Philosophers owne simile our heate is like the flame of a burning lampe the moisture like the foâ—eson or Oâ—le of the lampe wherewith it continewâ—s burning As in the lampe if there bee not a symmetrie and a iust measure of the one with the other they will in a short time the one of them destroy the other For if the heat be too vehemeÌ„t and the oyle too little the latter is speedily exhausted and if the oyle be too aboundaÌ„t the heat too re misse the fire is quickly suffocated Euen so it fares with these two in the body of man man must striue against his appetite with reason to shunne such thinges as do not stand with reason whatsoeuer will not keepe these in their equality of dominion must be auoided vnlesse we will basely subiect our selues to fond desire which is as wee say euer with child To what end is reason placed in the head as in her tower but that she may rule ouer the affections which are situated farre vnder her like Eolus whom Virgil faineth to sit in a hie turret holding the scepter and appeasing the turbulent windes which are subiect vnto him thus Maro discribes him celsa sedet Aeolâ—s arce ceptâ— a tenens mollitquâ— animos teÌ„perat iras We must especially bridle our vntamed appetite in all luxury surfeit which wil suddeÌ„ly extinguish our natural flame suck vp the natiue oile of our liuely lampe ere we be a ware die long before the complet age of man as many most excellent men we read of haue brought a violent death vpon them selues long beefore the lease of their life were expired though not by that means for death is of two sorts either natural or violeÌ„t Violent as when by surfet by 〈◊〉 by sword by any sudden accident a man either dies by his owne hand or by the hand of an other this is that death wher of Homer speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—pit illum purpurea mors violent a parca Hee dyed suddenly by one forceable stroke so purple death is to bee vnderstoode of Purpurea or Murex the purple fish who yeldes her purple-dying humor being but once strucke as they that be learned knowe for this accidentary death instance mote be giuen of many Aâ—acreon died beeing choc't with a kornell of a ray sinne Empedocles threw himselfe into Aetnaes flakes to aeâ—ernise his memorie Euripides was deuourde by Thracian curres Aeschilus was kild with a Tortisse shell or as some write with a deske that fell vppon his head whiles he was writing Aâ—aximander was famisht to death by the Athenians Heraclâ—us died of a dropsie beeing wrapt in oxen dung before the Sunne Diogenes dâ—ed by eating raw Lucretiaâ—heathed â—heathed her knife in her owne bowels to renowne her chastity Regulus that worthy Romane mirrour rather then he wold ransoÌ„e his owne life by the death of many suffered himselfe to be rould to death in a hogshed full of sharp nayles MenaÌ„der was drownd in the Pyraean hauen as Ouid in his Ibis witnesseth Socrates was poysoned with chill cicuta Homer staru'd himselfe for anger that he could not expound the riddle which the fishers did propound vnto him when hee demaunded what they had got they answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What we haue taken we haue left behinde What 's not taken about vs thou maist find Eupolis the poet was drownd c. For a naturall death euery man knowes it is when by the course of nature a man is coÌ„'d to the full periode of his age so that with almost a miracle a man can possibly liue no longer as al those decrepits whom Plautus calls silicernia capularii senes Acherunticâ— all old men that dying are â—ikned to apples that beeing mellow fall of their owne accord from the trees Such a one as Numa Pompilius was the praedecessour of Tullius Hostilius in the king â—ome wâ—om Dionysius Halicarnassaeus hiely praising for his vertues at length comming to speake of his death sayes but first he liued long with perfect sense neuer infortunate and hee ended his dayes with an easie death beeing withered away with eld which end happens more late vnto the sanguine then to any other complexion and the soonest comes vpon a melancholicke constitution Feâ— die naturally but wise men which knowe their tempers well many dye violently by them selues like fooles which haue no insight into themselues especially by this great fault of surfeite partely by the ignorance of their owne state of complection and partely these of their reason beeing blindfold by their lasciuious wantonesse and luxurie amid their greatest iollity For variety of meats and dainty dishes are the nourses of great surfeite and many daungerous diseases to the which that speach of Lucian is sutable where he saith that Goutes Tislickes Exulcerations of the Lungs Dropsies and such like which in rich men vsually are resident are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ofsprings of suÌ„ptuous bancquets so also did Antiphanes the physician say as we read in Clemens Surfeite is an ouer cloying of the stomach with meates or drinkes properly which hinder the second concoction and there fester and putrifie corrupting the spirits infecting the blood and other internall parts to the great weakening and enfeebling of the body and often to the separation of the soule improperly of anger Venus and the like all which in a parode imitating Virgil wee may set downe but chiefely touching surfeite a sedibus imis Vnà ardor luxusque flâ—nt et crebra procellis Dira Venus moestos generant in corpore luctus Corporis insequitur tabes funesta vaporum Nubes obienebrant subito sensuÌ„que 〈◊〉 Fumantis crapulâ— cerebro nox incubat atra * Intonuere exta crebris angoribus algent â—nfaustamque guloso intentant ilia mortem Of all sinnes this gluttony and gourman dizing putrifieth and rotteth the body greatly disableth the soule it is tearmed crapula of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of shaking the head because it begets a resolution of the sinnewes by cold bringing a palsey Or for this when nature is ouercharged the stomach too full as he saith in his Theatre du monde all the braines are troubled in such sort that they caÌ„not execute their functioÌ„s as they ought For as Isocraâ—es writes the mind of man being corrupted with excesse and surfet of wine he is like vnto a chariot running without a coachman This fault of luxury was in Sardanapalus whose belly was his God and God his enemie in Vitellius who had serued vnto him at one feast 2000. fishes and 7000. birdes in Heliogabalus that centre of al dainties who at one supper was serued with 600. ostriches in Maximianus who did eate euery day 40. pound of flesh and drincke 5. gallons of wine Concerning rauenous eaters learned Athenaeus is aboundant and copious this no doubt was in the priests of Babylon who worshipped God Bell onely for God belly Great was the abstinence
aggrauate this humour soe much til it generate and breede either a hecticke feuer mortall consumption yellow Iaundice or any the like disease incident to this coÌ„plexion and so concerning all the rest For a bare Nosce it is not sufficiently competent for the auoidance of death to maintaine a happy crasis but the liuing answerably according to knowledge for wee see many exquisite Physicions and learned men of speciall note whose exhibitories to themselues do not parallel their prescripts and aduice to others who are good physicions but no pliable patients to make a diligent search and scrutinie into their owne natures yet not fitting them with corespoÌ„dency of diet like Luciaâ—es apothecary who gaue Physicke vnto others for coughing and yet hee him selfe did neuer lin coughing Cunctis qui cauit noncauet ille sibi While hee cured others hee neglected him selfe Wee may rightly say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Crapula fit esca deliciae eorum damna that is their diet is luxury and each delicy made their malady And yet none doe more inveigh against surfet misdiet then they but they are like the Musipula of whome it saide in the Hieroglyphichs that shee vseth to bring forth her issue out of her mouth and swimming with them about her when shee is hungry shee swallowes them vp againe so they in externall shew spit out the name of surfet banishing â—t far from theÌ„ but by their accustomable deadly luxury againe they imbrace it and hug it in their armes so long till some incroching disease or other hauing had long dominion and resiance in them be past cure of Physicke For we knowe Non est in medico semper releuetur vt aeger Interdum docta plus valet arte malum No earthly art can euer cure deepe 〈◊〉 ill Not 〈◊〉 with his heauenly skill So then the most exact selfe-knower of â—ll if he doe not containe himselfe within the territories and praecincts of reasonable appetite the Cynosura of the wiser dietest if consorting with misdieters he bath him selfe in the muddy streame of their luxury and riot he is in the very next suburbs of death it selfe Yet for this I confesse that the siluer brest of Niâ—us is not vitiated and polluted by others keÌ„nel muddy thought and turbulent actions or affections no more then the riuer Alpheus that runs hard by the salt sea is tainted with the brackish quality of the sea no more then the Salamander is schorcht though dayly conuersing in the fire or chast Zenocrates lying with Lair is defiled since hee may well do it without impeachment to his chastity so may the heroical and generous spirits conuerse with vnstaide appetites and yet not haue the least tang of their excesse but by their diuiner Nâ—sce teipsum may bee their owne gardians both for ther Coelestiall and also earthly part Yet wee know Aliquid mali propter vicinum malum the taint of ill comes by consorting with ill the best natures and wisest selfe-knowers of al may bee tild on or constraind to captiuate and in thral their freedome of happy spirit and to rebel against their owne knowledge I wish therefore in conclusion the meanest if possible to haue an insight into their bodily estate as chiefly they ought of the soule whereby they may shun such things as any waies may bee offensiue to the good of that estate and may so consequently being vexed with none no not the least maladie be more fit not onely to liue but to liue well For as the Poet saide of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to die is not ill but to die ill so contrarâ—wise of life wee may say it is no such excellent thing to liue as wel to liue which no doubt may easily bee effected if they doe abridge them selues of all vaine alluring lusts and teather their appetites within the narrow-round plot of diet lest they run at randon and breake into the spacious fields of deadly luxury Cap. 2. That the soule simpathizeth with the body and followeth her crasis and temperature INficitur terrae sordibus vnda flueâ—s saith the Poet If a water current haue any vicinity with a putrefied and infected soyle it is tainted with his corrupt quality The heauenly soule of man as the Artists vsually auerre seÌ„blablewise doth feele as it were by a certaine deficiency the ill affected crasis of the body so that if this bee annoyed or infected with any faeculeÌ„t humors it faires not wel with the soule the soule her selfe as maladious feeles some want of her excellency and yet impatible in regarde of her substance though the bad disposition of the organons the malignancy of receites the vnrefinednes of the spirits doe seeme to affect the soule for the second which causeth the third marke what Horace speaketh quin corpus onustum Hesternis 〈◊〉 anâ—mum quoque pragrauat 〈◊〉 Atque affligit humo diuinaparticulam aura The man surcharg'd with former crudities Waighes downe our spirits nimble faculties Our ladened soule as plunged in the mire Lies nie extinct though part of he auens fire To this effect is that speech of Democritus who saith that the bodily habit being out of temper theminde hath no liuely willingnes to the conteÌ„plation of vertue that beeing enfeebled ouershadowed the light of the soule is altogether darkned heauenly wisdome as it were sympathizing with this earthly masse as in any surfet of the best and choisest delicates also of wines is easily apparant Uinum of it owne nature is if we may so terme it Diuinum because it recreats the tired spirits makes the mind farre more nimble and actuall and aspiring to a higher straine of wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Xenophon it stirs vp mirth and chearefulnesse as oyle makes the blasing flame yet by accident the vnmanag'd appetite desiring more then reason it doth dull the quicker spirits stop the pores of the braine with too many vapours and grosse fumes makes the heade totty â—ullabees the senses yea intoxicates the very soule with a pleasing poison as the same Xenophon saies it happens vnto men as to tender plants lately ingraffed impeâ— which haue their grouth from the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. when God doth water and drench them with an immoderate showre they neither shotte out right nor hardly haue any blowne blossoms but when the earth doth drink in so much as is competent for their encrease theÌ„ they spring vpright and florishing do yeelde their fruite in their accustomed time so fareth it with the bodies and by sequele with the soules of men if wee poure in with the vndiscreete hand of appetite they both will reele too and fro and scarce can we breath at least we cannot vtter the least thing that relisheth of wisedome our mindes must needs followe the tempers or rather the distemperatures
vulgar sort tearmeâ— the night-mare or the riding of the witch which is nothing else but a disease proceeding of grosse phleume in the orifice of the stomach by long surfet which sends vp could vapors to the hinder cels of the moistened braine and there by his grosenesse hinders the passage of the spirits descending which also causes him that is affected to imagin hee sees something oppresse him and lie heauily vpon him when indeed the fault is in his braine in the hinder part only for if it were had possession of the middle part the fansie shoulde bee hindred froÌ„ imagining which also seemes to bee tainted with darkesome fumes because it formes and â—aignes to it selfe diuers visions of things which haue no existence in verity yet it is not altogether obscured and it may bee proued specially to lodge in that part I meane in the head because of the want of motion in that part cheifly This disease neuer takes any but while they lie vpon their backe There is an other diet for Venus we must not spend our selues vpon common curtizans wee must not be like Sparrowes which as the Philosopher saies goe to it eight times in an hower nor like Pigeons which twain are fained of the Poets to drawe the chariot of Cythâ—raea for their salacitie but rather like the stockdoue who is called palumbes quoniam pâ—rcit lumbis as contrariwise columba quippe colit lumbos because she is a venerous bird it were good to tread in Carnâ—ades his steps for chastity follow Xâ—â—crates example who as Frid. Millemanâ— reports was caused to lie with a curtezan all a night for the triall of his chastity whom the curtezan affirmed in the morning non vt hominem sed vt stipitem proptâ—r dormisse not to haue laide by her as a man but as a stocke For our exercise wherein a diet also is to be respected it must neither be too vehement nor too remisse adruboreÌ„ non adsudorem to he at not sweat There be two other the one of nutriment the other of attire which are in physick to be had in account which for breuity I passe ouer malleÌ„ eniÌ„ as he saith in minimâ— peccare quam non peccare in maxiâ— But note here that the first diet is not only in auoiding superfluity of meates and surfet of drincks but also in eschewing such as are not obnoxious and least agreable with our happy teÌ„perate state as for a cholericke man to abstaine from all salte scorched drye meates from mustard and such like things as will aggrauate his malignant humour al hot drincks enflaming wines for a sanguine to refraine from all wines because they engender superfluous blood which without euacuation will breed eyther the frenzie the hemoroihds sputam sanguiâ—s dulnes of the braine or any such disease for Phlegmaticke men to auoide all thinne rhumaticke liquors cold meat and slimy as fish and the like which may beget crudities in the ventricle the Lethargie Dropsies Cathars rhumes and such like for a melancholicke man in like maner to abandon from himselfe all dry and heauy meates which may bring an accrument vnto his sad humour so a man may in time change and alter his bad complection into a better Wee will therefore conclude that it is excellent for euery complection to obserue a diet that thereby the soule this heauenly created forme seing it hath a sympathie with the body may execute her functions freely being not molested by this terrestriall masâ—e which otherwise will bee a burthen ready to surpresse the soule Cap. 5. How man derogates from his excellency by surfet and of his vntimely death AS natures workemanship is not little in the greatest soe it may bee great in the least thinges there is not the abiectest nor smallest creature vnder the firmament but would astonish and amaze the beholder if he duly consider in it the diuine finger of the vniuersall nature admirable are the works of art euen in leâ—er things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little workes shewâ— forth great Artificers The image of Alexander mounted vpon his courser was so wonderfully portrayed out that being no bigger theÌ„ mote wel be couered with the naile of a finger hee seemed both to iercke the steede and to strike a terrour and an amazemeÌ„t into the beholder The whole 〈◊〉 ades of Homer were comprized into a compendious nutshell as the OratormeÌ„tions and Martiall in the second of his distichs The Rhodes did câ—rue out a ship in euery point absolute and yet so little that the wings of a flie might easily hide the whole ship Phydias merited great praise for his Scarabee his Grashop his Bee of which saith Iulian euery one though it were framed of brasse by nature yet his art did add a life and soule vnto it None of all these workes though admirable in the eye of cunning it selfe may enter into the lists of compare with the least liuing thing much lesse with that heauenly worke of works natures surquedry and pride that little world the true pattern of the diuine image man who if hee could hold himselfe in that perfection of soule and temprature of body in which he was framed and should by right preserue himselfe excels all creatures of the inferiour orbs from the highest vnto the lowest yet by distempering his soule and misdietting his body inordinatly by surfet luxury he far comes behind many of the greatest which are more abstinent and some of the lesse creatures that are lesse continent Who doth more excell in wisedom then he who 's more beau tified with the ornaments of nature more adorn'd with the adiuments of art indowed with a greater summe of wit who can better presage of things to come by naturall causes whoe hath a more filed iudgement a soule more actiue so furnisht with all the gifts of contemplation whoe hath a deper infight of knowledg both for the creator and creature whoe hath a body more sound and perfect who can vse soe speciall meanes to prolong his daies in this our earthly Paradise and yet we see that for all this excellency and supereminence through a distemperate life want of good aduice and circumspection by imbracing such things as proue his bane yea sometimes in a brauery hee abridges his owne daies pulling downe vntimely death vpon his owne head he neuer bends his study and endeauor to keepe his bodie in the same model and temper that it shold be in Mans life saith Aristotle is vpheld by two staffs the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natiue heate the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 radicall moisture now if a man do not with all care seke to obserue an equall portion mixture of them both so to manage them that the one orecome not the other the body is like an instrument of musicke that wheÌ„ it hath a discordancy in the strings is wont to iarre and yeelds no melodious sweete harmony to go vnto the
booke They madly murmure in themselues for routh They heaue their words with le auerâ— froÌ„ their mouth They musing dream on th' anticke axiome Nought's fram'd of nought to nought ne ought may come Of al the 4. this humor is the most vnfortu nate and greatest enemy to life because his qualities being cold and drie do most of al disagree from the liuely qualities heat and moisture either with his coldnes extinguishing naturall inherent heate or with his drines sucking vp the natiue moisture the melancholick man therefore is saide to be borne vnder leaden Saturne the most disastrous and malignant planet of all who in his copulation and coniunction with the best doth dull and obscure the best influence and happiest constellation whose qualities the melancholik man is endowed with being himselfe leaden lumpish of an extreame cold and drie nature which cuts in twaine the threed of his life long before it be spun in so much that hee may rightly say with Hecuba though she spoke of a liuing death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am dead before the appointed time of death for this humor if it be not oft hoâ—ped with mirth or wine or some other accidetall cause which is repugnant to his effect it will cause nature to droupe and the flowre of our life to fade in the budding prime these meanes to cherrish foster and prolong our life are like the rayes of the Sunne to raise and lift vp the hyacinth or violet being patted downe to th' earth with suddaine drops of raine whereof the poeâ— speaks Qualis flos violae seâ— purpurei hyacinthi Demutit pressas rore vel imbre genas Moxque idem radâ—s solis â—epesact us aâ—i Attollit multo 〈◊〉 honore caput c. Like as the Hyacinth with purple hew Hangs down his head oreâ— drencht with siluer deâ— And eâ—t when Sol has drunk vp th'drizling raiâ— With smiling cheare gins looke full pert againe Euen so the soule being pressed downâ— with the ponderous waight of melancholy and as it were a thral vnto this dumpiâ— humor is rouzed vp with wine and meriment especially and iufraunchist againe into a more ample and heauenly freedom of contemplation This humor is tearmed of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of Aulus Gell so of Cae lius Rod others who auer that those that are borne vnder Saturne melancholike meÌ„ as Saturne is the highest planet of all so they haue the most aspiring wits of all Diuine Plato affirmes that those haue most dextericall wits who are wont to bee stirde vp with a heauenly fury he saies frustra poeticas fores c. he that knockes not at the portall of poets Inne as furious and besid himselfe is neuer like to be admitted in a man must not with the foole in the fable rap at the wicket with the six penny nayle of modesty â— he meane to haue entrance into the curious roomes of inuention Seneca saith nallum â—â— magnum ingenium fine mixtura dementiae wit neuer relishes well vnlesse it tast of a mad humor or there is neuer any surpassing wit which is not incited with fury now of all complections melancholy is 〈◊〉 furore concitata most subiect to furious fits whereby they conclude that melancholike men are endowed with the rarest wittes of all but how shallow this their reason is he that hath waded into any depth of reason may easily discerne They mought prooue an Asse also of all other creatures most melancholike and which will bray as if hee were horne madde to bee exceeding witty they might say this as well that because Saturne is the slowest Planet of all so their wits are the slowest of all I confesse this that oftentimes the melancholicke man by his contemplatiue facultie by his assiduitie of sad and serious meditation is a brocher of dangerous matchiauellisme an inventor of stratagems quirks and pollicies which were neuer put in practise and which may haue a happy successe in a kingdome in militarie affaires by land in nauigation vpon the sea or in any other priuate peculiar place but for a nimble dextericall smirke praegnant extemporary inuention for a suddain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleasant conceit a comicall ieast a witty bourd for a smug neat stile for delightsome sentences vernished phrases quaint and gorgeous eloquution for an astounding Rhetoricall veine for a liuely grace in deliuery hee can neuer bee aequiualent with a sanguine complection which is the paragon of all if it go not astray from his owne right temper and happy crasis nay the former must not so much as stand at the barre when the latter whith great applause can enter into the lists He that wishes this humor whereby he mote become more witty is as fond as Democritus who put out both his eyes voluntarily to be giuen more to contemplation Of all men wee count a melancholicke man the very sponge of all sad humors the aqua-fortis of mery company a thumb vnder th'girdle the contemplatiue slumberer that sleepes waking c. But according to phisick there bee two kindes of melancholy the one sequestred from all admixtion the thickest driest portion of blood not adust which is called naturall and runs in the vessels of the blood to be an aliment vnto the parts which are me laÌ„cholickly qualified as the bones grisles sinewes c. the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a combust black choler mixed with saltish phlegmaticke humor or cholerick or the worst sanguine If you desire to know this complection by their habit and guise they are of a blacke swarthy visage dull-paced sad countenanced harbouring hatred long in their breastes hardly incensed with anger and if angry long ore this passion be appeased and mitigated crafty headed constant in their determination fixing their eies vsually on the earth while a man recites a tale vnto them they will picke their face bite their thumbes their eares will bee soiourners like Cleomenes in Plutarch animus est in 〈◊〉 their wit is a wool gathering for laughing they be like a most to Anaxagoras of whom Aelian sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee neuer laught they be much giuen to a solein monastich life neuer welnie delighted with consort very subiect to passions hauing a droppe of wordes and a flood of cogitations vsing that of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are colde in their externall partes of a kinde nature to them with whome they haue long conuerst and though they seeme for some dislike to alienate their mindes from their friend yet are they constant in affection But for the first kind of melancholy it is euer the worthier and better This they call the electuary and cordiall of the minde a restoratiue conseruice of the memory the nurse of contemplation the pretious balme of witte and pollicy the enthousiasticall breath of poetry the foison of our best phantasies the sweete sleepe of the senses the fountaine of sage aduise and good purueiance and yet for all
Lo Craesus which was of Lydia king Met he not that he sat vpon a tree Which signified that he should honged be Many moe be rehearsed in that place which is worthy to bee read wherein the poet shewes himselfe both a Diuine an Historian a Philosopher and Phisicion In treating of dreames wee will not intetmeddle with these the ominous and fatall dreames wee read of in the sacred writ One portentous dream I will recite which comes to my memory and which I my selfe heard related of the party that dreamed it There was one that dreamed she was walking in a greenish meade all fragrant with beautifull flowers and flourishing plants who whiles she wondred and stood as amaz'd at the glory of the spring an auncient sire all withered aud lean-fac'd with eld the very embleme of death made toward her with a greene bow in his hand sharpning it at the end whoe as shee fled away from his pursuit did dartit often at her the branch three times comming very neare her yet did not touch her at all who when hee see he could not preuaile with his aime vanished eft away and left the bow behind and shee as astounded and affright with the dreame presently awooke now marke the sequel of it within three daies after shee was for recreation sake walking in a greenish inclosure hard by a pond side and on a suddaine her brain was so intoxicate distempered whether with a spice of a vertigo or what amazing disease soeuer I know not but shee was hurried into a deepe pond with her head forward being in great peril of drow ning and if shee had not caught fast hold by chance on a branch that hung ouer the water shee had beene drowned indeed These also are fatall dreames as when we dreame of Eagles flying ouer our heade it portends infortunatenes to dreame of mariages dauncing and banquetting foretels some of our kinsfolkes are departed to dreame of siluer sorrow if thou hast it giuen thy selfe of gold good fortune to loose an axill tooth or an eye the death of some speciall friend to dreame of bloody teeth the death of the dreamer to weep in sleepe ioy to contemplate ones face in the water and to see the dead long life to haÌ„dle lead some melaÌ„cholick disease to see a Hare death to dream of chickins and birds commonly ill lucke all which and a thousand more I will not auer to be true yet because I haue found them or many of them fatall both by mine owne and others experience and to be set downe of I arned men and partly to shewe what an ominous dreame is I thought good to name them in this chapter Vaine dreames be wheÌ„ a man imagins hee doth such things in his sleepe which he did the day before the species being strongly fixed in his phantasie as if he hauing read of a Chimâ—ra Sphynx Tragelaphus Centaurus or any the like poeticall fiction sees the like formed in his phantasies according to their peculiar parts such as when wee dreame wee are performing any bodily exercise or laughing or speaking c. these also may bee fatall as if wee dreame wee do not any thing with the same alacritie with the like cunning and in the same excellency in our sleepe as we did them in the day time they foreshew some perturbation of body so saith the Physicion in his treatise of dreames for hee saith that those dreames which are not aduerse to diurnall actions and that appeare in the purity of their sub iects and eminency of the conceiued species are intimates of a good state of health as to see the Sunne and Moone note clipsed but in their sheene glory to journey without impediment in a plaine soile to see trees shoot out and ladened with variety of fruites brookes sliding in sweete meades with a soft murmure cleare waters neither swelling too hie nor running nie the channell these sometimes are vaine and portend nothing at all some times they signifie a sound temperature of body The last kind which is most appertinent to our treatise is a dreame Naturall this ariseth from our complections when humours beene too aboundant in a wight as if one bee cholericke of complection to dreame of fire-workes exhalations comets streking blazing meteors skirmishing stabbing and the like If sanguine to dreame of beautifull women of flowing streames of bloud of pure purplecolors If Phlegmaticke to dreame of surouÌ„ding waters of swimming in riuers of torrents and suddaine showers c. If Melancholicke to dreame of falling downe from hie turretres of trauailing in darke solemne places to lie in caues of the earth to dreame of the Diuell oâ— blake furious beastes to see any the like terrible aspects Albertus magnus dreamed that he druncke blacke pitch who in the morning when he awoke did voide an abundance of blacke choler Concerning these forenamed coÌ„plectionate dreames looke Hippocrates de in somniis sect 4 But these may belong more vn to a distemperature by a late misdiet in any complection confusedly then to a natural complection indeed as when a man after a tedious wearisome iourney doth inflame his body with too much wine in his sleep he shall see fires drawn swords and strange phantasmaes to affright him of what complection soeuer he be so if wee ouerdrinke our selues we shall dreame our nature beeing welnie ouercome that we are in great danger of drowning in the waues so if wee feed on any grosse meates that lie heauy vpon our stomacke and haue a dispepsy or difficult concoction wee shall dreame of tumbling from the top of hie hils or walls and waken withall before wee come to the bottome as we know by experience in our owne body though not of a melancholick constitution yet it should seeme too that this humor at that instant domineeres especially by reason of the great tickling of our splen in falling from any hie roome which we eath perceine when wee awake suddenly out of that dream They that are desirous further to quench their thirst concerning this point let them repaire vnto the fountaines I meane to the plentifull writinges of such learned authors as write of dreames more copiously as of Cardane that writes a whole treatise de insomniâ—s and the Alphabet of dreames and Peter Martyr part 1. com pla cap. 5. and many others Cap. XV. Of the exactest temperature of all whereof Lemnius speakes THey that neuer haue rellished the verdure of dainty delicates thinke homely fare is a secoÌ„d dish saith the Poet they that neuer haue beene rauished with the sense-bereauing melody of Apollo imagine Pans pipe to be surpâ—ssing musick they that neuer haue hearde the sweet-voicd Swan the Nightingale sing their sugred notes do perswade them selues that Grashops Frogs with their brekekekex coax can sing smoothly when they crouk harshly as Charon in Aristoph bidding Bacchus as he past to hell in his boate ouer Achâ—on to row hard for then he should hear a