and remember anything wee hang downe the head and rub the hinder part which sheweth very well that the imagination lieth before and the memorie behinde Men haue very often marked The fift that if the hinder part of the head be hurt the memorie is lost at the very same time The sixt I will adde further for the more strengthning of the side of the Arabians that the fashion and widenes of the ventricles of the braine doe serue to poynt out with the finger the places of these three faculties The fourth ventricle is somewhat sharpe poynted to the end that formes may be the better vnited and that the reflexe thereof may the more fully cast it selfe vpon the third wherein reason lodgeth the two first are the widest for that they receiue the first obiects which are not as yet refined that in the middest was fittest for reason because it might receiue the images or formes of the two first and hauing forgotten them might seeke them out as it were in her most close and secret place of custodie contriued for that end behinde Finally The seuenth that which hath made the Arabians to stand so stiffelie in their opinion and to maintaine that these three faculties haue euery one their seuerall lodging is because they haue oftentimes obserued that one of these three may be hurt and not the other the imagination is very oft corrupted the reason standing sound and intier and contrariewise how many franticke and melancholike men be there which discourse very excellently notwithstanding their foolish and vaine imaginations Galen writeth two histories of two franticke men the one of which had his imagination troubled and his reason sound the other his reason troubled and his imagination sounde Wee see an infinite number which haue vtterly lost their memorie and yet faile not to discourse very well Thucidides mencioneth that in that great plague which dispeopled almost al Greece there were moe thē a million which forgot euery thing euen to their owne name and yet notwithstanding did not thereupon become fooles Messala Coruinus in his recouerie of a certaine sicknes did not remember his own name Trapezontius was very wise whilest he was young but drawing neere vnto old age he quite forgot all Seeing therefore that one of these faculties may be hurt without the other we must beleeue that euery of them hath his particular place The conclusiō If it were committed to me to giue iudgement in this controuersie I should say that the Greekes had plaide the more subtile Philosophers and that their opinion is the more true but that that of the Arabians will euer be more followed of the common people for that it hath in it a greater shew of euident cleerenes I will not draw on this disputation to any greater length it is enough for me to make it appeare that the minde hath three most excellent faculties al which lodge within the braine and cause man to appeare more admirable then any other creature which inable him also to gouerne all the world and which giue him the title of a sociable and politike liuing creature CHAP. II. That this liuing creature full of the image of God is now and then so farre abased and corrupted in his nature with an infinit number of diseases that he becommeth all like vnto a beast COmming to extoll man vnto the highest degree and step of his glorie beholde him I pray thee the best furnished and most perfect of all other liuing creatures hauing as I haue sayd in his soule the image of God and in his bodie the modell of the whole world The miserie of mankinde And now I intend to set him out vnto thee as the most caitife and miserable creature that is in the world spoyled of all his graces depriued of iudgement reason and counsaile enemie of men and of the Sun straying and wandring in solitarie places to bee briefe so altered and chaunged as that he is no more a man as not retaining any thing more then the very name The minde alone corrupted the body standing sound This alteration is seene oftentimes in the soule alone the bodie standing sound and without blemish as when a man by his malicious will becomming an apostate and reuolt defaceth the ingrauen forme of the Deitie and commeth by the filth of sinne to defile the holy temple of God when through an vnruly appetite he suffereth himselfe to be carried in such headlong wise after his passions either of choler enuie or gluttonie as that he becommeth more outragious then a lyon more fierce then a tyger and more filthie and contēptible then a swine I goe not about to redresse this deformitie I leaue the discourse for the learned Diuines Yea and if a man doe but take some paines in morall Philosophie to reade it he shall finde right holesome precepts for the staying and brideling of these foolish passions The minde corrupted through a corrupt bodie I come to the other deformitie which is violently throwne vpon man and may happen vnto the most religious being when the bodie which is as it were the vessell of the soule is so greatly altered and corrupted as that all the noblest faculties of the same are likewise corrupted the sences seeme all of them to wander and goe astray euery motion to be out of order the imagination troubled the reason foolish and rash the memorie altogether giuen to let slip and flie away whatsoeuer it should retaine The first deformitie deserueth correction as comming of a malicious minde and voluntarie action but as for this which is constrained and violently inflicted by diseases it deserueth to bee weighed of euery one with a tender and charitable compassion The diseases assailing our minde But the diseases which doe most sharply assaile our mindes and captiuate and make them thrall vnto the two inferiour powers are three the frensie madnes and melancholie Looke vpon the deedes of frentike and mad men thou shalt not find therein any thing worthie of a man he biteth he shriketh he belloweth out a wilde and sauadge voyce rowleth about his fierie eyes setteth vp his haire runneth himselfe headlong into euery thing indifferently and very oft murthereth himselfe See how melancholike men do now and then so cast downe and abase themselues as that they become companions to the brute beasts and haue no pleasure to bee any where but in solitarie places I am about to describe him out vnto thee in most liuely manner and then thou shalt iudge what a maner of man he is The liuely description of a melancholike person The melancholike man properly so called I meane him which hath the disease in the braine is ordinarilie out of heart alwaies fearefull and trembling in such sort as that he is afraid of euery thing yea and maketh himselfe a terrour vnto himselfe as the beast which looketh himselfe in a glasse he would runne away and cannot goe he goeth alwaies sighing troubled with
of man consisteth in the knowledge of God But there is none of the other sences that giueth vs better directions for the same then the sight The inuisible things of God saith the Apostle are manifested and made knowne vnto vs by the visible This first and principall cause which is infinite and incomprehensible cannot be knowne but by his effects Moses neuer knew how to see God otherwise then vpon the backe and hinder parts for from his countenance proceeded such a shining brightnes as that it did altogether dasâ—e his sight A thing worthie to be considered of Atheists Come hither then thou Atheist whosoeuer thou art set on worke this noble sence thoroughly to view this excellent and perfect workemanship of God this huge masse which containeth all things Lift vp thy sight vp on high from whence thou hast taken thy beginning Behold the throne of his Maiestie which is heauen the most complet and fully furnished of all his corporall and sensible workes looke vpon ths infinite number of burning fires in the same and among the rest those two great flames which shew vs light the one by day and the other by night Marke the gloriousnes of the Sunne when it ariseth how it stretcheth forth his beames in a moment from the one end of the world vnto the other and how at night it sinketh his chariot in the Ocean Sea Consider the variable disposition of the Moone in changing her face and shape the diuerse motions of the Planets which moue continuallie with an incredible swiftnes and equalnes and that in such sort as that they neuer strike one vpon another If thou be ashamed to looke vp to Heauen for feare of being constrained to confesse a Deitie then cast downe thine eyes vpon the waters or earth see and marke in the Sea a great wonder how continually it threatneth the earth and yet neuer ouerfloweth it how it swalloweth vp all the riuers of the world and swelleth neuer a whit the more neither hath it been seene thereby to passe his limits Weigh with thy selfe how the earth hangeth in the ayre and so beareth vp it selfe notwithstanding the huge massines of the same Call to minde the differences of liuing creatures which are all most perfect in their kindes the beautie of stones the infinite number of plants the which are not lesse variable then admirable for their properties If all this cannot stir thee vp to the acknowledgement of this first and principall cause if thy delight draw thee away and steale from thee that time which thou oughtest to spend in the due consideration of such a manifold varietie then come hither I will shew thee in lesse then nothing the summe and briefe of the great world the head and chiefe of all that euer God wrought the pourtraiture of the vniuersall world that then being rauished with so merueilous and cunning a peece of worke thou mayst be constrained to crie out with the great Magician Zoroaster O man thou wonder and vttermost endeuour of nature I will not at this time set before thine eyes any more then the head in as much as the cleere signes and markes of the diuine nature doe shine therein most euidently View well this royall palace within without and throughout behold the cunning workemanship of the braine the three pillars which beare vp the roofe of this magnificent buildings as an Atlas supporting the Heauens with his shoulders beholde also his foure closets or cels wherein the principall powers of the minde if we will beleeue the Arabians are lodged as for example the imagination in the two formost the reason in the middlemost and the memorie in that which is hindermost obserue moreouer his christallike cleere looking glasse his admirable net which like to an intricate labyrinth is wouen of a million of small arteries interlaced and wrought one within another in which the spirits are prepared and refined the originall of sinews the siluer thred and his incredible fecunditie in the bringing forth of sinewes the chanels and water pipes through which the excrements of the braine are purged But and if thou will not be kept vp within this royall pallace come forth and thou shalt see in the forepart of the head these two bright shining Starres the two looking glasses of the Soule as those that shadow out vnto vs all the passions of the same thou wilt admire their beautifull christalline humor which is more cleere and pure then any orientall pearles the pollished and exquisite garnish of the coats the marueilous nimblenes of the muscles but especially of the amorous pulley On the sides thou shalt see the eares which will no lesse astonish thee for is it not a wittie exploite of nature to close vp in so small a hole a drumme hard laced hauing on the hinder part two small strings and three little bones resembling a forge a hammer and a stirrop three small muscles and a labyrinth contayning the inward ayre two windowes round after the fashion of an egge one nerue and one gristlie vessell which stretching it selfe to the roofe of the mouth causeth that goodly sympathie or mutuall suffering which is betwixt the instruments of hearing and speaking And what wilt thou say to that little peece of flesh which moueth it selfe a hundred thousand waies like vnto an Eele I meane the tongue which is the reuealer of all our conceits the principall messenger of the minde which singeth as saith the Apostle praise vnto his Creatour and oftentimes curseth men which rauisheth bendeth thundreth encourageth the generous minde to fight which hath power to destroy and ouerturne most florishing Empyres and to set them againe in their former state To be short O thou Atheist consider at once and all together if thou be not disposed to take the paines with euery part by it selfe the beautie and maiestie shining in such sort in the face as that it causeth all other liuing things to tremble thereat shalt thou not finde therein some sparkles or rather I know not what bright beames of the Deitie Shalt thou not therein also finde the markes and engrauen forme of the Creator And hauing viewed the whole proportion or the same shalt thou not whether thou wilt or no be constrayned to crie with the kingly Prophet Thy hands O Lord haue fashioned me I will magnifie thee as long as I liue How surpassing excellent then is the sight seeing that in acquainting vs with so many wonderfull things and such diuersitie of obiects it leadeth vs as it were by the hand vnto the knowledge of God The second proofe of the excellencie of the sight The second poynt declaring vnto vs the excellencie of the sight is the meanes of his operation which is altogether liuely for the sight performeth his office at an instant and that in places farre remoued and distant without mouing it selfe from place to place I intend to the end that euery one may know the perfection of this sence to compare the same
braine and of a merueilous simpathy with the same will suffer first of all The euill disposition of the eye weakeneth the sight very oft although that the facultie be intire and strong Such disposition is found sometimes in the whole eye as when it is too fat and great or too small and leane sometimes in some speciall parts thereof as in the tunicle humors muscles spirits sinewes veines and arteries vnto euery of which doe happen their particular diseases which I will runne through in the chapter following The sight depraued and falsified The corrupting or falsifying of the sight falleth out when the obiect sheweth it selfe to be of another colour forme quantitie or situation then it is as for example if a white thing should shew yellow or red because the instrument of sight is tainted with some colour this it is which maketh them that haue the yellow Iaundise to see euery thing yellow when the thing which standeth fast seemeth to moue as it falleth out in them which haue the disease called Vertigo through the disordered and extraordinarie mouing of the spirits and when one single thing seemeth two and this falleth out either through default of the instrument or through the euill situation of the obiect or of the eyebeames If both the eyes be not in one and the same leuell but that the one be high and the other low out of doubt euery thing which they behold will shew double the causes hereof are oftentimes a palsie in the one and a conuulsion in the other The nerue opticke also being relaxed and mollified on the one side causeth all things that are looked vpen to seeme double as it happeneth to such as are drunke If you presse and beare downe the one eye with your finger not touching the other you shall see euery thing double of which missight the situation of the instrument is the principall cause and the situation of the obiect is the next As if you whirle a staffe round about you would thinke that it were a circle and if long wise you would iudge it to be nothing but a long stretched line which happeneth by the swift mouing of the obiect out of his place for so before the first figure be worne out a second commeth into his place The last cause consisteth in the diuerse situation of the eye beames as if you looke yourselfe in a crackt looking glasse your face will seeme two faces vnto you The losse of the sight The vtter losse and depriuation of the sight which we call blindnes commeth either of the drinesse of the humors or of the hindring of the two lights that they cannot meete and ioyne together in the christalline humour The inward which is the animall spirit is hindred by the obstruction of the nerue opticke and this disease is called gutta serena the outward is hindred by the cataract which shutteth the apple of the eye the window of the christalline humour Therefore the sight cannot be hurt but by one of these three waies CHAP. XII A briefe rehearsall of all the diseases of the eye I Doe not intend here to trouble my mind in drawing forth an exquisite description of all the diseases of the eye the attempt would be too great and I could not make so few as twentie chapters of the same seeing there are so many particular diseases of the eye I will content my selfe to lay out the way and best ordered course thereunto for the benefite of young Phisitions and Chirurgeons for whose sake I haue made choice of this chapter The diuision of the diseases of the eye Now then as concerning the diseases of the eye some of them are common to the whole member some others are proper vnto some particular part of the same Those which concerne the whole eye are either similar or instrumentall or common The similar ones are the moyst the drie the hote the colde distemperature The diseases to be referred to the whole eye as also the simple the compound the distemperature without matter and that which is accompanied with matter The instrumentall doe shew themselues in the euill shape of the eye as when it is ouer great or ouer little or not so situate as were requisite for comelines and vse The diseases comming of the bignes of it are when the eye is either too great or too little The greatnes of the eye the great eye is called the oxe eye it hindereth the action of the eye for the sight is not so quicke by reason of the excessiue expence of spirits neither is it so readie in motion The cause of this greatnes is either the error of the first forme and shape committed by nature or else some accident whether flegmatike humor or inflammation or else some great fluxe of humours falling down vpon the same The disease contrarie to this The smalnes of the eye is the smalnes of the eye which either is the worke of nature and is called the Pigges eye or else happeneth by some other meanes as by wasting of the naturall heate by suffering of intollerable paines much watchings sharpe rhewmes and continuall agues in such cases the whole eye being weakened it attracteth not his naturall nourishment or though it doe yet it cannot concoct it and this disease is called the pining away or leanenes of the eye The eye bolted out The diseases of situation is when the eye is out of his place as when it commeth out and when it falleth quite downe if it come forth it is called a falling out of the eye in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auicen obserueth that it happeneth either of an outward cause as of a blowe a fall or straine in coughing vomiting blowing or of an inward cause as of some suddaine falling down of humors which looseth all the muscles and whole bodie of the eye or of a great inflammation or other humor Solution of continuitie The common disease is called the solution of continuitie which happeneth when the eye is burst or when all the humours thereof are mingled and iumbled together Loe these be the diseases which may be referred to the whole bodie of the eye for the diseases called Nictalopia Myopiasis and Amblyopia are Symptomes touching onely the spirits or humors and not the whole eye The particular diseases of the eye The particular diseases differ according to the parts of the eye Now we haue alreadie obserued for parts of the eye the humors coates sinews and muscles of the same so then there are diseases proper vnto euery one of these parts I will begin to describe those which happen to the humours as being the noblest parts of the eye as also because Galen in his booke of the causes of accidents hath taken the same course The disease of the christalline humour Glaucoma The christalline humour is subiect to all maner of disease but the most vsuall is a drie distemperature and his going out of his place
His drie distemperature is the cause of an accident which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a shrinking together and drienes of the christalline humour thereby becomming as it were white Hippocrates in his third booke of Aphorismes obserueth that this disease doth seldome happen but to olde folke and wee iudge it incurable The christalline may shift out of his place many waies for either it may shift to either side or rise higher or fall lower or it may shrinke further into the eye or come forward toward the forepart of the eye Howsoeuer it remoue and shift The accidents that fall out when the christalline humor is remoued out of his place it hurteth the sight very much if it bee sunke farre backe into the eye it causeth that wee cannot behold things which are neere at hand if it be set too forward it letteth from seeing a farre off if it be more to the one side or to the other we see a squint and when it is too high or too low euery thing seemeth two because they are not leuell The diseases of the watrie humour The waterish humour being also a part as well as the others hath his particular diseases If it be too much dried as it falleth out very oft in cataracts it taketh the sight cleane away If his store be greatly diminished the christalline humour drieth the grape-like coate withereth the hornie membrane shrinketh and the outward light is not rebated As concerning the glassie humour writers haue not noted any diseases properly belonging thereto but in my iudgement it is subiect to the same affects that the waterish both in his temperature substance and quantitie The diseases of the coates The tunicles of the eye are sixe but there are not any moe then three which haue been noted to haue particular diseases that is to say the coniunctiue the hornie and the grape-like for no man hath designed any vnto the cobweb-like net-like or glassie one The diseases of the white coate Inflammation The diseases proper vnto the coniunctiue are three inflammation the naile called in Latine Pterigium and mortification The inflammation of this membrane is sometime so sleight as that it healeth of it self and then it is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cause thereof is for the most part outward as smoke winde the Sunne dust open ayre the smell of onyons if this inflammation be greater it is absolutely called Ophthalmia if it bee very great in so much as that it causeth the white to be very much puffed vp and thereby the apple of the eye to seeme to stand in a hollow the Greekes doe call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are inflammations proceeding of blood others proceeding of choler others of fleagme The differences of the inflammation of the the eye and some of melancholie Galen speaketh both of moyst drie ones Hippocrates of symptomatical and criticall ones Trallian of such as are accompanied with a consumption and such as are not of maligne ones such as are vsuall in the plague time such as are not maligne of continuall ones and such as keepe ordinary returnes The naile The second kind of disease is called Pterigium This is a sinewy flesh which beginneth to grow most commonly at the great corner of the eye and from thence spreadeth it selfe like a wing vnto the apple of the eye it is also sometime like vnto a naile it followeth very often the inflammations that are not orderly cured it is accompanied with some itching as also with a little rednes and with some teares The seuerall sorts of it There are many kindes of it which are all distinguished either by their colour or manner of fastning of themselues or by their substance or greatnes As for the difference of colour there are white red and yellowish ones They differ in respect of their fastning because some sticke fast and close to whereas others doe suffer themselues to bee easily separated They differ in substance because some are thicke and some thin some soft some hard some membranous like skinnes some fatty and like vnto grease and some varicous which are like vnto a net knit and made of many small veines and arteries The bignes maketh the last difference for some are so small that they passe not the white othersome so great as that they reach vnto the apple of the eye and doe greatly hinder the sight The third and last disease proper to the white tunicle Mortification is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blacknes or the mortification of the eye Paulus Aegineta and Aetius had defined it a bursting of the veines of the eye which causeth the blood to settle it selfe all vnder the white tunicle and the hornie also making all things seeme red vnto the eye The cause hereof is ordinarily outward as some blow or fall sometimes it is inward as the fulnes of the veines and the thinnesse of the blood There are some other diseases of the white tunicle as pustules and white spots in maner of a skarre but they are common with this vnto the hornie membrane The diseases of the hornie membrane Pustules The diseases of the hornie membrane are pustules common maligne and cankerous vlcers the retention of purulent matter called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the skarre and the rupture The pustules are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Grecians and Bothor of the Arabians These are like vnto little bladders proceeding of a thin and waterish humour which gathereth amongst the small skinnes of the hornie membrane and setteth them vpon the stretch The diuers sorts of pustules Their differences are knowne by their colour for some are blacke and therefore growing betwixt the first and second leafe and some are white and do grow betwixt the third and fourth leafe They differ in situation because some are more superficiall and others more deepe They differ in respect of matter because some doe rise of a cholericke humour others of a cleere and thinne water Vlcers commonly happening in the hornie membrane If the purulent matter continue long after that the pustules bee broken it maketh an vlcer in the hornie membrane The Phisitions both Greeke and Arabian make seuen sorts of vlcers three inward and foure outward the first of the inward is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three vlcers within the hornie membrane of Paulus Aegineta and Auicen annulus of others Fossula that is to say a small streite hollow vlcer hauing no matter in it the second is wider and not so deepe Paulus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auicen lilimie the third is very filthie and croustie the Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabians Alficume The outward vlcers are foure The foure vlcers in the vtter part of the horny membrane the first is like vnto a grosse smoke and maketh the apple of the eye blacke they call it 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second is more white and deepe and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third is round and appeareth in the circle of the eye this is Paulus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fourth and last is very filthie of the colour of ashes much like to a locke of wooll which is the cause that Auicen calleth it the woollie vlcer Galen was the first that obserued all these differences in a little treatise of the eyes but hee gaue not particular names to euery of them The correcting of a peece of text in Galen and throughout this whole treatise there is one notorious fault to be found which is that this word inward is alwaies put for the word outward and contrariwise Manardus hath gone about to carpe at Auicen for notes of difference which hee hath set downe about these vlcers but hee hath no iust reason so to doe There grow other vlcers in the hornie membrane which are maligne and are tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maligne vlcers and these fret and spread vnto the muscles and eyelids There are also in the horny membrane cankerous vlcers accompanied with pricking paines Cankerous vlcers these are bred of a sharpe and melancholike humour being of the nature of a canker The skar is a disease of the horny membrane A skarre in the hornie membrane Hypopion for it taketh from it his colour and cleerenes making it altogether white it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Albuge Hipopion commeth very neere vnto it for it is a collection of purulent water possessing the blacke of the eye Rupture in the hornie membrane Lastly the hornie membrane is sometimes bursten and then it causeth a disease which is proper vnto the grape-like coate which we will describe hereafter The diseases of the grape-like coate In the grape-like tunicle we are to consider a bodie and a hole which is the apple of the eye the body or substance of it hath a particular disease which is the falling downe of the same the apple of the eye is subiect vnto three notable diseases which are the excessiue widenes and narrownes of the same and the cataract The falling down of Vnea is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The falling downe of Vnea which cannot happen without the bursting or fretting asunder of the hornie membrane which is made to serue in stead of a barre vnto it the rupture of Cornea is almost alwaies of an outward cause but the fretting a sunder of the same is of an inward Foure kinds of the foresaid disease There are ordinarily made foure kindes of this falling downe of Vnea which differ only in greatnes for if it doe fall downe but a very little it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head of a flie but of Auicen Formicalis if yet it fall downe more and as it were to the greatnes of the skin of a grape it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if yet is fal down further and hang as it were a little apple it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if vnto all this it grow hard and been me brawnie it shal be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clauns The diseases of the apple of the eie The apple of the eye hath three diseases for either it becommeth too broade or too narrow or else altogether shut vp The ouer much broadnes called of the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The disease Mydâ—iasis is a disease of the instrument because that the hollownes thereof is greater then it ought Galen maketh two kinde of this dilatation the one naturall the other accidental both of them doe hurt and hinder the sight very greatly because the inward light doth spend it selfe too fast and as Auicen sayth the formes of things are not receiued so quickely and sharpely as they should The causes of such dilatation This dilatation commeth of too much narrownes of the grape like tunicle and it is made narrower either by being swelled vp by too much moysture or drawne together by extreame drinesse moisture if it bee without mixture paraliseth the membrane but if it bee ioyned with matter as it is in the tumours abscesses and other fluxes falling vpon the eye then it trusseth it vp as it were into a narrower roome Drynesse doth pull in the edges of Vnea making larger the hole as we see parchment that is very drie The disease contrary to this is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The diminution of the apple of the eye the consumption or straitnes of the apple of the eye that which is according to nature is very auaileable tor the sight but that which is accidentary doth no good but hurteth alwaies the cause hereof is the falling together of the edges of the grape-like coate it shrinketh together through great store of moisture which is no where else but on the side of the hole or else by reason of the wasting of the waterish humor which filled all this space The Cataract The last disease of the apple of the eye is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Arabians a drop or water of the common people a Cataract or a pinne and a web We define it to be an obstruction of the apple of the eye caused of an vnnaturall humour which hauing fallen downe thither groweth thicker by little and little betwixt the hornie membrane and the christalline humour The cause of the Cataract The next cause thereof called the continent cause is an vnnaturall humour and herein it differeth from Glaucoma which happeneth through the congelation of the naturall humors of the eye this humour at the first floweth like water but in the end it thickneth and resembleth more an earthie substance This is the cause why Paulus in his third booke defineth a Cataract or suffusion by this word effusion and in his sixt booke by this word concretion or congelation in the first place speaking of that which was the beginning of the disease and in the second of that whereunto it was growne This humour The place where the humour causing the Cataract is setled if we will beleeue Halyabbas Haly and Azarauius is gathered betwixt the grape-like coate and the christalline humour but if we had rather beleeue Auicen Mesue and Albucasis wee must thinke that it gathereth betwixt the hornie and grape-like tunicle As for my selfe I thinke it may abide in all that space which is from the inner part of the hornie coate euen vnto the christalline humour and that it oftentimes mixeth it selfe with the waterish humour This web or spot doth hinder the sight many waies for if it stop all the apple of the eye which is the window of the eye the sight is cleere lost if there be but one part of the window shut as the right or left the vpper or nether the eye will then see the obiects that shall be set before
were asleepe because the substance of their braine is too thicke and the spirits laboured therein too grosse these are no fit men for the vndergoing of weightie affaires neither apt to conceiue of profound mysteries a bed and a pot full of pottage is fitted for them Whereunto the sanguine complexion is inclined The sanguine persons are borne for to be sociable and louers of companie they are as it were alwaies in loue they loue to laugh and bee pleasant this is the best complexion for health and long life because that it hath the two maine pillars of life which are naturall heate and moysture in greatest measure and yet such folke are not the fittest for great exployts nor yet for high and hard attempts because they bee impatient and cannot belong in doing about one thing being for the most part drawne away either by their sences or els by their delights whereto they are naturally addicted Cholerike persons being hote and drie haue a quicke vnderstanding The properties of a cholerike persons abounding with many sleight inuentions for they seldome sound any deepe and hidden secrets it fitteth not their fist to graple with such businesses as require continuance of time and paines of the bodies they cannot be at leisure their bodies and spirits doe let them their spirits are soone spent by reason of their thinnesse and their weake bodies cannot indure much watching I will adde also that one thing which Aristotle mentioneth in his Ethickes as that they loue change of things and for this cause are not so fit for consultations of great importance The melancholike are accounted as most fit to vndertake maters of weightie charge and high attempt That melancholike persons are ingenious and wittie Aristotle in his Problemes sayth that the melancholike are most wittie and ingenious but we must looke that we vnderstand this place aright for there are many sorts of melancholie That there are three sorts of melancholie there is one that is altogether grosse and earthie cold and drie there is another that is hot and adust men call it atrabilis there is yet another which is mixed with some small quantitie of blood and yet not withstanding is more drie then moyst The first sort which is grosse and earthie maketh men altogether grosse and slacke in all their actions both of bodie and minde fearefull sluggish and without vnderstanding it is commonly called Asse-like melancholie the second sort being hote and burnt doth cause men to be outragious and vnfit to be imployed in any charge There is none then but that which is mixed with a certaine quantitie of blood that maketh men wittie and causeth them to excell others Why melancholike men are wittie The reasons hereof are very plaine the braine of such melancholike persons is neither too soft nor too hard and yet it is true that drynes doth beare the sway therein But Heraclitus oftentimes said that a drie light did make the wifest minde there are but small store of excrements in their braine their spirits are most pure and are not easilie wasted they are hardly drawne from their purpose and meaning their conceit is very deepe their memorie very fast their bodie strong to endure labour and when this humour groweth hot by the vapours of blood it causeth as it were as kinde of diuine rauishment commonly called Enthousiasma which stirreth men vp to plaie the Philosophers Poets and also to prophesie in such maner as that it may seeme to containe in it some diuine parts See here the effects of the foure complexions and how they may all foure be within the bounds of health It is not then of these sound melancholike persons that we speake in this treatise We will intreate onely of the sicke and such as are pained with the griefe which men call melancholie which I am now about to describe CHAP. IIII. The definition of Melancholie and all the differences of it DIseases commonly take their names either from the place which they seaze vpon or of some irkesome accident accompanying them Whence melancholie tooke his name or of the cause which causeth them Melancholie marcheth in his hinder-most ranke for this name was giuen it because it springeth of a melancholike humour Wee will define as other good authors doe a kinde of dotage without any serue hauing for his ordinarie companions feare and sadnes without any apparant occasion Dotage in this definition standeth for the Genus the Greekes call it more properlie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Delirium The diuerse sorts of dotage There are two sorts of dotage the one without a feuer the other with a feuer that which is ioyned with a feuer is either continuall and haunteth the sicke continually or else it taketh him at certaine times distinguisht by distance that which is continuall is properly called frensie and it commeth either through the inflammation of the muscles called Diaphragma and this is the cause why the auncient Greeke writers do call the said muscle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dotage which commenth by fit happeneth commonly in burning agues and in the stage or full strength of feuers tertains and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other sort of dotage is without a feauer and it is either accompanied with rage and furie and then it is called Mania or madnes or else with feare and sadnes and then it is caled melancholie Melancholie therefore is a dotage What dotage is not coupled with an ague but with feare and sadnes We call that dotage when some one of the principall faculties of the minde as imagination or reason is corrupted All melancholike persons haue their imagination troubled for that they deuise with themselues a thousand fantasticall inuentions and obiects which in deede are not at all they haue also verie oft their reason corrupted Why melancholie is not accompanied with a feuer Wherefore we cannot make any doubt whether melancholie be a dotage or no but it is ordinarylie without a feuer because the humour is drie and hath these two qualities coldenes and drynes which are altogether contrarie vnto putrefaction so that there cannot any putrisied vapour breath out of them no more then there doth out of meere ashes which might be conueyed to the heart there to kindle the fire and procure a feauer Feare and sadnes are vnseperable companions of this miserable griefe for some reasons which I will set downe in the chapter following Beholde here the description of melancholie as it is a symptome or accident which hath relation to some action hurt and hindered that is to say to the imagination and reason depraued and corrupted This accident is as it were an effect of some cause and dependeth immediatlie vpon a disease for as the shadow followeth the bodie euen so the symptome followeth and accompanieth the disease Melancholie is a similar disease All the Phisitions both Greekes and Arabians doe thike that the cause of this accident
is a similar disease that is to say a cold and drie distemperature of the braine The braine then is the part grieued and hurt How that in it the temperature of the braine is hurt but that not by reason of any misshapednes of the same either by any tumour against nature neither yet by any thing oppressing or obstructing his ventricles as it happeneth in the Apoplexie and falling sicknes but in his proper substance and temperature the temperature is corrupted it is become too drie and colde How it commeth to passe that melancholike men fall into the falling sicknes Hippocrates hath obserued the same in his Epidemikes and Aphorismes very excellently Such saith he as haue the falling sicknes become melancholike and such as are menlancholicke fall into the falling sicknes according as the menlancholike humour doth possesse the ventricles or the substance of the braine if this humour corrupt the temperature which he calleth the minde because that it seemeth that the most excellent powers of the minde doe execute their functions by the helpe of this temperature without doubt it will cause melancholie but if it shut vp it selfe in the ventricles and cauities of the braine it will cause the falling sicknes because the ventricles being stuffed and the spirit not being able to passe freely to the sinewes the braine draweth it selfe together thereby to enlarge his ventricles and in this retraction doth equallie and as much draw and pull his great tayle from whence all the sinewes doe arise as it selfe and thus thereupon ariseth an vniuersall conuulsion I take it that the definition of melancholie is made cleere and plaine enough by this little discourse Now let vs come to the differences and diuers sorts thereof The differences of melancholie There are three kindes of melancholie the one commeth of the onely and sole fault of the braine the other sympatheticallie proceedeth from the whole bodie when as the whole temperature and constitution of the bodie is melancholike the third ariseth from amongst the bowels but especially from the spleene liuer and the membrance called mesenterium The first is called simplie and absolutelie by the name of melancholie the latter is called the windie melancholie with an addition The first is the most tedious of all the rest it vexeth the patient continuallie affoording little or no breathing whiles vnto him that which riseth from amongst the bowels doth handle the grieued nothing so roughlie it hath his periods oftentimes making truce with the diseased The first hath many degrees of afflicting if it haue nothing in it extraordinarie it shall not alter his name but and if it fall out to affect the partie altogether with sauage conditions it shall be called Wolues melancholie if with raging and violent passion of loue Knights melancholie The flatuous or windie melancholie hath also his degrees for there is some sorts of it but easie and light and there are other some that are very fierce and violent And now intending to handle all these sorts in order I will begin with that which hath his seate in the braine CHAP. V. Of melancholie which hath his proper seate in the braine of all accidents which doe accompanie the same and the causes of feare sadnes watchings fearefull dreames and other Symptomes THat melancholie with commeth of the drie cold distemperature of the braine is ordinarilie accompanied with so manifold and tedious accidents that it should stirre vp euery one to be moued with pitie and compassion for the bodie is not onely cast into a traunce but the minde is yet a great deale more violently set on the racke The accidents happening to melancholike persons For here beholde all the tirannous excecutioners and tormentors of melancholie feare keepeth companie with it day by day and now and then assayleth the partie with such an astonishment as that he is made afraide and becommeth a terror vnto himselfe sadnes doth neuer forsake him suspition doth secretly gall him sighings watchings fearefull dreames silence solitarynes bashfulnes and the abhorring of the Sun are as it were vnseparable accidents of this miserable passion Here we haue ample occasion administred to enter into some Philosophicall discourses and for pleasure sake I minde to recreate my selfe in searching out all the causes of these accidents beginning with that of feare The greatest Phisitions are at controuersie from whence this feare in melancholike persons should come Why melancholike men are alwaies afraide Galen his reason Galen imputeth all vnto the colour which is blacke and thinketh that the spirits being made wilde and the substance of the braine as it were cloudie and darke all the obiects thereof appeare terrible and that the minde is in continuall darkenes And euen as wee see the night doth bring with it some maner of feare not onely to children but sometimes also to the most confident Auerrhoes mocketh Galen euen so melancholike persons hauing in their braine a continuall night are in vncessant feare Auerrhoes that had deeper insight in Philosophie then same for his skill in Phisicke and being the sworne enemie of Galen The colour of the humour is not the cause of feare The first reason laugheth to scorne this reason The colour saith he cannot be the cause of this feare because colours can alter nothing but the eyes being onely the obiect of the sight so that the minde can see nothing without the eyes But there is neuer an eye in the braine how then can it finde it selfe agrieued at the blacknes of the melancholike humour seeing that it cannot see it The second I adde for the more confirmation of Auerrhoes his argument that the blacknes of the colour is so farre from being any cause of this feare in melancholike persons as that it is rather that colour which they most loue as being enemies to Sun and light and following darkenes altogether seeking after shadowed places walking often in the night and that with greater boldnes then vpon the day The third Furthermore madnes is caused of an humour as blacke as that which causeth melancholie for the humour called blacke choler is altogether blacke and glistning like pitch and therefore can make blacke the spirits and braine as well as the other But we see it falleth out that mad men are nothing fearefull but rather bolde and furious not taking acknowledgement of any danger as appeareth in their headlong casting of themselues into the deuouring fire The fourth and vpon the murtherous knife Finally if blackenes should be the cause of such feare it should follow on the contrarie that whitenes should make them bolde but how is it then that such as abound with Phlegme are also commonly fearefull the colour therefore cannot be the cause of this feare But saith Auerrhoes Auerrhoes his opinion it must needes be that the cause hereof is the temperature of the melancholike humour which is colde and worketh effects contrarie vnto those of heate Heate maketh men
doe sufficiently witnesse the same Why they be suspicious The accident of suspition followeth the two former hard and close at the heeles the melancholike party is euermore suspicious if he see three or foure talking together he thinketh that it is of him The cause of such suspition riseth of the former feare and of a corrupt kinde of reasoning for being alwaies in feare he thinketh verely that one or other doeth lie in wait for him and that some doe purpose to slay him Melancholike men sayth Aristotle doe deceiue themselues commonly in matters which depend vpon choice for that they oftentimes forget the generall propositions wherein honestie consisteth and chuse rather to follow the motions of their foolish imaginations The cause of their restlesnes They are neuer at rest either in their bodies or in their spirits they can make no answere to such questions as are propounded them they oftentimes change from one kinde to another This disquieting and distracting of themselues ariseth of the diuersitie of matters which they propound and set before themselues for receiuing all maner of formes and stamping them with the print of dislike they are constrained oftentimes to change and to find out new things which being no more acceptable to them then the first doe still continue them in these restles distractions The cause of their sighing Melancholike folke are commonly giuen to sigh because the minde being possessed with great varietie and store of foolish apparitions doth not remember or suffer the partie to bee at leisure to breathe according to the necessitie of nature whereupon she is constrained at once to sup vp as much ayre as otherwise would serue for two or three times and this great draught of breath is called by the name of sighing which is as it were a reduplicating of the ordinary manner of breathing In this order it falleth out with louers and all those which are very busily occupied in some deepe contemplation Sillie fooles likewise which fall into a wonder at the sight of any beautifull and goodly picture are constrained to giue a great sight their will which is the efficient cause of breathing being altogether distracted and wholly possessed with the sight of the image Why they watch and can not sleepe There is yet another accident which is very tedious and euen consumeth these poore melancholike men euen continuall watchings I haue seene some that haue abode three whole moneths without sleepe The causes of sleepe Now the causes of such watchings are easie enough to vnderstand if wee know what it is which causeth vs to sleepe Men are giuen to obserue in sleepe the materiall formall finall and instrumentall cause The materiall is a pleasant vapour which is cast vp from the first and second concoction which whē it commeth to slacken and stop all the sinewes by his moysture it causeth all sence and motion for to cease The finall cause is the repayre of spirits and the rest of all the animall powers which hauing been wearied by continuall labour doe craue a little reliefe and recreation this end cannot be obtained if so bee the minde which setteth all the powers of the bodie on worke be not vouchsafed some maner of peaceable rest in this sort the sillie Dido all ouer whelmed with musing pensiuenes could not espie the approach of night to the shutting vp of her mournfull eyes or easing of her oppressed heart The formall cause of sleepe consisteth in the withdrawing of the spirits and naturall heate from the outward parts to the inward and from all the circumference vnto the center The instrumentall cause is the braine which must be of good temperature for if it be too hot as in frenticke folkes or drie as in old folkes the sleepe will neuer be with peace and quietnes The causes of all that watchfulnes which is in melancholike persons In melancholike persons the materiall is wanting the minde is not at rest the braine is distempered the matter is a melancholike humour drie as ashes from whence cannot arise any pleasant and delightsome vapour the braine is distempered and greatly ouerdried the minde is in continuall restlesnes for the feare that is in them doth continually set before them tedious grieuous things which so gnaw and pinch them as that they hinder them from sleeping But if at one time or other it fall out that they be ouertaken with a little slumber it is then but a troublesome sleepe accompanied with a thousand of false and fearefull apparitions and dreames so dreadfull as that it were better for them to be awake The causes of all these dreames are to bee referred to the propertie of the humour The causes of all their fearefull dreames for as the phlegmatike partre dreameth commonly of riuers of water and the cholerike of flaming fire so the melancholike person dreameth of nothing but dead men graues and all other such mournfull and vnpleasant things because he exerciseth his imaginations with formes altogether like vnto the humour which beareth sway in him vpon which occasion the memorie beginneth to stirre and rouse vp her selfe or else because that the spirits being growne as it were wilde and altogether blacke ranging the braine throughout and bending themselues to the eye doe set before the iamgination all manner of darke and obscure things The cause why they loue darknes Melancholike men are also enemies to the Sunne and shunne the light because that their spirits and humours are altogether contrary to the light The Sunne is bright and warme the melancholike humour is blacke and colde They desire solitarines because they vsing to bee busie and earnestly following their imagination doe feare to bee drawne away by others their presence and therefore doe auoide it but the cause of such their vncessant perseuerance in their imaginations is because their spirits are grosse and as it were immoueable They haue their eyes fixed and as it were set fast by reason of the cold and drines of the instrument they haue a hissing in their cares and oftentimes are troubled with swimmering or giddinesse Why they loue to be silent and as Galen obserueth they loue silence out of measure and oftentimen cannot speake not for any defect of the tongue but rather because of I cannot tell what maner of conceitednes finally they inuent continually some one or other strange imagination and haue in a maner all of them one speciall obiect from which they cannot be weined till time haue worne it out CHAP. VI. Whence it commeth that melancholike persons haue all of them their particular and altogether diuers obiects whereupon they dote THe imagination of melancholike men bringeth forth such diuersitie of effects according to the difference of the matters where about it is occupied as that a man shall searse finde fiue of sixe among then thousand which dote after one and the same maner Whereupon ancient writers haue compared this humour to wine for as wine according
Gourds and of the rootes of Lettuse of each an ounce of the conserue of Roses and Water-lillie of each halfe an ounce of the powder of the colde Diamargaritum a dram of Poppie seede two scruples make thereof an Opiate with the syrupe of Violets Of this you must take at night the quātitie of a chestnut For varietie sake you may make a Marchpane A Marchpane Take of sweete Almonds blanched and washed in hot water and afterward infused in Rosewater a pound and a halfe of white Poppie seede very new and well mundified three ounces of fine Sugar two pound worke them into a paste and with the water of Roses make a Marchpane of this you shall take when you go to sleepe There are in like maner resumptiues Restauratiues or restauratiues of a liquide forme Take the white of a good Capon of water of Roses and Water-lillies of each a quart of Buglosse Purcelane and Sorrell waters of each foure ounces of the powder of colde Diamargaritum two drammes distill all these together in Maries bath The potion may be prescribed after this maner A Potion Take of the syrupe of Violets Apples and Poppie of each halfe an ounce of the powder of Diamargaritum a scruple make hereof a potion with the decoction of Lettuses and Endiue And for such as may delight in a bole this which followeth may serue A Bole. Take of the conserue of Roses three drams of Requies Nicolai one dram and with a little Sugar make a bole Orelse Take of the conserue of the flowers of red Poppie two drammes Pilles of new Treacle one dram and with a little Sugar make a bole If pilles be in request then let there be made as followeth Take of the pilles of Hounds-tongue or of Styrax one scruple let them bee moystned with the syrupe of Apples The Chymists make a Laudanum But in the vse of all these stupefactiue medicines taken inwardly wee must take heed to deale with very good aduise for feare that in stead of desiring to procure rest vnto the sillie melancholike wretch wee cast him into an endlesse sleepe Outwarde meanes to procure sleepe The outward remedies are not altogether so dangerous and wee may frame tenne or twelue sorts of them as head powders frontlets bags emplasters oyntments epithemes nosegaies pomanders and lotions for the legs Take of the flowers of red Poppie and red Roses of each three drams of Lettuse A powder Purcelane and white Poppie seede of each two drams of red Saunders and the seede of Coriander prepared of each a dramme and a halfe make them all into powder and cast it vpon the head the haire being shaued A Frontlet Of the them same powder may a Frontlet bee made putting thereto of the flowers of Water-lillies and a little Margerome You may make great bagges after the fashion of pillowes Bags which shall be filled with the flowers of Roses and the leaues and seedes of white Henbane An Epitheme You may applie this Epitheme vnto the head Take of the distilled waters of Lettuse Sorrell and Roses of each three ounces of the powder of cold Diamargaritum one dram of red Roses and red Saunders two scruples make thereof an Epitheme Let the oyntment bee like vnto this An oyntment Take of populeon halfe an ounce and as much of Galens colling oyntment of oyle of Roses an ounce mixe all together with a little vineger and therwith annoynt the head browes and nostrils You may also make this plaister An Emplaister Take of Castoreum a dram and a halfe of Opium half a scruple mixe both together with a little water of life and make two small plaisters thereof and applie them to the temples You may make Nosegaies of flowers of Violets Nosegaies Roses of Willowe and a little Margerome they must be dipped in rosed vineger and in the juyce of Lettuse and Poppie wherein a little Opium and Camphire hath been dissolued Or else Take two heads of Poppie beat together Nodules tye them vp in three nodules or knots then hauing in readines of Styrax three drams of Rose water sixe ounces and a little Opium dip these nodules in the licour and smell vnto them oftentimes A pomander There may also an Apple be made to smell vnto Take of the seede of Henbane of the rinde of the rootes of Mandrags of the seede of Hemlocke of each one dram of Opium a Scruple of the oyle of Mandrags a little mixe all these with the iuyce of Fumitorie and Houseleeke and make an apple thereof which if you smell vnto it will cause you now and then to sleepe put vnto these to correct them a little Amber and Muske There are some which with good successe doe applie Horseleaches behinde the eares Blood suckers or horseleaches and hauing taken away the Horseleaches they put by little and little a graine of Opium vpon the hole Lotions for the legs Lotions for the legges doe much auaile to cause one to sleepe Take of the leaues of the Orange tree and of Margerome of each a good handfull two heads of white Poppie of Roses and Waterlillie flowers and Camomill of each a pugill boyle them all together in two parts of water and one of white wine and herewith you must wash the thighes and legges of the sicke partie at night letting it be good and hot I thinke that by this meanes you may procure sleepe vnto the most melancholike man in the world It is true that to preuent that these cooling things may not altogether quench that small store of naturall heate that is in them you must cause them to take now and then some cordiall Syrupes or comfortable Opiates And thus much for the cure of that melancholie which chiefly affecteth the braine That melancholie which commeth of a drie distemperature of the whole bodie is cured almost by the same helpes I come therefore vnto the windie melancholie but because there is one kinde of this essentiall melancholy which happeneth through raging and fond loue and that it requireth a speciall maner of curing I will first speake of the same CHAP. X. Of another kinde of melancholie which commeth by the extremitie of loue THere is another kinde of melancholie verie ordinarie and common which the Greeke Phisitions call Erotike The names of amourous melancholie because it commeth of a furie and raging loue the Arabians call it Iliscus and the common sort the diuine Passion imputing the cause thereof to the pettie god which the Poets haue made so great reports of Cadmus Milesius if we may credit Suydas hath written foureteene great volumes of this subiect which are not at this day to be found I will onely make two chapters of it the one describing the maladie the other the remedies I will not here curiously search out the crimologie of loue and why this name Eros was giuen vnto it neither will I vndertake to define it seeing very
these accidents depend vpon the generall cause which I haue set downe but wee must therewithall search and finde out the speciall The heate and burning which they feele on the spleene side on the liuer side and about Mesenterium commeth of the burning of this grosse humour whether it bee flegme or blacke choler which in this his heate comming as it were to boyle is puffed vp and sendeth his vapours into all the parts neere thereabout The noyse which they heare in euery part of their bellie The cause of windines commeth of the winde which doth runne to and fro in euery place and doth so much accompanie this melancholike disease as that for this cause old writers haue intituled it the windie melancholie wee will obserue in the begetting of this windines the materiall and efficient cause The materiall is a grosse blacke cholerike or flegmatike humour The materiall cause These two humours are almost alwaies mixt in this disease because that the liuer being ouerheated as it is ordinarily in Hypochondriake persons attracteth and snatcheth from the stomacke which is his very neere neighbour such meates as are no better then halfe concocted so that there is heaped together a world of crudities within the veines by such attraction of the liuer as also there is made a broode of hot and burnt humours by the distemperature of this noble part in such maner as that thereby is caused to bee continually in the veines some humours that are raw and not sufficiently concocted and other some that are ouer much concocted the crude and scarse disgested was attracted too speedily the ouer much concocted and burnt was begotten in the member it selfe The weakenes of naturall heate is the efficient cause of windines The efficient cause for in mouing and stirring of the matter it is not able to ouercome it throughly and although the agent or naturall heat should be strong enough yet not being like vnto the matter in proportion it may be called weake The cause of heauines The heauines which they feele in their breast commeth either of winde or grosse vapours which beare downe the muscle called Diaphragma the principal muscle of respitatiō or else they pitch themselues vpon the muscles running betwixt rib and rib or lastly within the coates of the ribs either inward or outward and hence come those great tormenting paines which rise vp to the shoulders and goe downe againe oftentimes vnto the armes by the continued proceeding of the membranes and sympathie of the muscles The cause of the water and swilling which they haue within them The water which melancholike persons doe ordinarily auoide at their mouth is one of the most infallible tokens of the Hypochondriake disease if wee will beleeue Diocles the cause thereof must be imputed vnto the coldnes of the stomack which filleth all full of crudities This coldnes commeth of the excessiue heate of the liuer which draweth the chylous matter out of the stomacke altogether vnprepared wasteth and consumeth all the fat of the stomacke and seedeth rauenously like a gulligut vpon the heate of all the parts neere about it I adde further that oftentimes while the humour is neere vnto boyling the crudest parts thereof are cast backe againe into the stomacke and cooleth it in such sort as that wee may obserue therein the two kindes of cold that is to say the priuatiue and the positiue as the Philosophers are wont to speake The cause of the beating of the heart The inordinate motion of the heart and all the arteries is caused of the vapour of this matter so stirred which setting vpon the heart with great force and seeking the ouerthrow thereof as commonly happeneth in euery conflict and fight causeth it to bestirre it selfe with a double diligence but so as that therein it looseth oftentimes his iust and well proportioned stroke and thereby the pulses also faile sometimes in that iust measure and time which they ought to keepe The causes of the rednes and flushes appearing in their face The cause of their colde sweates The rednes which appeareth in the face the vniuersall beatings ouer all the bodie and the tickling stingings which they feele in euery place as it were little Pissemires ariseth either of a sharpe and subtile winde or else of vapours sent from the lower parts Colde sweates happen when the vapours rising from the places called Hypochondria as from a fournace doe pitch themselues vpon the skin which is a great deale more colde and therefore doth congeale and turne them into a thicker substance The cause of their lassitude The lassitude or wearisome feeblenes which they feele in all their parts commeth partlie of vapours which running amongst the emptie spaces of the muscles and mingling themselues with the substance of the sinewes doe make them more loose and lanke and make as it were a sencelesnes and partlie of crudities and waterish parts which are in the blood The cause of their leanenes Leanenes happeneth because there is defect and want of sufficient store of good and laudable blood The bellie is hard and giuen to costiuenes by reason of the excessiue heate of the liuer which wasteth all the moisture of the excrements CHAP. XIIII Very worthie and not able histories of two persons grieued with the Hypochondriake disease THere are found sometimes diseases so straunge in their kinde as that euen the best able and most sufficient Phisitions know not what to iudge of them I haue feene two Hypochondriake persons so raging mad as that the former ages neuer saw the like and it may be the ages to come shall not see such other two of a long time The first historie There was at Mompelier an honest Citizen of a melancholike disposition and by constitution most subiect to blacke choler who hauing been grieued by the space of two or three yeares with a milder and lighter kinde of windie melancholie suffered the disease to growe so farre as that at length he saw himselfe brought to this extremitie He felt twise or thrise euery day a light kinde of mouing all ouer his bellie but chiefely on the side whereupon the spleene lieth there was also so great a noyse made in his bellie as that not onely the sicke partie but also all those that stoode by heard the same This rumbling would last about halfe a quarter of an houre and afterward vpon the suddaine a vapour or winde seazing vpon the midriffe and the breast did lye so wonderfullie heauie vpon him and so accompanied with a drie cough as that all men would haue thought him to haue beene short breathed This accident being somewhat lesned all the rest of the bodie was in such sorte shaken that you would haue iudged it like vnto a ship tossed with a most raging storme he heaued and set and his two armes were seene to moue as if they had indured some conuulsion In the end these windes hauing coursed through his whole body
of the conserue of the flowers of Borage of Roses and a Balme of each two ounces of the confection of Alkermes and of the Iacinth of each two drammes of the powder of precious stones and of Mirth of each halfe a dramme make thereof a solide Epitheme in forme of a cataplasme with the water of Balme or of the flowers of Oranges and this you shall spread vpon a peece of scarlet Oyles and apply it to the heart Take the oyle of lesamin and of Costus one ounce of Amber grise three graines chafe therewith the region of the heart or else prouide you some naturall Balme An oyntment Take of the flowers of Camomile Rosemarie and Orange tree of each two drams of Ziloaloe of sweete Saunders of each one dram of the oyle of lesamin and naturall Balme of each one ounce of Amber and Muske sixe or seuen graines make hereof an oyntment with a little white waxe and annoynt therewith the region of the heart Bags Take of the leaues of Balme of the flowers of Borage and Buglosse of each halfe a handfull of the rindes and seede of Citrons two drams of the seede of Balme Basill and Cloues of each a dram of the powder of Pearle Emerauld and lacynth of each halfe a dram of the bone of a Harts heart one dram of red and yellow Saunders one dram of good Amber foure or fiue graines pound them all and make a stomacher of red taffata well quilted and weare it ordinarily vpon the hart Thus much concerning the proper remedies as well inward as outward for the strengthening of the heart and taking away of such weaknes as commonly happeneth to them that haue the windie melancholie Meanes for the strengthening of the stomack The other part to bee strengthened is the stomacke and to preuent that it may not beget such great store of crudities you shall vse powders helping disgestion and certaine oyles properly vsed in such cases for the annoynting thereof The digestiue powder must not be too hot A digestiue powder Take of Anise and Fennell confected of each three drams of the rindes of Citrons confected one dram of prepared Pearle and red Corall of each one halfe a dram of fine Cinamome two scruples of rosed Sugar foure ounces make them in powder and take thereof a spooneful alwaies after your meate Outwardly you may strengthen the stomacke Meanes to be applied outwardly to the stomacke by annoynting it with the oyle of Nutmeg Spikenard Wormewood or with some bag made of Wormewood Balme Cloues Macis Cinamome red Roses and such like powders it is meete that diligent care be had that they bee not applied vpon the place of the liuer because the hote distemperature of this part is commonly the originall of all Hypochondriake diseases And for this cause you may annoint the liuer with the oyntment of Roses and Saunders well washed in Succorie water or else you shall apply thereupon Epithemes of the waters of Succorie Endiue Sorrell the seedes of Endiue cordiall flowers and red Saunders As concerning the braine which is weake to the end it may not be subiect to so great quantitie of vapours you may strengthen it with powders appropriate for the head and sleight parfumes And thus much as concerning preseruatiues which are to be vsed when the fit is not and which without all doubt will keepe the fit from comming for taking a way the cause of accidents it must needes fall out that the effects cease Remedies to be vsed in the accesse of the disease But when the fit of the windie melancholie shall put the sicke partie in paines you must vse other meanes which the Phisition shall alter and varie according to the accident which is most strong and vrgent As if it be feeblenes Remedies and helpes against feeblenes you shall leaue to doe all other things and only strengthen the heart and that by vsing the remedies before described As you may take of the confection of Alkermes of bread dipped in wine of Lozenges cordiall Opiates and the rindes of Citrons You shall also apply vnto the heart liquide and drie Epithemes oyles baulmes oyntments and bagges Remedies against oppression through windines If heauines which is the most common accident in the windie melancholic as that which is caused of the grosse vapours or of the winde which waigheth downe the midriffe and membranes doe lye grieuously vpon the partie it will be good to chafe and rub the thighes and legs lightly to minister a Clister to breake windines to apply great cupping glasses vpon the region of the spleene vpon the nauell and all ouer the bellie and if the griefe of these windes be very great you may take a spoonefull of Ros Solis or Cinamome water distilled or Aquacoelestis or else two or three drops of the essence of Anise seede in a little broth very hote or a little Treacle and Mithridate if the winde doe continue vnremoued and will not stirre out of the breast you shall remoue them with some bags applied very hote and these shal be made of the flowers of Camomile and Melilot of the crops of Dill of Millet and fried Oates You may in like manner apply vpon the region of the spleene fomentations which will resolue and waste some part of these grosse vapours These are the three sortes of melancholie which ancient writers haue deliuered vnto vs that is to say that which hath his seat in the braine that which commeth of the sympathie of the whole bodie and that which ariseth ordinarily from the places about the short ribbes which is more common then either of the other and which is so often happening in these miserable times as that there are not many people which feele not some smatch thereof I come to the third disease of Madame Dutchesse of Vzez which is the Rheume THE THIRD DISCOVRSE WHEREIN IS HANDLED THE breeding of Rheumes and how they are to be cured CHAP. I. That the braine is the seate to cold and moysture and by consequent the fountaine of rheumes and distillations IT is not without cause that Hippocrates that great oracle of Greece that written in diuers places That the brain is the mansion of colde and moysture that the braine is the principall seate of cold and moysture for if we looke vnto his marrowie substance his cold temperature his round forme hollow and somewhat long like to the fashion of a cupping glasse and his high situation receiuing al the vapours of the inferiour parts we shall finde that all these dispose it and make it apt to beget and containe great quantitie of water The substance of the braine was of necessitie to be soft and marrowie that so it might the more easily take the stampe of formes and to the end that sinewes which must spring and rise from thence might with least annoyance and paine bend or bow themselues But indeed this marrowie substance is not so called for any resemblance
arise of the corruption of the ayre and of the manner of life The ayre may alter and change vs three maner of waies by his qualities by his substance and by his sudden alteration and chaunge that which is too cold too hot and too moyst is apt to beget rheumes the hot ayre doth it by resoluing and melting such humours as are contained in the braine for thus it maketh them the more apt to fall downe the colde ayre is the cause of distillations because it presseth the braine together and euen as a spunge full of water being pressed wee may behold the water to run out like a riuer on euery side euen so the braine being shrunke together by colde letteth all her humours glide and slip away the same cold ayre may also bee the cause of rheumes by repelling and causing to retire the naturall heate from the vtter parts to the inner The Southerne and Northerne windes are mightie causes to moue and make rheumes for those doe fill the braine and make it heauie but these doe cause it to shrinke together Long tariance inthe Sun or open ayre doth effect as much The sudden change of the ayre and alteration of seasons are of the number of those causes which inforce the rheume As also if the seasons doe keepe their naturall temper as Hippocrates hath very well obserued in his third booke of Aphorismes the yeare will greatly incline vnto rheumatikenes If together with this partie alteration or vtter ouerthrow of the temperature there bee any particular defect in the substance of the ayre as some secret and hidden corruption or infection then it will ingender a popular and pestilent rheume The maner of liuing may likewise bee put in the scrole of outward causes which doe ingender and beget the rheume much eating and drinking doe likewise fill the braine and this is the cause why drunkards and gluttonous feeders are ordinarily subiect vnto the Wrangling rheume .. Great abstinence may likewise cause rheumes in attenuating and making thin the humours as also for that the stomacke being emptie and not prouided of any thing to fill it selfe withall is constrained to make attraction of such moysture as is in the parts neere about Long watching continuall studie extreame violent passions of the minde in as much as they spend and waste the naturall heate and coole the brainer doe ingender rheumes to liue all idle doth keepe the excrements vnconsumed Great euacuations but especiallie oft letting of blood and in great quantitie do cast headlong the body into old age and make it altogether rheumatike Much sleepe puffeth vp the bodie and maketh it moyst especially that which is taken at noonetide And thus much for the outward causes which may cause and mooue the rheume let vs now come vnto the inward The inward causes are either remote or else conioyned the remote which it pleaseth some better to call Antecedents haue relation to the euill disposition of the braine head liuer stomacke and sometimes of the whole bodie The distemperature of the braine causeth rheumes The cold moyst and hot distemperature of the braine doe oftentimes cause rheumes the cold and moyst of their owne nature the hot by way of accident the cold distemperature weakeneth naturall heate doth not make good disgestion of nourishment neither yet spend and waste vnnecessary superfluities whereupon it followeth that it must needs store vp abundance of excrements The hot distemperature attracteth more nourishment then it can well disgest and moe vapours then it can dispatch and make away withall There are some which haue very wittily obserued that the closenes of the substance of the braine is oftentimes the cause of rheumes because it retaineth the vapours and suffereth them not to spend by breathing out and euaporation The euil shape of the head The bad forme or shape of the head is likewise very forcible to procure rheumes for such as haue thc seames of their head very close set together or which haue not any at all as wee haue seene very many are subiect to distillations because the vapours retained doe turne into water and in deede the seames were chiefly made to serue for a vent and as it were a chimney vnto the braine The distemperapture of the lower parts The distemperature of the lower parts and especially of the liuer and stomacke is one of the most ordinarie causes of the rheume if wee beleeue Auicen the prince of the Arabians For from the liner being excessiuely hot doe come as it were from a great burning cole many hot exhalations which by the cold temperature of the braine doe congeale and turne into water I say further that they which haue a very hot liuer haue also their veines very hot in such sort as that there rise continually very hot vapours from them The cold distemperature of the stomacke ingendring many crudities my also be a cause of rheumes for thereby al the bodie is cooled the second disgestion not being able to correct the errour of the first But if it should so bee as that all the causes should concur and iumpe together that is to say that the braine should bee cold and moyst the lieu hot the stomacke cold there were no doubt but that thereupon would follow a perpetuall generation of excrements in the braine and this is that which the Arabians would haue sayd when they wrote that an vnequall distemperature of the principall parts is the greatest occasion of distillations And thus much concerning the remote causes The more neere or antecedent causes not onely of rheumes but of all other fluxes of humours are three The causes more necrely procuring rheumes are three The partsending the part sending the part receiuing and the nature of the humour In the part sending wee obserue his high situation and his strength if it bee indued with these two qualities it will easily cast his burthen vpon all the inferiour-parts which are as it were vassals vnto it Hippocrates hath well obserued it in the booke of the wounds of the head when he sayth that amongst all the parts of the head the brow is most subiect vnto inflammation because the brow is contained but euery fluxe is from the part containing vnto the part contained the brow is contained both in respect of the low situation thereof as also in respect of the production of vessels The part receiueth the humour either because it is inferiour or because it is weake The part receiuing or because it draweth it vnto it Euery inferiour part is subiect to receiue the burthen of that which commanded it but and if the part be weake it will yet be the more apt This weakenes commeth either of it selfe and from the proper nature of the part or else by some accident The weake part the rare and spungie parts are naturallie weake such as are all the glandules and it seemeth that nature of set purpose hath made them such to the end that they should receiue
the excrements and superfluities of the principall parts Hippocrates hath debated this matter so well in his booke of Glandules as that a man cannot tel how to adde any thing therevnto The skin was by nature made weak to the end it might containe al the superfluities that are frō within whereupon some call it the vniuersall emunctorie Parts may also be weak by some accident as by a fall or blow or some distēperature in what maner soeuer they bee weake it maketh them apt to receiue the refuse of their neighbour parts How the part attracteth the humour to it selfe The last cause is the part his attraction of the humour The Arabians haue acknowledged three causes of this attraction heate paine and the auoyding of vacuitie Heate attracteth of it owne nature because it rarifieth the parts neere about attenuateth and maketh thin the humours and enlargeth the waies and passages for the humour to runne through How paine attracteth Paine doth not attract of his owne nature because it is an affect of feeling but feeling is a patient and no agent and euery one of the sences is executed by taking in of some thing but the humours flow to the pained part by reason of the weakenes of the same as also because the naturall heat thereof is weakened by the paine and cannot well concoct the humour it must needes bee that it should stay in that place They who affirme that the humour floweth vnto the part which feeleth the paine because nature sendeth thither both spirits and blood that she may comfort the same doe deceiue themselues in my judgement and offer great wrong vnto nature for if she knew that such a part stood in need of spirits and blood she would know therewithal that in sending this blood she should profit the part nothing at all but rather hurt it so that paine doth not properly attract and draw The last cause of distillations is imputed to the humour For if it bee thin in substance hot in temperature sharpe and pricking in qualitie it will be a great deale the more apt to flow CHAP. V. A generall order of diet to be obserued for the preuenting and curing of Rheumes and distillations I Will follow the same order and course in the laying downe of this regiment which I haue taken in the other two going before Wee must therefore so dispose of all the sixe things which are called not naturall as that they may not only hinder the engendring of rheumes but also consume and cure the same being alreadie begotten Let euery man therefore make choise for himselfe of such an ayre as is temperate in his actiue qualities and as for the passiue that it bee altogether drie I say that it must be temperate in heate and cold because that a hot ayre resoluing the humours of the braine and a cold pressing them out causeth them to fall downe aboundantly If the ayre bee too cold it may bee corrected with good fires made of Iuniper Rosemarie Bay-tree Oke and Fig-tree if it be exceeding hote it may be cooled with hearbs and flowers that are indued with such propertie There must care be had to auoide the Northerne and Southerne windes because the one filleth the head full and the other presseth it out You must not abide much in the Sunne-beames nor yet in the open ayre The windes which pearce through chinkes and rifts are extreamely dangerous for the rheume The inequalitie of the ayre as Celsus obserueth very well doth mightily further the begetting of rheumes it is called an vnequal aire when it is now hot now cold As concerning the passiue qualities the ayre-must in all maner of distillation incline vnto drines and for that cause it is good to dwell vpon mounted places and such as are farre from riuers In meates three things are to be obserued the quantitie qualitie and manner of vsing them As concerning the quantitie In meats three things are to be obserued all repletion and full gorging is enemie to such complexions as are subiect vnto rheumes we may not at any time eate to the full it is better to rise from the table hungrie and hee cannot but fare the better which cutteth of one meale in a weeke As concerning the qualitie it must bee contrary vnto the disease or the cause thereof the cause of rheumes is a superfluous humour so that it will bee fittest to vse such meates as may dry vp the same All vaporous meates in generall must bee abstained as also meates that are grosse windie full of excrements and hard to disgest In the maner of vsing of these meates there must many rules bee obserued as there must no new meate bee taken into the stomacke before the former bee throughly disgested You must content your selfe to feede vpon one onely dish and that such as is good for varietie filleth all full of cruditie and it mingleth it selfe with the blood in the veines and ministreth rheumatike matter vnto the braine You must vse to eate more at dinner then at supper in as much as sleepe which succeedeth supper within a short time doth send great store of vapours vnto the braine which are afterwards turned into water The bread must bee of good wheate and throughly baked Bread not cleane purged from his branne but retaining a little branne and mixt with some salt it must neuer be eaten hot at the latter end of meate you may eate bisket wherein some Anise and Fennell seede haue been put Rosted meates are much better then boyled Flesh and of them such as doe not abound with humours we allow the vse of Capon Pigeon Partridge young Hare Kid Hart Feasant Quailes Turtle doues and all birds of the mountaines all which maybe interlarded with Sage and Hissope of the mountaines The vse of water-fowles Porke Lambe Mutton and young Veale is forbidden broths and pottage are very ill Fish is exceedingly contrary Fish All sort of milk-meates is an enemie in rheumatike diseases as also all maner of pulse As concerning hearbes Hearbes the Arabians recommend vnto vs Sage Hissope Mints wilde Time Margerome Rosemary Burnet Cheruill Fennell and Costmarie Aetius tolerateth Coleworts and Leekes but he forbiddeth in expresse tearmes Garlick Onions because they send vp many vapours and all cold moyst hearbes as Lettuse Purcelane Sorrell and such like All fruites that abound in moysture Fruites as Apples Plums Melons Cucumbers and Mulberies are forbidden But as for such as haue propertie to drie as Pine apples small nuts Pistaces Almonds Peares Quinces Figs drie Raisines Medlers Ceruisses they may be vsed after meate And thus much concerning meate As concerning drinke Drinke cold water and all maner of licour that is actually cold it is enemie to al such as are subiect to the rheume if so bee that such rheume be not extreame hot pricking and accompanied with an ague Barley water with a little Sugar and Cinamome is very good and fit or a Ptisane or