bed makes folkes the moâ—â— inclined to Lust so on the other side immoderate waking dries the Braine and causes Melancholy So that we may conclude with the learned Hippocrates in hiâ— Aphorismes that Somnus Vigilia â—traque si modum excesserint malum Thâ— excessive use either of sleep or waking iâ— hurtfull So likewise to sleep upon one back by the generall consent of all Physitians is a great provocation to venery and for this cause must be reckoned among the Manifest causes of Love-Melancholy Galen about the end of his books Dâ— Loc. Affect proves by many Reasons an Examples that the want of convenienâ— Evacuation of the seed is a great cause of â—elancholy especially in such persons as â—â—e at ease and feed high except by freâ—â—ent and violent Exercise or Labour â—ey consume the superfluity of Blood â—hich otherwise would be converted inâ— Seed Equidem novi quosdam saies he â—ibus hujusmodi erat natura qui prae puâ—e a libidinis usu abhorrentes torpidi â—rique facti sunt nonnulli etiam Melanâ—licorum instar praeter modum moesti ac â—midi cibi etiam tum cupiditate tum coâ—one vitiatâ Quidam uxoris mortem â—gens à concubitu quo anteà creberriâ—e fuerat usus abstinens cibi cupiditatem â—isit atque ne exiguum quidem cibum conqu repotuit Vbi verò seipsum cogendo â—s cibi ingerebat protinus ad vomitum â—citabatur Moestus etiam apparebat non â—ùm has ob causas sed etiam ut Melanâ—olici solent citra manifestam occasionem have knowne some saith he that being â—turally so modest as that they were aâ—amed to exercise the Act of Venery â—ive by this meanes become dull and â—eavy and some extreame fearefull too â—â—d sad as Melancholy men are wont to be having neither any appetite to meaâ— nor concocting what they have eaten And I knew one saith he that having buried his wife whom he dearely loved and for griefe abstaining from those pleasures which he had often enjoyed witâ— her while she lived quite lost his stomacke to his meat and could not digest any thing at all Or if by chance he forced himselfe to eate against his stomacke he presenthe vomited it up againe and was withaâ— very sad and that without any manifeâ—â— cause as Melancholy men are wont to be And a little lower in the same Chapter he tells a story of one that fell into the Priapisme for the same cause and foâ— want of useing exercise or sufficient labour for the spending of the Abundancâ— of blood The same he affirmes also tâ— happen usually to Women as likewise is confirmed by Hippocrates in his body De Morb. Mul. of which we shall speak more hereafter in the chapter of Vterinâ—â— Fury And yet Galen himselfe in the afore cited book imputes the like effects tâ— the immoderate evacuation of the seed Qui protinus Iuventute primâ immodicè â— permittunt Libidini id etiam evenit borum locorum vasa amplius patentia â—orem ad se sanguinis copiam alliciant coëundi cupiditas magis increscat â—ose that in their first puberty give themselves to the immoderate use of very in them those vessels that serve for â—eneration grow larger and attract the â—eater store of blood unto them so that this meanes the desire of copulation â—owes the stronger Among the Passions of the mind Ioy â—ay perhaps make them more inclinable Love but Feare and Sadnesse makes â—em the more Melancholy Si metus Maestitia perseveraverint Melancholia â— saith Hippocrates if their Feare and â—dnesse continue on them it turnes at â—ngth to Melancholy For these two â—ssions doe extreamely coole and dry up â—e whole body but especially the Heart â—enching and destroying the naturall â—eat and vitall spirits and withall cause â—cessive waking spoile digestion thickâ—â— the blood and make it Melancholy â—d for this cause as I conceive Diotimus in Plato's Phaedrus calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 squallidus But the Poets maintaine that Gâ— and Fortune are the most powerfull caâ—ses of Love understanding by Fortune I conceive those incounters and opportunities that a man shall often me withall and which every wise mâ— ought to avoid unlesse they meane to taken in the snare Me fortuna aliquid semper amare del Which gave occasion to the Achaeans Pausanias reports at Aegira to plaâ—â— Love and Fortune in one and the samâ— Temple And for gold we read that Dâ—naë was won to Iupiters love and Atâ—lanta suffered her selfe to be overcome by Hippomanes for love of the gold Apples he cast in her way as she ranne Secum habet ingenium qui cum licet acâ— pe dicti Cedimus invent is plus valet ille meis Hee 's truly wise that can his will commaâ— And Tempting pleasures offer'd can withstand CHAP. VII The Internall causes of Love Melancholy VVE have already sufficiently proved out of Galen that these â—â—ternall causes cannot produce their efâ—â—cts but only when they meet with such â—â—eake spirited persons as are not able to â—ist the assaults of Cupid For so the â—rned Sapho confessed the tendernesse â—her heart to be the only cause of her Aâ—orous fires Molle meum levibus cor est violabile telis Haec semper causa est cur ego semper Amem â—ach light dart wounds my tender Breast and this â—hat I am still in Love the reason is â—he disposition of the Body among other internall causes comes in the first placâ— to be considered for through the natural defect hereof we see that young boye under the age of fourteen and wencheâ— under twelve or thereabout as also deâ—crepit old folkes Eunuches and all those that are of a Cold Constitution are in nâ— danger of this disease This disposition oâ— the Body is called by Galen causa Antecedens sive Jnterior The Antecedent oâ— Internall cause and consists in the humours Spirits and Excrements of the Body all which causes Hippocrates comprehends under the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concurring causes The Abundance of Blood of a gooâ— temperature and full of spirits caused by the continuall Influence of the Heart by reason that it is the Materiall cause oâ— seed is likewise a True Antecedent causeâ— of Love as it is a passion of the Mind But the Melancholy Humour which is hot and dry by reason of the Adustion oâ— Choler of the blood or of the Natural Melancholy is the Principall cause oâ— Love-Melancholy or Madnesse And frâ—â— this reason Aristotle in his Problem saies that those that are Melancholy are â—ost subject to this malady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which conclusion of â—is would be most Absurd if so be he meant here those that are Melancholy by â—eason of the aboundance of their naturall Melancholy which of it selfe is extreame cold and dry and by consequence cleane â—epugnant to the heat required in this diâ—ease Otherwise Old men who abound chiefly with this Humor should oftner all in Love then young and
ΕΡΩΤΟΜΑÎΙΑ OR A TREATISE Discoursing of the Essence Causes Symptomes Prognosticks and Cure of LOVE OR EROTIQVE MELANCHOLY Written by IAMES FERRAND D r of Physick OXFORD Printed by L. Lichfield and are to be sold by Edward Forrest 1640. The Author to the Reader IT is reported of the Philosopher Posidonius that being once taken with a Disease so violent as that the very Paine and Torture it put him to made him ready to wring his Armes and crash his teeth together for the very anguish of it Notwithstanding he thinking as it were to outbrave it with a proud Stoicall Patience cries out Nihil agis Dolor c. Doe thy worst Paine yet will I never confesse that thou art an Evill And doe wee not in like manner daily see many brave spirited Gallants so besotted with some perhaps but Imaginary beauty and so tormented with this folly of Love as that both their Imagination is depraved and their Iudgement also utterly corrupted who with this stupid Philosopher are so farre from seeking a cure for this their Malady as that they will not be perswaded that it is one and therefore employ their whole study care in chanting forth Loves Encomiums and the praises of their Mistresses the sole cause of their Distemper That therefore I might let these men see the grossenesse of their Errour withall discover the vainenesse of this Stoicall Opinion of theirs Although I professe my selfe to be rather Philologus then Logophilus and account him eloquent enough that can but cloath his own conceptions with a bare naturall expression I have adventured to present you with this litle Treatise which is devoid of all Elegancy or Queintnesse of expression as being composed by one that is a Professor of that Faculty that the Prince of Latine Poets called a Mute one Wherein you shall finde variety of Remedies of all sorts for the cure of this the most frequent and most dangerous Disease that both sexes are subject to collected out of all kinds of Authors both Physitians Poëts and Philosophers that so you might have variety to delight you Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. The Reasons that moved me to write of this subject after so many and so learned Physitians that have done so before me are chiefly Two The first is that being my selfe a Practitioner in Physicke I found that most of them handled this disease of Love-Melancholy indifferently as the other kindes of Melancholies and Madnesses never shewing precisely the cause and seat of this Malady and that both to the great prejudice of the Parties affected and also their own no small amazement and confusion not finding those effects that they promise themselves of their Physicall Prescriptions The second reason that moved me to attempt this discourse was to confute the erroneous and impious opinion of some Physitians hereafter mentioned who although they are Christians the most of them doe notwithstanding prescribe for the cure of this disease Lust and Fornication But I doubt not I shall sufficiently refute these men in this ensuing discourse and that by strong and evident reasons both Naturall and Morall and the rest I shall leave to Divines To the Learned Authour on his Love-Melancholy THou that from this Gay Title look'st no high'r Then some Don Errant or his fullsome Squire Who count'st the price a Damage if thou meet No litle Cupid wrapt in every sheet Sufely abhorre the bargaine of his Lure Least vnawares perhaps thou buy a Cure 'Las miserable Lover What sad plight Would vexe thy soule should'st thou be well ere night Shouldst thou forget thy Postures shouldst thou weare Armes of thy owne not folded to Despaire An high erected Forehead thy discourse Flow on securely with no sigh made hoarse What if these Ills befall thee that from hence Thou shouldst perhaps recover Braine and Sence How couldst thou beare the stroake if from this Pen Thou didst grow sound and rise up man agen These are our Authours vices to apply A Cordiall where the Patient faine would dy Count not th' Erratas then since if it be Solid and firme there all the mistakes ly Poore humble spirit Fondly to behold The painted Drosse yet startle at the Gold Mai'st thou henceforth thy pension bestow Instead of Bookes only to graspe a show Thy Pageant-study be adorn'd and hung With Leaves not so well writ as fairely strung Good lucke to thy Gilt-Leather Such as no doubt Is a good worke till th' Ribband's all worne out Yet if thou canst not forme thy wanton Eye To read a page more serious then thee Jf thy sad Pill must be disguis'd and woo Thy Palat with a Candid hoary dew Expect no Tearmes or Notions here the stile Is not prescribed tasts lesse o' th' shop then File Few Drammes or Scruples grate thy tender Eare No Opiats or Gargarismes here Nothing to sowre thy lookes no Austere phrase Which might perplexe thee worse then thy disease A straine harsh as th' Ingredients such as wee Shall need no other Drugs to vomit by Here all like thy owne Mistresse smooth appeares Stories like those she tells thee apt and cleare Such Elegancies interweav'd you might Doubt if he was Physitian did write If you would know how far Love reignes here One Rages inamour'd of a cold pale stone He sues t' his Patient Idoll as the Clay Might be a Bride ere Pyrrha threw 't away One courts his owne faire Picture as if he Might to himselfe both Nymph and Husband be Like those Androgynes which here you find In the same Body t' involve either kind Here one courts life yet so she cannot spit But the Officious S r will gather it Another doth on wrinkles doat as fast And th' Chin that drops it selfe downe to the Wast Her hollow cheeke love's Temple doth appeare Her Eye That kills not with a Beame too cleare And sure th' Experienc'd Maid will passe on free From that young sinne the sale of chastity A Dame so modest no Bribe can intice So coy that ev'n to her owne bed shee 's Ice Her Nose can't be so vast but he will raise A Trumpet thence to Eccho forth her praise And though all ore It sure a Monster be Yet whilst his fit lasts 't is a Deity But whilst I thus bragge colour J prophane The Nerves and Marrow of thy Weighty Veine Who sound'st the depth of Authors and canst tell Where Galen and Hippocrates doe well Yet where they erre too 'T is not all thy skill Aw'd at some mighty Name there to stand still As if in your profession 't were a sinne To out-goe Galens sober Discipline Thou dost not bind thy liberall Art to come Within the compasse of One Axiome Nor yet of One tongue Who art Criticke growne As well in Language as in Potion Greek Latine French Italian all so much Thy owne we doubt whether thy Nurse were such And yet through all this danger of thy skill Thou dost retaine God and Religion still Hence then with those
Innocence Yet he still grants these Flames may sooner grow Jn Easterne sulphur then in Northerne snow And that chast thoughts in Italy are rare And that each Turtle proves a Phoenix there He envies no Climes Vertue as none's sin Yet knowes that some an easier Conquest win All may be chast for him yet 't is well knowne This Iewell is some Climats common stone Thus the wise Authour makes his Iustice sure Allowes all Rich but those that will be Poore MARTIN LLUELLIN Chr. Ch. On the Authours Love-Melancholy COme hither fond Idolater and see The confutation of that Deity Thy Dotage has created Heretofore Mens ready superstition did adore Palenesse and Fevers things to which they cou'd Say hurt us not could not say doe us good Gods only to beware of such as they Worship't Aloofe begging 'hem keepe away And blesse them with their absence Temples were But glorious prisons to detaine 'hem there Iust such a one is thine If you but please Read here thou 'lt find thy Idol's thy disease Thou fall'st downe to thy Rheume I le not stick To say the Lover is of 's God fall'n sick View then this Mirrour hereby thou maist know 'T is true ev'n ' cause 't does thee not single show Looke on thy Metamorphosis behold Thou that wast one art now grown Manifold Increas'd ' cause thou wouldst multiply new made Each silent minute whilst this shewes thee sad In a dull sleepy posture one might say Thou 'rt statue did not sighs some life betray I th' next thou start'st art sometimes pale and then A tell tale Blush colours thy cheeke agen Now a forc't smile anon a willing teare Breakes forth thy Doubtfull looks all seasons weare And all t is to deserve the love of your By you stil'd Lady Splay-footed Fourescore Or perhaps Older One more fit to be Bedfellow with an Incubus then thee Such women have been lov'd and sworne to be Goddesses Sure for their Antiquity But what 's all this Yet thou dost only find Thou 'rt sicke read on a Remed's behind But is there any Cure the most conceive Love no disease and they that doe believe T is one esteem't Incurable But O Art 's much improv'd and that made easy now Was once impossible Physitians can Heale not the body only but the Man See his soule right againe Hee 'l now no more Pule ' cause a woman's wayward as before Dart all your Beames faire Ladies for be sure The threatned wounds I can prevent and Cure This Booke 's both Charme and Medicine I can beare My Antidote about me every where Knowing it's Vertue 't may be my desire Sometimes to feele that I may quench the fire For though J burne a while I can the same Rise Phoenix like unhurt from mine owne flame W. HOLWAY Chr. Ch. On Love-Melancholy COme reade learn to languish teach thy Care This Fortitude in Love to love it's Feares Confesse a ling ' ring griefe which owes its birth To Celia's coy delayes and flattering mirth Who makes thee kisse o th' cheek her mouth being frâ—â— To flout fond lovers present Donary To breath into thine eare a doubtfull tone Thou know'st not wer 't Adieu or lye alone Ten Winters out who when thou ' point'st a Grove Not where t' allay i' th' shade but rescue Love From whisperings of a rivall Eare this Dame Eats paltry cooling hearbs to quench the Flame But nourish still these fopperies of youth Jf folly we may call what 's naturall truth Whose cause is Fate not wanton Eyes that can Bid Matrimoniall Banes 'twixt wife and man And like to Celia's sauce orewhelme thy lamps In Humorous Clouds and Melancholick Damps But such as cherish flames we often try The Sunne 's not set when bid i th' misty sky Droope downe thine Eyes be wan and pale i th' looke Thou gain'st thy Groanes and act'st part of this Book You lost your feaver then when to revive You still defer'd till this Preservative What though thou should'st most part o th' Book be faint And in the last page make thy testament This last page can recover make that rest Which thou bequeath'st to Heaven the bodies guest And give a man to th' world we cannot tell Indeed which were the greater miracle The Cure or first Production only see How Art surpasses Natures husbandry Come read and learne thy health this book 's no lesse Then knowing Galen or Hippocrates Who boast halfe-names i' th' Margent and there lye Not to instruct but yeild the victory T' applaude the Authours skill and this Redresse Of Physick Errours in our English presse Thus much i th' Change is gained here behold For Catalogues of Griefes as manifold As Grammar Dialect and such as prove The sole Disease the Cure of scorned love Cease then t' adore thy Celia's fading Looke And only fall in Love and Court this Booke SAM EVERARD Chr. Ch. To the Author on his Love-Melancholy Fâ—e l'me halfe Atheist now sure vertues are Only well temperd bodies kept with care For when I see this Passions seat i' th' heart And a receipt against all Cupids art Lov 's arrowes so to th' publike view displaid That wee can see which burnes which dulls a Maid And how what is the Poison he does give And then againe what 's the restorative Sure wee must hither come our armes t' unfold To look upright and like our Sexe bold Sweet Mistresse pray put on I am resolv'd To laugh being safe amongst these leaves involv'd Whilst J doe read and Meditate this book I dare the utmost Charmes of any Look Nay I could gaze eu'n on Castara's face And nere be blind nay Kisse her if she was Here yet nere perish for 't still be a man Not scorcht to ashes drier then her fanne With a too neer approach forsooth her beams That gilds as shee walks by the glittering streams If she would part Farewell when she is gone Methinks I now should live nere turn'd to stone If she should surfet on a Tart orort so And overcharg'd to bed at Midday goe J should nere light a candle as if t were night Pray her to rise that we might see the light When we were in the darke Jde hardly say After my shinnes were broke it was noon day Nor when some spittle hung upon her lip Should J avouch 't was Nectar and then sip Now I have read this book methinks one might Enjoy the spring both in the smell and sight Though she were i th' Exchange a buying knots Or with her Taylor there contriving plots For a new Gowne and had no time to dresse The Meadows with her looks and so farre blesse The Country as be present for to deck The ground with lilies dropping from her neck I 'de not mistake her cheeks for Gardens sweare There were no Roses in the world but there If I now fluent were as th' Innes of Court My. Musc should here run out to make her sport Nor would I write o' th' thorn that knew the charm
the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expresse a mans being out of his wits and senses And in this sense it â—â— taken by Aristophanes in his Plutus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Heaven the Man's mad and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Attick Diâ—â—ect signifies to be a Foole saies the â—choliast upon that place Now that which we call Dotage or Madnesse the Greeks call by a more proper expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is then said to be truâ—â— called so when as any one of the most â—oble faculties of the Soule as the Imagination or Iudgement is depraved which â—ay plainly be observed in all Melancholy persons seeing they frame to themselves a thousand Fantasticall Chimaera's and Objects which neither have nor even shall have any being in Nature Feare and Sorrow are inseparable Attendants on this miserable Passion which deprives the Soule though in it selfe immortall of all the use and exercise of it powers and faculties Now all Physitianâ— in a manner with one vote agree that aâ— the shadow followes the Body so every Symptome followes some disease And if so wee may then lay it down for a moâ—â— certaine Position and ground that all Melancholy attends some disease of a nature like it selfe which as they say is the colâ—â— and dry Intemperature of the Braine which by consequence must therefore necessarily be the part affected and the seâ— of the Disease as being according to Aâ—retaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seat of Sensation not that the Braine is any whit ill affected in the figure or structure of it seeing theâ— is no appearance neither of any unnaturall Extuberancy neither are the ventricles â—â— the Braine oppressed or surcharged with any ill affected Humour as in the Epilepâ—â— or Apoplexy But in the very substance â—nd temperature of it which is exceedingly dried and refrigerated which may â—e easily collected out of Hippocrates lib. â— de morb Epidem where he saith that â—hose that have the Falling sicknesse have their fits of MelaÌ„choly intended or remitted in like measure as the melancholy humor gets possession either of the ventricles or else of the substance of the Braine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If this humour saith he worke upon the mind that â—s to say the Temperature by which the Noblest Actions of the soule are performed it causeth Melancholy but if it spreade it selfe through the ventricles and hollow passages of the braine it then causeth the Epilepsy or falling sicknesse And here we are to take notice that there are three kinds of Melancholy the first is engendred of Black Choler collected together in the braine The second â—s produced when as this humor is diffused through the veines generally over all the body And the last is Flatuous or Hypocondriacall Melancholy so called so that the substance of this disease is seate in the Hypocondries which comprehend the Liver Spleen Mesentery Guts the veine of the Matrix and other adjoyning parts all which may be the seat of Hypocondriacall Melancholy and not the Oâ—â—fice of the Stomack only which was the opinion of the Ancient Physitian Diocles and which hath been since very learnedlâ— maintained by Io. Bapt. Sylvaticus Controv 34. So that we may very justly reduce thiâ— disease of Love Melancholy to this laâ— species seeing that the parts affected in iâ— are principally the Liver and the paâ— adjoyning from whence those black Fâ—liginous vapours doe arise which ascending up to the braine doe hinder and pervert the principall faculties thereof as shall more fully shew in the ensueing chapter CAP. V. The Definition of Love Melancholy â— Very true Definition according to the doctrine of the Philosopher must conâ— ex Genere Differentiâ But because â— many times want the true Differenâ— it is lawfull for us to substitute the â—pperties which are not the same in all â—ences Whence the Naturalist defines otherwise then the Supernaturalist the â—â—ysitian otherwise then the Lawyer â—d the Orator will give it a different deâ—ition from that of the Poet. The truth this will appeare by comparing their â—â—verall definitions of Love together For â—st the Peripateticks say that it is an Argument and signe of good will by appaâ—â—nt favour the Stoicks will have it to â— a Desire caused by some beautifull obâ—â—ct the Academicks determine that â—ove is a Desire to enjoy that which is Lovely and to make of two one Avicen saith that it is a Passion of the mind introduced by the senses for the satisfactionâ— our desires Theophrastus demonstrates iâ— to be a Desire of the Soule that easily an very speedily gets entrance but retireâ— back againe very slowly Plutarch Marsilius Ficinus Franc. Valleriola wiâ—â— many other learned Authors will have Love to be a Motion of the blood getting strength by little and little through tâ— hope of pleasure and almost a kind of Fascination or Inchantment Tully though it to be a Wishing well to the person we love Seneca a great strength of the understanding and a Heat that moved gently up aâ— downe in the spirits Galen saies one while that it is a Desire another while Iudgement of a beautifull object But sâ— my owne part I shall rather be of that pinion of Galen's where he saies that such things as these definitions are altogether superfluous and uselesse becauâ—â— that every one of himselfe conceavâ—â— what love is better then the subtilâ— Logician can explaine it unto him by essentiall definition which cannot indeâ— wâ— be given in such cases as these and â—y that pretend to effect it are to be acâ—â—â—nted nothing but meere empty Sophiâ— You shall meet with many other Deâ—ions of Love among our Physitians â—â—ch in some sort expresse the nature of Maladie as in Arnaldus de villa nova donius Christophorus à Vega Merâ—s Rodericus à Castro Haly Abbas â—â—â—aravius Avicen and Paul Aegineta â—ch I shall not trouble you withall â—e but shall set downe a definition of â—e owne which shall be taken from cause of it for as much as those defions in such things as have their esâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or depending on their â—ses that are given by the Efficient â—e are the best and are as proper to â—idents as an Essentiall definition is to â—tances For seeing that all Substances â—ist of Matter and Forme and that the â—e is in the subject without any Inâ—ediate relation the Forme must of â—essity be the Essence of the Substance â—reas contrariwise in an Accident the â—e is in the subject by meanes of the efficient cause As for example the Eclipse of the Moone is in the Moone reason of the interposition of the globe the Earth when as this planet being the full is in opposition with the Sunâ— and is situate either in or neare the he or taile of the Dragon So that if the Eclipse of the Moone be to be defined â—â— efficient cause must necessarily be brouâ—â—â— into the definition Besides in the Deâ—â—nition of a substance the
or else â—o the Coldnesse of the constitution of the â—arties affected which must consequently â—roduce effects contrary to those of Heat Now Heat we know makes men hardy â—rong and lively in all their Actions whereas on the other side Cold renders them fearefull heavy and dull And hence â—t is that we find Eunuches old men and women to bee more fearefull then any other the manners and affections of the mind following still the Temperature of the body according to Galens opinion Yet I thinke with the learned Andreas Laurentius that it were no hard matter to reconcile these two great Doctors that seem to stand at such a distance â—n their opinions and this to be done only by joyning these two causes together which they have delivered distinctly and apart and saying that the Temperature of the Humour should be the Principall and Primary cause which yet must also be seconded by the black Tincture cast upon the spirits by the Melancholy vapour which being very cold not only refrigerates the braine but also the heart which is the seat of that couragious faculty which they call Irascible and abates the heat of it whence presently followes Feare The same Humour being also blacke makes the Animall spirits grosse darke and full of fumes which should be cleare pure subtile and lightsome Now the Spirits being the cheife and principall Organ of the soule if they be both cold and blacke together they must necessarily hinder it's noblest faculties and especially the fancy alwaies representing unto it black species and strange Phantasmes which also may be perceived plainly by the eyes notwithstanding their residence is within the braine as Laurentius proves it by the instance of those that are now ready to be taken with a suddaine violent Eruption of blood at the Nose Now concerning desire which is the efficient cause of Love-Melancholy I shall here relate you a pleasant story out of Plato in his Conviv where he brings in Diotimus discoursing to Socrates the manner how love was begotten which was thus On a time on Venus birth day the Gods met all together at a great Feast and among the rest came Porus the God of plenty and sonne of Counsell When supper was done there comes to the floore Penia poverty begging for some of the reliques of their feast Now Porus being well warm'd with Nectar went forth into Jupiters Garden where being overtaken with a deep sleep Penia comes and lyes downe by him and by this devise was got with child by him and so brought forth Love who still retaining the condition of his Mother is alwaies poore leane sordid goes bare-foot wandring about the world without any dwelling without covering sleeping in Porches and in the streets But taking also after his Father he oftimes brings to passe great and worthy matters is manly couragious eager cautelous alwaies contriving some strange stratagems crafty ingenious a great Philosopher Inchanter Sorcerer a subtile Sophister To omit the diverse waies of Allegorizing this Fable reckoned up by Plutarch Marsilius Ficinus Plotinus Picus Mirandula and many other of the Academicks my opinion is that by Penia or Poverty is represented unto us the Lover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love saies he is a kind of desire and desire a kind of want or poverty Porus is the person that is worthy to be beloved yet cares not to be so who notwithstanding in sleeping when as the eyes of his soule are brought asleep by the Poppy seed of Inconsideration and carelesnesse without any regard of the Imperfections of his Love he satisfies his pleasures CAP. VI. The Externall Causes of Love-Melancholy I Shall not spend much time in reckoning up the many severall opinions of the ancient Poets Philosophers and Phyâ—â—tians concerning the cause of this Malaâ—y in that the greatest part of them are raiâ—d from false Principles and meere Chiâ—era's Such was the opinion of Epicurus who as Plutarch relates affirmed that here were certaine species that flowed from the loved Object which moved and caused a kinde of Titillation over the whole body sliding and passing gently in the seed by a certaine disposition of Aâ—omes and so were the cause of love Plato thought it was engendred by an Enthusiasme or Divine Rapture But I shall rather conclude with Galen that the Efficient cause of this Malady is whatsoever can cause Love Melancholy This Efficient cause is of two kinds either Internall or Externall Evident Manifest and Procatarcticke which the same Author sometimes calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the apparant true Cause The evident causes of Love according to the doctrine of the Morall Philosophers Platonists are five to wit the five Senses which the Poets understood by their fiction of the five golden shafts of Cupid The first is the sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saies the Philosopher No maâ— was ever in love with one he never saw Cynthia prima suis miserum me cepit oâ— cellis Contactum nullis antè Cupidinibus Bright Cinthia's lovely eyes first set on finâ— My heart that ne're before felt Loves desire So that when we read in Philostratus that Paris and Helen were the first that ever were in love without having seen one another we are to understand that this love was extraordinary and out of some speciall grace granted them by the Immortall Gods for some secret ends of theirs Juvenall speakes of a blind man in Love as of a prodigy yet we read in Marius Equicola of a certaine great Lord named Ianfre Rudels that was in love with the Countesse of Tripoly before hee had ever seen her only at the report of those that came from those parts unto Bourdelois and he was so extreamely enamoured of her that he could not forbeare but presently puts forth to sea with a purpose to â—â—e Tripoly and prove whether or no â—ame had not beene too prodigall in the â—raise of this Ladies perfections But his â—oyage was so unfortunate that hee fell â—â—ck before he could arrive at his journeys and which the Lady hearing of she came â—â— person to visit and comfort him Some â—talian writers report that Petrarch was extreamely in love with his Laura before ever he saw her and that from this occasion the Italians ever since call this find of love Amore Petrarchevole To these objections we answer without laying false witnesse to the charge of these Historians that one swallow makes no summer And that all those Accidents which are Rare and singular acknowledge Fortune for their Authour whereas on the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those things that are produced after one generall and constant course owne Nature not Chance for their Originall Touching the sense of hearing we must reckon up all those provocations that attend the reading of lascivious and dishonest bookes and which discourse of seed Generation and many secret diseases concerning the Impotency of men and Barrennesse of women which Physitians
Hands and as many Feet with all the other members in proportion doubled But conspiring as the Giants before had done against the Gods Iupiter caused them to be divided in the midst as wee use to cut Egges in two to sowse or divide them in the midst with haires and then gave order to Apollo to turne their faces toward that part where the Dissection was made â—o the end that seeing their shame they might become the more modest and temperate and having so done enjoyned him â—o heale up the wound agen But after this each one desiring to recover his other â—alfe they would runne one after the other and embrace desiring if it were possible to be reunited But when they found â—â— could not be they presently perished for hunger because they would not doe any thing the one without the other And when the one halfe failed and the other remained behinde that which was left sought for some other halfe whether it were the Female halfe or the Male yet thus they came to ruine still But at length Iupiter being moved to compassion toward them found out a meanes to help them by transposing their Genitalls which till then were behinde and placing them as now they are before and so contrived it that they should engender the Male and Female together for before they conceaved and engendred as Grashoppers doe by casting their seed on the ground And so by this meanes was Mutuall Love begotten as a Reconciler of their Ancient Nature desiring to maked Two One and a Remedy against Humane Frailty which seemes to be nothing else but a strong Desire to be reunited made one againe And it is not improbable that Aristotle also and after him as Iul. Scaliger thinks Theophrastus in his second Booke of Plants and first Chapter favours this opinion of Plato where hee saies that the Male was divided from the Female to the end he might the better apply himselfe to the study of knowledge other more noble Actions then that of Generation which thing could not bee done otherwise then by cutting of the privy Members belonging to the Female Sexe It seemes that Plato in his voyage that he made to Aegypt sucked this fabulous Opinion out of the misinterpretation of some passages that he had met withall iâ— the books of Moses of which it is thought he had a view for that Moses in Genesis seemes to say that Adam was at first created Male and Female and that afterward the woman was taken out of his body that so he might not be alone From hence the Rabbins Abraham Hieremias and Abraham Aben Esra would inferre that Adam was created in two Persons joyned together the one part being Male the other Female which were afterward separated by the Divine Power But this Opinion of theirs hath been already so strongly confuted by diverse Learned Men that have been very skilfull in the Hebrew tongue that it would bee great Presumption here in me to interpose See what Ludovicus Regius in his Commentaries on Plato's Phoedrus hath collected concerning this point But for my own part I am of opinion that the Ancient Heathen Divines as we may call them such as Plato of times couched the hidden Mysteries of their Religion under Figures Hieroglyphicks and Fables Yet Marsilius Ficinus following S. Augustine saies that Non omnia quae in figuris finguntur aliquid significare putanâ—da sunt c. We must not beleeve that all things whatsoever the Heathen feigned have some private Mysticall meaning in them for many things have been added only for orders sake and Cohaerence with those things that have been Significative Yet without any disparagement to Ficinus or his Interpretation I must be bold to affirme that Plato by this fabulous discourse would have us understand the Force of Love which he before had proved to bee the most Powerfull of all the Gods who as a Mediator and Vmpire betwixt two that are divided sets them at one againe by the tye of Marriage and by the Conformity of their Wils which in Lovers are united CAP. IX Whether in Love-Melancholy the Heart be the seat of the Disease or the Braine IF you aske those that are in Love what part they are most afflicted in they wil â—â—l answer uno ore their Heart so that we may conclude with Aristotle that the Heart is the true seat of Passionate Love Which we may also confirme by the Authority of Hippocrates in his book de Virg. Morb. where he saies that young Wenâ—hes are oppressed with Feare Sadnesse Griefe and Dotage because that the superfluity of Blood that ought to be excerâ—ed by certaine channels and convaiances â—ppointed by nature for that purpose but â—annot by reason of the obstructions of â—he same and is therefore retained in the wombe where increasing for want of its due course of evacuation it returnes baâ— upon the Heart and Diaphragme aâ— from hence is called Feare Sadnesse anâ— oftentimes Madnesse which are Symptomes as necessarily attending Melancholy as the Shadow doth the Body Besides it is most certaine that Feare Sadnesse without any Evident or Apparent cause are the certaine Symptomes of Melancholy Now these two Passions are in like manner the true signes of a cold Heart aâ— it may easily be proved both out of Galen and Aristotle And therefore those persons that are of a Fearefull nature anâ— commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excordes Hearâ— lesse And every man may out of his own particular experience finde that the Heaâ— as it were contracts it selfe during the time of Feare and Sadnesse but in Ioy â— Hope it seemes to dilate and enlarge â—â— selfe This also seemes to be the opinion of Avicen who affirmes Fen. lib. 3. tract 4. cap. 18. that in Melancholy constitutions the Heart communicates its temperature to the Braine by the Vapours and Humours that it sendeth up unto it aâ—â— by the Sympathy of the Organs Marfilius Ficinus and Franciscus Valleriola in the books before cited make two kinds of Dotage the first of which â—â—ey call Desipiscentia in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the other Folly the one of these â—ising from the defect of the Braine and â—â—e other of the Heart The Braine is the â—â—use of Folly when it is surcharged either with Adust Choler Blood or Melancholy But when these Humours are remained in the Heart they then cause â—riefe and Distraction but not Folly unâ—â—sse the Braine also doe chance to suffer â—ith the Heart by Sympathy And these â—earned Authors are of opinion that Pasâ—onate Lovers are possest with Folly which is caused by the defect of the â—eart this Valleriola labours to prove â—y many reasons On the other side Guido Cavalcanti in â—e of his Canzonets commented on by Oine Corbo an Italian Physitian proves â—â—at the Braine is the seat of Love as well â—s of Memory for that in it resideth the â—mpression of the Object Loved whence also it is that Lovers
above all things deâ—ire to have the person they Love alwaies â—n Memory But our Physitians conclude more rightly first that Feare is the Perturbation or distemperature of the Minde caused by the Apprehension of some evill either Reall or Apparant only as Aristotle also affirmes Rhetor. lib. 2. cap. 2. Secondly that Sadnesse is nothing else but a long continued Inveterate Feare as Galen is oâ— opinion Thirdly that Feare and Sadnesse are the Pathognomicall signes of all kinds of Melancholy necessarily attending this disease we now treat of as we have already demonstrated And lastly that seeing that Feare and Sadnesse are the Effects of an Imagination that is depraved and the Characters of Love Melancholy we may safely conclude that it is caused and hath its seat in the Braine as well as the Imagination But I shall rather hold with Mercurialis in this point whose opinion is that the Part Affected is sometimes taken for the seat of the Disease it selfe and sometimes also for the seat of the Cause of the Disease In the first Acception we maintaine that in Love Melancholy the Braine is the part Affected and the Heart the seat of the Cause only of the Disease as in â—ove both the Liver and the Genitals are â—ynt causes of it as Gordonius in his â—hapter de Amore maintaines And now to answer those Objections before alleadged out of Hippocrates and Galen we say first that it is questionable â—hether that book which is intituled â—e his quae ad Virgin spect be his or no â—â—d secondly that if this be granted that â—ext only proves that the Heart may bee â—e seat of the Cause only of Feare Sadnesse and Dotage And lastly wee answer Galen that there are two kindes of â—eare Naturall and Accidentall the first â— these accompanies a Man from his â—irth and is caused by the ill temperature of the Heart and of this kinde of Feare is Galen to be understood in that place The â—ther kind which is not Naturall ariseth â—â—om the Defect of the Braine when as â—â—e Imagination is depraved as we may â—ainly collect out of Hippocrates in his â—ook de morbo sacro where hee confutes â—he opinion of those men that think that the Heart is the seat of Wisdome Care and Sadnesse Notwithstanding that the Braine shares indeed in this Malady bâ— CommunicatioÌ„ not only from the Heart but also from the Stomacke especially iâ— young persons as Nemesius proves in hâ— book de natura Hominis cap. 20. CHAP. X. Whether Love-Melancholy be an Hereditary Disease or no. ARistotle is of opinion that hee that not like his Parents is in some sort Monster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in such Cases Nature seemes to have come short of he end and hath begun to degenerate and that sometimes of necessity as in the bringing forth of women for the Propagation of the species and sometimes also through some Defect in the Matter oâ— lastly by reason of some Externall Causes amongst which the Genethliacall Astrologers place the Influence of the Starreâ— and Hippocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the change of the Seaâ—â—ns and Nature of the Climat But the â—rabian Physitians attribute the greatest â—ower in these matters to the Imagination and indeavour to prove their Assertion by many forcible Arguments and also â—y particular instances borrowed out of â—liny lib. 7. cap. 12. Franciscus Vallesius â—lbertus and diverse other authentique authors This similitude and resemblance that required in Children consists in three â—ings that is either in the species Sexe or â—ccidents The first of these depends on the Specificall Difference the Formative facultie the second on the Complexion Temperature of the Seed the Menâ—ruall Blood and the Matrix according to Galen and the last beares a Proportion to be difference of the Formative faculty â—ot Specificall as the First but Individuall which residing in the Seed and being â—estrained by the Matter which hath the â—mpression fixt on it receaves from it the Vertue to produce Individuals semblable â—â— Properties Qualities and other Accidents to the Individuall from which they spring Now these Corporeall Qualities which are derived from the Parents to the Children are such onely as are in the parts Informed in such sort as that they have already contracted a Habitude So that those Properties and Qualities that depend of the Superior Faculties and which are more noble then the Formative as the Sensitive Imaginative Rationall cannot possibly bee Hereditary Otherwise a Learned Physitian should necessarily beget a Sonne as learned in his Faculty as himselfe without any study aâ— all Neither yet are those Diseases Hereditary which are not Habituall as Fevers Pleurisies Catarrhes and those Intemperatures which are not confirmed But those only are Hereditary that are Habituall in the Parents and by continuance of time confirmed whether they bee in the whole Body or onely in the Principall parts of the same And for this cause wee may observe that Cholerick Men begeâ— Cholerick Children and weake infirms men beget the like Children So contrariwise Fortes creantur fortibus Bonis Men of courage and of strong bodies beset stout and valiant Children so those â—hat have their Generative parts of a hot and dry Temperature beget Children of â—â—e same constitution and consequently Galen saies inclined to Lust And therefore when Helen had no other meanes to excuse her Adulterous practises she made â—se of this and cries out Qui fieri si sint vires in semine Amorum Et Jovis Ledae filia casta potes I Love's Powers in the Parent 's seed is plac't How can it be That ever she That 's borne of Iove Leda should bee chast Notwithstanding Fernelius in his first â—ook de Pathol. cap. 1. affirmes that Children doe not inherit those Diseases onely that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Habit but some other also for that we often finde Children to be subject to Agues Pleurisies Catarrhes and the like because their Mothers had the same Diseases when they travailed with them So that hence we may conclude that those Children that are begotten of such Parents as have been so besotted with Love as that they have at length become Melancholy withall are in danger of inheriting the same disease unlesse peradventure the Seed of one of the Parents corrected this fault in the other or else it bee prevented by good Education and Discipline And it is also probable that those that are Inclined to Love through the Intemperature either of the whole Body or else of the Principall parts and not by the depravation of the Imaginative facultie as the greatest part of Lovers are will beget Children subject to the same Discase CAP. XI The Different kindes of Love-Melancholy I Shall not here reckon up all the severall Loves Cupids or Veneres mentioned by Authors Hee that desires to see them may have recourse to Pausanias in Eliac and Boeot Plutarch in Erotic Tully de
small portion of Melancholy be mixed with the Cholericke Humour the party then becomes of a kind of tawny colour or a darke green which colour Plutarch and Aretaeus expresse very aptly by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CAP. XVI What manner of eyes Melancholy Lovers have THere is no part of the whole Body whatsoever that sooner discovers the Indisposition of the Body then the Eyes according to the doctrine of Hippocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looke in what state the eyes are in the same is the rest of the Body A manifest experience whereof we have in our Lovers who according as Avicen P. Aegineta Oribasius Haly Abbas and Alsaravius observe have their eyes hollow and sunke into their head dry and without teares yet alwaies twinkling with a kind of smiling â—ooke This hollownesse of the eyes which Alexander Aphrodisaeus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Rufus Ephesius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceeds as Stephanus Athen. saith from the Imbecility of the naturall Heat and the Dissipation of the spirits which doe abound in the eyes or else by the malignity and ill temper of the Humours or lastly by a consumption Yet we may observe great contrariety of opinion among these Authors For Avicen Oribasius and Alsaravius affirme that those that are sick of Love-Melancholy are leane generally throughout the whole Body as well by reason they eate and drinke very little as also for that their Digestion is very bad by reason that the spirits and Naturall Heat are withdrawne from the stomacke to the Braine And yet these above named Authors say that Oculi soli non concidunt it is not the eyes alone that suffer in this disease whereas P. Aegineta maintaines the quite contrary opinion saying that caeteris partibus corporis illaesis nullâque calamitate collabentibus soli illi Amatoribut concidunt All the other parts of the Body continuing in a good and perfect state of Health the Eyes only in Love-Melancholy are ill affected Christophorus à Vega willing to excuse Aegineta saies that he understands by Collapsus in this place segnem motum Desidentiam a kind of dull heavy motion of the eyes But I conceive this exposition to be somewhat forced for as much as the same Author assents with all the other above mentioned that those persons that are in Love have a continuall motion or winking with their eye-lids semper conniventes which motion Hippocrates in his Epidemicks calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Galen also seems to mee to favour this opinion of Oribasius and Avicen when he saies in his second booke de Crisibus that Hollow Eyes and a Pale colour are the evident and true signes of those that are oppressed with sadnesse and other like passions But these Authors in my opinion may be reconciled by saying that Avicen and Oribasius speake more consonantly both to Reason and Experience if they be understood of Passionate Love which is now already growne to a degree of Madnesse For so the Divine Plato also in his Feast affirmes that Love is of his owne Nature and also by the Hereditary Imperfection of his Mother Penia alwaies Hard Dry Leane and loathsome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because that by reason of too much â—ntention of the mind pensivenesse and Anxiety the Lover looseth the fulnesse of flesh and good likeing of his Body that â—he before enjoyed Which when Aegiâ—eta denies he is to be understood not of those that are farre gone in this Disease but only newly entred into it This explication for the reconciling of the contrariety of these Doctors opinions if it displease any man I shall expect a better from him CAP. XVII Whether Teares be Symptomes of Love or no. HIppocrates in his Epidemicks makes Teares to be of two sorts Voluntary and Involuntary The last of which kinds is caused by reason of the weakenesse of the Retentive Facultie in the Braine which hath been debilitated either by some Disease or by the great Abundance of moisture contracted within the Head or else because the expulsive Faculty of the Braine is provoked by the sharpnesse of the Humours in the Braine or by the vapours that are exhaled from the inferior parts as it is often seen in those that are sick of an Ague or lastly by reason of some particular distemper of the eyes as Exulceration Fistula Opthalmy Running of the eyes or the like as also by Smoake Dust or other like externall causes As concerning voluntary Teares it was the Opinion of Empedocles long since that when any one was surcharged with any strong passion of the Mind the Blood was troubled and from thence followed Teares in like manner as whey comes from Milke Alexander Aphrodisaeus is of opinion that the Melancholy Humour having shut up and encompassed the Heart the Humidity endeavours to shew it selfe where it findes the freest passage But we say that the materiall cause of Teares is the same with that of Spittle which is the Abundance of serosity remaining in the Braine after the third concoction by reason whereof old men women and young children are more inclined to weeping then any other Now this moysture flowes from the eyes either by reason of the compression of the Braine during the time of sadnesse or else by the Dilatation of it as we often see it comes to passe in those that are charged with some suddaine great joy or else â—augh extreamely For as much then as Lovers are subject to all these passions of Ioy Laughter and Sadnesse it is evident that they are not Involuntary Teares that fall from Lovers eyes which as we have already shewed are generally dry and void of Teares but only the Voluntary as when they either doubt or else despaire of their Mistresses favour And hence it is that we shall observe Poëts so often representing unto us Lovers weeping and lamenting Because that Love is also delighted in Teares according to the Poet. Nonnihil aspersis gaudet Amor Lachrymis Yet will I not therefore presently conclude that this signe is Pathognomicall nor scarcely Certaine especially in women who as the Poet saies Quóve volunt plorant tempore quóvt modo Have the command of their Teares and can weepe when and how they please CHAP. XVIII The causes of Waking and Sighes in Lovers THe causes of those continuall wakings which oppresse Lovers making them more Melancholy sad leane and Dry Attenuant Iuvenum vigilatae corpora noctes Are the diverse Imaginations and Fancies that steale into the Braine and never suffer them to take any quiet repose whence the Braine becomes Dry and Cold Besides that from the naturall Melancholy which is naturally Cold and as dry as dust there cannot be exhaled any sweet and gentle vapours which by their moisture should loosen the nerves and discharging them of their office may so cause withall a cessation of all sense and motion And if by chance they be surprised by any light slumber which is the provision
is inclined to this Folly either by his Naturall Constitution Temper of Body or else by reason of his Education Discipline Custome or the Like The Diagnostick signes of the Lover we have already delivered in the precedent Chapters It remaines now that we set downe those by which the Amorist is to be knowne seeing our Intention is to prescribe as well the meanes to prevent this Malady as the Remedies to cure it In the First place then we are to consider the constitution and Habit of the whole Body when so ever wee desire to know to what Diseases any one is subject For by this meanes Helen knew that Paris was fitter for Cupids service then for Mars Quòd bene te iactas fortia facta receÌ„sen A verbis facies dissidet ista tuis Aptamagis veneri quà m sunt tua Corpora Marti Bella gerant fortes tu Pari semper Ama. Thou brag'st well But this smooth cheek speaks thee farre More apt for Venus then for Mars his warre Let others fight and on their enemies prove Their ruder strength my Paris thou shalt love In the second place the Temperature of the Principall and secret parts is to be considered of which I shall speake more hereafter in the Chapter of Physiognoms only in this place giving you to understand that a hot and dry Temperature or â—se such a one as is only hot is the most â—nclined to Love We must also observe the parties Complexion for we see that â—ose that are of a sanguine Complexion â—re generally very Amorous Not that I would have a man alwaies weare a sad towning austere Countenance Habet tristis quoque Turba Cynaedos For under such a one there oft-times lies hid the strongest Inclination to lasciviousnesse â—n the next place we shall doe well to consider the age for commonly the younger people are more subject to this diâ—case then the elder especially while they have a harshnesse in their voyce which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latins Hircire And in wenches when their Brests begin to burgeon which the greeks all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latin Fratrare Sororiare Catullire At which time Aristotle warns all Fathers to have a strict eye over their Daughters and not to suffer them to converse with young men especially such aâ— are given much to Courtship Because that at this time they have an extreame raging desire over all their Body But old men on the contrary side are as much averse from venery unlesse they be naturally very leacherous For Enripides saies that Venus is displeased with old men And for this cause the Heathens at Plutarch reports accounted those Marriages that were celebrated in the moneth of May Disasterous and ominous as some superstitious Christians also doe at this day because that Venus hated this moneth as being consecrated to the honour of old age Lacydes King of the Argians was knowne to be in love by his over curious trimming and curling of his haire as was Pompey the great also by the nice scratching of his head with one finger Magnus quem metuunt omnes digito caput uno Scalpit Quid credas hunc sibi vedâ— virum He whom the world feares nicely with one naile His head doth scratch what thinke ye doth he aile Our Ladies have the same opinion of â—ose men that are very hairy that Aristoâ—â—e hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hairines saith â—â— is a signe of the abundance of Excrements And for this reason those men that â—e hairy are fuller of seed therefore â—re addicted to Venery then those that â—e smooth As it is also observed in the are who being extreame hairy as having â—ly among all other living creatures â—ire also on the ball of his feet is withall counted one of the most lustfull creatures that is On the contrary a woman cannot enâ—re a man that hath but little Beard not â—â— much for that they are commonly cold â—â—d impotent as that so much resembling â—unuches they are for the most part inâ—ined to basenesse cruelty and deceitfulnesse Such a one as Plato reports was Melitus Pitheus that was Socrates his â—lse accuser and in regard of that very thing excepted against by Socrates But this is then found most true when they are leane withall and have thin hoâ— Iow shriveled Cheekes For as the Physiognomists say these markes denote man to be of a filthy lustfull disposition and that by reason of the Imaginative Faculty being depraved but withall Envious Crafty and consequently a knave according to the doctrine of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their Extraction and Descent and things also very considerable as well foâ— that children may have the same Temperature both of the Principall parts as also of those that serve for Generation that their Parents have as also by reason of baâ— discipline ill example We might also adde to these the milk of the nurse which as Phavorinus affirmes is of very great force either in correcting or corrupting as well the manners of the mind as the Constitution of the Body for as much as those alwaies follow the Temperature oâ— the Body And of this opinion the Poâ—â— also seemes to be where he brings Dido reproaching Aeneas with his Education and thus upbraiding him with his cruelty Non tibi Diva parens generis nec Dardanus autor Perfide sed duris genuit te cautibus horrens Caucasus Hircanaeque admôrunt ubera Tigres No Goddesse brought thee forth nor canst thou be Deriv'd false man from Trojan Ancestry But thou from some hard unrelenting Rocke Descended art and Tigers gave thee suck Michael Scotus discoursing on this point reports that he had seen a child that had been nursed up by a sow who when he was now grown to some bignes would eat immoderately as Hogs doe and delighted very much to tumble and wallow up and downe in durty places And he teâ—s a story of another that had been brought up by a shee-goat who in his going skipped after the manner of Goats and would ever be pilling and eating the barke of Trees Hippocrates Ptolomy and Vegetius affirme that the Aire Climat and place of their Birth are of very great consideration in this particular Et Plaga Caeli non solùm ad robur Corporis sed etiam Animorum facit saith Vegetius The Climat conduceth much not only to the strength and perfect Temperature of the Body but of the mind also and its faculties And indeed we see commonly that the Germans are great Drinkers the Spaniards proud the English deceitfull the French unconstant the Athenians witty the Thracians dull the Sarmatians Chast but the Neopolitans Asians Africans and Aegyptians very lascivious and addicted to Venery And Ovid makes the Thracians also beare them company when he speakes thus of Tereus Digna quidem facies ast hunc innata libido Extimulat pronumque genus regionibus illis Jn Venerem flagrat vitio
gentisque suoque Her face was excellent But inbred lust Inrag'd his blood to which those Climes are prone Stung by his Countries Fury and his owne But these signes are very uncertaine and meerely conjecturall For as Apuleius saies Apud socordissimos Scythas Anacharsis sapiens natus est apud Athenienses Melecides fatuus The wise Anacharsis was descended from the dull heavy Scythian and Athens brought forth Melecides a Foole. But what shall we say to that story of a litle blind Dog in Italy in the time of the Emperour Iustinian who as Nicephorus reports it was able by certaine signes to give notice of such persons as were any way touched with unchast desires Or the Bird Porphyrion mentioned by Dupreau in Anno 563 that would make as though she would strangle her selfe if she but perceived an Amorous or an adulterous person within her Masters house Or to the Water of Triall used by the ancient Hebrewes for to prove whether a married woman had been dishonest or no Of which water an unchast woman had no sooner tasted but she began presently to be very dry whereas on the contrary if the suspicion were unjust she thereby recovered a more perfect state of health then before And lastly to another Fountaine the vertue whereof was such that if any unchast woman touched it the water would burne her flesh but did no hurt at all to those women that were chast Which Gangolphe wife to a certaine Burgonian supposing to be fabulous for the satisfaction of her Husband who had but just cause to be jealous would needs one day thrust her arme into the Fountain but she presently drew it forth againe all scorched and burnt What shall we say I say to all these but only that God hath given to many things such hidden qualities as that the most learned Philosopher can render no sound evident reason of them Nature rerum vis atque Majestas in omnibus momentis fide caret saith Pliny In all things of strange and miraculous production the power and Majesty of Nature transcends all beliefe Multa tegit sacro involucro Natura neque ullis Fas est scire quidem mortalibus omnia Multa Admirare modò nec non venerare neque illa Inquires quae sunt Arcanis proxima Namque In manibus quae sunt haec nos vix scire putandum est Est procul à nobis adeò praesentia veri Wise Nature many things with mists doth vaile And then decrees mans knowledge here shall faile Her secrets of our wonder then must be The Object not our curiosity We scarcely know the things before our eyes So darke and hidden are truths Mysteries It is much more easy to shew a reason of the discovering of unchast persons by the stones in their Rings or other Iewels which are thought to change their colour and become obscure darke and pale by reason of those vapours that arise from the unchast lustfull bodies of those that weare them an experience whereof I my selfe have seen in the Eranos or Turquois stone The Genethliacall Astrologers have other signes more subtle though perhaps not much more certaine which they take from the Horoscope They say that if one be borne when Mars and Venus are in conjunction he will undoubtedly be inclined to Love and Erotique Melancholy but perhaps much to his owne dammage For if the Sunne rise under the Conjunction of these two Planets he will not be Felicior Astro Martis ut in laqueos non incidat Aristotle in his Politicks will have the meaning of this to be that Martialists and men of warre are easily taken Prisoners by Cupid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these kind of men saith he are very prone to Venery And the Physitians say that the Astrologers by Venus understand Phlegme or rather Blood and by Mars Choler For Mars is hot and dry and Venus moist which two Complexions being met together doe make the persons enclined to mutuall Love The same judgement doe they give of him that is borne when Venus is in Leo or when the Moon and Venus doe mutually aspect each other or else when Iupiter is in a Trine or Sextile aspect with the Sunne or Mercury especially if it happen on the second or fifteenth day of the Moon But there is no great heed to be taken what these men say who are for the most part in the opinion of S. Augustin meere Cheaters and Impostors as you may see proved at large by Ioan. Picus Mirandula in his 12 bookes that he hath written against Iudiciary Astrologers being moved thereto because that one of them named Bulanus had cast his Nativity and told him that he should live but 34 yeares which indeed afterwards fell out accordingly In which bookes of his he seemes to have comprehended all that can be said against these Fumi venditores and he hath also been seconded by his Nephew Franciscus Io Picus in his bookes De Praenot and many other Moderne writers Neverthelesse seeing that Galen the Prince of Rationall Physitians Lib. 3. de Dieb Decret cap. 5. 6. seemes to attribute great vertue to the Influences of the Planets over sublunary bodies and divides them as the Astrologers doe into Influences Benigne Maligne And because that many endeavour to prove that no man can be a good Physitian without the knowledge of Genethliacall Astrology which they say is grounded on experience as Physicke is and hath its Aphorismes as certaine as any our Faculty hath And on the other side againe there are some that over-superstitiously abhorre the very name of an Astrologer accounting them to be meere Magitians and Conjurers I thinke it fit so farre to justify this Art as to shew the certainty and profit of it which I shall doe in the ensueing Chapter and withall shall shew what use it hath in Physicke since that Hippocrates saies that Physick and Astronomy are sisters and Both daughters of one and the same Father Apollo CHAP. XXI Whether or no by Astrology a Man may know such as are inclined to Love-Melancholy AStrology as it is defined by some Philosophers is a Part of Naturall Philosophy discoursing of the Starres and their motion and Influences and was found out at first by one Actinus who for this cause was surnamed Solis Filius or else as some others will have it by Mercury or his Grandfather Atlas who for this reason is fained by the Poets to beare up the Heavens with his shoulders Servius on the sixth of Virgils Eclogues attributes the glory of this Invention to Promerheus Pliny to the Phoenicians or else to Iupiter Belus and Diodorus Siculus to the Aegyptians who were first instructed in this science by the Patriarch Abraham as Iosephus in his Iewish Antiquities affirmes who by considering the glory and beauty of the Heavens â—â— richly adorned and bespangled with so in numerable a company of starres was stirred up to
on Fortune that is to say on no certaine Determinate cause or else on ouâ— owne wills over which the Starres have no more power then they have over the understanding on which the will depend But which is worse then this theâ—â— Iudiciary Astrologers attribute to thaâ— Starres the power of working miracles and a thousand such like superstitious folâ—ies And sometimes also under the preâ—ext of Iudiciary Astrology they impiously meddle with the black Art which caused Pope Sixtus Quintus to thunder out his Excommunication against Iudiciary Astrology and all those that professed any such Mathematicall Arts. Keeping my selfe therefore to the Doctrine of Catholique Church to the censure whereof I submit all my writings notwithstanding that Cardan confidently â—ffirmes that it is easier to know by Iudiciary Astrology the Passions and Affections of men then to foretell winds raine and haile because that the houre of a childs nativity may more certainely be knowne then that of the gathering together of so many vapours and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or evaporation my opinion is that by judiciary Astrology it cannot beeÌ„ knowne whether or no such a one is subject to such and such Passions and therefore not to love or Erotique Melancholy For as Ptolomy saies Soli Divino Numinc â—fflati praedicunt Futura Particularia None can foretell Particular events but those only that have this gift by Divine Inspiration For otherwise why might not these Wizards as well foresee the unlawfull dealing and fowle play of their owne wives and Daughters which yet they are as ignorant of as the simplest and most unlettered man that is For which S. Thomas More wittily jeeres them in an Epigram of his Astra tibi Aethereo pandunt sese omnia vati Omnibus quae sunt Fata futura monent Omnibus ast uxor quòd se tua publieat id te Astra licèt videant omnia nulla monent The Starres to thee their Prophet doe reveale The Fates of all and nought from then conceale Yet though thy wifes false play the Starres All see There 's none of them so kind to tell it thee And for answer to all those instances before alleadged for the certainty of Astrologicall Predictions we say with the Poet Euripides that these kind of Fellowes are furnished with lies at all times and very seldome tell the truth being as the Epigrammatist stiles them the Sonnes of â—mpudence and Rashnesse and nursed up by Folly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. XXII Whether or no by Physiognomy and Chiromanyc a man may know one to be Jnclined to Love GAlen relying upon the Authority of Hippocrates affirmes that those men that take upon them to professe the Art of Physicke without the perfect knowledge of Physiognomy are as it were in perpetuall darknesse and commit many grosse Absurdities Errors For as much as Physiognomy is a part of Semioticall Medicine which the Naturalists divided into Metoposcopy Chiromancy and Particular Physiognomy Now of all these kinds the first is the most certaine because that the Face is as it were the Epitome Index and picture of the soule representing by its diverse Characters and extract of all the Titles of its Noblenesse And is therefore placed in the Frontispice of this Fabricke of our body to the end it may be knowne that there she keeps her Court and chiefest Residence Animi est omnis actio Imago Animi vultus est The Soule is the Original cause and Principle of all our motions and actions and the Face is the Image of the soule Indices oculi saith Tully quos Natura dedit ut Equo Leoni set as caudam Aures ad motus declarandos And therefore Alexanander Aphrodisaeus calls the eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the looking-glasses of the soule It seemes saith Plotinus that whatsoever is Faire and Beautifull is also Good for both these the Greeks expresse by one and the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if saith he the externall beauty of the Body depended on the Internall Forme And therefore the Ancient Greeks considering this accounted only those men that were of a Beautifull and comely Aspect to be worthy of the Crowne and Scepter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they prove this their opinion by the Examples of Priamus Achilles Saul Cyrus Darius Alexander Augustus Hecuba Andromache Esther and many others in whom the Beauty and Perfection of the Soule was attended on by that also of the Body because that the beauty of the Body depends on the goodnesse of the Constitution and Temperature according to Galen Now it is agreed on on all sides in our Schooles that a good and commendable complexion is of times the cause of the Laudable Actions of the Body and consequently of those also of the Mind Multaenim in Corpore existunt quae acuant mentem multa quae obtundant Saith Tully Tuscul 1. There are many things in the Body that conduce much to the sharpening of the Mind and understanding and there be also many things that dull it And therefore Hippocrates in his Epidemicks lib. 6. Sect. 5. is of opinion that it imports much to Wisedome to be Leane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For those that are over-fat saies Galen have their soule as it were buried in a heape of durt and therefore such men are commonly heavy and dull as a brute beast Homer also speaking of Thersites that notorious Buffoon whom Achilles slew with a boxe on the eare describes him to be ill-favoured of a ridiculous dwarfe-like stature with a sharpe litle head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimating unto us that such men are generally Mischievous Envious Impudent and vaine-glorious fellowes So Salust also notes Catiline for his Deformity and Basenesse of Conditions and the ill-favoured lookes of Iulian the Apostate was an Evident Argument of his Accursed Life On the contrary we see commonly that as Hippocrates observes those that drawle out their words and stammer in their speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of a good Nature And agen those that have little dry hollow eyes with a long thin wrinkled visage are lewd crafty slaunderous envious covetous treacherous sacrilegious rascally fellowes Especially if they are wont to looke very stedfastly on any thing and use to bite their lips when they are thinking of their businesse But above all if they have but little beard Poco barba men Colore Sotto'l ciel non è peggiore Saies the Italian He that has but litle beard on his face and lesse colour there cannot possibly bee found a worse complexion then his And such a one is that Villaine Melitus Pitheus the false accuser of Socrates described to be in Plato Yet notwithstanding all that I have said I would not have any man presently conclude from these signes on any mans complexion as if they were alwaies necessarily true For Alcibiades who was the most beautiful comeliest young maÌ„ in
Inconcoction and accending up into the Braine yet Physitians call it not by the name of the Night-mare or Incubus unlesse the Imagination also be hurt withall in like manner as in Melancholy which disease it often presageth or else the Falling sicknesse I could adde here that I my selfe have seene in the towne of Castelnadaruy in Lauraguex two young women that maintained confidently for a certaine truth that either the Divell or some witch or other lay with them every night as their husbands lay by their sides Both which by the helpe of God I cured and they now acknowledge the weaknesse of their Fancy and their owne Folly CHAP. XXVIII Whether the Love of Women be stronger and more dangerous then that of Men. IT is most certaine that as Galen saies a Hot complexion or such a one that is Hot and Dry is much more prone to dishonest and irregular Love then any other ComplexioÌ„ or Temperature whatsoever from whence we may also inferre that the Loves of these Complexions must necessarily be also the most violent and so by Consequence that Men must be oftner and more grievously tormented with this Malady then Women who are of a Temperature both lesse Hot and lesse Dry For as much as Nature had never brought forth a Woman but only for want of Heat and therfore Aristotle calls them the Defect and Imperfection of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Female seemes only to be the Issue of Natures Impotence But Chrysippus the Philosopher as Galen reports him neglecting these weake reasons affirmes the contrary and saies that Love is a Motion of the Minde that is irrefragable opposeth it selfe against the power and rule of Reason which is also approved both by Aristotle and also all the Schoole of Physick Whence we may conclude that without all doubt a Woman is in her Loves more Passionate and more furious in her follies then a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies Hippocrates lib. de his quae ad Virg spect Women are Naturally of meaner Spirits and lesse courage then Men neither is their reason so strong as theirs and therefore are they lesse able to make resistance against so strong a Passion as Galen saies And hereto agrees that of the faire Hero in her Epistle to her deare Leander Vrimur igne pari sed sum tibi viribus Jmpar Fortius ingenium suspicor esse viris Vt corpus teneris sic mens infirma puellis Our flames are equall but your kinder Fate Hath lent your strength your Heats to temperate But in our weaker Sexe our Passions find A feeble Body beares a feebler Minde This opinion is confirmed also by daily experience which affords us Examples great store of Women that are ready to run Mad for Love but seldome any Men whom we never see brought to that Extremity unlesse they be some effeminate weake spirited fellowes that have been alwaies broughtup in Lascivious courses and in Ladies Laps And this is confirmed by the Poet also Parcior in nobis nec tam furiosa Libido Legitimum finem flamma virilis habet Lust in us Men doth not so often raigne Our Flames would still a lawfull end attaine This Assertion may also bee proved by a strong Naturall reason which may be collected out of Aristotle lib. 3 de Part. Animal cap. 4. lib. 1. de Gener. cap. 4. where he saies that Nature hath given streight Entrals or Guts without any turnings or windings at all to all gluttonous and ravenous Creatures as Birds of prey and the Wolfe but on the contrary shee hath variously and artificially interwoven the Bowels of those that it was expedient should bee sober and temperate as Men. Whence we collect that Quoniam eadem Natura quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in foeminis vasa spermatica propiora juxta cornuae Matricis posuit contrà verò in maribus eadem è longinquo extra ventrem reiecit ne facultates Animae principales Imaginatio Memoria Iudicium per Pudendorum Sympathiam vicinitatem perturbarentur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quae propinqua communia sunt Affectionibus ea prima maximè vitiantur Foeminas hunc Amorem Brutum magis violentum habere Nec immeritò Consentaneum enim videtur Naturam aliquâ superadditâ voluptate dolores illos quos in puerperiis patitur iste sexus compensare So that although perhaps Men appeare outwardly to be the more prone to Lust of â—he two yet must we not therefore presently conclude women to be utterly free from the same desires although they cunningly dissemble them as much as possibly they can And therefore they may not unâ—tly be compared unto an Alembick that â—ands quietly upon its frame without any â—ew of Fire at all under it but if you but â—ift it up and look under it and could but â—s easily see into the hearts of these Women you shall there discover an equall Heat in both CAP. XXIX Of the Prevention of Love and Erotique Melancholy FOR the Prevention of any Disease it is necessary saith Galen in the first place to remove the Disposition of the Body which is nothing else but the Internall cause of the Disease and which cannot be rooted out except the Externall cause that nourishes and preserves it bee first taken away He then that undertakes the Cure or Prevention of Love-Melancholy must first saith Hippocrates have a perfect knowledge of the nature of this Disease that so he may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apply such remedies as shall bee proper both for the Disease Nature and Age of the Patient and also agree with the Seasons and Times of the yeare Otherwise he does but strike at the disease Andabatarum more Hoodwink'd And because that Love findes its passage through the Eye and so seazeth on the Braine If he intend to cashiere it utterly he must take heed that no tempting Objects present themselves unto it least happily it fall out here as it did heretofore to Menelaus who as Galen relates it when that Troy was now taken and he had fully resolved with his own hands to punish his Wives Adulteries he no sooner saw her but that presently hee let his Sword fall out of his hand and ran to her â—d threw himselfe into her Embraces â—nd so by the power of her Beauty his â—ary was suddenly changed into as Passiâ—nate a Love Thus Galen But the Schoâ—st upon Stesichorus reports the story otherwise and saies that it was not Meneâ—us himselfe but the Souldiers that hee â—nt to stone Helen However it were we â—e commonly that the Falling out of Loâ—rs kindles anew their Love â—mantium Irae Amoris redintegratio est And as a Candle that is almost out recovers its full light againe if it be but held downward a litle while in like manner Love that is almost extinguished if it bee â—nclined and bent never so litle to its Object it takes fire afresh Quà m facilè Jrati verbo placantur Amantes Although
a Lover rage chafe even now One faire word from his Mistris smooths his brow And if the party that is the cause of hâ—â— Disease be very beautifull the Preservatives that are used must then be the stronger For it is in this case as in the cleaving of Wood and the Beauty of the Party be loved as the Axe the Wood seemes iâ— like manner as it were to cleave asunder the Lovers Heart and the Sighes are aâ— the Noise that followes the Cleaven stroke But as by doubling the force of the blowes although the Wood is at length cleft yet by Reaction the Axe also hatâ— his edge turned and is spilt In like manner faire Ladies after that they have perhaps with the force of their Beauty made an entrance into the Hearts of their Lovers oftimes goe off with a crack in their Honour Some Authors of no meane note considering the admirable Effects that Beauty worketh have beene of Opinion that there was a certaine Transmission of Spirits from the body of the person beloved into that of the Lover which did by this meanes produce a Reciprocall and Mutuall Love And for this cause the Roman Ladies of old were wont to weare about their Neckes a kinde of Wanton Figure which they called Fascinum And perhaps in Imitation of them the Spanish Ladies doe at this day weare a piece of Corall or Ieat made in the forme of a Hand closed together with the Thumbe â—hrust out betwixt the Forefinger and the Middlefinger which they call Higo per no ser oiadas The Greekes call all such toies â—s these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they were wont to make use of them to the end they might be secured from the malice of Envious Persons The Arabians speaking of the Cure of Love doe advise us to take Occasion to discourse of the party that is the cause of this disease in the hearing of the Patient and to reckon up all her Imperfections â—â—vices making them more greater then they are and to set forth her vertues also in the colours and shape of Vices Et mala sunt vicina bonis Errore sub illo Pro vitio Virtus crimina saepe tulit Ill beares the shape of Good Thus oft 't is seene That Vertue hath for Vice mistakeÌ„ been Quà m potes in peius dotes deflecte puellae Or else saies Avicen let the Physitian give this in charge to some Old woman who will be a great deale fitter to disparage and extenuate the good qualities of his Mistresse alwaies provided that the Patient himselfe be not Naturally a baminded Lascivious person for this wiâ—â— then enflame his desires the more For every one Naturally loves their Like But if she be very faire and that it cannot bâ— denied without the suspicion of apparant malice then must they endeavour to lessen her worth by comparing her with those he himselfe knowes to be fairer Vos quoque formosis vestras coÌ„ferte Puellas Incipiet Dominae quemque pudere suae And they must labour by probable Arguments to prove unto him that that which he judgeth to be comely and handsome iâ— her is in the judgement of those that are more quicksighted both foule and deformed As for example if she have a handsome nose of a reasonable size and some what sharp let them tell him then she is Scold Luxurious Wanton and a meere â—imbe of the Divell and that according to the judgement of Aristotle And then commend unto him the litle Nose with Catullus or the Hawkes-nose with the Persians or the great Nose with Alberâ—us for an Argument of a good nature So likewise if she have a gray sparkling Eye say then that she is a foole lustfull inconstant and prowd and then commend as much on the other side with Hestod Homer Pindarus Iuvenall and Catullus those that have black Eyes taking the same course in the rest of her good parts For the Conditions that are required by the Naturalists in an Absolute Beauty are so many as that there cannot be found in the whole world a person so accomplished with all the necessary circumstances of Beauty but that each part will afford sufficient matter for a Criticall Eye to finde fault with Which Zeuxis the famous Painter knowing right well and being desired by the Crotonians to represent unto them the beauty of Helen he would not undertake it unlesse they would suffer him first to see all the fairest women iâ— the Country naked that so he might talâ— from each of them that which he judgeâ— to be most excellent Besides this Iudgement of Beauty differs according to the variety of Fancie in the beholders Ovid would have on faire and litle Hector made choice of on that was browne and of a bigger size for so was Andromache Turpis Romano Belgicus ore color The Italian desire to have her thick well set and plumpe the German preferreâ— one that is strong the Spaniard loves a wench that is leane and the French one that is soft delicate and tender but the Indians a black one Hippocrates and after him Celsus commend a tall stature in young people but dispraise it in old And for this cause the Ancient Poets fained that Beauty was the daughter of Iris and Admiration because that as the Sun reflecting upon a watry Cloud deceaves our Eyes making us beleeve we see diverse various colours which are not there but only in Appearance In like manner is Beauty nothing else but a false flash of Raies which dazle our eyes when it appeares from among the cloudes of so great variety of Allurements Whence we may conclude that the rarest and most excellent Beauties that are are not such indeed as they seeme to be but onely appeare to be so through the sole defect of the beholders and through the weaknesse of their Eyes who commonly judge that woman to be Beautifull which is of a white complexion and soft and tender cleane contrary to the judgement of Galen who saies that those are the signes of a False and Counterfeit Beauty and that true and Native Beauty consists in the just composure and Symmetry of the Parts of the Body a due proportion of flesh the goodnesse of the Colour Now he that desires to know whether a body be Proportionable or no he must according to our Anatomists lay him all along and cause him to extend his armes and legs equally as farre as he is able and then taking the Navill for the Center and measuring him round about that part that either goes beyond the Circumference of this circle oâ— else reacheth it not is to bee accounted Improportionable Vitruvius saies that the length of the face from the end of the chinne to the top of the forehead is the tenth part of a mans height If the Body be will set and strong it is seven times as long as the Head eight or nine times as long if the body be slender and delicate The eye-browes joyned together make up the circle of
both the eyes and so is there a certaine proportion in all the rest of the parts of the Body as you may read in Equicola and le sieur de Veyries in his Genealogy of Love Yet notwithstanding the Indians love those that have thicke lips the Peruvians judge those the most beautifull that have great rolling eyes and the Mexicans those that have litle fore-heads If you cannot perswade the Lover and make him confesse that his Mistresse wants these Conditions that are required to an Absolute Beauty then must you endeavour to deprive her of that Moving beauty which is called a Good Grace and consists in the due Composure of the Members and parts of the whole Body or else of the beauty of the Mind without which according to Plato Plutarch and Galen that of the body is nothing worth And then you may prove to him both by examples and Authority of good writers that for the most part those women that are faire are also as Common as likewise those that are unhandsome and deformed are altogether as troublesome and not to be endured according to that of the Comicke Poet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man saith he marry an ugly deformed woman she must needs be quickly loathsome unto him and he cannot take any delight either to be in her Company or so much as to come into his own house But if he get himselfe a handsome wife his neigbours commonly will have as much to doe with her as himselfe So that Marriage seemes to bring along with it unavoideably one of these great inconveniences Rara est concordia Formae Atque Pudicitiae Beauty and chastity seldome meet in one person For beauty is as it were a kind of prey that hath continually a thousand in chase of it And it is as a silent Letter Commendatory also of itselfe Formosa facies muta Commendatio est Which seduceth and over-reacheth the judgement of the beholder leaving a strong impression behind it But it is withall as a Letter written upon the Sand soon defaced Florem decoris singulicarpunt dies Each day blots out some of it's beautifull Characters But for as much as in the opinion of all Physitians that have written of the cure of this Malady it is necessary to represent unto the party affected the foulenes of his errour and the greatnes of the offence if he persist obstinately therein I would have this great charge left to Divines who are farre fitter to performe it then Physitians are Yet it so fals out oftimes that these admonitions doe not worke any good at all upon them but rather incense them and make them the more headstrong and obstinate in their follies according to that of the Poet Euripides as he is cited by Galen Venus admonita relaxat nihil Sinamque cogas ampliùs intendere appetit Admonitus autem amor magis premit Love's deafe to Counsell And if you by force Attempt to stop you rather speed it's course But Plautus goes farther yet and saies that Amor mores hominum moros morosos efficit Minùs placet magis quod suadetur quod disuadetur placet Cum inopia cupias quando copia est tum non velis Ille qui appellit is compellit Jlle qui consuadet vetat Insanum est malum in hospitium devorti ad Cupidinem Love is litle better then meere Madnesse for they that are possest with it are so humorsome and Inconstant in their desires that they know not themselves what they would have what they are perswaded to that they cannot endure to heare of and what they are disswaded from that they make choice of What is denied them that they earnestly desire and when 't is offered them then they refuse it c. And the reason of this distemperature in the Mind of a Lover is saith Aristotle because that he is wholy governed by his Passions which stop and hinder all passage to his reason which only is able to set him againe in the right way to Vertue from which he is now gone astray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that lives saith he according to his PassioÌ„s wil never hearken to any man that shall reprove him or disswade him from it neither indeed if he should hearken to it would he be able to understand it So Tibullus sware many times and promised his friend that he would never look upon his Mistresse agen yet for all that he could not forbeare Iuravi quoties rediturum ad limina nunquam Cùm benè juravi pes tamen ipse redit Oft have I sworne I 'de never see her more Yet still my feet betray me to her doore The breaking of their oathes in these matters they make no account of at all presuming perhaps upon that false Opinion that the Heathens held concerning perjury in Lovers which they believed the Gods easily pardoned in them as being in that state like litle foolish children without the use either of Iudgement or Reason We must then as P. Aegineta and Avicen advise us watch for a fit oportunity to give them some gentle admonitions For in time saith Galen Passions may weare away but not alwaies whensoever a man pleaseth For it is here saith Chrysippus just as it is with those that runne in plaine ground who can stop themselves in the midst of their course whensoever they please because that the weight of their own bodies drives them on no farther But if they take their course downe some Precipice or steep hill they cannot then stop themselves from falling when they please the weight of their owne bodies still forcing them on farther So in like manner when as Reason is the cause of the motions of the mind it is an easy matter to rule and order them as we list But when either Lust or Anger Passions which are very intractable and unruly and may therefore be fitly resembled to the heavinesse of the body falling downe a Precipice joyne their forces together they cannot so easily be check't on the suddaine and at pleasure but must bee gently dealt withall and corrected by degrees We must then watch our opportunity for to fit our selyes with this and all other remedies For opportunity is the very soule and perfection of Physique 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must also endeavour if possibly we can to convert his Love either into late or Iealousy by perswading him that his Mistresse doth not love him so well â—s she makes him beleive she does and that all her entermaintments favours kisses dalliances and embraces are only Baites and Enticements to keep him in continuall slavery otherwise she would more easily and willingly yeild to satisfy his desires for that true Love is to wish all good to the party beloved that may cause either his contentment or profit and not their owne only and so likewise to be greived and