe caveto. Libentiui audiaa
quAm luquaria; vive ut vivaa
Wem. 7.] Remedies against Discontents.- 385
^sustine et ahstine. If thou seest ought amiss in another, mend it in thyself. Keep
tiiine own counsel, reveal not thy secrets, be silent in thine intentions. *'Give not
ear to tale-tellers, babblers, be not scurrilous in conversation : °*jest without bitter-
ness : give no man cause of offence : set thine house in order • ^^ take heed of surety-
ship. ^°Fide et dijjide^ as a fox on the ice, take heed whom you trust. ^' Live not
beyond thy means. ^^Give cheerfully. Pay thy dues willingly. Be not a slave to
tiy money; ^^omit not occasion, embrace opportunity, lose no time. Be humble
o thy superiors, respective to thine equals, affable to all, ®' but not familiar. Flatter
o man. ^'Lie not, dissemble not. Keep thy word and promise, be constant in a
good resolution. Speak truth. Be not opiniative, maintain no factions. Lay no
w agers, make no comparisons. ^^ Find no faults, meddle not with other men's mat-
ters. Admire not thyself. *^Be not proud or popular. Insult not. Forlunam reve-
rentur hahe. ^''Fear not that which cannot be avoided. ^^ Grieve not for that which
cannot be recalled. ™ Undervalue not thyself. '' Accuse no man, commend no man
rashly. Go not to law without great cause. Strive not with a greater man. Cast
not off an old friend, take heed of a reconciled enemy. '^ If thou come as a guest
stay not too long. Be not unthankful. Be meek, merciful, and patient. Do good
to all. Be not fond of fair words. ?Be not a neuter in a faction ; moderate thy
passions. "Think no place without a witness. "''Admonish thy friend in secret,
commend him in public. Keep good company. "^Love others to be beloved thy-
self. Jlma tanquam osurus. Amicus tardofias. Provide for a tempest. JS'oli irritare
crabrones. Do not prostitute thy soul for gain. Make not a fool of thyself to make
others merry. Marry not an old crony or a fool for money. Be not over solicitous
or curious. Seek that which may be found. Seem not greater than thou art. Take
thy pleasure soberly. Ocymwn ne terito. " Live merrily as thou canst. "* Take
heed by other men's examples. Go as thou wouldst be met, sit as thou wouldst be
found, '^ yield to the time, follow the stream. Wilt thou live free from fears and
cares t '°Live innocently, keep thyself upright, thou needest no other keeper, &c."
Look for more in Isocrates, Seneca, Plutasch, Epictetus, Stc, and for defect, consult
with cheese-trenchers and painted cloths.
MEMB. VIII.
Against Melancholy itself.
'•Every man," saith *' Seneca, "thinks his own burthen the heaviest," and ^
melancholy man abov^ all others complains most; weariness of life, abhorring all
company ami light, fear, sorrow, suspicion, anguisli of mind, bashfulness, and those
other dread symptoms of body and mind, must needs aggravate this miserj-; yet
compared to other maladies, they are not so heinous as they be taken. For firsr
this disease is either in habit or disposition, curable or incurable. If new and ia
^disposition, 'tis commonly pleasant, and it may be helped. If inveterate, or a habit,
yet they have lucida intervalla, sometimes well, and sometimes ill ; or if more con-
tinuate, as the "^^ Vejentes were to the Romans, 'tis Jioslis rnagis assidims qudrn gravis,
a more durable enemy than dangerous : and amongst many inconveniences, some
comforts are annexed to it. First it is hot catching, and as Erasmus comforted him-
self, when he was grievously sick of the stone, though it was most troublesome, and
an intolerable pain to him, yet it was no whit offensive to others, not loathsome to
^Epictetus : optime feceris ?i ea fiigeris quae in alio
reprehendis. Nemini dixeris quiE nolis efferri. »' Fuge
susurrones. Percontatorem fugito, &c. ^Sint
eales sine vilitatp. Sen. "'Sponde, presto noxa.
•"Cam^rar. emb. 55. cent. 2. cave cui credas, vel nemini
(Idas Epicarmus. 6' Tecum habita. e^Bisdat
qui cito dar. ^ Post est occasio calva. m Nj.
mia faniiliaritas parit contemptum. ^oMendacium
servile vitiiim. "« Arcanum neque in.scrutaberis
ullius unquam, commissumque teges, Hor. lib. 1, ep. 19.
Nee tua '.audabis studia aut aliena reprendes. Hur. ep.
lib. 18. s' \e te quKsiveris extra. ^Slultum
»st timere, quod vitari non potest. "Dereamissa
ureparabili ne doleas. ^"Tant eris aliis quanti suiun onus intolerabile videlur ■'Lirius
49 2H
tibi fucris. "Neminem esto laudes vel accuse*
"^Nullius hnspitis grata est mora longa. '3Soloni«
lex apud. Aristotelera Gellius lib. 2. cap. 12. '< Nullum
locum putes sine teste, semper adesse Deum cogita.
"^Secreto amicos adtuone, lauda palam. ■' Ut
ameris amabilis esto. Eros et anterosgemelli Veneris,
amatio et redamatio. Plat. "Dum fata sinunt
vivite laeti, Seneca. 'fid apprime in vita utile, ex
aliis observare sibi quod ex usu siet. Ter. ''Dum
furor in cursu current! cede furori. Cretizandum cum
Crete. Temporibus servi, nee contra flainina flala.
"> Nulla certiorcustodia innocentia: inexpugnabile mo^
nimenium munimento nun egere. '' t/nicuiqut'
3S6 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 3.
the spectators, crhastly, fulsome, terrible, as plagues, apoplexies, leprosies, wounds,
sores, tetters, pox, pestilent a^ues are, which eitlier adnut of no company, ternty or
'Offend those that are present. In tliis malady, that which is, is wholly to them-
selves- and those symptoms not so dreadful, if tliey be compared to the opposite
.>xtremes. They are most part bashful, suspicious, solitar>', J^c, therefore no such
ambitious, impudent intruders as some, are, no sharkers, no conycatchers, no
prowlers, no smell-feasts, praters, panders, parasites, bawds, drunkards, whoremas-
ters; necessity and defect compel them to be honest; as Mitio told Demea m tlie
^ comedy,
■ H:pc si iieqiie Pgo nequp tu fncimus,
Noil sunt cgtstas facere iio«."
" If we be honest 'twas poverty made us so :" if we melancholy men be not as bad
as he that is worst, 'tis our dame melancholy kept us so : .Yon dccral cohmtas sed
Be^iic'les thev are freed in this from many other infirmities, solitarine.ss makes them
more apt to contemplate, suspicion wary, which is a necessary hiim..ur in these
times, "^.Yam pol qui maxime cavel, is sape cautor capliis est, '' he that lakes most
heed, is often circumvented, and overtaken." Fear and sorrow keep them temperate
and sober, and free them from anv dissolute acts, which jollity and boldness thrust men
upon • thev arc therefore no sicarii, roaring boys, thieves or assassins. As they are
soon dejected, so thev are as soon, by soft words and good persuasions, reared.
Wearisomeness of life' makes them they are not so besotted on the transitory vam
pleasures of llic world. If thev dote in one thing, they are wise and w.- 1 under-
standinrr in most other. If it he inveterate, they are insenmti, most part dotmg, or
quite imid, insensible of any wrongs, ri(hculous to others, but most happy and secure
to them-^elves. Dotage is a state which many much magnity and cunimiMid : so is
simplicity, and fully, as he said, ''hie furor o superi, sit m,hi perpetuus. Some think
fools and dizzards live the merriest lives, as Ajax in Sophocles, AV*// scire vita
jucundissima, " 'tis the pleasantest life to know nothing ;" iners vialorum remednim
Unoranlia, " ignorance is a downright remedy of evils." These curious arts am
laborious sciences, Galen's, Tullv's, Aristotle's, Justinian's, do but trouble the world
some think; we might live belter with that illiterate Virginian simplicity, and gross
icrnorance- entire idiots do best, they are not macerated with cares, tormented with
fears, ami anxiety, as other wise men are : for as '^ he said, if folly were a pain, you
should hear them howl, roar, and cry out in every house, as you go by in the street,
but they are most free, jocund, and inerrv, and in some * countries, as amongst the
Turks,"honoured for saints, and abundantly maintained out of the common stock.
They are no dissemblers, liars, hypocrites, for fools and madmen tell commonly
truth. In a word, as thev are distressed, so are they pitied, >% Inch some hold belter
than to be envied, better to be sad than merry, better to be fof.lisli and quiet, quain
.sapere et ringi, to be wi.se and still vexed; better to be miserable than liappy : of
two extremes it is the best.
SECT. IV. MEMB. I.
SuBSECT. I— Of Physic vhich cureth with Medicines.
After a long and tedious discourse of these six non-natural things and their
several reclificati'ons, all which are comprehended in diet, I am come now at last to
Pharmaceutics or that kind of phvsic which cureth by medicines, which apotheca-
ries most part make, miiiule, or sell in their shops. Many cavil at this kind ol
physic, and hold it unnecessary, unprofitable to this or any other ihsease, because
those countries which use it least, live longest, and are best in health, as '* Hector
Boethius relates o' the isles of Orcades, the people are still scniiui <>l b.xly and
mind, without any use of physic, they live commonly 120 years, and Ortelms in his
■ T«-r Men 2 .Melphui. « " "Twas not the ivill I dire.. •• Bu.b.qi»iu«. Aindfc 111.. I. f-.l. W- * <3J«|»<|
•« Prtn.niu. (-aiiil »' Par.ii.no Csclestina-. Art. «. iininuimatmu. frui. flat. Mmip. " Ub. Ilul
8] stuUitia dulor e»et, in uulla iiou duiuu ejulaliu au-
Mem. 1.] Medicinal Physic. 3S7
itinerary of tlie inliabifaiits of the Forest of Arden, ®' " they are very painful, louir-
"ived, sound," Sec. "Martianus Capella, speaking of the hidians of his time, saith,
they were (much like our western Indians nowj " bigger than ordinary men, bred
_ coarsely, very long-lived, insomuch, that he that died at a hundred years of a^e,
went before his time,"' Sec. Damianus A-Goes, Saxo-Grammaticus, Aubanus Bohe-
mus, say the like of them that live in Norway, Lapland, Finmark, Biarraia, Corelia,
all over Scandia, and those northern countries, they are most healthful, and very
long-lived, in which places there is no use at all of physic, the name of it is not once
heard. Dithmarus Bleskenius in his accurate description of Iceland, 1607, makes
mention, amongst other matters, of the inhabitants, and their manner of liviuii,
"" which is dried fish instead of bread, butter, cheese, and salt meats, most part they
drink water and whey, and yet without physic or physician, they live many of tiieni
250 years." I find the same relation by Lerius, and some other writers, of Indians
in America. Paulus Jovius in his description of Britain, and Levinus Lemnius, ob-
serve as much of this our island, that there was of old no use of ®' physic amon<r>:l
lis, and but little at this day, except it be for a few nice idle citizens, surfeiting cour-
tiers, and stall-fed gentlemen lubbers. The country people use kitchen physic, and
common experience tells us, that they live freest from all manner of infirmities, that
make least use of apothecaries' physic. Many are overthrown by preposterous use of iti
and thereby get their bane, that might otherwise have escaped : '^^some think physicians
kill as many as they save, and who can tell, ^Quot Thcmison cegros auttanno occi-
derit unoP'' "How many murders they make in a year," quihus impunc licet homi-
nem occidere, " that may freely kill folks," and have a reward for it, and according
to the Dutch proverb, a new physician must have a new church-yard ; and who
daily observes it not .' Many that did ill under physicians' hands, have happily
escaped, when they have been given over by them, left to God and nature, and them-
selves ; 'twas Phny's dilemma of old, '*' " every disease is either curable or incr.rable,
a man recovers of it or is killed by it ; both ways physic is to be rejected. If it be
deadly, it cannot be cured; if it may be helped, it requires no physician, nature will
expel it of itself." Plato made it a great sign of an intemperate and corrupt com-
monwealth, where lawyers and physicians did abound ; and the Romans distasted
them so much that they were often banished out of their city, as Pliny and Celsus
relate, for 600 years not admitted. It is no art at all, as some hold, no not worthy
the name of a liberal .'science (nor law neither), as ^*Pet. And. Canonherius a patri-
cian of Piome and a great doctor himself, " one of their own tribe," proves bv sixteen
arguments, because it is mercenary as now used, base, and as fiddlers plav for a re-
ward. Juridicis^ medicis, Jisco, fas vivere rapfo, 'tis a corrupt trade, no science, art.
no profession ; the beginning, practice, and progress of U, all is naught, full of im-
posture, uncertainty, and dofh generally more harm than good. The devil himself
was the first inventor of it : Inventum est medicina mev.m^ said Apollo, and what
was Apollo, but the devil? The Greeks first made an art of it, and they were all
deluded by Apollo's sons, priests, oracles. If we may believe Varro, Pliny, Colu-
mella, most of their best medicines were derived from his oracles. iEsculapius his
son had his te.mples erected to his deity, and did many famous cures ; but, as Lac-
tantius holds, he was a magician, a mere impostor, and as his successors, Phaon,
Podalirius, Melampius, Menecrates, (another God), by charms, spells, and ministry
of bad spirits, performed most of their cures. The first that ever wrote in phvsic
to any purpose, was Hippocrates, and his disciple and commentator Galen, whom
ScaWgev calls Fiinhriam Hippocratis ; but as °® Cardan censures them, both imme-
thodical and obscure, as all those old ones are, their precepts confused, their medi-
cines obsolete, and now most part rejected. Those cures which they did, Paracelsus
holds, were rather done out of their patients' confidence, ""and good opinion they
9'- Parvo viventes laboriosi, longiEvi, siio conlenti. ad inipiinitas summa. Plinius. '^Jiiven. sr Oinnis
ceiiluin annos vivuht- i« Lib. 6. de Nup. Pliilol. morbus lethalis aut ciirnbilis, in vitam definit aut in
Ultra hiimaiiam fragilitatem prolixi, ut immature pc- mnrlem. Utroque igitur modo medicina inutilis:si
real qui centenariuis moriatur, &c. so Vicius eorum lethalis, curari iion potest ; si curahilis. iiori r.;quiril
r.asffo et lacte consistit, potus aqua et serum; pisces medicum: natura expellet. »' In interpretationes
loco pariis babi^nt; ita multos annos srepe 250 absque i politico-morales in 7 Aphorism. Hippoc. lihros. -^ Prae-
niedico et medicina vivunt. 9i Lib. de 4. complex, j fat. de contrad. med. i™ Opinio facit mi;dico- : a fail
»5 Per mortes aiunt experimenta et animas nostras ne- gown, a velvet cap, the Mame of a doctor is all ia all.
gotiantur; el quod aliis exitiale hominem occider« '^vl
388 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 4.
had of them, tiian out of any skill of theirs, which was very small, he saith, they
themselves idiots and infants, as are all tlieir academical followers. The Arabians
eccived it from the Greeks, and so the Latins, adding new precepts and medicines
ol' their own, but so imperfect still, that through ignorance of professors, impostois,
mountebanks, empirics, disagreeing of sectaries, (which are as many almost as there
be diseases) envy, covetousness, and the like, they do much harm amongst us. They
are so difierent in their consultations, prescriptions, mistaking many times the par-»
lies' constitution, 'disease, and causes of it, they give quite contrary piiysic ; ^''•one
sailh this, another that," out of singularity or opposition, as he said of Adrian, mvl-
fitiulo jiudicorum principe/n inlerftcil^ ^' a multitude of physicians hath killed the
emperor •" plus a medico quain a morho pericuH^ '» more danger there is from the
j)hysician, than from the disease." Besides, there is much imposture and malic*
amongst them. *• All arts (saith ^Carilaii) admit of cozening, physic, amongst the
rest, doth appropriate it to herself;" and tells a story of one Curtius, a physician
m Venice : because he w.is a stranger, and practised amongst them, the rest of the
physicians did still cross him in all his precepts. If he prescribed hot medicines
the}' would prescribe cold, miscentes pro culidis frigidtu j>ro frigidis humida^ pro
purgantil/us astringenlid, binders for purgativt-s, omnia pcrlurbubanf. If the party
miscarried, CurCium damnubant, Curlius killed him, that disagreed from them : if he
recovered, then * they cured him themselves. Much emulation, imposture, malice,
there is amongst them : if they be honest and mean well, yet a knave apothecary
that administers the physic, and makes the medicine, may do infinite harm, by his
i»ld obsolete doses, adulterine drugs, bad mixtures, quid pro quo, Sfc. See Fuchsius
lib. 1. sect. 1. cap. 8. Cordus' Dispensatory, and Brassivuhrs Euamen siiiipl. t^r.
But it is their ignorance that doth mort- harm than rashness, their art is wholly con-
jectural, if it be an art, uncertain, imperfi-ct, and got by killing of men, they are a
kmd of butchers, leeches, men-slayt-rs ; chirurgetms and apothtcaries especially, that
are indeed the physicians' hangman, rar/jZ/ifts, and common executioners; though
to say truth, physicians themselves comi- not far behind; for according to that facele
epigram of .Maximilianus Urentius, what's the diflereace ?
• '•C'hirurgicu* ni<*<lico quo iliifert T iscilicet iilo,
Kiifcut hit Slid M, i-iiecui illf iiidiiu :
Cariiilire hiic auibo laiituiu ilitlerre viilentur,
Tarilius hi taci'jfil, quixt facil ille cili)."
But I return to their skill ; many disease.s they cannot cure at all, as apoplexy,
epilepsy, stone, strangury, gout, Tullere nodosarn ncscit medicina Podugram ; '"ipiar-
Uiii agues, a common a^ue sometimes stumbles them all, they cannot so much as
ease, they know not how to judge of it. If by pulses, that doctrine, some hold, is
wholly superstitious, and I dare boldly say with ' Andrew Dudeth, " that variety of
pulses described by Galen, is neither observed nor understood of any." And lor
urine, that is meretrix medicorum, the most deceitful thing of all, as Forestus and
>^ome other physicians have proveil at large : I say nothing of critic days, errors in
indications, kc. The nujst rational of them, and skilful, are so often deceived, that
:ts "Tholosanns infers, " I had rather believe and commit myself to a mere empiric-,
than to a mere doctor, and I cannot sufficiently commend that custom of the B.aby-
lonians, that have no professed physicians, but bring all their patients to the market
to be cured •." which Herodotus relates of the .-Ej^yptians : Strabo, Sardus, and Au-
banus Bohemus of many other nations. And those that prescribed physic, amongst
them, did not so arrogantly take upon them to cure all diseases, as our professors
do, but some one, some another, as their skill and experience did serve; *'"One
cured the eyes, a second the teeth, a third the head, another the lower parts," &.c^
not for gain, but in charity, to do good, they made neither art, professi(m, nor trade
> Morbus alius pro alio curatur; aliud retneiiiuin pro \ i Lib. 3. Crat. ep. Winceslao Rapho-no. Aiiiim ilicrre.
alio- *L'ontrarias profcrunt 8<:ntfiitia«. C'aril. to( piii«u<iiii diirrreiilia^, qiiT (le»cril>unliir a Galtriio,
*Kil>. 3. de snp. Omnes arles fraudem ailniiliiiiil. siila iiec a <|ij(H|uani iiitfllii.'i, nee ubitertari pi<»i4:. * l>itk
liieilicina spoiile cam accersit. •Oiiiiii!i S'lfrotus, a^. cap. 7. liynlai. art. iiiirab. >Ji«lleiii • i,'" ••ip'-rlii
pro|>ria culpa p<-ril,scd iietnn nisi meilici hencticiu rc<iii- crMilerc anluiii. quaiii iii>-re rali'>tiii.i 't<ie
liiKur. Aznppn. •" How does the surei'on iJitr>.-r si-iliit laudare p<ii>siiiii iii»tiluliiiii U^i itc
U')m the iloclor? In Ihis respect: one kill» liy (lriii;i), • llt-riNl. £uler|>e ile Ki;>p(iiii. Apiid • 'uic
the otli>rr by (he hamt ; both only ilitTer from the hang- niurlHiruni siinl iciipiili iiirilici ; aliu* rural uculv't. alitU
luan in this wnv. they ilo Klonly what he duc-i in uii m- deiitea, alius caput, parte* ucculcaa aliu*.
iiant." •" Medicine caanut cure the knotty gout."
ftlem. 1. Subs. 2.] Medicinal Physic. 3Si)
of it, which in other places was accustomed : and therefore Cambyses in '° Xonophon
told Cyrus, that to his thinking, physicians " were like tailors and cobblers, the one
mended our sick bodies, as the other did our clothes." But I will urge these cavil-
ling and contumelious arguments no farther, lest some physician should mistake me,
and deny me physic when I am sick : for my part, I am well persuaded of physic :
. I can distinguish the abuse from the use, in this and many other arts and sciences :
^^ Jiliud vinam^ aliiid ebrietas, wine and drunkenness are two distinct things. I
acknowledge it a most noble and divine science, in so much that Apollo, iEsculapius,
and the first founders of it, merito pro diis habifi., were worthily counted gods by suc-
ceeeding ages, for the excellency of their invention. And whereas Apollo at i)elos,
Venus at Cyprus, Diana at Ephesus, and those other gods were confined and adored
alone in some peculiar places: iEsculapius and his temple and altars everywhere, in
Corinth, Lacedaemon, Athens, Thebes, Epidaurus, &c. Pausanius records, for the
latitude of his art, diety, worth, and necessity. With all virtuous and wise men
therefore I honour the name and calling, as I am enjoined " to honour the physician
for necessity's sake. The knowledge of the physician lifteth up his head, "and in
the sight of great men he shall be admired. The Lord hath created medicines of the
earth, and he that is wise will not abhor them," Eccles. Iviii 1. But of this noble
■ subject, how many panegyrics are worthily written.^ For my part, as Sallust said
of Carthage, prcsstat silere, qiiam pauca diccre ; I have said, yet one thing I will add,
that this kind of physic is very moderately and advisedly to be used, upon good
occasion, when the former of diet will not take place. And 'tis no other which I
say, than that which Arnoldus prescribes in his 8. Aphoris. '^ " A discreet and goodly
physician doth first endeavour to expel a disease by medicinal diet, than by pure
medicine:" and in his ninth, '^'^he that may be cured by diet, must not meddle
with physic." So in 11. Aphoris. ''"'A modest and wise physician will never hasten
to use medicines, but upon urgent necessity, and that sparingly too:" because (as
he adds in his 13. Aphoris.) '^''Whosoever takes much physic in his youth, shall
soon bewail it in his old age :" purgative physic especially, which doth much debi-
litate nature. For which causes some physicians refrain from tlie use of purgatives,
or else sparingly use them. "*Henricus Ayrerus in a consultation for a melancholy
person, would have him take as few purges as he could, "because there be no such
medicines, which do not steal away some of our strength, and rob the pans of our
body, weaken nature, and cause that cacochymia," which "Celsus and others observe,
or ill digestion, and bad juice through all the parts of it. Galen himself confesseth,
'*'•• that purgative physic is contrary to nature, takes away some of our best spirits,
and consumes the very substance of our bodies :" But this, without question, is to
be understood of such purges as are unseasonably or immoderately taken: they have
iheir excellent use in this, as well as most other infirmities. Of alteratives aiid cor-
dials no man doubts, be they simples or compounds. I will amongst that infinite
variety of medicines, which I find in every pharmacopoeia, every physician, lierb-
alist, Stc, single out some of the chiefest.
Sldsect. II. — Simples proper to Melancholy, against Exotic Si?nplcs.
Medicines properly applied to melancholy, are either simple or compound.
Simples are alterative or purgative. Alteratives are such as correct, strengthen
nature, alter, any way hinder or resist the disease; and they be herbs, stones, mine-
rals, &.C. all proper to this humour. For as there be diverse distinct infirmities
continually vexing us,
AvToi^uTot 0o<r<S<7i KaKd ii-i'ro-LCt ibhuvaai " [^'^-eai-os ste.il hoth day and nieht on men
v,„K ;-c, I, ,„^„ ;r '1 ■ ■y " ' f'lr Jupiter hath taken voice from tieiii:'
So there be several remedies, as ^he saith, "each disease a medicine, for every
'oCyrip. lih. 1. Vohit vrstiiiiu fractarurn resnrcina- I tutn, di-fl.hit in sonectiitp. lellildish. spic. iJ. de
tores, &c. "Chrys. horn. I'^Prndens .t piiir; nif I. fnl. 27(>. Nulla est firine modicina puriaiis. giiae
niPdiciis, rnorhmn ante cxpellere sataiiit. cihi^^ niedici- uon alif|i\ain de virihiis la partihus corporis depncdalrir.
nalihiis, quani |)iiris iiie<ii( jnis. 'sC'ijicunque potest '■ l.jh. 1. et Bart. lih. 8. c.ip. 1-'. "• De vict. ariit.
per alirnciita restitui sanjtas. frnsiendus est pcnitns Oniiie piirsans niedlcanientiiin, corpori puri'ato con-
usu.-! mediraineiitorutn. " iMoMestiis et sapiens niedi ' trarinni. &c. .sticco.s et spiritus abilurit. siibstanliam
cus, nunquani propeiahit ad pliarniaciani, nisi co^enle corporm autert. '9 Hesiori. op. «> Ileurnius pref.
neojssitate. '^Ciuicunque pharmacatur in jnven- pra. ined. auot morborum sunt idcE, tot remcdicrum
2 H 3
390 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sect. 4.
humour ; and as some hold, every clime, every country, and more than that, every
private place hath his proper remedies growing iii it, peculiar annost to the domi-
neering and most frequent maladies of it, As ^' one discourseth, '' wormwood grow s
sparingly in Italy, because most part there they be misaftecled with hot diseases :
but henbane, poppy, and such cold herbs : with us in Germany and I'oland, great
store of it in every waste." Baracellus Horto gniinli^ aiul Bajitisla Porta P/n/siog-
noviiccB^ lib. 0. cap. 23, give many instances and examples of it, and bring many
other proofs. For that cause belike that learned Fuchsius of Nurcmburg, '"'•'when
he came into a village, considered always what herbs did grow most frequently
about it, and those he distilled in a silver alembic, making use of others amongst
them as occasion served." I know that many are of opinion, our northern simples
are weak, imperfect, not so well concocted, of such force, as those in the southern
parts, not so fit to be used in physic, and will therefore fetch their drugs afar olf:
senna, cassia out of ^gy'pt, rhubarb from liarbary, aloes from Socotra; turbilh,
agaric, mirabolanes, hermoductils, from the East Indies, tobacco from the west, and
some as iar as Cliina, hellebore from the Anlicvnc, or that of Austria which bears
the purple flower, which Mathiolus so much approves, and so of the rest. In the
kingdom of Valencia, in Spain, -'.Maginus commends two mountains, Mariohi and
Henairolosu, famous for simples ;^* Leander Albertus, ^ Baldus a mountain near the
I,:di(; Benacus in the territory of Verona, to which all the herbalists in the country
rotitinually dock; Ortelius one in A[>ulia, .Munster Mons major in Istria; others Mont-
|)elier in France; Prosper Altinus prefers Egyptian simples, Garcias ab Horta Indian
before the rest, another those of Italy, Crete, &.c. Matiy times they are over-curious
in this kind, whom Fuchsius taxeth, Jmtil. I. \.sec. I. cap. 1. *"that think they
do nothiiisr, except they rake all over India, Arabia, illlhiopia for remedies, and fetch
their physic from the three tpiarters of the world, and from beyond the Garamantes.
Many an old wife t)r country woman doth often more good with a few known and
connnon garden herbs, than our bombast physicians, with all their pr(»digi(ms, sun)p-
tuous, far-fetched, rare, conjectural medicines:" without all cpiesticju if we have
not these rare exotic simples, we hold that at home, which is in virtue e(]uivalent
unto tliem* ours will serve as well as theirs, if they be taken in proportionable quan-
tity, tilled nud qualified aright, if not much belter, and more proper to our constiiu-
lutions. Bui so 'tis for the most part, as Plinv writes to Gallus, ''" We are careless
of tliat which is near us, and follow that which is afar off, to know whicli we will
travel and sail beyond the seas, wholly neglecting that which is under our eyes."
Opium in Turkey doth scarce oflend, with us in a small quantity it stupifies ; cicula
or hendotk is a strong poison in Greece, but with us it hath no such violent effects:
1 conclude with 1. Voschius, who as he much inveighs against those exotic medi-
cines, so he promiseth by our European, a full cure and abs(jlute of all diseases; a
capile ad c(i/cem^ noslrcc rcghmis h^rbce nnstris cnrpnrifnis magis conducunt, our own
simples agree best with us. It was a thing that Feriudius much laboured in his
F'rench practice, to reduce all his cure to our proper and domestic physic; so did
"^ Janus Cornarius, and Martin Hulandus in Germany, T. B. with us, as apixareth by
a treatise of his divulged in our tongue 1(5 1 5, to prove the sudiciency of English
medicines, to the cure of all maimer of diseases. If our simples be not altogether
of such force, or so apposite, it may be, if like industry were used, thi>se far fetched
drugs would prosper as well with us, as in those countries whence now we have
tlu-m. as well as cherries, artichokes, tobacco, and many such. There have fteen
diverse worthy physicians, which have tried excellent conclusions in this kind, and
many diligent, painful apothecaries, as Gesner, Besler, Gerard, Slc, but amongst the
rest those famous public gardens of Padua in Italy, Nuremburg in Germany, Leyden
e.^nera variis potfntiisilecorala. '■ Ppiioitiisilen-ir. eerus Hint-r. r.nUia. >^ Biililun nioim pri>|in IWiianim
inMil. Qiiicciiiiqiit^ rPKio proijiicit siiiipliria. |irii inorhU j !>• rl>il(-L'i« iiiasiiiit^ iiolii*. ^Uui nv iiiliil tlfrYii^a
r.-aiiiiii>; crt-scii raro ahsyiiiliiiii-i in lt;ilia, niiiiil ilii ' arliitranl'ir. iii.-i liuliain ./T^UiiDpiuiii, Aruln.iiii. t-i iilira
|il<'niriique tiiortii raliili, s.'d cii-ula. p:ipuv»r, l-1 IhtIhe | GaraiiianlaH d lnlj.i>i iiiuiuli pnrlWiii» fii|iii.i(,i ri-iii<'ilia
Iriaida' ; apiiil im* <.i>rmani>9 et Polmioii ubiquc priivciiit rorradmil Tuliiii. «a'p.' iii.il. i.ir ni-ii. i iim. una, ice
at>^yMthllllIl. »-Uriiini in villani vimiiI, coiikiiI) ravit { '-'^ Ep. li>i.R. Pri.Jiiiiioriiiii n . , .. riainur.
qua- il)i cri'so-hant nii'tlii-niii>'tiia. :<iniplicia freqiifiitiora, | «•! aii ea ciciioM-iMiita lU-r p .uiiii<-ra
rl lin pliTiitiqiie utiiis (li>itilla(i!i, rt alitcr, allinli.'icniii «iitiMiiii:i ; at qux i^ub (m-iiIi- , >* Kx*
i'li-4> ar:;f>>li'iini riri'iinifi'ri'ns. ^ M' rim- tni-Jiris ijlilc-i ' niira r^jxit, (liiiiii-itlicM nolnin iij3 cuntinlu* f««« Vu-
"iiiiiiiiin in .Miulia tVraiisisiiiiiE. "Ooc ad qu.>s i lull. .Mrlcb. AUamu* vil. «ju».
iua|iiu« herbariurum nuuierus undique cuufluit. 6iu- |
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.]
Medicinal Physic.
391
in Holland, Montpelier in France, (and our's in Oxford now in Jieri, at the cost and
charges of the Right Honourable the Lord Danvers Earl of Dauby) are much to be
commended, wherein all exotic plants almost are to be seen, and liberal allowance
yearly made for their better maintenance, that young students may be the sooner
informed in the knowledge of them : which as ^^ Fuchsius holds, " is most neces-
sary for that exquisite manner of curing," and as great a shame for a physician not
to observe them, as ibr a workman not to know his axe, saw, square, or any other
tool which he must of necessity use.
Sub SECT. HI. — Mteratives, Herbs, other Vegetables, Sfc.
Amongst these 800 simples, which Galeottus reckons up, lib. 3. de promise, doc-
tor, caj}. 3, and many exquisite herbalists have written of, these few following alone
I lind appropriated to this humour: of which some be alteratives; ^°"' which by a
secret force," saith Renodaeus, " and special quality expel future diseases, perfectly
cure those which are, and many such incurable ellects." This is as well observed
in other plants, stones, minerals, and creatures, as in herbs, in other maladies as iu
this. How many things are related of a man's skull .? What several virtues of
corns in a horse-kg, *' of a wolf's liver, &c. Of ^"diverse excrements of beasts, all
good against several diseases } What extraordinary virtues are ascribed unto plants.?
^■^ Satyr ium ct eruca j)enem erigimt, vitex et nymphea semen exti?igimnf, ^■' some herbs
provoke lust, some agahi, as agnus castus, water-lily, quite extinguisheth seed ; poppy
causeth sleep, cabbage resisteth drunkenness, &c., and that which is more to be ad-
mired, that such and such plants should have a peculiar virtue to such particular
parts, ^' as to the head aniseeds, foalfoot, betony, calamint, eye-bright, lavender, bays,
roses, rue, sage, marjoram, peony, &c. For the lungs calamint, liquorice, ennula
campana, hyssop, horehound, water germander, &c. For the heart, borage, bugloss,
saffron, balm, basil, rosemary, violet, roses, &c. For the stomach, wormwood, mints,
betony, balm, centaury, sorrel, parslan. For the liver, darthspine or camagou^'. ger-
mander, agrimony, fennel, endive, succory, liverwort, barberries. For the 3?ieen,
maiden-hair, finger-fern, dodder of thyme, hop, the rind of ash, betony. i" or the
kidneys, grumel, parsley, saxifrage, plaintain, mallow. For the womb, mugwori,
pennyroyal, fetherfew, savine, &.c. For the joints, camomile, St. John's wort, organ,
rue, cowslips, centaury the less, &c. And so to peculiar diseases. To this of me-
lancholy you shall find a catalogue of herbs proper, and that in every part. See
more in Wecker, Renodeus, Heurnius lib. 2. cup. 19. &c. I will briefly speak of
them, as first of alteratives, which Galen, in his third book of diseased parts, prefers
before diminutives, and Trallianus brags, that he hath done more cures on melan-
choly men *by moistening, than by purging of them.
Borage.] In this catalogue, borage and bugloss may challenge tlie chiefest place,
whether in substance, juice, roots, seeds, flowers, leaves, decoctions, distilled waters,
extracts, oils, &c., for such kind of herbs be diversely varied. Bugloss is hot and
moist, and therefore worthily reckoned up amongst those herbs which expel melan-
choly, and ^'exhilarate the heart, Galen, lib. 6. cap. 80. de simpl. med. Dioscorides,
lib. 4. cap. 123. Pliny much magnifies this plant. It may be diversely used; as in
broth, in ^'^ wine, in conserves, syrups. Sec. It is an excellent cordial, and against
this malady most frequently prescribed ; a herb indeed of such sovereignty, that as
Diodorus, lib. 7. bibl. Plinius, lib. 25. cap. 2. et lib. 21. cap. 22. Plutarch, sympos.
lib. 1. cap. 1. Dioscorides, lib. 5. cap. 40. Cajlius, lib. 19. c. 3. suppose it was
that famous Nepenthes of ^^ Homer, which Polydamna, Thonis's wife (then king of
Thebes in Egypt), sent Helena for a token, of such rare virtue, '' that if taken
steeped in wine, if wife and children, father and mother, brother and sister, and all
thy dearest friends should die before thy face, thou couldst not grieve or shed a tear
for them."
* Iiistit. 1.1. cap. 8. sec. 1. ad exquisitam curaiidi
ratianmii, quorum cogniiio imprimis iiecesj^aria est.
»Q.iia; ca;ci vi ac sp; iMlica qualitute mofbos fiituros
drci'iit. lib. Leap. 10. l:l^^lt. Pilar. 3i Galen, lib.
epar lupi epaticos ciir.it. s^Stercus pecoris ad Epi-
Itpsiam, <kc. -^ I'riLStpintle, rocket. 34Sabiua
fcBtum educit. ^Wecktr. Vide Oswaldum CroUium,
lib. de internis rerum signaturis, de herlii* pariicilari-
bus parti cuique conveiuenlibus. ^'' Mem l.iaureu
tius, c. 9. 37 Dicor borage gauilia semper agu
*= Vino infusum liilaritatcm facit. '»OJ>ss. A.
592 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 4.
"Qui spinel iil patera riiistum Neppnllies laccho
Haiiscrit, hie lachryinaiii, noii si suax issiiiia proles,
Si geriiiniius ei charus, iiiaterqiie pateniue
Opptlal, ante oculus I'erro coiifossus alri>ci.''
Helena's commended bowl to exhilarate the heart, had no other ingredient, as most
of our critics conjecture, than this of borate.
Balm.] Melis.sa balm hath an admirable virtue to alter melancholy, be it steeped
in our ordinary drhik, extracted, or otherwise taken. Cardan, lib. 8. much admires
this herb. It lieats and dries, saiih '•' xlei;rnius, in tlie secontl degree, with a wonder-
ful virtue comforts the heart, and purgeth all melancholy vapours from the sipirits,
]\latihiol. in lib. 3. cap. 10. in Dioscoridcm. Besides they ascribe other virtues to it,
■•' " as to help concoction, to cleanse the brain, expel all careful thoughts, and anxious
imaginations :" the same words in ellt^ct are in Avicemia, Pliny, Simon Sethi, Puch-
sius, Leobel, Dclacampius, and every herbalist. N«>thing better for him that is me-
lancholy than to steep this and borage in his ordinary drink.
Mathiolus, in his tilth book of .Medicinal Ppistles, reckons up scorzonera, ''^•^not
against poison only, falling sickness, and such as are vertiginous, but to this malady;
the root of it taken by itself expels sorrow, causeth mirth and lightness of heart."'
Antonius Musa, that renowned physician to Ca'sar Augustus, in his book which
he writ of the virtues of betony, cap. G. wonderfully commends ihat herb, animus
huminum et corpora custodit, securas de melu reddit^ it preserves botli body and mind,
from fears, cares, griefs ; cures falling sickness, this and many other diseases, to
whom Galen subscribes, lib. 7. simp. med. Dioscorides, lib. 4. cap. 1. SiC.
.Marigold is much ajiproved against melancholy, and often used therefore in our
ordinary broth, as good against this and many other diseases.
Hop.] Lupulus, hop, is a sovereign remedv ; Puchsius, cap. 58. Plant, hist, much
extols it; '""it purgeth all choler, and purities the blood. Mutihiol. cap. 1 iO. in 4.
Diosc'jr. wonders the physicians of his time made no more use of it, because it
rarities and deanseth : we use it to this purpose in our ordinary beer, wiiich before
was thick and fulsome.
Wormwood, centaur)', pennyroyal, are likewise magnified and much prescribed
(as I shall after show), especially ia hypochondriac melancholy, daily to be used,
sod in wliey : and as Huli'us Kphesias, ** Areteus relate, by breaking wind, helping
concoction, many melancholy men have been cured with the frequent use of them
alone.
And because the spleen and blood are often misallected in melancholy, I may not
omit endive, succory, dandelion, fumitory, ktc, whicli cleanse tlie blood, Scolopen-
dria, cuscuta, ceterache, mugwort, liverwort, ash, tamarisk, genist, maidenhair, fcic,
which must help and ease the spleen.
To these I may add roses, violets, capers, feathcrfcw, scordium, staechas, rosemary,
ros solis, satfron, ocliyme, sweet apples, wine, tobacco, sanders, inc. Tliat Peruvian
chunnco, nionstrosd facultatf., t^c, Linshcosteus Datura; and to such as are c<»ltl, the
■•^decoction of guiacum, China sarsaparilla, sassafras, tlie flowers of carduus bene-
dicius, which 1 find much used by Montanus in his Consultations, Julius .Alexandri-
iius, Lelius, Egubinus, and others. ** Beniardus Penotlus prefers his herba solis, or
])utch sin-law, before all the rest in this disease, '• and will admit of n«j herb upon
the earth to be comparable to it." It excels Homer's moly, cures this, faUing sick-
ness, and almost all otlier intirmities. The same Penottus speaks of an excellent
balm out of Aponensis, which, taken to the quantity of three drops in a cup of wine,
* " will cause a sudden alteration, drive away dump.s, and cheer up the heart." Ant.
(juianerius, in his Antidotary, hath many such. ** Jacobus de Dondis the airgre-
gator, repeats ambergrcase, nutmegs, and allspice amongst the rest. Put that cannot
be general. Amber and spice will make a hot brain mad, good for cold and moist.
M Lib. 3. cap. -2. prax.iiied. mira vi Ixtitiam prxbet el ' cap. 5. Laiet. occit. Imtie dencrip. lib. 10. cap. X
cor ciiiitirioal, vaporeH iiiflaiictinliciis pursnt a spiriii- ' " lleuniini, I. 2. ciinitil. 185. t^iilizii con-' " •• rrj^f.
lui * Propriiiin est ejiid aniiiiiiiii hilari-iii rxlil'Tc. ' drnar. riit'cl. OrHiieii riipilit Uoliirfii •! )i< . I
ci'iiriKtii'iii'in juvare, cerebri olmtruclioiies ivHTari;, In; kiu.'< nulluni hi'rbaiii in lerrm Iiiik ^ ui
F'lljiritiiiliiies mgare, f)ollicita» irna^'iMutinries t< ll.re. virihuit et boiiitate iiakci. •^0|i(iiii.
lN-iirz"«iiera " .Von solum ad vi|H'rarinii iimritug, luni in crleri curUii coiifort.itione, it a<i
I'oinitiulcei, vprtigino5oii; iieil per »e accoriiinridata radix lantur, &C. *> Ki.ii<:ol<'liii«. Kl> n
tri!ititiain diM:iitiI, hilaritateinque coiiciliut. *^ liilein hahel iiiiraoi ad hilaniiiteni i-t iiiuiti pro n, , ...,,, .l
iilra:u<iue Ueiratiit, saiiguinem purgat. ** Lib. 7. ! Sckenkiu* ubcvrv. oied. ceu. 5. oUmtv. Mi.
Mem. 1. Subs. 4.] Medicinal Physic. 393
Garcias ab Horto hath many Indian plants, whose virtnes he mucli magnifies in this
disease. Lemnius. instit. cap. 58. admires rue, and commends it to have excellent
virtue, ''^'•to expel vain imaginations, devils, and to ease afflicted souls." Other
things are much magnified ""by writers, as an old cock, a ram's head, a wolfs heart
borne or eaten, which Mercurialis approves ; Prosper Altinus the water of Nilus ,
Gomesius all sea- water, and at seasonable times to be sea-sick : goat's milk
whey, &.C.
SuBSECT. IV. — Precious Stones., Metals, Minerals, Alteratives.
Precious stones are diversely censured; many explode the use of them or an'^'
minerals in physic, of whom Thomas Erastus is the chief, in his tract against Para-
celsus, and in an epistle of his to Peter Monavius, ^' " That stones can work any
wonders, let them believe that list, no man shall persuade me ; for my part, I have
found by experience there is no virtue in them." But Matthiolus, in his comment
upon ^- Dioscorides, is as profuse on the other side, in their commendation ; so is
Cardan, Kenodeus, Alardus, Pvueus, Encelius, Marbodeus, &c. °^ Matthiolus specifies
in coral : and Oswaldus Crollius, Basil. Chijm. prefers the salt of coral. ^* Christoph.
FiUcelius, lib. 3. cap. 131. will have them to be as so many several medicines against
melancholy, sorrow, fear, dulness, and the like ; '"'' Renodeus admires them, '• besides
they adorn kings' crowns, grace the fingers, enrich our houseiiold stufi; defend us
from enchantments, preserve health, cure diseases, they drive away grief, cares, and
exhilarate the mind." The particulars be these.
Granatus, a precious stone so called, because it is like the kernels of a pomegid-
granaie, an imperfect kind of ruby, it comes from Calecut; ^^'-if hung about the
neck, or taken in drink, it much resistelh sorrow, and recreates the heart." The
same properties I find ascribed to the hyacinth and topaz. °' They allay anger, grief,
diminish madness, much delight and exhilarate the mind. ^*'* If it be either earned
about, or taken in a potion, it will increase wisdom," saith Cardan, " expel fear; he
brags that he hath cured many madmen with it, which, when they laid by the stone,
were as mad again as ever they were at first." Petrus Bayerus, lih. 2. cap. 13. vent
mccum., Fran. Rueus, cap. 19. de gcmmis, say as much of the chrysolite, ^''a friend
of wisdom, an enemy to folly. Pliny, lib. 37. Solinus, cap. 52. Albertus de Lapid.
Cardan. Encelius, lib. 3. cap. 66. highly magnifies the virtue of the beryl, ^'"it
much avails to a good understanding, represseth vain conceits, evil thoughts', causeth
mirth," &.c. In the belly of a swallow there is a stone found called chelidonius,
^' " which if it be lapped in a fair cloth, and tied to the right arm, will cure lunatics,
madmen, make them amiable and merry."
There is a kind of onyx called a chalcedony, which hath the same qualities,
" "• avails much against fantastic illusions which proceed from melancholy," preserves
the vigour and good estate of the whole body.
The Eban stone, which goldsmiths use to sleeken their gwld with, borne about or
given to drink, ^^hath the same properties, or not much unlike.
Levinus Lemnius, Institut. ad vit. cap. 58. amongst other jewels, makes mention
of two more notable ; carbuncle and coral, ^^ '-' which drive away childish fears, devils,
overcome sorrow, and hung about the neck repress troublesome dreams," which pro-
perties almost Cardan gives to that green-coloured '^^emmetris if it be carried about,
or worn in a ring ; Rueus to the diamond.
Nicholas Cabeus, a Jesuit of Ferrara, in the first book of his Magnetical Philoso-
^Afflictas meiiles relevat, animi imaninationes et , sedat et animi trijtitiain pullit. S8 Lapis hie sres-
daemoiies expt- Hit. ^oSckenkius, MizuUlus, Rliasis. talus aut .bir.itiis prudeiitiaiii aiiget. nocturiios timores
6iCratonis ep. vol. 1. Credat qui vult ireuiiiias niirahilia pellit; insarios hac saiiavi, et quuni lapidem ahjecerint,
efficere; luihi qui et ratioiie et experientia didici ali- erupit iteriiin stultitia. SMn.lucit sapientiam,
ter rem liabere, iiullus facile persuadeliit I'alsum esse fu^at stultitiani. Idem Cardanus, lunaticos jiivat.
verum. -2 L. de gemmis. S3 Margarit.e et co- ' eoconferl ad boiium jntellectura, comprimit malas cogi-
ralluni ad inelancholiam praicipue valent. « Mar- i tationes, fcc. Alacres reddit. ^- Alhertus, Ence-
ganta! et gemmse spiritus confortant et cor, melanclio- j lius, cap. 44. Mb. 3. Pliii. lib. 37. cap. 10. Jacobus de
liam f.igant. wPrajfat. ad lap. prec. lib. 2. sect. 2. I Dondis: dextro brachio alligatus saiiat lunaticos, insa.
de mat. nied. Regum coronas ornant, digitos illustrant, ! iios, facit amabiles, jucundos. e^Valet contra
6up.^i:eciilem ditant, e fasciiio tuentur, morhis meden- i phantasticas illusiones e.T inelancliolia. w .AmentPS
.ur, saiiitatem coiiservaiit, mentem cxhilaraiit, tristi- sanat, tristitiain pellit, iraiii, &;c. ^Valetadfii-
tiaiM p.-llunt. -6 Encelius, I. 3. c. 4. Suspeiisus gaudos timores et dipmones, turbulenta soinnia abigit,
vel ebiliitus tnstitia; mullum resistit, et cor recrcat. et nocturnos puerorum timores compescit. "^Sorania
*>" Idem. cap. 5. et cap. C.de Hyacintlio et Topazio. Irani , l;fta fatU arijeuteo auaulo gestalus.
50
394 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 4^
phy, cap. 3. speaking of the virtues of a loadstone, recites many several opinions ;
some say that if it be taken in parcels inward, si quis per frustra voret^ jucniutem
reslituel^ it will, like viper's wine, restore one to his youth ; and yet if carried about
them, others will have it to cause melancholy; let experience determine.
Mercurialis admires the emerald for its virtues in pacifying all allections of the
ndiid; others the sapphire, which is "the *** fairest of all precious stones, of sky
colour, and a great enemy to black choler, frees the niinth mends manners," Stc
Jacobus de Dondis, in his catalogue of simples, liath ambergrease, os in corde cervi.^
*"' the bone in a stag's heart, a monocerot's horn, bezoar's stone C"* of which else-
where), it is found in the belly of a little beast in the East Indies, brought into
Europe by Hollanders, and our countrymen merchants. Renodeus, cap. 2ti. lib. 3.
de merit, vied, saith he saw two of these beasts alive, in the castle of the Lord of
Vitiy at Coubert.
Lapis lazuli and armenus, because they purge, shall be mentioned in their place.
Of the rest in brief thus much 1 will add out of Cardan, Renodeus, cap. 23. lib. 3.
Rondoletius, //7>. \.de Testat.c. IS.cSr.*'" That almost all jewels and precious stones
have excellent virtues to pacify the aflections of the mind, for which cause rich men
so much covet to have them : ™and those smaller unions which are found in shells
amongst the Persians and Indians, by the consent of all writers, are very coriiial, and
most part avail to the exhilaration of the heart."
Minerals.] Most men say as much of gold and some other minerals, as these
have dune of precious stones. Erastus still maintains the opposite part. JJisput.
in Paracchum. cap. i.fol. I'JG. he confesselh of gold, "''ttiat it makes the heart
merry, but in no other sense but as it is in a miser's chest:" at mild plaiido simul
ac nitmmos contemplor in area., as he said in the poet, it so revives tlie spirits, and is
an excellent recipe against melancholy,
'■- for gold in p^trie u • cordiaj,
TktrtJoTt he loreil guld in tpeeial.
Aurum potabile^ he disconmiends and inveighs against it, by reason of the corrosive
Maters which are used in it : which argument our Dr. Guin urgeth against D. Anto-
nius. '^Erastus concludes their pliilosuphical stones and potable gnld, itc. *■' to be
no better ihan poison," a mere imposture, a nun ens ; dug out of that broody hill
belike iliis gt)lden stone is, iibi miscclur ridiculus mus. Paracelsus and his chemis-
tical followers, as so many Promethti, wUI fetch tiie from heaven, will cure all man-
ner ot diseases with minerals, accounting them the only physic on tlie other side.
'^Paracelsus calls Galen, Hippocrates, and all their adherents, infants, idiots, sophis-
ters, kc. Apugcsis istos qui Vulcanias isias metamorphoses sugillant, inscitice sobo-
/ts, supincc pertinacice alumnus, tSjc, not worthy the name of physicians, for want
ot these remedies : and brags that by them he can make a man live 100 years, or to
the world's end, with their '"^Altxiphar mac urns, Panaceas, Mummias, unguentum Ar-
marium, and such magnetical cures, Lumpas vita et mortis, Balneum Diinup, lial-
samum, Electrum Magiciy-physicum, Amuleta Martialia, 4"C. What will not he and
his lolluwers etlect .' He brags, moreover, that he was primus medicurum, and did
more famous cures than all the physicians in Europe besides, ""a drop of iiis pre-
l)aratiL»ns should go farther than a drachm, or ounce of iheirs," those loathsome and
lulsome filihy poti«)ns, heteroclitical pills ',so he calls them), horse medicines, ad
(juoram aspectum Ct/clups Polyphemus eihorresceret. And though some condemn
their skill and magnetical cures as tending to magical superstition, witchery, charms,
&.C., yet they admire, stillly vindicate nevertheless, and infmitely prefer thenj. But
these are both in extremes, the middle sort approve of minerals, though not in so
high a degree. Lemnius lib. 3. cap. 6. de occult, nat. mir. commends gold inwardly
nAtro; bill adversalur. omnium ^t-minaruin pulclit-r-
rinia. cali cnloreni refert, animum ab errure liberal,
mures iii melius inutat. s' LtOiigis mceronbus fpliciter
incdftur, dfliguiis, .Soc. "*St:r. 5. Memb. I. Subs. 3.
■"Gestaiiien lapiilum ct ccmmariini niaxiiiiiiiu Tert aiixi-
lium et juvainen ; unite qui dites sunt ^emiiiad s.-cuin ' doctinrfit sunt quaiii vcdir (iaieuiio ei A
ferre stuileiit. '<> Marzarits el unioiieii que i cun- I mt-a plu< eipi-ria fiit quaiii ii-alr-r Tum
cbi3 el pi^ibus apuil Persas et liidos, valdu cordiales '<Vide Krnestuin Hiiri:ratiiiin. t-dii. I
aunt. Sec. ^ '> Aurum la-titiam general, non in ronle, ' Kill. Crnlliun and olher*. ' Clii* prutl.
sed in area viroruin. '^Chaucer. ^ Auruio uon , quaiu tot euruoi ilractuuc et umix.
aurum. Noxiuiu ob aquax ro<lente«. " Kp. ail .Mona-
vium. Melallica omnia in univrr.'tuiii quovKintxlo pa-
rata, nee tiitii nee eo[iiiii<Mj£ inlr.i rurpMn k'liiii. '>|p
parag. SlulliiMtimiig pilun nccipilii im i piim •rit. qiiam
ouiiiea vei^lri dxrloren, el rulC'-onini iii' ' ".in iiun'.li
Mem. 1. Subs. 5.] Compound Jilieralives. 395
and outwardly used, as in rings, excellent good in medicines ; and such mixtures as are
made for melancholy men, saith Wecker, anlid.spcc. lib. 1. to whom Renodeus sub-
scribes, ]lb. 2. cap. 2. Ficinus, lib. 2. cap. 19. Fernel. 7neth. vied. lib. 5. cap. 21. de
Cardiacis. Daniel Sennerius, lib. I. part. 2. cap. 9. Audernacus, Libavius, Quer-
cetanus, Oswaldus Crollius, Euvonymus, Rubeus, and Matthiolus in the fourth book
of his Episues, Jlndreas a Blawen epist. ad Malthiolum., as commended and formerly
used by Avicenna, Arnoldus, and many others: '* Matthiolus in the same place ap-
proves of potable gold, mercury, with many such chemical confections, and goes so
far in approbation of them, that lie holds ™ " no man can be an excellent physician
that liath not some skill in chemistical distillations, aud that chronic diseases can
liardly be cured without mineral medicines :" look for antimony among purgers.
SuBSECT. V. — Compound Alter ativ e,s ; censure of Compounds., and mixed Physic.
Pliny, lib. 24. c. 1, bitterly taxeth all compound medicines, ^" Men's knavery,
imposture, and captious wits, have invented those shops, in which every man's life
is set to sale : and by and by came in those compositions and inexplicable mixtures,
far-fetched out of India and Arabia ; a medicine for a botch must be had as far as
tlie Red Sea." And 'tis not without cause which he saith; for out of question they
are much to ^' blame in their compositions, whilst they make infinite variety of mix-
tures, as "Fuchsius notes. "They think they get themselves great credit, excel
others, and to be more learned than the rest, because they make many variations ;
but he accounts them fools, and whilst they brag of their skill, and think to get
themselves a name, they become ridiculous, betray their ignorance and error." A
few simples well prepared and understood, are better than such a heap of noiisease,
confused compounds, which are in apothecaries' shops ordinarily sold. '■'' In which
many vain, superfluous, corrupt, exolete, things out of date are to be had (saith
Cornarius) ; a company of barbarous names given to syrups, juleps, an unnecessary
company of mixed medicines ;" rudis indigestaque moles. Many times (as Agrippa
taxeth) there is by this means ^^'^ more danger from the medicine than from the dis-
ease," when they put together they know not what, or leave it to an illiterate apothe-
cary to be made, they cause death and horror for health. Those old physicians had
no such mixtures ; a simple potion of hellebore in Hippocrates' time was the ordi-
nary purge; and at this day, saith ^*Mat. Riccius, in that flourishing commonwealth
of China, ■' their physicians give precepts quite opposite to ours, not unhappy in
tlieir physic ; they use altogether roots, herbs, and simples in their medicines, and
all their physic in a manner is coiuprehended in a herbal: no science, no school, no
art, no degree, but like a trade, every man in private is instructed of his master."
^'Cardan cracks that he can cure all diseases with water alone, as Hippocrates of old
did most infirmities with one medicine. Let the best of our rational physicians de-
monstrate and give a sufficient reason for those intricate mixtures, why just so many
simples in mithridate or treacle, why such and such quantity; may they not be re-
duced to half or a quarter ? Frustrajit per plura (as the saying is) quod fieri potest
jier pandora ; 300 simples in a julep, potion, or a little pill, to what end or pur-
j)ose .' I know not what ^ Alkindus, Capivaccius, ^Montagna, and Simon Eitover, the
best of them all and most rational, have said in this kind ; but neither he, they, nor
any one of them, gives his reader, to my judgment, that satisfaction which he ought;
why sucli, so many simples" } Rog. Bacon hath taxed many errors in his tract de
graduationibus., explained some things, but not cleared. Mercurialis in his book de
composit. medicin. gives instance in Hamech, and Philonium Romanum, which Ha-
mech an Arabian, and Philonius a Roman, long since composed, but crasse as the
'' Noiiiiulli liuic supra niodiiiii in(lul?eiit, usuin elsi I lauilem sibi comparare student, ft iu hoc stuciio alt^r
noil ndHO iiiairniini, iion taiuen abjiciiMidum censeo. | alteruni supi?rare conatur, durn (luisqui! quo plura mis
cunrit, eo se doctioreui putot, inde fit ut suani prodan.
inscitiam. duiii ostentaiit peritiain, et se riiliculos ex-
hibeant, &c. eSMulto plus periouli a ini;dicaniento,
quam a mnrbn, &c. ** Eipedit. in Sinas, lib. 1. c. 5.
Prscepta ineilici dant nootirs diversa. in niedendo non
infelices, pharraacis utuntur siinplir.ibus, ln-rbis, radi-
cibus, &K. lota eoruin niedicina nostrs lierbariie prtB-
ceptis CDulinetur, null..* Aldus hujus arlis, quisque pri •
vatus a quolibet magistro eruditur. i»Lib. de Aqua.
*•> Opusc. de Dos.
"^ Aiisiin diceri' uprniniMU medicuin excelluntcni qui non
ill liar distillatione cbyjiiica sit versatus. Morbi chro-
nici dfvinci citra nietallica vix possint, aut ubi sanguis
corruuipilur. m Fraudes hominiiin et ingenioruin
capluriv, niticinas invenere istas. in quibus sua cuique
vciialis proniitlitur vita; statim compositiones et mix-
t'ir;p itiexplicabi^os ex Arabia et [ndia, ulceri parvo
iih'ilicina a riibri) mari iinportatur. t-' Arncddus
Aphor. 15. Fallax inedicus qui potens mederi simplici-
bus, cuijipositu dolose aut frustra qiiasrit. '•''Lib. 1.
sect. 1. cap. 8. Dum iafinita medicainenta Diisccut,
390 Ctire of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. i
rest. If they be so exact, as by him it seems they were, and those mixtures so per-
fect, why cloth Fernelius alter the one, and why is the other obsolete.-' *^CardHi
taxeth Galen for presuming out of his ambition to correct Theriachum Androinaclii
and we as justly may carp at all the rest. Galen's medicines are now exploded ant-
rejected ; what Nicliolas Meripsa, Mesne, Celsus, Scribanius, Actuariiis, &.c. writ of
old, are most part contemned. Mellichius, Cordus, Wecker, Querecetan, Hhenodeus
the Venetian, Florentine states have their several receipts, and magistrals : they of
Nuremburg have theirs, and Augustana Pharmacopceia, peculiar medicines to the
meridian of the city: London hers, every city, town, almost every private man hath
his own mixtures, compositions, receipts, magistrals, precepts, as if he scorned anti-
quity, and all others in respect of himself. Hut each man must correct and alter to
show his skill, every opinionative fellow must maintain his own parado.x, be it what
it will; Delirant. reges^ plecluntur ^ic/in'i : they dote, and in the meantime the poor
patients pay for their new experiments, the commonalty rue it.
Thus others object, thus I may conceive out of the weakness of my apprehension ;
but to say truth, there is no such fault, no such ambition, no novelty, or ostentation,
as some suppose ; but as ** one answers, this of compound medicines, '• is a most
noble and profitable invention found out, and brought into physic witli great judg-
ment, wisdom, counsel and discrt'tion." Mixed diseases must have mi.xi-d remeilies,
and such siu)ples are conmioidy mixed as have reference to the part alltcttd, some
to (|ualify, the rest to comfort, some one part, some another. Cardan and Brassavola
both hold that .%'«//«/« simplvx mtdicaincntum sine nard, no simple medicine is with-
out hurt (jr otli-nce ; and although Hippocrates, Erasistratus, Diodes of old, in the
infancy of this art, were content with ordinary simples: yet now, sailh "".Etius,
*• necessity compelleth to seek for new remedies, and to make compounds of simples,
as well to correct their harms if cold, dry, hot, thick, thin, insi|>itl, noisome to
smell, to make them savoury to the {Kilate, pleasant to taste and take, and to preserve
them for continuance, by admixtion of sugar, honey, to make them last months and
years for several uses." In such cases, compound medicines may be approved, and
Arnoldus in his 18. aphorism, doth allow of it. '""Jf simples caimot, necessity
compels us to use compt)unds ;" so for receipts and magistrals, dits diem docil, one
day teacheth another, and they are as so manv words or phiases. Que nunc sunt m
honore vocahula si volet usus, ebb and llow with the season, and as wits varv, so
they may be infmitely varied. " Quisque suum plucitum quo capiatnr hub* I.'''' "Every
man as he likes, so many men so many minds,'" and yet all lending to good pur-
pose, though not the same way. As arts and Bcitnces, so physic is still perfected
amongst the rest ; Horci niusarum nutricis, and experience teacheth us every day
^' many things which (mr predecessors knew not of. Nature is not eflete, as he
saith, or so lavish, to bestow all her gifts upon an age, but hath reserved some for
posterity, to show her power, that she is still the same, and not old or consumeil.
Birds and beasts can cure themselves by nature, ^natura ttsu ea plerumque cognos-
cunt qucB homines vix longo labore et doctrina assequuntur^ but " men must use much
labour and industry to find it out." But I digress.
Compound medicines are inwardly taken, or outwardly applied. Inwardly taken,
be either liquid or solid : liquid, are fluid or consisting. Fluid, as wines and syrii()s.
The wines ordinarily used to this disease are wormwood wine, tamarisk, and bu-
glossatum, wine made of borage and bugloss, the composition of which is speciiied
in Arnoldus VUlanovanus, Uh. de vinis, of borage, bilm, bugloss, cinnamon, kc. and
liighly commended for its virtues : *^ •• it drives away leprosy, scabs, clears the blood,
recreates the spirits, exhilarates the mind, purgeth the brain of those anxious black
melancholy fumes, and cleanseth the whole body of that black humour l»y urine.
To which I add," saiili Villanovanus, '* that it will bring madmen, and sucli raging
»^ Subtil, cnp. (le !u:ientiis. '"UuiErcctan. phar- ' lepraiu curat, cpiritui recreat, et aniniuin ezbilarat.
niariip. rt'stitut. cap. 2. Nohilissiinuiii et utilmsiinum .Melaiirhuliciw huinores p«r urinam etJurii ■ > < • '• >.'<■")
iiivenlum suiiiuia lmjui neccsitiitate adinveniuiii et in- i cranMia. ■•ruiiiMiwiii nielaiii-bolia: ruimx |
trcxjuctijin. "'('a|). i5. Tetrabib. 4. ser. -i. N»-ces- [ ailtlodefu<?iilei( rt ruriodm viiiculii r> Tii..-ri
Rita* niiiir rngic aliqiiaiulu noxia qucrere reiiieilia, et Juval. et a<l ratiuniii umim ducit. T<-<li
ex siiiiplirihua coni|>nsitas farere. tuiii ad saporein, < Kieiilia, quod videriiii malronaiii i|iiji«I.'iiii liiur .n.. . ,,
ndoreiii. palati eratiaiii, ad cnrrectionein ^impliciuiii, | laiii, <|uc rr<-qu>-iiliuii ex iraciinilia i|fiii>-ii>, it n i|.. .
luni ad fiituri)!* inun, coiiservatumem. tr. •ufum I ariiini diceiida tarenda l"><|u>-t>alur, a'!--" fiireii» m h.- I'l
siiiipliria iixn posduiii nere^sitas c>><!it ad cntnposita. I ci isc r*- 1 u r Fuit i-i pra-<itaiiti<«iiiiM riim.lio tirii r-'i k
•' Lip'*. Kpisl. '•'TheiMl. PiMlroiiiiij Amor, lib 0. I usuo, iiidicaiux A p*-re);riiio houiiiie iii<-iidiro, eleii;j >; .
**8aueuiiiein corruptum eiuiiculat, Kabiem abolet, | aaiu pre furibut ilictc matruoc iiupluraab*.
Mem. 2. Subs 1.] Compound Mierutives. 397
bedlamites as are tied in chains, to the use of their reason again. My conscience
bears me witness, that I do not lie, I saw a grave matron helped by this means; she
was so choleric, and so furious sometimes, that she was almost mad, and beside her-
self; she said, and did she knew not what, scolded, beat her maids, and was now
ready to be bound till she drank of this borage wine, and by this excellent remedy
was cured, which a poor foreigner, a silly beggar, taught her by chance, that came
to crave an alms from door to door." The juice of borage, if it be clarified, and
drunk in wine, will do as much, the roots sliced and steeped, &c. saith Ant. 3Iizaldus,
art. 7ned. who cities this story verbatim out of Villanovanus, and so doth ^iagninus
a physician of Milan, in his regimen of health. Such another excellent compound
water I find in Rubeus de distill, sect. 3. which he highly magnifies out of Savauarola,
*' •• for such as are solitary, dull, heavy or sad without a cause, or be troubled with
trembling of heart." Other excellent compound waters for melancholy, he cites in
the same place. ^' " If their melancholy be not inflamed, or their temperature over-
hot." Evonimus hath a precious aquavitce. to this purpose, for such as are cold. But
he and most commend aurum potabile, and every writer prescribes clarified whey,
with borage, bugloss, endive, succory, &c. of goat's milk especially, some indefinitely
at all times, some thirty days together in the spring, every morning fasting, a good
draught. Syrups are very good, and often used to digest this humour in the heart,
spleen, liver, &c. As syrup of borage (there is a famous syrup of borage highly
conmiended by Laurentius to this purpose in his tract of melancholy), de, pomis of
king Sabor, now obsolete, of thyme and epithyme, hops, scolopendria, fumitory,
maidenhair, bizantine, &c. These are most used for preparatives to other physic,
mixed with distilled waters of like nature, or in juleps otherwise.
Consisting, are conserves or confections ; conserves of borage, bugloss, balm,
fumitory, succory, maidenhair, violets, roses, wormwood, &c. Confections, treacle,
mithridate, eclegms, or linctures, &c. Solid, as aromatical confections : hot, diambra.,
diamarguritiuii calidum, diantJms., dlamoschum dulce., electuarium de gemmis Iccliji-
cans Gal'iii ct Rhasis, diagalinga, dlacimynum dianisum., dialrion piperion., diazin-
zibcr, diucapcrs., diacinnamonum : Cold, as diamargaritiim frigidum, diacorolU, diar-
rhodon abbatis, diacodion, S)'c. as every pharmacopceia will show you, with their
tables or losings that are made out of them : with condites and the like.
Outwardly used as occasion serves, as amulets, oils hot and cold, as of camomile,
staechados, violets, roses, almonds, poppy, nymphea, mandrake, Slc. to be used after
bathing, or to procure sleep.
Omtments composed of the said species, oils and wax, &c., as Alablastritum Popvr-
Icum, some hot, some cold, to moisten, procure sleep, and correct other accidents.
Liniments are made of the same matter to the like purpose : emplasters of herbs,
flowers, roots, &.C., with oils, and other liquors mixed and boiled together.
Cataplasms, salves, or poultices made of green herbs, pounded, or sod in water
till they be soft, which are applied to the hypochondries, and other parts, when the
body is empty.
Cerotes are applied to several parts and frontals, to take away pain, grief, heat, pro-
cure sleep. Fomentations or sponges, wet in some decoctions, &.C., epithemata, or
tho.se moist medicines, laid on linen, to bathe and cool several parts misaffecied.
Sacculi, or little bags of herbs, flowers, seeds, roots, and the like, applied to the
head, heart, stomach, &c., odoraments, balls, perfumes, posies to smell to, all which
have their several uses in melancholy, as shall be shown, Avhen I treat of the cure
of the distinct species by themselves.
MEMB. II.
SDBSE..r. I. — Purging Simples upward.
Melanagoga, or melancholy purging medicines, are either simple or compound,
and that gently, or violently, purging upward or downward. These following purge
upward. '** Afearum, or Asrabecca, which, as Mesne saith, is hot in the second degree,
s'lis qui tristantur sine causa, et vitant ainicnruin I metur niclanchnlia, aut calidiore teniperamento SiUl.
socsetatein el treuiunl corde soModo non inflam- | s^Heuruius: datur ia sero lactis, aut vino
393 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 4.
and dry in the tliird, " it is commonly taken in wine, whey," or as with us, the juice
of two or three leaves or more sometimes, pounded in posset drink qualified with a
little liquorice, or aniseed, to avoid the fulsomeness of the taste, or as Diaserum
Fernelii. Brassivola in Catart. reckons it up amongst those simples that only purge
melanclioly, and Huellius confirms as much out of his experience, that it pur^jeih
^^ black clioler, like hellebore itself. Galen, lib. G. simplic. and '*'Matthiulus ascribe
other virtues to it, and will have it purge other humours as well as this.
Laurel, by lleurnius's method, ad prax. lib. 2. cap. 24. is put amongst the strong
purgers of melancholy ; it is hot and dry in tlie fourth degree. Dioscorides, lib. 1 1.
cap. 114. adds other effects to it. '■'^ Pliny sets down fifteen berries in drink for a
sufficient potion : it is commoidy corrected with his opposites, cold and moist, as
juice of en(hve, purslane, and is taken in a potion to seven grains and a half. But
this and asrabecca, every gentlewoman in the country knows how to give, they are
two common vomits.
Scilla, or sea-onion, is hot and dry in the tiiird degree. Brassivola in Catart. out
of Mesne, others, and his own experience, will have this simple to purge '"'melan-
choly alone. It is an ordinary vomit, vinttm scilliticum, mixed with rubel in a litiie
white wine.
White hellebore, which some call sneezing-powder, a strong purger upward, which
many reject, as being too violent: Mesne and Averroes will not aihnit of it, '"by
reason of danger of sutli>cati(>n," ••'•great pain and trouble it puts the poor patient
to," saith Dodonieiis. Yet iialen, lib. i). siinpl. incd. and Dioscorides, c«/^ 145.ali(nv
of it. It was indeed ^"terrible in lormt-r times," as Pliny notes, but now famihar.
insomuch that many took it in those days, *"• that were students, to quicken tinir
wits," which Persius Sat. 1. objects to Accius the poet, I lias Acci ibria veratro.
*'' It helps melancholy, tlje falling sickness, niadness, gout, &.C., but not to be taken
of old men, youths, such as are weaklings, nice, or etK-minale, troubled with head-
ache, liigli-col(jured, or fear strangling," saith Dioscoride.-. 'Oribasius, an old phy-
sician, hath written very copiously, and approves of it, ^^ in such aflt'Ctions which
can otherwise liardly be cured." Hernius, lib. 2. prax. med. de vomitoriis^ will not
have it used ^^'but with great caution, by reason of its strength, and then when
antimony will do no good," which caused Hermophilus to compare it to a stout
captain (as Codroneus observes cap. 7. comment, df Ilelleb.) that will see all his
soldiers go before him and come post principia. like the bragging soldier, last* hirn-
selt;**\vhen other helps fail in inveterate melancholy, in a desperate case, this vomit
is to be taken. And yet for all this, if it be well prepared, it may be '•'securely given
at first. '"Matthiolus brags, that he hath often, to the good of many, marie use of
it, and Heurnius, " 'Mhat he hath happil) used it, prepared after his own prescript,"
and with good success. Christophorus a \'ega, lib. 3. c. 41, is of the .same opinion,
that it may be lawfully given ; and our country gentlewomen find it by their comnmn
practice, that there is no such great danger in it. Dr. Turner, speaking of this plant
in his Herbal, telleth us, that in his time it was an ordinary receipt among good
wives, to give hellebore in powder to ii^ weight, and he is not much against it. But
they do commonly exceed, for who so bold as blind Bayard, and prescribe it by
pennyworths, and such irrational ways, as I have heard myself market folks a.sk for
it in an apothecary's shop : but with w hat success God knows ; they smart often for
their rash boldness and fully, break a vein, make their eyes ready to sLiri out <jf
their heads, or kill themselves. So that the fault is not in the physic, but in the
rude and indiscreet handling of it. He that will know, therefore, when to use, how
to prepare it aright, and in what dose, let him read Heurnius lib. 2. prax. mtd. Bias-
sivola de Catart. Godefridus Stegius the emperor Kudolphus' physician cap. 16.
"Veratri modo expurgat cerebrum, robnrat memo-
ri.ini. Fucli:tius. >"Cra.<viis et biliu«>s Imuiiireit
JHT voiiiiliiiii e'liicit. w Vomit urn et iiiviihi.-s cit.
valft ail bjilrop. Sec. i* Materiaa olras ••(liicil.
> Ab vrii! iJeo rrjiciendum, ob p*-ririiliim eutiiicationiii.
8. rap. n in aff>-ctionibu« ii( quv HilTiciillt-r ciirantur,
Hellebr>ruiii ilaiiiu*. * ' Non nine Kiiiiiina cauiiu at
hiic ri-(iieilii> ulfiiiiir ; e«t enim valiili"«i- • — im
vitv» Aiitiiiiniiii contcninil morbus, in .: i
tur, iiio<lo valide virpn rtnorr-iicant.
*i;ap. M>. inacna vi educit, et iiiolesiia cum oinriina. 'cap. I. n«r^. lis iM>liiin dan vnlt Hell • .■■irii,
* Quonilnrii It-rriliik-. < .MuKi ^tll<:lorurll i>ra(Hi iul (jm wvus ipvui non hab«-nl, non im iui r*)rnco|M-in li-
prnvKlfiiila amux r|(ie cnmini.-nlal>antiir. ^ .Mt-dftnr nieni, &c. * Cum falule mullonim. >*Cap.
eomilialibu8. iiiflaiictioliri<<. [KHlasriis; vetalur ■em- 13. d>- iiiorbii cap. ■> Nua (kfiU'uic utimur Bovtrc
bu*. pueri», inollibu» et clfiFaiinatM. *Cullect. lib. i prepvralu Hellcburo albo.
Mem. 2. Siibs. 2.] Purging Simples. Sgg
Matthiolus in Dioscor. and that excellent commentary of Baptista Codroncus, which
IS instar omnium de Helleb. alb. where we shall find great diversity of examples and
receipts. ^
Antimony or stibium, which our chemists so much magnify, is either taken in
substance or mfusion, &c., and frequently prescribed in this disease. " It helps all
mfirmities," saith '' IVIatthiolus, 'Mvhich proceed from black choler, fallincr sickne^^s
and hypochondriacal passions ;" and for farther proof of his assertion"^ he aives
several instances of such as have been freed with it: '^one of Andrew Gallus, a phy-
sician of Trent, that after many other essays, '^ imputes the recovery of his health,
next after God, to this remedy alone." Another of George Handshius, that in like
sort, when other medicines failed, ""was by this restored to his former health, and
which of his knowledge others have likewise tried, and by the help of this admi-
rable medicine, been recovered." A third of a parish priest at Prao-ue in Bohemia,
= "that was so far gone with melancholy, that he doted, and spake he knew not
what ; but after he had taken twelve grains of stibium, (as I mvself saw, and can
witness, for I was called to see this miraculous accident) he was pureed of a deal of
black choler, like little gobbets of flesh, and all his excrements were" as black blood
(a medicine fitter for a horse than a man), yet it did him so much <Tood, that the
next day he was perfectly cured." This very story of the Bohemian priest, Scken-
kius relates verbatim, Exoter. experiment, ad. var. morb. cent. 6. observ. 6. with great
approbation of it. Hercules de Saxonia calls it a profitable medicine, if it be taken
alter meat to six or eight grains, of such as are apt to vomit. Rodericus a Fonseca
the Spaniard, and late professor of Padua in Italy, extols it to this disease, Tom. 2.
consul. 85. so doth Lod. Mercatus de inter, morb. cur. lib. 1. cap. 17. with many
others. Jacobus Gervinus a French physician, on the other side, lib. 2. de venenis
conjut. explodes all this, and saith he took three grains only upon Mattliiolu.'? and
some others' commendation, but it almo.st killed him, whereupon he concludes,
"antimony is rather poison than a medicine." Th. Erastus concurs with him in
his opinion, and so doth ^Elian Montaltus cap. 30 de melan. But what do I talk >
'tis the subject of whole books ; I might cite a century of authors pro and con. I
will conclude with '' Zuinger, antimony is like Scanderbeg's sword, which is either
good or bad, strong or weak, as the party is that prescribes, or useth it : "a worthy
medicine it it be rightly applied to a strong man, otherwise poison." For the pre-
paring of it, look in Evonimi thesaurus, Quercctan, Osivaldus CrolUus, Basil. Cliim.
Basil. Valcntius, &)-c.
Tobacco, divine, rare, superexcellent tobacco, which goes far beyond all tlie pana-
ceas, potable gold, and philosopher's stones, a sovereign remedy to all diseases. A
good vomit, I confess, a virtuous herb, if it be well qualified, opportunely taken, and
medicinally used ; but as it is commonly abused by most men, which take it as
tinkers do ale, 'tis a plague, a mischief, a violent purger of goods, lands, health,
hellish, devilish and damned tobacco, the ruin and overthrow of body and soul.
SuBSECT. II. — Simples purging Melancholy dovmward.
Polypody and epithyme are, without all exceptions, gentle purgers of melan-
choly. Dioscorides will have them void phlegm; but Brassivola out of his expe-
rience averreth, that they purge this humour ; they are used in decoction, infusion,
kc. simple, mixed, &c.
Mirabolanes, all five kinds, are happily '^prescribed against melancholy and quar-
tan agues ; Brassivola speaks out '^ " of a thousand" experiences, he gave them in
pills, decoctions, &c., look for peculiar receipts in him.
Stoechas, fumitory, dodder, herb mercury, roots of capers, genista or broom, pen-
12 In lib. 5. Dioscor. cap. 3. Omnilius npitiilatur mor-
biii, quns atrabilis exnitavit cniuitialibus ii>qije prescr-
tini qui Hvpocoiidriacas oblirierit passiones. '^ An-
dreas Galliis, Triilentinus inedicus, salutem liiiic medi-
camento post Deum debet. k Integra; sanitati,
brevi resiitutus. Id quod aliis accidii?se scio, qui hoc
mirabili nieilicamenio usi sunt. '^dui n!elanch<i-
• icus factus plane deEipiebat, multaque stulte biqueba-
tuT, huic exhibilum 1-2. gr. stibium, quod paulo post
atram bileiii ex alvo eduxit (ut ego vidi. qui vocatus
tanquarn ad miraculum adfiii testari possum.) et ra-
nieiita taiiqiiam carnis disserta in partes totum eicre-
mentuui tanquarn sanguinem nigerriiiiuni reprjesenia-
bat. " .Antimoniuni venenum, non niedicamentuoi.
" Cratonis ep. sect, vel ad Monaviura ep. In utramque
partem dignissinium medicanientum, si recte utenlur.
spcus venenum. i* ^Ma-rores fugant; utiijsgimd
dantur melanchnlicis et qiiaternariis. "Milliw
horum vires expertus sum.
400
Cure of Melancholy.
[Part. 2. Sec. 4
nyroyal and half-boiled cabbage, I find in this catalogue of purgers of black choler,
origan, featherfevv, ammoniac^" salt, saltpetre. But these are very gentle ; alyppus,
dragon root, centaury, ditany, colutea, which Fuchsius cap. 108 and others take for
senna, but most distinguish. Senna is in the middle of violent and gentle purgers
downward, hot in the second degree, dry in the first. Brassivola calls it ■^' *•'• a won-
derful herb against melancholy, it scours the blood, lightens the spirits, shakes off
sorrow, a most profitable medicine," as ^^Dodonajus terms it, invented by the Arabians,
and not heard of beibre. It is taken diverse ways, in powder, infusion, but most
commonly in the infusion, with ginger, or some cordial fiowers added to correct it-
Actuarius commends it sodden in broth, with an old cock, or in whey, wliich is the
common conveyor of all such things as purge black choler; or steeped in wine,
which Ileurnius accounts sufficient, without any farther correction.
Aloes by most is said to purge choler, but Aurelianus lib. '2. c. 6. de morh. chron.
Arculanus cap. 6. in 9. Rhas'is Julius .Alexandrinus, consil. 1H5. Scollz. Crato coTh-
sil. 189. Scollz. prescribe it to this disease; as good for the stomach and to open the
haemorrhoids, out of Mesue, Khasis, Serapio, Avicenna: Menardus ep. lib. l.epist. 1.
opposeth it, aloes ^"doth not open the veins," or move the htemorrhoids, which
Leonhartus Fuchsius jaarfl(/o.r. lib. 1. likewise affirms; but Brassivola and Dodona;u8
defend Mesue out of their exjierience ; let '^^ Valesius end the controversy.
Lapis armenus and lazuli are much magnified by ^'Alexander lib. 1. cap. 16. Avi-
cenna, /Etius, and Actuarius, if they be well washed, that the water be no more
coloured, fifty times some say. *'*That good Alexander (saith Ciuianerus) puts
such confitlence in this one medicine, that he thought all melaiuholy passions might
be cured by it ; and 1 for my part have oftentimes ha|)pily used it, and was never
deceived in the operation of it." The like may be said of lapis lazuli, tbougli it be
somewhat weaker than the other. Garcias ab lU>rU>, hist. lib. 1. c«/<. (if), relates,
that the ^physicians of the .Moors familiarly prescribe it to all melanchnly passions,
and Matthiolus ep. lib. '.i. *" brags of that liappy success which he still had in the
administration of it. Nicholas Meripsa puts it amongst the best remedie.<i, sec^ I.
cap. 12. in .Anlidotis; ^"and if this will not serve (saitb Khasis) then there remains
nothing but lapis armenus and hellebore iljjeU." Valescus and Jason Fratensis much
conmiend pulvis hali, which is made of it. James Damascen. 2. cap. 12. Hercules
de Saxonia, 8tc., speaks well of it. Crato will not approve this; it and both helle-
bores, he saith, are no belter than poison. Victor Trincavelius, lib. 2. cap. 14. found
it in his experience, *"to be very noisome, to trouble the stomach, and hurt their
bodies that take it overmuch."
Black hellebore, that most renowned plant, and famous purger of melancholy,
which all antiquity so much used and admired, was first found out by Melanpodius
a shepherd, as Fliny records, lib. 25. cap. 5. *' who, seeing it to purge his goats when
they raved, practised it upon Elige and Calene, King Frastus' daughters, that ruled
in Arcadia, near the fountain Clitorius, and restored them to their former health. In
llippocrales's lime it was in only request, insomuch that he writ a b(jok of it, a
fragment of which remains yet. Theophrastus, *^ Galen, Fliny, Cailius .Aurelianus,
as ancient as Galen, lib. 1. cap. 6. Aretus lib. 1. cap. 5. Oribasius lib.T. collect, a
famous Greek, vEtius ser. 3, cap. 112 &. 1 13 p. iEgineta, Galen's Ape, lib. 7. cap. 4.
Actuarius, Trallianus lib. 5. cap. 15. Cornelius Celsus only remaining of the old
Latins, lib. 3. cap. 23, extol and admire this excellent plant ; and it was generally
so much esteemed of the ancients for this disease amongst the rest, that they sent
all such as were crazed, or that doted, to the Anticyra, or to Fhocis in Achaia, to
l)e purged, where this plant was in abundance to be had. In Slrabo's time it was an
ordinary voyage, jVaviget Anticyrus; a common proverb among the Greeks and
I.,atins, to bid a dizzard or a mad man go take hellebore ; as in Lucian, .Menippus to
"Sal nitriim, sial aniiiinniacuni, Dracontij radii, diic-
lamnum. " I'alit online gecuiido, ticcal prinin,
a<lv>>rsu!> omnia vitia alrx liilis valci, aanguinern iiiuii-
ila(. «|iirilu:i illii:itrat, iii:(.'romii di^ulit hi-rba iiiiril^ca.
"Cap. 4. lib. i. ° Ri Tf ntiores iieeaiit ora veiiaruni
reiecare. *• \n a!o« ap^ri.u ora vrnaruin lib U.
emit. 3. ^ Vap<ire>< ali.<teigit a vitalibu<t parlibus.
«Tr»et. 15. c. 0. Boimg Alexander, lanlaiii lapide .^r-
aM^no ciinridentiani habuiC. ut oinnes melancliulicas pa»-
iiooei ab eo curari yvMe c/ederel, e( ego, ludti acpi*'
■line uaui lum. et in ejus Piliibitmne nunquam Trauda-
tui fui. *' Maiiforum inedici h<K lapi'l>- |<N'riiiii(|ua
piirganl melancholiMin. Ac *>(iijoef t'-r
uiU!i tiini. rl magiio rum auxilio. <.
nihil rental niii Melleb<>riii, rl lapif Arv -ii
I&4. Scoltrh * Multa mrpora vidi jraM--i i' ' mc
aeitata. el itoniacho in'illuin ohrniMe. >■ rmii vili*.
■It ab eo curari capra* rurentra, kx.. *> Lib. 6 nuipl.
med.
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Purging Simples. iOl
Tantalus, Taniale desipis, hellchoro cpolo tihi opus esf^ eoque sane meraco, thou art
out of thy little wit, O Tantalus, and must needs drink hellebore, and that without
mixture. Aristophanes iti Vespis, drink hellebore, &c. and Harpax in the ^^Comoe-
dian, told Simo and Ballio, two doting fellows, that they had need to be purged with
this plant. When that proud Menacrates 6 ^ttij, had writ an arrogant letter to Philip
of Macedon, he sent back no other answer but this, Consulo tibi ut ad Jlnllcyram
^:- confcras, noting thereby that he was crazed, atque ellcbore indigerc, had much
need of a good purge. Lilius Geraldus saith, that Hercules, after all his mad
pranks upon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of helle-
bore, which an Anticyrian administered unto him. They that were sound com-
monly took it to quicken their wits, (as Ennis of old, ^^Qui non nisi polus ad
arma — proslhut diccnda, and as our poets drink sack to improve their inven-
tions (] find it so registered by Agellius lib. 17. cap. 15.) Carneades the academic,
when he was to write against Zeno the stoic, purged himself with hellebore first,
which ^'Petronius puts upon Chrysippus. In such esteem it continued for many ages,
till at length Mesne and some other Arabians began to reject and reprehend it, upon
whose authority for many foUovj'ing lustres, it was much debased and quite out of
request, held to be poison and no medicine ; and is still oppugned to this day by
*Crato and some junior physicians. Their reasons are, because Aristotle /. I. de
plant, c. 3. said, henbane and hellebore were poison ; and Alexander Aphrodiseus, in
the preface of his problems, gave out, that (speaking of hellebore) ^' " Quails fed on
that which was poison to men." Galen. I. 6. Epid. com. 5. Text. 35. confirms as
much : ^* Constantine the emperor in his Geoponicks, attributes no other virtue to
it, than to kill mice and rats, flies and mouldwarps, and so Mizaldus, Nicander of
old, Gervinus, Sckenkius, and some other Neoterics that have written of poisons,
speak of hellebore in a chief place. ^^ Nicholas Leonicus hath a story of Solon,
that besieging, I know not what city, steeped hellebore in a spring of water, v/hich
by pipes was conveyed into the middle of the town, and so either poisoned, or else
made them so feeble and weak by purging, that they were not able to bear arms.
Notwithstanchng all these cavils and objections, most of our late writers do much
approve of it. ''° Gariopontus lib. 1. cap. 13. Codronchus com. dc helleb. Fallopius
lib. de med. purg. simpl. cap. 69. et consil. 15. Trincavelii, Montanus 239. Friseme-
lica consil. 14. Hercules de Saxonia, so that it be opportunely given. Jacobus de
Dondis, Agg. Amatus, Lucet. cent. 66. Godef. Stegius cap. 13. Hollerius, and all our
herbalists subscribe. Fernelius meth. med. lib. 5. cap. 16. " confesseth it to be a
•*' terrible purge and hard to take, yet well given to strong men, and such as have
able bodies." P. Forestus and Capivaccius forbid it to be taken in substance, but
allow it in decoction or infusion, both which ways P. Monavius approves above all
others, Episl. 231. Scoltzii, Jacchinus in 9. Rhasis, commends a receipt of his own
preparing; Penottus another of his chemically prepared, Evonimus another. Hilde- '
sheim spied. 2. de mel. hath many examples how it should be used, with diversity
of receipts. Heurnius lib. 7. prax. med. cap. 14. '•'calls it an '^"innocent medicine
howsoever, if it be well prepared." The root of it is only in use, ^v♦hich may be
kept many years, and by some given in substance, as by Fallopius and Brassivola
amongst the rest, who ''^ brags that he was the first that restored it again to its use,
and tells a story how he cured one Melatasta, a madman, that was thought to be
possessed, in the Duke of Ferrara's court, with one purge of black hellebore in sub-
.stance : the receipt is there to be seen ; his excrements were like ink, " he perfectly
healed at once ; Vidus Vidius, a Dutch physician, will not admit of it in substance,
to whom most subscribe, but as before, in the decoction, infusion, or which is all in
all, in the extract, which he prefers before the rest, and calls suave medicamcntum^ a
sweet medicine, an easy, that may be securely given to women, children, and weak-
lings. Baracellus, liorto geniali., terms it maximce prcestantia medicamentum.) a medi-
33 Pseudolo act. 4. seen. ult. helleboro hisce hoininibus
opus est. a< Hor. a= In Satyr. ssCrato
coDsil. 10. 1.2. Etsi tmilti magni viri probent, in honatn
;)ariem accipiarit medici, non probeni. ^ Vescun-
tur veratro coturnioes quod hoininibus toxicuin est.
■" Lib. 23. c. 7. 1-'. 14. ss De var. hist. « Corpus
iiicoiume reddit, et juvenile efficit. •'i Veteres non
sine causa usi sunt : Dilficilis ex Helleboro purgatio, et
51 2i2
terroris plena, sed robustis datur tamen, tc. " In-
nocens medicamentura, modo rite paretur. *^ Absit
jactantia, ego primus prtebere aepi, &.c. *• In Ca-
tart. Ex una sola evacuatione furor cessavit et quietus
inde vixit. Tale exempluin apud Sckenkium et aoud
Scoltziuin, ep. 231. P. .Monavius se stolidum .caras*?
jactat hoc epoto tribus aut quatuor v'cibus.
402 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 4.
cine of great worth and note. Qiiercetan in his Spagir Phar. and many others, tel"
wonders of the extract. Paracelsus, above all the rest, is the greatest admirer of this
plant ; and especially the extract, he calls it Theriacum^ tcrreslre Balsamiim, another
treacle, a terrestrial halm., instar omnmm, "all in all, the ^'sole and last refiifi^e to cure
this malady, the gout, epilepsy, leprosy, &c." If this will not help, no physic in
the world ran but mineral, it is the upshot of all. Matlhiolus laughs at tliose that
except against it, and tliough some abhor it out of the authority of Mesne, and dare
not adventure to prescribe it, ^*"yel I (sailh he) have happily used it six hundred
limes without otR-nce, and communicated it to divers worthy physicians, wlio have
given me great thanks for it." Look for receipts, dose, preparation, and other
cautions concerning this simple, in hin», Brassivula, Baracelsus, Codronchus, and
the rest.
SuBSECT. Ul.-^Compound Puri^ers.
CoMPOiXD medicines which purge melancholy, are either taken in the superior oi
mferior parts : superior at mouth or nostrils. At the mouth swallowed or not swal-
lowed : If swallowed liquid or solid : liquid, as compound wine of helh'I)ore, scilla
or sea-onion, senna, Vinum ScilUlicum, Helleboratiim., which *^Quercetan so much
applauds '• for melancholy and madness, either inwardly taken, or outwarilly applied
to tlie head, with little pieces of linen dipped warm in it." OxymeL Scilliticum^
S,i/rupus Ilellfhoraliis major and miuor in Quercetiin, and Syrupus (ienisl<r for hypo-
chondriacal melancholy in the same author, compound syrup of succory, of fumitory,
polipody, kc. lleuriiius his pursuing coek-brolli. Some except against these syrups,
as appears bv ^"^ I'dalriims Leonorus his epistle to Matlhiolus, as most pernicious, and
that out of Hippocrates, coda movers, et mcdicari., nun criifla, no raw things to be
used in physic; but this in the following epistle is exi)lodL'd and soundly confuted
by Matlhiolus : many juleps, potions, receipt-s, are composed of these, as you sliall
tind in liilde>5heim spicel. 2. Ileurnius lib. 2. cap. 14. George Sckenkius Jtul. mcd.
prax. &(c.
Solid purges are confections, electuaries, pills by themselves, or compound with
others, as dc lapide lazulo^ armeno, pil. indce., of fumituryy 6^-c. Confection uf Ha-
mech, which though most approve, Solenander stc. 5. cunsil. 22. bitterly inveighs
against, so doth Hondoletius Pharmacop. otilcina, Fernelius and others ; diasena,
diapolypodium, diacassia, diacatliolicon, VVecker's electuarie de Epithynio, Ptolemy's
hierologadium, of which divers receipts are daily made.
jEtius 22. 23. commends Ilieram Rujji. Trincavelius consil. 12. lib. 4. apjiroves
of Hiera; nan, inquit, inrenio nulius medicumentum, I lind no belter medicine, he
saith. Heurnius adds pil. agiirrgat. pills de Eptlhymo. pil. Ind. Mesne describes
in the Flon-ntiw Antidotary, Pilulce sine quibus esse nolo., Pilulce Cochiir cum Ilel-
leboro, Pil. Arabica., Fietidn, de quinque generibus nurabnlanorum, i^-c. .More proper
to melancholy, not excluiling in the meantime, turbith, maima, riiubarf), agaric,
elescophe, Slc. wliich are not so projKjr to this humour. For, as Montaltus holds
cap. 30. and Montanus cholera etiarn purganda., quod alrce sit pabulum, clioler is to
be purged because it feeds the other: and some are of an opinion, as Erasistratns
and Asclepiades maintained of old, against whom Galen disputes, *^" that no physic
doth purge one humour alone, but all alike or what is next." Most tlierefore in
iheir receipts and magistrals which are coined here, make a mixture of several sim-
ples and compounds to purge all humours in general as well as this. Some rather
use potions than pills to purge this humour, becau.se that as Heurnius and Crate
observe, hie succus il sicco remedio agre trahitur., this juice is not so easily drawn
by dry remedies, and as Montanus adviseth 25 can.'?. '■•All "drying medicines are
to be repelled, as aloe, hiera," and all pills whatsoever, because the disease is dr>' of
itself.
I might here insert many receipts of prescribed potions, boles, &.c. The dose« of
«Ultiniumrefii;ium,Pxtremuin medicamentum. quod I turn extra, w>ciif capili cum lintrol.n in m ni'lcfulM
rclera oiiiniaclaudicqiiacuiiqiie csteris laialivm pelli tppid« adnioiiim. •• f m-i \\:,u, \,u i T>ii«>«
non pmsuiil ail hmic [H-rtirieiit ; »i non hiiic. iiulli re- | Syru|>i micf iitiiiiijini el nn
durit. ^Te&luri poitfuiu me KexceiilM h'liiiiiiibiii ' • Purgaiilia ceiii>fbant iiie>:r
XcUehnrum nii'miii fxhibuiMe. niillo prormis iiiroiniiiM- rem ailrabere, M-d t|ueaicur.>, . ..:... _a... :,*.
di«. *.c. *■ PhartiiBcnp. rt|>(im>im est ail inaniam et lurain tonvertere. *« Krlisanlur iiiun*^ rXBiccaatca
•uinea njelaacbulicoti uITmI-u. turn intra aMuniptuin, aicdicinc, ul Aloe, Hiera, pilule quKcuD<|U(.
Mem. 3.]
Chirurgical Remedies.
403
these, but that they are common in every good physician, and that I am loth to incur
the censure of Forestus, lib. 3. cap. 6. de urinis, ^' " against those that divulge c.A pub-
lish medicines in their mother-tongue," and lest I should give occasion thereby to s«>aie
ignorant reader to practise on himself, without the consent of a good physician.
Such as are not swallowed, but only kept in the mouth, are gargarisms used com-
monly after a purge, when the body is soluble and loose. Or apophlegmatisms, mas-
ticatories, to be held and chewed in the mouth, which are gentle, as hyssop, origan,
pennyroyal, thyme, mustard ; strong, as pellitory, pepper, ginger, &.c.
Such as are taken into the nostrils, errhina are liquid or dry, juice of pimpernel,
onions, &c., castor, pepper, white hellebore, &c. To these you may add odora-
inents, perfumes, and suffumigations, &c.
Taken into the inferior parts are clysters strong or weak, suppositories of Castilian
soap, honey boiled to a consistence ; or stronger of scammony, hellebore. Sac.
These are all used, and prescribed to this malady upon several occasions, as shall
be shown in its place.
MEMB. III.
' Chirurgical Remedies.
In letting of blood three main circumstances are to be considered, *^"Who, how
much, when." That is, that it be done to such a one as may endure it, or to w'hom
it may belong, that he be of a competent age, not too young, nor too old, overweak,
fat, or lean, sore laboured, but to such as have need, are full of bad blood, noxious
humours, and may be eased by it.
The quantity depends upon the party's habit of body, as he is strong or weak,
full or empty, may spare more or less.
In the morning is the fittest time : some doubt whether it be best fasting, or full,
whether the moon's motion or aspect of planets be to be observed ; some affirm,
some deny, some grant in acute, but not in chronic diseases, whether before or after
physic. 'Tis Heurnius' aphorism a phlebotomia auspicandiim esse curiationem, non
d pharmacia., you must begin with blood-letting and not physic ; some except this
peculiar malady. But what do I } Horatius Augenius, a physician of Padua, hath
lately writ 17 books of this subject, Jobertus, &c.
Particular kinds of blood-letting in use ^^are three, first is that opening a vein in
the arm with a sharp knife, or in the head, knees, or any other parts, as shall be
thought fit.
Cupping-glasses with or without scarification, ocyssime compescunt., saith Ferne-
lius, they work presently, and are applied to several parts, to divert humours, aches,
winds, &c.
Horse-leeches are much used in melancholy, applied especially to the haemorrhoids.
Horatius Augenius, lib. 10. cap. 10. Platerus de mentis alienat. cap. 3. Altomarus,
Piso, and many others, prefer them before any evacuations in this kind.
^^ Cauteries., or searing with hot irons, combustions, borings, lancings, which,
because they are terrible, Dropax and Sinapismus are invented by plasters to raise
blisters, and eating medicines of pitch, mustard-seed, and the like.
Issues still to be kept open, made as the former, and applied in and to several
parts, have their use here on divers occasions, as shall be shown.
SECT. V. MEMB. I.
SuBSECT. I. — Particular Cure of the three several Kinds; of Head Melancholy.
The general cures thus briefly examined and discussed, it remains now to apply
these medicines to the three particular species or kinds, that, according to the several
parts aflected, each man may tell in some sort how to help or ease himself. I will
siContra.eos qui lingua viilgari er vernacula remedia
et medicamenta proescribunt, et quibusvis commiinia
fauiuRt. 5- duis, quantum, quando. "Fernelius,
lib. 2. cap. 19. "Renodeus, lib. 5. cap. 21. de his
Mercurialis lib. 3. de composit. med. cap. 24. Heurnius,
lib. 1. prax. med. Weclier, &c.
<04 C^irc of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 5
irpat (if head melancholy first, in which, as in all other good cures, we must begin
with diet, as a matter of most moment, able oftentimes of itself to work this elFect
I have read, .^aith Laurentius, cop. 8. de Melanch. that in old diseases which have
gotten the upper hand or a habit, the manner of living is to more purpose, tluui
whatsoever can be drawn out of the most precious boxes of the apothecaries. This
f!iet, as I have said, is not only in choice of njeat and drink, but of all those other
non-natural things. Let air be clear and moist most part : diet moistening, of good
juice, easy of digestion, and not windy: drink clear, and well brewed, not too
sifong, nor too small. ^Olake a melancholy man fat," as ^^llhasis saith, "and thou
liast finished the cure." Exercise not too remiss, nor too violent. Sleep a little more
tlian ordinary. * Excrements daily to be voided by art or nature; and which Fer-
nelins enjoins his patient, consil. 44, above the rest, to avoid all passions and pertur-
bations of the mind. Let him not be alone or idle (in any kind of melancholy), but
still accompanied with such friends and familiars he most affects, neatly dressed,
washed, anti combed, according to his ability at least, in clean sweet linen, spruce,
liandsome, decent, and good apparel ; for nothing sooner dejects a man than want,
squalor, and nastiness, foul, or old clothes out of fashion. Concerning the medicinal
part, he that will satisfy himself at large t^in this precedent of diet) and see all at
(lice the whole cure and manner of it in every distinct species, let him consult wiiii
Gordonius, Valescus, with Prosper Calenius, lib. de. atra bik ad Card. Ca.'siuin, Lau-
rentius, cap. 8. et 9. dc mela. JEVmn !\Iontaltus, de mel. cap. 2G. 27. 28. 29. 30. Donal.
ah. Allomari., cap. 7. artis med. Hercules de Saxonia, in Panth. cap. 7. et Tract, ejus
peculiar, rf** melan. per Bolzrtam, edit. Venetiis 1620. cap. 17. 18. 19. Savanarola,
Rub. 82. Tract. 8. cap. 1. Sckenkius, in prax. curat. Ital. med. Ileurnius, cap. 12.
de morb. Victorius Faventius, pract. Magn. el Empir. Ilildesheim, Spicel. 2. dc man.
et mel. Fel. Platter, Stokerus, Bruil. P. liaverus, Forestus, Fuchsius, Cappivaccius,
Ivondoletius, Jason Pratensis. SuUusl. Sah ian. de remed. lib. 2. cap. 1 . Jacchinus, tn 9.
Rliasis, Lod. Mercatus, de Inter, morb. cur. lib. I . cap. 17. .Mexan. Messaria, /<r</c/. mi d.
Itb. 1. cap. 21. de mel. Piso. Ilollerius, Sec. that have culled out of those old Greeks,
.Arabians, and Latins, whatsoever is observable or fit to be used. Or let him read
liiose counsels and consultations of Hugo Senensis, consil. 13. et 14. llenerus S<»li-
i:ander, ccmsit. G. sec. 1. et consil. 3. sec. 3. Crato, consil. IG. lib. 1. Moniauus 20.
22. and his following counsels, Lajlius a Fonte. Egubinus, consult. 44. GO. 77. 125.
129. 142. Fernelius, consil. 44. 45. 4G. Jul. Cx'sar Claudinus, Mercurialis, Frambe-
sarius, Sennertus, kc. Wherein he shall find particular receipts, the whole method,
preparatives, purgers, correcters, averters, cordials in great variety and abundance :
out of which, because every man caimot attend to read or peiuse tliem, 1 will colled
lor the benefit of the reader, some few more notable medicines.
SuESECT. H. — Blood-letting.
Phlebotomy is promiscuously used before and after physic, comnaonly before,
and upon occasion is often reiterated, if there be any need at le.-ist of it. For Galen,
and many others, make a doubt of bleeding at all in this kind of head-melancholy.
If the malady, saith Piso, cap. 23. and Altomarus, cwp. 7. Fuchsius, cap. 33. ^' " shall
proceed prijnarily from the mi.saffected brain, the patient in such case shall not need
:it all to bleed, except the blood otherwise abound, the veins be full, infiamed blood,
and the party ready to run mad." In immaterial melancholy, which especially comes
from a cold distemperature of spirits, Hercules de Saxonia, cap. 17. will not admit
of phlebotomy; Laurentius, cap. 9, approves it out of the authority of tlie Arabians;
but as Mesne, Pvhasis, Alexander appoint, ^ " especially in the head," to open the
veins of the forehead, nose and ears is good. They commonly set cupping-glasses
(>n the party's shoulders, having first scarified the place, they apply hi>rse-leeehea
on the head, and in all melancholy diseases, whether essential or accidental, thejr
cause the haemorrhoids to be opened, having the eleventh aphorism of the sixth
>*Cont. lib. I. e. 9. fpstinpi ad impinKuaiionrm, ec i niti ob ■lias caiua* sanfuia millalar. m MUlliia ip
mm iinpinguantur. reinnvetur malum. ** Brnpfiriiiin vai>if. Skt. fructra enim faiicatur cor|Mia,A«. **Cofk
*>-iitris. "Si ex priniariu rcrdiri afleclii rn-ian- petit iia pttlebutumia frunlia.
^holin cTaaerint, •anguiiiia delractione ooii iDdigeot, .
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.] Preparatives and Purgers. 405
book of Hippocrates for their ground and warrant, which saith, " That iii melan-
choly and mad men, the varicose tumour or hajmorroids appearing doth heal the
same." Valescus prescribes blood-letting in all tliree kinds, whom Sallust. Salvian
follows. ^^" If llie blood abound, which is discerned by the fulness of the veins,
his precedent diet, the party's laughter, age, Slc. begin with the median or middle
vein of the arm : if the blood be ruddy and clear, stop it, but if black in the spring time,
or a good season, or thick, let it run, according to the party's strength : and some eight or
twelve days after, open the head vein, and the veins in the forehead, or provoke it
out of the nostrils, or cupping-glasses," &.c. Trallianus allows of this, *'" " If there
have been any suppression or stopping of blood at nose, or haemorrhoids, or women's
months, then to open a vein in the head or about the ankles." Yet he doth hardly
approve of this course, if melancholy be situated in the head alone, or in any other
dotage, ®'" except it primarily proceed from blood, or that the malady be increased
by it; for blood-letting refrigerates and dries up, except the body be very full of
blood, and a kind of ruddiness in the face." Therefore I conclude with Areteus,
®^" before you let blood, deliberate of it," and well consider all circumstances be-
longing to it.
SuBSECT. III. — Preparatives and Purgers.
After blood-letting we must proceed to other medicines ; first prepare, and tlien
purge, JlugecB stabulum purgare, make the body clean before we hope to do any
good. Walter Bruel would have a practitioner begin first with a clyster of his,
which he prescribes before blood-letting : the common sort, as Mercurialis. Montal-
tus cap. 3U. 6fc. proceed from lenitives to preparatives, and so to purgers. Lenitives
are well known, elcctuarium Ie7iitivu7n, dlaphcnicum dlacalholicon, Syc. Preparatives
are usually syrups of borage, bugloss, apples, fumitory, thyme and epithyme, witli
double as much of the same decoction or distilled water, or of the waters of bu-
gloss, balm, hops, endive, scolopendry, fumitory. Sec. or these sodden in whey, which
must be reiterated and used for many days together. Purges come last, " which
must not be used at all, if the malady may be otherwise helped," because they
weaken nature and dry so much; and in giving of them, ^'''•' we must begin with the
gentlest first." Some forbid all hot medicines, as Alexander, and Salvianus, &c.
JYe insaniores indejiant, hot medicines increase the disease ^^"^ by drying loo much."
Purge downward rather than upward, use potions rather than pills, and when you
begin physic, persevere and continue in a course ; for as one observes, ^'"move.re et
nan educere in omnibus malum est ; to stir up the humour (as one purge commofnly
doth) and not to prosecute, doth more harm than good. They must contiime in a
course of physic, yet not so that they tire and oppress nature, danda quies nattirif.,
they must now and then remit, and let nature have some rest. The most gentle
purges to begin with, are ^^ senna, cassia, epithyme, myrabolanea, catholicon : if these
prevail not, we may proceed to stronger, as the confection of haniech, pil. Indce,
fumitorife, de assaieret, of lapis armenus and lazuli, diasena. Or if pills be too
dry; "some prescribe both hellebores in the last place, amongst the rest Arelus,
^''■'•because this disease will resist a gentle medicine." Laurentius and Hercules de
Saxonia would have antimony tried last, ''if the ''^ party be strong, and it warily
given." ™Tnncavelius prefers hierologodium, to whom Francis Alexander in his
Apol. rad. 5. subscribes, a very good medicine they account it. But Crato in a
counsel of his, for the duke of Bavaria's chancellor, wholly rejects it.
I find a vast chaos of medicines, a contusion of receipts and magistrals, amongst
writers, appropriated to this disease ; some of the chiefest I will rehearse. "' To be
*^Si sanguis ahundet, quod scitur ex venariim reple- sananinem detrahere oporiet, deliberationn indiget.
tione, victus ratioiie pncfdente, risu oecri, state et ■ Areteus, lib. 7. c. .5. <^ .\ leiiioribus aiispicaiidum.
aliis. Tuiidatiir nieiliaiia; et si sanguis apparet clarus i (Valescus, Piso, Bruel) rariusqiie niedicainentis purgan-
et ruber, suppriuialur; aut si vere, si iiiirer aut crassus tibus iitenduin. ui sit opus. WQuia corpus exiccant.
perniittatur (lucre pro virilius tegri, de'ii post 8. vel. H. morhum anient. MQuianerius 'I'ract. J5. c. 6.
diem aperiatur ceplialica partis niasisi affecla;, el vena <* Piso. or Ri,a5is, sa-pe valeiit ex Hellebnro. « I,ih.
froiitis, aut saiifjuis provocetur setis per tiares, &c. 7. Exi?iiis rnpilicameiilis morbus non ohseqiiiliir.
" Si quibils c.oiisuetsB su;e suppress® sunt menses, &c. 69 \fo,|o caute detur et robijstis. '«Consil. 1>). I. I,
lalosecare oportet, ant veua tVouiis si sanguis peccet " Plin. I. 31. c. 6. NaviL'ationes oh vouiltioneui prosnnt
cerebro. "' Nisi orluin ducat a sanguine, ne morbus pliirimis morbis capitis, et omnibus ob qua; Helletwrui'i
inde ause.'itur- nhlebotoniia refriv'erat et exsiccat, nisi bibitur. Idem Dioscorides, lib. 5. cap. J3. Avicenna
torpus sii valdc sang'iineum, rubicundum. f* Cum tenia imprimis.
406 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 5.
sea-sick first is very good at seasonable times. Helleborismus Malthioli, witli whit h
ne vaunts and boasts he did so many several cures, "'' I never gave it (saith he), but
after once or twice, by the help of" God, tliey were happily, cured." The manner
of making it he sets down at large in his third book of Epist. to George IIank.-jhius
a physician. Walter Bruel, and lleurnins, make mention of it with great aj)proba-
tion ; so doth Sckenkius in his memorable cures, and experimental medicines, cen. 6.
ohser. 37. That famous Helleborisme of Montanus, which he so often repeats in
his consultations and counsels, as 'Z'S. ■pro.inelan. sacerdote^ ct consil. 1 48. pro ht/po^
cliondriaco, and cracks, '^"-to be a most sovereign remedy for all melancholy per-
sons, which he hath often given willioul olfence, and found by long experience and
observations to be such."
Quercetan prefers a syrup of hellebore in his Spagirica Pharmac. and Hellebore's
extract cnp. 5. of his invention likewise (^"'a most safe medicine "and not unfit to
be given ciiildren") before all remedies whatsoever.
Paracelsus, in his book of black hellebore, admits this medicine, but as it is pre-
pared by him. '*" It is most certain i^saiih he) that the virtue of this herb is great
and admirable in eflect, and little didering from bahn itself; and he that knows well
liow tf) make use of it, hath more art than all their books contain, or all the doctors*
in Germany can show."
-'ll^lianus .Montalius in his excjuisile work dc morh. capitis;., cap. 31. de mel. sets a
.special receipt of his own, which in his practice ''"he fortunately used; because it
is but short I will set it dov.n."
"R Syriipf (le poiiiig o'j. hquip borag. o'''J-
EllfliDri iiigri pi-r niM-teiii iiirii«i iii ligutura
6 v> I ti \it. iiiaiiO factu collniura exhilie."
Other receipts of the same to this purpose you shall find in him. Valescus admires
piihus Hali., and Jason Pratensis after liim : the confection of which our new Lon-
don Pliar'nacopceia hath lately revived. ""Put case (saith he) all other medicines
fail, by the help of God this alone shall do it, and 'lis a crowned medicine which
must be kept in secret."
"R. Epiihyiiii seiiiunc. Inpidis lazuli, ugarici ana 3'J- *
Scaiiiiiioiiii. ^j, Chario|ihill<>riini iiiiiiu'rn, -jo |iiilveri>icntiir
Uiuiiia. et i(Miu< pulveri* scrup. 4. iinguli* septiiiianiH aMUinat."
To iliese I may add ./3r/jo/J/ vifitim Buglossulum, or horage wine before mentioned,
vhich ''*Mizaldus calls vifiiim miruhile., a wonderful wine, and Stockerus vouchsafes
to repeal i"(rAa///ft amongst other receipts. Iliibeus his '"compound water out of
Savonarola: Pinetus his balm; Cardan's Pulvis Ilyacinlhiywhh which, in his book
de curis admirnjidis, he boasts that he had cureil many melancholy persons in eight
days, which *" Sckenkius puts auiongst his observable medicines; Altomarns his
syruj), with which *' he calls God so solemnly to witness, he hath in his kind done
many excellent cures, and which Sckenkius ccnl. 7. observ. 80. menlionelh, Danitl
Sennerlus lib. I. part. 2. cap. 12. so much commends; Rulandus' admirable water
f<*r melancholy, which ceyit. 2. cap. 96. he names Spirilum vitce aureum, Panaceairu
uliat not, a-id his absolute medicine of 50 eggs, curat. Empir. cent. 1. cur. 5. to be
taken three in a morning, with a powder of his. ''^ Faventinus prac. Emper. dou-
bles this number of eggs, and will have 101 to be taken by three and three in like
sort, which Sallust Salvian approves de red. vied. lib. 2. c. 1. with some of the i-ame
pov/der, till all be spent, a most excellent remedy for all melancholy and mad men.
••R. Epithymi, iliyiiii, ana drachmas diia«, gacchari aibi unciani unain, croci grana iria,
Ciiiamoiiii drucliniain unaiii; uiMe, fiat putvis."
^ Xiinquam "ledimus.qiiin ex una aut altera assiinip- ' citer usus sum. ■" Hdc posito quod allw mr-dirina
lioi.i'. IK-o jijvante, fuerint adsalutnm restituti. '' Lib. I non valeant, iifta tunc Dei ii)i«Tic<>rdia val>-bil, i-t e»t
2 Iiitrr coinpoi^ila pur?antia inclaiicholiani. "♦ Ldiis') i mediciiia coronata, qua; s«'creti!'«iui^ ti-m-atur '" Lib.
exjieriniciito a se nbservaluin esse, ni>>lancholicos sine de artit". inerf. '«fv-ct. 3. Optiiniiu) refn'-diuui
otl'fMsa Pirrcaig rurandos valere. Mem respousione ad aqua cnuiposita Savanarnl.T. «« jS. keiikiun, utmi rv.
Aubertuni. verntruui iiisruin. alias liniiduni el periin- ' 31. »' Donatus ah Allnniari, cap. 7. 'IVnior I>*-uni,
losum villi jipiritu etiam et oico coinnuHluui sic Usui me muling m'-ljincliolifus hiijuii soliiist i^yrupi \i*\i ru-
redilitiir iit etiam pueris lulo ncliniiiistrari poMsil. | ra::<e. lacla priu^ purgatione. "•Ontiiiii nva et
"•"Ortum est liiijus h«-rh;p virtuteni iiia.xiiiiani et niira- uiiiini, quolihi-l mane iiiinaiit o%'0 wirlulia. ruin »^qiienli
biicui FSje. pnriiiii<|iie di'lare ,i hal^'aino. Et qui iKiril piilvere supra iiviiiii a^perna, et cnntiiieani qii'MiMju*
e."i r-cte uti plus lialiet arlis qiiam lota scrilientium c.i. a<(<*uiiip''>-riiit cenliini et iinuro, maniaci« et melancbo-
horii aui oiunea doctures in Germania. ''• Quo fell- 1 licia utilis:tiuiuiii rtmediuia.
Mem. 1. Subs. 4.] Aoerters. 407
All these yet are nothing to those ^'chemical preparatives oi Jlqua C/tflZ(cZon a, quint-
essence of hellebore, salts, extracts, distillations, oils, Aurum potahile, ^-c. Dr.
Anthony in his book de auro potab. edit. 1600. is all in all for it. ""And though
all the schools of Galenists, with a wicked and unthankful pride and scorn, detest it
in their practice, yet in more grievous diseases, when their vegetals will do no good,"
they are compelled to seek the help of minerals, though they '^ use them rashlv,
unprofitably, slackly, and to no purpose." Rhenanus, a Dutch chemist, in his book
dc Sale e puteo emergente, takes upon him to apologise for Anthony, and sets lio-ht
by all that speak against him. But what do I meddle with this great controversy,
which is the subject of many volumes .'' Let Paracelsus, Quercetan, CroUius, and
the brethren of the rosy cross, defend themselves as they may. Crato, Erastus, and
the Galenists oppugn. Paracelsus, he brags on the other side, he did more famous
cures by this means, than all the Galenists in Europe, and calls himself a monarch ;
Galen, Hippocrates, infants, illiterate, &c. As Thessalus of old railed against those
ancient Asclepiadean writers, '^'•'he condemns others, insults, triumphs, overcomes
all antiquity (saith Galen as if he spake to him), declares himself a conqueror, and
crowns his own doings. ^® One drop of their chemical preparatives shall do more
good than all their fulsome potions." Erastus, and the rest of the Galenists vilify
them on the other side, as heretics in physic ; *" " Paracelsus did that in physic,
which Luther in Divinity. ^* A drunken rogue he was, a base fellow, a magician, he
had the devil for his master, devils his familiar companions, and what he did, was
done by the help of the devil." Thus they contend and rail, and every mart write
books pro and con, et adhuc sub judice Us est: let them agree as they will, I proceed.
Sub SECT. IV. — Jlveriers.
AvERTERs and purgers must go together, as tending all to the same purpose, to
divert this rebellious humour, and turn it another way. In this range, clysters and
suppositories challenge a chief place, to draw this humour from the brain and heart,
to the more ignoble parts. Some would have them still used a few days between,
and those to be made with the boiled seeds of anise, fennel, and bastard saffron,
hops, thyme, epithyme, mallows, fumitory, bugloss, polypody, senna, diasene,
hamech, cassia, diacatholicon, hierologodium, oil of violets, sweet almonds, &c.
For without question, a clyster opportunely used, cannot choose in this, as most
other maladies, but to do very much good; Clysteres nulriunt, sometimes clysters nou-
rish, as they may be prepared, as 1 was informed not long since by a learned lecture
of our natural philosophy ^^ reader, which he handled by Avay of discourse, out of
some other noted physicians. Such things as provoke urine most commend, but not
sweat. Trincavelius consil. 16. cap. 1. in head-melancholy forbids it. P. Byarus
and others approve frictions of the outward parts, and to batlie them with warm
water. Instead of ordinary frictions. Cardan prescribes rubbing with nettles till they
blister the skin, which likewise ®°Basardus Visontinus so much magnifies.
Sneezing, masticatories, and nasals are generally received. Montaltus c. 34. Hil-
dcsheim spied. 3.foJ. 136 and 238. give several receipts of all three. Hercules de
Saxonia relates of an empiric in Venice ®' " that had a strong water to purge by the
mouth and nostrils, which he still used in head-melancholy, and would sell for no
gold."
To open months and haemorrhoids is very good physic, ®^" If they have been
formerly stopped." Faventinus would have them opened with horse-leeches, so
would Hercul. de Sax. Julius Alexandrinus cojisil. 185. Scoltzii thinks aloes litter:
^ most approve horse-leeches m this case, to be applied to the forehead, *^ nostrils,
and other places.
Montaltus cap. 29. out of Alexander and others, prescribes '^" cupping-glasses, and
K' U'l.'Tcetaii.cap. 4. Phar. Oswaldus Crolliiis. MCap. l loeia. ** Disjiut. in cundein, parte 1. Mau'us ebriiiR,
1. Licet lota Guleiii»t:iruin schnia, inineralia nnn sine illiteratus. claBiiioiiem priKceplnrein hahiiit. ila^iiionos tn-
iiiipio el in&rato fastii asua practica (letestentur ; tamen iniliares, &c. *'^ Master D. Lapwortli. * Ant.
in graviorihus inorbis nuini vegelabilium derelicto sub- Philos. cap. demelan. frictio Venice, &c. "' Aqua
sidio, ad niiiieraliu CDiifugiunl, lioel ea teniere, i^navi- fortissima pur-rans os, nares, qiiani iioii vult auro vrn-
ter, et inutiliter usurpr'iii. Ad fiiieiii libri. '■^ Vi-teres dere. "^Mer.urialis consil 6. et ;J0. h.-EiiMirniiduni el
niale.lictis incessit, vincil. et contra oinncni antiquita- mensium provocalio jiivat, modo ex eoruni su[)pressione
teiii coronalur, ipseque a se victor declaratur. Gal. lib. ortuni liabuerit. as Laurentius, Bruel, &c. "'P.
1. iii>-th. c. 2. >^ Codronchus de sale absyntliii. Bayerus, I. 2. cap. 13. naribus. Sec. "' Cucurbituta
'^ liieiii Paracelsus in uiediciQa.quodLutiierus in Theo- | sices, et fontanellse crure siuistro.
408 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sect, b
issues in the left thi^h." Aretus lib. 1. cap. Z. ^Paulus Regoliiuis, Sylvius will
have them without scarification, '•'■ applied to tlie shoulders and back, thiglis and feet:'*
*'Moutaltus cap. 34. "bids open an issue in the arm, or hinder part of the head."
'^Piso enjoins ligatures, frictions, suppositories, and cupping-glasses, still without
scarification, and the rest.
Cauteries and hot irons are to be used ^'"in the suture of the crown, and the
seared or ulcerated place suffered to run a good while. 'Tis not amiss to bore ihe
skull with an instrument, to let out the fuliginous vapours." Sallus. Sidvianus de re
medic, lib. 2. cap. 1. '"^"because this humour hardly yields to other piiysic, would
have the leg cauterised, or the left leg, below the knee, ' and the head bored in two
or three places," for that it much avails to the exhalation of the vapours; ^'•' I saw
(saith he) a melancholy man at Rome, that by no remedies could be healed, but
when by chance he was wounded in the head, ami the skull broken, he was excel-
lently cured." Another, to the admiration of tlie beholders, *'» breaking his head
with a fall from on high, was instantly recovered of his dotage." Clordonius cap,
13. part. 2. would have these cauteries tried last, when no other physic w ill serve.
*''The head to be shaved and bored to let out fumes, which witliout doubt will do
much good. I saw a melancholy man wounded in the head with a sword, his brain-
pan broken ; so long as the wound was open he was well, but when his wound was
healed, liis dotage returned again." But Ale.xander Messaria a professor in Padua,
lib. \. pract. vud. cap. 21. de melanchal. will allow no cauteries at all, 'tis too stiff
a humour and too thick as he holds, to be so evaporated.
Guianerius c. 8. Tract. 15. cured a nobleman in Siivoy, by boring alone, "^'^ leaving
the iiole open a month together," bv nuans of which, after two years' melancholy
and matines.s, he was delivered. All approve of this remedy in the suture of the
crown ; but Arculanus would have the cautery to be made w ilh gold. In many
other parts, these cauteries are prescribed for nulaticholy men, as in the thighs,
{JMerctirialis consil. 80.) amis, legs. Idem cansil. 0. and lU and 25. .Montaiius 80.
Rjdericus a Fonseca torn. 2. cuu-sutt. 84. pro hypocliond. coxd dextrd^ 6fc., but most
m the head, " if other physic will do no good."
Slbsect. y.
Alteratives and Cordials, corroborating, resolving the lieliques, and
mending the Temperament.
Because this humour is so malign of itself, and so hard to be renioved, the re-
liques are to be cleansed, by alteratives, cordials, and such means : the temper is to
be altered and amended, with such things as fortify and strengthen the heart and
brain, * '^ which are commonly both aflected in this malady, and do mutually mis-
aflect one another : which are still to be given every other day, or some lew days
inserted after a purge, f)r like physic, as occasion serves, and are of such force, tha»
many time^ they help alone, and as ' Arnoldus holds in his Aphorisms, are to be
" preferred before all other medicines, in what kind soever."
Amongst this number of cordials and alteratives, J do not find a more present
remedy, than a cup of wine or strong drink, if it be soberly and opportunely used.
It makes a man bold, hardv, courageous, '•• whetteili the wit," if moderately taken,
(^and as Piutarch * saith, Symp. 7. qucesl. 12.) "it makes tlmse which are otherwise
dull, to exhale and evaporate like frankincense, or quicken (Xenophon addsj '"aa
oil doth fire. "•' A famous cordial" Matthiolus in Dioscoridum calls it, ^ an excel-
*> HildHsheim ^piccl. 'J. Va|Mjr»-* a riTebro traheiiili lioiiein ; vidi im-lanrholicurii A fortunu el.-iili<i vutii).-ra-
sum trii-liiiiiihu!! iiniver«i, cucurtiitiili» iticri^, tium< ri* tuiii. fl rraiiiuiii rractuiii, <|iiaiii ilni viiliiiiii ii|M-r(iiiii,
ac doriuj atfixis. circa pedesi <^t crura. <^ Foiilunplluiii curHtui opliiii*- ; al cum vuliiu» faiialiiiii, ri-v»-r»« t»l
a|»-ri jiixi;i m-cipitum, aul lirucliniiii. »■ Ua!.-!!!. Iisja- mama. • l.'i.i|iif ad ilurain inalrcni lr< )i«iiari iVti.
t.irit, t'rictiiiiifii, ice. •"("autfriuiii tiat «utijra cnro- el (wr mensatii a(i«-rl»- «lftit. •(.'uniix rHlio M-uipi-r
iiali, diu Autre |M.-rinittaiiltir li>ca uletfruna. Trcpaiio lialM-iida qutid o-retim ci>iii|ialitiir, «■( rew iiimc-iii offi-
rliuni cranii dcusilas immiiiui |)ott.-ri(, ul vaporihus ciuiil. '' .Aphor. >. .Mediciiin Tlirrin' > ui
fuliijiiineiii esituspatKat. >i»(tiioriiHiii ditticulter t-ligfridi. • Caleii. dv l<Miip. lib. :! >:«
ccdil ahiD mediramoiitid. idt'O (ial III vi-rtio- cauti-nuiii. viiium •iiniptum. aciil iiigriiiuin. • ! 'I
aiit crure ^iriUlro infra genu. > Fiaiit duo aut tria lriii(i-« llmria in iiioduni viliHlan.- farit • i.
caul»-ri:i. cum u«8is iMfrfuratione. * Vidi Kmna: mu- ; tem ut olc uiii tl'iiiiiuaiii fxcilsl. ■' Vn ii
iaiich'dicuiii qui adhihitm iiiullis remi.-diis, Kanari nun c^irdiac:iiii eiiiiiiuiii. ii'iirr H'Im •■■■h- n
pottrrat ; sfd cum cranium eladio rrartum t-n^t-t. i^pliuie tiiiiuin. a-lal'-iu tlori.i i,
eaiialuit fiil. ■ Et altcruui vidi uieliiiiclndicuiii. qui cmriicliiineiii juvat <«
ft alio eadens non kiiih asl;iii:iiiiii admirutii>ii>.-. Iitx- \iiiin parni, uriiiaui i i
ralunrct. « Kadalur caput el fiat caul«-rium in ' ftiviJon rl:ilii» di»«ipal, cra^ai^i Uuu. -t'.s aUcuual. t'j
capitc; procul dubio ia(a faciuni ad fuiiiuruui extiala I quit, diacuUI, itc.
Mem. 1 Subs. 5.] Alteratives. 409
lent nutriment to refresh the body, it makes a good colour, a flourisliing age, helps
concoction, fortifies the stomach, takes away obstructions, provokes urine, dnves out
excrements, procures sleep, clears the blood, expels wind and cold poisons,'attenu-
ates, concocts, dissipates all thick vapours, and fuliginous humours." And that
which is all in all to my purpose, it takes away fear and sorrow. '^Ciiras edaces
dissipat Evius. " It glads the heart of man," Psal. civ. 15. hilaritatis dulce s"mi-
narmm. Helena's bowl, the sole nectar of the godo, or that true nepenthes in
Homer, which puts away care and grief, as Oribasius 5. Collect, cap. 7. and some
others will, was nought else but a cup of good wine. " It makes the mind of the
king and of the fatherless both one, of the bond and freeman, poor and rich ; it
turneth all his thoughts to joy and mirth, makes him remember no sorrow or debt,
but enncheth his heart, and makes him speak bv talents," Esdras iii. 19, 20, 21. It
gives life itself, spirits, wit, &c. For which cause the ancients called Bacchus,
Liber pater d liberando, and '■'sacrificed to Bacchus and Pallas still upon an altar.
" Wine measurably drunk, and in time, brings gladness and cheerfulness of mind,
It cheereth God and men," Judges ix. 13. Icstitio' Bacchus dafor, it makes an old
wife dance, and such as are in misery to forget evil, and be '^ merry.
- Bacchus et afflictis requiem mortalibus affert, I " Wine maizes a troubled soul to rnst
Crura licet duro co.iipede v.ncta forent." | Ttiougl. feet with letters be opprest."
Demetrius in Plutarch, when he fell into Seleucus's hands, and was prisoner in Svria,
'"spent his time with dice and drink that he might so ease his discontented mind,
and avoid those continual cogitations of his present condition wherewith he was
tormented." Therefore Solomon, Prov. xxxi. 6, bids " wine be ffiven to him that
IS ready to '« perish, and to him that hath grief of heart, let him dmik that he forget
his poverty, and remember his misery no more." SolUcitls animis onus eximit, it
easeth a burdened soul, nothing speedier, nothing better ; which the prophet Zacha-
riah perceived, «^hen he said, '^ that in the time of .Messias, they of Ephraim should
be glad, and their heart should rejoice as through wine." All which makes me very
well approve of that pretty description of a feast in '^ Bartholomeus Angiicus, when
grace was said, their hands washed, and the guests sufficiently exhilarated, with good
discourse, sweet music, dainty fare, exhilarationis gratia, pocula iteruni alque iterum
offeruntur, as a corollary to conclude the feast, and continue their mirth, a grace cup
came in to cheer their hearts, and they drank healths to one another again and acmin.
Which as I. Fredericus Matenesius, Crit. Christ, lib. 2. cap. 5, 6, k 7, was an'' old
custom in all ages in every commonwealth, so as they be not enforced, blbere per
violent lam, but as in that royal feast of -'^Ahasuerus, which lasted 180 days, " with-
out compulsion they drank by order in golden vessels," when and what they would
themselves. This of drink is a most easy and parable remedy, a common, a cheap,
stdl ready against fear, sorrow, and such troublesome thoughts, that molest the mind;
as brimstone with fire, the spirits on a sudden are enlightened by it. '-jNTo better
physic" (saith " Riiasis) " for a melancholy man : and he that can keep company,
and carouse, needs no other medicines," 'tis enough. His countryman Avicenna,
31. doc. 2. cap. 8. proceeds farther yet, and will have him that is troubled in mind,
or melancholy, not to drink only, but now and then to be drunk : excellent good
physic it is for this and many other diseases. Magnlnus Reg. san. part. 3. c. 31.
will have them to be so once a month at least, and gives his reasons for it, ^'•' be-
cause It scours the body by vomit, urine, sweat, of all manner of superfluit'ies, and
keeps It clean." Of the same mind is Seneca the philosopher, in his book de tran-
quil, lib. 1. c. 15. nonnunquam ut in allis morbls ad eb.'ietnleni usque venicndum ;
Curus deprlmlt, tristitlce medetiir, it is good sometimes lu be drunk, ii helps sorrow',
depresseth cares, and so concludes this tract with a cup of wine : Habes, Serene
charlssime, qucB ad tranqulllitatem aninuB pertinent. But these are epicureal tenets,
care^"'' "'l3?;rt".^«^A " ^h P '"" "^'^^^'P^'^,? corroding I so Esther, i. 8. ai Tract, l.cont. 1. 1. NMn estres lauda-
cares. " Odyss. A " Pausamas. i-Syracides, bilior eo, vel nura melior; qui rael.-.ncliol.cis, ut^lur
mIuHW vfr.n, ^^f,""'' «' P"-'^' Catonis. &epe inero societate hoininum et biberia ; et qui potest suslinera
etnsferr.P fn„= ,V'" •'".'^'''a ^^ aleam se priecipitavit, usum vini, non imlisot alia medicina. quod eo g-.R.
W;^ J, 1, 1 '^ , . ""'• '" '^"'■^"' crapula mentem omnia ad usum necessaria hiijus passionis. ^Tnm
iJ^LhL'.nr^^hr ".'* prsse.i tis co?i la tioi.es q ,.i hus [ quod seq.iaiur inde sudor, vomitio, urina. a qu.bus
of oW i. 4^H^="r \T^'- , H ^.'*'^ "'^ Athenians [ superfluitates a corpore re^oventur et remai.et wrpn^
ol old, as bu Idas relates, and so do the Germans at this | mundum.
day. 19 Lib 6. cap. 23. et 24. de reruin proprietat.
52 2K
410 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec 5.
lending to looseness of life, luxury and atheism, maintained alone by some heatr.5iis,
dissolute Arabians, prol'ane Christians, and are exploded by Rabbi Moses, tract. 4.
Guliel, Placentius, lib. 1. cap. 8. Valescus de Taranta^ and most accurately venti-
lated by Jo. Sylvaticus, a late -writer and physician of .Milan, mtd. cont. cap. 14.
where you shall find this tenet copiously confuted.
Howsoever you say, if this be true, that wine and strong drink have such virtue
to expel fear and sorrow, and to exhilarate the mind, ever hereafter let's drink and
be merry.
23 " Prome reconditum, Lyile stremia, cxcubum, I " Come, lusty I yda, fiU's! a cup of sack,
Ciipntiiirfs |iuer hue afTer Scyplios, And, sirrah druwt-r, liiL-ger pots wi- luck, ,
EtCluu Vina aut Lesbia." | And Scio wines that haveso goixl a smack."
I say wiih him in ''''A. Gellius, "let us maintain the vigour of our souls with a mo-
ilerate cup of wine," ^.Yatis in iisum latitue sci/phis, " and drink to refresh our mind;
il there he any cold sorrow in it. or torpid baslifulness, let's wasli it all away.''
JWinc vino pel lite cur as ; so sailh ^Horace, so sailh Anacreon,
'' MiOiJoi'Ta yap fit Ktiadai
IloXii Kpnaaov Ij Oaidvra."
Let's drive down care with a cup of wine : and so say I too, (thouijh / drink none
iiiysell ) for all tliis may be done, so that it be modestly, soberly, oj)j)ortunely used :
s<) that •• they l)e not drunk with wine, wherein is excess," which our -'Apostle fore-
warns ; for as Chrysostom well comments on that place, ad Uetiliani datum est vinum
iiun ad ebrietatetn^ his ioT mirth wine, but not for madness: and will you know
wliere, when, and how that is to be understood.' Vis discere ubi bonum sit vinum?
Audi quid dicat Scripluru, hear the Scriptures, "Give wine to them that are in sor-
row," or as Paul bid Timothy drink wine for his stomach's sake, for concocti«)n,
health, or some such honest occasion. Otherwise, as * Pliny telleth us ; if singular
moderation be not had, ^-Miothing so pernicious, 'tis mere vineirar, blandus dumon,
|>oison itself" But hear a more (earful doom, Ilabac. ii. 15. and Iti. '• Woe be to
liiin that makes his neighbour drunk, shameful spewing shall be upon his glory."
Let not good fellows triumph tlierefore ( yaitli Matlhiolus; that I have so much com-
mended wine; if it be immotlerately taken, •• instead of making glad, it ctjufounds
both body and soul, it makes a giddy head, a sorrowful heart." And 'twas well said
ot the poet of old, "Vine causeth mirth and grief, ** nothing so good for some, so
bad for others, especially as ^' one observes, qui a causa calida malt hubrnt, that are
iiot or intlamed. And so of spices, they alone, as I have showed, cause head-me-
lancholy themselves, they must not use wine as an ** ordinary drink, or in their diet.
But to determine with Laurentius, c. 8. de melan. wine is bad for madmen, and such
as are troubled with heat in their inner parts or brains ; but to melancholy, which
is cold (as most is), wine, sobeny used, may be very good.
I may say the same of the decoction of China roots, sassafras, sarsaparilla, guaia-
cum : China, .saith Manardus, makes a good colour in the face, takes away melan-
clioly, and all infirmities proceeding from cold, even so sarsaparilla prov(jkes sweat
mighiily, guaiacum dries, Claudinus, consult. 89. &. 46. >Iontanus, Capivaccius,
consult. 188. 5co//;u, make frequent and good use of guaiacum and China, ^" so
that the liver be not incensed," good for such as are cold, as most melancholy men
are. but by no means to be mentioned in hot.
The Turks have a drink called cotrue (for they use no wine), so named of a berry
as black as soot, and as bitter, (like lliat black drink which was in use amongst the
I^cedajmoniaiis, and perhaps the same,) which they sip still of, and sup as warm as
they can sutler; they spend much time in those cotTee-houses, which are somewhat
like our alehouses or taverns, and there they sit chatting and drinking to drive away
the time, and to be merry together, because they lind by experience that kind of
drink, so used, helpeth digestion, and procureth alacrity. Some of them take opium
to this purpose.
« Hor. " Lib. 15. 2. noct. Alt. Vigorem animi
inoderalo villi uau tueamur, et calefaclo !<iiiiul, rrfii-
j<|ue aiiimo si quid in eo vkI frigida: trutltix, vcl tor-
peiiti« vereciiiidia? tuerit, diluamus. ''^ Hor. I. I.
od. -iT. M Od. 7. lib. 1. 20. N.im pra-stal ebrium uic ^
quain inortuuin jarrrt*. ^ Ephi's. v. 18. ler. III. in . non luceudaiur.
Mp. i. *> Lab. 14. 5. Nihil perniciuaui viribut u
oioduf abait, venenum. **Tlifnrrilui idyl. 1.1 vin*
dan iKliliam ft d<^diirein. » Ri-iiimIfii«. ~> M. r. ,.
rialis runml. -ZS Viiium frieidm opiimuin '
Terina mr-lniicliolia. >' fVrri.'lius f ■
viuuiii proliibt'l iMiduuiD.et aroinata.
Mem. 1. Subs. 5.J Cure of Head-Melancholy. 411
Borage, balm, saffron, golJ, I have spoken of; Montaltus, c. 23. commends scor-
zonera roots contlite. Garcius ab Horto, plant, hist. lib. 2. cap. 25. makes mention
of an herb called datura, ^^'•' which, if it be eaten for twenty- four hours following,
takes away all sense of grief, makes them incline to laughter and mirth :" and an-
other called bauge, like in effect to opium, " which puts them for a time into a kind
of ecstacy." and makes them gently to laugh. One of the Roman emperors had a
seed, which he did ordinarily eat to exhilarate himself. ^^ Cln-istophorus Ayrerus
prefers bezoar stone, and the confection of alkermes, before other cordials, and amber
in some cases. ''^ " Alkermes comforts the inner parts;" and bezoar stone hath an
especial virtue against all melancholy affections, ^' '•' it refresheth the heart, and cor-
roborates the whole body." '^^ Amber provokes urine, helps the body, breaks wind,
&-C. After a purge, 3 or 4 grains of bezoar stone, and 3 grains of ambergrease,
drunk or taken in borage or bugloss water, in which gold hot hath been quenched,
will do much good, and the purge shall diminish less (the heart so refreshed) of the
strength and substance of the body.
"R. confect. Alkermes 3f5 lap- Bezor. 9j.
Siiccini aibi subtiliss. [nilverisat. 9jj. cum
Syrup, de oort. cilri ; fiat elecluariuiii."
To bezoar stone most subscribe, Manardus, and ^^many others; " it takes away
sadness, and makes him merry that useth it; I have seen some that have been much
diseased with faintness, swooning, and melancholy, that taking the weight of three
grains of this stone, in the water of oxtongue, have been cured." Garcias ab Horto
brags how many desperate cures he hath done upon melancholy men by this alone,
when all physicians had forsaken them. But alkermes many except against; in some
cases it may help, if it be good and of the best, such as that of Montpclier in France,
whicli ■"' lodocus Sincerus, Jlinerario Gallics, so much magnifies, and would have no
traveller omit to see it made. But it is not so general a medicine as the other. Fer-
nelius, cojisil. 49, suspects alkermes, by reason of its heat, *' " nothing (saith he)
sooner exasperates this disease, than the use of hot working meats and medicines,
and M'ould have them for that cause warily taken." I conclude, therefore, of tliis
and all other medicines, as Thucydides of the plague at Athens, no reiiiedy could
be prescribed for it, JYam quod uni prof nit, hoc aids erat exitio : there is no Catholic
medicine to be had : that which helps one, is pernicious to another.
Di amargnritum frigidinn, diamhra, diaboraginatum, electuarium IcEtificans Galeni
et Rhasis., dc gennnis, dianthos, diamoscum dulce et amarum, electuarium conciliatoris,
syrirp. Cidoniorum de pomis, conserves of roses, violets, fumitory, enula campana,
satyrion, lemons, orange-pills, condite, &c., have their good use.
■•■"R. Diaiiioschi dulcis et amari ana 5jj-
Diabuglnssati, Diaboragiiiati, saccliari violacei
ana j. misce cum syrupo de pomis."
Every physician is full of such receipts : one only I will add for the rareness of it,
which I find recorded by many learned authors, as an approved medicine against
dotage, head-melancholy, and such diseases of the brain. Take a ''^ ram's head that
i^.ever meddled with an ewe, cut off at a blow, and the horns only take away, boil
it well, skin and wool together; after it is well sod, take out the brains, and put
these spices to it, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mace, cloves, ana 3 fi, mingle the
powder of these spices with it, and heat them in a platter upon a chafing-dish of coals
together, stirring them well, that they do not burn ; take heed it be not overmuch
dried, or drier than a calf's brains ready to be eaten. Keep it so prepared, and for
tliree days give it the patient fasting, so that he fast two hours after it. It may be
^ Per 24 horas sensuni doloris omnem tnllit, et ridere
facit. ■•'5 Hildesheim, spicel. 2. 3s Alker.iies. omnia
vitalia viscera mire confortat. 3? Contra omnes
melancholicnsaffectus confert, ac certum est ipsius usu
oirine. cordis et corporis vires mirum in modum refici.
soSuo.inum vero albissinium confortat ventriculum,
siaJiiin discutit, urinam movet, &,c. s^Gartias ab
Horto aromatum lib. 1. cap. 15. adversus omnes morbos
inelanchnlicos conducit, et venerium. E<;o (intuit) utnr
in morbis melancholici^, &c. et deploratos hujus usu ad
pri.slinam sanitatem restitui. See more in Bauhinus'
book dc lap. Bezoar c. 45. ^o Edit. 1617. Monspelii i
electuarium fit preciocissimum Alcherm. &c. <' Nihil
morbum hunc .•eque e.\asperat, ac alimentorum vel
calidiorurn usus. Alcliermes ideo su.«pectus, et quod
seme] moneam, caute adliibenda calida medicamenta.
"Sckenkius 1. 1. Observat. de .Mania, ad nieiilis aliena-
tionem, et desipientiam vitio cerebri obortam, in inanu-
scripto codice Germanico, tale niedicamentum reperi.
^3 Caput arietis nondura experli venereni, uno ictu
amputatum, cornibiis tantum demntis, inleirrum cum
lana et pelle bene eli.\abis, turn aperto cerebrum exioics,
et addens aromata, &c.
n2 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 5.
eaten witli })read in an cgs; or broth, or any way, so it be taken. For fourteen (ia\>
let him use this diet, drink no wine, Sic. Gesner, hist, animal, lib. I. pair. \)11.
Caricterius, j5rrtr<. 13. in J^ich. de metri. pag. 129. Jatro : Witenberg. edit. Tubing
pag. 62, mention this medicine, though with some variation ; he that hst may try
it, ''^and many such.
Odoraments to smell to, of rose-w'ater, violet flowers, balm, rose-cakes, vinegar. Sec,
do much recreate the brains and spirits, according to Solomon. Prov. xxvii. 9. " They
rejoice the heart," and as some say, nourisli ; 'tis a question connnonly contro-
verted in our schools, an adores nutriant ; let Ficinus, lib. 2. cap. 18. deciile it;
■*' many arguments he brings to prove it ; as of Demo^riius, that lived by the iJinell
of bread alone, applied to his nostrils, for some few da\s, when for old age he could
eat no meat. Ferrerius, lib. 2. vieth. speaks of an excellent confection of his making,
of wine, saffron, &.C., which he prescribed to dull, weak, feeble, and dying men t«)
smell to, and by it to have done very mudi good, ceque fere profuissc olfaclu., et
jiotu, as if he had given them drink. Our noble and learned Lord ^"Verulam, in his
book de vitii et morte, commends, therefore, all such cold smells as any way serve
to refrigerate the spirits. xMontanus, cansil. 31, prescribes a form which he woulil
have his melancholy patient never to have out of his hands. If you will have them
spugirically prepared, look in Oswaldus Crollius, basil. Chymica.
Irrigations of the head shaven, ^''•of the flowers of water lilies, lettuce, violets,
ramomilc, wild mallows, wether's-head, Jkc," nmst be used many mornings together.
.Muntan. coiisil. 31, would have the head so washed once a week. La,'lius a fonte
Kugubinu;> consult. 44, lor an Italian count, troubled with head-melancholy, repeals
many medicines which he tried, ^'"but t\v«) alone which did the cure; u>e of whey
made of goat's milk, with the extract of helhbore, and irrigations of the head with
water lilies, lettucf, violets, camomile, Stc, upon the suture of the crown." I'i.so
commetids a ram's lungs applied hot to tht- fore part of the head, *'or a young lumb
diviiled in the back, exenlerated, kc. ; all acknowledge the chief cure in moisten-
ing thritughout. Some, sailh I^urentius, use powders and caps to the brain ; but
forasmuch as such aromatical thmgs are hot and dry, they must be sparingly ad-
ministered.
L iito the heart we may do well to apply bags, epithemes, ointmetits, of uhich
Ixiurentius, c. 9. de vietan. gives examples. Bruel prescribes an epitheme for the
heart, of bugloss, borage, water-lily, violet waters, sweet-wine, balm leaves, nutmegs,
cloves, &.C.
For the belly, make a fomentation of oil, "in which the si-eds of cummin, rue,
carrots, dill, have been boiled.
Baths are of wonderful great force in this malady, much admired by *' Galen,
"^^•^tius, Khasis, Stc, of sweet water, in which is boiled the h-uves of mallows, rosew,
violets, water-lilies, wetlier's-ht-ail, flowers of bugloss, camomile, melihit, kc. Giiianer,
cap. 8. tract. 15, would have them used twice a day, and when they came I'orlh of
the baths, their back bones to be anointed with oil of almonds, violets, nymphea,
fresh caj)on grease, gtc.
Amulets arul things to be borne about, I And prescribed, taxed by some, apprrivcd
by Renodeus, Platerus, (amulela inquit nan negligenda) and others; look for them
in Mizaldus, Porta, Albertus, &.c. Bassardus Viscontinus, ant. philos. conmiends
hypericon, or St. John's wort gathered on a "Friday in the hour of ^^ Jupiter, when
it comes to his eflfectual operation (that is about the full moon in July); so gathered
and borne, or hung about the neck, it mightily helps this affection, and drives away
all fantastical spirits." " Philes, a Greek author that flouri.-fu-d in the time of .Michael
Paleologus, writes that a sheep or kid's skin, whom a wolf worried, '^Hwdus nihn-
mani raptus ab ore lupi., ought not at all to be worn about a man, '* because it causeih
MCinis li.-iiludinis uxtuii, Pt vino potua melancholiam I el pulino arietU, calidu* ai;nu( per dnrsum diviMjt
curat, et raxiira coriiu Rhinoceroti*. &.c. ^keiikiui. i cienteralui. adiiiotus (incipili. ** .•v,„,i,a rinnini,
• Iiiiilat iu matrice, quTxJ sursuin ot deur<*iifii ud odori* I rule, dauri anetlii cocta. " Lit) 3. de li«ri« allML
eensiiiii (ir»r,i[)iiHiur. " Viscount St. Alban'si. <• Ki ] ««Tetrab. 2. <«r. 1. cap. 10. •»(•»(. di- uir\. collecluin
deciicto tloruni nyrnphea-, lactue, violaruuj, rtianioinitx, I die vener. horn Jovin cum ai| K.n. r.-iun i.mi r I ad
alih^3P. capiti<i ververuiii, ice. *" Inlt-r auxiliu niulta
■dhiltita, duo Vina «>unt reniedium iidlVrii', u*»» ten
caprini rum extracto Hellebori, et irri|{ntio ex lacle
Nyinpheir, viol.'irum, jcc. Rutiirc roronali udliibila ; his
remediK taoitatd prirttioam adeptus est. <■ Confcrt
pleiiilunium Jiilii, Hide
atfi.ftum apprime juvat it' i
»« L. de pr'iprielnt. aiiinial - , • ■•
n<m enw pro induiiiento corpuri* u*ur|>aiiil«ut, cufdia
eaiio palpilaliuoeiii cxeitat, fcc *• Mart.
Mem. 1. Subs 6.] Cure of Head-Melancholy. 4ig
palpitation of the heart,"' not for any fear, but a secret virtue which amulets have
A ring made of the hoof of an ass's right fore foot carried about, &c. I sav will
"'Renodeus, they are not altogether to be rejected. Paeony doth cure epilepsy
precious stones most diseases; ^'a wolf's dung borne with one helps the colic, ^i
spider an ague, &c. Being in the country in the vacation time not many years since
at Lindley in Leicestershire, my father's house, I first observed this amulet of a spidei
in a nut-shell lapped in silk, &c., so applied for an ague by ^"my mother; whom
although I knew to have excellent skill in chirurgery, sore eyes, aches, kc. and
such experimental medicines, as all the country where she dwelt can witness, to
have done many famous and good cures upon diverse poor folks, that were other-
wise destitute of help : yet among all other experiments, this methought was most
absurd and ridiculous, I could see no warrant for it. Quid aranca cumfebre? For
what antipathy.^ till at length rambling amongst authors (as often I do) I found
this very medicine in Dioscorides, approved by Matthiolus, repeated by Alderovan-
dus, cap. de Jlranea, lib. de insecds, I began to have a better opinion of it, and to
give more credit to amulets, when I saw it in some parties answer to experience.
Some medicines are to be exploded, that consist of words, characters, spells, and
charms, which can do no good at all, but out of a strong conceit, as Pomponatius
• proves ; or the devil's policy, who is the first founder and teacher of them.
ScBSECT. Yl— Correctors of Accidents to procure Sleep. Against fearful Dreams,
Redness., ^c.
When you have used all good means and helps of alteratives, averters, diminu-
tives, yet there will be still certain accidents to be corrected and amended, as waking
fearful dreams, flushing in the face to some ruddiness, &c. °
Waking, by reason of their continual cares, fears, sorrows, dry brains, is a symp-
tom that much crucifies melancholy men, and must therefore be speedily helped', and
sleep by all means procured, which sometimes is a suflicient '*° remedy of itself with-
out any other physic. Sckenkius, in his observations, hath an example of a woman
that was so cured. The means to procure it, are inward or outward. Inwardlv
taken, are simples, or compounds; simples, as poppy, nymphea, violets, roses,
lettuce, mandrake, henbane, nightshade or solanum, saffron, hemp-seed, nutmegs,
willows, with their seeds, juice, decoctions, distilled waters, &c. Compounds are
syrups, or opiates, syrup of poppy, violets, verbasco, which are commonly taken
With distilled waters.
H diacodii 3j. diascordii 3(S aqua lactucae Sjjj. ft
niista fiat polio ad horam soiiuii suraenda.
Requies JViclwlai, Philonium Romanum, Triphera magna, pilulce de Cynoglossa,
Dioscordium, Laudanum Paracelsi, Opium, are in use, &c. Country folks com-
monly make a posset of hemp-seed, which Fuchsius in his herbal so much discom-
mends ; yet I have seen the good effect, and it may be used where better medicines
are not to be had.
Laudanum Paracelsi is prescribed in two or three grains, with a drachm of Dios-
cnrdium, which Oswald. Crollius commends. Opium itself is most part used out-
wardly, to smell to in a ball, though commonly so taken by the Turks to the same
quantity " for a cordial, and at Goa in the Indies ; the dose' 40 or 50 grains.
Rulandus calls Requiem JYicholai, ultimum rcfigium, the last refuge; but of this
•iiid the rest look for peculiar receipts in Victorius Faventinus, cap. de phrensi.
Heurnius cap. de mania. Hildesheim spicel. 4. de somno et vigil, ^-c. Outwardly used,
as oil of nutmegs by extraction, or expression with rosewater to anoint the temples,
oils of poppy, nenuphar, mandrake, purslan, violets, all to the same purpose.
Montana consil. 24 c, 25. much commends ordoraments of opium, vinegar, and
rosewater. Laurentius cap. 9. prescribes pomanders and nodules ; see the receipts
in him ; Codronchus " wormwood to smell to.
llnguentiim Mabastritum, populeum, are used to anoint the temples, nostrils, or if
M Pilar, lib ]. cap. 12. 5' ^tius cap. 31. Tet. 3.
!.tr. 4. 50 Dioscorides, Uly.-ises Alderovandus de
sranea. m Mistress Dorothy Burton, she died, 1629.
•" Solo buinnu curata est cilra medici auxilium, fol. 154.
5> Bflloiiius obscrvat. I. 3. c. 15. las.^itudins-m et lahores
aninii tollunt; inde Garcias ab Horto, lib. 1. cap. 4
simp. med. ^ Absynthium somnoa allicit olfactu.
414 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 5.
they be too weak, they mL\ saffron and opium. Take a grain or two of opium, and
dissolve it with three or four drops of rosewater in a spoon, and after mingle with it
as much Unffuentum populeiim as a nut, use it as before : or else take half a dradnn
of opium, Unguentum popideum, oil of nenuphar, rosewater, rose-vinegar, of eacli
lialf an ounce, with as much virgin wax as a nut, anoint your temples with some
of it, ad horam somni.
Sacks of wormwood, ^ mandrake, " henbane, roses made like pillows and laid
under the patient's head, are mentioned by *^ Cardan and Mizaldus, '' to anoint the
soles of the feet with the fat of a dormouse, the teeth with ear wax of a dog, swine's
gall, hare's ears :" cliarms, &c.
Frontlets are well known to every good wife, rosewater and vinegar, with a little
woman's milk, and nutmegs grated upon a rose-cake applied to both temples.
For an cmplaster, take of castoriiun a drachm and a half, of opium iialf a scruple,
mixed both together with a little water of life, make two small plasters thereof, and
apply them to the temples.
Kulandus cent. 1. cur. 17. cent. 3. eiir. 94. prescribes epithemes and lotions of the
head, with the decoction of flowers of nymphea, violet-leaves, mandrake roots,
nenbane, white poppy. Here, de Saxonia, stillicidia., or droppings, &c. Lotions of
the feet do much avail of the said herbs : by tliese means, saith Laurentius, I think
vou may procure sleep to the most melancholy man in the world. Some use horse-
leeches beliind the cars, and apply opium to the place.
*^BavtTus lih.'Z. c. 13. sets (k)wn some remedies against fearful dreams, and .wch
as walk and talk in tiieir sleep. Baptista Porta Mag. juit. J. 2. c. 6. to procure plea-
sant dreams and quiet rest, would have you take hippoglos.xa, or the herb horse- "
tongue, balm, to use them or their distilled waters after supper, &c. Such men mu-^t
not eat beans, peas, garlic, onions, cabbage, venison, hare, use black wines, or any
meat hard «>f digestion at supper, or lie on their backs, kc.
Riisticns jnidor, bashfulness, llushing in the face, high colour, ruddiness, are com-
mon grievances, which much torture many melancholy men, when tliey meet a man,
or come in *'' company of their betters, strangers, after a meal, or if they drink a cup
of wine or strong drink, they are as red and llect, and sweat as if they had been at
a mayor's feast, pmsertiin si metus accesserit^ it exceeds, *• they think every man
observes, takes notice of it : and fear alone will efft-ct it, suspicion without any other
cause. Sckenkius uhserv. vied. lib. 1. sp-aks of a waiting gentlewoman in the Duke
of Savoy's court, that was so much oHended with it, that she kneeled down to him,
and otlered Biarus, a physician, all that she had to be cured of it. And 'lis most
true, lliat ^''Antony Ludovicus saith in his Uotik de Pudore, " bashfulness either hurls
or helps," such men 1 am sure it hurts. If it proceed from suspicion tn fear, '"Felix
Plater prescribes no other remedy but to reject and contemn it : Id popnlus curat
scilicet., as a " worthy physician in our town said to a friend of mine in like case,
complaining wiiliout a cause, suppose one look red, what matter is it, make light of
it, who observes it }
If it trouble at or after meals, (as '^ Jobertus observes med. pract. 1. I.e. 7.) after
a little exercise or stirring, ft)r many are then hot and red in the face, or if they do
nothing at all, especially women ; he would have them let blood in both arms, first
one, tlien another, two or three days between, if blood abound ; to use frictions of
the other parts, feet especially, and washing of them, because of that consent which
is between the head and the feet. "^ And w ithal to refrigerate the face, by washing
it often with rose, violet, nenuphar, lettuce, lovage waters, and the like: but the best
of all is that lac virginalc, or strained liquor of lilargy: it is diversely prepared; by
Jobertus thus; R. Uthar. argrnt. unc. y cerussce cundidissimcE., SJLJJ- caphiir(T, 9jj.
dissolvantur aquarum solani, lactucce^ et nenupharis ana unc. jjj. aceli vini albi. unc.
jj. aliquot haras resideat, deinde transmiltatur per philt. aqua servetur in vase vilreo^
'3 Reail I>-ninius lib. her. hib. cap. 2- nf .MnnJrake. '=' n'dicui; pudor sut jiiv.it am hrdil.
•< Hydjcjaiiiiis sub corvicali viriiiis. "^ Plaiitiiiii ii " .M. D- ■ tor A»li«rorlti
pedis iiiiinsere piiii:iiedin»' gliris dicunt p(!)caci!»iniiirii. | - njaxiine c«li-l r'l'. i.j :. -i ~- i mfj-
el qiirnl vix rreili potest, dtriitps iniinrtim ex Mirdilir- hii. | I i . iiMiinulii* qui>-<w it,
tiuiii cams fiiiniiiuiii proruniliiiii oiiiciiiare, &c. Cardan t rtiiii : cau>a quicqu <'■■
de rrruiii varifiat. " Veni mi^cuin lib. " Aut l . . mif-in faeil. '' 1 ■ ■,•.•
Ki quid iiicaiitiiia excidfrit aiil, dec. ** Nam qua cieiuluiu iit nt*t rrtrii;«-ri>tur ; ulruuiiii ;T±-itbkl In
»u«e pAvur •iinul est piidur additua illi. Slatiut. quen«p«ilioex aqua ruaaruoi, violarum. ncnuphafia.iic
Mem. 2.]
Cure of Melanclioly over all the Body.
415
ac ea his terve fades giiof idle irroretur. '''* Quercetan spagir. phar. cap. ^. coxnxnendiS
the water of frog's spawn for ruddiness in the face. "^Crato consll. 283. Scoltzii
would fain have them use all summer the condite flowers of succory, strawberry
water, roses (cupping-glasses are good for the time), consH. 285. et 286. and to defe-
cate impure blood with the infusion of senna, savory, balm water. ''^HoUerius knew
one cured alone with the use of succory boiled, and drunk for five months, every
morning in the summer. " It is good overnight to anoint the face with hare's
blood, and in the morning to wash it with strawberry and cowslip water, the juice
of distilled lemons, juice of cucumbers, or to use the seeds of melons, or kernels
of peaches beaten small, or the roots of Aron, and mixed with wheat bran to bake
it in an oven, and to crumble it in strawberry water, '"^ or to put fresh clieese curds
to a red face.
If, it trouble them at meal times that flushing, as oft it doth, with sweating or ths
like, they must avoid all violent passions and actions, as laughing, &c., strong drink,
and drink very little, ''"one draught, saith Crato, and that about die midst of their
meal ; avoid at all times indurate salt, and especially spice and windy meat.
* Crato prescribes the condite fruit of wild rose, to a nobleman his patient, to be
taken before dinner or supper, to the quantity of a chestnut. It is made of sugar,
as that of quinces. The decoction of the roots of sowthistle before meat, by the
same author is much approved. To eat of a baked apple some advice, or of a pre-
served quince, cumminseed prepared with meat instead of salt, to keep down fumes :
not to study or to be intentive after meals.
K. Niicleonim persic. seminis melonum ana unc. BiJ
aquE fragroruni I. ij. iiiisce, utatur niane."
^' To apply cupping glasses to the shoulders is very good. For the other kind of
ruddiness which is settled in the face with pimples, &c., because it pertains not to
my subject, I will not meddle with it. I refer you to Crato's counsels, Arnoldus
lib 1. hreviar. cap. 39. I. Rulande, Peter Forestus de Fuco, lib. 31. obser. 2. To
Platerus, Mercurialis, Ulmus, Rondoletius, Heurnius, Menadous, and others that have
written largely of it.
Those other grievances and symptoms of headache, palpitation of heart, Vertigo^
deliquiiun, Sfc, which trouble many melancholy men, because they are copiously
handled apart in every physician, I do voluntarily omit.
MEMB. II.
Cure of Melancholy over all the Body.
Where the melancholy blood possesseth the whole body with the brain, ^Mt is
best to begin with blood-letting. The Greeks prescribe the *^ median or middle vein
to be opened, and so much blood to be taken away as the patient may well spare,
and the cut that is made must be Avide enough. The Arabians hold it fittest to be
taken from that arm on which side there is more pain and heaviness in the head : if
black blood issue forth, bleed on ; if it be clear and good, let it be instantly sup-
pressed, ^"^ because the malice of melancholy is much corrected by the o-oodness of
the blood." If the party's strength will not admit much evacuation in this kind at
once, it must be assayed again and again : if it may not be conveniently taken from
the arm, it must be taken from the knees and ankles, especially to such men or
women whose hajmorrhoids or months have been stopped. *^ If the maladv continue,
It is not amiss to evacuate in a part in the forehead, and to virgins in the ankles, who
are melancholy for love matters ; so to widows that are much grieved antl troubled
with sorrow and cares : for bad blood flows in the heart, and so crucifies the mind.
'<Ad faciei riiborem aqua spermatis ranaruni.
^Kectn utantiir in (Estate tlorihns Cichorii sacchoro
conditis vd saccharo rosaceo, tc. "^Sclo iisu decocti
Cichorii. "Utile inipriinis nnctu facicm illinirp
sanguine loporino, et mane aqua frasrrnrum vel aqua
floribus verhasci cum succo liuionuni distillato abluere.
'* Utile ruheiitj faciei caseum recentem impoiiere.
"t'onsil. 2' ''b unico vini haustu sit contentus.
8" Idem ccnsil. 283. Scoltzii landatur conditus ms«
canins friictus ante prandium et CcTneni ad niasnitudi-
nem castanc-e. Decnctuui radium Souclii.si ante cihuin
siimatur, valet plurimum. si Cucurbit, ad scapulas
apposita?. *- Piso. sa^jcdiana pra; ceteris.
•^ Succi inelancliolici malitia a sanguinis bonitat'e cor.
rigitur. "•'■ Pcrseverante malo e.\ quacunque parte
sanguinis detralii debet.
416 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 5.
The haemorrhoids are to be opened with an instrument or horse-leeches, &c. See
more in IMontahus, cap. 29. ^ Sckenkius hath an example of one that was cured by
an accidental wound in his thigh, much bleeding freed him from melancholy. Diet,
diminutives, alteratives, cordials, correctors as before, intermixed as occasion serves,
''••all their study must be to make a melancholy man fat, and then the cure is
ended." Diuretics, or medicines to procure urine, are prescribed by some in this
kind, hot and cold : hot where tlie heat of the liver doth not forbid ; cold where the
heat of the liver is very great : ** amongst hot are parsley roots, lovage, femiel, &.c. :
cold, melon seeds, &c., with whey of goat''s milk, which is the common conveyer.
To purge and ^purify the blood, use sowthistle, succory, senna, endive, carduus
bcnedictus, dandelion, hop, maiden-hair, fumitory, bugloss, borage, Jkc, witli their
juice, decoctions, distilled waters, syrups, Stc.
Oswaldus, CroUius, basil Chijm. much admires salt of corals in this case, and
jEtius, ietrabib. ser. 2. cap. 114. Hieram Archigenis, which is an excellfnt medicine
to purify the blood, " for all melancholy affections, falling sickness, none to be com-
pared to it."
MEMB. III.
SuBSECT. I. — Cure of Hypochondriacal Melancholy.
In this cure, as in the rest, is especially retpiired tlie rectification of those six non-
natural things above all, as good diet, which .Montaims, consil. 27. enj<jius a French
nobleman, "to have an especial care of it, without which all other remedies are in
vain." Hlood-letting is not to be used, except the patient's botty be very full of
l>lood, and that it be derived from the livt-rand spleen to the stomach and his ve.ssels,
then * to dniw it back, to cut the inner vein of either arm, some say the sahuiletla,
and if the malady he continuate, •' to open a vein in the forehead.
Preparatives and alteratives may be used as before, saving that there nmst be
respect had as well to the liver, spleen, stomach, hypoohondries, as to the heart and
brain. To comfort the "stomach ami inner parts against wind and obstructions, by
Areteus, Galen, .-Etius, .\urelianus, &r., and ujany latter writers, are still prescribed
the decoctions of wormwooil, centaury, pennyroyal, belony sodden in whey, and
daily drunk : many have been cured by this medicine alone.
Prosper Aliinus anil some others as much magnify the water of Nile against this
malady, an especial good remedy for windy melanclii)ly. For which reas(m belike
Ptolemeus Pliiladelphus, when he married his daughter Berenice to the king of
Assyria (asCeUus, lib. 2. records!, magnis im]>ensis ,S'ili uquam ajferri jussit^ to his
great charge caused the water of Nile to be carried with her, and gave conunand,
that during her life she should use no other drink. I find those that commend use
of apples, in splenetic and this kind of melancholy (lamb's-wuol some call it), which
howsoever approved, must certainly be corrected of ci»ld rawness and wind.
Codronchus in his book de sale absyn. magnifies the oil and salt of wormwood
above all other remedies, ""which works better and speedier than any simple wlial-
soever, and much to be preferred before all those fulsome decoctions and infusions,
which must oflend by reason of their quantity; this alone in a small measure taken,
expels wind, and that most forcibly, moves urine, cleanseth the stomach of all gross
humours, crudities, helps appetite," &tc. Amoldus hath a wormwood wine which
he would have used, which every pharmacopteia speaks of.
Diminutives and purges may ** be taken as before, of hiera, nianna, cassia, which
Montanus cmml. 230. for an Italian abbot, in this kind prefers before all i>llier simples,
«Ob«;rvat. fed. 154. curatiu ei viilnere in crure ob i p«rtinai morbiii. venam fronle •«abi«. Brui-ll ■> Eco
rruoreni ariii««uin. "Studnim ml omrie ut nirlan- I iiiaxiiiiam curani moniucti.) ilt l.i.'aN • i « u M"ra(iiinua
I'Mohcus iiii|)ini!iictiir: px quo eniin iniigiiHs et carnrfii. ' hh. -2 c 7. »»('iliii« i-r • ■ -^rx.
illico »ani »iiiit. • Hildi,iheini apirel. 2 Inlt-r calicia iiuam »<>lent dw-ixla ac di ri
radu pelri.fVlini. apii, iVmculi ; Inter frigida fniuNnj marna cum a-auinpnliiini
■rniini* Mi^-loniiiii rum •u-ro caprinn quiMl eat rnmmurie
v>'hiciiliini. •» Hoc iinuin prirmiineo domine ut ma
JilHtrns rirra virlum. airie quo cetera reiiicdia fru^lra
■dhibenlur. *> Laurentiui cap. IS. evulsioiii* fralia
v«nain luieriiam alivnus hrachii secamua. *>g|
bic •al etftcaciter diMipal. uriii.iin n
craMO* abfleritit, ■loinachiiin r; r> (le r
(atem. nauicain apfieteiiiiain miniin in
vat, 4tc. *<rMo, Aliomarui, Lisurciiiiua c. 1^
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Cure of Hypochondriacal Melancholy. 417
^'"And these must 'oe often used, still abstaining from those which are more violent,
lest they do exasperate the stomach, &.C., and the mischief by that means be in-
creased." Tliough in some physicians I find very strong purgers, hellebore itself
prescribed in this affection. If it long continue, vomits may be taken after meat, or
otherwise gently procured with warm water, oxymel, Stc, now and then. Fuchsius
cap. 3.3. prescribes hellebore ; but still take heed in this malady, which I have often
warned, of hot medicines, ^"because (as Salvianus adds) drought follows heat,
whicli increaseth the disease:" and yet Baptista Sylvaticus conlrov. 32. forbids cold
medicines, ^' " because they increase obstructions and other bad symptoms." But
this varies as the parties do, and 'tis not easy to determine which to use. ^^ " The
stomach most part in this infirmity is cold, the liver hot; scarce therefore (which
Montanus insinuates cons'il. 229. for the Earl of Manfort) can you help the one and
not hurt the other:" much discretion must be used; take no physic at all he con-
cludes witliout great need. Laslius ^Egubinus consil. for an hypochondriacal German
prince, used many medicines ; but it was after signified to him in '^'' letters, that the
decoction of China and sassafras, and salt of sassafras wrouglit him an incredible
good." In his 108 consult, he used as happily the same remedies; this to a third
might have been poison, by overheating his liver and blood.
For the other parts look for remedies in Savanarola, Gordonius, IMassaria, Merca-
tus, Johnson, &lc. One for the spleen, amongst many other, I will not omit, cited
by Hildesheim, spicel. 2. prescribed by Mat. Flaccus, and out of the authority of
Benevenius. Antony Benevenius in a hypochondriacal passion, "*'" cured an exceed-
ing great swelling of the spleen with capers alone, a meat befitting that infirmity,
and frequent use of "the water of a smith's forge; by this physic he helped a sick
man, whom all other physicians had fcwsaken, that for seven years had been sple-
netic." And of such force is this water, ' " that those creatures as drink of it, have
commonly little or no spleen." See more excellent medicines for the spleen in him
and ^Lod. Mercatus, who is a great magnifier of this medicine. This Chalybs prce-
paratus, or steel-drink, is much likewise commended to this disease by Daniel Sen-
nertus I. I. part. 2. cap. 12. and admired by J.Caesar Claudinus Respons. 29. he calls
steel the proper ^ alexipharmacum of this malady, and much magnifies it; look for
receipts in them. Averters must be used to the liver and spleen, and to scour the
meseraic veins : and they are either too open or provoke urine. You can open no
place better than the hcEmorrhoids, " which if by horse-leeches they be made to
flow, ■* tliere may be again such an excellent remedy," as Plater holds. Sallust. Sal-
vian will admit no other phlebotomy but this ; and by his experience in an hospital
which he kept, he found all mad and melancholy men worse for other blood-letting
Laurentius cap. 15. calls this of horse-leeches a sure remedy to empty the spleeo
and meseraic membrane. Only 3lontanus consil. 241. is against it; ^'- to other mei'
(saith he) tliis opening of the haemorrhoids seems to be a profitable remedy; for my
part I do not approve of it, because it draws away the thinnest blood, and leaves tht
thickest behind."
^tius, Vidus Vidius, Mercurialis, Fuchsius, recommend diuretics, or such things
as provoke urine, as aniseeds, dill, fennel, germander, ground pine, sodden in water,
or drunk in powder : and yet ®P. Bayerus is against them : and so is HoUerius ; "-All
melancholy men (saith he) must avoid such things as provoke urine, because by
them the subtile or thinnest is evacuated, the thicker matter remains."
Clysters are in good request. Trincavelius lib. 3. cap. 38. for a young nobleman,
esteems of them in the first place, and Hercules de Saxonia Panfh. lib. 1. cap. 16. is
a great approver of them. '^'■'1 have found (saith he) by experience, that many
85 His utcmlutn sippius iteratis: a vc-hementioribus
semper ahstiiieiuliiin ne ventrem exa?perent. s^Lib.
2. cap. 1. duoriiaiu caliditate conjuncta est siccitas
quaB maliiin aiiget. 3" Q,iii?quis frigidis auxiliis hoc
morbo usiisfuerit, isobstructionem aliaquesyiriptoinata
augebit. s* Ventriculus plenimque frigidus, epar
caliduiii ; qiiomodo ergo ventriculum calefaciet, vel re-
fiigeraliil liepar sine altering maximo detrimento?
*9Si!.'i]iticatiitn per literas, incredibilem utilitatcm ex
decocto Chiiiffi, et Sassafras percepisse. "lOTumo-
rem spleiiis ihciirabilein sola cappari curavit, cibo tali
malia quae apiid hos fabros educantiir, exiguog Mabent
lienes. ^ L. 1. cap 17. aContiiiuiis ejus iisiia
semper felicem in ffigris finem est assequutus. * Si
Hemorrr)ides fluxerint, nullum prjEstantins esset reine-
dium, quffisanguifrigis admotis provocari piiteriint. ob-
servat. lib. 1. pro hypoc. legulcio. = Aliis apertio
hiPc in hoc morbo videtnr utilissima ; mihi noii ii<lnio.
dum probatur, quia sanguineni tenuem attrahit et eras-
sum relinquit. « Lib. 2. cap. 13. omnes nielancholici
debent oinittere urinam provocaiitia, quoniam per ea
educitur subtile, et remannt crassum. ' Ego expe-
a>L'ritudine apti.ssimo: Soliique usu aqufe, in qua faber j rientia probavi, multos Hypocondriacos solo usu Clys-
ferrariussa'pecandeiisferrumextinierat.&.c. lAni- I terum fuisse sanatos.
53
418 Cure of Melancholy. [Part. 2. Sec. 5
liypochondriacal melancholy men have been cured by the sole use of clysters,"
receipts are to be had in him.
Besides those fomentations, irriirations, inunctions, odorameuts, prescribed for the
head, there must be the like used for the liver, spleen, stomach, hypochondries, &.o.
*•• In crjuiily (saith Piso) 'tis good to bind the stomach hard" to hinder wind, and
to help concoction.
Of inward medicines I need not speak ; use the same cordials as before. In tliis
kind of nielancholv, some prescribe ^ treacle in winter, especially before or after
purges, or in tlie spring, as Avicenna, '" Trincavellius mithridaie, " Montaltus paiony
seed, unicorn's horn ; os de corde cervi^ Sfc.
Amonsjst topics or outward medicines, none are more precious than baths, but of
them I have spoken. Fomentations to the hypochondries are very gt>od, of wine
and water in which are sadden southernwood, melilot, epithyme, mugwort, senna,
polypody, as also '^cerotes, '^plaisters, liniments, ointments for the spleen, liver, and
hypochondries, of which look for examples in Laurentius, Jobertus lib. 3. c. 1. pra.
med. Montanus consil. 231. Montaltus cap. 33. Hercules de Saxonia, Favcntinus.
And so of epithemes, digestive powders, bags, oils, Octavius Iloratianus lib. 2. c. 5.
prescribes ealastic cataplasms, or dry purging medicines; Piso '^ dropaces of pitch,
and oil of rue, applied at certain times to tlie stomach, to the metaphrene, or part of
ilie back whicli is over against the heart, ,'Ktius sinapisms; Montaltus c«y>. 35. would
have the thighs to be '^cauterised, .Mercurialis prescribes beneath' tlie knees; Ladius
.^Egubinus consil. 77. for a hypochondriacal Dutchman, will have tlie cautery made
111 the right tliigli, and so Montaiius consil. 55. The same Moiitanus cimsil. 3 i.
approves of issues in the arms or hinder part of the head. Berjiarchis Palernus in
llildesheini spicrl 2. would have '"issues made in both the thighs; " Lod. .Mercatus
]):escribes tliem near the spleen, nut prope ventriculi regimen, or in either of the
thighs. Ligatures, frictions, and cupping-glasses above or about the belly, without
scantication, which '' Felix Platerus so much approves, may be used as before.
SuBSECT. II. — Correctors to expel fVind. Against Costiveness, ^*c.
l.\ this kind of melancholy one of the most offensive .symptoms is wind, which,
as in the otlu-r species, so in this, hath great need to be corrected and expelled.
The medicines to expel it are either inwardly taken, or outwardly. Inwardly to
expel wind, are simples or compounds : simples are herbs, roots, Stc, as galaiiga,
gentian, angelica, enuia, calamus aromaticus, valerian, zeodoti, iris, coiuhte ginger,
ari.«tolochy, cicliminus, China, dittander, pennyroyal, rue, calamint, bay-berries, and
bay-leaves, beiony, rosemary, hyssop, sabine, centaury, mint, camomile, stajchas,
agnns castns, broom-flowers, origan, orange-pills, kc. ; spices, as saHVon, cinnamon,
bezoar stone, myirh, mace, nutmegs, pepper, cloves, ginger, seeds of annis, fennel,
anmi. cari, nettle, rue, Stc, juniper berries, grana paradisi ; compounds, dianisum,
diagalanga, diaciminum, diacalaminth, t/^c/uartM/zi de baccis lauri.,benedicta laxativa,
pulvis ad status, antid. Jlorent. pulcis carniinativus, aromaticuvi rosulum, treacle^
miihridate, S^-c. This one caution of '*Gualter Bruell is to be observed in the admin-
istering of these hot medicines and dry, '• that whilst they covet to expel wind,
they do not inflame the blood, and increase the disease; sometimes (as he saith^
medicines must more decline to heal, sometimes more to cold, as the circumstances
require, and as the parties are inclined to heat or cold.
Outwardly taken to expel winds, are oils, as of camomile, rue, bays, Stc. ; foment-
ations of the byj)ocliondrie3, with the decoctions of dill, pennyroyal, rue, bay leaves,
cummin, Stc, bags of camomile flowers, aniseed, cummin, bays, rue, wormwoo«l,
ointments of the oil of spikenard, wormwood, rue, &.c, ^'Areleus prescribes
^ III cpiditate optimum, ventriculum arctius alligari. | teriamque evoeant. »Gavendiim hie dilisenler 4
» 3j- Theriaca?, Vere prsserlim et irstate. '"Cons, i mullum calrfariHriiibm, aln'i<- i-i»iciaiititm«, mvc all.
Vi. I. 1. "Cap. 33. i='Triricavi,-llius c>>ii"iil. 15. ' menta f'jirnii luc. iiivc iihmIi. iim.-iiia ii<'iiiimIIi riiun
cerciiuin pro gpiie nielanchulu-o ad j.-cur i.piiiiiiiin. ut vfriloaiiaii.-s t-t rusitii* c..ij|.--. .i-i h. -u.Ii .l.-n-
»' Eiiiplaslra pro splriie. Fernel. consil. 45. " Dr.ipa* Ip« medicaiiifiilis. pluriiiinir, i-
f pice iiavali, ct oleo rutaceo atfiifatiir vprilriculo, el l genie* : di-U-nt <-iiim iin-ilici i.
ti.ti niPtaphreni. "Caultria cruribus miiita. vel frisiduin »-rijii.liirii en- i.
'« Fontanell* »iiit in utroqiie crure. " Lib. 1. c. 17. \ "el ul patien* inclinal ad cal. cl !n-i ;. *' C-^- i
X Oe mentis alienat. c. 3. daiuii egregie discutmnt ma- | lil>- 7.
Mem. 3. Subs. 2.] Cure of Hypochondriacal Melancholy. 419
cataplasms of camomile flowers, fennel, aniseeds, cummin, roseniary, wormwood-
leaves, &c.
^' Cupping-glasses applied to the hypochondries, without scarification, do wonder-
fully resolve wind. Fernelius consil. 43. much approves of them at the lower end
of the belly; ^^Lod. Mercatus calls them a powerful remedy, and testifies moreover
out of his own knowledge, how many he hath seen suddenly eased by them. Julius
Ca?sar Claudinus respons. ?ned. resp. 33. admires these cupping-glasses, which he
calls out of Galen, ^''^'a kind of enchantment, they cause such present help."
Empyrics have a myriad of medicines, as to swallow a bullet of lead, Stc, which
I voluntarily omit. Amatus Lusilanus, cent. 4. curat. 54. for a hypochondriacal per-
son, that was extremely tormented with wind, prescribes a strange remedy. Put
a pair of bellows end into a clyster pipe, and applying it into the fundament, open
the bowels, so draw forth the wind, natura non admittit vacuum. He vaunts he was
the first invented this remedy, and by means of it speedily eased a melancholy man.
Of the cure of this flatuous melancholy, read more in Fienus dejlatibus, cap. 26.
cl passim alias.
Against headache, vertigo, vapours which ascend forth of the stomach to molest
the head, read Hercules de Saxonia, and others.
If costiveness olfend in this, or any other of the three species, it is to be corrected
with suppositories, clysters or lenitives, powder of senna, condite prunes, &c. R.
Elect. Itnit. e succo'rosar. ana '2 j. misce. Take as much as a nutmeg at a time,
half an hour before dinner or supper, or pil. mastichin. Sj. in six pills, a pill or two
at a time. See more in Montan. consil. 229. Hildesheim spied. 2. P. Cnemander,
and Montanus commend ^^ " Cyprian turpentine, which they would have familiarly
taken, to the quantity of a small nut, two or three hours before dinner and supper,
twice or thrice a week if need be; for besides that it keeps the belly soluble, it clears
the stomach, opens obstructions, cleanseth the liver, provokes urine."
These in brief are the ordinary medicines which belong to the cure of melan-
choly, which if they be used aright, no doubt may do much good ; Si non levando
saltern Icniendo valcnt, peculiaria bene selecta, saith Bessardus, a good choice of par-
ticular receipts must needs ease, if not quite cure, not one, but all or most, as occa-
sion serves. Et qum non jirosunt singula., multa jiwant.
2' Piso Eruel. mire flatus resolvit. 22 Lib. 1. c. 17. 1 tern deglutiant nucis parvse, tribus horis ante prnndiuin
noniiiiUos prajtensione ventris deploratos illico restitu- vel coenam, ter singulis septiiiianis proiil expeilire viile-
(i)s Ins videiiius. 23 Velut iiicantainentuin quoddain bitur; nam praterquam quoil alvuin mollern elficit, ob.
ex riuiioso sniritu, doloreni ortuni levant. '^ Tere- structiones aperit, ventriculum purgat, urinam provocal
li/jiilnii.iin Cypiiaiu liabeaut familiarein, ad quantita- I hepar mundilicat.
(420 )
THE
SYNOrSYS OF THE THIRD PARTITION
Division
or kinds, •
Subs. 2.
Heroical
or Love-
Melan-
choly, in
whicli
consider,
is
Profitable,
Hubs. 1.
r Simple,
which n, .
, , , rieasant,
hath three < ^^^^ ^
objects,
as M. 1.
Honest,
Suba. 3.
Mixed of
all three,
which
extendi! to
M. 3.
Preface or Introduction. Subsect 1.
Love's definition, pedigree, object, fair, amiable, gracious, and pleasant, from whicr. come?
beauty, grace, which all desire and love, parts affected.
r Natural, in thinj^s without life, as love and hatred of elements ; and with life, as
vegetable, vine and elm, sympathy, antipathy, &c.
Sensible, as of beasts, for pleasure, pjeservation of kind, mutual agreement, custom,
bringing up together, &c.
fD-^c-Li- f Health, wealth, honour, we love our benefactors:
nothing so amiable as profit, or that which iiaih
a show of commodity.
r Things without life, made by art, pictures, sports,
games, sensible objects, as hawks, hounds, horses:
i Or men themselves for siinilituiie of manners,
I natural ailection, as to friends, children, kinsmen,
J &c., for glory such as commend us.
i liefore marriage, as Htroicul Mtl. Sect.
Of wo- 1 2. vidt qp
men, as ] Or after marriage, as Jealousy, Sect. 3.
I- vide y,
fFucate in show, by some error or hypocrisy ; some
f seem and are not ; or truly for virtue, honesty,
[ good parts, learning, eloquence, &c.
Common good, our neighbour, country, friends, which u
charity ; the defect of which is cause of much discontent aiiJ
{ melancholy.
or fin excess, t'lV/e n
God, Sect. 4.1 In defect, vide 25-
{Memb. 1.
His pedigree, power, extent to vegetables and sensible creatures, as well as meu, to
spirits, devils, ice.
His name, definition, object, part afTectcd, tyranny.
Tatars, temperature, full diet, place, country, clime, condition, idleness,
S. 1.
Natural allurements, and causes of love, as beauty, its praise, how it
alluretb.
Comeliness, grace, resulting from the whole or some parts, as face, eyes,
hair, hands, &c. Subs. '2.
{ Artificial allurements, and provocations of lust and love, gestures, apparel,
I dowry, money. &c.
Quest. Whether beauty owe more to Art or Nature ? Subs. 3.
I Opportunity of time and place, conference, discourse, music, sini^ing,
I dancing, amorous tales, lascivious objects, familiarity, gifts, promiiM's,
(kc. Subs. 4.
L Bawds and Philters, Subs. 5.
r Dryness, paleness, leanness, waking, sighing, ttc
t Quest. An detur pulsus amaturius ?
I f Fear, sorrow, suspicion, anxiety. Sec.
I Bad, as < A hell, torment, tire, blindness, &c.
[t»l mind. J Qj I Dotage, slavery, neglect of business.
n 1 j Spruceness, neatness, courage, aptness to learn
!_ y music, singing, dancing, poetry, dec.
Prognostics ; despair, madness, phrensy, death, Memb. 4.
By labour, diet, physic, abstinence, .Subs. 1.
To withstand the beginnings, avoid occasions, fair and foul means, change
of place, contrary passion, witty inventions, discommend the former,
bring in another. Subs. 2.
By p" a1 counsel, persuasion, from future miseries, inconveniences, &c. ^'. 3.
Causes,
Memb. 2.
Symp-
toms or
si'^^ns,
M>imb. 3.
Of body
Of mind.
Cures,
Memb. 5
. hy philters, magical, and poetical cures, .Subs. 4.
I To let them have their desire disputed pro and eon. Impediments re-
l moved, 'e
-easons for it. Subs. 5.
Synopsis of the Third Partition.
His name, definition, extent, power, tyranny, Memb. 1.
Division,
Equivo-
cations,
kinds.
Subs. 1.
421
r I
mproper
Causes,
Sect. 2.
f
Proper
In the par-
To many beasts ; as swans, cocks, bulls.
To kings and princes, of their subjects, successors.
To friends, parents, tutors over their children, or otherwise.
/Before marriage, corrivals, &c.
[After, as in this place our present subject,
r Idleness, impotency in one party, melancholy, long absence.
Symptoms,
Mcmt). 2.
Prognostics,
Memb. 3.
Cures,
Memb. 4.
Causes,
Subs. 2.
rin excess
of such as
do that
which is
not re-
quired.
Memb. 1.
J ties themselves, -; They have been naught themselves. Hard usage, unkindncss,
j or 1^ wantonness, inequality of years, persons, fortunes, 6lc.
I from others. Outward enticements and provocations of others.
^ Fear, sorrow, suspicion, anguish of mind, strange actions, gestures, looks,
^ speeches, locking up, outrages, severe laws, prodigious trials, &c.
^ Despair, madness, to make away themselves,
) and others,
f By avoiding occasions, always busy, never to be idle.
By good counsel, advice of friends, to contemn or dissemble it. Subs. I.
{ By prevention before marriage. Plato's communion.
I To marry such as are equal in years, b-.rth, fortunes, beauty, of like conditions, &c.
l^Of a good family, good education. To use them well.
A proof that there is such a species of melancholy, name, object God, what his
beauty is, how it allureth, part and parties alTected, superstitious, idolaters,
prophets, heretics, &c. Subs. 1.
r ("The devil's allurements, false miracles, priests for
I From others I their gain. Politicians to keep men in obedience,
■i or [ bad instructors, blind guides.
from them- J Simplicity, fear, ignorance, solitariness, melancholy,
\ curiosity, pride, vain-glory, decayed image of God.
rZeal without knowledge, obstinacy, superstition,
J strange devotion, stupidity, confidence, stiff' defence
I of their tenets, mutual love and hate of other
'^ sects, belief of incredibilities, impossibilities,
f Of heretics, pride, contumacy, contempt of others,
I wilfulness, vain-glory, singularity, prodigious para-
j doxes.
I In superstitious blind zeal, obedience, strange works,
fasting, sacrifices, oblations, prayers, vows, pseudo-
martyrdom, mad and ridiculous customs, ceremo-
I nies, observations.
I In pseudo-prophets, visions, revelations, dreams,
I prophecies, new doctrines, &c., of Jews, Gentiles.
^ Mahometans, &c.
J New doctrines, paradoxes, blasphemies, madness, stu-
[ pidily, despair, damnation.
By physic, if need be, conference, good counsel,
persuasion, compulsion, correction, punishment.
Quxritur an cogi debent 1 AJJir.
selves.
General
Symptoms,.
S-ub». 3.
<
I Pariicralar. {
Prognostics, Subs. 4.
Cures, Subs. 5.
In defect,
as Memb.
2.
I
Secure,
of grace and
fears.
Old ["Epicures, atheists, magicians, hypocrites, such as have cauterised
< consciences, or else are in a reprobate sense, worldly-secure.
Distrustful,
or too timor-
ous, as des-
perate. In
despair con-
^sider.
some philosophers, impenitent sinners. Subs. 1.
'The devil and his allurements, rigid preachers, that
wound their consciences, melancholy, contempla-
. tion, solitariness.
I How melancholy and despair differ. Distrust, weak-
ness of faith. Guilty conscience for offence com-
mitted, misunderstanding Scr.
("Fear, sorrow, anguish of mind, extreme tortures
^ and horror of conscience, fearful dreams, con-
\ ceits, visions, &c.
Blasphemy, violent death, Subs. 4.
f Physic, as occasion serves, conference, not to be
l^ Cures, S. 5. < idle or alone. Good counsel, good company, all
f Causes,
Subs. 2.
\ Symptoms,
Subs. 3.
Prognostics.
comforts and contents, &c.
2L
(422)
THE THIRD PARTITION.
LOVE-MELANCHOLY.
THE FIRST SECTION, MEMBER, SUBSECTION.
The Preface.
THERE will not be wanting, I presume, one or other that will nuirh disrommciul
some part of lliis treatise of love-melancholy, and olyect (wliith ' Erasmus in
his preface to Sir Thomas .More suspects of his) '• that it is too lij^ht for a divine, too
comical a subject to speak, of love symptoms, too fantastical, and fit alone for a
■•anton poet, a feeliiiiT young love-sick gallant, an eill'minate courtier, or some such
iiile person." .\nd 'tis true they say : for by the nauohtiness of men it is so come
to pass, as ^Caussinus observes, «/ castis auribus vox amnris suspecla sj7, et incisa,
'he very name of love is oihous to chaster ears; and therefore sonie again, out of
in affected gravity, will dislike all for the name's sake beiore they read a word ; dis-
sembling with him in ^Petronius, and seem to be angry that their ears are violated
with such obscene speeches, that so they may be admired for grave philosophers
and staid carriage. They cannot abide to hear talk of love toys, or amorous dis-
courses, rultu., gvstu, ocitlis in their outward actions averse, and yet in their c<>i.'itri-
tions they are all out as bail, if not worse than others.
• *- Eruhuit, p<i«iii(quf mcum Lucpeiia librum
tied curaiu Bruiu, Brute recede, legil."
But let these cavillers and counterfeit Catos know, that as the Lord John answered
the Queen in that Italian ^Guazzo, an old, a grave discreet man is iitlest to discourse
of love matters, because he hath likely more experience, observed more, hath a more
staid judgment, can better discern, resolve, discuss, advise, give better cautions, and
more solid precepts, better inform his auditors in such a subject, and by reason of
his riper years sooner divert. Besides, nihil in hac amoris voce sublimendum, there
is nothing here to be excepted at ; \pve is a species of melancholy, and a necessary
part of this my treatise, which I may not omit; open svsceplo xnsrrviendnm fuit :
so Jacobus Mysillius pleadeth for himself in his translation of Lucian's dialotrues,
and so do I ; I must and will perform my task. And that short excuse of Mercerus,
for his edition of Aristaenetus shall be mine, *" If 1 have spent my time ill to write,
let not them be so idle as to read." But I am persuaded it is not so ill spent, I ought
not to excuse or repent myself of this suliject, on which many grave and worthy
men have written whole volumes, Plato, Plutarch, Plotinus, .Maximus, Tyrius. Alci-
nous, Avicenna, Leon Ilebreus in tliree large dialogiles, Xenophon synipos. Theo-
phrastus, if we may believe Athena?us, lib. 13. cap. 9. Picus Mirandula, Glaring,
/Etjuicola, both in Italian, Kornrnannus de linea Amoris., lib. 3. Petrus Godefridus
• Encrjin. Moric leviores es^c nu^ai qiiain ut Theo- I quam unam ex Phil<i«ophi9 inluerentiir. « MarlM*
lojCUin d«-ceaiil. »I.ib. 8. ElmiucTif. cap M. de aff-c- " In Brutui' presence L.<icretia hlu*hnl ar ' ' ■' -- ' X
\>\m* innrtalium vitio fit qui pro-clar.-i i|u:r(|iie in pravun aaide ; when he retired, iilie lixik il up n.
u«iis vert'ui* '(iuotieg de ainatDriiji iiientio facta ' » l.ih. 4. of tivil eoiivernainiii. 'Si . . ., f»l
eft, taui veheinenter rxcaiidui ; tain veverx trislitia ! <>p«ra KribeiiUo, ne ipai loccot in l<'(riiiiu.
violari aurcs niea* ubaceno •ermoac noiui, ut nie tan- 1
Mein. 1. Subs. 1.] Preface. 423
hath handled in three books, P. Haedus, and which almost every physician, as Arnol-
dus, Villanovanus, Yalleriola ohservat. mecl. lib. 2. ohscrv. 7. iElian Montaltus and
Laurentius in their treatises of melancholy, Jason Pratensis de morh. cap. V^lescus
de Taranta, Gordonius, Hercules de Saxonia, Savanarola, Langius, &c., have treated
of apart, and in their works. I excuse myself, therefore, with Peter Godefridus,
Valleriola, Ficinus, and in '' Langius' words. Cadmus Milesius writ fourteen books
of love, •' and why should I be- ashamed to write an epistle in favour of young men,
of this subject ?" A company of stern readers dislike the second of the jEneids,
and VirgiPs gravity, for inserting such amorous passions in an heroical subject; but
^Servius, his commentator, justly vindicates the poet's worth, wisdom, and discretion
in doing as he did. Castalio would not have young men read the ^ Canticles, be-
cause to his thinking it was too light and amorous a tract, a ballad of ballads, as
our old English translation hath it. He might as well forbid the reading of Genesis,
because of the loves of Jacob and Rachael, the stories of Sicliem and Dinah, Judah
and Tliamar; reject the Book of Numbers, for the fornications of the people of
Israel with the. Moabites ; that of Judges for Samson and Dalilah's embracings ; that
of the Kings, for David and Bersheba's adulteries, the incest of Amnion and Thamar,
Solomon's concubines, &.c. The stories of Esther, Judith, Susanna, and many such.
Dicearchus, and some other, carp at Plato's majesty, that he would vouchsafe to
indite such love toys : amongst the rest, for that dalliance with Agatho,
"Suavia dans Agathoni, animam ipse in labra teiiebam ;
^gra eteniin [iroperans taiiquam abitura fuit."
For my part, saith '"Maximus Tyrius, a great platonist himself, 7ne non tanUun
admiratio habet, sed etiam stupor,^ I do not only admire, but stand amazed to read,
that Plato and Socrates both should expel Homer from their city, because he writ
of such light and wanton subjects, Quod Junonem cum Jove in Ida concumbentss
inducit, ab immortali nube contectos, Vulcan's net. !Mars and Venus' fopperies before
all the gods, because Apollo fled, when he was persecuted by Achilles, the "gods
were wounded and ran whining away, as Mars that roared louder than Stentor, and
covered nine acres of ground witli his fall ; Vulcan was a summer's day falling down
from heaven, and in Lemnos Isle brake his leg, Sec, with such ridiculous passages ;
when as both Socrates and Plato, by his testimony, writ lighter themselves : quid
enim lam distal (as he follows it) quam amans a temper ante., for mar urn admiral or a
demcnte^ what can be more absurd than for grave philosophers to treat of such
fooleries, to admire Autiloquus, Alcibiades, for tlieir beauties as they did, to run after,
to gaze, to dote on fair Phaedrus, delicate Agatho, young Lysis, flue Charmides,
haccine Philosophmn deccnl? Doth tiiis become grave philosophers? Tiius perad-
venture Callias, Thrasimachus, Polus, Aristophanes, or some of his adversaries and
emulators might object; but neither they nor '^Anytus and Melitus his bitter ene-
mies, that condemned him for teaching Crilias to tyrannise, his impiety for swearing
by dogs and plain trees, for his juggling sophistry, Sec, never so much as upbraided
him with impure love, writing or speaking of that subject; and theretbre without
question, as he concludes, both Socrates and Plato in this are justly to be excused.
But suppose they had been a little overseen, should divine Plato be defamed ? no,
rather as he said of Cato's drunkenness, if Cato were drunk, it should be no vice at
all to be drunk. They reprove Plato then, but without cause (as "Ficinus pleads)
" for all love is honest and good, and they are wortliy to be loved that speak well
of love." Being to speak of this admirable affection of love (saith "Valleriola)
"there lies open a vast and philosopliical held to my discourse, by which many
lovers become mad ; let me leave my more serious meditations, wander in these phi-
losophical flelds, and look into those pleasant groves of the Muses, where with
unspeakable variety of flowers, we may nrake garlands to ourselves, not to adorn us
only, but with their pleasant smell and juice to nourish our souls, and All our mintls
' Med. ppist. 1. l.ep. 14. Cadmus Milesius teste Suida.de I ainor, &c. '^Carpunt alii Platoiiicaiii inajestatem
hoc Erotico Aniore. 14. libros siripsii Jiec me pigcbil in quod aiiiori niniiuni imlulserit, Dicearchus el alii; sed
iratiain adolcscentum iiancscribere epi.-tolaiu. "Cum- inale. Omnis amor lionestus et bonus, et aiiiore digui
neiit. in i!. iEueid. » Meros amures meram iuipudi. qui bene dicunt de Amore. n Med. obser. lib. -2.
litiam sonare videtur nisi, ic. '".Ser. 8. "Uuud
»sum et eorum amores commemoret. '^Ciuuni nuilta
e objecissent quod Critiam tyranuidein docuisset, quod
Palonem juraret loquacem sophistem, &c. accusa-
ti)ueiu umuris uullam fecerunt. Ideoque lionestus
cap. 7. de adniirando aiuoris affectu diclurus; ingens
patet campus ei pbilosopliiciis, quo sa;pe lioniinee
ducuntur ad insaniam, libeat modo vagari, Ate. Ciua
non ornent modo, sed I'ragrantia et succulenlia jucuaj^
plenius alant, &c.
424 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 1
desirous of knowledge," &c. After a harsh and unpLasing discourse of melancholy,
Avhich hath hitherto molested your patience, and tired the author, give him leave
with ''^Godefridus the lawyer, and Laurentius (cap. 5.) to recreate himself in diis
kind after his laborious studies, " since so many grave divine?,and wortliy men have
without olTence to manners, to help themselves and others, voluntarily written of
it." Heliodorus, a bishop, penned a love story of Theagines and Chariclea, and
when some Catos of his time reprehended him for it, chose rather, sailh "^Nicepho-
rus, to leave his bishopric than his book. iEneas Sylvius, an ancient divine, and past
forty years of age, (as "he confesseth himself, after Pope Pius Secundus) indited
that wanton history of Euryalus and Lucretia. And how many superintendents of
learning could I reckon up that have written of light fantastical subjects } Beroaldus,
Erasmus, Alpheratius, twenty-four times printed in Spanish, &C. Give me leave then
to refresh my muse a little, and my weary readers, to expatiate in this deliglitsome
field, hoc dcUciarum campo, as Fonseca terms it, to '* season a surly discourse with
a more pleasing aspersion of love matters : Edulcare vUmn convcnif., as the poet
invites us, ctiras Jimyis., ^-c, 'tis good to sweeten our life with some pleasing toys to
relish it, and as Pliny tells us, magna pars studlosorum amcenilales (jiuirimas, most
of our students love such pleasant "^ subjects. Thougli Macrobins teach us other-
wise, ^''that those old sages banished all such liglit tracts from their studies, to
nurse's cradles, to please only the ear;" yet out of Apuleius I will oppose as honour-
able patrons, Solon, Plato, '^' Xenophon, Adrian, &c. that as highly approve of these
treatises. On the other side methinks they are not to be disliked, they are not so
unfit. I will not peremptorily say as one did '^^tam snavia dicum fucinora., nt male
sit ci qui talibus non dr/ectetur., I will tell you such pretty stories, that foul befall
him that is not pleased with them; JVeque dicam ca quce vobis iisni sit audiirissCi et
vohiptali mrminisse^ with that confidence, as P/eroaldus doth his enarrations on Pro-
pertius. 1 will not expe(»t or hope for that approbation, which Lipsius gives lo his
Epictetus ; pluris facio quum re lego ; semjnr ul norum., el quum repitivi.,repetendum^
the more I reail, the more shall I covet to read. I will not press you with my
pamphlets, or beg attention, but if you like them you may. Pliny holds it expedient,
and most fit, sereritafrm jucunditale etiam in scriptis condire., to season our works
with some pleasant discourse; Synesius approves it, licet in litdicris ludere., the
^poet admires it, Omne tulit punclum qui iniscuil utile dulci; and there be those,
without question, that are more willing to read such toys, than ^* I am to write :
'' Let me not live," saith Aretine''s Antonia, '• If 1 had not rather hear thy discourse,
"than see a play.'" No dt)ubt but there be mure of her mind, ever have been, ever
will be, as * Hierome bears me witness. A far greater part had rather read Apuleius
than Plato : TuUy himself confesseth he could not understand Plato's Tiuia;us, and
therefore cared less for it: but every schoolboy hath that famous testament of Grun-
nius Corocotta Porcellus at his fingers' ends. The comical poet,
" " Id Bibi negnii crediilit soliiin dari,
Populo ut placerent, quaii fecigsit fabulaii,"
made this his only care and sole study lo please the people, tickle the ear, and to
delight; but mine earnest intent is as much to profit as to please ; non tarn ut populo
plaorem, qnam ut popuTuvi juvlHrcm., STTcTthese my writings, I hope, shall take like
gilded pills, which are so composed as well to tempt the appetite, and deceive the
palate, as to help and medicinally work upon the whole body; my lines shall not
only recreate, but rectify the mind. I think I have said enough; if not, let him that
is otherwise minded, remember that of ^ Maudarensis, " he was in his life a philoso-
pher (as Ausonius apologizeth for him), in his epigrams a lover, in his precepts most
••Lib. 1. pra'fat. de ninoribus ageiis relaiandi aiiinii | dc Amore wripserunt.uterqueamnreii Myrrhx.CyrHiipa,
catjsJi labiiriiisii^siuiis studiis fatiiiati ; quaiido et Tlieiv i et Adunidm. 8iiida«. '■o Pel. Aretiiie dial. Ital.
logi se hi.s juvari et jiivare illa'sis nioribus volmit?
•' Hist. lib. li. cap. :M. " Pra'fat. quid quadrngena-
rio cotivenit cum amore? Kgo vera asnosco aiiiatoriuin
scriptuiii iiiilii non coiivenire : qui jam meridiem pr.T-
tergressun in vesperein I'eror. iCiieas Sylvius prsfat.
** l)l scveriora studia iis aniicnitatibus lector rundire
possit. Accius. '• Distiim qiiain philosophum aii-
dire maluiit. *> In Som. Sip. 6 sacrario suo turn ad
cunas niitriniin i^apientes eliiiiinarunt, solas aurium
delitins pr<)tili;iitr8. *> Babyloniua et Epheoius, qui
*> Hor. "He has accomplished every point who hai
joined the useful to the aereealile." « I.rf-geMdi cu-
pidiores, quain eoo Hcribcndi. vaith Liician. *' Plus
capio voliiplati'i iiide, quam fpectandin in llieairo ludis,
'''* i'ro€emiu in Ixaiin. Multo major pars Mile!iin« Tabu
las revolventiuiii quam Platonis lilinm. ^ " Tbii
he tfxik to b»' hiH only busineji. that th'- playn which hi
wrote i<houlil please the people." * In vita phili
sophuj, in Epigram, ainator, in Epistnlii petulaiu, t
prccrptis leverui.
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.] Preface. 425
se^'ere ; in his epistle to Cacrellia, a wanton. Annianus, Sulpicius, Evenri is, Menan-
der, and many old poets besides, did in scriptis prurirc, write Fescennine's., Atlellanes,
and lascivious songs ; Icetam materiam; yet tliey had in moribus censuram^ eL sevcri-
tatein, tliey were chaste, severe, and upright livers.
'»"Castum esse decet pium poetam
Ipsuiii, vcrsiculns nihil necesse est,
Ciiii tuiii (leriique habeiit salem et leporem."
am of Catullus' opinion, and make the same apology in mine own behalf; Hoc
etiam quod scriho.,pendet plerumque ex aliorum sententid et auctorifale; nee ipse for'
san insanio., sed insanientes sequor. Atqui deiur hoc insanire me; Semel insanivimus
omnes^i et tule ipse opinor insanis aliquando, et is, et ille, et ego, scilicet.'-^ Homo
sum^ Jmmani d me nihil alienum pxito:^^ And which he urgeth for himself, accused
of the like fault, I as justly plead, ^^lasciva est nobis pagina, vita proba est. How-
soever my lines err, my life is honest, ^^ vita verecunda est, musa jocosa 7nihi. But
I presume I need no such apologies, I need not, as Socrates in Plato, cover his face
when he spake of love, or blush and hide mine eyes, as Pallas did in her hood,
when she was consulted by Jupiter about Mercury's marriage, quod super nuptiis
virgo consulitur, it is no such lascivious, obscene, or wanton discourse; I have not
offended your chaster ears with anything that is here written, as many French and
Italian authors in tlieir modern language of late have done, nay some of our Latin
pontificial writers, Zanches, Asorius, Abulensis, Burchardus, &c., whom ^ Rivet
accuseth to be more lascivious than Virgil in Priapeiis, Petronius in Catalectis, Aris-
tophanes in Lycistratse, Martialis, or any other pagan profane writer, qui tarn atrociter
(^ one notes) hoc genere peccdrunt ut multa ingeniosissime scripia obsccetiitaium
gratia caslce mentes abhorreant. 'Tis not scurrile this, but chaste, honest, most part
serious, and even of religion itself. ^''^ Incensed (as he said) with the love of find-
ing love, we have sought it, and found it." More yet, I have augmented and added
something to this light treatise (if light) which was not in the former editions, I am
not ashamed to confess it, with a good "' author, quod extendi et locupletart hoc sub-
rectum plerique poslulabant, et eorum importunitaie victus, animum utcunque reni-
entem eb adegi, ut jam sexta vice calamum in manum sumerem, scriptionique longe
et a studiis et professione mea aliencB me accingerem, horas aliquas a seriis meis
occupationibus interim suffuratus, easque veluli ludo cuidam ac recrealio^ni destinans;
38 " Cngor retrorsum
Vela dare, atque literare cursus
Glim relictos"
Etsi non ignorarcm novos fortasse detractores novis hisce interpolationibus meis
minime defuturos.^^
And til us much I have thought good to say by way of preface, lest any man
(which '"'Godefridus feared in his book) should blame in me lightness, wantonness,
rashness, in speaking of love's causes, enticements, symptoms, remedies, lawful and
unlawful loves, and lust itself, ■" I speak it only to tax and deter otliers from it, not
to teach, but to show the vanities and fopperies of this heroical or herculean love,*^
and to apply remedies unto it. I will treat of this with like liberty as of the rest.
" " Sed dicam vobis, vos porro dicite inultis
Millibiis, et facile ii<Ec cliarta i(jqualnr anus."
Condemn me not good reader then, or censure me hardly, if some part of this trea-
tise to thy thinking as yet be too light ; but consider better of it ; Omnia munda
""The poet himsi-lf should be chaste and pious, but
his verses need not imitate him in these respects ; they
may therefore contain wit and humour." '■^ •' This
that I write depends somelinica upon thn opinion and
authority of others: nor perhaps am I frantic, I only
follow madmen: But thus far I may be deranged: we
have all bexn so at some one time, and yourself, I think,
art sometiu)i'S insane, and this man, and that man, and
I also." 31 •' I 3p^ mortal, and think no humane
action unsuited to me." ^ Mart. 3^ Ovid.
^ Isago. ad sac. scrip, cap. 13. 3.' Barthius nolis in
Coeleslinam, luduni Hisp. '^Ficiiius Coininent. c.
17. .Amore incensi inveniendi amnris, anioreir quasi-
vimus et invenimus. 37 Author CociesdnK Barth.
interprete. "That, overcome by the solicitations of
friends, who requested me to enlarge and improve my
volumes, I have devoted my otherwise reluctant mind
to the labour ; and now for the sixth time have I taken
up my pen, and applied myself to literature very foreign
54 2 L 2
indeed to my studies and professional occupations,
stealing a few hours from serious pursuits, and devot-
ing them, as it were, to recreation." ^ Hor. lib. 1.
Ude 34. "I am compelled to reverse my sails, and re-
trace my former course." s-* "Althoui;h 1 was by
no means ignorant that new calumniators would not
be wanting to censure my new introductiotis." <" Hasc
pra^dixi ne q lis temerS nosputaretscripsissede aniorum
lenociniis, de praxi, fornicalioniliiis, adultcriis, &e.
<' Taxando et ab his deterrendo humanam lasciviara et
insaniam, sed et reniedia docenrto: non igitur candidus
lector nobis surcenseat, tc. Commonitio erit juvenibus
hiEC, hisce ut abstineant magis, et oniissa lascivia qu£B
homines reddit insanos, virtutis incumbant studiia
(iEneas Sylv.) et curam amoris si quis nescit bine pote-
nt scire. *^ Martianus Capella lib. 1. de nupt. phi-
lol. virginali sufTiisa rubore oculos pt-plo obnubens, &e.
"Catullus. "What I tell you, do you tell to the multi'.
tude, and make this treatise gossip like an old womaa.*'
126 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 1.
mundis, *^ a naked man to a modest woman is no otherwise than a picture, as Augusta
Livia truly said, and '*' mala metis, mains animus, 'tis as 'tis taken. If in thy censure
ii be too light, I advise thee as Lipsius did liis reader for some places of Plautus,
isfos quasi Sirennm scopulos pratcrvehare, if they like thee not, let them pass ; or
oppose tliat which is good to tliat which is bad, and reject not therefore all. For to
invert that verse of ]Martial, and with Ilieroin WoUius to apply it to my present pur-
pose, sunt mala, sunt quadam tnediocria, sunt bona plura; some is good, some bad,
some is indilFerent. I say further with him yet, I liave inserted {^'^Itvicula qucedam
et ridicula ascribcrc non sum gravatiis, circmnforanea quadam e thrafris, e platcis,
etiam e popinis) some things more homely, liglu, or comical, lilans gratiis, c^c.
which I would request every man to interpret to the best^ and as Julius Ctesar Sca-
liger besought Cardan [si quid urbuniuscule lusnm a nobis, per deos iinmortales te
oro Hienmynie Cardane nc me male cajrias). I beseech thee, good reader, not to
mistake me, or misconstrue what is here written ; Per Musas et Charifes, et omnia
Po'etarum numina, benigne lector, oro te nc me male capias. 'Tis a comical suliject;
in sober sadness I crave pardon of what is amiss, and desire thee to suspend ihy
judgment, wink at small faults, or to be silent at least ; but if thou likest, speak
well of it, and wish me good success. Extremum hunc Jirethusa mild concede
laborem.*^
I am resolved howsoever, velis, nolis, audacter stadium intrare, in tlie Olympics,
with those iEliensian wrestlers in Philostratus, boldly to show myself in this com-
mon stage, and in this tragi-comedy of love, to act several parts, some satirically,
some comically, some in a mixed tone, as the subject I have in hand gives occasion,
and ])resent scene shall recjuire, or otler itself.
SuBSECT. II. — Love'^s Beginning, Object, Definition, Division.
"Love's limits are ample and great, and a spacious walk it hath, beset with
"thorns,"''' and for th.at cause, which ^'Scaliger reprehends in Cardan, " not lightly to
be passed over." Lest I incur the same censure, 1 will examine all the kinds of love,
}iis nature, beginning, dillerence, objects, how it is honest or dishonest, a virtue or
vice, a natural passion, or a disease, his power and ellects, how far it extends : of
which, altliough something has been said in the first partition, in those sections of
perturbations i^**"for love and hatred are the first and most common passions, from
which all the rest arise, and are attendant," as Picolomineus holds, or as Aich,
Caussinus, the prinuun mobile of all other afleclions, which carry them all about
them) I will now more Copiously dilate, through all his parts and several branches,
that so it may better appear what love is, and how it varies with the objects, how ia
defect, or (which is most ordhiary and common) immoderate, and in excess, causeth
melancholy.
j^,py<:> imii^af^]iy tftkf^n; M dftltipd t" ^ft » dfFJrp, as a word of more ample signifi-
cation_: and though Leon Ilebreus, the most copious writer of this subject, in his
third dialogue make no dillerence, yet in his first he distinguisheth them again, and
defines love by desire. "'••Love is a vohmtarj' affection, and desire to enjoy that
which is good. '' Desire wisheth, love enjoys ; the end of the one is the beginning
of the other; that which we love is present; that which we desire is absent." "" It
is worth the labour," saiih Plotinus, '• to consider well of love, w hether it be a god
or a devil, or passion of the mind, or partly- god, partly devil, partly pa-ssixmi' He
concludes love to participate of all three, to arise from desire of that which is beau-
tiful and fair, and delines it to be "an action of the mind desirinsr that which is
good." "Plato calls it the great devil, for its vehemency, and sovereignty over all
other passions, and defines it an appetite, ""by which we desire some good to be
present." Ficinus in his comment adds the word fair to this definition. Love is a
♦•Viros niiilos casta? feminje nihil i s^tatuia dii'tare.
• Hony soit r|iii nial y peiipe. ■•• Prsf. Suiil. «^ •• O
Arclhu-^a smile on tliiii my last labour." *« Eierc.
901. Campus aiiiorij inatiiiius et spinis obsiiu-i, nee
leviosimn |N'(l>Mransvolaiii|iis. ■'uGrad. I. cap. ?J.
frui-ndi. " Degifleriiim optanti*. .1 ui.
bijM fruimur; amorio priiiripiuiii.detnw ,m
adcut. •» Pniicipio I. (It; amor.-, ii, -»
df amnrc coniijdfrari-, iilrum l)c-ii.<. an I' n-
no quxdam aiiiiiix, an purtiin Lku*. n.
Ex Platone. priniif et cnnimunissimc perturbationcs ex pa!>!iio partiin, ti.c. Amnr ei>t actus at
quibus celerae oriuiitur t!t earum sunt (ledigsequie. | deranii. " .Maiihiis Da-mnn conviviu. -^ Uuni
"Amor «:*t voluntarius atfectus cl detiderium re bona , pulchriqiie frueudi de»ideriiiin.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Objects of Love. 427
desire of enjoying that which is good and fair. Austin dilates this common de/inx-
tion, and will have love to be a delectation of the heart, ^^"for something which we
seek to win, or joy to have, coveting by desire, resting in joy." ^''Scaliger exerc.
301. taxeth these former definitions, and will not have love to be defined l)y desire
or appetite ; '' for when we enjoy the things we desire, there remains no more appe-
tite :" as he defines it, " Love is an affection by which we are either united to the
thing we love, or perpetuate our union ;" which agrees in part with Leon Hebreus.
Now this love varies as its object varies, which is always good, amiable, fair, ora-
cious, and pleasant. " '^ All things desire that which is good," as we are taught in
the Ethics, or at least that Mdiich to them seems to be good ;' quid enim vis niali (as
Austin Avell infers) die mihi ? pulo nihil in omnihus aclimiibus; thow wilt wish no
harm, I suppose, no ill in all thine actions, thoughts or desires, niliil maU vis; 5- thou
wilt not have bad corn, bad soil, a naughty tree, but all good ; a good servant, a good
horse, a good son, a good friend, a good neighbour, a good wife. From this good-
ness comes beauty, from beauty, grace, and comeliness, which result as so many
rays from their good parts, make us to love, and so to covet it : for were it not
pleasing and gracious in our eyes, we should not seek. ^'^"No man loves (saith
Aristotle 9. mar. cap. 5.) but he that was first delighted with comeliness and beauty."
As this fliir object varies, so doth our love ; for as Proclus holds, Omne pulchrim
amabdc, every feir thing is amiable, and what Ave love is fair and gracious in our
eyes, or at least we do so apprehend and still esteem of it. ^"^iiAmiahkufiss-OS-tbe
objec^LofJove^jhe^scoj^e audxiid-kto whose sake we love, and which
our mind covets to enjoy." And it seems to us especially fair and good ; for good,
fair, and unity, cannot be separated. Beauty shines, Plato saith, and by reason of its
splendour and shuiing causcth admiration ; and the fairer the object is, the more
eagerly it is sought. For as the same Plato defines it, ^' '' Beauty is a lively, shinin<r
or glittering brightness, resulting from effused good, by ideas, seeds, reasons, sha-
dows, stirring up our minds, that by this good they may be united and made one.
Others will have beauty to be the perfection of the whole composition, ^- " caused
out of the congruous symmetry, measure, order and manner of parts, and that come-
liness which proceeds from this beauty is called grace, and from thence all fair
things are gracious." J^or__£ra£e_a!idJieaiit3L-a*e-^e^ "ugo
sweetly and gently win our souls, and strongly allure, that they confound our judg-
ment and cannot be distinguished. Beauty and grace are like those beams and
shinmgs that come from the glorious and divine sun," which are diverse, as they
proceed from the diverse objects, to please and affect our several senses. ""As the
species of beauty are taken at our eyes, ears, or conceived in our inner soul," as
Plato disputes at large in his Dialogue dc pulckro, P/uedro, Hi/ppias, and after many
sophistical errors confuted, concludes ttxaLbeaiity is a gmceJu-ali-thi+igstT-ttetTolitintr
the eyes, ears, and soul itself; so that, a's Valesius infers hence, whatso°ever pleaseth
our ears, eyes, and soul, must needs be beautiful, fliir, and delightsome to us. "'-And
nothing can more please our ears than music, or pacify our minds." Fair hoiises,
pictures, orchards, gardens, fields, a fair hawk, a fliir horse is most acceptable unto
us; whatsoever pleasetli our eyes and ears, we call beautiful and fair; """Pleasure
belongeth to the rest of the senses, but grace and beauty to these two alone." As the
objects vary and are diverse, so they diversely affect our .eyes, ears, and soul itself. '
Which gives occa^on to some to make so many several kinds of love as there be
objects. One beauty ariseth from God, of which and divine love S. Dionysius,"' with
-Godefriiliis l.l.cap.2. Aninrcst (lelortatiocordis, ali- | idi-as, somina, rationes, umbras effusus. animos evci-
cnjus ail a uiuiil,proptural.(iU().l(l(jsi.l(,'nuin inappeten- i tans ut perboiiurii in unuin redigantur. fisPnlchrj-
rto.et gaiuliiimperfrueruloperdesKicriumciirrens.reqiii- j tudo est per(i;ctio compositi ex congrueiite online, nion-
escen* per t'audiumMNon est amor desid.Tiiiniautap. sura et ratione partium consurgens, et venustas inde
petitiis ul ab omnibus hactenus traditum; nam cum prodiens gratia dicitur et res omties pulchra- eratiosa;
polimur amata re, non manet appetituf ; est jgitur af- : os Gratia et pulchriiudo ita suaviter animos demulcent!
leclus quo cum re amata aut unimur, ant unionem per- ita vehementer al!iciunt,et admirabiliter connectuntur
jetuajnus. i' Omnia appetunt boniim. 5«-x'erram
non vis malani, malara segetem, sed bonam arborem,
equum bonum.cfec. -'-'J Nemo amore capitur nisi qui
fuerit ante forma specieque delectatus. «o Aniabile
ohjectnm anioris et Scopus, ciijus adeptio est finis, cujus
gratia aniamus. Animus enim aspirat ut eo fruatur,
et forniam boni habet et pra;cipue videtur et placet.
Picolomineus, grad. 7. cap. 2. et grad. 8. cap. 35
" Forma est vitalis fulgor ex ipso bono manans pev
ut in unum confundant et distingui non possunt, et sunt
tanquam radii et splendores divini solis in rebus variis
vario nn.do fulgenles. «< Species puldiritudini*
lianriuntur oculis, auribus, aut concipiuntur interna
mente. « \iiiil hinc magis animos concilia! qiiam
musica, pulclirae picturK, sedes, &c. ^ In reliqui.4
sensibus voluptas, in his pulchritudo et gratia. 6" Liu
4. de divinis. Convivio Platonis.
428
Love-Me lancholy.
[Part. 3. St.c. 1.
many fathers and Neoterics, have written just volumes, Dc amore Z)(.t,as ihcy term it,
many parienetical discourses; another from his creatures; there is a beauty of the body,
a beauty of the soul, a beauty from virtue,/c>?-mflw martyrum, Austin calls it, quum vidc-
mus oc'uUs anhni, which we see with the eyes of our mind; which beauty, as TuUy
saith, if we could discern with these corporeal eyes, admirabiU sui anions excilurct,
would cause admirable aflections, and ravish our souls. Tiiis other beauty which ariseth
from lhos£ extreme par is^ and graces which, proceed, jjum tjcaluigs, speeches, several
"~~Tiro[r6ns, and proportions of eretttures, men and women ^^especially from women,
which made those old poets put the three graces still in Venus' company, as attcnd-
mg on her, and holding up her train) are inrinite almost, and vary tlieir nanus with
then- obji'cts^.as-k>ve of-mouey, cuvtOousness, love uf beauty, lust, innnoderatc de-
sire oTaivv pleasure, concupiscence, friendship, love, good-\vill. Sec. and is either
virtue or vice, honest, dishonest, in excess, defect, as shall be sliowed in his j)lace.
Heroical love, religious love, &.c. which may be reduceil to a twofold division, ac-
cording to the principal parts which are allected, the brain and liver. ^Jnior el (imi-
cilia, which Scaliger txtrcilal. 301. Valesius and Melancthon warrant out of Flato
iiXfn- and i^Mv from tliat speech of Fausanias belike, tliat makes two Veneres and two
loves. *'*"One\enus is ancient witliout a mother, and descended from heaven,
whom we call celestial; the younger, begotten of Jupiter and Dione, whom com-
monly we call \'enus." Ficinus, in his connnent upon this place, cap. 8, following
Plato, calls these two loves, two devils, "^or good and bad angels accoriling to u.-j,
which are still hovering about our souls. '""The one rears to heaven, the t»ther de-
presseth us to hell; the one good, which stirs us up to the ct)nteniplati'>n of that
divine beauty for whose sake we perform justice and all g<»dly ollices, study philoso-
phy, iic. ; the other base, and though bail yet to be respected; for indeed both are
good in their own natures : procreation of children is as necessary as that liiidmg
out of truth, but therefore called bad, because it is abused, and vviliidraws our souls
from the speculation of that other to viler objects," so far ricinus. S. Austin, lib.
15. de cic. Dti el sup. Psal. Ixiv., hath delivert-d as much in effect. "" Every crea-
ture is good, and may be loved well or ill:" and "'"Two cities make tw'o loves,
Jerusalem and Babylon, the love of God the one, the love of the world the other;
of these two cities we all are citizens, as by examination of ourselves we may soon
Hnd, ami of which." JQuL-iJJAeJoveJ*-lluiju>oi nf all Tni^rhicf, ilt« oilM»r of all good.
So, in his 13. cup. lib. de amor. EccUsue., he will have those four cardinal virtues to
be nought else but love rightly comj>osed ; in his 15. book dc cir. JJti., cap. 22. he
calls virtue the order of love, whom Thomas following 1. part. 2. quiest. 55. arl. 1.
and qiupst. 56. 3. tjiicest. 62. art. 2. conlinns a.s much, and amplilies in many words.
/^ '^Lucian, to the same purpose, hath a division of his own, "One love was b(»rn in
V Uie sea, which is as various and raging in young men's breasts as the sea itself, and
I causeth burning lust: the other is that golden chain which was let down from
I heaven, and with a divine fury ravisheih our souls, made to the hnage of God, and
I stirs us up to comprehend the innate and incorruptible beauty to which we were ouce
I created." Beroaldus hath expressed all this in aa epigram of his: —
- Oognia(a <tivini luetiiorant si vera Plalonis,
^uiit gi'iuinaf Wiit-reK, et geiiiinalu* aiuur.
OcBlesiiH Vciiu4 est iiullu geiierata |iar«iile,
Qiiir i-u»lii saiictod iieclil uiuure viri>«.
Alt>-ra M'<l Veii>i!i eist lotuiii vulgala |irr urtx^m,
Qiiu- ciivuiii iiiifiitr:j allii,'al, atijue iiouiiiiuui ;
Iniprulia, seduclrii, p«tulaiis, Slc."
" ir divine Plato'* tenelf Ihey he true,
Tv»i> Veiierf* Ihu Iovi-» lliere be,
Tiie one Iroiii heaven, uiilirgi>llrii atill.
Which kiiil* our «oiil» m iiiiiiii>.
Tlie olh>-r I'.iiiiou* ovi r ■ ■■ r' |,
BiiiJiiig Ih.- h.-arl> nl . t ;
Dt>hoii>->l, w.iiil'iii. ail i
Kulea H houi she M ill. ti-/>ii t\ ii''i> am] when.'
This twofold division of love, Origen likewise follows, in his Comment on the
Canticles, one from God, the other from the devil, as he holds (^understanding it m
the worse sense) which many others repeat and imitate. Both which (to omit all
subdivisions) in excess or defect, as they are abused, or degenerate, cause melan-
* Due Veneres duo aniores ; quarum una anttqnior ^ OmnU creatura cum bona iit. el hrn>> amari poletl e
et tine nialre, cat< iiata. quaiii csleiiteni Veiirrviu niale. n Uun* civiialea duo fdciunt iiiii'
iiuricupaMiii!! ; ali>-ra ve."i junior a Jovt- et Dinnr prog. «alein Tacit amor Di-i. B^h>|iin>'ni aiu<ir
nata, quiiiii vul!i.'ir<>in Vriierrni vi'Canius. ** Aiti-r ad i qiii'que w quid aiiiet iiilerrngi-l. el
Jrm.
•uperna i-ri{ii, alter dcpriiuit ad lurfriia. '" Aitt-r
eiciTat h'liiiini-iii a<l divinam pulrhritudinetn hintran
dam, cujui cauia pbiloaoptii* atudia «t jujtilic, &c.
fin». ^ Alt>r man orlu", ft-roi, v«. . i
iiiani», juveuuni. in»r>- rrferen*. fce. Alter ah . .1 i«lri
ciElo deioiaaa boouiii furorcuj mrotibua iuiIIom, 4x.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.]
Objects of Love.
429
choly in a particular*lvind, as shall be shown in his place. Austin, in anotlier Tract,
makes a threefold division of this love, which we may use well or ill : '•• "• God, our
neighbour, and the world : God above us, our neighbour next us, the world beneath
us. In the course of our desires, God hath three things, the world one, our neigh-
bour two. Our desire to God, is either from God, with God, or to God, and ordi-
narily so runs. From God, when it receives from him, whence, and for which it
should love him : with God, when it contradicts his will in nothing : to God, wlien
it seeks to him, and rests itself in him. Our love to our neighbour may proceed
from him, and run with him, not to him: from him, as when we rejoice of his good
safety, and well doing: with him, when we desire to have him a fellow and com-
panion of our journey in the way of the Lord : not in him, because there is no aid,
hope, or confidence in man. From the world our love comes, when we begin to
admire the Creator in his works, mid glorify God in his creatures: with the world
it should run, if, according to the mstability of all temporalities, it should be de-
jected in adversity, or over elevated in prosperity : to the world, if it would settle
itself in its vain delights and studies." Many such partitions of love I could repeat,
and subdivisions, but least (which Scaliger objects to Cardan, Excrcilaf. 501.) ''" I
confound filthy burning lust with pure and divine love," 1 will follow that accurate
division of Leon Hebreus, dial. 2. betwixt Sophia and Philo, where he speaks of
natural, sensible, and rational love, and handleth each apart. Natliral I'ove orJmtredr^
is that s)^mpathyi_or antipathy which^Js to be seen in animate and inanimate crea-
Jm-es, mJlie_four_elem stones, gravia tendunt deorsum, as a stone to his
centre, fire upward, and rivers to the sea. The sun, moon, and stars go still around,
''^Amanles naturce debita exercere, for love of perfection. This love is manifest, I
say, in inanimate creatures. How comes a loadstone to draw iron to it.^ jet chaff?
the ground to covet showers, but for love } No creature, S. Hierom concludes, is
to be found, quod non aUquid amal, no stock, no stone, that hath not some feeling
of love. 'Tis more eminent in plants, herbs, and is especially observed in vege-
tables ; as between the vine and elm a great sympathy, between the vine and the
cabbage, between the vine and the olive, '''Virgo fug it Bromiiim, between the vine
and bays a great antipathy, the vine loves not the bay, '* " nor his smell, and will
kill him, if he grow near liim ;" the bur and the lentil cannot endure one another,
the olive '^and the myrtle embrace each other, in roots and branches if they grow
near. Read more of this in Ficolomineus grad. 7. cap. I. Crescentius lib. o. de
agric. Baptista Porta de mag. lib. 1. cap. de plant, dodio et element, sym. Fracasto-
rius de sym. et antip. of the love and hatred of planets, consult with every astrologer.
Leon Hebreus gives many fabulous reasons, and moraliseth them withal.
Sj^iisible lovg is that^fj)rute beasts, of which the same Leon Hebreus dial 2.
assigns these "caiisesT" First for the pleasureniey take in the act of generation, male
and female love one another. Secondly, for the preservation of the species, and
desire of young brood. Thirdly, for the mutual agreement, as being of the same
kind : Sus sui, canis cani, bos bovi.. et asinus asino pulcherri7nus vide tur, as Epichar-
mus held, and according to that adage of Diogenianus, Adsidct usque graculus apud
graculutu., they much delight in one another's company, ^°Formic(R grata cstforinica.
cicada cicadce, and birds of a feather will gather together. Fourthly, for custom,
use, and familiarity, as if a dog be trained up with a lion and a bear, contrary to
their natures, they will love each other. Hawks, dogs, horses, love their masters
and keepers : many stories I could relate in this kind, but see Gillius de hist. anim.
lib. 8. cap. 14. those tvv^o Episdes of Lipsius, of dogs and horses, Agellius, &.c.
Fifthly, for bringing up, as if a bitch bring up a kid, a hen ducklings, a hedge-spar-
row a cuckoo, &.C.
The third \Cmsl-^^r-xSmer-cognitiQmSj^3 Leon calls it, rational love^SntellecJivus
amor, and is proper to men, on which I must insist. This appears in God, angels,
men. God is love itself, the fountain of love, the disciple of love, as Plato styles
"'Tri a sunt, quae amnri a nobis bene vel male pos-
sunt; Di'iis, proximus, inini(iiis; Deus supra nos ; jiixla
lios prnviiniis ; infra mis muniliis. Tria Dens, dun
proximus. unuiii niiindus haliel. &<;. '» Ne cnnfiiii-
dam vpsanos et fredos amores heatis, scderatum cum
puro diviuo et vero, &r, ^6 Fouseca cap. 1. Amor ex
.Auciistini forsan lib. 11. de Cii'it. Dei. Ainore mcon-
cussus Stat niundus, &c. I'Alciat. ''Porta Viiis
lauruui noil aniat. lu'C ejus odorem; si propn cresrat.
enecat. Lappiis lonti adver=atiir. i" Syrnpathia
olei Pt mvrti raiiiorum et radicuin se complectentiuiii.
Mizaldus secret, cent. 1. 47. '« Tlieocriius. eid>11.9.
430 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 1.
him ; the servant of peace, the God of love and peace; have pe*e with all men and
God is with you.
8> " Qiiis()uis veneratiir Olyrnpiim,
Ipse sitii muiidum subjicit atque Deuiii."
" " By this love (saith Gerson) we purchase heaven," and buy the kingdom of
God. This ^love is either in the Trinity itself (for the Holy Ghost is the love of the
Fatiier and the Son, &.c. John iii. 35, and v. 20, and xiv. 31 ), or towards us his crea-
tures, as in making the world, ^imor inundum fecit., love built cities, mundi animuy
invented arts, sciences, and all *^good things, incites us to virtue and humanity, com-
bines and quickens ; keeps peace on earth, quietness by sea, nurlh in the winds and
elements, expels all fear, anger, and rusticity; Circnhis d bono in bonttm, a round
circle still from good to good ; for love is the beginner and end of all our actions,
the edicient and instrumental cause, as our poets in their symbols, impresi>es,
*^ emblems of rings, squares, &c., shadow unto us,
'• fi reruiii nnar's fnerit quis finis el onus, I " It' first and last of anything ynu wit,
Desine ; nam causa est uiiica solus amur." | LVase ; love's the sole aiiU only cause of it."
Love, saith ^ Leo, made the world, and afterwards in redeeming of it, " God so loved
the world, that he gave his only begotten sou for it," John iii. 10. ''Behold what
love the Father hath showed on us, that we should be called the sons of God,"
I Jolin iii. 1. Or by His sweet Providence, in protecting of it; either all in general,
or His saints elect and church in particular, \vln>m He keeps as the apple of His
eye, whom He loves freely, as Hosea xiv. o. speaks, and dearly respects, "' Cluirior
rt-t ipsis homo qaam sibi. Not that we are fair, nor for any merit or grace of ours,
for we are most vile and base; but out of His incomparalile love and goodness, out
illlis Divine Nature. Ami this is that Homer's goUlen chain, which reacheth down
from heaven to earth, by which every creature is annexed, and depends on his Crea-
tor. He made all, saith ".Moses, '•and it was good;" He loves it as good.
The love of angels and living souls is nmiuul amongst themselves, towards us
militant in the church, and ull such us love God; as the sunbeams irradiate the earth
from those celestial thrones, they by their well wishes reflect on us, ""in salutt homi-
mim promocendd alacres, ct constantrs udministriy there is joy in heaven for every
sinticr tlial rejK'iiteth ; they pray for us, are solicitous for our good, "* Casli genii.
*'" L'lii fegiiat ehsritiM, suave lU-nikleriiini,
lj'(iiii«i|>-ie I't auinr Ueucoiijunctus."
Love proper to moital men is the third member of this subdivision, and the subject
of mv following discourse.
MEMB. H.
Slbsect. 1. — Love of JSIen^ which rarifs as his Objects, Profitable^ Pleasant,
Honest.
Valesius, lib. 3. contr. 13, defines this love which is in men, "to be *-an aflec-
tion of botli powers, appetite and reason." The rational resides in tlie brain, the
other in the liver (^as before hath been said out of Plato and others); the heart is
diversely allected of both, and carried a thousand wavs by cf>nsent. The sensitive
faculty most part overrules reason, the soul is carried hoodwinked, anti the under-
standing captive like a beast. ""The heart is varifuisly inclined, sometimes they
are merry, sometimes sad, and from love arise hope and fear, jealousy, fury, despera-
tion." Now this love of men is diverse, and varies, as the object varies, by which
tiiey are enticed, as virtue, wisdom, eloquence, profit, wealth, money, fame, hotKJur,
or conreliness of person, kc. Leon liubreus, in his first dialogue, reduceth them all
to these three, utile, jucundum^ hanestiim, profitable, plea-sant,' honest; (out of Aris-
*'Manluan. ■^Cbaritas munifica, qua mprcauiur I "Caunina*. ••TlM»««1nrrt # Plolino. ""Whrr*
i1.- Doo rfgnuni Dei. "Pulanus partit. Zanrtiius rliarity | • ' ■'«
i!'- naturii D^-i, c. 3. cnpiose de hipc nruure Dei agii. (.imI ar> «
■• \f;h. IJflliis, discurg. 'itf. de aiiiaturibus, virliit> in (x.finti ■ .. f
pr. vocal. ri>ii^.crv:it pacem in terra, traiiguillital'in m Ij. ", • ••' i ■r i.-im- c riii,.iiiir. uimr
a-re, ventis la- itiam, &c. ^ C'auierarius Emli. Jim i. , iiuFrens; (tatim ex tiuiurr naacilui
een. S. "i Dial. X " Juven. "liKH. l.[ '/.■ . r, ipea, detperatiu.
Mem. 2. Subs. ..]
Objects of Love.
431
totle belike 8. moral.) of which he discourseth at large, and whatsover is beautiful
and lair, is referred to them, or any Avay to be desired. ^' " To profitable is abscribed
health, wealth, honour, &c., which is rather ambition, desire, covetousness, than
love :" friends, children, love of women, ^^ all delightful and pleasant objects, are
referred to the second. The love of honest things consists in virtue and wisdom,
and is preferred before that whicii is profitable and pleasant : intellectual, about that
which is honest. ^"^ St. Austin calls " profitable, worldly; pleasant, carnal ; honest,
piiitual. ^' Of and from all three, result charity, friendship, and true love, which
respects God and our neighbour." Of each of these I will briefly dilate, and show
in vv'hat sort they cause melancholy.
Amongst all tlippe THir untiring r'bjprtg, wht^h-f^r^mre love, and bewitch the soul
of jiian,- them-is none so moving, so forcible as profit ;- and ihcitjyliich caunieth-with
it aslicny of commodity. Health indeed is a precious thing, to recover and preserve
which we will undergo any misery, drink bitter potions, freely give our goods :
restore a man to his health, his purse lies open to thee, bountiful he is, thankful and
beholding to thee; but give him wealth and honour, give him gold, or what shall be
for his advantage and preferment, and thou shalt command his affections, oblige him
eternally to thee, heart, hand, life, and all is at thy service, thou art his dear and
loving friend, good and gracious lord and master, his Mecasnas; he is thv slave, thy
vassal, most devote, affectioned, and bound in all duty : tell him good tidings in this
kind, there spoke an angel, a blessed hour that brings in gain, he is thy creature,
and thou his creator, he hugs and admires thee ; he is thine for ever. No loadstone
so attractive as that of profit, none so lair an object as this of gold; ^* nothing wins a
man sooner than a good turn, bounty and liberality command body and soul :
■ Munera (erode mihi) placant liominesque deosque;
Placatiir iluiiis Jupiter ipse datis."
'Good turns doth pacify both God and men.
And Jupiter hinjself is won by tliHiu."
Gold of all Other is a most delicious object; a sweet light, a goodly lustre it hath;
gratlus aurum qudm soleni intuemur, saith Austin, and we had rather see it than the
sun. Sweet and pleasant in getting, in keeping; it seasons all our labours, intole-
rable pains we take for it, base employments, endure bitter flouts and taunts, long
journeys, heavy burdens, all are made light and easy by this hope of gain: .4^ mihi
plaudo ipse domi, simul ac nuvimos conlemplor in area. The sight of gold refresheth
our spirits, and ravisheth our hearts, as that Babylonian garment and ^^ golden wedge
did Achan in the camp, the very sight and hearing sets on fire his soul with desire
of it. It will make a man run to the antipodes, or tarry at home and turn parasite,
lie, flatter, prostitute himself, swear and bear false witness ; he will venture his body,
kill a king, murder his father, and damn his soul to come at it. Forrnosior auri
viassa., as '^* he well observed, the mass of gold is fairer than all your Grecian pictures,
that Apelles, Phidias, or any doating painter could ever make : we are enamoured
with it,
1" Prima fere vota, et cunctis notissima teniplis,
Divitiae ut crescant."
All our labours, studies, endeavours, vows, prayers and wishes, are to get, ho\»
to compass it.
»" Haec est ilia cui famulatur maximus orhis,
Diva potens rerum, doniitrixque pocuiiia fati."
" This is the great goddess we adore and worship ; this is the sole object of our
desire." If we have it, as we think, we are made for ever, thrice happy, princes,
lords, &c. If we lose it, we are dull, heavy, dejected, discontent, miserable, des-
perate, and mad. Our estate and bene esse ebbs and flows with our commodity ; and
as we are endowed or enriched, so are we beloved and esteemed : it lasts no longer
than our wealth ; when that is gone, and the object removed, farewell friendship .
as long as bounty, good cheer, and rewards were to be hoped, friends enough ; they
were lied to tliee by the teeth, and would follow thee as crows do a carcass : but
when thy goods are gone and spent, the lamp of their love is out, and thou shalt be
w Ad utile snnitas rcfertur; utilium est ambitio,
rnjiiilo desideriuin potiii.< quain amor cxcessus avaritia.
>» I'lcoloin. ;;rad. 7. cap. 1. sw Lib. de aniicit. utile
nuindanum. carnale jucundum, fpirituale honestum.
>' £x singulis tribus fit cliaritus ct auiicitia, qu£ re-
spicit deum et proximum. *= Benefactores prxcipue
aniamiis. Vives 3. de aiiima. "Jos. 7. "» Pelro-
liius Arbiter. « Juvenalis. ' Job Secund. lib.
sylvarum.
432 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 1.
contemned, scorned, hated, injured. ^Lucian's Timon, when he lived in prosperity,
was the sole spectacle of Greece, only admired ; wlio but Timon } Everybody
lovtv!, honoured, applauded him, each man offered him his service, and sought to be
kin to him; but when his gold was spent, his fair possessions gone, farewell Timon:
none so ugly, none so deformed, so odious an object as Timon, no man so ridiculous
on a sudden, they gave him a penny to buy a rope, no man would know him.
'Tis the general humour of the world, commodity steers our affections through-
out, we love those that arc fortunate and rich, that thrive, or by whom we may
receive mutual kindness, hope for like cou^ebi^xi ijct any gouil. ^^ain^ or piuiit-; hate
those, and abhor on the other side, which are poor and miserable, or by whom we
may sustain loss or inconvenience. And even tliose tiiat were now familiar and deai
unto us, our loving and long friends, neighbours, kinsmen, allies, with whom we
have conversed, and lived as so many Gtryons for some years past, striving still to
give one another all good content and entertainment, with mutual invitations, fcast-
ings, disports, offices, for whom we would ride, run, spend ourselves, and of whom
we have so freely and hont>urdb[y spoken, to whom we have given all those turgent
titles, and magnificent eulogiums, most excellent and most noble, wortiiy, wise, giave,
learned, valiant, Stc, and magnified beyond measure : if any controversy arise be-
tween us, some tresspass, injury, abuse, some part of our goods be detained, a |)iece
of land come to be litigious, it they cross us in our suit, or touch the string of our
commodity, we detest and depress them upon a sudden : neither affinity, consan-
guinity, or old acquaintance can contain us, but *ruplo jecore ci-ierit Caprijicus. A
golden apple sets altogether by the ears, as if a marrowbone or honeyctimb were
tlung amongst bears : father and son, brother and sister, kinsmen are at odds : and
look what malice, deadly hatred can invent, that shall be done, TtrTible,dirum,pesti'
lens, alrox,feruin, nmtual injuries, desire of revenge, and how to hurt them, him
and his, are all our studies. If our pleasures be interrupt, we can tolerate it : our
bodies hurt, we can put it up and be reconciled : but touch our c«)minodities, we are
most impatient : fair becomes foul, the graces are turned to harpies, friendly saluta-
tions to bitter imprecations, mutual t"ea.stings to plotting villanies, minings and conn-
terminings ; good words to satires and invectives, we revile e contra, nought but his
imperfections are in our eyes, he is a base knave, a tievil, a monster, a caterpillar, a
viper, a hogrubber, SiC. Dtsinit in pisceni viulinr furmusa superne ;^ tiie scene is
altered on a sudilen, love is turned to hate, mirth to inelanclioly : so furiously are
we most part bent, our atleclions fixed upon this object of couunodity, and upon
money, the desire of which in excess is covetuusness : ambition tyranniseih over
our souls, as * I have shown, and in delect crucifies as much, as if a man by negli-
gence, ill husbandry, improvidence, prodigality, waste and consume his goods and
fortunes, beggary follows, and melancholy, he becomes an abject, ^ odious and '• worse
than an infidel, in not providing for his family."
Slbsect. II. — Pleasant Objects of Love.
Pleasant objects are infinite, whether they be such as have life, or be without
life ; inanimate are countries, provinces, towers, towns, cities, as he said, "Pulcherri-
mam insulam vldemus, etiam cum mm videmus, we see a fair island by description,
when we see it not. The *sun never saw a fairer city, Tfiessala Tempe, orchards,
gardens, pleasant walks, groves, fountains, itc. The heaven itself is said to be '*'fair
or foul: fair buildings, "fair pictures, all artificial, elaborate and curious works,
clothes, give an admirable lustre: we admire, and ifaze upou them, ut pw n Jiinonis
avem, as children do on a peacock : a fair dog, a fair horse and hawk, ice. '-Thes-
ealus amat equuin puUinum, buculum jflgyplius, Lacrdtemanius Cululum, 4c-? such
things we love, are most gracious in our sight, acceptable unto us, and whatsoever
else may cause this passion, if it be superfluous or immoderately lovetl, as Guianenus
observes. These things in themselves are pleasing and good, singular ornaments,
necessary, comely, and tit Hi be had ; but when we fix an immoderate eye, and dote
1 Lucianiii Timon. • Pen. • ■ The hud of a | Mrrnum. calum viMim fnluin. Polid. lib. I. ito AMfflla.
kfaiiurul »i>iiiaM wiih the tail •>!' a (i^h." • I'art. 1. i >■ Cre<)o trquiiJtriii vivu* ducral • laaroHHe vullua
»«c. -i. iiii.'iub. tub. li 1 1 Tim. I. tf. • Lip*. <r(>i»l. '» Ma*. 1'yriua, aef. 9.
C^Hdeao. ^UelAixdotHi K>liuuiitl»liury. ><> t'usluin |
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Objects of Love. 433 '
on them over much, this pleasure may turn to pain, bring much sorrow and discon-
tent unto us, work our final overthrow, and cause melancholy in the end. Many
are carried away with those bewitching sports of gaming, hawking, liunting, and
such vain pleasures, as " I have said : some with immoderate desire of fame, to be
crowned in the Olympics, knighted in the field, Stc, and by these means ruinate
themselves. The lascivious dotes on his fair mistress, the glutton on his dishes,
which are infinitely Aaried to please the palate, the epicure on his several pleasures,
tlie superstitious on his idol, and fats himself with future joys, as Turks feed them-
selves with an imaginary persuasion of a sensual paradise : so several pleasant ob-
jects diversely affect diverse men. But the fairest objects and enticings proceed
from men themselves, which most frequently captivate, allure, and make them dote
beyond all measure upon one another, and that for many respects : first, as some
suppose, by that secret force of stars, ((^!<o(/ ?7ie tibi iempcrat aslrum?) They do
singularly dote on such a man, hate such agaia, and can give no reason for it. 'Won
amo te Sabid^ S^x. Alexander admired Ephestion, Adrian Antinous, Nero Sporus,
Sec. The physicians refer tliis to their temperament, astrologers to trine and sextile
aspects, or opposite of their several ascendants, lords of their genitures, love
and hatred of planets ; '^ Cicogna, to concord and discord of spirits ; but most to
outward graces. A merry companion is welcome and acceptable to all men, and
therefore, saith '^Gomesiiis, princes and great men entertain jesters and players com-
monly in their courts. But "Pares cum paribus faciUime congreganfur, 'tis that
'^ similJJ4ide_ofjiiai^i£i:£,_i^^ inseparable link, as if they be
addicted to the same studies or disports, they delight in one another's companies,
" birds of a feather will gather together :" if they be of divers inclinations, or oppo-
site in manners, they can seldom agree. Secondly, '^afiability, custom, aiuMami-
li^rity, mav convert nature,jmany-Jimes,__thou'gh they be difl^erent in manners, as if
tnry-b^countrymennelTou'-students, coUeagues^'or have been fellow-soldiers, ^bre-
thren in affliction, (^' acerba calami tatiim societas., diversl etiam ingenii humines r.on-
jungit) affinity, or some such accidental occasion, though they cannot agree amongst
themselves, they will stick together like burrs, and hold against a third; so after
some discontinuance, or death, enmity ceaseth ; or in a foreign place :
" Pascitnr in vivis livor, post fata quiescit :
Et cecidere odia, et tristes mors obruil iras."
A third^ause of love^and hate, mavjbe jmitual_offices, accepfum benefcium, ^- com-
"nT5nd hm^iaseliim kindly, take his part in a quarrel, relieve him in his misery, thou
winnest him for ever; do the opposite, and be sure of a perpetual enemv. Praise
and dispraise of each other, do as much, though unknown, as ^^Schoppius by Scali-
ger and Casaubonus : mulus mulum scabif; who but Scaliger with him ? what enco-
miums, epithets, eulogiums ? Antistes sapientitp, perpetuus dictator, litcrarum
ornamcntum, EuropcB miracuhim, noble Scaliger, ^^ incredibilis ingenii prcestantia,
^■c., diis jyotius quam hominibus per omnia comparandus, scripta ejus aurea ancylia
de coslo delapsa poplitibus veneramur Jlexis,^ Sfc, but when they becan to varv.
none so absurd as Scaliger, so vile and base, as his books de Burdonumfamilid^ and
other satirical invectives may witness. Ovid, in Ibin, Archilocus himself was not
so bitter. <^^ther greaMi£^)r_cajise_ofJoy^jJs(X)n^^ parents are dear to
their childrenTchilcTi^i to their parents, brothers and sisters, cousins of all sorts, as
a hen and chickens, all of a knot : every crow thinks her own bird fairest. Many
memorable examples are in this kind, and 'tis portenti simile, if they do not : ^-'a
mother cannot forget her child :" Solomon so found out the true owner; love of
parents may not be concealed, 'tis natural, descends, and they that are inhuman in
this kind, are unworthy of that air they breathe, and of the four elements; vet many
unnatural examples we liavo in this rank, of hard-hearted parents, disobedient chil-
is Part i. sec. 2. memb. 3. "Mart. "Omnif.
mag. lib. 12. cap. 3. '^ De sale geniali, 1. 3. c. 15.
1' Tlieod. Prodromus, amor. lib. 3. '"Similitudo
Dioruiii parit amicitiam. is Vivos 3. de aniina.
■DQui siiiiul fecere naufragium, aiit una pertiilere vjn-
cula vel consilii conjurationisve societate jiinjnintur,
invici'in aniaiit: Brutuni et Cassiuiu iiiviceiii infensos
CiBsarianns doininatiis conciliavit. .£inilius Lepidus
•t Julius Flaccus, quum essent inirnicissinii. censores
fcnunciati siiuultates illico deposuere. Scultet. cap. 4.
de causa amor. 2' Papinius. ^a [socr^tes
denioiiico prscipit ut q'lum alicujiis amicitiam veilet
ilium laudet, quod laus initium amoris sit, vitciperatio
simultaiuin. s^gmpect led. lib. 1. cap. -2. ai '• The
priest of wisdom, perpetual dictator, ornampiit of lite-
rature, wonder of Europe." 2iQ)| incredible e.xcf?|.
lence of genius, &c., more comparable to gods' than
man's, in every respect, we venerate youi wnrings on
bended knees, as we do the shield that fell from hea-
ven." as isa. ilix.
55 2M
434 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 1.
dren, of ^ disagreeing brothers, nothing so common. The love of kinsmen is grown
cold, -"''many kinsmen (as the saying is) few friends;" if thine estate he good, anj
-hou able, par pari referre, to requite their kindness, there will be mntual corre-
spondence, otherwise thou art a burden, most odions to them above all others. The
last object that ties man and man, is-con«jlmej»:S-_Qf jiersc^ and beauty almie, as men
l<*V€-ux>meH-wiLh_a wantmi^eve : which xar' t^o-^rii' is termed heroical, or love-nielun-
choly. Other loves (saith Picolominens) are so called with some contraction, as the
love of wine, gold, Sec, but this of women is predominant in a higher strain, whose
, part affected is the liver, and this love deserves a longer explication, and shall be
dilated apart in the next section.
SuBSECT. III. — Honest Objects of Love.
B^AUTV in the cfiiQmon object of alllove, "" as jet draws a straw, so doth beauty
Imp -'J virtue and honesty are great motives, and give as fair a lustre as the rest,
especially if they be sincere and right, not fucate, but proceeding from true form,
and an incorrupt judgment; those two Venus' twins, Eros and Anteros, are then
most firm and fast. For many times otherwise men are deceived by their flattering
irnalhos, dissemltling camelions, outsides, hypocrites that make a show of great love,
ieaniiiig, pretend honesty, virtue, zeal, modesty, with atlecled looks and counterfeit
gestures : feigned protestations often steal away tiie hearts and favours of men, and
deceive them, specie virtulis et umbra, when as recera. and indeed, there is no worth
or honesty at all in tliem, no truth, but mere hypocrisy, subtilty, knavery, and the
like. As true friends they are, as he that Cielius Secundus met by the highway side;
and hard it is in this temporising age to distinguisii such companions, or to linil tiiein
out. Such gnalhos as these for the most part belong to great men, and by this
glozing flattery, afliibility, and such like philters, so dive and insinuate into their
favours, that they are taken ft)r men of excellent worth, wisilom, learning, demi-
gods, and so screw themselves into dignities, honours, offices ; but these men cause
harsh confusion often, and as many times stirs a.s Itehoboanrs counselhirs in a coni-
•nonwcalih, ttverthrew themselves and others. Tandlerus and some authors niake a
doubt, whether love and hatred may be compelled by philters or characters ; Cardan
and Marboilius, by precious stones and amulets ; astrologers by election of times,
&.C. as *^ 1 sliall elsewhere discuss, 'flte tiue ol^^txLui'. tkU Itonest love Ts virtue,
wiiijiiimr'htnn^y,'-"Tcai wurllu httrrmt fornin, and this love cannot deceive or be
^.com^iidleil, ut aineris amabilis ca/o, lui:t-iu*4fisTtreTOtrrt potent philtruni, virtue and
wisdom, gratia gratum faciens, tlie sole and only grace, not counterfeit, but opei.,
honest, simple, naked, '"" desceiiding from heaven," as our apostle hath it, an infused
habit from God, which hath given several gifts, as wit, leaniing, tongues, for which
they shall be amiable and gracious, Eph. iv. 11. as to Saul stature and a goodly pre-
sence, 1 Sam. ix. 1. Joseph found favour in Pharaoh's court. Gen. xxxix, for ^'his
person; and Daniel with the princes (»f the eunuchs, Dan. xix. li). Christ was gra-
cious wiiii God and men, Luke ii. 52, There is still some peculiar grace, as of good
di5Ct)ui-se, eloquence, wit, honesty, which is the primurn mobile, first mover, and a
most forcible loadstone to draw the favours and good wills of men's eyes, ears, and
afleclions unto them. Wlien '• Jesux -ifiake, they were all astonished at his answers,
(Luke ii. 47. and wondered at his gracious word-i which proceeded from his inoutli."
An orator steals away the hearts of men, and as another Orpheus, quo vull, unde
vult, he pulls them to him by speech alone : a sweet voice causeth admiration ; and
he that can utter himself in good words, in our ordinary phrase, is called a proper
nian, a divine spirit. For which cause belike, our old poets, Senalus populusqw poeta-
rum, made Mercury thegentleman-uslier to the Graces, captain of eloquence, and those
charities to be Jupiter's and Eurymone's daughters, descended from above. Though
they be otherwise deformed, crooked, ugly to behold, those good parts of the mind
denominate them fair. Plato commends the beauty of Socrates ; yet who was more grim
of countenance, stern and ghastly to look upon? So are and have been many great phi-
*" Rara fst cDiTordia fratruni. ■Grad. 1. rap !M. I homine prnbo. ■ June* iii. 10. ''OratiorMI
i^Vivt-fG lie auiiiia. ut pali-atn fucciiiuiii sic fiirinairi { pulcbro vuuient t corpvre «irtiu.
sjBur iraJui. *> Sect. aeq. *' Nitul diviuiiu {
Mem. 2. Subs. 3.]
Honest Objects of Love.
435
V fiopliers, as ^''Gregory Nazianzen observes, " deformed most part in tliat which is to
Le seen witli the eyes, but most elegant in that which is not to be seen." Scepe sub
attrita latitat sapicntia. veste. iEsop, Democritus, Aristotle, Politianus, Melancthon,
Gesner, &c. withered old men, Sileni Mcibladis., very harsh and impolite to the eye ;
6ut who were so terse, polite, eloquent, generally learned, temperate and modesi.'
No man then living was so fair as Alcibiades, so lovely quo ad sujicrjicieiu, to tlie
eye, as ^' Boethius observes, but he had Corpus turpissunum inlcrne, a most deformed
soul ; honesty, virtue, fair conditions, are great enticers to such as are well given,
and much avail to get the favour and good-will of men. Abdolominus in Curtius, a
poor man, (but which mine author notes, '"'"the cause of this poverty was his
honesty") for his modesty and continency from a private person (for tlfey found liim
digging in his garden) was saluted king, and preferred before all the magnificoes of
his lime, injecta ei vestis purpura auroque distincta, " a purple embroidered garment
was put upon him, ''''and they bade him wash himself, and, as he was worthy, take
upon him the style and spirit of a king," continue his continency and the rest of his
good parts. Titus Pomponius Atticus, that noble citizen of Rome, was so fair con-
ditioned, of so sweet a carriage, that he was generally beloved of all good men, of
Ctesar, Pompey, Antony, Tully, of divers sects, &c. multas hcsreditates (^^ Cornelius
■Nepos writes) sold bonitate consequutus. Operce pretium audire., &;c. It is worthy
of your attention, Livy cries, ''^"you that scorn all but riches, and give no esteem
to virtue, except they be wealthy withal, Q. Cincinnatus had but four acres, and by
the consent of the senate was chosen dictator of Rome. Of such account were
Cato, Fabricius, Aristides, Antonius, Probus, for their eminent worth: so Ctesar,
Trajan, Alexander, admired for valour, ■*" ITiEphestion loved Alexander, but Parmenio
the kmg: Titus dclicice kumani generis., and which Aurelius Victor hath of Vespatian,
the darling of his lime, as ■" Edgar Elheling was in England, for his ''^ excellent vir-
tues : their memory is yet fresh, swe-^t, and we love them many ages after, though
they be dead: Suavem memoriam sui rejiquit., saith Lipsius of his friend, living and
dead they are all one. ''''"'I have ever loved as thou knowest (so Tully wrote to
Dolabella) Marcus Brutus for his great wit, singular honesty, constancy, sweet con-
ditions; and believe it '*'' there is nothing so amiable and fair as virtue." "I '''do
mightily love Calvisinus, (so Pliny writes to Sossius) a most industrious, eloquent,
upright man, which is all in all with me :" the affection came from his good parts.
And as St. Austin comments on the 84th Psalm, *^" there is a peculiar beauty of jus-
tice, and inward beauty, which we see with the eyes of our hearts, love, and are
enamoured with, as in martyrs, though their bocUes be torn in pieces with wild
beasts, yet this beauty shines, and we love their virtues." The "/ stoics are of opinion
that a wise man is only fair; and Cato in Tully 3 de Finibus contends the same,
that the lineaments of the mind are far fairer than those of the body, incomparably
bevond them : wisdom and valour according to ''^Xenophon, especially deserve the
name of beauty, and denominate one fair, et incomparabilitcr pulchrior est (as Austin
holds) Veritas Christ ianorum quam Helena Gracorum. '"Wine is strong, the king is
strong, women are strong, but truth overcometh all things," Esd. i. 3, 10, 11, 12.
"• Blessed is the man that fmdeth wisdom, and gotteth understanding, for the mer-
chandise thereof is better than silver, and the gain thereof better than gold : it is
more precious than pearls, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be com-
pared to her," Prov. ii. 13, 14, 15, a wise, true, just, upright, and good man, I say
it again, is only fair : "^^ it is reported of Magdalene Queen of France, and wife to
Lewis 11th, a Scottish woman by birth, that walking forth in an evening with her
ladies, she spied M. Alanus, one of the king's chaplains, a silly, old, ^° hard-favoured
S'Orat. 18. deformes pleruiiique philosoplii ad id quod
ill .T^pKctiim cadjt ea purte elei;aiites qua; oculns fii-rit.
-•T 43 de cniisol. so Causa ei paupertatis, pliilosopliia,
sicul pleri>(iiip proliitas fuit. ST^hlue corpus et
cape rt-fiis ariiinum, et in earn fortunam qua digiius es
rniitineiitiiim istarii proCer. ^^ Vita ejus. ^sqi,;
]}':i- ili\ itiis liuinaua spernunt, noc virtuti locum putaiit
I >i vpes artliiaut. Q.. Oiticinnatus consensu patrnin in
(li, nuor.Mu Roinaiifiui electus. ■"'Curtius. •'i Edsar
Kilielln^, Kualaud's darling'. ■'-Moruin suavitas,
Olivia coniila;-, prompta officia mortaliuiii animos de-
tnereiitur. " Episl. lib. 8. Semper aniavi lit tu scis,
M Brutum piopler ejus summum ingeuiuni, suavissi-
mo? mores, singularem probitatem et constaiitiam :
nihil est, niihi crede, virtute forinosius, nihil aniabiliu.s.
^J .'Vrdeiites amores e.\citaret, si simulacrum ejus ad
oculos penetraret. Plain Phsdone. •'^ Epist. lil). 4.
Validissime ililiso virum rectum, disertiini, quod apud
me potentissiinum est. ■'6 Est quiedam pulchriturto
justiti;e quam videmus ociilis cordis, airiainus, et e.xar-
desciiiius, ut in martyribus, quum eorum membra
bestiae lacerarent, etsi alias deformes, <fcc. *' Lipsius
inanuduc. ad Phys. Stoic, lib. 3. ditf 17, solus sap'cn^i
pulcher. ■i«Furtitudo et pradentia pulcliritud nia
laudem priecipue nierentur. •»» Franc. Belforist in
hist. an. 1430. ^Erat autem fffide deformis, et el
436 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sei'. 1.
man fast asleep in a bower, and kissed him sweetly; when the young ladies laughed
at her lor it, she replied, that it was not his person that she did embrace and reve-
rence, but, with a platoiiic love, the divine beauty of '' his soul. Thus in all agft
virtue hath been adored, admired, a singular lustre hath proceeded from it : and tlie
more virtuous he is, the more orracious, the more admired. No man so much fol-
lowed u|)on earth as Christ himself: and as the Psalmist saith, xlv. 2, '-He was
fairer tlian the sons of men." Chrysostotn Horn. 8 in Mat. Bernard Scr. I. df omni-
bus Sanctis; Austin. Cassiodore, ili'-r. in 9 Mat. interpret it of the ^beauty of his
person ; there was a divine majesty in liis looks, it shined like lightning and drew
all men to it : but Basil, Cyril, lib. 6. super. 55. Esay. Theodoret, Arnobius, kc. of
the beauty of his divinity, justice, grace, eloquence, iic. Thomas in Psal. xliv. of
both ; and so doth Baradius and Peter Morales, lib de pulchritud. Jesit et Maricr^
adding as much of Joseph and the Virgin Mar\', hac alias forma, pnrcesserit
omnes, ^according to that prediction of Sibylla Cumea. Be they present or absent,
near us, or afar off, this beauty shines, and will attract men many miles to come and
visit it. Plato and Pythagoras left their country, to see those wise .l'.gyj)tian priests;
Apollonius travelled into .'Ethiopia, Persia, to consult with the Magi, Brachmaniii,
gvmnosophisis. The Queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon; and '^ many, saith
"llierom, went out of Spain and remote places a thousand miles, to behold tlial
elo(pient Livy:" ^Multi Rnmam mm ut iirlnm pulc/ierrimam., attt urbis et orbis duini-
mim Octavianuniy sed ut /tunc uninn inviserrnt audirentque., a Gadibtis jimffcti sunt.
No beauty leaves such an im[»ression, strikes so deep, ^ or links the souls of men
closer than virtue.
•f " Non pfr df'x «iil pirtur piiuel,
Aul ktaluuriiu ullua Aofrrr
'J'alvui puk'liritudiiieiu i|iialfiii virtu* habrt ;"
'• no painter, no graver, no carver can express virtue's lustre, or those admirable ravt
that come frouj it, those enchanting ray.s that enamour posterity, those everlasting
rays that continue to the world's end." Many, .saith Phavorinus, that loved and
admired Alcibiades in his youth, knew ni>t, cared n<»t for Alcjbiades a man, nunc
intmntts qucrnbant Alcibiadem; but the lieauty of Socrates is still the same; "vir-
tue's lustre never fades, is ever fresh and green, seinpir vii-a to all succcedmg ages,
and a most attractive loadstone, to draw ami combine such as are present. For that
reason belike. Homer feigns the three Graces to he linked and tied hand in hand,
because the hearts of men are so firmly united with such graces. ^"O sweet bands
(Seneca exclaims), which so happily combine, that those which are bound by them
love their binders, desiring withal much more harder to be bound," and as so many
Gerv'ons to be »miled"into one. For the nature of true friendship is to combine, to
be like affected, of one mind,
<•" Vi-lle ct nolle •mtxitxif itiein, Mlialaque toto
M«na »»o"
as the poet saith, still to continue one and the same. And where this love takes
place there is peace and ({uietness, a true correspondence, perfect amity, a dia[)asoa
of vows and wishes, the same opinions, as between *' David and Jonathan, Damon
and Pythias, Pylades and Orestes, "Nysus and Eurjalus, Theseus and Piriihous,
"they will live and die together, and prosecute one another with jfood turns. *"A'/ot
vinci in amnre turpissimurn putant, not only living, but when their friends are dead,
with tombs and monuments, Nenias, epitaphs elegies, inscriptions, pyramids, obe-
lisks, statues, images, pictures, histories, poems, annals, feasts, anniver-saries, many
ages after fas Plato's scholars did) they will pnrentare still, omit no good oflire that
may tend to the preservation of their names, honours, and eternal memory. "'Ilium
coloribus, ilium cerd, ilium crre, ^c. ^ He did express hLs friends in cohmrs, ia wax,
in brass, in ivor}-, marble, gold, and silver (as Pliny reports of a citizen in Home),
forma, qua ritius |iueri terreri |K«*ent. qjnm invitiri eari tt in uimiui r..lmi.
ad iiHruluni piifllie. ti Drforinia j
■enex. iliviiiuiii niiiinuin habel.
•uo: fulisor i-l itniiia lunjc^iiaM honiiir -
i*"8he excelleil nil otliem III iK-auty. " -'I'rj-ii!
vulgar. " Par* iiiticrip. Til l.ivji maluic fa:
" A true Iovc'k knot. *' SiiiImeu* i «:nrco. > -
nuf, pulcliri nulla triit faries. '■'O ilukituiiiiii |ii.| i. i . 'm^il.
qui lain (• liril'-r itcvinciunt, ut <>li.-iiii i viiictix ilili- , Je vita cjiu libruu iccitavil. r^at
^autur, qui d gratiia viiicti fuiil, cupiuut arctiu* lieli- i
«Sl,,l
>*. 1.
r.n.
•'IC
ti.
• im
>II0
.i.,i~_r
Hii'. (!
Ii aJtiil<-t«
Mem. 3.] , Division of Love. 437
and in a great auditory not long since recited a just volume of his life." In another
place, '^"speaking of an epigram which Martial had composed in praise of him, ^'"Ile
gave me as much as he might, and would have done more if he could : though what
carr a man give more tkan honour, glory, and eternity ?" But that which he wrote
peradventure, will not continue, yet he wrote it to continue. 'Tis all tlie recom-
pense a poor scholar can malce his well-deserving patron, Mecaenas, friend, to men-
lion him in his works, to dedicate a book to his name, to write his life, Stc, as all
our poets, orators, historiographers have ever done, and the greatest revenge such
men take of their adversaries, to persecute them with satires, invectives. Sec, and
'tis both ways of great moment, as ®* Plato gives us to understand Paulus Jovius,
in the fourth book of the life and deeds of Pope Leo Deciraus, his noble patron.,
concludes in these words, '^'* " Because I cannot honour him as other rich men do,
with like endeavour, affection, and piety, I have undertaken to write his life ; since
my fortunes will not give me leave to make a more sumptuous monument, I will
perform those rites to his sacred ashes, which a small, perhaps, but a liberal wit can
afford." But I rove. Where this true love is wanting, there can be no firm peace, friend-
sliip from teeth outward, counterfeit, or for some by-respects, so long dissembled,
lill they have satisfied their own ends, which, upon every small occasion, breaks ou.
into enmity, open war, defiance, heart-burnings, whispering, calumnies, contentions,
and all manner of bitter melancholy discontents. And those men which liave no
otlier object of their love, than greatness, wealth, authority, kc, are rather feared
than beloved; nee amant quemquam^ ncc amantur ab ullo : and howsoever borne
with for a time, yet for their tyranny and oppression, griping, covetousness, currish
hardness, folly, intemperance, imprudence, and such like vices, they are generally
odious, abhorred of all, both God and men.
" Non uxor salviiin te viilt, non filius, omiies
Viciiii ucJeruiit,"
'■'■ wife and children, friends, neighbours, all the world forsakes them, would feign be
rid of them," and are compelled many limes to lay violent hands on them, or else
God's judgments overtake them : instead of graces, come furies. So when fair
™ Abigail, a'woman of singular wisdom, was acceptable to David, Nabal was churlish
and evil-conditioned ; and therefore " Mordecai was received, when Haman was
executed, Haman the favourite, '•'• that had his seat above the other princes, to whom
all the king's servants that stood in the gates, bowed their knees and reverenced."
Though they flourished many times, such hypocrites, such temporising foxes, and
blear the world's eyes by flattery, bribery, dissembling their natures, or other men's
weakness, that cannot so apprehend their tricks, yet in the end they will be dis-
cerned, and precipitated in a moment : '' surely," sailh David, " thou hast set them
in slippery places," Ps. xxxvii. 5. as so many Sejani, they will come down to the
Gemonian scales; and as Eusebius in "^Ammianus, that was in such authority, ad
jubendum Imperatoretn, be cast down headlong on a sudden. Or put case thev
escape, and rest unmasked to their lives' end, yet after their death their memory
stinks as a snufl" of a candle put out, and those that durst not so much as mutter
against lliem in their lives, will prosecute their name with satires, libels, and bitter
imprecations, they shall male audire in all succeeding ages, and be odious to the
world's end.
MEMB. III.
Charily composed of all three Kinds, Pleasant, Prof table, Honest.
Besides this love that comes from profit, pleasant, honest (for one good turn asks
another in equity), that which proceeds from the law of nature, or from discipline
and philosophy, there is yet another love compounded of all these three, which is
*>Lib. iv. ep. Gl. Prisco sun; Dedit milli quantum ; enim vim habent, &c. ^a peri tamen studio et pie-
potuil amxiiiniui, daturus ampliiis si potuisset. Ta- tate conscribends vitse ejus munus suscepi, et post quam
lui-tsi quid lioMiiui dari potest uiajus quani gloria, laiis, sumptuosa condere pro fortuna non licuit, exiguo sed
el sternitas? At non cruiit fortasse quae scriiisii. llle j eo forte liberalis iiigenii raotiuiiiento justa sanctissimo
tanieii S(;ripsit taiiquaiii essent lulura. «' For, genus j cineri solventur. ™1 Sam. xxv. 3. " Esther, iii. 2.
irntabile vatum. «" Lib. 13 de Legibus. Magnam I " Amm. Marcellinus, I. 14.
2m2
438 Love-MclancJnhj. [Part. 3. Sec. 1.
charity, and includes piety, dilection, benevolence, friendship, even all those virtuoiig
habits'-, for love is the circle equant of all other affections, of wliich Aristotle dilates
at large in his Ethics, and is commanded by God, which no man can well perform,
but he that is a Christian, and a true regenerate man ; this is, ""To love God above
all, and our neighbour as ourself ;" for tliis love is li/chnus accendens et accemvs, a
communicating light, apt to illuminate itself as well as others. All other objects
are fair, and very beautiful, I confess; kindred, alliance, friendship, the love that we
o\ve to our country, nature, wealth, pleasure, honour, and such moral respects, tec,
of which read "^ copious Aristotle in liis morals ; a man is beloved of a man, in that
he is a man ; I)ut all tliese arc far more eminent and great, when they shall proceed
from a sanctified spirit, that hath a true touch of religion, and a reference to God.
Nature binds all creatures to love their young ones; a hen to preserve her brot)d
will run upon a lion, a hind will fight with a bull, a sow with a bear, a silly sheep
with a fox. So the same nature urgeth a man to love his parents, ("r/(« me juiter
omnes odcrint^ ni le magis quam oculos amem meos I) and this love cannot be dis-
solved, as Tully holds, '*"' without detestable otlence:" but much more God's com-
mandment, which enjoins a filial love, and an obedience in this kind. "''The love
of brethren is great, and like an arch of stones, where if one be displaced, all comes
down," no love so forcible and slronir, honest, to the combination of which, nature,
fortune, virtue, happily concur; yet this love comes short of it. '^Dulce et decorum
pro putrid vinri^ "it cannot be expressed, what a deal of charity that one name of
countrv contains. Amur hnid'is et patr'm pro stipendio est ; the Decii did se devo-
vrre, Iforaiii,Curii, Sca;vola, Hegulus, Codrus, sacrifice themselves for their country's
peace and good.
»" Una dies Fabio* ad helium iiiUerat orones, I " One day the Fahii *li>iilly warrt-d,
.All lit-lliini iiiiii«o« |i«riliilit una dit-a." j Uiie day Ihe Fabii were dt-slmyed."
Fifty thousand Englishmen lost their lives vvillingly near Battle Abbey, in defence
of their country. "' P. .'Emilius /. 6. speaks of six senators of Calais, that came
with haltei-s in their hands to the king of Ens;laiid, to die for the rest. This love
makes so many writers lake such pains, so many historiogrtiphers, physicians, kc,
or at least, as they prcteiul, for conuiion safety, and their country's benefit. ''Sanc-
tum iiomiH amicitue, sociorum communio sacra ; friendship is a iioly name, and a
sacred communion of friends. ""As the sun is in the tirmament, so is frieiidsiiip in
the world," a most divine and heavenly band. As nuptial b»ve makes, this perfeel.s
mankind, and is to be preferred ill' yuu wdl stand l() the judgment of "'Cornelius
Neposj before allinity or consanguinity ; plus in amicitid valet siniilitudn mornm.
quam ajjinitas, «5)t., the cords of love bind faster than any other wreath whatsoever.
Take this away, and take all pleasure, joy, comfort, happiness, and true content out
of the world; 'tis the gieatest tie, the surest indenture, strongest band, and, as our
modern Maro decides it, is much to be preferred before the rest.
«*" Hard is Uw douht, and dirfirult lo deem, I " For natural alT'Clion soon dolli cease,
When all three kindji <■!' luve liigether meet ; And guenrlied i« with Cupid'^ greater llame ;
Ami (III dispnri Ihe Ihurt »i(h (Miuer e\lrem<>. But t'^iitht'ul rrieiidi-hip dolh tlieiii tmth i>iip|ireM,
Whether .•^hall wei:;h the bal.iiice ilnwn; lu wit. And Ih-ni with iiiantering di!!<ipline ilnlh lame.
The ilear airecliiui iintu kiiiilred "vveet, , Thri>u;;h thouifhlii ai>pirine In eternal fame.
Or raL'i'is (ire t>( li»ve to women kind. ' For a* tic iumiI dolh rule the earllil> inarit.
Or zeal of frieniis. ciinibin°d by virtues meet ; ' .And all tlie wrvice f>f Ihe tHuly frame.
But of iheiii all Ihe band of virtiiuiM mind. So love of hoiiI doth love of b<Hly |ia>tK, [bfa««."
Methinks the gentle heart !>houlil mo-it assured bind. No leM than |H-rfect fold aurmounls Ihe mean)-*!
^A faithful friend is better than "gold, a medicine of mlserj', ** an only possession;
yet this love of friends, nuptial, lieroical, profitable, pleasant, honest, all three l«»ves
put together, are little worth, if they proceed not from a true Christian illurniiiated
soul, if it be not done in ordinc ad Drum, fur God's sake. " Though 1 bad the gift
of prophecy, spake with tongues of men and angels, though I feed the poor with all
mv gootls, give my body to be burned, and have not this love, it profileth me no-
's t't mundus duohu? polia siisteiitatur : ila lex t)ei, to die for one's country." " Dii iinmorlale(,diri nnn
aniore fVi el proximi ; diiolius Ins fundamenlis vin- ; p<iteat quantum chariialis numeii iliud hahet. '*Ovid.
tilur; machina mundi corruit. si una de p<ilis lurba- Fa«t. " Anno 1347. Jacob .Mayer .Annal. Flanil.
tur; iel |M.'ril diviiia «i una i-x his. "• - et !i i lib. li ""Tully. •• L^jrianus Tmari Amicilia
hbro. '-i Ter. .Adi'lph 4.5- '< De ' iit iml in mundo, 4ce. ** Vil. I'iim(»iii Allicl.
amicil. '^Charitas pareiilum ililui niRi delcitabih 'A.Xpeiicer, Faerie Queene, lib.A cam. U. dalE I. i.
MTelere non |K>teiit, lapidum fornicihus simillima.casiira. '*Svracide«. (^ Plutarclf prrfiixiim nuinivms.
iiM le invieeiii »u«tentarel. Seneca. '"> " It is «weet •* Xrnophuo, reriu ainicua prcjtantiMioia puMeaato.
Mem. 3.] Division of Love. 439
thing,''' 1 Cor. xiii. 1, 3. 'tis splendidum peccatiim, without charity. This is an all-
apprehending love, a deifying love, a refined, pure, divine love, the quintessence of
all love, the true philosopher's stone, JYon potest e7ii?n, as ^^ Austin infers, veracifer
amicus esse hotniriis, nisi fucrit ipsius primitvs veritalis., He is no true friend that
loves not God's truth. And therefore this is true love indeed, the cause of all good
to mortal men, that reconciles all creatures, and glues them together in perpetual
amity and firm league; and can no more abide bitterness, hate, malice, than fair and
foul weather, light and darkness, sterility and plenty maybe togetlier; as the sun in
the firmament (I say), so is love in the world; and for this cause 'tis love without
an addition, love, love of God, and love of men. ^ •' The love of God begets the
love of man ; and by this love of our neighbour, the love of God is nourished and
increased." By this happy union of love, ^' " all well-governed families and cities
are combined, the heavens annexed, and divine souls complicated, the world itself
composed, and all that is in it conjoined in God, and reduced to one. ®"This love
causeth true and absolute virtues, the life, spirit, and root of every virtuous action,
it finisheth prosperity, easeth adversity, corrects all natural incumbrances, inconve-
niences, sustained by faith and hope, which with this our love make an indissoluble
twist, a Gordian knot, an equilateral triangle, and yet the greatest of them is love,"
■ 1 Cor. xiii. 13, ^^" which inflames our souls with a divine heat, and being so inflamed,
purged, and so purgeth, elevates to God, makes an atonement, and reconciles us unto
him. ®^ That other love infects the soul of man, this cleanseth ; that depresses, this
rears ; that causeth cares and troubles, this quietness of mind ; this informs, that
deforms our life ; that leads to repentance, this to heaven." For if once we be truly
linked and touclied with this charity, we shall love God above all, our neighbour as
ouvself, as we are enjoined, Mark xii. 31. Matt. xix. 19. perform those duties and
exercises, even all the operations of a good Christian.
" This love sufTereth long, it is bountiful, envieth not, boasteth not itself, is not
puffed up, it deceiv'eth not, it seeketh not his own things, is not provoked to anger,
it thiuketh not evil, it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in truth. It sufFereth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things," 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5, 6, 7 ; "it covereth all tres-
passes," Prov. X. 12; "a multitude of sins," 1 Pet. 4. as our Saviour told the woman
in the Gospel, that washed his feet, " many sins were forgiven her, for she loved
much," Luke vii. 47; "it will defend the fatherless and the widow," Isa. i. 17; "will
seek no revenge, or be mindful of wrong," Levit. xix. 18; "will bring home his
brother's ox if he go astray, as it is commanded," Deut. xxii. 1 ; " will resist evil,
give to him that askelh, and not turn from him that borroweth, bless them that curse
him, love his enemy," Matt, v; "bear his brother's burthen," Gal. vi. 7. He that so
loves will be hospitable, and distribute to the necessities of the saints ; he will, if it
be possible, have peace with all men, " feed his enemy if he be hungry, if he be
athirst give him drink ;" he will perform those seven works of mercy, " he will
luake himself equal to them of the lower sort, rejoice with them that rejoice, weep
with them that weep," Rom. xii; he will speak truth to his neighbour, be courteous
and tender-hearted, " forgiving others for Christ's sake, as God forgave him," Eph.
iv. 32; "he will be like minded," Phil. ii. 2. " Of one judgment ; be humble, meek,
long-suffering," Colos. iii. "Forbear, forget and forgive," xii. 13. 23. and what he
doth shall be heartily done to God, and not to men. " Be pitiful and courteous," 1
Pet. iii. " Seek peace and follow it." He will love his brother, not in word and
tongue, but in deed and truth, John iii. 18. "and he that loves God, Christ will love
him that is begotten of him," John v. 1, Sec. Thus should we willingly do, if we
had a true touch of this charity, of this divine love, if we could perfonu this which
we are enjoined, forget and forgive, and compose ourselves to those Christian laws
of love.
95 " O felJT hominum genus,
Si vestrns aniinos amor
Q,uo coeluin regitur regat!"
^ Epist. 5-2. WGrpg. Pit aninrem Dei, pmximi
gigiiitiir; et per hunc amorejii pruxiiiii, Dei miiritiir.
•' riccolnriiiiieiis, grad. 7. cap. -27. hoc feliri arnoris iioilo
ligantur raiiiili:e civitates, &;c. *^ Veras al)<nliitas
haec parit virtules, radix omnium virtiitiim, mens et .
epiritus. ssjjivino calore aninios incendit, incen- I
SOS piirgat, pursatos elevat ad Denni, De-im placat, ho
uiini'in Deo conciliat. Bnrnard. ** File inficit, hi»
perticil. ille depriniit, hie elevat; hie tranqiiillitatetE
ille cnras parit: hie vitam rectfi informal, ille deforraa*
&c. "' Boethius, lib. 2. met. 8.
440 Love-Melancholy [Part. 3. 3oc 1.
'^'\ngelical souls, how blessed, how happy should we be, so lovmg, how might we
triumph over the devil, and have another heaven upon earth !"
But this we cannot do; and which is the cause of all our woes, miseries, discon-
tent, melancholy, ^ want of this cliarity. We do inviccm angariure^ contenui, con-
suh, vex, torture, molest, and hold one another''s noses to the grindstone Juird, pro-
voke, rail, scoir, calumniate, challenge, hate, abuse (hard-hearted, implacable, mali-
cious, peevish, inexorable as we are), to satisfy our lust or private spleen, for ^ toys,
trifles, and impertinent occasions, spend ourselves, goods, friends, fortunes, to be
revenged on our adversary, to ruin him and his. 'Tis all our study, practice, aiul
business how to plot mischief, mine, countermine, defeiul and oll'end, ward ourselves,
injure others, hurt all ; as if we were born to do mischief, aiul that with such eager-
ness and bitterness, with such rancour, malice, rage, ami fury, we prosfecute our
intended designs, tluit neither affinity or CDnsanguinity, b»ve or ft-ar of God or men
can contain us : no satisfaction, no composilii>n will be accepted, no ollices will
serve, no submission; though he shall upon his knees, as Sarpedon did to (jlaucui^
in Homer, acknowledging his error, yield, hinist If with tears in his eyes, beg his par-
don, we will not relent, forgive, or forget, till we have confoundeil him and his
*• made dice of his bones," as thev say, see him rot in prison, banish his friends,
followers, tt oinru incisum gtnus^ rooted him out and all his posterity. Monsters
of men as we ire, dogs, wolves, ** tigers, Heads, incarnate devils, we do not only
contend, ojipress, and tyrannise ourselves, but as so many firebrands, we set on, and
animate others : our whole life is a perpetual combat, a conflict, a set battle, a snarl-
ing fit. Eris (lea is settled in our tents, ^ Omnia df lite^ «)pposing wit to wit, wealth
to wealth, strength to strength, fortunes to fortunes, friends to iriends, as at a sea-
Hght, we turn our broadsides, or two millstones with continual attrition, we fire our-
Kelves, f)r break another's backs, and both are ruined and consumed in the end.
Miserable wretches, to fat and enrich ourselves, we care n<it how we get it, Quncitti-
quf mndo rtiti; how niaiiv thousands we undo, whom we oppress, by whose ruin
and downfall we arise, whoni we injure, fatherless children, widows, coinmoii soci-
eties, to satisfy our own private lust. Though we have myriads, abCmdance of
wealth anil treasure, (pitiless, merciless, remorseless, and uncharitable in ibe highest
degree), and our poor brother in net-d, sickness, in great extremity, and now ready
to be starved for want of food, we had rather, as the fox told th«' ape, his tail should
sweep the ground still, than cover his buttocks ; rather spend it idly, consume it with
dogs, hawks, hounds, unnecessary buildings, in riotous apparel, ingurgitate, or let it
be lost, than be sbould have part of it; '*" rather take from him that little which he
hath, than relieve him.
Like the dog in the manger, we neither use it ourselves, let others make use of or
enjoy it ; part with nothing while we live : for want of disposing our household,
and setting things in order, set all the world together by the ears after our death.
Poor Lazarus lies howling at his gates for a few crumbs, he only seeks chippings,
oflals; let him roar and howl, famish, and eat his own flesh, he respects him not.
A poor decayed kinsman of his sets upon him by the way in all his jollity, and runs
begging barebeaded by him, conjuring by those former bonds of friendship, alliance,
consangi'inity, kc, uncle, cousin, brother, father,
" Per ego ha* lachrymal, ileiirainque luam te,
9t quidqiiaiii de tr loerui, fuit aut tibi (juidquam
Duire lueuui, niiM-re inei."
•• Show some pity for Christ's sake, pity a sick man, an old man, &.c.," he care*
not, ride on : pretend sickness, inevitable loss of limbs, goods, plead suretyship, or
shipwreck, fires, common calamities, show thy wants and imperfections,
" Et »i per fanetum Juratiii dirat Osyrim,
C'redite, noii ludu, cru<tele« lollite claudum.'*
'• Swear, protest, take God and all his angels to witness, quetre peregrinum^ thou
art a counterfeit crank, a cheater, he is not touched with \U pauper ubi^ue jacet^ ride
on, he takes no notice of it." Put up a supplication to him in the name of a ibou-
•■ DeliMuium patitur rhantai, odium ejui loco lucce- | ■ Heraelitu*. ■■•Si in Kebeanam abtt, paapareaa qmi
dil. Ba.iil. . aer. iIh instil, iiion. *^ Nudum in Kirpo noo alat. quid de eo det qui pauiwraia dcoodalf
^usrentes. •* Hircaaaique admonint ubera tifrea. j Aiialia.
Mem. 3.] . Charity. 44^
sand orphans, a hospital, a spittel, a prison, as he goes by, they cry out to him for
aid, ride on, surdo narras, he cares not, let them eat stones, devour themselves with
vermin, rot in their own dung, he cares not. Show him a decayed haven, a bridge,
a school, a fortification, Stc. or some public work, ride on; good your worsiiip,
your honour, for God's sake, your country's sake, ride on. But show him a roli
wherein his name shall be registered in golden letters, and commended to all pos-
tRrity, his arms set up, with his devices to be seen, then peradventure he will stay
and contribute ; or if thou canst thunder upon him, as Papists do, with satisfactory
and meritorious works, or persuade him by this means he shall save his soul out of
hell, and free it from purgatory (if he be of any religion), then in all likeliiiood he
will listen and stay ; or that he have no children, no near kinsman, heir, he cares
for, at least, or cannot well tell otherwise how or where to bestow his possessions
(for carry them with him he cannot), it may be then he will build some school or
hospital in his life, or be induced to give liberally to pious uses after his death. For
I dare boldly say, vain-glory, tliat opinion of merit, and this enforced necessity, when
tliey know not otherwise how to leave, or what better to do with tliem, is the main
cause of most of our good works, i will not urge this to derogate from any man'a
charitable devotion, or bounty in this kind, to censure any good work; no doubt
there be many sanctified, heroical, and worthy-minded men, that in true zeal, and
for virtue's sake (divine spirits), that out of commiseration and pity extend their
liberality, and as much as- in them lies do good to all men, clothe the naked, feed the
hungry, comfort the sick and needy, relieve all, forget and forgive injuries, as true
charity requires ; yet most part there is simulatum quid, a deal of hypocrisy in this
kind, nnu'li default and defect. ' Cosmo de Medici, that rich citizen of Florence,
ingeniously confessed to a near friend of his, that would know of him why he built
so many public and magnificent palaces, and bestowed so liberally on scholars, not
that he loved learning more than others, " but to ^eternise his own name, to be im-
mortal by the benefit of scholars ; for when his friends were dead, walls decayed,
and all inscriptions gone, books would remain to the world's end." The lanthorn
in ^Athens was built by Zenocles, the theatre by Pericles, the famous port Pyra?um
by Musicles, Pallas Palladium by Phidias, the Pantheon by Callicratidas ; but these
brave monuments are decayed all, and ruined long since, their builders' names alone
llourish by meditation of writers. And as ''he said of that 3Iarian oak, now cut
down and dead, nullius Agricolcz manu viiUa stirps tarn diulunia, quani qucB poetce
verm scminari potest, no plant can grow so long as that which is ingcnio sata, set
and manured by those ever-living wits. ^ AUon Backuth, that weeping oak, under
which Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died, and was buried, may not survive the meniorv
of such everlasting monuments. Vain-glory and emulation (as to most men) was
the cause eflicient, and to be a trumpeter of his own fame, Cosmo's sole intent so to
do good, that all the world might take notice of it. Such for the most part is the
charity of our times, such our benefactors, Meca^nates and patrons. Show me amono-st
so many myriads, a truly devout, a right, honest, upright, meek, humble, a patient,
innocuous, innocent, a merciful, a loving, a charitable man ! ^Probus quis nobiscum
vioit? Show me a Caleb or a Joshua! Die mihi Musa virum show a virtuous
wom^n, a constant wife, a good neighbour, a trusty servant, an obedient child, a
true friend, &.c. Crows in Africa are not so scant. He that shall examine this
'iron age wherein we live, where love is cold, et jam terras Astrea reliquit, justice
fled with her assistants, virtue expelled,
8 " Justitice sornr,
Iiicorrupta fides, nudaque Veritas,"
all goodness gone, where vice abounds, the devil is loose, and see one man vilify
and insult over his brother, as if he were an innocent, or a block, oppress, tyrannise,
prey upon, torture him, vex, gall, torment and crucify him, starve him, where is
charity .? He that shall see men ® swear and forswear, lie and bear false witness, to
I Jovius, vita ejus. » Immortalitatem beneficio i sister of justice, honour luviolate, and naked truth."
Iiterariim, iinmortali glorinsa quadam ciipiriitate con- »Tull. pro Rose. Mentiri vis causa mea ? ego vero
cupivit. (iuod Gives quibus benefecisset perituri,niOBiiia cupide et libenter mentiar tua causa ; et si quando me
riiitura, elsi regiosumptu ffidificata, non libri. » I'lu- vis perjurare, ut paululum tu compeni4ii 'aciaa, para-
tarch, Pericle. * Tullius, lib. 1, de legibus. 'Gen. turn fore stito.
*j[xv.8. • Hor. 1 Diirum genus sumus. « '■ Ttie
56
442 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. i
advantage themselves, prejudife others, hazard goods, lives, fortunes, credit, all. to
be revenged on their enemies, men so unspeakable in their lusts, unnatural in malice,
f^uch bloody designments, Italian blaspheming, Spanish renouncing, &c., may well
ask where is charity ? He tliat shall observe so many lawsuits, such endless con
tentions, such plotting, undermining, so much money spent with such eagerness ant!
fury, every man for himself, his own ends, the devil for all : so many distressed
souls, such lamentable complaints, so many factions, conspiracies, seditions, oppres-
sions, abuses, injuries, such grudging, repining, discontent, so much emulation, envy,
so many brawls, quarrels, monomachies, Slc, may well rc'([uire what is become of
charily .' wlien we see and read of such cruel wars, tumults, uproars, bloody battles,
so many '"men slain, so many cities ruinated, kc. (for what tUv is tlie subject of all
our stories almost, but bills, bows, and guns!) so many murders and massacres, kc,
where is ciiarity ; Or see men wholly devote to God, churchmen, profes.sed divines,
holy men, "" to make the trumpet of the gosprl the trumpet of war," a company
uf hell-born Jesuits, and fiery-spirited friarSyf acem prafirre to all seditions : as so
many firebrands set all the world by the ears (I say nothing of their contentious and
railing books, wiiole ages spent in writing one against another, and that with such
virulency and bitterness, Bionceis sernionibus el sale nigra), and by their bloody in-
tpiisitioiis, that in thirty years, Bale saith, consumed 31) princes, 148 earls, '235
barons, 14,755 commons; worse than tiiose ten persecutions, may Jiistlv doubt
where is charity .' Ohstcro vos qualcs hi demum Chrisliani ! Are these Christians ?
1 beseech you tell me : he that sliall observe and see these things, mav say to them
as Cato to Ca'sar, credo quce de inferis dicuntur faha eristirruis, ''sure I think thou
art of oj)inion there is neither heaven nor hell." Let them pretend reli<;ion, ze.il,
make what shows they will, give alms, peace-makers, frequent sermons, if we may
guess at the tree by the fruit, they are no belter than hypocrites, epicures, atheists,
with the ^ '• fool in their hearts they say there is no Goil." 'Tis no marvel then if
being so uncharitable, hard-hearted as we are, we have so frequent and so many iliscon-
tents, sueh melancholy fits, so many bitter pangs, mutual discords, all in a combus-
tion, often complaints, so coniiiion grievances, general mischiefs, si tanlte in terrls
tragtcdiiE, (juibiis labtfactutur el misere laceratur humanum gewtSs so many pesti-
lences, wars, uproars, losses, deluges, fires, inundations, God's vengeance ami all the
plagues of Egypt, come upon us, since we are so currish one towards another, so
respeciless of God, and our neighbours, and by our crying sins pull these miseries
Jipon our own heads. Nay more, 'tis ju'stly to be feared, which '^Josephus once
said of his countrymen Jews, "if the Romans hud not come when they did to ."iack
ihcir city, surely it had been swallowed up with some earthipiake, deluj/e, or fired
Irom heaven as Sodom and Gomorrah : their desperate malice, wickedness and pee-
vishness was such." 'Tis to be suspected, if we continue these wretched ways, we
may look lur the like heavy visitations to come upon us. If we had any sense or
feehng of these things, surely we should not go on as we do, in such irregular
courses, practise all manner of impieties; our whole carriage woidd not be so averse
Irom God. If a man would but consider, when he is in the midst and full career of
such prodigious and uncharitable actions, how displeasing they are in God's sieht,
how noxious to himself, as Solomoh told Joab, 1 Kings, ii. ''The Lord shall bring
this blood upon their heads." Prov. i. 27, " sudden desolation and destruction shall
come like a whirlwind upon them: affliction, anguish, the reward of his hand shall
be given him," Isa. iii. 11, itc, "they shall fall into the pit they have digged for
others," and when they are scraping, tyrannising, getting, wallowing in their wea'th,
"mis lught, O tool, I will lake away thy soul," what a severe account thr> must
make; and how ''gracious on the other side a charitable man is in God's eyes,
haurit sibi graliam. Matt. v. 7, " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy : he that lendeth to the poor, gives to God," an<l how it shall be restored to
them again ; " how by their patience and long-sufiering they shall heap coals on
'•Gallienun in Treb. Pullio lacpra. ocriile, mrn mrntn tfi Putn «i Romani rontra new rrnm l»H»r»^n». 9Mt
ira!«-«*r«'. Rahii; jt-cur iiu-fiiUente f*-ruiilur jir Hii fiii^w citilatiM o
Vuf)i»<MH iif Aur.liaii. Tuntiiiii Tuilil ^aiisun i ac .•*>Mlnnia niin
fum qiiK virii |i..tiivit. >> Kvani^elii tiibaiii h< u (lopuli, ice >'B.-. .. «
tiriiint: III (iiilpiliM pao-m. Ill ci>llo<|iiii« bcllnni >ii.i- -luc vir nii<i«riri>r>.
deul. >'i Paal. mi. 1. '* De bello Jiiilaico, lib. 6. c I
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.]
Love's Power and Extent.
443
their enemies' heads," Rom. xii. " and he that foUoweth after righteousness and
merry, shall find righteousness and glory;" surely they would check their desires,
curb in iheir unnatural, inordinate affections, agree amongst themselves, abstain from
doing evil, amend their lives, and learn to do well, "Behold how. comely and o-ood
a thing it is for brethren to live together in '* union : it is like the precious ointment,
&.C. How odious to contend one with the other!" ^^ Miser iqiiid Juctaliimculis
hlsce voluinus ? ecce mors supra caput est, et supreimim illud trilunal, uU et dicta
et facta nostra examinanda sunt : Sapiamus ! " Why do we contend and vex one
another.? behold death is over our heads, and we must shortly give an account of all
our uncharitable words and actions : think upon it : and be wise."
SECT. II. MEMB. I.
SuBSECT. T. — Heroical love causeth Melancholy. His Pedigree, Power, and Extent.
L\ the preceding section mention was made, amongst other pleasant objects, of
this comeliness and beauty which proceeds from women, that causeth heroical, or
love-melancholy, is more eminent above the rest, and properly called love. The
part affected in men is the liver, and therefore called heroical, because commonly
gallants. Noblemen, and the most generous spirits are possessed with it. His
power and extent is very large, '" and in that twofold division of love, ^tXiiv and i^Mv
'^ those two veneries which Plato and some other make mention of it is most emi-
nent, and zar' ilox-riv called Venus, as I have said, or love itself. Which although it
be denominated from men, and most evident in them, yet it extends and shows itself
in vegetal and sensible creatures, those incorporeal substances (as shall be specified),
and hath a large dominion of sovereignty over them. His pedigree is very ancient,
derived from the beginning of the world, as '^ Phasdrus contends, and his -'^ parent-
age of such antiquity, that no poet could ever find it out. Hesiod makes ^' Terra
and Chaos to be Love's parents, before the Gods were born : Ante deos omnes pri-
mum generavit amorem. Some think it is the self-same fire Prometheus fetched from
heaven. Plutarcli amator. libello, will have Love to be the son of Iris and Favo-
nius ; but Socrates in tliat pleasant dialogue of Plato, when it came to his turn to
speak of love, (of which subject Agatho the rhetorician, magniloquus Agatho, that
chaunter Agatho, had newly given occasion) in a poetical strain, lelleth this tale:
M'lien Venus was born, all the gods were invited to a banquet, and amongst the rest,
^" Porus the god of bounty and wealth ; Penia or Poverty came a begging to tlie
door; Porus well whittled with nectar (for there was no wine in those days) walk-
ing in Jupiter's garden, in a bower met with Penia, and in his drink got her with
chdd, of whom was born Love; and because he was begotten on Venus's birthday,
Venus still attends upon him. The moral of this is in ^^Ficinus. Another tale is
there borrowed out of Aristophanes : ^^in the beginning of the world, men had four
arms and four feet, but for their pride, because they compared themselves with the
gods, were parted into halves, and now peradventure by love they hope to be united
again and made one. Otherwise thus, ^'Vulcan met two lovers, and bid them ask
what they would and they should have it; but they made answer, O Vulcane faber
Dcorum, S^x. " O Vulcan the gods' great smith, we beseech thee to work us anew
in thy furnace, and of two make us one; which he presently did, and ever since
true lovers are either all one, or else desire to be united." Many such tales you
shall find in Leon Ilcbraeus, dial. 3. and their moral to them. The reason why Love
was still painted young, (as Phornutus ^^and others will) ""is because young men
'^Concordia maens ree crescunt, discordia masimoe
rfilaliiintur. isj^ipsjus. " Memb. 1. Siilis. 2.
K Ainnr ft ainicitia. '^ Phsdrus orat. in laiuleni
amnris Platoiiis convivio. 20 Vide Boccas. de Genial
(leonini. 2' See the moral in Pint, of that fiction.
2! Atiliienti.fi Deus. '^Cap. 7. Comment, in Plat,
convivinni. -< See more in Valesius, lih. 3. cont.
mftd. et cont. 13. -» Vives 3. de anima ; oramus te nt
Cms arlibus et caminis nos refingas, et exduobus unuin
facias ; quoj et fecit, et exinde amatores uiinm sunt et
unuin esse petuiit. '^^Sce more in Xatalis Comes
Iniag. Deornni Philostratns de Ima^inibus. Lilius Gi-
raldus Syntag. do diis. Phornutus, <fcc. ^' Juvenis
pin!;itnr quod ainore [derumque juvenps capiuntiir ; sic
et mollis, formosus, nudus, quod simple.x et apertu3 hie
atil'clus; ridet quod oblectauientiira pr<£ se ferat, cum
pharetra, &c.
4 i4 Loi'e -Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
are most apt t) love; soft, fair, and fat, because such folks are soonest taken : nakec.,
hecanse all tri e afiection is simple and open : he smiles, because merry and given to
dclig-hts : hath a quiver, to show his power, none can escape : is blind, because he
sofs not where he strikes, whom he hits, &.c." His power and sovereignty is ex-
|)rossed bv the * poets, in that he is held to be a god, and a great conunanding god.
aliove Jnjnter himself; Magnus Daemon, as Plato calls him, the strongest and juer-
riest of all the gods according to Alcinous anil **Athemeus. Amor virorum rer, amor
rrr rl deiim, as Euripides, the god of gods and governor of men ; for we must all
do liomasre to him, keep a holiday for his deity, adore in his temples, worship his
image, (niimcn enim hoc von est nudum nomen) and sacrifice to his altar, that conquera
all, and rules all:
"• •' Mallem rum icone, cc rvo el apro iEolico,
Cum Aiili'o ct Slymplialiuid avibus liictari
Uniiiii cum aiii'ire"
'•• 1 had rather contend with bulls, lions, bears, and giants, than with Love ;" he is so
powerful, enforceth "all to pay tribute to him, domineers over all, aiul can make
mad and sober whom he list ; insomuch that Caicilius in Tully's Tiisculans, holds
him to be no better than a fool or an idiot, that dotli not acknowledge Love to be a
great g^*<\-
*-"Cui in mutiu til ijuem e^^e lieiiipiitem v>lil,
iiut-iii ^^l|lt're, giuiii iii iiiorbuui iiijici, &c."
Tliat can make sick, and cure whom he list. Homer and Stesichonis were both
made blind, if you will believe ■'l^enn Ih-breus, for speaking against his godhead:
and though Aristophanes degrade him, and say that he wa.s ^scornfully rejected from
the council of the goil.s, had his winifs clipped besides, that he might come no more
amongst them, and to his farther disgrace baiiislied heaven for ever, and confined to
dwell on eaiih, yet he is of tliat ■''power, majesty, uuinipotency, and dominion, that
no creature can withstand him.
** '- linperal Ciipidn •ttiaiii ilii* pro arbitrio.
£t ip«uui arc«re iie aruti^xtleii* (xilot Jupiler."
lie is more than quarter-master with the goiln,
V •• 'I'eiiPl
Theliilt! arquor, uoihra* vf!aen, ctkluiu Jovo
iiid hath not so much possession as dominion. Jupiter hnnself was turned into a
•atyr, shepherd, a bull, a swan, a golden shower, and what not, for li»ve ; that as
' Luciun's Juno right well objectetl lo him, Indus amons lu es, thi»u art Cupid's
whirligig : how did he insult over all the other gods, .Mars, Neptune, Pan, ."Mercury,
ISacchus, and the rest.' *^ Lucian brings in Jupiter complaining of Cu[iid tlial he
lould not be quiet lor him ; and the moon lamenting that she was so impotently be-
sotted on Endymion, even Venus herself confessing as much, how rudely and in
what sort her own son Cupid had used her being his "^ nioiher, ^» now drawing her
to Mount Ida, for the love of chat Trojan .Anchises, now to Libanus for that Assyrian
youth's sake. And although she threatened to break his bow and arrows, to clip
his wings, ^'and whi|)ped him besides on the bare buttocks with her phanlophlc, yet
all would not serve, he was too headstrong and unruly." That monsler-conquermg
Hercules was tamed by him :
" Qiicm iKin mille Terse, quern noti Sthenelejui b<)«li<, I VVbom nultier b^air* nor erii'oiii'it coiild lame.
Sic poluit Juno viacert- . vicit ainor." j Nor Juno's iniglit auUlue, 1jov« qufM'd (Ik- »auie.
Your bravest soldiers and most generous spirits are enervated with it, *^uhi nntlieri'
hus blunditiis permillunt se, el irujuinantur amplexibus. Apollo, thai took upon him
lo cure all diseases, "could not help himself of this; aiul therefore " Socrates calls
Love a tyrant, and brings him triumphing in a chariot, whom Petrarch inwUites in
his triimiph of Love, and Fracastorius, in an elegant poem expresseth at large, Cupid
riding. Mars and Apollo following his chariot. Psyche weeping, &c.
In vegetal creatures what sovereignly love liath, by many pregnant proofs and
** A p«tt.v Pope claveii hab«t superorum et inO-roruui, I Heaven, witb Jovr." —Tt>m.i. ■ no.
»5 Orpbeufi, tc. * I.ib. Vi. cap. 5. D)pbfio.-o. umi. 3. "Quippe malrcin i|>^ '.\*
•» Rf-gnal el in guperns ju« hab<-i ille cleoa. Ovul. nie aflicil. nunc in IJam ailii;> n« Aii' ' JccT"
» Pl.iulu*. ^-'Seldcn pro leg. 3. cap. tie (iiiii S>ri!t. «> Janipriilern ft plaga< i|wi in nalt* ii>r>|.-, -.I'aIki.
■ Dial. 3. ** A coiirilio Deorum rt-jt?ctu( el ad inajo- *' Altopihii, ful. 7V. o N'ulli« am>>r nl ni>tjicabilw
rwin pjua ignoniiniani. kc. >* Fulniini concil.itior. I berbm. ** Plularrh in Aiiialuriu. Uictalor quo
*> Sfiphnclen. " " tie divides Die empire of llie »ea I creato ceatanl reliqui maiialraiua.
with TheiK, — of ibe Shade*, with i£acua, — of t^te 1
vlein 1 Subs. 1.] Love's Power and Extent. 445
tainiliar examples ma} be proved, especially of palm-trees, which are both he and
she, and express not a sympathy but a love-passion, and by many observations have
been confirmed.
«S" Vivunt in venerem frondes, omnisque vicissim
Felix arljor amat, nutaiit et miitua palmae
Foedera, populeo suspirat pnpulus irtu,
Et platano platanus, ainoque assibilat ainus."
Constantine de Agric. lib. 10. cap. 4. gives an instance out of Florentius his
Georgics, of a palm-tree that loved most fervently, ^® " and would not be comforted
until such time her love applied herself unto her ; you might see the two trees bend,
and of their own accords stretch out their boughs to embrace and kiss each other :
they will give manifest signs of mutual love." Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. 24, re-
ports that they marry one another, and fall in love if they grow in sight ; and when
the wind brings the smell to them, they are marvellously affected. Philostratus in
Imaginibus, observes as much, and Galen lib. 6. de locis affectis^ cap. 5. they will be
sick forluve; ready to die and pine away, which the husbandmen perceiving, saith
"'Constantine, "stroke many palms that grow together, and so stroking again the
palm that is enamoured, they carry kisses from the one to the other :" or tying the
leaves and branches of the one to the stem of the other, will make them both
flourish and prosper a great deal better: ''^" which are enamoured, they can perceive
by the bending of boughs, and inclination of their bodies." If any man think this
which I say to be a tale, let him read that story of two palm-trees in Italy, the male
growing at Brundusium, the female at Otranto (related by Jovianus Pontanus in an
excellent poem, sometimes tutor to Alphonsus junior. King of Naples, his secretary
of state, and a great philosopher) " which were barren, and so continued a long
time," till they came to see one another growing up higher, though many stadiums
asunder. Pierius in his Hieroglyphics, and Melchior Guilandinus, Mem. 3. tract, de
papyro. cites this story of Pontanus for a truth. See more in Salmuth Comment, in
Pancirol. de JVova rcpert. Tit. 1. de noco orbc, Mizaldus Arcanorum lib. 2. Sand's
Voyages, lib. 'Z.fol. 103. S^-c.
U such fury be in vegetals, what shall we think of sensible creatures, how much
more violent and apparent shall it be in them !
.„ , „ , . • . u • e „....„ I " All kind of creatures in the earth,
^9" Oiiine adeo genus in terns hnmiiiiimque fcrarum. And fi he* of the «ea
Et Kenus squoreum, pecudes. picta-qne volucres ^^^^ ^^^~^^^j ^j^^,^ ,,; ^' ^y^^^
In furias ignemque ruunt ; amor omnihns idem. j ^I^J^ ,^^.^ [^^^^^ equal sway."
50" Ilic Deus et terras et niaria alta doinal."
Common experience and our sense will inform us how violently brute beasts are
carried away with this passion, horses above the rest, furor est insignis equa-
rum. ^'" Cupid in Lucian bids Venus his mother be of good cheer, for he was now
familiar with lions, and oftentimes did get on their backs, hold them by the mane,
and ride them about like horses, and they would fawn upon him s\'\l\\ their tails."
Bulls, bears, and boars are so furious m this kind they kill one another : but espe-
cially cocks, ^^ lions, and harts, which are so fierce that you may hear them fight
half a mile ofT, saiih ^^Turberville, and many times kill each other, or compel them
to abandon the rut, that they may remain masters in their places ; " and when one
hath driven his co-rival away, he raiseth his nose up into the air, and looks aloft, as
though he gave thanks to nature," which affords him such great delight. How birds
are affected in this kind, appears out of Aristotle, he will have them to sing obfutu-
ram venerem^ for joy or in hope of their venery which is to come.
"■■.'E(;ri;i' prinium volucres te Diva tnumque
SigiiiticHnt initiiin, pircnlsiL- corda tua vi."
"Fishes pine away for love and wax lean," if "Gomesius's authority may be taken,
and are rampant too, some of them: Peter Gellius, lib. 10. de hist, annual, tells
«Claudian. descript. vener. auls. "Trees are in- hitns eratiam facit. ■>8(iiiam vero ipsa deside ret
fluenced hv love, atid every fjniirlshinp tree in turn feels ! afiVctu ramoriim significat, et adiillam respir.it ; aman-
the passion : pahns nod mutual vows, poplar sijhs to ' tiir, &;c. «Vir?. 3. Georg. Mpropertiiis. »' Uial.
poplar, plane to plane, and alder breathes to alder." deoruni. Confide mater, leonibus ipsis fanriliaris jam
•:« N'eque prius in iis desideriiim ressat dum dejiclns | faetus sum, et sa-pe consceiidi eorum ter^-a et appre-
cons(detur; vidercenim est ipsam arhorem incurvatani,
ultro raniis ab utrisquc vinissini ad osculum e.\porrectis.
Manifesta dant mutiij dcsidcrii signa. ■■" Mullas
palmas conliiiEens quE sinml crcscunt. riirsusque ad
amantem n-grediens, ennique inanu aitintrens. quasi
osculum muluo minislrare videtur, et expediti coiicu-
hendi jubas; eqiinrum more insidens eos asito, el illi
niihi caiidis adblandiuntur. ^2 Leones \>r£ amore
furunt, Plin. 1.8. c. Iti. Arist. I. 6. hist. aMininl. k) Cap.
17. of his book of hunting. ^ Lurrftius. b; Ug
sale lib. I. c. 21. Pisces ob amorem marccscunt, pallcs-
cunt, to.
2N
4 46 Love-Melanchohj. [Part. 3. Ser. 2.
wonders of a triton in Epirus : there was a well not far from the shore, where the
country wenches fetched water, they, **tiitons, stuprl causa would set upon them
and carry them to the sea, and there drown. them, if tliey would not yield ; so love
tyranniseth in dumb creatures. Yet this is natural for one beast to dote upon an-
other of the same kind ; but wliat strange fury is tliat, when a beast shall dote upon
a n)an.' Saxo Grannnaticus, lib. lU. Diii\ hist, haih a story of a bear that loved a
woman, kept her in his lUm a long time and begot a son of her, out of whose loins
proceeded many northern kings : tliis is the original belike of that conunon tale of
Valentine and Orson : iElian, Pliny, Peter Giliius, are full of such relations. A pea-
rock in Lucadia loved a n'.aid, and when she died, the jieacock pined. ^'" A dolphin
loved a bov called Hernias, and when he died, the lish came on lanil, and so perished."
Tlie like adds Gellius, lib. 10. cap. 22. out of Appion, .Ei^ijpt. lib. 15. a dolphin at
Putcoli loved a child, would come often to him, let him get on his back, and carry
him about, "^*and when by sickness the child was taken away, tlie dolpiiin died." —
''"•• Every book is full (saith Busbequius, the emperor's orator with the grand signior,
not long since, ep. 3. legal. Tiirc.)., and yields such instances, to believe which 1
was always afraid lest 1 should be thought to give credit to fables, untd I saw a lynx
which I hud from Assyria, so afl'ected towards one of my men, that it cannot be
denied but that he was in love with him. When my n)an was present, the beast
would use many in)table enticements and |)leasant motions, arul when he was going,
hold him h;ick, and look after him when he was gone, verv sad in iiis altsence, but
most jocund when he returned : and when my man went frt>m me, the beast e.xpreased
his love with continual sickness, and after he had pined away some few days, liied."
.'^nch another story he halh of a crane of .Majorca, that loved a Spaniard, that would
walk any way with him, and in his absence seek about fi>r him, make a noise that
he might ht-ar her, and knock at his door, **'"and when he took liis last farewell,
famished herself." Such pretty pranks can love play with birds, tishes, beasts:
•' ••('u'l^.tii xthtTi*. I*. mi, tt-rrje clavi* li.ifM-t Wiiut,
iS>l:ique l>loruui ■•miiiHiiii llli|irriillu otitlllCl."^
and if all Ije certain that is credibly reported, with the spirits of the air, and devils
of hell themselves, wht) are as much enamoured and dote (if I may use that word)
as any other creatures whatsoever. For if those stories be true that are written of
incubus and succubus, ai nymphs, lascivious fauns, satyrs, and those heathen gods
which were devils, tliose ' s Telchines, of whom the Platonists tell so many
fal)les; or those familiar i a our days, and conifKiny of witches and devils,
there is some proba!)ility Um u. 1 know that Piarmannus, Wierus, lib. 1. cap. 19.
ft 24. and some others stoutly ileny it, that the divil hath any carnal copulation with
women, that the devil takes no pleasure in such facts, they be mere fantasies, all
such relations of incul>i, succubi, lies and tales; but Austin, lib. 15. de civil. JJeiy
doih acknowledge it: Era.r.lus de Liimiis, Jacobus Sprenger and his Cf)lleagues, Stc.
''- Zunchius. cap. 1 1\. lib. 4. d'' np*'r. Dei. Dandinus, in Jrisl. de Jnimd, lib. 2. If.rl. 29.
com. 'H). Podin, lib. 2. cap. 7. and Paracelsus, a great champion of this tenet amongst
the rest, wliich give sundry peculiar instances, by many testimonies, proofs, and con-
fessions evince it. Hector Boeiliius, in his Scottish history, hath tliree <^r four such
examples, which Cardan contirms out of him, lib. !(>. cup', l.i. of such as have hat.
familiar company many years w itli them, and that in the habit of men and w<jmen
Philostratus in his fourth book dc rila .ipollonti, hath a memorable instance in this
kind, which I may not omit, of one Menippus Lycius, a young man twenty-live years
of age, that going between Cenchreas and Corinth, met such a phantasm m the habit
of a fair gentlewoman, which taking him by the hand, carritd him home to her
house in tlie suburbs of Corinth, and told him she was a Phu-nician by birth, and
if lie would tarry with her, "-he should hear her sing and plav, and 'drink such
«« Haiiriendie aque cauM veni>-ntP3 ex in«i(lii> a deriuni tuum (ectatu* pn«I inrdiam ali.|.i..i .11. rum
Trit..i.rr..iii|ir.heiitMt;. 4.C. " riiii. I. 10. c. 5. .|H'iiii. inlrriil. " Orpti«u» li>uiiiu Veil. -X. ■ e
J !. af".riii I. unHsi.ite Kr"*"*' H.ri.i.i,. in siico piftm keyi of llie air. lanh, wa. anil ►lie hi
'iviroit -^ l'o:jtqnain pm-r nmrbo aluil, H. n».c c.jiiirii.ui.l . f .ill "' ''-(iMJ l..ic m .1
•! il. ^Tl.-iii siiiit liliri t|inli'ii f.ra III In.
'■ • :jinats riierunt. in quibu rgn riiii.lini <^- '
> - Hii diiglinui. v.-ri(u« ne fabiiliwa rmlt;. iju . ,.:.in
f.-iii ii.ii.c M.li lynceiii quHin liahui tt, .A»»)ria. mc pukli/.> a.il..m lu;(.IjXl, cuuUuic m u ji el luuti.-i.
aOi'tliiiu crga unuiu de nieii buaiiuibu*. ice "Drti-
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.] Love's Power and Extent. 447
wine as never any drank, and no man should molest him ; but she beinij fair and
lo\ely would live and die with him, that was fair and lovely to behold." The
young man a philosopher, otherwise staid and discreet, able to moderate his pas-
.sions, though not this of love, tarried with her awhile to his great content, and at
last married her, to whose wedding, amongst other guests, came Apollonius, who,
by some probable conjectures, found her out to be a serpent, a lamia, and that ail her
furniture was like Tantalus's gold described by Homer, no substance, but mere illu-
sions. When she saw herself descried, she wept, and desired Apollonius to be silent,
but he would not be moved, and thereupon she, plate, house, and all that was in it,
vanished in an instant : ''^ *■' many thousands took notice of this fact, for it was done in
the midst of Greece." Sabine in his Comment on the tenth of Ovid's Metamorphoses,
at the tale of Orpheus, telleth us of a gentleman of Bavaria, that for many months
together bewailed the loss of his dear wife ; at length the devil in her habit came
and comforted him, and told him, because he was so importunate for her, that she
would come and live with him again, on that condition he would be new married,
never swear and blaspheme as he used formerly to do; for if he did, she should be
gone : *^^ ■' he vowed it, married, and lived with her, she brought him children, and
governed his house, but was still pale and sad, and so continued, till one day falling
out with him, he fell a swearing; she vanished thereupon, and was never after seen.
^^ This I have heard," saith Sabine, "■ from persons of good credit, which told me tliat
the Duke of Bavaria did tell it for a certainty to the Duke of Saxony." One more
I will relate out of Florilegus, ad annum 1058, an honest historian of our nation^
because he telleth it so confidently, as a thing in those days talked of all over
Europe : a young gentleman of Rome, the same clay that he w^as married, after din-
ner with the bride and his friends went a walking into the fields, and towards even-
ing to the tennis-court to recreate himself; whilst he played, he put his ring upon
the finger of Venus statua, which was thereby made in brass ; after he had sufficiently
played, and now made an end of liis sport, he came to fetch his ring, but Yenus had
bowed her finger in, and he could not get it off. Whereupon loth to make his com-
pany tarry at present, there left it, intending to fetch it the next day, or at some more
convenient time, went thence to supper, and so to bed. In the night, when he sliould
come to perform those nuptial rites, Venus steps between him and his wife (unseen
or felt of her), and told her that she was his wife, that he had betrothed himself unto
her by that ring, which he put upon her finger : she troubled him for some follow-
ing nights. He not knowing how to help himself, made his moan to one Palumbus,
a learned magician in those days, who gave him a letter, and bid him at such a time
of the night, in such a cross-way, at- the town's end, where old Saturn would pass
by with his associates in procession, as commonly he did, deliver that script with
his own hands to Saturn himself; the young man of a bold spirit, accordingly did
it ; and when the old fiend had read it, he called Ven-us to him, who rode before him,
and cammanded her to deliver his ring, winch forthwith slie did, and so the gentle-
man was freed. Many such stories I find in several '"'authors to confirm tliis which
I have said ; as .that more notable amongst the rest, of Philinium and .Macliates in
®* Phlegon's Tract, de rebus mirahililms^ and though many be against it, yet I, for my
j)art, will subscribe to Lactantius, lib. 14. cap. 15. ®°"God sent angels to the tuition
of men ; but whilst they lived amongst us, that miscliievous all-commander of the
earth, and hot in lust, enticed tliem by little and little to this vice, and defiled them
with the company of women : and Anaxagoras, de resurrect. ™Many of those spi-
ritual bodies, overcome by the love of maids, and lust, failed, of whom those were
born we call giants." Justin Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus, Sulpitiu.-" Severus,
Eusebius, Stc, to this sense make a twofold fall of angels, one from the oeginning
of the world, another a little before the deluge, as Moses teacheth us, "' openly pro-
fessing that these genii can beget, and have carnal copulation with women. At Japan
" Multi factum lior, cognovere, quod in media Grjpcia i misit ad tutclam cultumque generis humani ; sfid illns
gfstiim sit. 65 liL'in curans doniesticain, ut ante, | cum hominibus cominoraiites, doniinator illeterra; sala-
peperit aliquot lilieros, semper tameu tristis et [lallida. j cissimus paulatim ad vitia pelle.vit, et inulierum coii-
*> H;ec audivi a multis tiile dignis qui asseveral-ant du- gressibus iii(|uinavit. ">(iurlam ex illo capti sunt
cem Bavarian eadem rctiili.sse Duci Sa.vniii^ pro veris. amore virginuui. et libidine vitti ilefecernnt, ex quibiia
"■ I'iibula Daiiiaiati el Aristoiiis in Herddoio lib. C. uiiyantKS qui vocaiuur, nati i-iiul. ''Pertriusia
Eraiu. 6t Interpret Mersi: isaUeus Anjjelos Gen. liii. tj. c. C. ver. 1. Zanc. &,c.
448 Lovc-Mehincholy. [Part. 3 Sect. 2
in the East Indies, at this present (if we may believe the relation of " travcllers\
there is an idol called Teuchedy, to whom one of the fairest virgins in the country
is monthly brought, and left in a private room, in the foloqni, or church, where &he
sits alone to be deflowered. At certain times '^ the Teuchedy (which is thought to
be the devil) appears to her, and knoweth her carnally. Every month a fair virgin
is taken in; but what becomes of the old, no man can tell. In that goodly temple
of Jupiter Belus in Babylon, there was a fair chapel, '^saith Hcroiiotus, an eye-wit-
ness of it, in which was sphndide stratus lectus et apposita viensn aurea^ a brave
bed, a table of gold, Slc, into which no creature came but one only woman, which
their god made choice of, as the Chaldean priests told him, and that their god lay
with her himself, as at Thebes in -^gypt was the like done of old. So that you see
this is no news, the devils themselves, or their juggling priests, have played such
pranks in all ages. Many divines stiflly contradict this ; but I will conclude with
"Lipsius, that since ''examples, testimonies, and confessions, of those unhappy
women are so manifest on the other side, and many even in this our town of
Louvain, tiiat it is likely to be so. "One thing I will add, tiiat I su|)pose that
in no age past, I know not by what destiny of this uidiappy time, have there
ever appeared or showed themselves so many lecherous devils, satyrs, and genii,
as in this of ours, as appears by the daily narrations, and ju(hcial sentences upon
record." Read more of this question in Plutarch, rit. .\Hw/<r, Austin de civ.
Dei. lib. 15. Wierus, lib. 3. dc prcvsfig. Diem. CJiraldus Cambrensis, itinerar.
Cainb. lib. 1. yiuUvuSy jfuilejic. qucest. b. part. 1. Jacobus Keussus, lib. 5. cap. 0.
fol. 54. Godehnan, /ii. 2. cap. 4. Eraslus, Vulrsius de sacra philo. cup. 40. John
Nider, Fomicar. lib. 5. cnp. 9. Stroz. Cict)gna. lib. 3. cap. 3. Delrio, Lipsius
Bodine, dcemonol. lib. 2. cap. 7. Pererius in (Jen. lib. 8. in 0. cap. ver. 2. King
James, S(.c.
Slbsect. II. — How Lui-e tyranms'-tk m-er men. Loce, or Heroical AJilancholy, Ins
dejinition, part affected.
You have heard how this tyrant Love rageih with brute beasts and spirits ; now
let us consider what passions it causeth amongst men.
"" Improbe amor quid non mortalia pectora cugisf IIow it tickles the hearts of
mortal men, Horresco referensj 1 am almost afraid to relate, amazed, "and
ashamed, it hath wrought such stujMjiidous and pnuhgiuus tlllcts, such foul oilL-nces.
Love indeed [^l may not deny) hrst united provinces, built cities, and by a perjieiual
generation makes and preseives mankind, propagates the church ; but if it rage it is
no more love, but burning lust, a disease, frenzy, madness, hell. ''^ Est orcus illr,
vis est immrdicabilis, est rabies insana; 'lis no virtuous habit this, but a vehement
perturbation of the mind, a motjster of nature, wit, and art, as Alexis in "^Athenxus
sets it out, ririliter audax, muHebriler liinidum, furore praceps, labore injractum^
mel fclUiun., blanda percttssio, 6fc. It subverts kingdoms, overthrows cities, towns,
families, mars, corruj)ts, and makes a massacre of men ; tliunder and lightning, wart.,
fires, plagues, have not done that mischief to mankind, as this burning lust, this
brutish passion. Let Soduin and Gomorrah, Troy, (which Dares Phrygius, and
Dictis Cretensis will make good) and I know not how many cities bear record,
et fiiit ante Hclrnam, tSc, all succeeding ages will .sub.scribe : Joanna of Kaj»le« in
Italy, Fredegunde and Brunhalt in France, all histories are full of these basilisks.
Besides those daily monomachies, murders, etiiisioii of blood, ra|)es, riot, and immu-
derate expense, to satisfy their lusts, beggary, shame, loss, torture, punishment, dis-
grace, loathsome diseases that proceed from thence, worse than calenture^ and |K.'sti-
lent fevers, those often gouts, pox, arthritis, palsies, cramps, sciulica, convuUiuiis,
aches, combustions, &.c., which torment the body, that feral melancholy which cru-
cities the soul in this life, and everlastingly torments in the world to c«iiiie.
Notwithstanding they know these and many such miseries, threats, turtures, will
TurrhoK Hark jMistli. par. I. till 4.cap 1. S. 7- "In
»'llO. '* IhMisi ipse lioccutiili rxqiiiur-rrhd. '» t*ll>>|i>li>.
fixSioicoriiiii I. l.cap.-JU. Si lipiritus un>le W'incn ii-'.&c-.
al «i.-iiiplit tiirliaiit iii>!i; iiiiilitruiii (|iMliiliaiiu.' oiiid-!.-
■ioiifx (!>' iiii4ti>>ne oniiil-ii n!<«i'riiiit. d »uiit in hac urtx'
Lovaiim exeiuplo. '* Liiuoi dixcru, uuii upiiiari v. 1:^ i" f lutaicti, kutatur liu.
':■' rvo
taiiiai
• -sm.
, Oiii
■ ■ruin
IIIC
..irrati
•iiien.
,
■ fr.
ii:;I.
1 •■
r ii 1-
«k
>l° llMlM llli
iiie« Hhicli an-
d<
(ii>-
..Itli.-,,
..i.U
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Love''3 Power and Extent. 449
5urc'ly come upon them, rewards, exhortations, e contra; yet either out of their own
weakness, a depraved nature, or love''s tyranny, which so furiously rageth, they suffer
themselves to he led like an ox to the slaughter : [Facilis desceaisus Jlverni) they
go down headlong to their own perdition, they will commit folly with beasts, men
•• leaving the natural use of women," as ^' Paul saith, " burned in lust one towards
another, and man with man wrought filthiness."
Semiramis eqao., Pasiphae tanro, Aristo Ephesius asince se comnilscuit, Fulvius equce.,
alii canibus, capris, S^c. unde monstra naf^cuntur aUquandu., Centauri, Sylvani, et ad
lerrorem hominum prodigiosa spectra : J\\'c cum hrutis, sed ipsis hominibus rem ha-
bent, quud peccatiun Sodomiae vulgb dicitur ; et frequens ollm vitiuin apud Orienlalis
illosfuit, Grtecos nimirum,, Italos, Afros, Asianos: *- Hercules Hylam habidt^ Poly-
cletum, Dionem, Perithoonta, Abderum et Phryga; alii et Euristium ab Ilercule ama-
tum tradunt. Socrates pulchrorum Jldolescentum causa frequens Gymnasium adibat,
Jlagitiosque spectaculo pascebal oculos, quod et Philebus et Phsedon Rivales, Charm-
ides et ^^reliqui Platonis Dialogic, satis superque testatum faciunt : quud verb Alci-
biades dc eodem Socrate loqualur^ lubcns conticesco, sed et abhorreo ; tantum incila-
mentum prmbet Ubidini. At hunc perstrinxit Theodoretus lib. de curat, grccc. affect.
cap. ultimo. Quin et ipse Plato suum demiratur Agathonem, Xenophon, Cliniam,
• Virgilius Alexin, Anacreon Balhyllum : Quod autem de Nerone, Claudio, ccsterorum-
que portentosd Ubidine memori(Z proditum, malleni a Petronio, Suetonio, ccelerisque
petatis., quandu omnem Jidcm exccdat^ quUm a me expectetis ; sed Vetera querimur.
'*^Jlpud Asianos, Turcas, Ttalos, nunquhn frequentius hoc quuvi hodierno die vitium;
Diana Romanorum Sodomia; ojjicince horum alicubi apud Turcas, "^ui saxis
semina mandanO'' arenas arantes; et frcquentes querela^ etiam inter ipsos con-
juges hac de re, qua3 virorum concubitum illicitum calceo in oppositam partem verso
magistratui indicant; nullum apud Italos familiare magis peccatum., qui et post ^^Lu-
cianum et '''Tatium, scripiis voluminibis defcndunt. .Tohannes de la Casa, Beventinus
Episcopus, divinum opus vocal., suave scelus, adeoque jactat., se non alia usum Venere.
JWiil usitatius apud 77ionachos, Cardinales, sacrificulos, etiam ^' furor hie ad rnorton,
ad insaniam. "Angelus Politianus, ob pueri amorcm., violentas sibi munus injccit.
Et horrendum sane dictu, quantum apud nos patruni memorid., scelus detestandum hoc
scevierit! Quum enim Anno 1538. prudentissimus Rex Henricus Octavus cucullato-
rum ccenobia, et sacrilicorum collegia, votariorum, per venerabiles legum Doctores
Thomam Leum, Richardum Laytonum visitari fecerat. Sec, tanto numero reperli sunt
apud eos scortatores, cinaedi, ganeones, paedicones, puerarii, peederastfe, Sodomitte,
{''^Balei verbis utor) Ganiraedes, Slc. ut in unoquoque eorum novam credideris Go-
morrham. Sed vide si lubet eorundem Catalogum apud eundem Baleum; Puellaj
(inquit) in lectis do^-mire non poterant ob fratres necromanticos. Hcec si apud vota-
rios.1 monachos, sanctos scilicet homuneiones, quid in foro., quid in aula factum sus-
picerisf quid apud nobiles, quid inter for nice s, quam non fceditatem, quam non spur-
citiem? Sileo interim turpesillas^et ne nominandas quidem monachorum ^mastrupa-
tiones, masturbatores. ®' Rodericus a Castro vocat., turn et eos qui se invicem ad Vene-
rem excitandam Jlagris ccedunt.) Spintrias, Succubas, Ambubeias, et lascivienle lumbo
Tribades illas mulierculas., quce se invicem fricant,, et pr ester Eunuchos etiam ad
Venerem explendam., artificiosa ilia veretra habent. hnmo quod magls mirere.,fa£mina
fcRminam Constantinopoli non ita pridem deperiit, ausa rem plane incredibilcm, mu-
tato cultu mentita virum de nuptiis sermonem init., et brevi nupta est: sed authorcm
ipsum consule., Busbequium. Omttto *^ Salanarios illos Egyptiacos, qui cum formosa-
rum cadaveribus concumbunt ; et eorum vesanam libidinem, qui etiam idola et ima-
gines depereunt. JVota est fabula Pigmalionis apud ^^Ovidiura; Mundi et Paulin:
apud jEgesippum beUi Jud. lib. 2. cap. 4. Pontius C. Cossaris legatus, refercnle Plinio,
lib. .35. cap. 3. quem suspicor eum esse qui Christum crucifixit, picturis AtalantoB e*.
Helenae adeo Ubidine incensus, ut tollere cas vellet si nalura tectorii permisisset, alius
statuam bones Fortunae deperiit (Jilianus, lib. 9. cap. 37.) alius Bonce decs., et ne qua
'SI Eom. i. 27. 'f-'Lilius Giraldus, vita ejus. ^ Pueros
amare solis Philosophis rplinqufiidiim vult Liiciaiius
dia!. Amorum. « Busbeqiiiu*. *5 Achilles Tatiiis
lib. 2. t« Lucianus Charidemo. ''" Non est ha;c
raentula demens. Mart. »= Jowiiis Muse. >■« Prsfat.
lecK)ri 111), de vilis pontif. «> .Vlerciirialis cap. de
Priapismo. Coilius I. 11. antic, lect. cap. 14. Galenas ti.
57 2 s 2
de locis aff. s' De innrb. mulier. lib. I. c. it,.
*- Herodotus 1.2. EulerpK: uiores insigniiim viroruui
noil statim vita functas tra^lunt condendas. ac ne eas
nuidein fiBminas quE formos^ sunt, sed quatriduo
ante defunctas, ne cum iis salinarii concumbant, Ica
"Metam. 13.
450 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
pars prohro vacet. ** Raptus ad stupra (quod ait ille) et ne ^ os quidem a libidine
exceptum. Heliogabalus, per omnia cava corporis libidinem rece.pit., Lamprid. vita
ejus. '^ liostius qiiidam specula fecit, et ita disposuit, at quum virum ipse pateretur,
aversus omnes admissarii iiiotus in specnlo videret, ac deinde Jalsa magnitiidine ipyius
membri tanqnam vera gauderet, simul virum et firminam passus, quod diclu fvediim
tt ahomiiKindum. Ut vtram plane sit, quod apud ''^ PlutaiTluiiii Giyllus L lyssi ohjecit.
Ad hunc usque diem apud nos ncque mas uiarcm, neipie la-miiia laMiiiiium amavit,
ipialia mulla apud vos memorabiles et prarlari viri leccruni: ut vdes missus liiciiun,
Hercules imbLrbem sectans socium, amicus deseruit. is.c. \'estnL' libidines intra suus
naturie tines cuerceri non pussunt, quin instar lluvii exuiulantis atrocem lueditalum,
lumuitum, couliisiunemque natura; gignanl in re Venerea: nam et capras, pt)rcus,
equus inierunt viri et fteminae, insano besiiarum aniure exiuscrunt, unde Minotauri,
Centauri, Sylvani, Sphinges, Stc. Sed ne cnnjulando doceam, aut ca J'oras ejl'iram,
qu(B non omnes scire convenit iho'c enim doctis solnmniodo, quod cawsa non absimili
■* Rodericus, scripta velim) ne levissimis ingentis et dej\ravatis menlibus fccdissimi
sceleris notitiam, (^c, nolo quern diutiits hisce sordibus inquinare.
J come at last to that heroical love which is proper to men and women, is a fre-
quent cause of melancholy, and deserves nnich rather to be called burning lust, than
by such an honourable title. There is an honest love, I confess, which is natural,
laqueus occult us captivans corda hnminuin, ut a muinribus nun possint sijiarari, "a
secret snare to captivate the hearts of men," as "' t'liristupher Fonsecu proves, a
strong allurement, of a most attractive, i»ccult, adamantine property, aiid powerful
virtue, and no man living can avoid it. ''*' Et qui cim non sensit amoris,aul lapis est,
aut bellua. He is not a man but a block, a very stone, aut Wumen, aut .S'ebuchad-
nezzar, he haih a gourd for his head, a ptpon for his heart, that hath nut felt the
power of it, and a rare creature to be found, one in an age, Qui nunquain visa Jla-
gravit amorc puella;* for semel insanivimus omnes, dote we either voung or old, as
^ he saiti, and none are excepted but Minerva and the Muses: so Cupid in * Lucian
complains to his mother V'enu.s, that amongst all the rest his arrows could not pierce
them. But this nuptial love isa common {>a.s8ion, an honest, for men to love in the
%vay of marriage ; ut materia apjjftit furmam, sic mulier virum. ^ You know marriage
is honourable, a blessed calling, appointed by Gud him.self in Paradise; it breeds
true peace, tramptillity, content, and happiness, qua nulla est aut fuit unquam sanc-
tior cifnJunctKK as I)aphna.-us in * Plutarcli could well prove, et qute generi humtmo
immortalitattm parat, when they live without jarring, scolding, lovingly as they
should do.
' Fi-licen ter et ainpliui
Unui^ruiilit teiitl cupula, nre ullu
Divulsus qutTllllDllll!)
Supreiiiu ciliui »<)lvii aiiiur die."
'Thrice happy Uiey, and more than that,
Whom ImiiiiI uI Iuvk to liriiily lii'it,
Thnt without brawlD till il>-ulh tli>-iii part,
"I'k uinliMolv'tl and iii-v'-r du-> "
As Seneca lived with his Paulina, Abraham and Sarah, Orpheus and Euridyce, Airia
and Poetus, Artemisia and Mausolus, Rubenius Celer, that would needs have it en
graven on his tomb, he had led his life with Knnea, his dear wife, forty-three years
eight months, and never fell out. There is no pleasure in this world comparable
to it, 'tis suinnutm mortalitatis bonum *hominuin dwitrnque vohiptas, .lima I'enui
latei enim in mulirre aliquid majus potmliusque omnibus altis humanis volnpla-
tibus., as 'one holds, there's something in a woman beyond all human delight; a
magnetic virtue, a charming quality, an occult and powerful motive. The husband
rules her as head, but she again commands his heart, he is her sen-ant, she is only
joy and content: no haj)piness is like unto it, no love so great as this of man and
wife, no such comfort as "^ plactns «.ror, a sweet wife: " (Jmnis amor magnus, sed
aperto in conjnge major. Wlien they love at last as fresh as they did at first, '^Cha-
Tuque charo consenescit conjugi, as Homer brings Paris kissing Helen, after they had
been married ten years, protesting withal that he loved her as dear as he did the first
••Senrca de ira, I. II. r. |H. w^N'ullu* e«t mraiut I no iiiaidirii'* brauly had ••vt-r air.rtt-d " 't'hauccr.
•d tjiieiii noil p;tteat a>litiis iiiipudicitiip. Clem. Altri. I •Tuin. I. dial. dtHiruiii l..uriaiiu«. .Aiiiore mm ardrnt
pinia:;. lib. 3. c. D. ** ."Vnixa 1. nal. qur»t. n ■y.,,. \i.,.«. «' A> niatler ••■•>» I'oriit. m> itoniaii lurna
f (iryllo. * De niorbi* iiiiilieruiii I. I.e. 15. *' ' I'l man." 'In aiuator >tiiiH.|;. ^ llor.
pliith«'Bl. amor, cap 4 interpret, (urtio. ""A ■ iiu«. • KoniM-ca. ►"Ho/. " I'ropcn.
Siylviua Jiivi-nal. " And be mIio liai nut fell Ihf i .-..unnidea, gnec " Slie (rowi oU in lotvatHlia jtan
cnce iif luve i* •iilier a »tone or a heant." ' Tertul. i tnfeltwr.''
prover. lib. 4. adver>u< .Manr. cap. 40. *" One whom |
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Love's Poiccr and Extent. 451
hour that he was betrothed. And in their old age, when they make much of one
another, saying, as he did to his wife in tlie poet,
' Uxor vivamup quod vi.\iin«is, et mnriamur,
Servaiitcs iioiiien suinpsiimis in Ihalamo ;
Ncc ferat ulla dies ut coinimitetniir in tevo,
Q,uiii tibi siin juvenis, tuque puella inihi."
" Dear wife, let's live in love, and die together,
As liitherto we have in all good will :
Let no day change or alter our alTeclions,
But let's he young to one another still."
Such should conjugal love be, still the same, and as they are one tlesh, so shoulc*
they be of one mind, as in an aristocratical government, one consent, '^ Geyron-like.
coalesccre in imum, have one heart in two bodies, will and nill the same. A good
wife, according to Plutarch, should be as a looking-glass to represent lier husband's
face and passion: if he be pleasant, she shonld be merry: if he laugh, she should
smile : if he look sad, she should participate of his sorrow, and bear a part with
him, and so should they continue in mutual love one towards another.
I5-' Et nie ah amore tuo deducet nulla senectus, I " No age shall part my love from thee, sweet wife,
Sive ego Tythonus, sive ego Nestor ero." | Though I live Nestor or Tithonus' life."
And she again to him, as the '^ Bride saluted the Bridegroom of old in Rome, Ubi tu
Caius, ego semjyer Caia, be thou still Caius, I'll be Caia.
'Tis a happy state this indeed, when the fountain is blessed (saith Solomon, Prov.
V. 17.) "and he rejoiceth with the wife of his youth, and she is to him as the loving
hind and pleasant roe, and he delights in her continually." But this love of ours is
immoderate, inordinate, and not to be comprehended in any bounds. It will not
contain itself within the union of marriage, or apply to one object, but is a wander-
ing, extravagant, a domineering, a boundless, an irrefragable, a destructive passion :
sometimes this burning lust rageth after marriage, and then it is properly called
jealousy; sometimes before, and then it is called heroical melancholy; it extends
sometimes to co-rivals, Stc, begets rapes, incests, murders : Marcus .kntonius com-
pressit Faustinam sororem, Caracalla Juliam jyovercam., J^ero Matrem, Caligula
sorores, Cyneras MyrrJmmJiliaiii, ^-c. But it is confined within no terms of blood,
years, sex, or whatsoever else. Some furiously rage before they come to discretion
or age. " Quartilla in Petronius never remembered she was a maid ; and the wife
of Bath in Chaucer, cracks,
Sint,e J was twelve years old, believe.
Husbands at Kirk-door had I five.
'^ Aratine Lucretia sold her maidenhead a thousand times before she was twenty-four
years old, jj/w-s milics vendidcrant virglnitatem, Sfc. ncque te celabo^ non deerant qui
ut integrum amhirent Rahab, that harlot, began to be a professed quean at ten years
of age, and was but fifteen when she hid the spies, as '^Hugh Broughton proves, to
M'hom Serrarius the Jesuit, qucest. 6. in cap. 2. Josue, subscribes. Generallv women
begin pubcscerc, as they call it, or catidlire, as Julius Pollux cites, lib. 2. cap. 3.
onomast out of Aristophanes, ^"at fourteen years old, then they do offer themselves,
and some plainly rage. ^' Leo Afer saith, that in Africa a man shall scarce find a
maid at fourteen years of age, they are so forward, and many amongst us after they
come into the teens do not live without husbands, but linger. What pranks in this
kind the middle ages have played is not to be recorded. Si mild sint centum lingua:.!
sint oraquc centum., no tongue can sufficiently declare, every story is full of men and
■women's insatiable lust, Nero's, Heliogabali, Boiiosi, &c. " Coiltus Jlmphilcnum., std
Quintius Jlmphdinam depereunt., Sj-c. They neigh after other men's wives (as Jeremia,
cap. V. 8. complaineth) like fed horses, or range like town bulls, rapt ores virginum
et viduarum., as many of our great ones do. Solomon's wisdom was extinguished
in this fire of lust, Samson's strength enervated, piety in Lot's daughters quite for-
got, gravity of priesthood in Eli's sons, reverend old age in the Elders that would
violate Susanna, filial duty in Absalom to his stepmoiher, brotherly love in Ammon
towards his sister. Human, divine laws, precepts, exhortations, fear of God and
men, fair, foul means, fame, fortune, shame, disgrace, honour cannot oppose, stave
off, or withstand the fury of it, omnia vincit amor., Sfc. No cord nor cable can so
13 Ausoniiis. HGeryon amirits syniholuni. i interp. Casp. Barthio ex Iial. w _\ngelico scriptur
15 Proper!. I. 2. '^ Plutarch, c. 30. Rom. Hist. '' Ju- j concentu. 20 Epjctetus c. 42. mulieres statim ab anno
nonein habeam iratam. si unquarn nieniinerim me vir- \ 14. movere incipiunt, &c attrectari se sinunt et expo-
ginem fuisse. Infans enim paribus iiiquinata sum, et i iiunt. Levinu /..emnius. '' Lib. 3. fol. lift ^'Ca-
subinde majoribus me applicui, donee ad s-tatem per- tullus.
veiii ; ut Mile vitulum, tc. '^ Parnodidasc. dial. lat. I
452 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
(■'leililv draw, or hold so fast, as love can do with a twined thread. The scorcliing
beams under the equinoctial, or extremity of cold within the circle arctic, where the
^ ery seas are frozen, cold or torrid zone, cannot avoid or expel this heat, fury, and
•^ffe of mortal men.
53"(iiio fiigis ab deniens, nulla est fuga, tu licet usque
Ad Taiiaim fiigias, usque sequetur amor."
Of women's unnatural, ^Mnsatiable lust, what country, what village doth not com-
plain } Mother and daughter sometimes dote on the same man, flither and son,
master and servant, on one woman.
S5" S<>d aiuor, SPtI iiicftrcnata lihidn,
Quid cu.'^luiii in ti-rris iiit(Mitattiriu|iie reliquit ?"
What breach of vows and oaths, fury, dotage, madness, might I reckon up ? Yet
this is more tolerable in youth, and sucli as are still in their hot blood ; but for an
old fool to dote, to see an old lecher, what more odious, what can be more absurd ?
and vet what so conmion ? Who so furious ? ^Amare ca cctute, si occipcrinl^mullo
insaniunt acrius. Some dote then more than ever they did in/tlieir youlli. llovv
many decrepit, hoary, harsh, wriilien, burstenbellied, crooked, toothless, bald, blear-
eyed, impotent, rotten, old men shall you see flickering still in every place ? One
trel.s him a voung wife, another a courtezan, and when he can scarce lift his leg over
a sill, and hath one foot already in Cliaron's boat, when he hath the trembling in his
joints, the gout in his feet, a perpetual rheum in his head, " a contiuuale cough,"
^ his sight fails him, thick of hearing, his breath stinks, all his moisture is dried up
.iud gone, may not spit from him, a very child again, that cannot dress himself, or
cut his own meat, yet he will be dreaming of, and honing after wenches, what can
lie more unseendv ? Worse it is in women than in men, when she is celate dcclivis,
dill vidua, maler olim, pnriim drcnre inatriinnnium siujui cidtlur, an old wi(k)W, a
mother so long since (''in Pliny's opini.)n), she dt>th very unseemly seek to marry,
pt whilst she is ® so old a crone, a beldam, slie can neither see, nor hear, go nor stand,
mere ^carcass, a witch, and scarce feel; she catterwauls, and must have a stallion,
;i champion, she must and will marry again, and betioth herself to some young
man, ^' that hates to look on, but for her goods ; abhors the sight of her, to the
■ prejudice of her good name, her own undoing, grief of friends, and ruin of her
children. •
But to enlarge or illustrate this power and ellects of love, is to set a candle in the
sun. ^^ It rageth w iih all sorts and conditions of men, yet is most evident among
such as are young and lusty, in tlie tlower of their years, nobly descended, high
led, such as live idlv, and at ease ; and for that cause (which our divines call burn-
mg lust) this ^fertnus insunus amor, this n;ad and beastly passion, as I have said, is
named by our physicians heroical love, and a more honourable title put upon it,
Amor nobiJis, as ** Savanarola styles it, because noble men and women make a com-
mon practice of it, and are so ordinarily affected with it. Avicenna, lib. 3. Fen, 1.
tract. 4. cap. 23. calleth this passion Ilishi, and defines it ''•' to be a disease or me-
lancholy vexation, or anguish of mind, in which a man continually meditates of the
beauty, gesture, manners of his mistress, and troubles himself about it : desiring,"
as Savanarola adds) with all intentions and eagerness of mind, ^ to compass or
enjoy her, ^ as commonly hunters trouble themselves about their sports, the covetous
about their gold and goods, so is he tormented still about his mistress " Arnoltlus
Villanovanus, in his book of heroical love, defines it, ^"a continual cogiuition of
that which he desires, with a confidence or hope of compassing it ;" which defini-
2* Buripides. " Whithersoever cnra?pd you fly there
i.< no ps<!a|)e. .Although you reach the Tanais, love will
»lill pursue you." '^ Ue niulierum ine.xhHusla libi-
dine hnuqiie insatiabili omnesaque regioiu'S conqueri
pn3!«e ..-xii'tiuio. Steph. »* " What have lust and
exemplii? iT.neas Silviu!<. QuiB tri^e.-iiinuin annum
iinliis nullurii airiiiri!«cuu!!a peregjt inML'oe laiinui" ? ppo
de nie facio noiiji-cluraiu. quein amor in niille pt-riculit
uii!'il. S3 Fore* I u!!. Plato. -M'ract. major. Trutt.
li. cap. 1. Rub. 11. lie lEsril. cap. quod Ins uiulluni con-
jnrcsirainedilesire left chaste »r inviolaie upon earth .'" ; lingat. " Ha:c a-.'riludo est lolicituilo tiii-lancholica
-» Plautuj. " Oculi cali^aiit. anres eraviter audiuni, { in qua homo applicat sibi continuam couiiaiiiniein »u.
'-apilli tluunt. cutis aie«:it, flatus olel, tus..*!-!, tc. I'y- per pnlcliri'udint? ip»iij» quaiii auial, gi-niuum nioruin.>.
prian. *' Lib. H. Epist. Kulfinu.-i. =» ilialque turpi:! | « Aniiui forte accidens quo qui* rni; li;ili.-rr iiiiina «vi-
inter arida-i nates podex. *>('adaverf«a adeo ul ab | dilate conciipi«.-il. ut ludiw veiialoni'. uuruiii i-l opet
liifena reverna videri posiiil, vult adhuc caiiillir)'. avari. »• .\!.»idua cogitalio »up<-r n-m ilpnidfratiim.
>' Nam et iiialrimnniis est de«pec:um senium, i^^ieas ciiiii confldentia oblineudi, ul spc- appri.li<-iiiiuio d«lrc.
Silvius. >-Uuid loto terraruin orbe (.immuiii'is .' qu.-e i labile, Slc.
tivitas, quod oppiduni, quie I'auiilia vacat aaia^.>ruiu |
Mem. 2. Subs. 1.]
Causes of Love-Melancholy.
453
,ion his commentator cavils at. For continual cogitation is not the genus but a
symptom of love ; we continually think of that which we hate and abhor, as well
as that which we love; and many things we covet and desire, without all hope of
attaining. Carolus a Lorme, in his Questions, makes a doubt, ,^n amor sit viorhus,,
whether this heroical love be a disease: Julius Pollux Onniiiasl. lib. Q.'cap. 41. de-
termines it. They that are in love are likewise '^^ sick ; lascwus., salax.lascivlrn^^
et qui in vcneremfurit., vere est crgrolus. Arnoldus will have it improperly so called,
and a malady rather of the body than mind. Tully, in his Tiiscuhms, defines it a
furious disease of the mind. Plato, madness itself. Ficinus, his Commentator, cap.
12. a species of madness, " for many have run mad for women," Esdr. iv. 26. But
*®Rhases "a melancholy passion:" and most physicians make it a species or kind
of melancholy (as will appear by the symptoms), and treat of it apart; whom I
mean to imitate, and to discuss it in all his kinds, to examine his several causes, to
show his symptoms, indications, prognostics, effect, that so it may be v.ith more
facility cured.
The part affected in the meantime, as '"'Arnoldus supposeth, "is the former part
of the head for want of moisture," which his Commentator rejects. Langius, rued.
episL lib. 1. cap. 24. will have this passion seated in the liver, and to keep residence
in the heart, ■" " to proceed first from the eyes so carried by our spirits, and kindled
with imagination in the liver and heart ;'.' coget amare jecur, as the saying is. Me-
dium fcret per epar., as Cupid in Anacreon. For some such cause belike ''^Horner
feigns Titius' liver (who was enamoured of Latona) to be still gnawed by two vul-
tures day and night in hell, ''^"for that young men's bowels thus enamoured, are so
continually tormented by love." Gordonius, cap. 2. part. 2. '''*''' will have the testi-
cles an immediate subject or cause, the liver an antecedent." Fracastorius agrees in
this v.'itli Gordonius, inde primittis imagina/io venerea., erecfio, Sfc. tilillatissimam
partem vocat., ita id nisi exlniso semine gestiens volupfas non cessaf., nee assidua ve-
neris recordatio, addit Gnastivinius Comment. 4:. Sect. prob. 27. Jlrist. But ''''pro-
perly it is a passion of the brain, as all other melancholy, by reason of corrupt
imagination, and so doth Jason Pratensis, c. 19. de morb. cerebri (wdio writes copi-
ously of this erotical love), place and reckon it amongst the affections of the brain.
*^ Melancthon dc anima confutes those that make the liver a part affected, and Guia-
nerius. Tract. 15. cap. 13 et 17. though many put all the affections in the heart, refers
it to the brain. Ficinus, cap. 7. in Convivium Platonis, " will have tlie blood to be
the part affected." Jo.- Frielagius, cujy. 14. noct. med. supposeth all four affecte<l,
heart, liver, brahi, blood; but the major part concur upon the brain, ''"'tis imaginatio
Joisa ; and both imagination and reason are misaftected; because of his corrupt judg-
ment, and continual meditation of that wliich he desires, he may truly be said to be
melancholy. If it be violent, or his disease inveterate, as I have determined in the
precedent partitions, both imagination and reason are misafTected, first one, then the
other.
MEMB. II.
SuBSECT. I. Causes of Heroical Lnre^ Temperature full Diet, Idleness, Place,
Climate, S^c.
Of all causes the remotest are stars. ''* Ficinus cap. 19. sailh they are most prone
to this burnirig lust, that have Venus in Leo in their horoscope, when the Moon and
Venus be mutually aspecled, or such as be of Venus' complexion. ""^ Plutarch inter-
® Morbus corporis potius quani animi. 3' Amor
est passio inelancliolira. ■"' Ol) c.'ik'factioiiem
spiriliiuiii p:irs aiilerior capitis laliorat ub coiisiiinp-
tiiiiii'iii luiiiiiilitatis. -> Aliectiis aiiiini coiiciipi-icibili.;
e desiiltTii) rui aiiiaU-e per ociilus in ineiile r.oiicepln,
spirilus ill corilo et jucore iiicfiidciis. "Oilyss. et
AJetaiiior. 4. Dvitl. « Ciuoil talem caniiticiiiaiii
ia adiilcsceiiliiin viscerihiis amor facial iiic xplihihs.
<*Testiciili qiioatl caiisam conjunctani, cpar antcriiilfii-
'.em, possuiit esse siibjectuiii. -ij I'roprie passio
cerebri est ub cornipiaiu imagiiiatioiiem. *''0'ap. de
affectihus. <' Est corruplio iiriaginativic et ^stimativae
t'aciillatis, ob roriiiaiii fortiter affi.vam, corriiptiiinqaH
jiidiriuiii. iit?(Miiper de eo coiritet, ideoqiie rede inelaii-
clioliciis appellatiir. Cmiciipisceiitia velieiiieiis px cor-
rupto jinlicid arstiiiiativa; virtutis. *"C'iiiiiiient. iit
cuMviviiiiii Platniiis. Irrctiunlur nito qiiibiis iiascenli-
bus Vcims riierit in Leone, vrl Luna veiierein velie
nieiiter aspexcrit, et qui eadeni coinplexione sunt pnz-
diti. ^' Plerunique aiiiatores sunt, el si foeiiiiiix :n»-
relrices, 1. de audieiid.
454 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
prets astrologically that tale of Mars and Venus, " in whose genitures t and ? are in
oonjunctioii," thev are commonlv lascivious, and if women queans ; '' as the good
wife of Bath confessed in Chaucer ;"
Ifolloiredaije mine inrlinntioti.
By virtue of my constellation.
But of all those astrological aphorisms which I have ever read, that of Cardan is
most memoi able, for which howsoever he is bitterly censured by ^"Marinus Marcen-
nus, a malapert friar, and some others (wiiich ^' he himself suspected) yet methinks
it is free, downright, plain and ingenious. In his ^^ eighth Gcniture, or example, he
hath these words of himself 6 -f and ^ in 'i dignUatibus assiduain mihi Vtncrcorum
cogilatlanem praslahunt., ita ul nunquaiu qui^scam. Et paulo post, Cogitallo Venere-
oruvi me torqtul perpeluo., et qua/n facto imphre nan '<cm//, aulficissc polentcm puduit^
cogitatione assiduu mentltits sum voluptatem. Et alibi, ob ( ct i dominium et radiorunt
mixtionem^ profundum fuit ingenium, sed lascivum^ egoque turpi libidini dcditus et
obsccenus. So lar Cariian of himself, quod de sc fatetur ideo ^^ ul utdiiutem udferut
studiosis hujusce disciplimr., and for lliis he is traduced by Marcennus, when as in
eflect he saith no more than what Gregory Nazianzen of old, to Chilo his scholar,
offerebant se mild vise iuUb mulic res., quarniu prcecellcitli elegant id et decore spcctabiU
tentabatur mccB integritus pudicitice. Et quidcm Jlugitium vitavi fornicationis, at
munditia virginalis Jlorem urcanl cordis cogitatione fueduvi. Sed ad rem. Aptiores
ad masculinain vt'uerem sunt quorum genesi Venus est in sigiio masculinu, et ia
Saturni tinibus aut opposilione, Sec. Ptolomeus in quadripart. plura de his et speci-
alia habet aphorismata, longo proculdubio usu confirmata, et ab expericntia multa
perlecta, inquit commentator ejus Cardanus. Tho. Campanella Jlstroli>gia: lib. 4.
cup.S. articulis 4 and o. in>aniam amatoriam remonstrantia, multa prie cieteris accu-
niulat aj)horismala, quie tpii vulet, consulat. Cliiromaniici ex cingulo Veneris ple-
rumque conjecturanj faciiml, et monte Veneris, de quorum decretis, Tuisnerum,
Jt»han. de Jndagine, (jocknium, celerusque si lubet, inspicias. Physicians divine
wholly from the temperature and complexion ; phlegmatic persons are seldom taken,
according to Ficinus Comment, cup. V; naturally melancholy less than they, but
once taken tliey are never freed ; thougli many are of opinion fiatuous or hypochon-
driacal melancholy are nmsi subject of all others to this infirujity. Valescus assigns
their strt)ng imagination for a cause, Bodiue abundance of wind, Gordonius of seed,
and spirits, or atomi in the seed, which cause their violent and furious passions.
Sanguine thence are soon caught, young folks most apt to love, and by their good
wills, saith ** Lucian, ^" would have a bout with every one they see :" the colt's evil
is common to all conq)lexi(>ns. Theomesius a young and lusty gallant acknowledg-
eth (in the said author) all this to be verified in him, "• I am so amorously given,
"you may sooner number the sea-sands, and snow falling from the skies, than my
several loves. Cupid had shot all his arrows at me, 1 am deluded with various
desires, one love succeeds another, and that so soon, that before one is ended, I
begin with a second ; slie that is last is stdl fairest, and she that is present pleaseth
me most : as an hydra's head my loves increase, no lolaus can help me. Mine eyes
are so moist a refuge and sanctuary of love, that they draw all beauties to them, and
are never satisried. I am in a doubt what fury of Venus this should be: alas, how
have I olTended her so to vex me, what Ilippolitus am I!" What Telchin is my
genius ? or is it a natural impertection, an hereditary passion ? Another in *"Anacreon
confesseth that he had twenty sweethearts in Athens at once, fifteen at Corinib, as
many at Tliebes, at Lesbos, and at Rhodes, twice as many in Ionia, thrice in Caria,
wenty thousand in all : or in a word, «. <^wj)i ndvta, &c.
'° Fiili;t arlMiruiii nniniuni iti
\ij:?li retfrrt- cuncta,
Aut corupuiare arfiia:!
Ill xquiire uiiiver:<a!i,
S4iluni io<-i>ruiii aiiioriim
Te fecero lonistam ?"
■C»n«t count the leave* in May,
Or "iaiuls rUi"oc>'an »fa ?
Tht'ii count uiy loven 1 pray."
His eyes are like a balance, apt, to propend each way, and to be weighed down
'* CoiiMiient. in Genes, cap. 3. " Rt si in h'>c parijin alii aninri-* aliia mircirduiil, ac priuixiiinin <l>.-«inant pri-
i pra>i:liira infaniia stiilliiiaqiu- alM-ro. viiirit laineii orp«, iiicipiuiil rK-qurMt'-i. Aileo IiuiiihIki orulii> iiii-ua
aniiir vtrritutiK. *^ hlilil. UaMil. 1J33. C'lini (.'oiiiinciiiiir. j iiihahitat AkvIu!! ouiiieiii r<iriiiuiii ad m- rHpiciiii, ul nulla
III Ptulouia-i <|ii:i'lrip,irtituin. " Ful. 44.V lia!>il. I itati»-lnie expleatur. CluKuaiu luce ira Vi-nerii, Itc
t>lit. -' l>. il uuKiruiu. i^'Ciiifisi niarn rturiuii ^ Nuiu. lixii.
el Ul veu cwlu aobueQltui uuineraru quaui auiuren lueu* ; |
Mem. 2. Subs. 1.]
Causes of Love-MelancJioIy.
455
with every wench's looks, his heart a weathercock, his affection tinder, or napthe
itself, which every fair object, sweet smile, or mistress's favour sets on fire. Guia-
ncrius tract 15. cop. 14. refers all this ^' to ''•the hot temperature of the testicles,"
Ferandus a Frenchman in his Erofiquc Mel. (wliich ■''^book came first to my hands
after the third edition) to certain atomi in the seed, '■'• such as are very spermatic and
full of seed." 1 find the s^me in Aristol. sect. 4. prob. 17. si non seccniatur seinen^
cessare tentigines non possunt., as Gaustavinius his commentator translates it : for
M'hich cause these young men that be strong set, of able bodies, are so subject to it.
Hercules de Saxonia hath the same words in effect. But most part I say, such as
are aptest to love that are young and lusty, live at ease, stall-fed, free from cares, like
cattle in a rank pasture, idle and solitary persons, they must needs hirquituUlrc, as
Guastavinius recites out of Censorinus.
•■ Mens erit apta capi turn quum Icetissinia reruiii.
Ut seges in jiiiigui luxuriabit huino."
" Tlie mind is apt to lust, and liol or nil,!.
As corn luxuriates in a better mould."
The place itself makes much wherein we live, the clime, air, and discipline if they
concur. In our Misnia, saith Galen, near to Pergamus, thou slialt scarce find an
adulterer, but many at Rome, by reason of the delights of the seat. It was that
plenty of all things, wliich made ''"Corinth so infamous of old, and the opportunity
of the place to entertain those foreign comers ; every day strangers came in, at each
gate, from all quarters. In that one temple of Venus a thousand whores did prosti-
tute themselves, as Strabo writes, besides Lais and the rest of better note : all nations
resorted thither, as to a school of Venus. Your hot and southern countries are
prone to lust, and far more incontinent than those that live in the north, as Bodine dis-
courseth at large. Method, hist. cap. 5. Molles Jlsiatici^ so are Turks, Greeks, Span-
iards, Italians, even all that latitude; and in those tracts, such as ai'e more fruitful,
plentiful, and delicious, as Valence in Spain, Capua in Italy, dnmicilium luxus Tully
terms it, and (which Hannibal's soldiers can witness) Canopus in Egypt, Sybaris,
Phoeacia, Baiaj, ^'Cyprus, Lampsacus. In ''^Naples the fruit of the soil and pleasant
air enervate their bodies, and alter constitutions : insomuch that Florus calls it Cer-
lamen Bacchi et Veneris., but ^^Foiiot admires it. In Italy and Spain they have their
stews in every great city, as in Rome, Venice, Florence, v/lierein, some say, dwell
ninety thousand iidiabitants, of wliich ten thousand are courtezans ; and yet for all
this, every gentleman almost hath a peculiar mistress ; fornications, adulteries, are
nowhere so common : urbs est jam tota lupanar; how should a man live honest
amongst so many provocations .' now if vigour of youth, greatness, liberty I mean,
and that impunity of sin which grandees take iuito themselves in this kind shall
meet, what a gap must it needs open to all manner of vice, with what fury will it
rage .'' For, as ^laximus Tyrius the Platonist observes, libido consequuta quum fucrit
maieriam improbam, et prcpruptam licentiam, el effrenatam audaciam^ Stc, what will
not lust effect in such persons .'' For commonly princes and great men niake no
scruple at all of such matters, but with that whore in Spartian, quicquid libel licet^
they think they may do what they list, profess it publicly, and rather brag with Pro-
cuhis (that writ to a friend of his in Rome, ^^ what famous exploits he had done in
that kind) than any way be abashed at it. ^^ Nicholas Sanders relates of Henry VIll.
(1 know not how truly) Quod paucas vidit pulchriores quas non concupieril,, et pau-
cissimas non concupieril quas non violaril, '-'• He saw very few maids that he did not
desire, and desired fewer whom he did not enjoy:" nothing so familiar amongst
them, 'tis most of their business : Sardanapalus, Messalina, and Joan of Naples, are
not comparable to ''^ meaner men and women ; Solomon of old had a thousand concu-
bines; Ahasiierus liis eunuchs and keepers; Nero his TigiUinus panders, and bawds;
the Turks, '''Muscovites, Mogors, Xeriffs of Barbary, and Persian Sophies, are no
whit inferior to them in our times. Delectus Jit omnium puellarum toto regno forma
''Qui calidum t''sticuIorum crisin hahent, &c.
^ Priuleii at Paris Itii-l. seven years after my first edi-
tie*:. ^soviddeart. ""Gerbelius, de.script.
Grsciae. Rerum omnium affluentia et loci mira oppor-
lunit««, nullo non die liospltes in portas advertcbant.
Tenipio Veneris niille meretrices se pro?tituehant
"' 'I'lita Cypri in.^iila delitiis inenmbit, et ob id tantnm
ln\i;rire dedita ut sic .dun Wneri sacrata. Ortidius,
Lampsacus, olim I'riapo sacer ob vinum gencrosum, et
loci dclicias. Idem. 62 Acri Neapolitan! deleclat..),
ele^antia, amsnitas, vix intra molnm humaiinm con-
sistere videtur; unde, &c. Leainl. .\ll)(!r. in Campania.
•i^Lib. de land. urb. Neap. Dispiitat. <U: iiiorbis aninii,
Reinoldo Interpret. ^< l,aiiipridin-«, (lu«.d decetu
iioctibus centum virgines fi-cisfft ninlicres. '* Vita
ejus. ™ If they contain themselves, many licnes il
is not virtutis amore; non deest voluntas sed faculta'
*' In Muscov.
456 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
prcpstantlonim fsaith Joviiis^ pro impcratorc ; it quas ilh Unqiilt, nohilrs hahait:
thev press and muster up wenches as we do soldiers, and have their choice of tli«
rarest beauties iheir countries can atlord, and yet all this cannot keep them from
adultery, mcest, sodomy, buirsfery, and such prodigious lusts. We may conclude,
that if they be youns^, fortunate, rich, high-fed, anil idle withal, it is almost impos-
sible that they should live honest, not rage, and precipitate themselves into these
inconveuiences of burning lust.
^"•'Otiiini et ri'aea (iriiis i-t beaias
rinliilil iirUes."
Idleness overthrows all, Vacuo pecture rci^nat amor, love tyranniseth in an idle
person. Amorc abundas Antipho. If thou hast nothing to do, ^^'''Invidia vti
amore miser torquehcrc Thou shalt be naieu in pieces with envy, lust, some
passion or other. Ifomines nihil agendo male agere discunt ; 'tis Aristotle's simile,
■"'•as match or touchwood takes fire, so doth an idle person love." QiKrritur
jEgistus fjuare sit factus aduitir, fvC, why was .'Egistus a whoremaster .' You
need not ask a reason of it. Ismeiiedora stole Baccho, a woman forced a man, as
"Aurora did C'ephalus : no marvel, saiih " Plutarch. Lururians opihiis mon humiiiinn
Tiiuliir agit : she was rich, fortunate and jolly, and doth but as men do in that case,
as Jupiter did by Europa, Neptune by Amymone. The poets therefore did well to
feign all shepherds lovers, tt> give tlu-mselvt's to songs and dalliances, because they
liveil such idle lives. For love, as "Theophrostus defines it, is o//o>/ animi ajfcittts^
an aflectior) of an idle mind, or as "Seneca describes it, Juctnta gignittir, jiiiu
nutritur,feriis alitur, otioqut iiittr lata fortuna- bonie ; youth begets it, riot main-
tains it, idleness nourisheth it, &c. which makes '^Gordonius the physician cap. 'iO.
part. 2. call this disease the proper passion of nobiliry. Now if a weak judgment
and a strong apprehension do concur, lu»w, pailh Hercules de Saxonia, shall they
resist .' Savanarola appropriates it almost t«> '"»* uionks, friars, and religious persons,
because they live solitarily, fair daintily, and do nothing :" aiuJ well he may, for how
should they otherwise choose .'
Diet alone is able to cause it : a rare thing to see a young man or a woman that
lives idlv and lares well, of what condition soever, not to be in love. " Alcibiades
was still dallying with wanton young women, immoderate in his expenses, ellt-nii-
nate in his apparel, ever in love, but why.' he was over-delicate in his diet, too fre-
<pient and excessive in banrjuets, L bicunque securitas, ibi libido dominotur ; lust
aiitl strurity domineer together, as St. Hierome averreth. All which tlie wife of Bath
in Chaucer freely justifies.
For all to lifktr, ai cold nffeudretk kail,
A linuoritk tmtgut mutt kaee a li^uoruk tail.
Especially if they sliall further it by clioicc diet, as many times those Sybarites aiul
Pha-aces do, fceil liberallv, and by their good will eat notldng else but lascivious
meats. '"Vinum imprimis gcntrnsum, Irgumin, fubas, radices omnitim gmrnim
bene conditas, et largo pipere aspersas, carduos hortulanos, lactucits, ''' erucas,
ropas, pvrros, ra-pas, niictm piceum, amygdalas dulcrs, elcctuaria, syrnpos, siircos,
covhUas, conchas, piscts optime prwparatns, nviculas, testiculos animaliiim, ova,
condimtnta divtrsorvm gtntrum, moUcs Ivctos, pulvinaria, S^c. Et qiiia/uid fere
mtdici iinpotcntia rei venertce lahoranti prcescrihunt, hoc quasi diasalyrion habtnt
in delitiis, et his daprs multb delicatiores ; muhum, erquisitas et eroticas frugis,
aronuita, placenta.'^, espressos succo.s multis firciitis varia/os, ipsumqiir vinum sua-
vitate rincentfs, et quicquid culina, pharntacopcea, aut quceque fire ojfiiiua siibmi-
nistrare possit. Et hoc plerumque virtu quum se gam ones infarciout, *" ut illr ob
Chreseida suam, se bulbis it cvrhleis curavit ; etiam ad Venerem se pnnnt, it ad
hanc piilestram se eierccant, qui fieri posiit, ut non miscre dipereant, *' uf non peni-
tu.t in'saniant ^ .^luans venter cito despuit in libidinem, Ilieronymus ait. ''^ Post
"■Cslullu* ail l.»'»hiarn. "nor. '•Polil. H. iiiriirrit bcr paMin Militarioa deliliow vivrnt<>«. inenn.
H ini :-. Ill tiaplha. ad i:;npm, sic amor ail ill'is <i'ii i-'f tiii4Miie«. relieioMM, 4ie. ''PIui.ikIi ni.riua.
" faui^ania:! Attic. Ilh. I. i Vina pnrniit jiiiiiiim venrri. '•''.~ < ir
<■ Jitveni* nh aiirnrn raptii< • > iiint biilr>i(|iit: nalace*; liiiproha npc ; i.
,„ 1. J Im aiiiatnriu. iii'i fuil " Pelroiii,. . x
• lira f-t ?<>llicituili:u». I "I'l .k.iifii,
iin I't ailrtueiiliani di- i ■, im-ni it qu.> , rutiino
' iiiciirnri'. '• .\r- n. niprriait. - J.
leulrr iai-^icir >iai oU>'*4iu kitaiii agil. ut couiniuii her
IVlein. 2. Subs. 2.]
Causes of Love-MelanclwCy.
457
praiidia, Callyroenda. Quis cnim contincre se potest ? ^^Luxuriosa res vinuni,
fommtum libidinis vocat Augustiiui.s, bland um d(emone?n, Bernardus ; lac veneris,,
Aristophanes. Non JEUva, non Vesuvius tantis ardoribus sestuant, ac juveniles me-
dullae vino plena?, addif *'^ llieronynius : unde oh optimum viniim Lamsacus oUm
Priapo srjfcr: ct vcnerandi Bacclii socio, apud ^^Orpheuni Venus omo'zV. Hcbc si
vinum simplex, et per sc sumptum prcrstare possit, nam '^ quo me Bacche
rapis tui plenum? quam non insoniam, quern non furorem u cccteris cxpectemus?
^'Gomesius saJcm enumcrat inter ea qum intempstivam libidinem prooocare solent,
et salaciores fieri fceniinas obesum salis conteudit : Venerem ideo dicunt ab Oceano
ortam.
fS" Unde rot in Veneta scnitornm millia cur sunt ?
In promptu causa est, est Venus orta mari."
Et hinc foeta mater Salacea Oceani conjux, verbumqiie furtasse salax a sale effiurit.
3'lala Bacchica tantum oliin in amoribus pravalucrunt, ut coroncs ex illis statucB
Bacchi ponerentur. ^Cubebis in vino maceratis utuntur Jndi Orientales ad Vene-
rem excitandum, et ^ Surax radice Africani. Chinae radix eosdetn tffectus habet,
talisqiie herbce, meminit mag. nat. lib. 2. cap. 16. *" Baptista Porta ex India cdlatce,
cujus mcniioncm facit et Theophrastus. Sed itifinita his similia apud Rhasin, Mat-
thiolum, Mizaldum, cceterosqiie medicos occurrunt, quorum ideo mentionem feci, ne
quis imperitior in Jios scopulos impingat, sed pro virili tanquam syrtes et cautes
consultb ejfugiat.
SuBSECT. II. — Other causes of Love-Melancholy^ Sight, Beauty from the Face,
Eyes, other parts, and hmo it picrceth.
Man^y such causes may be reckoned up, but they cannot avail, except opportunity
be offered of time, place, and those other beautiful objects, or artificial enticements,
as kissing, conference, discourse, gestures concur, with such like lascivious provoca-
cations. Kornmannus, in his book de linea amoris, makes five degrees of lust, out
of ^Lucian belike, which he handles in five chapters, Visits, Colloquium, Convictus,
Oscula, Tactus?^ Sight, of all other, is the first step of this unruly love, though
sometime it be prevented by relation or hearing, or rather incensed. For there be
those so apt, credulous, and facile to love, that if they hear of a proper man, or wo-
man, they are in love before they see them, and that merely by relation, as Achilles
Tatius observes. ^■*Sucli is their intemperance and lust, that they are as much
maimed by report, as if they saw them. Callisthenes a rich young gentleman of
Byzance in Thrace, hearing of ^^Leucippe, Sostraius' fair daughter, was far in love
with her, and, out of fame and common rumour, so much incensed, that he would
needs have her to be his wife." And sometimes by reading they are so aflected, as
he in ^''Lucian confesseth of himself, "• 1 never read that place of Panthea in Xeno-
phon, but I am as much aflected as if I were present with her." Sucli persons com-
monly ^' feign a kind of beauty to themselves; and so did those three gendewomen
in ^^Balthasar Castillo fall in love with a young man whom they never knew, but
only heard him commended : or by reading of a letter ; for there is a grace cometh
from hearing, ^^ as a moral philosopher informeth us, "■ as well from sight ; and the
species of love are received into the fantasy by relation alone :" '"^ ut cupere ab
aspectu, sic velle ab audUu, both senses affect. Jnterdum ct absentes amamus, some-
times we love those that are absent, saith Philostratus, and gives instance in his
friend Athenorodus, that loved a maid at Corinth whom he never saw ; non ocull sed
mens videt, we see with the eyes of our understanding.
But the most familiar and usual cause of love is that which comes by sight, which
*3Siraciiles. Nox, et amor vinumque nihil modera-
Llle suadcnt. ^^ Lip. ail Olyinpiaui. s>5 Uvnmo.
«H(jr. I. 3. 0(I. 25. f Ue sale lib. cap. -21.
^^ Knrnmanniis lib. de virgjnitate. t'-'Garcias ah
horto aronialuni, lilt. 1. cap. 26. s^Surax radix ad
coitum siinime facit si quis comedat, ant iiifusioneni
bibat, nioinbruni subito erigitur. Leo Afer. lib. 9. cap.
ult. »i duEE non solum edentibus sed et genitale
langenlibiis tanluni valet, ut coire suninie desiderent ;
quoties fere veliiit, possint; alios duodecies profecisse,
alios ad CO vices pervenisse refert. "^ Lucian. Tom.
4. Dial, aiiiorum. ^ " Sight, couference, association,
58
2 0
kisses, touch." 94 Ea enim honiinuni intemperan-
tiuni libido est ut ctiam faiiia ad amanilum impellaiitur,
et audienles jeque alficiuntur ac videiites. s^ For-
niosain Sostrato filiam audiens, uxorein cupit, et sola
illius, auditione ardct. '•■Uuoties de Panthea Xe-
nnphontis locum jierlego, ita aninioali>ctus ac si coram
intuerer. "• Pulchritudinem sibi ipsis confingunt.
Imagines. 9* De anlico lib. 2. t'ol. ll(j. 'tis a pleasant
story, and related at large by him. «* Gratia venit
ab iiuditu a-que ac visu et species amoris in phanta-
siain recipiuiil.9ola relatione. Picolomineus grad. 8. c.
38. ""^ Lips. cent. 2. epist. SJi Beautic's Encoiaions.
438 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
couvevs those admirable rays of beauty aiul pleasing graces to the heart. Plotinus de-
rives love from sight, i'pwj quasi oijootj. ' Si 7uscis, ocull sunt in amore duces^ "the eyes
are the harbingers of love," and the first step of love -is sight, as ^Lilius Giraldua
proves at large, hist. dear, syntcig. 13. tliey as two sluices let iu the intlueuces of that
divine, powerful, soul-ravishing, and captivating beauty, Mhich, as ^ one saith, " is
fcharper than any dart or needle, wounds deeper into the heart; and opens a gap
tlirough our eyes to that lovely wound, which pierceth the soul itself" (Ecclus. 18.)
Through it love is kindled like a lire. This amazing, confounding, admirable, amia-
ble beauty, '*"■ than which in all nature's treasure (saith Isocrales; there is nothing
so niajestical and sacred, nothing so divine, lovely, precious," 'tis nature's crown,
gold and glorv; bonum si non su/nmum, dc summis tavwn nan infrequentcr triumphans^
uhose power hence may be discerned ; we contemn and abhor generally such things
as are foul and ugly to behold, account them filthy, but love and covet that which
is fair. 'Tis ^ beauty in all things which pleaseth and allureth us, a lair hawk, a fine
garment, a goodly building, a fair house, &.c. That Persian Xerxes wiien he de-
stroyed all those temples of the gods in Greece, caused that of Diana, in integrum
servctri, to be spared alone for tliat excellent beauty and magnificence of it. Inani-
mate beauty can so command. 'Tis that which painters, artificers, orators, all aim
at, as Eriximachus the physician, in Plato contends, '"^It was beauty first that min-
istered occasion to art, to find out the knowledge of carving, painting, building, to
find out models, perspectives, rich furnitures, and so many rare inventions." White-
ness in the lilv, red in the rose, purple in the violet, a lustre in all things without
life, the clear light of the moon, the bright beams of the sun, splendour of gold,
purple, sparkling diamond, the excellent feature of the horse, the majesty of the lion,
the colour of birds, peacock's tails, the silver scales of fish, we behold with singular
delight and admiration. '''And which is rich in plants, delightful in flowers, won-
derful in beasts, but most glorious in men," doth make us afl'ect and earnestly desire
it, as when we hear any sweet harmony, an ehxiuent tongue, see any excellent
cpialitv, curious work of man, elaborate art, or aught that is exquisite, there ariseth
instantly in us a longing for the same. We love such men, but most part for come-
liness of person ; we call them jt'kIs and godesses, divine, serene, haj)py, &.c. And
c»f all mortal men they alone ("Calcagninus holds) are free from calumny; qui divi-
iiis^ ma^istrdtu et gloria Jlorcnt, injuria laccssiinus^ we backbite, wrong, liate re-
nowned, rich, and happy men, we repine at their felicity, they are undeserving we
think, fortune is a step-mother to us, a parent to them. '• We envy ^ saith * Isocrates)
wise, just, honest men, except with mutual ofiices and kindnesses, some good turn
or other, thev extort this love troin us ; only fair persons we love at first sight, desire
their acquaintance, and adore them as so many gods : we had rather serve them than
command others, and accoimt ourselves the more beholding to them, the more ser-
vice thev enjoin us : though they be otherwise vicious, dishonest, we love them,
favour them, and are ready to do them any good office for their '"beauty's sake,
though thev have no other goiid quality beside. Die igitur b formosc adolcsccns (as
that eloquent Piiavorinus breaks out in " Stobeus) die Jiutiloquc., suaciits nectare
loqueris ; die 6 Telemache^ vchcmentiiis Ulysse dicis; die Jilcibiades utcunquc cbrius,
libtntiits till licit ebrio auscultabimus. '' Speak, fair youth, speak Autiloquus, thy
words are sweeter than nectar, speak O Telemachus, thou art more powerful than
Ulysses, speak Alcibiades though drunk, we will willingly- hear thee as thou art."
Faults in such are no faults: for when the said Alcibiades had stolen Anytus his gold
and silver plate, he was so far from prosecuting so foul a fict (thougli every man
else condemned his inq)udence and insolency) that he wished it had been more, and
much better (he loved him dearly) for his sweet sake. '-No worth is eminent iv
such lovely persons, all imperfections hid ;" 7ion enim facile de his quos ylunmun
I Proprrt. • Ainoria primum gradum viuis liabet,
uc a^piciat rem anialum. > AcliilU-:) Tatiu* lib. 1.
Forma tel<> quuvis .'iitutiur a<l infereiiduiii vuluuii. perque
bruliM ainatoriu vuliieri aililuiii palelaciens in aniiiiuni
p«-iielrat. •Iiitntii reruiii iialiira nihil t'urniadiviiiiu«,
nihil aiiifiisliui). nihil prtrlinxius. ciiju:> virrt liiiic facile
iMlelliijUMtiir, ice. •t'hris'l. Koiiiwia. *i. L.
"• Briiy* proh. II. ile foraia i I.,uciani>!i. • Ljb. Ue
calumiiia. KoriiiiMi CaUiniiiinia vacant ; ilnleoiu:! alio*
MMliure locu putfiiiM.l'uriuuaio nubu uuvcrcam illu, ^c
• Invidenius Kapienlibos, juslio, niiii benedcii< aaaidut
anioreiii exturqueiil ; fuiloii rMriniifo* amaniiK rt primo
velul aspt'ctii tM.-iii.-volenlia oiiijiin^iiniir. •>! ei.« laii-
quaiii L)<'U* coliinuii, lit>eiiliii« \^i »t-rviniiii' i|iiniii alii*
iiU|H.Taniu«, iiiaj'<rc-iiii|up. tc. '" V'tima- iimj- »l»l»-iii
Barbdri verentur, nee iilii inaj'irt-K ))iiuiii i|ii>>i> rxiuiia
foriua nalura donala h<>(. HeriNl lilt. i. Curlin* i< \ri>i
Polii. >i derm. 63L PIviarch. Tit. ejua. Uriioniua
ijirabo.
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.]
Causes of Love-Melancholy.
459
diligimus^ turpitudinejti snspicanmr^ for hearing, sight, touch, Stc, oui mind and all
our senses are captivated, omnes scnsus fqrmosus deler.tat. Many men liave been
preferred for their person alone, chosen kings, as amongst the Indians, Persians,
ii'thiopiaiis of okl ; tlie properest man of person the country could afford, was
elected their sovereign lord; Gratior est pulchro veniens e corpore virtus, '^and so
have many other nations thought and done, as '^Curtius observes: Ingens enim
in corporis raajestate venerutio est, " for there is a majestical presence in such
men ;" and so far was beauty adored amongst them, that no man was thought fit to
reio-n, that was not in all parts complete and supereminent. Agis, king of Lacedfemon,
had like to have been deposed, because he married a little wife, they would not have
their royal issue degenerate. Who wonld ever have thouglit that Adrian the Fourth,
an English monk's bastard (as '^ Papirius Massovius writes in his life), inops a suis
rrlictus^squalidus et miser, a poor forsaken child, should ever come to be pope of Rome.''
But why was it? Erat acri ingmio^facundid expeditd eleganti corpore, facieque
lata ac hilari, (as he follows it out of '^Nubrigensis, for he ploughs with his heifer,)
"• he was wise, learned, eloquent, of a pleasant, a promising countenance, a goodly,
proper man ; he had, in a word, a winning look of his own," and that carried it, for
that he was especially advanced. So " Saul was a goodly person and a fair." 3Iaxi-
minus elected emperor, &c. Branchus the son of Apollo, whom he begot of Jance,
Succron's daughter (saith Lactantius), when he kept King Admetus' herds in Thessaly,
now grown a man, was an earnest suitor to his mother to know his father; the
nymph denied him, because Apollo had conjured her to the contrary; yet overcome
by his importunity at last she sent him to his father; when he came into Apollo's
presence, malas Dei reverenter osculatus, he carried himself so well, and was so
fair a young man, that Apollo was infinitely taken with the beauty of his person, he
could scarce look off" him, and said he was wortliy of such parents, gave him a
crown of grold, the spirit of divination, and in conclusion made him a demi-god. O
vis sujjerba formce, a goddess beauty is, whom the very gods adore, nam pulchros
dii amant; she is Jimoris domina, love's harbinger, love's loadstone, a witch, a
charm, Stc. Beauty is a dower of itself, a sufficient patrimony, an ample commend-
ation, an accurate epistle, as '*Lucian, '"Apuleius, Tiraquellus, and some others con-
clude. Impcrio digna forma, beauty deserves a kingdom, saith Abulensis, paradox
2. cap. 110. immortality; and '^''more have got this honour and eternity for their
beauty, than for all other virtues besides :" and such as are fair, " are worthy to be
honoured of God and men." That Idalian Ganymede was therefore fetched by
Jupiter into heaven, Hephaestion dear to Alexander, Antinous to Adrian. Plato calls
beauty for that cause a privilege of nature, JYatiirce gaudcntis opus, nature's master-
piece, a dumb comment ; Theophrastus, a silent fraud ; still rhetoric Carneades, that
persuades without speech, a kingdom without a guard, because beautiful persons
command as so many captains; Socrates, a tyranny, ''which tyranniseth over tyrants
themselves ; which made Diogenes belike call proper women queens, quod facerent
hoitiines quce, prceciperenf, because men were so obedient to their commands. They
will adore, cringe, compliment, and bow to a common wench (if she be fair) as if
she were a noble Avoman, a countess, a queen, or a goddess. Those intemperate
young men of Greece erected at Delphos a golden image with infinite cost, to the
eternal memory of Phryne the courtezan, as Jillian relates, for she was a most beau-
tiful woiuan, insomuch, saith '^Athemeus, that Apelles and Praxiteles drew Venus's
picture from her. Thus young men will adore and honour beauty; nay kings them-
selves 1 sav will do it, and voluntarily submit their sovereignty to a lovely woman.
•"Wine is strong, kings are strong, but a woman strongest," 1 Esd. iv. 10. as Zero-
babel proved at large to King Darius, his princes and noblemen. " Kings sit still
and command sea and land, kc, all pay tribute to the king; but women make kings
pay tribute, and iiave dominion over them. When they have got gold and silver,
they submit all to a beautiful woman, give themselves wholly to her, gape and gaze
'2 "Virtue appear-s more gracefully in a lovely per-
sonage." 'S hib. 5. maKMoruiiK)"'" ; opcruin iioii
alios capaces piitant quatii ipios eximia sptcie iiatura
dxiiavit. " Lib. de vitis Ponlifirum. Rotii. i-^Lib.
2. cap. 6. " Dial, aiiinrniii. c. i. <le ma»ia. Lib. 2.
roniiub. cap. 27. Virgo foriiiosa vX si oppido pauper,
abunde est dotala. »" Isocrates plures ob formam
iiiimortalilateiu adepli sunt quam ob reliqiias uinnes
virtut«s. 16 Luciaii Tom. 4. Charida;inon. Q,u\
pulcliri, merito apud Dcos et apud hoiiiini'S lionore af
fecli. .Miita coiiiinvntatio. qiiavis epistola ad commen.
daiiduiii elficacior. i» Lib. 9. Var.hist. tanta forimB
elegantia ut ab ea nuda, &.c.
460 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
on her, and all men desire her more than gold or silver, or any precious thing: iliey
will leave father and mother, and venture their lives for her, labour and travel to gel,
and bring all their gains to women, steal, tight, and spoil for their mistress's sake.
And no king so strong, but a fair woman is strongc- han he is. All things (as ^"hc
proceeds) fear to touch the king; yet I saw liim and Apame his concubine, tlic
daughter of the famous Bartacns, sitting on the right hand of the king, and she took
the crown off' liis head, and put it on her own, and stioke him with her left hand;
yet the king gaped and gazed on her, and when she laughed he laughed, and wlien
she was angry he flattered to be reconciled to her." So beauty cumniands even
kings themselves; nay whole armies and kingdoms are captivated together with their
kings: ^'Forina vincil armatos, ferrum jmlchriludo caplivat ; vinccniiir specie^ qui
non vincenlur prcelio. And 'tis a great matter saith *" Xcnophon, " and of which all
fair persons may worthily brag, that a strong man must labour for his living if he
will have aught, a valiant nian must fight and emlanger himself for it, a wise man
speak, show himself, and toil ; but a fair and beautiful person doth all with ease, he
comj)asseth his desire without any pains-taking:" God and men, heaven and earth
conspire to honour him; every one pities liim above other, if he be m need, "and
all the world is willing to do him good. -^ Chariclea fell into the hand of jjirates,
but when all the rest were put to the edge of the sword, she alone was preserved for
her person. ^ When Constantinople was sacked by the Turk, Irene escaped, and
v.ds so far from being made a captive, that she even captivated the Grand Seignior
himself. So did Rosamond insult over King Henry the Second.
* " I wns no fair an object ;
Whom fortiiiiK niade my kiiiir. my love made iubject ;
He fouiiil by priKif the privili-ee of U-auly,
That II had p<iwer to countermand all duty."
It captivates the very gods themselves, Morosiora nuniina,
" " Drui i[>*e dforiim
Factu* ob haiic formam b<)», e<|iiu« iiiiber olor."
And those mali genii are taken with it, as * I have already proved. Formosam Bar-
hari verenlur^ cl ad spectuin pulchrum immanis animus munsuescit. (Heliodor. /ti. 5.)
The barbarians stand in awe of a t'air woman, and at a beautiful aspect a tierce spirit
is pacified. For when as Troy was taken, and the wars ended (as Clemens '^Alex
andiinus quotes out of Euripides i angry .Meiielaus with rage and fury armed, came
with his sword drawn, to have killed Helen, with his own hands, as being the sole
cause of all those wars and miseries : but when he saw her fair face, as tJiie amazed
at her divine beauty, he let his weapon fall, and emf)raced iier l^esides, he had no
power to strike so sweet a creature. Ergo habetantur eases pulc/iritudine, the edge
of a sharp sword (as the saying is) is dulled with a beautiful aspect, and severity
itself is overcome. Hiperides the orator, when Pliryne his client was accused at
Athens for her lewdness, used no other defence in her cause, but tearing her upper
garment, disclosed her naked breast to the judges, with which comeliness of her
body and amiable gesture they were so moved and astonished, that they did acquit
her forthwith, and let her go. O noble piece of justice! mine author exclaims : and
who is he that would not rather lose his seat and robes, forfeit his office, than give
sentence against the majesty of beauty .' Sucli prerogatives have fair persons, and
thev alone are free from danger. Paithenopa;us was so lovely and fair, that when
he ibuglit in the Theban wars, if his face had been by chance bare, no enemy would
offer to strike at or hurt him, such immunities hath beauty. Beasts themselves are
moved with it. Sinalda was a woman of such excellent feature, "and a queen, that
when she was to be trodden on by wild horses for a punishment, "the wild beasLs
stood in admiration of her person, (Saxo Grammaticus lib. 8. JJan. hist.) and would
not hurt her." Wherefore did that royal virgin in ^'Apuleius, when she fled from
» Esdrac. iv. 29. " Origen horn. 23. in Xiimb. ■ count of thin beauty became a bull, a »hnw»T, s iw«n.»
In Ipso* tyrannoK tyranniilem ciercLl. » mud * S.ci. 2. M'ln 1 *ih. 1. a-Pir. ' , »l
wrte nia»niiiii <>b quod i;l<iriari ponsiint formf>«i. quod 1 raptam Trujiiiu cum impetu ferretiir. . m
robuMw iitci»iiiriuni »it laborare. t'c.rt.iii periculi* i-e M.-N n im -t p re adeo pulchriludiiii« r i '
objicere. MipieiiUin, &c. »> .Majorem viin liabet ad r Sec. «»TaMtir r..rin» lit ui turn
comuiendanaam f..rnia,quam accurate »< npla rpist.da. » "< eipo«ita foret. equoniin ral, ilma ol>-
Ari»t. »» ni-lio.lor. lib. I. » Kiio»%le<. hi»t. ' t. j uiiriitis adiniralioni full . Udere uoly«.
Turcica. * Daiii»'l in coniplaiiit of Ro«amond. i rum. " Lib. e. luulea.
"Buuza fliiua Epi^. "The king uf the cods on ac- I
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Beauty a Cause. 461
the thieves' den, in a desert, make such an apostrophe to her ass on whom slie rode;
(for what knew she to the contrary, but that he was an ass ?) Si me parentibus ci
proco fonnoso reddideris, quas tibi gratlas^ quos honorcs habcbo, quos cibos exhi-
bebo?^- She would comb' him, dress him, feed him, and trick him every day her-
self, and he should work no more, toil no more, but rest and play, &c. And besides
she would have a dainty picture drawn, in perpetual remembrance, a virgin riding
upon an ass's back with this motto, Asino vectorc regia virgo fugiens captivitalem;
why said she all this t why did she make such promises to a dumb beast .? but that
she perceived the poor ass to be taken with her beauty; for he did often obliquo
cnlJo pedes puel/cB dccoros basiare, kiss her feet as she rode, et ad delicalulas vocu-
las tentabat. adhinnire, offer to give consent as much as in him was to her delicate
speeches, and besides he had some feeling, as she conceived of her misery. And
why did Tiieogine's horse in Heliodorus ^^ curvet, prance, and go so proudly, cxultuns
alacriler ci superbicns., t^-c, but that such as mine author supposeth, he was in love
with his master ? dixisses ipsum equum pulclirum intclligcre pulcliram domini for-
mamf A fly lighted on ^^Malthius' cheek as he lay asleep; but why.' Not to hurt
him, as a parasite of his, standing by, well perceived, non ut pungerct, sed ut oscula-
rciur^ but certainly to kiss him, as ravished with his divine looks. Inanimate crea-
tures, ] suppose, have a touch of this. When a drop of ^^ Psyche's candle fell on
Cupid's shoulder, I think sure it was to kiss it. When Venus ran to meet her rose-
cheeked Adonis, as an elegant '^ poet of our's sets her out,
"the hushes in the way
Some catch her neck, some kiss her face,
Some twine ahoiit her le^s to make her stay,
And all did covf I lier tor to embrace. "
Aer ipse amore iiificitur, as Heliodorus holds, the air itself is in love: for when Hero
plaid upon her lute,
''"The wanton air in twenty sweet foriiis danc't
After her finaers"
and those lascivious winds stayed Daphne when she fled from Apollo;
" luidahant corpora venti.
Obviaque adversas vibrabant tiamina vcstcs."
Boreas Ventus loved Hyacinthus, and Orilhya Ericthons's daughter of Athens : vi
rapuit^ Sfc. lie took her away by force, as she was playing with other wenches at
llissus, and begat Zetes and Galias his two sons of her. That seas and waters are
enamoured with this our beauty, is all out as likely as that of the air and winds ;
for when Leander swam in the Hellespont, Neptune with his trident did beat down
the waves, but
" They still mounted up intending to li»ve kiss'd him,
And fell in drops like tears because they missed him."
The '^ river Alpheus was in love with Arethusa, as she tells the tale herself,
*> " viridesque manu siccata capillos,
Fluminis Alphei veteios recitavit amores;
Pars ego Nyiiipharuin," &.c.
When our Thame and Isis meet
<i " Oscula inille sonant, connexu brachia patient,
Mutuaque explicitis connectuiit colla lacertis."
Inachus and Pineus, and how many loving rivers can I reckon -up, whom beauty
hath enthralled ! I say nothing all this while of idols themselves that have com-
mitted idolatry in this kind, of looking-glasses, that have been rapt^in love (if you
will believe ^- poets), when their ladies and mistresses looked on to dress them.
" Et si non habeo sensuin, tiia gratia sensuin | " Though I no sense at all of feeling have,
Exhibef, et calidi sentio anions onus. Yet your sweet looks do animate and save;
Dirigis hue quoties spectantia luinina, flamma i And when your speaking eyes do this way turn.
Succtndunt inopi saucia membra milii." I Methinks my wounded members live and burn."'
1 could tell you such another story of a spindle that was fired by a fair lady's ""^ looks,
^' " If you will restore ine to my parents, and my began to relate the loves of Alpheus. I was formerly an
beautiful lover, what thanks, what honour shall I
owe you, what provender shall I not supply you?"
«> iEthiop. 1. 3. 84 Atheneus, lib. 8. 36 ..\pu|pi„s
Aur. asino. ^^shakspeare. 3' Marlowe. mqv.
,Met. 1. »Ovid. Met. lib. 5. ■'""And with her
hand wiping off the drops from her green tresses, thus
Achaian nymph." •" Leiand. ■' Tlieir lips resound
with thousand kisses, their arms are pallid with the
close embrace, and their necks are mutually entwined
by their fond caresses." ^- .^ngerianus. ^^g;
longe aspiciens hsc urit lumine divos atque houiine*
prope, cur urere lina nequit? Angerianus.
2o2
402 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
oi finders, some say, I know not well whether, but fired it was by report, and of a
Cold bath that suddenly smoked, and was very hot when naked Ccelia oanie into it,
Miramur quls sit taritus et unde vapor.,''''** &iC. But of all the tales in this kintl, that
is the most memorable of *^ Death himself, when he should have strucken a sw^et
young vir<rin with his dart, he fell in love with the object. Many more such coul;l
1 relate which are to be believed with a poetical faith. So (himb and deail creatures
dote, but men are mad, stupiried many times at the first sight of beauty, amazed,
**a8 that fisherman in Arista;netus that spied a maid bathing herself by the sca-sule,
<'"Soliita inihi sunt omnia inetiibra
A ca|iite ail calceiii. $eii8Ui<qiie oiniiis periit
De pt'i'ture, taiii ituiiitfiisiis etupur aiiiiiiaiii iiivasit iiiilii."
And as *^Lucian, in his images, confesses of himself, that he was at his mistress's
presence void of all sense, immovable, as if lie had seen a Gorgon's head: which
was no such cruel monster (as ^'Cieliiis interprets it, lib. 3. cap. 9.), ''but the very
quintessence of beauty," some fair cre-ature, as without doubt the poet understood
in the first fiction of it, at which the spectators were amazed. ^Miseri quibus in-
tenlala nites, poor wretches are compelled at the very sight of iier ravishing looks to
run mad, or make away witii themselves.
W'Thfy wait the Mjnieiiee of her icnrnrul eye*;
And M'hiiin the favours liveii, tliu other <Ja-8."
'- Ileliodorus, lib. 1. brings in Thyamis almost besides himself, wiien he saw Cha-
ridia first, and not daring to look upon her a second time, "for he tliought it impos-
sible for aiiv man living to see her and contain himself" Tiie very fame of beauty
will fetcii them to it many miles otl' (such an attractive power this loadstone hath),
and they will seem but short, they will undertake any toil or trouble, " long journeys.
Fenia or Atalanta shall not overgo them, tiirough seas, deserts, mountains, and dan-
gerous places, as they did to gaze on F'syche : " many mortal men came far and near
to see that glorious object of her age," Paris for Helena, Corebus to Troja.
•• nii* Trojam nui forte tlii-tiui
V'enerat iDiauu C'aMaiiilra; iiiieii*u« amore."
' who inflamed with a violent passion for Cassandra, happened then to be in Troy."
King John of France, once prisoner in England, came to visit his old friends again,
crossing the seas; but the truth is, his coming was to see the Countess of Salisbiirv,
the nonpjireil of those limes, and his dear mistress. That infernal God Pluto came
.from hell itself, to steal Prtiserpine ; Achilles left all his friends for Polixena's sake,
his enemy's daughter; aiul all the **Gra?cian gods forsook their heavenly mansions
for that fair lady, Philo Dioneus daughter's .sake, the paragon of Greece in those
days; ed enim venustate fuil., ul earn cerlatim onines dii cmijugem expelerent : "for
she was of such surpassing beauty, that all the gods contended for her love." ^For-
mosa divis impcrat puclla. •• The beautiful maid commands the gods." They will
not only come to see, but as a falcon makes a hungry hawk hover about, follow,
give attendance and service, spend goods, lives, and all their fortunes to attain ;
" Were ht-aiily under twenty lock* kept fast.
Yet luve breaks through, and picks them all at lait."
When fair ^ Hero came abroad, the eyes, hearts, and affections of her spectators were
still attendant on her.
••" Et inedios inter vultui supereminel omne*. I ••"So far above the re«t fair Hero ahined.
Cerquu urteui a«piciunt veiiieiiteiii nuiiiiiii!i instar." | Anil «lole away the enchanted gazer'* mind."
''When Peter Aretine's Lucretia came first to Rome, and that the fame of her beauty,
ad urbanarum deliciarum sectatores venerat., nemo Jion ad videndam earn, tl!>r. was
spread abroad, they came in (as they say) thick and threefold to see her, and hovered
♦♦" We wonder how great the vapour, and whence it virrinii rpnnte fugit inianui fere, et impoaaihile ciif-
eonipd." «» Idem An?er. ••Obstupuit mirahiinda* timant ut «imul earn aipicere cjui* posrnt, et intra lem-
niinihrorum ele^'aiiliam. &.C. E(>. 7 «' Sloba-u« ft peranli* nietas »e rnnlinere. »» Apuleni*. I. 4. M'llti
grarn. "My limbs ln'Came relaxed, I wa< overcome niortalei lonn» ilineribu», Ac. i* Nic. Gerbel. I. 5.
friMii head to loot, all (M-ll'-ponKesoiim fl<-d, po ereat a Achaia. »* I. rieenndui basiorum lib. x.Muiviia
ftupor overburdene<l my iiiiiiil." * Pnnim abfiiit i|uo Ilia autem bene moraia. |ier a-deni iiii'f'iiKiue vaja-
iiiiiiii<) xaxiiiii ex homiiie fartds Rum. ipHia iitatum im- haliir. •eqiienlem menlem hah>-liat e i«ul>>«. et rurda
niDiiilirireni me fecit. " Vetere« Uor»oni» fiibulain 1 virorum. »' Homer ••.Marlowe. ••Porno
foiiliiixeruni, eximiiim forms decu* itupidua redden*, didancalo dial Ital. Latin, dunat. 4 l>a«p. Barthio tier
■* Hor. Ode jw " MarltM Hero. *■ Aapectum , maiio.
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.]
Beauty a Cause.
463
about lier gates, as they did of old to Lais of Corinth, and Phryne of Thebes, ^Ad
cujus jacuit Grcecia tota fores, "at whose gates lay all Greece." ^'" Every man
sought to get her love, some with gallant and costly apparel, some with an affected
pace, some with music, others with rich gifts, pleasant discourse, multitude of fol-
lowers; others with letters, vows, and promises, to commend themselves, and to be
gracious in her eyes." Happy was he that could see her, thrice happy that enjoyed
her company. Charmides '^'in Plato was a proper young man in comeliness of per-
son, " and all good qualities, far exceeding others ; whensoever fair Charmides came
abroad, they seemed all to be in love with him (as Critias describes their carriage"),
and were troubled at the very sight of him ; many came near him, many followed
him wheresoever he went," as those ^^formarum speciatores did Acontius, if at any
time he walked abroad : the Athenian lasses stared on Alcibiades ; Sappho and the
Mitilenean women on Phaon the fair. Such lovely sights do not only please, entice,
but ravish and amaze. Cleonimus, a delicate and tender youth, present at a feast
which Androcles his uncle made in Piraso at Athens, when he sacrificed to Mercury,
so stupified the guests, Dineas, Aristippus, Agasthenes. and the rest (als Charidemus
in ®^ Lucian relates it), that they could not eat their meat, they sat all supper time
gazing, glancing at him, stealing looks, and admiring of his beauty. 3Iany will con-
demn these men that are so enamoured, for fools ; but some again commend them
for it; many reject Paris's judgment, and yet Lucian approves of it, admiring Paris
for his choice ; he would have done as much himself, and by good desert in his
mmd : beauty is to be preferred ^*" before wealth or wisdom." ^Athenaeus Deip-
nosophist, lib. 13. cap. 7, holds it not such indisrnity for the Trojans and Greeks to
contend ten years, to spend so much labour, lose so many men's lives for Helen's
sake, ^'for so fair a lady's sake,
"Ob taleni uxnrem rui praslaatissima forma,
Nil mortale refert."
That one woman was worth a kingdom, a hundred thousand other women, a world
itself. Well might ^* Sterpsichores be blind for carping at so fair a creature, and a
just punishment it was. The same testimony gives Homer of the old men of Troy,
that were spectators of that single combat between Paris and Menelaus at the Seian
gate, when Helen stood in presence ; they said all, the war was worthily prolonged
and undertaken ^^for her sake. The very gods themselves (as Homer and ™ Isocrates
record) fought more for Helen, than they did against the giants. When "'Venus lost
ner son Cupid, she made proclamation by [Mercury, that he that could bringr tidings
of him should have seven kisses ; a noble reward some say, and much better than
so many golden talents; seven such kisses to many men were more precious than
seven cities, or so many provinces. One such a kiss alone would recover a man if
he were a dying, '^ Suaviolum Sfygia sic tc de vallc reducet, Sfc. Great Alexander
married Roxane, a poor man's child, only for her person. " 'Twas well done of
Alexander, and heroically done ; I admire him for it. Orlando was mad for Angelica,
and who doth not condole his mishap ? Thisbe died for Pyramus, Dido for lEneas;
who doth not weep, as (before his conversion) ^^ Austin did in commiseration of her
estate ! she died for him ; "• methinks (as he said) I could die for her."
But this is not the matter in hand ; what prerogative this beauty hath, of what
power and sovereignty it is, and how far such psrsons that so much admire, and
dote upon it, are to be justified; no man doubts of these matters; the question is,
how and by what means beauty produceth this effect ? By sight : the eye betravs
the soul, and is both active and passive in this business ; it wounds and is wounded,
is an especial cause and instrument, both in the subject and in the object. "^''As
tears, it begins in the eyes, descends to the breast;" it conveys these beauteous ravs,
as I have said, unto the heart. Ut vidi ut perii. '^Mars videt hanc, visamque cvpil.
*" Propertius. 6'Vestium splendore et elesantia
ambitione incessus, donis, cantilenis, &c. eratiam adi-
pisci. '^ PriB csetpris corporis proceritate et esregia
indole mirandiis apparebat, ceteri aiitpm capti ejus
amore videhantur, <k.c. f3 _^ri?ten^tiis, ep. 10.
•iTom. 4. dial, meretr. respicientes et ad formam ejii?
obstupi!.«rfTiles. 65 jn chnridemo sapientiac merllo
palchritudo prafertur et opibus. '^ Indisnum nihil
est Troas fortes et Achivos tempore tain longo per.
ppssos esse lahore. ^ Disna qiiidem facies pro qua
vol obiret .Achilles, vel Prianins, belli causa prnlianda
fuir. Proper, lib. 2. s^Coecus qui riclpnae formain
carpserat. ''Those mutinous Turks that munnured
at Mahomet, when they saw Frene, e.vcused his ahst-nce
Knowls. '" In- laudem Helena; erat. "' .Apu.
miles, lib. 4. "Secun. bas. i:!. "Curtius, I ]
'"Confc'sgj. "Seneca, AvaoT in ocuiis oritui
■« Ovid Fast.
«di Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
Schechem saw Dinah the daughter of Leah, and defiled her, Gen. xxxiv. 3. Jacob,
Rachel, xxix. 17, ''for she was beautiful and fair." David spied Balhsheba afar off,
2 Sam. xi. 2. The Elders, Susanna, "as that Orthonienian Strato saw fair Aristoclea
daughter of Theophanes, bathing herself at that Ilercyne well in Lebadea, and were
captivated in an instant. Vidcrunt ocuU^rajmcrunt pectora Jlammcc; Amnion fell sick
for Thamur"'s sake, 2 Sam. xiii. 2. The beauty of Esther was such, that slie found
favour wiA only in the sight of xMiasueriis, '• but of all those that looked upon her."
Geison, Origen, and some others, contended tliat Christ himself was the fairest of
the sons of men, and Joseph next unto him, speciosus prct filiis hominutn^ and they
will have it literally taken ; his very person was such, that he found grace and favour
of all those that looked upon him. Joseph was so liiir, that, as the ordinary gloss
hath it, /?//cc dccnrrerent per murum, el ad fenestras, they ran to the top of the walls
and to the windows to gaze on him, as we do commoidy to see some great person-
age go by: and so Matthew Paris describes Matilda the Empress going through
Cullen. '" P. Morales the Jesuit saith a.s much of the Virgin .Mary. Antony no
sooner saw Cleopatra, but, saith Appian, lib. 1, he was enamoured of her. '*Theseus
at the first sight of Ilel^n was so besotted, that he esteemed himself the happiest
man in the world if he might enjoy her, and to that purpose kneeled down, and
made his pathetical prayers unto the gods. ^Charicles, by chance, espying that
curious picture of smiling Venus naked in her temple, stood a great while gazing, as
one amazed; at length, he brake into that mad passionate speech, "O fortunate god
Mars, tiiat wast bound in chains, and made ridiculous lor her sake!" He could not
contain himself, [)ut kissed her picture, I know not how oft, and heartily desired to be
'o disirrticed as Mars was. And what did he that his betters had not done before him ?
» ■■ ati|iie iili<|iii« de tins nun trinlibud optal
Sic fleri turpi*"
When Venus came first to heaven, her comeliness was such, that (as mine author
saith) ""all the gods came (locking about, and saluted her, each of tliem went to
Jupiter, and desired he might have her to be his wife." When fair '^Antilochus
came in presence, as a candle in the dark his beauty shined, all nieiTs eyes (as Xeno-
phon describes the manner of it) " were instantly fixed on him, and moved at the
sight, insomuch that they could not conceal themselves, but in gesture or looks it
was discerned and expressed." Those other senses, hearing, touching, may much
penetrate and affect, but none so much, none so forcible as sight. Forma liriseis
mediis in armis mm-it Jlchillem, Achilles was moved in the midst of a battle by fair
Briseis, Ajax byTecmessa; Judith captivated that great Captain Ilolofernes: Dalilah,
Samson ; Rosamund, °* Henry the Second ; Roxolana, Solyman the 3Iagnificent, Stc.
*• " Ni«a 01 Ka'l aiitpav
K'<< "svp «aA4 ri( oiea.
" A fair woman overcomes fire and sword."
*'• \(iii?ht iMiiler heaven so sironsly doth allure | Driven with the power f)f an heart-burning eye.
The •> iiiif 111' man and all \i\* mind p<>s.M-<>t, i And lapt in flowfra of a gulden tre«a.
As beauty's lovelii>si bait, that doth procure That c>in with nn-ltiiii; pleaxure molliry
Great wurrinr« erst their rigour to nuppress. Their harden'd heart* inur'd to cruelty."
And mighty hands lurget tlieir manlines*.
•'Clitiphon ingenuously confesseth, that he no sooner came in Leucippe's presence,
but that he ilid corde tremtre, el oculis lasctviits intueri • '* he was wounded at the
first sisflit, his heart panted, and he could not possibly turn his eyes from her. So
doth Calysins in Heliodorus, lib. 2. Isis Priest, a reverend old man, cotuplain, who
by chance at Memphis seeing that Thracian Rodophe, might not hold his eyes off
her : '^^ I will not conceal it, she overcame ine with her presence, and quite assaulted
my continency which I had kept unto mine old age; ] resisted a long time my
bodily eyes with the eyes of my understanding ; at last I was conquered, and as
in a tempest carried headlong." " Xenophiles, a philosopher, railed at women down-
■" P^tarrh. '* Lib. de pulchrit. Je^u et .Marie
''V Lurian I'linridcmnn »upra oinne* ninnaic* Mui*ai-
ni'iiii SI hnr frill pussit. "> Lucian anmr. Insaniim
()iii'litam nc liirihundum exclanian*. O f<irtiinati<sinie
di'nrniii Mars nui propter hanc vinctus fuiiiii. " Or.^
Met. I. 3. '*Utnnes dii coinplexrsuni, et in uxorero
vincil et vrl isnem, ferrumqiie si qua pulchraeat- Ana-
creon, 2. "Spenser in hi» Faerie QiK-ene. >" Achil-
les Tatius, lib. 1. ^ 8laliiii ac eani conleniplalut
sum, ocridi ; or/ilns i vircine averti-re conaiiis sum. sed
illi repiii>mb.ifi(. •* Puiirt dicere. non «el«fxi lanien.
M'-lliphiin ve i>-iis nie vicit. >-l ronlirienli.iiii eipu|
•ibi petieruMl. Vat. '.'onies de Venir.;. " L'l cum lux navit. qiiam ad senectiilem usque servaram. oru'i* c^T
noclit af^ilL'*-!. oiiiiiiiiin otuIim incurrit : sic Antiin<|iiu( pons, Ice. *° Nunc primuin circa hanc annus an.iai
^c '■Iiclcvit imnes ex aniaio niulieres. >* Ngn] | bxreo. Aristcnetut, ep. 17
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Beauty a Cause. 405
riglit for many years together, scorned, hated, scoffed at them ; coming at last into
Daphnis a fair maid's company (as he condoles his mishap to his frien°d Demaritis),
though free before, Intactus nullis ante cupkUnihus^ was far in love, and quite over-
come upon a sudden. Viclus sumfaleor a Daphdde., 4-c. I confess 1 am taken,
i" " Sola ha;c iiiflexit seiisiis, aniinumque labentem
Ifiipulit"
could liold out no longer. Such another mishap, but worse, had Stratocles the
physician, that blear-eyed old mnn, muco plenus {so "Prodromus describes him); he
was a severe woman'=j-liater all his life./tE^a el contiimeliosa semper in fceminas pro-
faiiis., a bitter persecutor of the whole sex, humanas aspidcs et viperas appellubat,
he forswore them all still, and mocked them wheresoever he came, in such vile
terms, ut matrem et sorores odisses, that if thou hadst heard him, thou wouldst have
loatlied thine own mother and sisters for his word's sake. Yet this old doting fool
was taken at last with that celestial and divine look of Myrilla, the daughter of An-
ticles the gardener, that smirking wench, that he shaved oiTliis bushy beard, painted
his face, ^=^ curled his hair, wore a laurel crown to cover his bald pate, and for her
love besides was ready to run mad. For the very day thaf he married he was so
furious, ut soils occasum minus expeciare posset (a terrible, a monstrous long dav),
he could not stay till it was night, sed omnibus insalutalis in thalamum festinans
irrupil., the meat scarce out of his mouth, without any leave taking, he would needs
go presently to bed. What young man, therefore, if ohl men be so intemperate, can
secure himself.^ Who can say I will not be taken with a beautiful object.? I can,
1 will contain. Nq^ j.^^}^ ^^Lucian of his mistress, she is so fair, that if thou dost
but see her, she will stupify thee, kill thee straight, and. Medusa like, turn thee to a
stone ; thou canst not pull thine eyes from her, but, as an adamant doth iron, she
will carry thee bound headlong whither she will herself, infect thee like a basilisk.
It holds both in men and women. Dido was amazed at ^Eneas' presence ; Obstujmit
prima aspectu Sidonia Bido ; and as he feelingly verified out of his experience •
•ft " auam ego pnstqiiam vidi, non ita ama vi ut sani solent I "I lov'd her not as others soberly
lioiiiiiies, sed eudem pacto ut iiisaiii soleiit." | But as a madman raj;tith, so did 'l."
So Museus of Leander, nMS5'Ma7n lumen detorquet ah ilia; and ^ Chaucer of Palamon
He cast his eye upon Kmilic.,
And thereicitk he blcnl and cried ha, ha,
As thovgh he had been stroke unto the kcarta.
If you desire to know more particularly what this beauty is, how it doth Influere
how it doth fascinate (for, as all hold, love is a fascination), thus in brief. ^''" This'
comeliness or beauty ariseth from the due proportion of the whole, or from each
several part." For an exact delineation of which, I refer you to poets, historio-
graphers, and those amorous writers, to Lucian's Imaofes, and Charidemus, Xeno-
phon's description of Panthea, Petronius Calalectes, Heliodorus Chariclia, Tacius
Leucippe, Longus Sophista's Daphnis and Cloe, Theodorus Prodromus his Khodan-
thfts, Aristoenetus and Philostratus Epistles, Balthasar Castillo, lib. 4. de aulico.
Laurentius, cap. 10, de melan. iEneas Sylvius his Lucretia, and every poet almost,
which have most accurately described a perfect beauty, an absolute feature, and that
through every member, both in men and women. Each part must concur to the
perfection of it ; for as Seneca saith, Ep. 3-3. lib. 4. ^Ton est formosa mulier cujus
cms laudatur ct brachiu?n, sed ilia cujus simul universa fades admirationcm singulis
partibus dedit ; " she is no fair woman, whose arm, thigh, &c. are commended ex-
cept the face and all the other parts be correspondent." And the face espec'iallv
gives a lustre to the rest : the face is it that commonly denominates a fair or foul':
arx for nicB fades, the face is beauty's tower ; and though the other parts be deformed,
yet a good face carries it {fades non uxor a?nafur) that alone is most part respected,
principally valued, delidis suisferox, and of itself able to captivate.
"8" Urit le Glycera; nitor,
Urit grata protervitas,
Et vultud nimium lubricus aspici."
;„ "j ^^■■*- ^''® '''""^ •'^'•^ captivated my feel- ' fncultas oculos ab ea amovendi ; abducet te alligatiim-
ings, and hxert my wavering mind." 92 Amaranto . quocunque volnerit, ut ferrura ad se trahere ferunt ada-
flial '"Cornafque ad speculum disposuit. ^Mmag. | niantem. " Plaut. Merc. »6 jn the Ki,ij;ht's Tale,
roiistrato. Si 1 1 lam saltern intuearis, statuig immo- i <» Ex debita totius proportione aptaque partium com-
■uiorem te facet : at coaspeieris earn, non relinquetur | positione. Piccolomineus. » Hor. Od. 19. lib U
59
4fi6 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
*' Glycera's too fair a face va? it that set liim on fire, too fine to be beheld." When
*^ Clia;rca saw the singing wench's sweet looks, he was so taken, that he cried out,
O fuckm fiiJchrum, dclco omncs drhinc ex animo 7tm]ieres^ fcnlet qnolidiamirum ha-
rnm formarum ! "O fair face, Til never love any but her, look on any other here-
after but her; I am weary of these oniiiuiry beauties, away with them."" The more
he sees her, the worse he is, vritqur videndo^ as in a burninu-ulass. the sunbeams
are re-collected to a centre, tlie rays of love are projected from her eyes. It was
..Eneas''s countenance ravished Queen Dido, Os humerosque Deo sunilis., he had an
angelical face.
'*<"' O sarro? viiltus Barcho vfl Apniline ilieiios, I '• O snm <l looks. I.efittine ninjpsty.
Qui'S vir, iiuds tuiu fu-iiiiiia nulla videt I" | VVInrli iie\er iiiurlal ui;:hl c> uld ('Uleiy tsee."
Alihougli for the greater part this beauty l)e most eminent in the face, yet many times
those other members yield a most pleasinir grace, and are alone siiincient to enamour.
A high brow like unto the bright lieavens, cipli pulchrrima pl(ig(U Frmis uhi vivit
honor, frons uhi liidil nmor, white and smooth like the polished alabaster, a pair of
cheeks of vt-rmilion colour, in which love jodgeth ; KJmor qui moUibus genis putUce
pernoclds : a coral lip, auuviorvrn diluhrum, in whicii Jiasia millr patent, ?msia tttille
latent, '• A llioutiaiid appear, as many are concealed ;■' trratiarum sedes gratissima ;
a sweet-Muelling llower, from which bees may gather honey, ^Mellilcgie volucrcs quid
adhuc cava t/ii/ma rosasque, «!sr.
'•Onint'ii a>l (lomiriiF labra v«;tiile iiioa',
Ill.-i riisaii s|iirai, ' Slc.
A white and round neck, that via lactea, dimple in the chin, black eye-brows, Cupi'
dinis urcus, sweet breath, wliite and even teeth, which some call the sale])iece, a fine
soft round jwip, gives an excellent ^i-ncc,^ Quale dtcus tumidis Pario dc marmore
mammis r'' *and make a pleasant valley /«c/*Mm s/huw, between two chalky hills,
Sororiantes popillulas, et ad pruritum frigidos atnatores solo aspectu excitantes.
Unde is, ''Forma papillarum quam fuit apta prrmi ! — Again Urehant oculns dura
stantesqur inamilhe. A flaxen hair ; golden hair was even in great account, for
which Virgil commends Dido, S'imdum siistuleral fiavum Proscrpinina crinem, Et
crines nodanlur in aurum. Apollonius {Argcmant. lib. 4. Jasonis flava coma incendit
ear Medcip) will have Jason's golden iiair to be the main cause of Medea's dotage
on him. Castor and Pollux were both vellow haired. Paris, Mciielaiis, and most
amorous young men, have been such in all ajjes, moUes ac suavrs, as Baplista Porta
infers, ''Ptntsifg. lib. 2. lovely to behojd. Homer so commends Helen, makes Palro-
clus and Achilles both yellow haired : Pulchricoma \'enns, and Cupid himself was
yellow haired, in aurum corusrante et crispante capillo, like that neat picture of Nar
cissus in Callistratus ; for so ' Psyche spied him asleep, Briseis, Polixena, S^-c.Jlnvi
coma omnes^
" and Hero ihe fair,
Whom ynuair Awillo courted for her liair."
Leland commends Guithera, kinw Arthur's wife, for a flaxen hair: so Paulus ^milius
sets out Clodeveus, that lovely king of France. "Synesius holds every efletninate
fellow or adulterer is fair haired : and Apuleius adds that Venus lierself, goddess of
love, cannot delight, '"•thousrh she come accompanied with the graces, and all
Cupid's train to attend upon lier, girt with her own girdle, and smell of cinnamon
and balm, yet if she he bald or badhaired, she cannot please her Vulcan." Which
belike makes our Venetian ladies at this day to counterfeit yellow hair so much,
great women to calamistrate and curl it up, rihrantes ad gratiam crijirs, ct tot orbi-
hus in captii'ilatem Jlexos, to adorn their heads with spangles, pearls, and made-
flowers ; and all courtiers to effect a pleasing grace in this kind. In a worfl, '"•• the
hairs are Cupid's nets, to catch all comers, a brushv wood, in which Cupid builds
his nest, and under whose shadow all loves a thousand several ways sport themselves.
••Ter. Eunuch. An. -2. fcon. 3. allirit anrra ciiia. • Venn* iimn non pi i
Catall. 'S<ipli<K-l<'s. .\ntieone. »i niiilaia. capinr UMiJiala, n i|""l'* 'P"" Vt-i.
ba<. ]!). • l.<iTh*u«. • .Arainiu*. Vi vir^' in cralinruin rh'T.. ..ii|. ,i.i . i i i
siiiia £ dunhiK iiKoitiliii'i rniniHisila nivi-i-i. •lui.l. |ti<p<ilii ronriniialn. h>il<>'
• Pill. 77. r)a|Mil*-K hilar>-<i aniator*-*. acr. i \Vli<-n vranii. el lialnaina, «i r.i!
C'upid »lcpl t';i-tiirirni aiir»'arii halM-nlcm. iihi P^ylie lf«l Vulcano «iio. '• \
vidil. in.ili.>nin'ii> hi anihro^ia orvirj-m iiiwpi-iK, rriius ni«, •viva c«lua, in qua i.itliUcjt ( ijjjiUa
fri!<j>i>». pfirp'irpa* if..ii«« raniliila«)>i<-. *r. ApulPiut umbra amorn mille in<idi« we psercrnl.
• lu Uudi-ni culv! ; <|iieuiliUa cuiiia ijuKqut; adulter e«t;
xMem. 2. Subs, 2.] Beau!y a Cause. 467
A little soft hand, pretty little mouth, small, fine, long finders, Gratic2 qua: di^itis
^tis tiiat wliich Apollo did admire in Daphne, laudat digUosque manusque ■
a straiglit and slender body, a small foot, and well-proportioned leg, hath an excel-
lent lustre, "Cui tntuni incumUt corpus uii fundamen/o cr.des. Clearchus vowed to
his friend Amyander in '^^ristinastus, that the most attractive part in his mistress, to
make him love and like her first, was her pretty leg and foot : a soft and white skin,
&c. have their peculiar graces, 'KN'ebuht haud est mollior ac hujus cutis est, cedipol
papdlam bellulam. Though in men these parts are not so much respected ; a grim
Saracen sometimes, nudus mevibra Pyracmon, a martial hirsute face pleaseth best ;
a black man is a pearl in a fair woman's eye, and is as acceptable as '^ lame Vulcari
^ras to Venus ; for he being a sweaty fuliginous blacksmith, was dcarlv beloved of
her, when fair Apollo, nimble Mercury were rejected, and the rest of the sweet-fa'-ed
gods forsaken. Many women (as Petronius " observes) sordibus cedent (as many
men are more moved with kitchen wenches, and a poor market maid, than all thess
illustrious court and city dames) will sooner dote upon a slave, a servant, a dirt
dauber, a brontes, a cook, a player, if they see his naked legs or arms, thorosaqm
brachia,"' &c., like that huntsman Meleager in Philostratus, though he be all in rao-s,
obscene and dirty, besmeared like a ruddleman, a gipsv, or a chimney-sweeper, than
upon a noble gallant, Nireus, Ephestion, Alcibiades, or those embroidered courtiers
full of silk and gold. ''Justine's wife, a citizen of Rome, fell in love with Pylades
a player, and was ready to run mad for him, had not Galea himself helped her by
chance. Faustina tlie empress doted on a fencer.
Not one of a thousand falls in love, but there is some peculiar part or other
which pleaseth most, and inliames him above the rest. '* A company of younij- phi-
losophers on a time fell at variance, which part of a woman was most desirable and
pleased best ? some .said the forehead, some the teeth, some the eyes, cheeks, lips, neck,
chin, &c., the controversy was referred to Lais o{ Corinth to decide ; but she, smil-
ing, said, they were a company of fools ; for suppose they had her where they
wished, what would they "'first seek? Yet this notwithstanding I do easily grant,
neque quis veslrum negaverit opinor, all parts are attractive, but especianv''-° the
eyes,^'
" viilet isiie micantes,
Suleribus sj miles otulos"
which are love's fowlers ; ^aucupiuni amoris, ihe shoeing horns, "the hooks of love
(as Arandus will,) the guides, touchstone, judges, that in a moment cure mad men.
and make sound folks mad, the watchmen of the body ; what do they not .^" How
vex they not t All this is true, and (which Athameus lib. 13. dip. cap. 5. and Tatius
hold) they are the chief seats of love, and James Leruutius^^ hath facetely expressed
in an elegant ode of his,
" Aiiiurcni ncellis flaiumeolis hera | " I saw Love sitting in my mistress' eyes
Vi.li ifi.<iil«iittiji, credile posleri, i Sparkling, believe it all posterity
l>ratresqiie circiim liidibuiirios Ami iiis attendants plavniL' round about
Cum pliaretra volitare et arcu," &;c. | With bow and arrows ready for to liy."
Scaliger calls the eyes, ^^" Cupid's arrows; the tongue, the lightning of love; tlie
paps, the tents :" ^' Balthasar Castillo, the causes, the chariots, the lamps of love,
".Tmula luminastellis, I " Eyes emulating stars in ii^l.t
Lumina qu;u pos.-eiit sollicitare decs." | Enticing gods at the first sight;"
Love's orators, Petronius.
" O blandos nculos, et 6 facetos, |
El (luadani propria nnta loquaces | •• O sweet and pretty speakin" eyes
Jllic est Venus, et leves amores. Where Venus, love, and pleasure lies."
At(jue ipsa in medio sedet V(.luptas." |
Love's torches, touch-box, napthe and matches, ^ Tibullus.
'■ lllius ex orulis quum vult exurere divns. I - Tart Love when he will set the god* on fire
Accendit gcininas lampad.-s acer aiiior.- | Lightens the eyes as torches to desire."
i; Th|-od. Prodromus Amor. lib. L 12 Epist. 7-2. 1 ^ Hensius. si Sunt enim oculi, prscipua; pulchritu-
Lbi pulchram libiam, bene compnctum tenuenique pe- 1 dinis sedes. lib. 0. 22 Amoris lianii duces indices
riem vidi. 13 Plant. Cas. "Claudus optinie rem I et indices qui momento insanos sanant, sanos insanire
asit. isfol. a. Si servum viderint, aut flatorem cogunt, oculatissimi corporis excubilores. quid non
altius cinctum, aut pulvere perfusnni, aut histrioneni agunt ? Quid non cogunt ? -3 Oc<lli carm 17
in scfiiaiii iraductiiin, &c. >« Me pulchra fateor
carere forma, veruiii luculenta nostra est. Petrtmius
Catal. de Priapo. I'Galen. I'Calcagninus
Apologis. (iu.-E pars maxime desiderabilis? .Alius
froutem, alius genas, &:c. '« Inter foemineum.
ciijus et Lipsius epist. qu;ist. lib. 3. cap. 11. meminit ob
eleiiantiam. 24Cynthia prima suis miserum me
cepit ocellis, contactum iiullis ante cupidinibus. Pro-
pert. 1. 1 as In catalect. ^ De Sulpicio, lib. 4.
4G8 Love-Melancholy. [Part 3. Sec 2
Leander, al the first sight of Hero's eyes, was iuceiiscJ, saitli Musajus.
Siiiiul in -■' iicijloriiin radiis crescel>at lax amoruni, i " Love's lorclits 'gari to burn firsl \n her ey<a,
Lt cor rVrveljat iiivetti ignit Uiiiwtu ; Ami set his heart ..ii tir- which never dies:
Fulchritinlo enini Celebris iinmaculntffi foeniinffi, 1 For the lair beauty ol" a virgin pure
AculK.r honiiiiibus est veloci saiiitta. Is sharper than a dart, and doth inure
Oculos vero via est, ab oculi ictibus A deeper wound, which piercelh to the heart
Vulnus dilabitur, et in pr^cordia viri manat." ' By the eyes, and causeth such a cruel smart."
® A modern poet brings in Amnon complaining of Thamar,
" et nie Tasvino
Occidit ille risu.s i-t forrnx lepos,
llle nitor, ilia gratia, et verus decor.
Ilia- a:iiHiiante:' purpuram, el *rosa» genee,
Oi'nli(|uc vinctieiiue aureo nodo coma;."
' It was thy beauty, 'twas thy pleasing smile,
'I'hy grace and comeliness diit me beiruile;
Thy rose-like cheeks, and unto purple lair
Thy lovely eyes and golden knotted hair."
"" Philostratus Lemnius cries out on his mi-stress's basilisk eyes, ardent es faces^ those
two burniiiff-glasses, they had so inflamed his soul, that no water could tjuench it.
" What a tyranny (saith he), what a penetration of bodies is this ! thou diawest with
violence, and swallowest me up, as Charybths doth sailors witli lliy rocky eyes : he
that falls into this gulf of h)ve, can iievt-r get out." Let this be the corollary then,
the strongest beams of beauty are still darted tVoni the eyes.
3>"Nam ipiis luniina lanta, tanta |
rDiist-t luniinibus huis liieri, " For who such eyes with his can see,
Non slaliiii lrepidaiis<|ue, p!ilpilan«>|'io, j And not rorthwilh eiianiuur'd be!"
frar de>i(lerii uf«tuanti9 aura?" Slc. j
And as men catch dotterels by putting out a leg or an arm, with tho.se mutual glances
of the eyes they first inveigle one another. ^^Cynthiu prima suis miseruin in>; ccpil
ocellis. Of all eyes (by tlie way) black are most amiable, enticing and fairer, whicii
the poet observes in commending of his mistress. '"''' Speclanduin nigris nculis,
mgroque capillo,''^ which llesiod admires in his Alcmena,
-' • fiiju* 4 vertice ac niericantibu* oculi*. I *• From her black eyes, and frmii her pohleii fcce
'I'ul*- i|iiiiMam Hpirat ac ab aurea V'ener - " j As il' frum Veiiu* came a lovely gracn."
and ** Triton in his Mila?ne nigra oculos fonnosa rnihi. ** Homer useth that
epithet of ox-eyed, in describing Juno, becau.'ie a round black eye is the best, the
son of beauty, and farthest from black the worse: which " Polydorc Virgil Ui.xeth
in our nation : .ingli ut plurimum ctesiis nculif, we have gray eyes for the most part,
liaplisma Porta, Pliysiognom. lib. '.i. puts gray colour upon children, they be childish
eyes, ilnll and htavy. Many commeml on the other side Spanish ladies, and tliose
^Greek dames at this day, fur the blackness of their eyes, as Porta doth his Neapo-
litan voung wives. Suetonius describes Jnlius C;esar to have been nigris vegelisque
oculis niicantibus, of a black tpiick sparkling eye : and although Averroes in his
Colligt'l will have such persons timorous, vet without question they are nio.*i
amorous.
Now last of all, I will show you by what means beauty doth fascinate, bewitch
as some hold, and work upon the soul of a man by the eye. For certainly I am ol
the poet's mind, love dojh J)£\yitch and strangely change tis.
*• •• Ludit amor sensus, nculoe perstringit, et aufert I " Love mock* our senses, curba our libertiei,
Lit»erlaTem aniini, iiiira iios I'ascinat arte. | And doth bewitch iik with his art and ringa,
(.'redo aliiptis dj-moii subieiis prurcordia tlammam 1 think some devil i;ets into our entrails, [hingei.'
Coiiniat, et ruptam tollit de cardine mentem." | .And kindles coals, and heavi.>9 our iiouls from th
lieliodorus lib. 3. proves at large, *" that love is witchcmft, "it gets in at our eyes,
pores, nostrils, engenders the same qualities and affections in us, as were in the party
whence it came." The manner of the fascination, as Ficinus 10. cap. com. in Plat.
declares it, is thus : •• Mortal men are then especially bewitched, when as by often
gazing one on the other, they direct sight to sight, join eye to eye, and so drink and
suck in love between them; for the beginning tif this disease is the eye. And therefore
he that hath a clear eye, though he be otherwise deformed, by often looking upon
him, will makf one mad, and tie him fast to him by. the eye." Leonard. Variiis, lib. 1.
cap.'i.de fascinat. tellelh us, that by this interview, *'" the purer spirits are inlecled,"
" Pulchrituilo ipsa per nccultna radios in pectua aman> " The wretched Cyothia Amt captivate* with ber (park-
Ii.o dimanans aniatz rei fcirmam iiiscuipsil. 'I'atiUR. I. 5. Iin^ eyes." *> Ovid, amoruni, lib. 'J elei;. 4.
ojaciib (.'oriielins .Amnon Traginl. Act. 1. sc. 1. ><^iit. Hercul. >>Calcaeniiiua dm!. *< llinil I.
» Ro«e formosaruin o<:uli!> nascuntur, et hilaritas vul- " Hist. lib. I. "Sands' relation. r<d. t>7. o* .Maii-
l'M el>-cantiz c>>ri>na. Philostratus deliciis. 'u Irlpint. tuan. <> Amor per ikuIos, iiarc*. p<iriM intlm-na,
el in itfliciis. abi et oppiignalionem relmque, i|U4iu &c. M»rtales tiiiii kunimopere ('■wiiiuntur i)>iaiii.u
tlamiiia non extin!<iiit ; nam ab amorr ip«a Humma srn- trrqilrnlitaiino intuitu aciem dirij;eii(ra. h,c liiro ^i
tit incendiiiin: que corp<irum p<'nelratio, quR tyrannis quis nilor» (Hilleat iKulorum, tec. *'• Spirilus pun-
tx-c ^ kx. *' L<Bcbeu« fantbea. *> I'roperlius. \ utes faacinantur. uculus 4 •« radio* einitlil, Slc.
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Beauty a Cause. 469
the one eye pierceth through the other Avilh his rays, which he sends forth, and
many men have those excellent piercing eyes, that, which Suetonius relates of Augus-
tus, their brightness is such, tliey compel their spectators to look off, and can no
more endure them tlian the sunbeams. "" Barradius, lib. 6. cap. 10. de Harmonia
Evangel, reports as much qC our Saviour Christ, and "Peter Morales of the Virgin
Mary, whom Nicephorus desf^-ribes likewise to have been yellow-haired, of a wheat
colour, but of a most amiable and piercing eye. The rays, as some think, sent from
the eyes, carry certain spiritual vapours with them, and so infect the other party,
and that in a moment. I know, they that hold visio Jit intra mittendo., will make a
doubt of this; but Ficinus proves it from blear-eyes, ''^"That by sight alone, make
others blear-eyed ; and it is more than manifest, that the vapour of the corrupt blood
doth get in together with the rays, and so by the contagion tlie spectators' eyes are
infected." Other arguments there are of a basilisk, that kills afar off by sight, as
that Ephesian did of whom *^ Philostratus speaks, of so pernicious an eye, he poi-
soned all he looked steadily on : and that other argument, menstruoi fcemincB.1 out of
Aristotle's Problems, morhosca Capivaccias adds, and '"'Septali lis the commentator,
that contaminate a looking-glass with beholding it. ''""So the beams that come from
the agent's heart, by the eyes, infect the spirits about the patients, inwardly wound,
and thence the spirits infect the blood." To this effect she complained in*'''Apuleius,
"Tiiou art the cause of my grief, thy eyes piercing through mine eyes to mine inner
parts, have set my bowels on fire, and therefore pity me that am now ready to die
for thy sake." Ficinus illustrates tliis with a familiar example of that Marrhusian
Pha;drus and Theban Ly(*ias, ''^ " Lycias he stares on Phajdrus' face, and Phsdrus
(listens the balls of his eyes upon Lycias, and with those sparkling rays sends out
his spirits. Tlie beams of Phaedrus' eyes are easily mingled with the beams of
Lycias, and spirits are joined to spirits. This vapour begot in Phaedrus' heart, enters
into Lycias' bowels : and that which is a greater wonder, Pha?drus' blood is in
Lycias' heart, and thence come those ordinary love-speeches, my sweetheart Phaj-
drus, and mine own self, my dear bowels. And Phiedrus again to Lycias, O my
light, my joy, my soul, my life. Phajdrus follows Lycias, because his heart would
have his spirits, and Lycias follows Pha;drus, because he loves the seal of his spirits;
both follow ; but Lycias the earnester of the two : the river hath more need of the
fountain, than the fountain of the river; as iron is drawn to that which is touched
with a loadstone, but draws not it again ; so Lycias draws Phaedrus." But how
comes it to pass then, that the blind man loves, that never saw .'' We read in the
Lives of the Fathers, a story of a child that was brought up in the wilderness, from
his infancy, by an old hermit : now come to man's estate, he saw by chance two
comely women wandering in the woods : he asked the old inan what creatures they
were, he told him fairies ; after a while talking obiter., the hermit demanded Lif him,
which v.'as the pleasantest sight that ever he saw in his life ? He readily replied, tlie
two °° fairies he spied in the wilderness. So that, without doubt, there is some secret
loadstone in a beautiful woman, a magnetic power, a natural inbred affection, whicli
moves cur concupiscence, and as he sings,
" Methinks \ have a mistress yet to cnine.
And still I sfiek, I love, I know not whom."
'Tis true indeed of natural and chaste love, but not of this heroical passion, or rather
brutish burning lust of which we treat; we speak of wandering, wanton, adulterous
eyes, which, as ^' he saith, '• lie still in wait as so manv soldiers, and when they spy
an innocent spectator fixed on them, shoot him through, and presently bewitch him:
especially when they shall gaze and gloat, as wanton lovers do one upon another,
and with a pleasant eye-conflict participate each other's souls." Hence you may
'2 Lib. dp pulch. Jes. et Mar; ■'^ Lib. 2. c. 23. en- j iiitima rlelapsi prsEcordia, acfirrimum mpis mediillis
lore triticuni nferoiite, crine, flava, acrilius oculis. coiiiiiioveiit inceiidiuiii ; prpo miserere lui causa pere-
•^ Lippi solo iiidiitii alios lippos fariunt, et patet una ' nntis. •'^ Lycias in Plm-dri vultiiin itrhiat, PhsEdriis
ciin> radio vapiirem corrupti saiicunis enianare, cujus in ocilos Lycia? scintillas suonim deficit (ir.nlorum ; cum-
eontafioue ocuIms speclanlis intifitiir. <»Vita ' que scintillis, &c. Sv-quiliir Phaedrus Lyciain. quia cnr
Xpwllon. ■"' Coiiicnenl. in Ari.-tot. Prohl. ■'"Sir
radius a corde perculientis missus, reciiiien proiiriuni
repetit, cor vulnerat. per ornlus el sansuini'iii inticit et
spirilus, sulilili quadam vi. Casiil. lib. 3. de aiilico.
<"-Lib. 10. Causa omiiis et orijo omnis prs; seiitis do-
loris tute es; isti enira tui oculi, per meos oculos ad
S'liMu petit spiritum ; Phjedrum lycias, quia spiritus
propria m sedem postulat. Verum Lycias, &.r. ^ T>a:
mtiriia iiupiit qus in hoc Kremo MUp"r occnrn'hant.
■■^i Castillo de aiilieo. 1. 3. fol. 2JR Oculi ut milites in
insidiis semper recubant, et subito ad visum sagitlaa
emittunt, &c.
2P
47 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
perteive how easily and liow quickly we may be taken in love; siiicf at ilie
twinkling ol" an eye, Phaedrus'' spirits may so perniciously infect Lycias' blood.
'■••Neither is it any wonder, if we but consider how many other diseases closely,
and as suddenly are caught by infection, plague, itch, scabs, ilux," Sic. The spirits
taken in, will not let him rest that hath received them, but egg him on. ^^"Id'^ue
]M It! corpus mens unde est saucia amorc ; and we may nmnifestly perceive u strange
eduction of spirits, by such as bleed at nose after they be dead, at tlie presence of
the nmrderer;" but read more of this in Lemnius. lib. 2. de occult, nat. tnir. cap. 7.
\ alleriola lib. 2. obscrc. cap. 7. Valesius controc. Ficinus, Cardan, Libavius de crutntis
caduvcribuSy Hyc.
SlUsect. III. — Jirlificial allurements of Love, Causes and Provocations to Lust;
Ueslurcsy Clothes, Do^cer, Sfc.
Natihai. beauty is a stronger loadstone of itself, as you have heard, a great tcmj>-
tation, and pit-rceth to the very heart; ^^ forma verccundte nocuit mihi visa puellce;
but much more when those artificial enticements and provocations of gestures,
cl<»llies, jewels, pigments, exornations, shall be anne.xed unto it; those other circum-
stances, opportunity of lime and place shall concur, which of themselves alone were
all surticient, each one in pjirticular to pnnluce this elll-ct. It is a (juf^stion much
controvt-rted by some wise men, forma debi-at plus arti an nuturte'.' Whether natural
or artificial objects be more p«»werful.' but not decided: for my part I am of opinion,
that thiiugh beauty itself be a gn-at motive, and give an e^ccellent lustre in sonlibns,
in beggary, as a jewel on a dunghill will shine and cast his rays, it cannot be sup-
pressed, which lleliodorus feigns of Chariclia, though she wtr*; in beggar's weeds :
\ el as it is used, artificial is of more force, and much to be preferred.
*8ie liriilala »ihi vidrlur JRult;
KiMlHii f>w>il>ii# |iiiliir>M|ii(.- coriiu ;
8ii; i|iiiE iiiKriiir ol rail<?tilK iiioro,
C'i-ra»ai> >ilil placc-l L)ctii>n«."
■ (Vi tboiliIrM .flgle •ecm* a pre Ily one,
S>-t uut uilli iikw-ImiusIiI trflli n( liiily bone:
Si fiiitl l.yclwiri* blai-k>-r thun berry
lli-raeiriiLluiireii. iiuw tliirr lliaii clierry,"
John Lerius the liurgundian, cap. 8. hist, nnvi^at. in Brazil, is altogether on my side,
lor whereas (^saith he) at our coming to lirazil, we found both 'men and women
naked as they were born, without any covering, so much as of their j)rivities, and
couUI not be persundetl, by our Frenchmen that lived a year with them, to wear any,
' •• Manv uill think that our so lt)ng commerce with naked women, must needs be
a great pro\ocation to lust;'' but he concludes t)therwise, that their nakedness did
much less entice them to lascivit)usiies.s, than our women's clothes. »• And 1 dare
boldly atlirin (saith \u') that those glittering attires, counterfeit c<dours, headgears,
( nrled hairs, plaited coats, cloaks, gowns, costly sloinachers, guarded and loose gar-
ments, and all those other accoutrements, wherewith our countrywomen counterfeit
a beautv, and so curiously set out tliemselves, cau.se more inconvenience in this
kind, than that barbarian homeliness, although tliey be no whit inferit)r unto them in
beauty. I could evince the truth of this by many other arguments, but I apj)c:d
(saith he to my companions at that present, which were all of the same mind." His
countryman, >lontague, in his essays, is of the sanie opinion, and so arc many
others ; out of whose assertions thus much in brief we may conclude, that beauty
is more beliolilen to art than nature, lind stronger provocations proceed from out-
ward ornaments, than such as nature hath provided. Jt is true that those fair
sparkling eves, white neck, coral lips, turgent paps, rose-coloured clu.-eks, kc., of
themselves are potent enticers ; but when a comely, artificial, well-comj>oseil look,
pleasing i;csture, an atlecled carriage shall be added, it must needs be far more b>rci-
ble tiian it was, when those curious neetileworks, variety of colours, purest ilyen,
jewels, spangles, pendants, lawn, lace, titlimies, fair and fine linen, embroideries,
ralamistralions, ointments, kc. shall be added, they wdl make the veriest dowdy
ol.herwise, a goddess, when nature shall be furthered by art. For it is not the eye
• Nff riiiriiin n reliqiion in<irbnii qui el eontaeii'iu- H^in^ri - i:.,a\-' ^ M.iriulM. *< Mulii Unl 6
naM-iinliir t'i>ii*i<l<'rcniiu, iH-Hifiii. pfiriluiii. Kcabiein a <'
>■ l,ii<'r>-iii>a. " .Aiiil (be htxly naturally nt-'k^ wIkik w'i
i« that til*- uiinil in »o wiiuiiil>.-<l by li>v.-." - 1 ^ ...in
b^auly, (bat lif favour i* prrferrfil h>-r<ire thai .it i uiialraotui i«i)mi>id(iiiit cu.lu*. Aom,!. .MMiVstdiB »^tnt-
toiuur*. oiJ ilrcdit uiodoii la mort: ihan Uial of I'aruur. ' diduut illuui culluiu, fucoa, 4c
Mem. 2. Subs. 3.] Artificial Allurements. 471
of itself that enticeth to lust, but an " adulterous eye," as Peter terms it, 2. ii. 14. a
wanton, a rolling, lascivious eye: a wandering eye, which Isaiah taxelh, iii. 16.
Christ himself, and the Virgin. Mary, had most beautiful eyes, as amiable eyes as any
persons, saith " Baradius, that ever lived, but withal so modest, so chaste, that who-
soever looked on them was freed from that passion of burning lust, if we mav
believe °*Gerson and ^^Bonaventure : there was no such antidote against it, as the
Virgin Mary's face ; 'tis not the eye, but carriage of it, as they use it, that causeth
sucli effects. When Pallas, Juno, Venus, were to win Paris' favour for the golden
apple, as it is elegantly described in that pleasant interlude of *Apuleius, Juno came
with majesty upon the stage, Minerva gravity, but Venus dulce subridens^ constitit
amane ; at gratissimcB GraticR dcam propitiaiites, 4'C. came in smiling with her gra-
cious graces and exquisite music, as if she had danced, et nonnunquam saltare solis
oculisy and which was the main matter of all, she danced with her rolling eyes : they
were the brokers and harbingers of her suite. So she makes her brags in a modern
poet,
61 " Soon could I make my brow to tyrannise,
And force the world do homage to mine eyes."
The eye is a secret orator, the first bawd, Jlmoris porta, and with private looks,
winking, glances and smiles, as so many dialogues they make up the match many
times, and understand one another's meanings, before they come to speak a word.
^'Euriahis and Lucretia were so mutually enamoured by the eye, and prepared to
give each other entertainment, before ever they had conference : he asked her good
will with his eyes ; she did siijfragari, and gave consent with a pleasant look. That
^^ Thracian P»odophe was so excellent at this dumb rhetoric, " that if she had but
looked upon any one almost (saith Calisiris) she would have bewitched him, and he
could not possiljly escape it." For as ''■' Salvianus observes, " the eyes are the win-
dows of our souls, by which as so many channels, all dishonest concupiscence gets
into our hearts." They reveal our thoughts, and as they say, /ro/is anhii irulex, but
the eye of the countenance, ''''Quid procacibus intuere ocellis? Sfc. I may say the
same of smiling, gait, nakedness of parts, plausible gestures, &c. To laugh is the
proper passion of a man, an ordinary thing to smile ; but those counterfeit, com-
posed, alfected, artificial and reciprocal, those counter-smiles are the dumb shows
and prognostics of greater matters, which they most part use, to inveigle and deceive;
though many fond lovers again are so frequently mistaken, and led into a fool's
paradise. For if they see but a fair maid laugh, or show a pleasant countenance,
use some gracious words or gestures, they apply it all to themselves, as done in their
favour; sure she loves them, she is willing, coming, &c.
'■ Stiiltus quandn vidct qund pulchra pnellula ridet, I " When a fool sees a fair maid for to smile,
Tum fatiius credit se quod amare velit ." | He thinks she loves him, 'tis but to beguile."
lum liuiius creuii se qijod amare vein . | M
They make an art of it, as the poet telleth us,
•6 " Quis credat ' discunt etiam ridere puclls, I " Who can believe ? to laugh maids make an art,
Qua^rilur atque illis hac quoque parte decor." | And seek a pleasant grace te that same part."
And 'tis as great an enticement as any of the rest,
•" " subrisit molle puella.
Cor tibi rite salit."
" She makes thine heart leap with ^^a pleasin* gentle smile of hers."
'J" Dulce ridHHtem Lalagen amaho,
Dulce loquentem,"
'• I love Lalage as much for smiling, as for discoursing," delectata ilia visit tarn
blandum, as he said in Petronius of his mistress, being well pleased, she gave so
sweet a smile. It won Ismenius, as he ™confesseth, Ismene subrisit amulorium,
Ismene smiled so lovingly the second time I saw her, that I could not choose but
admire her : and Galla's sweet smile quite overcame '' Faustus the shepherd, Me
s" Harmn. evangel, lib. 6. cap. fi. m Sprm. de
roncep. Virg. Pliysiognomia virginis omnes movel ad
castitatem. s* 3. sent. d. :t. q. 3. niirum, virao
fnrniosissinia, sed a neniine coiicupita. '^'Mft. ]0.
f'' Kiisariiond'o cninplaiJit. by Sam. Daniel. '^ iEueas
>?|U. " llelio.lor. I. 2. Rodolphe Thracia tam
attraxit, ut si in illam quis incidissct, fieri non pnsspt
quin caperelur. w Lib. 3. rie providcniia : Aiiimi
fenestriE oculi, et omnis improha i.upiditas per ocellos
tanquam canales iotroit. S6 Buchanan. «« Ovid
de arte amandi. " per.s. 3 Sat. ^ Vel centum
Charites ridere putaret, Muspus of Hero. ^ Hor.
inevitabi'i fascino instructa, tam exacte oculis iiitucns Od. 22. lib. 1. "> Kustathius, I. 5. " Maotuau.
473 Lnve-Mdancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
uspiciens viotis llnnde suhrisit ocelJia. All other gestures of the body will enforce
as much. Daphnis in "Lucian was a poor tattered wench when I knew her first,
•^ald Corbile, punnusa et hiccra, but now sl)e is a stately piece indeed, hath her maids
to attend her, brave attires, money in her purse, Slc, and will you know how this
came to pass ? "• by settintj out herself after the best fashion, by her pleasant car-
ria<4e, affability, sweet smiling upon all,'' &.c. Many women dote upon a man for
his compliment onlv, and good behaviour, they are won in an instant; too credulous
to believe that everv light wanton snitor, who sees or makes love to them, is instantly
enamoured, he certainly dotes on, admires them, will surely marry, when as he
means nothing less, 'tis his ordinary carriage in all such companies. So both delude
each other by such outward shows ; and amongst the rest, an upright, a comely
grace, courtesies, gentle salutations, cringes, a mincing gait, a decent and an affected
pace, are most powerful enticers, and which the prophet Isaiali, a courtier himself,
and a great observer, objected to the daughters of Zion, iii. 16. " they minced as they
went, and made a tinkling with their feet." To say the truth, what can they not
effect by such means }
" VV'lilUt nature i\ttck* Ihrin in Ihrir bfnt atliren
Of youth and b«auty whicb ttw world adiuiret."
'^'^Uril voce, rnr/nu, gressu, pectnrr, fronfe, ocuUs.^'' When art shall be annexed
to l)eaulv, when wiles and guiU's shall concur; for to speak as it is, love is a kind
I'f legerdemain; mere juirgliuir, a fascination. When they show their fair hand, fine
toot and leg withal, nuiipiuni sui d'-siilfrium nobis rcUnijttunl,, saith '* Balthazar Cas-
tdio, lib. 1. they set us a longing, ''and so wlien they pull up their petticoats, and
•outward garments," as usually they do to show their fine stockings, and those of
purest silken dve, gold fringes, laces, embroiderings, (it shall go hard but when they
go to church, t>r to any other place, all sh^ll be seen) 'tis but a springe to catch
woodcocks ; and as ''' Chrysostom telleth them downright, '• though they say nothing
with their mouths, they s()€»ak in their gait, they speak with their eyes, they speak
m the carriage of their bmlies." And what shall we say otherwise of that baring
of their necks, shoulders, naked breasts, arms and wrists, to what end are they but
only to tempt men to lust !
I
There needs no more, as " Fredericus Matenesius well observes, but a crier to go
before them so dressed, to bid us look out, a trumpet to sound, or for defect a sow-
gelder to blow,
' Ij^ik oul, Inok out and ■«•
Whul ol.jrct till* may b«
That doth prralriiic« oiine eyt;
A gallitiit lady (ura
In rich and gmdy clulhea.
But whither away U<mI known,
^— look out, Slc., €t f lua ««f ■CKRtar,*'
or to what end and purpose.* But to leave all these fantastical raptures, I'll prose-
cute mv intended theme. Nakedness, as I have said, is an odious thing of itself,
revicdium amoris; yei it may be so used, in part, and at set times, that there can be
no such enticement as it is ;
^" SfT mihi cinrla Diana plarvt, nt-e nuda C) there.
Ilia viduplatia nil babel, hac Dituiuui."
David SO espied Bathsheba, the elders Susanna : "Apelles was enamoured with Cam-
paspe, when he was to paint her naked. Tiberius in Suet. cap. 4:i. supped with
Sestius Gallus an old lecher, Itbidinnso senCy ed lege ul nuda jmella adminislrarent ;
fiome say as much of Nero, and Pontus Iluter of Carolus Pugoax. Amongst the
"Tom. 4. in'-rit. dial. Kiornai rieranler. i-
liirilrm rt liilnreni »e srreiK: > i. ridnido
K, 1 ..dr t.iari.lmil quill. iC. "' %• I
nil dt; liidilktria • ■'.\.':.
'. I'lua coii«(iicialur. > ib« tunt;
, . fii '".-^
Noil |.H|IIM
• |llUld r* \
. „-.-. ■■*}...
tjiaf. lio. I. aU Hi ruiiuiieiii. •■ F«>f w h) dn )i!i • llu'il ««U
jrvur ' utiUiy way,' your uucuircred bu«>UM J What viae |
■ N".
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■ r.-il.
1 lli
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r n
■i
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i*uii.
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Mem. 2. Subs. 3.] Artificial Allurements. 473
Babylonians, it was the custom of some lascivious queans to dance frisking in that
fashion, saith Curtius lib. 5. and Sardus de mor. gent. lio. 1. writes of others to that
effect. The ^' Tuscans at some set banquets had naked women to attend upon them,
which Leonicus dc Varia hist. lib. 3. cap. 96. confirms of such other bawdy nations.
Nero wouhl have filthy pictures still hanging in his chamber, which is too commonly
used in our times, and Heliogabalus, efiam coram agentes., ut ad venerem incitarent:
So things may be abused. A servant maid in Aristoenetus spied her master and mis-
tress through the key-hole ^^ merrily disposed; upon the sight she fell in love with
her master. ^* Antoninus Caracalla observed his mother-in-law witli her breasts
amorously laid open, he was so much moved, that he said, Ah si liceret., O that ]
might ; which she by chance overhearing, replied as impudently, °^ Quicquid libel
licet, thou mayest do what thou wilt : and upon that temptation he married her :
this object Avas not in cause, not the thing itself, but that unseemly, indecent car-
riage of it.
When you have all done, veniunt a. veste sagittcc, the greatest provocations of last
are from our apparel ; God makes, they say, man shapes, and there is no motive like
unto it;
85" Which doth even beauty heautify,
And most bewitch a wretched eye,"
a filthy knave, a deformed quean, a crooked carcass, a maukin, a wiich, a rotten
post, a hedgestake may be so set out and tricked up, that it shall make as fair a
show, as much enamour as the rest : many a silly fellow is so taken. Primnm luxu-
ries auciipium, one calls it, the first snare of lust ; ^ Bossus aucupium animarum^
lethalem arundinem, a fatal reed, the greatest bawd, forte lenociniuni, sanguineis
lachrymis deplorandum, saith " iMatenesius, and with tears of blood to be deplored.
Not that comeliness of clothes is therefore to be condemned, and those usual orna-
ments : there is a decency and decorum in this as well as in other things, fit to be
used, becoming several persons, and befitting their estates ; he is only fantastical
tliat is not in fashion, and like an old image in arras hangings, when a manner of
attire is generally received ; but when they are so new-fangled, so unstaid, so pro-
digious in their attires, beyond their means and fortunes, unbefitting their age, place,
quality, condition, what should we othersvise think of them .' Why do tliey adorn
themselves with so many colours of herbs, fictitious flowers, curious needle-works,
quaint devices, sweet-smelling odours, with those inestimable riches of precious
stones, pearls, rubies, diamonds, emeralds, &c. } Why do they crown themselves
with gold and silver, use coronets and tires of several fashions, deck themselves
with pendants, bracelets, ear-rings, chains, girdles, rings, pins, spangles, embroideries,
shadows, rebatoes, versicolour ribands "i why do they make such glorious shows
with their scarfs, feathers, fans, masks, furs, laces, tiffanies, ruffs, (Idls, calls, cuffs,
damasks, velvets, tinsels, cloth of gold, silver, tissue } with colours of heavens, stars,
planets : the strength of metals, stones, odours, flowers, birds, beasts, fishes, and
whatsoever Africa, Asia, America, sea, land, art, and industry of man can afford .■'
Why do they use and covet sucli novelty of inventions ; such new-fangled tires, and
spend such inestimable sums on them .' " To what end are tliose crisped, false hairs,
painted faces," as '^ the satirist observes, " such a composed gait, not a step awry.'"
Why are they like so many Sybarites, or Nero's Popp,;ea, Ahasuerus' concubines, so
costly, so long a dressing, as Caesar was marshalling his army, or a hawk in pruning.'
^ Dum moUunlur, dum comuntur, annus est: a ^"gardener takes not so much delight
and pains in his garden, a horseman to dress his horse, scour his armour, a mariner
about liis ship, a merchant his shop and sliop-book, as they do about their faces, and
all those other parts: such setting up with corks, straightening with whalebones;
why is it, but as a daynet catcheth larks, to make young men stoop unto them r
Philocharus, a gallant in Aristenaetus, advised his friend Polia^niis to take heed of
such enticements, ^' "■ for it was the sweet sound and motion of his mistress's
8' In T; rrhenis convivil^ nudae mulieres ministrabant. mollis prtulanlia ? quo incessus tarn compnsitus. See.
s^Aiiiitoria tniscentes vidit, et in ipsis coinplexibiis ^'sTer. "They take a year to ilnck ami roinb thein-
audit. (ScR. etnersit inde cupido in pectus virjfiiiis.
" Epist. 7. lib. Si. ««Spartian. MSidiity's Arcadia.
6' I)e iinmod. mulier. cultu. *" Discnrs. 6. de luxu
v<(,stium. '■s Petroniiis fol. 95. quo spcctant flexE
comcB ? quo facies medicamine attrita et oculorum
60 3P3
selves." sop. Aretine. Hortnlaiuis nnn ila exercetur
viseiidis hortis, eqiies eqiiis, arjnis. iiaiita navihiis, Sec.
3' Epist. 4. Sonus armillarum bene sonantium, odcr
unguentorum, &.c.
•♦T4 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
spangles and bracelets, the smell of her ointments, that captivated him first, lUafuit
me,ntis priuia ru'ina mea. Quid sibi vuU pixidum turba, saith '^- Lucian, "• to what use
are pins, pots, glasses, ointments, irons, combs, bodkins, setting-sticks ? why bestow
they all their patrimonies and iuisbands' yearly revenues on such fooleries?" ^bina
pcdrimoniu singulis auribus ; "why use they dragons, wasps, snakes, for chains,
enamelled jewels on their necks, ears r" dit^num potius foret fcrro manus istus rell-
gari, alquc utininn vionHiu vere dracoms easent ; they had more need some of them
be tied in bedlam witli iron cliains, have a whip for a fan, and hair-dolhs next to
their skins, and instead of wrought smocks, have their cheeks stigmatised with a hot
iron : I say, some of our Jezebels, instead of painting, if tliey were well served.
But why is all this labour, all this cost, preparation, ridmg, running, far-fetched, and
dear bought stufl? **^^ Because forsooth they would be fair and tine, and where
nature is defective, supply it by art." ^ Sanguine quce vero nan rubel^ arte rubet^
(Ovid); and to that purpose they anoint and paint their faces, to make Helen of
Ilecuba parvarnque exortaimjue pufUain — Europrn.^ To tliis intent they crush
ill their feel and boilies, hurt and crucify themselves, sometimes in lax-clothes, a
lii!i;(!red yards I think in a gown, a sleeve; and scjmelimes again so close, ut nudus
I ipriiiiunl artus. "Now hmg tails and trains, and tlu-n short, up, down, high, low,
illicit, thin, S^c. ; now little or no bands, then as big as cart wheels; now loose
l'»di..»s, tluM great fardiiigahs and v\u!ie girt, &.c. Why is all this, but with the whore
i.i ilie Proverbs, to intoxicate some or other? oculorum dtcipulani^ ""one therefore
calls it, et tndictm iibidinis, the trap of lust, and sure token, as an ivy-bush is to a
tavern.
"Ucir,,! inil, .r .- i;iM-.-r.- •■ifiKiH i|.- I.I II.! • viiltu«.
a
'O GIscrr.' Ill that you |i«wil fit iiuich,
V'. i ' . <lrt:kl III order iuch.
\\i L'tTB, braci-lciii III your ear,
Alli. , iilict, tell I can, I fear."
'1\> be admired, to be gazed on, to circunjvent some novice; as many times they do,
that instead of a lady he loves a cap and a feather instead of a maid tliat should
liave viTum cnlitrcm, corpus solidum »7 sued plrnum i as Clnerea describes his mis-
tress in the '"poet), a painted face, a rutl-band, fair and fine linen, a coronet, a ilower,
( "^^^Wituruquf putat quod f'uit urfiticis,) a wrought waistcoat he dotes on, or a pied
petticoat, a pure dye instead of a proper woman. F«»r gen«Tally, as with rich-furred
conies, their cases are far better than their bodies, ami like the bark of a cinnamon
tree, whiclj is dearer than the whole bulk, their outward accoutrements are far more
precious than their inward endowments. Tis too commonly so.
I " With Enltl and Jfwf^l* all ii covered,
' " AuTerimur tullu, et eemmi*, auroque Ugunlur | And ivitli u utrunge tire Me are won,
Uiiinia ; yan iniiiiiiia ett ipta pui-lla tui." i (VVIii-*t bIk^'h tti,- lia^i |i;trt oriii-rvelf)
I And with Ducli liaublcH quite undone."
Why do they keep in so long together, a whole winter sometimes, and will not be
seen but by torch or candlelight, and come abroad with all the preparation may be,
when thev have no business, but only to show themselves ? Speclutuin veniunt,
vcniunt spcctentur ut ipsie.
> " Fur what m bea'ity if it be not leen,
Or tvhat ibI io be i^en if not adinir'd,
.And though adniir'd, unl>-a« in bive de'ir'd?"
why do they go with such counterfeit gait, which 'Philo Judaeus reprehends them
for, and use (1 say it again) such gCoiures, apish, ridiculous, indecent attires, sybari-
Ucal tricks, /"mco* genisy purpurissam venisy cerussatn front i^ leges occulis, SfC. use those
sweet perfumes, powders and ointments in public; flock to hear sermons so frequent,
is it for ilevotion ? or rather, as ' Basil tells them, to meet tlieir sweetheart.**, and see
fashions; for, as he saith, commonly ihey come so provided to that place, with such
•» Tom. 4. dial. .Amor, vawnla pWrn nmlta? inf'-liei- I xoStn-za fil. ' (jn.l. ' .■< Ii.-iui. I. ' t.ib. Jc
tati« oiiincin uiaritiiriini oiiulentiani in b.fc iiipendiiiit, I victiuin'. Pr.i ' Ma.
draroiii'<( pru ni Iiiiud huli<-iil, iiiii utiiiaiii v>-re dra- ciiiciiinala. i -••
cone* •' ' I "■ i.in. "Seneca. »'faiililn> de iml- .iiin.i^i ... "•
nulit ' ribug oninibii<« hoc inipriini* III %oli* . nk.nial. iij, ■■■
eii, i.i ', ant III reiir-a non mmi, vi.le.iniur il.jriun a«periilii- ' r
|,,... ::. ...iri.. ...itura del'ilit. am. .n. - Iri.'i ;iii I . ..■ ' ■.,
I K'i unction. - 'ii-
■Ice. *•"
M- .. J.,. '. I .1 dwarf, iin 1. . , . . ..,-....,
•' ,\|. Ml. > raintal3:> tunicas, 4k>- KoO'K. *".S.'riiiaiiiii« crali«. la-iiiuiriuui cikilati* uiltctiWi* IU«fuu( iiii-
piuUn. t'hritt. cap. 6. ■* Ter. Eunuc. .Act. 3. tcta. X I pudcolie.
Mem. 2. Subs. 3.] Artificial Allurements. 475
curious compliments, with such gestures and tires, as it" they should d-q to a dancing-
school, a stage-play, or bawdy-house, fitter than a church.
" When such a she-priest comes her mass to say,
Twenty to one they all forget to pray."
*• They make those holy temples, consecrated to godly martyrs and religious uses,
the shops of impudence, dens of whores and thieves, and little better than brothel
houses." When we shall see thf *e things daily done, their husbands bankrupts, if
not cornutos, their wives light hv tisewives, daughters dishonest ; and hear of such
dissolute acts, as daily we do, hi. w should we think otherwise r what is their end,
but to deceive and inveigle young men ? As tow takes fire, such enticing objects
produce their eflect, how can it be altered .'' When Venus stood before Anchises ('as
^ Homer feigns in one of his hymns) in her costly robes, he was instantly taken,
"Cum ante ipsum staret Jovis filia, viiiens earn I "When Venus stood before Anchises first,
Anchises, ailiiiirahatur forinam, et stupeirdas vestes ; I He was amazM to see her in her tires;
Erat enim iiiduta peplo, isjneis radiis splenilidiore ; Fi,r she had on a hood as red as fire,
Hatiebat qnoque torques fulgidos, fiexiles liielices, And elitterine chains, and ivy-twisted spires,
IVnerum colluni aniiiiebaut monilia pulchra, About her tender neck were costly brooches,
Aurea, varie:,'ata." | And necklaces of j,'old, enaruell'd ouches."
So when 3Iedea came in presence of Jason first, attended by her nymphs and ladies,
as she is described by ^Apollonius,
'• Cunctas vero iffnis instar spqiiehatur splendor, I " A lustre followed them like flaming fire,
'raiitiim ai) anreis fimbriis resplendebat jubar, And from their golden borders came such beams,
Accenditqiie in oculis dulce desideriura." | Wliich in his eyes provok'd a sweet desire."
Such a relation we have in ^Plutarch, when the queens came and offered themselves
to Antony, ^ '•^ with diverse presents, and enticing ornaments, Asiatic allurements,
with such wonderful joy and festivity, they did so inveigle the Romans, that no man
could contain himself, all was turned to delight and pleasure. The women trans-
formed themselves to Bacchus shapes, the men-children to Satyrs and Pans ; but
Antony himself was quite besotted with Cleopatra's sweet speeches, philters, beauty,
pleasing tires : for when she sailed along the river Cydnus, with such incredible
pomp in a gilded ship, herself dressed like Venus, her maids like the Graces, her
pages like so many Cupids, Antony was amazed, and rapt beyond himself." Helio-
dorus, lib. I. brings in Dameneta, stepmother to Cnemon, '•'•whom she ^saw in his
scarfs, rings, robes, and coronet, quite mad for the love of him." It was Judith's
panlofles that ravished the eyes of Holofernes. And '"Cardan is not ashamed to
confess, that seeing his wife the first time all in white, he did admire and instantly
loA-e her. If these outward ornaments were not of such force, why doth "Xaomi
give Ruth counsel how to please Boaz ? and '^Judith, seeking to captivate Holo-
fernes, washed and anointed herself with sweet ointments, dressed her hair, and put
on costly attires. The riot in this kind hath been excessive in times past ; no man
almost came abroad, but curled and anointed,
13 •• Et matutino suadans Crispinus amomo."
Quantum vis redolent duofunera."
•• one spent as much as two funerals at once, and with perfumed hairs," " et rosa
canns odorati capilJos Assyriaque nardo. What strange thing doth '^Sueton. relate
in this matter of Caligula's riot.' And Pliny, lib. 12. & 13. Read more in Dios-
corides, Ulmus, Arnoldus, Randoletius defuco et decoratione ; for it is now an art,
as it was of old, (so '® Seneca records) officincs sunt odores coquentium. Women are
bad and men worse, no difference at all between their and our times; '^"good man-
ners (as Seneca complains) are extinct with wantonness, in tricking up themselves
men go l)eyond women, they wear harlots' colours, and do not walk, but jet and
dance," hie mulier, hcBC vir^ more like players, butterflies, baboons, apes, antics, than
men. So ridiculous, moreover, we are in our attires, and for cost so excessive, that
as Hierome said of old, UnoJUio villarum insunt pretia, uno lino decies sestertiiim
s Hymno Veneri dicato. e Argonaut. I. 4. 'Vit. | excidit. '» Lib. de lib. prop. » Ruth, iii. 3
.\nton. 8 Regia domo ornatuque certantes, sese ac j " Cap. ix. 5. ^ Juv. Sat. 6. '* Hor. lib. 2. Od. 11
formain suani .Antonio offerentes, &c. Cum oriiatu et '* Cap. 27. '^ Epist. 90. i' (iuicquid est boni
incredibili ponipa per Cydnum fluvium navigarent moris levitate extiiiguitur, et politura corporis muUie-
aurala puppi, ipsa ad similitudinem Veneris ornata, bres muiiditias antecessimus colores meretricios viri
ouells Gratiis similes, pueri Cupidinibus, Antonius ad sumimus, tenero et raolli srailu suspendimiis gradum,
I'isiini siupefactus. » Amictiim Chlamyde et coronis, non ambulanius, nat. quxst. lib. 7. cap. 31.
livim primum aspesit Cnemonem, ex polestate mentis
476 Love-Melancholy. [Part. H. Sec. 2
inseritiir ; 'tis an ordinary thing to put a thousand oaks and a hundred oxen into a
suit of apparel, to wear a whole manor on his back. What with shoe-ties, hangers,
points, caps and feathers, scarfs, bands, cuffs, S^c, in a short space their whole patri-
monies are consumed, lleliogabalus is taxed by I^mpridius, and admired in his age
for wearing jewels in his shoes, a connnon thing in our times, not for emperors and
princes, but almost for serving men and tailors ; all the flowers, stars, constellations,
gold and precious stones do condescend to set out their shoes. To repress the
luxury of those Roman matrons, there was '*Lex Valeria and Oppia, and a Cato to
contradict; but no laws will serve to repress the pride and insolency of our days,
the prodigious riot in this kind. Lucullus''s wardrobe is put down by our ordinary
citizens; and a cobbler's wife in Venice, a courtesan in Florence, is no whit inferior
to a queen, if our geographers say true : and why is all this ? •» Why do they glory
in their jewels (as '^ he saith) or exult and triumph in the beauty of clothes.^ why
is all this cost ? to incite men the sooner to burning lust. They pretend decency
and ornament ; but let them take heed, that while they set out their bodies they do
not damn their souls;" 'tis * Bernard's counsel: '-shine in jewels, slink in condi-
tions ; have purple robes, and a torn conscience." Let them take heed of Isaiah's
prophecy, that their slippers and attires be nut taken from them, sweet halls, brace-
lets, earrings, veils, wimples, crisping-pins, glasses, line linen, hoods, lawns, and
sweet savours, they become not bald, burned, and stink upon a sudden. And let
maids beware, as "Cypiian adviselh, " that while they wander too loosclv abroad,
they lose not their virginities :" and like t^yplian temjjles, seciu fair without, but
prove rotten carcases within. How nmch better were it for them to follow that
good counsL'l of Tertulliun ? " •• To have their eyes painted with chastity, the
Woru of Gotl inserted into their ears, C'lirisfs yoke tied to the hair, to subject
themselves to their husbands. If they would do so, they should be comely enough,
clothe themselves with the silk of sanctity, damask of devotion, purple of piety and
chasiiiy, and so painted, they Khali have God himself to be a suitor: let whores and
queans prank up themselves, " let them paint their faces with minion and ceruse,
they are but fuels of lust, and signs of a corrupt soul : if ye be good, h<juest, vir-
tuous, and religious matrons, let sobriety, modesty and chastity be your honour, and
God himself your love anil desire." Mulier reclt oltt, ubi nihil ulety then a woman
smells best, when she hath no perfume at all; no crown, chain, or jewel (Guivarra
adds) vi such an ornument to a virgin, or. virtuous woman, quam virgini pudor, as
chastity is : more credit in a wise man's eye and judgment they get by their plain-
ness, and seem fairer than lliey that are set out with baubles, as a butcher's meat is
with pricks, pufled up, and adorned like so many jays with variety of colours. It
is reported of Cornelia, that virtuous Roman lady, great Scipio's daughter, Titus
Sempronius' wife, and the mother of the Gracchi, that being by chance in company
with a companion, a strange gentlewoman (some light housewife belike, that was
dressed like a May lady, and, as most of our gentlewomen are, '' was " more soli-
citous of her head-tire than of her health, that spent her time between a comb and
a glass, and had rather be fair than honest (as Cato said), and have the common-
wealth turned topsyturvy than her tires marred ;" and she did nought but brag of
her tine robes and jewels, and provoked the Roman matron to show hers : Cornelia
kept her in talk till her children came from school, and these, said she, are my
jewels, and so deluded and put off a proud, vain, fantastical, housewife. How much
better were it lor our matrons to do as she did, to go civilly and decently, ^' Jluiustce
ntulieris instar qucB utitur auro pro eo quod c>-f, ad ea lanlum quibus opus est, to use
gold as it is gold, and for that use it serves, and when they need it, than to ccmsume
it in riot, beggar their husbands, prostitute themselves, inveigle others, and perad-
>* Liv. lib. -1. lifC. 4. >* Quilt rxiiltag in pulclirilu i tea. «ie farile <-t latii eriti* ortiatr : vrtiiiir voa lenco
dine panni ? Quid gloriarid iii ^il-iiiiiiiii ut fariliu< in- probiiatii, h>Minii (aiiclilatii. purpura puJinlic: tali-
vitea ad libidimmMiii inceiiilium ' M'' i'. ---.'.•■•.( I i.' ■..'m.,.,t ,i .• ,!....im h..t,.r,ii ■- :iii...! r. h, » Huaa
moJrr inulit?. nillu. » Kpi-t 1 11 • or«
ni(>ribu« wirdeiit. purpurata v<«ti-'. c ' in-
cap. 3 17. " "• • ■' ■■ "ilia
tiua, iluiii rvaea' '<!••
ginim. C'lnn«-iiii ' .•im
^id. « l.it>. .. "• ■ ■."■. .' ...■,■■-, ■■ - • " 1 ■- ..o»ii.
•rrrcunJii. inl'rrenli-f in aum ii>'riii.in*-iii ilei. annrv- i ore*, et ii-iupuu. niinua tutitari curaal luaio cucnaM.
4iitea ciiribuaju(ura Ciuiiti, caput maritia lubjicieu- ■ 8«D«ca. * LucMo.
I^Iem. 2. Subs. 3.] Artljiciai Jllluremenis. -177
venture damn their own souls ? How much more would it be for their honour and
credit ? Thus doing, as Hierom said of Blesilla, -"'■'■ Furius did not so triumph over
the Gauls, Papyrius of the Samnites, Scipio of IVumantia, as she did by her tem-
perance ;" 7;////a semper veste, Sfc, they should insult and domineer over lust, folly
vain-glory, all such inordinate, furious and unruly passions.
But ] am over tedious, I confess, and whilst 1 stand gaping after fine clothes, there
is another great allurement, (in the world's eye at least) which had like to have
stolen out of sight, and that is money, venitint a dote sagitta, money malves the
match ; ^' Moiov a^yvpov tSXiTiov^iv : 'tis like sauce to their meat, cum came condi)nentu?n,
a good dowry with a wife. Many men if they do hear but of a great portion, a rich
heir, are more mad than if they had all the beauteous ornaments, and those good
parts art and nature can afford, they ^^ care not for honesty, bringing up, birth, beauty
person, but for money.
'Canes et equos (6 Cyrne) quoeiimub
Xol)iles, et a hona prngeiiie;
Malani vero uxorem, maliquo patris filiara
Ducere iioa curat vir bonus,
Modo ei magnain dotem alierat."
' Our dozs and horses still from the best breed
We carefully geek, and well may they speed:
But for our wives, so tliey prove wealthy.
Fair or foul, we care not wliat they be."
If she be rich, then she is fair, fine, absolute and perfect, then they burn like fire,
they love her dearly, like pig and pie, and are ready to hang themselves if they may
not have her. Nothing so familiar in these days, as for a young man to marry an
old wife, as they say, for a piece of gold ; asinum auro onustum; and though she be
an old crone, and have never a tooth in her head, neither good conditions, nor a good
face, a natural fool, but only rich, she shall have twenty young gallants to be suitors
in an instant. As she said in Suetonius, 7ion tne^ sed tnea amhiunt, 'tis not for her
sake, but for her lands or money; and an excellent match it were (as he added; if
she were away. So on the other side, many a young lovely maid will cast away
herself upon an old, doting, decrepit dizzard,
30 " Bis puer cffoBto quarnvis balbutiat ore,
Prima legit rar<e tain culta roseta puelliE,"
that is rheumatic and gouty, hath some twenty diseases, perhaps but one eye, one
leg, never a nose, no hair on his head, wit in his brains, nor honesty, if he have
land or ^' money, she will have him before all other suitors, ^^ Dummodo sit dives
barharus Ule placet. '•^ If he be rich, he is the man," a fine man, and a proper man,
she will go to Jacaktres or Tidore with him ; Galesimus de monte aureo. Sir Giles
Goosecap, Sir Amorous La-Fool, shall have her. And as Philemasiuni in ^^Aristae-
netus told Emmusus, absque argento omnia vana, hang him that hath no money,
'"• 'tis to no purpose to talk of marriage without means," ''^ trouble me not with such
motions; let others do as they will, '• I'll be sure to have one shall maintain me fine
and brave." Most are of her mind, ^^De moribus ultima fict qiiestio, for his condi-
tions, she shall inquire after them another time, or when all is done, the match made,
and everybody gone home. ^*^ Lucian's Lycia was a proper young maid, and had
many hue gentlemen to her suitors ; Ethecles, a senator's son, Melissus, a merchant,
&.C.; but she forsook them all for one Fassius, a base, hirsute, bald-pated knave;
but why was it .' '• His father lately died and left him sole heir of his goods and
lands." Tliis is not amongst your dust-worms alone, poor snakes that will prosti-
tute their souls for money, but with this bait you may catch our most potent, puis-
sant, and illustrious princes. That proud upstart domineering Bisliop of Ely, in the
time of Richard the First, viceroy in his absence, as ^'Nubergensis relates it, to for-
tify himself, and maintain his greatness, propinquarum suarum connubiis., plurimos
sibi potenies et nohiles devincire ciiravit^ married his poor kinswomen (which came
forth of Normandy by droves) to the chiefest nobles of the land, and they were glad
to accept of such matches, fair or foul, for themselves, their sons, nephews. Sec. Et
quis tarn prceclaram affinitatem sub spe magna promotioiiis non optaret ? Who would
^Nonsic Furius de Gallis. non Papyrius de Ssmni- I fnistra utitur arsuinento. se jyvenajis. -^Tom.
tibus, Sci|ii(i de Nuniantia triumphavit, ac ilia se vin- | 4. merit, dial. mult(j3 ainatores rejecit, quia pater ejuj
renilo 111 har. parte. '^ Anacreon. 4. solum intuemur l iiiiper mortuus, ac doniiiiiis ipse factus honoruin on>-
""/n'li- ® Asser tecum si vis vivere mecum. nliim. 3? L,b. 3. cap. 14. qui* nobilium eo tempore
"'Iheosnis. -oClialouer, I. 9. de Repub. Aug. sibi aut filio aut nepoti u.xorem accipere cupiens, obli-
" Uxorem ducat Danaen, &c. s- Ovid. 33 Epist. tarn sibi aliquam propinquarum ejus non ncciperet ob
li. furinain spectant alii per gratias, ejo pecuniam, &.c. viis manibus? Quaruin turbain acciverald Normaauia.
ne luihi negotuim facesse. ^iQui caret argentu, 1 in Angliain ejus rei gratia.
I
478 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Ser*. 2
not have done as much for money and preferment ? as mine author '^adds. Vorti-
grr, King of Britain, marrie<l Rowena the daughter of Ilengist the Saxon prince, his
mortal enemy; but wherefore? she had Kent fur her dowry, higcllo tlie great
Duke of Litliuania, 1380, was mightily enamoured on Hedenga, insonuirh tliat he
turned Christian from a Pagan, and was baptized himself by the name of Uladislans,
and all his subjects for her sake : but why was it .' she was daughter and heir of
Poland, and his desire was to have both kingdoms incorporated into one. Charles
the Great was an earnest suitor to Irene tlie Empress, but, saith ^"Zonarus, oh reg-
num, to annex the empire of the East to that of the West. Yet what is the event
of all such matches, that are so made for money, goods, by deceit, or for burning
lust, (]uns fceda libido conjunxit, what follows } they are almost mad at first, but 'tis
a mere flash; as chart' and straw soon fired, burn vehemently for a while, yet out in
a moment; so are all such matches made by those allurements of burning lust;
where there is no respect of honesty, parentage, virtue, religion, education, and the
like, they are extinguished in an instant, and instead of love comes hate; for joy,
repentance and desperation itself Francisnis Barharus in his first book dc re uxoria^
c. 5, l.alh a stor\' of one Philip of Padua that ftU in love with a common whore,
and was now ready to run mad for her; his father having no more sons let him
enjoy her; ^"''but after a few days, the young man began to loath, could not so
much as endu e the sight of her, and frtxn one madness fell into another." Such
event commonly have all these lovers; and he that so marries, or for suth respects,
let them look for no better success than Menelaus had with Helen, Vulcan with
Venus, Theseus with Pha'dra, Minos with Pasiphae, and Claudius with Messalina ;
shame, sorrow, misery, melancholy, discontent.
SuBSECT. IV. — Impi^rtunity and Opportunity of Time, Place, Conference, Dis-
course, Singinif, Uitncini^, Music, ..Irnorous Tales, Objects, Kissing, Familiarity,
Tokens, Presents, Bribes, Promises, Protestations, Tears, 6fc.
All these allurements hitherto are afar off, and at a distance; I will come nearer
to those other degrees of love, which are cf)nference, kissing, dalliance, discourse,
singing, dancing, anuirous tales, objects, presents, &.c., which as so many Syren.s
steal away the hearts of men and women. For, as Tacitus observes, /. 2, *' •' It i.''
no sutlicient trial of a maid's afli'ction by her eyes alone, but you must say some-
thing that shall be more available, and use such other forcible engines ; therefore
lake her by the hand, wring her fingers hard, and sigh withal ; if she accept this in
good part, and seem not to be much averse, then call her mistress, take her about
the neck and kiss her, Stc." But this caimot be done except they first get opportu-
nity of living, or coming together, ingress, egress, and regress ; letters and commend-
ations may do much, outward gestures and actions : but when they come to live
near one another, in the same street, village, or together in a house, love is kindled
on a sudden. Many a serving-man by reasim of this opportunity and importunity
uiveigles his master's daughter, many a gallant loves a dowdy, many a gentleman
nms upon his wife's maids ; many ladies dote upon their men, as the queen m
Ariosto did upon the dwarf, many matches are so made in haste, and they are com-
pelled as it were by *^ necessity so to love, which had they been free, come in com-
pany of others, seen that variety which many places afford, or Cf»mpared them to a
third, would never have looked one upon another. Or had not that opportunity of
discourse ami familiarity been offered, they would have h»athed and contemned those
whom, for want t)f better choice and other objects, they are fatally driven on. and
by reason of their hot blood, idle life, full diet, &c., are forced to dote upon them
that come next. And many times those which at the first sight cannot fancy or aflcct
each other, but are harsh and ready to disagree, offended with each other's carriage
like Benedict and Beatrice in the ^comedy, and in whom they find many faults, by
• A If under Gaguinus Sarmal. Europ. rf>-^ • '•-•■■• -.. i. .,...,., ,np^iin ghih*-'- ■'■•""»■•■"•■•-•» -»■•
<*Toiii. a. Aiiiial. « I.ilmln ntnliiii iJt'lcrtxiii alqiie inirr
dium Cifiul. el i|Uik1 in ea laiili'iH-ri; adaiiiavil a-, ■■ »>-• aniriK. •
tur. et ah a-anlintiiie libcraiii!* in aiieorciii i... i...i. .■,..., ..-, ;..f, luin vero ■: ,. ,._ .;..,;.<-•
•' lie puelliP vuluiiiftit; pfnculmii (acfre solu irciilm n>in ' culliiin miaviare. *» Uuii{ry ilop will ral cifly
••t latM, texi eiitcaciu* aliquid agere uporlet, iliique | ^iJdin(f. **8Iiaki(ic«re.
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Artificial Allurements. 470
this living together in a house, conference, kissing, colling, and such like allure-
ments, begin at last to dote insensibly one upon another.
It was the greatest motive that .Potiphar's wile had to dote upon Joseph, and
'^Clitiphon upon Leucippe his uncle's daughter, because the plague being at Bizance,
it was his fortune for a time to sojourn with her, to sit next her at the table, as he
tells the tale himself in Tatius, lib. 2. (which, though it be but a fiction, is grounded
upon good observation, and doth well express the passions of lovers;, he had op-
portunity to take her by the hand, and after a while to kiss, and handle her paps, kc,
^ which made him almost mad. Ismenius the orator makes the like confession in
Eustathius, lib. 1, when he came first to Sosthene's house, and sat at table with
Cratistes his friend, Ismene, Sosthene's daughter, waiting on them " with her breasts
open, arms half bare," *^JYuda pedem^ disciucta sinum, spoliata lacertos ; after the
Greek fashion in those times, — *~nudos media plus parte lacertos., as Daplme was
when she fled from Phoebus (whicli moved him much), was ever ready to give at-
tendance on him, to fill him drink, her eyes were never off him, rogabundi oculi.
those speaking eyes, courting eyes, enchanting eyes ; but she was still smiling on
him, and when they were risen, that she had got a little opportunity, ^' *■• she came
and drank to him, and withal trod upon his toes, and would come and go, and when
she could not speak for the company, she would wring his hand," and blush when
she met him : and by this means first she 'overcame him {hibens amorcm hauriebam
simul), she would kiss the cup and drink to him, and smile, ''• and drink where he drank
on that side of the cup," by which mutual compressions, kissings, wringing of" hands,
treading of feet, &c. Ipsam mihi videbar sorbillare virgine?n, I sipped and sipped
so long, till at length I was drunk in love upon a sudden. Philocharinus, in ^^Aris-
taenetus, met a fair maid by chance, a mere stranger to him, he looked back at her,
she looked back at him again, and smiled witlial.
50" Ille dies lethi primus, priinusque maloriim
Causa fuit"
It was the sole cause of his farther acquaintance, and love that undid him. °' O nid-
lis tutum credere blanditiis.
This opportunity of time and place, with their circumstances, are so forcible mo-
tives, that it is impossible almost for two young folks equal in years to live together,
and not be in love, especially in great houses, princes' courts, wiiere they are idle in
summo gradu, fare well, live at ease, and cannot tell otherwise how to spend their
time. ""^Illic Hippolitum pone., Priapus erit. Achilles was sent by his mother
Thetis to the island of Scyros in the ^Egean sea (where Lycomedes then reigned) in
his nonage to be brought up ; to avoid that hard destiny of the oracle (he sliould
be slain at the siege of Troy) : and for that cause was nurtured in Geneseo, amongst
the king's children in a woman's habit ; but see the event : he compressed Deidamia,
the king's fair daughter, and had a fine son, called Pyrrhus by her. Peter Abelard
the philosoplier, as he tells the tale himself, being set by Fulbertus her uncle to
teach Heloise his lovely niece, and to that purpose sojourned in his house, and had
committed agnam tencllam famelico lupo, I use his own words, he soon got her good
will, plura erant oscula quam scntenticR., and he read more of love than any other
lecture ; such pretty feats can opportunity plea ; primiim domn conjuncli^ inde ani-
7ms, Sj-c. But when as I say, nox, vinum, et adolescent ia., youth, wine, and night,
shall concur, nox amoris et quietis conscia, 'tis a wonder tliey be not all plunged
over head and ears in love ; for youth is benigna in anwrem, et prona matsries, a
very combustible matter, naplha itself, the fuel of love's fire, and most apt to kindle
it. If there be seven servants in an ordinary house, you shall have three couple i\\
some good liking at least, and amongst idle persons how should it be otherwise ?
"• Living at ^^Rome, saith Aretine's Lucrelia, in the flower of my fortunes, ricn, fair,
young, and so well brought up, my conversation, age, beauty, fortune, made all the
« Tatius, lib. 1. «5 in mammaruBi attractu, I dens, tc. " Vir. ^En. 4. " That was the first hour
non asperiiaiida inest jucuiulilas, et attrectatus, tc. I of dfstruction, and the first beginning of my miseries.''
*«Mantiiani. '"Ovid. 1. Mel. <8 Planus ad cubitum j si propertius. '' Ovid. amor. lib. i eleg. 2. "Place
nuda, coram astans, fortius intuita, tenuem de pectore j modesty itself in such a situation, desire will intrude."
spiritum ducens.di^itum meum pressit,et bibens pedem '^ Komx vivens flore fortunx, et opiilentis mejE, jetai",
pressit ; raulua; compressiones corporum, labioruni com- | forma, gratia conversatioois, waxime me fecerunt ex-
mixtiones, pedum connexiones, &c. Et bibit eodem ' petib-'em, (Sec.
oco, &.C. " Epist. 4. Respexi, respeiit et ilia subri- .
480 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
world admire and love me." Night alone, that one occasion, is enough to set all on
fire, and they are so cunning in great houses, that they make their best advantage
of it • Many a gentlewoman, that is guilty to herself of her imperfections, paintings,
impostures, will not willingly be seen by day, but as *^ Castillo notelh, in the night,
Diem ut gUs odit^ taduriim luccm super omnia fnavult^ she hateth the day like a dor-
mouse, and above all things loves torches and candlelight, and if she must come
abroad in the day, she covets, as " in a niercer's sliop, a very obfuscate and obscure
sight. And good reason .she hath for it : JS'ocU latent mendce^ and many an amo-
rous gull is fetched ovet by that means. Gomesius Uh. 3. de sale g(n. c. 22. gives
instance in a Florentine gentleman, that was so deceived with a wife, she was so
rachantlv set out with rings and jewels, lawns, scarfs, laces, gold, spangles, and gaudy
devices, that the young man took her to be a goddess (for he never saw her but by
torchliu^ht) ; but after the wedding solemnities, when as he viewed her the next
morning without her tires, and in a dear day, she was so deformed, a lean, yellow,
shrivelled, kc, such a beastlv creature in his eyes, that he could not endure to
look upon her. Such matches are fretjuently made in Italy, wliere they have no
other opportunity to woo but when they go to church, or, as * in Turkey, see them
at a distance, they must interchange few or no words, till such time they come to be
married, and then as Sardus lib. I. cap. '3. de tnorb. gent, ami " Bohemus relate of
those old I^cediemoiiians, " the bride is brought into the chamber, with her hair
jiirt about her, the bridegroom ci>mes in and unties the knot, and must not see her
at all by daylight, till such time as he is made a father by her." In those hotter
countries tiiese are ordinary practices at this day ; but in our northern parts, aniongst
Gernmns, Danes, French, and Britons, the ct)nlinent of Scandia and the rest, we
a?'sume more liberty in such cases; we allow them, as Bohemus saith, to kiss com-
iniiand going, et mudo absit lascieia, in cuupontin ducere^ to talk njerrily, sport, play,
sing, and dance so llial it be n>o<Ie^'.ly done, jjo to the alehouse and tavern together.
And 'tis not amiss, though **Chry.>o.stom, Cyprian, liierome, and some other of the
fathers speak bitterly against it : but that is the abuse whicii is commonly seen at
some drunken matches, dissolute meetings, or great unruly feasts. *"'• A'young,
piltivanted, trim-bearded fellow," saith ilierome, »• will come with a company of
compliments, and hold you up by the arm as you go, and wringing your fingers,
vsill so be enticed, or entice : one drinks to you, another embraceth, a third kisseth,
and all this while the fiddh-r plays or sings a lascivious song; a fuurtli singles you
out to dance, '"one speaks by beck and signs, and that which he dares not say, sig-
nities by passii>ns ; amongst so many and so great provocatifjns of pleasure, lust
conquers the most hard and crabbed minds, and scarce can a man live honest amongst
feastinijs, and sports, or at such great meetings." For as he goes on, *'"she walks
along and with the ruHling of her clothes, makes men look at her, her shoes creak,
her paps tied up, her waist pulled in to make her look small, she is straight girded,
her hairs hatig loose about her ears, her U|)per garment sometimes falls, and some-
times tarries to show her naked shoulilers, and as if she would not be seen, she
covers that in all haste, which voluntarily she showed." And not at feasts, plays,
pageants, and such assemblies, •' but as Chrysostom objects, these tricks are put in
practice '• at s-er^'ice time in churches, and at the communion itself." If such dumb
shows, signs, and more obscure significations of love can so move, what shall they
do that have full liberty to sing, dance, kiss, coll, to use all manner of discourse and
dalliance ! What shall he do that is beleaguered of all sides ?
<» •• QiiPin mi, lam nwei ixtuiit (lui-lla-. I '• After whi)iii m many rcwy maid* inquire.
Uurin cullx ctipiunt niirus amorque Whom ilaiiity iliiiiie* and lovir>« « iijfiU de«ire,
Uiunis ijndiqu«- >-l undecunque et uMjue. In ever> place, mill, and al all \iav% »ue.
Oniiii< aoibit Amor, Veiiusqu*; llymeoque." | Whom gixU and gentle goddewieii do who."
M De Aulic. I. I. fol. 63. •• Ut adullerini mercalo- ( illecebrai eiiam ferreaa menlea libido di.mal. DiffieiW
nim paiiiii »• Busbeq. epiit. »■ Par;iiiyin()h.i in inter epulaii aervatur pudicilia. •' CLi r<- vcktiua
rubiculum addiict.i rapillos ad cutiin relVrt-bul ; aponuu* I ad »e juvenen vorat ; capilli fawiolii rnniiirimuntur
ind« ad earn ingreiMUc cingiiluiu »olvebal. nee prius cn»pati. cinRulo (wclu* arelalur, capilli vel in Ir^ntein,
• p<ni«am a«priit lulrrJiu qiiaiii ei illfl raclus >-»*»-\ vel in aiirt-* dtrtuuiit : palliolum iiiterduni ra.lit. ut
patdf »» Shrill, cont. roiicub. »• Lib. i epi»« n-l n.id.-l riiiinfriMi.f t qua<i videri nolueril, f«*«linain telal,
jliui, III et liiatr>-oi vidiiam epi^t. in ' ■ ■ ' v(j|en» dt-teierit. "!<erni. roni n.nrub I»
lib, i!>piaiii niaiium, su.Hti-niatnl li . et revmndu «acrament.)rum tempore inuUai
^t ^,1 r-. a'lt tentabitiir aut tentabi: i ines. ut illii placeaut qui eai viOeot, prcbaBl.
«l>>.)>i<i ir ■.\\i<\* nulibut. et quicquid metiiit ilir>r>'.| ' i .mt. Baia. I. I.
iigDittcabil atTectibui. Inter baa taniai voluptalum I
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Ariificial Mluremenls. 481
How shall he contain ? The very tone of some of their voices, a pretty pleasing
speech, an affected tone they use, is able of itself to captivate a young man ; but
when a good wit shall concur, art-and eloquence, fascinating speech, pleasant dis-
course, sweet gestures, the Syrens themselves cannot so enchant. ^^ P. Jovius com-
mends his Italian countrywomen, to have an excellent faculty in this kind, above all
other nations, and amongst them the Florentine ladies : some prefer Roman and
Venetian courtesans, they have such pleasing tongues, and such ^^ elegancy of speech,
that they are able to overcome a saint, Pro facie mullls vox sua Icnafuil. Tanla
gratia vncis famam conciJiabai, saith Petronius ^''in his fragment of pure impurities
1 mean his Safyricon, tarn dulcis sonus permulcehat aera, ut pufares inter auras can-
tare Syrcnum concordiam ; she sang so sweetly that she cliarmed the air, and thou
wouldst have thought thou hadst heard a concert of Syrens. " O good God, when
Lais speaks, how sweet it is !" Philocolus exclaims in Aristena^tus, to hear a faii
voung gentlewoman play upon the virginals, lute, viol, and sing to it, which as Gel-
lius observes, lib. 1. cap. 11. are lascivienliun dcUcice, the chief delight of lovers,
must needs be a great enticement. Parthenis was so taken. ^'^Mi vox isia avidd
haurit ab aure annnam : O sister Harpedona (she laments) I am undone, ''**"• how
sweetly he sings, Fll speak a bold word, he is the properest man that ever \ saw in
my life : O how sweetly he sings, I die for his sake, O that he would love me
again !" If thou didst but hear her sing, saith ^^ Lucian, '•^ thou wouldst forget father
and mother, forsake all thy friends, and follow her." Helena is highly commended
by ™ Theocritus the poet for her sweet voice and music; none could play so well as
she, and Daphnis in the same Edyllion,
"Quain tibi os dulce est, et vox amahilis 6 Daplini, I "How sweet a fnre Iialh Dapline, hnw lovely a voice!
Jucundiusest audire te canentein,qii;'un iiiel lingere !" | Honey itself is not so pleasant in my choice."
A sweet voice and music are powerful enticers. Those Samian singing wenches,
Aristonica, Onanthe and Agathocleia, regiis diadematibus insult arunt, insulted over
kings themselves, as ^' Plutarch contends. Centum luminibns cinctum caput Argus
habebat.^ Argus had a hundred eyes, all so charmed by one silly pipe, that he lost hi?
head. Clitiphon complains in '^Tatius of Leucippe's sweet tunes, "he heard her
play by chance upon the lute, and sing a pretty song to it in commendations of a
rose," out of old Anacreon belike ;
' Rosa honor decusque florum,
Rosa flos odorque diviim,
Hominum rosa est voluptas,
Decus ilia Gratiariiin,
Florente ainoris hora,
Rosa suaviuin Diones, &c."
' Rose the fairest of all flowers.
Rose deliijht of his:lier powers,
Rose the joy of mortal men,
Rose the pleasure of fine women,
Rose the Graces' ornament,
Rose Dione's sweet content."
To this effect the lovely virgin with a melodious air upon her golden wired harp oi
lute, I know not well whether, played and sang, and that transported him beyond
himself, " and that ravished his heart." It was Jason's discourse as much as hi?
beauty, or any other of his good parts, which delighted Medea so much.
13 " Delectabatur enim
Animus siniul forma dulcihusque verbis."
It was Cleopatra's sweet voice and pleasant speech which inveigled Antony, above
the rest of her enticements. Verba ligant hominem., ut taurorum cornua funes.^ "as
bulls' horns are bound with ropes, so are men's hearts with pleasant words." " Her
words burn as fire," Eccles. ix. 10. Roxalana bewitched Solyman the Magnificent, and
Shore's wife by this engine overcame Edward the Fourth, "■* Omnibus una omnes sur~
ripuit Veneres. The wife of Bath in Chaucer confesselh all this out of her experience.
Some folk desire ns for riches.
Some for shape, some for fairness,
Some for that she can sing or dance,
Some for gentleness, or for dalliance.
'^ Peter Aretine's Lucretia telleth as much and more of herself, " I counterfeited
** Descr. Brit. ^Res est blanda canor, disciint
cantare puellse profacie, &c. Ovid. 3. de art. amandi.
" Epist. 1. ]. Cum loquitur Lais, quanta, O dii honi,
vocis ejus dulcedo! e' " The sweet sound of his
voice reanimates my soul throuL'h my covetous ears."
* Aristenaitus, lib. 2. epist. 5. (iuam suave canit ! ver-
bum audax di.\i, omnium quos vidi forinosissimus, uti-
oam amare me dignetur! •s Imagines, si cantanteni
Budieris, ita demulcebere, ut parentum et patris statim |
61 2Q
obliviscaris. '"Edyll. 18. neque sane ulla sic Cytha-
ram pulsare novit. " Aniatorio Dialogo. "Puel-
lam Cythara canentom vidimus. '^ ,\pollonius, Argo-
naut. 1. 3. " The mind is deliyhted as much by eloquenee
as beautv." 'TalullMS. "s Parnoriidascalo dial.
Ital. Latin, interp. Jasper. Bartliio. Germ. Fingebam
honcstatem pliisquam vir^'inis vestalis, intuebar oculia
uxoris, addebau\ gestus, tr.
482 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
honesty, as if I had been virgo virginissima., more than a vestal virgin, I looked like a
■wife, I was so demure and chaste. I did add such gestures, tunes, speeches, signs and
motions upon all occasions, that my spectators and auditors were stupided, enchanted,
fastened all to their places, like so many stocks and stones." Many silly gentlewomen
are fetched over in like sort, by a company of gulls and swaggering companions, that
frequently belie noblemen's favours, rliyming Coribantiasmi, Thrasonean Rhado-
niantes or Bombomachides, that have notliiiig in them but a few player''s ends and
compliments, vain braiigadocians, impudent intruders, that can discourse at table of
knights and lords' combats, like '"Lucian's Lermtiscus, of other men's travels, brave
adventures, a!)d such common trivial news, ride, dance, sing old ballad tunes, and
wear their clothes in fashion, with a good grace; a fine sweet gentleman, a proper
man, who could not love him ! Slie will have him tiiough all her friends say no,
though she beg with him. Some a<;ain are incensed l)y reading amorous toys, Amadis
de Gaul, Palmerin de Oliva, the Knight of the Sun, Stc, or hearing such tales of
""lovers, descriptions of their persons, lascivious discourses, such as Astyanassa,
Helen's waiting-woman, by the rqmrt of Suidas, writ of old, ih variis conrubittts
modis., and after her Philenis and Elephantine; t)r those light tracts of "Aristides
Milesius (^mentioned by Plutarch) and found by the Persians in Crassus' army
amongst the sp()ils, Aretine's dialogues, with ditties, love songs, Stc, must needs set
them on fire, with such iike pictures, as lh(»se of Aretine, or wanton objects of what
kind soever; *' no stronger engine than to hear or read of love toys, fables and dis-
courses C^one Haith"), and many by this means are quite mad." At Abdera in Thrace
(^Andromeda one of Euri{>ides' tragedies being playeil) tlie spectators were so much
moved with the object, and those palhelical love speeches of Perseus, amongst the
rest, "O Cupid. Prince of Gods and men," &c. that every man almost a good while
after s^Kikc pure iambics, and raved still on Perseus' speech, "O Cupid, Prince of
Gods aiul men." As carmen, boys and apprerjtices, when a new song is published
with us, go singing that new tune still in the slrc'ets, they continually acted that
tragical part of Ptrseu.s and in every man's mouth was '• O Cupid," in every street,
"O Cupid," in eveiy house almost, •• O Cupid, Prince of Gods and men," pronounc-
ing still like stage-players, '• O Cupid ;" they were so posses.sed all with that rapture,
and thought of that pathetical love speech, they could not a long lime after forget,
or drive it out of their minds, but •♦ O CupitI, Prince of Gods and meti," was ever in
their mouths. This belike made Aristotle, Polit. lib. 7. cap. 18. forbid young men
to see comedies, or to hear amorous tales.
"> ■' Hxc igitiir juvene* nequani facilexjue puella
lutpiciaiil"
** let not young folks meddle at all with such matters." And this made the Romans,
as *' Vitruvius relates, put Venus' temple in the suburbs, extra murum^ ne adolesctnles
venereis insue scant., to avoid all occasions and objects. For what will not such an
object do .^ Ismenius, as he walked in Sosthene's garden, being now in love, when
he saw so many *-' lascivious pictures, Thetis' marriage, and I know not what, was
almost beside himself. And to say truth, with a lascivious object who is not moved,
to see otliers dally, kiss, dance .' And much more when he shall come to be an
actor himself.
To kiss and be kissed, which, amongst other la.scivious provocations, is as a bur-
den in a song, and a most forcible batten.', as infectious, "^Xenophon thinks, as the
poison of a spiiler; a great allurement, a fire itself, proirmiurn aut (tnticariiiim, the
prologue of burning lust < as Apuleius adds;, lust itself, '"Tcnux quinta parte sui nec-
taris imbiiit, a strong assault, that conquers captains, and those all commanding
forces, {^Domasque ferro sed domaris oscuh). ** Aretinc's Lucietia, when she would
in kindness overcome a suitor of hers, and have her desire of him, '• took him about
the neck, and kissed him again and again," and to that, which she could not other-
'•Toiii. 4. dial. m<Tit. " .Amatnriii* t«Tinn Tfh«-
tarn* Vfhrm'-rKi-' rxiiMttsii-* incilatio e*l, 'ratiU!* I. I.
»-Delu«urii -iti. "^iiPa»Sy|.
villa. Nii> |iiaiii left" laMrivar hu-
ti>riee : >•)>• ' ilmlis ad fiiron-rii incen-
ituntur. ■" \| irii.ii. I. 4. " l.iti. I. c. 7.
nam nilnrulo tuo tie iperula iliriiur li i
ut ()u<>cuii>|u« r>>«p«>iiiwel iniactnein
t$<ifloiiiui vH. ejiii. • 0.<-iilii
inAeil. •• Hor. " Venu» halti
quinlrt—tnef of brr nt<tar." ''i,
may eonqiier %»iih the iword. but you hi-
' Eu*ta(hi'i'. I. I. ficlurv parant aniinuni ail Virnrreni. a km." ** App4ico oie illi |>roiioiite cl ■ptaa* 4r -
Jtc. UuraliiK «r«i re^ vviicreaa iiilciupi.'raiiiiur iraditur; | iiaculala ■aium pcto.
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Artificial Allurements. 483
wise effect, she made him so speedily and willingly condescend. And 'tis a continual
assault, ^'^ hoc non dpficit incipitque semper, always fresh, and ready to ^* begin
as at first, hasium nullofine lerminaUir, sed semper recens est, and hath a fiery touch
with it.
1-9 " Tenta modo tangere corpus.
Jam tiia mellifluo membra calore fluent."
Especially when they shall be lasciviously given, as he feelingly said, ^et me prces-
suliim deoscalata Fotis, Catenatis lacertis, ^' Obtorto valgiter labello.
92" Valsiis siiaviis, I Anima tunc sesra et saucia
Diim seiniulcn ^uavio Concurrit ad labia milii."
Meain pucllam suavior, I
The soul and all is moved; ^^ Jam pluribus osculis labra crepitabant, animaruin quo-
que mixturam facientes, inter mutuos complexus animas anhelanteSj
3< " riopsimus calentes,
Et transfudimus tunc et hinc labellis
Eiranles animas, valele curie."
" They breathe out their souls and spirits together with their kisses," saith ®^ Baltha-
zar Castilio, " change hearts and spirits, and mingle affections as they do kisses, and
it is rather a connection of the mind than of the body." And althougli these kisses
be delightsome and pleasant. Ambrosial kisses, ^^ Suaviolum dulci dulcius Amirosid,
such as ''' Ganymede gave Jupiter, JVectare suavius, sweeter than ^* nectar, balsam,
honey, ^Oscula merum amorem stillantia, love-dropping kisses; for
" The gilliflower, the rose is not so sweet.
As sugared kisses hi; when lovers nifet ,"
Yet they leave an irksome impression, like that of aloes or gall,
100 "Ut mi ex Ambrosia mulatum jam foret illud I " At first Ambrose itself was not sweeter,
Suaviolum tristi tristius helleboro." | At last black hellebore was not so bitter."
They are deceitful kisses,
1 "Quid me mollibus implicas lacertis? I "Why dost within thine arms me lap,
Uuid fallacibus osculis inescas?" &c. | And with false kisses me entrap."
They are destructive, and the more the worse: '^Et quce. me perdunt, oscula miUe
dabat, they are the bane of these miserable lovers. There be honest kisses, I deny
not, osculum charitatis, friendly kisses, modest kisses, vestal-virgin kisses, officious
and ceremonial kisses. Sec. Osculi sensus, brachiorum amplexus, kissing and em-
bracino- are proper gifts of Nature to a man ; but these are too lascivious kisses,
^Implicuitque. sues clrcum mea colla lacertos, 4'C- too continuate and too violent,
*Brachla non hederce, nonvincunt oscula conchce; they cling like ivy, close as au
oyster, bill as doves, meretricious kisses, biting of lips, cum additamento : Tarn
impresso ore (saith 'Lucian) ut vix labia dctrahant, inter deosculandum mordicantes^
turn et OS aperientes qnoque et mammas attrectantes, S^-c. such kisses as she gave to
Gyton, innumera oscula dcdit non repugnanti pucro, cervicem invadens, innumerable
kisses, Sec. More than kisses, or too homely kisses : as those that ^ he spake of,
Accepturus ab ipsa vencre 7, suavia, Sfc. with such other obscenities that vain lovers
use, which are abominable and pernicious. If, as Peter de Ledesmo cas. cons, holds,
every kiss a man gives his wife after marriage, be mortale peccatum, a mortal sin, or
that of " Hierome, Adulter est quisquis in uxorcm suatn ardentior est amator; or that
of Thomas Secund. qua:st. 154. artic. 4. conf actus et osculum sit mortale peccatum^
or that of Durand. Rational, lib. 1. cap. 10. abstinere debent conjvges a complexu^
toto tempore quo solcnnitas nuptiarujn interdicitur, what shall become of all such
'immodest kisses and obscene actions, the forerunners of brutish lust, if not lust
" Petronius catalect. * Catullus ad Lesbiam :
da mihi hasia mille, deinde centum, &c. ^^ Petro-
nius. "Only attempt to touch her per>on, and imme-
diately your niembi;rs will be tilled with a glow of ileli-
cious warmth." '•"> Apuleius, I. 10. et Catalect.
»i Petroiii'is. 92 Apuleius. ^ Petroniiis Prose-
lios ad CirciMi. MPetronius. " Animus conjun-
gitur, et i^piritus etiam noster per osculum effluit ; alter,
nntim se in utriusque corpus iiifundentes commiscent ;
animae potius quam corporis connectu. 8s Catullus,
*> Lucian. Tom. 4. *> Non dat basia, dat Nera nectar,
Cat rores animas suaveolentes, dat nardum, tbymumque, sit, si non et cetera sunipsit, &c.
cinnamumque et mel, &c. Secundus bas. 4. ^Eus-
lathius lib. 4. ""Catullus. i Buchanan.
2 Ovid. art. am. Eleg. 18. » Ovid. " She folded her
arms around my neck." ■'Cum capita liment so-
litis morsiunculis, et cum niammillarum pressiunculis.
Lip. od. ant. lee. lib. 3. ^ Tom. 4. dial, meretr.
6 .Apuleius Miles. 6. Et iinum blandientis linguae admul-
suiii longe mellitum : et post lib. 11. Arctius eam com-
plexus cspi suaviari jamque pariler patentis oris inha-
litu cinnameo et occursantis lingua illisu nectareo,icc.
Lib. 1. advers. Jovin. cap. 30. " Oscula qui sump.
484
Love-Melancholy.
[Krt. 3. Sec. 2
But wha
itself! What shall become of them that often abuse their own wives ?
have I to do with this ?
That which I aim at, is to show you the progress of this burning lust ; to epito-
mize therefore all this which I have hitherto said, with a familiar examjile out of
that elegant Museeus, observe but with me those amorous proceedings of Lcan«lei
and Hero : they begau first to look one on another with a lascivious look,
'Oblique iiitiieiis iiide iiutibiis,
Nuliiius iiiutuis iiiilucens in errorem meiiteni puellx-.
El illaeciiiiiru iiutilms iiiutuis Juvtinis
Leuiiun quoil aiiioreni noii reiiiiit, &.c. Iiide
AiJibut III tL-iii^liris tacite qiiuleiii striiigeiis
Kont'iis piu'lUi- iliiiitos, i-x iiiiu suspirabiil
Vflii.Miiomi.-r liiile
Vir^iiiif ,'iiiieiii bciifi olf ns colliim o9i:ulatud.
Tale verb. nil ait aniens ictus stiiiiiiln,
I'rcies audi (.i anions iiiisiTure inei, &c.
Sic fatiis reciisautis persuasit iiifiileiii puelliB."
' With b< cks ami iinils he tirst began
'I'o try the wench's iiiiiid,
With becks and nods and smiles again
All answer he linl find.
And in the dark he took her by the hand,
And wrung it hard, and si-ihed grievously.
Ami kiss'd her too, and wnu'd her as he might.
With pity me, sweetheart, or else I die.
Anil with sucli v\urds and gestures as there past,
Me won his inislress' favimr at Ihu last."
The same proceeding is elegantly described by ApoUonius in his Argonautics, be-
tween Jason and Medea, by Eustathius in the ten books of the loves of Isinenius
and Ismene, Achilles Tatius between his Clitophoii and Leucippe, Chaucer's neal
j>«>ein of Troilus and Cresseide ; and in that notable tale in Petronius of a soldiei
and a gentlewoman of Ephesus, that was so famous all over Asia for her chastity,
and that mourned for her husband : the soldier wooed her with such rhetoric as
lovers use to do, placitunc etiain pugnahis arnorif ^^•c. at last, fraiigi jtcrl'mu-
clnm passd cs/, he got her good will, not only to satisfy his lust, '' but to hang her
tlead husband's body on the cross (which he watched instead of the thitf's tliat was
newly stolen away), whilst he wooeil her in her cabin. These are tales, you wiii
say, but they have most significant morals, and do well express those ordinary piu-
ceedings of doting lovers.
I\Iany such allurements there are, nods, jests, wiiiks, smiles, wrestlings, tokens,
favours, symbols, letters, valentines, itc. For u liicli cause belike, Godfridus lib. 2.
de amor, would not have women learn to write. ^lany such provocations are usi^d
when they come in presence, '"they will and will not.
" Malo ine Galatea petit lasciva puella,
Et fiigit ad saliceg, et se cupit ante videri."
'.My inintrees with an apple woo* mc,
And ha.-lily to covert goes
To liiil« herself, but wimlil be seen
With all lier heart lefure, God knows.'
Hero so tripped away from Leander as one displeased,
" " Yet at »he went full often look'd behind,
And many poor exruves did she tiiid
To linger by the way,"
but if he chance to overtake her, she is most averse, nice and coy,
, „ ... .11. • ■ ■ .. I " She seems not won, but won she 18 at Ipneth,
Ilenegal et pugnat. sed vult super omnia vinci. • | ^„ ^^,.^ ^^^ ^„,„g„ ^^^ ^ut half their strength."
Sometimes they lie open and are most tractable and coming, apt, yielding, and will-
ing to embrace, to take a green gown, with that shepherdess in Theocritus, Edyl.
'11. to let their coats, Stc, to play and dally, at such seasons, and to some, as they
spy their advantage; and then coy, close again, so nice, so surly, so denmre, you
had much better tame a colt, catch or ride a wild horse, than get her favotir, or win
her love, not a look, not a smile, not a kiss for a kingdom. '^Aretine'a Lucretia
was an excellent artisan in this kind, as she tells her ov.n tale, ''Though I was by
nature and art most beautiful and fair, yet by these tricks I seemed to be far more
amiable than I was, for that which men earnestly seek and cannot attain, draws on
their aflection with a most furious desire. I had a suitor loved me dearly (said she),
and the '^ more he gave me, the more eagerly he wooed me, the more I seemed to
neglect, to scorn him, and which I commonly gave others, 1 would not let him see
me, converse with me, no, not have a kiss." To gull him the more, and fetch him
over (for him only I aimed at) I personated mine own servant to bring in a present
•Corpus pl.icuit mariti sui tnlli ex area. atqu«> illi
41IIZ voTHlist cruci adfi:;i. '° Novi ingenium mulie-
rum, nnluiit ubi velis, ubi nnlis cupiunt iillro. Ter.
Euiiur act. 4. pc. 7. " .Marlowe. " Pornodnlas-
cmIo dial. Itdl. Latin, dunat. i Gai>p. Darthio Germano.
Uuanquam uatura, et arte eraiii rormosiisima, isto
tamen astii tanto Piieciodor videbar, quntl pniin oculi*
cupitiim irgre prnltelur. niullo magis atfertui humano*
iiirenilit. '> Uuo majoribui) mc doni» pr<>pitiiibHl, eo
pejoribiis illuiii mudis iractabam, ne basiuiu impciia-
vit, Ac.
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Artificial Allurements. 485
'i-oin a Spanish count, whilst he was in my company, as if he had been the count's
.servant, which he did excellently well perform: " Comes de monic Turco., -'■ my lord
end master hath sent your ladyship a small present, and part of his hunting, a piece
of venison, a pheasant, a few partridges, Stc. (all which she bought with her own
money), commends his love and service to you, desiring you to accept of it in good
part, and he means very shortly to come and see you." Withal she showed him
rings, gloves, scarfs, coronets which others had sent her, w\\en there was no such
matter, but only to circumvent him. '^ By these means (as she concludes) '• I made
the poor gentleman so mad, that he was ready to spend iiimself, and venture his
dearest blood for my sake." Philinna, in '^Lucian, practised all this long before, as
it shall appear unto you by her discourse ; for when Dipliilus her sweetheart came
to see her (as his daily custom was) she frowned upon him, would not vouchsafe
him her company, but kissed Lamprius liis co-rival, at the same time '' before his
face : but why was it } To make hun (as she telleth her mother that chid her for
it) more jealous; to whet his love, to come with a greater appetite, and to know
that her favour was not so easy to be had. Many other tricks she used besides this
(as she there confesseth), for she would fall out with, and anger him of set purpose,
pick quarrels upon no occasion, because she would be reconciled to him again.
Amantlum ires amoris redinlcgraiio, as the old saying is, the falling out of lovers is the
renewing of love; and according to ih3ito^Anstend2lus,jucundioresatnorumposl.injarias
delicia;, love is increased by injuries, as the sunbeams are more gracious after a cloud.
And surely this aphorism is most true ; for as Ampelis inftjrms Crisis in the said
Lucian, '*'■' If a lover be not jealous, angry, waspish, apt to fall out, sigh and swear,
he is no true lover." To kiss and coll, hang about her neck, protest, swear and
wish, are but ordinary symptoms, incipientis adimc et crcscentis amoris signa ; but
if he be jealous, angry, apt to mistake, Stc, bene speres Z/ce^, sweet'sister he is thine
own; yet if you let him alone, huiuour him. please him, &c., and that he perceive
once he hath you sure, without any co-rival, his love will languish, and he will not
care so much for you. Hitherto (saith she) can 1 speak out of experience ; Deino-
phantus a rich fellow was a suitor of mine, I seemed to neglect him, and gave better
entertainment to Calliades the painter before his face, principio abiit., verbis me in-
seciatus, at first he went away all in a chafe, cursing and swearing, but at last he
came submitting himself, vowing and protesting he loved me most dearly, I should
have all he had, and that he would kill himself for my sake. Therefore I advise
thee (dear sister Crisis) and all maids, not to use your suitors over kindly ; insokn'rs
enim sunt hoc cum sentiuni, 'twill make them proud and insolent; but ii'ow and then
reject them, estrange thyself, et si me.audi.es semel alque iterum exclude, shut him
out of doors once or twice, let him dance attendance ; follow my counsel, and by
this means '^you shall make him mad, come off roundly, stand to any condition.s.
and do whatsoever you will have iiim. These are the ordinary practices ; yet in
the said Lucian, Melissa methinks had a trick beyond all this ; for when her suitor
came coldly on, to stir him up, she writ one of his co-rival's names and her own in
a paper, Melissa amat Hermofimum, Hermolimus Mellis.sam, causing it to be st\ick
upon a post, for all gazers to behold, and lost it in the way where he used to walk;
which wtien the silly novice perceived, -s<«//?7i ut legit cred'idif, instantly apprehended
it was so, came raving to me, &c. ^''and so when i was in despair of" his love, four
months after I recovered him again." Eugenia drew Timocles for her valentine, and
wore his name a long time after in her bosom : Camasna singled out Pamphilus to
dance, at Myson's wedding (some say), for there she saw iiim first ; Ftelicianus over-
took Ca3lia by the highway side, offered his service, thence came further acf[uaint-
ance, and thence came love. But who can repeat half their devices ; Wh:U Aretine
experienced, what conceited Luinan, or wanton Aristeneetus ? They will deny and
take, stiffly refuse, and yet earnestly seek the same, repel to make them come with
''< Comes de mnnte Turco Hispanus Ins de venation«
sua partes misit, jiissitqiie peraiiiantcr orare, ut hoc
qiialeciinqiie flonnni suo nomine accipi-is. la His
aitibus hoiiiiiiem ita exoantabaiii, ut pro mc ille ad
qiiaiiiin amator, ner perjiirat, non est habendusamalor,
&c. Totus hie isnis Zelotypia constat. &c. jnaxiini
amoros inde nasciintiir. Sod si pi;rsii.isnni iili Tuerit le
solum liah:'re, elau-iiiescit illico amor siiiis. '^ V^
omnia parutas. &.c. '6 Twin. 4. dial, merit. '^ Re- I entem videbis ipsum denuo inflammatum et prorsus in-
licto illo, opgrc ipsi interim faciecis, ft omnino difficilis. I snuientem. m El sic cum fere de iilo desperassem,
"Si quis ei iiii nee Zelotypus irascitur, iiec pujjnat ali- I post menses quatuor ad me reJiil.
2q2
486 Love-Melancholy. [Part, 3. Sec. 2
more eagerness, fly from if you follow, but if averse, as a shadow they will follow
you again, fugienlcm seqiiitur, seqiientemf iigit ; with a regaining retreat, a gentle
reluctaucy, a smiling threat, a pretty pleasant peevishness they will put you oil', and
have a thousand such several enticements. For as he saith,
*• " Non est f.priiia sutis, nee qua vult bella viduri, I '• 'Tis not enough lliougn she be fair of hue,
Debt-t vul^'iiri mure placeru suis. | For her li> use this vcilKur couipliineiit :
Dit'Iu, sales, lusus, scruioiies, i;ratia, risus, j Hut pretty toys and jesls, and saws ami smiles,
Vincunt naturx caiidiUtoris opus." | As Car beyond what beauty can attempt."
"For this cause belike Philostratus, in his images, makes diverse loves, "some
young, some of one age, some of another, some winged, some of one sex, some of
another, some with torclies, some with golden apples, some with darts, gins, snares,
and other engines in their hands," as Propertius hath prettily painted them out,
lib. 2. et 29. and which some interpret, diverse enticements, or diverse atlections
of lovers, whicli if not alone, yet jointly may batter and overcome the strongest
constitutions.
It is reported of Decius, and Valerianus, those two notorious persecutors of the
church, that when they could enforce a young Christian by no means (as '■^^Hierome
records) to sacrifice to their idols, bv no torments or promises, tHey took another
course to tempt liim : ihev put him into a fair garden, and set a young courtesan to
dally with him, ""took him about the neck and kissed him, and that which is not
to be named," manihustjue atlreclure, tSrc, and all those enticements which might be
used, that whom torments could not, love miirht batter and beleaguer. But such
was his constancy, she could not overcomo, and when this last engine would take
no place, tiiey left him to his own ways. At •'lierkli-y in Gloucestershire, there was
in times past a nmmerv (saith Gnaltcnis .Mapes, an old historiographer, that lived
400 years since\." of which there was a n<>l>le and a fair lady abbess: Godwin, that
subtile Ecirl of Kent, travelling that way, (seeking not her but hers) leaves a nephew
of hi.s, a proper younj; gallant (^as if he had been sick) with her, till he came back
again, and gives the young man charge so long to counterfeit, till he had dellowered
the abbess, and as many besides of the nuns as he could, and leaves him withal
rmgs, jewels, girdles, and such toys to give them still, when they came to visit him.
The young man, willing to undergo such a business, played his part so well, that in
short space he got up niost of their bellies, and when he had done, told his lord
how he had sped: *'his lord made instantly to the court, tells the king how such a
nutmery was become a bawdy-house, procures a visitation, gets them to be turned
out, and begs the lands to his ovvn use." This story I do therefore repeat, that you
may see of what force these enticements are, if they be opportunely used, and how
hard it is even for the most averse and sanctified soids to resist such allurements.
John Major in the life of John the monk, that lived in the days of Theodosius, com-
mends the hermit to have been a man of singular continency, and of a most austere
life; but one night by chance the devil came to his cell in the habit of a young
market wench that had lost her way, and desired for God's sake some lodging with
hint. ■""•The old man let her in, and after some common conference of her mishap,
she began to inveigle him with lascivious talk and jests, to play with his beard, to
kiss him. and do worse, till at last she overcame him. As he went to address him-
self to tliat business, she vanished on a sudden, and the devils in the air laughed
him to scorn." VV'^hether this be a true story, or a tale, I will not much contend, it
serves to illustrate this which I have said.
Yet were it so, that these of which I have hitherto spoken, and such like enticing
baits, be not sutficient, there be many others, which will of themselves intend this
passion of burning lust, amongst which, dancing is none of the least; and it is an
engine of such force, I may not omit it. Inci tame nt urn Ubidinis, Petrarch calls it,
»' Prln'tii:^ Catal. ^ Imauines denruin. ful. 3-27. 1 riinuni. tanquain infirinuni ilonec reverlcn-lur. in-
raring ninores facit, quos nlii|ui inu-rpr>'laMtur iiiiiiti- »truit. A-c '•*' lll<- impijer regeiii adit, nbatifnain et
p'i.>-» atr.etus el illecehras, alios piiellus. puellas.aiato^. duas (.r cet. fXplor.iloriljijii nii*^M probat,
alio* poni.-i auiea, alios sasiltas. alio* laqufo«, &■:. et im < iii huo iiiaiieriuiii actepil •' P«»t
»Epi«t. Jib. 3. vita Paiili Ereniits. '^ .Meretnx | serinoi, , . ,iuavilate ».Tiiioiie» ri.iicilial ani-
•peciosa c*>pt' deiicatius slrinnere colla coniplexihiis, el , mum li .imiiuv iu louiiiq^ie intHf rolliMjiiia el ri»u« ad
rorpore iii libidiiietn roiicitato.tr. *t'amdeii in. harbam prolen lit et palpare cifpil cervir»'iii H'laiii i-l
<;iouceT<t.-r»hire, huic praefuil iiobili* ct rormo>a abl.a- \ o»culari ; quid i.iulta? Cdptiviim ducil iiiililein <;hri.li.
lii>*B, tJixIniniH rnnie^ indole jubiiliii, non ipsnin. 'cd i (.'oiiiplrxura ev.tiieicil, deiiione* in acre luunacbu'a
■ua cupiciiii. reliqik ' liepoteui «uuin forma vIeKaiiliH- i riiwruiit.
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Artificial Allurements. 487
the spur of lust. "A ''^circle of which the devil himself is the centre. ^Manv
women that use it, have come dishonest home, most indifferent, none better.''
*" Another terms it "the companion of all filthy delights and enticements, and 'tis not
easily told what inconveniences come by it, what scurrile talk, obscene actions,''
and many times such monstrous gestures, such lascivious motions, such wanton
tunes, meretricious kisses, homely embracings.
-" (ut Gaditana canoro
Incipiat prurire chiiro, plausiiqiie probata;
Ad tiirraiii tremula descendant dune puellffl,
Irrilanientuin Veneris languentis)"
that it will make the spectators mad. When that epitomizer of ^^Trogus had to the
full described and set out King Ptolemy's riot as a chief engine and instrument of
his overthrow, he adds, tympanimi et tripudlum, fiddling and dancing : "• the king
was not a spectator only, but a principal actor himself." A thing nevertheless fre~
quently used, and part of a gentlewoman's bringing up, to sing, dance, and play on
the lute, or some such instrument, before she can say her paternoster, or ten com-
mandments. 'Tis the next way their parents think to get them husbands, they are
compelled to learn, and by that means, ^^Incaestos amores de tenero medUantur ungue ;
'tis a great allurement as it is often used, and many are undone by it. Thais, in
Lucian, inveigled Laniprias in a dance, Herodias so far pleased Herod, that she mads
him swear to give her what she would ask, John Baptist's head in a platter. ^ Robert,
Duke of Normandy, riding by Falais, spied -Arlette, a fair maid, as she danced
on a green, and was so much enamoured with the object, tliat ''^he must needs lie
with her that night. Owen Tudor won Queen Catherine's affection in a dance, fall-
ing by chance with his head in her lap. Who cannot parallel these stories out of
his experience.? Speusippas a noble gallant in ''^that Greek Aristenaetus, seeing
Panareta a fair young gentlewoman dancing by accident, was so far in love with her,
that for a long time after he could think of nothing but Panareta: he came ravino-
home full of Panareta : " Who would not admire her, who would not love her, that
should but see her dance as 1 did.? O admirable, O divine Panareta! I have seen
old and new Ptome, many feir cities, many proper women, but never any like to
Panareta, they are dross, dowdies all to Panareta! O how she danced, how she
tripped, how she turned, with what a grace! happy is that man that shall enjov her.
O most incomparable, only, Panareta !" Wiien Xenophon, in Symposio, or Banquet,
had discoursed of love, and used all the engines that might be devised, to move
Socrates, amongst the rest, to stir him the more, he shuts up all witii a pleasant
interlude or dance of Dionysius and Ariadne. ^'" First Ariadne dressed like a bride
came in and took her place ; by and by Dionysius entered, dancing to the music.
The spectators did all admire the young man's carriage ; and Ariadne herself was so
much aflected with the sight, that she could scarce sit. After a while Dionysius
beholding Ariadne, and incensed with love, bowing to her knees, embraced her'first,
and kissed her with a grace ; she embraced him again, and kissed him with like
affection, &c., as the dance required ; but they that stood by, and saw this, did much
applaud and commend them both for it. And when Dionysus rose up, he raised
her up with him, and many pretty gestures, embraces, kisses, and love compliments
passed between them : which when they saw fair Bacchus and beautiful Ariadne so
sweetly and so unfeignedly kissing each other, so really embracing, they swore they
loved indeed, and were so inflamed with the object, that they began to rouse up
themselves, as if they would have flown. At the last when they saw them still, so
» Ciioraja cirr.ulus, ciijue centrum diah. a M„itiE 26. Qnis non miraiiis est saltantem i auis non vidit
inde impuUica; dciniiini redierc, plures amhigiire, melior i el amavjt? vetereiii ef novam vidi Roniain <=.d tibi
"""' 30'1'iirpiiini ileliciariim comes est externa ! similem non vidi Panartta; felix qui Panareta truitiir
saltatio; neqtie eerie facile djctn tpia; mala hinc visus
hauriat, et quae pariat. colloquia, monstro.sos, incoiidi-
tos eesliis, &c. 31 Juv. 8at. ]1. ■' t'erliaps you may
exp(;ct that a Gaditanian with a tuneful company may
liPiji" to wanton, and trills approved with applause
lower themselves to the {.'round in a lascivious manner,
a provocative of laniruishinj; desire." 32 Justin. I.
10. Adduntur instrumenta luiurix, tympana et Iripu-
dia : iiec tarn spectator rex, sed nequili:e magister, &c
&c. 'n'rinripio Ariadne velut spoMsa prodit, ac
sola recedit ; prodiens illico Dionysius ad nuinerns can.
tame tibia saltabat; admirati siint omnes saltantem
juveneni.ipsainie Ariadne, ut vix potuerit coiiquiescere;
postea vero cum Dionysius eani aspexit, &:c. (Jt aiilem
surrexit Dionysius, erexit simul .Ariadiiem. licobatque
spectare gestus osculantiiim, et inter se compbcten-
tium; qui aiitem spectahant, &.c. .4d extremum videii-
tes ens mufuis amplexihus implicatos et jamjain ad tlia-
""".I^; '.'. ^i,"''„'^ UT-:, •' ".^^a/ldp vita ejus. _ siQfi lamum ilnros; qui non duxerant uxores jurahant nxores
uteiii duxerant consceiisis equ
fruerentur, doiuum festitiarunt
vvh.im he heirat William the Conqueror; by the same I se ducturos; qui autem duxerant consceiisis equis el
token she tore her smock down, saying, &c "'Epist. | iucilatis, ut iisdcm fri - - -
488 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
willingly embracing, and now ready to go to the bride-chamber, they were so ravished
with i;, tliat they that were unmarried, swore they would forthwith marry, and those
that wi-re married called instantly for their horses, and galloped home to their
wives/' What greater motive can there be than this burning lust? what so violent
an oppugner ? ]Yot without good cause therefore so many general councils condemn
It, so many fathers abhor it, so many grave men speak against it ; " Use not the
company of a woman," saith Syracides, 8. 4. ''that is a singer, or a dancer; neither
hear, lest thou be taken in her craftiness." In circa non tarn cernitur quam discitur
libido. ^ Hsdus holds, lust in theatres is not seen, but learned. Groifory Nazianzen
that eloquent divine, (^^^as he relates the story himself,) when a noble friend of his
solemnly invited him with other bisliops, to his daughter Olympiads wedding, refused
to come : ***'• For it is absurd to see an old gouty bishop sit amongst dancers;" he
held it unfit to be a spectator, much less an actor, jyemo sultat sobrius, Tnlly
writes, he is not a sober man that danceth ; for some such reason (belike") Domitian
forbade the Human senators to dance, and for that fact removed many of them from
the senate. But these, you will say, are lascivious and Pagan dances, 'tis the abuse
that causeth such inconvenience, and I do not well therefore to condemn, speak
against, or " innocently to accuse the best and pleasantest thing i^so " Luciau calls
it) that belongs to mortal njen." You misinterpret, I condemn it not; I hold it
notwithstanding an honest dis[)ort, a lawful recreation, if it be opportune, moderately
and soberly used : I am of Plutiirch's mind, ■*•* " that which respects j)lc'asure alone,
honest recreation, or btMhIv exercise, ought not to be rejected and contemned :" I
subscribe to " Lucian, "'tis an elegant tiling, which cheereth up the mind, exerciseih
the body, delights the sjiectators, which teacheth many comely gestures, ecpially
aflecting the ears, eyes, and soul itself." S;dlust iliscommends singing and dancing
m Sempronia, not that she did sing or dance, but that she did it in excess, 'tis the
abuse of it ; and Gregory's refusal doth not simply condemi\ it, but in some folks.
Many will not allow men and women to dance together, because it is a provocation
to lust : they may as well, with Lycurgiis and .Mahomet, cut down all vines, forbid
the drinking of wine, for that it makes some men drunk.
** " Nihil priNlett quuil iioii lardere pouet ideiu ;
Igiie quid uliliu* /"
I say of this as of all other honest recreations, they are like fire, good and bad, and
1 see no such inconvenience, but that they may so dance, if it be done at due times,
and by fit persons: and conclude with Wulfungus '"llider, and most of our modern
divines : .St decoriP, graves., verecundce, plttia luce buuorum viroruin el ruutrunarum
honest arum,, temjtestive Jiunt., probari possunl.^ el debent. "There is a time to mourn,
a time to dance," Eccles. iii. 4. Let them lake their pleasures then, and as ^*he .said
of old, "young men and maids flourishing in their age, fair and lovely to behold,
well atlireil, and of comely cariiage, dancing a Greek galliard, and as their dance
required, kept their time, now turning, now tracing, now apart now altogether, now
a courtesy then a caper," &.C., and it was a pleasant sight to see those pretty knots,
and swimming tigures. The sun and moon (^some say) dance about the earth, the
three upper planets about the sun as their centre, now stationary, now direct, now
retrograde, now in apogee, then in perigee, now swift then slow, occidental, oriental,
they turn round, jump and trace, ? and i about the sun with tho.-e thirty-three
Macuhe or Bourboiiian planet, circa Solem saltantes Cytliarcduin, saith Fromundus
Four Medicean stars dance about Jupiter, two Austrian about Saturn, &.c., and all
(^belike) to the music of the spheres. Our greatest counsellors, and staid senators,
at some times dance, as David before the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 14. Miriam, Exod. xv. 2(».
Judith, XV. 13. (^though the devil hence perhaps hath brought in those bawily hac-
rhanals), and well may they do it. The greatest soldiers, as *'Quiiitilianus, ".Kiiii-
lius Prubus, ^Coelius Uhodiginus, havc/proved at large, still use it in Greece, Rome,
.1 . 1 1 ■ cunieiiini-ml. ariiorihiK. ** Ad .^ny- i iri|uo dcmulceni. "Ovid. ' - • - n
• : «> liitiiiii>»->ti»iim eriim eil. el a |iliil<HM>|iliir. <• Apuleiun
1 ..•ii». inter 4iil:.int>-s |><>.iaLTicuiii vi.lerf I vin-nii ll<ir>-nt<-ii rlatiila (•■rmi < i
• Ti *■ Kctn oinniuiii in niortaliuin iiio-nrii i;rali>nii. Grn ' 1
iilcr .iccii>-irH. *i Uiix hoiii.--)- |M»iti< orilinatMiiiilr i.
I ■, icit. But ciir(»'ri<i PxiTciiiiiiii. ciiii- nunc in orlnMii rl>-xi. :
i ".111 . J. i «• Kli-tinti^riiiii.i r>'!i ist. (|ii» ct nunc in qiiailruiii en 1:1 n 1 • 1 ■■ »•, ir.n.. i»a.
in-M»-iii aniit. forp»i» nerreal. ft '(KTlaiites oMiclit. *• Lib. 1. cap 11. • Vit. KpaiuimtiHia. *• Lib i
Hiult>« "• :<tua decuDM dtjceiia, ocuici, aures, auiiuum ex .
Mem. 2 Subs. 4.] Artificial Jlllurements. 489
and the most worthy senators, can/are, sallare. Lucian, Macrobius, Libanus,
Plutarch, Julius, Pollux, Athenaeus, have written just tracts in commendation of it.
\n this our age it is in mucli request in those countries, as in all civil common-
wealths, as Alexander ab Alexandro, lil). 4. cap. 10. et lib. 2. caj). '2b. hath proved
dt large, ^"amongst the barbabarians themselves none so precious; all the world
allows it.
*i " Diviiias contemno tuas, rex Craese, tuami]iie
Veiulo Asiam, uiigueiitis, flore, niero, chore)!!."
^^ Plato, in his Commonwealth, will have dancing-schools to be maintained, " that
young folks might meet, be acquainted, see one another, and be seen;" nay more,
he would have them dance naked ; and scoffs at them that laugh at it. But Eiisebius
prcepar. Evangel, lib. 1. caj). 11. and Theodofet lib. 9. curat, grccc. affect, worthily
lash him for it; and well they might: for as one saith, ^^"the very sight of naked
parts causeth enormous, exceeding concupiscenses, and stirs up both men and wo-
men to burning lust." There is a mean in all things : this is my censure in brief;
dancing is a pleasant recreation of body and mind, if sober and modest (such as oui
Christian dances are) ; if tempestively used, a furious motive to burning lust ; if as
by Pagans heretofore, unchastely abused. But I proceed.
If these allurements do not take place, for *■* Simierus, that great master of dal-
liance, shall not behave liimself better, the more elTectually to move others, and
satisfy their lust, they will swear and lie, promise, protest, forge, counterfeit, bracr,
bribe, flatter aud dissemble of all sides. 'Twas Lucretia''s counsel in Aretine, Si vis
arnica f rid., pro}>iilte,Jinge, jura., jjerjura., jacla, Simula, mcntire ; and they put it well
in practice, as Apollo to Daphne,
Et Claros et Ten.Hlos, patareaque regia servit, Delphos, Claros and Tenedos serve me.
Jupilerestgeuitor"— | And Jupiter is known my sire to be."
^ The poorest swains will do as much, ^''Mille pecus nivei sunt et mild vallibus agni :
" I have a thousand sheep, good store of cattle, and they are all at her command,"
68 "Tihi nos, tilii nostra supellex,
Ruraque servieriiu"
" house, land, goods, are at her service," as he is himself. Dinomachus, a senator's
son in ^^ Lucian, in love with a wench inferior to him in birth and fortunes, the
sooner to accomplish his desire, wept unto her, and swore he loved her with all his
heart, and her alone, and that as soon as ever his father died (a very rich man and
almost decrepid) he would make her his wife. The maid by chance made her mother
acquainted with tlie business, who being an old fox, well experienced in such mat-
ters, told her daughter, now ready to yield to his desire, that he meant nothing less,
for dost thou think he will ever care for thee, being a poor wench, *^^ that may have
his choice of all the beauties in the city, one noble by birth, with so many talents,
as young, better qualified, and fairer than thyself? daughter believe him not : the
maid was abashed, and so the matter broke off When Jupiter wooed Juno first
(Liliiis Giraldus relates it ont of an old comment on Theocritus) the better to effect
his suit, he turned himself into a cuckoo, and spying her one dav walking alone,
separated from the other goddesses, caused a tempest suddenly to arise, for fear of
which slie fled to shelter; Jupiter to avoid the storm likewise flew into her lap, in
virginis Junonis gremium dcvolavit, whom Juno for pity covered in her ''' apron.
But he turned himself forthwith into his own shape, began to embrace and ofler vio-
lence unto her, scd ilia malris melu abnuebat, but slie by no means would yield, doTiec
pollicitiis connnbium obtinuil, till he vowed and swore to marry her, and then she eave
consent. This fact was done' at Thornax hill, which ever after was called Cuckoo
hill, and in perpetual remembrance there was a temple erected to Telia Juno in the
same place. So powerful are fair promises, vows, oaths and protestations. It is an
MRead P. Martyr Ocean Decad. Benzo, Leriiis Hac-
luit, &c. 61 AnEcriaiiiis ErotopiEdiuin. " 10 Leg.
rni yap Totavrri; (7irtSni evcKa, &.C. liujiis causa oportuil
diRcipliiiam const itui, ut tain pueri qiiain puel lie choreas
celelirenl, specteiiturque ac spcclent, &c. '3 Aspectus
eniiii niidoriiin corporuiii taiii mares quam fcminas irri-
tare solet ad onornii's lasciviae aupetitus. ^Cam-
den Anna I. anno lo78, fol. 276. Auiatoriis facetiis et
62
illccebris exqiiisitissimus. ^^ jviet. 1. Ovid. <>« Eras-
mus egl. inille inei siculis errant in moniibiis a^ni.
" Vir?. " Lecheus. s^'Pom. 4. merit. diaL
amare se jurat et lachrimatur dicitqui; uxorem ine
diicere vello, (piiim pater oculos riaiississet. ™(iuuin
dolem alibi multo majorem aspiciet, &c. s' Or uppe^
garment. Queiii Juno miserata ves^^e conteiit.
4i)0 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
orJinaiy thing too in this case to belie their age, whicli widows usually do, that
mean to marry again, and bachelors too sometimes,
^-"Cujus (ictavuiii trepidavit wtas,
ceriiere lustrum ;"
to say they are younger than they are. Carmides in the said Lucian loved Philema-
tium, an old maid of forty-tive vears ; "^slie swore to him she was but thirtv-lwo
next December. But to dissemble in this kind, is I'amiliar of all sides, and often it
takes. *^ Falltre credenlcvi res est operosa puellam., 'tis soon done, no such great
mastery, Egregiam verb laudem, el spolia ampla, and nothing so frequent
as to belie their estates, to prefer their suits, and to advance themselves. Many men
to fetch over a young woman, widows, or whom they love, will not stick to crack,
forge and feign any thing comes next, bid his boy fetch his cloak, rapier, gloves,
jewels, &.C. in such a chest, scarlet-golden-lissue breeches, &.c. when there is no
such matter; or make any scruple to give out, as he did in Petronius, tliat he waii
master of a sliip, kept so many servants, and to personate their part the better take
upon them to be gentlemen of good houses, well descended and allied, liire apparel
at brokers, some scavenger or prick-louse tailors to attend upon them for the time,
swear they liave great possessions, '"bribe, lie, cog, and foist how dearly tliey love,
how bravely they will maintain her, like any lady, countess, duchess, or cjueen ;
they shall have gowns, tiers, jewels, coaches, and carociies, choice diet,
"I'lie h«a(J« of |iarrn(«, teneue* of nightingale*, I a ■ ■. r , r ■ ,
'I-lir brain« of (^-acKrlt., and of o-.r'ct.e- f,P'"^ "fj"^' ""'' "' ?['"'*'".
Theu bath «t>all be the juice of gill.tlower.. | ^ •»« """' "^ unicorn,.,' See.
as old Vulpone courted Co'lia in the "comedy, when as they are no such men, not
worth a groat, but mere sharkers, to make a fortune, to get their ilesire, or else pre-
tend love to spend their idle hours, to be more welcome, and for bt tttr cntertain-
ineni. The conclusion is, they mean nothing less,
MlatliJi, vmw^, (irniiii-cn, iirr- rnni-li (iroicsilpd ;
It'll »li>-ii iheir iiiiiiil anil IiibI iii »aiiitiifd,
Uatlm, viiw*. prnuiiBr*, arc i|uitf m-ijleclt-d ;"
tlioui{h he solemnly swear by the genius of Caesar, by Venus' shrine. Hymen's deity,
by Jupiter, and all the other gods, give no cre<lit to his words. For when lovers
swear, Venus laughs, Venus hcec perjuria ridet^ "Jupiter himself smiles, and pardons
it withal, as g^rave •* Plato gives out; of all perjury, that alone for love matters is
forgiven by the gods. If promises, lies, oaths, and protestations will not avail, they
fall to bribes, tokens, gifts, and such like feats. '" Plurimus auro crmciliatur amor :
as Jupiter corrupted I)anae with a golden shower, and Liber Ariadne with a lovely
ciown, (wliich was afterwards translated into the heavens, and there for ever shines;)
they will rain chickens, tlorins, crowns, angt-ls, all manner of coins and stamps in
her lap. And so must he certainly do that will speed, make many feasts, banquets,
invitations, send her some present or other ever)' foot. Summo studio parmtur rpulte
(saith " Huedus I et crehrce Jiaiit lur^itioncs, he must be very bountiful and liberal, seek
and sue, not to her only, but to all lier followers, friends, familiars, liddlers, panders,
parasites, and household servants ; he must insinuate himself, and surelv will, to all,
of all sorts, messengers, porters, carriers ; no man must be unrewarded, or unre-
spected. 1 had a suitor (saith "Aretine's Lucretia) that when he came to my house,
flung gold and silver about, as if it had been chafl: Another suitor I had was a very
choleric fellow; but 1 so handled him, that for all his fuming, I brought him upon
his knees. If there had been an excellent bit in the market, any novelty, fish, fruit,
or fowl, muscadel, or malmsey, or a cup of neat wine in all the city, it was pre-
sented presently to me; though never so dear, hard to come by, yet I had it: the
poor fellow was so fond at last, that I think if I would I might have had one of his
eyes out of his head. A third suitor was a merchant of Home, and his manner of
M-ooing was with ^exquisite music, costly banquets, poems, Stc. 1 held him off till
o Mor. o Dejeravil ilia •ecunduni lupra trietnii- de conleiDiieinlni amoribu*. " Dial. Hat. arL'rnluMa
mum ad proxiuiuin IX-cenibn-m i:oni|ileturaiii a* •,.,-. i,i naU «• iir>.ii< i' l> ■( l!jlii>->iiii ii.w>ui .mi iinr.-m i|i|i
*< tJvid u >jaiii doiiis vincitur onwiK amor. ' '•■rra
111* I. el 5. « Kox. an. 3. «. X «f..i nui
*■ P«rjuria ridet anidiiluin Jupiti-r. et ventn* irni > liliro;
jubft Tibul. lib. J. ft b. *ln riiilebo. peji-riiiiii- I cri'doaili rum •» u.iiiii t»iiii<.n<Jiit.iru> ^1 . I'.wlnjrit.
Uia. 01* dii toll ignuacunl. '•Calul. ^' ijb. 1. | cam upi(>cra« epula*, el lauli* juraiuentts, ttuiua, tec
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.]
Artificial Allurements.
491
at lengtli he protested, promised, and swore pro virginitate regno me donalurim, I
should have all he had, house, goods, and lauds, pro concubitu solo; "•leit^'-er was
there ever any conjuror, I think, to charm his spirits that used such attention, or
mighty words, as he did exquisite phrases, or general of any anny so many strata-
gems to win a city, as he did tricks and devices to get the love of me. Thus men
are active and passive, and women not far behind them in this kind : Audax ad omnia
f(£?/una, quae vel a?nat, vel odit.
1^ For half so boldly there can non
Swear and lye as women can.
"^They will crack, counterfeit, and collogue as well as the best, with handkerchiefs,
and wrought nightcaps, purses, posies, and such toys: as he justly complained,
" " Cur iiiittis vinlas? ncnipe iit violentiiis uret ;
liuid viulas viulis me violcnta tuis ?" &t.c.
'Why dost thou send me violets, my dear?
To make nie burn more violent, 1 fear,
Wjtii violets too violent ttiou art,
To violate and wound my gentle heart."
When nothing else will serve, the last refuge is their tears. Hcpx scripsi (Jestor
amorem) mixta lachrymis et suspiriis., 'twixt tears and sighs, I write this (I take love
to witness), saith "* Chelidonia to Philonius. Lumina qum modb fulmina^jamflu-
viina lac/try martim, those burning torches are now turned to floods of tears. Are-
tine's Lucretia, when her sweetheart came to town, ''^ wept in his bosom, " that he
might be persuaded those tears were shed for joy of his return." Quartilla in Pe-
tronius, when nought would move, fell a weeping, and as Balthazar Castillo paints
them out, ''^'■'To these crocodile's tears they will add sobs, fiery sighs, and sorrow-
ful countenance, pale colour, leanness, and if you do but stir abroad, these fiends are
ready to meet you at every turn, with such a sluttish neglected habit, dejected look,
as if they were now ready to die for your sake ; and how, saith he, shall a young
novice thus beset, escape r" But believe them not.
" " animam ne crede puellis,
Namque est foeminea tutior unda fide."
Thou thinkest, peradventure, because of her vows, tears, smiles, and protestations,
she is solely thine, thou hast her heart, hand, and affection, when as indeed there is
no such matter, as the *' Spanisli bawd said, gaudet ilia habere unum in lecto, alterum
in jwrtd, teriium qui domi suspiret, she will have one sweetheart in bed, another in
the gate, a third sighing at home, a fourth, &c. Every young man she sees and
likes hath as much interest, and shall as soon enjoy her as thyself. On the other
side, wliich I iiave said, men are as false, let them swear, protest, and lie; ^^Quod
vobis dicunt-i dixerunt mille puellis. They love some of them those eleven thou-
sand virgins at once, and make tliem believe, each particular, he is besotted on her,
or love one till they see another, and then her alone; like Milo's wife in Apuleius,
lib. 2. Si qucin conspexerit speciosce formce invenem, venustate ejus sumitur, et in eum
animum intorquei. 'Tis their common compliment in that case, they care not what
they swear, say or do: One while they slight them, care not for them, rail down-
right and scofl" at them, and then again they will run mad, hang themselves, stab
and kill, if they may not enjoy them. Henceforth, therefore, nulla viro
juranti fcemina credat., let not maids believe them. These tricks and counterfeit
passions are more familiar with women, ^*fincm hie dolori faciei aut vilcs dies, mise-
rere amantis, quoth Phajdra to Hippolitus. Joessa, in *^Lucian, told Pythias, a young
man, to move him the more, that if he would not have her, she was resolved to make
away herself. '• There is a Nemesis, and it cannot choose but grieve and trouble
thee, to hear that I have either strangled or drowned myself for thy sake." Nothing
so common to this sex as oaths, vows, and protestations, and as I have already said,
'< Nunquam aliquls umbrarutn conjuralor tanta at-
tentione, tamque potentibus verbis usus est, quam ille
exqnisitis milii dictis, itc. '^Qhancer. '"Ah
crudele genas nee tutnm fcemina nomen ! Tibul. I. 3.
cle?. 4. "' Jovianus Pom. '8 Aristienetus, lib. 2.
e]>ist. 13. ■'^Suaviter tlebam, nt persuasuni haheat
lachrymas prs ^andio illius reditus mihi emanare.
f Lib. 3. his accedunt, vultus subtristis, color pallidns,
ffemebnnda vox, ignita suspiria, lachryms prope in-
nuinerabiles. Istae se statini umbrs otferiint tanto
Equaiore et in omni fere diverticulo tanta macie, ut
illnsjamjam morlbundas putes. si petronius
"Trust not your heart to women, for the wave is less
treacherous than their fidelity." KicoBlestina, act 7.
Barthio interpret omnibus arridet, et a singulis amari
se solam dicit. ^Ovid. " They have made the same
promises to a thousand girls that thev make to you."
I** Seneca Hi ppol. " Tom. 4. dial, merit tu vero
aliquando mserore afficieris ubi audierjs me a meips4
laqueo lui causa sulfocatam aut in puteum prajcipita.
tarn.
192 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Set *,.
tears, which they have at command ; for they can so weep, that one would iiunk
their very hearts were dissolved within them, and would come out in tears ; then
eyes are like rocks, which still drop water, diurice luchrymce et suduris in modum
turgcri promplcE^ saitli ** Arisia-nctus, they wipe away their tears like sweat, w eey
with one eye, laugh with the other ; or as children "'' weep and cry, they can both
together.
* '• .\( ve pui-llariiiii lachryiiiis moveare aieuiento, I " Care not for women's tears, I counsel tli<.-e,
Vl tterent oculos eruiiiere »uu8." | They leach their eyes da much to weep us see."
And as much pity is to be taken of a woman weeping, as of a goose going barefoot.
When Venus lost her son Cupid, she sent a crier about, to bid every one that met
him take heed.
'Si flentem aspicias. ne innx falldre, caveto;
Sin arriJebii, niauis etfu^i- ; et oxciila si fors
Ferre volet, rusitn; sunt oocula iiuiia, ni ipaia
Sunique veiiena latjriit," Ilc.
" Take heed uf Cupitl'« tears, if cautehiuii.
And of his l^lnlles and kiases I tliec tell.
If that he ottV-r't. lur Ihey be iioxioiiii.
And viry poison in his lips doth dwtll."
'"A thousand year.s, as Casiilio conceives^ 'will scarce serve to reckon up those
allurements and guiles, that men and women use to deceive one another with.'"
SuBSECT. v. — Bavrds, Philters, Causes.
When all other engines fail, that they can proceed no farther of themselves, their
last refuge is to fly to bawds, panders, magical philters, and receipts ; rather than
fail, to tlie devil himself. Fltctere si ncqutunt supuros., Acheronta movchunt. And
by those indirect means many a man is overcome, and jirecipitated into this malady,
if he take not good heed. For these bawds, first, they are everywhere so common,
and so many, lliat, as he said of old Crotun, *' umnes hie uut capluntur, aut captant,
either inveigle or be inveigled, we may .say of most of our cities, there be so many
professed, cunning bawds in them. Besides, bawdry is become an art, or a liberal
science, as Lucian calls it ; ami there be such tricks and subtleties, so many nurses,
old women, [)aii(lers, Utttr carriers, beggars, physicians, friars, confessors, employed
about it, that uullus tradtre stilus sujiciat, one saith,
•• " treccntii veniibu*
Sua* luipuritia* traluqui neuio poteal."
Such occult notes, stenography, polygraphy, .Nuntius animalus, or magnetical telling
of their minds, which "Cabeu.s the Jesuit, by the way, counts fabulous and false;
cunnin" conveyances in this kind, that neither Juno's jealousy, nor Daiiae\s custody,
nor Argo's vigilanry can keep them safe. 'Tis the last and comuion refuge to use
an assistant, sucli as that Catanean Philippa was to Joan Queen of Naples, a "' bawd's
help, an old woman in the business, as *\Myrrha did when slie doalrd on Cynir.is.
and ci>uld not compass her desire, the old jade her nurse was ready at a pinch, die
inguit, opemqw? me sine frrre tibi et in luic niea (pnyie tirnorem .Sedulitof rril
apta tibi., fear it not, if it be possible to be done, I will effect it : non est tnulieri
viulier insuperabilis, ^ Cadestina said, let him or her be never so honest, watched
and reserved, 'tis hard but one of these old women will get access : and scarce shall
vou find, as " Austin observes, in a nunnery a maid alone, " if she cannot have
eoress, before her window you shall have an old woman, or some prating gossip,
tell her some tales of this clerk, and that monk, describing or commeiuling some
vouno- gentleman or other un'to her." " As I was walking in the street (sailh a good
ffUow in Pelronius) to see the town served one evening, * 1 spied an old woman in
a corner selling of cabbages and roots (as our hucksters do plums, apples, and such
like fruits); mother (quoth he) can you tell where I can dwell.' she, being well
pleased with my foolish urbanity, replied, and why, sir, should I not tell ? With that
«• Epi't. "20. 1. 2. " MatrnniE flent ' - i met. •• Parii i i. i'»n«'\i- :"
nioniale* qnatuor, virjineti uno. ni»-r j ad ••irorein vix . -.iruni hiiju-
•■On I. 'd IiMj-jri.^ .). . fiiiii, r. ■ 1 I ifii Iriv. t,i. - I -iram n.-i
Ut *•■ IIIVKlIU >
txoniii*.
vrrsva would n ' '
Masii.-t. Philos. h:. |. aj^ lu "•;.,i„l .I.- 5 h:.. I vil.-.. „,.r.irir.. .t ,„ i,jp»i
Venn la exitiuiu callida Iroa oieum. »Ovid. 10. cralua auiculc iDauiiaa.
Mem. 2. Subs. 5.] Ariificial Allurements. 493
%\\c rose up and went before me. I took her for a wise woman, and bv-and-by she
ied me hi to a by-lane, and told me there I should dwell. I replied again, I knew
oot the house •, but I perceived, on a sudden, by the naked queans, that I was now
come into a bawdy-house, and then too late I began to curse the treachery of this
old jade." Such tricks you shall have in many places, and amongst the rest it is
ordinary in Venice, and in the island of Zante, for a man to be bawd to his own
wife. No sooner shall you land or come on shore, but, as the Comical Poet hath it,
3'' Morem Innic nierelrices lialxMit, I Rosnnt cujalis sit, quod p.\ nomen siet,
Ad portiim iiiltlunt scrviilns, ancilliilns, Post illne e.xtenipio sese adpliceiit."
Si qua pcrc^'rina navis in portuin aderit, |
Tiiese white devils have their panders, bawds, and factors in every place to seek
about, and bring in customers, to tempt and waylay novices, and silly travellers.
And when they have them once within their clutches, as J^^gidius Maserius in his
comment upon Valerius Flaccus describes them, '"""with promises and pleasant dis-
course, with gifts, tokens, and taking their opportunities, they lay nets which Lucretia
cannot avoid, and baits that Ilippolitus himself would swallow; they make such
strong assaults and batteries, that the goddess of virginity cannot withstand them :
give gifts and bribes to move Penelope, and with threats able to terrify Susanna.
How many Proserpinas, with those catchpoles, doth Pluto take .'' These are the
sleepy rods with which their souls touched descend to hell ; this the glue or lime
with which the wings of the mind once taken cannot fly away; the deviPs ministers
to allure, entice," &c. Many young men and maids, without all question, are invei-
gled by these Eumenides and their associates. But these are trivial and well known.
The most sly, dangerous, and cunning bawds, are your knavish physicians, empyrics,
mass-priests, monks, 'Jesuits, and friars. Though it be against Hippocrates' oath,
some of them will give a dram, promise to restore maidenheads, and do it without
danger, make an abortion if need be, keep down their paps, hinder conception, pro-
cure lust, make them able with Satyrions, and now and then step in themselves.
No monastery so close, house so private, or prison so well kept, but these honest
men are admitted to censure and ask questions, to feel their pulse beat at their bed-
side, and all under pretence of giving physic. Now as for monks, confessors, and
friars, as he said,
- ■' Noti aiidet Stytrius Pluto tentare quod audet I " That Stygian Pluto dares not tempt or do,
EflffKiiis inoiiachu3, plenaqiie fraudis anus;" | W^liat an old hag or monk will undergo ;"
cither for himself to satisfy his own lust, for another, if he be hired thereto, or both
at once, having such excellent means. For under colour of visitation, auricular con-
fession, comfort and penance, they have free egress and regress, and corrupt, God
knows, how many. They can such trades, some of them, practise physic, use
exorcisms, &c,
' That whereas was wont to walk and Elf,
There now walks the Limiter himself.
In every bush and under enery tree.
There needs no other Incubus but he.
* ]n the mountains between Dauphine and Savoy, the friars persuaded the good wives
to counterfeit themselves possessed, that their husbands might give them free access,
and were so familiar in those days witli some of them, that, as one ^ol)serves,
" wenches could not sleep in their beds for necromantic friars : and the good abbess
in Boccaccio may in some "^"t witness, that rising betimes, mistook and put on the
fria*i-'s breeches instead o. ner veil or hat. You have heard the story, J presume, of
* Paulina, a chaste matron in ^gesippus, whom one of Isis's priests did prostitute to
Mundus, a young knight, and made her believe it was their god Anubis. Many such
pranks are played by our Jesuits, sometimes in their own habits, sometimes in others,
like soldiers, courtiers, citizens, scholars, gallants, and women themselves. Proteus-
like, in all forms and disguises, that go abroad in the night, to inescate and beguile
" Plautus Menech. " These harlots send little maid- ] animee ad Orcum descendunt ; hoc gluten quo compacts .
incntium al.T evolare iiequennt, dsmonis ancillae, quis
sollicitant, See. 'See the practices of tlip Jesuits,
Anglice, edit. 1C30. = .lEn. Sylv. 3 Chuucer,
in the wife of Bath's tale. ^ H. Stephanas Apol.
Herod, lib. 1. cap. 21. sBale. Piiella; in lectis
dormire non poterant. " Idem Jo»?phus, lib. 13-
cap. 4.
ens dr.vn to the quays to ascertain the name and na^
ti'j:^ of every ship that arrives, after which they them-
selves hasten to address the new-comers." ""i Pro-
niissis everlierant, molliunt dulciloquiis, et opportuiium
temi)iis ancupaiites laqiieos ingerunt quos vix Lucretia
viiare; escani paraiit quam vel satiir Hippolitus sunie-
vet. &c. Hk sane sunt virga- soporifirra; quibus contacts
2R
<94 Lovc-Mclancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3
young' women, or to have tlieir pleasure of other men's wives ; and, if we may
believe 'some relations, they have wardrobes of several suits in the colleges for tliat
purpose. Howsoever in public they pretend much zeal, seem to be very holy men.
and bitterly preach against adultery, fornication, there are no verier bawds or whore-
masters in a countrv; ^'"- whose soul they should gain to God, they sacrifice to the
devil." But I spare these men for the present.
The last battering engines are philters, amulets, spells, charms, images, and such
unlawful means : if they cannot prevail of themselves by the help of bawds, pan-
ders, and their adherents, they will fly for succour to the devil himself. I know
there be those that deny the devil can do any such thing (Crato cpist. '2. lib. tiicd.)^
and manv divines, there is no other fascination than that which comes by the eyes,
of which I have formerly spoken ; and if you desire to be better informed, read
Camcrarius, oper snhcis. cent. 2. c. 5. It was given out of old, that a Thessalian
wench had bewitched King Philip to dote upon her, and by phdters enforced hia
love; but when Olympia, the Queen, 'saw the maid of an excellent beauty, well
brought up, and qualified — these, quoth she, were the philters which inveigled King
Philip; those the true charms, as Ilenrj' to Rosamond,
•"One accent roin thy lips the WdoiI more warms,
Thnii all thrir philters, exorcisms, ami charms."
With this alone Lucretia brags in '"Areline, she could do more than all philosophers,
astrologers, alchymists, necromancers, witches, and the rest of the crew. As for
herbs and philters, I could never skill of them, ''The sole philter that ever I
used was ki.ssing and embracing, by which alone I made men rave like beasts stupi-
lied, and compelled them to worship me like an idol." In our times it is a conunon
thing, saith Eiastus, in hi.s book dc LuniiiSj for witches to take upon tlitin the mak-
ing of these phiU(;rs, "'' to force men and women to love and hate whom they will,
to cause tempests, diseases," Stc. by cliunns, spells, characters, knots. '"///c Tlics-
salii vendit PhiUra. St. Ilierome proves that they can ilo it (as in Ililarius' life,
epist. lib. 'V) ; he hath a story of a young man, that with a philter made a maid mad
for the love of him, which maid was after cured by llilarian. Such instances 1 liiul
in John Nidcr, Formicar. lib. 5. cup. 5. Plutarch records of Lucullus that he died
of a philter; and that Cleopatra used philters to inveigle Antony, amongst other
allurements. Eusebius reports as much of Lucretia the poet. Panonnitan. Ub. 4. de
gest. Alphnnsi.1 hath a story of one Stephan. a Neapolitan knight, that by a phdter
was forced to run mad for love. But of all others, that which '^ Petrarch, c/*is^
famil. lib. 1. ep. 5, relates of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) is most memorable,
lie foolishly doted upon a woman of mean favour and condition, many years to-
getlier, wholly delighting in her company, to the great grief and indignation of his
lliends and followers. When she was dead, he did embrace her corpse, as Apollo
did the bav-tree for his Daphne, and caused her cofiin (richly embalmed and decked
with jewels) to be carried about with him, over which he still lamented. At last a
venerable bishop, that followed his court, prayed earnestly to God (commiserating
his lord and master's case) to know the true cause of this mad passion, and whence
it proceeded ; it was revealed to him, in fine, " that the cause of the emperor's mad
love lav under the dead woman's tongue." The bishop went hastily to tlie carcass,
and took a small ring thence ; upon the removal the emperor abhorred the corpse,
and, instead '* of it, fell as furiously in love with the bishop, he would not suiTer
him to be out of his presence; which when the bishop perceived, he flung the ring
into the midst of a great lake, where the king then was. From that hour the em-
peror neglected all his other houses, dwelt at '*Ache, built a fair house in the midst
of the marsh, to his infinite expense, and a '* temple by it, where after he was buried,
and in which city all his posterity ever since use to be crowned. Marcus the heretic
■■Liberedil Aiiciista Vindclicnriini, An. ICOH, sQua- | velint; odia int'-r conjuges aerendi, temi^^-state* exri
rum aiiimas lurj.iri drbcnt IKo, sacritiraiil ili.-ib«lri. tamli. nuirhos Mifli;;eiidi, 4cc '^ juvrnalis t<a(.
• M. Urayton, llor epi-it. '<• Piirrio'lidajcaln dial. | '• Idem rrfert lleii.'Kormannuide mir. nii.rt. Iih. leap.
Iial. l.a(in. t'iict. a Gnsp. Barthiit. Plus possum i|iiaiii 14. Penlile amavit miilierculaiii mt tn>
omncs phil< sophi, a-ttrolo^i, n<.-cr(>iiiaiilici. ice. pnl.i pleiihus ac'iuitscens, summa cum .ixiruic
saliva iii>iiii;>.'ii', I. ainplexu et basiis tam furiiisi- t-t dolnre. '< Et inJe tolus i: .n fiircre.
furtre, t.im U'^lialiter olK-lutitsieri coti-i, ul iimiar 1 illiun colere. " Aqiii»«r«nuin, miIjJi .^iie .« Ub
idoli me ailorariiit I'^agx oinnes ;ibi arrogant iiitnso fumptu templuio el Kdet. k.c.
noiitiani, ct faculiaiem in aioarem alliciendi qucn |
Mem. 2. Subs. 5.] Artificial Allurements. 495
is accused by Ircnoeus to have inveigled a young maid b^ this means ; and some
writers speak hardly of the Lady Katharine Cobhani, that by the same art she cir
cumvented Humphrey Duke of Gloucester to be her husband. Sycinius iEmilianus
summoned '■ Apuleius to come before Cneius- Maximus, proconsul of x\frica, that he
being a poor fellow, " had bewitched by philters Pudentilla, an ancient rich matron,
to love him," and, being worth so many thousand sesterces, to be his wife. Agrippa,
lib. 1. caj). 48. occult. j)hilos. attributes much in this kind to philters, amulets, images:
and Salmutz com. in Pancirol. Tit. 10. de Horol. Leo Afer, lib. 3, sailh, 'tis an
ordinary practice at Fez in Africa, Prcesiigiatores ibi plures, qui cogunf amoves et
concubitus: as skilful all out as that hyperborean magician, of whom Cleodemus, in
'^ Lucian, tells so many fine feats performed in this kind. But Erastus, Wierus, and
others are against it ; they grant indeed such things may be done, but (as Wierus
discourseth, lib. 3. dc Lamiis. cap. 37.) not by charms, incantations, philters, but the
devil himself; lib. 5. cap. 2. he contends as much ; so doth Freitagius, noc. med. cap.
74. Andreas Cisalpinus, cap. 5 ; and so much Sigismundus Schereczius, cap. 9. de
hirco noctiirno, proves at large. '^"Unchaste women by the help of these witches,
the devil's kitchen maids, have their loves brought to them in the night, and carried
back again by a phantasm flying in the air in the likeness of a goat. I have heard
(saith he) divers confess, that they have been so carried on a goat's back to their
sweethearts, many miles in a night." Others are of opinion that these feats, which
most suppose to be done by charms and philters, are merely effected by natural
causes, as by man's blood chemically prepared, which much avails, sailh Ernestus
Burgranius, in Lucernd vita, et mortis Indice, ad amorcm conciliandu?)i et odium., (so
huntsmen make their dogs love them, and farmers their puUen,) 'tis an excellent
philter, as he holds, sed vulgo prodere grande ncfas, but not fit to be made common:
and so be Mala insana, mandrake roots, mandrake ^° apples, precious stones, dead
ftien's clothes, candles, mala Bacchica, panis jiorcinus, Hyppotnanes.1 a certain hair
m a " wolf's tail, &c., of which Rhasis, Dioscorides, Porta, Wecker, Rubeus, Mi-
^aldus, Albertus, treat : a swallow's heart, dust of a dove's heart, mullum valent
linguce. vipcrarum, cerebella asinorum, tela equina., palliola quibus infantes obvoluti
nascuntur, fujiis strangulati hominis, lapis de nido Jiquil<x, S)X. See more in Scken-
kius obscrvat. medicinal., lib. 4. Stc, which are as forcible and of as much virtue as
that fountain Salmacis in ^^''itruvius, Ovid, Strabo, that made all such mad for love
that drank of it, or that hot bath at ^^ Aix in Germany, wlierein Cupid once dipt his
arrows, which ever since hath a peculiar virtue to make them lovers all that wash in
it. But hear the poet's own description of it,
24 •' Uiide hie fervor aquis terra erunipentibus uda? I Inqiiit, et hKc pharetrae siiit moiiumenta inex.
Tela olim hie ludeiis igiiea tiiixit amor ; Kx illo fcrvet, rarusqia' hie mergitur hospes,
Etgaiideiis stridore novo, fervete pereiines | Cm non titillel ptctura blaiidus amor."
These above-named remedies have happily as much power as that bath of Aix, or
Venus' enchanted girdle, in which, sailh Natales Comes, '•'• Love toys and dalliance,
pleasantness, sweetness, persuasions, subtleties, gentle speeches, and all witchcraft to
enforce love, was contained." Read more of these in Agrippa dc occult. Philos. lib.
1. cap. bO.et 45. Malleus malefic, part. 1. qucest. 7. Delrio torn. 2. que t. 3. lib. 3.
Wierus, Pomponatis, c«j5. 8. de incantat. Ficinus, lib. 13. Theol. Plal. Calcagni-
nus, &,c.
" Apolog. quod Pudentillam viduam ditem et provec-
tioris Ktatis t'cemiiiain Ciiiituiiiiiiibiis in aniorem sui
pellexissec. '" I'liilopseudu, loin. U. ■" linpudita;
iiiuliere.s opera venelieariim, diaboli coquaruin, ania-
tores suos ad se nuctu duciint et rediicunt, niinisterio
hirri in aiire volantis: miiltos novi qui hoc fassi sunt,
grano. si Baltheus Veneris, in quo suavitas, et
duleia colloquia, biMievolentia', et l>laMdili:e. suasiones,
t'raudcs et veneficia inchidehuMtur. " Whenc? lliat
heal to waters bubbling from tin: cold nioifl earth?
Cupid, once upon a time, playlully <li()|ieil li.'rt'iii liii
arrows of eteel, and delighleil with ilie his.sins sound,
&c. 20 Mandrake apples, Lemnius lib. herb. bib. c.'i. he said, boil on for ever, and retain the iiir?niory of my
2' Of which read Plin. lib. y. cap. i-i. et lib. 13. c. ^5. et | quiver. From that time it is a thermal spring, in wliicfi
(iuintili.inuin, lib. 7. '^ 1-ib. 11. c. 8. Venere implicat i few venture to bathe, but whosoever does, his hiarl i?
eos, qui ex eo bibunt. Idem Ov. Met. 4. Strabo. Geog. i instantly touched with love."
1. 14. '^hoA. tiuicciardine'8 descript. Ger. in Aquts- I
i96 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec 2.
MEMB. III.
Si'BSECT. 1 . — Symptoms or signs of Love Melancholy, in Body^Mind, good, had, Sfc.
Symptoms are either of body or mind ; of body, paleness, leanness, dryness, &c.
-^ Pallidus omnis amans, color hie est aptus amanii, as the poet describes lovers:
ft'cil amor macicin, love causeth leanness. ^Avicenna de Jlishi, c. 33. ''makes hol-
low eyes, dryness, symptoms of this disease, to go smiling to themselves, or acting
as if tliey saw or heard some delectable object." Valleriola, lib. 3. observat. cap. 7.
I-aurentius, cap. 10. jElianus Montaltus de Her. amorc. Langius, epist. 24. lib. 1.
'pint. vied, deliver as much, corpus exangue pallet, corpus gracile, octili civi, lean,
l^ale. ut niidis qui pressit calcibus unguem, '^ as one who trod with naked foot
upon a snake," hollow-eyed, their eyes are hidden in their heads, ^ Tenerque
nitidi corposis cecidit decor, they pine away, and look ill with waking, cares, siglis.
" Et qui li;ncbant sigiia Plitthp.T fari!"
Uculi, nihil gentile nee p»(riiiiii iiiicai)!."
-And eyes that once rivalled the locks of Phcebus, lose the patrial and paternal
lustre." With groans, griefs, sadness, dulness,
* " Nulla jam Cereris 8ubi "*
Cura aul «aluli!>"
want of appetite, &.c. A reason of all this, ^ Jason Pralensis gives, " because of the
distraction of the spirits the liver doth not perform his part, nor turns the aliment
intu blood as it ought, and for that cause the members are weak for want of suste-
nance, they are lean aiul pine, as the herbs of my garden do this month of May, for
want of rain." The green sickness therefore often happeneth to young women, a
cachexia or an evil habit to men, besides their ordinary sighs, coinpluiiits, an<'
himentalions, which are too frequent. As drops from a still, — ut occluso slillut ah
ignc liquor, duth Cupid's fire provoke tears froni a true lover's eyes,
*> "The mighty .Mars did olt for Venui ihriek, I " " igiiiii dtstillal in umlaf,
Privily niiiMteiiiiig hi» horrid cheek Te«lii erit larguii qui rij;at nra liquor,"
Wilh wu^lalll^h learn, |
with many such like passions. When Chariclia was enamoured of Theagines, as
** Heliodorus sets her out, "she was half distracted, and spake she knew not what,
sighed to herself, lay much awake, and was lean upon a sudden :" and when she was
besotted on her son-in-law, ^pallor deformis, marcentes oculi, Sfc, she had ugly
paleness, hollow eyes, restless thoughts, short wind, &.c. Eurialus, in an epistle
sent to Lucrelia, his mistress, complains amongst other grievances, tu mihi et somni
et cibi usum abstulisti, thou hast taken my stomach and my sleep from me. So he
describes it aright : •
»< His sleep, h's meal, his drink, in Aim bereft,
T/iat lean he icaie'.h, and dry as a shaft,
his ryes holloic and grisly to behold.
His hete pate and ashen to unfold.
And sotilary he teas erer alone,
And KuiiHg all the night making mone.
Theocritus Edyl. 2. makes a fair maid of Delphos, in love with a young man of
Minda, coiifess as much,
** (ft vidi lit inFaiiii, ut animus mihi male afleclus est,
Mi!<enc mihi forma tiibe:icebat. neqiie ampliuii pompam
Ullurii ciirabain. aut quainlo doinuin reilieram
Nuvi, sed me ardeiis quidara raorbua connumebat,
Di-cubiii in lerto (lies (t>'Ce:ii, el iioctt'jt ileceiu, ,, , ,. . i ...
Defluebant cap.te capilli. ip«aque sola reliqua 1 ' "•>■ ^P;"' "'>" '*'' '«" .•Ja>" ?'"'. "'fh^
(»ssa et culls"- • e 1 ■» j A »keleton 1 was in all men » sights.
All these passions are well expressed by * that heroical poet in the person of Dido :
" At nnn infxlix aiiimi Pli3-ni$sa, nee uiiquam | " Unhappy Diilo rouM not sleep at all,
Solvilur in snninos, ^culi^qlle ac (lectore amorea I B'll lies annke, and takes no rent:
Accipit ; intfeminaiit curx, rurausque resurgena j And up she gets again, whilst care and grief,
Ssvit amor," ice. ' And raging love torment her breast."
**Ovid. Faeit hunc amor ipse colnrem. Mel. 4. I bra debilia. et penuria alibilii succi marre«cuni. sqiia.
^ Sijiua ejus profuiidiias nculorum, privatio lachrynia- leiilque ut herbir in borto meo hoc meii*« Maio Zerisca,
rum. su^piria. Kept- ridenl sibi. ac si quod deleclatile ob imbrium defectum. " Kaerie Clueene I 3. cant. 11.
viderent, aut aiidirenl. *' Seneca Hip. * Seneca » .Aiiiator Cmlileni. 3. » I.ib. 4. Annuo errat, et
Uip. ^ Ue iiinris cerebri de erot. amore. Oh spiri- qiiidvis obvium loquitur, vigilias ab«que causa sustinel,
tuum distractioiicm hepar officio suo non funcitur. nee el succum corpori.t subito amisit. * Apiilriua.
vertit alinientuui in sanguinem, ut debeat. Ergo mem- xcbaucer, in itie Koight'a Tale. '^Vir§. ^n.i.
No fMV>ner seen I had, but mad I was.
My beauty fail'd. and I no more did care
For any |>ouip, I knew not where I was.
But sick I wa4. and evil I did fare;
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Love. 497
Accius Sanazarius Egloga 2. dc Galatea, in the same manner feigns his Lyclioris
^" tormenting herself for want of sleep, sighing, sobbing, and lamenting ; and Eusta-
thiiis in liis Ismenias nuich troubled, and ^"'' panting at heart, at the siglit of his mis-
tress," he could not sleep, his bed was thorns. ''^All make leanness, want of appe-
tite, want of sleep ordinary symptoms, and by that means they are brought often so
low, so much altered and changed, that as ^®he jested in the comedy, "one scarce
know them to be the same men."
"Attennant juvenum vigilatffi corpora noctes,
Curaquc et imineriso qui fit amore dolor."
Many such symptoms there are of the body to discern lovers by, quls cnim bene
celet amorem ? Can a man, saith Solomon, Prov. vi. 27, carry fire in his bosom and
not burn .^ it will hardly be hid ; though they do all they can to hide it, it nmst out,
plus quam milh notis it may be described, ■"" quoque mag'i.s tegitur, tectus magis
CBstuat ignis. 'Twas Antiphanes the comedian's observation of old. Love and drunken-
ness cannot be concealed, Celare alia possis, hcec prcBler duo., vini. potum, 6fc. words,
looks, gestures, all will betray thein ; but two of the most notable signs are observed
by the pulse and countenance. When Antiochus, the son of Seleucus, was sick for
Stratonice, his mother-in-law, and would not confess his grief, or the cause of his
disease, Erasistratus, the physician, found hii.n by his pulse and countenance to be in
love with her, ■" '• because that when she came in presence, or was named, his pulse
varied, and he blushed besides." hi this very sort was the love of Callices, the son
of Polycles, discovered by Panacaeas the physician, as you may read the story at
large in '^Aristenagtus. By the same signs Galen brags that he found out Justa,
Boethius the consul's wife, to dote on Pylades the player, because at his name still
she both altered pulse and countenance, as ''^ Polyarchus did at the name of Argenis.
Franciscus Valesius, I. 3. controv. 13. ?ned. contr. denies there is any such pulsus
ajiiatorius, or that love may be so discerned ; but Avicenna confirms this of Galen
out of his experience, lib. 3. Fen. 1. and Gordonius, cap. 20. ''*'•' Their pulse, he
saith, is ordinate and swift, if she go by whom he loves," Langius, epist. 24. lib. 1.
med. epist. Neviscanus, lib. 4. numer. 66. syl. nuptialis., Valescus de Taranta, Guia-
nerius, Tract. 15. Valeriola sets down this for a symptom, ''^ ^ Difference of pulse,
neglect of business, want of sleep, often sighs, blushings, when there is any speech
of their mistress, are manifest signs." But amongst the rest, Josephus Struthis, that
Polonian, in the fifth book, cap. 17. of his Doctrine of Pulses, holds that tliis and
all other passions of the mhid may be discovered by the pulse. '"'"And if you will
know, saith he, whether the men suspected be such or such, touch their arteries,"
&,c. And in his fourth book, fourteenth chapter, he speaks of this particular pulse,
'""Love makes an unequal pulse," Sec, he gives instance of a gentlewoman, "* a
patient of his, whom by this means he found to be much enamoured, and with
whom : he named many persons, but at the last when his name came whom he sus-
pected, ''^" her pulse began to vary and to beat swifter, and so by often feeling her
pulse, he perceived what the matter was." Apollonius Argonaut, lib. 4. poetically
setting down the meeting of Jason and Medea, makes them both to blush at one
another's sight, and at the first they were not able to speak.
' totus Parineno
Tremo, horreoque postquara aspuxi banc,"
Phaedria trembled at the sight of Thais, others sweat, blow short. Crura tremunl ac
poplites., are troubled with palpitation of heart upon the like occasion, cor proxi-
mum on, saith ^'Aristenaetus, their heart is at their mouth, leaps, these burn and
freeze, (for love is fire, ice, hot, cold, itch, fever, frenzy, pleurisy, what not) they
*'Dumvasa pas^sitn sidera fulgent, numeral lonjras
I'tricus horas, et sollicito nixus cubito suspirando vis-
era runipit. s'Saliebat crebro tepiilutn cor ad
■spectum Isnienes. 3s Gordonius c. 20. ainittunt
sspe cibuiii. potuni, et inerceratur iude totuni corpus.
* Ter. Eunuch. Dii boni, quid hoc est. adeone homines
inutari ex ainore, iit non coenoscas eundem esse!
<" Ovid. Met. 4. " The more it is concealed the more it
struggles to break through its concealment." "lo Ad
ejus nowen ruhebat, et ad aspectum pulsus variebatur.
I'lutar. "Epist. 13. « Barck. lib. 1. Oculi
medico tremors errabant. ** Pulsus eoruin velox
63 2r2
et inordinatus, si mulier quam amat forte transeat.
■•5 Signa sunt cessatio ab omni opere insueto. privatio
sonini, suspiria crebra.ruborcumsit serniode re amata,
et commotio pulsus. <<> Si noscere vis an liomjnes
suspect! tales sint, tangito eorum arterias. •" Amor
facit ina;quales. inordinatos. ■** In nobilis cujus
dam uxore quuai subolfacerem adulteri amore fuisse
correptam et quam maritus, &;c. " Cepit illica
pulsus variari et fern celerius et sic inveni. ^ Eu
iiuch. act. 2. seen. 2. si Epist. 7. lib. 2. Tener audot
et crcber anhelitus, palpitatio cordis. &c.
498 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2,
ook pale, red, and commonly blush at their first congress ; and sometimes through
violent agitation of spirits bleed at nose, or when she is talked of; which very sign
^ Eustatliius makes an argument of Ismene's affection, that when she met her sweet-
heart by chance, she changed her countenance to a maiden-blush. 'Tis a common
thing amongst lovers, as ^^Arnulphus, that merry-conceited bisliop, hath well ex-
pressed in a facetious epigram of liis,
"Altfriio fni'ies Bibi dat responsa rubore, I "Their face? answer, and by blushing say.
Et tener atructuni proilit utrique pudor," ice. \ tlnw both atfecli'd an*, thi-y do butray."
But the best conjectures are taken from such symptoms as appear when they are
both present; all their speeches, amorous glances, actions, lascivious gestures will
betray them ; they cannot contain themselves, but that they will be still kissing,
"Slratocles, the physician, upon his wedding-day, when he was at dinner, JV7AiZ
jprius sorbillavit, quam tria basin jnirllcp yavi'jrel.^ could not eat his meat for kissing
the britle, &.c. First a word, and then a kiss, then some other compliment, and then
a kiss, then an idle question, then a kiss, and when he had pumped his wits dry, ran
say no mure, kissing and culling are never out of season, "^Uoc non deficit incipitque
semper, 'tis never at an end, ^another kiss, and then another, another, and another,
Stc. — hue ades O Thelayra — Cume kiss me Corinna .'
'Centum hasia cviiliei,
CVntiiiii basia inilliea,
Mille basia inilli>-a,
Kl (ol inillia inillieg,
U>i.<'I i^utta- Siculii inari,
Uuot Kiiiit 8idera ccelo,
Is(i« purpuri;ii4 g<-iii4,
Isim tur^idulm lubri!),
Ovrlisque lixjuacuhs,
Fi^ain i-onliiiuo luipKtu;
O I'oriiiiisa NVitrn. (Aa Catullus tu Leabia.)
Da iiiihi baiiia mill*;, deindi rentuni,
Ik'iii millf altera, da tiicunda centuoi,
DeiM usque altera millia, deiiide ceiitum."
"first eive a hundred,
Then a thousand, then another
Hundred, thcti unto the other
Add a thousand, and so more," Sic
Till you equal with the store, all the grass, &c. So Venus did by her Adonis, the
moon with Endymion, they are still dallying and culling, as so many doves, C'olum-
batimque labra cotiserentes lubiis, and that with alacrity and courage,
**" Affligunt avid^ corpus, junyuntciue »aliva«
Oris, et inspirant prensantes dentibua ura."
•" Tarn impresso ore ut rix inde lahra detrahant, cervice reclinata, " as L'lmprias in
Lucian kissed Thais, Philippus her *' Arista-nelus," amore lymphato lam uriose ud-
hcEsil, ut vix lahra solcvre esstt, lutumquc os inihi contrivit ; "Aretine's Lucretia, by
a suitor of hers was so saluted, and 'lis their ordinary fa.shion.
"denies illudunt fup[i« lahellis,
At()ue preinuut arete adti^enteg oacula"
They cannot, I say, contain themselves, they will be still not only joining hands,
kissing, but embracing, treading on their toes, &.C., diving into their bosoms, and that
libenter^ et cum dflectatione, as "Pliilostratus confesseth to his mistress; and I^m-
prias in Lucian, Mammillas premens, per sinum clam dtxird, «!st., feeling their paps,
and thai scarce honestly sometimes : as the old man in the**' Comedv well ob-
served of his son, .Von fo^o /e vidcham manum huic purllce in sinum inse re f Did
not 1 see thee put thy hand into her bosom ? go to, with many such love tricks.
^Juno in Lucian denrum, lorn. 3. dial. 3. complains to Jupiter of Ixion, *°" he looked
so attentively on her, and sometimes would sigh and weep in her company, and
when I drank by chance, and gave Ganymede the cup, he would desire to drink still
in the very cup that I drank of, and in the same place where I drank, and would
kiss the cup, and then look steadily on me, and sometimes sigh, and then again
smile." If it be so they cannot come near to dally, have not that opportunity,
familiarity, or acquaintance to confer and tiilk together; yet if they be in presence,
■ Lib. 1. » I>?xnviensifi epiwopud. " Theodorus i Tom. 4. Merit, sed et aperienle*, 4c. *■ HpiM. I&
prodroinuR Ainarantodinl. Gaulinio interpnt. " Pe- •-' Deducto ore longo me b«»io d>-miilcet. • In deticlia
iron. Catal. »*Sed uiiiini eco usque et umim Pelam mamma* tuas tanjfo, &r. "'I'erenl. ••Tom. 4.
A tuis lat).-lli!i. pnitiqup unum et unum et unuin. dari ' merit, dial. •• Alteiilt adeo in me ispexil, et intrr-
roftabo 1 <i-<'beu4 .Aiiarreon. " Jo. Seciindus, ban. 7. dum ingemiscebat, et lachryiuabatur. Et si quando M>
•" Tran*laitHl i.r imitated by M. B. Johnson, our arch bens, 4c.
ooat, la his IIU ep. ** Lucret. I. 4. ** Lucian. dial. ;
Mem. 3. Subs. 1 .] Symptoms of Love. 499
their eye will betray them : JJhi amor ibi oculus, as the common saying is, " where
I look I like, and where I like I love ;" but they will lose themselves in her looks.
" Alter in alterius jartantes liimina vultus,
Qiiaercbant taciti no8ter uhresset aaior."
'' They cannot look off whom they love," they will impregnare earn ipsis oculis,
deflower her with their eyes, be still gazing, staring, stealing faces, smiling, glancing
at her, as "Apollo on Leucothoe, the moon on her ^* Endymion, when she stood
still in Caria, and at Latmos caused her chariot to be stayed. They must all stand
and admire, or if she go by, look after her as long as they can see her, she is anima
auriga.f as Anacreon calls her, they cannot go by her door or window, but, as an
adamant, she draws their eyes to it ; though she be not there present, they must
needs glance that way, and look back to it. Aristensetus of ^^Exithemus, Lucian,
in his Imagim. of himself, and Tatius of Clitophon, say as much, Ille oculos de Leu-
cippe'^ nunquam dejiciebat.) and many lovers confess when they came in their mis-
tress' presence, they could not hold off their eyes, but looked wistfully and steadily
on her, inconnivo aspectu^ with much eagerness and fifreediness, as if they would
look through, or should never have enough sight of her. Fixis ardeiis ohtutibus
hceret ; so she will do by him, drink to him with her eyes, nay, drink him up, de-
vour him, swallow him, as Martial's Mamurra is remembered to have done : Impexii
moJJes pueros.) oculisque comedit, &,-c. There is a pleasant story to this purpose in
JYavigat. Vertom. lib. 3. caj). 5. The sultan of Sana's wife in Arabia, because Ver-
tomannus was fair and white, could not look off him, from sunrising to sunsetting;
she could not desist ; she made him one day come into her chamber, et gemincB horce
spatio intuebatur^ nan a me anquam aciem oculorum averlcbat, me observans vcluti
Ciipidinem quendam., for two hours' space she still gazed on him. A young man in
^' Lucian fell in love with Venus' picture ; he came every morning to her temple,
and there continued all day long" from sunrising to sunset, unwilling to go home
at night, sitting over against the goddess's picture, he did continually look upon her,
and mutter to himself I know not what. If so be they cannot see them whom they
love, they will still be walking and waiting about their mistress's doors, taking all
opportunity to see them, as in '^Longus Sophista, Daphnis and Chloe, two lovers,
were still hovering at one another's gates, he sought all occasions to be in her com-
pany, to hunt in summer, and catch birds in the frost about her father's house in the
winter, that she might see him, and he her. "^" A king's palace was not so dili-
gently attended," saith Aretine's Lucretia, " as my house was when I lay in Rome ;
the porch and street was ever full of some, Avalking or riding, on set purpose to see
me ; their eye was still upon my window ; as they passed by, they could not choose
but look back to my house when they were past, and sometimes hem or cough, or
take some impertinent occasion to speak aloud, that I might look out and observe
them." 'Tis so in other places, 'tis common to every lover, 'tis all his felicity to be
with her, to talk with her ; he is never well but in her company, and will walk
'^" seven or eight times a-day through the street where she dwells, and make sleeve-
less errands to see her ;" plotting still where, when, and how to visit her,
'^"Levesque sub nocte susurri,
Composita repetuatur hora."
And when he is gone, he thinks every minute an hour, every hour as long as a day,
ten days a whole year, till lie see her again. " Tempera si nnmeres, bene qiics nume-
ramus amantes. And if thou be in love, thou wilt say so too, Et Inngum formosa
vale, farewell sweetheart, vale charissima ^irgenis, &fc. Farewell my dear Argenis,
once more farewell, farewell. And though he is to meet her by compact, and that
Tcry shortly, perchance to-morrow, yet loth to depart, he'll take his leave again, and
again, and then come back again, look after, and shake his hand, wave his hat afar
off. Now gone, he thinks it long till he see her again, and she him, the clocks are
surely set back, the hour's past,
"Quique omnia cernere debes Leucothocn spectas, j recto, in ipsam perpetuo oculorum ictus direiit, &c.
et virjiine figis in una quos munilo debos oculoii, Ovid. ' "' Lib. 3. "■• Regum palatium non lam diligenti
Mi-t.4. 58 Lucian. torn. ^. quoties ad cariani venis custodia septum fuit, ac sdes meas stipabant, &c.
currum sistis, et dfsuper aspeclas. * Ex quote " l7iio, et eodem die sexties vel septies ambulant per
prinium virii Pvthia alio oculos vertere non fuit. '"'Lili. eandem plateam ut vel unico atnicE suae fruantur as-
4. " Dial, a'morum. '^ .\d occasum solis .-egre do- 1 pectu, lib. 3. Theat. Mundi. '^Hor. "Ovid,
mum rcdiens, atque totum die ex adverso des sedens !
500 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec, 2.
T9"II(ispita Dfmn|ihnoTi ma te Rodoplieia Phillis,
Ultra promissuin lempus abesse nuuror."
She looks out at window still to see whether he come, "and by report Phillis went
nine times to the sea-side that day, to see if her Demophoon were approachino;, and
** Troilus to the city gates, to look for his Creisseid. She is ill at ease, and sick till
she see him again, peevisii in the meantime; discontent, heavy, sad, and why conies
he not ? where is he ? wliy breaks he promise ? why tarries he so long ? sure lie is
not well ; sure he hath some mischance ; sure he forgets himself and me ; with
infinite such. And then, confident again, up she gets, out she looks, listens, and
inquires, hearkens, kens ; every man afar oft' is sure he, every stirring in the street,
now he is there, that's he, viale aurorce, mnlcc soli (licit, deiralque., i^-c, tlie longest
day that ever was, so she raves, restless and impatient •, for Amor nan palilur moras.^
love brooks no delays: the time's quickly gone that's spent in her company, the
miles short, tiie way pleasant; all weather is good wliilst he goes to her house, heat
or cold; though his teeth chatter in his head, he moves not; wet or dry, tis all one;
wet to tlie skin, he feels it not, cares not at least for it, but will easily endure it and
much more, because it is done with alacrity, and for his mistress's sweet sake ; let
the burdf n be never so heavy, love makes it light. '' Jacob served seven years lor
llachel, and it was quickly gone because he loved her. None so merry; if he may
happily enjoy her company, he is in heaven for a lime; and if he may not, dejected
in an instant, solitary, silent, he ilcparts weeping, lamenting, sighing, comi)laining.
But the symptoms of the mind in lovers are ahnost infinite, and so diverse, that
no art can comprehend them ; thougli they be merry sometimes, and rapt beyond
tiiemselves for joy: yet most part, love is a plague, a torture, a hell, a bitter svveel
passion at last; "j^wjor vielle etfelle est fiecundissimus, guslum dat ditlcem cl (una-
rum. 'Tis stiavis umaricies, dolentia delectabilis, liilarc turinentum ;
<^"Et iiic ciii'lle beaiit :iuaviora,
£t nic fellu necaiil aiiiuriura,"
like a summer fly or sphine's wings, or a rainbow of all colours,
"Que ad ioWi radios i-Diivers'^e nures erarit,
Advi-r^iis iiub>-B ctrul«ai', quale jiibar irulin,"
fair, foul, and full of variation, though mo?t part irksome and bad. For in a word,
the Spanish Inquisition is not comparable to it; '■'a torment" and *'*' execution" as
It is, as he calls it in the poet, an umpienchable tire, and what not? "From it, saith
Austin, arise "biting cares, perturbations, passions, sorrows, fears, suspicions, dis-
contents, contentions, discords, wars, treacheries, enmities, flattery, cosening, riot,
mipudence, cruelty, knavery," &.c.
'*: '■''."""; 1""e"»- I Aut 81 lr,.t« ii.agi« potest quM esse.
Larn.ntat.o. lacl.ry.i.i' perenne.. j,,^ j^^ ^^,„>^^ N.asra vil*."
Languor, aiuietad, aiiiariludo; I
These be the companions of lovers, and the ordinary symptoms, as the poet repeats
them.
•'" In amure hffc itisiinl vitia,
Suspiriones, inimicitio'. audacic,
Bellutn, pax rursuin," Su.
' Insomnia, rrumna, error, terror, et fuga,
Excof itacitia excors iniinodestia,
Petulaiitia. cupiditas, t-t niaievoli-ntia ;
Inlia-ret etiaiii avidiias, desidia, injuria,
Inopia, cuiituiiielia el dispendiuin," &c.
" In love these vices are; suspicions.
Peace, war, and impudunc>*. detractions,
Drearnii. cari-K, and errors, lerrorii and atfrichts,
IinnKNteot pranks, devicep, 8leii;lita and tlit;hta,
tleart'burnifi!;s. wants, iiesleriH, diiiire of wrong,
Logn Continual, expense and hurt among."
Every poet is full of such catalogues of love symptoms ; but fear and sorrow
may justly challenge the chief place. Though Hercules de Saxonia, cap. 3. Tract
de vielunch. will exclude fear from love melancholy, yet I am otherwise persuaded.
^^Res est solliciti plena timoris amor. 'Tis full of fear, anxiety, doubt, care, peevish-
ness, suspicion ; it turns a man into a woman, which made llesiod belike put Fear
and Paleness Venus' daughters,
"Marti riypeos .itque arms secanti
Alma Venua peperit Palloreiu. unaque Timorem:"
'^Ovid. '*Hyginus, rab.*59. £o die ilicilur nonica Ex eooriuiitur inordarescura-. p«-rturbalione«, incrorM,
ad liltud currjs.-ie. ••Chaucer. " Gen. xxix. 20. formidiiie!i, iiii<:ina gHuAia, di«<-ordi«, lile». I>e|l«. id-
"^ Plautus t'lstel. t^Slobirus d Greco. "Sweeter sidie, irat'Uiii!i9r, iniiiiicitix, lallacia:, adulnlio, Traus,
than honey It pleases me. more bitter Itian eall. It teases I'urluin. nequilia, luipudi-iilia. *> Marullua. I. L
lue." -« pliiulu* Credo ego ad honiiriiii rarniticiiiam "" 'I'er. Eunuch. ■ Plautu* .Mercat. • OvuL
■murcni iiiventum eaw- •Decivitat. lib. -J^. cap. -.iO.
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.]
Symptoms of Love.
501
because fear and love are still linked together. Moreover they are apt to mistake,
amplify, too credulous sometimes, too full of hope and confidence, and then again
very jealous, unapt to believe or entertain any good news. The comical poet hath
prettily painted out this passage amongst the rest in a ^ dialogue betwixt Mitio and
jEschines, a gentle father and a lovesick son. " Be of good cheer, my son, thou
shalt have her to wife. M. Ah father, do you mock me now.' M. I mock thee, why ?
jE. That which I so earnestly desire, I more suspect and fear. M. Get you liome,
and send for her to be your wife. M. What now a wife, now fathei*," &c. These
doubts, anxieties, suspicions, are the least part of their torments ; they break many
times from passions to actions, speak fair, and flatter, now most obsequious and will-
ing, by and by they are averse, wrangle, fight, swear, quarrel, laugh, weep : and he
that doth not so by fits, "'Luciau holds, is not thoroughly touched with this load-
stone of love. So their actions and passions are intermixed, but of all other pas-
sions, sorrow hath the greatest share; ^' love to many is bitterness itself; rem ama-
ram Plato calls it, a bitter potion, an agony, a plague.
" Eripite liaiic pestem perriicieinciiie niihi ; I " O take away this plairue, this mischief from me,
dure iiiilii sulirepens iinos lit torpur in artus, Which, as a numbness over all my body,
Expulit ex omiii pectore Istitias." | Expels my joys, and makes my soul so heavy."
Phaedria had a true touch of this, when he cried out.
I '• O Thais, ntinam esset mihi
Pars a^ipia ainoris lecuin, ac pariier fieret ut
Aut licio tibi doleret itideni, ut niihi dolet."
" O Thais, would thou hadst of the~e ray pains a part.
Or as it doth me now, so it would make Ihee smart.'
So had that young man, when he roared again for discontent,
' Jactor, crucior, asitor, stimulor,
Versor in anioris rota miser,
E.vanimor, feror, distrahor, deripior, [animus."
Ubi sum, ibi noa sum; ubi iion sum, ibi est
• I am ve.xt and toss'd, and rack'd on love's wheel :
Where not, I am ; but where am, do not feel."
The moon in ^^Lucian made her moan to Venus, that she was almost dead for love,
pereo equidem amorc^ and after a long tale, she broke off abrupth^ and wept, ^ '• O
Venus, thou knowest my poor heart." Charmides, in ^'Lucian, was so impatient,
that he sobbed and sighed, and tore his hair, and said he would hang himself " I
am undone, O sister Tryphena, I cannot endure these love pangs ; what shall I do r"
Vos O dii Jlverrunci solvite me his curis, O ye gods, free me from these cares and
miseries, out of the anguish of his soul, ^^ Theocles prays. Shall I say, most part
of a lover's life is full of agony, anxiety, fear, and grief, complaints, sighs, suspi-
cions, and cares, (heigh-ho, my heart is w'o) full of silence and irksome solitariness ?
" Frequenliri!; sh.idy bowers in discontent,
'I'd the air his fruitless clamours he will vent."
except at such times that he hath lucida inlervalla, pleasant gales, or sudden altera-
tions, as if his mistress smile upon him, give him a good look, a kiss, or that some
comfortable message be brought him, his service is accepted, Sec.
He is then too confident and rapt beyond liimself, as if he had heard the night-
ingale in the spring before the cuckoo, or as ^^ Calisto was at ^Malebaeas' presence,
Qnis unquam hue morlall vita tarn gloriosnm corpus vidit? Immanitatem transcendcre
videor, 6^-c. who ever saw so glorious a sight, what man ever enjoyed such delight .•'
More content cannot be given of the gods, wished, had or hoped of any mortal man.
There is no happiness in the world comparable to his, no content, no joy to this, no
life to love, he is in paradise.
'(iiiis IMP uno vivit I'celicior? aul nmiis hac est
Uptaiiduni vita dicere quis potent?'
He will not change fortune in that case with a prince,
' Who lives so happy as my.=elf ? w-hat bliss
III this our life may be cumpar'd to this?"
■ Donee gratus eram tibi,
Persarum vi-iui rege beatior."
The Persian kings are not so jovial as he is, 0 \fcshis dies hominis, O happy day
150 Chaerea exclaims when he came from Pampliila his sweetheart well pleased.
N'unc est profeclo interfiri ciiin perpeti me possem,
Ne hoc gaiidium contaminet vita aliqua. Kgritudine."
•oAdelphi, Act. seen. 5. M.Bono animo es, duces
uxorem hanc /F,~chines. .<E. Hem. patiT, num tu ludis
me nunc? M. Egone te, quanuibrem? JE. (iuod tain
iiiisero ciipio. &c. siTom. 4. dial, ainorum. *-. Aris-
totle, 2. Rhit. puts love then fore in the irascible |):irt.
Ovid. '-"Sler. Eunuch. Act. 1. sex!. »« Plautiis.
•^T.im. 3. 9«Scisquod posthac dicturus fuerim.
s' Tom. 4. dial, merit. Tryphena, amor me perdit, neque
maUim hoc amplius siistinere possum. »* .Arist^iie-
liis, lib. 2. epist. 8. '•"CflelestinrB. act 1. Sancti ma-
jora la;titia iion fruiintur. Si mihi Ueus omnium voto-
rum niortaliiini suinmam coucedat. non inagis, &c.
it«Catullusdfi Lesbia. i Hor. ode 9. lib. 3. »Acl. 3.
seen. 5. Eunucb. Ter.
o02 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3 See. 2.
" He could find in his heart to be killed instantly, lest if he live longer, some sorrow
or sickness should contaminate his joys." A little after, he was so merrily set upon
the same occasion, that he could not contain himself
S" O pnpulares, ecquis me vivit hodi6 fortunatior?
Nemo liercule quisquam ; nam in me Uii planS potestatem
Suam omiiem ostendere ;"
" [s't possible (O my countrymen) for any living to be so happy as myself.!* No
sure it cannot be, for the gods have shown all their power, all their goodness in
me." Yet by and by when this young gallant was crossed in his wench, he laments,
and cries, and roars down-right: Occidi I am undone,
" Neque virsjo est iisqiiaiii. ntque eqo, qui e C'lnspectii illam amisi meo.
tbi qua'rum, nhi invesligem, quem pt-Tcuiiler, quam in»istum viam ?"
Tlie virgin's gone, and I am gone, she's gone, she's gone, and what shall I do.? where
shall I seek her, where shall I find her, whom shall I ask.' what way, what course
shall I take .'' what will become of me **'-vit(ths auras invitus aijrhut^^'' he was
wearv of his life, sick, mad, and desperate, ^utinani mild essrt uUquid hie, quo nunc
VIC prcecipitem darem. 'Tis not Cha^reas' case this alone, but his, and his, and every
lover's in the like state. If he hoar ill news, have bad success in his suit, she frown
upon him, or that his mistress in liis presence respect another more (as '*ilcdus
observes I "prefer another suitor, speak more familiarly to him, or use more kindly
than hin)sclf, if by nod, smile, message, she discloseth herself to another, he is in-
stantly tormented, none so dejected as he is," utterly undone, a castaway, ''In quem
forluna omnia odiorum sunrum crudehssima tela exonerate a dead man, the scorn of
fortune, a monster of fortune, worse than nought, the loss of a kingdom had been
less. "Aretine's Lucretia made very good proof of this, as she relates it herself.
" For when 1 made stmie of my suitors btdieve I woidd betake myself to a nunnery,
they took on, as if they had lost fatlier and n)olher, because they were for ever after
to want mv comjwiny." Omms labores levcs fuere^ all other labour was light: ^but
this nught not be endured. Tut carendum quod erat "for I cannot be with-
out thy company," mournful Aniyntas, puinful Amyntas, cureful Amyntas ; better a
metropolitan city were sacked, a royal army overcome, an invincible armada sunk,
and twenty thousand kings should p»'ri»li, than her little finger ache, so zealous are
thev, and so lender of her good. They would all turn friars for my sake, as she
follows it, in hope by that means to meet, or see me again, as my confessors, at
stool-ball, or at barley-break: Anil so afterwards when an importunate suitor came,
' •• If 1 had bid my maid say that I was not at leisure, not within, busy, could not
speak with him, he was instantly astonished, and stood like a pillar of marble ; an-
other went swearing, chafing, cursing, foaming." "///a sib'i vox ipsa Jovis violenlior
ird, cum tonat, ^-c. the voice ml' a mandrake had been sweeter music : " but he to
whom I gave entertainment, was in the Elysian fiehls, ravished for joy, quite beyond
himself" 'Tis the general humour of all lovers, she is their stern, pole-star, and
guide. ^^ Deliciumque animi, dcliquiumque sui. As a tnlipant to the sun (which our
herbalists calls Narcissus) when it shines, xa Admirandus Jlos ad radios solis se pan-
dens, a glorious fiower exposing itself; '^but when the sun sets, or a tempest comes,
it hides itself, pines away, and hath no pleasure left, (which Carolus Goiizaga, duke
of Mantua, in a cause not unlike, sometimes used for an impress) do all iiiamorates
to their mistress; she is their sun, their Frimum mobile, or anima injunnam; this
'* one hath elecfantly expressed by a wind-mill, still moved by the wind, which other-
wise hath no motion of itself Sic lua ni spiret gratia, Iruncus ero. " He is wholly
animated from her breath," his soul lives in her body, ^'sola cluves habel intrritus
et salutis, she keeps the keys of his life : his fortune ebbs and flows with her favour,
a gracious or bad aspect turns him up or down, Mens mta lucescit Lucia luce tuu.
Howsoever his present state be pleasing or displeasing, 'tis contiauate so long as he
"* loves, he can do nothing, think of nothing but her ; desire hath no rest, she is his
> Acl. 5. w:en. It. ♦ Mantuan. »Ter. Adt-lph. 3. 4. I aliisque vurar<.-t, ille Btalim vix 1h>c auilitn velul in
• Lih. I. d.' contemn, aniuribu^. Si quem alium respexe- | amur obriguil, alii »e daiuiiare, Ac. at cut fuv<-baiii, lo
hi aoiica iuavius, et fumiliariug, si quem ajuquuta cainpi* tlyaii* t»«* vi.|.-l).ii'ir ii . '• M:iniuan.
fueril, »i niilu, rmncio, itc. siatifii criiciatcir. ' Ca- » l^jrcheus '• .~ 'i"
ImIo in Cele»tiiia. ' rr>riii>di'la!tc dial Ital. Paire vpnienle, iialim clii . 'i>.
et maire »e »iiii!uliu orbo« censehaiil, qu'id meo contu- auat. 13. '*<.'i '■' ^ 'iu»
Mrnio careiiiluiii e*!i«t. *Ter. im caremlnni qu'xl ooo eat ubi animal, scU ulii amai.
erat. >*C$i respubsuiu eaaet (lomiiiamoccupilam e<M i
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.
Symptoins of Love.
503
cynosure, hesperus and vesper, his morning and evening star, his goddess, liis mis-
tress, his life, his soul, his everything; dreaming, waking, she is always in his
mouth ; his heart, his eyes, ears, and all his thoughts are full of her. His Laura,
his Victorina, his Columbina, Flavia, Flaminia, Cselia, Delia, or Isabella, (call her
how you will) she is the sole object of his senses, the substance of his soul, nidulus
animcR suee, he magnifies her above measure, tolus in ilia., full of her, can breathe
nothing but her. " I adore Melebsea," saith love-sick " Calisto, " I believe in Me-
lebasa, I honour, admire and love my Melebaea;" His soul was soused, imparadised,
imprisoned in his lady. When '^ Thais took her leave of Pha^dria, mi Phce-
dria., ct nunquid aliud vis? Sweet heart (she said) will you command me any further
service ? he readily replied, and gave in this charge,
" egone quirt velim ?
Dies noctesgiie aines me, me dpsideres,
Me sniiinies me expectes, me cogites,
Me speres, me te ohlectes, meoum tola sis,
Meus fac postremo animus, quando ego sum tuus."
" Dnst ask (my dear) what service I will have?
To love nie day and night is all I crave.
To dream on me, to expert, to think on me.
Depend and hope, still covet me to see.
Delight thyself in me, be wholly mine.
For know, my love, that I am wholly thine."
But all this needed not, you will say; if she affect once, she will be his, settle her
love on him, on him alone,
' " ilium ahsens absentem
Auditque videtque"
she can, she must think and dream of nought else but him, continually of him, as
did Orpheus on his Eurydice,
" Te dulcis conjux, te solo in littore mecum,
Te veniente die, te discedente canebam."
And Dido upon her jEneas ;
" et quiE nie insomnia terrent,
Multa viri virtus, et plurima currit imago."
" On thee sweet wife was all my song.
Morn, evening, and all along."
" And ever and anon she thinks upon the man
Thai was so fine, so fair, so blithe, so debonair."
Clitophon, in the first book of Achilles, Tatius, complaineth how that his mistress
Leucippe tormented him much more in the night than in the day. ^°"For all day
long he had some object or other to distract his senses, but in the night all ran upon,
her. All night long he lay '^' awake, and could think of nothing else but her, he
could not get her out of his mind ; towards morning, sleep took a little pity on him,
he slumbered awhile, but all his dreams were of her."
' te nocte sub atra
Alloquor, amplector, falsaque in imagine somni,
Gaudia solicitam palpant evanida nientera."
" In the dark night I speak, embrace, and find
That fading joys deceive my careful mind."
The same complaint Eurialus makes to his Lucretia, ^ " day and night I think of
thee, I wish for thee, I talk of thee, call on thee, look for thee, hope for thee, delight
myself in thee, day and night I love thee."
*•" Nee mihi vespere
Surgente decedunt amores.
Nee rapidum fugiente solem."
Morning, evening, all is alike with me, I have restless thoughts, ^'" Te vigilans
oculis, animo te nocte requiro?'' Still 1 think on thee. Jlnima nan est ubi animat,
6cd ubi amat. I live and breathe in thee, I wish for thee.
""O niveam qua; te poterit mihi reddere lucera,
O miJii felicem terque quaterqne diem."
" O happy day that shall restore thee to my sight." In the meantime he raves on
her ; her sweet face, eyes, actions, gestures, hands, feet, speech, length, breadth,
height, depth, and the rest of her dimensions, are so surveyed, meas-ured, and taken,
by that Astrolabe of phantasy, and that so violently sometirnes, with juch earnestness
and eagerness, such continuance, so strong an imagination, that at length he thinks
he sees her indeed ; he talks with her, he embraceth her, Ixion-like, pro Junone
nubeni, a cloud for Juno, as he said. jYihil pneter Leucipjjen cerno, Leucippe mihi
" Celestine, act. 1. credo in Melebaeam, &c. w xer.
Rtinuch. act. 1. sc. 2. "^ Virg. 4. .(En. «> Inter-
din n:uli, et aures oroupata; distrahunt animum, al
niictu solus jactor, ad aiir.>ram somnus pauliim miser-
tiis. nee tamen ex animo puella abiit, sed omnia mihi
tie Leucippe somnia eraut. >' Tota hac nocte som-
num hisce ocnlis non vidi. Ter. 22 Buchanan, syl.
^ JEn. Sylv. Te dies, noctesqiie amo, te co^ito, te desi-
dero, te voco, te expecto, te spero, tecum oblecto me,
totus in te sum. >< Hor. lib. 2. ode 9. 2^ retro-
niua '"Tibullus, 1. 3. Eleg. 3.
ft04 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
perpetnu in oculis, et animo versafur, I see and meditate of nought but Leucippe.
Be she present or absent, all is one ;
" " Et qiiamvis aberat placidie prssenlia forniie
Quein dederat prirseiis forma, manebat amor."
That impression of her beauty is still fixed in his mind, '^'■^hcerent injixi pectorf
vullus ;" as he that is bitten with a mad dog thinks all he sees dogs — dogs in his
meat, dogs in his dish, dogs in his drink : his mistress is in his eyes, ears, heart, in
all his senses. Valleriola had a merchant, his patient, in tlie same predicament; and
*^ Ulricus IMolitor, out of Austin, hath a story of one, that through yehemency of his
love passion, still thought he saw his mistress present with him, she tidked with him,
.Et commlsceri cum ed vigilans videbatiir^ still embracing him.
Now if this passion of love can produce such elfects, if it be pleasantly intended,
what bitter torments shall it breed, when it is with fi-ar aiul continual sorrow, sus-
picion, care, agony, as commonly it is, still accompanied, what an intolerable ^"pain
must it be .-'
" Non tarn prandt>g
fiar^ara culiiiod, ipjol dcnieriM)
I'll tuff ruras loiiga ncxa«
I'-qiip catena, vel quiP pcnitut
C'rudt'li:) aiMur vuliiera iiii^iCL't."
" Mount Garuarus liath not so many stems
As liiver'n breast hath grii-voiis wodtuls,
And linked cares, which love cmnpounds.'
When the King of Babylon would have punished a courtier of his, fur loving of a
young lady of the royal blood, and far above his fortunes, ^'ApoUonius in presence
by all means persuaded to let hitti alone; "For to love and not enjoy was a most
unspeakable torment," no tyrant could invent the like punishment; as a gnat at a
candle, in a short space he would consume himself. For love is a perpetual ^^ Jlux^
angor aitiini, a warfare, militat omni amans., a grievous wound is love still, and a
lover's heart is Cupid's quiver, a consumrng '"fire, '^accede ad hunc igncm, Sfc. an
inextinguishable fire.
>* •' alitur et crescit malum,
Kt ardet intus, qualis /Einvu vapur
bxundat anlro"
As iEtna rageth, so doth love, and more than ^Etna or any material fire.
•• " Nam amor sjfpe Lvparco
V'ulcano ardentiurem tlammam incendere aolet."
Vulcan's flames are but smoke to this. For fire, saith '"Xenophon, burns them
alone that stand near it, or touch it ; but this fire of love burnetii and scorcheth aikr
off, and is more hot and vehement than any material fire : '"Igiiis in igne furit^ 'lis a
fire in a fire, the quintessence of fire. For when Nero burnt Home, as Calisto
urgcth, he fired houses, consumed men's bothes and goods ; but tliis fire devours the
soul itself, "and ^one soul is worth a hundred thousand bodies." No water can
quench this wild fire.
.... 1. u ■• • I "A fire he took into his brcaiit.
Ignes .11.1 nee aqua ,,eri.i.. p„tuere. nee imhre , ,,„, ,„ ,(, ,„,^ „, „„, „. 1,^ ,^,„
Dim.nui, neque graminibus. magic.sque susurns." | ^^,^,,1 ^„^.„ „^, ^^^ drench."
Except it be tears and sighs, for so they may chance find a little ease.
«"Sie candontia eolla sic patens frons. I ..g^ .^ ^.^.^^ ^^^ ^ ^^ g„„,
^lc me bland.-, t.ii \eiera ..celli. Dotbscorch, thy cheekH, thy wanton eyes that roll:
Sic pares m.n.o cenx- perurunt, ^,,.^^ „ • J ,,ropp.n.. tears .hat hinder,
!• .;:i^"n lenul^'eam T^v:.^;:;:'-'"'"- I I «»>-M be quite L.,% l^rthwith to eu.der."
Tliis fire strikes like lightning, which made those old Grecians paint Cupid, in many
of their *^ temples, with Jupiter's thunderbolts in his hands ; for it wounds, and can-
not be perceived how, whence it came, where it pierced. *^''fn>/iMr, (7 cwcum,
pectora vtilnus habenty'''' and can hardly be discerned at first.
♦• " K.-t mollis flamina medullas, I " A eentle wound, an easy fire it wa<,
Ei taciturn insano vivit sub pcctore rulnut." | And sly at first, and st^retly did pass."
*' Ovid. Fast. 2. ver. 775. ".Althoush the presence of
hrr fair for.n is wantine. the love which it k.ndled
remains." « V.ri;. iEn. 4. *< De Pythoniiwa.
"Juno, nee irn deiiin t.inluin, nee tela, nee hoftis,
qu.intum tute poti; aniinis illapsns. Silius Ital. 15. bel.
Pi.nic. de nniore. >■ Philofiratus viia ejus. .Maxi
carpitur igne; et mihi sesc offerl ultra ineu« igiiik
Amyntas. »«Ter. Euniic. »iSen. llipiNj*
>• Theocritus, edyl. 2. Levibus ror e»t \ ■'■•<■< li«.
>^ Ignis tangentes solum urit, at forma ■ •■»
intlanimat. *" Noniii*. *" M . '<<
qiiic c'insumit unnin nniin.iin, quam q<M
mum tormeiituin quo<l pxcoifitare, vpI docere te piisMU.ii, corporuin. •• Mant. egl. :!. «'.Marui!i- I , i-
est ip«e amur. " Ausuuiua c. 35. » Ct cxco i lib. ). *> Imagines deoruui. <30vid. ** ..11 1 < . .:. L.
Mem. i r^bs. 1.] Symptoms of Love. 505
But by-and-by it began to rage and burn amain ;
<* " Pcfctus ins^anum vapor, 1 " This fiery vapour ragtlh in the vnins,
Amorqiie torret, inius sfevus vorat And scorchpth entrails, as when fire tmrns
Penitus raeihillas, alque per venas meat A house, it niinlily runs alon^ the lieania,
Vi^cerihus ignis mersus, et vi-nis latons, ' And at the la.st the whole it overturns."
Vl agilis alias flaniina percurrit trabes." |
Abraham Hoffemannus, lib. 1. amor conjugal, cap. 2. p. 22. relates out of Plato, how
that Empedocles, the philosopher, was present at the cutting up of one that died for
love, ■'®''" his heart was combust, his liver smoky, his lungs dried up, insomuch that
he verily believed his soul was either sodden or roasted through the vehemency of
love's fire." Which belike made a modern writer of amorous emblems express love's
fury bv a pot hanging over the fire, and Cupid blowing the coals. As the heat consumes
the water, ■*"•' Sic sua consumit viscera caucus amor,'''' so doth love dry up his radical
moisture. Another compares love to a melting torch, which stood too near the fire.
IS " Sic quo qnis proprior sus puelli est, I " Tlie nearer he unto his mistress is,
Hoc slultus proprior suae runin.'E est." | The nearer he unto his ruin is."
So that to say truth, as "'' Castillo describes it, " The beginning, middle, end of love
is nought else but sorrow, vexation, agony, torment, irksomeness, wearisomeness ;
so that to be squalid, ugly, miserable, solitary, discontent, dejected, to wish for death,
to complain, rave, and to be peevish, are the certain signs and ordinary actions of a
love-sick person." This continual pain and torture makes them forget themselves,
if they be far gone with it, in doubt, despair of obtaining, or eagerly bent, to neglect
all ordinary business.
w "pendent opera interrupta, minaeque
Murorurn ingentes, squataque luachina coelo."
Love-sick Dido left her work undone, so did °' Phaedra,
" Palladis telae vacant
Et inter ipsas pensa labuntur nianus."
Faustus, in ^^Mantuan, took no pleasure in anything he did^
•' Nulla quits mihi dulcis erat, nullus labor sgro
Pectore, sensus iners, et mens torpore sepulta,
Carniinis occidcrat studium."
And 'tis the humour of them all, to be careless of their persons and their estates, as
the shepherd in ^^ Theocritus, El hcec barba inculta est, squalidique capiUi, iheir
beards fiag, and they have no more care of pranking themselves or of any business,
they care not, as they say, which end goes forward.
M " Oblitusque grcges, et rura domestica totus I " Forgetting flocks of sheep and country farms,
»» Uritur. et nodes iu luctum e.\pt:ndit aniaras," | The silly shepherd always mourns and burns."
Love-sick ^^Chagrea, when he came from Pamphila's house, and had not so good
welcome as he did expect, was all amort, Parraeno meets him, quid trisiis es ? Why
art thou so sad man ? unde es ? whence comest, how doest .' but he sadly replies,
Ego hercle nescio neque unde earn, neqiie quorsum earn, ita prorsus obliius sum m£i^
1 have so forgotten myself, I neither know where I am, nor whence 1 come, nor
whether I will, what I do. P. *' '■'• How so ?" Ch. " I am in love." Prudens sciens.
^ "• vivus vidcnsque pereo, nee quid agam scio?'' ^^ " He that erst had his thoughts
free (as Philostratus Lemnius, in an epistle of his, describes this fiery passion), and
gpent his time like a hard student, in those delightsome philosophical precepts ; he
that with the sun and moon wandered all over the world, witii stars themselves
ranged about, and left no secret or small mystery in nature unsearched, since he was
enamoured can do nothing now but think and meditate of love matters, day and
night composeth himself how to please his mistress ; all his study, endeavour, is to
<i Seneca. ^i* Cor lotuni combustum, jecur sntTu- [ hangs unfinished from her hands." s^ Eclog. I.
migaluiii, pulmo arefactus, ut credam niiseram illain " No rest, no business pleased my lovesick breast, my
animani his ehxam ant coiiibustam, ob maximum ardo- | faculties became dormant, my mind torpid, and I lost
rem quLin paiiuntur oh isiiein amoris. *' Embl. I my taste for poetry and song." " EUyl. H. ** Mant.
Amat. 4. et 5. ^-iGrotius. *3 Lib. 4. nam islius I Eclog. 2. sa Ov. Met. 13. de Polyphemo : uritur
amoris neque principia, neque media aliud bahent quid, I oblitus pecorum, antrorumque suorum; janiqiie tibi
quam molesiias, dolores, cruciatus, defatigatioiies, adco ' form<e, ic. ''•Ter. Eunuch. '" Ciui quiEso? Amo.
ut miserum esse niicrore, geniitu, solitudine lorqueri, ] B^Ter. Eunuch. s^Uui olim c "citabat qui vellet, et
mortem optare. semperque debacchari, sint certa aiiian- | pulcberrimis philosophia; pr.-Eceptis npiram insuinpsit,
tinin Mgna et cerla: acliones. ^ Virg. .^n. •!. " The qui universi circuitioiies ca;li(|ue naturaiii. &c. fjane
works ar(! interrupted, promises of great walls, and unam iiitendit operam, de sola cogitat, nudes el dies
scalToldings rising towards the skies, are all suspended." ' se coinponit ad banc, el ad acerbam servitutem reda&
'^Seneca llip. act. "The shuttle slops, and tl: web tus animus, &c.
64 2S
500 Love-Melancholy [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
approve himself to his mistress, to win his mistress' favour, to compass his desire,
to be counted her servant." When Peter Abelard, that great schohir of his aore,
""' Qui soli patuit scibile quicquid erat,'*^ (" whose facuUies were equal to any dilfi-
culty in learning,") was now in love with Ileloise, he had no mind to visit or fre-
quent schools and scholars any more, Tadiosiim mihi v aide f nit (as ®' he confesseth)
ad scholas procedere, vcl in iis moruri^ all his mind was on his new mistress.
Now to this end and purpose, if there be any hope of obtaining his suit, to prose-
cute his cause, he will spend himself, goods, fortunes for her, and though he lose
and alienate all his friends, be threatened, be cast off, and disinherited ; for as the
poet saiih, ^'^Amori qiiis legem delf though he be utterly undone by it, disgraced, go
a begging, vet for her sweet sake, to enjoy her, he will willingly beg, hazard all he
hath, goods, lands, shame, scandal, fame, and life itself.
" Non receilaiii iieqiie qiiiefcam, noctii ft interdiu. I " I 'II never rest or cease my suit
Prius profecto (luaiii aut ipKaiii, aut iiiorteiii invcsligavero." | Till she or dealli do make me mute."
Parthenis in " Aristienetus was fully resolved to do as much. "■ I may have bcttei
matches, I confess, but farewell shanu', farewell honour, farewell honesty, farewell
friends and fortunes, &c. O, llarpedona, keep my counsel, 1 will leave all for his sweet
sake, I will have him, say no more, contra gentes, I am resolved, 1 will have him."
^^Gobrias, the captain, when he had espied Khodanthe, the fair captive maid, fell
upon liis knees before Mystilus, the general, with tears, vows, and all the rhetoric
he could, bv the scars he had formerly received, the good secv'ice he had done, or
whatsoever else was dear unto him, besought his governor he might have the ca[>-
tive virgin to be his wife, virtutis siice spulium, as a reward of his worth and service;
and, moreover, he would forgive him the money which was owing, and all reckon-
ings besides due unto him, '• I ask no more, no part of booty, no jxirtion, but llho-
dantiie to be my wife." And when as he could not compa.ss her by fair nitaiis, he
fell to treachery, force and villany, and set his life at slake at last to acconii)lish his
desire. 'Tis a common hunu»ur this, a general passion of all lovers to be so alRcted,
and which ^Emilia toUl .Aratine, a courtier in Casiilio's discourse, **'' surely Aratine,
if thou werst not so indeed, thou didst not love ; ingenuously confess, for if thou
hadst been thoroughly enamoured, thou wouldst have desired nothing more than to
please thy mistress. For that is the law of love, to will and nill the same."
■^ " Tanlum velle el nolle^ velit nolil quod arnica.'''^
Undoubtedly this may be pronounced of them all, they are very slaves, drudges
lor tlie time, mathnen, fools, dizzards, ^^ atrabilarii^ beside themselves, and as blind
as beetles. Tlieir "^dotage is most eminent, ./^mare simul et sapere ipsi Jovi non
datur, as Seneca holds, Jupiter himself cannot love and be wise both together; the
very best of ihem, if once they be overtaken with this pa.ssion, the most staid, dis-
creet, grave, ijenerous and wise, otherwise able to govern themselves, in this commit
many absurdities, many indecorums, unbefitting their gravity and persons.
^^v W" Quisquis aniat servit, Bequitur captivus aiiiaiitem,
Ferl domita cervite jugum"
'• Samson, David, Solomon, Hercules, Socrates," Stc. are justly taxed of indiscretion
in this point; the ndddle sort are between hawk and buzzard ; and although they
do perceive and acknowledge their own dotage, weakness, fury, yet they cannot
withstand it ; as well may witness those expostulations and confessions of Dido in
Virgil.
™" Incipit eflari mediaque in voce ret'iBtit."— Phttdra in Seneca.
" •' Quixl r.ilio jKistit, vincil ac regiiat furor,
Poten^qiie tola uiente dominalur deus."— jtfyrrAa in " Orirf.
•• Ilia qiiulem sentit, fiEiloque repuenat amori, i " She sees and knows hr-r fnult. and rlnth reeiit
F.t secuMi quo tiii'iile iVror, quid mulior, inquit, '' Agaiiinl li<-r filthy lust hlic doth contend
Dii precor, et pietag," See. \ And whither go I, what am I about ?
I And Uod forbid, yet doth it in tlie end."
* Pars epitaphii ejus. »' Epist. prima. « Boe- I Epig. •'Quippc biec omnia ex atra bile el amor*
thius, I 3. Slet. ult. " Epist. lib. »». Vali'ai pudor, proveniiftit. Ja«on PrateniiiH. " linineiiiiii* amor
valeat hontflas, vnleat honor. " Tli»-c«lor. priMlri>- I ipse «tullilia enl. Cardan, lib. ). de §apii'iiiia. » Man-
uius, lib 3. Aiii'ir Mystili genibus nbvolutasi. uber- luaii. " Wlio.ver i* in Irive m in hlavi-ry, he fiillowt
tiiii.|ii.- 1 irliniii.iii,-. 4.C. Nihil cx tola pra-da prater [ hi- i .i^i a captive hM captor, ami ivi'i<r« a yoli«
Ulii.laiiiM. Ill Mr-niciii accipiam. "^ Lib. i Cerle j ii. veiieck." '" Virg. .f.ii ■!. "Sh*
MX i r. 1 I ^ 1 riile fati-are . Praline, te non amai^xe ' b. . k but «i|i>pp<-<l in the midille of her dia-
.1 : I'liiiii vere aiiiaiwes. nihil priuA aut cnurti- " '> r^eneca Hippol. " What rcaauo requires
II ainat^ mulieri placere. Ka enim ra(iu( love forbida." ^ Met. 10.
■ L I velle et nolle. ostruu, Ml. 1
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Love. 507
Again,
' Pervigil igne
Carpitur intlomito, fiiriosaiiue vota retroctat,
Et modo desperat, modo vult tentare, pudetque
£t cupit, et quid agat, noii iuvenit," &c.
' With raging lust she burns, and now rc-calla
Her vow, and then despairs, and when lis past,
Her former thoughts she'll prosecute in ha^te,
And what to do she knows not at the last."
m cupit, et quid agat, non invenit, acc. Ana wnat to ao sne
She will and will not, abhors : and yet as Medaea did, doth it
"Traliit invitam nova vis, aliudque cupido, I " Reason pulls one way, burning lust another,
Mens alind suadet; video meliora, proboque, . She sees and knows what's good, but slie doth neither."
Deteriora sequor." |
■ '3 " O fraus, amorque, et mentis emotje furor,
(iuo me abstulistis?"
\
The major part of lovers are carried headlong like so many brute beasts, reason
counsels one way, thy friends, fortunes, shame, disgrace, danger, and an ocean of
cares that will certainly follow ; yet this furious lust precipitates, coiinterpoiseth,
weighs down on tlie other; though it be their utter undoing, perpetual infamy, loss,
yet they will do it, and become at last insensati, void of sense ; degenerate into
dogs, hogs, asses, brutes ; as Jupiter into a bull, Apuleius an ass, Lycaon a wolf,
Tereus a lapwing, "^Calisto a bear, Elpenor and Grillus into swine by Circe. For
what else may we think those ingenious poets to have shadowed in their witty fic-
tions and poems but tliat a man once given over to his lust (as "Fulgentius inter-
prets that of Apuleius, Alciat. of Tereus) " is no better than a beast."
'6 " Rex fueram, sic crista docet, sed sordida vita I " I was a king, my crown my witnefs is,
Immunuam e tanto culmine fecit aveui." ( But by my fiithinciss ara come to this."
Their blindness is all out as great, as manifest as their weakness and dotage, or
rather an inseparable companion, an ordinary sign of it, "' love is blind, as tlie say-
ing is, Cupid's blind, and so are all his followers. Qnisquis aviat ranam, ranam
putat esse Dianam. Every lover admires his mistress, though she be very deformed
of herself, ill-favoured, wrinkled, pimpled, pale, red, yellow, tanned, tallow-faced,
have a swollen juggler's platter face, or a thin, lean, chitty face, have clouds in her
face, be crooked, dry, bald, goggle-eyed, blear-eyed, or with staring eyes, she looks
like a squis'd cat, hold her head still awry, heavy, dull, hollow-eyed, black or yel-
low about the eyes, or squint-eyed, sparrow-mouthed, Persian hook-nosed, have a
sharp fox nose, a red nose, China fiat, great nose, nare simo patuloquc^ a nose like a
promontory, gubbertushed, rotten teeth, black, uneven, brown teeth, beetle browed,
a witch's beaiti, her breath stink all over the room, her nose drop winter and sum-
mer, with a Bavarian poke under her chin, a sharp chin, lave eared, with a long
crane's neck, which stands awry too, penduUs mammis.i '■- her dugs like two double
jugs," or else no dugs, in that other extreme, bloody fallen fingers, she have filthy,
long unpared nails, scabbed hands or wrists, a tanned skin, a rotten carcass, crooked
back, she stoops, is lame, splea-footed, " as slender in the middle as a cow in the
waist," gouty legs, her ankles hang over her shoes, her feet stink, she breed lice, a
mere cliangeling, a very monster, an oaf imperfect, her whole complexion savours,
a harsh voice, incondite gesture, vile gait, a vast virago, or an ugly tit, a slug, a fat
fustylugs, a truss, a long lean rawbone, a skeleton, a sneaker (si qua latent meliora
puia)^ and to thy judgment looks like a mard in a lantern, whom thou couldst not
fancy for a world, but hatest, loathest, and wouldst have spit in her face, or blow
thy nose in her bosom, remediuni amoris to another man, a dowdy, a slut, a scold,
a nasty, rank, rammy, filthy, beastly quean, dishonest peradventure, obscene, base,
beggarly, ru le, foohsh, untaught, peevish, Irus' daughter, Thersites' sister, Grobians'
scholar, if he ^ove her once, he admires her for all this, he takes no notice of any
such errors, or imperfections of body or m\\\i\^'^Ipsa Ikbc delcctanf, veluti
Bulhinum Polypus AgncB ; he had rather have her than any woman in the world.
If he were a king, she alone should be his queen, his empress. O that he had but
the wealth and treasure of both the Indies to endow her with, a carrack of diamonds,
a chain of pearl, a cascanet of jewels, (a pair of calf-skin gloves of four-pence a pair
were fitier), or some such toy, to send her for a token, she should have it with all
"Buchanan. "Oh fraud, and love, and distraction ' amans; ave hac nihil fsdius, nihil libidinosiiis. Sabin
of mind, whither have you led rae ?" "'An inmio- in Ovid. Met. •" Love is like a false glass, which
dest woman is like a bear. '"Ferani induit dum represents everything fairer than it is. "'' Hor. ser.
rosas comedat, idem ad se redcat. '6 Alciatus de , lib. sat. 1. 3. " These very things please him, as th«
upupa £mbl. Animal immuodum upupa stercora I weu of Agna did Balbinus."
508 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
his heart; he would spend myriads of crowns for her sake. Venus herself, Panthea,
Cleopatra, Tarquin's Tanaquil. Herod's Marianine, or "!Mary of Burgundy, if she
were alive, would not match her.
"> " (Vincit.vultus h«c Tyndarios,
Qui iiioverunt tiorrida bella."
Let Paris himself be judge) renowned Helen comes short, that Rodopheian Phillis,
Larissean Coronis, Babylonian Thisbe, Polixena, Laura, Lesbia, Slc, your counter-
feit ladies were never so fair as she is.
" " Qiiicquid erit placidi, lopidi, grati, atque faceti, I " VVhate'er is pretty, ideasant, f.ici te, well,
Vividu cuiicturuD) retiiies Paiidura deoruin." | Whate'er Pandora bad, she dulh eicel."
^Diceham Trivia; formam nihil esse Diance. Diana was not to be compared to her,
nor Juno, nor Minerva, nor any goddess. Thetis' feet were as bright as silver, the
ankles of Hebe clearer than crystal, the arms of Aurora as ruddy as tlie rose, Juno's
breasts as wliite as snow, Minerva wise, Venus fair; but what of this .' Dainty come
i}iou to me. She is all in all,
„ ,." : ; "Ca-lia nden- I m- Fairest of fair, that fairness d.lh excel."
Est Venua, inccdeiis Juiiu, Miiiecva loquen». |
Ephemerus in Aristienetus, so fur admireth his mistress' good parts, that he makes
proclamation of them, and challengeth all comers in her belialf "'' Whoever saw
the beauties of the east, or of the west, let them come from all quarters, all, and tell
truth, if ever they saw such an excellent feature as this is." A good fellow in Pe-
tronius cries out, no tongue can ** tell his lady's line feature, or express it, quicquid
dixeris minus erit, &ic.
" No tungue ran ber perft-ctions ti-ll,
In M huce each part, all tongues oiay dwell."
Most of your lovers are of his humour and opinion. She is nulli secunda, a rare
creature, a phcenix, the sole conunandress of his thoughts, queen of his desires, his
only delight: as ''Triton now feelingly sings, that love-sick sea-god:
•Candida l>'Utothoe placet, et placet atra Mel»ne, I " Fair I^ucotho, black M'.lsne please nie well,
Sed Galatea placet loug« uiagK ouinibu* una." | But Cialatea dutti by udds the rest excel."
All the gracious elogies, metaphors, hyperbolical comparisons of the best things in
the world, the most glorious names; M'hatsoever, I say, is pleasant, amiable, sweet,
grateful, and delicious, are loo little for her.
.. „, , ... . Dk,~. M I •• Mis PhcBbe is »o fair, she ii ill bright,
Pbabo pulchnor et sorure Phccbi. | 3,^^ j,,^^, „,^ ^^^.^ 1,^^,,^ ^„j „,^ ,„,,<,„•, Ught."
Stars, sun, moons, metals, sweet-smelling flowers, odours, perfumes, colours, gold,
silver, ivory, pearls, precious stones, snow, painted birds, doves, honey, sugar, spice,
cannot express her, " so soft, so lender, so radiant, sweet, so fair, is she.
MoUior cuniculi capillo, &ic.
•S" Lydia bella, puella Candida, I " Fine Lydia, my miHlreM, white and fair,
U la- h.Mie su|>eras lac, el lilmm, | The milk, the lily do nui thee come near;
Albamqup simni nwani et rubicundam. The mse so white, the rose m> red to nee,
£t eipoliium ebur ludicum." | And Indian ivury corned bburt of Itiee."
Such a description our English Homer makes of a fair lady :
•• TTiat Emilia that teas fairer to teen,
I'ken i$ lily upon the atnlk green :
jindfreiker then May icithjioteers nete.
For tcith the rose colour ttrore her hue,
J not which teas the fairer of tht tics.
In this ver)' phrase " Polyphemus courts Galatea :
"Caniiiilior f.ilio ni»'ei Galatea lisuAtri, 1 •• Whiter Galet thun the white wlthie-wind,
Floriclior prato, loiiea procermr alno, | Fresher than a field, higher than a tree,
Splenilidior vitro, lenero l.i>civi<>r hxdo. te. I Brighti-r than gla's. more wanton than a kid,
Mollior et cygni plumis, et lacle coaclo." | Bijfter than swan'i down, or ought thai may be."
So she admires him again, in that conceited dialogue of Lucian, which John Secun-
dus, an elegant Dutch modem poet, haih translated into verse. When Doris and
i»The dnuehter and h'"ir nf Carolus Puenax. ■'Se- omnci, et dicant veraces, an tarn iniifnem viderint for
nt-ci in (>.lavia. '• Hirr Iwauty excels (he Tyndarian mam. m Nulla vox formani ejus pi^sil cnmprehen-
llelen'^. w bich caused such dreadful wars." " Lore he- dere. "^ Calcagnini dial. Gaiat. *"Csiullua
u*. 'J .Vaiituan. Kgl. I. »■» .AiiBerianus. m Faerie •• Petfonii Catalect. "> Chaucer, in the Knight i
Queene. Cant. I>r. 4. » Epist. 11 Uuif unquam Tale. *> Ovid. Mel. IX
formal vidit urieutu, qui* occideutis, veniani uodique !
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Love. 509
those other sea nympjis upbraided her with her ugly misshapen love/, Polyphemus ;
she replies, they speak out of envy and malice,
''"Et plane invidia hue tnpra vos stimulare videtur.
Quod non vos itidem ut me' Polyphemus ainet :"
Say what they could, he was a proper man. And as Heloise writ to her sweetheart
Peter Abelard, Si me Augaslus orbis imperator uxorem expeteret, malhm tua esse
merctrix quam orbis imperatrix ; she had rather be his vassal, his quean, than the
world's empress or queen. non si me Jupiter ipse forte vclit, she would not
chauoe her love for Jupiter himself.
To thy thinking she is a most loathsome creature; and as when a country fellow
discommended once that exquisite picture of Helen, made by Zeuxis, ^^for he saw
no such beauty in it; Nichomachus a love-sick spectator replied, Sume iibi meos
oculos et dca/n exislimabis, take mine eyes, and thou wilt think she is a goddess,
dote on her forthwith, count all her vices virtues ; her imperfections infirmities, ab-
solute and perfect : if she be flat-nosed, she is lovely ; if hook-nosed, kingly ; if
dwarfish and little, pretty ; if tall, proper and man-like, our brave British Boadicea ;
if crooked, wise ; if monstrous, comely ; her defects are no defects at all, she hath
no defoi-mities. Im?no nee ipsiim amiccB stercus fcetet, though she be nasty, fulsome,
as Sostratus' bitch, or Parmeno's sow ; thou hadst as live have a snake in thy bosom,
a toad in thy dish, and callest her witch, devil, hag, with all the filthy names thou
canst invent; he admires her on the other side, she is his idol, Tady, mistress,
^ venerilla, queen, the quintessence of beauty, an angel, a star, a goddess.
" Thou art my Vesta, thou my goddess art,
Thy hallowed temple only is my heart."
The fragrancy of a thousand courtesans is in her face : ^^ JVec pulclirce effigies, hcBC
Cypridis ant Stralonices ; 'tis not Venus' picture that, nor the Spanish infanta's, as
you suppose (good sir), no princess, or king's daughter : no, no, but his divine mis-
tress, forsooth, his dainty Dulcinia, ids dear Antiphila, to whose service he is wholly
consecrate, whom he alone adores.
'S"Cui compnratus indecens erit pavo, I "To whom conferr'd a peacock's indecent,
Inauiahilis sciurus, el frequens Phoenix." I A squirrel's harsh, a phoenix too frequent.
All the graces, veneries, elegancies, pleasures, attend her. He prefers her before a
mj'riad of court ladies.
s'" He that commends Phillis or Nersa,
Or Aniarillis, or Galatea,
'I'ityrus or Melibea, by your leave.
Let him be mute, his love the praises have."
Nay, before all the gods and goddesses themselves. So ^ Quintus Catullus admired
his squint-eyed friend Roscius.
•■ Pace mihi liceat (Ccelestes) dicere vestra, I " By your leave gentle Gods, this 1 'II say true,
Mortalis visus pulchrior esse Deo." | There's none of you that have so fair a hue."
All the bombast epithets, pathetical adjuncts, incomparably fair, curiously neat, divine,
sweet, dainty, delicious, &c., pretty diminutives, corculum, suavioJiun, Sfc. pleasant
names may be invented, bird, mouse, lamb, puss, pigeon, pigsney, kid, honey, love,
dove, chicken, &.c. he puts on her.
9»" Meum mel, mca suavitas, meum cor,
Meum suavioluni, mei lepores,"
'•'• my life, my light, my jewel, my glory, ^''°Margareta speciosa, cujus respectu omnia
mundi pretiosa sordent, my sweet Margaret, my sole delight and darling. And as
' Rhodomant courted Isabella :
•• By all kind words and gestures that he might, I His mistress, and his goddess, and such names.
He calls her |iis dear heart, his sole beloved, As loving knights apply to lovely dames."
His joyful comf irt, and his sweet delight. |
Every cloth she wears, every fashion pleaseth him above measure; her hand, O
quales digitos, quos habet ilia manus ! pretty foot, pretty coronets, her sweet car-
riage, sweet voice, tone, O that pretty tone, her divine and lovely looks, her every
™"It is envy ifvidently that prompts you, because
Polyphemus does not love' you as he does me." ^ Plu-
tarch, sibi dixit tarn 'uilchram non videri, ice.
*' Quauto quam Lucifer aurea Phcebe, tanto virginibus
o-nspeclior omnibus Uerce. Ovid. »* AI. D. Son. 30.
2S2
9«Martial. I. 5. Epig. 38. s^ Ariosto. «TiillyIih.
]. de nat. deiir. pulcnrior deo. et tamen erat oculis per-
verslssiniis. s» [Vfarullus ad Neieraui epig. 1 lib.
'MfiarlhiuB. « Ariosto, lib. 23. hist, t*
510 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
thing, lovely, sweet, amiable, and pretty, pretty, pretty. Her very name (let it be
what it will) is a most pretty, pleasing name; I believe now there is some secret
power and virtue in names, every action, sight, habit, gesture ; he admires, whether
she play, sing, or dance, in what tires soever she goeth, how excellent it was, how
well it became her, never the like seen or heard. ^JMiUe hahet ornatus, milk de-
cenler habet. Let her wear what she will, do what she will, say what she will,
'Quicquid enim dicit., seu facit, omne decet. He applauds and admires everything
she wears, saith or doth,
* " Illuiii quirf)Mid asit, qiic(iuo vestigia vertit, | '• Wtiate'er she doth, or wliithcr e'er she eo,
(;oiiiposuil fiirtim subseii^jturque decor ; I A Bweet and pleasiiit; t'raci- nlleiidii Cursooth ,
Seu fi(dnt criries, fiisii! decet esse capillis. Or loose, or hind her huir, or comt> it up,
tk'u cuiupsil, cuniptiti est revereiida comiB." | She * to be honoured iii what she doth"
^Vestem induiturj formosa est : exuitur., tola forma est^ let her be dressed or un-
dressed, all is one, she is excellent still, beaMiful, fair, and lovely to behold. Women
do as much by men ; nay more, far fonder, weaker, and that by many parasangs,
*'Come to me my dear Lycias," (^ saith Musaeus in * Arista-netus) '^ come quickly
sweetheart, all oilier men are satyrs, mere clowns, blockheads to thee, nobody to
thee." 'I'liy looks, words, gestures, actions, &.C., " are incomparably beyond all
others." \'eiius was never so much besotted on her Adonis, Pliaidra so delighted
in llippoliius, Ariadne in Theseus, Thysbe in her Pyramus, as she is enamoured on
her Mopsus.
" R<! thou the marygold. and I will be the luii,
Be thou the friar, and 1 will be the nun."
] could repeat centuries of such. Now tell me what greater dotage or blindness can
there be than this in both sexes? and yet their "slavery" is more eiiiiueiit, a greater
sign of theii fully than the rest
They are coiumoidy slaves, captives, voluntary' servants, Amator arnica manci'
j)ium., as ' Castillo terms him, his mistress' servant, her drudge, prisoner, bondman,
w hat not } " He composeih himself wholly to her affections to please her, and, as
iEmelia said, makes himself her lacquey. All his cares, actions, all his thoughts, are
subordinate to her will and commandment :" her most devote, obsequious, allection-
ate servant and vassal. ''For love" (as * Cyrus in Xenophon well observed) "is a
mere tyranny, worse than any disease, and they that are troubled with it desire to be
free and cannot, but are harder bound than if they were in iron chains." What greater
captivity or slavery can there be (as 'TuUy expostulates) than to be in love t " Is
he a free man over whom a w^oman domineers, to whom she prescribes laws, com-
mands, forbids what she will herself; that dares deny nothing she demands; she
asks, he gives ; she calls, he comes ; she threatens, he fears ; .yequissiinuni hunc
sereuni puto, I account this man a very drudge." And as he follows it, '"" [s this
no small servitude for an eiiamourite to be every hour combing his head, stilli-ning
his beard, perfuming his hair, washing his face with sweet water, painting, curling,
and not to come abroad but sprucely crowned, decked, and apparelled .'" Yet these
are but toys in respect, to go to the barber, baths, theatres, &.c., he must attend upon
her wherever she goes, run along the streets by her doors and windows to see her,
take all opportunities, sleeveless errands, disguise, counterfeit shapes, and as many
forms as Jupiter himself ever took; and come every day to her house (as he will
surely do if he be truly enamoured) and offer her service, and follow her up and
down from room to room, as Lucretia's suitors did, he cannot contain himself but
he will do it, he must and will be where she is, sit next her, still talking w itli her.
"" If I did but let my glove fall by chance," fas the said Aretine's Lucreiia brags,)
** I had one of my suitors, nay two or three at once ready to stoop and take it up,
and kiss it, and with a low conge deliver it unto me; if I would walk, anoiher was
ready to sustain me by the arm. A third to provide fruits, pears, plums, cherries, or
• Tibulliw. • .Marul. lih. 2. « Tibullus 1. 4.
«1« Sulpicia. • ArimenstUii, Epist. I. • Epinl. -24.
Vein Clio cliarisiHiiiie Lycia, cito vein ; pra> te Balyri
ciuiiiei> viili'iitiir iHiii hniiiini'ii, nullo loco aolu* ei<. ^c.
• In paradoxii. An ille mihi liber videtiir cui mulKT
iin(H.-ratT Cui l'-ge» impoiiit, pr»»rrihii. jutx-l, veiat
«]uod videtur. Qui nihil iniperanti lo-tal. inliil jMidel,
ic iKWcit 7 daiiduui ; vijcat ? v. hiiiiiluiii ; imiTSiur ?
' Lib. :'. ci.- ai. lire, alterius alfectui fc tt)luiii r • ■■•••■'■••rciiduni. » Mlane parvn <i.iMr\iiij. ama-
latus plac»Te stud, t, et ip«iii« animani ain.t -iiifuli* frre hori« pectiiie capilluni, raiiuiutro-
quani lirit. • I'vroiju-d. I 5. amor iier\ i' irhani coiiipomre, faciem agui* frtl<.li-nlib<i»
• iitaiil opliil « hberari non «ecu« ar alii> .pj..w- ,., , ic. " !*i quando in paviimnluiii inrauliul
Heque lit»-r:iri laiiteu ptwKunt. »ed validiori nectf^ilate quid mihi cicidj»wt, elevare inde quam proniptiMinie,
li^ati aunt quuui «i in ferrea vincula confectiforeiiu | nee niai o»eulo couipacto mibi comuicDdare, lie
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.]
Symptoms of Love.
511
whatsoever I would eat or drink." All this aud much more he doth in her presence
and when he comes home, as Troilus to his Cressida, 'tis all his meditation to recoun*
with himself his actions, words, gestures, what entertainment he had, how kindly
she used him in such a place, how she smiled, how she graced him, and that infinitely-
pleased him ; and then he breaks out, O sweet Areusa, O my dearest Antiphila, O
most divine looks, O lovely graces, and thereupon instantly he makes an epioram, or
a sonnet to five or seven tunes, in her commendation, or else he ruminates how she
rejected his service, denied him a kiss, disgraced him, Etc., and that as effectually tor-
ments him. And these are his exercises between comb and glass, madrigals, ele-
gies, &c., these his cogitations till he see her again. But all this is easy and gentle,
and the least part of his labour and bondage, no hunter will take such pains for his
game, fowler for his sport, or soldier to sack a city, as he will for his mistress'
favour.
W" Ipsa comes veniam, neijue me salebrosa movt-bunt
Saxa, nee obliquo dente timendus aper."
As Phaedra to Hippolitus. No danger shall affright, for if that be true the poets
feign. Love is the son of Mars and Venus ; as he hath delights, pleasures, elegances
from his mother, so hath he hardness, valour, and boldness from his father. And
'tis true that Bernard hath; Amore nihil moUius, nihil volentius, nothino- so boister-
ous, nothing so tender as love. If once, therefore, enamoured, he will jro. run, ride
many a mile to meet her, day and night, in a very dark night, endure scorcliinor heat,
cold, wait in frost and snow, rain, tempest, till his teeth chatter in his head, those
northern winds and showers cannot cool or quench his flame of love. Infempestd
node non delerretur., he will, take my word, sustain hunger, thirst, Penetrahif ojnjiia,
perrumpet omnia^ " love will find out a way," through thick and thin he will to her,
Expeditissimi monies videntur omnes tranabiles^ he will swim through an ocean, ride
post over the Alps, Appenines, or Pyrenean hills,
13" Ignem marisque fluctus, atqiie turbines
Venti paratiis est transire,"
though it rain daggers with their points downward, light or dark, all is one: —
Roscida per tenebras Faunus ad antra venit), for her sweet sake he will undertake
Hercules's twelve labours, endure, hazard, &.C., he feels it not. '^" Wliat shall I say,"
saith Haedus, " of their great dangers they undergo, single combats they undertake,
how they will venture their lives, creep in at windows, gutters, climb over walls to
come to their sweethearts," (anointing the doors and hinges with oil, because they
should not creak, tread soft, swim, wade, watch, &c.), " and if they be surprised,
leap out at windows, cast themselves headlong down, bruising or breaking their lews
or arms, and sometimes loosing life itself," as Calisto did for his lovely Melibaea.
Hear some of their own confessions, protestations, complaints, proffers, expostula-
tions, wishes, brutish attempts, labours in this kind. Hercules served Omphaie, put
on an apron, took a distaff and spun ; Thraso the soldier was so submissive to Thais,
that he was resolved to do whatever she enjoined. ^^ Ego me Thaidi dedam; et
faciam quod jubet, I am at her service. Philostratus in an epistle lo his mistress,
'*" I am ready to die sweetheart if it be thy will; allay his thirst whom thy star
hath scorched and undone, the fountains and rivers deny no man drink that comes ;
the fountain doth not say thou shalt not drink, nor the apple thou shalt not eat, nor
the fair meadow walk not in me, but thou alone wilt not let me come near thee, or
see thee, contemned and despised 1 die for grief" Polienus, when his mistress Circe
did but frown upon him in Petronius, drew his sword, and bade her " kill, stab, or
whip him to death, he would strip himself naked, and not resist. Anotiier will take
a journey to Japan, Longm navigationis molcstis non curans: a third (if she say it)
will not speak a word for a twelvemonth's si)ace, her command shall be most in-
violably kept : a fourth will take Hercules's club from him, and with that centurion
in the Spanish '^ Caelestina, will kill ten men for his mistress Areusa, for a word of
i2"N(ir will the rude rooks affright me, nnr the
crooked-tusked bear, so that I shall not visit my mis-
tress in pleasant mood." '^ Plutarchus amat. dial.
" Lib. 1. de contem. amor, quid referani eorum pericula
et clades, (|ui in amicarum sdes per fenestras ingress!
Millicidiaque egressi indeque deturbati, sed aut praeci-
pites, membra frangunt, collidunt, aut animam amit-
tunt. 15 Ter. Eunuch. Act. 5. Seen. 8. is paratua
sum ad obeundum mortem, si in juheas; banc sitim
sstuantis seda, quam tuum sidus perdidit, aqus et
fontes non negant, &.c. i' Si oceidere placet, ferruia
meum vides, si verberibns contenta es, curro nudus ad
poenam. is Act. 15. 18. luipcra mihi ; occidam
decern viros, &c.
512
Love-Melancholy.
[Part. 3. Sec, 2
her moulh he will cut bucklers in two like pippins, and flap clown men like flies,
Elige quo mortis genere ilium occidi cxipisf '^Galeatus of Mantua did a little more.
for when be was almost mad for love of a fair maid in the city, she, to try him l>,'like
what he would do for her sake, bade him in jest leap into the river Po if he loved
her; he forthwith did leap headlong ofl" the bridge and was drowned. Another at
Ficinum in like passion, when his mistress by chance (iliinking no harm 1 dare
Bwear) bade him go hang, the next night at her doors hanged himself. ^''I^Ioney
(saith Xenophon) is a very acceptable and welcome guest, yet I had rather give it
my dear Clinia than take it of others, 1 had rather serve him than command others,
I had rather be his drudge than take my ease, undergo any danger for his sake than
live in security. For I had rather see Clinia than all the world besides, and had
rather want the sight of all other things than him alone; I am angry with the night
and sleep that I may not see him, and thank the light and sun because they show
me my Clinia; I will run into the fire for his sake, and if you did but see him, I
know tliat you likewise would run with me." So Philostratus to his mistress,
-■'■* Command me what you will, 1 will do it; bid me go to sea, I am gone in an
instant, take so many stripes, I am ready, run through the fire, and lay down my
life and soul at thy feet, 'tis done." So did .^olus to Juno.
" Tims o rotfina qiirnl nptas
Exploran; labor, mihi ju»sa capescere fas e:$t."
And Phaidra to Hippolitus,
'• M'- vfl 8ororeiii lli|i|iolite aut famulam voca,
Paiiiulaiiii|Ue potius, nuine 8«rvitium feraiii."
s ■• Non iiie p«-r aliaa ire si julwas iiives,
fiUf-at e.'ilalii in^ri'di Piiidi jUKix,
Ni>n si pt-r iL'!"-^ ir»* aut iiifiHtu asjmina
Ciiiicdr, piirulii>u viisibuH |>t?rtuii (J.ire.
Tf tunc jubcre, me ilrcet jui'ita eiequi."
" O i|iiperi it is thy pains to enjoin me still.
And I am bound to exi-cutK thy will."
" O rail mo sistrr, call me servant, choose,
Ur rather servant, I am thine lo use."
'• It shall not grievf me to the snowy hills.
Or Iriizen FiiiduM' lops lnrrhMith to climb,
Or run ihroiitih liri', or tlirnti;.'!) an army.
Say but the word, fur 1 am always thine."
Callicratides in ^^Lucian breaks out into this passionate speech, "O God of Heaven,
grant me this life for ever to sit over against mv mistress, and to hear her sweet
voice, to go in and out with her, to have every other business conmiou with her; I
would labour when she labours; sail when she sails; he that hates her should hate
me ; and if a tyrant kill her, he should kill me ; if she should die, 1 would not live,
and one grave should hold us both." '^' Finiet ilia meos moriens morientis amores.
Abrocomus in ** Aristaenetus makes the like petition for his Delphia,— " Tccmot
vivere amem^ tecum obeam litbrns. " I desire to live with thee, and I am ready to die
with thee." 'Tis the same strain which Theagines used to his Chariclea, " so that I
may but enjoy thy love, let me die presently:" Leander to his Hero, when he
besought the sea waves to let hini go quietly to his love, and kill him coming back.
^^ Parcite dum propcro, tnergite dum redeo. ''■Spare me whilst I go, drown me as 1
return." 'Tis the common humour of them all, to contemn death, to wish for death,
to confront death in this case, Quippe quns nee f era, nee ignis, neque praeipiliuviy
nee /return, nee ensis, neque laqueus gravia videntur ; "''Tis their desire" (saitK
Tyrius) •• to die."
" Haud timet mortem, cupit ire in jpsoi
obvius enses."
'* He does not fear death, he desireth such upon the very swords." Though a thou-
sand dragons or devils keep the gates, Cerberus himself, Scyron and Procrastes lay
in wait, and the way as dangerous, as inaccessible as hell, through fiery flames
and over burning coulters, he will adventure for all this. And as "Peier Abelard lost
his testicles for his Heloise, he will I say not venture an incision, but life itself. For
how many gallants offered to lose their lives for a night's lodging with Cleopatra ia
**Ga»ppr Ens. piiellam mis«re deperiens. per jocuni
al> la in Padum desilire jussus statim i ponte se pra>-
ripitavit. Alius Ficino iiisano amore ardens ah ainira
ju»iis fv suspeiidtre, illiro fecit. ^ Intelliiio pccu-
niam rem esse jurundissiniam, nieam tamen libentius
dari-m L'liniiR qua n ab aliis accipereni; libentius huic
iwfrvirein. qoain a'iis imperareiii. Ice. Nort.^m et soin-
niiiii accuso. quod ilium non videam, luri aulem et soli
eraiiam hahi'o q lod mihi Cliniam ostendanr. Ei;'>
etiam c'irn Clinia in ijnem currerem; et sno vos qno-
que menini iiijt/o iurf>s si videretis. " Iiiipera quid-
vi»: navii-ir" i'lfe, navem coiiscendo ; plazas arcipere,
ctector; aniinuin profuudere, in igaeiii currere, oon
recuso, lubens facio. *< Seneca in Hipp. act. 2.
" Hujus ero vivus. mortuus hiijus ero. Proper!, lib. 2.
vivam si vival; si cadat ilia, cadam. Id. '''< Dial.
Aniorum. Milu <"> dii cmkiites ultra sit vita hic per-
petua ei adviTso amiciE sedere, et suave loquenlem
audire, Slc. t-i iiioriatur, vivere non suslinetx), et idem
erit se pulchruin utrisque. * llucliaiia'i. •' When
she dies my love shall also he at rest in Itie tomb "*
V Epist. 31- 8it hoc votuin a dn* amart L><-lphi<lem,
ab ea amari, adl<K|ui pulchram et loqiifnK'in audire
i^ Ilor. » .Mart. » Lege Calimitales Pe; Ab«»
hardi Epi*t. prima.
Mem. 3. Subs. I.J Symptoms of Love. 513
those days ! and in the hour or moment of death, 'tis their sole comfort to texnem-
ber their dear mistress, as '"Zerbino slain in France, and Brandiraart in Barbarv a^
Arcite did his Emily
5" when he. felt death,
Dunked been his eyes, and faded is his breath
But on his lady yet casteth he his eye,
His last word was, merry Kmely,
His spirit chang'd, and out went there,
H'hether I cannot tell, ne where.
^When Captain Gobrius by an unlucky accident had received his death's wound.
heu me, miserinn exclamal, miserable man that I am, (instead of other devotions) he
cries out, shall 1 die before I see my sweetheart Kodaiilhe ? Sic amor 7nortem, (saith
mine author) aut qiiicquid humanitns accidit, aspernatur, so love triumphs, contemns,
insults over death itself. Thirteen proper young men lost their lives for thai fair
Hippodamias' sake, the daughter of Onomaus, king of Elis : wlien that hard con(H-
tion was proposed of death or victory, they made no account of it, but courageously
for love died, till Pelops at last won her by a sleight. ^^'As many gallants desperately
adventured their dearest blood for Atalanta, the daughter of Schcnius, in hope of
marriage, all vanquished and overcame, till llippomenes by a few golden apples hap-
pily obtained his suit. Perseus, of old, fought with a sea monster for Andromeda's
sake ; and our St. George freed the king's daughter of Sabea (the golden legend is
mine author) that was exposed to a dragon, by a terrible combat. Our kniirius
errant, and the Sir Lancelots of these days, I hope will adventure as much for ladies'
favours, as the Squire of Dames, Knight of the Sun, Sir Bevis of Southampton, or
that renowned peer,
^ " Orlanrlo, vvhn long time had loved dear
Ant;elica tlie fair, and for her sake
About the world in nations far and near,
Did high attempts perfomj and undertake ;
he is a very dastard, a coward, a block and a beast, that will, not do as much, but
they will sure, they will ; for it is an ordinary thing for these inamoratos of our
time to say and do more, to stab their arms, carouse in blood, ^ or as that Thessa-
lian Thero, that bit ofl' his own thumb, provocans rivalein ad hoc (emulandum, to
make his co-rival do as much. 'Tis frequent with them to challenge the field for
their lady and mistress' sake, to run a tilt,
SB " That either bears (so furiously they meet)
The other down under the horses' feet,"
and then up and to it again,
" And with their ases both so sorely pour,
That neither plate nor mail sustain'd the stour.
But riveld wreak like rotten wood asunder,
And fire did tiash like lu'htning after thunder;"
and in her quarrel, to fight so long ^' " till their head-piece, bucklers be all broken,
and swords hacked like so many saws," for they must not see her abused in any
sort, 'tis blasplicmy to speak against her, a dishonour without all good respect to
name her. 'Tis common with these creatures, to drink ^* healths upon their bare
knees, though it were a mile to the bottom, no matter of what mixture, off it comes.
If she bid them they will go barefoot to Jerusalem, to the great Cham's court, ^*to
the East Indies, to fetch her a bird to wear in her hat : and with Drake and Candish
sail round about the world for her sweet sake, adversis ventis^ serve twice seven
years, as Jacob did for Rachel; do as much as ""Gesmunda, the daughter of Tan-
credus, prince of Salerna, did for Guisardus, her true love, eat his heart when he
died; or as Artemesia drank her husband's bones beaten to powder, and so bury him
in herself, and endure more torments than Theseus or Paris. Et his colitur Venus
magis quam Ihiire^ et viclimis, with such sacrifices as these (as ■" Aristsenetus holds)
Venus is well pleased. Generally they undertake any pain, any labour, any toil, for
their mistress' sake, love and admire a servant, not to her alone, but to all her friends
and followers, they hug and embrace them for her sake ; her dog, picture, and every-
thing she wears, they adore it as a relic. If any man come from her, they fea
"Ariosto. 31 Chaucer, in the Knight's Tale.
•^Theodorus prodromus, Amnruni lib. li. Interpret.
Gaulmino. s Uvid. 10. Met. Hi;iniu?, c. l^S.
*> .\riost. lib. 1. Cant. 1. staff. 5. ^i pi„t. dial. amor.
* Faerie (ln>!ene, cant. 1. lib. 4. et cant. 3. lib. 4.
65
'^ Dum cassis pertu.=a, ensis instar Serra excisus. scu
turn, &;c. BartliJus CtElestina. ^8 Lgsbia sex cyalhis,
spptein Justiiia bihatiir. ^ .As Xanthus for the love of
Eurippe, ouinem Buropam peraeravit. Parthenius Erol
cap. 8. *o Beroaldua 6 Bocatio. " Epist. 17. l- 2
514 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
him, reward him, will not be out of his company, do him all offices, still remember-
ing, still talking of her :
*2" Nam si ahest quod amfs, priesto simulacra tamen sunt
Illiiis, et iiouieii dulcu ubservatur ad aurt-a."
The very carrier that comes from him to her is a most welcome guest ; and if he
bring a letter, slie will read it twenty times over, and as '"'Lucretia did by Euryalus,
•' kiss the letter a thousand limes together, and then read it :" And ^^ Clielidonia by
Philonius, after many sweet kisses, put the letter in her bosom,
" And kiss again, and often lonk Ihereon,
And stay the uit'ssenger that would be gone:"
And asked many pretty questions, over and over again, as how he looked, what he
did, and what he said ? In a word,
•* " Vult placerf sesfi ainicoe, vult mihi, vult pedissequcr, I " Hi- strives to pleaso his mistross, and her maid,
Vult luuiuliK, vult etiam anciilis, et catulu meo." | Her st^rvanta, and her dog, and 's well apaid."
If he get any remn:mt of hers, a busk-point, a feather of her fan, a shoe-tie, a lace,
a ring, a bracelet of hair,
*«'• Pienurique dirpptuni larcrlis;
Aut digito inal^ perlinaci,"
he wears it for a favour on his arm, in his hat, finger, or next his heart. Her picture
he adores twice a day, and for two hours togetlicr will not look olfit; as Laodamia
did bv Protesdaus, when he went to war, ^''' 'sit at home with his picture before her^'
a garter or a bracelet of hers is more precious than any saint's relic," he lays it up
in his casket, (O blessed relic") and every day will kiss it: if in her presence, his
eye is never off her, and drink he will where she drank, if it be possible, in that
very place, Stc. If absent, he will walk in the walk, sit under that tree where she
did use to sit, in that bower, in that very seat, et forifms misfr oscula figit,**
many years after sometimes, though she be far distant and dwell many miles olK he
loves yet to walk that way still, to have his chamber-wintUiw look that way : to
walk by that river's side, which (though faraway) runs by the house where she
dwells, he loves the wind blows to that coast.
*»" O qiioties tlixi Zcphyris pro[teranlibU!i illuc, j •' O happy wfslern winds that blow that way.
Felices pulchrain visuri Aiiiaryllada venti." | For you ahall see my luve'H fuir face to day."
He will send a message to her by the wind,
"> '* Von nane .Alpine, placidi* de montibus aurz,
H±c illi porlate,"
'' he desires to confer with some of her acquaintance, for his heart is still with her,
" to talk of her, admiring and commending her, lamenting, moaning, wishing him-
self anything for her sake, to have opportunity to see her, 0 that he might but enjoy
her presence! So did Philostnitus to his mistress, "" O happy ground on which she
treads, and happy were I if she would tread upon me. I think her Countenance
would make the rivers stand, and when she comes abroad, birds will sing and come
about her.
" Ridebunt vallcs, ridebunt obvia Tempe, I " The fields will lauch. the pbasant valley* burn,
In florem viridis protinua ibi huniua." | And all the grass will into flowers turn."
Omnis Jimhrosiam spirabit aura. ""When she is in the meadow, she is fairer than
any flower, for that lasts but for a day, the river is pleasing, but it vanisheth on a
sudden, but thy (lower doth not fade, thy stream is greater than the sea. If I look
upon the heaven, methinks I see the sun fallen down to shine below, and thee to
shine in his place, whom I desire. If I look upon the night, methinks I see two
more glorious stars, Hesperus and thyself." A little after he thus courts his rai.s-
" Lucretius. "For if the object of your love be ab-
•enl. h'-r iniase is pr> smt, and ht-r sweet name is still
fnmiliar in my ear*." «3 ^neas Sylvius, Lucretie
quum acccpit Kuriali lileras hilaris sialim milli>-<iqua
papiruni ha.siavit. ••' Medii.s iii^eruit pnpilli:! Iilterain
Naugerio. "Ye alpine winds, ye mountain tnetft,
bear these gifts to her." " Happy servantu that
serve her, happy men that are in her company. " Non
ipsos solum Mill ip^orum meinoriam amaiit. Luciar
Epist. O l>-r filu s'dum! iH-alus ^eo. ii me CJiVa-
iU'* mille priui paneens suavia Arist 'J. epi*t l.t. I yens ; vultu* tuus amn.-s sisl.r.- ix.l.-.t. <cc. »* Idem
«» Plaiiiii'' Asinnr. " Hor. •■ S<iine token snatched
from hf-r arm or her gently rtsistiiis filial r." «' Ilia
>iomi sedern iiip-i-rinfin <jus tlTis oculis aiiiidiie conspi-
cata. *• " Ai'il dKtr.Tied w ill imprint kisses on the
daora." oBucbaoau Sylva. 'a Fracatloriu*
epist. in prulo cum sit flores sii(m rat ; illi pn'. tin »«.U
uiiius tanluni diei ; fluviiis gratis sed ev.H ■ -i .t ; at
luus fluviun man major. Si ccelum a»picio,»<':iiu tiM
timo cecidiaae. et lo terra awbulare, ttc
I
Symptoms of Love.
515
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.]
tress, ""If thou goest forth of the city, the protecting gods tliat keep the town
will run after to gaze upon thee : if thou sail upon the seas, as so many small boats,
they will follow thee : what river would not run into the sea?" Another, he sighs
and' sobs, swears he hath Cor scissum^ a heart bruised to powder, dissolved and
melted within him, or quite gone from him, to his mistress' bosom belike, he is in
an oven, a salamander in the fire, so scorched with love's heat; he wishelh himself
a saddle for her to sit on, a posy for her to smell to, and it would not grieve him to
be hanged, if he might be strangled in her garters : he would willingly die to-mor
row, so that she might kill him with her own hands. ^Ovid would be a flea, a
gnat, a ring, Catullus a sparrow.
" " O si tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem,
Et tristes aninii levare curas."
' Anacreon, a glass, a gown, a chain, anything.
' Sed speculum ego ipse fiam,
Ut me tuum usque cernas,
Et vestis ipse fiam,
Ut me tuum usque gestes.
Mutari et opto in undam,
Lavem tuos ut artus,
Nardus puella fiam,
Ut ego teipsum inungam,
Sim fascia in papillis,
Tuo et monile collo.
Fiamque calceus, me
Saltern ut pede usque calces.
'9" But I a looking-glass would be,
Still to lie look d upon by thee.
Or I, my love, would he thy gown.
By thee to be worn up and down ;
Or a pure well full to the hrims.
That I miiiht wash ihy purer limbs:
Or, I'd be precious balm to 'iioint,
With choicest care each choicest joint ;
Or, if I might, I would be fain
About thy neck thy happy chain.
Or would it were my blessed hap
To be the lawn o'er thy fair pap.
Or would I were thy shoe, to be
Daily trod upon by thee."
O thrice happy man that shall enjoy her: as they that saw Hero in Museus, and
*• Salmacis to Hermaphroditus,
' Felices mater, &c. felix nuirix.-
Sed louse cunctis, longeque beatinr ille,
Quein fructu sponsi et socii dignabere lec-ti
The same passion made her break out in the comedy, ^KYce illcB forhinatoi sunt qucR
cum illo cwicm^ " happy are his bedfellows;" and as she said of Cyprus, •'^'Seo^a
qucz illi uxor futura essel, blessed is that woman that shall be his wife, nay, thrice
happy she that shall enjoy him but a night. " Una nox Jovis sceptro aquiparanda^
such a night's lodging is worth Jupiter's sceptre.
^^ " (iualis no.t erit ilia, dii, deaeque,
Q.uam mollis thorus ?"
" O what a blissful night would it be, how soft, how sweet a bed !" She will ad-
venture all her estate for such a night, for a nectarean, a balsam kiss alone.
^'''Ciui te videt bc^atus est,
Beatinr qui te audiet,
Q,ui te potitur est Deus."
The sultan of Sana's wife in Arabia, when she had seen Vertomannus, that comely
traveller, lamented to herself in this manner, "^'O God, thou hast made this man
wh'ter than the sun, but me, mine husband, and all my children black ; I would to
God he were my husband, or that I had such a son ;" she fell a weeping, and so
impatient for love at last, that (as Potiphar's wife did by Joseph) she would have
haa him gone in with her, she sent away Gazella, Tegeia, Galzerana, her waiting-
maids, loaded him with fair promises and gifts, and wooed him with all the rhetoric
she could, cxtremum hoc misery, da mumis amanti, "grant this last request to a
wretched lover." But when he gave not consent, she would have gone witli iiim,
and left all, to be his page, his servant, or his lackey, Certa sequi charum corpus ut
umbra solci^ so that she might enjoy him, threatening moreover to kill herself, &e.
Men will do as much and more for women, spend goods, lands, lives, fortunes ,
kings will leave their crowns, as King John for Matilda the nun at Dunmow.
*» " But kings in this yet privileg'd may be,
I'll be a monk so I may live with thee."
ssSi civitate esrederis, sequentur te dii custodes,
epectpculocommoti ; si naviges sequentur ; quis fluvius
salum tuum iion rigaret ? " '« El. 15. 2. " •' oh, if I
might ntilv dally with thee, and alleviate the wnstius
forro.vs u( my mind." 5^Carm. 30. ^9 Eni-lished
by M B. nolliday, in his Technog. act 1. seen. 7.
"Ov.d. Met. lib. 4. ^' Xenophon Cyropid. lib. 5.
a Pla.tus de niilite. ^ Lucian. " E Grsco Ruf.
65 Petronius. ^s " He is happy who sees thee, more
happv who hears, a god who enjoys thee." " Lod.
Vertomannus navi-.'. lib. 2. c. 5. O deus, hunc creasti
sole candidiorem, e diverso me et conjugem meum et
natos mens omnes nicricantes. Utinam hie. &c. Ibit
Gazella. Tegeia, Galzerana, et promissis oneravit, el
donis, &c. 68M. D.
51G Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
The very Gods will endure any shame [atqiic aliquis de diis non trislibus inguit, Sfc.)
be a spectacle as Mars and Venus were, lo all the rest ; so did Lucian's Mercury
wish, and peradventure so dost thou. They will adventure their lives with alacrity
^-'pro qua non metuam fnori nay more, pro qua non mctuam bis mori, I will
die twice, nay, twenty times for her. If she die, there's no remedy, they must die
with her, they cannot help it. A lover in Calcagninus, wrote this on his darling's
t )mb,
•' Q.uiiiriii nliiit, sed non Quincia sola oliiit, 1 " Qiiincia my dear i8 dtrail, but not alone,
UiiiiK-ia obiir. seil cum Quincia et ipse obii ; | For I am ilt-ad, and with her I am gonv :
Klsiis ohii. oliit L'ralia, hisus ohit, Swei-t t^miles, mirth, grncva. all with her d<i rest,
Nil' iiica iiiihi- iinima in pcclure, at in tumulo est." | And my soul loo, for 'tis not in my hrcatit."
How many doting lovers upon the like occasion might say the same .' But these
are toys in respect, they will liazard their very souls for tlieii niislre;;s' sake.
" Atqne nlif|iiia iTiter juvnnes miratiis est, el verbiim dint, I " One said, to heaven would I not
Non ei>o III cielo ciip*'rem D>-iis e6:>e, i desire nt all to go,
Noslr.-iiii ii.tureiii hslieiis dumi Hero." I If that at mine own hou^e I had
I such a line wife as Hero."
Venus forsook heaven for Adonis' sake, ""^cctlo prcefirlur Ailonis. Old Janivere,
in Chaucer, tliought when he had his fair May he should never go to heaven, he
should live so merrily here on earth ; had I such a mistress, he protests,
'■ •Cerium dii« ego non suuni iiiviilerein, I " I would not envy their prosperity,
^imI Mirleiii uiihi ilii iinam iiivid'jrenl." | The giwlii t^liould envy my iVIicity."
Another as earnestly desires to behold his sweetheart he will adventure and leave
all this, and more than this to see her ulone.
" ■■ (Imni.i (in* pallor mala ni pensare velit fors, | '* If all my mischi' f* were reniinpeiised
Una aliijua nobis pror^|>eritate. dii .And Uod would L'lve we what I requested,
Hoe prf<;or, ul f.^riant, laciant me cernere coram. \ I wo'uM my mi;«ir "«' prj »iMire only spek,
('i>r milii c.'iplivum i^uo: tenet liKce, deam. ' , Which d •tli iiiin-' heart in iiri.'oii captive Ueep."
But who can reckon upon the dotage, madness, servitude and blindness, the foolish
phantasins and vanities of lovers, their tonnents, wishes, idle attempts ^
Yet for all this, amongst so many irksome, absurd, troublesome symptoms, incon-
veniences, phantastical tits unci passions which are usually iiir-idt nt to such persons
there be some good and giactful ipialiiies in lovers, which this ailectioii ciiuseih.
•• As it makes wise men fools, so many limes it makes fools become wise; "it nmkes
base fellows become generous, cowards courageous," as Canlaii notes out of Plu-
tarch ; " covetous, liberal and magnificent ; clowns, civil ; cruel, gentle ; wicked,
profane persons, to become religious; slovens, neat ; churls, merciful; and dumb
dogs, eloquent ; your lazy drone?, quick and nimble." Fcrus mcnics dnmat cupido,
that fierce, cruel and rude Cyclops Polyphemu.s sighed, and shed many a salt tear
for Galatea's sake. No passion causeth greater alterations, or more vehement of joy
or discontent. Plutarch. Si/mpos. lib. 5. qucESl. 1, ^Saith, ''that the soul of a man
in love is full of perfumes and sweet odours, and all manner of pleasing tones and
tunes, insonmch that it is hard to say (as he adds) whether love do mortal men more
hanu than good." It adds spirits and makes them, otherwise soft and silly, generous
and courageous, "'"Audiicem faciebat amor. Ariadne's love made Theseus so ad-
venturous, and Medea's beauty Jason so victorious ; expectorat amor tiinorrm. ™ Plato
is of opinion that the love of Venus made Mars so valorous. " A yf)tmg man will
be much abashed to commit any foul offence that shall come to the hearing or sight
of liis mistress." As " he that desired of his enemy now dying, to lay him with
his face upward, ne amasius viderel eum a tergo vuln'ralum., lest his sweetheart
should sav he was a coward. " And if it were '" possible to have an army consist
of lovers, such as love, or are beloved, they would be extraordinary valiiint and wise
in their government, modesty would detain them from doing amiss, emulation incite
them to do that which is good and honest, and a few of them would overcome a
great company of others." There is no man so pusillanimous, so very a dastard,
whom love would not incense, make of a divine temper, and an heroical spirit. As
"Hot (Kle 1). lib. 3. ^Ov. Met. 10. ii Dochanan. 1 et odnrihuK : Ps-ane* reaonat, ^c. 7* Ovid. ^In
Mender any I. "' Pelrnrrh. "Cardan, lib. 2. ile aap. convivio. amor Veiiprm .Mnrlem iletincr.ei f irl'm faru ;
ex vilibu< seneroii<i« elilcere noiel, ex limidis audaces, adoleiicenlem maxime eriilM><iri're rerntmiia quiiiii anm-
ex BvariA vpleiiitidiK, ex acres (I bun civiies. ex crudeli- trix eum (urpe quid comriiiltiiilem '»ti-iiilil. i' I'tii
buM iii.ii.^'ii t'>ii. I ( iiiipiM relii!iiMc>8, ex M>rdidis iiitidtM tarrh. .Anrilor. dial. '"•Si quo picio D.-ri rtviln* aui
aiquecult"!<. -x <liiri!> iiiitericiirdeii. ex muti.-teloqiieiites. cxerriiu* poyael partim ex bia qui auiani, parlim es
'• Auimu houiiau aoiore capli tola referta auffilibua | bi«, Ait.
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Love 517
he said in like case, '^^ Tata rual caeli moles, non terreor, S^-c. Nothing can terrify,
nothing can dismay them. But as Sir Blandimor and Paridel, those two brave fairy
knights, fought for the love of fair Florimel in presence —
' And (irnwifip both their swords with rage anew.
Like tvM) mad niastives eacli other slew.
And shin Ids did sharr, anil in ales did rash, and helms
So furiously each other did assail, [did hew ;
As if their souls at oiice lliey would have rent,
Out of their hreasts, that streams of hlood did trail
Adown as if their springs of life were spent.
That all the t;round with purple hlood was spren*.,
And all their armour stain'd with hloody gore.
Yet scarcely once to breath would they relent.
So mortal was thfir malice and so sore,
That both resolved (than yield) to die before."
Every base swain in love will dare to do as much for his dear mistress' sake. He
will fight and fetch, ^' Argivum Clypeum, that famous buckler of Argos, to do her
service, adventure at all, undertake any enterprise. And as Serranus the Spaniard,
then Governor of Sluys, made answer to Marquess Spinola, if the enemy brought
50,000 devils against him he would keep it. The nine worthies, Oliver and Row-
land, and forty dozen of peers are all in him, he is all mettle, armour of proof, more
than a man, and in this case improved beyond himself. For as -- Agatho contends,
a true lover is wise, just, temperate, and valiant. ^'^ I doubt not, therefore, but if a
man had such an army of lovers (as Castillo supposeth) he might soon conquer all
the world, except by chance he met with such another army of inamoratos to oppose
it." *^ For so perhaps they might fight as that fatal dog and fatal hare in the heavens,
course one another round, and never make an end. Castillo thinks Ferdinand King
of Spain would never have conquered Granada, had not Queen Isabel and her ladies
been present at the siege : ^^ " It cannot be expressed what courage the Spanish
knights took, when the ladies were present, a few Spaniards overcame a multitude
of Moors." They will undergo any danger whatsoever, as Sir Walter Tvlanny in
Edward the Tiiird's time, stuck full of ladies' favours, fought like a dragon. For
snli a7nant.es, as ^ Plato holds, pro amicis mori appetunt, only lovers will die for their
friends, and in their mistress' quarrel. And for that cause he would have women
follov,- the camp, to be spectators and encouragers of noble actions : upon such an
occasion, the ^"Squire of Daines himself. Sir Lancelot or Sir Tristram, Ca;sar, or
Alexander, shall not be more resolute or go beyond them.
Not courage only doth love add, but as I said, subtlety, wit, and many pretty
devices, ^^ JS'amque doJos inspirat amor,frau.dcsque minlstrat, ^"^ Jupiter in love with
Leda, and not knowing how to compass his desire, turned himself into a swan, and
got Venus to pursue him in the likeness of an eagle ; which she doinw, for shelter,
he fled to Leda's lap, ci in ejus.gremio se collocavit, Leda embraced him, and so fell
fast asleep, scd dormicnfcm Jupiter compressit, by whicli means Jupiter had his Avill.
Infinite such tricks love can devise, such fine feats in abundance, with wisdom and
wariness, '•'° qui s fuller e. possit araantem. All manner of civility, decency, compliment
and good behaviour, pZ«.S' solis ct leporis, polite graces and merry conceits. Boccac-
cio hath a pleasant tale to this purpose, which he borrowed from the Greeks, and
which Beroaldus hath turned into Latin, Bebelius in verse, of Cymon and Iphigenia.
This Cymon was a fool, a proper man of person, and the governor of Cyprus' son.
but a very ass, insomuch that his father being ashamed of him, sent him to a farm-
house he had in the country, to be brought up. Where by chance, as his manner
was. walking alone, he espied a gallant young gentlewoman, named Iphisfenia, a bur-
gomaster's daughter of Cyprus, with her maid, by a brook side in a little thicket^
fast asleep in her smock, where she had newly bathed herself: ""When ""Cymon
saw her, he stood leaning on his staff, gaping on her immoveable, and in amaze;" at
last he fell so far in love with the glorious object, that he began to rouse himself up,
to bethink what he was, would needs follow her to the citv, and for her sake began
to be civil, to learn to sing and dance, to play on instruments, and got all those gen-
tlemanlike qualities and compliments in a short space, which his friends were most
glad of. In brief, he became, from an idiot and a clown, to be one of the most
" Angerianus. fo Faerie ftu. lib. 4. cant. 2. ; rorum copias superarunt. '*'Lib. 5. de lepib'is.
f> Zeiii'd. prevcrli. cont. 6. 8-j piat. ci-nviv. ts Ljl). i | »' Spenser's Faerie dueene, 3. hook. cant. 8. f* Hy-
de Aulico. NiMi duliito q'.iin is qui talem exercitiini pinus, I. 2. " For love both inspires us with stratasems,
haheret, totins orhis statini victor rssnt, nisi forte cum \ and suggests to us fr.iuds." '^ Aratus iii pho^non-
aliqiiO exerci'.u confligi-ndiiin essel in quo onines ama- | '■''>' Vire. " V^ho can deceive a lover." ^' Flanc ub'
tores ps.senl. ti Higini;s dc cane et li-pore ccelesti, I conspicalus est Cyuion, baculo inni.xus, inimobilik-
et decimator. '^^ Vix dici poifst quantam inde aiida- : stetit, et mirabundus, ice.
ciam assunicront Hi<;-pani, inde pauci infinilas Mau- I
2T
518 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
complete gentlemen in Cyprus, did many valorous exploits, ami all for the v .c of
mistress Iphigenia. In a word, I may say tluis much of them <ill, let them be never
so clownish, rude and horrid, Grobians and sluts, if once they be in love they will
be most neat and spruce ; for, *' Omnibus rebus, et yiitidis nitoribus anlevenit amor,
they will follow the fashion, begin to trick up, and to have a good opinion of them-
selves, venustatem cnim mater Venus ; a ship is not so long a rigging as a young gentle-
woman a trinuiiing up herself against her sweetheart comes. A painter's shop, a
flowery meadow, no so gracious aspect in nature"'s storehouse as a young maid, mibilis
puella, a Novitsa or Venetian bride, that looks for a husband, or a young man that is
her suitor; composed looks, composed gait, clothes, gestures, actions, all composed;
all the graces, elegances in the world aie in her face. Their best robes, ribands,
chains, jewels, lawns, linens, laces, spangles, must come on, ^''jrrater quam res pati-
tur student elegant'ue, they are beyonil all measure coy, nice, and too curious on a
sudden ; 'tis all their study, all their business, how to wear their clothes neat, to be
polite and terse, and to set out then)selves. No sooner doth a young man see his
sweetheart coming, but he snmgs up himself, pulls uj) his cloak now fallen about
his shoulders, ties his garters, points, sets his band, culls, slicks his hair, twires his
beard, is.c. When Mercury was to come before his mistress,
*> "ChlnniyJemque ut pAiulcat apt£ I " lie put lim rlnak in order, thiil Ihf l;ico,
L'»II>4.'ai, ul liiiilms l(>tuiiii|ii>- a|>|iuruat auruiii." [ .Ami Iilmii, ami ^ulil vvurk, all iiii^'ht havK his grace."
Salmacis would not be seen of Ilermaphroditus, till she had spruced up her-
self lirst,
•*" N'i'c laiiieii *iitc aitiit, rui propcral>at odire, j " Nor did (the come, altli»iii;h "twn* her de«ire,
Uuaiii ^' ciiiii|Ki«iiii, guaiii ciri-iininpedi amictus, I'lll »lie cmiipos'd lii-rsell', ami triiiiin'd her tire,
Kt tinxil vultuiii, el iiieriiK furmu-iu vuluri" | Atiti t>el her liiolc tu tiiuke liiiii to admire."
\''enus had so ordered the matter, that when her son '^/I^ieas was to aj)pear before
Queen Dido, he was
*' 0« huinem«que deo liiiiili* 'namque i{>)>a decnraiu
CrFsari'-in iiatii peiieirii. lunieiiqiie jiiveiilic
Piirimreuiu el la:tiMi uciilid atUarat huiiureit.")
like a ^od, for she was the tire-woman herself, to set him out with all natural and
artificial imposture.s. As mother .Mammea did her son Ileliogabalus, new chosen
emperor, when he was to be seen of the people first. WIilmi the hirsute cyclopical
Polyphemus courted Galatea ;
"'• Jiinqiie libi roriua>, jainque f*l tibi eura placeiiJi, " .^nd then he did liORin to prank himself.
Jam ri!2ii.iis pt-ctiii raslriii Pol> pheme raiiillon, 'I'm plail ami niiiib bin head, and beard to shave.
Jam lib*-! hiriiiiiiam tibi talii- rnciderc barbam, | Anil l»"k hm fare i' th' ivuter at a i.'lai<ti,
El lipet'lare lero* in aqua el couiponrre vulluii." | And to conipuse hini:ieirrir Ki be brave."
He was upon a sudden now spruce and keen, as a new ground hatchet. He now
began to have a good opinion of his own features and good parts, now to be a
gallant.
• Jam Galal-a veni. ...c m..n.ra .l.spire nostra. " £""'" ""'"■ "'^ f^a'atea »eorn im- not
Certe eL'o me novi, liqmdaqiie in iiiiasine vidi
Niiper ai|ux, placuitque niihi niea Turma videnli."
Nor my poor pretentp; for hnt 'yitlerday
I Maw mvselfr th' tvaler, and iiKthoni^tit
Full fair I wa«, then acorn me not 1 eay."
<* " Von Slim advft inforinis, iinper me in liltore vidi.
Cum placidum veiili* starel mare"
'Tia the common humour of all suitors to trick up themselves, to be prodiijai in
apparel, pure lotus, neat, combed, and curled, with powdered hair, comptus el calimis-
iratus, with a long love-lock, a llower in his ear, perfumed gloves, rings, scarfs,
feathers, pt>iiits, ice. as if he were a prince's Ganymede, with everyday new sui'..'i, as
the fashion varies; ?oing as if he trod upon eggs, as llt'iiisius writ to Priiiiierus,
'^'■■if once he be besotlen on a wench, he nmst like awake at nights, renounce his
book, sigh and lament, nov/ and then weep for his hard hap, and mark above all
things what hats, bands, doublets, breeches, are in fashion, how to cut his beard, and
wear his locks, to turn up his mustachios, and curl his head, prune his pickilivant,
»> PInuliii Ca-ina, act. -2. sr. 4. >" Plautmi. »< Ovid, i ahore." •• Epiot. An tiior lileraio nil ducnda.
Mel i. "» Ovid. M-'t. 4. <* Viri;. I. .f.n. •• He Nocte* iii»omn.-< traduremlir, lilen« riniiiiriaiulum,
re«emblfd a e>»l as to lii!< head and sboulder*. f.>r hid ' Mepe gpmendum, noniiunquam el illarrymnndum Mirii
niotht-r had made hm hair se-'in lieautil'nl, b<-!<i>iwi.d ' el condilioiii Inc. Vnleiidiini •) is- vi->.i>-ii, i|iiia cullua,
U',i'>n bim the lovely bloom <if youth, and Rivni the te deceat, qun in u»ii »it. ulrum Inl'i* barlxr, &<r. Cum
bappietil lintrt' to hi!) fy*." »^ Ovid. Mfi. l.T. I eura lo<|'i<-nduoi, inoMlendum bib'i.iliiiii it cum cura
■■ Virg. H \ -i. "I am not »'> d»-fornied, I lal>-|y n.iw : innanieuduin.
■lyMsif in ttie uanquil glaiay tea, a* 1 ituod u|ion the 1
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Love. 519
or if he wear it abroad, that the east side be correspondent to the west :" he may be
scoffed at otherwise, as Julian that apostate emperor was for wearing a long hirsute
Goatish beard, fit to make ropes with, as in his Mysopogone, or that apologelical ora-
tion he made at Anlioch to excuse himself, he doth ironically confess, it hindered
his kissinor, nam nan licuit inde para puris., eoque suavioribus labra labris adjungere,
but he did not much esteem it, as it seems by the sequel, de acciplendis dandvive
oscuUs non laboro., yet (to follow mine author) it may much concern a young lover,
he nmst be more respectful in this behalf, " he must be in league with an excellent
tailor, barber,"
""' " Tonsorern puerum Fed arte talem,
Q,ualis nee Thalamis fuit Neronis;"
" have neat shoe-ties, points, garters, speak in print, walk in print, eat and drink in
print, and that which is all in all, he must be mad in print."
Amongst other good qualities an amorous fellow is endowed with, he must learn
to sing and dance, play upon some instrument or other, as Avithout all doubt he will,
if he be truly touched with this loadstone of love. For as ' Erasmus hath it, Musi-
cam docet amor ct Poesin, love will make them musicians, and to compose dilties.
madrigals, elegies, love sonnets, and sing them to several pretty tunes, to get all good
"qualities may be had. ^Jupiter perceived Mercuiy to be in love with Philologia,
because he learned languages, polite speech, (for Suadela herself was Venus' daughter,
as some write) arts and sciences, quo virgini placeret, all to ingratiate himself, and
please his mistress. 'Tis their chiefest study to sing, dance ; and without question.
so many gentlemen and gentlewomen would not be so well qualified in this kind, if
love did not incite them. ^"Who," saith Castillo, "-would learn to play, or give his
mind to music, learn to dance, or make so many rhymes, love-songs, as most do,
but for women's sake, because they hope by that means to purchase their good wills,
and win their favour .?" We see this daily verified in our young women and wives,
they that being maids took so much pains to sing, play, and dance, with such cost
and charge to their parents, to get those graceful qualities, now being married will
scarce touch an instrument, they care not for it. Constantine agricult. lib. 11.
cap. 18, makes Cupid himself to be a great dancer; by the same token as he was
capering amongst the gods, "'^he flung down a bowl of nectar, which distilling upon
the white rose, ever since made it red :" and Calistratus, by the help of Daedalus,
about Cupid's statue *made a many of young wenches still a dancing, to signify
belike that Cupid was much affected with it, as without all doubt he was. For at
his and Psyche's wedding, the gods being present to grace the feast, Ganymede
tilled nectar in abundance (as ^Apuleius describes it), Vulcan was the cook, the
Hours made all fine with roses and flowers, Apollo played on the harp, the Muses
sang to it, scd suavi MusiccB super ingressa Venus sultavit, but his mother Venus
danced to his and their sweet content. Witty 'Lucian in that pathelical love passage,
or pleasant description of Jupiter's stealing of Europa, and swimming from Phoenicia
to Crete, makes the sea calm, the winds hush, Neptune and Amphitrite riding in their
chariot to break the waves before them, the tritons dancing round about, with every
one a torch, the sea-nymphs half naked, keeping time on dolphins' backs, and sing-
ing Hymeneus, Cupid nimbly tripping on the top of the waters, and Venus herself
coming after in a shell, strewing roses and flowers on their heads. Praxiteles, in all
his pictures of love, feigns Cupid ever smiling, and looking upon dancers; and in
St. Mark's in Rome (whose work I know not), one of the most delicious pieces, is
a many of ^ satvrs dancing about a wench asleep. So that dancing still is as it were
a necessary appendix to love matters. Young lasses are never better pleased than
when as upon a holiday, after evensong, they may meet their sweethearts, and dance
about a mavpole, or in a town-green under a shady elm. Nothing so familiar in
® France, as for citizens' wives and maids to dance a round in the streets, and often
iM Mart. Epie. 5. ' Chil. 4. ci^nt. 5. pro. 16. ' Mar- i tereiii nectaris evertit saltans apiid Dfos, qui in terram
tianus. Capella li)>. I. de niip!. pliilul. Jam. llltiin seiitio cadens, rosain prius albam ruhnre iiifecit. 5 Puellas
ainore teiien, HJu>qie studio plures habere coinparatas choreantes circa javenil-^m Cupidinis statuain fecit,
ill faiiiultio discipliiias, *:<-. 3 Lji,. 3. rfe aiilico. Quia Philostrat. Iinag. lib. 3. de statuis. Ei'-rciliuin amori
chorc-i.s insudaret. nisi ririiiiiiaruiii causa ? Quis niusi- ' aptissimum. ' Ijib. 0. Met. 'Tom. 4. » Kora-
Cifi tantain iiavaret nperaiii nisi quod illius dulcedine man ileciir. mort. part. 5. cap. a-*. Sat. pueHi dormienti
P'TiuuIcere speret ? tiiii.« tot carniina coinponeret, nisi 1 insultantiuui, 4tc. 'View of Fr.
u> iude affeCtBJ suoa in mulieres explicaret? ^Cra- I
520 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
loo, for want of better instruments, to make good music of their own voices, and
dance after it. Yea many times this love will make old men and women that have
more toti^ ihan teeth, daiice, '•'John, come kiss me now," mask and muu) ; for
Comus and Hymen love masks, and all such merriments above measure, will allow
men to put on women's apj)arel in some cases, and promiscuously to dance, young
and old, rich and poor, generoiis and base, of all sorts. Faulus .lovius taxelh Augus-
tine Niphus the philosopher, '""for that being an old man, and a pul)lic professor, &
father of many children, he was so mad for tlie love of a young maid (tliat w hich
many of his friends were ashamed to see), an old gouty fellow, yet would dance
after fiddlers." Many laughed him to scorn for it, but this omnipotent love would
have it so.
«i"Hyacinttiinobacillo 1 ■• i,ove hamy with hU purple staffdid make
Propcri.iis am..r. me adeejt ^,^. i;,,,^^^ a„a i^e daiitt lo undtriake."
V lulciiier ad «ei|iieiiiluiu. |
And 'tis no news this, no indecorum ; for why .' a good reason may be given of it
Cupid and death met both in an inn ; and being merrily disposed, they did exchange
8ome arrows from either »iuiver; ever since y(»ung men die, and oftentimes old men
dote '^''.S'ic viorilnr Juvcnis, sic moribundus amut. And wlio can then with-
stand it.' if once we be in love, young or old, though our teeth shake in our heads,
like virginal jacks, or stand parallel a.sunder like the arches of a bridge, there is no
remedy, we nmst dance trenchmore for a need, over tables, chairs, and stools, &.c.
And princum prancum is a fine dmce. Plutarch, Syinpos. 1. qucpst. 5. doth in some
sort excuse it, and telleth us moreover in what sense, JMusicaiii docet amor^ licet priiis
J'uerit rudis, how U)ve makes ihem that had no skill before learn lo sing and dance;
he concludes, 'tis only that power and prerogative love hath over ua. "''Love (as
he holds) will make a silent man speak, a modest man most ofiicious ; dull, quick;
slow, nimble ; and that which is most to be admired, a hard, base, untractable churl,
as fire doth iron in a smith's forge, free, facile, gentle, and easy to be entreated."
Nay, 'twdl make him prodigal in the other extreme, and give a '^hundred sesterces
tor a mglit's lodging, a.s they did «>f old to Lais of Corinth, or ^^dnccnla draclimarum
tnillui pro unicu nocte,as >Iundus to Paulina, spend all his fortunes [hh too many do
in like ca.sej to obtain his suit. For which cause many compare love to wine, wliich
n.akes men jovial and merry, frolic and sad, whine, sing, dance, and what not.
But above all the other symptoms of lovers, this is not lightly to be overpassed,
that likely of what condition soever, if once they be in love, they turn to their
ability, rhymers, ballad makers, and poets. For as Plutarch saith, '""They will be
witnesses and trumpeters of their paramours' good parts, bedecking them with verses
and commendatorv .stings, as we do .««tatues with gold, that tln^y may be remembered
and ailmired of all." Ancient men will dote in this kind sometimes as well as the
rest; the heat of love will thaw their frozen afit'ctions, dissolve the ice of age, and
so far enable them, though they be sixty years of age above the girdle, to be scarce
thirty beneath. 'Jovianus Pontanus makes an old fool rhyme, and turn Poetaster to
please his mistress.
" " Ne riiieas Mariana, uim* nie dinpiee canna, I " Swrvt Marian do not mine azir di>^l3ni,
De U'lie nam juv»rn<.-iu ilia rvfrrte polea," tee. \ Fur Uiou caiitt make an old man yuuiig a^uin."
They will be still singing amorous songs and ditties (if young especially), and can-
not abstain though it be when they go to, or should be at church. We have a pretty
story to this purj)ose ia '* VVestmonasteriensis, an old writer of ours (^ if you will
believe it) An. I)om. 1012. at Colewiz in Saxony, on Christmas eve a company of
young men and maids, whilst the priest was at mass in the church, were singing
catches and love songs in tlie churchyard, he sent to them to make less noise, but
they sung on still : and if you will, you shall have the very song itself.
" Rquiialial honi" •■' -v'l .m rVondtwam, I "A fellow rid by tlietr«->-n" 1 f-i''*',
I)iicebal<)ue «•" ii r.irmioam. And fair Mektvindr w i
U ir noil iinu*7'" ' Why iitai. . ;■. not uoT"
■« Vita (-ju* Puelir, ainore •eptuaei-nariu* tentx picriim. >^ Jo*<-phii« aiiiii|. J>mI.
u«<{iie ad iiiKaniam eorreplus, innllis litx-riK <ijM;epli4 : '- Ut-lliiit. I. I. cap. t^. Preliuin n>irlM n
Miulli mill !>if - ■ ' '■ ' •■^•pci.'ruiit ariiem »• '• ■' < - ...i,,..i ...-.r .,,..,,.r,.i
popliiiiii ^'m!.i. ii- riAii tallanlfiii
ii,...;.m ' .rni. 7. >* Jum-
fcpij ■■ Ttiun y'i .1 .■ -. iliij« in death li. . . - ,.,,.... .-
» I*: •arilurno liH|iiacriii tacit, pt d>- ver«-cii>ido othrio- i uflortnt but. Utt.-Jiie.
turn rt.tldit, lie ueKligente iudu9tri<im, de iocord« im- [
Mem. 3. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Love. 521
This they sung, he chaft, till at length, impatient as he was, he pn yed to St. 3Ta<Tnns.
patron of the church, they might all three sing and dance ftll tliat time twelvemonth,
and so '^ they did without meat and drink, wearisomeness or givino over, till at A-ear's
end tiiey ceased singing, and were absolved by Ilerebertus archl ishop of Cologne.
They will in all places be doing thus, young folks especially, reading love stories,
talking of this or that young man, such a fair maid, singing, telling or hearing lascivi-
ous tales, scurrilous tunes, such objects are their sole delight, their continual medi-
tation, and as Guastavinius adds. Com. in 4. Sect. 27. Prov. Jlrist. ob seminis abun-
dantlam crcbrce. cogitationes, veneris frcquens recordatio et pruriens voluptas, Sfc. an
earnest longing comes hence, pruriens corpus, pruriens ani7na, amorous conceits,
tickling thoughts, sweet and pleasant hopes ; hence it is, they can think, discourse
willingly, or speak almost of no other subject. 'Tis their only desire, if it may be
done by art, to see their husband's picture in a glass, they'll give anythinff to know
when they shall be iharried, how many husbands they shall have, bv cromnyomantia,
a kind of divination with ^° onions laid on the altar on Ciu-istmas eve, or Isy fasting
on St. Anne's eve or night, to know who shall be their first husband, or by amphi-
tomantia, by beans in a cake, &c., to burn the same. This love is the cause of all
good conceits, ^' neatness, exornations, plays, elegancies, delights, pleasant expres-
sions, sweet motions, and gestures, joys, comforts, exultancies, and all the sweetness
of our life, "qualis jam vitaforet, aut quid jucundi sine aurea Venere? ^ EmoriaT
cum isid nan amplius mihi cura fuerit.^ let me live no longer than I may love, saith
a mad merry fellow in Mimnermus. This love is that salt that seasoneth our harsh
and dull labours, and gives a pleasant relish to our other unsavory proceedings,
^^Absit amor, surgunt teiicbrce, torpedo, veternum, pestis, (^-c. All our feasts almost,
hiasques, mummings, banquets, merry meetings, weddings, pleasing songs, fine tunes,
poems, love stories, plays, comedies, attelans, jigs, fescenines, elegies, odes, &c. pro-
ceed hence. ^^Danaus, the son of Belus, at his ddughter's wedding at Argos, insti-
tuted the first plays (some say) that ever were heard of symbols, emblems, impresses,
devices, if we shall believe Jovius, Contiles, Paradine, Camillus de Camillis, may be
ascribed to it. Most of our arts and sciences, painting amongst the rest, was first
invented, saith ^^ Patritius ex amoris bcnejicio, for love's sake. For when the daugh-
ter of " Deburiades the Sycionian, was to take leave of her sweetheart now going to
wars, ut desiderio ejus minus iabesceret., to comfort herself in his absence, she took
his picture with coal upon a wall, as the candle gave the shadow, which her father
admiring, perfected afterwards, and it was the first picture by report that ever was
made. And long after, Sycion for painting, carving, statuary, music, and philosophy,
was preferred before all the cities in Greece. ^"^ Apollo was the first inventor of
physic, divination, oracles ; Minerva found out weaving, Vulcan curious ironwork,
Mercury letters, but who prompted all this into their heads ? Love, JYuiiquam taUa
invenissent, nisi talia adamassent, they loved such things, or some partv. for whose
sake they were undertaken at first. 'Tis true, Vulcan made a most admirable brooch
or necklace, which long after Axion and Temenus, Phegius' sons, for the singular
worth of it, consecrated to Apollo at Delphos, but Pharyllus the tyrant stole it away,
and presented it to Ariston's wife, on whom he miserably doted (Parthenius tells the
story out of Phylarchus) ; but why did Vulcan make this excellent Oucli > to give
Hermione Cadnms' wife, whom he dearly loved. All our tilts and tournaments,
orders of the garter, golden fleece, &c. — JVobilitas sub amorejacet — owe their begin-
nings to love, and many of our histories. By this means, saith Jovius, they would
express their loving minds to their mistress, and to the beholders. 'Tis the sole
subject almost of poetry, all our invention tends to it, all our songs, whatever those
old Anacreons : (and therefore Hesiod makes the Muses and Graces still follow
Cupid, and as Plutarch holds, Menander and the rest of the poets were love's
priests,) all our Greek and Latin epigrammatists, love v/riters. Antony Diogens the
most ancient, whose epitome we find in Phocius Bibllotheca, Longus Sophista, Eus_
18 Per totiiin annum cantarunt, pluvia siipor illos non
ceciilil; iinii frigus, ncm calor, non sitis, nee lassitiido
illos affecit, &.c. ^ His eoruni notnina jnscribuntur
di; quilius (incErunt. 2. fjuic miinditias, ornatuin,
leporein, liolicias, Siirins, elegantian), oumetiv deniiiue
vitas suavltjiiem dubemus. ^Hyginus cap. 27J.
6G 2x3
«EGra;co. a< Angerianus. 23 Lib. 4. tit. 11. de
prin. instit. m pij,,. iji,, 3.5. rap. 12- 'n Gerhelius,
i. (). descrlpt. Gr. '-* Fransus, 1. 3. de symbolis qui
primus syniboliira exrogitavit voluit nimirun) hac ra-
tione iinplicaiiim animum evolvere.eutnque vel doniins
vcl aliis iiituentibus oslendere.
522 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
U'lihius, Achilles, Tdtius, AristJenetus, Heliodorus, Plato, Plutarch, Lucian, Parthe-
jiius, Theodorus, Prodronius, Ovid, Catullus, Tibullus, Sic. Our new Ariostoes,
Boyards, Authors of Arcadia, Urania, Faerie Que«ni, Stc. Marullus, Leotichius, An-
germnus, Stroza, Secundus, Capellaiius, Stc. with the rest of those facete modern
poets, have written in this kind, are but as so many symptoms of love. Their whole
Jjooks are a synopsis or breviary of love, the portuous of love, legends of lovers'
lives and deaths, and of their memorable adventures, nay more, quod leguntur, quod
laudantur amori debcnt, as ^'Nevisanus the lawyer holds, "there never was any ex-
cellent poet that invented good fables, or made laudable verses, which was not in
love himself;"' had he not taken a quill from Cupid's wings, he could never have
written so amorously as he did.
** "Cynthia te vatein fecit lascive Properli, i "Wanton Propertius and witty Gullun,
Int'cniuiii Uiilli (luirlira l.yci>ri8 ha>>et. Sulilile Tibiillus. and learneil Cutiilluis,
Faniu P!<t arcuti Nenn-sis torniuija Tibulli, I It \\ u^ Cyntliia, I.eslna, Lychnnii,
Lvsbiu ilicluvit ductf L'ululle libi. 'I'li.it made ynu poet:* all ; and if Alezi*,
Non nie l'elmiiu!>, nix 8p«.-rnet Mantua valem, Or Coriiina ctiunci' my paramour to be,
6i qua Curinua mibi, si quis Aleii!> erit." | Virgil and Uvid tihull nut de:jpise me."
»" Non me carmiaibua vincet nee Thruceud Orpheus,
Nee Ljnuii."
Petrarch's Laura made him so famous, Astrophel's Stella, and Jovianus Pontanus'
mistress was the cause of his roses, violets, lilies, nequitiiB, blanditia;, joci, decor,
iiardus, ver, corolla, thus, Mars, Pallas, Venus, Charis, crocuin, I^urus, uiiguentcm,
coslum, lachryma;, myrrha, musa, Ste. and the rest of his poems; why are Italians
at this day generally so good poets and painters ? Because every man of any fashion
amongst them hath his mistress. The very rustics and hog-rubbers, Mcnalcas and
Corydon, qui fuetant de stercore equina, those fulsome knaves, if once they taste of
this love-liquor, are insjnred in an instant. Instead of those accurate emblems,
curious im|)resses, gaudy masques, tills, tournaments, Stc, tliey have their wakes,
Whitsun-ales, shepherd's feasts, meetings on holidays, country dances, roundelays,
urithig their names on ^ trees, true lover's knots, pretty gifts.
" With Irikenii, hearli divided, and half rin»i,
Shepherd* in their luven are aa cuy aa kingii."
Choosing lords, ladies, kings, queens, and valentines, Stc, they go by couples,
" rurydnn'i Pbilli*. Nyiia and Mn|MU»,
With dainty Doufibel and 8ir TophuJI"
Instead of odes, epigrams and elegies, kc, they have their ballads, country tunes,
" O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom," ditties and songs, '"■ Bess a belle, she doth
excel," — thev must write likewise and indite all in rhyme.
'"Thou honeysuckle of the hawthorn hedge,
Vouchsafe in Cupid'a cup my heart to plnlge;
My heart's dear blood, sweet Cm a thy rarouse
Worth .ill the alt- in Gainmer Gulibin's houi<;."
I say nil inure, atfairscall ine away.
My laititf'a iii.r-.e for provender duth stay.
Be thou the L»dy Cresnetlight to me,
fir Trolly Lolly will 1 prove to thee.
Written in hai.te, farewell my cowslip sweet,
Pray let 's a sjunday at the alehouse meet."
Your most grim stoics and severe philosophers will melt away with this passion, and
if *'Alheneus belie them not, Arisiippus, ApoUidorus, Anliphanes, &.C., have made
love-songs and commentaries of their mistress' praises, ^ orators write epistles, princes
give titles, honours, what not? * Xerxes gave to Thcmistocles Lampsacus to fmd
him wine, Magnesia for bread, and ^lyunte for the rest of his diet. The ^'Persian
kmgs allotted whole cities to like use, hcec civitas mulieri redimiculum prcrheal, hac
in collum, hcpc in crin^s, one whole city served to dress her hair, another her neck,
a third her hood. Ahasuerus would * have given Esther half his empire, and ^ Herod
bid Herodias '••ask what she would, she should have it." Caligula gave 100,000
sesterces to his courtesan at first word, to buy her pins, and yet when he was soli-
cited by the senate to bestow something to repair the decayed walls of Home f(jr the
commonwealth's good, he would give but 6U00 sesterces at most. ***Dionysius, that
»Lib. 4. num. \02. ty\v» nuptialis poetc non inve- . Dipnnanphist. "See Putean. ppisl. Jl. de sua Mar-
Diunt falMilas. aiit versus laudatos faciunt, nisi qui ab ((areta berouldiii, Slc. *° H<mi. i^li-ph. a|iol. pio It'-rod.
am re fuerii.t e.icilati. ".Martial, ep. 73. lib. "J "Tully orat. 5. ver. *• Kslli. v. " Mai. I. 47
»' Vir.'. Ki li'L'. 4. •• .Vone fhall excel me in p.i.iry, <« (Jravimiiniis r«-giii nejotiii nihil nine ain»"ii •■ii* fi>n-
iii-nh'T til*- 'rhr.iri.in Orpheus, nor Aixdio." * 'I'e. ' »fiini fecit, omne»que actiom-s »ua« scorlilln e.iiuiiani.
neri, arboribii^ auiicjruni noniiiia iiist ribente« ut siinul cavil, ^c. Nicb. Bellus. diicours. ittS. ii« aiuat.
CTMcaut. llrd. "d. R. ItAJO. >«Lab. 13. cap. .
Mem. 4. Prognostics of Love-Melancholy. 523
Sicilian tyrant, rejected all his privy councillors, and was so beaotieJ on xMirrha his
favourite and mistress, that he would bestow no office, or in ihe most weiiduiest
business of the kingdom do aught without her especial advice, prefer, depose" send,
entertain no man, though worthy and well deserving, but by htr consent- and he
again whom she commended, howsoever unfit, unworthy, was as higldy approved.
Kings and emperors, instead of poems, build cities; Adrian built Antmoa in Esjypt,
besides constellations, temples, altars, statues, images, &c., in the honour of his
Antintms. Alexander bestowed infinite sums to set out his Hephestion to all eternity.
■" Socrates professeth himself love's servant, ignorant in all arts and sciences, a doc-
tor alone in love matters, et quum alienarum reriim omnium scicniiam dijileretur,
saith "^ Maximus Tyrius, his sectalor, hujus negotii professor, Sfc, and this he spake
openly, at home and abroad, at public feasts, in the academy, in Pyrceo, Lyccco, sub
Platano, <5j-c., the very blood-hound of beauty, as he is styled by others. But I con-
clude there is no end of love's symptoms, 'tis a bottomless pit. Love is subject to
no dimensions ; not to be surveyed by any art or engine : and besides, I am of
"llaedus' mind, "no man can discourse of love matters, or judge of them aright,
that hath not made trial in his own person," or as MwesiS Sylvius '^ adds, " hath not
a little doted, been mad or love-sick himself I confess I am but a novice, a con-
templalor only, jYescio quid sit amor nee amo*^ 1 have a tincture ; for why should
1 l;e, dissemble or excuse it, yet homo sum, 6fc., not altogether inexpert in this sub-
ject, non sum prczceptor amandi, and what 1 say, is merely reading, ex aliorum forsan
iiiepliis, by mine own observation, and others' relation.
MEMB. IV.
Prognostics of Love-Melancholy.
What fires, torments, cares, jealousies, suspicions, fears, griefs, anxieties, accom-
pany such as ai-e in love, I have sufficiently said : the next question is, what will be
the event of such miseries, what they foretel. Some are of opinion that this love
cannot be cured, JVullis amor est medicaUlis herbis, it accompanies them to the
*°last, Idc7n amor exitio est pecori pecorisque magistro. "The same passion con-
sume both the sheep and the shepherd," and is so continuate, that by no persuasion
almost it may be relieved. *' " Bid me not love," said Euryalus, " bid the mountains
come down into the plains, bid the rivers run back to their fountains ; I can as soon
leave to love, as the sun leave his course ;"
*^ ■' Et prius jEquoribus pisces, et montibus umbra, I " First seas shall want their fish the mountains shade
Kt vohicrt-s (leenint sylvis, et murnmra venlis, W^oods sinj;iiig birds, the wind's mnrmurshall fade
auaiii luihi discedeiit formosie Amaryllidis igues." | Tiiaii uiy fair Amaryllis' love allay'd."
Bid me not love, bid a deaf man hear, a blind man see, a dumb speak, lame run,
counsel can do no good, a sick man cannot relish, no physic can ease me. JS'on
jirosunt domino quce prosunt omnibus arlcs. As Apollo confessed, and Jupiter him-
self could not be cured.
" " Omnes humanos curat raedicina dolores, I " Physic can soon cure every disease
Solus amor morbi non habet artiticem." | "^ Excepting love that can it not appease."
But whether love may be cured or no, and by what means, shall be explained in his
place ; in the meantime, if it take his course, and be not otherwise eased or amended,
it breaks out into outrageous often and prodigious events. Amor et Liber violenti
dii sunt, as =' Tatius observes, et eousque animum incendunt, ut pudoris oblivisct
coganl, love and Bacchus are so violent gods, so furiously rage in our minds, that
they make us forget all honesty, shame, and common civility. For such men ordi-
« Amoris famulus omnem scientiam diffitetur, aman- I nunquam mortuus est qui amat. ^n. Sylv. « Eurial.
d! tamen sescientissimumdoctorem agnoscit. « Serm. ep. ad Lucretiam, apud .^neam Svlvium; Rogas ut
fc. "auis horum scribere molestias potest, nisi qui araare deliciam ? rojia monies ut in planum deveniant
el IS alKiuantnin iiisanit ? « Lib. I. de non lemnen- | ut fonles fliimina repetanl ; lam possum te non amare
liis amoribus; opinor hac de re neminem ant desceptare i ac suuin PhtBbiis relmqueie cursum. -is Buchanan
recte posse aut judicare qui non in ea versatur, aut Syl. " Propert. lib. a. eleg. 1. «i Est orcns ilia
magnum fecerit periculum. 4s •• i am noi in love, nor vis, est imraedicabilis, est rabies iasana. s'Lib. 2.
do L know what love may be." "Semper moritur, |
524 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Svc. 2.
narily, as are thoroughly possessed with this humour, become insensati et insani. [or
it is ^^aiiior Insanus^ as the poet calls it, beside themselves, and as I have proved, m>
better than beasts, irrational, stupid, head-strong, void of fear of God or men, they
frequently forswear themselves, spend, steal, commit incests, rapes, adulteries, mur-
ders, depopulate towns, cities, countries, to satisfy their lust.
M" A devil 'tis, and inischief such doth work.
As never yet did Pagan, Jew, or Turli."
The wars of Troy may be a sufficient witness; and as Appian, lih. 5. hist, saiih of
Antony and Cleopatra, *^'-' Their love brouoht themselves and all Egypt into extreme
and miserable calamities," '*■ the end of her is as bitter as worm-wood, and as sharp as a
two-edged sword," Prov. v. 4, 5. " Her feet go down to death, her steps lead on to hell.
She is more bitter than death, ^^Ecdes. vii. 28.) and the sinner shall be taken by her."
^ Qui in ainore prcrcipitavit., pejus peril., quum qui saxo salil. ^" He that runs head-
long from the top of a rock is not in so bad a case as he that falls into this gulf of
love." *• For hence," sailh ^" Plalina, '• comes repentance, ilotage, they lose them-
selves, their wits, and make shipwreck of their fortunes altoifelber :" machiess, to
make away themselves and others, violent death. Prognosticatio est talis., saiih Gor-
donius, "'si non succurratur iis, uut in maniain cndunt, aut moriunlur ; the prognos-
tication is, they will either run mad, or die. *' For if this f)assion continue," saith
*".tlian Monlallus, ^' it makes the blood hot, thick, and black; and if the inHauuna-
tion get into the biain, with continual meditation and waking, it so dries it up, that
madness follows, or else they make away themselves," "^ O Cori/don., Corydon., qu(Z
te dementia cepiif Now, as ArnoUIus adds, it will speedily work these eilects, if it
be not presently helped ; *'" They will pine away, run mad, and die upon a sud-
den ;" Facile incidunt in maniam., saiili \'alescus, quickly mad, nisi succurratur, if
good order be not taken,
«"Eh'-u iriiite Jugiini quirijiiiii aiiiririji hah^l, I '• Oh h'-avy yoke of love, which who^o bear*,
U |iriu!> uc nuril at- peruke (><.-rit." | in quite undone, and that nl unawares."
So she confessed of herself in the poet,
•> *• inianiain priuMjuam luif sentiat, I " I shall he mad before it he perceived,
Vix pill iiitervallo i furore absuiu." j A hair-breadtli oiT scarce aui 1, now distracted."
As mad a.s Orlando for his Angelica, or Hercules for his Hylas,
" At ille ruehat quA pedes dueebant, funhundua, I " Me went he rar'd not whilher, mad he wai.
Nam illi ktvus Oeu« latus jecur laiiiabat." j The cruel God so turluied tiiin, alas!"
At the sight of Hero I cannot tell how many ran mad,
,.„,,. , , • . .. , 1 . J ii_ M I '• And whilst he doih conioal his erief,
<» Alius vulnus cclans insanit pulchntudine puellae. | Madnes. come. o„ h.m like a ihief."
Go to Bedlam for examples. It is so well known in every village, how many have
either died for love, or voluntary made away themselves, that 1 need not much labour
to prove it : ^'.Vtc modus aut requies nisi mors reperitur amor is : death is the com-
mon catastrophe to such persons.
*<"Mori mihi roiilingut. mm eriiin alia i "Would I were dead, for noueht, God kiiowi,
Lilieralio ab a-ruuinis fiierit ullo pacto istia." | But death can rid me of these wo<?s."
As soon as Eurvalus departed from Senes, Lucrelia, his paramour, " never looked
up, no jests could exhilarate her sad mind, no joys comfort her wounded and dis-
tressed soul, but a little after she fell sick and died." But this is a gentle end, a
natural death, such persons commonly make away themselves.
" proprioque in san|;uine Irtui,
Indignanteiu aniiiiam vacua* etfudit in auras;"
SO did Dido; Sed moriamur ait, sic sic juvat ire per umbras;" Pyramus and Thisbe,
B Virg. Eel. 3. •• R. T. « Qui qiiidem amor [ Corydon ! what madness poMe««»"« yon ?" •'Insani
airoNi|iie et totam Esyptum extremis calamitatihns , fiunt aut siln i|i«m desperanies inorlcm atr>-ruut. I..aa>
involvit. *^ HIaiiliis. •« L't corpus pondtre, sic ! f>uente!< Lito mortem aiit inaniain paliuiiliir. *i'«l-
■Diinusamnre priecipitatur. Austin. I. '2. deciv.dei. c.-J8. I r.agninus. •> l..ucian Imaf;. S» for Lurian's iiii'>tr>-t.s,
"Dial, hincuriciir |Ki.-niteiilia dtrperatio, el non vident
• Bdellium »e cum re siniul anii--ii-!ie. ^ Idem Sava-
narola, et phirrs alii, tic. Rahidam facturus UrfXiii.
Juven. tii';ip i!.- llfroico Aoiore. ilx-c piissio duranii
languineiii torrnluni et atrabiliaruiii redilit ; hir vero
ad cereliruiii i:>'latu*, iiisaniau) parat, vigitia el crcbro
dOMderto ci.Kcaua. • Virj. Egl. 2. - Oh Corydon,
all that saw her, and cuuld nut eiijo> Itrr. ran iii
hanged themwlves. •«.\lti'';'M« ■ i n i.l M, • 'o
iCneas Sylvius. Ad ejus dei
crelia ridere, nullis lacetiis
ad Ictitiam renovari. mux III . „
brevi conlabiiit. «• .Anacreon. '• liui !• i nif- Uie, »(ic
■ays, ttau* ; ibua it is better ix> descend to tiic tbaUca."
Mem. 5. Subs. 1.]
Cure of Love-Melancholy.
535
liledea, ^ Coresus and Callirhoe, ^' Theagiiies the philosopher, and many myriada
besides, and so will ever do,
— " et mihi t'ortis
, est et ainor, dabit hie in viilnera vires."
' Whoever heard a story of more woe,
Tliaii that of Juliet and her Roiiiuo?"
Est luanu!;
Read Partheiiium in Erolicis, and Plutarch's amalorias narrationes, or love stories
all tending almost to this purpose. Valeriola, lib. 2. ohserv. 7, hath a lamentable'
narration of a merchant, his patient, " " that raving through impatience of love, had
he not been watched, would every while have offered violence to himself" Amatus
Lucitanus, cent. 3. car. 56, hath such '''another story, and Felix Plater, med. observ.
lib. 1. a third of a young '^gentleman that studied physic, and for the love of a doc-
tor'd daughter, having no hope to compass his desire, poisoned himself, ^^anno 1615,
A barber in Frankfort, because his Avench was betrotlted to another, cut his own
throat. ■''At Neobiirg, the same year, a young man, because he could not o-et her
parents' consent, killed his sweetheart, and afterward himself, desiring tliis^of the
magistrate, as he gave up the ghost, that they might be buried in one grave, Qnod-
que rogis superest una requiescat in nrnd, which ''^Gismunda besought of Tancredus,
her father, that she might be in like sort buried with Guiscardus, her lover, that so
their bodies might lie togetlier in the grave, as their souls wander about " Campos
lugenles in the Elysian fields, quos durus amor crudcli tube peredlf,'^ in a
myrtle grove
" "et myrtea circiim
Sylva tegit : curoe nun ipsa in morte relinquunt."
You have not yet heard the worst, they do not offer violence to themselves in this
rage of lust, but unto others, their nearest and dearest friends. ""Catiline killed hia
only son, misilque ad orci pallida., Uthi obnubila, obsita tcnebris loca^ for the love
of Aurelia Oristella, quod ejus miptias vivo Jilio recusarel. *' Laodice, the sister of
Mithridates, poisoned her husband, to give content to a base fellow whom she
loved.. *^ Alexander, to please Thais, a concubine of his, set Persepolis on fire.
^ Nereus' wife, a widow, and lady of Athens, for the love of a Venetian gentleman,
betrayed the city; and he for her sake murdered his wife, the daughter of a noble-
man in Venice. ^ Constantine Despota made away Catherine, his wife, turned his
son Michael and his other children out of doors, for the love of a base scrivener's
daughter in Thessalonica, with whose beauty he was enamoured. "Leucophria
betrayed the city where she dwelt, for her swee'theart's sake, that was in the enemies'
camp. ^Pithidice, the governor's daughter of Methinia, for the love of Achilles,
betrayed the whole island to him, her father's enemy. *' Diognetus did as much in
the city where he dwelt, for the love of Policrita, Medea for the love of Jason, she
taught him how to tame the fire-breathing brass-feeted bulls, and kill the mighty
dragon that kept the golden fleece, and tore her little brother Absyrtus in pieces,°that
her father iEthes might have something to detain him, while she ran away with her
beloved Jason, &c. Such acts and scenes hath this tragi-comedy of love.
MEMB. V.
SucsECT. I. — Cure of Love-Melancholy ^ by Labour, Diet, Physic, Fasting, S^-c.
Although it be controverted by some, whether love-melancholy may be cured,
because it is so irresistible and violent a passion ; for as you know.
** " facilis descensus Averni ;
Sed revocare gradiim, «uperasque evadere aU auras;
Hie labor, hoc opus est."
" It is an easy passage down to hell,
But to come back, once there, vou cannot well.'
*< Pausani;»s Achaicis, I. 7. "^ Me^arensis amore
flflgraiis I.i.L-iati. Tom. 4. '"Ovid. 3. met. 'i Furi-
bundus piiiiivit se videre imaginem puellte, et cor.Tni
loqui blandiens illi, &c. 'SJuven. Hebra-us.
" juvenis .Medicinas uperam dans doetoris filiani depe-
ribat, &,c. '^'Gotardus Arthns Gallobelgicus, nund.
vernal. IG15. rolluin novacula aperuit: et inde expi-
ravit. '=Ciim renut^nte parente utroque et ipsa
virgine friii non posset, ipsum et ipsam interfecit, hoc
a manistratu polens, iit in eodeni sepulchro sepeliri
possent. ''^Boccaccio. " Sedes eorum qui pro
amorig impatieutia pereunt, Virg. 6. i£nid. '* " Whom
cruel love with its wasting power destroyed." 's«'Anil
a myrtle grove oversliadinv thee; nor do cares rtdin-
quish thee even in death itself." «>Sal. Val.
f'Sabel. lib. 3. En. (i. "SCuriius. lib. 5. "Chal-
eocondilas de reb. Tuscicis, lib. 9. Nerei uxor .Athena-
rum domina. &c. *« Nicephorus Gres. hist. lib. H,
Uxorem occidit liberos et Michaelem liliuni viders
abhorruit. Thessalonicre amore captus pronotarii,
filiae, &c. t5 Parthenius Erot. lib. cap. 5. w Aeax
ca. 21. Gubernatoris alia Achillis amore capta civi-
tatem prodidit. »" Idem. cap. 9. * Virg..^n. 6
636 Love-Mel anclwly. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
Yet without question, if it be taken in time, it may be helped, and by many ^oof'
remedies amended. Avicenna, lib. 3. Fen. cap. 23. ct 24. sets down seven compen-
dious ways how this malady may be eased, altered, and expelled. Savanarola 9
principal observations, Jason Pratensis prescribes eight rules besides physic, how
this passion may be tamed, Laurentius 2. main precepts, Arnoldus, Valleriola, Alon-
taltus, Ilildesheim, Lungius, and others inform us otherwise, and yet all tending to
the same purpose. Tiic sum of which I will briefly epitomise, (^for 1 light my candle
from their torches) and enlarge again upon occasion, as shall seem best to me, and that
after mine own method. The tirst rule to be observed in this stubborn and unbridled
passion, is exercise and diet. It is an old and well-known sentence. Sine Cercre el
Baccho friget Venus \\o\e grows cool without bread and wine). As an "''idle seden-
tary life, liberal feeding, are great causes of it, so the opposite, labour, slender and
sparing diet, with continual business, are the best and most ordinary means to
prevent it.
" Otio pi tollas, periere Cupiiliiiis artes,
Ci>rilciii|jiu'>|ue jaceiit, et tiinc luct; lares."
Take idleness away, ami put to tti;ht
Are Cupiii'ii arts, Ins t»rcli>,-s give iiu light."
Minerva, Diana, Vesta, and the nine Muses were not enamoured at all, because they
never were idle.
' Friii'tra blanditic appulistis ad has,
Frii.'lra ni-<|iiiiix Vl-lll^tls ad has,
Friixtra deiiliie obsidebitis has,
Frusira has illecehrir, et pnicacitatM,
K( hu-'piriii, et iivciila, el susurn,
Ki i|'ii-i|iiiK mule sniia curda aiuanlutn
lllaiidis ehria faiicinal venenis."
' In vain are all ynur flatteries.
In vain are all yuur knaveriei,
Delights, deceits, prociicitu-s,
8ighs, kisfies, and cunspiracies,
And whate'er is dune liy art,
Td bewitch a lover's heart."
'Tis in vain to set upon those that are busy. 'Tis Savanarola's third rule, Occupari
in multis el magnis neguliis., and Avicenna's precept, cup. 24. *' Cedil amor rebus;
res, age lulus eris. To he busy still, and as "Guianerius enjoins, about matters of
great moment, if it may be. "Magninus adds, "Never to be idle but at the hours
of sleep."
Piifi«-as ante diem lihr
liileiiilai' aiiiniuni ktu
Invidici v.'l amiire iiii*'
', 11 nnn
meslis.
' Fur if thou d<>«t not ply thy book,
By cniiillivlu'lit ti> Htiidy hiiil,
Kinploy'd aboiii sonie lioiieRt thing,
Eiivv or luve shall thee torment."
No better physic than to be always occupied, seriously intent.
' Cur in pfiiates rari
Ha-c dflirutat eli^.
.MeiJiuiiii|ue annus s
' Why doft ihiiu n*k, poor folks are often free.
And dainty places still molested be?"
Because poor people fare coarsely, work hard, go wolward and bare. '^.Von habet
unde suum pauperlas pascal amorem. *^Guianerius therefore prescribes his patient
'• to go with hair-cloth next his skin, to go bare-fooled, and hare-legged in cold
weather, to whip himself now and then, as monks do, but above all to fast. Not
witli sweet wine, mutton and pottage, as many of those tender-bellies do, howsoever
they put on Lenten faces, and whatsoever they pretend, but from all manner of meat.
Fasting is an all-sufficient remedy of itself; for, as Jason Pratensis holds, the bodies
of sucli persons that feed liberally, and live at ease, **"are full of bad spirits and
devils, devilish thoughts; no better physic for such parties, than to fast." Hildes-
heim, spicel. 2. to this of hunger, adds, ""often baths, much exercise and sweat,"
but hunger and fasting he prescribes before the rest. And 'tis indeed our Saviour's
oracle, "This kind of devil is not cast out but by fasting and prayer," which makes the
fathers so immoderate in commendation of fasting. As "hunger," saith '** Ambrose,
" is a friend of virginity, so is it an enemy to lasciviousness, but fulness overthrows
chastity, and fostereth all manner of provocations." If thine horse be too lusty,
Hierome adviseth thee to take away some of his provender; by this means thosi-
""Otiuin nanfragiiim caslitati4. Austin. mqu. |^c, xOxmonibus referta sunt corpora nostra, illo
ch.iiian. Heiideca syl. »' Ovid lib. 1. rerned. •' L<ive i rum prtcipue qui delicatis vescuntur ed'iliiH. advolitant.
yi<-l,)s ti> business: be employed, and you 'II be safe" lei corporihus inlixreni ; hanc ob rem j>-juiiiiim im-
>" I '.ip. Itl. circar>'s arduas exerceri. »» Part i. c. -iX. I pendio probatitr ad pudicitinm. •• Viciii- -ii attenua-
rr<i. San. Mis, prseter horam soinni. nulla p<-r otiuni liis, balnei fre<|iien* usns et sudationcs. r.,l,i baths, not
lran4i'Hi. *• llor. lib. I. epi«t. 2. '» sViii-ca. hot, saith .Mai;niniis, p.irt 3. ca. -J-l. to dive over bead
•«•• Poverty has not th.? means of f>-edine her passion." and ears in a cold river, A.c. '"A-r. ile c>ila; fane*
Trarl. |r>. cap. I-'. s.-rpe nuda rarne cilicium p.irtent amira virEiiiitati est, inimica lasrivic: ■aiiirila* ^mf
tempore frit;ido sinf caligis. et nudis pedibus incedant,
in pane et aqua jejuneot, ficpius se verberibu* cxdanl,
eastilaleoi perdit, el nutrit illecebras.
Mem. 5. Subs. 1.]
Cure of Love-MelanchoJv.
527
Pauls, Hilaries, Anthonies, and famous anchorites, subdued the lusts of the flesh ; by
this means Hilarion "made his ass, as he called his own body, leave kicking, (so
' Hierome relates of him in his life) when the devil tempted hitn to any such foul
offence." By this means those ^Indian Brahmins kept themselves continent: they
lay upon the ground covered with skins, as the red-shanks do on heather, and dieted
themselves sparingly on one dish, which Guianerius would have all young men put
in practice, and if that will not serve, ^Gordonius "would have them soundly
whipped, or, to cool their courage, kept in prison," and there fed with bread and
water till they acknowledge their error, and become of another mind. If imprison-
ment and hunger will not take them down, according to the directions of that
■* Theban Crates, " time must wear it out ; if time will not, the last refuge is a
halter." But this, you will say, is comically spoken. Howsoever, fasting, by all
means, must be still used ; and as they must refrain from such meats formerly men-
tioned, which cause venery, or provoke lust, so they must use an opposite diet.
^ Wine must be altogether avoided of the younger sort. So ® Plato prescribes, and
would have the magistrates themselves abstain from it, for example's sake, highly
commending the Carthaginians for their temperance in this kind. And 'twas a good
edict, a commendable thing, so that it were not done for some sinister respect, as
those old Egyptians abstained from wine, because some fabulous poets had given
out, wine sprang first from the blood of the giants, or out of superstition, as our
modern Turks, but for temperance, it being animcc virus et vitionwi fomes. a plague
itself, if immoderately taken. Women of old for that cause, 'in hot countries, were
forbid the use of it ; as severely punished for drinking of wine as for adultery ; and
young folks, as Leonicus hath recorded, Var. hist. I. 3. cap. 87, 88. out of Alhenaeu3
and others, and is still practised in Italy, and some other countries of Europe and
Asia, as Claudius Minoes hath well illustrated in his Comment on the 2.3. Emblem
of Alciat. So choice is to be made of other diet.
' Nee minus erucas aptum est vitare salaces,
Et qiiicquid veneri corpora nostra parat."
' Eriiigns are not good for to be taken,
And all lascivious meats must he forsaken."
Those opposite meats which ought to be used are cucumbers, melons, purslain,
water-lilies, rue, woodbine, ammi, lettuce, which Lemnius so much commends, lib.
2, cap. 42. and Mizaldus hort. mcd. to this purpose ; vitex, or agnus castus before
the rest, which, saith ^ Magninus, hath a wonderful virtue in it. Those Athenian
women, in their solemn feasts called Thesmopheries, were to abstain nine days from
the company of men, during which time, saith ^lian, they laid a certain herb, named
hanea, in their beds, which assuaged those ardent flames of love, and freed them
from the torments of that violent passion. See more in Porta, Matthiolus, Crescen-
tius lih. 5. &c., and what every herbalist almost and physician hath written, cap. de
Satyriasi et Pria'pismo ; Rhasis amongst the rest. In some cases again, if they be
much dejected, and brought low in body, and now ready to despair through anguish,
grief, and too sensible a feeling of their misery, a cup of wine and full diet is not
amiss, and as Valescus adviseth, cum alid honesta vcnerem so'pe exercendo., which
Langius epist. med. Jib. 1. epist. 24. approves out of Rhasis (ad assiduationem coitus
invitat) and Guianerius seconds it, cap. 16. tract. 16. as a ^very profitable remedy.
10 '■ tumeiit tibi quum inguina, cum si
Ancilla, aut verna pra-sto est, tentigine rumpi
Malis? non ego nainque," &c.
" Jason Pratensis subscribes to this counsel of the poet, Excrefio cnim aut toilet
prorsus aut Icnit crgritudinem. As it did the raging lust of Ahasuerus, ^- qui ad im-
patirntiam amoris lenlcndam, per sivgulas fere noctcs novas puellas devirginavit.
And to be drunk too by fits; but this is mad physic, if it be at all to be permitted.
If not, yet some pleasure is to be allowed, as that which Vives speaks of, lib. 3. de
anima.., '^ " A lover that hath as it were lost himself through impotency, impatience,
■ Vita Hilarionis, lib. 3. epist. rum tentasset eum
daemon litillatioiie inter cetera, E^o inquit, aselle, ad
corpus suum, faciam, See. 'Slralio. I. 15. Geoji. suh
pellibus, cuhanl, &c. sCup. 2. part. 2. Si sit juvp-
nis, et non vult obedire, flagelletur frequenter et furli-
ter, dum inripiat foetere. *I.aertius, lib. 6. cap. 5.
amori iiiedelur fames; sin aliter, tempus; sin non Imc,
laqiieus. s Vina parant animos Veneri, &;c. « U.
de Legibus. 'Non minus si vinum bibissent ac si
adulterium admisisseiit, Gellius, lib. 10. c. 23. »Rer.
Sam. part. 3. cap. 23. Mirabilem vim h.nbet. »Cum
muliere aliqua gratiosa snpe eoirc eril ulilissimum.
Idem Laurentius, cap. 11. m Hor. "Cap.29.de
morb. cereh. la Bciroaldns orat. dc amore. i3 Ama-
tori, cujus est pro impotentia mens amota, opus est ul
pn-.ilatim animus velut a pereerinatione domum revoce-
tur per musicam, cnuvivia, &c. Per aucupium. fabd-
las, et icstivas narraliones, laborem usque ad sudorem
&c.
1)28 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
must be called home as a traveller, by music, feasting, good wine, if need be to
drunkenness itself, which many so much conunend for the easing of the mind, ali
kinds of sports and merriments, to see fair pictures, hangings, buildings, pleasant
fields, orchards, gardens, groves, ponds, pools, rivers, fishing, fowling, hawking,
hunting, to hear merry tales, and pleasant discourse, reading, to use exercise till he
sweat, that new spirits may succeed, or by soiue vehement afiection or contrary pas-
sion to be diverted till lie be fully M-eaned from anger, suspicion, cares, fears, Stc,
and habituated into another course." Semper tecum sj/, (as " Sempronius adviseth
Calisto his love-sick master) qui sermones joculares move at ^ condones r'ldlcnlna^ dic-
Ifria falsa., suaves historias.,fabulas venustas rccenseat., coram Judat, Sfc.., still have
a pleasant companion to sing and tell merry tales, songs and facele histories, sweet
discourse, Sec. And as the melody of music, merriment, singing, dancing, doth aug-
ment the passion of some lovers, as '^Avicenna notes, so it expelleth it in others,
and doth very much good. These things must be warily applied, as the parties'
symptoms vary, and as they shall stand variously affected.
If there be any need of physic, that the humours be altered, or any new matter
aggregated, they must be cured as melancholy men. Carolus ;\ Lorme, amongst
oilier questions (Uscussed for his degree at .Mnnipclier in France, hath this, ./in
amantes et amuntes iisdem remediis curenturf ^Vhethcr lovers and machncn be
cured by the same remedies.' he affirms it; for love extended is mere madness.
Such physic then as is prescribed, is either inward or outward, as hath been formerly
handled in the precedent partition in the cure of melancholy. Consult with Valle-
riola observat. lib. 'J. observ. 7. Lod. Mercatus lib. 2. cap. 4. de mulier. ujfecl. Daniel
Sennertus lib. I. part. 2. cup. 10. '"* Jacobus Ferranchis the Frenchman, in his Tract
■le amore Erutique, Forestus lib. 10. obserc. 29 and 30, Jason Ptatensis and others
or peculiar receipts, " Amatus Lucitanus cured a young Jew, that was ahnost mad
for love, with the sviup of hellebore, and such other evacuations and purges which
arc usually prescribed to black choler : "Avicenna confirms as much if need require,
and '*" blood-letting above the rest," which makes amantes ne jint amentes., lovers to
come to iluniselves, ajid keep in their right minds. 'Tis the same which Schola
Salernilana, Jason Pratensis, Ilildesheiin, itc, prescribe blood-letting to be used as
a principal remedy. Tho.se old Scythians had a trick to cure all appetite of burning
lust, by •'" letting themselves blood under ihe ears, and to make both men and women
barren, as Subellicus in his ^neades relates of tlieni. Which Sahnuth. Til. 10. de
Herol. comment, in Panciirol. de nov. report. Mercurialis, rar. lee. lib. 3. cap. 7. out
of Hippocrates and Bunzo say still is in use amongst the Indians, a reason of which
Langius gives lib. 1. epist. 10.
Hue faciunt medicamenta venerem sopientia, ut camphora pudendis alligata^ el in
hrachd gestata i^quidam ait) membrum Jlaccidum reddil. Laboravit hoc ihorbo virgo
nobili.s, cui inter ccptera prcescripsit medicus., ut laminam plumbeam multis foramini-
bus pertusam ad dies viginti portaret in dorso ; ad cxiccandum vero spcrma jussit
earn quam parcissime cibari., et manducare frequentur coriandrum pnpparalum., et
semen lacfuca: et acetosa., et sic eam a morbo liberavit. Porro impediunt et remittunt
coitum folia salicis trita et epola, et si frequentius usurpentur ipsa in totnm auferunt.
Idem prajstat Topatius annulo gestatus, dexterum lupi tesiiculum attritum, et oleo
vel aqua rosata exhibitum veneris tiedium inducere scribit Ale.xander Benedictus : lac
butyri comme-'tum et semen canabis, et camphora exhibiia idem pra?stant. Verbena
herba gestata libidinem extinguit, pulvisqu.-e ranaj decollatae et exiccata;. Ad extin-
guendum coitum, ungantur membra genitalia, et renes et pecten aqua in qua opium
Thebaicum sit dissolutum ; libidini niaxime contraria camphora est, et coriandrum
siccurn frangit coitum, et erectionem virgai impedit ; idem efficit synapium ebibilum.
Da verbenam in potn et nan erigetur virga sex die bus ; utere mentha sicca, cum aceto.,
genitalia ilbnita succo hyoscyami ant cicuta., coitus appelilum srdant., &iC. K. seminis
'actuc. portulac. coriandri an. oj. menlhce siccce ofi- sacchari albiss. 3iiij. pulreriscen-
lur omnia subtiliter, et post ea simul misce aqua neunpharis^f. confec. solida in moT'
'•Celfsliiiir, Acl. 2. Rarthio interpret. "Cap de I aliia quir aJ atram bilt-m pertinent. " P.irt'rtnr li
Illishi. Multu8 hoc afffctij Han.-it cantilena, la-titia, fjnn iliKp<j«iliij vt-nt-ril ad aduot. Iiiiin<^iri*. et ptilibiiio-
-nuaica , et q-ii'lain «tirit qiios hn-c angerit. " Tin* niiZ'-tur. >* Amantiuin iiiorhu* ut pruriiiii ••ilvilur
anttior rant*- t' niv hai>d^ sinct; Ihe third edition of Ihm venr *<-clione et cuciirbitiilii. * CufS A iret>« Mt
>>ok. "CVnt. 3. curat. 5(>. Syrupo helteborato et tione p«r aurea, unde Mmper •lerile*.
Mem. 5. Subs. 2.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 529
sulis. Ex his sumat mane unum quum surgat. Innumera fere his similia petas ab
Hildishemo loco prcedicto, Mizaldo, Porta, caeterisque.
SuBSECT. II. — Withstand the beginnings, avoid occasions, change his place : fair and
foul means, contrary passions, iviih witty inventions : to bring in another, and dis-
commend the former.
Other good rules and precepts are enjoined by our physicians, which, if n(
alone, yet certainly conjoined, may do much; the first of which is obsiare princi-
plis, to withstand the beginning, ^' Quisquis in primo obstitil, Pepulitque amorem
tutus ac victor flit, he that will but resist at first, may easily be a conqueror at the
last. Baltazar Castilio, I. 4. urgeth this prescript above the rest, '^^"when he shall
chanc(i (saith he) to light upon a woman that hath good behaviour joined with her
excellent person, and shall perceive his eyes with a kind of greediness to pull unto
them tliis image of beauty, and carry it to the heart : shall observe himself to be
somewhat incensed with this influence, which moveth within : when he shall dis-
cern those subtle spirits sparkling in her eyes, to administer more fuel to the fire, he
must wisely withstand the beginnings, rouse up reason, stupified almost, fortify his
heart by all means, and shut up all those passages, by which it may have entrance."
'Tis a precept which all concur upon,
""Opprirnc diim nova sunt suliiti mala scniina morbi, I "Thy quick disease, whilst it is fre=h to day,
Uum licet, in primo lumine siste pedem." | By all means crush, thy feet at first step stay."
Which cannot speedier be done, than if he confess his grief and passion to some
judicious friend^^ (qui tacitus ardet magis uritur, the more he conceals, the greater
is his pain) that by his good advice may happily ease him on a sudden ; and withal
to avoid occasions, or any circumstance that may aggravate his disease, to remove
the object by all means ; for who can stand by a fire and not burn .^
26 " Siissilite obsecroet mittite istanc foras,
Q.Uie misero mihi amanti ebibic sanguinem.''
'Tis. good therefore to keep quite out of her company, which Hierom so much
labours to Paula, to Nepotian \ Chrysost. so much inculcates in scr. in contubern.
Cyprian, and many other fathers of the church, Siracides in his ninth chapter, Jason
Pratensis, Savanarola, Arnoldus, Valleriola, &c., and every physician that treats of
this subject. Not only to avoid, as ^^ Gregory Tholosanus exhorts, "kissing, dal-
liance, all speeches, tokens, love-letters, and the like," or as Castilio, lib. 4. to con-
verse with them, hear them speak, or sing, (tolerabilius est audire basiliscum sibi-
lantem, thou hadst better hear, saith ^^ Cyprian, a serpent hiss) ^'" those amiable
smiles, admirable graces, and sweet gestures," which their presence affords.
* " Neu capita liment solitis morsiunculis,
Et his papillarum oppressiiinculis
Abstineant :"
but all talk, name, mention, or cogitation of them, and of any other women, persons,,
circumstance, amorous book or tale that may administer any occasion of remem-
brance. ^° Prosper adviseth young men not to read the Canticles, and some parts of
Genesis at other times ; but for such as are enamoured they forbid, as before, the
name mentioned. Sec, especially all sight, they must not so much as come near, or
look upon them.
3' " Et fiigitare decet simulacra et pabula amoris,
Abstinere sibi atque alio convertere menteni."
" Gaze not on a maid," saith Syracides, " turn away thine eyes from a beautiful
woman, c. 9. v. 5. 7, 8. averte oculos, saith David, or if thou dost see them, as Fici-
nus adviseth, let not thine eye be intenlus ad libidinem, do not intend her more than
the rest : for as ^^ Propertius holds, Ipse alimenta sibi maxima prcBbet amor, love as
" Seneca. ^ Cum in mulierem incident, qus cum
forma mornm suavitatem conjunctam habet, et jam
oculos perspnserit forms ad se imagineni cum aviditate
quadam rapere cum eadem, tc. ^ Ovid, de rem. lib.
1. 24 TEneas Silvius. 25 piautus gurcu. "Remove
and throw her quite out of doors, she who has drank
my lovesick blood." '6 Xom. 2. lib. 4. cap. 10.
Syitag. med. arc. Mira. Titentur oscula, tactus sermo.
67 2U
el scripta impudica, liters, &lc. ^ Lib. de singul
Cler. 2* Tarn admirabilem splendorem declinei,
cratiam, scintillas, amabiles risus, gestus suavissimos^
&.C. » Lipsius, hort. leg. lib. 3. antiq. lee. so Lib.
3. de vit. ccelitus compar. cap. 6. =' Lucretius. "U
is best to shun the semblance and the food of love, t»
abstain from it, and totally avert the mind from tb*'
object.'! «Lib. 3. eleg. 10.
530 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
a snow ball eiilargeth itself by sight : but as Plierome to Nepotian, out <^quliter ameu,
aut cEquaaier ignora.^ either see all alike, or let all alone ; make a league with thine
eyes, as "Job did, and that is the safest course, let all alone, see none of them.
Nothing sooner revives, ^^" or waxeth sore again," as Petrarch holds, " than love
doth by sight." '' As pomp renews ambition ; the sight of gold, covetousness ; a
beauteous object sets on fire this burning lust." Et multum saliens incitni nnda
sitim. The sight of drink makes one dry, and the sight of meat increaseth appetite.
'Tis dangerous therefore to see. A '^ young gentleman in merriment would needs
put on his mistress's clothes, and walk abroad alone, whicli some of her suitors es-
pying, stole him away for her that he represented. So much can sight enforce.
Especially if he have been formerly enamoured, the sight of his mistre.s.s strikes him
into a new tit, and makes him rave many days after.
3" " Iiitirniis causa pusjlla iif>cet,
Ut perie i.'Xiinctuiii ciiifri-ni hi BUl|iliuri- taiigae,
V'lvct. i-t I'l iiiiiiiiiiii ina.tiiiiiis ■••iiiii cnt :
Sic iii.'^i vitaliis i|iii>'(|iiiil reniivahil anion in,
Kliiiiiiiin rrcrudpiicrl, qua; iiitxlu nulla luil."
' A sirklv man a little lliiri!; ofT.'ml.s.
As briiiistoiie ilulh a tirt- diiayed renew.
Aiiil uiakfM II liiini al'ri'sli, iliiih lovi-'ii ilcuil flame«,
If thai llie fwriiiiT olijitt it review."
Or, as the poet compares it to embers in ashes, which the wind blows, ^' ut solet li
vntis, <^T., a scald head (as the .saying is) is soon broken, dry wood quickly kindles,
and when they have been formerly wounded with sight, how can they by seeing but
be inflamed ? Ismenias acknowledgetli as much of himself, when he had been long
absent, and almost forgotten his mistress, ^'"at the first sight of her, as straw in a
fire, I burned afresh, and more than ever I did before." **"Chariclia was as much
moved at the sight of her dear Theagines, after he had l)een a great stranger."
**'iMertiIa, in Aristamelus, sw«>re she would never love Paniphilus again, anil did
moderate lur passion, so long as he was absent ; but the next time he came in pre-
sence, she could not contain, efFuse amplexa attreclan sc sinil, Sfc, she broke her
vow, and diil profusely embrace him. Ilermotinus, ayoimg man ( in the .'iaid *' author)
is all out as imstaid, he had furgot his mistress quite, and by his friends was well
weaned from her love; but seeing her hy ch-dnce, agnnt'it vrtcris vesligiajittmmcp,
he raved amain. Ilia tarmn enifrocns veluti lucida siclla cepit elucere, <^c., she did
appear as a blazing star, or an angel to his sight. .And it is the common passion of
all lovers to be overcome in this sort. For that cause belike Alexander discerning
this inconvenience and danger that comes by seeing, "''when he heard Darius's
wife so much commended for her beauty, would scarce admit her to come in his
sight," foreknowing belike that of Plutarch, _/brmo«am videre periculosissimum, how
full of danger it is to see a proper woman, and though he Wcis intemperate in other
things, yet in this siiperhe sc gcssil, he carried himself bravely. And so when as
.\raspiis, in Xenophon, had so much magnified that divine face of Panthea to Cyrus,
""by how much she was fairer than ordinary, by so much he was the more unwill-
ing to see her." Scipio, a young man of twenty-three years of age, and the most
!»eautifLil of the Romans, equal in person to that Grecian Charinus, tir Homer's
Nireus, at the siege of a city in Spain, when as a noble and most fair young gentle-
woman was brought unto him, ""and he had heard she was betrothed to a lord,
rewarded her, and sent her back to her sweetheart." St. Austin, as ^^ Gregory reports
of him, nr cum sorore quidem sua putavil habilandunu would not live in the house
with his own sister. Xenecrates lay with Lais of Corinth all night, and would not
touch her. Socrates, though all the city of Athens supposed him to dote upon fair
Alcibiades, yet when he had an opportunity, *^solus cum solo to lie in the chamber
with, and was wooed by him besides, as the said Alcibiades publicly ^' confes.sed,
formam sprevit et superbe contempsit, he scornfully rejected him. Petrarch, that had
so magnified his Laura in several poems, when by the pope's means she was offered
*■ Job xxx\. Pepi;i r»iliis rum oeiiiiii niei« ne rogi- ' dnrui, I. 4. inflaiiimat mpnlem nnvii* axpectn*. prrinJe
tarem de virKiiie. >' Dial. 3. d»- cutiif mptu iniiiidi ; ac lems luali'tis: a>liiiiitu8, I'dariclia. Ac<:. •" K|ii»l li
nihil fariiius rerruJescil quani ainnr; ul pninpa visa 1.2. *' Epiot. 4. I.*.2. <- <.'iirtiiiri. Iih. 3. cum uxorem
reuovat aiiibili'>nein. auri species avaritiain, s|it^clata Darii laudalain aiidiviwet, laiitiini cupulitali lua' frr.
corpiiri' r>>riiia iiiceiulir luxuriam. >^ S<;iieca cont. | nuin iiijecil, ut illani vix vellci iiituen. of^ro.
lib. -J. Kiiit. <J. "Ovid. 1^ .Met. 7. ut miU'l ^ veiili« pcdia. cum ranthi-a- ruriiian evexiuel Ar«<puii. laiilo
• linieiiiu reitiiiiiere. qua-que I'avia sub indurta latuit . inai(i». iiiqiiit Cyru.-i ab*iiii>-ri. n|Mir|i-i. quaiilii |iii|r|iriiir
Kinlilli favilla Cre<ct're et in vetere:^ aeitata re«ur- ' e«l. « l.iviun rum i-aiii r>-eul<> ruidaiii drr|iMii.ar«ia
yere flaiiiiiia-4. » Ku.olalhn i. 3. a-ipeetun aniureai audivicMrt miineribu' cmiiil nam reiiiKit. >" Kp 39.
inceudil, ut marreiuren eni in palea ignem vciitua; lib. 7. <* Ct ea Inqui p<>«M-l qur Kill amalore* l«a|UI
•rilebam lulerea majorr concepto inccndiu. » ilcliu. aoicnt. <^ Plalonia Cunviviw.
Mem. 5. Subs. 2.J
Cure of Love-Melancholy.
531
unto him, would not accept of her. ''^"It is a good happiness to be free from this
passion of love, and great discretion it argues in such a man that he can so contain
himself; but when thou art once in love, to moderate thyself (as he saith) is a sin-
gular point of wisdom."
*'"• Nam vitare plagas in ntnoris ne jariamiir
Not! ita (lilficile est, qiiaiii capturii retilms ipsis
Exire, et valiiios Veneris pF'rruiipp<!re nodos."
" To avoid such nets is no such mastery.
But ta'en escape is all the victory."
But, forasmuch as few men are free, so discreet lovers, or that can contain them-
selves, and moderate their passions, to curb their senses, as not to see them, not to
look lasciviously, not to confer with them, such is the fury of this head-strong pas-
sion of raging lust, and their weakness, jfero^r iZ/e ardor a natura insifus, ^-'as he
terms it '^ such a furious desire nature hath inscribed, such unspeakable delight."
" Pic Diva? Veneris furor,
fnsanis adeo uieiitibus incubat,"
which neither reason, counsel, poverty, pain, miserj^, drudgery, partus dolor., t^-c, can
deter them from ; we must use some speedy means to correct and prevent that, and
all other inconveniences, which come by conference and the like. The best, readiest,
surest way, and which all approve, is Loci mulatio, to send them several ways, that
they may neither hear of, see, nor have an opportunity to send to one another again,
or live together, soli cum sola, as so many Gilbertines. Elongatio d patriJ., 'tis Sava-
narola's fourth rule, and Gordonius' precept, distraliatur ad longinquas regioncs., send
him to travel. 'Tis that which most run upon, as so many hounds, with full cry,
poets, divines, philosophers, physicians, all, mufet patriam : Valesius : '' as a sick
man he must be cured with change of air, Tully 4 Tuscul. The best remedy is to
get thee gone, Jason Pratensis : change air and soil, Laurentius.
'-•'Fiiee littus aniatuin.
Utile fiiiitiiujs alistiiiuisse locis."
I procul, et longas carpere perge viag.
— sed fuge tutus eris."
Travelling is an antidote of love,
51 " Magnum iter ad doctas proficisci cogor Athenas,
Ut me loiiga gravi solvat auiore via."
For this purpose, saith ^'^Propertius, my parents sent me to Athens; time and patience
wear away pain and grief, as fire goes out for want of fuel. Quantum oculis., animo
tain procul ihit amor. But so as they tarry out long enough : a whole year ^^Xeno-
phon prescribes Critobulus.,vix enim intra hoc tempiis ah amore sanari poteris : some
will hardly be weaned under. All this ^'' Heinsius merrily inculcates in an epistle to
his friend Primierus ; first fast, then tarry, thirdly, change thy place, fourthly, think
of a halter. If change of place, continuance of time, absence, will not wear it out
with those precedent remedies, it will hardly be removed : but these commonly are
of force. Felix Plater, observ. lib. 1. had a baker to his patient, almost mad for the
love of his maid, and desperate; by removing her from him, he was in a short space
cured. Isseus, a philosopher of Assyria, was a most dissolute liver in his youth,
paldm lascioiens., in love with all he met; but after he betook himself, by his friends'
advice, to his study, ant! left women's company, he was so changed that he cared no
more for plays, nor feasts, nor masks, nor songs, nor verses, fine clothes, nor no
such love toys : he became a new man upon a sudden, tanquam si priores oculos
amisisset., f saith mine ^* author) as if he had lost his former eyes. Peter Godefridus,
iti the last chapter of his third book, hath a story out of St. Ambrose, of a young
man that meeting his old love after long absence, on whom he had extremely doated,
would scarce take notice of her ; she wondered at it, that he should so lightly
esteem her, called him again, lenibal dictis animum., and told him who she was. Ego
sum., inquit: At ego non sum ego; but he replied, "he was not the same man:"
proripuit sese tandem, as *^ .Eneas fled from Dido, not vouchsafing her any farther
parley, loathing his folly, and ashamed of that which formerly he had done. ^"Aon
^ Iloliodorus, lib. 4. expertem esse ainoris beatitudo
est, at quiim captus sis, ad nioderatioiiem revocare
aiiimiim prudeiitia singularis. ^^ Lucretius. I. 4.
^ H;eiUis, lil). 1. de amor, coiitem. ^' Loci muta-
tione larit|uam non convalescens cnrandus est. cap. 11.
'-"Fly the cherished shore. It is advisable to with-
draw from the places near it." "Amorum, 1.2.
"Depart and take a long journey— safety is in flight
only." MQ,uisquig amat, loca nota nocent ; dies
a?gritudinem adimit, absentia delet. Ire licet procul
hiiic patrisque relinquere fines. Ovid. ^ I..ib. 3.
eleg. «). 56 Lib. 1. Sncrat. incmor. Tibi O Crito-
bule coMsiilo ut integrum aniiuiii absis. fcc. =' Pro.\i-
mum est ut esurias 2. ut moram temporis opfionas.
3. et locum mutes. 4. nt de laqueo cogites. 6« Phi-
lostratus de vita Sophistratum. •* Virg. 6. JR*.
^ Buchanan.
532 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 2.
sw/« stttllus ul ante jam JS^ccrra. "O Neaera, put your tricks, and practise hereafter
upon somebody else, you shall befool me no longer." Petrarch liuth such another
tale of a young gallant, that loved a wench witli one eye, and for that cause by his
parents was sent to travel into far countries, " after some years he returned, and
nieetiiiff the maid for whose sake he was sent abroad, asked her how, and by what
chance slie lost her eye.' no, said she, 1 have lost none, but you have found yt)urs:"
signifying thereby, that all lovers were blind, as Fabius saith, Amantes de forma
judicarc non possunt^ lovers cannot judge of beauty, nor scarce of anything else, as
they will easily confess after they return unto themselves, by some discontinuance
or better advice, wonder at their own folly, madness, stupidity, blindness, be much
abashed, '^ and laugh at love, and call it an idle thing, condemn themselves that ever
they shoidd be so besotted or misled : and be heartily glad they have so happily
escaped."
If so be (wliich is seldom) that change of place will not eflect this alteration, then
other remedies are to be annexed, fair and foul means, as to persuade, promise,
threaten, tcrrifv, or to divert by some contrary passion, rumour, tah's, news, or some
witty invention to alter his allk-tion, *' '• by some greater sorrow to drive out the less,"
saitli Gordonius, a.H that his house is on rtre, his best friends dead, his money stolen.
'-"That he is made some great governor, or hath some honour, olhce, some iidierit-
ance is befallen him." He shall lie a knight, a baron ; or by some false accusation,
as they do to such as have tlie hiccup, to make them forget it. St. Ilierome. lib. 'Z.
episl. 16. to Rusticus the monk, hath an instance of a young man o( Greece, that
hved in a monastery in Egypt, "•• that by no labour, Jio continence, no persuasion,
could be diverted, but at last by this trick he was delivered. The abbot sets one of
his convent to quarrel with him, and with some scandalous reproach or other to
defame him before company, and then to come and complain linst, the witnesses
were likewise suborned for the |)lainttt}' The young man wept, and when all were
against him, the abbot cunningly t<Kik his part, lest he should be overcome with
immoderate grief: but what need many words.' by this inventit>n he was cured, and
alienated i'rom his pristine love-thoughts" Injuries, slanders, contempts, dis-
g-races sprelcef/ue injuria furmte, "the insult of her slighted beauty," are very
forcible means to withdraw men's allt^ctions, contumelid uj/'ecli amatorcs aninrt; dfsi-
nutit, as "' Lucian saith, lovers reviled or neglected, contenuied or misused, turn love
to hate; *"" redeamf JS'on si me obsecrcty " I'll never love tliee more." Egonc il/am,
qua: ilium, quce me, qua non? So Zephyrus hated liyachithus because he scorned
him, and preferred his co-rival Apollo i^Pnlepluetus fab. .W/r. ), he will not come
again though he be invited. Tell him but how he wa.s scotled at behind his back,
('tis the counsel of Avicenna), that his love is false, and entertains another, rejects
him, cares not for him, or that she is a fool; a nasty quean, a slut, a vi.xen, a scold, a
devil, or, which Italians commonly do, that he or she hath some loathsome filthy dis-
ease, gout, stone, stranguary, falling sickness, and that they are hereditary, not to be
avoided, he is subject to a consumption, hath the pox, that he hath three or four in-
curable tetters, issues; that she is bald, her breath stinks, she is mad by inheritance,
and so are all tbe kindred, a hair-brain, with many other .secret infirmities, which
I will not so much as name, belonging to women. That he is a hermaphrodite,
an eunuchv imperfect, impotent, a spendthrift, a gamester, a fool, a gull, a l)eggar,
a whorcmaster, far in debt, and not able to "maintain her, a connnon drunkard, his
mother was a witch, his father hanged, that he hath a wolf in his bosom, a sore
leg, he is a leper, hath some incurable disease, that he will surely beat her, he can-
not lufld his water, that he cries out or walks in the night, will stab his bed-fellow,
tell all his secrets in his sleep, and that nobody dare lie with him, his house is
haunted with spirits, with such fearful and tragical things, able to avert and terrify
any man or woman living, Gordonius, cap. 20. part. 2. hunc in modo consulit;
Paretur aliqua vetula lurpissima aspectu, cum turpi et vili hahilu : el porlcl subtwt
gremium pannum menflrunlcm, et dical quod amica sua sit ebriosn, et quod mingal in
*> AnniiiicifnlMr valUe triatia, ut major trUiilia poasil I monaiterii paler hac arxr wrvavit. Iiuperat cuidam »
minoreiii i>i>rii«care. *■ Aut quixl «il factun Reiies- (ocii*, iu. Flebal ille, oiniics nilvcraabantur; •■•lii^
callua, aiit hah>a( honnrpni iiiaeiiuiii. '-' Ailolntct^iid pal^r calnlt npiMini-rt-. nc abuii'laiitia irivlitu < -
GnK'M eral III t^ev |>li ctpiiolnn i|iii nulla niwriB iiiagiu- retur. ((ijid iiiuiia .' h<>c iiiveiilu curatu* e<l, ri j
tiidioe. nulla uariiiafiune dainiuaiu poterat ardare : | tiunibua prutinu avucatua- *< 'f uui. 4 -^ i i
Mem, 5. Subs. 2.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 533
lecto. et quod est epileplica et impudicia ; ct quod in corpore suo sunt excrescentice
enormes^ cumfoilore anhelitus, et alia, enormitates, quibus vetulce sunt edoclce : si nolit
his persuadcri, suhito extrahat ^pannum menslrualcin, coram facie portando, excla-
mando^ talis est arnica iua ; et si ex his non demiserif, non est homo., sed diabolus in-
carnatus. Idem fere, Avicenna^ cap. 24, de ciira Elishi, lib. 3,. Fen. 1. Tract. 4. Xar-
rent res immundas vetulce., ex quibus abominationem incurrat, et res ^^ sordidas et ho'c
assiducni. Idem Arculanus cap. IG. in 9. Rhasis., 8^-c.
Withal as they do discommend the old, for the better effecting a more speedy
alteration, they must commend another paramour, alteram inducere, set him or her
to be wooed, or woo some other that shall be fairer, of better note, better fortune,
bitth, parentage, much to be preferred, ^^'■'- Invenics ulium si te hie fastidit Alexis^''''
by this means, which Jason Pratensis wisheth, to turn the stream of affection another
way, '•<■ Successore novo truditnr omnis amor;'''' or, as Valesius adviseth, by ^"sub-
dividing to diminish it, as a great river cut into many channels runs low at last.
™'' //or/or ctut P^iriter binas habcatis arnicas,''^ Sfc. If you suspect to be taken, be
sure, saith the poet, to have two mistresses at once, or go from one to another: as
he that goes from a good fire in cold weather is loth to depart from it, though in the
" next room there be a better which will refresh him as much; there's as much dif-
ference of hcBC as hac ign'is ; or bring him to some public shows, plays, meetings,
where he may see variety, and he shall likely loathe his first choice : carry him but
to the next town, yea peradventure to the next house, and as Paris lost" (Enone's
love by seeing Helen, and Cressida forsook Troilus by conversing witli Diomede,
he will dislike his former mistress, and leave her quite behind him, as ''Theseus left
Ariadne fast asleep in the island of Dia, to seek her fortune, that was erst his loving
mistress. ''^JYunc primu/n Dorida vetus amator contempsi, as he said, Doris is but a
dowdy to this. As he that looks himself in a glass forgets his physiognomv forth-
with, this flattering glass of love will be diminished by remove ; after a little "absenca
it will be remitted, the next fair object will likely alter it. A young man in "Lucian
was pitifully in love, he came to the theatre by chance, and by seeing other fair
objects there, mentis sanitatem recepit, was fidly recovered, '^''and went merrily
home, as if he had taken a dram of oblivion." "A mouse (saith an Apologer) was
brought up in a chest, there fed with fragments of bread and cheese, though there
could be no better meat, till coming forth at last, atld feeding liberally of other
variety of viands, loathed his former life : moralise this fable by thyself. Plato, in
his seventh book De Leg'ibus., hath a pretty fiction of a city under ground, '® to
which by little holes some small store of light came; the inhabitants thought there
could not be a better place, and at their first coming abroad they might not endure
the light, agerrime solcm inlueri; but after they were accustomed a little to it,
'■^" they deplored their fellows' misery that lived under ground." A silly lover is in
like slate, none so fair as his mistress at first, he cares for none but her; yet after a
while, when he hath compared her with others, he abhors her name, sight, and
memory. 'Tis generally true ; for as he observes, ''^Pr'toremjlammam noeus ignis
zxlrudit; et ea multorum jiMura, ut prcescnles maxime ament, one fire drives out an-
other; and such is women's weakness, that they love commonly him that is present.
And so do many men; as he confessed, he loved Amye, till' he saw Floriat, and
when he saw Cyntliia, forgat them both : but fair Phillis was incomparaldv bevond
them all, Cloris surpassed her, and yet when he espied Amaryllis, she was his sole
mistress; O divine Amaryllis : qalm procera., cnprcssi ad instar, qucim e/''gans, qwlm
decens, S^x. How lovely, how tall, how comely she was (saith Polemius) till he saw
another, and then she was the sole subject of his thoughts. In conclusion, her he
loves best he saw last. '"Triton, the sea-god, first loved Lencothoe, till he came in
presence of Mila;ne, she was the commandress of his heart, till he saw Galatea: but
(as ^she complains) he loved another eftsoons, another, and another. 'Tis a thing
6« Hypatia Alwxandrina quendain se adnniantem pro- [ '< E tbeatro eeressus hilaris. ac si pharinacum obli-
lalis muliebriliu!- paiini-:, ct in (■uiii conjuctis ah ainoris vionis bibissetr "a Miis in cista iiatiis, &c. "° In
iiisaiiia lah.iravit. Siii.lHs (M Kuiiapiuj. «' Savaiia- 1 qucm e sp<:cu subterraiu;o iiuidjcuin luci.-* ilUbitiir.
rnia, r<-c. 5. <^ Via'. IaI.S. " V'oii will easjlv find
atiiiilinr if this Alexis disilauis you." e'j Distribiitio
ainnris liat in pliires, ad phi res aniicas animuin applicet.
'J Ovid. "I rcconiineml you to have two inisircsse.s."
" Higinus, sab. 43. " Petroiiius. " Lib. de salt.
' Oeplorahant eorum iiiiseriaiii qui ^nbterranei.s illi3
locis vitam dcgiint. "Talins lib. 0. '^Aris-
tiPiielus, epist. 4. «>CalcaiL'nin. Uial Galat. Mox
aliani prsiulit, aliam prxlalurus quain priuiurn occasio
arriserit.
2u2
534 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
whicfi, by Hierom's report, hath been usually practised. ^' " Heathen philosophers
drive out one love with another, as they do a peg, or pin with a pin. Wliich those
seven Persian princes did to Ahasuerus, that they miglit requite the desire of Queen
Vashti with the love of others." Pausanias in Eliacis saith, that therefore one Cupid
was painted to contend with another, and to take the garland from him. because one
love drives out another, ^'^ '•* Jilterius vires subtrahit alter anwr ;'''' and TuUy, 'A. JVat.
Dear, disputing with C. Cotta, makes mention of three several Cupids, all diflering
in office. Felix Plater, in the first book of his observations, boasts how he cured a
widower in Basill, a patient of his, by this stratagem alone, that doted upon a poor ser-
vant his maid, w hen friends, children, no persuasion could serve to alienate his mind :
they motioned him to another honest man's daughter in the town, whom he loved,
and lived with long after, abhorring the very name and siijht of the lirst. After the
death of Lucretia, *^Euryalus would admit of no comfort, till the Emperor Sigismond
married him to a noble lady of his court, and so in short space he was freed.
SrusKCT. III. — Hi/ counsel and persuasion., foulness of the fact ^ /«(■«%•, iromeyi's
faults, miseries of marriage, events of lust, t^c.
As there be divers causes of this burning lust, or heroical love, so there be many
good remedies to ease and help; amongst which, good counsel and persuasion, wliich
I .-'liould liave handled in the first place, are of great moujent, and not to be omitted.
Many are of opinion, that in this blind headstrong passion counsel can do no good.
'^"Umip ••iiiiii r>-a in le lu'qiit* confiliiiiii iirque uiodiliii I " Whirli Uiriic liath ni-ithrr jililciiiciit, or nil end,
ilul>et, iillu t-uiii cuiimIiu mgvtv iioii |M>lr«." | llutv iiiiiiulil ndvice ur cuuiiiiel it amend ?"
Quis enim modus adsil amori?''^ But, without question, good counsel and
advice must needs be of great n>rce, especially if it sliall proceed f:om a wise,
fatherly, reverent, discreet person, a man of authority, whom the parties do respect,
stand in awe of, or from a judicious- friend, of itself alone it is able to diveri and
suffice. Gordonius, the j)hysician, attri(»utes so much to it, that he wouhl have it
bv all means used in the first place. Ainoveulur ab ilia, consHio viri qnnn limpt,
ostendendo periculu saculi, judicium inf'erni, t^audia Paradisi. He would iiave some
discreet men to dissuade them, after the fury of passion is a little spent, or by ab-
sence allayed; for it is as inteinpeslivL' at first, to give counsel, as to comfort parents
w hen their children are in that instant departed ; to no purpose to prescribe nar-
cotics, cordials, nectarines, potions. Homer's nepenthes, or Helen's bowl, Stc. Ab7i
cessahit pectus lundere, she will lament and howl for a season : let passion have his
course awhile, and then he may proceed, by foreshowing the miserable events and
dangers which will surely happen, the pains of hell, joys of Paradise, and the like,
which by their preposterous courses they shall forfeit or incur; and 'tis a fit method,
a very good means; for what * Seneca said of vice, I say of love. Sine magistro dis-
citur, vix sine magistro deseritur, 'tis learned of itself, but " hardly left without a
tutor. 'Tis not amiss therefore to have some such overseer, to expostulate and show
them such abs^urdities, inconveniences, imperfections, discontents, as usually follow;
which their blinilness, fury, madness, cannot apply unto themselves, or will not
apprehend throuijh weakness; and good for them to disrlose themselves, to give ear
to friendly ailmonitions. "Tell me, sweetheart (.«aith Try[)hena to a love-sick Char-
mides in **Lucian), what is it that troubles thee.'' pera<lventure I can ease thy mind,
and further thee in thy suit;" and so, without question, she might, and so mayest
thou, if the patient be capable of good pounsel, and will hear at least what may
be said.
If he love at all, she is either an honest woman or a whore. If dishonest, let him
read or inculcate to him that 5. of Solomon's Proverbs, Ecclus. 26. Ambros. lib. 1.
cap. 4. in his book of Abel and Cain, Pliilo Judreus de mrrcedc mcr. Platinas, dial,
in Amores, Espencaeus, and those three bot^s of Pet. Hcedus de cantem. amoribua,
'' E(>i>'t. lib. -2 111. Phil<>#nphi fiFculi veterera amnrein \ conjuniil. JEnr-ix* Sylviut lii^t. d<> Burvitto •! (.iirritin.
iinVii i|iia»i clav'im clavn rppelit-re, qu">d et Akuuito I •• Ter. "^ Virj. Vf\.-i. " For wli.il h. .• '"
r- ji "iiil.-iii priiicip«8 Pcr-nriiiii iVrere, ul VanHe rfei'ic ' "* Lit)- de brat. vil. cap. H. *■ I.-.". ,,,
df--! Itn.iiii jui r.- (•..iiiiMii!iarenl. "> Ovid. " Ont- ' longa dfSuel'idiiK- d^-dii'ci'iidiiiii »••< f ••
l.ivr iM lit" anf"h>*r." « Lutuhri ' lib. 3. >1 "• T"iii. 4. iJial. iii»-ri'l K>irl.i--.' rlKui i»<v»
V •:«(>■ J ' . noil uitiiii«it, doiifi' Oi'ir ad aiuorem itiuui cunuihil coiiluleru
ca du' I . :ijo«aii) virgiiieui uiatriiuoiiio ,
Mem. 5. Subs. 3.
Cure of Love-Melancholy.
535
JUneas Sylvius' tart Epistle, which he wrote to his friend Nicholas of Warlhurgu,
which he calls medelam illiciti cmoris, ^c. *^"For what's a whore," as he saith,
'.'but a poler of youth, a ^°ruin of men, a destruction, a devourer of patrimonies, a
downfall of honour, fodder for the devil, the gate of death, and supplement of hell.'"
^' Talis amor est. laqucus animce, Sfc., a bitter honey, sweet poison, delicate destruc-
tion, a voluntary mischief, commixtum ccBnu7n, stcrquilinium. And as •'- Pet. Aretine's
Lucretia, a notable quean, confesseth : " Gluttony, anger, envy, pride, sacrilege, theft,
slaughter, were all born that day that a whore began her profession •, for," as she
follows it, " her pride is greater than a rich churl's, she is more envious than the
pox, as malicious as melancholy, as covetous as hell. If from the beginning of the
world any were inula, pejor, pessi?na.) bad in the superlative degree, 'tis a whore;
how many have [ undone, caused to be wounded, slain ! O Antonia, thou seest
^^what I am without, but within, God knows, a puddle of iniquity, a sink of sin, a
pocky quean." Let him now that so dotes meditate on this ; let him see the event
and success of others, Samson, Hercules, Holofernes, &.c. Those infinite mischief?
attend it: if she be another man's wife he loves, 'tis abominable in the sight of God
and men; adultery is expressly forbidden in God's commandment, a mortal sin, able
to endanger his soul: if he be such a one that fears God, or have any religion, he
will eschew it, and abhor the loathsomeness of his own fact. If he love an honest
maid, 'tis to abuse or marry her; if to abuse, 'lis fornication, a foul fact (though
some make light of it), and almost equal to adultery itself If to marry, let him
seriously consider what he takes in hand, look before ye leap, as the proverb is, or
settle his aflections, and examine first the party, and condition of his estate and hers,
whether it be a fit match, for fortunes, years, parentage, and such other circum-
stances, an sit suoi Veneris. Whether it be likely to proceed : if not, let him wisely
stave himself off at the first, curb in his inordinate passion, and moderate his desire,
by thinking of some other subject, divert his cogitations. Or if it be not for his
good, as iEneas, forewarned by Mercury in a dream, left Dido's love, and in all
haste got him to sea,
94 " Mnestea, Surgestumque vocat fortemque Cloanthein,
Classeni apteiit taciti jubei"
and although she did oppose with vows, tears, prayers, and imprecation,
S5 " nullis ille mnvetur
Fletibus, aut illas voces tractabilis auiiit;"
Let thy Mercury-reason rule thee against all allurements, seeming delights, pleasing
inward or outward provocations. Thou mayest do this if thou wilt, pater non de-
perit filiam, nee frater sororem, a falher dotes not on his own daughter, a brother
on a sister; and why.' because it is unnatural, unlawful, unfit. If he be sickly,
soft, deformed, let him think of his deformities, vices, infirmities ; if in debt, let him
ruminate how to pay his debts : if he be in any danger, let him seek to avoid it : it
he have any law-suit, or other business, he may do well to let his love-matters alone
and follow it, labour in his vocation whatever it is. But if he cannot so ease him-
self, yet let him wisely premeditate of both their estates ; if they be unequal in
years, she voung and he old, what an unfit match must it needs be. an uneven yoke,
how absurd and indecent a thing is it ! as Lycinus in ^^Lucian told Timolaus, for an
old bald crook-nosed knave to marry a young wench ; how odious a thing it is to
see an old leecher! What should a bald fellow do with a comb, a dumb doter with
a pipe, a blind man with a looking-glass, and thou with such a wife.' How absurd
it is for a young man to marry an old wife for a piece of good. But put case she
be equal in years, birth, fortimes, and other qualities correspondent, lie doth desire
to be coupled in marriage, which is an honourable estate, but for what respects .'
Her beauty belike, and comeliness of person, that is commonly the main object, she
**Q,uid enim nieretrix nisi juventuris expilairix,
viroruin r.ipina seu mors; patriiiiniiii devtiratrii, ho-
iiuris periiicii'.-i, pahiilum diiiboli, jamia mortis, iiifi^rni
eiipplemeiitiim ? *> tJanguiiiem hominum snrhent.
•' Contemplalione Idiota', c. 34. discrimen vita", mors
Lluinia, mt'l selleum, dii.( i.- v<.-in-iium, puriiicies delicala,
matum spoiitaiieuiii, &,c. '- I'ornixlidasc. dial. Ital.
gula, ira, invidia, sup^rbia, sacrilegia, laCrocinJa,c>edes,
eo die nata sunt, quo primum nieretrix professionem
fecit. Superhia major quam opulenti ruslici, invidia
qiiam luis venera; inimicitia nocentior iiulanchnlia,
avaritia in immensiim prothnd.i. s3Qiiaii.< extra
sum vides, qualis intra novit Duns. *' V^irs. '• He
calls Mnpstlieus. Siirsestus, and the brave Cioanthus,
and orders them silently to prepare the l!t..t." '= " He
is moved by no tears, he cannot he ■ idiiced to hear her
words." 96 Tom. '2. in votis. Ca'vus cum sin, ndbuiu
habeas simum, &c.
536 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
la a most absolute form, in his eye at least, Cuiformam Paphia., et Charites triinif^e
decorum : but do other men affirm as much ? or is it an error in his judgment.
»■ •' Fallunt nos oculi vagique sensu3,
Oppressa ratione meiiliiinlur,"
" our eyes and other senses will commonly deceive us ;" it may be, to thee thyself
tipon a more serious examination, or after a little absence, she is not so fair as she
seems. Qucpdam videntur ct non sunt ; compare her to another standing by, 'tis a
touchstone to try, confer hand to hand, body to body, face to face, eye to eye, nose
to nose, neck to neck, Stc, examine every part by itself, then altogether, in all pos-
tures, several sites, and tell me how thou likcst her. It may be not she, that is so
fair, but her coats, or put another in her clothes, and she will seem all out as fair;
as the *** poet then prescribes, separate her from her clothes : suppose thou saw her
in a base beggar's weed, or else dressed in some old hirsute attires out of fashion,
foul linen, coarse raiment, besmeared with soot, colly, perfumed with opoponax,
sagapenum, assafcfitida, or some such fdthy gums, dirty, about some indecent action
or other; or in such a case as ■* Brassivola, tlie physician, found Malatasta, his pa-
tient, after a potion of hellebore, which he had prescribed : jManibus in terrain dcpo-
sitts, et ano versus cceluin elcvato (uc si vidcrctur Socraticus ille ^iristop/unies, qui
Geomeiricas figuras in terrain scribens, tubera coUigere videbatur) atram bilem in
album parietern injiciebat, adeoquc totam cameram^ et se delurpubat^ ut,, ^c? all to
bewrayed, or worse; if thou saw'st her (I say) would thou allect her as thou dost?
Suppose thou beheldest her in a ""frosty morning, in cold weather, in some passion
or perturbation of mind, weeping, chating. Sic, riveled and ill-favoured to behold.
She many times that in a composed look seems so amiable and delicious, tarn sciluld
formci, if she do but laugl) or smile, makes an ugly sj)arrow-mouthed face, and
shows a pair of uneven, loathsome, rotten, foul teeth : she hath a black skin, gouty
legs, a deformed crooked carcass under a tine coat. It may be for all her costly
tires she is bald, and though slie seem so fair by dark, by candle-light, or afar off at
such a distance, as Callicratides observed in ' Lucian, '• If thou should see her near,
or in a morning, she would appear more ugly than a beast;" ^ si diligcntcr conside-
res, quid per os el narcs et cceteros corporis meatus egreditur^ vilius sterquilinium
nunquam vidisti. Follow my counsel, see her undressed, see her, if it be possible,
out of her attires, yHr/a'Js nudalam coloribus, it may be she is like Aesop's jay, or
'Pliny's cantharides, she will be loathsome, ridiculous, thou wilt not endure her
sight : or suppose thou saw'st her, pale, in a consumption, on her death-bed, skin
and bones, or now dead, Cujus erat grutissiinus ample rus (whose endjrace was so
agreeable) as Barnard saith, erit horribilis uspectus ; JVon redolet, sed olet^ quce re-
dolere solet, "As a jjosy she smells sweet, is most fresh and fair one day, but dried
up, withered, and slinks another." Beautiful Nireus, by that Homer so nmch ad-
mired, once dead, is more deformed than Thersites, and Solomon deceased as ugly
as Marcolphus : thy lovely mistress that was erst * Cluiris charior ocellis, '• dearer
to thee than thine eyes," once sick or departed, is Vili vilior cEstimata ca^no., ''worse
than anv dirt or dungliill." Her embraces were not so acceptable, as now her looks
be terrible : thou hadst better behold a Gorgon's head, than Helen's carcass.
Some are of opinion, that to see a woman naked is able of itself to alter his
affection; and it is worthy of consideration, saith 'Montaigne the Frenchman in his
Essays, that the skilfulest masters of amorous dalliance, -appoint for a remedy of
venerous passions, a full survey of the body ; which the poet insuiuates,
• " Ille quoJ obscxiias in aperto corpore partem I •■ The love Blood »(ill. that run in full can-er,
Vultrat, 111 cursu qui l"uit. harbil amor." j When ducc it saw tlio»e parts »liij<il«l nul appear."
It is reported of Seleucus, king of Syria, that seeing his wife Stratonice's bald pate,
as she was undressing her by chance, he could never affect her after. Ileum ndus
Lullius, the physician, spying an ulcer or cancer in his mistress' breast, whom he so
dearly loved, from that day following abhorred the looks of her. Philip the French
1 I'llroiiiii*. "-Oviil. » Iti Calarliris. lib. 2.1 '• ll' you quiitly ri-flecl upon wh.nt pa :• luf
•ft-Si f^nt-at difornii*. eice foriiiosa est; hi fri^eat fir- moulli, nosiril.-i. and other roiiduili • "J
nii«!«a. jiiii .'IS inforiui*. Th. .M"rij8 Lpi::raiii. » .Anio i nevi-r »aw vikr »tiiff.' •Ilii'i. iial. i . ■* fly
r.iiD ilial tnin 4. i>i qui« ail au'uraiii cuiiii'inpletur luul- I that hath gulilcn vtiiigi but a poi^iiir.i r.:t. • Hu
I.I, iiiuli.-rei« a mxrce l-rt.) fuTivui'f. turpi >reii putabit ^ chanaa. Ueodeca^yL • Apul- pro Rem. sJtb. 'OvHt
CMC br»iii!>. * Hugo de claustro Aiiime, lib. I. e. 1. 1 2. rem.
Mem. 5. Subs. 3.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 537
king, as Neubrigensis, lib. 4. cap. 24. relates it, married the king of Denmark's
daughter, '"and after he had used her as a wife one night, because her breath stunk,
they say, or for some other secret fault, sent her back again to her father." Peter
Mattheus, in the life of Lewis the Eleventh, finds fault with our English ^chronicles,
for writing how JMargaret the king of Scots' daughter, and wife to Louis the Eleventh,
F)-ench king, was ob gravcolcntlam oris, rejected by her husband. Manv such
matches are made for by-respects, or some seemly comeliness, which after honey-
moon's past, turn to bitterness : for burning lust is but a flash, a gunpowder passion;
and hatred oft follows in the highest degree, dislike and contempt.
s " Ouiii se cutis arida laxat,
Fiunt obscuri dentes"
when they wax old, and ill-favoured, they may commonly no longer abide them,
Jam gravis es nobis, Be gone, they grow stale, fulsome, loathsome, odious, thou
art a beastly filthy quean, '"faciern Phcebe cacantis habes, thou art Saturni podex,
withered and dry, insipida et vcfiila, " Te quia rugce turjm?^, at capitis nioes, (I
say) begone, ^^portce patent, proficiscere.
Yea, but you will infer, your mistress is complete, of a most absolute form .in all
men's opinions, no exceptions can be taken at her, nothing may be added to her
person, nothing detracted, she is the mirror of women for her beautv, comeliness
and pleasant grace, inimitable, merce delicicB, meri kporcs, she is My rathe Hum Ve-
neris, Gratiarum pixis, a mere magazine of natural "perfections, she hath all the
Veneres and Graces, mille faces et mille fguras, in each part absolute and
complete, ^^ Lata genas, IcBta os roseum, vaga lumina lata: to be admired for her
person, a most incomparable, unmatchable piece, aurea proles, ad simulachruin ali-
cujus numinis composita, a Phccnix, vernantis cetatulce Venerilla, a nymph, a fairy,
'■•like Venus herself when she was a maid, nulU secunda, a mere quintessence, y?or^s
spirans et amaracum,foe)nina;prodigiu7n: put case she be, how long will she con-
tinue ? '^ Florem decoris singiiU carpunt dies : " Every day detracts from her per-
son," and this beauty is bonum fragile, a mere flash, a Venice glass, quickly broken,
18 •' Aiictps forma bonum mortalibus,
exigui doiiuiii breve temporis,"
it will not last. As that fair flower '"Adonis, whicli we call an anemone, flourisheth
but one month, this gracious all-commanding beauty fades in an instant. It is a
jewel soon lost, the painter's goddess, fulsa Veritas, a mere picture. "-Favour is
deceitful, and beauty is vanity," Prov. xxxi. 30.
>"" Vitrea gemniula, fluxaque bullula, Candida forma I " A brittle gem, bubble, is beauty palu.
Nix, rosa, funius, veiitus et aura, nihil," [est, j A rose, dew, snow, smoke, wind, air, nought at all."
If she be fair, as the saying is, she is commonly a fool : if proud, scornful, seqin-
turque superbia formam, or dishonest, rara est concordia formce atque pudicitice,
" can she be fair and honest too .?" '^ Aristo, the son of Agasicles, married a Spar-
tan lass, the fairest lady in all Greece next to Helen, but for her conditions the most
abominable and beastly creature of the world. So that I would wish thee to respect,
with ^"Seneca, not her person but qualities. "Will you say that's a good blade
which hath a gilded scabbard, embroidered with gold and jewels ? No, but that
which hath a good edge and point, well tempered metal, able to resist." This
beauty is of the body alone, and what is that, but as ^' Gregory Nazianzan telleth
us, "a mock of time and sickness .?" or as Boethius, ""as mutable as a flower, and
'tis not nature so makes us, but most part the infirmity of the beholder." For ask
another, he sees no such matter : Die mihi per gratias quails tibi videlur, " I pray
thee tell me how thou likvst my sweetheart," as she asked her sister in Aristenaitus,
'Post unam m ctcin incertum iinde rff'iisam cppit
propter foetciileui ijus epirituin alii c iciiit, vcl laten-
teni foeditateni rtpiidiavit, rem f.ieiuiis plane illiritam,
et regite personx multiini indecoraiii. BHall and
Grafton belike. s Juvenal. " When the wrinkled
skin becomes flabby, anil the t<'eth black." '" Mart, "r.pisi. /o. giaaium Donu(n uices, iioii cui mirtuirtiiis esi
"I'ully in Cat. " liecause wrinkles and lioary locks baltlieus, nee cui vagina geinmis dislingiiiliir. sed cui
disfit'ure you." '* Hor. ode. 13. lib. 4. '^ Locheus. ad setandum subtilis acies et mncro niunimentum
"" ■•■•' -■■—'•- '■••<- """ I ■.^u:..~ „.,„,.. omne rupturus. ai Pulchritudo corporis, .viDporis et
morbi ludibrium. orat. 2. *" Flornm muiabilitate
fugacior, nee sua natura formosas facit, sed speclau-
"Camerarius. emb. 68. cent. I. flos omnium pulchfrri-
mus stntiin languescit, forma; typus. '" Bernar.
Baulmsiiis Ep. I. 4. '^ I'ausanias Lacon. lib. 3. uxo-
rem duxit Sparlae mulierum omnium post Heleriain
f irmosissimam. at ob mores omnium tiirpissiinam.
** Epist. 7G. gladium bonum dices, non cui ileauratiis est
' li'-aiitiful cheeks, ro.-^y lips, ana languishing eyes
'-> Ciualis fiiit Venus cum fuit virgo, balsamum spirans,
ic. '^Seneca. is t<erieca Hyp. " Beauty is a gift .„5,„„ ^.. „,
31 dubious worth to mortals, and of brief duration," | tium inljrmitas,
53S
Love-Melancholy.
[Part. 3. Sec. 2.
*^" whom I so much admire, methinks he is the sweetest gentleman, the properest
iiian that ever I saw : but I am in love, I confess {iicc piidetf uteri) and cannot there-
lore well judge." But be slie lair indeed, golden-haired, as Anacreon liis Bathillus,
(to examine particulars) she have ^*Flammeolos oculos, coUaque Ictcteola, a pure san-
guine complexion, little mouth, coral lips, white teeth, soft and plump neck, body,
hands, feet, all fair and lovely to behold, composed of all graces, elegances, an ab-
.solute piece,
9i" Luniina sinl Melil^ Junonia, dextra Miiicrvee,
Maiiiillse Vetieri:). sura luuris (luiiiiutc," ice.
Let ^^ her head be froin Prague, paps out of Austria, belly from France, back from
Brabant, hands out of England, feet from Rhine, buttocks from Switzerland, let her
have the Spanish gait, the Venetian tire, Italian compliment and endowments :
'Caiiiliila ^iileriis ardescant luinina nainiiii.^,
6u(ieii( cdIU ro^as, et i-imIhI criiiiliun aiiruiu,
Melleu purpureia Ufproiiianl ura rutioreiii ;
Ful^eat, ac Venereni coelesli curpore vincat.
Forma liearuui oiiiiiis," 6i.c.
Let her be such a one throughout, as Lucian deciphers in his Imagines, as Euphanor
of old painted Venus, Aristainetus describes Lais, another Helena, Chariclea, Leu-
cippe, Lucrelia, Pandora ; let her have a box of beauty to repair herself still, such a
one as Venus gave Phaon, when he carried her over the ford ; let her u.-^c all helps
art and nature can yield ; be lile her, and her, and wliom thou wilt, or all these in
one; a little sickness, a fever ».."^ll-pox, wound, scar, loss of an eye, or limb, a
violent [)assion, a disiemperature of neat or cold, niars all in an instant, disligures
all ; child-bearing, old age, that tyrant time will turn Venus to Erinnys ; raging time,
care, rivels her upon a sudden; after she hath been married a small while, and the
black ox halh trodden on her toe, she will be so much altered, and wax out of
favour, thou wilt not know her. One grows to fat, another too lean, &c., modest
Matilda, pretty pleasing Peg, sweet-singing Suj^an, mincing merry Moll, dainty danc-
ing Doll, neat Nancy, jolly Joan, nimble Nell, kissing Kate, bouncing Bess, with
black eyes, fair Phyllis, with line while hands, fiddling Frank, tall Tib, slender Sib,
&.C., will quickly lose their grace, grow fulsome, stale, sad, heavy, dull, sour, and all
at last out of fashion. Ubi jam vultus argutia^ suuvis suuvitatio, blandiis, risiis, ^-c.
Those fair sparkling eyes will look dull, her soft coral lips will be pale, dry, cold,
rough, and blue, her skin rugged, that soft and tender superficies will be hard and
harsh, her w hole complexion change in a moment, and as ^ Matilda writ to King
lohn.
" I am not now as when thou saw'st me ludt,
Tbcit favour iMion ii> vani^ht'd and paiit ;
'I'lial roi>y blush lapl iii a lily vale.
Now 13 vnth uiorphew overgrown and pale."
^Tis SO in the rest, their beauty fades as a tree in winter, which Dejanira hath ele-
gantly expressed in the poet,
'Deforme gojis aspicis iruncis nemiis?
^ic niistra loiizuiii forma p<.-rcurreiis iter,
I>i>pi'rdit aliquid sem|>t--r. el fiilgi't minus,
Malistjue minus est quir(|uid in nobis fmt,
Oliiii petiluiii ct-cidit, el purtu labat,
Matertiue iiiullum rapuil ex ilia mihi,
,£tad Litalu s^-Mior eripuit graUu."
• And as a tree that in the green wood prows.
With fruit and leaves, and in the summer hlowf.
In winter like a slock ilefirnied chows:
Our bt-auty takes his race and journey i;nee.
And iloth decrease, and lose, and come to i-oughl,
Admir'd of old, to this by child-hirlh broug.x '
And mother hath bereft iiic of my erace.
And crooked old age coming on ap.ice."
To conclude with Chrysostom, *" When thou seest a fair and beautiful person,
brave Bonaroba, a bella donna^ qucB salivam nioveat, Icpidain putl/am et quain tu
facile aines, a comely woman, having bright eyes, a merry countenance, a shining
lustre in her look, a pleasant grace, wringing thy soul, and increasing thy concu-
piscence; bethink with thyself that it is but earth thou lovest, a mere excrement,
which so vexeth tliee, which thou so admirest, and thy raging soul will be at rest.
» Epi»i. 11- Quera ego depereo juvenis mihi pulche- i revpects a deity," tee. ■ M. Drayinn. •Senee.
riiiius videtur ; seil forsan aiiiore percita dj amore non ' act. 2. Here. Oeteus. " Vide* venurlain mulierem,
rr. (.- judico. « Luc. ISrugensis. •■ Brmht eyes and | fulgidum habenteiri oculum, vullu hilari uoruBf .inleig,
sn.Av whitf- ntck." >» Mem. " Let my Alelita's ey.s eximium queiidain a»pectum el deci.r.ui prj---- f^n-ii-
V like JunoV. her hand Minerva's, her breasts Venus", tern, urentem iiifiiiciii luam, el C' ■' ■• < •••»•
n^-r leg Ainphitile*"." '•*' Belielius ada^iis Ger. tem ; cogita terrain esue id iiuikI ni i
»' P.-tron. t'»t. •• Ijet her eyes be as bright as the stars, ' n» slercus, et ijiukI te urit. itc, c . ■>■
her neck smell likf the rose, her hair shine more than , f»-re jam rueoitam cavis gems, »?!■ i .... .- ...... i.>.is
g..l.l h. r hi. r. led lips be ruby coloured ; hi h.'r beauty I inlus phna >->t. piluitu. slerrure ; r. puia i|uid IOU«
tM rMiileuUeoI, auU auyviioi lo Veaus, let ber be >n all ; narea, oculo*. cerebruiu |e«Ut, HMna lurdc*, tie.
Mem. 5. Subs. 3.] Cure of Love-Melancholy 539
Take her skin from her face, and thou shall see all loathsomeness under it, that
beauty is a superficial skin and bones, nerves, sinews: suppose her sick, now riveled,
hoary-headed, hollow-cheeked, old ; within she is full of filthy phlegm, stinking,
putrid, excremental stuff: snot and snivel in her nostrils, spittle in her mouth, water
in her eves, what filth in her brains," &.c. Or take her at best, and look narrowly
upon her in the light, stand near her, nearer yet, thou shall perceive almost as much,
and love less, as ^'Cardan well writes, minus amant qui acute vidcnl^ though Scaliger
deride him for it: if he see her near, or look exactly at such a posture, whosoever
he is, according to the true rules of symmetry and proportion, those I mean of
Albcrtus Durer, Lomatius and Tasnier, examine him of her. If he be elcgans for-
viarum spectator^ he shall find many faults in physiognomy, and ill colour: if form,
one side of the ^ace likely bigger than the other, or crooked nose, bad eyes, promi-
nent veins, concavities about the eyes, wrinkles, pimples, red streaks, freckles, hairs,
warts, neves, inequalities, roughness, scabredity, paleness, yellowness, and as many
colours as are in a turkeycock's neck, many indecorums in their other parts; est
quod dcsideres, est quod a?nputes, one leers, another frowns, a third gapes, squints, Stc.
And 'tis true that he saith, ^^ Diligcntcr consideranti raro fades absoliifa, et quce
vitio caret, seldom shall you find an absolute face without fault, as I have often ob-
served ; not in the face alone is this defect or disproportion to be found ; but in all
the other parts, of body and mind; she is fair, indeed, but foolish; pretty, comely,
and decent, of a majestical presence, but peradventure, imperious, dishonest, acerha,
iniqua, self-willed: she is rich, but deformed; hath a sweet face, but bad carriage,
no brino-ing up, a rude and wanton flirt ; a neat body she hath, but it is a nasty
quean otherwise, a very slut, of a bad kind. As flowers in a garden have colour
some, but no smell, others have a fragrant smell, but are unseemly to the eye; one
is unsavoury to the taste as rue, as bitter as wormwood, and yet a most medicinal
cordial flower, most acceptable to the stomach; so are men and women; one is well
qualified, but of ill proportion, poor and base : a good eye she hath, but a bad hand
and foot, fceda pedes etfceda manus, a fine leg, bad teeth, a vast body, &c. Examine
all parts of body and mind, I advise thee to inquire of all. See her angry, merry,
lauffh, weep, hot, cold, sick, sullen, dressed, undressed, in all attires, sites, gestures,
passions, eat her meals, &c., and in some of these you will surely dislike. Yea, nol
lier only let him observe, but her parents how they carry themselves: for what
deformities, defects, incumbrances of body or mind be in them at such an age, they
will likely be subject to, be molested in like manner, they will patrizare or ma-
frizare. And withal let him take notice of her companions, in convictu (as Quiverra
prescribes), et quibuscnm conversciur, whom she conversetli with. J\''oscitur ex
comite, qui non cognoscitur ex sc.^ According to Thucydides, she is commonly the
best, de quo minimus for as habetur sermo, that is least talked of abroad. For if she
be a noted reveller, a gadder, a singer, a pranker or dancer, than take heed of her.
For 'what saith Theocritus?
»i '• At vos festivEB ne no saJtate puell;e.
El! mains liiicus adest in vos saltare parattis."
Tounor men wnll do it when they come to it, fauns and satyrs will certainly play
wreeks, when they come in such wanton Baccho's Elenora's presence. Now when
they shall perceive any such obliquity, indecency, disproportion, deformity, bad
conditions, &c., let them still ruminate on that, and as '^^Ilcedus adviselh out of Ovid,
earum mendas notent, note their faults, vices, errors, and think of their imperfections;
'lis the next way to divert and mitigate love's furious headstrong passions ; as a
p-eacock's feet, and filthy comb, they say, make him forget his fine feathers, and pride
ol' his tail ; she is lovely, fair, well-favoured, well qualified, courteous and kind,
^" but if she be not so to me, what care I how kind she be r" 1 say with ^ Philos-
irdius, formosa aliis, mihi superba, she is a tyrant to me, and so let her go. Besides
these outward neves or open faults, errors, there be many inward infirmities, secret,
some private (which 1 will omit), and some more common to the sex, sullen fits,
evil qualities, filthy diseases, in this case fit to be considered ; consideraiio fasditatis
s' Subtil. 13. wCariian. suhtil. lih. 13. 33 - show I de centum ainoribus, earum mendas volvant animo
me your company and I'll tell you who you are." | sK!pe ante oculos constituant, sa:pe damiient. * la
*■ '■ Hark, you merry maids, do not dance so, for see the I deliciis.
he-eoat is at hand, ready to pouDce upon you." >5 Ljb. 1
540 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
inulieniin, menstruse imprimis, quam immundae sunt, quam Savanarola proponit regula
septima penitus observandam ; and Platina did. amoris fuse perstringit. Lodovicus
Bonacsialus, mulieh. lib. 2. cap. 2. Pet. Ilaidus. Albertus, el infiniti fere medici. "A
lover, in Calcagninus's Apologies, wished with all his heart he were his mistress's
ring, to hear, embrace, see, and do I know not what : O thou fool, quoth the ring,
if thou wer'st in my room, thou shouldst liear, observe, and see pudenda et paini-
ienda, that which would make thee loathe and hate her, yea, peradveiiture, all women
for her sake.
I will say nothing of the vices of their minds, their pride, envy, inconstancy,
weakness, malice, selfvvill, lightness, insatiable lust, jealousy; Ecclus. v. 14. "No
malice to a woman's, no bitterness like to hers, Eccles. vii. 21. and as the .same
author urgetli, Prov. xxxi. 10. "Who shall find a virtuous woman .'" He makes a
question of it. JS'eqtie jus neque bonum, neque cequum sciunt^ rnelius pejus., prosit^
obsit, nihil vident, nisi quod libido suggeril. " They know neither good nor bad, be
it better or worse (as the comical poet hath it), beneficial or hurtful, they will do
what they list.
** " Ini-idiie huinani generin, qiieriinonia vite,
Exuvia: iiuctiA, duriMaiiiiu curii diei,
Pu:iia viruiii, iicl tt jmeiium," &,<:.
And to that purpose were they first made, as Jupiter insinuates in the '^ poet ;
"The fir« thut UM Proiiieltieu* utole from ine,
With plugui'S rall'il woiiieii bliull ri'Vt-iiged be,
Ou whiiriu alluring and (.'iiticin^ tacc,
four iiiorlulk dtiliiig bliall llu-ir dtalh embrace."
In fine, as Diogenes concludes in Nevisanus, JS'ulla estfcemina qua non habcat quid:
they have all their faults.
*' Every each of them hat\ tome CICM,
J/ one be full of ctUanit,
yinolker kulh a tiquon^h eye,
If one be full of leantuime^t,
Jinolker u u citderes*.
Wht.i Leander was drowned, the inhabitants of Sestos consecrated Hero's lantern to
Anteros, Anteroti sflcruw, *' and he that had good success in his love should light
the candle : but never any man was found to light it ; wliich 1 can refer to nought,
but the inconstancy and lightness of women.
<>>' For in a thouitand, gixxl there \t not one ; | In their own liiilf carried mn«t headlong blind,
All lie Ml pr'>iid. uiithuiikt'ul, and unkinil, Itut more h.-rein tn niKuk I >ini I'orbnMcii :
With tlinty heafl«, careW** of otlufr'b moan, | ijometiiue* lor bpeakin^ trulli one may be chidden."
I am not willing, you see, to prosecute die cause against them, and therefore take
heed you mistake mc not, *^ matronain nullam ego tango., I honour the sex, with all
good men, and as I ought to do, rather than ilisplease them, I will voluntarily take
the oath whicli Mercurius Britannicus look, Viragin. descript. tib. 'Z.ful. 95. Me
nihil unquavi malt Jiobilissimo sexui., vel verbo, vel facto machinaturum, t^-c, let Si-
monides, Mantuan, Platina, Pet. Aretine, and such women-haters bare the blame, if
aught be said amiss ; I have not writ a tenth of that which might be urged out of
them and others ; " non possunl invectiocR omnes^ et satires in feeminas scriptcr., uno
volumine cmnprehcndi. And that which I have said (to speak truth) no more con-
cerns them than men, th<»ugh women be more frequendy named in this tract; (to
apologise once for all) I am neither partial against them, or therefore bitter; what is
said of the one, viulato nomine., may most part be understood of the other. My
words are like Passus' picture in *^ Lucian, of whom, when a good fellow had be-
spoke a horse to be painted with his heels upwards, tumbling on his back, lie made
him passant: now when the fellow came for his piece, he was very angry, and said,
it was quite opposite to his mind ; but Passus instantly turned the picture upside
down, showed him the horse at that site which he requested, and so gave him satis-
faction. If any man take exception at my words, let him alter the name, read him
for her, and 'tis all one in eOect.
"Quum aniator annulum te arnica optaret, ut ejui
ainple.tu frill po«3et. Itc. U te mist^rnin ait aniiiiiiie. bi
mea^ vicra obireg, .idereft, nudi>»-s, &c. nihil non (mIio
dienuiii ii|i«ervares. ^Ludieus. •• S(iarf» of Uie
human »|H'cit':«, torments of life, sixiiU of the night,
hiilereal ca/e4 uf day, tlie torture uf huabauda, the rum
of jroutha." *8ee our English Taliiii, lib. L
"Chaucer, in Romaunt of the R<i»c. «' (iui w"
farilein in aniore probarit, banc Ruccendilo. At gui
succendat. ad hiinc dlrm repertu* nemo. Calcagniuua
«> Ario^to «> llor. M (.luigtopiL Funaeca
<* Eucuoi. OemotUteo.
Mem. 5. Subs. 3.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 541
But to my purpose : If women in general be so bad (and men worse than they)
what a hazard is it to marry ? where shall a man find a good wife, or a woman a
good husband ? A woman a man may eschew, but not a wife : wedding is undoing
(some say) marrying marring, wooing woeing : ^®"a wife is a fever hectic," as Sca-
iiger calls her, ••• and not be cured but by death," as out of Menander, Athenseus
adds,
•■ In pelagiis tc jacis neeotiorura, I " Thnu wadest into a sea itself of woes ;
Non Liliyum, noii /Egeurn, ubi ex triginta non pereunt In Lybyc and JEnean each man knows
Tria iiavigia: duceiis uxoreni servatur prorsus nemo." Of tl'iir'ty not three ships are cast away,
I Bat on this reck not one escapes, I say."
The worldly cares, miseries, discontents, that accompany marriage, I pray you learn
of them jiJiat have experience, for I have none; ^' nMBa^ iyio ■Koyovs iyivrjnufir^v, libri
mentis liheri. For my part I'll dissemble with him,
^ " Este procul nymphs, fallax genus este puelire.
Vita jugala meo non facit ingenio: me juvat," &c.
many married men exclaim at the miseries of it, and rail at wives downright; I never
tried, Init as I hear some of them say, *^Mare hand marc, vos mare acerrimum, an
Irish Sea is not so turbulent and raging as a litigious wife.
i<! •• Scylla et Charybdis Sicula contorquens freta, I '• Sc> lla and Charvbdis are less dangerous.
Minus e.<t tinienda, nulla non luelior fera est." | Tliere is no beast that is so noxiois."
Vv'hich made the devil belike, as most interpreters hold, wtien he had taken away
Job's goods, corporis etfortunce bona, health, children, friends, to persecute hun the
niore, leave his wicked wife, as Pineda proves out of Tertullian, Cyprian, Austin,
Chrysoslom, Prosper, Gaudentius, Sec. ut novum calamitatis inde genus viro existe-
ret, to vex and gall him worse quam toLus infernus, than all the fiends in hell, as
knowing the conditions of a bad woman. Jupiter non iribuit homini peslilentius
malum, saith Simonides : " better dwell with a dragon or a lion, than keep house
with a wicked wife," Ecclus. xxv. 18. '' better duell in a wilderness," Prov. xxi. 19.
•• no wickedness like to her," Ecclus. xxv. 22. '• She makes a sorry heart, an heavy
countenance, a wounded mind, weak hands, and feeble knees," vers. 25. '^ A woman
and deaih are two the bitterest things in the world :" uxor mihi ducenda est hodie, id
mihi visas est dicere, abi domum et suspende te. Ter And. 1. 5. And yet for all this
we bachelors desire to be married; with that vestal virgin, we long for it, *' Felices
nuptoi ! moriar, nisi nubere dulce est. 'Tis the sweetest thing in the world, I would
1 had a wife saith he,
" For fain would I leave a single life,
If 1 could get me a good wilV."
Heigh-ho for a husband, cries she, a bad husband, nay, the worst that ever was is
better than none : O blissful marriage, O most welcome marriage, and happy are they
tliat are so coupled : we do earnestly seek it, and are never well till we have effected
it. But with what fate ? like those birds in the ^^ Emblem, tliat fed about a cage, so
long as they could fly away at their pleasure liked well of it ; but when they were
taken and might not get loose, though they had the same meat, pined away for sul-
lenness, and would not eat. So we commend marriage,
"donee miselli liberi
Aspicimus dominam ; sed postquam heu janua clausa est,
Fel iiitus est quod mel fail :"
'' So long as we are wooers, may kiss and coll at our pleasure, nothing is so sweet,
we are in heaven -as we think ; but when we are once lied, and have lost our liberty,
marriage is an hell," " give me my yellow hose again :" a mouse in a trap lives as
merrily, we are in a purgatorj' some of us, if not hell itself. Dulce bellum inex-
pertis, as the proverb is, 'tis fine talking of war, and marriage sweet in contempla-
tion, till it be tried : and then as wars are most dangerous, irksome, every minute at
deatli's door, so is, Stc. When those wild Irish peers, saith " Stanihurst, were feasted
by king Henry the Second, (at what time he kept his Christmas at Dublin) and had
tasted of his prince-like cheer, generous wines, dainty fare, had seen his ^' massy
1* Febris hectica uxor, et non nisi morte avellenda.
'^Synesius, librns ego liberos genui Lipsius antiq. Lert.
lib. *»•' A vaunt, ye nymphs, maidens, ye are a
deceitful race, no married life for me," tc. *^ Plau-
tU8 Asin. act. 1. soSenec. in Hercul. =■ Seneca.
Amator. Emblem. 63 De rebus Hibernicis 1.3.
2V
^Gemmea pncula, argentea vasa, cslata candelabia,
aurea. &c. Concliileata aulsa, bucciiiaruni clangorem
tibiarum cantum, et symphonic suavitati^, majesta-
temque principis coronati cum vidisscat sella d^aurata
Sec.
512 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
plate of silver, gold, enamelled, beset with jewels, golden candlesticks, goodly rich
hangings, brave furniture, heard his trumpets sound, fifes, drums, and his exquisite
music m all kinds: when they had observed his majestical presence as he sat in pur-
ple robes, crowned, with his sceptre, Stc, in his royal seat, the poor men were so
amazeil, enamoured, and taken with the object, that they were pertcpsi domcstici et
prislhii tt/rotarchi., as weary and ashamed of their own sordidity and manner of life.
They would all be English forthwith ; who but English ! but when they had now
submitted tliemstlves, and lost their former liberty, they began to rebel some of tliem,
others repent of what they had done, when it was too late. 'Tis so witli us bache-
lors, wlien we see and behold those sweet faces, those gaudy shows that women
make, observe their pleasant gestures and graces, give ear to their syren tunes, see
them dance, Stc, we think their conditions are as line as their faces, we are taken
willi dumb signs, in aiiipkxum ruimus, we rave, we burn, and would fain be mar-
ried. But when we feel the miseries, cares, woes, that accompany it, we make our
moan many of us, cry out at length and cannot be released. If this be true now,
as some out of experience will inform us, farewell wiving for my part, and as the
comical poet merrily sailh,
M ■■ Perdutiir ille pessiiiic qdi ru-iiiiiiuiii I >* " Foul full him that hroupht the sernnd mntrh to paex,
l)ii\it Kt'ciiiiiluH. ii.'iiii nihil priiiio iiiiprecorl Thf tirsl 1 wioh no harm, poor iiiuii alas!
Igiiurutf ul puto mall priinuti liiit." | He knew not what he did, iiur what it was."
What shall I say to him that marries again and again, " Slulta maritali qui porrigit
oru capistroy I pity hini not, for the first time he must do as he may, bear it out
sometimes by ihe head and shoulders, and let his next neighbour ride, or else run
away, or as that Syracusian in a tempest, when all ponderous things were to be ex-
ontratfd out of the sliip, quia murimuni pirndus vrat, (ling his wife into the sea. But
tliis I confess is comically spoken, *"and so 1 pray you take it. In sober sadness,
•* marriage is a bondage, a thraldom, a yoke, a hindrance to all good enterprises,
('• he haih married a wife and cannot come") a stop to all preferments, a rock on
which many are saved, many impinge and are cast away : not that the thing is evil
in itself or troublesome, but full of all contentment and liappiiiess, one of the three
things wiiieh please God, *•"•* when a man and his wife agree together," an honour-
able and iiappy estate, who knows it not? If they be sober, wise, honest, as the
poet infers,
*' " Si commcHloa nanci«cantiir aninrea, I " If Hily nint'-h'd b>- man and wife.
Nullum us abest VuluptatiH genu*." | No pleasure's wuiiting to tlieir lif<-."
But to undiscreet sensual persons, that as brutes are wholly led by sense, it is a
feral plague, many times a hell itself, and can give little or no content, being that
they are often so irregular and prodigious in their lusts, so diverse in their afTeclions.
Uxor nomen dignitatis, nan voluptalis, as "he said, a wife is a name of honour, not
of pleasure : she is fit to bear tlie otlice, govern a family, to bring up children, sit at
a board's end and carve, as some carnal men think and say ; tliey had rather go to
the slews, or have now and then a snatch as they can come by it, borrow of their
neighbours, than have wives of their own ; except they may, as some jjriiices and
great men do, keep as many courtesans as they will themselves, fly out impime,
'^ Permolcre uxores alienas, that polygamy of Turks, Lex Julia, with Caesar once
enforced in Rome, (though Levinus Torrentius and others suspect it) uti uxores quot
et quas vclknt lictnty that every great man might marry, and keep a.s many wives as
he would, or Irish divorcement were in use : but as it is, 'tis hard and gives not that
satisfaction to these tmnal men, beastly men as too many are : *^' What still the .>iaine,
to be tied " to one, be she never so fair, never so virtuous, is a thing they may not
endure, to love one long. Say thy pleasure, and counterfeit as thou wilt, as ^ Par-
meno told Thais, JVeque tu una eris j<,ntenta, '"• one man will never plea.se ihee ;" nor
one woman many men. But as •*' Pan replied to his father Mercury, when he asked
•» Eutiulus in Crmil. Atheiirus dynosophist, 1. 13. e. I " Eeclu§. xiviii. I. •' Euripid<-a .Andromach.
3. 4« 'l'raii!.laiod l>y my broth.-r, Rul(.li Kurtun. »" Jii- " /Kliu* Veruii iinperalor. Spar. vii. i-jim. «» llor.
venal. •• Who ihrubl* hi« to<di.'<h nerk a second tune •• Uuml licet, ingralum ent. " For lu-ltir for wor»e,
liil.i tlw.' halter." «« Hue in i>|ieci<'iii dicta c.ive ut for richer lor (Hmrer, in mcknesn and in li'-iliii \.r. 'Iif
cr>->! I... ^ Barh>'loi8 alwa\g are the liraveKi men. durua iieriiio to a ««n«ual man. <■ T. r ml. I. tte.
B:i<'oii S<'ek eteriiiiy in memory, not in porlerity. like '2. tuiiiirh. <^ Luciaii. torn. 4. lieque cum una aliquA
£p«iiiinoiiili)ii. that iiiniead of children, left two great reui battere cootenliu furem.
TKtorie* b«hind biui, wbicti b« called bis two daughters.
Mem. 5 Subs. 3.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 543
whether he was married, JVequaquam pater, amator enim sum, Sfc. " No, father, no,
I am a lover still, and cannot be contented with one woman." Pythias, Echo, Me-
nades, and I know not how many besides, were his mistresses, he mi^ht not abide
marriage. Variolas delcctat, 'tis loathsome and tedious, what one still ? wliich the
satirist said of Iberina, is verified in most,
W'Uniis Iberiiia; vir sufficit? ocyua illud I "'Tis not one man will serve her by her will,
Extorquebis ut haec or.ulo contenta sit uno." | As soon she '11 have one eye as one man still."
As capable of any impression as materia 'prima itself, that still desires new forms,
like the sea their affections ebb ajid flow. Husband is a cloak for some to hide their
villany ; once married she may fly out at her pleasure, the name of husband is a
sanctuary to make all good. Ed ventum (saith Seneca) ut nulla virum habeat, nisi
ut irritet adulterum. They are right and straight, as true Trojans as mine host"?
daughter, that Spanish wench in ^^ Ariosto, as good wives as IMessalina. Many men
are as constant in their choice, and as good husbands as Nero himself, they must
have their pleasure of all they see, and are in a word far more fickle than any woman.
For either Ih'.y be full of jealousy.
Or masterfuU, or loven^ovelty.
Good men have often ill wives, as bad as Xantippe was to Socrates, Elevora to St.
Lewis, Isabella to our Edward the Second; and good wives are as often matched to
ill husbands, as Mariamne to Herod, Serena to Diocletian, Theodora to Theophilus,
and Thyra to Gurmunde. But I will say nothing of dissolute and bad husbands, of
bachelors and their vices ; their good qualities are a fitter subject for a just volume,
loo well known already in every village, town and city, they need no blazon ; and
lest I should mar any matches, or dishearten loving maids, for this present I will let
them pass.
Being that men and women are so irreligious, depraved by nature, so wandering
in their affections, so brutish, so subject to disagreement, so unobservant of marriage
rites, what shall I say t If thou beest such a one, or thou light on such a wife,
what concord can there be, what hope of agreement ? 'tis not conjugium but conjur-
^um, as the Reed and Fern in the ™ Emblem, averse and opposite in nature : 'tis
twenty to one thou wilt not marry to thy contentment : but as in a lottery forty
blanks were drawn commonly for one prize, out of a multitude you shall hardly
choose a good one : a small ease hence then, little comfort,
"1 " Nee inteerum unquara transiges K-etus diem." I " If he or she be such a one.
I Thou hadst much better be alone."
If she be barren, she is not &c. If she have '- children, and thy state be not
good, though thou be wary and circumspect, thy charge will undo thee, foiciindd
domnm tibi prole gravabil,''^ thou wilt not be able to bring them up, '*"-and what
greater misery can there be than to beget children, to whom thou canst leave no
other inheritance but hunger and thirst.'" '''"cum fames dominatur, strident vodes
roganlium panem, ])cnetrantcs jmtris cor : what so grievous as to turn them up to
the wide world, to shift for themselves .' No plague like to want : and when thou
hast good means, and art very careful of their education, they will not be ruled.
Think but of that old proverb, y;pu,uv rixia rt/^ara, hcronmfdii noxoi, great men's sons
seldom do well ; O utinam aul ccslebs mansissem, aut prole carerem ! "• would that
I had either remained single, or not had children," ''' Augustus exclaims in Suetonius.
Jacob had his Reuben, Simeon and Levi ; David an xVmnon, an Absalom. Adoniah ;
wise men's sons are commonly fools, insomuch that Sparlian concludes, J^'cminem
prope magnorum virorum oplimum et ulilem reliquisse ftlium : ^^they had been much
better to have been childless. 'Tis too common in the middle sort ; thy son's a
drunkard, a gamester, a spendthrift ; thy daughter a fool, a whore ; thy servants
lazy drones and thieves ; thy neighbours devils, they will make thee weary of thy
life. '**"If thy wife be froward, when she may not have her will, thou hadst belter
be buried alive ; she will be so impatient, raving still, and roaring like Juno in the
«e Juvenal. " jjb. 28. '"> Camerar. 82. cent. 3. ' famem et sitira. '* Chry.". Fonspca. " Libcri sibi
'» Simonides. " Children make misfortunes more | carcinomata. " Melius fuTat eus sine liberis discee.
bitter. Bacon. " ' She will sink your whole estah- sisse. ■» Lemnius. cap. G. lib. I- s=i morosa, si non in
lishment by her fecunditv." '* lleinsius- Epin. ( cmuiibus ol..=eqiiaris. omnia imp.icaia in a-dihiis. omnia
Frimiero. Nihil miseriii's quam procreare liberos ad sursuni inisceri viueas, multa tempestates, &c. Xjo. :^
quo8 nihil ex hcereditate tua pervenire videas prscter ' uumer. 101. sil. nup.
544
Love-Melancholy.
[Part. 3. Sec. 2.
tragedy, there's nothing but tempests, all is in an uproar.'" If she be soft and fool-
ish, thou wert better have a block, she will shame thee and reveal thy secrets ; if
wise and learned, well qualified, there is as much danger on the other side, nudierem
doctam ducere pericuIosissi7mtm, saith Nevisanus, she will be too insolent and pee-
vish, '^jyjalo Vcnusinam quum te Cornelia mater. Take heed ; if she be a slut, thou
wilt loathe her; if proud, she'll beggar thee, ^''she'll spend thy patrimony in
baubles, all Arabia will not serve to perfume her hair," saith Lucian ; if fair and
wanton, she '11 make thee a cornuto ; if deformed, she will paint. *' '• If her face be
liltliy by nature, she will mend it by art," alienis et adscilitiis ijnpostiiris., '^ which
who can endure ?" If slie do not paint, slie will look so lilthy, thou canst not love
her, and that peradventure will make thee dishonest. Cromerus lib. 12. hist, relates
of Casimirus, *-' that he was unchaste, because his wife Aleida, the daugliter of Ilenrv,
Landgrave of Hesse, was so deformed. If she be poor, she brings beggary with her
(saith Nevisanus), misery and discontent, if you marry a maid, it is uncertain how
she proves, IIccc forsan vcniet nan satis apta tibi.''^ If young, she is likely wanton
and untaught ; if lusty, too lascivious ; and if she be not satisfied, you know where
and when, nil nisi jurgia., all is in an uproar, and there is httle quietness to be had;
if an old maid, 'tis a hazard she dies in childbed ; if a ** rich widow, induces te in
luqueum., thou dost halter thyself, she will make all away beforehand, to her other
children, kc. ^'dominatn quis possil ferre tonantemf she will hit thee still in
tlie teeth with her first husbaiul ; if a young widow, she is often insatiable and im-
modest. If she be rich, well descemled, bring a great dowry, or be nobly allied, thy
wife's frientls will eat thee out of house and home, dives ruinain ccdibus inducit, she
will be s(j proud, so high-minded, so imperious. For riihil est 7nagis inlolcra-
bilc dite, '^ there's nothing so intolerable," thou shalt be as tlie tassel of a gos-liawk,
•^'•she will ride upon thee, domineer as she list," wear the breeches in her oligar-
chical government, and beggar thee besides. Uxores divites servitutem exigunt (as
Seneca hits them, dvclam. lib. 2. declam. 6.) Lfoteni accepi iniperiuin pcrdidi. They
will have sovereignly, pro conjuge dominam arcessis, they will have attendance, they
will do what they list. " In taking a dowry thou losest thy liberty, dos intrat,
libertas erit^ hazardest thine estate.
" H^ sunt atqun aliiF multae in inacniH ilutibui
l:icoiiiiii<itlitutt.-«, !iiiiii|i(ui>q>ie iiiluleiaLiile<," ice.
'• witli many such inconveniences :" say the best, she is a commanding servant ; thou
hadsl better have taken a good housewife maid in her smock. Since then there is
such hazard, if thou be wise keep thyself as thou art, 'tis good to match, much
better to be free.
w " procreare libercw lepicJi^rsimiiiii,
llrrcle veru liberum ea^;, id uiulto est It'pidiua."
"•'■ Art thou young ? then match not yet ; if old, match not at all."
" Vi8 juviuiis nubvre? nondum venit leinpui).
lnijravcsceiili! state jam ttiiipus prx'teriit"
And therefore, with that philosopher, still make answer to thy friends that impor
tune thee to marry, adhuc intempestivitm, 'tis yet unseasonable, and ever will be.
Consider withal how free, how happy, how secure, how heavenly, in respect, a
single man is, ^"as he said in the comedy, Et isti quod fnrtunatum esse aiitumant^
uxorem nunquam habui., and that which all my neighbours admire and applaud me
for, account so great a happiness, I never had a wife ; consider how contentedly,
quietly, neatly, plentifully, sweetly, and how merrily he lives ! he hath no man to
care for but himself, none to please, no charge, none to control him, is tied to no
residence, no cure to serve, may go and come, w hen, whither, live wh'^re he will,
\i\s own master, and do what he list himself. Consider the excellency of virgins.
"Juvenal. "I would rather have a Venu»inian
wencb than thee, Cornelia, mother of the Urarchi,"
Ax. «>Tfiiii. 4. AiiiorcH, oniiieiii mariti opiilriiitani
priifundet, lolaiii Araliiani rapillis reiliileii!<. " Iil<.-ni,
el quis janT (iii'iitu suslinere queat, Uc. "•'fulK-jtit
ancillaK quod uxor fjus deformior esstet. ^ " FiTliip*
•h*- «ill mit suit you." *<Sil. niip. I. 2. num. Vl5.
Dived indiirii it'iii|M-!4tatpm, pauper curain ; (luceim vi-
duaiu *K iiiilucit in laqueuin. "^ t'lc qui!U)ue dicil,
alteram ducil lamt-n " Who can endure a virago for
a wife ?" <^ ?i dotata erit, imperiofa, rontinuoquc
viro inequitare conabitur. Petrarch. "i If a woman
noiiriKh her hii»b.'iiiil. Khe ih ani;ry and impudent, and
full of reproach. Efcluit. nv. •.>•.•. Scilicet uiuri nuber*
nolo nieie. » I'lautun .Mil Glor. act 3. iic I. "To
be a father is very pl>-a»ant, but to be a frei-man ttill
moreio." ••Slobarm. IVr. tl«). Alex ab Aleiand. lib.
4. cap. 0. 00 riiey fliall attend the Innib in heaven,
becauae tbey were no* defiled with wuiuen, Apur 't. .
Mem. 5. Subs. 3.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 545
®' Virgo ccclum meruit, marriage replenisheth the earth, but virginity Paradise ; Elias,
Eliseus, John Baptist, were bachelors : virginity is a precious jewel, a fair garland, a
never-fading flower ; ^^ for why was Daphne turned to a green bay-tree, but to show
that virginity is immortal ?
63 " Ut flos in septis secretus nascitur liortis, I Sic virgo dum intacta manet, dum chara suis, sad
Isnotus pecoii, niillo contusus aratrn, Cum Castuiii amisit," &c.
Qiiarn inulciMit aurEE, firiiiat sol, ediicat imber, &.C. |
Virginity is a fine picture, as ^■' Bonaventure calls it, a blessed thing in itself, and if
you will believe a Papist, meritorious. And although there be some inconveniences,
irksomeness, solitariness, he, incident to such persons, want of those comforts,
gu(s cegro assideat et curct a>groium, f omentum pnre.f, roget medicum, (^'C, embracing,
dalliance, kissing, colling, &c., those furious motives and wanton pleasures a new-
married wife most part enjoys; yet they are but toys in respect, easily to be en-
dured, if conferred to those frequent incumbrances of marriage. Solitariness may
be otherwise avoided with mirth, music, good company, business, employment; in
a word, ^^ Gaudchit minus, et minus doleb'it ; for their good nights, he shall have
good days. And methinks some time or other, amongst so many rich bachelors, a
benefactor should be found to build a monastical college for old, decayed, deformed,
or discontented maids to live together in, that have lost their first loves, or other-
wise miscarried, or else are willing howsoever to lead a single life. The rest I sav
are toys in respect, and sufficiently recompensed by those innumerable contents and
incomparable privileges of virginity. Think of these things, confer both lives, and
consider last of all these commodious prerogatives a bachelor hath, how well he is?
esteemed, hov/ heartily welcome to all his friends, quam mentitis obscquiis, as Ter-
tuUian observes, with what counterfeit courtesies they will adore him. follow hinie
present him with gifts, hunialis donis ; "• it cannot be believed (saith ^^ Ammianus^
with what humble service he shall be worshipped," how loved and respected : " It
he want children, (and have means) he shall be often invited, attended on by princes
and have advocates to plead his cause for nothing," as ^'Plutarch adds. Wilt thou
then be reverenced, and had in estimation ?
"> "doininus tamen et domini rex
Si tu vis fieri, nulliis tibi parvuliis aula
Liiserit vEiipas. nee tilia dulcior ilia?
Jiicundiiin et cliariim sterilis facit uxor amicuni."
Live a single man, marry not, and thou shall soon perceive how thosr Hseredipetae
(for so they were called of old) will seek after thee, bribe and fiatter thee for lliy
favour, to be thine heir or executor : Aruntius and Aterius, those famous parasites in
this kind, as Tacitus and ^^ Seneca have recorded, shall not go beyond them. Peri-
plectomines, that good personate ohl man, deUcium scnis, well imderstood this in
Plautus : for when Pleusides exhorted him to marry that he might have children of
his own, he readily replied in this sort,
'•Q,uando ti.iheo multos cognatos, quid opus mihi sit
litieris?
Nunc bene vivo pt fortiinatfi, atq\ic aiiiinoiit lubet.
Mea bona nica niorte cognatis dicam interpartiant.
Illi apud nie Pdunt, me curarit, visunt quid agam,
ecquid vplim,
Qui mihi niitturit munera, ad prandium, ad ccenam
vocant." !
This respect thou shalt have in like manner, living as he did, a single man. But ii
thou marry once, '"" coo'i/ato in omni vita te scrvumfore, bethink thyself what a
slavery it is, what a heavy burden thou shalt undertake, how hard a task thou art
tied to, (for as Hierome hath it, qui uxorem liahet, debitor est, et uvoris servus alli-
gatus,) and how continuate, what squalor attends it, what irksomeness, what charges,
for wife and children are a perpetual bill of charges ; besides a myriad of cares,
" Niiptiffi replerit terrarn, virginitas Paradisum. Hier. ■ sertum inflniti precii, gemma, et pictura speciosa
' Whilst 1 have kin, what need [ brats to have?
Now I live well, and as I will, most brave.
And when I dii;. my goods I'll give away
To them that do invite me every day.
That visit me, and send me pretty toys.
And strive who shall do me most courtesies."
"Daphne in laurnm semper virentcm, immortalem
docet gloriam par.Ttam viniinibus pudicitiam servanti-
bu8. ^^Catul. car. nupliali. "As the flower that
grows in the secret inclosure of the garden, unknown
to the flocks, uiipressed by the plouglisliare, which also
the breezes refresh, the heat strengthens, the rain
makes grow: so is a virgin whilst untouched, whilst
dear to her relatives, but when once she forfeits her
chastity ," &c. m Diet, salut. c. 22. pulcherrimum
69 2V2
ss Mart. M Lib. 24. qua obsequiorum diversitate
colantur homines sine liberis. " iluncalii ad coenam
invitant, prinreps huic famulatur, oratores gratis pa.
trocinantur. Lib. de amore Prolis. ^ .Xntial. 1]
" If you wish to be master of your house, let no little
ones play in your halls, nor any little dausliter yet more
dear, a barren wife makes a pleasant and atfectionate
companion." "eo de benefic. 38. "»EGrieco
546 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
niifieries, and troubles ; for as that comical Plautus merrily and truly said, he thai
wants trouble, must get to be master of a ship, or marry a wife ; and as another
seconds him, wife and children have undone me ; so many and such infinite incum-
brances accompany this kind of life. Furthermore, uxor inlumtiit, &.C., or as he
said in the comedy, ' Ditxi tixorcm, quam ibi vitscriam vidi, nati Jilii, alia cnra. All
gifts and invitations cease, no friend will esteem thee, and tiiou shalt be compelled
to lament thy misery, and make thy moan with M^artiiolon)anis Schenrus, that
famous poet laureate, and professor of Hebrew in Wittenberg : 1 had finished this
work lon;^ since, but that inter alia dura et trislia qiuc viisero milii pene terguin frc-
gerunl^ (I use his own words) amongst many miseries which almost broke my back,
ovsiyia of) Xcntipismum.! a shiew to my wife tormented my mind above measnre, and
beyond the rest. So shalt thou be compeUed to C(im])lain, and to crv out at last,
with ^ Phoroneus tlie lawyer, ''How happy hail I bt'cn, if 1 had wanleil a wife!" if
this which 1 have said will not suffice, see more in Lemnius lib. 4. cup. 13. de occult,
nat. mir. Espensaeus de continent ia,, lib. G. cap. 8. Kornman dc virginilale,, Platina
tn Amor. dial. Practica artis atnandi., Barbarus de re iworiuy Arnisreus in polit. cap.
3. and him that is instar ovinium, Nevisanus the lawyer, Sijlca nuptial, almost m
every pa<:e.
SuBSECT. IV. — PliilterSj Magical and Poetical Cures.
Where persuasions and other remedies will not take place, many fly to unlawful
means, philters, amulets, magic spells, ligatures, characters, charms, which as &
wound with the spear of Achilles, if so made and caused, must so be cured. If
forced by spells anil philters, saith Paracelsus, it must be eased by characters. Mug
lib. '2. cap 28. and by incantations. Fernelius Path. lib. 6. cap. 13. ''Skenkiiis lib.
4. obseri'. mrd. hath some examj)les of such as have been so magically caused, and
magically cured, and by witchcraft : so saith i{a[)tisla Codronchus, lib. 3. cap. 9. de
mor. ven. Malleus malef. cup. 6. 'Tis not permitted to be done, I confess ; yet often
atteuipted : see more m Wierus lib. 3. cup. lb. de pnrstig. de remediis per philtra
Uelrio torn. 2. lib. 2. quast. 3. sect. 3. disquisit. magic. Cardan lib. 16. cop. 9iJ.
reckons up many magnetical medicines, as to piss through a ring, &.c. Mizaldus
cent. 3. 3U, iJaptista I'orta, Ja>on Pratensis, Lobelius pag. 87, Mallhiolus, &.C., pre-
scribe many ab^urd remedies. Radix mandragora ebibila:, Annuli ex ungulis Asini^
Stercus amalie sub cervical posilum, ilia nesciente., ^c, quiim odorem jadilalis senlit^
amor solcitur. JVoctuce ocum absteinios facit comeslum, ex consilio Jarl/ue Indorum
jyvinosoplustiP upud Philostratum lib. 3. Sanguis amasice ebibitus omntm amoris sen-
ium lollit : Kaustinam Marci Aurelii uiorem, gladiutoris amore captum, itu penitus
consilio Chaldaoruvi liberatam., refert Julius Capitolinus. Some of our astrologers
will eflt-ct as much by characteristical images, ex sigillis Jlermetis, Salomnnis^
Chaelis, 6rc. mulieris imago habtntis crines sparsos^ Sfc. Our old poets and fantas-
tical writers have many fabulous remedies for such as are love-sick, as that of Pro-
lesilaus'' tomb in Philostratus, in his dialogue between Phu-nix and \'initor: Vinitor,
upon occasion discoursing of the rare virtues of that shrine, telleth him that Prote-
-;Uaus' aliar and tomb *•• cures almost all manner of diseases, consumj)tions. drop-
sies, quarian-affues, sore eyes : and amongst the rest, such as are love-sick shall
there be helped." But the most famous is * Leucata Petra, that renowned rock in
tireece, of which Strabo writes, Geog. lib. 10. not far front St. Mauri-.s, saith Sands.
lib. 1. from which rock if any lover flung himself down headlong, he was instantly
cured. \'enus after the death of Adonis, •' when she could take no rest for love,"
' Cum resana suas torreret Jlamma medullas., came to the temple of Apollo to know
what she should do to be eased of her pain : Apollo sent her lo Leucata Petra, where
she precipitated herself, and was forthwith freed ; and when she would needs know
of him a reason of it, he lolil her again, that he had often observed 'Jupiter, when
iTer. Artelpli. " i have married a wife; what tniwry , veneficiii amore privati »unt, ut ex mullif ii«l<»riii
I hi-t rntaileJ upon me I soii.i wer.- h.irii, aiitl oiher pal>-t. »l'iirat oniiie» morb««, phlhi««?ii, hyilr«.pe» el
■ • lliiweil." » ltiii»-raria III iwaliiin iii»trucli"iiie oculorum nmrlM.!*. el ffbref|unrtaii.-i la'i<iraiile*<-l amore
■ rnui. ' liruroii, lit). 7. ?i. cap. Si uxor I eaplo*. iiiirM ariiliuit kim ili-miilcet • ' Tlie mora.
' n-iiil iiiilii a<l miiiimaii) reliciiatr-iii ilefniHsel. ' i«, vehement I'l-nr eipel* love." iCatullua. ittuum
• LjiiiiiK'iilir vimta* ex iiiraiilainciiloruiii uialrti<-iiii ; I Junoneni deperirel Jupilor impuienter, ibi aolitua
iM^ue «njiB fattula e*l. nonnulli r<-j>erli «unt, qui ex \ Uvare. Itc.
Mem. 5. Subs. 5.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 547
he was enamoured on Juno, thither go to ease and wash himself, and after him divers
others. Cephahis for the love of Protela, Degonetus' daughter, leapjed down here,
that Lesbian Sappho for Phaon, on whom she miserably doted. ^ Cupidinis cestro
percita e summo praceps ruit., hoping thus to ease herself, and to be freed of her
love pangs.
'" ilic se Deucalion PyrrhK suecensus amore
Mt-rsit, fit illceso corpore pressit aquas.
Nee mora, fugil aiiior,"&;c.
" Hither Dnucalion came, when Pyrrha's love
Tormented him, and leapt down to the sea.
And had no liarni at all, but hy and by
His love was gone and chased quite away."
This medicine Jos. Scaliger speaks of, ..iusoniariim leciionum lib. 18. Salmutz in
Pancirol. de 7. mundl niirac. and other writers. Pliny reports, that amongst the
Cyzeni, there is a well consecrated to Cupid, of which if any lover taste, his pas-
sion is mitigated : and Anthony Verdurius Imag.deornmde Ctt/fu/. saith, that amono-st
the ancients there was ^^Amor Lethes, '•'he took burning torches, and extinguished
them in the river ; his statute was to be seen in the temple of Venus Eleusina," of
wmcn Ovid makes mention, and saith " that all lovers of old went thither on pil-
grmiaije, that would be rid of their love-pangs." Pausanias, in '^Phocicis, writes
ol a I'jmple dedicated Veneri in speluncu, to Venus in the vault, at Naupactus in
Achaia (^now Lepanto) in which your widows that would have second husbands,
made ineir supplications to the goddess ; all manner of suits concerning lovers were
commenced, and their grievances helped. The same author, in Acliaicis, tells as
much ol the river '^Senelu.s in Greece; if any lover washed himself in it, by a
secret vu^ue of that water, (by reason of the extreme coldness belike) he was healed
of lover's lorments, ^'^Amoris vulniis idem qui sanat facif ; wiiich if it be so, that
w ater, as ne holds, is omni uuro pretiosior, better than any gold. Where none of
all these remedies will take place, I know no other but that all lovers must make a
head and rebel, as they did in '^Ausonius, and crucify Cupid till he grant their re-
quest, or sabsfy their desires.
SuBSECT. y —The last and best Cure of Love-Melancholy, is to let them have their
Desire.
The last efuge and surest remedy, to be put in practice in the utmost place, when
no other mc-ins will take etfect, is to let them go together, and enjoy one another :
potissima cwa est ut heros amnsia sua potiutur, saith Guianerius, caj). 15. tract. 15.
j^sculapius aimself, to this malady, cannot invent a better remedy, quam ut amanti
cedat amatun,'^ (Jason Pratensis) than that a lover have his desire.
" Et parit 't torulo bini junjantur in uno,
El pulcv./o detur ^nea; Laviiiia conjux."
" And let them both be joined in a bed.
And let JEneas fair Lavinia ued;"
'Tis the special cure, to let them bleed in vena Hymencea, for love is a pleurisy, and
if it be possible, so let it be, optataque gaudia carpant. " Arculanus holds it
the speedier c and the best cure, 'tis Savanarola's '^ last precept, a principal infallible
remedy, tiie last, sole, and safest refuge.
13" Julia S(jln potes nostras extiiigiicre flammas,
Non niv«., mn jjlacie, sed potes igne pari."
"Julia alone can quench my desire.
With neither ice nor snow, hut with like fire."
When you have all done, saith ^'' "Avicenna, there is no speedier or safer course,
dian to join the parlies together according to their desires and wishes, the custom
and form of law ; and so we have seen him quickly restored to his former health,
that was languished away to skin and bones ; after his desire was satisfied, his dis-
content ceased, and we thought it strange ; our opinion is therefore that in such
cases nature is to be obeyed." Areteus, an old author, lib. 3. cap. 3. hath an in-
stance of a young man, "' when no other means could prevail, was so speedily re-
lieved. Wiiat remains then but to join them in marriage }
• Menandor. " Stricken by the gadfly of love, rushed , Lepiduin poema. '^rjap. 19. de"morb. cerebri
headlonjj from the summit." '" Uvid. ep. 21. " Apud j i" Paliens potiatur re amata, si fieri possit, optima cura,
cap. 10. in 9 Rhasis. is Si nihil aliud, nuptiie et co-
pulatio cum ea. '9 petronius Catal. =»Cap. d»
Ilishi. Non invenitur cura, nisi regimen connexionis
inter eos. secundum modum promissionis, et Icgis. et sic
vidimus ad carnem restitulum. qui jam venerat ad are-
factionem ; evanuitcura po?tquani sensit &.C. -' Fama
est melanchoiicum quendam ex amore insanabiliter se
"Seneca. "The rise and iiabenteui, ubi puellx se conjunxisset, reslituluin, tc
i^Cupido crucifixus: i
aniKiuns amor Lethes olim fuit, is ardentes fceces in
profluentuni iuclinabat; hujus stalua Veneris Eleusina:
templo visebatur, quo anianles confluebant, qui amicse
memoriam depoiicre voleliant. '- Lib. 10. Vota ei
nuncupaiit ainatores. multis de causis, sed imprimis
vidua: mulieres, ut sibi alleras a dea iiuplias exposcaut.
"Rodfginus. ant. lect. lib. 16. cap. 25. callls it Selenns
Qmiii amore liberal. •
remedy of love the same."
u48 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
""Tunc et basia morsiunculasque
Siirrepliiii dare, inutiios I'overe
Aiiiplexus licet, et licet jocari ;" -f:
•■ lliey may then 'kiss and coll, lie and look babies in one another^'s eyes," as heir
sires before them did, they may then satiate themselves with love's pleasures, which
ihey have so long wished and expected ;
" Atque unn siniul in toro quiescant,
(.'"iijiiiicio siiniil ore ^iiavientur,
Et somiios a:.'iti'nt >|iiiete in una."
Yea, but hie labor., hoc opus, this cannot conveniently be done, by reason of man v
and several impediments. Sometimes both parties themselves are not a<)reed : parents
tutors, masters, guardians, will not give consent; laws, customs, statutes hinder:
jjoverty, superstition, fear and suspicion : mairy men dote on one woman, sewir,/ et
simtil : she dotes as much on him, or them, and in modesty must not, cannot woo,
as unwilling to confess as willing to love : she dare not make it known, show iter
affection, or speak her mind. '• And hard is the choice (as it is in Euphues) when
one is compelled either by silence to die with grief, or by speaking to live with
shame." In this case almost was the fair lady Elizabeth, Eilward the Fourth his
daugliter, when she was enamoured on fleiiry tlie Seventh, that ni>ble young prince,
and new saluted king, wheu siie broke forth into that passionate speech, -"^"0 that
I were worthy of that comely prince ! but nty father being deail, I want fi ieiuis to
motion such a matter! What shall I say? 1 am all alone, and dare not open my
mind to any. What if I acquaint my mother with it i bashfidness forbids. Wliat
if some of the lords ? audacity wants. U that I ntiglit Itut ronfer with him, perhaps
m discourse 1 might let slip such a word that might diseover mine inttMition !" How
many niodest maids ntay this coiuern, I anj a poor servant, what shall 1 i\o} I am
a fatherless child, and want means, 1 am blithe and buxom, young and lusty, but 1
have never a suitor. Expectant stolidi ut ego itlos rogalitm vtniani., as -* she said, A
companv of silly fellows look belike that I should woo them and speak first: fain
thev would and cannot woo, ^ffua: priinuin exordia sumami being merely pas-
sive thev mav not make suit, with many auch lets and inconveniences, wiiich 1 know
not ; what shall we do in such a case ? sing •• Fortune my foe .'"
St)nie are so curious in tiiis behall, as those old Romans, our modern A enetians,
Dutch and Frendi, that if two parlies dearly love, the one noble, the other ignoble,
they may not bv their laws match, though equal otherwise in years, fortune."', edu-
cation, and all good atlection. In Germany, except they can prove their gentility by
three descents, they scorn to match with them. A nobleman niu.>t marry a noble-
woman : a baron, a baron's daughter; a knight, a knight's; a gentleman, a gentle-
man's : as slaters sort their slates, do they degrees and tiiinilies. if she be never so
rich, fair, well qualhied otherwise, they will make him forsake her. The Spaniards
abhor all willows ; the Turks repute them old women, if past iive-and-twenty. Bui
these are too severe laws, and strict customs, dandum aliqnid amori, we are all the
sons of Adam, 'tis opposite to nature, it ought not to be so. Again : he loves her
most impotenilv, she loves not him, and so i: contra. *''Pan loved Echo, Echo
Satyrus, Saiyrus Lyda.
" Quantum ip<M>run> aliquia amantem oUerat.
Tanlum ipaiuit auians odiMuii eral."
••Thev love and loathe of all sorts, he loves her, she hates him ; and is loathed o!
him, on whom she dotes." Cupid hath two darts, one to force love, all of g(jld,
and that sharp, '" Quod facit uuratum est; another blunt, of le-ad, and that to
hinder; fug(i( hoc, facit illud amurem, "this dispels, that creates love." This
we see too often verified in our common experience. '"Choresus dearly loved thai
virgin Callvrrhoe but the more he loved her, the m«»re she hated him. Qlnone
loved Paris, but he rejected her : they are still" of all sides, as if beauty w ere ihrre-
lore created to undo, or be undone. I give her all attendance, all <ibservance, I pray
and mtreat, ^^Jilma pre.cor miserere mei., fair niisiresa pity me, I spend myself, my
MJovi'ati Pi.i.taiiu*. Ba«i. lib. I. a Hp^ed.- n hi?l. Acliaicii. lib. 7 I' flit* aniabal CallyrlMx-n vir-i.i.m
« !M. H. iU-r. Aiirlrt-*. >' I.iicrrlia in ('a!li-!itiiia, act. I et qu-iiili> ftal (.'Imr.-si amor v<-h>iin-iii i..r crai i i ii'
|;». Ujrlliio iriii-rprfi. » Virg. 4 A^n. •■ llow shall ' erai puel* animii» ab cjua ainure alienior. *«\jri
lbe(in.>" i* K liraxho M<Mcbi *^ Ovid. Met. I. 6 ^£l>.
' Tlw eificaci(iu< une u Kultlea." * Pauianiaa >
Mem. 5. Subs. 5.] Cure of Love- JMelancfioly. ii'ia
time, friends and fortunes, to win her favour, (as he complains in the ^"Eclogue,) I
lament, sigh, weep, and make my moan to her, " but she is hard as flint," cau-
tihus Ismariis immotlor as fair and hard as a diamond, she w'ill not respect,
Despectus tibi sum^ or hear me,
SI " fugit ilia vocantem
Nil lachryiiias niiserata meas, nil flexa querelis."
What shall I do .?
" I wooed her as a youn? man should do.
But sir, she said, 1 love not you."
3» " I><jrior at scopulis inea CoBlia, martnore, ferro, I '• Rock, marhle. heart of oak with iron barr'd,
Robnre, rupe, aiitro, cornu, adainante, gelu." | Frost, flint or adamants, are not so hard."
I give, I bribe, I send presents, but they are refused. "^Rusticus est Coridon^ mz
munera curat Jllexis. I protest, I swear, I weep,
s< " odioque rependit ainoreg,
Irrisu lachrymas"
" She neglects me for all this, she derides me," contemns me, she hates me, ''■Phillida
flouts me:" Cante,feris^ quercu durior Eurydice^ stiff, churlish, rocky still.
And 'tis most true, many gentlewomen are so nice, they scorn all suitors, crucify
their poor paramours, and think nobody good enough for them, as dainty to please
as Daphne herself.
S5 " Multi illam petiere. ilia aspernate [letentes, I " Many did woo h"r, but she scorn'd them still,
Nee quid Hymen, quid amor, quid sint connubia curat." | And said she would not marry by her will."
One while they will not many, as they say at least, (when as they intend nothing
less) another while not yet, when 'tis their only desire, they rave upon it. She v,'ill
marry at last, but not him : he is a proper man indeed, and well qualified, but he
wants means : another of her suitors hath good means, but he wants wit ; one is
too old, another too young, loo deformed, she likes not his carriage : a third too
loosely given, he is rich, but base born : she will be a gentlewoman, a lady, as her
sister is, as her mother is : she is all out as fair, as well brought up, hath as good a
portion, and she looks for as good a match, as Matilda or Dorinda : if not, she is
resolved as yet to tarry, so apt are young maids to boggle at every object, so soon
won or lost with every toy, so quickly diverted, so hard to be pleased. In the
meantime, quot torsit amanles? one suitor pines away, languishelh in love, 7nori quot
denique cogit ! another sighs and grieves, she cares not : and which ^ Stroza ob-
jected to Ariadne,
•• Nee iiiagis Euryali gemitu, lacrymisque moveris, j " Is no more mov'd with those sad sighs and tears,
Qiiani prece turhati flectitur ora sali. | Of her sweetheart, than raging sea with prayers:
Tu juvenein. quo noii foniiosior alter in urbe, I Thou scornst the fairest youth in all our city,
Spernis, et iusaiio cngis auiore mori." | And mak'sl him alino.<t luiid for love to die :"
They take a pride to prank up themselves,, to make young men enamoured,
^^ captarc tiros et spernere captos, to dote on them, and to run mad for their sakes,
39 I'sed nullis ilia movetur I " Whilst niggardly their favours they discover,
Fletibus, aut voces ullas traclabilis audit." | They love to be Leiov'd, yet scorn tlie lover."
All suit and service is too little for them, presents too base : Tormentis gaudel aman-
lis et spoUis. As Atalanta they must be overrun, or not won. 3Iany young
men are as obstinate, and as curious in their choice, as tyrannically proud, insulting,
deceitful, false-hearted, as iiTefragable and peevish on the other side; Narcissus-like,
39 " Multi ilium juvenes, multt petiere iiuelliE, I " Young men and maids did to him sue,
Sed fuit in teiicra tain dira mpeihia forma, But in his youth, so proud, so coy was he,
\ulli ilium juvcnes, nullae pctiere puella;." | Young men and maids bade hiiii adieu."
Echo wept and wooed him by all means above the rest. Love me for pity, or pity
me for love, but he Avas obstinate. Ante ait emoriar qunm sit tibi copia nostri, " he
would rather die than give consent." Psyche ran whining after Cupid,
«" Forinosirin tiia te Psyche formosa requirit, I " Fair Cupid, thy fair Psyche to thee sues,^^
El poscit te dia deum, puerumque puella ;" | A lovely lass a fine young gallant woos ;"
but he rejected her nevertheless. Thus many lovers do hold out so long, doting on
30 Erasmus E-il. Galatea. si-Hnving no compas- I lib. 2. 37 t. (I. 'To captivate the men. but despise
sion f.ir my tears, she avoids my prayers, and is in- | them when captive. ' -^ Virg. 4 -in. « .Vletamor.
flexible to my plaints." 32 Anseriainis Erotopa<2iiion. I 3. *» Fracaslorius Dial, de anim.
KVir". 'siLcEcheus. 3i uvid. Met. 1. 36 Erot. |
550 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
themselves, stand in their own light, till in the end they come to be scorned and re-
jected, as Slroza's Gargiliana was,
" Tr jiivines, te oilere scnes, ile>ortaqiie Ungues, I " Both young and old do hate thee ncorned now,
auiE fueras procerus imblica rura prius."" | That once was all their joy and comfort too."
As Narcissus was himself,
"Who despising many.
Died ere he could enjoy the love of any."
They begin to be contemned themselves of others, as he was of his shadow, and
take up with a poor curate, or an old serving-man at last, that might have luul their
choice of right good niatclics in their youth ; like that generous mare, in *' Fhitarch,
which would admit of none but great horse.^', but when her tail was cut oil" and
mane sliorn close, and she now saw herself so deformed in the water, when she
came to drink, ab asino canscendi se passu, she was contented at last to be covered
by an ass. Yet this is a conuuon humour, will not be left, and cannot be helped.
I" I love a niiiid, she loves nic net Mil tain
She would have ine, hut I nm hi-r a-ain ;
Vini:erc vult uniinoH, noli saliare Venus." I S«j love to cruoily men's souls is lienl ;
I Itui seldom doth it Jiloase or yivi- lonsent."
•• Tilt' ir love tianceth in a ring, and Cupid hunts them roundabout; he dotes, is
doted on again." Dumque petit petitur, parderqiie uccedit et ardtt, their aflt'clion
cannot be reconciled. Oflenlimes they may and will not, 'tis tiieir own iooli.sh pro-
ceethngs that mars all, they are too distrustful of themselves, too soon dejected :
say she be rich, thou poor : she young, thou old ; she lovely and fair, thou most
ill-favoured and deformed; she noble, thou base: she spruce and fine, but thou an
uglv clown: nil desptranduin^ there's htipe enough yet: J)L)psu A'iaa datur, quid non
spireinus uriuintes :* \'ui thyself forward once more, as unlikelv matches have been
and are daily made, see what will be llie event. Many leave roses and gather tlii.slles,
lualhe honey and love verjuice : our likings are as various as our palates, liut com-
monly they omit opptirtuniiies, oscula qui sumpsitj t^c, they neglect the usual means
and limes.
" He that will ni<t nlieii h>- may,
When be will he shall have nay."
They look to be woocil, sought after, and sued to. Most part tliey will and cannot,
either for llie above-named reasons, or for that lliere is a multitude of suitors equally
enamoured, doting all alike; and where one alone must speed, what sliall become
of the rest? Hero was beloved of many, but one did enjoy her; Peneloj)e had a
company of suitors, yet all missed of their aim. In such ca.ses he or they must
wisely and warily unwind themselves, unsettle his affections by those rules above
prescribed, *^quin stultos ercutit igncs, divert his cogitations, or else bravely
bear it out, as Turnus did. Tun sit Luvinia canjuxy when he could not get her, with
a kind of heroical scorn he bid .lEneas take her, or with a milder farewell, let her
U<'). Et Phillida solus hahtto, '^''Take her to you, God give you joy, sir." The fox
in the emblem would eat no grapes, but why? because he could not get them ; care
not then for that which may not be had.
Many such inconveniences, lets, and hindrances there are, which cross their pro-
jects and crucify poor lovers, which sometimes may, sometimes auain cannot be so
easily removed. Rut put case they be reconciled all, agreed hitherto, suppose this
love or good liking be between two alone, both jiarties well j)leased, there [smulnuB
rtmor, mutual love and great affectiou ; yet their parents, iruardians, tutoih, cannot
airrep, thence all is dashed, the match is unequal: one rich, another poor : dnrus
pater, a haril-hearted, unnatural, a covetous father will not marry his son, except he
have so much money, itu in aurnm omnes insaniunt^as *'Chrvs«stom notes, nor join
his daughter in marriage, to save her dowry, or for that he cannot .spare her for the
service she doth him, and is resolved to part with nothing whilst he lives, not a
penny, though he may peradventure well give it, he will not till he dies, and then as
a pot i>( money broke, it is divided amongst them that gaped after it so earnestly.
Or else he wants means to set her out, he hath no money, and though it be to the
manifest prejudice of her body and soul's health, he cares not, he will take no notice
«> Dial. Am. «> .Ausonjus. MOviU. Met. «• Uoa. & in 1. epial. TImm. cap. 4. v«r. J.
Mem. 5. Subs. 5.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 551
of it, she must and shall tarry. Many slack and careless parents, iniqui patres^
measure their children's afiections by their own, they are now cold and decrepit
themselves, past all such youthful conceits, and they will tlierefore starve their
children's genus, have them a pueris ^^illico nasci senes, they must not marry, nee
carum ajiaesesse reriim quas sccumfert adolescentia: ex sua libidlne moderatur quce
est nunc, non qua oUmfuit: as he said in the comedy: they will stifle nature, their
young bloods must not participate of youthful pleasures, but be as they are them-
selves old on a sudden. And 'lis a general fault amongst most parents in bestowing
of their children, the father wholly respects wealth, when through his folly, riot, in-
discretion, he hath embezzled liis estate, to recover himself, he confines and prosti-
tutes his eldest son's love and affection to some fool, or ancient, or deformsd piece
for money.
*^ " Phanarets ducet filiam, rufam, illam virginem,
CcEsiani, sparse ore, adurico naso"
and though his son utterly dislike, with Clitipho in the comedy, JYon possum pater :
If she be rich, Eia (he replies) ut elegans est, credas animum ibi esse? he must and
shall have her, slie is fair enough, young enough, if he look or hope to inherit his
lands, he shall marry, not when or whom he loves, Arconidis hujus filiam, but whom
his father commands, when and where he likes, his affection must dance attendance
upon him. His daughter is in the same predicament forsooth, as an emptv boat, she
must carry what, where, when, and whom her father will. So that iu these busi-
nesses the father is still for the best advantage; now the mother respects good kin-
dred, must part the son a proper woman. All which •*' Livy exemplifies, dec. 1. lib. 4.
a gentleman and a yeoman wooed a wench in Rome (contrary to that statute that the
gentry and commonalty must not match together)-, the matter was controverted: the
gentleman was preferred by the mother's voice, qufR quam splendissimis nuptiis jungi
piiellam volebat: the overseers stood for him that was most worth, Sec. But parents
ought not to be so strict in this behalf, beauty is a dowry of itself all sufficient,
*^Virgoformosa, etsi oppido pauper, abunde dotata est, ■*^ Rachel was so married to
Jacob, and Bonaventure, *m 4. sent. " denies that he so much as veniallv sins, that
marries a maid for comeliness of person." The Jews, Deut. xxi. 11, if they saw
amongst the captives a beautiful woman, some small circumstances observed, mio-ht
take her to wife. They should not be too severe in that kind, especially if there be
no such urgent occasion, or grievous impediment. 'Tis good for a commonwealth.
^' Plato holds, that in their contracts "young men should never avoid the affinity of
poor folks, or seek after rich." Poverty and base parentage may be sufiiciently
recompensed by many other good qualities, modesty, virtue, religion, and choice
bringing up, ^^" I am poor, I confess, but am I therefore contemptible, and an abject -
Love itself is naked, the graces ; the stars, and Hercules clad in a lion's skin." Give
something to virtue, love, wisdom, favour, beauty, person; be not all for money.
Besides, you must consider that Jlmor cogi non potest, love cannot be compelled,
they must affect as they may : ^^Fatum est in partibus ilUs quas sinus abscondil, as
the saying is, marriage and hanging goes by destiny, matches are made in heaven.
" It lies not in our power to love or hate,
For will ill us is overrul'd by fate."
A servant maid in ^Wristasnetus loved her mistress's minion, which when her dame
perceived, /iiriosrt cBmulatione, in a Jealous humour she dragged her about the house
by the hair of the head, and vexed her sore. The wench cried out, ^"-O mistress,
fortune hath made my body your servant, but not my soul!" Affections are fi-ee, not
to be commanded, i\Ioreover it may be to restrain their ambition, pride, and covet-
ousness, to correct those hereditary diseases of a family, God in his just judgment
assigns and permits such matches to be made. For I am of Plato and -'^Bolline"'s
mind, that families have their bounds and periods as well as kingdoms, beyond which
«Ter. « Ter. Heaut. Seen. ult. " He will marry i neq:ie divituni stctentur. =* phjiost. ep. Quoniam
the daughter of rirh pareiiU, a red-haired, lilear-eyed, j pauper sum, idc-irco contemptior i-t alijtfciior tibi
big-in'^--;i°d, troiiked-iinsed wench." <• Plehnius et I videar ? Ainor ipse nuridus est, sratiie et asira ; H<-
»obr,_; ainbieiiant puellHui, pucllJe certamen in partes ; cules pelle leoiiina indutus. ^3 Juvenal. '* Lib 2.
v»:iiit, &c. ■'s Apil ills apol. ■•JGi-n. xxvi. I ep. 7. -^ £jul,'ins inquit, non meulein uiie addixit
«".\on peccat venialiter i)iu mulierem ducit ob pulchri- j niihi fortuna servitute. ^^De repub. c. de period,
tudineni. " l>ib. o. de lej:. Ex usu rfip^ili. est ut in rerumpub.
uuptiis juvenes aequo pauperum atfinitateni fugiant, {
d52 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 2.
for extent or conlinuance they shall not exceeil, six or seven hundred years, as they
there illustrate by a multitude of examples, and which Peucer and *' Melancthon
approve, but in a perpetual tenor (as we see by many pedigrees of knights, gentle-
men, yeomen) continue as they began, for many descents with little alteration. How-
soever let them, 1 say, give something to youth, to love; they must not think they
can fancy whom they appoint; ^Amor enim non imperatur^ ajfcchis liber si quis
alius et vices exigens, this is a free passion, as Pliny said in a panegyric of his, and
may not be forced: Love craves liking, as the saying is, it requires mutual affeclions,
a correspondency: invito non dulur nee auferlur^ it may not be learned, Ovid him-
self cannot teach us how to love, Solomon describe, Apelles paint, or Helen express
it. They must not therefore compel or intrude; ''^quis enim (as Fabius urgeth)
amare alieno ani mo potest f but consider wiihal the miseries i>f enforced marriages;
take pity upon youth : and such above the rest as have daughters to bestow, should
be very careful anil provident to marry them in due time. Syracides cap. 7. vers. 'i5.
calls it ''a weighty matter to perform, so to marry a daughter to a man of under-
standing in due time:" Virgines enim lempcsliee /oc«nJ(P, a.s "^Lemnius admunisheth,
hb. 1. cap. 0. Virgins must be provided for in season, to prevent many diseases, of
which *' Kodericus a Castro de morbis mulierum, lib. 2. cap. 3. and Lod. Mercatus
lib. 2. de mulier. affect, cap. 4, de nielanck. virginum el viduarum., have both largely
discoursed. And therefore as well to avoid these feral maladies, 'tis good to get them
husbands betimes, as to prevent some other gross inconveniences, and for a thing
that 1 know besides; ubi nuptiarum tempus et alas advenerit^ as Chrysostom ad-
viseih, let them not defer it; tliey perclumce will marry themselves else, or do worse.
If Nevisanus the lawyer do not impose, they may do it by right: for as he proves
out of Curtius, and some other civilians, Sylvue, niip. lib. 2. numer. 3U. *^" A maid
past twenty-five years of age, against her parents' ctmsent may marry such a one as
is unworthy of, and inferit>r to Ijer, and her father by law nmst be compelled to give
her a comjxLteni dowry." Mistake me not in the mean time, or think that I do apo-
logise here for any heailstrong, unruly, wanton flirts. I do approve that of St. Am-
brose (Ctmiment in Genesis xxiv. 31), which he hath written touching Hebecca's
spousals, '• A woman should give imto her parents the choice of her husband, " lest
she be reputed to be malpert and wantou, if she take upon her to make her own
choice ; ** for she should rather seem to be desired by a man, than to desire a man
herself." To those hard i)arents alone I retort that of Curtius, (in the behalf of
modester maids;, that are too remiss and careless of their due time and riper years.
For if they tarry longer, to say truth, they are past date, and nobody will respect
ihem. A woman with us in luily (saith *^.-\reti;.e's Lucretia) twenty-fuur years of
age, '• is old already, [>ast the best, of no account." An old fellow, as Lycistrata
confesseth in ""* Aristophanes, etsi sit canus, cilb puellam virginem ducal uxorem, and
■'tis no news for an olil fellow to marry a young wench: but as he follows it, rnulieris
brei-is occasio es/, etsi hoc non apprehenderil, nemo vull ductre uxorem., expectans
verb sedet ; who cart* for an old maid .' she may set, &c. A virgin, as the poet holds,
lasciva et petulans paella virgo^ is like a flower, a rose withered on a sudden.
•J " Quail) mot!5 nasceiitfm rulilu* ci>nfpeiit Eou*, I "She thai wa* emt a maid ai fr.-eli an May,
Haiic reilieim iwru veiptre vidil anuiii." | 1« "ow an old crone, liaie to >ti-aU away."
Let them take time then while they may, make advantage of youth, and as he
prescribes,
•^ " Colligt? virjo r<jsa» dmn floa novu« et nova pabet, I " Fair mai<lf , fo gather rna*» in the prioip.
El larinor esto afvuni »ic prop«-rare tuuiii." j And think that ai a flower so ;•>«< 4in luiie."
Let's all love, dum vires annique sinunt., while we are in the flower of years, fit for
love matters, and while time serves : for
*•• Polt-f occi.lerf et rf-dire pn»surii. I w " Biini that «*t may ri»e again,
Nobm rum oemel occulil brevis lux. But if oiici- we hwe thi« hirhl.
Noi cut perp'^tud una (lorniieiida." j "Tii with u« perpetual iii(.'ht."
Volat irrevocabile tempus., time past cannot be recalle<l. But we need no such
•'Com. in car. Chrnn. «« Plin. i:i p n. ™ P . ;:ii,i. • i.r..<ii. i ri. r /.il.-t.ir aurtor « ETp-titis pnim
n06. *> Puelli* iiiiprimiii nul 1 ■•"•
l.emn. lib. I. S^t. de vit in<tit. •-
oif in. '2. piilm. 4. " FiIi.t eir. \ i ■ ',•*.
inwio patrf niihere, licet iniliifii ,■( -it ip irilii«. .t ■ ,im ' Ai-'"i|.h • ■)) It. ■•- I .'iii "• (.'.ilul'ii*
eo|ere ad eoiigrue dotandum. ** .N'e appvieniic | ^TraitAlated by M. B. Jobaaon.
Mem. 5. Subs. 5.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 553
exhortation, we are all commonly too forward : yet if there be any escape, and all be
not as it should, as Diogenes struck the father when the son swore, because he taught
nim no better, if a maid or young man miscarry, I think their parents oftentimes,
gaardiahs, overseers, governors, ncque vos (sarth "Chrysostom) a suppUcio imniunes
evadetis, si non statini ad nupiias^ Sfc. are in as much fault, and as severely to be
punished as their children, in providing for them no sooner.
Now for such as have free liberty to bestow themselves, I could wish that good
counsel of the comical old man were put in practice,
'2" Opulenlinres pauperiorum lit filias I " That rich men would marry poor maidens some,
Indotas iliirant iixores domain: | And that wilhoiit dowry, and so bring them home,
Et multo fiet civitas concordior, I So would much concord be in our city,
Et iuvidia nos minore uteniur, qiidm utimur." | Less envy sliould we have, much more pity."
If they would care less for wealth, we should have much more content and quiet-
ness in a commonwealth. Beauty, good bringing up, methinks, is a sufficient portion
of itself, "Dos est sua forma puellis, "her beauty is a maiden's dower," and he
doth well that will accept of such a wife. Eubulides, in ''Aristajnetus, married a
poor man's child, facie non ilJcElabili, of a merry countenance, and heavenly visage,
in pity of her estate, and that quickly. Acontius coming to Delos, to sacrifice to
Diana, fell in love with Cydippe, a noble lass, and wanting means to get her love,
flung a golden apple into laer lap, with this inscription upon it,
" Jiiro tibi sane per mystica sacra Dianae, I " I swear by all the rites of Diana,
Me tibi venturum cumitein, sponsumque futurum." | I'll come and be thy husband if I may."
She considered of it, and upon some small inquiry of his person and estate, was
married unto him.
" Blessed is the wooinj.
That IS not long a doing."
As the saying is; when the parties are sufficiently known to each other, what needs
such scrupulosity, so many circumstances ? dost thou know her conditions, her
bringing-up, like her person.'' let her means be what they will, take her without any
more ado. " Dido and ^Eneas were accidentally driven by a storm both into one
cave, they made a match upon it; Massinissa was married to that fair captive Sopho-
nisba. King Syphax' wife, the same day that he saw her first, to prevent Scipio
Laelius, lest they should determine otherwise of her. If thou lovest the party, do
as much : good education and beauty is a competent dowry, stand not upon money.
Erant olim aurei homines (saith Theocritus) et adamantes redamabant^i in the golden
world men did so, (in the reign of ''^ Ogyges belike, before staggering Ninus began
to domineer) if all be true that is reported : and some few now-a-days will do as
much, here and there one; 'tis well done methinks, and all happiness befal them for
so doing. "Leontius, a philosopher of Athens, had a fair daughter called Athenais,
multo corporis Icpore ac Vencre, (saith mine author) of a comely carriage, he gave
tier no portion but her bringing up, occulto formcE prccsngio, out of some secret fore-
knowledge of her fortune, bestowing that little which he had among.-5t his other
children. But she, thus qualified, was preferred by some friends to Constantinople,
to serve Piilcheria, the emperor's sister, of whom she was baptised and called Eudo-
cia. Theodosius, the emperor, in short space took notice of her excellent beauty
and good parts, and a little after, upon his sister's sole commendation, made her his
v/ik : 'twas nobly done of Theodosius. ''^ Rudophe was the fairest lady in her days
in all Egypt; she went to wash her, and by chance, (her maids meanwhile looking
but carelessly to her clothes) an eagle stole away one of her shoes, and laid it in
Psammeticus the King of Egypt's lap at Memphis : he wondered at the excellency
of the shoe and pretty foot, but more JiquilcB factum, al the manner of the bringing
of it : and caused forthwith proclamation to be made, that she that owned that shoe
should come presently to his court ; the virgin came, and was forthwith married to
the king. 1 say this was heroically done, and like a prince : I commend him for it,
and all such as have means, that will either do (as he did) themselves, or so for
love, &.C., marry their children. If he be rich, let him take such a one as wants, if
'1 Horn. 5. in I. Thes. cap. 4. 1. '2 piautus. 's Ovid.
" Epist. 12. 1.2. Elicit coii_ju:;eiii paiiperem. iiidolatam
et subito deauiavit, et coniiniseratione ejus inopire.
'5 Virg /En. '"' Fabius pictor : amor ipse coiijunxit
populos, &.C. ■" Lipsius polit. Sebast. Mayer. Select.
(0 2 W
Sect. I. cap. 1.1. "Mayerua select, sect. 1. c. 11. et
iElian. 1. 13. c. 33. cum faniula; lavaiitis vestes iiicfi^
riosiis custodirent,&;c. inandavit per iiniversam iTJgyp-
turn ut foemina qua^reretur, cujus is calceus esset
eamque sic inventam in matrimonium accepit.
554 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
she be virtuously given ; for as Syracides, cap. 7. vcr. 19. adviseth, "Forego not a
wife and good woman ; for her grace is above gold." If she have fortunes of her
own, let iier make a man. Danaus of Lacedaimon had a many daughters to bestow,
and means enough for them all, he never stood inquiring after great matches, as
others used to do, but ''■■ sent for a company of brave young gallants to his house,
and hid his daughters choose every one one, whom she liked best, and take him for
her husband, without any more ado. This act of liis was much approved in those
times. But in this iron age of ours, we respect riches alone, (for a maid rnu-^t buy
her husband now with a great dowry, if she will have him) covetousness and filthy
lucre mars all good matches, or some such by-respects. Crales, a Servian prince (as
Nicephorus Gregoras Rom. hist. lib. 6. relates it,) was an earnest suitor to Eudocia,
tlie emperor's sister; though her brother much desired it, yet she could not "^aljide
him, for he iiad three former wives, all basely abused ; but the emperor still, Crulis
amicitium mag id facie ns., because he was a great prince, and a troublesome neigh-
bour, much desired his aHinity, and to that end betrothed his own daughter Simonida
to him, a little girl tive years of age\he being forty-rive,) anil rive '''years older ihari
the emperor himself: such disproportionable and unlikely matches can wealth and 3
fiiir fortune make. And yet not that alone, it is not only money, but sometimes vain-
glory, pride, ambitiun, do as much hurm as wretched covetousness itself in anolhet
e.xlreme. If a yeoman have one sole daughter, he n>ust overmatch iier, above hej
birtli and culling, to a gentleman forsooth, because of her great portion, too guod foi
one of her own rank, as he supposeth : a gentleman's daughter and heir must be
married to a knight baronet's eldest son at least ; and a knight's oidy daugiiter to a
baron hiniself, or an earl, and so upwards, her great dower deserves it. And thus
striving for more honour to their wealth, they undo their children, many discontents
follow, and oftentimes they ruinate their families. "Paulus Jovius gives instance in
Galeatius the Second, that heroical Duke of Milan, externas ajinitates, dccoras qui-
dem regio fastu., sed sibi et pustcris damnosus et fere eritiales quiesivit; he married
his eldest sun John Galeatius to Isabella the King of France his sister, but she was
socero tain grai'is, ut ducentis millibus aureoruin const iter it ,, her entertainment at
Milan was so costly that it almost undid him. His daughter Violanta was married
to Lionel Duke of Clarence, the youngest son to Edward tlie Third, King of Eng-
land, but, ad ejus adeentuin tantw opes tarn adinirabili liberalilate profustc sunt^ ul
opulenlissiinoruni reguin splendurem superasse videretur^ he was welcomed with such
incredible magniricence, that a king's purse was scarce able to bear it ; for besides
many rich presents of horses, arms, plate, money, jewels, &,c., he made one dinner
for iiini and his company, in which were thirty-two messes and as much provision
left, ut rclatce d mensa dupes decern millibus hominum sujficerent., as would serve ten
thousand men : but a little after Lionel died, 7ioi'ce nuptce ct intempeslivis conviviis
operum dans, cyc-? *»"d tt» the duke's great loss, the solemnity was ended. So can
titles, honours, ambition, make many brave, but unfortunate matches of all sides for
by-respects, (^though both crazed in body and mind, most unwilling, averse, and often
unril,) so love is banished, and we feel the smart of it in the end. ' But I am too
lavisli peradventure in this subject.
Another let or hindrance is strict and severe discipline, laws and rigorous customs,
that forbid men to marry at set timen, and in some places ; as apprentices, servants,
coUegiates, states of lives in copyholds, or in some base inferior offices, '^ Telle licet
in such cases, potiri nan licet, as he said. They see but as prisoners through a grate,
ihey covet and catch, but Tantalus d labris., Hfc. Their love is lo.st, and vain it is
in such an estate to attempt. '^^Graeissimuin est adamare nee potiri, 'lis a grievous
thing to love and not enjoy. They may, indeed, I deny not, marry if they will, and
have free choice, some of them; but in the meantime their case is desperate, Lupuin
auribus tenent, they hold a wolf by the ears, they must either burn or starve. 'Tis
cornutum sophisma., hard to resolve, if they riiarry they forfeit their estates, ihcy are
undone, and starve themselves through beggary and want : if they do not marry, in
''*PauMnia« lib. 3. Ue Laconicif. nimi^it qui nuncii I quinqiie circiter annos natn minor. *> Vit. (jaUat
runt, k,c. Dptioneni puelli* dwlil. ii*. carum quo-libel euui | i^ruadj. " A|>uleiu« in Caiel. nubii cupliio velle il<t.
tibi virum dtrlii'eri;!, cujus matinii* e^Ad foriiia cmii- poM« abne|a(. •• Aaacreon. St.
placiia. ■> llliaa coujugiuiD abouii aal itur. *> ikicero |
Mem. 5. Subs. 5.]
Cure of Love-Melancholy.
this heroical passion they furiously ra^e, are tormented, and torn in j)iece.s by their
predominate affections. Every man hath not the gift of continence, let him '''pray
for it then, as Beza adviseth in his Tract de Divortiis^ because God hath so called
him to a single life, in taking away the means of marriage. ^*Paul would have gone
from ^lysia to Bithynia, but the spirit suffered him not, and thou wouldst peradven-
ture be a married man with all thy will, but that protecting angel holds it not fit.
The devil too sometimes may divert by his ill suggestions, and mar many good
matches, as the same *' Paul was willing to see the Romans, but hindered of Satan
he could not. Tiiere be those that think they are necessitated by fate, their stars
have so decreed, aud therefore they grumble at their hard fortune, they are well in-
clined to marry, but one rub or other is ever in the way; I know what astrologers
say in this behalf, what Ptolemy quadripartit. Tract. 4. cap. 4. Skoner lih. 1. cap. 12.
what Leovitius genitur. exempt. 1. which Sextus ab Heminga takes to be the horo-
scope of Hieronymus Wolfius, what Pezelius, Origanaus and Leovitius his illustrator
Garceus, cap. 12. what .Tunctine, Protanus, Campanella, what the rest, (to omit those
Arabian conjectures d parte conjugii., a parte lascivice, triplicitates veneris., ^t., and
those resolutions upon a question, an arnica potiafur., 4'C-) determine in this behalf,
viz. an sit natus conjiigem hahiturus., facile an diflcidter sit sponsam impetrafuriis.
quot conjuges., quo tempore., quales decernantur nato uxores., dc mutuo amore conju-
gem, both in men's and women's genitures, by the examination of the seventh house
the almutens, lords and planets there, a c d e^ Q a ^-^^ by particular aphorisms, Si
dominus 7'"='^ in 7""* vel secunda nobilem, decernit uxorem., servam aut ignobilem si
duodecima. Si Venus in 12'"", Sfc, with many such, too tedious to relate. Yet let
no man be troubled, or find himself grieved with such predictions, as Hier. Wolfius
well saith in his astrological ^* dialogue, non sunt prcBtoriana decreta, they be but
conjectures, the stars incline, but not enforce,
*3 " Siflera corporibus priesunt ccelestia nostris,
Sunt ea de viii conriita nainque lulo :
Cogere sed neqiieunt aniiiiuin ralione fruentem,
Q.uippe sub irnperio solius ipse dei est."
wisdom, diligence, discretion, may mitigate if not quite alter such decrees, Fortuna
sua o cujusque fingitur morihis, ^Qui caufi, prudentes, vofi compotes, &,-c., let no man
then be terrified or molested with such astrological aphorisms, or be much moved,
either to vain hope or fear, from such predictions, but let every man follow his own
free will in tliis case, and do as he sees cause. Better it is indeed to marrv than
burn, for their soul's health, but for their present fortunes, by some other means to
pacify themselves, and divert the stream of this fiery torrent, to continue as they are,
®' rest satisfied, lugentes virginitatis florem sic aruisse, deploring their misery with
that eunuch in Libanius, since there is no help or remedy, and with Jephtha's
daugliter to bewail their virginities.
Of like nature is superstition, those rash vows of monks and friars, and such as
live in religious orders, but far more tyrannical and much worse. Nature, youth,
and his furious passion forcibly inclines, and rageth on the one side; but their order
and vow checks them on the other. ^^Votoque suo sua forma repiignat. What merits
and indulgences they heap unto themselves by it, what commodities, I know not;
but I am sure, from such rash vows, and inhuman manner of life, proceed many
inconveniences, many diseases, many vices, masturpation, satyriasis, ^^ priapismus,
melancholy, madness, fornication, adultery, buggery, sodomy, theft, murder, and all
manner of mischiefs : read but Bale's Catalogue of Sodomites, at the visitation of
abbeys here in England, Henry Stephan. his Apol. for Herodotus, that which TJlricus
writes in one of his epistles, ^ ''• that Pope Gregory when he saw 600 skulls and
bones of inlants taken out of a fishpond near a nunnery, thereupon retracted that
decree of priests' marriages, which was the cause of such a slaughter, was much
grieved at it, and purged himself by repentance." Read many such, and then ask
""ContinentitB donum ex fide postulet quia certiim sit
euni vocari ad coelibatum cui deiiiis, &.c. «<- Act. xvi. 7.
<" Roiij i. 13. '« Pra-fix. gen. Leovitii. '9 ' The
stars in the skies preside over our persons, for they are
made of hunilile matter. They cannot bind a rational
mind, fur thai is under the control of God only."
»^ Idem Woltius dial. »' " That is, make the best of
it, and take his lot as it falls." *' Ovid. 1. Met
"Their beauty is inconsistent wiih their vons."
WMercurialis de Priapisnio. *> Meiuorabile qiind
Ulricus epistola refert Gregorium quum ex piscina
qiiadam allata plus qiiam sex mille infanrum c-Tp;ta
vidisset. ingemuisse et decretum de ccD'ibatu lantam
cfdis causam confessus condigno illud pcsniteiiti.T
fructu purgasse. Kemnisius ei concil. Trident, part. 1-,
de ccelibaiu sacerdotum.
550 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2.
what is to be done, is this vow to be broke or not? No, saith Bellarmine, caj). 38.
lih. de Monach. inelius est scortari et uri quain de voto coelibatus ad nuptios trausiTCy
better burn or fly out, than to break thy vow. And Coster in his Enchirid. de casU-
bat. sacerdotum, saith it is absohitely gravius peccatum, **'»a greater sin for a priest
to marrv, than to keep a concubine at home." Gregory de Valence, cap. 0. de cali-
hat. maintains the same, as those of Essei and Montanists of ohl. Insonnich that
many votaries, out of a false persuasion of merit and holiness in this kind, will
sooner die than marry, though it be to the saving of their lives. '^ Anno 1419. Pius 2,
Pope, James Rossa, nephew to the King of Portugal, and then elect Arclihisliop of
Lisbon, being very sick at Florence, *' '' when his physicians ' .>'d him, that his dis-
ease was such, he must either lie with a wench, marry, or die, cheerfully chose to
die." Now they commended him for it; but St. Paul teachelii oflierwise, ^-Better
marry than bum," and as St. Ilierome gravely delivers it, Alue sunt leges Ctesanan., alice
Christi. a/lud Paplniunus., aliiid Paulus noster prcecipit, there's a diflbience betwixt
God's ordinances and men's laws : and therefore Cyprian Epist. 8. boldly dtiiounceth,
impium est., adulterum est, sacrilegum est, quodcunque hiiinana furore stutuitur, ut dis-
positio divina violetur, it is abominable, impious, adulterous, and sacrilegious, what
men make and ordain afier their own furies to cross God's laws. **'Georgius Wice-
lius, one of their own arch divines (^Inspect, cedes, pag. 18) exclaims again.st it, and all
such rash monastical vows, and would have such persons seriously to consiiler what
they do, whom they admit, tie in pttsterum qnrrantur de inanibus stupris, lest they
repent it at last. For either, as he follows it, "^you must allow them concubines, or
sullt-r theuj to marry, for scarce shall yuu fmd three priests of three thou.saiid, qui
per atutem nan ament, that are not trttubled with burning lust. Wherefore I con-
clude it is an unnatural and impious tlung to bar men of this Christian liberty, too
severe and inhuman an edict.
xx) Tki aillif wren, the titmouft also, i But man alont, alas the hard stund.
The liitle Tedt>rta»t hate their election.
They Jty I sate and toi;ether gone,
H'hereas hem tut, about enrtroil
jSj llietj uf kmde kare tnelinatioH,
^nd as nature impress and guide.
Of eceryikiHg litt to provide.
{•'ull cruelly by kinds ordinance
Constrained is, and by statutes bound,
Jiitd Uf barred /rum all such plensance :
H'hat menneth this, ichat is this pretence
Of laics, I mis. against all right of kinde
lyithout a cfLuse, so narroie men to binde?
Many laymen repine still at priests' marriages above the rest, and not at clergymen
only, but of all the meaner sort and condition, they would have none marry but such
as are rich and able to maintain wives, because their parish belike shall be pestered
with orphans, and ihe world lull of beggars : but ' these are hard-hearted, unnatural,
monsters of men, shallow politicians, they do not ^consider that a great part of the
world is not yet inhabited as it ought, how many colonies into America, Terra Aus-
tralis incognita, Africa, may be sent r Let them consult with Sir William Alexander's
Book of Colonies, Orpheus Junior's Golden Fleece, Captain Whitburne, Mr. Ilag-
thorpe, &.C. and they shall surely be otherwise informed. Those politic Romans
were of another mind, they thought their city and country could never be too popu-
lous. ^ Adrian the emperor said he had rather have men than money, m'dle se homi'
num adjectione umpliare imperium, quarn pecunii. Augustus Cajsar made an oration
in Rome ad ccelibus, to persuade thorn to marry ; some countries com^ielled them to
marry of old, as * Jews, Turks, Indians, Chinese, amongst the rest in these days, who
much wonder at our discipline to sutler so many idle persons to live in monasteries,
and often marvel how they can live honest. 'In the isle of Marugnan, the governor
and petty king there did wonder at the Frenchman, and admire how so nmny friars,
and the rest of their company could live without wives, they thought it a thing im-
possible, and would not believe it. If these men should but survey our muliiiudes
of religious houses, observe our numbers of monasteries all over Europe, 18 nun-
neries in Padua, in Venice 34 cloisters of monks, 28 of nuns, &.c. ex ungue leonem,
'tis to this proportion, in all other provinces and cities, what wouhl they think, do
they live honest ? Let them dissemble as they will, I am of TertuUian's mind, thai
••Si nuhat, quam si domi concubinam alat. •• Al- i Curtcsie. • 'TU not mullitude but irtlrnf-i wMeh
phonsu* <;icuoiiiii» lib. ife (test, pontifituiii. " Cum eauiieth bfegary. »Or to %t:l lliein 'irinj
meilici •uailt^rffil ut aut iiubrret aul ci>itii utrrfdir, mc | liwui up in luiuie boneit iradea. * 1> . lib-
miirtem vitari pfi«!»e mortem potius intr.-(iiiliin fip^ria- ft). •.S.irdu* llu»torpiiiu». •• < !•• ir
VII, ftc. •" Episl. 30. * Vide vitaiii ejus edit. 10-il. bi« hist, of the FreuchuiMO to tU»* Im-- xI Mdrdgoaa
by U T. Jamca. uoUd^ate, iu Cbaucern Fluwer of ' An. lOU.
Mem. 5. Subs. 5.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 557
few can continue but by compulsion. *"0 chastity (saith he) thou art a rare god-
dess in the world, not so easily got, seldom continuate : thou mayest now and then
be compelled, either for defect of nature, or if discipline persuade, decrees enforce:"
or for some such by-respects, sullenness, discontent, they have lost their first loves,
may not have whom they will themselves, want of means, rash vows, &.c. But can
he willingly contain .' I think not. Therefore, either out of commiseration of
human imbecility, in policy, or to prevent a far worse inconvenience, for they hold
some of them as necessary as meat and drink, and because vigour of youth, the state
and temper of most men's bodies do so furiously desire it, they have heretofore in
some nations liberally admitted polygamy and stews, a hundred thousand courtesans
in Grand Cairo in ^gypt, as 'Radzivilus observes, are tolerated, besides boys : how
many at Fez, Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, &c., and still in many other pro-
vinces and cities of Europe they do as much, because they think young men, church-
men, and servants amongst the rest, can hardly live honest. The consideration of
this belike made Vibius, the Spaniard, when his friend ''Crassus, that rich Koman
gallant, lay hid in the cave, ut volupialis quam cclas ilia desiderat copiamfaceret, to
gratify him the more, send two "lusty lasses to accompany him all that while he
was there imprisoned. And Surenus, the Parthian general, when he warred against
the Romans, to carry about with him 200 concubines, as the Swiss soldiers do now
commonly their wives. But, because this course is not generally approved, but
rather contradicted as unlawful and abhorred, '"in most countries they do much en-
courage them to marriage, give great rewards to such as have many children, and
mulct those that will not marry. Jus trium liberorum, and in Agellius, lib. 2. cap. 15.
Elian. ///;. 6. cap. 5. Valerius, lib. 1. cap. 9. "We read that three children freed
the father from painful offices, and five from all contribution. " A woman shall be
saved by bearing children." Epictetus would have all marry, and as '^ Plato will, 6
de legibus, he that marrieth not before 35 years of his age, must be compelled and
punished, and the money consecrated to '^ Juno's temple, or applied to public uses.
They account him, in some countries, mifortunate that dies without a wife, a most
unhappy man, as '''Boetius infers, and if at all happy, yet infortunio fc.lix, unhappy
in his supposed happiness. They commonly deplore his estate, and much lament
lum for it: O, my sweet son, &c. See Lucian, de Luctu, Sands fol. 83, &c.
Yet, notwithstanding, many with us are of the opposite part, they are married
themselves, and for others, let them burn, fire and flame, they care not, so they be
not troubled with them. Some are too curious, and some too covetous, they may
marry when they will bt.th for ability and means, but so nice, that except as The-
ophilus the emperor was presented, by his mother Euprosune, with all the rarest
beauties of the empire in the great chamber of his palace at once, and bid to give a
golden apple to her he liked best. If they might so take and choose whom they
list out of all the fair maids their nation aflbrds, they could happily condescend to
marry: other\\ ise, &.c., why should a man marry, saith another epicurean rout, what's
matrimony but a matter of money .^ why should free nature be entrenched on, con-
fined or obliged, to this or that man or woman, with these manacles of body and
goods } &.C. There are those too that dearly love, admire and follow women all
their lives long, sponsi Penelopes, never well but in their company, wistly gazing on
their beauties, observing close, hanging after them, dallying still with them, and yet
dare not, will not marry. Many poor people, and of the meaner sort, are too dis-
trustful of God's providence, " they will not, dare not for such worldly respects,"
fear of want, woes, miseries, or that they shall light, as '^" Lemnius .saith, on a scold,
a slut, or a bad wife." And therefore, '^ Tristem Juventam vencre deserl.l colunt,
they are resolved to live single, as '" Epaminondas did, '^ '' JVil ait esse prius, melius
« R.ira quidem (lea tii es Ochastitas in his terris, nee
facile perfecla, rariiis [lorpeliia, cogi nniinuiiqiiHin po-
test, oh naturie dtrf'ectuni, vel si disciplina pervaserit,
censura coiiiprfissiTil. i Peregrin. Hierosol. » Plu-
larcli. vita ejus, adolnscentia! medio conslitutus. » An-
cillas diias r^regia forma et fftatis flore. "• Alex. ah.
Alex. I. 4. c. 8. " Tres filji patrem ah excuhi is,
'jMinquH ah omnibus officiis liberahanto. n Prseceplo
urimo cojiatur nubere aut mulcli-tiir el peciinia tcmplo
2vf2
Junonis deij'cetur et piihlica fiat. " Consol. 3. pros.
7. '■' Nic. Hill. Epic, pliilos. i5Q,u, se capistro
matrimonii alligari noii patiiintur, Lemn. lib. 4. 13. de
occult, nat. Abhorrent iiiuiti a matrimonio, ne inoro-
sam, qiierulam, acerham. amaram iixorem perferre co-
gantur. '^ Senec. Ilippol. "C.Tlebs enim vixeral
nee ad uxorem diicendain unquam induci potuit.
'^Senec. Hip. "There is nothing better, nothing pre-
ferable to a single life."
658 Love-Melancholy. [I'art. 3. Sec. 2.
nil coelibe r/'/fl," and ready wiih Hippolitus to abjure all women, ^^Detestor omnes^
horreo^fugio, exccror, Sfc. But,
" Ili|i|ii>lite iiescis qund fiii^is vitx bonum,
Hippolite nescis"
" alas, poor Hippolitus, thou knowest not what thou sayest, 'tis otherwise, Hippo-
litus." ■'"Some make a doubt, an uxor Ulorato sit ducenda, whether a scholar should
marry, if she be {'air she will bring him back from his grammar to his horn book, or
else witii kissing and dalhance slie will hinder his study ; if foul with scolding, he
cannot well intend to do both, as Pliilippus Beroahhis, that great Bononian doctor, once
writ, impediri eniin sfudiu lilerarum, ^c., but he recanted at last, and in a solemn
sort with true conceived words he did ask the world and all women forgiveness.
But you shall have the story as he relates himself, in his Commentaries on the sixth
of Apuleius. For a long time F lived a single life, el ah uxore ducenda semper ab-
horrui, ncc quicqnain Ubero lecto censui jucundius. I could not abide niarriage, but
as a rambler, erruticus ac volaticus amator (to use his own words) per multiplicet
amores discurrebum^ I took a snatch wliere 1 could get it ; nay more, 1 railed at mar-
riage dowmight, and in a public auditory, when I did interpret that sixih Satire of
Juvenal, <»ut of Plutarch and Stneca, I did heap up all the dicteries I could against
women ; but now recant with Stesichorus, pa/inmlium cano, ncc pcenittt ccnseri in
ordine vuiriturum., 1 ajiprove of marriage, 1 am glad I am a ^' married man, I am
heartily ghid I have a wife, so sweet a wife, so noble a w ife, so young, so chaste a
wile, so loving a wife, and I do wish and desire all other men to marry ; and espe-
cially sch(/iar9, tliat as of old Martia ilid by Ilortensius, Terentia by Tnllius, Cal-
phurnia to Plinins, Pudentilla to Apuleius, ""hold the candle whilst tluir husbands
did meililate and w rile, so theirs may do them, and as my dear Camilla doth to me.
Let other men be averse, rail then and scoff at women, ami say what they can to the
contrary, vir sine uxore inalorum erpers est, S)C., a single man is a happy man, &c., but
this is a toy. '".Wc dulces amores speme puer, neque tu choreas ; these men are too
distrustful and much t«> blame, to use such spet-cbes, ^* Parcile paucorum dijfundcre
crimen in omnes. '•• They nmst not condemn all lor some." As there be many bad,
there be some good wives; as some be vicious, some be virtuous. Bead what Solo-
mon hath said in their praises, Prov. xiii. and Syracides, cup. '26 et .'](), '• Blessed is
the man that hath a virtuous wife, for the immber of his days shall be double. A
virtuous woman reji>iceth her husband, and she shall fulfil the years of his life in
peace. A good wify is a gt)od portion i and xxxvi. 24;, an help, a [»illar of rest,"
columina (juietis,^ Qui capit uxortm,fratrem capit atijut sororcni. And 30, '* He
that hath no wife wandereth to and fro mourning." Minuuntur atrce conjuge curce^
women are the sole, oidy joy, and comfort of a man's life, born ad usum et lusum
hominum^Jirmaiiienta families,
*" Uelitis humani gitneiis, solatia vile.
BlHiiiliiia.- noclU. plucidissinia cura diei.
Vota viniiii, jiiveiiuin «|m:<," Sli:.
*^^' A wife is a ymng man's mistress, a middle age's companion, an old man's nurse:"
Particeps hetorum et tristium, a prop, a help, &c.
*>•♦ Optima viri pris.'<f«sio est inor benevola, I " Mari'g best poinession l« a loving wife,
.MiligatiD iraiii et averteiis aniiuain ejus a trimitia." j Sh>: ti.-iii|i«r8 anger and diverts all atrife."
There is no joy, no comfort, no sweetness, no pleasure in the world like to that of
a good wife,
""Qiiim cijin rhara domi conjui, fiduMjue maritus
L'nanioieA deiriint"
saiih our Littin Homer, she is still the same in sickness and in health, his eye, hia
hand, his bosom friend, his partner at all times, his other self, not to be separated by
any calamity, but ready to share all sorrow, discontent, and as the Indian women do,
live and die with him, nay more, io die presently for him. Admetus, king of Tlies-
saly, when he lay upon his death-bed, was told by Apollo's Oracle, that if he could
'• llor. *n .f:neaf Sylviiif dp dirii* ^isi^miindi. Hen- ' who choo«»^ a wifr. takr« a hmthrr and ■ liiicr."
■iu.1 PrnnK'ni. " Hiil»'ii lU'irf-rn fX aniiiii M-iil»'nlia ' • lyichfim. " I'he d'ligbt i>f m.iiikind. lh«? »<i|»r<- ol
L'aiiiilliini i'alpotti Jiiri»<:iinsiilti lilinin. ■" l.rL'>-iill- , life, lh>- hUiidiihinciili> nt iiidil, d'liri-iiit rarra of day.
but el iii'ililantibu* caiidelaii et canijelahruiii leiiue- the wmhrs of older men. the hop.-* iif'y..iii,e " ri g^-
ruiit. *^> llor. " ,Veith<>r dripiM arreeable love, nor con'« E»«nyi. > Euripide* '■* " Mow harmonioudt
mirthful pi ea«ure." **Ovid. » Aphraniuii. " He | do a luv:n( wife and coaitaot huvbaad lead tbeir lir<w.
Mem. 5. Subs. 5.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 55&
get anybody to die for him, he should live longer yet, but when all refused, his
parents, etsi decrcpiti, friends and followers forsook him, Alcestus, his wife, thoutrh
young, most willingly undertook it; what more can be desired or expected .' And
although on the other side there be an infinite number of bad husbands (I should
rail downright against some of them), able to discourage any women ; yet there be
some good ones again, and those most observant of marriage rites. An honest
country fellow (as Fulgosus relates it) in the kingdom of Naples, *'at plough by the
sea-side, saw his wife carried away by Mauritanian pirates, he ran after in "all haste,
up to the chin first, and when he could wade no longer, swam, calling to the governor
of the ship to deliver his wife, or if he must not have her restored, t°o let him follow
as a prisoner, for he was resolved to be a galley-slave, his drudge, willing to endure
any misery, so that he might but enjoy his dear wife. The Moors seeing the man's
constancy, and relating the whole matter to their governors at Tunis, serthem both
free, and gave them an honest pension to maintain themselves during their lives. I
could tell many stories to this effect; but put case it often prove otherwise, because
marriage is troublesome, wholly therefore to avoid it, is no argument ; ^' " He that
will avoid trouble must avoid the world." (Eusebius prapdr. Evangel. 5. cap. 50.^
. Some trouble there is in marriage I deny not, Etsi grave sit 7natrimonium, saith
Erasmus, edulcatur tavien multis, Sfc., yet there be many things to ^'^ sweeten it, a
pleasant wife, placcns uxor, pretty children, dukes nafi, delicim JiUorum hominum,
the chief delight of the sons of men ; Eccles. ii. 8. &c. And howsoever though it
were all troubles, ^^ utilitatis puUiccB causa devorandum, grave quid libenler subeun-
durn, it must willingly be undergone for public good's sake,
^" Aiiriite (populiis) hffic, inqnit Siisarion, I ^
Mais sunt inulieres, veruntameii O populares " ^''^^ "'^' " ""^ countrymen, saith Susarion,
Hoc sine malo doinum inhabitare non licet." | ^^ °°"^" ^"^^ naught, yet no lile without one."
^ Malum est mulier, sed necessarium malum. They are necessary evils, and for our
own ends we must make use of them to have issue, ^ Supplet Venus ac restifuit hu-
manum genus, and to propagate the church. For to what end is a man born .' why
lives he, but to increase the world t and how shall he do that well, if he do not
marry? Matrimonium humano generi vmnortaliiatem tribuit^ saith Nevi.«anus, ma-
trimony makes us immortal, and according to ''" Tacitus, hinjirmissiinum imperii mu-
nimentum, the sole and chief prop of an empire. ^^ Indigne vivit per quern non vivit
et alter, ^'' which Pelopidas objected to Epaminondas, he was an unworthv member
of a commonwealth, that left not a child after him to defend it, and as ^'^ Trismeffis-
tus to his son Tatius, *•' have no commerce with a single man :" Holdino- belike that
a bachelor could not live honestly as he should, and with Georgius Wicelius, a
great divine and holy man, who of late by twenty-six arguments commends mar-
riage as a thing most necessary for all kind of persons, most laudable and fit to be em-
braced : and is persuaded withal, that no man can live and die religiouslv, and as he
ought, without a wife, persuasus neminem posse nequc pie vivere, nequc bene mori
citra uxoreju, he is false, an enemy to the conmionwealth. injurious to himself,
destructive to the world, an apostate to nature, a rebel against heaven and earth. Let
our wilful, obstinate, and stale bachelors ruminate of this, " If we could live with-
out wives," as 3Iarcellus Numidicus said in ^'Agellius, "we would all want them;
but because we cannot, let all marry, and consult rather to the public good, than
their own private pleasure or estate." It were an happy thing, as wise ^'Euripides
hath it, if we could buy children with gold and silver, and be so provided, sine
mulierum congressu, without women's company; but that may not be:
*3" Orhis jacehit sqiiallido tiirpis situ, I ,, t, .t , j ,
Vanum sine ullis classibus stabit mare, i^?""- ^"; sea. land eftsoon would come to nought.
Ak.<que cojlo deerit el sylvis fera." ' ^'"^ "'°''''' "self should be to ruin b.-ought."
I^ecessity therefore compels us to marry.
"Cum juxta mare agrum coleret : Omnis enim iSi Hist. lib. 4. « Palinsenius. " He lives conCempti
miser.ai imniemorem, coiijugalis amor eum fecerat. bly by whom no other lives." sj Uruson. lib. ■;
NoM sine inuenti adiniratione, tanta hominis charitate ' cap. ix *" Noli societatem habere, &c. <• Lib! 1
motus rfix liheros esse jussit, &c. 3' Qui viilt vitare cap. 6. Si, iirquit, Quirites, sine uxore esse possemus
molfstias vitet rauniliini. "T/^t/Jiof riOt rtp^ziiv , omiios careremus ; Sed quoniain sic est, saluti potiuj
■"■fp xP'"'ni aioohiTtji. Quid vita est qua;so quidve est i publicJP quaui voluptiiti consuiendum. « Beatiitn
siue Cypride diilce ? Mininer. ss Erasmus. 3* g I firet si libcros auro et argento tnercari, &c. ■'^Senecs
Stobeo- s^Meiiander. 36 Seneca Hyp. lib. 3. num. 1. I Hyp.
560 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 2
But what do I trouble myself, to find arguments to persuade to, or commend mar-
riage i behold a brief abstract of all that which I have said, and much more, suc-
cinctly, pithily, pathetically, perspicuously, and elegantly delivered in twelve motions
lo mitigate the miseries of marriage, by '•^Jacobus de Voragine,
I. Ri» est? hahes qucB tueatiir et au^eat. — "2. Non ist ? habes quce quarat. —
3. Sriundce rts sunt ? Jilicitas duplicatur. — 4. Advencz sunt ? Consolutur, adsidet,
0 ,us participat ut tulerabile fiat. — o. Dumics? solitudinis tiediuin pcliit. — 0. Funis?
iJisccn lentim visuprusequitur, absintem desiderut, rtdiunttin httu cxcipit. — 7. Nihil
juiundum absque sucietale? Nulla sociitas viatnnioniu sudviur. — 8. Vinculum con-
jugatis chiiritatit adamintinum. — 9. Accrescit diilcis tijfiuium turbu, duplicatur
nurncrus purentum, fratum, sororum, jiepotum. — 10. Pulchra sis prole fiurcns. —
11. Lex Mosis stcrilitatcm matrimonii exicratur, quunto amplius ccelibatum? —
12. Si natura pa^nam non cffugit, ne voluntas quidem tffugitt.
1. Ilast thtm means.'' ihou hast none to keep and increase it. — 2. IJast none .^
thou hast one to help to get it. — 3. Art in prosperity .' thine happiness is doubled. —
4. Art in adversity.' she'll comfort, assist, bear a part of thy biirdi-n to make it more
tolerable. — 5. Art at home? she'll drive away melancholy. — -0. Art abroad? she
looks after thee going from home, wishes for thee in thine absence, and joyfully
welcomes thv return. — ^7. There's nothing delightsome without society, no sociiUy
st» sweet as matrimony. — 8. Tiie band of conjugal love is adamantine. — J). The
siweet company of kinsiueii increasclh, the number of parents is doubled, of brothers,
sisters, nephews. — 10. Thou art maile a father by a fair and happy issue. — 1 1. Moses
curseth the barrenness uf matrimony, how nmch more a single life? — 12. If nature
escape not punishment, surely thy will shall not avoid it.
All ihi.M is true, say you, and who knows it nut? but how easy a matter is it to
answer these moiives, and to make an Antiparodia quite opposite unto it? To
exercise myself I will es.say:
1. Hast thuu means? th»>u hast one to spend it. — 2. Hast none? thy beggary is
increased. — 3. Art in prosperity? thy happiness is ended. — 4. Art in adversity? like
Job's wife she'll aggravate thy n>isery, vex thy soul, make thy burden intolenible. —
5. Art at home? she'll scold thee out of doors. — G. Art abroad' If thou be wise
keep thee s<>, shi-'ll perhaps graft horn.' in thine absence, scowl on thee coming
honje. — 7. Xoihiiig gives more ctjuient than s(jlitariness, no solitariness like this of
a single lift 8. The band of marriage is adamantine, no hope of losing it, thou art
undone. — U. T hy number iticreaseth, thou shah be devoured by thy wife's friends. —
10. Thou art made a cornuto by an unchaste wife, and shalt bring up other folks'
children instead of thine own. — 1 1. Paul commends marriage, yet he prefers a single
life. — 12. Is marriage honourable ? What an immortal crown belongs to virginity?
So Siracides himself speaks as much as may be for and against women, so doth
almost every philosopher plead pro and con, every poet thus argues the case (though
what cares vulgus nominum what they say?): so can I conceive peradvenlure, and
so canst tiiou: when all is said, yet since some be good, some bad, let's put it to
the venture. 1 conclude therefore with Seneca,
" cur Toro viduo jacc* ?
Tristein juwiitaiii solve: nunc liiiua rapt:,
Etfuhi^K liulwnuD. opiiiooa vilx die»
KUluere prohibe."
•• Why dost thou lie alone, let thy youth and best days to pass away ?" Marry
whilst thou mayest, donee vivcnli canities ahest morosu^ whilst thou art yet able, yet
lustv, *^ Elige cui dicas^ tu mihi sola places, make thy choice, and that freely forth-
with, make no delay, but take thy fortune as it falls. 'Tis true,
« " calamilodiis e«t qui incideril
In iiialaiu uxureiii, felix qui in bonam,"
Tis a hazard both ways I confess, to live single or to marry, ^^ JVom et uxorem ducere,
tt non dncrre malum est, it may be bad, it may be good, as it is a cross and calamity
«»n the one side, so 'tis a sweet deliglit, an incomparable happiness, a blessed estate,
a most unspeakable benefit, a sole content, on the other; 'tis all in the proof. Be
xGeo. li. A.ljiitDrium similf, Ate. «* Ovnl. •• Find I ine« ■ bsd wiftf, happy who found • good o»e"
h(*r to wboiii v»u ni4y say. -ilmu art my only pira- <^ E (irrco Valcriu*. lib. 7. cap. 7. " To marrir, aod ■«(
lure ' ** EurioiUe*. " L'nliappy the man Mho hn» \ lo mafTjr, are ciiually baae."
Men.. 5. Subs. 5.] Cure of Love-Melancholy. 561
not then so wayward, so covetous, so distrustful, so curious and nice, but let's all
marry, muluos foventes amplexus; "Take me to thee, and thee to me," to-morrow
is St. Valentine's day, let's keep it holiday for Cupid's sake, for that great god Love's
sake, for Hymen's sake, and celebrate ^^Venus' vigil with our ancestors for company
together, singing as they did.
"Crasaii) et qui riuiiquam ainavit, quique amavit, eras
aiiiet,
Ver iioviini, ver jam canorum, ver natus orbis est,
Vere concordant aniores, vere nubuiit alites,
Et iiemiis coma resolvit, &.c.
('ras aniet, &i:.
' Let those love now who nevpr lovpil before,
And those who always loved now love the more;
Sweet loves are born with every opening s|)ring;
Birds from the- jnder boughs their pledges sing," ice.
Let him that is averse from marriage read more in Barbarus de re uxor. llh. 1. cap. \.
Lemnius de institut. cap. 4. P. Godefndus de Jimor. lib. 3. cap. 1. "''Nevisanus, lib. 3.
Alex, ab Alexandro, lib. 4. cap. 8. Tunstall, Erasmus' tracts in laudem matrimonii^
4t., and 1 doubt not but in the end he will rest satisfied, recant with Beroaldus, do
penance for his former folly, singing some penitential ditties, desire to be reconciled
to the deity of this great god Love, go a pilgrimage to his shrine, offer to his image,
sacrifice upon his altar, and be as willing at last to embrace marriage as the rest
Ther^ will not be found, I hope, ^°"No, not in that severe family of Stoics, who
shall refuse to submit his grave beard, and supercillious looks to the clipping of a
wife," or disagree from his fellows in this point. " For what more willingly (as
°' Varro holds) can a proper man see than a fair wife, a sweet wife, a loving wife ?''
can the world afford a better sight, sweeter content, a fairer object, a more gracious
aspect }
Since then this of marriage is the last and best refuge, and cure of heroical love,
all doubts are cleared, and impediments removed ; I say again, what remains, but
that according to both their desires, they be happily joined, since it cannot other-
wise be helped .'' God send us all good wives, every man his wish in this kind, and
me mine!
'■''■ Jind God that all this world hath ywrought
Send him his Loce that hath il so deere bought.
If all parties be pleased, ask their banns, 'tis a match. ^^Fruitur Rhodanthe sponsa,
sponso Dosicle, Khodanthe and Dosicles shall go together, Clitiphon and Leucippe,
Theagines and Chariclea, Poliaichus hath his Argenis, Lysander Calista, to make
up the mask) ""* Potiturqiie sua puer Iphis lanthi.
.^nd Troilus in lust and in quiet
[s »<(A Cresetd, his own heart sweet.
And although they have hardly passed the pikes, through many difficulties and de-
lays brought the match about, yet let tliem take this of "Aristajnetus (that so marry)
for their comfort: ^^^ after many troubles and cares, the marriages of lovers are
more sweet and pleasant." As we commonly conclude a comedy with a " wedding,
and shaking of hands, let's shut up our discourse, and end all with an ^^ Epithala-
mium.
Feliciter nupfis, God give them joy together. ^^ Hymen O Hymencce^ Hymen ades
O HymencEc ! Bonuvi factum.) 'tis well done, Haud equidem sine mcnle reor^ sine
numine Divum., 'lis a happy conjunction, a fortunate match, an even couple,
" Ambo anirnis, ambo prsstantes virihiis, ambo
Florentes annis,"
" they both excel in gifts of body and mind, are both equal in years," youth, vigour,
alacrity, she is fair and lovely as Lais or Helen, he as another Charinus or Alcibiades,
' ludite ut lubet et brevi I " Then modestly go sporl and toy,
Liberos date." I And let 's have every year a boy."
*' " Go give a sweet smell as incense, and bring forth flowers as the Idy :" that we
may say hereafter, Scitus Mecastor natus est Pamphilo puer. In the meantime I say,
*" Pervigilium Veneris 6 vetere poeta. «Doraus | MQvid. s5 Epist. 4. I. 2. Jucundiores multo et
nnn potest coiisistere sine uxore. Nevisanus lib. 2. suaviores longfi post molestas turbasamantium nupli«.
num. 18. -M Xemo in si-verissima Stoicorum faniilia -' Olim memiiiisse juvabit. ^" ftuid e.vpecialis, intus
qui non barbam quoque et supercilium amplexibus Sunt tiuptiae, the music guests, and all the gooii chee*
uiores subniiserit, aut in ista parte a reliquis dissen- is within. as The conclusion of Chaucer's poem ot
serit. Hensius Primiero. si Quid libeiitius homo Troilus and Creseid. »Catullus. «> Catullus. J.
masculus videre debet qwam bellam u.xorem? s^Chau- Secundus Sylvar. lib. Jam virgo thalamum subibit unde
tiLr '3 Conclusio Theod. Podro. rai. 9. 1 Amor. I ne virgo redeat, marite cura. ^' Ecclus. xxxiz. li
71
562
Love-Melancholy.
[Part. 3. Sec. 3
' Ite, asrite, O juvenes, Wnon murmura vestra columb.-e,
Bracliia, noii liedi-rce, neque vimaiit oscula coiiclue."
" Gpntle youths, go sport yourselves betiuies.
Let iiiit the doves outpass your luurniuriiig;
Or ivy clasping arms, or oyster-kissings."
And in the morn betime, as those " Lacedaemonian lasses saluted Helena and Mene-
laus, singing at their windows, and wishing good success, do we at yours :
' Salve O sponsa, salve felix, det viihis Latoii.i
Felicein suliuleiii, Veuus dea det a-qiialnii ainoreiu
Inter vos niiituu ; t^aturniis durabiles divitia:;.
Dorniite in pectora niutuo auiureni luspirantes,
El desidiTium !"
Even all your lives long,
'Contin^Til vobis turturuin concordia,
Curiiiculie vivacitas"
Good morrow, master bridegroom, and mistresa
Many ftiir lovely bcrnes to you betitle ! [bride,
Let Venus to you mutual love procure,
Let Siilurn give you riclies to euilure.
Long may you sleep in one anotlicr's arms,
Ius|iiring sweel desire, and free I'rum harms."
" The love of turtles hap to you,
.And ravens' vcars still to renew.'
Let the Muses sing, (as he said ;) the Graces dance, not at their weddings only but
all their days long ; " so couple their hearts, that no irksomeness or anger ever befal
them : let liim never call lier other name ihan my joy, my light, or she call him
otherwise than sweetheart. Tp this happiness of theirs, let not old age any whit
detract, but as their years, so let tlieir mutual love and comfort increase." And
when they depart this life.
"conciirdes ((uoniam vixere tot annos,
Aufirnt hora duns eadein, nee ronjugis usquaiii
Bubla suu: videut, Dec bit tumuiaiidus ab ilia."
'• Because they have so sweetly liv'd together,
Ltt not one die a day bi-fnre tin- other.
Me bury her, she him. with even lute.
One hour their souls let jointly separate."
*■ " Fortunati ambn si quid mea carmina possunt,
Nulla dies unquam inemori vos eximet svo."
Atque hfcc de amore dixisse sufiiciat, siih corrcclione, ''quod ait ille, cujnsque me-
lius sentientis. Plura qui volet de remediis amoris, legat Jasoncm Pratcnstm, Ar-
noldum^ Montalluin^ Savanarolum^ Langium^ Vakscu?n, Crimisonum, Alexandrum
Bciif dictum., Laurenlium, I'uUcriolam, e Poetis J\''aso7iein, e nostratibus Chaucerum
Sf-c, wiih whom I conclude,
•* For my leorJs here and every part,
• I apeak htm all under correction,
i Vf yuu that feeling kace in lore't art,
^nd put it all in your discretion,
To mtreat or make diminution.
Of my language, that I you heaeeck:
But nine to purpote of my rather gpeetk.
SECT. IIL MEMB. I
/f
SuBSECT. I. — Jealousy, its Equivocations, Name, Definition, Extent, several kinds;
of Pritiiis, Parrntf, Friends. In Beasts, Mm: before marriage, as Cu-rivals ;
or after, as in this place.
Valescls de Tarantd cap. de Melanchol. .Julian Montaltus, Felix Plaierus,
Guianerius, put jealousy for a cause of melancholy, others for a symptom ; because
melanchol V persons amongst these passions and perturbations of the mind, are mo.^t
obnoxious to it. But methinks for the latitude it halli, and that prerogative above
other ordinary symptoms, it ought to be treated of as a species apart, bring of so
great am! eminent note, so furious a passion, and almost of as great extent as love
itself, as " Benedetto Varchi holds, "no love without a mixture of jealousy," ^ui
nan zrlat^ non amat. For these causes I will (hlate, and treat of it by itself, as a
bastard-branch or kind of love-melancholy, which, as hcroical love goeih cununonly
before marriage, doth usually follow, torture, and crucify in like sort, deserves there-
-.ore to be rectified alike, requires as much care and industry, in setting out the
several causes of it, prognostics and cures. Which I have more willingly done, that
OGaleni Epilhal. "O noctem quater et quater i Irahat, iino potius aliquid adnugeat. **'' Happy
beatam. •' 'I'heiicritus idyl J8. ■^ Krasin. Epithal. i b<ah, if my v«r»^« have any charMM, nnr»hall lime ever
p. iEKidij. Nee !«alteiil niodo sed rluo <:liari.-t.<^tma pec- I di-lract from the memorahle example i>( >n(ir live*.'
tora iiidi^a'dublli iiiiitiix benevolentis nrulo rnrpulent, ' " Kornmaiinuii de linea aiiiori<. ** Kiiiix .1 tMiok
ut nihil UR<|'i:iiii rn* incedere possit irs vel lo-dii. Ilia | of Troilut and <'ri-«eid. °* lu his Oration of Jeulouty
p<-rp>-tuo nihil audiat ni^i, mea lux : ille vicis>im nihil I put out by Fr. Sausavin.
mai aniuie mi: atijue buic jucuiidiiati ne •eneciuade-!
.\Iem. 1. Subs. 1.]
Jealousy of Princes
503
he that is or hath been jealous, may see his error as in a glass ; he that is not. niav
learn to detest, avoid it himself, and dispossess others that are anywise aUtcieil
with it.
Jealousy is described and defined to be ™"a certain suspicion which the lover
hath of the party he chiefly lovelh, lest he or she should be enamoured of another:"'
or any eager desire to enjoy some beauty alone, to have it proper to himself only :
a fear or doubt, lest any foreigner should participate or share with him in his love!
Or (as ■' Scaliger adds) '• a fear of losing her favour whom he so earnestly affects."
Cardan calls it "a '^zeal for love, and a kind of envy lest any man should beguile
us." "Ludovicus Vives defines it in the very same words, or little differing in sense.
There be many other jealousies, but improperly so called all; as that of parents,
tutors, guardians over their children, friends whom they love, or such as are left to
their wardship or protection.
'* "Storax non rediil hac nocte a coBna yE>chinus,
Neque servulorum quispiarn qui adversum ierant?"
As the old man in the comedy cried out in a passion, and from a solicitous fear
and care he had of his adopted son ; "'" not of beauty, but lest they should miscarry,
do amiss, or any way discredit, disgrace (as Vives notes) or endanger themselves
and us." ""^^geus was so solicitous for his son Theseus, (when he^went to fi-rht
with the 3'Iinotaur) of his success, lest he should be foiled, "" Prona est timori semper
in pejus fides. We are still apt to suspect the worst in such doubtful cases, as many
wives m their husband's absence, fond mothers in their children's, lest if absent they
should be misled or sick, and are continually expecting news from them, how they
do fare, and what is become of them, they cannot endure to have them lono- out of
their sight : oh my sweet son, O my dear child, &c. Paul was jealous o'ver the
Church of Connth, as he confesseth, 2 Cor. xi. 12. '-With a godly jealousy, to
present them a pure virgin to Christ;" and he was afraid still, lest as the serpent
beguded Eve, through his subtilty, so their minds should be corrupt from the sim-
plicity that is in Christ. God himself, in some sense, is said to be jealous, '^" I am
a jealous God, and will visit :" so Psalm Ixxix. 5. '' Shall thv jealousy burn like
fire for ever?" But these are improperly called jealousies, aiid bv a metaphor, to
show the care and solicitude they have of them. Although some jealousies express
all the symptoms of this which we treat of, fear, sorrow, anguish, anxiety, suspicion,
hatred, ^c, the object only varied. That of some fathers is very eminent, to their
sons and heirs ; for though they love them dearly being children, vet now coming
towards man's estate they may not well abide them, the son and heir is commonly
sick of the father, and the father again may not well brook his eldest son, inde
simuUates, phrunu/ue confentlones et inimichicB ; but that of princes is most noto-
rious, as when they fear co-rivals (if I may so call them) successors, emulators,
subjects, or such as th.ey have offended. "" Omnisque potestas impatkns consortis
erit: " they are still suspicious, lest their authority should be diminished," '^ as one
observes; and as Comineus hath it, ^''^it cannot be expressed what slender causes
they have of their grief and suspicion, a secret disease, that commonly lurks and
breeds in princes' llimilies." Sometimes it is for their honour only, as that of Adrian
the emperor, ^^- that killed all his emulators." Saul envied David ; Domitian Agri-
cola, because he did excel him, obscure his honour, as he thought, eclipse his fame.
Juno turned Praetus' daughters into kine, for that they contended with her for beautv;
"Cyparissas, king Eteocles' children, were envied of the goddesses for their excel-
lent good parts, and dancing amongst the rest, saith *^ Constantine, " and for that
cause Hung headlong from heaven, and buried in a pit, but the earth took pity of
them, and brought out cypress trees to preserve their memories." ^^Niobe, .Arac'hne,
and Marsyas, can testify as much. But it is most grievous when it is for a kino-dom
'» Btne. otto Varclii. 'i Kxercitat. 317. Cum rnetiii-
mus !ie aiiiucoi rei exturbiinur pi.ss.-ssione. "Zelus
dt; forma est invidentiie specifs np quis forma quam
aiuanuis fniatur. 'a;) ,|e ..\n,,„a ti •• Has not
evi-ry one ot'ilie slaves thai went to meet him n-turiied
this ni»lit fi )m the supper ?" '^ R. ile Aiiimd. Tan-
eimur z<'lotypia de pupillis, liheris charisqiie cura; iios-
triE coni;r."ilitis, non de forma, se.l ne male sit iis aut
ne nobis sibiqiie parent ignominiam. " Plutarch.
" Scuec. ia Here. fur. '•>> Eiod. xx. " Lucan.
'"Danaus Aphori.*. polit. semper metuunt ne oorum
auctoritas minuatur. "i Belli Xeapol. lib. 5. f^Dici
non potest quam tenues et intirmas causas habenl
rareroris et suspicioni.s, et hie est morbus occultus, qui
in familiis principum regnat. w Omnes ajmulos in-
terfecit. Lamprid. ^ Constant, agricult. lib. 10. c.
5. CyparissE Eteoclis fiiire, saltantes ad emulationem
dearum in puteum demolitEe sunt, sed terra mi:3erata,
cupressos inde produxit. i»Ovid. Met.
004 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3.
itself, or matters of commodity, it produceth lamentable effects, especially amongst
tyrants, in despolico Imperio, and such as are more feared than beloved of llieir sub-
jects, ihat get and keep their sovereignty by force and fear. '^ Quod civibiis Icncre
tf invitis scius, i^c, as Phalaris, Dionysius, Periander held theirs. For tliough fear,
cowardice, and jealousy, in Plutarcli's opinion, be the common causes of tyranny,
as in Nero, Caligula, Tiberius, yet most take them to be symptoms. For '''•' what
slave, wluit hangman (as Boiline well expresseth tliis passion, /. 2. c. 5. de rep.) can
su cruelly torture a condemned person, as this fear and suspicion ? Fear of death,
infamy, torments, are those furies and vuUures that vex and disquiet tyrants, and
torture them day and night, with perpetual terrors and affrights, envy, suspicion, fear,
desire of revenge, and a thousand sucli disagreeing perturbations, turn and afliight
the soul out of the hinges of health, and more grievously wound and pierce, than
those cruel masters can exasperate and vex their apprentices or servants, with clubs,
whips, chains, and tortures." Many terrible examples we have in this kind, amongst
the Turks especially, many jealous outrages ; " Sclimus killed Kornutus his youngest
brother, live of liis nephews, Mustapha Bassa, and divers others. '"Bajazet the
second Turk, jealous of the valour and grtalness of Achmet Bassa, caused him to
be slain. '^Solyman the Magnificent murdered his own son Mustapha; and 'tis an
ordmary thing amongst them, to make away their brothers, or any competitors, at
the first coinujg to the crown : 'lis all the solemnity they use at their fathers' fune-
rals. What mad pranks in his jealous I'ury did Herod of old commit in Jewry, w hen
he massacred all tlie chddren of a year old ? "' V'alens the emperor in Constanti-
nople, when as he left no man alive of qualily in his kingilom that had his name
begun with Theo ; Theodoti, Theognosii, Theodosii, Theoduli, kc. They went
all to their long home, because a wizard told him that name should succeed in his
empire. And what furious designs hath ''^Jo. Basiljus, that Muscovian tyrant, prac-
tised of late ? It is a wonder to read that strange suspicion, which Suetonius reports
of Claudius Ca-'sar, and of Domitian, they were afraid of every man they saw : and
whicti lierodian of Antoninus and (Jeta, those two jealous brothers, the one could
not endure so much as the other's servants, but made away him, his chiefest fol-
lowers, and all that belonged to him, or were his well-wishers. "^Maximinus •' j)er-
ceivuig himself to be odious to inosi men, because he was come U) that height of
honour out of base beginnings, and susjiecting his mean parentage woulil be ob-
jected to him, caused all the senators that were nobly descended, to be slain in a
jealous humour, turned all the servants of Alexander his predecessor out of doors,
and slew many of them, because they lamented their master's death, suspecting them
to be traitors, for the love they bare to hiiji." When Alexander in his jury liad
made Clitus his dear friend to be put to death, and saw now (.saith *" Curtius; an
alienation in his subjects' hearts, none durst talk with him, he began to be jealou.s
of himself, lest they should attempt as much on him, " and said they lived like so
many wild beasts in a wilderness, one afraid of another." Our modern stories allbrd
us many notable examples. '^ Henry the Third of France, jealous of llemy of
Lorraine, Duke of Guise, anno 1588, caused him to be murdered in his own cliain-
ber. '-''Louis the Eleventh was so suspicious, he durst not trust his children, every
man about him he suspected for a traitor; many strange tricks Comineus telhih of
hiiu. How jealous was our Henry the ^' Fourth of Jving Bichard the Second, so
long as he lived, alter he was deposed.' and of his own son Henry in his latter days.'
which the prince well perceiving, came to visit his father in his sickness, in a walchel
velvet gown, full of eyelet holes, and with needles slicking in them (as an enddem
of jealousy), and so pacitied his suspicious father, after some speeches and |)rotesla-
Uons, which he had used to that purpose. Perpetual imprisonment, as that of iiobert
"■Seiieia. ''Quid autem cuniirei addictuiii sup- liinet oriitiea ne iiiniilic eoeiit. Ik-rndnl. I 7. Mrtiiini
plicio criiileliu* afficmt, (|uaiii iui-tu«7 Mrtu* inquaiu im* iiivikiiui re n^nlieiii.quixl ex mtiiiio |i>cii in tamam
mortis inraiiiix cnicialus, sum ille ullrices fur in- qua: furlunarii Vf iiissci iiioriljusac e<'iiere hartiaru*, ineliii-nr
lyraiintis eiumlant. Jcc. Multo ait-rbiiis !iauci;tii( <-l lie iintaliuiii i>lii>ciiritaii ubjicen-lur, nuiiieit Ait-xiiiMlri
pun^uiil, i|iiaiii criidfles Uoiuiiii servos v.iiclns fuatihux
ar lorui'iilis exulcerare posiiunt. '* L(iiiiC'-ru!i, To.
1. Turc. Iii»l. e. -J^. "•J.iviua vita ejus. »" Kim »!>••.
Busbfi|iiiU!t. Saiiil. ful. j'.'. »' Nicr-phorus, III . 11. c.
a Sticraics. III). 7. cap. :L3. Nequr V'alein alicui p*.-
pra-decensori* iiiiiiislros ex aula i-jtrn piiirit.n* iiii»«r.
iVcliB qinxl iiitBsli es»«-iil ad iiiortciii .M' ^ Jiaf
Hide liirtUi-iK'. *• l,|b. tj laiiqtjiiii ii»»
vivrhaiit, tfrrcnlps alios, liiiienti-s. ^
*■ Neap b»-lli. lib 5 nulli prorsus hoiiiiin n ]• i> ii <'iiinr«
pen-It q II I'liro coenoiiiiiie vocaretur. " Alraaiid. ' instdian sitii pulabat. i^ C'auidvu's kcoiaiM
(iaguiu. Muscuv. bisl. deacrip. c. 6. " I> FleUber, [
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.] Jealousy of Beasts. 565
*^Duke of Normandy, in the days of Henry the First, forbidding of marriage to
some persons, with such like edicts and proliibitions, are ordinary in all states. In
n word ("^as he said) three things cause jealousy, a mighty state, a rich treasure, a
feir wife • or where there is a cracked title, mUch tyranny, and exactions. In our
state, as being freed from all these fears and miseries, we may be most secure and
happy under the reign of our fortunate prince :
lo"" His fortune liatii indeliteil him to none | He is so set, he hath no cause to be
But to all his people universallv ; | Jealous, or dreadful of disloyalty;
And not to them hut for their love alone. The pedestal whereon his greatness stands.
Which tliey account as placed worthily. | la held of all our hearts, and all our hands."
But I rove, I confess. These equivocations, jealousies, and many such, which cru-
cify the souls of men, are not here properly meant, or in this distinction of ours in-
cluded, but that alone which is for beauty, tending to love, and wherein they can brook
no co-rival, or endure any participation: and this jealousy belongs as well to brute
beasts, as men. Some creatures, saith 'Vives, swans, doves, cocks, bulls, Slc, are
jealous as well as men, and as much moved, for lear of communion.
S'-Grpge pro toto hella juvenci, I " In Venus' cause what niijihty battles make
Si con jupio tiiMuere suo, | Your ravinj; bulls, and stirs for their herd's sake :
Poscunt Tiniidi preelja cervi, j And harts and bucks that are so timorous,
Et mugitus dant coiicepti sigiia furoris." | Will fight and roar, if once they be but jealous."
In bulls, horses, goats, this is most apparently discerned. Bulls especially, alium
in pascuis non admitlit^ he will not admit another bull to feed in the same pasture,
saith ^ Oppin : whicli Stephanus Bathorius, late king of Poland, used as an impress,
with that motto, Rcgnum non capit duos. R. T. in his Blason of Jealousy, telleth
a story of a swan about Windsor, that finding a strange cock with his mate, did
swim I know not how many miles after to kill him, and when he had so done, came
back and killed his hen; a certain truth, he saith, done upon Thames, as many
watermen, and neighbour gentlemen, can tell. Fideni suam liberet ; for my part, I
do believe it may be true; for swans have ever been branded with that epithet of
jealousy.
■• The jealous swanne against his death that singeth,
Anii eke the owic that vf death bode bringeth.
"Some say as much of elephants, that they are more jealous than any other creatures
whatsoever; and those old Egyptians, as "^Pierius informeth us, express in their
hieroglyphics, the passion of jealousy by a camel; "because that fearing the worst
still about matters of venery, he loves "solitudes, that he may enjoy his pleasure
alone, el in quoscunquc obvios insurgit^ Zclolypice stimulis agitatus^ he will quarrel
and fight with whatsoever comes next, man or beast, in his jealous fits. I have read
as much of ^crocodiles; and if Peter iMartyr's authority be authentic, kgat. Babij-
loniccB, lib. 3. you shall have a strange tale to that purpose confidently related. An-
other story of the jealousy of dogs, see iu Hieron. Fabricius, Trad. 3. cap. 5. de
loquelu aniinalium.
But this furious passion is most eminent in men, and is as well amongst bachelors
as married men. If it appear amongst bachelors, we commonly call them rivals or
co-rivals, a metaphor derived from a river, rivules, d ^rivo; for as a river, saith Acron
in Hor. Art. Poet, and Donat. in Ter. Eunuch, divides a common ground belwee;!
two men, and both participate of it, so is a woman indifiereiit between two suitor-,
both likely to enjoy lier; and thence comes this emulation, which breaks out many
times hito' tempestuous storms, and produceth lamentalde efTects, murdei itself, with
much cruelty, many single combats. They cannot endure the least injury done
unto them before their mistress, and in her defence will bite off one another's noses;
they are most impatient of any flout, disgrace, lest emulation or participation in that
kind. '"'•' Lacerat hiccriuin Largi mordax Memnius. Memnius the Roman (as Tully
tells the story, dc oratorc, lib. 2.), being co-rival with Laigns Terracina, bit him by
the arm, which fact of his was so famous, tliat it afterwards grew to a proverb in
those parts. " Piia;dria could not abide his co-rival Thraso ; for when Parmeno de-
^Mst "aris. 90 r. 'j\ n,,|is in blason ji-alousin. I solus sola foGinina fniatiir. s Crocodiil zelotypi et
Jw Daniel in his PancKiric to the kins. i3. de aninia, i iixoriim aniantissiiiii, &r. sClui uiviilit aaruui
cap. detzel. Ammalia qua.lem zilotvpia tanjunlur, ut i coininuneui ; inde deducitur ad amanlHS. '» Erasmus
olores, colrinil.a!, gaili, tauri, &.c. oh nietum commu- I chil. 1. cent. 9. ada^'. »'.». "Ter. Lun. Act. 1. sc 1.
nionis. »Seiieca. 3 Lib. 11. Cyiioget. «Chaucer, Munus nostrum ornato verbis, el istum Eraulum, quoad
in his Assembly of Fowls. » .Ald'ernvand. s Lib. 1-2. : poleris, ab ea pe'lito.
'Sibi tiuiens circa res venereas, solitudines auiat quo ;
2X
566
Love-Melancholy.
[Part. 3. Sec. 3.
>«"Tii iiiilii vc'l Ifrro |m.-i'Iii>:, vel (wrde veiieno,
A diiiiiiiiu i:iiituiii tt! iiiihIii lulle iiiea:
Te sotlillil vm le L-<)r|iuriD eniv licrbit,
'I'e iloiiiiniiiii uiliiiittii rebuii aiiiice iiieU.
Li-i'l') iv siiluiii, leclii le (leprKOor iiiio,
Uivaleiii posaiiiu null egu lerre Juvem."
manded, numquid aliud imperas? whetlier he would command him any more ser
vice : '• No more (saith he) but to speak ia his behalf, and to drive away his co-nval
if he could." Coustantine, in the eleventh book of his husbandry, cap. 11, hath a
pleasant tale of the pine-tree; ''she was once a fair maid, whom Pineus and Boreas,
two co-rivals, dearly sought; but jealous Boreas broke her neck, Stc. And in his
eighteenth chapter he telleth another tale of '^ Mars, that in his jealousy slew Adonis.
Petronius calleth this passion amanlium furiosum ceinulalionrm., a furious eniulatii>n ;
ani.". their symptoms are well expressed, by Sir GeofFrey Cliaucer in his first Canter-
inny Tale. It will make the nearest and dearest frienils lall out; they will endure
all other things to be conunon, goods, lands, moneys, participate of each pleasure,
and take in good part any disgraces, injuries in another kind; but as Propertius well
describes it in an elegy of his, in this they will suffer nothing, have no co-rivals.
"Stub inc with sword, or poison strong
Give me lo work my bitiie:
So ihou court nut my lass, so (liuu
From misiri't'.s iniiK,- n-lrain.
Coiiiiiiaiid iiivoeir, my tiiHly, purdc,
Am lliiiie own uuuds tuke all,
And as iiiy ever di-arcHi friend,
I ever use Ihee 8liall.
O Kpare my love, to have alone
Her to nivself I crave,
Nay, Jove liiniself 1 'II not endure
.My rival lor lo have."
This jealou.sy, which I am to treat of, is that which belongs to married men, in
respect of their own wives ; to whose estate, as no sweetness, pleasure, happiness
can be compand in the world, if they live quietly and lovingly together; so if they
disagree or be jealous, those bitter pills of sorrow and grief, disastrous mischiefs,
nii>chances, tortures, gripings, discontents, are not to be sejiarated from them. A
most violent passion it is where it taketh place, an unspeakable torment, a hrllish
torture, an infernal plague, as Arit>sto calls it, "a fuiy, a coutiiuial fever, full of sus-
picion, fear, and sorrow, a inartyrdoni, a mirth-iiiarring monster. The sorrow and
griff of heart of owe woman jealous of another, is heavier than death, Ecclns. xxviii. 0.
as ''Peiiiiiiiah did Hannah, vex her and upbraid her sore." 'Tis a main vexation, a
most intolerable burden, a corrosive to all content, a frenzy, a madness itself; as
"Beneiiitto Varchi proves out of that select sonnet of Giovanni de la Casa, that
reverend lord, as he styles him.
Slbsect. II. — CausfS of Jtaluu,<i/. Who are must apt. IdUnes.H, mtlniuhuly, im-
poteiuy, lung aluencr, beauty, wantonness, naught thcmsilvcs. Allurements, J'rum
time, place, ptrsuns, bad usage, causes.
Astrologers make the stars a cause or sign of this bitter passion, and out of
everv man's horoscope will give a probable conjecture whetlier he will be jealous or
no, and at what time, by direction of the significators to their several proniissors:
their aphorisms are to be read in Albubator, Pontanus, Schoner, Junctine, &tc. Brjdine;
cap. o. vietk. hisl. ascribes a great cause to the country or clime, and discour.seth
largelv there of this subject, saying, that southern men are more hot, lascivious, and
jealous, tiian such as live in the north; they can hardly coniain themselves in those
hotter climes, but are most subject to prodigious lust, Le<i Afer telleth incredible
things almost, of the lust and jealousy of his countrymen of Africa, and especially
such as live about Carthage, and so doth every geographer of them in '"Asia, Tur-
key, Spaniards, Italians. Germany hath not so many drunkards, Eni^land tobacco-
nists, France dancers, Holland mariners, as Italy alone halli jealous husbands. And
in '* Italv s«>me account them of Piacenza more jealous than the rest. In '*Germany,
France, Britain, Scandia, Poland, Muscovy, they are not so troubled with this feral
nialadv, althouirh Damianus a Goes, which I do much wonder at, in his topogniphy
of Lapland, and Herbastein of Russia, against the stream of all other geogra|)Iiers,
would fasten it upon those northern inhabitants. Altomarius Poggius, and .Mm.ster
in his description of Baden, reports that men and women of all sorts go commonly
>* Pinun puella quondam fuit, icr.. » Mar* zpIo-
•y|Ki» Adoiiideni inlerfecil " K. T. '» I Sam i. «.
iUazoa ul° Jealoucy. >'' .Mulieruiu cooUilio luiaera ;
niillain honrataiii creduiit nl«i donio enncluM virat
'■Fine* Morison. >* .Vunen zelulypia auud irtot
lucuui nou limbet, lib. 3. e. a.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Causes of Jealousy. 567
into the baths together, without all suspicion, '" the name of jealousy (^saith M ansterj
is not so much as once heard of among them." In Friesland the women kiss him
they (h'ink to, and are kissed again of those they pledge. The virgins in Holland
go hand in hand with young men from home, glide on the ice, such is their harmless
liberty, and lodge together abroad williout suspicion, which rash Saiisovinus an
Italian makes a great sign of unchastity. In France, upon small acquaintance, it is
usual to court other men's wives, to come to their houses, and accompany them arm
in arm in the streets, without imputation. In the most northern countries young
men and maids familiarly dance together, men and their wives, ^'' which, Siena only
excepted, Italians may not abide. The ^' Greeks, on the other side, have their private
baths for men and women, where they must not come near, nor so much as see one
another : and as ^^Bodine observes lib. 5. de repuh. '•'■ the Italians could never endure
this," or a Spaniard, the very conceit of it would make him mad : and for that cause
they lock up their women, and will not sufi'er them to be near men, so much as in
the '^^ church, but with a partition between. He telleth, moreover, how that "when
he was ambassador in England, he heard Mendoza tlie Spanish legate tinding fault
with it, as a filthy custom for men and women to sit promiscuously in churches
.together ; but Dr. Dale the master of the requests told him again, that it was indeed a
liltliy cuslom in Spain, where they could not contain themselves from lascivious
thoughts in their holy places, but not with us." Baronius in his Annals, out of
Eusebius, taxelh Licinius the emperor for a decree of his made to this efiect, Jubens
ne viri siuiul cum mulieribus in ecclesid inleressent : for being prodigiously naught
himself, aliorum naturam ex sud'v il iosd mente spectavlt, he so esteemed others. But
we are far from any such strange conceits, and will permit our wives and daughters
to go to the tavern with a friend, as Aubanus saith, modo abslL lascivia, and suspect
nothing, to kiss coming and going, which, as Erasmus writes in one of his epistles,
they cannot endure. England is a paradise for women, and hell for horses : Italy a
paradise tor horses, hell for women, as the diverb goes. Some make a question
vv-hetlier tliis headstrong passion rage more in women than men, as Montaigne 1. 3.
But sure il is more outrageous in women, as all other melancholy is, by reason of
the weakness of their sex. Scaliger Poet. lib. cap. 13. concludes against women:
^* '' Besides tlieir inconstancy, treachery, suspicion, dissimulation, superstition, pride,
(for all women are by nature proud) desire of sovereignty, if tliey be great women,
(he gives instance in Juno) bitterness and jealousy are the most remarkable alfections.
" Sed neque fiilviis aper media tani fulvus in ira est, I " Tiger, boar, bear, viper, lioness,
Fuluiineo rapidus cluiii rotal ore canes. A woman's fury cannot express."
Nee leo," &.c. I
^ Some say red-headed_women, pale-coloureda_bIackHeyed, and of a shrill voice,
are most subject to jealousy.
28" High colour in a wonian cholcr shows,
Naufjht are they, peevish, proud, malicious;
But worst of all, red, shrill, and jealous."
Comparisons are odious, I neither parallel them with others, nor debase them any
more : men and women are both bad, and too subject to this pernicious infirmity.
It is most part a symptom and cause of melancholy, as Plater and Valescus teach
us : melancholy men are apt to be jealous, and jealous apt to be melancholy.
• Pale jealousy, chi'ld of insatiate love, I With heedless youth and error vainly led.
Of heart sick thoughts vvhirh melancholy bred, | A mortal pla;;ue, a virtuedrowiiiri}; tiood,
A heli-tormeiiting fear, no laitli can move, A hellish tire not quenclleU but «ith biood.'
By discontent with deadly poison fed ; |
If idleness concur with melancholy, such persons are most apt te be jealous ; 'tis
*' Nevisanus' note, "an idle woman is presumed to be lascivious, and often jealous."
Mulier cum sola cogital, male cogilat : and 'tis not unlikely, for they have no other
business to trouble their iieads with.
More particular causes be these which follow. Impotency first, when a man is
S" Fines Moris, part. 3. cap. T 2' Busbequius. terquam quod sunt infidi, siispicaces, iiiconstantes, ii
• dnrts. *- Pra; ainore et zelotvpia S£Bpius insaniunt. ' sidiosa;, simiilalnces, superstiliosiB, et si potentes, in
»• Australes lie sacra qii.d.-m publica fieri patiuntur, tolerabiles, ainore zelotypie supra iiiodiiiii. Ovid. 2. rfe
nisi uluripie sexus paritic medi ~ dividatur: et quum in art. ^^ l',Hnt;l\o. ''^ K. I'. 2' Lib. 2. num. 6
Aii!.'liam inquit. le>;atioi.:s tau.-a profeolus essem, au- mulier oliosa facile priEsumilur luxuriosa, el sipe z*
divi .Mendozam lefiatum Hispa...arum dicentem turpe lotypa.
esse viros et fcBmiiias in, ice. ^* Idea: luulieres pree- 1
568 Lovc-jMehncholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 3.
iiot able of liimself to perform those dues which he ought unto his wife : for though
h» be an honest hver, iiurt no man, yet Trebius the lawyer may make a question,
lUt suurn cuique Iribuat, whether he give every one their own ; and therefore when
he takes notice of his wants, and perceives her to be more craving, clamorous, in-
satiable and prone to lust than is tit, he begins presently to suspect, that wherein he
IS del'eclive, she will satisfy herself, she wdl be pleased by some oilier means. Cor-
nelius Gallus hath elegantly expressed this humour in an epigram to his Lychoris.
^" Janique alios juvene« aliosque rcquirit aniores,
iVle VDcat iiiibelleiii ilecrepitiiuique gciifui," Slc.
For this cause is most evident in old men, that are cold and dry by nature, and mar-
ried sued plenis, to young wanton wives ; with old doting Janivere in Chaucer, they
begin to mistrust all is not well,
site u>a.i young and A« was old.
And tkertfore ke feared tit be a cuckold.
And how should it otherwise be .' old age is a disease of itself, loathsome, full of sus-
picion and fear; when it is at best, unable, untit for such matters. ^■'Tain ajilu nuptiis
quain bruma messibus^ as welcome to a young woman as snow in harvest, saith Ne-
visanus : Et si capis juvenciilam^ fuckt tibi cumua : marry a lusty maid and she
will surely graft horns on thy head. ■'"''All women are slippery, often unlaithful to
their husbands (as itneas Sylvius epist. 38. seconds himj, but to old men most
treacherous : they had rather morlem ampkxarif.r^ lie with a corse than such a one:
^^Oderunt ilium ptteri, conlemnunt mtilieres. On the other side many men, saith
Hieronvmus, are suspicious of their wives, '"if they be lightly given, but old folks
above the rest. Insomuch that she did not complain without a cause in ^'Apuleius,
of an ohl bald bedridden knave she had to her good man : '• I'oor woman as 1 am,
what shall I do .' 1 have an old grim sire to my husband, as bald as a coot, as little
and as unable as a chUd," a bedtul of bones, " he keeps all the doors barred and
locked upon me, uoe is me, what shall 1 do.'" lie was jealous, and she made him
a cuckold for keeping her up : susjticion without a cause, hard usage is able «>f itself
to make a woman lly out, that was otherwise honest,
>* '■ plrraMjUK tKJiiaa tiaciatio prava*
Km« lacii,"
•• bad usage aggravates the matter." *\um quando inulieres cognoscunt marirum hoc
advirkn\ lictntiits peccant, ^^ as Nevisanus holds, when a woman thinks her hus-
band watcheth her, she will sooner oftt- nd ; *'Liberius peccant^ it pudur omnis abtst^
rougli handling makes them worse : as the goodwife of Bath in Chaucer brags,
la Mt en0n greate I made Kin fri$
tar aojier and fur eceri/ jcalousie.
Of two cxtrenie-, lais ci iiard usage is the worst. 'Tis a great fault (for some men
are uxorii) to be too fond of their wives, to dote on them as ''Senior Deliro on hia
Fallace, to be too ellt'ininate, or as some do, to be sick for their wives, breed chil-
dren for them, and like the ^'Tiberini lie in for them, as some birds hatch eggs by turns,
they do all women's olhces : Ca.'lius Khodiginus aril. led. lib. G.cap. 24. makes men-
tion of a fellow out of Seneca, "^ that was so besotted on his wife, he could not en-
dure a moment out of her company, he wore her scarf when he went abroad next
his lu'art, and would never drink but in that cup she began first. We have many
such fondlings that are their wives' pack-horses and slaves, (nam grave malum uxor
superans virum suurn, as the comical poet hath it, there's no greater misery to a man
than to let his wife domineer) to carry her mulf, dog, and fan, let her wear the
breeches, lay out, spend, and do what she will, go and come whither, when she will,
they give consent.
•• ll»'re, take my ui'itt, ami, do you hear, good maa ; I *• ■' (Ktifil pallam, rpdiinictjia, inaurti ;
Now givf me pearl, and carry you my I'aii," ice. Currr, (pud liic ci-siav 1 vul^o vull ilU tiiJeii,
I Tu pele leclica*"
*"And now ftie require* other youths and other | cunctain dotnum Kris el catenUobdilarr.
love*, tnil* ine an imbecile and decrepit olii inni." »M'(i.iliM.-r. s^ I.il> 4. it rO
** Ljb. 2. num. 4. 3*(iuuui uiiinibii' r -
fLemins. (eiiibua infi'Jeliuiinx. >- .Mn
^^\ix alii|ua nun inipudica. et quam ni>;i ^.', •
ni>-rito q'ltt h.iht'at. » Lib. 5. ilf aur. a»iii.. .\i l. ;i.'j.. una
fjl,< niio-ra patre men ieniorrni marii'jni tiacta «um. tj ■ bjt ni«i pr»>
4eoi cucurbila calviuieui el quovi* pueiw pumiliurem, j (u- .
xVlem. 1. Subs. 2.] Causes of Jealousy. 569
many brave and worthy ir.en have trespassed in this kind, multosforr.s claros do-
mestica hac destruxit mfamia, and many noble senators and soldiers (as •*' Pliny
notes) have lost their honour, in being uxorli, so sottishly overruled by their wives-
and therefore Cato m Plutarch made a bitter jest on his fellow-citizens, the llomans'
I' we govern all the world abroad, and our wives at home rule us." These ofTend'
jn one extrejiie ; but too hard and too severe, are far more offensive on the other
As just a cause may be long absence of eitiier party, when they must of necessity
be much from home, as lawyers, physicians, mariners, bv their professions: or
otherwise make frivolous, impertinent journeys, tarry long abroad to no purpose, lie
out, and are gaddmg still, upon small occasions, it must needs yield matter of sus-
picion, when they use their wives unkindly in the meantime, and never tarry at home,
It cannot use but engender some such conceit.
"'■ Y"^"-- si/^'^sas amaie le cogUat l •• if thou be abseht long, thy wife then thinks
Aut tete aman, aut potaie, aut animo obseqiai, Th' an <lrunk, at ease or w,th so,,,e nr"ttv n.inx
Lx tib, bene esse sol,, quum sib. s,t male." | 'Tis well will, thee, or else beloved ol' some
I Whilst she poor soul dotli fare full ill at home."
Hippocrates, the physician, had a smack of this disease ; for when he was to gc
home as far as Abdera, and some other remote cities of Greece, he writ to his friend
■ Dionysius (if at least those "^^ Epistles be his) «" to oversee his wife in his absence,
(as Apollo set a raven to watch his Coronis) although she lived in his house with
her father and mother, who he knew would have a care of her; yet that would not
satisfy his jealousy, he would have his special friend Dionysius to duell in hi«
house with her all the time of his peregrination, and to observe her behaviour, how
she carried herself in her husband's absence, and that she did not lust after other
men ^ h or a woman had need to have an overseer to keep her honest: thev are
bad by nature, and lightly given all, and if they be not curbed in time, as an unoruned
tree, they will be full ot wild branches, and degeneiate of a sudden." Especially
in their iuisband's absence : though one Lucretia were trusty, and one Penelooe, vet
Clytemnestra made Agamemnon cuckold; and no question there be too many' of her
conditions. If their husbands tarry too long abroad upon unnecessary business, well
they may suspect : or if they run one way, their wives at home will fly out another,
^md pro quo. Or if present, and give tliem not that content which thev ou^ht,
Frinium ingrala;, mox inviscB nodes quce per somnum transi<runtur, tliey caimot
endure to lie alone, or to fast long. ^' Peter Godefridus, in his se1:ond book of Love
and sixth chapter, hath a story out of St. Anthony's life, of a gentleman, who, by l^
that good man's advice, would not meddle with his wife in the passion week but
for his pains she set a pair of horns on his head. Such another he haih out of
Absiemius, one persuaded a new married man, •'^ " to forbear the three first nights
and he should all his lifetime after be fortunate in cattle," but his impatient°vife'
would not tarry so long : well he might speed in cattle, but not in children. Such
a tale hath Heinsius of an impotent and slack scholar, a mere student, and a friend
ol his, that seeing by chance a fine damsel sing and dance, would needs marry her,
the match was soon made, for he was young and rich, genis grains, corpore <rlabfl-
lus, arte muWscius, elforiuna opukntus, like that Apollo in '^--Apuleius. The first
night, having liberally taken his liquor (as in that country they doj my fine scholar
was so fuzzled, that he no sooner was laid in bed, but he fell fast asleep, never waked
till morning, and then much abasheil, purpureis formosa rosis cum Aurora ruberet
when the fair morn with purple hue 'gan shine, he made an excuse, 1 know not what'
out of Hippocrates Cous, &c., and for that time it went current : but when as after-
ward he did not play the man as he should do, she fell in league with a good fellow,
and whilst he sat up late at his study about those criticisms, mending some hard
43 p/h* r^f.';'^'^^^""- , ^'T"- ^f^'P"- ^'' ^- ''t.^- ^- ' ^'^"'- *' iVotribus prioribu.s noct.bus rem haberet
«Fab. Calvo. Kavennate i.iterprete. 44Djm j cum ea. ut essel .n pecor.bus furtunalus, ab uxore mors
red.ero.lomum meam hab,tabis,et l.cet cum parentibus I .nipatiente, &c. "Totam noctem bene et pud.ce ne-
habitet hac nica peregrinatione ; earn tamen el ejus mini molestus dormiendo Transegit ; mane aut-m quum
mores observabis uii absentia viri sui probe degat. nee nullnis conscius facinoris sib. esset et in^rt.ae puderet
alios viros cog.cel aut iiua^raL «F(Bmina semper aud.sse se dicebat eum dolore calculi solnre earn con'
cstorie egetqu. se pu.i.cam cont.neat; suapte enira flictari. Duo pnecepta juris una i.octe expressit ne-
natura nequi .as insitas hab^t, quas n.s. ind.es com- m.nem Isserat el honeste v.xerat, sed an suum cu.«ua
iH-.mat, ut arbores stol.mes e.nittunt, &c « Hein- , reddidisset, qnsr. p.,terat. iHutius opinor el Trebatliu
eius. *■ Uxor cujusdam nohilis quum debitum marl- , hoc neaassent. lib. 1.
tale sacro passionis hebdomada uon obliueret, alteruin '
73 2x2
570 Love-MelanchoJy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3.
places in Festus or Pollux, came cold to bed, and would tell her still Avhat he had
done, she did not much regard what he said, JS.C. "'''She would have another mat-
ter mended nuicli rather, which he did not conceive was corrupt :" thus he continued
at his study late, she at her sport, alibi ciiim feslivas nodes ugitabut^ liating all
scholars ("or his sake, till at length he began to suspect, and turned a little yellow, as
well he might; for it was his own fault; and if men be jealous in sucii cases (^' as
oft it falls out) the mends is in tlieir own hands, they nmst thank themselves. Who
will pity them, sailh Neander, or be u)uch ollended with such wives, si deceplce
pnus viros dtcijiiunt^ et cnrnutos reddanf^ if they deceive those that cozened them
first. A lawyer's wile in ^•'Arista?netus, because her husband was negligent in his
business, quundo leclo danda apera, threatened to curnute him : and did not slick to
tell Philiima, one of her gossips, as much, and that aloud for him to hear: " If he
I'ollow other men's matters and leave his own, I'll have an orator shall plead my
cause," 1 care not if he know it.
A fourth eminent cause of jealousy may be this, when he that is deformed, and
as Pindarus of \'ulcan, sine graliis nalus^ hirsute, ragged, yet virtuously givuii, will
marry some fair nice piece, or light housewife, begins to misdt)ubt (as well he may)
she doth nut aflect hiuj. "Lis tst cunifunna viugnu jiudicitio,, beauty and honesty
have ever been at odds. Abraham was jealous of his wife because she was lair: so
wasAuhan of his Venus, when he made her creaking shoes, sailh ''' Philustratus,
lie mac/utnlur, sandalio scilicit dtj'rmtlt'y that he might hear by them when she
stiired, which ,Murs indigne ffrre, ""was not well pleased with. Good cause had
Vulcan to do as he diil, fur she was no honester than she should be. Your line
faces have CDunnonly this fault; and it is hard to find, sailh Francis Philelphus in
an epistle to SaXola his friend, a rich man honest, a proper woman not proud or un-
chaste. " Can she be fair and honest too ?"
^ " Sj-|h- trlpiiim uculuit piclu »K»e liyiira *iib tkrrba.
Huh •i^i'ie turinar, iiicaiilo mv sa-pe iiianto
Ne<|ui>iii diilliiii* VciiUil, "
He that marues a wife that is snowy fair alone, let him look, sailh " P»arbaru8, for
no better success than Vulcan had with N'lnus, or Ctauihus with Messalina. And
'lis impossible almost in such cases the wife should contain, or the good man not
be jealous : for when he is so defective, weak, ill-proportioned, unplea>ing in those
parts which women most allect, and she most absolutely fair and able on the other
side, if she be not very virtuously given, how can she love him .' and although she
be not fair, yet if he admire her and think her so, in his conceit she is absolute, he
holds 11 impossible for anv man living not to dote as he doth, to look on her and
not lust, not to covet, and if he be in comjjany with her, not to lay siege to her
honesty : or else out of a deep apprehension of his inlirmities, deformities, and t)ther
men's good [>arts, out of his own little worth and desert, he distrusts himself, (^for
what is jealousy but distrust.') he suspects she cannot allt^ct him, or be not so kind
and loving as she should, she certainly loves some other man belter than himself.
^"ISevisanus, lib. 4. uurn. 72, will have barrenness to be a main cause of jealousy.
If her husband cannot play the man, some other shall, they will leave no remedies
unessayed, and thereupon the good man grows jealous ; 1 could give an instance,
but be it as it is.
1 find this reason given by some men, because they have been formerly naught
themselves, they think they may be so served by others, they turned up trump be-
fore the cards wfere shulHed ; they shall have therefore legem talionis, like for like.
9*" lp«e iiiiiser docui. (|uo [Missel ludtTe pacto | " Wretch hi I Ma>, I tauctit tier bail t<> be,
Cu9l>>ur«, eiieu nunc pftiiior arte iiicu." | And now luine ov»ii •!> irick* are |»ut ujx»n ine."
Mala mens, mains animus, as the saying is, ill dispositions cause ill suspicions.
*" There ii none jealnun, I durst pawn nijr life,
But he dial lialli ili-til>-d anoili.'r'a Mile.
And for that he himself halh e<>ne a*'tray,
lie vtraiglilway Hunks his wile will tread that way."
•• AltTinn !orj rm^ndnlionem serio opiabal, qu^m I •• H"r ^pisl 15 '• Ort^n M* tl»»> "^rp^m Uia hid In..
cor' .nit. " Such another n' jf •■ - ' • • - - ■ ,.-._..
1 1 riis. his first tale. ^ Ia . | »ri
8. I ripgoliis ojierstn dsre "Hi th'
r.eeli;;>-ii», .-ril ;ri'i» ir; i n "fa tor qui ri n ' ' -*( urn -i. n,. - -.jiii ■ j nmniiir.!.' i m »« [. .lani ■ u-
"■Ovid, rara est coiit.f.lia ('..riiia- ai ' cip«re. •• Tibullua, elr|. Ii •• Witotr '» Ual.
**Klli«t. >*UuoU siridcret ejus L.. ...i. 1
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Causes of Jealousy. 571
To tliese two above-named causes, or incendiaries of this rage, I may very Avell
annex those circumstances of time, place, persons, by which it ebbs and Hows, the
fuel of this fury, as ''' Vives truly observes ; and such like accidents or occasions,
proceeding from the parties themselves, or others, which much aggravate and intend
this suspicious humour, r'or many men are so lasciviously given, either out of a
depraved nature, or too much liberty, which they do assume unto themselves, by
reason of their greatness, in that they are noble men, (for Ucpntia peccandi^ el mul-
tiiado j^eccunlium are great motives) though their own wives be never so (air, noble,
virtuous, honest, wise, able, and well given, they must have change.
*' ■' Ciui cum legitimi junguiitur fiedere lecti, i
Viiliile egreyiis, facieque doinoque puellis, | " Who being inatch'd to wives most virtuous,
Scoria laiiicu, fosdasquf lupas in furnice quoerunt, Noble, and fair, tiy out lascivious."
tt per adiillerium nova carpere gaudia tentant." |
Quod licet ingratum est, that which is ordinary, is unpleasant. Nero (saith Tacitus)
abhorred Octavia his own wife, a noble virtuous lady, and loved Acte, a base quean
in respect. ^'^ Cerinthus rejected Sulpitia, a nobleman"'s daughter, and courted a poor
servant maid. tanta. est aliend in messe voluplas, for that ^' "■ stolen waters be
more pleasant :" or as Vitellius the emperor was wont to say, Jucundiores amores^
qui cum p)criculo habentur, like stolen venison, still the sweetest is that love which
is most didlcultly attained : they like better to hunt by stealth in another man's
Avalk, than to have the fairest course that may be at game of their own.
6^"Aspice ut in cccio modo sol, niodoluna ministret, I "As sun and moon in heaven change their course,
Sii; etiam nobis una pella paruui est." | So they change loves, though often to the worse."
Or that some fair object so forcibly moves them, they cannot contain themselves,
be it heard or seen they will be at it. "JYessus, the centaur, was by agreement to
carry Hercules and his wife over the river Evenus ; no sooner had he set Dejanira
on the other side, but he would have offered violence unto her, leaving Hercules to
swim over as he could : and though her husband was a spectator, yet would he not
desist till Hercules, with a poisoned arrow, shot him to death. '''Neptune saw by
chance that Thessalian Tyro, Eunippius' wife, he forthwith, in the fury of his lust,
counterfeited her husband's habit, and made hhn cuckold. Tarquin heard CoUaline
commend his wife, and was so far enraged, that in the midst of the night to her he
M-eiii. '^^ Theseus stole Ariadne, vi rapuit that Trazenian Anaxa, Antiope, and now
being old, Helen, a girl not yet ready for a husband. Great men are most part thus
afiecied all, " as a horse they neigh," saith ®^ Jeremiah, after their neighbours' wives,
tit visa pullus adidnnit equd : and if they be in company with other women,
thougli in their own wives' presence, they must be courting and dallying with them.
Juno in Lucian complains of Jupiter that he was still kissing Ganymede before her
liice, whicii did not a little oHlmkI her : and besides he was a counterfeit Amphitryo,
a bull, a swan, a golden shower, and played many such bad pranks, too long, too
shameful to relate.
Or that they care little for their own ladies, and fear no laws, they dare freely
keep whores at their wives' noses. 'Tis too frequent with noblemen to be dis-
honest; Fietas, probitas, Jides, privata bona su7it, as '° he said long since, piety,
chastity, and such like virtues are for private men : not to be much looked after in
great courts : and which Suetonius of the good princes of his time, they might be
ail engraven in one ring, we may truly hold of chaste potentates of our age. For
gieal personages will familiarly run out in this kind, and yield occasion of offence.
'■ Montaigne, m his Essays, gives instance in Cajsar, Mahomet the Turk, that sacked
Constantinople, and Ladislaus, king of Naples, that besieged Florence : great men,
and great soldiers, are commonly great, Stc, probatum est, they are good doers.
Mars and Venus are equally balanced in their actions,
'-"Militis in galea niduin fecere columbcB, I "A dove within a head piece made her nest,
Apparet Aiarti quam sit arnica Venus." | 'Twixt .Mars and Venus see an interest."'
Especially if they be bald, for bald men have ever been suspicious (read more in
Aristi.;tle, Sect. 4. prob. 19.) asGalba, Otho, Domitian, and remarkable Cae.sar amongst
••'Sde Aiiima. Crescit ac decrescit zelotypia cum I crevit imbribus hyemalibus. Deianirain suscipit, Her-
pt-rsonis, locis, ten poribiis, negotiis. "■- Marullus. culeni naiido sequi jubet. ''' Lnciaii, torn. 4
"'I'llmllus E|iig. "^ Prov. ix. 17. « Propert. elcg. | * Plutarch. ^--Cap. v. 8. "Seneca. '^ Lit
2. "^i* Ovid. lib. 9. Met. Pausanias Slrabo, quuiii I 2. cap. 23. 's pmfonjus Catal.
572 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3.
the rest. '"'Urhani servafe uxores^ mcechiim calvum additcimus ; besides, this nalil
Caesar, saith Curio in Siieton, was omnium muUerum vir ; l.c made love to Eiiiux:,
queen of Mauritania ; to Cleopatra ; to Posthumia, wile to Sergius Sulpilius ; to Lolha,
wife to Gabinius; to TertuUa, of Crass us ; to Mutia, Ponipey's wife, and 1 know
not how many besides : and well he might, for, if all be true that 1 have read, he
had a license to lie with whom he list. Inter alios honores Ccesari ilecretos (as Sue-
ton, cap. 52. de Julio, and Dion, lib. 44. relate) jus illi datum, cum quibuacunc/ue
fceminis se jungendi. Every private history will yield such variety of instances :
otlierwise good, wise, discreet men, virtuous and valiant, but too faulty in this.
Priamus had tifty sons, but seventeen alone lawfully begotten. ''M^hilippus Bonus
left fourteen bastards. Lorenzo de Medici, a good prince and a wise, but, saith
Machiavel, '' prodigiously lascivious. None so valiant as Ca-struccius Casirucanus,
but, as the said author hath it, ■" none so incontinent as he was. And 'tis not only
predominant in grandees this fault : but if you will take a great man's testimony,
'tis lanuliar with every base soldier in France, [and elsewhere, I think), "This vice
(^^ saith mine author) is so common with us in France, that he is of no account,
a mere coward, not worthy the name of a soldier, that is not a notorious whore-
master."" In Italy he is not a gentleman, that besides his wife hath not a courtezan
and a mistress. 'Tis no marvel, then, if poor w<imen in such cases be jealous, when
they shall see themselves manifestly ntglected,contemiied, loathed, unkindly used : their
disloyal husbands to entertain others in their rooms, and many times to court la(hes
to their faces: other men's wives to wear their jewels: how shall a poor woman
in such a case nn>deraie her passion .' "Qwis tibi nunc Dido cernniti tnlia srnsus'^
How, on the other side, shall a poor man contain himself from this feral malady,
when he shall«see so manifest signs of his wife's inconstancy.' when, as Milo's
wife, she dotes upon every young man she sees, or, as '".Martial's Sota, draerlo
SKjuitur Ciilum murito, •• liest-rts her husband and folhtws Clitus." Though her
husband be proper and tall, fair and lovely to behold, able to give contentment to
any one woman, yet she will taste of tlie forbidden fruit : Juvenal's Il)erina to a
hair, she is as well pleased with one eye as one man. If a young gallant come by
chance into her presence, a fastidious brisk, that can wear his clothes well in fashion,
with a luck, jingling spur, a feather, that can cringe, and withal compliment, court a
gentlewoman, slie raves upon him, " O what a lovely prt)per man he was," another
Hector, an Alexander, a gcjodly man, a demi-god, how sweetly he curried himself,
with how comely a grace, sic oculos, sic Hie manus, sic ora ferebat, lunv neatly he
did wear his clothes! '*'Quam sesf. ore fcrens, quum furli pectore et armis, lu>w
bravely did he discourse, ride, sing, and dance, in-., and then she begins to loathe
her husband, rcpugnans osculatur, to hate him and his filthy beard, his goatish com-
plexion, as Doris said of Polyphemus, "lotus qui saniem, tulus ut hircus olel, he i)i
a rammy fulsome fellow, a goblin-faced fellow, he smells, he stinks, K/ tiipas simul
alltumqut ructut'^ si quundo ad thulumum, tl^T., how like a dizzard, a fool, an
ass, he looks, how like a clown he behaves himself! '^she will not come near hini
by her own good will, but wholly rejects him, as Venus did her fuliginous Vulcan,
at last, JS'ec Dcus hunc mens.!, Dea ncc dignata cubili est.'^ So did Lucreiia, a lady
of Sena?, after she had but seen Euryalus, in Kurialum tota ferebalur, domuin reversa^
«^c., she Would not hold her eyes otF him in his presence, *" tun'um egregio
decus enitet ore, and in his absence could think of none but him, odit virum, she
loathed her husband fortliwith, might not abide him :
•*" £l cuiijugalM iirgliiKen* tori, viro I "All agaiiivt the lawn nf mutrtiii'niy,
frafiiruie, acettKi ii<iu9<-at faiiKlio;" j Blie uiU abtiur lier tiuabanU • ptiia iiuiay ;"
and sought all opportunity to see her sweetheart again. Now when the good man
shall observe his wife so lightly given, *• to be so free and familiar with every gallant,
her immodesty and wantonness," (^as *' Camerarius notes; il must needs yield matter
"Sut-l.ii ■« Pmiihh Heulcr, vita rjii- " Lifi : '•. lil. 4 *« Viri; -I .V.u. " S. . ii..! j. .yl.
S. Fliir ! "ptiuiua tt - ,r ••
■etl ill r - .4. '* \ lU
I,). -Ill i . iiavit. i.
•i lia iiuiK . . sUiiit' Ml ■
U - (vti prelii ■ '■ ' -r.
(1 uiaJiiuii . Mij» et faniili i
^' Viri{. .i.,\. 4. What Hum aiii»t :iav>' U cii lJi.ua. cum uuiiiiIju) licculia et iiiiiniMlt >ti j, •luijUi acioi nf*
•eOMitiuua wben *tie wilaeaaed Ibcae tluiiig* 7" " t^(»C. I cl •u<ptciouis tuatrriaat viru prrbct.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.]
Causes of Jealousy.
573
of suspicion to him, when she still pranks up herself beyond bar means and for-
tunes, makes impertinent journeys, unnecessary visitations, stays out so long, with
sucii and such companions, so frequently goes to plays, masks, feasts, and all public
meetmgs, shall use such immodest ** gestures,, free speeches, and withal show some
distaste of her own husband ; how can he choose, "• though he were another Socra-
tes, but be suspicious, and instantly jealous ?" ^^^'•Socraticas tandem faciei trans-
cendcrc 7netas ,■" more especially when he shall take notice of their more secret and
sly tricks, which to cornute their husbands they commonly use (^dum ludis, Judos
licec te fac'U), lliey pretend love, honour, chastity, and seem to respect them before
all men living, saints in show, so cunningly can they dissemble, they will not so
much as look upon another man in his presence, ^°so chaste, so religious, and so
devout, they cannot endure the name or sight of a quean, a harlot, out upon her!
and in their outward carriage are most loving and officious, will kiss their husband,
and hang about his neck (dear husband, sweet husband), and with a composed coun-
tenance salute him, especially when he comes home ; or if he go from home, weep,
sigh, lament, and take upon them to be sick and swoon (like Jocundo's wife in
"' Ariosto, when her husband was to depart), and yet arrant, &c. they care not for
him.
■ Aye me, tlie tliought (quoth she) makes me so 'fraid,
'J'hat scarce the breath abideth in my breast;
Peace, my sweet love and wife, Jocundo said.
And wee|is as fast, and comforts her his best, &c.
All this might not assuage the woman's pain,
Needs must I die before you come again,
Nor how 10 keep my life 1 can devise.
The doleful days and nights I shall sustain.
From meal my mouth, from sleep will keep mine
eyes, &c.
That very nijlu that went before the morrow,
'J'hat he had pointed surely to depart,
Jocundo's wife was sick, and swoon'd for sorr»w
Amid his arms, so heavy was her heart."
And yet for all these counterfeit tears and protestations, Jocundo coming back in all
haste for a jewel he had forgot,
■ His chaste ami yoke-fellow he found
Yok d with a knave, all honesty neglected,
The adulterer sleeping very sound.
Yet by his face was easily detected:
A bejigar's brat bred by him fioni his cradle.
And now was riditjg on his masters saddle."
Thus can they cunningly counterfeit, as -^ Platina describes their customs, " kiss their
iiusbands, whom they had rather see hanging on a gallows, and swear they love
him dearer than their own lives, whose soul they would not ransom for their little
dog's j"
" similis si permutatio detnr,
M.jrte viri cupiunt animam servare catcllse."
Many of them seem to be precise and holy forsooth, and will go to such a ^^ church,
to hear such a good man by all means, an excellent man, w-hen 'tis for no other in-
tent (as he follows it) than " to see and to be seen, to observe what fa.shions are in
u.se, to meet some pander, bawd, monk, friar, or to entice some good fellow." For
thoy persuade themselves, as ^""Nevisanus shows, '•' That it is neither sin nor shame
to lie with a lord or parish priest, if he be a proper man; ^^and though she kneel
often, and pray devoutly, 'tis (saith Platina) not for her husband's welfare, or chil-
dren's good, or any friend, but for her sweetheart's return, her pander's health." If
her husband would have her go, she feigns herself sick, ^^Et simulat siihifo cojido-
lidsse caput : her head aches, and she cannot stir : but if her paramour ask as much,
she is for him in all seasons, at all hours of the night. ^' In the kingdom of Mala-
bar, and about Goa in the East Indies, the women are so subtile that, with a certain
drink they give them to drive away cares as they say, ^''■' they will make them sleep
for twenty-four hours, or so intoxicate them that they can remember nought of that
they saw done, or heard, and, by washing of their feet, restore them again, and so
make their husbands cuckolds to their faces." Some are ill-disposed at all times, to
all pc-'ons they like, others more wary to some few, at such and sucli seasons, as
Augusta, Livia, non nisi plena navi vectorem tolle.hat. But as he said,
per.<;uadent,quod adulterium rum principe vel c;im pra;-
siile, non est pudor, nee peccatum. "^ Deum rogat,
non pro salute mariti, filii,cos.'naii votasuscipit, sed pro
reditu mcBchi si abest. pro vali-ludine lenonis si a;grolet.
!■« Tibullus. S'Gortardus Artlius descrip. Indist
Orient. Linchoflen. onGarcias ab flurto, hist. lib.
2. cap. H Daturam herbam vocat et liestribit, tarn pro-
dives sunt ad venerem miilieres ut viros inehrient per
24 horas, liquore quodara, ut nihil videant, recordentur,
at dormiant, et post iotionem pedum, ad se restituunt,
""Voces libera;, oculorum colloquiH.contractiones pa-
rum verecundse, motwsimmodici.&c. Heinsius. '^Cha-
loner. ^ What is here said, is not prejudicial to
honest women. ^i Lib. 28. sc. 13. ^ Dial. amor.
Pendet falla.x et blanda circa oscula mariti, quern in
cruce, si fieri posset, deosculari velit : illius vitam cha-
riorem esse sua jurejarando affirmat: quem eerie non
redinieret aninia catelli si posset. "' Adeunt tem-
pluui ut rem iliiinani audiant, ut ipsse simulant, sed vel
ut nionachum fratrem, vel adulterum lingua, oculis, ad
libidiuem provocent. °'i Lib, 4. num. SI. Ipse sibi
574 Love-MelanchoJy. [Part. 3. Sect. 3.
••"No pen cmild write, no tongue attain to tell,
Hy force of eloquence, or help of art,
Of women's trtacheries the liundreillh part."
Both, to say truth, are often faulty ; men and women give just occasions in this
humour of discontent, aggravate and yiehl matter of suspicion : but most part of the
chief cau.ses proceed from oilier adventitious accidents and circumstances, though
the parties be free, and both well given themselves. The inf^iscreet carriage of some
lascivious gallant [et e contra of some light woman) by his often frequenting of a
house, bold unseemly gestures, may make a breach, and by his over-familiarity, if
he be inclined to yellowness, colour him quite out. If he be pt)or, basely born,
saith Benedilto Varchi, and otherwise unhandsome, he suspects him the less ; but
if a proper man, such as was Alcibiades in Greece, and Castruccius Castrucanus in
Italy, well descended, cununendable for his good parts, he taketh on the more, and
watcheth his doings. "*Theodosius the emperor gave his wife Eudoxia a golden
apple when he was a suitor to her, which she long after bestowed upon a young
gallant in the court, of her especial acipiaintance. The emperor, espynig this apple
in his hand, suspected forthwith, int)re ihan was, his wife's dishonesty, banishe^l him
the C(»urt, and from that day following forbare to acconij)any her any more. 'A rich
nierchaiii had a fair wife; according to his custom he went to travel; in his absence
a good fellow tempted his wife; slie denied him; yet he, dying a little after, gave
lier a legacy for the love he bore her. At his return, her jealous husl)and, because
^he had got in«)re by land than he had dt>ne at sea, turned her away upon suspicion.
N«)W when those other circumstances of time and place, opportunity and impor-
lunily shall concur, what will they not efiect .'
•• Knir (ijijuiriuhity can win the coyett «he that ii,
K. ui- i> he talkf? liuip. a« h« 11 Im- >'ire he will not mil*:
'I'tit'ii hi- that \<>\v< her |{iiiiit:*oui« vt-iii, anil temper* toy* with art,
lifiiigs lut*- tliitt ■Miiiiuicth III her rye* to dive iiit>i her liuurt."
As at plays, masks, great feasts and banquets, one singles out his wife to dance
another courts her in his presence, a third tempts her, a fourth insinuates with a
pleasing compliment, a sweet smile, ingratiates himself with art amphibological speech,
as that merry companion in the ^Satirist did to his Glycerium, ^adsidens el inUr'Kh-
rem jjuhnaiu ainubiliter concutitnSy
" Uuoil ui«u« hiiriut hahet iiiuiat impuni licebil,
Hi dtcleri* nubi« quod tuua hortu* habel ;"
With many such, Stc, and then as he saith,
• S/it naif mo lektle in eMastity abide,
Tkat ij fsatU en nerf $tUe.
For aftej a great feast, — "" Vino sape siium nescit arnica virum. Noah (saith * llierome)
" showed his nakedness in his drunkenness, which for six hundred years he had
covered in soberness." Lot lay with his daughters in his drink, as Cyneras with
Myrrha, ''quid enim Venus tbria curat? The most continent may be overcome,
or if otherwise they keep bad company, they that are modest of themselves, and
dare not otfend, ^* confirmed by ' others, grow impudent, and confident, and get an
ill habit."
*" Alia qumtut gratia matrimonium corrunipit.
Alia pfccaii* oiulta* vull niorbi habere iK>cia*."
t)r if they dwell in suspected places, as in an infamous inn, near some stews, near
monks, friars, Nevisanu:^ adds, where be many tempters and solicitors, idle persons
that frequent their companies, it niav give just cause of suspicion. Martial of old
inveigheil against them tliat counterfeited a disease to go to the bath ; for so, many
times,
'• relicto
Coiijuge Penelope venit, abil Helene."
^neas Sylvius puts in a caveat against princes' courts, because there be tot formos
jucents qui prurmttunt. so many brave suitors to tempt, Stc. " If you leave her in
•• .\r;nalo, lib. iff), ft. 7S. >•<> l.iptiu* pnlit. • S<>- | 8al. ]3. • Nir^ no. p'wt ab alnt roo-
neca, lib -J. ronlrov. 8. » Ikxlichtr. gat. » -Sit. lirm.Tii-. auilic.i .1 . ii I r.i •.■m.-l *^re-
tin/ clo»e to her, and •hakiiig her hand I 1 -- Luve
• Til'iiliui. •••After w...r ;;ie mii»ir«-.- a wi«b
unable to dii<tin|;uifb h'-r own lover." • I , ■ iriuatea
ad Oeeanuni. .^d uniu* hora: ehrictaiem nudal fmtora, oih^.r*. >* Ii* nnwr. lurialiuin. Aui aliuni cum U
que per leicenti)* annu« aobrietate conteierat. < Juv. | invenie*. But laae alium reprriea.
Mem. 2. Subs. 1.] Symptoms of Jealousy. 575
such a place, you shall likely find her in company you like not, either thev come to
her, or she is gone to them.''* " Kornmannus makes a doubting jest in his lascivious
country, Virginis illibata censealur ne castitas ad quam freqiiaUur accedant scho~
lares? And Baldus the lawyer scoffs on, quum scholaris, inquit, loquitur ami pu-
elld, -non prcesumitur ei dicere, Pater noster, when a scholar talks with a maid, or
another man's wife in private, it is presumed he saith not a pater noster. Or if I
shall see a monk or a friar climb up a ladder at midnight into a virgin's or widow's
chamber window, I shall hardly think he then goes to administer the sacraments, or
to take her confession. These are the ordinary causes of jealousy, which are in-
tended or remitted as the circumstances vary.
MEMB. 11.
SuBSECT. I. — Symptoms of Jealousy^ Fear, Sorrow, Suspicion, strange Actions,
Gestures, Outrages, Locking up. Oaths, Trials, Laws, 4"c.
Of all passions, as I have already proved, love is most violent, and of those bitter
potions which this love-melancholy affords, this bastard jealousy is the greatest, as
appears by those prodigious symptoms which it hath, and that it produceth. For
besides fear and sorrow, which is common to all melancholy, anxiety of mind, sus-
picion, aggravation, restless thoughts, paleness, meagreness, neglect of business, and
the like, these men are farther yet misaffected, and in a higher strain. 'Tis a more
vehement passion, a more furious perturbation, a bitter pain, a fire, a pernicious curi-
osity, a gall corrupting the honey of our life, madness, vertigo, plague, hell, they are
more than ordinarily disquieted, they lose bonurn pads, as '^Chrysostom observes;
and though they be rich, keep sumptuous tables, be nobly allied, yet miserrimi om-
nium sunt, they are most miserable, they are more than ordinarily discontent, more
sad, nihil tristius, more than ordinarily suspicious. Jealousv, saith '^ Vives, " begets
unquietness in the mind, night and day : he hunts after every word he hears, every
whisper, and amplifies ft to himself (as all melancholy men do in other matters)
with a most unjust calumny of others, he misinterprets everything is said or done,
most apt to mistake or misconstrue," he pries into every corner, follows close, ob-
serves to a hair. 'Tis proper to jealousy so to do,
"Pale hag, infernal fury, pleasure's smart,
Envy's observer, prying in every part."
Besides those strange gestures of staring, frowning, grinning, rolling of eyes, me-
nacing, ghastly looks, broken pace, interrupt, precipitate, half-turns. He will some-
times sigh, weep, sob for anger. JS'empe ^uos tmbres etiam ista toniirua fundunt^'*—
sv/ear and belie, slander any man, curse, threaten, brawl, scold, fight; and sometimes
again flatter and speak fair, ask forgiveness, kiss and coll, condemn his rashness and
folly, vow, protest, and swear he will never do so again ; and then eftsoons, im-
patient as he is, rave, roar, and lay about him like a- madman, thump her sides, drag
her about perchance, drive her out of doors, send her home, he will be divorced
forthwith, she is a whore, &c., and by-and-by with all submission compliment, en-
treat her fair, and bring her in again, he loves her dearly, she is his sweet, most kind
and loving wife, he Avill not change, nor leave her for a kingdom ; so he continues
off and on, as the toy takes him, the object moves !:im, but most part brawlini^, fret-
ting, unquiet he is, accusing and suspecting not strangers only, but brothers and sis-
ters, father and mother, nearest and dearest friends. He thinks with those Italians,
"Chi non tocca parentado,
'I'occa mai e railo."
And through fear conceives unto himself things almost incredible and impossible to
be effected. As a heron when she fishes, still prying on all sides; or as a cat doth
"Cap. IS. de Virg. 12 Horn. 38. in c. 17. Gen. I lumnia. Maximfi snspiciosi, et ad pejora credendum
Etsi niagnisariliiiiiit divitiis, &c. 123 jg Anima. | pmclives. "'• These thunders pour down their
Omnes voces, auras, onines susurros capiat zelotypus, peculiar showers."
ct amplificat apud se cum iuiquissinia de singulis ca- j
57o Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3.
a mouse, his eye is never off her's ; he gloats on him, on her, accurately observing
on whom she looks, who looks at her, what she sailh, doth, at dinner, at supper,
sitting, walking, at home, abroad, he is the same, still inquiring, mandriug, gazing,
listening, atlVighied witl» every small object ; why did she smile, why did she pity
him, commend him ? why did she drink twice to such a man ^ why did dhe offer to
kiss, to dance ? kc, a whore, a whore, an arrant whore. All this he confesseth iu
the poet,
* •• Omnia me ti.TrPiit, timidus sum, ignosce timori. I " Each thing alFri^'htj mo, I do ftar,
Et mi>ei in tuiuc.i siuspicor esse vinim. | Ah parilon mi- my iVar,
Me la^ilit si inulta lilii ilalnt uscula mater, j I doubt a man is hnl within
Mu tutur, t'l c:im qua dunnil aniica siinul." | 'I'he cl«thes that thuu tioH wear."
Is it not a man in woman's apparel ? is not somebody in that great chest, or behind
Uie door, or hangings, or in some of those barrels .' may not a man steal in at the
window with a ladder of ropes, or come down the chimney, have a lalse key, or get
in when he is asleep.^ If a mouse do but stir, or the wind blow, a casement clatter,
that's the villain, there he is: by his good-will no man shall see her, salute her,
speak with her, she shall not go forth of his sight, so much as to do her needs.
''JVort ilu hovvm argus^ «^-c. Argus did not so keep his cow, that watchful dragon
the gulden llet-ce, or Cerberus the coming in of lu-ll, as he kieps his wife. If a dear
Irienil or near kinsman come as guest to his house, to visit him, he will never let
him be out of bis own sight and company, lest, peradvenlure, &.c. If the necessity
of his business be sudi tliat he must go I'rom home, he doth eillier lock Iter up, or
commit her with a deal of injunctions and |)roiestations to some trusty Irietids, him
and her he sets ami bribes to oversee : one servant is set in his absence to watch
another, and all to observe his wife, and yet all this will not serve, though his busi-
ness be verv ur<;ent, he will when he is halfway come back in all post haste, rise
from supper, or at midnight, and be gone, and sometimes leave his business undone,
and as a stranger court his own wife in some disguised habit. Though there be no
danger at all, no cause of suspicion, she live in such a place, where Mes.salina her-
self could not be dishonest if she would, yet he suspects her as much as if she were
in a bawdy-bouse, some prince's court, or in a coiniiion inn, where all comers might
have free access. He rails her on a sudden all to nouglit, she i.s a strumpet, a light
housewife, a bitch, an arrant whore. No persuasion, no jirotestation can divert this
passion, nothing can ease him, secure or give him satisfaction. Jl is most strange to
report what outrasreous acts by men ami women have been committetl in this kind,
by women especially, that will run after their husbands into all places and compa-
nies, ''as Jovianus h'oiitaiius's wife did by him, follow him whithersoever he went,
it matters not, or upon what business, raving like Juno in the tragedy, miscalling,
cursing, swearing, and mistrusting every one she sees. Gomesius in bis third book.
of the Life and Deeds of Francis Ximenius, sometime archbisbtjp of Toledo, hath a
strange story of that incredible jealousy of Joan queen of Spain, wife to King Philip,
mother of Ferdinand and Charles the Fifth, emperors ; when her husband Philip,
eitlier for that be was tired with his wife's jealousy, or had some great business,
went into the Low Countries : she was so impatient and melancholy upon his de-
parture, tbat she would scarce eat her meat, or converse with any man ; and though
she were with child, the season of the year very bad, the wind against her, in all
haste she would to sea after him. Neither Isabella her queen mother, the arch-
bishop, or any other friend could persuade her to the contrary, but she would after
him. When she was now come into the Low Countries, and kindly entertained by
her husband, she could not contain herself, "•* but iii a rage ran upon a yellow-
haired wench," with whom she suspected her husband to be naught, ^' cut off her
hair, did beat her black and blue, and so dragged her about." It is an onlinary thing
for women in such cases to scratch the faces, slit the noses of such as tbey sus-
pect; as Ilenrv the Second's importune Juno did by Rosamond at Woo<lstock ; for
she complains in a " modern poet, she scarce spake,
" But fli.» with eager fury to my face, j 80 fell »he on oie in oiitraxeou* wl«e,
tjlic-riiig me iuo4t unwuuiauly dugrac«. As cuulJ diMlain aod jealouiy deviM."
LiMik how a tifreiM, Jtc. |
■•Propertids '* .Cneai i^ilv. " Ant. Dial. I biliter inaulUu faeiein vibicibua tedaviu >*I>ani«l.
•Rabie cuacepta, c««arieai abraAil, puellcque mira- j
Metn. 2. Subs. 1.] Sympioms of Jealousy. ^^^^^^
Or if it be so they dare not or cannot execute any such tyrannical injustice, they
will miscall, rail and revile, bear them deadly hate and malice, as -'Tacitus observes,
The hatred of a jealous woman is inseparable against such as she suspects."
"" Nulla vis flamms turaiiiique venti I
'r.iiita, Hue tell inetuamla torti. | '■ Winds, weapons, flames make not such liurly burly.
Quanta cum coiijux viiluata t.Tdis i As raving women turn all topsy-turvy."
Anlel et odit." j
So did Ag-rippina by Lollia, and Calphurnia in the days of Claudius. But women
are sutiicieiuly curbed in such cases, the rage of men is more eminent, and frequently
put in practice. See but with what rigour those jealous husbands tyrannise over
their poor wives. In Greece, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Africa, Asia, and generally over
all those hot countries, ^^Mulleres vestra terra vestra, urate sicut vultis^ 3Iahoraet in
his Alcoran gives this power to men, your wives are as your land, till tliem, use
them, entreat them fair or foul, as you will yourselves. ^^Mecastor lege dura vivunl
muUeres., they lock them still in their houses, which are so many prisons to them,
will sufler nobody to come at them, or their wives to be seen abroad, nee cam-
pos liccat lustrare putentcs. They must not so much as look out. And if they be
great persons, they liave eunuchs to keep them, as the Grand Seignior among' the
Turks, the Sophies of Persia, those Tartarian Mogors,and Kings of China. Infantes
niasculos castrant innumeros ut regi serviajit, saith ^^Kiccius, " they geld innumera-
ble infants" to this purpose; the King of " China '' maintains 10,000 eunuchs in
his family to keep his wives." The Xeriffes of Barbary keep their courtezans in
such a strict manner, that if any man come but in sight of them he dies for it ; and
if they chance to see a man, and do not instantly cry out, thougii from their win-
dows, they must be put to death. The Turks have 1 know not how many black,
deformed eunuchs (for the white serve for other ministeries) to tliis purpose sent
commonly from Egypt, deprived in their childhood of all their privities, and brought
up in the seraglio at Constantinople to keep their wives; which are so peiuied up
they may not confer with any living man, or converse with younger women, have
a cucumber or carrot sent into them for their diet, but sliced, for fear, kc. and so
live and are left alone to their unchaste thoughts all the days of their lives. The
vulgar sort of women, if at auy time they come abroad, which is very seldom, to
visit one another, or to go to their baths, are so covered,- that no man can see them,
as the matrons were in old Rome, lecllcd aut sella tectd vectce., so ^"^Dion and Seneca
record, Velafce iota incedunl^ which -'Alexander ab Alexaiidro relates of the Par-
thians, Uh. 5. vap. 24. which, with Andreas Tiraquellus his commentator, I rather
think should be understood of Persians. I have not yet .said all, they do not only
lock them up, sed et pudendis seras adliibenl : hear what Bembus relates lib. 6. of"
his Venetian history, of those inhabitants that dwell about Quiloa in Africa. Lusl-
ianij inquU., quorunduhi civitates adlerunt., qui natis statim foeminis naturam cnnsuunty
quoad urince exitus ne i?npedialur, easqiie quum adoleverint sic consutas in malrimo-
nium collocanl,ut sponsi prima cura sit conglutinatas puellce oras ferro interscindere.
In some parts of Greece at this day, like those old Jews, they will not believe their
wives are honest, nisi pannum menstruatum pritna nocte videant : our countryman,
^ Sands, in his peregrination, saith it is severely observed in Zanzynthus, or Zante ;
and Leo Afer in his time at Fez, in Africa, non credunt virginem esse nisi videant san-
guineam mappam ; si non., ad parcntes pudore rejicitur. Those sheets are publicly
shown by their parents, and kept as a sign of incorrupt virginity. The Jews of old
e.xamined their maids ex tenui memhrana., called Hymen, which Laurentius in his
anatomy, Columbus tib. 12. cap. 10. Capivaccius lib. 4. cap. 11. de uteri ajfectihus,
Vincent, Alsai;us Genuensis qucesit. med. cent. 4. Hieronymus Mercurialis consult.
Ambros. Parens, Julius Caesar Claudinus Respons. 4. as that also de ^^ruplura vena-
ruin ut sanguis Jiuat, copiously confute; 'tis no sutiicient trial they contend. And
yet others again defend it, Gaspar Bartholinus Institut. ^nat. lib. I.' cap. 31. Pinajus
of Paris, Albertus Magnus de secret, mulier. cap. 9 &. 10. &.c. and think they speak
"Aiinal. lib. 12. Principis mulieris zeiotypae est in I eunnchorum millia niimerantur in regia famiiia qui
alias inullcres qnas suspfctas liabet, odium insepara- | srrvant uxores ejus. » Lib. 57. ep. «l. ^Semotis
bil«- siSunecain Medea. " Alcoran cap. a viris servant in interinribus, ab eorum conspectu iia
Bovis, interprele Kicardo pra;d. c. 8. Confutationis. , munes. » Lib. 1. fol. 7. ^ Diruptiones liymeBM
Tlaulu,'?. '"K.vpedit. in Siiias. I. 3. c. 9. 2* Decent | siEpe tiunt a prouriis digitis vel ab aliisiostrumentis.
73 2Y
579 Love-Melancholy. [Part 3. Sect. 3
too much in favour of women. ^Liulovirus Bonrialus tih. 4. cap. 2. mulkhr. na-
turalcm illatn uteri lahlorum constrict torn Jii, in qua virginitatem consisfere volant,
astringentibus medicinis Jieri posse vendicat., et si deflorate s<«/, astittce ^' mulieres
i^inquit) nos fullunt in his. Idem ^ilsariits Crucius Genuensis iisdem fere verbis.
Idem Aviceniia Ub. 3. Fen. 20. Trad. 1, cup. 47. ^^ Rhasis Conlinent. Jib. 24. Ro-
dericus a Castro de nat. rrul. lib. 1. cap. 3. An old bawdy nurse in ^ Ari.sttenetus,
^like lluit Spanish CY^lt-slina. "^//o; qiiinque mille virgines fecit mulieres, totidemque
mulieres arte sua virgmes) wlien a fair maid of her acquaintance wept and made her
moan to her, how she had been deflowered, and now ready to be married, was afraid
it would be perceived, comfortably replied, .Vo/i vereri fHia, Sfc. •* Fear not, daugh-
ter, I 'U teach thee a trick to help it." Sed hac extra callem. To what end are all
those astrological questions, an sit virgo, an sit ca'^ta, an sit mulierf and such
strange absurd trials in Albertus Magnus, Bap. Porta, Mag. lib. 'i. cap. 21. in Wecker.
lib. 5. de secret, by stones, perfumes, to make them piss, and confess 1 know not
what in their sleep ; some jealous brain was the first founder of them. And to what
passion may we ascribe those severe laws against jealousy, A'mwj. v. 14, Adulterers
Deut. cap. 22. r. xxii. as amongst the Hebrews, amongst the Egyptians (read *^Bo-
hemus /. I.e. 5. de mor. gen. of the Carthaginians, cap. 0. of Turks, lib. 2. cap. 11.;
amongst the .Athenians of old, Italians at this day, wherein they are to be severely
punisiit'd, cut in pieces, burned, vivi-comburio, buried alive, with several expurga-
tions, tvc. are they not as so many symptoms of incredible jealousy ? we may say
the same of those vestal virgins that fetched water in a sieve, as Tatia did in Rome,
anno ub. urb. condita bUO. before the senators ; and ^^Emilia, virgo innocens, that
ran over hot irons, as Emma, Edward the Confessor's mother did, the king himself
being u spectator, with the like. We read in Nicephorus, that Chunegunda the
wife of lienricus Bavarus emperor, suspected of adultery, insimtilata adulterii per
ignitos vomeres illasa trunsiit, tri»d upon red hot coulters, and had no harm : such
another story we fmd in Kegino lib. 2. In Aventinus and Sigonius of Cliarles the
Third and his wife Richarda, -in. 887, that was so purged with hot irons. Pausanias
iaith, that he was once an eye-witness of such a miracle at Diana's temple, a maid
without any harm at all walked upon burning coals. Pius Secund. in his descrip-
tiou of Kuri>j)e, c. 40. relates as much, that it was commonly practised at Diana's
temple, for women to go barefoot over hot coals, to try their honesties : Plinius. So-
linus, aud many writers, make mention of *^Geronia's temple, and Dionysius ilali-
carnassus, lib. 3. of Memnoti''s statue, which were used to this purpose. Talius Ub.
6. of Pan his cave, (much like old St. Wilfrid's needle in Yorkshire) wherein they
did use to try maids, •** whether they were honest ; when Leucippe went in, sitavis-
simus exaudiri sonus canpit Austin de cic. Dei lib. 10. c. 16. relates many such ex-
amples, all which Lavaier de spectr. part. I. cap. 19 contends to be done by the
illusion of ilevils ; though Tliomas qucest. 6. de potentid, 6)-c. ascribes it to good
angels. Some, saith * .Austin, compel their wives to swear they be honest, as if
perjury were a lesser sin than adultery ; '''^some consult oracles, as Phairus that blind
king of Egypt. Others reward, as those old Romans used to do; if a woman were
contented with one man. Corona, pudicitict donabatur., she had a crown of chastity
bestowed on her. Wiien all this will not serve, saith Alexander Gaguinus. cap. 5.
descript. JMuscovice^ tlie .Muscovites, if they suspect their wives, will beat them till
they Confess, and if that will not avail, like those wild Irish, be divorced at their
pleasures, or else knock them on the heads, as the old *' Gauls have done in former
ages. Of this tyranny of jealousy read more in Parthenius Erot. cap. 10. Camera-
rius cap. 53. hor. subcis. et cent. 2. cap. 34. Cadia's epistles, Tho. Chaloner de
repub. Ang. lib. U. Ariosto Ub. 31. stasse 1. Faelix Palterus observat. lib. 1. SfC.
** Iileui Kliasis Arab. cntn. >■ Ita clau«« ptiar- *^ Viridi f audeiii Feroiiia liiro. Virj;. * Ismeh*
macM ut iioii po^ruiii ciiiHini exerure. *<Udi el wan *» tri<r<l t>y Dian'i w>-ll, iii Mliich maid* did »wim,
ptiaruiaruiii pr^«crit>il diM'el<|UH. » EpUt. t>. Mer- unchaste itrre drnwucd, EuataUima. Iib.tj Tontr*
cer<> liili-r. " U.irlhius. I^udiM illi li>iiivraliiiii mendiic. an cmifMHi, '.'I cap. «• riirrof i^>(>li r«-f
piiilicitix rl ir>'ni nieiititiri iiijchiriiii pro iiiiccro vei'd-rc. rapiiis oculi!* |wr dco-iiiiiiim. oraculuiii cotiauimi de
tUi" doii'tHi tt, >pii iiiiilK r ante iiupliag >(ii>ii»<> tc prntw^ uiiifix pud'iciti*. lierud. Kutcrp. <■ C»*ar. lib 6.
virEint-iii. -'Uiii iiiuliKrtrui viulasM:!. virilia fXfca- \ bello Uall. vita; iieciique in uiorea babueniiit polcata
haul, et aiille virjua dabaiiL "Oiun. II3I1C. , tew.
Mem. 3.] Symptoms of Jealousy. 579
MEMB. JII.
Prognostics of Jealousy, Despair, Madness, to make away themselves and others.
Those which are jealous, most part, if they be not otherwise relieved, ^^" pro-
ceed from suspicion to hatred, from hatred to frenzy, madness, injury, murder and
despair."
if "A plague hy whose most (lamnable effect, I By which a man to madness near is brought.
Divers in deep despair to die have sought, | As well with causeless as with just suspect."
In their madness many times, saith ^^ Vives, they make away themselves and others.
Which inducetli Cyprian to call it, Foecundam ct multij)licem jierniciem, fontem da-
dium el scminarium delictonim, a fruitful mischief, the seminary of offences, and foun-
tain of murders. Tragical examplos are too common in this kind, both new and
old, in all ages, as of ''^Cephalus and Procris, ^^Phaereus of Egypt, Tereus, Atreus,
and Thyestes. ""Alexander Ph^reus was murdered of his wife, ob pellicatus siispi-
f?onem, TuUy saith. Antoninus Verus was so made away by Lucilla; Demetrius the
•son of Antigonus, and Nicanor, by their wives. Hercules poisoned by Dejanira,
■'^' Cfficinna murdered by Vespasian, Justina, a Roman lady, by her husband. ■" Ames-
tris, Xerxes' wife, because she found her husband's cloak in Masista's house, cut off
Masista, his wife's paps, and gave them to the dogs, flayed her besides, and cut off
her ears, lips, tongue, and slit the nose of Artaynta her daughter. Our late writers
are full of such outrages.
^° Paulus iEmilius, in his history of France, hath a tragical story of Chilpericus
the First his death, made away by Ferdegunde his queen. In a jealous humour he
came from hunting, and stole behind his wife, as she was dressing and combino- her
head in the sun, gave her a familiar touch with his wand, which she mistaking for
her lover, said, '^ Ah Landre, a good knight sliould strike before, and not behind :"
but when she saw herself betrayed by his presence, she instantly took order 10 make
him away. Hierome Osorius, in his eleventh book of the deeds of Emanuel Kinu-
of Portugal, to this effect hath a tragical narration of one Ferdinand us Cliakleiia,
that wounded Gotherinus, a noble countryman of his, at Goa in tlie East Indies,
^' •'• and cut off one of his legs, for that he looked as he thouglit too familiarly upon
his wife, which was afterwards a cause of many quarrels, and much bloodshed."
Guianerius cap. 36. de cegritud. matr. speaks of a silly jealous fellow, that seeing his
child new-born included in a caul, thought sure a '"Franciscan that used to come to
his house, was the father of it, it was so like the friar's cowl, and tliereupon threat-
ened the friar to kill him : Fulgosus of a woman in Narbonne, that cut off her luis-
band's privities in the night, because she thought he played false witli her. The
story of Jonuses Bassa, and fair Manto his wife, is well known to such as have read
the Turkish history; and that of Joan of Spain, of which I treated in my former
section. Her jealousy, saith Gomesius, was the cause of both their deaths : King
Philip died for grief a little after, as ^^iMartian his physician gave it out, "and she
for her part after a melancholy discontented life, misspent in lurking-holes; and
corners, made an end of her miseries." Faelix Plater, in the first book of his ob-
servations, hath many such instances, of a physician of his acquaintance, ^' "' that
was first mad through jealousy, and afterwards, desperate :" of a merchant ^'" that
killed his wife in the same humour, and after precipitated himself:" of a doctor of
<2 Animi dolores et zelotypia si diutius perserverdnt,
demeiites reddunt. Acak. coniinent. in par. art. Ga-
leni. « Ariosto, lib. :il. statist). *^:i deaniina,
c. 3. de zelotyp. transit in rahiem et odium, et sibi et
aliis violentas stepe manus injiciuiit. <» Higinus,
cap. Jpn. Ovid, &.C. -"s Plia;rus iEsypti rex de caci-
tate oracnlum consulens, visum ei rediturum accepit, si
oculos abluissot lotio miilieris quoe aliorutn virorum
esset expers; iixoris uriiiani expertus nihil profecit, et
aliarnin frustra, eas onines (ea excepta per quain cura-
tUf fuit) uniim in locum coaclas concreinavit. Herod.
Eiilcrp. «Offic. lib. 2. «< .\ureli us Victor.
♦3 Herod, lib. 9. in Calliope. Masistse uxorera excarni-
ficat, niaainiillas prffiscindit, aesqiie canibus abjicit,
fillip iiares prsscidir. labra, liiiguaiii.&c. '"Lib. 1
inarito per liisuni leviter percussa furtiin siiperi'eniente
virga, risu suborto, mi I,andrice dixit. ("roMteiii vir fortis
petet, &,c. Manto conspecto altonita. ciiiii Landrico
inox in ejus mortem coiispirat, et statiin inter vcnan-
dum efficit. si Qui Go<e uxorein haheus, Gotheri-
num [irincipem quendani viriim quod u.vorj su.t oculos
adjecisset, ingenti vulnere deformavit in facie, et tibi-
ain ab.scidit, unde mntus c-edes. ^2 y,, quod infans
natus iiivolutus esset panniculo, crcdebat euni tiliuni
fratris Francisci, <fcc. " Zelotypia reginie regis
mortem acceleravit paulo post, ut Martiaiius inedicus
milii retulit. Ilia auteni atra bile inde exagilata in
latebras se subdiicens prie «L>ritudine animi reliquum
teinpus consumpsit. ^ .V zelotypia red;ictus ad in
saiiiam tt desperationeni. m Uxorein inlercmil
Ouni forms curaiidse iiiteiita capilluin in sole pectit, & | inde desperabundus ex alto se praecipitavit.
580
Love-Melancholy.
[Part. 3. Sec. 3.
law that rut off liis niairs nose: of a painter's wile in Basil, anno 1(500, that waa
mother of nine children and had heen twenty-seven years married, yet atierw a.'ds
jealons, and so impatient that she became desj)erate, and would neiilier eat nor drink
'n her own house, for I'ear her husband should ])oison her. 'Tis a conmion sign
this; for when once the humours are stirred, and the imagination misallected, it will
varv itself in divers forms ; and many such absurd symptoms will accompany, even
madness itself. Skenkius observat. lib. 4. cap. de Uler. hath an example of a jealous
woman that by this means had many lits of the mother : and in his lirat book of
some that through jealousy ran mad : of a baker that gelded himself to try his wife's
honesty, kc. Such examples are too common.
Qui linipl ul >ua kii, ne qui* »ibi ■uhlraliut iHani,
llle Machaonia vii o(m: ««Ivu« eril."
MEMB. IV.
SiusECT I. — Cure of Jealousy ; by aooiduig occasions^ not to be idle : of good
counsel; to conlimn //, nut to tcutch or tuck them up : to dissemble il^ SjC.
As of all other melancholy, some doubt whether this malady may be cured orno,
thev think 'tis like the '^gout, or Swilzers, whom we commonly call Walloons, those
hired soldiers, if once they take possessi«)n of a castle, they can never be got out.
I >'"Tbii i» th« cruel wmiiid a|;aiii»l whonc itiiiart,
I Nm liquor'it forre prevails, or any iiliiinti-r,
Nu •hilt u( KliirK, nil ili-pih iif iiiui;ii! art,
Lh-\ iiiftl liy llial (.Tent cli'rk /.■>r<>a^ll•r,
A Miiiiiid that tit inreclD thf iiiiiii nml linart.
At all iiiir M-iiai- ami rraitxii it itoUi iiiaiil*-r ;
I A »<i'inil whixir |iHii!; and toriiifiil ix >o d'ira'lile,
I Aa It ma) nghlly called be iiiciirablr"
Yet what I have formerly said of other melancholy, I will say again, it may be cured
or mitigated at least by some contrary [Mission, good counsel and persuasion, if it be
withstood ill the beginning, maturely resisted, and as those ancients hold, ""''the
nails of it be pared before they grow too long." No better means to resist or repel
it than by avoiding idleness, to be still seriously busied al)out some matters of im-
portance, ti> diive out those vain fears, foolish fantasies and irksome susjjicions out
of his head, and then to be [wrsuaded by his judicious friends, to give ear to their
good counsel and advice, and wisely t«j consider, how much he discredits himself,
his friends, dishoiiouts his children, disgraceth his liimily, publishetfi his shame, and
as a trumpeter of his own misery, divuljjeth, macerates, grieves himself and others;
what an argument of weakness it is, how absurd a thing in its own nature, how
ridiculous, iiow brutish a passion, hf)W sottish, how odious; for as ^Ilieronie well
hath it, (Jdium sui facit^ et ipse novissime sibi odio est, others hate liim, and at last
he hates himself for it ; how harebrain a disease, mad and furious. If he will but
hear them speak, no doubt he may be cured. '"Joan, queen of Spain, of whom I
have formerly spoken, under pretence of changing air was sent to Complntum, or
Alcada de las lleneras, where Ximenius the archbishop of Ttlcdo then lived, that
by his good counsel (as for the present she was) she might be eased. *' '^ For a dis-
ease of the soul, if concealed, tortures and oveiturns it, and by no physic can sooner
be removed than by a discreet man's comfortable speeches." I w ill not here insert
any consolatory sentences to this purpose, or forestall any man's invention, but leave
it every one to dilate and amplify as he shall think fit in his own judgment: let him
advise with Siracides cap. 9. 1. " Be not jealous over the wife of thy b<»s<im ;" reati
that comfortable and pithy speech to this purpose of Ximenius, in the audior him-
self, as it is recorded by Gomesius ; consult with Chahjner lib. 0. de repub. ^Onijlor.
or Cfelia in her epistles, Stc. Only this I will add, that if it be considered aright,
which causeth this jealous passion, be it just or unjust, whether with or without
cause, true or false, it ought not tie hiinously to be taken ; \\b no such real or
^Tullprp n'Mloiiaiii iieicit inr4li''inap<Mlacram. *'' An-
o«to. lib. 31. *iatT ^ Viifre< iDdiuri (uadeiil
lin(iir« anion' vnite radrndos, priuiupiaiii |>roduran( ««
Biuiia * 111 Juvianum. <*lfuire>iui, lib. J. de
rrb. fpufiii Ximrnii •' Trit pnim pnrronlia tfn
liiilo niiiiiii ci'ii:|frr»a. rl in aiigu«til» ad-lm la Uirnlrm
Mibvrrlil. iM-c alio ninJicaiiiiiie Taciliut rii^jilur, qua«
curiiaii bumioia aetmomt.
Mem. 4. Subs. 1.] Cure of Jealousy. 581
capital matter, that it should make so deep a wound. 'Tis a blow that hurts not,
m insensible smart, grounded many times upon false suspicion alone, and so fostered
3y a sinister conceit. If she be not dishonest, he troubles and macerates himself
without a cause ; or put case which is the w:orst, he be a cuckold, it cannot be
helped, the more he stirs in it, the more he aggravates his own misery. How much
better were it in such a case to dissemble or contemn it } why should that be feared
which cannot be redressed? mullce tandem deposucrunt (saith ^^ Vives) quiun Jlecti
maritos non posse vidc7it, many women, when they see there is no remedv, have been
pacified ; and shall men be more jealous than women ? 'Tis some comfort in such
a case to have companions, Solamen miseris socios hahuisse dolor is ; Who can say
he is free } Who can assure himself he is not one de prcp.terito, or secure himself
de futuro? If it were his case alone, it were hard; but being as it is almost a com-
mon calamity, 'tis not so grievously to be taken. If a man have a lock, which every
man's key will open, as well as his own, why should he think to keep it private to
himself.^ In some countries they make nothing of it, ne nobiles quidcm. saith "Leo
Afer, in many parts of Africa (if she be past fourteen) there's not a nobleman that
marries a maid, or that haih a chaste wife ; 'tis so common ; as the moon gives horns
once a month to the world, do they to their husbands at least. And 'tis most part
true which that Caledonian lady, " Argetocovus, a British prince's wife, told Julia
Augusta, when she took her up for dishonesty, " We Britons are naught at least with
some few choice men of the better sort, but you Romans lie with every base knave,
you are a company of common v/hores." Severus the emperor in his time made
laws for the restraint of this vice ; and as ^' Dion Nicasus relates in his life, tria
millia niccchorum, three thousand cuckold-makers, or naturae, monctam adulter antes.,
as Philo calls them, false coiners, and clippers of nature's money, were summoned
mto the court at once. And yet, J\'on onmem moUlor quce Jluit undam videt, 'Hhe
miller sees not all the water that goes by his mill •" no doubt, but, as in our days,
these were of the commonalty, all the great ones were not so much as called in
question for it. ''^Martial's Epigram I suppose might have been generallv applied in
those licentious times. Omnia solus hahes., S^x.., tliy goods, lands, money, wits are
thine own, Uxorem scd liahes Candlde cum populo ; but neighbour Candidas your
wife is common: husband'and cuckold in that age it seems were reciprocal terms;
the emperors themselves did wear Actason's badge ; how many Cajsars might I
reckon up together, and what a catalogue of cornuted kings and princes in every
story .'' Agamemnon, Menelaus, Phillippus of Greece, Ptolomeus of Ji^gypt, Lucul-
lus, Caesar, Pompeius, Cato, Augustus, Antonius, Antoninus, Js.c., that wore fair
plumes of bull's feathers in tliek crests. The bravest soldiers and most heroicai
spirits could not avoid it. They have been active and passive in this business, they
have either given or taken horns. ®"King Arthur, whom we call one oi' tlie nine
worthies, for all his great valour, was umvorthily served by lAlordred, one of liis
round table knights: and Guithera, or Helena Alba, his fair wife, as Lehind interprets
't, was an arrant honest woman. Farcerem libenter (saith mine '"'author) Heroina-
rum la>s(2 niajestali., si non Idstoricz Veritas aurcm vellicaret., I could Vvillinjrly wink
at a fair lady's faults, but that 1 am bound by the laws of history to tell the truth:
against his will, God knows, did he write it, and so do I repeat it. I speak not of
our times all this while, we have good, honest, virtuous men and women, whom
fame, zeal, fear of God, religion and superstition contains : and yet for all tliat, we
have many knights of lliis order, so dubbed by their wives, many good women
abused bv dissolute husbands. In some places, and such persons you may as soon
enjoin them to carry water in a sieve, as to keep themselves honest. What shall a
man do now in such a case .' What remedy is to be had .? how shall he be eased .'
B)'' suing a divorce ? this is hard to be etfected : si non caste., tatien caute they carry
the matter so cunningly, that though it be as common as simony, as clear and as
manifest as the nose in a man's face, yet it cannot be evidently proved, or they likely
^3 Df auiiiia. ^3 jjii. ;j. m Argplocoxi Cale- ' niCEchis ftcit, ex civibus pliirps in jus vocati. ^ L. 1
doni Reniili iixiir, Jiilii Aiijiusta? rum ipsaiii niordi-ri-t ■ Kpia. -X. ^ Asser Ariliuri; parcerem libeiitcr herni
quod inhiiiiesli; versan-tur, n spimilet, iKisi ciiiii iipliiiiis I iiarriin la;srR iii.njfstiiti, si nor liistoria; vcrilrij aiiriin
viris coiisiictiKiiiiem tiab;imis; vns Jiouiaiias auleui oc- Vellicaret, Lulaiid. ^ LolanU s assert. A tliiir!.
culte passim liuiniiies coiistupraiit. ^ Leges de 1
2y2
682 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3.
taken in the fact: they will have a knave Gallus lo watch, or with ilmt Roman
"Sulpiiia, all made fast antl sure,
'• \e se Cadiircis desliuitam fasriia,
Nudaiii Caleiio coiicuiiibKiiteiu videat."
" she will hardly be surprised bv her husband, be he never so wary." INIuch better
then to put it up : the more he strives in it, the more he shall divulge his own shame:
make a virtue of necessity, and conceal it. Yea, but the world takes notice of it,
'tis in every man's mouth : let them talk their pleasure, of whom speak they not in
this sense ? From the highest to the lowest they are thus censured all : there is no
remedy then but patience, it may be 'tis his own fault, and he halh no reason to
romplaiii, 'tis quid ]iro quo,, she is bad, he is worse: '""Bethink thyself, hast thou
not done as much for some of thy neighbours } why dost thou retjuire that of thy
wife, which thou wilt nt>t perform thyself.' Thou rangest like a town bull, "' why
art thou so incensed if she tread awry ?"
^•"Ue It lliut soiii^ wiiuiaii break ehakle wcdluck'* She feeU that he his liivu rrom lier withdraw?,
Iu»h, And hHlliiiii kiiiiif |>erliapd leii:^ wiirthy placed.
Ami lfa\f!4 her huvbaiid and becomes uuchoAtc : Who ririke with *uurd, the acabbard Iheiii may
Yet ci'liiiiioiily It la not ivithnul rauie, strike,
ijlie liei* her iiiiin in am her giMKla to waiite. And kure love craveih love, like aitkelh like."
Ed stnipfr stndcbit^ saith "Nevisaniis, pares reddere vices, she will quit it if she
can. And ihfref«)re, as well adviseth Siracides, cap. ix. 1. ''teach her nut an evil les-
son against thyself," which as Jansenitis Lyranus, on his text, and Carthusianus in-
torprel, is im otherwise to be undersidod than that she do then not a mist-liief 1 do
not excuse her in accusing thte ; but if btuh be naught, meuil thyself first; fur as
the old saying is, a goml husband niakcs a good wife.
Yea l)ut llioii replies!, 'tis not the like reason betwixt man and woman, through
her fault my children are baj»tards, I may not endure it; '* Sit umaruhnia, sit impe-
riusa prodii^u, »Sr. Let her sculd, brawl, anil spend, I care not, mndb sit castu, so
she be hottest, 1 could easily bear it; but this I cannot, I may not, I will not; "my
faitli, nty lame, mine eye must not be touched," as tlie tUverb is, .\uh putilur factum
futna, /idfs, oculus. I say tbe same of my wife, touch all, use all, take all but this.
I acknowltilge that of Seneca to be true, ,Vi////h« boni jticiinda posscssio sine socio,,
there is no .-weet content in the pos.session of any good thing without a companion,
this only cxceptetl, I say, This. And why this.' Even this whicfj thou so much
abhurrtst, it may be for thy prtigeny's good, '' better be any man's son than thine,
I.) bf begot of base Irus, poor S«ius, or mean Meviiis, the town swineherd's, a shep-
herd's Son : and well is he, that like Hercules he hath any two fathers; for thou thyself
nast perat'.vtnture more diseases than a horse, more infirmities of body and mind, a
cankered soul, crabbed conditions, make the worst of it, a.« it is vulnus insanabile., sic
vulnus insinsibitc, as it is incurable, so it is insensible. But art thou sure it is so ? ""^res
agit illc luas? "doth he so indeed ?" It may be thou art over-suspicious, and without
a cause as some are : if it be octtmestris partus, born at eight months, or Jike him, and
him, they fondly suspect he g<jl it; if she speak or laugh familiarly with such or such
men, then piesently she is naught with them; such is tiiy weakness; whereas charity,
or a well-dispost'd mind, would interpret all unl<j the best. St. Franci.s, by chance seeing
a friar faiiiiliarly kissing anotlier man's wife, was so far from misconceiving it, that
he presently kneeied down and thanked God there was so much charity left: but
they on the other side will ascribe nothing to natural causes, indulge nothing to
familiarity, mutual society, friendship : but out of a sinister suspicion, presently lock
them close, watch tliem, thinking bv those means to prevent all such inconvenn-nces,
that's the way to help it; whereas by such tricks they do aggravate the mischief.
'Tis but in tain to watch that which will away.
tT>. fiff cu«toi|iri !>i velit iilla potest ; t '• Snne ran l<e krpt r<*«i<tin; fur h^r part ;
N«c iiieiiteiii liervare |H>les, lic>-i omnia serve*; Tboueh b^xly t>e kept cIom-, wnhiii her heart
Oiiiiiil>u<> etcluum, iiiluo ailuller eril." | Advi^utry lurk«. t' eiclude it lheri''« ii« art."
Argus with a hundred eyes cannot keep her, et hunt unus sape fefdlU amor^ a:* in
"Ariosto,
_.^ 1
• I '•('offita an lie nln* t'l . • ■ itre HO. "Pylva nupi. I. 4. num T%
I > tihi nunc Arri digiiuin sil T »e\ -1. cap. 13. de occult iifil. inir. '* OpK.
I ; ( ur. abumr* •■>iKi« ii'iod iion i; i i. '** Mart. " Ovid. amor. Ilk. 1
ta*.' I'.uur. ''Vtt|!» iibidiiie tuiii i(i»e qiiowa rapi eU^. '' Lib. -L si. Ti
■n«, cur SI vel modicuoi tuiiel ipaa, insauiosT ^Ari-I
Mem. 4. Subs. 1.]
Cure of Jealousy.
583
' If nil our hearts were eyes, j-et sure they said
We husbands of our wives should he betrayed."
Hierome holds, Uxor impudica servari non potest, pudica non debet, infida custos
castitatis est nccessitas, to what end is all your custody } A dishonest woman can-
not be kept, an honest woman ought not to be' kept, necessity is a keeper not to be
trusted. Difficile cusfoditur, quod plures amant ; that which many covet, can hardly
be preserved, as ''^Salisburiensis thinks. I am of Ji^neas Sylvius' mind, «°" Those
jealous Italians do very ill to lock up their wives ; for women are of such a disposi
tion, they will most covet that which is denied most, and offend least when they have
free liberty to trespass." It is in vain to lock her up if she be dishonest; et tyrrani-
cum impcrium, as our great Mr. Aristotle calls it, too tyrannical a task, most unfit-
for when she perceives her husband observes her and suspects, Uberi.us peccal, saitli
*'Nevisanus. '^ Toxica Zeloiypo dedit uxor moRcha marito, she is exasperated, seeks
by all means to vindicate herself, and will therefore offend, because she is unjustly
suspected. The best course then is to let them have their own wills, give them free
liberty, without any keeping.
" In vain our friends from this do us dehnrt,
For beauty will be where is most resort."
If she be honest as Lucretia to Collatinus, Laodamia to Protesilaus. Penelope to her
Ulysses, she will so continue her honour, good name, credit, Penelope conjux sent-
per Ultjssis ero; " I shall alw'ays be Penelope the wife of Ulysses." And as Phocias'
wife in ^^ Plutarch, called her husband " her wealth, treasure, world, joy, deli<rht, orb
and sphere," she will her's. The vow she made unto her good man ; love^ virtue,
religion, zeal, are better keepers than all those locks, eunuchs, prisons; she will not
be moved :
w •' At uiilii vpI tPllus optem prius ima dehiscat,
Aut pater oninlpotens adiftat ine fulmine ad umbras,
Pallenles umbras Erebi, iioctemque profuridani.
Ante pudur quam te violetii, aut lua jura resolvam."
' First I desire the earth to swallow me.
Before I violate mine honesty.
Or thuiidti from above drive me to hell,
With those pale ghosts, and ugly nights to dwell."
She is resolved with Dido to be chaste ; though her husband be false, she will be
true : and as Octavia writ to her Antony,
65" These walls that here do keep me out of sight,
Shall keep me all unspotted unto thee.
Anil testify that I will do thee right,
I'll never stain thine house, though thou shame me."
Turn her loose to all those Tarquins and Satyrs, she will not be tempted. In the
tune of Valence the Emperor, saith '« St. Austin, one Archidamus, a Consul of An-
tioch, offered a hundred pounds of gold to a fair young wife, and besides to set her
husband free, who was then sub gravissimd cuslodla, adark prisoner, pro nnius me-
tis concubitu: but the chaste matron would not accept of 'it. *' When Ode com-
mended Theana's fine arm to his fellows, she took him up short, <■' Sir, 'tis not com-
mon:" she is wlioUy reserved to her husband. «^Bilia had an old man to lier spouse,
and his breath stunk, so that nobody could abide it abroad; *' coming home one day
he reprehended his wife, because she did not tell him of it : she vowed unto him.
she had told him, but she tliought every man's breath had been as strong as his.''
^^Tigranes and Armena his lady were invited to supper by King Cyrus: when they
came .home, Tigianes asked his wife, how she liked Cyrus, antfwhat she did espe-
cially commend in him.? "she swore she did not observe him; when he repliec
again, what tlien she did observe, whom she looked oa > She made answer, hei
husband, that said he would die for her sake." Such are the properties and condi
tions of good women : and if she be well given, she will so carry herself; if other-
wise she be nauglit, use all the means thou canst, she will be naught, JVondeest ani-
mus sed corruptor, she hath so many lies, excuses, as a hare hath "muses, tricks, pan
ders, bawds, shifts, to deceive, 'tis to no purpose to keep her up, or to reclaim hei
by hard usage. "Fair means peradventure may do somewhat." '° Obscqido vinces
" Policrat. lib. 8. c. 11. Dc amor. eo Euriel. fit
Lucret. qui uxores occludunt, meo judicio minus utili.
ter faciunt; sunt enim eo ingetiio iniilieres ut id potis-
sin);im ciipiant, quod in.ixime denegatur: si liberas
hali.'iit habenns, minus .Vlinquunt; frustra seram ad-
hibes, si non sit sponle casta. 'iCiuando tognos-
tunt maritos hoc advertere. 82Ausonius. »Ope3
»aai uiuiidum suum, thesauruta suum, &c 6* Vir".
.iTIn. 63 Daniel. ss I de serm. d. in monte rns. IC.
*"0 quam formosus lacertus bir, quid.iin inquit ad
squales convcrsus; at ilia, pul.licus, itii|Mit, non fst.
f'^Bilia Dinutum virum sem-m liibuit et spiritiim foeti-
dum habentem, queni qiium liuidam o.vprobrasset, &c.
"i* Numquid libi, Armena, Tigraiies videbaiur esse pul-
Cher? et ilium, inquit, sdepol, &.c. Xenoph. CyropiEd.
1. 3. M Ovid.
584 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 3.
aptius ipse ttio. Men and women are both in a predicament in this behalf, no soonei
won, and better pacified. Duci volunf, non r.r\gl ; though she be as arrant a scold as
Xantippe, as cruel as Medea, as clamorous as Hecuba, as lustful as Messalina, by
sucii means (if at all) she may be reformed. ^lany patient *'Grizels, by their obse-
quiousness in this kind, have reclaimed their husbands from their wandering lusts.
In Nova Francia and Turkey (as Leah, Rachel, and Sarah did to Abraliam and Jacob)
ihey brinor their fairest damsels to their husbands' beds ; Livia seconded the lustful
appetites of Augustus : Stratonice, wife to King Diotarus, did not only bring Elec-
tra, a fair maid, to her good mane's bed, but brought up the children begot on her, as
carefullv as if thev had been her own. Tertius Emilius' wife, Cornelia's mother,
j'erceiving her husband's intemperance, rpin dissimulavit^ made much of the maid,
and would take no notice of it. A new-married man, when a pickthank friend of
his, to curry favour, had showed him his wife familiar in private with a young gal-
lant, courting and dallying, &.c. Tush, said he, let him do Ids worst, I dare trust my
■wife, though 1 dare not trust him. The best remedy then is by fair means ; if that
•will not take place, to dissemble it as I say, or turn it ott" with a jest : hear Guexerra's
advice in tiiis case, vel joco excipits, vel silentio eludes; for if you take exceptions
at everything your wife doth, Solomon's wisdom, Hercules' valour. Homer's learn-
ing, Socrates' patience, Argus' vigilance, will not serve turn. Therefore Minus ma-
lum, *'a less miscitief, Nevisanus holds, (lissimulare., to be ** Cunarum emptor, a buyer
of cradles, as the proverb is, than to be too solicitous. **»^A good fellow, when his
wife was brought to betl before her time, bought half a dozen of crailles beforehand
for so many children, as if his wife should continue to bear childien every two
months." **Fertiiiax the Emperor, when one told him a fiddler was too familiar with
his empress, made no reckoning of it. And when that Macedonian Philip was up-
braided with his wife's dishonesty, cum tut victor regnorum ac populorum esset, Sfc.^
a conqueror of kingdoms could not tame his wife (for she thrust him out of doors),
he made a jest of it. Sapientes portant comua in pectorc, stulti infronle, saith Nevi-
sanus, wise men bear their horns in their hearts, fools on their foreheads. Eumenes,
king of Pergamus, was at deadly feud with Perseus of Macedonia, insonmch that
Perseus hearing of a journey he was to take to Delphos, '^set a company of soldiers
to intercept him in his passage; they did it accordingly, and as they supposed left
liim stoned to death. The news of this fact was brought instantly to I'ergamus;
Attains, Eumenes' brother, proclaimed himself king forthwith, took possession of
the crown, and married Stratonice the queen. But by-and-by, when contrary news
was brought, that King F>umencs was alive, and now coming to the city, he laid by
his crown, left his wife, as a private man went to meet him, and cojioratulate his
return. Eumenes, though he knew all particulars passed, yet (hssemhling the mat-
ter, kindly embraced his brother, and took his wife into his favour again, as if on
such matter had been heard of or done. Jocundo, in Ariosto, found his wife in bed
with a knave, both asleep, went his ways, and would not so much as wake them,
much less reprove them for it. *' An honest fellow finding in like sort his wife had
played false at tables, and borne a man too many, drew his dagger, and swore if he
had not been his very friend, he wouhl have killed him. Another hearing one had
done that for him, which no man desires to be done by a deputy, foUoweil in -a ra?e
with his sword drawn, and having overtaken him, laid adultery to his charge; the
otfender hotly pursued, confessed it was true; with which corifessiou he was satis-
fied, and so left him, sweariirg that if he had denied it, he would not have put it up.
How much better is it to do liius, than to macerate himself, impatiently to rave and
rage, to enter an action (^as Arnoldus Tilius did in the court of Toulout-e, against
31artin Guerre his fellow-soldier, fur that he counterfeited his habit, and was too
familiar with his wife , so to divulge his own shame, and to remain for ever a cuck-
old on record.^ how much better be Cornelius Tacitus than Pul)lius Corniitus, to
condemn in such cases, or lake no notice of it ? Melius sic errare, quum ZelulypuB
■< Krnil Petrarch* Tnle uf Patient Grizpl in Ciinucer. I rent : hi prnirnui maiirfMluin pxpqiientra, &r. Ilia et
»'Sil iiij|. Iih. 4. num. cH). "^ KraMniua. ** Quum tvx detlara' ■!'■■• •^'■■' • - ■ aio-
acci'iMKs^t ux'ircin p.-|wris8e scciiihIo a iiuptiis iiinific, rrui Jm it Ue.
cuiiaii qiimait vel si-nas ciicmit. Ill ri ('"rtc •ixiir Rinc'ili^ Atlaliiiii r : . < un-
bimviiinl'ii* p.-irrrpt. »^ Jiilnut 'a|ritii|. vila i-ju<. pli-xim. iiia^'ii ■• • .i-... ..-h ni - .^ ■. i^tia
quuni paUiii i'llhanedu* uxi>r»-in ililic>-rr-i, iiiiniinr cu- llarriuglua'* oule* iii *ZB. book uf .\n'j«lo.
riuaua fuit. ** L)i»puM it aruiato* qui ipoum iiiterAcf i
Mem. 4. Subs. 2.] Cure of Jealouay. 585
-rwr/s, saitli Erasmus, se conficrre, better be a wittol and put it up, than to trouble
himself to no purpose. And though he will not omnibus dormirc, be an ass, as he
's an ox, yet to wink at it as many do is not amiss at some times, in some cases, to
some parties, if it be for his commodity, or some great man's sake, his landlord,
patron, benefactor, (as Calbas the Roman saith ^'^ Plutarch did by Majcenas, and
Phayllus of Argos did by King Piiilip, when he promised him an olHce on that con-
dition he might lie with his wife) and so let it pass :
M"pol me liaiifl poeiiitet,
Scilicet hoiii diiiiidium dividere cum Jove,"
" it never troubles me (saith Amphitrio) to be cornuted by Jupiter, If^t it not molest
thee then ;" be friends with her ;
'00 Tu ciun Alcmeiia uxore antiquam in graliara
Kedi"
" Receive Alcmena to your grace again ;" let it, I say, make no breach of love be-
tween you. Howsoever the best way is to contemn it, which ' fienry jl. king of
France advised a courtier of his, jealous of his wife, and complainincr of her un-
chasteness, to reject it, and comfort himself; for he that suspects his v/ife's incon-
tinency, and fears the Pope's curse, shall never live a merry hour, or sleep a quiet
night : no remedy but patience. When all is done according to that counsel of
^Nevisanus, si viiium uxoris corrigi non potest, fcrcndwii est: if it may not be
helped, it must be endured. Date vcniavi et sustinete taciti, 'tis Sophocles' advice,
keep it to thyself, and v/hich Chrysostom calls j;«/fc,<;/r(:/??i jjhilosophicE, et doinesticum
gymnasium a school of philosophy, put it up. There is no other cure but time to
wear it out, Injuriarum remedium est ohiivio, as if they had drunk a draught of
Lethe in Trophonius' den : to conclude, age will bereave her of it, dies dulorem
minuit^ time and patience must end it.
»"Tlie mind's affections patience v.ill appease,
It passions liills, and liealeth eacti disease."
SuBSECT. II. — Bi/ prevention before^ or after Marriage, Plato'' s Commimitj/, marry
a Courtezan, Philters, Stews, to marry one equal in years, fortunes, of a good
family, education, good place, to use them well, S^-c.
Of such medicines as conduce to the cure of this malady, I have sufficiently
ticated; there be some good remedies remaining, by way of prevention, precautions,
or admonitions, which if rightly practised, may do nmch good. Plato, in his Com-
monwealth, to prevent this mischief belike, would have all things, wives and chil-
dren, all as one: and which Caesar in his Commentaries observed of those old
Britons, that first inhabited this land, they had ten or twelve wives allotted to such
a family, or promiscuously to be used by so many men ; not one to one, as with us,
or f'oui, live, or six to one, as in Turkey. The ■* Nicholaites, a set that sprang, saith
Austin, from Nicholas the deacon, would have women inditlt;rent ; and the cause of
this filthy sect, was Nicholas the deacon's jealousy, for which when he was con-
demned to purge himself of his oflence, he broached his heresy, that it was lawful
to lie wuh one another's wives, and for any man to lie with his : like to those ^ Ana-
baptists in iilunster, that would consort with other men's wives as tlie spirit moved
them : or as ''JMahomet, the seducing propliet, would needs use women as he list
himself, to beget prophets 5 two hundred and five, their Alcoran saith, were in love
with him, and 'he as able as forty men. Amongst the old Carth.aginians, as *Bohe-
mus relates out of Sabellicus, the king of the country lay with the bride the first
night, and once in a year they v,'ent promiscuously all together. Munster Cosmog.
lib. 3. cap. 497. ascribes the beginning of tliis brutish custom (unjustly) to one
Picardus, a Frenchman, that invented a new sect of Adamites, to go naked as Adam
did, and to use j)i-omiscuous venery at set times. When the priest repeated that of
Genesis, " Increase and multiply," out ^ went the candles in the place wliere they
88 Aiiia'or. dial. s^i Plaulus s.en. ult. Amphit. , narum. » Sleiden, Com. s Alcornn. 'Alcoran
Jool<leni. « 'J'. Daniel conjurat. Fn'nch. »Lili. I edit, et Biliiiandro. »Dc nior. :.'eiit. lib. 1. tap. G
4. nijni. to. a R. T. « Lil). de lieres. Ciiiuni di- ; Niiptura- rcyi de vircinandae exlnbi-ntiir. ' Lumina
Keli? c(ilp;iietiir, pur^-andi se causa purniijis.-ie lertur ut | e.xlin^ueliantur, ncfc per.s<iiia;ct ii'lali.^ Iiabila reverentia,
eri (jui vellL't uterelur; qnod ejus lacluin in scctam tur- in quani quisque per tenebras incidit, uiulierem cog-
pissiuiani v(:rsum est, qua placet usus indillt;rcns fcenii- { noscit.
74
586 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3.
met, '• and without all respect of age, persons, conditions, catch tliat catch may,
every man took her that came next," Stc. ; some fasten this on those ancient Bohe-
mians and Russi'ins : '" others on the inhabitants of Mambrium, in the Lucerne valiey
in Piedmont; and, as 1 read, it was practised in Scotland amongst Clirislians them-
selves, until King i\Ialcolm"s time, the king or the lord of the town had their maiden-
heads. In some parts of " India in our age, and those 'islanders, '•'as amongst the
Babylonians of old, they will prostitute tlieir wives and daughters (which Clialco-
condila, a Greek modern writer, for want of better intelligence, puts upon us Britons)
lo such travellers or seafaring men as come amongst them by chance, to show how
far they w ere from this feral vice of jealousy, and how little they esteemed it. The
kings of Calecut, as '^ Lod. \'erlomannus relates, will not touch their wives, till one
of their Biarmi or high priests have lain first with them, to sanctify their wombs.
But those Es^ai and Montanists, two strange sects of old, were in another extreme,
ihey would iu)t marry at all, or have any society with women, '^"because of their
intemperance they held them all to be naught." Nevisanus the lawyer, lib. 4. num.
33. sylv. nupl. would have him that is inclined lo this malady, to prevent the worst,
marry a queun, Capiens inerctricem, hoc habet sallcm boni (jiibd non decipitur^ quia
scit emu sic esse, quod nan cuntingit uliis. A fornicator in Seneca construputed two
venches in a night; for satisl'action, the one desired to hang him, the other to marry
hirn. '" liierome, king of Syracuse in Sicily, esj)oused himself to Pitho, keeper of
the stews; and Ptolemy took Thais a common whore to be his wife, had two sons,
Leontiscus and Lagus by her, and one daughter Irene : 'tis therefore no such un-
likely tiling. '' A citizen of Eugubine gelded himself lo try his wife's honesty, and
to be freed i"ro»n jealousy ; so did a baker iji '"Basil, to the same intent. But of all
other precedents in this kind, that of "' Combalus is most memorable; who to pre-
vent his master's suspicion, for he was a beautiful young man, and sent by Seleucus
his lord and king, wiih Stratonice the queen to conduct her into Syria, fearing the
worst, gelded hnnself before he went, and left his genitals behind him in a box
sealed up. His mistress by the way fell in love with him, but he not yielding to
her, was accused lo Seleucus of incontinency, (as that Bellerophon was in like case,
falsely traduced by Sliienobia, lo King Praitus her husband, cum non posset ad coi-
tuin tndiictn > and tluil by her, and was therefore at his coming home cast into
prison : the day of hearing ajjpointed, he was su/liciently cleared and acquitted, by
showing his privities, which lo the admiration of the beholders he had formerly cut
ofl". The Lydians used to geld women whom they suspected, saith Leonicus var.
hist. lib. 3. cciji. 49. as well as men. To this purpose '"Saint Fiancis, because he
used to confess women in private, to prevent suspicion, and prove himself a maid,
stripped himself before the Bishop of Assise and others : and Friar Leonard for the
same cause went through Vilerbiuni in Italy, without any garments.
Our Pseudocatiiolics, to help these inconveniences which proceed from jealousy,
to keep themselves and their wives honest, make severe laws; against adultery pre-
sent death ; and withal fornication, a venal sin, as a sink to convey tliat furious and
swift stream of concupiscence, they appoint and permit stews, those punks and
pleasant sinners, the more to secure their wives in all populous cities, for they iiold
them as necessary as churches ; and hov, soever unlawful, yet lo avoid a greater mis-
chief, to be tolerated in policy, as usury, for the hardness of men's hearts; and for
this end they have whole colleges of courtezans in their towns and cities. Of
*' Cato's mind belike, that would have his servants i^cum ancillis congrtdi coilui
causa, drjinito cere, ul gruviora Jacinora evitarenl, ccetcris interim interdicens) fami-
liar with some such feminine creatures, lo avoid worse mischiefs in his bourse, and
made allowance for it. They hold it impossible £or idle persorj, young, rich, and
>° Leaiiiifr .Aibertu«. t'lasitio^o ritu runcti in a-dom i lib. 2. rap. 3. IJeo nubere nollenr.. ob mulirruiii inlno-
convfiii'.'iiit'^ |i>'Si iiiipiiraui coiiciuneiii, exiiiiciiB luiiii- I p<-ruiili lui, nullaiii 8<-rvari' viru tidiin puiiiitai.t. »^||i.
mbuai III Veiieieiii luuiit. " LoU. Vcrluiuaiiiiud I phaiius pn-lut. Ueriid. Aliun i lupaiiuri liimiricfui,
navi;;. Iil>. tj. rap. (<. et Alarcud Polus lib. 1. cap. 46. t'llbo diclain, ■.. uioreui iliiiii; fiitl.iina-fi* 'riiai<lrn
L'xurcs viatoribiis prmtitiiuiit. i' Dilliiiiaru:>, iixhile ncortuiii Unxit el ex ca duon liliu* auro-pil, ftc
Blesikt-niu.-, ut .Agelad Ari^loiii, pulcherriiiiniii lU'ireiii ! '' Pugyiud Flurt-iio '">Vlii I'l.iler. '• Plulnii-tt,
babfiiD prii»uiuil. ^ Herocicit. in Kralo. Mulieres I Liiciaii. r<4lniiitz Tit. '.I. de porcell jiik cum in Paiiciro I.
Eabyloiiiia'cuiii lioitpite peruiiso-iilurobargi'iiluiiiijiiod Ue nov rtpfrl. tt t'lularcliun. " Sl>-t<lia':ii* ^ I.
pout Veiieii >arruiii. ti<>h«miJii, lib. -i. >• Navigal. | cunfur. Bonavenl. c. ti. vit. FraociKi. ^ fluiaict
lib 6. cap. 4. prujn lUoruin non mil, quam a ditrmure | vii. egua.
Mccrdoie Duva oupia dedurala 8it. ** Uuticiuu* ^
Mem. 4. Subs. 2.] Cure of Jealousy, ^S7
lusty, so many servants, monks, friars, to live honest, too tyrannical a burden to
compel them to be chaste, and most unfit to suller poor men, younger brothers and
soldiers at all to marry, as those diseased persons, votaries, priests, servants. There-
fore, as well to keep and ease the one as the other, they tolerate and wink at these
kind of brothel-houses and stews. Many probable arguments tl\ey have to prove
t!ie lawfulness, the necessity, and a toleration of them, as of usury; and without
question in policy they are not to be contradicted : but altogether in religion. Others
prescribe filters, spells, charn)s to keep men and women lionest. ^^Mulicr ut alienum
viram non admitted prcslcr suum : Acclpe fel hirci^ et adipcm, el exsicca^ culcscaL in
oleo, 4'c., et non aliiim prceter et amabit. In Alexi. Porta, Sfc, plura invenies, et
multo his absurdiora, uti et in Rhasi, ne mulicr virum admittat, et marilnm solum
diligut, Sfc. But these are most part Pagan, impious, irreligious, absurd, and ridicu-
lous devices.
The best means to avoid tliese and like inconveniences are, to take away the
causes and occasions. To this purpose -^Varro writ Satyram Menipjieam, but it is
lost. ^^Patritius prescribes four rules to be observed in choosing of a wife (which
who so will may read); Eonseca, the Spaniard, in his 45. c. Amphithcat. Amoris,
sets down six special cautions for men, four for women ; Sam Neander out of Shon-
bernerus, five for men, five for women ; Anthony Guiavarra many good lessons ;
^'Cleobulus two alone, others otherwise; as first to make a good choice in marria"-e,
to invite Christ to their wedding, and which ^'^St. Ambrose adviseth, Bcuiii conjugii
■j>ra'sidc7n habere, and to pray to him for her, (.4 Domino enim datur uxor prudens.
Prov. xix.) not to be too rash and precipitate in his election, to run upon the first he
meets, or dote on every stout fair piece he sees, but to choose her as much by his
ears as eyes, to be well advised whom he takes, of what age, &c., and caulelous in
his proceedings. An old man should not marry a young woman, nor a young woman
an old man, ^' Qadm male incequales veniunt ad arata juvenci! such matciies must
needs minister a perpetual cause of suspicion, and be distasteful to each other.
ss " Noclua lit ill liiinulis, super atque cadaver.-! bubo, I "Night-crows on tombs, owl sits on carcass dead,
Talis iipiKl riui^liucleiii nostra puolla sedet." | So lies a wench with Sophocles in bed."
For Sophocles, as ^^ Atheneus describes him, was a very old man, as cold as Januarj',
a bed-fellow of bones, and doted yet upon Archippe, a young courtezan, than which
nothing can be more odious. ^'Senex maritus uxori juveni ingratus est, an old man
is a most unwelcome guest to a young wench, unable, unfit :
3' "AmplifXiis siios fu;;iunt puella;,
Oiniiis iiurret amor V'enusqiie Hynieuque."
And as in like case a good fellow that had but a peck of corn weekly to grind, vet
would needs build a new mill for it, found his error eftsoons, for either he must let
his mill lie waste, pull it quite down, or let others grind at it. So these men, &.c.
Seneca therefore disallows all such unseasonable matches, habent enim malcdicti
locum crcbrcR nuplicc. And as ^^Tully farther inveighs, " 'tis unfit for any, but uijly
and filthy in old age." Turj)e senilis amor, one of the three things ^^God hatelh.
Plutarch, in his book contra Coleten, rails downright at such kind of marriages,
which are attempted by old men, qui jam corpore imt)0lcnti,et a voluptalihua descrti,
peccant aniino, and makes a question whether in some cases it be tolerable at least
for such a man to marry, qui Venerem ajfectat sine viribus, '■^ that is now past
those venerous exercises," *•' as a gelded man lies with a virgin and sighs," Ecclus
XXX. 20, and now complains with him in Petronius, funerata est hac pars jam ptx
full olim Achillea, he is c^uite done,
>< " Vixit puella; nupcr idoneus,
Et iiiilitavit non sine glond."
But the question is whether he may delight himself as those Priapeian popes, which,
in their decrepit age, lay commonly between two wenches every night, contactu for-
"^ V^ecker. lib. 7. secret. sacitatur a Gellio. j shun their embraces; Love, Venus, Hymen, all abhor
M Lib. 1. 'i'il. 4. de instil, reipub. de officio mariti. i them." 3^'Offic. lib. Luxuria cum onini ita,.
^ \e cum ea lilande niinis agas, ne objurges prxsenti- turpis, turn senectuti f;tdissima. ^ Kcclus. xxv. 2
l);i> e.ttrancis. *5 Kpist. 70. •" Ovid. '• How "An old man that dotes," &;c. '■'* Hor. lib. 3. ode
l.aiiiy steers of ditferent ages are yoked lo the plough." 26. " He was lately a match for a maid, and coutende»^
*" .Alciat. emb. U6. ^ Deipnosoph. I. 3. cap. 19.. not ingloriously."
*> Euripides. si Pontanus hiarum lib. 1. " Maider i |
588
Love-Melancholy.
[Part. 3. Sec. 3
mosarufii, et conlrectatione, nuni cidhuc gaudeal; and as many doting sires do to iheir
own shame, their children's undoing, and 'heir <aniilies' confusion : he abhors ii
tanquam ah agrrsli et furioso domino fiigiejidum, it must be avoided as a bedlam
master, and not obeyed.
^''Alecto-
Ip^^a farrs pritfert iiubentibus, et malus Hymen
Triste ululat," 1
the devil himself makes such matches. '^ Levinus Lemnius reckons up three thmg-g
which generally disturb the peace of marriage : the first is when they marry intem-
pcstive or unseasonably, ''as many mortal men marry precipitately and incouside-
rately, when they are etlete and old: the second when they marry une(|ually for for-
tunes and birth : the lliird, when a sick impotent person weds one tiiat is sound,
novce nupttk sprs frustratur : many dislikes instantly follow." Many doling dizzaids,
it may not be denied, as Plutarch confesseth, "'' recreate themselves with such obso-
lete, unseasonable and tililiy remedies (so he calls them), with a remembrance of
their former pleasures, ajjainst nature they stir up their dead llesh :" but an old lecher
is abominable; rnulier tertib niibens^ ^ Nevisanus holds, prcesumitur lubriau et in-
constans, a woman that marries a third time may be presumed to be no honester
than she should. Of them both, thus Ambrose concludes ia his comment upon
Luke, *"" they that are coupled together, not to get children, but to satisfy their lust,
are not husbands, but fornicators," with whom St. Austin consents : matrimony with-
out hope of children, non malrimonium., sed concuhium dici debet, is not a wedding
but a jumbling or coupling together. In a word (except they wed for mutual society,
help and comft)rt one of another, in which respects, though *"TibLTius deny it, with-
out question old folks may well marry) for sometimes a man hath most need oT a
wife, according to Puccius, when he hath no need of a wife; otiierwise it is most
odious, when an old acherontic dizzard, that hath one f(Jot in his grave, a silicer-
niuin, shall flicker after a young wench that is blithe and bonny,
' '• <alaci<>rque
Wruu psMere, et aittulit columbU."
What can be more detestable ?
•Tu . .
Jaui ,
'Thnu old gnat, hoary lecher, naughty man,
WiUi Btiiikiiig brt-alh, arc lliuii in lovt- 1
Muiit llioii br Dliiveriiii; ? »h»- H|>cwh lo »ee
Tliy Althy face, it dutli bo lauvu."
lllUUI Julius ciculic*. I
Yet, as some will, it is much more tolerable for an old man to marry a young wo-
man i^our ladies' match they call it) for eras erit muHer^ as he said in Tiilly. Cato
the lloinan, Critobulus in ^'Xenophon, *^Tyraquellus of late, Julius Scaliger, &.C.,
and many famous precedents we have in that kind; but not '^'' contra: 'tis not held fit
for an ancient woman to match with a young man. For as V^arro will. Anus dum
ludit morti delitiasfacit, 'tis Charon's match between **Cascu3 and Casca, and the
devil himself is surely well pleased with it. And, therefore, as the ^ poet inveighs,
thou old Vetustina bed-ridden quean, that art now skin and bones.
'Cui lief ca|>illi, quatuorque sunt denies.
Pectus cirmla:, cruKCUluiiique rurinicf ,
Ku;;u«iori-iu quie eerii< stula frontcui,
Et areiiaruiii cassibii^ paref iiiamiuaii."
•That liast three 1iair», fmir teeth, a breaiit
Like gra«i>hi<p|ier, an eiiiiiiel'ii creet,
A bkin more ra!.'t;>-'t than thy coat.
And drug* like spider'ii web lo b«>it."
Must thou marrj' a youth again ? And yet ducentas ire nuptum post niorles amani :
howsoever it is, as ^' Apuleius gives out of his Meroe, congressus annosus, pestilenSy
abhorrendus, a pestilent match, abominable, and not to be endured. In such case
how can they otherwise choose but be jealous, how should they agree one with an-
other } This inequality is not in years only, but in birth, fortunes, conditions, and
all good ** qualities, si qua voles apte nubere, nube pari, 'tis my counsel, saith An-
*• ■■ Alectn herself tiolda th'- torch at ouch nuptialu,
and iiialicioua Hyuieu sadly howU." 3<Cap. 5. instil,
ad opiiiuani viiaju; uiaiima niorlaliuin pars prscipi-
tanter el inci imiiler.il^ iiubil. id(|ue ei a-taip qux niinut
aot.i • •: ruuui >• u^x adoleMi^i.tulte. Faiiu<i inorbi<lv,
I ri, A;r. "Obsolelo. iiiti'inpt-stivo, turpi
r lur 8C uti ; reconlntume pn^tinaruin vo-
> ., . r-rrHant, et adveraante naturd, p<illinclarn
cariiriii el rnectaiii eicilant. ^ l.ih. -i. nil. -iS.
■•Uui vero iiuu prucreanda prulia, led explendc libidi-
nil cauia fibi invicem ropulaniur, non tain coiiju|ea
quain furnicarii habentur. "l^ex Papia. Aueion.
Claud, c. 23. «> Ptmianui biaruin lib I. " More ■••
laciuii* than the vparrow in uprinr. or the inow-wbil*
rine-dove*." *> naiitiiii uii-rcalor "t'yinp'wio
♦»Vide 'Ihuani hialoriain. •'Calab«ct. vri. poffa-
rtjm. «• Martial, lib. 3. ra. Fpur. « Lib. 1. .MiI»t».
* Uvid. " ir you would oiarry auitably, niarry youl
equal in every rrvpecl."
Mem. 4. Subs. 2.] Cicre of Jealousy. 589
thoiiy Giiiverra, to choose such a one. Civis Civem ducat, JYuhilis JYobilcm, let a
citizen match with a citizen, a gentleman with a gentlewoman; he that observes not
tins precept (sailli lie) noti generum sed malum Genium, non nurum sed Furlam, non
vita Comltcm, sed litis fomUem domi habebit, instead of a fair wife shall have a fury,
for a fit son-in-law a mere fiend, &c. examples are too frequent.
Another main caution fit to be observed is this, that though they be equal in years,
bu-th, fortunes, and other conditions, yet they do not omit virtue and good education,
which Musonius and Antipater so much inculcate in Stobeus :
4'" Dost est magna parentum
Virtus, et nietiieiis alterius viri
Certo fcEdere castitas."
If, as Plutarch adviseth, one must eat modium salts, a bushel of salt with him, before
he choose his friend, what care should be had in choosing a wife, his second self,
how solicitous sliould he be to know her qualities and behaviour; and when he is
assured of them, not to prefer birth, fortune, beauty, before bringing up, and good
conditions. ^Coquage god of cuckolds, as one merrily said, accompanies the god-
dess .Jealousy, both follow the fairest, by Jupiter's appointment, and they sacrifice to
llieai together: beauty and honesty seldom agree; straight personages have often
crooked manners; fair faces, foul vices; good complexions, ill conditions. Suspi-
cionis plena res est, et insidiarum, beauty (saith ^' Chrysostom) is full of treachery
and suspicion : he that hath a fair wife, cannot have a worse mischief, and yet most
covet it, as if notliing else in marriage but that and wealth were to be respected.
'-Francis Sforza, Duke of Milan, was so curious in this behalf, that he would not
marry the Duke of Mantua's daughter, except he might see her naked first : which
Lycurgus appointed in his laws, and Morus in his Utopian Commonwealth approves.
^Mn Italy, as a traveller observes, if a man have three or four daughters, or more,
and they prove fair, they are married eftsoons : if deformed, they change their lovely
names of Lucia, Cynthia, Cania;na, call them Dorothy, Ursula, Bridget, and so put
them into monasteries, as if none were fit for marriage, but such as are eminently
fair : but these are erroneous tenets : a modest virgin wdl conditioned, to such a fair
snout-piece, is much to be preferred. If thou wilt avoid them, take awav all causes
^f suspicion and jealousy, marry a coarse piece, fetch her from Cassandra's '^ temple,
which was wont in Italy to be a sanctuary of all deformed maids, and so shalt thou
be sure that no man will make thee cuckold, but for spite. A citizen of Bizance in
France had a filthy, dowdy, deformed slut to his wife, and finding her in bed with
another man, cried out as one amazed; O miser! quae te neccssitas hue adegitf O
thou vvrctch, what necessity brought thee hither.? as well he might; for who can
afTect such a one .? But this is warily to be understood, most offend in another ex-
treme, they prefer wealth before beauty, and so she be rich, they care not how she
look; but these are all out as faulty as the rest. Atlejidenda uxor is forma, as ^^Salis-
buriensis adviseth, ne si alteram aspexeris, inox earn sordcre putes, as the Knight in
Chaucer, that was married to an old woman,
J})id all day after hid him as an owl.
So woe icas his luife looked so foul.
Have a care of thy wife's complexion, lest whilst thou seest another, thou loathest
her, she prove jealous, thou naught,
'S" Si tihi (Ifformis conjui, si serva veiiusta,
Ne maris S( rva,"
I can perhaps give instance. Molestum est possidcrc, quod nemo habere dignetur, a
nusery to possess that which no man likes : on the other side, Bificil,: cusloditur
quod plurcs amant. And as the bragging soldier vaunted in the ccJmedy, nimia est
miseria pulchrum esse hominem nimis. Scipio did never so hartlly besieg-e Carthage,
a.s these young gallants will beset thine house, one with wit or person, another with
<"" Parental virtue is a rich inheritance, as well as
that chastity which habitually avoids a second hus-
'janil." so Rabelais hist. I'aiitagriiel. I. 3. cap. ^X^.
6' Mom. 80. Uui piilchram liabet u.xorein, nihil pejus
habere potest. 53 j^rniseiis. ^ Itinerar. Ital.
ColoniaB edit. 1020. Nomine trium. Ger. fol. 304. displi-
cuit quod domina; filiabus iuimutenl uomen inditum in
Baptisime, et pro Catharina, Mareareta, &c. ne quil
desit ad lu.xuriam, appellant ipsas nomiiiibus Cynthne,
Cania?ns, &c. &' /..eonicus de var. lib. 3. c. 43. Asy-
liis virginum deformium Cassandrre lenipliiin. Plutarch.
^'> Polycrat. I. 8. cap. II. so" If your wife seem de-
formed, your maid beautiful, still abstain from the
latter."
2Z
590 Love-Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 3.
wealth, he. If she he fair, saith Guazzo, she will he suspected howsoever. Both
extremes are naught, Pulchra citb admnalur^feeda facile conciipiscil^ tlie one is soon
beloved, the other loves : one is hardly kept, because proud and arrogant, the other
not worth keeping; what is to be done in this rase.' Ennius in Meneiippe adviseth
thee as a friend to take stalam formauu si vis habere incolumem jmdicitiain, one of
H nii(U!le size, neither too fair nor too foul, " JVec formosa magis quam mihi casta
placet, with old Cato, though fit let her beauty be, neque lectissima, ncqnc i/liberalis,
between both. This I approve; but of the other two I resolve with Salisburiensis,
cateris paribus, both rich alike, endowed alike, viajori miserid deformis habetur quam
fortnosa scrvatur, I had rather marry a fair one, and put it to the hazard, than be
troubled with a blowze ; but do as thou wilt, I speak only of myself.
Howsoever, quod ilcrum maneo, I would advise thee thus much, be she fair or foul,
to choose a wife out of a good kindred, parentage, well brought up, in an honest
place.
M '• Primiim aninio libi propnnas quo (anguine creta,
Qia I'lirriia. iina dale, quiliUMiiie ante niiiiiia virgo
M'iribux. Ill juiicCiM Vfiiiat iiuva iiufila iH^iialtm."
He that marries a wife out of a suspected inn or alehouse, buys a horse in Smith-
field, and hire8 a servant in PauPs, as the divcrb is, shall likely have a jade to his
horse, a knave for his man, an arrant honest woman to his wife. Filia prcesumilury
esse mat ri i'<//i<7<A', sailh ^^Nevi.<anus ? '•Such'*' a myther, such a daughter ;" ma/i
corvi malum ovum, cat to her kiml.
i> " Scilicet ex|iecia>i ut trudat mater hnnestot
Ati|ue aliu« iiioren ijuaiii i|ii(is lialnrl V
'• If the niotluT be dishonest, in all likelihood the daughter will malrizare, take after
her in all good qualities,"
"Creilen' Pampliae non tauripotente futurain
Taurifietaui V
*' If the darn imr, the foal will not amble."" My last caution is, that a wtun.-iii do
not bestow herself upon a fool, or an apparent melancholy person ; jealousy is a
symptom of that disease, and fools have no motleration. Juslina, a Konian lady,
was much persecuted, and after made away by her jealous husband, she caused and
enjoined this epitaph, as a caveat to others, to be engraven on her tomb :
*S" Di><cile ab exriiipio Juitirif , diwite palrea, I " I.earii p.irenti all, ami hy JiiHtinn's ra)w>.
No iiuliat Catiio lilia votra viru," tic. \ Yuur children to no dizzards for in place."
After marriage, I can give no better admonitions than to use their wives well, and
which a friend of mine told me that was a married man, 1 will tell you as good cheap,
saith Nicostralus in "^ Stobeus, to avoid future strife, and for quietness' sake, *' when
you are in bed, take heed of your wife's flattering speeches over night, and curtain
sermons in the morning.'" Let them do their endeavour likewise to maintain them
to their means, which "^ Patricius ingeminates, and let them have liberty with discre-
tion, as time and place requires : many women turn queans by compulsion, as *'Ne-
visanus observes, because their husbands are so hard, and keep them so short in diet
and ix^\yiiie\, paupertas cogit eas meretricari, poverty and hunger, want of means,
makes them dishonest, or bad usage; their churlish behaviour forceth them to fly
out, or bad examples, they do it to cr\' quittance. In the other extreme some are
too liberal, as the proverb is, Turdtis malum stbi cacai, they make a rod for their
own tail.-;, as Candaules did to Gyges in *" Herodotus, commend his wife's beauty
himself, and besides would needs have him see her naked. Whilst they give their
wives too much liberty to gad abroad, and bountiful allowance, they are accessary to
their own miseries; animce uxorum pessime o/tn/, as Plautus jibes, they have de-
formed souls, and by their painting and colours procure od<M7/i marili, their husband's
hale, especially, ^' cum misere viscantur lahra marili. Besides, their wives
(as " Ba>il notes) Impudcnter se exponnnt masculorum aspeclibus, jactantes tunicas^
>' iMarulluK. " Not Iho ai<Mt fair but llie most virtu- ' 4. til. 4. de inititut. Rcipub. c.-ip. de nflicin marili rt
oi- i''i-- "•'••" *'Chalor><-r III), t'. d.! rep<ib. Aug- uioria. '• Lil< 4 ->I iiii(. miiii -I \.im cufaot
* . I5'i. *• PI KHiiflrn caste. ca»le de uioribuK i. riu,
viMt; ni Micrelrix iiiairr, lilia tali* erii. itc. "I ''"I-
' I',. *)L'aini-r>triii.> relit. 2. cap. 54. Ien<. fecit u( > iven.
04«;f. »,ii>. i». "Ser. Ti <1ii<mJ ainicu» quidaiD Sat. 6. •• He cauiiul kis* bn wilc Ijf Jjaiut." "Uial.
ux'ir>-iii li.ifH-nii mihi dixit, dit-aiii volim. In cubili cm- contra ebr.
feiiiia: ailu'ali>jiie« veaperi, uiane riauiuri-a. « Lib. i
Mem. 4. Subs. 2.] Ciire of Jealousy. 59 1
et coram fripudiantes, impudenlly thrust themselves into other men's companies, and
by their indecent wanton carriage provoke and tempt the spectators. Virtuous
women should keep liouse ; and 'twas wel/ performed and ordered by the Greeks
* "mulier ne qua in publicum
Spectandam se sine arbitro prtebeat viro :"
which made Phidias belike at Elis paint Venus treading on a tortoise, a svmbol of
women's silence and housekeeping. For a woman abroad and alone, is like a deer
broke out of a park, quam milh venatores insequimtur^ whom every hunter ft.llows •
and besides in such places she cannot so well vindicate herself, but as that viro-in
Dinah (Gen. xxxiv., 2,) « going for to see the daughters of the land," lost her vir-
ginity, she may be defiled and overtaken of a sudden : Imhelles damcB quid nisi
prceda snmus?'°
And therefore I know not what philosopher he was, that would have women come
but thrice abroad all their time, '^'^to be baptized, married, and buried;" but he was
too strait-laced. Let them have their liberty in good sort, and go in good sort, modo
non annos viginti cBtatis sucb domi relinquont, as a good fellow said, so that they look
not twenty years younger abroad than they do at home, they be not spruce, neat,
, angels abroad, beasts, dowdies, sluts at home ; but seek by all means to please and
give content to their husbands : to be quiet above all things, obedient, silent and
patient ; if they be incensed, angry, chid a little, their wives must not ''- cample again,
but take it in good part. An honest woman, I cannot now tell where she dwelttbut
by report an honest woman she was, hearing one of her gossips by chance complain
of her husband's impatience, told her an excellent remedy for it, and gave her withal
a glass of water, which when he brawled she should hold still in her mouth, and
that tof.ies quoties, as often as he chid ; she did so two or three times with good suc-
cess, and at length seeing her neighbour, gave hex great thanks for it, and would
needs know the ingredients, '''she told her in brief what it was, "fair water," and
no more : for it was not the water, but her silence which performed the cure. Let
every froward woman imitate this example, and be quiet within doors, and (as "■' M.
Aurelius prescribes) a necessary caution it is to be observed of all good matrons that
love ttieir credits, to come little abroad, but follow their work at home, look to their
household affairs and private business, (Rconomice inciimbe?Ues, be sober, thrifty, wary,
circumspect, modest, and compose themselves to live to their husbands' means, as" a
good housewife should do,
"5" Qune studiis gavi?a coli, partita labores
Fnllct opus canlu, formit assiniulata corons
Cura puellaris, circuin fusosque rotasque
Cum volvet," &c.
Howsoever 'tis good to keep them private, not in prison ;
"^"Cliilsquiscustodit uxnrem vectibus et seris,
Elsi sibi sapiens, stultus est, et niliil sapit.
Read more of this subject, Horol, princ. lib. 2. per totum. Arnisseus, polil. Cvprian,
Tertulhan, Bossus de mulier. apparaf. Godefridus de Amor. lib. 2. Qap. 4. Levinus
Lemnius cap. 54. de instifut. Christ. Barbarus de re uxor. lib. 2. cap. 2. Franciscus Pa-
tritius de instifnt. Reipuh. lib. 4. Tif. 4. et 5. de officio marili et uxoris, Christ. Fonesca
Amphilheat. Amor. cap. 45. Sam. Neander, &c.
These cautions concern him ; and if by those or his own discretion otherwise he
cannot moderate himself, his friends must not be wanting by their wisdom, if it be
possible, to give the party grieved satisfaction, to prevent and remove the occasions,
objects, if It may be to secure him. If it be one alone, or many, to consider whom
he suspects or at what times, in what places he is most incensed', in what companies.
Nevisanus makes a question whether a young physician ought lo be admitted in
cases of sickness, into a new-married man's house, to administer a julep, a syrup, or
some such physic. The Persians of old would not suffer a young physician to come
n„T LT'I!!,' r '"'?"■" V"""''', ""^ '"" '."" '° ?"'•"',''= ""*'■ i "'^ illi'slrihus ne frequenter exeant. « Chaloner.
'1"^^"."".^''''"'' ^^. her spokesman." '»'• Helpless •• One who delights in the labour „f the distair. and
beguiles the hours of labour uiili a son^ : her duties
deer, what are we but a prey ?" "' Ad haptisnium,
matrimoniiim et tumultuui. "= Von vociferatur ilia
8i maritus obganniat. 's Fraudeni aperiens osten-
dit ei non aquam sed silentium iracundiK moderari.
'* Horol. princi. lib. 2. cap. 8. Diligenter cavendum fcemi-
assume an air of virtuous bitautv when she is busied at
the wheel and the spindle with h^r maids." 'i Me
I atider. " Whoever guards his wife witli bolts and bar*
will repent his narrow policy." '•" J.,ib. 5. num. 11
592 Love -Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 3.
amongst women. ''^ ApoUonides Cous made .\rtaxorxes cuckold, and was after buried
alire for it. A goaler in Arista^netns had a tine young g-enllenian to his prisoner;
" in commiseration of his youth and person he let him loose, to enjoy the liberty of tlie
p.'-ison, but he unkindly made him a cornuto. JNIenelaus gave good welcome to Paris
a stranger, his whole house and family were at his command, but he ungently stole
away his be.st beloved wife. The like measure was oflTered to Agis king of Lace-
dtcmon, by ^^ Alcibiades an exile, for his good entertainment, he was too familiar with
Tiniea his wife, begetting a child of her, called Leotichides : and bragging "loreover
when he came home to Athens, tliat he had a son should be king of tlie Lacedemo-
nians. If such objects were removed, no doubt but the parties might easily be sati.^-
fied, or tliat they could use them gently and intreat tliem well, not to revile tjjem,
scoff at, hale them, as in sucli cases conuuonly they do, 'tis a human iiilirmity, a
miserable vexation, and they should not adil grief to grief, nor aggravate their misery,
but seek to please, and by all means give them content, by good counsel, rt-moving
such olli-nsive objects, or by mediation of some discreet friends. In old Houie there
was a temple erected by the matrons to that *' Viriphica Dea, another to Venus
vcrticorda, ifucc tnarifos uxoribus reddehat benevolos., whither (^if any dillerence hap-
pened between man and wife) they did instantly resort: there they did olK^r sacrifice,
a white hart, Plutarch records, sj/if/e//^, without the gall, (some say the like of
Juno's temple I arid make their prayers for conjugal peace; before some "inditlerenl
arbitrators and friends, the matter was heartl between man and wife, and couwnonly
composed. In our times we want no sacred churches, or good men to end such
controversies, if use were made of them. Some say that precious stone called
"beryllus, others a iliamond, hath excellent virtue, contra hosttum injiirius, ct crmjU'
galas ini'icem conciliare, to reconcile n>en and wives, lo maintain unity and love ;
you may try this when you will, and as you see cause. If none of all these means
and cautions will take place, I know not what remedy to prescribe, or whillier such
persons may go for ease, except they can get into the same ** Turkey paradise,
'" Where they >hall have as many fair wives as they will themselves, with clear eyes,
and such as look on none but their own husbands," no fear, no danger of being
cuckolds; or else 1 would have them observe that strict rule of '^Alphousus, to
marry a deaf and dumb man to a blind woman. If this will not help, let them, to
prevent the worst, consult wiih an "'astrologer, ainJ see whether the significators in
her horoscope agree with his, tliat they be nt)t in signis ft partibus odiuse inlttentibus
aut imperanlibiis^ sid mutui> ct amice antisciis et obedientibus^ otherwise (as they hold)
there will be intolerable enmities between them : or else get them sif^illu/n in-neris^
a charucteristical seal stamped in the day and hour of Verms, when she is fortunate,
with sucli and ^^uch set words and charms, which Villanovanus and Leo Suavius pre-
scribe, es sigillis magicis Salomonis., Iltrmi'tix., RaguflLs^ t^r., with many such, which
Alexis, Albertus, and some of our natural magicians put uptni us : ut rnulier cum
aliquo aduUerare non possit, incide de capiUis ejus, d^rc, and he shall surely be gra-
cious in all women's eyes, and never suspect or disagree with his own wife so long
as he wears it. If this course be not approved, and other remedies may ntU be had,
they nmst in the last place sue for a divorce ; but that is somewhat dithcult to effect,
and not all out so fit. For as Felisacus in his Tract dt jusia uxore urgeth, if that
law of Constantine the Great, or that of Theodosius and Valentinian, concerning
divorce, were in use in our times, innumeras propemodum viduas habcremus, et cielihcs
viros, we should have almost no married couples left. Try therefore those former
remedies; or as Tertullian reports of Democritus, that put out his eyes, '"because
he could not loi^k upon a woman without lust, and was much troubled to see that
which he nnght not enjoy; let him make himself blind, and so he shall avoid that
care and ujolestation of watching his wife. One other sovereign remedy 1 could
repeat, an especial antidote against jealousy, an excellent cure, but I am not now dis-
Pt-r«iri« fliixit viilvr morhuiii ir«9e nit. | ibi'tprn uinrtr« quol voliinl cum ftriiln clariMimi*. qiioa
-i I'liiii \\ti> concuiiilxTt-t. Iidc arte vi>ti ininqnain in ali>|>i>-ni prclcr iimriluin fituri cunt, hJt.
'' f: t^olvil viiicuIm «iiliitiiuique deirii. Brt-iieiitjacrliitir. iiU-m et B<ih«:iiiu>. tcr. "> V lot cmth
pravit codjuifein. •• Pla- ducal iiiariluin »iiriluin. tc. ^ .-«•■<.• Viil<-rit. Varxxl,
-iiius lib -i. ID. \'alrriij( lib. 2. diff'-r. cimii in .Mrabitiuiii. uhi pliira. ''('up 441.
r .lb Alfxandro I. -1. cap. 8. ten. Ap<il. quod rauliere* aine eoocupitccntia Mpircre ooa
Jler. "■ Kr Ki' j-> ile (finmia I. ^i. cap. ti. et 13. fomtl.tLC.
**dlrnsiu«Cicogna lib. -J. cap. 13. apiritei iii can. babent I
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.] Religious Melancholy. 593
posed to tell it, not that like a covetous empiric I conceal it for any gain, but S(.me
other reasons, I am not williug to publish it: if you be very desirous to know it,
when I meet you next I will peradventure tell you what it is in your ear. This is
the best counsel I can give ; which he that hath need of, as occasion serves, may
apply unto himself. In the mean time, dii talem terris averlite pestem^ ^^ as the
proverb is, from heresy, jealousy and frenzy, good Lord deliver us.
SECT. IV. MEMB. I.
Sub SECT. I. — Religious Melanchohj. Its object God; what his beauty is; How it
allures. The parts and parties affected.
That there is such a distinct species of love melancholy, no man hath ever yet
doubted : but whether this subdivision of'-^ Religious Melancholy be warrantable, it
may be controverted.
^" Pergite Pierides, medio iiec calle vagantem
Liiiquite niP, qua nulla pedum vestigia ducunt,
Nulla rotae currus testantur signa priores."
I have no pattern to follow as in some of the rest, no man to imitate. No physician
hath as yet distinctly, written of it as of the other; all acknowledge it a most notable
symptom, some a cause, but few a species or kind. ^' Areteus, Alexander, Rhasis, Avi-
cenna, and most of our late writers, as Gordonius, Fuchsius, Plater, Eruel, 3Iontal-
tus, Slc. repeat it as a symptom. "' Some seem to be inspired of the Holy Ghost, some
take upon them to he prophets, some are addicted to new opinions, some foretell stranorc
tilings, de statu mundi et Jlntichrisli., saith Gordonius. Some will prophesy of the
end of the world to a day almost, and the fall of the Antichrist, as they have been
addicted or brought up; for so melancholy works with them, as "Laurentius holds.
II they have been precisely given, all their meditations tend that way, and in con-
clusion produce strange ejects, the humour imprints symptoms according to their
several uiclinations and conditions, which makes ^' Guianerius and °'' Felix Plater put
too much devotion, blind zeal, fear of eternal punishment, and that last judgment for
a cause of those enthusiastics and desperate persons : but some do not obscurely
make a distinct species of it, dividing love melancholy into that whose object is
women ; and into the other whose object is God. Plato, in Convivio, makes men-
tion of two distinct furies; and amongst our Neoterics, Hercules de Sa.vonid lib. 1.
pract. med. cap. 16. cap. de Mclanch. doth expressly treat of it in a distinct species.
^"Love melancholy (saith he) is twofold; the first is that (to which peradventure
some will not vouchsafe this name or species of melancholy) affection of those which
put God for their object, and are altogether about prayer, fasting, &.c., the other about
women." Peter Forestus in his observations delivereth as much in the same words:
and Felix Platerus de mentis alicnat. cap. 'S.frcquentissima est ejus species, in qua
curanda sa-pissime multumfui irnpeditus ; 'tis a frequent disease; and they have a
ground of what they say, forth of Areteus and Plato. ^Areteus, an old author, in
his ihiril book cap. 6. doth so divide love melancholy, and derives this second from
llie lirsi, which comes by inspiration or otherwise.' ''"Plato in his Phaidrus hath
these words, "Apollo's priests in Delphos, and at Dodona, in their fury do many
pretty feats, and benefit the Greeks, but never in their right wits." He makes them
all mad, as well he might ; and he that shall but consider that superstition of old,
*" "Ve gods avert such a pestilence from the world." i still troubled for iheir sins. ^ Plater c. 13. x Me-
^Called religious hecause it i« still conversant about ' lancholia Erotica vel qus cum aniore est, duplex esf
religion and sucli divine objerls. ^Grotius. "Pro- prima qua: ah aliis forsan non merelur nonien melan-
ceed, ye muses, nor desert me in the middle of my cliolis, est affectio eorum quae pro objecto proponunt
journey, where no footsteps lead me, nouheeltracks Deum et ideo nihil aliud curant aut cogitant quam
inilicate the transit df former chariots." si Lib. 1. Deum, jejunia, vigilias: altera oh mulieres'. »■ Alia
cap. 16. nonnulli opinionibus addicti sunt, et fiitura se reppritur furoris species a prima vel a secunda, deorum
priEdicere aroitrantiir. >« Aliis videtur quod sunt rogantium, vel atflatu numinum furor hie venit.
prophetiE et inspirati aSpiritu sancto, et incipiiint pro- ssqu, ;„ Delphis futura prajdicunt vates, et in Dodona
phetare, et niull.i futura prseilicunt. "Cap. 6. de I sacerdotes furent«s quiditin niulta jocundi Grscis defe^
Melanch. i^Cap. 5. Tractat. mniti ob tiniorem runt, sani vero exigua aut nulla.
Dhi sunt melancholici, et timorem gehennae. They are I
75 2z2
594 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
those prodigious effects oi it (as in its place I will shew the several furies of our
fatidici dii, pythonissas, sibyls, entliusiast.'?, pseudoprophets, heretics, and schismatics
in these our latter ages) shall instantly confess, that all the world again cannot afford
so mucli matter of madness, so many stupendous symptoms, as superstition, heresy,
schism have brought out : tiiat this species alone may be paralleled to all the former,
has a greater latitude, and more miraculous effects; that it more besots and infatuates
men, than any other above named whatsoever, does more harm, works more dis-
quietness to mankind, and has more crucilied the souls of mortal men (^such hath
been the devil's craft) than wars, plagues, sicknesses, dearth, famine, and all the rest.
Give me but a little leave, and 1 will set before your eyes in brief a stupendous,
vast, iiitinite ocean of incredible madness and folly : a sea full of shelves and locks,
sands, vulfs, euripes and contrary tides, lull of fearful monsters, uncouth shapes,
roarinur waves, tempests, and siren calms, halcyt)nian seas, unspeakable misery, such
comedies and tragedies, such absurd anil ridiculous, feral and lamentable fits, that I
know not whether they are more to be pitied or derided, or may be believed, but
that we daily see the same still practised in our days, fresh examples, nova novitia^
fresh objects of misery and maduess, in this kind that are still represented unto us,
abroad, at home, in the midst of us, in our bosoms.
But before I can come to treat of these several errors and obliquities, their causes,
symptoms, atiections, ttc, 1 must say something necessarily of the object of this
love, God himself, what this love is, how it allureth, whence it proceeds, and (which
is the cause of all our miseries) how we mistake, wander and swerve from it.
Amonght all ihoae divine attributes that God doth vindicate to himself, eternity,
omnipotencv, immutability, wisdom, majesty, justice, mercy, &.C., his ^''beauty is not
the least, one thing, saith David, have 1 desired of the Lord, and that 1 will still
desire, to behold the beauty of the Lord, Fsal. xxvii. 4. And out of Sion, which is
the perfection of beauty, hath God shined, Psal. 1. 2. All other creatures are fair, I
contess, and many other objects do much enamour us, a fair house, a fair horse, a
comely i)erson. "^^'J am amazed," saith Austin, ^^ when 1 look up- to heaven and
behold the beauty of the stars, the beauty of angels, principalities, powers, who can
express it ? who can sutliciently commeiul, or set out this beauty which appears in
us.' so fair a body, so fair a face, eyes, nose, cheeks, chin, brows, all fair and lovely
to behold ; besides the beauty of the soul which cannot be discerned. If we so
labour and be so much allected with the comeliness of creatures, how should we l)e
ravished with that admirable lustre of God himself r" If ordinary beauty liave such
a prerogative and power, and what is amiable and fair, to draw the eyes and ears,
hearts and allections of all spectators unto it, to move, win, entice, allure: how shall
this divine form ravish our souls, which is the fountiiin and quintessence of all
beauty? Cu:luin pulchrum^ std pulchrior cieli fabricator ; if heaven be so fair, the
sun so lair, how much fairer shall he be, that made ihein fair.' "For by the great-
ness and beauty of the creatures, proportionally, the maker of them is seen," VVisd.
xiii. 5. If there be such pleasure in beliolding a beautiful person alone, and as a
plausible sermon, he so much aflect us, what shall this beauty of God himself, that
is inliiiittly fairer than all creatures, men, angels, &tc. ' Omnis jmlc/iriludo Jlorenu
hominuin, angclorum, et rtruin omnium jmlcfurrimarum ad iJci jnitchritudinrin collata.,
nox est ft linebrfv, all other li*auties are night itself, mere darkness to this our inex-
plicable, incomprehensible, unspeakable, eternal, inlimte. admirable and divine beauty.
This lustre, piilchritudo omnrurn jmlcherrirna. This beauty and -"sj)lendour of the
divine Majesty," is it that draws all creatures to it, to seek it, love, admire, and adore
it ; and those heathens, pagans, philosophers, out of those relics they have yet left
of God's image, are so far forth incensed, as not only to acknowledge a God; but,
though after their own inventions, to stand in admiration of his bounty, good-
ness, to adore and seek hiin ; the magniticence and structure of the world itself, and
beauty of all his creatures, his goodness, providence, protection, enforcelh lliein to
love him, seek him, fear him, though a wrong way to adore him : but for us that
•• Dra* boiiii*, junlui, pulch<>r, juita Plarnnem. I naren, Kpnai. oculi«, in i-tlecliini, nmriia ptilrlira , •• aic
>**Miri>r ft *tiipf<> ruiu cceluin aopicio i-l pulctiritudi' in crraiurM laUiramui; quxl in ifrut rtru .' ■ Dreir
n«ui »itli>riiiii aii^irloruni. Ace. el qud ilienK lamlct qu'xl ' liu* .Viret. lib. i. rap. li. *Ful^or liivin* inaje«latu.
in n»bi« vigct, ci>rpuii luin pukhrum, froiitKin pulchrain, [ Aug.
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.] That it is a distinct species. 595
are christians, regenerate, that are his adopted sons, illuminated by his word, having
the eyes of our hearts and understandings opened ; how fairly doth he offer and
expose himself.^ Jlmhit nos Deus (Austin saith) donis ct forma swd, he woos us by
his beauty, gifts, promises, to come unto him; ''-"the whole Scripture is a message,
an exhortation, a love letter to this purpose;" to incite us, and invite us, ■'God's
epistle, as Gregory calls it, to his creatures. He sets out his son and his church in
that epiihalamium or mystical song of Solomon, to enamour us the more, comparing
his head " to fine gold, his locks curled and black as a raven, Cant. iv. 5. his eves
like doves on rivers of waters, washed with milk, his lips as lilies, droopingr down
pure juice, his hands as rings of gold set with chrysolite: and his church to a vine-
yard, a garden inclosed, a fountain of living waters, an orchard of pomegranates,
with sweet scents of salfron, spike, calamus and cinnamon, and all the trees of in-
cense, as the chief spices, the fairest amongst women, no spot in her, ^his sister, his
spouse, undefiled, the only daughter of her mother, dear unto her, fair as the moon,
pure as the sun, looking out as the morning;" that by these figures, that glass, these
spiritual eyes of contemplation, we might perceive some resemblance of his beauty,
the love between his church and him. And so in the xlv. Psalm this beauty of his
church is compared to a "queen in a vesture of gold of Ophir, embroidered' raiment
of needlework, that the, king might take pleasure in her beauty." To incense us
further yet, ® John, in his apocalypse, makes a description of that heavenly Jeru-
salem, the beauty, of it, and in it the maker of it; "Likening it to a city of pure
gold, like unto clear glass, shining and garnished with all manner of precious stones,
having no need of sun or moon : for the lamb is the light of it, the glory of God
doth illuminate it : to give us to understand the infinite glory, beauty and happiness
of it." Not that it is no fairer than these creatures to which it is compared, but
that this vision of his, this 'lustre of his divine majesty, cannot otherwise be ex-
pressed to our apprehensions, " no tongue can tell, no heart can conceive it." as Paul
saith. Moses himself, Exod. xxxiii. 18. when he desired to see God in his fflory,
was answered that he might not endure it, no man could see his ftice and live.
Sensihile forte, destridt scnsiim, a strong object overcometh the sight, according to
that axiom in philosophy : fulgorem solis fcrre non pntcs., multo mngis crcaloris ;
if thou canst not endure the sunbeams, how canst thou endure that fultror and brio-ht-
ness of him that made the sun ? The sun itself and all that we can imaijine. are
but shadows of it, 'tis visio prcccelle^is, as 'Austin calls it, the quintessence of beauty
this, " which far exceeds the beauty of heavens, sun and moon, stars, angels, gold
and silver, woods, fair fields, and whatsoever is pleasant to behold." All those
other beauties fail, vary, are subject to corruption, to loathing; ^'^But this is an im-
mortal vision, a divine beauty, an immortal love, an inilefatigable love and beauty,
with sight of which we shall never be tired nor wearied, but still the more we see
the more we shall covet him." ^^ For as one saith, where this vision is, there is ab-
solute beauty; and where is that beauty, from the same fountain comes all pleasure
and haj)piness ; neither can beauty, pleasure, happiness, be separated from his vision
or sight, or his vision, from beauty, pleasure, happiness." In this life we have but
a glimpse of this beauty and happiness : we shall hereafter, as John saith, see him
as he is : thine eyes, as Isaiah promiseth, xxxiii. 17. " shall behold the king in his
glory," then shall we be perfectly enamoured, have a full fruition of it, desire, "' be-
hold and love him alone as the most amiable and fairest object, or summuni bonum.,
or chiefest g.ood.
This likewise should we now have done, had not our will been corrupted ; and
as we are enjoined to love God with all our heart, and all our soul : for to that end
were we born, to love this object, as " Melancliion discourseth, and to enjoy it.
"And him our will would have loved and sought alone as our suminu/n bonum, or
' In Psa\. ixiv. niisit ad nos Episttilas ct totam ' et (lulchritudo divini aspectus. ibi voluptasi ex eodeia
scripturam, quilius nobis facerct aiiiandi desideriiim. ' foiitpomnisque beatitudo, nee ab ejus aspectii voluptas,
* E|)isl. -Je. I. 4. (|ui(l est tola scriptura nisi Epistola om- ' nee ab ilia vohjplaie aspectus separari pi>test. '<> I.eon
niputenlis Del atl creatinuin suam ? tCap. vi. 8- I Hxbreug. Duhicaliir an huinaiia felicilas Deo cognos-
•C'ap. xwii. II. 1 Ml Psal. Ixxxv. cranes pulchri- cendo an ainando terminetur. i' l.ih. rie anima.
tudines tcrreiias auri, argenti, rn-iMoruni et canipnruni ; Ad hue objecliiin aniatiduni et fruendiiin nati suinus;
pulchritiidineni Solis et LiinsB, stellariim, omnia pulrlira et hunc expetisset, uniciim hunc ainasset humana. vo-
sui)erans. a hnoiortalis iivec visio inimortalis amor. Juntas, ut suoiniuui bonum, et citeras res omnes eo
•ndefessus aiuur et visio. »Osofius; ubicuuque visio j ordioe.
596 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
principal good, and all other good things for God's sake : and nature, as slie pro-
ceeded from it. would have sought this fountain ; but in tliis inllrmity of human
nature this order is disturbed, our love is corrupt:" and a man is like that monster
ii\ '■'Plato, composed of a Scvlla, a lion and a man; we are carried away headlong
with tlie torrent of our affections : the world, and that infinite variety of pleasing
objects in it, do so allure and enamour us. that we cannot so much as look towards
God, seek him, or think on him as we should : we cannot, saith Austin, Kompub.
coclrsfcm cogitare^ we cannot contain ourselves from them, tlieir sweetness is so
pleasing to us. Marriage, saith '^Gualter. detains many; ''a thing in itself laudable,
good and necessary, but manv, deceived and carried away with the bliiul love of it,
have quite laid aside the love of God, and desire of his glory. Meat and drink hath
overcome as many, whilst they rather strive to please, satisfy their guts and belly,
than to serve God and nature." Some are so busied about merchandise to get money,
they lose their own souls, whilst covetously carried, and with an insatiable desire
of gain, they forget God ; as much we may say of honour, leagues, friendships,
health, weahh, and all other profits or pleasures in this life whatsoever. " '^ In this
world there be so manv beautiful objects, splendours and brightness of gold, majesty
of orlorv, assistance of friends, fair promises, smooth words, victories, triumphs, and
such an intinite company of pleasing beauties to allure us, and (h"aw us from God,
tfiat we cannot look after hini." And this is it which Christ himself, those prophets
and apostles so nuich thundcreil against, 1 John, xvii. 15, dehort us froiu ; '-love not
the world, nor the things that are in the world : if any man love the world, the love
of the I'atiier is not in iiitu, 10. For all that is in the world, as lust of tiie flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and pride of life, i.s not of the Father, but of the world : and
the world passeth away and the lust thereof; but he that fulfillelh the will of God
abidetii for ever. No man, saith our Saviour, can serve two masters, but he must
love the one and hate the other, Stc, '• bonos vel malos mores, boni vcl vuili faciunt
amorcsy Austin well infers : and this is thai which all the fathers inculcate, lie can-
not (''Austin admoiiisheih ) be God's frieiul, that is delighted with the pleasures of
the world : "■ make clean thine heart, purify thine heart ; if thou wilt see this beauty,
j)repare thyself for it. It is the eye of contemplation by which we must beliDul it,
the wing of meditution which lifts us up and rears our souls with the motion of our
hearts, and sweetness of contemplation:" so saith Gregory cited by ""Boiiaventure.
And as '' Philo Juda-us seconds liim, »• he that loves God, will soar aloft and take
him winsjs ; and leaving the earth lly up to heaven, \\ander with .'«un aiul moon, stars,
and tliat litavenly troop, God himself being his guide." If we desire to see him, we
must lav aside all vain objects, which detain us and dazzle our eyes, and as "* Ficinus
adviseth us, *■*• get us solar eyes, spectacles as they that look on the sun : to see this
divine beauty, lay aside all material objects, all sense, and then thou shalt see him
as he is." Thou covetous wretch, a-s '•' Austin expostulates, " why dost thou stand
gaping on this dross, muck-hills, lilthy excrements .' behold a far fairer object, God
himself woos thee; behold him, enjoy him, he is sick for lov^" Cant. v. he invites
thee to his sight, to come into his fair garden, to eat and Tlrink with him, to be
merry with him, to enjoy his presence for ever. '^^ Wisdom cries out in the streets
besides the gates, in the top of high places, before the city, at the entry of tlie door,
and bids ihem give ear to her insiiuction, which is better than gold or jjrecious
stones; no pleasures can be compared to it: leave all then and follow her, vos ex-
hortor 6 a/nici et obsecro. In ■^' Ficinus's words, '•• I exliort and beseech you, that
vou would embrace and tbilow this divine love with all your hearts and abilities, by
all olHces and endeavours make this so loving God propitious unto you." For
>*0. de Repute >* Horn. 9. in epist. Johai.nis rap. i dulcedine contemplacioiiis divtiiicl. 6. de 7. Ilineribui.
S- M<iilu9 i:iiiijii|;iurii ili'i'-pil, res aluxjui nalulariit vl >^ l.ib oe vicliiiiii. : :iiuuiih Di-uni, 8iiIiIiiiiiu |m lit, kuiiip-
nec«)i«uria, c" iiuixl carco ejus aiiiurc di-rt-pli, •Iniin ti« aim t-t in ca'liiiii r>-t:4 volal, rtlicla h-rra. ciipiilii*
amoriH v\ gloria; tftudiuin in universuiii alij-rtniiit ; al^*.TraniJi cuiu bulc, lunn, hli-llaruinque oucra iuilili.i,
plurinio« tii>u» fl iKjlu!* pt-rtlii. '« In iiiumlu .-pli-nilur ipr-i U.n liuc;. '" In tuiii. Vim. c!ip 7. ul S.i|i-uj
opum (jli.ri* iiiaje^las, ainiritiaruni prc.<iilia, verboruni | viilt-a« ix-iilii>, lien i1«lic» knlariit: ul ititinaiii nr|iiFia«
blaiidiiiif . voluplaluiii iiiiiiii> yeiit^ria illecclirrc. victoria:, . piili liritudiiii-in, deinitte inatiTinni, doniilte ii>ii>..iii. «rt
triuniplii, <i inriiiiia alia ub aiimrt- ilt-i mm aliitlraliuni, ' !)• uiii qiialm mt vi.jcbi*. '• Avari'. i]iii>l inhia- liw,
ttc. '-^ In Pral. XXXII. IK-i amicus tMf nun pijieit I dec. piiUhrior vtl (|ui tr ambit iptuiii viiiiirui>, ip«'iiii ba-
1UI inunili iiiuiiiis dcli-clatur ; ut lianc, runiiain videaa | biiuruii. »* Pr.iv. viii. » (Jap. |>'. Itoni. Aniorein
'liiunda cur, reri'iia c«r, &c. ■• CuiileinpU(iunt« pluuta liuiic iliviniini IkIm viribui aiiipli-Xiiinini , IK'UUi vuhi*
no* aubievat, atque iiiUe erigiuiur intciiliuue cordis. | oinni olficioruiu geiii-ri: prxpitiuoi facile.
Mem. 1. Subs. 1.] Causes of Religious Melancholy. 597
whom alone, saith ^^Plotinus, "mc must forsake the kingdoms and emphes '^f the
whole earth, sea, land, and air, if we desire to be ingrafted into him, leave all and
follow him."
Now, forasmuch as this love of God is a habit infused of God, as ^^Thomas holds,
1. 2. quicst. 23. ''by which a man is inclined to love God above all, and his neigh-
bour as himself," we must pray to God that he will open our eyes, make clear our
hearts, that we may be ca[)able of his glorious rays, and perform ttiose duties tliat
he requires of us, Deut. vi. and Josh, xxiii. " to love God above all, and our neigh-
bour as ourself, to keep his commandments. In this we know, saith John, c. v. 2,
we love the children of God, wlien we love God and keep his commandments."
'• This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; he that loveth not, know-
eth not God, for God is love, cap. iv. 8, and he that dwelleth in love, dwellelh in
God, and God in him;" for love pre-supposelii knowledge, faith, hope, and unites
us to God himself, as ^^ Leon Hebreus deliverelh unto us, and is accompanied with
the fear of God, humility, meekness, patience, all those virtues, and charity itself.
For if we love God, we sliall love our neighbour, and perform the duties which are
required at our hands, to which we are exhorted, 1 Cor. xv. 4, 5 ; Ephes. iv. ; Colos. iii. ;
Rom. xii. We shall not be envious or puffed up, or boast, disdain, tliink evil, or be
provoked to anger, *•' but suffer all things ; endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit
in the bond of peace." Forbear one another, forgive one another, clothe the naked,
visit the sick, and perform all those works of mercy, which ^"Clemens Alexandrinus
calls amoris el. amiciticE. impletionem et extentionem, the extent and complement of
love; and that not for fear or worldly respects, but ordine ad Deum^ for the love of
God himself. This we shall do if we be truly enamoured ; but we come short in
both, we neither love God nor our neighbour as we should. Our love in spiritual
things is too '^^ defective, in worldly things too excessive, there is ajar in both. We
love the world too much ; God too little ; our neighbour not at all. or for our own
ends. Vulgus amicilias utilitaie probat. " The chief thing we respect is our com-
modity;" and what we do is for fear of worldly punishment, for vain-sjlorv, praise
of men, fashion, and such by respects, not for God's sake. We neitlier know God
aright, nor seek, love or worsliip him as we should. And for these defects, we in-
volve ourselves into a multitude of errors, w-e swerve from this true love and wor-
ship of God: which is a cause unto us of unspeakable miseries; running into both
extremes, we become fools, madmen, without sense, as now in the next place 1 will
show you.
The parties affected are innumerable almost, and scattered over the face of the
earth, far and near, and so have been in all precedent ages, from tlie besfinning of
the world to these time.s, of all sorts and conditions. For metiiod's sake I will re-
duce them to a two-fold division, according to those two extremes of excess and
defect, impietv and superstition, idolatry and atheism. Not that there is any excess
of divine worship or love of God ; tliat cannot be, we cannot love God too much,
or do our duty as we ought, as Papists hold, or have any perfection in tliis life, much
less supereroffate: when we have all done, we are unprofitable servants. But be-
cause we do aliud agere^ zealous without knowledge, and too solicitous about that
which is not necessary, busying ourselves about im[)ertinent, needless, idle, and vain
ceremonies, popuJo uf placerent. as the Jews did about sacrifices, oblations, offerings,
incense, new moons, feasts, &c., but Isaiah taxeth them, i. 12, -'who required this at
your hands .'" We have too great opinion of our own worth, that we can satisfy the
law: and do more than is required at our hands, by performing those evangelical
counsels, and such works of supererogation, merit for others, which Bellarniine, Gre-
gory de Valentia, all their Jesuits and champions defend, that if God should deal in
rigour witli them, some of their Franciscans and Dominicans are 'so pure, tliat no-
thing could be objected to them. Some of us again are too dear, as we think, more
divine and sanctified than others, of a better mettle, greater gifts, and with that proud
Pharisee, contemn others in respect of ourselves, we are better Christians, better
learned, choice spirits, inspired, know more, have special revelation, perceive God's
22 031
terrae e
vefsus
|). T. (ie pulcliritiidine rpgna et imperi.T iotiu3 1 quern inclinatiir homo ad dilij;enrliiin Deiiin super omnia,
t maris et ccDii oportet ahjicere si art ipsuni con- ^Dial. 1. Omnia, cnnvertit amor in ipsiiis piilchri nam-
veils inseri. a^ijabitus a Deo infusus, per ! ram. *» Stroinatuin lil). 2. a^Greenliani.
598 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
secrets, and thereupon presume, say and do that many times which is not befitting
to be said or done. Of this number are all superstitious idolaters, ethnics, Msr
honictans, Jews, heretics, ^enthusiasts, divinators, propliets, sectaries, atul schisma-
tics. Zanchius reduceth such iiilidels to four chief sects ; but I will insist and fol-
low mine own intended method : all which with many other curious persons, monks,
hermits, kc, may be ranged in this extreme, and fight under this superstitious ban-
ner, with those rude idiots, and infinite swarms of people that are seduced by tliem.
In the other extreme or in defect, march those impious epicures, libertines, atheists,
liypocriles, intidels, worldly, secure, •impenitent, unthankful, and carnal-minded men,
that attribute all to natural causes, that will acknowledge no supreme power; that
have cauterised consciences, or live in a reprobate sense; or such desperate persons
as are too distrustful of his mercies. Of these there be many subdivisions, (hverse
degrees of madness and folly, some more than otiier, as shall be slunvn in the symp
toms: and yet all miserably out, perplexed, doting, and beside tliemselves for reli-
gion's sake. For as ^^Zanchy well distinguished, and all the world knows religion
is- twofold, true or false; false is that vain superstition of idolaters, such as were of
old, Greeks, Romans, present Mahometans, &.c. Timorem dcorum inanem^ ^ Tully
could term it; or as Zanchy defines it, Ubi falsi dii^ aid f also culiu colilur Deus,
when faNe gods, or that God is falsely worshipped. And 'lis a miseral)le plague, a
torture of the soul, a mere ipaihiess, liclii^ii/sa insania, "Meteran caIl-5 it, or insanus
error, as ^' Se-nera, a frantic error; or as Austin, Iftsci/uis uniini ynorbus, a furious dis-
ease of the soul; insania omnium insanissima, a quintessence of madness; ^-for he
that is superstitious can never be fiuiet. ''I^is proper to man alone, uni siiprrhia, ava-
ritia, siipi rstitio, saith Plin. lib. 7. cap. 1. ati^ue etiavi post savit df fnluro, \yhich
wrings his soul fi)r the present, and to come: the greatest misery belongs to man-
knid, a perpetual servitude, a slavery, "£.r ti/nore linmr, a heavy yoke, the seal of
dainnaiinii, an intolerable burden. They that aie superstitions are still fearing, sus-
pecting, vexing themselves with auguries, protligies, false tales, dreams, idle, vain
works, unprotitable labours, as *■' Bt)terus observes, curd mentis ancipilc vcrsantur :
enemies to God and t<» iheijiselves. In a word, as Seneca concludes, Rcliijio Deum
culit, snpi rstitio dfslniif, superstition destroys, but true religion honours God. True
religion, n/>i a rus Deus vrre colitur, where the true God is truly worshipped, is the
way to heaven, the mother of virtues, love, fear, devotion, obedience, kiimvledge. Sac.
It rears the dejected >»oul «>f mati, and antidst so many cares, miseries, persecutions,
whicii this world affords, it is a sole ease, an unspt-akable comfc^rt, a sweet reposal,
Jui^um siuivf, ft hve, a light yoke, an anchor, and a haven. It adds courage, bold-
ness, and begets generous spirits : although tyrants rage, persecute, and that bloody
Lictor or sergeant be reai!y to martyr them, atil li/a, aitf morere, « as in thosn perse-
cutions of the primitive Church, it was put in practice, as you may read in Eiisebius
and others ) though enemies l)e now ready to invade, and all in an uproar, ^\Si frac-
tus illuhatur orbis, impui-idos frricnt ruince, though heaven should fall on his head,
he would not be dismayed. But as a good Clirisiian prince once made answer to a
menacing Turk., fac Hi see Icruta hominum arma conlenmit, ijui dei prcfsidio tutus est:
or as ** Plialaris writ to Alexander in a wrong cause, he nor any other enemy could
terrify him, for that he trusted in God. Si Deus nobiscum, quis cfmira notf In all
calamities, jiersecutions whatsoever, as David dirl, 2 Sam. ii. 2'<J, he will sing with
him, " the Lord is iny rock, my fortress, my strength, my refuge, the tower and
Itorn of my salvation," &c. In all troubles and adversities, Psul. xlvi. 1. "God is
my hope and help, still ready to be found, I will not therefore fear," &.C., 'tis a fear
expelling fear; he hath [leace of conscience, and is full of hope, which is (saith
'"Austin; vita vitce mortalis, the life of this our mortal life, hope t)f immortality,
the sole comfort of our misery: otherwise, as Paul saith, we of all others were
most wretched, but this makes us happy, counterpoising our hearts in all miseries:
.superstition torments, and is from the devil, the author of lies ; but this is from Goc
himself, as Lucian, that Antiochian priest, made his divine conlV-ssion in ^ Kusebius,
A^uctor nobis de Deo Deus est, God is the author of our religion himself, his won
'' Ue (iriiiin |ira-c>-pln. > fV rrli». 1.3. 1'h<-«. I. ' Milinne imhiitiis e«t, quietus eMe nuii(|Udm pi>i'
•3 (V iMl. d-Tiiiii. »liMt. ((••I'lc. lib. >< i>8up.r- -Urvg. »< Pitlil. lib. 1. cap. 13. >* llor. - Lpia
Miiiu eriur iii»itiiu3 est «pi»i. •££i. » .Nam qui supvr- , Fhalar. *> In P»4J. iii. * Lib. tt. cup. &
Rleni. 1. Subs. 1.] Parties affected. 591)
is our rule, a lantern to us, dictated by the Holy Ghost, he plavs upon our hearts as
many harpstrings, and we are his temples, he dvvelleth in us, and we in him.
Tiie part allected of superstition, is the brain, iieart, will, understandinjj, soul
ilseli", and all tlie faculties ot' it, totum compositmn, all is mad and dotes : now ibr the
extent, as I say, the world itself is the subject of it, (to omit that grand sin of
atheism,) all times have been misafiected, past, present, " there is not one that doth
good, no not one, from the prophet to the priest, &c." A lamentable tiling it is to
consider, how many myriads of men this idolatry and superstition (for that com-
prehends all) hath infatuated in all ages, besotted by this blind zeal, whicli is reli-
gion's ape, religion's bastard, religion's shadow, false glass. For where God hath a
temple, the devil will have a chapel : where God hath sacrifices, the devil will have
his oblations : where God hath ceremonies, the devil will have his traditions ; where
there is any religion, the devil will plant superstition ; and 'tis a pitiful sight to be-
hold and read, what tortures, miseries, it hath procured, what slaughter of souls it
hath made, how it rageth amongst those old Persians, Syrians, Egyptians, Greeks,
Komaiis, Tuscans, Gauls, Germans, Britons, &c. Britannia jam liodii: celebrat tarn
attonite, saith ^'■' Pliny, tantis ceromoniis (speaking of superstition) ut dedisse Pcrsis
videri possit. The Britons are so stupendly superstitious in their ceremonies, that
■they go beyond those Persians. He that shall but read in Pausanias alone, those
gods, temples, altars, idols, statues, so curiously made with such infinite cost and
charge, amongst those old Greeks, such multitudes of them and frequent varieties,
as ^"Gerbelius truly observes, may stand amazed, and never enough wonder at it;
and liiank God witiial, tliat by the light of the Gospel, we are so happily freed from
thatslavish idolatry in these our days. But heretofore, almost in all countries, in
all places, superstition hath blinded the hearts of men ; in all ages what a small por-
tion hath the true church ever been! Divisum imperium cum Jove Dccmon habet.^^
The patriarchs and their families, the Israelites a handful in respect, Christ and his
apostles, and not all of them, neither. Into what straits hath it been corapinged, a
little flock ! how hath superstition on the other side dilated herself, error, ignorance,
barbarism, folly, madness, deceived, triumphed, and insulted over the most wise dis-
creet, and understanding man, philosophers, dynasts, monarchs, all were involved
and overshadowed in this n)ist, in inoie than Cimmerian darkness. *-Adco ignara
superstitio mcntes homiimm dcpravat, et nonnanquam sapicnluni animos transoersos
agit. At this present, quota pars! Plow small a part is truly religious ! How little
iu respect! Divide the world into six parts, and one, or not so much, is christians;
idolaters and Mahometans possess almost Asia, Africa, America, Magellanica. The
kings of China, great Cham, Siam, and Borneo, Pegu, Deccan, Narsinga, .Japan, 6cc.,
are gentiles, idolaters, and many other petty princes in Asia, Monomotopa, Congo,
and 1 know not how many negro princes in Africa, all Terra Australis incognita
most of America pagans, diliering all in their several superstitions ; and yet all idola-
ters. The Mahometans extend themselves over the great Turk's dominions in Eu-
roj)e, Africa, Asia, to the Xerilies in Barbary, and its territories in Fez, Sus, Morocco.
&C.C. Tiie Tartar, the great Mogor, the Sophy of Persia, with most of their domi-
nions and subjects, are at this day Mahometans. See how the devil rageth : those
at odds, or diliering among themselves, some foi ""^Ali, some Enbocar, for Acmor,
and Ozhuen, those four doctors, Mahomet's successors, and are subdivided into
seventy-tno inferior sects, as ^''Leo Afer reports. The Jews, as a company of vaga-
bonds, a\^ scattered over all parts; whose story, present estate, progress from time
to lime, is fully set down by '"Mr. Thomas Jackson, Doctor ol .Divinity, in his com-
ment on the creed. A filth part of the woiid, and hardly that, now professelh
CllJllST, but so inlarded and interlaced with several superstitions, that there is scarce
a sound part to l)e found, or any agreement amongst them. Presbyter John, in Africa,
lord of those Abyssinians, or Ethiopians, is by his profession a christian, but so dif-
lerent from us, with such new absurdities and cerenionies, such liberty, such a mix
ture of idolatry and ])aganism, ""^ that they keep little more than a bare title of chris-
^'' Lib. 3. •"' Lili. G. de.^crip. Graic. nulla est via
<l'..i iHJii irinumcris ulolis est rcl'urla. TaiitUMi tunc
t<i!ii().)r]s ill niiseiriinii.-> inoriales poleiilia: el crudelis
Tyraniiiilis Siiian (.-.vrrcim. ■" •■ The devil divides
Ite empire vvuli Jnpiiei." "Aiex. ab. Alei. lib. tj.
cap. 2ti. « Purclias Pilgrim, lib. i c. X *• Lib. 3
*''>-l Part. sect. 3. lib. 1. cap. et deiiicnps. ■"fi'l'iteliiiaii
nus. iWasiiius. liredenbaciims. Ft. Aluaresius lliii. de
.Abyssiiijs Herhis siduiii vescuntur votarii, aqius iiieiita
teuus duriiiiuiii, ice.
600 Religious Jllclancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 4
tiariity. They suffer polygamy, circumcision, stiipentl fastings, divorce as they will
themselves, kc, and as the papists call on the Virgin Mary, so do they on Thomas
Didymus before Christ. "The Greek or Eastern Church is rent from this of the
West, and as they have four chief patriarchs, so have they four subdivisions, besides
ihose Nestorians, Jacobins, Syrians, Armenians, Georgians, &c., scattered over Asif
Minor, Syria, Egypt, kc, Greece, Walachia, Circassia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Albania,
lllyricinn, Sdavonia,' Croatia, Thrace, Servia, Hascia, and a sprinkling amongst the
Tartars, the Russians, Muscovites, and most of that great duke's (czar's) subjects,
are part of the Greek Church, and still christians : but as ^' one saith, temporis suc-
cessu mnllas illi addldcrunl siiperstilioncs. In process of time they have added so
many superstitions, they be rather semi-cliri-itians than otherwise. Tliat which re-
mains is the Western Church with us in Europe, but so eclipsed with several schisms,
heresies and superstitions, that one knows not where to find it. The papists have
Iialv, Spain, Savoy, part of Germany, IVance, Poland, and a sprinkliuir in the rest
i>\ Europe. In .America, they hold all that which Spaniards inhal)it, Hispania Nova,
Castella Aurea, Peru, &.c. In the East Indies, the Philippime, some small holds about
Goa, Malacca, Zelan, Ormus, See. which the Portuguese got not long since, and
those land-leaping Jesuits have essayeil in China, Japan, as appears by their yearly
letters ; in Africa they have Meliiida, Quiloa, Mondtiize, Stc, and some few towns,
they drive out one superstition with another. Pnland is a receptacle of all religions,
where Samoselans, Socinians, Photinians ^^now protected in Transylvania and Poland"),
Arrians, anabaplisls are to be found, as well as in some German cities. Scaiulia is
christian, but *'■' JJamianus A-Goes, the Portugal knight, complains, so mixed with
magic, pagan riles and ceremonies, they may be as well C()unted idolaters : what
Tacilus ti>rmerly said of a like nation, is verified in them, '"".\ petiple subject to
-uperstiliun, contrary to religion." .And some of them as about l>a|jland and the
I'liapians, the deviPs possession to this day, JMisera hcec gfus (saith mine '"' author)
Sutame hacttmis possessiu, — et quod nuuime inintnditin el dolendiir/i, and which is to
be admired and pitied; if any of them be baptized, which the kings of Sweden much
labour, they die within seven or nine days alter, and for that cause they will hardly
be brought to Christianity, but worshij) still the devil, who daily appears to them.
In their idolatrous courses, Gandentibus diis putriis^ qnns rcligittse coluni, Sfc. Yet
are they very superstitious, like our wild Irish : though they of the better note, the
kings of Denmark and Sweden themselves, that govern them, be Lutherans; the
remnant are Calviiiisis, Lutherans, in Germany equally mi.xed. .And yet the emperor
}linl^elf, dukes of Lorraine, Bavaria, and the princes electors, are most part professed
{»apists. .And though some part of Fiance and Ireland, Great Britain, ball the can-
tons in Switzerland, and the Low Countries, be Calvinist.s, more defecate than the
rest, yet at «kUIs amongst themselves, not free from superstition. And which '' Bro-
rhard, the monk, in his description of the Holy Land, alter he had censured the
Greek church, and showed their errors, conchuled at last, F(i.vit Deus nt Lnlinii
muita irrcpserint stuititice, I say God grant there be no fopperic.-< in our church. As
a dam of water stopped in one place breaks out into another, so doth superstition.
I say nothing of Anabaptists, Socinians, Brownists, Familists, kc. There is super-
stition in our prayers, often in our hearing of sermons, bitter contentions, invective?,
persecutions, strange conceits, besides diversity of opiuions, schisms, factions, itc.
But as the Lord (Job xlii. cap. "i.v.j said to Eliphaz, the Temanite, and his two
friends, •• his wrath was kindled against tluin, for they had not spoken of him things
that were right:" we may justly of these scismatics and heretics, how wise soever
in their own conceits, jion rede loquuntur de JJeo^ they speak not, they tiiiiik not,
they write not well of God, and as they ought. And tlierefore, Quid qucrso mi
lJorpi,ds Erasmus concludes to Dorpius, A/4ce Thfologi.s fuciumiis^ cutl quid precerisy
nisi forte Jidele in me di cum, qui cerebro medtaturf What shall we wish them, but
sunaiu mentem, and a good physician r But more of their dillerences, parado.ves,
opinions, mad pranks, in the syinplomtt : I now hasten to the causes.
«' Breileiibarhiu* J<m1. a Megfen. *' S<->- P<i<>s«;viMut i *■ H<iiiiaarilii« il** Maeia. Intra «<>pilniiiin anl noniiii i
lli'rhaaieiii. Magnt. U. Kirtrlicr, J<iviij<>, liacliiit. Pur- | bapliKiii" ■Ii'^im iiKiriiiiilnr. lime ill, ibc "Ca^-dm
tUat, kc. i<( tUfiT •;rriit». *« lV|ilorat. Uenli* I^pp. Iuc»lii tcrrir Miiclii:.
*'Uen« «uut.'r«li(iuiit uhiiuxia rHiigioiiibui ailver**. ,
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Causes of Religious Melancholy. 601
SuBSECT. II. — Causes of Religious melancholy. From the Devil ly miracles., appa-
ritions., oracles. His inslruinents or factors, politicians, Priests, Impostors, Here-
tics, blind guides. In them simplicity, fear, blind zeal, ignorance, solitariness^
curiosity, pride, vain-glory, 2)resumplion, <^-c. his engines, fasting, solitariness, hopcy
fear, &;c.
We are taught in Holy Scripture, that the " Devil rangeth abroad like a roaring
lion, still seeking whom he may. devour :" and as in several shapes, so by several
engines and devices he goeth about to seduce us; sometimes he iransfi'mis himself
into an angel of light; and is so cunning that he is able, if it were pobsible, to de-
ceive the very elect. He will be worshipped as ^^God himself, and is so adored by
the heathen, and esteemed. And in imitation of that divine power, as ^^Eusebiua
observes, '■"' to abuse or emulate God's glory, as Dandinus adds, he will have all
homage, sacrifices, oblations, and whatsoever else belongs to the worship of God, to
be done likewise unto him, similis erit altissimo, and by this means infatuates the
world, deludes, entraps, and destroys many a thousand souls. Sometimes by dreams,
visions (as God to Closes by familiar conference), the devil in several shapes talks
with them : in the '^ Indies it is common, and in China nothing so familiar as appa-
ritions, inspirations, oracles, by terrifying them with false prodigies, counterfeit mira-
cles, sending storms, tempests, diseases, plagues (as of old in Athens there was
Apollo, Alexicacus, Apollo ?.di;uioj, pestifer et malorum depulsor), raising wars, sedi-
tions by spectrums, troubling their consciences, driving them to despair, terrors of
mind, intolerable pains ; by promises, rewards, benefits, and fair means, he raiseth
such an opinion of his deity and greatness, that they dare not do otherwise than
adore him, do as he will have them, they dare not offend him. And to compel them
more to stand in awe of him, °^"he sends and cures diseases, disquiets their spirits
(as Cvprian saith), torments and terrifies their souls, to make them adore him : and
all his study, all his endeavour is to divert them from true religion to superstition :
and because he is damned himself, and in an error, he would have all the world par-
ticipate of his errors, and be damned wilii him. The primum mobile, therefore, and
first mover of all superstition, is the devil, that great enemy of mankind, the prin-
cipal agent, who in a thousand several shapes, after diverse fashions, with several
engines, illusions, and by several names halli deceived the inhabitants of the earth,
in several places and countries, still rejoicing at their falls. " All the world over
before Christ's time, he freely domineered, and held the souls of men in most slavish
subjection (saith "''Eusebius) in diverse forms, ceremonies, and sacrifices, till Christ's
coming," as if those devils of the air liad shared the earth amongst them, which the
Plaloiiists held i'or gods i^'^Ludus deorum sumus), and were our governors and
keepers. In several places, they had several rites, orders, names, of which read
Wierus de prcestigiis dcetaonum, lib. 1. cap. o. ^"Strozius, Cicogna, and oiliers ; Ado-
nided amongst the Syrians ; Adramalech amongst the Capernaites, Asiniie amongst
the Emalhiles ; Astartes with the Sidonians ; Astaroth with the Paleslines ; Dagon
with the Pliilistines ; Tartary with the Hana;i; Melchonis amongst tlie Ammonites:
Beli the Babylonians ; Beelzebub and Baal with the Samaritans and Moabiies ; Apis,
Isis, and Osiris amongst the Jilgyptians; Apollo Pythius at Delphos, Colophon,
Ancyra, Cuma, Erythra; Jupiter in Crete, Venus at Cyprus, Juno at Carthage, Ji^scu-
lapius at Epidaurus, Diana at Ephesus, Pallas at Athens, Sec. And even in these
our days, both in the East and West Indies, in Tartary, China, Japan, Slc , what
strange idols, in what prodigious forms, with what absurb ceremonies are they
adored ? What strange sacraments, like ours of Baptism and tlie Lord's Supper,
53 Plato in Crit. Da;moiics custmles sunt liomiiiuiii et i valctudiiiL-ni rraii^uiit, iiiorlxis lace>.=a:it, ul ad ciiltii
eorutn (Joiiiiiii, lit iioi aiiiiiiuliuiii ; nee hnininibiis, sed
el regionibus iniptrant, vaticiniis, augunis, nos regunt.
Idem fere Mai. Tyrms ser. 1. el i!b. -Si. niedios vult
dsumnes inter Ue(i's et linniines deoru.-n niiiiisrros, pr.-e-
8idi.'slioMiiniiiii,a ccelo ad lioininesdescendentes. ^ l)e-
oraepiirat. Evangel. " Vel in abusum Uei vel in
sumulnlKinein. Dinuiinuf com. in lib. a. Arist. de .^n.
Te.vt. ^y. '6 Darniones consuluiit, et familiares
balient ri;emones pleriqne sacenlotes. Kiccius lib. 1.
cap. 10. e.vpedit Smar. ^^ Vitam tiirliaiit, somnos
iiiquietaMt, irrepeiites et am iu corpora iiienles lerrent.
70 3 A
sui cogant, nee aiiud his siudiuni, (pi.mi ot a vera reli-
gione, adsuperstitionem verlaiit : cu:n.-int ipsi pcBiiales,
quaerunt sibi adiKEiias loniile:!, ul h.iiie.mt errirrrs par-
ticipes. ^ Lib. 4. prceparat. Kvan-el.c. Tanlauique
vietoriam amentia honiiiium coni-e«|UUti sunt, ut si
collieerein iiniim velis, universum ..rbein istis scelesli
bus spiritibus subjeetuni fiii.=se invenii-s: Usque ad
Salvaloris adventiim liominuin ce.le perniciiriissi»oa
dseinoiie.': placabant, &:c. ts Plato. »" Stroziua,
Cicogna oniiiif. mag. lib. 3. cap. 7. lizek. viii. 4. ; Be^
II. 4.; Rog. 3. et 17. 14; Jer. xlii.; Num. xi. 3. ; Eeg. 13.
602 Jitligious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4
^ hat goodly temples, priests, sacrifices they had in America, when the Spaniards first
landed there, let Acosta the Jesuit relate, lib. 5. cap. 1, 2, 3, 4, Stc, and how the
devil imitated the Ark and the children of Israel'* coming out of Egypt; with many
such. For as Lipsius well discourselh out of the doctrine of the Stoics, tnaxi/ne
cupiunt udoralionem homiiium., now and of old, they still and njost especially desire
to he adored by men. See but what Vertomannus, /. 5. c. 2. IMarcus Polus, Lerius,
Benzo, P. Martyr in his Ocean Decades, Acosta, and Mat. Riccius expedil. Christ,
in Sinus, lib. 1. relate. " Eusebius wonders how that wise city of Athens, and
flourishing kingdoms of Greece, should be so besotted ; and we in our times, how
those witty Ciiinese, so perspicacious in all other things should be so gulled, so tor-
tured with superstition, so blind as to worship slocks and stones. But it is no
marvel, when we see all out as great ellects amongst Christians themselves ; how are
those Anabaptists, Arians, and Papists above the rest, miserably infatuated ! 3Iars,
Jupiter, Apollo, and .^sculapius, have resigned their interest, names, and offices to
Saint George.
•*" (Maxime b«>lloruin rector, quein nostra juventu«
Pro Mavurle tolit.)"
St. Christopher, and a company of fictitious saints, Venus to the Lady of Loretto.
And as those old Romans had several distinct gods, for divers offices, persons, places,
so have they i^aints, as "^ Lavater well observes out of Lactaiitius, juutalo nomuw lan-
/uwj, "'tis the same spirit or devil that deludes them still. The manner how, as I say,
is by rewarils, promises, terrors, atlVights, punishment"*. In a word, fair and foul
means, hope and ft-ar. " How often hath Jupiter, Apullo, Eacdius, and the rest, sent
plagues in ** Greece and Italy, because their sacrifices were neglected?"
*>" I)ii niulta iirglecti dcdiruiit
lli;B|M:riK Diiila luctu(H>x,"
to terrify them, to arouse them up, and the like : see but Livy, Dionysius Ilalicar-
iiassa'us, Thucydides, Pausanius, Philostratus, ** Polybius, before the buttle of Cann;E,
prodigiis signisy ostentiSy ternpla cuncla., privuta ttium cedes scalebant. CEweus reigned
in .I'.tulia, and because he tlid not sacrifice to Diana with his other gods (see more
in Lalianius his Diana), she sent a wild boar, insolitie magnittidinis^ qui terras it
homints niisirt drpasct baliiry to spoil both men and country, which was afterwards
killed by Mi liager. So Plutarch in the Life of Lucullus nlates, how Mitliridates.
king of Pontus, at ihe siege of Ci/icum, with all his navy, was overthrown by Pro-
serpina, for neglecting of Iter holy day. She appeared in a vision io Aristagoras in
the night, Cras iiujuit tybicinfm Lybicum cum tybicine pimtico committuni (^' to-mor-
row I will cause a contest between a Lybiaii and a Pontic minstrel), and the day fol-
lowing this enigma was understooil ; for with a great south wind which came from
Lybia, she quite overwhelmed Mitliridates' army. What prodigies and miracles,
dreams, visions, predictions, apparitions, oracles, have been of old at Delphos, Do-
dona, Trophonius Denne, at Thebes, and Lebaudia, of Jupiter Ammon in Egypt,
Amjjliiareus in Attica, &.c. ; what strange cures performed by Apollo and A'^scula-
pius.' Juno's image and that of '"Fortune spake, ** Castor and Pollu.v fought in per-
son for the Romans against IlannibaPs army, as Pallas, Mars, Juno, Venus, for
Greeks and Trojans, &c. Amongst our pseudocatholics nothing so familiar as such
miracles ; how many cures done by our lady of Loretto, at Sichem ! of old at our
St. Thomas's shrine, &.c. **St. Sabine was seen to fight for Arnulphus, duke of Spf)-
lelo. ™Sl. George fought in person for John the Bastard of Portugal, against the
Castilians; St. James for the Spaniards in America. In the battle of Bamiockburn,
where Edward the Second, our English king, was foiled by the Scots, St. Philanus'
arm was seen to fight (^if "'Hector Boeihus doth not impose;, that was before shut
up in a silver capcase ; another time, in the same author, St. Magims fought fi)r them.
Now for visions, revelations, miracles, not only out of the legend, out of purgatory,
but everyday comes news from the Indies, and at home read the Jesuits' Letters,
*' Lib. 4. cap. P. prirpar. •* Bapt. Mant. 4. Pa*t. ' tie nat. ileoruiu lib. 9. iCqun \ < <>ii^ I • iim* Pallas iiii-
<Jc Saiivto (/ Mfgio " U great master ur war, whom rtiir qua I'uil. * Jn. .MoUmik ii' ^^ ftrl. Oli-
jruutlu »or-tiip a-< if he were Mar* mH. '* Hart. I. ver. tie JohaiiXf priiiiu Hurt •iri-nue )«](-
cap. I. rt liM -J. ('.t|'. U. *4 PiilviJ. Vire. lib. I. ill- pro. nans, et diver>a; p4rti« ictus >... , ..,..•.•». ^'1. 14
di(. *> Hor. I :i. (ill. 6. ** l.ib. 3. Iiisl. ''Oraia Luculcs ipoute a|ieruiafc cl pru ii* pusnaakj.
lege nic dicailia niuliere* Diun. lialicarn. oTully .
J\Iem. 1. Subs. 2.] Causes of Religious Melancholy. 603
Pvibadineira, Thurselinus, Acosta, Lippomanus, Xaverius, Ignatius' Livev, &.C., and
tj?ll me what diflerence ?
His onliiiaiy instruments or factors wliich he useth, as God himself, did o-ooci
kings, lawful magistrates, patriarchs, prophets, to tlie establishing of his church,
"are politicians, .statesmen, priests, heretics, blind guides, impostors, pseudoprophets,
to propagate his superstition. And first to begin of politicians, it hath ever been a
principal axiom with them to maintain religion or superstition, which they determine
of, alter and vary upon all occasions, as to them seems best, they make relio-ion
mere policy, a cloak, a human invention, nihil aqm valet ad regendos vuJgi animos
ac supersti'iio, as '''Tacitus and '"Tully hold. Austin, I. 4. de civilat. Dei. c. 9. cen-
sures Scajvola saying and acknowlpjging expedire civitates religion" falli, that it
was a fit thing cities should be deceived by religion, according to the diverb. Si mun-
dus villi decipi., decipiaUir, if the world will be gulled, let it be gulled, 'tis good how-
soever to keep it in subjection. 'Tis that '^Aristotle and "^ Plato inculcate in their
politics, '• Religion neglected, brings plague to the city, opens a gap to all naughti-
ness." 'Tis that which all our late politicians ingeminate. Cromerus, Z. 2. jjol. hist.
Boterus, Z. 3. de incremcntis urbium. Clapmarius, Z. 2. c. 9. de Jlrcanis rerump. cap. 4,
lib. 2. j)oUt. Captain Machiavel will have a prince by all means to counterfeit reli-
gion, to be superstitious in show at least, to seem to be devout, frequent holy exer-
cises, honour divines, love the church, affect priests, as Numa, Lycurgus, and such
law-makers were and did, non ut his /idem habeanf, sed ut snbditos religionis inctu
facilius in officio conlineant, to keep people in obedience. ".Yawi naturaliter (as
Cardan writes) lex Chrisliana lex estpietatis,jus!itiiE,Jidci,simpUcUatis, 4'c. But
tliis error of his, Innocentius Jentilettus, a French lawyer, theorem. 9. comment. 1.
dc Rejig, and Thomas Bozius in his book de minis gentium et Rcgnorum have copi-
ously confuted. Many politicians, I dare not deny, maintain religion as a true means,
and sincerely speak of it without liypocrisy, aie truly zealous and religious them-
solves. Justice and religion are the two chief props and supporters of a well-go-
verned commonwealth : but most of them are but Machiavelians, counterfeits only
for political ends; for solus rex (which Campanella, cap. 18. atheismi triumphati ob-
serves), as amongst our modern Turks, reipub. Finis, as knowing '^magnus ejus in
animos imperin?n; and that, as '** Sabellicus delivers, '"A man without religion, is like
a horse without a bridle." No way better to curb than superstition, to terrify men's
consciences, and to keep them in awe : they make new laws, statutes, invent new
religions, ceremonies, as so many stalking horses, to their ends. ^Hcec enim {religio)
si falsa sit, dummodo vera credalur., animorum ferociam domal., libidincs coercet, sub^
ditos principi obsequentes efficit.^' Therefore (saith ^'Polybius of Lycurgus), "did he
maintain ceremonies, not that he was superstitious himself, but that he had perceived
mortal men more apt to embrace paradoxes than aught else, and durst attempt no
evil things for fear of the gods." This was Zamolcus's stratagem amongst the
Thracians, Numa's plot, when he said he had conference with the nymph iEgeria,
and that of Sertorius with a hart ; to get more credit to their decrees, bv deriving
them from the gods ; or else they did all by divine instinct, which Nicholas Damasceu
well observes of Lycurgus, Solon, and Minos, they had their laws dictated, rnonte
sacro, by Jupiter himself So Mahomet referred his new laws to the ^^ angel Gabriel,
by whose direction he gave out they were made. Caligula in Dion feigned himself
to be familiar witii Castor and Pollux, and many such, which kept those Piomans
under (who, as Machiavel proves, lib. 1. disput. cap. 11. et 12. were Religione maxime
inoti., most superstitious) : and did curb the people more by this means, than by force
of arms, or severity of human laws. Sola plebccula earn agnoscebat (saith Vaninus,
dial. \. lib. 4. de admirandis naturce arcanis) speaking of religion, que facile deci-
piiur, magnates vera et philosophi nequaquam, your grandees and philosophers had
" Religion, as tliey hold, is policy, invented alone to ' de oraculis. w " If a religion he false, only let it b«
keep men in awe. '^ 1 Annal. '< Onines religione * supposed to be true, and it will tHme mental ferocity
inoventur. 5. in Verreni. "» Zeleuchus, prsfat. legis i restrain lusts, and make loyal subjects."' "2 Ljb. 10
qui urbein ant regionem inhabitant, persuasos esse Ideo Lycurgus, &;c. non quod ipse superstitiosus, sed
opf)rt.-t esse Deos. '6 10. de legihus. Religio neglecta quod videret mortales para(lo.\<i fnrilius ainplecti, iiec
iiiHxiuinm pi stem in civitatem infert, omnium sceleriim | res graves audere sine periculo deorum. tscieoiiar-
l'e!ifsir;iiri ;iptrit. ' '' Cnrdaiiu.* Com. in Hlolnmeum i dus epist. J. \ovas lege,-* suas ad Ancelum Gahrielem
(ria,li|;.Hrt. "? l-ipsius I. 1. c. 3. " Hnmo sine referebat, pro uionitore meiitiebatur omnia se gerere.
religione. sicut equus sine fra;no. ** Vaninus dial. j2. 1
n04 Religioui Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
no sudi conceit, if rt id imperii canformationemet amplijicalionem qiimn sine prat run
religionis tueri non potcrant ; and many thouisands in all ages have ever hold as nuuh.
Philosophers especially, ammadvertebant hi semper hcec esse fahcUas, atlamen oh
Tiu'lurn publicce potestatis silere cogehuntur they were still silent for fear of laws, &.c.
To this end that Syrian Phyresides, Pythagonis his master, broached in the East
amongst the heathens, first the immortality of the soul, as Trismegistus did in Egypt,
with a many of feigned gods. Those French and Briton Druids in the West first
taught, saith ''^ Ca;sar, non inrerirc animus i^that souls did not die), "hut afier death
to go fronv one to another, that so they might encourage them to virtue." 'Twas
iV>r a politic end, and to this purpose the old "'poets feigned those elysian fields, iheir
iEacus, Mino^-, and Khaclaiuantlius, their infernal judges, and those Stygian lakes,
liery Phlegeihons, Pluto's kingdom, and variety of lormenls after death. Those that
had done well, went to the elysian fields, but evil doers to Cocytus, and to that
burning lake oi' ""hell with lire and brimstone for ever to be tormented, ''i'is this
which 'Plato labours f«>r in his Pha-don, et 9. de rep. The Turks in their Alcoran,
when they set down rewards, and several punishments for every particular virtue ami
vice, -" when they persuade men, that they tiial die in battle shall go ilireclly to
Iieaven, but wicked livers tu eternal torment, and all of all sorts (much like our
papistical purgatory), for a set time shall be tortured in their graves, as appears by
that tract whicli John Baptista Alfaipii, that Mauritanian priest, now turned Christian,
hath written in his confutation of the .Alcoran. After a man's death two black angels,
IVimijuir and Neijuir (so they call theiuj come to him to his grave and punish him
for his prect'deut sins ; if he lived well, they torture him the less ; if ill, ju r indcsi-
w ntts cruciiilus ad dumfudicii^ liny incessantly punish him to the day of judgment.
A\mo i-ivenlium tjui ad hurum mentunum non tuliis hnrret et contremiscit, the thought
of this cruciiie:4 them all their livt-s long, and makes them spend their days in fasting
and prayer, ne inula hiic cuiUmgunt., c^c. A Tartar prince, saith Marcus I'olus, lib. 1.
cap. *i8. called Senex de Monlibus, the better to establish his government anuMigsi
his subjects, and to keep them in awe, found a convenient place in a pleasant valley,
environed with hills, in '*•• which he made a delicious park full of od(»riferou8
llowers and fiuits, and a palace uf all worldly contents," that could possibly be de-
vised, music, pictures, variety of nieatu, kc, and chose out a certain young man,
whom with a '"soponfeious potion he no benumbed, that he perceived nothing:
'•and so fast asleep as he was, caused him to be conveyed into this fair garden :"
where after he had lived awhile in all such pleasures a sensual man could d<■^<ire, '°" ^' He
cast him into a sleep again, and brought him forth, that when he awaked he might
tell others he had been in Paradise." The like he did for hell, and by this means
brought his people to subjection. Because heaven and hell are mentioned in the
scriptures, and to be believed necessary by Christians: so cunningly can the devii
and his ministers, in imitation of true religion, counterfeit ami forge tlie like, to cir-
cumvent and delude his superstitious followers. Many such tricks and impostures
are acted by politicians, in China especially, but with what eflect 1 will discourse in
the symptoms.
Next to politicians, if 1 may distinguish tiiem, are some of our priests (who make
religion policy i, if not far beyond them, for they domineer over princes and stales-
men themselves. Canujicinam exercentj one saiih they tyrannise over men's con-
sciences more than any other tormentors whatsoever, partly for their commodity and
gain; Ktligionem eniin omnium abuius \^as '^Postellus holds;, qiurstus scilicet sacriji-
cum in causa est : for sovereignty, credit, to maintain their state and reputation, out
of ambition and avarice, which are their chief supporters : what have they not maiie
the Common people believe? Impossibilities in nature, incredible things; what de-
vices, traditions, ceremonies, have they not invented in all ages to k<'ep men in obe-
dience, to enrich themselves ? Quibus qucrslui sunt capli suprrstitionc animi^ as
*'Livy saith. Those Egyptian priests of old got all the sovereignly into their hands,
** Ub. 1)5. belli Gallici. Vl inetu uiortM neslecto, ad viriilarium plaiiuvii niaiiniuiii el pulcliurriuiuiii. Oori-
Virtuteni liicil.'U' in ' f).' Iin l-k"' I-uiianuiii i\k Ini!' i.ili.rir. fi- .1 -u.mli.i-. pl-iiii.ii. .Vc. •• Pulilitt
liictu l<<ni. 1. ^ iw »..p<.re o|i|>rr»«u«,
Iheo •uUuri' • » Alijuc
taiilur. 'I'll rihibtiii, el aic
tciituiii rn rcl'ertiUilJ ul uv Utw Ucuu •cului- »u cui , ritrj I'diaUis.iin ri <^uxil. ul cuiii rvifilarrt. luporr ao-
•lune bouuai. •• Bolvrua. ^Citra aquam, | luio, ^. » Lib. 1. dc orb. Cuucucil. cap. 7. "Ljb.^
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Causes of Religious Melancholy. 505
and knowing, as °^ Curtius insinuates, miUa res efficacius mulfitudinem regit quam
ffuperstilio ; melius vatihis quam diicibus parent, v and religione capti, etiam impo-
tentes feetiiinoi; the common people will sooner obey priests t*aan captains, and
nothing so forcible as superstition, or better than blind zeal to rule a multitude ; have
so terrified and gulled them, that it is incredible to relate. All nations almost have
been besotted in this kind; amongst our Britons and old Gauls the Druids; macri
in Persia; philosophers in Greece; Chaldeans amongst the Oriental; Brachmanni
in India; Gymnosophists in Ethiopia; the Turditanes in Spain; Augurs in Rome,
have insulted ; Apollo's priests in Greece, Phaebades and Pythonissse, by their oracles
and phantasms ; Amphiarius and his companions ; now mahometan and pagan priests,
what can they not effect ? How do they not infatuate the world ? Adeo ubique (as
*' Scaliger writes of the mahometan priests), turn genlium turn locorum, gens ista sa-
crorum ministra, vulgi secat spes, ad ea quce ipsi Jingunt somnia, "so cunningly can
they gull the commons in all places and countries." But above all others, that high
priest of Konie, the dam of that monstrous and superstitious brood, the bull-bellow-
ing pope, Vihich now ragelh in the West, that three-headed Cerberus hath played his
part. -^" Whose religion at this day is mere policy, a state wholly composed of
superstition and wit, and needs nothing but wit and superstition to maintain it, that
useth colleges and religious houses to as good purpose as forts and castles, and doth
more at this day" by a company of scribbling parasites, fiery-spirited friars, zealous
anchorites, hypocritical confessors, and those pretorian soldiers, his Janissary Jesuits,
and that dissociable society, as ^'Languis terras it, poslremus diaboli conalus el sitculi
excrementiim, that now stand in the fore front of the battle, will have a monopoly
of, and engross all other learning, but domineer in divinity, ^^Excipiunt snli totius
vulnera belli, and fight alone almost (for the rest are but his dromedaries and asses],
than ever he could have done by garrisons and armies. What power of prince, or
penal law, be it never so strict, could enforce men to do that which for conscience'-
sake they will voluntarily undergo ? And as to fast from all flesh, abstain from mar-
riage, rise to their prayers at midnight, whip themselves, with stupendous fasting and
penance, abandon the world, wilful poverty, perform canonical and blind obedience,
to prostrate their goods, fortunes, bodies, lives, and offer up themselves at their supe-
rior's feet, at his command.? What so powerful an engine as superstition .' which thev
right well perceiving, are of no religion at all themselves: Primum enim (as Calvin
rightly suspects, the tenor and practice of their life proves), arcancE illius iheologice,
quod apnd eos regnaf, caput est, nullum esse deum, they hold there is no God, as Leo
X. did, Hihlebrand the magician, Alexander VI., Julius II., mere atheists, and which
the common proverb amongst tliem approves, ®^''The worst Chi'istians of Italv are
the Romans, of the Romans the priests are wildest, the lewdest priests are preferred
to be cardinals, and the baddest men amongst the cardinals is chosen to be pope,"
that is an epicure, as most part the popes are, infidels and Lucianists, for so thev think
and believe ; and what is said of Christ to be fables and impostures, of heaven and
hell, day of judgment, paradise, immortality of the soul, are all,
100 •• Runiore? vanii. verhaqiie inanin,
Et par sollieito fabula sonitiio."
•• Dreams, toys, and old wives' tales." Yet as so many ' whetstones to make other
tools cut, but cut not themselves, though they be of no religion at all, they will
make others most devout and superstitious, by promises and threats, compel, enforce
from, and lead them by the nose like so ntany bears in a line ; when as their end is
not to propagate the church, advance God's kingdom, seek His glory or common
good, but to enrich themselves, to enlarge their territories, to domineer and compel
them to stand in awe, to live in subjection to the See of Rome. For what otherwise
care they ? Si mundus vult decipi, decipiatiir, '• since the world wishes to be gulled,
let it be gulled," 'tis fit it should be so. And for which 'Austin cites Varro to main-
tain his Roman religion, we may better apply to them : viulla vera, qucE vulgus scire
non est tit He ; pi eraque falsa, qua: tamen uliter existimare pnpulum expedit; some
thmgs are true, some false, which for their own ends they will not have the gullisli
** Lib. 4. <» Exerc. 228. « S. Ed. Sands. e' In ] » S. Ed. Sands in his Relation. 'oo S.npca. ' Vice
consult, de priiic. inlcr provinc. Europ. * Lucian. cotis, acutuin Reddere qus ferrum valet, exors ipsa 8«
"By tbeuiselves sustain tbe brunt of every battle." | candi. >De civ. Dei lib. 4. cap. 31.
3 A3
60G Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 4.
commonalty take notice of. As well may witness their intolerable covetousness
strange forgeries, fopperies, fooleries, unrighteous subtleties, impostures, illusions, new
doctrines, paradoxes, traditions, false miracles, which they have still forged, to enthral,
circumvent and subjugate them, to maintain their own estates. 'One while by bulls,
pardons, indulgencies, and their doctrines of good works, that they be meritorious,
hope ot heaven, by that means they have so tleeced the commonalty, and spurred on
this free superstitious horse, that he runs himself blind, and is an ass to carry bur-
dens. They have so amplified Peter's patrimony, that from a poor bishop, he is be-
ome Hex Regum^ Dominus dominant ntrn, a demigod, as his canonists make him
Felinus and the rest), above God liimself. And for his wealth and Memporalties,
8 not inferior to many kings : 'his cardinals, princes' companions ; and in every
kingdom almost, abbots, priors, monks, friars, &.C., and his clergy, have engrossed a
third part, lialf, in some places all, into their hands. Three princes, electors in Ger-
many, bishops; besides Magdeburg, Spire, Saltsburg, Breme, Bamberg, &.c. In France,
as Bodijie lib. de rtpub. gives us to understand, their revenues are 12,300,000 livres;
and of twelve parts of the revenues in Frarice, the cluirch possesseth seven. The
Jesuits, a new sect, begun in this age, have, as ^ Middendorpius and "Pelargus reckon
up, three or four hundred colleges in Europe, and more revenues than many princes.
In France, as Arnohlus proves, in thirty years they have got bis centum librtirum miUia
annua., 200,000/. I say nothing t)f the rest of their orders. We have hail in En-
gland, as Armachaims demonstrates, above 30,000 friars at once, and as *Sj)eed col-
lects out o( Li'land und olliers, almost 000 religious houses, and near •Jt>0,0(tO/. in
revenues ol' the i»ld rent belonging to them, besides images of gold, silver, plate, fur-
niture, goods and ornauients, as '"W'eever calculates, and esteems them at tlie liisso-
lution of abbeys, worth a mdlion of gold. How many towns in every kingdom hath
superstition enrichetl ? What a deal of money by uiusty relics, images, idolatry, have
their mass-priests engrrwiied, and what sums have they scraped by their other tricks!
Eorelto in Italy, WuUingham in England, in those tiays. Ubi omnia auro nitmt^
••where everything shines with gold," sailh Erasmus, St. Thomas's shrine, &.C., may
witness. " Di Iphos so renowned of old in Greece for Apollo's oracle, Delos cnm-
rnune conciltabutuni et emporium sold religione manitum ; Dotlona, whose fame and
wealth u. ; ..-d by religion, were not bo rich, so famous. If they can gel but
a relic ol - -, ibe Virgin .Mary's picture, idols or the like, that city is for ever
made, it neiil.-, no oilier maintenance. Now if any of these their im{)ostures or
juggling tricks be contrt)Verted, or called in question : if a magnanimous or zealoun
Luther, an heroical I^uther, as 'Dithmarus calls him, dare touch the monks' bellies,
all is in a combustion, all is in an uproar: Demetrius and his associutrrs are ready to
pull him in pieces, to keep up their trades, ""Great is Diana of the Ephesians :"
with a mighty shout of two hours long they will r<jar and not be pacified.
Now for their authority, what by auricular confession, satistaction, [wnance, Peter's
keys, thunderings, excommunications, Stc, roaring bulls, this high priest ol' Koine,
shaking his G«>rgon's heail, hath so terrified the soul of many a silly man, insulled
over majesty itself, and swaggered generally over all txirope for many ages, anil still
doth to s<mie, holding them as yet in slavish ffubjection, as never tyrannising Spa-
niards did by their poor negroes, or Turks by their galley-slaves. ""The bishop
of I\ome (^ sailh Siaplelon, a {mrasite of his, de mag. Kccles. Itb.'Z. cap. 1.) hath done
that without arms, whirh those Koinan emperors could never achieve with forty
legions of soldiers,'' dejxjsed kings, and crowned them again with his foot, made
friends, and corrected at his pleasure, Stc. '"'Tis a wonder," saitii .Macliiavel, Fto-
r-ntime., hi.t. lib. I. " what slavery King Henr)' II. endured for the death of Thomas a
Beckett, what things he was enjt)ined by the Pope, and how he subinitled him>ielf to
do that which in our times a private man would not endure," and all through super-
• flM>kinv Ihoir nwn. mlh Paul, nut r*hri«t'« • ||# I ml mnnum'nl*. » PaiM«nia« in iMfnniei* lib. X
t. •• •• '• ■ • -^ '■ ■' •' 1' - • ■• ....-..- , > - - - . ^ .. . _,.^ ,„.
«i|,|i>-(-t til. ir II).
BiKio . .r«
pi' ■ , 1 ' . > . ..■ I 1 I) ir>. 1 '. II .■ .|y..(li-..|.i ••• .•ir.uji..' •■ I "- IJ' • jrulK
\i India, uririit 1 ,. qiiurum budie ae pri«alu> qutdeni p«n«a
• i JI«o. d. "ii . .
Mem. 1. Subs. '4.] Causes of Religious Melancholy. 607
stition. '® Henry IV. disposed of his empire, stood barefooted with his wife at the gates
of Canossus. '' Frederic the Emperor was trodden on by Alexander III., another held
Adrian'.s stirrup, King John kissed the knees of Pandulphos tlie Pope's legate, Stc,
What made so many thousand Christians travel from France, Britain, &c., into the Holy
Land, spend such huge sums of money, go a pilgrimage so familiarly to Jerusalem, to
creep and crouch, but slavish superstition .? What makes them so freely venture their
lives, to leave their native countries, to go seek martyrdom in the Indies, but supersti-
tion t to be assassins, to meet death, murder kings, but a false persuasion of merit, of
canonical or blind obedience which they instil into them, and animate them by strange
illusions, hope of being martyrs and saints : such pretty feats can the devil "work by
priests, and so well for their own advantage can they play their parts. And if it were
not yet enough, by priests and politicians to delude mankind, and crucify the souls
of men, he hath more actors in his tragedy, more irons in the fire, another scene of
heretics, factious, ambitious wits, insolent spirits, schismatics, impostors, false pro-
phets, blmd guides, that out of pride, singularity, vain-glory, blind zeal, cause much
more madness yet, set all in an uproar by their new doctrines, paradoxes, figments,
crotchets, make new divisions, subdivisions, new sects, oppose one superstition to
another, one kingdom to another, commit prince and subjects, brother aofainst brother,
father against son, to the ruin and destruction of a commonwealth, to the disturb-
ance of peace, and to make a general confusion of all estates. How did those Arrians
rage of old .? how many did they circumvent ? Those Pelagians, Manichees, &c.,
their names alone would make a just volume. How many silly souls have impos-
tors still deluded, drawn away, and quite alienated from Christ! Lucian's Alexander
Simon Magus, whose statue was to be seen and adored in Rome, saith Justin Martyr,
Simonl dec sancto, Sj-c, after his decease. '* Apollonius Tianasus, Cynops, Eumo,
M-ho by counterfeiting some new ceremonies and juggling tricks of that Dea Syria,
by spitting fire, and the like, got an army together of 40,000 men, and did much
harm: with Eudo de strlUs, of whom Nubrigensis speaks, lib. 1. cap. 19. that in
King Stephen's days imitated most of Christ's miracles, fed I know not how many
people in the wilderness, and built castles in the air, kc, to the seduciu"- of multi-
tudes of poor souls. h\ Franconia, 1476, a base illiterate fellow took upon him to
be a prophet, and preach, John Beheim by name, a neatherd at JVichoUiausen, he
seduced 30,000 persons, and was taken by the commonaUy to be a most holy man,
come from heaven. "'"Tradesmen left their shops, women their distaffs, servants ran
from their masters, children from their parents, scholars left their tutors, all to hear
him, some for novelty, some for zeal. He was burnt at last by the Bisliop of Wartz-
burg, and so he and his heresy vanished together." How many such impostors,
false prophets, have lived in every king's reign .' what chronicles will not afford such
examples .' tliat as so many ignesfatid, have led men out of the -wav, terrified some,
deluded others, that are apt to be carried about by the blast of every wind, a rude
inconstant multitude, a silly company of poor souls, that follow all, and are cluttered
together like so many pebbles in a tide. What prodigious follies, madness, vexa-
tions, persecutions, absurdities, impossibilities, tiiese impostors, heretics, Sec, have
thrust upon the world, what strange effects shall be shown in the svmptoms.
Now the means by which, or advantages the devil and his infernal ministers take,
so to delude and disquiet the world with such idle ceremonies, false doctrines, super-
stitious fopperies, are from themselves, innate fear, ignorance, simplicitv, hope and
fear, those two battering cannons and principal engines, with their objects, reward
and punishment, purgatory, Limbiis Fatrurn, 6)-c. winch now more than ever tyran-
nise; ^*"for what province is free from atheism, superstition, idolatrv, schism,
heresy, impiety, their factors and followers .'' thence they proceed, and from that
same decayed image of God, which is yet remaining in us.
21 '• Os boinini sublime dedit, ccelumque tueri
Jussit."
'^Sigonius 9. hist. Ital. " Curio lib. 4. Fox j adeunl, &,c. Coinbustus demum ab Herbipoiensi Epis-
Martyrol. is Hierocles contends Apollonius to have copo ; hsresis evanuil. *i Nulla iion prorincia
been as great a prophet as Christ, wiioin Euscbius con- j hceresibus, Alheisrnis, &c. plena. Xullus orbis aiijulus
futes. '^ Muustar Cosni"^. I. .1. c. 37. Artifices ex . ab hisce belluis imniunis. ^i Li(j. j, ,\q pat. Decruai.
otficinis, arator e stiva, ftEmiiice e colo, to. quasi nu- •■ He gave to man an upward gaze.couiiuanding him lo
iQ. ne quudam rapti, nesciis pareiitibus et dominis recta fii his eyes oii heaven."
608 Religio7is Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
Our own conscience doth dictate so much unto us, we know there is a God and
nature doth inform us; J\uUa gins tarn barbara (saith TuUy) cui non insideat hac
persuasio Dnnn esse ; scd nee Scijtha, nee GrcecuSy nee Persa, nee Ilyperboreus di*-
scnliet (^as Maximus Tyrius the Piatonist ser. 1 . farther adds) nee conthicntis nee instila-
rum habitator^ let him dwell where he will, in w hat coasi soever, there is no nation so
bari)arous that is not persuaded there is a God. It is a wonder to read of that infinite
superstition amongst the Indians in this kind, of their tenets in America, pro stw
qnisquc libilu varias res venerabunlur supersliliose, plantas, animalia^ inojttes., Sfc.
omne quod aniubant uul horrebant (some few places excepted as he grants, that had
no God at all). So •• the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament declares
his handy wt>rk," Psalm xix. " Every creature will evince it;" Prase ntemque refert
qualibcl herba ileum. JWtlenlcs sciuntyfaltntur inviti,, as the said Tvrius proceeds,
will or nill, they must acknowledge it. The philosophers, Socrates, Plato, Plotinus,
Pythagoras, Trismegistus, Seneca, Epicietus, those Magi, Druids, &.c. went as far
as they could by ilie light of nature; '^muUa prceelara^ de nalurCl Dei seripla reli-
querunt., " writ many ihmgs well of the nature of God, but they had but a confused
light, a glimpse,"
*>" Quale fwr iiievrlam lunain aub luce uialigna
Kiil Her III *ylvi»,"
'• as he that walks by moonshine in a wood," they groped in tlie dark ; they had a
gross knowledge, as he in Euripides, O Deus quicquid es, sive calum^ sive terra^
site iiliud quid., and that of Aristotle, Ens entiiim tntsirere jiiei. And so of the im-
mortality of the soul, and future happiness. Immnrtaiilatem aninue (saith Ilierom)
Pylluiguras snrnniai'il, Democrilus mm cndidit in cirnsoiutionein damnalionis sua
Socralts in careere disputavit ; Jndus, Ptrsa., C'ulhus, dfc. Phihsophanlur. So some
»aul this, some that, as they conctived themst'lves, which the devil perceiving, led
ihfin farther out \^us *'Leiniuus observes) and made them worship him as their God
with stocks and stones, and torture themselves to their own destruction, as he thought
lit himself, insfured his priests and ministers with lies and fictions to prosecute the
tiumc, which they fi»r their own ends were as willing to undergo, taking advantage
of their simplicity, fear and ignorance. For the common people are as a flock of
sheep, a rude, illiterate rout, void many times of common sense, a mere beast, bellua
multorum capiiuin., will go whilher.-otver they are led : as you leatl a ram over a gap
by the horns, all the rest will follow, ' ,V«w qua tundum, sed qua itur^ they will do
as they see others do, and as their prince will have them, let him be of what religion
he will, they are fur hmi. Now for those idolaters, .Maxentius and Liciiiius, then
for Constaiiiine a christian. *^wi Chnstunt neganl nude pereanl, aeclumaturn est
Decies, for twi» hours' space ; qui Christum nun culunl, ^iugitsti initnici sunt, accla-
matum est ter decies ; and by and by idolaters again under that Apostate Julianus;
all Arri.ins under Constantius, good catholics again under Jovinianus, ^^ And little
ditl'ereiice tliere is between the discretion of men and children in this case, especially
of old folks and women, as '^Cardan discourseth, when as they are tossed with fear
and suj)ersiitioii, and with other men's folly and dishonesty." So that I may say
their ignoiance is a cause of their superstition, a symptom, and madness itself:
Supplicii causa est, sapp/iciumque sui. Their own fear, Jolly, stupidity, to be d'v
plored lethargy, is that which gives occasion to the other, and pulls these miserieft
<»n their own aeads. For in all these religions and superstitions, amongst our idola-
ters, you siiall liiid that the parties first afii^cted, are silly, rude, ignorant people, old
folks, that aie naturally prone to superstition, weak women, or some poor, rude,
illiterate peisoiH, that are apt to be wrought upon, and gulled in this kind, pron*.
without either examination or due consideration (^for they take up religi<ni a trust, aa
at mercers' they do their wares; to believe anything. And the best means they have
to broach first, or to maint<iin it when they have done, is to keep them still in
ii^norance : for ^* ignorance is the mother of devotion," as all tlie world knows, and
•'/-•-'
« y:.
r * V.n. *>Snr T
•«!»■■'
el iJj
IM«, linirlis. I
i(ii|ilc>re(. CUI ■>•■ • .11,11111
1 l.<-iiiiiiu«, lih. 3. c. P.
lie 1
•beocca.
■i» \
..li 3 .\uiialiiiin atl anauio t
324 Tit Conrtantm. •» H- • •-•' 1 1
- JH. Pariini verii diital aapi- nli,
riiullu miniii M-num el mulirrui. r*li
ti'ine et aliena •tuUKii et iuj|'i.j:jiijir •■ui|'ii<.ca afl
lantuf.
Mem. 1. Subs. 2.] Causes of Religious Melancholy. 009
these times can amply witness. This hath been th'^ devil's practice, and liis in-
fernal ministers in all ages ; not as our Saviour by a few silly fishermen, to con-
found the wisdom of the world, to save publicans and sinners, but to make advantage
of their ignorance, to convert them and their associates ; and that they may belter
effect vhat tliey intend, they begin, as I say, with poor, ^'stupid, ijliterate per-
sons. So Mahomet did when he published his Alcoran, which is a piece of work
(saith --Bredenbachius) -'full of nonsense, barbarism, confusion, wiilioul rhyme, rea-
son, or any good composition, first published to a company of rude rustics, hog-
rubbers, that had no discretion, judgment, art, or understanding, and is so still main-
tained." For it is a [)art of their policy to let no man comment, dare to dispute or
call in question to this day any part of it, be it never so absurd, incredible, ridicu-
lous, fabulous as it is, must be believed implicit:^, upon pain of death no man must
dare to contradict it^ '• God and the emperor. Sec." What else do our papists, but
by keeping the people in ignorance vent and broach all their new ceremonies and
traditions, wiien they conceal the scripture, read it in Latin, and to some few alone,
feeding the slavish people in the meantime with tales out of legends, and such like
fabulous narrations .' Whom do they begin with but collapsed ladies, some fevv trades-
men, superstitious old folks, illiterate persons, weak women, discontent, rude, silly
companions, or sooner circumvent.' So do all our schismatics and heretics. Marcus
and Yalentinian heretics, in ^"Irenaeus, seduced first I know not how many \vomen,
and made them believe they were prophets. *' Friar Cornelius "of Dort seduced a
company of silly women. What are all our anabaptist, brownists, ban-owists, farai-
lists, but a company of rude, illiterate, capricious, base fellows i What are most of
our papists, but stupid, ignorant and blind l)ayards? how should they otherwise be,
when as they are brought up and kept still in darkness? ^-"If their pastors (saith
Lavater) have done their duties, and instructed their flocks as they ought, in the
principles of christian religion, or had not forbidden them the reading of scriptures,
they had not been as they are." But being so misled all their lives in superstition,
and carried hood-winked like hawks, how can they prove otherwise than blind idiots,
and superstitious asses .' what else shall we expect at their hands } Neither is it suf-
ficient to keep them blind, and in Cimmerian darkness, but withal, as a schoolmaster
doth by his boys, to make them follow their books, sometimes by good hope, pro-
mises and encouragements, but most of all by fear, strict discipline, severity, threats
and punishment, do they collogue and soothe up their silly auditors, and so bring
them into a fools' paradise. Rex eris aiunt, si rede fades, do well, thou shalt be
crowned ; but for the most part by threats, terrors, and affrights, they tyrannise and
terrify their distressed souls : knowing that fear alone is the sole and only means to
keep men in obedience, according to that hemistichium of Petronius, primus in orbe
deos fecit timor, the fear of some divine and supreme powers, keeps men in obe-
dience, makes the people do their duties : they play upon their consciences ; ^ which
was practised of old in Egypt by their priests ; when there was an eclipse, they made
the people believe God vv^as angry, great miseries were to come ; they take all op-
portunities of natural causes, to delude the people's senses, and with fearful tales
out of purgatory, feigned apparitions, earthquakes in Japonia or China, tragical ex-
amples of devils, possessions, obsessions, false miracles, counterfeit visions, Stc.
They do so insult over and restrain them, never hoby so dared a larke, that they
will not ^* offend the least tradition, tread, or scarce look awry: Deus bone (^^' Lavater
exclaims) quot hoc commentum de purgatorio niisere ajflixit ! good God, how many
men have been miserably afflicted by this fiction of purgatory !
'^o these advantages of hope and fear, ignorance and simplicity, he hath several
engines, traps, devices, to batter and enthral, omitting no opportunities, according to
men's several inclinations, abilities, to circumvent and humour them, to maintain his
superstitions, sometimes to stupefy, besot them : sometimes again by oppositions,
* In all superstition wise men follow fools. Bacon's I fecissent officium, et plebem firiei comtnissam recte in-
Essays. "^ Peresrin. Hieros. ca. 5. totum scriptum stituissent de doctrinsp christiaPcR capiiib. nee sacrii
confusum sine online vel colore, absque sensu et ra- scripturis interdixissent, de multis proculdiibio reel*
tione ad rustici.ssimos, idem dedit. rudissimos, et pror- ' scnsissent. 33Curtius li. 4. ^See more in
eiis agresti'S, qui niilliiis erant discretionis, ut dijudi- ' Kemnisius' Eiamen (Joncil. Trident, de Purgalorio
tare pofsent. so Lib. 1. cap. 9. Valent. hjeres. 9. ' 3* Part 1. c. 16. pari 3. cap. 18. et 14.
" Meleraniis li. 8. hist. Belg. "Si doctores suum I
77
610 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
factions, to set all at otlja and in an uproar; sometimes he infects one man, and
makes him a principal agent ; sometimes whole cities, countries. If of meaner sort,
by stupidity, canonical obedience, blind zeal, &c. If of better note, by pride, ainbi-
lion, popularity, vain-glory. If of the clergy and more eminent, of better parts than
the rest, more learned, eloquent, he puffs them up with a vain conceit of llieir own
worth, scirnlid iujluti., they begin to swell, and scorn all the world in respect of
themselves, and thereupon turn heretics, schismatics, broach new doctrines, frame
new crotchets and the like; or else out of too much learning become mad. or out
of curiosity thoy will search into God's secrets, and cat of ihe forbidden fruit; or
out of presumption of their holiness and good gifts, inspirations, become prophets,
enthusiasts, and what not .' Or else if they be displeased, discontent, and have not
(as they suppose • preferment to their worth, have some disgrace, repulse, iieglected,
or not esteemed as they fonJIy value l^^fmselves, or out of emulation, they begin
presently to rage and rave, cuelum terrce tniscmt., they become so impatient in an in-
stant, that u whole kingdom cannot contain them, they will set all in a combustion,
all at variance, to be revenged of their adversaries. * Donatus, when he saw Cecilia-
nus preferred before him in the bishopric of Carthage, turned heretic, and so did
Arian, because .Alexander wa.s advanced : we have e.xamples at home, anil too many
experiments «)f such persons. If they be laymen of belter note, the same engines of
pride, and)itiou, emulation and jeal«)usy, take place, they will be gods themselves:
*' Alexander in India, after his victories, became so insolent, he would be adored for
a god : and those Kouian emperors came to that height of madness, ihey must have
temples budt to thi'in, sacrifices to their deities, Divus .Auiruslns, I). Claudius, I). Adria-
nus : " Heliogabaliis, '• put out that vestal Hre at Home, expelled the virgins, and
banished all other religions all over the world, and would be the sole Cod himself"
Our Turks, China kings, great Chains, and Mogors do little less, assuming divine
and bombast titles to themselves; the meaner sort are too credidous, and h-d with
blind zeal, blind obedience, to prosecute ami maintain whatsoever their 8«)ttish lead-
ers shall propose, what they in pride and singularity, revenge, vain-glory, ambition,
spleen, for gain, shall rashly maintain and broach, their disciples make a matter of
conscience, of hell and damnation, if they do it not, and will rather forsake wives,
children, house anil home, lands, goods, fortunes, life it.self, than omit or abjure the
least tittle of it, and to advaiicu the conunon cause, undergo any miseries, turn traitors,
assassins, psendo-n-artyn*, with full assurance and hope of reward in that other worhl,
that they shall certairdy merit by it, win heaven, be canonised for saints.
Now whrn they are truly possessed with blind zeal, and misled with 8U[)erstilion,
he hath many other baits to inveitfle and infatuate them farther yet, to make them
quite mortified and mad, and that under colour of perfection, to merit by penance,
going wohvard, whipping, alms, fastings, &.c. An. I'-i'lO. there was a sect of ^"whippets
in Germany, that, to the astonishment of the beholders, lashed, and cruelly tortured
themselves. I could give many other instances of each particular. Rut these works
so done are meritorious, ex apere operalo, ex condigno^ for themselves and others,
to make them macerate and consume their bodies, sjjtcie virlulis et vmbra, those
evangelical counsels are propounded, as our pseudo-catholics call them, canonical
obedience, wilful poverty, *°vows of chastity, monkery, and a solitary life, which
extend almost t<^ all relijjions and superstitions, to Turks, Chinese, Gentiles, Abvs-
sinians, Greeks, Lsitins, and all countries. Amongst the rest, fastinjj, contempla-
tion, solitariness, are as it were certain rams by which the devil doth batter and
work upon the stronjest constitutions. .Yuvnulli i saith Peter Porestus) o/j hmgas
inedias, sfudia ct meditalinnes ctslestes, de rebus sucris et religiune semper anilanl^
by fasting overmuch, and divine meditations, are overcome. Not that fastinjf is a
thing of itself to be discommended, for it is an excellent means to keep the body in
subjection, a preparative to devotion, the physic of the soul, by which chaste thoughts
are engendered, true zeal, a divine spirit, whence wholesome counsels do proceed,
concupiscence is restrained, vicious and predominant lusts and humours are ex()elled.
The fathers are very much in commendation of it, and, as Calvin notes, ^' sometimes
•* Auntin i^r'iiriiu*. lib. H. *■ l3in|iriiliii« I unum Ikc •lu<i<-n« ul ■oliif lieu* colrrrlur. *• nac'Ha-
vltK rju*. Virrifit-a v.'«()il»«, el •arrum igiii-in R'>ni» inrum it^la Muridrr lib. 3. Cuamof . rap. 19. 'Vo
•JIUaiil, el uutiie* ubique (i«r orbcin terrv religioae*. | luoi caltbalut, luoiiaciialua.
Mem. I. Subs. 3.] Causes of Religious Melancholy. 611
immoderate. ''The mother of ! ealth, key < 1 hf^aren a spiritual wing to ereare us,
the chariot of the Holy Ghost, oanner of laith." &c. .'\nd 'tis true they Sc'v A' it,
if it be moderately and soasr.nably u^ed. by such parties as Moses, Elias, Daniel,
Christ, an'l his *- apostles made use of it ; but Avhen ^by this means they will supere-
rogate, and as *^ Erasmus well taxeth, Ccelinn non sujicere putant suis meritis, Heaven
is too small a reward for it; they make choice of times and meats, buy and sell their
merits, attribute more to them tlian to the ten Commandments, and count it a oreater sin
to eat meat in Lent, than to kill a man, and as one sayeth, Plus respiciunt assiim
piscem, quam Christum crucifixum^ plus salmonem quam Solomone?n, qnihus in ore
Ckrislus, Epicurus in corde, "pay more respect to a broiled fish than to Christ cru-
cified, more regard to salmon than to Solomon, have Christ on their lips, but Epi-
curus in their hearts," when some counterfeit, and some attribute more to such works
of theirs than to Christ's death and passion; the devil sets in a foot, strano-elv de-
ludes them, and by that means makes them to overthrow the temperature of their
bodies, and hazard their souls. Never any strange illusions of devils amongst her-
mits, anchorites, never any visions, phantasms, apparitions, enthusiasms, prophets,
any revelations, but immoderate fasting, bad diet, sickness, melancholy, solitariness,
or some such things, were the precedent caases, the forerunners or concomitants of
them. The best opportunity and sole occasion the devil takes to delude them.
Marcilius Cognatus, lib. 1. cont. cap. 7. hath many stories to this purpose, of such as
after long fasting have been seduced by devils ; and ^* " 'tis a miraculous thing to re-
late (as Cardan writes) what strange accidents proceed from fasting; dreams, super-
stition, contempt of torments, desire of death, prophecies, paradoxes, madness; fast-
ing naturally prepares men to these things." Monks, anchorites, and the like, after
much eii.ptiuess, become melancholy, vertiginous, they think they hear strange noises,
confer with hobgoblins, devils, rivel up their bodies, et dum hos'tem insequimur., saith
Gregory, civcm quern diligimus, trucidumus, they become bare skeletons, skin and
bones; Carnibus abstuientes proprias carnes devorant^ id nil prceter cutem et ossa
sit reliquum. Hilarion, as ""^Hierome reports in his life, and Athanasius of Antonius,
was so bare with fasting, ■• that the skin did scarce stick to the bones ; for want of
vapours he could not s4eep, and for want of sleep became idleheaded, heard every
night infants cry, oxen low, wolves howl, lions roar (as he thought), clattering of
chains, strange voices, and the like illusions of devils." Such symptoms are com-
mon to those that fast long, are solitary, given to contemplation, overmuch solitari-
ness and meditation. Not that these things (as I said of fasting) are to be discom-
mended of themselves, but very behoveful in some cases and good : sobriety and
contemplation join our souls to God, as that heathen '•^Porphyria can teil us.
*' " Ecstacy is a taste of future happiness, by which we are united unto God, a divine
melancholy, a spiritual wing Bonaventure terms it, to lift us up to heaven ; but as
it is abused, a mere dotage, madness, a cause and symptom of religious melancholy.
^®"Jf you shall at any time see (saith Guianerius) a religious person over-supersti-
tious, loo solitary, or much given to fasting, that man will certainly be melancholy,
thou mayest boldly say it, he will be so." P. Forestus hath almost the same words,
and •'^Cardan sublil. lib. 18. et cap. 40. lib. 8. de rcrum varietate., '• solhariness, fast-
ing, and that melancholy humour, are the causes of all hermits' illusions." Lavater,
dc sped. cap. 19. part. I. and jjart. 1. cup. 10. puts solitariness a main cause of such
spectrums and apparitions ; none, saith he, so melancholy as monks and hermits, the
devil's hath melancholy; -'^''■'none so subject to visions and dotage in tliis kind, as
such as live solitary lives, they hear and act strange things in their dotage." '■ Poly-
pi Mater saniLitis, clavis coeloriini, ala animie qux
levt?s periiias pridiical. ut iii sublime ferat ; currus
Bpiriiiis i^aiicti, vexiMuin fidei, piirta paradisi, vita an-
gfcloriim, &c. «(;;,stiot) corpus iiieuni. " \ior.
ni'coiii. •'■' Lib. 8. tap. 10. de reniiii varielate: adini-
raiioiie digiiasiint (\»x pi;r jrjiiiiiuiii iioc inodn contin-
gurit: snninia, S'lperslilio, r.onteiiiptus toriiientoriim,
mortis desiderium nhstiiiata opinio, iiisania : jijiinium
iiaturalitiT preparat ad lia;c oiniiia. *•'■ Epist. i.3. Ita
atleiiuatcis fuit jfjunio ei vigiliis, in tniituni exeso cor-
pore ul ossihiis vix hieretiat. iinde nocte infantiioi va;
nihil est aliud quam gustus futiirie beatitudinis. Erag-
miis epist- ad Dorpium in qua toli absorb^finiirin Deuiii.
■'* Si n-lisiosinii minis Jejiiiita videris observaiitein, au-
dacitfT iiielaiicholicum pronunriiibis. Tract. 5. rap. 5.
^' Solitiido ipsa, mens segra laboribii^ aiixiis et jejuiiiis,
turn teinperatura cibis uiutata agresiibus, et hiimot
melancholjciis Heremitis illiisionum causa sunt. -<> So-
litude est CHUsa apparitionum ; nulii visionibus et hiiie
delirio magis obnoxii sunt quaui qui colle>;is et erenio
vivuiit monachi : tales plerunique melaiicholici ob vic-
tual, solitudinem. '' .Monachi sese putant prophetare
tu.s, balatus pecoruin, muiitus bouin, voces et ludibria , ex Deo, el qui solitariaiii aguiit vitam. quiiin sit
d:ein<inum. &c. ^^ Lib. de abstiuentia. Subrietas et | stinctu d^monum; et sic failuDtur falidics; a malo
contineniia mentem deo conjungunt. *"Extasi3 ] genio habent, quE putant a Deo, et sic enthusiastie.
612 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4
dore Virgil, fib. 2. prodigiis, "holds that those prophecies and monks'' revelations, ,
nuns, dreams, which they suppose come from God, to proceed wholly ab instirictu
dcrmonum. by the devil's means ; and so those enthusiasts, anabaptists, pseudo-
prophets from the same cause. " Fracastorius, lib. 2. de intellect, will have all your
pythonesses, sybils, and pseudo-prophets to be mere melancholy, so doth Wierus
prove, lib. 1. cap.S. et I. 'S. cap. 7. and Arculanus in 9 Rhasis, that melancholy is a
sole cause, and the devil together, with fasting and solitariness, of such sybilline
prophecies, if there were ever such, which with '^Casaubon and others I justly ex-
cept at ; for it is not likelv that the Spirit of God should ever reveal such manifest
revelations and predictions r.f Christ, to those Pylhonissae witches, Apollo's priests,
the deviPs ministers, (^tliey were no better) and conceal them from his own prophets;
for these sybils set down all particular circumstances of Christ's coming, and many
other future accidents far more perspicuous and plain than ever any prophet did.
But. howsoever, there be no Phacbades or sybils, I am assured there be other enthu-
siasts, prophets, dii Fotidici., Magi, (of which read Jo. Boissardu*, who liath labo-
riously collected thetn into a great "volume of late, with elegant pictures, and
epitomised their liveB) Stc, ever have been in all ages, and still proceeding from those
causes, '^r/ui risionrs suns ennmint, somniant futtira., prnpJirtisant.,et ejusmodi deliriis
agitati, Spiriti/m Sitnctum siri commtinicari jmtnnt. That which Is written of Saint
Francis' live wounds, and i>ther such n)onastical effects, of him and others, may
justly be referred to this our melancholy ; and that which Matthew Paris relates of
the *'monk nf Evesham, who saw heaven anr! hell in a vision; of "Sir Owen, that
went down into Saint Patrick's purgatory in King Stephen's days, and saw as much;
Walsingharn t)f him ibit sliowed as much by Samt Jidian. Beda, lib. b. cap. \'.\. 14.
1 5. tt >'0. reports of King Sebba, lib. 4. cop. 1 1 . t'cclfs. hist, that saw strange -* visions;
and Stumpliius Helvet Cornic, a cobbler of Basle, that beheld rare apparitions at
Augsburg, '•in Germany. Alexander ab Alexandre, gen. dier. lib. C>. cop. '21. of an
enthusiastical prisoner, all out as probable a." that of Eris Arrnenius, in Plato's tenth
dialogue de Repub. that revived again ten days after he was killed in a battle, and
told strange wonilers, like those tales Ulysses relate<l to Alcinous in Homer, or
Lucian's vera hislorin itself) was still after much solitariness, fasting, or long sick-
ness, when their brains were addled, and their bellies as empty of meat as their heads
of wit. Florilegus hatb many such examples,yo/. 11)1, one of Saint Gulllake of
Crowuld tfiat fought with devils, but still after long fasting, overmuch solitariness,
'^ the devil persuaded him therefore to fast, as Moses and Elias did, the better to de-
lude him. '■' In the same author is recorded Carolus .Magnus vision ,'?n. 185. or
ecstacies, wherein he saw heaven and hell after much fasting and meditation. So did
the devil f>f old with .Apollo's priests. Amphiaraus and his fellows, those Egyptians,
still enjoin long fasting before he would give any oracles, triduum a cibo el vino ab-
stiTiertnty'-^ before they gave any answers, as Volateran lib. I'.i. cap. 4. records, and
Strabo Geog. lib. 14. describes Charon's i\en, in the way between Tralles and Nis-
suin, whither tlie priests led sick and fanatic men : but nothing performed without
long fasting, no good to be done. That scoffing "Lucian conducts his Menippus to
hell by the directions of that Chaldean Mithrobarzanes, but after long fasting, and
such like idle preparation. Which the Jesuits ri^ht well perceiving «)f what force
this fasting and solitary meditation is, to alter men's minds, when they would make
a man mad, ravish him, improve him beyond himself, to undertike some grc-at busi-
ness of moment, to kill a king, or the like, "they bring him into a melancholy dark
chamber, where he shall see no light for many days ti'gether, no company, little
meat, ghastly pictures of devils all about hiui, and leave him to lie as he will him-
self, on the bare floor in this chamber of meditation, as they call it, on his back,
side, belly, till by this strange usage they make him quite mad and beside himself.
••Bihyllx. Ptihii. et pritpheo qui dirinare tnlrnt. inua, J<ihn Ma)or dr vitiii patruiu. Ac. •Pol. 10
omr*-* •-• ■' ,.„! ,..,.K..i.,.. u Clprrit - • ■ • -<- ■- • ■• • •- i - — .<- -. -t-, an.
■-"O. . io I ,„ ,„
*" r iiiirsbit^« I I rjo.
TIKI. Ill-- I ■ 'i »ii.i .-■■ , I iTii >-t •■f' "" mni
trmni iiifii.iuni iiiiiliaiii et laiieU' ri in |« r iigi-
e«>»n»<l«-ii« .lilt hi'w^iin M AC.^-r c""i>ri,| i^
tc»tar\ ••! III! rmii Mrn> vt hi|>p< il t'.ir rta.ii...- i i. . ^j n . r.w rnwi. iwiLini... i..iiiid:,>j, i,i. r-i.i loll
•c4> niii!i.>'i4 i.f .■i,iiiipl>-4 III nur annalt. •• Bt-Oe. ikacnbn all tiir manner of il.
Gre(or>, Jaobuj de Vorijiae, LippumanniM, Hierouj-
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.] ^ Symptoms of Religious Melancholy. 6KJ
And then after some ten days, as they find him animated and resolved, lh< r make
use of him. The devil hath many surh factors, many such engines, wliii h what
eflect they produce, you shall hear in the following symptoms.
SuBSECT. III. — Symptoms general.) love to their oicn sect., hate of all other rclicrions,
ohstinacy^ peevishness., ready to undergo any danger or cross for it ; Martyrs,,
blitu^ zeal., blind obedience., fastings., vows., bel ief nf incredibilities., impossibilities :
Particular of Gentiles., Maliometans, Jews, Christians ; and in them, heretics old
and 7U'w, scldsmarics, sckoohncn, prophets, aithusiasts, Sfc. *
Flejit Heraclitus, an rideat Democritus? in attempting to speak of these symp-
toms, shall I laugh with Democritus, or weep with Heraclitus ? they are so ridiculous
and absurd on the one side, so lamentable and tragical on the other: a mixed scene
offers itself, so full of errors and a promiscuous variety of objects, that 1 know not
in what strain to represent it. When I think of the Turkish paradise, those Jewish
fables, and pontifical rites, those pagan superstitions, their sacrifices, and ceremonies,
as to make images of all matter, and adore them when tliey have done, to see them
kiss the pyx, creep to the cross, &c. 1 cannot choose but laugh with Democritus :
but when I see them whip and torture themselves, grind their souls for toys and
trifles, desperate, and now ready to die, I cannot but weep with Heraclitus. When
I see a priest say mass, with all those apish gestures, murmu rings, &c. read the cus-
toms of the Jews' s^^iagogue, or Mahometa Meschites, I must needs ""^ laugli at their
folly, risum teneatis am,ici? but when I see them make matters of conscience of
such toys and trifles, to adore the devil, to endanger their souls, to offer their chil-
dren to their idols, &c. I must needs condole their misery. When I see two super-
stitious orders contend j^ro aris etfocis, with such have and hold, de land caprinu,
some write such great volumes to no purpose, take so much pains to so small effect,
their satires, invectives, apologies, dull and gross fictions ; when I see grave learned
men rail and scold like butter-women, methinks 'lis pretty sport, and fit ""^ for Cal-
phurnius and Democritus to laugh at. But wlieii I see so much blood spilt, so many
murders and massacres, so many cruel battles fought, Sec. 'tis a fitter subject for
Heraclitus to lament. ^^ As JMerlin when he sat by the lake side with Vortigern, and
had seen the Avhite and red dragon fight, before he began to interpret or to speak, in
fletum prorupit, fell a weeping, and then proceeded to declare to lire king what it
meant. I should first pity and bewail this misery of human kind with some pas-
sionate preface, wishing mine eyes a fountain of tears, as Jeremiah did, and then to
my task. For it is that great torture, that infernal plague of mortal men, omnium
pestiumpestilentissima superslitio, and able of itself alone to stand in opposition to
all other plagues, miseries and calamities whatsoever; far more cruel, more pesiife-
'lous, more grievous, more general, more violent, of a greater extent. Other fears
and sorrows, grievances of body and mind, are troublesome for the time ; but this is
for ever, eternal damnation, hell itself, a plague, a fire : an inundation hurts one pro-
vince alone, and the loss maybe recovered; but this superstition involves all the
world almost, and can never be remedied. Sickness and sorrows come and go, but
a superstitious soul hath no rest ; ^~superstitione imbiitus animus nunquam quietus esse
potest, no peace, no quietness. True religion and superstition are quite opposite,
longe diversa carnificina et pietas, as Lactantius describes, the one erects, the other
dejects; illorum pietas, mer a impietus; the one is an easy yoke, the other an in-
tolerable burden, an absolute tyranny; the one a sure anchor, a haven; the other a
tempestuous ocean; the one makes, the other mars; the one is wisdom, the other
is folly, madness, indiscretion; the one unfeigned, the other a counterfeit; the one
a diligent observer, the other other an ape; one leads to heaven, the other to hell.
But these differences will more evidently appear by their particular svmptoms. What
religion is, and of what parts it doth consist, every catechism will tell you, wdiat
symptoms it hath, and what effects it produceth : but for their superstitions, no
tongue can tell them, no pen express, they are so many, so diveise, so uncertain, so
•■'Varius mappa cnmponere risum vix poterat. ^ Pleno ridet Calpiiurnius ore. Hor.
di.> (asulis. <>^(Jiceru 1. de Dniltus.
3B
614 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 4.
inconstant, and so different from tlieniselves. Tot Miindi superslitioncs quot cielo
Stella., one sailh, there be as many superstitions in the worUl, as there be stars in
heaven, or devils themselves that are the first J'ounderd of them : with such ridicu-
lous, absurd symptoms and signs, so many several rites, ceremonies, torments and
vexations acct>nipanying, as may well express and beseem the devil to be the author
and maiiitainer of them. I will oidy point at some of them, ex ungue leonem guess
at the rest, and those of the chief kinds of superstition, which beside us Christians
now domineer and crucify the world, Geiuiles, Maliometaiis, Jews, Stc.
Of these symptoms some be general, some particular to each |)rivate sect: general
to all, are, an exlraonirnary love and affection they bear and show to such as are of
their own sect, ami more than Vatiuiaii hate to such as are opposite in religion, as
they call it. or disagree from them in their superstitious rites, blind zeal, (which is as
much a symptom as a cause,) vain fears, blind obedience, needless works, incredibili-
ties, inipiosibdities, monstrous rites and ceremonies, wilfulness, blindness, obstinacy,
&c. For die iirst, which is luve and hate, as*^Montanus saith, nulla Jirmior ainicitia
qudm qucp cimtruhitur hinc ; nulla disconlia major, qniim qme a religione fit ; no greater
concord, no greater discord than that which proceeds from religion. It is incredible
to relate, did not our daily ex|»erience evince it, what factions, quani trterrima
fttcltoncs, (as "°Hich. Dinoth writes) have been of late for matters of religion in
Fiance, and what hnrlyburlies all over Europe for these many years. JSniiil est quod
tarn imviitcntur racial hinninrn, qiitim susccpta dr salute opinio ; siquidem pro ea oinnes
gentes corpora tt animas deeovere sohnt, et arctissiino nfcfssitudinis vinculo se inricem
colUgare. We are all brethren in Christ, servants «)f one I^ord, members of one
body, anil therefore are or slnmld be at least dt-arly bt-loved, inseparably allied in the
Ijrealest bond of love and familiarity, unititl partakers not only of the same cross,
but Coadjutors, condorters, helpers, at all tinn-s, upon all occasions: as they did in
the prinnuve church, Acts the 5. tli»-y sold their patrimonies, and laid them at the
apostles' ff»t. and many such nu-niorable examplfs of nuitual love we have had
under the ten general persecutions, many since. Kxamj)!es on the other side of dis-
cord none like, as our Saviour saith, he came therefore into the world to set father
against son, kc. In imitation oi whom the devil belike ("nrtm superstilio irrepsit
vera rtligionis imilatrix, su[>erstition is still religic^n's ape, as in all other things, so
in this) doth so c»)nibine and glue together his superstitious followers in love and
affection, that they will live at)d die together : and what an innate hatred hath he still
inspired to any other superstition op[»osite .' lli»w those old Homans were alU'Cted,
those ten pt-rsecntions may be a witness, and that cruel executiotier in Eusebius, aut
Vila aut martre, sacriti<-e or die. No greater hate, more ci>ntinuate, bitter faction,
wars, pers-ecution in all ayes, than for matters of religion, no such feral opposition,
father against son, mother against daughter, husband against wife, city ai^ainst city,
kingdom against kingdom : as of old at Tentira alid Combos :
n- In, -I" ' ,!iiii •aii»l>il« vuluuf, I " liiiiii-rial hat-? il bn-eilii, a wnuinl |(:i).i cure,
1 1 'la viciiDirum I AikI f iry lo llii; coiiiiiiuim ilill tu eiiilure :
1 1 .<>• rrvUit babeDtliw j Iw^-aurr nuv cily i' oilivr'a ^ihU a» vaiii
t". .!■ '^ i i'^ ii— ■ ■• ai. I Ix-oJu, uml lii« aioiie ai grii.d m.iitiiaiii.**
The Turks at this day count no. better of us than of dogs, so they commonly call
us giaours, inlidels, miscreants, make that their main quarrel and cause of Christian
persecuiion. If he will turn Turk, he shall be entertained us a brother, and had in
good esteem, a Mussulman or a believer, which is a greatjfr tie to them than any
ahinity or consanguinity. The Jews stick together like so many buirs; but as for
the rest, whom they call Gt-ntiles, they do hate and abhor, tlit;y cannot endure their
Messiah should be a common saviour to us all, and rather, as 'Mouther writes, "than
they that now scoff' at them, curse them, persecute and revile them, sliall be coheirs
and brethren with them, or have any part or fellowship with their Messiah, they
would crucify their Messiah ten times over, and (Jod himself, his angels, and all his
creatures, if it were possiI)le, thoujjh they endure a thousand hells f«)r il." Sucli i^
their malice towards us. Now for Papists, what in a common cause for the advance
** In Micah rrrooieni. KGall. hi«t. lib. I. 7> I^c- I cruriflmri cMit^nt, ipaumqur IVum i>i iil (V-ri p<i«*>-t, ur4
taiiliii* '^ liiv. t>al. 13. '*(.'<)iiiinriit in Micah. | rum anirli* el crralunt oiniiibu*. nrc ahstcrrrtui ak
^>— a .11111 p .'««unt ul illoruin Mfwiaa c»Miaiuiii* *^rva- I hoc Tactu ct *i millr iitferua Mibeund* fufcoL
•jr ait, ii'wtruiu |auaiu*>. Ue. MrMina vd drcrni decie* |
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.] Symptoms of Religious Melancholy. 015
meiit of their religion they will endure, our traitors and pseudo-catholics will declare
unto us; and how bitter on the other side to their adversaries, how violently bent,
let those 3Iarian times record, as those miserable slaughters at Merindol and Cabriers,
the Spanish inquisition, the Dulce of Alva's tyranny in the Low Countries, the
French massacres and civil wars. '^^^Tantum rrligio poluit suadere malorum?''
'•Such wickedness did religion persuade." Not there only, but all over Europe, we
read of bloody battles, racks and wheels, seditions, factions, oppositions.
'^ " obvia sigriia
Signa, pares aquilas, et pila uiiiiantia pili.s,"
Invectives and contentions. They had rather shake hands with a Jew, Turk, or, as
the Spaniards do, suffer Moors to live amongst them, and Jews, than Protestants;
" my name (saith "''Luther) is more odious to them than any thief or murderer." So
it is with all heretics and schismatics whatsoever : and none so passionate, violent
in their tenets, opinions, obstinate, wilful, refractory, peevish, factious, singular and
stiff in defence of them ; they do not only persecute and hate, but pity all other
religions, account them damned, blind, as if they alone were the true church, they
are the true heirs, have the fee-simple of heaven by a peculiar donation, 'tis entailed
on them and their posterities, their doctrine sound, per funem aurcum de C(bIo delapsa
doctrina^ '" let down from heaven by a golden rope," they alone are to be saved.
The Jews at this day are so incomprehensibly proud and churlish, saith '" Lutlier,
that soli sahari, soli domini terrarum salutari volunt. And as '"Buxtorfius adds, '-so
ignorant and self-willed withal, that amongst their most understanding rabbnis you
shall find nought but gross dotage, horrible hardness of heart, and stupendous obsti-
nacy, in all their actions, opinions, conversations : and yet so zealous with all, that
no man living can be more, and vindicate themselves for the elect people of GOD."
'Tis so with all other superstitious sects, i\Iahometans, Gentiles in Cliina, and Tar-
tary : our ignorant Papists, Anabaptists, Separatists, and peculiar churches of Amster-
dam, they alone, and none but they can be saved. ""Zealous (^as Paul saith, Rom.
<. 2.) without knowledge," they will endure any misery, any trouble, suffer and do
hat which tiie sunbeams will not endure to see, Rcligionis acli Furiis, all e.xtremi-
lies, losses and dangers, take any pains, fast, pray, vow chastity, wilful poverty, for-
sake all and follow their idols, die a thousand deaths as some Jews did to Pilate's
soldiers, in like case, exerlos prcsbenles jugulos, et jnanifeste prts sc ferenles., (as Jo-
sephus hath it) eariorcm esse rita sihi legis patria olservationem, rather than abjure,
or deny the least particle of that religion which their fathers profess, and they Uiem-
selves have been brought up in, be it never so absurd, ridiculous, they will embrace
it, and without farther inquiry or examination of the truth, though it be prodigiously
false, they will believe it; they wiil take much more pains to go to hell, than we
shall do to iieaven. Single out the most ignorant of them, convince his understanding,
show him his errors, grossness, and absurdites of his sect. jYon persuadcbis ctiumsi
persuaseris., he will not be persuaded. As those pagans told the Jesuits in Japona,
•^they would do as their forel'athers have done: and with Piatholde the Frisian Prince,
go to hell for company, if most of their friends went thither: they will not be moved,
no persuasion, no torture can slir them. So that papists cannot brag of their vows,
poverty, obedience, orders, merits, martyrdoms, fastings, alms, good works, pilgrim-
ages : much and more than all this, I shall show you, is, and hath been done by these
superstitious Gentiles, Pagans, Idolaters and Jews: their blind zeal and idolatrous
superstition in all kinds is much at one ; little or no difference, and it is hard to
say which is the greatest, which is the grossest. For if a man shall duly consider
those superstitious rites amongst the Ethnics in Japan, the Bannians in Gusart, the
Cliinese idolaters, ^'Americans of old, in Mexico especially, Mahometan priests, he
shall find the same government almost, the same orders and ceremonies, or so like,
that they may seem all apparently to be derived from some heathen spirit, and the
Roman hierarchy no better than the rest. In a word, this is common to all super-
stition, there is nothing so mad and absurd, so ridiculous, impossible, incredible,
'* Lucret. " Liican. " Ad Galat. coniiiient. | ler ignorantiamet insipie:itiain gratiiiem invenies, hor
N"iii-ii odiosius meiiin (|.iiiin ullus hniiijciila aut fur.
'" 111 comment. Micaii. .-\<li;o infomprelieiisihilis et as-
pcra eorum superbia, &.c. "S Synagog Judo'orum,
ca. I Inter euruni inteliigcntissimos Rabbinos ml prs-
reiidam indiiratioiieiii. <t oti.<Iiiialioiiein. &c. ''Greai
is Diana of the Epli';siaiis, .Act. xv. toMaliint cnu
illis iasanire, qiiaiii cuui aliis bene seotire. ^' Acusta
I 5.
61G Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
which they will not believe, observe, and diligently perform, as much as in tliem lies;
nothing so mons^trous to conceive, or intolerable to put in practice, so cruel to suffer,
which ihey will not willingly undertake. So powerful a thing is superstition. ""O
Kgypt i^as Trismegistus exclaims) thy religion is fables, and such as posterity will
iiDt believe." I know that in true religion itself, many mysteries are so apprehended
alone by faith, as that of the Trinity, whicli Turks especially deride, Christ's incar-
nation, resurrection of the body at the last day, (juod ideo crcdendum (saith Tertul-
liau) quod incrtdible, «^c. many miracles not to be controverted or disputed of.
J\Jirari nun rimuri sajjientia vera ti7, sailh "Gerhardus; et in dii'inis {vlh a good
father informs us) qnadam crcdenda, iiiuedain admiranday ^-c. some things are to be
believed, embraced, followed with all submission and olu.'dience, some again admired.
Though Julian the apostate scolf at christians in this poiiU, quod copticeinus inlel-
lectuin in obsequiu/njidii, saying, that the Christian creed is like the pythagorean
Ipse dixit, we make our will ajid understanding too slavishly subject to our faith,
without farther examination of the truth ; yet as Saint Gregory truly answers, our
creed is altioris prastanlia^ and much more divine; and as Tlionias will, pie conside-
ranti semper suppetunt raiiones, ostendenles credibilitalein in mijsteriis superna'ura-
libuSy we do absolutely believe it, and U[>on good reasons, for as Gregory well in-
formelh us ; Fides nun hubet ineritum, ubi humiina ratio quierit erperimentuin ; that
laith hath no merit, is not worth the name of faith, that will not apprehend without
a certain demonstration: we must and will believe (.jod's word; and if we be mis-
taken or err in our general belief, as*' llichardus de Sanelo Victore vows he will say
to Christ himself at the day of judgment ; '• Lord, if we be deceived, thou alone
hast deceived us :" thus we plead. But for the rest I will not justify that pontiricial
consubstantiation, that wliich '' Mahoinetiins and Jews justly except at, as Campa-
uella confesselh, ..Itheismi triumphnt. cap. \'i.fol. 1*25, dij/lcillitnum dogma esse, nee
aliud subjectum viagis fucreticurum blasphemiis, ei alultis irrisionibus politicorum re-
periri. They hold it im|)ossible, Deum in pane rnanducari ; and besides they scoff
«t it, vide geiUem comedenlem Deum suum, inqttit quidam Maurus. *^Uunc Drum
musca. el vermes irndent, quum ipsum polluunl et decorant, subdilus est igni, aqua^
it latrones Jurantur, puidem auream hurni prosternunt, el se lamen nun dij'endil hie
Deus. Qui fieri potest, ut sit integer in singulis hostile parliculis, idrm corpus nu-
mero, lam rnuttis iocts, cielu, terra, ifc. But he that sliall read the "'Turks' Alcoran,
ihe Jews' Talmutl. and jKipnts' gulden legend, in the mean time will swear that such
gross fictions, fables, vain traditions, pr»jdigii>us paradoxes and ceremonies, could
never proceed from any other spirit, than that of the devil himself, which i.s the
author of confusion and lies ; and wonder withal how such wise men as have been
of the Jews, such learned understanding men as Averroes, Avicenna, or those heathen
philosuphers, could ever be pcrsuadeil to believe, or to subscribe to the least |)art of
them : aut J'raudem nun detegere : but that as " Vanninus answers, ob publico; potes-
tatis formidinem allatrare philosophi nan audebanl, they durst not speak for fear of
the law. But I will descend to particulars : read their several symptoms and then guess.
Of such symptoms as projH;rly belong to su{)erstition, or that irreligious religion,
I may say as of the rust, some are ridiculous, some again feral to relate. Of those
ridiculous, there can be no better testimony than the multitude of their gods, those
absurd names, actions, oHices they put uj)on them, their feasts, holy days, sacrifices,
adorations, and the like. Tlie Egyptians that pretended so greatantiijuity, lUiU kingi"
before Amasis : and as .Mela writes, 13,000 years from the beginning of their chroni-
cles, that bragged so much of their knowledge of old, for tfiey invented arithmetic,
astronomy, geometry : of their wealth and power, that vaunted of 'J0,000 cities :
Vet at the same time their idolatry and superstition was most gross : they worshipped,
ad Diodorus Siculus records, sun and moon under the name of |.-.w and Osiris, and
niter, such men as were beneticial to them, or any creature that did them gotnl. Ic
the city of Bubasti they adored a cat, soith Herodotus. Jbis and storks, an ox (sailh
Pliny) ** leeks and onions, iMacrobius,
*" O .C^'. )il*-. rrliKioni* tuie rolar (iiiM-r^unt fr ilii* " A« Iriitr a* lion. ,t'a
rvqiir ii'cr.ijtijilea paMlrri* luw. •* Me<lita(. I rpt)<M<>«. iKxip'a Piilil<-s. •' t«
M>iii iliiiiiin. ■^ Lib. I. dr trm " ■ 1*0 lantl^a fniilt-a tfuibua b'... •■>-■<..<> t«
wtuiii*. Ar. *• Viiie 8«ui*aii» Itpii' i..>rio Nuiniuit Juvcn. Mat. I&.
to muuicbuiu MileaidJi. * i''.
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.j Symptoms of Religious Mdancholy. 617
90" Porriim et caepe deos imponere nuliihus aiisi,
Hos tu Nile deos colis."
Scoffing ^' Lucian in his vera Hisioria : which, as he confesseth himself, was not
persuasively written as a truth, but in comical fashion to glance at the monstrous
fictions and gross absurdities of writers and nations, to deride without doubt this
prodigious Egyptian idolatry, feigns this story of himself: that when he had seen
the Elysian fields, and was now coming away, Rhadamaiithus gave him a mallow
root, and bade him pray to that when he was in any peril or extremity; which he
did accordingly ; for when he came to Hydamordia in the island of treacherous
women, he made his prayers to his root, and was instantly delivered. The Syrians.
Chaldeans, had as many proper gods of their own invention ; see the said Lucian
de dcd Syria. jMorney cap. 22. de veritat. relig. Guliel. Stuckius '^^Sacrorum
Sacrificiorumque Gentil. descript. Peter Faber Semester, I. 3. c. 1, 2, 3. Selden
de diis Syris, Purchas' pilgrimage, ^^Rosinus of the Romans, and Lilius Giraldus of
the Greeks. The Romans borrowed from all, besides their own gods, which were
majorum and minorum gentiiwi^ as Varro holds, certain and uncertain ; some celestial,
select, and great ones, others indigenous and Semi-dei, Lares, Lemures, Dioscuri,
Soteres, and Parastata;, dii tulelares amongst the Greeks : gods of all sorts, for all
functions ; some for the land, some for sea ; some for heaven, some for hell ; some
for passions, diseases, some for birth, some for weddings, husbandry, woods, waters,
gardens, orchards, &c. All actions and offices, Pax-Quies, Salus, Libertas, Foelicitas,
Strenua, Stimula, Horta, Pan, Sylvanus, Priapus, Flora, Cloacina, Stercutius, Febris,
Pallor, Invidia, Protervia, Risus, Angeroua, Volupia, Vacuna, Viriplaca, Veneranda,
Pales, Neptunia, Doris, kings, emperors, valiant men that had done any good offices
for them, they did likewise canonise and adore for gods, and it was usually done,
usitatum apud antiquos, as ^* Jac. Boissardus well observes, dei/icare homines qui
henejiciis inortaks juvarent, and the devil was still ready to second their intents,
sfatim se ingcssit illorun sepidchris, slatuis, iemplis, aris^ Sfc. he crept into their
temples, statues, tombs, altars, and was ready to give oracles, cure diseases, do mira-
cles, &c. as by Jupiter, Jilsculapius, Tiresias, Apollo, Mopsus, Amphiaraus, Sic. dd
et Semi-dii. For so they were Semi-dii., demi-gods, some mcdii inter Deos et homi-
nes, as Max. ^^Tyrius, the Platonist, ser. 26. et 27, maintains and justifies in many
wprds. '' When a good man dies, his body is buried, but his soul, ex hoinine dcemon
evadit, becomes forthwith a demi-god, nothing disparaged with malignity of air, or
variety of forms, rejoiceth, exults and sees that perfect beauty with his eyes. Now
being deified, in commiseration he helps his poor friends here on earth, his kindred
and allies, informs, succours. Sec. punisheth those that are bad and do amiss, as a
good genius to protect and govern mortal men appointed by the gods, so they will
have it, ordaining some for provinces, some for private men, some for one o.ffice,
some for another, fleeter and Achilles assist soldiers to this day ; jEsculapius all
sick men, the Dioscuri seafaring men, &c. and sometimes upon occasion they show
themselves. The Dioscuri, Hercules and ^^.sculapius, he saw himself (or the devil
in his likeness) no7i somnians sed vigilans ipse vidi ;" So far Tyrius. And not good
rnen only do they thus adore, but tyrants, monsters, devils, (as '■'^ Stukius inveighs)
Neros, Domitians, Heliogables, beastly women, and arrant whores amongst the rest.
"■ For all intents, places, creatures, they assign gods ;"
" Et doniitnis, tcr.lis, tliPrniia, et eqiiis soleatis
Assignare solent genios"
saith Prudentius. Cuna for cradles, Diverra for sweeping houses, Nodiiia knots,
Prema, Praraunda, Hymen, Hymeneus, for weddings ; Conms the god of good fel-
lows, gods of silence, of comfort, Hebe goddess of youth, Mena me7istruarum, Sfc.
male and female gods, of all ages, sexes and dimensions, with beards, without beards,
married, unmarried, begot, not born at all, but, as Minerva, start out of Jupiter's
*> Prudentius. " Havin? procpeded to deify leeks and
onions, you, oh Eg\ pt, worship such gods." ^i Pracfat.
ver. hist. ss'iiauri. fol. 1494. ^J Rosin, aniiq.
Rom. I. 2. c. 1, et deinreps. 9< Lib. de diviiiatioi'.e ot
nia2icis pra;stigiis in .Mopso. ^scosnio Paccio In-
terpret, nihil ab aeris cali<jine aut fis^uraruin varietate
iinpeditiis meram pulcliritudinein meruit, e.vultaus et
misericordia mo.ua, cognatos amicos qui adhuc raoran
78 3b2
tur in'terra tuetur, errantibus suceirrit, &c. Deus hoo
jussrt ut essent genii dii tutelarts lioiiiinibus, bonos
juvantes, malos punientes. Sec. Sfttfiicrorum gent.
dpscrjpl. lion bene meritos snluir.scd et tyrannos pro
diis colunt, qui jeni'.s liumanun:. hoi.-'ndum in inoduin
portenio.>;a inimanitate divexa..SL; &.c. ftedas mere-
trices, &c.
618 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4,
head. Ilesioil reckons up at least 30,000 gods, Varro 300 Jijpitcrs. As Jeremy luld
them, their gods were to the mullitude of cities;
"Quicqiiiil hiiiiiim, [vlaguH, csluin iiiiserabile eiunit I "Whatever heavens, st-a. and land becal.
lU tJixtfe Jtos. colled, I'reta. tlumina, flaiuiiias." | Hills, seas, aiiU rivers, GoU was tliis and that."
And which was most absurd, they made gods upon such ridiculous occasions; "As
cliildren make babies (so saith '^Morneus^ tlieir poets make gods," et quns luloranl
in trmplis, ludnnt in Theatris, as Lactantins ^cofls. Saturn, a man, gelded himself,
did eat liis own children, a cruel tyrant driven out of his kingdom by his son Jupi-
ter, as g<)«)d a god as himself, a wicked lascivious paltry king of Crete, of whose
rapes, lusts, murders, villanies, a whole volume is too little to relate. Venus, a noto-
rious strumpet, as common as a barber's cliair, Mars, Adonis, Ancliises' whore, is a
great she-gi>ddess, as well as the rest, as much renowned by their poets, with many
such; and these gods so fabulously and foolishly made, cereinaniis, hymnis^ el cuulicis
ctltbrunt ; their errors, lucttts et gaudia, o/nores, iras, nuptias et liberorum procreu-
tiones ('"as Eusebius well taxeth\ weddings, mirth and mournings, loves, angers, and
quarrelling they did celebrate in hymns, and sing of in their ordinary songs, as it
were piiblisljing their villanies. But see more of ilu-ir originals. When Komulus
was made away by the sedition of the senators, to pacify the people, ** Julius Prucu-
lus gave out that Romulus was taken up by Jupiter into heaven, and theielbre to be
ever alter ad«jred for a god amoni/st the Romans. Svrophaiies uf Kgypt had one
only son, whom he dearly lovtd ; he erected his statue in his house, winch his ser-
vants dill adorn with garlands, to pacify their master's wrath when he was angry, so
by latle and little he was adt)red for a go<l. This did Semiramis for her husband
Belus, and Atlrian the emperor by his minii>n .Antinous. Flora was a rich harlot in
Home, and for that she made the commonwealth her heir, her birthday was solem-
nised long after; and to make it a more plau.xible holiday, they made her goddess
of (lowers, and sacriticed to her ammigst the rest. The matrons of Rome, as Dio-
nysius Halicarnassa'us relates, because at their entreaty Coriolanns desisted from his
wars, consecrated a churth Furttinu! muliehri ; and ** Venus IJarbala had a temple
erected, for that somewhat was amiss about hair, and so the rest. The citizens ' of
Ahibanda, a small town in Atb Minor, to curry favour with the Romans ^^who then
warred in tireece with Perseus of Macedon, and were formidable to these parts),
constcrat»d a temple to the City of Rome, and made her a goddess, with annual
games and sarritices ; so a town of houses was deified, with shameful flattery of the
one side to t;ive, and intolerable arrogance on the other to accept, upon st» vile and
absurti ail <•( i a-ion. Tully writes to Atticus, that his daughter Tulliola might be
made a gi .dd.ss, and adored as Juno and Minerva, and as well she deserved it. 'J'heir
holy days and adorations were all out as ridiculous; those Lupercals of Pan, Flo-
rales of Flora, Bona dea, Anna Perenna, Salurnals, Stc, as how tliey were celebrated,
with what lascivious and wanton gestures, bald ceremonies, * by what bawdy priests,
how they hang their noses over the smoke of sacrifices, saith 'Lucian,and lick blood
like flies that was spilled about the altars. Their carved idols, gilt images of w<jod,
iron, ivory, silver, brass, stone, oliin truncus eram, cSc, were most absurd, as l)eing
their own wurknianship ; for as Seneca nole.s, adorunt ligneos deus, et fabros intt-nm.
(fuijeceruiil, cuntemnunt, they adore work, contemn the workman; and as Tertul-
lian lollows it, St homines non es.<rnl diis propitii^ nun essent dii, had it not been
for men, they had never been gods, but blocks, and stupid statues in which mice,
swallows, birds make their nests, spiders their webs, and in their very mouths laid
their excrements. Those images, I say, were all out as gross as the shapes in which
lliey did repre.sent them: Jupiter with a ram's head, .Mercury a dog's. Pan like a
goat, Ileccate with three heads, one with a beard, another without; see more in Car-
terius and *Verdurius of their monstrous forms and ugly pictures: and, which waa
absurder yet, they told thern these images came from heaven, as that i>f .Minerva in
her temple at Athens, quod t ccelo cecidisse credebani accolte, saith Pausanias. They
•"•'•f*. »>. lie vcr. rel. De»a flni' • • •-••-■ •, - :• ,
jt inflmliuni piiii(ia*. •■ Pri>.-i.
** l.inua. III) 1. Itrua viibi* in . (
«)uirill-a. I" • ■ <-..-- I.. , i, , ,,,,,.■;, run ir. If,.. r. ,„ ..II i r., -<■,.. M- .. ,fr , , ^t■^M
""* <'-»''<i"!" - < i^i.trt j tiTuMia. • liitagioM Urotum lib. ite. luac/iiii
fMtiiBiac, vtr.. . . .u«at«a,[
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.] SymjHoms of Religious Melancholy. 619
formed some like storks, apes, bulls, aiul yet seriously believed : and that which was
impious and abominable, they made their gods notorious whoremasters, incestuous
Sodomites (as commonly they were all, as well as Jupiter, .Mars, Apollo, IMercury,
Neptune, &c.), thieves, slaves, drudges (for Apollo and Neptune made tiles in Phry-
gia), kept sheep, Hercules emptied stables, Vulcan a blacksmith, unfit to dwell upon
the earth for their villanies, much less in heaven, as ^ Mornay well saith, and yet
they gave them out to be such ; so weak and brutish, some to whine, lament, and
roar, as Isis for her son and Cenocephalus, as also all her weeping priests; Mars in
Il!)mer to be wounded, vexed ; Venus ran away crying, and tlie like ; than which
v.hat can be more ridiculous? JVonne ridiculum lugere quod colas, vel colere quod
higeas? (which "^Minutius objects) Si dii, cur plangitisf si morlui, cur adoratis? that
it is no marvel if 'Lucian, that adamantine persecutor of superstition, and Pliny could
so scolT at them and their horrible idolatry as they did ; if Diagoras took Hercules'
image, and put it under his pot to seethe his pottage, which was, as he said, his 13th
labour. But see more of their fopperies in Cypr. 4. tract, de Idol, varietat. Chrysos-
tom adoers. Gcntil. Arnobius adv. Gentes. Austin, de civ. dei. Theodoret. de curat.
Grcec. affect. Clemens Alexandrinus, Minutius Fcelix, Eusebius, Lactantius, Stuckius,
&c. Lamentable, tragical, and fearful those symptoms are, that they should be so
far forth affrighted with their fictitious gods, as to spend the goods, lives, fortunes,
precious time, best days in their honour, to ^sacrifice unto them, to their inestimable
loss, such hecatombs, so many thousand sheep, oxen with gilded horns, goats, as
^Croesus, king of Lydia, '"Marcus Julianus, surnamed oh crehras hostias Victima-
rius., et Tauricremus., and the rest of the Roman emperors usually did with such
labour and cost; and not emperors only and great ones, pro comnmni bono., were
at this charge, but private men for their ordinary occasions. Pythagoras offered a
hundred oxen for the invention of a geometrical problem, and it was an ordinary
thing to sacrifice in " Lucian's time, "a heifer for their good health, four oxen
for wealth, a hundred for a kingdom, nine bulls for their sale return from Troja to
Pylus," &c. Every god almost had a peculiar sacrifice — the Sun horses, Vulcan fire,
Diaiia a white hart, Venus a turtle, Ceres a hog, Proserpine a black lamb, Neptune
a bull (read more in '" Stukius at large), besides sheep, cocks, corals, frankincense, to
their undoings, as if tlieir gods were afiected with blood or smoke. " And surely
('^ saith he) if one should but repeat the fopperies of mortal men, in their sacrifices,
feasts, worshipping their gods, their rites and ceremonies, what they think of them,
of their diet, houses, orders, &c., what prayers and vows they make; if one should
but observe their absurdity and madness, he would burst out a laughing, and pity
their folly." For what can be more absurd than their ordinary prayers, petitions,
'^ requests, sacrifices, oracles, devotions .'' of which we have a taste in Maximus
Tyrius, serm. 1. Plato's Alcibiades Secundus, Persius Sat. 2. Juvenal. Sat. 10. there
likewise exploded, Mactant opimas et pingues hostias dco quasi esurienti, profundunt
villa tanqiuua silienti, lumina accendunt velut in tcnebris agenti (Lactantius, lib. 2.
cup. 6). As if their gods were hungry, athirst, in the dark, they liglit candles, offer
meat and drink. And what so base as to reveal their counsels and give oracles, e
viscerum sterquHiniis, out of the bowels and excremental parts of beasts ? sordidos
dcQS Varro truly calls tliem therefore, and well he might. I say nothing of their
magnificent and sumptuous temples, those majestical structures : to the roof of
Apollo Didymeus' temple, ad hrunchidas, as '"Strabo writes, a thousand oaks did
not sullice. Who can relate the glorious splendour, and stupend magnificence, the
sumptuous buildmg of Diana at Ephesus, Jupiter Amnion's temple in Africa, the
Pantheon at Rome, the Capitol, the Sarapium at Alexandria, Apollo's temple at
Daphne in the suburbs of Antioch. The great temple at Mexico so richly adorned,
' De ver. relig. cap. 22. Iiidigni qui terrain calcent, : tissimi sunt cerpinonianiuj. Iwllo prauserlim. " Ue
&.C. sOctav'iano. i Jupiter Tragcedus, de sucrifi- j sacrificiis: huciilaiii pro bcjiia valetudiiie, bovesiTuatuor
Ciis, (;t pas.siiu alias. » (500 several kinds of sacrifices j pro divitiis, ceiituiii tauros pro sospite a Trojs reditu,
ill i'^gypt Major reckons up, toin. 2. coll. of which read &;c. ''^ De sacris Geiitil. el sacrific. 'I'yg. 15!>(j.
more in cap. 1. of Laurentius I'ignorius his Egypt cha- I " Eninivero si qiiis receiiserel qua; stuiti tiiortales in
racters, a cause of which Sanubius gives subcis. lib. 3. j fcstis, sacrificiis, diis adorandis, &c. qua; vota faciant,
cap. 1. 9 Herod. Clio. Inimolavit lecta pecora ter quid de iis statuant, &c. haud scio an risurus, ice.
r.ii:le Delphis, una cum lectis phialis iribns. ii gu- i4;>iax. Tyrius ser. 1. Crcesus reguiii oiiiniuiii stultissi-
I)erbtitio»us J.iliauus innumer.-is sine parsiinonia pecu- nius de lebete consulit, alius de iiumero areuaruiu, eli-
des iiiactavit. Auiianus 25. Roves albi. M. Cssari sa- mensiune maris, &c. is Lib. 4.
lutein, si tu viceris perimus ; lib. 3. Romani observan- |
G20 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 4.
and so capacious (for 10,000 men might stand in it at once), that fair Pantheori of
< 'usco, described by Acotta in his Indian History, which ecUpses both Jews and
Christians. There were in old Jerusalem, as some write, 408 synat(ogues ; but new
Cairo reckons up (if '*Kadzivilus may be believed) 6800 mosques; Fez 400, wliereol"
50 are most magnificent, like St. PauPs in London. Helena built 300 fair churches
in the Holy Land, but one Bassa hath built 400 mosques. The Mahometans have
1000 monks in a monastery; the like saiih Acosta of Americans; Riccius of the
Chinese, for men and women, fairly built; and more richly endowed some of them,
than Arras in Artuis, Fulda in Germany, or St. Ednmmrs-Bury in England with us :
who can describe those curious and costly statues, idols, itnages, so frequently men-
tioned in Pausanias .-• I conceal their donaries, pendants, other ollcriiigs, presents,
to these their fictitious gods daily consecrated. '^ Alexai»der, the son of Amynias,
king of Macedonia, sent two statues of pure guld to Apollo at Delphos. '"Cra'sus,
king of Lytiia dtdicatt'd a hundrt-d golden tiles in the sanje place with a goldin allai :
no man came empty-handed to their shiines. But tliese are base otlerings in rifija'Ct;
they offered men themselves alive. The Leucadians, as Slrabo writes, sacrificed
every year a man, averruncandte deoruin irie causa, to pacify their gods, de moiitis
jjmcijjitio dejccerent, 6fc. and they did voluntarily undergo it. The Decii did so
feacrifice, Diis manibus ; Curtius did leap into the gulf. Were they not all strangely
deluded to go so far to their oracles, to be so gulled by them, both in war and peace,
as Poly bins relate'* (which their argurs, priests, vestal virgins can witness), to be so
superstitious, that they would rather lose goods and lives tlian oujit any ceremonies,
or otlend their Iteathen gods ? Nicias, that generous and valiant captain of the
Cireeks, overthrew the Athenian navy, by reason of l»is to«) much superstition, '"be-
cause tlie augurs told hiiu it was ominous to set sail from the haven of Syracuse
whilst the moon was eclipsed ; he tarried ««> long till his enemies besieged him, he
and all his army were overtiirown. Tfte *' Parthians of (»ld were so sottish in this
kind, they would rather lose a victory, nay lose their own lives, than fight in the
night, 'twas against their religion. The Jews would make no resistance on the Sab-
bath, when PomjR'ius bisieged Jerusalem; and some Jewish Christians in Africa, set
upon by the Goths, sullered themselves upon the same occasion to be utterly van-
quished. The superstiti<jii of the Dibrenses, a bordering town in Epirus, besieged
by the Turks, is miraculous almost to report. Because a dead dog was flung into
tlie only fountain which the city had, they would die of thirst all, rather than drink
of that "' unclean water, and yield up the city npon any conditions. Though the
pra-tor and chief citizens began to drink first, using all good persuasions, their super-
stition was such, no saying would serve, they must all forthwitli die or yield up the
city. I'ix ausuni ipse cndtrc (saith •^Barletius) tantain supcrsUtiunern, vel ajjinnare
Uvissimam heme causarn tunta rii vel magis ndiculum, quuin nun dubilem risum pu-
tius t[uu>n udinirationem posteris excitaturum. The story was too ridiculous, he waa
ashamed to report it, because he thought nobody would believe it. It is stupetid to
relate what strange effects tliis idolatry and superstition hath brought f'ortii of the
latter years in the Indies and those bordering parts: ^in what feral shapes ihe
^' devil is adoreil, ne quid muli intentent, as they say ; for in the mountains betwixt
Scanderoon and Aleppo, at this day, there are dwelling a certain kind of people
called Coords, coming of the race of the ancient Parthians, who worship the devil,
and allege this reason in so doing: God is a good man and \\ii1 do no harm, but the
devil is bad and must be pleased, lest he hurt them. It is wonderful to tell how the
devil deludes them, how he terrifies them, how ihey ofler men and women sacrifice*
unto him, a hundred at once, as they did infants in Crete to Saturn of old, the finebl
children, like Agamemnon's Iphigenia, kc. At " Mexico, when the S|)aniards first
overcame them, they daily sacrificed viva hominum curia e viv*'ntiuin curpurihus ex-
tracta, tiie hearts of men yet living, '20,000 in a year (Acosta lib. 5. cap. 20) to iheir
idols made of flour and men's blood, and every year GOOO infanta of both Hexes:
M p^riL'r Mieroanl. i^Solinua. " M- ro.ioiu> I iiinii^tra eoDipiciuntur, marDiorc*. lifoM, laua.te.
.t lib. 2. cap. IS. 'J" Plutiirch - »♦ Ueuin eiiini pUrare noii «l op«%
' 1 ltt« Uret-krburch. •'> l.i'' n nncel ; ml dKiBoarui Minlkiu plaraal, A4
r^-i ,.». A lo leaipli* iuiuiaiiia , - i --• Corleaiua.
Mem. i. Subs. 3.] Symjdoms of Religious Melancholy. 621
and as prodigious to relate, '''how tliey bury their wives with husbands deceased^ 'tis
fearful to report, and harder to believe,
!" " Nam ceriarnen liahent lajthi iiuee viva sequatiir
Conjugiuiii, putlor, est iioii licuisse inori,"
and burn them alive, best goods, servants, horses, when a grandee dies, ^twelve
thousand at once amongst the Tartars, when a great cham departs, or an emperor in
America: how they plague themselves, which abstain from all that hath life, like
those old Pythagoreans, with immoderate fastings, ^"^ as the Bannians about Surat,
they of China, that for superstition's sake never eat flesh nor fish all their lives,
never marry, but live in deserts and by-places, and some pray to their idols twenty-
four hours t(^gether without any intermission, biting of their tongues when they have
done, for devotion's sake. Some again are brought to that madness by their super-
stitious priests (that tell them such vain stories of immortality, and the joys of heaven
in that other life), ^"that many thousands voluntarily break their own necks, as
Cleombrotus Amborciatus, auditors of old, precipitate themselves, that they may par-
ticipate of that unspeakable happiness in the other world. One poisons, another
strangles himself, and the King of China had done as much, deluded with the vain
hope, had he not been detained by his servant. But who can sufficiently tell of
their several superstitions, vexations, follies, torments ? I may conclude with ^'Pos-
sev'mus, Religifacit asperos mites., homines e feris ; superstitio ex hojiiinilus feras,
religion makes wild beasts civil, superstition makes wise men beasts and fools; and
the discreeiest that are, if they give way to it, are no better than dizzards ; nay more,
if that of Plotinus be true, is unus religionis scopus, id ei quern colimus similes jia-
mus^ tliat is the drift of religion to make us like him whom we worship: what shall
be the end of idolaters, but to degenerate into stocks and stones ? of such as wor-
ship these heathen gods, for dii gentium dcBtnonia, ^- but to become devils themselves.'
'Tis therefore cxiriosus error, et maxime periculosus, a most perilous and dangerous
error of all others, as ^^ Plutarch holds, turbulenta passio homincm consternans, a
pestilent, a troublesome passion, that utterly undoeth men. Unhappy supeistition,
"' Pliny calls it, inorte nonfinitur, death takes away life, but not superstition. Im-
pious and ignorant are far more happy than they which are superstitious, no torture
like to it, none so continuate, so general, so destructive, so violent.
In this superstitious row, Jews for antiquity may go next to Gentiles : what of
<ii(i they have done, what idolatries they have committed in their groves and high
places, what their Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Essei, and such sectaries have main-
tained, I will not so much as mention : for the present, I presume no nation under
heaven can be more sottish, ignorant, blind, superstitious, wilful, obstinate, and
peevish, tiring themselves with vain ceremonies to no purpose ; he that shall but
read their rabbins' ridiculous comments, their strange interpretation of scriptures, their
absurd ceremonies, fables, childish tales, which they steadfastly believe, will think
ihey be scarce rational creatures ; their foolish ^^ customs, Mhen they rise in the
morning, and how they prepare themselves to prayer, to meat, with what supersti-
tious washings, how to their sabbath, to their other feasts, weddings, burials, &j.c.
Last of all, the expectation of their Messiah, and those figments, miracles, vuin pomp
that shall attend him, as how he shall terrify the Gentiles, and overcome them by
new diseases ; how Michael the archangel shall sound his trumpet, how he shall
i^alher all the scattered Jews in the Holy Land, and there niake them a great banquet.
*' ""Wherein shall be all the birds, beasts, fishes, that ever God made, a cup of wine
that grew m Parachse, and that hath been kept in Adam's cellar ever since." At the
first course shall be served in that great ox in Job. iv. 10., " thai every day feeds on
a thousand hills," Psal. 1. 10., that great Leviathan, and a great bird, that laid an egg
='M. Polas. Lod. Vcrtoiiiaiiniis navig. lib. 6 cap. 9. i ranJ, el niisere pereuiit : rex ipse clam veiipiiuin hausig-
P. Martyr. Uecaii. dec. '■" Properliiis lib. 3. eleg. \i. set, nisi a servo luisset detintus, s' C'aritioiie in lil>.
■■There js a cmilest aiiioiigsl the living wives as to 10. Boiiiiiiderepuh.rul.il]. 3J(jiiin n>sius diaholi
which shall follow the liushaiid, and not be allowed to ! ut nequiliani rel'erant. 33 [, ib.de s.iperstit. '■'* Ho-
die for liim is accounted a disgrace." "* Matthias a minibus vit.^e finis mors, non auleiii siipersiilionis, pri>-
Michou. '•J Epist. Jesuit, anno. 1549 a Xaverto et ' ferl hiEC suosterniiiios ultra vita' lineiii. 35 ij,iii„riiu»
80CUS. Mi'inque Riccius expedid. ad Sinas I. 1. per to- ~ ... . -... _
turn Jcjunatorcs apud eos toto die carnibus abstinent
et piscibus ob reli;;ionem. nocte et die Idola colenles;
iiusqudm egredienles. so Ai1 imniortalitatem niorte
aspirant suinmi inagistratus, &;c. Et multi mortales
tiac insania, et pra;postero immortalitatis studio labo-
Synaaog. Jud. c. 4. Intt-r prccaiiduiii nemo psdiculo»
attingat, vel pulicein, aut per guttur iiilcrius v^ntuit
emittas, &c. Id. c. 5 et. seq. cap. 3i). 3<' Hdc ouiiii*
aiiinialia, pjsces, aves, quos Deu.s uiiqunin creavit dsat
labuutur, el vinum geuerosum, &c.
622 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
BO big, ^ " that by chance tumbling out of the nest, it knocked down tlirce hundred
tall cedars, and breaking as it fell, drowned one hundred anil sixty villages i" this
bird stooil up to the knees in the sea, and ihe sea was so deep, that a hatcliet would
not fall U> the bottom in seven years : of tlieir Messialfs ** wives and children ; Adam
and Eve, &.c,, and tiiat one slupend fiction amongst the rest : when a Honmn prince
asked of rabbi Jehosua ben Ilanania, why the Jews' God was compared to a lion;
he made answer, he compared himself to no ordinary lion, but to one in the wood
Ela, whicli, when he desired to see, the rabbin prayed to God he might, and forth-
with the lion set forward. '■^^''^ But when he was four hundred miles from lu)me he
so roared that all the great-bellied women in Rome mkde abortions, the city walls
fell down, and wlien he came a hundred miles nearer, and roared the second time,
their teeth fell out of their heads, the emperor himself fell down dead, and so the
lion went back." With an inlinite number of such lies and forgeries, which they
verily believe, feed tlu-msclves with vain hope, and in the mean time will by no per-
suasions be diverted, but still crucify their souls with a company of idle ceremonies,
live like slaves and vagabonds, will not be relieved or reconciled.
Mahometans aie a compound of Gentiles, Jews, and Christians, and so absurd in
their ceremonies, as if they hail taken that whicfi is most sottish out of every one
of them, full of idle fables in their superstitious law, their .Mcoran itself a galli-
maufry of lies, tales, ceremonies, traditions, precepts, stolen from other sects, and
confu.sedly heaped up to delude a company of rude and l)arbarous clowns. As how
birds, beast--, stones, .<aluteil .Mahomet when he came from .Mecca, the moon came
down from ht-avin to visit him, *" how God sent lor him, sjMike to him, kc, with a
company ui' stupt-nd figments of the angt-ls, sun, moon, and stars, bte. Of the day
of judgment, and three sounds to prepare to it, which must last tifiy thousand years
of Paradise, which wholly consists in cocundi et contidiruli vuluptnh^ and ptcorinis
hominitfus scriplum^ btslutlis btaliludn^ is so ridiculous, that Virgil, Dante, Lucian
nor any poet can be more fabulous. Their rites and cereumnies are most vain and
superstitious, wine and swine's flesh are utterly forbidden by their law, " they must
pray live times a day ; and still towards the south, wash before and after all their
bodies over, with many such. For fasting, vow«, religious orders, peregrinations,
ihey go far beyond any papists, " they fast a month together many times, and must
not eat a bit till sun be set. Their kalendars, dervises, and torlachers, Stc. are more
"abstemious some of them, than Carthusians, Franciscans, Anchorites, forsake ail,
live solitary, fare hard, go naked, &.c. *' Their pilgrimages are as far as to the river
*'Gangi'S ^^ which the Gentiles of those tracts likewise do), to wash tlit instlves, for
that river as they hold hath a sovereign viitne to purge them of all sins, and no man
can be saved that hath not been washed in it. For which reason they come far and
near from the Indies; Maximus genlium omnium confluius est; and inlinite niinihers
yearly resort to it. Others go as far as Mecca to Mahomet's tomb, which journey is
both miraculous and meritorious. The ceremonies of flinging stones to stone the
devil, of eating a camel at Cairo by the way; their fastings, their running till they
sweat, their long prayers, Mahomet's temple, tomb, and building of it, would ask a
whole volume to dilate : and for their pains taken in this holy pilgrimage, all their
sins are forgiven, and they reputed for so many saints. And diverse of them with
hot bricks, when they return, will put out their eyes, **"that they never after
see any profane thing, bite out their tongues," itc. They look for their prophet
Mahomet as Jews do for their Messiah. Read more of their customs, rites, rere-
uionies, in Lonicerus Turcic. hist. torn. I. from the tenth to the twentv-fonrth clia|>-
ter. Bredenbachius, cap. 4, 5, 6. Leo .Afer, lib. 1. Busbeijuius Sidielhcus, Pur-
chas, lib. 3. cap. 3, el 4, 5. Tleodorus Bibliander, &.c. Many foolish ceremnniea
rn-
'ri AltiiiKiiiit '!< '
.1 coiitructuin
111. >:. .
-,•-1. mill
rint OHM-
II if. mac
p. lJ<! c«lo
.rare Tufc« (••iicntiir ad i:
Ippftltrr
•■«, irm-
>i>. 1 e.
utrllis.
"ip.
# Up
1 .'. r.liij, iiec coiiifdeiile* i:
11 iiiulli |M-r (iiiaiu a;tai
\u-r. ♦• IxillCrrua Kl 1.
' I..I. .'.1 11 111. I .ri.iil
I, 1 I
vutuDi ilcinc«r|ia *iii«r«.
■ iiiia
'•( till (laiiglii'-r!! 1
P«. ilv 10. ■■ Kii..
*u
rrcriisfl ••« Atriir«nii
1 . t»f-
1 : ipia-
niihiarihu
ruiiebdi.
li<liiF, ite.
1. puliila
iiiulin
Ki.iHi ail ■Fiiiiil )a-ccal«
;i'< Huniliie w> aMkll:
&X. •*Uuia Oil
Mem. 1. Subs. 3.] Symptoms of Religious Melancholy. 623
you shall find in them ; and which is most to be lamented, the people are trene-
rally .?o curious in observing of them, that if the least circumstance be omkted
they think they shall be damned, 'tis an irremissible offence, and can hardly be for-
given. I kept in my house amongst my followers (saith Busbequius, sometime the
Turk's orator in Constantinople} a Turkey boy, that by chance did eat =heli-fi«h a
meat forbidden by their law, but the next day "when he knew what he had done, lie
was not only sick to cast and vomit, but very much troubled in mind, would weep
and ^'grieve many days after, torment himself for his foul offence. Anotlier Turk
being to drink a cup of wviie in his cellar, first made a huge noise and filthy faces
" " to warn his soul, as he said, that it should not be guilty of that foul fact which
he was to commit." With such toys as these are men kept in awe, and so cowed,
that they dare not resist, or offend the least circumstance of their law, for con-
science-sake misled by superstition, which no human edict otherwise, no force of
arms, could have enforced.
In the last place are Pseudo-Christians, in describing of whose superstitious symp-
toms, as a mixture of the rest, 1 may say that which St. Benedict once saw' in a
vision, one devil in the market-place, but ten in a monastery, because there was
more work ; in populous cities they would swear and forswear-, lie, falsify, deceive
■ fast enough of themselves, one devil could circumvent a thousand ; but in their re-
ligious houses a thousand devils could scarce tempt one silly m.onk. All the prin-
cipal devils, I think, busy themselves in subverting Christians ; Jews, Gentiles, and
Mahometans, are extra caulem, out of the fold, and need no such attendance, they
make no resistance, "^^eos enim pidsarc negUgit, qms quiefo jure possidere se senti't^
they are his own already : but Christians have that shield of faith, sword of the Spirit
to resist, and must have a great deal of battery before they can be overcome. That
the devil is most busy amongst us that are of the true church, appears by tliose seve-
ral oppositions, heresies, schisms, which in all ages he hath raised to subvert it. and
in that of Rome especially, wherein Antichrist himself now sits and plays his prize.
This mystery of iniquity began to work even in the Apostles' time, many Antichrists
and heretics were abroad, many sprung up since, many now present, and will be to
the workPs em], to dementate men's minds, to seduce and captivate their souls.
Their symptoms I know not how better to express, than in that twofold division, of
such as lead, and are led. Such as lead are heretics, schismatics, false prophets,
impostors, and their ministers : they have some common symptoms, some peculiar.
Common, as madness, folly, pride, insolency. arrogancy, 'singularity, peevishness,
obstinacy, impudence, scorn and contempt of'all other sects : AmZ//j<s addlcti jurare
in verba magistri; ^°they will approve of nought but what they first invent them-
selves, no interpretation good but what their infallibile spirit dictates: none shall be in
secundis, no not in terfiis, they are only wise, only learned in the truth, all damned
but they and their followers, ccedem scripiurarum faciunt ad materiam suam, saith
Tertullian, they make a slaughter of Scriptures, and turn it as a nose of wax to their
own ends. So irrefragable, in the mean time, that what they have once said, they
must and will maintain, in whole tomes, duplications, triplications, never yield to
death, so sclf-cohceited, say what you can. As *' Bernard (erroneously some sav)
speaks of P. Aliardus, omnes patres sic, otque ego sic. Though all the Fathers, Coun-
cils, the whole world contradict it, they care not, they are all one : wd as ^"Grefforv
well notes " of such as are vertiginous, they think all turns round '^Jlid moves, ail
err : when as the error is wholly in their own brains." Mao-allianus. the .Tesuit, in
his Comment on 1 Tim. xvi. 20, and Alphonsus dc castro lib. I. ad-^^-rsus hcpreses.,
gives two more eminent notes or probable conjectures to know s'S<^" men by, (they
might have taken themselves by the noses when they said it) ''"thpjp'^ii.^t ^li^^- affect
novelties and toys, and prefer falsehood before truth ; ^* secondly^ thev care not Avhat
they say, that which rashness and folly hath brought out, prid'e afte"?M-ard, peevish-
ness and contumacy shall maintain to the last gasp." Peculiar syn>y>toms are prodi-
gious paradoxes, new doctrines, vain phantasms, v/liich are manyand diverse as they
"Nullum se conflictandi finem facit. ■"^Ut in
dliquem aniriiliini se recipcret. rie reus fieret pjus
delicti quod ipse erat admissiirus. "Greeor. Hoin.
"'•Bound to the diclatPs of no master." si Epist. 190.
** Oral. a. ut vertigine correptis videntur omnia moveri.
omnia ils falsa sunt, quuin error in ipsnrura cerebro sit.
^ RfS novas affectantct i n utiles, fa l^^a verispra>ffriint.2
quod tetniTJias elTuIiPrit, id superhiu post uioduni tuebi-
tur et conlumacise, &c. *<Sce more in Vincenl
Lyrin.
C24 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Seel. 4.
themselves. *'Nicholaites of old, would have wives in common: ^Nlontanists will
not niarrv at all, nor Tatians, forbidding all flesh, Severians wine; Adaiiiiaiis go
naked, ^because Adam did so in Paradise; and some *^ barefoot all their lives,
because God, Exod. iii. and Joshua v. bid Moses so to do; and Isaiah xx. was bid
put off his .shoes; Manichees hold thai Pythagorean transmigration of souls from
Mjen to b''asts; "" the Circumcellions in Africa, with a mail cruelty made away them-
selves, some bv fire, water, breaking their necks, anil seduced others to do the like,
tlireateuing some if they did not," with a thousand such ; as you may read in "Austin
for there were fourscore and eleven heresies in his times, besides schisms and
smaller factions') Epiphanius, Alphonsus de Castro^ Danctus, Gub, Pruteolus, Sfc Of
prophets, enthu.-iasts and impostors, our Ecclesiastical stories aflord many examples;
of Elias and Christ.s, as our ** Eudo de stellis, a Briton in King Stephen's time, thai
went invisible, translated himself from one to another in a moment, l'vi\ thousands
with good cheer in the wilderness, and many sucli ; nothing so common as miracles,
visions, revelation's, prophecies. Now what these brain-sick heretics once broach,
and imposti»rs set on foot, be it never so absurd, false, and prodigious, the common
[teople will follow and believe. It will run along like murrain in cattle, scab in
sheep. JS'itlln saibies^ as *'he said, supersti/iime sctibiosior ; as he that is bitten with
a mad dog bites others, and all m the eml become n»ad ; either out of affection of
novelty, simplicity, blind zeal, hope and fear, the giddy-headed multitude will em-
brace it, and without further examination approve it.
Sed Vetera qwrimur^ these are old, hac prius fuere. In our days we have a new
scene of superstitious impostors and heretics. A new company of actors, of Anti-
christs, lliat treat .Antichrist himself: a rope of hopes, that by their greatness and
authoriiv ' ' ■ ri all before them: who from that lime they proclaimed them-
«cl\r-i ii;. lops. to establish their own kingdom, sovereignty, greatness, and
to iMiricti It in MUch a c«>m[Ktny of human traditions, purgatory,
Ijn'"f< I ■!'! h!I that subterranean geography, mass, adoration of
■*, fudern, friars, images, shiines, rjiusiv relics.
; ictions, bliiul obetliences, vows, pdgrimages,
many such curious toys, intricate subtleties, gross errors, obscure
,. ate the heller and set a gloss uj)«>n iheiii, that the light of the Gos-
pel was quite eclipised, darkne:!>8 over all, the Scriptures conceale«l, legends brought in,
religion bani^tled, hyporriiical superstition exalted, and ihe Church itself ** obscured
and persecuted : ChriMt and his members crucified in«»re, saitli Benzo, by a few necro-
n)antic<)l, atheistical popes, than ever it was by "Julian llie Apostate. Porphyrias
ihe Platoni>?, Ctlsus the physician, Libunius the Sophister ; by those heathen em-
perors, Huns, (loths, and Vandals. Wliat each of them did, by what means, at
what limes, t^uihwi auxitiis, superstition climbed to this height, tradition increased,
and .\uticii'i-t iiimself came to his estate, let .Magdeburgenses, Kemnisius, Osian-
<ler. Bale, .MMrtiay, Fox, Usher, and many others relate. In the mean time, he that
shall but see iln'ir profane rites and foolish customs, how superstitiously kept,
how strictly obs rved, their multitude of saints, images, that rablile of Romish dei-
ties, for tnivles, professions, diseases, persons, (^itlices, countries, places ; St. George
for E^nglaiid ; St. Denis for France, Patrick, Ireland ; Andrew, Scotland ; Jago, S|Kiin;
&.C. Gregory (;>r students ; Luke for painters ; Cosmus and Damian for philoso-
phers; C-- - -'"temakers; Kalherine, spinners ; &c. Anthony for pigs ; Galluf,
geese; ^^ -. sheep; Pelagius, oxen; Sebastian, the plague; Valentine, fall-
1112 sickii '>nia, looth-ache ; Petronella for agues; and the Virgin Mar>' for
sea antl ! 1 parties, offices : he that shall observe these things, llieir shrines,
images. «>ii iiio. .^ etidanls, adorations, pilgrimages tliey make to them, what creep-
ing to rrnss#>«. nuf l^ily of Ix)retto's rifh ''gowns, her donaries, the cost bestowed
)U p Tiber of suitors; St. Nicholas Burge in France; our St. Thtima**!
•♦hrii iMterbury ; those relics at Bom**, Jf rusalem, Genoa, I.yon^, Pm-
•* A (11 indifltren*. **n : Dial. *<' as
iPtr ! *" Mil r, ri (ti.tmt mill 'lit
mtwt- ab orbs cuo«liia *■ Nubcigenaii. lib. cap. 19. i **Oa« msft b*<loa«fu«B wurib 400 crawM a«4 man
Mem. I. Subs. 3.] Symploms of Religious Melancholy. 625
tiim, St. Denis; and how many thousands come yearly to offer to them, with what
cost, trouble, anxiety, superstition (for forty several masses are daily said in some
of their *^^ churches, and they rise at all hours of the night to mass, come barefoot,
&c.), how they spend themselves, times, goods, lives, fortunes, in such ridiculous
observations ; their tales and figments, false miracles, buying and selling of pardons,
indulgences for 40,000 years to come, their processions on set days, their strict
fastings, monks, anchorites, friar mendicants, Franciscans, Carthusians, &c. Their
vigils and fasts, their ceremonies at Christmas, Shrovetide, Candlemas, Palm-Sunday,
Blaise, St. Martin, St. Nicholas' day; their adorations, exorcisms. Sec, will tliink all
those Grecian, Pagan, Mahometan superstitions, gods, idols, and ceremonies, the
name, time and place, habit only altered, to have degenerated into Christians. Whilst
they prefer traditions before Scriptures ; those Evangelical Councils, poverty, obe-
dience, vows, alms, fasting, supererogations, before God's Commandments'; their
own ordinances instead of his precepts, and keep them in ignorance, blindness, they
nave brought the common people into such a case by their cunning conveyances,
strict discipline, and servile education, that upon pain of damnation they dare not
break the least cetemony, tradition, edict; hold it a. greater sin to eat a bit of meat
in Lent, than kill a man : their consciences are so terrified, that they are ready to
despair if a small ceremony be omitted; and will accuse their own father, mother,
brother, sister, nearest and dearest friends of heresy, if they do not as they do, will
be their chief executioners, and help first to bring a faggot to bum them. What
mulct, what penance soever is enjoined, they dare not but do it, tumble with St.
Francis in the mire aniongst hogs, if they be appointed, go woolward, whip tiiem-
selves, build hospitals, abbeys, &c., go to the East or West Indies, kill a king, or
run upon a sword point : they perform all, without any muttering or hesitation,
believe all.
8«-- Ul pueri infantes credunt signa omni.T ahena l *'As children think their babies live to be,
Vivere, et essp homines, el sic isti omnia ficta Do they these brazen images they see."
Vera putant, credunt signis cor inesse alienis." |
And whilst the ruder sort are so carried headlong with blind zeal, are so gulled anci
tortured by their superstitions, their own too credulous simplicity and ignorance,
their epicurean popes and hypocritical cardinals laugh in their sleeves, and are merry
w their chambers witli iheir punks, they do indidgere genio, and make much of tiiem-
selves. The middle sort, some for private gain, hope of ecclesiastical preferment,
(quis cxpedivit psiltaco suum xciips) popularity, base flattery, must and will believe
all their paradoxes and absurd tenets, without exception, and as obstinately maintain
and put in practice all their traditions and idolatrous ceremonies (for their religion is
half a trade) to the deatli ; they will defend all, the golden legend itself, with all tht
lies and tales in it: as that of St. George, St. Christopher, St. Winifi'ed, St. Denis,
&.C. It is a wonder to see how Nic. Harpsfield, that pharisaical impostor, amongst
the rest, Ecclesiast. Hist. cap. 22. sac prim, sex., puzzles himself to vindicate that
ridiculous fable of St. Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins?, as when they live,^''
how they came to Cologne, by whom martyred, &c., thougli he can say nothing for
It, yet he must and will approve it : nobilitavit (inquit) hoc scecuhun Ursula cum.
comiiibus, cujus hisloria utinam tarn mild esset expedila et cerla, quuin in animo raeo
cerium ac expeditum est, earn esse cum sodalibus bealam in coelis virginem. 'They
must and will (I say) either out of blind zeal believe, vary their compass with the
rest, as the latitude of religion varies, apply themselves to the times and seasons,
and for fear and flattery are content to subscribe and to do all that in them lies to
maintain and defend their present government and slavish religious schoolmen, can-
onists. Jesuits, friars, priests, orators, sophisters, who either for that they had notliing
else to do, luxuriant wit? knew not otherwise how to busy themselves in those idle
times, for the Church then had few or no open adversaries, or better to defend theii
lies, fictions, miracles, transubstantiations, traditions, pope's pardons, purgatories,
masses, impossibilities. Sec. with glorious shows, fair pretences, big words, and
plausible wits, have coined a thousand idle questions, nice distinctions, subtleties,
Obs and Sols, such tropological, allegorical expositions, to salve all appearances,
*^ As al our lady's churcli at Bergamo in Italy. " Liicilius lib. 1. cap. 22. de falsa relig. " Ad. 441.
79 3C
626 Religious Melancholy. Tart. 3. Sec. 4
objections, such quirks and qukhVnies, quodlihetaries., as Bale saith of Ferribri^ge and
Strode, iii.slanccs, ampliations, decrees, glosses, canons, that instead of sound coni-
nientarirs, good preachers, are come in a company of mad sophisters, primo secundo
secundarii, sectaries, Canonists, Sorbonists, Minorites, with a rabble of idle contro-
versies and questions, ^tin Papa sit Dcus, an (fitasi JJcusf An part ici pet tilramque
Christi naluram f Whether it be as possible for God to be a humble bee or a gourd,
as a man : Whether he can produce respect without a foundation or term, malie a
whore a virgin ? fetch Trajan''s soul from hell, and how ? with a rabble of questions
about hell-fire : whether it be a greater sin to kill a man, or to clout shoes upon a
Sunday? whether God can make another God like unto himself? Such, saith Kem-
nisius, are most of your schoolmen, (mere alchemists) 2U0 commentators on Peter
Lambard ; [Pitsius catal. scriplorum Anglic, reckons up 18(1 English commentators
alone, on the matter of the sentences), Scotisis, Thomists, Ileals, Nominals, kc, and
so perhaps tliat of St. "^ Austin may be veritied. Indocli rapiuni coiliim, docli interim
descendiinl ad infvrnum. Thus tliey continued in such error, blindness, decrees,
sophisms, superstitions; idle ceremonies and traditions were the sum of their new-
coined holiness and religion, and by these knaveries am! stratagems they were able
to involve multitudes, to deceive the most sanctified souls, and, if it were possible,
the very elect, hi the mean time the true Church, as wine and water mixeil. lay hid
and ob.-cure tt) speak of, till Luther's time, who began upon a sudden to defecate,
and as ani'ther sun to drive away those foggy mists of superstition, to restore it to
that purity of tlie primitive Cliurch. And after him many good and godly men,
divine spiiils. have dune their endeavours, and still do.
'•>" And wliat their igiioranre eateeiii'd bo holy.
Our wiM:r ugcH du account a« folly."
But see the devil, that will never suffer the Church to be quiet or at rest : no
garden so well tilled but some noxious weeds grow up in it, no wheat but it
hath some tares : we have a mad giddy company of precisians, schismatics, and some
heretics, even in our own bosoms in another extreme. '"'•'' Dum vitani stulti ritia in
contruriu currunt ;■" that out of too much zeal in opposition to Antichrist, human
traditions, those Komish rites and superstitions, will quite demolish all, they will
admit of no ceremonies at all, no fasting days, no cross in baptism, kneeling at com-
munion, no cliurch music, i».c., no bishops' courts, no church government, rail at all
our '•hurch discipline, will not hold their tongues, and all for the peace of thee, O
Sion! J^'o, n<it so much as degrees some of them will tolerate, or universities, all
human learning, ('tis cloaca diabuli) hoods, habits, cap and surplice, such as are
things iiuHllerent in themselves, and wholly for ornament, decency, or dislinction'-
sake, they abhor, hate, and snuff" at, as a stone-horse when he meets a bear: they
n>ake matters of ci>nscience of them, and will rather forsake their livings than sub-
scribe to them. They will admit of no holidays, or honest recreations, as ol' hawk-
ing, hunting, Stc, no churches, no bells some of them, because papists use them ;
no discipline, no ceremonies but what they invent themselves ; no interpretations of
scriptures, no comments of fathers, no councils, but such as their own fantastical
spirits dictate, or recta ratio, as Socinians, by which spirit misled, many times they
broach as prodigious paradoxes as papists themselves. Some of liiem turn prophets,
have secret revelations, will be of privy council with God himself, and know all his
secrets, - Per capiltos spiritum sanctum leiient^et omnia sciunt cum sinl asini omnium
obstinalissimi, a company of giddy heads will take upon them to deiine how many
shall be saved and who damned in a parish, where they shall sit in heaven, interpret
Apocalypses, [Commentatores prcpcipites el vertiginosos, one calls llu-m, as well he
might) and those hidden mysteries to private persons, times, places, as their own
spirit informs them, private revelations shall suggest, and precisely set down when
the world shall come to an end, what *ear, what month, what day. S<Jine of them
again have such strong faith, so presumptuous, they will go into infected houses,
expel devils, and fast forty days, as Christ himself did ; some call God and his attri-
butes into question, as Vorstius and Socinus ; some princes, civil magistrates, and
* HiMpii.ian OM.'iiiiier. An h^pc propovilm [Viia *il die duiuiniro ral*'-'iini coiKiii'rc 7 'v rfi-
ciirurbila «r. M-nralxru*, ml cque puiuiitiiiia ac Ueu* cl lian. ''■D.inirl. "" WhiUl I !>•->•
Ii'iiio ? All pi>Mil re>i<«ctiiiD priNlucere »iiir t'iindani>.-iilo one vice Ih^y run iiilu another uf an op|>o<-.. -»
ci Ivrnui.o. All leviu* (it bouiincin jugulare i|uain , ter." 'i .\griti. rf). tO.
IMem. 1. Subs. 4.] Prognostics of Religions Melancholy. -27
their authorities, as anabaptists, will do all their own private spirit tlictatc? and
nothing else. Brownists, Barrowists, Faniilists, and those Ani«terdamian sects and
sectaries, are led all by so many private spirits. It is a wonder to reveal what pas-
sages Sleidan relates in his Commentaries, of. Cretinck, Knipperdoling, and their
associates, those madmen of IMunster in Germany; what strange enthusiasms, sottish
revelations they had, how absurdly they carried themselves, deluded others; and as
profane Machiavel in his political disputations holds of Christian religion, in general
it doth gnervate, debilitate, take away men's spirits and courage from them, sim-
pliciores reddit homines^ breeds nothing so courageous soldiers as that Roman : we
may say of these peculiar sects, their religion takes away not spirits only, but wit
and judgment, and deprives them of their understanding; for some of them are so
far gone with their private enthusiasms and revelations, that they are quite mad, out
of their wits. What greater madness can there be, than for a man to take upon him
to be a God, as some do ? to be the Holy Ghost, Elias, and what not ? In '^Poland,
1518, in the reign of King Sigismund, one said he was Christ, and got him twelve
apostles, came to judge the world, and strangely deluded the commons. '* One David
George, an illiterate painter, not many years since, did as much in Holland, took
upon him to be the Messiah, and had man}^ followers. Benedictus Yictorinus Fa-
ventinus, consil. 15, writes as much of one Honorius, that thought he was not only
inspired as a prophet, but that he was a God himself, and had '^familiar conference
with God and liis angels. Lavat. de spect. c. 2. part. 8. hath a story of one Jolin Sar-
torious, that thought he was the prophet Elias, and cap. 7. of diverse others t!iat had
conference with angels, were saints, prophets. Wierus, lib. 3. de Lamiis c. 7. maizes
mention of a prophet of Groning that said he was God the Father; of an Italian and
Spanish prophet that held as much. We need not rove so far abroad, we have flimi-
liar examples at home : Hackett that said he was Christ; Coppinger and Artliington
his disciples; '^Burchet and Hovatus, burnfed at IVoiwich. We are never likely
seven years together without some such new prophets that have several inspirations,
some to convert the Jews, some fast forty days, go with Daniel to the lion's den;
some foretell strange things, some for one thing, some for another. Great precisians
of mean conditions and very illiterate, most part by a preposterous zeal, fastin^. medi-
tation, melancholy, are brought into those gross errors and inconveniences. Of those
men I may conclude generally, that howsoever they may seem to be discreet, and
men of understanding in other matters, discourse well, IcEsam hahent imaginationrm.,
they are like comets, round in all places but where they blaze, cculera sani, they
have impregnable wits many of them, and discreet otherwise, but in this their mad-
ness and folly breaks out beyond measure, in infinitum eriunpit stultitia. Tliey are
certainly far gone with melancholy, if not quite mad, and have more need of physic
than many a man that keeps his bed, more need of hellebore than those that are in
Bedlam.
Sub SECT. IV. — Prognostics of Religious Melancholy.
You may guess at the prognostics by the symptoms. What can these signs fore
tell otherwise than folly, dotage, madness, gross ignorance, despair, obstinacy, a repro-
bate sense, "a bad end.? VVhat else can' superstition, heresy produce, but wars,
tumults, uproars, torture of souls, and despair, a desolate land, as Jeremy teacheth,
cap. vii. 31. when they commit idolatry, and walk after their own ways .' how should
it be otherwise with them ? what can they expect but "blasting, famine, dearth," and
all the plagues of Egypt, as Amos denounceth, cap. iv. vers. 9. 10. to be led into
captivity? If our hopes be frustrate, "we sow much and bring in little, eat and
have not enough, drink and are not filled, clothe and be not warm. Sec. Ilaggai i. 6.
we look for much and it comes to little, \thence is it? His house was waj^te, they
came to their own houses, vers. 9. there'^jre the heaven stayed his dew. the earth
his fruit." Because we are superstitious, irreligious, we do not serve Got! as we
ought, all these plagues and miseries come upon us; what can we look for else but
"3 Alex. Ga<ruin. 22. Discipulis ascitis minim ill rtiodum burst; Mont.inus hanged himself, &c. Eiido de stellis,
popiihim decepit. '^Guicciard. descrip. Beli;. com. his disciples, ardere potius quam ad vitam corrigi ma-
plures habnit asseclas ah iisdem lionoratus. '' Hen. luerunt ; tanla vis infixi seinel erroris. they died blas-
\icholas at Leiden 15S0. such a one. '^geeCam- pheming. Nubrigensisc.9. lib. 1. Jer. vii. 23. Adios. v.5.
der's Annals fo. 242. et 285. " Arius his bowels
028 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. S;h\ 4.
•mutual wars, slautrhters, fearful ends in this life, and in the life to come eternal damna-
tion ? \>'lKit is it th:ii hath caused so many feral battles to he fon^lit, so mucli Chris-
tian blood shed, bill superstition ! That Spanish inquisition, racks, wheels, tortures,
l(»rments, whence do thev proceed ? from superstition. BocUne the rienchman, in his
"^method, hist, accounts Englishmen barbarians, for their civil wars: but let him read
those Pharsalian fields ^'fought of late in France for tlieir religion, their massacres,
wherein by their own relations in twenty-four years, I know not how many millions
have been consumed, whole families and cities, and he shall find ours to be but velita-
tioiis to theirs. But it hath ever been the custom of heretics and idolaters, wheft they are
plagued for their sins, and God's just judgments come upon them, not to acknowledge
any fault i:i themselves, but still impute it unto others. In Cyprian's time it was much
controverlpil between him and Demetrius an idolater, who should be the cause of those
present calamities. Denietrius laid all the fault on Christians, (and so they did ever
in the primitive church, as appears by the first book of *" Arnobius), *'" that there
were not such ordinary showers in winter, the ripeninir heat in sunnner, so season-
able springs, fruitful autumns, no marble mitjes in the mountaitis, less gold and silver
than of f)ld ; that husbandmen, seamen, soldiers, all were scanted, justice, friend-
ship, skill in arts, all was decayed," and that through Chri>;lians' default, and all their
other miseries from them, t/uu<l dii nostri u vobis nan cohmlur^ becau>c they did not
worship their gods. But Cyprian retort.s all upon him again, as appears by his tract
against him. 'Tis true the world is miserably torniented and shaken with wars,
dearth, famine, fire, inundations, plagues, and n»any fend diseases rage amongst us,
st'd nun tit In quereria ista acciditnt quod dii resiri a nnhis non colantur^ scd (jiiod a
vobis uon colalur Dtu$^ a quibus nee qiueritttr., nee timetur, not as thou complainest,
that we do nut worship your Gods, but because you arc idolaters, and do not serve
the true God, neither seek him, nor fear him as you ought. Our papists cjbject as
much to us, and account us heretics, we them ; tf\e Turks csteenj of both as infi-
dels, and we them as a com[)any of (xiguns, Jews against all ; when indeed there is
a general fault in us all, and something in the very best, which may justly deserve
God's wrath, and pull these miseries upon our heads. I will say nothing here of
those vain cares, torments, needless works. |)enance, pilgrimages, pseudumartyrdom,
&.C. We heap upon ourselves unnecessary troubles, ob.servatious ; we punish our
bodies, as in Turkey isaith "^ Busbenuius /*i,'. Ttircic. ep. '.i.) "one did, that was
much arttcted with music, and to hear boys sing, but very superstitious; an old sybil
coming to his house, or a holy woman, (as that place yields many) look him down
for it, and told him, that in that other world he should sufler for it ; thereupon he
riung his rich and costly instruments which he had bedecked with jewels, all at once
mto the fire, lie was served in silver plate, and had goodly household stuff: a little
after, another religious man reprehended him in like sort, and from thenceforth he
was served in earthen vessels, last of all a decree came forth, because Turks might
not drink wine themselves, that neither Jew nor Christian then living in Constanti-
nople, might drink any wine at all." In like sort amongst papists, fasting at first
was generallv proposed as a good thing; after, from such meats at set times, and
then last of all so rigorously proposed, to bind the consciences upon pain of damna-
tion. " First Friday," saith Erasmus, •♦ then Saturday," et nunc prriclitatur dies
Mercuriiy and Wednesday now is in danger of a fast. '^'•.And for such like toys,
some so miserably atHict themselves, to despair, and death itself, rather than offend,
and think themselves good Christians in it, when a.s indeed they are superstitious
Jews." ^ saith Leonardus Fuchsius, a great physician in his time. *'"Wc are
tortured in Germany with these popish edicts, our bodies so taken down, our goods
so diminished, that if God had not sent Luther, a worthy man, in tuue, to redress
^ i. Cap. '• Poplinerius {jentxn pr*f. hi«t. Rich. ' cuj'ixlani i
Oinath. * Advcre. (rentes lib I iMmninaiii in inumlo nienloriiiii
('bri«tiana gfiM capit, lerraruiii nrh^ni (wriiM;, el inijl- oi.. r. .li-ir
ti« niali4 urriliiiii ease gen>t» liriiiiiiiiiiiii videuiii*.
*' QiKxl iipc li\riiie. nee "late laiita iinbriiiiiiropia net
friiKibuii (iirri-iiiti' i«>liia llMKranlia. i\>r vrrnuli iniiiierii'
■•la lam lariu nini, n>-e arboreis latibuii aiituiniu lie-
curidi. iniini* Ue ni<inlibij* niarinor eriialiir. miniia au-
rum. ^r. nSolilu* era! ubleclare lu- tKJibiif, et '
*<icr niuaica canentiun : ard hoc onine aublatuiu H> bilta i l)> ciiiu ulei«uuiu Tuii
'
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quill. .
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Mem. 1. Subs, 5.] Curt of Religious Melancholy. 629
these mischiefs, we should have eaten hay with our horses before this." °''As in
fasting, so in all other superstitious edicts, we r.-ucify one another without a cause,
barring ourselves of many good and lawful things, honest disports, pleasures and
recreations ; for wherefore did God create them but for our use ? Feasts, mirth,
music, hawking, hunting, singing, dancing, &c. non tarn necessitatibus noslris Dcui
i?iservif, sr.d in delicias arnumur^ as Seneca notes, God would have it so. And as
Plato 2. de legihus gives out, Deos laboriosam hominuni vitam miseratos^ the gods ii-
comniiseralion of human estate sent Apollo, Bacchus, and the Muses, qui cum volup-
tate tripudia et soltationes nobis duccml^ to be merry with mortals, to sing and dance
with us. So that he that will not rejoice and enjoy himself, making good use of
such tilings as are lawfully permitted, non est lemperatus, as he will, scd superstitio-
sus. " There is nothing better for a man, than that he sliould eat and drink, and
that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour," Eccles. ii. 24. And as ^^one
said of hawking and hunting, tot solatia in hue cegri orbis calamitaie, morkdibus
tcediis di'us objecif, I say of all honest recreations, God hath therefore indulged them
to refresh, ease, solace and comfort us. But we are some of us too stern, too rigid,
too precise, too grossly superstitious, and whilst we make a conscience of every toy,
V'ith touch not, taste not, &c., as those Pythagoreans of old, and some Indians now,
that will eat no flesh, or suffer any living creature to be killed, the Bannians about
Guzzerat ; we tyrannise over our brother's soul, lose the right use of many good
gifts ; honest ^^ sports, games and pleasant recreations, ^punish ourselves without a
cause, lose our liberties, and sometimes our lives. Anno 1270, at ^^3Iagdeburg in
Germany, a Jew fell into a privy upon a Saturday, and without help could not pos-
sibly get out; he called to his fellows for succour, but they denied it, because it was
their Sabbath, 7io?i licebat opus manuum exercere ; the bishop hearing of it, the next
day forbade him to be pulled out, because it was our Sunday. In the mean time
the wretch died before Monday. We have myriads of examples in this kind amongst
those rigid Sabbatarians, and therefore not without good cause, ^Intolerabilem perlu-
bationcrn Seneca calls it, as well he might, an intolerable perturbation, that causelh
such dire events, folly, madness, sickness, despair, death of body and soul, and hell
itself.
SuBSECT. V. — Cure of Religious Melancholy.
To purge the world of idolatry and superstition, will require some monster-taming
Hercules, a divine .T-sculapius, or Christ himself to come in his own person, to reign
a thousand years on earth before the end, as the Millenaries will have him. They
are generally so refractory, self-conceited, obstinate, so firmly addicted to that reli-
gion in which they have been bred and brought up, that no persuasion, no terror, no
persecution, can divert them. The consideration of which, hath iiuiuced many
commonwealths to suffer them to enjoy their consciences as they will themselves :
a toleration of Jews is in most provinces of Europe. In Asia tliey have their
synagogues : Spaniards permit Moors to live amongst them : the Mogullians, Gen-
tiles : the Turks all religions. In Europe, Poland and Amsterdam are the conniion
sanctuaries. Some are of opinion, that no man ouglit to be compelled f<>r con-
science'-sake, but let him be of what religion he will, he may be saved, as Corne-
lius was formerly accepted, Jew, Turks, Anabaptists, &c. If he be an honest
man, live soberly, and civilly in his profession, (Volkelius, Crellius, and the rest of
the Socinians, that now nestle themselves about Cracow and Kakow in Poland, have
renewed this opinion) serve his own God, with that fear and reverence as he ought.
Sua cuique civilati (Laili) religio sit, nostra nobis., Tully thought fit every city
should be free in this behalf, adore their own Cuslodes et Topicos Deos, tutelar
•^The Gentiles in India will eat no sensihli; crea-
tures, or aiiulit that l.atli hlood in it. ''^ Vandor-
milius de AiiciipiD. cap. 27. "Some explode ail
liunian aulliors. arts, and sciences, poels, histories, &c.,
so precise, their zeal ovi-rruiis their wits; and so slupi<l,
tliey oppose all hiiinan learning', li^caiise Ihey are iL'iio-
rant themselves and illiterate, nolhiiiji must lie read
hut Scriptures; but these men deserve to be pitied,
rather than itonfuted. Others are so strict they will
3c3
admit of no honest came and pleasure, no dancing,
siiicins, other plays, recreations and games, hawking,
huiilinu. tock-lifihtiiiif, bear-h.iitinc. &c.. because to see
one lieast kill anotlier is the fruit of our rebellion
against God, &.c. <* Vuda ac treinehumla criientis
Irrepet genibiis si Candida jiisseril I no. Jiiveiialis.
Sect. 6. tSiVIunster Cosiiiog. lib. 3. cap. 444. incidit
in cloacam, unde se non possil exiinere. iniplorat op<'m
iocioruui, sed illi negant, &c. '"De benelic. 7 ^
630 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
and local gods, as Symmachus calls them. Isocrates adviseth Demonicus, " when he
came to a strange city, to '"worship by all means the gods of the place," et nnum-
quem(jiti\ Tojjicum deum sic coU oportcre, quomodo ipse pracepcrit : which Cecilius
in *^Minnlius labours, and would have every nation sucrunim rilus gentiles habere et
4eos cohrt 7minicipes, keep their own ceremonies, worship their peculiar goils, which
Pomponius Mela reports oi" the Africans, Deos stios putriu more venerantur, they wor
ship their own gods according to their own ordination. For why should any one
nation, as he there pleails, challenge thai universality of God, Deuin suunt quern nee
ostenduiil, nee vident, discurrantem silicet et ubique prcrsenlem^ in omnium mores,
actus, et occiiltas, co^itali^tnes inquirentemy «^c., as Christians do: let every province
enjoy their liberty in this behalf, worship one God, or all as they will, anil are in-
formed. The Humans built altars Diis Asiie, Europa?, Lybiie, diis itrnotis et pere-
grinis : others otherwise, kc. Plinius Secundus, as appears by his Eputle to Trajan,
would nut have the Chiistians so perseruleil, and in sonie time of the reign of
Maxim iiius, as we fmd it registered in Eusebius lib. 9. cap. i). there was a decree
made to this purpose, JS'ullus cogutur invitus ad hunc vel ilium deorum ciiltum, " let
no one be compelled against his will to worship any particular deity," and by Con-
Btantine iit the I'Jih year of his reign as *• IJaronius infi»rmeth us, JW'mo alteri ex-
hibeut inolestium, quod cujiisqne animus vult, hue quisque transigat, new gods, new
lawgivers, new priests, will have new ceremonies, customs and religions, to which
every w ise man as u good forntalist should acconnnodute himself.
•< " Halurnus periit, penerunt et «ua jura,
tiub Juvv iiuuc uiuciUu*. jUMa Kcquitre Jovin."
The Pfiid Con«'taf»tinp thf enjjwror, as F.ii-'fbins writes, flutig down and nemolished
all if 'S and temples, and turned them
all I ■ ' ritis ludibrio exposuit ; the Turk
now converw them again lo .\luhomeiun m«)Sijues. The like edict came forth in the
reign of Arcadius and llomirius. *' Symmachus the orator in his days, to procure a
general toleration, used this argument, ^"Because God is immense and infinite, and
his natu e cannot |)erfectly be known, it is convenient he should be as diversely wor-
shippeiU as every man shall perceive or understand." It was impossible, he thought,
for one .-eligion to be universal : you see that one small province can hardly be ruled
by one luu, civil or spiritual; and ** lu)W shall so many distinct anil vast empiren of
the worlil be united into one.' It never was, never will be ' lieside-s, if there be
infinite i-lanetary and firmamental worlds, as "^ some will, iher*' be intinite genii or
commaiu'.ing spirits' belonging to each of them; and so, ptr consequens (for they will
be all a(li>red , mfiniie religions. And therefore let every territory keep their proper
rites and ceremonies, as tlieir dii lutelares will, so Tyrius calls them, ''and accord-
ing to the quarter tiiey hold," their own institutions, revelations, orders, oracles,
which they dictate from time to time, or teach their own priests or ministers. This
tenet wa.-> stillly maintained in Turkey not long since, as you may read in the third
epistle of liusbequius, *"•• that all those should participate of eternal ha|ipine.ss, that
hved a holy and innocent life, what religitiu soever they professed." Kustan Bassa
was a great {latron of it; though Mahomet himself was sent virlute gladdi, to enforce
all, as he writes in his Alcoran, to fullow him. Some again will approve of this for
Jews, Gentiles, intldels, that are out of the fold, they can be content to give them all
respect and favour, but by luj means to such as are within the precincts of our liwn
church, and called Christians, to no heretics, schismatics, or the like; let the Spanish
inquisition, that fourth fury, speak of some of them, the civil uars and ma-ssacres in
France, our Marian tunes. ^ Magillianus the Jesuit will not admit of conference
with a heretic, but severity and rigour to be used, non diis verba rcddere, sed f ur-
eas, Jige re oportet ; and Theoilosius is commended in Nicephoru"', lib. I'Z. cap. 15.
*°°**Thai he put all heretics to silence." Bernard. Epist. 180, will have ciub law,
•■ Nuiii«-n venervre prvMrtmi qund civitai coin. , >, ' ipil aul iiil>-llirit. "Cain-
■ OcCatio ilial. * .\iiiial. liiiii :i aJ Niiriiiin 221. I. 'iKr*. » .VlXrtum U-al|.
"OVC! . .1 ..•...« .1-:, 1 1,.. I . . . , I ,. .1,. 1 ^ - . I .. I.,„^
Ihal I ,11
•» In • ■ tf
e«t, ti J-.-. , .-i i. ...........-...,..>,... -I ,..j,i .iiini •- '» . , ., ,.>,ytia
pulaat.Kquuui er|{u eat, at diveria raliuoe oilatur (iruul iMrrnltCM luuiteriL
Mem. 2. Subs, 1.] Religious Melancholy in Defect. 631
fire and sv\ord for heretics, '" compel them, stop their mouths not with disputations,
or refute them with reasons, but with fists ;" and this is their ordinary practice.
Another company are as mild on the other side ; to avoid all heart-burnintr, and con-
tentious wars and uproars, they would have a general toleration in every kinffdom,
no mulct at all, no man for religion or conscience be put to death, which ^Thuanua
the French historian much favours ; our late Socinians defend ; Vaticanus ag-ainst
Calvin in a large Treatise in behalf of Servetus, vindicates; Castilio, kc. I\lartin
Ballius and his companions, maintained this opinion not long since in France, whose
error is confuted by Beza in a just volume. The medium is best, and that which
Paul prescribes. Gal. i. " If any man shall fall by occasion, to restore such a one
with the spirit of meekness, by all lair means, gentle admonitions ;" but if that will
not take place, Post unam et alteram admonitionem hcBreticum devita., he must be
excommunicate, as Paul did by Hymenaeus, delivered over to Satan. Immedicahile
vulnus ease reddendum est. As Hippocrates said in physic, I may well say in divinity,
QucBferro nan curantur., ignis curat. For the vulgar, restrain them by laws, mulcts,
burn their books, forbid their conventicles ; for when the cause is taken away, the
effect will soon cease. Now for prophets, dreamers, and such rude silly fellows,
that through fasting, too much meditation, preciseness, or by melancholy, are dis-
tempered : the best means to reduce them ad sanam mentem, is to alter their course
of life, and with conference, threats, promises, persuasions, to intermix phvsic.
Hercules de Saxonia had such a prophet committed to his charge in Venice, that
thought he was Elias, and would fast as he did ; lie dressed a fellow in angePs
attire, that said he came from heaven to bring him divine food, and by that means
stayed his fast, administered his physic ; so by the meditation of this forged angel
he was cured. ^Rhasis an Arabian, cont. lib. 1. cap. 9, speaks of a fellow that in
like case complained to him, and desired his help : '•' 1 asked him (saiih he i what
the matter was ; he replied, I am continually mcditatmg of heaven and liell, and
methinks I see and talk with fiery spirits, and smell brimstone, &c., and am so carried
away with these conceits, that I can neither eat, nor sleep, nor go about my busi-
ness : I cured him (saith Rhasis) partly by persuasion, partly by physic, and so have
I done by many others." We have frequently such propliets and dreamers amongst
us, whom we persecute with fire and faggot : I think the most compendious cure,
for some of tbem at least, had been in Bedlam. Sed de his satis.
MEMB. n.
SuBSECT. I. — Religious Melancholy in defect; parties affected., Epicures., Atheists,
Hypocrites., worldly secure., Carnalists ; all impious persons, impenitent sinners, S)-c.
I.v that other extreme or defect of this love of God, knowledge, faith, fear, hope,
&c. are such as err both in doctrine and manners, Sadducees, Ilerodians, libertines,
politicians : all manner of atheists, epicures, infidels, that are secure, in a reprobate
sense, fear not God at all, and such are too distrustful and timorous, as desperate
persons be. That grand sin of atheism or impiety, ^ Afelanctlion calls it monstrosam
melancholiam, monstrous melanclioly ; or venenatam melancholiam., poisoned melan-
choly. A company of Cyclops or giants, that war Avith the gods, as the poets
feigned, antipodes to Christians, that scoff at all religion, at God himself, deny him
and all his attributes, his wisdom, power, providence, his mercy and judgment.
'" Esse aliqiios ni.Tiies, et siihferraiiea rejna,
Et coiitiirii. et Stysio raiias in guraite niirras,
At(jue una tran:>ire VHiluin tot inillia cyniba,
Ncc pueri creduiit, nisi qui nondum sre lavantur."
' Igne et fuste potiiis aiienduin cum hlreficis qunm I Eso curavi medicine et persuasione; et sic plures alios,
rum dis[iutati<)nil)iis; os alia Inquens, &.C. « Pra-fat. « De aniina. c. de huinoribus. > Juvt^nal. " That
Hist. 'Qiiidam comjuf'slus est milii ile line murho, there are many gliosis and subterranean realms, and t
jt ilr^prpcalus est ut ego i!:uin curarein ; esro qu^sivi ab boat-pole, and black frogs in tile Slysian gulf, and that
e« quia seiitiret ; rt-spoiulit, semper imaginor et cogito so many thousands pass over in one boat, noi ^ven boys
ie Deo et angelis, &:c et ita dem<'rsus sum hac imagi- believe, unless those not as yet washed for mouey."
Aatione, ut iifz edain nee dormiam, nee negotijs, &c. I
632 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 4.
That there is either heaven or hell, resurrection of the ilead, pain, happiness, oi
worlil to come, credat Judaus Apella ; for their parts they esteem them as so many
poet's tales, bugbears, Lucian's Alexaiuler ; Moses, Mahomet, and Christ are all as
one in their creed. When those blood) wars in France for matters of religion (saith
•Richard Dinoth) were so violentlv pur.-ued between Huguenots and Papists, there
was a company of good fellows laughed them all to scorn, for being sucli supersti-
tious fools, to lose their wives and fortunes, accounting faith, religion, inmiortality
of the soul, mere fopperies and illusions. Such loose 'atheistical spirits are too
predominant in all kiniriloms. Let them contend, pray, tremble, trouble themselves
that will, for their parts, they fear neither God nor devil; but witli that Cyclops in
Euripides,
*• Haiiil iilla numina eipavPKUnt cxlilum, I •' They fear no God but one.
«*«-d victiniaa uiii (Iroriiiii iiiiaxiinn, I They sacrifice In none,
Vfiitri utferuiil. deo-i ignuranl carleru*." | Hut belly, and hint adore,
I For g<Nt8 (liey know no more."
^'TheirGodis their belly," as Paul saith, Stincta mater saturitas ; quibus in
solo rieendi causa palalo est. The idol, which they worship and adore, is their
mistress ; with him in Plautus, mallem htpc mulier me amet quam diiy they had rather
hare her favour than the gods'. Satan is their guide, the flesh is tlieir instructor,
hypocrisy their counsellor, vanity their fellow-soldier, their will their law, ambition
their captain, custom their rule ; temerity, boldness, impudence their art, toys their
lradir\g, damnation their end. All their endeavours are to satisfy their lust and ap-
petite, how lo pleasf their genius, and to be merry for the present, Ede, lude^ hibt^
post mnrtfm nulla viduptas* " The same condition is of men and of beasts ; us the
one dittii, so dieth tht- i>th«r," Eccles. iii. 19. The world goes round,
• •• truditur diei die.
.N<>v>-t{ue )>rrguul iiilerire l.unis:"
"Thev dill eat and drink of old, marry, bury, bought, sold, planted, budt, and wdl
do still. " "Our life is short and it-diou.t, aiul in the death of a man there is no re-
covery, neither was any niun known that hath rt'lurned from the grave; for we are
born at all adventurt-. and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been ; for
the breath is at» smoke m our nostrils, bLC, and the spirit vanisheth as the soft air.
"Come let us enjoy the pleasures that are present, let us cheerfully use the creatures
as in youth, let us fill ourselves with costly wine and ointments, let not the flower
of our life pass by us, let us crown ourselves witii rose-buds before they are wither-
ed, &.C. ^^Vivamus men Lfshia et amr.mus^ Sfc. '*Coine let us take our till of love,
and pleasure in dalliance, for ihis is our portion, this is our lot. Tempora lahuntur^
tacit isque senescimus anius." For the rest of heaven and hell, let children and super-
stitious fools believe it : l"<»r their parts, ihey are so far from trembling at the dread-
ful day of judgment that they wish with Nero, Me vivo fiat, let it C(»me in their
times : s«> secure, so desperate, so immoderate in lusl and pleasure, so prone to re-
venge that, as Paterculus said of some caitiffs in his time in Home, Quod nequittr
nusi, fort iter eiecuti : it shall not be so wickedly attempted, but as desperalLly per-
formed, whatever they take in hand. Were it not for God's restraining grace, fear
and siiarne, temporal [lunishmenl, and their own infamy, they would Lycaon-like
exenterale, as si» many caniiil|ds eat up, or Cadmus' soldiers consume one another.
These are most im|>ious, and commonly professed atheists, that never use the name
of God but to swear by it; that express nought else but epicurism in their carriai?e,
or hypocrisy ; with Peniheus they neglect and coiitenm these rites and religious
ceremonies of the gi>ds ; they will be gods themselves, or at least socii deorutn.
Divisum imperium cum Joce C't£sar habet. '• Ciesar divides the empiie with Jove.'*
Apri>yis, an Jr'.gyptian tyrant, grew, saith '* Herodotus, to that height f>f |)ride, in-
jiolency »»f impiety, to that coniem{)t of Gods and men, that he hehl his kingdom so
sure, ut It nemine deorum aut hominum sibi eripi posset, neither Go«l nor men could
take it from him. '' A certain blasphemous king of Sfwiin (as " Lansius reports
• iJ.5. Gal. hi*l. quair .t qui lol > baateo lo iheir wanr." ■• I>ihr ivii. •> Wiart.
i..ri. pT 1 -I ■■ Mill.- irrid. ' r.-li.M..ii.-. n ■• » Ver». 6. 7, ft ••l."anillu». i' Pr .v tii &
'^lo liab<'t>.ti>i ! •< away, and we (fim n: : ..-n.
iSO.U" iting. • '* |jb I. in.
ihink». • . '»r»l. Colli. Hi-; .u^
iiH<« I* ••«• uiofe |(leaaurr after deaili." • Wur. I i, tl«,:«uatw ileum adoraren,, lie.
«d. U. • Uo« day auccrcd* another, and new niooua .
Mem. 2. Subs. 1.] Religions Melancholy in Defect. 63:*
made an edict, that no subject of his, for ten years' space, should believe in, call on.
or v/orship any god. And as '^ Jovius relates of" Mahomet the Second, that sacked
Constantinople, he so behaved himself, that he believed neither Christ nor Mahomet;
and thence it came to pass, that he kept his word and promise no farther than for
his advantage, neither did he care to commit any offence to satisfy liis lust." I couh'
say the like of many princes, many private men (our stories are full of them) in
times past, this present age, that love, fear, obey, and perform all civil duties as they
shall find them expedient or behoveful to their own ends. Securi adversus Deos,
securi adversusliomines.,votis non est opiis, which ^"Tacitus reports of some Germans,
they need not pray, fear, hope, for they are secure, to their thinking, both from Gods
and men. Bulco Opiliensis, sometime Duke of *' Silesia, was such a one to a hair;
he lived (saith ^^^neas Sylvius) at ^^Uratislavia, and was so mad to satisfy his lust,
that he believed neither heaven nor hell, or that the soul was immortal, but married
wives, and turned them up as he thought fit, did murder and mischief, and what he
list himself" This duke hath too many followers in our days : say what you can,
dehort, exhort, persuade to the contrary, they are no more moved, quam si dura
silex aut stet Marpesia cautes^ than so many stocks, and stones ; tell them of heaven
and hell, 'tis to no purpose, laterem lavas, they answer as Ataliba that Indian prince
did friar Vincent, '""'when he brought him a book, and told him all the mysteries
of salvation, heaven and hell, were contained in it: he looked upon it, and said he
saw no such matter, asking withal, how he knew it:" they will but scoff at it, or
wholly reject it. Petronius in Tacitus, when he was now by Nero's command bleed-
ing to death, audiebat arnicas nihil referentes de immortalitate ani/ncB, aut sapientur.i
placitis, sed levia carmina ct faciles versus ; instead of good counsel and divine
meditations, he made his friends sing him bawdy verses and scurrilous songs. Let
them take heaven, paradise, and that future happiness that will, honum est esse hic.,it
is good being here : there is no talking to such, no hope of their conversion, they
are in a reprobate sense, mere carnalists, fleshly minded men, which howsoever they
may be applauded in this life by some few parasites, and held for worldly wise men.
^"They seem to me (saith Melancthon) to be as mad as Hercules 'was when he
raved and killed his wife and children." A milder sort of these atheistical spirits
there are that profess religion, but timide et hcBsitanter ., tempted thereunto out of that
horrible consideration of diversity of religions, which are and have been in the world
(which argument Campanella, Atheismi Triumphati, cap. 9. both urgeth and answers),
besides the covetousness, imposture, and knavery of priests, ^-w^frtc/wH^ (as -^Postel-
lus observes) ut rebus sacris minus faciant fidem ; and those religions some of them
so fantastical, exorbitant, so violently maintained with equal constancy and assurance;
whence they infer, that if there be so many religious sects, and denied bv the rest,
why may they not be all false } or why should this or that be preferred before tlie
rest } The sceptics urge this, and amongst others it is the conclusion of Sextus
Empericus, lib. 8. advers. Mathe?naticos : after many philosophical arguments and
reasons pro and con that there are gods, and again that there are no gods, he so
concludes, cum tot irifer se pugnent, Sfc. Una tantum potest esse vera, as Tully like-
wise disputes : Christians say, they alone worship tlie true God, pity all other sects,
lament tlieir case ; and yet those old Greeks and Romans that worshipped the devil,
as the Chinese now do, aut decs topicos, their own gods ; as Julian the apostate,
^'Cecilius in Minutius, Celsus and Porphyrins the philosopher object : and as 3Ia-
chiavel contends, were much more noble, generous, victorious, had a more flourish-
ing commonwealth, better cities, better soldiers, better scholars, better wits. Their
gods overcame our gods, did as many miracles, SiC. Saint Cyril, Arnobius, I\Iinu-
tius, with many other ancients of late, Lessius, Morneus, Grotius de Verit. Reiig.
Christianas, Savanarola de Verit. Fidei Christianas, well defend ; but Zanchius, ^ Cam-
"Talpm se extiihiiit. ut nt'C in Christum, nee Maho-
metan cred(;ret. iindocffoctum ut promissa nisi qualenus
in suum coniinoiluni ceileretit inininie servaret, ntc ullo
scelere peccaluni staluertt, ut suis desiiieriis satisfa-
ctret. 20 Lib. de nior. Gt-rni. s' Or Breslau.
"Ijajue aduo iiisaniis. ut nee inferos, nee superDS esse
dpcat. aniniasque cum uorporibus interire credat, &c.
"■i Europs deser. cap. ^4. 2' Fratri's a Bry Amer.
par 6. liliruru a Vincentio monacho datum abjecit. nihil
80
se videre ibi hujusniodi dicens rosansque unde htec
sciret, quum de ccelo el 'I'artaro contineri ibi diceret.
^ Von minus hi furunt quam Hercules, qui conjusem et
liberos interfecit; habet ha-c a;las plura huj.iiuiodi por
tentosa monstra. ^ De orbis con. lib. I. cap. 7.
2' Nonne Komaiii sine Deo veslro regnant et fruuntur
orhe tnto, et vos et Deos vestrus captives tenent, &c.
Minutius Octavlano. 2s Comment, in Geuesin c<ipio-
sus in hue subjecto.
034 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec 4.
panella, Marinus Marcennus, Bozius, and Gentillettus answer all these atheistical
arguments at large. But this again troubles many as of old, wicked men generally
thrive, professed atheists thrive.
' N'lilliis H!i«e D)'08, inane ra'luin,
Alfiriiiiil Svliiis: |irobijti|UH, qund se
Facliiiii, (luui nt'gal hiec, videl lealurn."
'There are no goMs, lioavens arc toys,
Selius HI public jusiities;
Bi-ciuiie Itiat vvhiUt he thus denies
Their deities, he belter thrives."
This is a prime argument : and most part your most sincere, upright, honest, and
"good men are depressed, ''The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to tlie strong
(Eccles. ix. 11.), Jior yet bread to the wise, favour nor riches to men of understand-
ing, but time and chance comes to all." There was a great plague in Athens (as
Tliucydide.<, lib. 2. relates^, in which at last every man, with great licentiousness,
did what he list, not caring at all for God's or men's laws. "Neither the fear of
God nor laws of men (sailh he) awed any man, because the plague swept all away
alike, good and bad; they thence citncluded it was alike to worsliip or not worship
the gods, since they perished all alike." Some cavil and make doubts of scripture
itself: it cannot slantJ with God's uifcrcy, that so many should be damned, so i.iany
bad, so ffW good, such have and hold about religions, all stitl'on their side, factious
alike, thrive alike, and yet bitterly persecuting and damning each other; '' It cannot
stand with God's goodness, protection, and providence (as *' Saint Chrysostom in the
Dialect of .such discontented persons) to see and sutler one man to be lame, another
read, a third poor and miserabk- all the days of his life, a fourth grievously tormented
with sickne.ss and aches, to his last hour. Are these signs and works of God's pro-
vidence, to let one man be deaf, another dumb .' A poor honest fellow lives in dis-
grace, woe and want, wretched he is; when as a wicked catill* abounds in su|)erlluily
of weallli, keeps whores, parasjte-i, and what he will himself:" Audis Jupihr Iup.c?
Tulia rnulla count; ctuntes^ Ionium rcprchensionis sennunem er^a Dei jjruviihntiam
cuntcxunt. '■'Thus they mutter and object (see the rest of their arguments in Mar-
cennus in Genesin, and in Cain|»aiiella, amply confuted), with many such vain cavils,
veil known, not worthy the recapitulation ojr answering: whatsoever they pretend,
they are inUrim of little or no religion.
Cousin-germans to these men are many of our great philosophers and deists, who,
though they be more temiwrate in this life, give many good moral precepts, honest,
uprigitt, anil sober in their conversation, yet ia etfect they are the same (accounting
no man a good scholar that is not an atheist), nirnis allum sapiuuty too much learn-
ing makes them mad. Whilst they attribute all to natural causes, ^'contingence of
all things, as .Melaiictlion calls them, Ptrtinax hominum gtnus^ a peevisfi generation
of men, that misled by philosophy, and the devil's suggestion, their own innate
blindness, dt-iiy God as nmcli as the rest, hold all religion a fiction, opposite to rea-
son and philiisophy, though for fear of magistrates, saith ^'V'^aninus, they durst not
publicly profess it. Ask one of them of what religion he is, he scoflingly replies, a
philosopher, a Galenist, an **Averroist, and with Uabelais a j)hysician, a peripatetic,
an e|)icure. In spiritual things God must demonstrate all to sense, leave a pawn
with them, or else seek some other creditor. They will acknowledge Nature and
Fortune, yet not God : though in effect they grant both : for as Scaliger delineis.
Nature signifies God's ordinary power; or, as Calvm writes. Nature is God's order,
and so tiimgs extraordinary may be called unnatural : Fortune his unrevealed will ;
and so we call things changeable that are beside reason and expectation. To this
purpose ^^linutius in OctuviOj and ^Seneca well discourseth with them, ///.'. 4. de
henfficiis, cap. 5, 6, 7. "They do not understand what they say; what is Nature
but God? call him what thou wilt, Nature, Jupiter, he hath as ntany names as offices ;
it comes all to one pass, God is the fountain of all, the first Giver and Preserver,
■ E«ce part ve^lruiii et niaj..r el iin-Iinr alael, fiine J ' ' " • '' • ifh
Isborat. el il>->i-< palitur. tlissiiiiulat, nun viilt. iiuii ( i -:'■
potest ■•pituVirt «jn. >-t vel iiivalil'K \.-| rii-iiii;i i-«t ; ■ il.
i "•' ' ' ' ,•; nil jiflMI t.
I. 'HI. •• ■ Mil
•ci ■: - - - ■ ••«
io i. )
• llua I ' - . i »•
MU{k-rt.it.' p< rii.'il il:>' iij>ir'ii, iiru v j — iiiM'. : ii'iril l>j<- ni>iiirrj
Pruvitieali* u^Msra 1 bic lurdu*, ille oiulu*, tic •* >• oii t ,
31em. 2. Subs. 1 J Religious Melancholy in Defect. . G35
from whom all things depend, ''^ it quo, et per quem omnia, JS'am quocunque vides
Deus est, qiuiCunque movcris, '' God is all in all, God is everywhere, in every place."
And yet this Seneca, that could confute and blame them, is all out as much to be
blamed and confuted himself, as mad himself; for he holds fatum Stoicum, that
inevitable Necessity in the other extreme, as those Chaldean astrologers of old did.
against whom the prophet Jeremiah so often thunders, and those heathen mathema-
ticians, Nigidius Figulus, magicians, and Prisciliaiiists, whom St. Austin so eagerly
confutes, those Arabian questionaries, Novem Judices, Albumazer, Dorotheus, Stc,
and our countryman ^^Estuidus, that take upon them to define out of those great con-
junction of stars, with Ptolomeus, the periods of kingdoms, or religions, of all future
accidents, wars, plagues, schisms, heresies, and what not ? all from stars, and sucli
things, saith Maginus, Qtice sibi et intelligentiis suis reservavit Deus, which God hath
reserved to himself and his angels, they will take upon them to foretel, as if stars
were immediate, inevitable causes of all future accidents. Caesar Vaninus, in his book
de admirandis naiurce Jlrcanis, dial. 52. de oracuUs, is more free, copious, and open
in this explication of this astrological tenet of Ptolemy, than any of our modern
writers, Cardan excepted, a true disciple of his master Pomponatius ; according to
. the doctrine of peripatetics, he refers all apparitions, prodigies, miracles, oracles, ac-
' cidents, alterations of religions, kingdoms, &c. (for wdiich he is soundly lashed by
Marinus Mercennus, as well he deserves), to natural causes (for spirits he will not
acknowledge), to that light, motion, influences of heavens and stars, and to the in-
telligences that niove the orbs. IntelUgentia quce movet orhem medianle cxlo, Sfc.
Intelligences do all : and after a long discourse of miracles done of old, si hcec
dcBinones possint, cur non et inielligentice coclorwn motrtces ? And as tliese great
conjunctions, aspects of planets, begin or end, vary, are vertical and predominant, so
have religions, rites, ceremonies, and kingdoms their beginning, progress, periods, in
tirbibus>f regibus, religionibus, ac in parti cuiaribus Jinminibus, fiaic vera ac manifesta
sunt, ut „iristoleles innuere videtur, et quotidiana docet experie^itia, ut historias per-
legens videbit ;'quid olim in Gentili lege Jove sanctius et illustriiis? quid nunc vile
magis et execrandum? Ita cceleslia corpora pro mortalium bcnejicio religiones a>di~
Jicant, et cum cessat injluxus, cessat Icx,'"^ Sfc. And because, according to their tenets,
the world is eternal, intelligences eternal, influences of stars eternal, kingdoms, reli-
gions, alterations shall be likewise eternal, and run round after many ages ; Atque
iterum ad Troium magnus miitetur Achilles; renasccniur religiones, et ceremonice,
res humancE in idem rccident, nildl nunc quod non olimfuit, et post scEciiloriim revo-
lutiones alias est, erit,*^ Sfc. idem specie, saith Vaninus, non individuo quod Plato
significavit. Tiiese (saith mine "'author), these are the decrees of peripatetics, which
though 1 recite, in obsequinm Christiance Jidei deteslor, as I am a Christian I detest
and hate. Thus peripatetics and aslrologians held in former times, and to this efl*ect
of old in Rome, saith Dionysius Ilalicarnassus, lib. 7, v»hen those meteors and pro-
digies appeared in the air, alter the banishment of Coriolanus, ''^''Men were diversely
affected: some said they were God's just judgments for the execution of that good
man, some referred all to natural causes, some to stars, some thought they came by
chance, s6me by necessity" decreed ab initio, and could not be altered. The two
last opinions of necessity and chance were, it seems, of greater note than the rest.
*i " Sum qui in Fortuns jam casibus omnia pouunt,
El Mjuiiduin creduiit nuilo reclore oioveri,
Natura voivenle vices," Sec.
For the first of chance, as ^ Sallust likewise informeth us, those old Romans gene-
rally received ; " They supposed fortune alone gave kingdoms and empires, wealth,
3= Austin. 3J Principio plismer. ^o '• in cities, i oraculis. •o Varie lioinines affecti, alii dei judi-
kinas, religions, and in individual men, these things ' ciuin ad tarn pii e.xilium, alii ad naturam refc-rebant,
are true and obvious, as Aristotle appears to in. ply, and nee ab indignatione dei, sed liuinanis causis, &;c. 12.
daily experience teaches to the reader of history : for ' Natural, quxst. 33. 3U. «Juv. Sat. J3. "There
what was more s.icred and illustrious, by Gentile law, ! are those who ascribe everything to chance, and believe
than Jupiter ? « hat now more vile and execrable ? In that the world is made without a director, nature in-
this way celestial objects sugjrest religions for worldly j fluencing the vicissitudes," &c. <i Epist. ad C. Cisar.
motives, and when the influx ceases, so does the law," Roiiiani olim piitabant fortunam regiia et iinperia
&.C. <' ••And again a great Achilles shall be sent dare: Credebant antea mortales fortunam solani opes
asaiuBt Troy : religions and their ceremonies shall be et bonores largiri, idquc duabus de causis; primum
born asain ; however atiairs relapse into the same qu d indignus quisque dives honoratus. poteiis; alte-
track, there is nothing now that was not formerly and ruin, vix quisquam perpetuo bonis iisfrui visus. Poslea
will not be again," &c. " Vaninus dial. 52. de 1 prudentiores didicere furluuam suam quemque fiugere.
636 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
honour?, offices . and that for two causes ; first, because every wicked base unworthy
wretch was preferred, rich, potent, &.c. ; secondly, because of tlieii- uncertainty,
ihouijh never so good, scarce any one enjoyed them long : but after, they bcffaii
upon better advice to think otherwise, that every man made "his own fortune." The
last of Necessity was Seneca's tenet, that God was alligatns caiisis secnndis, so tied
to second causes, to that inexorable Necessity, that he could alter nothing of that
which was once decreed; sic erat infatis, it cannot be altered, semeZ jMssi/, semper
jmrct Deus, nulla lus rumpif, nulla preces^ nee ipsum fulme7i, God hath once said it,
and it must for ever stand good, no prayers, no threats, nor power, nor thunder itself
can alter it. Zeno, Chrysippus, and those other Stoics, as you may read in TuUy 2.
de divinalione, Gellius, lib. (>. cap. 2. kc, maintained as much. In ail ages, there
have been such, that either deny God in all, or in part; some deride him, they could
have made a better world, and ruled it more orderly themselves, blasplu'ine him, de-
rogate at tlieir pleasure from him. Twas so in ** Plato's tinie, " Some say there be
no gods, others that tlii-y care not for men, a middle sort grant both." Si nnn sit
IJeus, unde malaf si sit Deus^ unde malaf So Cotta argues in Tully, why made
he not all got)d, or at least tenders not the welfare of such as are good .' As the
woman told Alexander, if he be not at leisure to hear causes, and redress them, why
doth he reign ? " Sextus Empericus hath many such arguments. Thus perverse
men cavil. So it will ever be, some of all forts, good, bad, indillerent, true, false,
zealous, ambidexters, neutralists, lukewarm, libertines, atheists, Stc. They will see
these relit/ious sectaries agree amongst themselves, be reconciled all, before they will
particifKite with, or believe any: they think in the meantime (which ^Celsus objects,
and wluun Ongen confutes), "We Christians ailore a person put to ^'^ death with no
more rea>on than the barbarous Getes worshipped Zamolxis, the Cilicians Mopsus,
the Thelmns Anjphiaraus, and the Lebadians Trophonius ; one reliirion is as true as
another, new fungltd devices, all ft)r human rt'specis ;" great-witted .Aristotle's w«»rk9
are as nmch aiithentical to them as St'tiptures, sul)tle Seneca's Episilt-s as canonical
as St. Paul's, I'lndarus' (Jdt-s as good as the Pr<»pbet David's Psalms, Ki)icti'tus' En-
ctiiridion equivalent to wise S«)l<>mon's Proverbs. Tht-y do oj)eidy and boldly speak
ibis and more, stune of them, in all places and companies. *"" Claudius the emperor
was antjry with Heaven, because it thundered, and challenged Jupiter into the field;
with \v hat madness ! saith Seneca; he thought Jupiter could- not hurt him, but he
could hurt Jupiter." Diagoras^ Demonax, Epicurus, Pliny, Lucian, Lucretius,
Cnntcmptorqut JJtum JMezentius, "• pu>(es»(:i\ atheists all" in their limes: though not
simple atheists neither, as Cicogna proves, lib. 1. cap. 1. they scotled ordy at those
Pagan gods, their plurality, base and tictitious oflices. Gilbertus Cotrnatus labours
much, and so doth Erasmus, to virulicate Lucian from scandal, and there be those
that apuloirize for Epicurus, but all in vain ; Lucian scoHs at all, Epicurus he denies
all, and Lucretius his scholar defends him in it :
i» •• ll'iiii.ii.i ii;t.- I . il i' f. .'•" I 111! » it 1 j iterel " When human kind wai (Iri-nrlrd in »ii|)fr»(ition,
I I Wilh ghailly looka aluCi, which (ti^Ulrii niurul
• t. I uieii," &.C.
i! . r ,ii»,"* Ice. I
He alone, like another Hercules, did vindicate the world from that monster. Uncle
® Plinv, lib. 2. cap.!, nat. hist, and lib. 7. cap. 55, in express words denies the im-
mortalitv of the soul. " Seneca doth little less, lib. 7. epist. 55. ad Lucilium, et lib.
de cunsut. ad JMartiam, or rather more. Some Greek Commentators would put as
much upon Job, that lie should deny resurrection, itc, whom Pineda copiously con-
futes in cap. 7. Job, vers. 9. Aristotle is hardly censured of some, both divines and
r»hilosoi)hers. St. Justin in Per<metica ad G^ntes, Greg. JVazianzen. in disput. ad-
tersus tlun., Theodoret, lib. 5. de curat, grcec. ujf'ec, Origen. lib. dc principiis.
Pomponatius justifies in his Tract (so styled at least) De immortaliiate Amitue, Sca-
liger (who would forswear himself at any time, saith Patritius, in defence of his
« 10 de le:ib. Alii ni>ganl eH« dcM, ahi d«oa non putavitiibi nnrer* non ^omr.n le nnrrrr lamrn Jov*
eurarc ri« hiimanas, alii ulrnfjii'- rorirtriludi. ♦' l^b. p'>»w " l.ih ! I "• l'l»fr •»"ii'i« (>»~f nvf -i*.
I- , <«(pr. 1 (Vlauni. I. 3. b<>« a. ul
i«ruin cont'^ .il. •»('ruei- ■<>■
til j:<ii<iutini>i«« I < p^re.»riii. I,hri«- .. ' jf
turn V' I ii * ItK ira, I'l :il Iraiu* cotlo ■|iin<l ob , ila «l ijMUiinit.
■trepcrel, ad pugiiaio vocaua Juveui, quaoia deiucuiia 1 1
.\rf'm. 2. Subs. 1.] Rrligious Melancholy in Defect. 637
great master Aristotle), and Dandinus, lih. 3. de armnd, acknowTodo-e as much. Aver-
roes oppugns all spirits and supreme powers-, of late Brunus (infceUx Brunm,
" Kepler ctdls him), Machiavel, Cassar Vaninus lately burned at Toulouse in P' ranee,
and Pet. Aretine, have publicly maintained such atheistical paradoxes, "with that
Italian Boccacio with his fable of three rings, &.C., ex quo infert hand posse inferno^c:,
guce sit verlor rrligio., Judaica., Mahomctancu an Christiana, quoniam eadcm signa^ ^-c.
•^ from which he infers, that it cannot be distinguished which is the true relio-ion,
Judaism, Mahommedanism, or Christianity," &c. ^''Marinus Mercennus suspects
Cardan for his subtleties, Campan^Ua, and Charron's Book of Wisdom, with some
otlier Tracts, to savour of ^'atheism : but amongst the rest that pestilent book de
trihus niundl i?nj>ostorihus, quern sine horrore (inquit) non legas, ct mundi Cymhalum
dialogis quafimr contentum, anno 1 538, auctore Peresio, Farisiis excusum, ^' &c. And
as there have been in all ages such blasphemous spirits, so there have not been want-
ing their patrons, protectors, disciples and adherents. Never so many atheists in
Italy and Germany, saith *^Colerus, as in this age: the like complaint Mercennus
makes in France, 50,000 in that one city of Paris. Frederic the Emperor, as ^Mat-
thew Paris records licet non sit recitahile (I use his own words) is reported to have
said, Tres praisligiatores, Moses, Christus, et Mahomet, uti miindo dominarentur, totum
popuhnn sihi contemporaneum seduxissc. (Henry, the Landgrave of Hesse, heard him
speak it,) Si principes imperii institutioni mece adhcererent, ego multo meliorem modum
credendi et vivendi ordinarem.
To these professed atheists, we may well add that impious and carnal crew of
worldly-minded men, impenitent sinners, that go to hell in a lethargy, or in a dream ;
who though they be professed Christians, yet they will nulla pallescere culpa, make
a conscience of nothing they do, tliey have cauterized consciences, and are indeed in
a reprobate sense, '• past all feeling, have given themselves over to wantonness, to
work all manner of uncleanness even with greediness, Ephes. iv. 19. They do know-
there is a God, a day of judgment to come, and yet for all that, as Hugo saith, ita
comedunl ac dormiunt, ac si diem judicii evasissent ; ita ludunt ac rident, ac si in ccelis
cum Deo regnarent : they are as merry for all the sorrow, as if they had escaped all
dangers, and were in heaven already :
6' " Metiis onines, et inexornhile fatnni
Subjecit pi'dibiis, strepitumnue Aclierontis .Tvari."
Those rude idiots and ignorant persons, that neglect and contemn the means of their
salvation, may march on with these ; but above all others, those Herodian temporizing
statesmen, political Machiavelians and hypocrites, that make a show of religion, but
in their hearts laugh at it. Simulala sanclitas duplex iniquitas ; they are in a double
fault, '^ that fashion themselves to this world," which ^'Paul forbids, and like Mer-
cury, the planet, are good with good, bad Avilh bad. When they are at Rome, they
do there as they see done, puritans with puritans, papists with papists; omnium hora-
mm homines, formalists, ambidexters, lukewarm Laodiceans. '^All their study is to
please, and their god is their commodity, their labour to satisfy their lusts, and their
endeavours to their own ends. Whatsoever they pretend, or in public seem to do,
"■•"With the fool in their hearts, they say there is no God." Heus tu de Jove
quid sentis? "•HuUoa! what is your opinion about a Jupiter?" Their words are as
soft as oil, but bitterness is in their hearts; like ^^ Alexander VI. so cunninn dis-
semblers, that what they think they never speak. Many of them are so cli-j, you
can hardly discern it, or take any just exceptions at them; they are not factious,
oppressors as most are, no bribers, no simoniacal contractors, no sucli ambitious,
lascivious persons as some others are, no drunkards, sohrii solem vidcnl orientem^
sobrii vident occidenlem, they rise sober, and go sober to bed, plain dealing, upright,
honest inen, they do wrong to no man, and are so reputed in the world's esteem at
least, very zealous in religion, very charitable, meek, humble, peace-makers, keep all
duties, very devout, honest, well spoken of, beloved of all men : but he that knows
*' Dissert, rum nunc sifler. '^Campanella, cap. J^.
Atheism, triiiinnliat. ** Comment, in Gen. cap. 7.
*' So that a man may meet an atheist as soon in his
study as in the street. s'Simonis religio iiicerto
■juctore ('racovia; cilit. 1.5S8, cnnclursio lihri est, Ede
itaque bibe, hide, &.c. jam Dcus figraentum est. ^^x^ih.
3D
de i.nmorjal. anima;. ^ Pus. G45. an. 1-J3-'. ad finein
lleiiDci tertii. Idem Pisterius. pa>r. 74.1. in cnmpilaL
sua. " Virg. ■• They place fear, fate, and the sound
of craving Acheron under their feet." <-■ Rom. lii. £
siOnnis Arisiippum decuit color, et status, el res.
'^) Psal. xiii. 1. •^Guicciardiui.
638 Religions Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4
better how to judge, he that examines the heart, saith they arc hypocrites. Cor dojo
jihnvm ; sonant ritium percussa maligni:, they are not sound within. As it is with
writers * oftentimes. Plus sanclimonice in libello, qttam libeJli auctore^ more holiness
is in the book than in tlie author of it : so 'tis with them : many come to church
with £jreat Bibles, whom Cardan said he could not choose but laugh at, and will now
and tlien dare opcram Jltignslino, read Austin, frequent sermons, and yet professed
ujiurcrs, mere gripes, tota viltp ratio epicurea est; all their life is epicurism and atheism,
come to church all dav, and lie with a courtezan at night. Qui curios simulant el
Bacchanalia vivunt, they have Esau's hands, and Jacob's voice : yea, and many of
those holv friars, saiictitled men, Cappam, saith Hieroin, et ciliciurn induunt, sed intus
latrancrn tegunt. They are wolves in sheep's clothing, Introrsum turpcs, speciosi
pclle decora, ^' Fair without, and most foul within." ^ Ltilet plenimque sub tristi
amictu lasciria, et dfformis horror vili vestc tegitur ; ofttimes under a mourning weed
lies lust itself, and horrible vices under a poor coat. But who can examine all those
kinds of hypocrites, or dive into their hearts ? If we may guess at the tree by the
fruit, never so many as in these days ; 8ht>w me a plain-tlealing true honest man: Et
pudor, et probttas, et timor omnis abest. He that shall but K>ok into their lives, and
see such enormous vices, men so immoderate in lust, unspeakable in malice, furious
ill their rage, flattering anil dissembling (all for their own ends) will surely think
they are not truly reli<jious, but of an obdurate heart, most part in a reprobate setise,
as in til is age. But let them carry it as they will for the present, dissemble as they
can, a time will coine when they shall be called to an account, their melancholy is
at band, they ]>ull a plague and curse upon their own heads, thesaurisant iram Dei.
Besides all such as are in deos contuineliosi., blaspheme, contemn, neglect God, or
Rcotlat him, as the poets feign of Salnioneus, that would in derision imitate Jupiter''s
thunder, he was pn^cipitated for his pains, Jupiter intonuit contra, Ar. so shall they
certainly rue it in the end, ("in se tpuit, qui in cetlum spuil), their doom's at hand,
and hell is ready to receive them.
Some are of opinion, that it is in vain to dispute with such atheistical spirits in the
meantime, 'tis not the best way to reclaim them. .Atheism, idolatry, heresy, hypocrisy,
though they have one common root, that is indulgence to corrupt atFection, yet their
growth is tlitlerent, tlrey have divers symptoms, occasions, and must have several
cures am! remedies. Tis true some deny there is any God, some confess, yet believe
it not; a third sort confess and believe, but will not live after his laws, worship and
obey him : others allow God and go»ls subordinate, but not one God, no sueh gene-
ral Ciod, nnn talftn deum, but several topic gods for several places, and those not to
persecute one another for any ditl'erence, as Socinus will, but rather love and cherish.
To describe theni in particular, to prt^uce their arguments and reasons, would
require a just volume, I refer them therefore that expect a more ample satisfaction,
to those subtle and elaborate treatises, devout and famous tracts of «»ur learned
divines (^schoolmen amongst the rest, and casuists^ that have abundance of reasons
to prove there is a GotI, the immortality of the soul, fctc, out of the strength of
wit and philosophy bring irrefragable arguments to such as are ingenuous and well
disposed ; at the least, answer all cavils and objections to confute their folly and
madness, ami to reduce them, $i fieri posset, ad sanam mentem, to a better mind,
thoiii/h ti> small purpose many times. .Amongst others consult with Julius Caesar
I^galla. professor of philosophy in Home, who hath wiitten a large volume of late
to confute atheists : of the immortality of the soul, Ilierom. .Monianus de im
morialttale „inim(P : Lflius Vincentius of the s;ime subject: ThomaM Giaminus,
and Franciscus CoUius df Pa^unorum animahus post mortem, a famous doctor of
the .Ambrosial! College in Milan. Bishop Fotherby in his Atheomastix, DiKrtor
Dove, Doctor Jackson, .Abernethy, Corderoy, have written well of this subject in
on/ mother tongue : in I-itin, Colerus, Zanchius, Paleareus, Illyriciis, " I'bilippus,
Fabcr Faventinus, Stc. But in^tar omnium, the most copious confuter of atheists is
-Marinus ^lercennus in his Commentaries on Genesis : ** with Campane. la's Alheis-
inus Triumphatus. He sets down at large the causes of this brutish passir>n, ('seven-
teen in number I take it) answers all their arguments ami sophisms, which he le-
■* EraiiuiK. " (lirrnm. * S«-n<>c. r»n»<il. i Alheo*. VenctiM 10X7, qiMrtO. ** UiLEom*. M
•d Pulyb. ca n. •Difput. 4. Pbiloaoptiic adver. | 1631.
Mem. 2. Subs. 2.] Despair's Definition. 639
duceth to twenty-six heads, proving withal his own assertion: "There is^ a God
such a God the true and sole God," by thirty-five reasons. H s Colopl u fs how
to resist and repress atheism, and to that purpose he adds four especml means oT
ways, which who so will may profitably peruse. ^
SuBSECT. 11— Despair. Despairs, Equivocations, Definitions, Parties and Paris
affected.
There be many kinds of desperation, whereof some be holy,'some unholy, as
one distinguisheth ; that unholy he defines out of Tully to be JEgrUudinem I^
sineuUa rerum expectatione melwre, a sickness of the soul without any hope or ex-
pectation of amendment; which commonly succeeds fear; for whilst evil is expect-
^ttr7ir'\ ^"^'^'.^^^^ '' '^ «'^>-^^^"' ^^e despair. • According to Thomas 2. 2'ce dis-
Trtu-.-' 7i ' .'' ^^!^^'^f " re desiderata, propter impossibilitatem eristimatam,
a resiiaii t ft-om the thing desired, for some impossibility supposed. Because they
cannot obtain what they would, they become desperate, and mlny times either yield
to the passion by death itself, or else attempt impossibilities, not to be performed by
men. Jn some cases, this desperate humour is not much to be discommended, as in
wars It IS a cause many times of extraordinary valour; as Joseph, lib. 1. de bello
Jud cap i 4. L. Daimus in Aphoris. poUt. pag. 226. and many politicians hold. It
makes them improve their worth beyond itself, and of a forlorn impotent company
become conquerors in a moment. IJna salus vidis mdlam sperare salufcm, - the
on y hope lor the conquered is despair." In such courses when they see no remedy,
but that they must either kill or be killed, they take courage, and oftentimes, pr^Jr
spent, beyond all hope vindicate themselves. Fifteen thousand Locrenses fou<rht
against a hundred thousand Crotonienses, and seeing now no way but one, they
must all die, ' thought they would not depart unrcv^nged, and thereupon desperately
giving an assault, conquered their enemies. Mc alia causa victoria' i saith Justin
mine autlior) qudm quod desper aver ant. William the Conqueror, when he first
landed in England, sent back his ships, that his soldiers might have no hope of re-
tirmg back. ' Bodine excusetli his countrymen's overthrow at that famous battle at
Agmcourt, in Henry the Fifth his time, {cui simile, saith Froissard, tota historia pro-
ducere non possit, which no history can parallel almost, wherein one handful of
Englishmen overtlirew a royal army of Frenchmen) with this refuge of despair, pauci
despcra/i, a few desperate fellows being compassed in by their enemies, past all hope
ot lite, fouglit like so many devils; and gives a caution, that no sokhers iiereafter
set upon desperate persons, which ^^ after Frontinus and Vigetius, Guicciurdmi like-
wise admonisheth, Hypomnes. part. 2. pag. 25. not to stop an enemy that is coiner
his way. Many such kinds there are of desperation, when men are past hope of
obtaining any suit, or in despair of better fortune ; Desperatio facit monachum, as
the saying is, and desperation causeth death itself; how many thousands in such
distress have made away themselves, and many others ^ Foi he that cares not for
his own, is master of another man's life. A Tuscan soothsayer, as '•' Paterciilus tells
the story, perceiving himself and Fulvius Flaccus his dear friend, now both carried
to prison by Opimius, and in despair of pardon, seeing the young man weep, quin
tupotius hoc inquitfacis, do as ] do; and with that knocked out his brains against
the door-cheek, as he was entering into prison, prolinusque illiso capife in capite in
careens janiumi effuse cerebro expiravit, and so desperate died. But these are
equivocal, improper. " When 1 speak of despair," sailli ""Zanchie, - I sj)eak not of
every kind, but of that alone which concerns God. It is opposite to hope, and a
most pernicious sin, wherewith the devil seeks to entrap men." Mnsculus makes
four kinds of desperation, of God, ourselves, our neighbour, or anything to be done;
but this division of his may be reduced easily to the former : all kinds^are opposite
to hope, that sweet moderator of passions, as Simonides calls it; I do not mean tliat
vain hope which fantastical fellows feign to themselves, which according to Aristotle
^lAbernoth.v, c. 24. of his Physio of the Soul, i intersciiidas, &c. " Poster vnliim. 'sguper
umissa sp^ Victoria in destinatam mortem con- | priceptum phmum de Keli?. et panibus ejus. \oa
spirant tantus(|U8 ardor siiikuIos cepit, ut victores se loquor de omm dosporationers.'d taiitum deea qua des
putarent T, non inulti mor.-rentur. Justin. 1.20. '3 Me- i pemre solei.t h,.niines de Deo; onponitur spri. et est
moc. hist cap. 5. i< Host: abire volenti iter mininie I peccatum gravii^simum, &c.
6i0 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Stct. 4.
is insomnvim vigilanthim^ a waking dream ; but tliis divine hope which proceeds
from coiifulfMice, and is an anchor lo a floating soul; spes alU agricolas, even in our
temporal uflkirs, hope revives us, but in spiritual it I'arilier animateih ; and were il
not for hope, " we of all others were the most miserable,"" as Paul saiih, in this life ;
were it not for hope, the heart would break ; " for though they be punished in the
sight of men," (Wisdom iii. 4.) yet is " their hope full of immortality :" yet doth it
n<n so rear, as despair doth deject; this violent and sour passion «f despair, is of all
pfrlurbatioiis most grievous, as ''' Patrilius holds. Some divide it into final and tem-
poral; "tinal is incurable, which befallelh reprobates ; temporal is a rejection of
hope and comfort for a time, which may befal the best of God's children, and it com-
monly proceeds ''"frum weakness c4" faith," as in David when he was oppressed he
cried out, "• O Lord, thou hast forsaken me," but this for a time. This ebbs and
lU>ws with hope and fear; il is a grievous sin howsoever: although some kind ol
despair be not amiss, when, saith Zanchius, we despair of our own means, and rely
wholly upon God: but that species is not here meant. Tiiis pernicious kind uf des-
peration is the subject of our discourse, humicida uniiiur., the murderer of the soul,
as Austin terms it, a fearful passion, wherein the parly oppressed thinks he can get
no ease but by death, and is fully resolved lo oiler violence unto himself; so sensi-
ble of his burthen, and impalient of his cross, that he hopes by death alone to be
freed of his calamity (though it piove otherwise), and chooseth with Job vi. 8. 9.
xvii. 5. "Rather to be strangled and die, than to be in his bonds." *"The part
itlected is the whole soul, and all the faculties of it ; there is a privation of joy,
liope, trust, confidence, of prt-sent and future good, and in their place succeed fear,
.sorrow, ivc. as in the symptoms shall be shown. The heart is grieved, the con-
science wounded, the mind eclipsed with black fumes arising from those perpetual
tenors.
Si-DsECT. III. — Causes of Derpair, the Devtl., Mihmchuly, Mtdilation, Distrust^
fVtakness of Faith., Rigid JMinistfrs., JMi sunder standi tig Scriptures, (iuilty Con-
sciences., 6^c.
The principal agent and procurer of this miftchief is the devil; those whom God
forsakes, the devil by his permission lays hold on. Sometimes he persecutes them
wall that worm of coiiscience, as he did Juda.s, "Saul, and others. The poets call
U Nemesis, but il is indeed God's just judgment, seru sed serio., he strikes home at
last, aiul sLttt'ih upon them " as a ihief in the nii/ht," 1 Thes. ii. "This temporary
|>assion made Duvid cry out, '• Lord, rt-buke me not in thine anger, neither chasten
me in ihine heavy displeasure; for tliine arrows have light upon me, &.C. there is
nothing sountl in my llesli, because of thine anger." Again, 1 roar for tlie very grief
of my heart: and Psalm x.xii. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and
art so far from my health, and the words of my crying.' J am like to water poured
out, my bones are out of joint, mine heart is like wax, that is molten in the midst
>f my bowels." So Psalm Ixxxviii. 15 and Ifi vers, and Psalm cii. " 1 am in misery
:U the point <jf death, from my youth I sutler thy terrors, doubting for my life; thine
uidignalions have gone over me, and thy fear hath cut me of!"." Job doih often com-
plain in ihis kind ; and those God doth not assist, the devil is ready to try and tor-
ment, "still seeking whom he may devour." If he find ihem merry, saith Gregory,
"he tempts them lorthwiih to some dissolute act; if pensive and .sad, to a desperate
end." Jiut suadnido blanditur, aut minando terrel., sometimes by fair means, some-
times again by foul, as he perceives nu-n severally inclined. His ordinary engine by
which he produceih this effect, is the melancholy humour itself, which is balneum
diiiboliy the devil's bath; and as in Saul, those evil spirits gel in '"as it were, and
take possessi<»n of us. iJlack choler is a shoeing-horn, a bait lo allure tliem, inso-
much that many writers make melancholy an ordinary cause, and a symploin of
despair, for that such men are most apt, by reason of their ill-disposed ti-mpcr, to
distrust, fear, grief, mistake, and amplify what.'^oever they preposterously conceive, or
falsely apprehend. Conscientia scrupulosa nascitur ex cUio naturali, complexumt
^ l.ib. S. til. 31. de rrfis inatilol. Omniuin pertuba- I AdrliUto prnfleiacens. * AkwMClhr. •■ I fla*. IL M
lioi>u«u dvK^rrima. ^ Rrprobi UM)ur ad linrm prr- ■ P«al. isiviii. vtn. 9. 14. 'laaiMtMl M MSM
I'daciter prraistunl. Zancliiiu. ^ Viliuui ab in- I geiiii, Ltcin. lib Leap. M.
Mem. 2. Subs. 3.] Despair his Causes. 641
melancholica (saith Navarrus cap. 27. num. 282. torn. 2. cas. consclen.) The body
works upon the mind, by obfuscating the spirits and corrupted instruments, wl/ich
** Perkins illustrates by simile of an artificer, that hath a bad tool, his skill is good,
ability correspondent, by reason of ill tools his work must needs be lame and imper-
fect. But melancholy and despair, though often, do not always concur • there is
much difference: melanclioly fears without a cause, this upon great occasion-
n)elancholy is caused by fear and grief, but this torment procures them and all ex-
tremity of bitterness; much melancholy is without affliction of conscience, as
*^ Bright and Perkins illustrate by four reasons; and yet melancholy alone may be
sometimes a sufhcient cause of this terror of conscience. ^'Fa^lix'Plater so found
it in his observations, e mehmcholicis alii damnalos se piifani, Deo cura> nan mint., nee
pra;destinaii, Sfc. ^' They tliink they are not predestinate, God hath forsakeit them;"
and yet otherwise very zealous and religious ; and 'tis common to be seen, '' melan-
choly for fear of God's judgment and hell-lire, drives men to desperation; fear and
sorrow, if they be immoderate, end often with it." Intolerable pain and anguish,
long sickness, captivity, misery, loss of goods, loss of friends, and those lesser
griefs, do sometimes effect it, or such dismal accidents. Si non statim relevantur,
^'Mercennus, duhitoni an sit Deus, if they be not eased forthwith, they doubt vviiether
there be any God, they rave, curse, " and are desperately mad because good men are
oppressed, wicked men flourish, they have not as they think to their desert," and
through impatience of calamities are so misafl^ected. Democritus put out his eyes,
ne malorum civiiim prosperos videret snccessus, because he could not abide to'see
wicked men prosper, and was therefore ready to make away himself, as ^'Agellius
writes of him. Faelix Plater hath a memorable example in this kind, of a painter's
wife in Basil, that was melancholy for her son's death, and for melancholy became
desperate; she thought God would not pardon her sins, ^^-^ and for four months still
raved, that she was in hell-fire, already damned." AVhen the humour is stirred up,
every small object aggravates and incenseth it, as the parties are addicted. ^The
same author hath an example of a merchant man, that for the loss of a little wheat,
which he had over long kept, was troubled in conscience, for that he had not sold it
sooner, or given it to the poor, yet a good scholar and a great divine; no persuasion
would serve to the contrary, but that for this fact he was damned : in other matters
very judicious and discreet. Solitaiiness, much fasting, divine meditation, and con-
templations of God's judgments, most part accompany this melancholy, and are
main causes, as ^'Navarrus holds; to converse with such kinds of persons so troubled,
is sufficient occasion of trouble to some men. JVonnulli oh longas inedias, studia et
mediiationes cxlestes, de rebus sacris et religione semper agitant., 4t. Many, (saith
P. Forestus) through long fasting, serious meditations of heavenly things, fall into
such fits; and as Lemnius adds, lib. 4. cap. 21, ^^'■^ If they be solitary given, super-
stitious, precise, or very devout : seldom shall you find a merchant, a soldier, an inn-
keeper, a bawd, a host, a usurer, so troubled in mind, they have cheverel consciences
that will stretch, they are seldom moved in this kind or molested: young men and
middle age are more wild and less apprehensive ; but old folks, most part, such as
are timorous and religiously given." Pet. Forestus ohservat. lib 10. cap. 12. de mor-
bis cerebri, hath a fearful example of a minister, that through precise fasting in Lent,
and overmuch meditation, contracted this mischief, and in tiie end became desperate,
thought he .saw devils in his chamber, and that he could not be saved ; he smelled
nothing, as he said, but fire and brimstone, was already in hell, and would ask them,
still, if they did not ^^ smell as much. I told him he was melancholy, but he laughed
me to scorn, and replied that he saw devils, talked with tliem in good earnest, would
spit in my face, and ask me if I did not smell brimstone, but at last he was by him
cured. Such another story I find in Plater ohservat. lib. I. A poor fellow had done
8' Cases of conscience, I. 1. ifi. wxract. Melan. ] natam se putavit, ct qiiatuor menses Gehenns psnam
eapp. 3:) ft :i4. *'^C. 3. de mentis alien. Deo minus sentire. so I5()tj. oh tnticutn diutius servatiim con-
■e curEB esse, nee ad salutem prsdestinatos esse. Ad I scientisstimulisagilalur,&c. s' Tom.2. c. 27. num. 282.
desperationem ssepe ducit liaec melancholia, et est fre- conversatio cum scrupulosis, vigilis, jejunia. "-Soli*
luentissima ob supplicii metum scernunique judicium ; tarios et super.stitiosos pleruuique exazitalconscicntia.
^oeror et metus in desperalionom plerumque desinunt. non mercatores, lennnes, caupones, ifoeneratore?. Sec
''Comment, in 1 cap. gen. arlic. 3. quia impii florent, | largii)rem hi nacti sunt conscientiani. Juvenes pie*
oni oppriiniii]tur. &c. alius ex consider.'itionc hiijus 1 runique conscientiam ne<.'lij;unt, seaes autem, Icm
tvna desperabundua. "f Lib. 20. c. 17. *' Dam- | « Annon sentis sulphur inquit ?
81 3d2
642 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
«ome fou oflfeiice, and for fourteen days would eat no meat, in the end became despe-
rate, the divines about him couhl not ease him, *' but so he died. Continual medita-
tion of God's judgments troubles many, JMnlli oh timorem futitri judicii, saith Guati-
iierius cap. 5. tract. 15. et suspicionem desperabundi simt. David himself complains
that God's judgments terrified his soul. Psalm cxix. part. 16. vers. 8. '* My flesh
trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judj^ments." Quntics dirm ilium
cogito (saith *^Hierome) toto corpore contremiscoy 1 tremble as often as 1 think of it.
The terrible mecUtation of hell-fire and eternal punishment much torments a sinful
silly soul. Wliat's a thousand years to eternity.' ll>i mceror, ubi Jltiiis., uhi dolor
sempiternus. Mors sine inorte., finis sine fine ; a finger burnt by chance we may not
endure, the pain is so grievous, we may not abiile an hour, a night is intohrable;
and what sliall this unspeakable fire then be that burns for ever, innumerable inlinite
millions of years, in omne avum in ceternum. O eternity!
• ••iEtpniiln* est ilia vox. I iEieriiitag e«l ilia vox. I iKlernila!i, ilernilJis
Vux ilia tuliiiiiiatrix, | meii eareii* el oria, &c. | Versni c<M|iiiii|iir p«?clu».
Tniiilriiis iiimacior, T^riiienla nulla lerrilnnt, I Augi-l liiir iio-iiao irulif*.
Frii^iirihuiHjui.' cieli, | Uux liaiuntur aiiiii» ; | C'«iiliiplical<|ue tijiiiiii.i!*," &c.
This meditation terrifies these poor distressed souls, especially if their bodies be
predisposed by melancholy, they religiously given, and have tender consciences,
every small object aflrights them, the very inconsiderate rea<iing of Scripture itself,
and misinterpretation of some places of it ; as, ^* Many are called, few are chosen.
Not every one that saith Lord. Fear not little flock. Me that stands, let him lake
heed lest he fall. Work out your salvation with fi-ar and treml)ling Tiiat night
two shall be in a bed, one received, the other Ml. Strait is the way that leads to
heaven, and few there are that enter therein." The parable of the seed and of the
sower, ♦•some fell on barren ground, some was choaked. Whom he hath predesti-
nated he haih chosen, lie will have mercy on whom he will have mercy." A\>n
est rolenlis nee cttrrentis, sed mis'-rentis Dei. The!*e and the like places terrify the
souls of many ; election, predestination, reprobation, preposterously conceived, oflend
divers, with a deal of fuidish presumption, curiosity, tu-edless speculation, contempla-
tion, solicitude, wherein they trouble and puzzle lhem.selves about those questions
of grace, free will, |)erseverdnce, God's secrets; they will know more than is re-
vealed of Gotl in his word, human capacity, or ignorance can apprehend, and too
importunate inquiry after that which is revealed; myjiieries, ceremonies, observation
of Sabbaths, laws, duties, itc, with many such which the casuists discuss, and
schoolmen broach, which divers mistake, misconstrue, misapply to themselves, to
their own undoing, and so fall into this gulf "They dt>ubt of their election, how
they shall know, it, by what signs. And so far forth," saith Luther, '• with such
nice points, torture and crucify themselves, that tliey are almost mad, and all tliey
get by it is this, they lay open a t^ap to the devil by desperation to carry them to
liell ;" but the greate&t harm of all proceeds from tlmse tbuiuleriiig ministers, a most
frequent cause iliey are of this malady : "^♦'and do more harm in tlie church ^saith
Erasmus) than they that flatter ; great danger on both sides, the one lulls them
asleep in carnal security, the other drives them to despair." Whereas, ^ St. Bernanl
well adviseth, " We should not meddle with the one without the other, nor speak
of judgment without mercy ; the one alone brings desperation, the other security."
But these men are wholly fi>r judgment ; of a rigid disposition themselves, there is
no mercy with them, no salvation, no balsam for their diseased souls, they can speak
of nothing but reprobation, hell-tire, and damnation ; as they did Luke xi. 40. lade
men with burdens grievous to be borne, which tliey themselves touch not with a
finger. 'Tis tamiliar with our [mpisls to terrily nierrs mouIs with purL^lory. tales,
▼isiuns, ap(>aritions, to daunt even the most genero* ~
M
rw r
Not,
OOll
mei
far.
Ih.ll
•ll.l
out '
llOllI. >i ...... . .• — .,■.. ^ , ■
flanie* Ml*- fwatl - Una il i» thdl uaiiy bui{iii«ii(« our auf- VNliaai, atatiiiAui
%fia(a, ana luuiiitilica our bcan-buruiugi • bundrcd- |
Mem. 2. Subs. 3.] Despair his Causes. C,i3
as Brentius observes, " of others, bounty, meekness, love, patience, when they them-
selves breathe nought but lust, envy, covetousness." They teach others to fast, o-ive
alms, do penance, and crucify their mind with superstitious observations, bread and
water, hair clothes, whips, and the like, when they themselves have all the dainties
the world can afford, lie on a down-bed with a courtezan in their arms : Hen quan-
tum palimur pro Christo, as '"*he said, what a cruel tyranny is this, so to insult over
and terrify men's souls ! Our indiscreet pastors many of them come not far behind,
whilst in their ordinary sermons they speak so much of election, predestination, re-
probation, ah (TAerno., subtraction of grace, pr^eterition, voluntary permission, &.c., by
what signs and tokens they shall discern and try themselves, whether they be God's
tfue children elect, an sint. reprohi, prcedesfinati, Sfc, with such scrupulous points,
they still aggravate sin, thunder out God's judgments without respect, intempestively
rail at and pronounce them damned in all auditories, for giving so much to sports
and honest recreations, making every small fault and thing indifferent an irremissible
offence, they so rent, tear and wound men's consciences, that they are almost mad,
and at their wits' end.
" These bitter potions (saith ' Erasmus) are still in their mouths, nothing but gall
and horror, and a mad noise, they make all their auditors desperate :" many are
wounded by this means, and they commonly that are most devout and precise, have
been formerly presumptuous, and certain of their salvation ; they that have tender
consciences, that follow sermons, frequent lectures, that have indeed least cause,
they are most apt to mistake, and fall into these miseries. I have heard some com-
plain of Parson's Resolution, and other books of like nature (good otherwise), they
are too tragical, too much dejecting men, aggravating offences : great care and choice,
much discretion is required in this kind. ^
The last and greatest cause of this malady, is our own conscience, sense of our
sins, and God's anger justly deserved, a guilty conscience for some foul offence for-
merly committed, ^ O miser Oreste, quid morhi te perdil? Or: Conscit'tUia, Sum
enim mihi conscius de malis perpetratis.^ " A good conscience is a continual feast,"
but a galled conscience is as great a torment as can possibly happen, a still baking
oven, (so Pierius in his Hieroglyph, compares it) another hell. Our conscience,
which is a great ledger book, wherein are written all our ofl'ences, a register to lay
them up, (which those ■'Egyptians in their hieroglyphics expressed by a mill, as well
for the continuance, as for tiie torture of it) grinds our souls with the remembrance
of some precedent sins, makes us reflect upon, accuse and condemn our ownselves.
^"Sin lies at door," &c. I know there be many other causes assigned by Zanchius,
^Musculus, and the rest; as incredulity, infidelity, presumption, ignorance, blind-
ness, ingratitude, discontent, those five grand miseries in Aristotle, ignominy, need,
sickness, enmity, death, &c. ; but this of conscience is the greatest, ' Inslar ulceris
corpus jugiler percellens : The scrupulous conscience (as * Peter Forestus calls it)
which tortures so many, that either out of a deep apprehension of their unworthi-
ness, and consideration of their own dissolute life, "■ accuse themselves and aggra-
vate every small offence, wlien tliere is no such cause, misdoubting in the meantime
God's mercies, tliey fall into these inconveniences." The poet calls them "furies
dire, but it is the conscience alone which is a thousand witnesses to accuse us,
^°jYocle dicque smnn geslant in pcctore testem. A continual testor to give in evidence,
to empanel a jury to examine us, to cry guilty, a persecutor witli hue and cry to fol-
low, an apparitor to summon us, a bailiff^ to carry us, a serjeant to arrest, an attorney
to plead against us, a gaoler to torment, a judge to condemn, still accusing, denounc-
ing, torturing and molesting. And as the statue of Juno in that holy city near Eu
plirates in " Assyria will look still towards you, sit where you will in her temple, she
stares full upon you, if you go by, she follows with her eye, in all sites, places, con-
venticles, actions, our conscience will be still ready to accuse us. After many plea-
1"" Leo (ieciimis. » Deo futiiro jiidicio, de danina-
tioiic tiorreniliiiii creputit, et amaras illas polationes in
ore semper habent, ut miiltos iiide in desperationem
cosiant. «Euri[iides. " O wretched Orestes, what
malady consumes you?" 3 " Conscience, for I am
conscious of evil." « Pierius. »Gen.iv.
• 9 causes Musculua makes. Plutarch. « Alios
misere casligat plena scrupnlis conscientia, norlum in
srirpo qusrunt, et ubi nulla causa subest, misericordia
diviniE diffidenles, se Oreo deslinant. »C(Eliu«,
lib. G. "> Juvenal. " Night and day they carry
their witnesses in the breast." " Lucian. de de«
Syria. Si adstiteris, te aspicit ; si transeas, vita te
sequitur.
644 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 4.
sant (lays, and fortunate adventures, merry tides, this conscience at last dotli arrest
us. Well he may escape temporal punishment, '^ bribe a corrupt judge, and avoid
the censure of law, and flourish for a time; '-for '^whoever saw (saith Chrysostom)
a covetous man troubled in mind when he is telling of his money, an adulterer mourn
with his mistress in his arms ? we are then drunk with pleasure, and perceive no-
thing :" yet as the prodigal son had dainty fare, sweet music at first, merry com-
pany, jovial entertaiimient, but a cruel reckoning in the end, as bitter as wormwood,
a fefirful visitation commonly follows. And the devil that then told thee that it was
a light sin, or no sin at all, now aggravates on the other side, and tellelh tiiee, that
it is a most irremissible offence, as he did by Cain and Judas, to bring them to
despair; everv small circinnstance before neulected and contemned, will now amplify
itself, rise up in judgment, and accuse the dust of their shoes, dumb creatures, as to
Lucian's tyrant, h'ctus et candela, the bed arul caniile diil bear witness, to torment
their souls for their sins past. Tragical examples in this kiiul are too familiar and
cuamion : Ailrian, Galba, Nero, Otho, Vilellius, Caracalla, were in such horror of
consciefice for their otli-nces committed, niurders, rapes, extortions, injuries, that they
were wear\' of their lives, and could gel nobody to kill them. '^Kennelus, King of
Scotland, when he had murdered his nephew .\Ialcon>, King Duffe's son. Prince of
Cumberland, and with counterfeit tears and protestations di.s.sembled the matter a
long time, ""at last his conscit-nce accused him, his unquiet soul couhl not rest day
«)r nit^ht, he was lerrilie<l with fV'arful dreams, visions, and so miserably tormented
all his life.'' It is strange to read wliat '"Comma-us hath written of Ixiuis XI. that
French King; of Charles VIII.; of .Al[ihonsus, King of Naples; in tlie fury of his
passion how he came into Sicily, and what pranks he plaved. Ciuicciardini, a man
most uiia[>t to believe lies, relates fiow that Ferdinand his t'aihur\s ghosi who l>efore
had dud for griel', came and lutd him, that he could not resist the French King, he
thought every man cried France, France; the reason i>f it i saith Ciiminieus^ wa«
because he was a vile tyrant, a murderer, an oppressor of his subjects, he bought
up all commodities, and sold them at his own |>rice, sold abbeys to Jews and Falk-
oners; both Ferdinand his father, and he himself never made conscience of any coiu-
mitted sin ; and to conclude, saith h^*, it was impoHsible to do worse than they did.
Why was Pausanias the S(»artan tyrant, Nero, Otho, Galba, so persecuted with spirits
in every house they canie, but for their murders which they had coiniuitted ? " Why
doth the devil haunt many men's houses after their deaths, ap[>ear to them living,
and take pt»ssession of their habtUitions, as it were, of iheii jwl ices, but Iw.'cau.se of
their several villanies r Why had Hichard the Third such fearful dreams, saith Poly-
dore, but for his frequent murders? Why was llerod so tortured in his mind?
because he had made away .Mariamne his wife. Why was Theodoric, the King of
the Goths, so suspicious, and so affrighted with a fish head alone, but tiiat he liad
luurdereil Symmachus, aiul Hoetliius Ins son-in-law, tliose worthy Komans.' Cadius,
lib. 27. cap. 22. See more in Plutarcli, in his tract Lk his qui mro a .Yitrntne pitiiiun-
tur, and in his book Df tranquiUttate ununi, 6t-c. Yea, and sometimes GOD him-
self hath a hand in it, to show his power, humiliate, exercise, and to try their faith.
\^divine temptation, Perkins calls it, Cas. cons. lib. 1. cap. 8. sect. 1.) to punish them
for their sms. GmJ the avenger, as '* David terms him, ullur a lergo Deus, his wrath
is apprehended of a guilty soul, as by Saul and Judas, which the poets expressed by
Adrustid, or Nemesis :
>*" As«M|uiiur Nrmetiqae vintn ve*tif>a Krvai,
.Ne uiale i)ui>l facia*."
And she is, as ^Ammianus, lib. 14. dettcribe^ her, ^ the queen of causes, and mode-
rator of things," now she pulls down the proud, now she rears and encouragelh those
that are got)d; he gives mstunce in Jiis Fusebius ; NicepluTUs, Ith. 10. cap. 'J'), eccle*.
hiiL in Maximinus and Julian. Fearful examples of God's just judgment, wratli
I* r- . te-
• b* 'II
»iri'rr .'iia
••I'.il iln I .f.
"••I Bolifr* the Irpt «f ' ml
» .il" * Krf ma c«u»*- ji.>
Hmt.-^i'l " \riiinu, r.,t, ..i.riiii ...■,. ri. II.. I ji.t 1., iiiiiie errcU* MrvK** opyTluul, fcc
aitlluoi ailaiKil (luoiuui, mnI wutpcr veialus auclu •! <
Mem. 2. Subs. 4.] Symjjtoms of Despair. 645
and vengeance, are to be found in all histories, of some that have been eaten to death
with rats and mice, as ^' Popelius, the second King of Poland, ann. 830, his wife and
children ; the like story is of Hatto, Archbishop of Mentz, ann. 969, so devoured by
these vermin, which howsoever Serrarius tire Jesuit Mogunt. rerum lib. 4. cap. 5.
impugn by twenty-two arguments, Tritemius, -^ Munster, Magdeburgenses, and many
others relate for a truth. Such another example I find in Geraldus Cambrensis Itin.
Cam. lih. 2. cap. 2. and where not .'
And yet for all these terrors of conscience, affrighting punishments which are so
frequent, or whatsoever else may cause or aggravate this fearful malady in other
religions, I see no reason at all why a papist at any time should despair, or be
troubled for his sins ; for let him be never so dissolute a caitiff, so notorious a villain,
so monstrous a sinner, out of that treasure of indulgences and merits of which the
pope is dispensator, he may have free pardon and plenary remission of all his sins.
There be so many general pardons for ages to come, forty thousand years to come,
so many jubilees, so frequent gaol-deliveries out of purgatory for all souls, now
living, or after dissolution of the body, so many particular masses daily said in seve-
ral churches, so many altars consecrated to this purpose, that if a man have either
money or friends, or will take any pains to come to such an altar, hear a mass, say
so many paternosters, undergo such and such penance, he cannot do amiss, it is
impossible his mind should be troubled, or he have any scruple to molest him.
Besides that Taxa Camerce ApostoliccB., w'hich was iirst published to get money in the
days of Leo Decimus, that sharking pope, and since divulged to the same ends, sets
down such easy rates and dispensations for all offences, for perjury, murder, incest,
adultery, Stc, for so many grosses or dollars (able to invite any man to sin, and pro-
voke him to offend, methinks, that otherwise would not) such comfortable remis-
sion, so gentle and parable a pardon, so ready at hand, with so small cost and suit
obtained, that I cannot see how he that hath any friends amongst them (as I say) or
money in his purse, or will at least to ease himself, can any way miscarry or be
misaffected, how he should be desperate, in danger of damnation, or troubled in
mind. Their ghostly fathers can so readily apply remedies, so cunningly string and
unstring, wind and unwind their devotions, play upon their consciences with plausi-
ble speeches and terrible threats, for their best advantage settle and remove, erect
with such facility and deject, let in and out, that 1 cannot perceive how any man
amongst them should much or often labour of this disease, or finally miscarry. The
causes above named must more frequently therefore take hold in others.
SuBSECT. IV. — Symptoms of Despair^ Fear., Sorroit'., Suspicion, Anxiety., Horror of
Conscience, Fearful Dreams and Visions.
As shoemakers do when they bring home shoes, still cry leather is dearer and
dearer, may I justly say of those melancholy symptoms : these of despair are most
violent, tragical, and grievous, far beyond the rest, not to be expressed but negatively,
as it is privation of all happiness, not to be endured; "for a v.'ounded spirit who can
bear it.^" Prov.- xviii. 19. What, therefore, "^Timanthes did in his picture of Iphige-
nia, now ready to be sacrificed, when he had painted Chalcas mourning, Ulysses sad,
but most sorrowful Menelaiis ; and showed all his art in expressing a variety of
affections, he covered the maid's father Agamemnon's head with a veil, and left it to
every spectator to conceive what he would himself; for tiiat true passion and sor-
row in summo gradti, such as his was, could not by any art be deciphered. What
he did in his picture, 1 will do in describing the symptoms of despair; imagine what
thou canst, fear, sorrow, furies, grief, pain, terror, anger, dismal, ghastly, tedious,
irksome, &.c. it is not sullicient, it comes far short, no tongue can tell, no heart con-
ceive it. 'Tis an epitome of hell, an extract, a quintessence, a compound, a mixture
of all feral maladies, tyrannical tortures, plagues, and perplexities. There is no
sickness almost but physic providelh a remedy for it; to every sore chirurgery will
provide a slave ; friendship helps poverty ; hope of liberty easeth imprisonment ;
iiAlex. Gnjiuiiius catal. reg. Pol. 22 cosiiiog. I oiiines quern posseiit, maxiiiiLim nicerorem ii virgini*
Munster, et iVlagde. 23 pimins, cap. 10. I. 35. Con- patre cogiiareiit.
wuuilitis affeclibus, Agameuiiiui.is caput velavit, ut {
646 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
suit and favour revoke banishment ; authority and time wear away reproach : but
what physic, what chirurgery, what wealth, favour, authority can relieve, bear out,
assuai^e, or expel a troubled conscience ? A quiet mind cureth all them, but all they
cannot comfort a distressed soul : who can put to silence the voice of desperation ?
All iliat is single in other melancholy, Horribile, dirum^ pestilens, atrox^ferum, con-
cur in this, it is more than melancholy in the highest degree; a burning fever of the
soul ; so mad, saith ^' Jacchinus, by this misery ; fear, sorrow, and despair, he puts
for ordinary symptoms of melancholy. They are in great pain and horror of mind,
distractii>n of soul, restless, full of continual fears, cares, torments, anxieties, they
can neither eat, drink, nor sleep for them, take no rest,
* •• Pi'r|*tiiu iiiipieliiii, lU'C nienija- ti'iniiore cewat, I "Neilllfrat b«-«l. nor y«?l lit bo aril ,
Kiaifilal venaiia <|uie«, «uiuiii>|ue l'ureu(e«." | Will any rest dt-spair atioril."
Fear takes away their content, and dries the blood, wasleth the marrow, alters their
c.'untenance, "even in their greatest delights, sittging, dancing, dalliance, they are
still [an'nU -"'Lemnius) tortured in their souls." It consumes tliem to nought, '• I am
like a pelican in the wilderness (saith David of himself, tempomlly alHicted), an owl,
because of thine indignation," I'salm cii. '^, 10, and Psalm Iv. 4. "My heart trem-
bleth witiiiii me, and the terrors of death have come U|)on me; fear and trembling
are C(»me upon me, Stc. at death's door," Psulm cvii. 18. " 'I'heir soul abhors all
maiintT of meals." Their ^slt-t-p is (if it be any) unquiet, subject to fearful iheams
and terror". Peter in his bonds slept secure, for he knew (Jod protected him ; and
TuUy makes u an argument of Hoscius Amerinus' innocency, that he killed not his
luiher, Ix cause- he so securely slept. Those ujartyrs in the primitive church were
niosi '" ciitfrfid and merrv in the midst of their f>er>eculion.s ; but it is far otherwise
wuh thesi- men, tossed in n sea, and that continually without rest or inttrmission,
they can think of nought that is pleasant, ''^" their conscience will not let them be
quiet," 111 per{M-lual fear, anxiety, if they be not yet apprehended, they are in iloubt
still they shall be ready to betray themselves, as Cain ilid, he thinks every man will
kill him; "and roar ft»r the grief of heart," Psalm xxxviii. 8, as David did; as Job
did, XX. -i, 'il, 22, &.C., " Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life
to them that have heavy liearts .' which long for death, and if it come not, search it
more than treasures, and rejoice when they can find the grave." They are generally
weary of iheir lives, a treinbling heart they have, a sorrowful mind, and liille or no
rest. Terror ubique iremnrn tunor undii^ut tt unditjue terror. " Fears, K.-rrors, and
atlrights in all places, at all times and seasons." Cibuin el pulmn prrtmacitir aver-
santur tnulti, nudum in scirpo quierituntes., tt culpam tinii'^nidntts uhi nulla est, as
VVierus w rites de Lamiii lib. 3. e. 7. " they refuse many of them meat and drink,
cannot rest, aggravating still and supposing grievous oHI-nces where there are none."
God's heavy wrath is kindled in their souls, and notwithstanding their continual
prayers and supplications to Christ Jesus, they have no release or ease at all, but a
most intolerable torment, and insuUerable anguish of conscience, and that makes
them, through impatience, to murmur against God many limes, to rave, to blaspheme,
turn atheists, and seek to oHer violence to themselves. Deut. xxviii. 65, 60. " In
the morniiig they wish for evening, and for morninj; in the evening, for the sight of
their eyes which they see, and fear of hearts." ■*'.Marinus .Mercennus, in his Com-
ment on Genesis, makes mention of a desperate friend of his, whom, amongst others,
he came to visit, and exhort to patience, that broke out into most blasphemous athe-
istical speeclies, too fearful to relate, when they wished him to trust in God, (juis
est ilh: JJtiis \inqiut) ut sercia/n illi, quid prudent si ornvrrim ; si prasens est, cur
nun succurrit ' cur non me carcere, inediii, squalore cimfectum liberat f quid ego
feci : isc. abstt a me hujus/nodi Deus. Another of his acquaintance broke out into
like attieistical blasphemies, upon his wife's death raved, cursed, said and did he
cared not what. And so for the most part it is with them all, many of them, in
**Cap. 15. in a Rhaiif. » Juv. Sat. 13 *■ .M>;n-
Ifiu eniut liniir hir; viittiim t-ttim i'"i- ri.rpori* babi-
tlilll I Il'l' -lit «>iu-
povii*. Ill aij ' '-t, lib 4.
lap. -i\. • Ihiuii
et donuiFOles (Mfrlfrrrracil. Philoal. lib. 1. da vita
Apuiluoil. * Ku*«rbiu>, Nici-|iborua rrrle*. bid.
lib. 4. c. 17. MiVnma lib I'- rpi.i lOii Cua-
Kteittia aliud azrre non |>atiiur. prriiirl>.ii.<in »itai«
asuni, aunqumn vacatil. itc. » ,\(lic 'S ca I. Uh.
rrcia v.rl'i |.r>l''>r' aul r'.tit <)<i' ri'j laiu •k'uIk -£1U. quuii h«>rreniluiii Uiclu, drfprfabundiu quiilaa
cerr, ab uiuui hooiinum cmlu et>aikiu eileriuinal, ; prneolr cuiu a<l (Mlicoliaoi budacclur, &«.
Mem. 2. Subs. 5.1
Prognostics of Despair.
647
their extremity, think they hear and see visions, outcries, confer witli devils, that
they are tormented, possessed, and in hell-fire, already damned, quite forsaken of
God, they have no sense or feeling of mercy, or grace, hope of salvation, their sen-
tence of condemnation is already past, and not to be revoked, the devil will cer-
tainly have them. Never was any living creature in such torment before, in such a
miserable estate, in such distress of mind, no hope, no faith, past cure, reprobate,
continually tempted to make away themselves. Something talks with them, they
spit fire and brimstone, they cannot but blaspheme, they cannot repent, believe or
think a good thought, so far carried ; ut cogantur ad impia cogitandum eliam contra
vohinfafem, said '^ Fcelix Plater, ad blasphemiam erga deum, ad mulla horrcnda pcr-
petranda, ad manus violentas sibi inferendas, Sj-c, and in their distracted fits and
desperate humours, to offer violence to others, their familiar and dear friends some-
times, or to mere strangers, upon very small or no occasion ; for he that cares not
for his own, is master of another man's life. They think evil against their wills ;
that which they abhor themselves, they must needs think, do, and speak. He gives
instance in a patient of his, that when he would pray, had such evil thoughts still
suggested to him, and wicked "" meditations. Another instance he hath of a woman
that was often tempted to curse God, to blaspheme and kill herself. Sometimes the
devil (as they say) stands without and talks with them, sometimes he is within them,
as they think, and there speaks and talks as to sucli as are possessed : so Apollo-
dorus, in Plutarch, thought his heart spake within him. There is a most memora-
ble example of ^^ Francis Spira, an advocate of Padua, Ann. 154.^, that being despe-
rate, by no counsel of learned men could be comforted : he felt (as he said) the
pains of hell in his soul ; in all other things he discoursed aright, but in this most
mad. Frismelica, Bullovat, and some other excellent physicians, could neither make
him eat, drink, or sleep, no persuasion could ease him. Never pleaded any man so
Avell for himself, as this man did against himself, and so he desperately died. Springer,
a lawyer, hath written his life. Cardinal Crescence died so likewise desperate at
Verona, still he thought a black dog followed him to his death-bed, no man could
drive the dog away, Sleiden. com. 23. cap. lib. 3. Whilst I was writing this Treatise,
saith Montaltus, cap. 2. de mel. '""A nun came to me for help, w-ell for all other
matters, but troubled in conscience for five years last past; she is almost mad, ami
not able to resist, thinks she hath offended God, and is certainly damned." Fcelix
Plater hath store of instances of such as thought themselves damned, ^^ forsaken of
God, Sic. One amongst the rest, that durst not go to church, or come near the
Rhine, for fear to make away himself, because then he was most especially tempted.
These and such like symptoms are intended and remitted, as tlie malady itself is
more or less; some will hear good counsel, some will not; some desire iielp, some
reject all, and will not be eased.
SuBSECT. V. — Prognostics of Despair, Atheism, Blasphemy, violent death, (§-c.
Most part these kind of persons make *^away themselves, some are mad, blas-
pheme, curse, deny God, but most offer violence to their own persons, and some-
times to others. '• A wounded spirit who can bear .'" Prov. xviii. 14. As Cain, Saul,
Achitophel, Judas, blasphemed and died. Bede saith, Pilate died desperate eight vears
after Christ. ^' Fcelix Plater hath collected many examples. ^^ A mercliaiu''s wife
that was long troubled with such temptations, in the night rose from her bed, and
out of the window broke her neck into the street: another drowned himself despe-
rate as he was in the Rhine : some cut their throats, many hang themselve.>. But
this needs no illustration. It is controverted by some, whether a man so offering
violence to himself, dying desperate, may be saved, ay or no 'i If they die so obsti-
nately and suddenly, that they cannot so much as wish for mercy, the worst is to
be suspected, because they die impenitent. ^Mf their death had been a little more
lingering, wherein they might have some leisure in their hearts to cry for mercy,
3' Lib. 1. obser. cap. 3. ^ Ad inaledicendiim Deo.
»«Giiiilart. 3< Diini ha>c scribo. implorat opern inearn
nionacha.in reliquis saiin,i:t judicio recta, per.o.annos
melanchnlica ; damnatiiin se dicit. coni=cjentia; stiniultis
oppressa, ii.c. ^ Alios conquerentes andivi se esse
ex damnatnrurn nuni<?ro. Deo non psse curs aliaque
infiniia tjus proferre noii audcbaiil, vel ahlinrrebant.
38 Musciiliis, Patritus. ad vitiisibi iiifer<?ndaiiici)L'il homi-
nes, i" De mentis alienat. ob.serv. lib. 1. * Uxor .Mer-
caloris diu vexationibus tcutaia, tc. * .\l)ernethy
648 Religimis Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
charity may jiidtre the best; divers have been recovered out of the very art of hang-
ing and drowning themselves, and so brought ad sanam mentcin, they have been
very penitent, much abhorred their former act, confessed that tliey luive repented in
an instant, and cried for mercy in their hearts. If a man put ikspeiate hands upon
himself, bv occasion of madness or melancholy, if he have given testimony before
of his regeneration, in regard he doth tliii* not so much out of his will, as ex vi
tnorbi, we must make the best construction of it, as *" Turks do, that think all fools
and madmen go directly to heaven.
SuBsECT. VI. — Cure of Despair by Physic, Good Counsel, Comforts, Sfc.
Experience teacheth us, that though many die obstinate and wilful in this malady,
yet multitudes again are able to resist and overcome, seek for help and line! condort,
are taken e faticibus Erebi, from the chops of hell, and out of the deviPs paws,
though they have by *' obligation, given themselves to him. Some out of their own
strength, and God's assistance, ''Though lie kill me, (sailh Job,) yet will I trust in
Him," out of good counsel, advice and physic. *- Ikllovacus cured a monk l)y alter-
ing his habit, and course of life : Plater many by physic alone. But for the most
part they must concur; and they take a wrong course that think to overcome this
feral passion by sole physic ; and they are as much out, that think to work this ellect
by good service alone, though both be forcible in themselves, yet vis unitu furlior,
^ they must go hand in iiand to this disease:" alttrius sic allera posed irpnn.
For physic the like course is to be taken with this as in other melancholy : diet,
air, exercise, all those pa.ssions and perturbations of the mind, kc. are to be rectilied
by the same means. They must not be left solitary, or to themselves, never idle,
never out of company. Counsel, good comfort is to be applied, as they shall see
the parties inclined, or to the causes, whether it be loss, fear, be grief, discontent, or
some such feral accident, a guiltv conscience, or «»therwise by frerjuenl meilitation,
loo grievous an apprehension, ami consideration of his former life ; by hearing, read-
ing of Scriptures, gtxnl divines, good advice and conference, applying God's word to
their distressed souls, it nmst be corrected and counterp()ised. Many excellent e.\h(»r-
tations, phra?neiii-al discourses, are extant to this purpose, for such as are any way
troubled ni mind : Perkins, Greenham, Hayward, Bright, Abernelhy, Bolton, Cul-
niannus, llelmingius, Cadius Secundus, Nicholas Laurentius, are copious on this sub-
ject: Azorius, Navarrus, Sayrus, Sec, and such as have written cases of conscience
amongst our pontitical writers. But because these men's works are not to all parties
at hand, so parable at all times, I will for the benefit and ease of such as are alHicted,
at the reijuest of some ^ friends, recollect out of their voluminous treatises, some few
such cond'ortable .speeches, exhortations, arguments, advice, tending to this sidjject,
and out of God's word, knowing, as Culmannus saith u[)on the like occasion, **" how
unavailaf)le and vain men's councils are to comfort an aJllicted conscience, except
God's word concur and be amiexed, from which comes life, ease, repentance," &,c.
Fre-supposing first that which Beza, Greenham, Perkins, Bolton, give in charge, the
parties to whom counsel is given be sutFiciently prepared, humbled for their sins, fit
for comfort, confessed, tried how they are more or less alllicteil, how they stand
aflected, or capable of good advice, before any remedies be applied : to sucii there-
fore as are so thoroughly searched and examined, I address this following discourse.
Two main antidotes, *^Ueinmingius observes, op[)osite to despair, good hope out
of God's word, to be embraced ; perverse security and presumption froju the devil's
treachery, to be rejected; Ilia salus ammce htec pestis ; one saves, the other kills,
occidil animam, s^\\\\ Austin, and doth as much harm as despair itself, ^Navarrus the
casuist reckons up ten special cures out of .Anton. 1. part. Tit. '\. cap. iO. I. God.
2. Physic. 3. *' .Avoiding such objects a-s have caused it. 4. Submission of himself
to other men'ij judgments. 5. Answer of all objections, &,c. All which Cajetan,
* Biubrqiiiu*. <* John Major vitiii iwlrum: qui- I quani van* tit el ineffieai bumaiiorum vprhiruin pen**
dam iiegavil t'hrM'i"^' ^-r itiir.,.fr^i.i. .1 r..i. ,,ih..i... ,-. ...... 1,1... md v.-rl>uin D«ri auUialur. a quo
lulu*. ni'ri' 'ttiuin. p<riiilr>itia. •^ Aniid
6e<irgr Burl'.n, .\l 111. • 'I'nin. i. c. *7. n.iiu. 5«l
in SuttforMiliirt*. ii< . ., . - . ;iia A re acruimloaa, uinlravroiM
liiiow tluUciil 111 Ciiritt Lourcti, Uaun. **ecio 1 Kru|iuloruiB.
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Cure of Despair. 6^9
Person, lib. de vit. spirie. Sayrus, lib. 1. cons. cap. 14. repeat and approve out of
Cmanuel Roderiques, cap. 51 et. 52. Greeiiham prescribes six special rules, Cul-
inannus seven. First, to acknowledge all help come from God. 2. That the cause
nf their present misery is sin. 3. To repent and be heartily sorry for their sins.
4. To pray earnestly to God they may be eased. 5. To expect and implore the
prayers of the church, and good men's advice. 6. Physic. 7. To commend them-
selves to God, and rely upon His mercy : others, otherwise, but all to this effect.
But forasmuch as most men in this malady are spiritually sick, void of reason almost,
overborne by their miseries, and too deep an apprehension of their sins, they cannot
apply themselves to good counsel, pray, believe, repent, we must, as much as in us
lies, occur and help their peculiar infirmities, according to their several causes and
symptoms, as we shall find them distressed and complain.
The main matter which terrifies and torments most that are troubled ii'
mind, is the enormity of their offences, the intolerable burthen of their sins,
God's heavy wrath and displeasure so deeply apprehended, that they account
themselves reprobates, quite forsaken of God, already damned, past all hope of
grace, incapable of mercy, diaboli maiici-pia, slaves of sin, and their offences so
great they cannot be forgiven. But these men must know there is no sin so
heinous which is not pardonable in itself, no crime so great but by God's mercy it
may be forgiven. " Where sin aboundeth, g:race aboundeth much" more," Rom. v.
20. And what the Lord said unto Paul in his extremity, 2 Cor. xi. 9. '- 3Iy grace is
suflScient for thee, for my power is made perfect through weakness :" concerns every
man in like case. His promises are made indefinite to all believers, generally spoken
to all touching remission of sins that are truly penitent, grieved for their offences,
and desire to be reconciled. Matt. ix. 12, 13, " 1 came not to call the righteous but
sinners to repentance," that is, such as are truly touched in conscience for their sins.
Again, Matt. xi. 28, " Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will ease
you." Ezek. xviii. 27, "At what time soever a sinner shall repent him of his sins
from the bottom of his heart, I will blot out all his wickedness out of my remem-
brance saith the Lord." Isaiah xliii. 25, " I even 1 am He that put away thine ini-
quity for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." " As a father (saith
David Psal. ciii. 13) hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion
on them that fear him." And will receive them again as the prodigal son was en-
tertained, Luke XV., if they shall so come with tears in their eyes, and a penitent
heart. Peccator agnoscai, Beus ignoscit. " The Lord is full of compassion and
mercy, slow to anger, of great kindness," Psal. ciii. 8. "He will not always chide,
neither keep His anger for ever," 9. " As high as the heaven is above the earth, so
great is His mercy towards them that fear Him," 11. " As far as the East is from
the West, so far hath He removed our sins from us," 12. Though Cuin cry out in
the anguish of his s )ul, my punishment is greater than I can bear, 'tis not so ; thou
liest, Cain (saith Austin), " God's mercy is greater than thy sins. His mercy is
above all His works," Psal. cxlv. 9, able to satisfy for all men's sins, nnlilulroiu, 1
Tim. ii. 6. His mercy is a panacea, a balsam for an afflicted soul, a sovereign medi-
cine, an alexipharmacum for all sins, a charm for the devil ; his mercy was great to
Solomon, to Manasseh, to Peter, great to all offenders, and whosoever thou art, it
may be so to thee. For why should God bid us pray (as Austin infers) '■• Deliver
us from all evil," nisi ipse misericors pcrseveraref, if He did not intend to liclp us }
He therefore that ■** doubts of the remission of his sins, denies God's mercy, and
doth Him injury, saith Austin. Yea, but thou repliest, I am a notorious sinner, mine
offences are not so great as infinite. Hear Fulgentius, ''^" God's invincible goodness
cannot be overcome by sin. His infinite mercy cannot be terminated bv any : the
multitude of His mercy is equivalent to His magnitude." Hear ^" Chrysostom, "Thy
malice may be measured, but God's mercy cannot be defined ; thy malice is circum-
scribed, His mercies infinite." As a drop of water is to the sea, so are thy misdeeds
to His mercy : nay, there is no such proportion to be given ; for the sea, though
<*Matriiani injuriani Deo facit qui diffidit de ejus I Dei autem misirricordia mensuram non hab«t. Tul
misericordia. 4-* Bonitas iiivicti non vincitur; in- | nialitia circumscripta est, &c. Pelagus ttsi niagDum
finiti misericordia non finitur. » Hum. 3. De mcnsuraui lial)ul ; dei auleui, tc.
poenitfMitia : Tua quicJem nialitia mensuram habel. |
82 3 E
C50 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 'J,. Sec 4.
great, yet may be measured, but God's mercy cannot be circumscribed. Wiiatsoever
thy sins be then in quantity or quality, niuliitude or magnitude, fear them not, dis-
trust not. 1 speak not this, saith ^' Chrysostom, " to make thee secure and ncifligent,
but to clietr thee up." Tea but, thou urgest again, 1 have little comfort of this
uiiioh is said, it concerns me not : Inanis panilcntia quam sequens culpa coinquinatf
'tis to no purpose for me to repent, and to do worse than ever 1 did before, to per-
severe in sin, and to return to my lusts as a dog to his vomit, or a swine to the
mire : " to w hat end is it to ask forgiveness of my sins, and yet daily to sin again
and again, to do evil out of a habit } 1 daily and hourly ollend in thought, w ord,
and deed, in a relapse by mine own weakness and wilfulness : my bonus gtjiius., my
good protecting angel is gone, 1 am fallen from thai I was or would be, worse and
w orse, '• niy latter end is worse than my beginning : Si quotidice peccas, quolidie^
saith C\\xyn»iou\.i pamlenliavi age, if thitu daily ollend, daily repent : ""if twice,
tlirice, a hundred, a hundred thousand times, twice, thrice, a hundred thousand limes
repent." As they do by an old house that is out of repair, still mend some part or
other; so do by thy soul, still leform some vice, repair it by repentance, call to Him
fi»r grace, and thou shall have it; "For we are freely justified by His grace," Hum.
iti. 24. If tliinc enemy lepent, as our Savitmr enjoined Teter, forgive him seventy-
seven times; and why should.st thou think Ciod will not forgive thee.' Why should
the enormity of thy sins trouble thee ? Ciod can do it, he will do it. " .My con-
science ^ saith '' Ansehn) dictates to me that 1 deserve damnation, my rei)entance will
nol sullice for satisfaction : bul thy mercy, O Lord, quite overcomelh all my trans-
gressions." The gods once (as the poets feign) with a gold chain would pull Jupi-
ter out of heaven, but all they together could not stir him, and yet he could draw
and turn them as he would himself; inaugre all the force and fury of these infernal
liends, and cr\ ing sins, " liis grace is suUicient." Confer the debt and the payment;
L'lirist and Adam ; sin, and the cure of it ; the disease and the medicine ; confer the
sick man to his physician, and thou shall soon perceive that his power is inlinitely
beyond it. Ciod is belter able, as *' Bernard informeth us, " to help, than sin to do
us hurl; Christ is better able to save, than the devil to destroy." ^Jf he be a >kil-
ful I'liNsiciaii, as Fulgeiiliiis adds, "he can cure all disea.«>es ; if mercil'ul, he will."
.M»/i f^t j» rlrctu boiulas a qua «</« uinms malitia vincitur, His goodness is not abso-
lute and peiliet, if it be not able to overcome all malice. Suljinit thyself unto linn,
as bt. Austin adviselh, ^'" He kiiuueth best what he doth ; and be not so much
plea^ed when he sustains thee, as ]>atient when he corrects thee; he is omnipotent,
and can cuie all diseases when he sees his own lime." He looks down from heaven
upon earth, that he may hear the " mourning of prisoners, and deliver llie children
of death," I'sal. cii. 19.20. "And though our sins be as red as scarlet. He can
make them as while as snow," Isai. i. 18. Doubt not of this, or ask how it shall
be done : He is all-sutlicienl ihal promiseth ; qui fecit mundum de immundo, saith
Chrysosiom, he that made a fair world of nought, can do ihis and much more for
his part : do thou only believe, trust in him, rely on him, be penitent and heartily
sorry for thy sins. Kepentance is a sovereign remedy foi all sins, a sjnritiial wing
to rear us, a charm for our miseries, a protecting amulet to exj>el sin's venom, an
attrat live loadstone to draw God's mercy and graces unto us. '"'Peccatum vulnus^
pixniltnlui intiltcinam : sin made the breach, repentance must help it; howsoever
ihine otleuce came, by error, sloth, obstinacy, ignorance, exitur per pcenit*ntiam, this
is the sole means to be relieved. ^ Hence comes our hope of safety, by this alone
sinners are saved, God is provoked to mercy. " This unlooselh all that is bound,
enligtileueth darkness, mends thai is broken, puts life to that which was liesperalely
dying:" makes no respect of otiences, or of {)er8ons. ""This doth not repel a
*' Noil u( di'Sidioru voa faciaia, aeii uc alacriore* red- i laa(uiir intaiiabili* occumt : lu lanluiii di«rri Ir tine,
dam ^ Pr ' p ■••ralis veniam poarefr, <-( tnsia !!•• ' maimm f-Jm nc r>-|ielle ; novrt n-iil n-.-3i ; niin t.iftliiia
n -" I- «l ler, (1 <■ I f ivet, irtl l-'I- ■ •.
II lee. t. *•.-, »•
II, ;<rritti-Mtia fVtn ad n
> . i<i aolt i> I «
I.,. iia*. •
h ii'>n ebriiiiii
( I u.iiii r> ('•'lilt. II "II <iver»alur ■•.••lui.ii ji.i. •• u (..ail*-
•I ruiB, acU ouiiica «ujci{>ii, uuimbu* cuiuuiunicaL.
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Cure of Despair. 65 1
(brnicator, reject a drunkard, resist a proud fellow, turn away an idolater, but enter-
tains all, communicates itself to all." Who persecuted the churcli more than Paul,
offended more than Peter ? and yet by repentance (saith Curysologus) they got both
Magisterium et rninislcrium smictltatis, the Magistery of holiness. The prodJ"-al son
went far, but by repentance he ''ame home at last. ^' " This alone will turn a wolf
into a sheep, make a publican a preacher, turn a thorn into an olive, make a de-
bauched fellow religious," a blasphemer sing halleluja, make Alexander the copper-
smith truly devout, make a devil a saint. ^^" And him that polluted his mouth with
calumnies, lying, swearing, and tilthy tunes and tones, to purge his throat with divine
Psalms." Repentance will effect prodigious cures, make a stupend metamorphosis.
" A hawk came into the ark, and went out again a hawk ; a lion came in, went out
a lion; a bear, a bear; a wolf, a wolf; but if a hawk came into this sacred temple
of repentance, he vAW go forth a dove (saith ^ Chrysostom), a wolf go out a sheep,
a lion a lamb. ^^ This gives sight to the blind, legs to the lame, cures all diseases,
confers grace, expels vice, inserts virtue, comforts and fortifies the soul." Shall 1
say, let thy sin be what it will, do but repent, it is sufficient. ^'^Qucm pcsnitet pec-
casse pcne est innocens.' 'Tis true indeed and all-sufficient this, they do confess, if
they could repent; but they are obdurate, they have cauterised consciences, they are
in a reprobate sense, they cannot think a good thought, they cannot hope for grace,
pray, believe, repent, or be sorry for their sins, they find no grief for sin in them-
selves, but rather a delight, no groaning of spirit, but are carried headlong to their
own destruction, "■ heaping wrath to themselves against the day of wrath," Rom.
ii. 5. 'Tis a grievous case this I do yield, and yet not to be despaired ; God of his
bounty and mercy calls all to repentance, Rom. ii. 4, thou niayest be called at length,
restored, taken to His grace, as the thief upon 'the cross, at the last hour, as Mary
Magdalen and many other sinners have been, that were buried in sin. "God (saith
^^Fulgentius) is delighted in the conversion of a sinner, he sets no time;'''' prolixil as
temporis Deo non prcBJiidicaf, aid gravitas peccati, deferring of time or grievousness
of sin, do not prejudicate his grace, things past and to come are all one to Him, as
present: 'tis never too late to repent. ^^"This heaven of repentance is still open
for all distressed souls ;" and howsoever as yet no signs appear, thou mayest repent
in good time. Hear a comfortable speech of St. Austin, ''''"Whatsoever thou shall
do, how great a sinner soever, thou art yet living; if God would not help thee, he
would surely take thee away; but in sparing thy life, he gives thee leisure, and in-
vites thee to repentance." Plowsoever as yet, I say, thou perceivest no fruit, no
feeling, findest no likelihood of it in thyself, patiently abide the Lord's good leisure,
despair not, or think thou art a reprobate; He came to call sinners to repentance,
Luke V. 32, of which number thou art one ; He came to call thee, and in his time
will surely call thee. And although as yet thou hast no inclination to pray, to re-
pent, thy faith be cold and dead, and thou wholly averse from all Divine iunctions,
yet it may revive, as trees are dead in winter, but flourish in the spring! these vir-
tues may lie hid in thee for the present, yet hereafter show themselves, and perad-
venture already bud, howsoever thou dost not perceive. 'Tis Satan's policv to plead
against, suppress and aggravate, to conceal those sparks of faith in thee. Thou dost
not believe, thou sayest, yet thou wouldst believe if thou couldst, 'tis thy desire to
believe; then pray, ''^"Lord help mine unbelief:" and hereafter tliou shalt certainly
believe: '" Dabltur sifienfi, it shall be given to him that ihirsteth. Thou canst not
yet repent, hereafter thou shalt; a black cloud of sin as yet obnubilates thy soul,
terrifies thy conscience, but this cloud may conceive a rainbow at the last, and be
quite dissipated by repentance. Be of good cheer; a child is rational in power, not
in act ; and so art thou penitent in affection, though not yet in action. 'Tis thy
desire to please God, to be heartily sorry; comfort thyself, no time is overpast, 'tis
never too late. A desire to repent is repentance itself, though not in nature, yet in
81 Chrys. hom. .5. ^- (iui turpihus cantilenis ali-
qiiando iiuniinavit os, divinis hyinnis aniiniim piiraa-
bit. M Hoiii. 5. Iiitroivit hie quis accipiier, r.oluinba
exit; introivit lupus, ovis egreditur, &c. " Oranes
laii!;uores sauat, ca;cis visum, clauilis cressum, gratiam
confert, &i, 65 Seneca. " He who repeats of his
si;;s is well nigh innocent." KDeleclatur Deus
conversione pt-ccatoris; ornne tenipus vilae conversioni
deputatur; pro prxsentibus habentiir tain prxterita
quam futura. ^ Austin. Semper pfenitenlis portus
apertus est ne de.-jperemns. ^ Qmcquid feceris,
quantuniruriquo peccaveris. adhuc in vita es, unde tc
omnino si sanare te nollet Deus, auferrel ; parcend'
clamat ut redeas, &c. w^jatt. vi.23. '"Ee*
xxi. 6.
652 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sect. 4.
God's acceptance; a willing mind is sufficient. ''Blessed are they that hunger and
thirst aflcr righteousness," Matt. v. 6. lie that is destitute of God's grace, and
wisheth for it, shall have it, "-The Lord (saith David, Psal. x. 17) wdl hear the
desire of the poor," that is, such as are in distress of body and mind. 'Tis true
thou canst not as yet grieve for thy sin, thou hast no feeling of faith, I yield ; yet
canst thou grieve thou dost not grieve.' It troubles thee, 1 am sure, tliine heart
should lie so impenitent and hard, thou wouldst have it otherwise ; 'tis thy desire to
grieve, to repent, and to believe. Thou lovest God's children and saints in the
meantime, halest them not, persecutest them not, but rather wishest thyself a true
professor, U> be as they are, as thou thyself hast been heretofore; whicli is an evi-
dent token thou art in no such desperate case. 'Tis a good sign of thy conversion,
thy sins are pardonable, thou art, or shalt surely be reconciled. "The Lord is near
them that are of a contrite heait," Luke iv. 18. "A true desire of mercy in the
want of mercy, is mercy itself; a desire of grace in the want of grace, is grace
itself; a constant. and earnest desire to believe, repent, and to be reconciled to God,
if it be in a touched heart, is an acceptation of God, a reconciliation, faith and re-
pentance itself. For it is not thy faith and repentance, as "Chrysostom truly leacheth,
that is available, but God's mercy that is annexed to it, lie accepts the will for the
deed : so that I conclude, to feel in ourselves the want of grace, and to be grieved
for it, is grace itself I am troubled with fear my sins are not forgiven. Careless
objects: but Bradford answers they are; "For God hath given thee a penitent and
believing heart, that is, a heart which desireth to repent and believe ; for such an
one is taken of him (lie accepting the will for the deedj for a truly penitent and
believing heart.
All this is true thou repliest, but yet it concerns not thee, 'tis verified in ordinary
ofienders, in ccnnmon sins, but lliine are of a higher strain, even against the Holy
Ghost himself, irreniissible sins, sins of the first magnitude, written with a pen of
iron, engraven with a point of a diamond. Thou art worse than a pagan, infidel,
Jew, or Turk, for thou art an apostate and more, thou hast voluntarily blasphemed,
renounced (iod and all religion, tlum art worse than Judas himself, or they that cru-
cified Christ: for they did oflt'iid out of ignorance, but thou haat thought in thine
heart there is no God. Thou hast given thy soul to the devil, as witches and con-
jurors do, erpUcite and implicite, by compact, band and obligation (a desperate, a
fearful case) to satisfy thv lust, or to be revenged of thitie eneniies, thou didst nevi.-r
pray, come to church, hear, read, or do any divine duties with any devotion, but for
formality and fashion'-sake, with a kind of reluctance, 'twas troublesome and pain-
ful to thee to perf'orm any such thing, prater vuiuntul^rn, against thy will. Th«)U
never mad'st any c«)nscience of lying, swearing, bearing false witness, murder, adul-
ter}', bribery, oppression, theft, drunkenness, idolatry, but hast ever done ^11 duties
for fear of punishment, as they were most advantageous, and to thine own ends, and
committed all such notorious sins, with an extraordinary delight, .'\ting that thou
ehouldest U>ve, and loving that thou shouldest hate. Instead of faith, ftar and lov«vof
God, repentance, kc, blasphemous thoughts have been ever harboured in his mind,
even airainst G«xl himself, the blessed Trinity ; the " Scripture false, rude, harsh, imme-
ihodical : heaven, hell, resurrection, mere toys and fables, '* incredible, impossible, ab-
surd, vain, ill contrived ; religion, policy, and human invention, to keep men in obe-
dience, or for profit, invented by priests and law-givers to that purpose. If there be
any such supreme power, he takes no notice of our doings, hears not our prayers,
regardeth them not, will not, cannot help, or else he is partial, an cxceptcrof pirsons,
autht^r of sin, a cruel, a destructive GckI, to create our souls, and desiiuate them to
eternal danmation, to make us worse than our dogs and horses, why doth he not
govern things better, protect goo<l men, root out wicked livers.' why do they prosper
and flourish.' as she raved in the "tragedy pe I Uces ealitm Inunl, l\\crti ihey
shine, Suasque Perseus aureas Stellas habet, where is his providence? how appears it'
''* •' Marni'>r-n I.iciiiui tumulo Jacrt. at Calo parvo,
Pooipofii'ii imll'> ^>ii« ptM'-t e*«« D>^i«."
Ti \ TIN' < are well answerrd in Jobs DowoaM't
■cd t> .-ta. ''^1 '• 'ffar«. "Hrnr^a. ^ • Ijtiaua
Oninis i-i ila lana rr ' 'bir Ininb, Ixjl L'alo in a mran oa» ; PoMi.
■uiaiia A vel ab ali ;:cjo«, wko c«a tluak tlwrcluia ilui Umm
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Cure of Despair. 653
Why doth he suffer Turks to overcome Christians, the enemy to triumph over his
church, paganism to domineer in all places as it doth, heresies to multiply, such
enormities to be committed, and so many such bloody wars, murders, massacres,
plagues, feral diseases ! why doth he not make us all good, able, sound? whv makes
he "'venomous creatures, rocks, sands, deserts, this earth itself the muck-hiil of the
world, a prison, a house of correction } ''^ Menfimur regnare Jovem^ «^-c., with many
such horrible and execrable conceits, not fit to be uttered ; TerribiUa de fidc^ hor-
ribilia de Divinitate. They cannot some of them but think evil, they are compelled
volenlcs nolentes., to blasplieme, especially when they come to church and pray,
read. S^c, such foul and prodigious suggestions come into their hearts.
These are abominable, unspeakable offences, and most opposite to God, lenta-
tiones fcedcB et ivipicc^i yet in this case, he or they that shall be tempted and so affected,
must know, that no man living is free from such thoughts in part, or at some times,
the most divine spirits have been so tempted in some sort, evil custom, omission of
holy exercises, ill company, idleness, solitariness, melancholy, or depraved nature,
and the devil is still ready to corrupt, trouble, and divert our souls, to suggest such
blasphemous thoughts into our fantasies, ungodly, profane, monstrous and wicked
. conceits : If they come from Satan, th'ey are more speedy, fearful and violent, the
parties cannot avoid them : they are more frequent, I say, and monstrous when they
come ; for the devil he is a spirit, and hath means and opportunities to mingle him-
self with our spirits, and sometimes more slily, sometimes more abruptly and openly,
to suggest such devilish thoughts into our hearts ; he insults and domineers in
melancholy distempered fantasies and persons especially; melancholy is bahieum
diabolic as Serapio holds, the devil's bath, and invites him to come to it. As a sick
man frets, raves in his fits, speaks and doth he knows not what, the devil violently
compels such crazed souls to think such damned thoughts against their wills, they
cannot but do it; sometimes more continuate, or by fits, he takes his advantage, as
the subject is less able to resist, he aggravates, extenuates, affirms, denies, damns,
confounds the spirits, troubles heart, brain, humours, organs, senses, and whollv
domineers in their imaginations. If they proceed from themselves, such thoughts,
they are remiss and moderate, not so violent and monstrous, not so frequent. The
devil commonly suggests things opposite to nature, opposite to God and his word,
impious, absurd, such as a man would never of himself, or could not conceive, they
strike terror and horror into the parties' own hearts. For if he or they be asked
whether they do approve of such like thoughts or no, they answer (and their own
souls truly dictate as much) they abhor them as much as hell and the devil himself,
they would fain think otherwise if they could ; he hath thought otherwise, and with
all his soul desires so to think again; he doth resist, and hath some good motions
intermixed now and then : so that such blasphemous, impious, unclean thoughts,
are not his own, but the devil's ; they proceed not from him, but from a crazed
phantasy, distempered humours, black fumes which offend his brain: '^ they are
thy crosses, the devil's sins, and he shall answer for them, he doth enforce thee to
do that which thou dost abhor, and didst never give consent to: and although he
hath sometimes so slily set upon thee, and so far prevailed, as to make thee in some
sort to assent to such wicked thoughts, to delight in, yet they have not proceeded
from a confirmed will in thee, but are of that nature which thou dost afterwards
reject and abhor. Therefore be not overmuch troubled and dismayed with such
kind of suggestions, at least if they please thee not, because they are not thy per-
sonal sins, for which thou shalt incur the wrath of God, or his displeasure: con-
temn, neglect them, let them go as they come, strive not too violently, or trouble
thyself too much, but as our Saviour said to Satan in like case, say thou, avoid
Satan, 1 detest tliee and them. Satancz esf mala ingercrc (saith Austin) nostrum non
consentire : as Satan labours to suggest, so must we strive not to give consent, and
it will be sufficient : the more anxious and solicitous thou art, the more perplexed,
the more thou shalt otherwise be troubled and entangled. Besides, they must know
this, all so molested and distempered, that although these be most execrable and
grievous sins, they are pardonable yet, through God's mercy and goodness, they
" Vid. Cainpanella cap. 6. Atheis. triumphat. et c. 2. I colum, &c. '« Lucan. " It can't be true that Jus:
ad arguinentum 12. ubi plura. Si Deus bonus unde | Jove reigns." ^Perliins.
3e2
654 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4,
may be forgiven, if thev be penitent and sorrv for them. Paul himself confesseth,
Rom. xvii. 19. '• He did not the good he would do, but the evil which he woulil not
do; 'tis not 1, but sin that dwelleth in me." 'Tis not thou, but Satan's suu-gestions,
his craft and subtility, his malice : comfort thyself then if thou be penitent and
grieved, or desirous to be so, these heinous sins shall not be laid to thy charge ;
God's mercy is above all sins, which if thou do not tinally contemn, without doubt
thou shah be saved. ^"No man sins against the Holy Ghost, but he that wilfully
and finallv renounceth Christ, and contemneth him and his word to the last, without
which there is no salvation, from which grievous sin, God of his infinite mercy
deliver us." Take hold of this to be thy comfort, and meditate w ithal on God's
word, labour to prav, to repent, to be renewed in mind, '• keep thine heart with all
diligence." Prov. iv. 13, resist the devil, and he will tly from tliee, pour out thy soul
unto the Lord with sorrowful Haimah, "pray continually," as Paul enjoins, and as
David dill, P>ahn i. *» metlitate on his law day and night."
Yea, but tlii^ meditation is that mars all, and mistaken makes many men far
worse, misconceiving all they read or hear, to their own overthrow; the more they
search and read Scriptures, or divine treatises, the more they puzzle themselves, as
a bird in a net, the more lliey are entangled and precipitated into this preposterous
gulf: "Many are called, but few are cliosen," .Matt. xx. 16. and xxii. It. with such
like places of Scripture misinterpreted strike them with horror, they doubt presently
whether they be of this number or no : GmPs eternal decree of predestination, abso-
lute reprobation, and such fatal tables, they form to their own ruin, and impinge upon
this rock of desjuiir. How shall they be assured of their salvation, by what signs.'
'• If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinners appear ?"
1 Pet. iv. 18. Who knows, saith Solomon, whether he be elect.' This grinils tiieir
souls, how shall they discern they are not reprobates ? But I say again, how shall
they discern they are .' Frt>m the devil can be no certainty, for he is a liar from the
beginning; if he suggests any such thing, as loo frequently he doth, reject him as a
deceiver, an enemy of human kind, dispute not with him, give no credit to him,
obstinately refuse him, as St. Anthony did in the wilderness, whom the devil set
upon in several sha{>i-s, or as the collier did, so do thou by him. For when the
devil tempted him with the weakness of his faitli, and told him he could not be
saved, as being ignorant in the principles of religion, and urged him moreover to
know uhat he believed, what he thought of such and such points and mysteries:
the collier told him, he believed as the church did; but what (said the devil again)
doth the cliurcli believe? as I do (^said the collier); and what's that thou believest .'
as the church doth, Stc, when the devil could get no other answer, he left him. If
Satan summon thee to answer, send him to Christ: he is thy libeity, thy pr«>tector
against cruel death, raging sin, tliat roaring lion, he is thy righteousness, ihy Saviour,
and thy lile. Though he say, thou art not of ihe number of the elect, a reprobate,
forsaken of God, lu)ld thine own still, hie murus ahtnrus esto, " let this be as a bul-
wark, a brazen wall to defend thee, stay thyself in that certainty of faith ; let that
be thy comfort, Christ will pr«)tect thee, vindicate tliee, ihou art one of his flock, he
will triumph over the law, vaiujuish death, overcome the devil, and destroy hell. If
he say tliou art none of the elect, no believer, reject him, defy liim, thou hast thought
otherwise, and mayest so be resolved again; comfort thyself; this persuasion can-
not come from the devil, and much less can it be gr<iunded from thyself.' men are
liars, and w hy shouldest thou distrust .' A denying Peter, a persecuting Paul, an
adulterous cruel David, have been received; an apostate Solomon may be converted;
no sin at all but iinpenitency, can give testimony of finyl reprobation. Why shouldest
thou then distrust, misdoubt thyself, upon what ground, what suspicion? This
opinion alone of particularity? .Atjainst that, and for the certainty of election and
salvation on the other side, see God's good will toward men, hear how generally
his grace is proposed to him, and him, and them, each man in (Kirticular, and to all.
1 Tim. ii. 4. "God will that all men be saved, and come to the knowledge of the
truth." 'Tis a universal promise, " God sent not his son into the world to condemn
■ HmninftiM. Nemo poceal in fpiriium Mncium niti I Mloa; A quo p«eealo libarrt soa DooiiaiM J««M Cbri*'
qoi ftii«lit>fr n ToluMlarip renuiieial Cbri«tuni. euni<|iiv lus. AmcD.
•( ejua vrrtmin ei'reioe cunlemoiC, uue qua nulla |
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Cure of Despair. 655
the world, but that through him the worhl might be saved." Johu iii. 17. "He that
aciinowledgeth liimself a man in the world, must likewise acknowledore he is of that
number that is to be saved." Ezek. xxxiii. 11, "I will not the death of a sinner, but
that he repent and live:" But thou art a sinner; therefore he will not thy death.
"This is the will of him that sent me, that every, man that believelh in the Son,
should have everlasting life." John vi. 40. " He would have no man perish, but all
come to repentance," 2 Pet. iii. 9. Besides, remission of sins is to be preached, not
to a few, but universally to all men, " Go therefore and tell all nations, baptising
them," &.C. Matt, xxviii. 19. "Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to
every creature," Mark xvi. 15. Now there cannot be contradictory wills in God,
he will have all saved, and not all, how can this stand together.^ be secure then,
believe, trust in him. hope well and be saved. Yea, that's the main matter, how
shall I believe or discern my security from carnal presumption? my faith is weak
and faint, I want those signs and fruits of sanctification, *' sorrow for sin, thirsting
for grace, groanings of the spirit, love of Christians as Christians, avoiding occasion
of sin, endeavour of new obedience, charity, love of God, perseverance. Though
these signs be languishing in thee, and not seated in thine heart, thou must not there-
fore be dejected or terrified ; the effects of the faith and spirit are not yet so fully
felt in thee ; conclude not therefore thou art a reprobate, or doubt of thine election,
because the elect themselves are without them, before their conversion. Thou
mayest in the Lord's good time be converted ; some are called at the eleventh hour.
Use, 1 say, the means of thy conversion, expect the Lord's leisure, if not vet called,
pray thou mayest be, or at least wish and desire thou mayest be.
Notwithstanding all this which might be said to this effect, to ease their afflicted
minds, what comfort our best divines can afford in this case, Zanchius, Beza, Sec.
This furious curiosity, needless speculation, fruitless meditation about election,
reprobation, free will, grace, such places of Scripture preposterously conceived, tor-
ment still, and crucify the souls of too many, and set all the world together by the
ears. To avoid which inconveniences, and to settle their distressed minds, to miti-
gate those divine aphorisms, (though in another extreme some) our late .Arminians
have revived that plausible doctrine of universal grace, which many fathers, our late
Lutheran and modern papists do still maintain, that we have free will of ourselves,
and that grace is common to all that will believe. Some again, though less ortho-
doxal, will have a far greater part saved than shall be damned, (as ^'Caelius Secundus
stiffly maintains in his book, De amplitiuline rcgni ccclestisy or some impostor under
his name) beatorum numerus multb major quam damnatorum. "He calls that other
tenet of special ^"election and reprobation, a prejudicate, envious and malicious
opinion, apt to draw all men to desperation. JNIany are called, few chosen. Sec. He
opposeth some opposite parts of Scriptuie to it, "Christ came into the World to save
sinners," Sec. And four especial arguments he produceth, one from God's power.
If more be damned than saved, he erroneously concludes, ^^ the devil hath the greater
sovereignty! for what is power but to protect.^ and majesty consists in multitude.
" If the devil have tlie greater part, where is his mercy, where is his power i how
is he Deus Optimus Maximus., miser icors? ^-c, where is his greatness, where his
goodness r" He proceeds, ^''"•We account him a murderer that is accessary only,
or doth not help when he can ; which may not be supposed of God without great
offence, because he may do what he will, and is otlierwise accessary, anti tlie author
of sin. The nature of jrood is to be communicated, God is good, and will not then
be contracted in his goodness : for how is he the father of mercy and comfort, if
his ffood concern but a few.? O envious and unthankful men to think otherwise!
"Why should we pray to God that are Gentiles, and thank him for his mercies and
benefits, that hath damned us all innocuous for Adam's offence, one man's oflence, one
small offence, eating of an apple ? why should we acknowledge him for our governor
81 Abernethy. ^ See wtiole books of ttiese argu-
ments. 63 Lib. 3. fol. l-^i. Praejudicata opinio, HI-
rida, maligna, et apta ad inipclleuJos aniinos in despe-
rationein. *iSee the Antidote in Cliauiier's toin. 3.
lib. 7. Downam's Christian Warfare, &c. " Poteiilior
est Deo diabolns et umiidi princeps, et in mnltitudine
liomiuuia sita est majestas. « Homicida qui non
suhvenit quum potest ; hoc de Deo sine scelere cogitari
non potist, utpoie quum qnod vult licet. Bnni natura
coininnnicari. Bonus Deus, quoniodo niisericordie.
pater, tec. ^ Vide Cyrilluni lib. 4. adversus Julia-
niiin, qui poterimus illi gratias agere qui nobis non
misit Mosen et proplietasi et coiiteinpsil bom amiuia-
rum oustrarum.
656 Religious MelancJioly. [Part. 3. Sec «
that hath wholly neglected the salvation of our souls, contemned us, and sent ;o
prophets or instructors to teach us. as he hath done to the Hebrews ?" So Julian vhe
apostate objects. Why should these Clirislians (Ca-lius urgeth) reject us and appro-
priate God unto themselves, JJeum ilium siuun unicum, Sfc. But to return to our Ibrired
Cselius. At last he comes to that, he will have those saved that never heard of, or
believed in Christ, ex puris naluralihtis, witii the Pelagians, and proves it out of Ori-
gen and others. *'They (sailh "^Origen) that never heard God's word, are to be
excused for their ignorance; we may not think God will be so hard, angry, cruel or
unjust as to condemn anv man indicld caus'i. They alone (he holds) are in the state
of damnation that refuse Christ's mercy and grace, when it is offered. Many worthy
Greeks and Romans, good moral honest men, that kept the law of nature, did to
others as they would be done to themselves, as certainly saved, he concludes, as
they were tiiat lived uprightly before the law of Moses. They were acceptable in
God's sight, as Job was, the Magi, the queen of Sheba, Darius of Persia, Socrates,
Aristides, Cato, Curius, Tully, Seneca, and many other philosophers, upright livers,
no matter of what religion, as Cornelius, out of any nation, so that he live honestly,
call on God, trust in him, fear him, he shall be saved. This opinion was formerly
maintained bv the Valentinian and Basiledian heretics, revived of late in *'* Turkey,
of what sect Bustan Hassa was jmiron, defended by *"Gali'atius *' Erasmus, by Zu-
inglius irt cxpusit. jidei iid Rfgfm GaUiie, whose tenet liullinger vin(hcate.-*, and
Gualter ap[)roves in a just apology with nmny arguments. There be many Jesuits
that follow these Calvinists in this behalf, Franciscus liuchsius Moguntinus, Aiiiha-
dius Consil. 'I'ridrnt. many schoi^duien that out <»f the 1 Rom. v. 18. 19. are verily
persua(b-d that those good works of the Gt-ntiks did so far please God, that they
might vilarn irtcrnam prumrnri., and be saved in the end. Sesellius, and lienedictus
lustitiianus in his comment on the Hrst of the Romans, Mathias Ditmarsh the poli-
tician, with mnriv others, hold a mediocrity, they may be salute non indium but they
will not absolutely decree it. ilofmannus, a Lutheran profe8st>r of llelmstad, and
iilany of his followers, with most of our church, and papists, are stiff" against it.
Franciscus Collins hath fully censured all opinions in his Five Books, de J'n'jano-
rutn animabus post mortem, and amply dilattd this question, which whoso will may
peruse. Bui to return to my author, his conclusion is, that not only wicked livens,
blasphemers, renrobates, and such a.s reject God's grace, '* but that the devils them-
selves shall be saved at last," as'-Origen hiujself long since delivered in his works,
and our late ""'S'cinians defend, Ostorodius, cap. -II. instilut. Smallius, SiC. Those
terms of all and for ever in Scripture, are noi eternal, but oidy denote a longer time,
which bv mativ examples they prove. The worhl shall end like a comedy, and we
ihall meet at last in heaven, and live iti bliss altogelfier, or else in conclusion, in
nihil evaiiescere. For how tan he be mertifid that shall ct»ndemn any creature to
eternal unspeakable punishment, for one small temporary fault, all posterity, so many
myriads for one and another man's otR-nce, t/uid meruistis aces'? But these absurd
paradoxes are exploded by our church, we teach otherwise. That this vocation,
predestination, election, reprobation, non ex corruptd massd, pneviso^Jide^ as our
.■\rminians, or ex prcevisis operibus^ as our papists, non ex /)rt£/er//Jort'', but God's
absolute decree ante mundum creatum, (as many of our church hold) was from the
beginning, before the foundation of the world was laid, or homo conditus, (or from
Adam's fall, as others will, humo lapsus objeclum est reprubaliunis) with pirseve-
rantia sanclorum, we must be certain of our salvation, we may fall but not iiiially,
which our Arminians will not admit. According to his immutable, eternal, just de-
cree and counsel of saving men and angels, God calls all, and would have all to be
saved according to the etlicacy of vocation : all are invited, but only the elect ap-
prehended : the rest that are unbelieving, impenitent, wh(»in God in his just judg-
ment leaves to be punished for their sins, are in a reprobate sense; yet we must not
determine who are such, condemn ourselves or others, because we have a universal
luvitatioQ ; all are commanded to believe, and we know not how soon or how late
• V. • ' - Tni non ■orfinnt nh ii;nor<T ''••■ ht«t. TB. I. I. ?. "OlMn. Alu •• ft*-
Xon • I [K-ijo : ul •■ i'°"'l''*'i> <'i 'i tir lllusl. *> Nuu buminr* wtl rt
e*ua 1 I ■••ilum tluiiiiiaiit'ir, ten ' aiKtuatidn aenraiMli. ■> Vid PelMi
Um L'uri.ii jriij i.ij j> jicrint. w Buabrquiu* Ljjih , ikhiukuiiiui art. £^ p. Z
Mem. 2 Subs. 6.] Cure of Despair. 657
our end may be received. I might have said more of this subject; but forasmuch
as it is a forbidden question, and in the preface or declaration to the articles of the
church, printed 1G33, to avoid factions and altercations, we that are university divines
e.specially, are prohibited " all curious search, to print or preach, or draw the article
aside by our own sense and comments upon pain of ecclesiastical censure." I will
surcease, and conclude with °^ Erasmus of such controversies : Piignet qui vokf, ego
censeo leges majorum rcverente.r susciplendas, et religiose observandas, velut a Deo
profectas; nee esse tulmn, nee esse piu?n, de potest ate puhlica sinistram concipcre out
sercre suspicionem. Et siqiiid est tijrannidis, quod tamen non cogut ad impietatem,
satins estfcrre, quam seditiosc reluctari.
But to my former task. The last main torture and trouble of a distressed mind,
is not so much this doubt of election, and that the promises of grace are smothered
and extinct in them, nay quite blotted out, as they suppose, but withal God's heavy
wrath, a most intolerable pain and grief of heart seizeth on them: to their thinking
they are already damned, they suffer the pains of hell, and more than possibly can
be expressed, they smell brimstone, talk fannliarly with devils, hear and see chimeras,
prodigious, uncouth shapes, bears, owls, antiques, black dogs, fiends, hideous out-
cries, fearful noises, shrieks, lamentable complaints, they are possessed, ^^ and through
"impatience they roar and howl, curse, blaspheme, deny God, call his power in ques-
tion, abjure religion, and are still ready to offer violence unto themselves, bv hang-
ing, drowning, &c. Never any miserable wretch from the beginning of the world
was in such a woeful case. To such persons I oppose God's mercy and his justice;
Judicia Dei occulta^ non injusta: his secret counsel and just judgment, by wliich lie
spares some, and sore afHicts others again in this life; his judgment is to be adored,
trembled at, not to be searched or inquired after by mortal men : he hath reasons
reserved to himself, which our frailty cannot apprehend. He may punish all if he
will, and that justly for sin; in that he doth it in some, is to make a way for his
mercy that they repent and be saved, to heal them^ to try them, exercise their
patience, and make them call upon him, to confess their sins and pray unto liim, as
David did. Psalm cxix. 137. "Righteous art thou, O Lord, and just are thy judg-
ments." As tlie poor publican, Luke xviii. 13. ••' Lord have mercy upon me a
miserable sinner." To put confidence and have an assured hope in him, as Job had,
xiii. 15. "Though he kill me 1 will trust in him:" Ure, seca, occidc O Do/nine.,
(saith Austin) inodo serves animam^ kill, cut in pieces, burn my body (O Lord) to
save my soul. A small sickness ; one lash of affliction, a little misery, many times
will more humiliate a man, sooner convert, bring him home to know himself, than
all those paraenetical discourses, the whole theory of philosophy, law, physic, and
divinity, or a world of instances and examples. So that this, which they take to be
such an insupportable plague, is an evident sign of God's mercy and justice, of His
love and goodness: periissent nisi periissent^ had they not thus been undone, they
had finally been undone. Many a carnal man is lulled asleep in perverse security
foolish presumption, is stupefied in his sins, and hath no feeling at all of them : " I
have sinned (he saith) and what evil shall come unto me," Eccles. v. 4, and '■"Tush,
how shall God know it .'" and so in a reprobate sense goes down to hell. But here,
Cynlhius aurem velUt, God pulls them by the ear, by affliction, he will bring them to
heaven and happiness ; " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,"
Matt. V. 4, a blessed and a happy state, if considered aright, it is, to be so troubled.
" It is good for me that I have been afflicted," Psal. cxix. '• before I w as afflicted
I went astray, but now I keep Thy word." " Tribulation works patie'^.ce, patience
hope," Rom. v. 4, and by such like crosses and calamities we are dri\en from the
stake of security. So that affliction is a school or academy, wherein tlie best scho-
lars are prepared to the commencements of the Deity. And though it be most
troublesome and grievous for the time, yet know ihis, it comes by God's permission
and providence; He is a spectator of thy groans and tears, still present with ihee,
*« Epist. Erasnii de utilitate colloquior. ad lectoretn.—
I^et whoi'ver wish-s dispute, I think the law? of our
forefathers should be received with reverence, and reli-
giously o.'jserved, as coming from God; neither is it
safe or pious to conceive, or contrive, an injurious sus-
picion of the public authority ; and should any tyranny, |
83
likely to drive men into the commission of witkednPM,
exist, it is lieller to endure it linn to re^^i^t it by sedi-
tion. "Vaslata conscienlia sequilur sensus in
divinJB. (Ilemingjus) fremitus cordis, ingeoa anini*
cruciatuB, ice
658 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4
the very hairs of thy head are numbered, not one of them can fall to the ground
without the express will of God : he will not suffer thee to be tempted above mea-
sure, he corrects ms all, ^nwrnero, ponderc, el mensurd^ the Lord will not quench the
smokino; tlax, or break the bruised reed, Tental (sailh Austin) non ut obruat, sed ut
coronet he suffers thee to be tempted for thy good. And as a mother doth handle
her child sick and weuk, not reject it, but with all tenderness observe and keep it, so
doth God by us, not forsake us in our miseries, or relinquish us for our imperfec-
tions, but with all pity and compassion support and receive us; whom he loves, he
loves to the end. Horn. viii. ''Whom He hath elected, those He hath called, justified,
sanctilied, and glorified." Think not then thou hast lost the Spirit, that thou art for-
saken of God, be not overcome with heaviness of heart, but as David said, '' I will
not fear though I walk in the shadows of death." We must all go, non a deliciis
ad delicias, *' but from the cross to the crown, by hell to heaven, as the old Romans
put Virtue's temple in the way to that of Honour; we must endure sorrow and
misery in this life. 'Tis no new thing this, God's best servants and dearest children
have been so visited and tried. Christ in the garden cried out, ''My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me ?" His son by nature, as thou art by adoption and grace.
Job, in his anguish, said, "The arrows of the Almighty God were in him," Job vi. 4.
*' His terrors fought against him, the venom drank up his spirit," cap. xiii. 20. He
Aaith, '' God was his enemy, writ bitter things against him (xvi. 9,) haled him."
His heavy wrath had so seized on his soul. David complains, " his eyes were
eaten up, sunk into his head," Ps. vi. 7, '• his moisture became as the drought in
<5ummer, his tlesh was consumed, his bones vexed :" yet neither Job nor David did
finally dejpair. Job would not leave his hold, bnt still trust in Him, acknowledging
Him to bf his good God. ^Tlie Lord gives, the Lord takes, blessed be the name of
the Lord," Job. i. til. " BefioM I am vile, I abhor myself, repent in dust and ashes,"
Job xxxix. 37. David humbled himself, Psal. xxxi. and upon his confession received
mercy. Faitli, hope, repentance, are the sovereign cures and remedies, the sole com-
furts in this case; confess, humble thyself, repent, it is sutHcient. Quod purpura
non potest, saccus potest, saith Chrysostom; the king of Nineveh's sackcloth and
ashes did tiiat which his purple robes and crown could not effect; Quod diadema
non potuits cmis perfecit. Turn to Him, he will turn to tliee ; the Lord is near those
that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be afflicted in spirit, Ps. xxxiv. 18.
"He came to the lost sheep of Israel," Matt. xv. 14. Si cadenlem intuetur, clemenlieB
manum protrndit. He is at all times ready to assist, jyum/uuin spernit Dcus Pani-
tentiam si sincere el simpliciter ojferalur. He never rejects a penittnt sinner, though
he have come to the full height of iniquity, wallowed and delighted in sin; yet if he
will forsake his former ways, libenler amplexalur. He will receive him. Parcam huic
homini, saith "'Austin, [ex persona Dei) quia sibi ipsi mm pepercil ; ignoscam quia
peccalum agnovit. I will spare him because he hath not spared himself; 1 will par-
don him because he doth acknowledge his offence: let it be never so enormous a
sin, " His grace is sufficient," 2 Cor. xii. 9. Despair not then, faint not at all, be
not dejected, but rely on God, call on him in thy trouble, and he wUl hear thee, he
will assist, help, and deliver thee: "Draw near to Him, he will draw near to thee,"
James iv. 8. Lazarus was poor and full of boils, and yet still he relied upon God,
Abraham did hope beyond hope.
Thou exceptest, these were chief men, divine spirits, Deo cari, beloved of God,
especially respected; but 1 am a contemptible and forlorn wretch, forsaken of God,
and left to the merciless fury of evil spirits. I cannot hope, pray, repent, kc. How
often shall I say it ? thou mayest perform all those duties, Christian offices, and be
restored in good time. A sick man loselh his appetite, strength and ability, his dis-
ease prcvaileth so far, that all his faculties are spent, hand and foot perform not their
duties, his eyes are dim, hearing dull, tongue distastes things of pleasant relish, yet
nature lies hid, recovereth again, and expelleth all those feculent matters by vomit,
sweat, or some such like evacuations. Thou art spiritually sick, thine heart is
heavy, thy mind distressed, thou mayest happily recover again, expel those dismal
passions of fear and grief; God did not suffer thee to be tempted above measure;
MAiKiin. •^"N'ot from plcamirpa tn |ii»Riurf«." * Super fial. Iii. Conrcrtar ad tiberandum etim
%>iia cuuveraiM e«t ad pt-ccatuoi juuid puoiviiiluiu.
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.] Cure of Despair. 659
whom he loves (I say) he loves to the end ; hope the best. David in his misery
prayed to the Lord, remembering how he had formerly dealt with hiin ; and with
that meditation of God's mercy confirmed his faith, and pacified his own tumultuous
heart in his greatest agony. " O my soul, why art thou so disquieted within me,"
&c. Thy soul is eclipsed for a time, I yield, as the sun is shadowed bv a cloud ;
no doubt but those gracious beams of God's mercy will shine upon thee again, as
they have formerly done : those embers of faith, hope and repentance, now buried
in ashes, will flame out afresh, and be fully revived. Want of faith, no feeling of
grace for the present, are not fit directions ; we must live by faith, not by feehng ;
'tis the beginning of grace to wish for grace : we must expect and tarry. David, a
man after God's own heart, was so troubled himself; "Awake, why sleepest thou ?
O Lord, arise, cast me not off; wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest mine
affliction and oppression ? My soul is bowed down to the dust. Arise, redeem us,"
&c., Ps. xliv. 22. He prayed long before he was heard, expectans expectavit ; en-
dured much before he was relieved. Psal. Ixix. 3, he complains, " I am weary of
crying, and my throat is dry, mine eyes fail, whilst I wait on the Lord ;" and yet he
perseveres. Be not dismayed, thou shalt be respected at last. God often works by
contrarieties, he first kills and then makes alive, he woundeth first and then healeth,
he makes man sow in tears that he may reap in joy; 'tis God's method : he that is
so visited, must with patience endure and rest satisfied for the present. The paschal
lamb was eaten with sour herbs ; we shall feel no sweetness of His blood, till we
first feel the smart of our sins. Thy pains are great, intolerable for the time ; thou
art destitute of grace and comfort, stay the Lord's leisure, he will not (I say) suffer
thee to be templed above that thou art able to bear, 1 Cor. x. L3. but will give an
issue to temptation. He works all for the best to them that love God, Piom. viii. 28.
Doubt not of thine election, it is an immutable decree ; a mark never to be defaced:
you have been otherwise, you may and shall be. And for your present aflliction,
hope the best, it will shortly end. " He is present with his servants in their afflic-
tion," Ps. xci. 15. "Great are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth
them out of all," Ps. xxxiv. 19. " Our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh in us an eternal weight of glory," 2 Cor. iv. 18. "Not answerable to that
glory which is to come ; though now in heaviness," saijh 1 Pet. i. 6, •• you shall
rejoice."
Now last of all to those external impediments, terrible objects, which they hear
and see many times, devils, bugbears, and mormeluches, noisome smells, Sec. These
may come, as I have formerly declared in my precedent discourse of the Symptoms
of Melancholy, from inward causes ; as a concave glass reflects solid bodies, a
troubled brain for want of sleep, nutriment, and by reason of that agitation of spirits
to which Hercules de Saxonia attributes all symptoms almost, may reflect and show
prodigious shapes, as our vain fear and crazed phantasy shall suggest and feign, as
many silly weak women and children in the dark, sick folks, and frantic for want of
repast and sleep, suppose they see that they see not : many times such terricula
ments may proceed from natural causes, and all other senses may be deluded. Be-
sides, as I have said, this humour is balneum diaboU, the devil's bath, by reason of
the distemper of humours, and infirm organs in us : he may so possess us inwardly
to molest us, as he did Saul and others, by God's permission : he is prince of the
air, and can transform himself into several shapes, delude all our senses for a time,
but his power is determined, he may terrify us, but not hurt; God hath given "His
angels charge over us. He is a wall round about his people," Psal. xci. 11, 12.
There be those that prescribe physic in such cases, 'tis God's instrument and not
unfit. The devil works by mediation of humours, and mixed diseases must liave
mixed remedies. Levinus Lemnius cap. 57 and 58, exhort, ad vit. ep. instit. is very
copious on this subject, besides that chief remedy of confidence in God, prayer,
hearty repentance, &c., of which for your comfort and instruction, read Lavater de
spectris partes, cap. 5. and 6. Wierus de prcESfigiis damonum lib. 5. to Philip IMe-
lancthon, and others, and that Christian armour which Paul prescribes ; he sets down
certain amulets, herbs, and precious stones, which have marvellous virtues all, j)ro-
Jligandis damonibus, to drive away devils and their illusions. Sapphires, chryso-
lites, carbuncles, kc. Quce mirci v'irtute pollent ad Icmurcs, slryges, incubos. genios
660 Religious Melancholy. [Part. 3. Sec. 4.
aercos arccndos^ si veterum monumcntis hahcnda Jides. Of herbs, he reckons ua
pennyroyal, rue, mint, angelica, peony : Rich. Argentine dc prasligiis dcf/nomwi, cap.
20, adds, hypcricon or St. John's wort, perforata herha, which by a divine virtue
drives away devils, and is therefore /«^a damonum : all which rightly used by their
eufhtus, Dcemonum vexationibus obsistunt^ ajflictas mentcs a damonibus relevant, et
venenatis fiimis, expel devils themselves, and all devilish illusions. Anthony Musa,
the Emperor Augustus, his physician, cap. 6, de Betonid, approves of betony to this
purpose ; ^^ the ancients used therefore to plant it in churchyards, because it was
held to be an holy herb and good against fearful visions, did secure such ])laces as it
grew in, and sanctified those persons that carried it about them. Idem ftre JMuthio-
lus in dioscorideiii. Others commend accurate music, so Saul was helped by David's
harp. Fires to be made in such rooms where spirits haunt, good store of lights to
be set uj), odours, perfumes, and sull'umigations, as the angel taught Tobias, of brim-
.stone and bilumtn., thus, myrrh., briony root, with many such simples which Weckei
hath collfcttti, lib. 15, de secretis, cap. 15. 4 sulphuris drachinain unam, recoquO'
tur in vili'i albce aqua., ut dilulius sit su/jihur; detiir tfgro: nam dcemones sunt inurbi
I saith Rich. Argentine, lib. de, pritstigiis diemonum., cap. nit.) Vigetus hath a far
larger receipt to this purpose, wliich llie said Wecker cites out of Wierus. 4 sul-
phuris, i'/«i, bitutninis, opoponacis, galbani, castorei, &ic. Why sweet perfumes,
lires and so many lights should be used in such places, Ernestus Rurgra\ ius Lucerna
rita et murtis, and Kortunius Lycetus assigns this cause, quod his boni genii provo-
centur, vudi arceantur ; "because good spirits are will pleased with, but evil abhor
them !" And tlitrefore those old Clentiles, j)resent Mahometans, and Papists have
continual lamps burning in their cimrches all day and all night, lights at lunerals
and in their graves ; lucerna urdentes ex auro I iqurj'acto ior nmwy 'ixgvs to endure
' sailh Lazius), ne dcrmunes corpus ladant ; lights ever burning as those vestal virgins,
Pythoni;:s;L' maintained herct<jfore, with many such, of which read To^talus in 2
lieg. cap. (j. qiuest. 43. Thyreus, cap. 57, 58, tj'i, Ǥ-c. de locis infestis, I'ictorius
Isagog. de dLimonibus, Sfc, see more in them. Cardan would have the parly afl(,-clcd
wink altogether in such a case, if he see aui^ht thai oirt-nds him, or cut llu' air with
a sword in such places they walk and abide ; gladiis cniin et lanceis ternntur, shoot
a pistol at them, for being at-rial bodies (as Cii-lius Rhodiginus, lib. \. cap. 21). Ter-
tullian, Origen, Psellas, &nd many hold), if stroken, they feel pain. Papists com-
monly enjom and apply crosses, holy water, sanctiljed beads, amulets, mubic, ringing
of bells, for to ilial end are they consecraleil, and by iliem baptized, characters,
counterfeit relics, so many masses, peregrinations, oblalion.s, adjurations, and what
not.? Alexander Albertinus a Rocha, Petru:* Tbyreus, and Hieronymus Mengus,
with many other pontificial writers, prescribe and set down several forms of exor-
cisms, as well to houses possessed with devils, as to demoniacal persons; but I am
of '""Lemnius's mind, 'lis but damnosa adjuratio, aut polius ludijicutio, a mere
mockery, a counterfeit charm, to no purpose, they are fopperies and llciions, as that*
absurd 'story is amongst the rest, of a penitent woman seduced by a magician in
France, at St. Rawne, e.vorcised by Domphius, .Michaelis, and a con)pany of circum-
venting friars. If any man (saith Lemnius) will attempt such a thing, without all
those juggling circumstances, astrological elections of lime, place, prodigious habits,
fustian, big, sesijuipedal words, s[)ells, crosses, characters, which exorcists ordinarily
use, let him follow the example of Peter and John, that without any ambitious
swelling terms, cured a larae man. Acts iii. " In the name of Christ Jesus rise and
walk." His name alone is the best and only charm against all such diabolical illu-
t>ions, so doth Origen advise : and so Chrysostom, IJac erit ttbi baculus, httc turrn
inerpugnabUis., hiec armatura. ^'os quid ad hac dicemus, plurcs f'ortasse eipecta-
hunl, saith St. Austin. Many men will desire my counsel and opinion what is to be
done ill this behalf; I can say no more, quam ut vera fide, qua per dilectionern ope
ratur, ad Deurn unum fugiamus, let them fly to God alone for help. Alhanasius m
his book, De variis quasi, prescribes as a present charm against devils, the begin
ning of the Ixvii. Psalm. Kiurgat Deus, dtssipenlur inimici, Sfc. Rut the best
■* Antiqai mliii tunt bane herbam ponere in eismi- | irriti piMiore rafli^ii (uatrt re infecUsbMruoU « Do—
t«rils ideo quod. Ar. lONon dnuni noatri rtala loto Eagluli by W. B., Iflia
aacriOculi, qui ial« qiii4 aiuaiaoi, led A cacoUciaooa |
Mem. 2. Subs. 6.J Cure of Despair, 661
remedy is to fly to Gotl, to call on him, hope, pray, trust, rely on him, to commit
ourselves wholly to him. What the practice of the primitive church was in tiiia
behalf, F.t qu'is dcrmonia ejiclcndi modus, read Wierus at large, lib. 5. de Cura. Lam.
meles. cap. 38. et de.inceps.
Last of all : if the party affected shall certainly know this malady to have pro-
ceeded from too much fasting, meditation, precise life, contemplation of God's judg-
ments (for the devil deceives many by such means), in that other extreme he cir-
cumvents melancholy itself, reading some books, treatises, hearing rigid preachers,
&c. ]f he shall perceive that it hath begun first from some great loss, grievous ac-
cident, disaster, seeing others in like case, or any such terrible object, let him speedily
remove the cause, which to the cure of this disease Navarras so much commends,
* averfat cogifalioncm d re scrupuIosa,"by all opposite means, art, and industry, let him
laxare animwn, by all honest recreations, "• refresh and recreate his distressed soul ;"
let him direct his thoughts, by himself and other of his friends. Let him read iiO more
such tracts or subjects, hear no more such fearful tones, avoid such companies, and
by all means open himself, submit himself to the advice of good physicians and
divines, which is contraventio scriqndorimi, as ''he calls it, hear them speak to whom
the Lord hath given the tongue of the learned, to be able to minister a word to him
that is weary,"* whose words are as flagons of wine. Let him not be obstinate, head-
strong, peevish, wilful, self-conceited (as in this malady they are), but give ear to
good advice, be ruled and persuaded ; and no doubt but such good counsel may
prove as preposterous to his soul, as the angel was to Peter, that opened the iron
gates, loosed his bands, brought him out of prison, and delivered him from bodily
thraldom ; they may ease his afllicted mind, relieve his wounded soul, and take him
out of tlie jaws of hell itself I can say no more, or give better advice to such as
are any way distressed in this kind, than what I have given and said. Only take
this for a corollary and conclusion, as thou tendercst ihine own welfare in this, and
all other melancholy, thy good health of body and mind, observe this short precept,
give not way to solitariness and idleness. " Be not solitary, be not idle."
SPERATE MtSERr— UNHAPPY HOPE.
CAVETE FCELICES— HAPPV BE CAUTIOUS.
Vis d dubio liberarif vis quod incertum est evadere? Jlge pcenitentiam dum
sanus es ; sic agens, dico tihi quod securus es, quod poenitentiam egisti eo tempore
quo peccare poiuisti. Austin. " Do you wish to be freed from doubts ? do you
desire to escape uncertainty .? Be penitent whilst rational : by so doing I assert that
you are safe, because you have devoted that time to penitence in wliich you might
have been guilty of sin."
< 7 om. 2. cap. 27, num. 2S3. " Let him avert his thoughts from the painful object." »Navarrus. «Is. I. 4.
8F
(663^
INDEX.
Absenci: a cure of love-melancholy, 531
Absence over long, cause of jealousy, 569
.Abstinence commended, 283
Academicorum Errata, 197
Adversity why better than prosperity, 367
Aerial devils, 115
Aflections whence they arise, 103; how they
transform us, 89 ; of sleeping and waking,
103
Affection in melancholy, what, 109
Against abuses, repulse, injuries, contumely, dis-
graces, scuffs, 376
Against envy, livor, hatred, malice, 375
Against sorrow, vain fears, death of friends, 369
Air, how it causeth melancholy, 149 ; how rec-
tified it curelh melancholy, 303 — 308 ; air in
love, 461
Alkermes good against melancholy, 411
All are melancholy, 110
All beautiful parts attractive in love, 466
Aloes, his virtues, 400
Alteratives in physic, to what use, 391 ; against
melancholy, 408
Ambition defined, described, cause of melan-
choly, 167, 175; of heresy, 604; hinders and
spoils many matches, 554
Amiableness loves object, 427
Amorous objects causes of love-melancholy, 479,
489
Amulets controverted, approved, 412, 413
Amusements, 314
Anger's description, effects, how it causeth me-
lancholy, 1C9
Antimony a purger of melancholy, 399
Anthony inveigled by Cleopatra, 475
Apology of love-melancholy, 423
Appetite, 103
Apples, good or bad, how, 140
Apparel and clothes, a cause of love-melancholy,
473
Aqueducts of old, 281, 282
Arminian's tenets, 655
Arteries, what, 96, 97
Artificial air against melancholy, 304
Artificial allurements of love, 470
Art of memorv, 322
Astrological aphorisms, how available, signs or
causes of melancholy, 130
Astrological signs of love, 453, 454
Atheists described, 632
Averters of melancholy, 407
Aurum potubile censured, approved, 39
B.
Baits of lovers, 491
Bald lascivious, 571, 572
Balm good against melancholy, 392
Banishment's effects, 225 ; its cure and anti-
dote, 368
Barrenness, what grievances it causeth, 225 ; a
cause ol jealousy, 570
Barren grounds have best air, 304
Bashfulness a symptom of melancholy, 235;
of love-melancholy, 243; cured, 414
Baseness of birth no disparagement, 459
Baths rectified, 285
Bawds a cause of love-melancholy, 492
Beasts and birds in love, 445, 446, 461
Beauty's definition, 427 ; described, 465 ; io
parts, 466; commendation, 457; attractive
power, prerogatives, excellency, how it causeth
melancholy, 459 — 469; makes grievous
wounds, irresistible, 464 ; more beholding to
art than nature, 470 ; brittle and uncertain,
537; censured, 539; a cause of jealousy,
570 ; beauty of God, 594
Beef a melancholy meat, 137
Beer censured, 141
Best site of a house, 304
Bezoar's stone good against melancholy, 411
Black eyes best, 468
Black spots in the nails signs of melancholy,
133
Black man a pearl in a woman's eye, 467
Blasphemy, how pardonable, 653
Blindness of lovers, 507
Blood-letting, when and how cure of melan-
choly, 404, 415; time and quantity, 403
Blood-letting and purging, how causes of me-
lancholy, 149
Blow on the head cause of melancholy, 220
Body, how it works on the mind, 157, 227,
241
Body melancholy, its causes, 231
■Bodily symptoms of melancholy, 232 ; o >ove-
melancholy, 496
Bodily exercises, 308
664
INDEX.
Bookfl of all sorts, 320
Borage and but^io^s, sovereign herbs against
melancholy, 391 ; ibeir wines and juice most
excellent, 397
Boring of the head, a cure for melancholy, 408
brain distempered, how cause of uieluncholy,
"'ZS ; bis parts anatomised, 99
Bread and beer, how causes of melancholy, 140,
141
Brow and forehead, which are most pleasing,
4Gtt
Brute beasts jealous, 5G5
Business the best cure of love-melancholy, 526
C.
Cahdax's father conjured up seven deviU at
once, 1 17 ; had a spirit bound to him, 121
Cards and dice censured, approved, 315
Care's etlects, 170
Carp tub's nature, 138, 139
Cataplasms and cerate* for melancholy, 397
Cause of diseases, Htj
Causes iininedule of melancholy syniptums, 253
Causes of honest love, 434 ; of heroical love,
453; of jealousy, 569
Cautions a;;ainat jealousy, 590
Centaury ^ihmI against melancholy, 391
Charles the (ireat enforced to love basely by a
philter, 494
Change of countenance, aign of love-melau-
choly, 498
Charily describeO, 438 ; defecU of it, 440
Character of ■ covetous man, 178
Charles the 8iitb, king of France, ouul for
anger, 1G9
Chemical physic censured, 407
Chess-play cen«ured, 316
Chiromaiiiical sii^na of melancholy, 131, 132
Chirurtjicdl remedies of melancholy, 4U3
Choleric melancholy si^ns, 243
Chorus saiicti V'lti, a disease, 92
Circumstances increasing jealousy, 571
Cities' recreations, 313, 314
Civil lawyers' miseries, 192
Chmes and particular places, bow causea of
lo\e-inelancholy, 455
Clothes a mere cause of gooJ respect, 214
Clothes causes of love-melancholy, 473
Clysters g<xxl for melancholy, 417
CutTee, a 'i'urkey cordial drink, 410
Cold air cause of melancholy, 150
Comets above the moon, 296
Compound alteratives censured, approved, 395 ;
compound purgers of melancholy, 402; com-
pound wines for melancholy, 408
Community of wives a cure of jealouej, 585
Compliment and good carriage cauaca of love-
melanchuly, 472
Confections and conserves against melancholy,
397
Conlea«ion of his grief to a friend, a principal
cure of melancholy, 329, 330
Contldenre in his physician half a cure, 278
CunjuKsl love best, 450
Conscience what it ia, 106
( 'oQscicnce troubled, a cause of despair, 643, 646
Continual cogitation of his mistress a symptom
of love-melancholy, 503
Contention, brawling, law-suits, elTicls, 224
Continent or inward causes of inelaiich>)ly, 22"
Content above all, whence to be had, 356
('ontention's cure, 381
Cookery taxed, 142
Copernicus, his hypothesis of the earth's mo-
tion, 298, 300
Correctors of accidents in melancholy, 413
Correctors to expel windiness, and costiveness
helped, 418
Cordials against melancholy, 408
Costiveness to some a cause of melancholy, 147
Costiveness helped, 419
Covetousness defined, described, how it causeth
melancholy, 177
Counsel against melancholy, 331, 534 ; cure of
jealousy, 584 ; of despair, 648
Country recreations, 313
Crocodiles jealous, 565
Cuckolds common in all ages, 581
Cupping-glasses, cauteries how and when used
to melancholy, 403, 408
Cure of melancholy, unlawful, rejected, 270 ;
from God, 272 ; of head-meluncholy, 401 ;
over all the IwHly, 415; of hypochondriacal
melancholy, 416; of love-melancholy, 525;
of jealousy, 580 ; of despair. 648
Cure of melancholy in himself, 327 ; or friends,
331
Curiosity described, his eflfects, 222
Custom of diet, delight of appetite, how to b«
kept and yielded to, 145
D.
DaxciJie, masking, mumming, censured, a|^
proved, 4«7, 488; their effects, how they
cause love-melancholy, 487 ; how symptoms
of lovers, 519
Death foretold by spirits, 123
Death of friends cause of melancholy, 216;
other effects, 218 j how cured, 309; death
advantageous, 373
Deformity of body no misery, 345
Delirium, 90
Despair, ojuivocations, 639 ; causes, 640 ; sy mp>
toms, 645 ; prognostics, 647 ; cure, 648
Devils, how they cause melancholy, 115; their
beginning, nature, conditions, 115 ; feel paiiv
swift in motion, mortal, 116; their orders,
118; power, 125; how they cause religious
melancholy, 601 ; how despair, 640 ; de\ils
are oAen in love, 446 ; shall b« saved, as soma
hold, 656
Diet what, and how causelh melancholy, 136 ;
quantity. 142 ; diet of divers nations, 145
Diet rectitied in substance, 280 ; in quantity,
282
Diet a cause of love-melancholy, 456 ; a cure,
527
Diet, inordinate, of parents, a cause of melan-
choly to their offspring, 135
Digression against all manner of discontent*
34 1 ; digression of air. 2s8 ; of anatomy, 95
of devils and spirits, 115
INDEX.
665
Discommodities of unequal matches, 587
Disgrace a cause of melancholy, 164, 224 ;
qualified by counsel, 382
Dissimilar parts of the body, 97
Distemper of particular parts, causes of melan-
choly, and how, 228
Discontents, cares, miseries, causes of melan-
choly, 170 ; how repelled and cured by good
counsel, 331, 341
Diseases why inflicted upon us, 86 ; their num-
ber, definition, division, 89 ; diseases of the
head, 90; diseases of the mind, 91; more
grievous than those of the body, 262
Divers accidents causing melancholy, 218
Divine sentences, 384
Divines' miseries, 193; with the causes of their
miseries, 194
Dotage what, 90
Dotage of lovers, 506
Dowry and money main causes of love-melan-
choly, 477
Dreams and their kinds, 103
Dreams troublesome, how to be amended, 320,
414
Drunkards' children often melancholy, 134
Drunkenness taxed, 143, 340
E.
Earth's motion examined, 298 ; compass,
centre, 299 ; art sit anamata, 297
Eccentrics and epicycles exploded, 296
Education a cause of melancholy, 204
Ertects of love, 520—522
Election misconceived, cause of despair, 654 —
656
Element of fire exploded, 296
Emulation, hatred, faction, desire of revenge,
causes of melancholy, 167, 168; their cure,
375
Envy and malice causes of melancholy, 166;
their antidote, 375
Epicurus vindicated, 327
Epicutus's remedy for melancholy, 337
Epicures, atheists, hypocrites how mad, and
melancholy, 631
Epithalamium, 561
Equivocations of melancholy, 93 ; of jealousy,
562
Eunuchs why kept, and where, 577
Evacuations, how they cause melancholy, 148
Exercise if immoilerate, cause of melancholy,
151; before meals wholesome, 152; exercise
rectified, 308 ; several kinds, when fit, 316;
exercises of the mind, 318 — 323
Exotic and strange simples censured, 395
Extasies, 396, 397
Eyes main instruments of love, 457 ; love's
darts, seats, orators, arrows, torches, 407 ;
how they pierce, 471
r.
Face's prerogative, a most attractive part, 465,
46G
Fairies, 122
Fasting cause of melancholy, 144 ; a cure of
84 3
love-melancholy, 526, 527 aluseJ, the
devil's instrument, 611, 612; efi'ects of it,
610
Fear cause of melancholy, its effects, 163; fear
of death, destinies foretold, 221 ; a symptom
of melancholy, 234; sign of love-melancholy,
500, 501 ; antidote to fear, 374
Fenny fowl, melancholy, 138
Fiery devils, 120, 121
Fire's rage, 87
Fish, what melancholy, 138
Fish good, 282
Fishes in love, 445
Fishing and fowling, how and when good exer-
cise, 310
Flaxen hair 3 great motive of love, 466
Fools often beget wise men, 135; by love be-
come wise, 517, 518
Force of imagination, 158
Friends a cure of melancholy, 330
Fruits causing melancholy, 139 ; allowed, 282
Fumitory purgeth melancholy, 392
G.
Gaming a cause of melancholy, his effects, 181
Gardens of simples where, to what end, 390, 391
Gardens for pleasure, 311
General toleration of religion, by whom per-
mitted, and why, 629
Gentry, whence it came first, 349 ; base with-
out means, 348 ; vices accompanying it, 348 ;
true gentry, whence, 351 ; gentry commended,
351
Geography commended, 319
Geometry, arithmetic, algebra, commended, 323
Gesture cause of love-melancholy, 472
Gifts and promises of great force amongst lovers,
489
God's just judgment cause of melancholy, 86;
sole cause sometimes, 113
Gold good against melancholy, 394 ; a most
beautiful object, 431
Good counsel a charm to melancholy, 331 ;
good counsel for love-sick persons, 534 ;
against melancholy itself, 333 ; for such as
are jealous, 580
Great men most part dishonest, 571
Gristle what, 96
Guts described, 98
H.
Haxd and paps how forcible in love-melan-
choly, 466, 467
Hard usage a cause of jealousy, 568
Hatred cause of melancholy, 168
Hawking and hunting why good, 310
Head melancholy's causes, 229; symptoms,
247 ; its cure, 404
Hearing, what, 102
Heat immoderate, cause of melancholy, 149
Health a treasure, 225
Heavens penetrable, 297; infinitely swift, 29S
Hell where,. 292
Hellebore, white and black, purgers of melan-
choly, 406; black, its virtues and history,
400
f2
6GG
INDEX
Help from frienJs against melancholy, 331
Hen)orrhage cauae of melancholy, 147
HemorrhoiJs slopped cause of melancholy, 147
Herbs causing melancholy, 139 ; curing melan-
choly, 283
Hereditary diseases, 133
Heretics their conditions, 623; their symptoms,
623
Heroical love's pedigree, power, extent, 443;
detinition, part alFected, 448 ; tyranny, 448
Hippocrates' jealousy, 569
Honest objects of love, 434
Hope a cure of misery, 371 ; its benefits, 640
Hope and fear, the Devil's main engines to
e(itra[) the world, 607
Hops good against nit'lancholy, 392, 416
Horse-leeches how and when useJ in melan-
choly, 404, 416
Hut CDUii'ries apt and prone to jealousy, 566
How olt 'tis til to ent in a day, 282, 283
How lo resist passions, 328
^How men fall in love, 469
Humours, what they are, 95
Hydruph itiia de«crih«-d, 92
ll>(H>chuiidriacal nulancholy, 112; its raates
mward, outward, 230; symptom, 244; cure
of It, 416
Hypochondries miiafTectrd, causes, 228
Hypocrites described, 638
I.
IoLC?iesi a main cau*« of nielancholy, 1S2; of
love-mel-^ncholy, 456; of jealousy, 567
Ignorance the mother of devotion, 6U8
Ignorance roniinended,.386
I'^norarit persons utill circumvented, 609
linaginitiun what, 102; its force and eflects,
159
Imagination of the mother aflVcts her infant,
135
Immaterial melancholy, 110
Immortality of the soul proved, lu6; iinpogned
by whom, 636
Impediments of lovers, 557
Iiiiportuniiy and opportunity cause of love-
melihcholy, 478 ; of jealousy, 574
Invpri^onriient cause of melancholy, 210
Impostures of devils, 607 ; of politicians, 603 ;
of priests, 604
Iinpoleiii-y a cjuse of jealousy, 568
Impulsive cause of man's misery, 85
J'tcubi and succtifn, 446
Inconstancy of lovers, 540
Inconstancy a sign of melancholy, 237
Infirmities of iK^ly and mind, what grievances
they cause, 227
Injuries and abuses rectified, 378, 379
Instrumental causes of diseases, 87
Instrumrnt'il cause of man's misery, 87
Interpreters of dreams, 103
InumJation's fury, 87
Inventions resulting from love, 521
Inward causes of melancholy, 227
Inward ■.eints described, llCJ
I^uc* when Used in melancholy, 403
Jealocst a symptom of melancholy, 237; ie-
fined, described, 563 ; of princes, 564 ; of
brute beasts, 565 ; causes of it, 5G6 ; symp-
toms of it, 575 ; prognostics, 579 ; cure of
it, 580
Jests how and when to be used, 209
Jews' religious symptoms, 614, 615
Joy in excess cause of melancholy, 1S6, 187
K.
Kings and princes' discontents, 174
Kissing a main cause of love-nielancholy, 482 ;
a symptom of love-melancholy, 498
LiBom, business, cure of love-melancholy
526 ; iMpis Armenus, its virtues against me>
lancholy, 400
Lascivious meals to be avoided, 527
Laughter, its etTecls, 250, 257
Laurel a purge for melancholy, 398
Laws against adultery, 578
Leo Decimus the pope's scoffing tricks, 208
Lewellyn prince of Wales, his submission, 379
Leucuta petra the cure of love-»ick persons, 546
Liberty of princes and great men, bow abused,
574
Libraries commended, 321
Liver its >ite, 97 ; causie of melancholy distem-
pers, if hot or cold, 229
Loss of lilnrrty, servitude, imprisonment, cause
of melancholy, 210
LoMes in general how they ofTend, 220 ; cause
of des|>air, 369, 641 ; how eased, 373
Love of gaming and pleasures immoderate,
cause of melancholy, 181
Love of learnin:;, overmuch study, cause of
mehncholy, 187
Love's beginning, object, definition, division.
426; luve made the world, 430; love's
power, 444 ; in vegetables, 445 ; in sensible
cri-atures, 445; love's power in deviU and
spirits, 446; in men, 44S; love a di»ea»e,
500 ; a fire, 504 ; love's pas-ions, 505 ;
phrases of lovers, 509; their vain wishes
and attempts, 514; lovers iiiifiudent, 515;
courageous, 516; wise, valiant, free, 517;
neat in apparel, 518; poets, musicians,
dancers, 519; love's etTects, 521; love \o*t
revived by sight, 530 ; love cannot be com-
pelled, 554
Love and hate symptoms of rehgious melao-
choly. 614
Lycantbropia described, 91
M.
Madness descnbed, 91 ; ibe extent of melan
cboly, 259; a symptom and elTect of love-
rnelancholy, 524
Made dishes cauae melancholy, 142
Magicians low they cause melancholy, 128
bow they cure it, 271
INDEX.
667
Mahometans their symptoms, 698
Maids', nuns', and widows' melancholy, 250
Man's excellency, misery, 85
Man the greatest enemy to man, 88
Many means to divert lovers, 529; to cure
them, 534
Marriage if unfortunate cause of melancholy,
233 ; best cure of love-melancholy, 547 ;
marriage helps, 585; miseries, 641 ; benefits
and commendation, 450, 561
Mathematical studies commended, 322
Medicines select for melancholy, 386 ; against
wind and costiveness, 419 ; for love-melan-
choly, 529
Melancholy in disposition, melancholy equivo-
cations, 93; definition, name, difference, 108 ;
part and parties affected in melancholy, it's
atfection, 109; matter, 110; species or kinds
of melancholy, HI ; melancholy an heredi-
tary disease, 133 ; meats causing it, 136, &c. ;
antecedent causes, 227 ; particular parts, 228 ;
symptoms of it, 232 ; they are passionate
above measure, 238; humorous, 238; me-
lancholy, adust symptoms, 242 ; mixed symp-
toms of melancholy with other diseases, 244 ;
melancholy, a cause of jealousy, 567 ; of des-
pair, 640 ; melancholy men why witty, 255 ;
why so apt to laugh, weep, sweat, blush, 256;
why they see visions, hear strange noises,
257 ; why they speak untaught languages,
prophesy, &c., 259
Memory his seat, 103
Menstruus concuhitus causa melanc, 135
Men seduced by spirits in the night, 123
Metempsychosis, 104
Metals, minerals for melancholy, 393
Meteors strange, how caused, 295, 296
Metoposcopy foreshowing melancholy, 131, 132
Milk a melancholy meat, 138
Mind how it works on the body, 155
Minerals good against melancholy, 394
Ministers how they cause despair, 642, 643
Mirach, mesentery, matrix, meseraic veins, causes
of melancholy, 228
Mirabolanes purgers of melancholy, 399
Mirth and mercy company excellent against me-
lancholy, 336 ; their abuses, 340
Miseries of man, 85 ; how they cause melan-
choly, 171 ; common miseries, 170 ; miseries
of both sorts, 342 ; no man free, miseries'
eflects in us, 343 ; sent for our good, 344 ;
miseries of students and scholars, 187
Mitigations of melancholy, 384
Money's prerogatives, 431 ; allurement, 477
Moon inhabited, 299 ; moon in love, 444
Mother how cause of melancholy, 134
Moving faculty described, 103
Music a present remedy for melancholy, 334 ;
its effects, 335 ; a symptom of lovers, 519 ;
causes of love-melancholy, 481
N.
Nakedness of parts a cause of love-melan-
choly, 472, 473 ; cure of love-melancholy,
536
Narrow streets where in use, 305
Natural melancholy signs, 242
Natural signs of love-melancholy, 496
Necessity to what it enforceth, 140, 21G
Neglect and contempt, 'lest cures of jealousy.
581 '
Nemesis or punishment comes after, 380
Nerves what, 96
News most welcome, 315
Nobility censured, 348
Non-necessary causes of melancholy, 20
Nuns' melancholy, 251
Nurse, how cause of melancholy, 202
Objects causing melancholy to be removed
529
Obstacles and hindrances of lovers, 548
Occasions to be avoided in love-melancholy, 529
Odoraments to smell to for melancholy, 412
Ointments, for melancholy, 413
Ointments riotously used, 475
Old folks apt to be jealous, 568
Old folks' incontinency taxed, 58
Old age a cause of melancholy, 132 ; old men's
sons often melancholy, 134
One love drives out another, 533
Opinions of or concerning the soul, 104
Oppression's eflects, 224
Opportunity and importunity causes of love-
melancholy, 478
Organical parts, 98
Overmuch joy, pride, praise, how causes of me-
lancholy, 186
Palaces, 313
Paleness and leanness, symptoms of love-melan-
choly, 496
Papists' religious symptoms, 615, 624
Paracelsus' defence of minerals, 394
Parents, how they wrong their children, 554 ;
how they cause melancholy by propagation,
133 ; how by remissness and indulgence, 204,
205
Paraenetical discourse to such as are troubled in
mind, 648
Particular parts distempered, how they cause
melancholy, 228
Parties affected in religious mclancholv, 597
Passions and perturbations causes of melan-
choly, 1 57 ; how they work on the bicly. 158 ;
their divisions, 161 ; how rectified and eased,
327
Passions of lovers, 500
Patience a cure of misery, 379
Patient, his conditions that would be cured, 277;
patience, confidence, liberality, not to practise
on himself, 278 ; what he must do himself,
328 ; reveal his grief to a friend, 330
Peimyroyal good against melancholy, 400
Perjury of lovers, 491
Persuasion a means to cure love-melancholy,
534 ; other melancholy, 332, 333
Phantasy, what, 102
Pliilipptis Bonus, how he used a country fel-
low, 317
666
INDEX,
Philosophers censured, 183; their errors, 183
Fbilteis cause of love-melaticholy, 494 ; how
they cure melancholy, 546
Phlebotomy cause of melancholy, 149 ; how to
be used, when, in melancholy, 404, 415; iu
head melancholy, 407, 408
Phlegmatic melancholy signs, 242
Phrenzy'b description, 91
Physician's miseries, 19'J, 193; his qualities if
he be good, 276
Physic censured, 386, 388; commended, 389;
when to Ik) used, 389
Phy»iognomical signs of melancholy, 131
Pictures good against melmchuly, 318 ; cause
of love-meLincholy, 483
Plague's etlecu, 67
Planets inhabited, 299
Plays more famous, 314
Pleasant palaces and gardens, 311
Pleasant objects of love, 432
Pleasing tuite and voice a cause of love-meiart'
choly, 481
Poetical cures of love'inclancholy, M6
Poets why poor, 191
Poetry a symptom of lovers, &22
Politician's pranks, 6U4
Poor men's miseries, 215; their happinea*, 356,
365 ; ihey are dear to Ciod, 364
Pope Leu Dtcimut, bis scotTing, 2U8
Pork • melancholy meal, 137
Possession uf devils, 93
Poverty and want causes of melancholy, their
etiects, 211; no such misery to be poor, 354
Power of spirits, 125
Predestination misconstrued, a cause of despair,
654—656
Preparatives and purgera for melancholy, 405
Precedency, what stirs it causeih, 167
Precious stones, metals, altering uelaocboly,
393
Preventions to the cure of jealousy, 585
Pride and praise causes of melancholy, 182
Prietts, how tbey cause religious melancholy,
605
Princes' discontents, 174
Prodi^abi, their miseries, 161 ; bankrupts and
s)<eiiJtbril(s, how punished, 181
Protiijblr objects of love, 431
Progress of love-melancholy exemplified, 464
Prognostics or events of love-melancholy, 579 ;
of despair, 579 ; of jealousy, 523 ; of melan-
choly, 259
Proepecl gixnl against melancholy, 307
Prosperity a cau*e of misery, 366
Protestations and deceitful promiaes of lovert,
491
Pseudo- prophets, their pranks, 627; their aymp-
toms, 623
Pulse, pes4, beans, cause of melancholy, 140
PuUe of melancholy men, bow it is affected,
233
Pulse a sisjn of l'>ve-melancholy. 497
Pursers and preparatives to head melancholy,
405
Purging simplea upward, 397 ; downward, 399
Purging, bow cause uf melancboly, 149
QcAJfTiTT of diet cause, 142; cure of melan-
choly, 282
R.
RATioXAt soul, 104
Reading Scriptures g<x)d against melanchidy, 322
Recreations good against inelaiu'liuly, 309
Redness of the face helped, 414
Ket'ions of the belly, 98
Relation or hearing a cause of love-melan-
choly, 457
Religious melancholy a di»*tinct species, 593 ;
its object, 594 ; causies ot it, CUl ; symptoms,
613; prognostics, 627; cure, 629; religious
policy, by whom, 604
Re)>enlance, its effects, 650
Retention and evacuation causes of melancholy,
146; rectified to the cure, 285
Rich men's discontents and miseries, 178, 360;
their prerogatives, 212
Riot in apparel, excess of it, a great cause of
love-melancholy, 475, 48U
Rivers in love, 461
Rivals and co-rivals, 565
Roots censured, 139
Ruse cros*-men's or Rosicrucian's promisee, 323
S.
Sai jits' aid rejected in melancholy, 274
Halads ceii»ured, 139
Sanguine melancholy signs, 242
Scholars' miseries, 189
Scilla or sea onion, a p>rger of melancholy, 398
Mcipio's I . 530
Scutis, ( . liter jests, how they cause
melamti iv. .-n , their antidote, 383
8cofzonera, good ai^ainst melancholy, 392
iicripture mitconstrued, caU'>e of reli^^ious md*
lancholy, 654; cure of melancholy, 322
Sea-sick, good physic for melancholy, 393
Self-love cauM! of melancholy, his effects, 183
Sensible soul and its parts, 101
Strnses, why and how deluiled in melancholy,
257
Sentences selected out of humane authors, 364,
385
Servitude cause of melancholy, 210; and im-
prisonment eased, 367
Several men's delighu and recreations, 306
Severe tutors and guardians causes of me an-
choly. 204
Shame and disgrace how causes of melancholy,
their effects, 164
Sickness for our good, 346
Sighs and tears symptoms of love-melancholy,
496, 497
Sight a principal cause of love-ntclancholy, 457,
458
Signs of honest love, 434
Similar paits of the body, 96
Simples censured proper to melancholy, 389,
fit to be known, 390; purijing r.ieljiirholy
upward, 397; downward, ('ur^in; simplea,
399
INDEX.
669
Singing a symptom of lovers, 519; cause of
love-melancholy, 418
Sin the impulsive cause of man's misery, 85
Single .life and virginity commended, 544;
tjieir prerogatives, 545
Slavery of lovers, 510
Sleep and waking causes of melancholy, 156 ;
by v/hat means procured, helped, 414
Small bodies have greatest wits, 346
Smelling what, 102
Smiling a cause of love-melanchoIy, 471
Sodomy, 448, 449
Soldiers most part lascivious, 572
Solitariness cause of melancholy, 154; coact,
voluntary, how good, 155; sign of melan-
choly, 239
Sorrow its effect, 162; a cause of melancholy,
163; a sym|)tom of melancholy, 236; eased
by counsel, 370
Soul defined, its faculties, 99 ; ex traduce as
some hold, 104
Spices how causes of melancholy, 140
Spirits and devils, their nature, 115; orders,
118; kinds, 120; power, &c., 125
Spleen its site, 97 ; how misaffected cause of
melancholy, 228
Sports, 314
Spots in the sun, 301
Sprueeness a symjitom of lovers, 518
Stars, how causes or signs of melancholy, 130 ;
of love-melancholy, 453; of jealousy, 566
Step-mother, her mischiefs, 224
Stews, why allowed, 586
Stomach distempered a cause of melancholy,
228
Stones like birds, beasts, fishes, &c., 290
Strange nurses, when best, 203
Streets narrow, 305
Study overmuch cause of melancholy, 187 ;
why and how, 188, 255; study good against
melancholy, 318
Subterranean devils, 124
Supernatural causes of melancholy, 113
Superstitious effects, symptoms, 616; how it
domineers, 599, 624
Surfeiting and drunkenness taxed, 143
Suspicion and jealousy symptoms of melan-
choly, 237 ; how caused, 254
Swallows, cuckoos, Ac, where are they in
winter, 290
Svveet tunes and singing causes of love-melan-
choly, 481
Symptoms or signs of melancholy in the body,
232 ; mind, 233 ; from stars, members, 240 ;
from education, custom, continuance of time,
mixed with other diseases, 244; symptoms
of head melancholy, 247 ; of hypochondriacal
melancholy, 243; of the whole body, 250;
symptoms of nuns', maids', widows' melan-
choly, 250 ; immediate causes of melancholy
symptoms, 253 ; symptoms of love-melan-
choly, 496; symptoms of a lover pleased,
502; dejected, 505; symptoms of jealousy,
575; of religious melancholy, 613; of
despair, 645, 646
Syntercsis, 106
Syrups, 397, 413
T.
Tale of a prebend, 377, 378
Tarantula's stinging effects, 226
Taste what, 102
Temperament a cause of love-melancholy, 453
Tempestuous air, dark and fuliginous, how
cause of melancholy, 151
Terrestrial devils, 123
Terrors and affrights cause melancholy, 205
Theologasters censured, 301
The best cure of love-melancholy is to let them
have their desire, 547
Tobacco approved, censured, 399
Toleration, religious, 629
Torments of love, 501
Transmigration of souls, 104
Travelling commended, good against melan-
choly, 306 ; for love-melancholy especially,
531
Tutors cause melancholy, 204
U.
Unchahitable men described, 440
Understanding defined, divided, 106
I/nfortunate marriages' effects, 174, 223, 58S
linkind friends cause melancholy, 224
(Tulawful cures of melancholy rejected, 270
Upstarts censiured, their symptoms, 350, 357
Urine of melancholy persons, 233
Vxor'u, 568, 569
VAijfGLonx described a cause of melancholy,
182
Valour and courage caused by love, 517
Variation of the compass, where, 28S
Variety of meats and dishes cause mel»ncholy,
283"
Variety of mistresses and 'j^jccts a cure of
melancholy, 534
Variety of weather, xir, manners, countries,
whence, «&c., 293, 294
Variety of places, change of air, good against
melancholy, 306
Vegetal soul and its faculties, 100
Vegetal creatures in love, 444, 445
Veins described, 97
Venus rectified, 287
Venery a cause of melancholy, 118
Venison a melancholy meat, 137, 138
Vices of women, 540
Violent misery continues not, 312
1-^iolent death, event of love-niebincholy, 525;
prognostic of despair, 647 ; by some defended,
262 ; how to be censured, 265
Virginity, by what signs to be known, 577;
commended, 545
Virtue and vice, principal habits of the will, 108
Yilex or agnus cuitus good against love-
melancholy, 527
W.
Wakixo cause of melancholy, 154, 163; a
symptom, 232; cured. 325
Walking, shooting, swimming, &c, good against
melancholy, 307, 311, 528
C70
INDEX.
Want of sleep a symptom of love-melancboly,
233, 496, 497
Wanton carriage and gesture cause of love-
melancholy, 470
Water devils, 122
Water if foul causeth melancholy, 141
Waters censured, their effects, 141
Waters, which good, 281
Waters in love, 461
Wearisomeness of life a symptom of melan-
choly, 505
What physic fit in love-melancholy, 526
Who are most apt to be jealous, 567
Whores' properties and conditions, 535
Why good men are often rejected, 377
Why fools beget wise children, wise men fools,
135
Widows' melancholy, 251
Will defined, divided, its actions, why over-
ruled, 107
Wine causeth melancholy, 140, 182; a good
cordial against melancholy, 410; forbid in
love-melancholy, 527
Winds in love, 461
Wiitj devices against melancholy, 334, 532
Wit proved by love, 517
Withstand the beginnings, a principal cure of
love-melancholy, 529
Witches' power, how they cause melancholy,
128; their transformations, 129; they can
cure melancholy, 129, 270; not to be sought
to for help, 272 ; nor saints, 275
Wives censured, 560; commended, 561 ; choice
of a wife, 590
Women, how cause of melancholy. 182; their
exercises, 324; their vanity in apparel taxed,
473 ; how ihey cozen men, 474 ; their coun-
terfeit tears, 491 ; their vices, 540
Woodbine, amni, rue, lettuce, how good in
love-melancholy, 527
World taxed, 171
Wormwood good against melancholy, 393
Writers of the cure of melancholy, 270
Writers of imagination, 159; de cunsolalione,
341; of melancholy, 108; of love-mclan*
choly, 521, 522 ; against despair, 648
VocxG man in love with a picture, 499
Youth a cause of love-melancholy, 454
TOE END.
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