greater facillitie wasted by natures strife and resistance Nowe it followeth to declare howe the other vnnaturall melancholy annoyeth with passions abuseth vs with coūterfet cause of perturbation whereof there is no ground in truth but onely a vaine and fantasticall conceit CHAP. XVIII Of the vnnaturall melancholie rising dy adustion how it affecteth vs with diuerspassions BEsides the former kindes there are sortes of vnnaturall melancholie which I call so rather then the other bicause the other offendeth onely in qualitie or quantitie these are of another nature farre disagreeing from the other by an vnproper speech called melancholy They rise of the naturall humors or their excrements by excessiue distēper of heate burned as it were into ashes in comparison of humour by which the humour of like nature being mixed turneth it into a sharp lye sanguine cholericke or melancholicke according to the humour thus burned which we call by name of melancholie This sort raiseth the greatest tempest of perturbatiōs and most of all destroyeth the braine with all his faculties and disposition of action and maketh both it the hart cheere more vncomfortably and if it rise of the naturall melancholy beyond all likelihood of truth frame monst ous terrors of feare and heauinesse without cause If it rise of choler then rage playeth her part and furie ioyned with madnesse putteth all out of frame If bloud minister matter to this fire euery serious thing for a time is turned into a iest tragedies into comedies and lamentation into gigges and daunces thus the passion whereof the humour min streth occasion by this vnkindly heate aduaunceth it selfe into greater extremities For becomming more subtile by heate both in substance spirit it passeth more deeply into all the parts of the instrument it selfe and is a conueyance also to the humour of the same kind making away for naturall melancholie wherewith it is mixed into the verie inward secrets of those instruments wherof passions are affected euen hart and braine Thus affected you haue men when desperate furie is ioyned with feare which so terrifieth that to auoid the terrour they attempt sometimes to depriue thē selues of life so irksome it is vnto them through these tragicall conceits although waighing and considering death by it self without comparison and force of the passion none more feare it thē they These most seeke to auoyde the society of men and betake them to wildernesses and deserts finding matter of feare in euery thing they behold and best at ease when alone they may digest these fancies without new prouocations which they apprehende in humane societie If choller haue yeelded matter to this sharpe kind of melnncholie then rage reuenge and furie possesse both hart and head and the whole bodie is caried with that storme contrarie to persuasion of reason which hath no farther power ouer these affections then by way of counsell to giue other direction whereof the hart it selfe is destitute and taking these discomfortes of the credit of the senses according thereto it applieth it selfe working and disposing the ingenerate wisedome it is indued with vnto these particulars which the corporall instruments corruptly offer vnto it which ministreth doubt and question to some not well aduised in this point whether reason it selfe be not impaired by these corporall alterations and the immortall impatible mind hereby suffreth not violēce which is farre otherwise if we duly way the matter For the mad man of what kinde soeuer he be of as truly concludeth of that which fantasie ministreth of conceit as the wisest onely therein lieth the abuse and defect that the organicall parts which are ordained embassadours notaries vnto the mind in these cases falsifie the report and deliuer corrupt recordes This is to be helped as it shall be declared more at large hereafter by counsell only sincerely ministred which is free from the corruptions of those officers and deliuereth truth vnto the mind wherby it putteth in practise contrary to these importunate and furious sollicitors This furie is bred because choler thus adust getteth a greater egernesse of qualitie and molesting the inward parts and toyling the spirits ingendreth a greater inwarde disquiet and discontentment then cruder choler doth procure The third sort is of merie melācholie which riseth of the bloud ouer heated in such sort as I haue declared Of all the rest of humours bloud is most temperat and mild of disposition and comforteth the bodie as hath bene mentioned whose substaunce receauing that burning heat whereof riseth the third kind of this vnnaturall melancholie procureth it to be of a nature quicke and fresh and indueth it with a spirite of a nature somewhat more itching and as it were of a tickling qualitie then bloud it selfe For of it selfe being if it be pure and perfect nutsweete or milkesweete by this heate becommeth first suger or hony sweet which hath more force of affecting and obtayneth a more subtile and quicke spirit afterward by operation of heate this sweetnesse is conuerted into a mild saltnesse voyd of fretting which tickling and itching in these melancholicke bodies cause them rather to be giuen to a ridiculous and absurd meriment then a sound ioye of hart and comfortable gladnesse which forceth them into laughter somtimes that without ceasing to the tyring and wearying of their bodies no perswasion of reason is able to call them to more sobrietie We may see in boyling of milke what sweetnesse is procured vnto it thereby howe hony much boyled becometh salt bitter such is the force of heat in bloud that it turneth that milke sweet tast into hony sweet and that into a gentle itching brackishnes whereby the melancholicke bodies being as it were tickled render from their foolish fantasie and false liking of the hart many absurd and ridiculous gestures and speeches and as farre altered this way as the melancholick on the other side snatch at smal occasions or none at all ofttimes of answering this fond humor in outward lightnesse of gesture countenance Thus you heare in what sort the humoures seeme to affect the mind euerie one singled and keeping apart from his other fellowe humours which as they be tempered with the other naturall or compounded together with one or twaine of the like vnnaturall sortes of melancholie make many distinctions and differences of melancholie passions as some more sadde the other some more merie some quieter other some more prone to rage and furie and as the humors haue their courses as for the yeare bloud in the spring choller in sommer melancholie in autumne fleume in winter for the houre according to Soranus Ephesius opinion bloud from three of the clocke in the morning till nine of the same day choler from nine of the morning till three at after noone melancholie frō 3. at after noone till nine at night and fleume from nine at night til the third of the morning I say if a man obserue all these varieties by mixture and season
else could there be no nourishment without this altering vertue Why then say you it riseth not of the nourishment which was not melancholicke but of the nature nourished Not so for no nourishment is so pure that altogether it is voyd of melancholicke matter for then could it not be nourishment but notwithstanding it hath greater plentie of good nourishment then of grosse and melancholicke the similitude of nature refuseth the one and embraceth the other whereupon riseth this difference in nourishment the vitall being alone The second part of the former question receaueth the same answer with the first because no nourishment is so pure but it partaketh little or much with some part of melancholie For I do not take it that the part maketh the nourishment melancholicke which carieth no disposition thereunto but lusteth after that in the masse of victualles wherewith it hath greater familiaritie which to a melancholicke bodie is of an impurer disposition refusing that would serue more fitly for a better tempered complexion euen as we see oft by experiēce that the good complexion may be replenished with melancholicke bloud which appeareth by opening a vaine and yet the parties bodie nourished as the beautie of colour doth declare with that which is pure which melancholicke bloud rose of euill choice of diet rather then through fault of complexion nowe that part of nourishment that is pure cannot be altered in substance into another whereto it carrieth no proportion by mixture it may be defiled and become impure but neither can it be altered into that wherewith it hath no community more then grosse melancholicke and earthy nourishment can by any art of nature become aëry moderate and pure I meane the self same part of nourishment for so might all things in deede rise of euerie thing which would turne the excellent varietie of naturall things into vnitie As for Anaxagoras imagination of breeding things by separation onely this kind of diuerse matter which we require in nourishment ouerthroweth it neither are we to thinke generation of nourishment to be no other but as art worketh vpon her subiect for there is there no nature produced distinct in substance and essence but by an accidentall qualitie only produced by art And thus lest I be ouer tedious in this point you haue my answer to the questions and obiections before made concerning the nature of nourishing and preparation of humors and hitherto that hath bene sayd respecteth only melancholie as it is an humour in the bodie apt for nourishment of certaine partes more disposed to that then to any other portion of the bloud besides nowe touching the cause of increase and excesse of this humour CHAP. VI. Of the causes of the increase and excesse of melancholicke humour IT was declared that the quantitie of melancholie should be least in the iust tēper of bloud of all the other parts sauing choler which naturall proportion and rate when it exceedeth then is the bodie turned into a disposition melancholicke by humour although the cōplexion for a time hold entire which long can not endure more then the nature of that damsel which was nourished with poyson kept her ingenerated complexion but nature acquainting it selfe by moments and degrees with such kind of humour and hauing no choice of better is faine at length to embrace that which otherwise more gladly it would reiect The causes of excesse of this humour are diuerse and all except it be receaued from the parent spring from fault of diet and although chieflie meates and drinkes do yeeld matter to this humour yet besides the complexion inclining to such temper this matter is increased by perturbatiō of mind by temper of aire and kind of habitation and that humour which otherwise would yeeld a nutritiue iuyce of the best sort by this occasion is turned into these dregges of melancholie Here first I will declare vnto you such nourishments as are apt to engender those humours that in this present state you nowe stand in oppressed therewith knowing which they are that minister matter to this grosse iuyce you for your more speedie recouerie auoide them and with choice of better alter that which is amisse into a more cheerfull qualitie Nowe all nourishmentes that offende vs either do it by their owne nature or by some accidentarie cause befalling vnto them and likewise whatsoeuer becommeth vnto vs melancholicke But that you may more easilie vnderstand from whence all sorts of nourishments are taken I will set downe vnto you in a short viewe the kinds of them all and in euerie kind note vnto you that which of the owne nature is melancholicke You knowe all nourishmentes are either meate or drinke meates are taken either from vegetables or animalls the vegetables either minister vnto vs nourishment them selues or their fruit onely they are either of trees or herbs of trees the tender buds are eaten which because we do litle vse to feed of I passe ouer farther mention Of herbes we either feede of the root or such partes as rise therefrom and those roots are either round or long of neither sort do I remember anie greatly to be eschewed as melancholicke except rape rootes nauewes Such parts as rise from the root are vsed while they be tender and young or else sprung vp at the full of these kinds cole worts beete and cabages only ingender a melancholicke iuyce The fruites of vegetables are either of trees or herbes of fruits of trees quinces rawe medlers seruices dates oliues chesnuts and acornes are all melancholicke fruites of herbes are either graine or of other sort and those are either corne or pulse of corne sodden wheate is of a grosse and melancholicke nourishment and bread especiallie of the fine flower vnleauened of this sort are bag puddings or pan puddings made with flour fritters pancakes such as we call Banberie cakes and those great ones confected with butter egges c. vsed at weddings and howsoeuer it be prepared rie and bread made thereof carieth with it plentie of melancholie The pulses are wholy to be eschewed of such as are disposed to melancholie except white pease fruites of herbes of other sort then graine are purest from melancholicke excesse And thus of vegetables you vnderstand which you haue in this melancholicke respect to be auoyded The food which we take from the animals is either from them selues and from certaine of their wholesome excrements Such as yeeld them selues are either of the earth or of the water those of the earth haue great diuersitie of nourishment in their seuerall parts which are either spermaticall and those of white colour or sanguine of colour redde and bloudie The spermaticall partes may well be discharged of melancholicke iuyce as rather enclining to fleume Of the sanguine partes some are the brawnie parts which compasse the bones and are ordayned for voluntarie motion called muscles or else are of the inward partes and are of them selues destitute of motion The muscles which are subiect to
most motion as of the leggs yeeld more melancholie then partes which haue more rest Of the inwardes the milt is altogether melancholicke so the kidneyes the liuer the heart and with them all the carnels Bloud is melancholicke and whatsoeuer dish thereof is made Nowe all nourishments taken from the earth are either beastes or foule Of beasts these are of melancholike persons to be eschewed porke except it be yong and a litle corned with salt beefe ramme mutton goate bores flesh veneson neither is mutton of anie sort greatly commended of Galen Of foule some be water foule and some land The water foule are not of melancholicke persons to be tasted except the goosewings The land foule which are melancholicke are these feldfares thrushes sparowes martins turtles ringdoues quailes plouers peacockes c. and these haue you to eschew of nourishments of the earth Those of the water are fish either of the salt water and sea or of the fresh water Such as are of the sea are either of the monsters of the sea or such as more properly are to be called fish The mōsters are ceals purposes such like which all breed vnwholesome melancholicke nourishment The fish of the sea are either shell fish or destitute of such defence Of shell fish some are of harder shels as oysters periwincks muscles cockles such like of which ranke the oyster carieth with it least suspition of melancholy The softer shell or crustie are cray fish the crab the lobster the pūger such of the riuers like to these c. which all neede not to be excepted vnto you in order of your diet Such sea fish as carie no armor of shels are ether those that haunt the rocks or other parts of the sea The rocke fishes are most apt of all maner sea fish for melancholicke persons as the gilthead the whiting the sea perch c. Such as haunt other places are either keepers of the depth or aprochers nigh the sand shore Of such as keepe the depth either they haue the pooles or other places of the depth Of the poole fishes I remember not any greatly to be auoyded in choyce of your diet Of such as frequent other places of the depth these are melancholicke the dragon of the sea in forme like an eyle the cuckoe ling anie salt fish thornbacke and skate Of such as approch the shore I knowe none greatly to be auoyded Fresh water fish and of the riuer the lampray and the tench haue most plentie of melancholie And these are nourishments taken from the parts of the animals now their works are either excrements superfluities of their humors or other kinds of workes Of the first sort are milke from the beast and egges from the foule which the spawne of fish in a maner resembleth milke and what soeuer is made thereof is to be eschewed of melaneholie persons as cheese curdes c. the spaunes as roes of hearinges are to be eschued of you as nourishment of melancholie else I take none of that sort greatly to be feared in that respect Of other works of animals then excrements we feed only of honie which hath no melancholy dispositiō at al. Of drinks eschue red wine and what soeuer liquor beare ale or cider is not cleere well fined as also if it be tart and sower Hitherto haue you hearde of nourishmentes which of their owne nature are to be eschued nowe of those that by some accident and not of them selues are melancholicke as if they be too olde and verie leane or be long kept or ouer much salted whereby they become the drier and harder you are to refuse them Likewise if in the dressing of the nourishment it be ouermuch baked or rosted it is to be eschued To these belong salt fishe beefe and bacon and redde hearringes hard cheese and old Of drinkes newe wine beare or ale and on the contrarie part ouer stale and sower are to be eschued and of sauces those that be sharpe as veriuyce aliger or beareger vineger are chieflie to be auoided of melancholicke persons Thus do you vnderstand howe to vse your choice in meates and drinks and what to shunne as breeders of this thicke blacke and melancholicke humour Besides these the aire thicke and grosse is sit to entertaine this humor so that fumie marrish mislie and lowe habitations are hurtfull to persons disposed to melancholie likewise if it be dimme dark Wherfore the houses habitations of that sort are most vnmeete for such persons These hitherto are all such outward things melancholick whatsoeuer else breedeth melācholie is a disorderly behauiour of our owne parts in such actiōs as belonge to the gouernement of our health This behauiour is either in actions of motion or in order and manner of rest Our motion is either of mind or bodie Of actions of the minde ouer vehement studies and sadde passions do alter good nourishmentes into a melancholicke qualitie by wasting the pure Spirites and the subtillest parte of the blood and thereby leauing the rest grosse and thicke In like sorte do exercises either wholly intermitted or turned into an excessiue labour and wearying of the bodie the one causing the blood to be thicke through setling and the other by spending the bodie ouermuch drying it excessiuely Such also as giue themselues to inordinate sleepe therby further the encrease of melancholicke humours And these are all the causes whereby the matter of that humour is supplyed and the blood being of it selfe good is altered into that iuice whereof you complaine of abundance Now if to these you adde a nature of it selfe disposed thereto a splene not able either for feeblenes or obstruction to purge the blood of superfluitie of that iuyce then haue you all that may be said of the causes of this humour keeping within the compasse of nourishment CHAP. VII Of melancholicke excrementes THE melancholicke excrement is bredde of melancholie iuyce drawen of the milte out of the liuer by a braunch of the porte vayne wherewith being nourished it reiecteth the rest as meere excrementall and voydeth parte into the mouth of the stomach to prouoke appetite and hunger and passeth the other parte in some persones by hemerode vaynes into the siege It aboundeth there when it is hindered of such passage as nature requireth or else by feeblenes of the parte it is not able either to suck the melancholie from the blood or discharge it self into those passages which nature hath therto ordained This member of the whole bodie is the grossest and euill fauouredst to be held blacke of colour and euill sauorie of taste and giueth a manifest experience of natures desire alwayes to couet that whereto it is most like and so faireth the splene better with those muddy dreggs then it would with purer and finer blood which if it should be offered to other parts they would abstaine except great want forced them to take anie parte thereof These are the causes of
such matters as import great supplie or otherwise they doe earnestly affect and are in feare least communication breede whole dispossession or make inequall partition They interprete readilie all to the worse part suspitious least it be a matter of farther feare and not indifferently weighing the case but poysing it by their fantasticall feare and doubt at home Passionate they be out of measure whereto a vehement obiect of long connuaunce vrgeth them this causeth them to be amorous both because it is a pleasure to loue which mittigateth their inwarde sorowe and timiditie thinneth their bloud and dilateth the heart and a cause to be beloued againe which of all thinges liketh the melancholie personnes being the greatest meanes of comfort vnto them from which all offices of kindenesse curtesie and grace do flowe this affection riseth not vnto them by purenesse of nature but by the force of that which draweth them vnto the vehemencie of passion wherein they so oft times exceede that it bereaueth them for a time ielousie excepted of all other affection If the melancholie be sanguine adust then may it supply the want in the obiect and cause an internall amorous disposition with such dotage that maketh no discretion where the affection is bestowed as he that is of a merrie nature will laugh at his conceit and the angrie man displeased with his owne shadowe Thus farre of the simple actions of brayne and heart which are altered in melancholicke personnes and the manner howe with reason of their alteration other actions are in comparison of these mixed as mourning rising of vaine feare or counterfet miserie solitarinesse least occasion of griefe be ministred by companie and resort silence thorough retraction of spirits by their passion except it be in mornfull plaintes to mitigate the sorowe and stiffenesse of the instrumentes besides the disorderly feare and heauinesse which cannot either minister nor take occasion of familiar conference and communication wholly transporting them to the concocting of their sorowfull humour which breedeth in them the passion more and more increasing a negligence in their affaires and dissolutenesse where should be diligence Of pace they are for the most part slowe except perill cause them to hasten both by reason of their members not so nimble for motion and the mind occupied with cogitation and studie stayeth the pace as we finde our selues affected when any matter of weight entreth into our meditatation Moreouer they are giuen to weeping sometimes if the melancholie be sanguine they exceed in laughter sighing sobbing lamentation countenance demisse lowring bashfulnesse and blushing the reasons whereof and manner how they arise because it requireth a larger discourse I will refer them more particularly to be discussed in seuerall Chapters followinge with Philosophicall causes or probabilities at the least how euerie one of these are wrought that you be fully instructed in that speculation of melancholie and the accidents which followe it as you are more then I wish or standeth with your present comfort exercised in the practise CHAP. XXIIII The causes of teares and their saltnesse OF all the actions of melancholie or rather of heauinesse and sadnesse none is so mamanifolde and diuerse in partes as that of weeping First of all it putteth finger in the eye and sheadeth teares then it baseth the countenaunce into the bosome thirdlie it draweth the cheekes with a kinde of conuulsion on both sides and turneth the countenaunce into a resemblaunce of girninge and letteth the browes fall vppon the eye liddes it bleareth the eyes and maketh the cheekes redde it causeth the heade to ake the nose to runne mouth to slauer the lippes to tremble interrupteth the speeche and shaketh the whole chest with sighes and sobbes and such are the companions of this sorowful gesture of weeping of which I will deliuer you the reason one by one first beginning with teares All obiects or cause of perturbation riseth more or lesse grieuous or acceptable as it is taken and although the cause be greate if it be not apprehended it moueth no perturbation at all This causeth some to sorowe whereat another reioyceth and other some to lament which other some beare out with courage or haue no such sense of and to exceede in ioye or sorowe except reason moderate the affection where other some keepe mediocritie by reason of certaine degree of apprehension yea though reason beare no part in the moderation Moreouer seeing it is necessarie that both braine and hart be disposed in a kinde of Sympathie to shewe foorth the affection as they be diuerslie disposed so may the cause of perturbation more or lesse moue and trouble As if the brayne be quicker of conceit and of more exact diseretion then the heart is ready to yeeld his passion by reason of a more compact firme temper then is it not aunswerable to the apprehended hurte or daunger If it be more dull then by reason the apprehension entreth not duly into the consideration of the present state or imminent perill the affection aunswereth not the cause If the hart be more tender then the braine ready there is feare and heauinesse oft times either without cause or more vehement then cause requireth and thus it fareth in the rest of the perturbations these three alwayes concurring in the affection the outwarde mouer or cause the apprehension of the braine and the motion of the hart according to the varietie diuerse disposition of which three the perturbations become distinct in kinde and diuerse in degree This is necessarie for you to know for the more playne deliuerie of the causes of the accidentes before mentioned and first of teares whose passion is not euerie kinde of griefe nor anie one kinde alike taken neither though the griefe be taken alike and the cause iust true yet doeth the partie not alwayes sheade teares thus affected First therefore for the manifestation of this matter of tears we are to search what kinde of thing it is that moueth weeping then how it is to be receiued to work this effect and thirdly of what disposition they are when iust occasion is ministred and the cause be so taken that readily signifie their inward passion by that dolorous outward gesture and action Of such causes as draw vs into perturbatton passion that only which moueth griefe and sorrow of hart causeth teares Such weeping as seemeth to proceed of ioy is of a mixt cause as shall hereafter be declared and maketh no exception to that vniuersall cause ofteares procured by affliction or greeuance for else we see no man weep but in sorow neither do any sorow but vpon occasion or perswasion of calamitie or hurt either present or to come sauing those which are melācholick passionate who notwithstanding fancie vnto themselues a counterfet occasion therof without cause This I need not stand vpō because it is euidēt of it selfe and requireth no farther demonstratiō the other two being of greater difficulty of more diligent
then a childe is able sufficiently to way downe by his strength of hand a smithes bellow that is forced by poyces to finish that which strēgth would perform at once Neither is the speach interrupted and broken only by the disorderly expiratiō but the inspiratiō being by sobs cutteth also the voyce marreth the distinct pronūtiatiō the cause whereof as also of sighing I will deliuer vnto you in the next chapter Thus you haue sobbing excepted the reasons of all the partes of weeping so farre as my coniecture by reason in matters so hidden can gather I will proceede to the causes of sighing and sobbing and how they be procured and by what meanes and so finish the whole mournefull gesture of weeping CHAP. XXVII The causes of sobbing and sighing and how weeping easeth the heart BEsides the former actiōs of sorow weping is for the most part accompanied if it be vehement with sobbes and sighes of which two sobbing is neuer without weeping sighes are ordinarie and common vppon causes that force no teares as euery one hath experiēce For vnderstanding of the causes of sobbes it is necessarie for you to call to minde that which hath bin said of the vse of the Diaphragma or midriffe and the outward intercostalls or outward muscles betwixt the ribbes and the manner how the hearte is affected in griefe and sorrowe The dilating of Diaphragma is to enlarge the chest for taking breath This is onely required if we be not more thē ordinarilie vrged to breath which if we be then doe the outwarde muscles of the ribbes dilate the chest also and so encrease the inlargement Now when matter of griefe inforceth teares the Diaphragme and the muscles receiue a weakenes by reason of retraction of spirites that they are faine for the dilatation of the chest to make mo pulls then one as you heard before in the motion of contraction so that the breath is not drawen at one straining of their coares and fibers but by diuers inspiration besides the heat of those partes being retracted maketh them lesse plyable vnto the force of the muscles whereby the respiration is with more difficultie perfoormed which requireth more vse of dilatation then before by reason the heate about the heart it selfe is now greater then before the passion which bringeth thereto a kind of suffocation That cooling of the heart which is sensibly felt by suddaine euill tydinges or mishappe vnlooked for or whatsoeuer new calamitie riseth through accesse of the blood and spirits which although they be hote yet wanting somewhat of that heate which is feruēt and naturall to the heart and of the heat of those spirites which are resident there for the time seemeth to coole in comparison of the heat which the heart felt before as a mā would cast hote water to that which boyleth most feruently which although it be hote yet inferiour in degree to the heate of feruentnes it mitigateth the scalding heate and slaketh the boyling In like manner at the first recourse of these humours and raunging spirites although the heart seeme to receiue a chilling yet anone by contraction and plenty of spirites which are apt to take heat it receiueth a greater necessitie of breathing which being not aunswered through imbecillitie of the breathing parts dischargeth the office of respiration by sobbes which should be persormed by one draught of breath And these I take to be the causes of sobbing Sighing hath no other cause of mouing then to coole and refresh the hearte with fresh breath and pure aire which is the nourishment and foode of the vitall spirites besides the cooling which the heart it selfe receiueth thereby The heart being contracted as hath bene said deliuereth not so freely his sootie and smokie excrementes whereby the spirites become impure and it boyleth with more distemper which necessitie of fresh spirite and coole ayre enforceth a deeper enlargement of the chest then is ordinarie in which not only the midriffe playeth his parte but outward intercostalls or middle muscles of the ribbes besides certaine of the shoulders doe their indeuour to this so necessary an office Moreouer it is very probable that the midriffe by accesse of humours and vapours to the partes there about is charged with vaperous superfluitie which is by stretching it selfe as in yawning auoyded when the muscles are distended by any vapour of what sort soeuer it be of being plentifull and aboundant it stirreth them to a contraction which causeth a kinde of pressing wherby they deliuer themselues of this excrement This in yawning causeth that gaping sometimes accompanied with streaking when we finde our selues vnlustie and vndisposed to stirre or exercise which falling to the midriffe may cause a kinde of sighing when a man hath no cause as hauing cause it helpeth it foreward For whosoeuer yawneth shall perceiue his chest and midriffe dilated in such manner as in sighing feele about the heart a kinde of refreshing euen as when he sigheth To these causes may be added the weight of the hart which is by reason of the accesse of humours about his vaynes and arteries to his contraction increased whereby it lyeth more heauily vpon the midriffe then before the burthen whereof it seeketh to ease it self of by such streitching which somewhat lifteth vp the hearte for the time and so the Diaphragma is recōforted so that the necessity of fresh aire the cooling of the hearte the easing of the burthen therof vpō the midriffe the auoiding of vaporous excrements out of the midriffe seeme to me causes final the midriffes dilatatiō whose motion the whole chest followeth the efficient cause of sobing sighing And thus much cōcerning the two dolorous actions of sighing sobbing whereto after I haue added how it easeth the heart to weepe sobbe I will end this chapter By reason of the withdrawing of the blood spirites about the heart in feare and sorow it is necessary that much vapour should arise stirred vp by the heat therof working vpō the moisture these vapours besides the ordinarie excrements of the brayne before mentioned may yeeld another parte vnto teares being congeled in the brayne and vpper partes that are thicke coole membranous inclosed with the skull and placed ouer the rest as a stillitorie helme ouer the bodie Now weeping by making auoydāce to these vapours doth discharge that fulnes wherewith it was before strayned and oppressed These vapours cause that rednes in the cheekes and about the eares of those that weepe heateth the face and causeth the head to ake whereof the heart being eased receiueth a farther enlargement then at the beginning of the griefe and so enioyeth that small comfort which weeping affoordeth It may seeme probable that the sobbing and sighing differing onely in that sobbes are sighinges interrupted and sighes sobbes at large if they be not vehement and long by agitation of the chest expelling of the smothered vapours and drawing in of fresh aire geue also some comfort if they be vehement then shake
hath practise of senses separated frō the bodie Cap. 19. pag. 116. The accidentes which befall melancholie persons Cap. 20. pag. 123. How melācholy altereth the qualities of the bodie Cap. 21. pag. 125. How melancholy altereth those actions which rise out of the braine Cap. 22. pag. 129. How affections be altered Cap. 23. pag. 132. The causes of teares and theire saltnes Cap. 24. pag. 135. Why teares endure not all the time of the cause and why in weeping commonly the finger is put in the eye Cap. 25. pag. 148. Of the partes of weeping why the countenance is cast downe the forehead lowreth the nose droppeth the lippe trembleth c. Cap. 26. pag. 123 The causes of sobbing and sighing and how weeping easeth the hearte Cap. 27. pag. 157. How melancholye causeth both weeping and laughing with the reasons how Cap. 28. pag. 161. The causes of blushing and bashfulnes and why melancholy persons are giuē thereunto Cap. 29. pag. 166. Of the naturall actions altered by melancholy Cap. 30. pag. 173. How melancholie altereth the naturall workes of the bodie iuice and excrement Cap. 31. pag. 178. Of the affliction of conscience for sinne Cap. 32. pag. 184. Whether the afflicted conscience be of melancholie Cap. 33. pag. 187. The particular difference betwixt melancholie and the afflicted conscience in the same person Cap. 34. pag. 193. The affliction of minde to what persons it befalleth and by what meanes Cap. 35. pag. 198. A consolation to the afflicted conscience Cap. 36. pag. 207. The cure of melancholie how melancholicke persons are to order them selues in actions of mind sense and motion Cap. 37. pag. 242. How melancholicke persons are to order thē selues in their affections Cap. 38. pag. 249. How melancholicke persons are to order them selues in the rest of their diet and what choyce they are to make of ayer meate and drinke house and apparell Cap. 39. pa. 257. The cure by medicine meete for melancholicke persons Cap. 40. pag. 265. The maner of strengthening melancholicke persons after purging with correction of some of their accidents Cap. 41. pag. 277. A TREATISE OF MELANCHOLIE CHAP. 1. Howe diuerslie the word Melancholie is taken BEFORE I enter to define the nature of melancholie what it is for the cleare vnderstāding of that wherein my purpose is to instruct you it shall be necessarie to lay forth diuerse maners of takinge the name of melancholie and whereto the name being one is applied diuerslie It signifieth in all either a certayne fearefull disposition of the mind altered from reason or else an humour of the body cōmonly taken to be the only cause of reason by feare in such sort depraued This humour is of two sorts naturall or vnnaturall naturall is either the grosser part of the bloud ordained for nourishment which either by abundance or immoderate hotenesse passing measure surchargeth the bodie and yeeldeth vp to the braine certaine vapors whereby the vnderstanding is obscured or else is an excrement ordained to be auoyded out of the bodie through so manie alterations of naturall heate and varietie of concoction hauing not a drop of nourishing iuyce remaining whereby the bodie either in power or substance may be relieued This excrement if it keepeth the bounds of his owne nature breedeth lesse perturbance either to bodie or minde if it corrupt and degenerate farther from it selfe and the qualitie of the bodie then are all passions more vehement so outragiously oppresse and trouble the quiet seate of the mind that all organicall actions therof are mixed with melancholie madnesse and reason turned to a vaine feare or plaine desperation the braine being altered in his complexion and as it were transported into an instrument of an other make then it was first ordained these two according to the diuersitie of setling do ingender diuersitie of passions according therunto do diuerslie affect the vnderstanding do alter the affection especially if by corruption of nature or euill custome of manners the partie be ouer passionate The vnnaturall is an humour rising of melancholie before mentioned or else from bloud or choler whollie chaunged into an other nature by an vnkindly he ate which turneth these humours which before were raunged vnder natures gouernment and kept in order into a qualitie whollie repugnant whose substance and vapor giueth such annoyance to all the partes that as it passeth or is seated maketh strange alterations in our actions whether they be animal or voluntarie or naturall not depending vpon our will and these are all which the name of melancholie doth signifie now the definition and what it is As the thinges be diuerse so it also followeth the suite and is likewise diuerse either of the humour or of the passion and the humour being either a nutritiue iuyce or an excrement vnprofitable thereunto I define the humor no otherwise then that part of that bloud which naturally of the rest is most grosse and the excrement the superfluitie of the same which if it putrifieth bestoweth still the name of a farre diuerse thing both in temper nature called blacke choller The melancholie passion is a doting of reason through vaine feare procured by fault of the melancholie humour Thus brieflie clearly do you vnderstand what the nature of melancholie is and whereto the name is vsually applied of which when I shall haue at the full to your contentment entreated then will I satisfie the other part of your demaund and lay open the consent and difference betwixt the conscience oppressed with sence of sinne and this naturall kinde before mētioned and minister vnto you such heauenlie comfort and counsell as my slender skill will affoord and such phisicke helpe as your present neede requireth CHAP. II. The causes of naturall melancholie and of the excesse thereof AS all naturall humours rise of nourishment so melancholie being a part of bloud from thence it springeth also Whatsoeuer we receaue into the bodie for sustentation of this fraile life consisteth of diuersitie of partes being it selfe compounded although to the outward viewe it seemeth to appeare vniforme as bread flesh fish milke wine beare c. which shewe of vniformitie being taken away by the naturall furnace which preserueth the liuely heate of euerie liuing thing that outward resemblance vanisheth and the diuersitie manifesteth it selfe as we see gold or siluer before it be proued with fire appeareth no other then all alike but afterward is discouered by the burning crucible to be much otherwise so fareth it with nourishments whose diuerse partes are layd open by so manifold concoctions and cleansings and straininges as are continually without intermission practized of nature in euerie mans bodie no gold finer more busie at the mine or artificiall Chymist halfe so industrious in his laboratorie as this naturall Chymist is in such preparations of all nourishment be it meat or drinke of what sort soeuer By this meanes the bloud which seemeth in all parts like it selfe no egge liker one to another is preserued
to consider of it hath bene known and is recorded in credible historie that some haue bene brought vp from their youth and alwayes haue bene sustained and fed with poyson which being so the nourishments of the bodie not onely receaue preparation by naturall concoction by which they become that in deede effect which before they were in power possibilitie but seeme to be made out of whatsoeuer is receaued where it findeth a nature of sufficient strength to frame it and not as it was wont to be sayd Mercurie is not made of euery tree so nature maketh euerie thing of any thing not by Anaxagoras art for then should breade containe really corporally and substantially flesh bloud and bone but by a power and vertue whereof the matter hath no part more then the gold for the framing of a iewell partaketh of the gold smithes cunning CHAP. IIII. The answer to the former obiections THESE shewes and semblances of truthes may seeme to ouerthrowe that which hath bene set downe as the ground and matter of humours lay it rather in the nature of the thing nourished to transforme and assimulate whatsoeuer it hath receaued though it be of neuer so straunge a qualitie but as I haue set downe these obiections to the end that trueth being compared with vntruth may the better appeare by reason of comparison so marke for your fuller satisfying in this point howe yet nothing is hereby lost but sufficiently it maintaineth it selfe and by strength of reason the only pillar of humane truthes it is vpholden It was declared before how nourishments as of all other humours so of melancholie they affoord the matter to the which nature applying her proper temper as an instrument and practizing that skill which she hath learned of God worketh out both humours and substance for preseruation and nourishment of our bodies nowe that the earth within small distance affoordeth nourishment both to henbane lettis to hemlocke and the mallow to poison and wholsome herbs that the same floure nourisheth the spider and yeldeth honie to the bee that the pastinacamarina carieth the instrument of death in her tayle and wholsome foode in her substance and all what hath bene before obiected from Cantharides the Ostridges Psilli and Marsi neesing powder hemlocke and toades whereof wholesome birds do aduenture for nourishment and from that virgine fed and sustained with poison sent vnto Alexander to infect him with hir companie all I say that may out of these particulars encounter the former truthes being considered and wayed adde this thereunto taking away nothing that to the disposition of the matter it is also necessarie an outward skill and science in the worker concurre whereby that matter may receaue conuenient forme agreable to the workers intention For as it is impossible to make a rope of sande so likewise hempe maketh it not without the art of the craftes man who ioyning his worke with conuenient stuffe findeth the end of his labour and as some workemen exceede other in skill diligence and of the same matter the worke either excelleth or wanteth according thereunto in like manner the nourishment being all one as it falleth to a nature of good or bad temper weake or strong bringeth forth nourishment and excrement accordingly Touching the earth it containeth in it inuisible seedes of all things in a maner to which it storeth vp and importeth also food meet and conuenient these seeds lye not distinct in place but in nature no more then the partes of bloud which before I mentioned so that although it were possible for hemlocke and the vine to grow in one bodie and occupie one place yet could not the proper nourishment to either be auoyded such harmonie and agreement is there betwixt them in nature and with such earnest desire doth the one affect the other This then is the cause why life and death dwell so nigh together and yet as they are of the vehementest sort of aduersaries without entercommunication Euen so the bodie containeth partes linked notwithstanding in one communitie of diuerse natures which drawe out of the masse of nourishment that which is meete ech one for it self which though it in apparance shew semeth vniforme yet containeth it diuersity as the sundrie parts require which diuersity being distinct in nature confused as it appeareth in one by the cloke garment of an vniuersall forme by natures Mechanical operation the very patern of all arts both liberall and seruile is discouered brought into an actuall substance consisting of his single proper nature which before had only a potentiall subsistence as members parts haue in the whole Which producing I vnderstand not a discouerie only as by withdrawing a vaile to shew that which lay behind it but a generation and coupling of matter with the forme which forme it bringeth not with it but receaueth it as it were an impression from the part So then as euerie thing is not made of any thing in art neither is foode ministred for all things in euerie thing in nature but requireth apt preparation of matter by naturall vertue to be appropriate to euerie part Nowe if it be replied this answer as it may suffice against that which is obiected out of the earth yet leaueth it doubtin the pastinaca Cantharides and Psilli by reason the matter of these things through natures working groweth more particular is not stored with such varietie as I may so call them of potentiall natures whereby it might seeme the verie indiuiduall substance indifferently to subiect it selfe either for nourishment or poison let the consideration of the earth carrie vs yet farther to the dissoluing of this knot also True it is that the particular nourishment containeth not so manie sutes as the earth the nourisher of all things doth yet it answereth in proportiō to the part which it hath to sustaine So that the masse of bloud being the vniuersall soile wāteth not for the relief entertainment of al the mēbers of the bodie choise of substance according to their variety Hereof is the bone nourished as hard as mettall and the braine as tender as a posset curd the kidneyes grosse and thicke and the lights loose and subtile the eye as cleere as cristall and the splene as blacke and darke as inke Now let vs apply this more particularly to Pastinaca Cantharis and the rest of that sort The Pastinaca substance and fish is nourished with that which in it selfe is wholesome the fish being of the same substance or disposition but so that that nourishment hath in it an execremental substance which being considered alone though it be not yet poyson hath in it a power meeting with a former to become of like hurtfull qualitie which we see in execrements being permitted to putrifie and to degenerate of them selues howe by corruption they become most daungerous much more finding an actiue and liuely nature furnished with power as it were to animate and waken that
naturall melancholie both iuyce and excrement It remaineth next to shewe what that humour is which riseth of this or anie else corrupted called also by the name of melancholie CHAP. VIII VVhat burnt Choler is and the causes thereof THAT kinde of melancholie which is called Atra bilis riseth by excessiue heate of such partes where it is engendred or receiued wherby the humour is so adust as it becommeth of such an exulcerating and fretting qualitie that it wasteth those partes where it lighteth this most commonly riseth of the melancholie excrement before said and diuerse times of the other thicke parte of blood as also of Choler and salt fleame which take such heate partely by distemper of the bodie and partly by putrefaction that thereby a humor riseth breeding most terrible accidentes to the minde and painefull to the bodie which the melancholicke and grosse bloud doth more forcibly procure in that that anie heate the grosser the substance is wherein it is receaued the more fiercely it consumeth whereupon the seacole giueth more vehement heate then charcole and the cole then the flame and a cauterie of hote yron then a burning firebrand Otherwise choler being by nature of the hotest temper carieth with it more qualitie of heat then the other but by reason the substance of the humor is more subtle and rare the lesse it appeareth as the heat of a flame in comparison of the other more speedily passeth Hitherto haue I declared vnto you all the kinds of melancholy and causes of ech of them hereafter you shall vnderstand how they worke these fearefull effectes in the mind wherby the hart is made heauie the spirites dulled the cheerfull countenance altered into mourning and life it selfe which the nature of all thinges most desireth made tedious vnto persons thus afflicted CHAP. IX Howe melancholie worketh fearefull passions in the mind BEFORE I declare vnto you how this humor afflicteth the minde first it shall be necessarie for you to vnderstand what the familiaritie is betwixt mind and bodie howe it affecteth it and how it is affected of it againe You knowe God first created all things subiect to the course of times and corruption of the earth after that hee had distinguished the confused masse of things into the heauens the foure elements This earth he had endued with a fecunditie of infinite seeds of all things which he commaunded it as a mother to bring forth and as it is most agreable to their nature to entertaine with nourishment that which it had borne brought forth whereby when he had all the furniture of this inferiour world of these creatures some he fixed there still and maintaineth the seedes till the end of all things and that determinate time which he hath ordained for the emptying of those seedes of creatures which he first indued the earth withall Other some that is to say the animals he drewe wholly from the earth at the beginning and planted seede in them onely and food from other creatures as beasts and man in respect of his body the difference only this that likely it is mans body was made of purer mould as a most pretious tabernacle and temple wherin the image of God should afterward be inshrined and being formed as it were by Gods proper hand receaued a greater dignitie of beauty and proportion and stature erect therby to be put in mind whither to direct the religious seruice of his Creator This tabernacle thus wrought as the grosse part yeelded a masse for the proportion to be framed of so had it by the blessing of God before inspired a spirituall thing of greater excellencie then the redde earth which offered it self to the eye onely This is that which Philosophers call the spirit which spirit so prepareth that worke to the receauing of the soule that with more agrement the soule and bodie haue growne into acquaintance and is ordained of God as it were a true loue knot to couple heauen earth together yea a more diuine nature then the heauens with a base clod of earth which otherwise would neuer haue growen into societie and hath such indifferent affection vnto both that it is to both equally affected and communicateth the bodie and corporall things with the mind and spirituall and intelligible things after a sort with the bodie sauing sometimes by vehemencie of eithers actiō they seeme to be distracted and the minde to neglect the bodie and the bodie and bodilie actions common with other creatures to refuse as it were for a moment that communitie wherby it commeth to passe that in vehement contemplations men see not that which is before their eyes neither heare though noyse be at the ayre and sound nor feele which at other time such bent of the minde being remitted they should perceaue the sence of with pleasure or paine This spirit is the chiefe instrument and immediate whereby the soule bestoweth the exercises of her facultie in her bodie that passeth to and fro in a moment nothing in swiftnesse nimblenesse being comparable thereunto which when it is depraued by anie occasion either rising from the bodie or by other meanes then becometh it an instrument vnhansome for performance of such actiōs as require the vse therof and so the minde seemeth to be blame worthy wherein it is blamelesse and fault of certaine actions imputed thereunto wherein the bodie and this spirite are rather to be charged thinges corporall and earthly the one in substance and the other in respect of that mixture wherewith the Lord tempered the whole masse in the beginning And that you may haue greater assurance in reason of this corporall inclination of spirit consider how it is nourished and with more euidence it shal so appeare vnto you It is maintained by nourishments whether they be of the vegetable or animall kind which creatures affoord not only their corporall substance but a spirituall matter also wherewith euerie nourishment more or lesse is indued this spirit of theirs is as similitude of nature more nighly approcheth altered more speedely or with larger trauell of nature Of all things of ordinarie vse the most speedy alteration is of wine which in a moment repaireth our spirits and reuiueth vs againe being spent with heauinesse or any otherwise whatsoeuer our naturall spirites being diminished which bread and flesh doth in longer time being of slower passage and their spirites not so subtile or at least fettered as it were in a more grosse bodie and without this spirit no creature could giue vs sustentation For it is a knot to ioyne both our soules and bodies together so nothing of other nature can haue corporall coniunction with vs except their spirites with ours first growe into acquaintance which is more speedily done a great deale then the increase of the firme substance which you may euidently perceaue in that we are ready to faint for want of foode after a litle taken into the stomach of refreshing before any concoction can be halfe
sort taking more part of liking is the affection which moueth vs to laugh this we cal merinesse wherwith we with some discontentment take pleasure at that which is done or sayd ridiculously of which sort are deeds or wordes vnseemely or vnmeet and yet moue no compassiō as when a man scaldeth his mouth with his pottage or an hote pie we are discōtented with the hurt yet ioye at the euent vnexpected of the partie and that we haue escaped it frō whence commeth laughter which because it exceedeth the mislike of the thing that hurteth bursteth out into vehemency on that side and procureth that merie gesture If on the other side the thing besuch as the mislike excedeth the ioy we haue of our freedome from that euill then riseth pity and compassion and these perturbations take their beginninges of the primitiues vnequally mixed whereby one of them doth after a sorte obscure the other The other are such as haue equall mixture and those are enuie and ielosie If the thing we loue be such as we haue not part of then springeth an hate or mislike of the partie who enioyeth that we want and like of and so breedeth enuy a griefe for the prosperity of another or good successe whatsoeuer wherein we haue no part If it be such benefit as we enioy and are grieued it should be communicated with other and wherein we refuse a partener that is called ielousie and is seene manifest in such as at amorously affected or of aspiring natures and these are compounded of the primitiues alone like or mislike loue or hate Those which are mixed of primitiues or deriuatiues are of two sortes according as the primitiues that is to say mixed of loue or hate Nowe loue mixed with hope breedeth trust with loue and feare distrust Hate or mislike compounded with hope breedeth anger whereby we are displeased with that misliketh vs and by hope of being satisfied of that that offered the dislike are driuen to anger the affection of reuenge If it be any thing wherein we haue displeased our selues with it is called shame if it be compounded with feare it is called bashfulnesse if the mislike be taken from another the composition is of hate and anger and thereof springeth malice Thus haue you the perturbations compounded of primitiue passions with their deriuatiues Of deriuatiues betwixt them selues arise dispaire and confident assurance Dispaire is compounded of heauinesse griefe and feare the other of ioy and hope thus haue you after my minde the perturbations raunged into their seuerall classes to the ende the affinitie of cause and effect if any be betwixt them and the humours may more easily appeare if none be as in deed there is none then the contrarie truth may with greater euidence approue it selfe vnto your iudgement For loue or liking hate or mislike being but two primitiue passions howe may we with reason referre them to the humours which are foure and if the perturbations should rise of humour then should they aunswer ech other neither mo nor fewer and as the one is compound primitiue and deriuatiue so should the humours be at the instant of those passions which is impossible or if they be not at the instant mixed but before the hart should not lye indifferent to all passions and the mixture being once made by what meanes should they be againe vnmixed Againe if they rise of humour then should those parts wherein humours most abound be instruments of passions and so the gall of anger and the splene of sadnesse and not the hart which is the seate of all those affectiōs which we call perturbations from which both of those partes are parted by the midriffe But you will say these affections rise of the temper of the hart and that temper of the humour Not so for either the affections rise of the frame alone of the hart or else at the least ioyned with the temper nowe the humours haue so small force in making temper and framing the complexion that them selues are all therof framed the spirits applying the temper of the organical parts to that businesse Touching the frame of the hart such as haue bin most couragious haue it of substance firme compact and of qualitie moderate the poores neither ouerlarge nor narowe in which points the temper and complexion hath no vse but the frame alone Againe these passions being wrought of the heart by a certaine enlarging of it selfe if it be pleased and closing if it be contrarily affected which be actions not of complexion but of frame shape make sufficient proofe against the complexion in this parte which only beareth it self affected to that which it toucheth altering it if it be of victualls into humours and the humours into the substance of the body which it indueth with the same complexion Againe it fareth oft times that this or that humour aboundeth by disordered diet yet the complexion all one neither purgations of humour alter complexion a fixed thing ingenerate by nature not ouerthrown but by some venimous qualitie direct opposit against it or long custome of other disorder whereby nature is supplanted in time growing in acquaintāce with which first is misliked is ouermatched with a counterfet nature gotten by vse of that otherwise is vnnaturall These points might be more at large layed open if it were necessarie or they did not withdraw from the purpose I haue in hand to rest more vppon them But how then cometh it to passe that melancholicke persons are more sad then other cholericke more angrie c. if these humoures beare no sway herein For answer of which question you are to vnderstand that both ioye and sadnesse are of two sorts as also the rest springing from them the one is naturall rising vpon an outward accasion if the bodie be well tempered and faultles in his instruments and the obiect made no greater nor lesse then it is in deed and the hart aunswer proportionally therunto the other is vnnaturall and disordered rising either of no outward occasion but from inward delusion or else such as are by fault of the report of the senses or euil disposition of the hart otherwise taken then the obiect requireth In this second kind the humours seeme to haue greatest rule which whether they haue so as causes or not in what respect they entermeddle I wil now make plaine vnto you Of the first sort of perturbations naturall and rising vppon euident occasion I neede stand lesse vpon seing as the hart is by outward causes moued so is it neither more affected of this humour then of that neither can there be any such sudden separation of humours be wrought in the bodie whereby through anger choler should disioyne him selfe from his fellow humours and possesse the hart or melancholie in causes of griefe sorowe or feare especially an humour of grosse earthy partes as it were the very lies of the rest of the bloud Againe it were verie contrarie to reason to
attribute an action of so necessary vse as are the perturbations vnto that which is no organe of our bodies but only matter of foode and nourishment of which sort are all the humours keeping them selues within compasse of good temper Moreouer if through anger the hart be moued first then is it first troubled and the perturbations wrought before the humour receaue impression if the humor admit first the motion of the thing louely or hurtfull impart that to the heart then should it receiue a degree of excellencie aboue the hart in this respect being more attendant vpon the spirit the chiefe steward of this facultie then the hart is which next to the spirit hath greatest place in the bodie But why thē say you haue the Philosophers defined anger a boyling of the bloud about the hart if it be according to that definition then the more cholericke a man is so much the more angry is he because the choler is first apt to boyle as it were brimstone to the match in respect of the other humours That definition of anger is to be taken not by proper speech but by a metonymicall phrase whereby the cause is attributed to the effect For first the heart moueth kindled with anger then the bloud riseth which being cholericke encreaseth the heate but addeth nothing to the passion nowe because we sensibly feele an extraordinarie heate about our hearts when we be moued to angrie passions therefore they haue defined anger by that effect which boyling riseth not of the quality of the bloud but by a strife of a contrary motion in the heart at one time the one being a contraction of it selfe and a retraite of the bloud and certaine spirits not farre of with mislike of that offendeth as in feare which commandeth euen from the extreme and vtmost parts whereby it gathereth great heate within which breathing out againe with reuenge causeth through vehemency suddennesse of the motion that boyling of heat procured of anger especially if it be not deliuered by word and deede whereby liberty is giuen for the passion to breake foorth which restrained in any sort breedeth an agony of such feruency as it may resemble the scalding of a boyling chaldron not vncouered or an hote furnace closed vp in all vents Moreouer if perturbation should be caused of humour to whether should we attribute it to the naturall humor or to the excrement the excrement is far remoued frō the hart is not so ready to affect it a great distāce being betwixt their seueral places in iaūdes the gal ouerflowing the body passing through the vaines staining all parts we see them not so affected more angry then at other times or their bodies being cleered from the tincture of yellownes If it be the naturall humor that is to say the subtilest part of the bloud alwayes contained in the hart whether you vnderstand that bloud which is comprehended in the two bosoms or that wherwith the hart is sustained nourished in euery part why is not thē the hart alwayes affected without intermission with such passions as the bloud enclineth vnto seeing it is alwayes present keepeth his disposition alike If you will haue it of neither but of that which is cōtained in the great vain rushing with violence into the right side of the hart the quality of that bloud being of cooler temper thē that which the heart hath already embraced should serue to mitigate the mood rather then to adde mo stickes to the fire To conclude this point lest I should seeme to fight with a shadow if either humor or excrement should haue part in mouing affections no counsel of philosophy nor precept of wise men were comparable to calme these raging passions vnto the purging potions of Phisitians in this case the Elleborans of Anticera the Colocynthis of Spaine and the Rhubarb of Alexādria aboue all the schools of Diuinitie or Philosophy The lesse I labour against these humors in the kinds of naturall perturbations or such as rise vpon occasion because I thinke the errour is sone remoued requireth no long reasoning The other sort which moue vs without cause or externall obiect either to sadnes anger feare or ioy because they seeme altogither to be effects of humors no other cause being apparent whereto to ascribe them I will more copiously debate this point in the Chapter following CHAP. XVI VVhether perturbatiōs which are not moued by outward occasions rise of humours or not and how WE do see by experience certaine persons which enioy all the comfortes of this life whatsoeuer wealth can procure and whatsoeuer friendship offereth of kindnes and whatsoeuer security may assure them yet to be ouerwhelmed with heauines and dismaide with such feare as they can neither receiue consolation nor hope of assurance notwithstanding ther be neither matter of feare or discontentment nor yet cause of daunger but contrarily of great cōfort and gratulation This passiō being not moued by any aduersity present or imminent is attributed to melancholie the grossest part of all the blood either while it is yet contained in the vaines or aboundeth in the splene ordained to purge the blood of that drosse and setling of the humours surcharged therwith for want of free uent by reason of obstruction or any wayes else the passage being let of cleare auoydance The rather it seemeth to be no lesse because purgation opening of a vayne diet and other order of cure and medicine as phisick prescribeth haue bene meanes of chaunging this disposition and mitigatiō of those sorowes and quieting of such feares as melancholie persons haue fancied to themselues haue as it seemeth restored both wit and courage Hitherto we haue bene led by reason of the obiection from humors which imported great power in them of affecting the minde It was answered before generally whatsoeuer was done in the body of any parte to be done organically and that was applied specially to certaine obiections before aunswered it remaineth here that the same be applyed also to our humours which haue no other power to affect the minde then to alter the state of the instrumentes which next to the minde soule it selfe are the only causes of all direct action in the body So here we are to consider in what sort the humours moue these perturbations aboue mentioned whether as cheefe workers instruments or other kinde of helpers and so how they may claime any interest in terrifying or soliciting the minde this way or that way as the obiections before mentioned would beare vs in hand It hath ben declared before how the mind is the sole mouer in the body and how the rest of the partes fare as instrumentes and ministers whereby in naturall affections the humors are secluded from cheefe doers and being no organicall partes serue for no instrumentes For whatsoeuer hath any constant and firme action in our bodies the state of health remayning firme is done either by soule or by the
partes of the body of which the humours are neither and so vtterly secluded of nature from any peculiar actiō to any vse of the body For that they are said to nourish it signifieth only a passiue disposition by which through our nourishing power they receiue the Character of our nature and are altered into the substance of the same they themselues giuing ouer their priuate actiō and submitting to the naturall concoctiue vertue which destroyeth all particularities of nourishment and bringeth them to that vniformity which our nature requireth Then while the body is in health the humors beare no sway of priuate action but it being once altered and they euill disposed and breaking from that regiment whereunto they should be subiect are so farre of from subiection to the disposition of our bodies and strength of our partes that they oppresse them and as it appeareth in simptomaticall euentes in sicknes dispise that gouernment wherto by natures law they stand bound Thus then I hold humours to be occasions of disorderly perturbations euen as they are meanes of deprauing the instrument of perturbation and turning it otherwise then nature hath disposed whose gouernment when it hath shaken of it affecteth vs two maner of wayes the one by the corporall substance whereby it annoyeth the corporall masse of bodies and complexion and breaketh out into soares Emposthumes or other such anoyances the other by a spirit which it possesseth either contrary altogether or diuerse at the least from ours wherewith many wayes it disturbeth the orderly actions weakneth the vigor of the same now both by substance and by spirite it altereth complexion where it preuaileth and thereby giueth greatest stroake to the organicall members Then seing all actions are performed both by spirite and corporall instrument and the humours exceeding the gouernment of nature and withdrawing themselues from subiection thereof affect vs both wayes spirite against spirite and corporall substance against his like we are to cōsider how by these two meanes our actions suffer through their disorder and where their operation taketh most place in working such phantastical perturbations wherewith we are deluded Of all partes of the body in ech perturbation two are cheifly affected first the brayne that both apprehendeth the offensiue or pleasaunt obiect iudgeth of the same in like sort and communicateth it with the harte which is the second part affected these being troubled carie with them all the rest of the partes into a simpathy they of all the rest being in respect of affection of most importance The humours then to worke these effectes which approch nigh to naturall perturbations grounded vpon iust occasion of necessity alter either brayne or hart if the brayne be altered and the obiect not rightly apprehended then is it deliuered otherwise then it standeth in nature and so the hart moued to a disorderly passion Againe though the brayne be without faulte and report delyuered to the hart sincerely yet that being distempered or altered in cōplexion by faulte of humour doth not aunswere in affection as the obiect requireth but more or lesse as the distemper misleadeth if both partes be ouercharged of humour the apprehension affection both are corrupted and misse of their right action and so all thinges mistaken ingender that confused spirite and those stormes of outragious loue hatred hope or feare wherewith bodies so passionate are here and there tossed with disquiet Now particularly the spirite of the humour being subtiler thinner and hoter then is meete maketh the apprehension quicker then it should be and the discretion more hasty then is meete for the vpright deliuery to the hart what to embrace or to refuse this causeth pronenes to anger when we are offended without cause commonly called teastines and frowardnes If the humour also with his spirite possesse the brayne then are these passions of longer continuance humour being of a more sollid nature then the spirite and so not easily dispersed which causeth fittes of such passiōs to be of longer continuance and thus the hart may be abused from the brayne not much vnlike as it falleth often out in communication of speach amongest vs a man of hasty disposition ready to aunswere and quick witted will make reply to that which should be said before the tale be halfe told whereby he faileth in his replication and aunswereth from the purpose which if he had bene first assured wherto to reply he should not haue missed This appeareth plaine in Cholericke persons or such as are disposed to anger such are offended where they haue no cause in truth but by mistaking and where they haue cause the vehemency of the apprehension and the suddēnes of the report from the brayne vnto the seate of perturbation inforceth double the passion especially when the hart is as flexible as the brayne is light then raungeth it into all extremity This commeth to passe not by any power of anger in the Cholerick humour but by reason the instrumentes are misordered either by vapour rising from that humour or the very substance of the same They are disordered in this sort through Choler The naturall spirit and complexiō of these partes become subtiler thinner and quicker proner to action then of their natures they should be through the heat which riseth of Choler and his spirit intermixed with ours by this mobility of vapour our spirit of a quieter and more stable disposition is either made more rare then is expedient for the vse of our bodies or else striuing as it were to subdue this bastard spirite and vnwelcome ghest can not giue that attendance vpon his proper duety which naturally it should and so the actions thereupon rise depraued and hauing wherwith it is encumbred within admitteth the cause of displeasure more easily which riseth abroad being an additiō to that which molesteth at home and these natures for the most parte are troubled with a Cholerick humour or fretting like to Choler about the mouth of the stomach which is of all the inward partes of quickest sense and feeling This causeth them especially fasting before the humour be mitigated and delayed with nourishment to be most prone to that angry passion The teasty waywardnes of sick persons such as are vexed with payne or feauer wherby the humors of the body become more fell maketh euident proofe hereof We see how small matters put them out of patience euery thing offendeth whereas in health the same occasions would litle or nothing moue The reason is because they measure all outward accidents by that they finde of discontentment within not that the humor that discontenteth is any instrument of passion or carieth with it faculty to be displeased but because it disquieteth the body and giueth discontentment to nature it is occasion why displeasures are made great and where there is no cause nature troubled within faireth as greatly displeased with that which outwardly should not displease the griefe within being added to an indifferēt thing without and drawing
it into like felowship of displeasure euen but for that it pleaseth not like as in a troubled sea a great vessell is more easily stirred with smal strength then in the calme hauen or quiet streame so our spirites and organicall instruments of passion the parte tossed with stormy weather of internall discontentment is with litle occasion disquieted yea with the shaking of a rush that hath no show of calming those domesticall stormes that arise more troublesome and boisterous to our nature then all the blustering windes in the Ocean sea For when our passion is once vp by such occasion the commō sense is also caried therewith and distinction of outward thinges hindered at the least if not taken away all things being wayed by that which nature findeth offēce at within euen as the tast altered in feauers by cholerick vapours maketh sweete thinges seeme bitter and vnpleasaunt which of themselues are most delectable to the tast and would greatly satisfie the same partie the bitter relish through that taint of choller once taken away And in this sort in my opinion ariseth the disorderly vnruly passion of choller both increased where some occasion is offered and procured by inward disposition of the bodie and spirit when there is no pretence or shewe of cause This is seene as plainly in mirth and ioye which riseth as well vpon inward harmonie of spirit humour and complexion as vpon glad tidings or externall benefite whereof we take reioycing A bodie of sanguine complexion as commonly we call it although complexion be another thing then condition of humors the spirits being in their iust temper in respect of qualitie and of such plenty as nature requireth not mixed or defiled by any straunge spirit or vapor the humours in quantity qualitie rated in geometricall and iust proportion the substance also of the bodie and all the members so qualified by mixture of elementes as all conspire together in due proportion breedeth an indifferencie to all passions Nowe if bloud abound and keepe his sincerity and the body receaue by it and the spirits rising from the same a comfort in the sensible partes without doubt then as anger without cause externall rose vpō inward displeasure so this spirit these humours and this temper may moue an inward ioy wherof no externall obiect may be accompted as iust occasion This is the cause that maketh some men prone to ioy and laughter at such thinges as other men are not drawne with into any passion and maketh them picke out and seeke for causes of laughter not onely to moue others to the like but to expresse their mery passiō which riseth by the iudgement of our senses imparted to the hart not regarding whether the cause be inward or outward that moueth which taketh comfort thereat as though the obiect were externall This especially commeth to passe if the bloud be such about the hart as his purenesse sincerenesse with sweetnesse that carieth moderation of temper doth so comfort and mollifie it that it easily aptly enlargeth it self thē such bloud or such vapor that hath this tickling qualitie causeth a delight conceiued in the braine and communicated with the hart procureth a comfortable gratulation and inward ioy of that whereof nature taketh pleasure For as we haue sights tastes smelles noyses pleasant obiectes without vs and on the contrary part as manie odious and hatefull which do force our senses so haue we also all these internall pleasaunt or vnpleasaunt as we haue of sensuall obiects internall so in like manner pleasure displeasure is communicated frō within of the braine to the heart of such things as we are not able directly to referre to this or that qualitie as we see it fareth with tasts oftentimes such mixtures may be in sauces that something may please vs we cannot expresse what raysed of the compositiō This chiefly falleth to our bodies when that which giueth this occasion carieth force of gentle and light spirits as wine and strong drinke and all aromaticall spices which haue a power to comfort the braine and hart and affect all our bodie throughout with celeritie and quicknesse before their spirits be spent in the passage then the braine giueth merie report the hart glad for it selfe and all the fellow members as it were daunceth for ioy and good liking which it receaueth of such internall prouocations Thē as we see wine giue occasion of mirth by his excellent spirit wherewith our spirit is delighted and greatly increased if it be drunke with moderation so such as are of merie dispositions enioy a naturall wine in their bodies especially harts braines which causeth them to laugh at the wagging of a feather and without iust matter of laughter without modest regard of circūstance to beare them selues light ridiculous this my friende M. I take to be the cause of merrie greekes who seeke rather to discharge them selues of the iocond affection stirred vp by their humour then require true outward occasion of solace and recreation Nowe as before I haue sayd that choler procureth anger not as cause but as occasion so likewise bloud thus tempered and replenished with these aromaticall and merie spirits giueth occasion only of this pleasantnesse and is no cause thereof the hart making iust claime to these affections as the only instrument vnder the soule chiefe author of these vnruly companions which instrument is so disposed that obeying the mind and those naturall rules whereby all things are esteemed good or bad true or false to be done or not to be done no otherwise then by a ciuill subiection ruled by counsell no constraint it repugneth oft times all the strong cōclusions whatsoeuer reason can make to the contrary Thus you vnderstād how a man may be angrie and merie without externall obiect or outward cause now let vs consider howe sadnesse and feare the points which most belong to this discourse and your present state may also arise without occasion of outward terror either presently molesting or fearing vs by likelihood or possibility of future danger As the nature of choler is subtile hote bitter and of a fretting and biting qualitie both it selfe and the vapors that passe from it and bloud temperate sweet and full of cheerefull and comfortable spirits answerable to those we haue ingenerate especially if they become aromaticall as I may terme them and of a fragrant nature by naturall temper or by meanes of diet so melancholie of qualitie grosse dull and of fewe comfortable spirits and plentifully replenished with such as darken all the clernesse of those sanguineous and ingrosse their subtilnesse defile their purenesse with the fogge of that slime and fennie substance and shut vp the hart as it were in a dungeon of obscurity causeth manie fearefull fancies by abusing the braine with vglie illusions locketh vp the gates of the hart whereout the spirits should breake forth vpon iust occasion to the comfort of all the family of their
this coldnes and drynes riseth hardnes whereof the flesh of melancholy persons is except the melancholy rise of some disorder of diet or passions and hath not yet entred so farre vpon the complexion Of colour they be black according to the humour whereof they are nourished and the skinne alwayes receauing the blacke vapors which insensibly do passe from the inward parts taketh die and staine thereof sauing that in the beginning it may come to passe otherwise the body white and bloud blacke nature for a time seruing her selfe of that which is purest and leauing the grossest in the vaines till for want of better in the end it be faine to take of the melancholicke which before it disdained then altereth it the colour and fairenesse is turned into morphe maketh euident the humour which gaue the die hath obscured the former beautie And thus are the qualities of melancholie bodies altered by this grosse earthie and darke humour CHAP. XXII How melancholie altereth those actions which rise out of the braine TOuching actions which rise from the brain melancholie causeth dulnesse of conceit both by reason the substance of the braine in such personnes is more grosse and their spirite not so prompt and subtile as is requisit for readie vnderstandinge Againe almost all the senses standing in a kinde of passiue nature a substance cold and drie and by consequent hard is not so meete thereto which as it serueth well to retaine that which is once ingrauen so like adamant it keepeth in comparison of other tempers that which once it hath receaued whereby as they are vnfit to commit readily to memorie so retaine they that is committed in surer custodie Sometime it falleth out that melancholie men are found verie wittie and quickly discerne either because the humour of melancholie with some heate is so made subtile that as from the driest woode riseth the clearest flame and from the lyes of wine is distilled a strong burning aqua vitae in like fort their spirits both from the drinesse of the matter and straining of the grosse substance from which they passe receauing a purenesse are instrumentes of such sharpnesse which is the drie light that Heraclitus approued To this other reasons may be added as exercise of their wittes wherein they be indefatigable which maketh them seeme to haue that of a naturall readinesse which custome of exercise and vse hath found in them Moreouer while their passions be not yet vehemēt whereby they might be ouercaried melancholy breedeth a ielousie of doubt in that they take in deliberation and causeth them to be the more exact curious in pōdering the very moments of things to these reasons may be added the vehemencie of theyr affection once raysed which carieth them with all their faculties therto belonging into the deapth of that they take pleasure to intermeddle in For though the melancholie man be not so easily affected with any other passion as with those of feare sadnesse ielosie yet being once throughly heat with a cōtrarie passion retaineth the feruency thereof farre longer time then anie other complexion and more feruently boyleth therewith by reason his heart and spirite hath more solliditie of substance to entertayne deepely the passion which in a more rare and thinne sooner vanisheth away Thus greedinesse of desire in those thinges which they affect maketh them diligent and painefull warie and circumspect and so in actions of braine and sense not inferiour to the best tempers as also it maketh them stiffe in opinion Their resolution riseth of long deliberation because of doubt and distrust which as it is not easily bred so it is also harde to remoue Such persons are doubtfull suspitious and thereby long in deliberation because those domesticall feares or that internall obscuritie causeth an opinion of daunger in outwarde affaires where there is no cause of doubt their dreames are fearefull partly by reason of their fancie waking is most occupied about feares and terrours which retayneth the impression in sleepe and partly through blacke and darke fumes of melancholie rising vp to the braine whereof the fantasie forgeth obiectes and disturbeth the sleep of melancholy persons These persons are also subiect to that kinde of suffocation in the night which is called the mare wherein with some horrible vision in dreame they are halfe strangled and intercepted of speech through they striue to call This happeneth through grosse melacholicke vapours in them which cause horrible and fearefull apparitions by reason of the nature of that humour and the fancie prone through custome to conceaue on the worse parte and stoppeth theyr winde by occupying the passages of such spirits as rise from the braine and flowe into the nerues which serue certaine muscles of respiration it happeneth chiefly when they lye on their backe and somewhat too low with their heade because both the midriffe a chiefe muscle of respiration is more pressed with the bowelles which lye vnder it the stomach is not so firmely closed whereby vapours more easily haue vent and the whole bulke of the chest in that position of the bodie lying more heauily vppon them requireth greater force of mouing facultie whose spirit receaueth impediment of passages by these thicke and melancholicke fumes and thus are the actions of the braine altered by melancholie CHAP. XXIII Howe affections be altered TOVCHING their affections of feare and sadnesse sufficiently hath bene sayd before sauing whether is first in place and possesseth first the melancholicke heart it may make some question In mine opinion feare is the verie ground and roote of that sorowe which melancholick mē are throwne into For a continuance of feare which is of daunger to come so ouerlayeth the heart that it maketh it as nowe present which is only in expectation and although the daunger feared be absent yet the assurednesse thereof in the opinion of a melancholicke braine is alwayes present which ingendreth a sorow alwayes accompanying their feares They are hardely moued to anger except a biting and fretting choler be mixed with their melancholie or the melancholy be of an adust kind by reason they be ouer passion at another way and haue their partes of grosser sense then easily to be offended and the heart not ready to be moued being of a colder and drier nature or so affected by the humor which being once throughly kindled with that passion retayneth the heate longer and is not easily brought againe into the former temper Enuious they are because of their owne false conceaued want whereby their estate seeminge in their owne fantasie much worse then it is or then the condition of other men maketh them desire that they see other to enioy to better their estate this maketh them couetours of getting though in expence where their humour moueth them with liking or a voydance of perill more then prodigall Ielousie pricketh them because they are not contented with any moderation but thinke all too little for supply of their want especially if it stand in
consideration Touching the first of the two latter how the affection is moued for weeping I take it necessarie the passion be not very extreame nor of the highest degree of sorow neither so light and gētle that the obiect be contemned For the first if the perturbation be too extreame and as it were rauisheth the conceite and astonieth the heart then teares being ordinary and naturall to a kinde of mediocritie of that passion are not affoorded to an extraordinary affection euen as a ioy suddaine and rare taketh away for the present the signification of reioycing and turneth the comforte which should be receiued into an admiration in steade of mirth and cheare so in greate extremity offeare and heauines sorow being conuerted into an astonishment the senses rauished and the benūmed therewith the teares are dryed vp or stayed being effectes of ordinary and of naturall passion and others more straunger come in place as voydaunce of vrine ordure For as cold in a kinde of degree moueth sense and the same extreame becommeth and taketh it quite away and as exceeding brightnes blindeth or at the least dazeleth the sight aswell as darknes obscureth the obiect so an occasion of feare being beyond ordinary cōpasse of naturall passion seemeth to the heart vnderstanding of another sort then whereat to sorow or teares belong and the tokens of ordinarie affection are due which flow not by reason through that greate perturbation nature is wholly violated and keepeth no course of accustomed order or because such is the flight of nature from that which she so abhorreth that hiding her self in her owne cēter she draweth with her those humidities which easily follow with the spirites and blood and are not seperable for vsuall excretion besides that contraction of her poores whereby the effluxe of teares is hindered this in my opinion is the cause why extremity of terror or heauines refraineth teares especially if a fright haue gone before which is of greatest force to make this perturbation and to shut vp the poores of our bodies This appeareth in such as are scarred whose haire seemeth to stand vpright stiffe through that contraction So then the same cause of passion in kind differing by degrees both dolorous full of calamity nowe causeth abundance of weeping gusheth out into brookes of teares and anon dricth them al vp through destruction of the minde and stupiditye as it were of the hearte as though the cause of morning were altogether remoued If you do require example in the selfe same person of weeping and refraining from teares in the same kind of obiect yet differing in degree that is most singuler which is reported by Aristotle in the second booke of his thetoricke out of Herodotus of Amasis king of Aegypt We are moued with compassion only sayeth he at the affliction of such familiars as are not very nighly knitte vnto vs either by acquaintance or affinitie and of the calamitie of diuerse most deere friends or allies we haue not compassion but we are affected with their hurte as with our owne wherfore it is reported of Amasis that although he did not weepe for his sonne whome he sawe led to be put to death yet at the calamitie of his friende Philippus he shed teares for that which in his friend was pityfull shewed in his sonne horrible and terrible to behold now terror chaseth away swalloweth vp alcōpassion Which history of Amasis maketh cleere al doubt in this point and confirmeth that which we propound by the reason of one of the most grauest philosophers As this ouer vehement feare dryeth vp these springes of teares or shutteth vp the passages that no way is giuen for them to distill so the cause being light and not greately vrging the heart nature vseth not to make such shew of sorow so that at small matters or so taken no man vseth to weepe Children for want of vnderstanding in a manner weepe at all occasions of offence alike which tyme and age afterward correcteth Thus then in my opinion the affection is to be disposed for weeping euen in a meane betwixt that light regard of perill or calamitie wherewith no man is moued to teares and that vehement extremitie which ingendreth amazednes and astonishment wherewith nature either is benummed as it were and dazeled with the extremitie of passion and neglecteth her ordinarie signification of sorow in a case so farre extraordinarie or else so farre withdraweth her selfe into the center of the bodie with her spirite blood and humiditie and closeth vp her poores so straightly that neither matter of teares is readie nor passage free for them to distill by For the naturall passages and such as depend not vpon voluntarie opening or shutting as of the bladder stoole so farre only are open as they be distended and filled with blood humour spirite which being withdrawen as in a dead bodie they close together like an empty bagge But why thē say you do some make vrine for feare and why doth not nature withold it aswell as teares being a kinde of excremēt not much vnlike The reafon is readie such retention as is performed by muscle animall faculty descending from the brayne by sinues is of another sorte then that which is accomplished by astriction of poore againe such excrementes as are already congregated into a place of recept from whence they are to be voided out of the body hereafter are not of like cōdition with that which hath as yet no seperatiō For the first pointe the bladder as also the fundament haue ech of them a certaine round muscle which hath power of opening and closing within it self which opening way is giuen to the excrement that of it selfe finding passage issueth out of the bodie or without opening and it be a liquid excrement as vrine is if the muscle shutt not close or retentiue feebled it voydeth also though not so plentifully as being full open Now in feares that exceede the spirites influent into that muscle as al are such that pertaine to sence and motion are caled backe as I haue before declared to their proper fountaines and so it being left destitute receiueth a kinde of paraliticall disposition for the time and fayleth in his office which is the cause of such vnuoluntary excretion Now if you consider remember how the vrine passeth from the kideneys by those lōg vessels you shall well perceiue there can be no refluxe backward though it be forced for they discēd not directly opening thēselues as a touch hole into a gune but sloplings betwixt the substance of the bladder with certaine slender and thinne skinnes which immediatly after the entraunce of the humour close vp in such sort as the fuller the bladder is the firmer is their hold as you may see in the leather clacke of a paire of bellowes experience hereof is made manifest in a bladder which being blowen retaineth the aire and suffereth not to vent though it haue enterances such as I haue
with teares This causeth the nose to runne and the mouth to slauer euen the sudden breach of these waters faster seeking vent then agreeth with natures ordinarie auoydaunce They are salt of tast through that heate of the eye which turneth easily that excrement into saltnesse besides the mixture of the salt humiditie which is alwayes about it For the eye of any one being touched with the tong giueth a manifest release of saltnesse which riseth of that moyst excrement altered into such tast by the eyes heate That the eyes be exceeding in heate besides manifest experience of of touch the plenty of spirit which they ordinarily possesse the store of arteries and vaines the plenty of fat round about the celeritie of motion do argue sufficiently the same Neither is that ordinarie passage of humidity frō the brain whereby their heate may be tempered lest they become thereby sore and withered the least argument of their hote temper which is not afforfoorded to any part of the bodie the hart onely excepted Lastly the aptnesse to be offended with heate and readie offence taken that way sufficiently declareth whereto their nature bendeth CHAP. XXV VVhy and howe one weepeth for ioy and laugheth for griefe why teares and weeping indure not all the time of the cause and why the finger is put in the eye IN the former chapter mention was made of weeping for ioy here you may demaund a reason why a ioyfull passion yeeldeth forth so sorowfull an action neither do they that weepe faine as a man will counterfet laughter for tears cannot be counterfetted because they rise not of any action or facultie voluntarie but naturall the weeping caused of ioy is as hartie as that which riseth vpon conceit of sorowe We do see in the works of nature contrary effects wrought by the same cause so the same effect ensueth vpon contrary causes through the diuerse maner of the working You see how the Sunne altereth the whitenesse of a mans skinne into blacknesse and how it maketh cloth white it softeneth waxe and hardeneth clay Againe we see howe the cold withereth the herbe as doth the heate and causeth the earth to be warme that the fountains smoke againe as doth the Sunne and is as requisite with vs in his season for the fertilitie of the earth as the reflexion of the Sunne beames What maruell then if contraries in passions bring forth like effects as to weepe laugh both for ioy sorow For as it is oft seene that a man weepeth for ioy so is not straunge to see one laugh for griefe whereof examples are dayly as if a man taketh vp that which is burning hote hauing thought it had bin cold he will laugh at the hurt he feeleth likewise if one assay to handle another mans wound the woūded will declare the discontentment with laughter euen as a mā that is tickled will laugh though he take no pleasure in tickling but rather mislike discontentmēt With such kind of laughter did Democritus grieue at the vanities of this life which also moued Heraclitus to weep And sometimes in vrgent distresse the anguish and vexation of mind is declared with this kind of Sardoniā laughter as if the hart toke pleasure wherat it is grieued This is cleare needeth no lōger discours the reason is not so euident which I will nowe make plaine vnto you As you heard before how teares in sorowe do issue out of the eyes by compressiō that internal fulnesse of spirits heat which forceth out these teares so ioy gladnes being an enlargement of the hart braine all the internal parts especially of the spirits which do as it were issue out to welcome the ioyfull obiect partly thaough the enlargement of the passages partly through the accesse of spirits to the outward parts the moysture before mentioned is forced out of the eyes distilleth into drops of teares especially if cōmiseration cōpassiō be mixed therw t such was Iosephs weping ouer his brethrē framed of ioy of their presence and compassion of their estate and so did Ionathan weepe ouer Dauid and Dauid ioying at Ionathans kindenesse with commisseration of his teares exceeded him in weeping This most commonly falleth out when he whom we loue hath escaped daunger or we thinke through ouer longe absence somewhat vnprosperous might or hath befallen him Nowe the consideration of the present safety mingled with remembrance of perill or want for the present breaketh out into teares which are easily to be voyded both through compression as hath bin before shewed and by forcible expulsion I see you desire farther as well why griefe procureth laughter as strange an effect from the cause as teares are from ioy comfort Before I lay this open vnto you ye are to knowe what partes are first affected with laughter and how they drawe others into the same fellowship of action The parts which first are affected in laughter are the hart and the midriffe wherto the hart by his call and skinne is more straightly fastened then in beasts the obiect of laughter being a ridiculous thing mixed of pleasure and displeasure else were it not ridiculous causeth the hart to moue with great celerity his contrary motions of opening and shutting which being so repugnaunt cause a maruelous agitation in the part by this agitation and straight coupling of the heart to the midriffe which draweth by consent other parts into like motion the laughter is deliuered by interrupted expiration by reason the midriffe in his contraction is not suffered quietly to finish it but is by the harts trouble restrained slowed in his fall Thus knowing the cause of laughter and the instruments of the gesture I shall more easily manifest vnto you why a man may sometimes laugh for griefe and discontentment as well as weep for ioy Of all the muscles in the bodie the midriffe is the most noble and of greatest vse whose action is in continual motion and neuer ceaseth not so much as in sleep when all the rest take their ease for the necessitie of breathing with this muscle do accord diuerse others especially those of the neather iaw and cheekes and lippes taking their nerues frō the fourth couple increased by the sixt which rise from the pith of the chine in the necke So then the midriffe being affected with any kinde of extraordinarie motion as it is in grief easily draweth the cheekes and lippes into like motiō But how is the midriffe affected in griefe euen much like as it is in laughter that is to say hindred in his free falling by the contraction of the hart which in griefe calleth in his spirits closeth it selfe filleth the neighbour parts with more store of bloud then is ordinarie which being so replenished the midriffe is drawne with the call of the hart and hath not his owne libertie in his contraction by which meanes the expiration is deliuered by fits and not wholly as in ordinary breathing the midriffe
resembling in vse the leather of a paire of bellows being ioyned roūd about to the sides of the chest which aunswereth the two boords of the bellowes This also draweth the consent of the lippes and cheekes the muscles thereof agreing with the midriffe in their nerues which make like contractiō to that in laughter after a counterfet manner in paine and ache that one presently feeleth or feareth The other kinde which is of griefe of minde as that of Hanniball for the distresse of Carthage and his present calamitie is of a mixed cause compounded of some ioy which riseth of considence of remedie or reuenge which causeth a dilatation of ioy entermeddled with contractiō of griefe so a man that hath receaued a displeasure of his enemy and assured howe he may be euen with him will laugh though he haue indignation at the displeasure vpon hope of requittance whereof riseth a certaine ioye mixed with griefe that forceth out a Sardonian bitter laughter short and ouertaken with more griefe which with vapor and spirit through that dilatation of the hart silleth the cheekes and causeth their muscles to be withdrawne to their heads shew their teeth and fashion the countenance into that kind of grinning which is apparant in laughter Thus much by the way of laugter by occasion of that weeping which falleth vnto such as vpon cause of ioy breake out into teares If you desire to knowe more of this merie gesture I referre you to a treatise of laughter written by Laurence Ioubert of Mountpellier a Philosopher and Phisitian in my iudgement not inferiour to any of this age The cause why weeping endureth not all the time of the sorow but most commonly at the first brunt onely of griefe tears are shed is partly by reason time acquainteth the hart with the sorowe so is the contraction lesse the daunger not being so straunge Againe that moysture is partly emptied which ministreth matter vnto teares reason in time dealeth with the affection which peraduenture moderateth the griefe whereby it lesse vrgeth The finger is vsually put in the eye in weeping by reason the teare falling into the eye with his saltnesse procureth a kind of itching about the carnell of teares which requireth ayde of the singer to be expressed at their first fal afterward the part acquainted with that qualitie and one teare drawing on another such expression is not so necessarie Besides this cause of rubbing the weeping eye a strange matter therin requireth wyping which also moueth the finger to hast to the eye watered with teares but this is after a while the other before almost anie teare fall as though they were expressed with rubbing And thus much touching the causes of teares which beare the greatest part in weeping nowe ye shall vnderstand howe other partes of that gesture are perfourmed and by what meanes CHAP. XXVI Of other partes of weeping why the countenance is cast downe the forehead loureth the nose droppeth the lippe trembleth the cheeks are drawn and the speech is interrupted IN weeping the countenance is cast downe by reason the spirits are retracted which are the authors by tonicall motion of erection as a maste corded on all sides standeth erect which in sorow being withdrawē from the muscle causeth them to yeeld to the poyse of the head and so bendeth it downeward wherto it is more enclined then backeward by reason the rowells of the neckbone with their snaggs hinder that inclination The forehead lowreth after a paraliticall fashion being destitute of his spirites and all the former partes filled with that excrementitious moisture of teares before mentioned which is in that aboundance in persons moist of braine tender and rare of poores that not finding sufficiēt way at the eyes it passeth through the nose as the other part by the palate into the mouth and so filleth all full of teares and slauer The lipe trembleth because the spirite which should vphold it in his right position is now in greatest measure departed so that the waight of the lippe striuing with the imbecillitie of the parte causeth a trembling which is betwixt erection and plaine declination as if a man hold a thing too heauy till he beginne to be weary though at the first he hold it steady at the lēgth striuing aboue his power to beare it maketh his hand to quake and tremble the remnaunte of strength striuing with the weight The vpper lippe remaineth steadie and still because it hangeth and requireth no proppe of erection yet appeareth it somewhat longer then before being fully stretched out with the weight and not borne vp restrained by the spirit The cheeks are drawen much like as in laughter not by any influence of the liuely spirite which in laughter replenisheth the countenance and causeth the eyes to sparcle and filling the muscles of the cheekes with a subtle vapour causeth them to strayne for the auoydance as in streaking the muscles are contracted to exclude a vaporous excrement but the contraction of the cheekes in weeping seemeth to me not to rise of any other cause then by an excrementitious vapour which passeth with the humiditie of teares frō the braine into the cheekes and forceth nature to make contraction to discharge it selfe of that vapour ioyned with the cōsent which is betwixt the muscles of the iawes and lipps with the midriffe whose remission and slackening being hastened by the contraction of the harte in griefe contracteth also the foresaid lipps and cheekes with which it consenteth by the fourth and sixt paire of nerues deriued into both partes from the marow of the chine bone of the neck These are also the causes of the whole deformitie of the face in weeping which chiefely contracteth the visage in expiration in which the heart hath more power ouer the mydriffe being slakened then in inspiration wherein by dilating of the chest for vse of breath it is extēded The speach is interrupted in weeping because the chest in expiration doth not fall and sinck by gentle declination equally but hindred by that contraction of the heart remitteth his extension as it were by stroakes as if a man would take a paire of bellowes and not suffer them being enlarged and full of aire to shutt of themselues but by an vnequall pressing of the handes cause them to puffe by fittes and part the blowing into sundry blastes which at once might be auoyded So the voyce rising of the ayre expired as that is voyded in like sort the voyce is fraimed which causeth those that weepe to speake more indistinctly and diuided sentences then when they are free from that affection Moreouer speach doth require not onely the yeeldinge of the chest through the poyse but standeth in neede also of the intercostall muscles and those of the top of the windpipe with thē of the bely which throgh griefe or feare being now not so replenished with spirites the authors of motion of those muscles can not deliuer the voyce smoth and vniforme as before more
person becometh afterward sad heauy vncherful Thus you perceiue I think sufficiently how melancholick persons some laugh some weepe in the same melancholicke what causeth mirth what teares Before I proceede to the naturall actions chaunged and depraued by melancholy I cannot passe ouer an action which is verie vsuall to melancholicke folke and that is blushing with shunning of the looke and countenaunce of men which the Grecians call Dysopia and because it requireth a larger discourse then the ende of this Chapter will suffer I will treate of them in the next CHAP. XXIX The causes of blushing and bashfulnesse and why melancholicke persons are giuen thereunto THE affection that moueth blushinge is shame howsoeuer it riseth either vppon false conceit or deserued cause Shame is an affection of griefe mixed with anger against our selues rising of the conscience of some knowne or supposed to be knowne offence either in doing that which ought not to be done or omitting that which was requisite of vs to be done This description I will vnfold vnto you more at large that in shame euery one is grieued experience maketh plaine besides reason leadeth thereunto Euerie passion of the heart is with ioye or with griefe either sincere and simple or mixed as in ridiculous occasions in shame there is no absolute ioye nor comfort therefore there must needs be a displeasantnesse or else a mixt disposition of sorowe and cheare this there is not by reason shame casteth downe the countenance filleth the eye with sorow and as much as may be withdraweth the liuely and comfortable spirit into the center of the bodie not vnlike vnto feare and sadnesse It appeareth mixed with anger by reason euerie one feeleth a kinde of indignation within him selfe and offereth as it were a vehement inablinge of him selfe for the offence wee are angrie with our selues because the fault is ours and from vs riseth the cause of griefe as in absolute anger the cause is from other and vpon others we seeke the reuenge Where there is no conscience there can not be any sense of fault for that it is which layeth our actions to the rule and concludeth them good or bad so although the fault be committed in deede and yet no conscience made thereof it is taken for no offence neither can giue cause of this internall grief reuengement To these clauses I ad an offence knowne or so supposed for otherwise though a man be grieued and sorie therefore yet before it be knowne to others is he not ashamed This causeth that men make no doubt of doing that in secret which for shame they would not do openly yea in such thinges as of them selues are not dishonest nor disalowable Moreouer it riseth vpon offence committed in that thing which lay in our power as we tooke it to remedie or better to haue discharged our selues in doing or omitting Therefore no man is ashamed of an ague or of the goute or to haue broken his legges or anie such occasion as to haue bene spoyled or to die c. but onely in those thinges wherein we take our selues to haue our part and to rise vpon our owne default so are we both ashamed of the action and of all tokens thereof Nowe seing that all offence is neither in doing amisse or neglecting that should be done in either of both consisteth matter of shame The description of shame thus being declared I proceede to shewe howe it forceth rednesse into the eares and cheekes and causeth vs neither to beare other mens countenaunces and lookes nor with courage and boldnesse to beare vp our owne The griefe that nature conceaueth from our selues is not so straunge as that which is foraine and outward but farre more familiar and thence therefore in all partes more known Moreouer the cause is more transitorie and fading especially if the offence be small and of no great note Againe the griefe is not for anie depriuation of that whereof the vse is so necessarie as losse of friendes goodes perill pouertie do all import nor of anie singular pleasure wherein nature or will tooke their chiefe contentment These qualities of shame ioyned with anger procureth that rednesse in the face which we call blushing The tincture of redde ariseth on this sort the heart discontented with the opennesse of the offence maketh a retraction of bloud and spirit at the first as in feare and griefe and because it feeleth no greater hurt then of laughter or rebuke of worde or such like touch seeketh no farther escape then a small withdrawing of the spirite and bloud by the first entrance of the perturbation so that the necessitie being no more vrgent the bloud and spirit breake forth againe more vehemently and fill the partes about the face more then before and causeth the rednesse This is helped forwarde with that anger which is mixed with shame which forceth in some sorte these retracted spirites and bloud to reflowe with more strength as we see the bloud soone vp of a cholericke person The passion is not so vehement to close vp the spirits and to retaine anie longer time for the cause before alledged and although it were yet would the anger and inwarde reuengement make way to the bloud and spirites to geue that shamefast colour Thus you vnderstand what maner of perturbation causeth blushing what it is and how it breedeth the staine but you wil peraduenture say why do not all that are ashamed blush and why some more then other some This I suppose to be cause in blushing these pointes are to be considered for answer of this question the qualitie of the bloud and spirit the passage nature or substāce of the face which receiueth this reflux If the blud be grosse and thicke and the passages not so free then is the course of bloud slow the coūtenance little altered If the skin be ouer thick or ouer rare thē doth it not admit throgh the thicknes of the spirites or at the least maketh not that shew nor retaineth them through the rarenes and thinnes and by exoperation make no apparaunce of rednes this is the cause why many ashamed be not so ready to blush Besides this disposition of spirite humour and substance of the face the measure of the shame more or lesse helpeth and hindereth blushing For some there are affected more vehemently and othersome moderately othersome not a whit who blush not because they are not at all ashamed By that hath bin declared you may gather why the yonger sort and women easily blush euen through rarenes of their body and spirites ioyned with simplicitie which causeth doubt of offence and this is the cause why we commend blushers because it declareth a tender heart and easily moued with remorse of that which is done amisse a feare to offend and a care least it should cōmit ought worthy of blame Furthermore it sheweth a conscience quicke and tender and an vpright sentence of the minde agreable to this
ingrauen maximes of good and euill and thus much shall suffice you for blushing As for the shunning of mens countenances and bashfulnes either in beholding or being beheld it riseth vpon a giltines in conceite or in effect in that we feare is knowen to others wherein we haue offended or stand in doubt we shall offend This conceit causeth vs to hide our selues and to withdraw our presence from the society of mē whom we feare doe view our faultes in beholding vs and wherof our presence stirreth vp the remembraunce Wherefore we being desirous to couer and hyde our offence seeke also to be hiddē and couered who haue deserued the blame especially from such of whome we haue greatest reuerence and of whose estimation and censure we stand most in awe of Now because the vewing of another causeth the like from him againe therfore doth the guilty minde abstaine ther from that it prouoke not the eye of another whome he doth behold especially if the other party looke vpō him againe then is he presently outcountenanced through the guiltie conceite and ielousie of the crime which he suspect to be reueiled Moreouer the countenance being as it were the grauen character of the mind the guilty person feareth least that be red in his forehead whereof he is guilty in his heart which augmenteth the griefe when he seeth himselfe eyed more then by turning aside his owne countenance when he beholdeth it not Thus much touching the former bashfull actions whether they rise vpon cause or opinion only it remaineth of this chapter to shew how melancholicke persons are much subiect to both though they haue committed nothing deseruing rebuke or worthy of shame That which befalleth youth by their tender age in blushing the same in a manner happeneth to melancholicke persons by their complexion youth and children if they come in place of reuerend persons will easily blush not of any fault committed but of reuerence to the parties nature as it were secretly in respect condemning her imperfections in that age whereof the presence of both maketh a kinde of comparison Moreouer the nature carefull of that which is seemely and decent not acquainted with such presence doubteth of error and vncomelinesse and distrusting it selfe blusheth as if offence had bene committed This is the cause why the yong take occasion sooner then the aged and why reuerend and vnacquainted presence causeth this passion They which are of mo yeares by reason of experience and further knowledge which breedeth an assurance more hardly blush and familiarity and custome maketh greater boldnes Euen so the melancholick person through his internall mislike and cause of discouragement hath litle assurance or contentment in his actions whatsoeuer Whereby without cause he easily groweth into a conceite of some absurdity committed where none is this causeth him to blush and to expresse by outward rednes of colour the internall passion especially this befalleth him if he carrie any conscience of former vice committed then doth that ouercharge and set all out of order chiefely if it mingle the passion with feare and the quality of the blood and spirite largenes of poores and disposition of the skinne in the face aunswere thereunto But how will you say can the melancholy person haue his spirite and blood so disposed which I haue declared to be grosse and thicke and the passages of their bodies not free Trueth it is that all melancholicke persons are not so disposed to this action of blushing by reason they are of blood spirite and body vnapt thereunto but certaine only who haue melancholy not equally disposed but resteth vnder the ribbes anoieth chiefly with his vapour and who are such not from their parents but by some accident of diet or euill custome which notwithstanding retaine as yet the same disposition of their firme partes they had before or haue some other humour of thinner substāce wherby their blood is not so dull of ebbing flowing these I take to be the melancholick blushers only and the rest in all respects farre remoued there from whose swartnes of the skinne with other impediments both hindereth the recourse of the blood and if they did blush ouershadoweth the colour The same cause which stirreth blushing in melancholicke men forceth them to auoide assemblies and publike theaters and this is common to all melancholickes howsoeuer they be tempered in their bodies euen the opinion and fancy of some disgrace from others who are greatly displeased with themselues and by their erronious conceite preuent the sentence of others vpon themselues and condemne that vniustly which ducly wayed and without passion hath no desert of blame Thus much for these actions of blushing and bashfullnes CHAP. XXX Of the naturall actions altered by melancholy HItherto you haue had declared the alteration of such actions as lie in our power are for the most part arbitrarie it followeth to shew vnto you the rest which are natural are not at our becke but are performed by a certaine instinct of nature wil we nil we These actiōs are of appetite or of nourishmēt the actiōs of appetite are of meate and drinke or of procreation Touching appetite of meate melancholy persons haue it for the most part exceeding and farre surpassing their digesture The cause why it is through an aboundance of melancholy which easily passeth from the splene the sincke of that humour to the stomach whose sowernes prouoketh an appetite of nourishment to delay that sharpnes which molesteth the mouth thereof that you may with more facility conceiue this pointe marke what I shall say of the splene the stomach and the passage of that humour thereinto The splene lieth vnder the short ribbes on the left side of the stomach backward and is ordained to purge the blood of melācholick iuice which it draweth vnto it self by meane of vaines and being satisfied with some parte wherewith it is nourished the remnaunte sower of taste and as a naturall sawce it belcheth as it were into the stomach whose sharpnes causeth a kinde of griefe and knawing therein especially about the entrance which is most sensible so prouoketh the appetite of nourishment by whose sweete and familiar iuice the sharpnes or sowernes of the other is dulled and tempered so the byting eased Besides this sence which the quallity of melancholy offereth to the stomach it according to the nature of all thinges of that taste bindeth and contracteth the stomach which may also be another cause of the encrease of that paine which inforceth to seek after nourishment Thus then the stomach being subiect vnto the splenetick humour as it exceedeth or is more sowre so doth this appetite more increase Now in persons melancholicke the superfluity of this humor is in great aboundance which thereby the more forceth the appetite and this I take to be one cause of that greedy hunger which is more insatiable in melancholicke men then in others To this may be added the desire that nature hath to seeke
and supply that thicke grosse and dry humour with new fresh nourishment and to temper the foggy spirites of that humour with more cleare fresh and new these wants of nature happely are another cause of that greedy appetite of melancholicke persons Their concoction and digestion is not aunswerable to the appetite through the coldnes of the stomach both by the melancholicke blood wherewith it is fedder and more neighbourhood of the splene which is a part inclyning from mediocrity to coldnes in temper this hindereth the concoction The digestion or distribution faileth through difficulty of passage both by thicknes and slownes of the melancholy iuice and narrownes of the way especially if the partie be by nature and not through other occasion melancholicke To this may be added the dulnes of attractiue power of the parts caused by coldnes and drinesse and the vnsauorie iuice in comparison of the pure blood whereof nature is not pricked so vehemently with the desire These I take to be reasons of the quicke appetite of melancholicke persons and slow digestion and concoction which partes of the former diuision belonging to nourishment by order should afterward be handled but because the comparison with the appetite ministred occasion you shall take them in this place and not looke for them hereafter Whatsoeuer other imbecillity of naturall action about nourishment is depraued by melancholy the reason may be drawne from that hath bin shewed of the other They are not so desirous of drinke although melancholy be a dry humour both because their coldnes stakeneth the thirst and their stomacks be moist by want of digestion which sendeth vp waterie vapours into the mouth besides the ascent of the humour it selfe which satisfieth the drought if any be and preuenteth the desire of drincke Their stomach is cold through melancholy which by the aboundance which floweth therein from the splene is cooled as also by the vicinetie of the same which lyeth close therunto The other appetite is of procreation wherewith or the most parte melancholy persons are more vehemently stirred the cause where of I take to be double the one from the affection of loue wherewith they are soone ouertaken the other a windy disposition of their bodies which procureth that desire They are allured to loue more easily because they more admire other then themselues and being cast downe with cōceite of their owne imperfection extoll in their fancy that which hath any small grace of louelines in another The other reason I referre you to reade at large of in treatises of philosophie writtē of the matter in other languages the grauity and modesty of our tounge not fitting with phrase to deliuer such problemes Thus much shall suffice for the appetite depraued by melancholie other sorts of naturall actions besides concoction and distribution which haue bene before sufficiently to the purpose in hande intreated of are the retention ouer fast and assimulation or turning of the nourishment into our substances imperfect The first fault riseth chiefly of the drinessse of the parts which thereby retaine anie humiditie the slownesse of the humour which maketh no way though nature expell and if it be an excrement that should passe the grossenesse wherewith she hath bene acquainted causeth the offence thereof lesse to be felt and so nature becommeth more sluttish in cleansing the bodie of his impurities Againe the sense of such persons is not verie quicke neither carrieth the excrement anie prickinge of prouocation which should put nature in remembraunce of auoydance except immoderate quantitie serue that turne whereof the drinesse of melancholicke natures is an impediment The assimilation is faultie by reason of colde this causeth that morphewe which ofte staineth melancholicke bodies and bespeckleth their skinne here and there with blacke staines of this humour then the nourishment in steed of supplying the perpetuall fluxe of our bodies and aunswering in like substance is by fault of the parte of melancholicke disposition depraued and turned into like iuyce wherewith the parte is dyed into that blacke coloure The colour is blacke of the nature of of the humor and disposition of the part which by imbecillitie is not able to alter it into whitenesse to the similitude of it self Hitherto I haue declared vnto you what actions melancholy depraueth whether voluntary or naturall of voluntary whether of sense and motion or of affection and perturbation of naturall whether action of appetite or belonging to the working of nourishment of appetite whether of victualles or of lust touching dressing and preparation of nourishment whether it be coction digestion attraction retention assimulation or expulsion it remaineth to deliuer vnto you what workes are depraued by this humour and howe it corrupteth the perfection of them CHAP. XXXI How melancholie altereth naturall works of the bodie iuyce and excrement AL the works which rise of naturall actions in our bodies may be reduced to two sorts the one is naturall iuyce apt for nourishmēt building vp the decay of our bodies through the businesse of this life and the internall fire which continually craueth fuell of victuall the other is a superfluity which riseth of the masse of meats and drinkes separated from the pure and nutritiue by the triall of our naturall heate as we see the drosse and impuritie of metalles discouered by the fire This superfluitie nature expelleth out of the bodie not being of that sinceritie and familiar qualitie which nourishment is indued with Both these are altered by this melancholicke disposition whereof my discourse runneth The nourishing iuyce by melancholie of such nourishmentes as are pure and good receaueth imperfection and becommeth grosser thicker and more crude then by the qualitie of the substance it might be the rather also because melancholicke appetite is not proportionall to their digestion but exceedeth These causes procure the nourishing iuyce thicke grosse and crude because the heate of melancholicke persons is abated by this humour which heat is the worker of separation and maketh subtile liquide that which of nature hath no contrarie disposition This nourishing iuyce is either primitiue and the first where of the other take beginning and matter or else deriuatiue and rising frō the primitiue The primitiue is that which is wrought in the stomach and is in colour white liquide equall of a cremy substance in this as yet no separatiō is made of place but wholsome and vnwholsome excrement and nourishment are mixt together onely there they are as it were dissolued and broken and by our heate made more familiar vnto vs and prepared for other parts more easie handling This is the grosser for causes before alleaged and yeeldeth the excrement voyded by stoole the thickest and grossest of all the rest which being increased in those qualities by the melancholicke disposition molesteth them with costiuenesse and hardnesse of bellie For through the qualities before mentioned it passeth not so easilie the guts which besides the foulds they haue lest we should be oftener then were
meet forced to the stoole they haue plaits ouerthwart as is to be seene in the inwardes of beasts which the drie excrement more hardly passeth ouer Againe such as are enclined to one excesse of humour are for the most part lesse prone to another especially if it hath any contrarie qualitie so melancholie exceeding through the cooling of the temper therewith lesse plenty of choller is engendred which choler nature serueth her selfe of for a naturall clyster of the intrailes and guts both to scoure them and with bitternesse to stir vp more readily the naturall excretion Of this humour then melancholicke persons possessing but small portion and the excrement of it selfe grosse dry stayeth longer in the passage then nature without annoyance may well beare and this is the cause why melancholicke persons are for the most part encumbred with costiuenesse especially if they be leane with all as hardly are they otherwise and want that natural basting of fat which some haue more then sufficient then is this hardnesse of stoole much more increased The nourishment thus deliuered of this excrement in the liuer is turned into bloud of white by farther processe of heat is made red In passing of this triall it yeldeth two excrements the one cholericke and the other melancholicke while it remaineth in the liuer and before it be yet passed into the vaines the cholericke is in her quantitie except the meates and drinkes of them selues do minister greater store of that matter else their bodies are vnapt for generatiō of that humour the melancholie is in great aboundance by reason of the inclination of the complexion thereunto want of pure refining in the liuer the aboundance wherof is such that it passeth downe from the splene with grosse and melancholie iuyce into the Hemerodes and deliuereth of pleurisies phrensies and madnesse wherto the melancholickes are subiect if their flowe be not too sparing This aboundance and thicknesse causeth their splene to swell which is sayd therefore to procure laughter because it draweth and sucketh the melancholicke excrement and purgeth that humour which hath ben before declared to breed so many fearful passiōs and breedeth stoppings whereby it defileth the whole supply of the humors The bloud now discharged of the liuer possessed of the vains yet leaueth another excremēt more liquid thinne then the rest this nature disburdeneth it selfe of by the vertue of the reins whose office is to suck out that thinne humour to distill it into the bladder frō whence after a while nature remēbred therof either by quantity heat or sharpnes deliuereth it quite out of the body This excrement is not plentifull in melancholicke persons but of colour white by reason of colde and litle stained for want of choler thicke of substance according to the bloud frō whence it is drawne The bloud thus purified and deliuered of so manie superfluous excrements in the ende passeth from the great into the small vaines and from the small into the priuate poores of euery member and by diuerse degrees at the length receaueth the similitude of our nature by the complexion of euerie part and is vnited in all respectes vnto our natural substance In this degree of natures worke sundrie superfluities arise partly common to all partes and partly priuate to certaine The common is sweat wherof melancholicke persons are spare through drinesse and sweat requiring heate working vpon a moisture which both faile in the melancholicks For want of sufficient heate they are not much annoyed that way neither doth the humours of their bodies grosse of substance deliuer ready matter therunto The other vniuersall kind is a kinde of insensible steme which breatheth cōtinually frō our bodies appeareth on a mans shirt though he haue not sweat soiled it This melancholick men haue more foule then the other estates of bodie and deliuer more plentie especiallie if their bodies be chafed with exercise for not hauing free passage otherwise for causes before mentioned it setleth about the skinne more aboundantly and vppon exercise which openeth the poores rarisieth the bodie maketh plaine an outward shewe The particular excrements especially worth noting are that voyde from our head stomach and chest From the head melancholicke men haue abundance by reason of the stomaches cruditie whose vapors it congeleth or gathereth into rhewme and distilleth it into the mouth From the stomach it riseth by the graine of the throte as you see moisture rise from the water pot by a clout in watering of millions cucumbers The longes voide not much although through want of heate it gathereth of crude excremēt in those parts thicker with lesse sense of heat then moderate These be the accidents which fall vnto melancholicke persons thus procured if any haue bene omitted either they be such as are of no moment to be knowne or the reason of them is easily rendred frō that which hath of the rest bene shewne neither was my purpose in precise manner to deliuer these points vnto you as they are to be taught in a schoole of Philosophy but only to giue you a tast of thē for better vnderstanding of your present state and discharge of that duetie of friendship which your request layeth vpon me in this melancholicke theme This far I haue proceeded in my discourse philosophically in laying the whole case of melancholie so far as my skill in nature extēdeth before you as the first part of your desire pretended hereafter as the order of your request prescribeth you shal haue mine opinion of that affection which riseth vpon horror and conscience of sinne with feare feelingof Gods reuenging hand against the same whether it be any part of melancholy or not whether melancholick persons are subiect most therunto what aduantage Satan taketh in this case by the frailtie of the bodie with such other doubts as your letter ministred vnto me in the end my counsell and comfort and what direction else my phisicke help wil afford for restoring you to the former estate of your body fallen in decay through this humour and to that tranquillitie of minde and those comfortes of Gods grace which before this temptation assayled you you ioyed in and was able to minister comfort vnto others afflicted with like distresse and so commit the successe of this my labour to the blessing of God and referre my louing indeuour to that friendly acceptatiō wherwith you are wont to value the slender offices of great good will vnto you CHAP. XXXII Of the affliction of conscience for sinne OF all kinds of miseries that befall vnto man none is so miserable as that which riseth of the sense of Gods wrath and reuenging hand against the guiltie soule of a sinner Other calamities afflict the body and one part only of our nature this the soule which carieth the whole into societie of the same miserie Such as are of the bodie although they approch nigher the quicke then pouertie or want of necessaries for
vrgeth and alwayes carieth a passiō therwith aboue the harts affection euen the entry of those torments which cānot be cōceaued at full as our nature now stādeth nor deliuered by report Here in this passion the cause is not feare nor passionate griefe but a torment procuring these affections and euen as the punishment of bodily racking is not the passion of the hart but causeth it only so the hart fareth vnder this sore of the mind which here properlie fretteth and straineth the sinnes of the soule wherefrom the heart taketh his grieuous discouragement and fainteth vnder Gods iustice Hitherto you haue described that which your soule feeleth not to instruct you but that other may more truly iudge of the case and the distinction betwixt melancholy it may be more apparant CHAP. XXXV The affliction of mind to what persons it befalleth and by what meanes ALthough no man is by nature freed frō this affliction in so much as all men are sinners and being culpable of the breach of God lawes incurre the punishment of condemnation yet is the melancholicke person more then any subiect therunto not that the humor hath such power which hath before bin declared to stand far a loofe of such effect but by reason the melācholicke person is most doubtfull iclous of his estate not only of this life but also of the life to come this maketh him fall into debate with him selfe to be more then curious who finding his actions not fitting the naturall or written line of righteousnesse wāting that archpiller of faith assurance in Christ Iesus our hope partly thorough feare findeth the horror and partly if it please God so far to touch feeleth the verie anguish due vnto the sinner in that most miserable condition falleth into flat dispaire This commeth to passe when the curious melancholy carieth the minde into the senses of such misteries as exceed humayne capacity and is desirous to know more thē is reuealed in the word of truth or being ignorant of that which is reuealed thorough importunate inquirie of a sudden falleth into that gulfe of Gods secret counselles which swalloweth vp all conceit of man or angell and measuring the trueth of such depth of misteries by the shallow modill of his owne wit is caught deuoured of that which his presumptuous curiositie moued him to attempt to apprehend Of melancholy persons especially such as are most contemplatiue except they be well grounded in the word of God remoue not one haire therfrom in their speculations are this wayes most ouertaken receaue the punishment of ouer-bold attēpt of those holy things which the Lord hath reserued to his owne counsell while they neglect the declared truth propounded for rule of life and practise in written wordes reuealed not remembring the exhortation of Moyses to the children of Israell the secrets are the Lords but the reuealed will appertaineth to vs our children And this in mine opinion is one cause wherefore melancholicke personnes are more prone to fall into this pitte then such as are in their organicall members otherwise affected Nowe contemplations are more familiar with melancholicke persons then with other by reason they be not so apt for action consisting also of a temper still and slowe according to the nature of the melancholie humour which if it be attenuated with heate deliuereth a drie subtile and pearcing spirite more constant and stable then anie other humour which is a great helpe to this contemplation As the melancholicke is most subiect to the calamitie before mentioned and especially the contemplatiue so of them most of all such whose vocation consisteth in studie of hard pointes of learning and that philosophicall especially of Nature haue cause in this case to carie a lowe saile and sometime to strike and lay at the anker of the Scriptures of God lest by tempest of their presumption they be caried into that whirle poole whereout they be in daunger without the especiall grace of Gods mercie neuer to deliuer them selues Such except they be well ballaced with knowledge of the Scriptures and assurance of Gods spirite are neuer able to abide the ouglinesse of their sinnes when they shall be once vnfolden and the narrowe point of reprobration and clection propounded vnto their melancholicke braines and hearts and most miserale polluted soules vnacquainted with Gods couenaunt of mercie and that earnest of his fauour the comfortable spirit of his grace Of such as haue some knowledge in the worde and practise of obedience the want of the true apprehending of gods reuealed wil touching election and reprobation and the right method of learning conceauing the doctrine causeth some to stumble and fall at this stone For as a sworde taken at the wrong end is readie to wound the hand of the taker held by the handle is a fit weapon of defence euen so the doctrine of predestination being preposterously conceiued may through fault of the conceiuer procure hurt whereas of it selfe it is the most strong rocke of assurance in all stormes of tēptations that can befall vnto bodie or soule The one part of predestination is Gods immutable will the cause and rule of all iustice and vttermost of all reason in his workes the other part is the execution of that will according to mercie or iustice sauing or condemning with all the meanes thereto belonging Christ Iesus in those of whom the Lorde will shewe mercie and the iust desert of a sinner on whome he is determined to shewe the iustice of his wrath If this most comfortable doctrine and the firme ancher of our profession be not in all partes equally apprehended we may not onely misse the benefite therof through our owne fault but receiue wounde and daungerous hurte thereby For if the consideration be bent vpon Gods will and counsel only without respect of the means it is impossible but the frailty of mans nature must needes be distracted into diuerse perilous and desperate feares finding nothing in it selfe that may answere his iustice and withstand the fearefull sentence of condemnation if it stay in the meanes of his iustice only and haue not eye vpon his mercy in his sonne Christ then likewise ariseth an assurance of eternall destruction to the consciēce defiled and the guilty soule deformed with iniquity if the meanes of his mercy be regarded without farther respect of his eternall decree and immouable iustice then is there also no assurance of his mercy vnto miserable man who melteth like snow and vanisheth like a vapour before his iustice and doubting of the continuance of his fauour alwayes hangeth in suspence All these considerations thus seuerally falling into the melancholick person moue doubt and care and either breed a resolute desperatnes or a continuall distrust tossing hither and thither the soule not established by knowledge and faith in Gods eternall counsell the most wise iust and mercifull meanes of his execution which being perfectly knowne according to the word
and sealed vp in the christian heart by the worke of Gods spirite is so farre of from disquieting the spirit or breeding doubt that the children of God in all temptations finde the immutability mutability of Gods counsell and the testimony of his fauour in their consciences by his spirite to supporte them in all stormes of temptation and to be the rocke against which no violence of Sathan or his ministers or whatsoeuer their owne infirmity offereth of discouragement can preuaile Besides these such as read the word of God with passionate humour fall into this inconuenience especially if without guide and instruction they carie any presumption of minde and are not modest and warie in their collections such being melancholicke may easily fall into distrust of Gods mercy perish in dispaire So that ignorance and infidelity are the chiefe causes of this miserable estate whereinto many haue fallen especially such as haue neuer bene able to be recomforted which for the most part are they who with neglect of Godds feare and hardnes of heart against their conscience and knowledge haue with desperate purpose gathered strength in the wayes of sinne and haue cast of all remorse til the Lordes vengeaunce in this sort ouertake them or haue fallen into that sinn whereof the Apostle speaketh of that none should pray for and which our Sauiour calleth the sinne against the holy Ghost Other some ther be of which number I know you deare M. that fearing the Lord with sincerity of hearte haue bene notwithstanding this way distressed the weight of their sinnes exceeding for a time the strength of their faith whose case I take to be thus farre other then such as I haue before mentioned euen as in stormie tempest the ship stirreth at euery blast and sourge of the sea to be in daunger of wrack and the yong ash bending to euery blast of winde seemeth in perill of breaking rooting vp whē both the ship kepeth her constant course the tree yet hath his rooting so in you those of your disposition in this case the tempest and storme of this temptation raysed partly by your owne weakenes and partely through Sathans tempestious malice causeth your faith to bend and seeme feeble yeelding to this force while notwithstanding you be built on the rocke planted with the hand of God in the Eden of his gracious election remayne a plante for euer in his paradise of eternall felicitie Such as you your self herm offend that you measure your selues by your infirmities which hath so farre vse in vs to breed a watchfull care ouer our owne wayes not to discourage vs consider that we are as the Lord esteemeth who is more glorified in shewing mercie thē in executing of his wrath whose word declareth vnto vs that he loued vs being ennemies and found vs whē we were lost and loathed not our polution but for himselfe onely offered his mercy so that we must stand in that reckning of our selues which the Lord will haue vs to doe in his mercie else shal we be wrōg iudges of the wayes of the Almighty Euen as one that hath not had experience of trauaile by sea feareth euery wea uing of the ship doubteth of perill where the nature of the trauailer is such without hazard or daunger So you such as are in like case afflicted imagine euery puffe of this kinde of tēptation to be nothing else but the gate of destruction when as notwithstanding it is the verie course way where through God doth lead his dearest children whose counsells are not to be measured by our infirmities nor by that we cast forecast or doubt but as he himselfe hath pronoūced of his own wayes as many of his children haue proued before vs. Here the melācholie taketh aduantage and Sathan prosecuteth a maine with bēding your affectiōs to feare doubt distrust stoppeth that consolation the mercy of god affordeth which his childrē are ready to minister vnto you And these are melancholickes of another sort who notwithstanding they endeuour to feare God yet not aduised through this base vile humor receiue discouragemēt in thēselues more then through Gods mercie they haue need til such time as the cōfort of his spirite by due means alteration of their body by cōueniēt remedy of the godly phisician raise thē vp againe These are melācholiks most disposed by reason of the euill temper of their bodies to this affliction not by power of the humor which resteth in their bodies toucheth not the minde but by reasō they are more curious distrustfull thē other cōplexiōs which being ioyned with ignorance or a preposterous knowledge cast thē into these laberinthes of spirituall sorow whereout very hardly are they at the length able to dispatch themselues without great mercy of God and diligent and carefull applying of his meanes But you may say vnto me can a man by his owne power drawe on this kinde of crosse which you haue before declared to be the hand of God yea verily if Gods only mercie be not his stay euen as our first parents voluntarily gaue their neckes and in them all their posterity vnder the yoke of Sathan and as the vengeance of Gods iustice alwayes burneth against the wicked his sword continually employed which nothing cā quēch but the water of his grace flowing from the sids of his Sonne and that spiritual complet armour where of S. Paul speaketh of so should euen all of vs in this life taste of the heate feele the dint of that sword if his mercy in his Sonne for his Saintes cause on the earth he staied not the ielousie of his wrath His anger our sinnes pull on but his mercy is only for himselfe Thus you haue heard what manner affliction this of the minde and conscience of sinne not comforted by assurance of pardon is how it differeth from melancholy how melancholicke persons are most subiect therunto and by what meanes this calamity is procured with the diuersity of persons thus afflicted hereafter you shall vnderstand which is your chiefe desire my counsell and cure both in that state of minde wherin you stand and whereof the Lord graunt you speedy and comfortable release and also in what your crased body surgayned with melancholy and all his vncomfortable accidentes doth of naturall phisick help of medicine require But first my deare M. giue way to my wordes of comfort and for the old friendships sake and sweete society we haue had in times past alwayes seasoned with heauenly meditations and spirituall conferences denie me not that interest which shal be both comfortable vnto you and ioyfull to many of your friendes whose prayers are with sobbes powred out for your release especially beware least vnaduisedly you dishonour god in this kind of sorow who is the God of peace and comfort CHAP. XXX A consolation vnto the afflicted conscience YOu feele you say the wrath of God kindled against your
which you haue hitherto professed and presently do hartely embrace Where is that malice which prosecuteth this mischiefe What persecution haue you in word or deede raised against the truth What sword haue you euer drawne against it or what volumes haue you written against sound doctrine with purposed opposition against your own conscience neither that of frailtie but of meere will and obstinacie If your humour be not able to alleadge such testimonies as it cannot in deed these thinges being matters of iudgement and will and not of fancie and consisting of euidencie to be knowen of others and not of imaginacie conceit of a fearful and distrustfull hart giue ouer I pray you these melancholicke priudices against your selfe and prepare your heart to receaue comfort which the word of promise ministreth vnto you For that sinne except onely all other are within compasse of grace and haue no power to shut vs from Gods fauour Be it that you haue sinned against your conscience yet certaine condemnation and casting of doth not necessarily ensue thereupon else should there be not a person on whome God should shewe mercie For we all sinne in that manner and the good we would our conscience bearing witnesse of our duetie and breach of that we are bounde to do we do not but the sinne which we would not do in respect of regeneration that we commit through our frailtie which groweth vp in strenghth by increases of God to perfefection and hath euermore in it not to discourage vs but to breede circumspection and to remember vs where our perfection and excellencie lieth euen without vs in that vnspotted lambe Christ Iesus For our willes are corrupted not onely in that they are seduced by corrupt iudgement which is the least part of their want but when contrarie to iudgement grounded either vppon nature or the plaine worde of trueth we make choyce of that we knowe is naught or preferre the greater euill before the lesse Otherwise should our nature obtaine in this life a greater perfection then our first parentes had in paradice whose freedome of will was peruerted to that which was against the knowen commaundement of God and giue any one faculty or practise of the minde be perfect all must needs be of like purenesse seeing equallie they were corrupted and equallie receaue restauration This perfection we are to hope for and attende the consummation of the rudimentes of righteousnesse which both in knowledge and vse are in part blind and impotent and in heauen are to receaue the absolute perfection and beautie fully agreeable to Gods good will and vprightnesse of his iustice If then you haue neither sinned against the holie Ghost which is plaine through manifold testimonies of vnfaigned faith euen at this time being full of sighes and groanes for your offences carefull to eschue what soeuer is repugnaunt to Gods will releeuinge with tender affection of Christian loue the necessities of others neither in the whole course of your life hauing bene of notorious marke of iniquitie much lesse a blasphemer of that holie name and a renouncer with contumelie of the holie profession assure your selfe that your present estate is no other but a storme of temptation and no marke of perdition from which the Lorde after triall of faith and patience will deliuer you and sende that calme peace and tranquillitie which in times past you haue enioyed and shall by his grace againe recouer to your euerlasting comfort Of temptations some touch our fayth and other some the fruites thereof Our faith as whether we beleeue or not The fruites either of profession of the truth when persecution or feare or fauour of men slaken our zeale and smother the outwarde shewe of those glorious graces of faith of the spirite or in the fruites of obedience sutable and kindly vnto our profession as those which concerne persons possessions or name wherein charitie towarde men is broken all these temptations though both affection do incline vnto them excepting incredulitie which bringeth foorth impenitencie and renunciation of the faith and will bring them to effect yet are they not of power to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ whose sacrifice is all sufficient and propitiatorie for all kindes of sinne that onely before mentioned excepted You say you beleeue not and therefore drawe vppon you the payne due to the vnfaithfull here beware deare brother and waigh with circumspectipn and due consideration of your state in so waightie a point as this is and although you haue not at this time the sense thereof in your imagination which is now disguised and blemished with melancholie conceits and corporall alteration of the instrument of the bodie yet do you beleeue and shall hereafter feele the sweete comfort thereof as you nowe aboundantly declare the fruites of so holy a roote patience meeknesse charity prayer newnesse of life and what soeuer good vertue springeth in the children of God therefrom For euen as in outwarde senses we do see sometimes and feele and heare when wee do not perceaue it so we may also haue faith and not alwayes haue the sensible perceauing thereof especiallie our bodies as yours presently is being oppressed with melancholie which alwayes vrgeth terror and distrust and deludeth vs with opinion of want of that whereof wee haue no lacke euen as in another extremitie other men are oft carried with an opinion and confidence of those thinges whereof they haue no part And if it be so with melancholickes as it is crediblie recorded in historie that some haue complained they haue bene headlesse so that as Aëtius reporteth Phylotymus the Phisitian was faine to put a cap of lead vpon a melancholickes heade that he might by feeling the waight conceaue otherwise and Artemidorus the Grammarian did imagine he wanted both a hand and a legge though he wanted neither you are to lay aside this fancie and to weigh the presence of the cause by the effectes which are most euident tokens of faith in you and not to rest vppon your deluded conceites which if you yeeld vnto will perswade you in the ende that you want both head and heart also after it hath dispossessed you in part of the right vse of both but you will say vnto me do not men otherwise doubt of this point but vpon melancholie Yes verely and especially such as most hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and are poore in spirit and broken in hart the rest of the world except some vengeance of God laye holde vppon them or some horrible fact gnawe their wounded conscience passing their time in a blinde securitie carelesse of God and emptie of all sense and hope of a better life or feare of that eternall destruction passe their dayes and finish their course as the calfe passeth to the shambles not knowing their ende to be slaughter by the butchers knife Such I saye as are most carefull to walke before their God in righteousnesse as they doubt and feare in euerie action
what was the tryall God blessed the last dayes of Iob more thē the first euen so though the present afflictiō be grieuous vnto you and all hope faile in respect of your feeling yet the Lord when he hath proued you and found you his pure and sincere beloued sonne the like issue are you assured of with comforte in this life and eternall saluation in the life to come Thus leauing a more plentifull consolation vnto your godly friendes who dayly frequent you especially such as are preachers of the word and ministers of Gods grace I proceed to instruct you in that I iudge your body stādeth in neede of that howsoeuer hability faile in performāce of the offices of friendships on my part towards you my sincere affection and vnfayned loue vnto you may be at the least testified by my endeuour wherein if I be tedious partly it is of forgetfulnes of that consideration being ouercaried with desire to benefite you and partly bicause in your case I also comprehend the estate of many one at this day in like sort affected and afflicted who if they receiue any meanes of cōforte by this my trauaile they may be more beholding vnto my friēd M. pray for his release Thus my good M. you haue the testimonie of my good will in this part of counsell I confesse I am not so meet for it as your case requireth but so haue I discharged that office wherto the dutie of friendship bindeth me If my presence may supply the defect I will not faile you wherin anie part of mine abilitie may serue your wāts I will nowe proceede to the cure of your bodie whose disorder increaseth your heauinesse and ioyneth hand with this kind of temptation CHAP. XXXVII The cure of melancholy and howe melancholicke persons are to order them selues in actions of the mind sense and motion AS the ordinarie cure of all diseases helps of infirmities are to be begun with remouing of such causes as first procured the infirmitie except they be remoued of them selues through their nature neither stable nor permanent by succession of a contrarie cause of the same kinde euen so the first entry of restoring the melancholicke braine and heart to a better state of conceit and cheere is the remouing of such causes as first disturbed iudgement and affection or are therto apt with inducing of causes of contrarie operation The causes of all diseases are either breach of dutie and some errour cōmitted in the gouernment of our health or such accidentes as befall vs in this life against our wills and vnlooked for From the same also do arise the workes of melancholie whereof I intreate and you desire to be released Our diet consisteth not onely as it is commonly taken in meate and drinke but in whatsoeuer exercises of mind or bodie whether they be studies of the braine or affections of the hart or whether they be labours of the bodies or exercises only Besides vnto diet house habitation and apparel do belong which are causes of maintenance or ouerthrowe of health as they be affected To these also the order of rest and sleepe is to be added as a great meanes taken in due time and in conuenient moderation to preserue health or to cause sicknesse if otherwise it be taken immoderately too scant or disorderly Of the labours of the mind studies haue great force to procure melancholie if they be vehement and of difficult matters and high misteries therfore chiefly they are to be auoyded the mind to be set free from all such trauel that the spirits which before were partly wasted might be restored and partly employed vpon hard discourses may be released to the comfort of the hart and thinning of the bloud Besides such actions approching nigh vnto or being the verie inorganicall of the soule cause the mind to neglect the bodie whereby easily it becmometh afterward vnapt for the action and the humours skanted of the sweet influence thereof and spirit setle into a melancholie thicknesse and congele into that cold and drie humour which rayseth these terrours and discouragements Wherfore aboue all abandon working of your braine by any studie or conceit and giue your mind to libertie of recreation from such actions that drawe too much of the spirit and therby wrong the corporall mēbers of the bodie For in maintainance of health it is specially to be obserued that the employing of the parts either of mind or bodie with their spirite is to be carried with such indifferencie and discretion that the force which should be common to manie be not lauishly spent vpon any one Nowe studie of all actions both because it vseth litle help of the bodie in comparison of other and because the minde chieflie laboureth which draweth the whole bodie into sympathie wherby it is neglected as it were for a time and the most subtile purest spirits thereby are consumed is to be giuen ouer in the cure of this passion or if the affection can not be tempered wholly therefrom then such matter of studie is to be made choyse of as requireth no great contention but with a certaine mediocritie may vnbend that stresse of the minde through that ouer vehement action and withall carie a contentednesse thereto and ioy to the affection Nowe as all contention of the mind is to be intermitted so especially that whereto the melancholicke person most hath giuen him selfe before the passion is chieflie to be eschued for the recouerie of former estate and restoring the depraued conceit and fearefull affection For there if the affection of liking go withall both hart and braine do ouer prodigally spend their spirits and with them the subtilest partes of the naturall iuyce and humours of the bodie If of mislike and the thing be by forcible constraint layd on the distracting of the mind from the promptnes of the affection breedeth such an agonie in our nature that thereon riseth also great expeence of spirit and of the most rare and subtile humours of our bodies which are as it were the seate of our naturall heate the refiner of all our humours and the purifier of our spirites As that kind of studie wherein the melancholicke hath spent him selfe is to be auoyded or intermitted and one of a milder and softer kinde to be inferred in place thereof so much lesse anie straunge studie of difficultie and much trauell of the braine is to be taken in hand as it were to turne the minde into a contrarie bent For herein the straungenesse besides difficultie giueth cause of trauaile and toile vnto our nature so that both these extremities are to be eschued of you as most daungerous and hurtfull and the mind to be retired to such a tranquillitie as the naturall heate and spirits may haue free scope to attend vppon the corporall actions of preparing the bloud and thinning of the grosse iuice into a moderate substance as is according to good disposition of the bodie In studie I comprehend although
heauines first of all instruction out of the Scriptures of God is to be ministred and embraced which offering the assuraunce of farre better thinges then the price of all wordly treasures may swallow vp whatsoeuer calamitie this vale of miserie presseth vpon vs next preceptes of morall vertue and patience with examples of constancie and moderaton in like cases ought to moue and consideration of that vncertaintie of pleasure in this world which is only constant in inconstancie and as the heauens them selues stand not still and the nature of things receaue continual cōsuming like a streame that passeth euen so our state is subiect vnto like mutabilitie and with no other condition is our life deliuered vnto vs of nature through that original disobedience nor is to be otherwise accepted of wise men In this case I referre the melancholick to the bookes of the Scriptures and morall precepts of Philosophers to the godly instructions of the diuines and comfort of their friends If loue not aunswered againe with like kindnesse procure this passion either amendes is that way to be made or the melancholick is to be perswaded the subiect of that he liketh is not so louely and all mention and signification of that kind is not once to be called into minde but whatsoeuer iustly may be alleadged to the parties disgrace is to be obiected vnto the amorous melancholicke and other delights brought in in steed and more highly commended which all I leaue to the prudencie of those that attend vpon this kind of cure And if no other perswasion will serue a vehement passion of another sort is to be kindeled that may withdrawe that vaine and foolish sorowe into some other extremity as of anger of some feare ministred by another occasion then that which first was authour of this sadnesse For although they both breed a dislike yet that proceedeth of other cause rebateth the force of it which gaue first occasion and as one pinne is driuen out with another so the later may expell the former but this is to be vsed in regard of the conceit and affection If the body therby be altered and the bloud thickened into melancholie then all kind of greeuance is to be shunned and onely pleasaunt and delectable things to be admitted Thus much for the melancholicke affection how it is to be moderated and guided other kinds of actions of body are not any causes of this passion except in such as were wont by periods to be purged of certayne melancholick bloud which if it faile and minister cause or increase of this humour is to be diminished by opening a vaine that may most conueniently supply that want of nature and disburthen it of the superfluitie as cause shall require and force strength will permit Ease and rest although it be alone of small power to ingender yet may it be an helping cause to the passion increase of this humour so that here in mediocritie is to be kept and exercise of one sort or other neuer to be omitted as the chiefe temper of the spirits with the humours quicknesse of corporall actions Fot as sleepe resembleth death and rest of the members is their kind of sleepe doth that in particulars which sleepe doth in the whole so if it exceede as ech resemble other in nature in effect they will not be much vnlike but as the one cooleth the bodie and corrupteth the bloud and extinguisheth naturall heate whose extinction is death it selfe euen so the other in a degree hinder the present expressing of that liuely vigour which they possesse and disableth them afterwarde to make proofe of the facultie wherewith they are indued And thus haue you in these two Chapters what gouernment melancholicke persons are to obserue in their actions and deedes that concerne maintenance of health in the next I will lay open vnto you of the outwarde meanes of sustentation of life what choise is to be made and with what discretion such reliefe is to be vsed CHAP. XXXIX Howe melancholick persons are to order thē selues in the rest of their diet and what choise they are to make of ayre meate and drinke house and apparell THe rest of diet consisteth in the right vse of outward sustentation of life which is either taken inward or is outwardly vsed only The inward and such as is to be receaued into our bodies is either aire or sustenance The ayre meet for melancholicke folke ought to be thinne pure and subtile open and patent to all winds in respect of their tēper especially to the South and Southeast except some other imbecillity of their bodies dissuade therefrom and in the contrarie part marrish mistie and foggie ayre is to be eschued as an increase of both humour and passion Sustenaunce is either meate or drinke Their meates ought not onely to be chosen such as of their owne nature do ingender to pure and thinne iuyce but if the nature of the nourishment be otherwise the preparation ought to giue it a correction of that fault and generallie they should be liquide and in forme of brothes that both by the moyst qualitie thereof the drinesse of the humour and their bodies might be refourmed and that the passage concoction might also be more easie and speedy in all their partes Nourishmentes of their owne nature among meats wholsome and meet for melancholicke folke and of vegetable things are parsnep carret and skerret roots And sallet herbs lettice mallowes and endiue mixed with a quantitie of rocket and taragon are not to be refused no more is aretch sorell and purslane with the late twaine aboue mentioned or with persley charuell and fenell with litle vineger plenty of oyle and suger Of sorts of bread cheat bread is meetest for them and if they be charged with store of bloud and the vaines full some oates barley or millet flower mingled with the wheat meele shall abate the aboundant nourishment of the wheat Of frutes such as are moyst soft and sweet are meetest for them as the iuyce damsing cherrie figges grapes and abricots neither are newe walnuts and greene almonds hurtfull in this case Capers washed from the salt and vineger and eaten with suger and oyle are meeter for them then oliues Of flesh the young is fittest for their diet and the younger the better in respect of their colde and drie bodies and grosse humours which require plentifull moystening and warming which is supplyed by the tender age of those things whereof we feede being fuller of vitall heate and naturall moysture then the older of the same kind Neither is it requisite that they be young onely but also well liking and of the same kinde the tame and domesticall is meete for correction of their melancholicke state then the wilde Againe of flesh the foule is to be preferred for their vse before the beast and that foule rather which vseth much the feete and lesse the wing Of foule these are of especciall choyce for melancholicke persons the partridge